It's Time To CRAWL WITH THE DEAD So Cal
Hey all you Monster Maniacs! I just got turned on to a cool event that is going to take place here locally in the Inland Empire ...... The 1st Annual Redlands Zombie Walk.
As you probably already guessed it is a bunch of people getting together to dress up like zombies and wander through the streets of Redlands. Kinda like a marathon for the undead ....... and how cool is that?
Here is the info: CALLING ALL ZOMBIES!! Come lurch with us on Feb 12, 2011 at The first Annual Redlands Zombie Walk. Lets make Redlands Zombie Walk the best and the biggest in San Bernardino!
http://www.crawlofthedead.com/crawls/info/1st_annual_redlands_zombie_walk/
New DOCTOR WHO Online Fan Group Launches
Source: Lisa Dullard
SciFi superfan Lisa Dullard has just created "All Of Time And Space; A Doctor Who Fan Group" for both the casual and the die hard fan of the long running UK television series.
In her words:
A friend of mine recently started a SciFi/Fantasy/Horror forum over at http://outerlimits.apsense.org/home.php - and that forum hosts my DW group as well. You're welcome to join us! We're still new, so we could use all the members we can get. http:// outerlimits.apsense.org/group/doctorwhofans
Doctor Who fan group, for both Classic Who and New Who. The rather obvious purpose of this group is to share our love for the Doctor, in all of his incarnations. Discussion of the various branches of the world of Doctor Who(Torchwood, Sarah Jane Adventures, books, comics, music etc.) are also encouraged.
Kinokuniya Bookstores-L.A. Re-Orders Monster Japan Travel Guide
Above, "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" in the travel section at the Little Tokyo store of Kinokuniya Bookstores.
Good news was received this afternoon.
I received a voice mail message from Kinokuniya Bookstores' Little Tokyo (Los Angeles) store stating they have one copy of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan left and they wanted to re-order more.
Accordingly, I called them back and completed the sale. So, a new supply of the travel guide will be on their travel section bookshelf this coming week.
Above, Kinokuniya Bookstores' Little Tokyo store entrance.
Kinokuniya Bookstores' Little Tokyo store is located in Weller Court at 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka #205, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Telephone: (213) 687-4480.
Besides books, Kinokuniya also carries Japanese CDs, DVDs, toys and calendars.
New Photos From Toxic Avenger 5
Source: Suzi Lorraine
Here are a set of brand new photos from the set of "Toxic Avenger 5". Just imagine what it would be like to have toxic twins running around your house?
What is it about Suzi Lorraine and movies about monster children? First came "Won Ton Baby" and now this.
posted from Bloggeroid
Hibiya Chanter Square, Japan's Walk of Fame
Above, Godzilla stands guard at the entrance to Hibiya Chanter Square.
Near the Godzilla statue at the Hibiya Chanter Square in Tokyo are metal hand casts of Japanese celebrities. This is Japan's version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Among them are a couple of names Americans are familiar with: Tom Cruise and Jackie Chan. Cruise's hand cast was added at about the time The Last Samurai was released.
While I am not a fan of Tom Cruise by any stretch of the imagination, there are some Cruise fans out there who would be interested in seeing his hand cast along with Jackie Chan's.
Above, Tom Cruise.
Above, Jackie Chan.
Two Godzillas? Rubbish!
There's an article that appeared in the Pittsburgh Film Industry Examiner website alleging that there may be two Godzilla movies in 2012, one from Toho and the other from Legendary Pictures/Warner Brothers.
This article came to me last night courtesy of Google.
It was written by Fiore Mastracci and it contains so many factual errors that I was just going to ignore it and not post anything here about it. I did post the link to a couple of Godzilla fan forums and the reaction was predictable: universally panned.
The article claimed that Toho "announced" their plan to end Godzilla's "forced retirement" early (i.e., 2012). There's been no such announcement, otherwise we'd have been discussing it for months. Believe me, if there were such an announcement, fans would have been on top of it immediately.
Toho and Legendary Pictures came to an agreement on a new American Godzilla film last year (they had been in negotiations at least since 2009), so Toho wouldn't even consider undercutting the American production with a movie of their own. It doesn't make any business or logical sense.
I am pretty close to some of the Toho executives, and none have given any indication of such a planned Japanese return of the Big G. A fan posted a comment on Mastracci's article asking for the source of this. It will be interesting to see Mastracci's reply.
He even got the good and bad guys wrong in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001).
Mastracci seems to be a nice guy, but, unfortunately, his article is just erroneous.
Sorry, folks, there's nothing to see here. But if you insist, to read the article, go here.
Is There Going To Be A New "Japanese" Godzilla Movie In 2012?
Source: The Examiner (Pittsburgh)
Is Toho planning to release a brand-new "Godzilla" movie in Japan at the same time that the new Legendary Pictures "Godzilla 3D" is released here in America?
Well, according to a Pittsburgh film industry reporter ........ yes, that is exactly what Toho is planning to do and actually has been planning to do for some time.
