fafner

Fafner of Azure (Soukyû no Fafner), serie di una stagione del 2004, calca le orme del sempreverde genere "adolescenti su robottoni".

Sull'isola di Tatsumiya la vita della nuova generazione scorre tranquilla, fintanto l'attacco di una serie di alieni non costringerà gli adulti a svelare loro il segreto della loro comunità isolata dal resto del mondo: l'isola è in realtà una fortezza attrezzata per combattere i simpatici mostri e proteggerne gli abitanti. Gli stessi ragazzi - su cui verrà rivelato molto di più - sono gli unici in grado di pilotare le macchine chiamate Fafner, ma al prezzo di disfunzioni emotive ed alterazioni genetiche.
Nel proseguire della serie, si scoprirà la natura degli alieni ed i difficili rapporti con il resto dell'umanità: l'intero pianeta, anni prima, era infatti stato attaccato, e la battaglia contro una delle teste di ponte dell'invasione - il Giappone canonico martire dell'apocalisse prossima ventura - aveva portato a conseguenze spaventose.

Parte lenta e senza tante spiegazioni, la serie inizia ad ingranare intorno al decimo episodio, per poi decollare sul finale. Superata la fase iniziale, i rapporti tra i personaggi iniziano a farsi interessanti, e la trama prende consistenza.

Molto ben scritto (con alcuni spunti davvero avvincenti), non è comunque una serie semplicissima da seguire: i personaggi sono una marea, moltissimi dei quali importanti. Discreta (senza eccedere) la regia, sul lato tecnico siamo di fronte ad un ottimo prodotto: personalmente non amo lo stile (ed il character design pecca un po' d'originalità e varietà), ma il disegno è senza dubbio buono, così come l'animazione. Pregevole la colonna sonora.

Tacciato d'essere l'ennesimo clone di Evangelion, forse la "critica" non è così infondata, pur con scopi e mezzi diversi. Anche qui c'è un buon lavoro d'approfondimento, anche se viene meno l'onanismo mentale di Eva che tanto abbiamo amato.
Sicuramente pregevole in sé, lo piazzo ben distante come valore complessivo dalla serie dei Gainax; diciamo che è un RahXephon che lascia meno cose non dette (ed in generale lo valuto migliore di quest'ultimo).

Un po' meno positivo il giudizio tecnico sui DVD distribuiti in USA dalla Geneon: non so come fosse l'originale, ma il video è in 4:3 e l'audio inglese è solo stereo... taccio poi sul fatto che tutti e sette i DVD siano singolo strato. Err...
Detto ciò, la qualità video è più che decorosa, quindi va bene anche così.

Voto: 8.
Tags: fantascienza, animazione, azione, robot, anime, mecha, adolescente, invasione, alieno, mistero, morte, distruzione, ingegneria genetica, fafner, pilota, coma, lotta, combattimento, conoscenza, scienza, isola, segreto, mistero, distruzione, sterilità, paura, contrattacco, introspezione, sacrificio, fuga, salvataggio, empatia, convivenza, perdita.

"RahXephon" (2002)

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Regista: Yutaka Izubuchi
Scrittore: Yutaka Izubuchi, Chiaki Konaka
Genere: Animation, Sci-Fi, Action, Animation
Valutazione: 8.2/10 (263 voti)
Durata: Japan:650::(26 episodes) min
Paese: Japan
Lingua: Japanese

Cast:

• Chris Patton .... Ayato Kamina (1 episode, 2002)
• Hiro Shimono .... Ayato Kamina (1 episode, 2002)
• Aya Hisakawa .... Haruka Shitow (1 episode, 2002)
• Monica Rial .... Haruka Shitow (1 episode, 2002)
• Houko Kuwashima .... Quon Kisaragi (1 episode, 2002)
• Kira Vincent-Davis .... Quon Kisaragi (1 episode, 2002)
• Mandy Clark .... Reika Mishima (1 episode, 2002)
• Maaya Sakamoto .... Reika Mishima (1 episode, 2002)
• Yu Asakawa .... Shinobu Miwa (1 episode, 2002)
• Christine M. Auten .... Elvy Hadhiyat (1 episode, 2002)

Trama:
Kamina Ayato lives an ordinary life. He goes to school. He lives with his mother. He has schoolmates. But all of that changes one day when massive machines, known as the Dolem, attack the city of Tokyo with their destructive vocal powers. Caught up in the chaos, Ayato meets a mysterious girl named Mishima Reika. She leads him to the sanctuary, resting place of the RahXephon, a giant humanoid being with powers to counter those of the Dolem. Upon its awakening, Ayato finds himself synchronising with the machine and it takes him to the world beyond Tokyo. It seems that Tokyo, more precisely called Tokyo Jupiter, has been cut off from the rest of the world. Those living within the boundaries of Tokyo Jupiter believe that the rest of the world has been decimated, when in fact they live in a world controlled by the Mu. Now, facing the truth, Ayato must come to terms with his new reality, for he is a central element in the fate of mankind.

Trivia random: In the opening song, tattoos are described as being "chiselled in". This refers to the traditional Japanese art of tattooing, irezumi, where the ink was in former times inserted into the skin not with a needle but with chisel-like implements.
Citazione random: Quon: Dress me, please.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Habara, Nobuyoshi

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Data di nascita: 21 June 1963

Ultimi lavori:

• "D.N. Angel" (2003) .... (unknown episodes) [regista]
• Ganso bakuretsu hunter (1996) .... [regista]
• "Kidô senkan Nadeshiko" (1996) .... (unknown episodes) [regista]
• "Mega Man" (1995) .... (director: title sequence) (unknown episodes) (title designer: main titles) (unknown episodes) [misc]

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

"Soukyû no Fafner" (2004)

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Genere: Action, Animation, Sci-Fi, Action
Valutazione: 7.9/10 (40 voti)
Paese: Japan, South Korea
Lingua: Japanese

Cast:

• Ryoko Shiraishi .... Shokora (1 episode, 2004)

Trama:
The youth of Tatsumiya Island believed that they had ordinary lives... until the advent of the Festum, extraterrestrial intelligent life forms intent on assimilating all humans. Abruptly, their once peaceful island transforms into a high-tech military fortress to counter-attack the hostile aliens. Their shock intensifies when they learn that only they can pilot the Fafner, a class of humanoid-type robots that represent the final and only weapon against the Festums and their divine powers.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

W&G

Nuova avventura per il vecchietto inventore ed il suo cane; Wallace & Gromit: La maledizione del coniglio mannaro vede i due impegnati come ultima difesa di fronte all'invasione di conigli che minaccia di insidiare la quiete della piccola città, dove si sta per tenere l'annuale concorso che premia i migliori coltivatori di frutta e verdura. Inutile dire che combineranno un bel po' di guai prima di riuscire a risolvere brillantemente la situazione.

Benché sia animato splendidamente, con una espressività dei personaggi incredibile, il film non tralascia certo la qualità della trama: favoletta prevedibile sì, ma ben narrata e piena di gag e trovate geniali. Da non disprezzare il fatto che, a fianco di situazioni apprezzabili anche dai più piccoli, non mancano un abbondante numero di riferimenti e strizzatine d'occhio più "adulte" (anche se mai volgari).

Da vedere.
Voto: 8.
Tags: Wallace & Gromit, animazione, commedia, avventura, plastilina, stop-motion, conigli, trasformazione, concorso, caccia, mostro, frutta, verdura, cane, prete, amore, pretendente.

Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Wallace & Gromit - La maledizione del coniglio mannaro

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Regista: Steve Box, Nick Park
Scrittore: Nick Park, Bob Baker
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Valutazione: 8.0/10 (19014 voti) [#198 nella top250]
Durata: 85 min
Paese: UK
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Peter Sallis .... Wallace/Hutch (voice)
• Ralph Fiennes .... Victor Quartermaine (voice)
• Helena Bonham Carter .... Lady Campanula Tottington (voice)
• Peter Kay .... PC Mackintosh (voice)
• Nicholas Smith .... Reverend Clement Hedges (voice)
• Liz Smith .... Mrs. Mulch (voice)
• John Thomson .... Mr. Windfa ll (voice)
• Mark Gatiss .... Miss Blight (voice)
• Vincent Ebrahim .... Mr. Caliche (voice)
• Geraldine McEwan .... Miss Thripp (voice)

Trama:
It's 'vege-mania' in Wallace and Gromit's neighborhood, and our two enterprising chums are cashing in with their humane pest-control outfit, "Anti-Pesto." With only days to go before the annual Giant Vegetable Competition, business is booming, but Wallace & Gromit are finding out that running a "humane" pest control outfit has its drawbacks as their West Wallaby Street home fills to the brim with captive rabbits. Suddenly, a huge, mysterious, veg-ravaging "beast" begins attacking the town's sacred vegetable plots at night, and the competition hostess, Lady To ttington, commissions Anti-Pesto to catch it and save the day. Lying in wait, however, is Lady Tottington's snobby suitor, Victor Quartermaine, who'd rather shoot the beast and secure the position of local hero-not to mention Lady Tottingon's hand in marriage. With the fate of the competition in the balance, Lady Tottington is eventually forced to allow Victor to hunt down the vegetable chomping marauder. Little does she know that Victor's real intent could have dire consequences for her ...and our two heroes.

Trivia random: The crew used 44 pounds of glue every month to assist in sticking down the sets.
Citazione random: Hutch the Rabbit: Oh, I do love a bit of gorganzola!

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

the day after

Mega-produzione televisiva del 1983, The Day After narra gli eventi che portano ad una escalation nucleare tra Stati Uniti ed Unione Sovietica; ad azione segue reazione e, dopo l'invasione della Germania Ovest e l'apertura di altri fronti, si raggiunge il punto di rottura ed i missili vengono lanciati.

Le conseguenze dell'olocausto nucleare vengono rappresentate seguendo le vicende di alcuni normali abitanti di Kansas City e della vicina Lawrence: un medico, una famiglia della provincia agricola, uno studente, un militare ed altri ancora.
Strategica la scelta di una piccola città vicina al centro geografico degli states, lontana dalle grandi metropoli delle due coste, per esprimere il concetto che nessuno, in nessuno luogo, può considerarsi al sicuro: dopo la morte di milioni, l'impulso elettromagnetico ed il fallout radioattivo, i sopravvissuti sono lasciati a loro stessi ed i timidi tentativi di riorganizzare l'ordine - così come i proclami del governo - appaiono ben poco concreti. L'informazione è quasi assente, così come i soccorsi.
Rapidamente, di fronte ad un evento che ha coinvolto tutto il mondo, l'attenzione dei sopravvissuti si sposta dal quadro generale alle proprie piccole, umane, vicende personali.

Angosciante quanto deve, a tratti un poco didascalico (ma mai pesante), il film centra in pieno l'obbiettivo di dipingere il dramma di una guerra che non si può vincere. Bravi gli attori (ehi, ci sono pure Jason Robards, John Lithgow e Steve Guttenberg!) ed appropriata la regia.
Gli effetti speciali fanno sentire un po' i propri anni, ma risultano ancora efficaci.


Voto: 8.5.
Tags: drammatico, fantascienza, terza guerra mondiale, guerra, olocausto nucleare, icbm, bombe atomiche, Kansas, Kansas City, medico, ospedale, sopravvissuti, radiazioni, contaminazione, militari, fallout, inverno nucleare, Stati Uniti, Unione Sovietica, morte, fungo atomico.

Lithgow, John

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Nome di battesimo: Lithgow, John Arthur
Data di nascita: 19 October 1945
Altezza: 6' 4" (1.93 m)
Coniuge: Mary Yeager::(1981 - present) 1 son, Nathan, 1 daughter, Phoebe, Jean Taynton::(10 September 1966 - 1980) (divorced) 1 son, Ian

Ultimi lavori:

• The Smurfs (2008) .... (rumored) [attore]
• Dreamgirls (2006) .... Jerry Harris [attore]
• "Paloozaville" (2006) .... The Mayor [attore]
• E=mc² (2005) (TV) .... Narrator (voice: English version) [attore]
• Kinsey (2004) .... Alfred Seguine Kinsey [attore]
• The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) .... Blake Edwards [attore]
• Untitled Aisha Tyler Project (2004) (TV) .... Jan van de Bunt (voice) [attore]
• Shrek 4-D (2003) .... Ghost of Farquaad (voice) [attore]
• Orange County (2002) .... Bud Brumder [attore]
• Shrek (2001) .... Lord Farquaad (voice) [attore]

Biografia:
If "born to the theater" has meaning in determining a person's life path, then John Lithgow is a prime example of this truth. Son of a retired actress and a father who was both a theatrical producer and director, he moved frequently as a child while his father founded and managed local and college theaters and Shakespeare festivals throughout the midwest of the United States. Not until he was 16, and his father became head of the McCarter Theater in Princeton New Jersey, did the family settle down. But for John, the theater was still not a career. He won a scholarship to Harvard University, where he finally caught the acting bug (as well as found a wife). Harvard was followed by a Fulbright scholarship to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Returning from London, his rigorous dramatic training stood him in good stead, and a distinguished career on Broadway gave him one Tony award for "The Changing Room", a second nomination in 1985 for "Requiem for a Heavyweight", and a third in 1988 for "M. Butterfly". But with critical acclaim came personal confusion, and in the mid '70s he and his wife divorced. He entered therapy, and in 1982 his life started in a new direction, the movies - he received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Roberta Muldoon in The World According to Garp (1982). A second Oscar nomination followed for Terms of Endearment (1983), and he met a UCLA economics professor who became his second wife. As the decade of the '90s came around he found that he was spending too much time on location, and another career move brought him to television in the hugely successful series "3rd Rock from the Sun" (1996). This production also played a role in bringing him back together with the son from his first marriage, Ian Lithgow, who has a regular role in the series as a dim-witted student.

Trivia random: Was named a Fulbright scholar.
Citazione random: [About the constant time-slot changes and ultimate cancellation of "3rd Rock from the Sun" (1996)] "If NBC had set out to ruin it, they couldn't have done a better job. They kept trying to use us as a weapon instead of a show to be taken care of. It would have been nice to have stayed a big hit, but I'd rather be a great show that nobody was watching than a lousy show that was a big hit, which is the case for most of the others".

