FUNimation Entertainment Announces Distribution Of "Attack on Titan" Live Action Movies Throughout The Americas

World Premiere to Be Held July 14, 2015 at Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, CA

FUNimation Entertainment is proud to announce today its distribution of the theatrical, home entertainment, video on demand and broadcast rights to the upcoming Japanese live-action feature film "Attack on Titan" across the Americas (North America, Central America and South America). The film will be released by Toho Co. Ltd. in two parts in Japan on August 1 and September 19, 2015. Series creator Hajime Isayama worked directly with the film's producers to create the screen adaptation.

"Attack on Titan" is based on the popular manga series of the same name ("Shingeki no Kyojin" in Japanese), which tells the story of a world where most of humanity has been destroyed by giants and where the last of mankind fights to survive behind three concentric walls – walls that were once impenetrable to the giants. With more than 50 million copies in print today, "Attack on Titan" has also inspired four spin-off manga as well as a 25-episode anime series which FUNimation both simulcast and released to home video in North America.

"Attack on Titan" director Shinji Higuchi will be making a special appearance at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) for an autograph session with fans on Sunday, July 12, at 1:00 p.m. PST at FUNimation's booth (#4135). Following SDCC, FUNimation Entertainment and Toho Co. Ltd. will host the world premiere of "Attack on Titan" (Part 1; in Japanese w/ English subtitles) at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, July 14. The SDCC special appearance and premiere are being held to promote the August 1 release of part 1 of the film in Japan and will include a red carpet event featuring special guests – Haruma Miura and Kiko Mizuhara, who portray Eren and Mikasa in the movie respectively, along with director Shinji Higuchi.

"FUNimation is honored to host the world premiere of Attack on Titan here in the United States with Toho," said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and President of FUNimation Entertainment. "Attack on Titan is truly a worldwide phenomenon and we are excited to bring the live action movie to theaters across the Americas later this fall."

Invited guests to the premiere, including celebrities and media, will be among the first in the world to see "Attack on Titan." A limited number of tickets will be available to fans via FUNimation's social channels.

News From The Black Lagoon: Creature Feature And Julie Adams Book

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Wakulla County News and Information / Julie Adams Official Website

It's that time once again! Time for the residents of Wakulla Springs, Florida to celebrate their favorite monster ... The Creature From The Black Lagoon. As most of you already know Wakulla Springs State Park doubled as the infamous "Black Lagoon" (along with the back lot at Universal) in the first of three Gill-man films. Every October the park shows the movie and holds events to pay tribute to the monster that they love so dearly.

Here is the info from Wakulla.com:

Wakulla Springs State Park will present "Creature Feature" on Friday, October 21, 2011 from 7pm to 9pm.

Entrance will be free to the public. The event is being hosted by Wakulla Springs Lodge on the big screen TV in the hotel lobby. The gift shop will be open during the event for refreshments! Choose from a full range of snacks, drinks and candies.

The Creature will be lurking about the property and is expected to make an appearance!

Can't find the "Black Lagoon"? Maybe this will help - http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/

Normally the stars from the movie make a special appearance but this year Julie Adams will be in Hollywood promoting her new book "The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From the Black Lagoon".

Here is the info from Julie's website:

Julie at Book Signings for Her New Book

After numerous requests, Julie has written her personal autobiography with many pictures never before seen. It is titled The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From the Black Lagoon and covers her whole career. It will be available on October 27th. It will be launched with a book signing on Thursday, October 27 at Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. And there will be a double feature screening at the Egyptian Theatre that night of Creature From the Black Lagoon (Shown in 3D) 7:45 - 9:00 p.m. followed by a Question and Answer session with Julie and Bend of the River following the Q & A.

There will be another book signing on Sunday, October 30th at the Dark Delicacies Book Store, 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA from 2 - 4 p.m. There is no charge for a dedication and signature at the book signings.

The book will sell for $29.95, please add $3.00 for postage. If you want a personal dedication and signature through ordering the book on the Web Page it will be an additional $20.00, postage is free on personally signed books.

