Production Blog
LIFE RHYTHMS
September 13, 2007 3:56 PM
Today concludes our seventh week of shooting out of a scheduled eighteen. I’m in a set we call “the ruins” which is the destroyed foundation of a farm settlement in a Himalayan mountain pass shooting three distinct love scenes: Brendan and Maria, Luke and Isabella, and John Hannah and a yak called Geraldine (not really a love scene, only kidding.) The wind and snow are pummeling the set and it looks cold, very cold but the illusion is ruined when the clapstick guy marks the shot in a T-shirt. It’s an effective illusion, but all Hollywood films are an illusion.
Brendan is one of the most inventive actors with which I’ve had the pleasure to work. For this incarnation of “The Mummy,” he has lost twenty pounds and toned himself into a rock, so buff. I had this crazy idea that, for his climatic fight against Jet Li, he could not top him with Kung Fu or traditional martial arts so I asked him to train in a school called “Krav Magah,” a street fighting system developed by Czech Jews, now used by the Israeli Army. It’s all about minimalism and devastating efficacy. I never saw an actor take a suggestion so much to heart. He has trained continuously in the art and I think you will all see an enormous difference in the mano a mano action scenes in my film. He’s still charming and funny but the power has been turned up many notches.
Production rhythm is unpredictable. Each day, each hour is different than its predecessor. We have now found the film’s stride. Francois and Alfonso are whipping those Arriflexes around, Simon Duggan our ace D.P. is lighting ever more beautiful shots, Nigel Phelps’ sets are coming to life “inch by motherfucking inch” as my friend Michael Mann likes to say. A film crew in its stride is a beautiful thing for a director to ride, and I’m riding for all I’m worth.
I’ll be putting on another video, this one about some of our stunt team, maybe tomorrow. By the way, these small doco’s are shot and edited by Todd Grossman, a very talented young director in his own right. He did the full-length documentaries on “XXX” and “Stealth” which appear on the DVD’s of both films. Good, bad, or indifferent, every film has a different journey and a record of that experience is a valuable insight to either what went right or what went wrong. It’s my pleasure to share that with anyone who wants to look a little deeper into my process.
Also, today is a special day because my wife Barbara showed up on the set and gave me a present: a pair of baby shoes announcing that she was pregnant! I have a 20 year old son already but this will be a whole other adventure. I’m happier than I can share.
Take care for now.
Comments
Congatulations on the being a father all over again!
Thanks so much for this blog. It is instructive and very personal. Thanks so much fro sharing all those stories about the making of the movie. I can't wait to see it.
Rob: thank you so much for all this information! It means a lot for all the fans. Personally, I´m SO GLAD reading what you said about Mr.Fraser. I´ve been a Brendan´s admirer since the first Mummy movie...and I´m sooooooo proud of him !!
Awwwww...and Congratulations for the new baby !!It seems that 2008 will be a great year for you !
Take Care
Delilah.
Congratulations!!!!!! Rob,you are really a lucky guy.Thanks for sharing the updated things in Montreal.Best wishes from China to you and your adorable Babara .Take care!
Hi Rob,
Another video coming?? Great! And congrats on the new addition to your family.
Congratulations. Twenty years of training for the second one...although I'm sure that won't help a bit!
Thankfully the sleepless nights won't be during production then!
Hi Rob!
Congratulations to both you and Barbara - how exciting!
Thank you for this great blog. It's so nice to get a feel of what is going on. I'm a big fan of John Hannah and am feeling jealous of Geraldine the yak - only kidding! Great to hear Brendan is really getting into it. Any shoots scheduled in the UK this time?
Suzie
Congratulations to you and your wife!!
I've been a huge fan of Brendan and his work for years, and it's always great to hear such nice things about him. Thank you for taking time out of your schedual to give us an awesome look into the shooting of this film!
Hi Rob !!!!
I'm from Braziland I love "The Mummy" series, I've been waiting for 6 years for this production's comfirmation and when I saw the video on your website I got really excited watching Brendan Fraser shooting.
Please, send me an e-mail with pictures or any infirmation abaut the shots.
Thank you for making this movie and I also wanna thank all tese production's crew.
Congratulations, to you and to your wife !!!
I don't mean to be disrespectful.
I honestly only like 2 movies you've ever made. Dragon : The Bruce Lee Story and Daylight.
Other than that I think most of your movies lack in the story department. What story does this film have that doesn't make it a typical film? Is Brendan's fighting style explained in the film, where he learned it? Or is he just going to come out and be all bad ass? and what about Maria Bello's character. She's all of a sudden an ass kicker that's not her character in the first two.. Is that explained where she learned how to KICK ASS?
maybe I don't get the movie or something... I just want to understand the characters motives... or maybe I'm looking to much into it.
