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Stardate 08.25.2020.A: DC's Justice League Is Getting A Makeover ... Or Is That A Course Correction?

8/25/2020

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Ahem.

I've never understood all of the hate supposed comic books fans have for DC Comics films and/or Zack Snyder in particular.  Rest assured that hate is rampant.  While some of it has been fueled on by offhand comments carelessly made by creative folks before and behind the camera, much more of it seems purely organic, ranging from 'I hate Batman because he's just an insufferably dark character' to 'I hate Superman because he's just an insufferably upbeat character.'  Granted, the caped and cowled men and women within the wider DC Universe don't have the usual snarkyness and/or cynicism commonly associated to comic book characters from other publishers -- attitudes which tend to align with the expectations of comicdom's audience of predominantly younger readers -- but at the end of day aren't they all fictional to begin with and can't we all just get along?

For those who are unclear on the history, Zack Snyder bowed out of production on Justice League (2017) due to a family tragedy, so producers were quick to sign Joss Whedon to climb aboard and finish the feature.  Not happy with what was being done, Whedon crafted his own story and engaged in reshoots in order to meet the deadline ... and the end result was the theatrical release that didn't quite feel organic to some, felt rushed to others, or seemed like a middling effort granted a higher effects budget in order to give it the look and feel the new director wished.  At the time, DC enthusiasts (from what I recall) argued that the film treated too many principles as secondary characters (not necessarily unfounded, but, hey, the script essentially introduced three main players as well as the villain in less than three hours of screentime); and it didn't take long for fans to hypothesize how Justice League would've looked had Snyder been able to complete his version.

For me, Justice League was a good film, flawed in small yet important ways which ended up hampering some of my ability to appreciate it as an introduction to a greater world, the wider universe of DC Comics' characters.  But being a dog older than most, I was thrilled to finally get to see this particular band of heroes up on the silver screen, even if that meant having to accept something that didn't quite feel like it needed all of them around to save the day (my chief complaint with the big finish).  Not every superhero played a part custom fit to his or her speciality -- in fact, I'd argue practically any in the DC pantheon could've been fit into the climax and not a beat would've been missed.  Was it too easy?  Well, yes and no ... it certainly wasn't easy ... it just didn't feel like it needed to be this six instead of any other six ... and I hope you get my point.

Well, prayers have been answered, and fandom is getting what it wanted as Warner Bros., DC, and HBO have teamed up to give Zack Snyder an almost unheard of opportunity: he's completed his version of Justice League, and it'll be streaming for HBO's latest portal -- HBO Max -- in 2021.  As I understand, it'll be released in a miniseries-style format with four one-hour episodes, though I've also read that they're naturally considering other venues to deliver a stand-alone feature worldwide.

Part of me is glad this is happening.

Snyder's Man Of Steel was particular good as it re-introduced Superman to the silver screen in such a way that it didn't quite dismiss the greatness of Superman (The Movie).  Yes, it was a cinematic reboot -- much in the same way any newcomer to the role of Big Blue is -- but it did so in a way that colored within the lines thematically with what had come before.  It didn't escape controversy -- Superman killed Zod in the feature, an action many felt disqualified Snyder's interpretation of the character -- and still I looked on it much like I did Supes' changing of the timeline in the 1978 film, meaning, "Buddy, you're going to pay a price for this that you're not going to like."  Superman II (1980) tweaked that price to be paid, and that Man Of Steel learned he couldn't have his cake and eat it too if he wanted to be mankind's savior.

Likewise, Snyder's Batman V Superman performed in much the same way that late 1970's one-two punch did: Zod's death led to the creation of Doomsday, which inevitably led to the death of our hero, closing the loop in the same way ... actions -- even those of the all-powerful -- come with a heavy, heavy price ... thus making Kal-El sacrifice his own life to save those he loved.

It's this arch I'm curious to see continued with Snyder's new version.

Will it be?

Well ... only time will tell ...

In any event, here's the trailer.  Enjoy!
​
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Stardate 08.04.2020.B: Is This The Best SciFi Has To Offer? Ranking SciFi's Best Reads

8/4/2020

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In our ongoing attempt to promote literacy, I found a fabulously-veiled 'think piece' on Screen Rant from the other day which seeks to highlight the very best books available to readers interested in further exploring the genre.

