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ABOUT THE PRODUCTION |
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—Spy Kids (original)
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| ABOUT
THIS FILM |
SPY
KIDS 3D: GAME OVER
M I S S I O N B R I E F I N G
"A new game is about to begin . . ."
-- The Toymaker
TOP SECRET COMMUNIQÚE:
World's Most Dangerous Video Game Must Be Defeated
The Spy Kids and director Robert Rodriguez are about to launch family
entertainment into an entirely new dimension: the 3rd dimension. Introducing
the new future of high-tech interactivity, SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER
uses the very latest digital technology to weave 3-D images directly
into the Spy Kids' trademark espionage action, inviting audiences
of all ages to become part of the larger-than-life excitement on the
screen. "SPY KIDS 3D is totally different from the first two movies,"
says Rodriguez. "It takes the same characters everyone already knows
somewhere completely new and has lots of fun surprises for the audience."
Rodriguez, whose groundbreaking inventions and boundless imagination
have already changed the way movies are made, is now taking another
leap forward by bringing back the excitement of 3-D in his own inimitable
pioneering style. For the first time in decades, a new generation
will experience the thrill of putting on special glasses that transport
them right into the middle of the exhilarating action and adventure.
Parents who grew up loving 3-D classics such as Alfred Hitchcock's
"Dial M For Murder" and Andre DeToth's "House of Wax," will now be
able experience the thrill of the 3-D experience as a family event.
Rodriguez has incorporated up-to-the-minute computer effects and his
own specially designed high definition 3-D monitors and camera systems
to create a fantasy world in unprecedented detail. Unlike the more
gimmicky 3-D spectacles of the past, Rodriguez adds, "From the beginning,
I realized this movie wouldn't really be like making a sequel at all.
It was a completely fresh and exciting challenge for everyone involved."
He has created the very plot and fabric of this film with 3-D in mind
from the start, weaving three-dimensional scenes throughout the film,
into the plot, making it part and parcel of his high-flying storytelling.
This HD/3-D technology comes to the fore as under-age agents Juni
and Carmen Cortez set out on their most mind-blowing mission yet:
journeying inside the virtual reality world of a 3-D video game designed
to outsmart them, as the awe-inspiring graphics and creatures of gaming
come to real life. Rodriguez continues, "Because the Spy Kids are
immersed in this digitally animated world, it allowed us to raise
the bar on excitement and thrills." Relying on humor, gadgetry, bravery,
family bonds and lightning-quick reflexes, the Spy Kids must battle
through tougher and tougher levels of the game- facing challenges
that include racing against road warriors and surfing on boiling lava
- in order to save the world from a power hungry villain.
3500 theatres across the US will be equipped with special free viewing
glasses for the release of SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER - glasses that become
part of the interactive fun -- making it a major family event for
kids that have never seen 3-D and parents who have never seen 3-D
like this.
SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER stars Alexa Vega and Daryl
Sabara as Juni and Carmen Cortez and Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino
as spy-parents Gregorio and Ingrid. Also returning to the series are
Ricardo Montalban as the Spy Kids' grandfather; Steve Buscemi as the
mad scientist Romero; Alan Cumming as Floop; Bill Paxton as the President
of the United States; Cheech Marin as Uncle Felix; and Danny Trejo
as Machete. Action film veteran Sylvester Stallone joins the cast
as the power-hungry villain the 'Toymaker,' who wants to take over
the youth of the world
MISSION BACKGROUND:
How the Spy Kids Collided With Virtual Reality
For years, Robert Rodriguez dreamed of making a family movie that
would take place inside the virtual world of a video game, a world
that excited him because anything can happen there, because speed,
color, strength and the intensity of adventure can be magnified beyond
all human proportions. But it wasn't until the director began thinking
about his next Spy Kids movie that he realized this was a perfect
mission for underage agents Juni and Carmen Cortez, to play the toughest
video game ever invented for the highest of stakes: saving the youth
of the world. Says Rodriguez: "For a long time, I had plans for a
family science fiction movie about siblings who get stuck inside a
video game and I wanted it to be in 3-D. I liked the idea of the audience
getting totally immersed in this visually exciting world, having to
duck and shift in their seats to avoid being hit by flying objects.
It soon occurred to me that this was the perfect concept for the third
Spy Kids movie. It's totally different from the first two movies,
yet takes the characters everyone already knows somewhere completely
new and has lots of fun surprises for the audience. And because the
Spy Kids are immersed in this digitally animated world, it raises
the bar on visual excitement and thrills. I realized this wouldn't
really be like making a sequel. It would be a completely fresh and
exciting challenge for everyone involved. Rodriguez had played plenty
of video games in his life, beginning with PONG in the 70's and now
with his own children. But as he started writing the script, he began
to envision a kind of "ultimate video game," one that was faster,
wilder and more complicated than any he'd ever encountered. This became
"Game Over," the new software designed by The Toymaker to draw kids
into his trap with irresistibly sweet graphics and a cool multi-level
design.
"The idea was strong, and I quickly realized I was going to have to
invent some really wild new levels in order to live up to the potential
this story was offering. I also wanted the video game in the movie
to be a combination of different game genres. One level would be spooky
and full of stealth, another level would have battling mech styled
robots, another level would be a zany and colorful Ninentendo64-type
world with giant Toads on pogo sticks whipping their tongues at the
characters and the audience. Others would be more extreme sports type
levels with unicycle Road Warrior-style racing, and Lava Surfing,"
he says. "The idea was to create one exciting set piece after another,
and have each level get more complex visually as you progressed through
the game and became more involved in the characters. I wanted to create
a game that I'd like to play with my own kids, but also one we'd really
love the chance to go inside. And of course each challenge in the
game had to be conducive to hurling objects the audience must dodge.
There was certainly a lot to think about, and an enormous amount of
condensed design work."
Another inspiration for Rodriguez was his life-long love affair with
3D. He wanted to bring the excitement of sharing this kind of movie-going
event to a new generation that has never experienced the fun of wearing
3D glasses with their friends and family. Rodriguez was raised on
such 3D classics as "House of Wax" and Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder,"
but for SPY KIDS 3D, he wanted to bring the latest computer and camera
technology to the party. Using a high-definition video camera created
by James Cameron and Pace Technologies for the acclaimed 3D documentary
"Ghosts of the Abyss," Rodriguez also designed rigs to re-invigorate
and simplify the whole 3D process. Along the way, he also sketched,
invented and oversaw the digital creation of some of his most sophisticated
CG characters, creatures and vehicles to date.
