Flixens - Horror

OMG: OJ LOL

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 11:46:07 -0800

Nothing showcases the downfall of modern society better than November sweeps week, especially on the Fox network.

According to CNN, Fox will air a two-part interview with wife-throat-slasher and waiter-murderer O.J. Simpson entitled If I Did It, Here's How it Happened on November 27 and 29. I'm sure the Brown family and the Goldman family already have it on their holiday TiVo schedule... right after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

The interview is conducted by trash-publisher Judith Regan, who has proven herself to be a nightmarish, greedy, opportunistic harpy in the past, and solidifies her place in the Despicable Hall of Fame as she promotes Simpson's new book If I Did It, published by her company, ReganBooks and just happens to be owned by News Corporation, parent company of Fox.

And I just promoted it by reporting on this story.

Damn you Judith Regan! Damn you all to Hell!!

EXCLUSIVE: Animated Hellboy Triple Play?

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 16:35:30 -0800

A couple of weeks ago, Nina and I were fortunate enough to interview director Tad Stones just before the world-premiere of his Hellboy: The Sword of Storms on the Cartoon Network. Hopefully you were one of the lucky ones to see the film, which offered up a totally new take on Hellboy and his trippy cohorts, fish-man Abe Sapien and fire-starter Liz Sherman. Personally, I'm looking forward to the DVD release, which will arrive soon enough, commercial-free and chock full of extras.

I had an opportunity to chat with Tad after the premiere about The Sword of Storm's reception by the fans, the upcoming DVD, and the second animated Hellboy feature, Hellboy: Blood and Iron. Imagine my surprise when Tad dropped a little scoop right into my lap about a third animated Hellboy film... and more! Read on...

Movie MILF: Hello Tad! It's so nice of you to take time out of your busy schedule to chat with us again. I take it your family survived the premiere?

Tad Stones: Nice to talk to you again. Family’s fine except for the fact our water heater decided to break at 2am and spill forty gallons of hot water on the floor. Luckily my wife was up working on a writing project. Much sponging and mopping followed but the wood floor will never be the same. The repairman turned out to be a Darkwing Duck fan but we didn’t get a break on the bill (I will avoid any puns). Sooner or later that has to pay off for me.

MM: About Hellboy: The Sword of Storms... I did think it was strange that the Cartoon Network didn't really promote the film. That's a shame, as I know a lot of people (judging from internet forums) didn't even know it would be on. We DID tried to do our part by getting the word out!

TS: And I appreciate that, the bribe is in the mail. As to promotion on Cartoon Network, they're in a weird spot. They've bought some older skewing movies like Hellboy and the Ultimate Avengers but the rest of their line up is much younger. So from the programmers point of view, advertising a red demon who says, “Screw you,” during Pokemon or My Gym Partner is a Monkey is inviting trouble. So they only advertise where it fits the audience... which turned out to be not very many places.

MM: Hopefully response to the DVD will be good and CN will be encouraged to beef up promotion for the 2nd film.

TS: Well, the same restrictions will apply but I’m really encouraged that so many people who were talking about it online and mentioned they wanted to buy the DVD. We’re trying to pack it with extras. We’re hobbled by not having had cameras shooting the work as we were in productions but there are lots of interviews. If you’re a fan, it’s a place to find lots of Mike Mignola talking about Hellboy in all his forms.

MM: You mention in your online production diary that Mike is on the commentary track as well.

TS: Yes, Mike, Phil Weistein and I recorded it weeks ago. Mostly me saying "What I should have done is..." Mike had only seen part of the movie when he did the commentary so you get some of his first reactions to the final film. I trust Starz will put enough promotion bucks into the marketing so no fan will miss hearing about the DVD.

MM: So what's happening with the second animated Hellboy film then?

TS: We’re editing Hellboy: Blood and Iron right now. I’m working on getting permission to make the movie a couple of minutes shorter. That may sound like you’re getting less value for your money but it’s the opposite. We don’t have the extra camera coverage that a live action film has so if I want to trim frames from a scene or cut a scene completely to improve the action I’m hard pressed to replace the footage. My goal is to get the longest film possible, but I don’t want it flabby.