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Guttenberg, Steve

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Nome di battesimo: Guttenberg, Steven Robert
Data di nascita: 24 August 1958
Altezza: 6' (1.83 m)
Coniuge: Denise Bixler::(30 September 1988 - 1992) (divorced)

Ultimi lavori:

• Major Movie Star (2008) .... Sidney Green [attore]
• Making Change (2007) .... Trafton [attore]
• Mojave Phone Booth (2006) .... Barry [attore]
• Domino One (2005) .... Casey [attore]
• Jackson (2005) .... Businessman [attore]
• Meet the Santas (2005) (TV) .... Nick [attore]
• The Poseidon Adventure (2005) (TV) .... Richard Clarke [attore]
• Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus (2004) (TV) .... Nick [attore]
• The Stranger (2003) .... The Stranger [attore]
• P.S. Your Cat Is Dead! (2002) .... (producer) [produttore]

Biografia:
Although Steve Guttenberg is firmly established as the star not only of hit motion pictures but of hit motion picture franchises, his roots are firmly in the theater. As a result, he has moved effortlessly between comedy and drama. His first film as director/producer/co-screenwriter/star, not surprisingly, will be the adaptation of a Broadway hit, the classic stage comedy/drama P.S. Your Cat Is Dead! (2002) by the late James Kirkwood Jr., co-author of "A Chorus Line" (and, of course, A Chorus Line (1985)). The black comedy with its frank exploration of sexual role-playing has lured and defied filmmakers for a quarter-century.In two decades of stardom in both critical and box-office hits, Guttenberg has been the above-the-title star of six films that earned over $100,000,000 in the United States, a feat accomplished by relatively few superstars. He has also starred in four film franchises, appearing in such sequeled smash hits as Cocoon (1985), 3 Men and a Baby (1987), Police Academy (1984), and Short Circuit (1986), taking his films' box-office grosses into the billions. The comic timing and charm with which he illuminated those films and the dramatic invention which he displayed in such other major successes as Diner (1982), The Bedroom Window (1987), The Boys from Brazil (1978), and a string of historic television films all derive from his firm theater training.His studies, which include years with famed teacher Herbert Berghof and with one of the most fertile schools of improvisational comedy, The Groundlings, took him to such renowned theaters as the Helen Hayes on Broadway, where he created the lead role in "Prelude To A Kiss" and "The Comedy" in London's West End, where he starred in "The Boys Next Door." He recently won kudos again in the world stage premiere production of "Furthest From the Sun," which Woody Harrelson directed and co-authored. Guttenberg has carved as vivid a body of work on TV as he has on the big screen. His television films include the critically acclaimed Miracle on Ice (1981) (TV), To Race the Wind (1980) (TV), Something for Joey (1977) (TV), and the controversial nuclear holocaust picture, The Day After (1983) (TV), which more than 20 years after its original airing remains the highest-rated made-for-television movie in history.Fiercely dedicated to improving opportunities for the homeless and for young people, Guttenberg has created Guttenhouse, an apartment complex he has funded to accommodate young people after their graduation from foster child status, with on-site social worker direction to assist their assuming adult responsibilities. The Entertainment Industry Foundation, Hollywood's charity arm, selected him to be Ambassador for Children's Issues because of his dedicated work on behalf of children and the homeless. In this capacity, he is spearheading Sight for Students, a $7-million program in which, together with VSP and Altair Eyeglasses, he will help provide glasses for 50,000 underprivileged and visually challenged children throughout their school years. Part of his unique ability to Pied Piper children to better lives comes from the fact that he is as affectionately regarded by young audiences as by adults, having starred in such kids' favorites as Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997) (TV), It Takes Two (1995), and Zeus and Roxanne (1997).His interest in the welfare of youngsters is reflected in his work as a producer and director. He executive-produced "Gangs," a "CBS Schoolbreak Special" (1984), which earned an Emmy nomination, and he debuted as a director with another critically acclaimed "CBS Schoolbreak Special" (1984), "Love Off Limits" (1993). Born in Brooklyn, New York (his production company, Mr. Kirby Productions, is named after his high school drama teacher) he grew up in Massapequa, Long Island. Guttenberg's crowded spare time includes his charitable activities for such kids-oriented agencies as Friends of the Children/Bridges, The Starlight Foundation as well as the Entertainment Industry Foundation. He is also an avid surfer and golfer and a passionate devoted dog owner.

Trivia random: The writers of "The Simpsons" (1989) pay tribute to Guttenberg in the episode "Homer the Great," (Sixth Season; episode 2F09) where he appears as a cartoon and mentioned in the song sung by the Stonecutters ("Who holds back the electric car? Who makes Steve Guttenberg a star? We do! We do!").
Citazione random: (Addressing the rumours of a Police Academy (1984)/Mahoney spin-off film) "Definitely. It's coming. People will look down at the idea, but they're in the same business of making money too. The Police Academy films gave me so much opportunity, and I've got nothing but a good attitude towards them. I sure hope they do it. If the script's right - I'm definitely in. You never know, I may direct."

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Day After, The (1983) (TV)

Giorno dopo, Il

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Regista: Nicholas Meyer
Scrittore: Edward Hume
Genere: Drama, Sci-Fi
Valutazione: 6.8/10 (3186 voti)
Durata: 126 min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Jason Robards .... Dr. Russell Oakes
• JoBeth Williams .... Nurse Nancy Bauer
• Steve Guttenberg .... Stephen Klein (as Steven Guttenberg)
• John Cullum .... Jim Dahlberg
• John Lithgow .... Joe Huxley
• Bibi Besch .... Eve Dahlberg
• Lori Lethin .... Denise Dahlberg
• Amy Madigan .... Alison Ransom
• Jeff East .... Bruce Gallatin
• Georgann Johnson .... Helen Oakes

Trama:
The frightening story of the weeks leading up to and following a nuclear strike on the United States. The bulk of the activity centers around the town of Lawrence, Kansas.

Trivia random: After watching this, president Ronald Reagan sent a pile of suggestions to director Nicholas Meyer how it should be edited.
Citazione random: Stephen Klein: Well... I don't know what happened at Lawrence. I was pretty close to Harrisonville when it all started. There must have been five or six of them to the north, and... a whole string of them to the south.::Jim Dahlberg: They must have hit every missile silo from Sedalia to Eldorado Springs.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Robards, Jason

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Nome di battesimo: Jr., Jason Nelson Robards
Data di nascita: 26 July 1922
Data di morte: 26 December 2000
Altezza: 5' 10" (1.78 m)
Coniuge: Lois O'Connor::(14 February 1970 - 26 December 2000) (his death) 2 children, Lauren Bacall::(4 July 1961 - 10 September 1969) (divorced) 1 child, Rachel Taylor::(1959 - 4 May 1961) (divorced), Eleanor Pittman::(7 May 1948 - 1958) (divorced) 3 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Going Home (2000) (TV) .... Charles Barton [attore]
• Magnolia (1999) .... Earl Partridge [attore]
• Beloved (1998/I) .... Mr. Bodwin [attore]
• Enemy of the State (1998) .... Congressman Phillip Hammersley (uncredited) [attore]
• Heartwood (1998) .... Logan Reeser [attore]
• The Real Macaw (1998) .... Grandpa Ben Girdis [attore]
• A Thousand Acres (1997) .... Larry Cook [attore]
• Crimson Tide (1995) .... Rear Admiral Anderson, Board of Inquiry President (uncredited) [attore]
• Journey (1995) (TV) .... Marcus [attore]
• My Antonia (1995) (TV) .... Josea Burden [attore]

Biografia:
Son of stage and film star Jason Robards Sr.. After receiving the Navy Cross (the second highest decoration in the U.S. Navy) for his service in World War II, he struggled as a small-part actor in local New York theatre, TV and radio before shooting to fame on the New York stage in Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh" as Hickey. He followed that with another masterful O'Neill portrayal, as the alcoholic Jamie Tyrone in "Long Day's Journey Into Night" on Broadway. He entered films in The Journey (1959) and rose rapidly to even greater fame as a film star. Won consecutive Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for All the President's Men (1976) and Julia (1977), in each case playing real-life perople. Has continued to work on the stage, winning continued acclaim in such O'Neill works as "Moon For the Misbegotten" and "Hughie." Died of lung cancer in 2000.

