THE ZOCALO TODAY – January 5, 2008

WHAT'S NEW
Happy 2008. With the writer's strike still continuing, there isn't a
lot of new news to report. Projects that had begun before the strike
continue while others will have to wait until an agreement has been
made. While the strike has caused many shows to close, this situation
may open up opportunities for some shows to see the light of day – as
viewers look for new things to watch. We can only hope that some of
our favorites will find an audience they so richly deserve.

THE CHANGELING
There is a wonderful article by Scott Foundas published in THE PITCH
NEWS from Kansas City and the LA Weekly; the LA Weekly has a larger
photograph. Foundas interviews Clint Eastwood on the set and describes
Eastwood's style of directing and gives you a little background. As we
B5 fans know, J. Michael Straczynski wrote the story behind the movie
and we are all anxiously awaiting the final product. Thanks to Ranger
Bill for sending the LA listing along.

BE A SANTA UPDATE
Despite the many challenges the program faced this year, Pat Tallman
and her merry band of elves did a fantastic job of making this
Christmas Merry for the folks at Penny Lane. Here is an update from
Pat on their efforts:

The Delivery
We have a wonderful bunch of fun stuff for the bags. Every kid got a
beanie baby. Some were great for boys, reptiles and dragons, and some
were the cute animals the girls love. Each bag had several books,
small games, candy, and personal items that each child had written me
about. We had Mickeys and Poohs, Spiderman pillows, Sponge Bob throws.
I am sure I am forgetting things! The kids each received a gift card
to the Westfield Malls for $75 Each house got a box of videos & some
DVDs, books, board games & more. The kids were so happy. It was a
great night for the them.

What's Next
We take donations all year. If you can make an end of the year
donation to Penny Lane, we can sure use it. Thank you for all you have
given.
I appreciate any thing you can do to help bring in things the kids
will like. We had some break ins this year and a couple of the houses
lost their game systems and stereos. I replaced the stereos, but
couldn't afford X-Boxes or Playstations. If you have a used system you
don't need anymore, we can use it! I always need a couple of vaccum
cleaners. Let me know if you are local and have one to donate.

Pat Tallman,Be A Santa | 6433 Topanga Canyon Blvd. #207 | Canoga Park
| CA | 91303

You gave these kids a Holiday. You are angels ! Thank you so much for
all you do.

Peace,
Patricia Tallman
Be A Santa, director

DISCUSSION TOPIC
With a number of new series set to return in January, which one are
you anticipating the most? Is it LOST, JERICHO, MEDIUM? Are there any
new series you are really looking forward to?

Send in your thoughts and comments to sgbruckner@.... I will post
them on the Discussion Page for everyone to share and enjoy. There are
some good ones so far. Add yours! If you see an old topic you want to
respond to, go right ahead. We enjoy hearing from you.

BABYLON 5 BIRTHDAYS
January 9 - David Allen Brooks
January 24 - Peter Woodward
January 27 - Julie Caitlin Brown
January 27 - Tamilyn Tomita

Have I missed anyone? If you know the birthday of someone connected
with Babylon 5, pass the information along. We want to include
everyone in our Happy Birthday Wishes.

BABYLON PODCASTS

There will not be any new podcasts until 2008. Summer, Tim, Jeffrey
and others are busy rebuilding their studio to incorporate a new mixer
(thanks Jim for the news). We'll all wait to hear when the next new
Babylon Podcast will be ready for our anxious ears.

However, they have posted two Holiday Specials for 2007 that you will
not want to miss. In both, they look over the year's podcasts and
pulling together some highlights. Be sure to give a listen at
http://www.babylonpodcast.com.

Welcome to Show #93!
Tim, Summer and Jeffrey are joined by Brad Bowyer for tonight's
discussion. It really is all about Santa Kosh, and we discuss JMS'
thoughts on the current WGA strike.
Summer lists many B5 print resources, including novelizations and
guides… and if you are interested in buying/trading the books
currently in the B5 library, leave us a comment!

Deep Geeking: Tonight's geeking focuses on "Ceremonies of Light and
Dark", and some of the undercurrents simmering below the surface story.

B5 Audio Drama: The Three-Edged Sword Episode 21: "Across the River of
Fire" (TS: 47:48-52:38) What you're hearing here on The Babylon
Podcast is just a small part of the story… the full audio drama can be
heard at Voices of Babylon, so what are you waiting for? Head over and
check them out!
To catch up on the previous podcasts, go to www.babylonpodcast.com.

