The Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

"Wilycub, post: 104227, member: 25043" said:

Recently I saw about the re-release of the book "The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass" which had a lot of information about their history and the shows that they produced. It also featured many Character Sheets of the ThunderCats as well. I seriously doubt if they paid WB any money for usage of those pictures because Rankin/Bass were the original producers of the show and even though WB may own the franchise now, those original drawings/designs belonged to Rankin/Bass and they can use it in any way they see fit. .

I just looked up 'The Enchanted World of RankinBass. I think it would be an awesome book but the prices people are asking for it are a bit over what I would pay for it LOL. ;)

"Mark M, post: 104233, member: 5058" said:

I recall an odd case with I believe the Bratz dolls Mattel made. They claimed right to them as the person that designed them did so while they were working for Mattel in their studio or something like that.

Sounds a bit like the James Bond controversy with "Never Say Never Again". :)

"Mark M, post: 104242, member: 5058" said:

I just looked up 'The Enchanted World of RankinBass. I think it would be an awesome book but the prices people are asking for it are a bit over what I would pay for it LOL. ;)

That's exactly why I still haven't bought it. LOL! :biggrin

"Wilycub, post: 104244, member: 25043" said:

Sounds a bit like the James Bond controversy with "Never Say Never Again". :)
That's exactly why I still haven't bought it. LOL! :biggrin

This is what I mean about the Bratz dolls. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121019/17344420768/its-finally-over-8-years-mattel-vs-bratz-no-ones-getting-paid-lawyers.shtml
Mattel seem to have lost the case and MGA seem to have won.

I think I might have said this on here before, I have seen bits of nearly all the James bond movies but I have never actually seen any Bond movie the full way through.

The cheapest I could see it for was around £50 with postage. That is just way too much.

If I remember correctly RB has a Facebook page where they have displayed old sketches etc. while touting the book.

"adssse, post: 104271, member: 25051" said:

If I remember correctly RB has a Facebook page where they have displayed old sketches etc. while touting the book.

Cool I wonder if the images are still on the page.

"Mark M, post: 104245, member: 5058" said:

I think I might have said this on here before, I have seen bits of nearly all the James bond movies but I have never actually seen any Bond movie the full way through.

Really? I have seen all of them multiple times, except the new Daniel Craig ones. Not a big fan of those. ;) You should watch them if you ever get the chance and we can discuss them here. But I gotta warn you, I'm a big Roger Moore fan! LOL! :)

I've got an interest in owning that Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass book, mainly because of the ThunderCats and SilverHawks material it has.

"Wilycub, post: 104325, member: 25043" said:

Really? I have seen all of them multiple times, except the new Daniel Craig ones. Not a big fan of those. ;) You should watch them if you ever get the chance and we can discuss them here. But I gotta warn you, I'm a big Roger Moore fan! LOL! :)

I am quite fond of that Bond theme tune by Duran Duran, 'A View To Kill'. One day I should watch a full one LOL.
Have you seen the new Star Wars yet? You really should the we can discuss it in detail on the other thread.

"Mark M, post: 104352, member: 5058" said:

I am quite fond of that Bond theme tune by Duran Duran, 'A View To Kill'. One day I should watch a full one LOL.
Have you seen the new Star Wars yet? You really should the we can discuss it in detail on the other thread.

The theme song of "A View to A Kill" is definitely one of the top Bond theme songs. I've always liked all of the theme songs from the John Barry era. Those opening credit sequences from the Connery/Moore era are just simply stunning! The sequences nowadays, while filled with impressive CGI, just lack that "Bond-ness", IMHO. :)

You might think that I'm a little bit crazy (and I probably am!) but I have a habit of first reading a new movie's story on Wikipedia BEFORE I actually watch the movie. I kinda enjoy it that way. I was really excited about "Star Wars: TFA" but after it was released and I read the story, I was rather disappointed. It feels a bit too similar to "A New Hope", almost cut and paste, with a few new characters and scenarios thrown in here and there. So I'm not too keen to watch it now, but I probably will later on. I don't know but just from everything that I've read, all the trailers that I've seen, it just doesn't feel "Star Wars" to me.

