Man-Thing (film)

Man-Thing
DVD cover for Man-Thing
Directed by	Brett Leonard
Produced by	Avi Arad Scott Karol Christopher Petzel
Written by	Hans Rodionoff
Starring	Matthew Le Nevez Rachael Taylor Jack Thompson
Music by	Roger Mason
Cinematography	Steve Arnold
Editing by	Martin Connor
Studio	Lions Gate Films Artisan Entertainment Marvel Enterprises Fierce Entertainment Screenland Movieworld GmbH Samurai Films Pty. Ltd.
Distributed by	Lions Gate Films
Release date(s)	April 30, 2005
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States Australia
Language	English

Man-Thing is a 2005 straight to video then telefilm, directed by Brett Leonard and featuring the Marvel Comics creature created by Stan Lee, Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway. The plot is based loosely on a storyline by Steve Gerber, who wrote the most well-known series of Man-Thing comics. Agents of an oil tycoon vanish while exploring a swamp marked for drilling. The local sheriff investigates and faces a Seminole legend come to life: Man-Thing, a shambling swamp-monster whose touch burns those who feel fear.

The film appeared on the Sci Fi Channel in 2005 under the Sci Fi Pictures label. It starred Matthew Le Nevez, Rachael Taylor, and Jack Thompson.

Plot

The movie changed much of the source material.Ted Sallis, was attempting to recreate the Super-Soldier Serum that created Captain America. However, he was betrayed by his lover, Ellen Brandt, and Sallis had to flee from A.I.M. agents, who saw their potential of such a formula for their own evil ends. He injects himself with the serum, but after crashing in a swamp and apparently drowning is transformed into a swamp creature through a combination of his formula and, as later explained, magical forces extant in the area. Sallis' mind was apparently lost, although on rare occasions he could briefly return to consciousness within his monstrous form, and even to his human form such as when he fought Ben Grimm, who took the appropriation of his own nickname a little too personally.

Among these are moving the setting from the Florida Everglades to Louisiana (though the film was actually made in Australia), and changing the creature's powers from burning those who "know fear" to being able to manipulate the swamp's vegetation. The movie character is also represented in a significantly more antagonistic light than the comic-book version. Man-Thing's former identity remained Ted Sallis, though in the film he is portrayed as a Native American shaman instead of a scientist. Consequently, the Man-Thing's origin is somewhat different, though the Nexus of All Realities is still involved. Additionally, in a tip-of-the-hat to the original comics series, major characters are named after Man-Thing authors Mike Ploog, Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik.

Cast

• Matthew Le Nevez as Sheriff Kyle Williams
• Rachael Taylor as Teri Elizabeth Richards
• Jack Thompson as Frederic Schist
• Rawiri Paratene as Pete Horn
• Alex O'Loughlin as Deputy Eric Fraser
• Steve Bastoni as Rene LaRoque
• Robert Mammone as Mike Ploog
• Pat Thompson as Jake Schist
• William Zappa as Steve Gerber
• John Batchelor as Wayne Thibadeaux
• Ian Bliss as Rodney Thibadeaux
• Brett Leonard as Val Mayerick
• Imogen Bailey as Sarah
• James Coyne as Billy James
• Cheryl Craig as Michele
• Gary Waddell as Cajun Pilot
• Xoqui Pesce as Nurse
• Conan Stevens as Man-Thing
• Shannon Leonard as School boy

Production

The film was originally intended for a 2004 video release, then upgraded to a theatrical release for Halloween to capitalize on the rising popularity of superhero-based films. Marvel did not think the film would be bankable in a domestic release, and put it back to video in the U.S., but did release it internationally.^[1] The movie was later released as a "Sci-Fi Original" on the Sci Fi Channel in 2005.

The movie was released in U.S. on DVD shortly afterwards. In 2007, it was also released as a 2-DVD special edition in several European Union countries.

References

1. ^ The Swamp :: Man-Thing on Sci Fi Channel [30 April '05], DVD [14 June 2005], Film [21 April '05]

External links

• Man-Thing at the Internet Movie Database