NEW WARNER PHOTO COLLECTION
The magic of Warner Bros. can now be yours! Warner Bros. has just
introduced it's extensive Photo Collection. Prints from Warner Bros.
extensive archive are now available for sale online -- direct from
Warner Bros. Studios Photo Lab. There are pictures from CHIPS to
Scarlet O'Hara in Gone with the Wind! Go to
http://www.wbphotocollection.com/ to see what is available. Motion
picture and TV history is now at your fingertips!

NEW WARNER APPLESEED EX MACHINA SITE UPDATE
Here is a great contest for you to enter. Go to . Register for the
contest and start to play around with the video and audio clips
provided. Create a cool trailer with your own feel that you can share
with your friends. The contest runs from December 7th, 2007 through
February 7th, 2008, but the sooner you post your version, the better
your chances to win! The Grand Prize Winner will receive roundtrip
airfare, hotel, and tickets for two to Wonder Con to meet the key
filmmakers of the movie. The trailer with the most views will win.
Check it out!

NEW PUBLICATIONS COMING
The following listing may be of interest. It is from the January issue
of PREVIEWS.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED HC
by Sean Williams
The official tie-in and novel adaptation of LucasArts' brand-new, next
generation video game, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed! Set during the
largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the
Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, the expansive story of
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed — created under direction from George
Lucas — further evolves the prequel trilogy by exploring the aftermath
of "Order 66" (issued by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine as a military
response to what was shown by the Chancellor and the Senate as a
rebellion by the Jedi), focusing on the continued evolution of Darth
Vader, and serving as a direct bridge to the Classic trilogy. In it,
players are cast as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice," assisting the
iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi — and face
decisions that could change the course of their destiny!
(235/0-345-49902-6) (C: 0-1-2)

STAR TREK: NEW FRONTIER #1
by Peter David & Stephen Thompson
In its first year of Star Trek comics, IDW Publishing broke out of the
box with marquee titles like Star Trek: Year Four, the blockbuster
Klingons: Blood Will Tell and the fan- favorite Alien Spotlight
one-shots. Now, IDW takes it to the next level with the launch of its
Star Trek: Second Stage lineup, featuring some of the top Star Trek
creators in comics, books and television. It all begins here! New York
Times Best-Selling author and comics legend Peter David, the
hand-picked creator of the first Star Trek crew designed exclusively
for print, celebrates the tenth anniversary of his creation by writing
New Frontier's first-ever comic book series, showcasing all-new
stories and the official continuation of the hit books.
In issue one, "Slingshot," the most dangerous experimental vessel in
the galaxy—a prototype time ship—has vanished, and it appears that the
man who stole it is none other than Starfleet Admiral Edward Jellico.
Only Mackenzie Calhoun and the crew of the Excalibur have a hope in
finding him before the ship, intended purely for scientific
exploration, is used to disrupt the space-time continuum. With art by
Stephen Thompson (Beneath the Valley of Rage), who also delivers four
painted covers available as a Quad Cover™, all bound in the same
issue. Thompson also provides a bonus incentive cover featuring
"Starfleet Captain Peter David" in the command chair!

NEW PERIODICALS:
Cult Times #148: PRIMEVAL: The second season is ahead and there are
some big changes coming. Andrew-Lee Potts, who plays Connor Temple,
talks about alternate realities and nastier creatures! TORCHWOOD: When
the series returns in January, the series is bigger and brasher than
ever! Russell T Davies gives some hints of what's coming up. HEROES:
Dania Ramirez discusses her role as one of the new heroes, Maya, and
reveals why her ability has caught the attention of a familiar evil
face… STARGATE ATLANTIS: Producer/ director Martin Wood previews the
second half of season four and explains that the team seems to spend
most of its time getting trapped in rooms… BLOOD TIES: Dylan Neal, aka
cop Mike Cellucci, waxes lyrical about why life doesn't always play
out like a romance novel when you're fighting a Vampire for the love
of a sexy detective.

