TV Legend Dick Clark dead at 82

Dick Clark, whose almost seven decades on television made him known as “America’s Oldest Living Teenager,” died today after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 82.

Born in Mount Vernon, New York towards the end of 1929, Clark started out as a mail clerk at WRUN-Radio, which was run by his father and uncle, in Utica, New York. Within a year he graduated to doing the weather and finally his own newscast. He was 17.

He attended Syracuse University and after graduation returned to Utica where he hosted a television country music program. In 1952 he was hired by WFIL, a Philadelphia station that broadcast on both radio and television. Initially hired as a radio DJ, Clark begin filling in for host Bob Horn on the stations afternoon teenage dance show, “Bandstand.” When Horn was fired in 1956 after being arrested for drunk driving Clark took over the show permanently, soon establishing it as one of the most popular on air. In 1957 the ABC television network picked up the show to run nationally, re-naming it “American Bandstand.” The show became a hit nationwide, airing after school in most cities. Sensing a change in the music world, Clark was one of the first hosts to welcome black dancers and guests on his show.

In 1959, Congress began an investigation into what was known as “Payola,” which concerned record company executives paying disc jockeys to highlight certain records and ignore others. Clark was called to testify before the committee and admitted to taking a fur coat and some jewelry for his wife from one record company president. As this was the only incident, Clark was reprimanded. However, to avoid the perception of impropriety, ABC asked Clark to sell his interest in the television program. He did but managed to keep rights to several important individual programs. In 1963, ABC moved “American Bandstand” to Saturday afternoons, where it ran until 1989.

Clark was also a shrewd producer. In 1972 he hosted his very first “New Year’s Rocking Eve” program. He also produced and hosted several game shows, most notably “The $10,000 Pyramid.” This grew to $25,000 then finally $100,000. He also produced such other popular shows as “Bloopers and Practical Jokes” and the very popular “American Music Awards.” In 2004 Clark suffered a stroke, which kept him off the air on New Years Eve. But the next year he was back, with new co-host Ryan Seacrest. His speech was stilted but you could see the young man inside in his eyes. Dick Clark was a true television icon. I doubt there will ever be another like him.

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Filed Under: TV Headlines Tagged With: 82, clark, dead, dick

Book Review “The Walking Dead Chronicles: The Official Companion Book”

Author: Paul Ruditis
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Abrams
Release Date: October 1, 2011

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Hey “Walking Dead” fans, this is the first and only authorized, behind-the-scenes guide to your favorite show.  It focuses on the making of the first season of the Golden Globe–nominated TV show.  “The Walking Dead” is a really rare show, it is not your typically television programming yet millions have latched on and love it.  I couldn’t be happier for the show as it honestly deserves it.  Season one is short with only six episodes but that doesn’t mean that this book isn’t packed with content and interesting aspects of the show.

“The Walking Dead Chronicles” is jam packed with amazing illustrated with never-before-seen unit photography, storyboards, set designs, makeup and visual effects shots, and page-to-screen comparisons of the comic and TV show.   It also features new interviews with series creator Robert Kirkman and executive producer Frank Darabont, as well as the cast and crew. Also included is a detailed episode guide, including excerpts from early drafts and final scripts.  Since this show was original based on Kirkman’s comics, it has a lot of room to grow in the future as the comic is still releasing new issues often. This is honestly the best companion book to one of the best shows on television.

This book is guaranteed to satisfy any fan of the show easily.  Paul Ruditis really did a fantastic job of providing a shit load of information as well as making it a very easy read.  Make sure to also check out the fantastic introduction by the creator Robert Kirkman.  I also recommend highly the foreword from Frank Darabont.  They both start off and end this companion book with a bang. If Abrams is reading this review, I have they are going to be releasing a second volume very soon as the second season just ended.

 

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Monkees singer Davy Jones dead at age 66.

On February 9, 1964, over 40% of America was tuned into the “Ed Sullivan Show.” There they were treated to an English musical guest that, a few years later, would become one of the biggest teen idols of all time. No, it wasn’t the Beatles (though they were on the show as well). It was 18 year old Davy Jones, who was appearing on the show along with the cast of the musical “Oliver!”