Brilliant!
Great plot, great publicity… This sequel seems very enchanting.
BRAVO Mr.Cohen!
Congratulations to you and barbara!!
also,thank you for the all information..i am a big fan from turkey..ı hope,2008 will be great year for you and mummy team!!
Congratulations to you and your wife on the great news!
Glad to hear that Krav maga will be used in the movie. It's a really fascinating form of martial arts that is not seen much in films today. I'm eager to see what you and Brendan do with it.
Thanks for the 2nd video! The stunt team seemed to have enjoyed themselves while working with you. It was really interesting to sneak behind the camera and see how the wire stunts were done. More please!
Thanks por the " stuntmen" video!. It looks fantastic!
Delilah.
Thank you so much for the 2nd video. Amazing!
Suzie
The second video ?where is the first video pls?I only saw the stuntmen video?
I saw the two videos.the young's soldiers were so funny and cool. I can not wait to see more videos.
This is Nick, from Jeremy's class. Congrats on the baby! He'll have a kickass dad!
NICK
hey rob,
congratulations to you and barbara. truly fantastic news. looks like the movie sails under lucky stars. i'm so happy for you guys!
i'm now only three weeks away myself and soooo excited.
if yours is a girl, there could be a blossoming romance in the future between the "mummy-babies" ;)
and second: looks like everyone involved in the production is having a ball. but is that surprising with you as captain of the ship? didn't think so.
the shoot looks amazing and i can't wait to see the finished movie.
good luck and all my best for both adventures!
Hey,
God this is amazing I absolutly love the mummy films i know i'm gonna love this one! Can you show us A picture of Maria as Evie I am curious to see what she looks like I'm a big fan of her!
It's a humiliation and disgrace to legendary martial artist Jet Li, his training since eight years old and his back catalogues of more than 40 martial arts movies about half are classics that Brendan will top Jet. It is almost a nightmare and thanks Hollywood again for disgracing a nation China disrespecting her culture and a legendary martial artist. Thanks again Hollywood, and thinks again Jet Li can at least open a movies with more than 10m with a mid range number of theatres what has Brendan done in the last five years
A "humiliation" ?? Wooww...are you sure that Jet Li feels "humiliated" ?You are meaning that " Hollywood " is forcing Jet to do this, and other movies he did ?.And talking about " classics"...two REALLY " classic" actors-Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Michael Caine- didn´t seem to feel " humiliated" when Brendan topped them both with his wonderful performances in " Gods&Monsters" and "The Quiet Amnerican".They are "giant" actors and both talked praisefully about Brendan´s performances.
Delilah.
Oh... and one more thing...Excuse me, but this is just a movie..is just FOR FUN..I don´t think that nobody is trying to " disgracing China and disrespecting her Culture ", not at all ! Please...take it easy.
Delilah.
I can't agree with you more,Delilah.It's just a movie for fun.It has nothing to do with the Chinese martial arts and the western advanced techonology.Somebody thought too much.
Delilah, you are so right. It's amazing how people have an opinion when the movie isn't even made yet! Crickey, let's enjoy the process. This blog is amazing and very generous of Rob. This is FUN!
Suzie
P.S. Terracotta Army exhibition just opened at The British Museum to rave reviews. Can't wait to see it.
Rob,
Fantastic news! Sal and I send our wishes.
MM
Hey Rob congrats,
also could you email me pictures of the costume you have brendan wearing in this film beuse I would like to know if its similar to the costume from the first two. I liked his shoulder holster in the movies and I'm wondering if you got him wearing one in this film.
Thank you
Everything seems to be going so well (personal and otherwise) and I couldn't be happier for you and Barbara. Everytime I check in, I remember how much fun I had working for you.
This film is looking GOOD. I don't think I've seen more beautiful behind the scenes/set shots in a long, long time.
Cheers!
Hey Rob,
Nick told me about this site. I am so anxious to see the Mummy and love being in on the behind the scenes stuff that you post in this blog. Congratulations to you and Barbara! I can only imagine your joy. Hope to see you at Kevin's wedding.
Cathy Santa Croce
Hi,nice to know your gugs doing quite well. i am one of M3 Crew now working in sh,everthing is quite ok here,especially preparing for the bombing scene. we are right here waiting for your coming:) do take care.
I LOVE YOU UNCLE ROB! And your website it great! I just wanted to let you know I checked it out! I can't wait until January! XOXOXO
the movie looks awesome, cant wait for it, i am too excited
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