According to Fiore Mastracci of Examiner.com Toho had originally wanted to produce a new "Godzilla" movie for a 2012 release, but due to issues with the script and other aspects of the film the studio was having trouble getting things moving. When the Japanese movie company was approached by Legendary Pictures about making another "American" Godzilla movie they viewed it as a way to get the monster back into theaters without having to produce a film themselves.
Now, however, the studio may be looking to go forward with their own Godzilla movie after all.
According to the report, Toho may still be aiming for a December 2012 release date for their film, which may mean that the Japanese movie and Legendary's "Godzilla 3D" may be released within months, or weeks, of each other creating an international Godzilla vs Godzilla cinema battle.
Here is an excerpt from the original article:
Toho may scrub its planned 2012 release and attempt to satisfy fans with the new American version. This will allow them to keep to their original decade of retirement. The American version will satisfy clamoring fans and give the parent company the needed time to work out its difficulties. But, as of now, both movies could be released within months of each other, creating an on-screen battle of epic proportions.
The article also states that Toho may plan to make a new Godzilla movie, then put its release on hold to see how the American film does. If the Gareth Edwards helmed 3D "G" film does well, then Toho would release the Japanese movie, if not, then they may opt to scrap it or release it only in Japan.
Another excerpt:
No official word from Toho yet if it will still release its project in December 2012 or add the two remaining years to Godzilla’s forced retirement. Speculation is that Toho may release its new version of Godzilla, but only in Japan, allowing them to gauge reaction to Edward's treatment first and providing the opportunity to compare fan reaction and acceptance.
I want to point out that this is the first time that I have heard anything about this. Could it be that somehow with all the excitement surrounding Lengendary's "Godzilla 3D" Toho was able to slip this one under the radar?
Maybe.
Then again Maybe not. It is hard to gauge whether Fiore Mastracci may have gotten a scoop that has eluded just about everyone in the monster movie media, or that he may have simply gotten his facts wrong, confusing the ill-fated "Godzilla 3D To The Max" with a new Toho Godzilla movie.
Hopefully, this is all legit and we can all look forward to possibly two new Godzilla films in the next couple of years.
Here is the original article - Battle of Godzillas may be newest screen battle.
See Also: Reflections On The Hiring Of Gareth Edwards As The Director of Godzilla / Gareth Edwards To Direct Legendary's Godzilla / More Info On GODZILLA MONSTER WORLD From IDW / Godzilla vs The Gryphon - Exclusive Art From Todd Tennant / Godzilla - 13-Inch Plush - Doll / Chinese Entertainment Co. Buys Share In Legendary Pictures / Godzilla Goes Prime-Time! - Godzilla vs Megalon On NBC In 1977 / Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla 3D (2012) Into Perspective (Part 2) / Godzilla 2012: Brian Rogers On Legendary Pictures Film Plans / GODZILLA 2012 Producer Brian Rogers To Speak At 3D ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT / It's GODZILLA Vs TUFFZILLA In Court / New Legendary Pictures GODZILLA Design To Be Revealed At Comic Con! / Arkansas Family Builds Ultimate GODZILLA Suit / Tim Burton On For MONSTERPOCALYPSE - Still In Line For GODZILLA? - More Film Details! / A Reason To Be Optimistic About Godzilla 3D (2012)? / Hot Off The Press! Page 77 Of Todd Tennant's "Godzilla 1994" Online Comic / Godzilla, Anguirus, And The Case Of The Missing Monster Suits / Godzilla 3-D, Godzilla 2012, Rumors And Misinformation Abound / What The Fans Want To See In An American Godzilla / Godzilla 2012 - Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros (Fan Group) / It's Official! A New Godzilla Movie Is Coming In 2012! / Get Ready With Your Finger Missiles And Robot Punch! The Shogun Warriors Are Coming To The Big Screen! / Japanese Uber Geekdome - Godzilla Related Cosplay & The Return Of The Life-Sized Gundam / "Godzilla 1985": 25th Anniversary / All Monsters Attack (aka Godzilla's Revenge)(1969)(Toho) / A Godzilla Plush Doll For All You Little Monsters / Run For Your Life! It's Godzilla!!...No...Wait It's A Crustacean / Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla Into Perspective / Legendary Pictures Announces New Godzilla Movie! / Roland Emmerich Proud Of Godzilla, Not Making Sequel / Toho Tells Comcast, "Didn't You Learn From Subway? You Can't Use Godzilla To Sell Cable TV!"
Lenora Crichlow Talks About The Third Season Of BEING HUMAN
How do viewers meet Annie in the new series, as she was left in purgatory in the series two?
When we see her in episode one she is in a bad way – she is still in purgatory and frantic about what will happen to her. She is crying out for help and you get a sense of her desperation. It doesn't look good for her at the beginning of the series.
How does Annie feel about the move to Barry?