This movie is soooooooooo different from the first it makes me nervous.

MM: Can't wait! I really enjoyed Hellboy: Sword of Storms. What do you have planned after Blood and Iron? Taking a much-deserved rest I assume...

TS: I’ve been approved to work on the script of the next Hellboy movie. Mike and I know the villain story which is chock full of cool stuff and evil plans. There will be many characters from the comics and you’ll see the animated version of Hellboy’s origin. We still have to work out how we will tell the story and the emotional elements that will affect our heroes. We know Hellboy, Kate and Broom will be in it, we’re not sure who else. But there’s no green light on the actual production. I’m assuming that will have to wait for the reports of DVD sales.

In the meantime, I’ve been approached to guide the animated adventures of another comic book hero, one of the biggest in comics in fact. But no deals have been signed yet.

MM: "Biggest" as in popular, or as in size? I mean, are we talking "Wolverine" big or "Galactus" big? And a third Hellboy film? Hmm... I think I just figured out the angle for our next chat! Until then, thanks for the scoops!

TS: Always fun talking to the Flixens! Say “Hi” to Nina for me.

MM: Hey, she can get her OWN interview... this is so MY moment! Toodles!

Lohan Lines Up Next Production to Cause Problems In

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 03:16:31 -0800

Lindsay Lohan, fresh off a media scolding for her behavior on the set of Georgia Rule, has already lined up her next project where she can act like a child and delay production and be threatened by the producers and then have her mother complain that she's being "singled out".

The Hollywood Reporter says that Lohan has agreed to star in I Know Who Killed Me, a suspense thriller about a woman who is rescued after being abducted and tortured by a serial killer. Upon returning home, she claims to be someone else, leading to questions about whether she is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or whether something more insidious is happening to her.

Lohan is reportedly preparing for her role by binge-drinking and staying out late partying every night.

Producers expect her to arrive late to the set starting next month.

Dunst's "Jealous Ghost" Sees Green

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 04:01:15 -0800

Kirsten Dunst will star in and produce the supernatural thriller A Jealous Ghost, a story about a woman studying in London who begins dating one of her professors, after which she begins seeing demons, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The film is based on a book by author A. N. Wilson, but is expected to deviate from the book with the adaptation consciously dropping some characters and plot points in favor of some created specifically for the film.

Dunst was reportedly interested in starring in a supernatural suspenseful film like The Shining or Repulsion, probably after seeing how films like that have kept Sarah Michelle Gellar in business, most likely thinking about life AFTER Spider-Man.

Considering that the last thriller she starred in was Interview With a Vampire, which launched her career (and rightfully so), I'd say it's about time she went back to her "roots."

The only thing is, with that plot synopsis and the title of the book/movie, don't we already know everything we need to know about the film? It's a bit like calling The Shining "Haunted Hotel," isn't it?

Borat... I Like!

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 04:37:56 -0800

If you are already a fan of Sacha Baron Cohen's Kazakh journalist, Borat, then I probably do not need to do much convincing for you to see the film adaptation, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

I have always been slightly ashamed that Borat's spell has always worked effectively to make me laugh, but the film has removed that shame and replaced it with some embarrassment. It is, however, undeniable that Borat is one of the funniest films I have seen in many years, but still there is some depth and insight for those that want at least a little social commentary.

If you were planning on watching this film, you don't need to read the rest of this review. Borat is extremely entertaining, and I am giving it a 4-stiletto score.

If you are still reading, I would like to begin by stating that I did not need very much convincing to see this film, as I had been anticipating it for quite some time. I was originally introduced to Borat by my friend and source of much geek information, Sofiane, with whom I went to see Borat.

