SUPER Correction

Warner Brothers have announced a disc replacement program for the defective discs in their new Superman Ultimate Collectors Edition which we mentioned yesterday.

Here's a statement from Warners Home Video via The Digital Bits-

Bonus content was omitted from the Superman III Deluxe Edition in the 14-disc Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition. Furthermore, disc one of Superman: The Movie Four Disc Special Edition did not include the Dolby Digital 2.0 mix. Neither disc is known to be physically defective in any way.

Warner Home Video wants to extend apologies to all of our loyal Superman fans who've waited so patiently for these great collections and has taken immediate steps to correct these errors with the intention of standing behind our product 100%.

Replacement discs can be obtained by calling: 800-553-6937. The exchange program applies only to purchases of the Superman III Deluxe Edition in the Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition and to disc one of Superman: The Movie Four Disc Special Edition, available as a single title, as well as in The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection and in the Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition.

The info has not yet been posted at the WHV website.

SUPER Mistake: Warner Brothers Fumbles SUPERMAN DVD Set

Fans of the Superman films who are looking to run out to their favorite DVD retailer tomorrow to pick up Warner Brothers’ “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” box set may want to wait a few days.
Sure, the 14-disc is loaded to the gills with everything any fan could want- special editions of all four films starring Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel, the new alternate Richard Donner cut of Superman II, this summer’s Superman Returns, all 16 of the Fleischer Studios classic Superman cartoons, the George Reeves 1951 feature Superman And The Mole-Men and loads of extras all packed into a shiny metal box. Just the thing any self-respecting Superman fan, myself included, would want on their shelf.

Unfortunately, the folks at Warner Brothers have let slip not one but two major mistakes in the set through their quality control system. First, left off of the Superman: The Movie disc is the film’s original 1978 Dolby stereo track. Currently, the disc only contains the remixed soundtrack from the film’s original 2001 DVD release, which many fans were not happy with. The second flub concerns the version of Superman III included in the set. Although the set was advertised as containing the new Deluxe Edition of the film which includes a commentary track, deleted scenes and more, the set is actually showing up containing only the bare-bones DVD release from 2001.

Fortunately, these two mistakes have been contained to the “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” only. The smaller “Christopher Reeve Collection” which only contains the four Superman films he starred in, is unaffected.

I have to admit that I’m shocked that not one but two major blunders to make their way out onto the shelves in this set, especially with this being a high profile holiday release. Although they have not stated so yet, I would expect Warners to set up some sort of disc exchange relatively quickly to rectify the problem for consumers. Still, this kind of screw-up is going to give some DVD consumers pause before they plunk out their hard-earned cash.

Saying Good-Bye To Robert Altman

Late yesterday afternoon, in the wake of the announcement of his passing, Robert Altman's production company Sandcastle 5 Productions sent out a press release with statements from the many actors and film professionals who worked with him over the years.

“I was friends with Bob for 20 years before we worked together on GOSFORD PARK. It was then that I experienced the real magic of Robert Altman. When he was working he had a youthful joyfulness that was just amazing.” – Bob Balaban

“I have always admired Robert Altman's films and it was an honor to
work with him on A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION. We had so much fun working on that project over the past year and I know that he went out ‘with his boots on’.” – Bob Berney, President of Picturehouse

“He was a great man of the cinema and a great man. Everybody who had the privilege to know him will miss him hugely.” - Kenneth Branagh

“There’s no one I’m prouder to have worked with. He was an ecstatic…a magician…a conjurer…a mischievous boy. Perhaps unprecedented. He understood and could express that uniquely American shapeshifting goofiness more than anyone. He was the deepest ocean and the lightest feather at the same time…we all loved him so very much.” - Richard Gere

