Tagged: film
ALL PULP INTERVIEWS PULP ARTIST JOE JUSKO!
Pixar Reveals La Luna Details
Pixar has announced details about the short, “La Luna” that will run prior to Cars 2 later this month. The story’s synopsis, according to a studio release:
La Luna is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family’s most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?
The story comes from director Enrico Casarosa, who is also Pixar’s Head of Story. (more…)
Superman The Complete Anthology
It’s interesting to watch how time and again, writers, artists, moviemakers, and studio executives struggle to find ways to adapt the very first comic book super-hero. Superman was something readers (and rival publishers) had never seen before, and he served as the template for the heroic fantasy that followed these last seven decades. When you have powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, you need visionaries to bring the character from the printed page to other media. Robert Maxwell figured out how to do that with the popular radio serial. In fact, Maxwell came up with various characters and concepts that seeped into the comics, a symbiosis that made both stronger.
I was given to considering Superman in his many forms when the eight-disc Superman The Complete Anthology Blu-ray set arrived for review. Warner Home Video has taken all the previous versions and spruced them up a bit, added some new features, and placed them in a handsome box. Despite the uneven content, this is a must-have for fans.
When the Fleischer brothers got a chance to animate the Man of Steel, they set the standard that all other animators have emulated or strived to match. It certainly raised the bar when Superman came to the movie serials, with Kirk Allyn looking the part but the low budget and low-tech kept his feats to the above-average, not super-human. Things got somewhat better with the George Reeve television series of the 1950s, imprinting the archetype on two generations of television watchers and comics readers. Again, Maxwell receives credit for his serious translation to the half hour demands of syndicated television before he left and it got dumbed down in subsequent seasons. (more…)
HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO MONOGRAM’S THIRD ‘SHADOW’!
TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock
“THE MISSING LADY”
Monogram Pictures
Starring Kane Richmond, Barbara Reed, George Chandler, et al.
Directed by Phil Karlson
Written by George Callahan
Based on THE SHADOW stories by Walter Gibson from THE SHADOW Magazine
1946
Yes, Virginia, there was a SHADOW movie before Alec Baldwin (which, by the way, I enjoyed although many did not). Actually, there were three, all B movies turned out by Monogram Pictures in the 1940s. ‘The Missing Lady’ is the third entry in the series, but the first that I watched, so hence the review.
Now, for those not familiar with most movie adaptations of our beloved pulp types, they often usually go far askew of what we as fans are familiar with and enjoy. This was true oftentimes in the days of early Hollywood, due in part to the inability to mimic many of the things that occurred in the written word, but also to often fit trends that were present in the movies at the time. Not so different from today, this practice seems to be more prevalent in the 1930sand 40s, a period where ‘film series’ short 60-75 minutes movies were produced rather rapidly focusing on a central character. The Saint, The Falcon, and The Lone Wolf are probably the best examples of ‘detective/hero/playboy’ types that dominated movie screens in the 1940s. Monogram had an opportunity to jump into this genre with a totally different twist when it took on dramatizing Gibson’s THE SHADOW stories. Unfortunately, this ended up being a very much missed opportunity.
‘THE MISSING LADY’ opens with the murder of an art collector and the theft of a Jade figurine of a lady, the absent diva of the title. It jumps immediately to a month later, and I mean immediately with the use of a newspaper headline saying the murder we’d just watched was a month ago, and a whole host of people searching for the statue. Included in this cast of characters is playboy and amateur detective Lamont Cranston, the only person seemingly investigating the murder. Cranston and his cab driving roommate Shrevvie, along with their vapid bumbling girlfriends Margo Lane (yes, Margo is a jealous goofball throughout the movie) and Jenny Delaney, feel that the series of murders following the first one in the film, are all tied into the ‘Missing Lady.’ Throw in a police investigator that Cranston spars with for comedy, a list of two dimensional 1940 mystery stereotypes, and two kooky spinster sister elevator operators who have races in ‘Upsadaisy’ and ‘Downsadaisy’, their named elevator car and you have this movie.
Oh yeah, and Cranston becomes The Shadow twice and is the only person to ever mention his alter ego.
The acting was average for the most part for a B Movie from this period. The storyline was convoluted, confusing, and way too crowded. It was obvious that some characters, including the artist who lived in Cranston’s building, were simply thrown in so there would be more suspects. The attempts at comedy fell flat for the standards of the period and due to that, are particularly dated for modern viewers. The resolution of the murders was pretty good concerning the very first murder, although it was telegraphed five minutes into the movie. The resolution for the others, however, was just as throwaway as most of the characters.
I did enjoy the way that they portrayed The Shadow the few times he was shown. He was literally that, a black shadow in a fedora and something covering his face. For the period, one particular effect was really cool. The Shadow accosts a bad guy and grabs hold of him and the guy is pulled off screen. The fight seen only in shadow added a little weight to the portrayal and had this continued in various ways, would have made this much more enjoyable. Kane Richmond definitely fit the look for Lamont Cranston, but what was missing were many of the Shadow trademarks, like the creepiness and the laugh. And let’s not even talk about the waste of both Barbara Reed and Margo Lane. Reed shows promise to be a good Margo in a couple of scenes, but the writing makes Margo more ‘Lucy’ than ‘Lane’ and it just doesn’t work.
