FMC 059: Blade II Directed by Guillermo del Toro

June 6, 2019

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Get ready to sink your teeth into a bloody good time with FMC 059 as Reginald Titus Jr. and Casey G. Smith dissect Guillermo del Toro’s action-horror sequel, “Blade II.” This episode is packed with behind-the-scenes insights, fight choreography breakdowns, and a deep dive into the vampire lore that shaped this genre-bending film.

The hosts kick off the show discussing the box office performance of recent Disney live-action remakes like “Aladdin” and “Dumbo,” and the controversial arrest of Stan Lee’s former business manager. Casey G. Smith shares his experience watching “John Wick 3” and the Netflix series “Dead to Me,” while Reginald recounts his unsettling viewing of “It” and the shocking “It Chapter Two” trailer. They also touch on the visually stunning “Love, Death & Robots” and the highly anticipated new “Terminator” film, highlighting James Cameron’s direct involvement. There’s even a fascinating discussion about the intriguing claims of Sophia Stewart regarding the origins of the “Matrix” and “Terminator” franchises.

Shifting focus to “Blade II,” Reginald and Casey G. Smith prepare listeners for spoilers before diving into the film’s premise: Blade teaming up with a specialized vampire unit, the Blood Pack, to combat a new breed of super-vampires known as Reapers. Casey G. Smith admits this was his first viewing of the film, and he was thoroughly impressed by its action and intricate fight choreography. Reginald, revisiting the movie with his wife, is reminded of Guillermo del Toro’s unapologetically gruesome style, especially during a memorable autopsy scene. They praise del Toro’s artistic vision, from his innovative color palette that inverts typical day/night visual cues to the seamless integration of digital doubles, which were surprisingly effective for a film of its era.

The conversation explores Blade’s comic book origins, its significant role in paving the way for successful Marvel adaptations, and the enduring appeal of Wesley Snipes as a versatile action star. Reginald and Casey G. Smith highlight del Toro’s rich commentary track, which offers a wealth of technical details, personal anecdotes, and historical context for vampire lore, including a book called “The Phantom World.” Listeners will appreciate behind-the-scenes trivia, like unexpected eye injuries caused by UV lights on set and the near-miss cameo of Michael Jackson. The hosts delve into the film’s deeper themes, from family tragedy and dual natures to the constant struggle of discerning allies from enemies. They celebrate the film’s incredible fight sequences, including Blade’s iconic one-handed combat and impressive martial arts, and even share a laugh about a hilariously edited deleted scene.

As the episode wraps up, Reginald and Casey G. Smith offer practical filmmaking tips inspired by “Blade II.” They discuss selecting key character elements to fit a budget, focusing on character skill over excessive gadgets, being economical with set design, and the importance of meticulous research. They emphasize learning from other directors’ experiences, even recalling a story about Quentin Tarantino calling del Toro for advice on a tricky shot. Finally, they recount a production tale about a complex gunfight sequence that required 13 cameras and a costly reshoot, underscoring the demanding nature of filmmaking. Join us on Filmmaker Commentary each week for more in-depth film discussions.

What We Cover

How “Blade II” expanded the vampire mythology with its unique creature design and world-building.
Guillermo del Toro’s distinctive directorial choices, including his unconventional use of color and practical effects, and why he loved making this film.
The groundbreaking action sequences and fight choreography, including insights into Wesley Snipes’s martial arts contributions.
Behind-the-scenes stories about filming challenges, including the use of digital doubles and the unexpected hazards of UV lighting.
The film’s impact on the comic book adaptation landscape and its connections to other iconic sci-fi franchises.
A look into the broader film industry, including Disney’s live-action remakes and the controversy surrounding Stan Lee’s former manager.

Key Moments

0:49 News and movies watched: Aladdin’s box office success and Disney’s live-action strategy.
23:08 Dive into Spike Jonze’s unique career and his innovative music video work, including the legendary “Drop” by Pharcyde.
29:56 Hosts explore Guillermo del Toro’s gross-out aesthetic in “Blade II” and how it almost ruined a lasagna dinner.
56:39 Filmmaking tips on set economy, leveraging digital doubles, and the importance of thorough research for genre films.

