Happy Birthday Michael Biehn!

Happy Birthday Michael Biehn! He begun his genre career playing a Sandman in an episode of Logan’s Run.  Next, Michael played Tom Reardon in the tv movie, A Fire in the Sky (1978).  One of his finest roles was as Sgt. Kyle Reese, time traveling to 1984 to save the future from The Terminator (1984). He returned to collaborate with director James Cameron playing Corporal Dwayne Hicks in Aliens (1986).  One of my favorite roles was in the horror film, The Seventh Sign (1988) where Michael played Russell Quinn, a lawyer who is witness to the Biblical apocalypse.  He returned to work with Cameron on his sci fi film, The Abyss (1989), as Lt. Coffey.  

Michael Biehn at the Hollywood Collector's Show, 2010, the red eyes are from my poor camera, not trying to be Terminator eyes, photo by the author. 

Another brilliant film was Tombstone (1993) which had Michael playing Johnny Ringo, the drunk gunslinger taking on Doc Holliday in the one fo the best westerns.  He played Commander Charles Anderson in the action movie, The Rock (1996).  Michael starred in the western tv series The Magnificent Seven (1998-2000) playing Chris Larabee.  In 2002, Michael starred in the sci fi film, Clockstoppers, directed by Jonathan Frakes.  He played Sheriff Hague in the Planet Terror segment directed by Robert Rodriguez in the Grindhouse (2007) film.  Next, Michael was King Yannick in The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (2015) released on Netflix.  He starred in The Shadow Effect in 2017.  Happy Birthday Michael Biehn!   

#MichaelBiehn, #TheTerminator, #Aliens, #TheSeventhSign

Venom Characters in the Comics!

Spider-Man Black was Spider-Man upgraded with alien powers from his symbiote suit that he thought was working with him.  It was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984), entitled “Homecoming” by the way, by Tom DeFalco, Roger Stern, and Ron Frenz.   which took place after the Secret Wars limited series.  Peter Parker discovered the symbiote chronologically in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (1984) by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck.  He takes it as a costume upgrade from a machine on the Beyonder’s Battleworld.  The entity took super heroes and villains there to fight and test them.  Eddie Brock played by Tom Hardy in the Venom movie and Topher Grace in Spider-Man 3 (2007) was a reporter at the Daily Bugle.  

He tries to find a serial killer named Sin Eater, but accuses the wrong person while Spider-Man swings in to take the actual killer.  Brock was introduced in Web of Spider-Man #18 (1986) from the team of David Michelinie and Marc Silvestri.  It was during Todd McFarlane’s re-energizing of Spider-Man that we got Venom. Reed Richards discovered the nature of the black costume, that it was parasitic and conscious, also that it was weakened by sonic attacks.  Spider-Man was able to remove it by clanging church bells.  The Venom symbiote escaped, it was revealed in Venom Super Special #1 (1995) by David Michelinie with art by Kyle Hotz, that they call themselves the Klyntar.  This was part of the “Planet of the Symbiotes” event that ran through different Spider-Man titles.  Peter discovers opening the door of his house Eddie Brock now known as Venom in Amazing Spider-Man #299 and then in full with #300 (1988).  This was from writer, David Michelinie, with art by Todd McFarlane.  

Eddie Brock already built himself up to take on Spider-Man enhanced by the symbiote, he was stronger than Spider-Man, had more powerful webbing, and since the symbiotic attached to Peter, it nullified his Spider Sense!  The ultimate Spider-Man super villain!  Still, Spider-Man was able to take on Venom.  He was imprisoned in The Vault and then Ryker’s Island Prison where the symbiote creates a spawn that bonds with serial killer Celtus Kasady to become Carnage.  The Venom film also features Ann Weying played by Michelle Williams.  She first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #375 (1993) by David Michelinie and Mark Bagley.  Ann is the ex-wife of Eddie Brock, they seem to be starting their relationship in the movie, and is able to end the feud between Venom and Spider-Man.  The symbiote attaches to Ann to save her life in Venom: Sinner Takes All #2 and then becomes She-Venom in issue #3 (1995).  

The character played by Riz Ahmed, Carlton Drake, was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #298 (1988) also by the team of David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane.  He runs the Life Foundation which we see in the movie is in San Francisco.  The Venom: Lethal Protector (1993) limited series had Venom move to San Francisco.  It written by David Michelinie with art by Mark Bagley, Ron Lim, and Sam DeLarosa. How the Life Foundation was able to find the symbiote is a mystery.  We see that Drake is exposing people to the symbiote and that Eddie may have been corrupted by accident.  We also know in the comic that Drake intends to have the Venom symbiote spawn more children.  One of them, Trevor Cole, becomes Riot.  He first appeared in Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993) with art by Ron Lim. The actor who plays Trevor Cole is unknown, but it is possibly Woody Harrelson.  The film is directed by Ruben Fleischer who directed the horror comedy Zombieland (2009).  The screenplay is by a writing team including Will Beall, Kelly Marcel,  Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg.  Venom corrupts theaters on October 5th!   

#Venom, #EddieBrock, #DavidMichelinie, #ToddMcFarlane

Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: A Hogsmeade Walking Tour!

In honor of J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter’s birthday, here is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Harry Potter Land sounds better.  I started reading the Harry Potter books after the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) so I read them and caught up until the last book where I finished it in a weekend!  So when I was planning a trip to Orlando in December 2011, I decided on a side trip to Universal’s Islands of Adventure.  Earlier, I stayed at a Disney resort and they had a direct bus to the park, but no longer.  I took the city bus, but with transfers it took about two hours which was serious park time!  I decided to cab it back which was $50 one way, but worth every penny! (I hadn’t used Uber or any ride service at that point).  Islands of Adventure is a more eye catching park than Universal Studios, I had a park-to-park ticket which had a special Harry Potter plastic badge.  I heard that the number of people was so high that Harry Potter Land was timed, but I don’t see that in You Tube videos now. 

Hogsmeade sign at Islands of Adventure, 2011, photo by the author. 

