|
Post by Raffy on Nov 25, 2008 17:48:46 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Nov 26, 2008 14:45:53 GMT -5
Interview with Marco Schnabel Exclusive Interview: SCREENWRITER MARCO SCHNABEL WRITES ANOTHER CHAPTER OF 'THE LIBRARIAN' WITH 'CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE'The TNT movie airs December 7 with Noah Wyle returning as the reluctant action-adventurer this time fighting vampires and Dracula himself By CARL CORTEZ, Contributing Editor Published 11/26/2008 Writing action-adventure with a good dose of humor is a tricky balance, but one screenwriter Marco Schnabel has perfected with THE LIBRARIAN TV movies for TNT. In the latest film THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE (airing December 7 on TNT), reluctant hero Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) is sent to New Orleans to prevent the resurrection of Dracula himself and in the process, falls in love with a beautiful bloodsucker Simone Renoir (Stana Katic) who happens to be one of the good guys. In an exclusive interview with Schnabel, iF Magazine learns about the secret of balancing action-adventure with the comedy, bringing in horror elements this time out and Flynn’s growing confidence as an action hero. iF MAGAZINE: It takes a very deft hand to mix action-adventure and light-hearted comedy, but THE LIBRARIAN franchise has succeeded in doing it for three films now. Is that a hard balance to strike – and making sure you don’t go too far one way or another? MARCO SCHNABEL: It is a hard balance, but it’s a balance Noah Wyle has perfected over the course of the films. He constantly surprises me. He’ll often play the heavier action stuff I wrote more comedic than I imagined, and the jokes straighter. We all take our cues on tone from him and from [executive producer] Dean Devlin whose baby this is. iF: Bringing the horror element must have also been a tricky tight rope as well. What makes it so successful in THE JUDAS CHALICE is the horror is almost secondary to Flynn’s own journey. SCHNABEL: I think that’s right. All the films always have to be about Flynn and his own personal journeys. The thrills and chills are there to entertain but if you’re not invested emotionally, the movies don’t work. Thankfully audiences have been invested. iF: Did you ever think to make the horror elements even darker? SCHNABEL: Not really. By now, we know the tone we’re trying to achieve. We weren’t attempting to re-invent the Librarian franchise by going horror. The supernatural has always been a part of the other 2 films, so doing vampires in the 3rd film didn’t feel like too much of a stretch. iF: Flynn has certainly grown up over the course of three movies. I particularly liked how he’s now been given more confident action hero moments. He’s still a little awkward, but he’s a man whose much more in control of who he is and what he can do. Was it fun working those elements into this third film? SCHNABEL: It was a lot of fun. Obviously, Flynn’s confidence is growing with each adventure, and Noah can play one hell of a leading man. Still, it’s always fun to pull the rug out from under him – make him do something really heroic followed by something really stupid. That’s the joy of the character. iF: THE LIBRARIAN films also has Flynn spouting off tons of useless knowledge – what’s the trick as a screenwriter in making sure that type of dialogue doesn’t sound forced? SCHNABEL: I’m not sure there is a trick. To be honest, this type of expository dialogue does come across forced on the page. At least to me it does. It reads like a Wikipedia entry. Noah is the guy who actually has to sell it, and fortunately for me, he does it better than anyone else. iF: Noah is also very adept at the light comedic moments, this being the third film, did it help to already know his comedic rhythms? Did his material flow pretty naturally because of that? SCHNABEL: It always helps writing the character with an actor in mind, so this being our third film together made it easier for me. At this point, Dean, Noah, Jonathan Frakes and I all really understand these movies and the tone so things flowed pretty naturally. Everyone had great ideas that all fit with the character and vibe so it came together nicely. iF: I enjoyed all the crazy moments with Judson [Bob Newhart] – especially the sequence at the barbershop in New Orleans. He seems to be a character that you can have him doing all these crazy things, and yet it works seamlessly in the film. SCHNABEL: Judson has been a lot of fun, expanding his character and mythology. We really started that in the second film, having Flynn beginning to question who Judson really is and his magical connection to the Library. Judson holds a lot of mysteries and is to me, the physical embodiment of the magical Library. And Bob Newhart, who is a genius, plays Judson perfectly and has really made that part his own. iF: Is there a thin line between writing “jokes” and writing “character humor,” especially in regards to the LIBRARIAN franchise? SCHNABEL: I’ve worked on broad comedies before, so I don’t really consider there to be “jokes” in the LIBRARIAN films. There’s a lightness to the adventures, an old fashioned wink, that I work hard to instill, but it’s not a comedy to me. Any of the laughs in the picture always comes from Flynn’s peculiar perspective on the world and the DNA of his character: action hero stuck inside a hapless nerd, or vice versa. iF: There seems to be a bigger picture developing with THE LIBRARIAN storyline – one that Dean has said will pay off in a feature film. Have you talked about what the feature film would be? Can you talk in some detail about it, if you can? SCHNABEL: We’ve had some early discussions about it. If you watch the last two LIBRARIAN movies, you can see we’ve been setting up for a much bigger story and mythology -- one that will reveal bigger mysteries of the Library and test Flynn to even greater lengths. I know I certainly have a whole story in my head. But as to giving you any details about what that story could be, I wouldn’t want to spoil it. You’ll just have to wait and see. www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=3124
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 3, 2008 13:10:36 GMT -5
Exclusive Interview: DIRECTOR JONATHAN FRAKES TAKES A BITE OUT OF VAMPIRE LORE IN 'THE LIBRARIAN 3' - PART 1The former STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION actor helms his second LIBRARIAN film THE CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE which debuts December 7 on TNT By CARL CORTEZ, Contributing Editor Published 12/3/2008 For a librarian, Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) certainly gets around. Travelling around the globe throughout his two previous adventures in THE LIBRARIAN movies for TNT, the plucky bookworm with a mission to preserve history’s most famed artifacts has transformed from reluctant hero to more confident, reluctant hero in his latest outing. For his third adventure, THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE (which debuts December 7 on TNT), Carsen travels to New Orleans where he battles Russians who are trying to resurrect Dracula in their attempt to create an ultimate army. The film is executive produced by Dean Devlin, whose new TV series LEVERAGE starring Timothy Hutton also debuts December 7. Behind the camera for his second LIBRARIAN tour of duty is former STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION actor Jonathan Frakes who spoke with iF about the latest adventure shortly after the cast and crew screening on the big screen at the Arclight in Hollywood, CA. iF MAGAZINE: How was it seeing THE LIBRARIAN