Hat Tip: Geeks are Sexy
Amazons Deal of the Day: 68% off on Lord of the Rings Trilogy Blu-Ray Set (Extended Edition). You can pick this up today for $37.99 with free shipping. It's usually $119.98.
Other Deals:
The complete Andy Griffith show on DVD is 75% off.
The Frasier complete DVD set is 63% off.
The complete Taxi DVD set is 62% off.
The complete Cheers DVD set is 70% off.
These deals run for a week.
Check Amazon's Featured Deals for more movies/t.v. shows.
Showing posts with label television shows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television shows. Show all posts
Monday, July 28, 2014
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Clan of the Cave Bear Getting Remake Treatment by Lifetime
Hat Tip: Dark Horizons
According to Variety, Lifetime is looking into creating a series based on Jean Auel's series of books set in the neolithic period. They have ordered a pilot being produced by Fox 21 and Lionsgate in association with Imagine Television and Allison Shearmur Productions.
That involves some very impressive talent. (The list includes Ron Howard and Linda Woolverton. Woolverton's resume includes work on Maleficent, Alice in Wonderland and The Lion King.)
Auel's 6 book series provides a large amount of source material to draw from.
Personally, I'm a bit surprised Hollywood hasn't touched Auel's work outside of the 1986 movie with Daryl Hannah as Ayla.
The fact that the movie wasn't well received might have something to do with the books not being touched before now. (Auel's $40 Million lawsuit to stop any further use of the material may also have played a part. Nothing says "radioactive" quite like a lawsuit by the material's author.)
As a side note, reading some of the 1986 movie reviews just reinforced the notion of just how clueless some movie critics can be.
There is one critic that criticized the decision to use a fictitious language instead of English. The decision to have the actors speak English would have resulted in critics complaining about "lack of realism."
Probably from the same critic.
Then there is the lack of verbal linguistic ability assigned to the neanderthals in the novel. Any attempt to portray this while using English would have resulted in the neanderthals sounding like Tonto from the Lone Ranger serials.
You can imagine how the critics would have responded to THAT.
Part of the problem for the 1986 film stems from the material itself. The movie was fairly faithful to the book. The producers of the Lifetime pilot are going to encounter the same limitations.
The Clan of the Cave Bear may just be a book that doesn't translate well on screen, be it t.v. or theater.
Just to have a little fun at Roger Ebert's expense. He gave the 1986 movie 1.5 out of 4 stars. He gave Anaconda 3.5 Anaconda is on my list of worse films aver made. Bad plot. Bad Acting. Cliche after cliche. Cheesy CG affects. And the "snake" bears no relation to the real animal and breaks laws of physics.
This is what Ebert gave 3.5/4 stars.
According to Variety, Lifetime is looking into creating a series based on Jean Auel's series of books set in the neolithic period. They have ordered a pilot being produced by Fox 21 and Lionsgate in association with Imagine Television and Allison Shearmur Productions.
That involves some very impressive talent. (The list includes Ron Howard and Linda Woolverton. Woolverton's resume includes work on Maleficent, Alice in Wonderland and The Lion King.)
Auel's 6 book series provides a large amount of source material to draw from.
Personally, I'm a bit surprised Hollywood hasn't touched Auel's work outside of the 1986 movie with Daryl Hannah as Ayla.
The fact that the movie wasn't well received might have something to do with the books not being touched before now. (Auel's $40 Million lawsuit to stop any further use of the material may also have played a part. Nothing says "radioactive" quite like a lawsuit by the material's author.)
As a side note, reading some of the 1986 movie reviews just reinforced the notion of just how clueless some movie critics can be.
There is one critic that criticized the decision to use a fictitious language instead of English. The decision to have the actors speak English would have resulted in critics complaining about "lack of realism."
Probably from the same critic.
Then there is the lack of verbal linguistic ability assigned to the neanderthals in the novel. Any attempt to portray this while using English would have resulted in the neanderthals sounding like Tonto from the Lone Ranger serials.
You can imagine how the critics would have responded to THAT.
Part of the problem for the 1986 film stems from the material itself. The movie was fairly faithful to the book. The producers of the Lifetime pilot are going to encounter the same limitations.
The Clan of the Cave Bear may just be a book that doesn't translate well on screen, be it t.v. or theater.
