Lights... Camera... ACTION!!: A Hollywood Quest

[overmind]

A Classical Tale - Season 6
Created By: Dave Allister
Directed By: Shōji Kawamori
Animation Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Distribution: Public Broadcasting System
Original Release: June-September 1983

Quality: D100 + 300 => 399
Audience: D100 + 300 => 376
Critics: D100 + 300 => 389

Merch: $76,466,551​

It was odd to see the change in directors be so soon when it comes to the tradition established for Classical Tales, though in this case you could give some allowances considering how John Lasseter had to work back-to-back in both Treasure Planet and Detention, both movies which heavily use CGI combined with animation, while the latter has been known to use an entirely new form of animation which brings to mind a combination of old and new that just seems kind of odd at times. Your mind keeps telling you it's a videogame, yet it can't be at the same time.

You sometimes wonder what it is that you allowed in when you opened the door of creativity with animation, and other times you don't care when you see the results. This is one of the occasions when it's kind of both; the animation makes you wonder just where will it go next, and you find yourself not caring when you see how amazing the future may just be.

Originally the idea had been to make this season one for Chinese Mythology... before those assholes had thought they had the right to kill your family that is... taking deep breaths to calm yourself down you begin to think back on how the plan changed, what with remembering that there were other cultures in Asia that could very well be explored, and with the current popularity of Japan, making an entire season about their tales and traditions would only benefit the image of the company, as well as serve as an amazing way to have many of the Japanese animators currently working with you contribute as well.

Well, regardless of that, in the end, when the time came for the sixth season, John had been all ready and willing to add to his workload, sure that he could tackle it on with all his projects at the same time... then again, he did not expect that he would get so much opposition to it! And it wasn't even the kind that questioned his credentials or his talent, if anything they knew he could do an amazing job with the source material, and he could bring in the same kind of storytelling that made the last season so beloved across Europe.

It just so happened, that this season was all about Japanese Mythology... and the directors for said country were now vying and fighting for the honor of making said season. They even had good arguments on their side; being from Japan they knew the area and traditions better, their schools practically had an entire class teaching them said traditions and myths, they had connections that would allow them to gather the information faster, and most of them had finished their current projects, so they could give it all their attention as well.

You had to give it to them, they were determined alright. You did tell them that it was on the hands of Lasseter however, which had them change their target, making it seem like a recreation of Paris and the Apple of Discord as each of them tried to convince John to choose him as the one to lead the project.

Well, don't let it be said that Lasseter can't take advantage of opportunity when he sees it... it surprised you then that instead of going for the more established names like Tomino or Ishiguro he decided to go for the younger and recent rising star of the department; Shōji Kawamori. When you asked him about it, he only replied about gambling on the future, which is as good a reason as any. Then he continued that as the younger director, he would probably remember what they thought him in school about said traditions and myths better than the others.

Well... you had no answer to that.

As for Shōji... well, he did not think he would actually be selected, what with both Tomino and Ishiguro on the race, but never let it be said that he did not take on the task with aplomb, especially when he had a plan as to how to get the research he needed; his own club and friends. Before he had made the trip from Japan to America, he had been part of a Club at College where they would discuss and analyze Mecha Anime. Last he'd heard, they'd renamed themselves "Gunhead One" and were discussing the merits of both Gundam and Macross as both comparisons and which elements where borrowed from previous anime.

Kawamori gave them a call asking for their help, and offering their names to be added as help in the credits, which soon had the entire group scramble to find as much information and history from the Japanese traditions as they could. From what Shōji told you, they even managed to get in contact with the different clubs around their prefecture, and then the neighboring ones, which just spread all over the country, leading to the studio being near inundated with all kinds of tales and drawings (all ranging in quality) about their many different tales and myths.

It's interesting when you see some of the stories, mainly because despite Japan being a relatively small country, it almost seems like every region has its own mythology and tradition specifically designed for said region only. There are certainly some of the most interesting cases like the Myth of Creation where they can all agree on, but then you have the story about the Jorogumo and the Tengu that seem to be situated only in some areas of the country, yet going no further than that.

Not to mention that you could make a close argument on how many of said stories tend to change and vary as time passes, or just seem to add on to others as well. You would almost call it as confusing as the time when the fourth season dealt with the Hindu Pantheon, but unlike them, the myths from Japan seem to be more... well, simple to put it mildly. The idea of the material and spiritual world being mixed, that there is actually an entrance for the underworld in some cave in Japan, even the concept of Purity and Impurity that seems to contrast, yet not agree, with the idea of Guilt and Grace from your own religion. It's all made to be at times easy to understand, but at others just so complex that you could break your head trying to find a meaning in it.

But at the very least, you can say it is easier than Season 4 or 5. The only main issue being, just which stories to add and which to discard. With the amount of material at hand, Shōji was spoiled for choice. Yet he once more took on the idea from what he learned when studying in America, understanding how some things that would fit perfectly in Japan were just not right here. A good thing too, as you did not want to hear moral guardians crying out as if you're trying to promote incest.

Seriously Japan, what the heck!? And that's one of the milder tales as well!! You don't even want to mention some of the most...distasteful ones that you've found. And here you thought that you'd hit the bottom of the barrel when it came to the Hindu pantheon and Indra's escapades, but Japan just seems to love breaking your expectations, whether for good or for ill. You could have spent the rest of your life not knowing that there is a city that is named after a battle where over a hundred soldiers crapped their pants is what you're saying!

But overall, it's not that bad. The whole idea of the world being divided between what is Pure and impure, clean and unclean, good and bad, does help to understand the underpinnings of Japan's morality and societal structures, an entire whole new point of view that is so similar yet different.

The different periods in Japan's history and the many tales which were told during each of them are a fascinating view into the sociology of their power structures, highlighting just what it is that each period considers important at the time. Tales from what you've hear it called as the "Heian" Period for instance seem to have an emphasis on demons or "Youkai" as they call it, and how one must beware them, as well as teaching moral virtues through said tales, yet they also seem to portray them in a more sympathetic light than the so called "heroes", many of which tend to be nobles from the Capital. Which could be a way of criticizing them without doing it directly.

Kawamori has mentioned that he is not a sociologist himself, but many of his friends (or their friends, etc.) have given their thoughts about it, which he hopes he can put into the overall story. And what a story it is! Rather than going for the more individual character like all your previous director have, Shōji has instead chosen to go with a more intergenerational drama, putting in an entire family as the narrators, going through the different periods of Japan as the stories are told, with their ups and downs showing their fortunes either rising or lowering with the times, eventually ending with the Meiji restoration and the facing of the West as the end of the myths.

It's a fascinating new way to see it, showing the importance of family and clans of Japan, something that you had yet to consider for as long as you'd been importing their movies. The series thus would show the Amano Clan from the time of the Shaman-Queen Himiko, through Prince Emperor Shotoku who brought Buddhism to Japan, Emperor Shirakawa and Go-Shirakawa who managed to restore imperial power after the Fujiwara Clan's dominion of the Imperial Court, the Genpei War between the Taira and the Minamoto (which frankly, killed your belief in the Samurai myth when you read about it), the implementation of the Shogunate and the many wars that brought it down until Tokugawa finally instituted a new government that, for all that you've seen of Japanese history up till that point, it actually worked!

But what truly struck you was how he presented the animation. With much of the anime inspiration that he could have taken from, he once more decided to take on from the more Epic style combined with the western influences that was taken from Miraculous in order to bring in an incredibly striking visual smorgasbord that once more showed the world how you were willing to innovate and try new techniques whenever the situation called for it. You're not coming close to Miyazaki's idea of making every scene a painting, but you are at the very least making it so that every character that appears is unforgettable.

It can be seen in each of the small and big myths and stories; The Seven Lucky Gods as they sail their treasure ship bringing gifts to all, many of them with different colors and palettes to highlight their temperament and characteristics, their movements fitting their different forms, making sure not to generalize them in their body structure. Agubanba the Ash Crone, the vicious ghost who abducts pretty girls to eat them, is suitably eerie and eldritch in composition, using the best of old and new drawings to bring about a truly terrifying experience, as well as to highlight the purity and goodness of the courageous little girl who faced her, tricked her and killed her.

But some of the best designs were left for some of the most important of their religious myths; Izanagi and Izanami, the deities who created Japan... as well as death (Seriously Izanagi?! What the actual hell were you thinking?!) have their entire adventure put in a suitably grandiose yet still deep animation, that highlighted the momentous occasion that you were witnessing. The birth of the three main deities of Japan; Amaterasu, Susanoo and Tsukiyomi, were somewhat odd, but at the very least it was nothing all out gross.

The interactions between the different divinities of the Shinto Pantheon are something to behold however. In a way, they are a mix of the Greek Pantheon in how human and extreme in their emotions they seem to be, with the biggest example being the sibling enmity between Amaterasu and her brother Susanoo, which at one point had her enter a cave in anger and letting the entire world nearly die, and how Susanoo was banished because of it, having to go on great adventures before being allowed back. Many of the divinities seem to be a single bad day away to just outright destroying humanity, yet they also seem to be more willing to forgive if given the proper appeasement.

But it's interesting in how it also seems to include "Demons" as it were, into the "Heavens" as either assistants, servants or at times equals with the divinities. it's something fascinating that reminds you of the Norse Pantheon as well, with the Gods being somewhat vulnerable and able to die as well if they are caught off guard. There is a clear difference between the divinities as "Good" and the demons as "Evil", yet at times it seems like the demons can show noble traits that we are supposed to admire, like in the case of Shuten Doji and the Onis of Mount Oe.

But you have to admit, there is just something fascinating about the tales that just spellbind you; like the tale of the Fox from the Koya river, which had you rooting for the fox more than those asshole guards. The story behind the Tanabata Festival, and how the youngest daughter had to go through many ordeals to finally be happy with his husband, the dragon Amewakahiko, in a tale that reminded you somewhat about Cinderella, though only vaguely. Tesso, the Iron Rat, a tale about a Were-Rat attacking the country because of a broken promise to a Buddhist Temple. Kaguya, the Princess of the Moon that rejected all suitors and was eventually brought to live back to the Moon, leaving behind her Earthly parents (that just seems sad). Then of course there's Urikohime, the Princess of... Melons, really? Well apparently she was born from one. The tale gets dark quickly though (Dear God, you're glad you did not let Mary see that!! Just, what kind of sicko kills people to wear their skin?!).

All brought to live with the larger than life, and smooth animation that many from both DreamWorks and Sunrise had managed to perfect, as the latter had seen this project as a matter of honor for their country, not only to represent their culture abroad, but also for distribution inside as well when it was over. As such, they made sure to add as many of the tales that were taught to them at School; Urashima Taro and the years he lost when he visited the underwater Kingdom. The Tale of Gallant Jiraiya, the former bandit turned Frog Magician who married Tsunade, a Slug Magician, and both fought Oroshimaru, a Snake Magician (in the weirdest example of Rock-Paper-Scissors you've seen). And of course, the tale of Momotaro, the Peach Boy who with his three companions (a dog, a monkey and a pheasant) went to defeat the evil demons in an island.

The latter they had to work hard to remove as much Anti-Western propaganda, since apparently the story was devised as such during the Meiji period. Shōji decided to just use it near the end as a precautionary tale for the viewers, about the danger of politicizing what should be simple tales and stories for children. It works perfectly in your opinion, and from the viewers reception it seems they got the message, save for some die-hard veterans who you can still understand if not agree with.

There were a couple of stories that hit you hard though; The tale of Takiyasha-Hime, and the Tale of Yotsuya, the latter being considered as the most famous ghost story of Japan.

Takiyasha-Hime is the tale of the daughter of Taira no Masakado, a local warlord who nearly conquered the entire Kanto Region and tried to make himself the Emperor during the Heian period. When he was killed, his daughter, out of pure love for him, sacrificed her entire life and soul to gain the power necessary to avenge him, raising armies of Yokai to conquer Japan. She was only stopped because one of the men who were looking for her discovered her true identity by detailing how her father died, having her break into tears. The story is somewhat odd as it doesn't seem to explain just how she was defeated, but it really is something to see, the love of family that the tale seems to show, as if giving it a near religious undertone beyond the one given to the deities.

Such is the case with the tale of Yotsuya that, in reality, seems more like a soap opera mixed with horror; the tale has a young wife known as Oiwa who is married to an awful Ronin known as Iemon, who kills her father when he tries to convince him to let her daughter divorce him. Then lies to Oiwa about it so she would not leave him, only for then another woman named Oume to convince her father (a doctor) to let Iemon marry her, disfiguring Oiwa's face with fake medicine, and then telling Iemon to kill his wife, marry Oume, and then be allowed to become a government official... and he gleefully agrees!

The man is scum, pure and simple, and the ending where the ghost of Oiwa torments him into killing anyone and everyone around for the rest of his life was one of the most cathartic moments in your life.

And in retrospective, you can see why this hit you like a truck when you first saw it. The emphasis on love and family, on caring for one member so much that you would do anything, bear anything, just for them, or to bring some closure to their deaths. It brought to mind too much of the attempt on your, and your family's, live. It gave you a look in to what you may sunk to (metaphorically) if anything had ever happened to Mary or Carrie at that moment. The pain, fear and anger that dominated your life afterwards until you finally were able to overcome it and live your life as it should once more.

Ironic, you allowed this season to be Japanese mythology in order not to think about China and its actions, and yet it's brought you closer to said thoughts than before.

Still, this season was a complete success like the others. In both art and story, the audience went nuts for it, higher than ever even what with the current love for anything and everything that comes from Japan lately. Putting in a story that showed from where did it all come from was a no brainer that no one save you apparently had thought of, with merchandise sales overcoming last year's profits. What has become the rage however have been the small pins that Mike decided to make a limited run of the many different gods from the pantheon, making it a hot collectible item among the fans of the series. A possible second run has been hinted, though Mike wants to wait a bit before releasing it in order to better maximize profits.

Critics have, if anything, gone even more crazy for the series than the audience, praising the story, the educational value, and the look into different cultures that are not just Western European... almost as if they forgot how you did an entire season on the Hindu Pantheon just a couple of years back. It is nice when they can finally see what's in front of them though, not like the previous seasons, as it now seems they are more open to foreign takes and cultures. Hopefully this means that they'll be more receptive to your future works as well.

You won't hold your breath on it though.

As for the response in both Europe and Japan... well, the former did not go overmuch for the product, as they seem to still be more interested in the previous season and the Celtic tales that were displayed. Understandable really, since it is part of their own sensibilities and culture, not to mention that the culture shock of Japanese tales and culture might be a bit too much for them, what with not having to dela with the Japanese Invasion like America has.

Japan however, oh boy if they didn't love Lucasfilms so much then this would have been the ignition point; letters of support and thanks for such a beautiful product flooded both Lucasfilms, DreamWorks and Sunrise. There were kids who had never heard of many of the tales now using them to scare their friends during their dares and tests of courage in the locations mentioned. Even the department of Culture had gotten involved, contacting you in order to use the series as part of the school curriculum when it came to teaching of their own myths and traditions, a more general approach than the slap and dash that many of the more local schools used.

As for Shōji, well, he'd thinking on taking some vacation days, perhaps travel a bit. You wish him good travels, he's earned them. As for the rest of the series, you think you'll see if you can get some distribution for Hong Kong, they might actually enjoy it.

 

[Kaiser Chris]

National Lampoon's Vacation
Directed by: Harold Ramis
Written by: John Hughes
Produced by: Ian Bryce
Production and Distribution Studio: Lucasfilms
Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron

Quality: 247
Audience 205
Critics 212
Budget: $15,000,000
Domestic 8,235,332
International $12,345,111
Global Gross: $20,680,443
VHS $105,432,455​

You know it was a bad sign that you completely forgot this film existed until you had a conversation with a Yugoslav extra who asked if American vacations were really like how it was in the movie. You took notice of the script when doing some window shopping around Hollywood, wanting to expand the Lucasfilms roster. The company was really lacking in comedies, and you really enjoyed the concept and had some laughs when reading it. It also kind of hit some sort of urge you had as you while you had gone on family vacations, you could never do a road trip with your family until all your kids didn't wear diapers, and such an experience was anathema for working class New Yorkers. So you gave Hughes the okay, and Harold Ramis approached with interest to direct since he was a veteran of National Lampoon Show. Being familiar with the material so to speak and with Ramis being a rising star in Hollywood, you trusted him and was very hands off with the project. Perhaps you should have checked in every now and then.

The premise was simple. Clark Griswold, father of the Griswold family, wanting to spend more time plans a vacation with them to the fabled "Wally World", the stand-in for Disneyland. Clark is adamant that they go on a road trip to bond and make memories instead of simply flying, however after a rocky start, things continue to go downhill and out of control with endless misadventures and mishaps, causing the family to be at odds with Clark determined to have a good trip and go to Wally World no matter what it took.

If you had to describe the movie, it would be good but rough. There are some absolutely hillarious scenes and it's a solid story, but overall the many parts of the film come together a bit awkwardly in comparison to Airplane where all the stars aligned to make one of the greatest comedies ever. There were lots of great jokes, but almost as many rough ones that had a messy landing. The cast was decent but out of sync and most of the main characters had some bad scenes here and there. Ramis' direction quality saw a noticable drop from his excellent debut with Caddy Shack. And production value even if it was just a simple road trip comedy didn't quite live up to the Lucasfilms reputation of excellence. None of this altogether makes Vacation a bad movie, but it's not a great one, just a decent and fun comedy that is largely left to viewer's taste.

Though you have to say that you can see a decent amount of people being turned off by how mean spirited the script can be at times. Never enough to be masochistic, but Hughes unfortunately didn't provide a balance of levity as the Griswolds get constantly pummeled with misfortune and disaster a bit too much without room to breathe, practically with the same if not worse luck than Conan's production. A few noteworthy scenes are when Clark accidentally drag's his aunt's dog across the highway to death (Thankfully off-screen), an action which by all reports caused a number of people to leave the theater in disgust. There was also said Aunt's later death scene where she's then tied to the top of the car on a mattress. Humurous, but a bit much for the movie. Honestly if the Griswolds just had some moments where they were bonding or being happy and we could see that magic spark that Clark is trying so desperately to kindle, then audiences would probably be forgiving.

As it is, many audiences and critics are put off the movie with general polarization and many saying its too mean and nasty to have a laugh at. You can kind of see where they are coming from in comparison to Airplane as while that film had just as, if not more of a dark tone, from the first scene it was clearly shown to be bizarre and unserious as a pure goofy movie. With the Griswolds being a mostly grounded family, all the bad things that happen to them feel a bit real and much and it's hard to get suspension of disbelief.