on the big screen? JONATHAN FRAKES: I’ve seen it in Dean’s mixing room, which is an incredible place to see it, but I was thrilled that other people got the opportunity to see it in that format. I’m very proud of it. This post-production facility Dean’s put together from the mixer to the colorist – he’s ensured THE LIBRARIAN plays like a big movie. iF: This was shot on the digital Red cameras, correct? FRAKES: It was the first TV movie to shoot on the Red. iF: Did you have to go through some of the learning curves? FRAKES: I would not say it was smooth sailing. The camera department to their credit, wrestled all the problems to the ground. It was a very steep learning curve with bumps in the road that were thankfully handled by people much more technically affluent than I am. iF: You’ve shot both 35mm and Hi-Def, what are the pros and cons of both mediums? FRAKES: The quality of the Red, certainly holds up next to film. The fallacy is that you don’t need to light it. If you have a D.P. with the level of skill of Dave Connell, which we were fortunate enough to have on both LEVERAGE and LIBRARIAN, he worked astoundingly fast. One of the things they used to say about the Red when it was in development, was you won’t need to light it the way you would a Panavision camera and that isn’t true. iF: When I was on set for [TNT’s] LEVERAGE [where Frakes directed two episodes], it seemed like you used a lot of smoke to help out the image. FRAKES: I think that’s true on all Hi-Def cameras, you use the smoke to diffuse the light. The Hi-Def cameras are so merciless in terms of picking up every detail, that the smoke makes it more beautiful. It shouldn’t be perceptible that there’s smoke in the room, but it diffuses the shafts of light in a way that softens the image enough to make it look even more like film. iF: What other benefits are there to shooting digitally? FRAKES: In this case, Dean owns the equipment, it’s a financial situation. Dean has been acquiring the Red cameras, but also the lenses to go with it and the bells and whistles, a train, a dolly and this approach he’s taking to becoming his own studio. He’s building a storehouse of equipment, so he won’t have to rent out from others. That’s really how this decision is made. Dean has been smart enough to make it his own, so he doesn’t have to go somewhere else and pay someone else for it. iF: JUDAS CHALICE is more of a horror movie, compared to THE LIBRARIAN: RETURN TO KING SOLOMON’S MINES, but a light horror film – did you enjoy working in this genre? FRAKES: I love that genre. I also think of the three films, it’s the tightest and it had the best last act. It had the same wonderful tone of comedy peppered in among the action. This one, to a greater extent than the last two, allowed Flynn and Noah to have really seriously dramatic scenes as well. There were a lot of people smiling at the end, which you don’t normally get, and it’s always a complement to the actors and writers. iF: Was there a balance of “this is how far we can make this scary?” FRAKES: They pulled back quite a bit. I was more inclined to do much more blood and gore, but TNT and Electric were aware that our audience is not the same audience as SAW. iF: The other thing I’m impressed with all of the LIBRARIAN films, but this one even moreso, is how in terms of your direction particularly the little tiny comedic bits and the funny looks the characters give each other. It really brings the movie to life. How much time did you work at bringing that type of stuff – since it’s obviously not scripted. FRAKES: It’s in the direction and also in the takes. If you remember something like that, as I generally do. When I’m in the editing room, I’ll say, “they did something really funny here, let’s look for that beat or look.” All the things you just referred to are my favorite parts too. Those are the things that make you smile on the inside when you see it. It comes from Bob [Newhart] and Noah, having worked together before, and with Stana [Katic who plays the new love interest and a vampire to boot] and Noah. It’s a credit to her being able to step up and understand tonally what the LIBRARIAN franchise is about. And then my responsibility is to try to capture those and pull them out of the dailies and put them in the movie. I think everyone enjoys those bits. iF: Obviously doing huge action sequences on a TV movie budget can be a daunting task, but there are some really clever bits in the new movie – particularly the sword fight at the beginning. FRAKES: The opening sequence had the flavor of James Bond movie, and we even used James Bond music when we temped in the music. We dressed him in the costume – everything about it was designed to remind the audience of it. Then we hired this wonderful actor – Joe Knezevich – he actually is a trained swordsman. In rehearsing the scenes, he and Noah got together early, and worked on the choreography with the swords in connection with the choreography of the dialogue. So I got the advantage of a few days extra of rehearsal from them, that ordinarily you would have to take time on the stages we didn’t have, or piece it together. iF: I also though the Bob Newhart’s barbershop scene was pretty clever, with Bob popping up as all those different characters. FRAKES: That was a brainstorm of [executive producer] Marc Roskin. We were trying to find a way to get that exposition which was a long walk and talk through a graveyard. We suggested that we take it into a barbershop and Roskin expanded, “what if Bob is playing the Barber,” and I said, what about Bob playing the guy at the end and what about Bob doing that other character too. That character of Judson is so omnipotent, he really has the license to use him that way. So Roskin and John Rogers and Marco Schnabel rewrote the scene. We didn’t shoot it with any visual effects, but it was all planned in a way you could do it with cuts, which I thought was cool. iF: How was it shooting in New Orleans? FRAKES: It was fantastic on a lot of levels. Clearly, the people down there were happy to have work return to their city, as the Andre character says in the movie. It was very sentimental for me. I had my first date with my wife in New Orleans when we were doing NORTH AND SOUTH. I’ve always loved the town. I love to eat and it’s arguably the best eating town in the country. The team works well on location. Noah, Dean, Roskin, Connell, Gary Camp who was the operator and has been all these things with us. Charlie Brewer, the stunt coordinator. We’ve worked so much together, we travel as a team. iF: THE LIBRARIAN owes a lot to the INDIANA JONES franchise, but the second and third movie really came into its own as Noah fell into his character. FRAKES: He really owns his character now, in a way that is so delicious to watch. He said something in an interview that I saw, the character can handle him playing it brilliantly, he can play it stupidly. He could play it clumsily and elegantly and Flynn can absorb all these behaviors. That’s a rarity. www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=3136
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 4, 2008 4:16:46 GMT -5
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice (Movie -- TNT, Sun. Dec. 7, 8 p.m.) By BRIAN LOWRY
Noah Wyle plays a swashbuckling librarian with Bob Newhart as his eccentric boss in TNT telepic 'The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice' Filmed in New Orleans by Electric Entertainment. Executive producers, Dean Devlin, Marc Roskin, Kearie Peak; co-executive producer, Phillip M. Goldfarb; producers, Noah Wyle, John Rogers; co-producer, Rachel Olschan; director, Jonathan Frakes; writer, Marco Schnabel.