"Wilycub, post: 104377, member: 25043" said:

The theme song of "A View to A Kill" is definitely one of the top Bond theme songs. I've always liked all of the theme songs from the John Barry era. Those opening credit sequences from the Connery/Moore era are just simply stunning! The sequences nowadays, while filled with impressive CGI, just lack that "Bond-ness", IMHO. :)

You might think that I'm a little bit crazy (and I probably am!) but I have a habit of first reading a new movie's story on Wikipedia BEFORE I actually watch the movie. I kinda enjoy it that way. I was really excited about "Star Wars: TFA" but after it was released and I read the story, I was rather disappointed. It feels a bit too similar to "A New Hope", almost cut and paste, with a few new characters and scenarios thrown in here and there. So I'm not too keen to watch it now, but I probably will later on. I don't know but just from everything that I've read, all the trailers that I've seen, it just doesn't feel "Star Wars" to me.

I haven't seen any of the Craig movies at all.
I remember reading the novel of Revenge of the Sith before the film came out and I really enjoyed it more than the film.
The problem with TFA is it does feel like the original films but with the poor story it just really feels like a wasted opportunity. Maybe the next one will be better.
In some ways TFA reminds me of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. There are things there that should make fans love it but there is plenty to also displease the fans.

"Mark M, post: 104378, member: 5058" said:

I haven't seen any of the Craig movies at all.

I have seen all of them once (except for "Spectre" which I have yet to watch). To me, they just didn't feel like a Bond movie. I understand that the studio wanted to reinvent the franchise with a new realistic and grittier approach ( a la "Batman Begins"), but in doing so they eliminated all the things that make a Bond movie a Bond movie. Witty innuendos, glamorous girls, awesome gadgets, exotic locations, cool cars, larger-than-life villains, humor, all of it was sorely missing from the Craig Bond movies. So what you have left, is pretty decent action spy thriller, like numerous other such movies (e.g. Bourne movies). As a Bond fan, I felt cheated by that. :(

"Mark M, post: 104378, member: 5058" said:

I remember reading the novel of Revenge of the Sith before the film came out and I really enjoyed it more than the film.
The problem with TFA is it does feel like the original films but with the poor story it just really feels like a wasted opportunity. Maybe the next one will be better.

I've never read any "Star Wars" novels, but I think the prequels were decent. They weren't incredibly good nor were they atrocious. Sure they had their fair share of problems such as poor dialogue, poor acting and Jar Jar Binks, but they also had some great positives including fantastic Duels, the pod race, breathtaking CGI scenery, and Darth Maul. They in no way match up to the original trilogy but at least Lucas tried to do something new, go in a different direction rather than play it safe and just rehash the original trilogy, which is what TFA appears to have done.

"Mark M, post: 104378, member: 5058" said:

In some ways TFA reminds me of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. There are things there that should make fans love it but there is plenty to also displease the fans.

I bet TFA doesn't have a scene involving a bunch of monkeys chasing the heroes! LOL! Just kidding. :biggrin I think that the makers of Crystal Skull and TFA may have the had the same approach of relying too much on nostalgia while putting very little effort in the script. Sometimes the fans are just so happy to see their childhood characters back on screen that they are willing to overlook even the glaring flaws in the moive.

"Wilycub, post: 104409, member: 25043" said:

I have seen all of them once (except for "Spectre" which I have yet to watch). To me, they just didn't feel like a Bond movie. I understand that the studio wanted to reinvent the franchise with a new realistic and grittier approach ( a la "Batman Begins"), but in doing so they eliminated all the things that make a Bond movie a Bond movie. Witty innuendos, glamorous girls, awesome gadgets, exotic locations, cool cars, larger-than-life villains, humor, all of it was sorely missing from the Craig Bond movies. So what you have left, is pretty decent action spy thriller, like numerous other such movies (e.g. Bourne movies). As a Bond fan, I felt cheated by that. :(

I know exactly what you mean. By going in the new direction they have lost everything that makes Bond, Bond. I have seen enough parts of Bond movies to know those are the things that helped build it's fan base.
Batman Begins was the best of the Nolan movies but it is still not the best Batman movie. Really not a fan of the Nolan Batman films. The only good thing about them is Bale's Wayne, not Batman though that voice was really annoying. That is still held by the Burton movies in my opinion. Having said that though they are not perfect as far as script and dialogue go. What they did get right thought was the visuals, design and fun elements. I really wish someone could make a decent movie that is really inspired by the comics.
The DC animated cartoon shows and movies are awesome. But as far as live action and the more recent animation shows Marvel is superior.

