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YANKEE SWAP 6 (AKA TAKING ORDERS FROM CHARLIE)
Once again, our Yankee Swap was a success. Every year seems
to have one person whose swap gifts are frequently stolen. This year,
John Ward, was that man. But, luckily for him, he ended up with an
Outback Steakhouse gift certificate and, naturalmente, breath mints.
Other notable gifts included Friday the 13th figures and diorama, a talking
American Psycho figure (w/ unrated DVD), spaghetti westerns, the full 3rd
season of 24, a season of Tripping the Rift, a Field Guide to Monsters
and a Fantastic Four mega-collection of gifts. (Sadly enough, no-one
ended up with Thing Feet).
Thanks to all who participated in one of our most lively annual
traditions! And an honorable mention to Charlie, who made sure we
took our turns in proper order!
THE OMEGA MAN
Something about the end of the year makes one ruminate on the
end of the world. What will it be like? If it ends now, roads
will be littered with SUV’s, non-perishable food will consist of high-protein
breakfast bars and energy drinks, and survivors will probably wear modified
combat casual. But if the world ended in the 70’s, you get Charlton
Heston in wide lapels and bell-bottoms battling inhuman nocturnal foes
and the plot of THE OMEGA MAN, our December 2005 feature. Thanks
to John Ward for bringing in the goods!
ICS NIGHT OUT
ICS rented out the balcony at the Senator Theater on Saturday,
January 7, 2006 to view KING KONG. There was a good mix of club members
and guests. Many of the attendees viewed King Kong for the first
time at this outing. The film, which has garnered mixed reviews from
the critics, also received mixed reviews from the club members. But
at the end of the night, folks gathered informally to discuss the film
and pose for pictures (courtesy of John Weber). It was one more enjoyable
night at the Senator!
NEWS OF OUR NEXT MEETING
Our next meeting will be held on Saturday January 28th at 5:30
P.M. at the church hall behind the Perry Hall Presbyterian Church located
at 8848 BelAir Road. Take Baltimore Beltway exit 32 north on Belair Road.
Turn left onto Joppa Road. Immediately past the miniature golf course turn
left into the parking lot. If you miss it there are ample turn-around opportunities.
If you get stuck call 443-570-6455. That's Dave Willard’s cell phone. He'll
talk you in.
JANUARY PRESENTATION – CHILLING THE FUNNY BONE
Tom Proveaux’s long wait is over. His turn is finally
up! His theme is chilling the funny bone – a presentation on genre
films that have more than a smidgeon of comedy to them. So, if the
5pm winter sunsets are getting you down, Perry Hall Pres is the place to
be on January 28th for this upbeat presentation and film selection!
HEAR YE HEAR YE! ELECTIONS ARE NEAR!
Our annual elections will be held at the January
2006 meeting. The requirements for running for election are simple
– have a paid 2006 membership to the club, be willing to give up an extra
day in the month for a board meeting and have a strong interest in helping
the club prosper. The current candidate list is as follows:
Jim Childs
Andrew Kent
Joe Plempel
Steve Vaught
John Ward
Dave Willard
If you cannot attend the meeting and want to submit
an absentee vote, please select five candidates and email to Regina at
RVALLER107@HOTMAIL.COM or via US mail to:
Regina Vallerani
103 W. 39th St Apt B-1
Baltimore, MD 21210
DUES NEWS
This is just a reminder that dues expire on New
Year's Day. It will be time to pony up for the coming year. Individuals
are $25. Couples are $40. Extra family members who reside at the same address
are $15 each added the primary membership. We hope that you decide
to join us for an exciting year ahead.
Dues can be paid to Regina at meetings or sent via paypal to
ICSFILM@HOTMAIL.COM or mailed to Regina at:
Regina Vallerani
103 W. 39th St Apt B-1
Baltimore, MD 21210
The following members have paid their 2006 dues – if you have paid and
are not listed here, please contact Regina.