To say she is less than excited would probably be the right thing. I don't think Annie is great with change. She likes her routine, she likes familiar surroundings. The fact that they've moved puts her out a little bit and then she surveys Barry and is even more unenthused. But she gets used to it pretty quickly and it does become her home. She's a good homemaker, Annie, so she can cope.
Do you think she'll miss Bristol?
I think there is an element of that, but also a really nice sense of starting again and a fresh start – which I think they all want and need – and, for Annie, it's a chance to make new memories of a place and wipe the slate clean. There is a lot of stuff that wasn't so great about the place she was in – and Bristol itself – so the move is for the best.
How would you describe the new pad?
Big! Big and really fantastic – we were blown away by the set. It's stunning on and off camera. It felt like being in a big dolls' house and felt very homely for a set. It was much more solid then the last set and on a much bigger scale. The attention to detail is exquisite – I was so impressed.
Will Annie's rescue from purgatory show a different side to her this series?
Definitely. Annie's done a 360. When we meet her in series three, she is much more empowered and secure – and I think that's because the worst thing that could have happened to her has happened. She now has fearlessness about her and a real appreciation for everybody that is in her little life. We definitely see a different side to her this series – she has definitely grown.
How would you describe the new characters?
There are some fantastic new characters in the show. This series really starts to pad out the world that the three of them find themselves in. It becomes a lot more complex and you see the scale of what's going on. It's not just the three of them in a flat anymore; it starts to filter out into the real world. There are some brilliant cameos and brilliant regulars that take us through series three. You'll laugh, cry and drool!
The new characters mean the three of us really start to build up a community, as we realise we are not alone. It's what I'd call an alternative community, which they are introduced to and when they begin to explore and become part of it, it's really exciting. But the three of us are still very much a tight unit.
How has it been working with all the fantastic guest stars?
All the guest stars were pretty amazing. Lacey Turner was fantastic – she was great to work with and a lovely person. We had some great scenes together.
Have there been any memorable scenes this year, any scenes that have been particularly fun to shoot?
There's a scene where Russell has to give us this weird look and I don't know how he does it, but he managed to have everybody in hysterics. Even members of the crew had to step off set. We were just in absolute fits – professionalism went out the window completely!
When you get the scripts have there ever been moments when you think: "I never thought they would take Annie there"?
There are a lot of surprises for Annie in this series. The thing with Toby is you just trust him that much that you don't want to second guess him. I won't lie – everybody has a pop at what they think is going to happen – but he just manages to make everything make sense, it's all very organic.
And I'm always in absolute surprise by what's coming next and it keeps me on my toes. It draws me in. Even if you feel you saw it coming, Toby writes it in such a way that you'll have that "huh?" moment.
But one thing I will say is that you need to stick with series three till the end – the end is a blinder!
See Also: The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2010 / BEING HUMAN - Lenora Crichlow, Russel Tovey And Aidan Turner At Comic Con 2010 / BEING HUMAN Season 2 To Debut On BBC America July 24th / The Second Season Of 'Being Human' A Huge Success For The BBC / Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow And Aidan Turner Return For The 3rd Season Of Being Human / Lenora Crichlow Talks About Being A Ghost And Being Human / Can A Werewolf, Vampire And Ghost Share A London Flat?
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE Remake (Finally) Moving Forward
After the long plotting and preparing from the creators of Plan 9 (The Plan 9 From Outer Space Remake) it is now full steam ahead! Production is slotted to begin March 20th! And as for recent updates to the production… John Johnson (The Director) searched Youtube as a talent base and kidnapped a few of its finest! Ryan Higa (Best Known as Nigahiga), James Rolfe (Best Known as the Angry Video Game Nerd), and Matt Sloan and Aaron Yonda (Best known for the Chad Vader videos) to name a few! Also, with the production gearing up, a film competition is being unleashed!
The Plan 9 Film Competition
Starting Friday, January 7th through Sunday March 20th is the Plan 9 film competition. This is a challenge for filmmakers to join in the Plan 9 explosion and create films to coincide with the motion picture itself!
THERE IS NO ENTRY FEE!
Here is how it works…
Filmmakers have from the 7th till the 20th to make a 60 second to 3 minute short on their take of the original Plan 9 From Outer Space. It can be done in any genre or style. From dark horror to campy comedy, all is welcomed. What we really want to see is the filmmakers show off their talents and love of the original film.
On March 20th all entries will be tallied and ten filmmakers will be chosen to go to the next step in the competition. At this point the ten finalists will be given some of the Plan 9 script and storyline. Then they will have 30 days to shoot a 5 minute movie that would take place at the same time and within the universe of the Plan 9 storyline. Their productions will occur at the same time as the production of the motion picture and their projects will be looked at as sister films to Plan 9!
On May 1st all ten films will be placed on the Plan 9 web site and be voted on by the fans to choose the top five. Those chosen five will be in the extra features on the DVD release! And four awards will be given out…
Best Picture
Best Screenplay
Best Director
And the Chupacabra Surprise! (Award given to the worst film in the competition.)
