Writer and Spectacled Seven Member Bobby Nash not only gets around to conventions, but also he’s pretty much one of the most sought after guests for interviews in the Pulp world these days. Follow the links below to two of his latest displays of questionin’ and answerin’-
Wise Words- http://louisewise.blogspot.com/2010/11/buckle-up-for-bobby-nash-pulp-fiction.html
Ric’s Comics – http://thebookcave.libsyn.com/ric-s-comics-episode-41-bobby-nash
THE LONG MATINEE-Movie Reviews by Derrick Ferguson
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA
1961
20th Century Fox
Directed and Produced by Irwin Allen
Written by Irwin Allen and Charles Bennett
Not too long ago I was in a discussion with some friends who asked me if I had a chance to remake any movie with today’s special effects, which one would I do. My answer with no hesitation was VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.
Don’t ask me why this movie holds such a place in my movie going heart but every single time it’s shown on Turner Classic Movies, I stop what I’m doing and watch it. What’s even stranger is that I really didn’t care for the TV show that was based on the movie and rarely watched it but the movie…I guess it’s because I first watched it when I was a kid and I can still get in touch with that 12 year old who saw the movie for the first time and who sat there totally hypnotized by the story, characters and action.
After we get past the theme song sung by then teenage idol Frankie Avalon (the 60’s version of Clay Aiken) we see our first view of the magnificent futuristic supersub Seaview as it leaps out of the water like a dolphin. Next to Captain Nemo’s Nautilus, The Seaview is probably the most famous fictional submarine you know. It’s sleek as a rocket with a unique transparent nose that is part of the observation deck where you can see the marvels of undersea life. The Seaview is the brainchild of Admiral Harriman Nelson (Walter Pidgeon) a brilliant, eccentric and arrogant (is there really any other kind in the movies?) scientist who is the founder of The Nelson Institute of Oceanographic Research and he’s taken The Seaview on a test run in the Arctic. Among those aboard The Seaview is the sub’s captain, Lee Crane (Robert Sterling) The Admiral’s personal assistant Lt. Cathy Connors (Barbara Eden), Nelson’s longtime friend Commodore Lucius Emery (Peter Lorre) Captain Crane’s right hand man Lt. Danny Romano (Frankie Avalon) as well as Dr. Susan Hiller (Joan Fontaine) who is observing the effects of long term undersea stress on the crew. Nelson’s sub has been considered a folly but the Arctic tests have proven the sub’s capabilities.: It’s not only the fastest sub ever built but it can dive deeper than any other sub. It carries more destructive capabilities than all the explosive power used during World War II and it has enough laboratories on board to qualify as a mobile research facility.
Nelson is deliriously happy with the results of the tests and is relishing in his sub having proven its worth. But then, during some underwater tests, icebergs batter The Seaview and the sub surfaces to find the entire sky is on fire. In a really surrealistic scene, Admiral Nelson and Captain Crane see massive icebergs smoking due to their melting from the intensive heat. Nelson contacts Washington and finds out that the Van Allen Belt of radiation surrounding the earth has been ignited by a rogue comet and the temperature of the Earth is rising. He’s ordered to The United Nations where the world’s leading scientists are meeting to try and find a solution. The Seaview makes it from the Arctic to New York in two days (told you it was a fast sub) and Nelson presents his solution: he thinks that if The Seaview can fire a nuclear missile from The Marianas Trench at just the right angle at just the right time on just the right day, the nuclear explosion will blow the Van Allen Belt out into space and kill the fire. Nelson is violently opposed as the other scientists think the fire will burn itself out once it reaches a certain temperature. The problem with this plan is that if Nelson doesn’t get to fire his missile and if his colleagues are wrong, there will no chance for another try and the temperature will keep rising and burn the Earth to a cinder.
Nelson and his crew have to fight their way out of The United Nations and back to The Seaview where Nelson orders Crane to head for The Marianas Trench. His intention is to get in touch with The President of The United States to get authorization. The radiation thrown off by the Van Allen belt makes this impossible and so Nelson decides to go ahead with his plan. The problem is this: The Seaview has been declared rogue and every submarine in the world has orders to blow it out of the water. So the intrepid crew of The Seaview not only have to make their deadline but they have to do it while dodging enemy submarines trying to stop them, a secret saboteur onboard, a giant squid, a lethal minefield and Nelson’s own arrogant stubbornness which leads his crew to near mutiny.