There was also one thing that personally bugged you with Clark having a running gag/side plot where there's a hot blonde in a ferrari travelling across the country at the same time as them. Clark is a bit smitten and constantly fantasizes being with her, often leading to comedic stuff. Eventually, he manages to meet her at a motel and he goes skinny dipping with her, only being stopped from escalating due to the motel pool being extremely cold and Clark yelling and alerting the family and other guests. Of course, Clark doesn't commit to an affair and rekindles with his wife, but the fact that he was actually willing to go the distance and was only stopped by comedy just didn't sit right with you. As a fellow Dad, you had been rooting for Clark up until that point, and with Sean's temptations not too long ago, that scene really soured the movie for you. Having watched it the first time on VHS when you got home, you stopped the film and couldn't watch it til the next day.

That same night Carrie had been really happy and bashful with you and the two of you had a great time in bed. Guess something good came out of watching it.

Anyways, yeah the film was okay but not the best. Still, it could have found an audience and success, it honestly should have you feel. However, as many would come to term it years later, National Lampoon's Vacation had been the victim of being the first Lucasfilms release after Return of the Jedi, and it showed in the box office.

Another rare Lucasfilms commercial L thanks to a generous budget, the movie only made $20 million worldwide and had lost about 10 million. Not close to the same level of bomb as Sisu or 1941, but yeah it failed. This movie was barely a blip on anybody's radar with a third of its money being made in opening weekend, and the only country outside of the US. it crossed a million in was Yugoslavia thanks to the national buzz of you filming there. Though Canada came close with $900,000. You had thought that surely after three months and a summer of Star Wars that the people would be open to other films, especially since Vacation was an R-rated road trip comedy. Still, in August and September you still had many box offices where half of its theaters were playing Return of the Jedi in packed theaters, and it absolutely dominated the Italian and Yugoslav theaters during that time. Sigh, a victim of success.

National Lampoon's Vacation was not the worst Lucasfilms movie, and all that money lost was but pennies on the $100 bill with the absolute wealth that Return of the Jedi was bringing in. Still, it was an unfortunate failure that perhaps could have succeeded if it was aired at any other time. This really bummed John Hughes who is hoping to make a series out of it and has a sequel planned out. He was also fearful you wouldn't be willing to work with him, but you were willing to give him another chance with his Breakfast Club film.

Also from what you learned from Michael after your first meeting from returning home, there was some drama after release with Harold Ramis. Ramis believed that Lucasfilms set up the film to fail by releasing three months after Return of the Jedi and he's concerned that Ghostbusters will be given a similar harsh treatment next year. He fought with Mike a bit for the release with Mike giving a guarantee of generous advertising, but still Harold is holding off on doing any more work for the studio unless Ghostbusters is a hit.

At the very least, Vacation wasn't a total bust as it had some modest success in VHS. There were definitely millions of people who may have overlooked or not known it had existed during the Star Wars summer that gave it a try during rental, so overall it's still technically profitable and would later have decent viewership on LucasTV. With Lucasfilms' coffers, you could go ahead and sponsor a sequel with absolutely no danger to the company's financials, but you're unsure if you want to go ahead with the risk.

 

[overmind]

Creepshow
Directed by: George A. Romero
Written by: Stephen King
Produced by: Alan Ladd
Production: The Alan Ladd Company, Lucasfilms Unlimited
Distribution: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Tom Atkins, Iva Jean, Joe King, Ed Harris, Carrie Nye, Viveca Lindfors, Jon Lormer, Stephen King, Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, Gaylen Ross, Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Frtiz Weaver and E.G. Marshall.

Quality: D100 + 250 => 303
Audience: D100 + 250 => 267
Critics: D100 + 250 => 350

Budget: $8,000,000
Domestic: $14,412,423
International: $21,323,122
Total Gross: $35,735,545

VHS: $191,123,124​

Unlike National Lampoon Vacation he had not heard of Creepshow in Yugoslavia... then again, by that point he was just about done with the entire production and just wanted to go back home to his wife and family. Coming back to work after a well-deserved works (and telling Mike he was not making another Conan film until the next decade at the latest) he finally was able to catch up with what had been going on with the released films, and just what exactly had been going on with said film.

Creepshow... what an interesting film it turned out to be. You recall that when it was first pitched you were still trying to find a way to adapt the rest of King's works, so finding out that he had wrote an entire screenplay that would involve George Romero and pay homage to the old EC Comics of the 50s, well of course you had to sign in on them! Your father had grown up on said comics, and had kept many of them to let you and your siblings read them (those that had not teared or been thrown to the trash after moulding that is). You still had fond memories of you Gavin and Cat staying late at night, with only a small flashlight to read them under the sheets, daring each other to then try and move to the bathroom in the darkness without shouting.

Mother put a stop to it soon after though, turns out she did not appreciate being awoken in the middle of the night.

Regardless, you thought it would be an amazing idea and had agreed to produce it... only for it to fall a bit on the wayside as different projects came from nearly all directions, your attention was required in nearly all of them, and had to delegate to different producers instead of trying for it yourself. Heck, and you had been hoping to get your dad a role in it as well, but perhaps it's for the best, as the end result would not be the fun romp it would turn out to be if you'd meddled even that much.

The movie in and of itself was just... well, a bit out there in a way. An Anthology horror series was nothing new, heck you could even call it the new fad going around nowadays what with the horror craze going around. Yet both Romero and King thought of something wildly different here, since they wanted to bring the horror from the 50s, but also what made the comics fun as well. It seems that many had taken the wrong lessons from the Golden Age of Comics, thinking that the narrative by Fredric Wertham was all there was, but many of the Horror comics were not only stories that were visceral or made to show as much blood and gore as possible, heck you could argue that about slashers nowadays, yet no one would call them similar to the old EC Comics.

Now, what stood out from those comics, aside from the feeling of fear, was the fun; so many of the comics had this little wink and nod to it, a way that you knew that you were not only going to be scared, but you were going to have fun while doing so. The colors in it were bright and vibrant, keeping with the campy feeling of it, while many of the tales had also a sense of fulfillment, perhaps because of someone receiving their just desserts, or fulfilling a long vendetta. It was in no way mean spirited or dark, and the nihilism, if there ever was any, was always kept to a minimum.

That was what both Romero and King wanted to bring. not only horror and spooky stories, but also the fun and enjoyment that had been left behind.

And by God, they succeeded.

The premise is simplicity itself; an homage to the old Horror Comics of the 50s through an embedded narrative as a frame story, beginning with a father scolding his son, Billy, about reading a horror comic book, which leads to Young Billy, angry at his father and wishing revenge, is then visited by a spooky apparition which brings to mind, yet it's not, the Grave keeper from Tales of the Crypt, who beckons him closer and removes the lid from the thrash can where his father threw his comic.

And with the framing done, the movie can begin.

Each section of the film is short enough to be enjoyable and not overstay its welcome. The first one, Father's Day, is a story about a family waiting for their aunt Bedelia for their annual family diner, spending the time talking about how she killed her father during Father's Day, with a short sequence showing just how it happened. Bedelia is then shown at their father's grave, still angry at him for the years of mental abuse and clearly not sorry, after which she accidentally drops some whisky into the grave, from where the rotten corpse of her father rises from the grave, demanding his father's day cake, and going on a killing spree of his family, ending with him putting the head of Bedelia on a platter with some candles on it, and showing it to his youngest descendants, while joyfully claiming to finally having his Cake.

It is campy, thrilling, spooky... and yet not gritty at all. For sure, there is quite a bit of brutality and visceral scenes, yet in many ways the entire story feels.. campy, managing to catch the old tongue in cheek humor of the old comics. The idea of alcohol bringing a rotting corpse back to life in order to get his cake is so ridiculous, yet you can't laugh because of the fear it also evokes. Many of the actors bring in their A-Game here, with Vivica Lindfors, one of the veteran actresses in Hollywood, adlibbing both her dialogue and her characters actions through the movie, giving her an unforgettable personality where you are not sure whether to dislike her or pity her.

The second story, The Lonesome Death of Jordy Vorrill is one of the more funny, yet also tragic stories that you've seen. At first it seems like a typical horror story with its touch of comedy where Jordy Verrill, a Yokel for lack of a better word, finds a meteor which has landed on his farm and fantasizes about selling it for $200 dollars (Keep the dream buddy, keep the dream), only for the meteor to split, releasing a substance on his fingers, and his dreams crushed. Later on, he sees that there is a growth on his fingers similar to grass, which then starts spreading all over his body. Jordy thinks of going to the doctor but fears that they will cut off his fingers or worse. He plans to take a bath hoping that it will make it go away, but a vision of his father tells him that it will only make it worse... which it does. Eventually the growth has spread all over his body and home, with Jordy taking his life in the end... yet the growth remains and expands through his home, land and beyond.

Stephen King acted as Jordy Vorrill in the story, and dear God did he deliver an amazing performance. Every movement, tone word spoken fit so perfectly with the tone and mood of the set that you were wondering just what kind of actor he could have been if he had decided to go into the profession. It would be later that you learned that much of his success in portraying a clearly sick man who is in pain due to what is happening in his body... it's because at the time he was clearly a sick man who is in pain due to what is going on in his body. The makeup and props used were causing an allergic reaction and he had to take meds and injections constantly in between shots. Dear Lord, and he wanted to continue even after that?

Your respect for him increased at that moment.

At the same time, you could not help but feel that this story had layers in it, ones that became more clear the more you thought about it; Jordy Vorrill is clearly not very bright, and during the film he is constantly insulting himself and his intelligence. The many sequences where he imagines what would happen if he does something also has the very doctor insult him as well, and when he meets the specter (or hallucination) of his father, it is revealed that it's the same image of the doctor in his mind, or the University Professor in his mind as well. Putting two and two together, it's not hard to see how his father's actions towards him may have molded him and his thoughts of himself growing up, revealing a sadness and tragedy in this Horror-comedy. Heck, his final words, begging God for his luck to hold as he shoots himself is basically him begging to at least let him die in peace.

You might be overthinking this, but you can't help but see it as such.

The third story, Something to Tide You Over, brings back an old friend who you haven't seen in a while. Leslie Nielsen plays millionaire Richard Vickers, a smug and spiteful man who discovers his wife, Becky, is having an affair. He goes to speak with the man, Harry Wentworth, discussing how despite not loving her, he can't stand having anything his taken. He then threatens him to go to his private beach where Harry is held at gunpoint and forced to bury himself in sand, then left for the tide to rise and drown (just like Richard di for Becky). The next day, Richard finds that the bodies have disappeared, but thinks the tide took them away. At night however, the dead drowned bodies now appear on his mansion, and force him to be drowned by the tide as well, just as he did for them, Richard only being able to laugh wildly while threatening that he can hold his breath for a long time.

Of them all, you think this one if your favorite. Not only for Leslie's clearly villainous performance, which you have to admit, you'd forgotten he was able to! His amazing comedy chops in Airplane! had made you forget how before he had become the comedy genius that many were hailing him as, he was usually casted as a romantic lead or as a villain, and damn does he deliver in both tone and speech. Bringing in a truly despicable man whom you can only feel catharsis when he finally receives his comeuppance at the end. Even his breaking point, when he knows that he can do nothing against his fate, and his mind just seems to break, shows him being defiant, shouting how he can still make it... up till the first wave hits him of course.

The fourth story, The Crate, is probably rh longest of them all at forty minutes. Professor Henry Northrup is married to a really obnoxious woman, Wilma, and then discovers that beneath the University he works at, there is a crate from the 19th century that contains a monster from an expedition to Antarctica. This monster has already killed two men (a janitor and a student) and he has been told all this by his friend, Professor Dexter Stanley. Henry thus uses the monster in the crate to kill his wife, then throws the Crate in the Ocean. Both him and Dexter then speak about how they can just let the authorities deal with the disappearances, since there is no evidence linking them to the murders. Meanwhile, the Crate is still in the ocean, with the beast waiting.

This tale really grinded your gears, mainly because of the clearly dysfunctional marriage shown, and how Henry would just so easily dream about killing his wife so gleefully. You know that this is just make believe, and from what you've seen of Wilma, she really is a vindictive, spiteful person, yet at the same time you can't help but think that there should have been a different way to go about.

Then again, you're trying to find logic in a horror movie, so what do you know.

Still, you have to give it to Adrienne Barbeau, she really brought about her A game in making her character as dislikeable as possible, with every word and action just irritating you whenever you saw it. Heck, even her opening her mouth had you beginning to flinch, as her voice had become so annoying to you. Props also had to be given to Tom Savini, who clearly had taken everything he'd learned while working under Romero and improved upon it for the Monster Animatronic Suit. Seriously, that thing may have only appeared some times, and not fully exposed, but it was terrifying, with that row of teeth and simian appearance that just screamed of the uncanny valley.

And there's more to come, for they left the biggest impact for last.

The fifth and final story, They're Creeping Up on You!, was a tale of germophobe Upson Pratt, a cruel business mogul who delights in the deaths of his rivals and mocks the penuries of those he has crushed in the making of his fortune, to the point that even a voice mail telling him he's evil has him laughing in glee. He lives in a hermetically-sealed penthouse apartment outfitted with electric locks and surveillance cameras, with only his phone as a way to communicate with the outside world. During the film, Cockroaches begin appearing inside his apartment, and though he tries to call the exterminators or kill them himself, more and more of the insects keep getting in, even his panic room being useless. In the end, he is found dead when the exterminator arrives, and when touching the body, cockroaches begin coming out of his every orifice.

You're not going to lie; this one was the one that was so impactful to you because of how utterly gross it was to see those despicable insects. And if what the budget is saying is true, finding them and buying them was what cost the most! Not the animatronic, not the actors, not even the freaking make up. No, what cost the most in the film, was the freaking cockroaches!

...Hollywood is so weird sometimes.

Once the stories ended however, the movie went back to the beginning, to the framing as the garbage can is being collected, and the men doing so find the comic, seeing the advertisements pages and all the whacky things that were being offered like 3D glasses, a Nuclear Submarine, or even a Voodoo doll... which seemed to have already been redeemed.

And in his room, young Billy, using a newly bought Voodoo doll, begins jabbing at it, having gathered some of his father's hair and clothes and putting them on said doll. At the same time we see the results, as the father begins rolling in pain, grabbing at his throat, as suddenly the images of Billy jabbing the doll becomes the cover of the next issue of Creepshow. The Creep is seen holding the same comic book, laughing sinisterly as a candle goes out.

And that, as they say, is that.

The movie was spooky, with good vibes, was visceral and brutal (as promised) and was some of the best fun that you've had since you came back from filming Conan. A movie that manages to work perfectly with both cast and crew, gave a stellar performance, and truly paid homage to the 50s Horror Comics, while sticking it to the old Comic Code Authority, finally symbolizing the end of such an antiquated restriction on the creativity and ingenuity of artists.

What was truly odd was how you felt that old feeling of nostalgia hit you as you saw the film. The memories of reading the comics, and the time spent with your siblings, impulse you to see the movie more than once, as if in some way reliving a part of your childhood. You wonder, is it possible that someone in the future will feel nostalgic for the 70s or 80s? Surely not, right?

Right?

Still, just like National Lampoon Vacation, Creepshow became a victim of Lucasfilm's previous success, yet not so much as expected. The movie making a profitable $35 million, with critics going wild with their praise of both Romero and King. Siskel and Ebert giving it two thumbs up, saying how they managed to capture the spirit of 50s comics, and brought it back in near perfect recreation. There is praise for both the perfect use of lighting and props, both similar to the wild and colorful tones of the comics, as well as for the cartoonishly gruesome elements. Tom Savini is clearly being lauded as another pioneer when it comes to said effects, which he's using to further improve his marketability in future projects.

Each of the actors has been already singled out and been praised by Hollywood, already being scouted for future projects in more horror films, heck even Stephen King is being asked if he's not interested in becoming an actor, what with his over-the-top performance being seen as a perfect return to campiness that was sorely missed in many films. And though the reception may have been somewhat low in America, it still made nearly double its budget. Overseas though its greatest success was in Japan, where it made around $7 million on its own, finding the horror element in the film similar to their own, heck you would not be surprised if you find them making an entire Fanclub around it.

Overall, Creepshow has been a success, if not on the level you'd hoped for, but only because of your even greater success. Even so, the VHS sells tells another story, as word of mouth quickly turned this film into a must see for anyone who truly loved Horror, the sells shooting up as more and more soon discovered that Lucasfilms had once more managed to create an amazing, and fun, horror film, and not even in October at that!

Creepshow thus joined the growing Cult Classic ranks made by Lucasfilms, with demands for a sequel quickly growing among its nascent fanbase. You're more than willing to give it to them of course...

If only you could convince Romero to join your ranks in order to make it...

 

[Kaiser Chris]

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
Directed by: Paul Schrader
Written by: Leonard Schrader, Paul Schrader, Chieko Schrader
Produced by: Jerry Bruckheimer
Production and Distribution: Lucasfilms
Starring: Ken Ogata, Kenji Sawada, Toshiyuki Nagashima, Yasosuke Bando

Quality: 100+300=400
Audience 75+200=275
Critics 100+300=400

Budget: $15,000,000
Domestic $23,123,111
International $11,123,312
Total Box Office: $34,246,423
VHS $54,654,234​

Well....this was certainly a Lucasfilms movie to be sure. You make such a non-statement purely because you don't know how to regard this biopic. On the one hand, from a personal perspective you find it to be a bizarre passion project of a man whose existence you weren't aware until being presented the script and whose life was so foreign to your own. On the other, this is probably one of the best films you have ever seen and can be a contender for Paul's magnum opus depending on how the rest of his career goes. A strange contradiction, though fitting as a biopic for one of Japan's most fascinating authors in its history.

The film is a biopic of Yukio Mishima, a controversial author who was a dominant cultural force within post-war Japan. Covering his life from his troubled childhood to the apex of his career, as the title goes, the film is literally organized into four chapters based off of key arcs in Mishima's life. At the same time, the first three chapters are interspersed with dramatizations of Mishima's most acclaimed novels which each bear some overarching theme or similarity to said time.

The first "Beauty" covering Mishima's troubled youth and development of his identity mixed in with The Temple of the Golden Pavillion. The second "Art" covering his early successes as an author and development of his philosophy of health mixed in with Kyoto's House. The third "Action" covering his descent into right-wing politics and radicalization mixed in with Runaway Horses. The last "Harmony of Pen and Sword" is a depiction of his final day on Earth, his failed coup with four of his disciples in an attempt to mobilize the Self-Defense Forces to take back the nation from modernity for the Emperor, where after its abysmal failure with no one joining his side, he commits seppuku.

The film came into existence thanks to Paul's brother Leonard, who had been fascinated with Mishima since meeting him and had fought for a decade to obtain the film rights, Leonard living in Japan where he and his wife had built careers as authors and screenwriters, even contributing to some Sunrise work. Leonard wanted Paul to join him, and according to Paul he became motivated to do so after witnessing your career and political activism which to him shared a lot of similarities with Mishima.

.....You're not sure how to take that but at least your ideology is heavily divergent to Mishima and you sure as hell don't want to coup the government.

