Television – Page 14 – ÜberSciFiGeek

Lucasfilm Ltd. and Cartoon Network invite fans to limited theatrical screenings and a Big Screen sneak peek at an all-new “Clone Wars” villain – the monstrous Savage Opress!

For the first time ever, Sith training will be explored — and with it, truths about the very nature of the dark side itself!

A warrior forged by a dark sorcery as mystical and powerful as the Force, Opress will uncover shocking revelations about the galaxy’s tenuous balance of power, including secrets about one of the Sith’s most infamous villains — Episode I’s Darth Maul! From his origins to his fate, Maul’s mysteries will at long last be uncovered…

For a list of cities where these screenings will occur, and to RSVP, go to starwars.com/darthmaulsecrets.

These screenings are FREE, but we ask that all attendees bring a new/unwrapped toy to benefit children in need this holiday season — and in the spirit of giving, Hasbro has generously agreed to match every donation with a Star Wars toy.

Cad Bane Returns to Face-Off Against the Jedi and the Hutts in an All-New Episode of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”!

from StarWars.com:

After being freed from a Republic prison by bounty hunter Cad Bane, Ziro the Hutt finds himself wanted by the shadowy Hutt Council. Ziro makes another daring escape with the help of singer Sy Snootles, but Bane is hot on his trail — as are Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Quinlan Vos. It’s a galaxy-wide “Hunt for Ziro” — and it airs at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, November 12 on Cartoon Network.

On both sides of the episode’s titular hunt is veteran voice actor Corey Burton, who provides both Bane’s laconic drawl and Ziro’s high-pitched theatrics.

“It’s actually easier to keep character voices distinctly separate, the greater the differences are in vocal placement, timbre and pitch,” says Burton, who also provides the rich baritone voice of Count Dooku in the series. “When you’ve got voices that can be segregated, differently textured and expressed in differing musical rhythms, it’s a snap to make a clean break from one character to another. Then, applying acting characterization — visualizing the unique ‘soul’ of the character within the parameters of voice — you really can speak as two entirely separate beings within the same imaginary space.”

With its bizarre juxtaposition of such disparate characters within the episode, “Hunt for Ziro” is a strange journey down the rabbit hole — a peculiar departure from the series’ military campaigns and political underpinnings.

“The Ziro episodes seem like a multi-room extension of the original Star Wars cantina scenes — an eccentrically comedic undercurrent to break from the steadier drumbeat of galactic conflict, but with enough sinister gravity to tug at the direction of the entire storyline,” says Burton. “It’s a sort of ‘Bizarro World’ funhouse mirror dimension, a wrong turn down a strange alley running along the mainstream militaristic highway. It’s a colorful flight of fancy and insanity, to lend a contrasting air of ‘normalcy’ to the central story construct. Ziro’s the ultimate spoiled brat, a bitterly resentful and unreasonably demanding megalomaniac — made even more threatening and duplicitous by his inability to inspire fearful obedience like his rival, Jabba.”

Contrasting Ziro’s villainous frustrations is Bane — cold, cruel and quintessentially capable. Even tasked with a bounty that might seem eccentrically whimsical, Bane never falters in the dogged and dangerous pursuit of his quarry.

“Bane is a cold-blooded ‘Spaghetti Western’ movie bounty hunter — an unflappable contract mercenary who goes about his assignments with ruthless steely-eyed disregard for the damages inflicted to life and property,” says Burton. “He has a stoic tolerance for pain and Jedi mind-control tricks, and tireless reptilian patience. But he is not a particularly sturdy or athletically powerful creature, relying on mechanical aids and sharply honed wits for endurance and safe survival outside of his native environment. Bane is definitely an all-time favorite for me — from his striking design to his iconic and potent personality. There’s such a playground of speech characteristics in his palette that make him a continuing series of spontaneous discoveries. It feels like a very personal original co-creation I can feel proud to be a part of.”

Factory Entertainment: The Green Hornet, The Ring of Dracula and The Beatles Die-Cast Buses ALL shipping now!

from Factory Entertainment:

We are pleased to announce that a TON of great collectibles will be arriving in our warehouse over the next few weeks. First up this week are a selection of Green Hornet fashion accessories and gift items sporting the distinctive hornet logos featured in the classic 1966 television series and in the upcoming major motion picture. Also in stock are our fabulous Universal Monster Dracula Rings, in both the popularly priced Collector’s Edition and the ultra limited Elite Edition. Halloween may be over, but these icons of cinematic vampire style never go out of season! Last, but not least, Wave 1 of our Beatles Album Cover die-cast London buses is now in stock and available for immediate shipment. Be sure to place your order soon — the holidays are just around the corner!

