Greetings, programs.

The guys at Parker Brothers Choppers have built a full-scale, working replica of the famous Tron light cycle. As you can see in the video above, it’s just about the coolest thing ever. We want one.

Don’t be too proud of this technological terror you’ve constructed.

On second thought, be very, very proud.

Iomedes has assembled this amazing, 43,000-piece Venator-Class Star Destroyer out of LEGO. It weights 82 kg and is 2.44m long. It’s an exact replica of one built by Erik Varszegi a few years ago. Unlike Erik’s model, Iomedes’ uses no glue or screws. It’s 100% LEGO.

Fantastic work, Iomedes. You’ll find a full gallery of detailed photos here and a video after the break.

[Via Geekosystem]

[Via Graph Jam]

Malgusto has published 40 rare, incredible photos from the making of the original Star Wars movies. I’m a geek, yet even I haven’t seen these images before. Some are funny (Kenny Baker in Vader’s helmet is pretty great), some are sweet and some…well, let’s just say we see why Lando was taken with Leia.

It’s an impressive collection. Check them out.

Great Scott!

Earlier this week, Nike teased the new Air Mag sneakers, modeled after those worn by Marty McFly in Back To The Future II. Now Nike has made good on its promise — the shoes are availbe today.

Michael J. Fox appeared on Late Night with David Letterman last night to reveal the details and show off the shoes in person. The short of it: 1,500 will be auctioned off, and proceeds will benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. It gets better: Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, will match all funds raised between now and December 31, 2012, up to $50 million.

The shoes are nearly identical to those worn by Fox’s character in the movie, and represent the “…first pair of rechargeable sneakers from Nike.” There is a bit of bad news, however. Contrary to initial reports, the real-life Air Mags do not lace themselves. According to the promo video above, we’ll have to wait “…until 2015″ for that.

As for the auction, it has already begun. The first batch of shoes were released on Sept. 8, at 11:30 p.m. EDT. Nike will auction off 150 shoes per day for 10 days. As of this writing, prices are very high; the “cheapest” I’ve found was around $4,000. It looks like serious collectors will grab most of the Air Mags. Of course, it’s for a very worthy cause.

To keep the 80′s theme going, I’ll quote Ferris Bueller: “If you have the means, do pick one up.” It’s just about the coolest 80′s collectable you’re going to find and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is a deserving cause. Good luck!

You’ll find lots of photos and an additional video after the break.

Source: Back4TheFuture.com

I was prepared to make fun of this, but damn. I can’t.

These types of promotions make me feel good, awkward and sad, all at the same time. Years ago, a contest was held to promote The Empire Strikes Back. An adorable 8-year-old won, and his prize was to “visit” Luke Skywalker himself on Dagobah. They had a picnic, met R2, used words like “hyperspace” and engaged in other Star Wars-y things.

On one hand, there’s little Daniel. The kid is clearly wide-eyed while talking to Luke himself. How exciting! It’s impossible not to feel his anxious glee. At the same time, he’s nearly at a loss for words and poor Mark Hammil must fight for every mono-syllabic response he receives.

Ah, Mark. You know the guy would rather be home, rolling in his pile of Star Wars cash. Yet he’s got to film this soul-crushing promo.

Finally, did Chewie imply that the eats little girls?

Enjoy this sweet and creepy piece of Star Wars history.

[Via Ain't It Cool News]

Apparently smartphones with cameras have made it impossible to shoot a movie outdoors without everyone and their brother posting photos from the set. Here we see Henry Cavill’s Superman from the forthcoming Man Of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder.

Is that Jimmy Olsen in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

What’s with dressing superheroes for a night at the latex fetish club (I’m looking at you, Wonder Woman)? Superhero Hype has more photos from the set.

The Man Of Steel is scheduled to open in 2013. Just don’t sit in the front row or he might knock you out with that thing.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is a horror novel by Max  Brooks that tells the story of a zombie apocalypse from the perspective of several characters.  It’s comprised of several anecdotes, gathered a decade after the conclusion of the zombie war. I enjoyed the novel and the audiobook, which featured a huge cast of big names, even though it omitted large portions of the novel.