Just to have a little fun at Roger Ebert's expense. He gave the 1986 movie 1.5 out of 4 stars. He gave Anaconda 3.5 Anaconda is on my list of worse films aver made. Bad plot. Bad Acting. Cliche after cliche. Cheesy CG affects. And the "snake" bears no relation to the real animal and breaks laws of physics.
This is what Ebert gave 3.5/4 stars.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Thoughts on the Supreme Court Aereo Decision
The Supreme Court released its Aereo decision today. They ruled 6-3 that Aereo's business model constituted Copyright infringement.
The ruling held that Aero rebroadcasting copyright material fell under the "public performance" definition of the 1976 Copyright Act. The relevant clause made it illegal "to transmit or otherwise communicate a performance or display of the work ... to the public by means of any device or process, whether the members of the public are capable of receiving the performance or display receive it in the same place or in separate places at the same time or at different times."
Here's a translation of that clause for those not familiar with legalese .
It is illegal to copy a broadcast containing copyrighted material and then rebroadcast that material to the general public. The manner of receiving the broadcast and the number of people receiving it are irrelevant.
Given this, I think it's fairly obvious that Aereo's business model violated the 1976 Copyright Act. They were streaming copied versions of copyrighted material over the Internet.
The dissent held that Aereo's business model was no different from the videocassette recording industry business found legal in the 1984 Betamax case. I have to disagree with Scalia on this one (I don't do that very often).
There is a key distinction between the technology involved in the Betamax and Aereo cases. In the Betamax case, the recorder was located in the user's home. With Aero, the material was stored on Aereo's servers, and the streamed over the Internet when the user wanted to watch it.
When someone used a videocassette recorder, everything is done in the privacy of the home and more importantly, there is no rebroadcast of the material. Aereo recoded the material on their servers and then rebroadcast it.
The fundamental flaw in Aereo's business model is that is involves streaming the copyright material over the Internet after it has been recorded. This constitutes a broadcast, or as the law puts it "a performance." It is the streaming video portion of Aereo's business model that distinguishes it from technology used in the home to record television shows and is what makes Aereo's actions illegal.
The ruling held that Aero rebroadcasting copyright material fell under the "public performance" definition of the 1976 Copyright Act. The relevant clause made it illegal "to transmit or otherwise communicate a performance or display of the work ... to the public by means of any device or process, whether the members of the public are capable of receiving the performance or display receive it in the same place or in separate places at the same time or at different times."
Here's a translation of that clause for those not familiar with legalese .
It is illegal to copy a broadcast containing copyrighted material and then rebroadcast that material to the general public. The manner of receiving the broadcast and the number of people receiving it are irrelevant.
Given this, I think it's fairly obvious that Aereo's business model violated the 1976 Copyright Act. They were streaming copied versions of copyrighted material over the Internet.
The dissent held that Aereo's business model was no different from the videocassette recording industry business found legal in the 1984 Betamax case. I have to disagree with Scalia on this one (I don't do that very often).
There is a key distinction between the technology involved in the Betamax and Aereo cases. In the Betamax case, the recorder was located in the user's home. With Aero, the material was stored on Aereo's servers, and the streamed over the Internet when the user wanted to watch it.
When someone used a videocassette recorder, everything is done in the privacy of the home and more importantly, there is no rebroadcast of the material. Aereo recoded the material on their servers and then rebroadcast it.
The fundamental flaw in Aereo's business model is that is involves streaming the copyright material over the Internet after it has been recorded. This constitutes a broadcast, or as the law puts it "a performance." It is the streaming video portion of Aereo's business model that distinguishes it from technology used in the home to record television shows and is what makes Aereo's actions illegal.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Now This is a Reboot I Can Get Behind
I've tended to be very critical of the latest reboot/remake trend coming out of Hollywood, but this reboot is one I can get behind.
He's getting an upgrade in the process as well. The eye patch is now an "iPatch".
For those unfamiliar with Danger Mouse, Hulu has 19 episodes available, out of the 161 produced. The episodes available on Hulu are the full-length episodes (24 minute run time). The previous episodes were more like serials, shorter with story-lines spread over multiple episodes.
He's getting an upgrade in the process as well. The eye patch is now an "iPatch".
For those unfamiliar with Danger Mouse, Hulu has 19 episodes available, out of the 161 produced. The episodes available on Hulu are the full-length episodes (24 minute run time). The previous episodes were more like serials, shorter with story-lines spread over multiple episodes.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Deal Alert: 81% Off Original Star Trek Full Series at Amazon
Hat Tip: Geeks are Sexy
Amazon's Deal of the day is the complete original Star Trek television show on Blu-Ray.