And what if Nelson is wrong? Will his plan doom the Earth to certain destruction?
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA is plain good old-fashioned non-stop pulp adventure from start to finish. There’s an amazing amount of good characterization provided by the actors, especially Walter Pidgeon, Peter Lorre, Barbara Eden and Joan Fontaine. The actors play it absolutely straight and even though the science in the movie is totally goofy, they sell it. Michael Ansara is also aboard the sub as a man who The Seaview picks up on the Arctic ice and who believes that The Seaview should be stopped in it’s mission as he believes it’s God’s will that if the world should come to an end, Nelson shouldn’t prevent it. They have a really good scene where Pigeon argues with Ansara that if God believes that that world should come to an end then why did God give man the intelligence and capabilities to try and prevent that end? It’s a really tense scene that lifts the movie out of what could have been a cheesy standard sci-fi underwater adventure and gives it a little thought and philosophical substance.
The movie also has great suspense as even Lee Crane begins to doubt Admiral Nelson, who he looks on as a father and he’s torn between his love and respect for the Admiral and his concern for his men. And to make things even worse there are signs that even the iron-willed Admiral Nelson might be cracking under the strain of trying to save the world. And who is sabotaging The Seaview? Is it Dr. Hiller who thinks that Nelson is suffering from stress? Or is it the religious fanatic Alvarez (Michael Ansara)? Or could it just be one of the crew who has begun to doubt Nelson?
The special effects are what you would expect from the 1960’s but they’re awfully effective, especially the attack by the giant squid but the truly terrifying scene where The Seaview has to navigate a mine field gets my vote as the real nail biter. And the last fifteen minutes of the movie where Alvarez holds the control room of The Seaview hostage with a bomb and time is running out to fire the missile is just as good.
So should you see VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA? Hell, yes. Even though it was made back in the 60’s I really don’t think it’s dated as all in terms of story and acting. It’s a terrifically entertaining Saturday Afternoon movie that wants nothing more than for you to sit back and be thrilled by the adventure on the screen. It’s got action, suspense, one of the coolest submarines ever put on film and terrific performances by an old school cast that knows they’re making a B-movie and they’re gonna make a damn good one. See it and I dare you to tell me VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA doesn’t deserve a “King Kong”style big-budget remake.
105 minutes
Yes, we all agree he’s been overexposed. And now, Marvel Comics will
let readers help decide which Deadpool comic book series they should
cancel.
Marvel will cancel either or .
The comics both follow the adventures of a red-suited and violent
mercenary named Wade Wilson (a.k.a Deadpool, a.k.a. Ambush Bug with guns).
Follow this link to vote. Sadly, the online poll will not let us vote on both titles.
Here’s the release and the details. A shame, really, since Brett Matthews and Sergio Cariello have been doing a pretty terrific job with the masked rider.
November 15, 2010, Runnemede, NJ – Dynamite Entertainment and Classic Media, a global media company with a portfolio of the world’s leading family entertainment brands, today announced that Brett Matthew’s critically acclaimed run on The Lone Ranger® series will comes its historic end when issue #25 lands this January. Expertly drawn by Sergio Cariello and with a cover by the amazing John Cassaday, this issue will be a must-read for long-time fans of this “Eisner Nominated” series and America’s favorite hero of the Wild West!
Is it the end of the line for The Lone Ranger when he and Butch Cavendish meet and do battle for the first and final time? Will The Lone Ranger destroy Cavendish and himself, or will he find a way to save both?
“Bringing this unique and personal version of The Lone Ranger to life has been an incredibly satisfying experience for me on a lot of levels,” says writer Brett Matthews. “To collaborate with talents like John Cassaday, Sergio Cariello, Simon Bowland and Marcello Pinto over the last couple years has been a pleasure, and is a testament to both the character and their craft. I’m glad to call them my friends. My thanks to Dynamite Entertainment and especially the fans — old and new — for their support along the way. I’m proud of the story we told and the men John Reid and Tonto became while we rode along with them. Hi-Yo!”
