J.J. Abrams Going Steampunk With Boilerplate

Tom Goldman

Tom Goldman

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Aug 17, 2009
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J.J. Abrams Going Steampunk With Boilerplate


J.J. Abrams plans to bring the story of the world's first robot to the world.

J.J. Abrams, Hollywood Reporter [http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Complete-Sixth-Season-Blu-ray/dp/B0036EH3X4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1280501246&sr=8-2] revealed that Abrams will be adapting the character's story into a movie.

Boilerplate, created by Paul Guinan, is a fictional humanoid robot character built in the late 1890s, and boy did he get around. The book Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel is not a typical graphic novel and instead inserts the robot into various historical images, making Boilerplate into the Forrest Gump [http://www.amazon.com/Forrest-Gump-Sapphire-Blu-ray-Hanks/dp/B002L9N4DS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1280502923&sr=8-2] of robots. He's seen alongside Lawrence of Arabia, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, and other famous characters from the world's past. Boilerplate is said to have disappeared during World War I.

Guinan's efforts, including the Boilerplate website [http://www.bigredhair.com/boilerplate/intro.html], often refer to Boilerplate as a real robot, leading some to think it was a hoax when they discovered a robot didn't actually hang out with Teddy Roosevelt. Abrams direct involvement with the project doesn't appear to have been decided yet though it was handed to his production company Bad Robot by Paramount.

Boilerplate sounds like an interesting concept that could result in a really cool movie with a steampunk theme. The fact that Abrams is behind it doesn't mean it'll automatically be amazing, but he does bring a degree of clout that could ensure it's well made and that people will probably go see it. I would pay $10 just to see a robot on a high-wheel bicycle [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny-farthing].

Source: Hollywood Reporter [http://heatvision.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/07/jj-abrams-robot-movie-boilerplate.html]


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Deofuta

Deofuta

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Guinan...Guinan!?!?!!?

I need a drink and some how she got out of ten forward again.
 
Proteus214

Proteus214

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Jul 31, 2009
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It may make for a decent movie, but right now that look for the robot is just plain silly.
 
Kojiro ftt

Kojiro ftt

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I don't see the draw here. The whole idea of inserting a robot into historical pictures seems like a novelty at best. This was a popular graphic novel?
 
CloggedDonkey

CloggedDonkey

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ImprovizoR said:
Anything J.J. Abrams touches turns into gold. I'll keep my eyes on this one.
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And you have the Dharma symbol as your avatar. A bit of a LOST fan, are we?

OT: That looks like it could be a good movie, though it might just be Forest Gump with a robot. But it does look interesting to say the least.
 
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Therumancer

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Meh.

It would be more interesting if the idea hadn't been retreaded heavily, and in general I tend to view anything that is alternative history or retro-science fiction calling itself "Steampunk" with a negative light unless it actually knows what it's doing and keeps some of the "punk" elements intact which this certainly does not from what I've seen. I actually give things more weight if they use more accurate labels rather than misunderstood "buzz words". Next thing you know people are going to start saying Harry Turtledove is one of the fathers of Steampunk if they haven't already.

Aside from that similar themes have already been explored. Robot Archie (somewhat), Spartan from "WildC.A.T.S." operating in the past with Emp as John Colt, Tom Strong's "Pneuman", and of course some of the characters we've seen running around in things like "Astro City" or even the retro storyline from "Top Ten".

It could be interesting, but I guess I'm jaded enough where in looking at it I can't help but compare it to other concepts that I feel would have covered a lot of the same ideas somewhat better.

As far as J.J. Abrams goes, he does some very good work, but truthfully I think he should stick to TV for the most part. His movies have been far less impressive to me, I was not all that pleased with "Cloverfield", and actually felt the hype leading up to it was more interesting and more entertaining than the movie itself. It wasn't a bad idea for a film, but it felt somewhat lacking.
 
dochmbi

dochmbi

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Abrams







Looks like a nice and original movie, I'll probably see it in one form or another.
 
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Natdaprat

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I don't know what to think. It could be a heart warming tale of a robots adventures, or it could be super lame. My expectations are low for this one.
 
Frozen Donkey Wheel2

Frozen Donkey Wheel2

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Well, as long it doesn't still look like a wireless blowjob dispenser by the time the movie comes out, I guess it could be cool.

Hey, while we're on the subject, does anyone know what the hell "Super 8" is?
 
Marble Dragon

Marble Dragon

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Therumancer said:
Meh.

It would be more interesting if the idea hadn't been retreaded heavily, and in general I tend to view anything that is alternative history or retro-science fiction calling itself "Steampunk" with a negative light unless it actually knows what it's doing and keeps some of the "punk" elements intact which this certainly does not from what I've seen. I actually give things more weight if they use more accurate labels rather than misunderstood "buzz words". Next thing you know people are going to start saying Harry Turtledove is one of the fathers of Steampunk if they haven't already.
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Agreed. I do not want to see what the snooty Steampunk forums are saying about this. They might be ecstatic to see their culture breaking into the mainstream again. (Or, of course, they could be outraged for the same reason.) But either way, I doubt they'll enjoy it if it's misrepresented. We'll have to wait and see. Does the movie say that steampunk is simple neo-Victorianism, and a strange fascination with gears and brass goggles? Rage.

On the other hand, I'll probably see it. (I'm not going to call myself a steampunk for fear of getting my head bitten off, but I'm pretty into it.) Even saying that, though, the robot is really creepy looking.
 
ShadowKatt

ShadowKatt

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DJmagma said:
so...no cloverfield 2?
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Uh...no. No cloverfield to. Just no.

Have you thought about that at all beyond "Hey, cloverfield was awesome! I want more of that!"? I mean really put any thought into it? Cloverfield was a suspense movie. It put you in the position of all the other helpless peons in new york while this 'thing' lays waste to the town. People are being slaughtered by the hundred by thie enitity. And not just that. It can flake off peices of itself and track you everywhere. It isn't until the end of the movie we see what 'it' is, in the brief moments before it downs the only escape route we had left(And I apologise if that's a spoiler, but the movies been out forever, get over it).

If you make a sequel out of that, you've already lost the suspense part of it. We already know what 'it' is, we've seen it. We already know what it can do, because it's done it. When you take out the suspense, all you're left with is a newer, and crappier, godzilla movie without the King of Monsters. And they already tried that once. Didn't work well then, and it wouldn't work well now. That's why the next Godzilla movie is going back to the traditional T-rex-ish thing.

And they COULD try to do cloverfield the same way and make it all suspenseful, but again, we already know the antagonist, so all you're really making is The Blair Witch 2: In Color! Now with more Monster.

And nobody wants to see that. Just enjoy Cloverfield for what it was. If you want to see more Cloverfield, hit Stop, then Main Menu, and Play again.
 
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