As I reported on some of the marketing for this movie, I had feared that too much of the movie was being revealed in the hilarious trailer (see HERE). My fear turned out to be true for the first half of the film, which is only one hour and twenty-five minutes long. Nevertheless, even in the first half there are still some surprises, and the funniest moments of the entire film have not been spoiled in any way by the trailer. Since watching that trailer, I had been avoiding any other marketing materials, but I was sad to see that they were trying so hard to spread the hype around Borat. I am certain that in North America at least, people must have been getting sick of the over-marketing.

There is not much in terms of a story, and the film is largely made up in the same style as the various Borat sketches that have been made for Da Ali G Show, but I think that director Larry Charles deserves praise for successfully putting together such an entertaining film. It is the mark of confidence in a director, in my opinion, when he or she can take a cult phenomenon such as Borat, and remain unobtrusive in his or her approach. The result is a genuine piece of work that will certainly not disappoint the fans, but will surely attract new ones among those who discover Borat through this film.

Sacha Baron Cohen delivers a terrific performance as the Kazakh journalist, and it is truly impressive to see him remain in character when placed in some riotous and awkward situations. Cohen is joined here by Ken Davitian as Borat's producer, Azamat. This is the only other fictional character in the film, and their adventures across America bring about not only some painful funny moments, but some truly frightening, and in a couple of other cases endearing moments.

The music is very much in tune with the general whimsical mood of the film, and is largely composed of gypsy music. I noticed several bits of music from Goran Bregovic, and Sacha Baron Cohen’s brother, Erran, composed all the original music used in the film. It is very suitable to the tone of the film, and perhaps not very noticeable, but in the first minutes it helps to put the viewer in the right mood.

One of the major difficulties of any comedy, even some of the funniest comedies of the past few years, has been to make a story that is not formulaic. It seems that the stories are always strung together with the focus being made on the various gags or jokes in a comedy (with some exceptions of course, notably Shaun of the Dead). In Borat, there was really no attempt at doing such a thing, and this decision was perhaps not very difficult to make since it adds to the genuineness of the film, and also because the gags and interviews themselves are diverse and strong enough to work without much added padding. This lack of pretentiousness in putting the film together also fits very nicely to the unpretentious Borat, and the candid approach taken through the character in general exposes the ugly aspects of some of the people that were "interviewed." When watching the film, it could be interesting to see which people turn out to be the most amiable toward Borat, but the aggressiveness or ignorance of others is chilling.

Since the story is virtually non-existent, it can be quite difficult to judge this film. Nevertheless, its saving grace as a film is that what little story there may be comes to a glorious finish, an end that is truly shocking and hysterical.

His name a Borat, he like you. And you will like him.

"Evil Dead: The Musical" Slays Critics

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 08:21:21 -0800

A number of months ago the Movie MILF told you about Evil Dead: The Musical, which was going to be a theater adaptation of Sam Raimi's cult horror flick. At the time, many scoffed in amazement and pure disbelief.

Variety has a review, and they say that despite all odds, it actually works... that the show is "a ridiculous amount of fun."

Take, for example, this passage from the review:

Adapting the tale of a noble teenager who must butcher his friends after they're possessed by demons, it's clear that producers and creatives want to manufacture a cult hit of their own. There are weekend perfs at 11 p.m., and the theater's first three rows are designated as a "splatter zone" where fake blood will hit the audience. While protective plastic ponchos are supplied, many splatter-zoners are deliberately wearing clothes that will show off the carnage.

Blatantly inviting such audience rituals instead of letting them occur organically is disingenuous. However, the production redeems itself by pushing its gimmicks so far they become surprising. There's just so much blood getting sprayed across the crowd -- gushing out of arm stumps, chest wounds and well-placed holes in the wall -- that the giddy excess charms.

While the reviewer goes on to say that the show, with book and lyrics by George Reinblatt, could use some minor editing from an experience dramaturg (this is Reinblatt's first show), the production values are top-notch, including a fantastic set and an evil beaver puppet.

Any self-respecting "geek" should get their tickets right now... if only for the fact that it's probably the only musical you'll ever see with an evil beaver puppet.

Click here for the full review.

