Rediscovering (Walt) Disney

The National Geographic Channel project is in the can. I don't have an air date yet, as soon as I do I'll let ya know. I watched the final cut yesterday, with all of the graphic elements, animations, and the final music tracks. It looks pretty good. Two shout-outs: First to the Executive Producer, David Huntley, who gave me an opportunity to stretch my creative muscles and let me do some writing on the show (and I got credit!). And second to James LaPlante and the crew at Sputnik Animation in Portland, Maine. They put in extra hours and had to survive the recent ice storm (that knocked out power at their offices) to get us our animations in time to deliver the show. OK, check your TV listings for Man-Made: Alaska's Extreme Machines! Nat Geo: Man-Made Sputnik Animation

Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the widow of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry and an actress whose longtime association with the "Star Trek" franchise included playing Nurse Christine Chapel in the original series, died early Thursday morning. She was 76. Roddenberry died at her home in Bel-Air after a battle with leukemia, said family spokesman Sean Rossall. LA Times Obit

Hulk, Vol. 1: Red Hulk (Hardcover) by Jeff Loeb (Author) and Ed McGuiness (Illustrator) Just read Red Hulk and it's a pretty darn good, light, breezy, slam-bang, gee-whiz comic book. Playing like a sci-fi monster movie-murder mystery, it doesn't get bogged down by a lot of exposition or deep thinking, and gets right to the Hulk-Smash action. This is the kind of comic I like the most - lots of action, great character interaction, artwork that fits the story, and enough dangling plot lines to bring you back for the next issue. And as a mystery there are twists and turns and a resolution of sorts by the end of chapter six. But this is no The Long Halloween , it's much less weighty and much less gloomy. While I prefer the Loeb/Sale DC books ( Batman: The Long Halloween , Superman For All Seasons ), Loeb & McGuiness teamed up for a great Superman/Batman run. And I think that McGuiness' bombastic art style is good match for the Hulk. A long time fan of titles like Justi...

Can't really talk about much right now but we're working on a new show for the Discovery Channel. We're knee deep in it already and we have a camera crew en route to a remote location as we speak. Well, as I blog... If you just can't stand it, and need to know more, e-mail me. You will have to sign papers, give blood, etc.

Some of you know about my obsession with Hasbro's Mighty Muggs collectibles. Well these little guys are my latest geek-must-have. For my birthday Ryan gave me a birthday card with an awesome surprise inside... me as a Mighty Mugg! Check it out: HASBRO MIGHTY MUGGS

ABC will not be ordering anymore episodes of "Eli Stone" or "Pushing Daisies" beyond the current 13 episode agreement. It's a dark week indeed for the pie-maker and the philosopher. With so much junk cluttering the airwaves, on both cable and broadcast, you'd think that the alphabet would stick with quality programming. I mean c'mon - they're keeping "Private Practice" and bringing back "According to Jim"!!! SAVE PUSHING DAISIES SAVE ELI STONE Save 'em both!

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We continue to inch forward toward completion of the Nat Geo project. The show will fall under their anthology banner "Man Made". Here's a link to The National Geographic Channel site so you can check it out. National Geographic Channel: MAN-MADE

That's right. There's a new sheriff in town. How amazing and awesome it is to live in a country like ours with free elections! And even MORE amazing that we, the United States of America, have elected a black man to be our president! We are moving forward folks. Slowly but surely the U.S. is moving forward. Now don't get all crazy over the photo, or try to read something into it. It's just then Senator Obama having some fun in Metropolis, Illinois after one of his town hall meetings. Ya know, Superman? Metropolis? Ha! God Bless America!

Sorry so long between posts! I am still working at Moore Huntley Prod. down in Sudbury, MA. We're delivering a fine cut of "Alaska's Extreme Machines" to Nat. Geo. this week. I continue to do research, fact checking, phone calling, annotating, etc.

Patch designs... Fun with Troopers... Lord Vader and Jabba the Hutt too. Closing flags, prize winners... ... and staff members. And me, in my Venturing uniform. See Tef, just a another form of geekdom!

