The web. It’s a big place, full of plenty of distractions ““ some funny, some informative, some ludicrous, some disturbing, some inane, some profound. Each and every weekday, we present links to a few of our favorite finds”¦
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VIDEO BLOG #70: “My Marching Band” ““
When you’ve got a baby on the way, always be sure to have the marching band lined up. Go behind-the-scenes of this memorable segment from episode 6×02, “My Best Friend’s Baby’s Baby and My Baby’s Baby,” and find out who came up with that incredibly long title.
Download Scrubs Video Blog #70:
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Yeah, ok. I know in my last column I said “See you in Seven”. I didn’t INTENTIONALLY lie. I fully planned on doing a column last week, but I’ve just been so burnt out from work that it just didn’t happen. I’m sorry. Don’t look at me that way, I still love you”¦ I just needed some time away. But I’m back now, and I’m bringing you lots of gifts”¦ namely reviews and comparisons of more of the latest titles. Feel better? Good, let’s get this over with”¦
First up this week, it’s the battle of the rhythm games. Long time champ DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION has two contenders entering the fray, with DDR SUPERNOVA out on PS2 and DDR ULTRAMIX 4 bowing as one of the last titles for the original Xbox. Both titles sport a huge array of songs, moves, and difficulty levels, as well as a few new features to keep old fans coming back, and bring in the noobs as well.
SUPERNOVA, for one, has an all-new “Battle” mode, where two players actually “fight” each other based on how well you dance, and yes, it’s just about as ridiculous as it sounds. There’s also a training mode for beginners, and an all new Stellar Master Mode, which is as close to a campaign mode that DDR will ever get. In it, players dance through various “joints” (planet locations on a map of sorts) and complete dance-centric tasks to move on. There are dance showdowns, basically boss battles, to complete as well, to move down to the next series of joints and so on. It’s the first freshest addition in a long time to a series that has only seen marginal “updates” to most of it’s modes.
ULTRAMIX 4, however, seems to be more of the same. Still, it does offer a few nice things, such as the ability to utilize any of the download song packs from the previous entries, as well as sporting a good variety of songs for non-J-pop fans. In fact, both ULTRAMIX 4 and SUPERNOVA feature actual AMERICAN artists such as David Bowie, Fallout Boy and Oingo Boingo across their soundtracks. This makes finding a decent tune to dance to a bit more bearable once you find a name that you can actually recognize without having to be a 14-year-old Japanese girl first.
GUITAR HERO II on the other hand is leaps and bounds above its previous iteration. Featuring the same style of rhythm based madness as the previous year’s entry and amping up the variety with over 55 songs to choose from already streaks this one ahead of the last. However, add to the mix a fantastic new multiplayer mode and a good variety of unlockables and you’re only just scratching the surface.
What makes GUITAR HERO II so enjoyable is its simplicity. Using the guitar controller, press the proper colored fret and strum as the notes pass by. There’s (thankfully) a practice mode to those who never picked up the first game, where you can now not only choose sections of songs to practice, but you can even slow them down to make sure you nail that solo. The main game features the same four difficulty levels as last time (easy, medium, hard and expert) but for some reason even the lower levels seem tougher on some songs. The roster of songs is also much expanded (obviously) with a huge amount of unlockable songs able to be bought down the line.
What makes this game shine, however, is the multiplayer. Adding to last year’s Face Off mode (where two players play the same song with alternating notes to see who scores the highest) is the new Co-op mode. Here, one player plays lead guitar, with the other taking up either bass or rhythm guitar. It adds a whole new spin to certain songs, and an increased difficulty for songs you may be familiar with on guitar, but not on bass. Also new is the Pro Face Off, where both players play the same song, but they must be on the same difficulty level, and play the same notes.
While this year’s game has a huge amount of songs to choose from, not all of them sound as good as the originals, or even last year’s spot on remakes. This time around, most of the singers are doing a horrible job, with vocals for most songs sound just very, very off, or at least just very bad impressions of the original vocalists. Still, everything’s at least in key, and you’re not playing the game for the vocals, just the guitar licks, and the game recreates all the sqeedlies and meadlies well. In fact, there are even a few original recordings in the game. Both Primus (“John The Fisherman”) and Jane’s Addiction (“˜Stop”) contributed their master recordings to the game, as well as all the unlockable tunes (including Strong Bad from HomeStarRunner.com singing “Trogdor” and [adult swim] cartoon band Deathklok (from Metalocalypse) performing “Thunderhorse”).
Konami may finally have some competition in the rhythm based game genre, but it seems they’re not standing idly by, after recently copyrighting the name “Guitar Revolution” to go along with their other brands. One day, I fear that all the rhythm games will combine and breed a new race of super human pop stars who can sing, dance and play guitar. Then the “Revolution” will really take place. Until then, we’re just playing one game at a time.
DDR: SUPERNOVA:
DDR ULTRAMIX 4:
GUITAR HERO II:
Usually, fighting games don’t do very well on the portable systems. There’s either not enough buttons, or the angles don’t work well, or you just can’t pull off that 22 hit combo the way you could in the arcade or at home. Well, the arcade is just about dead, and handhelds are becoming mode and more like the home consoles, so two new fighting games have hit the PSP, and the results aren’t as horrible as one would expect.
POWERSTONE COLLECTION, for example, takes the two entries in the series (both released on the Dreamcast) and puts them together for the first time, as well as including some odd mini games from the ill-fated system’s VMU memory card. Both games are glorious representations of the original game, where fighters do battle on a multi-tiered field, with plenty of objects to pick up and chuck at your foe and power-ups to collect. The game works well on the PSP’s screen, with bright vibrant colors highlighting the action and simple commands used to execute punishing moves.
The first is the better of the two, but both games feature a good variety of diverse fighters and moves, as well as different power ups and collectibles. The VMU games are a weird distraction, including an odd flying game starring one of the fighters. Still, its inclusion is fairly cool, and certainly keeps the entire series intact in one collection.
MORTAL KOMBAT: UNCHAINED, however, is merely a port of last year’s DECEPTION, just with a few new additional fighters. As well as including MOTARO and SHAO KHAN (from the Gamecube version of the game), we get Blaze, Frost Kitana, and Jax. All of the unlockable fighters from the home version are there, but they’re already unlocked, making the Konquest mode’s inclusion rather unnecessary (because, really, who played that mode for the story?).
Puzzle Kombat and Chess Kombat return as well and work just as they do on console. The main game, however, suffers from one “fatal” flaw: load times. Between matches, between fights, for just about every instance you can think of, there’s a 20 to 30 second loading screen. At least the actual fights are smooth, and the transitions from different tiers in the multilevel fights goes off without a hitch. Plus, the fighting (once it’s loaded) all works just as well as it’s console big brother”¦though the d-pad still isn’t as responsive as it should be (though that’s more the fault of the system rather than the game). Graphically, the game looks almost as sharp as the original from a distance, but when the camera gets in close (like at the end of a match) the system shows it’s limitations.
All in all, however, it’s a successful port for both. Maintaining all the modes from the feature rich home version of DECEPTION is no small task, and the little handheld does it (mostly) admirably. It’s not perfect, but what works, works very well.
POWERSTONE COLLECTION:
MORTAL KOMBAT: UNCHAINED:
Once again, the two biggest titans of comicdom face off. Not since the 70s (or maybe it was the early 80s) have these two clashed so tirelessly. Well, now they do it again, but in digital form. I speak of course of the two new games for the two most popular and recognizable comic heroes. However, this match up, like all the ones before it, is not as evenly balanced as one might imagine.
Firstly, my favorite hero gets a brand new game in the form of SPIDER-MAN: BATTLE FOR NEW YORK, out now on GBA and DS (reviewed). Built off the same engine for the previous handheld versions of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, this title again takes its cue from the Ultimate Universe. In fact, it seems to stem from some of the early issues of the book, where Peter first fought Norman Osbourne, otherwise known as the Green Goblin. In the Ultimate U, ol’ GG is a giant demon looking beast created by the Super Solider Serum gone wrong, and in the game, you play as both Spidey and his nemesis.
Gameplay is practically an exact duplicate of the previous DS adventure, with many of the same sprites used in the graphics. Spidey can swing, pick up civilians to rescue them, and perform a variety of moves and combos against the ne’er do wells of the city. Likewise, Double G can smash, destroy and generally harm those in his way with wicked attacks and fire bombs. Much like Venom in the previous game, GG story runs parallel to Spidey’s and they both come to a head midway through the game.
Unfortunately, while the title is fun to play and offers up a good video game version of the comics, it’s a bit like “been there, done that”. Because the sprites have been reused, many moves have been too, and everything feels very same-y. That’s not entirely a bad thing if you enjoyed the previous handheld adventure (which, I of course did) but those looking for a fully fresh game might be disappointed.
Sadly, the same can be said for SUPERMAN RETURNS, out now on Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS2, Xbox, with slight variations on GBA and DS. Taking the familiar open world format of the SPIDER-MAN 2 game and applying it to a different set of red and blue tights is one thing, but making it boring is a crime within itself altogether.
The premise is ok by itself. A game based on the film of the same name, fleshed out a bit with side missions and non-movie story modes to continue the game well past the film. Sure, they all do that. But here, it doesn’t quite flow the way that they intended. Maybe it’s the fact that you only really fight two kinds of enemies in this game (drones and boss characters). Maybe it’s the fact that between events, you just sort of hover above the city, waiting for something to happen. Or maybe it’s just because Superman is TOO POWERFUL to make a good game about. Sure, they finally have all his powers, and he’s quite formidable. But, he’s so powerful, that they don’t even give him a health bar. No, instead what we’re treated to is a meter which registers “Metropolis Health”, the life bar of the city itself. If the city becomes too damaged in a fracas, it’s game over for the big caped guy. Lame.
What’s worse is, that while his powers do work well, sometimes they work TOO well. Fighting while flying is ok, but sometimes you’re just moving too fast to keep a good lock on your target. The same can be said for running at high speeds while trying to take down one of the games many super speedy foes. And transitioning from ground to air sometimes isn’t nearly as smooth as you’d want it to be. Still, heat vision, freeze breath, super strength, they all work admirably, and experience points build up new moves.
It’s sad to say that the most fun you’ll have with the game is in a mini game, where you actually destroy the city as Bizarro. But these interjections are too few and far between, and don’t last nearly long enough.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, both these games’ predecessors should be blushing to beat the band. There’s something to be said for originality however”¦and it should be directed at these two games, because frankly, they don’t seem to grasp the concept.
SPIDER-MAN: BATTLE FOR NEW YORK:
SUPERMAN RETURNS:
I’m not a sports guy. Most of my regular readers know that. Still, every so often, I have to review a sports title, just so I don’t alienate that particular demographic that buys those types of games. I still do it my way, though, which I why I tend to shy away from the mainstream with the few sports titles I do review. This time is no exception.
As most of you know, of all the sports I don’t like, I like football the least. Which is why I was so surprised that I enjoyed BLITZ: THE LEAGUE as much as I did. When I reviewed it for the original Xbox, I found that, while the main game had its hiccups, it was still a fun diversion from a normal gridiron game and still had a lot to appeal to football fans as well as arcade players.
Now that it’s been released for Xbox 360, I still feel the same way”¦but sadly it’s nothing new. The same game that was released last year has been repackaged, shined up a bit and released as a “next gen” title. And sadly, it doesn’t even look that much different from the original Xbox title. The graphics are still fairly sharp (in places, some models still don’t quite look right in certain cut scenes), the running game is still a bit unbalanced (sometimes you’ll get sacked no matter what, sometimes you’re catch a fumble and get a turnover to a 90 yard touchdown) and the story mode is practically the same. So why then didn’t they just make the original backwards compatible? Achievements?
Granted, yes, the achievements are new, but the online seems to be better integrated here as well. Beyond that, however, it’s still very much the same game. That’s fine if you didn’t play the other one and are looking for a weird MADDEN alternative. But if you bought it once already, why would you plop down another $50 for a gussied up remake?
For our other title, some would argue that its subject matter doesn’t officially count as a “sport” (despite the in game announcers claiming that it contains the worlds best “athletes”). Still, now that it’s become a yearly franchise, WWE SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2007 (on PS2, PSP and for the first time Xbox 360) has continued to grow into the world’s best wrestling title”¦though currently there’s not much competition.
The game has continued to expand it’s already diverse move set and stylized control, with this year’s entry relying heavily on the analog sticks for more complete control over your combatants moves. Different directions deliver grapples, submissions, lifts and slams. You can even click the stick in for further control, holding your opponent in the air and choosing when and how to slam them to the mat. It’s a certain level of control that, now that you have it, you don’t know how you ever played with out it.
Because of this, control for all the other match types has greatly improved. Ladder matches are now more intuitive as far as reaching that belt (though I often still only climb the ladder when I often only wish to grab it). The Diva matches still seem slightly wonky, but over all, everything has a new coat of style and substance that makes this the richest and deepest wrestler yet.
With the typically immersive create-a-superstar mode, the level of detail you bring to your grappler is unending, with features for move set customization, and entrances so completely directed you can even choose each camera angle and when to set off pyrotechnics. However, if you want your created star to have a chance in the squared circle against the real wrestlers, you’re going to have to play a t a lower difficulty level. Since you begin with your character at such a low power level in his stats, and the other wrestlers are already established, it makes for some rather one sided fights. Still, it’s all gravy, with the aforementioned sweet new control scheme,
It’s strange, but as I’ve stated before, while I hate wrestling itself, I love wrestling video games. Once again, I have immersed myself in a grapple-tastic title and come out with the championship belt. And once again, I’ve loved every sweaty hairy minute of it. There’s something kind of wrong about that, but oh well.
BLITZ: THE LEAGUE:
WWE SVR 2007:
And thus we end another week. Are we satisfied yet? What’s that? Where’s my stuff about the Wii and the PS3? Well, ZELDA is so long I still haven’t quite finished it yet, so that’s delayed yet again, and I’m not even bothering to try to find a PS3 (I’m not made of money you know). But hopefully, you’re at least statiated this week. Now, I’ll be back (probably in another two weeks”¦ I have to go biweekly during the Holidays due to so many games and so much over-workage elsewhere) eventually. See you then.
Kick-Ass, Right On, Okay, Eh, and Stinker (or Craptacular)
With the approach of the holiday season, I found appropriate entertainment by going to see the Walt Disney Company and producer Cameron Mackintosh’s new Mary Poppins stage musical, which opened in London in 2004, and which arrived on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre this fall. Based on both P. L. Travers original Mary Poppins books and the 1964 Disney movie, the stage musical is another retelling of the tale of the proper but mysterious nanny with supernatural powers who takes charge of the children Jane and Michael Banks.
As I did with Disney’s Tarzan Broadway musical (see “Comics in Context” #133), I used the occasion of attending the Mary Poppins musical to finally read P. L. Travers’ first Mary Poppins book, originally published in 1934. I expect that by now far more people know Mary Poppins from the Disney movie, which I’ve seen several times, most recently the ABC Family Channel telecasts on December 11, than from Travers’ six books about the character.
But I have long been aware of the recurring complaint about the Disney film: that Walt Disney, actress Julie Andrews, and their collaborators, turned Travers’ severe and rather forbidding Mary Poppins cheerful and sugary sweet. Cultural critic Edward Rothstein reiterates the point in his article in The New York Times (Nov. 20, 2006), pointing out that Travers’ Mary Poppins “often had a look of “˜fury,’ who “˜snaps,’ and “˜sniffs’ and “˜retorts.’ That Mary Poppins “˜never wasted time being nice.'” In her article about Travers in the December 19, 2005 issue of The New Yorker, Caitlin Flanagan writes that Mary Poppins “is, in fact, very often “˜angry,’ “˜threatening,’ “˜scornful,’ and “˜frightening.'” On the other hand, Disney’s Mary Poppins announces early on on the film that she is “never cross.”
So I watched the Family Channel telecast with this in mind. For most of the film Andrews’ Poppins is haughty and strict, as the character is in the book. Disney’s Poppins does not behave quite as unpleasantly as Travers’ can. The book states that Mary Poppins is “frightening” (Odyssey Classics paperback, p. 12), and at one point Mary Poppins “regarded” her young charge Michael “with something like disgust” (p. 116). But, for example, consider the scene in the movie in which Mary Poppins visits her Uncle Albert, who levitates to the ceiling when he laughs. Mary Poppins’ friend Bert and the two children she is nannying, Jane and Michael Banks, find his laughter contagious, join in, and are soon levitating upwards as well, while a severe Mary Poppins seethes with disapproval at this supposedly improper behavior. This scene is adapted reasonably faithfully from the first book, and here Disney’s and Travers’ versions of Mary Poppins exactly coincide. (This scene, and its memorable song, “I Love to Laugh” are not in the Broadway musical, perhaps because it would require five people in flight harnesses at once, or perhaps because it would dilute the theatrical impact of Mary Poppins’ flying at the end of each act.)
