Marvel Vs. DC Movie Mash-Up part 13: The Dark Knight/Trans-textual Underface

This is the big one. It’s been a while coming but here we are. The Marvel Vs. DC Movie Mash-Up arrives at arguably the most iconic Batman movie of them all, Chris Nolan’s epic The Dark Knight. Batfan Jon Seymour once again joins ever present hosts Niall ‘before Zod’ Heseltine and myself, RJ Bayley, for a very long, very nerdy, very passionate chat about the second installment of the Dark Knight Trilogy. We cover the what was, what is, what may be and what might have been of this truly seminal superhero saga. This is fully indulgent Bat fandom, so tuck in.

Marvel Vs. DC Movie Mash-Up part 9: Batman & Robin

The world’s greatest prank.

This is Niall ‘before Zod’ Heseltine’s and my podcast on the 1997 disaster that we all were sadly affected by. A lot of good brain cells died watching the film that brought you this podcast.

If you support the men giving their time to secure you this podcast please consider giving them a 5 star review on iTunes or buying something through their Amazon links. If not, how about a good review on Stitcher?

In this episode we look at which elements of theses neon hell don’t follow logic, and which just defy comprehension. We look at Poison Ivy’s plant-hybrid life and compare it to our theories on Superman in a previous podcast, the baffling lack of sense when it comes to ‘ice’ puns, Alfred’s complete dismissal of  Batman’s life, the fact that mirrors now apparently reflect all temperatures,  the idea that George Clooney plays Batman as a kind simpleton, Robin’s petulance and the massive issue of Batgirl’s weight.

Marvel Vs. DC Movie Mash-Up part 5: Superman IV: The Quest for Piss

 

 

Do you remember that time when Superman was an old man for 30 seconds? How about the time when Jim Broadbent stood in the background of a Lex Luthor scene for a moment? Or perhaps the time Mark Pillow grew his nails and scratched Superman? Surely you must remember the time when the United Nations was on an industrial estate in Milton Keynes?

Marvel Vs. DC Movie Mash-Up part 3: Superman & Superman II: The Donner Kebab

You’d be hard pushed say that anything other than Superman or Superman II is the ultimate superhero film, or that anyone else epitomizes the cinematic superhero more than Christopher Reeve.

So its with no reverence whatsoever that RJ Bayley and Niall Heseltine tackle these simultaneously filmed films simultaneously in this month’s episode of the Marvel Vs. DC Movie Mash-Up.

Why eschew the theatrical release of Superman II in favour of the Donner Kebab? Well Richard Donner, the most criminally under-appreciated man in Hollywood this side of Tom Savini, was booted off the production by alleged absolute arseholes the Salkinds, and replaced with the hack Richard Lester. Lester re-shot huge amounts of Donner’s footage, while making sure to inject some awful sight gags and slapstick into the proceedings. So really, Superman II is Donner’s film, but one that was bastardised before release.

Luckily The Internet had the sense to bully Warner Brothers into allowing Donner to come and cobble together a version of the movie as close to his vision as possible. So we have Superman II: The Donner Kebab, which, despite its now bizarre ending, is to be be considered the ‘proper’ Superman II.

In this show we tackle questions and ideas about these two cinematic landmarks such as:

Is Gene Hackman doing his job as an actor if he refuses to shave his head for a role?

• A startling realization by RJ Bayley about what Lois Lane‘s underwear must be constructed of.
• Do the special effects hold up after all this time?
• What key changes did Lester make to Donner’s film?
• And a shocking and revolutionary about the very nature of Superman by RJ Bayley which will probably come back to regularly haunt Niall.

Hear our answers, ruminations and more in our latest episode, Superman & Superman II: The Donner Kebab.

FILM CORPS: SDCC – The Aftermath

Now that the dust has settled we can separate the facts from the rumours a little better now and accompany them with some fine ale and whisky.

In our second show the Film Corps show we’re not ones to play by the rules by throwing a guest voice in as early as this second episode.

Us, being Scott Forrest, RJ Bayley and guest Niall Heseltine, chat about what the news from SDCC is and could mean for the future of our beloved franchises.