There is the Port of Entry that is interesting, but there is no entertainers, still at the end of the street is the massive Incredible Hulk Coaster that is the feature of Marvel Super Hero Island.  There are two paths, but the interesting one is to the right where you walk into the land themed for kids, Seuss Landing, I love it.  Continue on and there is The Lost Continent, this is fun with the Poseidon’s Fury walk through and The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad show.  It is really the part of fantasy that I’m interested in.  Then, we get to the entrance to Hogsmeade, a turn from the ancient Greek structures to the magical world.  Hanging from the archway is the Hogsmeade sign with “Please respect the spell limits.”  Another draw was Hogwarts Express, removed with the attraction that opened in 2014 connecting Universal Studios.  f you are a fan of the books or the movies, it is a wonder to walk the streets of Hogsmeade!, this is not a theme park recreation - it is complete immersion.  

Once you walk into Hogsmeade you are there!, you are not surrounded by popcorn carts and stuffies, it is the Hogsmeade from the movies and books.  This is something that I don’t see with Galaxy’s Edge. Those park expansions are based on something that was never seen in Star Wars (unless it makes a cameo in Episode IX).  So it is basically a theme park peek into a new part of Star Wars.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is that world.  The other part that is stunning is that you can’t rush through the park.  There are certain parts that animate on a long cycle so you may not see the Monster Book of Monsters bark if you walk past it.  Hogsmeade is just stunning, you can spend hours just looking and relaxing, note though that both Orlando and Hollywood parks are authentic so there really isn’t shade from the sun so take refuge in the stores.  The Hollywood version is squeezed between the former Shrek attraction and Springfield for the Simpsons, some buildings peek out.  Next, a must is grab yourself a mug of Butterbeer!  I’ve always gotten a mug when I go.  I had a taste of a soda pop when I was in Scotland, Irn Bru, which is difficult to describe, one cheeky Brit said, “It tastes like rust.”  No, it is refreshing like a melted orange cream bar, but Butterbeer has a frothy top.  

Hogwarts Express, Islands of Adventure, 2011.

Another highlight of the park is the food.  I had the Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken which had juices dripping from it!, plus delicious corn that you have to pull from the husk, and top it off with more Butterbeer!  I love this meal so much I tried to take a pic of it and ordered it all of the time I went to the park.  I’ll get into the other highlight of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - interactivity.  The wands which sold like balloons at other parks had the feature to cast spells at windows when I went to the opening of the park at Hollywood in 2016.  This is expensive, I think $55, but I’ve bought two of them.  There are medallions in front of the windows that tell you where to cast spells, I was told by a team member that it is meant for kids, so you have to aim at kid’s height, middle, lower window and use tight gestures.  Little kids don’t swing their wands.  It is inevitable that kids are better at magic than adults.  I heard that Galaxy’s Edge will have interactive light sabers, but they are years behind Universal Studios.  The other part that I love are the shows.  There is the Frog Choir with the Hogwarts students assembling with their singing frogs.  Then, the Triwizard Spirit Rally with the beautiful Beauxbatons and the acrobatic Durmstrangs.  

These are fun and entertaining shows.  The best part is you can take pics with all of them.  I recall Disney’s Hollywood Studios which had an Indiana Stunt show that waved away people from taking pics of the performers unless you had an expensive ticket.  Once you walk past two blocks or so, on the right was the queue for the Dragon Challenge roller coaster.  This was a dual pair of roller coasters, the Chinese Fireball and the Hungarian Horntail, that went into terrifying loops.  This was re-themed from the earlier Dueling Dragons roller coaster.  There were banners for the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), my favorite of the films, and then a tent that had the Goblet of Fire trophy itself expelling blue fire. Like the Hulk rollercoaster, it was too much for me, and I scampered out of there.  The roller coaster was closed in 2017 with a new ride to open in 2019. A little further is the Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster, more my speed, it’s queue winds around Hagrid’s Hut.  This was retimed from the earlier Flying Unicorn, but I love it.  Simply because, you see Buckbeak the Hippogriff in his nest, something new from the movies, he bows, but the other riders infuriate me for not bowing in return!  Muggles!   

Hogwarts Castle, Universal Hollywood, 2016. 

Lastly, Hogwarts Castle with my favorite ride in any park, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.  The simple reason besides all of the fun of the ride itself is that it features the lead actors and most of the cast from the films.  In comparison, only C-3PO is in Star Tours, they only added a segment with Finn, Jar Jar Binks doesn’t count!   This is Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter on a broom racing through a Quidditch match and facing Death Eaters.  There is the head of a dragon and it roars.  The ride makers know exactly what I would like to see.  Then, there is the giant spider, Aragog, in the Orlando version this is where you get a ride photo, no photo at Hollywood!  The Death Eaters are terrifying, the ride vehicle dips and even though I went on it multiple times, I can never see the Death Eater popping up to the side!  Here’s another tip, don’t use the single rider line!, I did in Orlando and missed most of the castle!  The queue winds past the Mirror of Erised, into Dumbledore’s room, through the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, and to the Gryffindor room.  Afterwards is where the single rider picks up!  Then, you get to the Sorting Hat and finally to the ride itself.  You exit into the gift shop, Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, which has the stuffies and other souvenirs.  The downside was at Hollywood where I didn’t even find the book of Fantastic Beasts when the movie came out.  There is also the annual event, A Celebration of Harry Potter, with actors and displays from the movie.  Leave the Muggle World behind and enter the Wizarding World!   

#UniversalIslandsofAdventure, #WizardingWorldofHarryPotter, #UniversalStudiosHollywood, #HarryPotterandtheForbiddenJourney

Happy Birthday J.K. Rowling!

Happy Birthday J.K. Rowling! She changed the Muggle World with the publication of the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, in 1997.  The series became a phenomenon not only capturing the imaginations of young readers who would tackle the doorstop sized books, but also adults who had not lost the touch of Wizards and Witches.  The series followed young Harry Potter from age 11 to 17, growing up learning magic at Hogwarts with the dark destiny of having to ultimately face Voldemort.  The series concluded with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007.  The film series began with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) and ended with Harry Potter and the Deathy Hallows - Part 2 (2011).  