Cult Times Special #45: STARGATE ATLANTIS: Discover discovering what's
coming in the new season of ATLANTIS and how things are progressing on
the DVD movie front. Alan McCullough, formerly a writer on SG-1, is
now happily ensconced on Atlantis and tells a few secrets about what's
coming up in the fourth season. Jewel Staite - Firefly's Jewel Staite
is determined to make the role of new base doctor Jennifer Keller her
own. Christopher Judge - Gives his thoughts on 10 years of playing
Teal'c and continuing the franchise into DVD movies. Supernatural -
Creator and executive producer Eric Kripke unveils the terrors lurking
in the future of the brothers Winchester, including an evil Santa and
Friday the 13th legend Jason Vorhees!

Starburst Issue #358: TORCHWOOD: Leading man John Barrowman talks
about what's next for Captain Jack and his trusty Cardiff-based team,
as the imminent launch of the show's second season approaches! THE
GOLDEN COMPASS: Director Chris Weitz discusses his 10-year journey of
bring Philip Pullman's book from script to screen, and looks to the
future with the possibility of the concluding two films… SWEENEY TODD:
Legendary director Tim Burton talks about his adaptation of the
musical of the infamous murderous tale, starring Johnny Depp and
Helena Bonham Carter.

COMIC BOOKS:
CIVIL WAR CHRONICLES #9
Written by Paul Jenkins, J. Michael Straczynski and Mark Millar, art
by Ramon Bachs, Steve Lieber, Ron Garney and Steve McNiven, cover by
Michael Turner.
Experience Civil War and its major tie-ins chronological order! The
landscape of the Marvel Universe is changing, and it's time to choose:
Whose side are you on? In Civil War: Front Line #9, the betrayer among
the Marvel heroes stands revealed, as war with Atlantis seems
inevitable! And Speedball comes face-to-face with his accuser! In
Amazing Spider-Man #537, Spider-Man embarks on what very well might be
the most important offensive of the Civil War that's rocking the
Marvel Universe. And in Civil War #6, Captain America's depleted
forces have determined the secret of File 42, setting them on a
last-ditch collision course with Iron Man and the Pro-Registration
heroes! It's the beginning f the battle of the century -- a conflict
in which virtually every superhuman on Earth will be forced to choose
a side to fight on! Collecting Civil War: Front Line #9, Amazing
Spider-Man #537 and Civil War #6.

THOR #8
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, art by Marko Djurdjevic, covers by
Djurdjevic and Oliver Coipel.
Part two of a two-part arc sees the mighty Thor ruling over a newly
glorious Asgard and all its people! But what danger has risen on the
horizon of its American heartland surroundings? And how will Thor
equip himself to face it?

THE TWELVE #3
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, penciled by Chris Weston, cover by
Kaare Andrews.
How will your now-elderly family react when you return to them after
an absence of 63 years? That's the crisis of the soul faced by Mister
E, and an emotional confrontation that shines a spotlight on secrets
about his past and heritage. Plus, the origin of the Fiery Mask! And
golden age Zombies!

NEW DVDS COMING

SEAQUEST DSV - Season 2
Here's a show that was probably a little ahead of its time. Roy
Schider starred in this action-adventure series about a sea ship that
protects the waters from both land threats and those from in the
water. The show got a complete overhall in the second season and for
many fans, it was too much. It did have pretty good special effects
for the time and it dealt with issues we hear more frequently now,
including global warming and the problems being caused by humanity on
Mother Nature.

BATMAN DOUBLE FEATURE DVD
Warner Home Video (WHV) and DC Comics will release the BATMAN DOUBLE
FEATURE DVD which contains two feature length animated made-for-video
movies to DVD for one value price – a first time for Batman! The
BATMAN DOUBLE FEATURE DVD will be available on February 12, 2008 for
$14.97 SRP.
Batman and Mr. Freeze: Sub Zero is a breathtaking animated adventure
that explodes into action when the villainous Mr. Freeze kidnaps
Batgirl. Now, racing the clock, Batman and Robin face off against Mr.
Freeze in the iciest showdown of the century. Batman Mask of Phantasm
was called "one of the most imaginative films of the past year" by
Chuck Rich (Westwood One). Only here will you discover all-new
revelations about Batman's past, his archrival the Joker and the most
grueling battle of Batman's life – the choice between his love of a
beautiful woman and his vow to be the defender of right.

