The Top Ten Hottest Monsters Of 2009

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Hot on the heels of our now famous "Hottest Women of 2009" list, comes our other 'Hot' list, the rankings for the most popular monsters.

Granted pretty girls are great to look at, but can they destroy an entire city?....well, I think a couple of women on our list possibly could, but can they breathe fire?

Okay, I'm going to leave that one alone.

This blog is called Monster Island News after all, so it is only fitting that we push the eye candy aside for just a moment and get down to some real hardcore monster stuff.

Here is the list of the beasts that really scared the crap out of you in 2009.

Okay......not really scared ya, but the monsters that are close to all of our hearts.

10. MechaGodzilla

No new movies for this mechanical terror in 2009, but Monster Island News readers still love him non the less.

Let's see in 2009 the were a pair of shoes made by Puma inspired by the monster, and there was the news that Toho was renting out the MechaGodzilla costumes from "Godzilla X MechaGodzilla" 1993 and 2002 for anyone who had the cash.

Oh, and let us not forget Uncanny Studios little homemade film "Mothra X MechaGodzilla: Revenge of the Black Hole Aliens".

9. The Gryphon



Why is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle in our list?

I dunno.....no really, I don't.

There weren't any movies of TV shows made in 2009 featuring the beast, at least non that I know of. Yet, MIN readers spent a lot of time searching the site for articles about them.

Maybe they know something I don't?

Hey, you want Gryphons....I'll give ya Gryphons.

8. The Mummy

Once again, no new Mummy movies in 2009, though I did post a couple of profiles about the sexy "Mummy's Kiss" films, which starred a MIN favorite Christine Nguyen.

I rather believe that it is the timeless legend of Karloff that keeps this monster on our list than the sexy curves of Nguyen.

The Mummy films produced by Universal during the 30s and 40s are undoubtedly some of the genre's best films.

For that matter, the new films with Brendan Fraser aren't bad either.

7. Mothra

We would be labeled 'sexist' if there wasn't one female monster on our list.

This past August Sony finally released "Mothra" on DVD here in the United States as part of their "Icons of Sci-Fi: Toho Collection" which also included both "The H-Man" and "Battle In Outer Space."

"Mothra" really is a triumph of Japanese sci fi cinema and a 'must see' for any film buff.

Let us also not forget that "Mothra" is just one a few monsters that can whip Godzilla's butt on any given day.

6. Frankenstein


You know, the monster really isn't called "Frankenstein", that's the name of the scientist who created him. The monster is really named.....well...The Monster. People have just gotten used to calling him "Frankenstein". Kinda like calling facial tissue "Kleenex" ......

Sorry.....

More to due with the legend that is Karloff.

Another classic monster from Universal's classic films.

5. Bigfoot

Ah, here we have a monster that is a little more 'timely'. 2009 was undoubtedly the year of the Bigfoot movie, with "Savage", "The Bloody Rage of Bigfoot", "Trailer Park Geocachers Meet Bigfoot", "The Shrieking", and "Boggy Creek" all going to production during the year.

Let's also not forget all the publicity the monster has been getting on shows like, "Destination Truth" and "Monster Quest."

Oh, and those damn beef jerky commercials.

Bigfoot really is starting to become cryptozooligy's version of Britney Spears.

Then there are the hundreds of people who report seeing the monster every year.

What a prima donna!

4. King Kong

Earlier this year it was announced that Spirit Pictures is planning to make a sequel to "Kong" based on Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland's illustrated novel, "Kong: King of Skull Island".

That certainly got the fans back interested in the great ape again.

It also doesn't hurt that the original "King Kong" was the inspiration for so many films that followed it, like "Godzilla", and also inspired a whole generation of film makers like Ray Harryhausen and Peter Jackson.

Kong is King...and forever will be.

3. The Creature (From The Black Lagoon)

A lot of stuff that had to do with the "Creature From The Black Lagoon" happened in 2009.

First off, the monster took a ride on the Trader Joe's float in the Rose Parade in Pasadena on New Year's Day.

Then in July the "Creature from The Black Lagoon—A Raging Rockin’ Show" opened at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Yes, that's a "Creature From The Black Lagoon" musical.......still haven't worked up the guts to see that yet.

Also In July some proposed Creature designs by Vincent Guastini for the upcoming Universal remake were leaked. I have to admit that I approve of what I saw.

Speaking of the remake, earlier this month it was announced that Carl Erik Rinsch had been hired to direct the film. No major films on Rinsch's resume, but Ridley Scott wanted him to direct his new "Alien" film, so the guy must no his stuff.

Yes, a lot of Creature news in 2009!

2. Ogopogo

From this year's list it is obvious that MIN readers are really starting to get into cryptozoology and mythical creatures. Which is pretty cool, I think.

Way back in November of last year I wrote a story about how the crew from the "Monster Quest" television series had thought that they had found a baby Ogopogo while searching the depths of Okanagan Lake.

Well the episode in question aired in 2009, and the truth was revealed to the public.

No, they didn't find a baby Ogopogo....in fact, if memory serves....it was some sort of fish corpse.

Anyway, the legend of a monster in Okanagan is still just that, a legend.

1. Godzilla

Who in their right mind would want to tussle with 50 meters of rampaging, fire breathing, terror?

From the above photo.....three Japanese elementary school kids.

I'm certain that good old Godzilla was just playing with them before he ate them.

Then again, the Godzilla in the photo looks like the 'watered down' version from "Godzilla's Revenge", which probably means that he is looking the tykes over for a tail to step on so they can breathe fire like he does.

Unless you have been trapped on a deserted island or in a coma or something, then you know that Legendary Pictures is planning to make an American movie starring every ones favorite monster.

And I'm talking a bout the real Godzilla....not that GINO thing.

As far as an update is concerned, well, the thing is still in the very early stages, but my sources are really hinting that things are going in a 'positive' direction.

Read into that as you may, but I've been sworn to secrecy, so I can't say anything else.

Everybody loves Godzilla...even if they won't admit it to your face.

The greatest movie monster ever, loved all over the globe. Where else could he be ranked but number one!

Here is last year's list:

10. King Ghidorah 9. Mothra 8. MechaGodzilla 7. The Mummy 6. King Kong 5. Creature From The Black Lagoon 4. Frankenstein 3. Monster 2. Godzilla 1. Cloverfield

The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2009

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Last year I posted a very popular article about who, you, the Monster Island News reader, thought were the 'hottest women of the year' based on your in site searches.

Well, here we are again at the end of yet another year and I bet ya thought I was going to forget to make a list of the ladies that set your hearts on fire during the past 365 days?

NO WAY!

Though I did wait this year to the very last minute to compile the list as a tease, you know that I would ever forget to feed all you horny fanboys out there.