Spent the weekend with some friends from the 501st. As soon as I have the photos cropped I'll post 'em. We had our Boy Scout Fall Camporee over the weekend. It was a Star Wars theme (from yours truly) and we had spectacular weather for running around in the woods with lightsabers and the Dark Lord himself. Here are a couple of photo albums to look at... The 501st One of our volunteers took these.

I'm headed back to Moore Huntley next week for about a month of work. I'll be doing research, show shutdown, etc. for their upcoming National Geographic Channel show "Extreme Machines". Vacation was fun but it's good to get back to work, YAY!!! NatGeo MHP

The passing of Paul Newman is sad but not unexpected. He had been ill for quite some time and was reported to have returned to his home in Connecticut some months ago in preparation for his passing away after a battle with cancer at age 83. I first "met" Newman in 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid . Then again in The Sting (1973) followed by The Towering Inferno (1974). I went on to discover other great films and performances on video & dvd, including Cool Hand Luke (1967), The Hustler (1961), Hud (1963) and Winning (1969). To a younger generation he will be remembered for his charitable work; Hole in the Wall Camps, his salad dressing; Newman's Own Brands, auto racing; Newman/Hass Racing and his voice work in Pixar's Cars (2006). Variet y IMDb Hole in the Wall Camps Newman/Haas

Nerds! My lovely wife Lisa kicked my butt in our annual Emmy picks competition. With a score of 15 to 12, Lisa gets bragging rights and does the "I Beat You" dance to the embarrassment of the Academy. That's OK honey, I'll see you at the Oscars.

BRYAN CRANSTON?!?! Seriously? Well, I didn't see that coming. Alec Baldwin beating out Steve Carell? Yeah, I can understand that. "30 Rock" is hilarious and Baldwin & Fey are a great comedy duo. But no way I thought that Jon Hamm would lose to AMC mate Cranston. I watched "Breaking Bad" and think it's a really good show, but "Mad Men" is certainly a superior production and Jon Hamm's performance as Don Draper is intense, complex, moody and sometimes scary. But, congratulations to Cranston just the same. He had been passed over three times before ("Malcolm in the Middle"), so it's good to see him finally recognized. Bryan Cranston Breaking Bad

Before the festivities begin I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring with my some of my own Emmy picks... Lead Actor in a Comedy: Steve Carell Lead Actor in a Drama: Jon Hamm Lead Actor in a Miniseries: Paul Giamatti Lead Actress in a Comedy: America Ferrera Lead Actress in a Drama: Glenn Close Lead Actress in a Miniseries: Laura Linney Outstanding Host for a Reality Program: Jeff Probst Outstanding Comedy Series: 30 Rock Outstanding Drama Series: Mad Men Outstanding Miniseries: John Adams Outstanding Reality Program: Extreme Makeover Home Edition Outstanding Reality-Competition Program: The Amazing Race Ok, that's it, check the results at the official Primetime Emmy Awards site.

Doctor Who , Torchwood , Life on Mars – The BBC knows how to serve up the sci-fi fantasy, time travel series and make it witty, campy and good fun. So it’s no surprise that this latest offering from BBC America (on Saturday nights at 9, Eastern) is another good diversion from across the pond. Primeval was created by Adrian Hodges and Tim Haines, who created the Walking with Dinosaurs series. It follows a team of five scientists investigating the appearance of temporal anomalies across England that release prehistoric and futuristic creatures, into the present. As with a lot of sci-fi fare the writing is sometimes middling, certainly not as good as LOST but a lot better than Land of the Lost . The acting for the most part is good, especially considering the amount of green screen work they have to do. The cast is filled with the usual sexy Gaelic cross section of England, and the accents add to the cool factor for us Yanks. And with the Time twisty plotlines, shocking reveals and p...

Yes J.J., I accept the cup and drink the fanboy Kool-Aid. Never got into "Felicity" but I jumped feet first into "Alias". Couldn't back "What About Brian", but "LOST"? Oh, yeah, that show is just ridiculous! "Cloverfield"? You need only read my review ( click here ). "MI3", yup I thought it was great and made me think they should have come to you to re-launch the TV franchise. And a little thing called "Star Trek"? C'mon, you cast Simon Pegg as Scotty and in a stroke of genius you nabbed Zachary Quinto for the role of Spock. Talk about separated at birth, that guy was born for the part. And now as you continue your dominance of broadcast television you bring us "Fringe", a return to the spooky, scary, sci-fi meets CSI world of shows like "The X-files" and "Kolchak: The Night Stalker". Having read interviews with Abrams and his producing/writing partners Roberto Orci & Alex Ku...