The set can be purchased today for $59.99. (With free shipping).
It usually cost $321.99
Amazon's Deal of the day is the complete original Star Trek television show on Blu-Ray.
The set can be purchased today for $59.99. (With free shipping).
It usually cost $321.99
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
What's not to Like About Self-Driving Cars?
Here's the answer from Conan O'Brien:
A computer controlled vehicle with no brakes or steering wheel?
What could possibly go wrong?
Hat Tip: <re/code>
A computer controlled vehicle with no brakes or steering wheel?
What could possibly go wrong?
Hat Tip: <re/code>
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Please, Don't Give Hollywood any Reboot Ideas
Neatorama has just posted an article on the failed 2001 pilot for an Electra Woman and Dyna Girl reboot.
For those of you too young to have had them inflicted on you, they were part of the 1970's Sid and Marty Croft show. (Saturday Morning Cartoon/Children's Television shows were common at one time.) I actually watched this as a child, and yes I realize I am dating myself with this confession.
I couldn't imagine watching this sort of show after reaching a certain age. I also have a hard time seeing how a serious reboot would work, which is probably why the pilot failed to get any traction.
It might work as a tongue-in-cheek parody of the superhero genre, something along the lines of the 1960's Batman show. (The current comic reboot trend just screams the need for a little parody.)
Watch the trailer and decide for yourself whether the show had any chance at succeeding, beyond starring Markie Post that is.
For those of you too young to have had them inflicted on you, they were part of the 1970's Sid and Marty Croft show. (Saturday Morning Cartoon/Children's Television shows were common at one time.) I actually watched this as a child, and yes I realize I am dating myself with this confession.
I couldn't imagine watching this sort of show after reaching a certain age. I also have a hard time seeing how a serious reboot would work, which is probably why the pilot failed to get any traction.
It might work as a tongue-in-cheek parody of the superhero genre, something along the lines of the 1960's Batman show. (The current comic reboot trend just screams the need for a little parody.)
Watch the trailer and decide for yourself whether the show had any chance at succeeding, beyond starring Markie Post that is.
Monday, May 12, 2014
NBC Releases Trailer for New Constantine Series
Hat Tip: Digital Trends
This one combines two of the latest entertainment trends: comic book remakes and supernatural television series.
The trailer makes the series look interesting. I might actually check this one out. (Unlike a great many of the other new television series that have been announced.)
I see two potential problems.
First, the market for supernatural television series may have reached a saturation point. The general public may just be too bored with the genre for this series to work.
Second, the trailer shows some fairly impressive special effects. These don't come cheap. The production costs could prove to be a problem and could lead to the series being dropped quickly or the special effects being reduced in order to control costs.
This one combines two of the latest entertainment trends: comic book remakes and supernatural television series.
The trailer makes the series look interesting. I might actually check this one out. (Unlike a great many of the other new television series that have been announced.)
I see two potential problems.
First, the market for supernatural television series may have reached a saturation point. The general public may just be too bored with the genre for this series to work.
Second, the trailer shows some fairly impressive special effects. These don't come cheap. The production costs could prove to be a problem and could lead to the series being dropped quickly or the special effects being reduced in order to control costs.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Now This is How You Capitalize on a Bad Movie
The SyFy Channel has jst found a new way to make money off of bad made for t.v. movies.
This June,you can purchase your very own Sharknado!
Hat Tip: Geeks are Sexy
P.S. I just can't wait until the viral videos featuring that thing show up on YouTube. Maybe a contest for the most creative method used to destroy it?
Merchandising!
This June,you can purchase your very own Sharknado!
Hat Tip: Geeks are Sexy
P.S. I just can't wait until the viral videos featuring that thing show up on YouTube. Maybe a contest for the most creative method used to destroy it?
Friday, May 2, 2014
Comic Book Adaption Craze Strikes T.V.
Television show comic book adaptations were inevitable given the success of film franchises like Captain America and Spider-man.
The SyFy Channel has officially been hit with the Comic Book Adaptation mania, announcing three series in the works based on various comic books.
Pax Romana and Ronin will both be produced as mini-series.
Letter 44 will apparently get a full series.
Let's just hope the results are better than Sharknado.
