‘Star Wars,’ ‘Doctor Who’ legends pass away

A moment of thoughtful consideration, please. Two genre legends have passed away.

British makeup designer Stuart Freeborn has died at 98.

Freeborn worked on 75 movies during his career, according to the New York Times, including creating the apemen from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

But he is best known for creating the look of Yoda, the puppet embodied by Frank Oz in “The Empire Strikes Back.” Freeborn’s creation has lived on in several movies, animated series and, no doubt, future “Star Wars” movies now in the planning stages.

Freeborn famously decided Yoda’s look needed to include eyes reminiscent of Albert Einstein.

Also leaving us was another talented Brit, Ray Cusick, who died at age 84. He created the most famous “Doctor Who” adversary, the robotic Daleks, for a 1963 episode of the series.

The world of entertainment is better for their roles in it.

Geektastic: The Force is with us

I’ve lost track of the rumors and likely developments coming, fast and furious, at geeks and genre fans this week.

Rumors that Marvel is planning to base a lot of its Phase Three movies – following the “Avengers” sequel, a group of films to include “Ant-Man” and possibly “Dr. Strange” – on a multi-movie adaptation of the “Planet Hulk” and “World War Hulk” comics.

Reports that Chris Pratt, the goofy guy from TV’s “Parks and Recreation” and one of the Seals from “Zero Dark Thirty,” would play Peter, the human lead of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” one of Marvel’s Phase Two tentpoles.

The announcement by Disney’s Robert Iger that, in addition to making the three “Star Wars” sequels, the studio would make stand-alone stories in the “Star Wars” universe. A Yoda movies? A Boba Fett movie? Does it sound like Disney is following the game plan established by its Marvel subsidiary?

And heck, all that’s in addition to the line-up of movies already coming out this year, from “Iron Man 3” to “Star Trek Into Darkness” to “Thor: The Dark World.”

My son doesn’t remember a time when each year wasn’t a non-stop parade of science fiction, fantasy and comic book characters on the big screen. When you couldn’t pick up a magazine and see Iron Man looking back at you from the cover.

But I remember.

So it’s a pretty damn cool time to be us, huh?

Six things we want to see from JJ Abrams’ ‘Star Wars’ movie

Okay, everybody got those “Star Trek” vs. “Star Wars” and lens flare jokes out of their system yesterday. We still don’t have any idea what to expect when “Alias” and “Lost” creator and “Star Trek” reboot director J.J. Abrams makes “Star Wars Episode VII” for 2015 release.

But we can throw out a few things we would like to see and don’t want.

No repeats of the mistakes from the prequel trilogy. With the Great Beard of the Galaxy, George Lucas, out of the way, we can say goodbye (lord, please) to Gungans, trade routes, tax protests, clunky dialogue, wooden acting, awful child actors and movies that were “ooh pretty” but frustrating for all their faults.

The Return of the Jedi. Mark Hamill is still around. He’s expressed an interest in appearing in the movie, as has his on-screen sis, Carrie Fisher. It would be totally appropriate to introduce new, younger characters. But if Hamill can pull it off, it would be great to see him in Alec Guinness-style elder Jedi action. Having said that …

A strong female protagonist. Abrams gave us a kick-ass female hero in “Alias.” Not so much in “Lost,” which started out strong with the Kate character but kind of petered out. But Abrams, like Joss Whedon, can give us a woman to root for if anyone can.

A mix of the personal and the galaxy-spanning. No movie did this better than “The Empire Strikes Back.” I’m sure Abrams, a fan, has seen “Empire” many times. He and screenwriter Michael Arndt surely will take some cues from it.

Great music. John Williams’ original score is timeless. What we wouldn’t give for that lightning to strike again.

And the impossible. Something for everyone, “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” fans, young and old, geeks and nerds, dogs and cats living together, to enjoy.

 

‘Arrow’ has real geek appeal

If you were like me, you got pretty frustrated during the early seasons of “Smallville.”

For what it was, the series about Clark Kent’s early years – before he became Superman – was mildly entertaining. But developments seemed to move at a glacial pace. It seemed like it took forever for Clark to develop familiar super powers like X-ray vision and super-hearing. And I think he flew only at the very end of the 10th and final season, true to the producers’ mantra of “no tights, no flights.”

