From classic creatures to modern gore, special effects makeup has always been at the dark heart of movie magic. Now, film fans will go skin deep – and beyond – with Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Makeup EFX, coming from Anchor Bay Entertainment on January 27, 2009. In this Starz Original documentary, viewers will meet the masters of the craft and discover its incredible history.

Directed by filmmaker and visual effects artist Kevin VanHook (Death Row), Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Makeup EFX was lauded as “an enjoyable look at the industry as well as a great nostalgia piece” by IconsofFright.com, while Bloody-disgusting.com said the documentary “offers a unique glimpse behind the lens to a magical place where hardcore film fans who grew up on too many monster movies would love to play.”

From the silent era to today’s blockbuster, this fast-paced documentary examines the techniques, reveals the secrets, and emphasizes the impact that special effects makeup has had on filmmaking for more than a century. Before CGI effects became the norm, special effects makeup was often accomplished through invention, ingenuity and, in some cases, sheer luck!

This in-depth documentary features exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in Hollywood filmmaking, including Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street), John Carpenter (the original Halloween, The Fog), Eli Roth (Cabin Fever), George A. Romero (the original Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Till Dawn), Mick Garris (Masters of Horror), Tom Savini (Creepshow), Dick Smith (The Exorcist) and Academy Award winner Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2), as well as clips from such classic horror and fantasy films as Frankenstein, The Exorcist, Planet of the Apes, The Chronicles of Narnia, An American Werewolf in London, The Thing, Grindhouse, Sin City, Transformers, Day of the Dead, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2, Total Recall, Cabin Fever, The Howling and many more.

 “[Starz is] becoming – if they’re not already – the best in the genre business with comprehensive documentaries on the slasher and vampire genres, the history of black cinema and many more, but this one will hold a special place in the hearts of every fan-boy out there,” said RogueCinema.com.

The 58-minute documentary will retail for $19.97.

Mark Hamill reprises his vocal work as The Joker for Eidos and Warner Bros’ video game Batman: Arkham Asylum.  The actor, of course, had a memorable turn as the Clown Prince of Crime on Batman: The Animated Series back in the 1990s. He’ll once more be working opposite Kevin Conroy, who also returns.

HBO’s second season of True Blood will introduce Anna Camp (Equus) as the wife of Fellowship of the Sun president Steve Newlin, played by Michael McMillain. As outlined by Alan Ball, Jason Stackhouse will get caught up with the anti-vampire church for much of the season, which debuts next summer.

Casting notes describe Sarah as “an example of the new ‘hip’ evangelical movement, hates vampires with a passion, deeply believes in her mission, her marriage, her country and her church. very feminine, but down-to-earth, also with a healthy appetite for life’s many pleasures… as she sees it, it’s all part of God’s gift to us. No actual nudity, but implied…”

Merlotte will gain a new waitress to replacer dearly departed Amy. Daphne will be played by Ashley Jones (Bold and the Beautiful). She is described as “sexy and down to earth, a real country girl, not the greatest waitress, but Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) couldn’t care less, once he gets to know her better. Common sense, no-nonsense, funny, definitely not neurotic. Nudity is preferable in this role…6 episode arc beginning with this episode.”

Kristen Chenoweth did take long to find work.  The Pushing Daisies star has landed the lead in David E. Kelley’s new legal drama, Legally Mad, for NNBC.  The series is expected to make the 2009-2010 schedule, when the network announcements are made in May.

GoComics.com as added The Doozies, a new strip from Tom Gammill. Dean Doozie will be the focal point, a “lovable boob” married to Dana and father to Eve. The new strip will update three times a week and is now live.

"What I meant to say was I’m a lovable boob," the Emmy Award-winning TV writer/producer said in a release. "Dean Doozie is a dynamic new character and a welcome addition to any comics page. He’ll be tackling hard-hitting topics like the importance of flossing."

Additionally, Gammill and writing partner Max Pross will produce Learn to Draw videos. "When I was a kid I bought a lot of "How To Draw" books by famous cartoonists who nobody had ever heard of, and weren’t very good artists," Gammill says. "I’m proud to be following in that tradition."

Gammill has written episodes of Seinfeld, The Critic, and The Wonder Years, and has co-produced episodes of The Simpsons and Futurama.
 

Australia loves The Phantom, so when news broke over the weekend that the comic strip legend was returning to the silver screen, the local media began covering it in earnest.

