Watch Me: Seventh Son, and the awesome queen performance

Image Source

I've been intrigued by the story and movie entitled Seventh Son, directed by Sergei Bodrov, back in 2014. Where I first knew about the movie through an interview with Julianne Moore and that it's not her normal role to portray, which was a villain. Something that made me fascinated on how she would do was quite worth it.

HIT ME

Medieval times rang with the stench of high belief in magic and fantasy, where the good and evil had no fine line since they had physical manifestation, especially the evil. Welcome the realm of Seventh Son where being a hunter of evil, a warrior of light, is a real and practically the most dangerous job of all time.

The film focuses on the folklore of "the seventh son of a seventh son", where the seventh son holds a prowess strong enough to be comparable to witches, trolls, and other supernatural monsters of their time. John Gregory, the last Spook, is on a quest to rid the world of the revived witch queen Mother Malkin. His quest brought him to the life of Tom Ward, a teenage herds boy, who has the ability to see visions, the seventh son of the seventh son, and an eager soul to get out of his country life yearning for an adventurous one.

CONE CLUDE

Yep, my purpose to see Julianne Moore to portray the villain, Mother Malkin, was worth every penny (forgive my irony for this statement).

Folklore's and medieval themed fantasy movies are always a good taste for my fiction loving tongue. Complete with dragons, mystical shape shifter's, and the sprinkle of simple olden times life, always stirs a nice soup of imagination for my brain.

The choice for the casting feels like not my cup of tea though, especially the lead roles for Gregory and Tom, although they grow into you as the story goes by. Even the young witch lover for Tom, Alice, was quite a pick. Maybe the re-write of the story, from the original books under author Joseph Delaney, might have to do with the unusual personalities the actors portrayed. Or maybe I'm just looking for a good justification of some of the blandness I find during the course of their dialogues, acting and story.

Either way, it doesn't pull down the good parts of the film, from it's unusual dry humour in between everything and the fierce Julianne Moore witch queen. Yes, this is a blatant fan girl to her portrayal, even the moments that she would show her human side due to the hurt she had experienced (I couldn't guess well if it was the same with the book, since I have a hunch it became that to a certain point for ex-machina reasons in re-writing the story from the book) was superbly fitting to the character she wants to shape the queen into.

The rushed parts and elements of the story was melded well, in comparison to some book to movie ones I've watched, where you could clearly say that there was a missing chunk of progress lacking for the characters growth to come a full circle. The only thing I could say that was forced was the romance for Tom and Alice's part, as they used the density (destiny) excuse for the ultimate reason of their attraction but covered it's traces by a moment where Alice explains it as if it was scientific. Copper metal in friction contact with another but sparks happened due to dust.

Wish that excuse worked in real life. It does but not on the scale where two people has this obvious tension between them.

Last words, this movie was a good roller coaster ride. Maybe reading the books would shed better light with things, and I hope no review somewhere out there from a fan of the book felt completely blasphemed and disappointed for all the missing bits they enjoyed from the book.

P.S. Kit Harrington died early in this film, I didn't know it was him until I realized in his dying moments.

Bound in Blood . Preview Art2

The next stop, side character introductions. There were only a few side characters used for the story, besides the faceless random citizens.

This guy, well he doesn't really show up much in the first issue
 but soon you'll see him being everywhere in Dave's life.

Chief Pat Wilson. I based him on the first image
of an elderly "healthy" man with a 'stache.

That's right, it's written on the top "Stephen Colbert 101"
cause Tom Swanson, the reporter, was fairly based to Stephen Colbert.

Tom Swanson, paired up with a camera man!
You'll never really see how he looks like, but just in case, put a face.
Why not!

Lastly, news anchor John Reynolds.
Originally, I tried to look for the original one, but it seems like he really doesn't exist.

Searching for a good fit reference for characters that wouldn't even have that long exposure and presence in a story sometimes takes time, specially if you're going for a semi-realism feel and style for majority of the art. I personally enjoyed looking for a good Stephen Colbert reference since I'm a fan, but that didn't mean I didn't enjoy making for the others.

Bearing in mind about all the elements you need to keep when it comes to designing a character, the aesthetic of their facial personality and how you see them stating and expressing their dialogues is a necessary thing. If you can't imagine them being what they should be in the story sometimes feels mechanical. Something I learned almost in the middle of this progress.


Check our FB page: Bound in Blood
Support our kickstarter: Bound in Blood (not your average mystery comics!)

Bound in Blood . Preview Art1

Good day! In celebration for the release of Bound in Blood's (facebook) kickstarter here are some raw artworks posted online by the artist, yours truly!

 

Preview of the two important characters in Dave Ugarte's life.
You'll have to read the comics to figure which of the two is his romance and rock.

Study for Dave Ugarte's character design

Dave Ugarte's final design

So far the basis for the three characters are really diverse, Allison was originally based from a different actress but not someone that looks like Jennifer Lawrence. Although the feel could have passed as Kate Beckinsale or the likes. Having her look soft and pleasing to the eyes was the ultimate aim in contrast to Claire who is peppy and quite the character with a robust personality.

It was also a challenge for me to produce a specific look for Dave since the first chapter had little personality to show for him but only to his loyalty to the justice, and his loved ones, after the events of his past. So I depicted him somewhat borderline with an unsure expression but stern, that would soon be covered by a beard later on in the story.

Conversing with creator Patrick Goforth about the fruition of the characters was quite a thrill, specially crossing the lines of the character descriptions to pencil and paper.

To know further about them and their roles in the story pass by our kickstater and support our cause!

Bound in Blood (blood soaked claws of mystery and drama)

Bound in Blood . Kickstarter support

This will be a short article related to one of the projects I am involved, it's a comics I helped come alive entitled "Bound in Blood" and it's Kickstarter.

Bound in Blood

(not your average mystery comics!)

"His name is Dave Ugarte, formerly a soldier, now known as Sergeant Ugarte of Chicago Police department. His first official case as one of Chicago's finest takes his new life for whirl wind."


Please do check it out and support the project!

This is the first for publish work of writer Patrick Goforth and his colleague artist JR De Borja.