Now, World War Z is being made into a movie with Brad Pitt, Bryan Cranston and Mireille Enos. Ain’t It Cool News has posted pictures of the zombies themselves. They look less than intimidating stored as the props they are, but it’s still fun to catch a glimpse and we’re sure the mood will be different once they’re on the set.

If this little Duck Tape company had had the $$$ to run this TRON inspired commercial during the Super Bowl, it would have easily come away with the prize for best ad. All we can hear is “I want him in the games until he dies taping!” Nicely played guys.

Here’s something to get excited about, folks. Above is a trailer for the forthcoming Blu-ray release of Star Wars featuring some of previously-deleted scenes that have been replaced. There’s a lot to see here, so let’s go through the teaser, bit by bit.

It starts with Luke activating the Lightsaber he built for the first time. This sequence was pulled from Return of the Jedi and remained on the cutting room floor until it was revealed to fans at Star Wars Celebration last year. As any Star Wars fanboy knows, assembling one’s one lightsaber is the final step in becoming a Jedi.

Next, we see a young Luke next to a moisture vaporator on the Lars homestead on Tatooine. We know that Luke witnessed the Tantive IV being attacked and boarded by the Star Destroyer just beyond Tatooine’s atmosphere in the beginning of A New Hope, though that scene was cut from the final film.

We also see Admiral Ackbar (it’s a trap!) doing a bit of flying in a green flight suit. He seems to be in a small cockpit. I’m unfamiliar with this scene, but I can assume it’s from an assault on Endor.

Just after the clip of Ackbar, we see Chewie and Lando enduring the fabled Tatooine sandstorm. After our heroes escape Jabba’s sail barge, the original version for the script had them endure a vicious sand storm as they traveled back to the Falcon. It’s something I’ve wanted to see for a long time, and will be happy to get a chance.

The clip also shows R2 running from the Wampa as it attacks the rebel base on Hoth, another fabled and long-lost scene.

It looks great and I can’t wait to watch. Typically it’s easy to see why deleted scenes were cut, but that’s not the point here. It’s *new* Star Wars, and that’s what I want to see.

The South Pacific island state of Niue is set to issue new coins to its citizens, in collaboration with the New Zealand Mint. One side of the coins will feature an image of Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse will depict one of several Star Wars characters.

What are they worth? Here’s where it gets interesting. As legal tender, they’ll have a face value of NZ$2 (£1). However, the coins will be struck with an ounce of silver, bringing their value to about $382 (as of this writing).

Clearly meant for collectors, the coins are actually legal tender. I’d like to meet the guy who buys a Coke with one of these.

[Via Nerd Approved]

A.I. Artificial Intelligence is the sci-fi drama from 2001 that was co-written, produced and directed by Steven Spielberg. Based on Brian Aldiss’ short story “Super-Toys Last All Summer Long,” the project began with Stanley Kubrick in the 1970′s. It languished the development stage as Kubrick waited for computer-generated imagery to “catch up” with his vision for the David character (Kubrick felt that no human actor could portray David successfully).

He handed the project to Spielberg in 1995, and it gained momentum after Kubrick’s death in 1999. The film received mostly critical acclaim, but some viewers walked away dissatisfied with the conclusion. I’ve had mixed feelings about it myself, but this deep exploration by Benjamin Sampson has renewed my appreciation for the artistry of this film. Sampson illustrates its themes and inherit duality. In fact, he suggests that it was entirely appropriate for both Spielberg and Kubrick to have had their hands on this story:

“After examining the film itself, it seems rather logical that Kubrick offered Spielberg the project. Their dual authorship perfectly reflects the film’s own visual duality. And their much-noted contrast of temperaments—warm and cold, emotional and analytical, tender and pessimistic—perfectly compliments the film’s final message. Only their combination of perspectives could show why human love is so attractive and so addictive, and at the same time so maddeningly selfish and self-seeking. As a result of this duality, A.I. never recoils from either genuine emotion or its dark consequence.”