CONVENTION CALENDAR

February 15 ~ 17, 2008
FARPOINT
Place: Hunt Valley, Maryland (Baltimore area)
B5 guest: Mira Furlan
Other Guests: James Callis, Harve Bennett
For more information, go to http://www.farpointcon.com

March 7-9, 2008
MEGACON 2008
Place: Orange County Convention Center
City: Orlando, Florida
B5 Guests: June Lockhart ("The Quality of Mercy") and Dylan Neil
("Legend of the Rangers" and "Blood Ties")
Other Guests: Adrian Pasdar ["Heroes" (Saturday/Sunday)], BSG's Mark
A. Sheppard, Steve Bacic (Andromeda/Stargate SG-1), Erica Durance
["Smallville" (Saturday/Sunday)] and author Tanya Huff ("Blood Ties"
series)
For more information, go to MegaConvention.com.

March 29-30, 2008
STEEL CITY CON
Place: Monroeville Expomart
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Guests: Kenny Baker (Star Wars), Joyce Dewitt, Priscilla Barnes, Tony
Burton
For more information, go to www.steelcitycon.com

AROUND THE WORLD OF SCIENCE FICTION

STARGATE-WORLDS
For those of us who have enjoyed STARGATE for years, there is
something ahead that looks interesting -- particularly to those gamers
out there. Below is a press release from MGM on the new STARGATE
WORLDS game coming in July.

STARGATE WORLDS PC GAME EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK TRAILER TO AIR DURING
STARGATE ATLANTIS WINTER PREMIERE ON SCI FI
MESA, Arizona –January 3, 2008 – Fans of Stargate will have an
opportunity this week to view an exclusive sneak peek of Stargate
Worlds, the massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG)
based on MGM's record-breaking franchise. The special, all CGI trailer
can be seen during the broadcast of the winter premiere of Stargate
Atlantis on The SCI FI Channel this Friday, January 4, 2008, 10
p.m.EST/PST, 9 p.m. CST.

Starting January 18, fans can also enter for a chance to have their
name or likeness incorporated into Stargate Worlds in the "Unlock the
Gate Sweepstakes." .* Viewers are invited to watch Stargate Atlantis
every Friday (starting on January 18)in order to retrieve a unique
code to enter the sweepstakes.

"We have spent years looking for a quality gaming partner to extend
the Stargate franchise beyond television and DVD's," said Travis J.
Rutherford, executive vice president, MGM Consumer Products and
Location Based Entertainment. "This trailer is an exciting preview of
that extension, and we are proud to have the opportunity to debut it
as part of the Stargate Atlantis return. Our fans will jump at the
chance to have their likeness incorporated in the game and become a
part of Stargate history."

Based on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc's (MGM) Stargate franchise,
Stargate Worlds features tactical modern combat vs. science-fiction
weapons, non-combat advancement and instant travel across the galaxy
in a story-driven game.

"The trailer will give gamers and fans a glimpse at what they can
expect to find in Stargate Worlds," said Rod Nakamoto, senior vice
president of product development, Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment.
"It's a mix of old and new elements that hint at the direction we are
taking the franchise."

In Stargate Worlds, gamers will explore new worlds and encounter
ancient, alien cultures across an evolving galaxy. While staying true
to the spirit of the Stargate franchise, Stargate Worlds will also
introduce new worlds, characters and action to the Stargate universe
that are far beyond the scale that can be shown on television.
"Stargate Worlds is about instant adventure in an epic, evolving
universe," said Stargate Worlds studio head Dan Elggren. "That's what
fans and gamers are going to see in this trailer."

Stargate Worlds is based on Stargate SG-1 and its spin-off series
Stargate Atlantis. From sci-fi masterminds Brad Wright and Robert C.
Cooper, Stargate is one of TV's most successful franchises. SG-1 made
history as the longest-running American sci-fi series ever on
television, while its . sister series, Atlantis, has been renewed for
a fifth season on SCI FI and will celebrate its 100th episode in
September. Stargate SG-1's thrilling journey also continues with two
movies set for releaseon DVD. Stargate: The Ark of Truth debuts
exclusively on March 11th and Stargate: Continuum will be released in
July.

