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Hi all…

How do you define the term “culture” when it applies to a people? It is so much more than a set of traditions or language. It also is the embodiment of a way of life by a group of people. In a time where change to the environment and societal perceptions at large affect us at a monumental rate, we stand to lose many of these other ways of life at an alarming pace.

In Light at the Edge of the World, host Wade Davis introduces us to four disparate cultures separated not only by physical distance, but philosophical differences as well, and how they are affected by these changes. Davis’ main warning is that once a culture is gone, it will never return. But in some instances, groups of indigenous people are rising to the challenge and embracing their beliefs and traditions even in the face of such long odds of survival.

The Light at the Edge of the World series explores these cultures in four parts: “Arctic: Hunters of the Northern Ice,” “Himalayas: The Science of the Mind,” “Peru: Sacred Geography,” and “Polynesia: The Wayfinders.” The series was the winner of the 2008 New York Festival Silver Award, Magazine Format; and the 2008 Telluride Mountain Film Festival “Spirit Place” Award. I think it deserved both and so much more. In a world where some people doubt the effects of global warning, how can we let these fascinating cultures simply fade into the past?

In the early 1950s, there were 6,000 languages spoken by the world’s people. Now more than half of those are not being taught to the next generation, which means that in a single generation, we’re losing the cultural legacy of more than half of the world’s people.

In “Arctic: Hunters of the Northern Ice,” Davis joins a band of Inuits as they hunt for polar bears in the frozen northeast between Canada and Greenland. Igloolik, Nunavut is the home, and serves as the start of a hunting trip on the shores of Baffin Bay, more than 100km into the ice. They must travel further and further from home to find the polar bears that used to be plentiful.

Even though the Inuit adapted to the rapid change in the area since missionaries appeared in the 1950s and now use snowmobiles instead of dogs, adaptation is rarely easy. But even with the societal change, it’s impossible to miss the effects of global warming when the ice they once counted on is not where it should be. They do the best they can and try to keep their traditions alive, but fewer and fewer of the younger generations want to learn the old ways, and eventually they may disappear forever.

My favorite episode of the series was definitely “Himalayas: The Science of the Mind.” I have always been fascinated by Buddhist philosophies and to explore not only their philosophy, but their way of life, even as displaced as they are from their monasteries in Tibet. Buddhism spread from India to China and its goal is simple: help reduce the suffering in the world. To do this, practitioners encourage people to stay on the path to enlightenment (Dharma) to rise beyond the suffering in the world.

Buddhism is also under investigation in the scientific world as a way to literally change the shape of the mind. Devout practitioners focus on compassion and kindness to spread true happiness to themselves and those around them. It is a philosophy but also a spiritual practice grounded in contemplation. They have measured the minds of practicing monks and have seen the difference between a mind schooled in meditation and serenity and a western mind and quite literally the brain patterns are totally different.

Davis himself explored the realm of meditation as well during his stay in Nepal, visiting with a number of Rinpoche (spiritual leaders). You can see that he was truly affected by simply being in the presence of these calm, spiritually aware people who have achieved enlightenment. In one part of the documentary, his tears seem quite genuine as he deals with trying to still his mind. I have read other accounts of people meeting with Rinpoche or the Dalai Lama who have felt overwhelmed in a similar way.

In “Peru: Sacred Geography” Davis travels to the Andes in South America where he introduces us to a culture influenced not only by the beliefs of their Incan ancestors, but by the Spanish culture and Catholic religion that infused their society when they were invaded in the 1500s. Their current culture is an interesting mix of the two. Even in the modern age, they still honor the spirits of the mountains around them (known as Apu), and hold religious ceremonies to not only celebrate the gods in hopes of encouraging good seasons of planting, happy marriages, and so on, but also to spread their cultural heritage with the other groups in the area from Bolivia and Ecuador as well.

The last segment, “Polynesia: The Wayfinders,” focused on a group in Hawaii trying to reengage with their Polynesian ability to understand the ocean. “Wayfinding” is an ancient skill used to understand the ocean and weather to navigate without a compass or sextant. Nainoa Thompson, a Hawaiian native, learned the skill from his grandfather Mau Piailug and built a double-hulled voyaging canoe, the Hokule’a. Nainoa and his crew have sailed as far as Easter Island (3,000km from Hawaii) using these ancient “Wayfinding” techniques and are teaching others how to do the same in an attempt to keep their culture from disappearing completely.