Who ya gonna call? Apparently the original Ghostbusters that's who. As reported yesterday, Sony Studios is working on a new movie to feature the original cast. I want to believe that getting the band back together is a good idea, but I have my doubts. Have fans been clamoring for a reunion tour? Does Bill Murray need the paycheck? Is the studio in financial difficulty and willing to cling to any life raft? I'm going out a limb here and saying no to all of the above. The Hollywood Reporter Ghostbuster Fans "Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!"

Yet more sad news in the entertainment world, Bill Melendez, long time Peanuts animator has died. Melendez, the only animator permitted by Charles M. Schulz to work with the Peanuts characters, earned eight Emmy Awards, 17 Emmy nominations, one Oscar nomination and two Peabody Awards. He began his career at Disney and Warner Bros., working on classic characters at those studios, and spent more than 70 years in the entertainment industry. The Hollywood Reporter Bill Melendez Productions

Don LaFontaine, the voice of the movie trailer died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from complications in the treatment of an ongoing illness. What a loss to the entertainment world. Don's signature voice has accompanied some of the greatest films in history. He began his career in the early sixties and was still working today. Don LaFontaine .Com The Hollywood Reporter Article AP Photo by DAMIAIN DOVARGANES

I thought I would chime in on the scrapping of “The Man of Steel” and the darkening of the big blue Boy Scout. As reported by Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and everyone else, it looks like Warner Bros. is giving up on Brian Singer’s follow-up to “Superman Returns” in favor of giving Clark Kent and company the “Dark Knight” treatment. Like many Supes fans I don’t think making him a darker character is the answer to the franchises woes. I watched “Superman Returns” yesterday and I could see past my initial reaction to the film (loved it), and separate the wheat from the chaff. Brian Singer’s homage to the Richard Donner vision was too long by at least 30 minutes. It lacked urgency and pacing. As a film school instructor told me once it ‘made a meal of every scene’ when it should have been taking small bites. All the beats were there, all the elements of a great story were right there, and I could clearly see the direction Singer was going in and his reverence for the Donner films ...

Michael Ausiello - over at Entertainment Weekly – reported yesterday that “Veronica Mars” creator Rob Thomas & star Kristen Bell are discussing bringing Veronica to the big screen. So that’s what all the giggling and little-girl squealing was all about yesterday. Every fan boy & girl must have let out a simultaneous whoop of delight when they read the news. I’m a fan too and I think a movie would be great. But what I think would be greater is a series of television movies or direct to DVD releases, it’s working great for “Futurama”. Is this going to happen real soon? Nah. Thomas is currently working on two new series and Bell is at work on “Heroes” and a blossoming film career. Will it happen? Oh I’m sure. If the creator and star are on board, then a studio is soon to follow. Why I am I so sure? Just a little ol’ show called “Firefly” that’s why. From my previous VM blog entry: Starring Kristin Bell (Heroes) as the title character, this show is a lively mix of Nancy Drew myste...

No, not Christmas. And no, not Back-To-School... It's the return of the Fall Television Season!!! Ranking right up there with the Summer Movie Season, Fall TV makes me tingly all over (umm... maybe not actually tingly) as I wait not so patiently for the new TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly preview issues. Television took its lumps with the writer's strike, but it appears to be rebounding quite nicely. Many returning favorites like House, Pushing Daisies, Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock and new fare; Kath & Kim, Dollhouse and Eleventh Hour are giving me hope for long hours in front of the High Def with Maddy and a warm bottle. Follow this link to TV Guide's online Fall Preview

Here we go again, into the way back machine and stopping off at my parents’ living room and the TV in the corner (Different TV now but in the same location!). It’s 4:00 PM on a weekday and one of the greatest genre crossovers is on. That would be “The Wild Wild West” starring Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. “WWW” is a sci-fi western of the highest camp value (and I mean that in a good way), crime solving tech., Bond-like gadgets, steampunk science and good old fashioned six guns and cowboys all come together in a blend of cheesy goodness. There were guest stars galore, hot babes and crazy sets and wacky inventions too. Robert Conrad was the chiseled-chin super-hero, complete with ridiculously tight pants, and abs of steel. He was the ladies man, the muscle of this secret service duo, and the star of the series. Ross Martin, the better actor, was relegated to the brainy side-kick roll due, I’m sure, to his less than movie star good looks. But his roll was key to the appeal of this show....