In writing the script, Rodriguez was influenced by the idea that the
Spy Kids, Juni and Carmen, are getting older, stronger and savvier
- and more capable of serious espionage action. Accordingly, he upped
the action, and the stakes, in this movie. "Juni and Carmen have become
a lot more confident in this story," Rodriguez notes. "And so too
have Daryl Sabara and Alexa Vega as actors. Daryl and Alexa do a lot
of things in this movie that would have been impossible in the first
two. But by gradually facing and conquering the challenges inherent
in the past movies, they were very prepared for this movie.
The writer/director also created the most complex and threatening
villain the Spy Kids have yet faced: The Toymaker, a computer mastermind
and brilliant inventor with multiple personalities. "I think I can
most relate to the Toymaker because in some ways he is trapped in
his own imagination. He has all these different voices going on inside
his head, these split personalities that are always arguing with one
another. On the set, I also have to split myself up - I'm the guy
who does lighting, sets up the shots, designs the production and costumes,
wrestles with the 3D, while writing (and rewriting) and directing.
And none of those different people are ever in complete agreement
with each other. So I drew a bit from personal experience in creating
him, because I know how jumbled things can get when you're trying
to create something big while coordinating different parts of your
personality! And at night, that's when the voices would really start
talking. I don't get much sleep."
MISSION NEMESIS:
Meet The Toymaker
One of the OSS spy organization's oldest and most ingeniously insane
enemies, The Toymaker, comes out of hiding to wreck havoc on the video
game players in SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER. And in keeping with the movie's
themes, he's a multi-dimensional character who can't always make up
his many different minds. To play The Toymaker, Robert Rodriguez thought
of one person right off the bat: Sylvester Stallone. "The video game
world we've created is such an athletic and extreme environment that
it seemed no one could better oversee it than Stallone," says the
writer-director. "More than that, it was really exciting to have a
chance to use such an icon in a totally fresh and comic way that he's
never been seen before. "I had met Stallone years ago. In fact his
connection with the series was that he was actually in the room when
I pitched the first SPYkids to Bob Weinstein in 1997. It was at the
Venice Film Festival premiere party for COPLAND. That day I had hung
out with Sly, and was delighted to discover what a truly funny and
likeable person he was. I'd wanted to work with him since then, but
in a comedic role, rather than in an action role. Stallone really
went wild in the part of the TOYMAKER and we had a blast. He never
left the set. Every day he was a different character. We'd shoot all
the footage for that character, wrap that character, and start a new
one the next morning. It was demanding and thrilling."
Stallone, like most parents, had been introduced to the first two
SPY KIDS adventures by his own children. But he'd never seen anything
quite like The Toymaker before. "I already loved the SPY KIDS because
it's a great fable that has a lot of morality within it," he says.
"But The Toymaker was a chance for me to take a total departure, to
fly by the seat of my pants and play the five completely different
personalities that make up his identity. There's my dictatorial self,
my mellow self, my clever self, my ambitious self, my not-too-bright
self, and they all constantly argue with one another like a schizoid
form of ping-pong! It couldn't have been more fun to attempt."
He continues: "I also loved how ambitious Robert Rodriguez was in
coming up with this concept. This clearly isn't the same 3D I was
brought up on so I think it's going to be a big visual surprise for
a lot of people, including a lot of kids who have never seen 3D before.
I think Robert has become a sort of Super-Walt-Disney. He has own
language that speaks directly to kids but also translates into inventive
fun for parents." For Stallone, another new experience was acting
almost entirely in front of a green screen. "It was sort of like being
submerged in endless photosynthesis," he jokes, "or in my grandmother's
old shag carpet. But it was all so high-tech and imaginative, I sometimes
felt I was in the middle of a dream."
AGENTS ON THE CASE:
The Cortez Family Goes Multi-Dimensional
Going up against The Toymaker and his digital domain of multidimensional
surprises will take the agents of the Cortez family, young and old,
into their most dangerous and demanding mission yet. Sure, the Cortezes
are quite familiar with facing the wildest villains, the greatest
gadgets and the most mind-boggling creations on earth already - but
in the realm of a video game they soon learn that anything can happen,
including things they used to believe were impossible!
"When the SPY KIDS go into the video game, it means that they're suddenly
in a world that's totally made up of imagination - it's all shapes
and colors and creatures -- exactly what kids love," says Antonio
Banderas, who reprises the role of spy-dad Gregorio Cortez. "I think
the 3D aspect is going to be a blast for families. And as for my character,
he is on the verge of making a very important decision about his career,
but when his kids need him, he's there, ready to fight robots or whatever
else comes flying at him. The one thing they have learned by now,
is that no matter what happens, they're in it together."
Adds Carla Gugino, who plays the world's buffest spy-mom Ingrid Cortez:
"I think SPY KIDS 3D has given Robert Rodriguez exactly what he and
his fans have always wanted: a license to do anything fun without
having to be tied to reality. In this movie, you're completely in
this other, computer-generated dimension so anything can happen. And
for the audience, experiencing it in 3D, it will be so much more thrilling,
scary and fun than the first two. But like the first two, it's very
high-tech but it has a lot of humanity. As much as ever, I think this
film is very subtly about how important family and how we're all really
family to one another in the world."
One Cortez family member who makes the most of the cyber-zone is Grandpa
Cortez, portrayed by Ricardo Montalban as a man magically given back
his physical prowess inside the virtual reality of the game. But even
once he jettisons his wheelchair and starts bounding around like a
super-athlete, Grandpa Cortez knows the real key to winning any game
is brainpower and unity. The more Juni lets Grandpa lead the way,
the more he learns just what makes a family hero. "I loved being such
an important part of this story," says Montalban. "Not only does my
character develop a close personal relationship with Juni on-screen,
but I developed one with Daryl Sabara for real. Part of the fun of
SPY KIDS is being around such great, respectful and daring kids."
"Ricardo is a true hero of mine. He is an incredible talent, and has
a physical stamina that Superman couldn't touch. He is in such great
physical pain, due to botched back surgeries, that he is stricken
to a wheelchair in real life. For the movie, I wanted to liberate
him from his chair using CG technology, but in reality he still had
a very physically demanding role. To simulate his body movements he
had to physically "get into" his performance. He wanted the challenge,
and he took it on like a true professional, if not beyond. Sometimes
I'd see him in extreme pain, his face contorting on set. I'd try and
tell him we could stop for a break, but he'd say, 'Just call action.
The mind can't focus on two things at once. If you call action the
pain will go away for the duration of the take.' Who needs heroes,
when you have someone like Ricardo Montalban around? People were in
awe. I see his finished performance as a jewel. He is a remarkable
man."
Montalban has been making films for a long time, but this was his
first encounter with 3D. "A new challenge is always welcome at my
age," he admits. "And this was a totally new way of working for me,
having to work in front of a green screen, pretending to be surrounded
by all these computerized creations. I had to really use my imagination.
