Monday 31 December 2012

TV: The Good Wife 4x11 Promo "Boom De Ya Da" (HD) ft. Michael J. Fox

"Boom De Ya Da" -- Will's latest case -- which could net the firm millions -- hangs in the balance as Alicia navigates Louis Canning's attempts to delay a deposition crucial to Will's argument. Meanwhile, Will and Diane make a stand against Clarke, and an old foe complicates things for Eli, on THE GOOD WIFE, Sunday, January 6th on CBS. Michael J. Fox returns as Louis Canning and T.R. Knight guest stars as Jordan Karahalios, a political advisor who joins Eli on Peter's campaign.


TV: The Big Bang Theory 6x12 Promo "The Egg Salad Equivalency"

"The Egg Salad Equivalency" -- Sheldon gets accused of sexual harassment at the University and winds up getting Leonard, Raj and Wolowitz in trouble, on THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, date (8:00 -- 8:31 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Regina King guest stars as Mrs. Davis, the University's Director of Employee Relations.


TV: CSI NY 9x11 Promo "Command+P"

"Command+P" -- The CSIs are confronted with a puzzling mystery when two different victims are linked by the same unusual weapon, on CSI: NY, Friday, January 4th on CBS.


TV: Two and a Half Men 10x12 Promo "Welcome to Alancrest"

"Welcome to Alancrest" - Using Walden's money, Alan invests in Kate's fashion line. Meanwhile, leading a double life starts to take its toll on Walden, on TWO AND A HALF MEN, Thursday, January 3rd on CBS.


TV: Elementary 1x11 Promo "Dirty Laundry"

"Dirty Laundry" -- Sherlock and Joan investigate the murder of the general manager of a high-end Manhattan hotel whose body is found inside an industrial laundry machine. Meanwhile, since Joan's time with Sherlock is almost up, he offers her an apprenticeship, on ELEMENTARY, Thursday, January 3rd on CBS.


TV: The Mentalist 5x11 Promo "Days of Wine & Roses"

"Days of Wine and Roses" — The CBI team visits a high-end California rehab center in order to investigate the death of a young model who was a patient there, while Lisbon ramps up her investigation into Tommy Volker, on THE MENTALIST, Sunday, January 6th on CBS. Henry Ian Cusick returns as multi-millionaire Tommy Volker. Mary Lynn Rajskub guest stars as a rehab patient.




Celeb: Karina Smirnoff's Bikini Body in Miami

TV: Doctor Who: Coming Soon in 2013 - BBC One

TV: Modern Family 4x11 Promo "New Year's Eve"

Modern Family starts the new year with a good first impression. Guest stars Elizabeth Banks, Billy Dee Williams, and Nathan Lane and lots of milestones. A first kiss, a mother-in-law, a wedding, and the miracle of life. Modern Family returns January 9th on ABC.


TV: 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards Promos - Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, Sunday January 13th on NBC. These hilarious ladies were also nominated in the Best Actress In A Comedy Series category.


TV: American Idol Season 12 Promo "Be Surprised"

Be surprised, be blown away, be there from the beginning. It's back - American Idol Season 12 premieres Wednesday January 16th on FOX.


Celeb: Pamela Anderson Shows Off Her Bikini Body

TV: Splash! New series coming soon to ITV1

Tom Daley splashes onto ITV1 in a brand new entertainment series that pitches celebrities against each other as they prove what goes up must come down and learn to dive. Featuring Olympic Bronze medal and British and European Championship winner Tom Daley, Splash! challenges some of the nation's favourite faces to learn one of sport's most difficult disciplines.


TV: Once Upon a Time 2x10 Promo #3 "The Cricket Game"

They were transported to a town they couldn't escape. This January, the curse is broken and the most famous fairytale characters are free to enter our world!

Once Upon a Time returns January 6th on ABC.


TV: New Girl Season 2 "Get All the Answers" Promo

There's an explanation for this, and a reason for this. And this isn't what it looks like. Get all the answers when New Girl returns on Tuesday January 8th.


Celeb: Revealing Celebrity Twitpics

NECW ONLINE UPDATE 41 - December 31, 2012

The final NECW ONLINE UPDATE of 2012 - a must-see edition - is now online and available for viewing.

We wrap up the year with a most interesting and controversial bout. NECW was asked to send a championship match to a charity event in Fall River, MA on Saturday night, December 8th. NECW Heavyweight Champion, Sean Burke and his mentor and trainer, Antonio "The Promise" Thomas were booked separately for the event. NECW was then asked if they could face each other with the title on the line. Burke agreed, the championship committee approved and that match - one that was totally unexpected by NECW - is featured on this update. The ending is controversial and the aftermath, perhaps even more so.

Also on this edition, we'll hear from Jeremy Prophet, NECW Tag Team Champions, Da House Party, Tank The Tank, "Superstar" Scotty Slade & "The Shure Thing" Mark Shurman and Johnny Thunder regarding Friday night's NEW YEAR'S EVOLUTION in Randolph, MA - an event you don't want to miss!


Friday 28 December 2012

TV: Burn Notice Season 7 Teaser

TV: Once Upon a Time 2x10 Extended Promo "The Cricket Game"

"The Cricket Game" - Regina is accused of murdering one of the town's most beloved fairytale characters -- but only Emma senses that she may be innocent. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale land that was, after capturing the Evil Queen, Snow White and Prince Charming set about planning her public execution in order to rid the land of her murderous tyranny, on "Once Upon a Time," Sunday, January 6th on ABC.


Celeb: Claudia Romani's An Italian Bikini Beauty

Celeb: Joanna Krupa's A Bejeweled Bikini Beauty

Celeb: Is Britney Spears Getting Fired from X Factor?

TV: The Mob Doctor 1x11 Promo "Sibling Rivalry"

When a champagne bomb is delivered to Constantine, he and Celeste (guest star Jennifer Beals) go on high alert to determine who wants him dead. Meanwhile, Nate turns to Grace after he accidentally jeopardizes a mobster's valuable racehorse. Back at Roosevelt Medical Center, Grace is tapped to treat Brett's (Zach Gilford) estranged brother, Jack Hanson (guest star Derrick Trumbly), following a severe cycling accident in the all-new "Sibling Rivalry" episode of THE MOB DOCTOR airing Monday, December 31 on FOX.