Lisa forwarded a fun e-mail to me today, it was about childhood in the black and white TV era and it got me to thinking about other shows from my youth that I really enjoyed. I remember going home after school (with my best friend Chuck) while in Jr. High and watching "Battle of the Planets". I think it was on at 3:30 in the afternoon, but I can't remember if it was on WTEN (10), WNYT (13) or WRGB (6). Anyway, this blast from the past always puts a smile on my face. And to think we got the watered down, anglo-sized version of the show, imagine how much better it could have been if we got the original Japanese run. For those of you born in the 90's this was our version of "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers". Five teens, each with his own color and special vehicle to drive, would be able to combine them into the Phoenix, a very kick-ass space ship. They would defend the earth against all manner of beasty sent to destroy our planet by the evil Zoltar. One of those m...

Warner Bros. has moved the release date of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" from Nov. 21 to July 17. Read More @ THR.com

OK, You decide. Here's our girl Maddy... And here's Al Bundy... Uncanny isn't it? Married with Children

Sorry not to have posted in a while but we've been busy. Please welcome Madelyn Elizabeth, the latest production from Allen & Lisa. Born on August 8th, 3:04 PM at a very healthy 8 pounds, 4 ounces & 21.5 inches. There was plenty of drama and action - Cord Prolapse! Emergency C-Section! Whoa, put the Gooey Oompa Loompa back in! Dad cuts the cord! There was some comedy too - me dressed in scrubs and mask, fumbling for a camera to take the first picture (used my cell phone), and poor Lisa numbed up and loopy from all manner of drugs just along for the ride. And now the whirl wind has swept us away from the hospital to the comforts of home. Our dog Jack is not sure what to make of the newcomer, but he's being good. Sniffing, whining, running in circles, jumping on everyone, following us (and Maddy) everywhere we go. The cat is pretty unfazed by the whole affair. Our first night was uneventful and unpredictable. Just when we thought Maddy was on a feeding schedule, she shook...

The indie feature I worked on in February - "Trinity" - placed third in the Drama category at the Indie Gathering Film Festival. Congratulations to Kathy & Jaime at Partners in Krime Productions (Philadelphia, PA)! And congratulations to the cast and crew who helped put this project together. Hey, how's that medal look? Trinity The Indie Gathering

I was afraid after last season's lack luster storytelling that the series was done for. But have no fear, it looks like Tim Kring and crew have things under control. Heroes on NBC

Ever read a book and say – ‘Gee, this would be a great movie.’ Well John Burdett’s Bangkok 8 is one of those books. Published in 2003, I just read the trade paperback edition and thought it was great. It is fast paced, great characters, dark humor and a Buddhist wit I did not expect. Set in Thailand and involving the corrupt Thai police force, a fish-out-of-water FBI agent, illegal jade trading and a Buddhist "arhat" detective hero, this book really delivers. And it was no surprise to discover that Millennium Films (“Rambo”) has already optioned the property and has it in development. There are two other books in the series, Bangkok Tattoo & Bangkok Haunts , so we can expect a film series too if the first one does well enough at the box office. OK, get to the library or your local Barnes and Noble and pick up this great read before your summer vacation is over. Bangkok 8 @ Random House

Who knew ABBA would write a Broadway hit? (I know, they had help.) Lisa: Overall, nice light summer fun. Having never seen the Broadway show I have no comparison. Makes you want to visit Greece - love the blue, blue water. Favorite Daddies were Colin Firth (Harry) and Stellan Skarsgård (Bill). Didn't like Pierce Bronson's singing at all. Meryl Streep did a good job. Her girlfriend sidekicks were better than Sophie’s who seemed an afterthought. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) and her hubby to be were both well played/sung. Should have used the Greek Chorus more. Allen: After a weird and slow opening there were some real good moments, and songs, but it felt off kilter, never really getting it’s footing. Some Hollywood folks should not be looking to “tread the boards” anytime soon. Bravo for trying to sing and dance, but man, ya gotta know when to say when! There was a lot of overacting, over emoting, over-gesturing; like someone forgot to tell the director (and cast) that they were maki...