Oh, before I forget, I did make a few adjustments to my criteria this year. Essentially to make my job a whole lot easier, and to give all the young ladies a fair shake, I made all the women from last years list non-eligible for this years list. In doing so, I may have disappointed a few of you, but I promise that these 'fresh' faces will more than satisfy.

Enough of my banter, let's get right to it, shall we.

10. Rachel Grubb

I don't think that any of the young women that made this years list has had a busier 2009 than the fair Rachel Grubb.

Honestly to list all of her 2009 activities here would take up way too much time and space. I think that it would be quicker to list the things that Rachel didn't do over the past year......um.....well...I can say that she didn't go to the moon.

At least I don't think she did.

Rachel did, however, star in such films as "Strip Club Slasher" and "Terror Overload", plus, she was featured in several marvelous photo shoots.

Look out for more Rachel Grubb in 2010!

9. Elske McCain



Like the for mentioned Rachel Grubb, Elske McCain has had a very busy, and sometimes troubling, 2009.

The very curvy Miss McCain did much more than just make men go bonkers during the past year, staring in such films as "Strip Club Slasher", "Bad Girls" and "Killer Biker Chicks."

Though the very promising Scream Queen had plenty of success in 2009, she also had a fair amount of disappointments, including being dropped at the last minute from the film "Breath of Hate."

It can be a forgone conclusion that with curves that don't quit, we will see much more of Elske in 2010!

8. Suzi Lorraine



Suzi is long-time Monster Island News favorite and a good friend to yours truly, though I gave her no special treatment when it came to this list.

Suzi has always been known as a hard worker, and 2009 was the busiest of her career.

Suzi focused a good portion of her creative talents, and time, this year on writing and staring in the film "Won Ton Baby", which can only be described as horror/screwball comedy that pays homage to cult-classics like "Basket Case".

Hey if you like Elvis, strange birth defects and the lovely Suzi Lorraine, than this will be the film for you.

Suzi's 'pet' project, however, was just one of many things that kept her jumping this past year. She co-hosted the Gorezone Film Festival in London, did a "Knock Out Abs" infomercial, two restaurant commercials, appeared on "As the World Turns" several times, wrote a monthly magazine column, and worked on two feature films.

Wew!

Let us also not forget another of Suzi's latest films, "Destined to be Ingested", which wins the award for the best title for a cannibal movie ever.

Suzi really is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside!

7. Chase Masterson

Chase Masterson is truly a lovely and multi-talented treasure.

Highlights from Chases 2009 don't include any new films or television roles, but she did perform a stellar concert (yes, she sings...and sings well) at the Universal City Walk and pose for some very sexy, and patriotic, photos for charity.

Hey, when you have one of sci fi's sexiest women posing nude, wrapped in an American flag, your going to get some attention.

I should also note that one of Chase's films, "Yesterday Was A Lie" (2008), is finally getting a release, so look for that one soon.

Chase also has three projects pending, "R.U.R", "Station 21 (3D)" and "The Camel Bookmobile", so odds are she may be about to experience a real career upswing.

6. Scarlet Salem



Okay, here is a quick quiz. What do our number 10, number 9 and number 6 lovelies have in common?

The answer: All three were in the 2009 film, "Strip Club Slasher."

Now, I don't want to take anything away from actress/model Scarlet Salem, but when you combine a beautiful blond with the words "strip club"....well you figure it out.

All joking aside, Scarlet Salem really struck a chord with horror movie fans in 2009, though I really think that her best work came in the form of being the subject in front of photographer H Morgen's camera.

Honestly the duo of Morgen and Salem combined to produce some truly magical gothic images in 2009.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of this type of photography in 2010, as I am sure you are as well.

Did I mention that Scarlet was also an actress.....?

5. Laura Vandervoort



Remakes of classic movies and television shows were big time news in 2009, and when the busty blond, Laura Vandervoort, landed a role as Lisa on ABC's remake of "V", well a high position on this list was a lock.

Already a fanboy favorite from playing Supergirl/Kara Kent on "Smallville", Vandervoort sure didn't hurt her popularity any by moving on to the alien invasion drama.

Here's a bit from Vandervoort's studio bio:

In 2006 Vandervoort shot her first feature film, "The Lookout," opposite Jeff Daniels, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mathew Goode and Isla Fisher. She got her big break at age 19 when she landed the lead role of Sadie Harrison on the CTV TV series "Instant Star," which ran for four seasons and was extremely popular in Canada.

Vandervoort began acting at the age of 13, she had always been an entertainer, putting on shows for family and friends. But what triggered her interest in the arts was the film "My Girl," which she received from her aunt at a very young age, and after watching it realized that acting was what was inside her.

Some of her other credits include "CSI," "The Dresden Files," "Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire," "Alley Cats Strike," "Mutant X," "Prom Queen" and "Twice in a Lifetime."

A tomboy for years, Vandervoort loves most sports, especially soccer, karate, basketball, tennis, gymnastics and baseball. Entering karate at age seven, she found herself with a second degree Black Belt at by 16. She currently divides her time between Los Angeles and her native Canada.

From the response that the curvy actress has received here, I wouldn't be surprised if she moves higher up on next years list.

4. Eve Myles



I have to admit that I have a 'thing' for actress Eve Myles. I don't know if it is the gap between her front teeth, her raven-black hair, or how she says, "Reese I Capture Aliens" with a British accent, but she really melts my butter.

Ahem.....

In 2009 the BBC mini-series "Torchwood: Children of Earth" was epic television that dazzled viewers on both sides of the Atlantic. The series really backed up my claim that "Torchwood" is the best sci fi on TV...period.

Eve Myles is a big part of what makes "Torchwood" stand out amongst the competition. The actress really is a scene stealer and is quite easy on the eyes as well.

If you aren't a fan of the show or the stunning Myles, then you really need to get with the program.

3. Rachel Nichols



Most actresses never get a chance to star in two summer blockbusters in one year, but Rachel Nichols manged to do just that in 2009. Indeed the lovely blond was cast as Gaila, in what is arguably the best movie of the year, "Star Trek", and as Shana 'Scarlett' O'Hara in "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra."

Not a bad 2009 for Nichols by any ones standards.

A small-town New England native, Nichols first caught the attention of a modeling scout while attending Columbia University, from which she graduated with a double major in math and economics. After campaigns with such brands as Guess, L'Oreal, Abercrombie & Fitch and Nicole Miller, she broke into the world of acting when her agent sent her out on her first-ever audition--for a "Sex and the City" episode called "The Vogue Idea," in which she guest-starred as the restaurant hostess who becomes a birthday present from Samantha to her boyfriend, Richard. She followed that with a role in "Autumn in New York," with Richard Gere. In 2003, she starred in "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd," the prequel to "Dumb and Dumber." Nichols has also guest-starred on the ABC series "In the Line of Fire."

