Our amigos at First Showing directed us to these new lysergic images from the Wachowski Brothers‘ Speed Racer. The still above makes me want to sink into an altered state and get a $50 car wash with a $5 Sweet Pear air freshener. That’s a first. These images will appear in an upcoming cover story of EW, complete with fresh explanations of the film’s divisive green screen special effects included below. Every time we scoff at this movie, it pulls Slashfilm back in (and vice versa)!
“If these photos are looking a bit more two-dimensional than usual, that’s by design. The Wachowskis “wanted to incorporate some of the limitations of ’60s cell animation in the movie,” says Leo. Explains fellow effects supervisor Kim Libreri: “The backgrounds are mostly from photographic elements that have been shot from locations around the world [and then] intensely processed to be super-colorful and super-contrasty.”
“Do you remember the 1980s video game Outrun,” asks Libreri, “with the palm trees flying past? A lot of the movie looks like that. But instead of using painted elements that they used the early days [of anime]. there are actually photographic elements flying past the road.”
More images and “car-fu” effects descriptions after the hop…
Discuss: Not sure about you, but I think Kim Libreri’s Out Run reference is quite ace. Is there another film that did the “candy store aesthetic” better than what you’ve gleamed from Speed Racer?
“You’ve heard of kung-fu–and there’s plenty of it in Speed Racer–but how about car-fu? “[The brothers] realized that real racing wasn’t what they were after,” says Muhen Leo, an effects supervisor. “So the idea of cars fighting one another came about early on. The idea is that drivers have such elaborate control over the cars that they could do kicks and spins and hit each other.”
Because the actors weren’t really racing, they were plopped instead into hydraulically-controlled cockpits that would bob and weave in real time along with what the cars were supposed to be doing on screen. “We gave the directors a joystick that would allow them to simulate other cars bumping into them,” says Leo.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:14 am
It’s like thanksgiving dinner man, wait until the turkey’s done.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:16 am
This fx in this film look cool. Hopefully the story is up to snuff. I don’t think this will be as bad as people think. I’ll give it a chance.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:17 am
May is going to be a stellar month. . . . can’t wait!
March 27th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
This film that looks good in this film and works is the racing with the green screen, but when they are walking around on proper sets and not racing it looks like they are doing weather reports and are not in place with the film.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Also am not set on Matthew Fox as Racer X because he looks really cheesy
March 27th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
More Christina Ricci plz
March 27th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Let the hate flood in….
March 27th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
really not sure about this film, although I will still see it..
March 27th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Dear Hollywood,
Please stop taking my treasured and beloved childhood memories and turning them into embarrassingly crappy movie remakes that lose money.
Thanks!
March 27th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
I don’t know what’s it all about or how it’ll turn out, but I’m going to see it! It looks eye popping and super trippy!
March 27th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
I am seeing this movie for one reason and one reason only: Emile Hirsch’s pretty pretty face.
March 27th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Dear Hollywood,
Thank you for reimagining my childhood. It assures me that you’re aware of my childhood dreams and taking it to another level, another medium. ie: Transformers. If it rocks, I’ll buy the DVD. If it sucks, I’ll always have fond memories of the original.
Thanks!
March 27th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
this movie looks amazing to me but i am pretty uncertain about the PG rating. i will definitely be going to see it though, this has a look that needs to be experienced on the big screen.
March 29th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Now this is quite interesting… Will surely go to see it when it’s out, especially that - as cheesy as he looks - Matthew Fox will be great in this one, I feel.
March 30th, 2008 at 7:19 am
I’m wondering if some people are even looking at the same pictures as me…
This is looking absolutely INCREDIBLE! No two ways about it.
The more I see of it, the more excited I get.
This will be a unique and memorable theater experience!
April 15th, 2008 at 2:42 am
will hollywood NEVER give up…..are they that bored. Tell the JEWS to give up…..please!!!!