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diversions:
Reitman adds twist
to old formula
By Alex Roman
Summer On-line Forty-Niner
The year was 1984
and everybody was walking around singing the theme to "Ghostbusters,"
the little comedy that could, which starred Bill Murray and
Dan Aykroyd fighting ghosts.
Fast forward 17
years and director Ivan Reitman is at it again with his new
film "Evolution," which stars David Duchovny and
Orlando Jones as a pair who discover a new alien life form
that makes its way to earth after a meteor crash.
What ensues is
a new twist on the old formula that Reitman found successful
with "Ghostbusters" and 1989's "Ghostbusters
II."
"The two things
I like the most are comedy and science fiction," said
Reitman about the use of "Evolution's" familiar
territory. "It's just something that I've always been
attracted to."
Reitman, a noted
comedy director and producer said that the film originally
began as a serious film, where the meteor crashing to earth
caused a serious threat to society. However, the tone of the
film's script eventually changed.
"It was meant
as a serious film, but I didn't think it would work as just
a serious film," said Reitman. "I thought it had
an interesting central line to it, but it just didn't work
for me. I thought if I was going to devote a year of my life
to it, I would have to sort of speak in my own language and
my own language has been predominantly comedy."
Speaking of language.
If comedy is Reitman's
language, then science fiction fantasy would be David Duchovny's
native tongue. Duchovny, who is famous for his turn as FBI
Agent Fox Mulder on the hit Fox television show "The
X-Files," is taking his first stab at "real"
comedy, playing Ira in "Evolution."
"The scary
thing about making comedy is, if people don't laugh it doesn't
work," said Duchovny when asked if it was scary playing
a part where he actually had to be funny. "So when you
have that kind of cut and dry response, it is scary and you
don't want to be seen trying to be funny, there's nothing
worse than that."
When asked why
he chose a film that still had a science fiction element although
he is seemingly attempting to distance himself from his previous
work, Duchovny explained that he saw no obvious connection
between the two.
"It was just
chance. For me this film couldn't be further away from 'The
X-Files,' even though there are some superficial resemblances,"
he said. "What sets projects apart for the actor is the
tone of the movie and the tone of this movie is that it doesn't
take itself seriously, it's just a big blowout comedy."
For Duchovny, who
has recently decided to leave "The X-Files," "Evolution"
marks his first attempt at making people realize that there
is more to him than Fox Mulder.
"In a way
'The X-Files' kind of obliterated everything that I did before
and that was frustrating," said Duchovny. "It will
obliterate certain things that come after, but that's nothing
that I could control and the more I try to control that the
less success I will have."
Sudden success
Orlando Jones has
been around Hollywood for years. He began as a writer for
NBC's "A Different World" and after two years moved
to the Fox comedy series "Roc."
But it wasn't until
his series of 7-Up commercials that Jones found sudden superstardom.
In the past couple of years, Jones has appeared in a litany
of films including "The Replacements" with Keanu
Reeves, the Farelly brothers' "Say It Isn't So"
and "Double Take" with Eddie Griffin.
"I credit
my success to the casting couch," Jones joked when asked
about his sudden wave of success. "A lot of people frown
on the notion of the casting couch, but I think using my body
for sin is one of the best things I've ever done."
Jones, who plays
Harry, found success actually before the 7-UP commercial's,
when he landed a job writing and performing on Fox's "Mad
TV." But, it is the commercials that have made him so
readily identifiable in pop culture today.
"You talk
about not paying attention, it was kind of like a goof to
me," said Jones about landing the soda's endorsement
deal. "Literally a month after the ads started running,
it just became ridiculous."
In a word, "Evolution"
could be described as ridiculous. However, Jones' comedic
genius is hard to hide, as he almost single handedly saves
the movie with his outstanding timing and delivery.
"As a writer
I think what works about this film is that it is very much
an Ivan Reitman film," said Jones. "I would have
to say that this is my favorite film so far, which is huge
for me."
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