Initially a one-note joke -- bookish librarian becomes reluctant action hero -- this third and apparently final installment of TNT's "The Librarian" movies benefits from nifty special effects and a wholehearted embrace of its modern-day "National Treasure"-type swashbuckler status. Noah Wyle has settled into the title role as what amounts to an heir to "MacGyver," using his brains to confound the bad guys' brawn. There's probably not much mileage left in this concept, but "Curse of the Judas Chalice" milks it for all it's worth. Think of it as "Indiana Jones and the TV Movie Budget." For those who didn't check out (heh heh) the preceding chapters, Flynn Carsen (Wyle) is a brilliant student who takes a job at the Metropolitan Library -- where his eccentric bosses, Charlene (Jane Curtin) and Judson (Bob Newhart), introduce him to a treasure trove of magical and mythical artifacts he must protect or retrieve.
This latest adventure, written by Marco Schnabel and breezily directed by Jonathan Frakes, offers an especially toothy pursuit: the Judas chalice, a MacGuffin with the power to revive the undead -- in this case, the long-lost remains of Count Dracula.
Flynn finds himself vying with Russian thugs who are also chasing after the chalice, and aligned with a mysterious chanteuse (Stana Katic) down in New Orleans, which receives an extended and conspicuous tourism plug in exchange for its participation. He also encounters a professor (Bruce Davison) whose knowledge of vampire folklore exceeds his own.
The plot is a trifle chaotic, but the action culminates in an impressive sequence of special-effects derring-do and whooshing bloodsuckers. Wyle's character, meanwhile, has advanced from Walter Mitty to more of a nerdy James Bond -- albeit with troubles hanging on to women, after his previous squeeze protests that she can't endure "the wild and unpredictable lifestyle of dating a librarian." Newhart's blase approach to all this mayhem is also a small treat.
These pics certainly fit the popcorn profile TNT has cultivated -- and perhaps more significantly, should provide a solid ratings springboard to the channel's launch of its latest drama, "Leverage." Bottom line is, if this truly closes the book on "The Librarian," it's a pretty good place to do so.
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 2:17:01 GMT -5
Let's start with a bunch of "good" reviews. I didn't find bad ones. Tv Guide Today's News: Our Take It's Noah Wyle vs. Vampires in The LibrarianDec 5, 2008 05:05 PM ET by Mickey O'Connor Thanks to the success of the Sookie Stackhouse and Twilight novels, vampires have already taken over the library. Now, Noah Wyle must prevent them from taking over the world in Curse of the Judas Chalice (Sunday, Dec. 7, 8 pm/ET, TNT), the third installment of TNT's popular Librarian movies. Wyle returns to play Flynn Carsen, a mild-mannered brainiac who is thrust into a life of adventure when he's appointed to be the Librarian, a quasi-superhero charged with protecting history's greatest treasures, which reside in a secret repository inside the Metropolitan Public Library in New York. The Library, which houses such things as Pandora's Box and the Mona Lisa (in this world, the one in the Louvre is a replica), is overseen by Library head Judson (Bob Newhart) and no-nonsense personnel director Charlene (Jane Curtin). "I like the fact that the movie is in praise of intelligence," says Newhart. "It isn't brawn that gets Flynn through these narrow situations; it's his encyclopedic knowledge." In Judas Chalice, Flynn's vacation in New Orleans is interrupted by the kidnapping of Prof. Lazlo (Bruce Davison), an expert on the chalice, which legend says was made from the 30 pieces of silver that Judas Iscariot received for betraying Jesus. If it falls into the wrong hands, vampires will take over the world, since it is believed that Judas was the first vampire. The chalice is being protected by the mysterious Simone (Stana Katic), a sexy nightclub singer with a secret. Did we mention that Flynn's greatest fear is of the undead? Needless to say, that sucks. In Wyle's third outing as Flynn, he says the character is finally adjusting to his life-changing role. "He's arriving at a state of maturation in our trilogy," says Wyle. "When I started playing Flynn, I was watching a lot of Don Knotts films to capture the character. Now I'm tapping something closer to Indiana Jones, James Bond, and Errol Flynn." Newhart, on the other hand, wasn't ready to play action hero. Since many of Judson's scenes take place inside the mostly digitally rendered Library, the comedy legend had to perform them in a "green-screen" environment. "All of my [acting] training has been about working off people's expressions and timing," he says, with his signature deadpan delivery. "And then when they tell you, 'That's a giant mountain' and you go, 'Oh, OK. Looks like a green screen to me, but if you say it's a giant mountain, it's a giant mountain.'" The lighthearted Librarian films were a perfect change of pace, says Wyle, after years of tough medical drama on ER. "You get to do absolutely everything with this part: ride horses through the deserts of Africa, scramble through the jungles of Mexico, pull skiffs through the swamps of New Orleans," he enthuses. "You get to kiss the girl and crack the joke. You get to do it all. The palette of colors I get to use is vast. And they're just fun." Watch clips of The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice in our Online Video Guide www.tvguide.com/News/Librarian-Noah-Wyle-1000619.aspx
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 2:20:29 GMT -5
USA Today (3 stars out of 4)
Librarian goes a third round with 'Curse of the Judas Chalice'
By Robert Bianco, USA TODAY If the third time is something less of a charm for The Librarian, it's a charm nonetheless. After all, it isn't often TV makes an adventure hero out of a socially backward bookworm. Nor is it often enough that the medium makes good use of Noah Wyle, Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin. So if their third outing as a team of super-librarians in charge of the world's mystical secrets is a little too goofy, or makes too large a cross-genre leap in its adaptation of an old Judas/vampire myth, you may be inclined to be forgiving.