The SyFy Channel has officially been hit with the Comic Book Adaptation mania, announcing three series in the works based on various comic books.
Pax Romana and Ronin will both be produced as mini-series.
Letter 44 will apparently get a full series.
Let's just hope the results are better than Sharknado.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Mystery Science Theater Reboot in Works?
Geekosystem has a post speculating on a MST3K reboot.
This would be coming from Joel Hodgson, not from the RiffTrax guys. (Not that I have anything against Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy.) This would apparently be an online program similar to the original series with a new host and probably new robots.
The biggest hurdle will probably lining up fodder.
I've been complaining lately about all the reboots coming out of Hollywood lately. I could actually get behind this one.
As an added bonus, Wired posted an online article on MST3K today:
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Definitive Oral History of a TV Masterpiece
(The article has a brief note on Joel attempting a reboot, but little detail.)
This would be coming from Joel Hodgson, not from the RiffTrax guys. (Not that I have anything against Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy.) This would apparently be an online program similar to the original series with a new host and probably new robots.
The biggest hurdle will probably lining up fodder.
I've been complaining lately about all the reboots coming out of Hollywood lately. I could actually get behind this one.
As an added bonus, Wired posted an online article on MST3K today:
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Definitive Oral History of a TV Masterpiece
(The article has a brief note on Joel attempting a reboot, but little detail.)
Monday, April 14, 2014
The Remake Craze Continues: NBC to remake Rosemary's Baby
BuzzFeed has posted the trailer for the upcoming NBC mini-series Rosemary's Baby.
The NBC remake was written by Scott Abbott (Queen of the Damned) and James Wong (American Horror Story) and runs four hours. Zoe Saldana replaces Mia Farrow as Rosemary.
The NBC remake was written by Scott Abbott (Queen of the Damned) and James Wong (American Horror Story) and runs four hours. Zoe Saldana replaces Mia Farrow as Rosemary.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Amazon Deal of the Day: Save 69% on The Simpsons Season Collections
Amazon has a short-time deal on Season Collections of the Simpsons.
The deal only covers the DVD version, but you can save almost 70%. The price with the deal ranges from $13.99 to $17.99 depending on the season.
The deal runs through April 10.
The deal only covers the DVD version, but you can save almost 70%. The price with the deal ranges from $13.99 to $17.99 depending on the season.
The deal runs through April 10.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Hollywood's Remake Craze Runs Amok
I feel like I'm channeling Sarah Jessica Parker from Hocus Pocus: Amok! Amok! Amok!
The Hollywood remake craze really has gotten out of hand. Do we really need another version of Godzilla? Or another Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles movie?
It gets worse when you think about all the equals coming out of Hollywood, some of them are sequels to films that weren't even recently made. I can understand Star Wars chapter VII. (That is technically a sequel to a film made in 1983.) The franchise has been updated on an ongoing basis with the re-release of the original film with additional footage and the three prequels. But a Goonies sequel?
Think about that one. Goonies was released in 1985. How do you produce a sequel when there has been no activity related to the film for 30 years?
Why would there be any interest?
It's more absurd when you start discussing remakes of remakes. Besides the latest Godzilla remake, you can now add Battlestar Gaactica to that list.
Battlestar Galactica first appeared on television in 1978 and lasted for 17 episodes (24 shows total do to the number of two-part episodes.) It was remade in 2003 by the SyFy channel. The remake was more sucessful and ran four seasons.
It is now being remade as a feature film.
Remakes do make some sense. It's similar to the branding effect of making a James Bond film. The name recognition alone helps with marketing the film. Those that saw (and enjoyed) the previous film should automatically have some interest in the sequel and name recognition helps when marketing remakes.
I just wish they would actually come up with something original.
The Hollywood remake craze really has gotten out of hand. Do we really need another version of Godzilla? Or another Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles movie?
It gets worse when you think about all the equals coming out of Hollywood, some of them are sequels to films that weren't even recently made. I can understand Star Wars chapter VII. (That is technically a sequel to a film made in 1983.) The franchise has been updated on an ongoing basis with the re-release of the original film with additional footage and the three prequels. But a Goonies sequel?
Think about that one. Goonies was released in 1985. How do you produce a sequel when there has been no activity related to the film for 30 years?
Why would there be any interest?
It's more absurd when you start discussing remakes of remakes. Besides the latest Godzilla remake, you can now add Battlestar Gaactica to that list.
