23 years of this site still chugging along...
Children of Dune DVD: Online Chat While Viewing
by Doc on May.25, 2003, under General News
BaronMoritani writes “On May 25th, the Landsraad has a scheduled chat for the Children of Dune DVD release (released on May 20th, on sale most everywhere)
View your Children of Dune miniseries DVD and chat with fellow ‘raad members as they do the same.
Discuss the VFX extra on the DVD.
You never know who may show up.
6 P.M. Eastern US Standard Time
Must be a ‘raad member to join in on the chat. All polite Dune Fans are welcome to stop by.
Go here for more details:
The Animatrix review
by Doc on May.24, 2003, under General News
The kind folks at Warner Home Video came through again and sent me an advanced copy of The Animatrix DVD, but I couldn’t put up a review until this weekend. It was nice, actually, as I was able to watch it once to enjoy it, and then again for the review. Read More for a full review. Brief capsule: A must for fans of The Matrix and anime in general, mut probably not as interesting for the casual person.
Burton and the Chocolate Factory
by Doc on May.22, 2003, under Movies
Marilyn Manson rumors aside, Warner Brothers is serious about producing a new version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Roald Dahl story that became Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in 1971 starring Gene Wilder. Apparently Dahl never liked that version, and WB wants Tim Burton to helm the new version. Burton certainly could bring out the darker aspects of the original story – maybe Manson is available?
Tripping the Rift casting announced
by Doc on May.20, 2003, under Television
The SCI FI Channel has announced some of the voices for its first ever animated series, Tripping the Rift. Stephen Root (NewsRadio) is the purple captain Chode of the smuggling vessel Free Enterprise, with Gina Gershon (Snoops) as Six, a sexy cyborg and “Stuttering” John Melendez (I’m a Celebrity – Get Me Out Of Here!) as the voice of Spaceship Bob. Also included is a sexually confused robot named Gus (Maurice LaMarche, Pinky and the Brain); an “aesthetically challenged”, T’Nuk (Gayle Garfinkle); and Chode’s nephew Whip (Rick Jones).
Saturn Award winners announced
by Doc on May.20, 2003, under General News
The 29th annual Saturn Awards, given by the The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films (the “Oscars” of the genre), were handed out Sunday, with details provided by Cinescape. Top winner was Minority Report with three wins, with The Two Towers taking two. My childhood television heroes, Sid and Marty Kroft, creators of Land of the Lost and many other genre-themed (amd sometimes nightmarish) children’s shows, received a Life Career award.
Atkinson in talks to be Voldemort?
by Doc on May.17, 2003, under Movies
The Z Review is reporting (we’ll call it a rumor for now) that Warner Bros. is in talks for the part of the evil Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and the person they are in talks with is Mr. Bean and Blackadder star Rowan Atkinson. I’m really not sure if I can picture this – I can’t recall him ever being in a serious role…
Stargate SG-1‘s upcoming season
by Doc on May.17, 2003, under Television
Executive producer and now show-runner Robert Cooper gave SCI FI Wire some details of the upcoming seventh season of Stargate SG-1. Included: Amanda Tapping (Maj. Samantha Carter) directing an episode, Chris Judge (Teal’c) and Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson) writing episodes, and even Corin Nemic (Jonas Quinn) will return for an episode he pitched (I knew his role would be reduced, but it sounds nearly non-existant). Also mentioned is the reduced role of Richard Dean Anderson (Col. Jack O’Neill), who will be in almost every episode, but is no longer the focus, that having shifted to the others.
“That Darn Squid God” by Nick Pollotta
by Doc on May.15, 2003, under Books
Nick Pollotta writes “Good evening,
This is just a short note to let folks know that the contracts have finally been signed, and we’re good to go with “That Darn Squid God!”.
Synopsis: In 1880 London, two gentleman explorers from the International British Museum for Stolen Antiquities, race around the world, and against the clock, to try and stop the return of a prehistoric demon grimly determined to, well, eat the entire Human Race.
This brand new Fantasy/Humor novel, written by myself and James Clay, will be coming out August 2003 from Wildside Press in both hardback (with a lovely dustjacket), and in trade paperback.
A couple of sample chapters are posted on my web page.
Best wishes,
Nick Pollotta, SFWA
www.NickPollotta.com
“Without humor, there is no civilization.”” Hmm, Squid God, eating the human race – sounds like Cthulhu to me. :^) Nick has several highly rated SF&F/Humor books out.
Twilight Zone zones out; Jake 2.0 given green light
by Doc on May.14, 2003, under Television
UPN announced that its rendition of The Twilight Zone will not return, according to Variety. At the same time, it was announced that UPN has ordered new series Jake 2.0, a one hour drama about a National Security Agency agent who’s implanted with computer chips.
SG-1 Shanks, Judge to guest on Andromeda
by Doc on May.12, 2003, under Television
Not a lot Mars-shattering going on – most everything right now is focused on X2 making lots of money and Matrix Reloaded due out Thursday. In the mean time, Stargate SG-1‘s Michael Shanks will make another guest appearance this week on girlfriend Lexa Doig’s show Andromeda, along with fellow SG-1 member and Andromeda guest alum Christopher Judge. Apparently Shanks and Doig get to mix it up a little. “My girlfriend and I got to beat the crap out of each other, and what better way to spend time with your significant other when you’re just back from a long shoot somewhere?” Note: this episode may have already aired in your area.