The reputation of Disney’s kinder, gentler Mary Poppins seems to me to be founded on three key sequences, which are all so memorable that it’s not surprising that they eclipse the scenes in which Andrews performs more in Travers mode. First, there’s the song “A Spoonful of Sugar,” which, as the lyrics say, helps the medicine go down. This too turns out to be based on an incident in the first book, in which Mary Poppins administers medicine to Jane and Michael, which turns out to taste delicious. But whereas in the book Mary Poppins wears a “stern” expression and gives Jane “a warning, terrible glance” (p. 12), in the movie Andrews’ Poppins is smiling and beaming with happiness as she sings. Her manner fits the point of the song, and, actually, there seems to me to be a contradiction in the book between Travers’ sweet-tasting medicine and the sour temperament of her Mary Poppins. If medicine should have an appealing taste, then why shouldn’t a nanny have a pleasant disposition? By the same logic, wouldn’t that make the children more willing to obey her? Or is Travers making a more complicated point with the medicine? Is she saying that just as something necessary but unpleasant, like medicine, should paradoxically taste good, then Mary Poppins, who takes the children on wonderful adventures, should have an unpleasant manner in order to create a kind of balance?
Rothstein insightfully pointed out that Travers’ Mary Poppins “is a caricature of the most authoritarian form of adulthood” and that “In part this reveals how children perceive adulthood.” He explains that children must obey their parents, and yet the children recognize that with adulthood comes a “realm of magical freedom” they do not yet have. I compare this to the theme of maturation in the superhero genre: for example, the boy Peter Parker, who is dutiful to his aunt and must obey his tyrannical boss, becomes Spider-Man, with superhuman abilities that give him a freedom to rise above society’s restrictions.
Rothstein argues that “Discipline is required for the magical realms to be revealed; it is what makes freedom possible. Without the one, there is meaningless fantasy; without the other, there is heartless rigidity.” Here too there is a similarity to the superhero genre, in which, traditionally, the protagonist has both a “civilian identity,” in which he is a part of society and accepts its restrictions on his behavior, and a superheroic one, in which he has abilities and freedom exceeding those of ordinary people, but nonetheless devotes them to the service of society. The most famous of the superheroes is both Superman and Clark Kent. To be only Clark Kent would doom him to a life of “rigidity” he could not transcend; to be only Superman would mean leading a “meaningless fantasy” life without grounding in everyday humanity. Mary Poppins has extraordinary magical powers, and yet she works as a nanny, using them in caring for children. Similarly, her friend Bert, as we shall see, may have magical powers of his own, but instead devotes himself to art (in the book, movie and musical) or to serving society as a chimney sweep (in the movie and musical).
Although Cameron Mackintosh promised P. L. Travers before her death that his stage version of Mary Poppins would be truer to her character, if you have a singing, dancing Mary Poppins, then the battle to make her consistently stern and authoritarian has already been lost. The other two sequences in the movie that present a sunny, cheerful Mary Poppins are the adventure in the world within Bert’s sidewalk painting, full of singing and dancing (with the songs “It’s a Jolly Holiday with Mary” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”) and the “Step in Time” song and dance number with Bert and his fellow chimney sweeps on the rooftops of London.
The “Jolly Holiday” sequence is surprisingly faithful to a chapter of the book, in which Mary Poppins and Bert do indeed enter a world within his painting, find themselves dressed in fancy clothes, and are served tea in the woods by a waiter (but not by penguins, which Walt Disney contributed to the film). Moreover, in Travers’ book Bert is clearly Mary Poppins’ boyfriend, and their adventure in this alternate world is just as clearly a date. My biggest surprise is that in this chapter, which is only the second in the book, Travers has Mary Poppins’ stern persona entirely melt away. She speaks “softly” (p. 18) and “brightly” (p. 19); she is described as “pleased” (p. 23). Even the book’s insistence that Mary Poppins is rather plain (and therefore does not look like Julie Andrews) is undercut in this chapter by Bert’s awestruck reaction to her in her new finery: “Then he gulped and said: “˜Golly!'” (p. 22).
There has been some controversy in the New York City media about the end of Act I of the musical, in which toys come to life and menace Jane and Michael, who have been naughty. I don’t know how I would react to seeing this if I were a small child, but from my adult perspective it didn’t seem at all disturbing. What I found strange was the musical’s treatment of “Jolly Holiday.” Mary Poppins, Bert and the children do not enter Bert’s painting, presumably because that would be a hard thing to stage. Instead the park transforms into a more colorful setting, Mary Poppins and Bert reenter in handsome new costumes, and statues in the classical style, including one of the god Neleus, come to life and join in the dancing. (Neleus’s statue is from one of Travers’ later Poppins books.) The strange thing is that Neleus and the other statues are virtually nude. (They’re actually in skin-tight costumes and body paint, and naughty bits remain covered, but the effect is still that of semi-nudity.)
Perhaps this wouldn’t bother Travers. In the first Mary Poppins book a star named Maia appears on Earth as a human child, and Travers emphasizes that “the child had practically no clothes on, only a light wispy strip of blue stuff that looked as though she had torn it from the sky to wrap round her naked body” (p. 183). Mary Poppins is started by the sight, but Maia is unconcerned by her near-nudity, and perhaps Travers means us to be unconcerned as well.
It seems weird and perhaps a little disturbing to watch performers in Edwardian costumes cavorting with semi-nude figures in front of an audience full of families with small children. But, as I said, Mary Poppins and Bert are obviously on a date of sorts, so I suppose that Neleus and the semi-nude female statues provide a libidinous subtext.
My initial reaction to reading this chapter was that it gave Walt Disney all the justification he needed to presenting the merry, beautiful, singing and dancing Mary Poppins of the “Jolly Holiday” sequence. Since this is how she behaves around her boyfriend Bert, then it would also make sense that his presence would induce her to join in the merriment in “Step in Time.” Watching the movie again, I noticed that after engaging in dancing in “Step in Time,” Andrews’ Mary Poppins abruptly and amusingly reverts to her usual staid persona, holding up her hands and turning her face in exaggerated disdain when the other chimney sweeps offer to keep dancing with her.
My second reaction was to realize what the difference is between Travers’ and Disney’s versions of the “Jolly Holiday” sequence: in Travers’ version the kids aren’t there. Travers makes the point that this happens on Mary Poppins’ day off, so she has dropped the staid, stern persona she otherwise uses in her dealings with the Banks family and virtually everyone else.
So why did Travers do this as early as Chapter Two? Presumably it was to alert the reader that there was more to Mary Poppins’ personality than the strict disciplinarian in the rest of the book. To build upon Rothstein’s reasoning, this chapter speaks to children’s partial awareness that adults have a side to their lives apart from dealing with kids. To continue my analogies with the superhero genre, it shows that Mary Poppins has a “secret identity” of sorts. Actually, she has a multi-leveled identity. Mr. and Mrs. Banks, and the world at large, think of her as an ordinary woman, with a proud, severe manner. She allows the children to see that she has magical powers, but, in the book, does not allow them to see more than the strict authority figure side of her personality. Bert gets to see a softer side of her personality, and notice that Mary Poppins’ other self comes complete with a fancy costume. And then there are suggestions, as we shall see, that Mary Poppins is something other than human.
This reminds me of one of my favorite characters in Charles Dickens’ novels, though one who I think is generally overlooked: Mr. Wemmick from Great Expectations. At the office Mr. Wemmick has a grim, severe, emotionless manner, and characteristically keeps his jaw locked in an unpleasant expression. At one point Mr. Wemmick brings Pip, the protagonist, to his home, and Pip notices that with every step they take away from the office, Mr. Wemmick’s jaw loosens by another degree, and his demeanor and facial expression become more relaxed and sunnier: he transforms into a different, happier, more outgoing self. His home looks like a miniature castle, and it’s like a playhouse where he lives with his Aged Parent. Staying with the Wemmicks is like one big party, but when Pip and Mr. Wemmick head back to the office, Pip observes that with every step Mr. Wemmick’s face and demeanor settles back into the rigid persona he uses in the business world.
Rothstein asserts that Jane and Michael “learn that “˜Appearances are Deceptive.’ They learn, that is, that there is a split between the inner life and outward appearance, between the magic of Mary Poppins and her thoroughly adult facade.” As Rothstein points out, after they have one of their encounters with the supernatural, Mary Poppins continually insists to the children that no such thing happened. This happens in the book, the movie, and the musical. The children are puzzled by Mary Poppins’ denials, but perhaps the point that she is trying to make is that they should not tell the adults what happened. It’s like the way that in her Harry Potter books, J. K. Rowling’s wizards hide the existence of the supernatural from the ordinary people, the “muggles” (see “Comics in Context” #148).
Like the secret identity motif in the superhero genre, this “split,” as Rothstein calls it, reflects the truth that an individual can have a public side and a private side to his personality. Justifying such a split, as Rothstein does, can have negative effects. It could provide a rationale for people who belong to one ethnic minority to try to “pass” as members of the majority, or for gays to remain in the closet, or for anyone to refrain from challenging the opinions of the majority. When Stan Lee wrote The X-Men, being mutants was the title characters’ secret “inner life”; they posed as ordinary humans in their “outward appearance,” their everyday identities. When Grant Morrison took over X-Men, he “outed” Professor Xavier and the others as mutants; the new idea was that mutants should no longer hide what they were, but be proud of their “inner” selves. (See “Comics in Context” #28.)
I find Travers’ attitude towards the “split” somewhat disturbing. She seems to be not only defending the stereotypical British emotional reserve, but taking it to an extreme. Why shouldn’t Mary Poppins express affection for the children in her care, or even smile at them? It’s as if Travers was justifying adults’ emotional withdrawal from their children, as long as they can tell themselves that their “inner selves” actually care about them.
In her New Yorker article Caitlin Flanagan describes Travers’ “formidable maiden great-aunt, Helen Morehead. Aunt Ellie, as she was called, bossed everyone around, but her fierceness disguised a kindness she would have been embarrassed to admit.” Aunt Ellie is an obvious model for Mary Poppins, but the original book never suggests that Mary Poppins feels embarrassed about admitting kind feelings towards the children; only at the book’s end, when she leaves presents for them before flying off, does Travers imply that Mary Poppins feels any fondness for the children. Notice that Flanagan also notes about Travers’ story meetings for the film with songwriters Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman, “Travers, whose youthful self-confidence had gathered over the years into an oppressive self-righteousness, interrupted, corrected, bullied, and shamed them.” Sound like anyone we know?
On the other hand, there are other ways in which a “split” between one’s public and private personas is natural, harmless, and even good. A lawyer or a doctor might well be, say, an amateur rock musician or even a comics collector in his or her spare time. A husband and wife have to be proper and respectable when they are working in the office, but may well have a passionate sex life at home that is no one’s business but their own. So Mary Poppins insists that the children behave in a proper manner in their everyday life, but also enables them to experience an “extraordinary adventure,” as Travers calls it (p. 187) from time to time.
In various classic children’s stories there is a threshold that one must cross to travel from the real world from the fantasy world. Hence Alice tumbles down the rabbit hole or passes through the looking glass; Dorothy is swept up by a tornado that deposits her in Oz; Wendy joins Peter Pan in flying from London to Neverland; the Pevensie children enter the wardrobe and exit into Narnia. Some more recent examples of fantasy tales don’t draw such a sharp boundary between the real world and the fantasy world. Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere (see “Comics in Context” #18) exists within London; even so, most of it seems to be out of sight underground, notably in London Underground stations. In J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series wizards and witches are an unsuspected part of the general population, and the supernatural can manifest itself in the everyday world. (Take, for example, the magical night bus at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.) Even so, Rowling also follows the convention of separating the real and fantasy worlds. Hence, in the first book (and film) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry and Hagrid pass through a secret entrance into Diagon Alley, a shopping and banking area for wizards that the non-magical people, the “muggles,” know nothing about. Similarly, in a train station Harry has to run straight at–and into–a post to emerge on the platform for the train to the wizards’ school, Hogwarts, a platform that seems to lie in some other dimension. Of course, the Rowling books mostly take place at the isolated location of Hogwarts, and although there are various means by which wizards can get there (the train, a flying car, etc.), as yet there is no indication that it is accessible to any muggles. The teleportational “portkey” in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire serves as another means of transcending the boundary between the real and the fantastic.
Mary Poppins–the original book, the movie, and the musical–also makes use of the magical threshold device in the form of Bert’s sidewalk painting, through which Mary and Bert magically travel into the world it pictures. But this is an exception. Otherwise Poppins makes the point that there is no division between the real and the magical, and that most people are simply unaware of the marvels around them. Mary Poppins acts as the children’s guide to these wonders. She brings them to visit her Uncle Albert (in the book and movie), who levitates himself when he laughs, and (in the book and musical) to visit Mrs. Corry, who is apparently thousands of years old, both of whom live right in London. (In the book, however, Mrs. Corry’s shop disappears as soon as the children leave it, suggesting that they had crossed some sort of magical threshold without knowing it.) Statues in the park come to life (in a later book and in the musical). Animals, such as the dog Andrew (in the book and movie) speak their own language, which Mary Poppins understands; in the local zoo (in the book) the animals can even speak English (but don’t do so in front of people other than Miss Poppins and her charges). As noted, in Chapter 11 a star, Maia, one of the Pleiades, appears in the form of a human child and goes Christmas shopping in London. The title of a new song in the musical, “Anything Can Happen,” is entirely appropriate.
The world within Bert’s painting, in the book and movie, challenges conventional notions of reality. Here is a world imagined and portrayed by an artist, which Mary, Bert and, in the movie, Jane and Michael, can physically enter; it is literally an alternate reality. Presumably Bert’s other paintings are also portals into different fantasy worlds. The “real” world, therefore, is only one of many.
Moreover, an artist can create one of these alternative realities. Bert thus represents P. L. Travers, or for that matter Walt Disney, or any writer of fiction, or any artist. On the literal level of the Mary Poppins story, I wonder if Bert is meant to have magical powers, just as the title character does. In the movie Bert attempts to transport himself and the children into his painting but fails; exasperated, Mary Poppins then transports all four of them into the alternate world. This suggests that Mary Poppins is the only one with magical powers. At another point in the film, Mary Poppins magically manipulates things in the children’s room to tidy it up, and Jane finds herself similarly able to levitate objects by snapping her fingers. So it seems Mary Poppins can enable other people in her presence to perform magical feats. On the other hand, the movie’s Mary Poppins scolds Bert for failing to enter the painting, thereby implying that he could do so but somehow did it wrong. In the book Bert transports himself and Mary Poppins into the world of the painting, and she is repeatedly surprised by what she finds there. This makes Bert a magician too. The musical endows him with magical powers too, enabling him to dance up the wall of the proscenium and, upside down, along its top during “Step in Time,” thereby reenacting onstage what Fred Astaire did (thanks to a set within a turning wheel) in the movie musical Royal Wedding (1951).
Watching the Poppins movie recently set me wondering. Leaving the “Jolly Holiday” sequence within Bert’s painting aside, it all clearly takes place not in the real London, or even on a backlot area designed to look like London, but very clearly on studio sets. When I first saw the movie, I probably just accepted these sets as reality; nowadays the artificiality of Disney’s Poppins world is all too obvious to me. How do most people who see the movie react? Do they notice the difference between these stage settings and reality? Are we supposed to? Are the settings of the Mary Poppins movie meant to look so theatrical, thereby providing a postmodern reminder to the viewer that this story is an artificial construct, a kind of modern fairy tale? As with all musicals, the fact that characters will segue from ordinary speaking to singing and dancing reminds us of the artifice. Moreover, in the movie (and again in the play) Bert acts as narrator, directly addressing the viewers with variations on his “Chim Chim Cheree” song. So there’s not really so wide a gap between Mary Poppins the movie and Mary Poppins the stage musical.
Something that fascinated me on viewing the movie again was the “Jolly Holiday” sequence, in which Mary, Bert and the children interact with animated characters. It’s always clear who’s real and who’s animated. But look at the settings in this sequence. Often I was not certain what was part of the set where the actors were performing and what was part of a painted background that the animation department inserted into the footage. The melding of the real and the unreal is surprisingly seamless; in fact the painted backgrounds here look more real to me than the stage sets in the pure live action portions of the movie.
The week before I had watched the Turner Classic Movies interview with Stanley Donen, director and/or choreographer for many classic movie musicals (including Royal Wedding), who, among other things, talked about asking Walt Disney to help create a sequence for Anchors Aweigh (1945) in which Mickey Mouse danced with Gene Kelly; Disney refused, so MGM’s William Hanna and Joe Barbera did the sequence with Jerry (from the Tom and Jerry cartoons) instead. Famous as that sequence is, I thought Dick Van Dyke’s dance with the animated penguins in the Poppins film topped it, and I wondered if Disney had consciously intended to outdo the Anchors Aweigh sequence. Then I realized that in having real people interact with animated characters in a “cartoon” world in Poppins, Disney had returned to the premise of his pre-Mickey silent series Alice in Cartoonland. With the “Jolly Holiday” sequence, Disney had come full circle in his career in animation.
So the segment of the book and film that takes place within Bert’s painting provides an alternate, fantasy world that is equally as “real” as the everyday world. But the book goes far further than the movie or the musical by suggesting that not only is there no division between the real and the fantastic, but that reality, as most people perceive it, is an illusion. It is the fantasy world that is the real one.
