Coventry Telegraph - The Geek Files

Director Vadim Jean on how he adapted Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels into films

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:17:45 +0000

AWARD-WINNING film-maker Vadim Jean, who created successful film versions of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, says his time at Warwick University as a history student helped lay the foundations for his career.

Vadim's adaptation of the fantasy author's Hogfather was screened on Sky One in 2006. He went on to combine Pratchett's The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic into a two-part film, The Colour of Magic, which aired on the same channel over Easter this year.

In a Warwick University podcast, Vadim (pictured) explained how he'd moved from being a budding historian to become a TV/film producer and director.

Doctor Who: A new movie, Catherine Zeta-Jones as companion and the non-return of Paul McGann!

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:03:58 +0000

RUSSELL T DAVIES says he would be happy to return to Doctor Who to make a feature film version of the hit sci-fi show.

This comes on top of his revelation that he'd love Catherine Zeta-Jones to be the companion in a big-screen adaptation.

Doctor Who showrunner launches new book revealing behind-the-scenes secrets

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:19:43 +0000

DOCTOR WHO showrunner Russell T Davies is to sign copies of his new book at Waterstone's book stores next week.

Davies and co-author Benjamin Cook will be at the launch of Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale at Waterstone's in Piccadily, London, on Wednesday, October 8 at 6pm; at the store's branch in High Street, Birmingham, at noon on Thursday, October 9; and at the shop in Manchester's Trafford Centre from 6pm to 7.30pm on October 9.

The Writer's Tale is a year in the life of the hit television series, as told by Davies, who is the show's head writer and executive producer.

It's described as follows: "A candid and in-depth correspondence between Russell T Davies and journalist Benjamin Cook, the book explores in detail Russell's work on Series Four, revealing how he plans the series and works with the show's writers; where he gets his ideas for plot, character and scene; how actors are cast and other creative decisions are made; and how he juggles the demands of Doctor Who with the increasingly successful Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures spin-offs.

"Russell's scripts are discussed as they develop, and Russell and Ben's wide-ranging discussions bring in experiences from previous series of Doctor Who as well as other shows Russell has written and created, including Queer As Folk, Bob and Rose, and The Second Coming.

"The reader is given total access to the show as it's created, and the writing is everything you would expect from Russell T Davies: warm, witty, insightful, and honest.Fully illustrated with never-before-seen photos and artwork - including original drawings by Russell himself - The Writer's Tale is a not only the ultimate Doctor Who book, but a celebration of great writing and great television. "

More details at the Waterstone's webpage.

Star Wars animated series Clone Wars gets special preview at Oktoberfest

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:19:53 +0000

THE first episode of the new Star Wars animated TV series Clone Wars is to get an exclusive screening at London sci-fi film event Oktoberfest.

The new CGI animated series follows on from a feature film released on the big screen in August and begins airing this month - in the UK it will debut on Sky Movies Premiere (and premiere HD) on October 25.

The first episode, Ambush, will be shown free of charge at the London film event at 11am on Saturday, October 4, alongside a preview of J.J. Abrams' new paranormal investigation series Fringe, which also starts on Sky this month.

The Oktoberfest line-up of sci-fi, fantasy, horror and anime movies includes three all-night marathons and takes place at the Apollo West End cinema in Regent Street, London, on October 3 and 4. More information on the event in my earlier piece.

I'm the criminal mastermind Lex Luthor. Which archvillain are you?

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:28:16 +0000

THE WEBSITE I mentioned in the previous blog doesn't just offer a quiz to see which superhero you are - it can also match you to a supervillain.

I just took part and ended up as Lex Luthor, with an 80 per cent match to the villain, who is the archenemy of Superman. The website calls Lex "a brilliant businessman on a quest for world domination and the self-proclaimed greatest criminal mind of our time."

Luthor was played by Gene Hackman (pictured above centre) in the previous set of Superman movies, by Kevin Spacey (on right) in Superman Returns and by Michael Rosenbaum in Smallville.

The next nearest matches to my personality were Doctor Doom (77 per cent), Magneto (75 per cent), Venom and Mystique (73 per cent), Apocalypse and Mr Freeze (72 per cent), Catwoman (58 per cent), Riddler (57 per cent), Poison Ivy, Dark Phoenix and Green Goblin (53 per cent), Kingpin (47 per cent), Juggernaut and Two Face (45 per cent), and finally Joker (42 per cent).

Which supervillain are you?

Click here to take part in the supervillain survey.

It's official! I am the Green Lantern...

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:23:52 +0000

WITH all the casting rumours and suggestions about the proposed Green Lantern superhero movie, I never expected myself to be in the lead role.

A power-ring emitting green energy fields sounds rather cool, though I had rather hoped to be Magneto (except younger and not as villainous) or Storm (but male, perhaps the Tempest version from the Phoenix/Starjammers storylines). I've always fancied being able to manipulate elemental forces.

But, according to an online survey, I am indeed The Green Lantern. Fellow blogger Tara Cain, who runs the Coventry Telegraph's parenting blog From Dawn Till Rusk, alerted me to this quiz. Apparently, she's Superman.

I had the strongest match (75 per cent) with Green Lantern and was described as "Hot-headed. You have strong will power and a good imagination." Evidently, I am also 65 per cent like Robin, 60 per cent Superman or Hulk, 55 per cent Spider-Man or Batman, 50 per cent The Flash, 48 per cent Supergirl, 45 per cent Catwoman, 33 per cent Wonder Woman and 30 per cent Iron Man.