The Librarian, like Leverage, comes from the mind of Dean Devlin, and as with much of his work, the movie recalls so many other movies, it might as well have them on speed dial. From National Treasure to Indiana Jones to Interview With a Vampire, the script lopes along, with Wyle somehow managing to keep the parts from flying off in their own directions. In essence, Librarian is a summer movie blockbuster on a winter TV budget, and has all the virtues and flaws you'd expect from that odd pairing — including never taking itself too seriously.
If you watch, follow suit.
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 2:26:45 GMT -5
Hollywood Reporter Noah Wyle returns for third "Librarian" movieBy Barry Garron LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - For "The Librarian" movie franchise, it turns out that the third time really is the charm. The latest (and last) in the series featuring superhero librarian Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) packs more humor, suspense and adventure into two hours than either of its two predecessors. Partly, it's because Wyle has become perfectly comfortable and confident in the role of an unassuming know-it-all. Partly it's because writer Marco Schnabel came through with a script that seamlessly combines moments of peril with bits of wit and comedy, particularly in the first half. And the addition of Stana Katic as Flynn's love interest didn't hurt one bit either. The backdrop in this film from Electric Entertainment is Flynn's disenchantment with his job as librarian. Angrily, he tells library assist Charlene (Jane Curtin), "It is sucking the life out of me." She asks him to speak more quietly. "You're scaring the relics." Flynn takes a vacation that of course is no vacation at all. Instead, it is a quest to find the chalice of Judas before the former head of the Russian KGB can track it down and use it for an evil plan that involves lots of vampires. (Watching at home? Try a drinking game with one for each time Flynn is ordered to be shot but talks his way out. A happy ending is guaranteed.) The movie earns bonus points for bringing production work to New Orleans but loses most of them by overdoing it and turning parts of the film into a travelogue. Special effects, the hallmark of the previous two "Librarian" movies, are every bit as good as before. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter www.reuters.com/article/reviewsNews/idUSTRE4B40S720081205
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 2:31:55 GMT -5
IFMagazine
Television: 'THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE'
Noah Wyle returns as the swashbuckling, erudite and slightly nerdy hero, this time trying to stop Dracula from rising from the grave
Grade: B+ Stars: Noah Wyle, Stana Katic, Bob Newhart, Jane Curtin, Bruce Davison, Dikran Tulaine Writer(s): Marco Schnabel Director: Jonathan Frakes Release Date: Dec. 7th, 2008 Rating: NR
By ABBIE BERNSTEIN, Contributing Writer Published 12/5/2008
In case you’ve missed the first two LIBRARIAN telefilms, the images under the opening credits of THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE (which debuts Sunday, December 7 on TNT) will bring you up to speed pretty quickly. It’s the present-day, but in terms of subject matter and style, we’re in Indiana Jones territory. Tone-wise, we’re somewhere between THE PRINCESS BRIDE and CHUCK, with a little bit of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER in there for good measure.
Noah Wyle plays Flynn Carsen, librarian extraordinaire, an expert in linguistics, ancient customs, swordplay and much more, albeit sometimes his social skills are a bit rusty. Of course, he doesn’t work at just any library, but rather the Library, a mysterious facility where all the relics of history and lore are gathered up for safekeeping in the ongoing battle against the powers of darkness. However, as we catch up to Flynn this time, he’s just about had it with the way his Librarian duties prevent him from having an outside life. Given a vacation by his bosses (Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin), Flynn has a vision and heads for New Orleans. Meanwhile, an irate ex-KGB agent (Dikran Tulaine) has decided the best way to get Russia back on its feet as a world power is to resurrect Vlad Dracul with the legendary Judas Chalice, kidnapping an expert (Bruce Davison) to help him in his quest.
Related Articles TV Review: LEVERAGE - SEASON ONE - 'The Nigerian Job' 12/5/2008 CHALICE has a couple of good plot twists, but its main appeal is the charm of its attitude. Everything is a bit broad, but not too much so. Wyle reflects an honest sense of “ack!” jeopardy when his character is imperiled and an endearing enthusiasm for the pursuit of knowledge. Marco Schnabel’s teleplay borrows styles of humor from here and there, including an exchange during a swordfight that could have (but didn’t) come straight from Wesley and Inigo Montoya, while director Jonathan Frakes sets a cheerful tone, getting good results with action of both the perilous and pratfall varieties and setting up local color. The cast is very game and all on the same wavelength, so that the banter is usually funny and it’s possible to laugh and yet take the narrative with a modicum of seriousness. The back story of the chalice and how it relates to vampires is an acceptable twist on the mythology, though once we get into the actual vamps, CHALICE doesn’t have the wherewithal to stop us from feeling that we’ve seen this sort of thing before (often, depending on one’s normal viewing fare). Also, while Tulaine does a very good job of playing the baddie with a mission, the story shouldn’t really depend quite so much on the character essentially failing to read his Evil Overlord handbook. However, THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE is entertaining, frisky and generally good fun.