Chapter 9 of the book is “John and Barbara’s Story,” about Jane and Michael’s infant siblings. As in Sheldon Mayer’s Sugar and Spike, babies can communicate with each other in their own language, which seems to be meaningless gurgling to adults. Travers went further than Mayer: the babies can also talk with a starling, with the wind, and even with sunlight. Travers’ world is an animist one, in which it seems that everything is alive and sentient. This chapter makes the point that infants quickly lose the ability to understand the language of animals, the wind and the light, and even each other. The youngest babies are still attuned to the voices of the natural world; adults are separate from it. Mary Poppins, of course, can still communicate with the non-human world; she is, as the book puts it, “the Great Exception.” This “fantasy” world, in which everything is alive and talks, is the real one in Travers’ book; it is simply that adults, with that one Exception, can no longer perceive it.
One might say that the book’s Mrs. Corry (who also turns up in the musical) is the world’s oldest woman, since she claims to remember when Columbus discovered America and to have encountered William the Conqueror. However, she claims to be “˜”quite a chicken compared to my Grandmother.” Even so, Mrs. Corry says, “I remember the time when they were making this world, anyway, and I was well out of my teens then” (p. 122). In Little Orphan Annie Harold Gray created a similarly long-lived character, Mr. Am, who with his long beard resembles Santa Claus and, perhaps, may actually be God. Maybe Mrs. Corry is divine, too. At her shop Jane and Michael obtain “slabs” of gingerbread, each with “a gilt paper star.” That night they watch as Mrs. Corry, her two daughters, and Mary Poppins glue gilt paper stars onto the sky. “What I want to know,” Jane wonders, “is this: are the stars gold paper or is the gold paper stars?”
Now this seems to contradict the Christmas chapter, in which Maia the star appears on Earth as a young girl. The idea of stars taking human form also turns up elsewhere. For example, in the 1980s Peter Gillis co-created Cloud, a now forgotten character for Marvel’s Defenders, who was actually a nebula who could take the form of either a teenage girl or a teenage boy. (As you can see, Cloud was a pioneering character for gender issues in mainstream comics.) So stars can be children as well as gold paper. But it seems that in the Mary Poppins book they are not what science tells us they are: massive balls of superheated gas many light years away. In our world science is real and magic is illusion; in the Poppins book it’s the other way around. The sky isn’t even that far above our heads: Mrs. Corry and Mary Poppins can reach the firmament by climbing a ladder!
And if Mrs. Corry and Mary Poppins can hang stars in the sky, does that make them goddesses? Does Mrs, Corry recall when “this world” was made because she helped make it? And her phrase “this world” implies that there are others. Perhaps Bert, who can create alternate realities, is a god of sorts. (In both the book and the movie, the world Bert creates is apparently destroyed when the rain washes away his painting. Is this like Noah’s Flood?) But goddess-like characters predominate in the book; Maia, Mrs. Corry, and especially Mary Poppins.
For those who know Mary Poppins from the movie, the strangest vision of her in the book comes in the chapter set at the zoo, when her birthday falls on the night of a full moon and the animals, who speak English, all leave their cages. (There’s a penguin in this chapter, although it seems from Neal Gabler’s biography that Walt Disney got the idea to put penguins in the movie because they reminded him of waiters.) Jane and Michael enter the “Snake House,” where “All the cages were open and the snakes were out–some curled lazily into great scaly knots, others slipping gently about the floor. And in the middle of the snakes, on a log that had evidently been brought from one of the cages, sat Mary Poppins” (p. 166). The largest of the snakes, a Hamadryad cobra, seems ancient, with a face “more wizened than anything they had ever seen,” is acknowledged as the king of the beasts (not the lion, significantly), and calls Mary Poppins his “cousin.” The Hamadryad slithers towards Mary Poppins, “And when he reached her, he raised the front half of his long, golden body, and thrusting upwards his scaly golden hood, daintily kissed her, first on one cheek and then the other” (p. 167). Now consider that snakes have a phallic shape, go back and reread that part about “thrusting,” and this scenario becomes even more bizarre.
The Disney movie may hint that Mary Poppins might be a kind of angel: she first appears seated on a cloud. But in the book’s zoo sequence, she seems more like a pagan nature goddess, surrounded by the beasts of the wild and consorting with serpents. The chapter is named after the full moon, suggesting a link between Mary Poppins and lunar goddesses like Diana or Hecate. Is the zoo after hours a latter-day Eden, with Mary Poppins as an Eve who chose the serpent as her companion? The Hamadryad’s references to her as his “cousin” may imply that she is somehow a serpent herself, or perhaps that she is a shapeshifter who can appear as a woman or as a serpent. In her New Yorker profile of Travers, Caitlin Flanagan pointed out that Mary Poppins first appears in the original book “as a shape hurled against the front door in the midst of a gale, [which] assumes the form of a woman.”
FOR MYSELF
As usual, “Comics in Context” takes a two week break for the holidays, and will return on the first Friday of January 2007. I will not only be writing more about Mary Poppins but also about “Cartoon America” at the Library of Congress. In the interim, if you want to read more about “Cartoon America,” check out my report for Publishers Weekly’s Comics Week (http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6399160.html?nid=2789).
–Copyright 2006 Peter Sanderson
Some people hang the holly, others decorate the tree, and a few even terrorize the neighborhood with off-key caroling.
Not us.
Here at Quick Stop Entertainment, we’re celebrating the holiday season by giving a little something back to you, our readers (you know who you are).
Every weekday leading up to the holiday break, we’ve got uber-exclusive gifts provided by a whole range of artists, actors, comedians, and studios. One a day, straight from them to you.
Ain’t that cool?
Today, we’ve got an exclusive piece from Jonathan Katz.
Besides his stand-up career, Katz was the star of Comedy Central’s award-winning Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist, the first two seasons of which are currently available on DVD, and is a regular contributor to The Next Big Thing radio show on NPR. You can visit him on the Web at www.jonathankatz.com.
Download Jonathan Katz – Holiday Havoc 2006:
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Check out the rest of this year’s “Holiday Havoc” HERE
I was recently watching Arrested Development re-runs that my TiVo (All hail at the feet of this technological wonder….Aaaaa-uuuummmm…) picks up on a daily basis and came across an episode that simply bursts with inside-joke goodness, Good Grief!, and was reminded of how this show could be amusing, tragic and razor smart. One of the other things that I picked up on was the nice, mellow sounds of the “Christmas Time is Here” jingle that plays in the background of one scene and it got me thinking: “Shit, self, I need to give away some swag…”
I know I hinted at it a few weeks ago but I am here today that the entry gates are now open for a new contest (There are some of you who are Lifers at trying to snag something from this Prize Patrol and I admire your shamelss tenacity to get your mittens on something free. Huzzah, good sirs.) and one that I can’t believe I am offering up. It’s not because of the sheer coolness of the prize but since THE FOUNTAIN is easily in my Top 3 for 2006, it’s damn well in my Top 10 for movies that came out post-2000, I am amazed that I am able to give a couple of you out there the chance to own a hand-signed Darren Aronofsky poster for THE FOUNTAIN.
I can attest honestly that if I was on the other side of this giveaway I would be stewing in my Jockeys in anxious anticipation to get one but I want to pass along the love to one of you out there who have seen the movie and loved it enough to send in an entry.
Now, you’ve to work for this win.
It was damn hard to get these in my possession and I don’t want any of these to go somewhere where they’re not going to be treated with a little love and reverence. I would get too maudlin if I explained why I think that Richard Roeper from the Sun-Times (Thanks for responding so swiftly to my email, Dick.) or A.O. Scott from the New York Times (How witty to be called by a truncated version of your nombre. Do your peeps call you up and say, “Hey, A.O., want to grab a beer with the rest of the crew down at Applebees?” If I was close enough to call you “friend” A.O. would be the last thing on my list to call you and you could be assured I would bust your balls relentlessly of you perpetrating this ruse on others.) are both completely wrong regarding what they thought THE FOUNTAIN was, or was not, in their eyes. They are certainly entitled to their opinion but they’re wrong on this one.
Give me an Etch-A-Sketch, a Texas Instruments TI-81 graphing calculator, 10 minutes on Ebert and Roeper to make my case, a fruit smoothie just to keep me hydrated and I can break this movie down to a compelling enough defense as to why A.O. and Roep just missed the mark with their jaunty rip-fest into this deep movie.
Look, I won’t get into why I love this film as much as I do and why I weep for those reviewers who think that Aronofsky is anything less than genuine and earnest but I feel completely stable in my assertions regarding how important this film is to anyone who wants a second opinion about what death, life and love are all about in a way that accessible. All I know is that I’ve got a couple of posters to give out that Darren graciously signed when he was out here in God’s country, Arizona, and I want to give them to you.
All you need to do is tell me one scene that you enjoyed, just one, and make sure it isn’t anything you could pick up simply by watching the trailer. If in doubt, check here or here and be sure to check your work.
Just tell me a scene and give a little context. If the film meant anything to you, you’ll write something that justifies why you’re angling to slap this on your wall. This contest is open to the world so come one, come all.
A.O. and Roeper can suck it.
BLOOD DIAMOND (2006)
Director: Ed Zwick
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly, Arnold Vosloo, Michael Sheen, Stephen Collins
Release: Now Playing
Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990s Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond is the story of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a South African mercenary, and Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories as different as any can be, until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives. While in prison for smuggling, Archer learns that Solomon – who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields – has found and hidden the extraordinary rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist whose idealism is tempered by a deepening connection with Archer, the two men embark on a trek through rebel territory – a journey that could save Solomon’s family and give Archer the second chance he thought he would never have.
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Prognosis: Negative. Ed Zwick doesn’t have to explain anything but did he really want me to believe that Tom Cruise pulled a move straight from Kevin Costner in DANCES WITH WOLVES and dodged the gauntlet of bullets that rained down straight at his person? It was that move that nearly obliterated any disbelief I was suspending for THE LAST SAMURAI.
I’m hoping that we don’t get a repeat performance of this moviemaking crutch and, from this trailer, I see the same kind of hopefulness that hooked me into SAMURAI. It’s gorgeous to look at and I think this trailer really exemplifies the kind of selling to a mass market in a way that, while there’s nothing “edgy” or “borderline” about the advertisement at all, does what it is supposed to do: be accessible.
Now, I get a little pang in the heart as the opening reveals a little JURASSIC PARK goodness as a helicopter weaves itself between a lush green canyon but it’s Djimon (why do I always think of a spicy mustard when I see his name?) who really captures our attention in a moment that just propels the events of the movie forward. His black palm holding a muddy stone and the really “dramatic,” read here: obnoxious, voiceover that tells us that people kill each other for these things.
I laugh just a little on the inside when the first shots of Leo and Jennifer are in slow-motion, their faces perfectly sharpened in that I’m-trying-to-look-scared/strong-here-people, kind of way but it’s ok. Even though, yes, the precious stone trade in developing nations is stained with the very real blood, sweat and tears of, essentially, serfs who are enslaved by their poverty and that this movie won’t make this situation any better but the imagery here is undeniable.
And this is about the time when Leo opens his mouth. It’s accented. I wish I could say that I am trying to concentrate on the story but I just can’t get past it. It’s funny, people. Really, it is. I’m already more partial to Djimon’s plotline of having to liberate his family from the clutches of marauders who know he has the gem which they want. I am at a loss to try and see how Jennifer wants to insinuate herself into this movie as Leo gets that she’s using him for some nefarious reason of her own, Leo using Djimon for the obvious reason of wanting the stone, it’s like RAIN MAN all over again, but there’s a real reason why I am so high on this movie.
Arnold Vosloo.
“I don’t give a damn who’s down there”¦kill them all.
A real South African by birth and a bad-ass by trade Arnold really deserves more than he’s given and, thankfully, as he’s precariously perched on the open doorway of a fast moving helicopter with some sweet armament attached to it I feel like this is, really, the true sequel to HARD TARGET. I mean, come on, you’ve got the obligatory romance between a dude and a lady, toss in Djimon as the wild card, while savages are hot their heels to kill them and Arnold is really all you need here to seal the deal. Just disregard all the talk at the end of this trailer about a man on the hunt for his child; this movie should be called HARD TARGET II and this trailer hints about Arnold catching up and, hopefully, finally getting the kill that eluded him so many years ago in that Van Damme entry.
One can hope.
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Beyoncé Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson, Keith Robinson, Hinton Battle, Sharon Leal, Anika Noni Rose
Release: December 21, 2006
Synopsis: Set in the turbulent late 1960s and early “˜70s, DREAMGIRLS follows the rise of a trio of women: Effie (Hudson), Deena (Beyoncé) and Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose), who have formed a promising girl group called The Dreamettes. At a talent competition, they are discovered by an ambitious manager named Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Foxx), who offers them the opportunity of a lifetime: to become the back-up singers for headliner James “Thunder” Early (Murphy). Curtis gradually takes control of the girls’ look and sound, eventually giving them their own shot in the spotlight as The Dreams. That spotlight, however, begins to narrow in on Deena, finally pushing the less attractive Effie out altogether. Though the Dreams become a cross-over phenomenon, they soon realize that the cost of fame and fortune may be higher than they ever imagined.
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Prognosis: Negative. At first I thought it was a joke.
I asked the questions: Are they serious? Is this really a movie?
When I heard some of the singing that Eddie Murphy is supposed to be doing I was reminded, no joke intended, of his James Brown impersonation back when he used to be funny. I wasn’t quite sure, but I thought I was pretty close in assuming it to be so, if I should have been anticipating a comedy when the hubbub started swirling around this movie. I am sorry that I was wrong about the assumptive power of a hokey Eddie Murphy that appears to be completely serious and I apologize when I say in advance that this trailer does a crap job in debunking the lingering thoughts that this film is a comedy.
The laughs really begin when Beyonce graces us with her screen suckage ability as she treats us to her dizzying capabilities as an actress when she asks the question of how long the girl group to which she belongs, I wonder if her screen mother makes all of her own outfits in this film as well, has been together. I’m a bigger fan of the cowbell that’s clanking in the background, sounding like we’re going to get a rousing version of “Everyone’s Working For The Weekend”, but all we get is a line straight of MY COUSIN VINNY when Jamie Foxx says “If I’m lyin’ I’m dyin'” to Beyonce’s amazement that she’s being given a big break. I really don’t know if I should be containing my laughs or not but this exactly when Eddie screams, “1, 2, HIT ME!” It’s amusing.
But that’s also the thing that plagues this trailer: Eddie’s singing is the soundtrack of the action that populates its content. I dare any of you not to smile when you see that guy with his pompadour all Jheri curled and that obnoxious smile of his; one really doesn’t know whether this is supposed to be an exaggerated, ironic emblem for men of that era who were the front for bands like this or whether this is supposed to be played straight.
That said, then, I can tell you that between Beyonce’s plasticine smile, looking like it was shaped by some Geppetto-like doll maker, and Eddie’s prancing and preening on the stage I don’t really care about any of these characters. There simply isn’t any reason why I am emotionally drawn in by whatever story is trying to be constructed around these two titular actors.
Oh, and this makes me just have a mental meltdown, I forgot to mention one thing about the thrust of this film’s action that we’re let in on about two-thirds of the way through this trailer: Beyonce, who begins the film as a second-banana, ends up as the girl who becomes the real star and gets all the attention much to the chagrin of her other two friends. What a fucking unbelievable change of events right? Beyonce becomes the star of a three person vocal group and somehow has to learn how to deal with her newfound glory. I mean, seriously, how this plot wasn’t ripped from the Behind the Music story of Destiny’s Child’s rise and fall as a crap pop group is beyond me.
Just skip the rest of this trailer because all we get is a montage of what happens in so many other videos, No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” come to mind rather fast in this regard, when one person gets more attention than someone else. It’s clichéd, hackneyed and I am sure someone will hail it as this year’s Oscar shoe-in. God help us all.
Director: Stefen Fangmeier
Cast: Jeremy Irons, Robert Carlyle, Djimon Hounsou, Sienna Guillory, Ed Speleers, John Malkovich
Release: December 15, 2006
Synopsis: Based on the Christopher Paolini-penned bestselling fantasy novel about a youth whose discovery of a dragon egg leads him to become a knight and battle an evil king. The medieval-set tale revolves around a farm boy who learns he is the last of a breed of benevolent Dragon Riders, whose magical powers derived from their bond with the beasts.
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Prognosis: I Liked It More When It Was Called LORD OF THE RINGS. Just stop for one second.
If you could, please, keep these things in mind before viewing this trailer: 1) THE LORD OF THR RINGS trilogy proved that movies made in 3’s can be enormously profitable 2) Studios love to steal 3) New Line made a shitload, and, yes, in accounting circles it is common parlance to say the word “shitload” when referring to an investment that breaks triple digit percentages when discussing profitability, of money on a franchise that initially only appealed to geeks and those with pale skin and 4) Every child wants what the other kids have; it’s an inevitability that doesn’t stop with the advent of pubes.
That said, what a rip-off, man.
Yeah, this seems like a wholly different story than THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy but when you see that this flick is being pimped as the first of three, that the photos of this flick show dudes and dames wearing nearly the same leatherwear as their more recognizable doppelgangers you just have to feel that, yes, this movie is going to make some coin.
I mean, really, when we open the sweeping vistas that we look on, nearly the same as the New Zealand location for Peter Jackson’s hard-fought vision, I stop and wonder how many people will psychologically transfer their happy-happy joy-joy goodness onto this flick simply on looks alone. And, as a lot of you know, many will.
We get some nice shots of a dragon that dips and dives, I have my breath taken away as I realize this winged beast could replace my favorite winged dragon of all time from THE NEVERENDING STORY, but I digress. I mean, this one doesn’t seem to have any witty or snappy things to say so I think my boy from 1984 has nothing to worry about.