STARGATE: THE ARK OF TRUTH
STARGATE: THE ARK OF TRUTH, a feature-length movie that continues the
story of original STARGATE SG-1 series will debut on DVD March 11 from
MGM Home Entertainment. The film concludes the Ori story arc of
seasons nine and 10 of SG-1 and picks up after "Unending," the series
finale. THE ARK OF TRUTH stars Amanda Tapping, Beau Bridges, Michael
Shanks, Ben Browder, Christopher Judge and Claudia Black. The story
centers on SG-1 as it searches for an ancient weapon that could help
them defeat the sinister Ori. Traveling to a distant galaxy aboard the
Odyssey, the team finds itself fighting two powerful enemies. The DVD
bonus materials will include feature-length audio commentary by
writer, director and producer Robert C. Cooper, actor Christopher
Judge and director of photography Peter Woeste, as well as the
featurette Stargate SG-1: The Road Taken: Prelude to The Ark of Truth.
The DVD will carry a suggested retail price of $26.98.

NEW BOND GIRL
According to the Hollywood Reporter, British newcomer Gemma Arterton
has been cast as the new Bond girl for the latest installment of the
James Bond franchise, currently filming in London for Columbia
Pictures and MGM, the film's production companies said. Arterton will
play "Fields" in the Marc Forster-directed movie, which has the
working title of "Bond 22" and stars Daniel Craig as Agent 007. Talk
of Arterton's casting has been swirling around the blogosphere and in
British tabloids since mid-December, but have remained unconfirmed by
the producers. On Friday, Eon Prods. in London and Santa Monica-based
Danjaq Prods., as well as Arterton's agent, ICM in London, confirmed
the casting. Details of her character were not available, but a Danjaq
rep said "it's a nice-sized role." The film will take up where 2006's
"Casino Royale" left off.

Variety reports that French actor Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and
the Butterfly) will play the villain in the upcoming as-yet-untitled
22nd James Bond movie. Daniel Craig is returning in the title role. A
studio executive also confirmed to the paper that Jeffrey Wright, who
played CIA agent Felix Leiter in the previous film, CASIONO ROYALE,
will reprise that role in Bond 22. Shooting has begun at Pinewood
Studios in London, nearly a month behind its original schedule. It is
still scheduled to premiere on Nov. 7 with Marc Forster directing. The
Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung previously reported that Swiss actor
Anatole Taubman has been cast as a villain/henchman.

REAPER TIME CHANGE
The CW is changing it's schedule to take advantage of the writer's
strike -- hopefully giving some shows a new audience and chance for
surviving their competition on the other networks.
REAPER will return at 8 p.m. Jan. 15 before moving to 9 p.m. Thursdays
on Feb. 28, leading out of SMALLVILLE. REAPER, which had previously
led out of "Beauty and the Geek," will replace SUPERNATURAL, which is
taking a break from the schedule.
"We're trying to give REAPER a chance as well, moving it away from
(Fox's) 'House' on Tuesday (at 9 p.m.) and seeing if we can find a bit
more of a compatible lead-in in SMALLVILLE," Kelly Kahl, senior
executive vp program operations at CBS said.

DVD FORMAT BATTLE - BLU RAY VS. HD
With the following announcement from Warner Bros. Entertainment,
Blu-ray Disc will now control 70% of the market (Sony, Disney, Warner
Bros., Fox, MGM and Lionsgate) compared to 30% for HD DVD
(Paramount/DreamWorks, Universal):
In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will
release its high- definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray
disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry
Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President,
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.
"Warner Bros.' move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format
is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct
way to give consumers what they want," said Meyer. "The window of
opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format
confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively
distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market
success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most
importantly, consumers."
Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD
format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD
and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in
HD DVD until the end of May 2008.
"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an
effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and
drive down hardware prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner
Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by Warner Bros. to distribute
in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision
both for consumers and Time Warner."
"A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference
toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching
mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be
for the industry," said Tsujihara. "Consumers have clearly chosen
Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right
step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to
the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely
with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we
have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working
with them on other projects in the future."

SUPERMAN
According to Variety columnist Anne Thompson, it is "highly unlikely"
that SUPERMAN RETURNS helmer Bryan Singer will return to shoot the
next Superman movie. Singer is finishing up Tom Cruise's Nazi film
VALKYRIE and prepping THE MAYOR OF CASTRO STREET. "The next Superman
we will see on the big screen will not be [Superman Returns star]
Brandon Routh, but a younger Superman among a cast of youthful
superheroes in ... Justice League," Thompson wrote. "That movie will
likely not be shot, however, until after the [writers'] strike is
resolved."