Born on December 30, 1945 in Lancashire, England, Jones began acting at the age of 11 and, in 1961, began appearing in the long running television soap opera “Coronation Street.” That was the first year of the show which is STILL running 51 years later. When his mother passed away he left acting and began training as a jockey. He was 14.

A friend of his trainer recommended Jones to a friend who was looking for young boys to appear in the musical “Oliver!” Jones was hired and soon found himself starring as the Artful Dodger. He later reprised the role when the show came to Broadway, earning a Tony Award nomination. Based on his appearance on the Sullivan show Jones was signed to a contract with Screen Gems. A few television appearances followed as did a few independently released singles.

Being under contract proved helpful for Jones when, in 1965, the studio began a search for “Folk & Roll Musicians-Singers for acting roles in new TV series.” The studio already had Jones in mind. Musicians from all over came to audition. Among those who didn’t make it: Stephen Stills and Harry Nillson. It’s also been rumored that Charles Manson auditioned but later checking showed he was in prison at the time. Along with Mickey Dolenz, Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork, Jones became a part of The Monkees, television’s attempt to cash in on the popularity of the Beatles. The show ran for only two seasons (it won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Program in year one) but the band kept recording, in various phases, until 1971. The Monkees sold more then 65 million albums and singles. Jones sang lead on such hits as “Daydream Believer,” “Valerie” and “I Wanna Be Free.”

After the Monkees disbanded Jones continued to act and record. He also reunited with the Monkees for several reunion tours. I saw the band, sans Nesmith, in 1986 and had the good fortune of meeting the band and having several albums signed. I also saw him on stage as Vince Fontaine in a touring production of “Grease.” Younger generations may know Jones from his vocal work on “Spongebob Squarepants” or his appearance in “The Brady Bunch Movie.” In the late 1960s another singer named David Jones decided to change his name to avoid confusion. We know him today as David Bowie.

Jones is survived by his third wife, Jessica, and four daughters.

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: 66, age, davy, dead, jones, monkees, ...

Etta James dead at age 73

Etta James, whose version of the 1941 standard “At Last” is one of the most popular recordings of all time, died today from complications due to leukemia. She was 73. She passed away just three days after bandleader Johnny Otis, who discovered her, passed away.

Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, she was raised by an almost absentee mother who told the young girl that her father was the famous pool player Minnesota Fats. Years later she met him but he never admitted or denied being her father. Due to her mother’s many problems James was mostly raised by Lula and Jesse Rogers, family friends who owned a rooming house her mother used to live in.

She was performing in a female group known as the Peaches when Otis spotted her, advising her to rearrange her first name and become Etta James. The two co-wrote the hit “Roll With Me, Henry,” which was a reply to the popular Hank Ballard and the Midnighters’ hit, “Work With Me, Annie.” Her first “big” song was the ballad “I’d Rather Go Blind,” which was later covered by such singers as Rod Stewart, B.B. King and Beyonce’, who sang it while portraying James in the film “Cadillac Records.”

In 1960 she signed with Chess Records and released her debut album, “At Last!,” at the end of the year. In 1961 the title track was released as a single, reaching #2 on the Rhythm and Blues chart and #47 on the Billboard Hot 100. “At Last” would become her signature song. She stayed with Chess Records until 1978. In 1993 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, becoming one of only thirteen women inducted as a solo performer.

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“Evil Dead” Interview Series

Who doesn’t love “The Evil Dead” series? Since 1981, these films has changed the way that horror films where made and have become a few of the biggest cult classics of our time. This also formed the birth of Ashley J. Williams aka Ash played by Bruce Campbell. Media Mikes has been interviewing various members from “The Evil Dead”, “Evil Dead II” and “Army of Darkness” over the last few months to bring you this amazing series. Please enjoy and leave comments.


Betsy Baker
Bruce Campbell
Danny Hicks

Theresa Tilly
Timothy Quill
Tom Sullivan

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Filed Under: Interviews Tagged With: dead, evil, interview, series

“Tommy” director Ken Russell dead at 84

Ken Russell, the British filmmaker who successfully brought the Who’s rock opera “Tommy” to the big screen, died yesterday (November 27) in his sleep. At the time of his death he was beginning pre-production on a new film, a musical version of “Alice in Wonderland.”

