According to Wamsley, both he and the late Jack Purvis (who is in the movie's actual credits) played the Chief Jawa. Wamsley told me, in a 1999 interview, that many of Purvis's scenes, which were filmed in Tunisia, had to be reshot in Death Valley. Thus, the only scene in Star Wars in which Purvis appears is the droid sale at the Lars homestead. Wamsley took credit for spying on R2-D2 and zapping him, carrying the droid to the sandcrawler, putting a restraining bolt on him (the spring 1978 issue of Cinefantastique has a picture of this being shot at Industrial Light & Magic, not Death Valley (CFQ volume 6 no. 4/vol. 7 no. 1, page 90)), and directing the other jawas up the vehicle's stairs.

Wamsley said he stumbled onto the role at the age of 15, when he was still 4'8.' (After a growth spurt at age 17, he reached his current height of 5'2'. See: echostation.com) His mother was an Avon Lady, and one of her clients was a casting director who needed people of Hal's height for "a little science fiction B movie." This project, for which Wamsley never read a script or knew the name, would be shooting second-unit photography near Artist's Palette in Death Valley, California. Hal recalled being ecstatic, and "about three weeks later, [t]hey came and picked me up, and we went down there to Death Valley. We were out there for five days, and then came home for the weekend, and then went out for another five."

"An almost a two-story mock-up" of the jawa sandcrawler figures in many of Wamsley's memories. He said that the sandcrawler was featured in the background of a jawa swap meet (which, according to him, was left out of the final film, and to his disappointment, not restored in the Special Edition). He described tents made of animal hide (probably those of banthas), polygamous jawas, child jawas, and ratlike creatures being roasted over fires.

Most of the components in Wamsley's story have been denied by Lucasfilm's Steven Sansweet (see Cinefantastique August 2002 (vol. 34 no. 5, page 5)). Regarding the sandcrawler set being rebuilt in Death Valley, "that is not true," Sansweet said. "I can tell you that the jawa part of the shoot in Death Valley was a quick one. No sets were built—certainly no part of the sandcrawler set was rebuilt." As for a jawa village, "there was no jawa village scene shot in Death Valley."

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The Mist Trailer is Here

Here is the trailer for the film version of Stephen King's novella, The Mist. Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) wrote the screenplay and is directing the horror film. It looks dark, creepy and very scary as the ordinary people trapped in supermarket battle what's in the mist as well as their darkest fears.



Posted on October 24, 2007
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The New Battlestar Galactica Teaser is Here

Here is the teaser for the 2008 season of Battlestar Galactica. It looks fantastic and Katee Sackhoff is definitely back. And speaking of Katee, we just lover her on The Bionic Woman. In fact, we don't understand why she wasn't cast in the lead. She has more charisma than Michelle Ryan. Well, she does.



Posted on October 18, 2007
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Is Karl Urban the New Dr. McCoy?

Ain't it Cool News reports that Karl Urban has been cast as Dr. McCoy in the new Star Trek film. We are really, really conflicted about this. We love Karl Urban -- he's great. As a leading man of action. But as Bones McCoy? We're going to hope that Karl has some hidden acting chops, because this will really be playing against type.

What's more disturbing is that our fellow bloggers over at our sister site, ShoppingBlog.com have just informed us that Karl is unbelievably hot and that perhaps they should check out this Star Trek thing, oh, and will Orlando Bloom be in it? This is just so wrong. Bones...hot? We think our heads are going to explode.

Posted on October 17, 2007
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The Nobel Prize for Literature: A Victory For Science Fiction

M.G. Lord, author of Astro Turf: The Private Life of Rocket Science celebrates the fact that a science fiction author, Doris Lessing, just won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

When Doris Lessing won the Nobel Prize for literature last week, my first thought was: What a victory for science fiction!

In 1979, three decades after her first novel, "The Grass Is Singing," and 17 years after the release of her landmark "The Golden Notebook," Lessing published "Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta." It was the first book in a five-volume outer-space fantasy, "Canopus in Argos: Archives," that aggressively broke with naturalism.

Today, such a novel would be no big deal; literature is full of time travel, gender ambiguity and that nifty catch-all "magical realism." But in the 1970s, mainstream fiction took pains to set itself apart -- and above -- genres like science fiction. "Shikasta" was met with jeers.

"At best, Lessing's prose is stolid and slow and a bit flat-footed," Gore Vidal wrote in the New York Review of Books. Writing three years later about the fourth novel in the sequence, "The Making of the Representative for Planet 8," the New York Times' John Leonard was blunter. "Why does Doris Lessing -- one of the half-dozen most interesting minds to have chosen to write fiction in English in this century -- insist on propagating books that confound and dismay her loyal readers? The answer: She intends to confound and dismay."

