Shooting on the latest Wachowski Brothers opus, Speed Racer, has just got off the grid, marked by a Berlin press conference to introduce the cast, the look and very key prop of the film.
A live-action version of a 60s Japanese anime much loved in the US, the film is being touted as the Wachowskis' first "event family film". Producer Joel Silver's very happy about this - apparently he was sick of having to keep his movies well away from his kids.
Set in a world mad for motor racing, it centres on the appropriately car-crazy Racer family. Mechanic Pops Racer (John Goodman) builds high-performance vehicles in the walk-through garage of their ultra-60s ranch house, then son Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) takes 'em out on the track, watched by loyal girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci).
Meanwhile, Mom Racer (Susan Sarandon) bakes cakes. "I'm looking to do a cooking show as a spin-off," quipped Sarandon.
Pre-production clips showed computer generated racecars competing in hyper-extreme races over tracks more like rollercoasters than Silverstone. Let's put it this way - it's not hard to predict what sort of tie-in game there'll be. Also unveiled was Speed Racer's Mach Five car, a sleek streak of chassis and chrome. Sadly, being a prop, it only ran if you pushed it.
Asked about how well they knew Speed Racer before coming onto the film, the Far Eastern cast members (Hiroyuki Saneda and Korean pop idol Rain) had the best credentials, but Hirsch and Ricci both claimed to have loved the show as kids.
Lost's Matthew Fox, on board playing the mysterious "Racer X", shamefacedly admitted he hadn't seen it, as he hadn't had a TV as a kid. What sort of background is that for a man in his profession? Hirsch added that rehearsing the film's driving scenes was making him a bit of a speed demon - watch out on those autobahns for the next few months.
Asked about stunts, Joel Silver explained that the way the film was shot meant the death-defying race scenes actually didn't involve any danger. After the "initial capture" (filming to you and me), everything went into the computer, with stunts, impossible racetracks and whole locations added in digitally.
"You need a crazy imagination and the willingness to go for it," added Hirsch. We can imagine him now, sitting in his pretend car going, "Brmmm, brmmm, brmm..."
Speed Racer is slated for release in May 2008.