Anyways, it was a very niche topic but you found some potential in the screenplay, and so did Mike who being a bit blind to Mishima's life, gave generous support to Paul to tap in on the Japanese Invasion phenomenon and hopefully begin a precedent of live action Japanese films for Lucasfilms as they were still an incredibly popular medium and in normal cinema months one could reguarly see about three or four Japanese films on display in a large cinema.

Neither you nor Mike understood what was sent into motion until a MP from the New Japan Party flew to Los Angeles and begged for a meeting where he sought to prevent the movie from turning into another Dracula and completely undoing all of Japan's progress since WW2.

Yeah, he was apparently that big of a deal.

So Paul took on some "Advisors" from the Culture Ministry during production to make sure that there wasn't some sort of Shintoist Revolution being planned and the film was as respectable within artistic design as it could be. It was quite a source of gossip in Japan domestically with plenty of supporters and detractors on both the Left and Right for this film and some fearing there would be great social unrest. Even within Dreamworks there was some drama with most of the Japanese animators giving some form of objection and Tomino refusing to see the film. So, it was chosen to release in September, where Star Wars Fever would hopefully keep the nation calm enough to prevent the worst that could happen. Thank the Lord that nothing crazy happened and it was a relatively subdued release, but just what was in the movie anyways?

As said before, it was a pretty unorthodox biography. Compared to the likes of Small Giant which was a straight dramatization of Robert Smalls' life, Mishima was mixed in with some of his most critical works which were each used to show a critical aspect of Mishima's character or his personality. Indeed, if one were to look at his life and read his bibliography, a great deal of his work seems to heavily come from personal inspiration or serve as warnings for later actions, especially with all of the wartime films and books that basically all but screamed his manifesto and that he was gonna commit the coup.

There's some division on if the film is a scathing critique of Mishima or some sort of unadulterated worship and praise. You think there's a fair mix of admiration and criticism spread throughout, though it leans more towards the latter and the admiration comes more for his passion and energy than what he stood for. Overall the beauty of Mishima is that it's a dissection of such an immensely complicated man delivered in heavy nuance and adding its own artistic flair. This is a solid script that elevates the biopic genre to its peak and the more one understands about Japanese culture, history, and Mishima's life and work; the more beauty there is to be found throughout the film.

This really is Paul's best work as a Director so far, and Paul himself admits that he doesn't think he can go beyond this in terms of quality. The dramatizations are presented excellently in the spirit of Japanese theater, there is gorgeous design and color palette, the soundtrack surprisingly is one of the best you've heard for a film, really elevating it with a sense of purpose, and the camera work is really excellent. All of the flashbacks and dramatizations are paced and positioned just perfectly that make the film all the more engaging and work as a sort of Shakespearian tragedy.

It also helps that the cast that Paul is working with is top notch. Ken Ogata as Mishima really steals the show just oozing charisma and many who have met Mishima personally say he captures the pure essence of mystique and coolness that Mishima could draw, the sort of Great Man persona that many prescribe to you. His monologues were some of the best in cinema and you were happy that Paul insisted on no dubbing as so much else would have been lost. Honestly part of you wishes that you pushed the film for next year because Ken at minimum deserves an Oscar release.

While National Lampoon's Vacation was a pure victim of Star Wars' success, you have a strong feeling that Mishima would have had a similar performance no matter what. It's not like Italy or Yugoslavia would have been invested in the film unless you or George were the Producer. Still, you were pretty impressed with the existing performance. Just the fact that it was profitable showed that Mishima beat the odds as Paul had confessed he thought for sure it wasn't gonna make money. Sadly, it kind of continues Paul's streak of being the lowest scoring director financially, but it was going to be hard to sell it to general audiences for such a nice topic even if all the competition was garbage.

Most shocking was the domestic consumption with $23 million. Almost no one in America outside of the intellectual sphere probably knew Mishima existed, but Japanese films were super popular that anything coming from the land of the rising sun was going to have some dedicated fans just because, not to mention Mike reported that there were some very early signs of Star Wars fatigue at the cinema, not exhaustion, just a need for something else. It was reliable throughout September, though faded in the wake of The Shining in October. Thankfully, audiences this time were all in on the story, fascinated with Mishima as a man and finding delight in the cinematography and approach, Quentin in particular LOVED this kind of storytelling. There especially was a kind of awe for American audiences that Japan was experiencing these certain issues and cultural shifts and they were completely unaware of it the whole time. It wasn't a conincidence that Japanese history and cultural books had been becoming ever more popular in public libraries across the nation as the Japanese story becomes ever more intriguing to the US.

Globally, no nation really showed interest for Japan who were almost the enitrety of the foreign box office, though it was banned in many East Asian countries out of the controversies and Mishima being a Nationalist. Leading up to the premiere, Japanese police increased patrols and security around cinemas and many nationalist landmarks and icons saw increased patrols in preparation for civil disorder. The film was this close to being banned, but it just managed to pass the mark. While the controversy may have prevented Mishima from being a hit, thankfully there were no recorded instances of violence or mass unrest. People saw the film, then they went home, that was it. While American audiences saw the film as entertainment, to the Japanese it was history, and there was more of a general appreciation for how such history was portrayed. Of course, there was some harsh words from right wing figures and groups, most especially Mishima's widow over some scenes, but there wasn't any Dracula sized shift. Life went on in Japan, the country just happening to get another excellent story.

As it seemed to be the case with Japanese Lucasfilms movies, critics absolutely adored it. If one was ignorant of Paul directing it, you would think that they were lavishing praise for another Kurosawa film from the contents of the reviews, critics were just as fanatical in their praise with constant 10/10s, hell many were even describing it as one of the best films ever made. Praise was forgiven for the unorthodox storytelling, the portrayal and writing of Mishima's character, the presentation of the themes, the cinematography, everything was just pure perfection and part of you was inclined to agree. There was absolutely no doubt that Mishima was going to earn the Best Foreign Language Oscar with no competition.

In the long run, Mishima would develop a cult following, though nowhere near the success of say Blade Runner. The VHS sales were rather normal by Lucasfilms standards though still a strong success. Overall, it was a film that was mainly watched by Weaboos, fans of Paul Schrader or just those generally interested in Japan and Mishima. Reruns on LucasTV at its peak would see some viewership in the low millions, though it seems Mishima was not a film destined for popular or commercial success.

Instead, what you could say to be this film's legacy is its cultural and artistic impact. Mishima is reguarly a film that is presented at all levels of film courses for college and it's considered a must watch film for filmmakers and cinephiles. It's frequently cited in film history for its great impact on biopics and historical storytelling, daring filmmakers to be more bold and daring in presentation to diverge from classical cinema with many trying their best to copy the style. Mishima's American success and following also served as a wakeup call for Japanese cinema. America wasn't solely interested in Samurai or fantastical genres like mecha and kaiju. Grounded cultural films and stories of national figures in modern times could reach foreign audiences, and that changed some developments.

Then there's the legacy and impact of Mishima as a person, and on that one you're not sure at least as of now. The Japanese Right didn't suddenly get supercharged into returning Nationalism, though there are most likely more fans than there were before, though the time of coups and martial rule is thankfully long past. Everyone already knew who Mishima was, and while interest was revived, as 1984 entered the film left public consciousness and Japan was mostly the same, hell if anything Sunrise as a company had more of a direct societal impact. Across 1984, Mishima's works would be translated and sold in the US much for the first time. His collections never quite hit mainstream, but one could find a couple of them at a library and there was definitely an audience to be found, with some notable right-wing commentators and politicians singing praise which is a very ironic statement.

You tried to engage in some of his novels, though you have to say it's honestly not for you. You like his prose and can admire the effort, and his dedication to fitness and health is something you respect. But overall, a lot of his themes and stories just don't really speak to you both from a cultural perspective and just personal dislike or lack of interest. Some may think you are alike, but your beliefs and ideologies were sure as hell not the same. Hell in a lot of ways you were polar opposites as artists. Though oddly enough the two of you shared a strong love of cats.

Had Mishima not gone through with his coup and was still alive, there would have been a good chance he would have hated you and Lucasfilms for your impact on Japanese culture, honestly a weird anti-Miyazaki in a lot of respects. You're not really bothered by that, and with the film being profitable and a good artistic success, you can at least rest with a good job and just move forward with your life. At least Paul got to tell the story he wanted and was happy, that was what you considered most.

 

[Kaiser Chris]

The King of Comedy
Directed by: Martin Scorcese
Written by: Paul D. Zimmerman
Produced by: Arnon Milchan
Production: Embassy International Pictures
Distribution: Lucasfilms
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Tony Randall, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard

Quality: 90+200=290
Audience 55+200=255
Critics 90+200=290

Budget: $17,000,000
Domestic $12,123,876
International: $44,233,412
Total Box Office: $56,357, 288
VHS: $200,021,011​

So this was an interesting case of an accidental Lucasfilms movie. Originally, it was set to be a United Artists film under Michael Cimino, one of your biggest haters within Hollywood. However, Cimino dragged his feet and refused to commit to dedicate himself to his bizarre and infamous megaflop, Heaven's Gate. De Niro who was starring, had already pitched the film to Scorcese before and with UA having bungled it into production hell, pressured Zimmerman and Milchan to head to Lucasfilms since you did right by him before. Meanwhile, Martin had been in a bit of a personal funk on where to go forward as a filmmaker, being close to just focusing on documentaries. Then De Niro came, and at the time he finally had the inspiration to work on the film, and thus The King of Comedy was another Lucasfilms release.

The film was set in New York where Jerry Langford, a fictitious parody of Johnny Carson, is a wildly beloved late night talk show host and hosts his film. At the beginning, Jerry encounters the film's protagonist Rupert Pupkin, a man who idolizes Jerry and wishes to be a successful stand-up comedian and perform on his show, though he is an amateur. Jerry at first dismisses him with polite and good advice, but Rupert wanting to have all the fame and glory without the work, keeps on hounding Jerry and his office, and with continuous rebuttal takes drastic action.

You actually watched this film in Yugoslavia in October on a day after filming, being homesick and hoping that a film set in New York would tide you over. You were also very intrigued with the premise considering the heavy celebrity worship you encountered in Croatia. It wasn't as if anyone was awful to you as Jerry experienced, if anything the people of Croatia went out of their way to be hospitable and make you be as happy as you could be. Though there was a rather intense devotion and awe wherever you went, people gazing upon you with pure wonder and doing their best to have any kind of interaction, even if only for a few seconds. They say that the 80s have become a decade of excess, materialism, celebrity worship and pop culture idolization. To be fair, you may have contributed decently to this personally or through Lucasfilms and already you've seen a number of books written on you or your company at strolls through the bookstores. So far you've mainly faced dangers and harassment from state and corporate actors, but Martin does a great job at exposing the dangers of parasocial relationships and the power and impact of the celebrity.

The script is a really top notch work and honestly one of the best pieces of social commentary you've seen. As one of the most popular global celebrities, yet having grown up as a simple fan of Hollywood, you are one of the rare few who have experiences on both sides of the coin persay. Part of you can emphasize with Rupert's dreams and yearning for greatness and to prove himself, yet as the celebrity you are more heavily sympathizes and relates to Jerry, the struggles of having normalcy when you're at the top and dealing with the heavy expectations and responsibilities that come from such high fame and success. You can imagine there being lots of Rupert Pupkins across America either living or in the making and from the many stories shared by friends and coworkers, lots of Jerry Langfords out there in a similar struggle, though few to such an extreme as this movie, thankfully you were at least able to prevent something crazy with Jodie's stalker.

Departing from his more fantastical and historical forays, Martin returns back to his roots as a master of urban noir and satire. You can feel a lot of similarities to the likes of Taxi Driver and the environmental storytelling and the direction of the actors really serves to drive in the critiques of modern culture and the impact of the plot. There's been a lot of comparisons to how Martin directed Robert as Travis and Rupert, and for some Rupert feels more scary and real as a calm everyman with more relatable attributes than Travis, as if it is more easy for one to become Rupert. It also doesn't help that your work with the O'Reilly Foundation did major work in solving many of the issues that caused men like Travis.

One unintentional side effect is sort of the bi-polar tone of sorts. Martin intended the film to be disturbing and uncomfortable, and such seemed to be the reactions shared by many audiences, Carrie herself quit after the home invasion scene because it hit a little too close to home for her anxieties. However, you actually found The King of Comedy to be...well comedic. Rupert's delusions at stardom and his continuous attempts to get on the Jerry Langford show had you laughing in hysterics in the theater at the ridiculousness of the situation and how Rupert couldn't see reality, as well as the bizarre way he interacts with normal people. Oh sure the hard hitting scenes did hit hard, most especially in the home invasion and Jerry being held hostage, but you couldn't help yourself but laugh at some of the absurdities, though you were the only one in a somewhat confused Croatian theater.

The biggest strength of the film comes from its cast. As brilliant as the film is, it's one that could easily flounder on poor execution and it was pretty character-driven. Thankfully, Martin pulled through with a top tier cast that really played to their roles. While Martin originally wanted Johnny Carson for Jerry, he chose the next best thing, and probably better acting wise with Jerry Lewis. Jerry as the literal King of Comedy, was perfect for the opposite and his exhaustion and playing the role of the sane man in such a bizarre plot really helped to drive home the film's themes with audiences mainly rooting for him. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Sandra Bernhard as Masha, another stalker of Jerry's who is somehow more crazy than Rupert due to Masha instantly going for violent extremes and proposing taking him hostage to fulfill her lustful fantasies. While Rupert is the escalation and downfall to insanity and radicalism, Masha is the greatest danger, and seeing her in action made you genuinely nervous and push for security at the office to be more tight.

Once again though, Robert De Niro steals the scenes and dominates the film, showing why he is one of the best actors of his generation. Robert really went all out in prepping for the role, including going to such extremes as chasing down his own stalkers and meeting with one of them. Pretty extreme prep that you could never dare to copy so as not to bring danger to the family, but when method acting works it works and Robert showed he was a master at it. It also helped that he spent months in the New York comedy scene, molding Rupert to fit the mannerisms of both his stalkers and the layman comedian into a perfect synthesis where he gets lost into the role and Rupert truly becomes alive. It's also a pretty strong presentation of the dangers of untreated mental illness with a great deal of Rupert's tragedy coming from his delusions and narcissism and how reality often blends, forcing him to extremes. Though once again this made the film one that Carrie strongly did not like as it made her uncomfortable considering her Bi-polar disorder, even if she was excellent at managing it.

Probably your favorite part from Robert's performance is the climax where Rupert is able to go on the Jerry Langford Show and finally perform his comedy routine. With how awkward and cringy Rupert has been a lot of the movie and his refusal to practice his material and work on the craft, you would think that Rupert would give an awful performance. Yet he goes on stage, and actually delivers a pretty great comedy routine, one you sincerely laughed at for the timing, excellent jokes and powerful delivery. Though at the same time, the routine revealed so much with how Rupert used it as a vehicle to share his traumatic upbringing and the struggles he endured to make him so messed up, yet the way it's delivered in such a comedic fashion masquerades it as funny material. Thus it shows the essential tragedy of Rupert's character. Had Rupert done what was advised to him by Jerry and his assistant, he could have probably succeeded the legitimate route and earn his spot on the show the right way. But his illness and the trauma that made him wouldn't let him accept putting in the work over easy fame, thus pushing him to become a King for the Night instead of a self-proclaimed Schmuck for a lifetime. Beautiful cinema right there.

The King of Comedy like Mishima, while not a hit was at the very least profitable in the Star Wars craze and probably as profitable as can be with its mature story. The box office performance seemed to be an inverse of Mishima, perhaps partially due to Lucasfilms fans domestically preferring the Japanese film, but also no doubt due to many finding discomfort at the premise and mixed word of mouth. Such a sentiment was not shared overseas where it had a healthy run, in Yugoslavia alone it made more than $5 million. Its popularity was uniform in Europe and East Asia, most likely due to a combination of intrigue at the dissection of American entertainment culture and the dissection of celebrity worship when many people of these nations did have their own strong cases of such extremes and idolization. Such was probably why Japan was the best grossing foreign market with $11 million as it spoke to a nation with its own issues towards the idol fandom. In fact, it turned out that King of Comedy would be a partial influence to the film Perfect Blue years later.

Audiences were sort of split between those who loved the film and connected to the themes, and those who were a bit uncomfortable with the story and its presentation, though no one ever really called it bad, and it was understandable for some people to react as such. Critics gave high scores and praised De Niro's performance and Martin's return to Urban Dramas, giving fresh air and a new take to the genre which had been sort of muted and dying this decade with more fantastical and optimistic settings. You're really hoping the actors get nominated and once again you wish King of Comedy had been released a different year as surely without Star Wars it would win something in one category.

As time went on, King of Comedy earned a status as a Cult Classic and it has often been regarded by film intellectuals and the general public as one of the most quintessential decade films. It came out at the right time in response to the newfound dominance of Hollywood and the general media over society and it would start a new sub-genre following the celebrity culture satire. Such was reflected in its VHS releases where it developed a larger than usual following at home thanks to its prestige reputation and being a movie that many felt spoke true and hit hard for the current times. Hopefully audiences learn the message and the world shall see fewer Rupert Pupkins.

 

[Kaiser Chris]

Hotel Transylvania
Directed by: Phil Monroe, John Baker
Written by: John Dunn
Produced by: Andy Heyward
Production: Blue Sky Studios
Distribution: Universal Pictures
Starring: John Cleese, Cyndi Lauper, Michael J. Fox

Audience: 376
Critics: 377
Budget: $34,000,000
Domestic: $262,232,331
International: $334,332,123
Total Box Office: $596,564,454​

NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now you're not the type of man who usually prays for films to fail. People who made films that competed with Lucasfilms were only artists trying to chase their dreams, but you weren't afraid to admit a certain Schadenfraude at watching Universal fail and stumble for their past transgressions. With how painfully boring and mid Ice Age had been, Carrie referring to it as "One of the films of all time", you fully expected for Blue Sky to collapse and dissolve by 85 or 86. No one within Dreamworks took them seriously and the general public just thought of animation as Disney and Dreamworks. However, failure can be a humbling and learning experience and somehow Blue Sky managed to turn things around and managed to release not only a good movie, but a massive blockbuster that dominated the Halloween season and just may have curbed a bit of Shining's success. UGH.

So the film was about the famous Count Dracula, who in this rendeition was not a Romanian Revolutionary, but a Vampire who settled down with a wife and daughter. When humans kill Dracula's wife in the 19th century, the vampire becomes both embittered and protective of his daughter Mavis, transforming his famous castle into "Hotel Transylvania", a place where monsters can vacation and relax free from the dangers and stresses of the human world. Throughout the hotel and part of the wider cast, many famous monsters, most especially the classic Universal monsters reside and have leisure as guests, though there is some notable disgruntlement from the younger monsters over the castle never changing. In modern day, Dracula's daughter Mavis has become a young adult and yearns to explore the world and interact with humans, while doing his best to keep Mavis home, Dracula unknowingly attracts the presence of a human tourist and horror enthusiast named Johnny who falls in love with Mavis at first sight and vice versa through their "Zing". Thus Dracula has to keep Johnny a secret before the monsters find out and also deal with his daughter having her first romance, shenanigans ensue.

