Before Batman, before Superman, there was The Ghost That Walks…The Phantom. Created by Lee Falk in 1936, the Phantom is one of the best known and most successful newspaper strip characters, spawning radio shows, comics, movies, and television shows over the years.
In the 1970’s, a litte company called Mego hit it big with their 8″ clothed action figures based on properties like Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and Superheros. They didn’t make it through the turbulent early 80’s, but this series of action figures has become one of the most beloved for toy collectors today.
Now meet Cast-A-Way Toys, who have brought Mego’s back in their own way. They are producing a range of characters in the same format, done in a similar simplistic style, to complement your Mego collection. They’ve added a new character to your Mego shelf with the release of the Phantom, and his arch enemy Achmed.
But this review isn’t about the Phantom or Achmed (although you can see a review of the Gray Ghost variant of the Phantom at my other site), but rather a diorama they’ve produced as a complimentary piece to the figure: the Skull Throne, which he sat on out in the Skull Cave.
As I mentioned, the Phantom figures are in an 8″ scale, and the throne is designed to work best with that scale. I’ve included some photos with other figures as well, so you can get an idea of how it might work, but I’m using the Cast-A-Way Toys Phantom figure (both purple and gray) in most of the photos.
This throne was originally available at the FX Show in Florida, but it’s still available through their collector’s club. More on that in the Where to Buy section.
Packaging – Bupkis
I actually got two of the thrones, one for the purple suit Phantom, and one for the gray suit Phantom, so they could be on display at the same time. Both of them came wrapped in bubble wrap inside a larger box, but with no packaging of their own. Not sure if that was the case at the FX Show, but I will say that it resulted in both of them having some minor damage to the resin part of the base. A couple of the small ‘coals’ were chipped on one of them, and the other had a crack along the edge. Both of these problems were fixed with some simple Crazy Glue, but something a bit more sturdy for shipping would have been nice. That’s particularly true considering how crazy cool the packages are for the 8″ figures themselves.
Sculpting – ***1/2
You won’t be able to tell at first from the photos (or in person), but the throne itself and the base with urns (or ‘braziers’) are made from two very different materials.
The ground base with the two braziers is made from a poly resin, much like the usual mini-bust or statue. You’ll want to handle it with care, since damage is possible. The underside of this base is coated with a thin felt material to help avoid damage to it, or to whatever surface it may sit upon.
This material holds a very sharp, detailed sculpt. The rocky cave ground looks great, and the roughly hewn braziers with their skulls around the base are extremely realistic. The coals and embers on the top of the braziers look good too, even with a haphazard paint job. In fact, it’s that rather haphazard work that gives the overall piece it’s feeling of realism, as if it were truly carved by native tools right out of the cave floor.
The throne itself is made from a soft polyurethane, that you can throw against the wall and it will bounce right off! Unless you let your dog chew on it, it’s pretty much impossible to damage easily, and that means you won’t have to worry about paint rubs, or chipping the seat when you’re moving the figure around on it.
The seat can also be removed from the rock floor and used on it’s own, which might be a viable option if you’re looking to use it with a larger figure, say 12″ tall. I’ve included a couple shots with other characters to show the scale. First up is the Masters of the Universe Classics Skeletor:
And here’s a 12″ Sideshow figure for comparison:
The detail work on the overall diorama is quite amazing, especially considering the different materials. I’m quite impressed by how rock-like the throne is, and how much detail the soft, squishy foam can hold.
The throne clearly belongs to the Phantom, since at his right side is the skull symbol (the same as the skull symbol on his right ring), and at his left side are the four sabers (also the same as his left ring). The symbols can work with other characters too, as long as nobody is paying too much attention.
Paint – ***1/2
The key feature of the paint work is to make the stone sculpt all the more stone like, and in this it succeeds quite well. The trick is the heavy wash, which highlights the details, adds shadowing and depth, and gives it an overall dirty appearance.
The coals are painted as well, but with a very rough, slapdash style, which gives them a chaotic look. Again, you might think this would look sloppy, but instead adds to the realistic appearance. Fire and coal are not neatly colored but ever changing, and the sloppy look works great in conveying the feel of glowing embers.
Design/Quality – ***1/2
Considering the size of the company, I’m very impressed with the quality of this diorama. I really wasn’t expecting the soft foam for the chair, and yet I think it was an excellent idea. It certainly looks as good as actual polystone or polyresin, yet is practically imprevious to damage and a whole lot lighter weight. I’d love to see this used for other diorama pieces from other companies in the future, particularly in sixth scale.
Value – **1/2
This diorama ran $75 at the show, or through the Cast-A-Way Club. It’s fairly large, and with the more limited exclusivity, the price/value is about average.
Things to Watch Out For –
Be careful handling the embers and coals. I noticed that breaking them off is fairly easy to do if you’re not careful. Other than that, you should be good to go!
Overall – ***1/2
While this throne/base is designed specifically for the Phantom, it does have other potential uses. I think that it fits in pretty well with the MOTUC line (although they don’t sit quite as well as the Phantom does due to their slightly more limited hips), and certain Medicom lines might be able to use it as well. Hmmm…maybe even the Mezco Hellboy line…I’ll have to give that a try too.
If you have picked up one of the Cast-A-Way Phantom figures, or even are a regular collector of other Mego lines, this throne will fit in perfectly. Dioramas this nice don’t come along very often, but when they do, it’s always appreciated!
Where to Buy –
This was an exclusive at the FX show where it was $75, but you can also purchase one by becoming a member of the Cast-A-Way Club. The $25 fee will get you access to all their exclusives during the year.
Related Links –
I reviewed the Captain Action and Dr. Evil, as well as the Phantom (gray ghost exclusive version) pictured with the throne in this review.
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 #25: And Still Alive – In which Matt and Jesse celebrate their 25th episode with a little help from some BandB listeners. It’s Anniversary-tastic! Where’s our gifts?
[CONTENT WARNING]:This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
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 85: Side Chair –
In which we hear big talk from our heroes.
[CONTENT WARNING]SModcast features harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Listener discretion is advised.
It’s beginning to get warmer here in Hollywood and that can only mean one thing ““ the summer movie season is upon us. Or it could mean the Armageddon is approaching. Or it could just mean that it’s May in Los Angeles. Regardless of the weather, the big budget blockbusters are arriving. I must admit that I’m a little skeptical and underwhelmed by the lineup. It could be stemming from the writer’s strike that began in late 2007, but there are still a few films to keep an eye on. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” jump started the entire thing and this weekend, filmgoers will boldly flock to their local theaters to check out the J.J. Abrams revamp of “Star Trek.” But after that, do we know what is in store for us? I do. Take a look.
THEY ARE WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WERE
These are the films that will offer no surprises. That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be seen or they won’t bring some quality, but the movies themselves and the view of these films are fairly simple to predict.
UP: It will be funny. It will be sweet. It will be beautiful to look at. It will win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature next year. I was not quite as taken as everyone else with “Wall-E,” but Pixar has an almost perfect track record (I say “almost” because I didn’t find “Cars” to be up to par with the rest of their projects). With a very good director in Pete Docter and a wonderful voice actor in Ed Asner, “Up” will only continue this tradition. Is that even up for debate? Yes, I know. That last sentence wasn’t very funny.
YEAR ONE: Harold Ramis is a great comedic director. Jack Black is going to be Jack Black . Same with Cera. There will be a few funny cameos and a lot of historical jokes that will be smarter than the ones that you will find in “Night at the Museum.”
TRANSFORMERS:REVENGE OF THE FALLEN: Michael Bay. Big robots. Megan Fox. That’s it, right?
THE MOVIES THAT COULD SURPRISE YOU
TERMINATOR: SALVATION: In 1984, James Cameron gave us a different kind of sci-fi movie with a memorable villain and one of the most popular movie quotes of all time. Cameron returned in 1991 to complete his vision. Can anyone dispute that “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” is one of the most exciting action films you can watch? The third in the series wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad upon a second viewing. When McG was announced as the director for the fourth installment, I was not pleased, to say the least, but I’m a huge fan of Christian Bale and the trailer gave me hope. Could this film live up to the first two? God, I hope so. And if it turns out to be a heap of metal garbage, then McG and I are done professionally. I wish I was funny.
DISTRICT 9: Have you seen the teaser? It’s outstanding. I’m still not quite sure what to make of it. Half of it looks like a documentary. This movie could be the sleeper hit of the summer. It looks smart and effective.
THE HURT LOCKER: When this comes to your town, I urge you to see this flick. Even if it doesn’t come to your town, go seek it out. It’s worth it. Many movies have come out in the past few years focusing on the war in Iraq and these movies have failed at the box office. Is it because the movies just aren’t that good? Is it because the war is still going on and people are tired of hearing about it on the news? I don’t know the answer to that, but I do know that this is a genuinely moving and suspenseful film. There were a few scenes that were quiet and subtle and after they were over, I realized I had been holding my breath the entire time. Jeremy Renner completely embraces his role and gives a magnificent performance. Don’t sleep.
THE MOVIES THAT MAY DISAPPOINT:
BRUNO: The trailer was really funny and I’m sure the movie will be as well, but will it live up to its predecessor? A bunch of people know Sascha Baron Cohen from Borat, he has accumulated a lot of money from his endeavors and is engaged to a hot little lady in Isla Fisher. Is it possible that Cohen will play it a little safer than the last go round?
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS: Isn’t Tarantino due for a dud? We all know that Quentin is not the most modest man on the planet and he has been working on the script for this film for over a decade. Is he trying to put too much into the story? Trying to squeeze in all those ideas he has come up with over the years? Will it be a masterpiece or will it just be a mess? The cast is comically diverse and the film was shot within a very short window in order to make the deadline for Cannes. I’m hoping for the best, but has Tarantino gotten too big for his britches?
PUBLIC ENEMIES: This is the one that scares me the most. Michael Mann, in my eyes, has only made one bad film (take a wild guess), but it was the most recent one. Could that have just been a kink in his armor or a director on the decline? Johnny Depp is a great actor, but was he chosen because he was right for the role or because of his box office draw? Channing Tatum as Pretty Boy Floyd? J. Edgar Hoover played by Billy Crudup? Regardless of anything (Miami Vice included), I must give Mann the benefit of the doubt.
And there you have it, folks. Another summer. Another movie. I will see you all at the movies. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go stand in line for tickets to “Dance Flick.”
