Pop Culture Roundup Jan. 23, 2007
The Fantagraphics Book Store and Gallery in Seattle will launch an art exhibit celebrating 25 years of Los Bros Hernandez' "Love and Rockets" comics on Feb. 10.
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Jart in My Head shares an awesome poster from Marx Toys depicting the manufacturer's range of Johnny West toys from the 1970s.
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Universal Pictures wants Clive Owen to star in a series of films based on Raymond Chandler's hardboiled Philip Marlowe detective novels.
The project is in a nascent stage -- they are courting writers and filmmakers -- and they haven't decided which title to adapt.
But they sparked to having Owen narrate the dramas in Chandler's testosterone-laced prose, something Owen did well in "Sin City." The plan is to keep the noir spirit of the Chandler books, and keep the mysteries set in the 1940s in Los Angeles, with Marlowe continuing to be the hard-drinking, wisecracking gumshoe.
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Jart in My Head shares an awesome poster from Marx Toys depicting the manufacturer's range of Johnny West toys from the 1970s.
------------------
Universal Pictures wants Clive Owen to star in a series of films based on Raymond Chandler's hardboiled Philip Marlowe detective novels.
The project is in a nascent stage -- they are courting writers and filmmakers -- and they haven't decided which title to adapt.
But they sparked to having Owen narrate the dramas in Chandler's testosterone-laced prose, something Owen did well in "Sin City." The plan is to keep the noir spirit of the Chandler books, and keep the mysteries set in the 1940s in Los Angeles, with Marlowe continuing to be the hard-drinking, wisecracking gumshoe.
DVD: Teen Titans - Trouble in Little Tokyo
Here's info on this direct-to-DVD flick out Feb. 6:
Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy are back to save the world in their very first film, Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo . This time around, the Teen Titans battle a mysterious and menacing Japanese criminal known as Brushogun who has sent a high-tech ninja to attack the young heroes. The battle has only begun for the crime fighting five who pack their bags and take off for Tokyo to take on their newest menace. Yet, the City That Never Blinks might be too much for the teens and the mystery of Brushogun too difficult to solve.
Extras include:
* Robin's Underworld Race Challenge
* "The Lost Episode" - A never before aired Teen Titans episode
Deal Alert: Amazon has "Teen Titans: Trouble in Little Tokyo" on sale now for $13.99 (reg. $19.98).
Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy are back to save the world in their very first film, Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo . This time around, the Teen Titans battle a mysterious and menacing Japanese criminal known as Brushogun who has sent a high-tech ninja to attack the young heroes. The battle has only begun for the crime fighting five who pack their bags and take off for Tokyo to take on their newest menace. Yet, the City That Never Blinks might be too much for the teens and the mystery of Brushogun too difficult to solve.
Extras include:
* Robin's Underworld Race Challenge
* "The Lost Episode" - A never before aired Teen Titans episode
Deal Alert: Amazon has "Teen Titans: Trouble in Little Tokyo" on sale now for $13.99 (reg. $19.98).
2007 Oscar nominations announced
Here are the 2007 nominees:
Best motion picture of the year
“Babel”
“The Departed”
“Letters from Iwo Jima”
“Little Miss Sunshine”
“The Queen”
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond”
Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson”
Peter O’Toole in “Venus”
Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness”
Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland”
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine”
Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children”
Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond”
Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls”
Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed”
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penélope Cruz in “Volver”
Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal”
Helen Mirren in “The Queen”
Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada”
Kate Winslet in “Little Children”
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Adriana Barraza in “Babel”
Cate Blanchett in “Notes on a Scandal”
Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine”
Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls”
Rinko Kikuchi in “Babel”
Best animated feature film of the year
“Cars”
“Happy Feet”
“Monster House”
Achievement in directing
“Babel” Alejandro González Iñárritu
“The Departed” Martin Scorsese
“Letters from Iwo Jima” Clint Eastwood
“The Queen” Stephen Frears
“United 93” Paul Greengrass
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Babel” Gustavo Santaolalla
“The Good German” Thomas Newman
“Notes on a Scandal” Philip Glass
“Pan’s Labyrinth” Javier Navarrete
“The Queen” Alexandre Desplat
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth”
“Listen” from “Dreamgirls”
“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”
“Our Town” from “Cars”
“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”
More here.
