Welcome back to TV or Not TV where I really don’t think I need a television any more.
Let’s face it folks, content delivery is the name of the game for just about any broadcast medium. You have to get it to the people. It used to be in the wonderful world of television you were able to manipulate the masses by forcing them to bend to your will and make them sit somewhere at a certain time of your choosing if they wanted to be entertained. If you wanted to watch it you had to be at the right place at the right time and on the right channel. There was no getting around it.
The home video tape revolution started to offset this a little so that people could try to record the shows that they couldn’t be for or, in my house, it would record one channel for us while we were watching another. The TV enthusiast would also use the video tape system to capture the things they were actually watching as well so that they could view it again and again, or share it with friends. These were the beginning of good times, but they were often wrought with frustration as a channel change being missed or a tape not replaced would ruin the whole set up. It wasn’t perfect but it worked.
The DVR was the really the great evolution in home video recording and it is one that has changed many facets of the way that television advertising is done and ratings are determined. Most DVR’s allow you to convenienty skip over the commercials in far less time than a video tape allowed us, and as such more commercials and product placements are placed within the show itself to ensure that we are seeing their products (last season of the SciFi show Eureka‘s synergistic advertising of Degree deoderant is a shining example).
Best of all the DVR captured the television we were recording in to some type of digital format that a dilligent user might find the way to extract and convert so they could conveniently remove the commercials and start sharing the show with their friends. Heck, even if you didn’t have a stand alone DVR there are so many ways to turn a stand alone computer into a DVR that it is no surprise how many shows were becoming available on the Internet in certain circles. The shows were getting out there and you didn’t have to rely on cousin Tony in Newark sending you his VHS tape to catch up on the show you missed.
Each of these steps has taken the broadcast networks to the natural evolution: delivery of their shows via the Internet to personal computing and mobile devices. If you think about it, as I’m sure they did, they didn’t really have any choice. If the video industry learned one important thing from the music industry it was that you can’t fight the Internet. If there was any way to curtail the illegal distribution of their product it was to embrace the Internet and start delivering it themselves, on their terms, with some ad revenue helping fund the cost. Change the old school thinking and make sure that you still control how people see what you want them to see.
So as I sit here reflecting on all of this, and after having caught up on some of my shows either from my laptop via the Internet or my iPhone during my commute I have to ask, “Do I really need a televisoin any more?”
Thankfully I do have a TV and if you are reading this you must have one too so let’s take a look at the scraps that are out there for us to try to enjoy.
MONDAY
SCIFI – 8:00 AM: Before Bryan Fuller created Pushing Daisies (and after Wonderfalls) he created the quirky dark comedy Dead Like Me. Since the Direct-To-DVD movie Dead Like Me: Life After Death is released tomorrow this is a great time to introduce yourself to this very entertaining show.
TLC – 9:00 AM: Get your Roloff on with a marathon day of Little People, Big World.
ABC FAMILY – 2:00 PM: If my prodding has made you think about watching The Secret Life of the American Teenager (or if you have nothing better to watch during the national holiday) you can now watch it for 7 straight hours.
TUESDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM: The first 12 of the top 36 performers take the stage tonight on American Idol. Will one be the next Kelly Clarkson or Taylor Hicks (how many of you just said “Taylor Who?”)
NBC – 8:00 PM: Tonight the contestants on The Biggest Loser have to work out without the benefits of a gym. To me that reads as trying to lose weight without dropping pounds.
TBS – 10:30 PM: This syndicated airing of The Office was directed by Joss Whedon and is one that I highly recommend.
WEDNESDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM: The first three of the final 12 are chosen tonight on American Idol. That leaves 9 hopefuls out in the cold. If you want to make it a drinking game take a shot every time someone cries.
FMC – 9:00 PM: There was a movie that started a slew of Gene Wilder / Richard Pryor movies. It was called Silver Streak. Watch it.
ABC – 9:00 PM: Well I didn’t get my Black Rock fix last week on LOST but my mind was as entertained as it was blown away. This season so far is television greatness. I hope you aren’t missing it.
THURSDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM:Danny Glover guess stars on My Name is Earl as someone claiming to be Crab Man‘s dad. Isn’t he getting too old for this $h!t?
CW – 8:00 PM: If you didn’t see the Smallville episode Identity the first time it aired than you really missed out.
FRIDAY
USA – 8:00 PM: The season is coming to a close for Monk. Didn’t it just get back on?
FOX – 9:00 PM: Tonight’s episode of Dollhouse has Echo being a counterpart to an outdoors man. Nothing says sexy like chicks with bows and aarows.
USA – 9:00 PM: Wait, this is the season finale of Psych as well? What, are we watching the BBC and we only get six episodes of a show per season?
SATURDAY
ABC FAMILY – 8:00 PM: Witness the cultural greatness of the original Grease followed by the stunningly awkward Grease 2.
CARTOON NETOWRK – 8:00 PM: If you didn’t pick up Justice League: The New Frontier on DVD than you can enjoy it tonight free of charge.
OXYGEN – 8:00 PM: Some might say the ultimate stay-in date movie is Sleepless in Seattle. Who am I to argue?
SUNDAY
ABC – 8:30 PM E/5:30 PM P:Wolverine is hosting the Oscars and almost all of the networks have thrown in the towel about airing anything worthwhile.
CBS – 8:00 PM: The Amazing Race 14 doesn’t fear the Oscars.
ABC FAMILY – 7:00 PM: So this is weird. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is followed by Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. At least they didn’t try to stick Mark Wahlberg before Charlton Heston with Planet of the Apes.
SModcast is the meandering palaver of a pair of dudes whose voices are so dull, they don’t deserve to be on the radio (and, hence, aren’t). Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier are SModcast.The best thing about SModcast? It don’t cost nothing.
SModcast 76: The Great One –
In which a hero returns from the wild, another hero is discovered, and yet another hero can’t stop bawling.
[CONTENT WARNING]SModcast features harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Listener discretion is advised.
Michael and Leatherface came back, Jason’s just passed through the re-birthing canal, and Freddy, Chucky, and Pinhead are clawing their way up the fallopian tubes. So…
In Defense of the Crimson Cheese
There is a sect of 80’s horror fans that do not adhere to the common adage of “once a franchise delves into self-parody it dies.” The absolute beauty of horror that originated in the decade of decadence is how they all started out as maniacal ideas, executed with a serious tone and passion. Freddy, Chucky, Jason, Michael Myers, and Pinhead all started out this way. Then, after success, there was an attempt to copy that tone and passion a few times, which for the most part resulted in a “meh” type of feeling. There are exceptions like Dream Warriors, but for the most part the median of these franchises are forgettable. This is of course when the self parody begins. Flicks such as Freddy’s Dead, Jason X, Bride of Chucky, and ultimately Freddy vs. Jason all delved back into the serious nature of their beginnings and made a joke out of it (some would argue it started even earlier then these movies.) Please, don’t get me wrong, straight horror can be amazing, but that is not the focal point here… it’s about this specific generation of mainstream horror franchises.
Of course, this caused a lot of horror fans disappointment with their cries of how it isn’t scary anymore and how they are more comedic then horrific. So? What’s the problem? Are you seriously telling me that you were actually scared of the original movies? Are you seriously saying that the reason you enjoyed them so much was because they incited fear in you? If your answer is yes, then I need to ask if you have ever watched any of them more then once and more recently then 20 years ago? Are you really a fan, or do you just remember them being more brutal and horrific then they were? If you have such an austere lust for the most demented, gore spewing, psycho characters… what is more “psycho” then killing someone with a healthy sense of humor? Perhaps those of us who were never legitimately scared by slasher flicks are prone to enjoy the comedic, hedonistic side of things more; hence that is what gobbled up the straight terror end of the spectrum.
Look, the first Nightmare, the first Child’s Play, the first Halloween, the first Friday are all beautifully made horror classics, but all these 80’s franchises were unique unto themselves and their time period in one way that really has never been replicated… we started to root for the villains. As for the sick, cold, beautiful bastards that always root for the villain no matter what… we love you, but this isn’t directed at you, now go masturbate to Cannibal Holocaust. The 80’s horror icons, our generation’s Universal Monsters, somehow became the heroic protagonists of the story. The first films in the franchises were created to scare and viewed to be scared, but time and sequels changed the social response to creating these flicks to “WOW” the audience with funny kills and viewing it to laugh at how many one dimensional nymphomaniac 20-somethings they will carve up next. Freddy Krueger was a child molesting murderer and yet it got to the point where we cheered as he slaughtered innocents. THAT WAS THE FUN OF ALL THIS!
This all lead to the characters being caricatures of themselves… which was never detrimental, if anything they stayed more honest to their origins this way, but were free to do anything under the sun. Look at Freddy vs. Jason, director Ronny Yu understood what made these guys great, the look, the back-story, the lore, the comedy, the kills. Sure the humans in that movie were garbage, who cares? This is not about “quality” or writing or any standardized pretentious film arguments. This is about understanding what made these characters stick around for so long and become so beloved. It wasn’t even specifically the flicks, it was the characters! Sure they all had their earnest moment at the beginning when it was supposed to be scary and we were supposed to be rooting for the good guys, and for most of them it was done right the first go around. Why do we always have to go back and try to make everything serious again? Re-release movies if you have to, some things should stay as artifacts and beacons of their time. If the franchises never embraced the villain’s status as a champion of hilarious murder they would NEVER have obtained the iconic heights they have now. Ok, how about we settle it with this… as long as the killer’s nature and persona are kept in tact, all is well. Period.
(Also, none of the above pertains to any horror character, or franchise created in the 90s… that was a whole different animal of parody that was lame beyond belief.)
With that said…
Friday The 13th : A Review of the last 10 minutes that would make Larry David Proud.
There is really no need to review the whole movie; it was half travesty and half brutal fun. Jason looked physically bad ass (still not as iconically perfect as Ken Kirzinger or Kane Hodder); Derek Mears gave a good performance with his physical presence. Very akin to Rob Zombie’s Halloween the stuff that was added to the persona of the character destroyed it. Mr. Vorhees doesn’t set traps, he doesn’t keep hostages, he doesn’t practice archery and he most certainly doesn’t have an elaborate headquarters of death. Honestly, I think the best thing to come out of this film is the completely definitive image on the gorgeous theatrical release poster.
It seemed at times that Marcus Nispel was trying to remake his other remake, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, with this remake. Add a slight dollop of Leatherface from the 1986 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, with the whole sympathetic pseudo sexual victim relationship and a sprinkle of that awful too-close-shaky cam crud and you got the new Friday. The acting was good, the comic-relief surprisingly funny, the plot simple as it should be, and the intelligence/booby level was equalized appropriately. All I want to discuss, in brief, is the ending. If you want a well written full-review just head on over to the talented Christopher Stipp’s much more thorough and different assessment:
There are two groups of teenagers in the movie. The first, on a mission to find Crystal Lake’s best weed, get destroyed by Jason in the very beginning. The exception being the girl who supposedly looks like Jason’s mother, he takes her hostage, locks her up in his basement lair while he is out… um… bringing home the bacon. The second group is simply a bunch of wealthy kids going up to stay in daddy’s lake-side cabin for a weekend of boners, beer, and republican conversation.
Supernatural‘s Jared Padalecki plays Clay Miller, the brother of Whitney, the chick locked in Jason’s love nest. Cut to after Jason is supposedly dead. It’s night time. Mr. Voorhees has a chain wrapped around his neck, the other end of said chain is tangled up inside a wood-chipper which is located in a barn. I will give the benefit of the doubt and say the barn is roughly a mile away from the lake. Also note that Clay has no knowledge of Jason’s story, legend, or origin. Cut to the scene of both Millers standing on the Camp Crystal Lake dock, it’s now day time, Clay kicks Jason’s dead body into the water… and then Jason pops back up through the dock to grab him. Cut to credits.
Ok… I laughed out loud in the theater. Not because it was awful, not because it was badly shot, not because it was meant to be humorous, but because of the plethora of questions!!! Not questions about Jason returning to life… questions about WHY IN THE HELL DID THEY DRAG 300 POUNDS OF DEAD WEIGHT ALL THE WAY TO THE LAKE AND DUMP HIM IN? WHY!
Think about it… There are somewhere around 12 freshly murdered corpses in the area, probably hundreds more in Jason’s home. You and your sister/brother have gone through the most traumatic and exhausting experience of your entire life, yet you manage to take down a lumbering psychotic professional killing machine whom you know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT. Would your first instinct be to spend the next 3 hours, cutting him down from the wood chipper, and doing your best to move a humongous, foul-smelling, corpse all the way to the lake and dump out the only evidence to prove to the cops, the world, and everyone that you yourself did not go on a brother/sister killing spree? They effectively spent all night moving this body… with no motive, they didn’t even consider going to get help? None of this occurred to them in the LONG arduous trek these two tired, broken victims spent transporting the corpse? Clay is shown to be a pretty smart guy throughout the whole movie too. I mean I can deal with stupid characters in horror films… but this is just beyond absurd, they are going WAY out of their way to do this meaningless act, which is actually a detriment to their future well being (a.k.a. Not going to jail.) Let’s not forget that a cop was brutally murdered here… No one is going to take this lightly.
I realize I am over analyzing an extremely lazy storytelling device, one that only served to give Jason a chance to pop out of the water, but it’s absolutely hilarious. I also realize that Whitney heard her friend at the beginning of the film say something about Jason’s origin… but come on… she has been a hostage for 6 weeks! A month an a half in a constant state of fear and god only knows what Jason was giving her to eat, the last thing this chick would want to do is spend a few hours dragging a corpse through the woods in order to be symbolic! What truly made me laugh is the thought of the movie cutting away right after Clay kicks Jason into the lake, and then we go straight to a conversation with Clay Miller and the police:
Cop:You kids ok?
Clay Miller:Well I’m a little banged up, and she’s been held hostage for 6 weeks but yeah, we’ll live.
Cop:so you say Jason Voorhees did this?
Clay Miller: yes, he’s a psychopath… he brutally murdered everyone…
Cop:WELL… where’s the body, got to call in forensics and such. You said you killed him in the barn right?
Clay Miller: he died in the barn, yes sir, but we dumped his corpse in the lake… so…
Cop:The lake? What the hell for? Because of the legends?
Clay Miller: Legends? No… we just… we just figured the lake would be fitting, you know?