-Jesse Rivers loathes the heat, so he spends all summer in the local theater. He doesn’t watch movies, he just hangs out. And be sure to check out Bagged and Boarded.
And now, you can follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp. This week saw all sorts of conversations about the horribleness of Wolverine and the promise that Star Trek would easily dethrone the big cat with claws at the box office this weekend.
***CONTEST – THE FALL AND RISE OF REGINALD PERRIN***
What was just a fleeting opportunity to promote another DVD turned into something of a curiosity to me.
I had never heard of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, for the most obvious reason that it was on the BBC in the late 70’s, but after watching a few clips I have to admit I am more curious to watch this and am wanting to give you rascals the chance to see what could be just the thing to get me going as all my other shows on television are dipping below the surface, not to return until the fall.
I have a few copies of the series on DVD. If you’d like a chance to win one just shoot me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and let me know your favorite BBC program. It’s as easy as that.
More about the show: Michael Scott of “The Office” didn’t write the book on career disillusionment. Back in the “˜70s, Reginald Perrin was fighting his own demons at Sunshine Desserts. The BBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin” starred brilliant actor Leonard Rossiter (Barry Lyndon, 2001: A Space Odyssey) and aired from 1976-1979 to great critical and popular acclaim. The darkly-comedic series featured an outstanding cast of Britain’s best ““ Pauline Yates (Darling, “Peacekeepers”), Sue Nichols (“Coronation Street”, “Crossroads”), and Geoffrey Palmer (A Fish Called Wanda, Tomorrow Never Dies). This spring, E1 Entertainment brings all 21 episodes, plus “The Reginald Perrin Christmas Special” to DVD for the first time. THE FALL AND RISE OF REGINALD PERRIN: THE COMPLETE SERIES arrives in-stores as a 4-DVD set on May 12 for $59.98 SRP.
The DVD release of “The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin” is sure to excite classic British comedy fans, as will the revival of the series by the BBC this fall. BBC One has announced that Martin Clunes (“Doc Martin,” Shakespeare in Love) will play the title character in “Perrin,” which will be written by the original series writer and creator David Nobbs with “Men Behaving Badly” writer Simon Nye.
Eccentric sales executive Reginald Perrin is disillusioned with his life and unrewarding job at Sunshine Desserts. As the stresses of his mundane life surface, he pushes the boundaries of acceptable behavior at work. Finally, Reggie reaches a breaking-point, his mid-life crisis leading him to an extreme attempt at escape. He leaves his clothes on a bench at the beach, and fakes his own suicide. Instead of starting a new life somewhere else, Reggie tours the countryside assuming a variety of disguises ““ from buck-toothed pig farmer to pompous explorer. In his attempt at finding fulfillment, he discovers he truly misses his wife, and he returns home to start a brand new life. But, will he fall back into the same old routine again and again?
STAR TREK – REVIEWED
“How often people speak of art and science as though they were two entirely different things, with no interconnection. An artist is emotional, they think, and uses only his intuition; he sees all at once and has no need of reason. A scientist is cold, they think, and uses only his reason; he argues carefully step by step, and needs no imagination. That is all wrong. The true artist is quite rational as well as imaginative and knows what he is doing; if he does not, his art suffers. The true scientist is quite imaginative as well as rational, and sometimes leaps to solutions where reason can follow only slowly; if he does not, his science suffers.” – Isaac Asimov
After thinking about the highest compliment I can confer on this film it would be this: I want to see this movie again.
Something I didn’t realize I’ve missed after all the films I’ve seen in the last year is the innate sensation after the credits roll when you know you could sit through another viewing. That moment when you honestly could sit back down in the theater and watch the movie all over again with the same pleasure as you did before it started the first time. What JJ Abrams has managed to create is a summer film that bridges the chasm between those who have simmered in the Star Trek universe broth for decades, and explains to some degree why the franchise was in such dire straits as the latter films sputtered towards extinction, and those of us who just want to be entertained by a thin story and giant explosions.
JJ delivers on all the elements necessary to crafting a great mass market summer film starting with an opening reminiscent of BAMBI, FINDING NEMO and any other Disney film when a child needs to learn the tragedy of life from the get-go. What the first 10 minutes feel like is JJ finding his groove and to lay the foundation of what’s to come; the sequence establishes the tenor and mood of the entire film. So many times you have an opening sequence that seems so well-crafted that the next hour and 50 minutes couldn’t possibly live up to the great first chapter when you realize there was never enough in the tank to go more than a mile. JJ seems ballasted by not only knowing what is needed for every moment to feel weighty, in that every moment feels like it belongs and adds something extra to the overall whole, but his world as he’s creating it feels real.
Now, reality as I’ve come to define it after seeing STAR TREK is one that has rules but has to convince others to believe the reality. Keeping in mind we’re talking about warping star ships, phasers, drills that are miles long that can burrow into the center of a planet, interdimensional time warps and scads of other nuanced things that simply are not real. However, JJ and Co. manage those observations in a delicate balance of delivering superb special effects but not leaning on them like a crutch, an awful disease that many directors have succumbed to as of late. It’s the actors, deigned with the opportunity to bring a fantastical script to an even more apparent reality, that deserve some notice and praise.
Chris Pine (James Kirk), who up until this point charmed me in his turn as a twisted and demonic hillbilly in SMOKIN’ ACES, does a superb job playing the would be/will be Shatner. He carries himself with a hint, a whiff, of obnoxiousness that makes his role one that exudes a swagger rolled up with the classic underdog trope of a boy who needs to become a man. His boyhood mischief, his bar room brawls are nothing more than flimsy set-ups to show the depths of which he’s lost in his own PR and male bravado as a Lothario that never can seal the deal with Uhura (Zoe Saldana). But, and this is key, it’s the moment when Kirk meets Bones (Karl Urban) when you can feel the velocity of this film taking hold and never relenting. It’s also the time when we meet up with a young Spock (Zachary Quinto) who lives on planet Vulcan. What’s silly, of course, is to suppose this is all happening on a real planet removed from the safety of Earth’s natural berms and landscape but Abrams wills and makes Vulcan seem like a planet; the effects here are slight but rich in impact. He gives his situations, and all situations from start to finish, a polish, a thin veneer, of reality. Yes, Vulcan exists. Yes, cops of the future do ride motorcycles that fly. Yes, it is possible to beam from a ship to a planet’s surface; all the while, mind you, of never compromising the intentions of the actors in the scenes they’re in.
Kirk’s eventual rise to power as the ship’s captain is an intriguing one if not completely predictable, and there is a lot of goofiness to be had in the moments leading up to the logical blocks that are put in front of him from even being allowed ON the Enterprise, but these are all quibbles with the film’s focus on creating a summer movie. You could find yourself straining at wondering at the logical issues concerning the film’s villain Nero (a one-noted and camouflaged performance by Eric Bana) and his actions, however, this would take away from the sheer delight in wondering at the sight of John Cho (Sulu) kicking in some Romulan head during the film’s first real hand-to-hand combat scene, witnessing the fate of the first red shirt to go into battle and feeling the physics involved to make me believe that this all seems plausible as a viewer. Suspension of disbelief is not enough in this film as JJ takes the effects to a level that should cement this movie’s place as one of the more intensely enjoyable movies of the summer movie season.
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As well, when you consider all the personalities that need to be juggled, from introducing an entire ship’s worth of STAR TREK regulars to the plot that can get a touch convoluted if not completely unbelievable, Abrams manages to make you care about each one of them. Now, the depths to which we care can be debated but for the core cast of regulars there isn’t one throw-away moment for any of them especially when you consider the handful of characters that seemed to be much for lesser directors of recent summer films. It is important to give everyone the chance to be meaningful to the film’s progression, for if they weren’t why even be included in a script and, at that point, if they were I could guarantee a troubled film, and JJ does that. From Chekov’s minor miracles to Simon Pegg’s (Scotty) delightful and atmospheric comedic relief at a moment when the film delivers one of the more emotionally charged scenes STAR TREK is a record that knows what speed to play at without ever speeding up or slowing down unnecessarily. The movie is filled with enough crags and crevices which bring us to the penultimate moment but to explain them would spoil the fun of witnessing the birth of a franchise that finally is able to appeal to those like me who are familiar with the characters but aren’t beholden to the rigid back history of the iconic series. This isn’t to say, though, the film doesn’t have some issues.
The musical cues seem a little too ostentatious at times and threatens to take over the production and, unless you’re Ray Charles, there is no way not to notice the copious use the many lens flares that JJ seems to use as if he were a little kid just shown how to fire a gun; he loves using both almost to the detriment to the picture. The writing, as well, could be picked apart and dissected like a splayed open frog in biology class but, really, if you’re going to take issue with a summer film which is specifically designed to generate income and to be one of the few movies to help a studio make its annual nut you need to understand a few theories of basic economics. Which isn’t to say JJ has to make an inferior product, and he absolutely does not, but it’s important in understanding that the movie is not some artistic vision that can stand up to scrutiny if you were to compare it to a film like MILK. These kinds of films, these summer films, are made to entertain and to hopefully coming back for more. I already know this film is a special one in that I am already thinking about when I can see it again.
Forget WOLVERINE, STAR TREK is the real beginning of your summer.
ERIC LANGE of LOST
There’s this great Night Court episode that has always stayed with me ever since I saw it air decades ago. Harry, played by Harry Anderson, has to convince a very deranged woman who is brandishing a grenade in his court that what she sees on television is not reality. The blend of humor and the very not funny threat of someone dying was emblematic of a series that blurred the line of what a sitcom was. So, too, is my love affair of Lost.
A program that has dared me to leave it more than once and a program that keeps finding ways to bring me back, Lost provides audiences with the kind of drama that looks to challenge traditional methods of storytelling on television. So, it was with great anticipation that I was able to talk to Eric Lange, who you all know by the name Stuart Radzinsky and rocks a beard like no other on that show, wherein I was able to find out more about the man who has become synonymous with supreme jerkitude on the series. The “others” may be mysterious and wanton in their violence and malevolence towards others but Lange is just plain mean.
It was a pleasure, then, to talk to the actor playing Radzinsky. What I found was an actor just excited to be playing a role like this, in a series like this. His passion for the craft was something refreshing when you consider how far gone other performers can get when they stop seeing the ephemeral winning lotto ticket in their hand. Eschewing any question that even tiptoes the line of “What can be expect from the season finale…” I instead wanted to know more about him as an actor, a working actor, and what this opportunity means to his career.