Seen as both flamboyant and controversial, Russell dreamed as a child of being a ballet dancer. But after a stint in the Royal Air Force and the Merchant Navy, and unsuccessful attempts at dancing and photography, he got a job working in television. After many successful years creating documentaries for the BBC he directed his first feature film, a 1963 comedy called “French Dressing.” The film was a rousing failure and it wasn’t until 1967 that he was allowed a second feature. “Billion Dollar Brain,” featuring Michael Caine, was well received and led to the film that would be considered his breakthrough.

In 1969 Russell released “Women In Love,” an adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence novel. The film starred Glenda Jackson, Oliver Reed and Alan Bates. The film gained notoriety for a nude wrestling scene and was among the first films to show male genitalia on screen. The film was nominated for eleven BAFTA awards as well as four Academy Awards, including a nomination for Russell. This would be his only Oscar nomination for direction. Glenda Jackson won the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance in the film.

As the 1970s began, Russell found himself edited by the studios he worked for. His 1971 release “The Devils” was so upsetting that Warner Brothers refused to release it without some cuts. The film featured Oliver Reed (a Russell regular) as a priest who defies a corrupt church and state. Most of the brouhaha over the film came from the scenes featuring sexuality among nuns. Despite, or in spite of, the outrage the film led the British box office for eight straight weeks. In 1975 he released his vision of the Who’s “Tommy.” Featuring Ann Margaret, Jack Nicholson, Roger Daltrey and Elton John, the film earned Margaret an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. He teamed up with Daltrey for his next project, “Lisztomania,” He ended the 70’s with the biopic “Valentino.”

In 1980 Russell collaborated with writer Paddy Chayefsky for the film adaptation of Chayefsky’s novel, “Altered States.” Starring William Hurt, the film is better known for the many on-set arguments between director and writer. Blaming his many quarrels with Chayefsky for “blacklisting” him in Hollywood, Russell made one more film in America, the very kinky “Crimes of Passion” with Kathleen Turner and Anthony Perkins. Returning to England he directed such period films as “Gothic,” with Gabrielle Byrne and “The Lair of the White Worm.”

In 1990 Russell took a job in front of the camera, appearing in a pivotal role opposite Sean Connery, Michelle Pfeiffer and Roy Scheider in “The Russia House.” His last significant film as a director was the 1991 film “Whore,” which starred Theresa Russell (no relation). Slapped with an NC 17 rating, the film could not be advertised on television nor could posters be displayed. The studio re-titled the film, “If You Can’t Say It, Just See It.” Russell was vocally upset at the film’s rating, noting that the same year’s “Pretty Woman” was given an “R” rating, noting that his film dealt with the hardships of prostitution while the Julia Roberts film just glamorized the profession.

An accomplished author, Russell wrote six novels along with several books on filmmaking. In 1989 he released his autobiography.

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CD Review: The Devil Wears Prada “Dead Throne”

The Devil Wears Prada
“Dead Throne”
Ferret Records
Producer: Adam Dutkiewicz
Tracks: 13

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Dead Throne” is the follow up release to The Devil Wears Prada 2009 album “With Roots Above and Branches Below”. “Dead Throne” features 13 new tracks by the 6 piece metal-core band and was produced by Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz. “Dead Throne” is being released via Ferret Records.

After listening to “Dead Throne” the first time through I immediately hit repeat and listened through the entire album a second time. “Dead Throne” has so much to listen to that I needed to play the album again just to take it all in. Each track on “Dead Throne” features a wide array of instrumentation which ranges from break neck shredding to groove filled break downs. Songs like “Mammoth”, “Vengeance”, and the album’s first single “Born to Lose” are shining examples of what the band is capable of. From a production stand point Adam Dutkiewicz did a great job giving the tracks an extremely heavy and full sound making each tack contained on “Dead throne” worthy of cranking from your car while driving in a residential neighborhood.

