Recently, friend of the blog Dave C. brought to our attention that a looong out of print book of the incredible, eyeball-melting artwork by "visual futurist" Syd Mead for the seminal sci-fi movie Blade Runner is now available online.
This post from collider.com looks at that one of a kind tome.
Syd Mead is a national treasure. Seriously, someone award this man a medal. I bet he could design a really cool one.
Sci-Fi and Fantasy from A (Artoo-Detoo) to Z (Zardoz)
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Imperfect Holiday Gifts
Well, another Christmas season has ended. Soon now-brittle trees will be carted out to the sidewalk for disposal and wreaths and ornaments will be stored away until next year.
And gifts that were exchanged are now…brought back to retailers for full refunds. Yes, despite the well-meaning intentions, some gifts just aren’t the right fit, or just rub people the wrong way, or are just way dangerous and pervy.
We’ve polled retailers nationwide and, hands down, the number 1 returned item this season has been the "Nomad Home Probe" from Roykirk Industries (model #MK-15c).
Here are just a few of the comments culled from return forms:
“This thing tried to mount my Roomba vacuum! What kind of pervert are you people selling?”
“My husband was singing in the living room on the new karaoke set the kids got him for Christmas, when Nomad comes in and zaps him. Now he can’t remember who he is!”
“My Nomad seems to be conspiring with the appliances in my kitchen. I see him hovering around the microwave all the time, calling it “Tan Ru.” I seen I, Robot and I don’t want that to happen to me!
"Nomad keeps “accidentally” floating in on my wife while she’s in the shower. I wouldn’t mind so much, but his antennae are always fully extended, which creeps her out."
“Every time I try to watch Jersey Shore, Nomad yells something about how he must “sterilize imperfections,” then fires an energy bolt at the tv. But then for a half hour afterwards, he hovers around mumbling something about wanting to tap Snookie’s exhaust port.”
Star Trek is Copyright 2011 and a Trademark of CBS Studios, Inc. No infringement of those rights is intended with this parody. Screencaps from Trekcore.com.
And gifts that were exchanged are now…brought back to retailers for full refunds. Yes, despite the well-meaning intentions, some gifts just aren’t the right fit, or just rub people the wrong way, or are just way dangerous and pervy.
We’ve polled retailers nationwide and, hands down, the number 1 returned item this season has been the "Nomad Home Probe" from Roykirk Industries (model #MK-15c).
Here are just a few of the comments culled from return forms:
“This thing tried to mount my Roomba vacuum! What kind of pervert are you people selling?”
“My husband was singing in the living room on the new karaoke set the kids got him for Christmas, when Nomad comes in and zaps him. Now he can’t remember who he is!”
“My Nomad seems to be conspiring with the appliances in my kitchen. I see him hovering around the microwave all the time, calling it “Tan Ru.” I seen I, Robot and I don’t want that to happen to me!
"Nomad keeps “accidentally” floating in on my wife while she’s in the shower. I wouldn’t mind so much, but his antennae are always fully extended, which creeps her out."
“Every time I try to watch Jersey Shore, Nomad yells something about how he must “sterilize imperfections,” then fires an energy bolt at the tv. But then for a half hour afterwards, he hovers around mumbling something about wanting to tap Snookie’s exhaust port.”
Star Trek is Copyright 2011 and a Trademark of CBS Studios, Inc. No infringement of those rights is intended with this parody. Screencaps from Trekcore.com.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Ridley Scott's Return To Science Fiction
Ridley Scott directed two landmark science fiction films, Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982). The former set the standard for sci-fi/horror, while the latter is the best film noir via sci-fi story there is.
Both movies are also rightly known for their trendsetting production design, with their gritty, lived in look and details. To this day, any new science fiction movie cribs from the look of one or both of these films.
Now, three decades later, Scott returns to the genre with Prometheus, a quasi-prequel to Alien. Here's the first real trailer for the film at BleedingCool.com, which opens June 2012. And here's a very cool trailer screencap breakdown BleedingCool did a few days later.
I love that they used the original Alien trailer's sound effects over this new ad. It just serves to further tie Alien and Prometheus together, and if you didn't know where that sound came from, it is still creepy/scary and totally appropriate for the trailer.
Both movies are also rightly known for their trendsetting production design, with their gritty, lived in look and details. To this day, any new science fiction movie cribs from the look of one or both of these films.