The 3D is certainly going to be very exciting, but I believe that
it's such a great story that 3D is just another bonus."
Holland Taylor, who stars as Grandma Cortez, was also thrilled to
see Montalban leaping, jumping and battling with the rest of the family.
"I think we really start to understand what a great man Grandpa Cortez
was by seeing how superbly he plays the video games," Taylor comments.
"They might be in virtual reality, but he teaches Juni a lot about
the real world."
And then there are the Spy Kids themselves, who are sent on an adventure
even they never could have seen coming. Alexa Vega couldn't believe
it when Robert Rodriguez told her Carmen Cortez was going to get trapped
inside a 3D video game, sparking a virtual reality adventure.
"When he told me the movie was going to be 3D, I said 'are you kidding?'
because it seems like nobody has done that in forever. I knew right
then it was going to be very fun, totally different experience," she
says. For Vega, it was also a chance to really stretch herself as
a young action star who has grown up before the audience's eyes. "When
we first started making the SPY KIDS movies, I was practically a baby,"
she jokes. "But now, Carmen has really started to grow up. She's become
very tough and in control. Everyone in the video game soon sees that
it's not a good idea to mess with her!" Vega continues: "One of the
best things that Carmen learns is that no matter what, her family
will always be there for her. Her parents leave their own mission
to come save her and that's the way all parents are - and also grandparents.
They turn out to be the people you can really look up to in life."
To keep in the video game mood, Carmen regularly played video games
on the set with Daryl Sabara. But she was ultimately glad they games
never came to life. "I like video games because they take you somewhere
else," she observes. "But for Carmen and Juni, the game becomes a
little too real and suddenly there's these giant creatures chasing
them everywhere. That could be pretty intimidating." As for her favorite
SPY KIDS 3D stunt, Vega has a hands-down winner: "Surfing on the lava
was the most exciting thing I've ever done," she says. "They actually
brought in set-up where we were on something like a skateboard and
we got to roll up and down this metal half-pipe with wind blowing
on us. It was so cool, it really felt like surfing, and we could totally
imagine these giant waves of lava."
Meanwhile, Daryl Sabara says that he was excited by the SPY KIDS 3D
story because "it has more action, more excitement and a whole other
dimension." He was also thrilled to see Juni getting even more hands-on
in his spy work as he battles the video game, makes new friends and
collaborates with Grandpa Cortez. "I think Juni is more willing to
try new things now," says Sabara, "so that was really fun for me.
I even had to do a lot of training for this movie. I did running,
lifted five-pound weights and did obstacle courses, too." Sabara was
also impressed by the new 3D camera. "To me, it looks like it has
two eyes," he says. "It's not like looking at a Cyclops anymore! And
we got to see how cool the 3D is going to look."
THE BETA-TESTERS:
Meet Rez, Arnold, Francis And Demetra
Joining the Spy Kids and the Cortez family inside The Toymaker's video
game are four smart and tenacious young beta testers (cyber-savvy
kids who get to try out games before they are for sale) who have tricks,
clues and vital inside knowledge to share with Juni - if he can get
them to trust him. They quartet is composed of: laid-back leader Rez,
athletic Arnold, brainy Francis and the mysterious Demetra.
Fifteen year-old Bobby Edner, who plays Francis the Brain, is not
unlike his character. "I love video games," he admits. "I have five
or six different systems, and I like playing all the different kinds
of games from sports to mystery to adventure and action, just like
the five levels of the Toymaker's game. To me, they're all fun to
play."
Edner describes Francis as "a book-smart guy who's not a nerd. He's
really cool but he's also pretty smart and he has a lot of knowledge
about the game. Kind of the way I am!" Edner also did all of his own
stunts, learning for the first time how to use a safety harness. "I
definitely loved flying around," he says. "It's pretty exciting."
Above and beyond the action of the film, Edner also was intrigued
by the story. "It's really about looking after your family and friends
- because if you do, it all seems to work out," he summarizes.
Demetra, the tough young gamer who catches Juni's eye, is played by
11 year-old Courtney Jines. "What I think is really cool about the
SPY KIDS movies is that they show that little kids can do important
stuff," she states. Jines describes Demetra as "really mysterious."
"You never quite if she's good or bad," she continues. "One of the
things I like best is that she's the only girl in the game, other
than Carmen. So she gets to show how tough girls can be, and how they
can do anything. Plus, it's fun for me because I've always liked hanging
out with boys."
Rodriguez says, "I think I had the most fun creating the character
of Demetra. She was my favorite written character in the script, yet
even after weeks of casting I couldn't find anyone that looked the
way I wanted her to look. But Courtney Jines embodied her spirit,
so together we conspired to MAKE her into Demetra. Courtney allowed
me to cut her treasured long blonde hair off into a dark, sculpted
bob. Eyeliner and a robotic style of movement completed the makeover.
She now looks like something out of a Japanese Anime. I think she
fell in love with her new look, because I just saw her recently and
she hasn't changed her hair color back."
Physically buff Arnold is played by Ryan Pinkston, already a World
Champion Martial Artist and competitive gymnast at age 15. Pinkston
was drawn to the SPY KIDS series of film through his love of gadgets.
"They have the coolest gadgets in all the SPY KIDS films, but this
is the best one yet," he says. Pinkston also found himself relating
to the character of Arnold. "He's a very strong person but he also
has a real purpose for trying so hard to win the game: he's trying
to save his family from poverty. They're not very rich, and Arnold
wants to win money for them."
Pinkston also got to put his exceptional skills in karate, tai chi,
kung fu and tumbling to use as Arnold. "I got to do a lot of stunts,
and even use a little karate," he explains. "The best part was that
every time Robert got a new idea, the kids in the movie all got a
fun new stunt out of it. It was awesome."
Finally, beading the group of gamers is Rez, played by newcomer Robert
Vito, who tries to drive Juni out of the game until he learns to trust
him. Vito was thrilled when he learned he was going to journey inside
a video game. "Inside a video game, you can do whatever you want to
do and be whoever you want to be," he says. "Nothing could be more
exciting to kids today."
Vito describes Rez as a natural-born if somewhat fiery leader. "He
has it all: he's smart, athletic and he's usually got a great attitude.
He's also the oldest of the kids inside the game, so he becomes the
one they look up to and he tries to live up to that." Among all the
thrilling stunts he got to do as Rez, Vito's favorite was riding the
tricked-out virtual motorcycles in the mega-race sequence. "I got
to do flips and jumps using a harness," he explains. "But, as cool
as it was, it's going to be even cooler to see it all in 3D."