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Science fiction was messy. It tackled big themes: What makes us human? Are we alone in the universe? Does God exist, and if so, might she be vicious? It aspired to be epic, and an epic, as midcentury novelist Marguerite Young has aptly observed, must have "a vast undertow of music and momentum and theology." "Shikasta" had all these things, and they contributed, I suspect, to the Nobel committee's recognition of Lessing as an "epicist of the female experience." The book was a reworking of the Bible -- casting the forces of good and evil as warring aliens.

The planet Shikasta, where the action took place, bore similarities to Earth. In "The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five," the second volume in the series, Lessing used this mythic structure to revisit ground she had broken in her earlier, realistic novels: the tumultuous relationship between men and women.

Doris Lessing, at 88, is the oldest person to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. You can find out more about Doris and her work here.

Posted on October 16, 2007
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Sir Ian McKellan Keen to Play Gandalf Again

Ian McKellan has made it clear that he would be interested in reprising his role as Gandalf in a feature film version of The Hobbit.

"If I am still functioning and working well, it is very likely I would be asked to do it," he told Reuters. Sir Ian played the role in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, landing an Oscar nomination in the process. Due to a legal dispute with film studio New Line, however, Peter Jackson will not be back as director for The Hobbit.

"When Peter announced he had withdrawn from The Hobbit, he sent me an email saying: 'Because I am not going to do it, it doesn't mean you have to do the same,'" McKellen is quoted as saying. "'Of course, you must play Gandalf whether I direct or not.'" "I am glad to read that it is looking more and more likely," the 68-year-old continued. "I would be disappointed if they didn't want to have the original Gandalf."

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Sir Ian is currently in Los Angeles playing the title role in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of King Lear. The veteran actor said playing the part was extremely taxing "spiritually and emotionally and mentally".

Sir Ian simply must be Gandalf. There is no other choice.

Posted on October 15, 2007
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Abrams Casts Scotty and Sulu

J.J. Abrams is moving ahead with casting for Star Trek. Simon Pegg will play Scotty and John Cho has been cast as Sulu.

English actor Pegg, who had a brief but memorable role in Abrams' Mission: Impossible III, takes over the role of the U.S.S. Enterprise's chief engineer, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, a role originally played by James Doohan in the TV series and subsequent films. (Chronicles of Narnia's McAvoy and Stargate Atlantis' McGillion had both been rumored to be up for the role.) Cho, meanwhile, will take on the role of Hikaru Sulu from George Takei. Sulu was known for his love of fencing and was always seen on deck piloting the ship next to Chekov. Pegg and Cho join a cast that already includes Eric Bana, Anton Yelchin, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and Leonard Nimoy. Written by Transformers scripters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, the new Star Trek chronicles the early days of James T. Kirk and his crew. Chris Pine has reportedly been offered the role of Kirk. Paramount has set a November start date for the film, which will hit theaters on Christmas Day 2008.

Pegg was hilarious in Hot Fuzz; we suppose he's now brushing up on his Scottish accent. And as for Cho -- we didn't see his latest oeuvre, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.

Posted on October 12, 2007
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The New Trailer for Jumper Is Here

Here's the trailer for Jumper, which looks very interesting. Based on the book by Steven Gould, the film stars Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson and Tom Hulce. The description of the film is: A genetic anomaly allows a young man to teleport himself anywhere. He discovers this gift has existed for centuries and finds himself in a war that has been raging for thousands of years between "Jumpers" and those who have sworn to kill them. From the director of The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith -- Jumper hits theaters February 15, 2008. More details about the film can be found on IMDB and the film's official website.



Posted on October 11, 2007
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Just Our Luck: Chris Pine is Kirk and Eric Bana is the Villain

MTV reports that Eric Bana has joined the cast of the new Star Trek film as the villain, named Nero. No one is sure if he's a Romulan, a Vulcan or something else entirely. And Chris Pine may be the new Captain Kirk.

Eric Bana has signed on and Chris Pine is in final talks to play the villainous Nero and James T. Kirk, respectively. The duo will be filling out a prequel-minded Enterprise bridge that already includes Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoë Saldana as Uhura, Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov and Leonard Nimoy as an older version of the pointy-eared Vulcan science officer.

