Ghost Rider (film)

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Ghost Rider

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson
Produced by Avi Arad
Stan Lee
David S. Goyer
Written by Mark Steven Johnson
Starring Nicholas Cage
Eva Mendes
Brett Cullen
Music by Christopher Young
Cinematography Russell Boyd
Editing by Richard Francis-Bruce
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Marvel Enterprises
Release date(s) February 16, 2007
Running time Theatrical Cut:
114 min.
Extended Cut:
123 min.
Country United States
Australia
Language English
Budget $110 million
Gross revenue $228,738,393
Official website
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Ghost Rider. The film is directed by Mark Steven Johnson and stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider.

Contents

[edit] Plot

In the days of the American Old West, Mephistopheles sent a bounty hunter of the damned, called a Ghost Rider, to retrieve a contract for a thousand corrupt souls from the town of San Venganza. The Rider refused to give the contract — and therefore, the souls — to Mephistopheles; instead, he outran Mephistopheles and hid himself and the contract.

A century and a half later, a seventeen-year-old stunt motorcycle rider Johnny Blaze (Matt Long/Nicolas Cage) discovers that his father is dying of lung cancer. Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) approaches him with a promise to rid his father of his cancer once and for all if Johnny gave his soul as payment. Johnny inadvertently signs the contract when a spike located on its central bar breaks his skin and causes his blood to fall onto the parchment. The next morning, his father's cancer is gone; but later that same day, he dies mid-stunt in a horrific bike crash. Johnny accuses Mephistopheles regarding his father's death; Mephistopheles informs Johnny that he now owns the boy's soul, as agreed. Johnny then abandons his girlfriend, Roxanne Simpson (Raquel Alessi/Eva Mendes).

Years later, Johnny has become a stunt rider known for his dynamic stunts and for his uncanny ability to walk away from life-threatening crashes. His manager and best friend Mack (Donal Logue) speculates that Johnny must have a guardian angel protecting him. Johnny, however, speculates that it could be "something else". Later, on his next stunt, he meets Roxanne again, now a journalist, and they renew their relationship.

Near the same time, Blackheart (Wes Bentley), son of Mephistopheles, comes to Earth to find the lost contract and use its power to bring about Hell on Earth and by doing so overpower his father. He calls forth the fallen angel trio known as the Hidden, Wallow (Daniel Frederiksen), Gressil (Laurence Breuls) and Abigor (Mathew Wilkinson), to act as his allies. To stop his son, Mephistopheles goes to Johnny and forces him to become the fiery Ghost Rider, promising to free his soul if he hunts and defeats Blackheart and the Hidden; thus turning Johnny into his personal bounty hunter. Meanwhile, Blackheart and his team have gone to an old train station, learning that the old graveyard, and the contract that was hidden there, have been moved. By that time, Johnny is driven straight to the station on his "first ride" where he transforms fully into the Ghost Rider and a fight ensues. In the process, Johnny acquires a heavy chain, which he uses to kill Gressil while the others escape. While searching for the quarry, Ghost Rider hears a woman (Rebel Wilson) being mugged. He stops the mugger and uses his most powerful weapon on him, the Penance Stare; a power by which a person is subjected to all the pain they have ever caused others. As the mugger ends up in a catatonic state, worse than death, which is implied to be the "burning" of his soul.[citation needed]

The next day, Johnny wakes up in a cemetery chapel, where he meets a man called the Caretaker (Sam Elliott), who seems to know all the history of the Ghost Rider. When he arrives home, Johnny finds Roxanne and reveals himself as the Devil's bounty hunter. She leaves in anger and disbelief at his tale. As Roxanne leaves, the police arrive and take Johnny into custody for his connection to the damage done to the city and the deaths caused by Blackheart. He is put in a holding cell with some other prisoners, who mock Johnny and beat him before he assumes his Ghost Rider form, knocking the prisoners down before taking one of their jackets and leaving, after recognizing the only one who made no attempt to harm him as "innocent", to hunt down Blackheart. That night, Roxanne recognizes Johnny, while he (as the Ghost Rider) is fighting Abigor, in full view of the city and a large police force. Johnny destroys Abigor, faces the police, and then leaves. Observing the scene after obtaining the location of the contract, Blackheart realizes that Roxanne is Johnny's weakness.

