Superman captivated the world in the 1940s. Fleischer Studios, most famous for producing Popeye cartoons, made several Superman animated cartoons that were shown in theaters.
This entry, The Mad Scientist, has the style at its finest. Every frame was hand drawn back in the day. This was truly an animated cartoon.
What do you get when you cross Star Wars with one of its biggest inspirations, then mix in John-Boy and Banacek?
This week’s Sci-Fi Saturday looks at the Roger Corman classic (?) Battle Beyond The Stars. Released in the fall of 1980, just in time for Oscar Season, to a lukewarm reception both critically and monetarily. It tells the story of Shad (played by Richard Thomas of The Waltons fame) a young farmer who seeks the help of seven mercenaries to protect his home from an evil force bent on its oppressive plundering.
If you know your film history, you may be thinking this sounds suspiciously like The Seven Samurai. You would be right! But fear not, this is not a mere ripoff, but an adaption because Akira Kurosawa is actually given story credit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XkqXxzqY9s
When Star Wars quite literally changed the art of filmmaking, many ripoffs and wannabes were made in the following years. Producer Roger Corman, whose prolific works were usually made on miniscule budgets, decided to cash in on the craze. It was no secret that George Lucas was inspired by Akira Kurosawa. Screenwriter John Sayles looked to the Kurosawa’s The Seven Samurai, which itself had been made into a western The Magnificent Seven two decades earlier. A young aspiring props and model maker names James Cameron was hired to help make the sets and ships. Another up and coming name was composer James Horner. You may have heard his music in several Star Trek films, and most James Cameron productions.
Allegedly, much of the film’s $2 million dollar budget went to the salaries of co-stars George Peppard and Robert Vaughn. Most of the other cast were TV or character actors, including a young pre-Newhart Julia Duffy and sex symbol Sybil Danning.
If you know Roger Corman, you know what to expect. If you don’t know, let’s just say you’ve probably seen some of his work on Mystery Science Theater 3000. In fact, this movie is probably ripe for a Rifftrax treatment. However, if you’re a fan of enjoyable, if a bit silly, B movies this one is worth picking up. Corman’s trademark use of young talent on the rise behind the scenes is probably why he was able to make so many profitable films on microscopic budgets.
In a trivial note, Peppard and Vaughn would later co-star together in the final season of The A-Team.
Battle Beyond The Stars is currently available Amazon in both DVD and streaming video. It holds a 5.4 rating at IMDB.
HEY KIDS! It’s Saturday! Time for another edition of Sci-Fi Saturday. Each week we will take a look at a certain possibly lesser-known piece of Sci-Fi lore. It could be a movie, TV show, book, video game, or even a specific character. The goal, as usual, is to educate and hopefully entertain.
This week, 1983’s ABC TV show Automan
In 1982, Disney released the groundbreaking film Tron. As with many innovations in entertainment, it inspired many similarities or “knock offs”. One such inspiration was the TV show Automan, which ran for only a half season on ABC. Premiering in December of 1983, it was in simple terms an inverse of Tron. Instead of a human entering the computer world like Jeff Bridges did, it was a computer creation existing in the real world.
Automan told the story of Walter Nebicher, who inexplicably was both a computer programmer and police officer. His best creation was Automan, a humanoid shaped hologram that could exist in the real world. Automan’s best tool was Cursor, which could create holographic objects such as vehicles and equipment. Kind of like a Green Lantern. Only Blue. And without a ring…
In most cases, Automan and Walter would use a Cursor created car that resembled a Lamborghini Countach with neon lights. It would travel at ridiculous speeds with precision handling. Somehow the physics and G-Forces were nonexistent when inside the car, because anybody riding in the car seemed unaffected by high speed turns.
Cursor could also create flying vehicles such as helicopters and planes. Really, Cursor was the MacGuffin that could just make whatever was needed for a cool scene.
When in danger, Automan could “combine” with Walter, essentially making himself into a forcefield forWalter’s protection. Automan and Walter would share conscience during this time, though it was unclear if this was any limit to how long this could be done.
