Just in time for October, The (unnecessary) Thing prequel trailer

The Dark Knight Rises trailer

Netflix to screw its customers big-time

From thehuffingtonpost, Netflix is restructuring its pricing model.

Customers can kiss goodbye the service's $9.99 monthly unlimited DVD-rental and streaming combination plan. Netflix will now separate DVD and streaming services into two separate plans, each priced at $7.99. A combo plan will still be available, but at an increased rate of $15.98 a month.

There will also be a standalone DVD rental plan that lets the user check out two discs at a time for $11.99 per month. The $7.99 DVD rental plan will let users check out one title at a time.

"Netflix members love watching instantly, but we've come to recognize there is still a very large continuing demand for DVDs by mail," said Andy Rendich, Netflix Chief Service and Operations Officer, according to a company press release published on Tuesday. "By better reflecting the underlying costs and offering our lowest prices ever for unlimited DVD, we hope to provide a great value to our current and future DVD-by-mail members."

When does the changeover take place? Immediately for new users, according to a post on the Netflix Blog. Existing users will have until September 1 to select a new plan. You can also change your plan now by visiting your Netflix account and retooling your subscription settings.

With over 24 million Netflix subscribers in the U.S. alone, there's bound to be some hoopla over this markup for the unlimited combo plan.

The company last increased the cost of its unlimited DVD and streaming plan in November of 2010. That previous markup brought $7.99 unlimited streaming up to $9.99 with the addition of DVDs-by-mail.

For some reason Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell gear up for 'Evil Dead' remake

From ew, Necronomicon is about to be cracked open again. Thirty years after bursting onto the scene with their grisly horror film The Evil Dead, Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell — along with co-producer Robert Tapert — have announced they’re finally embarking on a long-discussed remake of the cult classic. The 1981 movie, which Raimi directed and Campbell starred in, fused gruesome, over-the-top gore with dark, often slapsticky humor in the story of five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in the woods who find an ancient Book of the Dead and accidentally summon forth evil demons. Made on a shoestring budget, the film was followed by two sequels, 1987′s Evil Dead II and 1992′s Army of Darkness, and even spawned a stage musical version. Raimi, Campbell, and Tapert will produce the remake and have brought on newcomer Fede Alvarez to direct it on the strength of a short film he made called Panic Attack; Alvarez wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues, and Diablo Cody, who won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Juno and wrote the horror comedy Jennifer’s Body, is revising their draft.

In a statement, Raimi, Campbell, and Tapert wrote, “We are committed to making this movie and are inspired by the enduring popularity and enthusiasm for the Evil Dead series. We can’t wait to scare a new generation of moviegoers using filmmaking techniques that were not available to us thirty years ago as well as Fede bringing a fresh eye to the film’s original elements.” Though the film is being fast-tracked, no cast members have been announced yet. It’s safe to say, though, that if Campbell’s chainsaw- and “boomstick”-wielding hero Ash isn’t involved in some way, there will be some angry spirits unleashed across the land.

Caption Contest!

Okay Horrorthonners, the strips are especially challenging this week, which is the best way to get comic gold out of you. Take a look at these strips, incubate some ideas and make me laugh. I'm hoping to get some of the 'quieter' 'thonners to participate. I will post the results this Sunday.

Superman


Gil Thorp


For Better For Worse


The Cisco Kid


Dennis the Menace

Technically yesterday...but we're still awake!

I know most of you have already facebooked Happy B'day wishes, but I'd be remiss in not posting desroc's bday here - so say it again! 

Happy Birthday, lovey!!

The Dark Knight Rises teaser poster

'Brady Bunch,' 'Gilligan's Island' creator Sherwood Schwartz dead at 94

From ew, he man behind some of the most influential shows — and theme songs — of the ’60s and ’70s, Sherwood Schwartz, died this morning, his son Lloyd Schwartz and nephew Douglas Schwartz confirm to EW.

Schwartz, who created both The Brady Bunch and Gilligan’s Island, was 94 and died at 4 a.m. of natural causes surrounded by family and loved ones, his son and business partner since 1972, said. “I learned so much from him. I produced all around. I’ve worked as a network executive, and no one came close to being as good as he was in every single way. And I’m not the only one saying that. If you ask any other producers who was best, they’ll say Sherwood Schwartz,” Lloyd Schwartz tells EW.
At the time of his death, Sherwood Schwartz was working with his son on the Gilligan’s Island movie for Warner Bros., which Lloyd Schwartz said will go on as planned. “We’ve been getting the script in and we’re turning it over soon. That will be another legacy of his,” he said. “He’s just going to go on. Some of my job is to make sure things are as he’d liked them to be — and they will be.”

Sherwood Schwartz’s career started in radio as a writer for Bob Hope’s show and he also worked for Armed Forces radio during WWII, his son said. But it was the desire to create feel-good television that eventually led to the creation of The Brady Bunch (1969-74) and Gilligan’s Island (1964-67). He also had a hand in the creations of the the satirical Brady movies and TV movies from both franchises. “I think television would be a lot better off if they did TV shows like he did. Believe it or not, he viewed Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch as the same show. They were about people trying to learn to get along,” Lloyd Schwartz says. “He felt like the lasting influence was that people felt better watching them.”

Sherwood Schwartz’s influence was even felt years after his most memorable shows were off the air. Douglas Schwartz credits his uncle and “second father” for the creation of his hit show Baywatch. “He was my mentor my entire life. If it wasn’t for my uncle Sherwood, I wouldn’t have had the career that I’ve had creating television series and producing television. That was all because of him. Baywatch wouldn’t have existed if it wasn’t for my uncle Sherwood,” he said. “He had a tremendous mark on television and people’s lives for, truly, generations.”

121 degree roller-coaster drop

From geekology, This is a picture of Japan's new Takabisha roller coaster at the Fuji-Q (NOT Suzie-Q) Highland amusement park near Mount Fuji. It features a 121-degree drop so, not only will you be ejected from your seat, but hit by the coaster car afterward. You hear that, Disneyland?! There's a new happiest place on earth AND IT'S CALLED HEAVEN.

...the Takabisha roller coaster boasts the world's steepest freefall: A gut-melting 121 degrees capable of inducing g-force levels equivalent to those experienced by fighter pilots.

The 141-foot, 62mph drop is merely the cherry that tops a 2-mile-long roller coaster cake filled with seven major twists and turns

Count me in -- I f***ing looooooove puking. Helps remind me I'm alive. Also, that I boozed as hard as I could. GO BIG OR GO HOME! Ooooooooor to the hospital to get my stomach pumped. That charcoal taste is growing on me.

Robert Downey can see you

Really, George Lucas? Really?

 

(From MSN) A special fan screening of all the "Star Wars" films which was to be held in New York was canceled after creator George Lucas threatened legal action over the event.

A group of sci-fi devotees had organized a 13-hour "Star Wars" movie marathon for 200 fans in a bar in Brooklyn last Sunday, but the screening was called off after organizers received a cease-and-desist letter from Lucas' lawyers. The letter cited copyright infringements and added that there was a moratorium on public "Star Wars" screenings.

Organizer Mike DeVito tells the New York Post, "I've seen the Star Wars movies about 150 times but never in one long run together, and I thought it would be great to put something like this together for like-minded people. ... What bothers me most is that they waited until the last minute to notify us, so we couldn't get a chance to try working something out. ... It wasn't as if we were making money off it."


DeVito added that Lucas "has crossed over" and now gives Darth Vader "a run for his money." Lucasfilm did not reply to the New York Post's requests for comment.

[DCD - Jerk!]