In 2001, Rowling wrote Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages, to benefit Comic Relief.  In 2010, J.K. Rowling founded Lumos, her charity organization to help children.  Also that year, at the Islands of Adventure park in Orlando, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened, and walking into a fantastic world will never be the same with theme parks.  It opened in Universal Studios Japan in 2014 and Universal Studios Hollywood in 2016.  Rowling launched the Pottermore website in 2011 filling in more of the Wizarding World and also news.  She wrote an adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, in 2012.  In 2012, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London opened with The Making of Harry Potter at the Leavesden studio. 

Rowling wrote under the pen name Robert Galbraith the crime novels featuring Cormoran Strike that began with the Cuckoo’s Calling (2013).  In 2016, Rowling co-wrote the stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany.  It was a sensation on the London stage winning nine awards and also on Broadway, taking the Tony Award for Best Play in 2018.  Also, released in 2016, was the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them which was produced and featured a screenplay by J.K. Rowling.  It was the first in a series of five films with the next film, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, set to be released on November 16th.  Happy Birthday J.K. Rowling! 

#JKRowling, #HarryPotterandtheSorcerersStone, #TheCasualVacancy, #FantasticBeastandWheretoFindThem 

Re:tro Re:view - The Great Wall!

The Great Wall is currently available on Blu Ray and DVD.  Ok, I got this on Netflix disc because the wave of negative criticism made me wary, I shouldn’t have, this movie is exactly what it should be - an action movie.  To put it in simple terms, it is Two Towers meets Starship Troopers meets Mulan, if that sounds interesting to you (it should), then you should see this film!  I was also hesitant to see it from all of the backlash of Matt Damon as a White Savior, he isn’t, he doesn’t Save the Day, but he does help the day.  It really is all Tian Jing’s film, Matt Damon’s William Garin is the wild card, that gives help and clues on the beasties that threaten to swarm the Great Wall.  

This of course is an East - West collaboration with director Zhang Yimou who is known for Raise the Red Lantern (1991), House of Flying Daggers (2004), and of course the Beijing Olympics in 2008.  He knows spectacle and delivers here.  The writing has a team with screenwriters Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro, and Tony Gilroy with a story by Max Brooks, Edward Zwick, and Marshall Herskovitz.  They maintain some of the Chinese elements, I actually wanted more Chinese (sub-titled) in the film, including the sermonizing that comes with Chinese films; you shouldn’t fight for money, you should fight for respect, beasties are attacking because of greed (not really, we don’t see greedy merchants being eaten, only soldiers).

So here we go.  First, the effects, very good except the beginning, it is almost painful to see a CG Great Wall, it reads fake.  After that part, the rest of the movie was convincing, I wasn’t torn out of any of it.  The beasties are the Tao Tie, they look a little like the Demon Dogs in Ghostbusters (1984), but with Chinese symbols on their foreheads and flaps on their backs.  They are a mythical Chinese creature, taotie, fairly common in Chinese statues, but I’ve always seen them as green.  The Tao Tie swarm like the Bugs in Starship Troopers, their hordes trample the canyon that is right out of Two Towers, there is even a rocky outcrop in the center!  The beginning of the film follows the mercenaries cut down by raiders.  A smaller group escapes, all headed to China for the black powder, this includes William and Pero Tovar (Pedro Pascal), he was Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones (2014), in the series Narcos, and was Whiskey in Kingsman: The Golden Circle. 

The rest of the mercenaries are killed by a mysterious creature, William slices off its paw and carries it with him along with a fist-sized magnetic rock which he hopes to make into a compass.  The next morning they again escape the raiders and get captured by the soldiers to be taken to the Great Wall.  The raiders are part of the logic gaps, they range around the Great Wall, yet they don’t seem to not run into the beasties or the Great Wall soldiers.  There are many logic gaps, but this is an action movie about mythical creatures, what do you expect?  We are quickly introduced to the soldiers on the Wall, Commander Lin (Tian Jing) Mae, the last names are from IMDB, they are really known only by their first names.  Jing was featured in Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), both Legendary films.  She is a deadly commander, leader of the Crane Corps with their female sculpted, blue armor. They go bungee cord jumping off the Wall to fling down to attack the Tao Tie with spears.  

Lin also speaks English, one other soldier does too, which she learned from an ex-pat, Sir Ballard played by Willem Dafoe.  Dafoe has a long list of genre credits including playing Vulko in this year’s Aquaman, but also Murder on the Orient Express (2017), and the brilliant independent drama, The Florida Project (2017). The downside to Yimou’s direction is that the characters are sparsely identified as well as the Tao Tie, the creature that was killed, the movie keeps rolling on and doesn’t repeat the names too often.  It’s just general and commander.  The general on the Wall is General Shao (Hanyu Zhang), but leaders don’t last too long.  There is also a foot soldier who is dismissed by the commanders, but William knows his worth, moral.  The other logic gap is the Crane Corps, they risk their lives to bungee jump, usually wall defense is pouring oil or boiling water, dropping rocks, or other means.  They even have a novel defense, but apparently hold it back for some reason. 

They find out that the Tao Tie are led by the queen who is protected by big beasties that can fold out armored umbrellas that give her protection from missiles.  There is an interesting back story, a tie in graphic novel, The Great Wall: The Last Survivor, which had a meteor hit 200 years before the film and unleashed the Tao Tie, alien invaders!  Back to the film.  So there has to be a way to take out the alien queen and the aliens have to have a weakness!  No spoilers on that front.  They are in the north and head south to spread across the world.  The Nameless Order protecting the Wall has to stop them and protect the capital.  This is where the Mulan part comes in with the female soldier leading a group into the city and stop the leader.  Is it a perfect movie? No, but I liked the action, and you should give this movie a chance.  

Three Magnetic Rocks out of Five! 

#TheGreatWall, #ZhangYimou, #TianJing, #MattDamon   

A Proposal for a Bambi Attraction!

There has never been a Bambi attraction in Disneyland or any other Disney park.  It is considered one of Disney’s most beautiful animated films and has just gone dusty which is sad.  It was the 75th anniversary of the film and Bambi (1942) now is just an archived treasure.  I think one of the problems is that a basic attraction like Snow White’s Scary Adventures doesn’t work.  I think it is not a scene by scene recap of the film on a ride.  What I propose instead is to repurpose the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at Disney’s California Adventure.  It has a totem pole of Koda and Kenai from Brother Bear (2003). The Spirit Cave from Brother Bear and ranger stations can be kept intact.  It is the right side and back area of the Spirit Cave that can be used for this attraction. 