UNITED MONSTER TALENT AGENCY Added To AN EVENING WITH BELA LUGOSI Event

Writtten By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Sam F. Park

Sam F. Park of Monsterverse Comics just shot me an email to let everyone know that there has been another film added to the bill of the special "An Evening With Bela Lugosi" event at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood to celebrate the launch of "Bela Lugosi's Tales From The Grave.

Now, along with Lugosi's classic films "The Black Cat" and "The Raven" will be KNB Effects make-up artist Greg Nicotero's (The Walking Dead) short film "The United Monster Talent Agency."

The eight minute newsreel shows how "real" monsters were "wrangled" for use in classic horror films and not performed with actors! The cast includes cameos by Frank Darabont, Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Cerina Vincent, Dana Gould, Jeffery Combs, Carey Jones, Arden Myrin, Erica Frene, Sam Page and Jake Garber.

Hmmm .... I always thought those monsters always looked too real.

Here is the event info in case you missed it:

AN EVENING WITH BELA LUGOSI at the AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE.

Celebrating the career of horror icon Bela Lugosi and the launch of MONSTERVERSE's new horror anthology comic book, BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE.

Thursday, 7:30 PM
October 28th, 2010T
he Egyptian Theater
http://www.americancinematheque.com/egyptian/egypt.htm

Special Guests from Hollywood and the Comic Book Industry will be announced. Other featured guests are Bela Lugosi, Jr., and Kerry Gammill including contributors to BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE horror anthology comic book series.

There will be a Special Panel on Lugosi examing his career and the new comic book between films and a MONSTERVERSE Comic Book Display with contributors featured in the lobby.

An Exclusive Preview Trailer will be screened with art of the upcoming MONSTERVERSE graphic novel, FLESH AND BLOOD, written by Robert Tinnell and illustrated by Neil Vokes. To be unleashed Halloween 2011.

TRAILERS FROM HELL. Commentaries from directors Mick Garris and Joe Dante on Bela Lugosi and his films.




See Also: AN EVENING WITH BELA LUGOSI At The AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE

AN EVENING WITH BELA LUGOSI At The AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE

Source: Sam F. Park (Press Release)

AN EVENING WITH BELA LUGOSI at the AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE.

Celebrating the career of horror icon Bela Lugosi and the launch of MONSTERVERSE's new horror anthology comic book, BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE.

Thursday, 7:30 PM
October 28th, 2010
The Egyptian Theater

http://www.americancinematheque.com/egyptian/egypt.htm

Two Feature Films starring Bela Lugosi in THE BLACK CAT and THE RAVEN. With Boris Karloff.

Mainstream news coverage will be in effect for the Halloween weekend in Los Angeles, the media capital of the world. This is a major launch for the first issue of BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE horror anthology comic book.

Special Guests from Hollywood and the Comic Book Industry will be announced. Other featured guests are Bela Lugosi, Jr., and Kerry Gammill including contributors to BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE horror anthology comic book series.

There will be a Special Panel on Lugosi examing his career and the new comic book between films and a MONSTERVERSE Comic Book Display with contributors featured in the lobby.

An Exclusive Preview Trailer will be screened with art of the upcoming MONSTERVERSE graphic novel, FLESH AND BLOOD, written by Robert Tinnell and illustrated by Neil Vokes. To be unleashed Halloween 2011.

TRAILERS FROM HELL. Commentaries from directors Mick Garris and Joe Dante on Bela Lugosi and his films.

Poster design by artist Charlie Largent.

This exclusive event image may be Tweeted with:
http://twitpic.com/2mxwhx

MONSTERVERSE is a new independent comic book company with a horror anthology book coming out in October 2010 and entitled, BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE.

Here is a direct link preview of the book and its pages posted on YouTube.

LUGOSI HORROR COMIC YOUTUBE PREVIEW

The comic will be available at comic shops everywhere and online and is distributed by Diamond. For a new independent transmedia company MONSTERVERSE enjoys having the top talents in the world such as John Cassaday, Bruce Timm and the legendary Basil Gogos creating covers for its books. Writer/director (of the upcoming THE WALKING DEAD), Frank Darabont, gave this quote about cover artist Basil Gogos.