You can watch part 1 of Sampson’s examination above, and part two after the break. As for the “human” David, I think Haley Joel Osment did a fine job.

Beautiful. By *wyv1 on deviantART.

This line is the latest in a series of re-imagined Star Wars figures that Sillof has made. Others include Samauri Wars, West Wars and the stellar World Wars.

Well done, Sillof. These are super.

[Via Neatorama]

Yesterday I said this Boba Fett craft was the best thing you’ll see all day. I was wrong. It’s Gollum handing over “the ring” during a wedding.

This stunt was staged by contestants on Australian reality show Four Weddings. I don’t know what’s more shocking: how much the actor sounds like Andy Serkis or the guests who have no idea who Gollum is.

In any case, we loves it. My precious.

The Superficial later posted several shots of (we assume) a stunt double in costume on the Pittsburgh film set. Most of the outfit is obscured by that ridiculous, manatee-sized motorcycle, but the bits we can see offer more hints. DC Women Kicking Ass asked illustrator Alejandro Melchor to create a sketch of the outfit based on the limited information, which he did. Combine that with comparisons to images of Catwoman as she appears in Batman: Arkham City (supposedly the basis for Anne’s version), and a more complete vision of the real costume comes together. Here’s an exploration of what we might see when The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters.

The Goggles

What’s up with the goggles? Doesn’t Catwoman wear an alluring, cheek-bone hugging mask? Actually, it looks like Anne is wearing both. Check out the image below (sorry for the crappy resolution; I’ve only got the one official image to work with):

Look just above her left eye. The goggles seem to be over a rubber mask. Also, the nose piece seems to be separate from the plastic lenses. It could be that she only wears the goggles while riding the bike. Also, consider that Catwoman wears removable goggles in Arkham City (below).

The Hair

Anne’s Catwoman has long, brown hair. That’s not unusual in and of itself, as Catwoman has been depicted with long hair before. What’s unusual is that her head is completely uncovered. No “ears,” hood or anything. That’s quite a diversion of the character’s history. In this way, she’s reminiscent of Julie Numar’s Catwoman (far right).

Material, Boots and Gloves

The material is textured, unlike Michelle Pfeiffer’s glistening getup or Halle Berry’s smooth, matte “costume” (if you call a leather bra a costume). She’s also wearing large combat-style boots which is good (heels would have been ridiculous). You can get a good look at the boots below. They’re thigh-length and unadorned. She’s also got a utility belt and elbow-length, flat-fingered gloves. Again, function is emphasized.

So What Have We Got?

This costume seems more utilitarian than previous Catwoman incarnations, which often emphasized sex appeal over usefulness. How anyone is supposed to run and fight — let alone walk — in this is beyond me. What we’ve assembled in our assessment here is a textured, black leather outfit that will allow Hathaway to move, fight, ride a silly motorcycle and look great at the same time. Please give our regards to the wardrobe team.

Speaking of the motorcycle, doesn’t it look kind of familiar? Pay special attention to the gun turrets on the front wheel. Hmmm.

Here’s a closer look. They’re practically identical. Is it the same bike? Are Catwoman and Batman collaborators in this movie, or did she pull off  a clever theft?

This is the greatest thing you’ll see all day.

Last week we got fleeting glimpses of Anne Hathaway as the new Catwoman from The Dark Knight Rises. Now comes the official character portrait. Keeping true to form for the re-boot Selina’s costume isn’t so much about her feline qualities as they are about being functional. Looks like night-vision goggles and repelling gear are the order of the day for this Catwoman. The comic-fan jury may still be out, so we’ll reserve judgement until we see TDKR for ourselves. What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Update: Looks like it’s a fake. A mashup of Anne Hathaway and Laura Croft. Guess you just can never trust the old tubes. Thanks to our good friend Krystyn Heide for the tip.

What do you think, readers?

Update: There are better shots of the bike after the break, being ridden by (we assume) a stunt person and Hathaway.

[Via The Superficial]

Don’t panic! An official Hitchhiker’s Guide app is finally coming out for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, with the full blessing of the Adams estate. It gets better: the app will be narrated by the original Arthur Dent himself: Simon Jones.