Now as I've often said I'm really not a huge fan of lists, but anything that promotes Science Fiction?  Well, that I'm pretty damn fond of!  I do try to be one of SciFi's biggest advocates on the World Wide Web, even though I, myself, read it sparingly.  (Again, this is not because I don't like it; rather it's because I have about a billion books in my present backlog, and I'm trying to get through as many of them before I shake off the ol' mortal coil as I can.)

Still, lists are useful for comparison's sake.  I'd encourage readers to scan through Screen Rant's accounting if for no other reason than to see how many of them you've either read, are planning to read, or (as is often my case) tried to read but gave up on because the prose either didn't work for you or it was just too darn meaty.  (Be honest: it happens.)

Oh, yeah!  You can access the article right here.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
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Stardate 08.04.2020.A: RLJE's 'Blood Quantum' Promises Maximum Blood To Mankind's Demise

8/4/2020

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Yes, I'm one of the merry few who still considers Zombie flicks part-and-parcel of Science Fiction.  Sure, I realize that many of them share far more qualities with traditional Horror films than anything else; yet still I'm hung up on the fact that a virus (or other medical condition) which can reanimate the dead means something to serious aficionados of SciFi, so I'll continue to cover them in my corner of the Information Superhighway.

And based entirely on the prerelease materials Blood Quantum certainly looks like it might be a winner!

I'm happily posting the associated trailer and the prerelease materials provided to me by RLJE Films below.  Those interested should be checking this one out as it looks like the Apocalypse is going to be bloodier than usual.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!


RLJE FILMS PRESENTS
BLOOD QUANTUM
"fun and gory as hell" – SlashFilm
"a pulse-pounding treat" – Birth.Movies.Death.
"an action packed thrill ride" – Film Inquiry
 Available on VOD, Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray on September 1, 2020
RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, has picked up select rights to BLOOD QUANTUM from Shudder, AMC Networks’ streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural. BLOOD QUANTUM will be released on VOD, Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray on September 1, 2020.
BLOOD QUANTUM is directed and written by Jeff Barnaby (Rhymes for Young Ghouls). The horror film stars Michael Greyeyes (“Fear the Walking Dead” , True Detective ), Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant), Kiowa Gordon (Twilight franchise),  and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open). RLJE Films will release BLOOD QUANTUM on DVD for $27.97 and on Blu-ray for $28.97.
In BLOOD QUANTUM, the indigenous people in the isolated reserve of Red Crow are immune to the zombie plague that has taken over the nation, but that doesn’t mean their lives aren’t at risk. It’s up to Traylor (Michael Greyeyes, “Fear the Walking Dead”), the tribal sheriff, to protect the families residing on the reserve and a flood of desperate refugees from the hordes of bloodthirsty, walking white corpses that are closing in.
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Stardate 08.03.2020.E: Janeway And Company's Ten Worst Episodes ... According To IMDB.Com Users

8/3/2020

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Well, you know what grandma used to say: "Lists are arbitrary and capricious."

Now, I was always given a paddling for asking how it was that grandma knew such words as 'arbitrary' and 'capricious' given that -- by her own account -- she spent so much of her childhood walking uphill both ways to school for miles and miles, and still I remembered what she meant: lists, in the end, don't truly have any merit unless they're balanced against something more than a single person's opinion.  All of this really boils down to grandma being a pretentious fuddyduddy, but I've avoided lists much of my life for that very reason: seeking out 'the best' based on such a limited sourcing generally means that you're missing so much else that might have greater meaning, greater impact to me, as a consumer ... so I tend to leave the A, B, and C's to other websites.

Occasionally, though, I do come up with some of my own (when the mood strikes) or I'll stumble across something I find worth sharing ... and such is the case today with Screen Rant's Worst 10 Episodes Of Star Trek: Voyager, a show I always found middling at best.

As always, let me clarify: "No, I never hated Star Trek: Voyager."

What I did find is that Voyager was a missed opportunity.  It's pretty spiffy two-hour set-up -- "Caretaker" -- ended being followed up by showing the program wasn't so much going where no one had gone before but instead slipped comfortably into the usual 'menace of the week' format with the equally heavy dose of Starfleet proselytizing we'd already grown used to with Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and a reasonable portion of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  Here, I went into Voyager thinking that viewers were going to see how Trek's morality tales were going to play out against a vastly different fabric of space/time when all the writers truly ended up giving us were yet even more different noses, foreheads, and fabrics in the same formulaic process.