SPY ROSTER:
The Oodles of Agents At Work in SPY KIDS 3D
Joining the SPY KIDS cast for the first time is new recruit Salma
Hayek, who stars as Francesca Giggles, wife to Donnagan and mother
to Spy Kids Gertie and Gary Giggles. For Hayek, it was a mission accomplished.
"I've been in every Robert Rodriguez movie except the SPY KIDS movies,"
she notes. "So, Robert promised me a part in this one." She continues:
"Robert is not only a good friend, he's like family to me. He was
the first person to give me a chance in the movie business and we
always work really well together. I get him, and he gets me. And I
love that he doesn't see the everyday boring world everyone else sees.
He sees everything as an adventure."
As Francesca, Hayek portrays one of the OSS spy organization's most
top-secret agents and the woman who sends Juni into the madness and
mayhem of The Toymaker's video game to rescue Carmen and all the kids
around the world. "I liked the storyline about a video game that steal
people's minds because I've seen that happen," she says. "Maybe not
forever, but some video games can steal a person for a good two hours
or so. I think it might be this generation's way of escaping from
reality, or going into a different reality." Most of all, Hayek wanted
to be part of what she sees as a classic series of 21st century family
movies. "Robert creates eye candy for kids that really cater to their
fantasies," she says, "but his films treat kids like they're smart.
He never looks down on his audience, because for him it's all about
creativity and imagination. And with this film, he has taken it to
a whole new level."
Filling out the rest of the cast is an ensemble of characters from
SPY KIDS past, turning the film into a kind of spy and villain reunion.
"SPY KIDS 3D is kind of the best parts of all three movies wrapped
into one," observes Tony Shalhoub, who brings back the genetically
mutated character Minion. Among other returnees is Bill Paxton playing
Dinky Winks, who uses his amusement park background - and lasso skills
-- to help tame a digital robot. "For me, there's nothing more fun
than playing a larger-than life character," says Paxton, "especially
in a larger-thanlife film." Equally excited to rejoin the SPY KIDS
fun was Steve Buscemi reprising the role of mad inventor Romero, who
rides into the digital realm on a flying pig. "It seems that just
about everything about this movie is a surprise," Buscemi offers.
Indeed, many of the adult cast members found themselves doing their
most physically challenging work yet, using harnesses in front of
green screens. "It's enough to put out your back with all this flying!"
notes Cheech Marin who again portrays Uncle Felix. "It's hard work,
but we know it will look great on screen." Alan Cumming also joins
up for a third time as Floop, who plays a key role in teaching the
audience about how to use their 3D glasses. Cumming was thrilled with
the new concept. "It's going to be so exciting to have these characters
who already know come zooming at you," he comments. For some of the
adult cast, the appeal of entering a video game was already huge.
Notes Mike Judge, who plays spy dad Donnagan Giggles: "I could easily
see myself getting trapped inside a video game. I already spend way
too many hours playing "Free Cell" on my computer."
The sprawling cast of SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER only added to the sensation
of creating the most ambitious SPY KIDS movie. Says producer Elizabeth
Avellan: "I'd have to say that it was a mixture of fun combined with
tremendous challenges. But the great thing is that everybody, whether
in the cast or crew, had the same goals: to make the film look greater
than any SPY KIDS adventure that has come before."
SPECIAL TECHNICAL REPORT:
A Quick History of 3D and Where The Spy Kids Take It
It has always been a dream of mankind to be able to simulate the real
world in all its wild textures, shapes and depth of motion. Long before
the Spy Kids entered the Third Dimension, scientists, artists, photographers
and filmmakers had been playing with ways to make the human eye see
moving images in a completely life-like fashion, full of palpable
structure and form, instead of as a flat canvas or screen.
As early as ancient Rome, artists experimented with techniques to
make paintings "pop" and tease the eye with extra depth and dimension.
Then, in 1838, came a breakthrough. Physicist Charles Wheatstone created
the world's first stereoscopic viewer, allowing anyone to see pictures
in multiple dimensions. Wheatstone based his invention on the scientific
reality that our left eye and our right eye see the world from slightly
different angles. When we look at an object, the brain magically fuses
the two images into one, allowing the viewer to understand depth and
distance.
Taking that idea one step further, Wheatstone created a special viewer
that could display two different pictures from two different angles
simultaneously - one image to the right eye and one image to the left.
When viewed together, the two pictures created a "stereo" effect that
gave the resulting image a greater sense of dimension. It was as if
you were no longer looking AT a picture, but right through it! In
1854, the London Stereoscopic Company was formed, and their breathtaking
portraits of Niagara Falls and New York City became inspiration to
millions.
In the 20th century, filmmakers became curious about the potential
for using stereoscopic principles to make movies more visceral and
fantastical. By creating a camera with two lenses about the same distance
apart as human eyes - known as the interocular distance, which is
about 2.5 inches -- early 3D filmmakers were able to capture two images
simultaneously. The only problem was that during projection, the effect
was as if the audience was seeing double. This was solved by creating
anaglyphic glasses, or glasses with one red and one blue lens. When
a person wears anaglyphic glasses, each lens filters out the opposing
image, and the brain then fuses the two. The result is the singular
sensation that you're experiencing a movie in three dimensions!
Once developed, 3D caused great excitement in Hollywood, both with
directors and audiences. In the 1950s, moviegoers flocked to numerous
three-dimensional features, often horror movies, such as "Bwana Devil"
and "Creature From the Black Lagoon." In fact at the height of 3D
production, some 30 3D movies were released each year! For much of
that time, the application of 3D was limited by technology, and the
filmmaking techniques of the day could not overcome the headaches
and eyestrain 3D could cause. Even so, filmmakers continued to recognize
the potential fun and excitement of the format. In the 80s, 3D was
added to give new life to such blockbuster franchises as "Jaws" and
"Friday the 13th."
More recently, with skyrocketing advances in camera engineering, optical
technology and computer-generated special effects - as well as the
race to create a true virtual reality experience for audiences - 3D
has experienced the start of a new renaissance. Innovative filmmakers
are just beginning to explore how far the new technology can go.
When Robert Rodriguez decided to make the third SPY KIDS installment
a 3D experience, his first thought was that he'd have to start by
inventing an entirely new 3D camera from scratch - one that would
use the high-definition digital video that gives him the stylish flexibility
that has become his trademark. To his astonishment, Rodriguez then
discovered that a much better version of the camera he was designing
already existed! In fact, director James Cameron had commissioned
the creation of just such a versatile camera for his groundbreaking
3D documentary "Ghosts of the Abyss." Cameron's camera essentially
fused two high-definition video lenses (separated by the interocular
distance of 2.5 inches) together into one unit. Although never used
for a fictional film before, let alone a family film, the camera offered
a lot of what Rodriguez had dreamed about, and more. The camera was
even designed with a unique ability to cross its lenses, rather like
human eyes crossing, in order to reduce eyestrain for the 3D viewer.