Celeb: Jessica Simpson Hits the Beach

TV: Hawaii Five-0 3x12 Promo "Kapu" (HD) Live Event - 3 Endings, Vote For The Killer

For the first time ever, America can solve the crime and vote for the killer live. Three suspects, three endings, one killer choice. Your vote, your ending on a special episode of Hawaii Five-0 airing Monday, January 14th on CBS.


TV: The Mindy Project 1x11 Promo "Mindy's Brother"

The new year means new beginnings, and a new chance at love. The Mindy Project returns with all new episodes Tuesday January 8th on FOX.


Celeb: Chloe Green Hits The Beach In Bright Yellow

Celeb: Emma Forbes Splashes In The Barbados Sunshine

Celeb: Rita Ora Suns Herself In Dubai

Thursday 27 December 2012

Celeb: A Christmas Present from Chris Ramsey

TV: Castle 5x10 Promotional Photos "Significant Others"

TV: Law and Order SVU 14x10 Promo "Presumed Guilty"

"Presumed Guilty" - Detective Tutola (Ice-T) gets entangled in a church scandal when his ex-brother-in-law (guest star Erik Laray Harvey) is arrested for the brutal attack of a priest (guest star Denis O'Hare) just days before Christmas.


TV: New Girl Season 2 "Jess Up Your January" Promo

Tuesday January 8th it's out with the old and in with the New Girl. The hit comedy series that was nominated for two Golden Globes returns to FOX with all new episodes. Jess Up Your January!


Celeb: Mariah Carey's Skin-Tight Outfit

Celeb: Kate Winslet Ties the Knot

TV: Raising Hope 3x11 Promo "Credit Where Credit is Due" Back to the Future episode ft. Cristopher Lloyd

Celeb: Bethenny Frankel News



Celeb: Nicki Minaj's Sexy Christmas Cat Suit

TV: The Neighbors 1x11 Promo "Gingerbread Man"

TV: Celebrity Big Brother 2013 - Channel 5 Ident

Celeb: Jennifer Lopez Rocks Short Shorts

TV: Modern Family Season 4 "Baby is Due" Promos

Celeb: Jennifer Aniston's Awesome Abs

Gaming: Nintendo eShop - Fluidity: Spin Cycle Launch Trailer

Celeb: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's Christmas Sun Escape

Celeb: Best Celeb Bods Over Forty

Celeb: Jessica Simpson is Pregnant



Wednesday 26 December 2012

Celeb: Dan and Phil Interview McFly

BBC Radio 1's brand new request show hosts take half of McFly on a fantastical intenserview-assisted journey through what Christmas means to them, as told by pieces of generic plastic construction toys.


TV: Doctor Who: Q&A with Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman & Steven Moffat - Christmas Special 2012 - BBC

TV: Dancing on the Edge Trailer - Original British Drama - BBC Two

Dancing on the Edge is set in the early 1930s and follows black jazz musicians, the Louis Lester Band, as they find fame amongst the parties and performances of London's upper class society.


TV: Doctor Who: 'The Snowmen' Christmas Special 2012 - Behind the Scenes - BBC

TV: The Americans - Promos



Celeb: Piers Morgan Threatened with Deportation?

Gaming: Game of the Year 2012

TV: American Idol Season 12 Promos



Celeb: Kellan Lutz Frolics With Sharni Vinson On the Beach

TV: Shameless Season 3 Behind the Scenes

Get a behind the scenes look at the third season of Shameless with interviews from the cast. Shameless Season 3 premieres January 13th on Showtime.


Nintendo eShop - Fluidity: Spin Cycle Launch Trailer

Splash your way into the world of Fluidity: Spin Cycle available in the Nintendo eShop on 12/27.

Wii to WiiU - How To Videos





Saturday 22 December 2012

Gaming: Best Wii U Game of 2012 Winner

Gaming: Best Handheld Game of 2012 Winner

Gaming: Best PSN Game of 2012 Winner

Gaming: Best PS3 Game of 2012 Winner

Gaming: Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012 Winner

Gaming: Best PC Game of 2012 Winner

TV: Derek - a first look at the new series

Coming soon to Channel 4. Ricky Gervais' new series - Derek


TV: Monday Mornings (TNT) First Look - Series Overview

‎Monday Mornings follows the lives of doctors who face the cold fact every Monday morning. The all new series from David E. Kelley (Boston Legal, Chicago Hope, The Practice) premieres Monday, February 4th on TNT!





Music: Psy's Gangnam Style reaches one billion hits on YouTube



TV: Community Holiday Sneak Peek

Don't miss this holiday gift from Community -- an exclusive sneak peek! Watch the Season Premiere Thursday, February 7th at 8/7c on NBC.


TV: Doctor Who: 'The Snowmen' teaser - Christmas Special - BBC One Christmas 2012

TV: Fringe 5x11 Promo "The Boy Must Live"

As time dramatically ticks down toward the end of this acclaimed series, Peter, Olivia and Walter stop at nothing to save the universe from Observer rule. Walter enters the infamous deprivation tank in an attempt to uncover a key piece of information about the mysterious figure, Donald. Meanwhile, Captain Windmark sets out on a revealing mission of his own as long-standing questions are answered in the all-new "The Boy Must Live" episode of FRINGE airing Friday, January 11th on FOX.



TV: Merlin Season 5 Trailer Promo

Music: Ben Gibbard with Trio Ellas "Something's Rattling" 12/20/12 - CONAN on TBS

TV: Butter-'Em-Up Pancakes - Parenthood

Celeb: Kelly Osbourne Shows Off Major Weight Loss

Gaming: Wii U - Kasumi joins NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor's Edge!

Celeb: Arnold Schwarzenegger's Odd New Haircut

TV: Scandal 2x10 Promo #2 "One for the Dog"

This year, Scandal has brought you the most shocking buzzed about moments on network television. On Thursday January 10th, the heart-pounding drama isn't even close to being over!