It was a really bad sign when you couldn't help but notice that the Croatian theaters had lines and packed theaters going to see Hotel Transylvania, and it was even more fervent in the film's setting of Romania where it was the number one film for October, the same country that was so devoted to Lucasfilms. You tried your best to tune the movie out and just focus on completing Conan, but you the rising profits, the continual praise, and the worrying reports from Dreamworks caused the film to tug at the back of your mind and be a partial stressor. When you finally returned home, you decided to see what all the fuss was about and went with the twins to see a showing to see if they could finally handle theaters. Mary wasn't included both because she was hanging out at a friend's house and she had a strong and stubborn hatred of all things Universal. You didn't know whether to be proud or concerned, though considering you made sure to not contribute a single cent to Universal by using your connections with the theater owner to let you and the twins in for free...yeah you might be part of the problem.

The outing was a success by all means as the twins enjoyed the film and they both behaved themselves and weren't bothered with the sounds, meaning they could join Mary for theater trips. Though the fact they enjoyed it was a win for Blue Sky, and damnit you had to begrudgingly admit it was a good film by all means. It was a state of affairs more than likely caused by Blue Sky's reported culture shift, great hiring of many animation veterans, and 180 hands off approach by Universal. You wouldn't put Blue Sky in the same tier of quality as Dreamworks and Disney, but Hotel showed they could compete.

What helped Hotel Transylvania to be a success was that it didn't try to copy its competitors. Hotel Transylvania didn't have the magic and wonder of Disney or the ambition and innovation of Dreamworks, but it was a really fun movie and knew how to play to its strength as a comedy and just overall entertaining family film. The story featured some cliche tropes and it was surely a kids film, but it wasn't ashamed of it and colored in the lines well with some creative direction and a really fun atmosphere and tone. At the same time, for the serious impact moments of the drama and romance, Hotel put in effort to keep it grounded and have impact so the whole film wasn't just a goofball script and you could still feel and root for the characters.

The animation really helps to add to the fun as instead of taking any anime or classic Disney influences, it harkens more to the Golden Age of animation with a style reminiscent of classic Looney Tunes and MGM. The animation is extremely fluid and fast paced which very exaggerated motion. This is thanks to a decent amount of animators on the film being veterans from those two classic studios, and it shows with a strongly zany physical humor reminiscent of the classics. The slapstick is perfectly timed and when it's combined with very clever and witty dialogue and character banter, everything just hits so well with treats for both adults and children.

You also have to admire the designs for the movie. Despite focusing very classic and recognizable monsters, most especially from the Universal line, the cast is given very distinct outlines and designs that play into the tropes but also make them stand out in a sort of fusion of modernism and gothic horror. It leads to plenty of fun gags playing on the genre and how the monsters act like normal people on vacation and how they fear humans. It's also hard to exactly describe, but despite dark colors dominating the pallete, the ones chosen and how they are positioned feel very bright in the same time thanks to the animation. Thus the movie is very stylized though it combines well its source material and tone.

While the story can be rather by the numbers, it's really carried by great characters. Dracula was a fun and goofy lead who while being the bumbling and overbearing Dad, comes from a place with a lot of heart and love for his daughter and fellow monsters which makes him a very likable hero of sorts, even if he does make a fair share of mistakes. As a fellow Dad, you really liked him and his backstory with his wife was some powerful stuff.

Johnny and Mavis are a pretty cute couple and each represent a different and relatable aspect of adulthood with Mavis being a naive and adventurous girl yearning to explore the world while Johnny is an easily excited and passionate horror buff whose still trying to find himself. They have some good arcs with Johnny being inspired to mature and take responsibility through helping Drac with the hotel, finding his calling through helping the guests, and Mavis starts to break free from her sheltered life and be more independent yet careful and patient. While they do have a very cliche love at first sight connection, you admire the film for how the conflict was not 'will they won't they', but rather how with both being very inexperienced teens stumbling a bit with Johnny's love of vampires leading him to fantasize Mavis and treat her more as an object while Mavis learns to trust others and not rush into life. They make each other better, and it's a sweet story. Though you have to strongly disagree with the whole "Zing" nonsense. Sure you and Carrie had a strong instant connection, but the best part of the two of you falling in love was how the relationship was built overtime and you formed a bond through shared experiences.

The rest of the cast is pretty fun, mostly serving as comedic foils for the main trio and delivering jokes, but overall a solid lineup of supporting characters and clever plays on the Classic Monsters. Blue Sky had also wizened up from Ice Age's failure in a voice cast and instead of automatically going for just generic A-listers for brand recognition, they mostly went for talented actors with distinct voices and great comedic senses, though a fair amount of star power still in the cast, such as how Cyndi Lauper played Mavis. She was decent for a beginner though she was probably chosen for her soothing voice. At least there were veteran actors on board with John Cleese doing a hillarious Dracula impression yet also playing into the dramatic moments really well. Frustratingly, Michael J. Fox was chosen to play Jonathan, and his performance really drove in just how much of a star he would become with great comedic delivery and doing a job well as the nerdy everyman of sorts. Hopefully you can keep him for live action film as Zemeckis is interested in him for a time travel movie.

There's also some interesting references to the Romanian War which Hollywood up until this point has been a bit unsure of how to approach due to its bloodiness and intense total war aspects. It's kind of an ever present shadow though rarely directed featured with how the brutality of the war basically reinforced Dracula's fears and paranoia and did the same for the monsters and their attachment to the hotel. Though when Drac and his friends go after Johnny, they are surprised to find how the human world, and Romania in general has embraced them since the war as heroes and great figures which lead into the resolution hinting at the monsters breaking the masquerade and the two worlds coexisting, which sort of plays into real ongoing embracement of horror in Romania with Vampires seen as a symbol of national pride and honor.

If you had to say one area that the film was weak in, it was its music. Special effects were decent, but for some reason the film opted to rely heavily on pop culture songs, which was a shame because when the Halloween theme that they set up for the Hotel was pretty spooky and neat. Though perhaps this was a major factor to Hotel's success as perhaps the most iconic scene of the movie is Mavis' birthday party where Johnny manages to lead Dracula, Mavis and the rest of the Monsters to dance to Thriller. Yes, that Thriller. WHY MICHAEL WHY?! It was a genuinely awesome and fun scene that matched the best of MTV and along with playing some role in pushing Thriller to Platinum, it also undoubtedly helped to push ticket sales. Sure you may have done such a thing first with Queen and Killer Queen, but oh boy it was frustrating. Well, at least it was cute to watch Sarah and Joseph dance in their seats to it.

Hotel Transylvania would mark itself as the first true blockbuster since the release of Return of the Jedi with near $600 million globally. To Hollywood, it was as if Luke's X-wing had fired its proton torpedoes into the Return's Death Star, restoring hope to the galaxy....yeah this is why you leave the Star Wars metaphors to George. In addition to it topping the domestic box office for weeks until the arrival of Dune, it had a surprisingly robust foreign performance and had great turnout in the free markets. From personal experience it seemed to fill a third of the theaters in Yugoslavia, and within Romania it actually reached more than $40 million with Romanians happy they had a film about their country that wasn't about misery and suffering and paid tribute to their monstrous hero in a fun light.

Aside from Hotel Transylvania being just an entertaining and funny animated movie that did all the marks well, it seems that one reason for its massive popularity was the fact that it was a family film in a year severely lacking in G and PG movies. So far with Star Wars in theaters, the studios sans Disney were saving their general audience films for next year so people would be drawn to the adult films that theoretically have nothing to do with Star Wars. Hotel Transylvania filled a much needed niche at a time when most people had seen Return of the Jedi as much as they wanted and wanted something fresh at the theaters, especially little kids. This also brought to mind a debate that had been ongoing in Lucasfilms for a couple of years, the tone of your works. It's not like anybody wanted to go full Disney, but admittedly most of your works were targeted towards adults and at most teens, even Dreamworks tended to be adolescent orietnated. LucasTV was balanced, but even then it was mostly thanks to Hanna-Barbera's presence. You know, you wouldn't mind making stuff specifically for the kids.

To the eyes of critics, while Hotel Transylvania didn't carry quite the same prestige as a Dreamworks creation, it did legitimize Blue Sky Studios in their minds and many of the cartoon puritans were happy for a return to simpler animation storytelling. Praise was given to the setting and the creative depiction of the Universal monsters, the voice actors performance and their chemistry, the heart and the very fun and zany animation style that had been absent from animated films for some time.

So yeah, Blue Sky is for better or worse here to stay, and Sid wasn't shy in letting the world by New Years that a Hotel Transylvania 2 and 3 had been greenlight. A bit ambitious, but with such profits more than understandable. At least their slow and steady approach meant that they would most likely only pump out a few films by the 90s which left so many openings for Dreamworks and Disney to still dominate, nevermind their supremacy in television and anime. One can only wonder how their next film, The Boss Baby will do.

 

[overmind]

The Shining
Directed by: Wes Craven
Written by: Stephen King, Wes Craven
Produced by: Francis Ford Coppola, Stephen King
Production and Distribution: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Robert Englund (Jack Torrance), Sissy Spacek (Wendy Torrance), Henry Thomas (Danny "Doc" Torrance), Scatman Crothers (Dick Hallorann), Gregory Peck (Stuart Ullman), Barry Dennen (Bill Watson), Calvin Lockhart (Larry Durkin), Philip Stone (Delbert Grady) and Joe Turkel (Lloyd the Bartender).

Quality: D100 + 250 => 321
Audience: D100 + 250 => 345
Critics: D100 + 250 => 331

Budget: $30,000,000
Domestic: $89,990,091
International: $90,000,212
Total Gross: $179,990,303

VHS: $401,003,221​

It was during the month of October when the first signs that other movies might actually stand a chance against the Juggernaut that is Star Wars appeared. Marketing for films began ramping up, other theaters began reducing the number of halls where Return of the Jedi were being shown, and of course, the spookiest month of the year meant that audiences wanted to see scary movies more than the final adventures of Luke Skywalker and the defeat of the Empire.

Thinking it over, Creepshow would have been better suited for this month.

Ah well, no use crying over spilled milk and all that. If you did not have Creepshow this month, you still had something as good; a movie adapted from one of Stepehen King's books, and considering your history with them, there was no question that the film would be a success. Wes Craven (taking some time from his big "Faith" Project) had been hard at work on the film. Stephen King himself had even gone as consultant for it at Wes' invitation, hoping to get the thoughts from the author himself. Even Mike had pitched in, hard at work promoting the film, slightly twisting the truth by putting it as coming from the same studio that gave the audience Carrie (technically true).

That last one was what generated much of the buzz around the film. Stephen King was one of the highly acclaimed masters of Horror, and the fact that he'd managed to gain the title in such a short span of time clearly displayed the talent and skill he had in the genre. Many times when reading his books you would find yourself wondering how was it that he could make such simple every day actions or appliances be so utterly terrifying. Along with his prodigious writing speed, there were many who were clamoring not only for his books, but also for more adaptation of said books.

Which became a problem, since the author had decided that only Lucasfilms could do the adaptations justice...and you had yet to do a single one since Carrie. There was not a single day that passed when Lucasfilms did not receive at least a single letter asking for when the next adaptation would be, which of the books, suggestions for which one to focus on, even some amateur scripts about their favorite stories with offers to just use them if it will help take them out faster.

Well, hopefully they will be happy with getting two this year... three if they count Creepshow.

However it was not all sunshine and rainbows, as Wes soon found out. Back when the idea to work on an adaptation for The Shining was still in its initial stages, it had been Wes who had been the most enthusiastic about it, having read the book and thinking it would make for a perfect new adaptation to the Stephen King library (which to be honest was quite threadbare) and as such, had put on his name for the project before there was even a script available.

When the time came for the production to start though, Wes had been on his "Faith" trilogy for so long that he was actually behind schedule for the movie, and the filming had not even started. The script, if there was one, was mostly an old draft that Stephen King had worked on when given a consultant's position, there was still a location to be selected, sets to be built, special effects that needed allocation, and of course, the casting to select. For a moment, you'd feared that Wes'd had as bad a time as you did when making Conan, but it seems that whatever similarities both productions had ended there, as Wes did what in hindsight you should have done; he asked for aid.

And Lucasfilms answered.

For scouting location, Wes leaned on Francis and his previous experience when looking for different buildings when filming the Godfather. Given a very detailed description by King on just what exactly he wanted the Hotel to look like, he quickly found a couple that would fit the bill in both the artistic sense, and the more faithful to the interpretation way; The Ahwahnee Hotel in California and the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, both of which were quickly approved with hardly a second glance.

For the script, Wes had to sit down with King and find a way to make an entire new one, from scratch, all the while hearing from King how "that was not in the book", or "we need to keep this part here", sometimes succeeding in changing King's mind, others finding him digging his heels and having to give way. Wes told you later that for all of King's obstinacy, the entire process was rather fun, as it managed to keep his mind from his other projects, and let him exercise his creativity to get his desired result. King also left satisfied, convinced he'd managed to keep his story just as he wanted, and in the end, isn't that what an agreement should always result in?

Though you did hear some rumblings about cancelling the "River of blood", wonder what that was about?

As for the casting, the process went rather smoothly when Lucasfilms helped in finding most of the cast, a combination of veteran and B-Listers that nonetheless captured the entire malevolence of the Hotel and the consequences of living in it; Gregory Peck, one of the old lights of Hollywood still active, managed to really sell the entire amoral and uncaring general manager of the Overlook Hotel, Joe Turkel as Lloyd the Bartender and, literally in some cases, the devil in Jack's shoulder gives the perfect example of both a sinister manipulator and an enabling abuser, who first goads Jack into breaking his promises, and then demands and forces him to kill his family.

Both managed to encapsulate the entire theme of the film; greed, selfishness, and disdain for others.

For the main characters it was even faster, what with Robert Englund, Mark's friend, being recommended personally by him for the role of Jack Torrance. Sissy Spacek would make her second debut on a Stephen King's film as Wendy Torrance, with many theories forming about Carrie still being alive in the Stephen King Universe. Scatman Crothers literally just went to the office and auditioned for the role of Dick Hallorann and was given the part right then and there.

For Danny however, finding a child actor that could fit the role and remember the lines was a challenge and a half... or it would have been had Steven not stepped up at the last minute and suggest Henry Thomas, who'd worked with him before in E.T., making what should have been a conundrum into a no brainer.

You should feel happy, you know you should. An entire production nearly went to disaster and a half, yet it was able to be saved at the last minute through the principles of cooperation and friendship that you and George had been trying to forge between all members of Lucasfilm's. And you are happy, and glad that it would not end in the disaster that it seemed to be going towards.

It's just...darn it, where was all this luck when you needed it!!

The entire movie ended up being more faithful to the book, yet Wes' influence is in it as well; the emphasis on families which are fractured or disturbed manage to create a feeling of horror that no many have felt, the feeling of doubt and insecurity when the place of comfort that you instinctively know should be there disappears. A lot of the movie focuses on just that, with the Hotel Ghosts taking a back seat to the more humane terror in place, addressing the family trauma of Jack's previous actions, and how its descent into madness could very well be not based only in the outer demons, but in his inner ones as well.

The filming went smoothly as well, Wes more laid-back style allowing many of the actors to find their niche roles without having to overly stress, while at the same time bringing in their own small foibles for the roles. From Jack's acceptance without consulting his family, to Wendy's attempts at trying to keep it all together until her final blow out, Danny just trying to hide whenever things got rough, yet also having to deal with the voices on the hotel trying to trap him or use him to hurt his family. Redrum and its meaning, hearing the voices of the twin sisters as they try to call to Danny to play with him... it's all so disturbing to watch, seeing the deterioration and breaking of the familial bond makes you feel uncomfortable, and yet you are still compelled to watch, silently rooting for Danny to at least make it out alive.

And when Jack Torrance lost it, when he finally succumbed to the malicious whispers of the Hotel, that was the moment when you could not move at all. During the entire film the question had always been on "when" not "if" he would break, but you'd also seen the love he had for his son, how he truly wanted to try and make amends, and to see such a man realize he's not strong enough for it, it really just breaks you in some way. It brings doubt, it brings fear, would you have done any better? You'd like to think so, but Wes' cinematography managed to grab unto some of the most deepest fears to put them on screen, and for that, you don't know whether to praise or curse him.

Why not both though?

There was a moment though, when you felt Jack got at least a bit of redemption, when at the end Dick manages to arrive to save both Wendy and Danny, Jack manages to corral his son in a hall, but instead of harming or killing him he just... stops. He does not move at all, the whispers all around him tell him, extort him, demand him to kill Danny, yet Jack remains still. And in the silence, there is this moment where father and son see each other, Jack looking at him, and his eyes for the first time since he broke are unclouded from the influence of the Hotel. He says nothing, but his eyes say it all, a single pleading look for forgiveness from his child, a look which is returned with assuredness from Danny, as he runs, moves as fast away from Jack. The father in his final moments hitting himself, hurting himself to give his son as great a chance to escape from him before he succumbs again to the Hotel.

And it's just enough for Danny to get into the vehicle with his mother and Dick, as the boilers in the hotel explode, the final shot being of the Hotel in flames.

It was a movie that was filled with both, the horror of the supernatural, but the horror of the mundane as well, with the former supplementing the latter. Heck, you could even call it psychological, if one disregarded the powers and abilities of Danny with "The Shining" that is. Yet nonetheless, it does not take away from the film taking some of your deepest fears and giving it form for everyone to see. It has all the hallmarks of an intellectual thriller, yet woven in a subtle way, with a pacing that while at first may seem slow, it ramps up little by little, the tension in your body increasing without you ever noticing until you're at a point where the adrenaline runs through your veins, just waiting for a final release of catharsis.

And the audiences loved it.

With the news of a new Stephen King adaptation for the big screen after nearly a decade, Creepshow having been released just a couple of months back, and the release of Salem's Lot in LucasTV, the people were hungry for more, desperate to sate their appetite for more films from the master of horror. There was no frenzy like Star Wars, no staying in lines for days waiting for the tickets, but the signs of interest were clearly there, enough for more theaters to put the movie ahead of the other offerings from Universal or even Fox.

The audience knew what it wanted in the end, and they got it.

Domestically, it made nearly $90 million, one of the first films to have done so after Return of the Jedi, heralding a return to form in Hollywood, with many claiming how it was that it took another Lucasfilm movie to set things back to right... or they would have if Hotel Transylvania had not beaten you to the punch. At the very least you can claim yours was the first Live-Action film to have done so.

Audiences loved the grand form and vision of the film, its cold-eyed view of a family man's mind gone overboard, the creepy atmosphere of the empty hotel and the loss of humanity of a once loving man wanting to do better for his family, and denied the chance to do so.