Johnny goes for advice to the Caretaker, who tells him of Johnny's predecessor, Carter Slade, a Texas Ranger who was a man of honor before his greed placed him before the gallows for his misdeeds. Slade then made a deal with Mephistopheles to break free; in return, Slade became the Ghost Rider who hid the contract of San Venganza. The Caretaker then warns Johnny to stay away from those whom Blackheart and the fallen angels can use against him. Unfortunately, Blackheart already plans to use Roxanne and is in search of her. He finds her at Johnny's apartment, reading some books pertaining to demonic lore in the effort to understand Johnny's actions. Blackheart kills Mack and stuns Roxanne, before Johnny arrives and is assaulted by Blackheart. Transforming into the Ghost Rider, Johnny attempts to use the Penance Stare on his enemy, but Blackheart is impervious to it because he has no (human) soul to burn. Blackheart then threatens to kill Roxanne, using her life as the means of exchange for the Contract of San Venganza. Johnny then goes to the caretaker, asking to have this contract.

The Caretaker tells Johnny that San Venganza will be "Hell on Earth" if Blackheart claims the contract, and admonishes Johnny to think before he acts. Johnny, however, convinces the Caretaker that he has a plan by which to overcome their enemy. The Caretaker then reveals that he is Carter Slade, still alive because of his own power as a Ghost Rider, and offers to show Johnny the way to San Venganza. They ride together into the desert – Carter Slade on a skeletal, flaming phantom horse, Johnny Blaze on his skeletally decorated, flaming motorcycle – leaving a destructive trail of fire in their wake. Some distance from the town, they stop. Slade gives Johnny his shotgun (a sawn-off Winchester Model 1887/1901) and tells him to "stick to the shadows" before riding away and dying of his own depletion of strength.

Having killed Wallow, the last of Blackheart's three demons, Johnny gives the contract to Blackheart but becomes the Ghost Rider as he does, hoping to pummel his foe into submission. Blackheart shrugs off the attack and manages to subdue Ghost Rider as the sun rises. With Johnny rendered powerless, Blackheart uses the contract to absorb the 1,000 souls into his body, taking the name "Legion". Johnny attempts in vain to lure his enemy into the shadowed area of the church until Roxanne grabs his discarded shotgun, shooting Legion several times before tossing the gun to Johnny. Holding the weapon in the shadows, Johnny transforms the shotgun into a Ghost Rider weapon and blasts Legion apart with hellfire. The souls of San Venganza restore the demon quickly, whereupon Johnny uses the Penance Stare to destroy him. Legion's thousand corrupt souls are seared and he falls, comatose and blind. Ghost Rider then tosses Blackheart's comatose body aside and faces Roxanne. He is at first ashamed of his monstrous appearance until she shows him that she is not afraid of what Johnny has become.

Mephistopheles appears and gives Johnny his soul, offering to take back the curse of the Ghost Rider. Johnny refuses, saying that he will use his power against Mephistopheles, and against all harm that comes to the innocent. Infuriated of being robbed of the power, Mephistopheles vows to make Johnny pay, to which Johnny in response recites his favorite saying: "You can't live in fear". Mephistopheles then disappears, taking Blackheart's body with him. Johnny and Roxanne share some parting words at the tree on which Johnny carved "J&R FOREVER" at the beginning of the film. Roxanne then tells Johnny that he got his second chance before sharing a final kiss with him. Johnny then rides away on his motorcycle, now a legend in his own right.

The film then concludes with a rendition of the song "Ghost Riders in the Sky".

[edit] Cast

Actor Role
Nicolas Cage Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider
Eva Mendes Roxanne Simpson
Brett Cullen Barton Blaze
Wes Bentley Blackheart / Legion
Sam Elliott Carter Slade / Phantom Rider
Peter Fonda Mephistopheles
Donal Logue Mack
Matt Long Young Johnny Blaze
Raquel Alessi Young Roxanne Simpson
Daniel Frederiksen Wallow
Laurence Breuls Gressil
Mathew Wilkinson Abigor

[edit] Production

Ghost Rider teaser poster.
Ghost Rider teaser poster.

