The Hunts Not Taken, An Interview With Predators Screenwriter Alex Litvak - AvP Galaxy Podcast #114

Started by Corporal Hicks, Aug 31, 2020, 03:05:53 PM

Author
The Hunts Not Taken, An Interview With Predators Screenwriter Alex Litvak - AvP Galaxy Podcast #114 (Read 14,142 times)

Voodoo Magic

Quote from: Billiken on Sep 02, 2020, 01:50:23 PM
Thanks Voodoo i totally agree. I heard those comments and I was pissed 😡. He shouldn't shit on other movies to make his look good. It ain't.

Np!  Yeah immediately once I heard it I knew it would ruffle a decent amount of feathers.  :)

Quote from: Kradan on Sep 02, 2020, 03:11:08 PM
I guess, it's his personal opinion and that's it

Yes indeedy!

Darkness

Great interview. I always thought the Nimrod was pretty good but this is even better for getting to the nitty gritty of Predators and how it came about. So many new things in there we've not heard of. Writers make the best interviews.

I think I'm going to have to listen to it again to properly digest it.

Wysps

Excellent interview.  What a wealth of information, and he just kept offering more details, unsolicited!  Really appreciated his candidness when talking about how he wanted to take the movie farther, but also understanding the reasoning for scaling back.  I found it pretty funny that his first viewing of Predator was in some shabby room with folding chairs on a small screen  :laugh:  And his referencing the original film as "machismo poetry".

One thing I wish they would have kept were the "lines" and mannerisms that, as Alex said, would have helped the audience appreciate the sentience of the Predator (Classic, in this case.)  I think that could have been reminiscent of the Galgo/Ahab relationship, but obviously not to that degree.  But I suppose that would have required the Classic to stick around longer than what was later planned and executed.  Hoping for something like this in a future film. 

The Braveheart-style Predator battle scene between the two clans – as much as that would have been interesting to see, I do tend to agree that having the human struggle maintain that focal point in the story would have been probably for the best.  I just can't envision any human leading a Predator into battle, and a whole clan no less. 

"Welcome to the Resistance"  :'(  This just makes me want a sequel to Predators even more. You can tell he is so proud of and committed to this world.  I think the continuation would have been in such good hands.   

(Also, did anyone else catch Alex referring to the River Ghost as a stinkbug?? lol)

Corporal Hicks

Corporal Hicks

#18
Quote from: Kradan on Sep 01, 2020, 07:53:36 AM
Oh, I was wondering where is it yesterday ;)

I'd noticed something I needed to fix and re-export and it wasn't finished uploading by the time I'd already announced the release time. But we got there!


Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Sep 02, 2020, 01:28:41 PM
Great podcast Hicks & RidgeTop!

And thanks to Alex for doing it. The fans really appreciate it Alex!!

Thanks, Voodoo. Was a fun one! I had originally approached him last year about this one, but ended up in his spam box, so was fun to get a response from him! A big thanks to Alex for this one!

QuoteI loved listening to Alex's stories in the USSR. It took me back to the world we lived in back then.

Easily the most interesting story we've had of a first viewing!

QuoteIt was fun listening to all of Alex's ideas for Predators and its sequel. I wished some of that had been realized, but alas, the budgetary demands would have likely been too high for the property.

Yeah, it was a shame this one was intended to be done on the cheap. I still stand by Predators so much for the time and money it was made on. Some really interesting alternative ideas here too.

QuoteI personally enjoyed hearing Hicks call the baddies "Super Predators" and not Beserkers.  ;D  Poor RidgeTop has been always rooting for the subspecies angle too. But Alex called them "upgrades" enough to pound it in my head that they are indeed Super Predators and practice body enhancement like Alex said... "steroids". And I for one am good with that.

Ha. The Super angle was clearly Alex's intent with them. I suppose my problem with the Super stuff has always been it being used as a detraction from the film, when they weren't in the finished film. Would have been interesting to see the cultural differences be given some focus so it was clear not everyone was practicing that kind of thing.

QuoteI feel like there was some unfortunate stepping on "Predator 2" to lift up "Predators".

I did think of you when it was made clear Alex didn't enjoy P2. But also got to remember that while here we might really like P2, judging from IMDB and RT, Ps is liked more than P2 by critics and the general public. I remember early days internet fandom (talking 2000) and everyone used to trash the hell out of P2. I don't agree with it. I love P2 and Ps, but it's not a universally loved film.

QuoteGerald Butler in his prime four years after 300 as Royce??

Adrien Brody as Edwin?

Oh my lord, can I visit an alternate universe where that happened? Wow! It is such better casting in my opinion. Gerald wanted to do it!  Why couldn't Fox just pay him the 5 Million!  Arrrgh! This one is going to eat me up inside!! :'(

I still stand by Brody as Royce, but it certainly would have been interesting! I can imagine Butler would have had a lot of draw back then! 

QuoteI'm happy Predators is part of our Predator universe!

Me too. 100%. I've always loved the film since the first time I saw it.