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 8:27:22 GMT -5
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice It's world-saving time again for Flynn Carsen, but his bigger battle has to do with figuring out whether he's really cut out to be the Librarian By Kathie Huddleston In his latest adventure for TNT, Flynn Carsen (Wyle) is on yet another mission to acquire a magical antiquity in his job as the Librarian for the Metropolitan Public Library. And once again he has to go up against bad guys at the cost of another relationship, this time with his new girlfriend, Katie. It's Newhart and Curtin who steal the show. As always, Flynn gets the object and returns to the Library. But he's upset. Flynn thought Katie might just have been "the one." The head of the Library, Judson (Newhart), and the personnel director, Charlene (Curtin), have another job ready and waiting for him, but Flynn flips out. Charlene suggests he take a little vacation time. While the unhappy librarian is determined to stay in his apartment for his vacation, a travel brochure and a dream about a beautiful woman in trouble lead him to New Orleans. Flynn is drawn to a jazz club, where the woman from his dream is singing. She's Simone (Katic), and no sooner do they meet than bad guys are chasing them and she's admitting she's more than just a jazz singer. Simone is protecting the key to the location of the Judas Chalice, a cup made from the 30 pieces of silver Judas received for betraying Jesus. It's believed that a vampire that drinks from the cup will gain special powers. Unfortunately, a group of Russians have retrieved the remains of Vlad Dracul with hopes of reviving him so he can lead an army of the undead. To help them find the location of the chalice, they've kidnapped a brilliant language and history professor from Bucharest named Laslo (Davison), who wrote several of the books Flynn so often rattles off references from. As Flynn and Simone go up against the Russians for the chalice, Flynn discovers some surprises about Simone and even learns a thing or two about his own destiny. But there's more at stake than Flynn's career path as an army of undead begin to rise and they come face to face with Dracula. A new adventure for a charming hero TNT's final installment of The Librarian takes us back into the world of Flynn Carsen, and if you liked the first two, the third two-hour movie is well worth seeing. Once again The Librarian is at its best when Wyle, Newhart and Curtin are on screen, so the film starts off strong. The Library setting with its Large Collection Annex is a blast, as is the return of Flynn's best bud, Excalibur. Then, when we leave the Library, it's back to Indiana Jones lite as Flynn stomps through ancient tombs and gets continually captured by the bad guys only to escape in some improbable way. Flynn's inability, even in the face of danger, to stop spouting out useless historical facts is amusing. Then when one of those useless facts inevitably turns out to be important, it adds to the fun. In the end it's the charm of Flynn and his Library cohorts that makes The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice entertaining. The story itself is pretty generic, with generic bad guys. The Judas Chalice is yet another magic relic that would be safe if Flynn just left it alone and didn't lead the bad guys to it. But then we wouldn't have another world-saving opportunity for Flynn, would we? Wyle is charming as Flynn, and the cast holds the romp together nicely. Helping him along on his journey is Katic's Simone, who offers up the right amount of pluck and sultriness. And Davison does a solid turn as Professor Lazlo. But it's Newhart and Curtin who steal the show. It's actually a crime that we don't see these wonderful actors more often. One caveat ... there isn't actually any "curse" in The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice. And considering there wasn't any "return" to King Solomon's Mines in the second movie, this looks like it's becoming a trend. TNT keeps calling this the "final" adventure—maybe that won't be the case either. And so we're off on Flynn Carsen's final adventure ... but is it? According to executive producer Dean Devlin, The Librarian could become a feature film series if he has anything to say about it. Can you imagine our favorite well-read hero on the big screen? I know I can. —Kathie www.scifi.com/sfw/screen/sfw19893.html
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 8:37:18 GMT -5
'The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice' Dracula, Judas and Noah Wyle combine for the type of high-end family entertainment typical of the franchise.By MARY McNAMARA, Television Critic There's a vampire theme in “The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice,” which in these "Twilight"/"True Blood" days might feel like, um, overkill, but try not to let it bother you. For one thing, like its predecessors “Quest for the Spear” and “Return to King Solomon’s Mines,” this third "Librarian" film is an old-fashioned family flick with an emphasis on humor, adventure and chaste romance over disturbing sexual metaphor. ADVERTISEMENT It stars, once again, the doe-eyed, PG-appealing Noah Wyle as Flynn Carsen, a callow brainiac pried out of his 15-year college plan to work for the mysterious Metropolitan Library, where, under the watchful eyes of the head librarian (Bob Newhart), many treasures of yore are kept safe. There's Pandora's box and Excalibur, the Ark of the Covenant (apparently whatever Indiana Jones found was a fake) and a real live unicorn. Flynn's job is to procure more of the same, usually a half a step ahead of some dastardly band with nefarious plans. "Curse of the Judas Chalice" opens in Bucharest (and really, all you have to do is flash "Bucharest" across the screen to know something at least semi-wicked this way comes), where the frail but feisty Professor Lazlo (Bruce Davison) is finishing up a lecture on Romanian history, after which he ruefully acknowledges that all anyone cares about is Vlad the Impaler, a.k.a. Dracula. Minutes later, Lazlo is kidnapped by Russians searching for the cup made from the 30 coins paid to Judas for his betrayal of Jesus. They hope to use it to reanimate, you guessed it, Dracula. Meanwhile, our man Flynn has problems of his own. He's bidding on a Ming vase that has its own little secret, but he's also trying to placate his girlfriend, who's getting sick of him disappearing for no good reason (his adventures are, of course, secret). He gets the vase but loses the girl and finds himself reading the riot act to the head librarian and his curmudgeonly head of personnel (Jane Curtin). So instead of accepting the assignment to find Lazlo, he goes on vacation. A dream of a beautiful woman takes him to New Orleans, where he not only finds her, Day One, but he is also instantly drawn into the whole Judas chalice situation. Soon he's