Cop:Fitting? Your tellin’ me you disposed of the body of the prime suspect in well over hundreds of missing person cases including last nights murders?
Clay Miller:hmm… should we not have done that? Was that a bad idea? “˜cause I gotta be honest, we started to question it ourselves as we were both crying and dragging his body through the woods.
Cop:God damn…
Clay Miller: So next time… no lake… check. Got it. Man… he was HEVVVVV-EEEE too… Haha.
Cop:get in the car.
You know what, it’s so absurd it actually makes the movie better. Thanks for reading!
I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I’m having a bit of a chat with actor and musician Matt Berry.
Though he’d been making his way around the club circuit as a musician and performer for a few years up to that point, Matt Berry first hit TV screens in the brilliant (and affectionate) send up of low-budgeted and over-acted 80’s dramas, Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place, in the role of cocky surgeon Dr. Lucien Sanchez.
What followed was the equally memorable role of Dixon Bainbridge in the cult hit The Mighty Boosh, a recurring role on the Dark Place “spin-off” Man To Man with Dean Learner, and the even more cult show Snuff Box, which he co-created and co-starred in with fellow Boosh alum Rich Fulcher.
He’s perhaps best known now for playing the unhinged CEO of Renyholm Industries, Douglas Renholm, in Graham Linehan’s hit sitcom The IT Crowd
What you may not know is that Berry is also a musician, who’s third album – Witchazel – is available on Valentine’s Day. For more information, check out his MySpace page at www.myspace.com/mattberrysmusic
Oh, and you can preview a track from his new album HERE
A small note on this interview – please excuse the less-than-stellar audio quality. I could give you the reasons for it, but they’d most likely only bore you.
Here now is my chat with Matt Berry… Hope you enjoy…
The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
While it’s not the Blu-Ray editions that everyone (me included) was hoping for, the new special editions of the Back To The Future trilogy are worth a look see. The original Back To The Future (Universal, Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP) ports over the special features from the previous release, but also adds the Back To The Future Night network special, a new 9-part documentary, and – best of all – the complete Back To The Future Universal Studios ride footage, including the pre-show. Both Back To The Future IIand Back To the Future III (Universal, Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP each) contains the behind-the-scenes featurettes, commentaries, deleted scenes, and outtakes contained in the original box-set release. Now, if only we can get the Blu-Ray sorted out…
I’ve got hundreds and hundreds of slides and negatives from years of pre-digital photo archives. That being the case, I’m always keen on new and easier ways to try and digitize this wealth of images – including a nifty slide/negative scanner that Thinkgeek offered, and I featured a few months back. Well, now they’ve gone and begun offering a newer, spiffier ImageLab Instant Slide Scanner ($109.99) that doesn’t even require a computer to do its job – it’s got a little LCD viewer and store the scans on an SD card. Heck, you can even run it off of batteries, for ultimate mobility. Cool.
Another catalogue classic making its way to high definition is the director’s cut of Amadeus (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP) – which adds 20 minutes to the theatrical cut. The Blu-Ray ports over the audio commentary with director Milos Foreman and Peter Schafer, the making-of documentary, and the theatrical trailer, and adds a bonus CD of Mozart’s music. Regardless of the picture quality (and it is stunning), it’s still a beautiful film.
Also hitting Blu-Ray is David Cronenberg’s surprisingly accessible A History Of Violence (New Line, Rated R, DVD-$28.99 SRP), starring Viggo Mortenson as a man who’s selfless act calls unwanted attention on himself and a violent past that may or may not be his own.
Uber-curmudgeon Victor Meldrew returns in the 5th & 6th seasons of the Brit comedy classic One Foot In The Grave (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP each). The 6th season is also the final in the series, save for a few specials that will probably get a separate release. The 2-disc sets feature 6 episodes, an audio commentary apiece, the 1995 Christmas special (on Season 5), and a retrospective featurette (on Season 6).
It’s not quite as incisive as it could be, but Oliver Stone’s W. (Lionsgate, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.95 SRP) is still a remarkable attempt to understand the 43rd President of The United States. Does he ever get a grasp on just what made George W. Bush what he is? Not really. But the performances are great, and now that he’s finally out of office, maybe someone will eventually get a handle on exactly what’s going on in his head. Bonus features include an audio commentary and a featurette.
When all hell breaks loose in a small town, are you going to call the police? No. The FBI? No. The military? Of course not! Ninjas? THEY DON’T HAVE PHONES!! No, the person you’re going to call to sort it all out is B-movie legend Bruce Campbell – and that’s just what the small town of Gold Lick does in the fun little goof My Name Is Bruce (Image, Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP). Bonus features include an audio commentary, featurettes, a making-of documentary, trailers, and galleries.
It’s certainly not their finest hour, but I sort of kind of dig the better aspects of Oliver & Company (Walt Disney, Rated G, DVD-$29.99 SRP) – which is one of the animated films made when Disney was still in the 80’s wilderness. Still, I do love the tunes from Billy Joel (starring here as Dodger) and Huey Lewis. The re-released special edition contains a vintage behind-the-scenes featurette.
It’s by no means a disaster, but it certainly would have been nice if Bernie Mac’s final film were better. Soul Men (Dimension, Rated R, DVD-$28.95 SRP) stars Mac and Samuel L. Jackson as a par of estranged soul singers who work through their differences on a road trip to a reunion concert at the famed Apollo Theater. Bonus features include an audio commentary, featurettes, tributes to Bernie Mac & Isaac Hayes, and the theatrical trailer.
The Blu-Ray catalogue express pulls up to the station with another carload full of titles, this time straight from Fox. Getting the high definition treatment are the much-requested Office Space, Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine, and Sideways (Fox, Rated PG/R, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP each). All of the bonus features are identical to the standard special edition releases, so you’re really looking at picking these up for the picture and sound upgrade.
It’s no Pixar, but there’s a simple pleasure to Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (Dreamworks, Rated PG, DVD-$34.98 SRP), the sequel to the zoo animals escape to the wild original that was equally mild diversion entertainment. This time – you guessed it – they’ve managed to escape from Madagascar only to crash land in Africa, where hilarity ensues. Bonus features include music videos and featurettes, and it’s definitely worth spending the couple of extra bucks to pick up the set that comes bundled with the penguins adventure The Penguins Of Madagascar. The Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) contains the penguins special, the standard edition’s bonus features, as well as an animators corner with storyboards and interviews.
There’s nothing especially upsetting or horrific or even interesting about Friday The 13th: The Series (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP). Check out up the complete second season of this syndicated anthology snoozer and see if I’m wrong. It barely even succeeds on a cheap laughs level.
It’s not the best looking CGI animated flick, but my nephew certainly likes the off-kilter tale of Igor (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP), a hunchbacked lab assistant in a country full of evil scientists and lackeys, who decides that he has the knowledge and talent to break out of the caste system. Bonus features include an audio commentary, an alternate opening scene, and galleries. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus features.
Long before the lackluster Masters Of Horror, another anthology series sought out horror masters for a slightly better clutch of stories – Tales From The Darkside (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$36.98 SRP). Executive produced by George Romero, the 3-disc first season set contains all 24 episodes, plus audio commentaries.
It’s a saccharine, fluffy mess, but I’m sure there will be plenty of sales for the newly-arrived-in-high-definition Pretty Woman (Touchstone, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP). In addition to all of those extra pixels, bonus features include an audio commentary, a trio of featurettes, a Natalie Cole music video, a blooper reel, and the theatrical trailer.
It can be plodding, but Spike Lee’s Miracle At St. Anna (Touchstone, Rated R, DVD-$29.99 SRP) at least tells an interesting tale – about four members of the US Army’s all-black 92nd Infantry Division who, while stationed in Tuscany, Italy, are trapped behind enemy lines and find themselves in a small Tuscan village. Bonus features include a pair of historical featurettes and deleted scenes. A Blu-Ray edition is also available ($34.99 SRP).
No longer a full season set, fans will have to make do with only the first 19 episodes in Melrose Place: The Fifth Season Volume 1 (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). Still no bonus features, though, so that Heather Locklear commentary will just have to come one day.
If you want a crash course in pretentious cinema, look no further than the world-struck-blind-by-a-plague-and-devolves-into-chaos-but-Julianne-Moore-isn’t-blind Blindness (Miramax, Rated R, DVD-$29.99 SRP). Don’t believe me? By all means, check it out for yourself. Bonus features include a making-of documentary and deleted scenes.
They may be on the simple side, but that’s exactly what you’d hope when putting on one of the 4 DVDs (comprising 32 episodes) in the Curious George Monkey Collection: Volume 1 (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). Not only did they nail a great design for the character in animated form, but they passed the all-important “my nephews like it” test.
Shout Factory picks up the ball after Universal walked away following the release of the first season with Simon & Simon: Season Two (Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP). The 6-disc set features all 22 episodes, plus the special Magnum PI crossover episode.
We still don’t have the original 60’s series (I want it more than a hula hoop), but we get another Alvin & The Chipmunks themed episode collection, The Mystery Of The Easter Chipmunk (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP), containing 5 episodes from the 80’s series.
Yeah, I tried. Still don’t like Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (Turner, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). But they have a rabid fanbase that is sure to snap up the complete second season, and delight in its deleted/extended scenes, promos, karaoke videos, tour footage, blooper reel, and more.
So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…
Aaron Yoo is the funniest person in FRIDAY THE 13TH. It’s not a distinction that serves him well in this regard but Aaron provides some short and snappy comic relief before coming face to face with the homicidal maniac looking to kill everyone. The genuinely nice thing about Aaron’s performance, though, is that he represented one potential kill in this movie about, well, murder. As I mentioned in my review of the film this entry stands heads and shoulders (ones that haven’t yet been decapitated) above its peers if you were to stack it against the “horror” entries of the 90’s. Back then it seemed to be all about irony and not so much about the killin’. This FRIDAY THE 13TH, though, is all about the killing and I couldn’t have been more delighted. The screams are great, the creativity that went into the kills was inspired and you have what is a rock solid reboot of a film.
The last time I talked with Aaron he was starring last year in 21 and so having the chance to talk to him again was something I could not pass up. I caught up with Aaron a couple of days ago, the night after the film’s premiere in LA, to talk about Voorhees, the nature of horror and whether Jason ever did a little soft shoe right before takes. FRIDAY THE 13TH opens everywhere today…
AARON YOO: What’s up?
CHRISTOPHER STIPP: I saw the movie last night.
YOO: Were you at that big messy thing we were at?
CS: No man. I live here in Arizona…so I don’t get to do any of that.
YOO: Oh, OK. I more or less saw the movie last night myself.
CS: Really?
YOO: There was more of a disaster around it probably than was going on around your end. It was just the premiere and those are always like the equivalent of a human shipwreck.
(Laughs)
Chaos and more chaos and flashing lights and cameras and afterwords you are stranded on an island of alcohol.
(Laughs)
CS: Well, what was it like seeing it last night finally all put together?
YOO: It’s really interesting. I’ve never done a full on horror movie. I found it interesting. I’ve done scare stuff in the past but when you know a scare is coming it’s kind of, it comes sort of as a intellectual exercise so it’s hard to tell. I’m not really sure and curious to know how editors and directors and such of horror films put movies together because if you are not scared by yourself, what’s the mathematics of what scares a person? People were being scared around me and so I was like, “OK…” It’s a really odd experience.
CS: I was reading a little of what happened on the set and found out that your first day on the set came after you had your appendix taken out.
YOO: Yeah, I actually had a bit of a complication from appendix surgery from years ago and so it was just something that acted up and was at the Kayne concert and I thought I don’t feel good. So it’s basically the equivalent of having appendicitis again. Brutal to have that twice in your life. I went the morning after and called my cast mate Arlen Escarpeta at 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning and said, “Hey, I think you need to take me to the hospital.” So he was like, “OK, I’m coming.” And then the docs said, “You need surgery.”
I initially thought it was going to be schedule prohibitive of me doing this movie but give all credit to Platinum Dunes and everyone in the film and Marcus, and Brand, Andrew and Michael over at Platinum Dunes and everybody. They wanted me to stay on the film so they filled the whole schedule around so I could have time off and I came back on set 10 days after surgery or something like that and started shooting again. So it was pretty cool. I did a fair amount of the movie. My own little trivia question is more like how much of the movie did I do? But I did a fair amount of the movie with 18 staples so it was a pretty interesting experience.
CS: Based on that, there is a lot of wiggling on your part. You get a little physical with Jason.
YOO: Yeah, if you could have seen ““ I guess what a horror movie is is to see the expressions of my producers every time ““ I did a lot of falls and stuff and did that on purpose and I didn’t really them I was going to do it until I started doing it. And people thought I should say hey, I might fall here. The first time I would do it in rehearsal or do it in a take people were like, “Cut, cut, cut. Are you OK?” And I’m like, “Really, I’m OK. I’m doing that on purpose. Don’t. That’s a good take.”
So people would just hold their breath. I would freak them out like maybe I should have given them an advanced warning. Andrew Form, one of our producers, would say I was giving him a heart attack every time you do that. But sometimes, and I always feel like, getting to do what we do is a gift so you just have to have fun with it and don’t worry about anything else and you often don’t want to come back and not be doing my job. When I did my scene with Jason they were saying just kind of push him in the wall and mess him up and Derek and I…we were doing the scene and did a couple of takes and it didn’t feel like it was working and I said to him “Can you just push me into the wall?” and he said, “Are you are asking me if that is physically possible? Come on. I could do that with one arm.” So, I said, “OK, do it.”
And then he threw me into the wall and everyone was, “Whoa!” Because it looked real, right?
CS: One of the things that makes this movie so great is that it does. It feels brutal.
YOO: Yeah. I felt like that too, even if you know what’s coming or not, is the brutality of it. There were definitely scenes ““ there were scenes that surprised me and I don’t scare easily in general ““ but there were scenes where people were dying and the first couple of times you could hear the whole theater going, ah, ah, ah, oh, oh, oh. I think my character landed the biggest one of those.
CS: And well deserved because I was going to tell you when it does happen, and I’m not going to ruin anything for anybody, but it’s definitely one that caused a lot of reaction from the crowd.
YOO: Can I ask you what was the audience like where you were seeing it? Was it critics?
CS: No, it was a little bit of both. Very big theater. Maybe a dozen or so critics and maybe 100-200 regular fans.