STAR TREK TRAILER
MTV.com reports that the first teaser trailer for J.J. Abrams'
upcoming STAR TREK film will be attached to CLOVERFIELD, which Abrams
is producing and which hits theaters on Jan. 18. CLOVERFIELD director
Matt Reeves has seen the trailer and told MTV.com that "it's amazing,
and it looks pretty incredible." "I thought 'Well, this does look
completely different and new.' But while having all the stuff that
will make fans of Star Trek still feel fulfilled," Reeves said.
Reeves, a longtime associate of Abrams from their days on TV's
FELICITY, added that he has seen some footage from the top-secret Trek
movie. "I've seen little bits of the movie, too, and I feel that way
as well," Reeves said. "He's doing an amazing job. It's very exciting.
It's not your grandfather's Star Trek, that's for sure." STAR TREK is
slated for release on Christmas Day 2008.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed a rumor that filmmaker Tyler Perry
will head Starfleet Academy in J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK movie. Perry
joins an cast that includes Chris Pine, Eric Bana, Winona Ryder,
Leonard Nimoy, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Zachary Quinto,
Anton Yelchin, John Cho, Karl Urban, Chris Hemsworth, Zoe Saldana and
Clifton Collins Jr. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, who wrote the
screenplay, are executive- producing alongside producers Damon
Lindelof and Bryan Burk. Filming began in November. The film
chronicles the early days of the Enterprise crew.

BEYOND LOCH NESS
Former CHARMED star Brian Krause stars in the upcoming SCI FI Channel
original movie BEYOND LOCH NESS, describing his character is a cross
between Indiana Jones and an obsessive Loch Ness monster hunter.
Krause plays James Murphy, the son of a cryptozoologist killed by the
legendary creature. "I follow in his footsteps, wanting to stop this
animal from killing more people," Krause said. "I have made it my
personal mission to take this thing out. So I'm a bit of a rogue
character, not very happy, no family, no anything. I'm just focused
and driven on taking care of this thing." Krause said that he filmed
much of the movie on a lake in Vancouver, Canada, and shared most of
his scenes with co-stars Carrie Genzel (Flash Gordon) and Niall Matter
(Eureka). "Niall has a boat and takes me all over, and Carrie, who
plays his mother, gets in on the mix when he runs into some trouble
throughout the show," Krause said. "As far as the special effects,
there were a lot of those scenes were I didn't even see the monster.
It was a lot of wide shots, pretending it was there, and then they
just kind of laid it in." The iconic monster was created with a mix of
computer- generated imagery and actual mechanical creatures on set. "A
few times, I guess, they had puppets and whatever, but it's basically
a computer-generated creature, where we really had no idea what it
would look like," Krause said. "The guys that handled it, I had faith
that they'd create something along the line of what all science
fiction fans would be pleased with, because the creature has so much
lore wrapped around its name." BEYOND LOCH NESS, which also stars Don
S. Davis of Stargate SG-1, premieres Jan. 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

HARRY POTTER
Daniel Radcliffe, star of the HARRY POTTER series, donated the first
pair of glasses he wore as a child to an exhibition in Liverpool,
England, marking the horrors of the Holocaust, the Associated Press
reported. The British actor joins other celebrities and members of the
public whose spectacles will be linked together in the shape of a
railway track, recalling the trains that carried many of the Nazis'
victims to concentration camps throughout Europe. The exhibition will
open Jan. 21. The port city in northwest England will host Britain's
Holocaust Day commemorative service on Jan. 27, the anniversary of the
liberation of Auschwitz. Jason Isaacs, who stars as the sinister
Lucius Malfoy in the Potter films, will also take part in the service.
The 18-year-old Radcliffe, whose mother is Jewish, sent the oval, gray
metal-framed pair of glasses he wore as a 6-year-old. Organizers are
seeking a total of 110,000 pairs of eyeglasses. When installed inside
Liverpool Town Hall's main ballroom, mirrors will multiply the number
of spectacles and give the appearance of 330,000 pairs, the estimated
number of Jews in Britain at the time of the Holocaust. After the
display is dismantled, the glasses of the famous will be auctioned for
charity while the others will be donated to people in developing
nations through the charitable group Vision Aid Overseas.