From ditching the series as a viewer to realizing the importance of bug spray there couldn’t be a better jerk on television who I hope finds success after he finds his way off the island. The series finale airs this upcoming Wednesday, May 13th on ABC.
CHRISTOPHER STIPP: I’ve been reading a little bit about you as an actor and what led you here to Lost. I’m really just curious to find out, at least to start off things with what happened from 1998 and 2001 where there doesn’t seem to be much from you?
ERIC LANGE: ’98 and 2001? Well, to be honest, when I first moved to LA I couldn’t get an agent or get anyone to represent me theatrically so I was doing a lot of theatre which is sort of my roots ““ theatre and commercials ““ and every now and then I got friends to come to a play I was in and toss me a job here and there. That’s what the Bold and the Beautiful is and my early, early jobs. But really they were just from people that knew me at the time.
So it’s really all I was doing.
Then after that it just of moved into commercials. I was doing commercials for about 7 years here and making a living that way and saying I was a working actor but I obviously wanted to be making movies and scripted television. So then I ended up doing another play years later and a friend of mine brought her manager to the play and he picked me up. After that things moved relatively quickly because I had all that time here doing commercials and theatre to just sort of marinate and get ready for the day I was going to be able to get into rooms and I would be able to work relatively quickly. So that’s sort of the reason for that gap.
CS: Certainly after that it looks like Lost is the longest time you’ve spent on scripted television.
LANGE: Yes. I had smaller recurring things on other shows earlier. LAX, the Heather Locklear/Blair Underwood show I was on for just a little bit and just prior to Lost I did a show called 26 Miles which was like a 6 episode pilot basically. It was made to be sold as a half season and then a network or studio would pick up the other half of the season. So, that was 6 episodes and that was my longest stint and now Lost is a little past that, so you are correct.
CS: So how did this come into your life? Was it one of those things where you were just out on auditions or were you asked to audition for it?
LANGE: Yes, my manager called and said you need to audition for this or that and I was particularly excited about this because I wanted to do something on that show for so long I just had the highest respect for it and wanted to be on there. The show I had done previously, the 26 Miles pilot, I had about 6 months before that started and I was going to do it and I had to change rather drastically. My hair was always rather short so I spent all this time growing my hair out and this beard and so I thought if I’m ever going to be on Lost, now is the time to do it. I got the beard, the long hair, I can pop out of the jungle. I could say I was on the plane, or I was an accountant, or something.
(Laughs)
So, I just went in to audition. It’s not a typical audition with them. Usually you go to meet the producers in an audition ““ and the writer ““ but with Lost because everybody is in Hawaii you’re really just reading for the casting director and somebody films you and they mail the tape off and you either get it or you don’t. So it felt like such a simple process for what became such a great job. You know?
CS: Yes, and an interesting character too. We all know how he ends up but it’s really interesting to see how he gets to where that finite end is. Could you speak a little bit about how… I read in a previous interview where there really wasn’t so much direction given to you regarding these origins of the character but you were allowed to make him up – as it were?
LANGE: The original audition ““ I know I’ve spoken about this before ““ but they didn’t even have the name Radzinski on the audition side it was this Marty Jankowski guy. So that’s who I was auditioning for initially. So, when I got the job they called and said you are playing Radzinski and the name sort of rang a bell. I wasn’t sure why it was so secretive but that’s how a lot of things are on that show. I ended up googling him and found all these web pages about him and immediately got very nervous about the shoes I had to fill.
It was evident that there were a lot of fans that were curious about him and what he knows and why he offs himself and all these different things and I though, boy, I have a lot of people to please. So I ended up calling my manager and said is there something they want me to know? Now, knowing where we are going to take him eventually, or if they will, knowing where he ends up in the bible of Lost, is there something they want me to know now that I could put in play and the answer was a pretty definitive no. They said, “No, if we want him to know something we’ll tell him.” It was good in a sense because I had the information about where the guy’s going to eventually go and I had the scripts and the words they give me are rather strong clues to what kind of person he is. But I did get to work a fair amount on my little back story and sort of create this guy from scratch. The guy we’ve heard about but never seen.
CS: And you mentioned something about Lost having something close to a bible. The pantheon of fans out there…that there’s no detail that goes unnoticed with the people who really dig this show. How was that knowing that every tick, every peculiarity is poured over? I don’t know if you ever now gone back to see what people are talking about and see if people are really on the mark or off the mark with about what’s to come later on in the season?
LANGE: You mean in terms of what they were picking up about him before him even being seen or since I started on the show?
CS: That’s interesting. I would be interested in hearing both. First of all, we caught glimpses of him and now that you are fully realized ““ what people are saying now about the character.
LANGE: Well, you know. Let me think. I just want to make sure about what you are asking. You are asking how I feel about what people are saying about the guy now that he’s out there?
CS: Correct. Now that people have had the chance to see you, what are they saying about you?
LANGE: Well, I don’t have a lot of fans. Let’s put it that way.
(Laughs)
I’m hoping people are enjoying it but obviously he’s a thorn in the side of our heroes at this point and it is interesting that he’s so hot blooded. That does contribute to someone who could put a shotgun in his mouth. He’s a wildly passionate individual and it was sort of assumed early on that the guy had some wild knowledge about a lot of things and now we find out that he was the architect of the Swan so he’s been credited with being a genius or scientist. But, no, the few things I’ve been sent from friends and from what I’ve seen on the internet is pretty hard to read sometimes.
(Laughs)
I’ve been called all sorts of names. He’s a problem child but in terms of my fears about living up to the expectations of the fans. I just said I’m going to make what I make and hopefully they can get behind it. The thing to me about playing people like that is as long as there’s justification for the way they act, people can get behind it. And with him, we are sort of catching him in the middle of a period for him. In the middle of building the Swan and his work with Darma and so I just created this thing in my head that he was sort of told a story that he was going to be this big deal there and when he got there there were all these other people running around and touching his stuff and running projects and he sort of wanted to run the show so that’s the place I’m taking it from now but there’s got to be ways to justify the way he’s such a complete pompous ass he is and certainly leaving people curious enough without just hating the guy and writing him off, which is a danger.
CS: Correct. And this is one of the, and I don’t want to say tightest written series on television for sounding too hyperbolic, but looking at the scripts you are being given week after week, how do you respond to something when you are used to going on some of these shows, doing an episode and then leaving. Looking at a script where you are not allowed to know some things but know others… how does that all work in a cohesive sense when there are so many things going on at once?
LANGE: It’s tricky because you don’t know anything really. You know that at the end of some episodes that if there’s a story line left untold you assume that they will come back to it. So you do see some sort of arch but don’t know exactly where it’s going to go but it’s actually kind of exciting. I remember being in Hawaii at the hotel and the day that the scripts would come out running down from the Lobby wondering what the heck am I going to be doing this week. It’s been exciting. When you do one spot on one show you are gone. You don’t get that kind of thrill.
Every now and then it’s a little jarring, oh my goodness the things they have me saying and doing, the character they are forming as I find it in the script week to week and sometimes I find it a bit jarring and I have to go into my justification pile as say why is this important to him. And the bigger picture that this is sort of like war to him. He’s sort of like a general in an army and there are possible enemies lurking around and gaining information and that’s life and death. A lot of things on Lost aren’t life and death. But it’s a pretty curious thing. I sort of see him as a policeman who is jus trying to protect what they built and what they are working on and he just happens to get quite agitated when things don’t go his way, if any of that makes any sense.
CS: It does. You are now the 4th person I’ve talked to from the cast in the many years it’s been on. You hit a central theme when you say it’s all a matter of life and death and everyone who I’ve talked to says life off the set and in the set while you are working on it couldn’t been a more congenial and open and warm place to be.
LANGE: Absolutely.
CS: How have you responded to that sort of climate as an actor?
LANGE: Coming from doing one show at a time, mainly a guest star here and there, you sort of get thrown into this family that you don’t know but they have been working together for years and you are trying to look like a seamless part of this giant machine they have created. Sometimes the families are friendly and sometimes because they know you are leaving that week there is really no attempt to make any conversation or environment where you might feel more comfortable. Going into Lost when I first got the job I only knew I was doing two episodes. That was the deal. So I thought, well two episodes but I was a little intimidated because of the size of the show and the scope of that show and I thought, “My God, what if these people are monsters? What if their ego’s have gone to their head because they are on this giant train that is Lost?” And I could not have found anything farther from the truth.
I mean, from day one they were the most down to earth, friendly, there was no ego involved, just acceptance and I felt like I was part of the crew right away. They were really wonderful in that way. And when you are comfortable like that you are just able to do better work. You feel better about yourself, you can trust in what you are doing better and it’s just nice to have that support. But throughout my entire stint there I just grew closer and closer to those people and have a huge amount of respect for them on their behavior on the set and their generosity really. And, the crew is the same way. The crew is a lot of Hawaii based people, very down to earth, very kind and really it is funny how sort of light hearted the set is. It’s not that anyone’s careless about their work but it really is like a very friendly place to be. I had an absolute blast there.
CS: And one of the interesting things about the show itself too, for how many years it’s been on, you don’t hear anything about any petty sort of in-fighting or anything associated with some programs that are on a very long time that most succumb to. Any ideas of how they’ve managed to avoid needless drama?
LANGE: I don’t know. I’m always amazed when I hear about the drama on these things. It’s like you think when you get a job on that level you would just be happy to do you job and go home. I think part of it has to be because they are so removed. Being there in Hawaii is like you own little camp. Like you go to Lost camp. And they are not right there in Hollywood hearing about the bickering that goes on or seeing the power plays that get pulled. I think to some degree everyone just really likes being on the show and happy with their jobs and happy to be a part of something that has such an impact on culture in television. But, I think the distance is a big thing because when you get there it’s not like Hollywood. It’s Hawaii ““ a much different environment and relatively laid-back, peaceful place to be. I think it engenders that on the set as well.
CS: One of the things that I think makes you a perfect representation of Lost is that I read that you bailed on the series for a little while and then came back to it as you boned up on your part. I would think that any Lost fan agrees that this season just outshines ““ the writing is better, it’s tighter…How do you think they found their groove back? What’s your take on why it’s so good this season?