YOO: Awesome. Awesome. It’s really interesting to see ““ a bunch of us are trying to see opening night screenings Friday ““ just to see what’s that like. The photographers at the premiere were wearing Jason masks. I was recently traveling out of the country and anywhere I went people knew Friday the 13th. They couldn’t speak any English at all and I’d say Friday the 13th in their language and they would say “Jason”, “hockey mask” and it’s incredible. So, I’m really curious to see what opening night audiences will be like for this movie. Should be a lot of fun.
CS: I think, genuinely, and I’m being honest, it does count as one of the best entries into the series because it takes out the goofiness and the high sheen of the previous entries.
YOO: Like what?
CS: I’m thinking when he kicks over the boom-box in JASON TAKES MANHATTAN.
(Laughs)
YOO: You know the whole story about Friday the 13th is about where the hockey mask came from. It was only thing they could find to cover his head up. They lost the original cover they were using. It was a total accident. So, the whole series, the original, it’s amazing the cultural credit it has because there’s, and no disrespect to the filmmakers, but there’s a lot of on-the-fly patching things together in that original series so I think the plan they had over at New Line and Platinum Dunes was that, “Hey, we have this thing that everybody is so part of our sub-cultural sub-conscious but never been done well.”
I’m not sure what well is but, and you’re probably thinking what the heck am I talking about, this is not going to compete for an Oscar, but it’s a fun, if I may say, it’s a really fun ride.
CS: It absolutely is. You have Marcus directing and he did a great job of bringing back Texas Chainsaw but when you first initially got around this project, was it, and it’s OK to be honest to say a job is a job and I’ll take it, “I’ll do it” but were there any reservations on your part that it was not going to live up to what people were hoping it was in that this was going to be hopefully a straight up horror movie?
YOO: Well, I actually took my time thinking of it before getting on board the project. I went back and watched Marcus’s Texas Chainsaw and enjoyed the hell out of it. I was invited to take a look at the script which they were keeping under lockdown over at the Platinum Dunes offices and you roll up and there’s Transformers all over the place and all these posters and it was, I should have never asked the guys if this was done on purpose but they were like, here, why don’t you go take this script and go read it in Andrew’s office. And the office is just covered in mock-ups in pre-production art, costume posters, all this Friday the 13th stuff ““ all over the room. I was like, wow, this is Friday, the f’n 13th. Wow! And I was like, “If you’re going to do a horror movie, this is the way to go.” And it made sense from the beginning, Andrew, Marcus, Brad, everybody were like, we say sex, drugs, and Jason Voorhees. Bring back that kind of horror movie they stopped making in the early 80’s. You get the ones that are totally gruesome then you get all the iterations of the Scream genre and the Japanese and Korean horror remakes where it’s all atmospheric. But Friday the 13th is kind of like a theme park and that was the goal and hopefully it delivers.
When we were making it we were in Austin, Texas, one of the best places on earth and we said, “Let’s just have fun.” And one of the good things about having surgery while you are shooting is that it really puts things ““ makes things very simple ““ I just had a serious health issue which is now past, and this thing we do is just fun. So I had such a blast.
CS: I have to know, did you ever stand along side Jason at the craft services table, with him in full regalia?
YOO: Yeah! Derek and I didn’t shoot a lot of scenes together. We didn’t actually work together for the first month and so we were all hanging out off set and then we would shoot two sets at the same time on stage and we would kick it. Derek is genuinely ““ and I don’t know if I should tell people this because I don’t want to ruin their experience at the film ““ but he’s a genuinely a wonderful human being and hilarious and actually a riot to work with. He will make you laugh with his mask on right before you are about to do a take and then they call “action” and you’re laughing and like, “I hate you.”
(Laughs)
“First of all, you ruined me. I can’t do the scene.” It’s interesting. I think maybe it’s best to meet Derek after you’ve seen Friday the 13th. The guy is a specimen. A physical specimen. He’s about 6’7″, maybe 270. He literally could chuck me with one arm, but just a genuine and hilarious human being.
CS: I saw him last year at Comic-Con when I previewed the footage. It was just sick. It was great when they showed it and Derek seems to know how to make Jason seem more than what he is.
YOO: Absolutely. We had such a good time working together. Last night I meant to tell him ““ I’m not sure I ever told him ““ that there’s this thing about my death scene with Jason where people say it’s just crazy with this certain thing I’m doing and I basically got ““ Derek and I were riffing between takes and he said this one thing and made me think of this other thing and I tried to do something in the take but it totally failed but in trying to do it, it made the take longer than it was meant to so I died for a really long time and it got really messy, my accident, not intentional at all. I was trying to do something and it wasn’t working but somehow my failure made it a keeper take. I love that how movies and scenes sometimes weird things happen. You’re trying to do something and makes this other thing happen which is what should have happened and everything comes together by mistakes.
CS: How dis that work out, doing your death scene – When are you blocking it out and is it tightly choreographed? I ask because sometimes it looks like people are flopping around, you in particular, like a fish.
YOO: It’s very highly choreographed. I don’t know about all actors but half of why I got into this whole crazy business. I remember being in Disturbia I get hit with a bat. I got to do everything except for, David Morse’s character hits me so hard that they wind up having a stunt guy flip over and fall to the ground and I’m watching that and said, I can totally do that. So I fell over the fence and stuff and said, “Why can’t I do that? I can totally do that.” And they said, “Uh, what are we going to do if you break something?” So I always ask to do as much of that stuff as possible because I get such a kick out of it. It’s like playing when you were a kid. You get to mark it all the way through. You play choreographer. We had a lot of fun. You know my death scene came up the day of. There was no blocking. Most of the death’s you have a blocking rehearsal earlier on some day you weren’t shooting and work out the kinks. And you show up the day of and just agree on realities of the day and the space and schedule of shooting and everything but we didn’t even have the set built and second of all in the original script you don’t see me die on screen. Somewhere along the line they said, “That’s stupid. Why are we not showing that?” And so, it was just back and forth and tossing ideas at the brain trust and then the day of we come in in the morning and they say, we got it.
(Laughs)
And they told me, “Now we just have to figure out how to make this work by 2:00 this afternoon.” And, of course, we’re shooting other scenes. The special effects dept ““ Scott Stoddard is amazing does all the fake heads and amazing stuff and onset blood ““ very little computer CGI stuff. It’s old school, well done effects. So he had to come up with how it all was going to be done by 2:00 in the afternoon. He had basically 6 hours and we showed up on set and looking at the basic general idea and the tool shed and said, “What if it was over here, and that was over there….” We just kind of made it up. It was really fun. It’s really like when you are 7 years old and say, “No, I stabbed you, you’re dead. Honestly. This is a sword and you are honestly dead.” It’s just that sort of thing and I loved that when I was a kid. The one difference is that you have to get used to being covered in fake blood which is not comfortable after the third hour.
(Laughs)
CS: Well, in order to get his up by Friday I have to cut it short but I definitely want to end with a question. Looking back at your experience, seeing the film finished on the screen last night, what did you take away with the nature of what Jason represents to movie history?
YOO: I think of Jason as the id…No, not really. I can’t intellectualize what I hope is a fun movie. I don’t know when that kind of horror film really came in, whether it was originally Halloween or whatnot, but I think it is the kind of movie that titillates people in a good and healthy way. Like scaring the pants off of you is sometimes good for your general well being. And Jason is the boogey man that you know you are going to enjoy being frightened of. He’s not trying to teach you anything. He’s not trying to scare you for any reason other than for you to have a good time. And hopefully that’s what we are putting in a box and giving people for Valentine’s Day.
(Laughs)
—————————– And now, for those still reading, who would like to win some FRIDAY THE 13TH swag? I have 6 FRIDAY THE 13TH branded hoodies to give away and if you’re interested in winning just jot me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and just write somewhere in that e-mail what your favorite entry is of this series. These things are L and XL, have a red little swath on the front saying FRIDAY THE 13TH and a pimp looking Jason mask that will always be looking behind you. They’re pretty pimp so big thanks to the sponsors who tossed some my way.
I swear this is my last time pimping my appearance in a podcast. For now, anyway.
The fine lads over at Screen Geeks had me on for their Most Anticipated Films of 2009 show and, thankfully, they hadn’t discovered how much of a charlatan I am before letting me shout out such gems as G.I. JOE (If you’re a fan of the 80’s series by Larry Hama run, do not walk, to IDW’s new series that has brought a bit of nostalgia to my pull box.) and FRIDAY THE 13TH. These chaps are top shelf and I thank them one more time for having me on.
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Now, instead of letting pundits and blowhards get their soundbites on CNN without any informed discussion about the allegations surrounding Danny Boyle’s SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE as it pertains to the man’s filming of the movie Mr. Boyle decided to defend his film and thankfully he comes out swinging. I wouldn’t normally run this statement from Danny and Co. but my time with him a couple of months ago was genuinely exhilarating; his gregariousness, his excitement and overall joy at just being in some hellhole in Arizona talking to some no name web journalist left an impression.
What follows is an answer to those out there in the ephemera who are taking Boyle to task, ignorantly, for what they perceive as bad behavior on his part as he made his film in India.
FILMMAKERS STATEMENT:
From the moment that we hired them and long before the press became interested in this story, we have paid painstaking and considered attention to how Azhar and Rubina’s involvement in the film could be of lasting benefit to them over and above the payment they received for their work.
The children had never attended school, and in consultation with their parents we agreed that this would be our priority. Since June 2008 and at our expense, both kids have been attending school and they are flourishing under the tutelage of their dedicated and committed teachers. Financial resources have been made available for their education until they are 18. We were delighted to see them progressing well when we visited their school and met with their teachers last week.
In addition to their educational requirements, a fund is in place to meet their basic living costs, health care and any other emergencies. Furthermore, as an incentive for them to continue to attend school a substantial lump sum will be released to each child when they complete their studies. Taking into account all of the children’s circumstances we believe that this is the right course of action.
Since putting in place these arrangements more than 12 months ago we have never sought to publicize them, and we are doing so now only in response to the questions raised recently in the press. We trust that the matter can now be put to bed, and we would request that the media respect the children’s privacy at this formative time in their lives.
– – Danny Boyle and Christian Colson
DISTRIBUTORS STATEMENT:
The welfare of Azhar and Rubina has always been a top priority for everyone involved with Slumdog Millionaire. A plan has been in place for over 12 months to ensure that their experience working on Slumdog Millionaire would be of long term benefit. For 30 days work, the children were paid three times the average local annual adult salary. Last year after completing filming, they were enrolled in school for the first time and a fund was established for their future welfare, which they will receive if they are still in school when they turn 18. Due to the exposure and potential jeopardy created by the unwarranted press attention, we are looking into additional measures to protect Azhar and Rubina and their families. We are extremely proud of this film, and proud of the way our child actors have been treated.
– – Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox Star Studios, Pathe International
Finally today, what follows here is a chat with Sian Breckin. She’s in a new thriller that is making some lo-fi rounds at the multiplexes and will be out on video in a couple of months called DONKEY PUNCH. For those who are unfamiliar with what this movie is about here is a short synopsis:
After meeting at a nightclub in a Mediterranean resort, seven young adults decide to continue partying aboard a luxury yacht in the middle of the ocean. But when one of them dies in a freak accident the others argue about what to do, leading to a ruthless fight for survival.
I have read a lot about the production of this film and was attracted to it for 2 reasons: 1. It was made by a first time director and 2. It was shot on the cheap. It isn’t the novelty so much as I am and have been endlessly fascinated by filmmakers who haven’t made much and want to make a splash without a whole lot of cash to do it. Reviews have been all over the board with this movie, and that doesn’t interest me so much as it does get in the way to the story, but when I was asked to speak to one of the film’s ensemble cast, Sian Breckin, I was in. She’s was a delight to talk to and, oddly enough, her filmography to those who live here in the U.S. equals 1 film. This one.
I figured that would be just as good as any of a spot to begin our talk.
CHRISTOPHER STIPP: You’ve made it really hard on me to try to find any kind of question to ask of you based on your many films.
SIAN BRECKIN: What do you mean?
CS: Apart from Donkey Punch ““ I don’t know where else or what else you’ve been in. It makes a hard interview.
BRECKIN: Oh, OK. Lots of theater in London.
And then lots of television in England on the BBC and ITV networks which are the main tunnels in England, but this is the first time I’ve come to LA or America I suppose because Donkey Punch has just come out here.
CS: Learning about this film I found out that it was made for a million pounds, it was really low budget when compared to some movies of its kind.
BRECKIN: I think it was 800 thousand or something. It was nothing.
CS: Nothing at all.
BRECKIN: It’s incredible that I’m here to be honest with you.
CS: Then how did you make that transition? What I know about you here is that this is basically your first movie and this is the first thing you have been in to me here, someone being from the states. How did you make that leap or why did you want to make that leap from theater to film?
BRECKIN: It was the first thing I did on screen and I think I had watched, have you seen DEAD MAN’S SHOES, which is a British film with Paddy Considine who has been in a few American things which was made by Warp Films and Warp Films sent the script out for Donkey Punch and they made really challenging films I suppose and they are not just pleasing the right wing middle class audience. They are making something I believe in.
So when I got the script from Warp I thought this was a company I really wanted to work with and they had made some interesting things I liked. So when I read the script I really identified with the characters and with Lisa particularly and then I thought this was a great opportunity to create someone very believable in a messed up situation.
CS: Right. And I think one of the things that a lot of people, these post modern critiques of horror film, is the helpless female. Looking at this, did you look with an eye towards is this person believable or she is another female trope of “Is she going to break a leg, fall down?”
(Laughs)
BRECKIN: I don’t think she’s a helpless female because she’s, particularly for the sex scenes, she’s completely in control. She’s doesn’t get Marcus, the boy she wants, so she fell for somebody else and then when Bluey suggests that Josh gets involved she very much in control and on holiday having a fantastic time and I think she’s a powerful woman who is very sexually confident. And, as an actress I have to think, “OK what are my paranoias and my insecurities?” But they are not relevant because Lisa is very much in control and is having a fantastic holiday and I have to match that. And I thought that was empowering to play rather than thinking of her as a helpless female. I don’t think at any point she’s helpless.
CS: No, absolutely not. And this film I think challenges that idea. The aim of that question was you see a lot of horror movies where women are relegated to the screaming role. This brought something a little different to the idea.