Rick Arnold
Betsy Childs
Jim Childs
John Clayton
Sam DiBlasi
David Henderson
Norman Jones
Joe Plempel
Tom Proveaux
Robin Richards
Lisa Schilling
Mike Schilling
Richard Smith
Jack Tydings
Regina Vallerani
Teeka Vallerani
Neil Wagenfer
John Weber
tvnewstvnewstvnews TheGlassTeat tvnewstvnewstvnews
TWO NBC STATIONS PULL DANIEL
Two NBC affiliates will pre-empt the Jan. 6 premiere of
the network's religious-themed series The Book of Daniel, which has been
the focus of complaints from a religious group. KARK-TV of Little Rock,
Ark., told TV Guide Online that it ordered the pre-emption after "careful
consideration" of viewer feedback. But WTWO-TV in Terre Haute, Ind., said
the decision has little to do with the series itself, according to The
Hollywood Reporter.
WTWO-TV said it would pre-empt Daniel to protest what
the station views as the network's strong-arm approach to affiliates, as
well inconsistent federal oversight of indecent content, the trade paper
reported.
Daniel, a comic drama centering on a drug-addicted Episcopalian
priest (Aidan Quinn) and his troubled family, has drawn complaints from
at least one self-styled conservative watchdog group, the American Family
Association, for what it argues is an unflattering portrayal of Christianity.
Others stations have been flooded with e-mails and calls
from viewers objecting to the series, at the AFA's urging. NBC has said
it stands by the series.
NBC is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.
Book of Daniel premieres at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
A FUTURE FOR FUTURAMA?
Talks have begun at 20th Century Fox TV to revive the
animated TV show Futurama, much in the same way Family Guy found new life
after cancellation, Variety reported.
The studio is in early discussions to put Futurama back
in production and create a limited number of episodes of the Emmy Award-winning
show, although it's too soon to tell where those episodes might end up.
A representative for 20th Century Fox TV declined comment to Variety.
The final original episode of Futurama aired on Fox in
August 2003. Since then, the show has found new life and fans via DVD releases
and repeatedly high-rated airings on the Cartoon Network.
Before Futurama comes back into being, however, Fox first
must secure deals with the show's production team, as well as voice stars
Billy West (Fry), Katey Sagal (Leela) and John DiMaggio (Bender).
Meanwhile, new Futurama stories have appeared in comics
published by co-creator Matt Groening's Bongo Comics imprint.
WHEDON: NO MORE FIREFLY
Firefly/Serenity creator Joss Whedon told USA Today that
he still hopes to tell more stories set in the futuristic universe, but
added that there's no chance he'll do another Firefly TV show. "We'll never
make Firefly again, because that was a thing that existed and is now gone,"
Whedon told the newspaper before Christmas. "And Serenity isn't Firefly,
and whatever comes next won't be, either. But I would love to tell more
stories of this universe and to hang out with these people on and off for
the rest of my career."
Serenity, based on the canceled Fox TV show Firefly, hit
theaters last September and has pulled in a disappointing $25.4 million
domestically since opening Sept. 30, 2005. The movie is now available on
DVD. "The best-case scenario is that the DVD is such a spectacular, monster
hit that we get to make another movie," Whedon said. "Then we get to make
another movie. After three movies, we're all very tired. After Serenity:
Revolutions, we feel like we've played it out. And then we make another
series."
Whedon is currently writing the script for Wonder Woman,
which he is slated to direct once Warner Brothers signs off.
BRITS MISS STAR TREK THE MOST (we here in the states do too)
The original Star Trek is the show most Britons want to
see returned to U.K. TV, according to the results of a survey reported
by the BBC. The show, which premiered in 1966, topped a poll of more than
1,000 viewers commissioned by the British interactive TV firm Home Media
Networks, the BBC reported.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer came in second, followed by the
long-running sitcom Friends.
The rest of the list: 4. Fawlty Towers 5. Blake's 7 6.