“Mr. Altman loved making movies. He loved the chaos of shooting and the sociability of the crew and actors --- he adored actors --- and he loved the editing room and he especially loved sitting in a screening room and watching the thing over and over with other people. He didn’t care for the money end of things, he didn’t mind doing publicity, but when he was working he was in heaven. He and I once talked about making a movie about a man coming back to Lake Wobegon to bury his father, and Mr. Altman said, “The death of an old man is not a tragedy.” I used that line in the movie we wound up making --- the Angel of Death says it to the Lunch Lady, comforting her on the death of her lover Chuck Akers in his dressing room, “The death of an old man is not a tragedy.” Mr. Altman’s death seems so honorable and righteous --- to go in full-flight, doing what you love --- like his comrades in the Army Air Force in WWII who got shot out of the sky and simply vanished into blue air --- and all of us who worked with him had the great privilege of seeing an 81-year-old guy doing what he loved to do. I’m sorry that our movie turned out to be his last, but I do know that he loved making it. It’s a great thing to be 81 and in love.” – Garrison Keillor

“It was inspiring to know that Robert was in preproduction on his next film. Working with him was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I am blessed to have worked with him and to have known him as Bob. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Kathryn and his children.” – Virginia Madsen

"A great man has left this stage. If Bob had his way I'm sure he would want the speeches about him to be short and to the point. In my too brief time with him, his life seemed to be concerned with two things, telling it like it is and having fun. Every one of us has a lot of living to do if we are to follow his example. My thoughts and prayers are with Kathryn and his family, the immediate family and the gloriously extended one. I guess I'll see him in the next reel as he used to say." – John C. Reilly

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of Robert Altman, a great friend and inspiration to me since I had the honor of meeting him in 1990. His unique vision and maverick sensibilities in filmmaking have inspired countless directors of my generation and will continue to inspire future filmmakers. He leaves behind a legacy of great American films and he will be deeply missed." – Tim Robbins

“Bob's restless spirit has moved on -- I have to say, when I spoke with him last week, he seemed impatient for the future. He still had the generous, optimistic appetite for the next thing, and we planned the next film laughing in anticipation of the laughs we'd have. What a gent, what a guy, what a great heart. There's no one like him and we'll miss him so.” – Meryl Streep

After Dark's Horror Fest This Weekend (With Theater List)

Although I'm no great fan of the more recent spate of extreme horror films, I have to admit that the idea behind this coming weekend's After Dark Horror Fest is one that seems so obvious that it should have been done by now. After Dark Films, in association with Lionsgate and Freestyle, has gathered nine horror flicks that would probably have headed straight to videostore shelves - with only a few making quick sidetrips on the festival circuit - and is packaging them in a mini-festival of their own, screening in special engagements on about 500 screens around the country. Since probably none of these could probably sustain anything more than extremely limited theatrical runs, this does give genre fans a chance to catch these films on the big screen.

Of course the question remains- Do we believe the advertising that states these are movies that are "too shocking for the general public" or are these just too bad for a general theatrical release?

Either way, the titles unspolling this weekend are-

The Abandoned- An adopted woman finds a supernatural mystery when she inherits her birth mother's Russian farm.
Dark Ride- A slasher runs amuck in an amusement park.
The Gravedancers- A trio of ghosts terrorize three friends.
The Hamiltons- The perfect family next door has some very dark secrets.
Hood Of Horror- Rapper Snoop Dog presents a trio of tales that mix horror and comedy.
Penny Dreadful- Mimi Rogers stars as a psychiatrist treating a girl with autophobia, the fear of being alone.
Reincarnation- The latest from Takashi Shimizu, the director of both the Japanes and English language versions of The Grudge.
Unrest- A medical student suspects there's something sinister about the cadavers in her anatomy class.
Wicked Little Things- A widowed mother of two encounters spectral children.


So is the Horror Fest playing near you? Check out this handy list to find out-

ALABAMA
Auburn- Wynnsong 16
Birmingham- Brook Hiland 10
Dothan- Northside Cinema 1
Gadsen- Cinema 16
Huntsville- Hollywood 18
Huntsville- Valley Bend Stadium 18
Hoover- Patton Creek 15
Montgomery- Festival Plaza 16

ALASKA
Anchorage- Century 16

ARIZONA
Avondale- Harkins Gateway Pavillion 18
Chandler- Harkins Chandler Fashion Center 20
Mesa- Harkins Superstition Springs 25
Mesa- Mesa Grande 24
Peoria- Harkins Arrowhead Fountains
Phoenix- Ahwatukee 24
Phoenix- Arizona Center 24
Phoenix- Deer Valley 30
Phoenix- Harkins Metro Center 12
Rogers- Towne Cinema 12
Tempe- Harkins Arizona Mills 24
Tucson- Century Park Place
Yuma- Main Street Cinema

