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Bay Area Film Events and Benevolent Monster Productions/Studio 7 Entertainment present LONG LIVE THE KING, a brand new feature length documentary about the enduring appeal of the character King Kong, and how he has inspired so many great filmmakers and artists since 1933. The documentary covers the 1933 classic, in addition to SON OF KONG, Dino De Laurentiis’ KING KONG (1976), Peter Jackson’s KING KONG (2005), as well as the Rankin Bass Cartoon series of the 1960s and from the Far East, Toho’s Japanese incarnations of Kong, from KING KONG VS. GODZILLA (1962) and KING KONG ESCAPES (1967)! Continued…
Winckler Productions’ English dubbed version of Tsuburaya Productions’ ULTRAMAN GINGA S THE MOVIE (劇場版 ウルトラマンギンガＳ 決戦! ウルトラ10勇士!!, Gekijoo-ban Urutoraman Ginga S Kessen! Urutora 10 Yuushi!!, 2015) began a theatrical run in the Philippines on September 10, 2016. This comes directly on the heels of SM Cinema’s theatrical showings of GODZILLA RESURGENCE (SHIN GODZILLA), which began on August 31, 2016.
The weekend of September 10-11, SM Cinemas held a “Meet and Greet” for fans attending showings of the movie at the Mall of Asia, SM Southmall and the SM Megamall Cinema. The events included a chance to meet Ultraman Ginga and get some toy giveaways. Continued…
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS shattered box office records upon its debut to become the cinematic event of a generation with over $926 million domestic and $2.05 billion worldwide. As announced this morning by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger at The Walt Disney Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the epic movie will be available to own early on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on April 1. It comes home on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on April 5.
Discover the complete story behind the making of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS with in-depth documentary and bonus material that will take fans on an exciting journey behind the scenes. Secrets will be revealed through extensive footage, never-before-seen deleted scenes, and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers. Continued…
Source: Bluefin Corp., MediaLab
Bandai Tamashii Nations Official Site: tamashii.jp (Japan)
Special Thanks to Erik Jansen
Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan, Hong Kong and more, offers STAR WARS fans and ardent collectors something unique as it highlights a variety of super-detailed figures from the Movie Realization STAR WARS (名将 MOVIE REALIZATION スターウォーズ) line by Bandai Tamashii Nations. Continued…
SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details from an upcoming movie.
Can you imagine what a dinosaur looks like, moves like or sounds like without thinking of Jurassic Park? It isn’t just a movie. It’s a memory shared by all of us. It defined the colossal summer blockbuster, a moviegoing event of a lifetime that provided us some of the most lasting, iconic sights and sounds of cinema. It gave you the feeling that the first day of summer had arrived. It pioneered advancements in visual effects that made you believe dinosaurs roamed the Earth again. Mixing plausible science with breathtaking imagination, it told a cautionary tale about what could result from messing with the natural order. It left your eyes wide, your jaw open and your heart racing.
Jurassic Park answered the question of how much story, how much fun and how much spectacle could fit into one perfect summer motion picture. Now, the story of STEVEN SPIELBERG’s original comes full circle as the park that was only a promise comes to life.
Ten years on, and the alien invasion has gone global.
The Australian label Madman Entertainment will release the 2014 live action movie MONSTERS: DARK CONTINENT on Region 4 DVD and Blu-ray on July 1st. The film is the sequel to GODZILLA (2014) director Gareth Edwards’ acclaimed MONSTERS (2010). Continued…
Source: Bluefin Corp.
Bandai Tamashii Nations Official Site: tamashii.jp (Japan)
Special Thanks to Xavier Lim
Distributor Bluefin Corp. is proud to announce Bandai’s Tamashii Nations Movie Realization STAR WARS (名将 MOVIE REALIZATION スターウォーズ) line will be officially available in North America! The Movie Realization brand takes the theme of movies and infuses that concept into high quality figures. Top creators “re-arrange” characters from films… and the secret ingredient? All figures have an added pinch of “wa” (Japanese style) that makes for a one and only, completely unique design. Continued…
Loved all around the world, Science Fiction brings excitement, adventure and thrills to life for its fans. Be it through books, television shows or films, the genre captures the audiences’ imagination and lets it run wild in space and time. Here are some examples of the best games:
BLADE RUNNER
Based on Ridley Scott’s 1982 epic cinematic encounter, the BLADE RUNNER game is an absolute credit to the legacy created by the film. The game is a point and click adventure around a futuristic Los Angeles and pushed out the boundaries for both story-telling and graphics when released in 1997. Featuring the original film score, characters such as Eye-Man appear throughout the game, as well as the famous Voight-Kampf test.
