Originally running in a series of Street & Smith pulp magazines from 1933 to 1949, Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze, a.k.a. Clark Savage Jr., was a direct predecessor to, and a major influence on the character of Superman, lending him the first name of his secret identity (as Clark Kent), a Fortress of Solitude in the North Pole and an unwavering desire to do good in the world.

Created by Street & Smith Publications’ Henry Ralston and John Nanovic – but fully realised by writer Lester Dent (under the house name, Kenneth Robeson) – as a companion title to their successful character, The Shadow, the bronze-skinned Savage, a physician, surgeon, explorer, scientist, adventurer was supported by a wonderful cast of characters, (rebranded in the 1970s as The Fabulous Five), all world renowned experts in their various fields of law, engineering, archeology and chemistry. In later adventures they were joined by his equally incredible cousin, Patricia ‘Pat’ Savage. Together they fought all kinds of spies, saboteurs and evil geniuses!

Rediscovered by a second generation of readers in the 1960s when the novels were successfully reprinted by Bantam Books in the U.S.A. (from which the most distinctive version of Doc’s look is taken with his sharp, widow’s peak hairline, courtesy of cover artist, James Bama), it was no surprise that a film eventually followed in 1975. Unfortunately, director George Pal seemed intent on holding on to the high camp approach taken by the Batman TV series starring Adam West, but it was not a successful fit and the remaining 180 source novels stayed untapped.

The character has steadfastly remained a cult favourite, however, and has appeared in both radio series and in comic books published by Marvel, DC and others.

But today, after a year or so of speculation, the mighty Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. The Rock, announced via his Instagram feed that he will be starring as Doc Savage in a new film, written and directed by Shane Black.

As one of the smartest writer/directors in Hollywood (and if you haven’t seen his film, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang yet, you should drop whatever you’re doing and rectify this immediately), the thought of Black helming an adventure of a character I’ve loved since the mid-1970s is exciting, and if he can finally give Johnson the kind of role the mega-watt charming actor deserves, then this has the potential to be something very special indeed.

No word yet as to whether or not this will be a 1930s-set period piece, but whatever The Rock and Black cook up is bound to be worth following.

Here’s hoping for a longer run for Doc in the cinema this time!

UPDATE: While talking about his new film, The Nice Guys, with Hitfix and the Nerdist Writers Panel podcast, director Black seems to confirm that Doc Savage will indeed be a 1930s-set period piece, which is great news!

An American nanny on the run from a difficult recent past takes a job at a secluded English manor house and is as disturbed as the viewer to discover that the boy she has been hired to look after is in fact, a doll, which might not be as lifeless as she first thinks.

The Walking Dead’s Lauren Cohan, as the unfortunate nanny, is a strong presence and gives a very likeable central performance, surrounded as she is by only a small handful of other characters. Cohan hits her beats perfectly, remaining nicely sympathetic and thankfully never tipping into annoying hysteria as events build around her.

William Brent Bell directs with some genuinely creepy sequences and at a lovely, measured pace, in a style not often afforded to modern horror films. In fact The Boy has the feel of a higher budgeted Hammer House of Horror episode that makes for an enjoyable viewing, for the first three quarters of the running time at least.

Of the film’s weaknesses, and there a few, the reliance on dream sequences is unnecessary and unfortunate, since the rest of the film seems smart enough to have avoided such tired clichés, and there’s a wonderful feeling of English quirkiness in the first act, in fact downright weirdness, that I wish had been continued through the rest of the film. At one point I could imagine it becoming become a particularly mordant episode of The League of Gentlemen, commenting on the phenomenon of ‘reborn’ dolls.

Finally, the third act revelation is a major let down – even involving one character pulling a stunt so groan-inducing it seems difficult to believe no one vetoed it in the editing room – as events suddenly lurch into slasher-film territory and sabotage the good will built up by the previous eighty minutes.

It’s a shame, because had the story stuck to its guns this could have been a highly effective chiller, built mostly around restraint and atmosphere. Instead, the final twist left me shrugging and rolling my eyes… which at least is appropriate to the film’s final shot, I guess.

There’s enough good stuff here to make me interested in whatever director Bell does next, as this might have been an excellent addition to both horror sub-genres of spooky doll and child ghost movies, but sadly this toy story doesn’t have legs to stand on.

I’ll put my hands up and admit that I get buzzed for pretty much anything coming from the beautiful and obtuse sensibilities of Nicolas Winding Refn, so it’s no surprise that I’m excited about the new poster for his forthcoming film, The Neon Demon.

Just like the recently released trailer, this looks gorgeous and has me chomping at the bit to see the film, which stars Elle Fanning as a young model entering the vampiric world of Hollywood. Little else is known about the plot right now (other than it features an exceptionally strong female cast), but at the very least it’s guaranteed to be a visual feast.

The Neon Demon will premiere in competition at the imminent Cannes Film Festival.

Source: Birth.Movies.Death.