Matthew Patrick Davis talks about his stage version of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”

Photo Credit: Joanna Brooks

You may not know the name Matthew Patrick Davis yet but he is making a name for himself very quickly. He recently made headlines when his stage version of “Jack’s Lament” for “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” showed up on online. He has also been behind some very funny stage productions with the UCB Theatre including “The Shining! The Musical!” and “Jurasic Park: The Musical!”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Matthew about his work and what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Let’s talk about your stage version of “Jack’s Lament” for Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”? Have you been contacted at all or do you have plans to expand it?
Matthew Patrick Davis: As a 6’8” physical actor who grew up loving Tim Burton, Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo, playing Jack in a live adaptation of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” has always been a dream of mine. A couple years ago, I put up a few scenes from “Nightmare” in my acting class. The class freaked out and got super excited about it, so that’s when we decided to shoot some of it, and that’s where the video comes from. If this video could accomplish anything, I guess it would be for it to be a viral thingy and get the attention of the people that own the rights and actually have the power to make it a legitimate piece of theatre: Tim Burton and Thomas Schumacher, the President of Disney Theatrical Group. It would obviously have such mass appeal, and I think could be something insanely great.

MG: Tell us how did you come up with the ideas for “The Shining! The Musical!” and “Jurassic Park: The Musical?”
MPD: I write the movie musicals with my friends Joe Chandler and Zach Paez; friends from high school who are now television writers in Los Angeles. We just pick movies that we love, and musicalize them into part parody, part tribute. “Jurassic Park” was a movie that was very formative in our youth; as 14 year olds, we would often be found doing impressions of the Raptors or the Spitter in a Denny’s parking lot somewhere. “The Shining” is another one of our favorite films — we just enjoyed the juxtaposition between the darkness of man slowly going insane and trying to murder his family, with the light-heartedness of a musical.

MG: Any plans to ever perform these again or record and release them?
MPD: We perform the movie musicals semi-regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles, so there will definitely be another performance sometime in the future.

MG: What do you have planned next to turn into a musical?
MPD: We’ve done four movie adaptations, (JP, The Shining, The NeverEnding Story, and The King of Kong) so next, we would love to do an original. So we’ll do that, and/or do one of the movies we’ve always talked about doing, i.e. T2, Top Gun, Glengarry Glen Ross, Braveheart, The Sixth Sense, etc.

MG: How did you end up as the Sprint Zombie for their commercials?
MPD: It was a pretty standard commercial audition process, just like any other. I got lucky with this one, in that they ran it so much, and it was actually a funny spot that I was really pleased with. The director said that one the reasons they hired me was because they like the way I added the “cool, cool cool cool…” in the audition, so I guess that’s something.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2014?
MPD: I’m going to be releasing an album of some of my songs that can be found on my YouTube page. I’ll be writing more songs and musicals. I’m hoping to take my one man show to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC — it’s called, “Matt Davis Gets A Girlfriend:” A One Man Musical about One Man’s quest to not DIE ALONE. Also, I’ll be doing the revival/reboot of the musical Side Show at the Kennedy Center in DC in June and July, having just done it at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Rankin/Bass’ Arthur Rankin Jr. chats about his timeless Christmas specials

Arthur Rankin, Jr. is part of the duo team Rankin/Bass. He is a legend and does not need any introduction. Rankin/Bass created the timeless holiday specials “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “Frosty the Snowman”, “The Year Without Santa Claus” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, just to name a few. Media Mikes had a once in a lifetime chance to chat with Arthur about his work and how it has and will continue to entertain generation after generation. This interview originally was posted March 2012 but I wanted to revisit this post for the holiday season!

Mike Gencarelli: Let’s start with “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Why do you think this special has become timeless after almost 50 years?
Arthur Rankin, Jr.: I really don’t have an answer to that. I think because it was the first special of its kind…I think that, in looking for something to watch for Christmas, parents put their children in front of the television. And the word went out that this was a nice show, etc., etc, etc. and so next year it had a bigger audience. And as the audience grew, so did the children that watched it. They grew up to become mothers. And they grew up to become grandmothers! And they also put their children and grandchildren in front of the television set. That’s been going on for all of these years. It’s a pattern. That’s why Disney keeps re-releasing it’s old pictures. Because there’s an audience. The theatre may have a child whose having his first experience with the film while his grandmother is having her fourth or fifth experience with it. And that’s what our audience consists of. It’s a memory of life. To many people, “Rudolph” means Christmas.

