Cloverfield Blu-Ray DVD

I've been handling a number of e-mails from people about the upcoming DVD release of Cloverfield. Many are worried about the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray version of Cloverfield after insiders outed Paramount Home Entertainment as rushing a sub-par version of the Cloverfield Blu-Ray to the shelves after Toshiba killed the HD-DVD format.

The next-generation of DVD's were in a format war between HD-DVD (by Toshiba) and Blu-Ray (by Sony). Studios began lining up with Blu-Ray which led to all of the major studios backing Blu-Ray except NBC Universal and Paramount.

Toshiba finally pulled the plug on HD-DVD a week or so back after facing the realization that manufacturers, studios, and distributors were not going to support their format. The big names like Warner Bros. went with Blu-Ray as well as Wal-Mart and Netflix which turned the tide toward Sony.

OK. That's the basic backstory. Now all the projects at Paramount that were being developed for HD-DVD will have to switch horses in midstream. The March 4 releases Into the Wild and Things We Lost in the Fire will be Paramount Home Entertainment’s last titles in the HD DVD format, the studio confirmed.

The rest of the movies slated for March and April have had the HD-DVD version pulled and for now only will have the standard DVD released until the studio can get a Blu-Ray version available. As Paramount Home Entertainment scrambles to get caught up with the transition it is starting to look like one of the first victims will be Cloverfield.

A bunch of interactive and viral goodies were slated to appear on the Cloverfield HD-DVD. When the format was killed Paramount was allegedly still committed to the Cloverfield DVD release date (rumored to be April 15th in the U.S., June 8th in U.K. ) with a Blu-Ray version that may not contain most of the HD-DVD features. The programmers need more time to get the Blu-Ray version ready and they fear Paramount Home Entertainment will not give it to them. Here is one of the original e-mails talking about the subject.

"A lot of people worked hard for over a month creating some amazing extra features for the HD release of "Cloverfield." At first it looked like not many consumers would see these features, as the release was planned for HD-DVD like Paramount's other recent titles. But now that Toshiba's HD-DVD format is dead, Paramount is scrambling to release "Cloverfield" on Blu-ray - on the original HD-DVD street date. As a result, the current belief is that there's not enough time to program all the extra features (including lots of new story stuff, along the lines of the viral campaign's backstory) in time for the Blu-ray release, and all this great work will be scrapped. That would suck! So I'm hoping that if you and others help spread the word, maybe the fans could make enough noise to convince Paramount Home Entertainment's marketing division to postpone the Blu-ray release by a few weeks so the disc can include all the extra materials. Demand it!"

Thank you!

-"Anonymous"

So Cloverfield fans should mull this thought over. Would you like to wait a few more weeks for a complete DVD that might satisfy your tastes? I know that Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats are still a minority in DVD sales as most people still have the standard DVD setup but it is a growing technology and a prime candidate for fans to get more than just the movie.

Fans of the movie should be willing to wait as noted with the David Fincher Zodiac DVD release. The studio originally released just the movie with no extras in July of last year and then some 6 months later gave us the Fincher Directors cut loaded with tons of extras. Hopefully for Cloverfield the programmers would not need 6 more months!

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Star Trek's Scientific Consultant

Star Trek director J.J. Abrams is bringing in some scientific brains to make sure his latest adaptation of the Sci-Fi classic has scientific merit. And, he didn't skimp on the talent. Abrams got hold of a scientist from NASA who helped on their planetary visits.

Carolyn Porco, a former faculty member at the University of Arizona, will advise graphics technicians after the Star Trek film has been shot, lending a measure of credibility to the imaginary technology depicted onscreen. The movie, which depicts the early adventures of series icons Kirk and Spock, is due out in May 2009.

Porco, 54, served in a similar capacity for "Contact" (1997). She's the leader of the Imaging Science team on NASA's Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan, director of the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. and an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado.

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George Takei Not In New Star Trek Movie?

It's starting to sound like a mixed bag when it comes to the original Star Trek cast and who will appear in the new J.J. Abrams directed Star Trek movie.

It is already confirmed that Leonard Nimoy will be back as Spock and that William Shatner will not return as Captain Kirk. As for the other main players DeForest Kelley (Bones) died back in 1999 and James Doohan (Scotty) passed back in 2005. I haven't heard if Uhura or Chekov will be in the new movie but it doesn't look like it at the moment.

George Takei (Sulu) looks to be out at the moment after word came this week that he will not be in the new Star Trek movie.

"TrekMovie.com has talked to sources and Mr. Takei himself to get to the truth. The answer is NO"

"The report on AICN states that Takei "recently had lunch with J.J. Abrams," however Mr. Takei tells TrekMovie.com that it was actually a breakfast last fall before filming began on the project. Takei would not go into details about his talk with Abrams because "the whole conversation is privileged," however the actor did express concern over how not commenting has been "turned into an affirmation" that he will appear in the new Star Trek movie.

"According to multiple sources connected to the film, George Takei will not appear in the new Star Trek. The film makers are fans of Takei's, but he just doesn't fit into the story they are telling." (source)

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Lost's Matthew Fox keeps plotlines from other cast members

Matthew Fox knows how to keep a good secret.

