Just in case you were wondering, that is not a picture of Carl Erik Rinsch. It’s from Universal’s 1954 movie, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, which the studio is planning to give a big screen makeover as part of their misson to rejuvenate their classic monster franchises.
Variety reports that Universal has found a director for the new film in the form of Rinsch, a commericials director who’s worked extensively for Tony and Ridley Scott’s RSA advertising agency. If you remember, he was the name linked to a prequel to Alien earlier this year when that movie was first announced, only for Ridley to rip it from Rinsch’s hands a few days later by saying he’d direct it himself.
However while at the time it seemed rather mean to give the guy his Hollywood break and then take it away from him in a matter of a few days, I can’t help but wonder if it was very calculated, as despite the fact Rinsch has never made a movie before, those few days attached to Alien have upped his Tinsel Town status massively.
Since then he’s been attached to the Keanu Reeves Japanese movie, 47 Ronin, and has now landed another high-profile gig with Black Lagoon. Would that have happened without those few days as the director of the Alien prequel? I doubt it. As Rinsch is involved with Ridley Scott’s daughter, it wouldn’t actually be that surprising if he was never going to make the xenomorph movie, but Ridley knew the effect attaching him for a few days would have. If true, it certainly seems to have worked.
The new version of Black Lagoon, about an undersea creature that terrorizes a scientific expedition, is being scripted by Gary Ross, with plans to release the movie in 2011. I just pray the special effects are a bit better than the 1954 version. As you can see from the picture, it wasn’t exactly the most believable movie.