“This is a bitter sweet moment for all of us at Dynamite Entertainment,” says Dynamite President Nick Barrucci. “The Lone Ranger helped define Dynamite as a publisher who could produce commercially successful titles to one who could publish a comic with critical acclaim. We knew that this day would come, and it’s almost upon us. I cannot express enough the appreciation and respect that I have for Brett, John, Sergio, Dean (White), Marcello and Simon. They helped make this great story the best it could be. From the moment I first read Brett’s script, to when the pages started coming in and seeing John’s first covers, success or fail, this series would be a series to be proud of. It surpassed all expectations. All good things come to an end, and the journey to this great ending has been one of the proudest parts of our publishing history. Issue #25 will be the end of this great series. There will be more stories, but the creators who come next will have big boots to fill. Hi-O Silver!”
“Dynamite Entertainment has been a fantastic partner and together we are excited to present the conclusion to this very successful story arc in The Lone Ranger series,” said Karyn Schneider, VP, Licensing, Classic Media. “As America’s favorite hero of the Wild West, The Lone Ranger has captured fans’ hearts and imaginations for generations, and this dramatic conclusion will be sure to inspire readers and new stories for many more years to come.”
The Lone Ranger premiered as a last-ditch effort to save a depression-wracked Detroit radio station. Since the show’s premiere broadcast in 1933, no other fictional Western hero has proved so enduring. More than 2,900 Lone Ranger radio programs were produced, as well as many movie serials, short stories, novels, feature films, phonograph records, newspaper strips and an astounding three million comic books. The Lone Ranger television series, begun in the late 1940’s, consists of over 500 episodes. A new live-action feature film is currently in development with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Walt Disney Pictures.
Well, I wasn’t expecting this to be staring at me last night after Letterman’s show ended:
This is all a precursor to Matt Smith appearing on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson tonight on CBS, check your local listings. Let’s see how long the robot skeleton lasts in a fight.
And remember: real Daleks don’t climb stairs– they level the building.
Moonstone publisher Joe Gentile is excited too. “Moonstone is proud to participate with this innovative program. I’ve found that our readers are very passionate and compassionate!” said Gentile.
“We’re pulling out all the stops on this series. We have great stories, great artists, our first supersized issue is only $2.99 and we’ve developed these cause partnerships to enhance the experience for our readers. Savage Beauty should make a splash not only on the comic shelves, but in the world at large as well.” said Captain Action’s Joe Ahearn.
It has been a very good year for producer Steven Moffat. He took over [[[Doctor Who]]], hired Matt Smith (after rejecting him for Watson) to replace the incredible David Tennant and kept the show high in the ratings. He has proven exceptionally versatile with the recent [[[Jekyll]]] miniseries, wrote the script for [[[The Adventures of Tintin]]] for Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg and now has updated [[[Sherlock Holmes]]]
Arthur Conan Doyle’s indelible detective has survived pastiche, parody, and endless retellings of the classic stories. Moffat and Mark Gatiss took all the trappings and characters bringing them to the 21st Century. Dr. John Watson arrives after a tour in Afghanistan (some things never change) and meets Holmes, moving in with him at 221B Baker Street. Instead of a journal, Watson blogs about their cases and marvels at Holmes’ disinterest in the extraneous, even things like who is the current Prime Minister.
Benedict Cumberbatch is a strong Holmes, with an intense gaze and unshakeable focus making him reminiscent of another famous figure who stands apart from humanity, a certain Spock. He’s fortunate to be matched with Martin Freeman’s even-keeled Watson. They make a very enjoyable duo.
His intellect needs to be constantly engaged or he fears slowly going mad, using Watson as his tether to the world he seeks to protect. Watson craves a normal life, dating Sarah (Zoe Telford), a doctor, and making a respectable living. As a consulting detective, Holmes continues to take on cases, earning him the respect of DI Lestrade (Rupert Graves). The only downside to the updating is that by placing Holmes in 2010, it oddly echoes [[[Fox’s House]]], which is directly inspired by Holmes with both figures driven and detached from mankind.
The three episodes that aired on the BBC over the summer and just completed a run on PBS are now available on a two-disc set from Warner Home Video/BBC Video. The roughly 90 minute stories give all the characters plenty of room to breathe while letting Holmes investigate his mysteries. Behind all three is the invisible hand of Moriarity, who finally reveals himself in time for the finale. The good news is that a second season of three episodes will arrive in fall 2011.