Here's more math for ya. Hot actress + "Star Trek" = Number 3 on MIN's 2009 list.


2. Elisabeth Shue



Many of you may be surprised by both the number 2 and number 1 hotties on this years list, but there are legitimate reasons for these ladies to covet such high rankings.

Elisabeth Shue has always been a woman with a notorious figure, and throughout the years she hasn't been shy about showing it off.

So, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that when it was announced that the buxom Shue was going to be cast in a movie about wild partying and man eating fish, that more than one eyebrow was raised.

The film that I am talking about is the remake of the 1978 cult film "Piranha", but before you get any visions in your mind about Shue taking her top off and partying it up, let me drop on bummer bomb on you, she plays the town sheriff.

Regardless of that fact, MIN readers have been more than just a little interested in seeing as much of Elisabeth Shue as they can.

1. Allison Scagliotti


Possibly a big surprise here at number 1?

Just like last year's top cutie, Haruka Ayase, this years favorite, Allison Scagliotti, is more of a down to Earth, girl-next-door type.

I guess that this just goes to prove that what guys are 'really' looking for is a girl they can take home to mom.

Am I right guys?.....guys?.....guess I lost a few there.


Anyway, "Warehouse 13" is huge hit for the SyFy Channel and the fact that Scagliotti is on the show, certainly helped the actress capture our number one.

On "Warehouse 13" Scagliotti plays Claudia Donovan, a young, hip, brilliant techno-wiz, who manages to successfully breach the Warehouse's complex security system in order to track down Artie (Rubinek). With a natural aptitude for science and technology, Donovan's talents enable her to manipulate and activate many of the objects contained in the Warehouse to help the Team.

The young actress is also known for her role on Nickelodeon's "Drake & Josh" as Josh's smart and sassy girlfriend, Mindy. She has had numerous memorable guest spots on ER, CSI, and One Tree Hill and can be next be seen this summer in National Lampoon's Endless Bummer and My Name is Jerry, starring Doug Jones.

In other words, Allison plays "Warehouse 13's" version of Velma from "Scooby Doo."

Hey, you may tell your friends you want Daphne, but secretly you have the hots for Velma. It's kinda like the whole Ginger and Marry Ann thing.

Right guys?

Guys?

Hey, the numbers don't lie.


Here is a quick look back at last year's list:

10. Natalie Martinez 9. Eriko Sato 8. Amanda Tapping 7. Emilie Ullerup 6. Harumi Nemoto 5. Olivia Munn 4. Yumiko Shaku 3. Anita Briem 2. Christine Nguyen 1. Haruka Ayase



See Also: Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2008

Russia Is Planning To Build A Spaceship To Prevent Asteroid 'Apophis' From Hitting Earth

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Associated Press

I was fully prepared to sit down today and write one of my typical articles about monster movies and alternate cinema. That was until I opened up my Yahoo home page and read the headline "Russia may send spacecraft to knock away asteroid". It was at that point that my attention was diverted from my intended subject.

This one is just too good to pass up.

Anatoly Perminov, the head of the Russian space program, told reporters today that his agency is in the early stages of designing a spaceship to be used to alter the course of the 270-meter (885-foot) asteroid "Apophis" to prevent it from hitting the Earth in 2029.

Now, the scenario of an asteroid hitting the Earth has been used in several movies and TV shows over the past few decades including "Deep Impact", "Armageddon", "Meteor" (Okay that one is a bout a meteorite.....same difference), and even in an episode of "The Simpsons."

It seems that sci fi has become science fact.....well as far as the Russians are concerned anyway.

Back when "Apophis" was first discovered back in 2004, scientists had calculated that the chances of the big space rock hitting Earth was 1-in-37. That's a little too close for comfort.

However, those same scientists now believe that the odds of such an impact are now nil, though there are slight chances of a collision in future 'flybys' of "Apophis". Those being 1-in-250,000 in 2036 and 1-in-330,000 in 2068.

The Russians, however, didn't get the memo.

Perminov stated that he had heard from a scientist in Russia who believed that the asteroid was getting closer and would likely hit the Earth, "I don't remember exactly, but it seems to me it could hit the Earth by 2032."

Wait....I have to stop this here. Yes, you read that last part right. The head of the Russian Space Agency thinks that he remembers a scientist saying something about an asteroid hitting the Earth, so he going forward with a project that will likely cost billions to build a spacecraft to divert it.

Okay, as long as we are clear....let's continue.

"People's lives are at stake. We should pay several hundred million dollars and build a system that would allow us to prevent a collision, rather than sit and wait for it to happen and kill hundreds of thousands of people," Perminov added.

Don Yeomans, who heads NASA's Near-Earth Object Program believes that "Apophis" poses no threat to us Earthlings, but likes the Russians enthusiasm, "While Apophis is almost certainly not a problem, I am encouraged that the Russian science community is willing to study the various deflection options that would be available in the event of a future Earth threatening encounter by an asteroid."

Perminov also admitted that there wasn't a specific plan on how to divert an asteroid on the table or what kind of spacecraft would be used, "Calculations show that it's possible to create a special purpose spacecraft within the time we have, which would help avoid the collision, the threat of collision can be averted."

If you may remember, the Russians announced back in 2007 that were planning to build a base on the moon in 2027 and then were planning on a manned mission to Mars in 2035.

You have to really give them credit, there facts may be kinda mixed up, but at least they are trying.

I really haven't heard much from NASA lately.......I think that they are still around......it's hard to tell.....which is really a shame, because there are still some of us that believe that space exploration still has value.

And I don't mean just looking through telescopes and sending out probes.

Am I the only one who thinks that we should have already landed a man on Mars by now?

Of course, it all won't make a difference if we are clocked out by an asteroid in 2029.

See Also: 40 Years Since Apollo 8 / Does Mars Have Wood? / Nasa Photo Shows Human-like Figure On Mars

Mallika Sherawat And News Guaranteed To Make You Hisss

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Avery Guerra / Buzzine

Earlier this year I spent a lot of time talking about the upcoming Bollywood monster/horror film, "Hisss", which is beeing directed by Jennifer Lynch and stars the very exotic Mallika Sherawat. Well, to be honest, it's a Hollywood made film for distribution in India....anyway, after posting a few articles, the last one being in May, news on the production just fell silent.

That's not to mean that production on the film stopped, so don't worry. No, just that the media just kinda moved on to other stuff. Present company included.

Well thanks to our resident 'blood-hound', Avery Guerra, "Hisss" has once again slithered out of the shadows.

Filming has been proceeding on schedule in several locations throughout India, including Chennai, Mumbai and a Kerala jungle with a mostly Indian cast, including the renowned Irfan Khan, under the direction of Lynch and an American crew, backed by Hollywood greenbacks.

What does Lynch think of her film? Well, either the director knows that she has achieved greatness, or the heat has gotten to her?

