[video] Origin of the Terminator
Honestly, although I can see similarities between the stories and The Terminator I don't think Ellison really had a case in the beginning. It's not like he had exclusive rights to time travel and apocalyptic wars. However, his case got quite a bit stronger through studio bungling.
[video] Don't know why anyone would do this, but I'm pretty sure this is what the internet is for
Star Wars: Uncut Trailer from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.
More info at the website. Why don't you join in?
[video] The Short Film 'District 9' Is Based Off Of
I saw this a couple years ago but completely forgot about it until District 9 came out last week so I thought I would share in case some of you haven't seen it. This short is equally as good, if not better, than the movie.
Here's also a review of District 9 in case you are undecided if you should see it.
2009 Oscar Nominated Short Animations
My favorite was Oktapodi...
Though The House of Small Cubes (Le Maison en Petits Cubes) won, and it was pretty good also, kind of sad though...
The house is almost like "blocks". A grandpa who lived in the house has been constantly building houses on top, as the water level rises. This is the story about his memory with his family. (via)
The others were just alright: Presto is the Pixar short that I swear I have seen in the theater before every Pixar movie for the last three years. Lavatory - Lovestory was had nice simple black and white animation with just a splash of color for emphasis. This Way Up (Part 2) was just one of the short films that leaves you going, "What?"
Finally, A live action "My Little Pony" Movie
Now this is a movie I can get behind...
The music video is pretty funny also...
Trekkies mad that new star trek film might actually have widespread appeal
My favorite line:
I understand fans were angry because the Klingon dialogue was subtitled because it allows the Klingons to be understood by people that haven't studied the imaginary language for years.
Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'
The Commentary track makes me want to rent the Conan DVD
Seriously, I have never watched a directors commmentary on a movie ever, but I would actually watch Conan: The Barbarian because these snippets are too freaking funny.
Something tells me this commentary would funnier than any Dane Cook movie I have ever watched.
Transcript:
John Milius: Uhh, I'm Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold: And I'm John Milius the great. And if you believe that, you also believe there are Richard Simmons juniors running around, ha ha ha ha.
Arnold: Here's the making of the sword, this whole movie has to do with that.
John Milius: Uh, she's beautiful isn't she?
Arnold: yeah.
Arnold: that's me when I was young.
John Milius: yeah, looks just like you.
Arnold: Exactly
Arnold: look at that attack with Thulsa Doom in the front with his helmet.
Arnold: The whole place is burning down.
Arnold: Look at that, it's total hypnosis, look at that.
Arnold: I was getting laid a lot in this movie
John Milius: I know...
Arnold: It was amazing
Arnold: It's like an Alka Seltzer commercial.
Arnold: Look at her with the snakes, see how she holds the snakes.
Arnold: Hey there's the ghosts...you see that?
Arnold: This is where the orgy takes place...
Arnold: Look at this when he becomes a snake.
Arnold: She's on ecstasy, she's on drugs.
Arnold: Yeaup, I go right into the soup...
Arnold: Now we are taking her...
Arnold: Look at this, that's funny, the Thulsa Doom helping the guy.
Arnold: He's gonna, he's gonna die now.
Arnold: I get hypnotized...
John Milius: yeah...
Arnold: ...See, I'm looking down.
Arnold: Now I'm carrying her off.
And the Movie Industry Always Seemed So Honest
From Mario Puzo's The Last Don (pg 327-328):
"I've never understood how I can have ten percent of the profit of a picture that grosses one hundred million dollars and costs only fifteen million to make, and then never see a penny. that's one mystery I'd like to solve before I die.""It's absolutely legal," she said. "They are abiding by the contract, one you should not have signed in the first place. Look, take the one-hundred-million gross. The theaters, the exhibitors, take half, so now the studio only gets fifty million, which is called the rentals."
"OK. The studio takes out the fifteen million dollars the picture costs. Now there's thirty-five million left. But by the terms of your contract and most studio contracts, the studio takes thirty percent of the rentals for distribution costs on the film. That's another fifteen mil in their pockets. So you're down to twenty mil. Then they deduct the cost of making prints, the cost for advertising the picture, which could easily be another five. You're down to fifteen."
"Now here's the beauty. By contract, the studio gets twenty-five percent of of the budget for studio overhead, telephone bills, electricity, use of sound stages etc. Now you're down to eleven million. But the Bankable Star gets at least five percent of the rentals, the director and producer another five percent. So that comes to another five million. You're down to six million."
"At last you'll get something. But not so fast. They then charge you all the costs of distribution, they charge fifty grand for delivering the prints to the English marked, another fifty to France or Germany. And the finally they charge the interest on the fifteen million they borrowed to make the picture. And there they lose me. But that last six million disappears."
I know what you're thinking, that book is fiction, Hollywood can't possibly be like that in real life. Now, I want you to read this article on Sahara's budget to see how the money actually disappears.