MG: Why did you choose to work with stop motion animation, which you refer to as “animagic,” as opposed to conventional animation?
AR: A trade delegation had come to America from Japan. There was one gentleman who represented the steel industry…another who was in textiles. And a third who represented their motion picture industry. The motion picture representative had a studio he wanted to promote. He asked a friend of his in Washington D.C. if he could be introduced to one of America’s foremost animators. And by mistake he was led to me (laughs). We got along very well. He had been born in the U.S. and after he graduated college he went back to Japan. We became close friends. He invited me to come over, look at his studios, and tell him what I thought. I did. I went over, toured the studios and saw an example of stop motion, which hadn’t been done in a long time and not in any great depth. I was very taken by it…I thought it was a new approach. Of course I got to re-design it but I used the technique. We started out making some short films and they turned out very well. I made a series that I syndicated about Pinocchio. And then Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer lit up his nose. I lived in Greenwich Village at the time and my neighbor down the block (Johnny Marks) had actually written the song. I called him up and told him that there was a character there that would make a nice Christmas show. He was reluctant to do it at the time – do you know what ASCAP is? (NOTE: ASCAP is the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. It is through this group that songwriters earn their royalties). “Rudolph” was a very successful song at Christmas time and he was afraid to jeopardize that income by doing anything with the song. I finally convinced him that the show would promote the song more. I took my idea to General Electric and they sponsored it. They put it on NBC for the first time in a spot they had used for “The College Bowl” – Sunday afternoon at 4:00. (NOTE: “The General Electric College Bowl” could best be described as the collegiate version of “Jeopardy.” It ran on NBC from 1959-1970). Now normally no one is watching television on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 but they were that day…”Rudolph” earned the highest rating of the week. And the rest is, “let’s have some more of those!”

MG: Your next Christmas project was “Frosty the Snowman,” which took a more traditional animation route. Why not stop motion?
AR: Because the subject lent itself better to the medium. Besides, by then I had several other films in production at my studio in Japan. I had no more room! We were into doing a feature in stop motion.

MG: You created so many great specials over the years. One of my favorites is “The Year without a Santa Claus.” Can you share any fun stories from that production?
AR: There’s a man who wrote a book about the motion picture industry. He said, “Remember one thing…nobody knows anything!” (NOTE: The book Mr. Rankin is referring to is “Adventures in the Screen Trade,” written by Academy Award winning screenwriter William Goldman. It is a must read for anyone curious about the inner workings of Hollywood). And it’s true. You never know when you’re going to have a hit. There was a time when you could put Barbra Streisand up against a curtain and have her sing and you’d have to lock the doors because she had so many fans. And then time goes on. It is true. In this business you take your best shot. That’s what I did. I rounded up all of the Christmas songs I thought could be made into a Christmas show…we acquired the rights to almost all of the ones that I wanted.

MG: In today’s world of television ratings are everything. Were these specials successful? Did any disappoint?
AR: All of them were successful in their original run. That’s why they’re still on the air today. Warner Brothers distributes them for me. All during the Christmas season they run my shows. And they pay for that (laughs). A penny here…a penny there.

MG: What has happened to the puppets, sets and props used in these productions?
AR: Well what happened is that after awhile those things wear out. They have wire armature inside…they have faces made out of plastic that has been carved. The clothes were made by little ladies but, just like people that work too hard, they fall apart. Of course we always had a couple of standbys waiting. I have here in my home Rudolph pulling Frosty on a sleigh.

MG: Besides time constraints, what was one of the most difficult aspects of creating these specials?
AR: When we did “Year Without a Santa Claus” we had to invent new characters. We had these two brothers, Heat Miser and Cold Miser. They just jumped off the screen and became cult figures. And we just came up with them one afternoon while designing the picture…”let’s do this…Mother Nature has two sons and they don’t get along…one’s in charge of heat…OK, put that in.” (laughs)

MG: How did creating your feature film, “Mad Monster Party,” compare versus working on the television specials?
AR: First off, it was the first time it had ever been done in a long time. Not since Abbot and Costello met Frankenstein. And I thought I would be able to take so many more liberties with the stop motion process.
I concocted the idea and then got a couple of boys from “Mad” magazine (Harvey Kurtzman, who created the magazine, and Len Korobkin) to write it with me.

MG: “Mad Monster Party” was showcased in Rick Goldschmidt’s recent book “The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass.” How did you come to work with him?
AR: He called me one day. He had gotten an introduction from some one. And he was very knowledgeable. I usually don’t encourage people to do these things. First off, I can’t figure out why the hell they’re so interested. (laughs) But Rick had an awful lot of details. He sent me an outline of what the book would be like. He lives outside Chicago and I flew up to meet him. One of the rooms in his house is like a shrine. He had everything…things I had thrown out years ago. Old storyboards….he still gives me things he’s found that I had forgotten ever existed. He was very enthusiastic and wanted to do the book. So I told him “o.k.” but told him not to do the story of Arthur and Jules (Bass). You do stories on the pictures (the various specials/films). You have photos to go along with them and you’ve got a portfolio. He did that and it worked. It’s a great record of our work over the years.

MG: Have you ever considered writing your own memoirs?
AR: I’ve considered it because it’s been suggested before. But if I did it I’d want it to be straight…a lot of my old friends are still alive and what I might say about them wouldn’t be…(laughs)

MG: I read that you attempted to re-create “Mad Monster Party” using computer generated effects. What ever happened to that?
AR: We did. We made a test and it looked good. I went around Hollywood to the studios to see if they wanted to do it. Two of the studios said yes. But I was given to secondary people to deal with and I had to leave. It was no good. A studio will take your work away from you and do it themselves. They’ll rewrite. When I acquired the rights to “The King and I,” that was a very difficult property to acquire. I had to convince the families of (Richard) Rogers and (Oscar) Hammerstein that I knew what I was talking about. And I did. I wrote a script and they liked it. I was going to make that picture with my own investment with a co-partner in Japan. We were all set to do it. Then Warner Brothers calls up. They say “you don’t have to pay for it…we’ll pay you to do it for us.” “For us” meant here comes fourteen people that think they can do it better then I do. I’m not very proud of that picture. They changed a lot of the script and I was embarrassed for the Rogers and Hammerstein estate. (NOTE: The 1999 film, which was co-produced by Mr. Rankin’s production company, was both a financial and critical failure. The estates of Rogers and Hammerstein have since refused to allow any of their shows to become animated features).