Recently Lynch told a reporter for Buzzine, “I definitely want people to see this film and say it is the greatest horror movie made in the history of cinema, better than Hitchcock, better than 'The Exorcist'”.

Better than Hitchcock? Better than "The Exorcist"?

It is obvious that Lynch wants to hype her film, but statements like that are more than a little ballsy.

And let us not forget that Lynch once won the infamous "Raspberry Award" for her 1993 movie "Boxing Helena".

Anyway, back to the subject at hand.

A lot has been made about the casting of Mallika Sherawat as the film's monster, the half-human-half-snake known in Indian folklore as the Nagin, and the many grueling hours in the restrictive costume and make-up the actress has had to endure.

The actress recently opened up on the subject saying, “It was pure torture (playing the snake), I was in a snake suit for 14 hours and I couldn’t pee! It was raining and it was cold and we had leeches all over. (The director) was like, ‘Mallika, come on, you’ve got to do this.’ I am in this snake suit and I haven’t gone to the loo for 14 hours, but we still had to do (filming). Jennifer [Chambers Lynch] would say to me, ‘Come on, it’s great, come on, woo! woo!’ But she gave me that strength to carry on, despite a lot of complaining (and) crying.”

And things on the set didn't get much better for the actress, she had to get rather intimate with real-life snakes, “We had real snakes on set. It was weird and creepy, I definitely do not want to go the jungle again. I don’t want to wear a snake suit. I don’t want to make love to a snake. No mud, no cold, no leeches! That’s all I know right now!

“As it is, my parents have disowned me!” Sherawat jokingly added. “Now, when they see me making love to a snake…?! Oh my God! And it was a rubbery, slimy, slithering snake. And Jennifer would tell me, ‘Lick it harder!’ Yuck!”

A sexy actress licking snakes? A director who believes her movie is better than the works of Hitchcock?

Wew, that's a lot to swallow.

I have to admit that "Hisss" sure has my attention now.

As a side note, I want to mention that our very own Avery Guerra has an eye for the sexy Sherawat, noting that she should be on the top of the list of sexiest women of 2009.

From these photos, who could argue?

See Also: Hisss Official Trailer and New Photo / Two Brand New Posters For Jennifer Lynch's Hisss / Mallika Sherawat Adds Sexy To Slither In Hisss / Lynch Thinks The Sexy Mallika Sherawat Looks Good In Scales

G-FEST Lands Akira Takarada!

One of the greatest actors to perform in Japanese science-fiction movies for over 50 years is coming to America!

G-FEST is pleased to announce that the special guest for G-FEST XVII this coming July in Chicago is none other than Akira Takarada.

Takarada has appeared in many Japanese science-fiction movies beginning with Godzilla in 1954 and most recently in Godzilla Final Wars in 2004.

From Wikipedia:

Takarada was born in Harbin, China. His father worked as an engineer on the South Manchuria Railway. After the war, he remained in Harbin, China, the city of his birth. He is able to speak Mandarin Chinese and English.

He is still an active actor at age 75 and is set to perform in a play this summer. He managed to squeeze in his G-FEST appearance just before he is to begin rehearsals.

For more details on G-FEST, go to G-FAN.com.

Bigfoot Caught On Trap Camera In Minnesota......Maybe?

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Star Tribune / Minneapolis

If you are a big fan of shows like "Monster Quest" and "Destination Truth" then you have probably seen a motion sensor trap camera before. It's a camera that can be strapped to a tree, that takes a photograph if anything movies in front of it.

Over the past few years, monster hunters, and nature lovers, have been setting things up all over the place hoping that something like a Sasquatch, Chupacabra or some other form of rare fauna will wonder in front of one and get it's picture taken.

Well, it looks like a man in Minnesota has managed to do what Josh Gates, so far, has been unable to do. Have Bigfoot walk in front of the camera.

On the rainy night of October 24th, at 7:20 pm (the camera puts a time a date stamp on all photos) a seven-foot-tall upright walking creature, or possibly someone in a costume, was caught on film by a camera set up by 55-year-old Tim Kedrowski near Leech Lake (Minn).

"We were sure it wasn't a bear and wasn't someone pulling a scam on us," Kedrowski said. "We thought it might be a bow hunter out looking for a wounded deer, that's the only reason anyone would be out there in the dark that time of night."


Indeed the object in the photograph looks a lot like Bigfoot, but one can't rule out a hunter in some sort of dark one piece rain gear.

Though if it is a hunter, it would have to be a stupid one. Generally they wear some sort of reflective gear at night so they aren't mistaken for animals.

Kedrowski, unsure of just what he captured with his camera, submitted the photo to Don Sherman and Bob Olson, of the Northern Minnesota Bigfoot Research Team.

Their conclusion? According to Sherman the figure seems to resemble another alleged Bigfoot photo taken in California a few years back, stating that, "the features were identical."

Since Kedrowski didn't find any tracks in the mud, we only have the photograph to go by.

Now, in my opinion, and I have seen one of these animals with my own eyes, the stride looks a little too human. Nothing like what I saw bound into the Arizona forest.

Then again, its hard to gauge any of that from one frame of still photography.

If Kedrowski's estimate of a seven foot height is correct, and he does know the area, so he should be able to make a good measurement, then this could be the real deal...............maybe.

See Also: Was Bigfoot Caught On Tape In Pennsylvania? / James Baack Overcomes All Hurdles To Complete 'The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot' / Tom Biscardi Brings A Film Crew To West Virginia To Find Bigfoot / Another Reason To Not Wander Around In The Woods At Night - Wes Sullivan's 'Nightbeasts' / Hunting For Monsters And Other Unexplained Mysteries In My Own Backyard / 'Savage' To Premiere At Horrorfind Weekend In Maryland / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot - Two Hot Girls On A Motorcycle / Baack's Hardcore Bigfoot Babes....With Guns! / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot - Censored For Your Protection / New Photos And Trailer For Trailer Park Geocachers Meet Bigfoot / Satantha And Loosey-Fur The Two Wicked Witches From The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot / Turning A Unique Hobby And A love For Caddyshack Into A Bigfoot Movie Series / Satantha Cuts Through The News - The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot (3D) - Beauty And The Beast....Well, More Like Beauty Is The Beast.. / Brian Regal Wants To Prove That The Werewolf Myth Mutated Into The Bigfoot Phenomenon / Oklahoma Bigfoot Researchers Come Home With Prints And Personal Encounters / Researcher Hopes Flooding Will Flush Out The Yowie / Russian Yetis Cutting Into Siberian Food Supply / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot - New Trailer And Filming News / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot - Bigfoot Revealed! / Bigfoot Southern Fried - The Monster Of Gum Hill Caught On Tape! /A Close Encounter With Bigfoot - Highway 180 - Arizona

Godzilla In L.A.

by Armand Vaquer



Godzilla is stomping into L.A.!