Quote from: Billiken on Sep 02, 2020, 01:50:23 PM
Thanks Voodoo i totally agree. I heard those comments and I was pissed 😡. He shouldn't shit on other movies to make his look good. It ain't.

Again, general public opinion would seem to indicate it is more enjoyed than P2. Alex's opinion seems to align with that. P2 being trash has never been an opinion I've agreed with myself, but I thoroughly enjoy both of the sequels.


Quote from: Darkness on Sep 02, 2020, 06:42:43 PM
Great interview. I always thought the Nimrod was pretty good but this is even better for getting to the nitty gritty of Predators and how it came about. So many new things in there we've not heard of. Writers make the best interviews.

I think I'm going to have to listen to it again to properly digest it.

Thanks D! I really dug how deep Alex got with his involvement! Really really fascinating chat! Be a good one to get transcribed too. Lots of previously unheard of details in this one!


Quote from: Wysps on Sep 02, 2020, 10:16:21 PM
Excellent interview.  What a wealth of information, and he just kept offering more details, unsolicited!  Really appreciated his candidness when talking about how he wanted to take the movie farther, but also understanding the reasoning for scaling back.  I found it pretty funny that his first viewing of Predator was in some shabby room with folding chairs on a small screen  :laugh:  And his referencing the original film as "machismo poetry".

I'd been chatting to him a bit before we actually did the recording and I knew it was going to be interesting from how much he had to say about the development! So glad it came out in the finished episode! This side of the behind-the-scenes is what I find most fascinating so was just really interesting to hear all these could-have-beens!

QuoteOne thing I wish they would have kept were the "lines" and mannerisms that, as Alex said, would have helped the audience appreciate the sentience of the Predator (Classic, in this case.)  I think that could have been reminiscent of the Galgo/Ahab relationship, but obviously not to that degree.  But I suppose that would have required the Classic to stick around longer than what was later planned and executed.  Hoping for something like this in a future film. 

I think AvP soured me on team-ups for a long time because I never felt Lex earned it in that. But I absolutely love Galgo and Ahab's dynamic so something like that, and something earned would be something I'd really love to see!

QuoteThe Braveheart-style Predator battle scene between the two clans – as much as that would have been interesting to see, I do tend to agree that having the human struggle maintain that focal point in the story would have been probably for the best.  I just can't envision any human leading a Predator into battle, and a whole clan no less. 

I think my only reservation would have been Royce taking such a focal point in starting the bit battle, but I'd have loved to have seen a much larger scale conflict. Both Predators and The Predator didn't play into the Predator-on-Predator in a big enough way for it to have been truly satisfying yet.

Quote"Welcome to the Resistance"  :'(  This just makes me want a sequel to Predators even more. You can tell he is so proud of and committed to this world.  I think the continuation would have been in such good hands.   

That would have been really interesting to see! I still think a straight Colonial Marines vs. Predator would be amazing, but I think that bombshell would have been amazing! The Die Hard on a ship sounds fantastic just on its own. But Alex clearly loved the series. Definitely felt that.

Billiken

Billiken

#19
Alex should have been in the cinema when I watched Predators then he might be more humble with Predator 2.

426Buddy

When I check IMBD Predator 2 has. 6.3 and Predators is a 6.4.  Not much difference there.

Also when you consider the original is only a 7.8 on IMBD  you realize their scores mean nothing.

Corporal Hicks

A bigger difference on RT. But again, that's general public, not fandom. Personally, I think it's a moot point. He doesn't like Predator 2, a lot of people haven't and don't. He's entitled to that opinion.

Voodoo Magic

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Sep 03, 2020, 08:39:14 AM
I did think of you when it was made clear Alex didn't enjoy P2. But also got to remember that while here we might really like P2, judging from IMDB and RT, Ps is liked more than P2 by critics and the general public. I remember early days internet fandom (talking 2000) and everyone used to trash the hell out of P2. I don't agree with it. I love P2 and Ps, but it's not a universally loved film.

Ah, my good friend has thrown the proverbial guantlet!  Challenged accepted! ;D

I didn't suggest Predator 2 was a "universally loved film". Neither Predator 2 nor Predators is. Neither are considered "T2", or to compare closer to home, "Aliens". But I did state with backup that in regards to "fan opinion" Predator 2 is held in higher regard, and that remains the case.

I don't think it would rub anyone the wrong way if Alex said "I think Predator 2 sucks. I hated it."  But when someone makes a more declarative statement in regards to Predators stating it's the only movie outside the original that doesn't entirely suck, and your film is not Aliens quality nor generally held as the second best film in the franchise, fandom will raise a hand. :)

In regards to metrics, unfortunately it's not an apples to apples case.  Much of the problem is "Predator 2" was released before the internet age, where the production occurred even before IMDB's infancy existed or Rotten Tomatoes was created, while "Predators" did, equalling a much smaller sample size and not very reflective of today's audiences. I mean 2010s Predators has 200 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and Predator 2 has only 28 total reviews with some reprints from the 90s, only 6 reviews after 2010, and nowhere even enough for a consensus these days. And as we know, the movie is aging very well, made evident most recently by Chris Stuckmann's review last week where he, not sure why, once felt P2 was bad, then a guilty pleasure, then came to realize Predator 2 is a good movie: B-.