The Devil Wears Prada’s “Dead Throne” was an interesting listen as you never knew what you were going to hear next. I found the album to be quite versatile and more than just your typical metal-core album. Fans of the bands 2009 release will be more than happy listening to The Devil Wears Prada’s latest release “Dead Throne”.

Track Listing:
•    Dead Throne
•    Untidaled
•    Mammoth
•    Vengeance
•    R.I.T.
•    My Questions
•    Kansas
•    Born To Lose
•    Forever Decay
•     Chicago
•     Constance
•     Pretenders
•     Holdfast

 

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Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: cd, dead, devil, prada, review, throne, ...

DVD Review “More Brains! A Return To The Living Dead”

Directed by Bill Philputt
Starring: Cast of Return of the Living Dead
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 240 minutes

Overall score: 4 out of 5 stars

If you are horror fan then it’s simple… you love zombie movies. Everyone loves zombies. It is something about them every since George Romero brought them into the spotlight in the late 60’s. “Return of the Living Dead” one the horror gems and has become a major cult classic and legacy in the genre. The film has spawned four sequels and has one hell of a following. The feature “More Brains! A Return To The Living Dead” proposes itself as the definitive “Return of The Living Dead”. It does that in fact and more. It focuses solely on the first film and comes together as a great documentary. The team behind this film has done previous genre documentary like “His Name is Jason” and “Never Sleep Again”. This one definitely stands out as their best work.

This film gathers amazing interviews from the cast and crew of the film starting with Writer/Director Dan O’Bannon, Co-producer Graham Henderson and the cast Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Beverly Randolph, Thom Mathews, John Philbin, Jewel Shepard, Miguel A. Nunez Jr., Brian Peck, Linnea Quigley, Allan Trautman, as well as many of the special effects team. It presents some amazing stories from the film that I never knew as well as archive footage from the shoot. The stories are fun and it looks like the cast/crew is having a really good time. I honestly can’t wait to see what these guys are going to do next. Would love their take on a documentary about “The Exorcist” or “Halloween”.

The special features are packed and include ANOTHER two hours of footage. The first is called “A Conversation with Dan O’Bannon: The Final Interview” and it covers his experience working on the film. Great stuff. Next up, we have coverage about the 2nd and 3rd films in “They Won’t Stay Dead: A Look at Return of the Living Dead Part II” and “Love Beyond the Grave: A Look at Return of the Living Dead 3”. I think the coverage from the second film is a bit of a downer, it seems like it was a bad experience. I think about Roy Schneider talking about “Jaws 2” compares to “Jaws”. The third film has always had a special place for me and I love Brian Yunza. I am surprised but not shocked that there is no mention at all on the disc about the 4th and 5th film in the series. But like any respecting horror fan, I just ask myself…”What 4th and 5th film?” The music video for Stacey Q’s “Tonight” is cheesy but you can’t help but love that song (and think about the graveyard dance scene). “Even More Brains: Deleted Documentary Interviews” covers alternate footage cut from the film but it works really well. I am happy with the flow of the film though and think it was well cut. “Return of the Living Dead in 3 Minutes” features the cast today revisiting lines from the film during their interviews. Very funny. “Resurrected Settings: The Filming Locations Today” takes us back to the sets from the film and it is cool to see where it was shot.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: brains, dead, dvd, living, return, review, ...

XBOX 360 Game Review “Dead Island”

Developer: Techland
Distributor: Square Enix
Publisher: Deep Silver
Platform: Xbox 360
Mode: Single-player, Multiplayer
Rating: ESRB: M

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

First, and above all foremost, this is NOT your “Mom’s” Zombie game. This game is bloody, gory, creepy, and fun as all hell. I wanted to play it the first time I saw the official announcement trailer, watch below. This game has the “scare” feeling you get from BioShock, coupled with good music and sound effects. The scare factor is what I loved the most. If you want to really get into the game, play at night, in the dark, using a Ear Force X41 headset, which I absolutely love. You can hear all of the little details in the background, not just the ones close to you. My roommates had a particularly joyful time sneaking up on me. The game is set in an absolutely spectacular island setting, with blue skies filled with puffy white clouds, and crystal blue waters. The fact that a zombie apocalypse begins here of all places is ironic.