To join the competition or read more about it please visit Plan 9 http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&¬e_id=499007474736 on FaceBook!
Once again there is no entry fee and the submissions need to be in by 11:59pm March 20th, 2011.
Another BIG announcement that John wants to make is that after the investors and Distributors make their money from the film, John is going to turn Plan 9 into the public domain. The web site will become an archive that filmmakers and fans can raid for all that they can carry! He feels that the material doesn’t belong to him, but to all. “This is the best way to see Ed’s vision live on.” – John Johnson
We have also started a Plan 9 Web Series Entitled "Criswell Predicts" based on the old Criswell Predictions from the 50's! It also ties directly into the film in ways that can can't explain now... But... Soon will be revealed... To see the Criswell Predicts playlist on youtube click here!
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=31FBAAD5066E79BC
Link to official web site - http://www.plan9movie.com/
Link to Darkstone Entertainment’s Web Site - http://www.darkstone-ent.com/
See Also: A New Promo Video For 'Grave Robbers From Outer Space' / Scarlet Salem In A Haunting Tribute To Vampira / The Trailer For John Johnson's 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' Remake / Plan 9 Remake Gets A Bigger Budget - Trailer On The Way / New Stills From Grave Robbers From Outer Space / Grave Robbers From Outer Space - New Poster And Casting News / Plan 9 From Outer Space Strikes Again / Is There Room Enough In This Galaxy For Another Plan 9 Remake? / Mr Lobo And Conrad Brooks Cast In Plan 9 From Outer Space Remake / Do We Really Need A Plan 9 From Outer Space Remake?
Alice Braga - Hot Actress Profile
Source: Warner Bros
ALICE BRAGA received critical acclaim and international recognition, including a Cinema Brazil Grand Prize nomination, for her stirring performance in the Oscar®-nominated 2002 drama "City of God," under the direction of Fernando Meirelles. She received another Cinema Brazil Grand Prize nomination when she reunited with Meirelles to star in the mystery drama "Blindness," with Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover and Gael Garcia Bernal.
Upcoming, Braga will be seen in "On the Road," an independent drama based on the book by Jack Kerouac, also starring Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst and Garrett Hedlund. Most recently, she starred in Robert Rodriguez-produced sci-fi actioner "Predators," with Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne and Topher Grace, and opposite Jude Law and Forest Whitaker in "Repo Men."
In 2007, Braga starred opposite Will Smith in Francis Lawrence's worldwide blockbuster "I Am Legend," adapted from the classic story by Richard Matheson. Her recent film credits also include the indie dramas "Crossing Over," with Sean Penn and Harrison Ford, and David Mamet's "Redbelt," opposite Emily Mortimer.
The Brazilian-born Braga won a Cinema Brazil Grand Prize for Best Actress, as well as a number of film festival awards, for her work in "Cidade Baixa" ("Lower City"), a drama about a dangerous love triangle. Her other film credits include "Sólo Dios Sabe" ("Only God Knows"), which premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival; "Journey to the End of the Night," in which she starred with Mos Def and Brendan Fraser; and the offbeat comedy "Cheiro do Ralo, O" ("Drained"), receiving another Cinema Brazil Grand Prize nomination.
See Also: Anna Faris - Hot Actress Profile / Michelle Monaghan - Hot Actress Profile! / Christina Hendricks - Hot Actress Profile! / Drew Barrymore - Hot Actress Profile!/ Christina Applegate - Hot Actress Profile! / Maggie Grace - Hot Actress Profile! / Jessica Biel - Hot Actress Profile! / Emma Stone - Hot Actress Profile! / Megan Fox - Hot Actress Profile! / Ana De La Reguera - Hot Actress Profile! / Michelle Trachtenberg - Hot Actress Profile! / Mila Kunis - Hot Actress Profile / Ellen Page - Hot Actress Profile!
Indiana Jones on Horseback Statue
Order Yours Here!
Only $89.10
Indiana Jones on Horseback Statue:
Adventure is his middle name! From Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, this impressive, action-filled sculpture presents the adventurous hero galloping to the rescue on his horse, with gun drawn and an intense expression on his face. The marvelous resin piece is wonderfully crafted by Gentle Giant and stands 11-inches tall. It's a limited edition that comes with a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Get personally involved in this escapade and join the quest for the Holy Grail by adding this to your Indiana Jones anthology! Limited edition to 1,750 pieces!
Indiana Jones, famed adventurer and archaeologist, acquires a diary that holds clues and a map with no names to find the mysterious Holy Grail. It was sent by his father, Dr. Henry Jones, in Italy. Upon hearing the mission for the Holy Grail went astray with the disappearance of his father, Indiana Jones ventures to Italy in search of his father and the Grail.
See Also: Indiana Jones In The Bermuda Triangle? / Harrison Ford Is Ready For More Indiana Jones...If The Script Is Good / Ford Not Ready To Pass The Fedora To LaBeouf / Mutt Williams Will Not Be The Main Star Of Indiana Jones 5
James Bond Will Return, In 2012!
