So a bunch of our favorite webtertainment sites got together and created these web series specific awards, that I really really want to to win-er I mean it would be an honor to be even considered for (must… remember… humility). But we need your nominations in order to be considered! So please go to streamys.org and nominate Neil!
Here’s our ideal ballot
Best Comedy Series: The Legend of Neil (legendofneil.com)
Best Director (Comedy): Sandeep Parikh
Best Writing (Comedy): Tony Janning & Sandeep Parikh
Best Male Actor (Comedy): Tony Janning (Neil), Mike Rose (Old Man)
Best Guest Star in a Web Series (Comedy): Felicia Day (Fairy)
Best Editing: Sandeep Parikh
Best Cinematography: Richard E. Stark (amazing dungeon lighting!)
Best Art Direction: Leah Mann (she built a dragon out of styrofoam, and the level wall, skeletons, etc!)
Best Visual Effects: Sevan Najarian (fairy sex, fireballs, and more!)
Best Original Music: Robert Harrington (score), Sandeep Parikh (ridiculous opening song)
Also please nominate The Guild if you get the chance as well! Thanks so much for your continued support! All this kinda stuff helps bring you more Neil! Happy holidays!
We’re very pleased to announce that TWO Guild videos were posted today on MSN Video, Xbox Live Video Marketplace (in HD), and the Zune Marketplace! Please catch them now!!
If you could take the time to spread the word on your local forums and blogs, or “Digg” underneath the MSN Video for these episodes, we would definitely appreciate it!
ALSO if you’ll notice, Season 2 has now started rolling out in our CENTER PLAYER [at watchtheguild.com]! Yay! Please view it there, and then comment on our forums, we’d love to hear your feedback!
While London’s upper crust is growing bored and falling asleep in its posh salons, a new style of club has seen the light of day. The Draconis Club, very much in style at the moment, offers English aristocrats in need of a good rush the opportunity to face fear in an extraordinary trip to Draco Mundis, the Valley of Dragons. The luckiest among them will be able to come back covered with glory, and able to brag about their feats while proudly displaying a trophy worthy of the British Museum. Dragon season is open!
Draco Mundis, available in both English and French editions, is a strategy game similar to Dungeon Twister in its game mechanics. Its rules are fairly simple, relying on a player’s strategic, tactical, memory, and bluffing skills, with diplomacy and the forging of temporary alliances becoming factors when there are more than two players. There is no luck involved. Each player is able to take Actions such as moving, exploring the jungle, fighting or spying on enemies, using Special Abilities, and, in the case of a Cannibal, capturing prisoners. As the back of the box hints, “Each character has a very specific ability; you’ll have to learn how to use each character at their best to adapt to whatever hot water your opponents put you in.”
Turn-based Draco Mundis plays much like an RPG. The fictionalized Valley of Gangtok is laid out on a gridded game board that resembles an antique, sepia-coloured map — down to the ornately drawn compass rose in the top-right corner — and the game has an alternate reality back-story that reads like the preamble to an old British adventure film:
Tired of the daily mundanities and good manners, the English aristocracy of the early 20th century is trying to while away the time by looking for thrills wherever they can. The latest craze is a chase as madcap as it is illegal. In the heart of the Punjab region of eastern India, their contest is centered around the capture of a sacred, rare and protected monster: Draco Septentrionus Verdatis!
Armed to the teeth with hunting rifles and blades of all sorts, the lordly teams, accompanied by their ladies, themselves followed by Sherpas burdened by piles of pointless luggage, will face the wild animals of a hostile jungle. Their secret goal will be to capture one of these enormous legendary beasts, dragons from northern India, in order to bring it back to England as a hunting trophy.
The aristocratic adventurers will be surrounded by the screams of a myriad of apes, spider monkeys and baboons, masses of poisonous snakes, angry herds of elephants, and especially the infamous Bengali tiger, bristling with ferocity and whose fangs are true saw teeth. The fire-breathers come out of nowhere in the heart of the night, setting ablaze the villages made of hovels or the most highly protected camps, spreading around them more than just fear, but sacred terror.
The best trick in the hunters’ arsenal will be the use of an infallible trap, a female Dragon made of odds and ends and supposed to irresistibly attract the monster by the imitation of its cry.
Intrigued by the hunting arsenal and all the preparations for capture, journalists have decided to discreetly follow the uncaring, happy go lucky expeditions in droves. They’ll be able to turn the details of their adventures into scoops for tabloid papers, before reporting their sacrilegious doings to the local police.