Across the Pond, November 2, 2006

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 06:04:38 -0800

Hello everyone... Nina here to present another installment of "Across the Pond," Dominique Taylor's semi-regular column focusing on the UK entertainment scene. This week, Dominique has a seasonal rant about the lack of quality Halloween programming, a subject near and dear to my heart...

Like Halloween Never Happened

By Dominique Taylor

Halloween may have come and gone, but that does not remove the bitter taste in my mouth left from the sad excuse that was Halloween TV in the UK. Does anyone else remember the days of an entire weekend dedicated to witches, vampires and anything that went bump in the night? Does it not create a warm glow in your stomach when you think back to afternoons at home with your pumpkin watching family-friendly films like Hocus Pocus? Do you not fondly remember the fear as a child that you might just watch the telly a little too late on October the 31st and be traumatised for life by the image of a blood-drenched creature of the night?

It’s not that the films have to be good, they just need to be there. You know things aren’t right when no one is even showing Halloween! My idea is simply show the first instalment of any horror franchise and you cannot go wrong, just with Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Poltergeist and the aforementioned, you’ve made up around 8 hours. Throw in some classics: Beetlejuice, Witches of Eastwick; mix in some kiddies films: Harry Potter, The Curse of the Were Rabbit; and then season with chillers like Psycho and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and you’ve got a gorgeous goo of bottled terror. And even then I know I’ve missed loads!

So just for fun, or maybe even to post to some TV execs for next year, I’d love to hear everyone’s most beloved Horror movies if you had control of the Halloween schedule from midday till 2. I know it’s gone, but I’m way too angry to let this go.

Dougie Digs "Pan's Labryinth"

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 12:52:03 -0800

Hi everyone, Nina here with a quick review from our favorite UK-er Dougie, who was kind enough to send us a review of Guillermo del Toro's latest film, Pan's Labryinth. We've all been looking forward to this one, and Dougie says it does not disappoint. Too bad, considering that it would have been cute to say "Dougie Pans Labryinth!" if he didn't like it. Oh well. Read on!

Remember when you were young, and because your parents were no good at remembering bedtime stories, they'd make one up, to try and get you to sleep. Remember how they always had huge plot holes, no real flow to the plot, and unimaginative characters. After watching Pan's Labyrinth, I kind of wish Guillermo del Toro was my dad.

It's Spain, 1944. a young girl (Ivana Baquero), her pregnant mother and strict stepfather move to the countryside. Captain Vidal (Sergi López), the stepfather, has been posted there to rid the area of rebels. Upon exploring her new home, young Ofelia discovers an ancient labyrinth guarded by a faun (Doug Jones), who sends the girl on a life-changing quest.

How good a story is that? And, as an added bonus, none of my relatives or friends play badger versions of themselves, like the made-up bedtime stories I was once told.

I've been looking forward to this film for some time now, and was not disappointed. Scene after scene, the movie is simultaneously mercilessly cold, and strikingly beautiful. Even during the darkest parts, del Toro's love for his project warms the screen.

And let me assure you, its a dark, dark film. There's extreme violence in Ofelia's real world, and when she attempts to enter the magical land through the labyrinth, she is constantly confronted by gruesome creatures that would be better suited in a trip to Narnia fuelled by the type of nightmares experienced by eating a lot of cheese right before bedtime.

Doug Jones is back as del Toro's bitch, excellently playing both the faun (Pan, himself), and The Pale Man (who you should never trick into a hi-5). With Jones returning for the Hellboy sequel, he really becoming the Serkis to Guillermo's Peter Jackson. I wonder who would win in a fight between the two. I reckon Serkis, if only because he seems like a biter.

My one real problem with the film is that I don't speak Spanish that well. I have to rely on the subtitles (under no circumstances should this film be dubbed), but my eyes kept drifting from the text, to the on-screen action, meaning I often missed out on what could be an important piece of dialogue.

If only I had a babelfish....

Just as great a movie as I had hoped for, everyone go see! Five fauns out of five for Del Toro and his wonderfully twisted, dark little bedtime story.