Good news, Bond fans!
The Hollywood Reporter's "Heat Vision" is reporting that the next adventure of MI6's James Bond 007 will be released next year:
MGM and longtime James Bond stewards Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions have announced the date for the next installment of the franchise: November 9, 2012.
Currently just called Bond 23, the movie will go into production in late 2011.
To read the full article, go here.
Reflections On The Hiring Of Gareth Edwards As The Director of Godzilla
By now your probably aware that Legendary Pictures has hired the British film maker Gareth Edwards to helm their upcoming 3D "Godzilla" film. As the news broke on Tuesday I was caught off guard by the hire.
As I’m sure many of you out probably felt, the news was sort of a disappointment. Not to knock Edwards too much, but I had hoped for a more prominent director to take on "the king of monsters". Though, I had high hopes, things transpired much as I knew deep down in my heart as the would, Legendary Pictures would opt to go with somebody ‘trendy’ instead of somebody with a long pedigree.
Again, I really don’t want to take this time to bash on Edwards, for all we know he may indeed be the right man for the job and after all is said and done all of us "G" fans may be singing his praises for producing an excellent monster film. Only time will tell on that one.
In preparing this little piece I took some time to do some research on Edwards to gather some background info to try and put together a kind of feeling for what he may have in store for "Godzilla 2012." As many of you already know Edwards has only one major film title to his credit, "Monsters" which was released in 2010 besides that he has only two other projects under his belt, two short films, "Factory Farmed" and "Attila the Hun", both produced in 2008.
Granted, that isn’t a very long resume for someone who is about to take on the world’s most popular monster and his legions of fans around the world.
Now in regards to "Monsters" I have to admit that I haven’t seen the film, though I will undoubtedly seek it out now that Edwards has signed on for "Godzilla". I did, however, do quite a bit of searching online to see just what other "arm-chair" movie critics thought of the film. To be honest, those reviews that I happened to find were all over the place. Some critics loved it, some didn't, and yet others were on the fence. Granted, I’m certain that if I looked up reviews on just about any film I would find the same type of results. Regardless of all that Legendary Pictures must have seem something in "Monsters" that they really liked to hand a film like "Godzilla" over to Edwards.
On the plus side:
Edwards is a film maker who understands both special effects and cinematography, due to the fact that he handled both for "Monsters", and undoubtedly "Godzilla" is going to be a film heavy in both of those elements.
On the negative side:
Like with any film like this one can only hope that Edwards has a good working knowledge of the "Godzilla" movie series. If a survey of the film makers DVD library includes several Godzilla, and other giant monster genre, films then we can all rest a little easier, if not, then this good be just another crappy film in a growing list that has been churned out by Hollywood over the past decade.
Again, only time will tell.
First order of business for Edwards, find a replacement writer for the script to replace the ousted David Callaham. Then again, maybe that is why Legendary brought him on board, to write the story for the film as well? That seems like a stretch, but besides handling the directing duties, cinematography and effects for "Monsters" Edwards also wrote the darn thing.
Understandably the burning question is whether Legendary Pictures "reached" with the hire of Edwards or not? Was the director one of their fall-back choices? If you recall way back in March of last year when the studio initially announced that they were going forward with "Godzilla" they had stated that news on a director was coming shortly. Monster movie fans around the globe waited, and waited, and waited some more, but that news took almost a year. It would be safe to assume that the studio was actively pursuing a selected director, or group of directors at that time that either opted out of the running or had other projects that they had committed to.
So here we are, Legendary Pictures has locked on to Gareth Edwards to launch a new American Godzilla franchise. With any luck the film maker will soon begin to look for a creative team to aid him in making a monster film that lives up to vision that the studio talked about last year. My advice? Find out what the fan base wants to see in a new "G" film". Remember, despite what Michael Bay may think, they are your bread and butter. I know the idea is to make a Godzilla film that will appeal to the masses, but just don’t forget the core fans. It’s a razor thin line, I know, but if Abrams can make it work for "Star Trek" it can be done. Just for Gods sake do your homework on this one!