But beyond all the dangers and the pitfalls, the English aristocrat fully knows that success in his enterprise will, surely, grant him the favor of the crown, and perhaps even, with a bit of luck, from the hands of His Majesty himself, the title coveted by any self-respecting Lord, that of honorable member of the “Order of the Garter”.
Box contents:
— 1 game board,
— 80 tokens (11 Characters, 1 Item and 8 Lands for each of the 4 colors),
— 4 game helps/screens,
— 1 rulebook.
Characters:
Explorer (2), Journalist (1), Hunter (1), Sherpas (2) — one of whom may be sacrificed per game to gain an extra Action for the current turn, Dragon (2), Cannibal (1), Biplane (1), SS307 Machinegun (1)
Item:
Dragon Traps (1) — deployed in alternate rules to limit the power of Dragons
The use of a bad, upper-crust British accent is not included in the rules, but should be, as it adds a great deal of fun to gameplay. If your companions are like-minded, then agreeing to award extra points for cheesiest accents and most stereotypical, old-time slang will add a whole new layer to the game. Bonus points for wearing a pith helmet, as well.
The game ends when every token on the game board is revealed, and the winner is the player with the highest total of Victory Points. Points are earned for infiltrating a Campsite with your Journalist, destroying Campsites (not your own, of course), eliminating opposing Characters and Dragons, and controlling Character tokens on a Jungle or Mountain token of any color. Points are lost if you place your Bengali Tiger Territory on a square adjacent to your Campsite at the beginning of the game; setting up camp next to a bunch of tigers merely makes you eligible for a Darwin Award, and a smart player will try to get his opponents taken out by the big cats instead.
“May the best Lord win!”
Draco Mundis supports 2-4 players, ages 12 and up. Game length: about 60 minutes.
If “mechanical dragons” are more your thing, Asmodee Editions also has two new car racing games out, Hurry’cup! and Formula D.
Order now at Amazon.com: Draco Mundis (not listed yet) Hurry’cup! (not listed yet) Formula D
Draco Mundis, Hurry’cup!, and Formula D are distributed by Asmodee Editions (US), a subsidiary of Asmodee Editions (France), in partnership with Hazgaard Éditions for Draco Mundis. For more information on Draco Mundis, visit the official game website at Draco Mundis (in French).
“Play is discovery and exploration, and joy, and growth, and learning, and so much more,” explains Manhattan Toy. “And for us play is serious work. So when we bring play to life, we do it with a commitment to the finest in craftsmanship and creativity. All of our products, from the newest concepts to our time-tested classics, are innovatively designed to inspire imaginative play and delight our consumers large and small.” For the company whose motto is “Imaginations at Play!” the three essentials of toy creation are Originality, Developmental Value, and Quality & Safety:
Founded in 1979 by Francis Goldwyn (grandson of motion picture studio owner Sam Goldwyn), Manhattan Toy pioneered the use of non-traditional fabrics in toy design and introduced delightful new body styles in soft toys. Although Goldwyn is no longer involved in the ownership of Manhattan Toy, we remain true to his vision of marching to the beat of a different (toy) drum.
Play is not only fun, it’s essential to a child’s cognitive, emotional, and social development. Our design process blends science and whimsy to produce toys that offer children a rich array of visual and tactile stimulation and unlimited opportunities for imaginative exploration.
Our unsurpassed quality standards ensure that our toys are both durable and safe. Prior to manufacture, each Manhattan Toy design is thoroughly tested to comply with the most rigorous international standards for children’s products. Our quality assurance team continually reviews designs and procedures to ensure that products exceed both existing and new safety regulations.
In addition to making heirloom-quality toys, Manhattan Toy strives to be a socially conscious company. They teamed with the Girl Scouts to donate more than 60,000 Groovy Girls brand dolls and plush toys to the youngest survivors of Hurricane Katrina, and have created the Girl Scouts’ own line of Troop Groovy Girls dolls, which celebrate the empowerment of girls and were voted “Girl Toy of the Year” in 2008. In the realm of science, they promote awareness of the natural world by padding their zoo of plush animals with alternate choices to the traditional bears and bunnies. One of these animals is the critically endangered cheetah, which is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list of vulnerable species. According to the Cheetah Conservation Foundation, there are only about 10,000 cheetahs left now. Like Manhattan Toy, the CCF recognizes the importance of inspiring children to connect with nature, reaching out to tomorrow’s scientists and conservationists with their Kids4Cheetahs program.