Now, three decades later, Scott returns to the genre with Prometheus, a quasi-prequel to Alien. Here's the first real trailer for the film at BleedingCool.com, which opens June 2012. And here's a very cool trailer screencap breakdown BleedingCool did a few days later.
I love that they used the original Alien trailer's sound effects over this new ad. It just serves to further tie Alien and Prometheus together, and if you didn't know where that sound came from, it is still creepy/scary and totally appropriate for the trailer.
Happy Happy, Joy Joy!
Star Trek is Copyright 2011 and a Trademark of CBS Studion, Inc. No infringement of their rights is intended with this parody. Screencaps from Trekcore.com
Thursday, December 22, 2011
GREAT Apes, Indeed
This short bit of video footage, found at io9.com, is more thrilling, amazing and moving than the entire recent Rise of the Planet of the Apes movie (sorry, Andy Serkis).
Just watch it and see.
Seriously. (The action starts at about the 1:05 mark).
Just watch it and see.
Seriously. (The action starts at about the 1:05 mark).
Monday, December 19, 2011
The Restoration of Manos
SOMEONE IS RESTORING "MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE!"
Sorry about shouting that, but, seriously, according to this NPR post, a film school grad - dude named Ben Solovey - wants to restore "Manos," one of the the WORST films ever made.
You were likely introduced to "Manos," as I was, through the glory days of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Is this a good thing, Torgo, or should such wretched celluloid cheese be left alone in all its scratchy, grainy glory?
Sorry about shouting that, but, seriously, according to this NPR post, a film school grad - dude named Ben Solovey - wants to restore "Manos," one of the the WORST films ever made.
You were likely introduced to "Manos," as I was, through the glory days of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Is this a good thing, Torgo, or should such wretched celluloid cheese be left alone in all its scratchy, grainy glory?
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Odds n Ends
Movie critic Christy Lemire lists her Five Favorite Performances by Robert Downey Jr. I agree with her assessments of Downey's work in Iron Man, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and the hilarious Tropic Thunder. I also agree with her that RDJ's Sherlock Holmes is a waste of celluloid. Rent the BBC's recent 3-episode series Sherlock if you want some adventurous fun with the brilliant detective.
We are all into the late lamented sci-fi western series Firefly here at the BNFOS Orbiting Space Station, and io9.com has a fun piece about how artist Dan Dos Santos did the cover art for a recent Dark Horse Comics Serenity issue.
These toy designs that would have been tie-ins to a Tim Burton directed Superman movie are some premium nightmare fuel. Superman is THE FIRST superhero ever. Why the fuck do they want to mess with that simple iconic design? "Underwear on the outside?" That's just the way it is, leave it alone. If a man flew out of the sky, landed in front of you and lifted a car over his head (on a movie screen, natch), if the first thing you say is, "Your underwear is on the outside" you are a complete idiot.
We are all into the late lamented sci-fi western series Firefly here at the BNFOS Orbiting Space Station, and io9.com has a fun piece about how artist Dan Dos Santos did the cover art for a recent Dark Horse Comics Serenity issue.
These toy designs that would have been tie-ins to a Tim Burton directed Superman movie are some premium nightmare fuel. Superman is THE FIRST superhero ever. Why the fuck do they want to mess with that simple iconic design? "Underwear on the outside?" That's just the way it is, leave it alone. If a man flew out of the sky, landed in front of you and lifted a car over his head (on a movie screen, natch), if the first thing you say is, "Your underwear is on the outside" you are a complete idiot.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
An Off-Road Segway
Holy shit, but this is so cool.
You know what a Segway is right? That weird two-wheeled thingy that was supposed to revolutionize transportation, or something. Know anybody who owns one? Didn't think so. (I've only seen it on tv used by mail men or cops.)
Inventor Ben Gulak did the Segway one better: he put tank treads and a 200 cc engine into a Segway-like off-road devil called a DTV Shredder. It's all in this Rolling Stone piece.
I wonder if Ben got his inspiration from the Mandroid in that goofy scifi masterpiece The Eliminators (see my running commentary of that funfest here)?
You know what a Segway is right? That weird two-wheeled thingy that was supposed to revolutionize transportation, or something. Know anybody who owns one? Didn't think so. (I've only seen it on tv used by mail men or cops.)
Inventor Ben Gulak did the Segway one better: he put tank treads and a 200 cc engine into a Segway-like off-road devil called a DTV Shredder. It's all in this Rolling Stone piece.
I wonder if Ben got his inspiration from the Mandroid in that goofy scifi masterpiece The Eliminators (see my running commentary of that funfest here)?
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