Davis has a way of letting the cultures themselves speak to the audience using amazing photography, maps, history, and first-hand accounts, but he also injects some of his own understanding of anthropology, archaeology, and ethnobotany, to help pull these various sources together in a meaningful way. I wish this series was required viewing in high schools across the country to try and make the next generation(s) understand what is at stake if we do nothing.

To quote Edmund Burke, “It is necessary only for the good man to do nothing for evil to triumph.” Perhaps it’s time for the good people of the world to step up before we lose more of the human resources to global changes.

Unfortunately, there were no extras on the DVD, just some previews for other Smithsonian television series: Stories from the Vaults, Women in Science, America’s War Stories, and Nick Baker’s Weird Creatures.

That said, I have to say this has to be one of the best anthropology-themed series I have seen to date. If you are interested in some of the world’s disappearing cultures, be sure to check out Light at the Edge of the World.

–Fitz

p.s. Pick this up at Amazon! Here is the DVD and here’s the book:

Hi there!

Do you like bugs? Creepy crawly slugs? How about frogs? When you were a kid, you probably either gravitated towards these things (I know I did) or ran away from them screaming. And a joint project between Smithsonian Networks and Infinity Entertainment Group wants to remind you of those days.

Critter Quest! introduces us to host Peter Schriemer as he explores nature in three episodes of this series from the Smithsonian Channel. Peter lives in a much wetter climate than I do (in Michigan) and you could tell from all the entertaining critters he found just strolling around the yard. But he goes beyond his yard to explore the broader scope of nature a bit of a time, gradually introducing concepts in a kid-friendly way.

This series is definitely aimed at kids. Not only do you learn about various species and bugs (such as the pill bug or rolly poly, which was one of my favorite bugs to find as a kid), but different concepts such as echolocation and migration are explained. In one episode, you are even shown how to create indoor habitats for these critters so you can bring them inside if you are so inclined. My daughters were riveted to each of the episodes included.

In “Creepy Crawlers Everywhere,” Peter introduces himself and explores his back yard looking for various creepy crawlies. During the episode, we learn about the click beetle, slugs, a tree frog, and a jumping spider. I learned that slugs make their own slime, which is what enables them to glide over surfaces (and requires that you wash your hands after handling them).

“Season of Change” explains the many ways animals get ready for the winter. Some creatures forage, such as squirrels, spending the ever shorter days before winter stashing food where they can get to it during the colder months. Some go into hibernation, such as frogs and turtles, choosing to go into a deep sleep when food is scarce. And then Peter talks about the many birds who migrate to warmer climates to find more food. He had a chance to interact closely with a Red Tailed Hawk, which is great because they’re one of the raptors we have even around my house in Colorado.

And then in “The Wild Side of D.C.,” we’re introduced to the many animals who live in Washington D.C. (beyond the political animals that migrate there several times a year). Peter was able to explore a part of the Smithsonian Institution and show us a huge millipede they have in a collection there, as well as the many Canadian Geese, squirrels, ducks, and other animals who live in the urban landscape.

Critter Quest! is an award-winning series on the Smithsonian Network, including a Silver Parent’s Choice Foundation Award, the 2008 Cine Golden Eagle Award, and an American Conservation Film Festival Award for “Children’s Programming.” I think it’s definitely earned those awards and we would love to see additional episodes in the series.

That said, the lack of extras my only disappointment with the DVD. It only includes three short episodes of the series and no additional material. There are previews for other series, such as Stories from the Vaults, but I would have liked to have seen some additional resources for parents or children about the many topics covered.

However, I know I found Peter an engaging young host and the series worked well for my kids, keeping them interested for all three episodes.

If you like nature programs and are looking for some new options for your own children or a school, I think Critter Quest! is a great addition to your DVD library.

–Fitz

p.s. Be sure to check this one out at Amazon:

Hi there!

