If you want to sneak peek at our cool series, make sure to hit Room 6A at 4:45PM on Friday July 23!
TNT to Invade Comic-Con with FALLING SKIES, Eagerly Anticipated Series from DreamWorks Television And Executive Producer Steven Spielberg, Starring Noah Wyle
The resistance is coming to Comic-Con. TNT is going to give fans the very first look at the eagerly anticipated new series FALLING SKIES, from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg, starring Noah Wyle. The gripping drama series, slated to premiere in summer 2011, envisions a world where aliens have invaded, and the fate of humanity lies in the hands of a few survivors. Series stars Wyle (ER, TNT's The Librarian movies) and Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) will join co-executive producer and writer Mark Verheiden (Heroes, Battlestar Galactica) at Comic-Con for a Q&A panel session scheduled to take place Friday, July 23, from 4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. (PT) in Room 6A. They will also be available for an autograph signing, time and location to be announced.
In FALLING SKIES, Wyle stars as a former college professor who becomes the leader of a group of soldiers and civilians struggling against an occupying alien force. Bloodgood co-stars as Anne Glass, a therapist who works with the surviving children to help them cope with the traumatic situation. The series also stars Drew Roy (Lincoln Heights) as Hal and Maxim Knight (Brothers & Sisters) as Matt, Tom's two sons; and Seychelle Gabriel (Weeds) as Lourdes, an orphaned teenager who helps run the group's commissary. Will Patton (Armageddon, TNT's Into the West) plays a fierce leader of the resistance.
FALLING SKIES is executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, along with DreamWorks Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank and screenwriter Robert Rodat. Rodat, who earned an Oscar nomination for his screenplay for Saving Private Ryan, wrote the pilot from an idea he co-conceived with Spielberg. Verheiden and Greg Beeman (Heroes, Smallville) are co-executive producers. The pilot was directed by Carl Franklin (One False Move, Out of Time).
TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama. Seen in 99.6 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; and Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott; the upcoming Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula; and Southland, from Emmy-winning producer John Wells (ER). TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and Numb3rs; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. The NCAA men's basketball tournament will appear on TNT beginning in 2011. TNT is available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
My Name Is Bruce - Still Gettin' The Love
I haven't linked to any new reviews in awhile, but came across this TV Guide comment and decided it was time to share.
MONEY QUOTE: Few movies possess enough sheer goofball power to make Army of Darkness look like a chamber drama, and though Bruce Campbell's ultra-meta sophomore directorial effort, My Name Is Bruce, may not go quite that far over the top in delivering the kind of slapstick mayhem that's made Campbell one of cult fandom's hottest commodities, it comes damn close. Fast-paced, ridiculously self-deprecating, and fueled by a manic energy that's so outlandish it washes over the viewer with the giddiness of a B-movie fever dream, it's an enormous step up from Campbell's disappointing directorial debut, The Man with the Screaming Brain. Likewise, it's sure to satisfy Evil Dead fans due to the fact that it's essentially a scaled-down, contemporary working of the Army of Darkness model (cocky jackass defends the frightened locals from an invading supernatural force) and that the alternate-universe-Campbell presented here is, for all intents and purposes, an Ash-ified version of his own bad self.
See, idiot me, I thought Army Of Darkness WAS a chamber drama! For all the rest, go to:
http://movies.tvguide.com/bruce/review/295940
MONEY QUOTE: Few movies possess enough sheer goofball power to make Army of Darkness look like a chamber drama, and though Bruce Campbell's ultra-meta sophomore directorial effort, My Name Is Bruce, may not go quite that far over the top in delivering the kind of slapstick mayhem that's made Campbell one of cult fandom's hottest commodities, it comes damn close. Fast-paced, ridiculously self-deprecating, and fueled by a manic energy that's so outlandish it washes over the viewer with the giddiness of a B-movie fever dream, it's an enormous step up from Campbell's disappointing directorial debut, The Man with the Screaming Brain. Likewise, it's sure to satisfy Evil Dead fans due to the fact that it's essentially a scaled-down, contemporary working of the Army of Darkness model (cocky jackass defends the frightened locals from an invading supernatural force) and that the alternate-universe-Campbell presented here is, for all intents and purposes, an Ash-ified version of his own bad self.
See, idiot me, I thought Army Of Darkness WAS a chamber drama! For all the rest, go to:
http://movies.tvguide.com/bruce/review/295940
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Battlestar Galactica: The Museum Has A Plan
So this is pretty cool. BSG the traveling exhibition hits Seattle later this year. I was lucky enough to work around the incredible space-ship mock-ups and sets so I can attest, they really are as cool in person as they appeared on TV. Cooler, actually.
Hat-tip to Galactica Sitrep for the heads up, here's the info straight from the museum site:
Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition World Premiere Weekend: Oct. 22-24, 2010 at Seattle’s EMP|SFM
New traveling exhibition to feature three full-size spaceships, costumes and props from the original and reimagined series
SEATTLE—Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum (EMP|SFM) is proud to announce its latest exhibition, Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition. Organized by EMP|SFM and in partnership with Universal Cable Productions and Syfy, Battlestar Galactica features three stunning, full-size prop spaceships, iconic costumes, new exhibition films, music and other props from the original and reimagined series. Battlestar Galactica opens to the public Oct. 23, 2010 and runs through March 4, 2012 at EMP|SFM in Seattle.
“The museum is honored to be organizing the first exhibition devoted to both series,” said Brooks Peck, Curator of Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition. “Battlestar Galactica is one of those rare science fiction shows that appeals to a wide range of people because it combines high adventure with very personal drama. It explores what it means to be human, and has a lot of fun doing so.”
Opening weekend (Oct. 22-24, 2010) will include museum member and public events with some of Battlestar Galactica’s most popularpersonalities.
"Over its four season run on Syfy, Battlestar Galactica became an iconic series that not only entertained, but fulfilled the promise of all great science fiction. It provoked us into examining our world and ourselves through its politically-charged, socially-relevant, religious and technological themes," said Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Original Programming, Syfy, and Co-head, Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. "It is an honor for us to partner with EMP|SFM in this one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience BSG in an up-close and personal way."
The exhibition will be presented in the Milestones Gallery on EMP’s third level. Battlestar Galactica will become a traveling exhibition in 2012 after its premiere at EMP|SFM.
About Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition:
Battlestar Galactica is an epic drama of interstellar proportions. The last vestiges of humanity flee a cybernetic Cylon horde, traversing the stars in search of the fabled promised land of Earth. The setting of Battlestar Galactica may be rife with spaceships and inhuman adversaries, but ultimately the show is a complex narrative about how we attempt to retain our humanity under desperate circumstances. The series acts as a science-fictional lens through which to examine difficult questions that we may encounter in our own lives.
Exhibition sections:
Creation of Battlestar Galactica
Explores the genesis of the two versions of the show (1978 and 2003) and introduces the story and central conflicts.
The Search
Focuses on one of the central elements of the shows, the human quest to find the lost colony of Earth. The Search is also a spiritual one, as the humans seek meaning in a dangerous galaxy and grapple with issues of religion, fate and freedom.
The Ships
Three life-size spacecraft from the later series—two human and one Cylon— are the exhibition show stoppers. Concept art, storyboards, props and films complement the ships.
Humans and Cylons
This section presents the major characters from the shows including: Commander Adama, Starbuck, Boomer, Number Six and the Imperious Leader. Costumes are featured, along with props and concept art.
Exhibition specifics:
* Three full-size (30-feet long) prop spaceships:
o Viper Mark 2
o Viper Mark 7
o Cylon Raider
* Series props featuring:
o 15 costumes
o Dozens of props, concept sketches and storyboards
* Exhibition films
* Interactives:
o Music interactives
o Human/Cylon identity interactive
Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition
Oct. 23, 2010-March 4, 2012
Hat-tip to Galactica Sitrep for the heads up, here's the info straight from the museum site:
Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition World Premiere Weekend: Oct. 22-24, 2010 at Seattle’s EMP|SFM
New traveling exhibition to feature three full-size spaceships, costumes and props from the original and reimagined series
SEATTLE—Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum (EMP|SFM) is proud to announce its latest exhibition, Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition. Organized by EMP|SFM and in partnership with Universal Cable Productions and Syfy, Battlestar Galactica features three stunning, full-size prop spaceships, iconic costumes, new exhibition films, music and other props from the original and reimagined series. Battlestar Galactica opens to the public Oct. 23, 2010 and runs through March 4, 2012 at EMP|SFM in Seattle.
“The museum is honored to be organizing the first exhibition devoted to both series,” said Brooks Peck, Curator of Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition. “Battlestar Galactica is one of those rare science fiction shows that appeals to a wide range of people because it combines high adventure with very personal drama. It explores what it means to be human, and has a lot of fun doing so.”
Opening weekend (Oct. 22-24, 2010) will include museum member and public events with some of Battlestar Galactica’s most popularpersonalities.
"Over its four season run on Syfy, Battlestar Galactica became an iconic series that not only entertained, but fulfilled the promise of all great science fiction. It provoked us into examining our world and ourselves through its politically-charged, socially-relevant, religious and technological themes," said Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Original Programming, Syfy, and Co-head, Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. "It is an honor for us to partner with EMP|SFM in this one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience BSG in an up-close and personal way."
The exhibition will be presented in the Milestones Gallery on EMP’s third level. Battlestar Galactica will become a traveling exhibition in 2012 after its premiere at EMP|SFM.
About Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition:
Battlestar Galactica is an epic drama of interstellar proportions. The last vestiges of humanity flee a cybernetic Cylon horde, traversing the stars in search of the fabled promised land of Earth. The setting of Battlestar Galactica may be rife with spaceships and inhuman adversaries, but ultimately the show is a complex narrative about how we attempt to retain our humanity under desperate circumstances. The series acts as a science-fictional lens through which to examine difficult questions that we may encounter in our own lives.
Exhibition sections:
Creation of Battlestar Galactica
Explores the genesis of the two versions of the show (1978 and 2003) and introduces the story and central conflicts.
The Search
Focuses on one of the central elements of the shows, the human quest to find the lost colony of Earth. The Search is also a spiritual one, as the humans seek meaning in a dangerous galaxy and grapple with issues of religion, fate and freedom.
The Ships
Three life-size spacecraft from the later series—two human and one Cylon— are the exhibition show stoppers. Concept art, storyboards, props and films complement the ships.
Humans and Cylons
This section presents the major characters from the shows including: Commander Adama, Starbuck, Boomer, Number Six and the Imperious Leader. Costumes are featured, along with props and concept art.
Exhibition specifics:
* Three full-size (30-feet long) prop spaceships:
o Viper Mark 2
o Viper Mark 7
o Cylon Raider
* Series props featuring:
o 15 costumes
o Dozens of props, concept sketches and storyboards
* Exhibition films
* Interactives:
o Music interactives
o Human/Cylon identity interactive
Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition
Oct. 23, 2010-March 4, 2012
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
STOP THE PRESSES - Dragnet Edition
I know, you were probably expecting some hint about the Falling Skies TV series, or just wondering which press I'm trying to stop -- but this news is too big to wait. Are you sitting down?
Dragnet 1969 (Season 2) is finally coming out on official DVD! Even better, to my shock and delight, the full color 1954 Dragnet movie has been released in an Amazon-only edition! If you have enjoying Jack Webb's performing and directorial efforts already, you don't need a sales pitch. If you're new to this world, I suggest checking out the Dragnet movie. Hyper-stylized cop action with some of the wildest tough-guy dialogue ever written. Check out these examples lifted from the IMDB.com site:
[Hamilton and Friday read the Dead Body, or DB, Report on Miller Starkey]
Captain James E. Hamilton, Intelligence: Shotgun, extreme close range, double-O. Starkey was hit four times, first two cut him in half.
Sgt. Joe Friday: The second two turned him into a crowd.
[an eyewitness is afraid to testify]
Jesse Quinn: Mr. Friday, I'd like to ask you a question. If you was me, would you do it?
Sgt. Joe Friday: Can I wait awhile?
Jesse Quinn: Huh?
Sgt. Joe Friday: Before I'm you.
Sgt. Joe Friday: [as Troy's friend starts to stand up] Unless you're growin', Sit down!
It doesn't get any better than that! And I haven't even started to touch on the amazing fight scenes!
Dragnet 1969 (Season 2) is finally coming out on official DVD! Even better, to my shock and delight, the full color 1954 Dragnet movie has been released in an Amazon-only edition! If you have enjoying Jack Webb's performing and directorial efforts already, you don't need a sales pitch. If you're new to this world, I suggest checking out the Dragnet movie. Hyper-stylized cop action with some of the wildest tough-guy dialogue ever written. Check out these examples lifted from the IMDB.com site:
[Hamilton and Friday read the Dead Body, or DB, Report on Miller Starkey]
Captain James E. Hamilton, Intelligence: Shotgun, extreme close range, double-O. Starkey was hit four times, first two cut him in half.
Sgt. Joe Friday: The second two turned him into a crowd.
[an eyewitness is afraid to testify]
Jesse Quinn: Mr. Friday, I'd like to ask you a question. If you was me, would you do it?
Sgt. Joe Friday: Can I wait awhile?
Jesse Quinn: Huh?
Sgt. Joe Friday: Before I'm you.
Sgt. Joe Friday: [as Troy's friend starts to stand up] Unless you're growin', Sit down!
It doesn't get any better than that! And I haven't even started to touch on the amazing fight scenes!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Crush On You!
Sometimes writers, when discussing their work, are challenged about a piece that may not have landed quite as they had hoped. More specifically, "hey, how come that TV show/movie/comic book sucked?" Often the misses are chalked up to "reasons beyond our control" or simply "oops", but if there's one thing I've discovered over the years, it is that critical opinion is not monolithic. So while most vocal critical people may hate-hate-HATE something, there's almost always someone who actually liked it. Strike that, there will be folks who just loved it.
If a so-called creative person plugs along long enough, they'll probably wind up with a few ugly step-children, the projects that clearly didn't come together as planned but still have a place in your heart.
Why, even Mr. Bruce Springsteen has a few. I would imagine if he really hated a song from his catalog, he just wouldn't play it. But on his most recent tour he started to play his E-Street albums from top to bottom, and when he did "The River" it was clear that the song "Crush On You" was not one of his favorites. He sarcastically called the song a "hidden masterpiece" from the River, and then proceeded to rip off a killer performance.
Here's the thing. I'm one of the goofball fans who always loved that song. When I saw Springsteen in Portland Or. on the actual River tour in the early 80's, the performance of "Crush On You" was a highpoint. So how do I process it when the man himself disses it as one of his least favorite songs? Why, I write a blog post, of course.
But here, you can make up your own mind. First, of course, every sentient human on Earth should have a copy of the River CD. So, start there. Then, thanks to Google and the amazing YouTube, you can judge an assortment of "Crush On You" performances for yourself!
Here are the lyrics --
My feets were flyin' down the street just the other night
When a Hong Kong special pulled up at the light
What was inside, man, was just c'est magnifique
I wanted to hold the bumper and let her drag me down the street.
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you tonight
Sometimes I spot a little stranger standing 'cross the room
My brain takes a vacation just to give my heart more room
For one kiss, darling I swear everything I would give
Cause you're a walking, talking reason to live
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you tonight
Well now she might be the talk of high society
She's probably got a lousy personality
She might be a heiress to Rockefeller
She might be a waitress or a bank teller
She makes the Venus de Milo look like she's got no style
She makes Sheena of the Jungle look meek and mild
I need a quick shot, Doc, knock me off my feet
Cause I'll be minding my own business walking down the street... watchout !
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you tonight
This site will sell you a "Crush On You" ringtone!
http://www.metrolyrics.com/crush-on-you-lyrics-bruce-springsteen.html
Here's Bruce doing Crush, live from November, 1980 --
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrcky9wOIqQ
And here's an outtake from the River sessions (!)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfJDg6hNXNg&feature=related
If a so-called creative person plugs along long enough, they'll probably wind up with a few ugly step-children, the projects that clearly didn't come together as planned but still have a place in your heart.
Why, even Mr. Bruce Springsteen has a few. I would imagine if he really hated a song from his catalog, he just wouldn't play it. But on his most recent tour he started to play his E-Street albums from top to bottom, and when he did "The River" it was clear that the song "Crush On You" was not one of his favorites. He sarcastically called the song a "hidden masterpiece" from the River, and then proceeded to rip off a killer performance.
Here's the thing. I'm one of the goofball fans who always loved that song. When I saw Springsteen in Portland Or. on the actual River tour in the early 80's, the performance of "Crush On You" was a highpoint. So how do I process it when the man himself disses it as one of his least favorite songs? Why, I write a blog post, of course.
But here, you can make up your own mind. First, of course, every sentient human on Earth should have a copy of the River CD. So, start there. Then, thanks to Google and the amazing YouTube, you can judge an assortment of "Crush On You" performances for yourself!
Here are the lyrics --
My feets were flyin' down the street just the other night
When a Hong Kong special pulled up at the light
What was inside, man, was just c'est magnifique
I wanted to hold the bumper and let her drag me down the street.
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you tonight
Sometimes I spot a little stranger standing 'cross the room
My brain takes a vacation just to give my heart more room
For one kiss, darling I swear everything I would give
Cause you're a walking, talking reason to live
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you tonight
Well now she might be the talk of high society
She's probably got a lousy personality
She might be a heiress to Rockefeller
She might be a waitress or a bank teller
She makes the Venus de Milo look like she's got no style
She makes Sheena of the Jungle look meek and mild
I need a quick shot, Doc, knock me off my feet
Cause I'll be minding my own business walking down the street... watchout !