Gear & Films Mentioned

Films: Aladdin (2019), Dumbo (2019), The Lion King (2019), John Wick 3, Dead to Me (Netflix series), It (2017), It Chapter Two, A Scanner Darkly, Her, Demolition Man, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, True Blood, Guardians of the Galaxy.
Film/TV Franchises: Matrix, Terminator, Hellboy, X-Men, Spider-Man.
Directors: Guillermo del Toro, Spike Jonze, David Fincher, James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino, Jonah Hill.
Books: The Third Eye, The Phantom World by Augustine Calmet, The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo del Toro.
Theaters: Cinapolis, Studio Movie Grill.

Listener Questions

What were the biggest filmmaking challenges Guillermo del Toro faced while bringing the terrifying Reapers to life in “Blade II”?
How did “Blade II” influence future comic book movie adaptations, and what made Wesley Snipes’s portrayal of Blade so iconic?
Beyond the action, what deeper themes of family, destiny, and the struggle between human and monster are explored in this sequel?

Full Transcript

Read the full transcript

Full Episode Transcript
This episode of Filmmaker Commentary Guillermo del Toro's "Blade II," exploring its production, visual style, themes, and impact on the comic book film genre, all while sharing insights and news from the hosts, Reginald Titus Jr. and Casey G. Smith.

Opening Discussion
Reginald Titus Jr.: Filmmaker Commentary, episode 59. Welcome to Filmmaker Commentary, where we give you insights from our favorite filmmaking commentaries. These commentaries can be heard on your DVD and Blu-rays of your favorite movies. We'll show you how you can use these commentaries and apply them to improve your video production and filmmaking techniques. All of this here on Filmmaker Commentary. I'm your host, Reginald Titus Jr.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Welcome to Filmmaker Commentary. I'm Reginald Titus Jr. I am joined with Casey G. Smith.
Casey G. Smith: Welcome back, sir. Good to be back, sir. Happy Memorial Day weekend.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yes, indeed. Today is May 26th?
Casey G. Smith: May 26th, you are correct.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Ha. So today we're talking about Blade II, directed by Guillermo del Toro. Dropped March 21st, 2002. Uh, we had a budget of 55 million. Um, we had a box office of 82.3 million domestically and 72.6 million foreign, which equals 155 million worldwide. That's a win.
Casey G. Smith: That is a win indeed.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Before we dive into Blade, starring Wesley Snipes, by the way, let's talk about news and movies watched.

