Report 41A 13 June 2001
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group - 2000-2001 Season Progress Report 41A.
This is a digest of recent Sci-Fi- and genre-related news as of 12th June 2001.
News & Notes
Group News:
Time for the Monthly Moan:-
Acknowledgments of Receipt
To the 250 out of our 300 or so clients who always take the trouble to acknowledge receipt of tapes, I offer my apologies and a request that you ignore this item. The people to whom I sent reminders to can also ignore this. They are only one-time offenders and will be let off with 50 lashes.
To the others, listen up:
Despite my best efforts, the number of failures to acknowledge receipt of tapes is on the increase. I currently have well over 100 tapes not acknowledged from more than 3 weeks ago, and I think it is now time for me to reiterate the policy.
After a full month has passed, I can no longer be held responsible for any tapes for which I haven’t received an acknowledgment. Also, I cannot accept any new requests from people with outstanding acknowledgments.
Please acknowledge receipt of the tapes. Unless I eliminate them as they arrive, my system becomes bogged down with old stuff.
PayPal and Bidpay Websites
Please, Please, Please!!! For about the twentieth time, please do not list the names of TV series and episodes at the PayPal and Bidpay websites. Simply use the term “Video Tapes” whenever asked for a description.
The archetypal example of this of course is the character (happily no longer with us) who listed the Season, episode number and title for 48 Sliders episodes at Bidpay. They almost had kittens over that one and it took more than a month for the to issue the MO, as the item is printed on it. This is an extreme case of course, but the same applies to every series that we cover.
No need to let them in on our affairs.
Moan Over. On With the News
TV News:
Yet More Possibles in hunt for 3rd Charmed Sister
The New York Post reports that with Jennifer Love Hewitt out of the picture, the producers of "Charmed" are said to be eyeing Rose McGowan or Denise Richards as possible replacements for Shannen Doherty, who left the show last month.
Insiders say the "Charmed" powers-that-be think either McGowan ("Driven," "Monkeybone") or Richards ("Starship Troopers" "The World is Not Enough") would make a more-than-suitable replacement for Doherty, who reportedly was having on-set problems with co-star Alyssa Milano. McGowan, by the way, used to be the girlfriend of goth-rock idol Marilyn Manson.
However, different sources have varying opinions ion the possible replacement. Here are several items on this subject researched for us by Adrian Oakes from Tasmania:
From Entertainment Weekly:
"Charm's Way"
Did you hear the one about Aaron Spelling recruiting Shannen Doherty's Beverly Hills, 90210 replacement, Tiffani Thiessen, to step in for the exiting Doherty next season on Charmed? Turns out that's no joke.
"Tiffani was our first choice to take over for Shannen--even before we asked Jennifer [Love Hewitt]," Spelling tells EW. "But Tiffani told us she wants to do a half-hour comedy." (Alas, NBC didn't pick up her sitcom pilot.) Since Spelling's big-name choices have taken a pass--Hewitt likely wants to focus on films--the Uberproducer says the show is leaning toward a fresh face to play a younger witch in the Halliwell household. "She's going to be the long-lost little sister Alyssa [Milano] and Holly [Marie Combs] never knew they had. And wait until you see what we came up with to explain why she's been lost:
Nobody ever knew she even existed." Spelling says producers are recutting last month's season finale to explain the sudden disappearance of Doherty's Prue. Our guess: She's locked away in a behavioral-therapy clinic with Brenda Walsh.--William Keck
From zap2it.com:
McGowan, Richards May Be 'Charmed'
Thu, Jun 7, 2001 07:09 PM PDT
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Starlet Rose McGowan or Denise Richards may be joining the witchy sisters on The WB's "Charmed." The New York Post reports that the two actresses are being eyed as replacements for Shannen Doherty, who left the show last month.
Richards, 29, is best known as the girl in the wet t-shirt in “Wild Things.” Her other films include “Starship Troopers,” “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” “The World is Not Enough” and “Valentine.” Meanwhile, McGowan, 27, has appeared in the films “The Doom Generation,” “Scream,” “Jawbreaker” and “Monkeybone.”
Interestingly enough, Richards and McGowan worked together in the 1997 independent feature “Nowhere.”
Doherty is rumored to have left the show over behind-the-scenes problems with her co-star Alyssa Milano. The part was recently offered to former “Party of Five” actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, who turned down the part to concentrate on her film career, according to an earlier report in the Post.
From mediadrome.com:
June 7, 2001: Which Witch:
The List of Potential Prues Gets Shorter
As names fly around the Internet and are approved, disapproved or discarded with scorn by fans, the real job of finding a replacement for Charmed's Prue Halliwell continues apace behind the scenes at Spelling.
The task is made more complicated by the role that Prue played in the three-sister dynamic. She was the oldest and the most powerful, so will they try to replace that or look for a new direction? We nosed around a little and have discovered that despite denials, Jennifer Love Hewitt is still very much under discussion. Her lackluster film career, and the paucity of job offers has apparently made her more open to the idea of returning to television.
Other members of the short list include such Spelling stock-company players as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen and Tori Spelling, both of whom are being talked about a great deal.
Tori Spelling? Yup. Daddy is apparently considering putting his daughter onto WB's highest rated show. We think that someone should probably take him aside and explain that his offspring is a little...uh...plain, and that her acting ability is less than impressive. Still, the list does show that Spelling has a great attachment to people he's already worked with, so it's probable that the replacement will come from a prior show.
Any comments on this? Do you think he's moving in the right direction or has he lost his mind? Post your ideas on The Mediadrome's Charmed Board.
And the latest fro Tasmania - Tuesday June 12 2:30 AM ET
McGowan is Charmed to step in for Doherty
By Michael Fleming
NEW YORK (Variety) - Actress Rose McGowan is negotiating to replace Shannen Doherty in Spelling Television's hit TV drama ``Charmed'' at the WB network.
Sources say the witching hour is nearing and, barring a last-minute implosion, McGowan will join Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs as the third in a troika of sisters with mystical powers.
McGowan, former girlfriend of shock rocker Marilyn Manson, would play a long lost sibling the duo didn't know they had.
McGowan has starred in such films as the black comedy ``Jawbreaker,'' ``Scream'' and ``Ready to Rumble,'' and most recently starred with Kip Pardue and Robert Forster in the indie film ``Rat in the Can.'' McGowan recently guest starred on the sitcom ``What About Joan.''
She will bring edginess to the WB's second-highest-rated show, which is exec produced by Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent and Brad Kern.
The producers were faced with replacing Doherty after the former ``Beverly Hills, 90210'' star made her second hasty exit from a Spelling series.
