GITS contributor Rob Fuller is back with some more nuggets he’s dug up on the Web. First up, a fantastic interview on io9.com with the Hughes brothers: “Is Book of Eli A Christian Movie? We Ask The Hughes Bros.:

Eli really walks the line of being an evangelical film, versus a movie that’s just about a mysterious new hope in a post apocalyptic world. So what had to go, in order to keep it from being too preachy?

Albert: It was more the things that the main character [Eli, Denzel Washington] should be saying, it could turn the audience off a bit, if they don’t believe in that. The movie is not about that. So you want people to enjoy it, no matter what. And it’s not about watering it down, it’s just not that character.

Then why did you guys choose to have the book [that Eli carries across America and Gary Oldman's character covets aid him in ruling the world] be the Bible?

Albert: That was there when we got the script. That was part of the attraction to it as well. It’s incendiary sometimes, depending on what you believe and kind of appealing because of the controversy in that and how you look at that. And how the story is constructed around it. If you do it right, if it’s handled right, and how the audience will respond. If it’s handled wrong then that’s a bad thing.

And you felt it was handled right because they used the Bible?

Albert: I think the first draft was great, it just needed to be nuanced that’s all, because it’s dealing with anything sacred. If you talk about anything sacred, you have handle it right. You can’t just go in there and make a movie and be careless about it because you are stepping on people’s beliefs. You can’t go into something like that being silly about it, no matter what you believe.

How about the first images from the upcoming movie Predators:

Did you know that Joss Whedon has a brother (Zack) who’s a writer, too?

“Dr. Horrible” writer Zack Whedon will be tackling considerably darker fare in his upcoming “Terminator” miniseries from Dark Horse. The writer, who is the younger brother of “Dollhouse” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” creator Joss Whedon, is no stranger to science fiction, having written several episodes of the television series “Fringe.” Whedon’s three-issue “Terminator” miniseries begins in March, shining the spotlight on Kyle Reese, the man destined to sire the savior of humankind. Earlier today, CBR News brought you an interview with artist Andy MacDonald, and we continue our “Terminator” coverage with a discussion with Zack Whedon.

Okay, only Rob could find a story like this: “The ‘true story’ of how Dr. King kep Uhura on Star Trek“:

And at this his [Dr. King's] face totally changed, and he said “What are you talking about?!” and so I told him I would be leaving the show, because; and that was as far as he let me go, and he said, “STOP! You cannot! You cannot leave this show! Do you not understand what you are doing?! You are the first non-stereotypical role in television! Of intelligence, and of a woman and a woman of color?! That you are playing a role that is not about your color! That this role could be played by anyone? This is not a black role. This is not a female role! A blue eyed blond or a pointed ear green person could take this role!” And I am looking at him and looking at him and buzzing, and he said, “Nichelle, for the first time, not only our little children and people can look on and see themselves, but people who don’t look like us, people who don’t look like us, from all over the world, for the first time, the first time on television, they can see us, as we should be!

As intelligent, brilliant, people! People in roles other than slick tap dancers, and maids, which are all wonderful in their own ways, but for the first time we have a woman, a WOMAN, who represents us and not in menial jobs, and you PROVE it, this man [Gene Rodenberry] proves and establishes a precedent that validates what we are marching for because three hundred years from today there we are, and there you are, in all our glory and all your glory! And you CANNOT leave!”

And I did not leave.

Dr. King, a Trekkie! Who knew!

And with all the tragedy that has happened in Haiti, this uplifting tale: “Young Haitian filmmakers loser their film school, but keep shooting”:

The Ciné Institute, based in Jacmel on Haiti’s southern coast, was completely destroyed in Tuesday’s earthquake. The Ciné Institute provided Haitian youth with film education and edutainment, technical training, and media related micro enterprise opportunities. It is now gone.

BUT…the students (all of whom survived) went back into the rubble of their building and found their cameras. And they are now shooting – making a visual record of Haitians (by Haitians) during this crisis.

You can go here to help.

And finally, we can’t have a weekly post from Rob without ending it with a truly bizarre movie trailer. This one is for a movie called The Mad Butcher (1971):

The story’s premise: “After being released from a mental hospital, Otto returns to his old job as a butcher. He tries to adjust to his new life, but after a bitter argument with his wife, he accidentally kills her. Fearing he will be sent back to the hospital, he grinds up her body and sells it as sausages. As friends and relatives start asking questions about her disappearance, they too start ending up in the butcher’s display case.”

The tagline: “Meat is Meat, But This Sausage is Special!”

Rob, on behalf of GITS readers everywhere, here’s a virtual extra large sausage pizza just for you – and thanks again for your continuing foray into the Web’s wild side!