When Jonathan Swift penned Gulliver’s Travels in the early 1700s, do you think he could have ever considered the concept of his work being turned into a cartoon? Though political cartoons were prevalent during his day (they started to appear around 1700), and I suspect that Gulliver was used in a variety of political cartoons in Swift’s day, the modern idea of a cartoon as moving pictures didn’t really catch on until the around 1824 with the zoetrope and later with moving pictures around 1890.

Max Fleicher was one of the amazing people who was an early pioneer in animation. In 1914, Max and his brother Dave made their first cartoon using their Rotoscope design. Fleischer Studios was founded in 1921 by the brothers and they began creating a number of animated series starring Koko the Clown and Fitz the dog. In 1928, Walt Disney released the classic Steamboat Willie which is often thought of as the first animated short with sound. But Fleischer had been creating cartoons with sound since 1925.

Rating:

As animated shorts became more common, Fleischer Studios continued to develop properties such as Betty Boop, Popeye the Sailor, and Superman. But in 1937 when Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fleischer was finally granted permission to produce a feature-length animated film of his own. It took two years to produce Gulliver’s Travels. Though it ran over budget and made some money domestically, it wasn’t quite the success they were looking for and eventually led to Fleischer Studios being absorbed by Paramount Studios.

I would really like to know why I have never seen this movie. I have seen many of Fleischer’s cartoons. But to miss something the size and significance of Gulliver’s Travels is beyond me. Evidently the movie is now in the public domain and therefore has resurfaced on DVD and I am very thankful it has reappeared.

Gulliver’s Travels is of course based on Swift’s story of sailor Lemuel Gulliver. Gulliver has numerous adventures in the book, starting with being shipwrecked and visiting the land of Lilliput. This is the story that Fleischer focused on for his animated feature. Gulliver washes up on the shore of a strange island after his ship goes down during a storm. When he awakes, he has been taken prisoner by the island’s tiny inhabitants and finds himself in the middle of a war.

The war is between the Kingdom of Lilliput, ruled by King Little, and the Kingdom of Blefuscu, ruled by King Bombo. Their children, Princess Glory of Lilliput and Prince David of Belfuscu, are about to be married. However, the Kings disagree over which song should be sung at the wedding. Little wants “Faithful” and Bombo wants “Forever.” The argument leads to war.

Initially captured by the Lilliputians, Gulliver knew he was never in any real danger. He even came to like and trust the little people and vowed to help them during their war. But when Gulliver discovers that the war is over these songs and he has heard them both, he recommends that the Prince and Princess sing them together as a duet. With the song whole again, the war ends and the Kings make peace.

In typcial Max Fleicher style, the Lilliputians and their counterparts and even Gulliver are hand drawn by the many, many people working at his studios at the time. And each character and even the setting have their own personality.

Included on the DVD are several extras, including two short cartoons featuring the character Gabby from the film - “Swing Cleaning” and “King for a Day” - as well as a short documentary on “The Making of a Cartoon” at Fleischer Studios.

The documentary was fascinating. I have a whole new respect for the cartoons drawn during this early age of animation. The process is huge and the studio appeared to have legions of people at the time to create each cartoon a step at a time and capture it on film frame by frame.

The amazing thing to me is that after all these years, the picture has kept its value. I watched with my two daughters and even my youngest (age 4) was glued to the movie to see if the Princess would stop being sad and if Gulliver would make it home. We give it a definite 3 out of 4 stars.

If you are a fan of early cartoons, Max Fleischer’s Gulliver’s Travels is a classic that you should see. Definitely one of Fleischer Studio’s finest.

Be sure to check it out!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick it up at your local rental or movie store or online at Amazon and be sure to read the book too - it’s a classic!

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Hi all…

William Shatner. The name alone evokes many memories for me. Star Trek mostly, with some Airplane: The Sequel and Tek War thrown in for good measure. He’s been in the movie and television industry forever, but has also been attached to a number of book projects over the years and had a director credit on Star Trek V: The Final Frontier way back when…

Little did I know that after the passing of his first wife he was inspired to write a story about aliens and everlasting love. In 2002, his story was adopted for the screen by Maurice Hurley and they started producing Groom Lake on a shoestring budget in the deserts of southeastern Arizona.