BRECKIN: Well, good. I’m glad. Because the women are really strong. There’s one woman that gives up the ghost at one point and she feels she can’t carry on, but I mean I think that Lisa realizes that she doesn’t need Nichola’s character, she plays Tammi. So there are strong women who are in control I guess.
CS: To that point of the production of the film, I’m always curious when I’m talking to someone who has made a thriller/slash horror film. About the very mundane parts of making a horror film…I read in some interview with you that you were wet, you were cold, really wasn’t conducive for abject horror.
BRECKIN: Yeah.
CS: How is that process of actually having to muster up the fortitude to look scared and panicked when in fact it’s rather so planned out and staged?
BRECKIN: I think that maybe Donkey Punch is different because it was shot in 24 days and rather than having to fly in and fly out for my scenes we were flown in at the same time and spent 6 weeks together. The girls lived in a flat together and it felt very much like a lot of the rehearsing ““ we were working all the time ““ living together we were establishing our relationship and stuff that could have been mundane wasn’t. When you felt terrified ““ I just had the fun stuff ““ but I think they did feel claustrophobic on the boat which was out to sea and there were a lot of people on the boat and you couldn’t get off that. In the beginning we had a lot of fun and really worked very hard and played really hard, that’s the reality but what we were going through was reflected in the film.
CS: One of those things about it and pointing back to one of those things I’ve read about the production of the film, that Ollie, who is a first time film director….
BRECKIN: Yea, that’s right….which is amazing.
CS: How was that?
BRECKIN: It was amazing because he was very interested in the actors and what we could bring to our characters and wasn’t exclusive with the script. He had his script and had an idea at least of what he wanted and then would let us give as much input as we could, what we wanted to create for the film, which for my first time on screen was incredible because I felt very loose and very free with what I could bring to the film rather than restricted by someone who knew more.
CS: And how was that coming from the theater ““ the performance you would give ““ given the film as opposed to the theater? Is it more nuanced? Do you find yourself falling back into the ideas of theater acting? Making things grandiose? Or did you find there was an adjustment period?
BRECKIN: It’s incredibly different. I think I did go through an adjustment period and when I watch the film and know how we filmed in sequence, I can tell where I am much more used to the camera and where I’m not. And when you are on the stage and used to an audience which is far away from you and to do something on the screen, everything you do is smaller and much more focused and intense and it took me a while to get used to that.
But, I knew who Lisa was and I knew what I wanted to portray and I worked with 6 other actors who had worked on film before and were young and I really learned a lot from them and watching them all the time. Because Ollie was new he let me on the set a lot to watch what was going on and I felt it was OK for me to learn and I did learn a hell of a lot doing that film.
CS: And you mentioned working with other actors, ensemble acting…
BRECKIN: Just thinking in terms when you work on a script for theater you maybe spend four or maybe two weeks before you start rehearsing and researching the character ““ how they walk, what they wear, what kind of person they are and because I came from that training background, I brought that into the film and I think again, that was the thing that carried me through. I was very clear of who my character was. Maybe I wasn’t so skilled at working on camera but I was very clear on what I wanted to achieve and I think that helped me through.
CS: And you mentioned working with the other actors, ensemble acting. You are not the only person up there. This isn’t a movie with one or two people. How was that? You are not just acting by yourself but having to act within these other people.
BRECKIN: It was amazing. I felt really lucky to have that experience. The whole thing was an ensemble feel to it and it just meant I could learn from the experience from the other actors and they were very accepting into the things that I brought to it. And it was about a group of young people having a lot of fun. And that’s great isn’t it? For a job – go out and have fun. Yeah, I was really lucky.
CS: They say to never shoot on water. It’s one of the first things they say…
BRECKIN: Yeah, that’s true. That water that we jump into was freezing cold and we had to pretend it was boiling and we’re having a wonderful time. That was really tough because it wasn’t. It was very cold.
CS: Yeah, talk about that. I read that the divers that had to be in there with you got hypothermia.
BRECKIN: Yeah, hypothermia, checking for jellyfish and the tide and current was really strong and you are trying to look like this is great, we’re having a lovely time. Not “Oh my god, there’s a jellyfish and it’s really freezing” but I guess that’s the part that makes you a tougher actor.
CS: Being on the boat, you mentioned it being very claustrophobic. That’s one of the hardest things to do is make a movie in such a confined space. Talking with Ollie, how did he explain that he was going to make something so thrilling and so horrifying in such a tight, confined area?
BRECKIN: I’m not involved in that as much. My part on the boat is not as claustrophobic. I don’t know that he explained to the other actors. They would do night shoots and of course they were tired and stressed shooting on the boat just helped added to the fear and experience and I think it was a positive thing. I don’t think it was something he ever explained. We got on the boat on the first day of rehearsal and we knew then, “Oh my god ““ we’re out in the middle of the ocean.” I think it was very trying at times but I think everyone is happy with the end product. We all contributed to what we created in the end I guess.
CS: Looking back at this, I’m interested to know if you’ve seen your own work and whether you watch it and see imperfections that you might ““ some people look at themselves and don’t want to see what they’ve done on screen ““ anything you would have done differently?
BRECKIN: Sure. This is my first screen experience. So for me, to watch it was…different ““ I’ve never seen myself on screen and then I’ve watched it maybe about 12 times in different screenings and with different audiences and the main thing for me is watching the other actors and learning from them and thinking what works and what doesn’t and hopefully I’m just bringing something truthful to the character that you can like…I think that’s important for Lisa…and something you can believe in ““ that’s my main goal. There are bits that I’m incredibly proud of and bits that I think are awful and I would change that but I’m only 26 and it’s all about experience and learning from that and everything that I’ve done.
CS: I know our time is short but I want to ask one more question and that’s seeing what I know ““ obviously me being from America I only see one thing that you’ve done here so basically in my eyes this is my first introduction to you. You now made yourself on a world stage and said, “This is who I am.” How do you look toward the future and what you want to do going from here?
BRECKIN: The thing that Donkey Punch as brought me is introduced me to a lot of companies that I’ve always watched their movies and thought I would love to work with them. And that’s British companies and now because Donkey Punch is being publicized in America it has allowed me to come out here and hopefully I can establish myself out here. I think American television is fantastic and would love to be involved in that and I think I’m young and I don’t know how ““ I think of this in terms of longevity ““ could involve different things ““ could involve acting, directing, producing but learning as I go along.
For anyone wanting to know the bottom line on this film here, verbatim, are the notes I sent to the studio rep about the movie:
“I thought the movie was formulaic, the writing was pretty weak and a little derivative but I thought Isla Fisher was positively effervescent and bubbly. She performed well in the role that she was given with other standouts being Krysten Ritter, who does Winona Ryder better than Winona Ryder, and Fred Armisen who I wished was given more to do. Overall, a movie that will positively work well with women who will gravitate towards the female-friendly material.”
Those still sticking around to read my additional thoughts on the movie I have to start by saying producer Jerry Bruckheimer was brilliant, getting in on this action. A man who usually has more to do with guns and bombs than he does with pantyhose and bombshells obviously saw something worth producing in a movie that is insipidly simple in its construction and wretchedly executed from the standpoint that there is no thinking involved at all by those in attendance. He saw, or at least I think he did, that there was a story that a large swath of the population not usually served by his usual fare deserved to hear because of what’s popular right now in our female society’s zeitgeist. It’s not a polemic on Middle Eastern relations, it’s a treatise on how one broke woman deals with shopping a lot, wants to write for a fashion magazine and then ends up falling in love.
That’s it. There’s nothing else you need to know about the film because it’s all filler and fodder to push along the 3 basic tenants of debt, shopping and fictionalized love. Isla Fisher, who plays Rebecca Bloomwood, absolutely shines in a role that requires nothing more than to be endearing, funny and charming. And she does it especially well when you consider how painful some other actresses have tried to pull this off in the pantheon of vapid female romantic comedy leads. Isla is a delight every single time she is on the screen and what’s impressive is that she was able to be compelling in her turn as a down-on-her-luck (self-inflicted down-on-her-luck, natch) writer who yearns to be part of the fashion world by writing for a prestigious magazine dedicated to all things glamorous. Her best friend, Suze (Krysten Ritter), is amazing insofar that, like I mentioned, oozes Wynona Rider all over her face but she manages to radiate the kind of peace and love that even Ringo Starr wouldn’t be able to resist autographing; she’s a delight.
After a series of wacky coincidences and unbelievable opportunities that defy any sense of logic, she becomes a lightning rod of attention for a staid and stuffy financial publication by writing a female-centric column focused on dumbing down complex issues dealing with money in a cheeky fashion. Her editor, Luke Brandon (played by the affable and likable Hugh Dancy), takes a fancy to this young wordsmith and the two end up playing the hackneyed game of girl likes boy, boy likes someone else, boy ends up liking girl.
Apart from these written elements there is an inordinate amount of slapstick. From fighting over boots at an exclusive sale of couture clothing to Isla actually putting palm to face of a foreigner from Finland at a cocktail party there is more to keep the ladies laughing from start to finish. And that’s the other thing. The movie appeals to women for reasons that should be abundantly clear when you understand that this movie is not predicated on looking at love from the perspective of that other fashion-centric movie, SEX AND THE CITY, as if you were to compare the two SEX would be considered an introverted examination of amour, this film just wants to be easy breezy.
There is a sub-plot of Isla dealing with a hard-nosed debt collector throughout the film as she avoids his calls, his visits and, ultimately, the fallout was a pleasant diversion that actually pays off at a pivotal moment in the film and there’s no denying that all the roles that are on the screen are used to their greatest potential. It’s not to say that all the performances are great or particularly pleasant, I wish there was more done with Fred Armisen who turns in a sublime and comical performance as Dancy’s boss, but there isn’t any long, drawn out moments that can at times disrupt the quick flow to these comedies.
In sum, this isn’t a movie I will ever purchase or pay to see again. I think the strongest comment I can make is that it’s a pleasant diversion to some of the fare out there that this could have been a lot worse if not for Isla Fisher. Fisher is the reason why this movie excels and you cannot help but notice that she is a comedic talent who actually manages to delight.
FRIDAY THE 13TH – REVIEW
I’m not one to begin with a quote so I apologize in advance. It’s gauche, I know that, I hate it when I see it in other publications, but it’s completely appropriate and relevant to what follows. It comes from SUMMER SCHOOL:
Dave:Have you seen the movie, Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Anna-Maria: No. It is good?
Dave: Oh, I’ve got to tell you, I love this film. It had passion and a plucky spirit. And, the characters had integrity, like when Leatherface went on that strict diet of human flesh, he had to cut out chicken and fish completely.
Francis “Chainsaw” Grimp: Dave, I agree with you. I’ll go a step further, sure Leatherface, he wore a mask made out of human skin, and he hung people on meat-hooks, but hey, we’ve all got quirks, I got ’em, you’ve got ’em Dave, that’s what makes this character so, so compelling. Thumbs up for me.
Thumbs up, indeed.
FRIDAY THE 13th absolutely deserves to be hugged and coddled by those wanting to go back to the days when horror meant killing, horror meant sparking up a spliff and getting nuts with your lady friend and when horror meant Jason was actually menacing.
One thing that Marcus Nispel deserves credit for as director on this film is knowing what this property used to mean to those who were weaned on a hearty diet of straight-forward hack/slash films in the 80’s and why it was absolutely time to deconstruct the deconstructors that brought us the SCREAM franchise. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift as writers deserve equal credit for making a movie that walks that fine line of knowing what makes good horror good and bad horror, well, unwatchable. One of the biggest compliments you can give a movie like this, then, is that it managed to actually thrill and excite without it ever feeling goofy or having too high a polish.
When you look at the pretty teen entries in the 90’s (I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, SCREAM, FINAL DESTINATION, HALLOWEEN H20, et al.) the clean and clear cinematography put a polish on things stuck out a frayed thread that you wish you could just unravel. These movies are supposed to be gritty, overexposed at times, dirty. Now, while Marcus’ previous reboot of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE wasn’t deserving of any great praise overall he at least got the atmosphere right. And he gets it right in this film.
From the start we push right through some of the basic tenants of what made Jason, well, Jason. He sees his mom beheaded from afar in a flashback sequence, drenched in blackness and rain, which takes all of 5 minutes. Whereas some would love to dwell on this moment Marcus and Co. just plow through this information and you can feel this is a story that is going to move at a quick clip. When we get into the actual narrative we’re led to believe that a pack of kids who are off wandering around, backpacks in tow, looking for a stash of marijuana that has been planted somewhere deep in the recesses of tall grass, tall trees, far away from humanity, the backwoods. It’s effective in setting up of how distant all these events are taking place, how susceptible they are to the natural environs or any other danger that will fall upon them. Cell phones don’t work here either, natch.
The first pre-act, an extended moment really, of the kids looking for a plantation full of weed takes up a solid 15 minutes and is really a definitive look at how the rest of the film will unfold. We’ve got ourselves a story that knows how to pace itself, how to generate good tension with its characters as we all wait for the killing to go full throttle and how to execute its executions.
I have to hand it to the filmmakers in that they’ve properly figured out the proportions of sex, drugs and violence. The first two kind of take care of themselves, I think Jeffrey Wells won’t want for pictures of these ladies, but the latter was done with a little creativity. It’s hard not to be able and spoil things with descriptions of how there were some quality kills at the outset but it is sufficient to explain that there are messy ways to go here; America Olivio and Jonathan Sadowski both deserve a golf clap for setting things off in the right manner and it’s absolutely terrifying to see Jason have a spring in his step as the conversation, come Monday, will probably revolve around slow lumbering Jason versus Olympic sprinter Jason. I like the fast moving one because you can really feel the physics behind every machete hack and every ax toss.
As we settle into the story proper I was struck by the pacing. Whereas in the other entries you had Jason mostly attacking people in the night (there are exceptions to this) Jason is not relegated to being the boogie man who only strikes at night. As judged by the preview you do have Jason coming out to terrorize some young swimmer and this only enhances the experience in that you are left to wonder where and when he might strike.
The main players in this feature, Jared Padalecki (playing Clay Miller) and Danielle Panabaker (playing Jenna) were solid entries as the focus of this film. The two of them are relatively unknowns, most everyone in this film are unknowns, and again this only enhances the experience as you subconsciously are left wondering who is going to be spared and who’s going to die next. Thankfully this movie doesn’t play favorites and this is, perhaps, the film’s greatest advantage. Whereas other films in the 90’s played with young actors on the bubble you had some good beads on who was going to live and who was not. For the most part, this film keeps it all going as we traipse from one kill to another.