Trivia random: Two daughters and four sons: Sarah Louise, Shannon Robards, Jason Robards III, Sam Robards, David and Jake Robards.
Citazione random: "I've always played disintegrated characters."

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Meyer, Nicholas

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Data di nascita: 24 December 1945

Ultimi lavori:

• The Politician's Wife (2008) .... [scrittore]
• The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (2008) .... (screenplay) [scrittore]
• Elegy (2007) .... [scrittore]
• Orpheus (2006) (TV) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Awaken the Giant (2004) .... Big Time Producer [attore]
• The Human Stain (2003) .... (screenplay) [scrittore]
• Collateral Damage (2002) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Fall from the Sky (2002) (TV) .... [scrittore]
• Vendetta (1999) (TV) .... [regista]
• The Prince of Egypt (1998) .... (additional screenplay material) [scrittore]

Biografia:
Nicholas Meyer is probably best known for his involvement in the Star Trek films. According to his website, it was seeing his first movie The Beggar's Opera (1953) that inspired him to become a filmmaker. He was fascinated by such literary classics as Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and made an ambitious 8mm film adaptation of "Around the World in 80 Days". His start in the business included work as unit publicist for the Paramount hit Love Story (1970). From that experience he wrote "The Story of Love Story" using the income from that book to move to the West Coast. He parlayed his love for Sherlock Holmes mysteries into the novel, "The Severn-Per-Cent Solution" and adapted it for the screen: The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976). He received an Oscar nomination for this screenplay. His collaborations with producer Harve Bennett and later Leonard Nimoy resulted in the most popular and profitable entries in the Star Trek features canon. In addition to directing Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982) he also wrote the shooting script for that film (uncredited). This was done in the span of two weeks using material from several other writers occasionally attached to the ever-evolving project. His script contributions to Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) involved the centre section of the film taking place in 1986 San Francisco. His brutally graphic nuclear war drama The Day After (1983) (TV) attained the highest ratings for a television movie. He has a keen sense of film history. This is evident in his films such as The Day After (1983) (TV) where at the end when the song "Waltzing Matilda" is played as it was in the classic post-nuclear drama On the Beach (1959). Though primarily a story-oriented director, his style incorporates busy visuals and flowing camera movement. Meyer also places a great deal of importance on the incidental music in his films, working closely with a composer to create themes to reinforce his vision of the story. He likes to maintain a sense of mystery in a story so that audiences will leave the film contemplating situations that are not fully explained. When approached by a film-goer and asked to explain such situations, Mr. Meyer's characteristic response is "what do YOU think it means?" He can be heard on several DVD bonus tracks, including Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and the special edition The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) which was directed by fellow Trek alum Robert Wise. His commentaries are notably insightful and fascinating.

Trivia random: Graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in theater and filmmaking.
Citazione random: [on _Time After Time (1979)]: One of my original conceptual things about the Ripper was that of an exceedingly handsome, elegant man. Wells, next to him, was a runt who wore glasses, and so forth. The Ripper had an image of tremendous power and potency, not just as a menace, but as an attractive, seductive human being. What was it that women went for him?

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ha due difetti fondamentali: non è girato interamente a scorrimento laterale, ed abusa di close-up di quel ceppo tarlato che è Jake Gyllenhaal.

Un ragazzo di strada viene raccattato dal re saggio ed illuminato di turno per affiancare il fratello ed i propri figli alla guida del regno (guarda un po': la Persia).
Cresciuto, parteciperà alla conquista di una città santa di qualche sorta (mi chiedo: ma in quella dannata sassaia del medioriente è mai esistita una città che non fosse sacra per una qualche sotto-marca religiosa?), salvo scoprire che l'assedio è stato orchestrato con una scusa (servono scuse? Da quando?) dallo zio che mirava ad impossessarsi di un pugnale magico/mistico/sacro di plasticaccia in grado di riavvolgere il tempo.
A tal proposito: grazie per lo spiegone verbale di 5-minuti-5, ma il cinema non è un radio-dramma e certe cose di solito il pubblico riesce a capirle anche guardando le immagini.
Tornati a casa, il re muore di una morte alquanto scomposta ed il nostro principe si becca la colpa ed è costretto alla fuga.
In mezzo a tutto questo marasma, una gara di struzzi (che, in quanto a capacità recitative, vincono a zampe basse su tutto il resto del cast), dei ladroni sagaci ed onesti ed una regina o quel-che-era il cui concetto di organizzare la resistenza consiste nel porsi a pecora, salvo poi fare la preziosa. Culture differenti...

Regia ubriaca per questa trasposizione della serie di videogiochi di Jordan Mechner, viene adottato un nuovo interessante approccio alla confusione cinematografica: qui non è più la telecamera che si muove vorticosamente attorno ad una mal coreografata scena d'azione, ma sono direttamente gli attori a zompettare senza costrutto da tutte le parti. Risultato spregevole e non meno confuso - grazie per l'innovazione!
A parte i già citati primissimi piani, Gyllenhaal ci concede anche qualche fugace apparizione a sudatissimo petto nudo scarsamente funzionale alla trama (non si sa perché, invece, Gemma Arterton passa il film avvolta in un sudario). Gandhi - da tempo abbonato al ruolo del cattivo da filmaccio - ha almeno il buon gusto di risparmiarci le sue villosità, cosa che avrebbe messo a serio rischio l'eterosessualità del pubblico - specie di quello femminile...
A parte ciò, si segnala una lunghezza estenuante, dei personaggi ridicoli, e dei dialoghi da bimbi scemi.

Da evitare senza se e senza ma, a meno che non siate in vena di masochismo.

Voto: 2. poca roba anche come trash (però fa parecchio male)
Tags: azione, avventura, fantasy, Prince of Persia, videogame, tratto da un videogioco, principe, re, fratello, ragazzo, zio, Jordan Mechner, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Persia, ladroni, invasione, città, conquista, veleno, morte, fuga, inseguimento, vendetta, tempo, magia, coltello, regina, duello, struzzi, gara recitativa, trash, pugnale, pugnette.

Newell, Mike (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Newell, Michael Cormac
Data di nascita: 28 March 1942
Coniuge: Bernice Stegers::(? - present) 3 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) .... [regista]
• "Untitled Tony Hawk Project" (2009) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• One of Those Days (2008) .... Person in Queue [attore]
• Love in the Time of Cholera (2007) .... [regista]
• The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid (2007) (V) .... (segment "Florence") [regista]
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) .... [regista]
• I Capture the Castle (2003) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Mona Lisa Smile (2003) .... [regista]
• "The Branch" (2003) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Jo (2002) (TV) .... (producer) [produttore]

Biografia:
Attended Cambridge University. Three year training course at Granada Television, with intention of going into theatre. Graduated to directing TV plays, building strong reputation for work with David Hare, David Edgar, Hohn, John Osborne, Jack Rosenthal.