LANGE: Well, my take is that ““ I did. I hate to say it but somewhere at the end of season 3 I thought, boy, they did such a good job the first two seasons at peaking interest and creating mysteries and things I was just so curious about and wanted answers to, and they kept stretching them out.
And now my belief about why they did that is because they didn’t know how long they were going to be on the air. They didn’t know how long they were going to have to keep these things a mystery.
So I think for a while there it sort of felt like they were treading water. I don’t know if this is the fact or not but I got the sense of having to keep these story lines afloat because what if we are doing this for 10 years. And now that they have given themselves an end point, now they see a finish line and they are saying, what do we need to get in before the finish line? And it’s much easier to plot and plan and really build things on a more detailed level I would guess, episode to episode knowing they only have this many to go. So I think they are really sinking their teeth in and challenging audiences and giving everyone a great run for their money and a great piece of television.
CS: One of the other things that you brought up was that largely, the production is very picturesque. It’s done outside in Hawaii. What kind of challenges does filming on a beach, in jungles, in that kind of humidity present from day to day?
LANGE: That’s where I give props to their crew. I see these guys in season 5 and a lot of these guys are Hawaii based so they are used to working in that and used to working some adverse conditions and they are incredibly adapt at it. It’s amazing to watch how quickly and with such economy they can get these major shots set up and pulled off. And people running around the jungle with a steady cam. They are not running on boards. It’s dirt and mud. We had a couple days where it was very rainy and there was just mud everywhere. It’s so humid. I was there at relatively decent conditions given the time of the year. But it was 85 ““ 90 degrees and very humid and you got the bugs in the jungle. There were days I came off the set with many mosquito bites and I learned very quickly to take the bug spray when they offer it to you.
(Laughs)
But it was kind of fun. It feels very genuine as an actor. You are out in that. It’s not a sound stage with a bunch of plastic trees. You are in the jungle. It’s really exciting that way. But, it’s not a show for the faint of heart. There’s not always a trailer right next to where you are shooting but it makes it kind of fun. I always felt bad about complaining about anything because I’ve watched the show and know the things they have been through and this is nothing.
CS: I am amazed when I read an interview when someone from Lost says they are always trying to ply them for information about what’s coming next ““ to the extent that everyone dodges the question. It makes me feel uncomfortable, must make you feel uncomfortable. But, as the series now trends toward the end, do you feel, now that there is an end in sight, that we can expect more of the same of what we’ve been given this season?
LANGE: Oh yeah. My sense of it as it gets from this the new episode forward would be the variable forward the last episode Some Like it Hot was relatively, some themes in there, but it was relatively lighthearted for an episode of Lost. I think it’s partly because from here on out it ups the ante all the time. It becomes a great roller coaster ride. I think that the rest of the episodes to come and the finale should be some stupendous television. It really is quite an action packed end of season from this point forward.
CS: Having already taped the finale, when you reflect on it, how do you see your time on the program itself and what it’s done for you professionally and as an actor?
LANGE: My time on the program? I can’t say anything other than it was a dream job. It really was. To be on a show that you are already a big fan of and to have it go as well as it did for me ““ great challenge as an actor and befriend the people that work on that set ““ it was just nothing short of spectacular for me. And professionally, it really is amazing the difference between working on one level of show (and I won’t name names) and then working on Lost.
When my third episode aired, and I hadn’t really heard anything on the street and I went out over the weekend there must have been 10 different people that came up to me and said, “Are you Radzinsky? Lost is a great show.” So out of the blue people are starting to come up to me and things like that. It’s just a testament to the audience and kind of impact that show has.
You never know where your career is going to go or what opportunities are going to come to you or not but it certainly in terms of it’s stature I think it’s the biggest thing I’ve been a part of. I hope it does great things for my career, obviously but I’m already getting a sense that it is a bit bigger than you in some ways.
CS: I have to imagine ““ I know everyone talks about acting ““ “It’s just a job…It’s just something I do” – do you get some sort of thrill when you get recognized for being on the show?
LANGE: Yeah. I went to some art fair this guy walked by me and just yelled, “Radzinsky!” Like that’s my name, you know? And I turned around and said “Yeah?” and he said “I’m such a fan of the show” and he was with a friend and they introduced themselves and just the nicest people. Coming from theatre you do a role, you do a show and you get instant audience feedback. You get applause, you get laughter, you get validation that what you did meant something to somebody. But on television you never really get that. It just airs and who knows what anyone really thought of it. So it’s always nice to have people come up to you and say, “Hey, I dig the show” or “Dig what you’re doing.”
It’s just confirmation that you are on the right path in some way. It feels good that whatever it is you do makes somebody a little happier than they were before, I guess to put it simply. So yes, it’s a great feeling.
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…
(Also, please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)
As a child of the 80’s, I was absolutely taken with Ghostbusters when it came out. I had the toys, I used to pretend I was a Ghostbuster, and before everything turned sour with Ghostbusters 2, I delighted in the Saturday morning adventures of the guys on The Real Ghostbusters. After a few disappointing single-disc collections from Sony, Time Life has hit the ball out of the park with the wonderfully packaged The Real Ghostbusters: Volume 1 (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). The 5-disc set features the first 30 Real Ghostbusters episodes, episode introductions, visual commentaries, isolated music & effects tracks, featurettes, interviews, and much more.
You know, life can be a bit uninteresting sometimes. And serious. Every once in a while, you want something totally, utterly frivolous to just goofily look at with a dopey smile on your face. Something like a solar powered glow-in-the-dark lightbulb encased in lucite. That’s exactly what the Glow Brick ($25.99) is. And it’s just fun. Is that so wrong?
It’s just been remade with Martin Clunes, but the original Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP) is a true comedy classic, focusing on the running breakdown of a cog in a machine far beyond his control. Do, do, DO give it a spin. The 4-disc set contains all 21 episodes, plus a look at star Leonard Rossiter’s film work, and a long-lost Christmas sketch that reunited the cast three years after the series ended.
Why is it that we get bucketfuls of tripe on TV here in the US, but the UK gets a wonderfully quirky rom-sit-com like Gavin & Stacey (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP)? Gavin & Stacey are a pair of twenty-somethings who have been talking with each other for months while at work – in different offices. You see, they’ve never met face-to-face. It’s when they do that we pick up their story, as we see their relationship develop through the eyes of their friends and family – including Rob Brydon and James Cordon. It truly is a little joy, and is worth importing. Bonus features include audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and outtakes.
One of those shows that I watched intermittently when it was on, always enjoyed it when I did, and am now happy to catch up on via DVD all these years later gets its second season release. Spin City: The Complete Second Season (Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$39.99 SRP) contains all 24 episodes of the Michael J. Fox gem, but sadly no bonus materials this go round.
I went into The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Criterion, Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.98 SRP) hoping I’d come out the other side feeling I’d seen an amazing flick. Sadly, when I eventually did reach the other side – and it felt like it was years later – all I felt was exhausted and a bit put off by a sense that director David Fincher could have tightened things up quite a bit, and not seem so obvious in making the film DEEP and IMPORTANT and a reverse-aging Forrest Gump. The film has been released as a 2-disc special edition containing an audio commentary, interviews, featurette, and more. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus features.
Picking up where Rock Profile and Dead Ringers left off, Star Stories (Channel 4, Not Rated, £29.99 SRP) is a series that impales celebrities with a comedy shiv, sending up the tabloid fodder with giddy pleasure. The box-set contains both series 1 and 2, plus extended/deleted scenes, featurettes, rehearsals, and outtakes.
Fans are still buzzing over the recent new Doctor Who Easter special, as the adventures of the 10th Doctor rapidly come to a close. Let’s go back to the adventures of Doctors 4 & 7 with a pair of new DVD releases – the Tom Baker E-Space Trilogy (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP) and the Sylvester McCoy outing Battlefield (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP). As usual with these Who discs, they’re absolutely loaded to the brim with commentaries, featurettes, documentaries, galleries, interviews, and more.
It’s the chemistry between Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson – as a pair of strangers whose chance encounter in London leads them both to believe that perhaps romance is not dead- that carries the romantic comedy Last Chance Harvey (Anchor Bay, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 SRP). It’s a fresh pic, and worth giving a spin to. The 2-disc set features an audio commentary, a making-of featurette, and the theatrical trailer.
The first season came out a few months back, but now fans can pick up the Blu-Ray edition of Dexter: The Second Season (Showtime, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$59.99 SRP) and watch all that splatter in full high definition. Bonus features are identical to the standard release, with the addition of BD Live featurettes and podcasts.
Ol’ Blue Eyes is back with a pair of brand new, remastered deluxe additions to the Frank Sinatra Collection – My Way and Live At The Meadowlands (Concord Records, $18.98 SRP each). My Way also features a pair of live bonus tracks (“For Once In My Life” & “My Way”).
Knowledge is power – or, at the very least, interesting – and such is the case with Niall Ferguson’s documentary The Ascent Of Money (Channel 4, Not Rated, £19.99 SRP), which traces the history of the financial world from the 14th century to the present, illuminating its rise and explaining the stock market, what causes a bank run, inflation, and the problem we’re all in now.
The series was released years ago on DVD, but the classic Japanese animated series Gigantor (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) has been restored and augmented with commentaries, interviews, and more for its first volume re-release. The 4-disc set contains the first 26 episodes.
Josie Lawrence & Miranda Richardson star as a pair of Englishwoman who hope to escape their drab lives by heading to the Italian Rivera in Enchanted April (Miramax, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP). Think of it as a Merchant/Ivory Thelma & Louise. The new special edition features an audio commentary.
New year, new kids, but the teens of Roundview College are just as awkwardly randy in the 3rd series of Skins (Channel 4, Not Rated, £24.99 SRP). The new batch is not as affecting as the old guard, but here’s hoping they grow into the roles in the same way. The 3-disc set contains bonus stories, audition footage, featurettes, and more.
It’s not the massive batch of previous months, but Paramount continues their release of catalogue titles on Blu-Ray with a trio of new discs – Saturday Night Fever, Grease, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Paramount, Rated R/PG/PG-13, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP each). Bonus features are identical to their standard DVD cousins.
The original Broadway cast recording of Gypsy (Masterworks Broadway, $13.98 SRP) – yes, the production starring force of nature Ethel Merman – gets a completely remastered and expanded 50th Anniversary Edition, featuring additional tracks not on the original album release, plus interview segments with composer Jule Styne and Gypsy Rose Lee herself.