While it is still unknown whether the legendary William Shatner will, like Nimoy, appear alongside his character's younger self, the latest "Trek" leak has revealed that Pine is in talks to portray the yellow-shirted commander's distinguished time at the Starfleet Academy. Pine, a 27-year-old heartthrob best known for movies like "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" (and for being the son of none other than "CHiPs" Sergeant Getraer, Robert Pine), recently raised eyebrows with a gritty, chameleonic performance in the shoot-'em-up thriller "Smokin' Aces."

Until now, the deadliest adversary Pine has tangled with was Lindsay Lohan in "Just My Luck."

Pine was that guy in Just My Luck?? We saw that film -- don't ask -- and we don't remember which one he was. The guy in the band? That worked in a bowling alley? It's all a bit of a blur. We haven't gotten around to seeing him in Smokin' Aces, so it's time to get the DVD, no question. As for Eric Bana as a bad guy -- we approve.

Posted on October 10, 2007
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Robert Orci Talks Star Trek

Robert Orci talks to Trekmovie.com about the new Star Trek film and lets a few interesting tidbits drop.

TrekMovie.com: J.J. [Abrams] has said the film is Spock-centric, but does the young Kirk have as big a role as Quintos Spock?

Roberto Orci: Totally! It is Lennon and McCartney. However Spock's role is key in that we also have Nimoy. Having said that Kirk is Star Trek and he is as essential.

TrekMovie.com: What about Bones? The Kirk/Spock/McCoy troika is also quintessential Trek, with McCoy being the counterpoint to Spock and Kirk in the middle.

Roberto Orci: That is a big part of what we are doing. You are correct that their interaction and how they face the impossible is what Trek is about and that is no different in our movie.

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TrekMovie.com: Speaking of captains I have one more casting question which is burning in the minds of many Trekkies…what about Shatner?

Roberto Orci: What J.J. said at Comic-Con [story] is still true. We are actively perusing looking for a way to make a part that is worthy of him and that is not pandering to either his role in Star Trek or to the fans.

TrekMovie.com: You guys have resisting labels for this film such as remake, reboot, etc. even prequel. Prequel has a pretty basic definition so what is wrong with calling it that?

Roberto Orci: But yet it is not entirely accurate. In some senses it is a prequel, but the word I would use, which is how Damon [Lindelof] describes it, is a re-invigoration or re-vitalization.

So far, so good. Although we're still worried about the casting of the younger crew members, such as Kirk and Bones. We like Zachary Quinto as young Spock -- we think he'll do a great job. This was the second in a two-part interview. The first part of the interview is well worth a read. In it, Orci talks about his lifelong love of Star Trek, his favorite series and episodes and how he is approaching the project.

Posted on October 9, 2007
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New Line Shows Some Love for Peter Jackson and The Hobbit

The drama between Peter Jackson and New Line over the lawsuit and who will direct The Hobbit got a bit more interesting today. Michael Lynne, co-chief executive and co-chairman of New Line Cinema said in an interview that he hasn't ruled out having Peter to direct The Hobbit. Sci Fi reports:

Lynne's comments, made in a video posted Oct. 4 on Rose's Web site, came while he and Shaye were being interviewed together; they are among the first public statements by New Line softening Shaye's adamant statements blacklisting the director. (Shaye himself earlier told the Los Angeles Times that he "would love for [Jackson] to be creatively involved in some way in The Hobbit.") "The truth is, whatever Bob said, from that point of view, was really Bob's statement," Lynne said in the Rose video. "And New Line hasn't taken a position on that thought and doesn't take a position on that thought. We have had a disagreement with Peter over auditing. It happens a lot. ... It ought to be resolvable. And what happens going forward in terms of working together or not, you know, the future will tell that tale."

Lynne's comments also appear to be part of a softening at the studio toward Jackson; this week's Entertainment Weekly magazine features a cover story suggesting that the feud between New Line and Jackson may be nearing a resolution. Another sign: New Line appears to be losing the legal battle against Jackson with regard to Rings profits. Last week, a federal judge imposed a rare $125,000 sanction against the studio for failing to turn over potential evidence Jackson argued could help him prove that accounting tricks cheated him out of tens of millions in profits. New Line has said it won't appeal the sanction.

Rumors have circulated that New Line was eyeing other directors to take on The Hobbit, including Spider-Man helmer Sam Raimi. Lynne wouldn't confirm those reports, but said that Raimi would be a good candidate, as would Jackson himself. "I don't think that's a resolved issue either, one way or another," Lynne said, adding later: "Peter Jackson certainly could direct it."

Shaye backed away from his harsh comments made about Jackson earlier this year, blaming it on emotions running high. Perhaps he should ask his doctor is Paxil is right for him.