"Basil Gogo doesn't paint pictures of monsters, and never has. What he does is conjure their essences on canvas like a magician. More than that, he conjures our love of these subjects in a manner that defies description or analysis. How does an artist infuse an entire fan community's love of a whole genre into his brushstrokes? I'll never be able to explain it, but I know I'll always be grateful for it. Seeing Gogos' portraits is revisiting the best friends of my childhood." - Frank Darabont

Monsterverse was chosen the FEATURED COVER STORY on COMIC SHOP NEWS 1207 a few weeks back (distributed to over 500 of the top comic book shops nationwide and given out to customers with purchases). This article beat out the top comic companies in America, an impressive feat for a new independent publisher.

BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE was recently featured on the front page of Diamond's AUGUST PREVIEWS website (under their new Pre-Orders section). And once again beating out the top comic companies and independents in Diamond's distribution universe.

The book was cited by the Diamond staff as both a FEATURED ITEM and CERTIFIED COOL in the August magazine (Page 298).

Diamond started a new PRE-ORDER section on its website and we were the first book it featured. (The very first!)

For a small new independent publisher up against the major companies and other larger independents this special advanced scrutiny speaks for itself in how the staffs of COMIC SHOP NEWS and DIAMOND view the book's contents and its contributors along with MONSTERVERSE's plans for future books and projects.

Take a look at our official website. We are quite proud of the amazing talents involved.

MONSTERVERSE and BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE will receive special coverage in the upcoming double-sized Halloween issue of RUE MORGUE.

There is a feature story on MONSTERVERSE and BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE also being prepped for their special Halloween issue of FAMOUS MONSTERS MAGAZINE.

MONSTERVERSE publisher Kerry Gammill is creating a terrific new feature cover for the January FAMOUS MONSTERS.

BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE is published by Kerry Gammill who is internationally known for his artist work at Marvel and DC Comics on titles like MARVEL TEAM-UP, INDIANA JONES, POWERMAN/IRON FIST and SUPERMAN. Kerry has also worked as a make-up effects designer on studio genre films such as VIRUS and TV programs such as STARGATE and THE OUTER LIMITS. Here is a link to Kerry's professional art website:

http://gammillustrations.bizland.com/monsterart/

This FANBOY PLANET article can give you a quick update on what is going on with the history of the company and its future plans:

http://www.fanboyplanet.com/interviews/mc-monsterverse.php

This link takes you to our first issue cover by the legendary FAMOUS MONSTERS cover artist, Basil Gogos.

http://twitpic.com/1doadj

Our variant cover is by one of the hottest artists working in American comic books today, John Cassaday, and who recently directed an episode of Joss Whedon's DOLLHOUSE television series. Whedon has been tapped to direct Marvel Studios' epic feature film, THE AVENGERS.

http://twitpic.com/25v1o3

The back cover is by Warner Brothers animation executive producer and Emmy-winning designer/artist Bruce Timm.

To reserve a copy of the Lugosi comic book at a comic shop you need to supply them with the Diamond Item # Code, AUG101080, with the title, BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE. The first issues of the Lugosi comic book will be shipped in October to celebrate both Halloween and Lugosi's 128th birthday. A special celebration of Lugosi films, the new comic book and its contributors is set for the American Cinematheque in Hollywood at its Egyptian Theater on Thursday, October 28th.

BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE will be a double-sized 48-page color quarterly and retailing for $4.99 and with no ads (except for a house ad announcing a serial adaptation of the novel DRACULA and starring BELA LUGOSI by Kerry Gammill and beginning in issue two). It is pure comic book fun and frights from front to back with a brief article on Lugosi.

BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE will feature some of the most talented storytellers working today in comic books and horror films. No other comic book series has this kind of industry talent nor do other comic book companies have these kinds of horror film heavyweights working on any comic book. This is a first in comic book publishing and dedicated to the fun and classic horror of Bela Lugosi but made for today's audiences.

Movie directors like John Landis (An American Werewolf In London, Burke And Hare) and Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling) along with make-up genius Rick Baker (American Werewolf In London, Michael Jackson's THRILLER, Men In Black), will be providing stories and art for future issues. More Hollywood horror film creators are also working up stories.

The most acclaimed creators in comics will be writing and drawing stories such as Steve Niles (30 Days Of Night), artist John Cassaday (Planetary, Astonishing X-Men) and Mike Mignola (Hellboy).