If your kids are not yet aware of the classic Disney characters – that’s Mickey, Donald, Goofy, etc. – pick up the latest Mickey Mouse Clubhouse release, Mickey’s Big Splash (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP) and get them acquainted with this affable CG kiddie series.
When a movie’s main selling point is that it stars not only George Wendt, but also Joey Piscopo (Joe’s son, of course!), it’s understandable that you may be somewhat wary. Or really wary. Well, Saturday Morning (Lightyear, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP) is a harmless romantic comedy about a hapless schlub (Piscopo) who finds that when normal people sleep in on Saturday mornings between 6am-8pm, the world becomes a veritable utopia. Could love be in the offing? What do you think?
I very rarely am blown away by 12-inch collectible figures. Sure, there’s a wonderful novelty to seeing pop culture icons shrunk down with masterful detailing, but perhaps I’ve just become jaded after all of these years of seeing such fine work. That said, I was well and truly impressed with Hot Toys 12″ Iron Man: Mark III ($159.99), currently on offer from the fine folks at Sideshow Collectibles. The price point may seem a bit steep, but considering it’s a Japanese import and the extreme detailing – you would not believe all of the moving flaps and hydraulics on offer – it’s actually pretty fair. Not only do you get a swappable Robert Downey Jr. head and 3 pairs of hands, there’s also an LED light feature that illuminates the eyes, palms, and chest. And, if you’re desire for Iron Man collectibles is still not satiated, Sideshow is also offering a pretty spiffy life-size Iron Man Bust ($699.00), which is limited to only 1500 pieces and stands an impressive 24″ high (not to mention featuring cool LED eyes).
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…
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 #94: The Buddy System – Ken & Dana return with talk of man’s best friend, then try to decide if they were born at the right time, and finally cap it all off with discussion of musical theater and a very special tribute.
[CONTENT WARNING]:This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
BURBANK — There’s a black hole sucking up all the stars. Who could have imagined in such a short period of time we’d lose Dom DeLuise, Bea Arthur, J.G. Ballard and Danny Gans? Was there enough pages in People magazine give proper remembrance to these dearly departed? All the pages written by Proust wouldn’t cover their greatness.
Dom DeLuise is the one closeSt to me. He’s responsible for getting me into the wild world of showbiz. He didn’t merely inspire me with his work on The End and Lotsa Luck. I really did work for him one summer.
Dom was doing his best to lose weight at Duke’s Diet Center. He’d signed on to be the host of a revived Candid Camera. The producers shot his gotcha bits in Raleigh. They needed a local crew and I ended up with my first production assistant gig. After working way too many flunky jobs, the life of a P.A. was a major upgrade. The greatest thing about true showbiz work is that they feed you. No clocking out for lunch and burning your paycheck on food. They ordered it up and served it without docking your wages. They also provided snacks and drinks for free. Forget the guidance counselor, let your stomach let you know what’s your true profession. The only downside was anyone was caught eating around Dom would be fired. No second warning. Nobody had a problem with that rule. There was no need to tease Dom with a Snickers bar. This wasn’t nearly as harsh as being told on the set of Matlock that you’ll be fired if you make eye contact with Andy Griffith.
Dom was rather easy to be around. He wasn’t uptight like some talent. As a comic, he was more annoying than funny. I found myself laughing or mostly smiling at his jokes so that he didn’t try harder. It was like being stuck in the blooper reel of Cannonball Run II.
Dom wasn’t too fussy during the gags. He rolled with the unsuspecting victims. He approved of my alteration of a set up. They were going to see how far they could take a funeral director when it came to setting up outrageous plans. The Hollywood braintrust had a lame list of “can I get this….” as Dom was making arrangements for a dear friend. I suggested that the joke is that the Dom’s friend wants to be buried in his car. The twist is that the guy was a devoted carpooler and wants three other people buried in the car with him. The thing we discovered was funeral home directors won’t say no and don’t have a sense of humor. Dom said, “Smile, you’re on Candid Camera.” The funeral home director read Dom the riot act. The piece crashed and burned. We canceled all the other funeral directors. My shot at writing Smokey and the Bandit V fizzled.
Burt Reynolds was supposed to drop by for a segment. I suggested Dom and Burt sell tubesocks out of a van in the hopes of raising enough money for Cannonball Run III. How will the fans react to their stars being reduced down to street side merchants? The producers seemed open to concept, but Burt never made it to town. Dom did appreciate me joking that Burt and Loni shared custody of him. Burt got him for TV shows and Loni for movies of the week.
One morning Dom was outraged that one of his kids had run up a huge phone bill calling 976 pay numbers. I’m not sure which kid or what service. Could have been the Twin Peaks clue line. I calmed Dom by explaining that he merely had to tell the phone company that the calls were made without his knowledge. The phone company would block his phone from dialing those numbers and drop the charges. The next day he showed up at location and thanked me for saving him a small fortune.
My most lasting memory of Dom was at the end of the last day. We were wrapping up the cables. Dom took a long stare at me and announced to all, “Joe, you look like an axe murderer.”
That time I laughed. Cause he might have been right.
THE OTHER OBITS
Bea Arthur’s passing means I’ll have to find a new punchline. She was a sweet woman with the most iconic mustache this side of Rollie Fingers. Mostly I’ll remember her for those massive vest coats she wore as Maude. With the passing of Bea, Suzanne Pleshette and Brett Somers, our daughters will have no broads to idolize. Sony really needs to get the other four seasons of Maude out on DVD.
Perhaps the most disappointing death belongs to J.G. Ballard. The novelist defined the primal nature in a high tech world with High Rise and the Concrete Island. He wrote some of the most amazing deaths in his books. Why didn’t the author of Crash go out with a major bang? He still could have slammed his car into Elizabeth Taylor’s limo while masturbating behind the wheel? He could have taken out Bea Arthur.
Upon hearing that Danny Gans died, I pondered if he had tapped too deep into his George Burns impersonation. Danny was a Las Vegas creation. No matter where you go in Vegas, there’s his face on billboards, taxicab roofs and bathroom stall doors. A tourist visiting Sin City for the first time always wondered why was Gans hailed as “Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year?” He was a mystery wrapped in an enigma with a sold out run at the Mirage. Turns out his show had him doing musical impersonations. He was like a singing Frank Gorshin. The old people liked him. Steve Wynn supposedly paid the guy $200 million to move to his Encore hotel. On my last trip to Vegas, I tramped through the Mirage to pay homage to the Danny Gans theater (he hadn’t gone across the street). The show was nearly over. The usher asked if I wanted to sneak inside to see the finale. She wanted me to experience Danny. I couldn’t go cause the wife was in the bathroom and by the time she got out, the crowd was departing. But it felt good to know that the people who worked for Danny didn’t treat it as a job, but an avocation. She wanted me to get a tiny piece of the Gans magic. Now Danny Gans is gone. Siegfried and Roy have also left the Strip. What remains in Vegas are anonymous Cirque De Soleil shows and Criss Angel. As much as people enjoyed poking fun at Danny Gans, they respected his ability to fill the seats. He knew how to make people feel lucky enough to gamble. That’s what makes you a star in Vegas.
YOU’RE A WHAT?
Anyone else wondering why NBC is allowed to call their upcoming reality show I’m A Celebrity….Get Me Out of Here. They stick Heidi Montage, Spencer Pratt, John Salley, Janice Dickinson, Sanjaya and a Baldwin not named Alec on an island to see which can survive. Why? These people are barely stars on their grandmother’s refrigerator doors. They’re merely famous for milking their barely worthy fame. If NBC wants people to tune in, they need to change the name to Cannibal Island. The vision of Heidi and Spencer being turned into human stew makes me set the VCR at SP speed in my mind. Joel McHale agrees with this concept. Don’t network executives realize that we like the threat of cannibals? The ratings were high when we thought the Others on Lost were cannibals out to eat babies. Soon as the whole cannibal threat level dropped, the ratings hit rock bottom. The winner would be Janice Dickinson since any smart cannibal knows it’s not safe to eat silicon.
BLU-RAY HEAVEN
Star Trek: The Original Motion Picture Collection – Blu-ray contains the first six films featuring Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Bones, Scotty, Chekov, Sulu and Uhura. Now you can see the final frontier in high def quality. Star Trek: The Motion Picture brought the TV series to the big screen nearly a decade after it was canceled. The group is reunited to intercept a strange object named V’Ger coming towards Earth. The big shocker is Lt. Ilia (Persis Khambatta) looking sexy with a bald head. It’s a so-so return. The Wrath of Khan is the film that really made this series matter. Ricardo Montalban (Fantasy Island) returns as Khan, the outlaw leader from “Space Seed.” He’s decided to get his revenge on Kirk. There’s great ass kicking action. Mr. Spock does the unspeakable at the end. This is ultimately the best of the Star Trek films. The Search For Spock continues the adventure from the last film. Kirk has to hijack the Enterprise to reunite Spock. Things get nasty when they run into Klingons. Will he get back with his Vulcan friend? The Voyage Home has Kirk and the crew going back in time to snag humpback whales and save future Earth. This one is more cute than exciting with Spock trying to not like a freak in 1980s San Francisco. The Final Frontier is the most painful of the bunch. Why? Because they let William Shatner direct it. Supposedly the Enterprise is going to the edge of space to meet God. I still have trauma from Nichelle Nichols’ erotic dance to distract the enemy. Seeing it in Blu-ray didn’t make it anymore appealing. The Undiscovered Country salvaged the movie series so it didn’t end up on a bad note. The Klingons are finally willing to play nice and join the Federation. However the signing ceremony hits a snag that sends Kirk and Bones to a prison planet. This is a proper send off to the original cast as full time crew members. The big bonus feature is a 70 minute chat with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes. Whoopi Goldberg hosts the roundtable discussion between the Enterprise top men over two shows. Wrath of Khan looks the best of the transfers on the HD set. No matter what the Onion says, not all the Star Trek movies were dull with people always talking and sitting around tables.
