Yearly Archive: 2008

Television Notes

  • News
  • November 16, 2008

Actors working on Fox’s Prison Break, were told that there may be only two episodes left to the once hot series. There are six remaining episodes of the series for the total season and the series did not appear on the revised midseason schedule released last week.  As a result, the final two hours may be combined into a series-ending finale to air in December or as a spring special.  The series launched four years ago and was considered a daring change of pace for a drama.

The Sci Fi Channel announced that its latest drama, Sanctuary, has been given a second season, bucking a trend of high-profile one-season wonders. The next season of the series, starring Amanda Tapping, will consist of thirteen episodes. The series is expected back some time in 2009. The series, also starring Robin Dunne, Ryan Robbins, Emilie Ullerup and Christopher Heyerdahl, debuted in October to the highest-rated original series premiere ratings since Eureka debuted in July 2006.
 

‘Monsters vs. Aliens’ Trailer

  • News
  • November 16, 2008

Monsters vs. Aliens, slated to open March 27, 2009, reinvents the classic 50s monster movie into an irreverent modern day action comedy.

The cast of Monsters vs. Aliens includes: Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line, Rendition) as Susan Murphy, a.k.a. Ginormica; Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie (TV’s House, Stuart Little) as Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; Will Arnett (TV’s Arrested Development, Blades of Glory) as The Missing Link; Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Superbad) as B.O.B.; Rainn Wilson (Juno, TV’s The Office) as Gallaxhar; Emmy winner Stephen Colbert (TV’s The Colbert Report, Bewitched) as The President of the United States; Golden Globe winner Kiefer Sutherland (TV’s 24, Phone Booth) as General W.R. Monger; and Paul Rudd (Knocked Up, Night at the Museum) as Susan’s boyfriend, Derek.

Directed by Rob Letterman (Shark Tale) and Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2), produced by Lisa Stewart (I Think I Love My Wife) and co-produced by Jill Hopper and Latifa Ouaou, the film marks the theatrical debut of DreamWorks Animation’s Ultimate 3-D.

When California girl Susan Murphy is unexpectedly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall and is instantly labeled a “monster” named Ginormica. The military jumps into action, and she is captured and held in a secret government compound. The world learns that the military has been quietly rounding up other monsters over the years. This ragtag group consists of the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. Their confinement time is cut short however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country.

As a last resort, under the guidance of General W.R. Monger (on a desperate order from The President), the motley crew of Monsters is called into action to combat the aliens and save the world from imminent destruction.

George Takei Competes Down Under

  • News
  • November 15, 2008

George Takei has flown Down Under to become the oldest contestant on the British edition of I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here. “I’m physically fit. I used to run marathons, now I work out every day,” he told the Daily Mirror.

Of the grueling challenges awaiting him in the Outback, he noted, “I’m Japanese and love sushi. I’ve even eaten live fish. It was delicious.”

His arrival got off to a shaky start when no one from the show was present to meet him at the airport. “I’ve been left wandering the airport for 30 minutes. They assured me there would be someone to meet me,” Takei said. A gaggle of reporters, on hand for the celebrity’s arrival, guided him to his destination.

His fellow contestants include local politician Robert Kilroy-Silk., ex Met deputy Brian Paddick, former tennis champ Martina Navratilova, Carly Zucker, fiancée to soccer’s Joe Cole, former EastEnder actor Joe Swash, former Blue singer Simon Webbe, TV host Dani Behr, Esther Rantzen, and glamor girl Nicola McLean.

Takei, 71, recently wed his partner Brand Anderson and has been a vocal critic of California’s Proposition 8 which has now outlawed gay marriage. He will be one of three gay contestants on the show’s eighth season..

The series begins airing Sunday night on ITV at 9 p.m..
 

ComicMix Radio: Evil Dead The Final Answer

We wind up our exclusive interview with Bruce Campbell by posting the question Bruce gets almost daly – what’s next for Evil Dead?  He cuts to that with a chainsaw here plus:

  • Lost gets a premiere date
  • Rudolph goes digital
  • When is the next Kick Ass coming? 

Bruce says Press the Button, nube!
 

 

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via badgeitunes61x15dark-7059822 or RSS!

 

Klingon Opera in the Works

  • Uncategorized
  • November 15, 2008

klingon-opera-7444100At one point, Paramount Pictures commissioned work on a Star Trek opera as part of the franchise’s 25th anniversary. Novelists Judy and Garwood Stevens were at work on a story when cooler heads prevailed and the project was shelved.