However, I will mention that the Jason Lair is a little goofy and idiotic. Its presence was the one thing that kept this film from being absolutely great and took me out of the 3rd act somewhat. This area seemed awfully well-constructed, not to mention well-lit, for a man who is supposed to be a mentally deficient, homicidal maniac and it’s completely unbelievable in every regard. Also, its eventual use as we head home toward the ending is equally bizarre and logic defying but it does deserve a little credit for reasons that deserve to be seen to be believed.
One of the other issues that are raised when reviewing a horror movie is that you run in to a lot of things that are simply too goofy to try and be eloquent about: the drug use; the promiscuity; the nudity; the bad choices; and, subsequently, the bad decisions don’t really deserve to be scrutinized in the conventional sense. These elements made good horror films good then and it certainly makes it good now. To pick apart at these things would only serve to unravel the tight noose that is wrapped around your expectations for what you hope this movie will deliver. You go into this film wishing for these things and, if you’re really a fan of the genre, you hope things honor its heritage and you hope its fun. Derek Mears delivers an excellent, reenergized Jason Voorhees and even though there is nothing more to do than to act menacing his performance competes with that of C.J. Graham from FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VI. I am recusing any talk of the subtleties of Derek’s performance as really any talk beyond his form would just spoil the goodness of his heinousness with how he dispatches his victims to the afterlife.
This movie delivers on delivering a solid horror experience with its thrilling pacing and dark atmosphere. Terror seems to be around many corners and it deserves credit for not only erasing the awfulness and shame the sequels have inflicted on the more respectable entries into this much maligned franchise. There is nothing intellectual going on in these movies and I think this accounts for why many have failed to “get it” when it comes to what makes these good movies. It’s about nudity, about gettin’ high and about how people are gonna die. And this movie delivers on all three. Chainsaw and Dave would have absolutely given this a thumbs-up.
And now, for those still reading, who would like to win some FRIDAY THE 13TH swag? I have 6 FRIDAY THE 13TH branded hoodies to give away and if you’re interested in winning just jot me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and just write somewhere in that e-mail what your favorite entry is of this series. These things are L and XL, have a red little swath on the front saying FRIDAY THE 13TH and a pimp looking Jason mask that will always be looking behind you. They’re pretty pimp so big thanks to the sponsors who tossed some my way.
Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.
Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.
Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.
KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #82: Gold Fever – Ken & Dana return with their annual Oscar competition, which can better be described as a mostly good-natured series of verbal volleys, bitterness, and recrimination.
[CONTENT WARNING]:This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
The Tusken Raider Premium Format figure is a stunning 1:4 scale reproduction. The figure is cast in high-quality, heavy-weight polystone, and dressed in an expertly-tailored scale reproduction of the costume. Each figure is hand-painted and hand-finished, and individually hand-numbered. This amazingly detailed figure is a truly worthy addition to any Star Wars collection!
The Sideshow Exclusive version of the Tusken Raider Premium Format Figure includes a unique feature available nowhere else: Interchangeable Right Hand Holding Rifle!
Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Friday, March 6th.
PLEASE NOTE: If you enter this contest, you are also signing up for Sideshow Collectibles’ newsletter. You can always unsubscribe whenever you want, but it’s full of great news, giveaways, exclusives, and announcements.
CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!
Official Rules
No member of Quick Stop Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.
No Purchase necessary to win.
Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
One entry per day, per person.
All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Friday, March 6th.
The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.
Oh no! Just when you thought it was safe to hang out at the Quick Stop…
Cabin Fever (hosted by the twisted souls Brian Fitzpatrick and Aaron Poole) is the result of having too much time on your hands and access to your local community radio station.
Over the course of an hour, they manage to trawl the depths of good taste, plus throw some music in. How much more could you want from a podcast?… Quality? Oh… we didn’t think of that.
Enjoy! And we hope our cross Atlantic friends can understand the Irish accent 😉
Hugs and Kisses,
Aaron P. + Rev. Fitzy
CABIN FEVER #56: A Taste Of The Orient – The Cabin boys are joined by their loyal friends Shona and Bruce to help with a large and intimidating taste test of Chinese and Thai “delights”. They announce the details of their video competition (or, at least, they tell you where you can get them), and once again they have to apologise for the crappy sound. It’s becoming a habit.
[CONTENT WARNING]:Explicit contents! We say every naughty word you can think of. You have been warned!
We here at Quick Stop Entertainment are true lovers of music, in all its forms. We’re also quite keen on the spirit of competition, and of spurring creativity through said competition.
To that end, we launched a brand new form of creative combat here at the Stop.
In this age of manufactured and painfully earnest talent contests, we’ve decided to instead shine a light on the quirky, quixotic underworld of musicians that don’t get nearly the attention they deserve.
Ah, but I did mention that there was a competition involved…
We invited 28 challengers to pick up the thrown-down gauntlet (You know, some spares as well). 26 Responded in time.
Like a songwriting version of Iron Chef, these 26 competitors are presented with a very specific songwriting challenge. They’ll be given one week to complete their songs – however they see fit, within the parameters set forth – after which time the entries will be uploaded to Quick Stop to be voted on by you, the readers.
In past editions of Song Fu, we’ve used these votes to eliminate Challengers as we’ve progressed from Challenge to Challenge. For this cycle, however, we’ve decided that all of the Challengers will be able to compete in every Challenge, and the Challenger with the most cumulative votes after the 3 Challenges will be the one that takes on the Master in the Final Round. So what was the first Challenge?
ROUND 1 CHALLENGE
In light of all the doom and gloom of recent months, as financial markets crashed and winter closed in, we’re going to kick things off with a rather straightforward challenge. You can interpret this challenge however you’d like – how you do so will give people a sense of just what your songwriting personality and style is…
Your first challenge is to WRITE A HAPPY SONG.
That’s it. The only other directive is that your song must run no shorter than 1 minute 45 seconds.
Right now, let’s check out the Round 1 songs from each of our Masters and Challengers (streaming links for all the songs can be found after the bio section). At the bottom of the page, you’ll then be able to place your votes.
MASTERS OF SONG FU
For this edition of Song Fu, we’re bringing in 2 (well, 3, if you’re being technical) very special Masters who you’ll be going up against. Think of them as the iron chefs of Song Fu, and your ultimate challengers, as you’ll square off against one of them mano-a-mano in the Final Round:
NEIL INNES
If you’re a bit puzzled but there’s a little twinge of recognition niggling at your subconscious right now, it’s probably because you already know who Neil Innes is without even realizing it.
It was during the Jurassic period (the late 60s) that Neil was a member of the legendary Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Madcap purveyors of esoteric music (Who else would revive music hall standards in the age of rock? They did it, and it worked!), their biggest hit was the deceptively poignant “I’m the Urban Spaceman.”
While firmly ensconced within the Bonzos, Neil first became acquainted (and vice-versa) with Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones while working on DO NOT ADJUST YOUR SET, a children’s show whose viewers tended to skew a bit older than the intended audience. Eric, Mike, and the two Terrys went on to form MONTY PYTHON with Graham Chapman and John Cleese. The Pythons called on Neil’s musical skills numerous times over the years, particularly when producing their best-selling albums. When John Cleese decided to move on to greener pastures prior to PYTHON’s fourth series, Neil stepped into the void as a contributing writer and performer.
Not able to escape the Pythons so easily, Neil was also tapped for MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL, contributing music and a memorable performance as the annoyingly truthful minstrel of Eric Idle’s cowardly Sir Robin. Still not willing to let him get away just yet, Neil was brought in again for their follow-up film, THE LIFE OF BRIAN (wherein he outruns certain death during the colosseum debate scene).
Even while working with the Pythons, Neil continued his solo career, releasing numerous albums on his own as well as with the groups The Grimms and The World. His BBC program, INNES BOOK OF RECORDS, ran for 3 series and featured 90 original tunes. From torch song and ballad to rock and parody, the show featured an exceedingly wide range of styles.
It was during the latter-half of the 70s, however, that Neil produced his most enduring work. While collaborating with Eric Idle on the post-Python TV series RUTLAND WEEKEND TELEVISION, the two devised a brief HARD DAY’S NIGHT parody with Idle portraying a boring filmmaker (so boring the camera ran from him) and Innes providing the Beatles-esque “I Must Be in Love.” During his next hosting gig on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, Idle unleashed the short film on the American public. That led to SNL’s Lorne Michaels producing a mockumentary of the mock-band, named The Rutles, for NBC. ALL YOU NEED IS CASH aired on March 22, 1978, starring Eric and Neil as one half of the “Pre-Fab Four” and featuring songs by Innes. In 1996, Innes reunited with Rutles bandmates John Halsey and Ricki Fataar to release THE RUTLES: ARCHEOLOGY, which sported 16 brand new tracks “discovered in the vaults,” a la THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY.
He recently released a new solo album, WORKS IN PROGRESS, and a brand new reunion album with the Bonzos, POUR L’AMOUR DES CHIENS. Neil continues to write and perform, and is in the process of recording his next solo album.
Paul and Storm are a comedy music duo, and they have been performing as a duo since 2004. Before that, they were one half of a cappella band Da Vinci’s Notebook for about 12 years. A Paul and Storm show is part music concert and part standup/improv comedy”“just enough of both to fit neatly in neither category. They like to engage the audience, and are known to award snack cakes and/or other prizes for good (and sometimes bad) behavior. Their show would be PERFECT as a cable special, and would make lots of money for whichever brave channel decides to air them first.
Riki “Garfunkel” Lindhome and Kate “Oates” Micucci make up this band, which is a mixture of acoustic folk, comedy and pure sugar. Riki has been seen in The Changeling, My Best Friend’s Girl, Pushing Daisies, Gilmore Girls and Million Dollar Baby. You can catch Kate in Scrubs, When in Rome, Four Kings, How I Met Your Mother, or in her one-woman show “Playing with Micucci” at the Steve Allen Theater.
In a moment, you’ll discover the details of the first challenge. First, though, here is the list of challengers:
THE CHALLENGERS
JEFF MacDOUGALL
Jeff’s stint of reigning challenger in MoSF#1 (yet ultimately losing to Master Jonathan Coulton) has won him critical acclaim from around the world. Or is it criticism from around his house? Either way, he’s back for more and hoping to balance bringing the Fu with taking out the trash.
Edric has been writing music (off and on) for the past fifteen years. He wrote and directed a musical, The Pushcart War, based on Jean Merrill’s wonderful novel. He has written and/or arranged a number of songs for various friends – some commissioned, some as surprises. He loves acting in community theatre, and is inspired by the music of Stephen Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guettel, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty – and yes, Jonathan Coulton, who in addition to writing wonderful songs, also served as a portal to finding out about the Song Fu competition.
I’m “BucketHat” Bobby Matheson. I used to make cartoons for the internet, and sometimes still do, but mostly focus on my music right now. Lately, I’ve been getting more into recording other singer/songwriters in my little, make-shift studio than I have been recording myself. I want Masters Of Song Fu to change that. I don’t really know what genre my music would fall under. Influences range from Klezmer to folk, to punk and back, which ends up sounding more like Zydeco than anything else (who’d have guessed?). I’ve been thinking of dropping the “BucketHat” from my stagename, but fear change.
Insane Ian is a comedian and writer from Baltimore, Maryland who specializes in all things nerdy, both in parody and original compositions. From Sci-fi TV shows and films, to video games, to comic books – no nerdy topic escapes his sardonic (and satiric) wit. Among his peers – such as Sudden Death, the great Luke Ski, Jonathan Coulton and, of course, “Weird Al” Yankovic – he is the only artist to have written this bio, and remains at the top of that list. Currently, his song “Guitar Hero” (from his upcoming album n3rds0ngs) was the 11th most requested song on the Dr. Demento radio show in 2008. Usually for a song, I.I. surrounds himself with talented people to make himself look better…and now is no exception, as friend and producer .hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { font-size: 10pt; font-family:Verdana } Benjamin Stahl helps on instrumental duties.
My name is Joe Lamb, I’ve been known online as JoeCovenant, or JoeCov, Or just Cov for the last decade or so. I’m 45 and have been performing for 40 of those years. Up until 2005 I was solely a professional actor/singer, but I am now also a Civil Servant and work for Her Majesty. I’ve been playing guitar since I was 10, but still think Bar Chords are things played in pubs. (I can’t do ’em!) I’m not too bad on the Bhodran and can pick out a tune on a keyboard when pushed”¦ really hard. I’ve always been frustrated that my ideas outdistance my abilities, so my output is always rather simplistic… But I like to think that, occasionally, synergy does its job well! This contest will be my first use of my new recording equipment… hope it doesn’t throw my limitations to the fore!
Mick Bordet steadfastly insists on bouncing between and across genres at every opportunity like a hummingbird with ADD, using an eclectic collection of instruments for his sonic palette, from guitar and ukulele to theremin, yobstick and electric harmonium. Mick is a founder member of “The Lunacy Board”, Scotland’s premier progressive avant-garde skiffle duo, and cites influences as diverse as Edgard Varèse, Ivor Cutler, Conlon Nancarrow, and Roy Harper, to name but four. The duo have recently released three debut albums, including one written, recorded, and mixed within a single day. Mick’s latest project is a year-long weekly podcast set in an alternative universe as it diverges from our reality.
“Rusty’s Rocking Jamboree” is a one-man, music and comedy show for family audiences, starring Russ Rogers. While in college, twenty-some years ago, Russ Rogers was in a band called, “Buc Blaster and His Ukulele Rangers.” There are several noteworthy alumni of “The Ukulele Rangers,” including Song Fu Master Michael J. Nelson. Later, Rogers and Andy LaCasse (also a Ukulele Ranger) partnered to form the almost near famous, children’s music and comedy duo, “Kit and Kaboodle.” After ten years and three albums (still available on iTunes and CDBaby.com), “Kit and Kaboodle” broke up over musical differences. LaCasse was musical … an d Rogers was just different. Now, “Rusty’s Rocking Jamboree” has been entertaining family audiences around Minnesota for the past five years.
