Frank Miller's 300

300 trailer

From Iwatchstuff, "Imagine the strength and glory of the Spartan empire and their epic battle with the Persian Empire all filtered through the mind of comic book genius Frank Miller and brought to the big screen as a stylized masterpiece. Now imagine waking up in the bathroom of a Dunkin' Donuts to find a large, hairy Greek man standing above you holding a plastic knife, naked, screaming for you to call him your fireman. Both are testaments to the power of the Greeks, but you can only see the trailer here."

May the Schwartz be wit ya!

From Iwatchstuff, "The G4 network, in a move that would help it diversify from its idiot-hosted gaming news lineup, has acquired the rights to a new animated series based on the Mel Brooks comedy Spaceballs. The show will feature a one-hour pilot and 13 half-hour episodes, making it the most anticipated cartoon of 1988.

Brooks and Thomas Meehan, who co-wrote the movie with Ronnie Graham, have written the one-hour pilot, and Meehan will supervise the writing of the 13 half hours. Brooks will do two of the voices, President Skroob and Yogurt. Germany's Berliner Film Companie will provide the animation.

Sadly, I'm pretty sure Mel Brooks is too old to have any grasp of what's funny anymore. I mean, I know he cranked out the superb Dracula: Dead and Loving It just 11 short years ago, but will he really be able to make a decent cartoon at this point? Does he even know what animation is? Demanding "something like the ol' vaudeville-style lightning sketch, but brought home to the picture tube" doesn't count.

NOTE: Even with this and the recent showings of Arrested Development, the remainder of G4's programming still makes it wrong to watch."

Superman II Donner cut!

fROM dvdTIME, "In celebration of the year of Superman Warner Home Video have announced a host of Region 1 DVD releases for 28th November 2006, all starring the late Christopher Reeve in his landmark portrayal of the Man of Steel. Leading the way will be the long-awaited Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut ($24.98 SRP), directed by Donner and representing Superman II as it was originally conceived and intended to be filmed. An overwhelmingly requested title, the movie features Donner's original footage, shot but never used before, including a never-before-seen beginning, a never-before-seen resolution, with 15 minutes of restored footage of Marlon Brando as Jor-El and much more.

Superman II will delight fans who, for years, have been imploring Warner Home Video via voluminous numbers of petitions, letters, phone calls and e-mails to release the Donner cut.

In fact, Donner had already shot most of the Superman II footage during Superman: The Movie. But as production on the sequel continued, creative differences between the director and the film's producers became irreconcilable and Donner left the project. Although Richard Lester was hired to finish production, he chose to make major changes to the film, leaving only vestiges of Donner's original vision and concepts in the version of Superman II that was ultimately released to theaters.

Now, nearly thirty years later, Warner Home Video is honoured to grant the wishes of countless Superman fans. With this DVD release, Richard Donner has become the first director in history to be able to complete a film he left during production with nearly all his footage "in the can." Adding back a substantial amount of that unused footage, the director has seen his original vision restored and brought to fruition.

Most notably, the "Donner cut" restores the Marlon Brando role, filmed for, but not included in the final theatrical release version of Superman II. The legendary Brando's performance as Jor-El has finally been restored in key scenes that amplify Superman lore and deepen the profound relationship between father and son.

With so many other changes, large and small, including a variety of Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) schemes to unmask Clark Kent as Superman, this Superman II will prove to be an eye-opening experience and an important addition to film history.

Other titles to be released include Superman: The Movie Four Disc Special Edition ($39.92 SRP) which features both the DVD debut of the 1978 theatrical version as well as the 2001 extended edition with commentary from director Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz, archival footage of additional scenes and screen tests.

View the DVD Trailer in Quicktime or Windows Media formats.

Other titles to be released include Superman: The Movie Four Disc Special Edition ($39.92 SRP) which features both the DVD debut of the 1978 theatrical version as well as the 2001 extended edition with commentary from director Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz, archival footage of additional scenes and screen tests.