The X-Files 7. Babylon 5 8. Stargate SG-1 9. Seinfeld 10. The A-Team. Only
SCI FI Channel's original series Stargate SG-1 is still in production and
returns with original episodes on Jan. 6.
GALACTICA’S MOORE DEVELOPS MORE SF
NBC Universal Television Studio has signed a two-year
development deal with Ronald D. Moore, executive producer of SCI FI Channel's
original series Battlestar Galactica, to create and develop series, with
an emphasis on SF projects. Moore has already set up the fantasy series
Pen and the Sword for NBC and the supernatural series Warehouse 13 for
SCI FI. Moore will continue to oversee Galactica, which returns with new
episodes on Jan. 6.
Pen and the Sword centers on a young man who works in
a building that is a portal to a medieval alternate universe.
Warehouse 13, from writer Brent Mote, is about a pair
of government officials who are banished to a storage facility in North
Dakota in which every item has a supernatural or fantastical backstory.
Moore is a veteran of the Star Trek spinoff series The
Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager and wrote the screenplay for
the movie Star Trek: First Contact. He also produced Roswell and HBO's
Carnivale and received a story credit on the movie Mission: Impossible
II.
NBC Universal TV, NBC and SCI FI Channel are all owned
by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.
SCI FI CHANNEL TO AIR NIGHT STALKER
SCI FI Channel will air repeats of ABC's canceled supernatural
drama Night Stalker—including three never-before-seen episodes—starting
next summer, the network announced. SCI FI acquired all 10 produced episodes
of the Touchstone Television series, which starred Stuart Townsend as journalist
Carl Kolchak.
ABC aired seven episodes of the show, based on the 1974
series Kolchak: The Night Stalker, before pulling it from the schedule—in
the middle of a two-part episode—because of low ratings. Night Stalker
is executive-produced by Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files) and also stars Gabrielle
Union, Eric Jungmann and Cotter Smith.
The show centers on Kolchak, a crime reporter whose wife
was mysteriously killed 19 months earlier. Now, in the eyes of the FBI,
Kolchack is the primary suspect. His determination to discover the truth
behind his wife's murder leads him to investigate other crimes that seem
to have some kind of supernatural component.
FAN TREK FILM FINNISHES FIRST
A spoof of Star Trek has become Finland's most-viewed
movie, relying on free distribution over the Internet to reach more than
3 million viewers in less than two months, the Reuters news service reported.
Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning is a full-length feature
in Finnish with English subtitles that pits The Next Generation-like ships
against Babylon 5-like ships in a space battle for domination of the galaxy.
It was made by a group of students and other amateur filmmakers with a
bare-bones budget and a few home computers to create elaborate special
effects.
According to the Finnish Internet hosting firm Magentasites
Oy, which is helping to distribute Star Wreck, 2.92 million copies have
been downloaded from the film's Web site since Oct. 1, and an estimated
600,000 copies have gone out through various mirror sites, the wire service
reported.
LOST GETS BOTH EW AWARD & WGA NOMINATION
ABC's hit series Lost received a nomination for outstanding
achievement in writing for a dramatic series for the 58th Annual Writers
Guild TV Awards, the Writers Guild of America, East, and the Writers Guild
of America. Winners will be named on Feb. 4, 2006.
The guild announced a nomination for the Lost writing
staff that includes Jeffrey J. Abrams, Kim Clements, Carlton Cuse, Leonard
Dick, Paul Dini, Brent Fletcher, David Fury, Drew Goddard, Javier Grillo-Marxuach,
Adam Horowitz, Jennifer M. Johnson, Christina M. Kim, Edward Kitsis, Jeffrey
Lieber, Damon L. Lindelof, Lynne Litt, Monica Macer, Steven Maeda, Elizabeth
Sarnoff, Janet Tamaro, Christian M. Taylor and Craig Wright.