Here is the latest spin on “The Batman” myth, brought to us by the team that gave us “Batman: The Animated Series”. We even get Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman, he is the voice of this generation’s animated Batman, still pitch perfect. Told in six chapters, all done in Japanese anime, they are linked together telling the middle chapter of year one, between “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”. There are some heavy hitters involved in this project too… “Have I Got a Story for You” – Oscar nom Josh Olson recounts Batman sightings by a group of youngsters leaving them with their own take on the Dark Knight. This one is a lot like “Legends of the Dark Knight” from around season 3 or 4 of the Animated Series. “Crossfire” – Novelist Greg Rucka gives us the police-eye view. Gotham’s finest have to get over their mistrust of Batman, while caught between the Russian and Maroney. “Field Test” - WayneTech arsenal from Lucius Fox, and the Batman must decide what he’s willing to do to win the f...

Here's the new trailer... Uh-Oh, dark and scary, very exciting!

If you were a fan of the series when it originally aired you will appreciate the film. If not, hmm… maybe wait to rent it. I was a fan from day one and was very excited to see Mulder and Scully back in action. And Mulder and Scully are great to watch again, but the film is a slow-paced, disconnected mess. Without the mythology (Mulder’s UFO obsession, the dark gov’t conspiracy) storyline to anchor “The X-Files: I Want to Believe”, we get nothing more then a 104 minute episode, which we might have seen in season 3 or 4. Even if they didn’t watch the X-files when it was on, audiences know about the UFO stuff from just the hype and publicity surrounding it. And those that did watch know that Mulder’s obsession was the pivot point of the whole show. [sigh] Highlights for those of you that do go; Amanda Peet (“Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”), perky and doe-eyed as ever as the FBI agent who brings Mulder in from the cold. And Alvin 'Xzibit' Joiner, that’s right “Pimp My Ride” Xzibit,...

"I Want to Work for Diddy" is a new reality competition show on VH1. I went to the Maine Media Workshops with one of the Producers, Tommy (T.Popps) Popps. "I Want to Work for Diddy" Premieres Monday, August 4th at 9p on VH1. See the Trailer here.

Just when you thought television was dead... TNT brings back "The Closer" (season 4) & "Saving Grace" (season 2). I've been with Deputy Chief Johnson from the beginning and this show is great; great lead, great cast, great writing. Although I almost gave up on Grace and her slide through sin and deprivation, this show managed to raise it's own level of standards and provided the faithful with some choice story lines and great production values. The second season premiere was just awesome and I can't wait to see what's up next. AMC will air season two of "Mad Men" starting on Sunday night. I missed season one and had to get caught up with last Sunday's marathon viewing. Wow - what a smart, funny, stylish, sexy show, it's programmed in the DVR now. USA 's summer season brings us the returns of "Monk" (season 7), "Psych" (season 3) and "Burn Notice" (season 2) all three of these programs are must...

Geo Beach, esteemed host of “Tougher in Alaska” on HISTORY, will be appearing on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” this Thursday night. Comedy Central, 11 pm, Thursday, 7/24. THE DAILY SHOW Tune in if you can!

There should be no doubt about who the summer box office champ is now. Iron Man and Indiana Jones take a back seat to Gothams’ own; Batman. Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” is a relentless, psychological, crime thriller starring Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Heath Ledger just to name a few. This film could have easily been a contemporary, straight-forward crime story, it just happens to have Batman and the Joker in it. Nolan starts the movie with a bang, steps on the gas (and your throat) until the closing credits, finally letting you up after 152 minutes to take a breath. Ryan and I went to the midnight showing at our local IMAX theater and seeing the Joker that big is scary! Heath Ledger is deserving of another Oscar nom for his portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime. You know it’s him behind the makeup, but you never once think of the actor, you only think: Jeez this Joker guy is one sick son of a …. Yeah, he’s that good. And in a film with an ensemble cast this large, this tale...