In May 2000 at the Cannes Film Festival, DC Studios announced an agreement with Crystal Sky Entertainment to film Ghost Rider with actor Jon Voight attached as a producer. Production was scheduled to start in early 2001 with a budget of $75 million, with actor Johnny Depp expressing interest in the lead role.[1] The following August, Dimension Films joined Crystal Sky to co-finance the film, which would be written by David S. Goyer and directed by Stephen Norrington.[2] In June 2001, actor Nicolas Cage entered talks to be cast into the lead role for Ghost Rider,[3] and by July, had closed a deal with the studio. According to producer Steven Paul, Cage had found out about Depp being a possibility for the role and contacted the director to express his own interest, being an avid Ghost Rider fan.[4]

In the following August, Norrington abandoned the project due to a scheduling conflict, leaving to film the action flick Tick Tock starring Jennifer Lopez.[5] Cage eventually left the project as well. By May 2002, the studio Columbia Pictures sought to acquire rights to the film in turnaround from Dimension Films following the success of Spider-Man.[6] In April 2003, under Columbia Pictures, director Mark Steven Johnson took over the helm for Ghost Rider with Cage returning for the lead role. Both had been drawn by a script written by screenwriter Shane Salerno. Johnson, rewriting Salerno's script, was set to begin production of Ghost Rider in late 2003 or early 2004.[7] With production delayed into October 2003, Cage took a temporary leave of absence to film The Weather Man. Ghost Rider production was slated to tentatively begin in May or June of 2004.[8]

Ghost Rider had again been delayed to begin in late 2004, but the lack of a workable script continued to delay production.[9] In January 2005, actor Wes Bentley was cast as the villain Blackheart, having been introduced to Johnson by Colin Farrell, who had worked with the director in Daredevil.[10] Actress Eva Mendes was also cast opposite Cage as the Ghost Rider's girlfriend.[11] On February 14, 2005, Ghost Rider commenced filming in Australia at the Melbourne Docklands film studios.[12] Then in March 2005, actor Peter Fonda (who starred in Easy Rider) was cast as the villain Mephistopheles.[13] Johnson originally planned to film before an audience at the Telstra Dome, but instead opted to create a crowd using computer-generated imagery.[14] The director also chose to film in the motorcycle district of Melbourne.[15] By June 2005, principal photography had been completed for Ghost Rider,[16] which was set for a summer 2006 release.[17] In December 2005, musical composer Christopher Young was announced to score Ghost Rider. In addition, Spiderbait, a band that Johnson befriended during filming in Australia,[18] performed a cover of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" for the end credits.[19] In April 2006, the cast and crew performed last-minute reshoots in Vancouver.[20] Ghost Rider was originally scheduled to release on August 4, 2006,[21] but the date was moved three weeks earlier to July 14, 2006.[22] Sony changed the film's release date once more to February 16, 2007 to help relieve the studio's crowded 2006 calendar.[23]

[edit] Character portrayal

Ghost Rider's motorcycle.
Ghost Rider's motorcycle.

Instead of a "hard drinking and smoking bad ass" Johnny Blaze, Nicolas Cage decided to give him more depth. "I'm playing him more as someone who... made this deal and he's trying to avoid confronting it, anything he can do to keep it away from him". Cage also explained that Blaze's stunt riding was a form of escape and a way to keep him connected to his deceased father, who taught him to ride. Cage rode a Buell motorcycle for Blaze's stunt cycle, and a heavily customized hardtail chopper named "Grace" which transforms into the "Hell Cycle".[24] The Hell Cycle's wheels, made of pure flames in the comics, were changed to be solid tires covered in flames in order to give the motorcycle more weight onscreen.[25]

Ghost Rider's skull flames were designed to become smaller and blue to display any emotion other than rage.[25] The film's visual effects supervisor, Kevin Mack, and the visual effects team at Sony Pictures Imageworks handled the difficult task of creating computer-generated fire on a shot-by-shot basis.[18] Ghost Rider's voice was manipulated by sound designer Don Davis, who won an Academy Award for Sound Editing for The Matrix. Davis filtered Cage's line readings through three different kinds of animal growls that were played backwards and covered separate frequencies. Davis then amplified the dialogue through a mechanical volumizer. Director Johnson described the sound as a "deep, demonic, mechanical lion's roar".[26]

[edit] Promotion

In May 2005, Sony Pictures launched the official website for Ghost Rider.[27]

In the following July, the studio presented a Ghost Rider panel at Comic-Con International and screened a teaser for the audience.[25] The teaser, which did not have finalized footage of the film, eventually leaked online.[28] In the same month, Majesco Entertainment Company announced its deal with Marvel to acquire worldwide rights to produce the video game Ghost Rider for the consoles PS2, PSP, and Game Boy Advance.[29]

In December 2005, the studio presented a first glimpse of Ghost Rider in a 10-second footage piece on the official site.[30]

In April 2006, Sideshow Collectibles announced the sale of a Ghost Rider maquette based on the concept art of the film.[31]

The following May, domestic and international teaser trailers for Ghost Rider were launched at Apple.[32]

On April 19, 2007, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment confirmed that in America the film will be issued on June 12, 2007 as a single-disc Theatrical Cut DVD, two-disc Extended Cut DVD, Blu-ray Disc and UMD. Special features on the Extended Cut DVD include two commentary tracks, a comic book history feature and a making of the film featurette. [33]

[edit] Music

This is the official soundtrack released by Varese Sarabande Records.