According to WIRED, the app will be a guide to things in the books, like the Babel Fish or the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal. Expect it to be interactive, but not exactly a game. Instead, it will be as close to the real thing as possible: a portable guide to everything and anything in Adams’ universe.

There’s no release date just yet, but you can watch the official website. In the meantime, check out more screenshots and WIRED’s podcast interview with Simon Jones and grab Louie Mantia’s “Don’t Panic” wallpaper or iPad and iPhone.

Screenshot copyright by Hothead Games.

Pyramid/Triad – Battlestar Galactica

Pyramid is a close-quarters ball game played by two teams or two individuals on a pyramid-shaped court. Points are scored by getting the ball into the top of one of several triangular goals along the court’s edge. Full contact is allowed (unless a player is in one of three designated “neutral zones”), and any player holding the ball can only take “three paces” without shooting, passing or grabbing a rebound.

In the re-imagined series, Starbuck and Sam Anders often played pickup games of Pyramid aboard the Galactica (they’re playing on Caprica above*). Before the second Cylon War, Anders played Pyramid professionally with the Caprica Buckaneers. Other pro teams included the Picon Panthers (Adama’s favorite team) and the Tauron Bulls.

Ties to the original series

In the original Battlestar Galatica, Pyramid referred to a card game that was popular among Viper pilots, while Triad was a televised professional sport, similar to the Ron Moore-era Pyramid (though much less interesting, as you’ll see in the brief clip below).

It’s a cool game, combining basketball, rugby and hockey. Plus the C-Bucks logo is sweet.

Podracing – Star Wars

The only watchable scene in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is the podrace. Podracing is a super fast, extremely dangerous take on drag racing. Competitors from around the Star Wars galaxy design and build their own racers with enormous engines, small cockpits and little regard for safety. Huge crowds gather on Tatooine and elsewhere to bet on their favorite racers, who navigate an enormous course at incredible speeds.

The races offer a real sense of danger, unlike every other scene in The Phantom Menace. The animation team at Lucasarts did a fantastic job; the vehicles seem heavy and ready to fly apart on a moment’s notice. I especially like the Tusken Raiders who position themselves on the course’s edge and take pot shots at the racers, just for fun.

Alas, there’s nothing as fast or exciting here on Earth. We’ll just have to settle for Steve McQueen in Bullitt.

Quidditch – Harry Potter

Polo on flying brooms. How could you go wrong? Quiddich is a semi-contact sport enjoyed by Harry and his wizarding buddies at Hogwarts. It’s mentioned in all but one book, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire even featured The Quidditch World Cup (the stadium is pictured below).

The rules are extensive for a fictional game. Matches are played over an oval field, or “pitch,” measuring 500 feet long by 180 feet wide. Three hooped goals stand at each end at varying heights. A player in the seeker position is tasked with capturing flying ball, or Snitch. Doing so scores 150 points.

It goes on from there, but this post is already unwieldy. Several real-world “Muggle Quidditch” leagues play an Earth-bound version of the game, which is regulated by the International Quidditch Association. Yes, really.

The Galactic Football League – The Rookie

The Rookie by Scott Sigler features a football league 700 years in the future. It’s much like our own NFL, with the addition of hyper-aggressive aliens and cannibalistic linebackers. Organized crime runs the sport, games are fixed and assassinations are not unheard of.

And we thought Vince McMahon was crazy.

The Galactic Football League wasn’t cut from whole cloth, but it is an extreme variation on a very popular, real-world game.

Parrises Squares - Star Trek

Parrises squares is a violent game played in the Star Trek universe which requires flattering blue jumpsuits and disturbingly cylindrical duffel bags. It was referenced in several episodes of Next Generation and Voyager. There’s a ramp, an ion hammer and a lot of running around. Doctor Crusher often admonishes Riker for playing the game as if he were still a young man.

Parrises Squares is typically played by humans, though some Klingons (like Worf and M’Kota R’Cho) have also played.