ARKANSAS
El Dorado- Rialto Theatre
Little Rock- Colonel Glenn 18

CALIFORNIA
Alhambra- Regal's Atlantic Place
Aliso Viejo- Regal's Aliso Viejo Stadium 20
Anaheim- Cinema City
Antioch- Regal's Deer Valley 16
Bakersfield- East Hills 10
Bakersfield- Pacific's Valley Plaza 14
Baldwin Hills- Magic Johnson Crenshaw
Buena Park- Krikorian Buena Park 18
Burbank- Media Center 8
Cathedral City- Mary Pickford
City of Commerce- Pacific's Commerce Center
Chatsworth- Pacific's Winnetka 24
Chino- Krikorian Chino Spectrum
Chula Vista- Ultrastar Chula Vista 10
Chula Vista- Regal Rancho Del Rey 16
Corona- Regal's Corona Stadium 15
Covina- Covina 30
Culver City- Mann's Culver 6
Daly City- Century 20 Daly City
Danville- Blackhawk Cinema
El Cajon- Regal Parkway Plaza 18
El Centro- Ultrastar's Imperial Valley 14
El Segundo- Pacific's Beach Cities
Emeryville- Regal Emery Bay 10
Fairfield- Fairfield Stadium 15
Fontana- Ultrastar Fontana 8
Foothill Ranch- Foothill Ranch
Fresno- Manchseter Stadium 16
Fullerton- Fullerton 20
Garden Grove- Regal's Garden Grove 16
Hollywood- Sunset 5
Huntington Beach- Century 20
Irvine- Regal's Spectrum 21
Lakewood- Pacific's Lakewood Stadium
Lancaster- Cinemark 22
Long Beach- Regal's Stadium 26
Merced- Wallace Mainplace 13
Milpitas- Century 20 Great Mall
Modesto- Brenden Modesto 18
Moreno Valley- Ultrastar Towngate
Murrieta- SoCal's Movie Experience 17
Newark- Cinedome West
Ontario- Ontario Mills 30
Ontario- Regals's Ontario Palce 22
Orange- AMC Block 30 @ Orange
Orange- Century 25
Oxnard- Plaza Stadium 14
Paramount- Bianchi Paramount 11
Pasadena- Pasadena One Colorado
Pleasant Hill- Century 16 Downtown Pleasant Hill
Poway- Ultrastar Poway Creekside
Redlands- Krikorian Redlands 14
Redwood City- Century Redwood 12
Richmond- Hilltop 16
Riverside- Cinema Star Ultraplex 18 at Mission Grove
Roseville- Century 14
Sacramento- Century Grrenback 16
Sacramento- Century Laguna Village
Sacramento- Regal's Natomas Marketplace 16
Salinas- Maya Salinas 14
Santa Rosa- The Roxy Stadium 14 Cinemas
San Bernardino- Cinema Star Empire 20
San Diego- Palm Promenade 24
San Diego- Pacific Gaslamp
San Jose- Century Berryessa 10
San Jose- Century Capitol 16
San Jose- Oakridge 20
San Leandro- Century 16 Bayfair Mall
San Rafael- Northgate Cinemas
San Francisco- Four Star
Simi Valley- Regal's Simi Valley Plaza 10
South San Francisco- Century Plaza 10 Theatre
Turlock- Turlock Stadium 14
Union City- Century 25 - Union City
Vacaville- Brenden Vacaville 16
Van Nuys- Mann's Plant 16
Ventura - Century 16
Victorville- Movies 16
Vista Village- Krikorian Metroplex
Whittier- Whittier Village

COLORADO
Aurora- Century 16
Aurora- Arapahoe Crossing
Colorado Springs- Cinemark Tinseltown 20
Denver- Regal's Colorado Mills
Denver- Regal's Northfield
Grand Junction- Canyon View
Highlands Ranch- Highlands Ranch 24
Lakewood- Century Belmar
Lakewood- Regals' Colorado Mills
Westmister- Westminster Promenade 24