Jackson's rep issued a non-committal statement to a New Zealand newspaper saying "Peter and [co-writer and producing partner] Fran [Walsh] have always wanted to do The Hobbit, but whether that happens is yet to be decided."

They had better get moving before the cast is too old to do the movie. Perhaps some kind of group counseling would be of value? Because we are losing patience with this situation.

Posted on October 8, 2007
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J.J. Abrams Fringe Bought by Fox

Fox has snapped up J.J. Abrams' new series called Fringe, which sound like a very interesting project.

After a heated bidding, Fox landed the sci-fi spec by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci with a big series commitment. No one would comment on the terms of the deal, but sources said it includes a budget for the two-hour pilot for about $10 million -- the ballpark of Abrams' two-hour pilot for "Lost" -- as well as an episode license fee close to $2 million. The pact also includes a digital component mirroring the template of WBTV's groundbreaking recent agreement with ABC.

"Fringe," which Abrams' Bad Robot is producing with Warner Bros. TV, centers on a young female FBI agent who, forced to confront the spread of powerful and unexplained phenomena, must work with an institutionalized scientist whose life's work may be at the center of the coming storm. "Science is frightening and enlightening at the same time," Orci said. "It can give you everything, and it can destroy you." The industry circles have been buzzing all summer about the top-secret spec script that Abrams was writing with Kurtzman and Orci. It marked the first TV writing duties for Abrams in more than three years, since ABC's "Lost," as well as the return to television of Kurtzman and Orci, one of the hottest feature writing teams at the moment. Like everybody else, Fox's entertainment chairman Peter Liguori and president Kevin Reilly were tracking the project, and even by the very vague logline floating around, felt it was "bull's-eye for Fox."

WBTV sent out the script to the networks Monday night. By Tuesday morning, Liguori and Reilly had read it. "It was exactly what we hoped for," Reilly said. "There is a track record of this type of show working on Fox, and these creators have proven themselves with this type of material." Fox has been trying for years to develop a successor to its hit sci-fi drama "The X-Files."

The brilliant scientist is described as a mix of Albert Einstein and Dr. Frankenstein. The female FBI agent must work with him (which is not easy) and his son (who doesn't get along with him at all). It sounds like a cross between NUMB3RS, The X-Files and Heroes. Works for us. If it sticks to its normal way of doing business, Fox will order up a full season, air the season completely out of order then cancel it after six episodes or so. Firefly, anyone?

Posted on October 6, 2007
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Alan Tudyk Talks Serenity Sequel

Could a new Serenity movie be in the works? In an interview with Moviehole, Alan Tudyk indicates that it could happen.

Tudyk says the newly-released Serenity: Special Edition DVD has been selling so hot, that there's talk in doing another movie. "They had to put [the new DVD] out because they've been selling out of the other one [the DVD that isn't the 'Collectors Edition'] and so Universal's like 'So, let's do another one'", he says, adding "And now... there's now a chance there's going to be another movie". (Editor's Note : No Universal hasn't greenlit another "Serenity" movie, they only commissioned a 'Collectors Edition' DVD. Alan says there's now a "chance" there's going to be another movie. Cross your fingers peoples! And for those that have written in asking if I'm a true browncoat (c'mon!) or Whedon-fan.... my new baby daughter's named Charisma! Is that good enough for membership?).

Tudyk agrees that even if it was a direct-to-DVD movie, it'd still be worthwhile. Especially since the whole DVD sequel is a big trend. "It really is", says Tudyk. "Everybody in the Firefly crew - and that includes the ones who died in the movie - are excited about the prospect of doing another". Nathan Fillion, says Tudyk, is especially keen. "We were out a couple of weeks ago together at a party and there was a bunch of people there, and he was like 'Oh, look we're Browncoats'". Great to hear Fillion's still as crazy as ever about wearing the Tightpants again.

This is one of those rumors that's going to get us all excited and just when we're convinced it will happen, our little hearts will be broken into a million pieces. And how tactful of Alan to say that all of those who died in the movie are also excited about the project.

Posted on October 5, 2007
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George Takei Has Asteroid Named After Him

George Takei, who played Sulu on the original Star Trek series, as well as Hiro Nakamura's dad on Heroes has gotten an asteroid named after him.

Star Trek and Heroes star George Takei has been immortalized by having his name permanently affixed to an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter, StarTrek.com reported. The Committee on Small Body Nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union approved the name "7307 Takei" for the asteroid previously labeled "1994 GT9," the site reported.