MG: This coming year there are no less than three stop motion films being released, including Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie.” Do you think this process will continue to inspire?
AR: You’d think there were a lot of people that could do stop motion but they just don’t exist. This is the tech age. Computer animation…those with a technical background find it much faster. Stop motion animation is a devilish job. I’ll tell you how we worked. We would have a figure…or a group of figures…on a stage in miniature. Each figure had a human person assigned to it. And the way you get it to work…the camera clicks off one frame…the human person goes up and changes the figure ever so slightly…microscopically. The camera clicks off another frame. The human person goes over and changes it again. If a character is lifting a glass to his lips, you may have as many as 250 “motions.” The human person didn’t have anything on a computer. He knew in his mind what he had to do. Just like as if he was an actor. And we’d have to finish the scene in one day. There was no taking a break or going home for dinner and coming back the next day. We would try to start a scene as early in the morning as possible because we knew we could be working late into the evening…all night if necessary if the scene wasn’t finished.

MG: Have you ever considered returning to the business to produce or direct again?
AR: Not this Christmas, but next, I’m going to do a play in Bermuda. Everyone asks me why I’m doing it in Bermuda. We have a wonderful theater here…the Town Hall Theater. It seats around 700 people. Much bigger then many of the off-Broadway theaters with great acoustics. And if I say I want to do a Christmas play they’ll throw open the doors for me. It’s wonderful to have such cooperation. And anybody who works on the play, both on and back stage, works for nothing. All box office proceeds go to whatever charity I choose. Everybody jumps in. It’s what keeps me kicking my heels!

MG: This interview wouldn’t be complete without asking if you have a favorite project and, if so, why?
AR: I don’t have a favorite. They’re all my children. I don’t want to sound self-serving but they have remained in the public’s hearts for decades. It’s like a great painting by van Gogh or Reubens. There work is still in the public eye…the public has recognized their work for centuries. Maybe the measure of success is longevity. Things that last must be better then things that don’t!

 

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Top Board Games for your Christmas List!

Still not sure what to get that hardcore board gamer in your family for a present? Don’t want to just go the impersonal gift card route? Well, here’s my top four for the person who is really into board games:

#4: Well, I suppose I should have called this my top five, because four is a tie between “Alien Frontiers” (Game Salute) and “Star Trek Catan” (Mayday Games).

Both are what we call ‘resource building’ games and depend on your resources to build up your settlements. “Alien Frontiers” uses dice as the actual ships, and you place them in various builder positions based on your rolls, while “Star Trek Catan” uses the dice rolls to correspond to randomly placed tiles that make up the game board which you them place on to determine what resources you get. Both games end in victory points based on what you’ve built, and both have strategies that not only allow you to find better/faster ways to build, but also allow for some blocking of other players. “Alien Encounters” does this more so as you can place your dice where you want, as opposed to “Star Trek Catan,” where blocking is based on random dice rolls. While both are space exploration/expansion games, “Alien Frontiers” gets a bit of an edge in that you have more control over what happens since you have more control of what you do with the dice rolls, but “Star Trek Catan” also gets an edge because, well come on…it’s “Star Trek”!! You get to build starships and space stations and even use the original crew members for their special abilities that help you throughout the game.

#3: “Pathfinder Adventure” Cardgame (Paizo Publishing)

This game is very well done!! It combines so many elements of other games while being quite original and exceptionally versatile. The game is essentially a dungeon crawl game, but unlike other dungeon crawl game, there are no little miniatures or card board-cut outs to move around on a dungeon/game board. Instead, it’s all cards. Imagine “Dungeons & Dragons” as a card game. This is truly a cooperative game, the party has to work together to defeat the scenarios, but you also get to customize your character/deck to start and then continuously build your character/deck as you go through different adventures/scenarios/campaigns. The greatest part of this game is you can play a short 45-minute scenario, a 3-hour adventure, or an entire campaign that can last a week, a month, a year…etc. Not only that, but you can play with different play groups and keep your character along with the deck you’ve created by printing out a card/deck list off of the Paizo website, or play a completely different character, yet still save that one for later with a different deck list. Future expansion will probably keep this game fresh for years to come.

#2: “Thunderstone” (AEG)

This game just squeaks ahead of Pathfinder based on its pure addictiveness. It’s a deck building game with a High Fantasy (and somewhat Sci-Fi) taste to it, where every player starts with the same cards in his/her deck, but then builds their own unique decks based on decisions throughout the game. You gain heroes, weapons, equipment, spells, etc, to defeat monsters and gain victory points. The best part of this game is that each game you play is randomized, so you never have the same game choices. Each game is completely different in what it has to offer based on what random cards are used in that particular game. My playgroup seriously played this game for three days straight when we first got it. So much fun!!