CONNECTICUT
Bridgeport- Showcase Cinemas Bridgeport
Hartford- Crown Palace 17
Meriden- Holiday 10
Plainville- Plaineville
Stamford- Crown Landmark 9
Trumbull- Crown Marquis 16
Waterbury- Mallview 10

FLORIDA
Aventura- Aventura Mall 24 Theatres
Brandon- Regency Sq. 20
Brooksville- Beacon 10
Davie- Paradise 24
Deland- TWI Victoria Square 6
Destin- Destin Commons 14
Ft. Lauderdale- Las Olas 23
Ft. Lauderdale- Sawgrass 23
Ft. Lauderdale- T-Bird Drive In
Gainesville- Gainesville 14
Hialeah- Hialeah 14
Hollywood- Flippers
Homestead- Homestead 14
Jacksonville- Regency 24 - Jacksonville
acksonville- Tinseltown 20
Lake Buena Vista- Pleasure Island 24
Lakeland- Lakeside Village 18
Lakeland- Lakeland Square 10
Lauderhill- Movies @ Lauderhill 13
Miami- Adventura 24
Miami- Dolphin Cinemas 19
Miami- Kendall Town & Country 10
Miami- Palace 18
Miami Lakes- Miami Lakes 17
New Smyrna Beach- TMI Beacon Theatres
Tallahasse- Tallahassee 20
Tampa- Veterans Expressway 24
Tampa- University 16
Oldsmar- Woodland Square 20
Orange Park- Orange Park 24 Theatres
Orlando- Cinemark at Festival Bay
Orlando- Universal Cineplex 20
Orlando- Muvico Pointe 21
Oviedo- Marketplace 22
Panama City- Regency 11
Pensacola- Pensacola 16
Pompano Beach- Pompano 18 Theaters
Sebring- Fairmount Cinema 6
South Miami- Sunset Place 24 Theatres
Tallahasse- Tallahasse 20
Tallahasse- Tallahasse Mall 20
Tampa- Britton 8
Tampa- Veterans Expressway 24
Tampa- University 16
Vero Beach- Indian River 24
Melbourne- Avenue 16
West Melbourne- Cinema World 16
West Palm Beach- Parisian 20

GEORGIA
Atlanta- The Plaza Theatre
Austell- Regal 22 @ Austell
Brunswick- Glynn Place 11
Chamblee- Hollywood 24
Columbus- Carmike 15
Gainesville- Hollywood 14
Hiram- Movies 278
Kennesaw- Barrett Commons 24 Theatres
Lawrenceville- Colonial 18 Theatres
Lithonia- Stonecrest Mall 16
Macon- Rivergate 14
Morrow- Southlake Pavilion 24 Theatres
Newnan- Carmike 10
Rome- Rome vii Cinemas
Savanah- Wynnsong 11
Snellville- Snellville Oaks 14
Valdosta- Valdosta Stadium 16
Warner- Robbins Galleria 15
Woodstock- Cherokee Stadium 16

HAWAII
Aiea- Pacific Pearlridge
Honolulu- Dole Cannery 18
Kahului- Maui Mall Megaplex

IDAHO
Bosie- Regals Stadium 21

ILLINOIS
Addison- Addison Cinemas & IMAX
Carbondale- University Place 8
Champaign- Carmike Beverly Cinemas
Chicago- Chatham 14
Chicago- 600 North Michigan Ave.
Chicago- KrikorianCity North 14
Chicago Heights- Marcus Chicago Western Heights
County Club Hills- The Country Club Hills 16
Gurnee- Gurnee Mills 20
Joliet- Cinemark Movies 8
Naperville- Krikorian Showplace 16
Niles- Krikorian Showplace 12
O'Fallon- O'Fallon 15 Cine
Peoria- Rave Grand Prairie 18
Rockford- Krikorian Colonial Villages 5
Schaumburg- Woodfield 20
Skokie- Village Crossing
South Barrington- South Barrington 30
Springfield- Parkway point 8
Vernon Hills- Rivertree Court
Warrenville- Cantera 30