Photo of a deer at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, photo by the author.

There will be some scenes (not Bambi’s mother being killed!) can be seen along the trail.  This is something like peeking into a forest and seeing animals.  Animal sounds, singing, and of course the voice tracks from the film.  The animals are all audio-animatronic or statues.  Bambi’s Forest Trail!  You walk around a turn and see in an enclosed area (tree branches and leaves) Bambi and his mother.  A little further is Bambi, Thumper, and Flower.  Then, Faline.  This follows the curve of the trail to the right.  Friend Owl tells Bambi about “twitterpation.”  Later, there is the Great Prince of the Forest with the winter scenes.  A warning about hunters.  This is about the edge of the back area to the right.  We get smoke and the dogs barking after the forest animals.  

Later, we see Bambi as Great Prince of the Forest with Faline.  This is at the center of the back area.  There maybe a time cycle for the animations and audio, about three minutes, so hikers must really just observe and not just rush past them.  It could be a forest ranger cast member asks questions about hikers on the trail and maybe gives out a map.  If a hiker can properly observe the trail, about twenty-one minutes, maybe take pics or post them, they are given a “badge”, maybe a sticker.  Hikers may be asked to be patient and wait to observe Bambi’s Forest Trail.  Maybe there is a cycling of different animations or audio to keep things fresh.  There could also be possums, raccoons, and other forest animals from the film added or taken away.  This attraction will be fun for kids, draw in more visitors to see Bambi, and bring the beauty of that film to a great setting.   

#Bambi, #DisneysCaliforniaAdventure, #RedwoodCreekChallengeTrail, #BambisForestTrail 

The Hollywood Show, July 2018!

I’ve been to the Hollywood Collector’s Show at it’s old location at the Beverly Garland Hotel on Vineland Ave.  It moved to the Burbank Airport hotel and then finally The Westin Airport Hotel on Century Blvd.  It runs until Sunday this week and has another show in Los Angeles on October 19th-21st.  You can check out more info at http://www.hollywoodshow.com.  I arrived at the afternoon to the left of registration down the hall is the area for the Hollywood Show.  I got my wristband and went in, there was a line of tables against the wall with celebrities, and a long line for Robert Wagner.  I entered the rooms, fairly crowded, but you are able to make your way through it all.  Against the wall was a line of tables for the actors of Monsters Squad (1987) and then the facing wall had the cast of the Police Academy films.  

Victoria Vetri at the Hollywood Show, photo by the author.

I went along the various tables seeing we was there and finally started with Duncan Regehr’s table.  He was Count Dracula in Monster Squad, but I remembered him as Zorro in the series that ran from 1990 to 1993.  I asked if he learned fencing and Duncan said he was already trained and worked with the legendary Peter Diamond.  We also discussed his part as Prince Dirk Blackpool in Wizards and Warriors (1983).  Don Reo was the writer for the show which had the evil wizard, Vector, and Princess Ariel who had a pet unicorn.  It was ahead of it’s time.  Next, I went to see Victoria Vetri, she earlier had the name Angela Dorian.  She was in the 1968 Batman episode, “I’ll Be a Mummy’s Uncle” as Florence of Arabia.  Victoria was also in Roman Polanski’s horror film, Rosemary’s Baby (1968).  I noted the story that Dan Brown named a character, Vittoria Vetra, after her in his novel Angels & Demons (2000) turned into the Tom Hanks film in 2009.  

Ted Neeley with a copy of The Big Adventures of Little Church Mouse, photo by the author.

Then, I met Yvonne Elliman who had the best song of 1977, “If I Can’t Have You”, I still love that song and can hear it over and over.  She of course played Mary Magdalene in the Norman Jewison film, Jesus Christ Superstar (1973).  I confided my disappointment in the recent tv adaptation.  Her albums were all gone by the time I got there, but I got a German printing of the soundtrack to get signed.  I talked to her husband about Hawaii.  Then, I got the album signed by Ted Neeley who played Jesus in the film.  He said that it was Tom O’Horgan, the director of Hair, who saw him and put him in Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band for theatrical productions.  I also met Ann Robinson who was in The War of the Worlds (1953) produced by George Pal.  I saw the Martian in one of the photos on her table and it struck me that the arm was exactly like E.T.! She said that E.T. placing his arm on Elliot was a homage by Spielberg.  He also named Silvia, the daughter in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) after her character in War of the Worlds, Sylvia Van Buren.  She said it was his favorite film and put her in his 2005 War of the Worlds.  It was great to see so many talented persons in film and television who are nice to meet in person.  

#HollywoodShow, #VictoriaVetri, #YvonneElliman, #TedNeeley 

Sci Fi, Superhero, and Fantasy Films! (1900s-1940s)

I know a little about sci fi, fantasy, and superhero films, most of these I’ve seen, so let’s go explore them through the decades! Sci fi comes out earlier than fantasy with A Trip to the Moon (1902) by Georges Melies. I saw it on Netflix, it is visionary, surreal with fantastic designs. The film was based on Jules Verne’s novel and features insect-like Selenites, men in costumes. One of the earliest fantasy films that I know is a silent, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, was in theaters in 1921.  There were also Disney shorts called the Alice Comedies, the ten minute b&w shorts had young Virginia Davis finding her way into an animated world, starting with Alice’s Wonderland (1923). This of course made Ms. Davis Disney’s first star and pioneered the combination of live action and animation that was later in Three Caballeros (1944), Song of the South (1946), and Mary Poppins (1964). Early stop motion by Willis O’Brien was in The Lost World (1925) based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel. The brilliant German sci fi film Metropolis (1927) was by Fritz Lang. The art direction is highly influential with the robot Maria inspiring C-3PO.