#1: “Lords of Waterdeep” (Wizards of the Coast/Avalon/Hasbro)

Why #1? Simply because this is the game I play the most. It’s like one of your favorite band’s CDs, you just keep coming back to it after trying something else. Another resource building game (this one placed in High Fantasy “Dungeons & Dragons” settings), in this game each player collects different resources for different quests to gain victory points based on completed quests. Different from most resource building games, each player isn’t trying to collect the same items, as each quest has different requirements. To make it even more fun, you get bonus points at the end of the game based on which random ‘Lord’ you are for the game, so players have a chance to jump ahead in points at the end of the game. Again, a different game every time because of the random set up of Lords & quests, it keeps anyone with a short attention span entertained. I was introduced to this game at GenCon (nerdom’s annual amazing gaming convention), and I haven’t looked back since.

Next time…COMICS!!

Bear Wolf operates the New Game in Town shops in Dekalb and Dixon, Illinois
Visit them at www.newgame-intown.com

Antonio Fargas talks about new Christmas film “Silver Bells”

Antonio Fargas is probably best known for his work on the popular 70’s television series “Starsky and Hutch.” As “businessman” Huggy Bear, his character had his ear to the street and often assisted the title characters in solving their cases. But Huggy Bear is only the tip of an iceberg that’s been forming for over five decades.

From episodic television to film to the stage, Fargas has carved out an impressive career by any standards. This coming Sunday, December 1, he appears alongside Bruce Boxleitner on the Up TV presentation of the holiday film, “Silver Bells.” While promoting the film Mr. Fargas took time out to discuss his new film, his musical career and a father’s pride.

Mike Smith: Can you give our readers a quick introduction to your upcoming film, “Silver Bells?”
Antonio Fargas: (laughs) Certainly. Well, after working for 53 years I finally find myself in a Christmas story. “Silver Bells” will remind you a lot of “A Christmas Carol,” where a man with some anger management issues can’t appreciate the benefits of what Christmas is about. Through his anger management classes and his having to do community service with the Salvation Army, he has an encounter with me. I take him on a journey, like the ghosts took Scrooge, through the process of softening his heart and opening him up to the spirit of Christmas. It’s a wonderful, feel good story.

MS: What attracted you to the project?
AF: That I was asked (laughs). No, I loved the challenge of the character. Being a character actor I got to do the dirty work when I was younger. But now, being older, I get to do characters like grandfathers, which is another acting opportunity. I feel that I can put my craft to work and tell the story. You’ve got myself and Bruce Boxleitner…two veterans who were cast to take a journey. It just seemed like the right time.

MS: You mentioned you’ve been working for 53 years…you’ve been successful in both television and film. Do you have a preference?
AF: I think there are two pure mediums. There’s theater, the well where it all started for me. I’ve had many great opportunities to work in the theater. And then there’s…well I used to say thirty-five millimeter film…but now it’s just movies. And television is really somewhere in between, though now they’re both treated as movies, what with shooting in digital and trying to get high definition. I love the craft of acting as it applies to theater but there is also television acting and film acting, where you have to employ a whole new set of techniques. I love segueing between the two. I love theater…that’s number one in my life…but I certainly appreciate the magic of film…the different departments that it takes to put a film together. I call it a “marriage” when a film is started and, at the end, it’s almost like a divorce or a death. Really, I love being an artist and being able to create. It’s like the painter with his canvas, or the man who spins the pizza dough and throws it up in the air. It’s all about being part of the creation.

MS: You’ve sung on film in the past and even played Cab Calloway on stage. Did you ever consider pursuing a musical career?
AF: I’m actually involved in a project called The New Jump Blues, which you can catch on YouTube. I’m doing a lot of Cab Calloway-type of performing. Music has always been a part of my life. But I’ve always had a fear of singing in public. I’m great in the shower, like everybody else (laughs). I’m thinking of teaching an acting class for singers because each song is really an acting experience. (You can check out Mr. Fargas and the New Jump Blues here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb6Q0Pf8Ezg)

MS: Prouder moment: winning an award for your work or watching Justin score a touchdown? (NOTE: Mr Fargas’ son, Justin, was a star college running back and played several years for the Oakland Raiders)
AF: (laughs) Oh boy! You know, just being on the stage of life is very rewarding. Watching Justin…he was a warrior, like me. He went out there and gave his all. And before every game he would run down to the end zone and get on his knees and pray. That’s one of the things they rarely show on television. After games, when the teams have spent the game beating their brains in, players from both teams would kneel down together and pray. Seeing that was the most rewarding thing for me. I’m very proud of him. Thank you for asking.

MS: What do you have planned after “Silver Bells” premieres?
AF: I have no idea (laughs). I live in Las Vegas and, in my community, I’m directing two plays with two different theater groups. That’s where my focus is at the moment. But I’m sure that, after a 53 year career, something else is coming!