So, about halfway though this thing I still don’t know what’s going on; we’re shown the replacement for Liv Tyler, we’ve got a stand-in for Saruman, Orlando Bloom is taken care of and we’ve even got the wood and leather strap scaffolding that was indicative of the Fraggle Rock/Orc’s underground operation. Speaking of which, haven’t these people learned how to illuminate a little? I know archetypes demand that bad guys work at night and by fire but can’t any of these people wait until daylight to do their evilness?
And big ups to Jeremy Irons who obviously didn’t learn a thing from DUNGEONS & DRAGONS as he comes correct once more, he obviously was enamored with the concept, to play the kind of role that Jeremy Irons plays so well again and again.
If I was the guy who lobbed this to Fox this would have been the 10 second meeting that would’ve secured financing: Mix 1 part LORD OF THE RINGS with 2 parts franchise potential with a splish of REIGN OF FIRE and a splash of SOUND OF MUSIC location. Mix to taste and accent with Jeremy Irons. Boom. Now where’s the financing?
Director: Tom Tykwer
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Ben Whishaw
Release: December 27, 2006
Synopsis: Based on the bestselling novel by Patrick Süskind, PERFUME is a terrifying story of murder and obsession set in 18th-century France. Jean-Baptiste Grenouille has a unique talent for discerning the scents and smells that swirl around him, which he uses to create the world’s finest perfumes. Strangely lacking any scent of his own, he becomes obsessed with capturing the irresistible but elusive aroma of young womanhood. As Grenouille’s obsession turns deadly, twelve young girls are found murdered. Panic breaks out as people rush to protect their daughters, while an unrepentant and unrelenting Grenouille still lacks the final ingredient to complete his quest.
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* Large (QuickTime)
Prognosis: Wonderfully Creepy. We’ve talked about this before.
I am a huge fan of Marcel Proust’s writings. “Du Côté de chez Swann” is, perhaps, one of those rare novels, like Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway”, where psychology met prose in a wonderful confection of words and experience. One of the key things, then, that links these two authors together with the movie by bad ass Tom Tykwer, dude who slung RUN LOLA RUN into our collective cool film conscious, is that while the two authors proved that you can make a sensory experience translatable through words Tykwer has to prove that a movie about perfume is translatable to film.
The trailer is promising that he has done it.
I about shat myself when this trailer opens, the twinkling music very sublime in the background, and we see a little baby on its back. It’s lying there, eyes closed, as some dirty index finger slowly makes its way to the child’s nose. And, before you can figure out what’s happening, the kid grabs the finger and pulls it close to its nose.
The voiceover here, as well, is calm, soothing and, dare I say it, gentile as we delicately get led down the path of where we are, what is happening and why we should care about the protagonist. Bam, bam, bam, this trailer hits the high points and I am thankful that as we see Tykwer begins showing us how he’s going to translate the sense of smell through visual rendering it is completely enveloping.
While I am equally pleased to see that the graphic which states this movie is based on a novel weaves its way quickly from recognition to dissolution I am not so sure that showing our main man as a little bit of a freak by his closed eye smelling of the goings-on inside the town square is endearing as it is a little off-putting.
It’s nice to see Dustin Hoffman as a recognizable face in this production, while the production values seem just as impressive, and the tension that’s created when voiceover guy tells us that it was our protagonist’s work to preserve life within a bottle; it’s poetry, I would posit, in a combination of both sight and sounds.
This kid’s work, however, takes a turn for the freakish and demonic as he hunts down a woman who seems to embody a lot of what his nose is driving him to capture and big props to the trailer makers for giving us a glimpse of this boy’s turn towards murder when he snaps the neck of some fraulein. Not only that, kids, but he then sticks her in a tank, wrapped up like a tea bag to steep for a while, to try and leech the scent that drove this boy to kill.
And then, bam, he kills again.
The kid can’t stop and Hans Gruber himself, Alan Rickman, which details the delicacies of what a serious perfume was capable of in that era, treats us to a delicious voiceover. The visuals that accompany the destructive nature of this boy and his prey, a pale redhead that would drove me to kill a few kittens if you know what I mean. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. While I know this movie is not for a lot of people it managed to stoke my interest for its visual capabilities and riveting premise.
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…
I’m usually quite wary of largely improvised comedies that “find their way” during the shooting process – I was disappointed in the meandering Anchorman, but enjoyed the vibrant 40-Year-Old Virgin – so it was with some apprehension that I watched Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$28.96 SRP), starring Will Ferrell as the titular star of the NASCAR circuit. Thankfully, the skewering of the professional racer cliché – the omnipresent product placement, the southern fried mentality, the trophy wives, the equally dim teammate (John C. Reilly), etc. – is spot-on, and the story of Ricky Bobby’s fall from grace after a Frenchman invades and dominates both Bobby and the traditionally American motorsport (played by Borat and Ali G himself, Sacha Baron Cohen) is hilarious. The unrated version features a small amount of footage added back to the main film, with bonus features including an audio commentary, deleted/alternate scenes, character interviews, outtakes, Ricky & Cal’s PSAs and commercials, and more.
When I first saw the big screen Strangers With Candy (ThinkFilm, Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP), I found the experience a bit off-putting, as it didn’t seem to quite capture the vibe that had made the television series such a funny slice of surreality. Upon a second viewing on DVD, I found much of that initial format shock had alleviated and I was able to view the flick on its own merits, and I found that I wound up enjoying it almost as much as the source material. It’s essentially a bit of a prequel/re-telling of Jeri Blank’s arrival at Flatpoint High, and from that point on… well, just pick it up and see for yourself. Bonus materials include an audio commentary (with Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, and Paul Dinello), deleted scenes, and a music video.
Against all odds – and my own doubts – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Walt Disney, Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.99 SRP) works as a great popcorn flick that propels itself along at a healthy clip, populated by engaging characters and enough plot to keep my attention. Granted, like its predecessor, it can feel a bit long in parts, but overall it’s a fun ride, and a sorely needed “night at the movies” to help pass the time. The 2-disc special edition features audio commentary, bloopers, an extensive series of behind-the-scenes production documentaries (detailing the movie’s battle against the fierce hurricane season and a script still in progress as the cameras rolled), a spotlight on the revised Pirates ride at Disneyland, and more.
Viewers going in to Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center (Paramount, Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.99 SRP) expecting a polemic will undoubtedly be surprised by just how straightforward a human story about the tragedy the film really is, focusing on the real-life story of a pair of firemen trapped in the wreckage after the Towers come down, leaving their wives worrying over their survival as they fight for their lives beneath tons of rubble. As always, the way to go is with the 2-disc special edition, featuring an audio commentary and Q&A with Stone, a second audio commentary with survivor Will Jimeno and rescuers, deleted/extended scenes with optional commentary, a behind-the-scenes documentary, a documentary on survivors Jimeno and John McLoughlin, a featurette on the set design, and a conversation with Stone about his ties to New York.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – for the finest publications on comics history and appreciation, look no further than, really, the entire line-up from Twomorrows publishing. These include the latest volume of their artist-specific Modern Masters series, on Mike Wieringo (Twomorrows, $14.95 SRP), and the second volume of Roy Thomas’s in-depth All-Star Companion (Twomorrows, $24.95 SRP). Hell, there’s also the Jack Kirby Collector, Back Issue, Alter Ego – the list goes on and on. Go check out their website, now!
As much as people tout Shrek as the high water mark for CG comedies, I think that, in many ways, the crown belongs to the Ice Age films, in particular the sequel, Ice Age: The Meltdown (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$29.98 SRP). The humor is not a scattershot riff on pop culture, but is instead character and situation-based – in years to come, as the Shrek flicks age poorly, Ice Age will still be funny. And who doesn’t love Scrat? Bonus features include audio commentaries, a brand-new animated short (No Time For Nuts), behind-the-scenes featurettes, student films, and more.
Every once in awhile, as more and more bands attempt to cover Queen tunes, it’s nice to go listen to Freddie Mercury’s voice and remember that no one has yet been able to approach his incredible voice. Even if you have all of the Queen albums, make sure you pick up his solo work via the 2-disc Lover of Life – Singer of Songs (Hollywood Records, $18.98 SRP). His cover of “The Great Pretender” is incredible, and the operatic “Barcelona” will blow you away.
Try as they might, the seemingly dormant Chronicles of Narnia franchise is not The Lord of the Rings. The first outing, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe simply didn’t excite audiences like Peter Jackson’s Tolkien adaptations, so it’s a little off-putting that we’ve now got a 4-disc extended edition of Wardrobe (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$42.99 SRP), clearly aping Jackson’s extended cuts. While the expanded film is merely bunches and bunches of padding added into an already overlong flick, the only feature worth checking out are the additional behind-the-scenes documentaries and featurettes included in the set, particularly a feature-length documentary on author C.S. Lewis.
While sadly lacking in any bonus material whatsoever, having the first season of Mission: Impossible (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP) on DVD means we can all collectively tick off another entry on our “when will this be on DVD?” list, which leaves very few iconic TV series still untouched by the digital age. This 7-disc set features all 28 first season episodes, completely uncut and remastered, full of all the disguises, action, and fun that make the Cruise films look like overblown, pretentious exercises in ego.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. dips into the rich history of stock car racing with his series Back in the Day (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP), a reverent trip blazing down memory lane via interviews and archival footage spotlighting names like Petty, Allison, Yarborough, and Pearson. From moonshine to the Winston Cup, you’ll see how a motorsport developed, and the personalities that drive it. The complete first season set features an interview with Earnhardt, Jr. and a music video.
After seven seasons, the adventures of the Duke boys came to a close in The Dukes of Hazzard (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), with some truly bizarre adventures… Would you believe a Rosco robot? Or time travel? Or the absurdity of Enos and Daisy getting hitched? You’ll get all that, plus a tribute to Waylon Jennings, a new music video (featuring Tom Wopat, John Schneider, and Catherine Bach),and a behind-the-scenes featurette on the video.
It’s almost reassuring to know that, even after 5 seasons, the comedy of Full House (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) had not changed one iota. Danny was still flustered, Michelle was still cute, Joey would still do a Popeye voice at the drop of a hat, and Uncle Jessie’s hair was still big. Calm, glacial comedy.
And in soundtrack news, there’s Danny Elfman’s score for Charlotte’s Web (Sony Classical, $18.98 SRP), and James Horner’s powerful score for Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto (Hollywood Records, $18.98 SRP).
You know, there are bad ideas, and there are really, really bad ideas – the live action Year Without A Santa Claus (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) is one of those. Awkward and lacking in any of the charm in the Rankin-Bass classic, it’s just an embarrassment best forgotten.
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…
The web. It’s a big place, full of plenty of distractions ““ some funny, some informative, some ludicrous, some disturbing, some inane, some profound. Each and every weekday, we present links to a few of our favorite finds”¦
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Have a THINGAMABOB? Send it in!
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Here are today’s top entertainment headlines:
In a continuing effort to completely dumb down the American populace, Comedy Central has ordered a pilot of an animated series featuring Larry the Cable Guy. The show, in which Larry will play half owner of a cable TV station, will draw heavily from his stand up comedy act. With the show, Comedy Central is hoping to lock down the elusive male, 40-year-old, unemployed, racist, alcoholic demographic that advertisers refer to as the “NASCAR fan.”That’s all for today’s news, stay tuned to this channel for all the news that matters least but you still care about.
(Compiled by J. Allen)
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Some people hang the holly, others decorate the tree, and a few even terrorize the neighborhood with off-key caroling.
Not us.
Here at Quick Stop Entertainment, we’re celebrating the holiday season by giving a little something back to you, our readers (you know who you are).
Every weekday leading up to the holiday break, we’ve got uber-exclusive gifts provided by a whole range of artists, actors, comedians, and studios. One a day, straight from them to you.
Ain’t that cool?
Today we’ve got an exclusive holiday piece courtesy of Jesse Thorn and The Sound of Young America.
The Sound of Young America is, as it describes itself, “a public radio show about things that are awesome.” Hosted by Jesse Thorn, it features interviews, music, comedy, and conversation, presented with a healthy dose of postmodern fun and fancy free.
Head over to MaximumFun.org and give the show a listen, but not until after you give this little preview a cyber-spin…
Download “The Sound Of Young America – Holiday Havoc“:
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Check out the rest of this year’s “Holiday Havoc” HERE
Ho ho ho!
No friends, that’s NOT yours truly inexplicably chortling at one of his own jokes (though such a thing HAS been known to happen) – that’s just my way of pointing out the obvious:
Christmas time is here again!
And today I want to talk a little bit about a personal holiday tradition that we launched over at my home site, Hembeck.com, two Decembers back:
(Pardon me while I catch my breath…)
What is it? Pretty much exactly what it sounds like – about as many depictions of good ol’ St. Nick as I could rustle up. You probably wouldn’t be surprised to discover that a lot of them come from my extensive comics collection, but there are also more than a handful scanned in off of Christmas cards, record album covers, catalogs, and even the odd sheet of wrapping paper! While you’ll surely recognize such characters as the Hulk, Spider-Man, Daffy Duck, Dilbert, Ambush Bug, Metamorpho, Hellboy and so very many others (hence the title), you’ll also find festively festooned – and familiar – Santas extracted from the pages of several old issues of Playboy magazine, most of which were bought specifically not only to read the articles, but also in anticipation of one day using these colorful illos (with, you should be relieved to hear, none of the naughty bits in view) for this project – honest!
Heh.
Ahem – yes, well. You’ll find such noted cartoonists at Neal Adams, Jack Kirby, Mort Walker, Al Wiseman, Frank Miller, John Forte, Terry Austin, Will Eisner, Jack Davis, Frank Cho, Mike Kaluta, and so very many, many more – including my own personal favorite – Johnny Craig…
My good golly gosh, when I first got a glimpse of that gaudily garbed maniac’s kisser back in the early days of August 1965 (via Ballantine Books’ Tales From The Crypt paperback), I didn’t sleep a wink – and it sure wasn’t dreams of sugar plums dancing in my head THAT awful night! Luckily, I recovered from the shock (if only barely) by the time December 25th rolled around a few months later. But I mean, just LOOK at the guy!…
Whew!
Well, anyway, he’s just one of many (there’s that word again), but he’s far from being the ONLY homicidal Father Christmas! You’d be surprised how many four-color Santas brandish themselves a weapon! But then again, if you read comics with any regularity, perhaps not…
This whole thing all started innocently enough back in 2004. I was looking for something to post on my site that would be seasonal, and I got the idea to cobble together a nice variety of Santa heads. It went over surprisingly well with the rest of the folks out there on the net – hey, hey, I got me links! – so I immediately began planning to add on to it for the following Christmas.
Which I did.
And now, it’s that time again, and I’ve gone all out – you’ll find over 150 (!!) new Santas taking their place on this ever increasing honor roll, the grand total now surpassing 350!(My apologies to those of you with slow Internet connections – it’s gonna take a while to load, I’m afraid. But once it does, and you’ve checked ’em all out, I find it’s way fun to run the scrolling bar up and down real, real fast! Suddenly, there they are – a bounty of St. Nicks flashing right before your eyes! Woo hoo – trippy!…)
Um, did I call this a tradition? How about an obsession?…
It’s true. All year long, whenever I stumble across a Claus, my first thought is, “I GOTTA scan that in!” And sometimes I do – but when that nasty computer virus came along this past July and ate up everything that wasn’t already posted on my site, well, you might say heads rolled – right off my hard-drive! So, I had to start up all over again last week – luckily I only lost a couple of dozen, and I THINK I replaced most (if not all) of them. Any I encounter after today, well, as the Brooklyn Dodger fans usta say about their Bums, “Wait’ll NEXT year!”…
What qualifies as a Santa? Simple – anyone wearing the proper headgear! The REAL Santa doesn’t have to, natch, but if, say Heathcliff wants to be counted among the many, no two ways about it – he’s gotta have the hat. I try my best not to have too much duplication of either artists or characters, but as my parameters have broadened, I’ve loosened those self-imposed restrictions a tad. I figure, hey, there CAN be three different Gene Colan illos included if they all look totally dissimilar, right? And a trio of Hulks won’t hurt anyone either, as long as they’re illoed by three different cartoonists, dig? Photos are mostly verboten, but several did sneak through – either pics of masks or other non-human guises, or some heavily touched up portraits (like the pair, right near the end – you’ll recognize ’em as two of Jolly Jim Salicrup’s closest buddies…).
Also, whenever possible, I went for the silliest poses possible. A lot of these were taken from a well of one, and so that wasn’t possible, but in those instances where Jolly Ol’ Santa appeared frequently in a single comics story, I tried my durndest to pick out the best – and goofiest – pose. Couldn’t hurt to provide you folks with a chuckle or two along the way, I’m thinking.
And just to fit the format, each scan needed to be as squared up as best possible – AND show as little lettering as I could manage. Mostly, I kept things dialog free, but a few choice bon mots snuck through.
Of course, that meant some really nifty pieces didn’t make the cut. Like this rectangular one…
The new stuff has been added on to the existing art, meaning it’s a ways down. Can’t hurt to renew your acquaintance with Santas of season’s past, though – after all, you’ve been watching Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol every December for the last forty years, right? So go, take a look – and I ho ho hope you enjoy it! The link is included up top, in that sentence with the many “manys” in it.