  1. "Ghost Rider"
  2. "Blackheart Beat"
  3. "Artistry in Death"
  4. "A Thing for Karen Carpenter"
  5. "Cemetery Dance"
  6. "More Sinister Than Popcorn"
  7. "No Way to Wisdom"
  8. "Chain Chariot"
  9. "Santa Sardonicus"
  10. "Penance Stare"
  11. "San Venganza"
  12. "Blood Signature"
  13. "Serenade to a Daredevil's Devil"
  14. "Nebuchadnezzar Phase"
  15. "The West was Built on Legends"

[edit] Video game

Main article: Ghost Rider (video game)

A video game based on the movie was developed by Games and was released for the PlayStation 2, PSP and Game Boy Advance in the U.S., Europe and Australia in July 2007. No versions were released in Japan. The game is based loosely on the movie, and features a storyline penned by Marvel Comics writers Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti. In all versions, players can play as Ghost Rider both on foot, or on the Hellcycle. The version released for PS2 and PSP is a third person action game that features gameplay reminiscent to that of God of War. The Game Boy Advance version is a beat-em-up side-scroller, with gameplay similar to Castlevania and Road Rash.

[edit] Reception

Ghost Rider was commercially released in the United States on February 16, 2007. The film grossed $15,420,123 on its opening day.[34] The film earned $45,388,836 for the opening weekend. The film earned $52,022,908 over the four-day President's Day weekend, with a per-theater average of $14,374 in 3,619 theaters.[35] As of December 3, 2007 the film has earned $115,802,596 domestically, and a worldwide total of $228,738,393.[36]

Ghost Rider received mainly negative reviews from film critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, Ghost Rider has a 28% overall approval out of 122 reviews from critics [37].

