Angry the Clown

Did we ever discuss the added S.E.A references being dropped into the new Jungle Cruise queue at Disneyland? That's the Society of Explorers and Adventurers that was conceived by Imagineering to tie backstories of various lands and attractions together when they were working on Disney Sea and has since seen references expand to almost every Disney park in one way or another. There was also talk of it being the basis of a Disney+ show that Ron Moore is supposed to be working on, but whether that's still happening I don't know. I hope so as it's such a neat idea, like a Disney League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I think it's the most brilliant story concept Imagineering has had (I probably love it as it reminds me of old Adventurers Club). At WDW, something curious happened. There were boxes with the S.E.A logo stamped on them, but they have since been removed and now they only go so far as to have Hightower Industries imprints on boxes in the queue apparently (Harrison Hightower, of Tokyo Tower of Terror fame, is written to be a member of S.E.A). Kevin Lively said there are other new S.E.A references still to be found throughout though. One of the characters on the pole trying to escape the Rhino's is also a S.E.A member.

Substantial performance improvements coming to PC this month: https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/1/22558803/microsoft-flight-simulator-pc-performance-improvements-patch

The Willy Wonka disc is great. I was pleasantly surprised that Warner even restored the Paramount logo to the opening of the film.

Yes! That and the surfing one are really trying my patience.

No.

Paramount are finally releasing Beavis and Butthead Do America on Blu-ray on October 5th.

There's no Apple One sub just for those interested in Music and TV+ is there? I wish there was. I actually wish there was an al la carte option too where they'd just let you pick the subs you want and apply a discount accordingly.

1931 Dracula is now 4k/HDR on iTunes which adds further fuel to the fire that Classic Monsters are not far off from receiving a UHD disc release as international retail listings have hinted. I wonder if we'd get the Spanish Dracula in 4k on disc too. I'd be so happy if we did (Universal could probably put both on a 100GB disc).

And continuing the subject of books. I'm looking forward to that. Tom K Morris hyped it up on Twitter this past week as one to look forward to. It's due to be released in October/November. I'm only seeing it listed as a softcover which is a shame. Eat Like Walt was a hardcover (I still need to get that). I need to schedule some finances for another parks related book spending spree. The monorail book from last year is high on my list.

I think it's probably too new for them to want to do a deep dive into it, so doing a little here and there in The Imagineering Story and Behind the Attraction can basically serve as more of a PR function for the land and the rides. It's funny to think that it's a two year old land already but that with COVID restricting access to WDW, and Disneyland being closed for a year, so few people will have experienced any of it. Have you had any interest in getting the Art of Galaxy's Edge book? It's on my list to grab at some point. There seems to be quite a bit in there showing what was abandoned in the concept stages/dropped due to budget. I'm actually surprised they published it so soon rather than waiting until they could incorporate art for the hotel in there too, so I'm wondering whether to hold off to see if a second edition, or an edition sold exclusively at WDW, ever emerges. Speaking of the hotel, it now has its own poster:

It works now. You may find the ATV app needs an update which patches in the 6 month offer. I now have an extension on my existing account through to Jan 26th!

New gen and PC only.

My trial from my iPad purchase ends next week so I'm happy about it too. I just need the offer to actually work as it doesn't quite seem as though it is active yet.

Six months free Apple TV+ (for new and existing subscribers) for PS5 owners: https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/deals/6-months-trial-apple-tv-ps5-offer/#terms

Microsoft and their partners have announced new official flight-sim controller accessories: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/07/22/official-microsoft-flight-sim-accessories/

That's a good point. Aside from Kino doing the colour timing on the Man with No Name trilogy themselves I think MGM already had masters ready to roll for everything else. That's one reason why I could see Kino doing a UHD of West Side Story. I wonder if they'd do Robocop (assuming Arrow passed on the UHD rights themselves when they acquired rights for a Blu-ray), although, like Fargo, Robocop only seems to have a 4k SDR finish.

I read on Twitter last night a post stating that on screen it will be titled Dune Part I, but am not sure where confirmation of that is coming from. If true, it would at least imply that Warner are committed to Villenueve's vision for this.

Is that not because Jungle Cruise is effectively Dad Jokes: The Ride? I think that's part of the problem when they keep going back to the same key rides, all of "the untouchables" have been pretty well documented in some form or another. Disney have no genuine interest in their own history, particularly parks history, outside of the existing classics unless they think they can package it and make money of it somehow which is why it's such a crying shame they would never dare focus forty minutes on an extinct attraction. Even something like Muppet Vision 3D, which is clinging on for dear life in Florida where I suspect execs are salivating at the thought of expanding Star Wars Land into that Muppets courtyard region of the park, would benefit immensely from a documentary as there must be a load of behind the scenes footage and photographs people have never seen, and as Henson's last completed Muppet project it absolutely deserves retrospective focus.

