Author: Robert Greenberger

Trivia Tuesday: Win a download of ‘Superman: Doomsday’ with extras– if you can stump the co-author of ‘The Essential Superman Encyclopedia’

  • News
  • August 10, 2010

Warner Bros. Digital Distribution continues celebrating DC Comics’ 75th Anniversary, and has announced the release of Superman: Doomsday on iTunes with Extras.  This additional bonus content is available for the first time to download customers. For some time now, people have continued to buy DVDs because they like the extra content, which has previously not been available online. That seems to be changing, at least with Warner Bros. properties which we think is a boon to the consumer.

To celebrate this and DC’s anniversary we’re holding a Trivia Tuesday. The first person to ask a Superman and/or Doomsday related trivia question that can stump me, co-author of the forthcoming The Essential Superman Encyclopedia
 will win a free digital download courtesy of our friends at WBDD.

In addition to the DC Animation feature, Superman: Doosmday, you will also be receiving the Extras, including: The Making of Superman Doomsday, The Clash of the Juggernauts, and Behind the Voice.

Good luck!

 

First Look at ‘Lost: New Man in Charge’

  • News
  • August 7, 2010

Walt Disney Home Entertainment sent us an extended clip from the 12-minute Lost epilogue entitled “New Man in Charge.” As detailed in the current Entertainment Weekly, the new short is a tantalizing hint at how Hurley and Ben performed as guardians on the island — and beyond.

This bonus feature will be available on both LOST: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON and LOST: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION which debut on Blu-ray & DVD on August 24, 2010.

‘DC Showcase’ Collection Coming for Christmas

  • News
  • August 5, 2010

First revealed at Comic-Con International, today, Warner Premiere formally announced the November 9 release of DC Showcase. Here are the details:

BURBANK, CA (August 5, 2010) – Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Home Video have expanded the realm of superhero storytelling beyond the popular DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies with the introduction of the DC Showcase, a series of animated shorts featuring characters from the celebrated DC Comics vault. On November 9, 2010, Warner Home Video will distribute the DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection, the first quartet of animated adventures featuring the never-before-seen Superman/Shazam! The Return of Black Adam, as a Special Edition Blu-Ray™ for $29.99 (SRP) and single disc DVD for $19.98 (SRP).

DC Showcase animated shorts initially appeared as special bonus content on the 2010 slate of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. The 10- to 12-minute films include The Spectre, Jonah Hex and Green Arrow. All three titles will be presented in extended formats along with the first-ever release of Superman/Shazam! The Return of Black Adam. (more…)

Review: ‘Henson’s Place’

  • Uncategorized
  • August 3, 2010

I miss Jim Henson. I recall sitting in my home office and hearing the stunning news that the puppeteer had unexpectedly passed away. All I could think of were the movies and television shows that we would never see, the voice of Kermit the Frog growing silent. As it is, every time the family watches the [[[Muppet Christmas Special]]], I sigh at the end when he makes a cameo appearance.

Henson was a gentle, creative man, but in the documentary, [[[Henson’s Place]]], he’s also described as a having a “steely will” and he needed that to bring his creations to life and before the public. The 52-minute show was produced for airing in Wales in 1984 and has played on PBS here in the states. Today, Lionsgate releases the documentary on DVD. It’s a frozen moment in time, six years before his untimely passing, but well after he had begun to create new families of Muppets as seen in the feature film [[[The Dark Crystal]]] and on HBO in [[[Fraggle Rock]]]. It was a creatively satisfying and commercially successful period.

Julia McKenzie narrates the show and conducts the interviews, tracing Henson’s life from his early years to the beginning of his puppetry in the 1950s on [[[Sam and Friends]]] and Wilkins commercials. Rare clips of early Muppets and initial incarnations of Kermit, Animal and others are seen and I wish there was more of this fertile period seen. We suddenly jump a decade to the arrival of [[[Sesame Street]]] and Henson’s critical involvement in the show’s creation and success.

Lord Lew Grade spoke about how he was willing to invest in Henson’s idea for a television series, after all three American networks foolishly passed on the concept. He recalled how everything was done with a handshake including when he asked Henson if the rumors of his wanting to make a movie were true. When the artist confirmed this, Grade extended his hand and told him this was good for a two picture deal.

Henson talked about how different aspects of his shy personality were given the spotlight in his different characters with additional commentary from , Jane Henson, Frank Oz, Michael Frith, Joan Ganz Cooney, Jerry Juhl, and David Lazer. He also spoke frankly about the merchandising blitz of the time, which helped fund the research and development, allowing Henson and company to create new characters and worlds.

The documentary is supplemented by a video version of [[[The Amphibian 1985/86: The Jim Henson Company Yearbook]]], the 30th anniversary edition. Michael Firth provides a lengthy introduction explaining the importance of these yearbooks as a way of honoring everyone who contributed to the Muppets and Henson Associates’ success. The next twenty minutes are a lingering look, page by page, of the yearbook.