See Also: Gareth Edwards To Direct Legendary's Godzilla / More Info On GODZILLA MONSTER WORLD From IDW / Godzilla vs The Gryphon - Exclusive Art From Todd Tennant / Godzilla - 13-Inch Plush - Doll / Chinese Entertainment Co. Buys Share In Legendary Pictures / Godzilla Goes Prime-Time! - Godzilla vs Megalon On NBC In 1977 / Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla 3D (2012) Into Perspective (Part 2) / Godzilla 2012: Brian Rogers On Legendary Pictures Film Plans / GODZILLA 2012 Producer Brian Rogers To Speak At 3D ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT / It's GODZILLA Vs TUFFZILLA In Court / New Legendary Pictures GODZILLA Design To Be Revealed At Comic Con! / Arkansas Family Builds Ultimate GODZILLA Suit / Tim Burton On For MONSTERPOCALYPSE - Still In Line For GODZILLA? - More Film Details! / A Reason To Be Optimistic About Godzilla 3D (2012)? / Hot Off The Press! Page 77 Of Todd Tennant's "Godzilla 1994" Online Comic / Godzilla, Anguirus, And The Case Of The Missing Monster Suits / Godzilla 3-D, Godzilla 2012, Rumors And Misinformation Abound / What The Fans Want To See In An American Godzilla / Godzilla 2012 - Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros (Fan Group) / It's Official! A New Godzilla Movie Is Coming In 2012! / Get Ready With Your Finger Missiles And Robot Punch! The Shogun Warriors Are Coming To The Big Screen! / Japanese Uber Geekdome - Godzilla Related Cosplay & The Return Of The Life-Sized Gundam / "Godzilla 1985": 25th Anniversary / All Monsters Attack (aka Godzilla's Revenge)(1969)(Toho) / A Godzilla Plush Doll For All You Little Monsters / Run For Your Life! It's Godzilla!!...No...Wait It's A Crustacean / Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla Into Perspective / Legendary Pictures Announces New Godzilla Movie! / Roland Emmerich Proud Of Godzilla, Not Making Sequel / Toho Tells Comcast, "Didn't You Learn From Subway? You Can't Use Godzilla To Sell Cable TV!" / Peter H. Brothers' Ishiro Honda Bio To Be Published / G-FAN No. 88 Summary / Schedule Conflict Knocks Out Godzilla Film Fest
Digital Effects House Turns To Columbia Professor For "Rise Of The Apes"
Source: Techeye
It seems that Peter Jackson’s effects studio is having fits trying to make realistic computer generated hair for the stars of Fox’s upcoming "Planet of the Apes" prequel "Rise of the Apes." In fact Weta Studios is having so much trouble trying to get it right that they have turned to Columbia University’s Eitan Grinspun, who created brand-new state of the art animation software for the Disney animated feature "Tangled", to work on two of their upcoming projects. The other being Steven Spielberg's "Tintin", where the title characters dog Snowy apparently needed a shampoo and a clip as well.
I would like to go into all the details of how Grinspun has used geometry and advanced mathematics to create a program that can simulate "real" human, or in this case, simian / canine, hair, but after reading the professor’s remarks about it, I have to admit, I know probably less now then when I started. That’s why he is a Columbia professor and I’m some dude behind a keyboard trying to write about it.
To sum it all up, the Apes were having a hair issues, Fox hired a genius to figure out how to fix it and now they will be ready to overthrow us human types in grand cinematic glory.
"Where there is fire, there is smoke. And in that smoke, from this day forward, my people will crouch, and conspire, and plot, and plan for the inevitable day of man's downfall, the day when he finally and self-destructively turns his weapons against his own kind. The day of the writing in the sky, when your cities lie buried under radioactive rubble! When the sea is a dead sea, and the land is a wasteland, out of which I will lead my people from their captivity! And we will build our own cities, in which there will be no place for humans, except to serve our ends! And we shall found our own armies, our own religion, our own dynasty! And that day is upon you...NOW!! "
See Also: The 100 Greatest Monsters From Movies And Television #21 - #30 / Harry Potter Star Felton Cast In RISE OF THE APES / Brian Cox To Be The Bad Guy In RISE OF THE APES / Andy Serkis To Play Caesar In RISE OF THE APES / James Franco Cast In The New PLANET OF THE APES film / Planet of the Apes: Caesar Set To Begin Production In July / Scott Frank Plans To Take Planet Of The Apes In A New Direction / Is Fox Planning To Re-Boot The Planet Of The Apes? / Escape From The Planet Of The Apes (1971)(20th Century Fox) / Beneath The Planet Of The Apes (1970)(20th Century Fox) / Actress Profile - Linda Harrison / Planet Of The Apes (1974)(TV) / Planet Of The Apes (1968)
A New Bigfoot Movie In 3D From China?
Sources: 24 Frames Per Second / Avery Guerra
No country outside of the US has embraced the digital movie revolution like China. Proof of this new found desire to produce fantasy films in line with their western counterparts seem to be popping up on a regular basis now as the willingness of Chinese film makers take on bigger, and more expensive projects has taken fire. Over the past couple of years we here at MIN have reported on two ambitious CGI effect laden sci fi epics from China, namely the undersea creature feature “Empires of the Deep” and the giant robo film “Future Fighters.”
Now the Chinese have caught on to yet another American movie trend, which they now want to mold into their own image. I am, of course, talking about the Sasquatch movie craze.
Oh sure, they have Bigfoot over there too, in fact, if you follow cryptozoology at all then you probably already know that the big harry guy has distant relatives that once roamed China a couple of million years back in the form of Gigantopithecus. In China today sightings of the Yeren (Giganto still with us) or Mountain Wildman, are still very common and several government funded expeditions have been undertaken to hunt for the elusive creature.