“Groom Lake” is one of the many names with the fabled Area 51, which has forever been associated with the US Military and top-secret research into aliens and UFO technologies. For years there have been UFO sightings associated with different parts of the country such as McCarran Airport and Area 51 in Nevada, Roswell in New Mexico, and elsewhere.

Rating:

In the movie Groom Lake, the story is about Kate (Amy Acker) and her husband Andy (Dan Gauthier) as they go on an adventure to prove the existence of extra terrestrials. Kate, dying of a terminal illness, is trying to reconcile the practical “see it/believe it” philosophy of her husband with her own need to believe in something more - like Heaven or life on other worlds - something to reinforce the feeling that mankind will not simply disappear when the sun explodes in a few million years.

The couple was amused by the eccentricities of the townspeople living on the edge of a military base near Groom Lake. But they never thought they’d be wrapped up in the madness of UFO sightings and strange behavior of the alien-crazed people watching. In the end though, Kate gets the answer she was looking for.

In addition to Acker (Angel and Dollhouse) and Gauthier (All My Children, One Life to Live, and more), Shatner recruited friends to help with the film, including Dick Van Patten (Eight is Enough) who played a scientist on the base.

When you watch this film, it’s very easy to giggle at some of the camera work and special effects. But on the minimal budget they had, I think it’s on par with many of the less than great movies that appear on the SciFi Channel on Saturday nights. And they did this back in 2002, so they were ahead of the curve as far as B-movies went back then.

But when you watch the interview with Shatner that is the sole extra on the DVD, you begin to appreciate the monumental task of producing a movie on no budget, pulling in favors from friends and family, and just trying to get it done and in the can.

Is this a great movie? No, it’s not. But I can say I have a lot of respect for Shatner and his crew who worked on this picture. Though it’s not the best film, you have to admire the tenacity of the cast and crew.

If you’re a fan of William Shatner’s work and like B-movies, I recommend you check out Groom Lake at your local video rental store. I give it 2 out of 4… It would be 1 out of 4 if I didn’t appreciate the hard work and motivations that went into making this film.

–Fitz

p.s. Check it out at Amazon:

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Hi all…

Last Friday I was indoctrinated into the world of Watchmen. For years, I’ve avoided reading this iconic geek text from the 1980s that caused many interesting conversations in college. Though I read many silver age comics from my Uncle’s collection (left squirreled away in a box in a closet in my grandparents’ house), I was never really addicted to comics like so many of my college friends seemed to be.

That said, I have to say that Rorshach is now one of my favorite heroes. In a world so overrun by compromises, it’s amazing to see someone, even a fictional character, say “No compromises” and actually believe it.

Rating:

The world of the Watchmen is very dark. It’s a world where superheroes came together in the 1940s and gave way to a new group in the 1960s in the time of Nixon and Vietnam. One of these superheroes, like Sylar from Heroes, was the son of a watchmaker and due to a lab accident gained control of matter and energy. Dr. Manhattan, as he came to be called (to evoke fear in the Cold War Russkies), turned the tide for America in Vietnam and made the Russians pause before starting World War III.

He was the only hero with actual powers, but he wasn’t the only hero. Each of the Minutemen and later Watchmen came at their avocation in a different way. The Comedian was not the first of these heroes to lose his way. But his death at the beginning of the film sets the stage for the mystery that Rorschach and his remaining friends must unravel.

Over the course of the film’s nearly three hour running time, I found myself engrossed in this world with these characters. A world poised on the brink of nuclear war and social meltdown. I only thought the movie dragged a couple of times in the last 45 minutes or so where Dr. Manhattan waxed philosophically for too long in a couple of places. but overall I thought the pacing of the movie was good.

There were a couple of things I didn’t like. One was near the very end. Not the way the main plot ended - that was satisfying and provided closure from the opening scene - but the scenes with Dan, Sally, and Laurie, and then at the newspaper - neither sat well with me for some reason. And the second was seeing Dr. Manhattan’s blue “pipe” in a number of scenes. Was that really necessary?

I really look forward to the extended version(s) (I think two are planned) that will be coming out on DVD to see if it provides a better ending than the theatrical release.