 

Celeb: Gwyneth Paltrow's Punk Rock Look

TV: Glee 4x11 Promo #2 "Sadie Hawkins"

TV: Spartacus: War of the Damned

The Rebel commanders struggle to the keep unity among themselves in the midst of war against the Romans. Spartacus: War of the Damned Premieres January 25th, 2013




Friday 21 December 2012

Daniel Bryan Vs Doug Williams - Full FWA Title Match

In this Wrestle Talk TV "From The Vault" series match, Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson) takes on the UK's Doug Williams in a superb match from the FWA. Taking place at "Vendetta 2003", Danielson wrestles the then FWA Champion Williams, under a mask, as the "American Dragon.


FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/WrestleTalkTV
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/WrestleTalk_TV
CHALLENGE: http://www.challenge.co.uk

TV: Songtaran Carols - Doctor Who - BBC One Christmas 2012

Celeb: Cheryl Cole Takes To the Decks As She Parties With Tre Holloway in London

Celeb: Victoria Beckham Reveals Nobody Wanted To Date Her As A Spice Girl

In an upcoming documentary, the Spice Girls star speaks about being dateless, being dubbed 'Posh' and how people just wanted to brush her hair.

Celeb: Christina Aguilera's Risque Fashion

TV: Wonders of Life Trailer - BBC Two

TV: New Girl Season 2 "Merry Schmidt-mas" Promo

The Vampire Diaries 4x10 Extended Promo "After School Special"

TV: The Vampire Diaries 4x10 Extended Promo "After School Special"

TV: American Idol Season 12 Promo "Superstar Judges, Superstar Talent"

Celeb: LeAnn Rimes Defends "X Factor" Performanc

TV: Revenge 2x10 Sneak Peek #1 "Power"

Celeb: Kaley Cuoco's Sexy Shoot

Celeb: Rihanna's Only Wearing a Bikini Or Less

Wii U - Kasumi joins NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor's Edge!

Thursday 20 December 2012

Helen Flanagan talks about her Twitter photo

Actress Helen Flanagan became emotional today as she apologised for posting a "careless" tweet, showing a photograph of herself holding a gun to her head - on the same day the first of the Sandy Hook massacre victims were buried.

Speaking on ITV1's Daybreak, the former Coronation Street actress said posting the photograph was the "most stupid thing she had ever done" in her life and apologised for her actions.

Silly mistake or publicity stunt??
She tweeted the friday about the sandy shooting, yet thought it appropriate to post a picture of her with a gun to her head.


Celeb: Celebrities In The Holiday Spirit

Celeb: Justin Bieber Causes Uproar Over Hamster

Gaming: Nintendo 3DS - New Super Mario Bros. 2 Mystery Adventures Pack & Impossible Pack Trailer

Music: One Direction Performs 'Little Things'

TV: The Americans (FX) Action Promo "All Is Fair In Love and Cold War"

See the gunfights, brawls, car chases, and explosions in this new action packed promo for FX's upcoming series The Americans, premiering in January.


Celeb: Jessica Simpson News





Celeb: Danni Minogue Snubs 'X Factor' By Signing Up To 'Next Top Model'

Celeb: Helen Flanagan Apologises For Gun Photo Tweet

Gaming: Nintendo 3DS - Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! Goomba Lesson

Starting today and through Jan. 10, 2013 you can get a free downloadable lesson for Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! that teaches you how to draw a Goomba! Check out this trailer.


Celeb: Rihanna Is a Bikini Babe in Barbados

Celeb: Kim Kardashian Admits Her Bangs Are Fake

Celeb: Claire Danes Is a New Mom

TV: Chicago Fire 1x11 Promo "God Has Spoken"

Eaten up by his guilt over Flaco's death in the fire, Cruz (Joe Minoso) goes to Casey (Jesse Spencer) to confess. While Shay (Lauren German) recovers from a head injury sustained in the ambulance crash, Severide (Taylor Kinney) asks Dawson (Monica Raymund) for her help in dealing with his own injury. Casey is caught in the middle of a family conflict between his mother (guest star Kathleen Quinlan) and sister (guest star Nicole Forester). Elsewhere, Herrmann (David Eigenberg) finds a business deal hard to stomach. Charlie Barnett and Eamonn Walk also star. Sarah Shahi guest stars.


TV: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia 8x10 Promo "Reynolds vs. Reynolds"

Court is in session at Paddy's Pub as Frank and Dennis present their cases to the rest of the gang, resulting in a verdict that will change their lives FOREVER...but not really.


Interview with John Dods By David Kempf



Interview with John Dods

By David Kempf

Horror and special effects artist John Dods has been described by CNN as “one of the world’s foremost masters of disguise.” Dods has worked on such great cult favorites as Don Dohler’s NIGHTBEAST, SPOOKIES and the unforgettable DEADLY SPAWN. He did the makeup work on the TV Horror hit Monsters and Broadway’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. John studied under Academy Award winning makeup artist Dick Smith (The Exorcist) and began a successful career in mainstream film.
The movies he worked on include POLTERGIEST III, GHOSTBUSTERS II, DEATH BECOMES HER, THE X FILES and ALIEN RESSURECTION.

Most recently, Dods was the prosthetics makeup designer for the Broadway production of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN by Mel Brooks.

As a lifelong fan of John’s articles in Cinemagic Magazine and his work in general, it was a real pleasure to interview him.



John Dods INTERVIEW
Tell us how you came involved in makeup and special effects.

When I was 10 years old, I produced and directed "The Wizard of Oz" in the back yard. It had makeup and special effects galore - such as they were. My Alice In Wonderland had been so well received the previous year, that I went for broke with Oz. There were 15 neighborhood children were in the cast - all in costume - and the famous characters - Cowardly Lion, etc were all present. The "Tin Man" was actually the Aluminum foil man, The Cowardly Lion was me in dyed long johns and a rubber lion mask, etc. The adult audience seemed to enjoy the sight of small children putting on a show. I thought then that I would grow up and direct shows on Broadway, and for years, each summer of my childhood I staged one or more shows or "Spook Houses" - usually in the basement.

My parents were very supportive and they always gave me a place to be creative. Later I realized that I was too introverted to be a Broadway
director and that I better enjoyed the more solitary life of a stop motion filmmaker. But I never stopped loving live theatre and it come back into my life later in a big way.