Best motion picture of the year
“Babel”
“The Departed”
“Letters from Iwo Jima”
“Little Miss Sunshine”
“The Queen”
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond”
Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson”
Peter O’Toole in “Venus”
Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness”
Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland”
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine”
Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children”
Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond”
Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls”
Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed”
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penélope Cruz in “Volver”
Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal”
Helen Mirren in “The Queen”
Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada”
Kate Winslet in “Little Children”
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Adriana Barraza in “Babel”
Cate Blanchett in “Notes on a Scandal”
Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine”
Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls”
Rinko Kikuchi in “Babel”
Best animated feature film of the year
“Cars”
“Happy Feet”
“Monster House”
Achievement in directing
“Babel” Alejandro González Iñárritu
“The Departed” Martin Scorsese
“Letters from Iwo Jima” Clint Eastwood
“The Queen” Stephen Frears
“United 93” Paul Greengrass
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Babel” Gustavo Santaolalla
“The Good German” Thomas Newman
“Notes on a Scandal” Philip Glass
“Pan’s Labyrinth” Javier Navarrete
“The Queen” Alexandre Desplat
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth”
“Listen” from “Dreamgirls”
“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”
“Our Town” from “Cars”
“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”
More here.
Grindhouse movie poster
Here's a fresh poster for the Tarantino-Rodriquez drive-in flick pastiche. Looks tasteful!
Official Hot Wheel 1966 TV Batmobile pictures
I got these pics from Mattel of the new TV-version Batmobile car it has coming out soon. Various sized models will be available throughout 2007. Stay tuned for more details.
And here's a prototype version of the car:
And here's a prototype version of the car:
New DVD releases Jan. 23, 2007
The Waltons - The Complete Fourth Season
Invincible Iron Man
Walker, Texas Ranger - The Complete Second Season
Sherrybaby
Jesus Camp
Robert Mitchum - The Signature Collection (Angel Face / Macao / The Sundowners / Home from the Hill / The Good Guys and the Bad Guys / The Yakuza)
Monsters And Madmen (The Haunted Strangler / Corridors of Blood / The Atomic Submarine / First Man into Space) - Criterion Collection
Don't Knock the Rock / Rock Around the Clock
Don't Knock the Twist / Twist Around the Clock
The Films of Kenneth Anger, Vol. 1
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
Fiddler on the Roof (2-Disc Collector's Edition)
More upcoming DVD releases
Invincible Iron Man
Walker, Texas Ranger - The Complete Second Season
Sherrybaby
Jesus Camp
Robert Mitchum - The Signature Collection (Angel Face / Macao / The Sundowners / Home from the Hill / The Good Guys and the Bad Guys / The Yakuza)
Monsters And Madmen (The Haunted Strangler / Corridors of Blood / The Atomic Submarine / First Man into Space) - Criterion Collection
Don't Knock the Rock / Rock Around the Clock
Don't Knock the Twist / Twist Around the Clock
The Films of Kenneth Anger, Vol. 1
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
Fiddler on the Roof (2-Disc Collector's Edition)
More upcoming DVD releases
CD new releases Jan. 23, 2007
In the Late Hours by Peggy Lee
Wincing The Night Away by The Shins
Complete After Midnight Sessions by Nat King & His Trio Cole
Hit Parade Box Set by Paul Weller
Lay & Love by Bonnie Prince Billy
To Go Home Ep by M Ward
Enemy Chorus by Earlies
Hard to Find Jukebox Classics 1956 by Various Artists
The Very Best of Echo & The Bunnymen: More Songs to Learn and Sing by Echo & The Bunnymen
Rough Mix by Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane (remastered)
Definitive Collection by Pete Townshend
Cake Or Death by Lee Hazlewood
More upcoming CDs
Wincing The Night Away by The Shins
Complete After Midnight Sessions by Nat King & His Trio Cole
Hit Parade Box Set by Paul Weller
Lay & Love by Bonnie Prince Billy
To Go Home Ep by M Ward
Enemy Chorus by Earlies
Hard to Find Jukebox Classics 1956 by Various Artists
The Very Best of Echo & The Bunnymen: More Songs to Learn and Sing by Echo & The Bunnymen
Rough Mix by Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane (remastered)
Definitive Collection by Pete Townshend
Cake Or Death by Lee Hazlewood
More upcoming CDs
Pop Culture Roundup Jan. 22, 2007
Denny Doherty of the Mamas and Papas is dead at age 66, Reuters reports.