Doherty, who directed the season finale, decided to seek other opportunities, and it seemed clear that Milano and Combs weren't unhappy Doherty left the coven.
The network wasn't commenting but acknowledged that talks were ongoing.
Thanks Adrian. You saved me a lot of work there.
Sci-Fi Preps Earthsea Mini
The Sci-Fi Channel has signed a deal with producers Lawrence Bender and Kevin Brown (Roswell) to develop a miniseries based on the first three novels of the epic Earthsea saga by Ursula Le Guin, Sci-Fi confirmed. Sci-Fi president Bonnie Hammer told Variety that the Earthsea books are "pure fantasy novels that set up a phenomenal, magical world similar to the Rings trilogy of J.R.R. Tolkien and the Harry Potter novels."
Sci-Fi is seeking a writer to adapt the first three Le Guin novels: A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore.
The Future of Slaying?
The first edition of Joss Whedon’s scripted comic book “Fray” (aka “Melaka the Future Vampire Slayer” hits the news stands this week. “Fray” tells the futuristic tale of Melaka Fray, a tiny Manhattanite who becomes the first to be called to the slayerhood in more than 200 years. Yes, we’re aware “Buffy” comics of all stripes have been lurking about for years. But this is the first comic of any kind actually penned by Whedon himself.
There will be eight issues in all. The first is very cinematic (and may offer clues to what that far-future big-budget “Buffy” movie might look like).
By the way, those wondering if Whedon will have much to do with “Angel” next season may be interested in this: a perusal of “Fray’s” letters page indicates that Whedon will co-author a new “Angel” comic series come autumn!
Forecast Mixed For Genre Shows
TN Media, an advertising company, forecast mixed success for upcoming new genre shows in the fall television season, according to The Hollywood Reporter. TN Media's Primetime Fall Preview report is based on a combination of the strength of the program and the timeslot it landed, the trade paper reported.
Among the report's forecast winners: The WB's Smallville and UPN's fifth Star Trek series, Enterprise. Among the losers: Fox's The Tick and CBS' Wolf Lake.
Editor’s Note: My God! There are some people even more stupid than TV Executives!! What a totally useless conclusion. Of course some shows will thrive while others fail. That’s the nature of the beast – and if these people think they are going to win any Nobel prizes for coming up with such dumb statements, then I have bridge in Brooklyn that I would like to sell them.
Daltrey Guests On Witchblade
Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who, will guest-star on the fifth episode of TNT's upcoming supernatural series Witchblade, the Comics Continuum Web site reported. Daltrey will play Father Del Toro in the episode "Legion," about a Catholic priest who is brutally murdered by one of his students.
As a ghost, the priest reveals that he was murdered to conceal a controversial bargain that suggests the Nazis and the Vatican were allies during World War II, and that the Witchblade was used to seal the deal, the site reported. "Legion" is scheduled to air on July 10.
Changes Stir Up Wolf Lake
John Leekley, creator and executive producer of CBS' upcoming SF drama series Wolf Lake, has stepped down, and Alex Gansa has come aboard as an executive producer and show runner, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The trade paper offered no reason for the change at the series, which is due in the fall.
Rick Kellard also joins the show as an executive producer, and Toni Graphia (Roswell) will co-executive produce, the trade paper reported. Meanwhile, Stacy Edwards has left the cast, leaving star Lou Diamond Phillips and cast members Tim Matheson and Graham Greene.
Sources told the trade paper that CBS has requested a tweaking of the Wolf pilot to ensure the sustainability of the series' plot line, and the new creative team is reportedly eyeing a new direction for the show. The pilot's main concept remains focused on a string of strange events in a small Northwest town that coincides with an influx of bizarrely behaving wolves in the area, the trade paper reported.
Lost World Future Unclear
Jennifer O'Dell, star of the syndicated fantasy series Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, said in an interview that's she's not sure if the show will be back on the air in the fall. "I'm still waiting to hear from the executive producers," O'Dell said. "I don't think our Canadian production company is involved anymore, and they're trying to get American backers now. Believe me, you know as much as I do. They don't tell me sh-t. It's incredibly frustrating. It's really quite ridiculous, but that's how the business goes."
O'Dell plays Veronica, who grew up on the strange plateau inhabited by apemen, dinosaurs and other bizarre creatures. Clad only in a skimpy loincloth, Veronica is kept company by the human members of a scientific expedition gone astray: Professor Challenger (Peter McCauley), Marguerite (Rachel Blakely), Malone (David Orth) and Roxton (Will Snow).
"If the show goes, we're going to explore a lot more about Veronica and why I'm so close to the plateau and why I know things I shouldn't know," said O'Dell, whose earlier credits include TV's Beverly Hills 90210 and Profiler, as well as the fright film Sometimes They Come Back ... For More. "There's a side of me that loves being very sexual and very va-va-voom. And there's the tomboy in me, too. If you put me in my costume, I'm like, 'Let's go!' Plus, there's a lot of me in Veronica. She's got a lot of different, diverse sides. So I hope it goes."
Mutant X Details Revealed
http://www.mutantxtv.com/
The official Web site for the upcoming syndicated television series Mutant X has posted detailed story and character descriptions. The series centers on a group of genetically enhanced humans who have developed unexpected powers and are being hunted by the people who engineered them.
John Shea stars as Adam, the smartest man alive and a strategist, tactician and moral center of Mutant X who takes responsibility for the salvation of the mutants. Victoria Pratt plays Shalimar Fox, who has both human and animal DNA and the strength, speed, cunning and tempestuous nature of an animal. Victor Webster is Brennan Mulwray, a street-smart wise guy with the ability to generate electricity from his body. Forbes March plays Jesse Kilmartin, who can alter the density of his body at will. Lauren Lee Smith is Emma DeSalvo, a "telempath" who can communicate her own feelings and receive the feelings of others around her. Tom McCamus plays Markus Eckhart, the head of the Genetic Security Agency and the man who is hunting down the mutants.
Tracker may cross over
New syndicated action hour, Tracker, is looking to land a dual run on the Sci-Fi Channel. Unlike the soon-to-be dual run of Studios USA's Crossing Over with John Edward, which debuts in syndication in the fall while continuing its run on co-owned Sci-Fi, Tracker's producer, Lion's Gate, and distributor, Mercury, are outside the USA family. A Sci-Fi source said the show "is definitely in the mix," but that talks have been on the back burner while executives waited out Hollywood strike negotiations-the writers' strike is effectively settled, while the actors' strike is likely. Set to star is Highlander's Adrian Paul doing battle with aliens, but Tracker's honchos weren't commenting.