Los Angeles has the Godzilla star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Godzilla, King of the Monsters! plaque at the Frank del Olmo Elementary School. Now, Los Angeles has the living, breathing Godzilla of baseball.

Sports Network reported:

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have come to terms with outfielder/designated hitter Hideki Matsui on a one-year contract.

Although financial terms were not released, the New York Times reported earlier in the week that the deal was believed to be worth $6.5 million.

Above, here I am in Toho International's conference room with Matsui's Yankee baseball jerseys in the background. Toho will now be able to add his Angels jerseys to their collection.

It is starting to look like Los Angeles is the most Godzilla-laden city outside of Tokyo, Japan.

Showa Gamera Movies To Be Released By Shout Factory

Showa Gamera Movies To Be Released By Shout Factory

by Armand Vaquer

There's good news for kaiju fans!

Shout Factory is on the lookout for a 35mm scope print of the U.S. version of Daiei's 1965 feature Daikaiju Gamera, released here as Gammera The Invincible.

Shout Factory has licensed this film along with the 7 other early Showa Gamera films from Kadokawa Pictures, who now owns the Gamera character. Unfortunately, Kadokawa does not own a copy of the U.S. version.

Shout Factory plans to release these movies in HD transfer along with new subtitles and many extras.

The last Gamera movie was Gamera The Brave, released in 2006 by Kadokawa Pictures.

"Ataque de Pánico!" (Panic Attack!) Gets A Big Budget Hollywood Makeover Thanks To Sam Raimi

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Yahoo News

Do you remember about a month ago when I posted the cool video from Uruguay called, "Ataque de Pánico!"?

You know, the one about the little boy and the army of giant robots that blow a town to bits.

I thought you would.

Well, come to find out that it wasn't just us folks here at Monster Island News who were oooing and awing over the short film, a bunch of robot loving geeks in Hollywood, with big wallets, were getting all worked up too.

Almost as soon as special effects man, and film maker, Fede Alvarez posted the clip to Youtube, he, and collaborator, Aparato Post, found themselves being overwhelmed with big-time offers from Hollywood studios wanting to turn their little project into the next "District 9".

To make a long story short, it was Sam Raimi who won out by plunking down $30 million to secure the rights for his Ghost House Pictures.

That's quite a financial turnaround for Alvarez and Post who took a whopping $300 out of their own pockets to produce the the five minute "Ataque de Pánico!".

According to sources, Raimi still wants to keep a South American feel for the film, planning to film it in both Argentina and Uruguay.

If Alvarez and Post could produce those kinda effects with just $300, just imagine what they could do with millions of dollars?

Look for this one to be spectacular.....that is, if they can come up with a good back-story to along with the robots blowing the sh*t out of Uruguay.

Here's the clip that started it all:



See Also: "Ataque de Pánico!" (Panic Attack) A New Killer Giant Robot Clip From Uruguay

It's Namie Amuro vs Gundam In The Music Video For 'Defend Love'

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Japan Today

This years 30th anniversary of the animated series "Gundam" is quite a 'big deal' in Japan. and from all the happenings in the 'land of the rising sun' it is easy to see how the show has impacted that countries pop culture.

When "Gundam" first aired, way back in 1979, there was one little girl who was mesmerised by what she saw. That little girl is all grown up now, and has fans of her own. I am, of course, talking about 32-year-old, Japanese pop star, Namie Amuro, who has chosen a special way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show she loved so much as a child.

For the first music video from Amuro's latest album, entitled 'Past Future', the vocalist took a look back at the original "Gundam" series. In the video, for the song 'Defend Love', pop star Namie Amuro goes toe-to-toe with the classic hero Amuro Ray.

Yes, it's Amuro vs Amuro music video style.

This past summer, Sunrise, who produces the "Gundam" series, agreed on the collaboration which features both characters and mecha from the shows early days, along with an animated Namie Amuro, who now has the distinction of being the only living person to enter the "Gundam" universe.

"Past Future" went on sale this past Wednesday in Japan.

Here is the video:

[MV] Namie Amuro - Defend Love
Uploaded by Rinoa_Selphie. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

See Also: Yoshiyuki Tomino Celebrates 30 Years Of Gundam With 'Ring Of Gundam' / Gundam 00 GN-X 1:144 Scale Model Kit / Gundam SDCC 2008 Exclusive Clear Gundam RX-78 2 Figure / Life Size Gundam Statue Set To Be Erected In Tokyo Park / Japanese Teen Model Akina Minami Appears In A Gundam Costume At Premiere / Could The Japanese Anime Series Gundam Shape Our Future? / Nothing Perks Up A Train Station Like A 3 Meter Tall Gundam Statue / Masamitsu Hidaka To Appear At Anime Expo / Bandai To Replace Defective Gundam DVDs / Gackt To Release A Mobile Suit Gundam Tribute CD

Dan O'Bannon, R.I.P.

by Armand Vaquer

We've lost one of the sci-fi giants of our generation.

Screenwriter, director, special effects supervisor and actor Dan O'Bannon has died at age 63. He had been in ill health recently and had been in a hospital.

According to Examiner.com:

O'Bannon was responsible for some of the favorite sci-fi/horror myths of our generation. He wrote the screenplay for a little film called Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, (you may have heard of it), and worked on all the sequels. He was also responsible for The Return of the Living Dead, the amazing George Romero zombie satire, and he worked on the Total Recall script and created the B-17 sequence in Heavy Metal. Not only that, but he provided the screenplay and served as Special Effects Supervisor on the John Carpenter flick, Dark Star, and he worked on a film called Star Wars.

Dark Star is one flick that I still find hilarious, especially the "beach ball" alien.

He had been working on an Alien prequel prior to his illness.

His talents will be missed.

The Day Of The Triffids (2009) - Dougray Scott Interview - New Trailer & Clips

Sources: BBC / Power Corp


Dougray Scott, Joely Richardson, Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Eddie Izzard and Jason Priestley star in The Day Of The Triffids, on BBC One this Christmas, written by Patrick Harbinson (ER, Law & Order).

This epic, fast-paced, futuristic, two-part drama is a co-production between Power and Canadian producer Prodigy Pictures for BBC One, and is based on John Wyndham's best-selling post-apocalyptic novel, The Day Of The Triffids, published in 1951.

Scientist Bill Masen (DOUGRAY SCOTT), has dedicated his life’s work to the study of the complex plant species called Triffids, Genetically modified, they are mass-produced for their ‘Triffoil’, a vital source of renewable fuel. Bill has noticed an unnerving change in their behavioural patterns. The Triffids are starting to communicate.

Meanwhile, crowds gather across the globe to witness a much-anticipated solar storm. But the spectacle blinds all those who watch it and the world goes into free fall. In London, fear and panic rage as the blind desperately depend for survival on the few remaining sighted.