racing around colorful New Orleans with a canny local sidekick and the mysterious Simone (Stana Katic), trying to stop a bunch of guys who are probably all named Boris from bringing Dracula back to life. See, when you say it out loud, it sounds silly. But it's very fun to watch, and if the theory that Judas Iscariot was the world's first vampire might not stand up, well, it's as nifty a plot twist as any. It helps that Katic is as good as she is, but what's great about "Curse of the Judas Chalice" and the Librarian films in general is that they are the rarest of breeds -- high-end family entertainment. (Writer Marco Schnabel and director Jonathan Frakes again did the honors.) Wyle is funny and charming and dispenses just enough fascinating arcane knowledge to keep things semi-educational, the special effects are great, Newhart and Curtin are always great to see, the ubiquitous Davison ("Knight Rider") is obviously having a blast as Lazlo, and really, who doesn't like a good vampire story? www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-librarian6-2008dec06,0,3977936.story
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 8:41:19 GMT -5
Communists and vampires. What more could a librarian ask for?By Michael O'Connell Special to Metromix December 4, 2008 Critic's Rating: "The Librarian," TNT's reluctant TV-movie hero, is back for a third installment with "The Curse of the Judas Chalice." The two-hour special combines secret societies with vampire folklore and revisionist biblical history—like a budget conscious "Da Vinci Code" for these economically trying times! Librarian Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) needs a break after job stress ruins his relationship with his needy girlfriend, so his bosses—played by the painfully underused Jane Curtin and Bob Newhart—send him on a vacation in New Orleans. His vacation turns into overtime though, when a group of Russians show up to resurrect Dracula and an army of vampires so they can, presumably, bring back communism. (The stale Cold War tone in the contemporary setting makes the vampires the most convincing element of the film.) The buzz: Things can't get much hotter than vampires these days, and the newest “Librarian” has them in pigment-deficient spades. But unlike their more popular kin dominating the silver screen, these vamps don't seem to be advocates for abstinence. The verdict: With so many of your favorite shows taking an early holiday break, the latest "Librarian" will make for some welcome rainy day filler on your DVR. If it might get in the way of your regularly scheduled Sunday programs, however, you could stand to skip it. Did you know? When the doors to County General close for the last time next year, Noah Wyle will have clocked more hours in the "ER" than any other cast member in the show's 15 seasons. He'll reprise the role of Dr. Carter for the final four episodes in early 2009. chicago.metromix.com/tv/tv_review/the-librarian-review/815123/content
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 8:57:14 GMT -5
TV Review | 'The Librarian' Have Glasses and Whimsy, Will Save the World Again By MIKE HALE Published: December 5, 2008 We’ve always known vampires are hot, but who knew they were so helpful? From “True Blood” to “Twilight” to “The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice,” the third film in TNT’s boys-with-thick-glasses adventure franchise, the undead just keep coming to the rescue of the living. Preview: 'The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice' Because “Chalice,” which has its premiere on Sunday night, is a boy’s adventure and not a girl’s romance, the primary vampire is not the usual brooding male; Simone Renoir (Stana Katic) is a toothsome New Orleans nightclub singer with a predilection for push-up bras. She’s also the latest love interest-bodyguard for Flynn Carsen, the titular Librarian, who in this installment must find the Judas chalice — made from Judas’s 30 pieces of silver — and thereby prevent the resurrection of a much nastier bloodsucker with dreams of world domination. “Chalice,” like its well-rated predecessors, comes from the Dean Devlin production factory, where action and insouciance are favored over angst and introspection. (Mr. Devlin, best known for “Independence Day,” also has a new series, “Leverage,” making its debut on TNT Sunday night.) This time around, though, Flynn — still winningly played by Noah Wyle — is suffering from mission fatigue. Looking around his home base, the secret stacks of the Metropolitan Public Library, he counts off the moments he’s missed while gathering artifacts and saving the world: “Blackbeard’s chest, my mom’s 65th birthday. Da Vinci’s diary, my 10-year college reunion.” Thankfully, the cloud quickly lifts — helped along by the arrival of Ms. Katic — and “Chalice” gets on with its own mission of being a low-rent, lighthearted cousin of the “Indiana Jones” and “Mummy” films. Mr. Wyle, the poor man’s David Duchovny, shares Mr. Duchovny’s willingness to poke fun at himself and his bland good looks. “You’re very convincing as a hapless loser,” Simone tells Flynn, and she’s right. The “Librarian” movies, with their hero who’s charmingly clueless despite his 22 college degrees, belong to a British tradition of derring-do mixed with domestic comedy; “Chalice” nods to it with an opening sequence that parodies James Bond right down to the theme music. Flynn has his own M. and Q., the library directors Judson and Charlene, played by Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin, and their bureaucratic repartee provides counterpoint to the action. “Just think of yourself as a celibate monk,” Judson tells a downcast, recently dumped Flynn. “We do!” Charlene chimes in, through Ms. Curtin’s familiar manic grin. The action itself is pedestrian, but as with the previous “Librarian” adventures, there’s just enough wit around the edges to keep you watching. “You’re not going to think yourself out of this one, book boy,” a villain exclaims to Flynn, and the viewer is encouraged not to think too hard either. www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/arts/television/06libr.html
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 9:04:02 GMT -5