Superman: The Movie (1978/2001) Four-Disc Special Edition
A box-office smash, an Academy Award(R) winner and a fan favourite since it first flew into theatres in December 1978, Superman: The Movie assembles an "A List" cast and creative contingent. At its heart is Christopher Reeve's intelligent, affectionate portrayal of a most human Man of Steel.

The movie's legacy was amplified when director Richard Donner revisited this beloved adventure 22 years later and integrated eight minutes into the film. Enjoy more footage of the Krypton Council, a glimpse of stars of prior Superman incarnations, more of Jor-El underscoring his son's purpose on Earth and an extended sequence inside Lex Luthor's gauntlet of doom.

Superman II Two-Disc Special Edition (1980)
Unwittingly released from Phantom Zone imprisonment, three super-powered Kryptonian criminals (Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas and Jack O'Halloran) plan to enslave Earth - just when Superman (Christopher Reeve) decides to show a more romantic side to Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). Gene Hackman (as Lex Luthor) also returns from the first film with a top supporting cast, witty Richard Lester direction and visuals that astound and delight.

Superman III Deluxe Edition (1983)
Meet Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor), a half-witted computer programming wiz. Reeve reprises his role, deepening his character's human side as Clark Kent reunites with old flame Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole) at a Smallville High class reunion. When Superman becomes his own worst enemy after Kryptonite exposure, Reeve plays both roles with dazzling skill.

Superman IV The Quest For Peace (1987)
Christopher Reeve not only stars as the title hero again but also helped develop the movie's provocative theme: nuclear disarmament. To make the world safe for nuclear arms merchants, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) creates a new being to challenge the Man of Steel: the radiation-charged Nuclear Man (Mark Pillow).

And released separately on the same day (not part of the Christopher Reeve Superman Collection)...

Supergirl
Creative forces behind Superman: The Movie bring another DC Comics hero to life with this fun- and effects-packed adventure about the Girl of Steel. Helen Slater plays the title role, battling a sorceress (Faye Dunaway) for control of an alien power orb. Peter O'Toole and Mia Farrow add more starpower.

I think they should make it like Jurassic Park

By Borys Kit

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Following the record-breaking success of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," Walt Disney Pictures is giving high-priority status to another potential adventure franchise based on a Disneyland ride.

It is developing "Jungle Cruise," inspired by the ride in which parkgoers travel the jungle river guided by a riverboat skipper, encountering such wild creatures as piranhas and gorillas during their tour. The ride was one of the 22 original attractions when the park opened in 1955.

The executive producers of the CW network's superhero saga "Smallville," Al Gough and Miles Millar, are in negotiations to write the script. Plot details are being kept under lock and key, but the movie will be set in the 20th century.

"Dead Man's Chest," the second feature based on Pirates of the Caribbean, another of Disneyland's most popular and long-standing rides, has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. The across-the-board success of the film, with its broad demographic appeal, has been cited by Disney's new president of production Oren Aviv as representing the direction in which the movie division is heading.

Movies based on Disneyland rides, however, have not always had smooth sailing. While "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" grossed $305.4 million domestically in 2003 and "The Haunted Mansion" banked a solid $75.8 million that same year, Disney's "Country Bears" took in just $17 million in 2002.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre prequel gets good buzz. Sorry.

From AICN, "Rascally Darla Hood here just back in from the opening night of Fantastic Fest 2006. And I have to say that I think that I had the perfect opening night/first film of the fest experience: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING.

First of all, I did not have the highest hopes for this film going in to it. I am a full-on dedicated girl when it comes to the original Chainsaw flick. I love it. It's one of my all-time favorites. It is the beginning of all that is good in slasher horror movies. I was disappointed by the remake because of my dedication to the original and due to the fact that no real gore is shown. It's a modern Chainsaw flick, for fuck's sake! Where's my frickin' gore? (Sure, there's some, but it cuts away far more often than it should before anything is really shown.) That's how I went in to the newest addition to the franchise...curious but somewhat aloof.