The Takei reference will be used in the scientific community to identify the minor body from now on. Only about 14,000 asteroids have been named after specific people, out of about 400,000 such bodies known to exist. "I am honored, indeed transported to the galaxies, to know that my name has been assigned to an astronomical object in our solar system," Takei told the site. "I am yet to come down to Earth."

Asteroid 7307 Takei is approximately 5 miles in diameter, located in an orbit ranging between 2.5 and 3.0 astronomical units from the sun in the mid-solar-system asteroid belt. It was discovered in 1994 by two Japanese astronomers. The name was suggested by Tom H. Burbine, a Massachusetts astronomer, who cited Takei's work with the Japanese American Citizens League and the Human Rights Campaign, as well as his celebrity.

What an amazingly cool honor to receive -- we totally want an asteroid named after us. Congratulations, George!

Posted on October 4, 2007
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Jessica Biel Turns Down Justice League of America

Jessica Biel has passed on the opportunity to play Wonder Woman in the new Justice League of America movie.

Entertainment Weekly reported that Jessica Biel has decided to pass on playing Wonder Woman in Warner Brothers' upcoming live-action adaptation of Justice League of America. Biel's casting was reported in Variety last week.

Biel (The Illusionist, Next) had been in early talks to play the Amazonian princess. She's currently shooting the drama Powder Blue with Forest Whitaker.

Mania, meanwhile, reported a rumor that Transformers star Tyrese Gibson is in the running to play the Green Lantern in the movie, which is based on the venerable DC Comics franchise.

So, why did she pass on the part? It's a good film to introduce the character before doing a stand alone movie. It's a mystery.

Posted on October 3, 2007
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Michael Bay to Remake Friday the 13th

Hot off the heels of his Transformers box office blast, Micheal Bay is recreating another franchise: he remaking Friday the 13th.

The remake of the original 1980 horror classic, which turned the villainous Jason into a cultural icon, is being produced for New Line Cinema by Bay's Platinum Dunes banner. Platinum Dunes was also behind the revival of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Hitcher."

In the original "Friday the 13th," the serial killer made only a brief appearance in the final frames and never killed anyone. Jason didn't even don the famous mask until the third movie. The remake, however, will focus on Jason -- who will wear the mask and kill -- and keep the famous setting of Crystal Lake.

Damian Shannon and Mark Swift will write the script. They wrote 2003's "Freddy vs. Jason," the killer's last big-screen appearance. That film grossed more than $82 million domestically.

We think it's terribly important that every successful movie from 1970 on should be re-made over and over again, so audiences won't have to be shocked by seeing a new, original script. And one re-imagining is not enough. Unless at least three directors have done a version of it, it really hasn't been done at all.

Posted on October 2, 2007
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Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine Film

Gavin Hood confirms to IESB.net that the Wolverine spin-off film will indeed hit theaters in Summer, 2008. While on a junket for his new film Rendition, Gavin -- with a little prodding -- did answer a few questions about Wolverine, which he is slated to direct.

I'll tell you why I love Wolverine. I love Wolverine partly because it will pay my college fund. But partly because, I'm doing it because, that's the cynical answer, but the truth is, I didn't. At first, when Wolverine was offered to me, I went, "Well, I'm the wrong guy for this." And then I spoke with Hugh Jackman and the truth is that what's great about the Wolverine character, he's really a character who suffers from a great deal of existential angst. So you want to know why Gavin Hood is interested as somebody who loves actors and emotions, is because looking at it more closely, and I was raised on Greek mythology not comics...

*****

Get away, give me a chance! Let me finish this answer. [laughter] I don't know anything about the details about the movie. But what I do love about the Wolverine character is that there is, within that character, a great deal of disconnection from who he really is and what it means to be human. And so what we're really getting a chance to do is do opera. We're taking human emotion, and in the way that you would have Zeus throwing thunderbolts, it's writ larger. I happen to be a big fan of the X-Men movies...especially what Bryan Singer did. Those are movies about prejudice, they're a movie about absence of prejudice. And they happen to be done in a very accessible and commercial way. And so I think there's a great deal of themes and ideas to explore in Wolverine beyond just three claws. And I'm not going to say anything more about the movie because we're hear to talk about Rendition.

*****

So we start shooting the film in December, we start shooting the film in December, possibly January, we are very involved in the process and now and we'll be casting over the next couple of months.....

He also confirmed that the film will be rated PG-13 and that the shoot will last 3-4 months. IMDB lists the film as having a release date in 2009, which seems more likely. But that's what the director said: Summer, 2008.

Posted on October 1, 2007
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