Trivia random: Went to the same school (St. Albans School) as physicist Stephen Hawking and lyricist Sir Tim Rice.
Citazione random: [on making the fourth Harry Potter movie] "I was very anxious to break the franchise out of this goody-two-shoes feel. It's my view that children are violent, dirty, corrupt anarchists. Just adults-in-waiting basically."
Salario massimo: $1,000,000, per Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Arterton, Gemma

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Nome di battesimo: Arterton, Gemma Christina
Data di nascita: 12 January 1986
Altezza: 5' 7" (1.70 m)

Ultimi lavori:

• Clash of the Titans (2010) .... Io [attrice]
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) .... Tamina [attrice]
• Tamara Drewe (2010) .... Tamara Drewe [attrice]
• Perfect (2009/II) .... Poppy [attrice]
• St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (2009) .... Kelly Jones [attrice]
• The Boat That Rocked (2009) .... Desiree [attrice]
• The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009) .... Alice Creed [attrice]
• Quantum of Solace (2008) .... Strawberry Fields [attrice]
• RocknRolla (2008) .... June [attrice]
• Three and Out (2008) .... Frankie [attrice]

Trivia random: She was born with a crumpled ear, which was surgically corrected when she was a child.
Citazione random: When you put yourself in these huge popcorn movies you get out there, in the public arena, more than anyone else. But that also means that you're out there to be criticised more than anyone else. With Keira Knightley, she's brave to do her play. Because, for some reason, if you're successful in Britain, people tend not to like you. But if you're a successful woman, and beautiful, in Britain, you're even more disliked.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

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Regista: Mike Newell
Scrittore: Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro
Genere: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure
Valutazione: 6.8/10 (5960 voti)
Durata: 116 min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Jake Gyllenhaal .... Dastan
• Gemma Arterton .... Tamina
• Ben Kingsley .... Nizam
• Alfred Molina .... Sheik Amar
• Steve Toussaint .... Seso
• Toby Kebbell .... Garsiv
• Richard Coyle .... Tus
• Ronald Pickup .... King Sharaman
• Reece Ritchie .... Bis
• Gísli Örn Garðarsson .... Hassansin Leader

Trama:
Set in the mystical lands of Persia, a rogue prince and a mysterious princess race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time -- a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.

Trivia random: In February 2008, Iranian star Golshifteh Farahani was invited to do a screen test in London along with Gemma Arterton for the role of Tamina but she was arrested at the airport by the Iranian authorities & banned from leaving the country for six months because she had played in Ridley Scott's Body of Lies (2008) Link this trivia
Citazione random: [from trailer]
Tamina: The gods have a plan for you. A destiny.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Kingsley, Ben

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Nome di battesimo: Bhanji, Krishna
Data di nascita: 31 December 1943
Altezza: 5' 8" (1.73 m)
Coniuge: Daniela Lavender::(3 September 2007 - present), Alexandra Christmann::(3 October 2003 - 8 February 2005) (divorced), Alison Sutcliffe::(1 July 1978 - 1 February 1992) (divorced) 2 children, Angela Morant::(1966 - 1972) (divorced) 2 children

Ultimi lavori:

• A Birder's Guide to Everything (2011) .... [attore]
• Crossmaglen (2011) .... IRA Commander (rumored) [attore]
• Number 13 (2011) .... [attore]
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2011) .... Papa Georges/Georges Méliès [attore]
• 1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets (2010) .... Al-Jazari [attore]
• Noah's Ark: The New Beginning (2010) .... Narrator [attore]
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) .... Nizam [attore]
• Shutter Island (2010) .... Dr. Cawley [attore]
• Teen Patti (2010) .... Perci Trachtenberg [attore]
• Elegy (2008/I) .... David Kepesh [attore]

Trivia random: Was originally cast as Ephraim in Munich (2005), but later had to withdraw from the project due to scheduling conflicts.
Citazione random: on Winning the Oscar for Best Actor in Gandhi (1982): "If I knew I was going to win, I would not have gone dressed as a waiter."

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Mechner, Jordan

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Ultimi lavori:

• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Chavez Ravine: A Los Angeles Story (2003) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003) (VG) .... (writer) [scrittore]
• The Big Brass Ring (1999) .... Aide [attore]
• The Last Express (1997) (VG) .... (writer) [scrittore]
• The Low Life (1995) .... Man in Bar [attore]
• Waiting for Dark (1993) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame (1992) (VG) .... (concept by) [scrittore]
• Prince of Persia (1989) (VG) .... (writer) [scrittore]
• Karateka (1984) (VG) .... (writer) [scrittore]

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Gyllenhaal, Jake

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Nome di battesimo: Gyllenhaal, Jacob Benjamin
Data di nascita: 19 December 1980
Altezza: 6' (1.83 m)

Ultimi lavori:

• Source Code (2011) .... Colter [attore]
• Love and Other Drugs (2010) .... Jamie Reidy [attore]
• Nailed (2010) .... Howard Birdwell [attore]
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) .... Dastan [attore]
• Brothers (2009/I) .... Tommy Cahill [attore]
• Rendition (2007) .... Douglas Freeman [attore]
• Zodiac (2007/I) .... Robert Graysmith [attore]
• Brokeback Mountain (2005) .... Jack Twist [attore]
• Jarhead (2005) .... Anthony Swofford [attore]
• Proof (2005) .... Hal [attore]

Biografia:
Jacob "Jake" Gyllenhaal (last name pronounced jill-en-hall) was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 19, 1980 to director Stephen Gyllenhaal and producer/screenwriter Naomi Foner and is the brother of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, who played his sister in Donnie Darko (2001). His father is of partial Swedish heritage and his mother is of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. Jake made his film debut at age eleven in City Slickers (1991) playing Billy Crystal's son and began to establish himself as an up-and-coming actor in films like as October Sky (1999) before being cast in the title role in Donnie Darko (2001), for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for best actor. Gyllenhaal's performance as a troubled psychotic won him excellent reviews, and the film quickly received cult status. He played opposite Jennifer Aniston in another Sundance favorite in The Good Girl (2002) and once again earned good reviews. Gyllenhaal also starred in the Walt Disney romantic comedy, Bubble Boy (2001) and in the science fiction blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow (2004) which also starred Dennis Quaid. Making his theater debut, Gyllenhaal appeared on the London stage with a starring role in Kenneth Lonergan's revival of "This Is Our Youth". The play, which had been a critical sensation on Broadway, ran for eight weeks in London's West End. Gyllenhaal's performance in Jarhead (2005) with Jamie Foxx came as a surprise to critics and fans, alike. Gyllenhaal played a markedly hostile, masculinely violent Marine during Gulf War I, while balancing this with the sensitive, vulnerable qualities of the lead character. Brokeback Mountain (2005), in which he co-starred with Australian actor Heath Ledger as sheep herders who fall in love in the 1960s and depicts their relationship over the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. The film went on to win four Golden Globes, four BAFTA Awards and was nominated for a leading eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Gyllenhaal was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Brokeback Mountain (2005). Jake is also the godfather of Matilda Rose Ledger, daughter of actor Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams. Gyllenhaal's most notable relationship has been with actress Kirsten Dunst. He is friends with Maroon 5 front-man Adam Levine, having known him since kindergarten. He is close with his sister's boyfriend and Jarhead (2005) co-star, actor Peter Sarsgaard. Jake has two dogs: a German Shepherd named "Atticus" and a Puggle named "Boo Radley" after the characters of his favorite book, "To Kill A Mockingbird". Gyllenhaal's career is booming and he is considered one of the most promising actors of his generation.