7 Days Cancellation Comments
It appears that UPN couldn't justify continuing 7 Days for another season partly due to it's lower ratings this season and the fact that UPN acquired Buffy and Roswell. Special Unit 2 also performed better than 7 Days in its six-episode run and earned a pickup for the fall.
More than likely if UPN hadn't picked up the two WB series, it might have kept 7 Days. The show has also not done very well since it was brought back on Tuesday nights.
'Witchblade' Series Kicks Off On TNT
TNT's ongoing Witchblade series premieres tonight at 9, between back-to-back episodes of Law & Order. Picking up where the hit TV movie left off, the series chronicles the story of New York detective Sara Pezzini, played by Yancy Butler, who has come into possession of a powerful ancient weapon perfect for combating evil supernatural forces.
In this first of 11 episodes, Sara and new partner Jake McCarty (David Chokachi) get a lead that an ex-special forces soldier turned military experiment is out to kill Kenneth Irons, a wealthy businessman obsessed with possessing the Witchblade.
Witchblade is based on, and loosely follows, a Top Cow comics series begun by writers David Wohl and Christina Z., receiving invigorated attention as of late with its new creative team of writer Paul Jenkins and artist Keu Cha.
Sci-Fi Orders 'Left Hand Of Darkness'
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Sci-Fi channel has green lighted a four-hour miniseries adaptation of the Ursula K. Le Guin novel the left hand of darkness.
The 1969 novel chronicles a human ambassador sent to an arctic world to talk its people into joining a multiplanetary alliance. The news follows Sci-Fi’s announcement of a miniseries based on Le Guin's first three Earthsea novels.
'Perfect Dark' TV series, movie
Variety reports fireworks entertainment and Goodman Rosen productions have optioned the TV and film rights to the Nintendo 64 game Perfect Dark.
The companies, whose current roster of shows include Relic Hunter and Andromeda, could launch a syndicated show based on the game as early as fall 2002, and also have a film on the property in development.
Set in the year 2023, perfect dark involves secret agent Joanna Dark uncovering an alien invasion of earth.
Andromeda Season 2 Guest Stars from Buffy, X-Files and First Wave
The new season of Andromeda looks to be having more recognizable faces in their Guest star lineups. Currently filming the episode "Into the Labyrinth" in Vancouver is James "Spike" Marsters. He will be playing Nietzschean Archduke Charlemagne Bolivar, the mate of Elessbett Mossadim that was referred to but not seen in the episode "The Honey Offering".
Other guest stars include William B. Davis, of X-Files Cigarette Smoking Man fame. He'll play a scientist investigating Trance Gemini who will be "obsessed with ripping the veil of secrecy" about the Purple one. Also appearing in one (or more) episodes will be Bruce "Byers of the Lone Gunmen" Harwood. He'll be a defense contractor working with Andromeda in the episode "All Too Human". Also appearing in the episode as a government agent tracking down the two will be First Wave star Roger Cross.
Plans are in the works to have both Bruce Campbell and Michael Hurst guest star as well, but those roles and scheduled have yet to be finalized. Andromeda has been filming since March and will be taking a summer break about halfway through the season's filming and will resume in the fall. It looks likely that's when Hurst & Campbell will do their guest stints. According to Ashley Miller and Zack Stantz at Agamemcon, they are taking advantage of the early filming schedule and filming episodes in the best production order and that the actual airing order will be quite different. They also pointed out that the season finale was originally envisioned as a stand-alone episode, not a two parter, but Wolfe realized soon into scripting the episode that it wouldn't all fit into one episode. It also appears that the rumor about one of the cast not surviving is false and that all of the regular cast will be back for season two.
Movie News:
Hitchhiker Film Not Dead
Director Jay Roach said that he's still determined to bring Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to the big screen, despite Adam's recent untimely death. Adams' death at the age of 49 was "a bit of a tragedy for the project," Roach commented.
At the time of his death, Adams had completed a screenplay for the proposed feature-film version of his satiric SF novel. The movie is now "a little bit up in the air, because we were all looking forward to doing it with Douglas," Roach said. But Roach added that he still hopes to bring the novel to the big screen. "It remains one of the great humorous sci-fi things of all time, so we're still fighting for it."
In other news, Adams’ publisher announced that the 3rd book in the Dirk Gently series “Salmon of Doubt” was being assembled from files found on Adams’ laptop and would be published in the fall.
Rodriguez Talks Resident Evil
Michelle Rodriguez confirmed rumors that she has finished shooting the Resident Evil film, with additional audio looping scheduled for this week. In an interview, Rodriguez said the film is a prequel of sorts to the Capcom video game series on which the film is based. "See, the thing is, it changed so much, it morphed from 'There is no character here from the real game' to 'There is a character here in the real game, and now this is big,'" she said. "It's got so much."
Rodriguez added, "My character is an ex-Navy SEAL who decides to work for a private organization called the Umbrella Corp. These people do scientific experiments, and my job is to quarantine the situation, make sure that nobody leaks out any information or no creatures get out of these places. The next thing you know, things are blowing up, heads are rolling, I'm shooting an HK-5 at a governor, and I've got a Rambo knife, and I'm snapping necks."
Rodriguez said the entire movie takes place in the facility, and the monsters are "Zombies, nothing but zombies. Milla [Jovovich] gets to fight dogs. That's cool." Resident Evil has been picked up for distribution by Sony for the spring of 2002. It was produced by the German company Constantin Films.
West Readies Prisoner Film
Director Simon West (Tomb Raider) announced that he is awaiting the final draft of a screenplay for a proposed feature-film version of the cult 1960s SF series The Prisoner. Speaking to press while promoting his latest film, West said he hopes to show the Chris McQuarrie script to series creator and star Patrick McGoohan to gain his endorsement for the project.
The Prisoner is the story of a British intelligence agent, known only as No. 6, who finds himself detained by unknown sinister forces in a picturesque seaside town simply called The Village. Since it left the air in 1967 after only 17 episodes, the surreal series has remained in the public consciousness, spawning conventions and fan organizations such as The Prisoner Appreciation Society.
Several attempts have been made to adapt The Prisoner to the screen over the last 30 years, but none has made it past the early development stages until now. West hopes to start filming at Pinewood Studios in London--where much of Tomb Raider was shot--toward the end of this year.
Trek X May Wrap TNG
Star Trek actors Michael Dorn (Worf) and Marina Sirtis (Troi) told fans that the upcoming 10th Trek film plays like the final chapter in the Next Generation saga. Speaking at the Star Trek & Sci-Fi Media Convention in Durham, N.C., Sirtis added that she hoped the TNG movies will continue.