But overall I enjoyed the movie and would like to see it again. I give it a solid 3 out of 4. Rorschach was most definitely my favorite character though — where can I get one of those masks?

Until next time…

–Fitz

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Hey all…

When I first heard about Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective, I was very concerned. After Jim Carrey’s hilarious turn as pet detective Ace Ventura back in 1994’s Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and again in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls in 1995, how could you introduce a kid movie into the series? Well, it turned it out it wasn’t as bad as I thought! (Not terrific, but not as bad as it might have been!)

Rating:

Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective features Josh Flitter as young Ace Ventura Jr., Emma Lockhart as his school-age crush Laura, and Austin Rogers as braniac A-Plus. Ace Jr. is of course afflicted with the Ventura curse — the need to help animals. As such, he is on the case when pets are disappearing from kids all around the school and for a string of famous pets goes missing, including a panda on loan from China. Ace’s mom (played by Ann Cusack), a trainer at the local zoo, is implicated in the disappearance and goes to jail… Who must save the animals and his mother? Ace Jr. of course!

Honestly this was a fun movie, especially for kids. Ace Jr. gets into and out of jams throughout the entire film, most of which involve animals. It was a good mix of slapstick and animal-related comedy.

You could tell Flitter had fun in the role as Ace Jr. He was in Nancy Drew as Corky Veinshtein with Emma Roberts back in 2007 and has done some voice-over work in Air Buddies, Snow Buddies, Horton Hears a Who!, and Space Buddies. He’s definitely a busy young teenager!

I found it interesting how they worked the Ace Ventura story into his background. Poor Ace is lost in the Bermuda Triangle it seems, but is in fact Ace Jr.’s dad. And Grandpa Ventura (Ralph Waite) came in to tell the lad of his family heritage. All of them had that weird hair disorder Ace suffered from, so it was kind of cute.

In addition to the movie, there are a ton of extras on the DVD.

The Gag Reel was actually amusing. Any time you have a movie with kids and animals, you’re going to have bloopers. Ace Jr. was no exception to the rule!

A number of Extended Scenes are also included. Most of them are pretty easy to see why they didn’t make the final cut, but a few are cute. There’s one with A-Plus and Ace Jr. in A-Plus’ secret lair in the school where A-Plus talks about his dad, a government agent, who disappeared at Roswell, NM. And another which looks like it should go at the end of the movie where Ace Jr. and Grandpa Ventura are asked by some Men In Black (MIBs) to help them with a missing animal case.

“Ace and His Animals” goes into detail about some of the many (and I do mean many) animals used in the making of the film. Everything from skunks and turtles, to monkeys, birds, cats, and dogs. Everyone involved in the film seemed to have a good appreciation for the animals, and the animal coordinator and trainer certainly had their hands full during filming!

“Ace Ventura Jr: The Inside Story” is a mockumentary, with interviews for a fake news channel (7 News) of various characters in the movie, including Russell Hollander (from the National Bureau of Fish & Wildlife), Pennington Jr. (classmate of Ace Jr.’s), Dr. Sickinger (scientist and main suspect in the missing panda case for most of the movie), Pennington Sr. (billionaire), and others. It’s actually quite a fun way to get a different view of Ace Jr.’s character.

“Austin and Emma” features Josh Flitter, Emma Lockhard, and Austin Rogers talking about working with one another and having fun. It appears they had a great chemistry on set.

“All Play and No Work” seems to be pretty much what the cast and crew did for the most part. The cast and crew filmed in Florida’s heat and humidity. The director, David M. Evans, really seemed to have a good connection with everyone and have fun along with them.

Finally “Now Introducing the Animals” is the obligatory “meet the animals” feature when doing a film with animals. The animal coordinator had his hands full between the kids playing with the animals and the animals themselves. They had quite an array, from rabbits and snakes, birds, and even an alligator.

And “Ox the Dog” focuses on Ace Jr.’s canine companion, Oxnard. His real name is Tyler, and he was in nearly every seen with Flitter. A very well behaved wire-haired terrier. All the cast seemed quite taken with the dog as more than just set dressing — as an actual pet actor! Even in wardrobe, he interacted with everybody to let the director get the shots he wanted.