 

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DVD Review “Journey to the Christmas Star”

Starring: Agnes Kittelsen, Jakob Oftebro
Directed by: Nils Gaup
Studio: Vertical Entertainment
DVD Release Date: November 5th, 2013
MPAA Rating: G
Running Time: 77 Minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Journey to the Christmas Star” caught my eye since I noticed it was made by the Norwegian chapter of Disney. That’s right Walt Disney. Obviously this film is dubbed in English over the original language but kids aren’t going to notice that aspect. The story is so sweet and it really is a beautiful holiday film. Even though it is quite short, I will look forward to adding to title to our must watch each Christmas.

Official Premise: A courageous girl sets out on an epic journey to find the Christmas Star, free the kingdom from a curse and bring back a long lost princess. With an evil witch attempting to stop her completing her journey, the little girl must overcome great adversity. A Christmas adventure for the whole family set in a magnificent winter wonderland.

One cool fact that I found about about “Journey to the Christmas Star” is that when it released in Norway during Christmas 2012 it sold 450,000 admissions and had become the second best-selling Norwegian film in 2012 only beaten by “Kon-Tiki”, which was also huge in the U.S. This film has some decent visual effects and some very impressive scenery. Sadly, there are no special features included on this DVD besides a trailer. I would have loved to seem some production featurettes.

DVD Review “Duck Dynasty: I’m Dreaming of a Redneck Christmas”

Actors: Phil Robertson, Kay Robertson, Jase Robertson, Willie Robertson, Si Robertson
Directors: Hugh Peterson
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: A&E Home Video
DVD Release Date: November 5, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I have not been a “Duck Dynasty” fan since day one. I have been drawn into this show from the constant press and phenomena that it has developed over the last few years. I have to admit, I have become a huge fan of this show, plus I am a sucker for any kind of Christmas specials. If you are a fan of the Robertson family, then this double-length Christmas special is going to make the perfect stocking stuffer! I would have normally said that this special wouldn’t be worth purchasing since it could be includes in the season four Blu-ray release but at the low price of $6.99 on Amazon, this makes this special a no brainer to purchase.

Official Premise: In Duck Dynasty: I’m Dreaming of a Redneck Christmas, Louisiana’s bearded, camouflaged millionaires gather to celebrate as only they can. Christmas fanatic Miss Kay is in her element and goes over the top decorating the house, then spends hours preparing a mouthwatering meal of pirducken (chicken, duck and turkey inside a pig) and sweet potato pie. Some of the men don their holiday sweaters and some participate from the couch, while Phil trims the tree with a chainsaw. Willie plays Santa Claus at the local church, only to have Uncle Si crash the party dressed as an elf, sending the kids running. But when the Christmas lights are finally up and dinner’s on the table, everyone is happy, happy, happy!

The Roberton’s are actually taking over this holiday season since aside from this Christmas special, they are also releasing a CD entitled “Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas”. Let me tell you know the CD is quite amazing as well and definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the show. Besides the special, this DVD is bare-bones, which again makes it easier to stomach since the DVD is only $6.99, so get ready to enjoy get in the holiday mood this year as you only with the Robertson family! Since they do it better than anyone!!

Blu-ray Review “Mickey’s Christmas Carol: 30th Anniversary Special Edition”

Directors: Burny Mattinson
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Run Time: 26 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Mickey’s Christmas Carol” is easily my favorite holiday special of all-time! Yes, I am serious. As a kid, I literally wore out our VHS copy, which we recorded off TV in the early 80’s. It is crazy to believe that this film is celebrating its 30th anniversary but I couldn’t be happier to have this film available in glorious Blu-ray. I have been getting very fed up with the ABC Family hack-job cut that they air each year, which cuts out various classic scenes. This Blu-ray is the complete and uncut special and has never looked better. I am looking to sharing this with my daughter each year with hopes that she can enjoy as much as I have for the last 30 years.

Official Premise: Mickey, Goofy, Donald and all their pals star in a heartwarming retelling of Dickens’ unforgettable holiday tale. Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck) is far too greedy to understand that Christmas is a time for kindness and generosity. But with the guidance of some wise ghosts (Goofy and Jiminy Cricket) and a bunch of newfound friends, Scrooge learns to embrace the spirit of the season. Share this wonderful holiday treat with the whole family.

This 30th Anniversary Special Edition gets the treatment from Disney delivering it as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy. I can’t wait to use the digital copy, during our upcoming holiday vacation and it’s good to have just in case we wear out of the Blu-ray disc. Haven’t grown up with this film on VHS tape, this special has never looked better. 30 years old? Humbug! “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” is beautifully digitally restored. The character outlining is so crisp and sharp, as is the colors, which really pop so well.

In terms of special features, the only let down for me is that they didn’t include the fantastic “The Making of Mickey’s Christmas Carol”, which has been available only on Youtube (see below, it is a must watch). Otherwise the Blu-ray includes some fun extras, especially for kiddies. There are five bonus animated shorts, which all equally look amazing in HD. “Yodleberg” is the first (and all-new) Mickey Mouse short, which really aired on Disney Channel this Fall. There are also classic shorts including “The Hockey Champ”. “Pluto’s Christmas Tree”, “The Art of Skiing” and “Corn Chips”.