Join us as we look at construction of the DC Cinematic Universe, the future of X-Men, Scott’s Controversial views on Orczi and Kurtzman, and Karen Gillan‘s hair.

There’s even RJ Bayley’s first ever committed-to-recording burp.

WARNING: CONTAINS ALCOHOL

New Webcast! FILM CORPS: Superhero Movies

Goats In The Machine and Forrestfire Productions are proud to involuntarily enlist you in a brand new web-casting show from the makers of Twelve Months Of Terror.

Film writer and critic RJ Bayley is joined by director, writer and photographer Scott Forrest, who together lead the Film Corps. This unique and never before attempted combination of both film maker and critic (as far as they are aware) means all your bases are covered when it comes to your training in the dangerous world of film.

They even have the greatest theme tune ever recorded.

In this first episode they give a bracing overview of a subgenre very close to their hearts, the superhero movie. Suit up and prepare to receive top notch intel on the history of the genre, landmark films in it, innovations its brought about, and just where we think its headed.

Prepare to enroll in the Film Corps.

Man of Steel – review

It doesn’t seem a long time since Bryan Singer tried to reestablish the cinematic adventures of Clark Kent with Superman Returns. Maybe it hasn’t been, depends if you think 7 years is a long time ago. Maybe I don’t see it as that long ago because I really like Superman Returns. I’m fully aware though that a large proportion of cinema-goers, in these more not-the-70s times wanted something a little more punchy in their Superman movie.

And so we have Man of Steel, the first true reboot of Superman as a cinematic property.

Yes, Man of Steel is an origin story but one that, unlike the recent The Amazing Spider-Man, makes plenty of significant and valid deviations from its predecessor to validate its existence.

Immediately the most striking deviation from the original Superman: The Movie is its depiction of Krypton. What was a prelude in the 1978 original has a story all its own. We spend a significant amount of time on Superman’s home planet, and we fully explore the politics of the world  that were only hinted at before. 

Most Intriguing 2013 Trailers

2012 was a special year for fans of genre and franchise cinema. Sam Mendes gave us the appropriately excellent Bond adventure Skyfall for the secret agent’s 50th anniversary. Christopher Nolan made it a hat-trick and finished off his Batman trilogy with the stunning The Dark Knight Rises. Karl Urban delivered a rendition of The Law all comic fans were waiting for with the reassuringly violent Dredd. We were also treated to a return visit to Middle-Earth by the man who took us there in the first place via The Hobbit. And perhaps the most nerdgasm inducing of them all; that which I thought I’d never see on the silver screen, a cohesive (not to mention brilliant) comic-book universe culminating in the joyous Avengers Assemble.

But it wasn’t just good news for the superhero fans, the horror fans were well catered for too. Horror studio and British institution Hammer continued it’s triumphant resurrection with the rightly praised The Woman in Black. Tim Burton got back on form with the flawless Frankenweenie. Ridley Scott went back to the future with the retro Prometheus and Drew Goddard almost re-invented the horror-show with the showstopping The Cabin In The Woods.

Also there was blogger Louise Boyd’s must see horror of the year, Rape Zombie: Lust of the Dead.

But now we’ve survived apocalypse and will soon be into Twelve Months of Terror then what have we got to look forward to?

Below are the trailers that have got Goats in the Machine most intrigued to see the films they’re flogging.

Man Of Steel – Brand New Trailer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First time I saw the initial Man of Steel trailer I had mixed feelings. I have absolutely no problem with adding some grit and grime to a superhero, regardless of who they are, so seeing this offered an interesting new cinematic spin on the last son of Krypton.

On the other hand both it’s title (using a hero’s nom de guerre’s nom de guerre as the film’s title) and it’s tone and colour palette seemed to be overly reliant on The Dark Knight to find appeal.

Having watched this though I feel a sense of relief and unexpected excitement. Yes, it has a similar palate to The Dark Knight Trilogy (and let’s be honest, this will almost definitely be the start of its own trilogy) but it features a cavalcade of arresting imagery that calls to mind some classic comic book moments. This mixture of weight and super-heroic sensibilities seems me more reminding of the Iron Man films rather than the Batman series.