Manhattan Toy currently offers two plush cheetahs, one of which is the Lanky Cats Cheetah. “Big, curious, yellow eyes standout on this loveable cheetah,” says Manhattan Toy. These eyes, a signature of the Lanky Cats collection, really are mesmerizing, seeming to follow a person’s every movement. In half-light, they glow green and shimmer like a real cat’s would at night. Also true to life, and thanks to heavily weighted paws, the Lanky Cats Cheetah can drape lazily over objects, dangle like the “hang in there” kitty, crouch in a ready-to-pounce stance, or be contorted into any other feline shape. “His understuffed, extra long body makes him incredibly poseable. He’s made out of a silky, soft fabric that begs to be petted.” Best of all, though, the cheetah markings on this toy are accurate. Many items marketed as cheetah-print are actually a leopard pattern; leopards and jaguars have rosette markings rather than the cheetah’s simple spots. Kudos to Manhattan Toy for the attention to detail!
The other cheetah toy is the colourful Cha Cha Cheetah, a Petrageous Pet from Manhattan Toy’s popular Groovy Girls line. Cha Cha is stylishly dressed in an outfit and “bone” hair bow that looks like it was borrowed from baby Pebbles of The Flintstones, and will appeal to little girls who love the Groovy Girls dolls. She’s incredibly soft, with weighted, oversized feet that make it easy to pose her, and the velcro fasteners on her removable vest and collar make changing clothes simple for little fingers. Trendy Groovy Girls Fashions and Furniture & Accessories are available for additional dress-up fun.
In the name of scientific exploration, Manhattan Toy even replicates long-extinct animals, like the Mesozaurs Stegosaurus. “Bright green with contrasting orange plates and blue tail spikes, the Stegosaurus is one of the most colorful dinos you’ll find. He’s soft, cuddly and highly textured for tactile appeal. With loads of prehistoric personality, he’ll come to life in any youngster’s hands.” The Mesozaurs Stegosaurus is an amazing piece of craftmanship. Unlike most statically posed stuffed dinosaurs, Manhattan Toy has designed their dinosaurs in dynamic action poses. The Stegosaurus’ tail is whipped to one side, ready to strike, its head angled in the opposite direction, warily alert of predators. The fabric used for its plumply stuffed body is roughly patterned and textured like cut velvet to suggest a scaly hide, the orange back plates are made of a sheer material that’s ridged to look like bone, and the toenails and tail spikes are shiny black and blue vinyl, with little inserts of lavender and blue material for the eyelids and mouth. It’s hard to stop running your hands over this sumptuous toy.
While the Stegosaurus is the expected dino-green colour, the rest of the Mesozaurs Dinosaurs — a red Brontosaurus, blue T-Rex, and orange Triceratops — are a vibrant rainbow that reflects modern science’s theory that dinosaurs were likely as diverse in appearance as the animal species of today.
For fantasy and mythology lovers, Manhattan Toy also has a range of plush Dragons (wizard included) and Dr. Seuss characters. Whatever your plushy passion is, Manhattan Toy fulfills your wishes with top-notch playthings that are beautiful to look at, irresistible to touch, and fun to play with.
Ok, I’ve seen some pretty amazing fan art in my day, but this has to take the cake. Our newfound beloved superfan, Jeri, has constructed an animatronic version of the Neil skeletons. I’m completely blown away and just have to share the links with you (and no it’s not Felicia Day even though it kind of looks like her, my brother was convinced that we just made this up. We did not, it’s real!) Check out part 1 and part 2 of how she put this all together.
Also we do have an official submission section for fan art and we haven’t seen squat. Send us some stuff, even if it looks like a 3 year old drew it. I need some cool pics to hang around our office for inspiration for the second season. C’mon people, drop everything and draw some fairy sex scenes already!
Majel Barrett Roddenberry passed away this morning, December 18, 2008, at 12:27 AM in her Bel Air home. She died peacefully, in her sleep, and was surrounded by family and loved ones.
“My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact that Star Trek fans played a vital role in keeping the Roddenberry dream alive for the past 42 years. It was her love for the fans, and their love in return, that kept her going for so long after my father passed away.” — Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, Jr.