All that is missing from this loving tribute disc is anything covering the end of Henson’s career and his lasting legacy. Everything stops in the 1980s while the Muppets have had their ups and downs ever since. Their ongoing story deserves coverage as well.

DC 75th Anniversary Winners

  • News
  • July 31, 2010

Well, that went by quickly.

Peter David was the first to stump me, your now-humbled expert. Its been so long since I watched Superman the Movie I missed his question: In what city and state did Miss Teschmacher’s mother live (prompting her to get Superman’s promise to save her?)

I guessed Newark but it was Hackensack. Peter will receive the character hat as his reward.

Mason asked, In the DC/Vertigo Sandman series, which supporting character began life in the Dreaming as Dream’s first raven? I answered Matthew Cable, forgetting that in Sandman #68, it was revealed that Lucien the Librarian was actually the first raven. That serves me right for not rereading the series as the gorgeous Absolute Sandman
 volumes were released.

Elie got me with one I should know: The Order of St. Dumas was responsible for a number of scientific
innovations in the last thousand years. However, there was one field of
“science” that they went to a great trouble to disprove and keep the
secret to themselves. Which field of science was this? When he has a chance, he should post the answer, because I even checked online to find this information — which did not make it into my The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. His reward is the free digital download of the just-released Batman: Under the Red Hood.

Thanks for playing, everyone!

DC Comics celebrates its 75th, and you can win prizes– if you can stump our expert

  • News
  • July 30, 2010

DC Comics was born in the fall of 1935 and they are celebrating their diamond anniversary in many ways including a digital iTunes experience with movies such as The Dark Knight or animated features such as Superman: Doomsday available for download complete with extras. You can even experience the previous nine seasons of the WB/CW’s Smallville in HD. See for yourself in this cool clip:

The kind folk over at Warner Home Video have offered us three prizes:

  • DC Character Hat
  • Batman Under The Red Hood Free iTunes Download
  • DC 75-branded toy set

To win one of these, you will have to stump the expert – me.

As writer of DC’s forthcoming new edition of Who’s Who, I will be answering DC Comics-related trivia questions posted in the comments section. The first three to genuinely stump me will be declared the winners. Our definition of trivia is the kind of semi-obscure questions that make you nod in agreement when you see the answer and think: ‘D’oh! I knew that.’ We don’t want obscure, picky questions such as what brand of ketchup was used on page 4, panel 3 of Donut Man #75. That’s not trivia, that’s the sign of having too much time on your hands.

Check out the iTunes offerings and good luck with the challenge.

‘Legend of the Guardians’ One-Sheet Unveiled

  • News
  • July 30, 2010

We started hearing about director Zack Snyder working on adapting Kathryn Lasky’s Guardians of Ga’Hoole as his first foray into animation as his work on The Watchmen was concluding. Legend of the Guardians is finally opening on September 24 and Warner Bros. just released the first one-sheet for the feature.

Here are the other vital stats:
Cast:    Emily Barclay, Abbie Cornish, Ryan Kwanten, Anthony LaPaglia,
Miriam Margolyes, Helen Mirren, Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess,
Hugo Weaving, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham  

Writers: John Orloff and Emil Stern

Producer: Zareh Nalbandian

Executive Producers: Donald De Line, Deborah Snyder, Lionel Wigram, Chris DeFaria, Kathryn Lasky, Bruce Berman

Fantasy Adventure.  Acclaimed filmmaker Zack Snyder makes his animation debut with the fantasy family adventure.  The film follows Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father’s epic stories of the Guardians of Ga’Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who had fought a great battle to save all of owlkind from the evil Pure Ones.  While Soren dreams of someday joining his heroes, his older brother, Kludd, scoffs at the notion, and yearns to hunt, fly and steal his father’s favor from his younger sibling.  But Kludd’s jealousy has terrible consequences—causing both owlets to fall from their treetop home and right into the talons of the Pure Ones.  Now it is up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave young owls.  Together they soar across the sea and through the mist to find the Great Tree, home of the legendary Guardians of Ga’Hoole—Soren’s only hope of defeating the Pure Ones and saving the owl kingdoms.

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Review: ‘James and the Giant Peach’

jamesandgiantpeachsebluray-3419328Movie technology needed to catch up to the imagination of author Roald Dahl. By the time that occurred in the 1980s Dahl was in his final years and barely got to enjoy proper adaptations of his works. His imaginative fiction was incredibly vivid and picturesque while also having a dark undercurrent, an edge that set them apart from other children’s literature.

His widow, Liccy, finally allowed his 1961 novel, [[[James and the Giant Peach]]], to be adapted by the team of producers Denise Di Novi and Tom Burton and director Henry Selick. They had previously proven their mettle as a team with the delightful [[[A Nightmare Before Christmas]]] and were seeking something else to do with their stop-motion wizardry. The results in 1996 were a stripped down adaptation, but one that Liccy and children around the world embraced.