"Wilycub, post: 104409, member: 25043" said:

I've never read any "Star Wars" novels, but I think the prequels were decent. They weren't incredibly good nor were they atrocious. Sure they had their fair share of problems such as poor dialogue, poor acting and Jar Jar Binks, but they also had some great positives including fantastic Duels, the pod race, breathtaking CGI scenery, and Darth Maul. They in no way match up to the original trilogy but at least Lucas tried to do something new, go in a different direction rather than play it safe and just rehash the original trilogy, which is what TFA appears to have done.

Yeah I will give them credit for having their own story and adding to the sage. The duels were pretty awesome. Obi Wan, Qui Gonn and Maul was the best. I thought Anakin and Obi Wan's was a bit over the top. I really liked the duel in TFA as it is somewhat more real like the OT duels with Luke and Vader. I wasn't a fan of the pod race. I also disliked the overuse of CGI environments. Phantom Menace looks quit dated know by comparison to more recent movies and I think it is what gave them such a different feel to the original trilogy. That is one of the good points of TFA is the use of more real locations.
Some of the expanded universe novels are very good. I only read a couple set during the PT but I read lots set during and after the OT.

"Wilycub, post: 104409, member: 25043" said:

I bet TFA doesn't have a scene involving a bunch of monkeys chasing the heroes! LOL! Just kidding. :biggrin I think that the makers of Crystal Skull and TFA may have the had the same approach of relying too much on nostalgia while putting very little effort in the script. Sometimes the fans are just so happy to see their childhood characters back on screen that they are willing to overlook even the glaring flaws in the moive.

Yeah but to be fair Crystal Skull was more original and added to the Indiana Jones franchise unlike TFA to Star Wars.
Force Awakens is just such a reuse of ANH:
1. Information in a droid.
2. Two characters escape to a desert planet.
3. Droid comes into contact with a native of the desert planet.
4. Must get the information to the Rebels.
5. Meet Han and Chewie.
6. Visit a cantina full of various aliens.
7. Character given Anakin's lightsabre.
8. Get the plans to a the Rebels.
9. Character captured.
10. The good guys launch an attack on the bad guys planet destroying weapon/base.
11. One of the main good guys gets killed.
12. Lightsabre duel.
13. Good guys destroy base.
14. Good guys escape before it blows up.
This is TFA, if you rearranged these 14 points slightly its the basic plot of a ANH.

"Mark M, post: 104410, member: 5058" said:

Batman Begins was the best of the Nolan movies but it is still not the best Batman movie. Really not a fan of the Nolan Batman films.

I thought I was the only person in the world who wasn't a fan of those movies. It's nice to know I'm not alone! :) But don't say that out loud, the psycho fans (aka Nolanites) are fanatics and have gone as far as sending death threats to those critics who gave it a negative review.

"Mark M, post: 104410, member: 5058" said:

The only good thing about them is Bale's Wayne, not Batman though that voice was really annoying.

Agreed. And what's worse is that he got so hooked on that voice that he went on to use it in his subsequent non-Batman movies as well like "Terminator Salvation". ;)

"Mark M, post: 104410, member: 5058" said:

That is still held by the Burton movies in my opinion. Having said that though they are not perfect as far as script and dialogue go. What they did get right thought was the visuals, design and fun elements. I really wish someone could make a decent movie that is really inspired by the comics.
The DC animated cartoon shows and movies are awesome. But as far as live action and the more recent animation shows Marvel is superior.

I definitely prefer the Burton Batman movies over the other ones. Nobody does dark, creepy, and bizarre like Burton does. His movies are morbid without being overly scary or "jump-out-of-your-seat" horror. I don't think anyone has managed to capture Gotham as well as he did. That set really made me feel like I was there. It was perfect! I think he stroke a good balance between humor and seriousness in his Batman movies. Nolan's went a bit too serious and it's hard to take Batman too seriously. I mean he is a millionaire playboy who dresses up in a costume to go out and beat up bad guys at night! That is probably why everybody (including me) loves the Marvel movies because they don't take the superheroes too seriously.

It would have been interesting if Burton had stayed on for one more Batman movie. I enjoyed "Batman Forever" but the villains were a bit too over the top. "Batman and Robin" took that to extreme levels and almost became intolerable. Clooney however made a pretty decent Wayne/Batman. He has the personality and the voice to fit the character.

"Mark M, post: 104411, member: 5058" said:

Yeah I will give them credit for having their own story and adding to the sage. The duels were pretty awesome. Obi Wan, Qui Gonn and Maul was the best.

I wish they hadn't killed of Darth Maul. He was such a fearsome and formidable villain. Would have loved to see him in Episodes 2 and 3.