See the Grand Finale of “The Legend of Neil”

from Atom.com:

Legend of Neil Finale

It all ends now. The epic, super-sized, finale three seasons in the making is finally here. Will Neil finally defeat Gannon, finish his quest, and rescue/bang Princess Zelda?

Watch It Now

After three amazing seasons, The Legend of Neil finally comes to an end. It’s been a long, bawdy road filled with lots and lots of adventure, autoerotic asphyxiation, and Felicia Day’s extremely dirty mouth, and we bring it to a close with this extra large finale. See if Neil can rescue Princess Zelda, and then watch it all from the very beginning.

Walking Dead Weekly: Be There from the Beginning

from Things from Another World:

Last Sunday, AMC’s The Walking Dead television series premiered to an audience of 8.1 million people. If your first experience with Robert Kirkman’s award-winning The Walking Dead comic book series was this weekend, you’re not alone!

For those who may have stumbled upon the series late in the game, we’re here to tell you that you can still be there from the beginning of the series. Yeah, of course you can pick up the numerous Walking Dead TPBs and hardcovers, but starting in January, you can join the series issue-by-issue.

The Walking Dead Weekly is a program that will reproduce each issue of the series starting with issue #1 on January 5th! The first four issues are available for pre-order now, the first of which is 35% off when you pre-order or subscribe by 11/30.

If you don’t want to go to the trouble to order the issues each month, we’ve made it easy for you to get them all with our Walking Dead Weekly series subscription.

Start Your Walking Dead Weekly Series Subscription

Learn More About Comic Book Subscriptions at TFAW

See All Available Walking Dead Weekly Issues

See All Walking Dead TPBs & Hardcovers

Immedium: Mega “Squid” and “Space” Contests, Octonauts on TV

from Immedium:

As the new film Megamind debuts this Friday, we cheerfully nudge you to see another big headed and slippery character, Sid the Squid.

The author David Derrick is a Dreamworks artist on How to Train Your Dragon and the aforementioned Megamind. Maybe Will Ferrell will take on a real acting challenge and portray our friendly 10-armed hero! 5 star Amazon reviews of Sid the Squid and the Search for the Perfect Job have flooded in, such as this praise from “Happy Reader”:

“This is the perfect read-out-loud book for children of all ages. The story is clever and engaging, with the type of subtle repetitive pattern that kids seem to love, followed by surprising and delightful outcomes. The story is humorous and the lesson taught is encouraging as children anticipate what Sid’s (and their) place in the world might be. The illustrations are charming with depth and unexpected detail perfect for kids (and delightful for their adult reading companions!). The witty feel of the book comes from the sense of humor evident in the paintings. Overall, a fabulous new addition to my collection of treasured children’s books.”

CONTEST: Win a 8 x 10 print of the book cover! Ask your child to draw Sid the Squid and email us a photo of them and their artwork to Sid@immedium.com. One lucky winner will get a photo print of Sid (suitable for framing).

We also offer the same GIVEAWAY for our second new adventure Space Cadet Topo: The Day the Sun Turned Off. Email your submissions to Topo@immedium.com.

The creators DGPH recently autographed copies at a toy workshop in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

“Space Cadet Topo is a fun-packed, enjoyable and incredibly imaginative tale of against all odds valor that takes you on an amazing journey of galactic proportions… This is a roller-coaster of a book. The story bolts you in and the illustrations take you on this amazing ride through space as our hero tries to save the universe. At times throughout the book I felt as if I were immersed in a video-game game; climbing through mazes, discovering new characters, testing my abilities… The crisp illustrations are littered with so many fun elements that will have kids (and adults) reading this story over and over again, each time discovering something new.” — I Like Characters

Two people who order autographed Space Cadet Topo books will get a free NASA Journey to the Stars educator’s guide and DVD!

