Preproduction…
I’d hand my wardrobe/costume designers
this book, as well as my Order of Battle issues and tell them to make me proud.
The prop guys would be issued scores of oldschool vehicle blueprints and even some actual ARAH vehicles to get a feel for the individual parts, etc.
Scriptwise I’d want to sit down with Hamma and express how I want a story that could take place alongside the original comic, with references to it of course.
The actual film…
The first few minutes or so would be a shot for shot live action remake of the ’87 Joe movie opening. Everything from Claw gliders to Trouble Bubbles to to the CG punching out the video camera. This would probably be the most you’d see of Duke as a ‘main’ character at least. The music would be covered by a new artist. That’d be about the only reference I’d make to the cartoon. I don’t care who you are, oldschool fan or just a Friday night movie-goer, after that setup you’d be mine for the two and a half hours.
Opening scene would definitely be Clutch and Breaker cruising along in the vamp set to hard 80’s/70’s rock like Areosmith or AC/DC. At first it would seem like a joyride of sorts until they come over a hill where the camera would pan out to reveal a goodsize battle involving several Hiss tanks.
Hawk would be in the heat of it, blonde hair and decked out in BDU pants and a bomber jacket barking orders and taking out Vipers with his M-16 as they approach. Beachhead would be leading a ground assault consisting of Falcon, Rock & Roll, Roadblock (NOT Heavy Duty), and Dusty alongside Flint’s team of Bazooka, Footlloose, Ladyjaye, and Gung-Ho. Cut to Doc bandaging up a wounded Quick Kick wincing “One of these you’re gonna get us both killed!”.
Cut to Ace in the Skystriker tearing through a slew of Rattler’s trying to find the one Wild Weasle is flying (it’d have red trim/details). Ace realizes that there’s a pair of Mambas on his tail and he’s trying dodge enemy fire when suddenly one is struck by a missle causing it to collide into the other, both explode. There’s a loud “Ye-Haw!” on the intercom (a subtle yet obvious Star Wars/Han Solo nod) as Wild Bill, w/ Airborne, brings the locust up and helps cut through the enemy barrage of jets and helicopters.
That’s jist of my opening sequence, was this thread for ^^^^s and giggles or were you being serious?
