Here's yet another TV preview, this time for Family Guy, which two years ago performed its own rendition of Star Wars: A New Hope with its animated spoof episode, "Blue Harvest". Faster than LucasArts can pump out sequels, you can already catch the Family Guy's Empire Strikes Back, "Something Something Something Darkside", released today on DVD. Here's the trailer:
I've never seen 24, but I think its protagonist, Jack Bauer, is a cross between MacGyver, Chuck Norris, and Maxwell Smart, using whatever means are at his disposal to keep our country safe from terrorists. But what if Bauer and his team had existed 15 years ago — would they be nearly as effective with the technology of 1994?
Being a veteran of early online communities and a staunch supporter of the hardware that ran them, I can say with confidence that the above video is remarkably accurate. We may love to sugar-coat the past… but it sure is easier to get things done now!
What other shows do you think would require signficant revamping if transplanted to a modern context?
Younger theatergoers may not know the name Benny Hill, but they'll recognize the tune and style of the show that ran on the BBC for twenty years. The Benny Hillifier applies that same theme to any YouTube video: just submit the URL, click "Go", and watch as it replaces the audio track of your chosen video with "Yakety Sax". The video can optionally be sped up to double-time, though the site states that "Speeding up is broken for now".
Fortunately, back when the site was fully functional, I slaved to find the best videos to Benny Hillify. Half the fun is seeing familiar media in a new context, so of course I turned to the vast library of Star Trek material. First, the new movie's trailer:
Notice the crashing car is a recurring theme between this video and the actual Benny Hill credits. Who knew the BBC had such a subtle but indeniable influence on Gene Roddenberry's universe?
This trick is applicable to other franchises, of course. The plot of The Matrix may be laughable, but the excellently choreographed fight scenes are not. So let's bring them down to a more consistent level:
Contests are often made of Star Trek vs. Star Wars: could a phaser beat a lightsaber? The Enterprise outgun an Imperial Star Destroyer? But the rivalry seems to be less heated than friendly, as both franchises appeal to mostly the same audience.
Nonetheless, I'm aware that Showbits offers more coverage of Gene Roddenberry's universe than George Lucas's. So, in an effort to balance last week's variations on Star Trek openings, I've compiled a similar lineup of Star Wars parodies. These are potentially more amusing, as Star Wars, being a movie, not television, series has no "opening", per se, other than the trademark scrolling text … which doesn't really lend itself to remixing.
The Rebel Alliance goes up against the infinitely better equipped Empire. Who else often makes the best of minimal resources? MacGuyver, of course! (Compare with the original)
Star Wars lives up to its name with some memorable dogfights. Add some atmosphere, and you might get Airwolf(original):
And finally, like Star Trek, this series has also been remade to look like Dallas, rife with familial drama and intrigue (original):
This collection the question: what is it with all the 1980s TV show openings? Where are Buffy or Friends — or even Star Trek? Now that would be cool: Star Wars: Enterprise!
In less than a month, Star Trek will see a rebirth. Though initial impressions are positive, there are still fans worried about taking the franchise in a new direction. Change is bad, right?
In contrast, I've always found Star Trek to be limited in its scope. Why must science fiction be its own genre? Surely there's room for Star Trek to explore other styles, such as comedy or murder-mystery. How about Friends: Ten-Forward or CSI: Cardassia?
Some enterprising (heh) editors are of the same opinion and, as proof of concept, have remodeled Star Trek after their favorite hits from the past. What would Kirk and company look like if they composed The A-Team?
Need less action and a bit more intrigue? Then try Dallas:
Or, if you prefer something more light-hearted, how about Gilligan's Island?
If, after seeing all these alternatives, you're still a purist who believes Star Trek belongs firmly in the future, then let us at least return to 1969, the era in which it was launched:
It's Saturday morning, the day after the debut of Watchmen. For those of you who caught the film on its opening night, why not continue the adventure on your home television today with the exciting Watchmen Saturday morning cartoon?
If you're not familiar with the personalities and darkness of the source material, the above clip may seem like your typical kid-friendly cartoon, capturing perfectly the silliness of shows like Superfriends or Captain Planet. But it is in fact a hilarious perversion of everything Watchmen embodies, with undertones that would be completely lost on its apparent target audience. Alan Moore found his original graphic novel so unfilmable, he's taken his name off Zack Snyder's adaptation; imagine how he'd feel about this?
It's Friday — and what better way to start your weekend than with a RiffTrax? As if this week's release of the Iron Man riff weren't attractive enough, the generous geniuses that brought us MST3K have now delivered a FREE riffing of an entire episode of the Bill Bixby series The Incredible Hulk.
It gets even better: not only is no purchase necessary, but neither is any downloading or syncing. This riff comes with audio AND video in one tidy package, streaming at you courtesy Hulu. Check it out at RiffTrax.com. (Available in the USA only)
Today is the release of The Dark Knight, for which I, a diehard DC comics fan, am not waiting in line to see. I was thoroughly underwhelmed with its predecessor, Batman Begins — Christian Bale just isn't the man to portray Gotham's caped crusader.
That opinion is a happy consequence of the fact that there isn't one right way to portray the Dark Knight. There have been many interpretations of the character over the years, and Web 2.0 has allowed fans to put him in their own tales as well. The dark, landmark short "Dead End" is one of my favorites, as it plays on many of the grim aspects of both Batman and the comic book medium that are so appealing.
"Dead End" also provides a sharp contrast from which to create more humorous takes on Batman. Ever since Frank Miller (of 300 and Sin City fame) wrote The Dark Knight Returns in 1986, most incarnations of Batman have depicted him as brooding and violent character. So any return to the campiness with which Adam West first brought Batman to life is a welcome relief, such as shown in this recent release, entitled "Batman's Bad Day":
This film is funny for more than showing how superheroes treat each other when not in crisis management mode. Showbits contributor Hiphopguy23 hates the Man of Steel for having every other character's superpower, usurping any other hero's usefulness. It's past time to see him and his god-like brethren put in their place — and the quintessential Boy Scout's uncharacteristic riposte is a great zinger.
Another recent entry into the Batman fanfilm category is one that doesn't feature Batman at all, and again features a surprising ending. I give you "The Interrogator":
This is just a small sampling of the creative output of the Batman fan community; a more complete index can be found at BatmanFanFilms.com. And if you too are uninterested in today's theatrical release, check out Dayton Ward's Batman gallery, which takes the audio and action of the Dark Knight trailer and recreates it using a variety of media, from animation to LEGOs. Finally, remember that the animated film Batman: Gotham Knight is now available on DVD, serving as a bridge between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.
It's Friday — and what better way to start your weekend than with a