Doherty, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, co-founded a folk group called the Colonials in Montreal in 1960 and later drifted into the New York folk scene, where he met Elliot. He joined her in a band, the Mugwumps, along with another Canadian, Zal Yanovsky, later of the Luvin' Spoonful.
Doherty, Elliot and John and Michelle Philips formed the Mamas and the Papas in 1965 after signing a recording contract with Dunhill Records. Between 1965 and 1968 they were a big part of a California pop scene that included such bands as the Byrds and the Beach Boys.
In 1966 "California Dreamin"' became the first of a succession of hits that included "Monday, Monday," "Go Where You Wanna Go," and "Dedicated to the One I Love" that were characterized by soaring harmonies with Dohertry signing tenor.
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The Hall of Justice Forums has pics of some upcoming Justice League Unlimited figures, including this nifty version of Hour Man.
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New episodes of "Veronica Mars" return Tuesday but the show will take an 8-week break again following the February sweeps, according to USA Today. The show will round out its season with five stand-alone episodes. The CW hasn't announced if the series will be back for a fourth season.
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Warner Bros., the CW and Sprint have teamed to produce an animated spin-off focusing on the "Smallville" version of the Green Arrow. "Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles" will premiere on Sprint TV's mobile video service and will later be available on the CW Web site.
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People renting the second season of "Doctor Who" via Netflix may notice some glitches on disk 1 of the set, TV Shows on DVD reports. The problem is due to a manufacturing error and disk 1 has been pulled temporarily from the site until corrected disks are made available.
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A live-action film based on the anime flick "Ghost in the Shell" is in the works.
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The New York Times has a feature on the animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel "Persepolis."
Ms. Satrapi has drawn herself thousands of times. But she found it initially overwhelming to watch her own vivid gestures animated on computer screens in the skylighted atelier that is the film’s headquarters in the 10th Arrondissement. Eventually, she said, she learned to put emotional distance between herself and her character.
“From the beginning I started to talk about ‘Marjane’ and ‘Marjane’s parents,’ ” she explained, “because you cannot do it otherwise. There are people, for example, drawing my grandmother. My grandmother is dead. Here not only is she moving, but I have to look at her, image by image. If I think, ‘This is my grandmother and my story,’ I would start crying all the time. And it’s not easy for the animators if I start talking about me, me, me. I will make them crazy, and they will be walking on eggshells. They won’t let themselves go.
“When my parents came to the studio, nobody breathed. Imagine you are drawing Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, and suddenly a big mouse and a big duck walk in.”
Doherty, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, co-founded a folk group called the Colonials in Montreal in 1960 and later drifted into the New York folk scene, where he met Elliot. He joined her in a band, the Mugwumps, along with another Canadian, Zal Yanovsky, later of the Luvin' Spoonful.
Doherty, Elliot and John and Michelle Philips formed the Mamas and the Papas in 1965 after signing a recording contract with Dunhill Records. Between 1965 and 1968 they were a big part of a California pop scene that included such bands as the Byrds and the Beach Boys.
In 1966 "California Dreamin"' became the first of a succession of hits that included "Monday, Monday," "Go Where You Wanna Go," and "Dedicated to the One I Love" that were characterized by soaring harmonies with Dohertry signing tenor.
--------------------------
The Hall of Justice Forums has pics of some upcoming Justice League Unlimited figures, including this nifty version of Hour Man.
--------------------------
New episodes of "Veronica Mars" return Tuesday but the show will take an 8-week break again following the February sweeps, according to USA Today. The show will round out its season with five stand-alone episodes. The CW hasn't announced if the series will be back for a fourth season.
---------------------------
Warner Bros., the CW and Sprint have teamed to produce an animated spin-off focusing on the "Smallville" version of the Green Arrow. "Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles" will premiere on Sprint TV's mobile video service and will later be available on the CW Web site.
----------------------------
People renting the second season of "Doctor Who" via Netflix may notice some glitches on disk 1 of the set, TV Shows on DVD reports. The problem is due to a manufacturing error and disk 1 has been pulled temporarily from the site until corrected disks are made available.
-----------------------------
A live-action film based on the anime flick "Ghost in the Shell" is in the works.
-----------------------------
The New York Times has a feature on the animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel "Persepolis."
Ms. Satrapi has drawn herself thousands of times. But she found it initially overwhelming to watch her own vivid gestures animated on computer screens in the skylighted atelier that is the film’s headquarters in the 10th Arrondissement. Eventually, she said, she learned to put emotional distance between herself and her character.
