Disney has a problem – its latest epic is set on Mars, but the red planet's big-screen domination is now over. Scientific advances mean it's no place to battle aliens
For centuries, the planet Mars occupied a unique place in the human imagination. Hanging low and bloodshot in the night sky, it emanated mystery and menace. The Babylonians named it after their god of death and destruction. The ancient Chinese took its advent as a portent of grief and war. It's not surprising that it should have come to be considered the likeliest haunt of extraterrestrial creatures.
Science used to endorse this idea, with early observations suggesting that the planet had seas and vegetation. In 1877, an Italian astronomer mapped the straight lines on its surface that came to be interpreted as irrigation canals. During the years that followed, radio signals from Mars were thought to have been picked up in Colorado,...
For centuries, the planet Mars occupied a unique place in the human imagination. Hanging low and bloodshot in the night sky, it emanated mystery and menace. The Babylonians named it after their god of death and destruction. The ancient Chinese took its advent as a portent of grief and war. It's not surprising that it should have come to be considered the likeliest haunt of extraterrestrial creatures.
Science used to endorse this idea, with early observations suggesting that the planet had seas and vegetation. In 1877, an Italian astronomer mapped the straight lines on its surface that came to be interpreted as irrigation canals. During the years that followed, radio signals from Mars were thought to have been picked up in Colorado,...
- 3/12/2012
- by David Cox
- The Guardian - Film News
American comedian Vic Dunlop has died following complications from diabetes.
The funnyman passed away on Saturday at a hospital in Glendale, California. He was 62.
Dunlop began his career in entertainment in the 1960s and landed a regular spot on Richard Pryor's TV variety show in 1977.
He went on to guest star on hit '80s show Harper Valley P.T.A., and also made appearances in films like The Devil and Max Devlin, Skatetown U.S.A. and Martians Go Home.
However, he was perhaps best known for cracking jokes on American game show Make Me Laugh.
The funnyman passed away on Saturday at a hospital in Glendale, California. He was 62.
Dunlop began his career in entertainment in the 1960s and landed a regular spot on Richard Pryor's TV variety show in 1977.
He went on to guest star on hit '80s show Harper Valley P.T.A., and also made appearances in films like The Devil and Max Devlin, Skatetown U.S.A. and Martians Go Home.
However, he was perhaps best known for cracking jokes on American game show Make Me Laugh.
- 8/16/2011
- WENN
1. Boxhead
Randall Kaplan, 21 min
Mmm… Boxhead. I’m not sure if I just happened to be around a specific group of people at the festival, but this film seemed to have a little buzz going for it, and understandably so. Boxhead is the Kafka meets Lynch meets Burroughs (via Cronenberg) tale of a man tortured by his inability to embrace life by an oddly-domed “thing” in his apartment. The acting is swell, and the lighting…let’s just say, may all filmmakers have such control of heavy contrast B&W. The characters are of the highly stylized variety (hence the aforementioned patriarchs of the alien macabre) and lend the film a very nude-and-not-quite-grounded-dream-like quality. It’s quality stuff.
2. Martians Go Home
Dan Moreno, 20 min
Martians Go Home is a great 1980s period piece that utilizes every effect, lighting cue, and shot angle from the me-generation of horror. The story revolves...
Randall Kaplan, 21 min
Mmm… Boxhead. I’m not sure if I just happened to be around a specific group of people at the festival, but this film seemed to have a little buzz going for it, and understandably so. Boxhead is the Kafka meets Lynch meets Burroughs (via Cronenberg) tale of a man tortured by his inability to embrace life by an oddly-domed “thing” in his apartment. The acting is swell, and the lighting…let’s just say, may all filmmakers have such control of heavy contrast B&W. The characters are of the highly stylized variety (hence the aforementioned patriarchs of the alien macabre) and lend the film a very nude-and-not-quite-grounded-dream-like quality. It’s quality stuff.
2. Martians Go Home
Dan Moreno, 20 min
Martians Go Home is a great 1980s period piece that utilizes every effect, lighting cue, and shot angle from the me-generation of horror. The story revolves...