Trivia random: Graduated Harvard-Westlake (private) high school. [1998]
Citazione random: On the one role that got away: "I'd have to say Ewan McGregor's part in Moulin Rouge! (2001). It was soooo close. I sang and everything. I went through months of auditions. It was between me, Heath Ledger and Ewan. I think it came down to age and where people were in their careers. I was the youngest and the least known. I would hope it didn't have anything to do with talent. Maybe it did".
Salario massimo: $3,000,000, per Jarhead (2005)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Honda su Honda

Restare delusi da un film di Ishirô Honda è quasi impossibile; se poi i film sono due, la soddisfazione è garantita!
Tale è il godimento, che non mi sento neppure degno di dare voti a simili opere!

[Gli Eredi di King Kong]
Prima si comincia malissimo con la traduzione italiana del titolo che butta lì un King Kong di cui non sentiremo neanche la puzza, poi si peggiora con una sana visita all'Isola dei Mostri^®.
Nella suddetta isola, fumogeni dai più svariati colori tengono a bada i mostri che tanto male e tanto bene hanno fatto (a giorni alterni) all'umanità.
Questa politica del mettere tutte le uova in un solo paniere mostra i suoi limiti quando degli alieni incazzosi invadono l'isola ed assumono il controllo mentale dei mostri, liberandoli e mandandoli a distruggere le principali città del pianeta!
Mosca, Pechino, Londra, Parigi e New York non hanno scampo! Tokyo - si suppone lasciata per ultima in quanto popolata da gente ridicola - ha modo di organizzare l'usuale futile linea di difesa a base di modellini che nulla possono di fronte all'attacco combinato di tre mostri.
Fortunatamente, l'equipaggio di una nave spaziale delle Nazioni Unite (soldi da scialare, l'UN del futuro...) che fa la spola tra la Terra ed un insediamento lunare interviene liberando i mostri dal vile giogo mentale degli extracomunitari dello spazio!
Questi ultimi giocano la loro ultima carta: King Ghidorah, che gli alieni - come i peggiori piazzisti - pubblicizzano come "un mostro dello spazio! I mostri della Terra non possono vincere contro i mostri dello spazio!"
Viene quasi voglia di comprarsene uno, in effetti.
Grazie al cielo non hanno fatto i conti con la forza di volontà di zia Gojira (peraltro aiutata dal controllo mentale ora in mano agli pseudo-umani), che insieme ai suoi amichetti non-belli faranno un paiolo così ai cattivoni, prima di tornarsene placidamente alla loro isola.

Film di terrificante bellezza, con uno stuolo di mostri; oltre a quelli di forma umana si segnalano: Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah, Anguirus, Minya, Spiega (o Kumonga), Baragon, Gorosaurus, Manda, e Varan. Ad onor del vero alcuni fanno poco e niente, ma suppongo che l'importante sia partecipare.

Trashometro^® 10/10: Da vedere ad ogni costo.
*tags::azione, horror, fantascienza, thriller, guerra, spazio, astronave, alieno, regina, morte, attacco, Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Rodan, Mothra, Gojira, Honda, Tokyo, distruzione, modellini, mostri, invasione, Luna, astronauta, controllo mentale, gente buffa, isola dei mostri, trash*

[Latitudine Zero]
Libera e sgangheratissima riedizione di 20.000 leghe sotto i mari, Latitudine Zero segue le vicende di tre pirla che stanno per fare la fine del tonno, chiusi in una scatoletta di batisfera che ha perso il collegamento con la nave-madre.
Vengono prontamente raccolti dal capitano Mackenzie, da circa 200 anni alla guida sportiva del suo pregiatissimo sottomarino; giunti alla base situata guarda caso a Latitudine Zero (all'equatore, sulla linea del cambiamento di data - chissà che casino per regolare calendari ed orologi ) scopriranno una città sommersa piena di meraviglie tecnologiche per le quali l'umanità non è ancora pronta perché no.
Questi paladini della pace e della conoscenza hanno però un acerrimo nemico nel dottor Malic (se dopo secoli non hai ancora avuto successo, forse è il caso di rivedere i tuoi obiettivi, caro...) deciso ad impadronirsi e/o a distruggere Latitudine Zero.
Oltre alle prevedibili battaglie sottomarine, il dottore ci delizia con le sue chimere genetiche, che gli consentono di disporre di un piccolo e per nulla agguerrito manipolo di grifoni e uomini-pipistrello (o qualunque cosa quel pessimo costume da carnevale volesse rappresentare).

Interamente girato in inglese con alcuni degli attori più ridicoli di tutti i tempi, Latitudine Zero è una vera pietra miliare del trash.
Dialoghi devastanti e personaggi surreali (Kobo che guida il sottomarino con levette e grugniti è stupendo), vi perseguiterà a vita nei vostri incubi per il finale spiazzante: tornato in superficie, uno dei tre protagonisti subirà uno shock terribile che lo farà dubitare di tutto ciò che ha visto (o forse no)!
Che altro dire? "Cancellare un sottomarino! Cancellare un'isola!" (ehu? what the hell??)

PS: inquietante la somiglianza tra i sottomarini dei cattivi ed i Garfish de Il Mistero della Pietra Azzurra. Caso o citazione?

Trashometro^® 10/10: Idem!
Tags: fantascienza, azione, avventura, fantasy, sottomarino, batisfera, fessi, città subacquea, nemici, distruzione, battaglia, nave, rapimento, sequestro, genetica, chimere, scienziato, utopia, diamanti, oro, ricchezza, reporter, dottore, capitano, scienziato pazzo, surreale, uomo-pipistrello, Honda, lava, 20000 leghe sotto i mari, isola, colpo di scena, trash.

Ido zero daisakusen (1969)

Latitudine zero

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Regista: Ishirô Honda
Scrittore: Warren Lewis, Shinichi Sekizawa
Genere: Family, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Family
Valutazione: 5.9/10 (169 voti)
Durata: Japan:89 min
Paese: USA, Japan
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Joseph Cotten .... Capt. Craig McKenzie / Cmdr. Glenn McKenzie
• Cesar Romero .... Dr. Malic / Lt. Hastings
• Akira Takarada .... Dr. Ken Tashiro
• Masumi Okada .... Dr. Jules Masson
• Richard Jaeckel .... Perry Lawton
• Patricia Medina .... Lucretia
• Tetsu Nakamura .... Dr. Okada
• Mari Nakayama .... Tsuruko Okada
• Akihiko Hirata .... Dr. Sugata
• Wataru Omae .... Advisor

Trivia random: After years of being dubbed, Akira Takarada and Akihiko Hirata are heard using their own voices to speak English in this film.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Honda, Ishirô

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Nome di battesimo: Honda, Ishiro
Data di nascita: 7 May 1911
Data di morte: 28 February 1993
Altezza: 5' 11" (1.80 m)
Coniuge: Kimi Honda::(1937 - 28 February 1993) (his death) 2 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Madadayo (1993) .... (uncredited) [scrittore]
• Mizu no tabibito: Samurai kizzu (1993) .... Grandfather [attore]
• Hachi-gatsu no kyôshikyoku (1991) .... (uncredited) [scrittore]
• Dreams (1990) .... (segments "Tunnel, The" and "Mount Fuji in Red", prologue and epilogue of "Weeping Demon, The") (uncredited) [regista]
• Ijintachi tono natsu (1988) .... [attore]
• Yarutokya yaruze (1987) .... Priest [attore]
• Ran (1985) .... (director's counselling) [misc]
• Kagemusha (1980) .... (creative consultant) (uncredited) (directorial advisor) (production coordinator) [misc]
• Mekagojira no gyakushu (1975) .... [regista]
• "Kinkyû shirei 10-4 10-10" (1973) .... [regista]