The Masked Stranger (a.k.a Neal John Mac Rae), is a self proclaimed noise/folk artist from Nova Scotia, Canada. Although his work has gone completely unnoticed on an official level, he has still managed to garner several fans from Australia and amoungst his close friends. The Masked Stranger project started in 2004 when Neal John recorded “The River Song”, a simple panflute tune he furiously augmented and destroyed on his computer. Since then he has created roughly 30 other distinctly more destroyed and demented tracks under the moniker of The Masked Stranger. His music has been described as “a total disregard for musical theory”, “aaaaaaaah!”, “raw and grating”, “annoying”, “Twisting is a word I want to use to describe it… Very natural and earthly”, and “disturbing and yet… strangely enjoyable”. His most well liked and most consistant piece “Rue The Red” was described by Cape Breton goregrind artist Devin Meaney as “a posessed man jigging out on the strings of his creator. Like a puppet, devouring the flesh of god. And this is exactly what it reminds me of, no joke.”. This awkward and soil laiden musician’s journeys into the abrassive and the tribal only threaten to continue.
Heather Henderson has been entertaining America since she was seven years old. She got her start as a mini dancing superstar and co-host on Dance Party USA. Her career then made the natural progression towards Sesame Street and most recently a principal role in the Disney film Annapolis. Striving constantly to develop as an artist, The Big H sings with the bad-ass 60’s retro soul group SOULAMITE!, performs with the Revival Burlesque troupe in philadelphia, makes short films, writes funny songs, and is always looking for the next good audition. She hopes to have her own totally crappy and misquoted Wikipedia entry one day.
Bryce Jensen has been writing songs off and on for well over twenty years, but he has rarely shared any of them beyond his friends and family. His styles range from a capella to heavy metal with a lot of wimpy finger picking stuff in between. Bryce took part in the recent Holiday Special edition of the Song Fu and found the constraints and deadline to be quite a rush. He also learned that sharing his work with the world can be very rewarding. Back for this competition because he is hooked and needs another fix, Bryce is looking forward to whatever crazy challenges lie ahead.
Jeff began playing guitar in 2003. He wrote his first comedy song in early 2004, and later that year, he wrote a song that was actually funny and in key, unlike his earlier works. He began playing shows after accidentally opening for a local band while passing through a bar. He continues to play because nobody has told him to stop.
Crabbydad is a writer/sound designer/musician who, four years ago, was forced to leave all of his bands and musical compatriots behind in Chicago when his Old Lady got herself a proffesorin’ gig at a giant university in a tiny mid-Michigan town that’s devoid of any sort of culture, musical or otherwise. So he started recording songs with his kids and posting them on his blog for his four or five readers to hear. When he’s not recording songs about spiders and/or poop, he creates comedy, sound effects, and music for a company called Jellyvision, Inc.
Hank Green never wrote a song until his eternal passion for Helen Hunt (both as an actress and a woman) started off a multi-year YouTube project in which he writes a song every other Wednesday. The songs are part of a larger project in which he and his brother discuss their lives, their world, and the community of which they are a part. Their videos have now been watched more than 20 million times. Hank’s first album, SO JOKES, was just released and is available at DFTBA.com.
Mike Lombardo is a piano-playing pop-rock singer-songwriter who likes to use hyphens when describing his occupation. He has been known to write songs about just about anything, including rocks and SAW 4. When not banging on a piano, Mike spends most of his time playing way too many video games and fighting with his roomate. Currently finishing up his degree in Songwriting from Berklee College of Music, he will be touring the country this summer with his band, the Mike Lombardo Trio. Feel free to go to his website and send him lots of money. Or cookies.
“Hallelujah Ape” is the working name for the personal musical projects of Paul Abbott. When he’s not playing bass guitar and shouting in such bands as Three Minute Margin, he’s usually fiddling with a ukulele or trying to write Manfred Mann inspired songs for films that don’t exist. Main influences are The Bonzo’s, The Beatles and Fugazi. He owns many comedy things and likes to rub his face up against them when no-one is looking. He also co-writes the British Foghorn Company blog.
In the far off land of Chandler, Arizona, where the rivers flow with sand and cacti, our leader and master, the Lord of Our Lady Gwynyth, guitar and microphone in hand, called for the greatest musicians in the land to assemble a rock and roll group like none other. Unfortunately, they were cut off on the road, and the Jalapeño Habañeros made it there first. With The Rogue Bohemian on saxophone and The Boxcar Bassist on bass and keyboards, the Lord was pleased. Now, they roam the streets of Chandler, playing epic songs and rocking faces, much like Bon Jovi. Unfortunately they are paid in change, and often get thrown into the street, also like Bon Jovi. Their lives have intertwined, and the era of the Jalapeño Habañeros has begun. Be prepared.
Hazen Nester is a multi-platinum-selling*, award-winning**, and incredibly gifted” songwriter. His works have been described as “heavenly”, “complex”, and “thought-provoking” by his critics and fans.” ”  He has, to date, three full albums”¡, two EPs”¡”¡, and is currently working on a new collection of work§. He holds a B.S. degree§§, an MFAâ•‘, and a PhDâ•‘â•‘ and currently lives in Michigan, where he spends his days writing songs and working in the fulfilling and worthwhile sector of public-access television. Apart from songwriting, his hobbies include cinema, golf, and the occasional role in various stage and audio productions. 🙂 [* – Lie, ** – Another lie, ” – Bold-faced lie, ” ” – His mom. They’re one and the same, really., “¡ – More lies, “¡”¡ – Yet another lie, § – Another lie. No, wait, actually that one’s true., §§ – In film. How appropriate., ? – Lie. What a surprise there., ?? – Do I really have to put this here?, 🙂 – That’s probably the most truthful statement in this entire document.]
Forged in the furnace of irony, molded with the hammer of satire, flattened on the anvil of righteousness, and cooled in the water of awesomeness, AudioMohel was thrust upon the world. Named from the lost audio transcripts of ’09, AudioMohel serves as a public-service backlash against the anti-circumcision trend sweeping the so-called “enlightened parents” crowd, AudioMohel urges their more devoted and impressionable fans to undergo the snip two or even three times. AudioMohel enjoys experimenting with new breakthrough genres like speed blues and death classical even though most of AudioMohel’s tunes reside firmly in the ethereal realm of vapor-ware. Some of AudioMohel’s members admitted to being a bit intimidated by the professed experience and actual musical talent apparently possessed by the Song Fu Masters, but finally it was decided that if the need arose, sabotage would not be out of the question. To be used as a last resort, naturally, but not out of the question.
When she’s not bluffing her way through college courses or looking passably attractive from a distance, Molly Lewis enjoys playing ukulele, microwaving marshmallow Peeps, talking to cats, and Twittering. Early last year, she wrote two original songs, “MyHope” and “Road Trip”. “MyHope” is about the inevitable day when our children will learn how to navigate the interweb and how they will LOL at our old internet presences, namely MySpace; of “Road Trip”, Molly says it’s about “that astronaut lady who went crazy and wore the diapers, you remember that?” She has not written any songs since. Hopefully this competition will remedy that. When Molly was in middle school, she took up the guitar. That sank into the swamp. So she took up the mandolin. That sank into the swamp. So she took up the banjo. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the ukulele has stayed. And that’s what you’re going to get, Quick Stop Entertainment: the strongest ukulele in all of Tacoma, Washington.
Although he has no formal training, Jarrett is an accomplished pianist who has been composing music for nearly twenty years. A relative newcomer to the world of online amateur competitive songwriting, he burst onto the scene earlier this year when he filled out an entry form just before the deadline. While earning his living as a graphic artist and website developer, Jarrett secretly dreams of leaving behind the glamor and prestige of internet publishing so he can focus on composing music for songwriting contests full-time. With no fanbase, loyal followers, obedient minions or friends, Jarrett will rely on his music-crafting skills alone to win over converts and earn votes.
Johannes “Jutze” Schult (from Germany) likes to make songs about weird stories and situations. It’s all about creating a musical scenario that is somewhat original, yet believable by some stretch of imagination. Jutze used to play drums in a heavy metal band, and then founded his own pop band where he played guitar. These days he’s mainly doing solo work for the fun of it.
And now, it’s time for that all important voting. For this round, you can choose your TOP 5 FAVORITE Challenger songs. Be sure to choose carefully. Also, be sure to vote for your favorite song from our reigning Masters of Song Fu – Neil Innes and Paul & Storm. You may only vote for one Master, though, so make it count. VOTING CLOSES AT 11:59pm EST on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18th.
If you triumph, not only will you win remarkable (and potentially off-putting) bragging rights and a clutch of fantastic mystery prizes, you will also become the proud owner of the magnificent, one-of-a-kind MASTER OF SONG FU TROPHY.
Welcome to our weekly round-up of featured giveaways here at Quick Stop. Every Wednesday, we’ll present a new clutch of DVDs, books, and other cool stuff you can take a shot at winning. All you have to do is click on the graphics below to be taken to their respective contest pages. And good luck!
It’s everything that you could want in a season when there isn’t going to be anything this exciting until we get into the summer months.
I know I usually run DVD Giveaways in this space without much regard to the film but CHOCOLATE is the exception to the rule in that I pursued the opportunity to have a couple copies for our site to give to our readers because I dug it as much as I did.
As well, I think the studio, Magnolia, deserves a tremendous amount of credit in figuring out that these kinds of films deserve to be seen by everyone who isn’t in the position like myself to preview and then champion these releases. The time has absolutely come to think of a way people can get enthused about a movie that they’ve never heard about and not worry that such a genre pic won’t be coming to their town because they live in Bumbleweed, AK because they will have multiple points of entry. You can see it theaters, you can get it through HDNet Ultra VOD and now DVD or Blu-Ray. There is no excuse anymore for anyone to miss this and huzzah to Magnolia for being on the vanguard of film distrubution in the 21st century.
I’ve got 2 copies to give out and in order to win you’ve got to do 2 things: 1. Send me a note to Christopher_Stipp@Yahoo.com and 2. Write anywhere in the e-mail of who was the titular actor of Ong Bak. (I want these to go to some fans of the genre…)
CHOCOLATE is available on DVD and HDNet Ultra VOD Tuesday, February 10 from Magnet Releasing…
It becomes clear over time that Zen has miraculously absorbed formidable Muay Thai techniques from watching the boxers next door and repeated viewings of martial arts classics. When Zen’s mother is diagnosed with cancer and the cost of treatments prove overwhelming for the family, Zen sets out with her cousin on a violent mission to collect debts from the corrupt gangsters that owe her mother money.
Featuring death-defying stunts and a charming newcomer who is sure to blow the minds of martial arts fans everywhere, CHOCOLATE represents Prachya’s proper follow-up to the smash success of Ong Bak.
What happens when two young men let their love of movies, comic books, and all things “geek” take over their lives? They run away from their families, bringing only the most essential DVDs and comics to their secret, highly fortified underground bunker in sunny Southern California, where they start recording podcasts that will change the world.
Are they heroes?
No.
Are they geniuses?
Far from it.
Are they the future of this planet?
I sure hope not.
Simply put… Matt Cohen and Jesse Rivers are “Bagged and Boarded”.
BAGGED & BOARDED #16: Choose Your Own Misadventure – In which Matt and Jesse discuss which film to “Commentate” on, look over a pile of comic books, and just generally ramble on and on. Enticing, we know.
[CONTENT WARNING]:This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
CRYSTAL LAKE – Jason-mania is hacking its way across the country. The Marcus Nispel re-imagining of Friday 13th hits screens nationwide on Friday 13th. The original film recently came out on Blu-ray. They even put out a DVD of Friday 13th Part 3 with the 3-D effect. Everywhere you turn there’s a hockey mask and a machete coming at you.
Even though you’re warned in a scary movie to never answer the phone, I picked up the receiver and heard the voice of Adrienne King. She was Alice in the 1980 tale of camp counselor carnage. At this point, if you haven’t seen the films, don’t start whining about how I spoiled Friday 13th for you. Get the original film on Blu-ray, watch it in a dark room lit by a 65 inch 1080p HDTV. Then you can comeback and join this interview with King.
King’s character Alice survived an intense battle with Mrs. Voorhees (Betsy Palmer) only to receive a major surprise while seeking safety in a canoe. Even three decades later, she has strong memories of making the scream-fest.
The story is always told how special effects artist Tom Savini and others slept in the camp cabins to help save on the budget. King didn’t stick around the set after a night of being chased through the wilderness. However her location accommodations weren’t a Trump hotel for her slumber.
“It was not a hotel. It was a motel,” King said. “A motel means it has no bathtub. It was a little shower and the lumpiest mattress in the world. I was so cold that I couldn’t stop my teeth from chattering. I would plug up the drain in the shower so I could sit in three inches of hot water. It was so disgusting.”
While the movie takes place before the summer camp season, the filming wasn’t close to that season.
“We started at the end of Labor Day weekend,” King said. “We shot until the middle of October. We did the scene three times where Jason pulls Alice into the lake. They didn’t quite get what they needed. They saved up enough money to get a slo-mo camera (for the third try). The last day it was 28 degrees outside. We had no wetsuits cause we couldn’t afford them. You can see my goosebumps on the Blu-ray. That’s how incredible that Blu-ray is.”
King has gotten a lot out of rewatching the film in the Blu-ray format. “I saw my turquoise jewelry for the first time. One of them is still on my finger,” she said. She promises that fans of the horror film series will be impressed if they upgrade to the HighDef transfer.
The ending of Friday 13th was the big “gotcha” moment that jolted crowds. There was Alice having survived the night by floating in a canoe. The cops finally arrive. But before she reaches safety, an undead boy leaps out of the water and into her canoe. The kids in junior high had to tell everyone that jaw dropper to prove their fake ID got them into an R-rated film. After the traumatic ending of the film, I asked if she had issues with canoes. Ned Beatty was not a fan of paddling down the river after Deliverance.
“No,” King replied. “I don’t have a canoe phobia. I live on a river.” Although she has to be careful while on the water. “There’s always somebody in the family that wants to play with me.”
Was Jason attacking Alice in the canoe was inspired by Jimmy Carter and the Killer Rabbit?
“I’ve never heard that question before,” King said. “I have no clue. First question I didn’t have the answer to.”
The biggest name to come out of the movie was Kevin Bacon. Did she understand the monumental nature of being in the same film as Bacon’s first memorable butt role?
“I was not in the scene obviously, but I was around when it happening,” King said. Unfortunately nobody understood the impact Bacon’s rump would have in cinema history. “We knew that he was the only star among us. He had been in something that actually made it to the screen. But he was just one of us.”
