Wind up News – Sept 5, 2013

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Potter Summer Home To be Preserved

Beatrix Potter The Tale of Peter Rabbit

The house and grounds which is said to have inspired beloved British author Beatrix Potter to write The Tales of Peter Rabbit have been given Grade II listed status by the British Government.

‘Lingholm’ and it’s grounds in Portinscale, Cumbria will now be preserved. The Grade II listed status means “being of special architectural or historic interest” and will be protected against “unauthorised demolition, alteration or extension.”

Continue reading “Wind up News – Sept 5, 2013”

Riddick Film Q & A

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Recently Nerd HQ held an exclusive panel involving the upcoming Riddick film. Actors Vin Diesel, Katee Sackhoff and director David Twohy sat in to answer questions from the fans.

Control was taken from the get go by Nerd HQ when a fan asked Vin about his involvement with Guardians of the Galaxy. Vin who replied he’s not supposed to say anything, hesitated long enough for the panel host to tell the audience there would be no spoilers.

The film Riddick opens in North American theatres on September 6th. It also stars Jordi Mollà, Matt Nable, Dave Bautista, Bokeem Woodbine, Conrad Pla and Karl Urban.

Yoiks! Scooby Doo is returning to the Big Screen!

Scooby-gang-1969By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

And this iteration will not be live-action. The surprise here is that the previous big screen treatments did very well to get Warner Bros to green-light a different treatment of the world’s most popular sleuthing canine. There are no details yet as to what the story will be about, but the news from Variety says that Charles Roven and Richard Suckle will be producing this film.

These two producers helped bring the live action versions to life, and they will be back to make more cinema magic. Warner Bros. hired writer Matt Lieberman to pen this continuing theatrical treatment.

Now the big question will be in who will be returning to voice the seminial characters of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo? Frank Welker will no doubt be back, and hopefully Grey DeLisle, Mindy Cohn and Matthew Lillard will be considered. They have been the mainstays for recent direct-to-video releases but they are the best remembered crew who did Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated.

[Victoria Fringe Festival ’13] St. Michael’s University Summer Musical Academy does Avenue Q & Review

Image-AvenueQlogoBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

In Victoria, B.C., Canada, St. Michael’s University School offers a tradition for Fringe Festival enthusiasts to enjoy. They have a wonderful summer intensive program in musical theatre which makes it a hotbed of learning at a rapid pace. Classes focus on teaching students how to develop their voice, stage presence and performance skills. No auditions are required to get in and this camp is great for introducing youths to the thrills of live theatre.

This program makes use of a well-known Broadway stage production and it becomes part of the regular Fringe Festival scene. Previous years included a very well done version of The Wedding Singer, Urinetown, Fame and High School Musical.

“They have been doing a musical every year in the Fringe for the last eight years,” said Janet Munsil, Artistic Director and Festival Producer, “And they’re the trailblazers in musicals at our 10-day long show.”

One particular alumni from the university, Andrew Sabiston, has gone on to write, Napoleon: The Musical, which was staged in Toronto.

Continue reading “[Victoria Fringe Festival ’13] St. Michael’s University Summer Musical Academy does Avenue Q & Review”

[Victoria Fringe Festival ’13] Looking Beyond Judgement Day and its Pop Culture Connections

Judgement Day PosterBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Over in the beautiful garden city if Victoria, B.C. Canada, the Victoria Fringe Festival returns for its 27th year with a few much-needed updates and, perhaps, an added regular venue. The voting system is changed so its more fair and the Maritime Museum provided the space for a unique play, “Judgement Day,” that kicked off the first week of the festivities. It will also be part of the last weekend too as the votes are being tallied for best of Fringe.

This gently philosophical and satirical look at how socially irreverent various world religions are gets center stage in the courtroom where real trials took place.

And the storm of controversy of which belief is right in granting a peaceful afterlife gets elegantly played up for laughs by New Blood Theatre, a group that may well be ‘new’ to the Victoria scene. They had done a previous production “Greg Phillips: Alleged Antichrist” in collaboration with the Student Alternative Theatre Company at the University of Victoria, and this new show marks their first production that will hopefully tour to other Fringe festivals around the world.

Continue reading “[Victoria Fringe Festival ’13] Looking Beyond Judgement Day and its Pop Culture Connections”

IMAX’s Next FANFIX™ Poster Offering is Riddick!

Riddick PosterBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Fans of Vin Diesel’s Chronicles of Riddick series will no doubt flock to IMAX theaters Sept 5th to get the exclusive poster that’s next in line to be released in this company’s FANFIX™ offerings.

This limited edition print is done by Alex Fuentes (Los Fokos), an illustrator and graphic designer who has had his works featured in magazines and products by Scholastic, Oni Press, Popular Mechanics and Belio Magazine. If that portfolio is not enough, he has done work for companies like Nike, Reebok, Sony Music, Disney and many more.

While this artist has been keeping busy, so has the actor. Vin Diesel’s “absence” from playing Riddick has been nine years. He was involved in other projects like Fast and Furious and Babylon A.D.

Pitch Black released in 2000, and The Chronicles of Riddick was 2004. Hopefully this third chapter to this saga, simply titled Riddick, will be worth the wait. With the producers restoring the “R” in this film’s MPAA rating, viewers should be advised that this latest may well be going back to the darker and more violent roots that the first film expounded on.