Grease: Rockin’ Rydell Edition – Blu-Ray will be the reason wives buy Blu-ray players as a Father’s Day gifts. This was the musical sensation that notched up ’50s nostalgia during the era of Happy Days and American Graffiti. The high definition transfers is a galactic leap over the grainy pan and scan copy that gets shown on VH1. The 1080p picture exposes the detail of the John Travolta’s slicked back hairdo. The cinemascope image lets you bask in the swivel action of the dancers. The final dance moment when Olivia Newton-John appears stitched into that black outfit will make you thankful for the extra resolution power of Blu-ray. The bonus features include stuff from the previous edition. There’s even more including a commentary track with Director Randal Kleiser and Choreographer Patricia Birch. What will get the ladies going nuts is “Grease on DVD Launch Party.” This isn’t the usual schmooze fest. Olivia Newton-John and Travolta climb up on stage and sing the hits with the band. There will be squealing in the house. Ultimately this version of Grease answers my prayer for a chance to see Sha-Na-Na with maximum detail. Bowzer is finally lifelike on the screen.
Saturday Night Fever: 30th Anniversary Special Collector’s Edition – Blu-ray truly captures the greatest movie of all time for the ultimate home video experience. People talk about getting lost in a film. Seeing Saturday Night Fever in Hi-Def lets my eyes step through the screen. The background details are stunning in the transfer making the paint store, the disco, the dance studio and Tony Manero’s bedroom real. They’re no longer fuzzy like on my battered VHS copy. You can slip into the image and the action after a few gin and tonics. Snobs discount SNF as merely a disco movie with the mirror ball and lighted dance floor. I say that this is an anti-disco film. While SNF did launch the greatest disco record of all time, the ending lets us know that this environment stifles creativity. John Travolta learns that while he thinks he’s a great dancer, he’s merely a slave to the 4/4 beat. Is he willing to flee his safety zones of the 2001 Odyssey disco and Brooklyn to let his talent flourish in Manhattan? The bonus features include a nearly hour long documentary about making the film. John Travolta didn’t have time to chat on camera, but Troma icon Lloyd Kaufman makes up for his absence. In “Back to Bayridge,” Joseph Cali (Joey) gives us a walk around the neighborhood to show us what’s changed and stayed the same in Brooklyn. There’s sad news about the disco. There’s also three deleted scenes which didn’t need to be in the film. Saturday Night Fever dazzles on Blu-ray.
Dexter The Complete Second Season – Blu-ray takes the Showtime series continues to make the audience root for a serial killer roaming the streets of Miami. Dexter isn’t just an ordinary killer since he’s employed by the police as their blood splatter expert. He picks his victims from the truly guilty. After the trauma of the Ice Truck, he’s lost his blood lust. Is he going to go straight? However his life gets complicated when his underwater garden is uncovered. The FBI sends down their top serial killer investigator played by Keith Carradine. Before he can uncover Dexter, Keith sniffs a trail to Dexter’s sister (Jennifer Carpenter). The tension between Dexter and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King) hits a new high. These is more fascinating than the first season. The high definition image gives us a good sense of the sweat and blood in this Southern crime thriller. Top indie directors such as Keith Gordon, Nick Gomez and Tony Goldwyn keep the splatter at a premium. Most of the bonus features are available via Blu-ray Live. Michael C. Hall makes us embrace what should be the most unlikable of characters. Dexter is the best series on cable since The Wire.
DVD SHELF
Jake and the Fatman: Season Two brings a taste of pineapple to the crime series. After the first season in Los Angeles, the producers relocated the gruff DA (William Conrad) and his chief investigator (Joe Penny) to Honolulu. The pilot movie has a murder being arrange by Wo Fat (Khigh Dhiegh) of Hawaii Five-O fame. Jake’s friend is shot down. It’s up to him and the Fatman to expose the killer. During the investigation, the Fatman becomes the D.A. in Honolulu. Is it really that easy to snag that job? Michael Madsen plays a counterfeiter in “Snowfall.” Who knew he was once a picture of youth. “Poor Butterfly” has the top hookers of Hawaii in 1989. There’s a lot of bad fashion in this episode with big hair and bad lace. The mean pimp wears a gray Cosby sweater. How can a man intimidate a prostitute with a Cosby sweater? I can’t help laughing at Joe Penny’s acid washed jeans. Did he really think he was cool in that wardrobe? William Conrad looks extra gruff on the island. It’s a miracle the natives don’t sacrifice virgins to his round God gut. There’s only 10 episodes this strike shortened season. The action isn’t too rough and won’t startle you grandmother.
Penn & Teller B.S.!: The Complete Sixth Season is another Showtime series worth the price of the channel. The comic magicians Penn & Teller don’t mind digging for the truth and exposing the nutjobs on another 10 episodes. “The War on Porn” reminds us that there is no real correlation between adult entertainment and sex crimes. The folks fighting adult films are shown as making up connections. My fellow Raleighite Brandi Love gets to show off her website talents as she reminds us that good porn is a nice release. Plus you can be educated on new positions. “Dolphins” is disturbing as freaks swear these water mammals are able to deliver your baby. Another couple make money teaching people to channel their inner-dolphin. Penn reminds us that dolphins are known for killing porpoises for no reason other than hate. “Sensitivity Training” should be required viewing for that office jerk who declares all the employees need sensitivity training. Penn shows that it’s a scam run by snakeoil salesmen. Penn & Teller: B.S.: The Complete Sixth Season should be viewed by anyone addicted to the Daily Show.
A Baby Story: First Time Parents Edition is perfect viewing if you’re a month away from your first born. You can read all the expecting parent books, but seeing moms pump out the baby while the dad looks completely confused is more educational. Each episode follows a couple in the final weeks of pregnancy. As someone going through this process, it’s easy to relate to their experiences. You see a few women hit the raging hormone stage. You learn quickly to do whatever it takes to calm them down. It will pass if they don’t hit you with a frying pan. There’s a raw nature to the production. They don’t make the babies pop out like cast members of The Hills. We learn that no matter how much planning and prep, the baby will do it their way. Unless you have a C-section. If you’re thinking about getting knocked up this summer, this is necessary viewing for seeing what’s going to happen. There will be pain.
Russell Brand In New York City: Extended and Uncensored still leaves me wondering about the hot new comic from England. He comes off as a wicked kind of guy with his spindly body and huge blown out hair. He dares to talk dirty about his famous pals. But can we trust him to remain funny? For this hour long special, he tears into the truth of his semi-disastrous hosting of the MTV VMAs. He was more excited to see an elephant than Britney Spears. He recounts the Jonas Brothers debacle. His monologue from the MTV event is included. The only thing I fear is that he’s the English Dane Cook with his body moves. The DVD doesn’t bleep out the stuff that was too much for the censors at Comedy Central. You also get a couple bonus routines about drunk girls and being English in New York City.
Jon & Kate Plus Eight: Season 4, The Wedding has come out at a strange time for this large family. There’s a point where the reality of reality stars forces you to review their show for evidence of headlines to come. In this case it’s the recent tabloid covers about how Jon Goselin was caught leaving a bar with a young lady. None of that is covered here. Although if you’re a fan of The Soup, you’ll realize why Jon might be caught at 2 a.m. with a strange woman. “Boys Day Out” has Jon taking his three sons to the golf course. Kate and the girls make something called monkey mulch. This doesn’t contain any actual monkey parts. “Sextuplets’ 4th Birthday” has the six kids get to decorate their own cupcakes. Mom doesn’t want them to eat them until after dinner. What are the odds of that happening? The big highlight of the show is a trip to Hawaii with the couple renewing their vows in front of the 8 kids. In light of the recent headlines, you’ll be working the slo-motion button the DVD remote to see if Jon is looking to bolt.
Sister Sister: The Second Season continues the fun of recently reunited twins who force their adoptive parents to become a couple. It’s fun to see Tim Reid (WKRP in Cincinnati) forced to be nice with Jackee (227). “Hair Today” deals with the sad truth about what happens when one twin gets the makeover while the sister is her normal self. “Get a Job” forces the twins to work at a hamburger joint and Tim’s limo company. The each twin tries to juggle two shifts. This plot will soon be recycled on a Disney tween show. “Free Billy” has the girls trying to liberate a showbiz pig. I’d liberate that pig into my breakfast. The final episode has Tim finally asking Jackee to marry him so they can be a real family and not merely roommates.
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 NIGHTS II: Electric Boozaloo (Part 1 of 2) – Aaron and Brian, along with Cabin Dwellers Shona and Orla, finally break out the crazy Asian booze as supplied by Dan The Complete Bastard. The grog flows, as does the conversation, and through the magic of Skype they get to shoot the s— with lots of their favourite listeners.
[CONTENT WARNING]:Explicit contents! We say every naughty word you can think of. You have been warned!
Howdy Inter-Webbers, I’m Matt Cohen and I’m gonna pretend that I haven’t been away for a while. Or, I’ll lie about it.
Yeah, the second one.
Let’s try that again…
Howdy Inter-Webbers, I’m Matt Cohen and I’m finally back from the Arctic. It was cold, kinda boring, but surprisingly good bagels.
Let’s skip through all the pleasantries and get to a subject near and dear to my heart – Stephen King’s THE DARK TOWER series. Since around the age of 11 I have been obsessed with these books, the characters, and the worlds they inhabit.  Like every other good Tower geek, I have dreamed about the day when the books would be adapted to a more visual format. Well, in Peter David’s comic series for Marvel, we got just that. A new, fresh blast of life has been pumped into an honored but very (and purposefully so) dead series. I assumed once I finished the final book, that Roland and his Ka-Tet would no longer grace the world in new mediums. Thankfully, I was wrong. Along with the comic book which is now in it’s second series, writer, director, producer and Hollywood “It” guy J.J Abrams has announced the acquiring of the rights to adapt the book to film (or television… only time will tell). With this sudden and, quite frankly, awesome news I thought it would be fun to pretend I had the job of casting the films, bringing my cherished childhood  (and beyond) memories to life.
So, without further ado (or adont), I present my dream cast choices for the DARK TOWER films (or television series… Again, J.J’s all about the vagueness).
Also, if you haven’t read the books, do it… Now. Turn off your computer, go to a bookstore or library, and do it.
SPOILER ZONE BELOW, Thankee Sai.