And then I ended up sitting next to the director and the two producers. I just prayed that the film was better than I expected because I usually can't keep my snide comments to myself...especially when a film is trying to live up to its predecessor.

Imagine my surprise and shock and utter amazement when this film ended up being so terrifically fun and gory. Gore, people!! Real bloody gore! And it all needs to be there! Every drop of blood and hunk of flesh! HUNKS OF FLESH!!!

And, I suppose more importantly, the story made complete sense as well. I loved the explanation of how Leatherface became so adept at chopping bodies and how the family came to run the town (and thus get away with killing random tourists). It's a pure delight when R. Lee kills the entire sheriff's department. Hilarious.

Speaking of R. Lee, the cast is perfect. The victims are each ideal in their roles as are the members of the Hewitt family. The acting is spot on in each case. There's no camping it up or coasting through. The reactions of everyone are as perfect as they could be in the situations in which they find themselves. And the pure, nasty evil of the attackers are as varied and perfect as they could be as well.

As an aside, there's nothing like that first time that Leatherface starts up his chainsaw in any of his movies. But this one is even better. It is THE first time. Hell, I was ecstatic when he first found the damn thing. (It's almost touching when he walks with it down the road...his own found baby.) But when he starts it - and the under circumstances in which he starts it - holy crap. The artist has found his medium. Heh.

So go see this film! Have a frickin' blast! Cheer on the anti-hero! And begin, once again, to second guess that delicious barbecue you eat in a small town out in the middle of nowhere."

Good Lord

From AICN, "The Knight Rider movie is indeed moving forward, but the script is still being worked on. The script will not involve Hasselhoff & will lean towards remaking the pilot episode, "Knight of the Phoenix", with a modernized take. In Hollywood, everyone wants to turn a movie into a franchise or trilogy: relaunching the concept as a franchise for a new generation has been insisted upon. Same characters, same concept of a talking/advanced car, different development.

As far as the Hasselhoff rumors go, this isn't the first time that he has tried to launch interest in the movie behind Glen's back. Hassellhoff made Knight Rider 2000 with Universal without Glen's involvement and we all know how well that went over, right?

I would tend to believe Hasselhoff did approach Orlando Bloom in Los Angeles about the possibility of playing his son; in the past he’d mentioned that a script was commissioned which involved Michael passing the torch to someone else. This was when the rights were with Revolution Studios.

Currently, if you read the announcement between Glen and the Weinstien Co., you will see the trend of David being left out as the movie negotiations continues.

There is no legal obligation stating that Hassellhoff needs to be involved with the movie. If you’re aware of the delicate relationship between David and Glen, you'll see why Glen isn't all that thrilled to invite David back.

Listen to the audio commentary on the Knight Rider Season 1 DVD set & you'll be able to hear exactly what I'm talking about. (David goes on and on like a parrot how Glen needs to make the movie and so on.)

Lastly I will give you one tidbit to savor: one of the concept cars proposed for the new KITT was based on the (then) 2006 concept Camaro, but it appeared nothing like any of the fan-boy manipulations you have seen thus far."

Peter watches the videotape from The Ring

Family Guy and The ring!

I can't tell you how hard I laughed when I saw this on the last episode of Family Guy!

More pinball

This is a rather confused bit of footage. If you remember, after the opening sequence there would be a themed scene specific to that day's number. This includes a mishmash of those scenes, definitely including four, ten and two. What's weird is that they dropped in the vocals for other numbers, too. So you will hear "five!" and "eight!" at completely random points. Of course, what I'd love to see in one video would be 1) the opening, 2)every single number's special scene in sequence, 3) the closing. Seems obvious, doesn't it? What you get here is like that time Peter broke the vase playing ball in the house, except they didn't find all the pieces when they glued it together, so they took some of the smaller pieces and just jammed them in any old place.

TWELVE!!

family guy pinball

Another great example of Family Guy usting the original animated footage of what it is they're lampooning.

Ah-Ha on Family Guy

I love this scene.

Trailer for The Science of Sleep