Video Detective just returned from attending a preview of  Paramount’s 2011 slate in NYC .  Brad Grey, CEO and Chairman of  Paramount Pictures, spoke about the 100 year legacy of  Paramount and showcased a reel of old and new films.  IVA    believes Paramount has one of the strongest slates of 2011  with Thor, Super 8, Transformers 3, Kung Fu Panda 2, Captain  America all hitting as summer movies.  Mr. Grey spoke of the  turnaround he led for Paramount and  introduced the special  guest of the evening:  writer, director, producer, actor and  composer J.J. Abrams.

Super 8

Mr. Abrams. was touting his new film Super 8, (co-produced with  Steven Spielberg) and discussed his first foray into films making  8mm movies. After winning a Los Angeles film festival, Abrams  got a call to repair Steven Spielberg’s old Super 8 films.  He was  16 at the time and could not understand why Steven had chosen him and his partner to repair these films when he could have a lab with men in white suits restore them.  This would be the beginning of their friendship and collaboration on Super 8 the movie. Abrams then went on to discuss the unseen 20 minutes of footage from Super 8: relaying the challenge in casting kids that were not all Hollywood,  his hilarious story of the pitch call to Steven Spielberg on the phone (‘that sounds great’, click’) and how he merged the story of an alien from Area 51 being transported to a base in Ohio with kids making super 8 movies in the late 70’s.

The unseen Super 8 footage introduced us to the boy Joe (played by newcomer Joel Courtney) and his father the local sheriff (Kyle Chandler) who disapproves of Joe spending all his time making movies.  Joe’s character is very likable and is a multi-dimensional character not often found in roles for children.  Joe and his friends are working on a zombie movie when they witness a pick-up truck ramming a train and derailing it.  This is one of the most intense train wrecks ever screened.  The mayhem ends and the kids see a train car door come flying off.  The alien has escaped!

The next bit of footage is at a gas station where the alien attacks and leaves carnage in its wake.  The film seems to be a bit of a homage to Spielberg movies if E.T. was on a ‘roid rampage or the Close Encounters aliens wanted to kill humans instead of jam on a keyboard with them.

Afterwards, Video Detective got the distinction of  rapping  a bit with J.J. Abrams.  We wondered if kids today even knew what a Super 8 camera is.  We had a brief chat about the popularity of trailers on mobile devices  - one of our top fanboy moments to be remembered.

Next up: Quick review of extended footage seen at event for Mission Impossible: Ghost Recon