Trek X will be "better than Insurrection," Sirtis said. She also denied a long-standing rumor that a main character will die in the film. She declined to comment on rumors that she and Cmdr. Riker would tie the knot in the film's opening, the site reported.
-----Original Message-----
From: Eastlant Sci-Fi Group [mailto:eastlant@kua.net]
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 9:22 AM
To: Eastlant Automailer
Subject: Convention Reports and Open Newsletter - June 2001
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group
Convention Reports and Open Newsletter
June 2001
Editor’s Notes:
Well, I got a few responses to the first issue, which isn’t too bad. Let’s see a lot more for next month please. This is your chance to have a public whine about the way your TV stations are treating you, about what is happening in your favorite TV series, or about us.
Don’t miss your chance.
Convention Reports
Delegate Reports:
I was expecting a report from the FSF convention in Australia featuring James Marsters, but it may be too close after the event. The committee are probably all still brain dead, so maybe we will have this next month.
Open Newsletter
Putting the Cat Among the Pigeons.
My Xena ploy didn’t produce anywhere near as many responses as I thought, but the few who did respond had strong opinions. Here they are, unedited:
Bengt Svennson in Trelleborg, Sweden had the following to say:
I’ll have you know that I was one of the people that actually (erm) tolerated "Lyre, Lyre...". It’s main problem was that there was no original music, only covers. And the plot was a bit weak. OK, you win. It wasn’t a strong episode.
Well, that was fun wasn’t it? Even if I had loved the episode I wouldn’t have written you to complain. You’re entitled to your opinion, and unlike some people (me included) you always express it in an amusing way.
And from Elizabeth Mast in Victoria, Australia,
Well, David- you're getting a response you expected.
RE: the comments from you below. You obviously don't watch Xena otherwise you would realize that, indeed, Xena has "come full circle" in the correct sense of the phrase.
Before Xena's village was destroyed and her brother killed by nasty warlords, she was a happy, loving girl with a loving family.
So now that Xena will be happy, trusting and with a loving "family" again, she has come full circle. Yes???
So, if "people don't know what they are talking about, perhaps it is better if they say nothing". :)
And yes, I am also going to disagree with you on your view of Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on fire. But you are entitled to your opinion even if you are wrong. I really enjoyed that show (loved the "sisters" song and, for once, the Ted Raimi character). Though, admittedly, the North American Xenites didn't seem so fond of it but I have found a HUGE chasm between the American sense of humor and that of most Antipodeans. I also thought In Sickness & in Hell was hysterical.
And from Sammy Diaz in the UK
Lyre, Lyre was just a bit of fun, not to be taken too seriously. I have the CD (being the obsessive Xena fan that I am) and I play many times "Sisters are doing it for themselves" and "Dancing in the moonlight", especially in the shower and dusting my room, and I think it's great.
The whole episode was worthy if only for Gabby's Go Go costume...
Odd that – 3 responses – Mmmm!
Now who shall I insult next – Ah! Yes – About this Duchovny guy ducking out of X-Files….
The Remake Mistake
My comments on the proposed remake of War of the Worlds elicited this response from “Birdy” in the UK:
I was browsing your latest newsletter when I spotted that you were doing some sort of 'open mike' thing.
I'm not sure what you're looking for, but I did want to have a word or two about the proposed War of the Worlds remake. Okay, here we go....I couldn't disagree with you more about the 'necessity' to remake the movie. I've been waiting for this film to be remade for as long as I can remember.
There is, of course, always going to be the tripod argument. Yes, it can be done now; yes it would be wonderful etc etc.
My reasons are way more fundamental. I think you will find (contentious statement approaching!) that the majority of people who regarded Pal's film as a classic are American. Yeah, it a tremendous piece of work, and yes it captures the essence of the Wells novel. But the only time I've been more disappointed in a movie was Alien 3!
It is Wells' small-town English Victoriana that makes the book so utterly compelling. The turn of the century wonder of the early passages leads us on, in the 20th Century, to reading a novel that is almost about two alien races fighting. 'Bows & arrows against the lightning' as the artilleryman says to the journalist. These are cannons from the Crimean war which are used against the Martians, not Pal's missiles. When a war machine is brought down it is truly a David & Goliath situation.
One could also mention the heartbreaking Thunderchild sequence (with the tripods stretching out to sea - awesome visual moment), the artilleryman and his Brave New World and the terrifying denouement of ruined London in total silence, save the wailing of a single dying Martian. The Pal movie never even attempted to capture this apocalyptic desolation. What about the red weed, slowly but surely transforming the surface of the earth into a replica of mars?. Ironically, Jeff Wayne's efforts captured the novel 100 times more truly than the movie.
Pal captured little of the Martians themselves - the collecting machine casting lost souls into the basket on its back, the crater/war machine factory.
To my mind, all of these are excellent reasons to remake War of the Worlds. Of course, what they will do with it is another matter, but in principle...
And on the death of Douglas Adams
Mike Turner from the UK had this to add:
Like you I was shocked and sad at hearing the Douglas Adams had died. I know you have lots of contacts over here but just in case you haven’t heard, his publisher is intending to complete Salmon of Doubt - apparently it was finished but needs to be pulled together from files on his computer. They also plan to publish his screenplay for the Hitch Hikers
film. This was reported by The Independent -one of our more reliable newspapers.
So, we had a few responses to the various outbursts in the newsletters. Having seen what can be done, let’s hear from loads more of you for next month.
Xena fans – come on. Your show is ending. Surely you have something to say about the end of one of the world’s most popular shows;
X-Philes – should the show go on for a 9th season without DD or should it fold?
And what about The Lone Gunmen? Once some of you have seen a few eps, let me know what you think about this show being canceled so early. Was it so bad, or is this just more anti-Carter internal politics at Fox?
Finally, if you have been to any conventions recently, let’s know about them. Again, I know that a whole bunch of you UK Xena fans were at a convention a couple weeks ago in dockland. Any comments? A report would be nice.
US Buffy fans – what about the move to UPN? How many of you are losing the show because it has moved, and on the other side of the con, how many of you have gained it, as you had no WB affiliate before but do have a UPN station?
Club Section
Again, this is strange. We supply at least 20 clubs around the world, but we have had not word one on what any of you are up to. We may even have some potential members among our subscribers to tell us where you are, when you meet and what you are about, or at least give us your URL so we can point people to your website.
Here are the clubs we have listed so far:
Infinite Frontiers, one of the UK’s premiere SF clubs,
http://www.infinitefrontiers.co.uk
and Friends of Science Fiction (FSF) in Sydney Australia.
www.fsf.com.au/
If you run a club, let us have your details and we will post them here next month and in all future issues.