———————-
ROLAND DESCHAIN = JOSH BROLIN
The main man. The last son of Gilead. The last of the Gunslingers. One of the single most iconic and, quite frankly, fantastic characters in the realm of fiction. This is the big one. Cast this wrong, and the whole project falls apart. Roland has been one of the hottest “characters” that actors like to attach themselves to for years, and I’m sure a war is ensuing right now in the talent agencies of Hollywood. I’ve heard Bale, I’ve heard Jackman, and while they both and many others would LOOK like Roland, I think Josh Brolin would bring the sense of solemn pride and years and years worth of pain that Roland carries with every step of his weary feet. Look at his work in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN as a sort of model for how Roland’s tone and demeanor should be. Lots of thoughts going on, but you can’t read it in his face. And maybe that’s what it comes down to. That blank, reading your soul type poker face that Brolin can rock so perfectly. Also, I tend to think Roland is closer in age to 50 then 40, so Brolin would work perfectly in that respect, as well. And, on a nitpicking note, though Bale and Wolvie can do a convincing American accent, there’s no substitute for the real thing. Anyone who doesn’t see this should just wait for JONAH HEX which is almost a Roland audition in my mind.
Runner Up: Viggo Mortensen – Would make a fine Roland if not a little to pretty, but I do think our collective memories of Aragorn cloud our judgement a bit.
EDDIE DEAN = JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT
The second member of the Palaver and our first link as readers to our own world, worthless, weak, addicted Eddie – in the course of 6 books – goes from helpless junkie to a hero only rivaled by Roland himself. Eddie is 23, a NYC native, and badly addicted to heroin when we meet him, so casting wise I think I would go for a guy who can play both “junkie” and “heartthrob” to carry the entire arc believably. If you haven’t caught this young man’s work since 3’RD ROCK FROM THE SUN, you may be a bit puzzled right now. If you caught flicks such as the phenomenal BRICK, then you would know that Levitt is obviously one of the finest young actors working today, and could easily pull off the pathos needed for Eddie. And I know we’ve never really seen what Eddie is supposed to look like, but in my mind, this is pretty much it.
Runner Up: Shia Lebouf – I do genuinely see the appeal in Shia and think he will have a long and great career, but this may be a bit too “hard” for his current sensibilities.
ODETTA HOLMES/DETTA WALKER = GINA TORRES
The trickiest bit of casting in my opinion. This actress would have to portray three distinct characters, different ages, and DRASTICALLY divergent personalities. My one exposure to Torres was her work on FIREFLY and SERENITY, but anyone who’s seen her act know that she plays a strong female character, to say the least. You would need to capture the fire of Detta, the wisdom of Odetta, and the beauty and love of Susannah. I think Ms. Torres is definitely able to meet the challenge. Also, we know for sure that she can handle a weapon.
Runner Up: Zoe Saldana – I haven’t seen STAR TREK yet so my only experience with her is her bit parts in the PIRATES movies, but man, is she gorgeous… Yeah, that’s all I got.
JAKE CHAMBERS = DAEG FAERCH
A cry of “who? rings out across the internet. If anyone saw Rob Zombie’s mediocre HALLOWEEN reboot, they may remember the one entertaining aspect of the film – the kid who played young Michael Myers. I really dig this kid’s look, which is far from your conventional “pretty boy” child actors. Rather, Daeg looks like an actual kid, something I think would tremendously boost our attachment to the tragic and tragically wonderful character of Roland’s “adopted” son, Jake Chambers. Now, we don’t know if this kid quite has the chops, but the look works and he’s age appropriate. I say give him a shot. Also, because I refuse to cast Freddy Highmore in literally every single role meant for a male between the ages of 9 and 15.
Runner Up: Unknown general casting call…
MARTEN/WALTER/RANDALL FLAGG = LANCE HENRIKSEN
The baddie to end all baddies. Stephen King’s version of the devil, or if not the devil himself, certainly his main trickster demon. Randall Flagg, or some derivation of him, has appeared in too many Stephen King books to count. Most notably THE STAND, but certainly at the forefront of the Tower series as well. I mean, it all started when the man in black fled across the desert… so we would need an actor who can give off a sense of pure evil while at the same time a strange charm. Someone who could be ageless and just “reborn” all at once. Basically, a badass mo’fo. And if you know me, theres only one man who that could be – Lance…. Henriksen. Yes, that Lance Henriksen. The man who gave us Bishop, Frank Black, and Ed Harley. One of the coolest, most iconic, but sadly underused and overlooked actors alive today. THIS would be the role to define his career. A chance to channel all that swagger and mystery into a character finally worthy of his talents, rather then whatever sci-fi channel movie of the week he’s done recently. Look at those eyes – shark eyes… doll’s eyes…
Flagg’s eyes.
Runner Up: None needed. This is the role he was born to play.
PERE CALLAHAN = BRENDAN GLEESON
One of the fan’s favorite characters, the priest we knew and loved in SALEM’S LOT returns from apparent death to save and join Roland’s Ka-Tet and to play a bigger role in the sage than anyone could have foreseen. Lovable, noble, trustworthy. A stand up guy. And for as long as I’ve been a fan of the man’s work, I get that exact vibe off of the fantastic Brendan Gleeson. Though he may not look like the traditional image of Callhan, this man’s range is so wide and varied that he’d have no problem stepping into the vamp hunting priest’s shoes. His casting would add an air of “esteem” to the project as well, because it’s only a matter of time that critics and award voters recognize him as one of the greatest actors of his generation.
Runner Up: James Cromwell – Because I like crappy Stephen King TV miniseries. If it wasn’t TOO broke, I guess don’t fix it.
CRIMSON KING = DOUG JONES
The Pale Man. The Fawn. The Angel of Death. Abe Sapien. Silver Surfer. ______ Hobbit Role. The modern king of creature performances. And the Crimson King is about as far from a human as you can get. This, my friends, is what they call a no-brainer (cue PLANET TERROR reference)
Runner Up: Zach Efron – He creeps me out. In the sense that I think he wants to murder me and do terrible things to my soul. A la the Crimson King
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Now, the remainder of the characters, though “secondary”, are extremely important and cherished to Tower fans like myself, and I’ll be back next week for part 2 of this column, with a look at who I would cast to fill out the rest of the DARK TOWER universe. So please, if you enjoyed this little venture, check back next week for the conclusion. All of your friends are doing it… PEER PRESSURE!!!!
My son popped in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull the other day, and I thought I’d give it a second try. Perhaps on second viewing I’d be able to let go of my extreme dislike…sadly, this was not the case.
But it did remind me how much I love the original films, especially Raiders of the Lost Ark. Just a couple days later, my new Ark of the Covenant business card holder showed up from Gentle Giant, making me warm and fuzzy all over.
Business card holder? Yep, Gentle Giant has produced not one but three different desk accessories based on the relics of the films: this business card holder, a pen/pencil holder shaped like the Fertility Idol, and a paper clip holder that doubles as the Holy Grail.
I only ordered the card holder, as it was the only one I could see myself using (do I even own any paper clips?), so I’ll be covering that one all by its little lonesome. If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at mwc@mwctoys.com, or hit my site at Michael’s Review of the Week – Captain Toy. You can also follow me on Twitter, the only legal form of stalking. Actually, I’m having a giveaway right now to one person following me on Twitter – a completely free MOTUC Mer-Man! So sign up and follow me, and you might be the lucky winner…
Ark of the Covenant Business Card Holder
The business card holder is designed to hold regular sized cards, either in a horizontal or vertical fashion. If you’re a closet nerd afraid to let your geek flag fly full mast, this card holder (and the paper clip Grail or pencil Idol) allow you to test the work waters. If no one points and laughs, you can tell them about your Iron Man bed sheets! Or maybe not.
Packaging – ***
The big plus here is the Certificate of Authenticity, which is nicely done in a trading card size just like a Gentle Giant bust or statue. However, it lacks any sort of edition number or size.
The box itself carries on the rather dull graphics forced on all the licensors by Lucas, but deals with them about as best as can be expected. The interior foam is very sturdy, and protects the Ark almost as well as a big wooden crate. And yes, how cool of a package would that have been?
Sculpting – ***
For the scale (remember, this is only about 3″ tall without the birds), the sculpt is fairly detailed and clean. The etchings on the side are a little soft, but some of the more intricate detail work on the edges and cornice are nicely done.
The birds are sculpted as a separate piece, on a long base that fits across the interior top. This gives you plenty of display options, with it in or out, and with the cards in front or back.
As I mentioned, it’s only about 3″ tall without the birds, just a hair over 4″ with them. It’s too small to work as a display item with the sixth scale figures, and too big to go with any 4″ figures, but if you have the 7″ Indy from the Disney parks, it would fit in pretty well. The final photo shows a 6″ He-man with the Ark to give you some idea.
Paint – ***
There’s not a lot of paint detail here – it’s all that brass/bronze color that you’d expect, with no real wash or highlighting. It’s clean though, with a nice consistent, even coverage, and no obvious marks, bubbles, or imperfections.
Design – ***1/2
Obviously they had to skip the lid, as I mentioned in the Sculpt section. That’s no real issue, considering the end purpose, and my favorite aspect of the design is that they took into consideration not just the most common card orientation – horizontal – but also the less common vertically printed cards. The interior of the Ark is sculpted to hold either properly, which is a big plus.
The holder also manages a good number of cards at once. I didn’t try fully filling it up, but I’d bet you could get 50 to maybe even 75 cards in there, with the birds in place. And since the birds are movable (and removable), you can put the cards in front or in back of them as you wish.
Value – **
This guy is only about 3″ tall, not counting the birds on top. That’s a pretty small ‘statue’ for almost $40, and something around $25 – $30 would have been more appropriate considering the desk accessory market. And yes, there is one.
Things to Watch Out For –
Don’t drop it. While it feels more poly than resin, it’s still breakable.
Overall – ***
It’s not exactly a must have, but if you’re looking for something that shows off your fondness for Indiana Jones at the office, without being too geeky, then this card holder might just be perfect. It can also work as an accessory to the 7″ Indy, but it’s pretty expensive as an extra to an already mediocre figure.
Something that would really have made this stand out – and made the price all that much more palatable without adding a lot of cost – would have been the inclusion of the Professor Jones business card that we see in the promo photos. It’s a pity that Gentle Giant didn’t realize the potential for something like that to increase interest and sales.
Where to Buy –
You have several great online options:
Related Links –
For many years, there was a drought when it came to Indy merchandise, but they’ve made up for that plus some over the last couple years. Some other collectible reviews include:
– one of my favorite new Indy collectibles is the Mighty Muggs from Hasbro, and I’ve reviewed waves 1, and 2. Of course, they’ve already been canceled.