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you
Ooh, ooh I gotta crush on you tonight
This site will sell you a "Crush On You" ringtone!
http://www.metrolyrics.com/crush-on-you-lyrics-bruce-springsteen.html
Here's Bruce doing Crush, live from November, 1980 --
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrcky9wOIqQ
And here's an outtake from the River sessions (!)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfJDg6hNXNg&feature=related
Friday, June 04, 2010
An Idiotic Thing To Be Annoyed About
So I got a new computer with Windows 7, and with it a new version of computer solitaire. The big difference? This edition has a pop-up that appears when you've exhausted your possibilities, telling you in no uncertain terms that you're toast. In the past you could keep fiddling around with different permutations in frustration until you reached the "end game" on your own, but now? The computer tells you you're a dummy. I will now adopt my little kid voice: "I don't like it!"
Of course the more germane question is, why the hell am I wasting time playing solitaire? That will be answered in another blog installment called "work avoidance is your friend."
Of course the more germane question is, why the hell am I wasting time playing solitaire? That will be answered in another blog installment called "work avoidance is your friend."
Monday, May 31, 2010
What's New...
I've been busy working on "Fallen Skies" and cleaning up files on a new computer system so my blogging regimen has taken a bit of a hit. But all seems to be more or less in order at this point, so there you go...
Incidentally, I thought computers were supposed to be getting smaller, but my new Dell number cruncher has a desktop metal box that reminds me of Colossus The Forbin Project. (Ancient computer reference copyright 2010 by MV, but it's still a good movie!). However, the new machine sure is fast.
A bunch of Blu-Rays have stacked up over the last few weeks. A few notables:
THE ROAD. Feel good movie of the year. I admired the acting and the production design and the serious intent of this movie, but the unrelenting (and rather anecdotal) episodes of grim and gritty finally wore me down. And as much as I enjoy ambiguity, maybe someone someday could explain to me WHY the two travelers had to keep braving danger to reach the coast?
44 INCH CHEST. This probably says more about me than the movie, but after thirty minutes watching a gangster weep and cry over losing his wife to another guy, I gave up on this. I'm sure exciting stuff happens later and I'll probably get back to it, but I just wasn't in the mood...
DAYS OF HEAVEN. One of the most beautiful movies ever made and absolutely gorgeous in blu-ray. This, Kubrick's Barry Lyndon and Ridley Scott's The Duellists are high points of 70's cinematography, an achievement even more impressive considering there was no CGI to augment the images.
BAD LIEUTENANT PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS: I'll watch anything directed by Werner Herzog, and this is no exception. Having enduring some bad back issues myself the last few weeks, Nick Cage absolutely nails the look of chronic sciatica. And I have to admit that I love fever-dream movies that cut away to things like iguanas for no real reason except it's cool.
Incidentally, I thought computers were supposed to be getting smaller, but my new Dell number cruncher has a desktop metal box that reminds me of Colossus The Forbin Project. (Ancient computer reference copyright 2010 by MV, but it's still a good movie!). However, the new machine sure is fast.
A bunch of Blu-Rays have stacked up over the last few weeks. A few notables:
THE ROAD. Feel good movie of the year. I admired the acting and the production design and the serious intent of this movie, but the unrelenting (and rather anecdotal) episodes of grim and gritty finally wore me down. And as much as I enjoy ambiguity, maybe someone someday could explain to me WHY the two travelers had to keep braving danger to reach the coast?
44 INCH CHEST. This probably says more about me than the movie, but after thirty minutes watching a gangster weep and cry over losing his wife to another guy, I gave up on this. I'm sure exciting stuff happens later and I'll probably get back to it, but I just wasn't in the mood...
DAYS OF HEAVEN. One of the most beautiful movies ever made and absolutely gorgeous in blu-ray. This, Kubrick's Barry Lyndon and Ridley Scott's The Duellists are high points of 70's cinematography, an achievement even more impressive considering there was no CGI to augment the images.
BAD LIEUTENANT PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS: I'll watch anything directed by Werner Herzog, and this is no exception. Having enduring some bad back issues myself the last few weeks, Nick Cage absolutely nails the look of chronic sciatica. And I have to admit that I love fever-dream movies that cut away to things like iguanas for no real reason except it's cool.
ComicCon 2010
Can't believe we're coming up on yet another ComicCon. After grumpily considering skipping this year's show, I signed up anyway... and now because of work, I may not make it anyway.
That said, any convention that can generate 135 (!) tips for survival is clearly becoming something more than a casual weekend jaunt. Check out www.comicsreporter.com for the list. And yes, comfy shoes and a game plan do make sense given the congestion at the show...
That said, any convention that can generate 135 (!) tips for survival is clearly becoming something more than a casual weekend jaunt. Check out www.comicsreporter.com for the list. And yes, comfy shoes and a game plan do make sense given the congestion at the show...
Monday, May 17, 2010
Untitled Alien Invasion for TNT!
I guess I can let the cat out of the bag since I'm hard at work, but for what it's worth I've just started my next TV gig, co-executive producer of "Untitled Alien Invasion" for the TNT network. For executive producers Steven Spielberg and Graham Yost, with the pilot written by Robert Rodat. It's a very cool show and I suspect if I say anything more than that I'll be in trouble, so I won't! Suffice to say the "Untitleds" cause lots of trouble...
More details as I'm further along...
More details as I'm further along...
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Less Minimal...
Boy, kick back for a minute and suddenly it's been almost a month between posts. Lots of "stuff" going on but nothing I can discuss quite yet, but there's one project in particular pending that... well, if it happens I'll be sure to mention it here! I've learned never to jinx projects by assuming the deal's done before it's really, really done. So I won't!
Otherwise, the feature projects are more or less in and going through the "process." The process varies depending on the situation, but "Ark" is out to directors and my other, as yet unannounced project HAS a very cool director. I'll be back as THAT develops.
Meanwhile, with Heroes under my belt and the features under control for a moment, I'm actually lolling back for the first time in a few years. Look, blue sky! Flowers! Amazing!!
I'll be reporting on some of the cool stuff I've amassed/heard/seen recently (Tombstone on blu-ray! The Flaming Lips covering Dark Side Of The Moon! Justified the TV series!) as I get back into the blogging groove...
Otherwise, the feature projects are more or less in and going through the "process." The process varies depending on the situation, but "Ark" is out to directors and my other, as yet unannounced project HAS a very cool director. I'll be back as THAT develops.
Meanwhile, with Heroes under my belt and the features under control for a moment, I'm actually lolling back for the first time in a few years. Look, blue sky! Flowers! Amazing!!
I'll be reporting on some of the cool stuff I've amassed/heard/seen recently (Tombstone on blu-ray! The Flaming Lips covering Dark Side Of The Moon! Justified the TV series!) as I get back into the blogging groove...
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Minimal...
Blogging has been minimal the last few weeks because I've been focused on finishing an as-yet unannounced feature project that's very cool and, as with all writing projects, remarkably time-consuming. When I get into hunker-down mode, it's all encompassing. Everybody works differently, but look in the dictionary under "plodder" and there I am... I have to start on page one and just go from there. I've heard of other writers who can ping-pong around a story (and very occasionally, especially on some insane TV deadline, I've done it myself), but for me it's about the A to B to C of it.
One thing I've been struggling with is, well, "logic." As in, real world physics and science and body mechanics versus... not so real world. I loved the Iron Man movie, but I know if I were working on a similar project, I'd be pounding my head trying to justify the "science" of that world. I mean, there is absolutely no reason that Iron Man should be able to fly. The suit is an aerodynamic joke. I'd probably be trying to find some insanely implausible explanation for it, and yet when I saw the movie, I completely accepted that a guy in a cave could monkey-wrench something like that together.
So I spend part of my writing day just trying to get over it. And why not? For cryin' out loud, I spent three years working on Battlestar Galactica, and nobody ever explained the gravity machine that kept everybody glued to the floor in weightless outer space!
One thing I've been struggling with is, well, "logic." As in, real world physics and science and body mechanics versus... not so real world. I loved the Iron Man movie, but I know if I were working on a similar project, I'd be pounding my head trying to justify the "science" of that world. I mean, there is absolutely no reason that Iron Man should be able to fly. The suit is an aerodynamic joke. I'd probably be trying to find some insanely implausible explanation for it, and yet when I saw the movie, I completely accepted that a guy in a cave could monkey-wrench something like that together.
So I spend part of my writing day just trying to get over it. And why not? For cryin' out loud, I spent three years working on Battlestar Galactica, and nobody ever explained the gravity machine that kept everybody glued to the floor in weightless outer space!
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Movie Fun!
Here's a few of the interesting movies I've "enjoyed" the last few weeks (enjoyed in quotes because I'm not sure the word applies to a couple of these epics)...
Like, for instance, The Horseman, an Australian revenge movie that's been getting some attention for its unrelenting tone. Well, there is that! Basically an updated (and infinitely cheaper) version of the George C. Scott movie Hardcore, Horseman follows the single-minded quest of a bereaved father who wants to know how his daughter wound up in a porno movie and then O.D.'ed on heroin. A pest exterminator by day, "Dad" gets pretty wound up when he finds the folks responsible and employs the tools of his trade to cadge out information. Suffice to say this involves fish-hooks, bicycle pumps, propane torches, hammers and other tools applied to some rather delicate areas of the anatomy. It's actually fairly well done, but I'm not sure if that's a compliment or a reason to avoid...
On a completely different note, Criterion's just released a blu-ray of Bigger Than Life, a Nicholas Ray "slice of life" film from 1956 starring James Mason. Mason plays a school teacher who comes down with a not-particularly specific but fatal disease. Fortunately, Doctors have discovered a possible miracle drug ("Cortisone!"). Unfortunately, the Cortisone drives Mason insane... but it's that very peculiar, 1950's version of insane, where the victim doesn't curl up in a ball or eat dirt, but instead remains remarkably cogent and erudite while getting mean and unpredictable. In this case, Mason becomes a harsh taskmaster to his incredibly patient wife and young son. It sounds like I'm making fun of the movie, but it's actually quite compelling and the glorious full color picture is amazing. And having had Cortisone shots myself, I guess I finally have an excuse for my erratic behaviors.
Also recently out on blu-ray is David Lynch's Elephant Man, which hasn't lost any of its power. I like Lynch's later movies, but this early effort is probably his most "traditional" and genuinely emotional. There are some achingly poignant scenes, and one of the best tracking shots ever, pushing in on star Anthony Hopkins the first time he sees the deformed Elephant Man. Just when the camera hits the close-up, a single tear comes down Hopkins' cheek. I imagine this has stuck with me because I attended a lecture by Lynch just after Elephant Man's release where he was asked about this very shot. How did they do it, time the push-in and the tear so well? Lynch's answer? Luck. They just got it. The blu-ray also comes with an informative documentary about the real Elephant Man (there were quite a few dramatic liberties taken for the film), but the pristine black and white presentation is more than enough reason to spring for this edition.
Like, for instance, The Horseman, an Australian revenge movie that's been getting some attention for its unrelenting tone. Well, there is that! Basically an updated (and infinitely cheaper) version of the George C. Scott movie Hardcore, Horseman follows the single-minded quest of a bereaved father who wants to know how his daughter wound up in a porno movie and then O.D.'ed on heroin. A pest exterminator by day, "Dad" gets pretty wound up when he finds the folks responsible and employs the tools of his trade to cadge out information. Suffice to say this involves fish-hooks, bicycle pumps, propane torches, hammers and other tools applied to some rather delicate areas of the anatomy. It's actually fairly well done, but I'm not sure if that's a compliment or a reason to avoid...
On a completely different note, Criterion's just released a blu-ray of Bigger Than Life, a Nicholas Ray "slice of life" film from 1956 starring James Mason. Mason plays a school teacher who comes down with a not-particularly specific but fatal disease. Fortunately, Doctors have discovered a possible miracle drug ("Cortisone!"). Unfortunately, the Cortisone drives Mason insane... but it's that very peculiar, 1950's version of insane, where the victim doesn't curl up in a ball or eat dirt, but instead remains remarkably cogent and erudite while getting mean and unpredictable. In this case, Mason becomes a harsh taskmaster to his incredibly patient wife and young son. It sounds like I'm making fun of the movie, but it's actually quite compelling and the glorious full color picture is amazing. And having had Cortisone shots myself, I guess I finally have an excuse for my erratic behaviors.
Also recently out on blu-ray is David Lynch's Elephant Man, which hasn't lost any of its power. I like Lynch's later movies, but this early effort is probably his most "traditional" and genuinely emotional. There are some achingly poignant scenes, and one of the best tracking shots ever, pushing in on star Anthony Hopkins the first time he sees the deformed Elephant Man. Just when the camera hits the close-up, a single tear comes down Hopkins' cheek. I imagine this has stuck with me because I attended a lecture by Lynch just after Elephant Man's release where he was asked about this very shot. How did they do it, time the push-in and the tear so well? Lynch's answer? Luck. They just got it. The blu-ray also comes with an informative documentary about the real Elephant Man (there were quite a few dramatic liberties taken for the film), but the pristine black and white presentation is more than enough reason to spring for this edition.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Alien V.S. Pooh
The heading more or less says it all... poor Winnie The Pooh...
http://godxiliary.com/alienvspooh/Medium/
http://godxiliary.com/alienvspooh/Medium/
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Dick Giordano R.I.P.
I was very sad to learn today that Dick Giordano, a fabulous artist and a major editorial influence at DC Comics, passed away today. I met with Dick several times when I was first getting started in comics, and he was always supportive, friendly and just a good guy to deal with. The older I get, the more I value that in people. It's a rare commodity...
I still remember sitting in my editor's office at DC looking over some frankly awful pencils for a story I'd written. Dick happened to pop in, looked at the pages with the same dismay, and told the editor to spend a few bucks and do whatever he could to get the pages into shape. I actually have a few of those redrawn originals. You would never mistake them for great, but they did come up a lot. And I can imagine a lot of folks who would have sent them to press "as is."
We lost one of the good guys today...
I still remember sitting in my editor's office at DC looking over some frankly awful pencils for a story I'd written. Dick happened to pop in, looked at the pages with the same dismay, and told the editor to spend a few bucks and do whatever he could to get the pages into shape. I actually have a few of those redrawn originals. You would never mistake them for great, but they did come up a lot. And I can imagine a lot of folks who would have sent them to press "as is."
We lost one of the good guys today...
Friday, March 26, 2010
Confessions...
A dramatic heading for a much less dramatic post. But my pal Pat DiNizio, lead singer for the band The Smithereens, has just released "Confessions Of a Rock Star", a spoken-word examination of his life and work. It comes in an interesting format, as an autographed flash-drive/wristband. And besides the biographical gab, the drive also features 30 or so Smithereens demos AND Pat's live performance at the Coach House from a couple months ago. The live show, especially, is a lot of fun, with covers and Smithereens tracks and other goodies. Check out Pat's site at patdinizio.com for a list of upcoming Smithereens and solo concerts!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Comics Aren't For Kids!
Anyone interested in a somewhat scary era for comics might be interested in Steve Bissette's recounting of the great "mature audience label" controversy from 1986-ish. Basically, comics like Watchmen, Dark Knight and Miracleman were tickling the edges of the "comics are for kids!" boundary, and when the tumult made the mainstream media ("Comics Are Dirty!!"), a few retailers and comic companies pushed for labels. Which could have made certain books off-limits to some major retailers, essentially removing them from the marketplace.
Real people like my pal Marv Wolfman lost their jobs when they protested corporate decision-making, and retailers were hurt and/or lost their businesses when police busted their stores for selling what would now be PG material to minors. So it was not an insignificant moment. The series is running in chapter-chunks on Steve's blog at:
http://srbissette.com/
Real people like my pal Marv Wolfman lost their jobs when they protested corporate decision-making, and retailers were hurt and/or lost their businesses when police busted their stores for selling what would now be PG material to minors. So it was not an insignificant moment. The series is running in chapter-chunks on Steve's blog at:
http://srbissette.com/
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Action GOP.Com!
I'm not exactly the best target for GOP e-mails, but I get them nevertheless. This one came today, and it just struck a chord.
Dear Fellow Patriot;
Nancy Pelosi is hell-bent on passing a government takeover of your health care, with or without a direct vote on the Senate Democrats’ bill. Nearly four years ago she condemned the sort of sleazy tactic she is now committed to using as "unconstitutional." Now she has deemed sleazy tactics necessary to furthering her Leftist agenda. There is nothing she won't do to pass this bill.
The interesting thing about this is that yes, Pelosi probably WAS calling this "deem and pass" reconciliation procedure a sleazy unconstitutional tactic four years ago. Back when, you know, the Republicans were using it over and over. So now the Republicans are condemning the self-described sleazy, unconstitutional tactic that they themselves used repeatedly. It's like the Republicans accusing Pelosi of getting ready to kick a dog. It's an awful thing to do to a poor animal, and they should know, because they kicked the shit out of that mutt four years ago!
So who's sleazier? Interesting question! I think I'll mull it while watching one of my bourbon shows...
Dear Fellow Patriot;
Nancy Pelosi is hell-bent on passing a government takeover of your health care, with or without a direct vote on the Senate Democrats’ bill. Nearly four years ago she condemned the sort of sleazy tactic she is now committed to using as "unconstitutional." Now she has deemed sleazy tactics necessary to furthering her Leftist agenda. There is nothing she won't do to pass this bill.
The interesting thing about this is that yes, Pelosi probably WAS calling this "deem and pass" reconciliation procedure a sleazy unconstitutional tactic four years ago. Back when, you know, the Republicans were using it over and over. So now the Republicans are condemning the self-described sleazy, unconstitutional tactic that they themselves used repeatedly. It's like the Republicans accusing Pelosi of getting ready to kick a dog. It's an awful thing to do to a poor animal, and they should know, because they kicked the shit out of that mutt four years ago!
So who's sleazier? Interesting question! I think I'll mull it while watching one of my bourbon shows...