In the upcoming film “Primary Zone” the Yeren and CGI are going to be blended together to create a 3D movie experience that the Chinese hope will rival “Avatar.”
Details out of the east are a bit sketchy as the film is still in the early stages of development, but what has leaked out, and has been translated into English, reveals that the plot will revolve around a group of scientists who venture out in search of the monster.
Also according to reports “Primary Zone” will have a budget of $15 million, which seems rather small compared to Hollywood movies, but as fans of Asian cinema know film makers in China, Japan and Korea have been able to make some rather impressive fantasy films with minimal money.
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Monster Japan Travel Guide Featured In "Metropolis" Magazine
It's now out!
Metropolis magazine, the number one English-language magazine in Japan (circulation: 30,000), has posted the interview article on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan at the magazine's website.
The article starts with:
Tell us about your book.
The Monster Movie Fan’s Guide To Japan is a travel guide with fans of Japanese science fiction and fantasy movies in mind. It describes locations and their history, what movie(s) they were in, where to stay, and what other attractions are nearby. The book can be used by vacationers or tour companies to tailor tours for monster fans.
The print edition has the article sharing two pages with singer Christina Aguilera. If you are currently in Japan, head out to your local newsstand and grab a copy!
To view the article, go here.
Gareth Edwards To Direct Legendary's Godzilla
Legendary's "Godzilla" now has a director, according to The Hollywood Reporter:
Godzilla has a director.
Gareth Edwards, the British filmmaker who wrote and directed indie sci-fi movie Monsters, is closing a deal to develop and direct the creature feature for Legendary Pictures, the company that co-produced blockbusters such as Inception and The Dark Knight.
Warner Bros. will co-produce, co-finance and distribute per its deal with Legendary. Legendary's Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing along with Dan Lin, Roy Lee, and Brian Rogers.
To read the full story, go here.
A Tribute To Anne Francis (1930 - 2011)
The death of the iconic movie and television actress Anne Francis has shaken me to the core.
It's not just the fact that I was a huge fan of the actress who is known for her roles in the classic sci fi film "Forbidden Planet", the lesser known TV series "Honey West", the legendary series "Twilight Zone" and numerous other roles spanning five decades.
No, it not just the fact that Hollywood has lost one of it's true beauties that has me "shaken", it is the time and date of her death. Call it some kind of cosmic connection, call it a coincidence, but on the same day that Francis passed my wife and I were watching an old VHS tape of "Twilight Zone" episodes that included "Jess-Belle". You may remember that in that episode of the sci fi anthology Francis played the title character, a hillbilly girl who sold her soul to a back woods witch to win the heart of a young man who was betrothed to another.
Upon viewing the episode we both wondered if Francis was still with us and where she may be.? We also pulled out a copy of "Dimensions Behind the Twilight Zone", an excellent book by Stewart T. Stanyard (See Below), and read a interview with the actress about her role in "Jess-Belle" and also "The After Hours".
I had even pondered trying to contact the actress about a possible interview.
Imagine my shock today when I learned that Francis had passed? The news really hit me hard, then after thinking about it, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Could it have been possible that Francis had died at about the same time that my wife and I were watching her on television or reading about her?
The whole thing was just too eerie for me.
Being a huge fan of Anne Francis I felt compelled to compose this tribute, heck, maybe due to these strange coincidences I was destined to put this whole thing together?
Here is a bio of Anne Francis from Wikipedia:
Anne Lloyd Francis was born in Ossining, New York in 1930, the only child of Philip and Edith Francis. Francis entered show business at a young age, working as a model at age five to help her family during the Great Depression, and made her Broadway debut at the age of 11.
Over her career, Francis appeared in scores of TV shows and movies. She made her film debut in This Time for Keeps (1947). In her early film career, she played supporting roles in films such as: Susan Slept Here, So Young So Bad, and Bad Day at Black Rock. Her first leading role was in Blackboard Jungle (1955). She is perhaps best-known on film for her role as Altaira in the science fiction movie Forbidden Planet. "Anne Francis stars in Forbidden Planet" is a line in the song "Science Fiction/Double Feature" from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, large numbers of whose audience sing the line without ever having seen Forbidden Planet.
Francis found success in television, with several appearances on The Twilight Zone, including the title character in "Jess-Belle" and as Marsha White in "The After Hours." She was a frequent guest star in 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s TV movies and programs. She appeared in two episodes of the popular TV western The Virginian.
In 1964, Francis guest starred in two episodes, "Hideout" and "Rachel's Mother", of the CBS short-lived drama The Reporter. She made two successive appearances in 1964 in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. series. In 1965, Francis turned to series television and was cast as Honey West, a sexy private detective with a pet ocelot. The character was initially introduced on the popular ABC series Burke's Law. She made a guest appearance along with Charles Bronson in a 1967 episode of The Fugitive opposite David Janssen. She played one of the leading roles in Funny Girl in 1968 and one year later, played Nancy Ingersoll, the wife of Jerry Lewis character in the comedy Hook, Line and Sinker. In 1971, at the start of the final season of My Three Sons, she played bowling alley waitress Terri Dowling who eventually married Laird Fergus McBain Douglas of Sithian Bridge, Scotland and returned to his homeland as royalty. (Fred MacMurray played the dual character roles of Steve Douglas and Fergus McBain Douglas in this four part story arc).