"Mark M, post: 104415, member: 5058" said:

This is TFA, if you rearranged these 14 points slightly its the basic plot of a ANH.

Wow! That much similarity? Seems like J.J. Abrams just took the script of ANH, crossed out the title and wrote TFA! LOL! I always hate it when a movie that is touted as a sequel turns out to be a rehash. If you look at "Rambo 4", the plot was basically that of Rambo 3 with just a little bit of Rambo 2. But one that I REALLY hated was "Predators" which completely and totally ripped of the original "Predator", even the dialogues, musical cues, scenes, setting, and character traits. That was just pathetic! Yet this rip-off is rated higher than the original, imagine that! :mad

"Wilycub, post: 104428, member: 25043" said:

I wish they hadn't killed of Darth Maul. He was such a fearsome and formidable villain. Would have loved to see him in Episodes 2 and 3.

I take it you never watched the Clone Wars TV show. ;)

"Wilycub, post: 104428, member: 25043" said:

Wow! That much similarity? Seems like J.J. Abrams just took the script of ANH, crossed out the title and wrote TFA! LOL! I always hate it when a movie that is touted as a sequel turns out to be a rehash. If you look at "Rambo 4", the plot was basically that of Rambo 3 with just a little bit of Rambo 2. But one that I REALLY hated was "Predators" which completely and totally ripped of the original "Predator", even the dialogues, musical cues, scenes, setting, and character traits. That was just pathetic! Yet this rip-off is rated higher than the original, imagine that! :mad

Yeah. I haven't seen Predators but Rambo 4 was really disappointing. It was so boring. A friend of mine on Facebook also mentioned how annoying it was that TFA was rated higher than the originals on IMDB.

"Wilycub, post: 104428, member: 25043" said:

I thought I was the only person in the world who wasn't a fan of those movies. It's nice to know I'm not alone! :) But don't say that out loud, the psycho fans (aka Nolanites) are fanatics and have gone as far as sending death threats to those critics who gave it a negative review.


Agreed. And what's worse is that he got so hooked on that voice that he went on to use it in his subsequent non-Batman movies as well like "Terminator Salvation". ;)


I definitely prefer the Burton Batman movies over the other ones. Nobody does dark, creepy, and bizarre like Burton does. His movies are morbid without being overly scary or "jump-out-of-your-seat" horror. I don't think anyone has managed to capture Gotham as well as he did. That set really made me feel like I was there. It was perfect! I think he stroke a good balance between humor and seriousness in his Batman movies. Nolan's went a bit too serious and it's hard to take Batman too seriously. I mean he is a millionaire playboy who dresses up in a costume to go out and beat up bad guys at night! That is probably why everybody (including me) loves the Marvel movies because they don't take the superheroes too seriously.

It would have been interesting if Burton had stayed on for one more Batman movie. I enjoyed "Batman Forever" but the villains were a bit too over the top. "Batman and Robin" took that to extreme levels and almost became intolerable. Clooney however made a pretty decent Wayne/Batman. He has the personality and the voice to fit the character.

You are not alone. :)
I hate the way everyone points out how he saved the franchise. He did not save it. Batman and Robin was a tribute to the 66 TV show. It wasn't the best idea for the movie and it the movie turned out awful. Saying Batman Begins is better etc isn't really fair as it's not as if it had to rise to a certain standard to beat it's predecessor.
I think they should let Burton direct the next Batman movie. His visual style etc would be perfect for an Arkham Asylum movie. :)

"Mark M, post: 104429, member: 5058" said:

I take it you never watched the Clone Wars TV show. ;)

Actually I haven't seen any Star Wars spin-off shows. I once caught a glimpse of an computer animated movie playing at a friend's house (I don't recall the name), but the characters' designs looked like they came from the same universe as the old "Thunderbirds" TV show. :)

"Mark M, post: 104429, member: 5058" said:

Yeah. I haven't seen Predators but Rambo 4 was really disappointing. It was so boring.

It WAS boring! And yet people were praising it like it was the best in the franchise. All it did was take the plot of Rambo 3, remove the humor, add a lot of gratuitous gory violence and voila!

"Mark M, post: 104429, member: 5058" said:

A friend of mine on Facebook also mentioned how annoying it was that TFA was rated higher than the originals on IMDB.

Exactly! Not only the originals, but it is also rated higher than:
To Kill a Mockingbird
Lawrence of Arabia
Taxi Driver
Scarface
Raging Bull
Good Will Hunting Die Hard
Jaws
E.T
Jurassic Park
The Terminator
Rocky
Groundhog Day
Guardians of the Galaxy
and many many other great movies.