Q&A: Noah Wyle and Bob Newhart of 'The Librarian' The stars of 'The Curse of the Judas Chalice' talk to MSN TV about the third film in the popular series By Dave Lake MSN TV There's not much in the way of family-friendly entertainment on the tube these days. There are even fewer event-type, made-for-TV movies, which may explain why the TNT franchise "The Librarian" has been so successful. Played by Noah Wyle, Flynn Carsen is the titular hero, employed by the Metropolitan Public Library to protect a series of secret historical artifacts housed therein. In his latest adventure, "The Curse of the Judas Chalice" (Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on TNT), the third in the series, Carsen heads to New Orleans for a little R&R, only to get caught up in a conspiracy involving a notorious vampire. We caught up with Wyle, as well as co-star Bob Newhart, to get the scoop on the films, on working with each other, and on the end of "ER." MSN TV: Here we are on film No. 3 in the franchise, with each of the previous films being amongst the most watched TV movies of their respective years. Why do you think the films have been so successful? Noah Wyle: I think it has a lot to do with the time of year they're aired. I think going into the holiday season you usually get a lot of families together, and we've targeted this directly at family viewing. It's popular with kids and popular with adults. I think it speaks to a vacuum of this type of storytelling on television, the action/adventure comedy, which is, particularly in tough economic times, the best form of escapist entertainment. Bob Newhart: They're unusual. The thing that appealed to me about them was that it wasn't a question of brawn or firepower, it was just [Carsen's] intelligence. It's kind of a salute to intelligence, I think. Why do you think there's a lack of broad, family-friendly entertainment on television these days? Newhart: It seems like [network] television is trying to imitate cable and they can't quite do it. I'm watching "Everybody Loves Raymond," because I like Ray and I think it's beautifully cast and really well-written. And as I'm watching it, I'm thinking to myself, "We could have never touched that area." The censors would have said, "That's a joke, right? You aren't really serious about what you do in bed." Is it challenging to interact with CGI characters like Excalibur? Wyle: I think I have a small mime that lives inside me, because I really enjoy when something's poking me in the tush when there's really nothing poking me. Newhart: It's kind of difficult, especially when you're an actor who's so used to reacting to other people and what they're saying. It's more technique than challenging. The first time I was exposed to it was in a movie called "First Family," written and directed by Buck Henry, in which I played the president, and my wife was Madeline Kahn, my daughter was played by Gilda Radner, and Harvey Korman was one of the members of the cabinet. And there was a scene where we had to walk into this garden and all these plants were oversized but it was just a green screen, and I didn't really enjoy it. When I saw [the finished scene] I realized what they were doing. But, you know, you get so much from another actor. What was the experience of filming in New Orleans like? Newhart: There was one set that was all rebuilt, and you could tell that area had been particularly hard hit because all the buildings were brand new. The hotel we stayed at wasn't too far from [the Superdome], and of course you look over and it reminds you of all those things you saw of people huddled together, not knowing how they were going to get out; people being saved from the top of their roofs because the water was so high. Wyle: We went with the intention of doing a good karmic turn and bringing some work to the city and investing some money in the economy and employing some of their artisans. We got down there and found out we were the 11th production to have that idea! I can't say enough great things about that city and the indefatigable quality that the inhabitants have. Katrina's still very fresh and the wounds very deep, yet these people have a real lust for life. Has the made-for-TV movie become a lost art? It seems that only cable networks like HBO and TNT produce them anymore. Wyle: The made-for-TV movies were the staple of my childhood. Everybody turned out to watch "Roots." Everybody turned out to watch "Winds of War." But they don't make them anymore. They're cost prohibitive. They don't syndicate well. People don't buy the DVDs. Between "Twilight," "True Blood" and this film, there are an awful lot of popular vampire stories at the moment. Why do you think we're so interested in vampires? Wyle: Vampires are an enduring theme. Newhart: I was amazed after we did it, how many other vampire things there were on cable. It was a genre of film that I remember as a kid; those were the scary movies. But it seems to be enjoying a revival of some kind. There was talk at one point of shooting this in Transylvania. Noah, what was it like to work with Bob? Wyle: We had a tremendous time together. When you're working an 18-hour day, if you can have someone with an anecdotal reservoir like his on set, it's worth its weight in gold. Bob is so personable and his energy reserves are so vast, I can't think of a better guy to be working with. And how was it for you Bob? Newhart: We had a great time. We just did an interview together and I found out he was somewhat intimidated by me and Jane [Curtin, who also stars in the film] because we spent so much of our lives in comedy, but I was never aware of it when we were on the set together. A lot of that tongue-in-cheek stuff that he does requires great comic timing. Has the "Star Trek" phenomenon permeated your life now, because this film and the last were directed by Jonathan Frakes, a cast member from "Star Trek: The Next Generation"? Wyle: I get really, really amused when I see some obvious Trekkie catch sight of him and be absolutely gob-smacked. Jonathan is so wonderfully indulgent. He'll do the voice or the saunter walk he employed as Commander Riker. All you have to do is ask. Noah, what can you tell us about the end of "ER"? Wyle: My episodes are going to be the last four of the season. In terms of story line, I know nothing really specific, but I'm really looking forward to it. It's high time that we wrote the last chapter to this 15-year experience, and I'm really grateful that I get to be a part of it. Were you surprised to learn of Michael Crichton's death? Wyle: It really took the wind out of my sails. He was extremely kind to me. When I tested for the network to get the show, it was between me and another actor. And Michael was there, and he took me aside, and he gave me some really wonderful words of advice and wisdom and got me in a great head space to go in and get the job. And I'll be forever grateful for that. Do either of you ever think about returning to series TV? Wyle: Occasionally I get that itch, but looking at the face of my children scratches it pretty quickly. It affords me a quality of life with my family that I just can't pass up at the moment. I have the luxury of being able to pick and choose the projects that interest me and weigh them against what my contributions at home are. Newhart: No. I had two successful shows -- two and a half successful shows -- and then one that didn't work and then another that didn't work, "George & Leo." And I enjoyed "George & Leo," and thought it was well-written, but it didn't work. And I kind of knew at that time that I didn't want to go through it again. It's too painful to get all your hopes up only to not have it work. It's really for younger people. I remember being on the set of "Bob," the one before "George & Leo" and everybody had gone to lunch and I was going over my lines and I said to myself, "Do you want to die on the set? Is that your ultimate goal, to drop dead on a set?" "The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice" airs Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on TNT. tv.msn.com/wyle-newhart-interview/