Lost also won the title of "Entertainer of the Year" from
Entertainment Weekly magazine, which called the show one of the "biggest
cult breakouts since The X-Files.
movienewsmovienews Silver Screen movienewsmovienews
Story Back For Four 2
Director Tim Story has signed on to return
for the sequel film Fantastic Four 2, which 20th Century Fox has slotted
for release July 4, 2007. Story's seven-figure deal triples his quote from
the first film, which grossed $320 million worldwide. Mark Frost has returned
to write the sequel for Fox and Marvel Enterprises.
Story said that his decision to return for
a second Fantastic Four, based on the Marvel Comics series, was a no-brainer.
Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis will return
as the superhero quartet.
Gellar Back in Grudge 2
The Grudge star Sarah Michelle Gellar has
signed on to reprise her role, albeit briefly, in the horror sequel The
Grudge 2 for Columbia Pictures and Ghost House Pictures. Gellar will return
to pass the supernatural curse, which was introduced in the first installment,
on to the franchise's next lead victim, an actor to be cast soon. Director
Takashi Shimizu, writer Stephen Susco and producers Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert
and Taka Ichise also are on board for the sequel.
This is Gellar's second crack at genre sequel
work following her stint in Scream 2 and as far as future projects go,
this year was a busy one, we'll be seeing her in Richard Kelly's Southland
Tales and the supernatural thriller The Return soon.
The Grudge 2 is set to begin shooting in Tokyo
next month, with the studio eyeing an October release. The first film was
a surprise hit for Sony, grossing more than $110 million domestically.
Johansson Joins The Prestige
Scarlett Johansson (The Island) has signed
on for the lead female role in director Christopher Nolan's supernatural
film The Prestige alongside Hugh Jackman, David Bowie and Nolan's Batman
Begins stars Christian Bale and Michael Caine. Shooting starts in January
and continues through March in Los Angeles. The story centers on two rival
magicians and is based on the novel by Christopher Priest; Nolan adapted
the book for the screen.
Angel Star Gives Up Ghost
Angel star David Boreanaz will play a ghost
writer—or, rather, a writer who's a ghost—opposite Alan Cumming in Suffering
Man's Charity, an independent dark comedy that Cumming will also direct.
Boreanaz, who currently stars in Fox's Bones, will play a struggling writer
who is accidentally killed by Cumming one evening. Cumming discovers the
writer's novel and ends up taking credit for penning it. When it becomes
a success, the writer comes back to haunt him. Suffering Man's Charity
also stars Anne Heche, Henry Thomas and Carrie Fisher.
Fox Hears a Who
Twentieth Century Fox Animation has set veteran
animators Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino to direct its computer-animated
film adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic children's book Horton Hears a
Who. Storyboarding has just begun, and Fox has slotted the film for a spring
2008 release. Blue Sky, makers of Ice Age and Robots, will produce the
movie.
Audrey Geisel, widow of Theodor Geisel, who
wrote the book under the pen name "Dr. Seuss," will act as executive producer.
She sold Fox both Horton and an option for a sequel based on Horton Hatches
an Egg.
Earthsea Becomes an Anime
Japan's Studio Ghibli, the Japanese studio
and home of anime master Hayao Miyazaki (Howl's Moving Castle), announced
that it will adapt Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea fantasy novel series in
an animated movie called Gedo Senki (Tales From Earthsea.) Gedo Senki will
be released in Japan in July 2006 and will be based on the third and fourth
books in Le Guin's six-volume series, which was first published in 1968.
Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, is making his
feature directing debut with the film, about the journey of a wizard named
Ged and Prince Arrenis. Le Guin's series was previously adapted as Legend
of Earthsea, a live-action miniseries that aired on the SCI FI Channel
in 2004.
WIND CHILL Coming to Vancouver
WIND CHILL, a horror film from George Clooney
and Steven Soderbergh’s Section 8 company (which produced THE JACKET and
recent critical faves SYRIANA and GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK), is set to
film in the Vancouver area next February. Gregory Jacobs (CRIMINAL) will
direct from a script by Steven Katz (SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE) and Joe Gangemi.