BIOSHOCK BIOSHOCK has become one of the best loved console releases in recent years, not only being popular with Sci-Fi fans, but the entire gaming community. The original game was supposed to be based around a “Nazi Zombies on an Island” theme, but was changed to the underwater city of Rapture to create this Sci-Fi socio-political thriller. Although the game underwent numerous changes before its release, with the overall style taking influence from the likes of Flash Gordon. Continued…
On June 6th, Warner Bros’ EDGE OF TOMORROW opened to overwhelmingly positive reviews but underwhelming box office. While the film did end up earning $369 million worldwide, it was mostly bypassed by American audiences in favor of X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, GODZILLA, MALEFICENT, 22 JUMP STREET and THE FAULT OF OUR STARS. EDGE OF TOMORROW comes to home video this week, giving moviegoers another chance to catch one of the best movies from the 2014 “summer blockbuster” season. Continued…
Ever since December 2011, the Japanese Film Society has held its annual LA Eigafest at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, CA. During the festival, the US public gained access to the latest in Japanese films, which range from serious drama to comedy, to the latest in Japanese animation. Furthermore, panels that take place during the festival offer insight into the business relations between the Japanese and American film industries. In additional, the annual Matsuri festival takes place in conjunction with LA Eigafest on Saturday at the front of the Egyptian Theater.
Unlike the last three LA Eigafests, which took place in December, this one took place in September (from the 12th to the 14th) so to take advantage of the better weather conditions during the opening ceremonies and such. Hayato Mitsuishi is the President and Co-Founder of the Japanese Film Society and the festival director of LA Eigafest ever since its inception three years ago. Continued…
Kodoja: Terror Mountain Showdown Turns to Kickstarter to Print the Collected Story Into a Hardcover Graphic Novel.
Source: Kodoja
Official Kickstarter Site: Kodoja: A Graphic Novel With a Soundtrack.
Author: Keith Foster
Like any good giant monster story, this one has a soundtrack, in this case the music is part Akira Ifukube, part James Brown and the drums of Led Zeppelin, what the band calls “giant monster funk”. Continued…
After a failed attempt by Japan’s public broadcaster NHK to bring DOCTOR WHO to the country in 2006, and a few scattered airings on satellite and web video services, Japan has spent almost a decade waiting to catch up with the BBC’s hit sci-fi series.
Last year DOCTOR WHO celebrated it’s 50th anniversary with a special feature-length episode, THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR, which was broadcast simultaneously in 75 countries around the world. Although the episode failed to find a broadcaster in Japan, Japanese fans were instead treated to subtitled episodes of earlier seasons for the first time via the online video subscription service Hulu.
Now DOCTOR WHO is now receiving a full-fledged relaunch on DVD in Japan featuring a new Japanese voice cast. Continued…
Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of US film distributor Magnolia Pictures, has released a new red band trailer for the international horror anthology ABC’S OF DEATH 2. The film will open on iTunes / On Demand October 2, 2014 and in North American theaters October 31, 2014.
ABC’s OF DEATH 2 is the follow-up to the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived with productions spanning from Nigeria to UK to Brazil and everywhere in between. It features segments directed by over two dozen of the world’s leading talents in contemporary genre film.
The film is comprised of twenty-six individual chapters, each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free rein in choosing a word to create a story involving death. Provocative, shocking, funny and at times confrontational, ABC’s OF DEATH 2 is another global celebration of next generation genre filmmaking. Continued…
In this week’s episode of SciFi JAPAN TV, we visit the Tokyo Big Sight for the 2014 International Tokyo Toy Show, one of the world’s most important toy exhibitions. From Godzilla and Sentai to Star Wars and Gundam, you can find all your favorite characters on display here every year. So come with us as we take a look at all the goods and toys coming soon here in Japan!
Come back for new episodes of SciFi JAPAN TV every Thursday! Continued…
Two New Science Fiction Action Titles Timed to Release With the Summer Blockbuster Movie
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: haikasoru.com
Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen
VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint supports the upcoming release of the gripping sci-fi action film, EDGE OF TOMORROW with the release of an official movie tie-in novel on April 29th. The new Edge of Tomorrow paperback release will carry an MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN. The book features a cover with the official movie poster featuring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in their title roles from the film. The Edge of Tomorrow novel was written by Japanese author Hiroshi Sakurazaka, and was previously published as All You Need is Kill.