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 9:13:28 GMT -5
Noah Wyle hopes his latest ‘Librarian' adventure won't be the lastBy RICK BENTLEY McClatchy-Tribune Noah Wyle has had to prepare himself for what could be the end of a popular television franchise. No, is not "ER." Although the actor is going back to appear in a few more episodes, he knows the NBC series is coming to an end. He's not so certain about his "Librarian" cable-movie series. TNT is promoting "The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice," as the third and, if you believe the TNT promotions department, final adventure for Wyle's character of Flynn Carsen. "I hope it is not the last," Wyle says during a telephone interview. "I think saying it is the last movie was more of a marketing decision." ADVERTISEMENT Wyle, who served as an executive producer on the television movies that also have included "The Librarian: Quest for the Spear" (2004) and "The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines" (2006), always had it in the back of his mind if the cable series built enough fan support it would continue on the big screen. There also has been talk the franchise could become a weekly series. "The Librarian" is a little bit of "Indiana Jones" with a touch of "Romancing the Stone" and a dash of "National Treasure." By day, Flynn is the master of the Dewey Decimal system. But when his expertise is needed in the field, he becomes a world-traveling seeker of ancient artifacts. The world traveling was a little closer to home this time. A tight budget was the culprit. The lack of a money ended up not being as bad as Wyle feared. It forced everyone to be more creative with location, which was how they hit upon the idea of the search for the Judas Chalice, the one thing that can bring back a notorious vampire. Louisiana became the primary film location. Wyle liked that between the city's heavy religious influences and the nocturnal subculture, New Orleans provided a rich place to tell an adventure story. "The city is phenomenal," Wyle says. "This was my first trip to New Orleans and I had a tremendous time." Not only did the city provide the perfect background for the film, it was a chance for the production company to inject some money into the Louisiana economy. Most of the areas outside the city are still trying to rebound from the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. While most of the filming was in the city, Wyle and members of the cast and crew ventured into some of the badly damaged areas. What he saw left him with the feeling there is still a long struggle ahead. But Wyle has faith in the people of Louisiana. "I think what impressed me about the state was the people. They all had horrific stories. And yet they had a sense of hope and professionalism that was incredible," Wyle says. Wyle also praised his co-stars from the three films. Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin play the bosses who try to keep him safe and under budget. Wyle says he took every opportunity to pepper the pair with questions about television, acting and comedy. He describes working with Newhart and Curtin as like playing tennis with much better opponents. Since his departure from "ER" in 2006, Wyle has been working in TV and theatrical films. He's heard talk "The Librarian" could become a television series. "I am reluctant to get enthusiastic. I know how far we had to stretch our dollars to make the movies. If we had to turn this kind of production in week in and week out with the same budget we would be hamstrung." As for his other television project, Wyle has not filmed his final "ER" episodes. But he is looking forward to getting back to the role of Dr. John Carter, even if it's for the final days of the series. THE LIBRARIAN: THE CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE 8 p.m. EST Sunday TNT www.enquirerherald.com/371/story/439604.html
|
|
|
Post by Raffy on Dec 6, 2008 9:16:04 GMT -5
Movie review: Noah Wyle fun in 'Librarian'David Wiegand, Chronicle Staff Writer Saturday, December 6, 2008 The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice: Starring Noah Wyle, Jane Curtin, Bob Newhart, Bruce Davison, Stana Katic. 8 p.m. Sunday on TNT. Hard as it may be to believe, Steven Spielberg could learn a few lessons from the folks who put together the third installment of TNT's "The Librarian" film series. And lesson one is: Lighten up, willya? Noah Wyle produces and again stars in the film as a nerd who has been recruited by a part of the Metropolitan Public Library that's off-limits to the public, a place where the world's greatest treasures are stored and watched over by Judson (Bob Newhart) and his bean-counting aide, Charlene (Jane Curtin). After rounding up the Spear of Destiny and finding King Solomon's mines in the two earlier films, Flynn (Wyle) is tired, cranky and needs a vacation, but instead he finds himself trying to free the kidnapped Professor Lazlo (Bruce Davison) from a group of meanies who are trying to find the Judas Chalice, made from the 30 pieces of silver Judas took to betray Christ. The bad guys want to use the cup to resurrect Vlad the Impaler, a.k.a. Dracula, to basically screw up the whole world for, like, forever. What "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice" has going for it, besides nice performances by Wyle, Curtin, Newhart and Davison, that "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" sadly lacked is a sense of fun. Maybe it makes a difference not to have billions of dollars to work with, not to mention a one-man Hollywood Mount Rushmore to star in your film. The truth is, Wyle and director Jonathan Frakes invest their film with irresistible playfulness. They know that the script by Marco Schnabel isn't meant to make much sense, and they know better than to take themselves too seriously - something that made the first "Indiana Jones" films work well. Despite the fact that this is "only" TV, the special effects are pretty good, but when they're not, well, it doesn't really matter, somehow. The cheesy zombie makeup and costumes may look as if they were picked up at a Universal Pictures yard sale in 1942, but that just adds to the fun. It may never win a Peabody Award, but the third "The Librarian" film is genuinely entertaining. What a strange concept for 21st century television www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/05/DD1U14F66Q.DTL
|
|