Pop Artifact! Batman movie serial poster



Working on other projects. Daily postings resume Oct. 9.

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"Lost" refresher: Remember what happened last season?



If you haven't been watching reruns or DVDs, here's a brief refresher on what happened last season.

Key events:

* A group of passengers on Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on a seemingly deserted island. They can't contact the outside world and nobody has come to rescue them.

* The island is inhabited--by a group of ragged-looking folks called the Others and a lone Frenchwoman named Danielle who claims the Others abducted her daughter, Alex, many years ago. Alex, now an adult, is an Other but is sympathetic to the crash survivors.

* The Others abducted three children and several adults from Flight 815 and are responsible for killing several survivors. They briefly kidnapped crash survivor Claire, who was pregnant at the time, but she was able to escape.

* The crash survivors discover an underground "hatch" on the island, which is inhabited by another lone person, Desmond.

* This hatch, and others like it discovered later, are part of the Dharma Initiative, a mysterious research project created by the Hanso Foundation--an organization set up by a Danish industrialist. The crash survivors learn all this via a sketchy "orientation" film and another orientation video found inside separate hatches.

* Inside the first hatch is a button connected to a large computer complex. Apparently, this button must be pushed every 108 minutes to keep huge electromagnetic forces in check. Briefly unleashed, these forces are what caused the crash of Flight 815. Or that's what Desmond believes.

* Desmond has been pressing the button for three years. He was on a round-the-world boat race when a storm brought him to the island.

* Desmond was rescued by a man named Kelvin, who was then manning the hatch and pressing the button. Kelvin orients Desmond to the hatch and button, convincing him of its importance to humanity.

* Having found a new person to press the button, Kelvin plans to abandon the hatch and leaves on Desmond's sailboat, which he'd secretly been repairing. Desmond finds out about the plan and accidentally kills Kelvin in an angry struggle. But he goes back to the hatch and continues pressing the button, convinced it's necessary in order to keep the world safe.

* Before his sailing trip, Desmond was a member of the British military and he'd been imprisoned for "not following orders." He also was estranged from his girlfriend, Penelope Widmore. Penelope's father, apparently a very wealthy and influential person, pays Desmond off to stay away from his daughter. Desmond enters the sailing race, which is sponsored by Widmore, wanting to win and show up the elder Widmore.

* Once the crash survivors discover the hatch, Desmond also abandons it. He's missing for some time but eventually we learn he tried to leave on his sailboat. However, he was unable to sail away from the island. All his attempts at navigating away just brought him back.

* At the end of season 2, the button isn't pushed and the interior of the hatch starts to warp and destruct due to the electromagnetic forces. Desmond inserts a key into a switch designed to "terminate" the hatch station/project. There's a huge white out and, we're led to believe, the hatch and all those inside (Desmond and crash survivors Locke and Eko) vanish or are destroyed.

* The Others force Michael, the father of one of the kids they've abducted, to deliver them four more of the crash survivors: Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley. Michael also must free one of the Others, "Henry Gale," who the crash survivors are keeping in captivity. Michael frees Henry, killing two crash survivors in the process, and brings the four requested survivors to the Others. In exchange, the Others give Michael his son, Walt, and a boat with directions on how to leave the island.

* Michael and Walt leave in their boat. The Others send Hurley back to the rest of the crash survivors with a message: Don't try to retrieve Jack, Kate and Sawyer and stay away from the Others' part of the island.

* The Others plan to take Jack, Kate and Sawyer "home" with them. Where/what that means we don't know. We also don't know why they chose these three specifically.

* At the very end of the season, we see a pair of men stationed in a place that's very, very cold (one of the poles?) using equipment to monitor electromagnetic disturbances. They speak Portuguese. A piece of equipment registers something--most likely the destruction of the hatch--and they pick up a phone calling... Penelope Widmore. Finally, they tell her, they've pinpointed the location she's been looking for. So, does she somehow know Desmond was in the hatch and about the Dharma Initiative?

Other key points:

* There's a mysterious web of connections connecting several of the crash survivors. Many seem to have been "fated" to be on board Flight 815.

* Several 815 passengers have killed people in the past.

* Numerous strange phenomena take place on the island: People have visions, prophetic dreams, encounter things that shouldn't be there.

* A "monster" made of black smoke has been seen a number of times. It's been called a "security system" and seems to somehow evaluate whether people are a threat or not.

* The name Widmore pops up a few times. The pregnancy test Sun uses was manufactured by the company. There's also a building with a Widmore sign during a scene in London during one of Charlie's flashbacks. And Henry Gale's balloon was manufactured or sponsored by Widmore.

What we learned about the Others:

* They are wearing disguises to give themselves a "desert island" look--false beards, raggy clothing, etc.

* Henry Gale is evidently their leader, or a leader.

* They seem somehow part of or related to the Dharma Initiative but we're not certain how.