Click here to take the Superhero Quiz.

Full line-up of movies announced for Sci-Fi-London's new Oktoberfest event

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:15:59 +0000

ORGANISERS have revealed the final line-up of sci-fi, horror, fantasy and anime films being screened next week in Sci-Fi-London's first autumn event, Oktoberfest.

The festival includes three all-night movie marathons and takes place at the Apollo West End cinema in Regent Street, London, on October 3 and 4.

Doctor Who materialises in Coventry for major UK exhibition

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:52:07 +0000

THE official touring Doctor Who Exhibition is to materialise at Coventry Transport Museum next year, the Coventry Telegraph can exclusively reveal.

The museum, in Millennium Place, Coventry, will be the only place in England to host the exhibition in 2009. It will feature props, costumes and the various creatures and monsters from the hit show including the Daleks and Cybermen. The Tardis and the Time Lord's robot dog K9 are also expected to make an appearance.

The exhibition begins on March 13 and will be at the venue for several months. The only other touring exhibition next year is being staged in Glasgow, Scotland.

Dcotor Who star David Tennant (pictured above) is currently playing Hamlet in a Royal Shakespeare Theatre production in nearby Stratford-upon-Avon.

For more information, see the main story on the Coventry Telegraph website here, and also today's print edition of the Coventry Telegraph newspaper.

Doctor Who theme music creator honoured at city arts festival

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:36:57 +0000

THE LIFE and work of Doctor Who theme music creator Delia Derbyshire is being celebrated at a three-day arts festival this weekend in the UK city of Coventry, where she was born.

The audio-visual festival, A Thing About Machines (ATAM), features several events at venues across Coventry. The aim is to pay tribute to the electronic music pioneer whose amazing 'soundscapes' have inspired many modern techno bands such as Sonic Boom, Aphex Twin and the Chemical Brothers.

Events and activities include live performances, screenings of archive footage of Delia and exhibitions.

Vin Diesel hopes to continue Chronicles with two more Riddick movies

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:03:51 +0000

DESPITE the cosmic-scale disappointment of Universal's 2004 sci-fi flick The Chronicles of Riddick - which even Judi Dench as Aereon the elemental couldn't lift above mediocrity - its star Vin Diesel says that two sequels will be made.

Diesel told MTV News: "[Writer-director] David Twohy right now is writing the scripts. The only question is whether we take a page from the Lord of the Rings guys and try to shoot the two chapters at the same time. There are two more in mind."

Wheel of Time book series begins to roll towards the big screen

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:12:00 +0000

UNIVERSAL Pictures has bought the film rights for Robert Jordan's bestselling novel series The Wheel of Time for a seven-figure sum, reports trade magazine Variety.

The studio will begin the big-screen adaptations with the first book in the cycle, The Eye of the World.

The Wheel of Time follows, among its dozens of characters, Rand al'Thor, the latest incarnation of a force for good called The Dragon. Rand is born to fight an evil character called Shai'tan.

There have been 11 books so far, as well as a prequel to the first.

Comicbook store gets set for special birthday weekend

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:23:56 +0000

SCI-FI and comicbook emporium Forbidden Planet is celebrating its 30th anniversary on the weekend of September 6 and 7 with birthday parties in its stores around the UK

The fun starts at opening time and the first 30 people through the doors each day get a special goodie bag. Throughout both days, the stores will be giving away thousands of pounds worth of treats.

The weekend will also see Forbidden Planet launch its exclusive range of merchandise with the 'People Like Us Shop At Forbidden Planet' design. The range includes, cups, badges, T-shirts and limited edition canvas prints.

A Viennese whirl into an elegant empire of sci-fi and superheroes

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:00:37 +0000

GEEK culture exists almost everywhere, even among the elegant architecture of the Austrian capital, Vienna.

The city, with its long tradition as a cultural centre for theatre, opera, classical music, fine arts, science and cuisine, also has its fair share of modern pop-culture.

Star Wars prop designer wins 'clone wars' with George Lucas

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:48:42 +0000

A UK prop designer has won his own 'clone wars' with George Lucas over replica Star Wars stormtrooper costumes.

Andrew Ainsworth today said he would return to court in October in a bid to win copyright to the outfits and claim total victory.

Mr Ainsworth designed the original stormtrooper helmets and suits for the 1977 Star Wars movie, now retitled as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

He makes replicas of the outfits and sells them at a shop in London but it was a case of the empire strikes back when Star Wars producer George Lucas sued him for £10million for alleged breach of copyright. Mr Ainsworth countersued, claiming the original copyright had expired and that the rights belonged to him as designer.

The truth is out there: real-life X-Files revealed in new survey

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:38:47 +0000

A NEW survey to celebrate the release of movie The X-Files: I Want to Believe reveals that belief in aliens, spaceships and government conspiracies isn't just confined to the investigations of Mulder and Scully.

The two FBI agents - played by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson - tackled bizarre cases and cover-ups in the hit TV show and reprise their roles in the new 20th Century Fox movie.

A survey of 1,000 British adults by the studio found that 48 per cent believe aliens and spaceships are being investigated at the US military base Area 51 - also known as Groom Lake - in Nevada, USA. A small number, who perhaps have watched too many episodes of the series 'V', even believe the world is being run by lizards.