list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Escape to Witch Mountain on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Escape_to_Witch_Mountain/10660/default.aspx Title: Escape to Witch Mountain
Year: 1975
Director: John Hough
Plot: This fast-paced Disney endeavor stars Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann as two adolescents with acute psychic powers. The kids are actually space aliens, but suffer from amnesia and are unaware of their origins. Pursued by greedy business-mogul Ray Milland, who wants to harness their special powers for his benefit, Kim and Ike are rescued by likeable camper Eddie Albert. He and the kids escape to the mountain of the title when Albert's RV suddenly acquires the power of flight. In 1978, the film spawned the sequel Return from Witch Mountain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 33
Number of Lists: 17
Number of blog posts: 57
SpoutRating: 2
]]>Fri, 22 May 2009 05:25:16 GMTEscape to Witch Mountain1975John HoughThis fast-paced Disney endeavor stars <a href="/players/P____60032/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Kim Richards</a> and Ike Eisenmann as two adolescents with acute psychic powers. The kids are actually space aliens, but suffer from amnesia and are unaware of their origins. Pursued by greedy business-mogul <a href="/players/P___102824/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ray Milland</a>, who wants to harness their special powers for his benefit, Kim and Ike are rescued by likeable camper <a href="/players/P______669/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Eddie Albert</a>. He and the kids escape to the mountain of the title when Albert's RV suddenly acquires the power of flight. In 1978, the film spawned the sequel <a href=/films/28681/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Return from Witch Mountain</a>. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide33Tag Target (>10)17572http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t33498kq6k8.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Escape_to_Witch_Mountain/10660/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/3/13/41014.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/13/2009 3:00:43 PM
Body: Even if you love the original Escape to Witch Mountain, you have to welcome a remake. The 1975 sci-fi Disney film has some very dated special effects — though the visible wires used to “levitate” a handgun and a harmonica give it a campy charm — and it’s not exactly the well-respected classic that The Black Hole or Old Yeller is, anyway. So, better a remake (or “modern re-imagining”) of a slightly beloved movie, which has already been redone once, to give The Rock another fulfillment of his Disney contract and utilize all the “perfect” digital effects now available. While it seems that eventually all Disney live-action classics will be remade, potentially rendering obsolete the careers of Dean Jones, Kevin Corcoran and those ugly kids from Mary Poppins, there are some that may, like Witch Mountain, deserve to be recycled. Disney has previously erred in reworking films like The Absent-Minded Professor (Robin Williams is no Fred MacMurray) and The Shaggy Dog (Tim Allen is no MacMurray, either, nor even is he Tommy Kirk), and it’s mistakenly producing new versions of Swiss Family Robinson and 20,000 Leauges Under the Sea. But there are so many other films, most forgotten, that would better lend themselves to remakes. Here we’ve selected 10 such classics, all but one live-action features, and we welcome you to suggest any others you may wish to see updated and/or re-imagined. The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) With the western genre not quite dead anymore, it would be nice for Disney to bring back the comedy western. Of course, The Apple Dumpling Gang could be modernized, too. Either way, the story of three orphan children who enlist two bumbling bank robbers to steal their gold nugget would delight a new generation of kids who might not necessarily appreciate Don Knotts the way we did. Cast Jim Carrey in the Knotts role and Jack Black as his partner (originally played by Tim Conway), have them try to outdo each other’s slapstick performance, and you’ve got a huge family hit. The Black Cauldron (1985) This animated feature was so unpopular that it pretty much ruined the reputation of Walt Disney Pictures for a few years. Rated PG, and way too dark even for the studio that brought us Pinocchio, the adaptation of Lloyd Alexander’s fantasy novel had initially been threatened with a PG-13 or R rating. Nearly 25 years later, kids are a little tougher and could easily tolerate a live-action version that’s somewhere akin to Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Phantom Menace (a CGI “Gurgi” would be very similar to Jar-Jar Binks). Tim Burton should obviously direct the film, because he worked as an artist on the original, and he’s currently working for Disney anyway. The Cat from Outer Space (1978) Few people seem to hold this movie in high regards, despite audience’s apparent favor for talking animals and stupid sci-fi plots. But a modernized telling of a feline alien’s visit to Earth could be a blockbuster by being even worse than the original. Add more slapstick (in an LOLCats sort of way) and more special effects and this could make even more money than E.T., which seriously seemed derivative of The Cat from Outer Space anyway. And after this becomes a hit, Disney should continue digging in its catbox and remake the very strange and very obscure Three Lives of Thomasina. Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) If Hollywood can dare redo Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, then Disney can surely remake Darby O’Gill and the Little People without too much protest. And like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this remake shall retain the source novel’s title. Of course, Darby O’Gill and the Good People does sound a little plain, so maybe getting right to the idea with Darby O’Gill and the Leprechauns as a title would be better. In any event, Sean Connery should come out of retirement to switch roles and play the titular old man who meets a bunch of Leprechauns. And perhaps Daniel Craig for Connery’s original role? Okay, new title: James Bond and the Other James Bond in Little People Are Forever (or Little People Never Die, or some other combo of 007 title referencing Leprechaun’s immortality). If this does well, Disney can also go ahead and redo the little-people-filled The Gnome-Mobile. In Search of the Castaways (1962) Here’s the genius idea Hollywood’s been seeking for almost 50 years: remake the Jules Verne adaptation In Search of the Castaways, a musical adventure with tons of disaster film elements and a perfect role for Miley Cyrus (isn’t she this generation’s Hayley Mills, in a way?), who could sing a new version of “Castaway.” The ice slide scene would be great in 3-D, by the way. Midnight Madness (1980) Remaking this cult classic might upset a few fans, but even those of us who love the original should be able to appreciate an updated version if it’s done right. There could always be more scavenger hunt movies, whether they’re fresh or recycled. And if Disney can find enough good, young character actors to fill the teams, nobody should even miss Eddie Deezen, David Naughton or Stephen Furst. Have Judd Apatow produce the thing and cast all his regulars, for instance. Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) should reprise his role, though. The Million Dollar Duck (1971) This family comedy about a duck that lays golden eggs is not very good, and it probably didn’t help its box office that a better film featuring golden-egg-laying fowl (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) opened on the very same day. But a good remake of bad movie isn’t a bad idea, and in this economy the story of a struggling family that gets a burst of financial luck (via strange science) might work as a relevant fantasy. Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1960) This forgotten Kevin Corcoran + monkey classic is kind of like Coraline, but there’s more circus stuff, the kid’s parents don’t suck (though he’s told they don’t love him), there’s a primate friend instead of a talking cat (though both animals are classic Disney devices) and it’s live-action and not 3-D. Do children still dream of running away to the circus? If not, then a remake of this movie could both reinstate that wish and present it as a terrible substitute for a real family all in the course of 90 minutes. The Ugly Dachshund (1966) Between the success of Marley and Me and news of an upcoming Marmaduke movie, it may just be the perfect time for a remake of a movie about a disastrous Great Dane who thinks he’s a little wiener dog. Put Brad Pitt and Anglina Jolie in the Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette roles and you’ll really, really piss off Team Jennifer by out-grossing last Christmas’ biggest hit. The World’s Greatest Athlete (1973) The story of an African who is brought to the U.S. to be a college track star may not seem like a big idea for a movie in the 21st century. But make that African a Tarzan-like white kid who can outrun a cheetah (and who isn’t The Flash) and you’ll have people laughing your film out of theaters. Or, you’ll somehow have a monster hit. Either way, we wish Disney would have the balls to remake this unrealistic movie, especially if they can get Usain Bolt to be the protagonist’s main competition. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:00:43 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/13/2009 3:00:43 PMEven if you love the original Escape to Witch Mountain, you have to welcome a remake. The 1975 sci-fi Disney film has some very dated special effects — though the visible wires used to “levitate” a handgun and a harmonica give it a campy charm — and it’s not exactly the well-respected classic that The Black Hole or Old Yeller is, anyway. So, better a remake (or “modern re-imagining”) of a slightly beloved movie, which has already been redone once, to give The Rock another fulfillment of his Disney contract and utilize all the “perfect” digital effects now available. While it seems that eventually all Disney live-action classics will be remade, potentially rendering obsolete the careers of Dean Jones, Kevin Corcoran and those ugly kids from Mary Poppins, there are some that may, like Witch Mountain, deserve to be recycled. Disney has previously erred in reworking films like The Absent-Minded Professor (Robin Williams is no Fred MacMurray) and The Shaggy Dog (Tim Allen is no MacMurray, either, nor even is he Tommy Kirk), and it’s mistakenly producing new versions of Swiss Family Robinson and 20,000 Leauges Under the Sea. But there are so many other films, most forgotten, that would better lend themselves to remakes. Here we’ve selected 10 such classics, all but one live-action features, and we welcome you to suggest any others you may wish to see updated and/or re-imagined. The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) With the western genre not quite dead anymore, it would be nice for Disney to bring back the comedy western. Of course, The Apple Dumpling Gang could be modernized, too. Either way, the story of three orphan children who enlist two bumbling bank robbers to steal their gold nugget would delight a new generation of kids who might not necessarily appreciate Don Knotts the way we did. Cast Jim Carrey in the Knotts role and Jack Black as his partner (originally played by Tim Conway), have them try to outdo each other’s slapstick performance, and you’ve got a huge family hit. The Black Cauldron (1985) This animated feature was so unpopular that it pretty much ruined the reputation of Walt Disney Pictures for a few years. Rated PG, and way too dark even for the studio that brought us Pinocchio, the adaptation of Lloyd Alexander’s fantasy novel had initially been threatened with a PG-13 or R rating. Nearly 25 years later, kids are a little