How many short films have you made?

I've made three short films and am now working on a forth. GROG (1970) was my first - a 5 minute comedy which introduced the Grog character who appears in all of my films. I had started to shoot GROG in 8mm Kodachrome, but was miserable with the poor image quality of 8mm. So I began to save for a 16mm Bolex camera. This took me a year - while I worked at Macy's department store. The new 16mm footage was exhilarating - the registration was rock steady,
and the sharpness and grain looked nearly as good as the 35mm prints I saw at my local movie theatre. My next film was FOREST STORY - which I worked on for years. Because I was learning, I shot on a very high ratio - about 6 to 1 - often rebuilding the models and sets in order to improve the footage and learn all the craft skills needed by a model maker and miniature set builder. I worked on FS for years but then left it sitting on a shelf while I had several careers in practical effects for film, TV, amusement parks, and theatre. FS sat for 30 years
I went back to it recently and finally finished it using new digital technology to do the post production. Now, I'm working on GROG RETURNS which will be animated with stop motion photographed with HD digital still cameras.


Tell us about your work with the late cult director Don Dohler.

In 1972 Don asked me to write for his new magazine Cinemagic. He had seen an article on my short film GROG in the Bolex Reporter Magazine and wanted to do a feature on it himself; that article appeared as the cover story of Cinemagic #2 in 1972. I wrote for Cinemagic for many years after that and Don and I became good friends. Every year, I would go down to Baltimore for the annual Balticon Convention to screen GROG and later the unfinished FOREST STORY and visit with Don. In 1979 He asked me to create the monster for his second film production NIGHTBEAST and that became my first paying job in filmmaking. Don made a long series of extraordinarily low budget features and got each one of them distributed. Although these were not "good" films by conventional standards, Don became an inspiration to Do It Yourself filmmakers by proving repeatedly that it was possible to make a film for a few thousand dollars and get it distributed. Today, Don Dohler is legendary among independent filmmakers. An impressive roster of the NIGHTBEAST crew members went on to very successful and prominent careers in film production- perhaps the best known of these is producer/director J.J. Abrams - who wrote music for NB. Although Don and I went in very different directions after NIGHTBEAST, I remember of all of my projects with Don as exciting adventures.


Please tell us what it was like to learn your craft under Dick Smith.

I was nearly 40 years old when I decided to take Dick Smith's Professional Makeup Course and finally fulfill an old ambition to learn how to do prosthetic makeup. I was already a somewhat competent sculptor and mold maker,
but had never learned the techniques and materials specific to "special effects makeup" - that's a term which was invented to describe the work of Dick Smith, whose astonishing creations for ALTERED STATES (1980) and THE EXORCIST (1973) had expanded all previous conceptions what a makeup artist might contribute to a film. It was a mail order course and the actual interaction with Dick was normally minimal, but Dick started recommending me to the producers of the MONSTERS television series ('88-'90) - on which he was the "Special Makeup Consultant" .One episode, "Holly's House" led to many others - 18 by the end of the shows 3 year run. There was so much work that It was like having an entire career in 3 years. I thought that it was the best job imaginable. They would
send me piles of scripts and let me pick which episodes that I wanted to work on. Each season of that show was like Christmas for me -I created prosthetic makeups, mechanicals and puppets, and even filmed a stop motion mutant rat for the "Stressed Environment" episode.Dick advised me on many of my episodes, and personally designed the monsters for 2 of them - "Holly's House" and "The Gift" (written by Dick's son David). We often spoke on the phone or met at his house in Larchmont, New York. Dick had no professional secrets
and shared his expertise freely with everyone who asked for help. His curiosity about finding new and better ways of doing things was boundless, inspirational, and exciting to be around. He would talk with as much enthusiasm about Danny Kaye movies or the physicist Richard Feynman as he would about silicone prosthetics or new ways of coloring foam rubber. Working with Dick Smith
made me a better makeup artist and, I think, also a better person.


Do you enjoy mentoring other special effects artists?

I've been influenced by Dick Smith to freely share my knowledge with others. A lot of people in the film business have told me that my instructional articles for Cinemagic, Fangoria, Starlog and other magazines over the past 30 years have inspired or helped them in some way. That's wonderful to hear. I'm not sure that anything I do rises to the level of "mentoring" but I try to help anyone who asks for it.


How many plays have you worked on?

About 6 shows - all musicals… A few of those were such big successes that they kept me occupied for many years, designing and fabricating prosthetics. Right after "Monsters", I was asked to work on Disney's first Broadway show "Beauty and the Beast" in 1990. That came out of the blue because I had not been trying to get into New York theatre. I loved it and B&B was a gigantic worldwide hit and my involvement - making masks and prosthetics for eight characters - became an 18 year long occupation. We made over 50,000 prosthetic pieces for companies all over the world. "Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein: The Musical" followed B&B directly and also ran for years - I am the "Prosthetics Designer", and "The Toxic Avenger Musical" (Prosthetics and Special Effects Design by John Dods) must still be running somewhere - although I'm no longer involved. "A Christmas Carol" returned every Christmas at Madison Square Garden for nearly 10 years. I did the head casts for "Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway for many years (Chris Tucker in England created the prosthetic pieces). My work in theatre has completely satisfied my childhood yearning to work on Broadway shows and I continue to work in theatre occasionally.


Are there significant differences between working on your own films and working for other filmmakers?

They're very different. When I'm hired, then my only job is to help the client to create whatever it is that he want s to see; my creative input may as a designer or it may be only as a fabricator - and there is always a deadline. I'm happy to create someone else's design if that's what the job calls for - it's not always
creatively juicy but I get plenty of creative fulfillment from many personal projects. Today, I'm mostly working on my own projects. I only have to please myself so I can do whatever I want without deadlines.


Tell us about your daily (or nightly) working routine.

Although I try hard to avoid work entirely, my inner demons keep driving me to be productive. I spend much of the day at the computer, editing movie footage, or trying to upgrade my graphics art skills, or checking to see how many of my Facebook friends have "liked" the photo I posted. I have several elaborate stop motion models under construction for my film project GROG RETURNS so I try to move that project forward - I just made several silicone molds of cores and teeth for two new Grog models. I also have a beautiful house, three cats, and one partner - all needing frequent attention.