Like most 80s action shows, episodes dwelled around crime fighting, solving murder plots, or exposing corruption. The villains were usually mere mortals, so it was difficult to truly believe the heroes were in peril when they had a device that could create anything. But hey, it was the 80s. Computers were a relatively new and exciting world that the average kid didn’t really understand yet. If you were able to suspend disbelief for the sake of sci-fi silliness, Automan was an enjoyable romp.
The entire series of Automan is available on DVD.
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Seth flies solo (no pun intended) for this special edition of Geekville Radio.
It’s widely known by now that Solo vastly underperformed at the box office, taking in less money domestically than it cost to produce. Regardless of the reasons, rumors have hit that all future standalone Star Wars films are now on hold. What could this mean for the rumored Obi-Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett movies? Or the “Non-Skywalker” movie series by Rian Johnson?
The other major topic is the movie itself. Does it hold up to multiple viewings? Is it worthy of the name Star Wars? Or just a glorified fanfilm?
What did you think of Solo? And what do you think about the potential halt on future standalone Star Wars movies? Sound off below!
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Seth flies solo (no pun intended) for this special edition of Geekville Radio.
It’s widely known by now that Solo vastly underperformed at the box office, taking in less money domestically than it cost to produce. Regardless of the reasons, rumors have hit that all future standalone Star Wars films are now on hold. What could this mean for the rumored Obi-Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett movies? Or the “Non-Skywalker” movie series by Rian Johnson?
The other major topic is the movie itself. Does it hold up to multiple viewings? Is it worthy of the name Star Wars? Or just a glorified fanfilm?
What did you think of Solo? And what do you think about the potential halt on future standalone Star Wars movies? Sound off below!
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This episode of Geekville Radio has two main sections in News and talking the fallout of the 2018 E3 expo.
THE NEWS
Comcast threw the world a curve ball by making a $65 billion dollar bid to buy 20th Century Fox. While Disney and Fox had been at the forefront, Comcast and Fox had been already talking for some time. What could this mean for the Marvel MCU? Could this mean “21st Comcast Fox”?
In DC Movie news, the working title for the second Wonder Woman movie is Wonder Woman 1984. Director Patty Jenkins tweeted this photo showing Chris Pine on the set as Steve Trevor. Could this be a decendant of the original, a la Lyle Waggoner in the TV series? Or could something more sinister be at work? And what of Lynda Carter herself?
E3 FALLOUT
The second part of the show is dedicated to news Seth and Train found interesting from E3. This is of course not an exhaustive or comprehensive list. We do recommend checking out our sister podcast You Just Got Fragged for a more in depth look at E3.
Square Enix (Seth)
Perhaps the biggest Square Enix news is the official trailers and gameplay footage for Kingdom Hearts III. Clearly we see the addition of characters from Frozen, Incredibles, and Toy Story. Could we be seeing Marvel or Star Wars characters at some point? And what’s with a version costing over 200 bucks?
Also featured prominently was the Shadow Of The Tomb Raider trailer, which showed some very Batman Arkham style gameplay.
Seth also showed interest in the Dragon Quest XI game since he loved the NES games so much back in the day
Ubisoft
Crazy Train is ready for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which is set in Ancient Greece.
Microsoft
Halo Infinite Announcement Trailer
The Initiative, Undead Labs, Playground Games, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games have all been acquired by Microsoft.
Fallout 76 E3 trailer showed the multi-player gameplay, to which Train and Seth both lament the potential aggravations from a primarily multi-player format.
Elder Scrolls VI reveal trailer finally hit. Hopefully everybody has better knee armor.
Not one, not two, but THREE Gears Of War themed games in Gears 5, Gears Tactics, and Gears Pop.
The next entry in the Forza series, Forza Horizon 4
Also, Cyberpunk 2077 seemed to be a big surprise hit with fans
Last but not least, Seth in anxious to see what the relaunched Battletoads will look like.
Bungie
A teaser trailer for Destiny 2 expansions, which includes the new Gambit Mode. As well as a story trailer that depicts the death of fan favorite Cayde 6.
Nintendo
Super Smash Bros. is back, and this time sports every character from every previous game.
Underwhelming Announcements
EA did announce the new Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order title. But offered no artwork or footage.
And, of course, the news about Red Dead Redemption 2 is that there is no news.