"Faces of Death" Reborn

Fri, 27 Oct 2006 07:16:32 -0700

Remember those Faces of Death movies back in the late 70s/early 80s? I remember my older brothers found this one video rental place (back in the pre-Blockbuster days) that would rent them anything. It was run by some skeezy guy apparently, and he never seemed to care if two high school kids went into the porn section and rented Taboo 2 or Bobby Hollander's latest porn blooper reel.

Mom, Dad, one of you SHOULD have been home when we got home from school... really.

Anyway, my brothers were SO excited when they brought home the first Faces of Death, with its guy in the electric chair, the eating of the monkey brains, and the creepy Dr. Frances Gross. They were so pleased, as if they had actually brought home a real snuff film. I remember asking them "aren't snuff films illegal?" to which they replied "TOTALLY! That's why this is so cool!" but it didn't seem to dawn on them that a real snuff film probably wouldn't be packaged so slickly and available in stores. Boys.

Capitalizing on its success with the resurgence of the horror/gore genre, Rogue Pictures has decided to remake Faces of Death, according to Variety. The project has been in development at AngryFilms with Rick Benattar, Susan Montford and Don Murphy as producers. The original Faces producer John Burrud will serve as executive producer.

That Susan Montlford must be a real peach... she hinted that the remake would have the requisite shock value. "In a world where you can see deaths everyday on the Internet, (fictional character Gross) is looking for a new challenge," Montford said.

She and Leather Lass ought to share a lemonade or something.

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Animated Hellboy Director Tad Stones

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:13:13 -0700

Hi everyone, Nina here, along with the Movie MILF talking to Tad Stones, co-director of the upcoming animated Hellboy: The Sword of Storms, premiering October 28, 9:30 ET/PT on the Cartoon Network. If you haven't already checked out the online production diaries, you should. Flixens had an opportunity to talk with Tad and ask him a few questions about the movie, his career, and his marriage.

Nina Kincaid: Working on "Hellboy Animated", did you have any constraints related to the existing Del Toro feature film, or its planned sequel? Or does the animated version take place in a separate "universe," so to speak? How involved was Guillermo in the animated project?

Tad Stones: In reverse order, Guillermo got Revolution to focus on doing an animated version. It was not something they'd normally be pursuing. He also gave me the name of our composer, Christopher Drake. But Chris got the job due to the spec score he did on an animatic sequence. I'm glad he was so good or Guillermo and I would've gotten into a big fight. Other than that, our production coincided with "Pan's Labyrinth" so Guillermo wasn't even in the country. Any spare time he had during that was spent writing the first draft of "Hellboy 2"

I think every medium Hellboy visits gets its own universe. The only real Hellboy is the one that Mike writes. We try to be as close to the comics as we can but there are differences. Professor Broom is still alive in our stories and the details of some of the major events in Hellboy's life are different.

The only constraints the live action films place on us are in the choosing of the subject matter. Mike knows I would love to do something with the world of faerie but that's the subject matter of HB2.

NK: I remember watching the original "Darkwing Duck" pilot when I was younger, which you wrote and produced, but thought that the quality of the writing dipped in the actual series, which had a number of writers. How involved would you be with an animated "Hellboy" series if there was one?

TS: It is the nature of an animated series that the writing - and everything else really - gets rushed. I thought the writing was generally strong in the series but the execution, both within the studio and overseas, went up and down.

I wouldn't say "no" to a series but I actively campaign against it. This is a complete turnaround from where we started - when Mike and I were coming up with half hour ideas. A half hour equals just 22 minutes on TV sans commercials. What I learned in the movies is how much time it takes to really play with suspense and horror. With short episodes you're just hitting plot. In addition to suspense, there's also more personality in the movies, especially with Liz and Abe. A series also brings with it network notes.

Movie MILF: Will there be a series of animated Hellboy movies?

TS: I'm hoping to have a long series of movies.

MM: In the production diaries, you talk about "Hellboy" creator Mike Mignola's involvement in the project primarily as a writer. Why have someone else (Sean "Cheeks" Galloway) be the lead character designer?