INDIANA JONES COMIC BOOK
Dark Horse Comics has revealed the cover for the Indiana Jones and the
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull comic adaptation created by artist Steve
Anderson. Here is how Dark Horse describes the comic:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull TPB
Writer: George Lucas, David Koepp, John Jackson Miller
Penciller: Luke Ross
Inker: Fabio Laguna
Colorist: Dan Jackson
Genre: Action/Adventure
The most anticipated movie event of the summer comes to comics in this
adaptation of the fourth Indiana Jones film! The intrepid Doctor Henry
Jones Jr. is back in his biggest adventure yet! This time, the
world-renowned archaeologist finds himself caught in a series of
events that all point to a discovery unlike any other. But will his
rivals in pursuit of this priceless treasure seize his quarry from
right under his nose? Not if he, and a few unexpected companions, have
anything to say about it!
The thrill and the humor, the action and the romance, the hat and the
whip--everything you love about Indy is here! This is a tale sure to
please longtime fans as well as foster a whole generation of new ones!
Publication Date: May 22, 2008
Price: $12.95

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL IN VANITY FAIR
With all the new films coming out in 2008, there are a few that a more
eagerly awaited than others. At the top of my list is the latest
INDIANA JONES movie. The latest issue of Vanity Fair has a wonderful
article on the new movie and some terrific set photos. It also has a
few spoilers -- so beware. This long awaited fourth installment of the
series stars Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Ray
Winstone, Karen Allen, John Hurt and Jim Broadbent. Steven Spielberg
once again directs the film, based on a screenplay written by David
Koepp and Jeff Nathanson. INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL
SKULL will hit theaters May 22, 2008.

INKHEART
No official word has been given as to why, but New Line has pushed
back their upcoming fantasy INKHEART to an unknown future date. The
previous release date (March 19) had three other wide releases
scheduled. Those films being two new comedies and a horror, which
include; Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, Drillbit Taylor and Shutter.
Whatever the reasoning, it's now under TBA status until we get a new
date. The fantasy was directed by Iain Softley, based on a screenplay
penned by David Lindsay-Abaire. The film stars Brendan Fraser, Paul
Bettany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Andy Serkis and Eliza Hope Benn.
You can watch a trailer for the movie at
http://pdl.stream.aol.com/newline/gl/newline/trailers/2008/inkheart/Inkheart_Tea\
serTr1_Med_dl.mov.
Plot Summary:
Based on the book by Cornelia Funke, "Inkheart" is a timeless
adventure tale of imagination that centers on Meggie, a young girl
whose father has a secret ability to bring characters from books to
life when he reads them aloud. But when a power- hungry villain from a
rare children's fable kidnaps Meggie's father to bring others out of
the boundaries of fiction, she and a disparate group of friends both
real and magic embark on the kind of adventure she has only read about
in books to save him and set things right.

NEW AMSTERDAM AND UPCOMING FOX SCHEDULE
With the ongoing writers strike, many networks are having to take a
second look at how they will begin their midseason efforts. According
to Variety, Fox is moving its upcoming supernatural drama NEW
AMSTERDAM to Monday nights from its original Friday nights when the
show debuts in midseason. Besides NEW AMSTERDAM, which debuts in
March, Fox is unveiling TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES this
month. Mondays will consist of PRISON BREAK and TERMINMATOR until the
end of February. TERMINATOR premieres Jan. 14, and its season finale
is slated for March 3. On March 4, NEW AMSTERDAM debuts with a special
preview at 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by a second preview hour on March 6
in the same timeslot. The show then moves to its regular Monday
timeslot at 9 p.m. on March 10. NEW AMSTERDAM finishes its run on
April 7 with a two-hour finale. In the series, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
plays John Amsterdam, a former Dutch soldier stationed in the colony
of New Amsterdam (the original name for New York) in 1642. When he
saves the life of a Native American girl during the massacre of her
tribe, he is granted immortality. He will only become mortal again
when he finds his true love, he is told. Flash forward to the present
day, where Amsterdam is a New York homicide detective who must hide
his secret while searching for the one who can break the spell.