The Octonauts travel the Globe:

International dateline update — our favorite ocean explorers have leapt onto the small screen to make new friends worldwide. For those of you who aren’t visiting the United Kingdom to watch the telly, you can still whet your Octo appetite here:

The Octonauts “sub” site: bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/octonauts/
1. Listen to the Theme Tune!
2. Dance to the Creature Report
3. Play at the TV show’s site

In France, Les Octonauts are stationed on channel TF1.
videos.tf1.fr/octonauts/

In South America, Los Octonautas headquarters is on Discovery Kids.
tudiscoverykids.com
discoverykidsbrasil.com

C-3PO and R2-D2 Get An Adventure of Their Own in an All-New Episode of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”!

from StarWars.com:

In the middle of a routine shopping trip on Coruscant, C-3PO is abducted by bounty hunter Cad Bane. Soon, both Threepio and his astromech counterpart R2-D2 find themselves pawns in Bane’s plan to free Ziro the Hutt from a heavily guarded prison in the heart of the Republic. The hapless droids are once again integral in events that threaten to unravel the future of the galaxy in “Evil Plans” — an all-new episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, November 5th on Cartoon Network.

Reprising his role from all six live-action Star Wars films and countless ancillary intergalactic appearances over the past three decades, Anthony Daniels returns to voice the prim and proper protocol droid for this special episode of The Clone Wars. Thrilled at the rare chance to explore Threepio’s expertise in etiquette, Daniels himself relished the opportunity to exercise the fan-favorite character’s strengths in ways that haven’t yet been seen on screen.

“Threepio’s whole life is focused on how to avoid conflict, and the basic premise is that he’s always out of place. But he doesn’t have to be the fall guy all the time,” says Daniels. “For once, we see him functioning as he was made, according to his programming. It’s a more domesticated storyline, without the shoot-em-up aspects of the Saga. His abilities are cerebral, not physical — and he finally gets to use his expertise in protocol and etiquette. In a way, he’s more relaxed than we’ve ever seen him. But of course nothing in party-planning ever goes exactly as planned.”

Having spent so much time ensconced in Threepio’s golden trappings for the big screen, live-action adventures, Daniels enjoys the opportunity to bring the character to life through vocalization alone. Less physically strenuous than on-camera appearances, voice work nonetheless requires a keen attention to detail, as well as an understanding of what makes the character tick.

“There are all sorts of funny little technical issues with keeping him human-like without human sounds. He doesn’t breathe; I have to be careful not to breathe,” says Daniels. “The aim is to keep him very much as he is in the movies. Some of it has become second nature; I’ve been pleased to realize that I can still create the voice and match the original character. It’s the genuine article. And I really do enjoy the animation. It’s a mutual support society; they do picture to voice, so it’s a physical representation based around my vocal performance. In the series, Threepio is as gravity-forced as always. It reminds you that he can be quite clumsy. I think The Clone Wars is animated in a way that is quite accessible — not just the wide-eyed, simple, Saturday morning fare. It makes you realize you are watching Star Wars.”

Though the episode is quintessentially Star Wars, Daniels notes that the droids tend to illustrate some of the lighter aspects of the space saga. Focusing on dialogue rather than danger, they represent the fun of the series, without relying so heavily on galaxy-shattering stakes.

“There are sides of Star Wars that can be quite humorous — subtle and more gentle. I think that’s why people enjoy the relationship between Artoo and Threepio,” he says. “You don’t expect them to exhibit these human qualities, and it’s really quite charming. For all the battles, there’s a benignity that gives [Star Wars] the winner’s cup; it’s an honorable enterprise, because there’s more to it than blasters and political concerns. It’s important to realize that not everything has to focus on the dark side. Life goes on, even when there’s a war going on. But Threepio would say that, wouldn’t he?”

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIX

Shout! Factory serves up Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIX, another well-balanced DVD box set of the cult TV show.

You are cordially invited to step aboard the stranded Satellite of Love as its crew continues its ongoing assignment of viewing (and mocking) the most… ahem… misunderstood… films of all time! Join hosts Joel Hodgson and Mike Nelson as they celebrate the very first — and only — 19th DVD box set of the hilarious cult phenomenon Mystery Science Theater 3000 with their loyal, albeit morally misguided, crew — Tom Servo, Crow T. Robot and, of course, Gypsy!

The first two episodes are from The Comedy Channel seasons, hosted by Joel Hodgson, and the remaining pair are Sci Fi Channel entries hosted by Mike Nelson. Dividing the set even more neatly, Hodgson’s episodes both have the word “Monster” in the title, while Nelson’s begin with “Devil”.