Battlestar Galactica first appeared on television in 1978 and lasted for 17 episodes (24 shows total do to the number of two-part episodes.) It was remade in 2003 by the SyFy channel. The remake was more sucessful and ran four seasons.
It is now being remade as a feature film.
Remakes do make some sense. It's similar to the branding effect of making a James Bond film. The name recognition alone helps with marketing the film. Those that saw (and enjoyed) the previous film should automatically have some interest in the sequel and name recognition helps when marketing remakes.
I just wish they would actually come up with something original.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Climax! Television Show. The First James Bond Appearance.
Before appearing on the big screen, James Bond made appeared in an episode of the 1950's television series: Climax!
Barry Nelson played James Bond.
Don't recognize the name? Nelson was primarily a television actor and showed up in many television series in a guest spot. He also played the Hotel Manager in the original Shining movie.
The Internet Archive lists the episode as being in the Public Domain. (They try their best to check copyright status, but they can make mistakes.)
According to IMDB, the Casino Royale spot was actually a pilot for a James Bond t.v. series that never materialized.
Barry Nelson played James Bond.
Don't recognize the name? Nelson was primarily a television actor and showed up in many television series in a guest spot. He also played the Hotel Manager in the original Shining movie.
The Internet Archive lists the episode as being in the Public Domain. (They try their best to check copyright status, but they can make mistakes.)
According to IMDB, the Casino Royale spot was actually a pilot for a James Bond t.v. series that never materialized.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Riff Trax Live Event Announced. Plus Catch Them on Nat Geo.
The guys at Riff Trax have announced their latest Live event.
Watch them give Sharknado! the treatment live at cinemas nationwide on Thursday, July 10 or Tuesday, July 15.
Tickets go on sale May 2.
You'll also have a chance to catch them on television April Fool's Day on the National Geographic Channel.
This runs three hours starting 8pm Eastern/7pm Central.
Check the RiffTrax tv page for local listings.
Watch them give Sharknado! the treatment live at cinemas nationwide on Thursday, July 10 or Tuesday, July 15.
Tickets go on sale May 2.
You'll also have a chance to catch them on television April Fool's Day on the National Geographic Channel.
This runs three hours starting 8pm Eastern/7pm Central.
Check the RiffTrax tv page for local listings.
Amazon Deal on Complete Farscape Series
The price is good for today only (March 28, 2014) or until supplies last.
Monday, March 3, 2014
What I'm Watching On Hulu: Cluster Edge
My latest foray into Japanese Anime on Hulu: Cluster Edge.
The show revolves around "artificial soldiers" and what happens to them after the war they are created to fight is over. I'm currently on episode 4 out of 23.
It's fairly interesting so far.
I do have to comment on the strange names Japanese animators come up with, though. Naming characters after rocks and minerals? (The main character is Agate. Another is Beryl Jasper.) I suppose those sound exotic to the Japanese audience, but it loses a little of its impact when dealing with English speaking viewers.
The show is currently only available with English subtitles. No dubbing.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
My Reality Television Weakness: Face Off
I'm not a big fan of "reality" t.v. Far to often it omits the reality.
I do tend to watch the contest oriented shows, like Face Off.
These shows don't pretend to be something they're not. Plus they can be useful in launching the careers of talented individuals that just need a little publicity. (Case in point, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson from American Idol.)
For those of you that aren't familiar with the show, Face Off is the SyFy channel's contest show centered around special effects makeup contestants. Each week the contestants are challenged to create a character using SFx makeup, props and costumes based on the parameters of the challenge.
Yesterday's challenge was to create a creature based on creatures from Cryptozoology.
The show airs 8:00 pm Central on Tuesday night. Older episodes can be seen on SyFy's website. (The show's website is here.)
I do tend to watch the contest oriented shows, like Face Off.
These shows don't pretend to be something they're not. Plus they can be useful in launching the careers of talented individuals that just need a little publicity. (Case in point, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson from American Idol.)
For those of you that aren't familiar with the show, Face Off is the SyFy channel's contest show centered around special effects makeup contestants. Each week the contestants are challenged to create a character using SFx makeup, props and costumes based on the parameters of the challenge.
Yesterday's challenge was to create a creature based on creatures from Cryptozoology.
The show airs 8:00 pm Central on Tuesday night. Older episodes can be seen on SyFy's website. (The show's website is here.)
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