Well, we here at “The Fred Hembeck Show” wish you only the best of holiday seasons, WHATEVER your choice of holiday may be! We’re going off on our well-deserved Christmas break, but we’ll be back with more goodies for you early in 2007! In the meantime, you can always find the occasional blog entry over at Fred Sez to tide you over.
And if anybody knows the whereabouts of a Steve Ditko Santa Claus drawing (or knows of where to access a printed piece with SpongeBob in a Santa hat), please let me know – that’d be the BEST Christmas present EVER!! (Okay, okay – I’m exaggerating, but still, clue my in if you know anything along those lines, okay? Thanks!)
Happy Everything, everybody!
-Copyright 2006 Fred Hembeck
Everyone knows that “movies” as we have known them for over 100 years are on the verge of radical change. Indeed, since at least the late 1970s, with the introduction of home video, an implacable force of change has been on the march. Home entertainment centers, iPods, Bittorrent trading, and the world wide web itself are just a few of the mutations that have revolutionized how we view movies and how we find out about them. One of the most vivid shifts among so many such alterations is that a movie, as we customarily know it, may cease to be a physical thing. Taking a page, as it were, out of the aesthetics of Monroe Beardsley, who argued that a work of art is a perceptual object rather than a physical one, movies are now more often than not a digital object.
Predictions of the eventual digital hosting, projection, copying, and so forth, of movies have been rife since the early 1990s, or at least since the inception of Wired magazine. But who would have thought that Portland, Oregon – a drink water town in a state no one has ever heard of – would some day become the epicenter of a digital projection revolution?
Well, so it has come to pass. In early December, 2006, the six-screen Living Room Theaters complex opened in Portland’s downtown gentrified area, specifically at 10th and SW Stark. As its website announces, Living Room Theaters will be a complete leisure experience, with a restaurant, a bar, free wi-fi, and six small auditoria (the largest has 65 seats). The company putting the project together has a sister theater also going up in Miami, but the owners maintain that the Portland unit is the flagship of what they hope to be a national chain. What is most unusual about Living Room Theaters is that the founders also plan to exclusively screen independent and “speciality” (i.e., foreign) films, often trafficking in films that have not even premiered in the United States, and they add that in some cases they will be dealing directly with the filmmakers, circumventing the lugubrious, arcane, and outsider-excluding mechanics of national distribution, the stumbling block that fells most bright ideas in film production and exhibition.
Shawn Levy of the Portland Oregonian has covered the theater’s advent the most thoroughly of local papers. The brain child of Felix Martin, Ernesto Rimoch, and Diego Rimoch, Living Room Theaters is at the very least an ambitious enterprise that prides itself on its energy conservation and green policies, and it aspires to tear customers away from the mundane reliance on popcorn, candy, and soda pop as inevitable movie time concessions. Writes Levy, “Martin and his partners currently operate a firm which converts celluloid prints of movies into digital files that can be projected in moviehouses, and they are establishing connections with independent and foreign filmmakers who don’t have distribution in the United States.”
What’s curious is that about a year earlier Cinetopia, another digital theater with eight screens, a full restaurant, and “gourmet” butter for popcorn, went up in Vancouver, Washington, a neighboring burg situated but just across the Columbia River, and it appears to have made itself a rousing success by showing a mix of popular hits, such as Casino Royale, along side the studios’ definition of art films, such as Babel, as well as digital projection of football games on Sunday and Monday, among other special events. By coincidence, Cinetopia calls its three fine dining theaters, where waiters serve spectators candy, pop, beer/wine, and/or hot meals prior to show time, Living Room Theaters. The presence of these two venues within 15 miles of each other suggests that Portland and environs is plugged unwittingly into the zeitgeist.
One wonders if the ernest founders of Living Room Theaters know what they are getting into. From the local arena to the national they may be greeted with resistance or, worse, indifference. Circumvented distributors may not be so happy about offering up at good terms the films that Living Room Theaters in fact does want to book. Film fanatics may decide that it is still cheaper to stay home with their own theater-equivalent presentation than to wend their way to a part of town where it is difficult to park and expensive to play. And finally there is the issue of where Living Room Theaters resides, which happens to be a busy but recently gentrified section of the city called the Pearl District, yclept thus for reasons no one can remember. The residents consist of mostly very wealthy but conventional-minded people living in high rise condos, who are more likely to be frustrated at the fact that the theater is showing the latest intellectual Argentine thriller rather than Superman Begins. Worse, the company’s founders may have overestimated the town’s general appetite for off-beat entertainment, although the theater complex’s presentation as a multi-faceted “experience” may indicate an awareness of this possibility. It’s Seattle, up north, that is the real movie town; Portlanders watch lots of movies, but have a very narrow appetite.
Worst of all, Portland filmgoers have long been dominated by a succession of large dominating theater chains, all of which have flirted with federal anti-trust suits. Currently, it is Regal Cinemas that owns most of the city’s screens. Outside of the Regal chain, there are a handful of independent theaters scattered around the city that show either second run, revival, or repertory calendars, among them the Cinema 21 and the Hollywood theater. Each successive corporation that rules first-run theater-going experience in Portland has been aggressive in the past about preserving its hegemony.
Be that as it may, Living Room Theaters has announced its first schedule and the company appears to be living up to its self-imposed mandate. Among the films slated for screening, a mix of new and recent, are Agnes and His Brothers (German director Oskar Roehler’s award winning domestic drama), Claude Chabrol’s The Bridesmaid, the Edward Norton starer Down in the Valley, Look Both Ways (Australian helmer Sarah Watt’s blend of slacker ethos and animation), 13 Tzameti (Gela Babluanni’s hard-edged descent into masculinist competition), and a revival of Wordplay, among 14 titles.
This is all well and good for Portland viewers, but what are the international implications? High tech may advance and improve, but people themselves don’t change and mostly what new technology does is appeal to people’s inherent laziness; thus, downloading a movie for home viewing is easier than getting up and fielding numerous obstructions in order to get to a theater. More optimistically, cheaper is better when it comes to poorer countries, which still rely on and enjoy the communality of public screenings. What it comes down to is what the film industry likes to call product. If Living Room Theaters can triumph over inertia through must-see movies, than their model may be one other theaters and other countries may follow.
The web. It’s a big place, full of plenty of distractions ““ some funny, some informative, some ludicrous, some disturbing, some inane, some profound. Each and every weekday, we present links to a few of our favorite finds”¦
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Have a THINGAMABOB? Send it in!
##
Here are today’s top entertainment headlines:
Jason Lee, of My Name is Earl fame, is set to produce and star in a comedy entitled Krater. The film follows a rock band as they bring on a new lead singer with hidden “oral talents,” and gain sudden popularity. Lee maintains that his film is in no way a rip-off of Marky Mark’s, Rockstar, which was a film that followed a rock band that brought on a new singer after the original stopped hiding his “oral talents.”That’s all for today’s news, stay tuned to this channel for all the news that matters least but you still care about.
(Compiled by J. Allen)
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Some people hang the holly, others decorate the tree, and a few even terrorize the neighborhood with off-key caroling.
Not us.
Here at Quick Stop Entertainment, we’re celebrating the holiday season by giving a little something back to you, our readers (you know who you are).
Every weekday leading up to the holiday break, we’ve got uber-exclusive gifts provided by a whole range of artists, actors, comedians, and studios. One a day, straight from them to you.
Ain’t that cool?
Today we’ve got an exclusive uncensored clip from the Canadian cult sensation Kenny Vs. Spenny.
Truly a guilty pleasure, it unfortunately reveals ““ in stark reality ““ the sad, pathetic competitive nature that makes idiots of even the brightest men. In this series, best friends Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice engage in the most inane of head-to-head competitions ““ from best sperm count and best peeing to best female impersonation. It’s madness, but so very accurate ““ and so very funny.
The complete first season and second season are currently available on DVD, and the third season is currently airing.
This clip finds Kenny looking for a Spenny replacement after his perpetual punching bag decides to storm off – unfortunately, Kenny gets more than he bargains for with a man called Zanta…
Download Kenny Vs. Spenny – “Zanta”:
Large (560 x 420 – QuickTime – 19.87 MB)
Small (320 x 240 – QuickTime – 8.87 MB)
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Check out the rest of this year’s “Holiday Havoc” HERE
The web. It’s a big place, full of plenty of distractions ““ some funny, some informative, some ludicrous, some disturbing, some inane, some profound. Each and every weekday, we present links to a few of our favorite finds”¦
————————————————
Have a THINGAMABOB? Send it in!
##
Here are today’s top entertainment headlines:
Famous lesbian, Rosie O’Donnell, has found herself in hot water after stating on her show, The View, that the Chinese language is comprised mostly of “chings” and “chongs.” In a statement to the press regarding those comments, O’Donnell stated that, contrary to popular belief, she is not racist against people of Chinese decent and what she meant to say is that the Chinese have an endearing love for Cheech and Chong.That’s all for today’s news, stay tuned to this channel for all the news that matters least but you still care about.
(Compiled by J. Allen)
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Every year there’s a new fall show that takes the world by storm. Every year there’s always at least one, because God knows we don’t want to talk about work when we’re at work, and heaven forbid should be spend any extra time with our families. Two years ago, that show was Lost.
Although it’s had its ups and downs over the course of two and a quarter seasons so far, the show remains strong both in the ratings and in its fanbase. Mcfarlane Toys picked up the license last summer with much hoopla to do action figures based on the show, starting with a wave of six this fall. While they were officially released in a big signing party at the Toys R Us in Times Square over a month ago, they’ve just now started to make it out in numbers to stores across the country and online.
The first wave consists of Jack, Hurley, Locke (all three reviewed here today), Charlie, Shannon and Kate (all three reviewed over at MROTW later today). Each figure includes a diorama style base, a ‘prop replica’ from the show, and a talking feature, allowing you to play several key lines for each character from the first season. These are all very much first season based, although the appearance of the characters hasn’t altered a whole lot during the course of the show.
If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at mwc@mwctoys.com. Now buckle in for a long ride – there’s lots to say about this series!
“Lost – Jack, Locke and Hurley”
While some of the character choices for this first wave might be questionable (Shannon?!?!?), there’s no doubt that Jack, Hurley and Locke are at the top of everyone’s list.
Hurley is depicted from the episode in which they played the first “Island Open”, using the golf clubs they recovered to pass the time.
Jack is straight from the very first episode, walking through the rubble of the plane on the beach, still in shock at what has happened.
And then there is Locke, from much later in the season, standing over the newly discovered hatch that will play such a critical role both in his character’s life and in the lives of the entire group of survivors.
You can find these at a number of online stores (links at the end of the review, as usual), or you can find them at your local Toys R Us for around $15 a pop. For the full set, that’s a whopping $90 out of the old budget (not including tax), and that’s about the cheapest you’ll find them.
Packaging – **
This packaging could have been four star work, with just a couple minor alterations. Even with my nits, it’s still pretty damn well done.
These figures are boxed instead of carded, a big plus. They’re easy to store for the MOCers, but to open them you will have to destroy the box. The top flap is glued shut, which is too bad because once inside, there’s only a couple twisties and some tape. You could easily put everything back for storage if it weren’t for the taped flap. You can try opening them from the bottom, where the flaps are folded together without tape or glue, but I couldn’t manage to open them without tearing the thin package.
The graphics and text are great though, and to the right of each figure is a flap that opens up to give you some more details. My big nit with this packaging that pulls it down at least a half star is the lack of any instructions. The dioramas are actually tricky to get together (I have a little visual how to later in the review), and for some, like Jack, it will take a few minutes to figure out how to get everything in the right place. It would have been very easy – and very inexpensive – to give us a small insert that had basic visual instructions on how to get at least the cardboard backer frame together and in place.
The big drop in the score here is due to the lack of instructions. Without them, I (and many other buyers) had no idea that the voice boxes actually attached to the bases, and wasted time I didn’t need to on assembling the frames.
Sculpting – Locke ****; Hurley, Jack ***1/2
Scanning is all the rage these days, and Mcfarlane uses the process quite heavily. However, the key to getting tremendous results out of scanning is to have sculptors that can give the results life. Without that step, scanning produces zombie versions of the characters.
I’m happy to say there’s no zombies here, and Locke is the clear winner of the entire series. The head sculpt is almost spooky it’s so accurate, and the detail work on the body is up to the very best of Mcfarlane standards. I could pick at it a bit and mention that the neck seems a little thin, making the sculpt not quite dead on, but it’s a very, very minor nit. This final figure turned out very much like the original pre-production two up, which is a very good thing.
Jack’s up next, and while he doesn’t quite live up to the expectations set by Locke, he’s still a solid effort. Jack’s face doesn’t have quite as much ‘character’ as Locke or Charlie, making it more difficult to capture the character and set him apart from just another guy. The short hair and stubby beard, usually very difficult to do, are nicely depicted, and the details in the dirty suit and flopping tie give the impression of movement without being overdone. I’m not a huge fan of the open mouth expression, and the lower half of the face is a squidge wider and longer than the actor, but it’s certainly close enough to warrant a well above average score. The two up we saw of Jack last summer was much better, but I think this is due in no small part to his front teeth. You see, in the two up they were clearly visible – the scale made that possible. They’re still here of course, but you have to really search for them, and not seeing them makes the open mouthed expression seem a bit odd.
Likewise, Hurley came out extremely well. From other photos I’ve seen, I was most concerned about how the final Hurley would turn out, but in person he’s great. The expression is perfect, as is the sculpted stance – which is a good thing since you won’t be changing it. The huge puff of hair looks a little weird in plastic form, but it does approximate his hair style as best as you’re going to get in this medium. The small details are perfect, right down to the proper folding and wrinkling of his shirt and jeans.
One of the things worth noting here is that the proportions are excellent all around. Heads, torsos and limbs are all properly in scale with one another, and even from character to character, scale is great. These are done in a general 6″ scale.
Paint – Hurley, Jack ****; Locke ***
Mcfarlane excels at paint application, and this set of three is generally in line with their usual quality. Locke is the only one to have issues, and I’m betting that it’s a hit or miss sort of problem.
My Locke has a rather odd looking ‘hair line’ across his bald pate. It appears as though they were trying to use a slightly darker paint on his head, but the hair line across the front on mine makes some odd dips and turns, and looks more like a mistaken application. However, other than that, Locke is excellent. The face details are clean and neat, the dirtied up clothing have just the right amount of wash, and clothing details like buckles and zippers, are done with tremendous realism.
Jack’s outfit doesn’t have the opportunity to show off the detail work quite like Locke’s does, but it still has some amazing work on the tie, and features very realistic dirt on the elbows and knees. In fact, Locke, Charlie and Jack all sport some of the most realistic dirt effects I’ve ever seen in figures this scale. Poor Kate doesn’t fair as well, but more about that in the other review.
Jack has some nice work on his face as well, where the scratchs are present, and the beard and hairline are extremely clean and neat.
Hurley has the same excellent work on his hair and beard, and even has some extra itty bitty eyebrow hairs running between the two defined eyebrows. These are such a small detail that they are almost impossible to see with the nekkid eye. Hurley has some dry brushing added to his shirt to imply wear and bring out the details, and it’s not over done or excessive.
With the one exception of Locke’s weird hair line on my figure, these are all excellent examples of the sculpt being complemented and even improved by the paint application.
Articulation – Locke, Jack *1/2; Hurley *
This is one of those categories that will matter quite a bit to some folks – for me, this score will have little effect on the overall. Why? Because with this line, I’m giving it very little weight. It’s important to score it, so that people picking them up understand what they are getting, but once you understand, if the product fulfills you’re expectation, then the lack of articulation won’t effect your personal overall. If you’re looking for lots of articulation though, and expect that in all your figures, then these will do much worse in your final assessment.
Each of these figures has only the most basic of articulation. Hurley has a cut waist, cut neck (technically, there’s probably a ball down in the torso, but you’re only going to be able to turn the head from side to side, and even then only a little bit due to the hair), and cut right arm at the sleeve. He poses one way, and one way only.
Jack has more articulation, but what’s here is pretty much worthless. Again he has a cut neck, although the range of movement is a little better since he doesn’t have Hurley’s long hair. He has cut shoulders, but are you ever going to raise the stiff arms? And he has cut wrists, but like the shoulders, they’re here only to get the hands in just the right spot and leave them. Oh, and he has a cut waist too, but it’s restricted by the coat and shirt. Again, he’s a plastic statue that holds one pose extremely well.
Finally, there’s Locke. Locke sports a ball jointed neck (again, the all probably do, but the others are completely restricted by the clothing, making them really cut joints), and he can move his head forward and back, and tilt side to side. He can’t move his head back far enough though, due to the collar of his shirt, so he’s always going to be looking downward at least somewhat. I really do wish he could look straight forward, but it’s not going to happen. He has cut joints at the elbows, and a cut waist as well.
Accessories – Locke, Jack ***; Hurley **1/2
Each of the figures come with an assortment of extras, although most of them fall far short of exciting.
They all have diorama bases, which are generally the best feature in this category. Locke goes a step further though, and includes a nifty water bottle (with air pocket mid-way in the bottle, just like it would be if it were being carried on an angle!), and one of his trademark knives. Both of these accessories fit nicely in his hands, and are a key part of the overall appearance.
