October 2010 Archives

Here's another couple of sci-fi-themed pumpkins for Hallowe'en.

Continuing the Hallowe'en theme, check out the work of pumpkin carver extraordinaire Noel Dickover (seriously!) on his website www.fantasypumpkins.com.
Something of celebrity over in the States, where they take their squash art seriously, the Death Star is a popular request for TV segments but he has turned his hand to all manner of fantasy, sci-fi, horror and cartoon subjects.
His website includes a tutorial on how to carve your own Death Star.

I've been holding on to this picture for a while, waiting for Hallowe'en to arrive so I could post it.

It harks back to a more innocent age before our hopes and dreams were crushed by Jar Jar, jumping Yodas and midichlorians...

Inception was one this year's biggest - and best - movies, but it left many in the audience scratching their heads.

To help out, this handy infographic plots the character's journeys through the different dream states.

Click on it to embiggen.

An original Darth Vader costume is expected to sell for up to £230,000 when it is put up for auction next month.

The outfit, including the famous black helmet and mask, is thought to have been made for the second Star Wars film - The Empire Strikes Back - in 1980.

Neil Roberts, head of the popular culture department at Christie's, said: "Darth Vader is defined by his costume, which has made him one of the most recognised characters from the history of film.

"The global appeal of the Star Wars films, and the interest that the series has attracted from a number of generations, is perhaps unprecedented in the world of cinema.

"Christie's have sold some incredible relics from popular culture in the past from Dorothy's red slippers from The Wizard Of Oz to a dress made for Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany's; arguably the Darth Vader costume is the most iconic of all."

The character was played in the original films by Dave Prowse but American actor James Earl Jones provided the voice as Prowse's West Country accent was felt to be unsuitable for the part of the evil Vader.

A percentage of the proceeds from the sale, at Christie's auction house in London, will be donated to Cancer Research UK.

Kristen Stewart has revealed she went to a strip club to research her new role as a stripper - and got offered a job.

The 20-year-old Twilight star, who plays a 16-year-old sex worker befriended by grieving father Doug (James Gandolfini) in new indie flick Welcome To The Rileys, told The Sun how she went to research the role with director Jake Scott.

Kristen revealed: "I went to my first strip club and the guy was like, 'You have to come back later if you want a job' - they must have thought Jake was my pimp."

Peter Jackson's The Hobbit is set to go down in history as the most expensive film ever made with an estimated budget of over £300 million.

The adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel towers above the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, which took £177 million to make.

That's right..

George Lucas is now giving the Indiana Jones series the 3D overhaul.

Here at Anorak City the eyes are rolling...

Leave it George... leave it!

Finally got round to watching the Sci-Fi Channel mini-series The Lost Room on DVD and can tell you all that it's definitely worth checking out.

Fans of Lost, Fringe and the like will lap up the mystery and, because there's only three episodes, there's no chance of it overstaying it's welcome.

HE'S big, he's mean and he's got a nasty skin complaint. He's Scales!

Hard man Vinnie Jones is set to play the musclebound baddie in new superhero TV series The Cape later this year - and it's been hell.

Because this movie monster has green and gold scales all over him.

"The make-up was tough," says Vinnie. "It took four hours to put in on. It gets all over your head, your hands.

"For frequent filming we're going to have to refine the make-up."

It's not the first time Vinnie has played a super-villain. He was Juggernaut in the third X-Men film.

The Cape follows an innocent cop who has been framed for a crime he did not commit and then left for dead after he is caught. He is eventually saved by a circus ringleader who prepares him with special abilities to defend himself against his foes.