But the CW series “Arrow,” about the formative years of Superman’s fellow DC hero Green Arrow, has already explored a lot of the character’s mythology – and that of DC comics – in the first nine episodes and is likely to explore more when it returns this Wednesday.

In just a few episodes, the show introduced not only Oliver Queen/Green Arrow and his immediate circle, including possible future Black Canary Dinah Laurel Lance but also bad guys like Deathstroke, the Dark Archer and the Royal Flush Gang. Batman family member Huntress – seen above – also appeared in a couple of episodes.

But the show’s casting also holds a lot of appeal to geeks, with actors from some favorite TV shows and movies playing characters on “Arrow.”

They include John Barrowman, Captain Jack from “Torchwood,” as Malcolm Merlyn, Kelly Hu from “X-Men” as China White, Jamey Sheridan from “The Stand,” in flashbacks as Oliver’s father and Tahmoh Penikett of “Battlestar Galactica.”

“Arrow’ has captured my attention and held it with its serious nods to comic book lore.

Movies I’m looking forward to in 2013

2012 was a pretty good year for geek movies. I’m still boggled, sometimes, that so many comic book, science fiction and fantasy movies – not to mention big-budget, well-crafted ones – are released these days. We might be in a golden age for the genre.

Looking ahead to 2013, the calendar looks like just as much of a treat for fans.

“Iron Man 3.” After the superhero team-up that was “The Avengers,” why look forward to a solo superhero outing? Isn’t that a step back? Well, it would be but for a few reasons. I trust Robert Downey Jr. and director Shane Black. The preview looks dire and action-filled. And the movie kicks off Marvel’s Phase Two, which culminates in “The Avengers” sequel in 2015, so I’m pretty sure they’ll have some references to the big picture. May 3.

“Thor: The Dark World.” The first “Thor,” in some ways, held the promise (threat?) of being the weakest movie in the first phase of Marvel. Yet it was solid entertainment and laid the groundwork for much of the mythology that followed in “Captain America” and “The Avengers.” I feel very much at ease with this realm of big-screen Marvel. Nov. 8.

“Pacific Rim.” This story about giant robots created to fight giant, Godzilla-style monsters looks like something to appeal to all the 12 year olds within us. July 12.

“Star Trek Into Darkness.” This J.J. Abrams sequel to the reboot looks awesome. Unleash the Cumberbatch! May 17.

“The Wolverine.” I am not the craziest of fans of Marvel’s snikt-happy mutant. But Hugh Jackman has been so good as the character I’m looking forward to this and his role, however big, in “Days of Future Past.” July 26.

“Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” The first movie was a pleasant surprise. The second book is the weakest of the series, but I’m hoping they pull it off. Nov. 22.

“Oz the Great and Powerful.” This retooling of the classic story, a kind of prequel, could be really fun or really awful. March 8.

“The World’s End.” While we’re waiting for director Edgar Wright to make “Ant-Man,” how about this end of the world comedy starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Martin Freeman? Yes, please. Oct. 25.

Movies I’m almost dreading:

“Man of Steel.” We don’t need another origin story. We don’t need a “dark” Superman. We need a Superman who feels like the last of his kind but isn’t mopey about it. We don’t need a “Dark Knight” treatment, but I’m afraid that’s what we’re getting. June 14.

“World War Z.” I’ve said it before, but here it is again. The preview doesn’t look like the terrific Max Brooks book. June 21.

“The Lone Ranger.” A beloved childhood hero. I’m just not sure about the approach. Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp bring a lot of charisma to the proceedings, however. We’ll see. May 31.

RIP Gerry Anderson, creator of ‘Thunderbirds’

Although he was largely a cult figure in the United States, one of Britain’s top creators of imaginative children’s shows has died.

Gerry Anderson, creator of such fun and, frankly, offbeat shows in the 1960s and 1970s as “Thunderbirds,” “UFO” and “Space: 1999,” has died in his native England, He was 83.

Anderson might be an unfamiliar name to some in the U.S. but his work is instantly recognizable.