Most of all, it was an extremely adaptable system. "Leave it to Jim
to go where no one has gone before in designing this amazing new system.
Once you've shot your movie with the two cameras, you can release
it a number of ways. The same movie can then be used in IMAX, at a
theme park, in theaters with anaglyph 3D glasses, or even on a flat
television screen without the 3D," says Rodriguez. "You have all the
options."
"The first concern on any 3D project is the fact that you're flying
blind," Rodriguez says. "As a filmmaker you are unable to see what
you are capturing on the set, which is crucial to capturing great
3D. That's why other 3D movies are so static. They had to lock down
the cameras, choose a convergence point, and then let it ride. A lot
of 3D movies rarely work because of the 'shoot it blind' way of working.
Not so with this new system. Because we were shooting in high definition,
we were able to install a unique monitoring system at our Austin,
Texas studio: a fourfoot by three-foot high-definition 3D projection
screen that allowed us to see exactly what the finished image would
look like in astonishing clarity - as long as we were wearing our
3D glasses!" This set-up allowed Rodriguez to focus on two of the
most essential elements of 3D filmmaking: convergence and focus. Convergence
refers to the point of focus at which two images cross. By using convergence,
the filmmaker can determine if an object will appear to be behind
the screen, in front of the screen, or somewhere in between. This
was essential to creating the sensation of flying Spy Kids, floating
robot heads, hurtling toads, spewing lava balls, zooming high-speed
vehicles and glowing staffs that pierce right through the screen.
The challenge had the special kick of an adventure for Rodriguez.
"Filmmaking is already a visual medium, but doing it in three dimensions
only makes it that much more exciting," says Rodriguez. "I think making
a 2D movie is going to feel a little too easy after this, because
3D is about envisioning a whole world, full of color and depth. You
have to approach everything in a new way when you're not just looking
at a flat image in front of you. I had to rethink the way I would
shoot and light, the production design, even the way actors move and
talk, in order to make it all work in three dimensions - and this
made the emphasis on the visual elements stronger throughout the film."
He adds: "The hardest part was probably for the actors who had to
act out all this incredible action entirely in front of a green screen.
They had no walls, no sets, not even props to help them - since everything
had to look like it was set in a video game, even the props themselves
needed to be computer generated. If they were lucky I might be able
to give them a thumbnail sketch but a lot of it was just done out
of sheer imagination. I wanted the moviemaking process on this to
be as free as it had been on my earlier movies that had no effects.
Knowing a lot about effects, and what was possible, we were able to
really fly free everyday. I improvised a lot with the actors. The
actors could try out different ideas spontaneously as we were shooting
- and they did their part by coming up with all kinds of fun concepts
on the spot."
Shooting in 3D further spurred Rodriguez to consider all kinds of
visual elements in greater detail - especially the use of color and
perspective. Early 3D effects from the 1950s appeared in black and
white.
Polychromatic 3D images are still a new frontier, and require extreme
care in color-correction. Rodriguez used real-time color correction
that allowed him to correct each frame's colors to his eye's satisfaction
instantly. But one thing Rodriguez had to get used to was the idea
that the use of his absolute favorite design color - primary red -
had to be limited (no red light gets through the blue lens of the
anaglyphic glasses). "To me red is a color that just pops out and
I really like to use a lot of it, but when you're wearing anaglyphic
glasses, you can't see true red, so I had to start thinking differently.
I learned to like purples," he notes. "Eventually, I discovered so
much about how different shapes and colors would appear in 3D that
I realized I was going to have to design a lot of the costumes myself,
it was not only a lot faster for me than having to explain it all
to someone else, it was also probably the most fun job on the set."
Indeed, because all of SPY KIDS 3D's wild inventions, cyber-space
vehicles and espionage gadgets were designed inside computers, the
costumes for SPY KID 3D became one of the few physical design elements
for Rodriguez to concentrate on (Rodriguez also wrote the film's orchestral
score). From the athletic, articulated, ultra-colorful power suits
that Juni, Carmen and Grandpa Cortez wear to Salma Hayek's efficiently
stylish silver labcoat, Rodriguez was intimately involved in the entire
costume process. The piéce de resistance was The Toymaker's trademark
outfit: a mix of velvet, gold lame and snakeskin that reflects the
villain's many outrageous personalities all in one outfit. "You realize
how important a costume becomes in a movie like this, because it's
the one thing the actor has to latch on to for his or her character.
Because everything thing else is green screen! A lot of times the
actors had to be shot separately, even if the final shot would be
a group shot, they acted alone."
As for depth, Rodriguez wanted to avoid the staged look that has sometimes
plagued 3D productions of the past and bring out richer layers of
texture. "The idea was to constantly highlight the visual assault
factor of a video game. I had a requirement that in every shot we
had to read several planes of distance: a foreground, a middle ground
and a background," he explains. "For the most part, I found that simplicity
and a clean look to every frame was the best approach for the design.
This works best for 3D and the simplicity of the design only serves
to further remind the audience that the kids are trapped inside a
world that is animated, not real."
All along, Rodriguez wanted to avoid only one thing: predictability.
"I think a lot of the fun of what we've created in the film is through
the set-up of the different 3D gags. In previous 3D movies, you might
have nine or ten good 3D gags, but this movie has hundreds and you
can't always see them coming," he says. "We started from the rule
that anything is possible inside a video game so anything could happen
on the screen. 3D with anaglyphic glasses works fantastically well
with computer generated images, so we were able to raise the bar even
further on new thrills."
Helping Rodriguez to create this chaotic, anything-can-and-and-will
happen world were his crack team of special effects specialists, who
were at the ready to sketch, composite and render on demand. Since
you can't shoot computer animation with a 3D camera, the effects team
solved the problem by rendering each shot twice: the first time as
seen by the right eye, and the second time as seen by the left. The
computer then interwove the two images and voila: a 3-dimensional
virtual reality world was created. Rodriguez notes: "One of the great
things about having my own effects company is that I could work with
the technical people to develop effects on the fly, rather than having
to wait months to try out ideas. I've realized in making the SPY KIDS
films that the more versed you are in the technical aspects of moviemaking,
especially effects, the more it allows you as a director to be free
creatively and push the envelope." Perhaps just as astonishing as
the effects Rodriguez and crew created is how fast they did it - cramming
into only a few months a pioneering technological production. "For
me, making this film was a bit like being thrown into the most frantic,
hectic, challenging video game there is," says Rodriguez. "But it
was by far the most fun I've ever had. There's also a creative bonus
to moving fast. You tend not to over think things, and you head straight
towards the ideas that really work, and discard the rest. It's a very
efficient way to work, one that allows complete creative freedom because
you're also controlling the budget by doing it that way. Lower budgets
mean total creative freedom, which is ultimately what you want as
an artist."
SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER
D O S S I E R S
Antonio Banderas (Gregorio Cortez) returns in the
role he created in SPY KIDS and SPY KIDS 2. Banderas earned critical
praise and a "Best Actor" Golden Globe nomination for his acting and
vocal talents opposite Madonna in Alan Parker's big-screen adaptation
of the musical "Evita" and earned his second Golden Globe nomination
for playing the title role in "The Mask of Zorro" opposite Anthony
Hopkins and Catherine Zeta Jones. In 1999, he made his debut as a
director with "Crazy in Alabama," starring Melanie Griffith. This
year, Banderas makes him Broadway debut in the Roundabout Theater
Company production of "NINE. NINE," a musical inspired by Fellini's
"8 1/2."Also, this year, Banderas will be seen starring alongside
Johnny Depp and Willem DaFoe in Robert Rodriguez' "Once Upon a Time
in Mexico"; with Emma Thompson in "Imagining Argentina"; in the HBO
movie "And Starring Pancho Villa" as Himself. Born in Malaga, Spain,
Banderas has been seen in five films from writer/director Pedro Almodovar:
"Labyrinth of Passion," "Matador," "Law of Desire," "Women On The
Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown" and "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" He made
his US film debut in "The Mambo Kings," prior to which he spoke no
English. He followed this with roles in "Philadelphia," "House of
the Spirits," "Interview With The Vampire" and "Miami Rhapsody." Other
film credits include "Desperado," "Never Talk to Strangers," "Assassins,"
"Four Rooms," "Two Much," "The 13th Warrior," "Play it to the Bone,"
"Original Sin" and "Femme Fatale."
Carla Gugino (Ingrid Cortez) reprises the role of
spy mom Ingrid Cortez from the first two installments of the SPY KIDS
series. Gugino will next be seen in "The Singing Detective," opposite
Robert Downey, Jr., Robin Wright Penn and Jeremy Northam; and this
fall, she will star as the title character in the television series
"Karen Sisco," which is based on the Jennifer Lopez character from
the Steven Soderbergh film "Out of Sight." Additional recent credits
include Wayne Wang's "The Center of the World," "The One" opposite
Jet Li, and Frank Whaley's "The Jimmy Club." She also starred in Sebastian
Gutierrez's "Creature Feature Part 1: She Creature" for Cinemax. She
has also been seen in Brian DePalma's "Snake Eyes" with Nicolas Cage,
in "Judas Kiss" with Emma Thompson, in Disney's "The War at Home"
with Martin Sheen and Kathy Bates and "Michael" with John Travolta
and William Hurt. Gugino's television credits include roles opposite
Michael J. Fox on "Spin City," as a neurosurgeon on "Chicago Hope,"
in the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie "A Season for Miracles" and in
the BBC/PBS mini-series "The Buccaneers," based on the Edith Wharton
novel.
Her additional film credits include "Miami Rhapsody," "This Boys Life,"
"The Son in Law," "Jaded," "Lovelife," HBO's "A Private Matter" and
Showtime's "The Motorcycle Gang."
Daryl Sabara (Juni Cortez) was 7 years old when he
was introduced to the world as a fearless son trying to save his parents
from evil in the first SPY KIDS. He returned as Juni Cortez SPY KIDS
2; THE ISLAND OF LOST DREAMS. Daryl began his career at the age of
3 1/2 when he started acting and ballet lessons. At the age of 4 he
was performing with a professional ballet company, the South Bay Ballet
Company. He composes music and has been awarded several PTA awards
for his compositions. When he is not working, Daryl is an aspiring
filmmaker. Other television credits include "John Doe" "The O'Keefs"
"Will and Grace", "Oh, Baby", "Love and Money", and "Life's Work."
Alexa Vega (Carmen Cortez) possesses a special charm
and talent that emanates on-screen, making her one of Hollywood's
hottest up-and-coming actresses. Vega has already earned box office
success starring in SPY KIDS and SPY KIDS 2. She has also appeared
in prominent films such as "Deep End of the Ocean," "Ghosts of Mississippi,"
"Twister," "Nine Months" and "Little Giants" among many other feature
films. On the small screen, Vega has starred in several made-for-television
films including the acclaimed "Follow the Stars Home." She has also
appeared as a series regular in "Ladies Man" opposite Alfred Molina,
"The Doyles," "Life's Work," "In Your Dreams," and "Evening Shade."
Additional television work includes "Chicago Hope," "E.R.," "To Have
and to Hold," "The Magnificent 7," "High Incident" and "The Bernie
Mac Show." Vega was recently featured in the July 2003 issue of Vanity
Fair as one of today's hottest teen celebrities.
Sylvester Stallone (The Toymaker) established his
worldwide recognition as an actor, writer and director when he played
the title role in his own inspirational screenplay of "Rocky," which
won the Academy Award in 1976 for Best Picture. Stallone's credits
as actor/writer/director include "Rocky II" and "Paradise Alley."
As actor and co-writer, Stallone filmed "F.I.S.T.," "First Blood,"
"Rambo: First Blood Part II," "Rhinestone" and "Rambo III." He co-wrote,
directed and produced "Staying Alive" and starred in "Nighthawks,"
"Victory" "Tango & Cash," "Lock Up," "Rocky V," which he also wrote
and "Demolition Man," which set box-office records for its 1993 release.
Other credits include "The Specialist," "Assassins" and "Daylight."
More recently Stallone won acclaim in the challenging and compelling
role of Freddy Heflin, in the movie "Copland." He went on to take
the starring role in "Get Carter" with Michael Caine. He then wrote
and starred in the number one box-office race car thriller "Driven."
In addition, he has completed filming "Avenging Angelo," co-starring
Madeline Stowe. Stallone is one of the founding partners in Planet
Hollywood, the internationally famous chain of entertainment complexes.
In 2002 Stallone was honored by the Video Dealers Software Association
when he was presented with the "Action Star of the Millennium Award."
Ricardo Montalban (Grandpa Cortez) is known to today's
film and television audiences for his roles in "Fantasy Island," "Star
Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Chrysler television ads and SPY KIDS
2, in which he introduced the character of Grandpa Cortez. But he
also has a list of memorable performances in more than 40 motion pictures
in Mexico, Europe, and the United States with stars ranging from Clark
Gable and Marlon Brando to Jane Powell and Shirley Maclaine. Few actors
active today can look back at a successful career during the heyday
of MGM as a contract player, through the infancy of television and
on to the present era. His extensive television work is highlighted
by an Emmy for his work in "How The West Won," and he also is well
known for his role on the popular series "The Colbys." His more recent
film work includes playing the villain in "Naked Gun."