tougher and could easily tolerate a live-action version that’s somewhere akin to Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Phantom Menace (a CGI “Gurgi” would be very similar to Jar-Jar Binks). Tim Burton should obviously direct the film, because he worked as an artist on the original, and he’s currently working for Disney anyway. The Cat from Outer Space (1978) Few people seem to hold this movie in high regards, despite audience’s apparent favor for talking animals and stupid sci-fi plots. But a modernized telling of a feline alien’s visit to Earth could be a blockbuster by being even worse than the original. Add more slapstick (in an LOLCats sort of way) and more special effects and this could make even more money than E.T., which seriously seemed derivative of The Cat from Outer Space anyway. And after this becomes a hit, Disney should continue digging in its catbox and remake the very strange and very obscure Three Lives of Thomasina. Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) If Hollywood can dare redo Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, then Disney can surely remake Darby O’Gill and the Little People without too much protest. And like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this remake shall retain the source novel’s title. Of course, Darby O’Gill and the Good People does sound a little plain, so maybe getting right to the idea with Darby O’Gill and the Leprechauns as a title would be better. In any event, Sean Connery should come out of retirement to switch roles and play the titular old man who meets a bunch of Leprechauns. And perhaps Daniel Craig for Connery’s original role? Okay, new title: James Bond and the Other James Bond in Little People Are Forever (or Little People Never Die, or some other combo of 007 title referencing Leprechaun’s immortality). If this does well, Disney can also go ahead and redo the little-people-filled The Gnome-Mobile. In Search of the Castaways (1962) Here’s the genius idea Hollywood’s been seeking for almost 50 years: remake the Jules Verne adaptation In Search of the Castaways, a musical adventure with tons of disaster film elements and a perfect role for Miley Cyrus (isn’t she this generation’s Hayley Mills, in a way?), who could sing a new version of “Castaway.” The ice slide scene would be great in 3-D, by the way. Midnight Madness (1980) Remaking this cult classic might upset a few fans, but even those of us who love the original should be able to appreciate an updated version if it’s done right. There could always be more scavenger hunt movies, whether they’re fresh or recycled. And if Disney can find enough good, young character actors to fill the teams, nobody should even miss Eddie Deezen, David Naughton or Stephen Furst. Have Judd Apatow produce the thing and cast all his regulars, for instance. Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) should reprise his role, though. The Million Dollar Duck (1971) This family comedy about a duck that lays golden eggs is not very good, and it probably didn’t help its box office that a better film featuring golden-egg-laying fowl (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) opened on the very same day. But a good remake of bad movie isn’t a bad idea, and in this economy the story of a struggling family that gets a burst of financial luck (via strange science) might work as a relevant fantasy. Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1960) This forgotten Kevin Corcoran + monkey classic is kind of like Coraline, but there’s more circus stuff, the kid’s parents don’t suck (though he’s told they don’t love him), there’s a primate friend instead of a talking cat (though both animals are classic Disney devices) and it’s live-action and not 3-D. Do children still dream of running away to the circus? If not, then a remake of this movie could both reinstate that wish and present it as a terrible substitute for a real family all in the course of 90 minutes. The Ugly Dachshund (1966) Between the success of Marley and Me and news of an upcoming Marmaduke movie, it may just be the perfect time for a remake of a movie about a disastrous Great Dane who thinks he’s a little wiener dog. Put Brad Pitt and Anglina Jolie in the Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette roles and you’ll really, really piss off Team Jennifer by out-grossing last Christmas’ biggest hit. The World’s Greatest Athlete (1973) The story of an African who is brought to the U.S. to be a college track star may not seem like a big idea for a movie in the 21st century. But make that African a Tarzan-like white kid who can outrun a cheetah (and who isn’t The Flash) and you’ll have people laughing your film out of theaters. Or, you’ll somehow have a monster hit. Either way, we wish Disney would have the balls to remake this unrealistic movie, especially if they can get Usain Bolt to be the protagonist’s main competition. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/dibot/archive/2009/1/12/39438.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: dibot Blog
Post Date: 1/12/2009 9:56:13 PM
Body: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is another in the filmspotting Angry Young Men marathon. I dug this one more than the others, mostly because I didn't think the main guy, Tom Courtenay ("The Golden Compass"), was mean for no reason. I still did not totally understand his "sticking it to the man." I feel like I would have chosen a different method. But I liked the set-up of the film. Courtenay is in a boy's reformatory and training for the sports program. As he trains, the film flashes back to his life and how he ended up in juvie. I am hoping this marathon will get a bit more uplifting. Please?I just rewatched The Karate Kid, one of my childhood favorites, and it totally holds up. Ralph Macchio ("Beer League") is perfectly earnest as a high schooler moving from New Jersey to California and dealing with bullies who kick his ass with karate. He falls for Elizabeth Shue ("Hamlet 2") and is taken in by Pat Morita ("Act Your Age") who trains him in the right way to to use karate. It's funny. The romance between Shue and Macchio is sweet. And the role Morita plays as father/mentor is inspirational. I still love it.I caught Escape to Witch Mountain on TCM and was quite taken in by the story of two psychic siblings trying to find their real family. The plot follows the kids from an orphanage to the home of a scheming millionaire and then as they escape to the wilderness and are picked up by a grumpy old man. The children are adorable and the things they can do are often entertaining. Although, some of the telekinesis scenes are too long. I guess at the time, the technology was new. Still a good family watch.Doubt is all about watching Meryl Streep ("Mamma Mia!") and Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Synecdoche, New York") go at each other. The other actors are good, but these too heavy weights are mesmerizing. Streep is the principal and head nun of a catholic school in the early 60s. Hoffman is the priest who she suspects of molesting a young boy. I love how the film never confirms anything. You're just left to think about everything. Totally enjoyed it.Once, actually, more than once, when I was very young, my parents foolishly let me watch USA's Saturday Nightmares. And there I saw The Children. Images from the film haunted me throughout my childhood. So, finally seeing it again was a really big deal for me. And, I have to admit, it's just not as scary. But there are some freaky images that, even now, are a bit chilling. The premise has a busload of children passing through a cloud leaked from a nuclear power plant. The children become deadly and anyone they touch suffers from chemical burns. Which is gruesome. And inconvenient when the parents go to hug them. Not a bad movie, but not the scariest movie ever made either.
]]>Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:56:13 GMTdibotdibot Blog1/12/2009 9:56:13 PMThe Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is another in the filmspotting Angry Young Men marathon. I dug this one more than the others, mostly because I didn't think the main guy, Tom Courtenay ("The Golden Compass"), was mean for no reason. I still did not totally understand his "sticking it to the man." I feel like I would have chosen a different method. But I liked the set-up of the film. Courtenay is in a boy's reformatory and training for the sports program. As he trains, the film flashes back to his life and how he ended up in juvie. I am hoping this marathon will get a bit more uplifting. Please?I just rewatched The Karate Kid, one of my childhood favorites, and it totally holds up. Ralph Macchio ("Beer League") is perfectly earnest as a high schooler moving from New Jersey to California and dealing with bullies who kick his ass with karate. He falls for Elizabeth Shue ("Hamlet 2") and is taken in by Pat Morita ("Act Your Age") who trains him in the right way to to use karate. It's funny. The romance between Shue and Macchio is sweet. And the role Morita plays as father/mentor is inspirational. I still love it.I caught Escape to Witch Mountain on TCM and was quite taken in by the story of two psychic siblings trying to find their real family. The plot follows the kids from an orphanage to the home of a scheming millionaire and then as they escape to the wilderness and are picked up by a grumpy old man. The children are adorable and the things they can do are often entertaining. Although, some of the telekinesis scenes are too long. I guess at the time, the technology was new. Still a good family watch.Doubt is all about watching Meryl Streep ("Mamma Mia!") and Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Synecdoche, New York") go at each other. The other actors are good, but these too heavy weights are mesmerizing. Streep is the principal and head nun of a catholic school in the early 60s. Hoffman is the priest who she suspects of molesting a young boy. I love how the film never confirms anything. You're just left to think about everything. Totally enjoyed it.Once, actually, more than once, when I was very young, my parents foolishly let me watch USA's Saturday Nightmares. And there I saw The Children. Images from the film haunted me throughout my childhood. So, finally seeing it again was a really big deal for me. And, I have to admit, it's just not as scary. But there are some freaky images that, even now, are a bit chilling. The premise has a busload of children passing through a cloud leaked from a nuclear power plant. The children become deadly and anyone they touch suffers from chemical burns. Which is gruesome. And inconvenient when the parents go to hug them. Not a bad movie, but not the scariest movie ever made either. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/7/24/33056.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 7/24/2008 7:01:12 PM
Body: 3:55 - More questions: Someone got up to ask The Rock why his action film career derailed after “The Roundup,” to which The Rock shot back “You mean…. The Rundown?” Ouch, schooled by The Rock. Fickman chimed in with “No, he means The Round Up! That adult movie where you play a “friendly cowboy!” The Rock came back with, “Stay on for eight seconds… that was the tagline.” Fickman compares the movie to “something between 48 Hours and a Bourne movie”. Now that’s what we like to call “reaching.” Someone finally asked poor, neglected Carla Gugino a question, and wanted to know how she picks her material. She said, as all actors do, “It just depends on the material. Sin City happened because I’m a big fan of Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, but I really like playing parts where I can just disappear into the role. Someone came up and said that their job is to test DVDs, and that he’d watched The Game Plan thousands of times. Is that some form of cruel torture? He’s also listened to the COMMENTARY on the DVD multiple times. Ouch. He wanted to know why The Rock and Andy Fickman (who also directed The Game Plan) got along so well. Andy’s short answer? “Well, Dwayne is a terrific actor.” 