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Bourbon Shows
I've watched plenty of television, but only a few programs have reached the pinnacle of being a "bourbon show." It's my version of "can't miss TV" or "glued to the chair." But in my very peculiar case, I'm talking about shows that go down better, no, shows that demand to be watched with a glass of bourbon.
Most of the time, these shows actually involve bourbon. DEADWOOD, for instance, was a total bourbon show. Characters would belly up to bars and throw back whiskey in every other scene. THE SOPRANOS was another, a total bourbon show. How could you watch Tony and his pals pouring shots at the Ba Da Bing without hoisting a glass of your own? And of course, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA was a classic bourbon show. Although the episodes where Adama drank until he puked may have pushed things just a bit...
Well, I have a new bourbon show. It's JUSTIFIED on FX, and I dare you, I double dare you to sit through an episode without pouring yourself a stiff one. And that's just after seeing the pilot! But I can almost guarantee multiple scenes in bars with tall pours and ice cracking and all that great bourbon show stuff. Incidentally, and again based just on the pilot, it's a great show, bourbon aside. But bourbon makes it better!
Most of the time, these shows actually involve bourbon. DEADWOOD, for instance, was a total bourbon show. Characters would belly up to bars and throw back whiskey in every other scene. THE SOPRANOS was another, a total bourbon show. How could you watch Tony and his pals pouring shots at the Ba Da Bing without hoisting a glass of your own? And of course, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA was a classic bourbon show. Although the episodes where Adama drank until he puked may have pushed things just a bit...
Well, I have a new bourbon show. It's JUSTIFIED on FX, and I dare you, I double dare you to sit through an episode without pouring yourself a stiff one. And that's just after seeing the pilot! But I can almost guarantee multiple scenes in bars with tall pours and ice cracking and all that great bourbon show stuff. Incidentally, and again based just on the pilot, it's a great show, bourbon aside. But bourbon makes it better!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Um, About That San Diego Con Thing...
A few weeks ago I posted a comment about attending a small local comic/media convention in Long Beach. The ease of going to that casual, friendly convention got me thinking about maybe skipping this Summer's big San Diego event for the first time in, ohh, 27 years. My friend Heidi MacDonald linked to the post and it got more attention than it deserved, but astute readers will note that I did give myself an out in case I changed my mind.
One of the biggest hassles at the last two or three San Diego shows has been in securing a convenient room at a not-insane price. The closest hotels (the Marriott adjacent to the convention center, the Hiatt next to that, and the Hilton across the street) have inevitably booked up a year in advance, at high prices. Well, something's changed. I don't know if it's the economy or the hotels opening up a lot more rooms, but I was able to get a room I wanted in my fave hotel for half what I paid last year. This was booking on my own, not off the convention's hotel site (which I believe opens up on Thursday).
It's amazing how not feeling ripped-off before you walk out the door mellows one's attitude toward the convention adventure...
One of the biggest hassles at the last two or three San Diego shows has been in securing a convenient room at a not-insane price. The closest hotels (the Marriott adjacent to the convention center, the Hiatt next to that, and the Hilton across the street) have inevitably booked up a year in advance, at high prices. Well, something's changed. I don't know if it's the economy or the hotels opening up a lot more rooms, but I was able to get a room I wanted in my fave hotel for half what I paid last year. This was booking on my own, not off the convention's hotel site (which I believe opens up on Thursday).
It's amazing how not feeling ripped-off before you walk out the door mellows one's attitude toward the convention adventure...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Speaking Of Boris Karloff Tales Of Mystery Vol. 2...
"Boris" was the only book I wound up getting in the great Amazon pricing debacle. (See posting below for the early details). Now there's consternation in the comic book world between those who believed taking advantage of the price glitch was criminal and nobody should be crying over not getting their books, versus some (on the FAR other side) who want to launch a class action suit because Amazon canceled many orders on the under-priced volumes.
I only have two points. One, re: the low price, Amazon occasionally does one day sales where they drop prices dramatically, so I'm not sure it's a given that everyone should automatically assume the low low prices were a mistake. I see $100 art books remaindered for $8.00 at Barnes and Noble all the time...
And two, I'll live sans an Incredible Hulk Omnibus. People/companies make mistakes, and that's life.
I only have two points. One, re: the low price, Amazon occasionally does one day sales where they drop prices dramatically, so I'm not sure it's a given that everyone should automatically assume the low low prices were a mistake. I see $100 art books remaindered for $8.00 at Barnes and Noble all the time...
And two, I'll live sans an Incredible Hulk Omnibus. People/companies make mistakes, and that's life.
Hey Kids, Comics (Collections) - Dark Horse Edition
There are an incredible number of hardcover comic book reprint volumes coming out. There are just two...
Boris Karloff Tales Of Mystery Vol. 2 collects issues #5 through #10 of the Gold Key series. I'm thrilled to see so much silver and golden age material being reprinted, but looking through this book, I'm reminded why Boris Karloff never landed high on my "collecting" list. As chillers go, these stories are about as frightening as the cheese aisle at Ralph's supermarket, and most of the art is competent, middle-of-the-road and bland. There's art by Alex Toth and "the Wally Wood studio" in this book, and while nice, even those feel like they went through the blander-izer before seeing print.
And the stories. Jeepers, it's like they weren't even trying! In one short piece, a shambling guy wearing a bear skin (!) shuffles into a village and freaks everybody out. The villagers get mad and "bear skin" skulks off, to be found by a little boy who discovers it's not a man under the bear-skin, it's a weird fish-guy! Fish guy jumps in a lake and "it's not until Spring thaw" that the villagers find a crashed spaceship on the mountainside. He was an alien! Wow! And all that in four pages!
On the the other hand, Dark Horse's Conan Vol. 1 reprints the first 11 issues of Roy Thomas/Barry Smith's Marvel version of Conan the Barbarian, and these are pretty great. It took Thomas and Smith a couple issues to find their sea legs, but they hit their stride fast and these are really good comics. Even better, they are exceptionally well written. Maybe it took being freed from the superhero world, but I think these are among Roy Thomas' best stories, and he wrote quite a few good ones. And the best is yet to come, in Volume 2, where this comic makes a quantum leap in quality with some true classics.
Boris Karloff Tales Of Mystery Vol. 2 collects issues #5 through #10 of the Gold Key series. I'm thrilled to see so much silver and golden age material being reprinted, but looking through this book, I'm reminded why Boris Karloff never landed high on my "collecting" list. As chillers go, these stories are about as frightening as the cheese aisle at Ralph's supermarket, and most of the art is competent, middle-of-the-road and bland. There's art by Alex Toth and "the Wally Wood studio" in this book, and while nice, even those feel like they went through the blander-izer before seeing print.
And the stories. Jeepers, it's like they weren't even trying! In one short piece, a shambling guy wearing a bear skin (!) shuffles into a village and freaks everybody out. The villagers get mad and "bear skin" skulks off, to be found by a little boy who discovers it's not a man under the bear-skin, it's a weird fish-guy! Fish guy jumps in a lake and "it's not until Spring thaw" that the villagers find a crashed spaceship on the mountainside. He was an alien! Wow! And all that in four pages!
On the the other hand, Dark Horse's Conan Vol. 1 reprints the first 11 issues of Roy Thomas/Barry Smith's Marvel version of Conan the Barbarian, and these are pretty great. It took Thomas and Smith a couple issues to find their sea legs, but they hit their stride fast and these are really good comics. Even better, they are exceptionally well written. Maybe it took being freed from the superhero world, but I think these are among Roy Thomas' best stories, and he wrote quite a few good ones. And the best is yet to come, in Volume 2, where this comic makes a quantum leap in quality with some true classics.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Things I Learned From The Internet - Special "You Think YOU'RE Messed Up?" edition...
A producer from the news show 48 Hours is expected to plead guilty of trying to extort money from David Letterman. http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/2092590,david-letterman-affairs-blackmail-guilty-030910.article
A California Republican Congressman noted for his anti-gay voting record was caught driving drunk. Leaving a gay bar. He confessed on a radio show that he is, indeed, gay, but justified his anti-gay votes by saying he was "representing his constituents." http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/03/the-walking-wounded-ctd-1.html
But the winner of my "worst week" -- Democratic Congressman Eric Massa decided to resign last week, citing health issues. Then he said it was to avoid an ethics investigation over inappropriate comments he made toward male staffers. Then he said he was forced out because he didn't vote for the health care bill, and that Rahm Emanuel confronted him over his vote naked. In the shower (!). Today, the Washington Post reports that Massa was being investigated for "groping" his male staffers. And tonight he's going on Glenn Beck. http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/gibbs_massa_allegations_are_silly_and_ridiculous_v.php?ref=fpb
A California Republican Congressman noted for his anti-gay voting record was caught driving drunk. Leaving a gay bar. He confessed on a radio show that he is, indeed, gay, but justified his anti-gay votes by saying he was "representing his constituents." http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/03/the-walking-wounded-ctd-1.html
But the winner of my "worst week" -- Democratic Congressman Eric Massa decided to resign last week, citing health issues. Then he said it was to avoid an ethics investigation over inappropriate comments he made toward male staffers. Then he said he was forced out because he didn't vote for the health care bill, and that Rahm Emanuel confronted him over his vote naked. In the shower (!). Today, the Washington Post reports that Massa was being investigated for "groping" his male staffers. And tonight he's going on Glenn Beck. http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/gibbs_massa_allegations_are_silly_and_ridiculous_v.php?ref=fpb
Monday, March 08, 2010
Things I've Learned On The Internet Recently...
I really like a Japanese jazz pianist named Hiromi.
Sarah Palin used to sneak over the border into Canada to get health care. (http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/8/844045/-I-got-mine.-The-rest-of-you-can-drop-the-f*@#-dead!)
The Oscar ceremony was last night, but they made the mistake of going up against an NCIS marathon.
A Congressman named Eric Massa is resigning because of some ethics issues, but perhaps more interestingly, he appears to be a Battlestar fan! Or at least he thinks "frack" is a real word. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/08/eric-massa-ethics-probe-e_n_489804.html
Amazon may have made a mistake and listed a whole bunch of Marvel's "Omnibus" hardcovers at $9.00 over the weekend. The postage for shipping these insanely heavy books (some run 800 pages) has got to be more than $9.00. I ordered the Fantastic Four Omnibus #2, Iron Man #1, Hulk #1 and X-Men #1. That's something like 3200 pages of full color comics for $36.00. (Tip of the MV hat to Mark Evanier, url at the right, for the alert.)
I didn't learn this on the internet, but I discovered that if you drop your i-pod down a flight of concrete stairs, it will break.
One of my favorite bands, The Del-Lords, have just released their first new music since the early 90's. "Under Construction" offers up five demos of tunes to appear on their next CD. You can hear these for free on their website (http://del-lords.com) or buy a physical CD at Greatbigisland.com.
And finally, there's gonna be a Caprica summit in NYC on 3/17. Details below (thanks to Galactica Sitrep, url at the right, for the info).
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
6:30 pm ET, New York
Appearing In Person:
Ronald D. Moore, Co-Creator and Executive Producer
David Eick, Executive Producer
Paula Malcomson, "Amanda Graystone"
Alessandra Torresani, "Zoe Graystone"
Magda Apanowicz, "Lacy Rand"
Sasha Roiz, "Sam Adama"
Syfy’s new Battlestar Galactica prequel—more futuristic family saga than space opera—is a provocative, superbly crafted drama that, like its predecessor, tackles complex, highly resonant themes, such as religion, race, terrorism, technology, love, and the very nature of humanity. Like all quality drama, Caprica is not just emotionally and intellectually gripping, but also compels viewers to confront their own reality, even as they are swept up in this visually arresting, preapocalyptic world of sentient robots, avatars, and interplanetary travel.
The Paley Center will preview an upcoming episode from Caprica’s first season, followed by a discussion with members of the cast and creative team.
Paley Center Members: $15, tickets on sale now.
General Public: $25, tickets on sale Wednesday, February 24 at noon.
Sarah Palin used to sneak over the border into Canada to get health care. (http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/8/844045/-I-got-mine.-The-rest-of-you-can-drop-the-f*@#-dead!)
The Oscar ceremony was last night, but they made the mistake of going up against an NCIS marathon.
A Congressman named Eric Massa is resigning because of some ethics issues, but perhaps more interestingly, he appears to be a Battlestar fan! Or at least he thinks "frack" is a real word. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/08/eric-massa-ethics-probe-e_n_489804.html
Amazon may have made a mistake and listed a whole bunch of Marvel's "Omnibus" hardcovers at $9.00 over the weekend. The postage for shipping these insanely heavy books (some run 800 pages) has got to be more than $9.00. I ordered the Fantastic Four Omnibus #2, Iron Man #1, Hulk #1 and X-Men #1. That's something like 3200 pages of full color comics for $36.00. (Tip of the MV hat to Mark Evanier, url at the right, for the alert.)
I didn't learn this on the internet, but I discovered that if you drop your i-pod down a flight of concrete stairs, it will break.
One of my favorite bands, The Del-Lords, have just released their first new music since the early 90's. "Under Construction" offers up five demos of tunes to appear on their next CD. You can hear these for free on their website (http://del-lords.com) or buy a physical CD at Greatbigisland.com.
And finally, there's gonna be a Caprica summit in NYC on 3/17. Details below (thanks to Galactica Sitrep, url at the right, for the info).
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
6:30 pm ET, New York
Appearing In Person:
Ronald D. Moore, Co-Creator and Executive Producer
David Eick, Executive Producer
Paula Malcomson, "Amanda Graystone"
Alessandra Torresani, "Zoe Graystone"
Magda Apanowicz, "Lacy Rand"
Sasha Roiz, "Sam Adama"
Syfy’s new Battlestar Galactica prequel—more futuristic family saga than space opera—is a provocative, superbly crafted drama that, like its predecessor, tackles complex, highly resonant themes, such as religion, race, terrorism, technology, love, and the very nature of humanity. Like all quality drama, Caprica is not just emotionally and intellectually gripping, but also compels viewers to confront their own reality, even as they are swept up in this visually arresting, preapocalyptic world of sentient robots, avatars, and interplanetary travel.
The Paley Center will preview an upcoming episode from Caprica’s first season, followed by a discussion with members of the cast and creative team.
Paley Center Members: $15, tickets on sale now.
General Public: $25, tickets on sale Wednesday, February 24 at noon.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Aliens - Czech Mate!
I think I got a good review from a Czech news site. This is the translation:
Comics fans, however, much more zatleskajà invaders who take them back again to 450 color pages. Epic cartoon series, built by Mark Verheiden on the foundations of the famous horror film, this time offering forage juice alien queen in three epic stories - Genocide, Harvest and Colonial infantry.
Of course I didn't write Genocide, Harvest or "Colonial Infantry", but I built them!
Comics fans, however, much more zatleskajà invaders who take them back again to 450 color pages. Epic cartoon series, built by Mark Verheiden on the foundations of the famous horror film, this time offering forage juice alien queen in three epic stories - Genocide, Harvest and Colonial infantry.
Of course I didn't write Genocide, Harvest or "Colonial Infantry", but I built them!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Exceptional Scores...
I was asked awhile back what I thought was the best piece of musical score I'd ever heard on anything I'd had done. The answer was immediate and easy. The absolute best score to anything I've ever done (caveated with a "yet", because I hope I work with him again someday!) was Bear McCreary's amazing work on the season finale of Battlestar Galactica season three. No, not "All Along The Watchtower" (which was amazing nevertheless), but the piece just before it. On the CD, Bear calls this track "Getting The Call", and if you remember the episode, it's when Tigh, the Chief, Tory and Sam are all gathering to confess that they've just realized they're all Cylons. I still get a chill when I hear the propulsive, chugging, building theme that brings them into the room. The score is absolutely perfect...
Well, Bear's just put out his score for "The Plan" and "Razor", so you should order those and all the rest of his (brilliant) work, but I'd just like to doff my rhetorical chapeau once more re: his season three piece. It's as good as this sort of thing gets...
Well, Bear's just put out his score for "The Plan" and "Razor", so you should order those and all the rest of his (brilliant) work, but I'd just like to doff my rhetorical chapeau once more re: his season three piece. It's as good as this sort of thing gets...
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Not Guilty
No, not a Beatles post. I've been serving on a jury (off and on) for the last three weeks (!), and "not guilty" was the final verdict. I've been summoned for jury duty multiple times, but this was the first time I was actually called into the courthouse and then picked for service. As a fan of the Law & Order shows, I've always been curious to experience the process "for real," so unlike several of my other jurors, I didn't try to get tossed off the panel by expressing especially vehement anti-anything views. But I did get some good pointers. Saying you believe the police never make mistakes and if someone's arrested they are assuredly guilty will definitely get you kicked off the panel.
The first thing that struck me, as jurors were asked basic questions like "have you ever been the victim of a crime", was how many people in Los Angeles have been the victims of SERIOUS crimes. One after another, "my Mom was murdered," "my brother was kidnapped," "I was raped"... it was an awful litany of remarkable terrible things. On a slightly less dramatic note, I was also surprised at how many folks on the jury had been arrested for DUI.
Then the case started. It involved a sting operation conducted by the State's Contractor's Licensing Board, and an English-as-a-second language fellow accusing of doing contracting without a license. These were misdemeanor charges, so my first thought was, "really? A jury trial for this?" My other thought, frankly, was that the guy probably did it. The prosecution and defense stipulated early on that the guy didn't have a license, so that fact wasn't even being challenged. The real issue at hand was simple: was the defendant an employee when he entered the sting location and made a bid (which was what he was claiming, and would have been legal), or was he operating his own business?
The prosecution brought out the two investigators who handled the sting and also provided a tape recording of the "crime." This is where the State's case started falling apart, because frankly, the investigators were a little shaky. Evidence had been lost, they forgot a lot of stuff, and they seemed prone to mis-characterize comments that we were able to hear for ourselves on the tape.