Now before you just punch the heck out of the start button to jump in to the game, make sure you watch that intro. For one thing the song “Who Do You Voodoo, Bitch?” is addictive, but mainly because it sets up the story for you. For example, it explains why you start out by waking up on the floor in a hotel room. You also want to pay close attention to your mini map and the “bread crumb trail” in the beginning or you will find yourself dying several times before you get off the floor of your hotel room.

Game play is smooth and easy to catch on to changing weapons and setting skill points. Just make sure you are in a safe place when you set those skill points because live mode is still live when you go into your inventory, map and skills section. The tutorial is short, and sweet, getting you into the fray pretty quickly. There are loads of places and things to loot, from the numerous luggage left all over the island, to refrigerators, cupboards, phones and even computer towers give you items to sell, modify your weapons; even the zombies sometimes give out health packs!

Health is regenerated from eating fruit, energy bars, and drinking energy drinks, or using med kits which are given like an injections. Several friends and I have joked that the med kits are more akin to taking an insulin shot after the number of energy drinks and energy bars one consumes to stay alive. Dying doesn’t kill you in the XP section like most games, or the loot, but it will make a nice dent in your wallet. Sadly returning to the site of your demise doesn’t replenish that wad of cash either, you just want to make sure you loot when you can, especially zombies and safe’s as they give really good handfuls.

You have an option of playing in either Co-Op Mode or Multiplayer Mode and in either mode you play through the story line. The difference is with Multiplayer Mode you can join random other peoples games or they can jump into your game depending on the settings you have changed. I particularly enjoyed the Multiplayer mode because anyone could just jump in your game at any time and help you out. You also learn a lot of tips and tricks from them. Then again if they just annoy you you do have the option to boot them out of your game.

With all games there are of course some issues. For instance trying to take a shortcut over a large hill rather than going around it will sometimes find you stuck, or that gap between the fence and stairs will send you suddenly to your death. I find the game play was so much fun that the little things that annoyed me were very pale in comparison. There are some other little glitches, some of them so easy you can’t help but wonder if the programmers did it on purpose. For instance, with an especially expensive or all around awesome weapon equipped, holding down your left trigger, then holding down Y and then holding down right trigger (so they are all held down at once at the end) you drop your weapon, and a duplicate of it. This is a particularly nice “glitch” when you need more money (duplicate, sell, repeat) or when you want to save on the costly price of repairing your weapons (duplicate and save weapon that is at 100%).

All in all I absolutely LOVED this game. The story line is terrific, even including a rather unique reason how the whole zombie thing began. But I suggest you play yourself and try it out. This is definitely a game I recommend to anyone over 18 (there IS a lot of blood and gore!)

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Filed Under: Game Reviews Tagged With: 360, dead, game, island, review, xbox, ...

Lionsgate Brings “Dead Island” to Life on the Big Screen

LIONSGATE BRINGS DEAD ISLAND TO LIFE ON THE BIG SCREEN

Feature Film Adaptation Of Deep Silver’s Zombie Sensation In Development At The Studio

Santa Monica, CA, September 27, 2011– LIONSGATE® (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, today announced that it has optioned film rights from Deep Silver to develop a feature inspired by Dead Island, which became a viral media sensation when its haunting, artful trailer launched in February 2011.  The announcement was made by Lionsgate’s co-COO and Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake.

Dead Island is a global brand first introduced through a teaser trailer that told the story of a family on vacation at a tropical resort who is besieged by zombies.  Told in a stark, non-linear fashion, the wrenching trailer captured worldwide fan attention and unanimous critical praise upon its debut, receiving over one million hits in its first 24 hours online, and nearly 10 million views by two days after its debut.  Wired Magazine, College Humor and G4TV all called it the best video game trailer of all time, with G4TV adding “The Dead Island trailer is the best trailer I have ever seen in my life.  The best video game trailer.  The best movie trailer. The best anything trailer.”  The trailer went on to win the Golden Lion in Cannes at the International Festival of Creativity, the advertising industry’s highest honor, and it was featured by Adweek on their annual list of the World’s Best Commercials.