Condolences can be sent via email to share@roddenberry.com or by mail to:
Roddenberry Productions
4400 Coldwater Canyon Avenue, Suite 100
Studio City, CA 91604
“First Lady of Star Trek” Majel Barrett Roddenberry Passes Away at the Age of 76
Los Angeles, CA (December 18, 2008) –- Actress Majel Barrett Roddenberry, beloved star of sci-fi phenomenon Star Trek passed away early this morning surrounded by family and friends. Roddenberry was 76 years old. She began her acting career in the 1950’s with roles in such popular shows as Leave it to Beaver, Bonanza and The Lucy Show; but it was her numerous roles in the legendary Star Trek franchise that fans came to know and love her. Roddenberry had featured roles in almost every Star Trek television and film entity and became an iconic figure within the fan community. Her roles included Nurse Chapel in Star Trek: The Original Series, Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the voice of the USS Enterprise computer in almost every incarnation of the series. However, it was the love affair between her and the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry that earned her the title “The First Lady of Star Trek.” Over the course of their more then quarter-century love affair, she became not only Gene’s partner, but also his creative muse. Roddenberry helped Gene expand the Star Trek universe and was an integral part of its continued legacy after his death. Majel recently completed reprising her role as the voice of the USS Enterprise for J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek film.
Roddenberry succumbed to a short battle with Leukemia at 12:27 AM on December 18 in her Bel-Air home. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her son Rod Roddenberry and family friends. She is survived by her only son Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry Jr. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her name to the CARE Organization or Precious Paws both of which share Roddenberry’s love for animals and dedication to animal rescue.
Funeral details are pending and a public memorial will be scheduled sometime after Christmas or in early 2009.
Click here for the Majel Barrett Roddenberry Dedication Page Click here to share your memories and feelings in the Posting Forum dedicated to the loving memory of Majel Barrett Roddenberry: The First Lady of Star Trek.
Although the final original episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars have aired for the remainder of 2008, there’s no dearth of Clone Wars fun available at StarWars.com to keep fans busy until Jan. 2, including the first-ever online “marathon,” which begins on Monday.
Starting Dec. 22, all 10 episodes of the hit Cartoon Network series that have aired to date will be available online at the official Star Wars website and at CartoonNetwork.com. What’s more, each episode features a video commentary by supervising director Dave Filoni; a web comic; and a detailed episode guide containing concept art and additional insights into Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
The online marathon ends on Monday, Jan. 5.
And on Friday, Jan. 2, the first new Clone Wars episode of 2009, “Dooku Captured,” debuts at 9 p.m. on Cartoon Network.
Just in case that’s not enough for Star Wars fans, StarWars.com offers three exclusive online games that provide unique, challenging experiences. There’s no hardware required beyond a basic home computer, and the games are accessible via the homepage at starwars.com.
In “Sharpshooter,” players can partake in some clone training, as they try to hit targets that range from holograms of battle droids to rolling destroyer droids. As the levels get progressively harder, “Sharpshooter” throws in some tricks, ranging from blast shields that make it difficult to hit your target to decoys that players need to avoid. It’s classic arcade-style action whose increasingly difficult levels will pose a challenge to gamers of any age.
“Live Fire” is a keyboard-based game in which players take on the role of a clone trooper — and can even customize his gear. By finding and collecting datapacks, while avoiding a phalanx of Separatist droids, players can unlock exclusive Clone Wars content, including images, videos and sounds. But beware, because the Separatist droids encountered on these missions to Christophsis and Teth are bent on success.
“Clones vs. Droids” offers the option of playing live against another player — or practicing solo. Squads of droids and clone troopers are pitted against each other, and it’s up to players to strategically prepare for both attack and defense during the game’s 10 rounds.
The Clone Wars experience isn’t just online, of course. In fact, during the holidays Cartoon Network will offer encore showings of Star Wars: The Clone Wars with more opportunities than ever to enjoy the intergalactic adventure.
Here is Cartoon Network’s holiday schedule for Star Wars: The Clone Wars. (Unless noted, all programming is half-hour episodes.)
Don’t forget — the next original episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, “Dooku Captured,” airs at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2. Until then… may the Force be with you!