Disney of course was interested in fairy tales, toned down from their brutal European versions starting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Then, in the following decade was A Connecticut Yankee (1931) based on the Mark Twain story, bringing Will Rogers, Hank Martin, to Camelot. Arthurian fantasy has always been a source material for films. We also had a live action Alice in Wonderland (1933) with Charlotte Henry as Alice. 1936 was the start of the Flash Gordon serial starring Buster Crabbe, very influential to Star Wars. We also had pulp heroes, the precursors to superheroes, with the  movie serials with first one showing up in 1938, The Spider’s Web (1938). 1939, had another sci fi hero, Buck Rogers starring Buster Crabbe. Of course the decade finished with the classic The Wizard of Oz (1939) which explored the fantasy land of Oz with Judy Garland. It was nominated for Academy Awards and won Best Original Song and Score. Wizard of Oz lost Best Special Effects to The Rains Came!

1940 started off with Buster Crabbe continuing with Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe. The pulp hero serials continued with The Shadow and The Green Hornet.  The 40’s brought one of the most stunning fantasy films of all time, highly recommended, The Thief of Bagdad (1940). This was a film with several directors, but known for it’s producer, Alexander Korda. It won the Academy Award for Cinematography, Art Direction, and Special Effects. The film is all too familiar with a thief, Ahmad (John Justin), his friend Abu (not a monkey played by the very charming Sabu!), trying to find a princess, aided by a Genie (Rex Ingram), and fighting against a sorcerer called Jaffar (Conrad Veidt). One of the first superheroes was the movie serial of The Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941), now known as Shazam! The new film, Shazam!, is coming out on April 5th next year, 78 years after the first film! 

There was also a One Million B.C. by Hal Roach with dinosaurs which were really lizards with fins glued to them.  Another superhero serial, the first for a DC character, was Batman (1943) played by Lewis Wilson.  23 years before the 60's Batman The Movie, 46 years before the Tim Burton's Batman, and 62 years before Christopher Nolan directed Batman Begins.  We also had another serial with The Phantom (1943) based on the Lee Falk comic strip. Another movie serial was Captain America (1944) with Dick Purcell playing the superhero. The first Marvel superhero on film, it would be 35 years before the Reb Brown movie and 67 years before he appeared in the MCU.  In 1946, we have the landmark vision of Beauty and the Beast by Jean Cocteau, it is a surreal b&w film of the fairy tale. We finally had the first screen incarnation of Superman (1948) played by Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill portrayed Lois Lane.  In 1949, we have another version of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court featuring Bing Crosby and Alice in Wonderland with stop motion puppets. The year finished with another serial, King of the Rocket Men (1949), featuring Jeff King and his rocket pack. It is almost a pattern, starting with sci fi, then fantasy and fantasy again before we get to the sci fi heavy later years. Still, superheroes were there in 40’s.  We are moving on to the alien invasions of the 50's and incredible fantasy films of Ray Harryhausen! 

#ATriptotheMoon, #Metropolis, #ThiefofBagdad, #Superman

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Review!

The promotion for Teen Titans GO! To the Movies has been flawless.  Clever ads, funny trailers, and the voice actors showing up at VidCon and Comic Con screenings.  This is my qualifications for watching an animated movie, if the trailer makes me laugh.  I loved the New Teen Titans with Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s run.  Then, went back to get some issues of the Silver Age Teen Titans run.  The Teen Titans cartoon was launched in 2003-2006 with a tv movie, Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo (2006) that seemed to wrap everything up.  Then, Teen Titans Go! was launched on the Cartoon Network in 2013 with the same voice cast. It didn’t worry about continuity, it was just fun.     

It starts out with a Super Hero Girls short, it stars Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Green Lantern (Jessica Cruz), Zatanna, and Bumblebee, featuring Batgirl.  She wakes up late and has to wait for Commissioner Gordon to fall asleep so she can join her friends and take on Mr. Freeze.  He finally sleeps and Batgirl takes off on her scooter and races across the rooftops to deal with Mr. Freeze.  A little fun before the feature.  So let’s get into the movie, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is written by writer and producer of the animated series, Michael Jelenic, and co-written and co-directed by Aaron Horvarth who also was a writer and producer of the cartoon.  Horvath is joined by Peter Rida Michail, the supervising director of Teen Titans Go!, so this film has all of the imprint of the wacky tv series.  It also has the simple animated style of the show so it looks like an expanded episode with an a-list guest cast.  

So let’s drop what to expect, one I was laughing at the beginning of the film, I heard two adults in the back laugh at a joke, and the kids cracked up.  Also, this animated film is an antidote to the glut of superhero movies, they poke fun at them and love them.  Then, I have to note that I fell asleep, this movie needs to be trimmed for the drawn out jokes or the script needed to be tightened a little.  We have the flipping pages of a comic book that seems to be the standard opening of superhero films, but this is a gag as we get a seagull reading through New Teen Titans #1 (1980), then we move past Titans Tower, to Jump City.  This is the setting of the animated show and apparently this story pre-dates it.  We get the massive pink villain, Balloon Man (Greg Davies) who smashes into a bank and blows a bubble to take away the vault. He of course is confronted by the Teen Titans!  This is the original (and very talented) voice cast, the leader Robin (Scott Menville), Raven (Tara Strong), Cyborg (Khary Payton), Starfire (Hynden Walch), and Beast Boy (Greg Cipes).  A great voice cast, but the focus is mostly on Robin.  

Balloon Man doesn’t recognize them so they break out into their “Go!” song with a tape placed into Cyborg’s tape player chest.  They get so caught up with their song that the Justice League comes in to defeat Balloon Man; Superman (Nicolas Cage, love his casting!), Wonder Woman (pop singer Halsey), and Green Lantern (Lil Yachty who provides a rendition of “Go!” on the soundtrack).  They bring up that they have to head to Batman’s movie premiere and Superman tells the Titans that they are “goofsters.”  I love Wonder Woman saying her film took some time and Green Lantern’s comment about his own movie!  This is the running plot of the movie that everyone finds Robin and the Titans as sidekicks and Robin wants to be a true hero.   