TS: That was Mike's choice. In the DVD extras Mike says he had the perfect amount of involvement: be in on the fun part of breaking the story, giving input on the script (being the final say in most instances) then just seeing a few designs. He lets us do the work of actually making the movie.

If Mike was part of the production team he'd go nuts from stress and his comic output would be zero. More importantly, Mike didn't want the show to look like his stuff. His Hellboy is the one you find under the covers that he draws. He can't watch when people try to ape his style.

NK: The production schedule seemed maddening. One year from concept to broadcast... Yet you seem comfortable in the arena of TV and Direct-to-DVD animation. Do you find that you work better creatively under pressure?

TS: NO!!!!!!!!!!! It's just the necessity of schedule and budgets. Although my wife would deny it, I have an organized brain ... At least when it comes to animation production and resist concentrating too much on just what's in front of me. I have to keep the whole schedule in mind. But the ration of time to passion has never been worse than on this project. Doing one movie in the time we did these two would be just about right.

MM: Before "Animated Hellboy", which project of yours are you most proud of? How has "Animated Hellboy" surpassed it?

TS: "Darkwing Duck", the "Buzz Lightyear" movie, parts of "Milo's Return" (which is just a pale shadow of "Hellboy"). All I can say is that I somehow feel my career is just starting. "Hellboy" lets me write on a whole different level and push the boundaries of American animation.

NK: I was very interested in reading in the production diaries about the logistics of doing animation that is to be finished overseas. Can you talk a little bit about the differences between the modern animation process and what it was like when you started in the business, and the adaptations you've had to make?

TS: Whew... Basically, it's like doing animation by remote control. We set up key shots and designs rather than plan each scene. "The Simpsons", which is being worked on one hallway over from me, do character layouts - pretty much every important animation pose is drawn by animators here. On "Hellboy" we just send storyboards and exposure sheet and hope for the best.

NK: How did the "Hellboy Animated" budget compare to other similar projects?

TS: I can only speak to those that I worked on. It was about half my last DVD of "Brer Rabbit" that I did for Universal. I never had one of the Disney DVD big budgets. Mine were always a little higher than a series budget, cost per foot of film.

MM: I'm curious to know about the whole "voice issue" regarding Abe Sapien. First off, how does Doug Jones' voice compare to David Hyde Pierce's from the feature film? Why was there a decision to go with Doug's voice after many fans felt that David nailed it? Did the sequel to the feature film factor into it?

TS: Realize that David always thought the performance was Doug's. He just gave Guillermo the sound he wanted and a few performance tweaks. That's why you saw Doug on the red carpet instead of David. It was very generous of David to do that.

When we offered the part to David, Abe only had a cameo and most of it was "Look out, Liz!" lines. The part wasn't challenging, he didn't need the money, and he still felt Doug created the character.

Doug created a performance that the other actors played off of. It's not a guy yanking on a gorilla suit for an Abbot and Costello movie. I will say Doug is closer to the character than David was but that's me. Doug has a lower pitch and a less fragile sensibility.

MM: How much of the actor's "performance" came across in the animated work? Was any of it based on their action and movement from the feature film or was this completely stylized based on Mignola's art? I guess this goes back to Nina's question about constraints.

TS: Some storyboards were drawn before the track was recorded so any connection was more luck or came from the acting inherent in the writing. Both actor and artist are pulling from the same script. We didn't study the film for any movement. Ron Perlman's Hellboy is a compromise due to the fact that Ron is a human. Anyway, short answer? No physical performance connection just the poses inspired by the voices of the actors.

NK: Were you under any restrictions considering that the movie would premiere on the Cartoon Network? Or did you simply just make the movie and assume that they would edit as necessary for broadcast?

TS: The latter. Our DVD folks would love it if Cartoon Network felt the need to edit. They'd plaster "Complete and uncut!" all over the package.

MM: Will the DVD version differ from the broadcast version?