Academy Award-nominated writer, director, executive producer, and actor Joss Whedon has written a celebrity blog for us [Amazon.com] to promote his new release, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Whedon is best known for creating well-known TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. –Jordan
When Amazon asked me to review this movie, I was hesitant, as I’m not too familiar with the genre, and also I made it. But I found Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog quite rewarding, which is to say, if you buy it, I will be rewarded with a small sum of money. But what’s in it for you? A few surprises, I won’t lie. THE SECRET OF ETERNAL YOUTH. The Dark Knight doesn’t have that, does it? A CONTROLLING INTEREST IN EUROPE. Not available with Mamma Mia! BEES. Deadly, hideous bees are contained in certain shipments, sorry. We’re trying to control that. But already, a pretty extraordinary disc.
The film itself I didn’t really get. Apparently young people today think it’s okay to make fun of supervillains. In my day we treated them with respect and fear, especially when they were singing. I did like the jokes, except when one man mentioned his secret love appendage to another, which I find crass. But the tunes are very hummable, and many of them ran through my head as I fell asleep before the ending, which I’ll bet was a humdinger. In fact, the whole movie humdinged. I give it forty eight billion stars.
The extras (Eternal life, Europe, Bees) were mostly exciting. There is a whole second musical, called “Commentary!”, which harkens back to the days of Radio and of writing things really poorly. I can’t recommend it enough. (That should read “I can’t recommend it. Enough!” Sorry.) Seriousfully, it’s not so much a commentary as chance for the cast and writers to make fun of each other in every musical style possible. I give it forty eight billion stars.
The extra extras are all solid fun, especially the many applications to the Evil League of Evil, sent by people who know how to show a supervillain the proper respect. I was promised eggs, but did not find any eggs, only horrible, stinging bees, but I am told the eggs are good. That is my review. I think you should buy the DVD every day forever, and I am totally unbiased. Happy Holidays! –Joss Whedon
J.J. Abrams’ Vision of the Greatest Space Adventure of All Time to Run in Select IMAX Theatres
Paramount Pictures and IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) today announced that Star Trek, directed by J.J. Abrams (Mission: Impossible III, Lost and Alias), will be simultaneously released to both IMAX® and conventional theatres worldwide on May 8, 2009. Star Trek, which chronicles the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members, will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. Paramount Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of the film to IMAX theatres worldwide.
Star Trek is one of the world’s most successful science fiction entertainment series and media franchises. Created by Gene Roddenberry, the Star Trek phenomenon has led to six television series, ten feature films, dozens of computer and video games, hundreds of novels and fan stories, as well as a themed attraction in Las Vegas. Star Trek has also inspired a following of millions of “Trekkies” of all ages that span across the globe.
“We’re excited to share the enhanced IMAX version of this film with the millions of dedicated fans who have been anticipating this release since production began,” said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures. “The IMAX Experience adds that extra level of excitement to an already action-packed film, giving moviegoers a premium ‘event’ at the multiplex.”
Added J.J. Abrams, “I’m thrilled that audiences will be able to experience this new, epic world of Star Trek — with an incredible cast and mind-blowing visual effects — on what is, obviously, the most remarkable film format in the world.”
“Star Trek combines top Hollywood story-telling talent with space exploration, and each is very conducive to The IMAX Experience,” said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. “Expanding our relationship with Paramount Pictures to include this film strengthens our 2009 slate, and with the continuing rollout of digital IMAX theatre systems, we will be able to offer the fan-base more locations to experience the epic first journey of the USS Enterprise in the most immersive way.”
“Both Star Trek and IMAX have taken audiences to far away places they would normally not be able to go, and in this case, it’s space — the final frontier,” added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “J.J. Abrams has created a powerful movie that has fans worldwide feverishly anticipating its release. We are thrilled to partner with Paramount Pictures to bring J.J.’s exciting vision of this incredible space adventure to IMAX screens.”
From director J.J. Abrams and screenwriters Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci (Transformers, MI: III) comes a new vision of the greatest space adventure of all time, Star Trek, featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no man has gone before. Star Trek explores the early Starfleet careers of future Enterprise officers Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Amanda Grayson (Winona Ryder), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), McCoy (Karl Urban), Sulu (John Cho), and Chekhov (Anton Yelchin). A Romulan, Nero (Eric Bana), and a much older Spock (Leonard Nimoy) are influences, as well as Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood), the first captain of the USS Enterprise.