What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment as an artist so far?

I still love much of my work on THE DEADLY SPAWN. "Beauty and the Beast" features some of my best sculpture work - especially on the "enchanted" characters - Cogsworth, Lumiere, Wardrobe, Chip, etc. My prosthetics and hair work for the1,000 year old gnome for the "Household Gods" episode of the "Monsters" TV series looks good to me. The "Ice-Age" miniature set which I supervised for the "Back To the Future Ride" (I had a crew of 6 talented sculptors) turned out very well. FOREST STORY is the only thing I've done that made me use everything that I know how to do - writing, directing, editing,
and all of the crafts skills you need to do a stop motion film by yourself. Filmmaking is my passion, so it's gratifying that at age 65 I have come full circle to resume the work that I began as a teenager and always saw as unfinished business.


How do you come up with the original monsters you create? The Deadly Spawn certainly comes to mind.

I use no reference material when I design an original monster - when I'm actually designing the shape and form of an original character. I'll study nature for texture and detail but not for shape and form - that has to out of my head. It's too easy for me to give in to the temptation to copy the great work of other artists if I have pictures of their work thumb tacked to my studio walls. The Deadly Spawn designs were a conscious effort to avoid the "man in the rubber suit" look which
had dominated the horror genre since the early 50's. Even a masterwork like the Creature From the Black Lagoon looks like a man in a suit and I was tired of seeing that. On the other hand, something real - like a realistic dinosaur -
is different in that anatomy has to be researched and reference materials used.


Since you do so much prosthetics work and build mechanical creatures, do you miss the old style effects prior to CGI? Ray Harryhausen's stop motion animation comes to mind. As does the beautiful matte painting work of Albert Whitlock he did in many movies. I know you are very familiar with the painful and patient joys of stop motion animation.

I love Harryhausen and I continue to watch his films - as well as KING KONG ('33), and all the classic practical effects films. All of that great work is looking better than ever on Blu-ray. Today, practical effects have been largely replaced by computer graphics technology - which is increasingly spectacular. THE HOBBIT looks astounding. This change is permanent. We're not going back to the way things used to be done. I think that practical effects should marry the computer and live happily ever after. I'm creating practical effects all the time for my animation project, so I live in that world of "old school" physical reality every day. But the computer has become my most valuable helper and tool.


Name some of your favorite horror books.

I don't enjoy horror fiction nearly so much as the more optimistic visions of Science Fiction stories - Heinlein, etc. Poe, Lovecraft, and Robert E. Howard are the horror authors whom I frequently reread. Howard's "Pigeons From Hell" is a long time favorite. Poe and Lovecraft wrote with so much craft, style, and dark beauty that I find their work hypnotic. Poe and Lovecraft especially seem to me better than most other writers by far.


Name some of your favorite horror films.

How much time do you have! Hmmm…The visual German expressionism of the 20's, the Universal Horrors of the 30's – especially BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and THE BLACK CAT, Val Lewton in the 40's, the great parade of giant monsters in the 50's, the colorful Corman/Poe and Hammer Horror series of the 60's, the 70's great trio of horror films for me is SUSPERIA, EXORCIST, and ALIEN.
I'm still catching up on the last 3 decades but DAGON, NIGHTBREED, 28 DAYS LATER, and the WALKING DEAD TV series come to mind.


Why do you think older low budget horror films remain popular?

The more entertaining works of 80's Do It Yourself filmmakers have found a new life and a new audience. DIY 80's horror films have now become a recognized genre - their grainy 16mm look is now forgiven, the obvious gusto and enthusiasm of the filmmakers is enjoyed, and the merits of the best of these movies is finally being appreciated. THE DEADLY SPAWN was widely panned when it opened in theaters in 1982, but today it is one of the best reviewed films currently out on DVD. Don Dohler's work today has a loyal fan base and Ed Wood's films are more popular than ever. The budget seems irrelevant if the film is entertaining.


What are your latest projects?

THE RETURN OF GROG is a short film project, and my graphics art project is a Grog "children's" book.


Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work.

I am a filmmaker, writer, and practical special effects non-specialist - that is, I've worked in many different areas of practical effects - prosthetics, cable control, puppetry, stop-motion, and miniature set construction - but never specialized in any one of them for very long. In 40 years I’ve only had one bad job in the business - I had to make synthetic sliced cheese for a Kraft commercial. I'm partly color blind and it was a nightmare because when you unwrap cheese it quickly changes color. They kept telling me that I'd got the color wrong. I had to turn that job over to someone else!

Apart from that one, I've had a lot of dream jobs and have finally reached my goal of working less hard than I used to and of putting work and life into a sane balance.


Links:




Nintendo 3DS - New Super Mario Bros. 2 Mystery Adventures Pack & Impossible Pack Trailer

Movies: Sponsored Video: Texas Chainsaw 3D - In Cinemas January 2013




TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D continues the legendary story of the homicidal Sawyer family, picking up where Tobe Hooper's 1974 horror classic left off in Newt, Texas, where for decades people went missing without a trace. The townspeople long suspected the Sawyer family, owners of a local barbeque pit, were somehow responsible. Their suspicions were finally confirmed one hot summer day when a young woman escaped the Sawyer house following the brutal murders of her four friends. Word around the small town quickly spread, and a vigilante mob of enraged locals surrounded the Sawyer stronghold, burning it to the ground and killing every last member of the family -- or so they thought.

Decades later and hundreds of miles away from the original massacre, a young woman named Heather learns that she has inherited a Texas estate from a grandmother she never knew she had. After embarking on a road trip with friends to uncover her roots, she finds she is the sole owner of a lavish, isolated Victorian mansion. But her newfound wealth comes at a price as she stumbles upon a horror that awaits her in the mansion's dank cellars...

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Celeb: WWE Star Makes Local Boy’s Dream Come True

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A social media effort to help a local boy fighting cancer meet his favorite WWE superstar came true Tuesday night.

Not only did he attend the WWE Raw event at CONSOL Energy Center, he got up close and personal with Daniel Bryan.

