From where Dark Shadows Rise

 Movies, TV  No Responses »
May 012012
 

On May 11th the latest cinematic strip of Tim Burton’s imagination will premiere in the form of Dark Shadows. Those of my generation are quite familiar with the dark comedic works of Tim Burton, but we might not be fully familiar with the original basis for this next film. Yet it is so noteworthy that we can not pass up the chance to mention it.


The original Dark Shadows was a Soap Opera that spanned 1,225 episodes between 1966 to 1971. It possessed a gothic and supernatural theme including Ghosts, Vampires, Witches, Werewolves, and other supernatural creatures. It also included elements of Time Travel and Dimensional Shifting.

Set in the fictional town of Collinsport Maine the show centered on the character of Victoria Winters, an orphan researching her past, and the Collins Family for whom the town was named. Sagging ratings by the end of the first year led to the introduction of Barnabas Collins, a vampire cursed to undeath by a spurned witch with whom he’d had an affair (this is a soap opera after all). He was intended to be a temporary antagonist on the show for no more than 13 weeks, following a very Dracula-like path of killing people and seeking to turn one of the characters in to his perfect wife in the likeness of a lost love. The character was so wildly popular with fans however that his role was extended and eventually he became a central character with a far more protagonist position. Though his many foibles would prevent him from ever being the true hero of the series, his remarkable presence on screen solidified him as the most memorable and beloved character of the show even decades after its cancellation.

The new movie draws upon many of the original themes of the series, including being centered around the Collins family and their many troubled lives. Barnabas returns as the central character and mostly a protagonist, seeking to resolve the many troubles facing his descendants. Being a Tim Burton directed film it should come as no surprise that Johnny Depp is portraying the role of Barnabas Collins. Depp stated that in his early youth he had dreamed of portraying the character of Barnabas Collins, and he was excited with the opportunity to finally do so on screen.

Dark Shadows the Movie will premiere on May 11th and if you’re a fan of either the original series, Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, or just gothic camp classics in general then we highly recommend seeing it. Feel free to send us a review if you do 🙂

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Of Daleks, Bottles, and Etsy

 Dr Who, Etsy  No Responses »
Apr 192012
 

So there is this thing. I found it in my social network feed and being a fan of Doctor Who I instantly squeed! It was really just a tiny little dalek made out of polymer clay and which was trapped inside a tiny glass jar plugged with a cork. Honestly, turning one of the most deadly creatures in the Whoverse and diminishing it down to the same level on which we relegate poor little suffocated fairies from Zelda was simply too hilarious and adorable to not investigate.

The picture came from a Deviant Art account but was in fact the product of an Etsy established craftsperson. Yes, our tiny little bottle trapped dalek was a creation that could be purchased from the notably popular handmade crafts online marketplace that is Etsy.

On top of that, it turns out that the craftsperson behind this little dalek is extraordinarily talented in using polymer clay to create tiny yet finely detailed geeky sculptures. Everything from Studio Ghibli characters also trapped in bottles, to tiny little gaming remotes that are worn as rings.

Well, after a couple of weeks I thought to myself that this person’s Etsy store might make for a fine Yachting Scryer article. Not only do I know that lots of geeks are creative and crafty people, but the subject matter of this store’s products is simply dead on for our sub-culture. Problem is, I couldn’t remember the name of the Esty Store. So I opened up Etsy and typed “Dalek” into the search field.

Whoah…

I was a little stunned. There were over nine-hundred freaking dalek related handmade products on this site at the time that I searched. I always knew Etsy was the mecha for Steampunk craftsfolk, but I hadn’t really credited Etsy with the depth to which their products insinuated themselves in to other genres. Clearly, there’s more geeky interests to be found on Etsy than a single article alone could cover.

So I’ve made a decision; I’m going to make cool and interesting stores on Etsy a recurring focus for future articles. Geeks have the capacity for CREATING things that should be heralded and applauded and shared. So I’m going to be keeping an eye out for Etsy stores that excel in making their visions into reality. In the next article I’ll be starting with the store that brought us this cutesy itsy bitsy adorable little death machine in a bottle, and then move on to other note worthy Etsy Sellers.

If you know of a store on Etsy worthy of being highlighted on the site, please let us know in the comments below.

Dalek Out!

Castle and Slaughter

 News, TV  Comments Off on Castle and Slaughter
Apr 172012
 

What would you give to see Malcolm Reynolds and Jayne Cobb back together on TV just once more? How about an hour of your time?

I totally forgot to add this in to Monday’s Meanderings, so I apologize for having not given you more advanced notice.

These last few years Nathan Fillion has been gracing the airwaves of ABC by starring in the titular role of the popular show “Castle”. For those whom aren’t in the know, “Castle” is a TV series that follows the crime-solving exploits of mystery novelist Rick Castle as he assists NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (portrayed by Stana Katic) as they solve homicide investigations in New York. The series is in its fourth season and last night we were treated to an episode with which Adam Baldwin of Jayne Cobb fame guest starred.

Now Castle is a brilliant series in and of itself, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a more comedic take on the genre of crime shows. So often Crime Investigation shows are heavy on the drama, but while Castle does include some tender elements of drama, its formula is greatly seasoned by light-hearted and comedic flavors, due in no small part to the playful nature of Nathan’s character. Quite seriously, if you loved Firefly because of Malcom Reynolds then you’ll love Castle.

The producers of the show seem to be acutely aware of this fact, and have taken the time to slip in the occasional reference to Nathan’s prior show which was so beloved by its fans. In one Halloween episode Nathan actually dresses up as a “Space Cowboy” essentially wearing the same outfit he wore as Malcom Reynolds. In another episode he speaks a couple lines of chinese, and when pressed if he learned it while studying abroad he replies he actually learned it from a show he used to watch. And last night fans were treated to watch an entire episode where Nathan gets to team up with his former co-star playing the role of Detective Ethan Slaughter (that is such a Jayne name).

Now the episode has already aired, but you can still catch it here on Hulu.

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