Biografia:
Influential Japanese film director born May 7th, 1911, often credited as being the father of Godzilla. His name is a combination of "I" (or Ino), meaning "boar" and "shirô," meaning fourth boy in the family. Originally, the young Honda had aspirations of becoming an artist. However, as he moved into his teens, it was cinema that became his number-one interest. He attended Nippon University studying art, but was drafted by the Japanese military and spent nearly eight years in uniform. After a period of imprisonment in China as a POW, he returned to Japan to join Tôhô Studios, where, soon afterward, he became acquainted with SFX wizard Eiji Tsuburaya. The two worked on a handful of films before collaborating on the groundbreaking monster epic Gojira (1954) (aka "Godzilla"). Honda was also at the director's helm for Sora no daikaijû Radon (1956) (aka "Rodan"), Uchu daisenso (1959) (aka "Battle in Outer Space"), Mosura (1961) (aka "Mothra"), Matango (1963), and Kaijû sôshingeki (1968) (aka "Destroy All Monsters"). Although the Japanese monster films had been derided by some critics, Honda was especially proud of his contribution to this rather unique aspect of the fantasy and science-fiction genres. Honda was a lifelong friend of fellow Japanese director Akira Kurosawa and Honda worked on several of Kurosawa's landmark films including Nora inu (1949) (aka "Stray Dog"), Kagemusha (1980) (aka "Kagemusha the Shadow Warrior"), and Ran (1985). Honda passed away aged 81 on February 28th, 1993, with Akira Kurosawa delivering the eulogy at his funeral.

Trivia random: He was best friends with director Akira Kurosawa. In later years, when his health was failing, Kurosawa would call upon him to help him with his productions.
Citazione random: "Monsters are born too tall, too strong, too heavy, that is their tragedy."

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Kaijû sôshingeki (1968)

Gli eredi di King Kong

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Regista: Ishirô Honda
Scrittore: Ishirô Honda, Takeshi Kimura
Genere: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller, War, Action
Valutazione: 6.2/10 (1000 voti)
Durata: Germany:89 min
Paese: Japan
Lingua: Japanese

Cast:

• Akira Kubo .... SY-3 Captain Katsuo Yamabe
• Jun Tazaki .... Dr. Yoshido
• Yukiko Kobayashi .... Kyoko Yamabe
• Yoshio Tsuchiya .... Dr. Otani
• Kyôko Ai .... Kilaak Queen
• Andrew Hughes .... Dr. Stevenson
• Chotaro Togin .... Ogata
• Yoshifumi Tajima .... Major Tada
• Kenji Sahara .... Commander Nishikawa
• Hisaya Ito .... Enraged Soldier

Trama:
Aliens have released all the giant monsters from their imprisonment on Monster Island and are using them to destroy all major cities on the planet. It is up to the daring crew of the super rocket ship X-2 to infiltrate the aliens' headquarters before the Earth monsters and King Ghidrah annihilate the planet.

Trivia random: Originally there were plans to have two other monsters in the movie as well as the eleven that were used. Those monsters were to have been Ebirah from Gojira, Ebirâ, Mosura: Nankai no daiketto (1966) and the giant walrus Maguma from Yôsei Gorasu (1962)
Citazione random: Kilaak Queen: Ghidorah is a space monster. The monsters from Earth cannot win. I will get in touch with you, when you feel like giving up.<br />Major Tada: Why that...

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

la battaglia dei tre regni

Premesso che non ho mai amato l'epica cinese (e, del resto, neppure il cappa e spada), partivo con buone aspettative per La Battaglia dei Tre Regni (anche Chi Bi oppure Red Cliff).
John Woo alla regia, ottanta milioni di dollari spesi in Cina, l'esercito messo a disposizione (tra un pestaggio tibetano e l'altro - devono pur riposarsi anche loro) per le scene di massa; tutto lasciava sperare in un film più che degno.

Sunto telegrafico: polpettone cinese. Due palle.

Nell'anno 208, la dinastia Han è retta da un imperatore giovane e debole; il primo ministro lo convince a muovere guerra contro i regni del Sud (o giù di li).
Sull'altro fronte alcuni signori - complice anche una plateale pulsione omoerotica - si alleano per resistergli.
Il film mette in scena una epica battaglia (più qualche scaramuccia d'antipasto) che segnò quell'importante momento storico: gli eserciti si raccolgono alle Scogliere Rosse-che-tanto-rosse-non-sono e si preparano a darsi sonore mazzate.

Le battaglie di massa sono interminabili e dirette senza infamia e senza lode (si ha il sospetto che il genere abbia detto tutto da un bel po' di tempo), con spadate, frecciate, balestrate e tutto il repertorio del caso. Nell'usuale eccesso di realismo, molti dei protagonisti sono sempre in prima fila nella mischia.
Negli intermezzi, momenti di alta sagacità, con fini strateghi intenti a far cadere dall'alto banalità sconcertanti stile: "davvero usare armi incendiarie quando siamo sottovento non è una bella idea?! Ecco perché abbiamo perso le ultime 357 battaglie! Tu sì che sei astuto..."
C'è anche un po' di passerina asian d'ordinanza, sia in ruoli d'azione (che fa tanto liberal) sia in quello della bella statuina da salvare.
Dopo quasi due ore e mezza di film coi suoi bei momenti romanzati sul piano tattico, ma in cui non si eccede in quanto a gesti atletici, si assiste ad una affascinante svolta finale, con alcuni dei protagonisti che per brevi istanti acquisiscono superpoteri e sopravvivono a quindici lance nel costato o afferrano al volo donnine cadenti con ginniche scivolate.
Prossimamente su questi schermi: Garibaldi ferma una pallottola destinata ad Anita con i denti - così, tanto per rendere più epico il tutto.

Va detto che questa è la versione per noi ignoranti e stupidi occidentali, che condensa quelli che in realtà sarebbero due film.
Devo dire che l'operazione è riuscita egregiamente: ci sono un cattivo ma cattivo-cattivo-cattivo che avrà il fatto suo e ci sono due buoni amiconi concentrato di tutte le virtù di questa terra più un terzo che fa una mossa a sorpresa prevedibile con ore d'anticipo. Nessuno si discosterà di un millimetro dal proprio stereotipo; d'altra parte immagino sarebbe stata lesa maestà in Cina, dove il tutto è romanzato e mitizzato fuor di misura.
Davvero bravi, bel lavoro: una trama così in effetti la riesco a seguire pure io, grazie...

Poi per carità: le sue due ore e mezza trascorrono senza particolare sofferenza ed è sempre un piacere rivedere Tony Leung e Takeshi Kaneshiro, e suppongo quindi che possa soddisfare gli amanti del genere.
Di mio, non riesco a togliermi di dosso la puzza di polpettone auto-celebrativo di Stato, e preferivo di gran lunga John Woo quando dirigeva iper-cazzuti film d'azione in una Hong-Kong che forse non c'è più.

Voto: 4.5.
Tags: storico, azione, avventura, leggenda, drammatico, guerra, Cina, Tre Regni, battaglia, guerra, imperatore, primo ministro, alleanza, amicizia, donna, conquista, lealtà, protezione, scogliera, morte, spada, lancia, balestra, fuoco, armata, navi, invasione, attacco, imboscata, antica Cina, Chi bi, Red Cliff, John Woo, Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, the, tattica, tranello, flotta, polpettone cinese di Stato.

