Black Kiss

With Kick Ass 2 opening this weekend, I was reminded of another comic book story that I wanted to see made into a movie.This also feeds into the twins theme that I have been running on Flickr.


I believed I mentioned "Black Kiss" by Howard Chaykin in a previous blog.  http://marymargretcallahan.blogspot.ca/2012/07/mary-margret-movies.html

Howard Chaykin originally released Black Kiss in 1988. It was ground breaking in many ways. It was horror and porn and a great story all wrapped up in outstanding artwork. It had Demons, Transexuals, Silver screen movie stars, Jazz music, School girls, Nuns, Necrophiliacs, Bad cops, Hit men, Mistresses, creepy priests, Stockings and garters, satanic orgies, S&M, and lots of sex. A demon possessed silver screen star has a thing for trannies who look just like herself. Most people can't tell them apart. Together they must deal with a vengeful satanic cult, dirty cops, dirty priests and an ex junkie on the run. It is a dark story.

This series was a favourite of mine for decades and I always wished it would be made into a movie by someone. If I had the resources to make it myself, I would have. Many comic books/graphic novels have successfully made the leap to the big screen. The Sin City movie was a perfect example of a successful move from print to screen that was of a similar genre to the Black Kiss.

Chaykin just released this past year, 2012, Black Kiss 2 in a comic book series. It is the long anticipated follow up to the original 1988 series. The artwork is at the same great level and all the characters are back. Where as the original series takes place over a 3-4 day period, the new instalment is mostly a prequel. It opens in 1912 and gives the back story up to 1988. Then it jumps ahead to 1991 and picks up where the original story left off and brings it up to present day. This new version was banned here in Canada and in the UK for its explicit nature. It was difficult getting the entire series.

Black Kiss 2, is meant to fill in all the blanks and mysteries that the original left out and to bring it to some conclusion. The transsexual angle of the original story I felt was mostly positive. The character was strong and cunning. In the Black Kiss 2 however, the multiple transsexual characters are weak characters and there is a negative vibe in the writing toward them right through to the dark conclusion. I give Howard Chaykin his due for a riveting story, amazing images and unforgettable characters but felt somewhat betrayed here. It was as if he were apologizing for making a great transsexual character in the first one.

I stick to my guns on this one about making a great film. The Black Kiss (the original) would look good in CGI like Sin City was or shot in simple Black and White to give it the feel that the comic book gives off with its inks. Any way would be great.

I even know the perfect cast for most of the characters. I see Charlotte Ross playing Beverly Grove, Jennifer Morrison playing Dagmar Layne, Liam Neeson as Cass Pollack, Ron Pearlman as Ricky Fabrikant, Victoria Justice as Cyndi Franks, and Mila Kunis as Rosemary, Ashley Judd as Magda, Ving Rhaymes as Gladys, and Robert DeNero as Mastrangelo. Wishful thinking, I know. Somebody get me a producer.