TS: Only if they edit. Well, I'll amend that. The premiere will be letterboxed. The other showing will be the pan and scan compromise.

MM: It's refreshing to see the production diaries. Marvel, for example, was very secretive about showing anything from their first animated Ultimate Avengers DVD, and I found the final result disappointing, from an animated standpoint when compared to the source material. I'm curious to know then why did you make the choice to even do the online blog? Were you looking for early fan buy-in?

TS: I would've done more. Film Roman had the crew of "Wow, wow, Wubsy!" produce a blog but since their fans are toddlers, they don't get much traffic. They offered me the same. I asked, "Are we trying to keep a secret or are we doing things the modern, Peter Jackson way?" They wanted to be open then backtracked and wanted to make sure the timing of announcements was just right. I felt gagged until Comic-con and by then I no longer had a crew. The fan street cred was never a factor.

NK: Wouldn't Mignola's blessing be enough for the fans?

TS: Yes and no. There's no upside to a creator badmouthing a project when translated into another medium. So unless he's Alan Moore, an artist/writer tends to make nice with the press. Usually, you get the real feelings after a project is done. But Mike seems very happy with how we're doing things.

NK: My favorite character from "Hellboy" is, of course, Kate Corrigan. I'm glad to she that she'll have a part in the animated film. Did you have a favorite going into the project? Did that change after finishing the production?

TS: I've always liked Kate. In the comics she's obviously the one closest to Hellboy, the one he confides his secrets to. She's also based on Christine Mignola in some ways. It's the whole world that Mike created that was my "favorite" although Hellboy is fun to write.

MM: Was there a conscious decision to appeal to a more female audience with the addition of Kate's character, as well as to "toughen" up Liz compared to how she was portrayed in the feature film?

TS: No. We used Kate instead of Liz because we wanted normal agents to contrast with all the weird creatures of Japanese folklore. When we had to write additional material, it made sense to give the time to Liz and Abe. We still kept them away from Japan. Liz is much tougher and more cynical in the comics than in Guillermo's first "Hellboy".

NK: With the premiere airing on the Cartoon Network before the DVD hits retail shelves, are you worried about how DVD sales might be affected by digital piracy?

TS: Yes, Bit Torrent is a big concern of mine since torrentors are exactly the audience who would enjoy "Hellboy" and might buy it. If the sales aren't of a certain level, there won't be anymore Hellboys. Real fans will buy it for the picture quality and sound.

MM: Along those lines, the deal is already done for the two animated films. Is the decision for more based primarily on the DVD sales or the broadcast ratings? Would you WANT to do more?

TS: Ratings help DVD sales. I want to do a lot more!

NK: What would be your DREAM project, if you could start it tomorrow?

TS: "Hellboy Animated 3"

MM: Finally, you mentioned your wife earlier... so... you're married? Darn.

TS: Yes, I'm married. Three kids, one of whom is married. The youngest, now out of high school, was the basis for Gosalyn Mallard, Darkwing’s daughter. A dog and a pond with too many koi.

NN: Thank you Tad! We can't wait to see the finished products!

TS: Thank you, for your questions and interest!

Animated "Hellboy" Not Just for the Kiddies

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:29:46 -0700

As we rapidly approach October 28th, 9:30 ET/PT, many of you are waiting patiently for the Cartoon Network premiere of the first animated Hellboy movie, Hellboy: The Sword of Storms, directed by Tad Stones. But when we told you the other day that the movie would be part of CN's Toonami programming block and not Adult Swim, some of you were skeptical... I asked Tad if he could clear things up:

Tad Stones: All I can say is that I did the comic. There's no gore or splatter but, as in the comics, there are headless bodies, bodiless heads, a monster leg chopped off and plenty of shooting of the undead. Mummies tend to explode into dust, while vampire and demons heal.

If you don't know the comics... You should! But in Cartoon Network terms, I'd say it's between Toonami and Adult Swim. Realize that I don't know what they'll bleep but the tough language is stuff like "Screw this." "Damn heads." "Geez" "Son of a-" and "Think again, Dumbass."