* They studied Walt, who seems to have some sort of psychic powers, and subjected him to "tests." When handing Walt over to Michael, Henry said they "got" more than they'd ever imagined or hoped from Walt. What they were after isn't known.

* They know the full and "real" names of those on Flight 815. And they have a particular interest in Jack, Sawyer, Kate and Hurley.

* They characterize themselves as "good." In the past, they've abducted crash survivors because those survivors were "good people." Other survivors, they feel, aren't as good.

* Desmond and the Kelvin refer to the Others as "hostiles."

What we learned about the Dharma Initiative hatches/facilities:

* The plane crash survivors find the Swan, where Desmond has been holed up.

* Ana Lucia's group of tail section survirors find a hatch called the Arrow station.

* Eko and Lock find the Pearl station, which evidently has been set up to spy on the other hatches.

* Claire was kept in a medical hatch by the Others. Later she, Kate and Danielle find it.

* The Others have what appears to be a fake hatch. Just a door with a rock wall behind it.

* Locke sees several hatches depicted on a map on the interior of the blast door.

* The Other's also have a dock with a sign on it reading Pala Ferry.

* The pneumatic tubes used by those stationed in the Pearl hatch just pop up in the middle of nowhere in the island, the notebooks inside unread.

Character connections:

* Hurley owns the box company Locke worked for.

* Hurley and Locke both worked for Randy (at the Mr. Cluck's and the box company, respectively)

* Hurley, Libby and Locke's mother all were patients in the same mental ward.

* Jack meets Desmond as a doctor and later on the island.

* Shannon and Boone's father was killed in the car accident that injured Jack's future wife, Sarah.

* Sawyer is waited on my Kate's mother at a restaurant.

* During the first Gulf War, Sayid is apprehended by U.S. troops under the direction of Kate's step-father.

* Ana Lucia worked for Jack's disgraced doctor dad, Christian.

* Sawyer and Jack's dad drank together.

* Locke did a home inspection for Sayid's love, Nadia.

* Eko meets a psychic who is the father of a girl who allegedly drowned but came back from the dead. The psychic is the same man Claire met with in season 1, and who gave her a ticket for flight 815, saying it was vital that she take the flight.

* The Other, Alex, is the daughter of crazy French lady Danielle.

* Libby gave Desmond the boat he was on.

* Kelvin Inman, the hatch man who rescues Desmond, looks exactly like a CIA agent Sayid met during the first Iraq war. However, the man Sayid met was named Joe Inman. Twins? Same guy?

Repeated lines:

* "See you in another life." Said by Desmond to Jack in episode 2.1 and said by Dave (Hurley's imaginary mental ward fried) to Hurley in episode 2.18. Said by Desmond to Locke at the end of season 2.

* Both Desmond and Henry Gale claim they were on trips "around the world" when they ended up on the island.

* An attorney representing Micheal's ex-wife tells him "For someone who wants his son back so badly, you don't seem to know much about him." The Others' Miss Clue/Klugh later tells him essentially the same thing.

* Many, many times throughout the series, characters say "don't tell me what I can't do." In the season 2 finale, Eko tells Locke "don't tell me what I can do."

Strange experiences:

* Kate sees a black horse on the Island. Sawyer sees it with her.

* Shannon and Sayid have visions of Walt.

* Eko and Locke exchange dreams.

* Hurley has visions of his mental ward pal Dave.

Outside references:

* In "The Wizard of Oz," Henry Gale is the name of Dorothy's uncle. At the end that story, the Wizard flies off in a balloon.

* Uluru/Ayer's Rock: Locale of the psychic Rose visits in episode 2.19.
More info:
Ayers Rock is a large magnetic mound large not unlike Silbury Hill in England. It is located on a major planetary grid point much like the Great Pyramid in Egypt.

...The Aborigines believe that there it is hollow area below the ground, and that there is an energy source that they call 'Tjukurpa' the dream time. The term Tjukurpa is also used to refer to the record of all activities of a particular ancestral being from the very beginning of his or her travels to their end. Anangu know that the area around Ayers Rock (Mount Uluru) is inhabited by dozens of ancestral 'beings' whose activities are recorded at many other sites. At each site, the events that took place can be recounted, whether those events were of significance or whether the ancestral being just rested at a certain place before going on.


* Pala Ferry. According to this message board posting, Pala is a fictional place created by Aldous Huxley. More from Wikipedia: "Island" is a novel by Aldous Huxley that was first published in 1962. It is the account of Will Farnaby, a cynical journalist and would-be poet who is shipwrecked on the fictional island of Pala. Island is Huxley's utopian foil to his dystopian "Brave New World." Is the "ferry" a boat, a helicopter, plane, some mode of inter-dimensional transport? Where the hell does it go?