Also included is one of my favorite new features that Disney has been behind, which is the “Disney Intermission”, in which Mickey invites viewers to sing Christmas Carols with all his pals when the film is paused. This is such a great addition to the release and makes pausing fun. There are three songs to enjoy including “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”, “Deck the Halls” and “Jingle Bells”. I really hope that Disney continues this trend, since it is one of my favorites and added a lot to the Blu-ray. Do not miss this release for sure Disney fans!

A Christmas Story Star Zack Ward Fights Bullying with “Go Fark urself & get Bullyproof” Campaign


“A Christmas Story” is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary this Christmas and Zack Ward, who played Scut Farkus in the film is looking to show my appreciation by giving back. “Fark-O-Vision!” is an app that raises money for Bully Prevention programs around the country! Click here to support the campaign and spread the word before November 30th, 2013.

Here is Zack’s pitch from indiegogo.com:
“We’re creating a free app that will allow people to “Fark-i-Fy” their photos. Ya know, you can take your face and mess it up…in a good way. You can then send your photos via text, email, Facebook, Twitter, or hard copy postcard to your friends, family, enemies, or random strangers. The postcard will cost about $1-$2 and that’s where we’ll raise money for Bully Prevention programs. So when it comes to sending out your personalized holiday greetings, you’re all set…and you help some kids at the same time.

The idea of Bullying has changed. Society has gotten smarter and more aware of the short term and long term damage it causes. It effects all races, sexes, religions and ages. It’s time for us to end it. And we can.

You can help us create programs for kids in underserved schools and communities. We can show them, in person, that there is a choice for both the victim AND the bully, to change and enrich their lives, and then pay it forward. We envision a world of young, kind hearted mentors, that find inner strength and gain confidence by helping their peers succeed. A true synergy for our children and our country.”

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DVD Review “My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas”

Starring: Chiara Zanni, Tabitha St. Germain, Kelly Sheridan, Kathleen Barr
Directed by Victor Dal Chele
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: October 8, 2013
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Run Time: 44 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Due the popularity of “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”, the demand for more “My Little Pony” has been out of control. Due to this Shout! Factory is going back and releasing reissues of the original “My Little Pony” titles. “A Very Minty Christmas” was released in 2005 and was the first film appearance for this franchise since their big-screen debut in 1986. So it was a sort of comeback. The film hasn’t been available on DVD for a while, so this is perfect time for the holidays. The film is still with a good message and some fun songs. My daughter was literally glued to the screen. I see this become a constant re-watch this holiday season! 82 days till Christmas! 😉

Official Premise: The ‘Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane’ is an important part of Ponyville: it’s the beacon that shows jolly old Santa Claus the way to the town as he makes his holiday rounds each year. But when Minty accidentally breaks it, uh-oh! It looks like Ponyville is destined to have a bleak holiday season. Minty is determined to do anything to save Christmas for her Pony friends while they, in turn, band together to try and cheer up their despondent four-legged friend. Together, they all discover that Christmas can come anyway, wrapped in the love of good friends and the oversized heart of one little clumsy, minty-green Pony!

In terms of special features, there isn’t much on this DVD. When Paramount originally released this film back in 2005, they had included a second animated feature, “Dancing in the Clouds”. but that is not found here. There are two music videos included for the fun songs and that is it. I look forward to future classic releases of “My Little Pony” and hope that Shout! goes back to the original 80’s series! I would love to see season releases of those, so I can introduce them to my daughter!

Book Review “The Nightmare Before Christmas: 20th Anniversary Edition”

Author/Illutrator: Tim Burton
Age Range: 6 – 8 years
Grade Level: 1 – 3
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Disney Press; 20 Anv edition
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of my favorite films of all-time. I watch it over and over and never get tired.  Whenever August/September rolls around, I get the major itch to start watching it to get ready for the holiday seasons, including Halloween and Christmas.  I love the fact that it crosses over the holidays since just creates this new genre for itself. This book was released for the film’s 20th anniversary last month, yes I can’t believe either its been 20 years. I remember the first time I saw this film and was simply blown away. Tim Burton has such a unique perspective in this film and really set the scale for future stop-motion animated films. A must have for any fan of the film.

Official Premise: In this beloved picture book that could only come from the visionary mind of author and illustrator Tim Burton, we meet Jack Skellington– a well-intentioned inhabitant of Halloweenland. Jack is bored of “the scaring, the terror, the fright….tired of being something that goes bump in the night”. And so, in an effort to bring to joy to his town, Jack kidnaps Santa and takes his place as the jolly old elf. But instead of bringing joy to the world Jack, who is a little more than a grinning skeleton, brings fear by delivering creepy toys and riding a sleigh carried by skeletal reindeer. Only through a number of things going horribly wrong does Jack learn the true meaning of Christmas.