3:45 - Bringing back original Witch Mountain stars: Good news for hardcore fans, both Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann are part of this movie, and not just in cameo appearances. Woot! Pardon me while I geek out over this news for a bit. Fickman went off on a rant saying “This is my tenth Comic-Con. For nine years…. nine years!!! I’ve been coming to these thins and sitting in the audience. I’d come and wait in log lines, I’d eat sketchy food, I’d come in with my shopping list of things to buy at the booths. I’m a fan!” The Rock really is towing the company line here, saying how much he loves Disney. “I have a beautiful six year old daughter, and I start and end every day with her. I like that I get to work on things with family values and also go off into action of fantasy at Disney.” I swear, when this panel wraps he might say “I’m going to Disneyland!” 3:40 - Fielding questions from the audience: When asked what attracted him to the project, The Rock said “Well, as an actor… it was the paycheck. I mean, Disney… cha-ching!” The next question came from a kid who “drove all the way from Texas and escaped Hurricane Dolly in order to ask this question - do you give The People’s Elbow to anyone in the movie?” The Rock’s answer, “Clearly, there is some good weed in Texas.” Wow, this guy really has a sense of humor, despite what you might have thought after seeing The Game Plan. According to Fickman, The Rock actually “kicks a lot of ass in this movie” and the Rock said he does indeed drop the Elbow on “someone’s candy ass.” Where’s the R-Rated version of Witch Mountain? That would be a real eye-opener. You’ve got kids with superpowers who can literally kick ass? It’s a no brainer. Carla assures us that there’s a lot of comedy in the film as well. Fickman is back to drag us down with a lot of UFO information, apparently Whitley Streiber was involved in the movie as well. Fickman said “I was born in Roswell, New Mexico, I’ve been living with alien probes all my life!” It’s not hard to believe, given his crazy voice. He sounds like a cartoon character. 3:32 - If you haven’t seen Disney’s Escape From Witch Mountain or Return to Witch Mountain, then you really need to. Especially since they’re remaking it now with a budget, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The trailer for the film unspooled before the cast took the stage, and it looks like a CGI fest. In fact, some scenes didn’t have any completed effects. After that, The Rock stormed the stage, and was joined by co-star Carla Gugino and director Andy Fickman. Fickman calls it a “reimagining” of the original movie, and The Rock said he’s a huge fan of the original. It’s hard to picture him sitting down now, all bulked up and watching this… but maybe when he was a kid. Sure, I can get behind that. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:01:12 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com7/24/2008 7:01:12 PM3:55 - More questions: Someone got up to ask The Rock why his action film career derailed after “The Roundup,” to which The Rock shot back “You mean…. The Rundown?” Ouch, schooled by The Rock. Fickman chimed in with “No, he means The Round Up! That adult movie where you play a “friendly cowboy!” The Rock came back with, “Stay on for eight seconds… that was the tagline.” Fickman compares the movie to “something between 48 Hours and a Bourne movie”. Now that’s what we like to call “reaching.” Someone finally asked poor, neglected Carla Gugino a question, and wanted to know how she picks her material. She said, as all actors do, “It just depends on the material. Sin City happened because I’m a big fan of Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, but I really like playing parts where I can just disappear into the role. Someone came up and said that their job is to test DVDs, and that he’d watched The Game Plan thousands of times. Is that some form of cruel torture? He’s also listened to the COMMENTARY on the DVD multiple times. Ouch. He wanted to know why The Rock and Andy Fickman (who also directed The Game Plan) got along so well. Andy’s short answer? “Well, Dwayne is a terrific actor.” 3:45 - Bringing back original Witch Mountain stars: Good news for hardcore fans, both Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann are part of this movie, and not just in cameo appearances. Woot! Pardon me while I geek out over this news for a bit. Fickman went off on a rant saying “This is my tenth Comic-Con. For nine years…. nine years!!! I’ve been coming to these thins and sitting in the audience. I’d come and wait in log lines, I’d eat sketchy food, I’d come in with my shopping list of things to buy at the booths. I’m a fan!” The Rock really is towing the company line here, saying how much he loves Disney. “I have a beautiful six year old daughter, and I start and end every day with her. I like that I get to work on things with family values and also go off into action of fantasy at Disney.” I swear, when this panel wraps he might say “I’m going to Disneyland!” 3:40 - Fielding questions from the audience: When asked what attracted him to the project, The Rock said “Well, as an actor… it was the paycheck. I mean, Disney… cha-ching!” The next question came from a kid who “drove all the way from Texas and escaped Hurricane Dolly in order to ask this question - do you give The People’s Elbow to anyone in the movie?” The Rock’s answer, “Clearly, there is some good weed in Texas.” Wow, this guy really has a sense of humor, despite what you might have thought after seeing The Game Plan. According to Fickman, The Rock actually “kicks a lot of ass in this movie” and the Rock said he does indeed drop the Elbow on “someone’s candy ass.” Where’s the R-Rated version of Witch Mountain? That would be a real eye-opener. You’ve got kids with superpowers who can literally kick ass? It’s a no brainer. Carla assures us that there’s a lot of comedy in the film as well. Fickman is back to drag us down with a lot of UFO information, apparently Whitley Streiber was involved in the movie as well. Fickman said “I was born in Roswell, New Mexico, I’ve been living with alien probes all my life!” It’s not hard to believe, given his crazy voice. He sounds like a cartoon character. 