I guess what I wanted was Voyager to end up being like Syfy's much better fish-out-of-water scenario Farscape, a show that forced its human lead to 'fit in' with a vastly different universe in order to find his own way, bringing his compatriots kicking and screaming (if need be) to the proper course of action, even if that meant threatening the entire universe with eradication (as astronaut John Crichton eventually had to do in The Peacekeeper Wars) if they couldn't behave politely.  Starfleet principles are all well and good, but even Commander-then-Captain Ben Sisko compromised them against the greater good if and when his circumstances required it: Voyager just kinda/sorta felt cut-and-paste too often, with Janeway forging ahead on whatever path she found culturally relevant for that particular 41 minutes.

But I digress ...

Best and worst episode lists are always interesting when they're compiled with greater input involved, as obviously is the case when viewing them from IMDB.com's portal.  Check out the article, see how many of these stinkers you've seen, find comfort in knowing mankind agrees with you (well, at least those with a PC and an IMDB profile), and go about your day.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
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Stardate 08.03.2020.D: SciFi ShoutOut - Liminal Fiction Brings Readers And Writers Together

8/3/2020

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Regular readers here know that I've always tried to use SciFiHistory.Net to promote practically anything SciFi or Fantasy related, including films, television programs, specialty websites, products, and books.  When I stumble across something I find of import, then I'll provide what I call a SciFi ShoutOut on the MainPage for those paying attention ...

... and today's SciFi ShoutOut goes to Liminal Fiction, an inclusive website that seeks to bring readers and writers together by promoting like-minded tales of wit and whimsy with publication announcements, book reviews, and even a searchable database with filters for interested readers to find recommendations for what tickles your fancy most.  Liminal's database allows patrons to browse via genre headings -- Fantasy, Paranormal, Science Fiction, etc. -- and even maintains further filtering via sub-groups, popular tropes, and even further tags like nationality of the author and format.  It's a means to bring a reader suggestions for perhaps exactly what he or she is looking for.

Reader memberships are free.  If you're an author looking to promote your works to Liminal's growing audience the site has a variety of subscription choices and pay levels to match your  current promotional needs.  It looks like those pay relationships are annually renewable, which I would assume gives writers the luxury to add future works to the portal as they become available, certainly a nice plus when you're needing the update.

I strongly encourage interested readers to check it out at the above-highlighted link.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
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Stardate 08.03.2020.C: The Hugos Are Coming! The Hugos Are Coming! Get Caught Up ... Or You'll Be Caught Behind!

8/3/2020

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Sorry, folks, but I don't read near as much as I used to; and -- if I'm being perfectly honest -- I've never been a huge reader of Science Fiction and Fantasy.  Mostly, I've given books a read that have been strongly recommended to me by friends and/or family; and I've honestly rarely found anything that I'd read a second time or give an enthusiastic thumbs up.  Those few books that I have I've sung praises for in various spaces across all of SciFiHistory.Net, and that's largely what I see as my great contribution to literature.

Make no mistake: I'm a H-U-G-E fan of folks being literate.  I think being well-read -- whatever the genre -- is an important part of keeping one's brain fresh.  Reading challenges our perspective, and the intellectual exercise helps one figure out how the various pieces of life go together.  Sure, reading is also great for pure escapism; and I even have a franchise or two I've recommended for that as well.

In any event, I'm on a mailing list from Tor.com -- a major publisher of Science Fiction and Fantasy -- and they recently put together a great piece on the approaching Hugo Awards, which I though definitely worth sharing to my own readership.  You can access it right here, and be prepared to spend more than a few minutes with the read.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
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Stardate 08.03.2020.B: Arrow Video Allows 'Flash Gordon' To Save Every One Of Us ... In 4K!

8/3/2020

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One of the seminal SciFi/Fantasy properties ever -- Flash Gordon -- is about to save the universe again, but this time in 4K as Arrow Films releases the popular cult flick from 1980 to the commercial marketplace on August 18th in the United States.

I was so excited when I saw this one getting the necessary technical upgrade that I pre-ordered it from Amazon probably two months ago.  While I can understand and appreciate that the film's -- ahem -- sensibilities -- may not be everyone's "cup of tea," I love it from start to finish.

What a way for the film to celebrate turning forty years young this year!