Is there any game you liked that we didn’t mention? Let us know!
Geekville Radio on Facebook Geekville Radio on Twitter
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This episode of Geekville Radio has two main sections in News and talking the fallout of the 2018 E3 expo.
THE NEWS
Comcast threw the world a curve ball by making a $65 billion dollar bid to buy 20th Century Fox. While Disney and Fox had been at the forefront, Comcast and Fox had been already talking for some time. What could this mean for the Marvel MCU? Could this mean “21st Comcast Fox”?
In DC Movie news, the working title for the second Wonder Woman movie is Wonder Woman 1984. Director Patty Jenkins tweeted this photo showing Chris Pine on the set as Steve Trevor. Could this be a decendant of the original, a la Lyle Waggoner in the TV series? Or could something more sinister be at work? And what of Lynda Carter herself?
E3 FALLOUT
The second part of the show is dedicated to news Seth and Train found interesting from E3. This is of course not an exhaustive or comprehensive list. We do recommend checking out our sister podcast You Just Got Fragged for a more in depth look at E3.
Square Enix (Seth)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHo705XNa2I
Perhaps the biggest Square-Enix news is the official trailers and gameplay footage for Kingdom Hearts III. Clearly we see the addition of characters from Frozen, Incredibles, and Toy Story. Could we be seeing Marvel or Star Wars characters at some point? And what’s with a version costing over 200 bucks?
Also featured prominantly was the Shadow Of The Tomb Raider trailer, which showed some very Batman Arkham style gameplay.
Seth also showed interest in the Dragon Quest XI game since he loved the NES games so much back in the day
Ubisoft
Crazy Train is ready for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which is set in Ancient Greece.
Microsoft
Halo Infinite Announcement Trailer
The Initiative, Undead Labs, Playground Games, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games have all been acquired by Microsoft.
Fallout 76 E3 trailer showed the multi-player gameplay, to which Train and Seth both lament the potential aggravations from a primarily multi-player format.
Elder Scrolls VI reveal trailer finally hit. Hopefully everybody has better knee armor.
Not one, not two, but THREE Gears Of War themed games in Gears 5, Gears Tactics, and Gears Pop.
The next entry in the Forza series, Forza Horizon 4
Also, Cyberpunk 2077 seemed to be a big surprise hit with fans
Last but not least, Seth in anxious to see what the relaunched Battletoads will look like.
Bungee
A teaser trailer for Destiny 2 expansions, which includes the new Gambit Mode. As well as a story trailer that depicts the death of fan favorite Cayde 6.
Nintendo
Super Smash Bros. is back, and this time sports every character from every previous game.
Underwhelming Announcements
EA did announce the new Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order title. But offered no artwork or footage.
And, of course, the news about Red Dead Redemption 2 is that there is no news.
Is there any game you liked that we didn’t mention? Let us know!
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It’s a giant-sized edition of Geekville Radio this week! THREE huge topics!
STAR WARS: WHAT HAPPENED?
Seth and Crazy Train return to talk the disappointing performance of Solo: A Star Wars Story at the box office. What could be to blame for the lackluster reception? Could this be a backlash due to poor audience reception of The Last Jedi? Or merely a result of a saturated market? Or perhaps the recasting of such a beloved character is the reason? Whatever the case, Solo and The Last Jedi have very different Critic vs. Audience ratings.
ARROWVERSE
The middle portion of the show is devoted to the winding down of the current Arrowverse shows on CW. John Constantine has been announced as a regular for Season 4 of Legends Of Tomorrow. On top of that, a new showrunner has been announced in Beth Schwartz. What could we expect in the coming seasons? Are there any new or returning characters on the horizon?
E3 EXPECTATIONS
Finally, E3 is right around the corner. Train and Seth chime in on what they hope to hear from the major game publishers this year.
Have any thoughts on the state of Star Wars, The Arrowverse, or E3? Drop us a line below and let us know what you think! The chances are good that feedback will be read on the air in future episodes!
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There’s a ton of news to talk about on this episode of Geekville Radio! Seth, Crazy Train, and special guest Lead Base cover the news and the fallout of Free Comic Book Day. Timestamps are included if you want to skip to certain parts.