[edit] Sequel

On February 9, 2007, Marvel producer Avi Arad announced the development of Ghost Rider 2 at a press event.[38] Peter Fonda has also expressed a desire to return as Mephisto.[39]. In early December, 2007, Nicolas Cage also has expressed interest to return in the lead role as Ghost Rider.[40] Shortly after, in another interview he went on further to mention that he would enjoy seeing a darker story, adding, "He's not eating jelly beans anymore; he's getting drunk". He also suggested that the film could do with newly created villains.[41].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Michael Sangiacomo. "More Marvel heroes to join X-Men on film over next few years", The Star-Ledger, 2000-05-25. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  2. ^ Michael Fleming. "'Ghost' adds a Dimension", Variety, 2000-08-30. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  3. ^ "Cage considers 'Ghost Rider' role", Erie Times-News, 2001-06-28. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  4. ^ Julia Brinksneader. "Another 'ER' casualty", The Columbus Dispatch, 2001-07-31. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  5. ^ James Berkshire. "Cage GHOST RIDER Burning Out?", Cinescape, 2001-08-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  6. ^ "`Ghost Rider' could follow Spidey film", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2002-05-24. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  7. ^ Dana Harris. "Johnson sees 'Ghost'", Variety, 2003-04-08. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  8. ^ "When May Ghost Rider Start Shooting?", SuperHeroHype.com, 2003-10-19. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  9. ^ Angela Dawson. "Nicolas Cage likes to hunt for treasure", The Cincinnati Post, 2004-11-18. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  10. ^ Michael Fleming; Nicole Laporte. "Bentley to haunt 'Ghost'", Variety, 2005-01-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  11. ^ Pamela McClintock. "Marvel to prime pupils", Variety, 2005-03-01. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  12. ^ "More than a name", The Age, 2005-02-14. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  13. ^ Colin Covert. "The bounce - who's up - who's down", Star Tribune, 2005-03-11. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  14. ^ Clint Morris. "Ghost Rider skips Dome", Moviehole.net, 2005-03-03. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  15. ^ Karl Quinn. "Foreign film upturn a tale of two cities", The Age, 2005-03-06. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  16. ^ "'Time Share' comedy", Long Beach Press-Telegram, 2005-06-13. 
  17. ^ Mike Musgrove. "Marvel, DC Duel At the Box Office", The Washington Post, 2005-06-25. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  18. ^ a b Mark Steven Johnson. "Ask MSJ Part 3", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-12-15. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  19. ^ Soundtracks for Ghost Rider. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  20. ^ "Ghost Rider Reshoots in Vancouver", SuperHeroHype.com, 2006-04-13. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  21. ^ "Marvel Studios' Avi Arad on Upcoming Projects", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-05-18. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  22. ^ "Ghost Rider Moved Up to July", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-09-05. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  23. ^ Laporte, Nicole. "Sony cycles Cage starrer to 2007", Variety, 2005-12-14. Retrieved on 2006-07-30. 
  24. ^ Andrew Weil. "SET VISIT: Nicolas Cage on Ghost Rider!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-06-16. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  25. ^ a b c Scott Chitwood. "The Ghost Rider Panel at Comic-Con", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-07-17. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  26. ^ "Mark Steven Johnson on Ghost Rider!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-08-07. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  27. ^ Sony Pictures. "Ghost Rider Site Online", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-05-19. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  28. ^ Sony Pictures. "Sony Statement on the Ghost Rider Footage", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-07-29. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  29. ^ Majesco Entertainment Company. "Majesco Creating Ghost Rider Movie Game", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-07-13. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  30. ^ Columbia Pictures. "The Ghost Rider Revealed!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-12-20. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  31. ^ Sideshow Collectibles. "Exclusive Look at Sideshow's Ghost Rider Maquette!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2006-04-27. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  32. ^ Sony Pictures. "Ghost Rider Teaser Trailers Hit!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2006-05-23. Retrieved on 2007-01-29. 
  33. ^ Sony Pictures. "Ghost Rider DVD Cover Artwork", SuperHeroHype.com, 2007-04-19. Retrieved on 2007-05-13. 
  34. ^ "Ghost Rider (2007) - Daily Box Office", Box Office Mojo, 2007-03-13. Retrieved on 2007-03-13. 
  35. ^ "Ghost Rider (2007) - Weekend Box Office", Box Office Mojo, 2007-03-13. Retrieved on 2007-03-13. 
  36. ^ "Ghost Rider (2007)", Box Office Mojo, 2007-03-28. Retrieved on 2007-03-28. 
  37. ^ Ghost Rider. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
  38. ^ Peter Sciretta. "Ghost Rider 2 Announced", SlashFilm.com, 2007-02-10. Retrieved on 2007-02-10. 
  39. ^ Arya Ponto. "Peter Fonda Talks About Working with Russell Crowe and 'Ghost Rider 2'", JustPressPlay.net, 2007-08-16. Retrieved on 2007-08-17. 
  40. ^ Heather Newgen. "Nicolas Cage on Ghost Rider 2", SuperHeroHype.com, 2007-12-03. Retrieved on 2007-12-07. 
  41. ^ Larry Carroll. "Nicolas Cage Wants Ghost Rider To Team Up With Spidey, Hit The Bottle In Sequel", MTV, 2007-12-05. Retrieved on 2007-12-07. 

[edit] External links

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Preceded by
Norbit		 Box office number-one films of 2007 (USA)
February 18, 2007 – February 25, 2007		 Succeeded by
Wild Hogs
v • d • e
Ghost Rider
Creators
Ghost Riders
Supporting characters
Villains
Storylines
In other media
Ghost Rider (live-action film, 2007) · Ghost Rider (video game, 2007)
v • d • e
Marvel Comics films
Live action
Single
films

Howard the Duck (1986) • The Punisher (1989) • Captain America (1991) • The Fantastic Four (1994) • Hulk (2003) • The Punisher (2004) • Man-Thing (2005) • Ghost Rider (2007) • Iron Man (2008) • The Incredible Hulk (2008) • Punisher: War Zone (2008)
Series

Blade: Blade (1998) • Blade II (2002) • Blade: Trinity (2004)
Daredevil: Daredevil (2003) • Elektra (2005)
Fantastic Four: Fantastic Four (2005) • Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
Spider-Man: Spider-Man (2002) • Spider-Man 2 (2004) • Spider-Man 3 (2007)
X-Men: X-Men (2000) • X2 (2003) • X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) • X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Animated
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