IMAX Corporation is one of the world’s leading entertainment technology companies, specializing in immersive motion picture technologies. The worldwide IMAX network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event Hollywood films around the globe, with IMAX theatres delivering the world’s best movie presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX® 3D, and IMAX DMR technology. IMAX DMR is the Company’s groundbreaking digital re-mastering technology that allows it to digitally transform virtually any conventional motion picture into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. IMAX’s renowned projectors display crystal-clear images on the world’s biggest screens, and the IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences for consumers. As of September 30, 2008, there were 320 IMAX theatres operating in 42 countries.
IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, IMAX®, MPX®, and The IMAX Experience® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information on the Company can be found at imax.com.
With The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader both currently in production, now is the ideal time to invest in a related costume piece from Stansborough Fibres, one of the authentic suppliers of The Lord of the Rings and Narnia product lines. Stansborough Fibres has been selling the Authentic Magic Fellowship Costume Cloak under full license and endorsement from New Line Cinema since the completion of The Lord of the Rings, and continues to supply Weta Workshop and New Line Cinema (now a division of Warner Brothers) with costuming, cloaks, and accessories made from the fabrics created for the fantasy trilogy.
Magic Fellowship Costume Cloak with Brooch
“Our Fellowship cloaks are of very high quality, all hand-made individually and numbered as a registered limited edition. These are the only ones in the world that are made from the actual fabric used in the movie and from the yarn and fleece which is grown at our farm, Stansborough. It’s the only wool of its kind in the world. We take great care in making them as close to the original design as possible and sewn with every care when creating each garment,” says Cheryl Eldridge of Stansborough Fibres.
In addition to the full-sized cloak, there’s an adorable Mini Fellowship Cloak, made from the same fabric but without the double-lined authentic hood. This is a smaller replica of the Fellowship cloak, meant for a teddy bear or doll.
Mini Fellowship Cloak
“The images on our website of the cloaks and the other products made from the same fabric are a good representation of our movie costuming,” Cheryl Eldridge continues. “Of course, the fabric is much better in real life and all the clients who have them are thrilled with them when they arrive. They are always more impressed with the actual products when they arrive.”
If you’re ever in New Zealand, escape to the real “Middle Earth” by staying at Stansborough Cottage or taking an interactive Experience Stansborough tour, with personal and group tours available by appointment. Elle Canada did an article in their May edition on what to see in Wellington, New Zealand, and Stansborough Fibres was featured as the place to go and purchase some unique New Zealand-made products.
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe: Mr Tumnus Scarf
For artisans wanting to make their own “Stansborough Grey” designs, Stansborough Fibres offers a Spinners & Weavers selection of washed fleece, roving slivers, and knitting yarn. There’s a wholesale Buyers Range for commercial clients, as well.
When Cheryl and Barry Eldridge looked to diversify the farming activities on Stansborough, their New Zealand sheep station, sixteen years ago, they had no idea the results would eventually be seen on cinema screens around the world. The unique fibre created by their flock of rare grey sheep was used to costume most of the main characters appearing in the blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy and was seen again in two other major Disney productions, Narnia’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, along with The Waterhorse, BBC’s Kidnapped and several other projects. This New Zealand couple says that producing the fabric for the “Fellowship Cloaks” and major costuming in the Lord of the Rings movies was their ultimate challenge and their biggest achievement to date.
In 1991, Cheryl and Barry Eldridge concluded that their hill country sheep and cattle farm, situated in a picturesque valley in the Wairarapa, two hours drive north of Wellington, was a marginal farming operation. Instead of following the example of many others that turned their properties into pine plantations, the Eldridges looked for more imaginative options. Their search resulted in them obtaining a small flock of grey sheep and several alpacas. These sheep are also now registered as a wool breed in their own right, “Stansborough Greys”.
These grey sheep, that historically originate from an island off the coast of Sweden, now have wool that is unusually silky, soft and lustrous. This is the result of many years of selective breeding and hard work, producing a “Stansborough Grey” flock of over twelve hundred. There are also sixty alpacas on the farm whose fibre adds warmth and variety to many of the end products. When on display in New York, the unusual qualities of the “Stansborough Grey” fibre caught the eyes of the Lord of the Rings costume designers and led to the order for the costumes for Tolkien’s creations, and other subsequent movies.
The Eldridges personally attend the shearing, hand sorting and grading of the fleece of each animal. After the fleece has been professionally spun, the yarn is then woven at their own small weaving mill in Wellington. 100% grown, inspired, designed and created in New Zealand, the end product is totally eco-friendly, from the sustainable way the animals are farmed, to the finished textiles. Fibres used are in totally natural colours or dyed with only biodegradable overdyes.