Anbo-jyutsu – Star Trek

Anbo-jyutsu is a martial art created to let William Riker beat up his dad. Mr. Riker calls it the “ultimate evolution of martial arts,” though I couldn’t figure out much of what was going on. Both competitors lower their blast shields over their eyes and mis-pronounce Japanese-sounding words while whacking each other with sticks. As if that’s not humiliating enough, look at the outfit Will’s got on.

There’s a proximity sensor on one end of the stick which alerts each combatant to the location of his opponent. A high Midi-chlorian count helps, too. Reach out with your feelings, Will!

Honorable mention

In the Firefly episode Bushwhacked, the gang is playing a strange variant of basketball aboard the Serenity. I’ve got no idea what’s going on here, and I suspect the crew was making it up as they went along. Life gets boring on spaceships, so why not?

So there you have it, six examples of sports in science fiction. Now, what did game(s) did I miss?

*As an aside, just look at the muscles in Starbuck’s arms. Godsdamn! 

Ah, cosplay. You either love it or stare baffled at the 43-year-old trucker dressed up as Sailor Moon. Those in both camps should enjoy a new documentary entitled: “My Other Me: A Film About Cosplayers.” That is, should it get funding.

The filmmakers intend to follow the lives of three cosplayers, looking for differences and parallels in their stories. Danae (or “Rifa”) has some decent experience. She’s a 20-year-old costume design assistant who has made over 20 costumes. Lilly (or “SecretAttire”) is the newbie, having made two outfits and attended one convention. At 14 years old, she’s also the youngest of the group. Finally, Lucas (or “Twinfools”) is the veteran of the group. Currently a university student, he has made over 100 costumes in four years.

You can watch the trailer below and get a sense of what the filmmakers are after. It’s got a feel that reminds me of Trekkies, which examined the lives of a handful of Star Trek fans. If you’re interested, you can donate to the project here via IndieGoGo. Good luck, folks!

To get our thoughts and experiences with cosplay, check out episode 29 – Convention Tales.

• • •

Number Six
Battlestar Galactica

From the moment Ron Moore’s re-imagined Battlestar Galactica premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel in 2004, the irresistible cylon Number Six was a fan favorite. Played to the nines by Tricia Helfer, a Canadian born actress and model, Six began the series as the catalyst for the destruction of the Twelve Colonies, seductively coaxing secrets out of chief scientist Gaius Baltar. Throughout season one, Six reveled in her role as Gaius’ evil muse and used her sexuality to affect events in the Colonial fleet.

As Helfer’s character evolved, we were introduced to new, more compassionate models of Number Six including Gina and Natalie. By the end of the series Six was firmly settled into the protagonist camp, helping the colonials fight against Brother Cavil’s crusade to wipe out Galactica once and for all. None-the-less, when we think of the character of Six, the images that come to mind often include her signature red dress that often turned Gaius Baltar (and us) to silly putty. So say we all!

• • •

Khan Noonien Singh
Star Trek: The Original Series

Bred to be the ultimate genetic superman, Khan Noonien Singh proved to be the perfect foil to the heroic Captain Kirk. Penned by Gene L. Coon and Carey Wilber in the original Star Trek episode, Space Seed, Khan, played by the charismatic latino actor Ricardo Montalbán stands out as one of the series’ most magnetic villains. On stardate 2267.9 the Enterprise rescues the lost ship Botany Bay and awakens over 70 people from suspended animation only to find they are actually a group of genetically engineered criminals banished from earth in the early 1990′s. Possessing the intelligence of da Vinci and the physique of Adonis, Khan and his followers quickly overcome the Enterprise crew with the help of historian Lt. Marla McGivers. Although Khan is eventually defeated, Montalbán’s enigmatic and sultry performance provided the series with perhaps its most alluring villain of all time.

• • •

Callisto
Xena: Warrior Princess

Every great hero needs a nemesis and in the fictional universe of Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena’s arch enemy came in the form of the deranged Callisto. As is often the case with such characters, Callisto’s life of revenge began as a child when Xena and her army slaughtered Callisto’s entire village, including her beloved parents. She spent her formative years training and becoming consumed by the rage that propelled her in her pursuit to see Xena suffer and die.