I watched Ace Ventura Jr: Pet Detective with my two daughters (ages 4 and and I think we all enjoyed it. We’ll give it a 2 out of 4 if you have kids… 1 out of 4 if you don’t. Be sure to check it out if you have kids who like animal movies!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick it up at your local rental store or at Amazon:

p.p.s. Don’t forget the classics with Jim Carrey!

Hey all…

In the world of movies that have gone straight to DVD, In the Electric Mist was a surprise. Typically a movie of this caliber would have at least had a limited release before a DVD release. Unfortunately, the only place this one was seen prior to its DVD debut was at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2009.

Start with a dream cast… Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Kelly Macdonald, Mary Steenburgen, and Ned Beatty. Add an amazing script penned by Jerzy Kromolowski and Mary Olson-Kromolowski, based on the novel In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead by James Lee Burke. And you end up with a movie that defies expectations.

Rating:

The title, In the Electric Mist would not have been enough to get my attention had I seen this appear on the new releases page of Netflix. And even the cast may not have peaked my interest. But it’s simply one of the best movies I’ve seen, on DVD or in the theater, so far in 2009.

As Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux (Jones) investigates a horrific murder of a number of women, the ghosts of the past begin to rise up and tangle the feet of the living. Robicheaux knows New Orleans mobster “Baby Feet” Balboni (Goodman) is somehow at the center of it all, but is quickly drawn into a simple, yet intricate plot begun 40 years earlier in darker days of Louisiana.

From the opening narration spoken by Robicheaux to the closing narration, I found the story compelling in a post-Katrina New Orleans. Only a few scenes showed the remaining devastation left in the hurricane’s path, but New Orleans and its countryside were a heck of a backdrop to the movie. And how can you have a movie set in New Orleans without amazing music? The soundtrack does not disappoint.

Robicheaux’ character is an alcoholic who still fights the urge sometimes for a drink and still attends regular AA meetings with some of his cop buddies. But, like all roles for Tommy Lee Jones, Robicheaux seems to cut through the bull and get to the heart of the problem quickly — sometimes stepping on people in the process. And if that weren’t enough, the swamps of Louisiana are home to many ghosts, including those from the civil war. The South does rise again during this film, which gives voice to the past of which some are still reluctant to speak. As always, it catches up with Robicheaux and the other characters in the film.

Caught in the crossfire are Elrod Sykes (Sarsgaard) and Kelly Drummond (Macdonald), actors in a movie being filmed in New Orleans about the Civil War. Sykes relies on drugs, alcohol, and Drummond to help him get through his days. And when she’s suddenly not there, he finds himself again with the help of Robicheaux’ daughter Alafair (newcomer Alana Locke). I think in some respects, Sarsgaard and Macdonald were thrust into the background by the scene-stealing Jones and Goodman.

Steenburgen plays Robicheaux’ wife, Bootsie, in an understated yet powerful role as a strong female character who only wants to protect her husband and family from the world Robicheaux sometimes brings home. It was nice to see Jones paired with an actress used to playing against strong leading men.

I found many of my favorite scenes in the movie involved General John Bell Hood (Levon Helm) and Robicheaux. The eerie simplicity and familiarity with which Robicheaux travels in both the present and the past was remarkable. And Hood has some of the most poignant lines in the entire movie.

In the Electric Mist is a movie that will stick with me for quite a while. I’m shocked that it wasn’t released more widely on the big screen. However, I’m glad I had an opportunity to watch it, and I hope you do too!

This gets a solid four out of four for me. It’s definitely worth seeing.

–Fitz

p.s. Check it out at your local video store or pick it up at Amazon:

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Hey all…

As I continue to watch and review movies, I’m continually amazed at the amount of skill, persistence, and imagination that goes into them well before any scene is put on film. And with Watchmen coming to theaters on March 6, 2009 and the style of the original material as a graphic novel, I knew the process involved with taking it from paper to screen was going to be a journey of inspired imagination and hard work. The book Watchmen: The Art of the Film only reinforces that the artists and creative people involved were at the top of their game.