* Hurley discovers and Sawyer reads "Bad Twin," a novel-in-manuscript by "Gary Troup," a passenger who died in the plane crash. This novel has actually been published and is commercially available in the "real world." It contains references/characters that may provide hints about events on the show.

* Other books shown: "A Wrinkle in Time," "Watership Down," "Turn of the Screw," "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret," "The Brothers Karamozov," "The Third Policeman," "Lancelot," "A Hood Crow," "High Hand," Rainbow Six," "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge" and "Dirty Work," "Our Mutual Friend." Many of these books contain themes similar to those explored on the show and may provide hints, or at least extra flavoring, to what's going on in the series.

* The Lost Experience was an ongoing multi-media promotion/game including Web sites, TV ads, etc., that provided hints re: the Hanso/Widmore aspects of the show during this past summer. More info on this front here.

Songs played during season 2:

Mama Cass Elliot - "Make Your Own Kind Of Music"
The Uniques - "My Conversation"
Drifters - "Up On The Roof"
Billy Joel - "Easy Money"
Dave Matthews Band - "Stay"
Staind - "Outside"
Skeeter Davis - "The End of the World"
Patsy Cline and Lorreta Lynn - "Walking After Midnight"
Pousette-Dart Band - "Fall on Me"
The Kinks - "He's Evil"
Perry Como - "Papa Loves Mambo"
Glenn Miller - "Moonlight Serenade"
The Duke Ellington Orchestra - "Just A-Settin' and A-Rockin"
Perry Como - "Catch A Falling Star" - [Plays on Claire's mobile]
Seeds - "Pushin' Too Hard"
Les McCann - "Compared to What"
Otis Redding - "These Arms of Mine"

People killed by crash survivors:

* Jack shot the U.S. Marshall to put him out of his misery.

* Kate killed her abusive step dad.

* Sayid killed his commanding officer and perhaps others as a soldier/interrogator.

* Sawyer killed the man he mistakenly thought was responsible for destroying his family.

* Ana Lucia killed the man who earlier shot her, Shannon and the Other, Goodman.

* Eko killed two Others and, during his drug-dealing days, many more.

* Jin may've killed people for Sun's father. He at least beat people up.

* Michael killed Ana Lucia and Libby.

* Charlie killed the Other, Ethan Rom.

Unanswered questions:

* What's up with the illness the Others, Desmond and Danielle all mention and the vaccine meant to prevent it?

* Why was Libby in the mental ward with Hurley and why did she conceal this fact from him? Was she really a clinical psychologist? Was it arranged that she give the boat to Desmond?

* On the "orientation" film, the speaker introduces himself Dr. Marvin Candle. In a separate orientation video Lock and Eko later discover, the same man calls himself Dr. Mark Wickmund. What's up with the name change?

* Did Jin father the baby Sun is carrying?

* What are we to think of the enormous bird that swooped down and seemed to say Hurley's name?

* What is the brick structure on the hill above the Other's camp? It looks like a battlement of some type.

* And what about the enormous four-toed foot statue Sayid, Jin and Sun see?

See the Best Lost Sites on the Web.

New CD releases Oct. 3, 2006

Ray Sings, Basie Swings by Ray Charles and Count Basie

Singles Collection by Bobby Vee

Why I Hate Women by Pere Ubu

Ludlow Garage 1970 by NRBQ

Lost - Season 2 by Michael Giacchino

Live a Little by Pernice Brothers

Big Beat by Sparks

What It Is! Funky Soul And Rare Grooves (1967-1977) by Various Artists

The Republic Years by The Sons of the Pioneers

DVD new releases Oct. 3, 2006

Stargate SG-1 - Season 9 Boxed Set

The Little Mermaid (Two-Disc Special Edition)

X-Men - The Last Stand (The Stan Lee Collector's Edition)

X-Men - The Last Stand (Widescreen Edition)

Medium - The Complete Second Season

Three's Company: Season 8
Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Maltese Falcon Three-Disc Special Edition / Across the Pacific / Action in the North Atlantic / All Through the Night / Passage to Marseille)

Penn & Teller - Bullsh*t - The Complete Third Season

Abbott & Costello Show - 100th Anniversary Collection Season 2

The Maltese Falcon (Three-Disc Special Edition)

Lewis Black - Red, White and Screwed

McLeod's Daughters: Season 1

Scarface (Platinum Edition)

Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Casablanca Two-Disc Special Edition / The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Two-Disc Special Edition / They Drive by Night / High Sierra)

Century of Science Fiction - Hosted by Christopher Lee

Harvey Toons: The Complete Collection

Tom and Jerry Tales, Vol. 1

New Comics Oct. 4, 2006

See complete lists:
DC Archives
DC Showcase
DC Trade Paperbacks
Marvel Masterworks
Marvel Essentials
Marvel Trade Paperbacks
Upcoming Trade Paperbacks - Graphic Novels