Played deliciously by the beautiful Hudson Leick, Callisto appeared in numerous episodes of Xena and reveled in making Xena’s life a living hell. What fan’s often admire most about Leick’s performance was her way of portraying Callisto’s psychopathy, switching back and forth between derangement and sympathy. Surely a deadly and seductive combination.

• • •

Ursa
Superman II

The sadistic compatriot to General Zod, Ursa first appeared in Superman II, the sequel to the box office hit Superman: The Movie in 1978. At the beginning of the first film, Ursa, Zod, and Non are imprisoned by Superman’s father, Jor-el, in the Phantom Zone, seemingly for all eternity. During their sentencing we learn of Ursa’s deep-seated hatred for all mankind and males in particular. The reason for this is never explained but once freed in Superman II, she immediately demonstrates her sociopathic ways.

Ursa spends the film taunting and killing men left and right. From each she collects decorations of military authority such as an astronaut’s patch, a sheriff’s badge and others as symbols of those she has conquered. One deleted scene from Superman II goes so far as to show her taking fiendish pleasure as Non kills a small boy with the siren he has ripped off the roof of a police car. Ursa’s cruel and sexy portrayal by Sarah Douglas stands out as one of the most memorable in the film, as she cooly eyes men with contempt wherever she goes.

• • •

Darth Vader
Star Wars

Every woman loves a man in uniform, and The Dark Lord of the Sith is the ultimate in that regard. At nearly seven feet tall, the second most powerful man in the Lucas’s Empire exudes confidence. What’s sexier than that?

You say you’ve got a thing for bad boys? This guy lopped his own son’s hand off and forced his daughter to observe the near murder of her boyfriend. But don’t let the Kabuki mask and short fuse fool you. Underneath all that machinery is a troubled Anakin Skywalker, saved from damnation at the last possible moment by an overwhelming compassion for his son.

Tough and sensitive? Commence swooning, ladies.

• • •

Catwoman
Batman

Call me creepy, but I still have a “thing” for women who don cat ears on Halloween. The genesis of my fascination boils down to two words: Julie Newmar.

Batman’s sleek and sultry foil never hesitated to use her feminine wiles to manipulate the caped crusader. Wrapped in a skin-tight outfit (and we mean wrapped in), Catwoman rode the line between villain and heroine. At times she seemed to have Batman’s heart. She also appeared in the Batcave and the Batmobie; two locations no other villain would be invited to see.

Of course, her treacherous intentions were ultimately revealed, but as fans we wondered if Batman could rescue her from a life of crime or worse: if Catwoman would seduce Batman into walking her own dark, padded path. We wouldn’t have blamed him if he did.

• • •

Mystique
X-Men

If you’re looking for a sexier and more sinister femme fatale, you have no further to look than Mystique. Originally appearing in Marvel Comics, the character is best known to movie audiences as the seductive and deadly assassin bent on destroying Charles Xavier and his band of boy scout X-Men.

Portrayed in the films by supermodel turned actress Rebecca Romijn, There’s no denying Mystique’s sex appeal. Mystique’s iconic blue skin and her shape-shifting abilities have made her a fan favorite, ranking as IGN’s 18th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time. Seeing Mystique’s fiery eyes and costume-less appearance it’s easy to understand why fans find her one of the most titillating bad guys ever.

• • •

Captain Hammer
Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog

We know what you’re thinking: Captain Hammer is the hero not the villain of Doctor Horrible’s Sing Along Blog. No, the protagonist (main character) of Joss Weadon’s 2008 online musical mini-series is Doctor Horrible himself making Captain Hammer the super-sexy antagonist. Consumed by his own ego and good looks, Captain Hammer spends his days saving Los Angeles from the clutches of Neil Patrick Harris’ Doctor Horrible, while trying to bed his latest conquest girlfriend, Penny.

Nathan Fillion’s hilarious portrayal of the smug and sexy Captain Hammer helped earn Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog a cult-like following. The character naturally exudes a wonderful aroma, has muscles on top of muscles and impresses all the ladies with his “hammer” in bed (we’re not talking about his fists). All in all Captain Hammer is the villain we love to hate but who still somehow manages to get the girl. A typical (albeit sexy) jerk.