- 11/15/2008
- QuietEarth.us
Sporting some of the sweetest horror of the year, the NYC Horror Film Fest has it's kick off party at the Don Hills Night Club on Wednesday, November 12th at 8pm and runs at the Tribeca Cinemas. There's a host of great shorts, including Eel Girl and Treevenge, and for the main program, films like Bad Biology, Daniel Myrick's The Objective (this is a good one), and How to be a serial killer are playing. You can check the full schedule of shorts and features after the break or at the official website.
Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick St. @ Canal)
Nov. 13th though the 16th
Program 1
Thursday, Nov. 13th 9:00pm
Antibody (Dir. Nathan Bezner / 20 min)
Resident Evil: Degeneration (Dir. by Makoto Kamiya / 96 min)
Program 2
Friday, Nov. 14th 7:30pm
Legend of Ol’Goldie (Dir. by Matthew Snyman / 8 min)
Martians Go Home (Dir. by Dan Moreno / 20 min)
Alien Raiders (Dir.
Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick St. @ Canal)
Nov. 13th though the 16th
Program 1
Thursday, Nov. 13th 9:00pm
Antibody (Dir. Nathan Bezner / 20 min)
Resident Evil: Degeneration (Dir. by Makoto Kamiya / 96 min)
Program 2
Friday, Nov. 14th 7:30pm
Legend of Ol’Goldie (Dir. by Matthew Snyman / 8 min)
Martians Go Home (Dir. by Dan Moreno / 20 min)
Alien Raiders (Dir.
- 11/6/2008
- QuietEarth.us
We just got the final lowdown from the guys behind this year’s New York City Horror Film Festival with the first look at their full schedule! The festival runs from November 12th–16th this year, and there’s some great stuff on the schedule. Check it out below, and then head to the official NYC Horror Film Festival site to get your tickets!
Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick St. @ Canal)
Thursday, Nov. 13th
9:00pm
"Antibody" (Dir. Nathan Bezner / 20 mins) Resident Evil: Degeneration (Dir. by Makoto Kamiya / 96 min)
The Resident Evil franchise gets a brand new addition this winter with Resident Evil: Degeneration. It's the first full CGI Resident Evil movie and picks up seven years after the destruction of Raccoon City by the Us government after the first zombie outbreak caused by the Umbrella Corporation. It's set in a Us airport where the T-Virus gets released once again...
Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick St. @ Canal)
Thursday, Nov. 13th
9:00pm
"Antibody" (Dir. Nathan Bezner / 20 mins) Resident Evil: Degeneration (Dir. by Makoto Kamiya / 96 min)
The Resident Evil franchise gets a brand new addition this winter with Resident Evil: Degeneration. It's the first full CGI Resident Evil movie and picks up seven years after the destruction of Raccoon City by the Us government after the first zombie outbreak caused by the Umbrella Corporation. It's set in a Us airport where the T-Virus gets released once again...
- 11/3/2008
- by Johnny Butane
- DreadCentral.com
The festival is over, the votes tallied and today the 2008 edition of Toronto After Dark announced their awards. Awards were given in four categories: Audience Award For Best Feature, The Toronto After Dark Vision Awards for “outstanding independent filmmaking from emerging talent”, Audience Award For Best Canadian Short and Audience Award For Best International Short:
Audience Award For Best Feature:
Gold: Let The Right One In
Silver: Repo: The Genetic Opera
Bronze: 4bia
The Toronto After Dark Vision Award
Gold: I Sell The Dead
Silver: Home Movie
Bronze: South of Heaven
Audience Choice Award for Best Canadian Short Film
Gold: Treevenge
Silver: The Facts In The Case Of Mr Hollow
Bronze: The Flower
Audience Choice for Best International Short Film
Gold: I Live In The Woods
Silver: Kingz
Bronze: Martians Go Home, The Revenge of Sarah Clockwork
Congratulations to all the winners!
Audience Award For Best Feature:
Gold: Let The Right One In
Silver: Repo: The Genetic Opera
Bronze: 4bia
The Toronto After Dark Vision Award
Gold: I Sell The Dead
Silver: Home Movie
Bronze: South of Heaven
Audience Choice Award for Best Canadian Short Film
Gold: Treevenge
Silver: The Facts In The Case Of Mr Hollow
Bronze: The Flower
Audience Choice for Best International Short Film
Gold: I Live In The Woods
Silver: Kingz
Bronze: Martians Go Home, The Revenge of Sarah Clockwork
Congratulations to all the winners!
- 11/1/2008
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
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