Look at the promotional photo above for his groundbreaking 1965 series “Thunderbirds.” Remember the odd but fascinating show about marionettes piloting rescue planes and space ships? The family of puppets who dropped down conveyor belts and into their ships just in time to jet off to handle some far-flung disaster.

Gerry Anderson.

I can’t say too much about how much Gerry Anderson’s shows sparked my imagination as a child. I had toy versions of Thunderbird 2 and 3. I played with them over endless hours.

That’s Thunderbird 2.

And that’s Thunderbird 3.

I’m not sure when I originally saw “Thunderbirds” – early in its U.S. syndication, I’m sure – but I remembered Anderson’s name and while I saw only random episodes of his other puppet series, like “Stingray,” I made sure to check out his later, live-action creations. More on those below.

So RIP Gerry Anderson. Your imaginative work was a big part of my childhood.

Random Gerry Anderson facts:

“Team America:” The goofy puppet movie from the “South Park” guys was inspired by Anderson’s work.

Derek Meddings. The designer of Anderson’s intricate miniature worlds went on to design the look of some of the grandest special effects from the James Bond movies.

“UFO.” In 1970, the first live-action Gerry Anderson series that I ever saw, “UFO,” aired around the world. About a government organization that battled an alien invasion, “UFO” was groovy in an “Austin Powers” kind of way, with British babes in wild purple wigs.

“Space: 1999” and the end of the world. “Space: 1999” was probably the best-known of Anderson’s live-action series, running for a couple of seasons beginning in 1975. Martin Landau and Barbara Bain starred in the series about what would happen if nuclear waste on the moon exploded and pushed the moon out of Earth’s orbit.

RIP Gerry Anderson.

‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ trailer: Five things we noticed

In the latest in a series of previews of a movie that doesn’t come out until May – and really, by that time I think we’ll have seen all of it, although probably out of sequence – the latest teaser trailer from “Star Trek Into Darkness” debuted online today.

Some random thoughts:

Two narrators this time, both scary. In the earlier teaser we heard Benedict Cumberbatch assuring Kirk and company that they were overmatched. There’s more of that this time, plus words from Bruce Greenwood’s Christopher Pike telling Kirk that his lack of humility will get him and his crew killed. Then we see what might be Starfleet caskets. FOREshadowing!

Solemn is the word. Surely there’s some lighthearted humor in the movie. But we’re not seeing it so far. Maybe there’ll be something funny in the scene that sees Kirk and McCoy running for their lives through a crazy red landscape.

Gary Mitchell? Garth? John Harrison? Who is Benedict Cumberbatch playing? We still don’t know. We’ve been led to believe that Khan, the ultimate “Star Trek” movie Big Bad, is not the character Cumberbatch is playing in the movie. Is that a ruse? Is he really Khan? Is he paving the way for Khan in a third movie? Personally, I’m still betting on Gary Mitchell, Kirk’s old comrade who gets godlike powers.

Cumberbatch hangs out in the Hulk/Loki chamber from “The Avengers.” Not really. But it sure looks like something Samuel L. Jackson would drop from a great height with the right provocation.

Alice Eve is reportedly playing Carol Marcus. Will we see the inception of Kirk’s son, David Marcus?

The movie opens May 17.

Today in Christmas: Five secrets of ‘The Grinch’

Since it first aired in 1966, “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” has become a pop culture institution. It’s one of the best animated films ever made. It’s a touchstone of the holiday season. It’s a common thread for generations of movie, TV and children’s book fans.

And yet there are a few things many of us don’t know about the special. Here are five things you might not know.

Boris Karloff. Yes, everyone knows that Karloff, immortalized forever as Universal’s Frankenstein monster in the studio’s movie series from the 1930s, provided the narration and the voice of the Grinch. But most probably think that Karloff had been in hibernation for decades before recording the Grinch and then passing from this plane of existence in 1969. But Karloff was active in show business even three decades after his Frankenstein heyday. He was memorable not only as the Grinch but also for appearances on “The Wild, Wild West,” “The Girl from UNCLE” and “I Spy.” He even hosted the “Thriller” anthology TV series for two years beginning in 1960.