The video game Dead Island was published by Deep Silver for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.  It was released in the United States on September 6th, 2011 and was the number one selling game both in the U.S. and the U.K. upon its local releases.  The game has sold over two million units to date.

The game centers on vacationers whose island paradise becomes a living hell when a zombie outbreak quickly spreads.  Cut off from the rest of the world, the survivors have only the available materials and the island’s natural “weapons” to protect themselves from the vicious and growing legions of the undead.  In addition to the award-winning trailer and video game, the Dead Island intellectual property will be simultaneously developed by Deep Silver into forthcoming graphic novels, novels and other extensions.

Like the trailer that will serve as its primary creative inspiration, the film DEAD ISLAND will be an innovation of the zombie genre because of its focus on human emotion, family ties and non-linear storytelling.  Said Drake of the property’s acquisition, “Like the hundreds of journalists and millions of fans who were so passionate and vocal about the Dead Island trailer, we too were awestruck.”  He continued, “This is exactly the type of property we’re looking to adapt at Lionsgate – it’s sophisticated, edgy, and a true elevation of a genre that we know and love.  It also has built in brand recognition around the world, and franchise potential.”

The film DEAD ISLAND is currently in the early development stage with producers attached.  Sean Daniel (THE MUMMY, TOMBSTONE, DAZED AND CONFUSED) will spearhead production through his Sean Daniel Company.  A veteran producer with global franchises under his belt, Daniel is to be joined in producing by Stefan Sonnenfeld, who has been a pioneer in the post production field, using the process as a platform to create a unique visual brand with directors including J.J. Abrams, Michael Bay and Gore Verbinski.  Jason Brown of The Sean Daniel Company and Missy Papageorge for Sonnenfeld’s Sunny Field Productions are executive producing, with Sarah Perlman of Sunny Field Productions serving as co-producer.

Alli Shearmur, Lionsgate’s President of Motion Picture Production and Development is overseeing the project at the studio, with Jim Miller, SVP of Production and Development.  Rob McEntegart, Senior EVP of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, negotiated the deal with Deep Silver’s U.S. attorney Ed Labowitz.

About Lionsgate 

Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution and new channel platforms.  The Company has built a strong television presence in production of prime time cable and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming through Debmar-Mercury and an array of channel assets. Lionsgate currently has 15 shows on more than 10 networks spanning its prime time production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as “Mad Men”, “Weeds” and “Nurse Jackie” along with  the comedy “Blue Mountain State, ” the upcoming drama “Boss” and the syndication successes “Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne”, its spinoff “Meet The Browns”,  the upcoming “For Better or Worse,” “The Wendy Williams Show” and “Are We There Yet?”.

Its feature film business has generated more than half a billion dollars at the North American box office in the past year, fueled by such successes as THE LINCOLN LAWYER, TYLER PERRY’S MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY, THE EXPENDABLES, which was #1 at the North American box office for two weeks, THE LAST EXORCISM, TYLER PERRY’S WHY DID I GET MARRIED TOO?, KICK ASS and the critically-acclaimed PRECIOUS, which won two Academy Awards®. The Company’s home entertainment business has grown to more than 8% market share and is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 13,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company’s core businesses. The Lionsgate brand remains synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

For more information visit www.lionsgate.com

About The Game “Dead Island”

Dead Island™, the gruesome zombie action game with RPG elements by renowned developer Techland, combines first-person action with a heavy focus on melee combat, character development and customization of a vast array of weapons.  All of these gameplay features are presented in a dark story inspired by classic zombie movies with a gritty and engrossing campaign that can be played with up to four players in co-op mode.

Set in an open world tropical island, hordes of different festering zombies await players around every corner while they embark on a variety of thrilling missions through the holiday resort.  With firearms and ammunition being scarce the player must rely on discovering and utilizing items as weapons for self-defense and fighting off zombie hordes in intense melee combat.  A diverse range of items can be collected and will later serve to transform the player’s ordinary makeshift weapons into serious instruments of destruction.

Dead Island was released worldwide for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

Official website: www.deadisland.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/deadislandgame

Twitter: http://twitter.com/deadislandgame

About Deep Silver

Deep Silver, a division of Koch Media GmbH, develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms.  The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds.  Deep Silver works with its partners to achieve a maximum of success while maintaining the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires.  Deep Silver products are designed to equally appeal to pros and beginners, children and adults.