That said, I was still wavering, but the defendant's public defender gave a passionate closing statement that pretty much sealed the deal for me. This falls under the rubric of "style" and didn't really influence my decision, but by contrast, the prosecutor closed with a frightening condescending argument that left me scratching my chin. At one point, the prosecutor was explaining the legal issues involved in making a bid, and that contractors can't ask for more than 10% of the estimated cost. This was caveated with an exhaustive apology for the "complicated, boring mathematics that I know we all hate." Umm, 10% of $4K is $400. It ain't exactly quantum physics.
Anyhow, it's still innocent until proven guilty in this country, and that means "proven" within a reasonable doubt. And when all was said and done, the State hadn't proved that this guy wasn't working for someone else when he came to the site, or that a contract had even been agreed to when the guy asked for a down payment. (Some of this was due to the language issues). I was worried I would be the sole civil libertarian nut-job when we started deliberations, but to my surprise, we were all on virtually the same page. Nobody really thought the State had proved their case. 70 minutes later, not guilty!
And so the wheels o' justice have turned... I'm $60 richer and off the hook, jury-wise, for a full calendar year!
The first thing that struck me, as jurors were asked basic questions like "have you ever been the victim of a crime", was how many people in Los Angeles have been the victims of SERIOUS crimes. One after another, "my Mom was murdered," "my brother was kidnapped," "I was raped"... it was an awful litany of remarkable terrible things. On a slightly less dramatic note, I was also surprised at how many folks on the jury had been arrested for DUI.
Then the case started. It involved a sting operation conducted by the State's Contractor's Licensing Board, and an English-as-a-second language fellow accusing of doing contracting without a license. These were misdemeanor charges, so my first thought was, "really? A jury trial for this?" My other thought, frankly, was that the guy probably did it. The prosecution and defense stipulated early on that the guy didn't have a license, so that fact wasn't even being challenged. The real issue at hand was simple: was the defendant an employee when he entered the sting location and made a bid (which was what he was claiming, and would have been legal), or was he operating his own business?
The prosecution brought out the two investigators who handled the sting and also provided a tape recording of the "crime." This is where the State's case started falling apart, because frankly, the investigators were a little shaky. Evidence had been lost, they forgot a lot of stuff, and they seemed prone to mis-characterize comments that we were able to hear for ourselves on the tape.
That said, I was still wavering, but the defendant's public defender gave a passionate closing statement that pretty much sealed the deal for me. This falls under the rubric of "style" and didn't really influence my decision, but by contrast, the prosecutor closed with a frightening condescending argument that left me scratching my chin. At one point, the prosecutor was explaining the legal issues involved in making a bid, and that contractors can't ask for more than 10% of the estimated cost. This was caveated with an exhaustive apology for the "complicated, boring mathematics that I know we all hate." Umm, 10% of $4K is $400. It ain't exactly quantum physics.
Anyhow, it's still innocent until proven guilty in this country, and that means "proven" within a reasonable doubt. And when all was said and done, the State hadn't proved that this guy wasn't working for someone else when he came to the site, or that a contract had even been agreed to when the guy asked for a down payment. (Some of this was due to the language issues). I was worried I would be the sole civil libertarian nut-job when we started deliberations, but to my surprise, we were all on virtually the same page. Nobody really thought the State had proved their case. 70 minutes later, not guilty!
And so the wheels o' justice have turned... I'm $60 richer and off the hook, jury-wise, for a full calendar year!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Comic Book Shows...
I ventured down to Long Beach this morning to check out a small comic con at the convention center. Compared to the Goliath San Diego Comic show, it was indeed "small", but that was fine with me. I walked through the entire thing in a couple of hours, picked up a few books and chatted with some friendly dealers. The aisles were crowded but not impenetrable, people were nice, parking was easy and there was a nice selection of restaurants right across the street.
Driving back, I realized that I haven't made any plans to go to this Summer's San Diego comic book show. And there's a fair chance I won't go at all, missing the event for the first time since (gasp) 1983. There was a time when San Diego was a must-do event (for fun and for business, but mostly fun), but this year it's definitely fallen into the "ehh" category. It's not that I hate the show (when I was a guest a couple years ago, the convention people were fantastic), but it's like attending a rock concert at a giant stadium. I'm just gettin' too old for that shit. The sheer effort required to attend the San Diego Con has finally become too much. Hotel rooms are ridiculously expensive (assuming you can find one), the crowds are really massive, it's next to impossible to get into the big rooms for the most popular presentations without waiting for hours... it's just become too much of a good thing.
Oh well... wishy-washy guy that I am, I may change my mind and do the entire four days anyway. But right now, I'm thinking a weekend in Vegas would be cheaper, less stressful and more fun...
Driving back, I realized that I haven't made any plans to go to this Summer's San Diego comic book show. And there's a fair chance I won't go at all, missing the event for the first time since (gasp) 1983. There was a time when San Diego was a must-do event (for fun and for business, but mostly fun), but this year it's definitely fallen into the "ehh" category. It's not that I hate the show (when I was a guest a couple years ago, the convention people were fantastic), but it's like attending a rock concert at a giant stadium. I'm just gettin' too old for that shit. The sheer effort required to attend the San Diego Con has finally become too much. Hotel rooms are ridiculously expensive (assuming you can find one), the crowds are really massive, it's next to impossible to get into the big rooms for the most popular presentations without waiting for hours... it's just become too much of a good thing.
Oh well... wishy-washy guy that I am, I may change my mind and do the entire four days anyway. But right now, I'm thinking a weekend in Vegas would be cheaper, less stressful and more fun...
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Things I Learned On The Internet - 2/18/10
Dan Didio and Jim Lee have been named co-publishers and Geoff Johns has been named Chief Creative Officer for DC Comics, all of which strike me as remarkably wise choices.
A bunch of Americans won medals in the Olympics yesterday. I believe there were other countries involved in the games as well.
Something called CPAC (Conservative Political Action Committee) is meeting in Washington D.C. for the next few days. This is evidently where the great minds of the conservative movement gather to discuss weighty issues. One of the attractions is a pinata with Nancy Pelosi's face on it.
Roger Ebert is doing some of the best writing of his career these days, much of it on his journal. These aren't movie reviews (well, I guess some are), but reveries on his life, the world and "etc." Check out the latest at http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/02/roger_eberts_last_words_cont.html
Liz Chaney is not ruling out running for President.
A man angry with the IRS smashed his plane into an IRS office in Austin after setting his house on fire. He was an unemployed software engineer.
I didn't learn this on the internet, but I'm on jury duty for the next few days, hence less internet knowledge than usual.
A bunch of Americans won medals in the Olympics yesterday. I believe there were other countries involved in the games as well.
Something called CPAC (Conservative Political Action Committee) is meeting in Washington D.C. for the next few days. This is evidently where the great minds of the conservative movement gather to discuss weighty issues. One of the attractions is a pinata with Nancy Pelosi's face on it.
Roger Ebert is doing some of the best writing of his career these days, much of it on his journal. These aren't movie reviews (well, I guess some are), but reveries on his life, the world and "etc." Check out the latest at http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/02/roger_eberts_last_words_cont.html
Liz Chaney is not ruling out running for President.
A man angry with the IRS smashed his plane into an IRS office in Austin after setting his house on fire. He was an unemployed software engineer.
I didn't learn this on the internet, but I'm on jury duty for the next few days, hence less internet knowledge than usual.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Things I Learned On The Internet - 2/17/10 ADDENDUM
On Blogger, the date on a post is set when you started writing it, not when you post it. So a posting about events from 2/17 that was created (but not written) on 2/16 will be dated 2/16. Despite being posted on 2/17.
That's kind of weird.
That's kind of weird.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Things I Learned On The Internet - 2/17/10
This blog is ranked #62 in popularity at a site called "Geek Blips." I think that's good!
King Tut probably died of malaria.
From CBS News: "South Carolina Rep. Mike Pitts has introduced legislation that would mandate that gold and silver coins replace federal currency as legal tender in his state." I believe Rep. Pitts (do I really need to put the "R" after his name) is trying to make a point about the deficit.
A lot of people don't like the Comic's Journal new website.
Dick Armey of Freedom Works is disputing claims that he's endorsed John McCain for re-election to the Senate.
Erector Set - 3D Movie is in development.
Rick Santorum is running for President.
Amanda the Aspiring Writer (http://aspiringtvwriter.blogspot.com/) always has some interesting advice for folks hoping to break into film writing.
Tiger Woods announced his intention to make a public statement on Friday. I guess you're really a big celebrity when your intention to make a statement is news.
King Tut probably died of malaria.
From CBS News: "South Carolina Rep. Mike Pitts has introduced legislation that would mandate that gold and silver coins replace federal currency as legal tender in his state." I believe Rep. Pitts (do I really need to put the "R" after his name) is trying to make a point about the deficit.
A lot of people don't like the Comic's Journal new website.
Dick Armey of Freedom Works is disputing claims that he's endorsed John McCain for re-election to the Senate.
Erector Set - 3D Movie is in development.
Rick Santorum is running for President.
Amanda the Aspiring Writer (http://aspiringtvwriter.blogspot.com/) always has some interesting advice for folks hoping to break into film writing.
Tiger Woods announced his intention to make a public statement on Friday. I guess you're really a big celebrity when your intention to make a statement is news.
Things I Learned On The Internet - 2/16/10
A McDonalds Egg McMuffin has 300 calories.
Someone got physically violent with Presidential candidate Mitt Romney on an airplane flight from Vancouver because Romney asked them to put their seat up during take-off. Romney did not "retaliate" and I don't think the angry person was Kevin Smith. LATE UPDATE: Romney was flying economy?!
A skier named Bode Miller, age 32, won a bronze medal at his fourth (!) Olympics, missing first place by .09 of a second. This third place finish prompted a sportswriter on AOL to write a lengthy piece about Miller's poor attitude, musing about what he might have accomplished if he had only applied himself. Seriously.
A Utah legislator named Chris Buttars (R) is advocating abolishing the 12th grade in his State. It would save over $100 million a year, and had it taken effect years ago, obviously would have provided Buttars one less year of merciless teasing.
From Heidi McDonald's "The Beat" website: "Despite the tepid response for the WATCHMEN movie, some of the toys and licensed stuff did okay, said a NECA rep, and they are releasing a Rorschach bobblehead later on. Also, WATCHMEN may join the HeroClix universe."
A former Bush 43 speechwriter named Marc Thiessen, long critical of the Obama administration for being soft on terror, is now complaining that the Obama administration is killing too many terrorists.
My friend and former Battlestar writer Michael Taylor had a birthday!
Someone got physically violent with Presidential candidate Mitt Romney on an airplane flight from Vancouver because Romney asked them to put their seat up during take-off. Romney did not "retaliate" and I don't think the angry person was Kevin Smith. LATE UPDATE: Romney was flying economy?!
A skier named Bode Miller, age 32, won a bronze medal at his fourth (!) Olympics, missing first place by .09 of a second. This third place finish prompted a sportswriter on AOL to write a lengthy piece about Miller's poor attitude, musing about what he might have accomplished if he had only applied himself. Seriously.
A Utah legislator named Chris Buttars (R) is advocating abolishing the 12th grade in his State. It would save over $100 million a year, and had it taken effect years ago, obviously would have provided Buttars one less year of merciless teasing.
From Heidi McDonald's "The Beat" website: "Despite the tepid response for the WATCHMEN movie, some of the toys and licensed stuff did okay, said a NECA rep, and they are releasing a Rorschach bobblehead later on. Also, WATCHMEN may join the HeroClix universe."
A former Bush 43 speechwriter named Marc Thiessen, long critical of the Obama administration for being soft on terror, is now complaining that the Obama administration is killing too many terrorists.
My friend and former Battlestar writer Michael Taylor had a birthday!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Things I Learned On The Internet - 2/15/10
From memory...
Someone named "Snooki" is naked.
Kiefer Sutherland is having a cyst removed.
Doug Fieger, lead singer of "The Knack", died Sunday of cancer. He was 57.
Kevin Smith was thrown off a Southwest Airlines flight because he was too fat. He then twittered about it.
A pregnant woman was refused water on a parked Spirit Airlines flight, then her and her Doctor husband were removed from the plane when they complained.
On "This Week", former Vice President Dick Cheney said he supported waterboarding of terrorist suspects during the Bush administration, which according to at least two bloggers (one of whom was Andrew Sullivan) means he just confessed to a war crime.
There is a new documentary on the British band Dr. Feelgood due to be released. (I like Dr. Feelgood.)
Dale Hawkins, rockabilly singer and composer of "Suzie-Q", died today.
There are regular CD-Rs and then there are "Archival Gold" CD-Rs that are supposed to last for 300 years. Guess which are more expensive?
I think I've learned enough for today...
Someone named "Snooki" is naked.
Kiefer Sutherland is having a cyst removed.
Doug Fieger, lead singer of "The Knack", died Sunday of cancer. He was 57.
Kevin Smith was thrown off a Southwest Airlines flight because he was too fat. He then twittered about it.
A pregnant woman was refused water on a parked Spirit Airlines flight, then her and her Doctor husband were removed from the plane when they complained.
On "This Week", former Vice President Dick Cheney said he supported waterboarding of terrorist suspects during the Bush administration, which according to at least two bloggers (one of whom was Andrew Sullivan) means he just confessed to a war crime.
There is a new documentary on the British band Dr. Feelgood due to be released. (I like Dr. Feelgood.)
Dale Hawkins, rockabilly singer and composer of "Suzie-Q", died today.
There are regular CD-Rs and then there are "Archival Gold" CD-Rs that are supposed to last for 300 years. Guess which are more expensive?
I think I've learned enough for today...
Friday, February 12, 2010
It's Ditko's World. We Just Live In It.
So I mentioned a few posts ago placing an order for the most recent comic book work by Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man and all around fantastic artist. Well, the books have arrived (thanks, Robin!) and they do not disappoint. Ditko's style has simplified some with time, but then evolving and honing was always one of his hallmarks.
As for the stories... well, if you want a peek into Mr. Ditko's thought processes, I'm guessing this is about as close as you'll get. There are superhero stories, off-beat polemics, characters flat-out yelling at the reader, and more! I would try to paraphrase some of this, but you really need the full-Ditko to fully appreciate the work. It is uniquely individual and as personal as comics get.
http://ditko.blogspot.com/1990/01/ditko-books-in-print.html
While I'm at it, I can also recommend Robin Snyder's 20-years-running comics history newsletter, "The Comics." Letters and commentary from a host of professionals, old and new. Well worth a subscription!
As for the stories... well, if you want a peek into Mr. Ditko's thought processes, I'm guessing this is about as close as you'll get. There are superhero stories, off-beat polemics, characters flat-out yelling at the reader, and more! I would try to paraphrase some of this, but you really need the full-Ditko to fully appreciate the work. It is uniquely individual and as personal as comics get.
http://ditko.blogspot.com/1990/01/ditko-books-in-print.html
While I'm at it, I can also recommend Robin Snyder's 20-years-running comics history newsletter, "The Comics." Letters and commentary from a host of professionals, old and new. Well worth a subscription!
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Heroes Season Finale - Monday! 9:00PM! NBC!
This is it, not the semi-penultimate or the penultimate, but (as the NBC headline says) the ULTIMATE conclusion to Heroes Season Four. It all comes together, and make sure you stay until the very end, where there's a hint (well, more than a hint) of things to come...
SAMUEL’S ULTIMATE PLAN SPELLS DISASTER FOR THOUSANDS
In the climactic season finale, everyone bands together in an effort to stop Samuel (Robert Knepper) from taking the lives of thousands. Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) joins forces with his most unexpected ally to save Emma (guest star Deanne Bray). Meanwhile, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) life hangs in the balance as he and Claire (Hayden Panettiere) find themselves trapped underground with oxygen quickly running out. Elsewhere, Hiro (Masi Oka) starts to come to grips with the decisions he has made and is called into action to help stop a disaster. David H. Lawrence XVII, Harry Perry, Todd Stashwick also guest star.
I've been asked if there will be a Heroes season five, and my oh-so-clever response is, umm, I don't know. Ratings have been ticking up with the last couple episodes and Heroes remains one of the most DVR'ed and downloaded shows around (meaning the initial "rating", per se, doesn't include a big chunk of the actual audience), but since I wasn't watching television during my "flash forward," I will have to wait and see like everyone else...
SAMUEL’S ULTIMATE PLAN SPELLS DISASTER FOR THOUSANDS
In the climactic season finale, everyone bands together in an effort to stop Samuel (Robert Knepper) from taking the lives of thousands. Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) joins forces with his most unexpected ally to save Emma (guest star Deanne Bray). Meanwhile, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) life hangs in the balance as he and Claire (Hayden Panettiere) find themselves trapped underground with oxygen quickly running out. Elsewhere, Hiro (Masi Oka) starts to come to grips with the decisions he has made and is called into action to help stop a disaster. David H. Lawrence XVII, Harry Perry, Todd Stashwick also guest star.
I've been asked if there will be a Heroes season five, and my oh-so-clever response is, umm, I don't know. Ratings have been ticking up with the last couple episodes and Heroes remains one of the most DVR'ed and downloaded shows around (meaning the initial "rating", per se, doesn't include a big chunk of the actual audience), but since I wasn't watching television during my "flash forward," I will have to wait and see like everyone else...
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Proof Of Goodness In The World Vol. 10!
Elvis Costello's "Live At Hollywood High" on CD! Second in the on-going series of live concert releases from the fine folks at Hip-O Select. Bits and pieces of this June 4, 1978 concert have been officially released before, most notably on a 7" vinyl single that came with the first pressing of his "Armed Forces" album, but this is finally the entire show in great sound. That said, I eagerly await future volumes in this series, which promise to get around to some shows that haven't been so widely available...