Internationally, the movie garnered praise from nearly all audiences it was distributed; Japan and Hong Kong could not get enough of the film, which caused an explosion in the sales and distribution of King's books in the East, many comparing him favorably to many of their eastern horror authors, and dealing with a very real topic which was the fear of the disintegrating family in Japan. Already a fan club had been created, and invitations to speak had been given, only rejected because Stephen did not feel comfortable going without learning the language first.

Both Yugoslavia and Romania, hot spots for Eastern Europe, greatly enjoyed the film. The latter more than the former as the practice of Halloween is slowly, but surely, gaining inroads along with the increase of Catholic missionaries and churches being built to replace the lack of Orthodox priests after the purges.

With their love of everything Lucasfilms, they also absorbed quite a bit of western culture, along with the holiday that goes perfectly with their desire to overcome their fears, Halloween films are quickly becoming quite popular in the country and The Shining was just perfect for them, a movie that showed just enough paranormal activity, along with the darkness that exists inside the human heart.

Western Europe also enjoyed the film, finding it an interesting study, with both France and Germany, along with Britain and Italy, having among the highest number of viewers for it. Perhaps there was not that much to be praised when it came to innovation in style or camera work, but there was quite a lot to say about the story, the themes, and the feeling of oppression and darkness that permeated the film in the form of the Hotel and its final destruction.

But Ireland however, boy did it become something else there, and you're not exactly sure just how.

From the beginning of the release of Return of the Jedi, there had been a lull in the violence, helped mainly because all the sides in the conflict, avid fans of Star Wars, wanted to see the movie and would not agree to go out and fight when they could miss out on the ending of the trilogy. A quick Truce was thus established in order to allow for all members to see the film, just have some fun, enjoy the final conclusion and climax for at least a month before they go back to business.

Only it didn't turn out that way.

Turns out, that when you find something to agree on, then it's somewhat difficult to dehumanize the other side as well. Not to mention that at least more than once, there had been occasions when members of different paramilitaries had ended up going to the same theater, and been forced to "play nice", with the excitement after the film was done having them just talking to each other, wanting to share the experience like regular people do, and taking that back with them, not being able to forget that they'd actually formed a connection with what was supposed to be enemies.

When the time came for the truce to end, well, not everyone was on board with it, and when The Shining made its debut, they grabbed on to it as the newest excuse to declare another truce. No one wanted to fight when they could miss another Lucasfilms production, right? And the marketing made it seem like such a good one as well, better not miss it out when they could start the conflict later after all.

It was...you don't know what it was, but in the end, many of the paramilitary groups just... declared another Truce, and went to see The Shining, and finding it a good spooky movie at that, one that truly made it worth it to have the truce extended, one that was now being seen as the reason as to why Ireland was not blowing up just yet.

Does this count as the aid promised to Garret FitzGerald? Well, he seems to think so, with his profound thanks for granting Ireland at least some time where they would not have to feal the fear of dying if they went out of their homes. Ireland had hope that the violence at least could be controlled now, and politicians were trying to grab this lifeline to speak with as many sides as possible to reach a more permanent agreement rather than just a handshake truce. It was in no way the end of the Troubles, but it seems that once more, your films had made that bit of a difference, and given a chance for an actual agreement accord to take place.

And though the road ahead seemed rocky, at the very least there was now a common point of agreement from which they could work from. That's a nice sentiment, and you feel glad that they could work or at least are beginning to work things out, but you really could do without everyone thinking it had been another secret plan from Lucasfilms, or the CIA giving you looks once more! It's not like you plan on this when you let the artists do their own thing, you just make movies for crying out loud!

The Letters of thanks from both the Queen and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher were nice though, even if the latter had an undercurrent of "Please, for the love of God, just stay on your side of the Atlantic!".

Rude. You were not even in the film this time.

You tried to give Wes credit for it, but he refused it. Wes did not seem to care much for it, and at this point he was too swamped with work to bother with anything else. Well, you can agree with him there, what with the more out there magazines once more trying to form some sort of conspiracy or link between you and the Illuminati, with your films being the connection between shaping the world as they willed in order to better appease their lizard overlords in the form of Queen Elizabeth II.

...Just, who reads this kind of crap!

Well, at least most of the cast got their due accolades as well. Robert Englund has been the one who benefitted the most though, since in the time between the filming and the release had managed to achieve a breakthrough in his career, what with his appearance in the Mini-Series V, an amazing Science Fiction story which greatly increased his demand, and with his now appearance in a Lucasfilm production, said demand only grew even more. That he was able to play such a demanding role as Jack Torrance showed his range, with offers from big and small studios alike now offering whatever they can to get him on their side.

Critics could not give praise enough for this film, and rightly so. Calling it a chilling, majestic piece of cinematic fright, The New York Times Editor even wrote about it saying "I always felt like the presence of evil was dormant in all of our minds, with only the circumstances of the moment, and the reasons given therein, needed to wake and pounce over its unsuspecting victims. This film is a perfect example of this very thought.". It did not stop there though for the haunting music had its own special section, where both Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind, the musician and producer duo, were interviewed about their experiences with the production, their roles and how the managed to create such haunting music to accompany the film. Needless to say, many would be directors would be calling for their services in the future.

Sells of VHS tapes shot up to the roof, increasing up to four times the value of your previous films so far. An explosive increase which would be mostly attributed to the fans of Stephen King who, after so many years waiting for a movie made from their favorite authro's works, could now finally own not only The Shining, but thanks to Mike's own eye for merchandise, they could also buy a bundle made up from all the movies based on Stephen King's stories; Carrie, Creepshow and The Shining, a trilogy to tide them over for the entire month.

Needless to say, they were bought as fast as they could be made, with reserved and mail to order lists already booked up till the next year, as nearly every single fan wanted their own bundle to own.

... You might want to make sure that your tapes are well and truly hidden.

And as for Stephen King? He absolutely loved the movie. Though he was a bit miffed that the talk between father and son was cut, he could not deny that the movie truly was a faithful adaptation of his book, and a perfect representation of what he truly felt when writing it as well. His belief in how Lucasfilms are the only ones able to adapt his works remains unshaken... and he is now sending letter along with the rest of his fans about which other of his works he wants to see adapted.

...Well, The Dead Zone does not seem a bad idea.

 

[overmind]

Dune (Part I)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Written by: Francis Ford Coppola, Dave Alistair
Produced by: Bruce O'Brian
Production and Distribution: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Keanu Reeves (Paul Atreides), Martin Sheen (Duke Leto Atreides), Isabella Rosselini (Lady Jessica), Christopher Lee (Gurney Halleck), Sylvester Stallone (Duncan Idaho), Ian McShane (Thufir Hawat), Pat Morita (Dr. Wellington Yueh), Oliver Reed (Baron Vladimir Harkonnen), Willem Dafoe (Glossu Raban Harkonnen), Christopher Walken (Piter De Vries), Raul Julia (Stilgar), James Remar (Jamis), Omar Shariff (Dr. Liet Kynes), Michelle Pfeiffer (Chani Kynes), Catherine Scorsese (Shadout Mapes), Linda Hamilton (Princess Irulan Corrino) Laurence Olivier (Shaddam Corrino IV) and Anne Bancroft (Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam)

Quality: D100 + 300 => 400
Audience: D100 + 300 => 389
Critics: D100 + 300 => 400

Budget: $55,000,000
Domestic: $233,442,123
International: $312,334,765
Total Gross: $545,776,888

VHS: $412,012,012​

It had been nearly a decade since the time you'd bought the rights for Frank Herbert's Dune. Looking back on it, it had been an impulsive purchase, mostly done because back then you and George had been speaking about Star Wars at the time, both of your mind filled with the excitement and passion of what would become Lucasfilm's first production, and wanting to know everything and anything about the world itself. George at the time explained most of the influences that had inspired him to make the film; Kurosawa's films were of course among them, as well as the old serials of Flash Gordon that were all the rage during the Golden Age of Hollywood. However, he also mentioned Herbert's book, and in lieu of wanting to know more, you'd tried reading it.

And man was that an experience for you!; The Bene Gesserit, The Spacing Guild, Mentats, House Corrino and the 10,000-year empire, the Landsraad and the rivalry between House Harkonnen with House Atreides, the Sardaukar and the Fremen, Arrakis, the Kwisatz Haderach and the waters of life...!

The Spice Must Flow!

By the time you'd closed the book you'd been nearly blinded by the light from your window, having spent an entire night reading it...And you'd started in the afternoon!

This story was like an Anti-Star Wars...You'd heard George talk about it before, the whole "Hero with a Thousand Faces" from Joseph Campbell, the whole idea about the Hero's Journey which helped the stage for the film.

Yet, Dune is anything but...

For starters, the entire story focuses on Paul Atreides the young heir to House Atreides and son of Duke Leto Atreides, who have been given the "gift" to administer the planet Arrakis (colloquially known as Dune) from where all spice in the known universe is generated. The spice, being the key component that allows interstellar travel, is seen as vital for the Empire's survival, and as such, one could make themselves rich and powerful by ruling the planet... or set themselves up for failure and destruction due to all the power they could accrue. During the move from their original planet, Caladan, we see different points of view, but also the inner thoughts of not only Duke Leto and Paul, but also Lady Jessica (the former's concubine and the latter's mother) Dr. Yueh Wellington, and also Baron Harkonnen (the previous ruler of Dune and head of House Harkonnen,, the traditional enemies of House Atreides).

During the arrival in Dune, and as the family begins to settle, you are then introduced to the Fremen, the native population of Arrakis, who have been hunted down and killed by the Harkonnen for generations, yet they have managed to survive still. Duke Leto proposes an alliance between them, while Lady Jessica, herself a previous Bene Gesserit, learns about the plans that her organization has set in motion, seeding the planet with prophecies and tales of the "Lisan al-Gaib", the Voice From Another World, or The Giver of Water, which basically is tailor made for Paul himself if the right signs are shown.

An assassination attempt on Paul has everyone on House Atreides being doubting each other, with Lady Jessica and Thufir Hawat, the Mentat (Human Computer) of house Atreides both suspecting each other due to their organizations being at odds. Even Duke Leto begins suspecting Lady Jessica, though that is revealed to be a trick to bring out the real culprit, yet at the same time it's somewhat despicable how long-standing trust can so easily be shaken.

And speaking of despicable, you did not think that there could ever be a villain as utterly disgusting as Emperor Palpatine, yet the Harkonnen's have him beat by a mile. The very definition of beasts in human form with their twisted desires being given loose rein, and glorifying them rather than trying to control themselves. One of them gleefully calls itself "The Beast" and does not hesitate on killing women and children with both savagery and sadism.

But Baron Harkonnen, the most horrible being that you would not even dare to call human. A man of grotesque girth and uncontrollable impulses, a man who feels nothing but joy in the political games and death of his enemies. A man that loves nothing more than break their victims, both physically and mentally while still having them dance to his tune. Such was what he did with Yueh, twisting the medical conditioning against harming or going against one's superiors in order to turn him into his mole in the Atreides Household.

The destruction of House Atreides is swift and bloody, beginning with the incapacitation of Duke Leto, the capture of both Paul and Lady Jessica, the destruction of the loyal House Atreides troops, who make a valiant last stand yet they are not able to stand against the combined might of both the Harkonnen troops and the feared Sardaukar of the Emperor, who is now revealed to have been an accomplice who set all of this in motion since he feared Duke Leto's power and how easily he gained the love of noble and common people alike.

Paul and Lady Jessica manage to escape but are left in the barren lands of the Fremen, where after finding them Paul now has to gain a new standing among them. After killing his first man, and being allowed to join the tribe of Stilgar, he takes the name Muad'dib, and joins the Fremen in their fights against the Harkonnen, soon gaining a higher position with his tactics and fighting proficiency, while his mother becomes the Reverend Mother in order to keep him safe and gain a more solid foundation in Fremen society. Paul even marries one of the Fremen fighters, Chani, and has two children with her...

That's just the first half of the book, and it already has so much that you can see and enjoy!

During the entire story there is a narrative that gives information about the Empire, the plots and betrayals that everyone has to guard against, the prejudices and hate between factions, the distrust of the Bene Gesserit, even as they need them as much as the Mentats and the Spacing Guild, how even in a House as united and loyal as the Atreides there begins to be suspicion after a failed attempt on Paul's life. The eventual betrayal of House Atreides not only by the forces of House Harkonnen, but that of House Corrino, the house of the emperor himself.

But at the same time, the so called "Hero's Journey" of Paul is anything but. Paul is not some sort of grand hero trying to save the world, he's someone looking for vengeance for his father. He was born with mystical abilities and an incredible ability to learn faster than others, but that was because his mother, as a Bene Gesserit, would have made him so while in her womb. Paul is revealed to perhaps be the one true leader of prophecy known as the Lisan al-Gaib, but that was a fake prophecy set by the Bene Gesserit to better control the Fremen. Even his birth cannot be called prophetic or the coming of the Kwisatz Haderach (The jumping of the path) as the Bene Gesserit hoped to create, because his birth itself is an accident, a deliberate sabotage by Jessica to give Duke Leto the son he wanted, rather than the daughter the Bene Gesserit hoped to marry to the Harkonnen.

And Paul knows this, he rages against what his mother did, against what he must become, against the vengeance he desires and the many paths he can now see happening due to the many abilities that he manages to unlock in order to escape. His first kill, happened because of it, and he did not desire it at all. The path he is embarking, is one not of his own choosing but one that he must walk nonetheless, and to his immense surprise and horror, he finds himself being all too good at it.

During the story of the book, Paul is not seen in a classic hero's journey. Sure, it shows him and his faction growing and succeeding, but look closer and you see that it comes at the cost of his humanity, at the cost of those he loves, at the cost of an entire world even. He is the most charismatic man alive, the deadliest fighter of the Fremen, the Lisan al-Gaib, Muad'dib, the Heir of House Atreides, the Mentat Emperor, the Kwisatz Haderach... but he can't ever be just Paul. He was robbed of that choice before he was even born.

In the end Herbert's book, is a cautionary tale for charismatic leaders, how disaster will follow them and their followers, for in trying to free them and give them back their own land, Paul created an army of Zealots who now will spread his name and word to every single planet, and those who do not listen will suffer the consequences for it.

"The difference between heroes and anti-heroes is where you stop the story". Herbert said that, and he was right in this case.

Your praises for the book did not end there though, for the best is always left for last.

Dune was an incredible work of worldbuilding. Not to denigrate the characterization done, but the main draw of the book was, in your opinion, the worldbuilding in it, and Herbert knew it considering how many pages of the book were dedicated to explaining just how exactly the entire situation had come about. No only that, but the many factions that played key roles during the entire book were at times name dropped and then went in an entire tangent about who they were, what they were for, and when did they first appear. At times it felt that you were reading an entire dissertation about how an entirely new socio-political entity had been created, than a sci fi story set in the future.

But at the same time, you could feel the love and the passion poured into the project. You could understand George's respect for the book, you could even understand now his more obsessive tendencies on making the Star Wars Universe make sense and have it be as developed and lived in as he did (Dear God, you still remember the room with the board...and how it had gone on to spill over to the walls). Though at the same time, you have to be thankful that he did not went as far as Herbert did.

Seriously, the explanation about the how Bene Gesserit's abilities, their development and tenets, as well as their formation was linked to an event 10,000 years in the past known as the Butlerian Jihad, which had been the result of an A.I. revolution, and thus had led mankind to both disdain and fear technology unless it was absolutely necessary, had been a crucial aspect of how the story developed, and you were supposed to just take that and continue as if nothing else had happened!

You wanted to know more about the Butlerian Jihad darn it! How were you supposed to focus on the current situation when the past sounded so interesting and ripe for further development!

And thus, when you heard how Jodorowsky's attempt at adapting the book were floundering, well you did what you always do; you jumped right in when opportunity knocked. You still remembered how angry Jodorowsky looked when he had to give up the rights when you pointed out all the small little problems, the big problems, and how in the end he would not get a better deal as his production was without any type of money left at the moment. You can admit that you could have been a bit more tactful there, but then again, you were kind of in a rush as you'd heard that De Laurentiis was also aiming for the rights.

You're so glad that George also managed to convince Herbert to give you and Lucasfilms a chance. In you rush you had forgotten about the author in one of your biggest gaffe's, one you made sure to never repeat again!

...Or at least, to have a good legal team to smooth the process over.

The point however was, that for all that you had rammed on Jodorowsky's failure of a production, in the end you had to admit that you were no better... relatively at least. You were certainly not going to try for a 14-hour adaptation, or hire Salvador Dali to play Emperor Corrino. You were certainly going to take a look at what H.R Giger and Jean Giraud had worked on because those designs were freaking inspired! It was a shame you could not get Giger's exclusively for Lucasfilms, but his influence has been felt in several films of yours... as well as Universal and Fox, but in the end, it's the work of the artist what truly matters.

You had the rights with you, and did nothing with them for nearly five years. Even when Dave managed to write a draft for the film you still remained without implementing the plans. Heck, during that period of time Herbert had managed to finish the next two books of his series with Children of Dune and God-Emperor of Dune!

And seriously, a worm-human hybrid?! What will he think of next?

The end results were that you had the rights, and by some miracle, Herbert had decided to trust you and Lucasfilms with the adaptation of the film despite how long it was taking you... And you'd have probably remained undecided for years now had it not been for Francis looking at the film, and going "Mine!" the moment Mike decided to try and find someone interested to direct.

And the script...oh my goodness the script. You'd been aware that one of the greatest difficulties to make this adaptation work would be the entire length of the book and the amount of information that each page delivered. Not to mention how much of said information is exposition, or just the inner thoughts of the person who the book follows at the time. It's all so tightly packaged that estimates put that, for a faithful adaptation, you would need at the very least around seven to eight hours, and that's if you cut the most superfluous aspects.

For that, Francis had a solution that was as simple as it was obvious; he would split the film in two parts, each lasting roughly three and a half hours, separating the first part into an inter-familial conspiracy within the political realm, putting most of the emphasis on the behind-the-scenes byzantine political games of intrigue as everyone plots and schemes against everyone. Where every action could be seen as both beneficial and treason depending on the information at hand. Whereas the second part would focus mostly on the time-skip period, with the battles and fight to retake Arrakis from the Harkonnen.

Needless to say, you were both impressed and apprehensive about this route. It's not like it had not been done before; Superman from what you heard from Kathleen Kennedy had been basically a single movie that was then cut into two parts. The Godfather 1 and 2 could be seen as just continuations of the life of Michael Corleone in a way. But to take a single book and then try to adapt it into more than one film? It was just crazy enough to work!

Concept Art of the settings, the planets, the fashion and costumes, and even the ship designs were made to look as close as possible to the book material, or even trying to approach it in some way. H.R. Giger was even consulted, and though most of his designs were no longer available, what with them being used in different other films, his expertise in the world of Dune that he'd worked for over two years was severely appreciated, giving great insights into the drawings, the architecture, the philosophy behind every clothing design even. He surely made himself famous with the Set Designers, with many of them thanking him and going out for drinks after working hours.