Deep Silver has published more than 100 games since 2003, including own brands like the action role-playing game Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, successful adventures such as the Secret Files series and Lost Horizon, the role-playing game Risen and well-known licenses like the Chernobyl shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky and Prison Break: The Conspiracy, the action adventure based on the popular TV series. Deep Silver has announced more upcoming highlights such as Risen 2, the sequel to the hit RPG, and Sacred 3. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com

Koch Media is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products (software, games and films). The company’s own publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe and the USA. The Koch Media group has more than 15 years of experience in the digital media distribution business, and has risen to become the number one distributor in Europe.  It has also formed strategic alliances with numerous games and software publishers: Capcom, Codemasters, Kaspersky Labs, Paradox Entertainment, Square Enix, Tecmo-Koei, and System 3 etc. in various European countries. With Headquarters in Planegg near Munich/Germany, Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Nordic regions, Benelux and the USA. www.kochmedia.com

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox LIVE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“”, “PlayStation” and “PS3” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks and/or copyright material of the respective owners. All rights reserved.

 

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Filed Under: Featured, Film Headlines Tagged With: big, brings, dead, island, life, lionsgate, ...

“More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead” Hitting DVD

It worked in the movie!” When an army drum is breached and a mysterious chemical gas is released into a nearby cemetery, the dead return to life with only one thing on their minds…brains! The zombie menace quickly descends upon a group of misfits who must fight for survival as they are picked off one at a time by a horde of the undead. “Do you ever wonder about all the different ways of dying?” Dan O’Bannon’s outrageous splatter classic “The Return of the Living Dead” has continued to terrify and entertain horror fans for over twenty-five years with its delicious mix of blood, guts, sex and punk. Boasting off-beat humor, plenty of attitude and one of the most famous zombies ever committed to celluloid, it’s easy to see why the film’s legacy continues to grow. “It makes the pain go away…” MORE BRAINS! A RETURN TO THE LIVING DEAD is the ultimate account of the tongue-in-cheek, stylish and apocalyptic zombie movie. It features — for the first time ever! — contributions from all the main cast as well as clips, photographs, storyboards, conceptual art, publicity materials, archival documents and behind-the-scenes footage. “They’re back from the grave and ready to party!” Through this definitive retrospective fans are finally able to explore the film’s journey from the world of “Night of the Living Dead” to the mind of acclaimed writer/director Dan O’Bannon. Narrator Brian Peck (“Scuz”) guides you through the blood, sweat and tears as cast and crew look back on their experience in the graveyard creating the film that’s been called “a beauty of a cult classic!”

Bonus Features: Never-before-seen deleted, behind-the-scenes, blooper and special effects test footage that brought the Dead to life, 2-hours of incredible bonus features including “A Conversation with Dan O’Bannon: The Final Interview, They Won’t Stay Dead: A Look at Return of the Living Dead Part 2, Love Beyond the Grave: A Look at Return of the Living Dead, Stacey Q Live! Exclusive “Tonight” Music Video, Even More Brains: Deleted Documentary Interviews, Return of the Living Dead in 3 Minutes, and more! Limited edition premium collectible O-sleeve packaging featuring artwork created by original “Return of the Living Dead” poster artist Carl Ramsey!

© MMXI Michael Perez Entertainment LLC. All rights reserved. More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead is a non-fiction documentary film. It is not a sequel to or remake of The Return of the Living Dead or any of its sequels, and it is not affiliated with or sponsored by the creators, producers or owners of The Return of the Living Dead or its sequels.

More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead
DVD
Label: Michael Perez Entertainment
Pre-book: 10/11/11 Streets: 10/18/11 SRP: 19.95
UPC: 063390095667 Cat: 9566 Not Rated
Run Time: 240 Minutes In English Color
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.85:1 Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Region 0
Production year: 2011
Director: Bill Philputt
Stars: James Karen, Clu Gulager, Don Calfa, Thom Mathews, Beverly Randolph

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Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: brains, dead, dvd, hitting, living, return, ...