An even greater nightmare awaits. The Triffids are hungry and moving toward the cities for the most abundant source of their prey - mankind.

Having narrowly escaped blindness, Bill forms an instant attraction with a fellow sighted survivor – the outspoken journalist, Jo Playton (JOELY RICHARDSON). They meet Torrence (EDDIE IZZARD), a flagrantly amoral opportunist, who delights in his new appointment: presiding over the weak and the blind - laying down the foundations for his autocratic government. The Triffid invasion is the perfect crisis for Torrence to work to his own spurious agenda.

Despite his feelings for Jo, Bill knows he must leave London. Their one chance of survival lies in reaching the only man who knows more about the Triffids than he does - his estranged father, Dennis (BRIAN COX). On his perilous mission, Bill breaks free of Torrence and his henchmen, is offered as a sacrifice to the Triffids by the maniacal, messianic community leader Durrant (VANESSA REDGRAVE) and rescues two sisters, Imogen and Susan. These children have lost everything and seek his protection in the final leg of an extraordinary journey.

Jo finally finds her way to Bill and the children but their happy reunion is short lived. The desperate efforts of Bill and Dennis to stop the Triffids’ pollination are interrupted by Torrence and his army who surround their house. Caught in the crossfire between the bullets of Torrence’s subordinates and a fast approaching horde of Triffids, Bill’s hopes of saving his newfound family seem doomed to fail. With insurmountable odds against them - how will they make it out alive?

Characters:

Dr Bill Masen

An introspective scientist, Bill is our thoughtful Triffid expert, more at home with his Triffid research than social interaction. Bill grew up with the Triffids: his parents made the incredible discovery that they could provide oil. But it came at a cost: his mother was killed by a Triffid, leaving Bill all too aware how dangerous the plants really are.

Jo Playton

A radio journalist, Jo is a bright, sociable and irreverent woman who escapes the mass blinding because she is reporting on the event from the underground. Terrified by the chaos, Jo clings to Bill after their chance meeting. Jo becomes embroiled in Bill's desperate fight to prevent the plants reproducing, falling in love with him in the process.

Torrence

A sinister and obsessive man who retains his sight after the solar flare and sees this as an opportunity to step into the power vacuum that has resulted in Downing Street. A stickler for rules and authority, when Bill and Jo are held captive by his new "army", Torrence becomes obsessed with Jo and plans to use her celebrity to draw more people to the cities who can fight for his cause. Determined to rule over the remaining sighted population, and keep the blind away from the centre of London, Torrence cannot foresee the approach of the Triffids towards the capital and soon comes to realise that he will need Bill's help to fight them off once and for all.

Coker

A former military man with liberal principles who strongly believes that the remaining sighted in the UK have a duty to support and care for those who have been blinded.

Dennis Masen

The estranged father of Bill, Dennis is the scientist who discovered the Triffids in Africa and exploited their commercial use. Bill seeks Dennis's help in stopping the plants from overrunning the country.

An Interview With Actor Dougray Scott:

Dougray Scott plays Dr Bill Masen, a brave, troubled scientist who must save the world from the menance of the Triffids. Bill is tested to the limit – and beyond – as the whole of humankind is poised on the brink of destruction.

The drama also concerns Bill's quest for self-discovery; as Bill struggles with the Tirffids, he must also defeat his personal demons. He is gradually reconciled to his father (played by Brian Cox) from whom he was estranged for many years following the premature death of his mother.

For Dougray, one of the leading British actors of his generation, the offer to play Bill proved irresistible.

"The Day of the Triffids is quite simply a classic," says the actor, who has starred in such memorable movies as Enigma, Mission: Impossible II, and Ripley's Game.

"I remember reading the novel when I was young and being absolutely gripped by it. I also recall watching the series as a child and being scared witless by it! It's a gem."

The 44-year-old actor, who like Brian hails from the East Coast of Scotland, outlines the character of Bill.

"For many years, he's been a recluse. He's been defined by the death of his mother and his estrangement from his father. His father went off and did his own thing and left Bill feeling marginalised and frustrated. So Bill's need to understand the Triffids is as much his need to understand himself. He is desperate to find out what happened to him as a child. He wants explanations."

Bill's search to discover more brings him close to his father for the first time in years. Dougray, who has captured a whole new following since playing Ian, Susan's (Teri Hatcher) love interest in the hit American series, Desperate Housewives, explains. "After the death of his mother, Bill was in essence abandoned by his father. He was confused and hurt by that – 'why did you treat me like that?'

"His father says that he did it for Bill's benefit. Through his obsession with the Triffids, his father saw an opportunity to make money and give his son financial security, but unfortunately that drive took over his life. When they meet again, they grow closer through a shared desire to understand how to conquer the Triffids. Their mutual passion could rekindle the bond they should have had in the past. It might be a chance for them to resurrect a father-son relationship."

At the same time, Bill finds himself drawn to Jo (Joely Richardson), another resolute character determined to overcome the Triffids.

"Their relationship blossoms in the face of adversity," muses Dougray.

"Bill is not used to dealing with relationships with people – for most of his life, he's only had relationships with plants. So he finds himself in a strange position with Jo. He has a basic need for a relationship and is ready to explore that, but at the same time he's very tentative about it. It's a love story about two shy individuals trying to reach out and connect in this crazy situation."

Dougray goes on to reflect on the deeper meaning of this enduring classic.



"It's not just about the Triffids," the actor says.

"It's about human resilience. It's about how we respond when we're most severely tested. These characters are thrust into a post-apocalyptic world, and the challenge for them is how they rebuild their lives as they're beset by fear and loneliness."

He concludes: "You could say The Day Of The Triffids is a metaphor for the dire effects of exploiting the planet. If we abuse the Earth, there will always be a price to pay. We have to try to repair the damage and respect the harmony of this planet or the consequences will be catastrophic. We have been warned!"

More Clips:





See Also: The First Look At The BBC Mini-Series "The Day Of The Triffids" / The Day Of The Triffids Lands An All-Star Cast / The BBC Remakes The Day Of The Triffids

Avatar - Is It Animation? Creating The Fictional World Of Pandora

Source: 20th Century Fox (Press Materials)

Well....Is It Animation?

Ask the animators at WETA, and they'll tell you that the avatars and Na'vi are animated. Ask director Jim Cameron, and he'll say the characters were performed by the actors. The truth is that both are right. It took great animation skill to ensure that the characters performed exactly as the actors did. But at the same time, no liberties were taken with those performances. They were not embellished or exaggerated. The animators sought to be utterly truthful to the actors' work, doing no more and certainly no less than what Sam, Zoë or Sigourney had done in the Volume. Of course the animators added a little bit, with the movement of the tails and ears, which the actors could not do themselves. But even here, the goal was to stay consistent with the emotions created by the actors during the original capture. So when Neytiri's tail lashes and her ears lower in fury, they are merely further expressing the anger created by Zoë Saldana in the moment of acting the scene.