DC COMICS

STAR17718 BATMAN BRUCE WAYNE FUGITIVE VOL 2 TP $12.95
JUL060215 CIPHER VOL 5 $9.99
JUL060199 ELFQUEST THE DISCOVERY TP $14.99
JUN060233 EMMA VOL 1 $9.99
MAR058123 FABLES VOL 2 ANIMAL FARM TP $12.99
OCT050317 FABLES VOL 6 HOMELANDS TP (MR) $14.99
APR060290 HELLBLAZER ALL HIS ENGINES SC (MR) $14.99
JUN060204 INFINITE CRISIS HC $24.99
JUL060219 VS (VERSUS) VOL 3 $9.99
JUN060252 WINTER MEN #5 (OF 8) (RES) (MR) $2.99

IMAGE COMICS

AUG061808 CITY OF HEROES #16 $2.99
AUG061765 CROSS BRONX #2 (MR) $2.99
AUG068054 ELEPHANTMEN #1 PENCIL VAR CVR 2ND PRG $2.99
JUL061699 ELEPHANTMEN #3 $2.99
JUN061710 FEAR AGENT #8 $2.99
OCT051758 HUNTER KILLER CASSADAY CVR #8 $2.99
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AUG061733 PIRATES OF CONEY ISLAND #1 (OF 8) $2.99
MAY061742 PVP #28 $2.99
AUG061809 RISING STARS VOL 3 FIRE & ASH TP (NEW PTG) $19.99
AUG061776 SAM NOIR SAMURAI DETECTIVE #2 $2.99
JUL061714 SHADOWHAWK #15 $3.50
JUL061716 STRANGE GIRL #11 $2.99
JUL061718 UMBRA #3 (OF 3) $5.99
JUL061685 UNTOUCHABLES TP $16.99

MARVEL COMICS

AUG062026 AGENTS OF ATLAS #3 (OF 6) $2.99
AUG062021 AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #0 $1.99
AUG062029 BEYOND #4 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL068169 CIVIL WAR FRONT LINE 2ND PTG VAR #2 (OF 11) (PP #731) $2.99
JUL068170 CIVIL WAR FRONT LINE 2ND PTG VAR #3 (OF 11) (PP #731) $2.99
AUG062090 CRIMINAL #1 (MR) $2.99
STAR18531 DAREDEVIL VOL 6 LOWLIFE TP $13.99
AUG062042 DOCTOR STRANGE OATH #1 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL068343 DOCTOR STRANGE OATH INK VAR #1 (OF 5) $2.99
AUG062122 DR STRANGE VS DRACULA MONTESI FORMULA TP $19.99
APR051954 ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 4 TP $16.99
AUG062126 ESSENTIAL X-MEN VOL 1 TP NEW PTG $16.99
AUG041855 EXILES VOL 8 EARN YOUR WINGS TP $14.99
JUN061961 FANTASTIC FOUR #540 CW $2.99
AUG062019 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #13 $2.99
AUG062077 GIANT SIZE WOLVERINE #1 $4.99
JUL068294 HEROES FOR HIRE 2ND PTG TUCCI VAR #1 (PP #731) $2.99
AUG062048 INCREDIBLE HULK #99 $2.99
AUG062027 IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN #1 $2.99
AUG062118 LAST PLANET STANDING TP $13.99
AUG062054 MARVEL ADVENTURES FLIP MAGAZINE #17 $4.99
AUG062052 MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #20 $2.99
AUG062055 MARVEL HEROES FLIP MAGAZINE #17 $4.99
AUG062062 MARVEL TEAM-UP #25 $2.99
JUL068031 MAX SAMPLER (MR) (PP #730) $1.00
JUL068171 NEW AVENGERS 2ND PTG CHAYKIN VAR #21 (PP #731) $2.99
STAR17372 NEW X-MEN VOL 3 NEW WORLDS TP $14.99
MAY062017 POWERS #20 (MR) $2.95
JUL068172 THUNDERBOLTS 2ND PTG GRUMMET VAR #104 (PP #731) $2.99
AUG062124 ULTIMATE X-MEN #75 TURNER POSTER $6.99
AUG062113 ULTIMATE X-MEN VOL 14 PHOENIX? TP $14.99
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WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

AUG062876 INQUEST GAMER WORLD OF WARCRAFT CVR #139 $1.99

COMICS

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JUN063299 LEADING MAN #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
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JUL062850 VAMPIRELLA INTIMATE VISIONS CONNER VIRGIN CVR #1 $14.95

RELATED MERCHANDISE

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New and upcoming action figures Oct. 3, 2006

Complete List of Marvel Legends Action Figures
Complete List of DC Direct Action Figures

Here's a look at action figures available via your local comics shop or via the TIP!-supporting links below:

DC Direct Action Figures

Alex Ross Justice League Action Figures Series 4
--Shazam
--Black Adam
--Hawkman
--Zatanna
--Solomon Grundy