We had from the trailer that Robin is brought down by the other superhero movies.  They return to their home at Titans Tower and Robin is sad.  He is cheered up by the Titans singing the “Upbeat Inspirational Song About Life” with a cameo by Michael Bolton as a rocker Tiger!  This is my favorite Michael Bolton song. So they head to Hollywood specifically to Warner Bros. Studio, but the director Jade Wilson, voiced by Kristen Bell, turns them down.  Robin decides that they must find a super villain that will make them high profile.  They head to the movie premiere, but the guard (John DiMaggio) stops them so Raven uses her portals to crash it.  The trailers are introduced by the director, Jade Wilson, we also have Batman voiced by Jimmy Kimmel.  I like the running joke of the Challengers of the Unknown.  

At S.T.A.R. Labs, the Titans take on the villain that of course they mistake for Deadpool, Slade who is voiced by Will Arnett.  He of course voiced Batman in The Lego Movie (2014).  The Teen Titans kept the villain’s first name to identify him, but he was known as Deathstroke the Terminator, not a kid friendly name.  The plot becomes a little obvious, but it is still fun.  We have Slade using the power of “Mind Manipulation”, but of course the Titans are in the way.  The problem with his planned take-over of the world points out that not all heroes are marquee heroes. We get some time travel with some music from a well known time travel movie.  There is also a surprise cameo from a person known for his superhero movie cameos.  This is wall to wall fun, just a little drawn out, all with an inspirational message.  I hope everyone has the chance to get this superhero animated fun before heading to other superhero films or superhero streaming shows!   

Four out of Five Birdarangs!   

#TeenTitansGototheMovies, #ScottMenville, #KharyPayton, #TaraStrong, #HyndenWalch, #GregCipes

Cloak & Dagger, “Back Breaker”, Review!

Tyrone has set up Connors pretending to be Billy and the officer is arrested by O’Reilly.  Chantelle, Evita’s aunt, drinks whisky and spits, then writes symbols on the ground.  She sees a Roxxon pipe.  Father Delgado gives a class about Heroes including Evita.  He mentions Regression, the hero losing everything to move on, interesting to put mythology around the spine of this episode.  Officers remove Fuchs’ bloody body from O’Reilly’s refrigerator!  She sees some blood on an umbrella and finds a bloody bat.  It is taken as evidence and she is taken away.  Chief of Police Duchamp (Andrea Frankle) updates Tyrone’s parents about Connors.  Tyrone walks back angry at the truth about Billy.  Evita is anxious over her aunt’s drinking and sits her down.  Chantelle warns her niece about the next crisis and Roxxon.  The Divine Pairing can stop Roxxon.  Her aunt says to ask Tyrone and then falls asleep.  Evita picks up a black figure of Tyrone.  We getting closer to the final moments when it’s time for Cloak and Dagger to fight!   

Tandy is at a house with another young man, she passes by portraits of Stan Lee, her hands glows and she draws him into the dream world.  Two women go with him.  She takes away the two women and then touches the man.  Tandy rolls off the man happy and gets a call from Mina.  Evita walks up to Tyrone who is lost.  His mother, Adina, is also staring.  Tyrone pounds on a classmate who bumped into him.  Tandy meets Mina who has made cookies for her father.  They are joined by Ivan Hess, Mina's father, using a walker.  Father Delgado talks to Tyrone and sets books on his outstretched hands.  He brings up the War of 1812 when the battles kept going on because the people didn’t know when to stop fighting.  Tandy walks off at the mention of her father.  Mina wanted to offer a job to Tandy at Roxxon.  She holds out her hand and Tandy enters the dream world with Mina in a dress walking through a forest looking at flowers.  Tandy leaves her.  I keep wondering why the two don’t at least converse a little getting into problems apart from each other.   

MARVEL'S CLOAK & DAGGER  -“Back Breaker” - (Freeform/Alfonso Bresciani). 

O’Reilly is at a bar getting drunk.  Tandy takes the money from the statue for Liam’s bail.  

He thought she skipped town.  In the room, Tyrone has the books steady, and Father Delgado threatens him with expulsion.  Tandy takes Liam to the church.   Delgado says that Tyrone needs to end the war.  Tyrone says that Delgado is hiding.  Tandy tells Liam she wanted to get married in the church.  Tyrone drops the books and yells at Delgado.  He takes a swing at Delgado and Tandy kisses Liam drawing them into their worlds.  Tandy sees Liam and herself getting married.  Tyrone is in forest with a body, Delgado sits in a car drinking, this is his dark secret.  Tandy touches Liam, taking the dream away.  Tyrone enters the door and sees her dream world and asks about her.  They both pull away.  Tyrone tries to apologize, but Delgado only wants him to leave.  It is interesting that Father Delgado is a helping figure, but of course has his own past.  

Father Delgado mentions the weakness of the Heroes and what could turn them into Villains.  O’Reilly hears Connors get a drink.  She picks up a club from the bar, but is beaten by Connors.  We already had a hint of season 2, Mayhem, the villain that O’Reilly becomes.  Tyrone is at school when Evita comes to talk to him.  They are interrupted by Tandy.  Tandy gets into Evita's dream of being a doctor and breaks her out of the dream.  Evita runs away.  Tyrone asks Tandy if she talked to her mom, but she threatens him with her Light Dagger.  Father Delgado continues the lecture about Heroes reflecting ourselves.  Tyrone walks the night streets.  Tandy sees herself in a window and Tandy sees his reflection. There is trouble for Mina as events repeat.  O’Reilly hears a report on the killer of Fuchs.  Tyrone’s mother confesses everything to protect her last son.  Powerful, true moments.  Then, Tyrone has to go on the run, police have arrived.  Tandy returns home to find an even greater threat!  We are ramping up to the finale!   

Four Light Daggers out of Five!  

Happy Birthday Kate Beckinsale!

Happy Birthday Kate Beckinsale!  One of Kate’s early film roles was as Hero, one of the romantic figures in Kenneth Branaugh’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy, Much Ado About Nothing (1994).  She starred in the horror film Haunted (1995).  Kate had the lead role in the tv movie of Jane Austen’s novel Emma (1996).  She was Lt. Evelyn Johnson in Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor (2001).  Next, Kate was in the romance Serendipity (2001).  She began the role of Selene, the vampire Death Dealer caught up in the war between Lycans and vampires in Underworld (2003).  The next year, she starred as Anna Valerious, taking on Dracula and the other Universal Monsters in Van Helsing (2004).  Kate then played actress Ava Gardner in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator (2004).  