"Actors ask me if we're trying to replace them," says Cameron, "On the contrary, we're trying to empower them, to give them new methods to express themselves and to create characters, without limitation. I don't want to replace actors; I love working with actors. It's what I do, as a director. What we're trying to replace is the five hours in the makeup chair, which is how you used to create characters like aliens, werewolves, witches, demons and so on. Now you can be whoever or whatever you want, at any age, even change gender, and without the time and discomfort of complex makeup."

Saldana trained for months to create a physical reality for her character, so that she could fully express Neytiri's natural athletic grace. She knew that this was not just a voice performance for a typical animated film, but instead a "total performance," and that every nuance of her facial expressiveness and her body movement would be captured.

Cameron and the actors worked together in the Volume for over a year, on and off. It was every bit as intense a working relationship as on a photographic film set, except that there were no lights, cameras or dolly track. It was pure acting. And this allowed everyone to really focus on performance, and the emotional truth of each moment, without all the distractions of photography. Director and actors alike were enthralled by the process, and enjoyed the rapport and focus that performance capture allowed. But it was not until Cameron and his cast saw the first finished scenes coming back from WETA that they completely realized how revolutionary this movie was going to be. Neytiri, Jake and Grace were alive.

With AVATAR it was critical to achieve an absolute authenticity of performance for all the many characters. AVATAR's CG characters would be, says Landau, "real, soulful and emotional." Adds Cameron: "Every nuance and bit of performance was created by the actors, who do all the things you see their CG characters do in the film, down to the slightest hand gesture. These characters ARE precisely and only what the actors created."

AVATAR goes a step farther, by placing these photorealistic characters into a world that is also computer generated but seems completely real. Every plant, every tree, every rock is created and rendered in the computers of WETA Digital, in New Zealand. Significant breakthroughs in lighting, shading and rendering allowed WETA to create a photo-real world which was alien in its details, but which strikes the eye as completely natural. Over a Petabyte (one thousand terabytes) of digital storage was required by WETA for all the CG "assets" of the film... all the myriad plants and animals, insects, rocks, mountains and clouds. To put this in perspective, "Titanic" required 2 terabytes to create (and sink) the ship and its thousands of passengers, about 1/500th the amount used for AVATAR.

In addition to all this complexity, AVATAR was made in stereoscopic 3D. So not only did WETA need to work in 3D in creating their CG scenes (as did the other visual effects vendors such as ILM), but the live action scenes would need to be shot in 3D as well. For this Cameron used the Fusion Camera System, which he had co-developed with Vince Pace. It took seven years of development to create the Fusion system, which is the world's most advanced stereoscopic camera system. The cameras performed flawlessly on the set of AVATAR, allowing the live action scenes to merge smoothly with the CG scenes into a unified whole.

Because of the many layers of technology developed specifically for this project, AVATAR was by far the most challenging of all of Cameron's films to date. The filmmakers found themselves in uncharted territory, figuring out the answers as they went along. Eighteen months were spent developing the performance capture "pipeline" before a single scene was captured with the cast. "I've always tried to push the envelope," Cameron points out, "But this time it pushed back. So we had to push harder. I liken the experience of making AVATAR to jumping off a cliff and knitting the parachute on the way down."

But these revolutionary technologies are just tools in the filmmaker's "toolbox," and are always in the service of the story, emotion and characters. Says producer Jon Landau: "Ultimately, the audience's reaction to AVATAR is not going to be about the technology; it's going to be about the characters and story Jim created. The technology allows Jim to tell a story that otherwise couldn't be told." Adds Cameron: "It always boils down to this question: Is it a good story? Ultimately the discussion is going to be about the characters - alien and human - and their journeys."

Landau compares Cameron's use of these groundbreaking tools in AVATAR to the way he used then-cutting-edge advances in his Best Picture Oscar-winning "Titanic." "On 'Titanic' Jim used visual effects to make people feel like a part of history; on AVATAR, he is using new technology to transport people into the future to another world." Cameron notes, "The technology is at such a high level that it disappears, leaving only the magic... the feeling that you're really there, and that the story, the characters, the emotions are real."

Since all the action of AVATAR takes place on Pandora, whether within the human base at Hell's Gate or out in the wilds of the rainforest, every single thing that went before the cameras or was rendered in CG had to be designed from scratch. In parallel with the technology development, the design process took two years before shooting began. The filmmakers enlisted a team of world-class artists to design every character, creature, plant, costume, weapon, vehicle, and environment in AVATAR. They created not one culture, but two: the highly technological human colony with all its vehicles and weapons, and the Na'vi society.

As he did with the characters, Cameron created Pandora to be recognizable without losing its exotic, never-before-experienced qualities. It is a world that merges the classic and familiar. "We wanted to remove the creatures and flora from being Earth-like, just enough to remind you that you're on another world, but at the same time, you'd find them accessible," says Cameron. Trees measuring over one thousand feet and mountains that somehow float, are among the landmarks that inspire awe for their sheer imagination and scope - but whose designs stem from structures familiar to everyone.

"James Cameron didn't just create and make a motion picture set on a distant world; it was if he had actually traveled there, taken copious notes, then returned and put every detail he absorbed on paper, and then on film." says production designer Rick Carter.

That was the impression the world renowned filmmaker left on his department heads, cast, and just about everyone who worked on AVATAR. Collaborating with many of the industry's top artists, Cameron oversaw the conceptual art, virtual sets, and practical sets. He scrutinized very design detail of AVATAR - each creature, blade of grass, tree, mountain, cloud, vehicle, and costume.

"I think Jim finished AVATAR a long time ago in his mind," says co-production designer Robert Stromberg, who oversaw much of the design of Pandora. "He brought it to us to recreate." Rick Carter adds, "It was tough to keep up with Jim because he was presenting a world he had seen, and not just invented. He had seen it and was reporting back to us. Jim would explain his design ideas in such detail that you would think these fictional animals really existed. That's how much thought he put into each and every animal and insect. He knows what they eat, how they sleep, and how they interact with one another."

Cameron, Stromberg, Carter, and their teams would regularly pose a key question - "Would that [design] work?" The filmmakers' goal was to have audiences suspend their belief, and recognize and relate to what they were seeing on screen.

Jake arrives at the human military and scientific base, Hell's Gate, a scar carved by the hand of man in the middle of this virgin world. As Jake soon discovers, the rainforest outside Hell's Gate is rich with exotic flora and fauna, as well as vicious wildlife. Pandora is, as Cameron describes, "the Garden of Eden with teeth and claws."