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!
In conjunction with Paramount Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of CSI: SEASON ONE on DVD.
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 #24: It’s A Way Of Life – In which Matt and Jesse cover so many topics that the human brain can’t even begin to conceptualize the randomness. Also, they premiere their new theme song. Rapping is easy… yo.
[CONTENT WARNING]:This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
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 unique 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…
From now until 11:59pm EST on MONDAY, MAY 11th, we’ll be accepting sign-ups from any and all musicians across this here internet. All you have to do is apply via the form below, and you’re in. THE LIST OF CHALLENGERS AND THE FIRST TASK WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THURSDAY, MAY 14th, 2009.
Once those participants have been announced, the showdown will commence.
Like a songwriting version of Iron Chef, the competitors will be 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 audience.
Oh, and what do we call this competition?
MASTERS OF SONG FU
Let us not forget the very special Masters of MASTERS OF SONG FU. Think of them as the iron chefs of Song Fu – one of which will be revealed as your ultimate challenger.
And 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.
Remember, you must be able to realize a song both lyrically and musically. This competition is open to both singer/songwriters and bands – but since space is limited, only enter if you truly accept the challenge. As stated above, we’ll be accepting the first 25 valid applications we receive.
[ad#contestbox]
Are you ready to bring your Fu? If so, fill out the form below:
SIGN-UP FOR THIS ROUND HAS CLOSED.
Note: Competitors will be notified via e-mail of their selection.
If you have any problems submitting your entry via the form above, you can also e-mail the entry information to songfu @ asitecalledfred.com (taking out the spaces, naturally) with the subject line “Song Fu”.
Welcome to TV or Not TV where I am humbled by mother nature.
This week I was able to get caught up on the new History Channel original series Life After People. This series, crafted after last year’s startling special, takes a unique look at what would happen if we people of the planet Earth just suddenly vanished. What would become of our cars, our buildings, our legacy? The results are very humbling.
In the discussion of “saving our planet” I have long been a student of the philosophy that we are not needing to save our planet but instead we need to save ourselves. Yes, we need to treat mother Earth a lot better so that her environment will still be suitable for us. We, however, do not need to save the planet because as this show outlines pretty harshly the planet will in face go on without us.
It is one thing, when watching this show, to see the computer generated scenarios of a Statue of Liberty crumbling, or the Houston Astrodome becoming a richly vegetated rain forest climate, but it is another thing to see the real evidence in today’s society where we see how the planet will reclaim that which we leave behind. A coal mining island in Japan, after only 35 years, is already falling apart and appears on the precipice of complete collapse. Mother Nature will quickly reclaim that which we turn our backs on proving that her creations are the only ones that can stand the test of time.
If you haven’t seen this show IÂ strongly suggest you tune in to Life After People every Tuesday night at 10 PM to see this eye opening look at what the future may hold for that which we leave behind.
Now let’s see what television transmissions we can choose from this week that will just be static two light years from now.
MONDAY
LIFETIME – 5:00 PM: It’s not every week that I make a recommendation for Lifetime, but a show called Cook Yourself Thin can’t go without mentioning in this day and age of the obese American.
FX – 9:00 PM: Now that 24 is in the 21st of it’s 24 hours Jack has got to be getting a miracle cure any minute now, right?
NBC – 9:00 PM:Allison is bailing on the DA’s office to work for a big corporate job on Medium. Do I sense a new Ms. Cleo?
TUESDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM: With only four contestants left standing on The Biggest Loser: Couples you’d think by now they’ve been through enough. Nope. They have to run a full marathon.
FOX – 9:00 PM:Olivia starts having visions, Walter confesses his connection to the Z.F.T. manifesto and we finally get to learn what Peter’s secret side project is this week on Fringe? Whoah! It must be sweeps!
HISTORY – 10:00 PM: As mentioned above, a new episode of Life After People premieres as it takes a look at what happens to Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles over the test of time.
WEDNESDAY
ABC – 8:00 PM:JD says farewell to Sacred Heart as the shows tries to wrap up what was envisioned as Scrubs final season. Will that actually be the case?
FOX – 9:00 PM: I really don’t care who gets booted on American Idol tonight, I’m just interested in seeing Daughtry perform.
ABC – 9:00 PM: This time next week I’ll be half-way into the season finale of LOST, so I’m eagerly anticipating what happens in this episode as the prelude to that.
THURSDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM:Tonight on Bones FBI agent Boothe gets a visit from Stewie from Family Guy. No, really… it happens.
NBC – 9:30 PM:Jack learns something shocking about his parentage and Alan Alda guest stars on 30 Rock. Coincidence?
ABC – 10:00 PM: It’s been over a decade since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and tonight we get to see just how far it has taken him in Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist.
FRIDAY
CW – 8:00 PM: Will this be the season or series finale for Everybody Hates Chris? Chris Rock himself has been quoted as saying it would be a good end point in the storytelling based on his life. It’s looking like the CW might agree.
FOX – 9:00 PM: The same question as asked above can be asked for Dollhouse as well. Last week we finally learned who Alpha is, we learned why he kept Echo alive and now they’re both on the run. Will this be the show’s swan song or only the ending of this chapter (not counting the un-aired thirteenth episode)?
SATURDAY
HISTORY – 8:00 PM: Cashing in on the release of Star Trek the History Channel rolls out Ancient Aliens followed by Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier.
FOOD – 9:00 PM:Duff and company get to go to Hawaii to create a special cake for the show LOST on Ace of Cakes. This hour special is nestled between two other hours of some of their other great entertainment themed cakes. I’ll be watching (and snacking) for the duration.
SUNDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM: Jodie Foster guests as a voice of Maggie (kind of) in tonight’s episode of The Simpsons.
NBC – 8:00 PM:It’s the season finale of The Celebrity Apprentice with Annie Duke vs. Joan Rivers. After the venom that was spewed when Melissa got the boot this should be a good one.
CBS – 8:00 PM:The Amazing Race has actually had an interesting season and this one comes to a close as the remaining teams are making the small jaunt from Beijing to Maui to cross the finale finish line.
– Will Wilkins loved the new Star Trek movie, but since it’s not TV I can’t talk about it.
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 84: OUTBREAK! –
In which a hero falls to a bug and another hero falls off a moral and societally normal cliff.
[CONTENT WARNING]SModcast features harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Listener discretion is advised.
And now, you can follow me on Twitter under the name: 
What was just a fleeting opportunity to promote another DVD turned into something of a curiosity to me.
After thinking about the highest compliment I can confer on this film it would be this: I want to see this movie again.
There’s this great Night Court episode that has always stayed with me ever since I saw it air decades ago. Harry, played by Harry Anderson, has to convince a very deranged woman who is brandishing a grenade in his court that what she sees on television is not reality. The blend of humor and the very not funny threat of someone dying was emblematic of a series that blurred the line of what a sitcom was. So, too, is my love affair of Lost.
CS: And you mentioned something about Lost having something close to a bible. The pantheon of fans out there…that there’s no detail that goes unnoticed with the people who really dig this show. How was that knowing that every tick, every peculiarity is poured over? I don’t know if you ever now gone back to see what people are talking about and see if people are really on the mark or off the mark with about what’s to come later on in the season?
CS: And one of the interesting things about the show itself too, for how many years it’s been on, you don’t hear anything about any petty sort of in-fighting or anything associated with some programs that are on a very long time that most succumb to. Any ideas of how they’ve managed to avoid needless drama? 
As a child of the 80’s, I was absolutely taken with Ghostbusters when it came out. I had the toys, I used to pretend I was a Ghostbuster, and before everything turned sour with Ghostbusters 2, I delighted in the Saturday morning adventures of the guys on The Real Ghostbusters. After a few disappointing single-disc collections from Sony, Time Life has hit the ball out of the park with the wonderfully packaged 
You know, life can be a bit uninteresting sometimes. And serious. Every once in a while, you want something totally, utterly frivolous to just goofily look at with a dopey smile on your face. Something like a solar powered glow-in-the-dark lightbulb encased in lucite. That’s exactly what the 
It’s just been remade with Martin Clunes, but the original 
Why is it that we get bucketfuls of tripe on TV here in the US, but the UK gets a wonderfully quirky rom-sit-com like 
One of those shows that I watched intermittently when it was on, always enjoyed it when I did, and am now happy to catch up on via DVD all these years later gets its second season release. 
I went into 
Picking up where Rock Profile and Dead Ringers left off, 
Fans are still buzzing over the recent new Doctor Who Easter special, as the adventures of the 10th Doctor rapidly come to a close. Let’s go back to the adventures of Doctors 4 & 7 with a pair of new DVD releases – the Tom Baker 
It’s the chemistry between Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson – as a pair of strangers whose chance encounter in London leads them both to believe that perhaps romance is not dead- that carries the romantic comedy 
The first season came out a few months back, but now fans can pick up the Blu-Ray edition of 
Ol’ Blue Eyes is back with a pair of brand new, remastered deluxe additions to the Frank Sinatra Collection – 
Knowledge is power – or, at the very least, interesting – and such is the case with Niall Ferguson’s documentary 
The series was released years ago on DVD, but the classic Japanese animated series 
Josie Lawrence & Miranda Richardson star as a pair of Englishwoman who hope to escape their drab lives by heading to the Italian Rivera in 
New year, new kids, but the teens of Roundview College are just as awkwardly randy in the 3rd series of 
It’s not the massive batch of previous months, but Paramount continues their release of catalogue titles on Blu-Ray with a trio of new discs – 
The original Broadway cast recording of 
If your kids are not yet aware of the classic Disney characters – that’s Mickey, Donald, Goofy, etc. – pick up the latest Mickey Mouse Clubhouse release, 
When a movie’s main selling point is that it stars not only George Wendt, but also Joey Piscopo (Joe’s son, of course!), it’s understandable that you may be somewhat wary. Or really wary. Well, 
BURBANK — There’s a black hole sucking up all the stars. Who could have imagined in such a short period of time we’d lose Dom DeLuise, Bea Arthur, J.G. Ballard and Danny Gans? Was there enough pages in People magazine give proper remembrance to these dearly departed? All the pages written by Proust wouldn’t cover their greatness.
Oh no! Just when you thought it was safe to hang out at the Quick Stop…