It all started with a YouTube video of 7-year-old Connor Michalek making a plea to meet his all-time favorite WWE wrestler, Daniel Bryan.

The Shaler Township boy was diagnosed with cancer of the brain and spine when he was just 3-years-old. He’s had multiple surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy.

Word of Conner’s desire to meet the WWE star spread like wildfire on social media and local radio stations. And on Tuesday, Conner’s wish to meet Bryan and put him in his signature “no lock” position came true.

“It kinda brings a tear to my eye to know somebody like Connor wants to meet somebody like me, so that’s kinda cool,” said Bryan.

Doctors gave Connor a less than one percent chance of survival. But you wouldn’t know it by his infectious personality.

“Well, they call me ‘Stone Crusher,’” says Conner.

Nothing seems to dampen his spirits as he’s truly a champion for bravery.

While Conner is known as “Stone Crusher,” Connor’s younger brother, Jackson, calls himself “Jack the Ripper” when they’re playing wrestling with their video games at home.

Source: pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

Sponsored Video: [GALAXY Note II] Wreck-it Ralph Challenge

Ralph has escaped! 

Visit http://www.findralph.com to complete the missing Ralph poster for a chance to win a GALAXY Note II and exclusive goodie bags. 

Also enjoy games and videos to learn more about the GALAXY Note II and the Wreck-it Ralph characters. 

TV: Mr Stink Meets the Prime Minister - Mr Stink - BBC One Christmas 2012

Celeb: Bikini-Clad Claudia Galanti Strikes a Pose in Miami

Celeb: Ke$ha Song Being Pulled From Airwaves Following Newtown Tragedy

Celeb: Megan Fox Was Convinced She Was Having A Vampire Baby

Music: Jake Bugg - Happy Christmas (War is Over) - BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge

TV: The Voice Season 4 Promo #1 (HD) Shakira and Usher

TV: Anna Torv Left Beer Out For Australian Santa Claus - CONAN on TBS

Celeb: Marissa Jaret Winokur's 60 Pound Weight Loss

TV: Private Practice 6x11 Promo "Good Fries Are Hard to Come By"

When two doctors cross the line, someone is going to get burned. Private Practice season 6 returns on January 8th and there's only three episodes left until the series finale!


Tuesday 18 December 2012

Music: NASA Johnson Style (Gangnam Style Parody)

NASA Johnson Style is a volunteer outreach video project created by the students of NASA's Johnson Space Center. It was created as an educational parody of Psy's Gangnam Style. The lyrics and scenes in the video have been re-imagined in order to inform the public about the amazing work going on at NASA and the Johnson Space Center.


TV: Amanda Seyfried On Playing Linda Lovelace of "Deep Throat" - CON

Celeb: "Real Housewives" Star Rocks Bikini

Gaming: LittleBigPlanet 2 Cross Controller Trailer

Celeb: Why Is David Walliams Hoping His Baby Won't Look Like Him?

TV: Merlin Season 5 - Series Finale Trailer

Celeb: Why Is Simon Cowell Reportedly Flying Back To the UK?

Music: Bruno Mars Performs 'Count on Me'

Celeb: TOWIE's Tom Pearce on Mark Wright's Christmas comeback

Celeb: Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman chat to Grimmy

Dr Who, aka Matt Smith, and his new assistant Jenna-Louise Coleman drop by the Radio 1 Breakfast show and answer listeners questions. Find out how Matt gets his quiff to stay put, what the most annoying question to be asked is and what Dr Who wants in his Christmas stocking!

Nick Grimshaw
Mon-Fri - 6:30am -10am
www.bbc.co.uk/radio1

TV: Dancing on Ice 2013. 6th January on ITV.

Dancing on Ice 2013 line up features Pamela Anderson, Lauren Goodger, Keith Chegwin, Luke Campbell, Anthea Turner, Samia Ghadie, Gareth Thomas, Joe Pasquale, Beth Tweddle, Oona King, Shayne Ward, Matt Lapinskas & Jason Gardiner

TV: The Carrie Diaries (CW) Promos

Maggie and Walt are that couple that were just made for each other. But sometimes, even the sweetest love story can have an unexpected twist.


Having a close family comes with some challenges - and fighting is one of those. The Carrie Diaries premieres on CW this January.


They say the first time can hurt, sometimes in more ways than one. The Carrie Diaries premieres Monday January 14th on CW.

TV: Keep or Take? - Take It All

Gaming: Trine 2: Director's Cut - Review

Celeb: Jenny McCarthy Flaunts Flat Tummy

Celeb: Watch Kate Moss' Sexy New Ad

Gaming: Resident Evil 6 hits PC March 22

Gaming: Angry Birds Star Wars - Launch Trailer

Gaming: PlayStation Home Virtual Item Showcase, volume 71

Forza Horizon Rally Expansion Pack

The Horizon Festival transforms Colorado into an off-road rally spectacular! Includes new cars, terrain, career events, rally upgrades, online modes, and achievements.

Xbox Video This Week: December 18, 2012

Angry Birds DLC Trailer

Angry Birds Trilogy is flinging your way 130 new levels of fun with the Anger Management Pack available now on Xbox LIVE.

Monday 17 December 2012

TV: House Party: NYE | New Year's Eve Sorted | Channel 4

TV: Enlightened Season 2 Trailer


Amy and her pals are back in an all new season of "Enlightened." The new season premieres Sunday, January 13 at 9:30PM only on HBO.


Celeb: Miley Cyrus Flaunts Her Abs

Music: CeeLo Performs 'What Christmas Means to Me'

Celeb: Gemma Atkinson Shows Off Toned Body During Workout Session

Celeb: Why Did Tulisa Contostavlos Lose Out to Will.i.am and Britney Spears

TV: Nigellissima - Christmas 2012 - BBC Two


TV: Doctor Who: The Snowmen Prequel: Vastra Investigates - Christmas

TV: Do No Harm (NBC) "Alternate Personality" Promo


Do No Harm centers around a brilliant neurosurgeon who has to battle his own alter-ego so that he can live a normal life. Steven Pasquale ("Rescue Me") stars as Dr. Jason Cole.


