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Wednesday 25 July 2012

WHERE'S MY SUPERMAN MOVIE.....

 With trailers and images starting to trickle out for the new Superman flick 'Man of Steel' it's starting to look like we'll be getting a big screen Supes we've never had before, Superman the 'action hero' and it's about time it's just a shame we'll have to trudge through yet another origin story to get there. Who doesn't know the origin of Superman. With the success of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy the idea of making superheroes 'dark&gritty' looks like it might be getting a second wind whether it fits the character or not. the latest Spider-Man flick (complete with unnecessary origin story) was routinely described by it's director and cast as being 'grounded' as though this was something to be excited about (to quote my favorite Spider-Man artist John Romita in the documentary 'Once Upon a Time the Super Heroes!' "If you make him standing on the ground you've wasted Spider-Man") despite the success of Marvel Comics other properties (which led to the the Avengers movie) showing that it was OK to be faithful to the characters cartoon roots and handle them with a lighter touch putting emphasis on action rather than melodrama. Although I have hi hopes that Zack Snyder's Man of Steel will deliver here's my 2 bit idea for a no nonsense 'Man of Steel' flick.....

Shot 1: The credits scroll Star Wars style informing the hand full of coma victims who don't already know, who Superman is where he came from and why.
Shot 2: As Clark Kent (Matt Bomer) and Lois Lane (Rose Byrne) make their way through the streets of Metropolis (exchanging witty banter) a sudden bolt of energy rips through the city causing havoc.
Shot 3: amongst the chaos a silence grips the panicking crowds and the entire city looks up to the sky as a vast alien mother ship reveals itself.
(by this point we are at least 10 minuets in to the picture)
Shot 4: Clark runs into a phone box pulling his shirt open to reveal the 'S' symbol and in a flash he emerges in the full classic blue, red and yellow costume (including his red trunks) and takes to the sky to confront the alien ship.
Shot 5: Inside the ship Lex Luthor (John Travolta) informs Brainiac (as seen in Action Comics *868 and played by John Malkovich) that his plan has worked and that Superman is on his way.
Shot 6: Brainiac turns to General Zod ( Gerard Butler, dressed in a black and white variation of Superman's costume) and tells him to destroy the son of Jor-El.

For the next 90 minuets there is nothing more than all out war between Superman and Zod which goes from one side of the solar system (with occasional cuts back to Metropolis) to the other during which one or two other heroes (Green Lantern [Nathan Fillion], Martian Manhunter [Dwayne Johnson]...) show up but fail to stop the Kryptonian rampage which eventually ends with Superman punching Zod through the moon.
The final shot has Superman returning to metropolis, battered and broken but ready to confront the alien ship only to find Metropolis in ruins with Lex Luthor and Brainiac waiting for him with Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen (played by 55 year old Marc McClure) locked in a cage made of Kryptonite and guarded by a 15ft tall Doomsday. As Superman lands on the rubble of Metropolis and faces off to his enemies the 1988 Batmobile can be seen pulling into view just over his shoulder, the words "to be continued" fill the screen as it fades to black.....the end.
TESTIFY....you know you want it...ooft.

Sunday 22 July 2012

Inside The Labyrinth (1986) the making of LABYRINTH...

A behind the scenes documentary of the film Labyrinth. Almost as enjoyable as the film itself....

Saturday 21 July 2012

MAN of STEEL trailer....

 Here are the first trailers for the MAN of STEEL.



At this stage they're obviously giving nothing away but who can't get excited about seeing the Man of Steel in flight.....

Friday 20 July 2012

TOP(ish) 6 FRIDAY TUNES....

A personal choice of tunes to be played in no particular order to help rattle you through a Friday......

 WHITE DENIM: SHAKE,SHAKE,SHAKE....


BLACKSTAR: DEFINITION....


ALABAMA 3: SPEED OF THE SOUND OF LONELINESS.... 


MR. SOLO: KISS IT BETTER....


ELVIS: RUBBERNECKIN'


ELASTICA: STUTTER.............

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Grant Morrison Magick Lecture

 A strange cat indeed but well worth a listen.....

Monday 16 July 2012

Aldous Huxley interview-1958


'Fan Made' PUNISHER film starring Thomas Jane & Ron Perlman...

This is Dirty Laundry a 'fan made' short film featuring Marvels No.1 vigilante staring former big screen Punisher, Thomas Jane....enjoy.

Friday 13 July 2012

Thursday 12 July 2012

ROBOCOP REMAKE, I PREDICT.....

This movie will be the very definition of the word pointless but even though there's only a teaser trailer I'm going to have a stab at predicting what this version of the Future of Law Enforcement has in store for us.
As seen in the trailer the ED-209 is now the size of a house and looks like a reject from the Bay Transformer flicks so expect a glut of CGI Robo prototypes (Terminator Salvation style) and of course the obligatory cameo of the original Robocop in the background as a nod and a wink to the fans which also works as a 'honestly I prefer the original too' thumbs up from the director.
Detroit will be laid out like a rip from Blade Runner although they me be smart enough to use the actual city as it is (like Nolan's Gotham). Robocop himself will be far more 3D friendly so I'm expecting a sleek more gritty version of Sonny from I,Robot or if he's still built like a brick the accelerator suits from GI Joe (or they might just rip off Iron Man) either way he'll move like a techno Spider-Man with (as the poster and trailer would suggest) a black and red colour scheme.
 The story will be standard Hollywood and the satire of the original will probably be buried under scenes of elaborate fighting and chasing (but not as violent as Robo '87, got to think of those pesky  kids). The movie doesn't come out till next year so who knows maybe they'll break the remake mold and do something that will be as cleaver and original as the...err...original, as will I'm sure the remakes of Total Recall, Highlander, Mad Max, Starship Troopers, blah, blah blah..............