The story concerns a pair of college students driving home for the holidays
who break down on an isolated stretch of road, where they are terrorized
by the spirits of people who died there.
Superman Documentary Flies
Superman Returns director Bryan Singer has
engaged documentary director Kevin Burns to make Look Up in the Sky: The
Amazing Story of Superman. Singer will executive-produce with Burns and
is working with Warner Brothers on ambitious plans to get the feature-length
documentary a theatrical release and a TV viewing before Warner unveils
Superman Returns on June 30.
Singer met the documentary maker when the
director was a film student and said that he always wanted to do a documentary
with Burns. Singer loved Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood, which
Burns directed with Brent Zacky, and the Burns-directed Empire of Dreams:
The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy.
The TV cut of the documentary would include
a scene from Superman Returns and will also likely end up either on the
DVD release of Superman Returns or in a freestanding DVD of its own.
Burns has already done 40 interviews with
artists and actors from the various Superman films and TV shows and said
that he'll deliver the film by the end of April. Filming on Superman Returns
wrapped last month.
Witchblade Re-sharpened For Film
Platinum Studios, IDG Films and Relativity
Media are financing and producing two back-to-back movies based on the
comic-book series Witchblade. Shooting is set to begin late next year in
China; no writer or director is yet attached.
The comics follow the story of a female detective
who comes into possession of a mystical and powerful weapon that she uses
to battle crime and evil. The comic was previously adapted as a TNT TV
show, which was the most successful original series in the network's history
during its brief run.
Fishburne To Direct Alchemist
Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) will adapt,
direct and star in an adaptation of Paulo Coelho's supernatural novel The
Alchemist. Shooting takes place in Dubai and Jordan starting next year.
Fishburne will play the part of Santiago,
a well-educated man who had intended to be a priest. A desire for travel
prompts him to become a shepherd instead. When he dreams twice about hidden
treasure, a seer tells him to go to Egypt's pyramids, where he will find
a treasure.
Lussier Heads Toward The Light
Patrick Lussier will direct the sequel to
White Noise entitled White Noise 2: The Light. Lussier previously directed
Dimension Films' Dracula 2000 trilogy- the last two sitting on the shelf
for quite some time, only to get released after the Weinstein split. In
White Noise 2: The Light, written by Matt Venne, a man's family is murdered
and he is brought back from the brink of death. The man realizes he has
changed and can now identify those among the living who are about to die.
When he tries to save people from their fate, he discovers there is a price
to paid for interfering with the natural order of life and death.
BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD Wraps
ALONE IN THE DARK screenwriters Michael Roesch
and Peter Scheerer wrapped last month on their directorial debut, BROTHERHOOD
OF BLOOD. The film is described as a claustrophobic thriller about a team
of vampire hunters who infiltrate a nest of undead to rescue one of their
own. BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD stars the busy Sid Haig and his fellow DEVIL’S
REJECTS actor Ken Foree, as well as Victoria Pratt, who also stars in the
Roesch and Scheerer-scripted HOUSE OF THE DEAD II. The supporting cast
includes Jason Connery, Will Snow and Rachel Grant (DIE ANOTHER DAY). Arrow
in the Head website guru John Fallon, last seen in SAW II, has a bit part
as well.
“We’re thrilled to work with this exciting
cast in the genre we love: horror,” Roesch said in a statement. “We tell
a vampire story from a different angle,” added Scheerer, “and, of course,
there will be blood!”
DAVA’S DELVINGS
This month – featuring a review by Sam DiBlasi
King Kong – Beauty killed the Beast
A chilly night in Baltimore. The perfect evening for the ICS
King Kong night.
Driving up York Road and catching that first glimpse of
the historic Senator Theater's colorful marquee bearing the title King
Kong was enough to start the evening off on a note of excitement. From
the moment I entered the lobby of the theater and saw familiar faces smiling
from above in the balcony I knew this was going to be a special night.