Robot Monster, Season 1:
This hunk of cheese regularly shows up on Worst Movie Ever lists. It’s also fairly short, so the episode opens with a double dose of the Commando Cody serial Radar Men from the Moon: Chapters 4 & 5, “Flight to Destruction” and “Murder Car”. Then it’s on to the classic sci-fi B-flick, Robot Monster, featuring randomly inserted stock footage of stop-motion dinosaurs and dino-lizards, a bubble machine slash alien device that inexplicably gets a lot of screen time, and the titular robot monster, Ro-Man, who’s just a guy dressed up in a gorilla suit and space helmet. Ro-Man uses the “advanced” technology of his world to wipe out the human race in the first few moments of the story, but somehow has trouble tracking down the lone surviving family over the rest of the film, even though they’re only a stone’s throw from the primitive cave that serves as Ro-Man’s base of operations. To further complicate matters, Ro-Man develops a disturbing crush on Alice, the movie’s requisite hot-chick-scientist. In other words, Robot Monster is perfect riffing material for Joel and the ‘Bots, who spend the host segments imitating the aliens and mocking the complete lack of sense that the movie makes. Of note to MSTies, this is the final episode of the show to have a green theater seat silhouette, before it changed to the more familiar black. The bonus features on this disc are a new introduction by J. Elvis Weinstein (the original “Tom Servo”), the Larry Blamire Geeks Out featurette that gives indie filmmaker Larry Blamire’s perspective on the movie, and Robot Monster’s original theatrical trailer.

Bride of the Monster, Season 4:
As a prelude to the movie, the Satellite of Love crew riffs on Hired!, Part 1, in which a car salesman is really, really bad at his new job, inspiring Joel and the ‘Bots to stage Hired!: The Musical during one of the host segments. The main feature, Bride of the Monster, is an Ed Wood title that practically riffs itself. It stars two of Wood’s regulars, Bela Lugosi and Tor Johnson, as mad scientist Dr. Eric Vornoff, and his mute henchman, Lobo, who are attempting to create a race of atomic supermen. Alas, Lobo gets distracted by the pretty lady his master intends to experiment on, and Vornoff discovers that a giant, man-eating octopus — a limp rubber prop in half of its scenes — isn’t, perhaps, the safest choice of pet to guard his lab against unwanted visitors. The bonus features on this disc are the retrospective featurette Citizen Wood: Making the “Bride”, Unmaking the “Legend”, the Inventing the “Invention Exchange” conversation with Joel Hodgson, and Bride of the Monster’s original theatrical trailer.

Devil Doll, Season 8:
Devil Doll is a typical possessed-ventriloquist-doll horror tale, except that the ventriloquist, in this case, is way more creepy, evil, and expressionless than his wooden puppet. Everyone is the movie seems to be mesmerized by The Great Vorelli’s stage act, despite his utter lack of talent and the peculiar tension between him and Hugo the Dummy. The film plods along as Vorelli plots to hypnotize a wealthy beauty into becoming his unwilling meal ticket… er, bride, with plenty of dead air in the script for Mike and the ‘Bots to throw their voices into. The bonus features on this disc are The Puppet Master: Richard Gordon on “Devil Doll” featurette (Gordon being the film’s executive producer), and Devil Doll’s original theatrical trailer.

Devil Fish, Season 9:
A French-Italian production filmed in Florida, Devil Fish is essentially a cheap knock-off of Jaws. Rather than simply presenting a freakishly big shark, though, the “devil fish” is a genetically engineered octopus/shark hybrid that’s escaped its creators and gone on a rampage, much like in Roger Corman’s recent Devil Fish-inspired Sharktopus. When the devil fish isn’t chomping anyone who gets within six feet of the water, the movie focuses on the characters wearing skimpy swimwear, tosses in a gratuitous love scene, and plays a soundtrack that sounds like it was lifted from softcore porn. Meanwhile, in between bouts of movie-riffing, Mike and the ‘Bots have to deal with some angry sealife of their own when they manage to offend dolphins with their prank call to SeaWorld, and the dolphins, who turn out to be a superior, space-faring species, show up at the Satellite of Love in their battle destroyer. The bonus features on this disc are the hour-long convention panel MST3K: Origins and Beyond at CONvergence 2009 (with Mary Jo Pehl, Frank Conniff, and Joel Hodgson as panelists), and Devil Fish’s original theatrical trailer.

