Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
This is it! Isaac Asimov’s Foundation will finally make it to visual media. After the rights passing through a few hands, they’ve finally made their way to HBO. Check out the entire article at The Wrap where Jonah Nolan talks about the new project. I’ll definitely keeping tabs on the development. No dates were given, so I’ll try to hold back most of my excitement until I hear more.
For those that read my previous review on Foundation’s Fear, you will be pleased to find that Greg Bear manages to save this series with his masterful work in Foundation and Chaos. If there were ever two books on the same subject that could be so different as to compare night and day, the first two parts of the Second Foundation Trilogy are it. While the first volume kept putting me to sleep with rambling on about simulated minds and aliens, Foundation and Chaos goes back to the roots more in line with the universe Asimov made me fall in love with. (more…)
I’m not a big fan of rehashing old game shows, but I will have to make an exception very soon. Deal or No Deal will be having a Star Wars theme on Monday April 28th at 8PM Eastern Time. The highlight for me will be the dozens of models in Slave Leia outfits. Hopefully my wife will understand when I tell her this episode can’t be missed. Aside from the Slave Leia outfits, Darth Vader will be the banker and Chewbacca and R2D2 are supposed to show up some time as well. Carrie Fisher (the original Leia) will even play some type of role. I think that Lucas is trying to drum up some more PR in preparation of the new Clone Wars series and theater premier. Found via TVGuide
This news story reminded me of a website I ran across a few years back. If dozens of models on TV in Slave Leia costumes isn’t enough for you, head over to the Leia’s Metal Bikini homepage. The link has some PG-13 pictures, nothing you wouldn’t be able to see on broadcast TV. There are links to plans for making the costume or even ordering it pre-made. Off of the video page I noticed the Slave Leia girls had a massive photo shoot at Star Wars Celebration IV last year. How did I miss this? Check out the video at GameTrailers.
—edit—
Well, the episode aired and I noticed the folks at Collider updated their post with video from the episode. Head over there and check it out.
Dune is by far one of the most famous classics in Sci-Fi, winner of both the Hugo and Nebula awards for best science fiction novel in 1966. I am ashamed to say that I am just now getting around to reading it. I have of course seen the original theatrical movie, the Sci-Fi Channel remake, and subsequent mini-series Children of Dune. I have just vague memories of the original movie and don’t really remember much of the Sci-Fi Channel remake or Children of Dune. I wanted to see for myself the vision that Frank Herbert had for Dune, and then compare it to the movies afterwards. Keep an eye out for a DVD review of both the original movie and the Sci-Fi movie in the near future.
Frank Herbert includes a series of appendixes, glossary, and map at the end of Dune. I chose not to read any of the appendixes or glossary to see how much of the details are described throughout the novel. My first impression is that Herbert plunges the reader directly into a galaxy full of history and mysteries. I felt like the first few chapters, or even novels, had been left out. Herbert clearly spent a lot of time developing the history and background of the characters and worlds for this novel. The appendixes are very helpful, but I think there are too many spoilers for me to recommend reading them before diving into the novel. (more…)