Torpedo Vol. 1! A nifty hardcover collecting the first Torpedo comic book stories by Sanchez Abuli and Jordi Bernet (with a brief appearance by legendary artist Alex Toth). This series was always a favorite of mine. We're talking about hardboiled gangster/hitman stories that makes "Goodfellas" look squishy sentimental. The protagonist, Luca, is a cold-hearted brutal hit-man who treats the entire world with contempt. There's is no attempt to sugar-coat this world, or to make Luca likable in the least. I love it! And the best part, Vol. 2 is out soon!
Ugly Things #29. Magazines are failing left and right, so the continued existence of amazing mags like "Ugly Things" makes this poor reader grateful. Dedicated to the heroes of 60's/70's rock, this massive issue (224 pages!) features articles and lengthy interviews with bands like The Masters Apprentices, Sky Saxon, The West Coast Consortium and many, many more. And all for $8.95?! Skip a latte and support these guys! www.ugly-things.com.
More goodness soon!!
Torpedo Vol. 1! A nifty hardcover collecting the first Torpedo comic book stories by Sanchez Abuli and Jordi Bernet (with a brief appearance by legendary artist Alex Toth). This series was always a favorite of mine. We're talking about hardboiled gangster/hitman stories that makes "Goodfellas" look squishy sentimental. The protagonist, Luca, is a cold-hearted brutal hit-man who treats the entire world with contempt. There's is no attempt to sugar-coat this world, or to make Luca likable in the least. I love it! And the best part, Vol. 2 is out soon!
Ugly Things #29. Magazines are failing left and right, so the continued existence of amazing mags like "Ugly Things" makes this poor reader grateful. Dedicated to the heroes of 60's/70's rock, this massive issue (224 pages!) features articles and lengthy interviews with bands like The Masters Apprentices, Sky Saxon, The West Coast Consortium and many, many more. And all for $8.95?! Skip a latte and support these guys! www.ugly-things.com.
More goodness soon!!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Caprica: Rebirth. SyFy Channel This Week!
The first regular series episode of Caprica debuts this week on the SyFy Channel, and I'll be just as curious as anyone to see it. And my name is on this episode as writer! I wrote my draft of "Rebirth" way back in the Fall of 2008, before the series itself had been picked up, to give the fine folks at SyFy an idea where the story could go after the pilot.
Production on Caprica didn't start until mid-2009 and I'm guessing there were the usual revisions made before this one hit the stage. But I don't really know. So it goes in the wonderful world of television!
Anyhow, regardless of the authorship, Caprica is one of those rare beasts, a truly original science fiction show, and it deserves to be supported, so check it out. SyFy is running the sprockets off the these babies, but the premiere is Friday night at 10:00PM on the SyFy channel!
Production on Caprica didn't start until mid-2009 and I'm guessing there were the usual revisions made before this one hit the stage. But I don't really know. So it goes in the wonderful world of television!
Anyhow, regardless of the authorship, Caprica is one of those rare beasts, a truly original science fiction show, and it deserves to be supported, so check it out. SyFy is running the sprockets off the these babies, but the premiere is Friday night at 10:00PM on the SyFy channel!
Steve Ditko Is Out There...
Steve Ditko, the amazing comic book artist who co-created Spider-Man and the inimitable Mister A, is suddenly getting the deluxe reprint treatment from a variety of publishers. Virtually all of his silver age Marvel material has been in print for years, and now his earlier, 50's work for Charlton and a host of other smaller publishers is being reissued.
But Ditko himself, at 82, is still producing new work, and that deserves to be supported as well. His later, personal art is wildly idiosyncratic and difficult to describe... so just buy some! His publisher Robin Snyder has a whole stack of Ditko comics and collections, including several released in 2009. I have most of the earlier (90's/early 2000's) books and I just sent him a check to catch up with the rest. You can see the entire library at:
http://ditko.blogspot.com/1990/01/ditko-books-in-print.html
But Ditko himself, at 82, is still producing new work, and that deserves to be supported as well. His later, personal art is wildly idiosyncratic and difficult to describe... so just buy some! His publisher Robin Snyder has a whole stack of Ditko comics and collections, including several released in 2009. I have most of the earlier (90's/early 2000's) books and I just sent him a check to catch up with the rest. You can see the entire library at:
http://ditko.blogspot.com/1990/01/ditko-books-in-print.html
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Futon Critic Gives BSG "The Oath" #22!
No, #22 isn't a sexual position (actually, it probably is, "but I digress"), but the fine folks at Futon Critic have listed their top 50 TV episodes of 2009, and my final BSG ep "The Oath" came in at #22.
Virtuality, from Ron Moore and Michael Taylor, came in at #15, and the David Weddle/Bradley Thompson written, Michael Nankin directed episode of CSI came in at #36. The tendrils continue to spread...
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?id=20100106_bestof2009
Virtuality, from Ron Moore and Michael Taylor, came in at #15, and the David Weddle/Bradley Thompson written, Michael Nankin directed episode of CSI came in at #36. The tendrils continue to spread...
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?id=20100106_bestof2009
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Economic Indicator...
This seems about as likely as anything else these days...
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/obama_to_wait_for_next
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/obama_to_wait_for_next
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
What's Coming Up...
A new decade (semantics about whether '10 or '11 are actually the "new decade" aside) and some new challenges ahead, but here are two goodies from from yours truly coming in a couple of weeks.
On January 25, NBC will air "my" last episode of Heroes season four, "The Art Of Deception." Co-written with Misha Green, directed by S.J. Clarkson, this one notches the intensity level up by several degrees. There are guns, there is evil, and there are bricks. Lots and lots of bricks. (You'll see.)
On January 29, the first regular season episode of Caprica, "Rebirth", airs on the SyFy channel. I wrote the first pass at this episode way back in 2008 and I suspect it's changed dramatically since. I haven't seen the final shooting script or the episode itself, so I'll be just was intrigued as you by the end result... except my name will be on it! (It is strange, sometimes, how this business works.) What I knew about the project way back when was certainly way-intriguing...
On January 25, NBC will air "my" last episode of Heroes season four, "The Art Of Deception." Co-written with Misha Green, directed by S.J. Clarkson, this one notches the intensity level up by several degrees. There are guns, there is evil, and there are bricks. Lots and lots of bricks. (You'll see.)
On January 29, the first regular season episode of Caprica, "Rebirth", airs on the SyFy channel. I wrote the first pass at this episode way back in 2008 and I suspect it's changed dramatically since. I haven't seen the final shooting script or the episode itself, so I'll be just was intrigued as you by the end result... except my name will be on it! (It is strange, sometimes, how this business works.) What I knew about the project way back when was certainly way-intriguing...
Ressurection Blues
My pal Ernest Troost, composer of the score for the movie Tremors, Emmy winner for the score to The Canterville Ghost, and now 2009 Kerrville Folk Festival winner, has a new CD out and you need to get it RIGHT NOW. Resurrection Blues is another classy set of beautifully produced folk/blues, and it's available both as Mp3 and CD from the fine folks at CD Baby. Check it out!
https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/troost2
https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/troost2
Monday, January 11, 2010
HEROES Tonight... 9:00PM! Monday! NBC!
If it's Monday, it's time for Heroes... tonight's episode:
H.R.G. EXPOSES SAMUEL'S GREATEST WEAKNESS IN AN EFFORT TO STOP HIM - LISA LACKEY, DAWN OLIVIERI AND ELISABETH ROHM GUEST STAR - H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) recruits Matt (Greg Grunberg) to help him take down Samuel (Robert Knepper), as they use his long-lost love, Vanessa (guest star Kate Vernon), to lure him to them, but Samuel has his own plans for Vanessa in the works. Meanwhile, Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) go to extreme lengths to save Dr. Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy). Elsewhere, Peter's (Milo Ventimiglia) introduction of Emma (guest star Deanne Bray) to his mother (Cristine Rose) brings forth visions of a very grim future. Hayden Panettiere also stars. Posted on HeroSite.net. Todd Stashwick and Sasha Pieterse also guest star.
The season four wrap party was held Sunday night and it was a raucous event, held at a swanky Hollywood bowling alley/bar. Emphasis on "bar." Now comes recovery!
H.R.G. EXPOSES SAMUEL'S GREATEST WEAKNESS IN AN EFFORT TO STOP HIM - LISA LACKEY, DAWN OLIVIERI AND ELISABETH ROHM GUEST STAR - H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) recruits Matt (Greg Grunberg) to help him take down Samuel (Robert Knepper), as they use his long-lost love, Vanessa (guest star Kate Vernon), to lure him to them, but Samuel has his own plans for Vanessa in the works. Meanwhile, Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) go to extreme lengths to save Dr. Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy). Elsewhere, Peter's (Milo Ventimiglia) introduction of Emma (guest star Deanne Bray) to his mother (Cristine Rose) brings forth visions of a very grim future. Hayden Panettiere also stars. Posted on HeroSite.net. Todd Stashwick and Sasha Pieterse also guest star.
The season four wrap party was held Sunday night and it was a raucous event, held at a swanky Hollywood bowling alley/bar. Emphasis on "bar." Now comes recovery!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Top 100 Power Pop CDs of 2009
I know, it's hard to believe there WERE 100 power pop CDs in 2009, but according to those fellow, here are the best. He's also got the 15 top EPs. This is a great site for keeping up on this very specific genre...
http://absolutepowerpop.blogspot.com/
http://absolutepowerpop.blogspot.com/
Saturday, January 02, 2010
If You Live Long Enough...
A very nice reviewer checks back on my "lost" Superman comic book series. I'm a little surprised that books less than five years old are considered "lost", but hey, I'll take a compliment anywhere I can find it.
http://www.comicon.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=560702
These stories were collected in a trade paperback edition called "The Journey", still available at Amazon. But for some reason Amazon includes reviews of a bunch of other books under the listing for "The Journey."
http://www.comicon.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=560702
These stories were collected in a trade paperback edition called "The Journey", still available at Amazon. But for some reason Amazon includes reviews of a bunch of other books under the listing for "The Journey."
New HEROES 1/4/10!
Lest we forget... Heroes returns Monday with a two hour rock 'em sock 'em adventure. And once again the fine folks at NBC describe the goings-on with remarkable brevity! That's MONDAY on NBC!
"HEROES" RETURNS WITH A SPECIAL TWO-HOUR EPISODE - THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS INTENSIFIES AS FINAL RESPECTS ARE PAID TO A FALLEN HERO - RAY PARK, DAWN OLIVIERI, DAVID H. LAWRENCE XVII AND ELISABETH ROHM GUEST STAR - As Claire (Hayden Panettiere)
becomes immersed into the world of the Carnival, she becomes increasingly suspicious of Samuels (Robert Knepper) motives. Hiro (Masi Oka) is on a mission to rescue one of his own, but has difficulty communicating his intentions to Ando (James Kyson Lee). Samuel has his sight set on Emma (guest star Deanne Bray) and her ability to complete his master plan. Meanwhile, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) returns to the Carnival in search of answers and Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) continues to struggle with the loss of his brother. Elsewhere, H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) sets his plan in motion to take down the carnival. Cristine Rose also stars. Posted on HeroSite.net. Todd Stashwick, Saemi Nakamura, Sasha Pieterse and Dawn Lyen Gardner also guest star.
"HEROES" RETURNS WITH A SPECIAL TWO-HOUR EPISODE - THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS INTENSIFIES AS FINAL RESPECTS ARE PAID TO A FALLEN HERO - RAY PARK, DAWN OLIVIERI, DAVID H. LAWRENCE XVII AND ELISABETH ROHM GUEST STAR - As Claire (Hayden Panettiere)
becomes immersed into the world of the Carnival, she becomes increasingly suspicious of Samuels (Robert Knepper) motives. Hiro (Masi Oka) is on a mission to rescue one of his own, but has difficulty communicating his intentions to Ando (James Kyson Lee). Samuel has his sight set on Emma (guest star Deanne Bray) and her ability to complete his master plan. Meanwhile, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) returns to the Carnival in search of answers and Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) continues to struggle with the loss of his brother. Elsewhere, H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) sets his plan in motion to take down the carnival. Cristine Rose also stars. Posted on HeroSite.net. Todd Stashwick, Saemi Nakamura, Sasha Pieterse and Dawn Lyen Gardner also guest star.
Top TV Of The Decade!
Since everyone else is posting their lists, might as well toss my own two cents into the arena.
First off, clearly the finest television programs of this decade are, in no particular order, Smallville, Heroes and Battlestar Galactica. Because all had the good sense to employ, *ahem*, me. However, in the interest of objectivity, I'll leave them off the list.
Second, because I've been, well, busy the last ten years, I've missed some programming that I've heard was, well, pretty good. These MIA's include The Wire and Lost, both of which are sitting in pretty boxed DVD collections next to the television, waiting to be perused.
So here were the shows that piqued my interest in the 00's...
1) Deadwood. Easily my favorite show of the last ten years, profane and brilliant and a Western, too!
2) Sopranos. When the show was hitting the mark (which was frequently), there was nothing better on TV.
3) The Office (US version). I find the British version almost too uncomfortable to watch, but the U.S. edition manages to balance the really squirmy stuff with genuine goofball slapstick.
4) West Wing. Fast talking politics. Topical issues. Loved it.
5) 24. There have been good seasons and less good seasons, but like the Sopranos, when this show works, it's great. I'm looking forward to this season's change-up.
6) House. Sometimes I think I'll weary of House's cranky attitude, but it hasn't happened yet. This is an incredibly well written show, and Hugh Laurie somehow manages to find new angles on playing drag-addled misanthropy.
7) Law and Order C.I. Jeff Goldblum is fun, but the now departed Vincent D'Onofrio was ridiculously interesting as the obsessive Detective Goran.
8) Law and Order SVU. A little more meat and potatoes than C.I., but always well written and great performances across the board.
Honorable mentions: Bones (great chemistry between the leads), Criminal Minds (the most grisly crime show on network television!), Spectacle (Elvis Costello's interview show on the Sundance channel)...
I reserve the right to add more when my memory is jogged...
First off, clearly the finest television programs of this decade are, in no particular order, Smallville, Heroes and Battlestar Galactica. Because all had the good sense to employ, *ahem*, me. However, in the interest of objectivity, I'll leave them off the list.
Second, because I've been, well, busy the last ten years, I've missed some programming that I've heard was, well, pretty good. These MIA's include The Wire and Lost, both of which are sitting in pretty boxed DVD collections next to the television, waiting to be perused.
So here were the shows that piqued my interest in the 00's...
1) Deadwood. Easily my favorite show of the last ten years, profane and brilliant and a Western, too!
2) Sopranos. When the show was hitting the mark (which was frequently), there was nothing better on TV.
3) The Office (US version). I find the British version almost too uncomfortable to watch, but the U.S. edition manages to balance the really squirmy stuff with genuine goofball slapstick.
4) West Wing. Fast talking politics. Topical issues. Loved it.
5) 24. There have been good seasons and less good seasons, but like the Sopranos, when this show works, it's great. I'm looking forward to this season's change-up.
6) House. Sometimes I think I'll weary of House's cranky attitude, but it hasn't happened yet. This is an incredibly well written show, and Hugh Laurie somehow manages to find new angles on playing drag-addled misanthropy.
7) Law and Order C.I. Jeff Goldblum is fun, but the now departed Vincent D'Onofrio was ridiculously interesting as the obsessive Detective Goran.
8) Law and Order SVU. A little more meat and potatoes than C.I., but always well written and great performances across the board.
Honorable mentions: Bones (great chemistry between the leads), Criminal Minds (the most grisly crime show on network television!), Spectacle (Elvis Costello's interview show on the Sundance channel)...
I reserve the right to add more when my memory is jogged...
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Yes, It's Been Awhile
After wrapping my final (co-written) episode for Heroes season four, I decided to take a break from the entire internet-happy world for a few days (otherwise known as "a vacation"). But I'm back and ready to face 2010 with a smile in my heart and a bottle in my hand...
And I came back to a pile of cool stuff.
*Like District 9 and Paranormal Activity on Blu-Ray.
*A bunch (12!) of live-from-2009, totally authorized Elton John CDs from www.concertlive.co.uk.
*"Metal Box", an exact replica of Public Image's first release. I still have the vinyl version somewhere (three 12" records packed in a metal film-can like container), this is a smaller CD version. It's a great collection, and I love the way the otherwise discordant/throbbing set ends with a swelling, elegant instrumental piece that feels like score from a lost Stanley Kubrick movie.
*Yet another full-color collection of Steve Ditko comics, this one a big coffee-table-type book from Fantagraphics.
*News from Fletcher Hanks fanatic Paul Karasik that two and possibly three "new to us" Fletcher comics stories have been discovered. If you haven't discovered the genius that is Fletcher, rush to Amazon right now, search Paul's name and buy both reasonably priced collections.
*A fantastic piece of original art by DC comics master Curt Swan -- a Batman/Hostess Cupcakes ad/story where Batman tackles "The Crime Director", a film-director villain wearing an ascot who "directs" his goons to rob the "City Bank" by yelling "Roll 'em!" Only to be foiled when Batman distracts the thugs with a handful of Hostess cupcakes. I'm going to try this trick next time I'm faced with an unruly cast! To quote the flummoxed Crime Director, "You guys are breaking your contract!"
And I also came back invigorated and ready to tackle the feature projects on my plate. It looks to be another busy year, always a good thing in the spooky and uncertain world of TV and feature writing.
And I came back to a pile of cool stuff.
*Like District 9 and Paranormal Activity on Blu-Ray.
*A bunch (12!) of live-from-2009, totally authorized Elton John CDs from www.concertlive.co.uk.
*"Metal Box", an exact replica of Public Image's first release. I still have the vinyl version somewhere (three 12" records packed in a metal film-can like container), this is a smaller CD version. It's a great collection, and I love the way the otherwise discordant/throbbing set ends with a swelling, elegant instrumental piece that feels like score from a lost Stanley Kubrick movie.