The Steve Vance-illustrated covers of the slimline DVD cases are included as mini-posters, as usual, and the discs’ animated menus incorporate sound clips from the episodes that they go before, a now-standard detail for Shout! Factory’s MST3K box sets. What’s new in the Volume XIX set is the inclusion of a Gypsy figurine. It’s become a tradition that the end-of-year MST3K DVD release comes with a limited-edition bonus, beginning with the Crow. T. Robot figurine that accompanied Shout! Factory’s very first MST3K set in 2008, followed by Tom Servo in 2009. Gypsy’s arrival in 2010 sees the completion of the ‘Bot trio, and marks the first time that Gypsy has appeared as a toy or model. She’s in scale with her two smaller companions, so she towers above them, the hose that makes up her body coiled into a disc-shaped base that keeps her top-heavy purple head from toppling over. Tom Servo’s catchphrase of “I’m huge!” would be an appropriate tagline for this figurine, as would Crow’s “You know you want me, baby!” After all, the Satellite of Love wouldn’t function properly without the big-hearted Gypsy.

The question now, with all three ‘Bots accounted for, is what will the next bonus be? If you’d like to suggest action figures of Joel and Mike, or perhaps a Christmas ornament of the Satellite of Love, then e-mail Shout! Factory or post your ideas on their Cult Faves message board.

Pre-order at Amazon.com:
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIX (Canada)
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIX (US)

Or order directly through the Shout! Factory website.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is distributed by Shout! Factory. For more Mystery Science Theater 3000 information, please visit The Official Mystery Science Theater 3000 Website and Satellite News: The Official Mystery Science Theater 3000 Fan Site.

The Legend of Neil, Episode 307: “Restart of the King”

from The Legend of Neil:

Neil-lovers. It is with bittersweet sentiments that I bring you the final episode of The Legend of Neil. A longer emotion-filled email will follow this one, with many special thanks for what’s been an amazing run, but I wanted to get the episode out to you as soon as possible. So keeping this short. Click to watch the 21 minute, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink, finale.

“Riese: Kingdom Falling” Premieres on SyFy.com

About Riese: Kingdom Falling:

Eleysia is a dying kingdom where resources are dwindling and compassion is fading. Distrust and anxiety have clouded people’s minds, causing a regression into primitive ways of thinking. People have grown restless, almost feral. Rituals and mythology have resurged, and the darker side of mankind has begun to reveal itself.

Riese (Christine Chatelain), a wanderer, travels across the decaying lands of Eleysia with her wolf, Fenrir. Marked as a heretic by religious group The Sect and the new Empress, Amara, Riese must evade their assassins and discover their true intentions for Eleysia.

Riese is the Crown Princess of Eleysia, forced to flee into the wilds after her family was slaughtered. She will soon serve as a catalyst for a disparate group of supposed heretics, the Resistance, launching them into civil war.

October 26th: “The Clone Wars”: The Complete Season Two and “The Force Unleashed II”

from StarWars.com:

Tuesday, October 26th is a big home video date for Star Wars fans, as the ever expanding saga marks two new releases in North America. The smash-hit second season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars arrives on DVD and Blu-ray, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II arrives on a wide variety of gaming platforms.

Relive all 22 Season Two episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars — featuring bounty hunters, space pirates, giant monsters, mind-controlling brain worms and the return of Boba Fett! Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Complete Season Two Box Set arrives on standard definition DVD as a four-disc set, or high-definition Blu-ray as a three-disc set. Both sets include a 68-page production journal with concept designs, original sketches and behind-the-scene notes. The Blu-Ray set includes extensive exclusive content in the form of the Jedi Temple Archives database of behind-the-scenes creative materials.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II — the follow-up to the multi-award-winning and fastest-selling Star Wars video game of all time will be available for the Sony PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii. Starkiller is back in an all-new story set during the early days of the Galactic Empire. The power of the Force is amped up to new levels, with new abilities, new combat, and new surprises. The deep story of The Force Unleashed II also features appearances by Boba Fett and Yoda.

You can check StarWars.com for more information about these releases!

Get a Sneak Peek at the Finale of “The Legend of Neil”

from Atom.com:

The very last, 100% final episode of The Legend of Neil is almost here, and let us assure you that it is going to be amazing. Join us on Facebook at the Atom.com fan page for an exclusive sneak peek at the epic final battle between Neil and Gannon.

Studio 8 and Atom.com are, you know, proud-ish to present: The Legend of Neil coming up on October 27th, we got creator Sandeep Parikh and star Tony Janning into the Atom TV studios to host a The Legend of Neil themed episode, including a very special, exclusive sneak peek at the finale. Check it out on the Atom.com Facebook fan page.