I still had not got round to upgrading my Criterion DVD of that to their Blu-ray, so it's great to see Kino doing a UHD (I have to keep the Criterion DVD though as that commentary is an all time favourite). It would be a huge shame if Amazon's buyout of MGM puts and end to MGM licensing out titles to indie labels, especially with their relationship with Kino being particularly on fire right now. Kino's latest contract with MGM was struck as recently as this month, so there's at least still an open window of opportunity until the ink is written and dry on the Amazon deal should things change. It's also very telling that Criterion had zero interest/foresight to acquire UHD rights to certain titles they've already acquired like Silence of the Lambs when they would have had the opportunity. So what's the tally of announced Kino UHDs up to now? Eastern Promises* Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind* A Fistful of Dollars (SDR) For a Few Dollars More (SDR) Invasion of the Bodysnatchers [1978 version] Misery Out of Sight* The Silence of the Lambs Touch of Evil* * Status/release date unknown. Am I forgetting any? It's curious that it happens to be the four Universal titles above that we're still waiting on final details for. It also seems like the twelve forthcoming UHDs they promised are all MGM related so that figure would not include those Universal titles they've announced). In which case we now know five of those MGM movies. They apparently have "some" 1950s titles from MGM to come. 12 Angry Men could possibly be one of those (which would be typical as I bought the Criterion Blu on sale a couple of months ago). I've yet to grab Criterion's disc of Some Like it Hot however, so a UHD of that from Kino would be delightful. I REALLY want them to do Raging Bull. Fargo would be nice too as MGM already have a 4k master of that one (though it's SDR). I wonder if they have acquired Carrie? I've still not picked up the Arrow Blu-ray of that one. West Side Story would be welcome too since MGM already have it in 4k/DV on iTunes and Spielberg's version is coming soon.

I need to redeem a free month of D+ from Xbox before the offer expires (September I think). That's a good selection for the first five episodes. I can only assume Pirates will be an obligatory choice for the second wave of episodes. I wonder what the others might be though. It's a shame they'd never do episodes about rides that no longer exist. It's hard to imagine it being worthwhile focusing on anything from EPCOT outside of looking back to extinct attractions.

That he's managed to make two radically different period dramas back to back durning the pandemic seems like something only he could do (the other being House of Gucci). The man's an 83yr old machine of unrivalled efficiency.

This is leaving Game Pass soon so there's probably only a couple of weeks left to play it for those who have yet to check it out (as noted in posts above, it's not a long game at all so shouldn't be difficult to clear). I had previously only fired it up ever so briefly before being distracted by bigger games in my backlog, but on hearing the news it will be departing the service I fired it up again this evening and I think it's an absolute delight of a game, and visually it's a treat. I'll definitely 100% this over the coming days as it's incredibly easy to dip in and out of at leisure. I thought that was really cute too. It's basically a retro version of actual F-Zero Clone Fast RMX (which Shin'en also developed).

Surprised but nevertheless pleased to see Studio Canal are bringing The Servant to UHD in the UK on Sept 21st: Special Features: Feature in both 1:66 and 1:77 aspect ratios NEW: Locations featurette with Adam Scovell NEW: Video essay with Film Historian Matthew Sweet and Film Critic Phuong Le Trailer Stills Gallery Interview with Wendy Craig Interview with Sarah Miles Interview with Stephen Woolley Harry Burton on Harold Pinter John Coldstream on Dirk Bogarde Audio Interview with Douglas Slocombe conducted by Matthew Sweet Joseph Losey & Adolphus Mekas at the New York Film Festival in 1963 Harold Pinter Tempo Interview Joseph Losey Talks About The Servant James Fox Interviewed by Richard Ayoade 64 page booklet with essays by Peter Bradshaw and Anna Smith Artcards I'll likely wait for a standard edition as with most Studio Canal releases.

The Last Duel trailer (one of two Ridley Scott/Adam Driver team ups for 2021):

Leaving soon are: It Lurks Below The Touryst UnderMine I've done nothing with The Touryst beyond booting it up to admire how pretty it is. How Log t Beat has it down as around 5hrs in length so I'll try to get that done before it goes.