The Haikasoru imprint has also announced the May 6th release of the All You Need is Kill official graphic novel adaptation. Written by Haikasoru editor and noted sci-fi author, Nick Mamatas, and featuring full-color artwork by popular comic book artist Lee Ferguson (Green Arrow, Miranda Mercury), the new graphic novel offers a single-volume retelling of the original All You Need is Kill novel that inspired the EDGE OF TOMORROW movie. The graphic novel carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN, and features an oversized North American graphic novel trim size of 6 5/8″ x 10 ¼”. An eBook edition will also be available worldwide for $8.99 (U.S. / CAN) for the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook Book Store, and the Kobo eBooks Store. North American fans can also access the graphic novel digitally on the VIZ Manga App as well as through VIZManga.com. Continued…
Roll out with the highly popular feature-length epilogue to Hasbro Studio’s Emmy Award-winning series TRANSFORMERS PRIME on a variety of digital entertainment platforms in North America. Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios invite loyal fans, invite families and kids to further venture into the awe-inspiring world of TRANSFORMERS PRIME with TRANSFORMERS PRIME: BEAST HUNTERS – PREDACONS RISING, a special original feature presentation, now available on Digital HD for rental and purchase on iTunes, VUDU, CinemaNow, Google Play, Rovi, Sony PlayStation Network and Xbox, as well as available through Amazon Instant Video on April 1.
Brimming with spectacular CG animation, a captivating storyline and unforgettable characters from the TRANSFORMERS PRIME lore, TRANSFORMERS PRIME: BEAST HUNTERS – PREDACONS RISING delivers entertaining cinematic adventure the whole family will enjoy. Continued…
Keanu Reeves stars in the action-adventure epic, 47 RONIN, coming to DVD and Blu-ray Combo Packs April 1, 2014 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and reclaim their honor. This band of ronin must seek help from Kai (Reeves) — an enslaved half-breed they once rejected — in their ultimate fight for redemption in a savage world of mythic and wondrous terrors. Kai becomes their most deadly weapon and the heroic inspiration for these outnumbered warriors to confront their enemy and seize eternity. Continued…
American Remake of Korean Hit Opens November 27th
Source: FilmDistrict, Strategy PR press release
Official Movie Site: OldboyFilm.com
Special Thanks to Jonathan Epstein
FilmDistrict has stepped up their promotional campaign for OLDBOY, Spike Lee’s (DO THE RIGHT THING, INSIDE MAN) reinterpretation of the acclaimed 2003 Korean film. Written by Mark Protosevich (I AM LEGEND, THE CELL, THOR), the movie stars Josh Brolin (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, TRUE GRIT), Elizabeth Olsen (GODZILLA) and Sharlto Copley (DISTRICT 9, ELYSIUM). OLDBOY will open November 27, 2013 in theaters.
On October 15th, Warner Home Video will release Guillermo Del Toro’s big budget giant monster movie PACIFIC RIM in several different Blu-ray and DVD editions. Read on for product specs, high-res cover art and a look at in-store displays. Continued…
Guillermo del Toro’s widely praised action adventure PACIFIC RIM has crossed $400 million dollars at the worldwide box office, becoming the director’s highest grossing film ever. The announcement was made August 30 by Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, and Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures; and Legendary Pictures.
Internationally, PACIFIC RIM is still in release in a number of territories and has grossed $302 million thus far. In China alone, the film is the biggest of any Warner Bros. Pictures release ever and the fifth-biggest MPA film gross in China’s cinema history. The film’s record-breaking release in China also furthers Legendary’s growing presence in the territory. Continued…
American Remake of Korean Hit Opens November 27th
Source: FilmDistrict, Strategy PR press release
Official Movie Site: OldboyFilm.com
Special Thanks to Rachel Allen
FilmDistrict has released new publicity materials for OLDBOY, starring Josh Brolin (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, TRUE GRIT), Elizabeth Olsen (GODZILLA) and Sharlto Copley (DISTRICT 9, ELYSIUM). A unique reinterpretation of the 2003 Korean film, OLDBOY is written by Mark Protosevich (I AM LEGEND, THE CELL, THOR) and directed by Spike Lee (DO THE RIGHT THING, INSIDE MAN). Continued…
New Release Date Announced for American Remake of Korean Hit
Source: FilmDistrict, Strategy PR press release
Official Movie Site: OldboyFilm.com
Special Thanks to Rachel Allen
FilmDistrict has released the uncensored trailer for OLDBOY, starring Josh Brolin (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, TRUE GRIT), Elizabeth Olsen (GODZILLA) and Sharlto Copley (DISTRICT 9, ELYSIUM). Written by Mark Protosevich (I AM LEGEND, THE CELL, THOR) and directed by Spike Lee (DO THE RIGHT THING, INSIDE MAN), the film is a remake of the South Korean hit OLDBOY (올드보이, Oldeuboi, 2003) by director Park Chan-wook.