Details from Arrow Video are below.
​


​Also in August, Arrow Video release the fabulous Flash Gordon, in sparkling 4K, in lavish packaging with a host of extras and goodies. Super producer Dino De Laurentiis (Dune, Barbarella) brought Alex Raymond's beloved cartoon strip and the long running movie serial to the big screen with celebrated director Mike Hodges (Get Carter, Black Rainbow) at the helm, in a delirious space opera, where Flash is King of the Impossible! With endlessly repeatable dialogue, inimitable camp style, the sonic stylings of Queen and a delightful band of characters and actors playing (including Max von Sydow, Ornella Muti and Brian Blessed) then it's no wonder Flash Gordon has become one of the most beloved sci-fi spectacles of its era.

 
Limited Edition ULTRA HD 4K:

DIRECTOR-APPROVED LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS: 
  • Brand new 4K restoration by Studiocanal from the original camera negative approved by director Mike Hodges
  • 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
  • Optional 5.1 and 2.0 stereo DTS-HD Master audio
  • Booklet featuring new writing on the film by critics and film historians including Neil Snowdon, Dennis Cozzalio, John-Paul Checkett, A.K. Benedict, and Kat Ellinger illustrated with original stills
  • Fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
  • Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions, alternative posters and promotional images
  • Limited Edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais
 
DISC 1 - FLASH GORDON & SPECIAL FEATURES (ULTRA HD 4K BLU-RAY): 
  • Archival audio commentary with Mike Hodges
  • Archival audio commentary with Brian Blessed
  • Interviews with actors Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Brian Blessed, Queen icon Brian May, composer Howard Blake, and poster designer Renato Casaro
  • Behind the Scenes of Flash Gordon - an archival documentary on the making of the film
  • Archival interviews with Mike Hodges, screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr., comic book artist Alex Ross
  • Lost in Space: Nic Roeg's Flash Gordon - a new documentary program exploring the version Roeg (The Man Who Fell to Earth) had originally planned to make with producer Dino De Laurentiis
  • Gremlin's Finest Hour - an episode from the animated Flash Gordon TV show written by J. Michael Reaves from November 1982
  • Deleted scenes and original endings - prop collector Bob Lindenmayer discusses dropped sequences and sequel ideas
  • 35th Anniversary Greenroom featurette - Mike Hodges meets the cast for the first time since filming at the 35th anniversary reunion
  • 35th Anniversary Reunion featurette - the cast and crew discuss Flash Gordon
  • Entertainment Earth on Flash Gordon merchandise
  • Storyboards gallery
  • Stills gallery
  • Original Trailer
  • Easter Eggs
 
DISC 2 - LIFE AFTER FLASH & SPECIAL FEATURES [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE] (BLU-RAY): 
  • 2017 feature length documentary by filmmaker Lisa Downs on the rollercoaster life of Sam J. Jones since his role in Flash Gordon, featuring the main cast and crew as well as a host of fans including Stan Lee, Robert Rodriguez, Mark Millar and more!
  • Sam J. Jones - a variety of interviews and featurettes including coverage of a script read from the Chattanooga Film Festival, Sam discussing his career in Mexico, his "prayer walk", and more
  • Melody Paintings Extended - actress Melody Anderson talks about her love of painting and talks about various pieces displayed in her home
  • Topol - a variety of interviews with the actor on his collections, awards and charity work
  • Brian Blessed - the actor recounts amusing stories about Flash Gordon
  • Late, Great Wyngarde - actor Peter Wyngarde discusses his experiences filming Flash Gordon and his relationship with Mike Hodges
  • Deep Roy - the actor raps about ambition and recounts an amusing story about Eastbound & Down
  • Alex Ross Talks Early Art - the artist talks about Flash Gordon and the many pieces of art he created for it from childhood to modern day
  • Tell Me More About the This Man Houdini - actor Rich Fuller and Jason Lenzi, founder of toy brand Bif Bang Pow, discuss a scene from Flash Gordon
  • Comic Con early draft - A featurette looking at the phenomenon that is Comic Con, featuring interviews with attendees and a host of regular talent including Sam J. Jones, Rich Fulton, Jason Mewes, Michael Rooker, Claudia Wells, and more
  • Interview with Lisa Downs - the director of Life After Flash explores her motivation to make the film and experiences during the production
  • Life After Flash on the Road - a variety of featurettes on the film travelling to various festivals and production including Q&A excerpts with the Flash Gordon cast, behind-the-scenes footage, Kickstarter funding video
  • Trailer
 
ULTRA HD 4K:

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS: 
  • Brand new 4K restoration by Studiocanal from the original camera negative approved by director Mike Hodges
  • 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
  • Optional 5.1 and 2.0 stereo DTS-HD Master audio
  • Archival audio commentary with Mike Hodges
  • Archival audio commentary with Brian Blessed
  • Interviews with actors Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Brian Blessed, Queen icon Brian May, composer Howard Blake, and poster designer Renato Casaro
  • Behind the Scenes of Flash Gordon - an archival documentary on the making of the film
  • Archival interviews with Mike Hodges, screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr., comic book artist Alex Ross
  • Lost in Space: Nic Roeg's Flash Gordon - a new documentary program exploring the version Roeg (The Man Who Fell to Earth) had originally planned to make with producer Dino De Laurentiis
  • Gremlin's Finest Hour - an episode from the animated Flash Gordon TV show written by J. Michael Reaves from November 1982
  • Deleted scenes and original endings - prop collector Bob Lindenmayer discusses dropped sequences and sequel ideas
  • 35th Anniversary Greenroom featurette - Mike Hodges meets the cast for the first time since filming at the 35th anniversary reunion
  • 35th Anniversary Reunion featurette - the cast and crew discuss Flash Gordon
  • Entertainment Earth on Flash Gordon merchandise
  • Storyboards gallery
  • Stills gallery
  • Original Trailer
  • Easter Eggs
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais
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Stardate 08.03.2020.A: Pitch Black? In 4K? Arrow Video To Make It A Reality

8/3/2020

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The ultimate SciFi/Sleeper release from 2000 that helped introduce Vin Diesel to the world -- Pitch Black -- is about to enjoy a major overhaul as Arrow Films delivers to the consumer marketplace an impressive 4K release.

I can distinctly remember seeing this one in theaters, and I suspected it was going to be an enduring hit with fans.  While I never predicted it would become a small franchise all on its own (The Chronicles Of Riddick and, simply, Riddick eventually followed), it's good to know that even Diesel himself holds this property in a special place in his heart: the flick gets great mileage out of its simple set-up, and it makes solid strides while dispatching an impressive ensemble cast in its quest to stay true to the genre.

Details are provided by Arrow Video below.  The release is slated for August 18th.
​


​The sci-fi/horror sleeper hit that birthed a franchise and launched the career of a new action movie icon, Pitch Black is released in an illuminating, brand new and definitive Ultra HD 4K restoration, with hours of exclusive bonus content. The film - about the crew of a crashed spaceship fighting for survival - holds its own today as a nerve-shredding creature-feature in which the monsters outside finally meet their match against a monster within. Boasting crackerjack direction and a whip-smart script by David Twohy, as well as a star-making performance by Vin Diesel, this lavishly packaged edition includes director's cuts of the film, a host of behind-the-scenes featurettes and much much more.

 
PITCH BLACK ULTRA HD 4K BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:    
  • Brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films of the Theatrical and Director's Cuts of the film, approved by director David Twohy
  • 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
  • Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround on both cuts
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both cuts
  • Archive commentary with director David Twohy and stars Vin Diesel and Cole Hauser
  • Archive commentary with director David Twohy, producer Tom Engelman and visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang
  • Nightfall: The Making of Pitch Black, a newly filmed interview with director/co-writer David Twohy
  • Black Box: Jackie's Journey, a newly filmed interview with actor Rhiana Griffith
  • Black Box: Shazza's Last Stand, a newly filmed interview with actor Claudia Black
  • Black Box: Bleach Bypassed, a newly filmed interview with cinematographer David Eggby
  • Black Box: Cryo-Locked, a newly filmed interview with visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang
  • Black Box: Primal Sounds, a newly filmed interview with composer Graeme Revell
  • The Making of Pitch Black, a short behind-the-scenes featurette
  • Pitch Black Raw, a comparison between early CG tests and the final footage
  • Additional behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the film
  • 2004 archive bonus features, including an introduction by Twohy, A View Into The Dark, and Chronicles of Riddick Visual Encyclopedia
  • Johns' Chase Log, a short prequel narrated by Cole Hauser detailing the character's hunt for Riddick
  • The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (in 16:9 widescreen with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio), an animated short film directed by Peter Chung that acts as a bridgepoint between Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick, featuring vocal performances by Vin Diesel, Keith David and Rhiana Griffith reprising their roles
  • Dark Fury bonus features including Bridging The Gap, Peter Chung: The Mind of an Animator, A View Into The Light, and a "pre-animation" version of the film
  • Slam City, a motion comic from the film's official website
  • Into Pitch Black, a TV special offering an alternative non-canon glimpse into what happened before and after the events of the film
  • Raveworld: Pitch Black Event, footage of a dance music event held to promote the film
  • Theatrical trailers, plus trailers for the two sequels and video game
  • Image galleries
  • Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned 'night' and 'day' artwork by Luke Preece 
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Simon Ward on the film's creature designs (including a new interview with creature designer Patrick Tatopolous), original production notes and information from the film's official website, and an archive interview with Vin Diesel from Starlog magazine.
 