During the 1980–1981 season of Dallas, Francis had a recurring role as Arliss Cooper, the mother of Mitch and Afton Cooper. She later played "Mama Jo" in the 1984 TV-detective series Riptide.[3] She made an appearance in Matlock, another popular detective series; and in The Golden Girls as Truvy McMann, Dorothy's friend from college. In 1989 and 1990 she starred in several episodes of Murder, She Wrote. Her most recent television appearance was on a 2004 episode of the CBS series Without a Trace.
And here is some info on the series "Honey West":Honey West is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC during the 1965-1966 television season. The series stars Anne Francis as female private detective Honey West.
The Honey West character was created by Gloria and Forrest E. "Skip" Fickling under the pseudonym "G.G. Fickling" in the late 1950s. West was one of the first female "private eyes" to ever appear on television. Francis first played West in the Second Season (Episode #2) of Burke's Law entitled "Who Killed the Jackpot?", broadcast on April 2, 1965, which led to this series being commissioned as a spin-off.
In the series, West had a partner and man-Friday "Sam" (John Ericson, who had played the Francis character's brother Pete in Bad Day at Black Rock), who usually stayed in the background or sat in their high-tech surveillance van talking to Honey via a radio hidden in her lipstick case. Her alluring feline qualities were reflected by her animal-print wardrobe and decor. She also kept an exotic pet ocelot named Bruce (in one episode, the African series Daktari was showing on Honey's TV set, and Honey said "Oh Bruce, why do we always have to watch your show?"). For sneaking around at night and engaging in energetic fight scenes, she wore a black fabric bodystocking reminiscent of Emma Peel's leather jumpsuit. Like Peel's Lotus Elan sports car, Honey's similar-looking AC Cobra convertible also emphasized her independence and vitality. Although the racy content of the novels was excised for television, West often went on solo undercover missions that required a provocative or revealing outfit. She also used a number of James Bond-type gimmicks: an exploding compact, a garter-belt gas mask, and tear-gas earrings. West was also a black-belt in Judo, as was her partner, Sam.
In her own words:
Earlier is this piece I talked about Anne's appearance in the classic episode of the "Twilight Zone" entitled "The After Hours" for which she later reminisced about in the book "Dimensions Behind the Twilight Zone" by Stewart T. Stanyard (See Below):
"I loved it. My first impression was what fun it was going to be to play that role. The humor in the beginning. The spaciness of each little step that took place, sort of just a little bit off-center until the horror begins for this young woman who has absolutely no memory at all of who she is or why she's on the ninth floor. The progression of that character was a lot of fun.
And then about the episode "Jess-Belle":
"(In) This one, we were able to indulge more in the different characters. Like Jeanette Nolan as the witch was wonderful, and she had her great scenes. And Jimmy (Best) as the innocent young man who is tormented really with these two women - the darkness of Jess-Belle and the spell of Jess-Belle, and the other woman, the sweet woman that really should be his love. But every time Jess-Belle was around, her spirit invaded him. There was more time to play with these emotions (referring to the fact that the episode was an hour long) and characters, and sit back and see how all of them were tormented in their own way. Except for the witch. I've told Earl (Hammer) I want to play the witch in his musical version. and he said 'No, I want you to do Jess-Belle.' But I think that it would be such fun to play the witch. With all the little potions, and wear the wonderful crazy nose and put warts on and the wild hair..."
Anne Francis, a sweet-voiced honey blonde who starred as a sexy Jane Bond-type detective on TV's Honey West in the mid-'60s and was a CinemaScope eyeful in the '50s sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet, died Sunday of complications of pancreatic cancer at a retirement home in Santa Barbara, Calif., the Los Angeles Times reports. She was 80.
With a distinctive beauty mark below her lower right lip, Francis, though never a top-ranking star, always had her devoted cult followers. Among her better-known movies were Bad Day at Black Rock, Blackboard Jungle, Don't Go Near the Water and Funny Girl, though in that last picture she claimed her best scenes ended up on the cutting-room floor. She played a Ziegfeld Girl gal pal of headliner Fanny Brice, played by Barbra Streisand.
In Forbidden Planet Francis was Altaira, the daughter of the space scientist played by Walter Pidgeon."I got that part because I was under contract to MGM and I had good legs," Francis later said. Her love interest in the movie was a handsome young Leslie Nielsen, who died in November.
A native of Ossining, N.Y., the former child actress went to Hollywood and signed contracts with the studios in the '40s, but her career finally took hold in the next decade thanks to live-TV productions. She is survived by two daughters and a grandson.
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