There are many Na'vi clans scattered around Pandora, but the one Jake comes to know is the Omaticaya Clan, who have lived inside of the 1000 foot tall Hometree for 10,000 years. The Omaticaya clan uses the different tiers of the tree's interior structure as their village. The social hierarchy of the Omaticaya is clearly defined, with Eytukan, the "Olo'eyctan" or clan leader, at the top. Eytukan turns out to be Neytiri's father, and her mother Mo'at, shares power as the clan's "Tsahik" or shaman. Tus'tey, a strong and proud young hunter, is next in line for the position of Olo'eyctan, and is promised to Neytiri in an arranged marriage.

Pandora's many wonders include the world's neural network, through which all its plant and animal life are connected. Akin to a human nervous system, this network enables all life on Pandora to function as a single harmonious system. The center of this network - and the moon's heart and brain -is a massive, gnarled and ancient willow tree that is the Na'vi epicenter, an extension of their lifeblood, and a place of regeneration and knowledge. This "Tree of Souls" is situated at the center of Pandora's most powerful magnetic field, the Flux Vortex. Eons ago the invisible field created the unusual geological formations of arches that form rainbows of stone, above a deep caldera, with the Tree of Souls at its center.

Living amidst these incredible environments are myriad creatures, some of which were created by AVATAR's in-house creature design team under Neville Page, with the others designed by John Rosengrant's team at Stan Winston Studios. The most fearsome of Pandoran creatures is the Thanator. "The Thanator could eat a T-Rex and have the Alien for dessert," says the filmmaker. "It's the panther from hell." Then there are the Viperwolves, which Cameron describes as "hairless with shiny skin that looks like overlapped armor. Most disturbing are its paws, which are like leathery hands."

A winged creature known as the Banshee is a key figure in Jake's journey; in a Na'vi rite of passage, Jake must dominate and ride a banshee to assume a rightful position in the clan community. The test's stakes are further heightened by the fact that the banshee that most wants to kill him is the "chosen one" he must capture.

Pandora's Direhorses, as the name suggests, resemble in some ways terrestrial horses - but with several important flourishes as conceived and designed by Stan Winston Studios and Cameron, the latter describing the animal as a "six-legged alien Clydesdale with moth-like antennae."

Pandora's diverse menagerie also includes the deer-like Hexapede; the ferocious Hammerhead Titanothere, a rhinoceros-like herbivore with a bad attitude and a head like a sledgehammer; and the Leonopteryx, a the king predator of the sky, striped scarlet, yellow and black, with an 80-foot wingspan. A smaller and gentler Pandoran species is the jellyfish-like Woodsprite, which waves silky tendrils to move gracefully through the night air. Called Atokirina by the Na'vi, they are actually seeds of the sacred Utraya Mokri "Tree of Voices," and thus an important part of the "soul" of the rainforest. When they land upon Jake, Neytiri interprets this as an important sign, and things take an unexpected turn.

Academy Award winner Richard Taylor and his team at WETA Workshop designed props and weapons for both the Na'vi and the heavily armed RDA. While renowned artist TyRuben Ellingson designed many of the vehicles used by the military forces based at Hell's Gate -and which figure prominently in the an epic third-act battle pitting machine against banshee, and hardened soldier against Na'vi warrior.

The AMP Suit ("AMP" is an acronym for "Amplified Mobility Platform") "amplifies" the movements of its human operator. The AMP Suits and their soldier occupants are transported by what is perhaps the RDA's deadliest aircraft - the C-21 Dragon Gunship. This giant rotorcraft resembles a predatory insect and has multiple canopies. Almost as destructive is the AT-99 Scorpion Gunship, a high speed, highly maneuverable military attack aircraft. And on a world with no landing strips, these tilt-rotor aircraft have the important capability of vertical takeoffs and landings. While the military aerial vehicles in AVATAR are futuristic rotorcraft, they were intended to seem as familiar as the Huey gunships of the Vietnam era, to ground the audience in a strong sense of reality.

AVATAR's largest vehicle, over a kilometer in length, is the ISV Venture Star, an interstellar ship that transports RDA personnel - including Jake -to Pandora. Its antimatter engines propel it to seven tenths the speed of light, but the voyage to Pandora still takes almost six years, during which time the passengers are frozen in cryogenic suspended animation. To reach the planet's surface from orbit, the newcomers board the Valkyrie TAV (Trans-Atmospheric Vehicle), a distant descendant of the space shuttle.

The costume designs by Mayes C. Rubeo and Deborah L. Scott provide yet another gateway into the Na'vi culture. Although many of the costumes and accessories are worn by CG creations, the items were created practically, to best communicate the subtleties of the costume textures, the weaving styles, and the translucency of the jewelry. Practicality and comfort define the Na'vi clothing, reflecting the grace and beauty of Pandora's indigenous people.

AVATAR's post-production process, like almost everything else about the film, was decidedly atypical. On most films, editing begins in post-production, but on AVATAR, Cameron and fellow editors Stephen Rivkin, A.C.E. and John Refoua, A.C.E. began cutting initial captured sequences during pre-production. The editors and their Avids were a regular presence on set during production, delivering to WETA sequences on a monthly basis. "Before we ever shot a frame of live action film, we had probably delivered seventy minutes of edited footage to WETA," says Landau.

A key part of the post-production period was composer James Horner's score, which combines classic symphonic elements that propel the film's epic action, with sounds that transport us to another world; the latter includes vocalists singing in the film's Na'vi language, as well as unusual acoustic and electronic instrumentalists.

Movie fans and music watchers have eagerly anticipated this new Cameron-Horner collaboration; Horner's work on 1986's "Aliens," yielded one of the cinema's finest action film scores, and 1997's "Titanic" made movie and soundtrack history. For AVATAR Horner reunited with "My Heart Will Go On" collaborator Simon Franglen to create a new song. "I See You" is sung by international sensation Leon Lewis, and can be heard in the end credits of the film. The song expresses the Na'vi idea of "seeing," when a person understands with their heart and spirit, not just with their mind.

As he entered the final stages of AVATAR, Cameron was eager to share his vision with the world. He previewed extended scenes at key domestic and international exhibitor gatherings, and at the massive Comic-Con pop culture enclave. Pleased with the response to these early looks, Cameron continued to fine-tune the editing and review the finished or near-finished visual effects work coming in daily from WETA Digital and the other visual effects vendors (including ILM, Framestore, Prime Focus, Hybride and hy*drau"lx), all to make AVATAR a one-of-a-kind experience for moviegoers. "Jim doesn't make movies for himself," says Jon Landau. "He makes them for the audience." Adds Cameron: "I really want audiences to have a completely satisfying cinematic experience. And I hope audiences will walk out of the theater saying, 'I didn't see a movie; I experienced a movie.'"

See Also: An Early Look Into The World Of Avatar