His base depicts the hatch, or at least the small section of it first uncovered. There’s a cardboard background depicting the jungle, which you may decide to use or not – see below for some photos without. More about the cardboard backgrounds and the assembly of the frames in a minute.
Jack has a very detailed base, including several extra pieces which you need to assemble. These extra pieces are made from fairly sturdy plastic, so wilt is unlikely, and are designed to fit in certain holes only. Still, those instructions we didn’t get would have been nice. He also suffers from a backdrop that’s shorter than he is, since the base puts him up further in the air than either Locke or Hurley. Jack’s diorama is his only extra, but with the additional pieces, it makes up for any shortcoming compared to Locke.
Hurley’s base is the least interesting of the set. The bottom is basically sculpted grass, with a hole for the bottom of the flag. The cardboard background shows the mountain and sky, with a lot of open grass. While the flag is well done, it’s not quite the visual “oooo” as either Jack or Locke’s base. On top of that, I was never able to get Hurley’s feet to fit properly into the sculpted footprints and pegs. While every one of the figures took a lot of effort to get on the base, Hurley was the only one that never did match up properly. The legs need to be just a bit further apart, and because his are so thick and made from such solid plastic, bending them out to fit just wasn’t going to happen.
Before we get to the other accessories (each figure also comes with a “full scale replica” from the show, as proclaimed by the box), let’s talk a bit about the backgrounds. I had to enlist the help of Spidey to get these things together. You’ll find seven parts altogether – the sheet of cardboard, two small pins (which are actually inserted into a cross beam already in the package and have to be removed), two side beams, a top beam and a bottom beam. Let’s use Jack’s background as our example:
The larger curved cross beam is the bottom, the smaller is the top. While not all the characters have curved beams (Shannon and Charlie’s are straight), they all go together the same way. The peg on each side beam inserts into the top support, and the bottom support has a peg that inserts into each side beam. Once you have the four support pieces together, the frame should look like so:
Then all you need to do is attach the backer to the frame with the two included pegs. The final product will look like the next photo, and can then be attached to the back of the display base.
And there you have it! Now, I realize this doesn’t require a degree in engineering to figure out, but I have one and it took me about 10 minutes, and Spider-man’s help. That’s ten minutes I could have saved with just a simple little diagram included in the box. And now I owe Spider-man one, and you know what a pain in the ass he can be.
There’s another question here – should you even use the cardboard backdrops? Please note that once you’ve snapped the frame on the base, you may have an extremely tough time getting it off, depending on how much paint ended up on the pegs, so it’s a good idea to consider this first. Some folks prefer to go without, and I’ve included the next three photos of the figures without to give you a feel for how they look sans backgrounds.
One other point to note on the backdrops that you may have noticed in the photos. Unlike the prototypes, that had a frame across the top of the backer, these use two black plastic pins to attach them at the top to the frame in back. That means back drops light in color have two glaring black spots in obvious spots. For a character like Hurley, for example, where the black peg rests squarely in the middle of the sky, it’s a tad annoying.
Now let’s talk “full scale replicas”. To be honest, this is the first time ever that I have dropped an accessory score because of the INCLUSION of an accessory. Normally, more is always better – not this time.
On paper, the idea of adding in replicas of key props for each character sounds good. It also makes it sound like the higher than average price for these is warranted. And then you see them. Now, this score is going to be a little better for Kate and Charlie, two characters who actually got decent props. In fact, I’m betting this whole idea started with someone saying “hey, we need to include the airplane for Kate in actual size!”, and everyone agreeing that yes, that sounds cool. Unfortunately, the next person came up with the bad idea “Let’s do that for all of them!”
The reason this is a bad idea is quite simple – almost none of the characters have actually interesting or useful props to be included. These three are perfect examples. Jack comes with a folded 8 1/2 x 11″ piece of paper that looks like it just came out of the fax, with Kate’s mug shot. Locke and Hurley’s are a little better, since they’re at least two sided and in color – Locke has his ‘walkabout’ brochure, with almost no information on it, and Hurley has the lottery ticket with the numbers on one side, and almost all other text in gibberish and such a tiny font it would be unreadable anyway. These are cheap little pieces of paper, folded up (in the case of Kate’s sheet and the brochure) so that even framing them to display is out of the question. These things don’t cost pennies to include – they cost tenths of pennies, and certainly do not warrant or justify the high prices of the figures. You might keep the lottery ticket around, but the other two are going to get tossed aside by even hardcore fans.
Talking Feature – ***
To go along with the silly replicas, there’s a silly talking feature. Now, talking features in general aren’t silly, and sometimes – in the case of shows like the Simpsons, Futurama, horror films – they can really add quite a bit to the overall value and fun of action figures. Unfortunately, Lost isn’t one of the licenses where it really makes sense.
While the dialog on Lost is extremely well written (most of the time), it’s not particularly iconic. There are no lines that are repeated at the water cooler the next day, or even more importantly, three years after they’ve been uttered on the show. But had the feature been implemented well, even this lack of iconic statue wouldn’t have been a huge detraction.
Nope, it’s the way a feature that’s already not particularly exciting was implemented that kills it. Rather than being integrated with the diorama in any way, it’s been done as a separate black box, about 3.5 inches square. Pop in your own batteries (no, your $15 – $20 a figure doesn’t get you any cheap AAA batteries) and press a button on top, and it runs through three or four lines from the show. EDIT: Guess what? They DO attach to the bases, in a rather unobvious way. There are two small pegs on the back of each frame, and the underside of the boxes have holes that allow you to attach the box there. After finding this out (thanks to a smarter reader than I), I actually upped the score in this category across the board. However, the general idea of having the talking feature with a dramatic show is still weak, especially considering the additional cost.
The lines are:
Locke:
“I’ve looked into the eye of this island, and what I saw… was beautiful.”
“Don’t ever tell me what I can’t do! Ever!”
“Do you want to know a secret?”
Jack:
“If we can’t live together, we’re going to die alone.”
“Everybody wants me to be a leader, until I make a decision that they don’t like.”
“There’s something that you need to know… We’re going to have a Locke problem, and I have to know that you’ve got my back.”
Hurley:
“Dude… I’m starving… I’m nowhere near that hungry.”
“Stop! Wait! The numbers are bad!”
“Welcome, to the first… and hopefully last… Island Open.”
He was also orginally supposed to say “You got some… Arzt… on you.”, but that line has been dropped. Too bad, since that was my favorite of the bunch.
The speakers are fairly clear, and most of the lines are intelligible. All of the boxes are identical, so you’ll need batteries in them to tell them apart. All in all, underwhelming is a good word to describe them. The only upside to having the voice boxes as wholly seperate entities is that it makes it all that much easier to drop the idea from future assortments.
Fun Factor – *1/2
While they might be called Mcfarlane “Toys”, these are clearly not toys. These are inexpensive pop culture statues, designed for the adult fan to display at home or work. Now, this score is going to have no bearing on my personal overall, because I knew this going in and didn’t expect anything different, but if you’re looking for super poseable action figures, these aren’t you’re thing.
Value – **
These are going to cost you at least $16 a piece on the cheap side, and that’s too much for a mass market release, even of something that’s really a specialty market toy. The addition of the talking feature and ‘prop replicas’ clearly gave them the option to drive up the price from the usual $10 – $12, but both of these features are uppercase lame. Since most fans are going to want sets (with perhaps the exception of Shannon), they’re looking at a $100 investment, no small potatos.
Things to Watch Out For –
If you’re picking them out at TRU, you should watch the paint application, although I’m betting my problem with Locke is a fluke. Generally, Mcfarlane is quite consistent with the quality of paint work.
Overall – Locke ***1/2; Hurley, Jack ***
Had they dropped the talking feature and the props, and therefore dropped the price accordingly, these guys would have rated another half star higher across the board. In fact, had they done that, this line could have easily been in contention for one of the best of the year. Unfortunatley, this was definitely a case of more is less.
Mcfarlane has also just released a boxed set of the Hatch, with mini-figures (about 2″ tall) of Kate, Hurley, Lock and Jack. It runs around $30, and you can see a photo here from my SDCC coverage.
The next line up as been announced as Sun, Jin, Ecko, Desmond, Sayid, and Sawyer, and is due out next May.
Scoring Recap:
Packaging – ***
Sculpt – Locke ****; Jack, Hurley ***
Paint – Jack, Hurley ****; Locke ***
Articulation – Locke, Jack *1/2; Hurley *
Accessories – Locke **1/2; Hurley, Jack **
Talking Feature – ***
Fun Factor – *1/2
Value – **
Overall – Locke ***1/2; Hurley, Jack ***
Where to Buy –
I’m assuming some other brick and mortar retailers will eventually get these in, but right now Toys R Us is the place to find them locally. Online options include:
– Amazing Toyz has the singles for $15 – $17, but are selling out fast. The full set is $80. They also have preorders up for wave 2.
– CornerStoreComics has the set at $85, and the singles for 415 – $17 as well, along with series 2 pre-orders.
– Alter Ego Comics has them for $16 each.
– Killer Toys has the set of six for $83.
– Clark Toys has the singles for $17, the set for $85, or a case of 12 for $155. They also have preorders already up for series 2.
– Time and Space Toys has the set for $95, plus they carry the cool Lost puzzles.
Related Links:
Obviously, you’ll want to check out my review of the other three figures, Shannon, Kate and Charlie, but don’t forget there’s also the very cool Lost puzzles that I reviewed here a few weeks ago.
Some people hang the holly, others decorate the tree, and a few even terrorize the neighborhood with off-key caroling.
Not us.
Here at Quick Stop Entertainment, we’re celebrating the holiday season by giving a little something back to you, our readers (you know who you are).
Every weekday leading up to the holiday break, we’ve got uber-exclusive gifts provided by a whole range of artists, actors, comedians, and studios. One a day, straight from them to you.
Ain’t that cool?
Today we’ve got an exclusive from the comedy troupe Kasper Hauser – a deleted ad from their SkyMall parody SkyMaul, that was deemed just too rude to print.
As I stated in our holiday shopping guide: “Parody, as an art, is incredibly difficult. But you know that. I know that. Everyone knows that. Kasper Hauser, in their aneurysm-inducingly funny parody of those already ludicrous in-flight catalogs, SkyMaul: Happy Crap You Can Buy From A Plane (St. Martin’s, $14.95 SRP), have managed to pull off a parody that builds on the inherent comedy and makes the humor transcendent. Which is all just a way to say that ads for products like Reality-Canceling Headphones, Crack Pipe Chess Sets, Llamacycles, and other absurdist offerings are very, very funny.”
Click the image to download a larger version.
Check out the rest of this year’s “Holiday Havoc” HERE
The web. It’s a big place, full of plenty of distractions ““ some funny, some informative, some ludicrous, some disturbing, some inane, some profound. Each and every weekday, we present links to a few of our favorite finds”¦
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Have a THINGAMABOB? Send it in!
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Here are today’s top entertainment headlines:
Acclaimed actress and Hyperthyroidism sufferer, Tori Spelling, garnered her most successful career move to date this weekend when she staged a giant yard sale at her Studio City home. Hundreds of “fans” gathered to snatch up such “Spelling-licious” items as wine glasses, lingerie and a large, dusty, cardboard box labeled “Daddy’s Love.”That’s all for today’s news, stay tuned to this channel for all the news that matters least but you still care about.
(Compiled by J. Allen)
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It’s that time of year again, when sites the web-over compile helpful holiday shopping lists to guide you into the deepest, darkest pits of retail with a map that will hopefully get you out alive. Here now, without further ado, is the 2006 Quick Stop Holiday Shopping Guide…
For those of us old enough to remember Mr. Hooper, viewing an “episode” of the current version of Sesame Street is a little like seeing McMurphy after he was lobotomized in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Gone is the sly, hip, multigenerational humor that defined the groundbreaking show’s early years – replaced instead with an infantilized, toothless program that has lost its ability to teach anything but how insipidly saccharine it has become. In fact, I won’t even let my nephew watch it, for fear of it turning him off to learning – and The Muppets. Thankfully, someone must have been awake at the wheel over at Sesame Workshop (formerly the Children’s Television Workshop, or CTW), because they’ve released the first volume of what they’re calling Sesame Street: Old School (Sony Wonder, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). The 3-disc set features the complete, uncut premiere episodes from the first 5 seasons (well, except for a segment featuring a pop icon who wouldn’t clear the song used… Boo! to him). If that weren’t glorious enough, there are 45 additional bonus segments, the original sales pitch from 1969 (featuring Rowlf!), and more. Watching classic Sesame really drives home just how much they’ve lost the plot in recent years. Bring on volume 2 as fast as you can, because I’ve got to have something to show my nephew…
Everyone has a holy grail toy or collectible that they’ve wanted ever since they were just a kid. For some, it’s a Red Ryder BB gun, for others it might be a Boba Fett figure with firing missile – for me, it was simply a Kermit that looked like Kermit. It could be a doll, or a puppet, or an action figure – it didn’t matter, as long as it actually looked correct. The Henson company, through its long history, has had a horrible time of actually getting licensees who could produce accurate representations of the characters. Too often, the proportions were off, the materials were shoddy – the bottom line being that they were just not right. It wasn’t until Palisades came along a few years back and began producing their Muppets action figures that accurate representations of these cherished characters began to be released for fan consumption. But there was still the holy grail of actually owning a Kermit the Frog – a *real* Kermit the Frog. I won’t go into the history (you can find it elsewhere), but I played a role in getting my holy grail produced – a Kermit the Frog “photo puppet” from Master Replicas ($199). If you’re not familiar with the term “photo puppet,” they’re essentially fully-poseable, full-bodied representations of the Muppet characters used for photo shoots. They have an internal armature, but are constructed of the same patterns and materials as the workable puppet. Master Replicas have done a masterful job of creating a truly unique collectible that fans will kick themselves repeatedly if they don’t pick up. Considering the unbelievably reasonable price point and the edition size of only 2500, you’d be a fool not to snag one as soon as you possibly can.
This holiday season, I intend to spend those cold winter nights holed up with hot chocolate, Little Debbie Christmas Trees, and – Would you believe? – the complete 5 season Get Smart box set (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$199). Long a fan desire, never did I think that not only would we get completely uncut, stunningly remastered episodes that make the series look sparkling fresh, but that the entire run would be released in a special box set absolutely loaded with bonus features. In an age when studios release bare bones season sets only to screw over fans be releasing comprehensive, feature-laden sets at the very end (Hello, Fox!), this comprehensive bonus-filled bonanza is a true delight. Those bonus features include audio commentaries (with the likes of Mel Brooks, Buck Henry, James Caan, Barbara Feldon, Bernie Koppell, Don Rickles, and more), interviews, bloopers, featurettes, Emmy footage, rare commercials, and much more – literally hours of material. Packaged in a box comprised of multiple doors (ending with the phone booth), the set is currently an exclusive available only at TimeLife.com.
It’s been a long, long, LONG wait for the Steven Spielberg-produced Warner Bros. cartoons to hit DVD, and while Tiny Toons is still MIA, fans should be eagerly snapping up the first two volumes of both Animaniacs and Pinky and The Brain (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$44.98 SRP each) this holiday season. The 5-disc Animaniacs sets feature the show’s first 25 episodes apiece, plus voice artist Maurice LaMarche interviewing his fellow castmates and the writing staff about the show and their favorite episodes. Meanwhile, Pinky and The Brain advance their plans to take over the world with 4-discs and 22 episodes per volume, which also contain an interview with Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche (Pinky & The Brain) and voice director Andrea Romano, as well as an awkward confrontation between Paulsen and LaMarche when they meet a pair of actors trying out for the big screen Pinky & The Brain – Mark Hamill & Wayne Knight. Must have more!
As a fan of the original Christopher Reeve/Richard Donner Superman film, I was more than delighted with the 4-disc box set released back in 2001, featuring the remastered director’s cut of that first flick, as well as the diminishing returns of its 3 sequels. Never in my wildest dreams, though, did I ever anticipate something as glorious as The Ultimate Superman Collection (Warner Bros., $99.98 SRP). Not only are those original quartet of films completely remastered and looking better than they ever have (including even their theatrical runs), but it’s been bolstered with the inclusion of both the original theatrical and the 2001 director’s cuts of Superman. If that weren’t enough, the set also features the legendary “Richard Donner Cut” of Superman II (Donner was fired and replaced by Richard Lester before he could finish the sequel, which he had shot concurrently with the first film), plus fully remastered editions of the Fleisher Superman cartoons of the 40’s, Bryan Singer’s Up In The Sky! documentary, the Superpup pilot, additional documentaries and featurettes, and much more? And that’s not even including the 2-disc special edition of Singer’s Superman Returns, which you’ll also find in the set. An incredible, one-stop set, no? And while you’re at it – because you know you’re a completist – why not pick up the incredibly flawed, incredibly campy, but nicely remastered international cut of Supergirl (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), featuring a commentary from director Jeannot Szwarc and historian Scott Bosco? You know you will.
At long last, with the release of Star Trek: The Animated Series (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$54.99 SRP), fans can finally rejoice in the knowledge that every televised Star Trek show and the entire run of feature films is now out on DVD. Ever since the release of Enterprise wrapped over a year ago, the anticipation for the early 70’s cartoon adventures of Kirk & crew has been high, with every scrap of information as to when it would finally see the light of day eagerly anticipated. Well, it” finally here, looking better than ever and sporting audio & text commentaries, a retrospective featurette, a look at the connection between the live action and animated series, a storyboard gallery, and a history of the show. If that weren’t enough, it also comes packaged in a snazzy plastic case similar to the ones that contained the original series DVDs.