DVD Review “Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated”

Director: Mike Schneider
Neoflux Productions
Runtime: 101 minutes

Our score 3.5 out 5 stars

“Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated” directed by Mike Schneider is an animated film version of the 1968 George Romero film. The film features work by various artists, animators and filmmakers from around the world who together created an animated revision of the horror classic “Night of the Living Dead”. Through various mediums such as animation, clay-mation and puppetry the joint group of artist tell the classic story of Barbara and her unlikely encounter with the undead while adding a fresh comedic twist to the films original story.

This revision of George Romero’s horror staple was spot on. It also had some added laughs which were provided by some really great animation and clay-mation additions. “Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated” was filmed entirely in black and white which kept it true to the 1968 original.

About 2 minutes into the film I really stopped paying attention to the story and focused all my attention on the different artist interpretations of the scenes depicted in the film. Various types of sketches ranging from stick figures to extremely detailed drawings made this film really fun to watch. My personal favorite would have to be the clay-mation scenes which were very reminiscent of Sunday morning “David and Goliath” episodes. This film yielded a fun and enjoyable film to watch alone or with friends. Get your hands on a copy of this film, kickback and, prepare for a good time.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: dead, dvd, living, night, reanimated, review, ...

Blu-Ray Review “Better Off Dead”

Directed by: Savage Steve Holland
Starring: John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, Diane Franklin, Curtis Armstrong, Amanda Wyss
Distributed by: Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG
Running time: 97 minutes

Disc Score: 2 out of 5 stars

Since this is the first time this film has been released on high definition, this review will focus on the Blu-ray transfer. To be honest I felt that the film hasn’t really held up since 1985 like many 80’s classic have. I felt it jumps around quite a bit and for my wife (who has never seen it) was hard to even watch.

For those who have never seen this romantic dark comedy, it stars John Cusack as the awkward, teen Lane Meyers, as Lane after his girlfriend dumps him for a more popular guy. After many unsuccessful attempts to win her back, he decides that suicide is the only answer until he befriends a beautiful foreign exchange student who helps him turn his life around.

This is the first time that the film was converted to 1080p, its 1.78:1-framed transfer holds up but still features some grain throughout the film. The image itself is overall decent and it will not blow away fans of the original film. It does look better than the last DVD but is less than what is expected for a Blu-ray release. I would wait for the 20 year anniversary special edition.

Next up is the sound on this disc which features, DTS-HD MA 5.1, which is ok but the music in the film seems like it is extra loud and is not very crisp. Lastly, the film does not have ANY special features at all, which just adds more insult to injury with this “not so special” high definition release of this film.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, dead, review

EXCLUSIVE News: Tom Sullivan Get His Own “Evil Dead” Documentary, “Invaluable”

We recently interviewed Tom Sullivan known for his work on the “Evil Dead” series.  The full interview will be posted in mid-August during our “Evil Dead” interviews series, including Danny Hicks, Betsy Baker, Theresa Tilly and Timothy Quill.

Following our interview with Mr. Sullivan, he said  he had a little news that we could break for him as a MovieMikes exclusive:

Ryan Meade, a friend of Mr. Sullivan and a filmmaker, is finishing up a documentary film about Mr. Sullivan called “Invaluable.” The title comes from the word Fangoria Magazine has used to describe Mr. Sullivan’s involvement in the “Evil Dead” films. The film covers Mr. Sullivan’s art and film career and includes interviews with some of films biggest stars, including, of course, the cast and crew of the “Evil Dead” films. The film will also feature a lot of behind the scenes looks at the “Evil Dead” films.

Here is an official quote from Tom:
“It’s official. There’s a documentary about Tom Sullivan. The Evil Dead FX Guy, Tom Sullivan. Not the other ones. Although they would be worthy subjects of well made documtarys too. Except for maybe that one Tom Sullivan but we won’t talk about him. But it’s shaping up to be a lot of fun and I learned a lot about Tom Sullivan. The Evil Dead one. And it’s by Ryan Meade.”

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Filed Under: Commentary, Film Headlines Tagged With: dead, documentary, evil, exclusive, invaluable, news, ...
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