3:32 - If you haven’t seen Disney’s Escape From Witch Mountain or Return to Witch Mountain, then you really need to. Especially since they’re remaking it now with a budget, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The trailer for the film unspooled before the cast took the stage, and it looks like a CGI fest. In fact, some scenes didn’t have any completed effects. After that, The Rock stormed the stage, and was joined by co-star Carla Gugino and director Andy Fickman. Fickman calls it a “reimagining” of the original movie, and The Rock said he’s a huge fan of the original. It’s hard to picture him sitting down now, all bulked up and watching this… but maybe when he was a kid. Sure, I can get behind that. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/4/29/27965.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 4/29/2008 4:00:50 PM
Body: It’s bad enough that Hollywood has to remake all of my childhood memories (yes, I admit my childhood memories are mostly TV shows and movies from the ’70s and ’80s). But when they go and use CGI rather than actors and completely alter the way I remember things (man, that sucked how the Who’s the Boss movie featured a computer generated Mona), I just get so upset I could rant on a blog. So, imagine my relief when I saw this official photo from the set of Universal’s Land of the Lost in today’s USA Today. Yes, those Sleestak look just as you remember. Only darker, more detailed, and a little (just a little) less like a costume with a human inside. But as much as I’d like to salute director Brad Silberling both for respecting my childhood and for shitting on CGI (which is still just too lazy a tool these days), the choice seems mostly to do with retaining the show’s cheesiness. Anthony Breznican writes for USA Today: In the ’70s TV show, they were guys in lime-green pajamas — and looked it. The Sleestak are much sleeker now, but the film is largely a comedy, so the guy-in-a-suit look has its charms, Silberling says. “There is a sense of humor that I loved from the original show that can only come from an actor trying to negotiate the suit. If it became CG, they’d be too perfect. For the Sleestak to remain in people’s memories, it tells you that it was about who was in the suit.” It’s funny that Silberling mentions the memories part, especially considering the Land of the Lost movie deviates in a number of ways from the series. Instead of being about a man and his two children, the story involves three adults (played by Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel) who accidentally wind up in a strange world filled with dinosaurs, Pukani (which are like Ewoks mixed with the Geico cavemen) and of course Sleestak (which, according to a character on the show, “taste a whole lot like lobster. But then again, not like lobster, if you know what I mean.”). Anyway, I’m at least glad the creatures aren’t rendered digitally, and I again disagree with Silberling that CG would make them look too perfect — unless of course the production got some LOTR kind of budget, and considering this is a kitschy Will Ferrell comedy, I can’t see Universal spending that kind of dough (last month Defamer mentioned the studio cut corners on the film, yet the IMDb listing for the film still mentions a budget of $100 million, which is of course way too high for a comedy post-Evan Almighty). As far as remakes of my childhood memories go, Land of the Lost is today looking better than Race to Witch Mountain, despite the latest news that original Escape to Witch Mountain child stars Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann will make cameos. I have a feeling that that one will have a lot of terrible computer effects, though I suppose anything is better than those awful harmonica-harnessed-with-string effects from the original. (via Fark.com) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:00:50 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com4/29/2008 4:00:50 PM It’s bad enough that Hollywood has to remake all of my childhood memories (yes, I admit my childhood memories are mostly TV shows and movies from the ’70s and ’80s). But when they go and use CGI rather than actors and completely alter the way I remember things (man, that sucked how the Who’s the Boss movie featured a computer generated Mona), I just get so upset I could rant on a blog. So, imagine my relief when I saw this official photo from the set of Universal’s Land of the Lost in today’s USA Today. Yes, those Sleestak look just as you remember. Only darker, more detailed, and a little (just a little) less like a costume with a human inside. But as much as I’d like to salute director Brad Silberling both for respecting my childhood and for shitting on CGI (which is still just too lazy a tool these days), the choice seems mostly to do with retaining the show’s cheesiness. Anthony Breznican writes for USA Today: In the ’70s TV show, they were guys in lime-green pajamas — and looked it. The Sleestak are much sleeker now, but the film is largely a comedy, so the guy-in-a-suit look has its charms, Silberling says. “There is a sense of humor that I loved from the original show that can only come from an actor trying to negotiate the suit. If it became CG, they’d be too perfect. For the Sleestak to remain in people’s memories, it tells you that it was about who was in the suit.” It’s funny that Silberling mentions the memories part, especially considering the Land of the Lost movie deviates in a number of ways from the series. Instead of being about a man and his two children, the story involves three adults (played by Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel) who accidentally wind up in a strange world filled with dinosaurs, Pukani (which are like Ewoks mixed with