On stage, Ricardo has also won much acclaim, including for his Music
Center performance in "The King And I" and also in the Broadway musical
"Jamaica," which he starred in for two years with Lena Horne.
For decades, he has also been a role model and in 1969, Ricardo helped
found Nosotros, an organization that made in-roads in helping to remove
negative stereotypes of Hispanics in the film and television industries.
Although he is no longer associated with Nosotros, Ricardo continues
his work to improve the climate for Hispanic culture and arts in the
United States.
Holland Taylor (Grandma Cortez) was previously seen
as Grandma Cortez in SPY KIDS 2. An accomplished star of stage, television
and movies, her recent film credits include "Legally Blonde," "Keeping
the Faith," "Town and Country," "The Truman Show," "George of the
Jungle," "One Fine Day," "Next Stop Wonderland," "Betty," "Last Summer
in the Hamptons," "Steal Big, Steal Little," "To Die For," "Jewel
of the Nile" and "How to Make an American Quilt." She has worked with
Woody Allen in "Alice," with John Hughes in "She's Having a Baby,"
with Robert Zemeckis in "Romancing the Stone" and with Alan Parker
in "Fame." Holland is also well known for her Emmy Award-winning role
on television's "The Practice." Her other recent television work includes
the Showtime movie "The Day Reagan was Shot." On Broadway, Taylor
has been seen in "Breakfast With Les and Bess," "Moosemurders," "Murder
Among Friends," "Butley," "Something Old, Something New," "We Interrupt
This Program Collette" and "The Devils."
Salma Hayek (Francesca Giggles) recently received
an Academy Award Nomination, a Golden Globe Award Nomination, a SAG
Nomination, and a BAFTA Nomination for Best Actress for her stirring
portrait of the world-famous artist in Julie Taymor's "Frida." She
will next be seen in the Robert Altman film, "Ultraviolet" and in
Robert Rodriguez's, "Once Upon a Time in Mexico," opposite Antonio
Banderas and Johnny Depp. Salma also recently completed her directorial
debut, "The Maldonado Miracle," which premiered at the 2003 Sundance
Film Festival. Showtime will air the film, which stars Peter Fonda,
Mare Winningham and Ruben Blades, this fall. In 2001, Salma starred
in and co-produced Showtime's "In the Time of the Butterflies," for
which she was nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Association's
Award. Her other film credits include the Mexican feature, "No One
Writes to the Colonel," directed by Arturo Ripstein, and based on
the novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; Mike Figgis' "Hotel" and "Timecode";
Kevin Smith's "Dogma" Barry Sonnenfeld's "Wild Wild West"; the comedy
"Fools Rush In" opposite Matthew Perry; "54"; "From Dusk Till Dawn"
directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino; Rodriguez's
"Desperado"; and "Breaking Up," opposite Russell Crowe. Born and raised
in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, Salma studied International Relations and
Drama in college in Mexico before beginning a career in television.
Other Mexican credits include, "Midaq Alley," based on a novel by
Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mafouz.
Danny Trejo (Machete), who returns to SPY KIDS 3
as Machete after playing the role of the inventor in the first two
installments, began his life on the rough streets of East Los Angeles
and in prison yet went on to build a prolific career as an actor and
producer in Hollywood. Upon his release from San Quentin, Upon his
release from San Quentin, he became involved in programs aimed at
helping those who, like him, battle drug and alcohol addictions. Years
later, Danny went to the set of "Runaway Train" to offer support to
a man he'd been counseling. He was immediately cast as a convict.
He went to star in dozens of films include Robert Rodriguez's "Desperado"
and "From Dusk Til Dawn," as well as "Heat" with Robert DeNiro and
Al Pacino, "Con Air" with Nicolas Cage and "Reindeer Games" with Ben
Affleck and Gary Sinise. Trejo recently formed the production company
Starburst and made his first foray into producing feature films with
"The Animal Factory" directed by Steve Buscemi. He is currently developing
several projects including "Winnebago," a noir adventure set in the
70's surf scene of California and Mexico, to be directed by Nick James.
He continues to do work as an intervention counselor.
Bobby Edner (Francis the Brain) made his feature
film debut opposite Sharon Stone and Albert Brooks in "The Muse."
He went on to star in the award-winning feature film "The Penny Promise,"
"The Trial of Old Drum," for which he won a Young Artist Award nomination
and the HBO/Stan Winston remake of the "Creature Feature" episode
"The Day The World Ended" with Randy Quaid and Nastassja Kinski. Bobby
then had the unique opportunity to play a ghost in "R.L. Steins Haunted
Lighthouse, 4D," directed by Joe Dante. Bobby has made over thirty-five
television guest appearances and can be seen in numerous national
commercials. As a professional "Hip- Hopper," Bobby is also known
for his portrayal as Michael Jackson in the "Alien Ant Farms" remake
video of "Smooth Criminal," which was MTV's second most requested
video of 2001.
Ryan Pinkston (Arnold) stars in MTV's hit show "Punk'd"
alongside Ashton Kutcher, in which they pull off outrageous pranks
on unsuspecting celebrities. His work on the runaway hit show led
to other opportunities, which include the upcoming feature "Soul Plane,"
in which he will star as Tom Arnold's son. Pinkston gets a chance
to show off his martial arts skills in SPY KIDS 3D. Starting as a
white belt at age four, Ryan is now fourteen and holds a Second Degree
black belt in Wushu Kung Fu, a First Degree black belt in Tae Kwon
Do Karate, and World Titles in the U.S., France, Canada, and Central
America. In March 2002, he competed before 25,000 spectators at the
famous French sports complex, "The Bercy." In 2000, Ryan won both
Ed McMahon's "Next Big Star" contest (Best in Dance), and Jenny Jones'
"Amazing Kids That Rock" contest.
Robert Vito (Rez) has been seen in the feature films
"Mean," "Grown Ups" and "Broken Chapters." His first television role
was as a guest star on "Chicago Hope." Other television work includes
co-starring roles on the "Bernie Mac" show and "Buffy the Vampire
Slayer"; a recurring role on ABC's daytime drama "Port Charles"; and
a guest starring role on "The Practice."
Courtney Jines (Demetra) has been acting professionally
since the age of 6 1/2. She began her career with the film "Drop Back
Ten" starring James LeGros and Josh Lucas and went on to star in "Gaudi
Afternoon" with Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Davis, Juliette Lewis and
Lili Taylor, and "Red Betsy." Courtney has made television appearances
on "ER," "Third Watch," and "Law and Order: SVU," and won notice for
her portrait of a sweet girl turned cold-blooded murderer on the hit
series "CSI." She also starred in the PAX television movie "Anna's
Dream" alongside Richard Thomas and Connie Selleca.