Even then, there was a great deal of elements in the book that would basically stress test the myriads of cutting-edge technologies that you made use of for your films; the settings and location filming would have to be set in one of the most desolate, and hottest, areas of the Mexican dessert if you wanted to have anything approaching how Arrakis would look like. You should know, it had been your job to make sure most of the baggage, equipment, and water (lost and lots of water) would be available through helicopter in order to keep as less obtrusive as possible. Pixar and your special effects team would then have to labor to better edit and arrange for most of the more fantastic elements that your practical effects team could not handle (or to enhance them when needed). Heck, many of them had slaved away in trying to make the Sandworms look as realistic and massive as the book and concept art had portrayed them.

And don't even get you started on the "Sietch", the result may have been both awe inspiring and beautiful, with the whole mix of tradition and technology that complemented each other in a tasteful manner, but it was a back breaking endeavor to first build it and then keep it free of sand for long enough to film the scenes there. And you have to give props for both he Special Effects and VFX teams at ILM for their inspired design for the "Ornithopters". Whoever thought to make them a mix between helicopter and a "dragonfly" deserves an award for making one of the best retro-futuristic designs around.

Francis made sure that each and every one of them would read and re-read the novel again and again in order to find out if there was any clue that might have been missed, any word that could be interpreted or used to describe anything in the world so as to have as many clues on how to better create the world of Dune; the fighting style and choreography as was described had to be built from scratch from the descriptions in order to make something that would look impressive yet still followed the philosophy of "quick defense, fast attack", along with feints and locks. Personal shields were given a nice blue glow whenever hit with CGI that was both subtle and elegant.

But what truly stood out was what they managed to do with the "Weirding Way". As it was described in the book, it was near impossible to replicate on the big screen, but the closest approximation to it was at the very least attempted; a sort of cold reading and high adrenalin state that made movements slower and quick prediction for close combat encounters possible through it, a state where the fighter can "see the future" for lack of a better word, and thus can counter every close counter attack they faced.

The first time you saw it described, and then on the big screen, was a

You may be gushing a bit too much, but there is nothing about this movie that does not impress, and for that you have to give credit where its due. Costumes are on point and perfect for each scene, the Stilt-Suits have this mix of modern and futuristic technology that, if the Magicians are telling the truth, could actually work as advertises, or at least as close as an approximation as possible.

And the music... dear God the music! You'd doubted Hans Zimmer for a moment there, but he came back with some of the most haunting, inspiring, and thought-provoking music of all times that truly reflected the period and alienness of the setting, with sounds that in many ways have never been heard made by human instruments. There's an eeriness and outer worldliness to it that sticks with you through every scene, whether it's during a high action moment, a dangerous moment, or even the most serene and tranquil ones.

Heck, you wouldn't be surprised if the soundtrack managed to win an Oscar as it is.

But despite all the great technical accomplishments that would enhance the overall film, in the end it would be nothing if the story itself was not up to par, and for that, Francis made sure that the script was as airtight as possible when it came to delivering information and entertain. Seriously, having read it, you can truly see the genius behind The Godfather, Apocalypse Now and Devil's Hour: Dead Man's Gold. Each of those films contains an amazing amount of environmental storytelling, just letting the ambience and tone of the movie tell what is going on or the background of the entire movie. An excellent way to detail information visually and organically rather than just through exposition scenes.

A good thing too, since Francis decided to do away with those and the inner thoughts of the characters as well. Instead body language supplements the previous techniques, a marked difference between the book and the adaptation, yet not the only one as well.

For starters, Paul Atreides; the book version of him has him be a bit more introspective and fatalistic even from the beginning, though at the same time more of a responsible man who is willing to carry on the legacy of House Atreides. Francis on the other hand decided to give him a bit of an edge to him, show him as being a bit more rebellious, yet clearly still willing to shoulder responsibility. Hopefully, this will better highlight how Paul's journey is not one of heroism, but a tragedy when the young, arrogant and cocky fighter, becomes more taciturn and ruthless later on in the film and sequel.

Chani Kynes is also given an upgrade, though Paul's paramour and love interest in the book, the adaptation has given her an upgrade by having her be more of a fighter than what was presented in the book, a traditionalist who fully embraces the Fremen way of life, and one of Paul's greatest supporters after their initial confrontation during their first meeting. Though it may not seem as much, in the end Francis chose to highlight and emphasize her greatest qualities while also giving her a more relevant role without changing who she was. During the movie one can see how they begin from strangers, to comrades, to the beginnings of affection and romance. She is his rock in the world, fully supporting him, yet at the same time fully believing in the Lisan al-Gaib.

But the biggest change in the film would be that of Princess Irulan Corrino, the heiress to the throne. In the book she serves as the narrator at best, with many of the chapters beginning with a quote of one of her books of history, and perhaps a single appearance near the end when the emperor is forced to give her to Muad'dib in a political marriage alliance to consolidate his claim to the throne. Here however, Francis has decided to have her serve as a full player, along with a small red herring for Paul's romantic interest. Scenes with her showing her interactions with the emperor, learning under the Bene Gesserit, and being sent to Arrakis just before the betrayal as a way to lower the Atreides guard, help to better flesh out her character, and have it evolve from being a simple pawn of her father's schemes, to a powerful player who has a stake in the game.

Small changes to other characters have also been done, like having Duke Leto be a bit more accepting of Paul and his counsel while remaining a warm parental figure along with a ruthless political lord. Lady Jessica's more maternal attributes take center stage, yet are also wrapped around a cunning manipulative mind that understand very well how the game is played. Yueh, as the traitor, remains hidden till the very last moment, making for a very good B-Plot through the entire film until the reveal during the betrayal, where all the interactions and subtle hints through the movie are recontextualized, giving the perfect satisfaction of a mystery solved. Emperor Corrino also has more to do in this adaptation, giving him more lines that at first portray him as sympathetic to the Atreides, yet also hint at how he's involved in the plot to cast them from grace.

But most of the changes would not have been possible had they not had the casting that could perfectly implement them, and boy did you luck out when it came to them. So many veteran stars made their approach in order to appear in this newest blockbuster, and only the cream of the crop managed to be selected for many of the iconic roles. Not only that, but many of the new blood of Hollywood also tried their luck, meaning that you managed to get some incredible stars in the making in your opinion.

Keanu Reeves was yours and Francis' pick for Paul Atreides. The young kid had impressed both of you with his commitment and talent to the character, his delivery and emoting perfect for Paul both before, during and after the betrayal by the emperor, managing to give a truly enrapturing performance as a relatable young man who nonetheless has the weight of the world in his shoulders. The moments of weakness interspersed with those when he manages to impress or overcome the challenge in front of him, were what truly made the character feel alive, and all the more tragic when the sequel delivers the inevitable conclusion.

There's also Michelle Pfeiffer and Linda Hamilton, both playing Chani Kynes and Princess Irulan Corrino. Pfeiffer was originally not thought of for the role, but her quirky personality made her perfect for the revamped version of Chani, walking the perfect line in between badass warrior woman, but also a traditionalist and believer in the customs of the Fremen society. Linda Hamilton also showed an amazing performance as Princess Irulan, with an arc that had her go from just another princess to a determined contender for the Throne.

Then there's Laurence Olivier and Anne Bancroft, both legends of cinema and actors extraordinaire played Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV and Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam respectively, bringing about their many years of experience to give a truly riveting performance. Despite their scenes being short, their every interaction is heavy with meaning and layers, their every word carefully selected, giving the true illusion of allies of convenience, who would discard each other at a moment's notice, yet have to interact if only for appearances' sake.

Olivier may have chosen the role for the money, but he can truly play the part of a scheming emperor with barely a thought, bringing it all together when the camera begins rolling, and just as easily discarding the part when it stops.

Christopher Lee and Omar Shariff, another couple of veteran actors who have made their mark have also taken the parts of Gurney Halleck and Dr. Liet Kynes respectively. Christopher Lee's knowledge of weapon fighting gave his duel with Paul a sense of real deadliness and also elegance, while also displaying a true degree of rage when the Harkonnen name was spoken, showing the true rage and anger of the character against anything that could involve said family. Shariff as Liet Kynes however, truly gave the doctor the sense of a visionary, a man enchanted by the dream of turning Arrakis into a green planet, willing to give anything for it. And yet, he also displays a sense of hubris, that of a man believing that he could play God and change the immutable, with his punishment being death by the true rulers of the planet, as if punishing him for daring to try and turn their planet against them.

You wished you could stop but here is just something about each and every one of these actors that just made the movie unforgettable, with each of their roles bringing a piece of the puzzle that seemed to give the answer as to why it was so great; Ian McShane as Thufir Hawat, the loyal assistant to House Atreides, distrustful of Lady Jessica, and so convinced of his mental acuity. Pat Morita, an actor that just oozed joviality was able to play the doomed and taciturn Dr. Yueh to perfection, giving nothing away until the very last moment when he betrays Duke Leto, yet also brings him the final way when he can strike back at the Baron.

And speaking of Baron Vladimir Harkoness, Oliver Reed managed to perfectly grab the most loquacious and smug parts of the book, and package them in a truly terrifying and inhuman manner. Christopher Walken and Willem Dafoe as Piter De Vries and Glossu Raban "The Beast" Harkonnen complete this trifecta of evil with the cunning and depraved Mentat mind in the case of the former, a human computer given rein to the darkest impulses of mankind, while the latter's most unhinged and violent nature is amplified by an actor who was told to go wild and by doing so shocked the entire studio with how utterly scary he could be.

And of course, you cannot stop without talking about both Sylvester Stallone and Raul Julia, both who played warriors as Duncan Idaho and Stilgar, the leader of the Fremen of Sietch Tabr. That Sly and you audition for the same role is well known, and he is well deserved of the position after giving a performance that managed to, if not eclipse his previous roles, at the very least made it a peer to them. Duncan Idaho, Paul's teacher, a warrior born who gives his life to allow him a few more minutes to escape, left the world with a smile after knowing his ward and student was safe. While Raul Julia gave an intense performance as the new leader and mentor of Paul, teaching him all the ways of the Fremen while also serving in a way as a surrogate father when he needed him the most. A caring leader, a though leader, someone that fully believed in the Fremen traditions, and would not countenance them being broken.

With all the pieces together, the movie's big release was set for 1985', though circumstance would conspire against said date, namely the author of the books himself; Frank Herbert eventually made his stance known about it. He had been waiting for the movie to be developed, produced and released for nearly five years, and would not countenance that it be delayed for any longer. Francis also stood by Frank's statement, declaring how despite Star Wars, he believed that Dune would have what it took to be distinct enough so as to not be confused with the former, and to stand as an equal to it as well.

With no other choice, the date was eventually set for November 1984, just after the twin hits of Hotel Transylvania for Universal and The Shining for Lucasfilms. The world waited in anticipation as Mike did what he did best and made sure to promote the film to heck and back; late night shows with interviews with the cast, trailers that highlighted some of the best wide and panoramic views while titillating the curiosity of the audience with some of the best CGI and Special effects mix there was. Use the old label of 2the book that could not be adapted" and turn it on its head by adding "until now" to the message. Deals in advance were made with food chains to promote it as far as it could get.

The premise being similar to Star Wars both helped and went against it though, with many fans seeing it as a knock off of the real thing (and are you ever glad that Herbert never heard that!) while others were excited at seeing a variation of an old favorite. Both however would change their tunes when the lights were off, the haunting and enthralling music began, and they were immersed in a world of political intrigue, a world where technology was feared and abhorred, a future separated by class and inequalities, where the upper strata could determine if you lived and die, where despite having force shields and lasers combat is done through melee and medieval weapons, where despite the good and bad guys being clearly recognizable there was still enough of a shadow to wonder what is good and bad in such a bleak universe.

This was not Star Wars, they soon realized, but by that point it did not matter, for they were too invested in the traitor's plot, in the Bene Gesserit involvement, in the legend of the Kwisatz Haderach and the Lisan al-Gaib, and the destiny of Paul Atreides and his crusade to end the Harkonnens once and for all.

When the movie ended with Jessica becoming the new Reverend Mother of the Fremen, and Paul awakening from a horrible vision of the future, there was not even a moment when the credits began before the entire theater exploded into applause and cheers at what they had just seen; the perfect combination of practical and computer-generated effects to create real, tangible feel. The emotive story, with a grand scale and scope, all mixed with the perfect ambience of alienness with a tone of gravitas and a climate of suspicion.

It all mixed together to make one of the greatest films of the time, a movie that has the right and the duty to call itself art. Yellowscreen and CGI were used to create the Ginat Sandworm that had everyone on the theater yell when it revealed itself in all its massive glory. Transport ships had the most beautiful aesthetic that differentiated them from those lived in ones in Star Wars, along with some of the most tasteful designs for costumes that complemented the set designs.

What else could it be called besides a work of art? Both the cinematography and the music blended perfectly. Three and a half hours passed like nothing, the audience enthralled on the screen with no one complaining, debunking another Hollywood myth that movies lasting longer than two hours would never work. The pacing... well, it may seem a bit slow at first, but it blends perfectly into the telling of the story, and it ramps up quickly enough so as to not make the audience lose interest, but instead to mix with their expectations and increase it all to a crescendo during the betrayal, until it ramps down slowly again till the final scene.

The audience would not get enough of the visually beautiful, narratively well-constructed world, with the interpretations played by a star cast of actors and actresses, along with a new sci-fi Universe ready to be explored and expanded in a second movie.

In America alone it was like seeing Star Wars once more in a miniature scale; Dune made about $230 Million dollars alone, with the domestic market going even wilder; Ireland and Britain went nuts over the bleakness of the Universe its tastes always geared more towards a darker take of Science Fiction than America usually was. France was enthralled by Francis' cinematography artistic style of the world and costumes. Heck the fashion industry itself began taking some cues over the more complex designs to see if they could be applied in a more modern setting. Germany and Italy felt that Dune should receive their own awards, though unfortunately the release of the film being so late made it near to impossible. A letter writing campaign in Italy nearly garnered a million signatures to allow Dune to still be represented, yet could not gather enough in the time remaining.

And while Yugoslavia certainly loved the movie, it was in Romania where it had the most odd of reactions. Like all things Lucasfilms the country devoured the movie, making a cool $50 Million then and there, yet two positions around it sprung; the first one where they could identify with the Fremen and Paul's crusade for revenge against the Harkonnen's and the Empire, yet at the same time the other group felt nothing but disdain thinking that Paul is a cheat, someone that is clearly using the Fremen for his own needs, and would thus use them through their own traditions, which he himself acknowledges as fabrication by the Bene Gesserit. For the first time, they don't know who to root for here, as it is not a movie where you can accept either side as being purely good in a way.

Boy, are they going to be surprised when they see the sequel.

In Japan and the East however Dune became the second coming of Star Wars, with earnings around $100,000,000 coming from there alone. Distribution became so contested that for the first time in a long time Sunrise struggled to meet the demand. That the film ended in the middle of what seemed to be warnings of a future catastrophe really appealed to their aesthetics in filming and storytelling, with many no longer being able to stand the waiting and actually, for the first time, creating a full-on demand of Frank Herbert's books to be sold. Not only the first but the rest of the collection as well.

...Just what is it with Japan?! First Stephen King and now Frank Herbert?! You were supposed to be the ones to be enthralled with their culture, not the other way around! Yet as time passed it seemed that just like America embraced Japan and its many different artistic expressions, so did Japan embraced American more open traditions and customs as shown through your movies. A true two-way street that was actually, slowly, morphing the country in a way that the New Japan Party seemed to favor, yet the most traditional and conservative parties seemed to deplore.

At the very least you don't have to worry about the critics, as this time they proclaimed Francis' works as the return to form for the master. There was nothing to critic about Dune, absolutely nothing. The shots were perfect, the lighting was perfect, the sounds, props, setting and CGI along with the practical effects were a thing of beauty in their eyes, the story was both complex and thought provoking... there is no end to their praise and worship that if you did not remember how many times in the past they had given the shaft to your film, you might have actually been flattered.

But at the very least, many of those who worked in the film can raise their heads high with pride, and know they made art, that it was all possible because of them. Both crew and actors, alike received their well-deserved accolades, with their roles being forever preserved in history. In time, VHS sales would make the film technically win nearly a Billion dollars, Keanu Reeves would forever say that this was his first step towards stardom, with Laurence Olivier citing it as "a surprisingly deep role for a Sci Fi film".

And then of course was a story that you did not know how to actually take in; turns out that Alejandro Jodorowsky, the man whom you'd bought the right sway back then, had decided to go in order to see the film. In any other occasion you would have felt flattered, but instead you can only feel confusion and annoyance when he was heard to have left with an angry look on his face when the cheers and applause began, angrily muttering how "his adaptation would have been better". Now, you're not one to take heed of rumors, but the fact that this one came from a close friend of his, and that he in no way seems to try to deny it, just brings to mind a very unflattering picture.

Talk about sour grapes.

But at the very least, you know that someone closer to the book's rights was pleased; Frank Herbert was given a seat of honor during the release at the Chinese Theater, and rightfully received a standing ovation as the creator at the end, with a pleased smile on his face from beginning to end. The next day he went to speak with Geoge directly, and though you don't know what was said there, that both seemed to be in high spirits by the end of their talk was evident to all working in Lucasfilms. The go ahead to begin production on the second film is already in place, only needing your signature, and Francis seems willing, and most of all eager, to come back to the Dune Universe and finish what he started.

In the meantime, Mike is already getting legal to try and secure the rights for the rest of the book saga.

 

[overmind]

The Secret of NIMH
Directed by: Don Bluth
Written by: Don Bluth and John Pomeroy
Produced by: Don Bluth
Production Studio: DreamWorks Studios
Distribution Studio: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Elizabeth Hartman (Mrs. Brisby), Dom DeLuise (Jeremy), Peter Strauss (Justin), Arthur Malet (Mr. Ages), Derek Jacobi (Nicodemus), Paul Shenar (Jenner), John Carradine (The Great Owl), Hermoione Baddeley (Auntie Shrew) and Aldo Ray (Sullivan)

Quality: D100 + 250 => 345
Audience: D100 + 250 => 277
Critics: D100 + 250 => 251

Budget: $20,000,000
Domestic: $43,234,342
International: $55,532,234
Total Gross: $98,766,576

VHS: $604,234,004​

When it came to animation, few names in DreamWorks could be said to embody it as deeply as Don Bluth. The man had dedicated his life to the craft ever since the first time he ever saw Snow White, had slaved over old Disney coloring books, drawing and redrawing over the edges in order to practice as a child. Had made trips with his bike to the studios in order to see them at work in person, and when he finally managed to get his dream job at Disney... he found an entire studio that had become rudderless after the death of its founder. No longer the place where magic was created, and no longer the place where innovation and dreams ruled. Now, it was just a machine that focused on churning out the next project, reusing the same cells because they had been done in the time of Walt Disney, and believing that stagnation was the best way of honoring him.