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group - 2000-2001 Season Progress Report 41A.
This is a digest of recent Sci-Fi- and genre-related news as of 12th June 2001.
News & Notes
Group News:
Time for the Monthly Moan:-
Acknowledgments of Receipt
To the 250 out of our 300 or so clients who always take the trouble to acknowledge receipt of tapes, I offer my apologies and a request that you ignore this item. The people to whom I sent reminders to can also ignore this. They are only one-time offenders and will be let off with 50 lashes.
To the others, listen up:
Despite my best efforts, the number of failures to acknowledge receipt of tapes is on the increase. I currently have well over 100 tapes not acknowledged from more than 3 weeks ago, and I think it is now time for me to reiterate the policy.
After a full month has passed, I can no longer be held responsible for any tapes for which I haven’t received an acknowledgment. Also, I cannot accept any new requests from people with outstanding acknowledgments.
Please acknowledge receipt of the tapes. Unless I eliminate them as they arrive, my system becomes bogged down with old stuff.
PayPal and Bidpay Websites
Please, Please, Please!!! For about the twentieth time, please do not list the names of TV series and episodes at the PayPal and Bidpay websites. Simply use the term “Video Tapes” whenever asked for a description.
The archetypal example of this of course is the character (happily no longer with us) who listed the Season, episode number and title for 48 Sliders episodes at Bidpay. They almost had kittens over that one and it took more than a month for the to issue the MO, as the item is printed on it. This is an extreme case of course, but the same applies to every series that we cover.
No need to let them in on our affairs.
Moan Over. On With the News
TV News:
Yet More Possibles in hunt for 3rd Charmed Sister
The New York Post reports that with Jennifer Love Hewitt out of the picture, the producers of "Charmed" are said to be eyeing Rose McGowan or Denise Richards as possible replacements for Shannen Doherty, who left the show last month.
Insiders say the "Charmed" powers-that-be think either McGowan ("Driven," "Monkeybone") or Richards ("Starship Troopers" "The World is Not Enough") would make a more-than-suitable replacement for Doherty, who reportedly was having on-set problems with co-star Alyssa Milano. McGowan, by the way, used to be the girlfriend of goth-rock idol Marilyn Manson.
However, different sources have varying opinions ion the possible replacement. Here are several items on this subject researched for us by Adrian Oakes from Tasmania:
From Entertainment Weekly:
"Charm's Way"
Did you hear the one about Aaron Spelling recruiting Shannen Doherty's Beverly Hills, 90210 replacement, Tiffani Thiessen, to step in for the exiting Doherty next season on Charmed? Turns out that's no joke.
"Tiffani was our first choice to take over for Shannen--even before we asked Jennifer [Love Hewitt]," Spelling tells EW. "But Tiffani told us she wants to do a half-hour comedy." (Alas, NBC didn't pick up her sitcom pilot.) Since Spelling's big-name choices have taken a pass--Hewitt likely wants to focus on films--the Uberproducer says the show is leaning toward a fresh face to play a younger witch in the Halliwell household. "She's going to be the long-lost little sister Alyssa [Milano] and Holly [Marie Combs] never knew they had. And wait until you see what we came up with to explain why she's been lost:
Nobody ever knew she even existed." Spelling says producers are recutting last month's season finale to explain the sudden disappearance of Doherty's Prue. Our guess: She's locked away in a behavioral-therapy clinic with Brenda Walsh.--William Keck
From zap2it.com:
McGowan, Richards May Be 'Charmed'
Thu, Jun 7, 2001 07:09 PM PDT
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Starlet Rose McGowan or Denise Richards may be joining the witchy sisters on The WB's "Charmed." The New York Post reports that the two actresses are being eyed as replacements for Shannen Doherty, who left the show last month.
Richards, 29, is best known as the girl in the wet t-shirt in “Wild Things.” Her other films include “Starship Troopers,” “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” “The World is Not Enough” and “Valentine.” Meanwhile, McGowan, 27, has appeared in the films “The Doom Generation,” “Scream,” “Jawbreaker” and “Monkeybone.”
Interestingly enough, Richards and McGowan worked together in the 1997 independent feature “Nowhere.”
Doherty is rumored to have left the show over behind-the-scenes problems with her co-star Alyssa Milano. The part was recently offered to former “Party of Five” actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, who turned down the part to concentrate on her film career, according to an earlier report in the Post.
From mediadrome.com:
June 7, 2001: Which Witch:
The List of Potential Prues Gets Shorter
As names fly around the Internet and are approved, disapproved or discarded with scorn by fans, the real job of finding a replacement for Charmed's Prue Halliwell continues apace behind the scenes at Spelling.
The task is made more complicated by the role that Prue played in the three-sister dynamic. She was the oldest and the most powerful, so will they try to replace that or look for a new direction? We nosed around a little and have discovered that despite denials, Jennifer Love Hewitt is still very much under discussion. Her lackluster film career, and the paucity of job offers has apparently made her more open to the idea of returning to television.
Other members of the short list include such Spelling stock-company players as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen and Tori Spelling, both of whom are being talked about a great deal.
Tori Spelling? Yup. Daddy is apparently considering putting his daughter onto WB's highest rated show. We think that someone should probably take him aside and explain that his offspring is a little...uh...plain, and that her acting ability is less than impressive. Still, the list does show that Spelling has a great attachment to people he's already worked with, so it's probable that the replacement will come from a prior show.
Any comments on this? Do you think he's moving in the right direction or has he lost his mind? Post your ideas on The Mediadrome's Charmed Board.
And the latest fro Tasmania - Tuesday June 12 2:30 AM ET
McGowan is Charmed to step in for Doherty
By Michael Fleming
NEW YORK (Variety) - Actress Rose McGowan is negotiating to replace Shannen Doherty in Spelling Television's hit TV drama ``Charmed'' at the WB network.
Sources say the witching hour is nearing and, barring a last-minute implosion, McGowan will join Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs as the third in a troika of sisters with mystical powers.
McGowan, former girlfriend of shock rocker Marilyn Manson, would play a long lost sibling the duo didn't know they had.
McGowan has starred in such films as the black comedy ``Jawbreaker,'' ``Scream'' and ``Ready to Rumble,'' and most recently starred with Kip Pardue and Robert Forster in the indie film ``Rat in the Can.'' McGowan recently guest starred on the sitcom ``What About Joan.''
She will bring edginess to the WB's second-highest-rated show, which is exec produced by Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent and Brad Kern.
The producers were faced with replacing Doherty after the former ``Beverly Hills, 90210'' star made her second hasty exit from a Spelling series.