TWO OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-If you’re a Shadow fan who feels like you need to see, read, or hear everything THE SHADOW is in, then you need to see this. Or if you have no idea who the character is, but you want to point and laugh at the old movie, then this is also for you. Other than that, go watch Alec Baldwin.
Spy Cars Like Us
Cars 2, revving up for release later this month, has sent us this cool new featurette:
[youtube][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw38YDxv6vA[/youtube][/youtube]
Here are the rest of the film’s details:
U.S. Release Date: June 24, 2011
Voice Talent: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Jason Isaacs, Joe Mantegna, Peter Jacobson, Thomas Kretschmann, Guido Quaroni, Lloyd Sherr, Paul Dooley, John Ratzenberger, Jenifer Lewis, Michael Wallis, Katherine Helmond, John Turturro, Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave, Eddie Izzard, Bruce Campbell, Michel Michelis, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Lewis Hamilton, David Hobbs
Director: John Lasseter
Co-Director: Brad Lewis
Producer: Denise Ream
Story By: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis and Dan Fogelman
Screenplay By: Ben Queen
Composer: Michael Giacchino
Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2” when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning rookie field spy Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer). Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.
John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct this follow-up to his 2006 Golden Globe®-winning “Cars.” “Cars 2” is co-directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film “Ratatouille,” and produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, “Up”; visual effects executive producer, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”). The film hits the track on June 24, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters.
Notes:
· John Lasseter made his feature film directing debut with “Toy Story” in 1995. He has since directed such Disney•Pixar classics as “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2” and “Cars” and served as executive producer of all other Pixar films to date. He is currently the chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios and principal creative advisor of Walt Disney Imagineering.
· “Cars 2” is the 12th feature-length animated film from Pixar Animation Studios (its first 11 have earned $6.5 billion at the global box office). Pixar, which has earned 29 Academy Awards® and seven Golden Globes®, celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2011.
· “Cars” originally released on June 9, 2006, and grossed nearly $462 million worldwide. It was nominated for two Oscars® and one Golden Globe®, winning the first ever Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film.
When star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix, Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.
GUEST REVIEW OF DOCTOR JONES’ EXHIBIT…INDIANA JONES, THAT IS!
Upon entering the hall, guests are given an interactive screen with headphones. Each item on display has a number and by punching that into the screen, visitors can hear information about what they are looking at. For the most part, I found this information of little value but the first recording is an introduction to the exhibit by Harrison Ford who sounds like he’s reading (Blade Runner narration anyone?) but, hey, he’s Indiana Jones! He can do what he wants!
Win a Free A Clockwork Orange Digital Download
Warner Digital and Warner Home Video celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange with the film’s release not only on Blu-ray but also available for download via iTunes with over 38 minutes of bonus content.
Our friends over at Warner Digital have provided us with a free download to give to a loyal ComicMix reader. Here’s what you need to do:
Go visit the official iTunes page and answer the following question: Which actors from the film are listed under CREDITS on the iTunes page?
You have until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, June 4 to enter the contest and a winner will be randomly selected from the correct answers supplied.
Why THE HANGOVER 2??
The saying “Lightning Doesn’t Strike Twice” is usually true. So in the case of THE HANGOVER 2, how can the director and stars do it all again?? Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and more talk about the “unfinished business” from the first film, and where they could go from here (HANGOVER 3?). Plus, THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA, GREEN LANTERN? Careful, do not underestimate X-MEN FIRST CLASS!
Do you think X-MEN FIRST CLASS can be a hit? Drop us a comment below!
We are taking a break on Monday Memorial Day (May 30th) – see you back here on Friday June 3rd!
The Lion King Arrives in Blu-ray and 3-D
Disney has done such a spectacular job with their upgraded high definition releases of their classics through the years so each announcement is most welcome. Personally, I question the value of a 3-D home video release but it’s nice they have the option for those interested. Here’s the official release:
BURBANK, Calif. (May 26, 2011) — Simba, Mufasa, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa are back and better than ever this fall when Disney’s The Lion King roars into theaters and homes in breathtaking 3D. A special two-week theatrical extravaganza kicks off Sept. 16, 2011, showcasing the Oscar®- and Golden Globe®-winning film on the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ for the first time ever, and its highly anticipated home entertainment debut kicks off October 4, celebrating the Diamond Edition release of the epic movie “The Lion King” in high-definition Blu-ray™ and Blu-ray 3D“The Lion King is the best-selling home entertainment release of all time—and this is The Lion King like never before,” said Bob Chapek, president of distribution, The Walt Disney Studios. “The all-new 3D format immerses viewers in the epic settings and puts them face-to-face with these beloved characters. We’re showcasing one of the all-time favorite Disney movies in theaters and making it available in Blu-ray hi-def and in Blu-ray 3D—it’s the must-see, must-own title for everyone.”
Nearly a decade since The Lion King last appeared on the big screen, the upcoming theatrical release invites new generations into the “Circle of Life.” The two-week, 3D-only presentation is a planned wide domestic release—the biggest since the film’s 1994 debut—and the film’s first-ever 3D release.