*Yet another full-color collection of Steve Ditko comics, this one a big coffee-table-type book from Fantagraphics.
*News from Fletcher Hanks fanatic Paul Karasik that two and possibly three "new to us" Fletcher comics stories have been discovered. If you haven't discovered the genius that is Fletcher, rush to Amazon right now, search Paul's name and buy both reasonably priced collections.
*A fantastic piece of original art by DC comics master Curt Swan -- a Batman/Hostess Cupcakes ad/story where Batman tackles "The Crime Director", a film-director villain wearing an ascot who "directs" his goons to rob the "City Bank" by yelling "Roll 'em!" Only to be foiled when Batman distracts the thugs with a handful of Hostess cupcakes. I'm going to try this trick next time I'm faced with an unruly cast! To quote the flummoxed Crime Director, "You guys are breaking your contract!"
And I also came back invigorated and ready to tackle the feature projects on my plate. It looks to be another busy year, always a good thing in the spooky and uncertain world of TV and feature writing.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
My Name Is Bruce Shares BSG's Network!
Saturday night, 9:00PM, on the SyFy (formally the "SciFi") Channel -- My Name Is Bruce makes it's glorious network television premiere! I'll be curious to see how they deal with some of the more, um, "colorful" language!
http://video.syfy.com/movies_events/syfy_saturday
http://video.syfy.com/movies_events/syfy_saturday
Sunday, December 13, 2009
It's Top TV Shows Of The Decade Time!
Battlestar Galactica comes in at #7 on this "top forty of the 2000's" list...
http://insidetv.aol.com/2009/12/07/feature-page-10-1/
http://insidetv.aol.com/2009/12/07/feature-page-10-1/
Friday, December 11, 2009
Speaking Of Battlestar (and charity)...
My good friend Kelly Souders, currently executive producer of the fine television program Smallville, is the driving force behind an e-bay auction raising money for the African charity Heshima Kenya, an organization that works with refugee girls in Kenya. I've donated one of the Battlestar Galactica "cruise books", a fancy, full color hardcover book jam packed with rare photos and memories by the BSG cast and crew. This was produced for the wrap party of the series only, so this is a rare chance to grab one of these exquisitely produced pieces.
Bidding ends Sunday 12/13! Bid high and bid often! It's for a good cause!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Battlestar-Galactica-Cast-Crew-Yearbook-Orig-Sig_W0QQitemZ140365869093QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_
DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20ae753025
Bidding ends Sunday 12/13! Bid high and bid often! It's for a good cause!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Battlestar-Galactica-Cast-Crew-Yearbook-Orig-Sig_W0QQitemZ140365869093QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_
DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20ae753025
Proof Of Goodness In The World Vol. 10
So much goodness, so little time...
SCREENERS! You know what I'm talking about, Public Enemies, 500 Days Of Summer, A Serious Man, It's Complicated and Precious (so far)...
Mystery Science Theater 3000 XVI! With packaging designed by my good buddy Steve Vance and complete with a toy Tom Servo, who cares about the movies? This is just fun.
Alter Ego Magazine! Issue #90 just came out, jam-packed with the usual plethora of information on comics old and new. This issue features pieces on Kirby inking master Joe Sinnott, Stan Lee in the 1940's... every issue is an encyclopedic collection of facts and fun. Edited by Roy Thomas, available from TwoMorrows at www.twomorrows.com. In these tough economic times small publishers need our financial support more than ever, so buy subscriptions!
Belgian movie posters! Check out http://www.emovieposter.com for their weekly sales of movie posters/lobby cards and other film related "stuff." Even if you don't buy anything, it's fun to look through the hundreds of different poster designs. I've been picking up a few foreign posters recently, which have the benefit of usually being cheaper than the more famous U.S. versions, but are sometimes way cooler. I just picked up Belgian/German painted posters of The Monolith Monsters (one of my favorite Universal horrors from the '50's), Hammer's Curse of the Werewolf ("La Nuit Du Loup Garou!") and a gorgeous painting for the Geo. Pal War Of The Worlds. But again, it's fun just to look!
Snatch (the movie) on blu-ray! Probably my favorite Brad Pitt performance, babbling incomprehensible jargon to a pack of fairly incompetent gangsters. This is a movie I can watch again and again... I'd love to see an entire feature dedicated to the character "Bricktop."
The Cowsills first CD, from the original masters, with a 24 page color (or "colour" as our overseas friends spell it) with eight bonus tracks. They were the inspiration for the Partridge Family and have since been marred by tragedy (one of the Cowsill brothers died during Katrina), but they sure produced some great, "wholesome" pop...
More goodness soon!!
SCREENERS! You know what I'm talking about, Public Enemies, 500 Days Of Summer, A Serious Man, It's Complicated and Precious (so far)...
Mystery Science Theater 3000 XVI! With packaging designed by my good buddy Steve Vance and complete with a toy Tom Servo, who cares about the movies? This is just fun.
Alter Ego Magazine! Issue #90 just came out, jam-packed with the usual plethora of information on comics old and new. This issue features pieces on Kirby inking master Joe Sinnott, Stan Lee in the 1940's... every issue is an encyclopedic collection of facts and fun. Edited by Roy Thomas, available from TwoMorrows at www.twomorrows.com. In these tough economic times small publishers need our financial support more than ever, so buy subscriptions!
Belgian movie posters! Check out http://www.emovieposter.com for their weekly sales of movie posters/lobby cards and other film related "stuff." Even if you don't buy anything, it's fun to look through the hundreds of different poster designs. I've been picking up a few foreign posters recently, which have the benefit of usually being cheaper than the more famous U.S. versions, but are sometimes way cooler. I just picked up Belgian/German painted posters of The Monolith Monsters (one of my favorite Universal horrors from the '50's), Hammer's Curse of the Werewolf ("La Nuit Du Loup Garou!") and a gorgeous painting for the Geo. Pal War Of The Worlds. But again, it's fun just to look!
Snatch (the movie) on blu-ray! Probably my favorite Brad Pitt performance, babbling incomprehensible jargon to a pack of fairly incompetent gangsters. This is a movie I can watch again and again... I'd love to see an entire feature dedicated to the character "Bricktop."
The Cowsills first CD, from the original masters, with a 24 page color (or "colour" as our overseas friends spell it) with eight bonus tracks. They were the inspiration for the Partridge Family and have since been marred by tragedy (one of the Cowsill brothers died during Katrina), but they sure produced some great, "wholesome" pop...
More goodness soon!!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tootin' My Own Horn... Battlestar Edition
Time Magazine has posted their best TV shows of 2009 list, and Battlestar Galactica came in 5th, while my episode "The Oath" (with "Blood on the Scales") made the critic's honorary mention list. Sah-weet...
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944142_1944152,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944142_1944152,00.html
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Next!
Been a little while since I "blogged"... it's been one of those very busy, busy times. I've been wrapping up my work on season four of Heroes and spent some of last week enjoying the exceptional thesping of our cast. Since we are sworn to secrecy on a stack of legal contracts not to reveal plot details, I won't... but I think my final ep of the season, "The Art Of Deception", co-written with the exceptional Misha Green (though she'll probably take exception to that) is looking really swell.
Meanwhile, work continues on rewrites on various feature projects. I read someone somewhere wondering if "Ark", the movie I'm doing with Dark Horse and Neal Moritz, had gone to the great development hell in the sky. The answer is a definite "no." I've been reworking that one for awhile -- it's still active with a capital "A."
And in other news, I'm about to sit down with the inimitable Bruce Campbell to discuss the possibility of more epic collaborations. Probably not a sequel to "My Name Is Bruce" (one's plenty!), but maybe we can come up with some other form of motion picture mayhem to inflict on America. Because the world needs MORE BRUCE...
Meanwhile, work continues on rewrites on various feature projects. I read someone somewhere wondering if "Ark", the movie I'm doing with Dark Horse and Neal Moritz, had gone to the great development hell in the sky. The answer is a definite "no." I've been reworking that one for awhile -- it's still active with a capital "A."
And in other news, I'm about to sit down with the inimitable Bruce Campbell to discuss the possibility of more epic collaborations. Probably not a sequel to "My Name Is Bruce" (one's plenty!), but maybe we can come up with some other form of motion picture mayhem to inflict on America. Because the world needs MORE BRUCE...
Sunday, November 22, 2009
This Week On HEROES --
"Thanksgiving." That's right, the gang sits down for a lovely holiday meal. I think fans will be blown away by the fourth act twist -- when Angela tries to change the channel from a football game to a Twilight Zone marathon, watch out!
Or maybe I should let the fine folks at NBC explain...
THANKSGIVING UNITES FAMILIES TOGETHER AND BRINGS NEW REVELATIONS - H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) hosts an untraditional Thanksgiving dinner. Elsewhere, the Petrelli family gets a surprise guest at their table. Meanwhile, Samuel (Robert Knepper) continues to hold Hiro (Masi Oka) hostage, as Lydia (guest star Dawn Olivieri) goes in search for the truth. Greg Grunberg, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar, Zachary Quinto, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Cristine Rose and Milo Ventimiglia also star. Ashley Crow, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Madeline Zima, Ray Park, Harry Perry, Elizabeth Rohm, Andrew Connolly also guest star.
9:00 PM Monday night on NBC!
Or maybe I should let the fine folks at NBC explain...
THANKSGIVING UNITES FAMILIES TOGETHER AND BRINGS NEW REVELATIONS - H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) hosts an untraditional Thanksgiving dinner. Elsewhere, the Petrelli family gets a surprise guest at their table. Meanwhile, Samuel (Robert Knepper) continues to hold Hiro (Masi Oka) hostage, as Lydia (guest star Dawn Olivieri) goes in search for the truth. Greg Grunberg, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar, Zachary Quinto, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Cristine Rose and Milo Ventimiglia also star. Ashley Crow, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Madeline Zima, Ray Park, Harry Perry, Elizabeth Rohm, Andrew Connolly also guest star.
9:00 PM Monday night on NBC!
Proof Of Goodness In The World Vol. 9!
So much good stuff, so little time...
It's awards season, which means SCREENERS! To quote our former President (in a slightly different context), "bring it on!"
Guitarist/songwriter Jaime Hoover has a new CD, "English Afterthought" with Steve Stoeckel. Hoover was/is a member of The Spongetones, has played often with Don Dixon, and knocks another one out of the park with this classic poppy-rock release. Available from the fine folks at notlame.com.
Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away", a brand new, definitive 6 CD collection of his studio recordings. In large format with an informative book and many photos. A very nice limited edition from the fine folks at Hip-O-Select.com.
Strange Suspense, the Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 1. A 230 page collection of comic artist Steve Ditko's earliest and most demented work, mostly from pre-code horror comics from the mid-50's. (Hopefully most of the folks reading this know Ditko co-created Spider-Man and that he continues to draw to this day.) In full color and shot from the original books, it's a typically elegant production from the folks at Fantagraphics Books.
The Book Of Genesis, illustrated by Robert Crumb. An interesting choice of subject matter, but Crumb's work has never been better. There's an affordable hardcover and a deluxe boxed signed swanky edition, I got mine via Amazon...
More goodness soon!
It's awards season, which means SCREENERS! To quote our former President (in a slightly different context), "bring it on!"
Guitarist/songwriter Jaime Hoover has a new CD, "English Afterthought" with Steve Stoeckel. Hoover was/is a member of The Spongetones, has played often with Don Dixon, and knocks another one out of the park with this classic poppy-rock release. Available from the fine folks at notlame.com.
Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away", a brand new, definitive 6 CD collection of his studio recordings. In large format with an informative book and many photos. A very nice limited edition from the fine folks at Hip-O-Select.com.
Strange Suspense, the Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 1. A 230 page collection of comic artist Steve Ditko's earliest and most demented work, mostly from pre-code horror comics from the mid-50's. (Hopefully most of the folks reading this know Ditko co-created Spider-Man and that he continues to draw to this day.) In full color and shot from the original books, it's a typically elegant production from the folks at Fantagraphics Books.
The Book Of Genesis, illustrated by Robert Crumb. An interesting choice of subject matter, but Crumb's work has never been better. There's an affordable hardcover and a deluxe boxed signed swanky edition, I got mine via Amazon...
More goodness soon!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
HEROES on 11/16/09! Brother's Keeper!
This week on Heroes, an extra special episode, and I'm not saying that just because I co-wrote it with my pal Rob Fresco. Well, I guess I am, but it's still extra-special!
We got your Nathan and your Peter (hence the "Brothers" title), your Matt and your Sylar, we got Tracy, Claire, Hiro, Suresh -- and the nefarious Samuel as well. It's all happening MONDAY November 16 at 8:00PM! Heroes on NBC!
THE TRUTH SETS OUR HEROES ON NEW AND DANGEROUS PATHS.
Samuel (Robert Knepper) learns just how powerful he can become and takes dangerous measures to reach his full potential. Meanwhile, as Tracy (Ali Larter) begins to lose control of her ability, one of her own comes in harms way. Elsewhere, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) continues his battle with Matt (Greg Grunberg).
Kavi Ladnier, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Ravi Kapoor and Andrew Connolly guest star.
In other Heroes-esque news, back the office we're careening toward the season four climax and I can report with some authority that there's plenty of cool stuff still to come. And some intriguing directors and guest stars that Battlestar fans may recognize from that fine program... but no, the Cylons are NOT responsible for Samuel's perfidy. At least I'm pretty sure...
We got your Nathan and your Peter (hence the "Brothers" title), your Matt and your Sylar, we got Tracy, Claire, Hiro, Suresh -- and the nefarious Samuel as well. It's all happening MONDAY November 16 at 8:00PM! Heroes on NBC!
THE TRUTH SETS OUR HEROES ON NEW AND DANGEROUS PATHS.
Samuel (Robert Knepper) learns just how powerful he can become and takes dangerous measures to reach his full potential. Meanwhile, as Tracy (Ali Larter) begins to lose control of her ability, one of her own comes in harms way. Elsewhere, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) continues his battle with Matt (Greg Grunberg).
Kavi Ladnier, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Ravi Kapoor and Andrew Connolly guest star.
In other Heroes-esque news, back the office we're careening toward the season four climax and I can report with some authority that there's plenty of cool stuff still to come. And some intriguing directors and guest stars that Battlestar fans may recognize from that fine program... but no, the Cylons are NOT responsible for Samuel's perfidy. At least I'm pretty sure...
Monday, November 09, 2009
Wish I'd Been There...
From the Backstreets blog, re: last night's Springsteen show at Madison Square Garden...
http://backstreets.com/news.html
November 8 / Madison Square Garden / New York, NY
Notes: Context has always been important to Bruce Springsteen's music, and he reinforced that notion with a galvanizing performance of The River in its entirety for the first time on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. In a precise, exhilarating, and high-energy show, Springsteen faithfully reproduced all 20 of its songs. Most have appeared in shows on various tours since the album's 1980 release, and usually to great effect. But hearing the songs in their original order left many in the building gasping in astonishment.
There's lots more, but you get the gist. Gasping in astonishment indeed... it must have been amazing. Maybe there's an official release in the cards?
http://backstreets.com/news.html
November 8 / Madison Square Garden / New York, NY
Notes: Context has always been important to Bruce Springsteen's music, and he reinforced that notion with a galvanizing performance of The River in its entirety for the first time on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. In a precise, exhilarating, and high-energy show, Springsteen faithfully reproduced all 20 of its songs. Most have appeared in shows on various tours since the album's 1980 release, and usually to great effect. But hearing the songs in their original order left many in the building gasping in astonishment.
There's lots more, but you get the gist. Gasping in astonishment indeed... it must have been amazing. Maybe there's an official release in the cards?
TONIGHT on HEROES -- Shadowboxing!
Monday night, 8PM, NBC, in living color!! Tonight's episode is "Shadowboxing", and here how the fine folks at NBC describe it!
CLAIRE LEARNS THE TRUTH BEHIND THE ATTACKS AND SYLAR TAKES MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS.
Claire (Hayden Panettiere) is determined to get to the bottom of the Sorority Rush attacks on her own, until H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) intervenes only to realize he may be the source of her troubles. Meanwhile, Peter’s (Milo Ventimiglia) new ability is a perfect fit for his job and gives him the opportunity to help Emma (guest star Deanne Bray) accept her new life. Elsewhere, Sylar’s (Zachary Quinto) battle at gaining full control over Matt’s (Greg Grunberg) body escalates — with potentially dangerous implications at stake.
Kat Purgal, Carlease Burke, Danica Stewart, Candice Patton, Sally Champlin and Assaf Cohen guest star.
Next week, my first episode for season four, co-written with the ever-talented Rob Fresco, "Brother's Keeper." I just got back from the final mix, and I'll just note that this one looks cool, sounds just dandy, and deals big time with the ever-loving Petrelli family...
CLAIRE LEARNS THE TRUTH BEHIND THE ATTACKS AND SYLAR TAKES MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS.
Claire (Hayden Panettiere) is determined to get to the bottom of the Sorority Rush attacks on her own, until H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) intervenes only to realize he may be the source of her troubles. Meanwhile, Peter’s (Milo Ventimiglia) new ability is a perfect fit for his job and gives him the opportunity to help Emma (guest star Deanne Bray) accept her new life. Elsewhere, Sylar’s (Zachary Quinto) battle at gaining full control over Matt’s (Greg Grunberg) body escalates — with potentially dangerous implications at stake.
Kat Purgal, Carlease Burke, Danica Stewart, Candice Patton, Sally Champlin and Assaf Cohen guest star.
Next week, my first episode for season four, co-written with the ever-talented Rob Fresco, "Brother's Keeper." I just got back from the final mix, and I'll just note that this one looks cool, sounds just dandy, and deals big time with the ever-loving Petrelli family...