With any Watchmen-related article, you have to start with the original material. In 1986, the 12-issue series of Watchmen comic books was created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins. DC Comics published the series as individual issues during 1986 and 1987. When it completed its run, the issues were collected into a graphic novel that has inspired many an aspiring writer or comic book artist to new heights over the last 20+ years.

The Watchmen story is set in an alternate world where superheroes exist in a modified 1980s timeframe. The introduction of superheroes changed many things in that timeline, including the outcome of the Vietnam War and the presidency of Richard Nixon. Only one of the superheroes of the time had any real super-powers (Doctor Manhattan), and the rest were costumed crime fighters who relied on courage, strength, brains, and the tools they could create to get the job done.

Zack Snyder, who also took the graphic novel 300 to the big screen in spectacular fashion in 2007, tackled Alan Moore’s sprawling epic that has been mentioned over and over again as unfilmable. Snyder took it as a challenge and we will see the results on March 6th.

The book Watchmen: The Art of the Film includes scores of designs, photos, sketches, props, storyboards, and conceptual art from all phases of pre-production and production. This book has it all.

Though there is limited text in places written by Peter Aperlo, the book is mostly a collection of photos of various stages of development of different costumes, props, sets, and so on. As such, you see things change from initial sketches to final product, which gives you a glimpse into the minds of these amazingly creative people working on an impossible task.

What fascinated me as I went through the book was the level of detail. When you look at a modern set piece, you can often see where corners were cut to keep costs down. So perhaps a wall is simply a painted hunk of plywood, or a window opens into a green screen that will be filled in during post-production CGI work. But the sets of Watchmen seem to be unbelievably detailed, including 1970s and 1980s inspired posters on walls and the dingy brick walls of a society collapsing on its heroes. It’s as though the world of the graphic novel truly came to life. They extrapolated the world between the panels into something that I hope will transport us there when we see the final product on the big screen.

The book is broken into seven chapters — Introduction, Concept Art, Sets, Props, Owlship, Costumes, and Posters.

The Introduction provides the context for what Snyder and his production staff were attempting. Artist Dave Gibbons helped with the production, which meant it was that much closer to the original graphic novel. The goal all along was to “be true to the novel”, which meant they tried to even use the same colors as the original for costumes, sets, and wherever they could. Snyder had an amazing team with a singular vision of what they wanted to do with the story.

The Concept Art chapter shows just how much work went into the film before a stitch of clothing or a hammer was ever used to create the real bits and pieces actors would use to become the world and parts of the world. From simple black and white sketches to full color designs, they tried to get the look right before moving on. The initial designs in some cases were far different than what they ended up with, but the process was as important as getting the final product I think. You also get to see some storyboards in black and white and see frames from the final production, which shows just how much thought and care went into things before they shot the film.

What I thought was extremely telling also were the flashbacks filmed for the movie. The World War II-style Bettie Page pinup pictures of Sally Jupiter and war posters painted by Normal Rockwell (sic) were beautiful. So much detail went into not only the story and sets, but the process to make WWII-era pictures LOOK like WWII-era pictures. The superheroes were made part of the historical landscape for the film, which not only takes an artistic approach, but an understanding of the past as well.

In the Sets chapter, we see the world of Watchmen taking shape. From the power of finding the Comedian’s inner sanctum and what Dr. Manhattan’s home looks like, to the raw, seedy nature of that world’s New York City streets. What might have been a world of hope during the 1940s degraded into a seething mass of humanity angry at their heroes. Absolutely enormous sets, down to individual details of a NYC newspaper stand in all their intricate glory.

The Props chapter gives you a glimpse at yet another level of detail in the Watchmen universe. Guns and weapons in the Night Owl’s arsenal, to the myriad products in Ozymandias’ various lines of health care and hunger relief. And the newspapers… So many different articles, pictures, headlines, all done with infinite care to make sure they’re historically appropriate to the age in which they came from. What really made me smile though were the comic books inside the world of the movie, written about the heroes in the movie - wheels within wheels.

In the Owlship chapter, we see amazing detail for the Nite Owl’s main mode of transportation. This is Watchmen’s answer to “all those amazing toys” from the Batman movies of yesterday and today. The floor plans for the Owlship alone are worth the price of the book. Cutaways, details of particular features inside and out, and pictures of the Owlship in action make this chapter a lot of fun.