It plays at 9:30, so it's meant for an older crowd.

Thanks Tad! Sounds very much like the level of Guillermo Del Toro's feature film. I'm really looking forward to this!

Hellboy "Storms" Onto TV

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:57:20 -0700

[UPDATE AGAIN: I've been chastised by Zahra for not revealing the source of my first updates, i.e. the correct date and the production diaries. They came to me in an email from the director, Tad Stones himself, who was extremely polite in spite of the fact that I totally botched the job. Thank you Tad -- MILF]

[UPDATE: Notice the newly CORRECT date. Also check out the link to the production diaries at the bottom! -- MILF]

Back in July Nina told you about some upcoming Hellboy TV projects, specifically two new animated features to first be show on the Cartoon Network before going to DVD.

The Cartoon Network is set to show Hellboy: Sword of Storms on October 28, 9:30 ET/PT as part of its regular Toonami suite, so get your DVRs ready.

The new cartoon will feature the voices of Hellboy stars Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, and Doug Jones, who will be providing the voice for Abe Sapien this time around. Sorry David Hyde Pierce, whose uncredited voicework (attached to Jones' movements) in the Hellboy feature film was fantastic. I'll be curious to finally hear Jones' voice as Abe.

According to SciFiWire, in the new film, a university professor opens a forbidden scroll and is possessed by the twin demons of thunder and lightning, who seek to return to the world to wake their brothers, the dragons. Hellboy, along with a folklore expert and a psychic, travels to Japan to investigate and finds the sword of storms, the only weapon that can defeat the demons.

UPDATE: Check out the production diaries here! All you ever wanted to know but were too lazy to Google.

Cohen Rivals "Todd"

Fri, 13 Oct 2006 06:52:59 -0700

We haven't heard much about Sweeney Todd since it was announced that Johnny Depp would be starring in Tim Burton's feature film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's horror musical. I'm still holding out for word that Helena Bonham Carter will play Mrs. Lovett.

In the meantime comes word from Production Weekly that Sacha Baron Cohen, soon to take American audiences by storm in his neon green swimsuit in Borat, is in negotiations to play Signor Adolfo Pirelli, Todd's competitor in the barbering arena.

Interestingly, Pirelli was not an initial character in the Sweeney Todd legend. Playwright Christopher Bond created him for his 1973 play, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which Sondheim used as the basis for his musical. Bond wanted a way for Todd to be able to show off his barbering prowess, and so he created the character device of Pirelli. Pirelli's attempt at blackmailing Todd is what sets off the demon barber's initial killing spree, and we can assume that Signor Adolfo ends up becoming the filling for the first (of many) of Mrs. Lovett's meat pies.

Also of note is that Cohen will most likely play the role with a fake, pseudo-European accent, which adds yet one more role to his career of being typecast as the guy who does the fake funny accents.

Tamblyn Has a "Blackout"

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 08:00:58 -0700

It seems like just yesterday I watched a young Amber Tamblyn grow up on ABC's General Hospital. The young actress left the daytime soap to become the star of Joan of Arcadia, CBS' primetime scramble replacement of its popular Touched By an Angel. Tamblyn has since moved on to feature films, typically horror, starting I think with The Ring, where she was the dead girl they find in the closet at the beginning of the film (which freaked me RIGHT out), to The Grudge 2 (which opens tomorrow), and now starring in the upcoming idie thriller Blackout.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film will be directed by Rigoberto Castaneda and revolves around three people who are trapped in a hospital elevator for 24 hours, with what at first seeming like an inconvenience turning into a nightmare as a psychopathic doctor/killer is on the loose.

Tamblyn's character description as a young woman trying to get to her grandmother who is moments away from death makes it sound as if the film might be a parable for Little Red Riding Hood. We'll have to wait and see I guess.

MODOK LIVES!!

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 13:01:54 -0700

If anyone has any sense at all at Marvel, they'll get right on the horn and start the ball rolling on making a Modok movie, starring none other than Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert.

That is all...