In terms of location, not to many “whodunnits” are staged in Antarctica. Really the only other movie that even comes close in my mind is John Carpenter’s The Thing or maybe 30 Days of Night. So I’ll give Whiteout style points for the interesting location.
Still, when I read the plot synopsis, I couldn’t help but wonder about the title. True, blizzard conditions result in a blinding “whiteout” as Kate Beckinsale’s character attempts to solve a murder. But she’s also under the added pressure of finding a murderer in three days before the last plane leaves the continent and those who are left behind are plunged into six months of night.
It’s kind of like Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia, but in reverse. Or maybe like Pitch Black. But, y’know… without all the space monsters. But why so many “race-against-time” plot devices?
I realize that Whiteout is based on a comic mini-series of the same name released by Oni Press in 1998. So, for all intents and purposes, this is a “comic book movie” and perhaps such compounding dilemmas don’t have to make sense.
Still, I think you could do so much with the isolation and the paranoia of such a remote location that multiple “race-against-time” elements aren’t needed.
Certainly something that CAN’T be explained is casting Kate Beckinsale – arguably one of the most attractive women in film right now – in a role that requires her to wear bulky parkas and heavy boots all over the place. Next time, Kate, try to solve a murder on Bikini Island, or something.
SEXISM! WOO!
With that out of the way, I want to remind everyone that there is a fire sale in the store right now. All of the books are $9.99, all of the t-shirts are $7.99 and I’m also selling some remainder inventory for much, much less. Baby doll tees for $4.99, a poster and a sample booklet at reduced prices as well.
The sale runs through the weekend, but I encourage you to place your orders now. I got a bunch of orders of the weekend and I hope to have them sent out by tomorrow. So if you want your merchandise included in that mailing, place your order today.
In the meantime, I will be adding a special graphic to the top of the page to remind you of the sale. But if you guys can help me out by mentioning the sale through your Twitter or Facebook accounts, that would help me out a great deal.
I’m selling off this inventory at dramatically low prices to hopefully raise enough money to produce the third Theater Hopper book. Although yesterday, my good friend Gordon McAlpin from Multiplex launched Book 1 Club of Awesome and is giving rewards to people who contribute funding to the production of his first print collection. I’m thinking I might have to steal his idea.
I’m sure we’ll be talking about Gordon’s forthcoming book as well as catch up on other topics tonight on The Triple Feature at TalkShoe. Remember: We record live at 9:00 PM CST and would love it if you could join us.
See you then!
Why not just call it "Blackout?"
Hmmm...
ANTARCTICA HAS SNOW!
Wong hemisphere for 30 Days of Night – that took place in Alaska. But we get your meaning…
The title of the story makes a lot more sense when you read the graphic novel by writer Greg Rucka and artist Steve Lieber. A black and white comic with many scenes taking place in the “whiteout” of the blizzard going on during the story certainly is more fitting visually than most of the images that I’ve seen from the trailers.
Trevor, I’ve seen panels from the comic book and it looks very much like Frank Miller’s Sin City work – except in reverse.
There are a couple of movies about Sir Ernest Shackleton the Explorer. Not as glamorous as Kate Beckensale but a touch more historically relevant. He is pretty awsome.
Um, Whiteout (the graphic novel) has been in print long before 2008. It’s been one of my favourite pieces ‘o comic book business for at least 10 years.
Sadly, the movie is getting HORRIBLE reviews, so all my enthusiasm to see it has been killed.
My bad. I meant 1998.
Fixed!
Tom, don’t forget that the hours of daylight leading up to the sun not rising again for however long would be down well under an hour of daylight per-day anyway. Its not like the earths axis suddenly shifts from normal to no sun at all. So 3 days before total darkness is still pretty much dark all the time anyway. And shes a US Marshal, are they really just going to leave her there just because its dark?
The art style was chosen on purpose, to emphasise the conditions of the setting. Rucka needed someone “who can draw cold,” and do so in black and white. Steve Lieber, the artist, actually has the first issue available for reading on his web-site. http://www.stevelieber.com/whiteout/
It’s interesting that you mention Frank Miller, because he did the cover art for the series.
The title refers to the weather condition when snowfall or wind causes reduced visibility because of all the snow. Effectively obscuring your vision in a sea of white; a whiteout. In the comic book, conditions are twilight and the sun isn’t meant to set for several weeks, and doesn’t play much of a role in the story, so calling it “Blackout” would make little sense. If the movie changed that, I have no idea why other than what you put forward: a race-against-time plot device.
I hope that helps explain a few things, at least about the setting in the comic book. I haven’t been paying much attention to the movie since the trailer came out advertising it more like some sort of sci-fi story instead of a murder mystery. I know trailers are not a good source for telling you what a movie is about, but they can be a good indication of the amount of respect the original work was treated with.
That’s a really great sale Tom. I’ve been meaning to add to my collection and pick up Year 3 and Spoiler II for ages and this gave me the perfect opportunity to finally do it. Order placed! Thanks!
Meant to mention this yesterday.
What about AVP? That was sort of a time-limity story set in Antarctica. Not a whodunnit.
And not really good, either. Uh…what what my point?
Haven’t seen this. It looks intersting though. A murder mystery in Antartica? Lot different from the run-of-the-mill mystery movies about mafia vs FBI agents. XD
Well…months and months later I have finally made it thru the entire TH series…and its fantastic!!! Love every one of them. The art has really come a long way and it was fun to see all the different styles attempted. Gonna keep reading though I almost wish I didnt have to wait every other day for the new ones now (grin).
Hey, Pete.
Thank you for the wonderful compliments. I really appreciate them!
I need to start giving out special medals for people who make it through the archives! 😀
Tom,
Regarding your PVP guest comic – it was fine, except one grating thing:
in the future, please write ‘definitely’, in stead of ‘definately’.
thanks.
Uh oh…
Yeah, “definitely” is one of my kryptonite words. I always misspell it.
I bet you won’t be the first to tell me about it, either.
Gotta send a revised version to Scott.
Tom: I think the styles between Whiteout and Sin City are pretty different, but you’re absolutely right that Whiteout has a lot more white where as Sin City uses a lot more black.