The stories, including “A Study in Pink” written by Moffat, are involving and enjoyable, requiring you to keep up and pay attention. The discs are complemented by the original 60 minute pilot, which was produced in January 2009 and was so well received by the BBC that they ordered 90 minute shows requiring them to rework and reshoot the story. It’s an interesting comparison. There’s also a 32-minute behind-the-scenes look at production of the trio of stories which is interesting. You can watch “A Study in Pink” with commentary by Moffat, Gatiss and Sue Vertue, while Cumberbatch, Freeman and Gatiss can be heard during “[[[The Great Game]]]”.
Hello to everyone on the PJF Mailing list. If you haven’t visited the site in a while, it was updated on November 9th with lots of information about books you might find interesting. It also talked about two big sales that are happening right now.
First, between 2005 and 2009 while Farmerphile: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer was being published, I don’t think we ever put it on sale. Which is why it now being on sale for 50% off, is kind of a big deal. There is a tiny little catch, really it’s just a little one, and it means you can order everything at once. The catch is, you must purchase a copy of The Worlds of Philip José Farmer 1: Protean Dimensions, then any issues of Farmerphile ordered at the same time, are 50% off—only $5 each!
So, let’s start with Worlds. There are three ways to order it:
After choosing one of the above, visit the Farmerphile page and decide which issues you want (one copy per issue please). Notice that many issues have a low stock warning, and issue #12 is already sold out. Then just email me back with your order and address. I will verify availability, calculate the postage, and send you the total.
I mentioned #12 being sold out, but actually we still have two signed copies available. There were 25 numbered copies of each issue signed by Philip José Farmer. These are available for their original price of $40 each (sorry no discounts on these). We still have the following signed issues available: 6, 8, 10, 11, 11, 12, 12, and 14.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention the Estate Sale. Everything on that page is now 25% off. And as always, the volume discounts also apply.
Please take a moment to look at the Farmerphile page, and the estate sale page, before you go and buy the other new books mentioned in the website update.
Happy holidays, and happy shopping, and thank you,
Mike Croteau
The Official Philip José Farmer Home Page
www.pjfarmer.com
TEXAS STANDOFF
By Elmer Kelton
Forge Books
Publisher Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
Date of Release 28 Sept. 2010
ISBN 13 – 978076532792
ISBN – 0765325799
284 pages Western – Adventure
The writing in this book is so lean, it becomes a literary illusion as it packs so much story in those economic words. That is the hallmark of a veteran writer who has truly mastered his craft of storytelling. Whereas I do not read many westerns, it is both a joy and sad event to come to this dance late, as Kelton passed away in 2009 at the age of 83 with over fifty novels to his credit, among them seven winners of the prestigious Spur Award.
TEXAS STANDOFF is one of two books being posthumously published. It is marvelous example of excellence in the genre. The authenticity of the setting, the language of the characters and their laconic, leather tough personalities open a window to a way of life and culture that forever shaped this country’s identity.
Veteran Rangers Andy Pickard and Logan Daggett are sent to a small town in the central Texas country to investigate an increasingly dangerous feud building up between two cattle ranchers, the Teals and McIntoshs. The patriarchs were old foes in the Civil War and remain stubbornly unwilling to put their past prejudices aside, each accusing the other of starting the ruckus with the intent of driving out the competition. The two Rangers soon discover a volatile atmosphere in which the smallest spark could ignite a bloody range war that would decimate both families and kill many innocent bystanders caught in the middle.
No sooner do Pickard and Daggett start nosing around when a series of violent attacks by hooded riders known “regulators” begin targeting both ranches. Both sides vehemently accuse the other of these raids whereas Pickard begins to suspect a third group is actually manipulating events to pit the cattle ranchers against each other. Pickard, the younger of the two lawmen, is the thinker, slow to act but nonetheless lethal with deadly marksmanship when required. Daggett is older and a bulldog of man who believes in swift and permanent justice to all outlaws, no matter the severity of their crimes. His philosophy is hang them all and make room for the decent folks to settle the land. Much of the fun here is seeing how both men, despite their differences, have to learn to work together in completing their assignment and uncovering the truth behind the entire affair.
TEXAS STANDOFF echoes classic westerns such as the Virginian and Lonesome Dove but it also brands itself with a fresh, honest originality by portraying these characters as the true, tough and independent pioneers they were. If you’ve a hankering for an easy paced western that delivers so much more, then saddle up and enjoy the ride. This one has your brand on it.
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