Batman Dark Victory
--Batman
--Commissioner Gordon
--Scarecrow
--Robin and Penguin

Crisis on Infinite Earths Series 3
--Weaponer of Qward
--Doctor Light
--Superboy prime
--Batman
--Huntress

DC Direct Reactivated Action Figures
--Batman
--Wonder Woman
--Lobo
--Superman

DC 13-inch Figures
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Green Lantern
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Lex Luthor
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Two-Face
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Aquaman

Elseworlds Action Figures Series 2
--Red Son Batman
--Red Son President Superman
--Kingdom Come Jade
--Kingdom Come Spectre and Norman McKay
--Gotham By Gaslight Batman

Infinite Crisis Action Figures Series 1
--Powergirl
--Omac
--Mongul
--Earth Prime Superboy
--Alexander Luthor

JSA Action Figures
--Mr. Terrific
--Hawkgirl
--Dr. Midnite
--Hourman
--Golden Age Atom 2-pack

Hanna Barbera Series 2 Action Figures
--Captain Caveman
--Fred Flintstone and Dino
--Johnny Quest
--Magilla Gorilla
--Penelope Pitstop and Muttley
--Tom and Jerry
--Yogi Bear
--Flintstones at the Drive-In

Hasbro Spider-Man Origins Figures
--Set of 8
--Spider-Man
--Spider-Man Venom costume
--Green Goblin
--Doctor Octopus
--Iron Spider-Man
--Wolverine
--Captain America
--Daredevil

John Lennon
--JOHN LENNON 18" Action Figure

Marvel Figure Factory Sets
--Angel
--Beast
--Black Costume Spider-Man
--Deadpool
--Invisible Woman
--Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Action Figures

Hasbro Marvel Legends Figures Series 1
--Emma Frost
--Ultimate Iron Man
--Movie Beast
--Planet Hulk
--Banshee
--Hercules

Hasbro Marvel Legends Action Figures Series 2
--Wolverine
--She-Hulk
--Yellow Jacket
--Quick Silver
--Lord Asgard Thor
--Magneto Xorn
--X3 Jean Grey
--First Appearance Storm

Marvel Legends Series 14
--Original Armor Iron Man (variant)
--Longshot
--Baron Zemo (variant)
--Luke Cage: Powerman
--The Falcon (variant)
--Psylocke

Marvel Legends Series 15
--Mandarin
--Beta Ray Bill
--Moon Knight
--Spider-Woman (variant)
--Quicksilver (variant)
--Thor-Buster Iron Man
--Wasp (variant)
--Captain Marvel (variant)

Marvel Legends Masterworks Sets
--Spider-Man Vs. Green Goblin
--Fantastic Four Vs. Mole Man
--Hulk Vs. The Thing
--Galactus Vs. Everybody

Marvel Select Figures
--Cloak and Dagger

Best of Marvel Select Figures
--Grey Hulk
--Thanos
--Ultimate Spider-Man
--Green Goblin

Marvel Studios
--Dr. Doom with Mask
--Dr. Doom unmasked

Star Wars Transformers
--Millennium Falcon With Han Solo and Chewbacca

Pop Artifact! "Son of Dracula" movie poster

Vintage DC Comics House Ad

Check your B.Q.!

Pop Culture Roundup Sept. 26, 2006

A few days back it was reported how Bob Dylan made use of some lines by Civil War-era poet Henry Timrod on his new album "Modern Times." Now here's a look at how Bob evidently recycles lines from Proust, Mark Twain and others in his autobiography, "Chronicles Vol. 1."

---------------------

NPR checks in with ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro.

---------------------

Speaking of Mark Twain (see Dylan item above) the co-writer of "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" read his own obituary earlier this week.

On Tuesday, The Associated Press reported on the death of a 68-year-old man named Paul Van Valkenburgh of Ormond Beach, Fla., who claimed to have written the song under the name Paul Vance. The story cited the man's wife as the source for that claim.

But the music industry's real Paul Vance, a 76-year-old man from Coral Springs, Fla., is alive and well, and says the other Paul Vance appears to have made the whole thing up.


--------------------------

Marvel Comics is planning a multi-user, online role-playing game.

--------------------------

Sci Fi Wire chats with "Doctor Who" producter Russell T. Davies about the spin-off show "Sarah Jane Investigates" now in production.

---------------------------

The Associated Press interviews Michael Emerson, who plays Others leader "Henry Gale" on "Lost." I'd imagine Emerson is tired of being called "bug-eyed" by now, wouldn't you?

"In Season 3, the show moves geographically and spiritually to another place," Emerson said. "We will be with The Others more. They will become more three-dimensional."

He said viewers may even come to sympathize with The Others, who were on island long before the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815.

"Who's really the intruder? Who's the bad guys? Who's upsetting who? Who has the right to be there?" Emerson said.

