Monday, August 27th, 2007

Hulk Smash Downtown Toronto!

A long and busy weekend means one half-assed post today. Something more substantial tomorrow.

Local celeb watchers who worry about going into withdrawal following the close of the Toronto International Film Festival should take note of this item from Comic Book Resources – the have a spy report from the set of The Incredible Hulk, which is filming in the Big Smoke, that says: “I was just talking with a location scout on set of The Incredible Hulk who has told me that Younge Street in Toronto will be closed between Dundas and College from September 17th to the 19th. During this time they will be filming the final fight scene between The Abomination and The Hulk. Also at this time, they will be making this area of town look like New York. The Canon Theatre will be made to look like the Apollo Theatre.”

At first, this sounds like exciting news – the climax of a major superhero motion picture being filmed right down the street from me! Until you realize that almost everything of interest is likely to be CGI which means that at best, you’ll get a couple of Oscar winner/nominees in Edward Norton (Bruce Banner/Hulk) and Tim Roth (Emil Blonsky/Abomination) grappling on Yonge St whilst dressed in green bodysuits. At worst, you get their stuntmen. The movie will open on June 18 of next year. I kind of keep hoping that the real Hulk will blog from the set, but he may be in disavowal mode, having already dismissed the casting.

The compilation CD for the Polaris Music Prize, due to be awarded on September 24, will be released tomorrow but only nine of the ten finalists are represented. A track from Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible will be absent on account of the band’s “no-compilation” policy. I guess the Six Feet Under soundtrack didn’t count as a compilation, just a single album containing tracks from lots of different artists. Seems kind of silly – it’s not like it’s a K-Tel Hits Of The 00’s collection or something. JAM! has more info.

The Toronto Star talks to Sloan’s Jay Ferguson about playing the CNE this past Saturday and the joy of those little mini doughnuts you can get there.

Stream the whole of The Sadies’ forthcoming New Seasons, out September 18, at Yep Roc.

Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers talks to The Birmingham News. Jason Isbell talks to Birmingham Weekly. They don’t really talk about each other. That’s probably be awkward.

The Brunettes’ Heather Mansfield testifies to The Age that playing gigs at old age homes is a rocking good time. They’re at the Horseshoe on September 28.

Annuals and The Manchester Orchestra have a show at the Mod Club on November 3.

John Vanderslice interfaces with Spinner’s Interface. He wants to interface with you at the Horseshoe on October 1. It’s not as dirty as it sounds.

Montrealers (or those who will be in Montreal in a couple weeks) – A Good Day For Airplay is giving away passes to Osheaga for September 8 and 9. Scroll down a bit for details.

By : Frank Yang at 8:36 am
Category: Uncategorized
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  1. Thierry says:

    I think the reason why they accepted to appear on the Six Feet Under compilation is that the song was written specifically for it, and wasn’t a previously written song. Still, rejecting the Polaris offer sure makes’em seem like jackasses, doesn’t it?

  2. Carly says:

    Arcade Fire were also on a Shameless Magazine compilation called "Good Grooming For Girls." It’s a rather awesome album.

  3. Craig says:

    Isn’t the canon theater south of dundas, so wouldn’t be included in the section blocked off?

  4. Frank says:

    yeah, not sure. The Canon/Apollo may be for something besides the big finale throw-down and is thus not included. they’ll be smashing up the College Park parking lot, I guess. or HMV. “Hulk smash high prices!”

  5. wes says:

    somehow i feel this Hulk movie has plenty of promise. i really liked both the Hulk movies (action and psycho thiller) they mashed up to make Hulk #1 a few years back

  6. Frank says:

    I’m on record as having like Ang Lee’s Hulk. This new one is kind of odd – they’re obviously looking to go in a more mindless, action-y direction (hence the director of "The Transporter") and yet have a fairly heavyweight cast (Ed Norton, Tim roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson… not sure if Liv Tyler counts as a heavyweight – not as much as Jennifer Connolly was in the first one, anyways). Maybe they all had mortgages to pay off or something.