Matt O'Leary (Gary Giggles) returns to SPY KIDS 3D
after starring as Gary Giggles in SPY KIDS 2. He is currently filming
"The Alamo" opposite Dennis Quaid, Jason Patric and Billy Bob Thornton.
Matt received critical acclaim for his debut role in "Frailty" directed
by Bill Paxton, and then starred with John Travolta in "Domestic Disturbance."
Matt was nominated for Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy) by
the Young Artist Awards for his work in "Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire."
Emily Osment (Gertie Giggles) reprises the role of Gertie
Giggles from SPY KIDS 2. Emily began her acting career performing
in several national commercials, including a radio spot with Dick
Van Dyke, before landing the role of Glen Close and Christopher Walken's
daughter on the Hallmark Hall of Fame series "Sarah Plain and Tall."
She also starred with Linda Hamilton and Eugene Levy in "The Secret
Life of Girls" and lent her voice Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre
Dame Duex" and "Jungle Book II. On television, she has been seen on
"3rd Rock from the Sun" and "Friends," and voiced the starring role
in Nickelodeon's short film "Edward Fudwupper fibbed Big" which was
written, illustrated and directed by Berkley Breathed.
Steve Buscemi (Romero) has portrayed some of the
most unique and unforgettable characters in recent cinema, including
the mad inventor Romero from SPY KIDS 2. In 2002 he won the Independent
Spirit Award, The New York Film Critics Award and was nominated for
a Golden Globe for his role in "Ghost World." He was also nominated
for an Emmy and a DGA Award for directing the "Pine Barrens" episode
of HBO's "The Sopranos." Buscemi's most recent work includes acting
in and directing the 5th season of "The Sopranos." Recent films include
"Mr. Deeds," "The Grey Zone," "Love in the Time of Money," the HBO
film "The Laramie Project" and voices for the animated features "Monster
Inc." and "Final Fantasy." Steve has also starred in Jim Jarmusch's
"Mystery Train" for which he received an IFP Spirit Award Nomination,
Alexandre Rockwell's "In The Soup", Martin Scorcese's "New York Stories",
the Coen Brothers' "Millers Crossing", "Barton Fink", the Academy
Award-winning "Fargo" and "Big Lebowski", Stanley Tucci's "The Impostors",
Robert Altman's "Kansas City," the Jerry Bruckheimer productions "Con
Air" and "Armegeddon", as well as "Living in Oblivion," "Twenty Bucks,"
"Escape From LA," "Desperado," "Domestic Disturbance," "Things To
Do in Denver When You're Dead," "Somebody to Love" and an IFP Spirit
Award-winning performance as Mr. Pink in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir
Dogs." He will next be seen "Big Fish" with Ewan McGregor. In addition
to his acting, Steve is a respected writer and a director. He marked
his full-length feature film directorial debut with "Trees Lounge"
which he also wrote, and starred in, and followed that with "Animal
Factory."
Alan Cumming (Floop) reprises the role of Floop from
the first two SPY KIDS installments. Alan is known for outstanding
performances in theater, feature films, stand-up comedy as well as
writing and directing for film and television. His portrayal of the
Emcee in the Broadway musical "Cabaret" was one of the most celebrated
performances of recent years. In addition to a Tony Award, he also
won the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Theater World and more awards.
Alan can currently be seen starring as 'Nightcrawler' in "X2: Men
United." In addition, he hosts the talk show "Eavesdropping with Alan
Cumming", and just launched a new theatre company, The Art Party.
His recent roles include "Nicholas Nickleby" "Company Man," and "Josie
and the Pussycats." Alan also co-produced, cowrote, co-directed and
starred in "The Anniversary Party" with Jennifer Jason Leigh. He recently
completed work in Berlin on Alan Rudolph's "Investigating Sex" and
made a highly anticipated return to the stage in Noel Coward's "Design
For Living." Other film credits include "Get Carter," "Urbania," "Titus,"
Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut," "Plunkett and Macleane," "Spice
World," "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas," "Romy and Michelle's
High School Reunion," "Buddy," "Emma," "Goldeneye," "Circle of Friends,"
"Black Beauty," "Prague" and "Second Best." On American television
he starred the sinister 'Rooster' in the "Annie," which received 11
Emmy nominations. He has also hosted "Saturday Night Live" and guest
starred in episodes of "Third Rock From The Sun" and "Sex and The
City."
Cheech Marin (Uncle Felix) is best known as one half
of the hilariously irreverent duo of "Cheech and Chong," but he is
also an actor, writer, director, musician, art collector and huminatarian.
His art is currently being shown in the blockbuster museum exhibit
"Chicano," which will visit 13 cities in the next five years. Cheech
has also been in high demand as an actor. For the last few years,
he starred with Don Johnson in the popular series "Nash Bridges."
On the big screen, he starred not only in SPY KIDS and SPY KIDS 2
but will appear in Robert Rodriguez's forthcoming "Once Upon A Time
in Mexico." He has twice before worked with Rodriguez, in "From Dusk
Til Dawn" as well as "Desperado." His other credits include Alfonso
Arau's black comedy "Picking Up The Pieces" starring Woody Allen,
"Tin Cup" with Kevin Costner, "Paulie" with Tony Shalhoub and "The
Great White Hype." Cheech has also lent his voice to children's music
and animation in "The Lion King," Disney's "Oliver and Company," and
the CBS show, "Santo Bugito." Previously, as part of Cheech and Chong,
Cheech starred in eight feature films which are to this day number
one weekend video rentals. After splitting with Chong, Cheech wrote,
directed, and starred in the hit comedy, "Born in East L.A." Other
films and television credits include "Cisco Kid," "Rude Awakening,"
"Fatal Beauty," and "Shrimp on the Barbie."
Bill Paxton (Dinky Winks) reprises the role of Dinky
Winks from the second installment of the SPY KIDS series. Bill Paxton
has appeared in numerous hit films including "Titanic," "U-571," "Twister,"
"Apollo 13," "True Lies," "Weird Science" and "Aliens." He has also
starred in several acclaimed independent films including "One False
Move," "Traveller," and "A Simple Plan." Most recently, Bill was seen
opposite Matthew McConaughey and Matt O'Leary in the critically acclaimed
film "Frailty," which also marked his directorial debut. He recently
completed work in the upcoming action comedy "The Thunderbirds" with
Ben Kingsley and Anthony Edwards, and the thriller "Broken Lizard's
Club Dread". |
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—SK2 Forum |
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