And Don Bluth, after over a decade of working, after a decade of trying to make them see sense, and after getting his first directorial work be cancelled without an explanation, up and quit, taking many of the animators at Disney with him, and joined in a new enterprise in Hollywood; DreamWorks Animation, your studio and dreamchild. A place where the artist and the art would always be put first, and the one place where he was fully welcomed along with his ideas for future animation. You still remember how eager he was to work on the first film, how he and his group made sure that Hiawatha embodied everything about his philosophy for storytelling and the new direction for cells and drawing. It would be a bold new statement for the studio that dared to challenge Disney, and show the future of animation.

From there, many animators that favored Bluth and his style of animation gathered under him in order to learn and take part of his projects. Some of the more technologically minded like Lasseter, who saw the future of animation in computer graphics and software would usually call them the "Old Men" due to their preference to using only hand drawn animation, but there was no denying that in many ways, it did bring something else to the table that the new advances in technology could not fully replicate, a certain quality that could not be fully understood. You could see it clearly when Bluth showed you a beautiful handcrafted animation of what looked to be a well with water bubbling and shining out of a bucket, yet it managed to look so realistic and ethereal that it managed to knock the breath out of you for a moment.

That was the first time that you saw a completed sequence of what would become The Secret of NIMH.

Originally a novel written by Robert Leslie Carroll Conly called Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Bluth had been one of the most ardent supporters of making the film, ever since Ken Anderson, another of the animators who'd joined him in the exodus from Disney, had introduced him to the book while they were still working at said studio. Supposedly, he'd mentioned how the entire set-up and tone of the book was basically everything Disney had once been yet had forgotten once Walt died; innovative, original and not afraid to take risks.

Bluth had loved the tale of course, both the message and the overall aesthetic that the book introduced through its description of the world of the Rats of NIMH was such a breath of fresh air that, during their periods of time away from their main projects, they would secretly work on the story, the characters, and actually make some concept art for them, thinking that it would be something to do once they were in a position of power to bring about the much-desired change.

But as they say, the plans of mice and men often go awry.

Regardless, with their new beginning in DreamWorks, and after many years where they continued their work, now joined by the increasing "Old Men", the world of NIMH slowly began to take shape, both in concept art and in the story department. With the additional time and resources there was always at least some members that could help during the work, and with Bluth at the head, they at least knew that they were working on something truly magical.

Even if the book itself seemed to lack said magic.

The story mainly focused on the rats and the society they built after escaping from said institute, their struggles, and their different attempts at identifying themselves, forming a society, and whether it should be one that is still dependent on human technology, or if they should try to strike it on their own and abandon their past. Most of the overall tale focused on the society that was trying to be built, but Bluth wanted something different; He did not wish to ape Musker and Clements who had managed to replicate the Disney look and tone for their films, but to show an evolution from said style.

And what better way than the movie idea that was originally born out of rebellion against Disney.

The film had its differences from the book of course, though the biggest one had to be the change of focus; though the book had Mrs. Frisby as a character, the main focus was on the rats of NIMH, their tribulations and society. Bluth however, decided to change the focus to make the film revolve around the titular "Mrs. Brisby" (and just why is a Frisbee company trying to sue you for copyright infringement?!) and her travels through the Fitzgibbons family farm in order to find way to save his young child suffering from Pneumonia, what with "Moving Day" arriving soon (The Harvest Day for the human family) and the child being unable to move.

During her journey she meets many colorful characters that liven the entire trip; Mr. Ages, a friend of her old husband. Jeremy, a clumsy crow looking for love who becomes her companion during her travels. The Old Owl, a being that looks straight out of your nightmares that nonetheless managed to give Mrs. Brisby some sage advice and point her in the right direction. Nicodemus, the leader of the rats of NIHM, and the wielder of powerful magic (because of course Bluth was not metaphorical when speaking about it). Auntie Shrew, who takes care of Mrs. Brisby's children. Justin, one of the leaders of the rats of NIMH, and an honorable being who is in constant contention for leadership against Jenner, a vile traitor who schemes and plots for control of the community, no matter who many he has to kill to achieve it.

Though interactions with the characters may make it seem lively and complex, especially with the political maneuvering for control of the community in the background, in the end the story is a very simple tale of a mother doing anything and everything for her children, hoping to give them a better tomorrow, no matter how much she has to sacrifice in order to do so. The inclusion of magic and mystical elements into what seemed a more grounded and scientific type of film was all Bluth's idea as well, with the argument that "animation calls for a type of magic to give it a special, fantastic, quality". Nicodemus and Mrs. Brisby's scenes being some of the more mystical, and introducing the red amulet that would save her children at the end, linking them together.

And of course, what stands out the most is the animation. Utterly gorgeous, with over six hundred colors through a life affirming adventure, five hundred which Bluth and his team developed on their own. Each environment was represented with a perfect painting, resembling in many ways a film from Miyazaki, though in your clearly unbiased opinion, Bluth did it better. There were about one thousand in total, each of them bringing an entire new vista to life; sunshine moving through the tree's life wings of fire, water shining and bubbling in a myriad of colors, the terrifying visage of the Old Owl as he made his first appearance...

And let's make no mistake, this movie is for children, but is clearly not afraid to scare them and show them the darkness of the world as well. So many scenes of the movie being some serious contenders for the PG rating, and yet Bluth manages to make them work by pairing them with other scenes that show the beauty of the world, or the hope and kindness that can be found within every living being. Moments of courage from Mrs. Brisby or nobility by Justin are countered by the treachery of Jenner or the cowardice of Sullivan. Both sides are perfectly represented and complement each other.

The locations on full display are also enthralling and meant to awe the audience, as it well should, with its many varied and inspired venues through which the characters make their way in order to save the day; haunting briar patch interiors, psychedelic tree hollows and subterranean sleepy quarters reflect the film's opulent atmosphere, and the impending sense of doom, as the farmer gets ready to reap the rewards of a harvest well done. An excellent work of xenofiction adapted to the big screen in your opinion.

The story in and of itself its truly charming with a stellar cast; Elisabeth Hartman as Mrs. Brisby bring so much warmth and care to the character that it's difficult to separate the character from the artist. Dom DeLuise as Jeremy the Crow is both hilarious, while also avoiding making himself the butt of the jokes... mostly. Peter Strauss as Justin, the heroic member of the community, the award-winning actor imbuing him with a sense of nobility and grace in the face of danger. He shines all the greater when facing his foe, the despicable Jenner played by Paul Shenar, who plays the character with a cunning and murderous menace, one who aims to rule the rats of NIMH with an iron claw. Derek Jacobi as Nicodemus, the wise and mystical rat turned what could very well be an out of place element in the film, and made it an integral part of the whole. And of course, John Carradine as the Great Owl, so immersed himself in the character that it imbued him with a gravitas and terror that perfectly matched the flawless animation.

Of note was one of the voice actors for the children of Mrs. Brisby, Will Wheaton, who you have to admit might have a future in voice acting for the future. All the other actors seemed to like him as well, considering him as their "lucky charm" for the production.

Would that it had been so. Coming right out in the middle of Dune (Part I) domination of the box office, and right after Blue Sky wowed everyone with Hotel Transylvania, The Secret of NIMH could not have come at a worse time for such a masterpiece. Sure, it made its budget and more, but what deserved to be remembered among the greatest of all animation's feats and as an equal to anything that Disney could throw out, was instead seen as just "another mouse movie", as if DreamWorks made it its mission to ape Disney in both aesthetics and ideas.

At the very least, many of those who did come to see the film were suitably awed by the animation that Bluth and his team slaved over; its depth, luminosity and the personality for each of the characters still some of the highlights of it. As expected, there were some complaints that the film was a bit too mature for the target audiences, but then again you did follow the PG rating to the letter... and now they are actually threatening to change the rating to mean something else entirely!

Good grief! Luckily that Congress is not in a mood to entertain such ludicrous demands at the moment.

Those who did come for the matinee however, were treated not only with a beautifully crafted story and animation, but one of the best music as well, with Jerry Goldsmith, one of the best composers that there is, the one who's worked in sound scores for movies like Chinatown, Patton and Alien. He's widely recognized as one of the best at the field, and he was one of the most interested in trying to make a score for an animated film, calling it a "fun challenge", as well as his favorite work so far. Many of the team members have stories about him, and how overjoyed he was at working in the film.

You just wished that that the critics had not gone back to their old hating self and tried to destroy the film for no reason whatsoever. This was a movie made with care and love, with some of the most jaw dropping artistry, exploring mature themes and emotional outlook, while still remaining accessible to children. So how the heck do they get off by claiming that it was a step down from previous entries?! And what, just because it has a mouse it must be a rip-off from Basil?! They are actually claiming that DreamWorks ran out of originality?!

Just when you think that you can let your guard down around critics, that's when they reveal the knife, ready to plunge it once more in your back.

Even so, your little Mary and your little goslings loved the movie when you went to see it, the first one after you came back from the Conan production. Little George had to stay behind with Debbie, but the rest of the family thought it was a wonderful experience, sharing in the magic and adventure. Sarah was wide eyed through the entire film, loving the different designs and the animation, wanting to see the movie again, and nearly crying when told they had to go home.

And that's basically the experience from families who had taken their children to see the film. The movie may have been reviewed to hell and back by the critics, and perhaps it was not what many expected after seeing Hotel Transylvania, but it was still a hit with children who asked for their parent to see it again. The rentals and sells of VHS Tapes shot through the roof thanks to said children, who then showed it to their friends, who then begged their parents for their own copy, creating a neat word of mouth campaign as parents had to agree that the movie was pretty good when seen with the whole family together, creating new traditions in many households.

When the numbers reached over half a million however, the movie went from becoming a nice family movie, to a freaking cult classic when now different demographics were buying it to see the unbelievable animation. Heck, even Caltech, from what you heard, has been using it as an example in storytelling, extolling its virtues to many a student that wishes to enter the field of animation, as well as how to do an adaptation right without compromising on the core message of the story.

Another bit of bad luck was the small short that had been planned to debut along with this movie. It seemed that, once more, Pixar and Lasseter had managed to do something truly groundbreaking when they created André & Wally B, a small short featuring the first use of motion blur in CGI animation and complex 3-D backgrounds, actually managing to break the old limits of only using geometric forms in CGI, and allowing for a more fluid and cartoony look using nothing but computer graphic and animation.

It was something very simple, showing a character named Andre being confronted by a pesky bumblebee, and the shenanigans they get into as the former tries to get away from the latter. In a way, it reminds you a bit of the slpastick comedy of TOm and Jerry during their early days before it was sanitized, though you don't think it's going to be making a new franchise on its own. From what the audience reaction to it showed, it was veery well received, even if they did not understood fully what they were watching.

But this was something truly outstanding for the studio in and of itself. Sure the story might not be as complex or as long as your previous other tales, but it had opened an entire new medium through which animation and stories could be told. In many ways, this was going to be the Steamboat Willie of this generation when it came to future films that made exclusive use of computer animation.

It was a good thing that Bluth did not find out about it until much, much later.

But what truly made both Bluth and his team's day was a letter from Jane Leslie Conly, the daughter of the author, who thanked them for making such a faithful adaptation of her father's work. She mentioned how she was planning on continuing his efforts and writing a sequel to the book, and promising them the rights to adapt it should they ever be interested. Last you heard; Bluth had the letter framed to serve as motivation for the rest of the group who would continue on the path of hand drawn animation.

What else can you say? It was truly a beautiful experience.

 

[overmind]

LucasTV (1983) Part I​

Fraggle Rock - Season 1
Created By: Jim Henson
Starring: Jerry Nelson (Gobo Fraggle, Architect Doozer), Kathryn Mullen (Mokey Fraggle, Cotterpin Doozer), Steve Whitmire (Wembley Fraggle, Crusty Doozer), Dave Goelz (Boober Fraggle, Uncle Traveling Matt), Karen Prell (Red Fraggle, Modem Doozer), Rob Paulsen (Rhinestone Doozer), Richard Hunt (Storyteller Fraggle), and Bob Bergen (Lugnut Doozer)
Studio: Henson Associates
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - February 1984

Quality: D100 + 400 => 401
Audience: D100 + 400 => 416
Critics: D100 + 400 => 443​

(Carrie POV)

Poor Jim. Ever since his meteoric rise with films and television, you'd wondered how he could sustain the heights he'd always dreamed of reaching.

*Fraggle Rock* was meant to be a return to form, a gentle nudge back to the roots of puppetry and storytelling that had defined his early successes. The show, planned as a Lucas-backed family series, seemed a safe bet—a lighthearted, wholesome morning rotation that could quietly charm its way into the hearts of young viewers. Jim was hoping for at least three seasons, both to offer steady work to his loyal team of puppeteers and to train a new generation of "Muppeteers," as they proudly called themselves, to carry on his legacy of creativity and craft.

But behind the scenes, Fraggle Rock was far from the idyllic return Jim had envisioned. Health issues and mounting production drama quickly overshadowed any sense of normalcy. Almost immediately after production began, Jim fell gravely ill. He collapsed on set right before shooting a pivotal opening scene, prompting widespread concern among the crew. Doctors initially feared the worst, suspecting lung cancer, and Jim was hospitalized for several months as they ran exhaustive tests.

In a stroke of luck—or perhaps fate—doctors discovered Jim had pneumonia and another lung infection, not cancer. His long stint in the hospital, while grueling, became something of a rebirth. The extended rest and recovery sparked a renewed vigor in him, something almost magical. You couldn't help but think that this challenging period would one day be seen as Fraggle Rock's true legacy—the show that may have saved Jim's life.

Yet, the challenges only mounted on set. Without Jim's presence, the production spiraled. The TV director, Eric Till, found himself in a near-impossible position, juggling production demands he had little experience with. While he did his best, it was clear that the visionary magic lived and breathed through Jim, and without him, the project struggled. Ideas were scattered, scenes missed the mark, and the once-tight-knit crew was adrift, without the guidance or drive Jim brought to every set.

The final product on-screen was a shadow of what it could have been. Even Little George, one of the most optimistic on set, was disheartened, nearly moved to tears each time the show aired. It was amateurish, far from the caliber of The Muppets or Sesame Street. Morale dwindled, and enthusiasm faded. Brandon, George, Bruce—all of them were reluctant to call it quits, but deep down, you could tell they doubted the show would earn a second season. It simply wasn't good enough to warrant one, despite everyone's hopes.

Fraggle Rock had the heart and the vision to become something timeless, but without Jim, it had lost its soul.

Daredevil - Season 1
Showrunner: Stephen J. Cannel and Frank Lupo
Starring: Mickey Rourke (Matt Murdock/Daredevil), Jim Belushi (Franklin Percy "Foggy" Nelson), Sharon Stone (Karen Page), Mark Linn-Baker (Ben Urich), Francesca Annis (Vanessa Mariana), Roy Scheider (James Wesley), Kris Kristofferson (Leland Owlsley), Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin (Kenneth McMillan), James Caan (Jack Murdock), Paul Lantom (Adam West), Tom Berenger (Brett Mahoney), Eric Allan Kramer (Anatoly Ranskahov), James Remar (Vladimir Ranskahov), Ken Watanabe (Nobu Yoshioka), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Hector Ayala), Richard Pryor (Turk Barrett), Harry Dean Stanton (Mitchell Ellison), Bronson Pinchot (Melvin Potter) and Kirk Douglas (Stick)
Studio: LucasTV
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - October 1983

Quality: D100 + 400 => 471
Audience: D100 + 400 => 500
Critics: D100 + 400 => 404​

(Carrie POV)

You were honestly taken aback when you first heard about the show; yet another comic book adaptation of street-level heroes, it seemed, was flooding the screen. Everyone was going wild for gritty vigilantes these days. From Bruce donning the cowl as Batman to countless others, the genre was undeniably in vogue.

This time, it was Daredevil—the story of Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer-turned-vigilante prowling the dangerous streets of Hell's Kitchen. Unlike earlier hits like Luke Cage, this adaptation took real risks, redefining Lucas TV's approach with bold storytelling and inventive cinematography. It wasn't afraid to focus on Matt's civilian life, either; one episode, in particular, stood out as a masterclass of character development. In it, Matt and his friend Foggy Nelson worked tirelessly to prove an accused murderer's innocence, diving into the legal drama without a single glimpse of the horned mask. Fans hailed it as possibly the best episode of the season—a showcase of the complexity and stakes of Murdock's day job that made the vigilante moments hit even harder.

But with these creative choices came inevitable controversy.

It was rare to see such stark, gritty violence on TV, and Daredevil didn't shy away from it. While Bruce, in his meticulous way, might choreograph how to take down a hundred men in style, Matt's fights were different—a dirty, bloody brawl that felt painfully realistic, almost intimate. The hallway fight scenes, in particular, earned a near-mythic status among fans and industry insiders alike for their intensity and single-take execution. But the grittiness wasn't to everyone's taste, and soon the fanbase found itself split.

Critics lambasted Daredevil for what they saw as an overdone, grim tone and an uneven attempt to capture Marvel's lighter touch, branding it inferior to Marvel's polished cinematic heroes. But the audience was smitten, embracing it with fervor as if Daredevil was the best thing since Luke Cage. For viewers, it wasn't about matching the Marvel movies' tone—it was about taking the risk to do something different, something grounded and visceral.

The debate only fueled the show's success, as fans and critics alike couldn't stop talking about it. It felt like a new era for street-level superheroes, and Daredevil had carved out its own gritty corner of the Marvel universe.

You just made sure the kids were not watching it without you or Bruce around. They were not old enough to watch shows like that alone just yet.

(Bruce POV)

The entire series was a masterpiece not only because of the cinematography, but because of the perfect casting as well; Mickey Rourke was a godsend, and you were lucky to convince him to play the role rather than that Eureka film he had been eyeing. The chemistry that he and Jim Belushi showed on set as Matt and Foggy was out of this world, their quick friendship in real life translating perfectly to the screen. Particularly the episode where both are talking about their past, their choices, and the betrayal when Foggy learned of Matt's secret identity. It was powerful and raw, which had it become a favorite for the Emmy's.

Then there's Kenneth McMillan as Wilson Fisk, the tormented, yet murderous Kingpin. The man played him with a viciousness and brutality that was all the more pronounced when you learnt of the tragedy of the character's childhood, one that while not justifying it, it does make you understand just why he became the man he is. The novelty is how they portrayed him in comparison to his Marvel counterpart, giving him a clear desire to help the city, but doing so through violent and criminal means, not seeing the wrong of what he is doing.

That he may be able to seek absolution, or at least redemption in some way through Vanessa Mariana, played by Francesca Annis, the one woman who was able to see through him and still accept him, warts and all, makes it all the sadder, since instead of her pulling him out of the dark pit he's in, she instead grants him a shovel and encourages him to continue on his dark path. Both sides are perfect for each other, in all the wrong ways.