The first issue contains stories and art by such notables as Kerry Gammill (SUPERMAN and SPIDER-MAN ), James Farr (whose XOMBIE online animated and comic book series is being brought to theater screens by Dreamworks in a live-action production by top writer/producers Orchi and Kurtzman), Chris Moreno (WORLD WAR HULK), John Cassaday, Rob Brown (voted online as horror artist of the year for BANE OF THE WEREWOLF), Derek McCaw, Rafael Navarro (creator of the Xeric Award winning series SONAMBULO), Martin Powell and Eisner Award- winning artist Terry Beatty (THE BATMAN STRIKES), Brian Denham (IRON MAN, ANGEL), Bruce Timm and more. The book also features an article by leading Lugosi researcher and author Gary D. Rhodes.

MONSTERVERSE ENTERTAINMENT is a transmedia company headed by its publisher and editor, the comic book and film design artist, Kerry Gammill.

Keith Wilson, formerly of DC Comics, is an editor and writer/artist.

Producer/screenwriter Sam F. Park is the west coast editor and a writer/artist.

Bigfoot Movie News - Nightbeasts Premiere Info - The Bloody Rage Comes To DVD

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Brent Thomas / James Baack / Avery Guerra

Well, the Bigfoot movie craze that exploded throughout 2009 and the early part of 2010 seems to be coming to a halt, or at least taking a breather for a bit.

It seems like all that I have been writing about lately is stories about monsters from the sea, but fear not, I do have a couple of noteworthy items from the world of Sasquatch cinema to pass along to you.

I don't know if you remember back to a October of last year when I wrote an article about a very promising Bigfoot related film project called "Nightbeasts", which was written, produced and directed by film maker Wes Sullivan.

The film was to be Sullivan's first foray into 'live-action' cinema after a very successful career as a animator on such classics as "Aladdin", "A Goofy Movie", "Pocahontas" and "Hercules" for Disney.

At the time I didn't really do much of a write-up on the film, mostly because I was literally overwhelmed with harry hominid movie stories at the time, though I though the trailer that was out for the film at the time was quite good, and I thought that the story was rather interesting.

Well, almost a year has gone by since that time, and I had pretty much forgotten about "Nightbeasts" until I received an email about it's premiere earlier this week.

Also attached to the email was a link to a brand-new trailer for "Nightbeasts", which has rekindled my interest in seeing this one.

Here is the skinney:

"Nightbeasts" stars Zach Galligan (Gremlins 1&2), Audra Wise (Nip/Tuck, Miss Cast Away) and young Chad Trager, as common everyday people who, along with a group of Native Americans, are menaced by a clan of angry Sasquatch.



I know that's not much of a synopsis, but there is no official info out there about the film, so I had to go with a 'Readers Digest" condensed summery of what is seen in both trailers.

"Nightbeasts" is set to premiere at the Arpa International Film Festival at the historic Hollywood Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood California on September 24th 2010.

At this time the website for the Egyptian doesn't reflect that festival, yet, but when it does you can find out more info - HERE

I am happy to report that James Baack's film, "The Bloody Rage of Bigfoot", is now available on DVD through Amazon.com!

As I first reported back in July, Baack was able to secure a distribution deal for his film through Cheezy Flicks Entertainment, the same company that owns the rights the Charles Pierce classic, "The Legend of Boggy Creek." Well, now that deal has bore fruit and the film has been unleashed on the unsuspecting populous.

If you have been even a casual reader of MIN for the past year-and-a-half then you should know all about "Bloody Rage", due to the fact that Baack has been feeding me exclusives about the film since it was first announced in March of 2009.

If for some reason you are either new to the site, have short-term memory loss, or ya just missed it somehow, let me some up the film this way ......um ...... Bigfoot (obviously, right?) ..... um ....... hot sadistic witches, a nutso clown ..... really cheesy special effects, blood, guts, a Godzilla/Sasquatch hybrid .... oh, and it's all in 3D!

Okay, that makes the film sound crazy right? Well, there is much more here than meets the eye. The film really is a psychological thriller that incorporates all of the elements that I mentioned above, plus, and most importantly, it's a fun film to watch.