DVD: Lassie Triple Feature collects early films

Due out Nov. 7 and available for pre-order now.

The devoted collie escapes kennel captivity (with help from young Elizabeth Taylor) and braves storms and peril to return home to Roddy McDowall in the all-time classic Lassie Come Home (Disc 1/Side A). Courage runs in the family in Son of Lassie (Disc 1/Side B), as Lassie's progeny stows away on a World War II Allied bombing run piloted by RAF airman Peter Lawford. Wartime heroics are again at the forefront in Courage of Lassie (Disc 2), starring Taylor and shot on beautiful Canadian locations.

DVD collects Elvis' Ed Sullivan performances

"Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Shows" is out three disks Nov. 21. You can pre-order it now from Amazon.

Share the excitement of Elvis Presley's earthshattering introduction to the nation in these three unforgettable episodes from The Ed Sullivan Show, now on DVD for the first time ever, and experience for yourself why Elvis became the legendary King of Rock and Roll! Appearing on the show Sept. 9, 1956, Elvis sent shock waves through a repressed nation with his soulful singing, wild hip gyrations and raw energy, attracting a record-breaking TV audience of more than 60 million people. Presley returned on Oct. 28, 1956, continuing to provoke ecstatic screams with hits such as "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender" and "Hound Dog." In fact, these exhilarating performances were so explosive that Elvis was filmed above the waist during his final Sullivan show appearance on January 6, 1957.

Rockin' Special Features: A rare home movie capturing a very early Elvis performance, shot on August 7, 1955, at Magnolia Gardens near Houston, Texas Elvis and Ed remembered Elvis is on his way! Ed Sullivan Show clips Special Elvis moments including an appearance by comedian John Byner Home movies of Elvis and Priscilla, Elvis and his friends cutting up on a film set and some of the first shots of daughter Lisa Marie.


DVD: Disney's expanded "Robin Hood" out Nov. 28

The "Most Wanted" collection of this 1973 animated flick includes:

* Deleted scene featuring an alternate ending
* All-new games: Archery Trivia Challenge & Rescue Maid Marian
* Animated Bonus Short: "Ye Olden Days"
* Disney song selection

It's available for pre-order from Amazon now.

DVD: Big buncha Bond offered on Ultimate Collections

Out Dec. 12, these four boxes collect all the Bond films, plus loads of extras. Each film comes with a bonus disk including commentaries, bios and other goodies.

Click the links to pre-order from Amazon.


James Bond Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (The Man with the Golden Gun / Goldfinger / The World Is Not Enough / Diamonds Are Forever / The Living Daylights)
Out. Nov. 7.


James Bond Ultimate Collection, Vol. 2 (A View to a Kill / Thunderball / Die Another Day / The Spy Who Loved Me / License to Kill)
Out Nov. 7.


James Bond Ultimate Collection Vol. 3 (Goldeneye / Live and Let Die / For Your Eyes Only / From Russia With Love / On Her Majesty's Secret Service)
Out Dec. 12


James Bond Ultimate Collection, Vol. 4 (Dr. No / You Only Live Twice / Octopussy / Tomorrow Never Dies / Moonraker)
Out Dec. 12.

DVD: Perry Mason Season 1, Vol. 2 out Nov. 21

This set wraps up the show's first season on five disks. No details on extras yet.

Click the cover to pre-order from Amazon.

Latest batch of "Walt Disney Treasures" DVDs out Dec. 19

Here's info and cover art for the next four entries in this popular series of limited-edition releases. Click links to pre-order from Amazon.

Walt Disney Treasures - More Silly Symphonies (1929-1938)

From the beginning, Walt Disney's SILLY SYMPHONIES series was a mecca for innovation and unabashed creativity. This second volume of the revolutionary series boasts some of Disney's rarest cartoons, including over a dozen never before released on DVD or video. Among the many animation treasures celebrated here are the never-before-released "Hell's Bells" and the original unedited "Mother Goose Goes Hollywood", plus the Academy Award®-winning "Three Orphan Kittens" (Best Cartoon, 1935). Enriching the collection even further are several optional commentaries by some of the world's foremost animation and film music experts, who also take part in a lively conversation about the series that let Walt Disney push the envelope of animation art to unimaginable flights of fantasy. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin.

Expected to include the remaining 38 animated shorts in "Silly Symphonies" series that were not included on the first Walt Disney Treasure. A total of 75 music-oriented Silly Symphonies cartoon shorts were produced from 1929 to 1939. The first tin held 31 of these, plus six others as Easter Eggs.


Walt Disney Treasures - The Complete Pluto, Volume Two

Mickey's best pal Pluto continues to light up the screen as leading dog in more of his adventure-filled cartoons. Putting the spotlight on his comical antics from 1947 through 1951, this volume includes the inspired "Bone Bandit" of 1948 and the 1951 classic "Plutopia." The treats continue with three rarely-seen shorts featuring Pluto's feline nemesis Figaro, and a revealing exploration of a classic Pluto short. Plus, contemporary Disney master animators discuss their favorite Pluto moments and the art and craft behind them. It's no wonder Mickey's faithful pup became top dog around the world. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin.