the Geico cavemen) and of course Sleestak (which, according to a character on the show, “taste a whole lot like lobster. But then again, not like lobster, if you know what I mean.”). Anyway, I’m at least glad the creatures aren’t rendered digitally, and I again disagree with Silberling that CG would make them look too perfect — unless of course the production got some LOTR kind of budget, and considering this is a kitschy Will Ferrell comedy, I can’t see Universal spending that kind of dough (last month Defamer mentioned the studio cut corners on the film, yet the IMDb listing for the film still mentions a budget of $100 million, which is of course way too high for a comedy post-Evan Almighty). As far as remakes of my childhood memories go, Land of the Lost is today looking better than Race to Witch Mountain, despite the latest news that original Escape to Witch Mountain child stars Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann will make cameos. I have a feeling that that one will have a lot of terrible computer effects, though I suppose anything is better than those awful harmonica-harnessed-with-string effects from the original. (via Fark.com) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/7/26/16595.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 7/26/2007 4:56:31 PM
Body: ***David Geffen and Steven Spielberg, apparently unhappy with the role Dreamworks has played within the Viacom empire since Paramount’s late-2005 acquisition of the vanity label, are threatening to walk away from their contracts with the mega studio. According to a fascinating piece on the subject by former Paramount employee Peter Bart, Geffen and Spielberg may be able to jump ship with the Dreamworks name in tow, but they’d likely have to leave their staff, existing deals and film negatives behind. ***Netflix is lowering the price of their two most popular subscription plans by $1 each, in an attempt to beat out Blockbuster once and for all. It’s the second price slash from Netflix this year, and it could cost the company millions of dollars. ***Disney has found a director for their remake of the kiddie classic Escape to Witch Mountain. Also, if you were wondering what happened to Ike Eisenmann, in 2002 he wrote, directed and starred in a Witch Mountain/Blair Witch spoof called — wait for it — The Blair Witch Mountain. Originally posted on:Spoutblog
]]>Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:56:31 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com7/26/2007 4:56:31 PM ***David Geffen and Steven Spielberg, apparently unhappy with the role Dreamworks has played within the Viacom empire since Paramount’s late-2005 acquisition of the vanity label, are threatening to walk away from their contracts with the mega studio. According to a fascinating piece on the subject by former Paramount employee Peter Bart, Geffen and Spielberg may be able to jump ship with the Dreamworks name in tow, but they’d likely have to leave their staff, existing deals and film negatives behind. ***Netflix is lowering the price of their two most popular subscription plans by $1 each, in an attempt to beat out Blockbuster once and for all. It’s the second price slash from Netflix this year, and it could cost the company millions of dollars. ***Disney has found a director for their remake of the kiddie classic Escape to Witch Mountain. Also, if you were wondering what happened to Ike Eisenmann, in 2002 he wrote, directed and starred in a Witch Mountain/Blair Witch spoof called — wait for it — The Blair Witch Mountain. Originally posted on:Spoutblog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/7/23/15606.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 7/23/2007 8:56:21 AM
Body: ***David Geffen and Steven Spielberg, apparently unhappy with the role Dreamworks has played within the Viacom empire since Paramount's late-2005 acquisition of the vanity label, are threatening to walk away from their contracts with the mega studio. According to a fascinating piece on the subject by former Paramount employee Peter Bart, Geffen and Spielberg may be able to jump ship with the Dreamworks name in tow, but they'd likely have to leave their staff, existing deals and film negatives behind. ***Netflix is lowering the price of their two most popular subscription plans by $1 each, in an attempt to beat out Blockbuster once and for all. It's the second price slash from Netflix this year, and it could cost the company millions of dollars. ***Disney has found a director for their remake of the kiddie classic Escape to Witch Mountain. Also, if you were wondering what happened to Ike Eisenmann, in 2002 he wrote, directed and starred in a Witch Mountain/Blair Witch spoof called -- wait for it -- The Blair Witch Mountain. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:56:21 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com7/23/2007 8:56:21 AM ***David Geffen and Steven Spielberg, apparently unhappy with the role Dreamworks has played within the Viacom empire since Paramount's late-2005 acquisition of the vanity label, are threatening to walk away from their contracts with the mega studio. According to a fascinating piece on the subject by former Paramount employee Peter Bart, Geffen and Spielberg may be able to jump ship with the Dreamworks name in tow, but they'd likely have to leave their staff, existing deals and film negatives behind. ***Netflix is lowering the price of their two most popular subscription plans by $1 each, in an attempt to beat out Blockbuster once and for all. It's the second price slash from Netflix this year, and it could cost the company millions of dollars. ***Disney has found a director for their remake of the kiddie classic Escape to Witch Mountain. Also, if you were wondering what happened to Ike Eisenmann, in 2002 he wrote, directed and starred in a Witch Mountain/Blair Witch spoof called -- wait for it -- The Blair Witch Mountain. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/awesome/MemberTagFilms.aspxawesome
Number of films tagged: 187