Kate Beckinsale at Underworld panel, Comic Con, 2003, photo by the author.

She returned as Selene in Underworld: Evolution (2006).  Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) was another horror action film for Kate as Selene.  Kate played Carrie Stetko investigating a murder in Antarctica, in Whiteout (2009) based on the comic book by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber.  Kate returned as Selene in Underworld: Awakening picking up after humans captured her and has to save her daughter.  In 2012, she was in the remake of the sci fi action film Total Recall as Lori Quaid. Kate starred in the sci fi comedy Absolutely Anything (2015) written and directed by Terry Jones.  She played Lady Susan Vernon in another adaptation of a Jane Austen novel in Love & Friendship (2016).   Kate played Swelene again in Underworld: Blood Wars (2017).  She was in Marc Webb’s drama, The Only Living Boy in New York (2017).  Happy Birthday Kate Beckinsale!  

#KateBeckinsale, #Underworld, #Whiteout, #LoveandFriendship

Re:tro Re:view - Attack the Block!

Attack the Block is a film about an alien invasion in a South London neighborhood with a touch of social commentary on how we see each other.  Believe, bruv!  It is written and directed by Joe Cornish who co-wrote the Ant Man (2015) script. It is produced by Big Talk Pictures which also produced Edgar Wright’s films; Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010).  It does have a British sensibility and the young actors speak in a heavy South London accent.  Allow it!  Attack the Block was released in 2011.  We start out with a dark night sky that slowly follows a falling celestial object.  It is a no comet.  Below, the streets of London are breaking out into celebration, this is Guy Fawkes Night, also called Bonfire Night, it is of course celebrated on the Fifth of November, “Remember, remember, the fifth of November…”  

Of course, the fireworks disguise the landing of the alien craft.  We have a young woman walking the streets talking on the phone to her mother before reaching a darkened street.  This is Jodie Whitaker who started in films with St Trinian’s (2007), but maybe now known as the current Doctor Who!  She is surrounded by the young gang led by Moses (John Boyega).  Of course, this was the first film for Boyega who next went onto a few roles before taking on Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)!  You can see the screen presence Boyega brings even to this early role. His other fellow gang member is Dennis (Franz Drameh) who went onto a role in Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and is known as part of the Firestorm duo in Legends of Tomorrow.  So this one film has the team up of Doctor Who, Finn, and Firestorm! 

They rob the woman of her wallet and ring, but the alien craft crashes into a car and she runs away.  Moses checks out the car and is slashed across the face.  He is of course angry and brings his gang to chase after what they think is a bear.  It is the size of a dog, pale, and hairless.  The aliens have glowing, blue fangs.  They reach an abandoned house and the gang enters to bash the alien creature.  There is a whoop of success at killing it, Moses emerges with the scars on his face, and drags the alien corpse back to their block, Wyndham Tower.  They make their way past two kids, who want to be called by their gang names, Probs (Sammy Williams) and Mayhem (Michael Ajao) and they are told about the alien kill.  At the lift, the gang brushes off poser drug dealer Brewis (Luke Treadaway) who takes off his headphones playing rap music at their approach.  This of course the same block that has the apartment of the young woman, Samantha, and she makes a report on the robbery.  

The gang takes the alien corpse to their apartment and Moses decides to get advice from a neighbor, Ron (Nick Frost), a drug dealer.  Brewis is also there.  Ron takes Moses and the alien corpse to the most secure place, the Weed Room, run by the dealer Hi-Hatz (Jumayn Hunter).  He wants Moses to work for him and agrees to hold the corpse in the refrigerated room.  Samantha rides along with the police to find the gang.  Moses returns and they see more falling alien craft all over the city so the gang rushes to their homes to grab weapons.  Pest (Alex Esmail), the boy with a winter hat, fills his backpack with firework rockets.  Dennis pulls out several samurai swords.  They rush out, Moses has a scooter and the others have bikes, to face the aliens and find they are much larger and fierce.  They pass the little kids and race to the block to try to escape the aliens.  The police van stops them and Moses is placed in handcuffs and taken to the back of the van.  Samantha has moved to the front of the van.  The others yell at the officers from a bridge at the block.  

The aliens have tracked Moses and tear apart the two officers.  Samantha is startled when blood is splattered against her window.  Pest fires a rocket at the alien.  Dennis goes on a scooter to free Moses.  The alien attacks and Dennis frees Moses and also Samantha.  They take the van and drive into the block’s garage crashing into Hi-Hatz’s car. He pulls out his gun and they hear the alien.  His henchman is torn apart and in the confusion Samantha escapes.  Biggz (Simon Howard) jumps into a dumpster.  The others run into the building, Pest is bitten on his leg, but they reach the safety of the block. They break into Samantha’s apartment, they know from her i.d. that she is a nurse.  They face not only the aliens, but Hi-Hatz who has found some handguns and runs the block.  At one point, the boys tell Samantha to tone down her language!  She teams up with them to survive the night.  Moses discovers in the UV light of the Weed Room when they take refuge there that the first alien was the female and the other aliens are following her scent.  He has to destroy the aliens and his heroism is short lived since the police are still looking for him.  Perceptions are important and it doesn’t matter a persons race or economic class to be brave or save the world from aliens.  

Four Rockets out of Five!

#AttacktheBlock, #JoeCornish, #JohnBoyega, #JodieWhitaker 

The Outpost, “The Mistress and the Worm”, Review!

An alchemist’s tale, Janzo hears a knock, he looks up to see a corpse slide down and then Talon and Garret.  They have brought his friend, Kell turned into a Plagueling, to determine what happened.  Garret wants to find the mystery of how Plaguelings spread and Janzo is happy at Talon’s praise.  A parasite leaps out of Kell’s mouth and Garret stabs it.  Janzo puts the parasite into a jar.  He needs more Plaguelings.  We know from the last episode that the drug, colipsum, is connected to the spread of the Plaguelings.  The misty morning, the spy follows the drug dealer through a town.  He is killed from behind.  At the tavern, Talon thanks Garret, he brings up the responsibility of Gwynn for Talon.  She is about to turn in when Talon gets a message from Lilly (Baylee Self) to meet with Gwynn.  Morning, in the snow, Janzo looks at the Plagueling bodies with Garret and the big warrior, who cuts off a Plagueling’s arm for Janzo’s study.  Talon walks into Gwynn’s quarters with muddy boots.  