Expected Shorts: Rescue Dog, Mail Dog, Pluto's Blue Note (1947); Bone Bandit, Pluto's Purchase, Cat Nap Pluto, Pluto's Fledgling (1948); Pueblo Pluto, Pluto's Surprise Package, Pluto's Sweater, Bubble Bee, Sheep Dog (1949); Pluto's Heart Throb, Pluto and the Gopher, Wonder Dog, Primitive Pluto, Puss Cafe, Pests of the West, Food for Feudin', Camp Dog (1950); Cold Storage, Cold Turkey (1951).


Walt Disney Treasures - Your Host, Walt Disney

This set will offer complete episodes of Walt Disney's long-running anthology series which prominently feature Walt not just in the introduction, but as host. Featured episodes will include 1957's "The Fourth Anniversary Show", 1959's "I Captured The King of The Leprechauns" on the making of Darby O'Gill and The Little People, the long-thought-to-be-lost special "Kodak Presents Disneyland '59" and "Disneyland 10th Anniversary Show" (1965), among others to be announced.
Walt's anthology, initially called "Disneyland" (and later "Walt Disney Presents", "The Wonderful World of Color", "The Wonderful World of Disney", "The Disney Sunday Movie", simply "Walt Disney", and "The Magical World of Disney"), debuted in 1954 and consistently aired through 1990.


Walt Disney Treasures - The Mickey Mouse Club Featuring the Hardy Boys

The Hardy Boys, a pair of teenaged brothers with a flair for detective work, were well-known with readers before they were tapped as a serial subject for "The Mickey Mouse Club", Walt's daily variety series, in its second season (1956-57). This DVD will contain the first serial, titled "The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure", which was made up of 20 installments running about 10 minutes each. Disney regulars Tim Considine ("Spin & Marty", The Shaggy Dog) and Tommy Kirk (Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog) portrayed Frank and Joe Hardy, respectively. The siblings returned for a second serial, "The Mystery of Ghost Farm", composed of 15 episodes that aired during the 1957-58 season. Considine and Kirk recently sat for interviews with Treasures host Leonard Maltin and Hardy Boys fans were contacted for additional bonus features.

See the Best Disney Sites on the Web.

Pop Artifact! "High School Hellcats" movie poster

Vintage DC Comics House Ad

Pop Culture Roundup Sept. 27, 2006

If you can't to watch it on the teevee Tuesday, you can check out the season opener for "Veronica Mars" online here.

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Continuing his fantastic series on DC Comics designer Ira Schnapp, Dial B for Blog charts the evolution of the Superman logo.

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I'm not making this up:

Comic-book style superhero Mr Fruitness launches his campaign to convince consumers that ‘Fruit is child’s play’ from October.

The Fruitness awareness campaign rolls out in the UK, Poland, Austria, Sweden and Germany.

...Mr Fruitness is the star of a special video game in which he shows off the full range of his superpowers, the result not of physical exercise but rather of a balanced diet in which fruit forms an essential component.

If his powers begin to fade, Mr Fruitness uses his 'Fruiteam' of peaches, nectarines, pears and kiwi fruits to give him the boost he needs to restore his superhero abilities.




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Cate Blanchett is set to star in a film adaptation of Marisa Acocella Marchetto's graphic novel "Cancer Vixen."

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First it was Dickens, now Shakespeare is set to appear on an upcoming episode of "Doctor Who."

Today's comics Sept. 27, 2006

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Pop Artifact! "Daddy-O" movie poster

Vintage DC Comics House Ad

"Lost" season 3 preview: "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Further Instruction"

UPDATED: ABC has announced a different episode, "The Glass Ballerina," now will air Oct. 11--bumping "Further Investigations" to Oct. 18.

Scroll over to see the mild spoilers:

Oct. 4: "A Tale of Two Cities" Episode 3.1

In the season premiere episode, "A Tale of Two Cities," Jack, Kate and Sawyer begin to discover what they are up against as prisoners of "The Others."

"Lost" stars Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Mr. Eko, Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Henry Gale, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie and Terry O'Quinn as Locke.

Guest starring are John Terry as Christian Shephard, Julie Bowen as Sarah, M.C. Gainey as Mr. Friendly, William Mapother as Ethan, Brett Cullen as Goodwin, Blake Bashoff as Karl, Julie Adams as Amelia, Stephen Semel as Adam, Isabelle Cherwin as little girl, Alexandra Morgan as moderator, Sonya Seng as receptionist, Sally Davis as teacher and Julie Ow as nurse.