Number of people who tagged: 158

Number of times used: 291

]]>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:23:33 GMT187158291Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/drama/MemberTagFilms.aspxdrama
Number of films tagged: 527

Number of people who tagged: 102

Number of times used: 627

]]>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:01:29 GMT527102627Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/adventure/MemberTagFilms.aspxadventure
Number of films tagged: 229

Number of people who tagged: 96

Number of times used: 369

]]>Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:00:50 GMT22996369Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/escape/MemberTagFilms.aspxescape
Number of films tagged: 2868

Number of people who tagged: 76

Number of times used: 279

]]>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:51:44 GMT286876279Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/suspense/MemberTagFilms.aspxsuspense
Number of films tagged: 129

Number of people who tagged: 66

Number of times used: 189

]]>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:28:43 GMT12966189Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/favorite/MemberTagFilms.aspxfavorite
Number of films tagged: 85

Number of people who tagged: 62

Number of times used: 127

]]>Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:22:58 GMT8562127Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/aliens/MemberTagFilms.aspxaliens
Number of films tagged: 74

Number of people who tagged: 51

Number of times used: 111

]]>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:12:57 GMT7451111Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/amnesia/MemberTagFilms.aspxamnesia
Number of films tagged: 379

Number of people who tagged: 47

Number of times used: 80

]]>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:02:48 GMT3794780Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/kids/MemberTagFilms.aspxkids
Number of films tagged: 96

Number of people who tagged: 46

Number of times used: 112

]]>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:49:19 GMT9646112Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/disney/MemberTagFilms.aspxdisney
Number of films tagged: 70

Number of people who tagged: 39

Number of times used: 128

]]>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:53:40 GMT7039128Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/rescue/MemberTagFilms.aspxrescue
Number of films tagged: 4080

Number of people who tagged: 31

Number of times used: 142

]]>Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:39:36 GMT408031142Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/twins/MemberTagFilms.aspxtwins
Number of films tagged: 426

Number of people who tagged: 26

Number of times used: 57

]]>Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:16:35 GMT4262657Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/orphan/MemberTagFilms.aspxorphan
Number of films tagged: 1157

Number of people who tagged: 25

Number of times used: 53

]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:02:59 GMT11572553Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/cat/MemberTagFilms.aspxcat
Number of films tagged: 346

Number of people who tagged: 23

Number of times used: 48

]]>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:09:08 GMT3462348Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/psychic/MemberTagFilms.aspxpsychic
Number of films tagged: 276

Number of people who tagged: 15

Number of times used: 23

]]>Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:39:34 GMT2761523Tag