“From the beginning I started to talk about ‘Marjane’ and ‘Marjane’s parents,’ ” she explained, “because you cannot do it otherwise. There are people, for example, drawing my grandmother. My grandmother is dead. Here not only is she moving, but I have to look at her, image by image. If I think, ‘This is my grandmother and my story,’ I would start crying all the time. And it’s not easy for the animators if I start talking about me, me, me. I will make them crazy, and they will be walking on eggshells. They won’t let themselves go.
“When my parents came to the studio, nobody breathed. Imagine you are drawing Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, and suddenly a big mouse and a big duck walk in.”
Upcoming Doc Savage and Shadow reprints
THE SHADOW Volume 7: "The Cobra" & "The Third Shadow"
"The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay. The Shadow Knows!" The Master Avenger returns in two of Walter Gibson's most memorable mysteries. A new crimefighter called The Cobra decimates the Manhattan underworld in a murderous war on organized crime. Has The Shadow finally met his match, or will he be forced to de-fang a human snake? Then, the Knight of Darkness confronts not one but two sinister doppelgangers in The Third Shadow. Which Shadow will have the last laugh? In his foreword, Marvel Comics-great Dick Ayers recalls how The Shadow inspired the creation of the Ghost Rider, while popular culture historian Will Murray explains how The Shadow influenced the creation of classic characters including Batman, the Spider, the Black Bat and the Darkman. This classic pulp collection also features George Rozen's electrifying pulp covers, and all the original interior art by acclaimed illustrator Tom Lovell. Due out in April.
THE SHADOW Volume 8: "The London Crimes" & "Castle of Doom"
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow Knows!" The Knight of Darkness returns in two of Walter Gibson's most extraordinary pulp thrillers. First, two legendary crimefighting agencies join forces when The Shadow teams with England's legendary Scotland Yard to investigate The London Crimes and the master criminal known as The Harvester. Then, The Shadow journeys to a strange Castle of Doom, where murder lurks behind its battlements. Mystery and intrigue abound in this thrilling tale of lost treasure, secret underground passages and ghostly apparitions. In honor of The Shadow's first British adventure, popular culture historian Anthony Tollin chronicles the 1930s and 1950s English pulp reprints and the 1940s Australian Shadow radio series. This classic pulp reprint also showcases George Rozen's dazzling pulp covers and all the original interior art by acclaimed illustrator Tom Lovell. Due out in May.
DOC SAVAGE Volume 6: "The Polar Treasure" and "Pirate of the Pacific"
The legendary pulp superman battles evil in two of his earliest adventures by Lester Dent writing as Kenneth Robeson. Why does a blind violinist have a map tattooed on his back? Investigating the mystery, Doc Savage and his Iron Crew race to the Arctic icecap in search of the secret of The Polar Treasure. Then, while returning to New York aboard his new submarine Helldiver, the Man of Bronze is attacked by the Pirate of the Pacific in one of his most violent adventures. This classic pulp reprint showcases the superb pulp cover by Walter Baumhofer that was reused as the cover of the golden age Doc Savage Comics #1, all of Paul Orban's 1933 interior illustrations from the ultra-rare (and expensive!) fourth and fifth issues of Doc Savage Magazine, and historical commentary by pulp historian Will Murray, author of seven Bantam Doc Savage novels. Due out in April.
DOC SAVAGE Volume 7: "The Lost Oasis" and "The Sargasso Ogre"
The pulp era's greatest superman battles evil in two of his earliest exploits by Lester Dent (writing as Kenneth Robeson). After stowing away aboard a ghost zeppelin, Doc and his Iron Crew tangle with a bizarre vampiric murderer and villainous Arabs who are protecting the secret of The Lost Oasis. Then, while returning to New York via ocean liner, the Man of Bronze encounters modern-day Amazons in Lester Dent's all-time favorite Doc Savage story, The Sargasso Ogre. This classic pulp reprint also features the original 1933 pulp covers by Walter Baumhofer from the ultra-rare (and expensive!) seventh and eighth issues of Doc Savage Magazine, the unsold 1936 Doc Savage newspaper strip by Lester Dent and Paul Orban and historical commentary by pulp historian Will Murray, author of seven Bantam Doc Savage novels. Due out in May.
See a complete list of Shadow reprints.
see a complete list of Doc Savage reprints.
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