He wasn’t quite like King. Bacon was part of the body count after flashing his ass. Willie Adams ended up as production assistant after his Barry was added to the terrible tally. One of his jobs was driving King to the motel.
During post-production, King used a little family help to sell this movie to Paramount.
“I asked Sean (S. Cunningham, the director) if I could sneak my mom into a screening. They were showing it to potential buyers. It was a good rough cut. During the strip Monopoly scene she almost had a heart attack. She’s a Catholic girl. Then we’re at the end of that and she’s like ‘thank God it’s over.’ I’m sitting there smiling to myself and holding her hand. I knew what was coming. She literally jumped 25 feet in the air. I turned around and saw Sean in the back shaking somebody’s hand.” She suspects it was Frank Mancuso of Paramount. “I certainly think we helped seal the deal.”
Almost overnight King became a major scream queen. She was on par with Jamie Lee Curtis from her pursuit in Halloween. The low budget film sold an astronomical amount of tickets. The studio wanted to crank out a sequel fast. Rumors swirled that King was playing hard ball for a massive payday. However in the midst of this blockbuster success, she experienced the darker side of fame. She had a stalker who wanted to finish Jason’s job.
“The only reluctance that had to do with it was the fact that I couldn’t focus,” King said. “I don’t like to do anything unless it’s done right. I knew I was their only thread. I did not have a script. I had no clue what they were going to do. My agent, this was a new agent I didn’t know very well, said they were going to leave it open ended.”
Her return in Friday 13th Part 2 was a grizzly scene on both sides of the camera.
“I showed up on the last day of shooting. Everybody wanted to get home. We started at night and worked till dawn. It was a night from hell. There was no love on the set. I was walking into this hornets nest. Unbeknownst to me, Steve Miner (the director) thought I was holding out for more bucks. That was farthest from the truth.”
No matter how much the original movie made, King wasn’t getting chased in Gucci heels in the sequel.
“This was done before SAG participation kicked in,” King said. “For Part One and Part Two, we got just our weekly rate and that was it. We got very little from this movie. But it nothing to do with money. For me it had to do with the fact that I had to basically survive – mentally as well as physically. It’s not like there were big stalking (stories) in the news before that. It was like, ‘What the hell is going on?’ And then you have your agents telling you to ‘pull it together or they’ll think you’re a nut.’ And you’re going, ‘But you don’t understand.’ And they didn’t. But you take a deep breath, do what you have to do and hopefully it will all work out. It might take twenty five years, but eventually it worked itself out.”
King’s appearance in Friday 13th Part 2 is limited to the opening scene.. An unidentified character appears to kill her in a dilapidated house. While some believe that Jason has finally claimed his revenge for his mom, this killing makes no sense. In Part 2, Jason terrorizes a new batch of counselors at Crystal Lake. He hasn’t gone off the campground. King also has issues with her appearance in the film.
“In Part 2, we never see Jason and Alice together. You see an ice pick into the temple. You don’t see blood. You never see a body. There is some sort of thing that has clothing that looks like Alice’s clothing from the first movie. But Alice is in a robe when she supposedly met her demise.” King emphasized, “Meaning she might not be dead.”
King hopes that she will get her own resurrection of the character so she can finally have a true showdown with Jason. “Get Mrs. Voorhees back – head or no head,” she demanded.
At one point, King thought she’d be part of the new Friday 13th. The producers had contacted her agent about having her and Betsy Palmer pop up in the film.
“I was getting ready. I’m pumping iron to have Linda Hamilton arms. I’m going to look good if I’m coming back. Then they decided no. But it got me moving. I had not found a script I wanted to do until I found Walking Distance.” She went down to Texas to make this sci-fi horror film. It was her first role before the cameras in nearly 25 years. “It reminded me of being on the set of Friday 13th. They filmed at night and did their day jobs.”
Did she ever find out why they decided against cameos in the new film?
“I’ve never spoken to (Marcus Nispel). I wish I knew why. I think it would have been fun for the fans besides us. Granted it would be nice to do a Friday 13th with a residual payment,” King said.
While other horror actresses had gone on to more films, King stepped away from being in front of the camera after her day of work on Friday 13th Part 2. Nobody could quite understand the stalker and how he had spooked her.
“I was trying to survive a real live stalker. A real live Jason times 100. A wack job. I would have people going, ‘Are you serious. You can’t separate reality from fantasy.’ It was a very hard time for me psychological and physically. I ran off and studied Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. They were kind enough to take me in. I played Desdemona opposite Ted Lange. Ted’s a good guy.”
That’s right. She starred in a version of Othello with Isaac from The Love Boat.
Even when she quit acting in front of the camera, she become a scream queen as an ADR voice artist. Instead of putzing around on a bunch of straight to video horror flicks, King let her vocal cords dominate the biggest film of all time: Titanic. Many of the women screaming as the luxury liner snaps and sinks belong to King. She also had a softer role as Gloria Stuart’s last breath before her fateful plunge.
“If there’s screams in the movie, I’m probably one of them. Back when I did ADR, if they needed a screamer, they’d go, ‘Call Adrienne.'” She had a major voice roles in Johnny Depp’s What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Almost Famous.
King and her husband moved far away from Hollywood a few years back. She now contemplates raising goats and lamas like her neighbors. However with interest from the new Friday 13th, she’s getting back in the filmmaking game. “Now I have a sci-fi horror movie coming out called Walking Distance. It’s a role well worthy of Alice,” King said. She is also currently busy with the opportunity to be a director for an all female anthology of horror films. “I’m reading scripts right now.. I’m so jazzed. I never thought that would be in my future.”
She is very futuristic with her own website. Her www.adrienneking.com website features her paintings. She also has posted a collection of Polaroids and notes from the original Friday 13th. If she sells enough paintings, she’ll buy her own goat herd. Unlike some original actors, she’s looking forward to seeing the new Friday 13th.
“If you could have told this New York City girl that she’d be living in the boonies with goats and lamas, planting a garden, resurrected by the fans and playing in her favorite playground….. My life has been an amazing rollercoaster,” King said. “I wouldn’t trade it in for anything even though it had its really dark moments. It got me to where I am now and I’m happy here.”
STAYING ALIVE
Among the film credits on Adrienne King’s resume is the greatest film ever made.
“In Saturday Night Fever I was a dancer,” King said. “You can’t find me. I’ve got three different hairdos and three different dresses in the same scene.”
The shoot was fatiguing with all the choreography and a less than ideal breathing situation inside the disco.
“It was all before SAG said no smoke machines,” she said. “We were all dying of nicotine. Every day on the way back to Manhattan on the subway, the dancers would peel off the layers of grossness.”
They were like coal miners working the disco shaft.
I brought up my theory that Saturday Night Fever was an anti-disco movie since the end of the film has John Travolta turning his back on the 4/4 beat to become a real dancer. Was there a buzz on the set about the film’s message being disco music is evil?
“God no. I still didn’t know that until now,” King said. “I think we were all really into the dance.”
A SYMBOL OF WHAT?
Anyone else crack up when Jane Seymour promotes her “Open Hearts” necklace? How can you not laugh when she announces, “My wish is to make my open heart design a universal symbol of hope and love.” Take a quick look at the design:
Is that really what two open hearts would look like? Couldn’t Sunny Lane and Jenna Jameson use that shape to promote a “Boobs and Butt” necklace? Wouldn’t you imagine such naughty jewelry being stocked at Adam & Eve? Or as the reward for a woman posing as the centerfold in Racks and Backs Illustrated? This design rates up there with the naked woman on a truck’s mudflaps. Is Jane getting away with a dirty drawing? She does strike me as the naughty English lass. Is it wrong that when thinking of a universal symbol of T&A, I imagine Jane Seymour emerging from a hottub?
Remember this Valentine’s Day to give Jane’s “Rack and Back” necklace to your favorite Hooter’s waitress. She’ll think you’re a sweet customer instead of a pervert.
GIVEAWAY THE STILL
The fine folks at CBS DVD have supplied me with 5 copies of Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Third Season to give away. This is one of the greatest shows in sit-com history. Season three gives us cinema superstar Dash Riprock. In order to win one of the copies, you have to tell me what’s my favorite other Mammoth Picture star. Email me the answer along with your name and address to mokaha@aol.com. My family, my crack research staff, Jethro and Larry Pennell are not eligible to answer. Contest closes on Feb. 16.
[ad#contestbox] DANCE AWAY THE HEARTBREAK
ABC has announced it’s new cast of Dancing With the Stars. What a completely mixed bag. Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Gos should be fun. How many judges will ask if she “got the beat?” David Alan Grier better bring the smooth chocolate to the dance floor. He’s my pick to win. In a strange “couple’s feud” there’s singer Jewel and bullriding legend Ty Murray. Can Ty hang onto his dance partner for 8 seconds? Shawn Johnson will need booster heels for her little gymnast body to reach her partner’s waist. Gilles Marini is French and pops up on tons of shows. He’ll make the top 3 based on the French angle. Steve-O might staple his balls to his partner’s thigh to stay in rhythm. Denise Richards will be propping up her amazing acting career with this turn. Expect to hear Charlie Sheen complain when Denise keeps working their kids in to the routines. Nancy O’Dell of Access Hollywood will do the report from the scene of her crimes angle. Chuck Wicks will be thankful for other dead weight below him. Plus he’s hooked up with Julianna Houghs so he’ll get to grind on her without looking like a cheating husband. Former Apple biggie Steve Wozniak has caught a case of Celebuwhoreitis from boffing Kathy Griffin. We should have like a major music festival to raise money to cure him like an Us Festival. He’ll be lasting longer than Mark Cuban. In the Dancing With the Stars: Lockdown Edition comes Lawrence Taylor and Lil’ Kim. Taylor is the first NFL Hall of Famer to get busted for buying macadamia nuts instead of crack. Lil ‘ Kim will wear the trashiest of dresses – which is hard to tell with ballroom fashion. Are they doing this show as community service?
What happened to Donny Osmond being a cast member?
BLU-RAY HEAVEN
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa – Blu-ray won me over when the penguins beat up the annoying fishing boy in the Dreamworks’ moon. I hate that kid. The movie features the lion (Ben Stiller) returning to his African roots when his flight back to the Central Park Zoo has mechanical difficulties. You’d think penguins would be better pilots. He reunites with his family. The only problem is that dancing lions don’t get much respect in the jungle. Oddly enough, Ben Stiller’s dad is voiced by the late- Bernie Mac. Was Jerry Stiller booked up? The best part of the film is an old lady stranded in the jungle who turns into a John Locke super-survivor. She turns her tour group into a well behaved Lord of the Flies outfit. This was more entertaining than the original just for Alec Baldwin’s role as a rival lion who goes after Bernie Mac’s power. The Blu-ray captures all the CGI detail. There’s even two bonus cartoons featuring the Penguins. These have the penguins back at the zoo dealing with the chimps and the lemurs. It’s kind of Tennessee Tuxedo without the 3-D blackboard. These new shorts are HD on the disc. Exclusive to the Blu-ray is the storyboard and interviews with the animators. The series appears to be coming soon from Nickelodeon. “Jambo Jambo: Swahili Speak” is a quickie lesson in the language. There is a game that lets you play the penguins trying to land the airplane. Shame there’s not a game that lets you have a penguin pummel the Dreamworks boy.
DVD Shelf
Friday 13th The Series: The 2nd Season has nothing to do with Jason hacking apart people. This was the syndicated series out of Canada that dealt with an evil antique store. Two cousins (Robey & John D. LeMay) inherit their uncle’s shop. They have to run around finding all the evil items he sold over the years. This second season has them discover their uncle isn’t quite dead. “Doorway to Hell” kicks off the season with a soul possessing battle out of the inferno. “The Secret Agenda of Mesmer’s Bauble” has former Prince protege Vanity playing a rock star. You might also remember her from The Last Dragon. Sho’nuff! Robey is so hot with her ’80s hair. Will she show up and attempt to retrieve my demonic Timex-Sinclair computer?
Tales From the Darkside: The First Season was a 30 minute long horror anthology that featured stories from George Romero (Night of the Living Dead) and Stephen King (Cujo). “Trick or Treat” goes straight for the haunted house goodness. Bob Balaban (Seinfeld) directed it. “The New Man” has a stranger declare he’s the son of Vic Tayback (Alice). Vic is clueless, but his friends and family swear they’ve always known the son. Guess he ate too much of his chili at Mel’s and fried his brain. My favorite of this first season is “Djinn, No Chaser” when a couple buy a magic lamp and get a big surprise. Kareem Abdul-Jabber plays the genie. And he’s not happy to give out wishes. Years later, Shaq would retread Kareem’s performance in the Oscar dominating Kazaam. The legendary Harlan Ellison (Star Trek‘s “City on the Edge of Forever”) wrote the story and script. This is Kareem’s best work between Airplane and Slam Dunk Ernest.
Christopher Titus: Love is Evol is the best stand up routine of the last three years. He opens up a vein as he breaks down his recent divorce. He gives a blow by blow description of how he found out his wife was cheating on him with several other guys. The first half of this show really makes you laugh at the toxicity of Titus’ failing marriage. No matter how ugly it gets, he makes sure to find the grotesque humor. However this is not anti-relationships pity party. Turns out that for now, he’s happy with his extremely young girlfriend. He has a field day with tales of his future father-in-law. Fans of Titus will be gasping for breath at these tales of betrayal and love. Titus delivers a theatrical performance piece that goes to core of a divorced guy who upgrades.
The Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Third Season brings more country humor to the big city slickers. This was the time when Jed bought Mammoth Pictures and became a movie mogul. The family decides to move onto the Western backlot thinking its a working town. Elly hooks up with Dash Riprock. He’s such a cinematic stud, how will she go back to her monkey when exposed to such a man? “Double Naught Jethro” brings the James Bond mania to the Clampetts. Jethro decides being a spy is better than brain surgery. He loads up on the undercover gadgets. Who didn’t want their own lead lined hat? “Big Daddy, Jed” brings the beatniks into the picture.. They’re crazy and far out hipsters. Jack Kerouac cried when he saw this.. There’s 34 episodes in this boxset. They also have the original sponsor promos attached to the shows including ones for Winston Cigarettes.