TV: 1600 Penn (NBC) "Typical Family" Promo


They're just a typical family living in a typical neighborhood. 1600 Penn premieres Monday after The Voice on NBC.


Music: PSY - The B96 Jingle Bash 2012 in Chicago

Competition: Win Peep Show - Series 8 on DVD

To celebrate the release ofPeep Show - Series 8 on DVD on 26th December we have a great competition for you.

Up for grabs are 3 copies on DVD!


Synopsis:



All six episodes from the eighth series of the Channel 4 comedy chronicling the private - and totally dysfunctional - inner thoughts of two flatmates, Mark (David Mitchell) and Jeremy (Robert Webb), living in post-credit-crunch Croydon. In this series, we find out whether Dobby (Isy Suttie) will move in with Mark or if she'll choose to live with Gerard (Jim Howick) as Mark fears. After all, she's been spending so much time looking after him; and Jeremy begins making regular visits to a therapist after realising that his life isn't amounting to very much.

Win This:  






For your chance to win just answer the following question... 


Competition Closed?

Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Competition: Win Misfits - Series 4 on DVD

To celebrate the release of Misfits - Series 4 on DVD on 26th December we have a great competition for you.

Up for grabs are 3 copies on DVD!


Synopsis:


All eight episodes from the fourth series of the E4 comedy drama following a gang of teenage outsiders who find themselves saddled with superpowers after getting caught up in a storm. In this series, new characters Jess (Karla Crome), Finn (Nathan McMullen) and Alex (Matt Stokoe) are introduced, joining Curtis (Nathan Stewart Jarrett) and Rudy (Joe Gilgun) as they struggle to fend off a six-foot killer rabbit and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.




Win This:  






For your chance to win just answer the following question... 


Who plays Jess in Misfits?


To enter Email us with your answer, along with your name and address. 

When the competition ends as indictated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.


Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Sunday 16 December 2012

TV: JLS Christmas Sneak Peek Video

TV: An Idiot Abroad 3 - Ep 1: Best Bits & Deleted Scenes







Gaming: News - Street Fighter, Mega Man & Forza

TV: Dallas Season 2 "Hotter Than Ever" Promo

Everything is bigger and better in Dallas. Critics rave: addictive, fresh, superb, and hard to resist. This season of Dallas is hotter than ever! Dallas season 2 premieres January 28th on TNT.


TV: WWE "Are You Serious?" - Episode 46

Road Dogg and Josh Mathews have shared some awful videos with the WWE Universe, but nothing as foul as this clip from WCW Thunder. See the #garbagejuice only on "Are You Serious?" exclusively on YouTube!


TV: Merlin Series 5 Finale Trailer - BBC One Christmas 2012

High in the mountains a great horde gathers; Morgana prepares for war, a vengeful Mordred at her side. Merlin feels the weight of his destiny like never before as the ancient prophecies play out with terrifying accuracy. Yet before he can save his beloved Camelot, he must save himself.


Team Hell No And Ryback Vs The Shield TLC Match - WWE TLC 2012




TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2012) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by WWE, which took place on December 16, 2012, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The event was WWE's last pay-per-view event in 2012.

It was also the first professional wrestling event to be held at the Barclays Center, and WWE's first event held in Brooklyn. In addition to the event, winners of several categories of the WWE Slammy Awards were announced in the pre-show.

The event received 175,000 pay-per-view buys, down from 179,000 buys the previous year

Saturday 15 December 2012

Celeb: Marisa Miller Welcomes a Baby Boy

TV: Fringe 5x10 Promo "Anomaly XB-6783746"

As the countdown to the climactic series finale continues, the Fringe team is running out of time to save the world. As Peter, Olivia, Astrid and Walter scramble to tap into a key piece of the puzzle to defeat the Observers, they enlist the aid of Nina Sharp who conjures up a plan on an all-new "Anomaly XB-6783746" episode of FRINGE airing Friday, December 21st on FOX.


TV: How I Met Your Mother 8x11 & 8x12 Promo "The Final Page"

"The Final Page" Part 1 and 2: Robin takes steps to have Patrice fired from WWN, while Marshall puts a jinx on Barney. Later, Ted invites his architecture professor to the dedication of the GNB building; and Marshall and Lily bump into an oddball acquaintance from college. Christmas approaches and Ted wrestles with whether to tell Robin about Barney's intentions involving Patrice, while Marshall and Lily get an early Yule gift, a night away from Marvin, but a case of separation anxiety strikes and threatens to ruin the evening.


Music: Ryan Adams "Shining Through The Dark" 12/13/12 - CONAN on TBS

TV: Leverage 5x14 Promo "The Toy Job"

It's all fun and games until the Leverage crew toys with a new target. Watch them steal Christmas, Tuesday December 18th on TNT!


Celeb: Jennifer Aniston Gets Waxed

The actress' signature features are immortalized in a stunning statue. See Jennifer's "twin" at Madame Tussauds in New York.


Music: Justin Bieber Sings 'As Long As You Love Me'


Check out this haunting acoustic version of Justin's hit song, performed exclusively for Ellen's audience.


Music: Girls Aloud - Beneath You're Beautiful (Radio 1 Live Lounge)

TV: The Americans (FX) Teaser #4 "Sniper"


This January, pledge your allegiance. The Americans series premiere is Wednesday January 30th at 10pm on FX. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys star as a suburban Washington couple who are secretly KGB spies.


Friday 14 December 2012

Celeb: Sexiest WAGs of 2012 | Abbey Clancy, Shakira, Helen Flanagan and more

Let Abbey Clancy, Shakira, Irina Shayk and more show you why being a footballer IS the 'best job in the world'. Try to not to pass out with sheer excitement.


Celeb: A Christmas message from Khloe Kardashian

Gaming: Metro: Last Light - "Genesis" Gameplay Trailer

Through the millennia, civilizations rose and fell, each re-telling their own story of the world's creation. Now, beneath the ruins of Moscow, the last civilization of man has its own story to tell...