Doherty, who directed the season finale, decided to seek other opportunities, and it seemed clear that Milano and Combs weren't unhappy Doherty left the coven.
The network wasn't commenting but acknowledged that talks were ongoing.
Thanks Adrian. You saved me a lot of work there.
Sci-Fi Preps Earthsea Mini
The Sci-Fi Channel has signed a deal with producers Lawrence Bender and Kevin Brown (Roswell) to develop a miniseries based on the first three novels of the epic Earthsea saga by Ursula Le Guin, Sci-Fi confirmed. Sci-Fi president Bonnie Hammer told Variety that the Earthsea books are "pure fantasy novels that set up a phenomenal, magical world similar to the Rings trilogy of J.R.R. Tolkien and the Harry Potter novels."
Sci-Fi is seeking a writer to adapt the first three Le Guin novels: A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore.
The Future of Slaying?
The first edition of Joss Whedon’s scripted comic book “Fray” (aka “Melaka the Future Vampire Slayer” hits the news stands this week. “Fray” tells the futuristic tale of Melaka Fray, a tiny Manhattanite who becomes the first to be called to the slayerhood in more than 200 years. Yes, we’re aware “Buffy” comics of all stripes have been lurking about for years. But this is the first comic of any kind actually penned by Whedon himself.
There will be eight issues in all. The first is very cinematic (and may offer clues to what that far-future big-budget “Buffy” movie might look like).
By the way, those wondering if Whedon will have much to do with “Angel” next season may be interested in this: a perusal of “Fray’s” letters page indicates that Whedon will co-author a new “Angel” comic series come autumn!
Forecast Mixed For Genre Shows
TN Media, an advertising company, forecast mixed success for upcoming new genre shows in the fall television season, according to The Hollywood Reporter. TN Media's Primetime Fall Preview report is based on a combination of the strength of the program and the timeslot it landed, the trade paper reported.
Among the report's forecast winners: The WB's Smallville and UPN's fifth Star Trek series, Enterprise. Among the losers: Fox's The Tick and CBS' Wolf Lake.
Editor’s Note: My God! There are some people even more stupid than TV Executives!! What a totally useless conclusion. Of course some shows will thrive while others fail. That’s the nature of the beast – and if these people think they are going to win any Nobel prizes for coming up with such dumb statements, then I have bridge in Brooklyn that I would like to sell them.
Daltrey Guests On Witchblade
Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who, will guest-star on the fifth episode of TNT's upcoming supernatural series Witchblade, the Comics Continuum Web site reported. Daltrey will play Father Del Toro in the episode "Legion," about a Catholic priest who is brutally murdered by one of his students.
As a ghost, the priest reveals that he was murdered to conceal a controversial bargain that suggests the Nazis and the Vatican were allies during World War II, and that the Witchblade was used to seal the deal, the site reported. "Legion" is scheduled to air on July 10.
Changes Stir Up Wolf Lake
John Leekley, creator and executive producer of CBS' upcoming SF drama series Wolf Lake, has stepped down, and Alex Gansa has come aboard as an executive producer and show runner, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The trade paper offered no reason for the change at the series, which is due in the fall.
Rick Kellard also joins the show as an executive producer, and Toni Graphia (Roswell) will co-executive produce, the trade paper reported. Meanwhile, Stacy Edwards has left the cast, leaving star Lou Diamond Phillips and cast members Tim Matheson and Graham Greene.
Sources told the trade paper that CBS has requested a tweaking of the Wolf pilot to ensure the sustainability of the series' plot line, and the new creative team is reportedly eyeing a new direction for the show. The pilot's main concept remains focused on a string of strange events in a small Northwest town that coincides with an influx of bizarrely behaving wolves in the area, the trade paper reported.
Lost World Future Unclear
Jennifer O'Dell, star of the syndicated fantasy series Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, said in an interview that's she's not sure if the show will be back on the air in the fall. "I'm still waiting to hear from the executive producers," O'Dell said. "I don't think our Canadian production company is involved anymore, and they're trying to get American backers now. Believe me, you know as much as I do. They don't tell me sh-t. It's incredibly frustrating. It's really quite ridiculous, but that's how the business goes."
O'Dell plays Veronica, who grew up on the strange plateau inhabited by apemen, dinosaurs and other bizarre creatures. Clad only in a skimpy loincloth, Veronica is kept company by the human members of a scientific expedition gone astray: Professor Challenger (Peter McCauley), Marguerite (Rachel Blakely), Malone (David Orth) and Roxton (Will Snow).
"If the show goes, we're going to explore a lot more about Veronica and why I'm so close to the plateau and why I know things I shouldn't know," said O'Dell, whose earlier credits include TV's Beverly Hills 90210 and Profiler, as well as the fright film Sometimes They Come Back ... For More. "There's a side of me that loves being very sexual and very va-va-voom. And there's the tomboy in me, too. If you put me in my costume, I'm like, 'Let's go!' Plus, there's a lot of me in Veronica. She's got a lot of different, diverse sides. So I hope it goes."
Mutant X Details Revealed
http://www.mutantxtv.com/
The official Web site for the upcoming syndicated television series Mutant X has posted detailed story and character descriptions. The series centers on a group of genetically enhanced humans who have developed unexpected powers and are being hunted by the people who engineered them.
John Shea stars as Adam, the smartest man alive and a strategist, tactician and moral center of Mutant X who takes responsibility for the salvation of the mutants. Victoria Pratt plays Shalimar Fox, who has both human and animal DNA and the strength, speed, cunning and tempestuous nature of an animal. Victor Webster is Brennan Mulwray, a street-smart wise guy with the ability to generate electricity from his body. Forbes March plays Jesse Kilmartin, who can alter the density of his body at will. Lauren Lee Smith is Emma DeSalvo, a "telempath" who can communicate her own feelings and receive the feelings of others around her. Tom McCamus plays Markus Eckhart, the head of the Genetic Security Agency and the man who is hunting down the mutants.
Tracker may cross over
New syndicated action hour, Tracker, is looking to land a dual run on the Sci-Fi Channel. Unlike the soon-to-be dual run of Studios USA's Crossing Over with John Edward, which debuts in syndication in the fall while continuing its run on co-owned Sci-Fi, Tracker's producer, Lion's Gate, and distributor, Mercury, are outside the USA family. A Sci-Fi source said the show "is definitely in the mix," but that talks have been on the back burner while executives waited out Hollywood strike negotiations-the writers' strike is effectively settled, while the actors' strike is likely. Set to star is Highlander's Adrian Paul doing battle with aliens, but Tracker's honchos weren't commenting.