Proceeding up the balcony's circular stairs, I was to be greeted
by fellow ICS'ers and a table of delectable goodies. A large poster of
Kong adorned the area with the soft drinks. It was nice to see some regulars
and some new guests. The balcony area is comfortable, while not fancy.
The center area was the meeting area with two viewing rooms on either side.
The room on the right side was to be the "quiet" room with a strict "no
talking" rule, while the room on the left side was for those who wished
to discuss the movie during its screening.
The plot is a familiar one to most of us, this being one of
a few remakes, although Peter Jackson really outdid himself, making this
film something that could almost be called an epic. The story takes place
in 1933 during the Great Depression and centers on a Vaudeville actress
named Ann Darrow. She finds herself out of work with no means of support
and is to the point of stealing food, when she is discovered by filmmaker
Carl Denham. In a mad dash, Denham has just stolen his unfinished film
from the studio and is planning to finish it on his own. He attempts to
talk Darrow into starring in his film but she resists until she realizes
that well known playwright Jack Driscoll is involved in writing the screenplay.
Denham hires a boat to take the crew to what they think
is Singapore, but he is really searching for the legendary Skull Island.
They, in fact, do find this Skull Island where thanks to some scary natives;
Darrow is a sacrifice to Kong. She is taken by him and the real trip begins.
The men follow to rescue her and they are pitted against a myriad of unusual
creatures. They encounter stampeding dinosaurs, as well as a pit of giant
spiders and ugly cockroaches.
Then we discover Kong. Jackson let Kong be shown as both
King of the Jungle (in a battle with 3 T-Rexs) and also as King in need.
There are some touching moments between Kong and Darrow. There is a bonding
as Kong saves her life and she then entertains him with some vaudeville.
We see the Gorilla graveyard and realize that Kong is the last of his kind.
Meanwhile, Deneham is determined to capture Kong and take
him back to New York. Darrow fights this and we are all moved when Kong
finally falls to the whiff of chloroform. In classic Kong manner, Deneham
says “Kong will be the 8th Wonder of the World.”
The next shot is the marquee in New York. Again Jackson
has caught the flavor of the original movie and it shows here. Kong is
put on display in the New York theater in shackles as the "Eighth Wonder
of the World." As the audience is in awe at the sight of this ape several
stories tall, Kong manages to break free from his bondage for a spectacular
escape from the theater. After an exciting search thru New York for the
Blonde he wants, he finds her. Darrow. Kong, carrying the girl, manages
to romp through New York trampling many buildings and vehicles along the
way before he reaches the Empire State Building. Kong then proceeds to
climb the Empire State Building, girl in hand.
The next scenes are familiar ones to anyone who is the
least bit acquainted with American cinema. Planes circle the building attempting
to destroy Kong. He grabs and hurls at least one of the planes before being
fatally wounded and plunging below to his demise. This leads us to ponder:
we talk of beauty soothing the beast...but what about the beast in mankind?
This was truly a special night for all involved. Good
friends...good movie... How much better can it really get? I'm hoping that
the Senator will be showing more genre related movies so that we can have
another night in the balcony soon.
IMAGINATIVE CINEMA COMING SOON
MUST SEE MOVIES FOR YOU!
Jan 6th The Gathering
Cast: Christina Ricci, Jennifer Beals, Stephen Dillane, Kerry Fox,
Ioan Gruffudd, Blair Plant (Father Bernard), Bridget Turner (Mrs. Groves)
Premise: Set in rural England in present day, The Gathering centers
on a first century church that is unearthed near an English countryside
town, where a remarkable and sinister mural is found. A young American
backpacker (Ricci) traveling through the English village finds herself
involved in a car accident and gladly accepts help from the driver and
her family. The girl begins to hallucinate and believes terrifying strangers
are following her - but are the images from a concussion or a newly
found gift of second sight, both of which might be connected to the church. The
story involves an ancient legend dating back to Christ's crucifixion.