Now, Floris Schönfeld, from the Netherlands, has made it clear he’s at work on a Klingon Opera.  The artist was recently profiled in The New York Times, one of 15 invited to come to Long Island for a two- to three-week residency at the Watermill Center.

“The Klingon opera Mr. Schönfeld is developing is called “ ’u’.” The apostrophes before and after the “u” are part of the title and are pronounced by Mr. Schönfeld like short coughs. The title, he said, stands for universe or universal.,” the Times wrote.

Part of his time in America will be spent on developing the opera’s storyline which the 26-year-old intends to write himself. He speaks English, German, Dutch and what “he calls ‘basic Klingon’ and began his project during the summer of 2007 as his master’s thesis at the Interfaculty ArtScience program, affiliated with the Royal Conservatory, in The Hague.”

He was drawn to the Klingon language, developed in the 1980s by linguist Marc Okrand, and subsequently founded the Klingon Terran Research Ensemble and worked with his friends on the opera.  Several bits have been performed and recorded, available for viewing on their website without translation into English.

As part of his stay, Schönfeld will work with performers and present an improvisational glimpse of Klingon music. “We are humans making Klingon music,” he said, noting that they will not dress in Klingon garb.

Final Details Revealed for ‘Complete Steve Canyon Volume 1’

  • News
  • November 15, 2008

The final details have been released for Volume One of the Steve Canyon DVD set. Writing at the show’s blog, the production team stated, “Before we get to the good news I need to mention that the Volume 1 release has been regrettably delayed for (hopefully) only a week at this point. This is due to a number of factors (not the least of which is the massive logistics involving multiple discs/episodes/soundtracks) manufacturing issues, and our resolve to put out a superior product. Several of our celebrity commentaries have been added at the very last minute as well which has slowed us down (but I’m sure is worth it). in any eventI apologize for the delay and take full responsibility for it. thereforeI am resetting the counter to Tuesday November 25th today and am extending the $24.95 early-bird pre-order price to that date as well.”

THE COMPLETE STEVE CANYON ON DVD VOLUME ONE:

Disc 1

1. OPERATION TOWLINE
NBC Premiere Saturday September 13, 1958
Directed by Ted Post • Written by Joseph Landon, Shelly Colbert & Milton Caniff • With: Harry Townes, Susan Alexander, Paul Frees, Morgan Woodward

Steve is working on a dangerous mission to develop an anti-missile system of towing Convair F-102 jet fighters from a KB-50 tanker.

EXTRA: Commentary track featuring actor Morgan Woodward and producer John Ellis (more…)

Big Finish Outlines 2009 ‘Doctor Who’ Audio Adventures

  • News
  • November 15, 2008

mcgann-as-dr-9256386Big Finish reports that 2009 will feature new audio adventures of Doctor Who, starring Paul McGann, the eighth doctor. He will be joined by Sheridan Smith as Lucie, his companion in the weekly series.

“This time, though, the stories will be released for download every Saturday night in half-hour episodes, for 16 consecutive weeks from Saturday 7th March,” the company posted on their website. “Each complete two-part story will subsequently be available on CD as normal, with one a month being released from March. Plus, there will be a bonus ninth adventure which will be released as a Christmas special in December 2009.”

The site went on to outline the serials for the coming year:

Orbis by Alan Barnes and Nicholas Briggs, picks up from the previous season’s cliffhanger in The Vengeance of Morbius. Guest stars for this story include Andrew Sachs (Manuel in Fawlty Towers) as Crassostrea and Laura Solon (Ruddy Hell! It’s Harry and Paul) as Selta.

The Krynoids (The Seeds of Doom, 1976) return in Hothouse, a cautionary ecological tale by Jonathan Morris. Nigel Planer (The Young Ones, The Color of Magic) plays Alex Marlowe, while Lysette Anthony (Dark Shadows, Dracula: Dead and Loving It) is Hazel Bright.

There’s death and mystery in a small German town in the year 1827 in The Beast of Orlok by Barnaby Edwards. The impressive guest cast includes Miriam Margolyes (Being Julia, Happy Feet, the Harry Potter films) as Frau Tod and Samuel Barnett (The History Boys, Beautiful People) as Hans.