7 Days Cancellation Comments
It appears that UPN couldn't justify continuing 7 Days for another season partly due to it's lower ratings this season and the fact that UPN acquired Buffy and Roswell. Special Unit 2 also performed better than 7 Days in its six-episode run and earned a pickup for the fall.
More than likely if UPN hadn't picked up the two WB series, it might have kept 7 Days. The show has also not done very well since it was brought back on Tuesday nights.
'Witchblade' Series Kicks Off On TNT
TNT's ongoing Witchblade series premieres tonight at 9, between back-to-back episodes of Law & Order. Picking up where the hit TV movie left off, the series chronicles the story of New York detective Sara Pezzini, played by Yancy Butler, who has come into possession of a powerful ancient weapon perfect for combating evil supernatural forces.
In this first of 11 episodes, Sara and new partner Jake McCarty (David Chokachi) get a lead that an ex-special forces soldier turned military experiment is out to kill Kenneth Irons, a wealthy businessman obsessed with possessing the Witchblade.
Witchblade is based on, and loosely follows, a Top Cow comics series begun by writers David Wohl and Christina Z., receiving invigorated attention as of late with its new creative team of writer Paul Jenkins and artist Keu Cha.
Sci-Fi Orders 'Left Hand Of Darkness'
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Sci-Fi channel has green lighted a four-hour miniseries adaptation of the Ursula K. Le Guin novel the left hand of darkness.
The 1969 novel chronicles a human ambassador sent to an arctic world to talk its people into joining a multiplanetary alliance. The news follows Sci-Fi’s announcement of a miniseries based on Le Guin's first three Earthsea novels.
'Perfect Dark' TV series, movie
Variety reports fireworks entertainment and Goodman Rosen productions have optioned the TV and film rights to the Nintendo 64 game Perfect Dark.
The companies, whose current roster of shows include Relic Hunter and Andromeda, could launch a syndicated show based on the game as early as fall 2002, and also have a film on the property in development.
Set in the year 2023, perfect dark involves secret agent Joanna Dark uncovering an alien invasion of earth.
Andromeda Season 2 Guest Stars from Buffy, X-Files and First Wave
The new season of Andromeda looks to be having more recognizable faces in their Guest star lineups. Currently filming the episode "Into the Labyrinth" in Vancouver is James "Spike" Marsters. He will be playing Nietzschean Archduke Charlemagne Bolivar, the mate of Elessbett Mossadim that was referred to but not seen in the episode "The Honey Offering".
Other guest stars include William B. Davis, of X-Files Cigarette Smoking Man fame. He'll play a scientist investigating Trance Gemini who will be "obsessed with ripping the veil of secrecy" about the Purple one. Also appearing in one (or more) episodes will be Bruce "Byers of the Lone Gunmen" Harwood. He'll be a defense contractor working with Andromeda in the episode "All Too Human". Also appearing in the episode as a government agent tracking down the two will be First Wave star Roger Cross.
Plans are in the works to have both Bruce Campbell and Michael Hurst guest star as well, but those roles and scheduled have yet to be finalized. Andromeda has been filming since March and will be taking a summer break about halfway through the season's filming and will resume in the fall. It looks likely that's when Hurst & Campbell will do their guest stints. According to Ashley Miller and Zack Stantz at Agamemcon, they are taking advantage of the early filming schedule and filming episodes in the best production order and that the actual airing order will be quite different. They also pointed out that the season finale was originally envisioned as a stand-alone episode, not a two parter, but Wolfe realized soon into scripting the episode that it wouldn't all fit into one episode. It also appears that the rumor about one of the cast not surviving is false and that all of the regular cast will be back for season two.
Movie News:
Hitchhiker Film Not Dead
Director Jay Roach said that he's still determined to bring Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to the big screen, despite Adam's recent untimely death. Adams' death at the age of 49 was "a bit of a tragedy for the project," Roach commented.
At the time of his death, Adams had completed a screenplay for the proposed feature-film version of his satiric SF novel. The movie is now "a little bit up in the air, because we were all looking forward to doing it with Douglas," Roach said. But Roach added that he still hopes to bring the novel to the big screen. "It remains one of the great humorous sci-fi things of all time, so we're still fighting for it."
In other news, Adams’ publisher announced that the 3rd book in the Dirk Gently series “Salmon of Doubt” was being assembled from files found on Adams’ laptop and would be published in the fall.
Rodriguez Talks Resident Evil
Michelle Rodriguez confirmed rumors that she has finished shooting the Resident Evil film, with additional audio looping scheduled for this week. In an interview, Rodriguez said the film is a prequel of sorts to the Capcom video game series on which the film is based. "See, the thing is, it changed so much, it morphed from 'There is no character here from the real game' to 'There is a character here in the real game, and now this is big,'" she said. "It's got so much."
Rodriguez added, "My character is an ex-Navy SEAL who decides to work for a private organization called the Umbrella Corp. These people do scientific experiments, and my job is to quarantine the situation, make sure that nobody leaks out any information or no creatures get out of these places. The next thing you know, things are blowing up, heads are rolling, I'm shooting an HK-5 at a governor, and I've got a Rambo knife, and I'm snapping necks."
Rodriguez said the entire movie takes place in the facility, and the monsters are "Zombies, nothing but zombies. Milla [Jovovich] gets to fight dogs. That's cool." Resident Evil has been picked up for distribution by Sony for the spring of 2002. It was produced by the German company Constantin Films.
West Readies Prisoner Film
Director Simon West (Tomb Raider) announced that he is awaiting the final draft of a screenplay for a proposed feature-film version of the cult 1960s SF series The Prisoner. Speaking to press while promoting his latest film, West said he hopes to show the Chris McQuarrie script to series creator and star Patrick McGoohan to gain his endorsement for the project.
The Prisoner is the story of a British intelligence agent, known only as No. 6, who finds himself detained by unknown sinister forces in a picturesque seaside town simply called The Village. Since it left the air in 1967 after only 17 episodes, the surreal series has remained in the public consciousness, spawning conventions and fan organizations such as The Prisoner Appreciation Society.
Several attempts have been made to adapt The Prisoner to the screen over the last 30 years, but none has made it past the early development stages until now. West hopes to start filming at Pinewood Studios in London--where much of Tomb Raider was shot--toward the end of this year.
Trek X May Wrap TNG
Star Trek actors Michael Dorn (Worf) and Marina Sirtis (Troi) told fans that the upcoming 10th Trek film plays like the final chapter in the Next Generation saga. Speaking at the Star Trek & Sci-Fi Media Convention in Durham, N.C., Sirtis added that she hoped the TNG movies will continue.