Cheryl Eldridge, who has a background in the creative arts, along with daughter Kiri, designs all the fabric, accessories and end product range. Barry Eldridge draws on an engineering background to expertly operate the historic looms they use in their factory. Both their sons, Jamie and Gavin, help with the farm and the accounts. The looms, that came out to New Zealand in the early 1900s, were developed in England in the 1890s to make fine worsted textiles and are themselves masterpieces of design and engineering. These were among the very first commercial looms manufactured, at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and have the ability to still create heirloom textiles from a byegone era.
Cheryl and Barry Eldridge are constantly developing their range of original and unique fashion, interiors and baby wear. These are now marketed through outlets in the United Kingdom, Europe, USA, Canada and Australia. What originally started out as an idea to keep a rare sheep from extinction and a farm operating profitably, has grown into a family business that begins out in the paddock and ends in high end fashion outlets or boutique hotels around the world, and increasingly on blockbuster cinema screens!
For more information, and the latest on Stansborough Fibres’ involvement in Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia, visit the Stansborough Fibres website.
Featuring MST3K Film Episodes Mad Monster, Manhunt in Space, Soultaker and Final Justice, Limited-Edition Mini-Posters, and All-New Bonus Content
In Stores Nationwide February 3, 2009, from Shout! Factory
From 1988 to 1999, the hilarious and widely beloved space travelers on The Satellite of Love from Mystery Science Theater 3000 skewered B-movies and in the process made them masterworks of comedy. Hot on the heels of the recent Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary celebration, Shout! Factory in association with Best Brains, Inc. proudly present the Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV 4-DVD box set on February 3, 2009. Poised to satisfy the appetite of fans for ritual viewing, as well as a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for pop culture geeks, the awe-inspiring 14th collection of the side-splitting Mystery Science Theater 3000 features the show’s never-before-released film episodes Mad Monster, Manhunt in Space, Soultaker and Final Justice, 4 limited-edition mini-posters, along with a wealth of new bonus content, including a brand-new interview with Soultaker star and MSTie favorite Joe Estevez; a new interview with Final Justice writer/director Greydon Clark; Mike Nelson, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot on ESPN’s Cheap Seats without Ron Parker; and original trailers. Join the banter as Joel Hodgson, Mike Nelson, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot supply their own playful brand of commentaries on some of cinema’s most misunderstood “masterpieces” in Shout! Factory’s Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV. This collectible 4-DVD box set is priced to own at $59.99.
Mad Monster
Obsessed with getting revenge on those responsible for the demise of his career, Dr. Lorenzo Cameron concocts a serum that transforms his unsuspecting gardener into a deadly wolf-man. Join hosts Joel Hodgson, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot as they send up the very best revenge-fueled-wolf-monster-created-by-a-mad-scientist film of 1942! This memorable episode of MST3K also includes the short Commando Cody & The Radar Men from the Moon.
Manhunt in Space
Launched into space with the mission of rescuing the lovely Vena from a gang of notorious space pirates, Rocky and his copilot Winky are once again ready to fight evil to the very end — even if it takes them to the furthest edge of the galaxy! Composed of reassembled episodes from the short-lived 1950s television series Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, Manhunt in Space is unable to escape the cinematic critique of Joel and the ’bots of the Satellite of Love. Also includes the short General Hospital, segment 1!
Soultaker
After four youths are involved in a serious car accident, a mysterious man in black is sent to claim their souls — but these feisty teens aren’t yet ready to pass into the afterlife. Now they must return to their hospital-bound bodies before their parents decide to pull the plug or, worse yet, the Soultaker catches them. Starring MSTie faves Joe Estevez and Robert Z’Dar, Soultaker is perfect fodder for the sarcastic wit and wisdom of Mike, Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo aboard the Satellite of Love.
Final Justice
When tough-as-nails Texas Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo captures a member of the Italian mob, only he can successfully get his prisoner back to Italy to stand trial. But the Mafia declares war on Geronimo. That was their last mistake. The hard-hitting crew of the Satellite of Love — Mike, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot — pulls absolutely no punches when riffing on Final Justice (starring legendary Mystery Science Theater 3000 antagonist Joe Don Baker), making this one of MST3K’s most beloved episodes of all time.
