Adam Adamant Redux, Episode 2

Here's the second episode of the continuing promotional series for the BBC show Adam Adamant Lives!


A quick Adamant fun fact - while shooting the series, star Gerald Harper wore fake eyebrows and a wig.  The eyebrows were actually based on the makeup ladies own eyebrows.  After the series was cancelled, the makeup lady presented Harper with the prosthetic eyebrows, with the epithet "Here lie the eyebrows of Adam Adamant, 1966 - 1967."



If you live in the UK and want to watch more Adam Adamant Lives, you can order it here.  If you live in the US, tough luck for now.  Cross your fingers and send an inquiry here.

Note:  Adam Adamant Lives is copyrighted by the BBC.  The posted video was not made for profit.  It's sole purpose is to promote a lost era of British Television.

Chandu Unbound

Wow...it's been awhile.

Oops.

Anyways, here's the first episode of a new web serial, it's a reimagining of a long neglected movie serial The Return of Chandu starring Bela Lugosi.  It's a rare film where Lugosi was the romantic lead, and it's a pity, because he's so charismatic in the lead that when you watch him, you find yourself mesmerized. It's too bad Bela didn't get more opportunities to woo the leading lady.

And so, without further ado - here is Bela Lugosi as the white magician Chandu, saving the day and the lady.



The soundtrack is provided by the Canadian art pop band Bell Orchestre.  You can purchase their music here.

Adam Adamant Redux

This is a clip that streamlines Adam Adamant's origin story.  For those not familiar with Adam Adamant Lives, this is the show that re-teamed the creators of Doctor Who, Sydney Newman and Verity Lambert.   Former Who script editor Donald Cotton co-wrote the first episode and is listed as a co-creator.

Having just seen said first episode, it's a show where you really have to throw your modern sensibilities as a viewer out the window.  Like Doctor Who, there are a lot of very interesting elements and ideas in Adam Adamant Lives, unfortunately it doesn't quite have that undefinable something that sixties' era Who still has to this day.  My take is this:  credit Gerald Harper, but he was no William Hartnell or Patrick Troughton, character actors whose interpretations of The Doctor had substantial doses of both gravity and magic that really elevated everyone's game, especially the writers.

That said, Adam Adamant is a lot of fun and Harper does possess a certain brittle quality that adds to his characterization of the quintessential Victorian super hero.



If you live in the UK and want to watch more Adam Adamant Lives, you can order it here.  If you live in the US, tough luck for now.  Cross your fingers and send an inquiry here.

Note:  Adam Adamant Lives is copyrighted by the BBC.  The posted video was not made for profit.  It's sole purpose is to promote a lost era of British Television.

Daleks plus Mechons equals geekgasim!

Love this trailer - ingenious and slick.  Only critique, watch the plosives next time.  Regardless, kudos to the creator for taking old content and creating something surreal, funny and balls to the wall cool.

Ode to a comic book bit player

From time to time, I will be taking a look at the bit players in comic book history; characters that have something - a look, a cool backstory, an interesting power, but who never completely clicked.

First up to bat - The Faceless Hunter from Saturn.

The Faceless Hunters first appeared in Strange Adventures #124; created by the legendary writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, the Faceless Hunter was an alien villain who believed in manifest destiny, seeking to conquer Earth for the glory of Saturn. His ambitions may have been grand, but his execution left a lot to desired. All three invasion attempts were thwarted by a pair of highway patrolmen. We're not talking about Superman, Green Lantern or even Elongated Man, the Faceless Hunters' downfall was caused by two doughnut eating, coffee chugging Buford T. Justice wannabes (Jackie Gleason may you rest in peace).

Sigh.

But step back and admire the character design. A bald, muscular alien with no face, Spock ears, and orange skin - the design is simple, yet oddly compelling; like one of the better aliens from the original Outer Limits.

On top of that, there's the name. Say it to yourself, out loud - The Faceless Hunter.

Now do it again. The Faceless Hunter.

Like some of H.P. Lovecraft's creations (The Whisperer in Darkness and The Old Ones to name two), it's a name that oozes menace and mystery. The Faceless Hunter evokes an unearthly creature lurking in the shadows, who emerges only to takes its prey.  A creature that is always there, always watching and always hungry.

Now the Faceless Hunter has made a couple of appearances in the last few years, including a couple of issues of the new (and seminal) Green Lantern series written by Geoff Johns. But more importantly, he's been making his presence known on the excellent animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold (one of the best genre shows going right now, check it out!); where he has become the ass kicker he should have always been.

So here's to you, The Faceless Hunter -- may you finally live up to your name.

Rocket Squad

One of the all time great genre shorts. A brilliantly conceived sketch of the future; it's a pulpy,retro slice of noir and it was done some thirty years before Blade Runner.

Maybe that's a bit over the top...

But it does have Daffy Duck in a suit.

Signs of the apocalypse

Bears racing monkeys. Roland Emmerich is now developing the film at Fox.