Sharon Stone, Mark Linn-Baker and Roy Scheider are a perfect trifecta as Karen Page, Ben Urich, and James Wesley respectively. Their entire Sub-Plot where the identity of the Kingpin is at play, the different obstacles they go through, the many brushes with death that both Karen and Ben have to go through in order to escape from Wesley, keep the tension in the series at a low simmer, never letting it go until the final revelation, only to be replaced by a new one, as Matt has to find a way to stop the Kingpin before he can take over the city.

Kirk Douglas, a legend from Hollywood, even went against the usual films and shows he made, flexing his acting range as he brought the gruff and strict character of Stick to life. Matt's mentor, the unrelenting and uncompromising blind man who taught him how to fight, was given a touch of heart and gentleness to him by Douglas, who soon showed just what exactly was missing from the role; small scenes that showed that for all that he never told Matt he cared for him, he still showed it in the small gestures that shone all the brighter for their scarcity.

And you don't know who came up with the idea of Adam West as Father Paul Lantom, but he deserves a raise. Not many remember that Adam West had a career before he was Batman, but this role put to rest whether he could play anything other than the caped crusader. He played the role of a man of God, a man who is trying to aid Matt while keeping secrets, and turned it into one of the stand out characters of the entire series. His talks with Matt about the need for less violence, forgiveness, and the morals of the church made even the Moral Guardians smile, with finally a figure of God gaining a wide following as Marvel decided to introduce him in the next Daredevil comics as a regular.

Seems like Frank Miller will be quite busy for his next arc.

Fillmore - Season 1
Created by: William Hannah and Joseph Barbera
Starring: Mark Hamill (Cornelius C. Fillmore), Melendy Britt (Ingrid Third), Rene Auberjonois (Horatio Vallejo), Peter Newman (Danny O'Farrell), Gerrianne Raphael (Principal Dawn S. Folsom), Larry Kenney (Vice Principal Raycliff) and Bruce O'Brian (Wayne Ligget).
Studio: Hanna-Barbera Studios
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - February 1984

Quality: D100 + 500 => 541
Audience: D100 + 500 => 597
Critics: D100 + 500 => 561​

(Mary POV)

You hadn't really known what to make of Filmore when it first aired—only that George and Joseph seemed to love it. It was a quirky show about two friends, Cornelius Fillmore and Ingrid Third, who served on the Safety Patrol, essentially acting as the detectives and police force of Malcolm X Middle School.

It was, at its core, a cop show, which Daddy wasn't a fan of. He'd say they were formulaic, filled with clichés, and churned out by "talentless hacks in the writers' room." Shows like that, according to him, were only good for wasting time. But he wasn't around now, and that meant he didn't have to know you'd given Filmore a try.

The lead characters, Fillmore and Ingrid, were nothing like the stiff, humorless cops Daddy complained about. Fillmore was tough but witty, quick with a comeback, and Ingrid, his fiercely smart and observant partner, made them a great team. They tackled every "case" thrown at them, from missing science fair projects to suspicious cafeteria deals, uncovering all the corruption and petty crimes around their school.

And it was fun—way more fun than you'd expected. Sure, you raised an eyebrow at that Russian transfer student trying to smuggle Star Wars toys back to the Soviet Union on suspicion of espionage. It sounded a bit much. Then again, there were people who stole toys for their kids on the news all the time, so maybe it wasn't so far-fetched after all.

Each episode was something new and, oddly enough, felt relatable in a way that went beyond its middle-school setting. There was something genuine about how Fillmore and Ingrid tackled problems, even if it was a cartoon. The stories weren't just about catching the bad guy—they were about loyalty, sticking up for others, and doing what's right, even when it was tough. It struck a chord with you, one that was hard to ignore.

Part of you wished Daddy would give it a shot, maybe even watch it with you. If he saw Fillmore's integrity and Ingrid's courage, maybe he'd understand why this show was different—why it was worth watching.

Are You Afraid Of The Dark - Season 1
Created by: D.J. MacHale
Starring: Dan Frischman (Gary), Rob Stone (Ben), Khrystyne Haje (Carrie), Jason Bateman (Nathan), Robin Givens (Jessie), Elisabeth Shue (Ally), William Zabka (Jack), Aron Tager (Dr. Vink) and Richard Dumont (Sardo)
Studio: LucasTV
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - February 1984

Quality: D100 + 400 => 499
Audience: D100 + 400 => 499
Critics: D100 + 400 => 491​

(Carrie POV)

It was honestly surprising that such a short anthology series had even been greenlit, especially considering it came from a little-known Canadian TV producer who, up to that point, hadn't done much of note. No one really expected much, and the general assumption was that this would be another low-budget filler show.

But wow—were you wrong about that. And after watching an episode, you knew there was no way you'd let the kids watch it. Sure, it wasn't bloody or gory; there was nothing overtly inappropriate. But it had something you hadn't anticipated: a palpable, spine-chilling tension that somehow gripped you, even through the screen. With limited resources and the C-team of ILM's effects budget, the show had pulled off something rare—actual, gut-wrenching suspense.

The kids were smart, sure, but you didn't want them learning the difference between a cheap scare and true horror just yet. You could only imagine them waking in the middle of the night, jumping at shadows, and crawling into bed with you and Bruce, sleepless and wide-eyed.

The framing was simple yet chilling: a group of kids and teens, calling themselves the Midnight Society, would gather in an isolated spot, shadows stretching long around them, their faces half-lit by flashlights and lanterns. Each night, they'd take turns sharing their own "scary story," spinning eerie tales that felt far too real. And each story carried something more intense than you'd expect—tension and drama worthy of Hitchcock, crafted on a shoestring budget that never showed the monster until the very end, if at all. The dread didn't come from what you saw; it came from what was left unseen, hinted at in the reactions of the listeners, the fleeting glances, and the sense of building paranoia.

The subtlety was remarkable, giving it the potential to become a Halloween tradition on TV for years. You'd even heard some neighborhood kids had chosen to watch it on Halloween instead of going trick-or-treating, eager to see how the final story would wrap up. They were reportedly screaming by the end, wishing they'd just gone for candy instead of getting scared out of their minds.

The critics, initially dismissive of the show as just another "stock anthology series" to fill airtime for the network's bigger shows, were eventually forced to change their tune. They praised it as "the finest work of horror fiction ever put on television," acknowledging its skillful tension-building and Hitchcockian restraint. You'd never seen anything quite like it, and it left you wondering just what kind of classic might be born out of this low-budget gem.

Remington Steele - Season 2
Created By: Robert Butler
Starring: Stephanie Zimbalist (Laura Holt), Pierce Brosnan (Remingston Steele), Doris Roberts (Mildred Krebs), Blake Clark (Fred) and Beverly Garland (Abigail Holt).
Studio: LucasTV
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - February 1984

Quality: D100 + 400 => 488
Audience: D100 + 400 => 498
Critics: D100 + 400 => 483​

(Carrie POV)

The first season was definitely *not* Bruce's cup of tea. Honestly, it might not have been yours either. It dragged, felt monotonous, and the pacing oscillated wildly between promising and painfully sluggish. The mystery elements were almost nonexistent, and the whole thing seemed to settle on a lackluster "meh" more often than not. By all rights, the show should have been canceled after season one. It was only because of Mike Eisner—yes, that Mike Eisner—seeing some hidden potential in it, and Brandon Tartikoff's commitment to honoring a three-season contract, that it got another shot.

Then came the shake-up in the writers' room. The producers, realizing they'd been handed a second chance, knew this was a "do or die" situation. They brought in new talent, amping up the energy and intensity with one goal in mind: make it great or go down swinging. From what you heard from friends on set, something truly magical was happening in production. There was an undeniable buzz, and people said it was one of the happiest, most harmonious sets in LA at the time—a rarity. And after hearing Bruce's complaints about his *Conan* production dramas, this kind of upbeat atmosphere was almost too good to believe.

When the second season started filming, the show felt renewed. It didn't linger on the tangled threads of the first season's finale. Instead, it picked up with fresh momentum and focus, a new narrative that was tighter and braver. The story no longer wavered in the slow, uneven way of the first season but instead charged forward, evolving with each episode.

And push forward did it, with the main duo having far more chemistry then the first season, with Zimbalist and Bronson both having wonderful moments of will they won't they, and played into Steeles past as a con artist and thief, showing how his skills, finally, translate, while Zimbalist showed just how compatent her detective was.

The fact that the season had an over arching villian in Steele's former assosiate trying to steal several priceless artifacts and paintings to use as money laundering for... criminals... that part was never clear.

But it was a fun show and it redeemed itself after a bad first season.

Salem's Lot
Showrunner: Tobe Hopper
Starring: Nicholas Hammond (Ben Mears), Faye Grant (Susan Norton), Vincent Price (Richard Straker), Reggie Nalder (Kurt Barlow), River Phoenix (Danny Glick), Joaquin Phoenix (Ralphie Glick), Clarissa Kaye (Marjorie Glick), Frank Ashmore (Mike Ryerson), Mark Petrie (Anthony Michael Hall), Ronny Cox (Jason Burke), William Daniels (Bill Norton), David Soul (Larry Crockett), Richard Herd (Constable Parkins Gillespie) and Bill Bixby (Father Donald Callahan).
Studio: LucasTV
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983

Quality: D100 + 400 => 472
Audience: D100 + 400 => 421
Critics: D100 + 400 => 409​

(Carrie POV)

You genuinely wanted to like this show—no, you wanted to love it. After all, you'd just started getting into Stephen King's novels, and The Shining had been nothing short of a masterpiece in horror and visual storytelling. The adaptation of 'Salem's Lot had high hopes riding on it, and for good reason. It was clearly a well-made show, with solid production values and an impressive set, even an entire shopping mall that was an uncanny nod to Dawn of the Dead, a film you and Bruce had watched and loved.

But unfortunately, 'Salem's Lot was up against a rough crowd. Are you Afraid of the Dark aired right before it, followed by the popular late-night shows and blockbuster movies that were hard competition. It was the kind of programming that left King's horror series a bit lost in the shuffle, relegated to the background while people tuned into flashier alternatives. And then there were the critics—relentless, calling the show "boring, unworthy of the master of horror," and criticizing it as "ponderous, missing the mark on real scares."

They wanted pure fear. But was that really what King was all about? What they missed, and what the show actually delivered, was suspense. There was a brooding tension that the critics seemed to overlook entirely, as if they'd expected jump scares over creeping dread. The subtle horror King excelled at wasn't just about terrifying the audience outright; it was about making them think, feel the weight of something dark looming just out of sight.

Despite the lukewarm reception, you couldn't help but feel that the show was well-made and would find its true audience eventually, perhaps in reruns or home video, where niche shows often built their following. It had all the makings of a cult classic, one of those hidden gems destined to be appreciated down the line. Because sometimes, that's where great shows that don't get their due end up—waiting to be rediscovered by those willing to see them for what they really are.

Love Connection
Hosted by: Chuck Woolery
Studio: LucasTV
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - February 1984

Quality: D100 + 400 => 476
Audience: D100 + 400 => 422
Critics: D100 + 400 => 495​

(Carrie POV)

You always enjoyed a good dating show. The whole premise was entertaining, really—seeing what people expected out of their "dates," whether things were scripted or not. It was funny, awkward, and oddly satisfying to watch a little romantic chaos unfold, even if it was just for ratings.

Love Connection was one of those shows. There were scripted moments, some laughs, and, occasionally, sparks of real chemistry. But something essential was missing. The show just didn't quite have that pull, that extra bit of magic to fully capture its audience. It wasn't for lack of trying—yet without any big-name producers or high-profile guests, the show fell short of having any real draw. The format was formulaic, and as a result, the program attracted a small but unexpected viewership.

Oddly enough, Love Connection found a sort of second life among a different crowd entirely. Film students, young producers, and aspiring directors began tuning in—not because of the dating drama, but because it offered a prime case study. For them, it became a surprising training ground, a way to study how a modern TV show was constructed, especially in a live-performance setting. The show's producers, recognizing this unexpected interest, even started tapping into this energy, bringing on young filmmakers and TV students to direct and produce episodes as a way to give them hands-on experience.

As the show evolved, it became a kind of low-key incubator for new ideas, taking on a vibe almost like Saturday Night Live but with a dating spin. It was scrappy, unpredictable, and sometimes bizarrely experimental, and it grew into a quirky training ground for the next generation of TV talent. It may not have turned into the rating juggernaut the producers had once dreamed of, but it had a unique legacy all the same—one that was equal parts comedy, chaos, and a rare chance for young directors to make their mark.

Lawyer's Dozen - Season 4
Created by: William Wolcott
Studio: LucasTV
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - February 1984

Quality: D100 + 400 => 480
Audience: D100 + 400 => 471
Critics: D100 + 400 => 454​

(Carrie POV)

Just as death and taxes are constants of life, so too is Lawyer's Dozen as a part of LucasTV with the show continuing its marathon run with a fourth season. The show was one of Bruce's favorites, thanks to 12 Angry Men being one of his favorite films and overall the concepts of justice and civic duty being more appealing to your husband. For yourself, Lawyer's Dozen was more of a casual viewing experience as while the show was overall excellent, with its episode format there was no need to watch the premieres when you could enjoy it on reruns.

Overall the show had another excellent season, though for critics the stories didn't quite land in power as the previous year so it was unlikely to be as dominant in the Emmys. A major theme seemed to be legacies of the past with a retrial in light of new evidence for a 30 year old murder, a dispute about Reservation rights, and a missing person's case going on for near a decade that finally found a suspect but the evidence is still razor thin. Interesting showcase of how the justice system works on a grand scale and how the guilty may get their due. You enjoyed it when taking breaks from caring for little George and it was a reliable hit across most adult demographics, so it looks like Lawyer's Dozen may be the first Lucas show to get a fifth season.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero - Season 1
Created by: Larry Hama
Starring: Mark Hamill (Goose), Ed Gilbert (Hawk), Ted Harrison (Duke), B.J. Ward (Scarlett), Libby Aubrey (Cover Girl), None (Snake Eyes), Arthur Burghardt (Stalker, Destro), Cris Latta (Gung-Ho, Breaker, Steeler, Cobra Commander), Buster Jones (Doc, Zap), Pat Fraley (Ace), Frank Welker (Wild Bill, Flash, Short-Fuze), Peter Cullen (Airborne), Michael Bell (Clutch, Major Bludd), Jerry Orback (Grand Slam), Robert O. Smith (Grunt), Will Ryan (Rock'n Roll), Rob Paulsen (Snow Job, Tripwire), Michael Yama (Torpedo), Morgan Lofting (Baroness) and Keone Young (Storm Shadow).
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - February 1984

Quality: D100 + 500 => 581
Audience: D100 + 500 => 582
Critics: D100 + 500 => 576​

(Mary POV)

GI Joe was not one of your favorite shows or comics, but overall both were good. It was a fun military adventure story and it was nice to see soldiers like grandpa as the heroes and fighting villains. The Rise of Cobra mini-series was also nice with its focus on Goose, so it was like watching Daddy fight the enemies like in Star Wars.

This year, GI Joe was going to be a full fifty episode season and thankfully it was even better than the last time with lots of interesting places and newer types of battles against Cobra. Everytime the Joes and Cobra fought it was like watching a Star Wars or Gundam battle but with real life soldiers. You were also surprised that there were a few episodes where Cobra won or where they managed to accomplish something while being defeated by GI Joe. That's not how stories usually go, but you guess it does make every battle important and help show why the Joes need to work together and win, sort of like Empire.

Cobra are the main villains but GI Joe also goes on other adventures in the show. You most especially liked the two episodes where GI Joe fought against the Zodiacs from China who were doing evil for the Communists. After them trying to hurt your family, it was good to see America beat them strongly. Though there were a few non-battle episodes like the one where a Joe team has to survive on an island with dinosaurs. Your favorite episode of all is when the Joes go to Florida not to battle Cobra, but to help the state with a search and rescue for a category 5 hurricane. It's nice to see the Joes saving people from disaster, it felt better than all the times they beat Cobra.

The first season also had a lot of characters show up for both the Joes and Cobra, A LOT. You feel a bit sad for some characters from the comics and Rise of Cobra who got less showtime because of it, though most of the new guys were cool like Mutt, Roadbloc, Spirit, Flint, Shipwreck. Your absolute favorite character was one of the new ones, Lady Jaye. She was the coolest and best Joe that was awesome at fighting, super smart and was the leader sometimes. She could speak lots of languages and be a great actor like Daddy, and best of all she was Irish just like you! Kind of like Atomic Betty, when you watched Lady Jaye it was like you were on the adventure.

There's also some interesting character stories for both the Joes and the Cobras with their relationships and growth as time goes on, making each episode matter. You wonder how some of them will be shown next year with stuff like Goose's romances with Cover Girl and Baroness, Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow's rivalry, Cobra Commander's past and his plans for the world.

There was also some PSAs at the end of the episodes where the Joes would help kids with real life stuff like health, being better friends or saying no to strangers. You overheard some of the adults in Lucasfilms say it was a bit cheesy, but that didn't make sense since they weren't cheese commercials. You thought it was pretty neat since they had stuff you didn't know like how to deal with nosebleeds or what if someone has a seizure. It was also good stuff to show the Littles since they could be a bit silly and not be good students like you.

Overall it was a pretty fun show and something nice to watch with Sarah and Joseph who liked it for pretty much the same reasons, and Joseph especially liked seeing 'Joes' fight for good and win. The series seems to be more popular than last year because you hear more kids talking about it and there's more GI Joe stuff at the stores. You're happy with that because it meant you could get lots of Joe figures and vehicles to use for roleplaying adventures and you played lots of games with Lady Jaye figures.

Mafia - Season 2
Hosted by: Bert Convy
Studio: LucasTV
Distribution: LucasTV
Original Release: August 1983 - April 1984

Quality: D100 + 400 => 482
Audience: D100 + 400 => 426
Critics: D100 + 400 => 406​

(Carrie POV)

With many parties and social gatherings being made more exciting with the game, you were glad that LucasTV picked up Mafia and the second season still seemed to be going strong with plenty of hillarious and tense social sleuthing and detective work each episode. It's the same format so really the strength of the episodes are largely dependent on who is participating though thankfully most of the time the production picks up some interesting people. You even participated in a celebrity episode yourself, mostly to help distract from Bruce's absence, and it was a fun excursion, something you could even allow the kids to watch as your fellow celebrities were thankfully more controlled than other normal guests.

However, Mafia sadly despite increasing viewership sort of lagged behind the ratings of other Lucasfilms shows near the bottom of the pool. Mike explained this as being a byproduct of LucasTV now becoming a proper station and proliferation of shows meant it had internal competition, even Love Connection. For some reason, many critics seemed to be a bit harsh on the format as mean spirited and taking glee on misery and drama, though most still agree it's a fun show.