• • •

Diana
V

Jane Badler’s Diana was second in command among the Visitors who invaded our living rooms in 1989. Diana excelled at the process that converted humans in to allies, but we fell for her without the benefit of her conversion process.

Diana’s poofy hair  was an homage to late-80′s style and she rocked the Yoko Ono sunglasses like no other Visitor.

Plus, she can unhinge her jaw.

Diana is not the kind of alien, lizard villain you bring home for holiday dinner, but she was irresistible in her own way.

• • •

Lestat de Lioncourt
Interview with the Vampire

Before there was Team Jacob or Team Edward there was Team Lestat. Created by author Anne Rice, Lestat was made famous by Tom Cruise’s portrayal of the character in Neil Jordan’s 1994 film adaptation of Interview with the Vampire. Born in France in 1760, Lestat grows up a spoiled brat who squanders his family’s money and is eventually abducted by an ancient vampire named Magnus. Once he turns Lestat, Magnus commits suicide leaving the fledgling creature of the night to fend for himself.

Ever since their earliest appearances in novels such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula, vampires have always been portrayed as both deadly and erotic. The sexual nature of vampires no doubt contributed to the success of Rice’s Vampire Chronicles as well as Stephenie Meyer’s recent Twilight series. The Hammer films of the 60′s and 70′s even pushed the on-screen vampire sex quotient to their theoretical limits for their day. But ask the ladies who comes to mind when they think of a sexy vamp and we’re willing to bet Tom Cruise’s aristocratic and seductive portrayal of Lestat de Lioncourt is near the top.

Here’s an absolutely fantastic fan film that uses interview dialog, archival footage, production shots and even bloopers to tell the story of the production of Star Wars: A New Hope. It’s supremely well done and includes the deleted scenes between Luke and Biggs.

It’s broken up into 14 parts. You’ll find 2 – 14 after the break. Set some time aside to watch the whole thing. You’ll be glad you did.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

We were saddened and surprised to learn that actress, Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Anne Francis passed away on January 2nd, 2011 following complications of pancreatic cancer. She was 80 years old.

Anne was best known for her portrayal of Altaira “Alta” Morbius in the science fiction classic Forbidden Planet, and also appeared in two episodes of The Twilight Zone: Jess-Belle, in which she played the title character, and The After Hours, in which she played Marsha White, a mannequin whose month in the world interfered with her memories of her true self.

She’ll always be one of the queens of sci-fi and we’ll always appreciate her contributions to our beloved genre (not to mention her beauty). Thank you, Anne! You will be missed.

You can watch the original Forbidden Planet trailer after the break.

The box will sell for $139.99. Those with a high midichlorian count can pre-order for $89.99.

Back in 2008, I saw what was then the most dreadful movie I’ve ever seen. As referenced in Episode 35 (coming soon), I’ve re-published my review here. Enjoy.

—–

Earlier today I took advantage of a free afternoon by going to the movies with a friend. Two hours later I was hugely disappointed that I had wasted a perfectly good day with 10,000 B.C., which instantly made my list of Top Five Worst Movies I’ve Ever Seen.

It was directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich, whom I must congratulate. He’s now got two films — this one and Independence Day – in my list of worst movies ever.

It starts in a small, pre-historic village of loin cloth-wearing primitives who speak perfect English with a North American accent, despite dorky names like Tic-Tic and D’Leh (pronounced “delay,” as in “Delay seeing this movie forever”). Here’s a hint for all you movie-goers out there. As soon as you see names with unnecessary apostrophes, you’re in for a jumbo-sized serving of crap.

Our hero is the outcast who must prove his worth before becoming leader of his people and winning his love interest’s hand. So, he single-handedly kills a woolly mammoth and declares, “”I killed the [mammoth]. I claim the White Spear, and with it my woman, Evolet.” Everyone cheers, especially the feminists in the audience who love to see men claim women among their property.

There was no mention of the spear or its significance to the tribe before this moment, which was odd. Apparently, it makes you leader of the group and allows you to sleep with the hottest chick.