Check out the trailer:



And buy the movie below:

See Also: Another Reason To Not Wander Around In The Woods At Night - Wes Sullivan's 'Nightbeasts'

THE BLOODY RAGE OF BIGFOOT - New DVD Deal And Website / The New Poster For James Baack's BLOODY RAGE OF BIGFOOT - Cast And Crew On MNBRT Radio / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot - Preview Clips, Nasty Church Letters And Sequel News / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot - Behind The Scenes Shots / And Yet....More Photos From 'The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot' / New Evidence Of The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot / James Baack Overcomes All Hurdles To Complete 'The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot' / 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 / Satantha And Loosey-Fur The Two Wicked Witches From The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot / 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.. / The First Look At Demonfoot From The Bloody Rage Of Pigfoot...I Mean Bigfoot / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot - New Trailer And Filming News / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot - Bigfoot Revealed! / The First Image Of The Monster From The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot / The First Publicity Stills From The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot / The Bloody Rage Of Bigfoot Trailer And Teaser Poster / James Baack Is Conjuring Up A Bloody Bigfoot Movie In 3D<>

Famous Monsters Of Filmland Brings 'Downstream' To The Egyptian Theatre

Source: Famous Monsters of Filmland (Press Release)

We would like to announce that Downstream (FM's very first feature film) is rolling out into theaters. And for one night only, we are having a sneak preview followed by a Q&A with the writer, cast and crew of Downstream at the The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Downstream is one of the first handful of projects to be shot on the RED ONE camera for a modest budget and it is a night you won't want to miss.

You can purchase your tickets on Fandango.com or at the Box Office. Seating is limited so please purchase your tickets in advance. Fandango Ticket URL:

https://www.fandango.com/purchase/movietickets/process03/ticketboxoffice.aspx?date=2%2f24%2f2010&tid=AAOFX&mid=122787&row_count=0

Date: February 24th (Weds) at 7:30pm followed by a Q&A

What: Downstream

Who will be there: writer, director, producers, actors.

Where: Presented by the American Cinematheque, The Egyptian Theatre @ 6712 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028 URL:

http://www.americancinematheque.com/archive1999/2010/Egyptian/specialevent_FEB_ET_2010.htm#DOWNSTREAM


Trailer link and website:

http://www.downstreamthemovie.com

Wes Keller is a young man born to a world where oil has collapsed, the food supply has been wiped out, and cancer rates for women have skyrocketed, depleting the female population. In a barbaric environment where bio fuel, batteries, bullets and people are currency and marauders roam free, Wes tries to escape to a mythical world run on cold fusion "Plutopia", a place that may only exist in the mind.

THE BILL IS DUE. 'Downstream' is a view of the not so distant future. We journey with Wes (humanity's son) as he pays an unthinkable price for society's past decadence.

See Also: Famous Monsters Of Filmland To Invade Indianapolis This Summer / Famous Monsters Of Filmland Magazine Returns! / Famous Monsters Of Filmland - Editor To Be Announced Soon - Magazine Being Pushed Back / Famous Monsters Of Filmland To Give Carla Laemmle A Grand 100th Birthday Bash / Famous Monsters Of Filmland Is Reborn On The World Wide Web / Dracula (1931) / "Famous Monsters" Trademark Injunction Won By Philip Kim / Forrest J. Ackerman, 1916 - 2008 / RIP Forrest J Ackerman (1916-2008) / Forrest Ackerman's Health Is Failing Now Is The Time For Fans To Contact Him / Mad Monster Party (1969)

Famous Monsters Of Filmland To Give Carla Laemmle A Grand 100th Birthday Bash

Source: Kristen Snyder / Famous Monsters of Filmland (Press Release)

American actress, Carla Laemmle, niece of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle, will be celebrating her 100th birthday with her family and friends at the American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. She will be presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards by Tom Tangen, Inge Jaklin and Dr. Udo Bayer.

Special invited guests include Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Marvin Paige, Ray Bradbury, Leonard Maltin, Rick Baker, George Clayton Johnson, Sara Karloff, Bela Lugosi Jr., Leonard Neubauer, Scott MacQueen, Gloria Stuart, Earl Hamner, Lupita Tovar, Bob Burns, Ron Chaney, David Skall, and others.

