Harry here... Uncle Creepy is in the trailer and it just looks weird as hell - but possibly kooky and fun - but I don't really have a sense of it all... this goes a bit further into making it sound cool. Here ya go...
Hey Harry! Long time reader, first time Spoiler. After seeing the trailer for "A Series of Unfortunate Events" that just went up, I felt that it didn't give a broad enough view of the movie (which, for the uninitiated, is the story of the three Baudelaire orphans, who while being shuffled guardian to guardian are all the while pursued by the vicious Count Olaf for their massive fortune). And who would I be to call myself the authority on A Series of Unfortunate Events? Well, as a matter of fact, I recently visited the many soundstages housing the film's incredible (a word that I will overuse) sets; that is to say, the film takes place in more places than one house. I did a write-up of my visit (in the spirit of the event - and with many esoteric references to the books - so bear with me), but I'll preface by saying this looks to be a winner, a success, and a good solid piece of "family" entertainment. Read on:
First of all, the sets were incredible. Remember the movie Sleepy Hollow? It was like being there, which was appropriate because both movies share the same production designer. The first thing I saw were trees; this set the mood for the rest of the tour, because the amount of detail and care that went into each branch and gnarled trunk stood as a testament to the work being put into the movie. And Good Lord! First of all, this set spanned over three soundstages. The first area was Lousy Lane and the home of would-be guardian Justice Strauss. The whole thing was on an encompassing street with a forced-perspective row of buildings. They all led up to the mansion of Count Olaf. His home was incredible, with an eye motif apparent wherever you looked. Little details and nods at the book stood out, as they should to fans of the series. Just “outside” in the backyard was the set for the Marvelous Marriage. It looked like a bad high school play set in a graveyard. I know this must be getting pretty repetitive, but that area was incredible too. Incredibly (I love that word) enough, the facade of the house was in the backyard area of the set as well as in the front, but the tower was to be CGed in later. All very nice. All very cool.
The next set was Aunt Josephine house on Lake Lachrymose. It was on a much smaller scale (as small scales go on such a large project), but it was a set with hydraulics to tear the whole thing apart when... well, you'll have to see/read it to find out. The attention to detail was once again superb, with the Daily Punctilio (a popular newspaper) laying on a table, and three hammocks hanging precariously, which here means in a dangerous and uncomfortable manner, ready for the Baudelaire orphans to sleep in. The next set we visited was the Reptile Room, which had been all but taken apart, so there wasn’t much to see other than a escher-style floor pattern of lizards. Finally, we visited Olaf’s tower. Hanging out of the tower’s window was an creepy animatronic baby in a cage (If you have had no clue what I have been talking about, please read the books. You’d like them).
Finally I saw dallies from the Marvelous Marriage scene. If you didn’t know (and I know you do), Jim Carrey plays Count Olaf. I didn’t know exactly why he was chosen for the role, but from what I saw he does a pretty great job of chewing up the scenery. It’s hard to relate how exactly he goes about being “The Most Handsome Man in the World”, but I can tell you he has a lovely stchick where he corrects his acting as he talks to other people. For example, he starts laughing evilly, then pauses and says “wait a minute”, and then laughs heartily, then stops and thinks, and begins to laugh maniacally. Okay, so you had to be there. Well, that pretty much was the end of the tour (the offical end was when I ate a sloppy joe in craft services). So I can’t wait for December 17th, I hope you can’t either. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Wait a moment...
That's all. If you abuse this, let me be known as Purple Penguin.