Melrose Place Fifth Season, Volume 1 continues the tale of the craziest apartment complex in SoCal. Josie Bissett and Laura Leighton think they are murderers for taking out Patrick Muldoon and tossing him a shallow grave. You can’t keep a good creep down in a primetime soap opera. The big changes happen when Lisa Rinna and Rob Estes move into the complex. It’s strange to look at Lisa before she became a plastic surgery disaster area. “Jane’s Addiction” has the double guest star whammy of Greg Evigan (BJ and the Bear) and Michael Des Barres (guy who replaced Robert Palmer when Power Station toured). “Escape from LA” has Josie Bissett departing the series. It’s so sad to see her part because outside of Traci Lords, she was the sweetest nutcase on this show. She was married to Estes in real life so why did she split? Guess she didn’t see too much left for her character to do besides become a cannibal. The series lasted seven seasons. Hopefully they’ll get all the DVDs out before CW revives it. Rumor has the second half of the fifth season coming out in July.
Untamed and Uncut is my kind of nature special. The folks at Animal Planet put together these four episodes that show how dangerous animals will attack humans. They especially like the taste of stupid humans. A guy gets bit by a King Cobra. A bear trapped on a telephone pole gets a big jolt on his way down. A really dumb guy decides to stick his hand in the mouth of a landed shark. There’s a great white shark attack on surfers. A dog falls down a ski slope. A nature show hostess gets attacked by a cheetah. Extensive interviews surround the shocking footage and not merely washed up stars tossing out wisecracks like a VH1 special.
Closing the Ring is an epic romance that soars from World War II to IRA activity in Belfast in the mid-90s. This Richard Attenborough film is a throwback without relying on a relic plot. Three young flyboys find themselves involved with Mischa Barton (The O.C.). We time skip to 50 years later when Barton grows up to be Shirley MacLaine. She’s putting her husband in the grave. Christopher Plummer is the last of the flyboys and the keeper of the secret of the three. Outside Belfast, Pete Postlethwaite (The Usual Suspects) and a kid (Martin McCann) pick through the wreckage of an old bomber. The kids finds Mischa’s wedding ring which forces Neve Campbell (Shirley’s daughter) to learn the family truth. For the guys, there’s plane wrecks and bombs exploding.
Chocolate is the sweetest buttkicking film of the season. An autistic girl (Yanin Wismitanant) learns how to kickbox from watching TV. When her mom can’t afford a medical treatment, the daughter is called into service to collect old debts. She either return home with cash or broken bones. The last hour is pure teen destruction. She fights in a butcher shop and hanging off street signs. She’s a fearless killing machine. Things get plenty weird when she has to shown down with her real dad, a major mobster. The mayhem is first class. This Thai action film is directed by Prachya Pinkaew of Ong-Bak fame. A thrilling selection for anyone’s Kung Fu Theater night.
Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The Fifth Season unleashes more of Nick Bakay’s vocal wizardry from Salem the cat’s mouth. This was the season that Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart) went off to college in Boston. She gets a trio of roommates including Soleil Moon Frye. That’s right, it’s Clarrisa Explains It All meets Punky Brewster in a girl’s dorm room. Will there be pillow fighting? Sabrina resorts to magic to overcome the normal freshmen difficulties. The only magic we had in college was Jolt Soda and “Truckers Twilight.” We get to meet her evil twin in “You Can’t Twin.” There’s only two more seasons left.
Girlfriends: Season 6 takes us back to a time when Tyler Perry wasn’t making every TV series with a black cast. Girlfriends was produced by Kelsey Grammer (Fraser). There’s a lot of consternation on the series. Maya and Darnell retie the knot in Las Vegas. However they quickly learn that there was a reason they divorced in the first place. Todd and Toni kick around getting divorced. One couple argue over getting a nanny. Although you know in a series like this, an extra female character is another “cheating” moment to begin a bicker war. There’s also a custody battle that goes into overdrive. This series must have been funded by the divorce lawyers of America.
If you’ve been paying any attention at all over the last 18 months, you know that 3 3/4″ to 4″ scale figures have once again become all the rage. Much of the huge increases in action figures over that same period was blamed on oil prices, though once those prices dropped precipitously, the prices of action figures stayed pretty much ridiculous. It was this same argument that many used to bring back the 3 3/4″ action figure to the shelves in force, but for those of us that love the little bastards, whatever the reason isn’t important. It’s that the scale is getting some love.
Mattel has their line of DC comic characters in this scale in the DC Infinite Heroes. Now Hasbro has let loose their version for the Marvel characters called Marvel Universe. These are just starting to hit retail, and you can expect to pay around $8 each for them. There are 9 figures in this initial wave that I know of, and I’m looking at four of those here tonight – Silver Surfer, Daredevil, the Human Torch, and Spider-man. I’ll also be looking at the another four – Iron Man, Black Panther, Wolverine and the Punisher – over at my other site, Michael’s Review of the Week today, if you’d like to see more of the wave. The ninth figure, Iron Man in Stealth Armor, is pictured in both reviews in the packaged photo.
If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at mwc@mwctoys.com – on to the review!
Marvel Universe Silver Surfer, Human Torch, Spider-man and Daredevil
An interesting feature of these figures is the ability to log codes at the site Fury Files. It doesn’t look like that feature is going to be active for another 3 weeks, but once it is it will be interesting to see what they have in store. The success of Webkinz has everyone trying to find ways to connect an online experience with a physical toy, but the results aren’t always what you would hope for. There has been some talk of a Nick Fury mail away – perhaps once you enter in a certain number of codes on the site, you can get your free figure.
Packaging – ***1/2
The cardbacks are relatively small, but me thinks that with only one accessory each, they still could have saved a bit more waste. That’s a very minor nit though, and I do love all the personalization each cardback gets. On the front is a large comic drawing of the particular character, with a photo of the actual toy and a decent bio on the back. There are no twisty ties – thank God – although there are a couple rubber bands holding them in the trays. You can’t remove the figure without destroying the card, but you can cut the tape at the bottom and side to remove the S.H.I.E.L.D. information if you wanted to.
There is no form or mail away insert, but I’m betting that the codes used online could be used to obtain the Nick Fury mail away figure – we’ll see soon.
Sculpting – Surfer, Spidey ***; Daredevil, Torch **1/2
While there’s a fair amount of part re-use through out this line (as you’d expect), there’s enough different on each character to make them look unique on the shelf.
My favorite of these four is the Surfer. He is also one of my favorites of the 12″ Icons series, and his basic metal make up allows for a streamlined, simple design that looks great. I think his head sculpt has the most personality, or at least the most appropriate expression, considering the Surfer’s general lack of personality. The thin, lanky body also works quite well for him, with the exception of the abs.
There are six pack abs, and then there’s these abs. You could grate cheese on these things. They stick way out from the body, almost like skin lesions. No, it wouldn’t be attractive on a real person, and it really doesn’t work for me here.
This same tall, lean pelvis is used for the Human Torch, and it doesn’t do him any justice either. In fact, his body is exactly the same as the Surfer’s, with only the head to differentiate them (and the paint, obviously). His head sculpt is designed for fire mode, with the hair done in a sort of flaming doo. That might work if this version was painted up to be on fire, but he’s in his regular uniform with blonde hair, so he ends up looking like a member of a bad 80’s punk band.
Daredevil sports a different body than these first two, with chunkier thighs, and a thicker, shorter pelvis. He ends up looking a bit stumpy because of it, and while he does have horns, even these seem stumpy and short. He has a sculpted right hand to hold his weapon, as well as a slightly different gesturing left hand.
Spider-man has two uniquely sculpted hands, his left in a fist, and his right in a web shooting pose. The webbing and symbol on his chest are sculpted as well, and the lean look of the basic body works well for him.
These stand about 4″ tall or so, depending on the character. I’ve included a shot of them with some other current lines in this scale, so you can see where they can be displayed fit together or not.
Paint – Daredevil, Surfer ***; Spidey **1/2; Torch **
Usually with mass market lines, any paint issues don’t end up being specific to a single character across a line, but rather simply a greater problem with consistency across the entire wave. I had issues with my Torch for example, but you could just as easily get a good Johnny – and an awful Daredevil. It’s this sort of inconsistency that companies like Hasbro need to deal with.
As I said, my problem child out of this set is Johnny Storm. He didn’t look too bad when I grabbed him off the peg, but once I had him out of the package it was obvious that the guy has been snorting Cheeto dust. You don’t need a close up of his face to see the weird yellowish color all around his nose. Find one without this problem, and might be okay, because the rest of his costume is pretty decent. The Fantastic Four symble is a little off center, but it’s pretty minor for a mass market toy, and the dry brushing on his uniform, as well as the glossy finish of his gloves and boots looks good.
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The Silver Surfer could have just been silver, but they went with a translucent effect that works really well. His coverage is also very consistent and clean, with only the eyes to break up the overall color.
Daredevil, like Surfer, is predominately one color, this time red. The cut line between the face and mask is a bit sloppy, and I’m not really digging the slightly darker gloves and boots. But at least the coverage is generally consistent, and considering the scale, the issues are fairly minor.
Spidey has a less consistent coverage, but none of the glaring errors of the Torch. They tried to go for some lighte areas on the blue of the uniform, but it just looks sloppy. There are some random red and black spots on mine as well, adding to the general messy appearance.
Articulation – ***
This category was the biggest surprise to me – I was expecting to score them much higher. However, there’s at least one key joint missing, and a couple others that lack the kind of range of movement you’d expect.
One of those that’s a bit lacking is the ball jointed neck. Because the neck is thick and the head fits down quite far on it, the presence of a ball joint up inside there doesn’t mean as much as it could. The movement is quite limited, and was quite disappointing.
The rest of the upper body articulation is very solid, however. There’s great ball jointed shoulders, with joints on both sides, single pin elbows, cut wrists, and an ab crunch joing. Spidey adds in a cut waist, but the other three don’t have it. These joints have a good range of movement, sturdy pins, and generally work quite well. My one issue here is that some of the ab crunch joints tend to gap and show quite a bit, particularly when the figure is standing up straight.
The leg articulation is where the other big disappointment comes in. The ball jointed hips allow for movement out and in from the body, and some forward movement, but almost no backward movement. On Surfer and Torch there’s double pin knees and single pin ankles as well, but no cut joints of any kind on the legs. that means that the feet have to be positioned facing forward with the pelvis and hips. There’s no ability to turn the feet either inward or outward, and cut thighs would have gone a tremendous way to making these better figures. With Spidey and Daredevil, the ankles are actually pin/post type joints, where a post goes up into the calf. That means the ankle can turn…but without being able to turn the knee, the leg still looks awkward.
On the plus side though, all these joints were tight and well constructed. I didn’t feel as though I was about to break any of them, even the double pin knees, which is a huge improvement over the old Superhero Showdown figures.
Accessories – Surfer **1/2; Spider-man, Daredevil, Torch **
Extra accessories aren’t really the strong point for these figures, at least not yet. Each comes with their S.H.I.E.L.D. file, plus one small extra.
The best extra is with the Silver Surfer, and of course, it’s his board. There are two pegs to attach him to the board, but because of the lack of any cut joints on the legs, he really can’t stand on it with them in a reasonably decent looking way. Only put the front or back foot on a peg, and let the other one stand free, and you’ll have a much better change of getting a good pose.
Daredevil has his nunchuks, sculpted in a straight line. The plastic is fairly stiff too, but with a little hot water/cold water bath, you can probably get them into any position you want. He has that sculpted right hand to hold them as well.
The Human Torch, or Johnny Storm, has a small flame attachement for either hand. It seemed to fit the contour of the arm and hand better on the left side than the right, but it wasn’t any great shakes in either spot.
Finally, it’s probably no big surprise that Spidey’s one accessory is a hunk of webbing, done up like a huge pretzel. I haven’t found a particularly good way to use this yet, though from it’s design it’s very clear they had something specific in mind.
As I mentioned, all of them come with a small folder with their S.H.I.E.L.D. info in it. There’s a little piece of paper with the code to be entered on furyfiles.com, as well as a thin ‘baseball’ style card with info on the back and a character shot on the front. Finally, there’s a single small page from some sort of dossier, usually between Stark and Harold Pym, discussing some aspect of that particular character. You can see these same pages on the website, but there certain information has been blacked out, whereas the papers with the figure are all legible. I’m not a huge fan of paper add ins, but at least these are all unique to each character. We’ll have to wait and see if the ‘secret codes’ add anything to the overall experience.
Fun Factor – ***1/2
The figures themselves, even with the leg articulation limitation, are really fun little toys. Unlike the Superhero Showdown stuff, the joints seem very sturdy, and aren’t any more likely to break than any other mass market toy. Time will tell if the whole Fury Files online experience adds anything, but at least for now kids will get a good sandbox version of their favorite Marvel characters.
Value – **
I’ve not yet adjusted to the concept that a figure under 4″ tall, with one tiny accessory, should get $8 at a mass market retail store. Compare this to the four pack of Hellboy II figures you could get for $20 – all with at least one accessory. Add in the amazing paint and articulation, and you can see where I might be having some issues. Even the single packs of the Hellboy figures were about this same price, and yet you were getting much more for your money.
Still, most everything is up over $8 now, even at a Wal-mart or Toys R Us. Given that, I’m only docking these slightly below average (average being **1/2 for this category), which means the effect on my personal overall score will only be minimal.
Things to Watch Out For –
While I didn’t have any joint issues, you will want to still take care when freeing them up. Every figure had at least a couple stuck joints, and you should free them slowly increasing pressure (or with the old freezer trick) to avoid damaging the pins.
Overall – Silver Surfer, Spidey, Daredevil ***; Torch **1/2
When I grabbed these off the peg, I was pretty excited. Other than the DCUC figures, I’m not really buying anything right now at mass market, so I thought that perhaps this line would be something new. After having opened eight of them, I’m not quite as sure. There are some winners in the group (check my other review for the Iron Man, easily my favorite of the bunch so far), but there was also one (the Punisher) who was just outright awful. That sort of hit or miss consistency with this line might make it something I get much pickier about, only picking up the must have characters. Out of this set of four, I’m glad I grabbed Spidey and the Surfer, but I think I could have skipped over Daredevil and the Torch without feeling too bad.
Where to Buy –
Like I said, these are just starting to hit retail, but there’s a couple online options as well:
– Past Generation Toys has a huge bunch up for pre-order. Expect to pay $9 – $12 for most, depending on the figure.