News & Movies Watched
Reginald Titus Jr.: All right, for news, we have Aladdin. It earned 86 million in its first three days. And so far, it's 207 million worldwide since its debut. I'm gonna be honest, I didn't expect Aladdin to perform well.
Casey G. Smith: I think a lot of people didn't. I've seen uh reviews online, um, of people coming out and being surprised and and uh and enjoying it. So, people got, I think, got really up in arms when they first saw Will Smith's look as the Genie when he was all blue. But when I saw the second trailer and you saw that he wasn't gonna be blue the whole time and and he would actually kind of, you know, look somewhat like Will Smith, people say those moments kind of work. So.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay. And I got caught up in there too, like people just kept talking about him being a blue. It it did kind of look cheesy and stuff like that. Um, it was kind of hard for me to gauge. But then again, too, I'm not the like target demographic, in my opinion, for this.
Casey G. Smith: When's the last time you saw the the original version?
Reginald Titus Jr.: Oh, with Robin Williams, the cartoon? Yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Shh, I don't even know.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, same here. I I think I'd like to go back and revisit that. And some say that it it might be kind of helpful because they say they kind of the opening kind of montages, they do things kind of quickly. So it kind of, it kind of it almost expects you to be familiar with the story in some elements going into it.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Because I I mean, that was a a hit.
Casey G. Smith: Oh, yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: The yeah, the video game and all that stuff.
Casey G. Smith: Genesis and the SNES.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, man. So, yeah, that was that was everywhere.
Casey G. Smith: Dude, I remember being in band and playing. Like we had we we we we play this medley of of songs from Aladdin, you know, Never Had A Friend Like Me and A Whole New World and yeah, man. This is good stuff.
Reginald Titus Jr.: It was a hit. It was a hit. So yeah, so I kind of stepped away from it. But yeah, so I I was surprised. Plus, you had the the whole Dumbo situation. Dumbo just dropped and that wasn't doing too well at the box office. So I wasn't really expecting Aladdin to do too well. But from an international standpoint, it seems like, you know, Will Smith still has his pull and they're doing what they need to do.
Casey G. Smith: It's pretty amazing when you look at what Disney's doing this year from a cartoon to live action. You get Dumbo, Aladdin and Lion King all in the same year.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Also in news, you have former business manager for the late Stan Lee was arrested in Arizona on Saturday on suspicion of elder abuse. Among other charges, which were filed in Los Angeles, Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department told Hollywood Reporter. His name is Kaa Morgan, aka Kairish. I don't know how to say his name. Uh, was charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office earlier this month with multiple counts related to elderly, elder abuse connected to Lee, including alleged felony false imprisonment. Morgan is also accused of taking more than $262,000 from Lee's autograph signing sessions. Police said the elder abuse investigation began in March 2018. Police accused Morgan of making the 95-year-old Lee believe he was in danger in his home and that he needed to be moved to a secure location that Morgan controlled. Morgan's bail is set at 300,000. Morgan awaiting extradition back to LA. And that I got that from The Hollywood Reporter.
Casey G. Smith: That's terrible, man, to take advantage of somebody like Stan Lee like that. Yeah. That is disgusting and despicable.
Reginald Titus Jr.: As good as that guy was, you know, you still have dirtbags that take advantage of you.
Casey G. Smith: Seriously.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Outside of news, uh, movies watched.
Casey G. Smith: Well, I saw John Wick 3, uh, yesterday. Uh, me and some of my my crew, we went and and checked that out at the Cinépolis.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay.
Casey G. Smith: First time there and, uh, it was pretty cool. Pretty cool, uh, theater experience.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Is it like IMAX or?
Casey G. Smith: No, it's it's like a like a Studio Movie Grill. But it's it's in a like almost like in an in an apartment building kind of complex where you you park in a parking garage, you go up to the seventh floor. It's there. Big, like, yeah. It's it's nice though. It's very, very, very classy.
Reginald Titus Jr.: John Wick and that one's performing well at the box office, isn't it? Not as well as Aladdin, of course, but, uh, I think it's holding its own, punching its own weight.
Casey G. Smith: I I'm think it's gonna do fine. I've seen the previous John Wick films and it's got a following obviously enough to get up to number three. And, you know, the biggest thing, John Wick's movie going, if you love action, then you're you're gonna you're gonna enjoy it, you know, there's a lot of headshots, you know.
Reginald Titus Jr.: I need to check out, I didn't see I haven't seen any of them, you know, but I'm gonna go check them out, because.
Casey G. Smith: You're in for a treat because I know you like Keanu. You'll be in for a treat, dude. You'll you'll you'll dig it, bro.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay.
Casey G. Smith: So that and, um, well, it's not a movie. I did I did watch the the Netflix series Dead to Me with, uh, the ever talented Christina Applegate.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Did you binge watch it?
Casey G. Smith: I did, man. I couldn't stop. Like once I got past the once you watch the first episode and get to the end of the first episode, there's one of those like twist. Yeah. You're like, I'm in. I'm in. Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's well done and I enjoyed it.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay. Uh, for me, we watched the movie It.
Casey G. Smith: Hello.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Dear God.
Casey G. Smith: Dear God. Wow. Georgie.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Pop pop, Georgie. Oh, man, that was terrible.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah. That movie is horrible.
Reginald Titus Jr.: That movie is horrible.
Casey G. Smith: And and the fact that there is a whole back, you know, when you if you watch the old 80s, you know, mini series, it's, you know, edited and it's it's it's for a lot of people it was really scary. I didn't I didn't watch it at the time. Uh, but I knew kids who came on who came to school the next day kind of traumatized from it.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, it was, it was freaky. It was creepy. I can only imagine a kid watching this. Cause I asked my son like, uh, that when it came out, it was like last year, right, when it came out. Uh, his friends were talking about it. It's like, I wanna watch It. You I was like, you don't wanna watch that movie. And I I thought it was PG-13, but then seeing the trailer and then people were talking about it, I was like, I don't know, bro. And then I don't know if like some friends had told him about it, but I said, do