INDIANA
Bloomington - Showplace West 12
Evansville- Stadium 16
Fort Wayne- Jefferson Point 18
Indianapolis- Showplace 16
Indianapolis- Eagle Highlands
New Albany- Albany 16 -Great Escape Theatre
Lafayette- Goodrich Eastside
Merrillville- Showplace 12 - Hobart
Muncie- Showplace 7
Schererville- Showplace 16
South Bend- Showplace 16
Terre Haute- Honey Creek West 8

IOWA
Cedar Falls- College Square 8
Cedar Rapids- Galaxy 16 Cine
Iowa City- Campus 3
Sioux City- Promenade Cinema 14
West Des Moines- Century 20 @ Jordan Creek

KANSAS
Kansas City- Legends 14
Merriam- Cinemark 20
Olathe- Studio 30
Wichita- Premier Palace

KENTUCKY
Bowling Green- Greenwood 10
Murray- Cheri
Newport- AMC Newport on the Levee 20

LOUISIANA
Baton Rouge- Baton Rouge 16
Bossier City- Regal Bossier Corners 9
Kenner- Hollywood Cinemas 9
Lafayette- Carmike 10

MAINE
Westbrook- Westbrook Cinemagic 16

MARYLAND
Annapolis- Crown Mall 11
Gaithersburg- Rio Cinemas 18
Hanover- Egyptian 24
Largo- Magic Johnson Capital Centre
Owings Mills- Owings Mills 14

MASSACHUSETTS
Cambridge- Fresh Pond 10
Methuen- AMC Loews Methuen 20
Revere- Showcase Cinemas Revere
Seekonk- Showcase Cinemas 10
Springfield- Showcase Cinemas Eastfield Mall
Worcester- Showcase Worcester North

MICHIGAN
Ann Arbo- Goodrich Quality
Auburn Hills- Star Great Lake Crossing 25
Canto- Emagine 18
Clinton- Star Gratiot 21
Dearborn- Ford Wyoming Drive In 1 - 5
Dearborn- LCE Star Fairlane 21
Detroit- Bel-Air Centre 10
Kalamazoo- Rave City Place Stadium
Lansing- NCG Eastwood Cinema 18
Novi- Emagine
Lansing- NCG Eastwood Cinema 18
Saginaw- Goodrich Saginaw 8
Sterling Heights- MJR Marketplace
Sterling Heights- Forum 30 - Sterling Hts
Southfield- Star Southfield 20
Southgate- Southgate 20
Wyoming- Loeks Studio 28

MINNESOTA
Brookly- Brooklyn Ctr. 20
Coon Rapids- Showplace 16
Hermantown- Lakes 10
Invers Groves Heights- Showplace 16
Lakeville- Lakeville 18
Minneapolis- Crown Block E
Oakdale- Marcus Cinemas Oakdale
Oakdale- Oakdale 20
Rochester- Chateau 14
Waite Park- Parkwood 18
White Bear Township- White Bear Township Theatre

MISSISSIPPI
Gulfport- Cinemark 16 - Gulfport

MISSOURI
Cape Girardeau- Wehrenberg Cape West 14
Independenc- Independence Commons 20
Kansas City- Barrywoods 24
Lee's Summit- Eastglen 16
Springfield- Campbell 16 Cine
Saint Charles- Wehrenberg Saint Charles 18
St. Louis- Ronnie's 20
St. Louis- St. Louis Mills 18

NEBRASKA
Omaha- Oak View 24

NEVADA
Henderson- Regal Colonnade
Las Vegas- Brenden Palms 14
Las Vegas- Century Sam's Town
Las Vegas- Century Suncoast
Las Vegas- Regal's Texas Station
Las Vegas- Regal Village Square 18
North Las Vegas- Galaxy Cannery 16
Sparks- Sparks Theatre

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Manchester- Manchester 9
Merrimack- Cinemagic Merrimack

NEW JERSEY
Burlington- Regal Burlington 20 Cinemas
Cherry Hill- Cherry Hill 24
Elizabeth- Loews New Jersey Gardens 20
Hamilton- Hamilton 24
Pleasantville- Towne 16 Theatres
Turnersville- Regal Cross Keys Cinemas 12

NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque- Century Rio 24

NEW YORK
Bronx- Whitestone Multiplex
Brooklyn- Linden Blvd Multiplex
Dewitt, NY- Shoppingtown Cinemas 10
Farmingdale- Farmingdale Multiplex
Hawthorne- All Westchester Sawmill Multiplex
Irondequoit, NY- Culver Ridge Plaza 16
Jamaica- Jamaica Multiplex
New York- 19th Street East
New York- Regal E-Walk 13
Orchard Park, NY- Quaker Crossing 18
Valley Stream- Sunrise Multiplex
Williamsville, NY- Transit Center 18

NORTH CAROLINA
Charlotte- Ayrsley Grand Cinema 14
Charlotte- Stonecrest 22
Fayetteville- Carmike 12
Greensboro- Carousel Theatre
Hendersonville- EPIC Theatres of Hendersonville
Jacksonville- Carmike 16
Raleigh- Carmike 15

NORTH DAKOTA
Bismark- Grand Six
Fargo- West Acres 13

OHIO
Beavercreek- Hollywood 20 at Fairfield Commons
Canton- Cinemark Tinseltown Movies 15
Columbus- Lennox Town Center 24
Easton- Easton Towne Center 30
Elyria- Cobblestone 20
Hamilton- Cinema 10
Richmond Heights- Richmond Towne Square 20
Valley View- Valley View 24
Westchester- Westchester 18

OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma City- Harkins Bricktown 16
Oklahoma City- Quail Springs 24
Oklahoma City- Cinemark Tinseltown 20
Tulsa- Cinemark 17 - Tulsa
Tulsa- Starworld 20

OREGON
Beaverton- Centuy 16 Cedar Hills
Eugene- Cinemark 17
Hillsborough- Movies On TV 16
Portland- Century Eastport
Portland- Lloyd Mall
Salem- Santiam 11
Springfield- Cinemark 17

PENNSYLVANIA
Bensalem- Neshaminy 24
Bridgeville- Chartiers Valley 20
Conshochoken- Plymouth Meeting
Erie- Cinemark Tinseltown 17
Moosic- Cinemark 20
North Versailles- Plaza East 22
Oaks- Regal Marketplace 24
Philadelphia- Franklin Mills 14
Pittsburgh- Northway Mall Cinemas
Springhouse- 309 Cinema
Warrington- Regal Warrington Crossing 22
West Homestead- Loews Waterfront 22

RHODE ISLAND
Lincoln- Lincoln Mall 16

SOUTH CAROLINA
Anderson- Starlight 14
Clarksville- Great Escape 16
Greenwood- Greenwood 10
Johnson City- Johnson City

TENNESSEE
Chattanooga- Rave East Ridge 18
Knoxville- Regal West Town Mall 9
Memphis- Majestic Theatre 20
Memphis- Peabody Place 22
Morristown- Paradigm Theatre
Nashville- Regal Bellevue 12
Nashville- Hollywood 27

TEXAS
Austin- Metropolitan
Beaumont- Tinseltown - Beaumont
Brownsville- Cinemark 16
College Station- Hollywood USA
Dallas- Grand 24 Theatres
Edinburg- Carmike 20
El Paso- Carmike 16
El Paso- Cielo Vista 14
El Paso- Cinemark 14 El Paso
El Paso- Tinseltown 20 - El Paso
Frisco- Stonebriar 24
Grapevine - AMC Grapevine 30
Harlingen- Cinemark 16
Houston- Gulf Pointe 30 Theatres
Houston- Maro E Stadium 23
Houston- Studio 30 Theatres - Houston
Houston- Willowbrook 24 Theatres
Humble- Deerbrook 24 Theatres
Hurst- Northeast Mall
Katy- Katy Mills 20 Theatres
Laredo- Movies 12
Lubbock- Tinseltown 17 - Lubbock
McAllen- Cinemark Movies17
Mesquite- Mesquite 30 Theatres
Mission- Cinemark 17
Pflugerville- Tinseltown 20
Plano- Legacy 24
San Antonio- Mayan Palace 14 - Santikos
San Antonio- Silverado 16
San Antonio- Regal Fiesta 16
Stafford- Fountains Theatre 18
Sugarland- First Colony 24 Theatres
The Woodlands- Tinseltown Moves 17
Waco- Starplex Galaxy 16
Webster- Cinemark 18