The teleplay for "A Tale of Two Cities" was by J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof, with the story by Lindelof. Jack Bender directed.


Oct. 11: "The Glass Ballerina" 3.2

Sayid's plan to locate Jack places Sun and Jin's lives in grave danger. Meanwhile, Kate and Sawyer are forced to work in harsh conditions by their captors, and Henry makes a very tempting offer to Jack that may prove difficult to refuse.

Guest starring are M.C. Gainey as Mr. Friendly, Tania Raymonde as Alex, Paula Malcolmson as Colleen, Michael Bowen as Pickett, Byron Chung as Mr. Paik, Tony Lee as Jae Lee, Sophie Kim as young Sun, Joah Buley as Luke, Tomiko Okhee Lee as Mrs. Lee and Teddy Wells as other.

"The Glass Ballerina" was written by Jeff Pinkner & Drew Goddard and directed by Paul Edwards.


Oct. 18: "Further Instructions" Episode 3.3

The fates of Locke, Eko and Desmond are revealed after the implosion of the hatch, while Hurley returns to the beach camp to tell the tale of what happened when he, Jack, Kate and Sawyer encountered "The Others." Meanwhile, Claire is shocked to find Nikki and Paulo in Jack's tent. Ian Somerhalder guest stars as Boone, on "Lost," WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Mr. Eko, Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Henry Gale, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie and Terry O'Quinn as Locke.

Guest starring are Kiele Sanchez as Nikki, Rodrigo Santoro as Paulo, Ian Somerhalder as Boone, Justin Chatwin as Eddie, Chris Mulkey as Mike, Virginia Morris as Jan, Joel Himelhoch as sheriff and Dion Donahue as Kim.

"Further Instructions" was written by Carlton Cuse & Elizabeth Sarnoff and directed by Stephen Williams.


See the Best "Lost" Sites on the Web.

Pop Culture Roundup Sept. 26, 2006

Chris' Invincible Super Blog pits Silver Age DC Comics scribes Bob Haney and Robert Kanigher in a contest of improbable plotlines. Kanigher wins this round, but my money's on Haney. Nobody could write weirder than that guy. Plus, he wasn't an insufferable egomaniac like Kanigher.

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Paging Jan and Dean: Where's the real surf city?

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Via Bedazzled: The Zombies perform "She's Not There" and "Tell Her No."

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Today's Best Song Ever: "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" -- The Silkie



There's nothing like a somewhat-oddball cover version to spice up a iPod of CD mix, so here's a nice one, particularly for Beatles fans.

Produced by John Lennon for a British folk pop group managed by Brian Epstein (The Beatles' manager, don't you know) this one charted at #10 on the U.K. charts in November 1965. It's a nice take, with lovely group vocals by Silkies Sylvia Tatler, Mike Ramsden and Ivor Aylesbury, along with bass by Kevin Cunningham. According to Beatles expert Mark Lewisohn, session musicians on the track include Paul McCartney on guitar and George Harrison smacking the tambourine.

Elvis Costello also recorded a nice version of the tune, available on the expanded version of his Kojak Variety album.

Sample it

Available on:
VA - Gold: British Invasion

Previous Best Song Ever

New DVD releases Sept. 26, 2006

Alvin and the Chipmunks - A Chipmunk Christmas (25th Anniversary Special Collector's Edition)

Benny Hill Complete and Unadulterated - The Hill's Angels Years, Set Five (1982-1985)

Curious George (Widescreen Edition)

Daniel Boone - Season One

Daniel Boone - Season Two

Dark Shadows DVD Collection 26

Dick Tracy: The Complete Animated Series

Forgotten Noir Collector's Set

Frankenstein (75th Anniversary Edition) (1931)

Mama's Family - The Complete First Season

The Notorious Bettie Page

The Tomorrow Show: Tom Snyder's Electric Kool-Aid Talk Show

Western Film Noir 1: Little Big Horn & Rimfire

Whose Line Is It Anyway? - Season 1, Vol. 1 (Censored)

Whose Line Is It Anyway? - Season 1, Vol. 1 (Uncensored)

New CD releases Sept. 26, 2006

Tony Bennet - Duets: An American Classic

Sandy Bull - Still Valentine's Day 1969: Live at the Matrix, San Francisco

DJ Shadow - Enuff

George Harrison - Living in the Material World

The Impressions - This Is My Country/Young Mod'd Forgotten Story

Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 - Herb Alpert Presents , Crystal Illusions , Ye-Me-Le

My Morning Jacket - Okonokos

Jean-Jacques Perrey - Happy Electropop Music Machine

Tommy Roe - It's Now Winter's Day

Sparks - Dick Around

Scott Walker - Scott 2

Fats Waller - If You Got Ask You Ain't Got It

OST - The U.S. vs. John Lennon

VA - Invictus Soul Box Set

VA - Joe Meek You're Holding Me Down

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" picture gallery