Thurl Ravenscroft. Possessor of one of the great names of all time, Ravenscroft was the man behind the booming bass voice who sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Because Ravenscroft wasn’t credited, many people assumed that Karloff sang the song. Ravenscroft had, up until his death in 2005, a long and varied career. He was the voice of Tony the Tiger in Frosted Flakes commercials. His voice can be heard in the Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion Disney attractions. He had a brush with another animated pop culture franchise by singing the song “No Dogs Allowed” in “Snoopy, Come Home.”

Chuck Jones. I’m of the opinion that the “Grinch” animated show wouldn’t be half as good if not for director Chuck Jones, seen above with Karloff. A legendary animation director, Jones – who died in 2002 – directed many great Warner Brothers cartoons, including two of my favorites, “What’s Opera, Doc” and “One Froggy Evening.” Jones’ talent permeates the “Grinch” special but is especially notable in the little touches, including the expressions on the Grinch’s canine sidekick, Max.

Albert Hague. Yes, Mr. Shorofsky from the “Fame” movie and TV series has a “Grinch” connection. He wrote the music for “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” His 2001 obituary noted that Dr. Seuss himself, Theodore Geisel, said that Hague contributed greatly to the special. “Any man who slides an octave on the word ‘Grinch’ gets the job,” Geisel said upon hearing Hague’s work.

Other Grinches. I’m not talking about the Jim Carrey movie. Two other animated specials, “Halloween is Grinch Night” and “The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat,” aired in subsequent decades. Although the wonderful Hans Conried performed the Grinch in the first, neither can compare to the original special.

 

TV crush: Sherry Jackson

Once you’d seen Sherry Jackson’s appearance on an episode of the original “Star Trek” series, chances are you never forgot her.

As Andrea, a startlingly human android in the 1966 episode “What Are Little Girls Made Of,” Jackson single-handedly sparked puberty for a few million young boys.

In that crazy criss-cross jumpsuit, Jackson posed a special kind of peril for Capt. Kirk. Seriously, how could he keep his mind on the problem at hand – controlling a planet-bound android inventor and his huge killer robot (played by Ted Cassidy of “The Addams Family”) when Jackson was there, looking … really not at all robotic?

Jackson, who is now 70 (!), was a regular on 1950s TV in “The Danny Thomas Show.” By the 1960s she was all grown up, a point driven home by her “Star Trek” appearance and a series of movies she made in the 1960s and 1970s.

Today, Jackson is immortalized not only on home video and online but through a website, sherryjackson.net, that offers up not only video clips but autographed photos.

Here’s to the lovely Ms. Jackson.

 

‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ teaser: Five things to know

It was another interwebs meltdown kind of day, with everybody weighing in with their opinion on the new “announcement” trailer – a short version of the teaser trailer, or an even shorter version of the nine minutes of IMAX footage coming in front of “The Hobbit” – for “Star Trek Into Darkness.”

And of course I’ve got a couple of thoughts too. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the “official” US trailer on iTunes and here’s the Japanese trailer, with the extra few seconds of footage that has everyone so crazy.

Five things:

That voice. I love the narration, presumably by Benedict Cumberbatch as the bad guy. “I have returned … to seek my vengeance.” Yikes.

The Cumberbatch! One of my favorite Brit actors because of the “Sherlock” series, Cumberbatch looks damn cool here. Is he playing Khan? Is he playing Gary Mitchell? Somebody else entirely? Whatever!

The water. I’m still trying to figure out why the Enterprise is in the ocean. The shot of the ship plowing into the water is startling and looks like they’ve decided to wreck the Enterprise again. But the one of the ship rising out of the water? Reminds me of the nebula cloud “submarine” games in “Star Trek II.”

The city mayhem. The shots of people staring up at something horrible happening in a big city – London? San Francisco? – bugged me. Call it a long-lasting 9-11 effect.

The hands. This is the part that’s making everyone crazy. Two hands, separated by glass. One is unmistakably in a Starfleet science uniform and is making the familiar Vulcan gesture that usually accompanies “Live long and prosper.” The similarities to the finale of “Star Trek II” are obvious. But surely they’re not going in that direction again? This is, after all, a rebooted universe. Anything can happen.

We’ll know in May.