Trek X will be "better than Insurrection," Sirtis said. She also denied a long-standing rumor that a main character will die in the film. She declined to comment on rumors that she and Cmdr. Riker would tie the knot in the film's opening, the site reported.
-----Original Message-----
From: Eastlant Sci-Fi Group [mailto:eastlant@kua.net]
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 9:22 AM
To: Eastlant Automailer
Subject: Convention Reports and Open Newsletter - June 2001
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group
Convention Reports and Open Newsletter
June 2001
Editor’s Notes:
Well, I got a few responses to the first issue, which isn’t too bad. Let’s see a lot more for next month please. This is your chance to have a public whine about the way your TV stations are treating you, about what is happening in your favorite TV series, or about us.
Don’t miss your chance.
Convention Reports
Delegate Reports:
I was expecting a report from the FSF convention in Australia featuring James Marsters, but it may be too close after the event. The committee are probably all still brain dead, so maybe we will have this next month.
Open Newsletter
Putting the Cat Among the Pigeons.
My Xena ploy didn’t produce anywhere near as many responses as I thought, but the few who did respond had strong opinions. Here they are, unedited:
Bengt Svennson in Trelleborg, Sweden had the following to say:
I’ll have you know that I was one of the people that actually (erm) tolerated "Lyre, Lyre...". It’s main problem was that there was no original music, only covers. And the plot was a bit weak. OK, you win. It wasn’t a strong episode.
Well, that was fun wasn’t it? Even if I had loved the episode I wouldn’t have written you to complain. You’re entitled to your opinion, and unlike some people (me included) you always express it in an amusing way.
And from Elizabeth Mast in Victoria, Australia,
Well, David- you're getting a response you expected.
RE: the comments from you below. You obviously don't watch Xena otherwise you would realize that, indeed, Xena has "come full circle" in the correct sense of the phrase.
Before Xena's village was destroyed and her brother killed by nasty warlords, she was a happy, loving girl with a loving family.
So now that Xena will be happy, trusting and with a loving "family" again, she has come full circle. Yes???
So, if "people don't know what they are talking about, perhaps it is better if they say nothing". :)
And yes, I am also going to disagree with you on your view of Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on fire. But you are entitled to your opinion even if you are wrong. I really enjoyed that show (loved the "sisters" song and, for once, the Ted Raimi character). Though, admittedly, the North American Xenites didn't seem so fond of it but I have found a HUGE chasm between the American sense of humor and that of most Antipodeans. I also thought In Sickness & in Hell was hysterical.
And from Sammy Diaz in the UK
Lyre, Lyre was just a bit of fun, not to be taken too seriously. I have the CD (being the obsessive Xena fan that I am) and I play many times "Sisters are doing it for themselves" and "Dancing in the moonlight", especially in the shower and dusting my room, and I think it's great.
The whole episode was worthy if only for Gabby's Go Go costume...
Odd that – 3 responses – Mmmm!
Now who shall I insult next – Ah! Yes – About this Duchovny guy ducking out of X-Files….
The Remake Mistake
My comments on the proposed remake of War of the Worlds elicited this response from “Birdy” in the UK:
I was browsing your latest newsletter when I spotted that you were doing some sort of 'open mike' thing.
I'm not sure what you're looking for, but I did want to have a word or two about the proposed War of the Worlds remake. Okay, here we go....I couldn't disagree with you more about the 'necessity' to remake the movie. I've been waiting for this film to be remade for as long as I can remember.
There is, of course, always going to be the tripod argument. Yes, it can be done now; yes it would be wonderful etc etc.
My reasons are way more fundamental. I think you will find (contentious statement approaching!) that the majority of people who regarded Pal's film as a classic are American. Yeah, it a tremendous piece of work, and yes it captures the essence of the Wells novel. But the only time I've been more disappointed in a movie was Alien 3!
It is Wells' small-town English Victoriana that makes the book so utterly compelling. The turn of the century wonder of the early passages leads us on, in the 20th Century, to reading a novel that is almost about two alien races fighting. 'Bows & arrows against the lightning' as the artilleryman says to the journalist. These are cannons from the Crimean war which are used against the Martians, not Pal's missiles. When a war machine is brought down it is truly a David & Goliath situation.
One could also mention the heartbreaking Thunderchild sequence (with the tripods stretching out to sea - awesome visual moment), the artilleryman and his Brave New World and the terrifying denouement of ruined London in total silence, save the wailing of a single dying Martian. The Pal movie never even attempted to capture this apocalyptic desolation. What about the red weed, slowly but surely transforming the surface of the earth into a replica of mars?. Ironically, Jeff Wayne's efforts captured the novel 100 times more truly than the movie.
Pal captured little of the Martians themselves - the collecting machine casting lost souls into the basket on its back, the crater/war machine factory.
To my mind, all of these are excellent reasons to remake War of the Worlds. Of course, what they will do with it is another matter, but in principle...
And on the death of Douglas Adams
Mike Turner from the UK had this to add:
Like you I was shocked and sad at hearing the Douglas Adams had died. I know you have lots of contacts over here but just in case you haven’t heard, his publisher is intending to complete Salmon of Doubt - apparently it was finished but needs to be pulled together from files on his computer. They also plan to publish his screenplay for the Hitch Hikers
film. This was reported by The Independent -one of our more reliable newspapers.
So, we had a few responses to the various outbursts in the newsletters. Having seen what can be done, let’s hear from loads more of you for next month.
Xena fans – come on. Your show is ending. Surely you have something to say about the end of one of the world’s most popular shows;
X-Philes – should the show go on for a 9th season without DD or should it fold?
And what about The Lone Gunmen? Once some of you have seen a few eps, let me know what you think about this show being canceled so early. Was it so bad, or is this just more anti-Carter internal politics at Fox?
Finally, if you have been to any conventions recently, let’s know about them. Again, I know that a whole bunch of you UK Xena fans were at a convention a couple weeks ago in dockland. Any comments? A report would be nice.
US Buffy fans – what about the move to UPN? How many of you are losing the show because it has moved, and on the other side of the con, how many of you have gained it, as you had no WB affiliate before but do have a UPN station?
Club Section
Again, this is strange. We supply at least 20 clubs around the world, but we have had not word one on what any of you are up to. We may even have some potential members among our subscribers to tell us where you are, when you meet and what you are about, or at least give us your URL so we can point people to your website.
Here are the clubs we have listed so far:
Infinite Frontiers, one of the UK’s premiere SF clubs,
http://www.infinitefrontiers.co.uk
and Friends of Science Fiction (FSF) in Sydney Australia.
www.fsf.com.au/
If you run a club, let us have your details and we will post them here next month and in all future issues.
posted by Catherine Jemma at 8:37 PM
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