If you’ve never heard of the UK quiz programme QI, you’re missing out on one of the funniest “educational” shows ever devised (the devisee being creator/producer John Lloyd, formerly of Blackadder, Not The Nine O’Clock News, and Spitting Image). The key to QI (which stands for “Quite Interesting”) is the central tenet of its philosophy – it’s not always being correct that counts, but interesting (and funny). The interesting nature of a given piece of information spurs conversation and debate, eventually leading round to the learning said informational nugget. Did you know that the Earth has more than one moon, for example? Or that otters kill crocodiles? Airing on BBC2 (and currently in its 4th season), it’s hosted by Stephen Fry and features a rotating panel of four comedians (one of which is mainstay Alan Davies) – and it’s one of the most hilarious shows I’ve ever seen… Honestly, you’ll laugh as much as you learn, and I hope a network in the US is smart enough to pick the show up uncut (Hello, Comedy Central! Hello, Discovery Channel! Hello, PBS! Somebody!). Until then, you can grab a copy of the interactive QI DVD game (Warner Home Video, DVD-£18.99), a 2-disc, feature-laden DVD set of the first season (2 Entertain, Not Rated, DVD-£19.99) – both of which are available only for Region 2, so make sure you have a Region Free player – and the very first QI Book of General Ignorance (Faber & Faber, £12.99), which collects much of the interesting information featured in the first four seasons into one handy volume. By all means, learn what all the hubbub is about (and stop by the official QI site at www.QI.com).Â
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I’m not knocking the rest of their fare, but the only series that transcends the fraternity comedy of much of the Adult Swim line-up is The Venture Bros. (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP). Featuring some of the sharpest writing on TV – let alone adult animated comedy – it also contains an incredible cast of characters that are light-years beyond the cheap archetypes populating most series. Go pick up the complete first season set, and catch up with the reruns of the second season.
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There are collectibles that are basically overpriced knickknacks that prey upon pop culture sensibilities, and then every once in awhile something will come down the pike that complete transcends geeky knickknackery and qualifies as an impressive work of art in its own right. I felt that latter rush when removing Sideshow Collectibles’ scale replica of Spielberg’s killer shark, Jaws ($279.95), from its massive box. Measuring an incredible 28″ from nose to tail, this is a jaw-droppingly stunning piece, sculpted to accurately portray the mechanical “Bruce the Shark” designed for use in the ’75 blockbuster. Mounted on a blue acrylic stand with an adjustable nameplate, it’s limited edition that trumps any Jaws collectible of the past and I daresay future – if you get this, you’ll be beyond satisfied.
For years, it was thought that the inordinate amount of musical clearances necessary would impede a complete season-by-season release of Saturday Night Live, but those not insubstantial hurdles must have been overcome since we now have the complete and uncut release of SNL: The Complete First Season (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$69.98 SRP), featuring the Not Ready For Primetime Players literally figuring out what exactly the institution would become while putting on a seat-of-their-pants live program every week. In fact, it’s not until a few weeks in that the shape of the show finally begins to coalesce, and the likes of Belushi, Aykroyd, Chase, and Radner begin to make the show their own, instead of it being a showcase for guest hosts and musical acts. The 8-disc set also features the original screen tests, plus a 1975 TV interview with the cast.
While writer Roy Thomas’s Stan Lee’s Amazing Marvel Universe (Sterling, $50.00 SRP) would have been a must-have overview of the formative years of Marvel Comics and the equally amazing Lee in its own right, the addition of Stan Lee’s audio remembrances makes it an essential experience for anyone who grew up entranced by Lee’s hyperbolic universe and giddy hucksterism. Attached to the impressive tome is an audio player that, when you come to a cue within the book itself, you can press to hear Stan himself relate stories and anecdotes based on what you’ve just been reading about. In practice, it’s like getting an audio commentary from “The Man” himself, and I can only hope that more books will utilize this unique technology.
Of all the shows with fans clamoring for a DVD release, very few have been as requested as the single-season of the Saturday morning animated Dungeons & Dragons (BCI, Not Rated, DVD-$54.98 SRP), which aired during the 1980’s. I remember liking it as a kid… of course, I also liked Kidd Video. Still, those amazing guys at BCI (with Ink & Paint DVD) have constructed an wonderful set for the series, collecting all 27 episodes across 5-discs, with audio commentaries, interviews, rare/alternative footage, trivia, and even a “radio-style” performance of a “lost” script which wraps up the series’ cliffhanger ending. If that weren’t enough, geeks will love the handbook included with the set, which integrates the animated characters fully into the D&D universe.
Back when Shane MacGowan could still be intelligible, he and The Pogues crafted what many consider to be their masterpiece – If I Should Fall From Grace With God (Rhino, $11.98 SRP). Not only is this new edition complete remastered and loaded a half-dozen bonus tracks, but it contains one of the most amazing, poignant, and powerful holiday tunes ever penned – MacGowan dueting with the late Kirsty McColl on “Fairytale of New York.”
I can think of no harder to intellectual task than trying to explain a joke, and comedian Jimmy Carr and Lucy Greaves have tackled an even more formidable task in Only Joking: What’s So Funny About Making People Laugh? (Gotham Books, $23.00) – namely, why do we laugh at jokes? Are they universal to everyone? Are there gender-specific jokes that leave the opposite gender with nary a chuckle? Do jokes span cultures and ethnicities? What spurs the laugh reflex, and why is it so closely associated with fear and tension? Far from being a dry discourse, the book is quite a funny exploration that will certainly spur some thought… and, seeing as how it’s also packed with dozens of jokes from dozens of comedians, it may just leave a smile on your face, as well.
Before we move on, I’d also recommend you pick up a pair of Region 2 releases featuring Mr. Carr, beginning with a 2-disc collection of his stand-up DVDs, Jimmy Car: Live (Channel 4, Not Rated, DVD-£22.99) and the first uncensored highlights collection of the panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats appropriately subtitled Claws Out (Channel 4, Not Rated, £19.99). It’s a shame that the extent of Carr’s penetration into the US market is Comedy Central’s import of the Carr’s UK gameshow Distraction, because the man is freakin’ hilarious.
If I were to come up for the best metaphor to describe what reading Neil Gaiman’s Sandman was like – as I sat down with the very first trade paperback, long after a vast fanbase had taken it to heart during its initial run – I’d call it a literary Chinese finger trap. What seemed at first like a rather simple act of reading a piece of graphic fiction quickly ensnared me – so much so that I lost an entire evening trying to extract myself from the fantastic world Gaiman and a bevy of top-notch illustrators had created, only finding freedom after having read the entire run in one sitting. I’m usually not a fan of “double-dipping,” whereby a company will get me to buy another copy of something I already own by dangling the prospect of bonus materials or better quality, but there is no doubt in my mind, after heaving held and lovingly paged through it, that the first volume of The Absolute Sandman (Vertigo, $99.00 SRP) more than lives up to its title as the definitive collection of Gaiman’s epic. The premiere volume (of an eventual four) features the first 20 issues completely restored and recolored, bound in a beautifully slipcased hardcover edition. In addition to a new introduction by DC publisher Paul Levitz and an afterword by Gaiman, the volume also contains the full script to the award-winning “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” as well as Charles Vess’s original pencils. I can’t recommend this highly enough.
It has now become a welcome holiday tradition that as the year comes to a close, you can hunker down during cold winter nights watching classic cartoons with the latest Looney Tunes Golden Collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$64.98 SRP). As with previous sets, Volume 4 features 4 discs full of fully restored and remastered gems starring Bugs, Daffy, Porky & pals, with a dazzling array of bonus materials – including commentaries, documentaries, featurettes, and more – providing welcome icing on the already filling holiday cake. Those just wanting a featureless sampler of the cartoons themselves at a reduced price can pick up the fourth volume of the Looney Tunes Spotlight Collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP). Also available for the holidays is a brand-new Looney Tunes holiday film, Bah Humduck! (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), which recasts Dickens’ Christmas Carol with Daffy fulfilling the Scrooge role as the proprietor of the Lucky Duck megamart and Porky as his long-suffering manager.
Of course, the grand poobah of this here site also has a pair of DVD releases worth picking up for the holidays – and I’m not just saying that because he pays my bills. Long before I came to run Quick Stop Entertainment, I was a fan of Kevin Smith – in fact, I attended the Wilmington, NC stop of his college tour that eventually became An Evening With Kevin Smith. As a monologist, Smith is a crackling, visceral, very funny guy – in fact, in terms of delivery and timing, he ranks with the best. I don’t know how to define what “it” is, but he’s got the chops to carry an audience through an anecdote like nobody’s business – which is why I dug his second stand-up set, An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$28.96 SRP). The 2-disc set features gigs in both Toronto and London, as well as behind-the-scenes featurettes (in particular, the one starring Jason Mewes is a keeper). You will never view Dora The Explorer in the same way ever again.
But before he was a master of one-man performance, Mr. Smith was a filmmaker – starting with a little film called Clerks. A little over a decade later, he returns to familiar territory – and beloved characters – with Clerks 2 (Weinstein Company/Genius, Rated R, DVD-$29.95 SRP), which finds Dante & Randal bereft of the Quick Stop and working at a Mooby’s under the managerial eye of a comely lass named Becky (played with a twinkle and sly grin by Rosario Dawson). It also finds our two heroes at a crossroads in their lives, attempting to determine exactly what their lives should be as the leave their 20’s further and further behind. Going in, I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of the film – Clerks was such an icon of its era, and to revisit it seemed almost sacrilege. Thankfully, awkward moments were spared, as I thought Kevin managed to make a film that combined the raunchy, witty, character-driven fun of the early View Askew flicks with the maturity he brought to the severely underrated Jersey Girl (yes, I liked it… a lot). As with previous View Askew DVD releases, this 2-disc set is literally packed to the brim, including 2 audio commentaries, deleted scenes, an impressively in-depth feature-length making-of documentary (Back To The Well: Clerks II), bloopers, and 10 of the “Train Wreck” online diaries.
Keeping it in the family, add Jeff Anderson’s directorial debut Now You Know (Weinstein Company/Genius, Rated R, DVD-$19.95 SRP) to your shopping list. Anderson also wrote this comedic tale of a young man (Jeremy Sisto) who returns to his Jersey hometown after his fiancée cancels their engagement, and hangs out with his lawnmowing slacker buddies (played by Anderson and Trevor Fehrman). Is it a slacker paradise, or should he try and right his torpedoed nuptials?… and is she even still available? Bonus features include an audio commentary, a Q&A, and an intro to the film from Anderson and some guy named Kevin).
Erik the Viking (Arrow Films, Not Rated, DVD-£15.99 SRP) is one of the “lost” post-Python films, overlooked by many in favor of more well known efforts from the likes of Cleese (A Fish Called Wanda) and Gilliam (Brazil). Still, I find writer/director Terry Jones’s tale of a Viking with a conscience (Tim Robbins) to be an enjoyably fun flick, with many of the whimsical and visual qualities that have marked much of Jones’s style. Unfortunately, the original cut of the film was somewhat rushed, and Jones has never been happy with the theatrical version – which means, in this modern DVD age, he’s been given the chance to go back and tweak it for a new 2-disc special edition… well, actually, his son Bill Jones has done the tweaking, producing the “Director’s Son’s Cut” of Erik the Viking. While the US edition is MIA with no release in sight, Arrow Films in the UK has put together a beautiful special edition featuring both cuts of the film, audio commentary with Terry Jones, and interview with Terry and his son Bill, a making-of featurette, extended cast interviews, and a photo gallery.
I’m a huge space nut, and nothing has disheartened me more than the seeming loss of awe and wonder for space travel in kids today. Of course, granted, I was a member of the Young Astronauts as a kid, and haven’t lost that excitement when learning about space. One of the most enjoyable, informative books to cross my desk is Kids To Space: A Space Traveler’s Guide (Apogee Books, $29.95 SRP). It’s truly amazing – basically, it’s a collection of hundreds of questions about space, space travel, and space science posed by America’s school children and answered by astronomers, physicians, astronauts, educators, engineers and scientists. If you’ve ever wondered things like what’s a black hole and how soon we’ll be able to go to Mars (and what we’ll eat and drink there) – the answers can be found within. Not only great for getting kids interested in space, this book is also an amazing resource for writers. Apogee books has an amazing collection of space-related releases, including Go For Launch: An Illustrated History of Cape Canaveral, Sex In Space, and Dr. Werner von Braun’s never-before-printed science fiction Project Mars: A Technical Tale.
Mezco has taken the South Park toy license – one which was has been horribly misused by other companies in the past – and have been putting out a consistently great line-up of figures over the past year, featuring some very nice sculpts and welcome characters. While all are worth picking up (although you’ll probably have to resort to eBay for older waves, due to the popularity of the figures), you’ll find a pic of one of the most recent waves below – featuring Jesus, Butters, Mr. Mackey, Timmy, Frozen Kenny, and Policeman Cartman (Mezco, approx. $12.99 each, depending on the retailer). Notice how accessory-heavy they are, and rejoice that not only does Timmy come with the time-travel machinery for the back of his wheelchair, but Jesus has pitchers of both water and wine.
Let that not be your only South Park gift this holiday season, however, as you’d have to have a heart of stone and a bear trap wallet to pass up the 6″ talking Cartman (Mezco, $24.00). With a dozen catchphrases from the show – all rude and wonderful (including “Screw you guys – I’m going home,” “Kick ass,” “You guys are hella stupid,” and more) – it’s sure to brighten any fan’s desk. In the pic, you’ll see just how much larger it is than the regular Cartman figure.
Jerry Seinfeld cites it as the primary influence for his own show, and anyone who views The Abbott and Costello Show (Passport Video, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP each) will clearly see the precedent it established for a comedy set in New York City and almost entirely about unique characters and everyday events, rather than your typical sitcom fare. It was also anchored by an amazing comedy duo who managed to reinvent themselves for the small screen without falling into the trap of other comedians making the transition, who seemed to believe they were back on a vaudeville stage rather than pioneers on a brand new medium. I can’t recommend the two 5-disc sets comprising the complete 2-season run of the show highly enough, which also feature Lou Costello’s rare home movies, interviews with the duo’s children, the complete “Who’s On First?” routine, and the DVD premiere of the Abbott & Costello short film 10,000 Kids and a Cop.
I have immense respect for any cartoonist who can make a career out of single panel gags – particularly if they’re consistently funny. Long before Gary Larson made The Far Side into a prime example of this in the 80’s, Hank Ketcham’s Dennis The Menace was king of the single panels on the daily comics page. Not content with just their amazing Complete Peanuts line, Fantagraphics has also been releasing Hank Ketcham’s Complete Dennis The Menace (Fantagraphics, $24.95 SRP), the third volume of which is now available, covering the period from 1955 to 1956.
Many of you out there may have fond memories of the small, square, single-color Peanuts books in the “Happiness is…” series, which began with the legendary Happiness Is A Warm Puppy and included titles like Happiness Is A Sad Song, Security Is A Thumb And A Blanket, and Home Is On Top Of A Dog House. The entire series, full of Peanuts philosophy and art, are being re-released (Sterling, $5.995 SRP each) and make the perfect stocking stuffer.
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Parody, as an art, is incredibly difficult. But you know that. I know that. Everyone knows that. Kaspar Hauser, in their aneurysm-inducingly funny parody of those already ludicrous in-flight catalogs, SkyMaul: Happy Crap You Can Buy From A Plane (St. Martin’s, $14.95 SRP), have managed to pull off a parody that builds on the inherent comedy and makes the humor transcendent. Which is all just a way to say that ads for products like Reality-Canceling Headphones, Crack Pipe Chess Sets, Llamacycles, and other absurdist offerings are very, very funny.
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Watching the dozen episodes that comprise the second season of Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$26.99 SRP), I’m baffled as to why the show isn’t still running to this day. Katz and the gaggle of comics that populated his couch seeking therapy (including Ray Romano, Kevin Meaney, Joy Behar, Emo Phillips, Janeane Garafalo, Garry Shandling, Steven Wright, Joy Behar, and more) produced comedy that remains timeless – and the interaction between the good doctor and his aimless son Ben (H. Jon Benjamin) manages to top even that. In addition to a pair of audio commentaries, the bonus features bear out my theory that the show could easily return with a trio of audio “follow-up calls” between Katz and Wright, Phillips, and Behar. Until Comedy Central recommissions the show, snap up this set and the previously available first season.
I hate double and triple dipping on titles, but the newly remastered films comprising the James Bond: Ultimate Edition (Fox, Rated PG/PG-13, DVD-$89.98 SRP each) look so incredible compared to the previous releases that the upgrade doesn’t feel nearly as bad as it could. These films have never – ever – looked better. The 20 films are spread across four 5-disc box sets, and each flick gets a 2-disc edition containing not only the bonus features from the previous releases, but newly-produced commentaries and featurettes as well. Snag the lot of them for yourself, or make sure someone special gets them under the tree this year.
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I love it when a collectible pushes all of my nostalgia buttons, and that’s certainly the case with Dark Horse’s beautifully sculpted 6″ vinyl Underdog figure ($17.99). How can you possibly look at that and not want one? You can put it on your desk, right next to the talking Cartman figure.