1:45 – First up, Rockstar Games has released the latest trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2. Check it out below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaW0tYpxyp0
11:51 – In Marvel MCU news, Black Panther will be available in digital format on May 8th. It will drop on Blu-Ray and DVD a week later. This is interesting news becuase Black Panther is still being shown in theaters. What behind the scenes content could be included as extras? Cut footage? How the language was created? A look at the music?
31:45 – Also in movie news, Entertainment Weekly noted in a recent article that advance ticket sales for Solo: A Star Wars Story have surpassed Black Panther. Could this be a mega-hit despite the controversy? Will it see the success that the Star Trek recasting has?
39:45 – As a compendium to our previous episode, Train and Lead Base speculate on what the previews in Free Comic Book Day releases will affect the Marvel and DC Universe titles.
42:20 – Amazing Spider-Man #1: Peter Parker’s rommate is set to be Boomerang
46:10 – Justice League: Batman and Catwoman are getting married, and all the main Justice League power hitters are off planet. What could the approaching giant beings mean for Earth? Will this change the DCU (again)?
1:06:45 – Avengers: Loki had harnassed the power of a Celestial, making him a terribly powerful foe. On top of that, Odin himself has given Black Panther the tast of killing The God Of Mischief. With Loki’s future in the MCU now seemingly known, could this be the same in the comic world as well?
1:09:51 – Guardians Of The Galaxy: The Infinity Stones are back! Clever writing? Or marketing ploy? The panel discusses the possibilities.
1:25:15 – The final segment of the show is devoted to Lead Base’s experience with the other end of Free Comic Book Day. Hear what it’s like to be a comic book artist on one of the biggest days of the year for comic fans. If you’re an aspiring comic artist, you’ll get plenty of good advice on how to start out. Including how washing dishes can help your drawing ability.
All this and a lot of fun tangents in the latest fun-filled episode of Geekville Radio! You can contact Lead Base Studios at https://www.facebook.com/LeadBaseStudios/
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04:43 — 43.4MB) | Embed
There’s a ton of news to talk about on this episode of Geekville Radio! Seth, Crazy Train, and special guest Lead Base cover the news and the fallout of Free Comic Book Day. Timestamps are included if you want to skip to certain parts.
1:45 – First up, Rockstar Games has released the latest trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2. Check it out below
11:51 – In Marvel MCU news, Black Panther will be available in digital format on May 8th. It will drop on Blu-Ray and DVD a week later. This is interesting news becuase Black Panther is still being shown in theaters. What behind the scenes content could be included as extras? Cut footage? How the language was created? A look at the music?
31:45 – Also in movie news, Entertainment Weekly noted in a recent article that advance ticket sales for Solo: A Star Wars Story have surpassed Black Panther. Could this be a mega-hit despite the controversy? Will it see the success that the Star Trek recasting has?
39:45 – As a compendium to our previous episode, Train and Lead Base speculate on what the previews in Free Comic Book Day releases will affect the Marvel and DC Universe titles.
42:20 – Amazing Spider-Man #1: Peter Parker’s rommate is set to be Boomerang
46:10 – Justice League: Batman and Catwoman are getting married, and all the main Justice League power hitters are off planet. What could the approaching giant beings mean for Earth? Will this change the DCU (again)?
1:06:45 – Avengers: Loki had harnassed the power of a Celestial, making him a terribly powerful foe. On top of that, Odin himself has given Black Panther the tast of killing The God Of Mischief. With Loki’s future in the MCU now seemingly known, could this be the same in the comic world as well?
1:09:51 – Guardians Of The Galaxy: The Infinity Stones are back! Clever writing? Or marketing ploy? The panel discusses the possibilities.
1:25:15 – The final segment of the show is devoted to Lead Base’s experience with the other end of Free Comic Book Day. Hear what it’s like to be a comic book artist on one of the biggest days of the year for comic fans. If you’re an aspiring comic artist, you’ll get plenty of good advice on how to start out. Including how washing dishes can help your drawing ability.
All this and a lot of fun tangents in the latest fun-filled episode of Geekville Radio! You can contact Lead Base Studios at https://www.facebook.com/LeadBaseStudios/