Tim Boyle told the Courier Mail that he would love to direct The Phantom Legacy which he is writing. The writer/director most recently saw his The Plex released internationally. He has worked with far smaller budgets than the $87 million producer Bruce Sherlock estimated the film will require.

Boyle says he’s up to the challenge and envisions Sam Worthington as ideal for the Ghost Who Walks.  Worthington will next be seen in Terminator Salvation next May. Worthington also appeared in Boyle’s Fink so they are familiar with one another.

The writer has moved to Los Angeles for three months to work with Sherlock on locking down pre-production details from distribution to casting. A director choice is expected in January.
 

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Warner Roadshow Studios has several productions being prepped for shooting Down Under in 2009.  Notable among the list was Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern feature.

Other films listed as likely to shoot is the third film in the Chronicles of Narnia cycle, Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Jan de Bont’s Point Break Indo.

The global economy local violence forced Disney to abandon plans to shoot the sequel at Mexico’s Baja Studios in favor of Roadshow’s giant water tank. The film is still budgeting in the $100 million range, far less than Prince Caspian.

As for the Emerald Crusader, the film s visual effects visionary, Aaron Sims, told VFX World, "We’re starting from the ground up on this one, and we’re trying to be as contemporary as possible."

While refusing to name the aliens in the film, the screenwriters indicated they are basing their origin on Emerald Dawn which spotlight trainers Sinestro and Kilowog. Sims did note, "The suits for the aliens are all different," Sims says, "but they’re all green. They’re overwhelmingly green. Defining the uniform green — the proper shade — is part of the process."

On the heels of a movie announced, TMS Entertainment has said their sequel series Bakugan Battle Brawlers: New Vestoria will also be coming in 2009.  The 26-episode anime will begin airing in the spring, according to Animenation.

Bakugan Battle Brawlers was originally a 52-episode series that debuted in Japan in April 2007 and on the Cartoon Network in February.

Spin Master Toys and Nelvana are co-producing the new series as they did the original and it will also have ties to the internationally popular game, which combines elements of collectible card games and traditional games like marbles. It has grown quickly leading to a wide array of licensed merchandise including fumetti-like books from Del Rey. 

As a result, Universal quickly snapped up the film rights earlier this week.
 

The Surrogates, the movie based on the Top Shelf miniseries, starring Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames and Radha Mitchell has been given a September 25, 2009 release date by Disney. 

The movie is based on the miniseries by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele which was released in 2005 and is a “science fiction thriller set in a future society in which robot doppelganger’s can live out the lives of the humans in whose likenesses they were fashioned, so that the humans can experience life safely (though vicariously)” according to ICv2.

The film is being directed by Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3) from a script by Michael Ferris and John Brancato.

A sequel, The Surrogates 2.0: Flesh and Bone, is scheduled for release in 2009.
 

Fans around the world are eagerly counting down the days until Santa Claus comes bearing gifts. They also eagerly anticipate the annual Doctor Who Christmas Special, which debuts on the BBC Christmas Day.  No domestic airdate has been given for this or the four 2009 specials.

Reviews and commentary have started to sprout up on the web and here are some samples:
 
Digital Spy delivers ten spoilers for the Christmas special:

    1. The mysterious Cybershades can jump quite high.
    2. Neither the Doctor nor the Other Doctor recognizes each other. But the latter doesn’t remember much anyway.
    3. There are two words that the Doctor never refuses.
    4. The Other Doctor has a TARDIS – and it’s magnificent.
    5. For a while Rosita becomes the Doctor’s companion (but then you’ll know that already if you’ve read our interview with the lovely Velile Tshabalala).
    6. The script includes the customary line "what about the children?"
    7. At least one previous incarnation of the Doctor makes an appearance.
    8. Miss Hartigan (Dervla Kirwan) is a very special lady.
    9. The Other Doctor’s fobwatch is a very important clue.
    10. "I suppose ** *** ***, **** ***** ** *****."

Apparently, clips will allow fans to see previous Doctors, perhaps all of them.

They also report that the Doctor’s companion, Rosita, is a prostitute who is attacked by Cyberman and is rescued by the other Doctor (David Morrissey) before encountering Tennant’s Doctor.

The TARDIS apparently figures largely in the story and may well be the catalyst for the four 2009 specials.