Previously announced for October 25th, OLDBOY will now open November 27, 2013 in theaters. Continued…
Special Original CG Animated Action Adventure Produced by Hasbro Studios
Source: Shout! Factory, Click Communications press releases
Special Thanks to Tom Chen and Collin Yarusso
This Fall, the eagerly anticipated conclusion of Hasbro Studios’ Emmy Award-winning series will finally unleash in a special TRANSFORMERS PRIME original feature presentation for home entertainment. On October 8, 2013, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, invite kids, families and loyal fans to further venture into the awe-inspiring world of TRANSFORMERS PRIME when TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS – PREDACONS RISING debuts as a special original feature on Blu-ray + DVD combo pack and on DVD. Continued…
NECA has created a merchandise and collectible program featuring characters and themes from the much-anticipated Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures film, PACIFIC RIM. The program features items from various product categories, including: Action figures, HeroClix (the most popular collectible miniatures tabletop game on the market), mini-game, card game, cuffs and bracelets, dog tags, back packs, baseball hats, key chains, buttons, stickers, magnets and pins. PACIFIC RIM is also featured in NECA’s online store, Mock.com as well as mobile applications Shuffling the Deck and Connect With Pieces. Continued…
FilmDistrict has released the official one sheet poster for OLDBOY, starring Josh Brolin (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, TRUE GRIT), Elizabeth Olsen (GODZILLA) and Sharlto Copley (DISTRICT 9, ELYSIUM). Written by Mark Protosevich (I AM LEGEND, THE CELL, THOR) and directed by Spike Lee (DO THE RIGHT THING, INSIDE MAN), the film is a remake of the South Korean hit OLDBOY (올드보이, Oldeuboi, 2003) by director Park Chan-wook. OLDBOY was produced by Roy Lee (THE RING), Doug Davison (THE GRUDGE, THE DEPARTED) and Nathan Kahane (50/50, EVIL DEAD).
OLDBOY is a provocative, visceral thriller that follows the story of advertising executive Joe Doucett (Josh Brolin) who is abruptly kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years in solitary confinement. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover who orchestrated his bizarre and torturous punishment only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment.
The OLDBOY logo itself is Josh Brolin’s handwriting — inspired by the letters his character writes to his daughter while imprisoned in the film.
OLDBOY opens October 25, 2013 in theaters. Continued…
In support of the upcoming theatrical release of Guillermo del Toro’s new sci-fi action adventure “Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures PACIFIC RIM,” eight North American coastal cities along the Pacific Rim are joining in to host monster-sized, family-friendly beach clean-up events on Thursday, July 11.
Warner Bros., along with local media partners, RealD, various eco-friendly organizations and local parks and recreation departments, is encouraging people to join the clean-up efforts. They will award the first 100 participants at each local clean-up event two tickets to see the film in RealD 3D on opening weekend, as well as a special PACIFIC RIM t-shirt made of recycled materials, courtesy of RealD, and other prizes. Continued…
Warner Bros. Pictures has provided the complete final credits for Guillermo del Toro’s sci-fi action adventure PACIFIC RIM, opening July 12, 2013. Monster movie fans should take note of the dedication at credits’ end.
From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes the sci-fi action adventure “Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Pacific Rim.”
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are synched via a neural bridge, called “The Drift.” But as the enemy grows more powerful with each attack, even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju.
On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes — a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) — who are teamed to drive a seemingly obsolete Jaeger. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.
Oscar nominee Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”) directed the epic sci-fi action adventure from a script by Travis Beacham and del Toro, story by Beacham. Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, del Toro and Mary Parent produced the film, with Callum Greene serving as executive producer and Jillian Zaks co-producing. Continued…
Warner Bros. Pictures Japan has released a theatrical trailer and images for PACIFIC RIM, the upcoming giant monster movie from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film stars Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, Robert Kazinsky, Max Martini, Clifton Collins, Jr., Burn Gorman, Larry Joe Campbell, Brad William Henke and Diego Klattenhoff. Continued…
Ray Harryhausen, the pioneering filmmaker and special effects master of such classic films as THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, VALLEY OF GWANGI, and JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS, passed away peacefully Tuesday May 7th in London England from an undisclosed illness. He was 92 years old.
With Ray Harryhausen’s passing came an instantaneous ritual litany of recognizable names testifying to his influence — Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Peter Jackson, James Cameron, to name a few. But by the same token, there was practically no real discussion of why he had that impact.
That’s predictable, really. For most people, this is just a news sidebar, including the legions of web-bound entertainment beat writers frantically culling fragmentary and unchecked sources to adopt a posture of authority for his impromptu obituary. Harryhausen is simply not familiar to most of the new breed of writers cluttering online news services and blogosphere. He outlived his career by 30 years, and for the bulk of the obit writers, his death detoured them from their real concerns, like whether Mylie Cyrus is hotter than Lindsey Lohan.
But, the simple fact that Harryhausen’s death resides largely on entertainment pages betrays how poorly his contributions are understood. Continued…
