Pulp of the Week - Death Note

Death Note is a great Manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata that has spawned anime, video games and live action movies in Japan. Shane Black and his writing partners are working on an American adaptation. The story follows Light Yagami, college aged son of a Tokyo police detective, after he has been given a strange notebook.

After touching the notebook, a strange demonic creature, a japanese shinigami named Ruyk, appears and stays by Light throughout much of the story. The holder of the Death Note is the only one that can see the Shinigami. This gives Light someone to talk to about the Death Note.

Light decides to test it out on convicted killers that are in prison. It works. He expands his tests to more and more people and finally sends a message, naming himself Kira, out to the world. Kira makes it clear that he will rid the world of evil, that good people need not fear him, and that he will rule this utopia.

Then it becomes clear to Light that there is another Kira, and the twists and puzzles mount. A task force is formed, with the mysterious L serving as lead detective. L has mysteries of his own and there is a battle of wits as L and Light serve on the task force. As this is a 12 book manga series, this is just the beginning.

I highly recommend Death Note. It is exciting, adventurous stuff that is exceedingly well written given the twists and turns of two geniuses in intellectual battle.

Death Note deserves a rating of 10. It is great. Warner Bros has optioned it for Shane Black to direct as an english language movie (Japanese versions already have been made) and I certainly thought it would make a great movie as I was reading the books. Check out Death Note.

Columbia Pictures Announces Doc Savage Movie

From the Press Release:

Sony Pictures Options Rights to Doc Savage

Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze, hero of pulp novels, films, and comic books, will return to the big screen; it was announced by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, Presidents of Columbia Pictures. Shane Black is adapting the screenplay with Anthony Bagarozzi and Chuck Mondry, and Black is also attached to direct the film. Neal H. Moritz will produce through his Original Film banner.

One of the most popular characters of the pulps of the 1930s and 40s, Doc Savage was also popularized on radio, film and television. He is a scientist, physician, adventurer, inventor, explorer and researcher. He has been trained since birth to be nearly superhuman in every way, with outstanding strength, a photographic memory, and vast knowledge and intelligence. He uses his skills and powers to punish evil wherever in the world he finds it.

Matt said, "Doc Savage is an icon, a character with limitless possibilities. We have had a great experience working with Neal to bring another classic character of the era, The Green Hornet, to a new generation of fans, and we think he and Shane make the ideal team to bring Doc Savage back to the big screen."

"I've been looking for an excuse to work with Chuck and Anthony, who wrote one of my favorite spec scripts of the last decade, `Tick-Tock'," said Black. "In 'Doc Savage' we've found a project that all of us have loved since childhood."

Ori Marmur is overseeing for Original Film. Sam Dickerman will oversee for Columbia Pictures.

Born 1961 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Shane Black is considered one of the pioneer screenwriters of the action genre. Black made his mark upon graduating UCLA's Theatre program with his Lethal Weapon (1987) screenplay. In addition to collaborating on the sequel Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), he has also penned such projects as The Last Boy Scout and The Long Kiss Goodnight. As an actor, Black was the first to be eviscerated by The Predator (1987) and has appeared in As Good As It Gets, Robocop 3 and various other independent films. Black made his directorial debut with the action comedy-thriller Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.



From Harry Knowles at ain'titcoolnews:
I know from talking with Shane this will be period, will have Doc's team, and is going to be a s#!t ton of fun.