PITCH BLACK BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:    
  • Brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films of the Theatrical and Director's Cuts of the film, approved by director David Twohy
  • High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
  • Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround on both cuts
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both cuts
  • Archive commentary with director David Twohy and stars Vin Diesel and Cole Hauser
  • Archive commentary with director David Twohy, producer Tom Engelman and visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang
  • Nightfall: The Making of Pitch Black, a newly filmed interview with director/co-writer David Twohy
  • Black Box: Jackie's Journey, a newly filmed interview with actor Rhiana Griffith
  • Black Box: Shazza's Last Stand, a newly filmed interview with actor Claudia Black
  • Black Box: Bleach Bypassed, a newly filmed interview with cinematographer David Eggby
  • Black Box: Cryo-Locked, a newly filmed interview with visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang
  • Black Box: Primal Sounds, a newly filmed interview with composer Graeme Revell
  • The Making of Pitch Black, a short behind-the-scenes featurette
  • Pitch Black Raw, a comparison between early CG tests and the final footage
  • Additional behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the film
  • 2004 archive bonus features, including an introduction by Twohy, A View Into The Dark, and Chronicles of Riddick Visual Encyclopedia
  • Johns' Chase Log, a short prequel narrated by Cole Hauser detailing the character's hunt for Riddick
  • The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (in 16:9 widescreen with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio), an animated short film directed by Peter Chung that acts as a bridgepoint between Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick, featuring vocal performances by Vin Diesel, Keith David and Rhiana Griffith reprising their roles
  • Dark Fury bonus features including Bridging The Gap, Peter Chung: The Mind of an Animator, A View Into The Light, and a "pre-animation" version of the film
  • Slam City, a motion comic from the film's official website
  • Into Pitch Black, a TV special offering an alternative non-canon glimpse into what happened before and after the events of the film
  • Raveworld: Pitch Black Event, footage of a dance music event held to promote the film
  • Theatrical trailers, plus trailers for the two sequels and video game
  • Image galleries
  • Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned 'night' and 'day' artwork by Luke Preece 
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Simon Ward on the film's creature designs (including a new interview with creature designer Patrick Tatopolous), original production notes and information from the film's official website, and an archive interview with Vin Diesel from Starlog magazine.
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Stardate 08.02.2020.A: In Memoriam - Wilford Brimley

8/2/2020

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Over the years, one of the things I've found most endearing about Science Fiction and Fantasy is that its heroes and enemies cacomn come from the most unlikely players.

Today's evidence: Wilford Brimley.

Now, an actor who perennially looked like America's grandfather is certainly an unlikely player in a genre which clearly favors the young; but Brimley managed to have a very respectable presence despite the wisdom of his years.  This is probably owed to the fact that the actor maintained a certain gravitas throughout the years, appearing in roles as a voice of authority, and that inevitably found him being cast in similar roles well within properties folks 'round these parts are familiar with.

Granted, everyone knows him as the aging senior who finds the veritable 'Fountain Of Youth' that was near-and-dear to the SciFi/Comedy Cocoon (1985) and its -- ahem -- inferior -- sequel Cocoon: The Return (1988) ... but he also established himself within SciFi a few years earlier with a top role in John Carpenter's The Thing (1982).  And lest we forget his Star Wars connection?  I know many in fandom who've long ago dismissed the Ewoks telefilms as inconsequential and even non-canonical, but I remember them with some passing fondness for showing audiences that space Fantasy had a place on network television.  Brimley's work as an aging space prospector was good for its era, and I'd be a fool if I failed to mention it here.

Brimley's resume may not be as vast and reverential as others who've come this way; still, I'm doing my part to note his passing and encouraging others to consider his genre contributions in the years ahead.  Maybe you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I for one am glad he dabbled in our realm with every chance he was afforded.

​May he rest in peace ...
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