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Proof Of Goodness In The World Vol. 8!
So much goodness, so little time!
Hard Times, the first movie directed by Walter Hill, starring Charles Bronson and James Coburn, now in high-def! The MGM-HD channel has been showing some great 70's movies, including incredibly gritty stuff like Hickey & Boggs (with Robery Culp and Bill Cosby as two of the seediest private eyes ever!) and Across 110th Street, which practically requires a shower after viewing.
Silverado is out on blu-ray! A great Western with an excellent cast and a stand-out performance by Brian Dennehy as the bad guy you kind of like except for the "killing innocent people" thing.
The original Prisoner, starring the late, great Patrick McGoohan, is out in blu-ray! I have no idea if the new series will work (the promos look pretty great), but the original is still fun and chock full of 60's paranoia/insanity.
Bright Midnight, the special "Doors only" label from Rhino, is releasing a bunch of great live Doors material! Sound quality is great and that Jim Morrison was kind of wacky...
Reggae great Fred Locks has a new CD out called Glorify The Lord that brings him back to the sound of his first and best release, Black Star Liners. And that's good!
Bruce Springsteen is STILL on tour, and he's breaking up his set list and doing entire albums on this last lap. Last night in Madison Square Garden, it was his second record, The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle. Tonight he's doing the entire double album, The River. I am now in favor of a nationwide supersonic bullet train that could get from me the West Coast to the East Coast in time to see this... but alas...
The House actually passed a health care reform bill!
More goodness soon!!
Hard Times, the first movie directed by Walter Hill, starring Charles Bronson and James Coburn, now in high-def! The MGM-HD channel has been showing some great 70's movies, including incredibly gritty stuff like Hickey & Boggs (with Robery Culp and Bill Cosby as two of the seediest private eyes ever!) and Across 110th Street, which practically requires a shower after viewing.
Silverado is out on blu-ray! A great Western with an excellent cast and a stand-out performance by Brian Dennehy as the bad guy you kind of like except for the "killing innocent people" thing.
The original Prisoner, starring the late, great Patrick McGoohan, is out in blu-ray! I have no idea if the new series will work (the promos look pretty great), but the original is still fun and chock full of 60's paranoia/insanity.
Bright Midnight, the special "Doors only" label from Rhino, is releasing a bunch of great live Doors material! Sound quality is great and that Jim Morrison was kind of wacky...
Reggae great Fred Locks has a new CD out called Glorify The Lord that brings him back to the sound of his first and best release, Black Star Liners. And that's good!
Bruce Springsteen is STILL on tour, and he's breaking up his set list and doing entire albums on this last lap. Last night in Madison Square Garden, it was his second record, The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle. Tonight he's doing the entire double album, The River. I am now in favor of a nationwide supersonic bullet train that could get from me the West Coast to the East Coast in time to see this... but alas...
The House actually passed a health care reform bill!
More goodness soon!!
Monday, November 02, 2009
HEROES Tonight + Ratings...
For those who are curious about Heroes and it's place in the ratings firmament, here's an interesting piece from the 11/2 New York Times --
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/business/
media/02ratings.html?_r=1
Key section:
Individual shows have gained substantially. “House,” second among all shows in its live program rating (to “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC), became the top show in terms of commercials viewed within three days with a 5.68 rating (about 6.53 million), gaining almost 18 percent. NBC’s comedy “The Office” had one of the single biggest gains — 26 percent from its live program rating — to 3.92 (4.5 million) for its rating including playbacks.
The supposedly struggling NBC drama “Heroes” jumped 22 percent, as did another apparently flagging drama, “Fringe” on Fox. And a new ABC drama, the appropriately named “Flash Forward,” looks even more like a hit than it did with its original rating because its rating increased 14 percent with playbacks.
MEANWHILE --
TONIGHT ON HEROES -- a very special episode featuring Hiro, our old pal Sylar... and a women named Charlie. "Once Upon A Time In Texas..."
HIRO GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO SAVE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE.
When Hiro (Masi Oka) travels three years into the past, he has a second chance to save Charlie (guest star Jayma Mays) from the hands of Sylar (Zachary Quinto). However, Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) presence serves to complicate Hiro’s mission even further. Elsewhere, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) past with his Primatech partner (guest star Elizabeth Rohm) is revealed.
Danielle Savre, Sally Champlin, Dawn Olivieri and Jayma Mays guest star.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/business/
media/02ratings.html?_r=1
Key section:
Individual shows have gained substantially. “House,” second among all shows in its live program rating (to “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC), became the top show in terms of commercials viewed within three days with a 5.68 rating (about 6.53 million), gaining almost 18 percent. NBC’s comedy “The Office” had one of the single biggest gains — 26 percent from its live program rating — to 3.92 (4.5 million) for its rating including playbacks.
The supposedly struggling NBC drama “Heroes” jumped 22 percent, as did another apparently flagging drama, “Fringe” on Fox. And a new ABC drama, the appropriately named “Flash Forward,” looks even more like a hit than it did with its original rating because its rating increased 14 percent with playbacks.
MEANWHILE --
TONIGHT ON HEROES -- a very special episode featuring Hiro, our old pal Sylar... and a women named Charlie. "Once Upon A Time In Texas..."
HIRO GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO SAVE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE.
When Hiro (Masi Oka) travels three years into the past, he has a second chance to save Charlie (guest star Jayma Mays) from the hands of Sylar (Zachary Quinto). However, Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) presence serves to complicate Hiro’s mission even further. Elsewhere, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) past with his Primatech partner (guest star Elizabeth Rohm) is revealed.
Danielle Savre, Sally Champlin, Dawn Olivieri and Jayma Mays guest star.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Heroes! Yes, Heroes!
Here's the NBC blurbs for the next TWO, count 'em, TWO episodes!
First, coming on Oct. 26, "Strange Attractors!"
Matt (Greg Grunberg) goes to extreme measures to extinguish Sylar (Zachary Quinto), who continues to torment him. Elsewhere, H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) calls in a favor from Tracy (Ali Larter) to save a troubled young boy whose misfortunes resemble her own. While Claire (Hayden Panettiere) and Gretchen (guest star Madeline Zima) are being hazed by their new sorority sisters, they realize pledging might not be their biggest problem.
Lisa Lackey, Tessa Thompson and Rick Worthy guest star.
The week after, a very special episode featuring Hiro and our old pal Sylar... and a women named Charlie. "Once Upon A Time In Texas..."
HIRO GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO SAVE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE.
When Hiro (Masi Oka) travels three years into the past, he has a second chance to save Charlie (guest star Jayma Mays) from the hands of Sylar (Zachary Quinto). However, Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) presence serves to complicate Hiro’s mission even further. Elsewhere, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) past with his Primatech partner (guest star Elizabeth Rohm) is revealed.
Danielle Savre, Sally Champlin, Dawn Olivieri and Jayma Mays guest star.
For those counting, after these comes "Shadow Boxing", and then "Brother's Keeper", co-written by yours truly and Mr. Rob Fresco. Not to give anything away, but "Brother's Keeper" throws a few of the pieces in the air for some of our most popular characters. In a, you know, good way!
First, coming on Oct. 26, "Strange Attractors!"
Matt (Greg Grunberg) goes to extreme measures to extinguish Sylar (Zachary Quinto), who continues to torment him. Elsewhere, H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) calls in a favor from Tracy (Ali Larter) to save a troubled young boy whose misfortunes resemble her own. While Claire (Hayden Panettiere) and Gretchen (guest star Madeline Zima) are being hazed by their new sorority sisters, they realize pledging might not be their biggest problem.
Lisa Lackey, Tessa Thompson and Rick Worthy guest star.
The week after, a very special episode featuring Hiro and our old pal Sylar... and a women named Charlie. "Once Upon A Time In Texas..."
HIRO GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO SAVE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE.
When Hiro (Masi Oka) travels three years into the past, he has a second chance to save Charlie (guest star Jayma Mays) from the hands of Sylar (Zachary Quinto). However, Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) presence serves to complicate Hiro’s mission even further. Elsewhere, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) past with his Primatech partner (guest star Elizabeth Rohm) is revealed.
Danielle Savre, Sally Champlin, Dawn Olivieri and Jayma Mays guest star.
For those counting, after these comes "Shadow Boxing", and then "Brother's Keeper", co-written by yours truly and Mr. Rob Fresco. Not to give anything away, but "Brother's Keeper" throws a few of the pieces in the air for some of our most popular characters. In a, you know, good way!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Proof Of Goodness In The World #7
So much goodness, so little time...
The amazing, six hour Monty Python documentary that's been running on IFC this week! It puts the "d" in definitive. And I'm reminded just how tenuous this crazy show biz racket can be... both Holy Grail and Life Of Brian nearly derailed at the last minute when their financing disappeared.
Tim Finn's North South East West, an Anthology. A new 2 CD compilation of Tim's greatest, from the Split Enz years through solo, Crowded House, Finn Brothers and "etc."! Great stuff.
Elvis Costello's Live At The El Macambo. Actually, not this CD so much (the concert was released with a EC box-set years ago), but the promise of more live Costello shows to come in a new "performance" series of releases!
The Unforgiven on CD! Not the Clint Eastwood movie, but a short-lived band from the 80's that did a strange amalgam of power-pop crossed with Morricone-styled spaghetti Western music. Gee, wonder why that didn't catch on? But I like it!
Bonanza (the TV series) is finally being released "authoritatively" on DVD! Season One is out now!
More goodness to come...
The amazing, six hour Monty Python documentary that's been running on IFC this week! It puts the "d" in definitive. And I'm reminded just how tenuous this crazy show biz racket can be... both Holy Grail and Life Of Brian nearly derailed at the last minute when their financing disappeared.
Tim Finn's North South East West, an Anthology. A new 2 CD compilation of Tim's greatest, from the Split Enz years through solo, Crowded House, Finn Brothers and "etc."! Great stuff.
Elvis Costello's Live At The El Macambo. Actually, not this CD so much (the concert was released with a EC box-set years ago), but the promise of more live Costello shows to come in a new "performance" series of releases!
The Unforgiven on CD! Not the Clint Eastwood movie, but a short-lived band from the 80's that did a strange amalgam of power-pop crossed with Morricone-styled spaghetti Western music. Gee, wonder why that didn't catch on? But I like it!
Bonanza (the TV series) is finally being released "authoritatively" on DVD! Season One is out now!
More goodness to come...
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Nothing But The News...
Like laughing at the news? I do! From Mark Evanier's fine site, a collection of screen-shots showing chirons gone wild.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/21-news-caption-fails/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/21-news-caption-fails/
Thursday, October 15, 2009
You Know You Want It...
It's still up for bid! And if they really spent $300K making this thing (!), that may explain why a movie that cost $26M to produce and made $150,000,000 in worldwide theatrical release (forget video, DVD, TV, etc.) was still $20M in the hole last time I got a profit statement...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Jean-Claude-VAN-DAMMEs-
TIMECOP-TIME-TRAVEL-MACHINE_W0QQitemZ140351319218QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_
DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20ad972cb2
http://cgi.ebay.com/Jean-Claude-VAN-DAMMEs-
TIMECOP-TIME-TRAVEL-MACHINE_W0QQitemZ140351319218QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_
DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20ad972cb2
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Stuff You NEED - My Name Is Bruce ACTION FIGURE
According to Amazon these babies ship in a week, but I got my fresh-from-the-factory toys yesterday and they are... totally Bruce. Accessorized with gun, "Shemp" Whiskey and angel/devil Bruces that magnetically attach to the big figure's shoulders, THIS is the one toy you need!
About Those HEROES Ratings...
Well, what do you know... a little ray o' sunshine from the Oct. 12 New York Times...
Hold the farewell parties for “Heroes.”
The NBC drama looked as if it were about to fade into oblivion based on the same-day ratings for its first couple of episodes this fall. But when results from the playback of the show over a seven-day period on digital video recorders were released Monday, the picture for “Heroes,” as well as almost half of the shows on network television, brightened considerably.
The overall audience for “Heroes” grew by 26 percent from the numbers that were reported the day after its premiere episode was shown two weeks ago; more significant, among the viewers NBC most cares about, ages 18 to 49, “Heroes” jumped from a 2.8 rating to a 3.7, well above the average for network programs.
Read the entire article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/business/media/13dvr.html?_r=1
Hold the farewell parties for “Heroes.”
The NBC drama looked as if it were about to fade into oblivion based on the same-day ratings for its first couple of episodes this fall. But when results from the playback of the show over a seven-day period on digital video recorders were released Monday, the picture for “Heroes,” as well as almost half of the shows on network television, brightened considerably.
The overall audience for “Heroes” grew by 26 percent from the numbers that were reported the day after its premiere episode was shown two weeks ago; more significant, among the viewers NBC most cares about, ages 18 to 49, “Heroes” jumped from a 2.8 rating to a 3.7, well above the average for network programs.
Read the entire article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/business/media/13dvr.html?_r=1
Sunday, October 11, 2009
This Week On HEROES - Oct. 12! Monday! 8PM! NBC!
As always, the crack NBC promotional team offers a far more trenchant summary than I...
SELF-DISCOVERY ROCKS THEIR WORLD AS OUR HEROES ENCOUNTER NEW ABILITIES, TRY TO RECALL PAST LIVES AND STUMBLE UPON AN UNEXPECTED KISS.
Samuel (Robert Knepper) prepares for new additions to his family, while Lydia (guest star Dawn Olivieri) warns him of the consequences. Claire (Hayden Panettiere) discovers that her roommate Gretchen (guest star Madeline Zima) may have a hidden agenda. Meanwhile, Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) finds an unexpected way to connect with Emma (guest star Deanne Bray), who would prefer to stay distant. Elsewhere, a different side of Sylar (Zachary Quinto) emerges as he desperately tries to remember the person he used to be.
Rachel Melvin and Jack Wallace guest star.
Given the rather wide release of a photo of that "unexpected kiss", I'm not sure how unexpected it'll be -- but that's okay!
MONDAY NIGHT at 8PM on NBC! Before Trauma! Before Leno! Before the late night news! Not 9PM, but 8PM!
SELF-DISCOVERY ROCKS THEIR WORLD AS OUR HEROES ENCOUNTER NEW ABILITIES, TRY TO RECALL PAST LIVES AND STUMBLE UPON AN UNEXPECTED KISS.
Samuel (Robert Knepper) prepares for new additions to his family, while Lydia (guest star Dawn Olivieri) warns him of the consequences. Claire (Hayden Panettiere) discovers that her roommate Gretchen (guest star Madeline Zima) may have a hidden agenda. Meanwhile, Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) finds an unexpected way to connect with Emma (guest star Deanne Bray), who would prefer to stay distant. Elsewhere, a different side of Sylar (Zachary Quinto) emerges as he desperately tries to remember the person he used to be.
Rachel Melvin and Jack Wallace guest star.
Given the rather wide release of a photo of that "unexpected kiss", I'm not sure how unexpected it'll be -- but that's okay!
MONDAY NIGHT at 8PM on NBC! Before Trauma! Before Leno! Before the late night news! Not 9PM, but 8PM!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Proof Of Goodness In The World #6
Time flies when you're... working a lot. Suffice to say the Verheiden beak has been to the grindstone, irons are in the fire, coffee's been spilling down the throat, "etc." But that doesn't mean there still isn't goodness in the world. To wit --
Meeting up with most of the BSG writing staff at Musso and Franks! We see each other frequently, but this was fun...
...especially considering the thirst-quenching Manhattans (as in the mixed drink) at Musso and Franks! Extra bonus, Jane got to eat all the cherries!
Cheap Trick's latest album, "The Latest", is available on vinyl and, believe it or not, eight track! Yes, that's right, eight track! I expect the Edison Cylinder edition any day now...
Audition the movie on Blu-ray. It's even creepier in high def! "Deeper deeper deeper..."
The song "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty! Love that crazy sax solo.
Lover's Who Wander by the Del-Lords is being reissued with extra tracks! Due out in a week!
Dwight Twilley Rarities Vol. 6! Twilley is a power-popper who's been issuing a blitz of material on his own label, and this is just the latest and greatest! Available from www.notlame.com.
Roger Ebert's blog! Ebert's been writing some wonderful memoir-type pieces about his earlier days in Chicago journalism, along with some hard hitting political commentary.
More goodness soon!
Meeting up with most of the BSG writing staff at Musso and Franks! We see each other frequently, but this was fun...
...especially considering the thirst-quenching Manhattans (as in the mixed drink) at Musso and Franks! Extra bonus, Jane got to eat all the cherries!
Cheap Trick's latest album, "The Latest", is available on vinyl and, believe it or not, eight track! Yes, that's right, eight track! I expect the Edison Cylinder edition any day now...
Audition the movie on Blu-ray. It's even creepier in high def! "Deeper deeper deeper..."
The song "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty! Love that crazy sax solo.
Lover's Who Wander by the Del-Lords is being reissued with extra tracks! Due out in a week!
Dwight Twilley Rarities Vol. 6! Twilley is a power-popper who's been issuing a blitz of material on his own label, and this is just the latest and greatest! Available from www.notlame.com.
Roger Ebert's blog! Ebert's been writing some wonderful memoir-type pieces about his earlier days in Chicago journalism, along with some hard hitting political commentary.
More goodness soon!
Monday, September 28, 2009
TONIGHT on Heroes... "INK"
The fine folks at NBC say it better than I...
Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) faces unexpected consequences for his heroic acts and encounters a reluctant new hero (guest star Deanne Bray). As Claire (Hayden Panettiere) continues to adjust to college life, she must figure out how to deal with her ability having been revealed. Meanwhile, Samuel (Robert Knepper) moves heaven and earth to recapture the memories of his late brother Joseph. Elsewhere, Matt (Greg Grunberg) struggles with his internal demons as Sylar (Zachary Quinto) mysteriously resurfaces. Jack Coleman also stars. Assaf Cohen and Rick Worthy also guest star.