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No game show feels more gloriously representative of its era than Match Game, hosted by odd uncle-type Gene Rayburn. The game was almost irrelevant compared to the swinging era banter – and occasional cattiness – of the 6 “celebrities” comprising the show’s all-star panel that would fill in the “blanks” on phrases like “When Lola walked into the prom, everyone was amazed. You see, not only was her prom dress strapless, it was also BLANK-less.” Those celebrities included the likes of Jack Klugman, William Shatner, Vicki Lawrence, Fannie Flagg, Charles Nelson Reilly, and the devilish Richard Dawson. The 4-disc Best of Match Game (BCI, Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP) contains a selection of 30 episodes (including one featuring Kirstie Allie as a contestant), plus a tribute to Gene Rayburn, the original 1962 pilot, a retrospective look at the best moments with Brett Somers, and an interview with Somers.
While collections have been available in the past, Fantagraphics has pulled out all the stops on the new chronological collection of E.C. Segar’s Popeye (Fantagraphics, $29.95 SRP). Also known as Thimble Theater, Volume 1: “I Yam What I Yam” begins its collection in 1929 (Thimble Theater began in 1919) with the introduction of a sailor named Popeye into Segar’s eccentric strip full of oddball characters. As lovingly constructed as Fantagraphics equally must-have Complete Peanuts, the first volume covers 1928-1930, featuring dailies as well as color Sundays. Hopefully, next Christmas will bring a complete Pogo collection…
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Based on the success of the first volume, fans of The Electric Company (Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) can get quite the stocking stuffer for themselves (or the children in their life) full of old school instruction starring Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno and Spider-Man with the second volume collecting even more episodes from across the series’ long, lauded run. The 4-disc set contains 20 more episodes, plus a retrospective featurette, new episode intros, trivia, and a Dick Cavett Show segment with Bill Cosby. And while you’re at it, if you haven’t already, why don’t you pick up the first volume, as well? Maybe that will speed the release of the next set…
Ah, but your holiday viewing is still not over! You absolutely must get The Original Television Christmas Classics box set (Classic Media, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), featuring Rankin-Bass’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, The Little Drummer Boy, Frosty Returns, and Cricket On The Hearth.
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I have a theory that every property eventually gets a decent action figure line, even if they’ve had numerous dud licensees in the past. Case in point are the wonderful Looney Tunes figures coming out of DC Direct (approx. $12.99), which finally give these characters the respect and attention they deserve. They’re being released as 2 pairs of complimentary figures from a specific film – for example, Series 1 featured Bugs and Elmer in full regalia from Chuck Jones’ “What’s Opera, Doc?” and Sylvester and Daffy in the swordfighting scene from Jones’ “The Scarlet Pumpernickel.” Pictured below is Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner from “Scrambled Aches.” Hopefully, a future wave will give us Robin Hood Daffy and that laughing porcine Friar Tuck.
For the true cineaste on your holiday shopping list, how about the limited collector’s edition of Cinema Paradiso (Miramax/Genius, Rated R, DVD-$39.99 SRP)? The set includes the 2-disc special edition of the film – which includes both the U.S. theatrical cut and the original director’s cut, an audio commentary, 2 new documentaries, and trailers – a CD of Ennio Morricone’s soundtrack, and one sheet & lobby card reproductions.
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If you have any History Channel junkies on your shopping list (I count myself in that addicted number), then you should probably pick them up the massive 10-disc History Channel Ultimate Collections: World War II (History Channel, Not Rated, DVD-$59.95 SRP). The set collects 30 of the Channel’s documentaries covering both the war in Europe and the war in the Pacific into one comprehensive (and large) compendium packed with archival footage, interviews, plenty of context, and more. If that weren’t enough, the set also features documentaries from the History Channel’s “blunders” series – Battle of the Bulge, A Bridge Too Far, The Bomb Plot To Kill Hitler, and The Scattering of Convoy PQ17.
By all means, you can have your Darrell Hammond and Jimmy Fallon “Best Of” collections, but the Saturday Night Life: The Best Of… collections I was really looking forward to was for Robert Smigel’s Saturday TV Funhouse (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). In addition to the original special that aired a few months back (which featured some truncated cartoons), the DVD features additional Funhouse pieces, including uncut versions of those edited for the broadcast. Best of all, though, is the collection of audio commentaries on the set – featuring Smigel, Mr. T, Al Franken, James Carville, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Bryant Gumble, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and more. Truly priceless, and truly funny. I demand a second volume posthaste.
Where most would opt to simply record a Christmas album, Elton John decided to collect together his favorite holiday tunes into Elton John’s Christmas Party (HEAR Music, $15.98 SRP), featuring 21 tracks from the likes of The Pretenders, The Band, John Mayer, Jimmy Buffett, Otis Redding, Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, Rufus Wainwright, The Ronnettes, The Flaming Lips, and more.
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Director Robert Zemeckis employs a lush all-CG canvas to bring the visual splendor of Chris Van Allsburg’s Polar Express (Warner Bros., Rated G, $26.98 SRP) to life, taking Tom Hanks along to play 5 different roles in the film – most important being the conductor of the magical train that carries a doubting child to the North Pole for a face-to-face with Jolly St. Nick. Unfortunately, that lush imagery doesn’t survive the translation to moving pictures, with much of the animation in the character’s faces being more akin to a zombie flick than a holiday perennial. The 2-disc set features behind-the-scenes featurettes, a nice mini-doc on Chris Van Allsburg, a deleted song, and more.
Although it’s no longer all over the television dial like it used to be when I was a kid, not a year goes by when I don’t take the time to watch It’s A Wonderful Life (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP) during the holiday season. The special edition features a beautifully restored print (a far cry from the grainy, scratched prints of my youth), a making-of documentary, a tribute to Frank Capra, and the original theatrical trailer.
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Speaking of must-have holiday films, you can now snag a 2-disc set featuring both the original black & white and colorized versions of Miracle on 34th Street (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). Disregard the colorized version, but definitely watch the fully restored black & white original, with commentary from star Muareen O’Hara, Fox Movietone News footage, AMC Backstory, a promotional short, a featurette on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, and a TV version of Miracle.
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Of those that have released new holiday albums this year, one that has been getting the most spin in my player has been James Taylor At Christmas (Columbia, $18.98 SRP), which finds the singer/songwriter putting a wonderful spin on seasonal chestnuts like “Winter Wonderland” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” as well as treats like Joni Mitchell’s “River.” It’s definitely a “warm and fuzzy sitting by the fireside and sipping a mug of hot cocoa” kind of holiday album.
Obsessive people always make the best documentary subjects, and such is the case of those featured in Wordplay (IFC, Rated PG, DVD-$24.95 SRP), which focuses on Will Shortz – the puzzle editor at The New York Times – and the people who create and obsess over the puzzles that run in that esteemed daily. The film features testimonies from famous faces who are obsessed with his puzzles, including Jon Stewart, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Ken Burns, the Indigo Girls – just a few of the estimated 50 million other Americans who enjoy the crossword of champions. Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, an interview gallery, featurettes, 5 “unforgettable” puzzles, and more.
Those of you in a charitable mood – who share that attitude with a love of British comedy – should pick up the Region 0 PAL release of The Secret Policeman’s Ball: The Complete Edition (ILC, Not Rated, £24.99). For those of you unfamiliar with the series of concerts over about a 10-year span, they were a collection of comedy and pop acts – including the likes of the Pythons, Neil Innes, Peter Cook, Eric Clapton, Rowan Atkinson, Sting, and dozens more – that banded together to raise money for Amnesty International. This 5-disc box-set collects the lot of them, along with the retrospective documentary “Remember The Secret Policeman’s Ball.” Not only is this a collection of legendary British comedy, but 10% of each sale goes to Amnesty International.
During its initial run, I always heard great things about Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$299.98 SRP) – whose snappy patter chronicled the trials and tribulations of the fictional Bartlett administration of the United states. As portrayed by Martin Sheen, imagine a cross between Kennedy and Clinton and you have a pretty good idea of the liberal ethos on display. Despite avoiding getting swept up during its seven season run, it wasn’t until the complete collection box set arrived that I decided to take the plunge – mainlining the entire run. No small feat, I assure you. As with Sorkin’s work in the past, it teeters between sublimely brilliant and pompously self-important, but I found myself riveted overall, and eagerly anticipating who would succeed Bartlett at the end of the seventh – and final – season (and actually wishing for a different outcome than the one we got). The 45 discs comprising the set are exactly the same as those found in the individual season releases – featuring audio commentaries, deleted scenes, featurettes, and gag reels – but new to the set (besides the handsome, sturdy case emblazoned with the presidential insignia) is the pilot script, with an introduction from Sorkin, as well as an episode guide. If you haven’t begun picking up the series on DVD yet, this is definitely the way to go.
So there you have it… our humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this holiday season. Hope you make it out alive…
Some people hang the holly, others decorate the tree, and a few even terrorize the neighborhood with off-key caroling.
Not us.
Here at Quick Stop Entertainment, we’re celebrating the holiday season by giving a little something back to you, our readers (you know who you are).
Every weekday leading up to the holiday break, we’ve got uber-exclusive gifts provided by a whole range of artists, actors, comedians, and studios. One a day, straight from them to you.
Ain’t that cool?
Today we’ve got an exclusive holiday tune from Neil Innes.
It was during the Jurassic period (the late ’60s) that Neil was a member of the legendary Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, madcap purveyors of esoteric music (Who else would revive music hall standards in the age of rock? They did it, and it worked!). Their biggest hit was the deceptively poignant “I’m the Urban Spaceman” (While the credited producer on that track was one “Apollo C. Vermouth,” he’s better known as Paul McCartney”¦ Sir Paul McCartney, these days).
While firmly ensconced within the Bonzos, Neil first became acquainted (and vice-versa) with Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones while working on Do Not Adjust Your Set, a children’s show whose viewers tended to skew a bit older than the intended audience. Eric, Mike, and the two Terrys went on to form Monty Python with Graham Chapman and John Cleese, and The Pythons called on Neil’s musical skills numerous times over the years, particularly when producing their best-selling albums. When John Cleese decided to move on to greener pastures prior to Python’s fourth series, Neil stepped into the void as a contributing writer and performer. Neil was also tapped for Monty Python & the Holy Grail, contributing music and a memorable performance as the annoyingly truthful minstrel of Eric Idle’s cowardly Sir Robin. Not willing to let him get away just yet, Neil was brought in again for their follow-up film, The Life of Brian (wherein he outruns certain death during the colosseum debate scene).
Even while working with the Pythons, Neil continued his solo career, and it was during this period that he produced one of his most memorable compositions, the haunting (and perpetually relevant) “How Sweet To Be An Idiot.” His BBC program, Innes Book of Records, ran for 3 series and featured 90 original tunes. From torch song and ballad to rock and parody, the show featured an exceedingly wide range of styles.
It was during the latter-half of the ’70s, however, that Neil produced his most enduring work. While collaborating with Eric Idle on the post-Python TV series Rutland Weekend Television, the two devised a brief Hard Day’s Night parody with Idle portraying a boring filmmaker (so boring the camera ran from him) and Innes providing the Beatles-esque “I Must Be in Love.” During his next hosting gig on Saturday Night Live, Idle unleashed the short film on the American public. That led to SNL‘s Lorne Michaels producing a mockumentary of the mock-band, named The Rutles, for NBC. All You Need Is Cash aired on March 22, 1978, starring Eric and Neil as one half of the “Pre-Fab Four” and featuring songs by Innes. In 1996, Innes reunited with Rutles bandmates John Halsey and Ricki Fataar to release The Rutles: Archeology, which sported 16 brand new tracks “discovered in the vaults,” a la The Beatles Anthology.
Neil continues to write and perform, and has recently released his latest solo album, Works in Progress (which you can learn more about at neilinnes.org or order here). He’s toured the UK with a reunited Bonzo Dog Band, and is about to launch an experimental podcast called “Radio Noir” on his official website, EgoWarriors.com
In fact, Neil sent us over an exclusive preview of “Radio Noir,” which also contains his holiday tune “Tinsel & String,” just for all of you Quick Stoppers…
Download Neil Innes’ “Radio Noir – Tinsel & String“:
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Check out the rest of this year’s “Holiday Havoc” HERE
All good things eventually come to an end, as they say, and so did Alias, in a somewhat shorted fifth season, bid farewell to its fans, both legion and seasonally confused. The boxed set of Season 5 is now available (it hit the street on November 21, 2006, for $39.95), and it also comes as part of a complete series box set which features supplementary material not available elsewhere.
To answer the question of what went wrong with Alias you have to first affirm what was right about it. It’s initial season was exciting and sexy, with a slightly boggling but intriguing multi-layer premise (Sydney Bristol as a spy within a spy). The second season was more of the same, but resolved a number of situations, and destroyed the secret evil organization with the CIA, SD-6, only to do something surely unique in episodic television: create a season ender that leaps two whole years into the future ( Battlestar Galactica did something similar at the end of its previous season). This was a prelude to a third season in which creator J. J. Abrams was suppose to solve all the “problems” of the show, which were essentially issues of repetitiveness, water treading, the sluggishness of the Rambaldi stuff, and too much confusion: no one could just “drop in” on Alias, and in that regard it more resembled an HBO show than a regular prime time network program. Season three imposed more impediments between Sydney and her former control, Michael Vaughn, i.e., he got married to someone else, who proved to be an undercover agent (replicating a situation that happened to Sydney’s dad), while she becomes an agent for a conventional CIA, battling The Covenant.
Then, like many TV shows, Alias, after making many, many changes and introducing and then disposing of numerous characters while taking many new and different directions, ended up right where it began, with Sydney working for a covert division within the CIA led by the vile Arvin Sloan, who had killed someone close to practically everyone who now worked for him again. THough few people are actually killed in Alias; they usually manage to come back somehow, including Michael, who we see at the end of season four getting smashed by a truck.
Character-adding got out of control, and so in the middle of season five, while Sydney and the team were pursuing Project 5, ABC pulled the plug. The show took a hiatus in winter, and came back to wrap up all its story threads in a 19-episode season. This amounted to clearing up tangled messes caused by some of the new characters and finding a deeply satisfying “demise” for arch villain Sloan. In a coda, one reminiscent of Kill Bill, the show jumps into the future yet again, and catches up with a final quartet of characters.
You can actually track the rise and fall of the show through its credit sequence, one of the most popular in TV history. Alias has one of those theme tunes that make you want to leap up and dance to it (like the one at both the beginning and end of MST3K). The first credit sequence was a triumph of catchy yet ominous music and graphic design. Magically it embodied the sharpness of the show. But with the fourth season Alias offered up a truncated theme song and added images of Jennifer Garner in a succession of her trademark costume changes and disguises. It’s true that Garner is the heart of her show (it must be disconcerting for male actors to work across from someone who has better bone structure than they do), but this addition seemed both pandering and soulless. The final season had a credit sequence that tried to squeeze in images of all the cast with even more dubious results.
Still there are many pleasures to be hand in the final season, mostly to do with Sydney and her relationship with her father. And the Rambaldi material is finally wrapped up (which isn’t to say that it is cleared up).
Buena Vista Home Entertainment does its usual job with the season, offering up the shows in excellent transfers (in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen) that look better than the TV broadcasts and great sound.
Supplements are relatively modest, but for a reason we’ll get to in a second. There are four commentaries, over the episodes “Prophet Five” (with director Ken Olin, Producer Jeff Pinker and Sydney’s dad, Victor Garber), “Bob” (with writers Monica Breen and Alison Schnapker and cast members David Anders and newcomer Rachel Nichols), “The Horizon” (writers Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec, along with the episode’s director Tucker Gates), and “There’s Only One Sydney Bristow” (in a novelty yak track featuring the Alias set’s production assistants).
The fourth disc has the bulk of the video supplements. They kick off with “Behind the Scenes at the 100th Episode, which shows making of bits plus footage at the cast and crew “birthday” party. This is followed by “The Legend of Rambaldi,” which starts out as a parody of a History Channel segment before devolving into video interviews with cast and crew about their favorite Rambaldi artifacts. “The New Recruit: On Set With Rachel Nichols” interviews the young actress, while “Heightening the Drama: The Music of Alias,” profiles composer Michael Giacchino. Finally, there is a bloopers reel. All of these segments last about seven to 10 minutes.Those Alias fanatics who made the mistake of buying the season sets as they came must be kicking themselves a the advent of the complete season box set. It’s notable for a single disc of extras called “Endgame.” Among its unique featurettes are “Case Closed: A Look Back at Five Years of Alias,” “Alias Time Capsule: The Pilot Interviews,” “Forty-Seven,” “Axis of Evil,” some deleted scenes, a cover gallery for Alias Magazine, and a small hardcover book about the show’s mythology. Naturally, this disc (which I haven’t seen, only read about) comes only with the boxed set.
Here are today’s top entertainment headlines:
Comedy Central is set to air a new satirical cartoon named Lil’ Bush. The cartoon will follow a younger version of Bush and some of his friends as they make their way through elementary school. To keep the show as authentic as possible the show will remain on the air regardless of whether or not the majority of the United States population likes it.That’s all for today’s news, stay tuned to this channel for all the news that matters least but you still care about.
(Compiled by J. Allen)
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