NEW ROLE FOR HARRY POTTER
HARRY POTTER star Daniel Radcliffe has won the leading role in
JOURNEY, a film about photographer Dan Eldon's experiences during the
civil war in Somalia. The 22-year-old Eldon worked as a freelance
photographer for Reuters news service. Eldon spent months on the
ground in Mogadishu covering the increasingly desperate situation and
became friendly with locals, colleagues and peacekeepers. His photos
of the unfolding horror on the ground graced the covers of newspapers
and magazines around the world. In July 1993, he and three other
journalists were beaten, clubbed and stoned to death by an angry mob
furious over the 50 or so locals killed in an apparent bombing of
Habar Gedir clan leader Mohammed Farah Aidid's headquarters. Radcliffe
has the crucial backing of Eldon family, Eldon's mother is quoted as
saying that "We resisted a lot of older actors because Dan was a boy
emerging into manhood" and noted that Radcliffe's "puckishness, sense
of humour and energy" are much like her sons. The compilation of
Eldon's diaries, "The Journey is the Destination," has sold nearly
200,000 copies since it was published a decade ago. According to the
Guardian Unlimited, Eldon left behind 17 journals, thousands of
pictures and a legacy that has won admirers including Madonna and
Julia Roberts.

MORE HARRY POTTER?
According to the British Daily Mail newspaper, Harry Potter author
J.K. Rowling has strongly hinted for the first time that she could
write an eighth book in the series. During an interview with Time
magazine, Rowling said, "There have been times since finishing, weak
moments, when I've said 'Yeah, all right,' to the eighth novel." One
of her biggest fans--her 14-year-old daughter Jessica--has already put
pressure on her to revisit the character, the newspaper reported. But
Rowling said that if she were to write an eighth novel in the hit
series, it is unlikely that Harry would be the central character.
Rowling finished the seventh and supposedly final book in the series,
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, a year ago.

PROJECTS FOR 2008
With the start of 2008 just ahead, many of the major studios have
announced the release dates for their major productions. Here are a few:

WARNER BROS
January 4 - ONE MISSED CALL - a supernatural thriller
March 7 - 10,000 B.C. from director Roland Emmerich
May 9 - SPEED RACER, the Wachowski brothers'
June 20 - GET SMART, starring Steve Carell
July 28 - THE DARK KNIGHT, Christopher Nolan's follow-up to BATMAN BEGINS
November 21 - the sixth Harry Potter movie, The Half-Blood Prince

PARAMOUNT
January 18 - CLOVERFIELD, the mysterious monster movie from producer
J.J. Abrams
February 15 - THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES debuts, a family fantasy based
on the children's books
April 11 - THE RUINS, a horror film based on the book
May 2 - IRON MAN, the hit of last year's Comic-Con from Jon Favreau
May 22 - INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, reuniting
director Steven Spielberg and star Harrison Ford
June 6 - KUNG FU PANDA, an animated spoof
September 26 - NOWHERELAND - a family fantasy
November 7 - MADAGASCAR: THE CRATE ESCAPE
November 26 - THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
December 25 - STAR TREK, one of THE most anticipated films of the year
GHOST TOWN, a supernatural comedy starring Ricky Gervais and A TALE OF
TWO SISTERS are awaiting a release date

UNIVERSAL
June 13 - THE HULK
June 27 - WANTED, a tech thriller based on a comic book and directed
by Russian Night Watch helmer Timur Bekmambetov
July 11 - HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY from Guillermo del Toro
August 1 - THE MUMMY: THE TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR
September 26 - DEATH RACE, a remake of John Carpenter's classic SF movie
December 19 - THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX, the animated family fantasy film
DOOMSDAY, is still awaiting a release date.

DISNEY
May 16 - THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN
June 27 - WALL *E, an animated SF movie about a lonely robot
November 26 - BOLT
December 25 - BEDTIME STORIES, an Adam Sandler family fantasy
SOUTH OF THE BORDER,the animal fantasy will open sometime during the fall

20th CENTURY FOX
February 4 - JUMPER
March 14 - DR. SEUSS' HARTON HEARS A WHO!
March 21 - SHUTTER
May 30 - STARSHIP DAVE, starring Eddie Murphy
June 13 - THE HAPPENING from M. Night Shyamalan
August 29 - BABYLON A.D. with Vin Diesel

I think this pretty much catches up everyone as to what is going on at
the moment in the world of science fiction. Please don't forget to
visit the website on a regular basis. Besides the news, there are
links to trailers and new graphics for upcoming projects.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that 2008
bring health, joy and love to everyone.

Take care.
Sandy
Sandra Bruckner
Editor/Publisher
ISN News: The Zocalo Today
http://www.isnnews.net