The Costumes chapter provides various images and models for… you guessed it… costumes from the film. All of the characters are here — Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach, the Comedian, and all the rest — past and present included. And you can’t forget the villains! Captain Axis, Moloch the Mystic, Spaceman, the Knot-tops… But my favorite section is the images of Rorschach’s inkblot mask in its various forms. I can hardly wait to see it in action in the movie.

Lastly, the Posters chapter gives us images of many of the posters created for the film — both used and unused, with all the main characters. All of them would be worthy of appearing in any Watchmen fan’s collection.

Watchmen: The Art of the Film provides a deeper glimpse at the amazing amount of work that’s gone into the Watchmen movie. It would add geek cred to any Watchmen fan’s coffee table.

Be sure to catch the Watchmen movie on March 6, 2009!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up this book or other <em>Watchmen</em> books at your favorite bookseller or on Amazon:

Hey all…

Have you seen the bizarre and freaky motion poster for The Haunting in Connecticut? It’s bizarre? You can see it at Yahoo Movies or see it after the break…

This is the official synopsis and the first I’ve heard of the movie:

Based on a chilling true story, Lionsgate’s THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT charts one family’s terrifying, real-life encounter with the dark forces of the supernatural. When the Campbell family moves to upstate Connecticut, they soon learn that their charming Victorian home has a disturbing history: not only was the house a transformed funeral parlor where inconceivable acts occurred, but the owner’s clairvoyant son Jonah served as a demonic messenger, providing a gateway for spiritual entities to crossover.

I’m not typically one for horror films, but this poster was just too freaky NOT to share!

–Fitz
(more…)

Hey all!

Before diving into this box set of 11 episodes from season two of Cities of the Underworld, I knew little more than what I’d seen on the occasional commercial on the History Channel. I had no idea that Don Wildman explored such amazing places. Now I’m a fan and have a season pass on my Tivo!

For those who don’t know, Cities of the Underworld is a series on the History Channel where host Don Wildman explores the dark places that most of us forget exist beneath the urban sprawl that consumes most of our daily lives. Beneath city streets in unlikely places, he finds tunnels, abandoned train lines, dungeons, tombs, hideouts, and entire cities buried for years.

Wildman brings a childlike curiosity and explorer’s spirit to bear on these places and I have to admit I found it hard not to get caught up in his enthusiasm. Whether exploring modern man-made structures from the last 10 years, or exploring caves and ruins from thousands of years ago, you too want to see what Don finds “awesome” in his travels.

Season Two takes you all over the world to places that you may not have even suspected still existed or ever existed. The eleven episodes include everything from sites in New York and Tokyo, to Viking and Mayan ruins, and the hidden battles in Israel’s tumultuous history.

“A-Bomb Underground” explores places above and below Tokyo’s busy streets to show us structures built to avoid not only earthquakes, but flooding — and even Atomic bombs. Don even talks to a survivor of the blast at Hiroshima during World War II, which was fascinating. A school girl at the time, she still remembers August 6, 1945 like it was yesterday.

In “Maya Underground”, Don goes deep into the jungles of Belize to explore Mayan ruins both aboveground and in caves representing the Mayan underworld. As we approach 2012 and the end of the Mayan calendar, it’s unbelievable to see the sprawling Mayan ruins from their huge civilization that collapsed because it couldn’t sustain itself.

“New York Secret Societies” brings you into the underground world of New York during the Prohibition when mobsters ran much of the city, hidden subway tunnels, and even a tunnel made by the Freemasons. With so much activity in the city that never sleeps, it’s amazing to know what went on beneath those same streets!

And “Secret Soviet Bases” takes you back into the Cold War and forgotten battles of World War II. Don explores an amazingly intact nuclear submarine base and the bunkers beneath a fake apartment building built to survive World War III.

With a mix of Don’s infectious personality, history buried beneath our feet, and very cool computer generated graphics to help illustrate the complexity of some of the structures explored, Cities of the Underworld proves once again that history does not have to be dusty and boring!

Be sure to check out the Cities of the Underworld: The Complete Season Two DVD collection!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up Cities of the Underworld at Amazon:

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