23 years of this site still chugging along...
Official titles and release dates of The Hobbit films released
by Doc on May.30, 2011, under Movies
Back in March two possible titles for the two upcoming The Hobbit films had possibly been learned: An Unexpected Journey and There and Back Again (the last being the book’s subtitle). We now know these titles are official, and in that order. We also now know the release dates: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will debut on December 14th, 2012, with The Hobbit: There and Back Again following on December 13th, 2013.
At last, it will make them easier to talk about…
Grease, Babylon 5 actor Jeff Conaway has passed away
by Doc on May.27, 2011, under Obituaries
Actor Jeff Conaway, who starred in the movie Grease as well as the TV series Taxi and Babylon 5, passed away this morning after his family removed life support yesterday. Conaway, who had long been suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, was placed in a medically induced coma after being found unconscious on May 11th, suffering from pneumonia and sepsis. Early reports blamed a drug overdose, but this was later refuted, although reports still say that his painkiller addiction (exacerbated by both old and more recent injuries) may have contributed to him not getting medical help soon enough.
He was 60 years old.
Bobby Wheeler/Kenickie/Zack Allan, you will be missed.
Hollywood Treasure returns – with Robby The Robot
by Doc on May.26, 2011, under Movies, Television
Hollywood Treasure returns on Wednesday, June 1st, at 10pm ET/9PM CT…and this episode should be interesting to science fiction fans – because it features Robby The Robot from Forbidden Planet, who also made various cameo appearances on many shows and movies.
Does he still work? Check out the preview below!
(continue reading…)
The Coldest Equations Ebook Now Available
by TheThunderChild on May.26, 2011, under Books
The Thunder Child science fiction webzine is proud to announce the first science fiction novel published by its creator, designer, and all around cook and bottle washer. (i.e., me).
The Coldest Equations (The People Out There) is now available for Kindle readers (and in a couple of days will be available for Nook readers.)
Simply go to Amazon, select the Kindle store, and type in The Coldest Equations. [Ed: or follow this [asin=B0052NSRKK]direct link[/asin]] (Don’t have a kindle? Download a kindle emulator for free.)
Have you ever wondered where writers get their ideas? Is there some alternate universe where events are happening, which writers tap into? No! But once a writer here, on Earth, creates a story — in particular, let us say, a TV series, and it is committed to celluloid, the world created by that series does surge into life as an alternate Earth…and there are millions of them.
And there are People Out There who have devised a method for transporting actors on Earth into the bodies of the real characters that now exist in these alternate earths…and vice versa.
Tracy Karlovassi is the star of the near-science fiction TV series, The Coldest Equations. In the future, the civilian space companies have become the power in the world, as they vie for control of the moon, the asteroids, and the near planets. Each corporation has a variety of security teams – teams that keep their own scientists and inventions safe from spying eyes, and teams that spy on and attempt to kidnap the scientists or inventions of other corporations. Tracy Karlovassi plays Miranda Rainbird, head of a security team for the Capablanca Corporation – one that spies on other corporations.
Season 3 of The Coldest Equations features a season-long arc in which Miranda Rainbird has been framed for a crime she did not commit, and is on the run from both friends and foes. As Miranda Rainbird, she would doubtless be able to prove her innocence and track down the real criminal with ease…but The People Out There have transported Tracy Karlovassi into her body, and what can a mere actress do?
(Especially, of course, when the people she meets may, or may not be, her fellow actors.)
This book is a lot of fun (*I* think, anyway) wth plenty of homages to classic SF TV, movies and books.
Take a look at either Amazon – Kindle Store, or Barnes and Noble’s Nook Store.
And visit the website at:
http://volcanoseven.com/TheColdestEquations/
50 hours of live action Star Wars TV series already filmed? Not so fast…
by Doc on May.25, 2011, under Television
So, remember that live action Star Wars series that George Lucas announced many moons ago, where he was planning 100 episodes but planned to have 50 or 60 in the can before bringing it to air? And then the project got shelved due to it being too expensive? Well, there has been lots of reports based on an interview George did for Attack Of The Show as part of the Star Tours re-opening and Star Wars 3D announcements that he said they have 50 hours already filmed – but it seemed very odd to me that they could have 50 hours filmed and then say that they need to figure out a way to make it cheaper. So I watched the interview, and he never actually says that it has been filmed – only that they “have 50 hours,” and that they are trying to figure out a way to make it “economically feasible to shoot the show.” That sounds to me like they’ve got scripts and perhaps some pre-production work done, but no actual filming.
Watch and decide for yourself:
(continue reading…)
Lots of Star Tours/Star Wars Weekends photos, videos, and more
by Doc on May.24, 2011, under Fun Stuff, Movies
This past weekend was not only the opening of Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but also the grand re-opening of the Star Tours attraction, which now takes guests to 6 different planets and offers 54 variations of the ride. So there were all sort of extra things going on, including a dedication ceremony featuring the Master Jedi himself, George Lucas along with Anthony Daniels.
If you want to check out photos, videos, etc. of the event, I recommend heading over to Inside the Magic’s Star Tours coverage page, which has excellent videos and even an exclusive interview with Anthony Daniels, and then check out the video of this year’s Hyperspace Hoopla (unless you are going to an upcoming weekend, which in that case I don’t want to spoil the surprises…)
A little too late: The Event finale highest rated since November
by Doc on May.24, 2011, under Television
Seems a lot of people wanted to see how it would end…the series finale of The Event apparently saw a 15% ratings increase (1.5/4), and was the highest rated episode in the 18-49 demographic since last November.
Nerdist to develop geek culture BBC America talk program
by Doc on May.23, 2011, under Television
Since a lot of you (me included) probably at least follow @nerdist of not listen to his podcast, comedian Chris Hardwick – a self-professed Doctor Who fan – will develop an original panel talk show for BBC America based on the Nerdist podcast. The show will cover all things relative to geek culture from LA to London and feature celebrity guests with their own nerd obsessions. Hardwick will executive produce alongside K.P. Anderson and Jay James for Comcast Entertainment Studios.
Also, Hardwick will also host the network’s “Ministry of Laughs” comedy block on Saturday nights, which kicks off on June 18th, and will feature British shows The Inbetweeners, Come Fly With Me, and The Graham Norton Show.
Doctor Who delayed a week in the U.S.
by Doc on May.22, 2011, under Television
I haven’t heard officially the reason yet, but BBC America will not show the next episode, “The Almost People”, next weekend, instead delaying an an extra week. Most likely due to traditional low ratings on the Memorial Day weekend. This means the U.S. will fall behind a week as the UK will still get their episode as planned. It may not be too bad though – there were only two more episodes in the current schedule, as Series 6 was split into two production sets, and episode 7 will air June 11th before the break. Hopefully when it returns to same-day when the second half returns and we don’t have to endure spoilers from every direction.
Extended trailer for Torchwood: Miracle Day
by Doc on May.22, 2011, under Television
While we wait for Torchwood: Miracle Day, we can finally see some footage on the new extended trailer that appeared on Access Hollywood yesterday.
Updated: added a much better trailer…