If you were a vampire, where would you want to live? Why, as far north as possible, where the sun is only out for half the year. That’s the brilliant basic concept of Steve Niles’ 30 Days of Night, a graphic novel about a small Alaska town beset with bloodsuckers during the wintry months. Unfortunately, the concept is brilliant and the execution sucked, so I’ve been looking forward to the big screen version of the movie to do the right thing with the material.
Now the film, which is being directed by Hard Candy helmer David Slade, has a star. Josh Hartnett will battle the UV-free monsters as the Sherriff of Barrow, Alaska when the movie films in New Zealand this August. I find Hartnett fascinating – he’s a guy who has made a number of movies in a row now where he’s obviously trying to prove he’s grittier than his prettyboy past would indicate, but he’s not done anything that makes me think he can act. Not one iota. Still, his casting doesn’t bug me since while the guy can’t act, he can make the kinds of intense faces you need when you’re under vamp siege. And when you’re listening to David Slade talk. Holy shit can that guy yap.