(more…)

Erotic Comics: A Graphic History (Volume 2) Coming to America in March

  • News
  • November 15, 2008

Ilex Press  has announced a January release of Erotic Comics: A Graphic History (Volume 2) – From The 1970s to the Present Day. Former Vertigo editor Tim Pilcher returns for the second volume, with additional research by Gene Kannenberg, Jr, and the book sports a foreword by Alan Moore. Abrams ComicArts will release the book domestically on March 1, 2009, retailing for $29.95.

The book promises to explore European, American and Asian artists as they explored the possibility of the form in the years since the explosion of the Sixties’ underground comix.

The book will examine how the form has become an international publishing phenomenon by showcasing artwork that has inflamed desires, incensed censors, and caused controversy.

This provocative title covers everything: the erotic comics explosion in America in the mid-‘80s; the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender comics scene; UK and European erotic comic creators since the ‘70s; and the Japanese hentai phenomenon. The future of erotic comics online is also explored in this fascinating and surprising volume.

In the first survey of its kind in over 20 years, Erotic Comics completes this fascinating two-part chronicle with previously unpublished, rare and out-of-print material, featuring insights from key artists, editors, and publishers. Fully illustrated with stunning, rare, and seldom-seen art by Howard Cruse, Gengoroh Tagame, Melinda Gebbie, Hunt Emerson, Howard Chaykin, Giovanna Casotto (whose work graces the cover), Tom of Finland, Milo Manara, Junko Mizuno, and many other top erotic cartoonists. The informative text provides a sexy, intriguing, and entertaining tour through the origins of an often-overlooked art form and comic book genre.

Pilcher has previously co-authored of The Essential Guide to World Comics and The Complete Cartooning Course, and has contributed to numerous other publications including, Comix: The Underground Revolution, 500 Comic Book Action Heroes, The Slings and Arrows Comic Guide (1st Edition), 500 Essential Graphic Novels and the forthcoming War Comics: A Graphic History.

Will There or Will There not be a Sequel to ‘Cloverfield’?

  • News
  • November 15, 2008

JJ Abrams and Matthew Reeves have been dancing around the notion of making a sequel to Cloverfield.  At first, they made noises about it being a one-off project but noted they did add elements to the film that would lend itself to a sequel, such as the issue of where Clover came from.

Some potential sequel production art (see right) also seemed to be leaked six months back and now Reeves told Moviehole, “Wanting something to happen and coming up with the right idea are two very different things.

“At times it’s gone dormant and then it’s come back up again”.

He sounded fairly certain a sequel would not pick up on the surviving actors from the first feature, which opened to acclaim in January. Instead, they thought about moving it to other locales set during the same time frame.  “There are a couple ideas that have potential but we haven’t quite cracked it yet,” he says, adding, “When we were in Japan we thought, wouldn’t it be cool to do it here”.

Apparently Abrams and Reeves have discussed having others step in to make the film. “There was the thought that maybe we’d bring in some young exciting people and we’d produce their take.”

Reeves is at work on his new film, The Invisible Woman, while Abrams oversees post-production on next May’s Star Trek.

w-bts-003-4991922

Ben Burtt Sounds Off on ‘Wall-E’

  • Uncategorized
  • November 15, 2008

w-bts-003-4991922In ancticipation of Tuesday’s release of Wall-E on DVD, Disney Home VIdeo has provided us with an interview with Ben Burtt, the legendary sound effects maestro.

QUESTION: You had just finished a stint on Star Wars when you were offered Wall-E and I imagine the last thing you wanted to work on was robots?

BEN BURTT: That is absolutely true. Creating the illusion of voices is the hardest task. It is hard to fool voices. When Andrew pitched this idea and I realized it was all robot voices at first I thought I  am sure I have anything left in me – have I got a new idea, But  fortunately it was a very different set of characters. Nevertheless I   am sure I approached the same, as I always would have because of my past experience. The idea always is to create the sense of a soul with the character with sound. You are given sounds or a few words and the aim is to create the feeling that these are talking machines.  You could have imposed a human voice on to the robots and audiences would have accepted that. But with Wall-E it was important to give the sound an aspect of being a machine. So I went about that task, my assignment was to create voices for the characters and audition them to Andrew. He had about10 minutes of the opening of the movie with sketches and storyboards and said it was a little peek of what he was trying to get. I was there from the beginning, which is the best thing. I am sure that when I started that they did not know that they were going to make his film – they were still having trials and one  of the hurdles to jump was to get the voices.

(more…)

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