TONIGHT at 8PM on NBC!
Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) faces unexpected consequences for his heroic acts and encounters a reluctant new hero (guest star Deanne Bray). As Claire (Hayden Panettiere) continues to adjust to college life, she must figure out how to deal with her ability having been revealed. Meanwhile, Samuel (Robert Knepper) moves heaven and earth to recapture the memories of his late brother Joseph. Elsewhere, Matt (Greg Grunberg) struggles with his internal demons as Sylar (Zachary Quinto) mysteriously resurfaces. Jack Coleman also stars. Assaf Cohen and Rick Worthy also guest star.
TONIGHT at 8PM on NBC!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Where Are They Now (BSG Edition)
Mo Ryan at the Chicago Tribune talks about a charity project involving Katee Sackhoff, and runs down the current activities of Battlestar Galactica's writers, producers and cast... people are managing to keep pretty busy!
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/
entertainment_tv/2009/09/katee-sackhoff-24-battlestar.html
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/
entertainment_tv/2009/09/katee-sackhoff-24-battlestar.html
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Proof Of Goodness In The World #5
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is stately, elegiac, compelling movie. I've seen it five times and intend to see it again.
The Black Knight Marvel Masterworks (Atlas era) hardcover! Reprints all of the great Black Knight stories from the 1950's, with art by Joe Maneely, Jack Kirby and others.
The brand new CD by pop master David Grahame! It appears to be untitled and has only two very long melody tracks, so there are multiple songs, but you can't skip through them. Hmm!! Only 75 copies (!) produced, order quick from notlame.com!
There is a table at the El Cholo restaurant in Santa Monica where, if you're lucky enough to be seated there, you automatically get free nachos!
The My Name Is Bruce 12" action figure is due out any day now!
Star Trek The Original Series Season 2 - blu-ray! Shipping this week!
There's a brand new Jason (Jellyfish) Falkner CD, All Quiet On The Noise Floor! It's only been released in Japan, but it's also available at notlame.com!
The Psychedelic Furs are touring!
The new issue of Beatlefan is out... I really enjoy the fanzine-ey feel of this mag!
More goodness to come!
The Black Knight Marvel Masterworks (Atlas era) hardcover! Reprints all of the great Black Knight stories from the 1950's, with art by Joe Maneely, Jack Kirby and others.
The brand new CD by pop master David Grahame! It appears to be untitled and has only two very long melody tracks, so there are multiple songs, but you can't skip through them. Hmm!! Only 75 copies (!) produced, order quick from notlame.com!
There is a table at the El Cholo restaurant in Santa Monica where, if you're lucky enough to be seated there, you automatically get free nachos!
The My Name Is Bruce 12" action figure is due out any day now!
Star Trek The Original Series Season 2 - blu-ray! Shipping this week!
There's a brand new Jason (Jellyfish) Falkner CD, All Quiet On The Noise Floor! It's only been released in Japan, but it's also available at notlame.com!
The Psychedelic Furs are touring!
The new issue of Beatlefan is out... I really enjoy the fanzine-ey feel of this mag!
More goodness to come!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Fun With Steven Seagal
One thing I always admired about the early Seagal movies, in a "gee, how come he can get away with it" fashion, was the way he would break out of various death traps. Sad screenwriters like yours truly spend hours wracking our brains trying to figure out clever and new ways for our characters to evade, escape, discover, unleash and generally "do stuff", but Mr. Seagal often eschewed all that nonsense for the direct approach.
In Above The Law, Steve gets captured by the evil Henry Silva and his henchmen, who bind Steven to a chair with plastic handcuffs (like the zip-ties police use), shoot him full of some noxious drug and quasi-strangle him with a cord. Pretty tough situation, huh?
How does Steven escape? Well, he feigns being dazed by the drug, then, when Henry's guard is down, he summons up super-human strength, snaps the plastic ties and kills everyone in the room.
In Marked For Death, Steven is captured by the unfortunately named "Screwface" and strapped to the floor for some serious killin'. But when the going gets tough, guess what? Steven summons up that super-human strength again, snaps the straps and kills everyone in the room.
But this isn't just limited to old Steven Seagal movies. In the very entertaining Taken, Liam Neeson is captured by the bad guys and hand-cuffed to a metal steam pipe in the bowels of a pleasure cruiser. Liam's about to be strangled when, *whew*, the pipe breaks (!) and he, well, kills everyone in the room.
I guess the good guy deserves a break here and there, but really? The pipe breaks? But I guess we have made some progress, since super-human strength was not employed, but still... I don't think I could get away with it!
In Above The Law, Steve gets captured by the evil Henry Silva and his henchmen, who bind Steven to a chair with plastic handcuffs (like the zip-ties police use), shoot him full of some noxious drug and quasi-strangle him with a cord. Pretty tough situation, huh?
How does Steven escape? Well, he feigns being dazed by the drug, then, when Henry's guard is down, he summons up super-human strength, snaps the plastic ties and kills everyone in the room.
In Marked For Death, Steven is captured by the unfortunately named "Screwface" and strapped to the floor for some serious killin'. But when the going gets tough, guess what? Steven summons up that super-human strength again, snaps the straps and kills everyone in the room.
But this isn't just limited to old Steven Seagal movies. In the very entertaining Taken, Liam Neeson is captured by the bad guys and hand-cuffed to a metal steam pipe in the bowels of a pleasure cruiser. Liam's about to be strangled when, *whew*, the pipe breaks (!) and he, well, kills everyone in the room.
I guess the good guy deserves a break here and there, but really? The pipe breaks? But I guess we have made some progress, since super-human strength was not employed, but still... I don't think I could get away with it!
Headlines You Don't Want To See...
"Insane Killer Escapes During Field Trip." Things must be exciting in Spokane today!
http://news.aol.com/article/insane-killer-phillip-arnold-paul/676297
It reminds me of the headline I saw many years ago when I was living in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles. "Highland Park - Gang And Satanist Hub Of Los Angeles". At least we were famous for something...
http://news.aol.com/article/insane-killer-phillip-arnold-paul/676297
It reminds me of the headline I saw many years ago when I was living in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles. "Highland Park - Gang And Satanist Hub Of Los Angeles". At least we were famous for something...
Friday, September 18, 2009
HEROES IS (almost) BACK - Season 4, "Redemption"
Season four kicks off this MONDAY on NBC at 8:00PM with a two, count 'em, two hour premiere. When last we touched base with our intrepid crew, Senator Nathan Petrelli had been murdered by the relentlessly nasty Sylar. Usually that would be the end of the road for a character, but Nathan's Mother Angela was having none of it. She convinced Matt Parkman to use his mental abilities to plant Nathan's personality and memories into a defeated Sylar, who then shape-shifted into Nathan's form. She got her son back, but...
Now, most of the time when you implant another person's memories into a super-powered serial killer, everything works out just fine. But this being Heroes, it probably won't surprise anyone to learn that a glitch or two develops...
But that's just one story! All your faves are back, including Claire, H.R.G., Peter, plus there's an intriguing new "force" in the Heroes world, led by the charismatic Samuel (played by Robert Knepper). And a new friend for young Claire...
I resumed my consulting producer position on the show around episode 7 of this season, so I get to enjoy the first few episodes a (small) step removed. "My" first episode for this season, co-written with my very good friend and fellow Cantina margarita connoisseur Rob Fresco (it's only a block away from the studio, and oh so convenient!), started shooting today. It features some really fun/bizarre/intriguing/emotional scenes. Unfortunately, even running down the cast list might give something away, so... I won't. You'll have to watch it!
That's HEROES! NBC! Monday at 8:00PM! In living color! HD! Be there!
Now, most of the time when you implant another person's memories into a super-powered serial killer, everything works out just fine. But this being Heroes, it probably won't surprise anyone to learn that a glitch or two develops...
But that's just one story! All your faves are back, including Claire, H.R.G., Peter, plus there's an intriguing new "force" in the Heroes world, led by the charismatic Samuel (played by Robert Knepper). And a new friend for young Claire...
I resumed my consulting producer position on the show around episode 7 of this season, so I get to enjoy the first few episodes a (small) step removed. "My" first episode for this season, co-written with my very good friend and fellow Cantina margarita connoisseur Rob Fresco (it's only a block away from the studio, and oh so convenient!), started shooting today. It features some really fun/bizarre/intriguing/emotional scenes. Unfortunately, even running down the cast list might give something away, so... I won't. You'll have to watch it!
That's HEROES! NBC! Monday at 8:00PM! In living color! HD! Be there!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Jim Carroll R.I.P.
Poet/novelist turned rocker turned spoken word performer Jim Carroll died of a heart attack on 9/11 at age 60. The Basketball Diaries, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was based on his life and book, but I was a big fan of his short-lived rock and roll career. His three studio "song" albums, Catholic Boy, I Write Your Name and Dry Dreams, are all sadly out of print, but there's a pretty good "greatest hits" compilation still available. Probably his most famous song was "People Who Died", which I'm sure will be used as a semi-snarky headline on a few obits...
60. WAAAAY too young.
60. WAAAAY too young.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Proof Of Goodness In The World #4
Beatles remastered! I don't like the box the stereo set comes in, but otherwise, the new editions are definitely sharper and cleaner and probably as good as they're going to get until the next wave of sound reproduction technology kills CDs. And that's really good! (The sound, not the death of CDs.)
Magazines like Mojo are full of Beatles articles!
Cinema Retro's new issue is totally devoted to Where Eagles Dare, one of the greatest and most blood-thirsty war movies of all time. Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton!
I'm having my original Argentinean "Plan 9 From Outer Space" one-sheet framed!
A week and a half until Heroes premieres!
Charles Bronson in The Mechanic and Chato's Land have been on the MGM HD channel! I am gaining new respect for director Michael Winner, really! Talk about your downbeat, terse, morally complicated movies! (And not just because Bronson plays the unlikeliest Apache ever in Chato's Land.)
Michael Mann's Thief, also in high-def!
The Yayhoos (a band) covered the O'Jay's "Love Train" on their last album, and it's great!
Green envelopes! (WGA members who get residuals will know what THAT means!)
The paperback novelization of The Werewolf Versus The Vampire Woman, by Arthur Scarm, is amazing!
It's Friday! That means it's margarita night!
More goodness soon!
Magazines like Mojo are full of Beatles articles!
Cinema Retro's new issue is totally devoted to Where Eagles Dare, one of the greatest and most blood-thirsty war movies of all time. Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton!
I'm having my original Argentinean "Plan 9 From Outer Space" one-sheet framed!
A week and a half until Heroes premieres!
Charles Bronson in The Mechanic and Chato's Land have been on the MGM HD channel! I am gaining new respect for director Michael Winner, really! Talk about your downbeat, terse, morally complicated movies! (And not just because Bronson plays the unlikeliest Apache ever in Chato's Land.)
Michael Mann's Thief, also in high-def!
The Yayhoos (a band) covered the O'Jay's "Love Train" on their last album, and it's great!
Green envelopes! (WGA members who get residuals will know what THAT means!)
The paperback novelization of The Werewolf Versus The Vampire Woman, by Arthur Scarm, is amazing!
It's Friday! That means it's margarita night!
More goodness soon!
Sunday, September 06, 2009
My Name Is Bruce and Battlestar Galactica are SCREAMING
The inimitable Bruce Campbell (well, I suppose he IS imitable, on some level, but... oh never mind) has been nominated for "Best Horror Actor" for his fine work in a little movie I like to call My Name Is Bruce. It appears just about any screw-head can vote (I just did!), so feel free to visit their site and make Mr. Campbell the apple o' your Scream Award eye!
http://www.spike.com/event/scream2009/page/vote/category/33657
Speaking of inimitable, Battlestar Galactica is also up for three Screams -- best science fiction project, Katee Sackhoff for Best Science Fiction Actress and the whole darn cast for Best Ensemble! Vote vote vote!
http://www.spike.com/event/scream2009/page/vote/category/33657
Speaking of inimitable, Battlestar Galactica is also up for three Screams -- best science fiction project, Katee Sackhoff for Best Science Fiction Actress and the whole darn cast for Best Ensemble! Vote vote vote!
Writing Stuff...
A few days ago I was chatting with a fellow with a long background in "the biz" who had recently shifted more into the writing arena. He was having trouble getting going on a project and asked for my advice.
Mistake number one is asking ME for advice. There's a reason the Wikipedia entry on "well adjusted movie and TV writers" is blank... we're all a swirl of mixed emotions, self-doubt, casual/cocky self-assuredness mixed with grim dark nights of the soul. Anyone who says different is lying. And if they're not lying, I hate them.
(Note: this is not whining. Writing for a living definitely beats spreading asphalt, working at McDonalds and fixing copying machines, just three of my pre-writing jobs. I fully appreciate how fortunate I am to have actually managed a career in this insane field. Though I did get all the free hamburgers I could eat when I was working at Macs...)
Anyhow, my advice to my friend was pretty simple. Just start. Sit in front of the computer, type the title and then write something, anything to get the ball rolling. Fully understanding that those first words will probably never make it to the final script, let alone to the screen.
Breaking the ice is always the hardest, and it doesn't get any easier even after many years and many scripts. In fact it may get a little harder, because if experience teaches anything, it's that writing this stuff is hard. So you're not just looking at the project when you're starting, but you have a full understanding of the amount of thought and butt-in-the-office-chair time it's going to take to finish something worth reading. The trick is to STOP thinking about that and just keep going...
And if you can't get started, you can always kick-start the process by writing on your blog, he said optimistically...
Mistake number one is asking ME for advice. There's a reason the Wikipedia entry on "well adjusted movie and TV writers" is blank... we're all a swirl of mixed emotions, self-doubt, casual/cocky self-assuredness mixed with grim dark nights of the soul. Anyone who says different is lying. And if they're not lying, I hate them.
(Note: this is not whining. Writing for a living definitely beats spreading asphalt, working at McDonalds and fixing copying machines, just three of my pre-writing jobs. I fully appreciate how fortunate I am to have actually managed a career in this insane field. Though I did get all the free hamburgers I could eat when I was working at Macs...)
Anyhow, my advice to my friend was pretty simple. Just start. Sit in front of the computer, type the title and then write something, anything to get the ball rolling. Fully understanding that those first words will probably never make it to the final script, let alone to the screen.
Breaking the ice is always the hardest, and it doesn't get any easier even after many years and many scripts. In fact it may get a little harder, because if experience teaches anything, it's that writing this stuff is hard. So you're not just looking at the project when you're starting, but you have a full understanding of the amount of thought and butt-in-the-office-chair time it's going to take to finish something worth reading. The trick is to STOP thinking about that and just keep going...
And if you can't get started, you can always kick-start the process by writing on your blog, he said optimistically...
Saturday, September 05, 2009
168,178,179.
That's how many books have entered the world as of last Friday, according to the "metadata" division at Google. How they divined this figure is another story, but as always, there are issues and complications afoot...
http://www.samefacts.com/2009/09/technology-and-society/168178719/
http://www.samefacts.com/2009/09/technology-and-society/168178719/
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Proof Of Goodness In The World - #3
The Twin Peaks two hour pilot has been playing on a high def channel and it's as cool as I remember.
Criterion just released a new 2 DVD edition of My Dinner With Andre, with a second disc of commentary. It's still in the wrapper so I can't comment on the transfer or the extras, but I'm still excited. Andre is one of my favorite movies!
Cheap Trick has released a live CD of the band doing the entire Sgt. Pepper album, Cheap Trick style. Me like.
The Bottle Rockets, "Lean Forward." It's a CD, produced by Eric Ambel, and it's darn good in that roots rock/kick ass way.
Glenn Beck is still losing sponsors!
Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield (creepy music from The Exorcist), 2009 remaster/remix, with the original mix included on a second CD.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are still touring!
Under The Covers 2 by Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs. Very cool covers of various 70's-ish songs by two very good singer-songwriters.
The Norton Records company. They put out such amazing stuff, from Hasil Atkins to a 3 CD Benny Joy (!) collection. Buy things from them so they keep releasing stuff -- www.nortonrecords.com.
Not Lame music finds the greatest power-pop music in the world! Support them! www.notlame.com!
Guy Ritchie's Snatch (hmm, that doesn't sound right!) is coming out on Blu-Ray Dec. 1!
Star Trek Season 2 (the Shatner original, for Christ's sake!) on Blu-Ray is coming soon!
Heroes Season Three Blu-Ray is out now!
And finally, there's a 3 day weekend!!
Criterion just released a new 2 DVD edition of My Dinner With Andre, with a second disc of commentary. It's still in the wrapper so I can't comment on the transfer or the extras, but I'm still excited. Andre is one of my favorite movies!
Cheap Trick has released a live CD of the band doing the entire Sgt. Pepper album, Cheap Trick style. Me like.
The Bottle Rockets, "Lean Forward." It's a CD, produced by Eric Ambel, and it's darn good in that roots rock/kick ass way.
Glenn Beck is still losing sponsors!
Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield (creepy music from The Exorcist), 2009 remaster/remix, with the original mix included on a second CD.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are still touring!
Under The Covers 2 by Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs. Very cool covers of various 70's-ish songs by two very good singer-songwriters.
The Norton Records company. They put out such amazing stuff, from Hasil Atkins to a 3 CD Benny Joy (!) collection. Buy things from them so they keep releasing stuff -- www.nortonrecords.com.
Not Lame music finds the greatest power-pop music in the world! Support them! www.notlame.com!
Guy Ritchie's Snatch (hmm, that doesn't sound right!) is coming out on Blu-Ray Dec. 1!
Star Trek Season 2 (the Shatner original, for Christ's sake!) on Blu-Ray is coming soon!
Heroes Season Three Blu-Ray is out now!
And finally, there's a 3 day weekend!!
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