This 20th Anniversary Edition isn’t just a cash-in from Disney. It contains some updated illustrations from Tim Burton himself, including a new intro. you can tell that this project was such a labor of love for him and still is since he comments that he loved revisiting it. Now when it comes to the artwork in the book, which I loved but I am also a 31 year old man. For kids, it might be a little creepy but then again so is the film. I do not think that I will be sharing this with my 15 month old daughter…just yet but I look forward to introducing to her down the line. The words just rhyme so well and I really have a blast revisiting this timeless classic. Even though it is has been 20 years, I see myself revisiting this book and film, like Burton, for many many years to come!

Celebrate Christmas in July with our Ugly Christmas Sweater Giveaway [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

Who doesn’t love Christmas? It is the best time of the year! Media Mikes is teaming up with UglyChristmasSweater.com to celebrate Christmas in July. Media Mikes would like to giveaway the following featured sweater above. If you would like to enter for your chance to win this great prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite Christmas movie. This giveaway will remain open until July 26th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US and Canada only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

One look at this seemingly appropriate Christmas sweater is sure to show more than most people want to see! Sure, it looks like a harmless Snowman, but perhaps he should have a little more clothing on? Both carrots are sure to literally stick out here, making for an eye-popping ugly Christmas sweater. If you’re looking for something hilariously bad to wear to the party or just a silly gift, look no further than this horrible holiday clothing.

DVD Review “Hanna-Barbera Christmas Classics Collection”

Created by: Hanna-Barbera
Studio: Warner Archive
DVD Release Date: September 14, 2012
Run Time: 72 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Hanna-Barbera, they are the masters of animation.  I have been a fan of their work for over 30 years. This Christmas collection includes the C-grade of specials.  If you are looking for “The Flintstones” or “The Jetsons”, then you should look somewhere else.  This collection includes: “A Christmas Story” (1971), “The Town Santa Forgot” (1993) and “Casper’s First Christmas” (1979).  The special episodes are cool to have just because they are not the typical ones that you see every year on TV.  They are the forgotten ones or the ones that are not that popular.

Official Synopsis: A dog and a mouse head for the North Pole to deliver a lost letter. Hanna-Barbera superstars lend a helping hand to the world’s friendliest ghost. The greediest boy in the world discovers the magic of giving. What could three such different tales have in common? Hanna-Barbera and Santa Claus, that’s what! Hanna-Barbera assembled its mightiest talents of pen and voice to produce one of its first forays into prime-time animated Christmas specials, A Christmas Story, the tale of Goober and Gumdrop’s quest to save Christmas for one little boy. Dick Van Dyke narrates The Town Santa Forgot, based on Charmaine Severson’s beloved poem “Jeremy Creek” about the confusion created by a gargantuan wish list. Casper’s First Christmas sees Casper facing a Christmas Eve eviction when he receives holiday help from the likes of Yogi Bear, Boo-Boo, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy.

The episodes look good but haven’t been remastered for this release. They were taken from the best known master available.  The colors are a little dull and could use a face lift but like I said these are specials that are not as loved as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” etc. They are presented in their original aspect ration of 1.37:1. My favorite of the three is easily “Casper’s First Christmas” since it comes packed with many well-known Hanna-Barbera characters including Yogi Bear and many others. It may not be the best collection of Christmas specials but if you are looking for something different, check it out!

CD Review: James Taylor “James Taylor At Christmas (Extra Tracks)”

James Taylor
“James Taylor At Christmas”
Label: Universal Music Enterprises
Tracks: 14
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Running Time: 50 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“James Taylor At Christmas” was released back in 2006 and it is being released this year with two new tracks.  The first track is Taylor’s French rendition of “O Christmas Tree” titled “Mon Beau Sapin”, which is only available on this collection. The second track isn’t really a Christmas track per se but it is Beatles cover for “Here Comes The Sun” with cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Still a fantastic and moving track. Also appearing the album are talented guest starts including Chris Botti, Natalie Cole and Toots Theilemans. This album has always been successful in getting into the holiday spirit over the years and I am sure it will continue now with this expanded release.

This collection includes some really great holiday favorites performed within Taylor’s unique sound.  There is a jazzy renditions of both “Winter Wonderland” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”.  “The Christmas Song” (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) is really a perfect track for the holidays. Natalie Cole and Taylor deliver a wonderful duet with “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”.  I have to say though my favorite track is the cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River” and my least favorite is still “Go Tell It On the Mountain”, which is the one I always skip. The album also ends perfectly with the New Year’s classic “Auld Lang Syne”. James Taylor’s voice is really a nice marriage with the Christmas season.  I personally am a fan of simple and quiet Christmas songs and there is something for everyone here.  This will leave you not only inspired and but also full-blown in the holiday mood.

Track Listing:
1. Winter Wonderland
2. Go Tell It On The Mountain
3. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
4. Jingle Bells
5. Baby It’s Cold Outside
6. River
7. Here Comes The Sun
8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
9. Some Children See Him
10. Mon Beau Sapin
11. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
12. Who Comes This Night
13. In The Bleak Midwinter
14. Auld Lang Syne

 

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CD Review: John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John “This Christmas”

John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
“This Christmas”
Label: Universal Music Enterprises
Tracks: 13
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Running Time: 44 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John are back.  It has been 35 years since their last duet “You’re The One That I Want” in “Grease”. The track in fact just became the best-selling duet in pop music history, so it is only right that they join forces again. “This Christmas” is a newly recorded album featuring some great Christmas favorites with guest appearances from amazing talent including Barbara Streisand, Tony Bennett, Kenny G and James Taylor! So is this reuniting as sharp and hot as it was in “Grease”? Not really, but it is Christmas, so I have to give this duet some points for at least sharing their Christmas spirit.  It is a little cheesy here and there but that is what Christmas is about and this album really captures it and aims to deliver a smile to everyone listening.

