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Thursday, January 16, 2003
WAR OF THE MONSTERS for the Playstation 2 released!
 For those of you who are fans of giant monster movies and own a Playstation 2, you might be interested in a new video game coming out today called WAR OF THE MONSTERS. It’s from the makers of the uber-popular TWISTED METAL: BLACK and features 10 different giant monsters inspired by the creature features of old. You can choose to play as a monster ape, a giant mantis, a gigantic Aztec statue, a SHOGUN WARRIORS-style Japanese robot, a colossal MARS ATTACKS-style alien, a 50’s-style giant robot, an enormous eyeball with electric tentacles, a volcanic Polynesian statue, and two others that must be unlocked to play. Each giant monster has four different “skins” that can change its appearance. For example, the giant ape can also be transformed into a Yeti and a mecha version of itself and the giant mantis can be changed to a giant ant.
 WOTM has been touted as being RAMPAGE with a fully interactive and destructible 3-D environment including fleeing civilians, military attacks, moving vehicles, a variety of objects that can be used as weapons, and towering buildings that can be climbed as well as destroyed. WOTM is essentially a fighting game where 2-4 monsters duke it out using a variety of physical brawling and power weapons, and each monster has its own specialized superpowers and battle taunts. During battle, one can even trigger such environmental disasters as tidal waves, earthquakes, and vicious ant swarms. The game also features 3 modes of play (adventure/free-for-all/endurance) as well as 3 unlockable mini-games (dodge ball/big shot/crush-o-rama). The game's musical score is reportedly very much in the vein of the kind of epic orchestral scores used in 50’s and 60’s b-movies and the games menus are designed to resemble old-fashioned drive-in movie posters. The game has been compared to Gamecube’s GODZILLA: DESTROY ALL MONSTERS MELEE, but advance word of mouth on WOTM has actually been more positive. Looks like giant monster fans may have a real winner on their hands. WAR OF THE MONSTERS is rated TEEN.
–Scott Foy
posted by Christopher 6:34 AM | Comments
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Both Fangoria's website and Variety are reporting that producer Paul Monash has died at the age of 85. Monash produced both the DePalma film version of Carrie as well as the three hour telefilm. He wrote the script for the mini-series Salem's Lot and executive produced John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China. Fango also points out the creepy coincidence in the deaths the director George Roy Hill and Conrad Hall, all three worked on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Paul Newman and Robert Redford should watch their backs, as should screenwriter William Goldman.
Happier news has ABC producing a prequel to Rose Red. The project is The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer and it is being adapted by Ridley Pearson from the tie-in book of the same name (which he -- ahem -- ghost wrote). Director Craig (Rose Red) Baxley will direct.
And not being one to let working class actors pass away without a whisper or a mention, a moment of silence please for Royce Applegate, a noted character actor, who died in a house fire on January 1, 2003.
–Chad H. "Chadzilla" Saxelid
posted by Christopher 5:28 PM | Comments
Tuesday, January 14, 2003
Jerry Bruckheimer told Sci Fi Wire that the new Pirates of the Caribbean film will feature supernatural elements not found in the Disney ride of the same name. The pirates, cursed by stolen treasure, must wander the seas, plundering ships as decaying skeleton pirates, until they come to their senses and put the treasure back. Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (Shrek and Zorro) wrote the screenplay that has Bruckheimer so worked up.
posted by Christopher 4:25 AM | Comments
Monday, January 13, 2003
R.I.P. Kinji Fukasaku
Renowned Japanese film director Kinji Fukasaku has died. Fukasaku, 72, was responsible for cult hits such as the War Without A Code series and the controversial Battle Royale, as well as schlock favorites like The Green Slime and Message From Space. He was working on Battle Royale II until he was hospitalized about a week ago.
Read more at the Japan Today news site.
posted by Christopher 7:12 AM | Comments
Good morning, Mr. & Mrs. Fanboy and all the geeks at sea . . . not a whole heck of a lot going on but let’s go to press anyway!
Thomas Jane as The Punisher? You may remember Thomas Jane from his starring role in DEEP BLUE SEA, as Cameron Diaz’s love interest in THE SWEETEST THING, and as Mickey Mantle in HBO’s 61*. At the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors this past weekend, Jane was there promoting the upcoming Stephen King flick DREAMCATCHER and said that he had been offered the role of Frank Castle but hadn’t decided to take it. Whether or not the audience’s positive reaction to this news sways him to accept the part remains to be seen. I guess if Jane turns it down there’s always Howie Long warming the bench waiting to be called into the game. For the record, the audience booed when Jane asked what they thought of the Dolph Lundgren PUNISHER movie.
E! Online reports that director Penny Marshall is shooting a biopic of NBA superstar and insatiable sexual dynamo Wilt Chamberlain to be entitled BIG DIPPER: THE WILT CHAMBERLAIN STORY. Seems Christina Aguilera has been asked to play a newbie jazz and blues singer at a nightclub Wilt owns. Considering Chamberlain’s claim of having sex with 20,000 women and Aguilera’s public image, I just know there’s a dirty joke in there somewhere.
Despite suffering a horrifying death in the final episode of the series, it seems XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS may soon be returning from the dead (again) at a theater near you. Dark Horizons states that Universal wants to make a XENA movie with a $50 - $60 million budget and star Lucy Lawless has said she’d do it only if they made sure to include many of the other series regulars. Sadly, one of those won’t be actor Kevin Smith, who played her arch nemesis Ares, who was tragically killed in a movie set accident last year. While the project is still in the very early stages of development, I suspect we will be hearing more about this one in the very near future.
I saw a sneak preview of KANGAROO JACK this weekend. I wrote a summary/review of it over at Ain’t It Cool News. Some people in the talkback section have begun to turn hostile towards yours truly. Guess I’ve finally earned my AICN stripes. Just click here to read about my experience watching Jerry O’Connell’s comedy masterpiece.
–Scott Foy
posted by Christopher 7:08 AM | Comments
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