Jan 6th
Hostel.
Premise: Two adventurous American college buddies, Paxton and Josh,
backpack through Europe eager to make quintessentially hazy travel memories
with new friend Oli, an Icelander they've met along the way. Paxton and
Josh are lured to a particular hostel in an out-of-the-way Slovakian town.
The two friends arrive and soon easily pair off with exotic beauties Natalya
and Svetlana. Initially distracted by the good time they're having, the
two Americans quickly find themselves trapped in an increasingly sinister
situation that they will discover is as wide and as deep as the darkest,
sickest recess of human nature itself--if they survive.
Jan 20th Underworld: Evolution
Cast: Kate Beckinsale (Selene), Scott Speedman (Michael Corvin), Shane
Brolly (Kraven), Bill Nighy (Viktor), Derek Jacobi (Marcus)
Premise: Selene the vampire and her lover, Michael the werewolf-hybrid,
are caught in the middle of the continuing war between the two immortal
races.
Feb 3rd When a Stranger Calls
Premise: While babysitting, a high school student is terrorized
by a stranger who calls her, asking "have you checked the children lately?"
The police eventually notify her the calls are coming from inside the house.
Feb 10th Final Destination 3
Premise: When a high school student fails to stop the fated roller
coaster ride that she predicted would cause the deaths of several of her
friends, she teams with a schoolmate, in a race against time to prevent
the Grim Reaper from revisiting the survivors of the first tragedy
farewellsfarewellsfarewells Good bye farewellsfarewellsfarewells
RICHARD PRYOR
ONE OF THE VERY BEST
1940 - 2005
Jean Parker, who appeared in at least 70 movies in her career and had
supporting roles in such popular films as Little Women, starring Katharine
Hepburn, and The Gunfighter, starring Gregory Peck, has died. She was 90.
Born Lois May Green in Deer Lodge, Montana, she came to California
in the early 1930s with her father. She began her career as a contract
actress at MGM studio, appearing in seven films in 1933, the year of her
debut. Other of her films include lady for a day, dead man’s eyes, gabriel
over the white house, princess o’hara, the ghost goes west, zenobia, the
flying deuces, torpedo boat, tomorrow we live, the deerslayer, detective
kitty o’day, and apache uprising.
Vincent Schiavelli, the character actor whose gloomy, droopy-eyed look
made him perfect for creepy or eccentric roles, has died.
He was born and raised in New York and studied acting at New York University's
School of the Arts. His films include one flew over the cuckoo’s nest,
the frisco kid, night shift, fast times at ridgemont high, amadeus, homer
& eddy, ghost, tomorrow never dies and death to smoochy.
He also appeared in such ICS favorites as the return, the adventures
of buckeroo bonzai, better off dead, batman returns, lurking fear, lords
of illusion, blade runner and emperor: battle for dune. He was 57.
Patrick Cranshaw, the veteran character actor who unexpectedly attained
pop-culture status playing Blue, the elderly fraternity brother in the
hit comedy Old School, has died at 86.
Born in Bartlesville, Okla., in 1919, he became interested in acting
while entertaining the troops with the Army Air Forces before World War
II. After launching his screen career in 1955 playing a bartender in the
western Texas Lady, he appeared in such other films as bonnie & clyde,
bandelero, sgt. Pepper’s lonely hearts club band, pee wee’s big adventure,
the hudsucker proxy, best in show and herbie fully loaded.
Cranshaw was also in such genre gems as the amazing transparent man,
curse of the swamp creature and mars needs women.
Beverly Tyler, a film actress from the 1940s and '50s who signed a studio
contract at 14, then grew up to make 16 films, has died. She was 78.