Walt Disney Home Entertainment is finally releasing the movie on Blu-ray this Tuesday. The Special Edition comes complete with both Blu-ray and DVD, but no digital copy, so this is a littler less special than other releases.

The story of young James Henry Trotter is told here with some substantive changes from the novel including his age and whereabouts when his parents are killed by a rhinoceros (in the film, a thunder storm of horrific proportions, in the book, the real animal). He comes to live with his vile and cruel aunts, Sponge and Spiker, who delight in tormenting him. Through it all, James’ optimism never wavers and he’s a model child, keeping his dreams of visiting New York City to himself.

His behavior and nature is rewarded when a Mysterious Stranger approaches him with a bag full of magic. Accidentally spilling some of the glowing objects, a dead tree soon after reveals a growing peach, which becomes mammoth in proportion. As the aunts profit from displaying the object to the curious, James is left to clean up after the tourists. That is, until he finds a tunnel and burrows deep within the fruit and encounters a hardy band of insects and an arachnid. Together, they take the peach on a journey, heading towards the Big Apple.

The rest of the film is a romp as they go from adventure to adventure en route to Manhattan and then finally arrive. Inexplicably, the aunts arrive soon thereafter, only to receive an overdue comeuppance, one far less interesting than their prose fate.

Selick interestingly begins and ends the film with a live action James (Paul Terry) but once he enters the peach, the film shifts into fantasy land with stop-motion figures. As a result, we get nicely detailed and designed ensemble including Mr. Old Green Grasshopper (Simon Callow), Mr. Centipede (Richard Dreyfuss), Mr. Earthworm (David Thewlis), Miss Spider Susan Sarandon), Mrs. Ladybug (Jane Leeves), and Glowworm (Miriam Margolyes, who is also Aunt Sponge).

Things move along briskly although things do stop for some unmemorable and unnecessary songs. Randy Newman’s Oscar-nominated score was all we ever needed and the pacing does stop even though the songs are at least plot or character specific.

Being remastered for Blu-ray, the visuals are sharp and wonderful to watch, with excellent sound.

The only new extra on the Blu-ray disc is an interactive Spike the Aunts game, which takes nice advantage of the technology. The original extras: a short Making Of featurette, a Newman music video, “Good New”, still gallery can be found on the standard DVD.

‘Green Lantern’ Teaser One-Sheets

  • News
  • July 27, 2010

Seemingly minutes after Comic-Con International called it a wrap for 2010, Warner Bros.’ publicity machine cranked it into high gear and released four teaser posters for June 2011’s Green Lantern feature film. Our apologies for the delay in sharing them with you.

Of course, one of the con’s highlights was Ryan Reynolds’s encounter with a young fan, who asked about the oath. Apparently, hearing him solemnly recite the oath caused fainting, oohs, aaahs, and other orgasmic responses.

While some have quibbled over the still-in-the-works costume (personally, we hated the mask we saw on the Entertainment Weekly cover), what was shown to the packed room was well received.

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thejob3dhirzcmyk-2044283

Review: ‘The Job’

thejob3dhirzcmyk-2044283How desperate does a man get before he agrees to do the unthinkable? How low must you fall before you allow yourself to get caught up in something immoral, illegal, and just plain dangerous?

These themes are barely touched on as we encounter Bubba (Patrick Flueger), a jobless, down on his luck guy in a nameless small city in the low budget dark film [[[The Job]]]. Based on a 1998 stage play by Shem Bitterman, who went on to script and direct this adaptation, the story is a slow act of seduction.

While sitting in the coffee shop where his long-time love Joy (Taryn Manning) works as a waitress, he is befriended by a drifting salesman named Perriman (Ron Perlman), who gives him a job lead. That begins the long, torturous descent from just plain lost to lost, confused, and crossing the line between good and evil.

The film, out today on DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment, is far from engaging despite the interesting set-up and situations. None of the characters feel real or are fleshed out in a way that makes you believe they are willing to commit the acts that punctuates the rest of the film. The oddly named Bubba lets himself be talked into killing by Joe Pantoliano, in an understated role. When he decides he can’t go through with it, despite the promise of $200,000, Perriman agrees to help for half and that’s when things stop making sense and spiral out of control.

Bitterman gives oddness in lieu of clarity and twists that make little dramatic sense. Yes, setting things up so that Bubba is forced to do what he couldn’t bring himself to do is interesting but then the payoff goes from barely believable to illogical and badly constructed. Coupled with mediocre acting and lightly sketched characters, the entire movie becomes a 99 minute dreary experience.

The Alternate Ending and perfunctory Making Of featurette round out the DVD. Be warned, just watching this from beginning to end is job enough.

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