That night, D’Leh decides that he didn’t kill the mammoth honorably or some damn thing — it didn’t make any sense — so he returned the spear to its previous owner. Just then, some bad guys on horses (or “four-legged demons”) arrive and kidnap several villagers including, you guessed it, our dear Evolet. D’Len, Tic Tac (or whatever the hell his name is) and a couple of their friends head out to rescue them.

Here’s where it gets silly.

Within a couple days’ walk, they travel from a frozen mountain top to a lush, tropical jungle; a jungle with lots of tall bamboo, so they must’ve walked to China. There, the group is attacked by some enormous dinosaur-bird things that look like emu/dodo hybrids that actually say “Ow” when struck by our hero. Oh, and they can’t fly, but they can climb trees.

A couple of days later the gang is in Egypt, where they discover that their fellow tribesmen (and woman) are constructing the Great Pyramids as slaves. Oh, and woolly mammoths are pulling large stones up to the workers. In Egypt. In Africa.

Our heroes walk into the slave prison at night and tell them that they’ve gathered “many spears” (but not Britney or Jamie Lynn) from thousands of local African tribes, each identified by ceremonial dress more ridiculous than the last. These men — who speak perfect English with a nondescript accent — will help them launch a revolt the next day.

Then, they stroll out of the prison and head back to their camp. Since getting in and out of a slave prison camp is so astoundingly easy, one wonders why they don’t just say, “Hey you slaves. Um … the door is wide open over here and there are no guards whatsoever. You can pretty much just come and go as you please.”

As the day begins, we see the huge mammoths pulling the large stones (their tusks have been cut off for safety reasons. Exactly how was this accomplished? I didn’t know they had animal sedatives powerful enough to take down a woolly mammoth the size of a five-story office building in ancient Egypt) to the tops of the pyramids. D’Leh goads the “lead bull” into charging by jabbing it with a spear (not Britney or Jamie Lynn) and the others follow its lead in trampling (only) the bad guys.

Finally, the lovely Evolet is shot in the back with an arrow from the antagonist’s bow (note that he wasn’t depicted even carrying a bow until this moment). She dies on the desert floor, and our hero responds by halting thousands of screaming tribesmen, vengeful slaves and livid slave drivers by raising his hand and saying, “Stop! Stop!”

The fighting ends instantly as D’Leh mourns the loss of his love. But wait … she inhales some magical breath expelled by her tribe’s medicine woman back at their mountaintop village and sits back up! She’s all better! She didn’t bleed out or respond negatively to the pierced kidney and/or lung she suffered minutes before. It’s a Festivus miracle!

10,000 B.C. was horrible in every way. I’ve seen better films on mildew-y shower curtains. I haven’t even mentioned the best parts, like

1. The laughable CGI
2. The fake, “outdoor” sets that made Star Trek: The Original Series look like a National Geographic special
3. The fact that a saber tooth tiger spares D’Leh’s life because he politely asks it not to eat him
4. The fact that they walked through the Sahara Desert for “many moons” wearing only loin cloth with no food or water (to be fair, one guy briefly passed out to show us how treacherous the journey was)
5. That Asian slave (how did that happen, exactly? Oh right, the Chinese jungle in northern Africa)
6. The countless helicopter shots of our heroes traveling over mountainous terrain (I think I saw Gondor at one point)

Plus, the Pharaoh is depicted as a shrouded, hissing snake-like villain. It’s only after he’s killed by The World’s Most Improbable Spear Toss that we see that he’s an ordinary Caucasian white guy. Ruling ancient Egypt. In Africa.

The only good here is that people will find new and interesting ways to make fun of 10,000 B.C. for a very long time. Say, ten thousand years.

How do geeks play in the snow? They set up photos shoots with their LEGOs, of course. Check out these awesome photos from Total Geekdom. The photographer rounded up General Veers’ best Snow Troopers and the latest in AT-AT technology for a quick patrol of Hoth (read: his back yard). The results are fantastic, and you’ll find the full set here.

[Via Neatorama]