Gwynn asks her if she has taken a bath with rose petals. She takes a seat next to the bath to thank Talon.  Lilly is about to check on Talon’s ears, but she is sent away. Gwynn has Lilly burn Talon’s clothes, but she wants to keep her jacket.  Gwynn offers her friendship and she has a yellow dress for Talon.  Some figure lurks in the night following Talon.  She complains about her tight dress.  The Demon released by Talon last episode leaps out at the peasant woman who was talking to Talon.  Talon walks into the tavern to the hoots of all of the men.  The Mistress is impressed at her appearance.  Talon wants to work as a barmaid.  Mistress is brought the head of her spy.  She sends his brother to take away the head and knows that it is a message from the Worm.  Marshall checks on the body of the peasant woman.  Talon wakes up with a dagger, stones thrown by the marshall, to get Talon to explain about the body of the peasant woman.  He tells her about the message to Everit Dred and the Prime Order.  We are getting closer to Dred’s involvement. 

The Outpost -- "The Mistress and the Worm" -- Photo: NBCU International -- © Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment.

At the smithy, Talon tells the Smith that the Demon killed someone, she wants to know how to command the Demon.  He says to send it to the Plane of Shadow and Ash.  The Smith explains that the Blackblood have the blood of Kizerkhan that rules the Demons.  Another secret of this world.  Garret is questioned by Marshall Wythers over the body.  He confesses that he brought in body of Kell infected as a Plagueling.  Talon checks the arm tattoo of one of the patrons.  She wants Janzo to look for the tattoo.  The Mistress sees the Worm at the tavern.  He says she’s out of dealing calypsum.  The Worm fires a crossbow bolt from a pistol, but Talon holds up a small table to block it.  Marshall Wythers sees Gwynn and Lilly walking and Lilly is sent away.  Gwynn returns home to see Garret.  She kisses him, but he is worried about the commander’s threats.  Janzo brings the Mistress a drink.  She explains that the Worm knows how to get a hold of calypsum.  Janzo checks the Worm’s coat.  

Talon hears something and sees the Demon climbing a building.  She chases it across the rooftops.  Garret sees that she is at the edge of the Outpost.  She takes Garret’s sword and gives it back to him with the sun setting between them.  A man with a symbol on his back is meditating.  This is Everit Dred.  An ally of Magmoor, Tiberion Shek (Cokey Falkow) is told about his death.  Dred sends the man to check on the last Blackblood.  “Don’t fail”, Dred tells him.  His campaign to wipe out the Blackbloods is not finished, but the mystery remains to why he wants to do so, and the connection with the Demons.  Garret has turned away from Gwynn, who needs to get more active in the series, especially her gambling or other such talents.  He is drifting closer to Talon of course.  There needs to be a tad more action and more pieces of the world’s story.  

Three Daggers out of Five! 

#TheOutpost, #TheMistressandtheWorm, #Gwynn, #TheSmith

Happy Birthday Summer Glau!

Happy Birthday Summer Glau! She started out as a ballerina and played Prima Ballerina in the “Waiting in the Wings” (2002) episode of Angel.  Then, River Tam was her iconic role on Firefly (2002-2003), the sci fi western created by Joss Whedon.  She played a brilliant, though traumatized young woman experimented on by the Alliance. Summer returned as River Tam in the Serenity (2005) film. We discovered that the Alliance experiments had made River into a living weapon.   Summer then played Tess Doerner in The 4400 (2005-2007).  Her next role was as Cameron Phillips, a Terminator sent to protect John Connor, in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009).  

Summer Glau at Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles signing, Golden Apple, 2008, photo by the author.

She guest starred as herself in “The Terminator Decoupling” (2009) episode of The Big Bang Theory. Summer had a role in another Joss Whedon series playing Bennett Halverson, the chief programmer, in Dollhouse (2009-2010).  In 2011, Summer played Orwell, a blogger and ally to the hero of The Cape. She was next Skylar Adams in Alphas (2011-2012).  She played Gwen the LARPer taking on a demon in the action comedy Knights of Badassdom (2013).  Next, Summer was the villainous Isabel Rochev, who becomes Ravager, in Arrow (2013-2014).  She worked with fellow Firefly co-star, Alan Tudyk, in his series Con Man (2015).  Happy Birthday Summer Glau! 

#SummerGlau, #Firefly, #TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles, #Arrow 

Happy Birthday Lynda Carter!

Happy Birthday Lynda Carter!  Lynda won Miss World USA in 1972.  Her first television role was in the television drama, Nakia, playing Helen Chase.  Lynda’s iconic part was the title role in Wonder Woman (1975-1979).  She played actress Rita Hayworth in the 1983 tv movie, Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess.  In the frontier series based on James Fenimore Cooper, Hawkeye (1994-1995), Lynda played Elizabeth Shields.  She played Governor Jessman in the comedy Super Troopers (2001).  Then, she starred in Sky High (2005), the high school for kids with super powers, playing Principal Powers.  Lynda played Pauline in The Dukes of Hazzard (2005).  

Photo of Lynda Carter at her Walk of Fame ceremony, photo by the author.

In the 2007 episode, “Progeny” for the Smallville series, Lynda played Moria Sullivan, the mother of Chloe Sullivan given powers by Kryptonite.  Lynda began playing President Olivia Marsdin in the Supergirl series.  In October 206, on Wonder Woman’s 75th birthday, Lynda attended an UN ceremony.  It named Wonder Woman Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls with Gal Gadot. This was withdrawn after criticism in December.  This year, she returned to the role of Governor Jessman in Super Troopers 2.  On April 3rd of this year, Lynda Carter was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame which I was lucky to have attended.  Happy Birthday Lynda Carter!   

#LyndaCarter, #WonderWoman, #Smallville, #Supergirl