UTAH
Salt Lake City- Century 16
Salt Lake City- Gateway 12 Mega-Plex
Salt Lake City- Jordon Commons
Salt Lake City- Tinseltown 17
South Jordan- Megaplex 20
West Jordan- Cinemark West Jordan 24

VERMONT
Burlington- Merrill's Roxy Theatre

VIRGINIA
Alexandria- AMC Hoffman Center 22
Arlington- Courthouse 8
Chesapeake- Movies 10
Fairfax- Fairfax Towne Center
Glen Allen- Virginia Center 20
Hampton- Hampton Towne Center 24
Merrifield- Lee Highway Multiplex
Newport News- Kiln Creek Cinema 20
Norfolk- Military Circle 18
Richmond- Chesterfield Town Center
Virginia Beach- Lynnhaven 18
Woodbridge- Potomac Mills 18

WASHINGTON
Kent- AMC Kent Station 14
Lynnwood- Regal Alderwood 7
Puyallup- Longston Place
Seattle- Regal Meridian 16
Spokane- River Park Square 20

WASHINGTON DC
Washington DC- AMC Cinema

WEST VIRGINIA
Huntington- Marquee Pullman Square 16

WISCONSIN
Green Bay- Marcus Bay Park sq.
Madison- Eastgate - Madison Theatre
Menomonee- Marcus Menomonee Falls
Ashwaubeno- Marcus Bay Park Cinemas
Oak Creek- South Shore Cinemas
Waukesha- Westown Cinemas
New Berlin- Ridge
Oak Creek- South Shore Cinemas
Waukesha- Westown Cinemas

FLASH! Ahhhhhhh!

There are many films out there that have probably been unfairly lambasted by either critics or the passage of time. For me, one of those films is the 1980 Dino De Laurentiis produced comic-strip adaptation Flash Gordon. A garish collision of primary colors, art deco design and good old-fashioned cliffhanger adventure, Flash Gordon is a movie that never made any pretense at wanting to do anything more than give its audience two hours of light-hearted, escapist fun. And after recently catching the film again on one of the numerous Encore Cable channels, the film did just that- it entertained me in such a way that few films can.

Flash Gordon is one of those films I remember distinctly seeing as an 11-year old kid. It was early January at the Union Deposit Eric Twin outside of Harrisburg, PA (sadly long closed and recently bulldozed to make way for a shopping center expansion). It was, rightfully so, a Saturday matinee and it was cinematic love at first sight. And I’m not just talking about how Ornella Muti slinked her way through the picture as Ming’s daughter Princess Aura, either. The production design’s use of primary colors recalled the comic books my friends and I were devouring. I was already becoming familiar with the adventure serials of the 1930s and 40s through airings on a local public television station. Sure, some things, like the sadomasochistic side of the leather clad General Kala, flitted right over my barely-pubescent head. But the film's joyful recreation of those serials captured my imagination.

The film has an amazing cast headed up by no less an actor than Max Von Sydow as Ming the Merciless, a role he clearly relished and played to the hilt. There’s also a pre-Bond Timothy Dalton bringing a Shakespearian tenor to Prince Barin that is counterbalanced by Brian Blessed’s complete haminess as Prince Vultan of the Hawkmen. These two performances have no right whatsoever to work side-by-side, but they do. Meanwhile, Topol’s Dr. Hans Zarkov exudes all the wide-eyed excitement of a school boy on a field trip to a planetarium.

I’ve never been a fan of camp, but Flash Gordon walks that fine line between camp and more straight-forward adventure, never letting either overtake the tone of the movie. Flash Gordon is a film that never forgets its roots in the adventure comic strips and action-packed pulp magazines of the 1930s and 40s, whether it has Flash facing the poisonous beast living inside the stump in the Arborian Temple or the perilous duel with whips between Flash and Barin where one false step could send them hurtling into the void. The film even becomes a pirate movie when Vultan’s Hawkmen swoop down on the War Rocket Ajax, which first fires its lasers in broadside barrages before its captain instructs his crew to “Repel boarders!” Sure the football bit in Ming’s throne room is goofy in the extreme, but it never gets goofy enough to be cringe-inducing. Instead, the scene strikes a fine balance that stands out in stark relief to the grimness of the dungeon and execution scenes that follow. And there’s something definitely creepy and not campy about the scene where Dr. Zarkov’s memories are supposedly drained out of his brain.