Carla Laemmle’s birthday is a celebration of over eight decades in cinema. The actress has lived a most extraordinary life, growing up on her uncle’s Universal lot and witnessing the early years of Hollywood’s growth. At just 16 she was the prima ballerina who danced in the Lon Chaney classic The Phantom of the Opera (1925). She also spoke the first lines in Universal’s first “talkie movie” Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi, the classic horror film that established the beginning of Universal Pictures’ success and legacy in popular horror films. Carla Laemmle is now the last surviving cast member of both films.

Laemmle continued to star in small roles until the late 1930s and recently became the subject of two biographies titled after her immortal opening lines. The first is a written biography by Rick Atkins called Among the Rugged Peaks: An Intimate Biography of Carla Laemmle. The second is a film biography, Among The Rugged Peaks, by actor, producer, and director, and interviewer, Tom Tangen, a red carpet favorite who has cataloged over 2,000 celebrity interviews. The film, edited by Emmy-winning Mary DeChambres, will debut in 2010 from Elusive Entertainment [AmongTheRuggedPeaks.com].

In May 2009, Carla Laemmle also co-authored a book with Daniel Kinske, Growing Up With Monsters: My Times at Universal Studios in Rhymes, detailing her experiences growing up on a motion picture studio lot. The instant hit offered an introduction by sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury and illustrations by Jack Davis and Hermann Mejia. Sponsored by Famous Monsters of Filmland and Universal Studios, the VIP private, invitation- only event will begin at 4:30pm with a dinner followed by special events. After-dinner celebrations include Carla Laemmle’s Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony, a ballet performance organized by Famous Monsters of Filmland’s Robert Aragon, musical performances, a speech from the birthday girl, and concluding with a coffee and birthday cake social hour featuring live piano.

See Also: Famous Monsters Of Filmland Is Reborn On The World Wide Web / Dracula (1931) / "Famous Monsters" Trademark Injunction Won By Philip Kim / Forrest J. Ackerman, 1916 - 2008 / RIP Forrest J Ackerman (1916-2008) / Forrest Ackerman's Health Is Failing Now Is The Time For Fans To Contact Him / Mad Monster Party (1969) /

Star Trek Gets Another Imax Release - Special Screening At The Egyptian Theater

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Variety / American Cinematheque

Due to contract obligations earlier this year, J.J. Abrams new "Star Trek" film only ran in Imax theaters for two weeks instead of the standard four. Now that the other summer blockbuster films have cleared out, namely "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian", "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", the film will be allowed to finish it's run. That means starting Friday 100 Imax theaters across the country will begin screening the film, again.

Due to "Star Trek's" release date of May 8th, Imax theaters had to cut the film's run short in order to fill prior contract obligations. After those obligations were fulfilled, the film was once again free to continue it's run.

It should be noted that some theaters may not be exclusively showing "Star Trek", so fans may want to check with their local Imax theater for times when the movie will be shown.

For those of you who have followed my writing since the days of the long-dead kensforce.com, you may remember my 'falling-out' with the American Cinematheque and their screenings at the historic Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. I haven't posted info on one of their screenings in some time, but I'm willing to bury the hatchet and tell you about a special screening of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" on the 19th of this month. The event will feature many of the people who worked behind-the-scenes on several of the "Trek" movies.

Here is the info:

Sunday, September 27 - 5:30 PM
STAR TREK: 40 Years of Designing the Future

Director’s Cut! STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, 1979, Paramount, 132 min. Director Robert Wise, ably assisted by Harold Michelson’s (DICK TRACY) otherworldly production design, Jerry Goldsmith’s stirring score and a special effects team including Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra and Ramon Sanchez, delivers the first STAR TREK film as a profound meditation on man’s struggle to survive against the negative forces in the universe. With William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Walter Koenig, George Takei, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, Persis Khambatta.

This program will review the full spectrum of STAR TREK’s visual achievements and its contributions to the art of narrative design for science fiction. Production Designers John Jefferies, Joseph R. Jennings, Herman Zimmerman and Scott Chambliss, along with moderator and VFX artist Darin R. Dochterman, will take us on a journey using visual clip pods based on design themes such as the ships, the bridge, alien worlds, gadgets & gizmos, and production challenges. Collaborating with Dochterman in the selection of the content for this program are Designers Michael and Denise Okuda, authors of The Star Trek Encyclopedia. Included are pre-recorded guest speaker clips from such STAR TREK veterans as a concept artist, VFX artist, set decorator, costume designer, graphic artist and producer. The panel and clip show will be presented first. Pre-show 5:00 PM, Program 5:30 PM, Film 8:00 PM.