IMDB is probably fairer guage than Rotten Tomatoes for outside the fandom even though Predator 2 has received 25% less votes, where they both rank 6.3 and 6.4 respectively. And looking at that, nothing screams to me where one or the other is "The only movie outside the original that doesn't entirely suck"

Cheers!  :)

Corporal Hicks

Corporal Hicks

#23
No gauntlet thrown. I just think it's been made too big a deal of. You threw out even smaller sample size on here when compared to the generally accepted aggregators. The comment is not even a footnote in an hour plus conversation and quite clearly his opinion. It's not as if he's vehemently disagreeing with myself or Adam about Predator 2 being good. It's not one of those Facebook discussions where people don't recognize they're having opinions, not absolution declarations. Again, I disagree with him on it as I enjoy both Predator 2 and Predators, but it's not worth getting annoyed over.

Voodoo Magic

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Sep 03, 2020, 12:46:29 PM
No gauntlet thrown. I just think it's been made too big a deal of. You threw out even smaller sample size on here when compared to the generally accepted aggregators. The comment is not even a footnote in an hour plus conversation and quite clearly his opinion. It's not as if he's vehemently disagreeing with people or Adam about Predator 2 being good. It's not one of those Facebook discussions where people don't recognize they're having opinions, no absolution declarations. Again, I disagree with him on it as I enjoy both Predator 2 and Predators, but it's not worth getting annoyed over.

I'm not getting annoyed brother! Darn, all those smiley faces and it still didn't convey my lightheartedness?  I found engaging this conversation enjoyable!

And hey, don't tease, those polls is the best I can do in regards to fan metrics! :laugh: At least one of them had 734 votes!

Master

Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Sep 03, 2020, 12:58:12 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Sep 03, 2020, 12:46:29 PM
No gauntlet thrown. I just think it's been made too big a deal of. You threw out even smaller sample size on here when compared to the generally accepted aggregators. The comment is not even a footnote in an hour plus conversation and quite clearly his opinion. It's not as if he's vehemently disagreeing with people or Adam about Predator 2 being good. It's not one of those Facebook discussions where people don't recognize they're having opinions, no absolution declarations. Again, I disagree with him on it as I enjoy both Predator 2 and Predators, but it's not worth getting annoyed over.

I'm not getting annoyed brother! Darn, all those smiley faces and it still didn't convey my lightheartedness?  I found engaging this conversation enjoyable!

And hey, don't tease, those polls is the best I can do in regards to fan metrics! :laugh: At least one of them had 734 votes!

To rub you the right way, Filmweb - Polish site, second bigest movie database after IMDB, rates Predator 2 6,5 and Predators 6,1.

Kradan


Voodoo Magic

Ha, we probably don't want this to turn this thread into a pissing contest between Predator 2 and Predators. The comments have been commented on. Moving on.  :)

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Sep 03, 2020, 08:39:14 AM
Ha. The Super angle was clearly Alex's intent with them. I suppose my problem with the Super stuff has always been it being used as a detraction from the film, when they weren't in the finished film. Would have been interesting to see the cultural differences be given some focus so it was clear not everyone was practicing that kind of thing.

A taste of distinct cultural differences between clans would have been fun. The modification is fun too as long as it's not overboard. I can imagine a scene of Super Predators hi-tech injecting themselves right before the hunt, roaring, viens mildly glowing, and experiencing a bit of roid rage like Mr. Black punching a small tree off its trunk before they run off. To me, a scene like that would have been so, so cool. 8)


QuoteI still stand by Brody as Royce, but it certainly would have been interesting! I can imagine Butler would have had a lot of draw back then!

Right? Wouldn't it have been worth the 5 Million? You got to think Butler would have garnered more viewership and excitement, at least 10 Million worth as Seattle24 said. Signing Butler had to at least pay for itself, if not more. It seems like lunacy not to have done it.

Lost_Hunter

Great Podcast guys, well done! Some cool ideas. As much as I want to see a full on Pred battle, let's focus on a proper 1 on 1 first. The fights in Guyver had both actors who couldn't see cause of the suits and they still pulled off a good fight. Cheese but it worked. As far as a human leading a Predator charge, absolutely not.

Wysps

I'm definitely biased, but I was happy with the casting choice of Royce  :)  He turned out to be a great middle ground between Dutch and Harrigan: muscular, yet lean.  Having another overtly muscular main character would have suited the movie for sure, but I appreciated the different angle!

But despite that, I think that having Butler could have helped drive sales.  Especially at that time, I'm sure people would have come out in droves just to see him alone.

AvPGalaxy: About | Contact | Cookie Policy | Manage Cookie Settings | Privacy Policy | Legal Info
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Patreon RSS Feed
Contact: General Queries | Submit News