Of course, the film isn’t perfect. Jones' Gordon and Melody Anderson's Dale Arden are not particularly well-developed in the script, especially in relation to Flash's fantastic surroundings, and at times they seems to be struggling to bring some depth to their characters. Additionally, it has always bugged me that even though Dr. Zarkov has forced them onto a rocketship at gunpoint and essentially kidnapped them to Mongo, they’re absolutely chummy with him for the rest of the film.

Flash Gordon’s recreation of Saturday matinee thrills predates the release of another film that owed much to the chaptered adventure serials- Raiders Of The Lost Ark. But why did critics only greet Flash lukewarmly at best but embrace the slightly more realistic and gritty atmosphere Spielberg imparted? (Coincidentally, both films shared character actor William Hootkins in small supporting roles.) Perhaps it was another space opera, George Lucas’ Star Wars (1976) with its breathtakingly real special effects technology, that spoiled critics for the simpler pleasures of some of Flash Gordon’s more primitively created visuals. While there was plenty of use of current optical compositing technology to create the fantastic worlds of Mongo, the movie also relied on shooting models on miniature sets in just the same method that the visuals were created for the original 1930s Flash Gordon serials. But for all the good visuals that optical printing could create, no amount of visual compositing could produce such an image as War Rocket Ajax moving through the psychedelic cloudscape of Mongo.

Recently, there has been talk of a new version of the comic strip being developed by none other than director Stephen Sommers. For me, this does not bode well, as I found his last film, the insufferable Van Helsing (2004), to be a hodgepodge of visual set-pieces with no story or logic to support them. To make matters worse, an issue of Weekly Variety appeared last month with a front cover ad announcing a television adaptation from RIH Entertainment, the same folks behind the recent Poseidon Adventure mini-series on NBC. With a backlit silhouette emerging from smoke, one could not be faulted for fearing that their take might be a little grittier than perhaps the material calls for.

Next month marks the 25th anniversary of Flash Gordon’s theatrical release. Currently the movie is unavailable on Region 1 DVD, though there is a rather nice Region 2 release available in England, complete with audio commentaries from director Hodges and actor Brian Blessed. When I had the chance to meet Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson at a convention last year, they both confirmed that they had recorded a joint audio commentary for a new DVD release. Unfortunately, as DVD release dates are now being announced for January and February of next year, its beginning to look like Universal Studios has dropped the ball. That’s a shame, as there are undoubtedly many fans waiting to once again sit back on their couch and watch Flash save every one of us.

Borat's Real Life Co-Stars

Sacha Baron Cohen’s comic creation Borat, the Kazakhstani reporter with a penchant for asking inappropriate questions, has not only attracted enough people to theaters this past weekend to make Borat: Cultural Learnings On America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan the number one picture at the box office, but to set people talking about which scenes were improvised in the film and which scenes were scripted.

Now, many of the real life people who crossed paths with Cohen’s Borat have started speaking out about their unintentional brush with fame. Reactions range from cautiously enthusiastic to embarrassed to anger at feeling duped.

• Writer Emanuel Levy has a great piece on his website about the making of the film.

• This BBC report talks to feminist Linda Stein, public speaking coach Pat Haggerty and Virginia rodeo manager Bobby Rowe.
  
• FHM Magazine spoke with Bobby Rowe, Maryland car salesman Jim Sale and frat boy David Corcoran.
  
• Newsweek also spoke to numerous folks who encountered Borat.
  
• Linda Stein also wrote about her experience for the Manhattan weekly Downtown Express.
  
• Some encounters did not end well for their participants, as news producer Dharma Arthur relates.
  
• Here’s another participant in the rodeo scene giving their impression of what happened when Borat paid them a visit.
  
• One of the three frat brothers from the University of South Carolina talks to The State about how he and his frat brothers became involved with the film.
  
• And here’s a story that details what might have been an alternate ending to the film with Pam Anderson.