Info about purchasing tickets can be found - HERE

See Also: Star Trek Hot Wheels Klingon Bird Of Prey Scale Vehicle / Star Trek Comes To DVD And Blu-Ray November 17th / Star Trek (2009)(Paramount) / See Chase Masterson Sing At Universal Citywalk For Free / Star Trek News - The Two Kirks Bury The Hatchet And Roddenberry Money Is For The Dogs / Behold Star Trek's Big Bad Monster / The Poster For The Berlin Premiere Of Star Trek / New Star Trek Film Blows Away Surprised Fans In Austin / William Shatner Set For Cameo In Star Trek 2 / The Sequel To JJ Abrams Star Trek Reboot Is Already In Spacedock / Star Trek Classic Captain Kirk Chair Replica / Star Trek Movie Enterprise Bridge Playset / EE Exclusive Star Trek Original Series Medical Tricorder / Is Star Trek Set To Return To Television? / Star Trek Movie Enterprise Vehicle / The First Lady Of Trek Passes - Majel Barrett-Roddenberry 1932-2008 / Star Trek's Big Bad Monster / Star Trek Retro Series 1 Kirk & Klingon Action Figure Set / The First Photos From Abrams Star Trek / Pegg Makes His Portrayal Of Scotty A Tribute To Doohan / Okay Trekkies Do You Think That You Can Outsmart 20Q? / Simon Pegg Reaches Out To Star Trek Fans / Actress Profile: Rachel Nichols / Shatner Beams Into The Los Angeles Comic Book & Sc Fi Convention / Sci Fi Acquires Ghost Whisperer, Star Trek TNG, Charmed And Mork & Mindy / Star Trek (1966-1969)

Flashback - Godzilla X Mothra X MechaGodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.- US Premiere

Godzilla X Mothra X MechaGodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. - Premiere 6/25/04 USA

My Father-In-Law and I arrived at the Egyptian a little early for the autograph session with Masaaki Tezuka, Yasuyuki Inoue, and Akinori Takagi at about 5:20. There where already several fans waiting around in the courtyard and a couple of vendors were setting up shop. I took my time and scanned the tables for more Godzilla merchandise to add to my collection. I wandered over to a table where a couple of gentlemen were unloading boxes of import Godzilla posters. I picked up a German Godzilla vs Gigan add and made a comment about it. One of the men took notice and asked "Do you know anything about these ?" I responded "Yes". He quickly took me aside and explained that he had just acquired this collection from an estate and that he needed my help in pricing the items. Since I was early I decided "What the heck." I spent the next ten minutes telling him what each item was and it's history and what a fair price for it would be if he wanted to sell it quickly and make a profit. This is where I really could have low balled the prices and snatched the stuff up for myself, but I am an honest person. That was my pre-movie warm up.

It was at that point that I noticed that the autograph line was forming so I took my place in line about ten people from the font. Everyone had their Godzilla items in hand waiting to meet Tezuka, Inoue, and Takagi. The later two gentlemen were late in arriving so a lot of us fans had time to meet and talk about the films and our love of them. Before too long everyone was in place and we got our chances to meet three important people responsible for the Godzilla movie series.

First up was Masaaki Tezuka a very friendly man dressed in his MechaGodzilla t-shirt. His eyes lit up as I placed my GXMXMG press poster in front of him. He seemed very impressed by it. He said "I will sign it real big right here for you." He then signed a large autograph in the middle of the poster. I then explained how much I liked his films and his style of film making. He was very easy to talk to and seemed very happy about my knowledge of his work. It was truly an honor to meet him.

I then moved to my right to where both Mr.Inoue and Mr. Takagi were signing. Both men were quite elderly and signed my Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster press book even though one of them had to use a rubber stamp. I could see from their interaction that they have been close dear friends for decades. It was quite touching to see them both helping each other sign autographs. Their grasp of English was extremely limited so I really couldn't converse with them. I just felt it an extreme honor to meet two great special effects men.