Born Beverly Jean Saul on July 5, 1927, in Scranton, Pa, Tyler had
her first screen test at the New York City office of MGM. She was soon
on her way to Culver City with her parents and making $75 a week, mainly
to attend school on the studio lot. Several years later, she received favorable
reviews for portraying a Scottish girl in the sentimental film, The Green
Years in 1946. She made her last film, Toughest Gun in Tombstone, in 1958
and subsequently left the business when she moved to Reno with her husband.
Other of her films include the youngest profession, best foot forward,
my brother talks to horses, the fireball, the palimino, the cimarron kid,
the battle of apache pass and chicago confidential. She also worked with
Boris Karloff on voodoo island.
Robert Sheckley one of the 20th century’s major Science Fiction writers
has died at age 77. He was born in 1928 and grew up in New Jersey. After
serving in Korea he studied at the University of New York and sold his
first story in 1951. During the fifties and sixties a large number of his
short stories appeared in magazines including Amazing, Astounding, If,
Fantasy and Science Fiction and Playboy. His novels include immortality
inc, the status civilization, journey beyond tomorrow, the tenth victim,
mindswap, options, dramocles and victim prime.
Photo Gallery Photo Gallery Photo Gallery Photo Gallery
In this first of images from Bryan Singer's upcoming Superman Returns,
Brandon Routh plays the Man of Steel, captured here in a pose reminiscent
of the June 1938 cover of Action Comics No. 1, which marked the superhero's
debut. (David James for Warner Brothers)
NEWS WE WANT TO SHARE - BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO PUT
ROSWELL ‘SAUCER’ MAN DIES
Army Lt. Walter Haut, who issued a news release in 1947
that said a flying saucer landed in Roswell, N.M., died there on Dec. 15,
his daughter, Julie Shuster, told the Associated Press. He was 83.
Haut's release and the news coverage it generated were
the beginning of the mythology surrounding the tiny New Mexico town and
its supposed link to the UFO phenomenon, which persists to this day.
Haut, a former spokesman for the Roswell Army Air Field,
took dictation on July 8, 1947, as base commander Col. William Blanchard
dictated a news release about a recovered flying saucer and ordered Haut
to issue it.
The Roswell Daily Record newspaper ran a bold headline
on July 9, 1947: "RAAF Captures Flying Saucer on Ranch in Roswell Region."
The same day, a statement was released saying it was only
a weather balloon.
Subsequently, Haut and two other men founded the International
UFO Museum in Roswell.
DC SUPERHERO STAMPS ARE COMING
Not only an increase in postage, but the United States
Postal Service announced that it will issue a series of stamps featuring
10 DC Comics superheroes next summer, the first such stamps ever issued
by the service. The DC Comics stamps will feature the classic superheroes
Aquaman, Batman, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Plastic
Man, Supergirl, Superman and Wonder Woman, the USPS said.
The stamps will be sold in sheets of 20; half of each
sheet will feature portraits of the characters, while the others will reproduce
classic covers of the heroes' comics.
The featured covers will include Plastic Man number four,
from the summer of 1946; Batman number one, spring 1940; The Brave and
the Bold number 36, featuring Hawkman, June-July 1961; Green Lantern number
four, January-February 1961; The Flash number 111, February-March 1960;
Wonder Woman number 22 (second series), November 1988; Aquaman number five,
October 1989; The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl number one, November
1982; Superman number 11, July-August 1941; and Green Arrow number 15,
September 2002.
John Ward and The Last Ward will be back in February with some Oscar
movie picks and Oscar information for all of us.
ICS CALENDER –the Month in review!
Jan 6th The Gathering
Jan 6th Hostel.
Jan 20th Underworld: Evolution
Jan 28th ICS MEETING Saturday at
5:30 P.M.
We will have Tom Proveaux’s presentation of “chilling the funny bone” –
a presentation on genre films that have more than a smidgeon of comedy
to them. Also, Club dues for 2006 are due and our annual elections
will be held on this night.
The current candidate list for club elections is as follows:
Jim Childs
Andrew Kent
Joe Plempel
Steve Vaught
John Ward
Dave Willard