Woo, John (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Wu, Yusen
Data di nascita: 23 September 1946
Altezza: 5' 4½" (1.64 m)
Coniuge: Annie Woo Ngau Chun-lung::(1976 - present) 3 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Second Sight (2011/I) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• The Red Circle (2011) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Jianyu Jianghu (2010) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Chi bi xia: Jue zhan tian xia (2009) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Jian guo da ye (2009) .... Liu Wenhui (scenes deleted) [attore]
• Chi bi (2008) .... (chief producer) (producer) [produttore]
• Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki (2008) (V) .... [attore]
• Ekusu makina (2007) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Stranglehold (2007) (VG) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Tian tang kou (2007) .... (producer) [produttore]

Biografia:
Born in southern China, John Woo grew up in Hong Kong, where he began his film career as an assistant director in 1969, working for Shaw Brothers Studios. He directed his first feature in 1973 and has been a prolific director ever since, working in a wide variety of genres before Ying hung boon sik (1986) (aka "A Better Tomorrow") established his reputation as a master stylist specializing in ultra-violent gangster films and thrillers, with hugely elaborate action scenes shot with breathtaking panache. After gaining a cult reputation in the US with _Dip hyut shueng hung (1989)_ (aka "The Killer"), Woo was offered a Hollywood contract. He plans to stay working in the US.

Trivia random: He uses doves as a symbolic device. They represent the character's soul as being saved.
Citazione random: I'm not a master; I'm just a hard-working filmmaker. I would like everyone to see me as a friend rather than a master.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Chi bi (2008)

La battaglia dei tre regni

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Regista: John Woo
Scrittore: John Woo, Khan Chan
Genere: Action, Drama, War, Adventure, History
Valutazione: 7.3/10 (6031 voti)
Durata: Singapore:150::(PG version) min
Paese: China
Lingua: Mandarin

Cast:

• Tony Leung Chiu Wai .... Zhou Yu
• Takeshi Kaneshiro .... Zhuge Liang
• Fengyi Zhang .... Cao Cao
• Chen Chang .... Sun Quan
• Wei Zhao .... Sun Shangxiang
• Jun Hu .... Zhao Yun
• Chiling Lin .... Xiao Qiao
• Shido Nakamura .... Gan Xing
• Yong You .... Liu Bei
• Ba Sen Zha Bu .... Guan Yu

Trama:
In the early third century, the land of Wu is invaded by the warlord Cao Cao and his million soldiers. The ruler of Wu, Sun Quan, calls on the rival warlord Liu Bei for help, but their two armies are still badly outnumbered. However, the Wu strategist Zhou Yu sees that Cao Cao's army is unused to battling on the sea, which may just give them a chance if they can exploit this weakness properly.

Trivia random: During post-production, a 23-year-old stuntman was killed when fire broke out after a small boat rammed into a larger warship, while filming miniatures.
Citazione random: Liu Bei: Truth and illusion are often disguised as each other, Cao Cao likes to play this game, both with friends and foes.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Kaneshiro, Takeshi

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Data di nascita: 11 October 1973
Altezza: 5' 10" (1.78 m)

Ultimi lavori:

• Chi bi xia: Jue zhan tian xia (2009) .... Zhuge Liang [attore]
• Waiting (2009/I) .... Kong Lin [attore]
• Chi bi (2008) .... Zhuge Liang [attore]
• K-20: Kaijin niju menso den (2008) .... Heikichi Endo [attore]
• Suwîto rein: Shinigami no seido (2008) .... Chiba [attore]
• Tau ming chong (2007) .... Zhang Wen-Xiang (as Wu Jincheng) [attore]
• Seung sing (2006) .... Detective Yau Kin Bong [attore]
• Ru guo · Ai (2005) .... Lin Jian-dong/Zhang Yang [attore]
• Onimusha 3 (2004) (VG) .... Hidemitsu Samanosuke Akechi (voice: Japanese version) [attore]
• Shi mian mai fu (2004) .... Jin [attore]

Biografia:
The 1/2 Chinese (of Taiwanese nationality) and 1/2 Japanese Takeshi Kaneshiro may have started out as a puerile teen idol in the Chinese entertainment scene, but he's since become a proper film star in his own right. Whether by his own design or not, the boyishness that marked his first steps into showbiz has evolved into a cool, somewhat reticent demeanor that has now become his trademark. Despite being effortlessly good-looking, he chooses to strike a sometimes-uneasy balance between the commercially pleasing and the quirky in his choice of film roles - a move that's unusual for Asian leading men. But whether he's the faithful lover in the Japanese AIDS drama "Kamisama mousukoshi dake" (1998), the canned pineapple-eating cop in _Chung hing sam lam (1994)_ or awkward in his role in _Misty (1998)_, a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Rashômon (1950), Asian audiences love his style. Other memorable roles include his turn as a lovelorn student in Sam dung (1999), an angel in Fan yi cho (2000) and the leader of a trio of robbers in Supêsutoraberâzu (2000). Of course, there hasn't been an Asian actor quite as versatile as Kaneshiro, who is able to straddle the Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japanese film industries because of his proficiency in various languages. Still, one wonders if the reason why he's so sought after is because he is so elusive. No one really knows what he does outside of film commitments, and his reluctance towards being in the spotlight is legendary.

Trivia random: Resides in Tokyo
Citazione random: "Just forget me... No reason. When it ends, it ends." - When asked how he would like to be remembered at the end of his career.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Leung Chiu Wai, Tony

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Data di nascita: 27 June 1962
Altezza: 5' 7½" (1.71 m)
Coniuge: Carina Lau::(21 July 2008 - present)

Ultimi lavori:

• The Grand Master (2010) .... Ip Man [attore]
• Chi bi xia: Jue zhan tian xia (2009) .... Zhou Yu [attore]
• Chi bi (2008) .... Zhou Yu [attore]
• Se, jie (2007) .... Mr. Yee [attore]
• Seung sing (2006) .... Detective Lau Ching Hei [attore]
• Han cheng gong lüe (2005) .... Lam [attore]
• 2046 (2004) .... Chow Mo-wan (as Tony Leung) [attore]
• Dei haa tit (2003) .... Ming [attore]
• Hung wun chiu yun (2003) .... Lai Liu Po [attore]
• Mou gaan dou III: Jung gik mou gaan (2003) .... Chan Wing Yan (as Tony Leung) [attore]

Biografia:
Tony Leung Chiu Wai was born in Hong Kong on 27 June 1962. He and his younger sister were raised by their mother after his father left them. In 1982, after passing the training courses of TVB, Tony became a TV actor and became famous for his comedy style in such TV shows as Lu ding ji (1983) or Jue dai shuang jiao (1979). However, he didn't limit himself to television and began showing his versatility in films like Sha shou hu die meng (1989) and Bei qing cheng shi (1989). After he starred in several movies directed by 'Kar wai Wong'; such as Chung Hing sam lam (1994) and Chun gwong cha sit (1997), he gained more respect as an actor and finally received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes International Film Festival for his outstanding performance in Fa yeung nin wa (2000). In addition to his acting career, he is also known as a singer.

Trivia random: Often goes on skiing vacations in Japan with longtime girlfriend Carina Lau.
Citazione random: "I wanted to take a different approach. I wanted this character to be very optimistic, always with a smile on his face, but I just wasn't able to put it into the scenes. I don't know why." (On his character Chan Wing Yan in Infernal Affairs)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.