This is all the result of crazy fans who create multiple accounts to give the film a 10 star rating and most did it before they even saw the movie! LOL! Many have admitted doing so. The same thing happens with all Chris Nolan's movies too. The day that "Interstellar" released, within a few hours 12,000 people had voted for it out of which more than 11,000 gave it a perfect 10. Go figure! ;)

See I can understand fans going crazy over TFA and giving it high ratings. I can understand it grossing a lot of money. What I fail to understand is how come professional movie critics have been praising it to high heavens? It isn't exactly "Citizen Kane", even the fans know that. So movie critics, whose job is to be overly critical, some of whom have given scathing negative reviews to even the greatest of movies, have nothing negative to say about TFA????? Seriously, 95% of critics can't stop praising it like crazy. That's like a food critic awarding 3 Michelin Stars to the guy selling Candy Floss on the streets! I wonder if Disney actually pays them to do so. I know if sounds preposterous but as Sherlock Homes said, "If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth". :)

"Mark M, post: 104430, member: 5058" said:

You are not alone. :) I hate the way everyone points out how he saved the franchise. He did not save it. Batman and Robin was a tribute to the 66 TV show. It wasn't the best idea for the movie and it the movie turned out awful. Saying Batman Begins is better etc isn't really fair as it's not as if it had to rise to a certain standard to beat it's predecessor. I think they should let Burton direct the next Batman movie. His visual style etc would be perfect for an Arkham Asylum movie. :)

Agreed! Though I doubt Burton would return to the Batman franchise again. But it would be incredible if he did! I remember that he was once attached to make the original "Superman" movie with Nicholas Cage in the starring role. As much as I try to wrack my brain I cannot even begin to picture how that movie would have turned out!!!

"Wilycub, post: 104437, member: 25043" said:

Actually I haven't seen any Star Wars spin-off shows. I once caught a glimpse of an computer animated movie playing at a friend's house (I don't recall the name), but the characters' designs looked like they came from the same universe as the old "Thunderbirds" TV show. :)

There was a Clone Wars CGI movie which was okay. But what I have seen of the ongoing series is a lot better. The current series Rebels which is a continuation of Clone Wars is a very good series. A lot better than the Droids cartoon. I won't say Ewoks as I loved the Ewoks cartoon. :)
One of the biggest problems I had with The Prequel trilogy is that they basically seemed to miss out and skip over all the important bits of the Clone Wars. A lot of the events and adventures in Clone Wars would have made a far better story and exciting movie than TPM and AOTC. ROTS had very good parts especially the start and the end. The middle and bits with Grievous let it down.
In fact personally TFA suffers the same fault of the prequel trilogy. The history not show. Introducing Snoke, Ben turning to the dark side and Luke going into exile would have made a more interesting movie.

"Wilycub, post: 104437, member: 25043" said:

It WAS boring! And yet people were praising it like it was the best in the franchise. All it did was take the plot of Rambo 3, remove the humor, add a lot of gratuitous gory violence and voila....

Sadly all directors have their hardcore fanboy fan base who will praise their work regardless. Nolan and Abrams are just like Tarantino, Kevin Smith etc.
All I can honestly remember of Rambo 4 is him sitting in a boat, taking some guys into Burma and they get captured then in the last 15 minutes or so he starts killing them and most of the killing is him using a mounted machine gun on a jeep.
It is a disgrace that TFA is marked higher than some of those films. Some I cannot comment on as I haven't seen them but some like To Kill A Mockingbird, Rocky, Jaws etc are masterpieces. There are some on that list I have seen that I liked and I still wouldn't score them a perfect 10. If I was honestly marking TFA I don't think would honestly score it anymore than 5 or 6.
The day I seen it I was all excited like wow it was awesome, then later that night I realised all the similarities with a ANH etc.
The only good points I can list about it are-
1. Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, R2-D2 and C-3PO are back.
2. Realistic environments on location.
3. The environments, machinery, vehicles and clothing look like that of the Original Trilogy.
4. The lightsabre duel was not over the top with acrobatics etc. It was realistic like a real sword fight similar to the duels in the original trilogy.

Two strange points
1. Kylo Ren/Ben is not fully trained in terms if fancy duelling with a lightsabre yet he is trained well enough to use the force to stop a laser blast in mid air and hold it for a prolonged amount of time before releasing it.???????
2. A really absurd moment is when Rey figures out how to use the Jedi mind trick all on her own??????