I returned to my father-in-law who had by now staked out a spot for us in the ever growing line for the film. Many fans arriving at this point made the point of skipping the long autograph line for better seats for the show. As happens in events of this size there was the usual confusion over which line was for what. I myself soon learned that I was in the wrong line. My father-in-law discovered that our press tickets allowed us to be in the much shorter "Members Only" line so we jumped over. People at this point were still trying to buy tickets, but I had heard that the event had sold out. From the size of this crowd I would have to say that Toho is wrong in assuming that Godzilla fandom is dying out.

Before too long the moment of truth arrived and the doors opened and we paraded inside the theatre. Inside the lobby were several items from the Godzilla series on display, but we chose to pass them up for good seats for the film. For those of you who have never seen the inside of the Egyptian Theatre it is a truly lovely venue. You get a wonderful feeling of being in old Hollywood inside. We found our seats in the lower section, upper half, dead center. Prime viewing for us Godzilla geeks. Many fans followed our lead and began filling up our section.

This is where one of my favorite moments occurred. A lot of us began an open discussion on the Godzilla film series. We all began to introduce ourselves and opened up a dialog. It was like a group of old friends who hadn't seen each other in months. I soon became the leader of this discussion. The more and more I answered questions the more new people began to ask them. I felt like I was holding my own little Godzilla lecture. My father-in-law got a big kick out of this. I do have to admit that it did make me feel great to be able to share my knowledge of the films with others. This is of course why I started this site in the first place. Don't get me wrong I wasn't a mister know-it-all. I learned a great deal from everyone else. I thought this was a great sharing of information among a group of well informed fans. As a side note: there was the rumor floating around that Toho will continue the series after "Final Wars" as a direct to video only format. Again this is just a rumor.

It was movie time. Masaaki Tezuka was introduced to the fans during a short intro. He looked very much like any other fan in the venue with his bag of popcorn and soda in hand. He received a very large amount of applause and then the lights dimmed. The fans were in full effect for this screening. Applause broke out several times during the film. It seemed like almost every time Godzilla was on screen he got an ovation. This was truly fun to see this film along with it's group of die hard fans.

I don't want to take up too much space here talking about the movie itself. I will be writing my own review on a separate page. I will however mention that I thought the film was very good. Maybe not as good as the film that came before "Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla" yet still one of the top five Godzilla films in my opinion. The action was much better, but the story suffered somewhat from the fact that this was intended to be the middle portion of a trilogy. Some storyline items were started or hinted at and never completed. Otherwise the film was a heck of a lot of fun to watch and a true triumph of Mr.Tezuka's style of film making.

After the film was over there was a short discussion with the film's directer Masaaki Tezuka who answered questions through an interpreter. I had learned from meeting him earlier that he did indeed know some English, but it seemed he was more comfortable this way. He did answer about a dozen or so questions from the audience. I don't have the space to list all the questions and answers, but I will give some highlights. One fan asked how Godzilla's roar is created. Mr. Tezuka explained that Godzilla's sounds are a combination of contra-bass (his roar), lion growl (Godzilla's growl), and cow sounds (Misc Godzilla sounds). Another fan asked about how Gamera One and Godzilla 1998 (USA) had influenced his film making. Tezuka replied "Everything I wanted to do in my films was done in Gamera One." He also explained that all the films that have been made this decade have been inspired by those films or are in response to them. Overall this was a very informative Q&A and the fans really got into it. Sadly it seemed to end very quickly.

We exited the main theatre and decided to view all the items we passed up on the way in. On display were several pre-production drawings from "Destroy All Monsters" and a couple of books of rare photos. All very cool and something the average fan never gets to view with their own eyes. Once outside I took the time to spend my cash on several items that were on sale from the vendors. I purchased a couple of really cool imports from the gentlemen that I had helped before the show. They gave me the stuff at a highly reduced price for helping them out. See honesty paid off. I collected my loot and we headed home. I felt honored that I was able to experience such an awesome event.

I personally want to thank both Margot Gerber and Bernadette De Joya of the American Cinematheque for all their help in making this article happen.

Ken Hulsey