The CD includes twelve classic covers of Christmas songs and even a brand new original track titled “I Think You Might Like It”.  It is composed by John Farrar and set as a sequel to their famous smash hit. I got to tell you the track is worth the price of the CD alone. It is a really fun up-tempo pop track.  Olivia Newton-John’s voice sounds great still. John Travolta is not at his prime since “Grease” but still sounds decent, though I can’t help but smirk a little when he comes on.   Other great tracks are “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” with Kenny G on horns. “Silent Night” is nicely paced and beautiful duet. Barbara Streisand joins in for the jazzy take on “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”. “Winter Wonderland” is a real gem and big-band feel with Tony Bennett and the Count Basie Orchestra and of course the best Christmas duet is “Baby It’s Cold Outside”, it is a great album opener.

So this might not be the best Christmas album ever, but it does what it is suppose to.  With Christmas right around the corner, it spreads some great Holiday cheer. I also love the reuniting of John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John, they are really cute together and seem to be having a lot of fun together. I have a feeling that this album will be a yearly revisit each year.  What makes this worth wild is that Travolta and Newton-John are donating the artist proceeds from the album equally to their respective charities, the Jett Travolta Foundation and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia. So not only is this a cheesy-yet fun collection of Christmas songs but it is also helping a good cause. I recommend this for sure!

Track Listing:
1. Baby It’s Cold Outside
2. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
3. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
4. This Christmas
5. Silent Night
6. The Christmas Waltz
7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
8. Winter Wonderland
9. White Christmas
10. I Think You Might Like It
11. The Christmas Song
12. Deck The Halls
13. Auld Lang Syne/Christmas Time Is Here (Medley)

Blu-ray Review “A Christmas Carol (1951)”

Actors: Alastair Sim, Kathleen Harrison, Jack Warner, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley
Directors: Brian Desmond Hurst
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 86 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

When you think about “A Christmas Carol”, you think about Alastair Sim portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge.  It is one of the times and will always be one of my personal favorites.  The Charles Dickens’ story in general is my favorite Christmas tale, in general though.  Thanks to VCI, yet again, for keeping this classic alive and delivering a release that complements this wonderful film. This Blu-ray edition has been digitally restored with a new 1080p, 24fps high definition transfer master produced from the 35mm negative and fine grain.  The film couldn’t look any better.  There are two audio tracks included. The original LPCM Mono track, which I prefer and then the upgraded LPCM 5.1, which I feel doesn’t really suit the film and its time.  I look forward to sharing this film with my daughter as she grows and she will get to experience it in it’s wonderful presentation here.

Official Synopsis: Alastair Sim’s tour-de-force performance as the ultimate miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, has almost single-handedly made this beloved version of Charles Dickens’ story into one of the best-loved Christmas films of all time. Some of Britain’s best filmmakers united behind Sim, who was joined by a delightful cast of accomplished and acclaimed English actors; creating what many today believe to be the best and most faithful production of Dickens’ immortal tale. Cranky and curmudgeonly Scrooge learns the error of his unkind ways and is taught the true meaning of the holidays when he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future.

This 2012 release comes in a combo pack with both the Blu-ray and DVD of the film.  The film is packed with some wonderful extras on both the Blu-ray and DVD. Let’s start with the DVD, which besides including the film in standard definition includes exclusive extras which are not on the Blu-ray.  The first is “Campbell Playhouse: A Christmas Carol”, which is the original 1939 radio dramatization that is narrated by Orson Welles and stars Lionel Barrymore.  This is a real treat for sure.  Lastly, there is a Biblographic Essay from Fred Guida on the film, which has such a vibrant history.

The special features on the Blu-ray are also extremely impressive and all presented in HD (which is shocking). There is an decent length introduction from Leonard Maltin. “Dead to Begin With: The Darker Side of a Classic” is a 30-minute feature with commentary by Sir Christopher Frayling talking about the production during the post-World War II era. “Scrooge by Another Name: Distributing A Christmas Carol” is look into the life of Richard Gordan, the distributor for Renown Pictures. “The Human Blarney Stone: Life and Films of Brian Desmond Hurst” is career retro wiht great-great nephew Allan Esler Smith. Alastair Sim Version: Too Good to be Shown only at Christmastime” is a chat about the film with Fred Guida, author of “A Christmas Carol and it’s Adaptions” Lastly, “Silent Dickens” is a collection of Dickens’ silent work from 1922 now in HD, “Scrooge” and “Bleak House”. There are some features missing from last year’s 60th Anniversary release including the trailers, a featurette “Scrooge Revisited”, the commentary track from Marcus Hearn and George Cole and the Reproduction of the American Pressbook insert.