Sunday 8 July 2012

PACIFIC RIM comic-con poster...

As Hollywood continues to churn out nostalgia mugging remakes (prequels, sequels...) and Superhero reboots it's good to have at least one blockbuster to look forward to......can-you- DIG IT!

Friday 6 July 2012

JACK WHITE - Amex UNSTAGED (Directed by Gary Oldman)

Ladies and Gents almost 2 hours of solid gold.....

NOW SHOWING:THE RUNNING MAN (1987)


Jack White - Love Interruption (Live on SNL)

TOP 5: COMICS YOU SHOULD BE READING

As the DC & Marvel big guns become increasingly irrelevant the medium of comics continues to be a never ending source creativity and inspiration. can you dig it.

5. UNDER WATER WELDER (by Jeff Lemire)
 I've been waiting on this one and if the early reviews are anything to go by it'll be more than worth it and another gem from the always excellent Top Shelf Productions.
Click here to check out some pages on CBR. 

4. ELEPHANTMEN (wirtten by Richard Starkings with various artists)
A great story that is one of the best examples of pure Sci-Fi that can currently be found in comics along with some stunning art work it makes for one of the best ongoing monthly titles.

3. ORBITAL (art by Serge Pelle, written by Sylvian Runberg)
I've always thought that there is a subtle difference between American and European Sci-Fi that makes the European stuff more enjoyable and satisfying which is exactly why this book is well worth tracking down. Vol.5 is released on the 21st of September.

2. TEAM GIRL COMIC (various contributors)
the comic book equivalent of finding that underground band that feels like it belongs only to you and whose gigs become unmissable. A cracking book that evolves with each issue and never lets you down. Pure Punk Rock self publishing.

1. The GOON (Eric Powell)
Supernatural shenanigans abound in a comic that is consistently one of the best reads around. And here is the trailer for a proposed David Fincher animated Goon flick which bizarrely can't get funding....  

Thursday 5 July 2012

Blackstar (Mos Def & Talib Kweli) - Definition

Mexican Batman & Robin.....

Saw these Bat-cats over on the Bat-Blog, Dark Knight Rises has it's work cut out if it wants to compete with these Mexi-cans....

Wednesday 4 July 2012

SKETCHBOOK PAGES....

 These are pages from some of my old uni sketchbooks.....






Monday 2 July 2012

NOW SHOWING: The Amazing Spider-Man (1977)

Before wasting your time with the new flick check this to see how it's really done... I always liked the round eyes on his mask and the web shooter bracelets he wore in later episodes of the TV show. enjoy

Sunday 1 July 2012

Top 5 : Under Rated Superhero Movies....

There are few audiences that are harder to please than that of the comic book fan boy who'll believe a man can fly in the pages of a comic but go into spazams of uncontrollable self righteous rage if he wears his underwear over his tights on the big screen. Here are the big screen heroes who I think don't get the credit they deserve....

5.  The Rocketeer (1991):
Based on the comic book by the late great Dave Stevens this was (like the comic) an homage to the pulp hero's of the Saturday morning serials from the 1930's and 40's. It's a cracking adventure that's basically an airborne Indiana Jones picture.


4. Daredevil (2003):
This flick was made in a hurry to cash in on the success of Sam Raimi's, Spider-Man (which came out the year before) but with just over half Spidy's budget. It's got a great cast, Daredevil's costume design is bang on and the effects (although in no way perfect) give it a nice comic book quality. If only they'd given Bullseye more dialog, flooded it with ninjas and had a better director (Mark Stephen Johnson's next movie was Ghostrider, nuff said)..


3. Punisher: War Zone:
War Zone is exactly what I want from a Punisher movie cartoon violence and cartoon bad guys. There are some characters who no matter how popular they are in comics just don't work as the main attraction on the big screen (Ghostrider's another) and I'd prefer to see every body's favorite gun totting vigilante with a supporting role in a Spider-Man movie.


2. Batman Forever (1995):
I've found myself becoming a bit of a caped crusader for this flick. Story wise it's no more ridiculous than Batman Returns and Jim Carrey's manic Riddler is still unfairly criticized. If they had made Two-Face more menacing, made Robin a young side kick in training (rather than an annoying same age 'partner') and ditched the cheesy one liners (I'll get drive thru) this movie would be regarded with the three-quel kudos it deserves.


1. Watchmen (2009):
This was sold as a superhero team action picture in the style of the X-Men so when it turned out to be an almost shot for shot adaptation of a slow character driven book that is as much about politics than it is about superheros it was criticized for being slow with hardly any super heroics that was too, polit-icy. Any adaptation of this book was damned if it did and damned if it didn't but I for one am glad this one 'did'.

Fan Made 'the ROCKETEER' animation..


After watching this you have to wonder why Disney (who made the live action adaption of the Dave Stevens comic) choose to go with standard pap like the forthcoming Planes (a spinoff of Pixar's lackluster Cars).