TV: Scandal 2x10 Promo "One for the Dog"

Celeb: Kendall Jenner's Glam Photo Spread

TV: Grey's Anatomy 9x10 Promo "Things We Said Today"

Celeb: Lady Gaga's Sister Steals the Spotlight

TV: Beauty and the Beast 1x10 Promo "Seeing Red"

The Vampire Diaries 4x10 Promo "After School Special"

The originals are back and they are thirsty! Now the war begins in the epic return of The Vampire Diaries, Thursday January 17th on CW.



TV: The Vampire Diaries 4x10 Promo "After School Special"


The originals are back and they are thirsty! Now the war begins in the epic return of The Vampire Diaries, Thursday January 17th on CW.



TV: Glee 4x11 Promo "Sadie Hawkins"

TV: White Collar Season 4 - New Episodes Promo

TV: Suits Season 2 - New Episodes Promo

Suits returns with all new episodes, Thursday January 17th on USA Network!



TV: 2 Broke Girls 2x12 Promo "And the High Holidays"

Desperate for a way to pay their overdue rent, Max and Caroline get involved with a group of of sketchy customers willing to pay top dollar for their cupcakes.


Thursday 13 December 2012

Celeb: Jennifer Hudson Wears a Micro Mini

TV: Gossip Girl 6x10 Sneak Peek "New York, I Love You XOXO" (HD) Series Finale

GOSSIP GIRL IDENTITY REVEALED IN SERIES FINALE -- The Series Finale begins with the stars and executive producers bidding farewell to the Upper East Side in a look back at the show's many unforgettable moments. Then, in a fashionable farewell to remember, our favorite Upper East Siders join forces for one last soiree, and the shocking identity of Gossip Girl is finally revealed.


American Horror Story 2x10 Promo "The Name Game


While Arden concludes his experiments, Howard meets Mary Eunice's inner self and Kit has an unexpected reunion. American Horror Story Asylum returns January 2nd on FX.

TV: American Horror Story 2x10 Promo "The Name Game


While Arden concludes his experiments, Howard meets Mary Eunice's inner self and Kit has an unexpected reunion. American Horror Story Asylum returns January 2nd on FX.

TV: Chicago Fire 1x10 Promo "Merry Christmas, Etc."

After putting out a kitchen fire in an upscale townhouse, Casey (Jesse Spencer), Herrmann (David Eigenberg), Mouch (Christian Stolte), Cruz (Joe Minoso), Otis (Yuri Sardarov) and Mills (Charlie Barnett) find themselves accused of stealing a $50,000 diamond necklace from the home, touching off an internal investigation. Cruz's brother Leon (guest star Jeff Lima) is caught in the middle of an escalating gang war, leaving Cruz to make a desperate choice to save him. Meanwhile, Dawson (Monica Raymund) invites Casey to her cousin's fancy Christmas party, and a frustrated Shay (Lauren German) has reached her limit with Severide (Taylor Kinney). Eamonn Walker also stars.

Celeb: Hayden Panettiere Strips Down to Bikini

TV: Arrow 1x10 Promo "Burned"

TV: Continuum Trailer - Coming to Syfy in January 2013

TV: Do No Harm (NBC) Promo

Dr. Jason Cole is a highly respected neurosurgeon who has it all - a lucrative career, confident charm, and the gift of compassion. But he also has a deep, dark secret. One morning, when he wakes up disoriented in a wrecked hotel room amidst several near-naked women he's never seen before, he knows one thing: it's happening again.

Every night at the same hour, something inside Jason changes, leaving him almost unrecognizable - seductive, devious, borderline sociopathic. This new man is his dangerous alternate personality who goes by the name of "Ian Price." For years as he's battled Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), Jason has been able to keep Ian in check with a powerful experimental sedative. But now his - their - body has developed a resistance to the serum, setting Ian free once again. And to make matters worse, after being suppressed for so long, Ian's hell-bent on taking revenge on his oppressor.

With everyone Jason cares about at risk - patients, friends, co-workers and even the woman he loves - he's got to stop Ian once and for all. Will they find some common ground, or will they bring each other down? Hell hath no fury like an alter scorned.


Celeb: Lindsay Lohan's Probation Revoked

Wednesday 12 December 2012

TV: AMC Announces renewal of Hell on Wheels for a third season


New York, NY – December 12, 2012 – AMC announced today the renewal of “Hell on Wheels” for a third season with John Wirth (“V”  “Fallen Skies” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) serving as executive producer and showrunner. Season three of the series has been greenlit for ten, one-hour episodes and is scheduled to premiere in third quarter 2013.

Centered on the lawless town known as “Hell on Wheels,” that travels with and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, the series examines the railroad’s institutionalized greed and corruption, the immigrant experience and the plight of the newly emancipated African-Americans during reconstruction. “Hell on Wheels” second season wrapped in October with an average of 2.4 million viewers and 3.2 million viewers with Live plus 7.

“As we gear up for season three of ‘Hell on Wheels’ we are pleased to have such an accomplished show runner as John Wirth join our team,” said Susie Fitzgerald, AMC’s SVP of scripted development and current programming. “With the help of our partners at Entertainment One, Endemol and Nomadic, we look forward to a new season of the poetic and pulpy adventures of Cullen Bohannan and the other characters as they build the railroad across the US.”

“We’re delighted to continue our relationship with AMC, Endemol and Nomadic Pictures,” said Michael Rosenberg, Executive VP, US Scripted Television, Entertainment One Television. "John Wirth is an incredible talent who will drive our roaring series and build on the strength and success of the ‘Hell on Wheels’ brand.”

"We look forward to unveiling the next riveting chapter in the complex lives of the denizens of ‘Hell on Wheels,’” said Jeremy Gold, Head of Creative Affairs, Endemol Studios and executive producer, “Hell on Wheels.”  "We are delighted that John Wirth will be joining us on this remarkable journey. John is a proven showrunner with a terrific voice and a deep passion for our show," Gold concluded.

“Hell on Wheels” stars Anson Mount as former confederate soldier Cullen Bohannan, who is struggling to escape his demons from the recently fought Civil War. Colm Meaney stars as Thomas “doc” Durant, a greedy entrepreneur taking full advantage of the changing times, and musician/actor Common is Elam Ferguson, an emancipated slave working to achieve true freedom in a work entrenched in prejudice. “Hell on Wheels” received a 2012 Emmy nomination for outstanding original main title theme music.