He says he is forever pleading ignorant when fans -- and sometimes fellow cast members -- try to extract juicy details about the show's many secrets from him.

And often, Fox says, he's not giving those people the whole story.

As a friend of the show's creators, JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof, Fox has occasionally been privy to plotlines ahead of time, but is sworn to secrecy. (...continue)

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X-Files 2 Trailer Leaked

X-Files, the sci-fi classic Television series (and one movie) is heading back toward the theaters this summer with a brand new movie. I'm curious on how this movie will play out with audiences. You have the die-hard fans who will be there. That's a given. But, I'm curious since it's been a decade since the 1st movie (and the show's peak) if the movie can still draw the casual viewer.

The cast and crew of the upcoming movie X-Files 2 gave the audience last week at Wondercon 2008 an added bonus of the first look at the film in the form of a theatrical teaser. The sequel to the sci-fi classic is due out in theaters July 25th, 2008


Leaked X-Files 2 Trailer

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JJ Abrams Talks Cloverfield II

J.J. Abrams talks to ReelzChannel about the possibilities of a Cloverfield 2 along with his other movie projects.

Dailies | J.J. Abrams

Edward at the Tagruato Blog worked hard to get the transcript of the interview for the Cloverfield portions of the interview. Be sure to head his way and give him some of the love. The lady doing the interview is a little hard to hear at times so hat tip to Edward for the tip and transcript.

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Suresh's Dream Study

Someone has made a website at Activating Evolution dedicated to the work of Dr. Suresh, the geneticist from the hit NBC TV show Heroes. Although this is a new site to me it looks like the site first got noticed last month then either disappeared or didn't update until recently. I did come across a couple of blogs mentioning it back in January. I only became aware of the site after they advertised on another of my blogs.

If anyone has any info on whether this is a legit viral site or just a fan site feel free to let me know. Within the links you'll find another link to this fake Primatech Paper Company. This is the fake company from Heroes that Noah Bennett worked at. Here is the real Primatech Paper Website from the show which popped out a year ago.

Dr. Suresh's Dream Study focuses on Gene Mapping and is a viral site for the hit show Heroes. I really like Heroes but I have to admit I haven't really followed their viral action too closely. What really stinks is due to the Writer's Strike there won't be new Heroes until September.

"We dream of hope. We dream of change. Of fire, of love, of death. And then it happens. The dream becomes real. And the answer to this quest, this need to solve life's mysteries finally shows itself. Like the glowing light of a new dawn. So much struggle for meaning, for purpose. And in the end, we find it only in each other. Our shared experience of the fantastic. And the mundane. The simple human need to find a kindred, to connect. And to know in our hearts... that we are not alone."

- Dr. Mohinder Suresh

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Detailed Cloverfield Monster Pictures From 2008 Toy Fair

Cloverfield Monster toy

I was going through some of the great images from the toy fair for my other site when I came across these dandy pictures of the Cloverfield Monster toy. Along with the Indiana Jones toys this Cloverfield monster toy is one of the best from the fair. It helps when you present the Cloverfield Monster tearing up New York City in a killer diorama.

Hasbro has made the $100 Cloverfield Monster toy that is due for release in September. Along with the Cloverfield Monster you'll get some of the parasites, interchangeable heads, and the head of the Statue of Liberty. It's supposed to roar as well. Catch the entire photo gallery here!

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Cloverfield Monster Designer Neville Page

Cloverfield Monster picture

Neville Page has finally allowed io9.com to talk to them about his design for the recent movie monster, "Clover" (as he calls it) from Cloverfield. Right now, Page is working on James Cameron's Avatar, the movie adaptation of Watchmen, and J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek. But with the new Cloverfield Monster toy out, all we wanted to do was talk monster. And we got some good answers. Did you know Clover has more than one way to eat? Find out everything you want to know about the Cloverfield monster in our interview with Page.

What inspired your design? What sources did you draw from?

Well, once we had a direction the inspirations were definitely aquatic. Especially with the head. There is a very complex skeletal structure in there for eating, but you don't see it at all in the movie or toy. Clover also has a complex breathing system and more than one way to eat. But, again, it is hardly obvious in the film nor toy. Honestly, the biggest inspiration is less about one or two other animals, but rather inspired by biological plausibility in general (ignoring the fact that something that big could never live on land). Sometime the cart has to lead the horse and you make it cool first then justify it later, but I always try to give the creatures I design a "good reason" to be. As for the parasite, I knew that I wanted something thin and vertical and light. Kinda like a flea.

The monster looks ungainly and J.J. Abrams has said in the press notes that it's a "baby". Was that also part of the design? For it to look a bit clumsy?

I would have preferred that it be even clumsier. But then it can get comical. Yes, it was the intention that it is a baby and it is not only developing its strength, but also its land legs. The proportions are intended to feel a little like a new born deer or horse. Long, thin and slightly awkward.

Do you think there will be a sequel for sure? We know they've said that they are working on one.

I am only speculating here, but I do think so. There are so many other movies that have sequels that make you wonder why. So, if a motivation to make a movie is based on the box office success, then it seems very probable. I have asked, and I still don't know yet. Regardless, I am designing Clover 2 in my head. (...continue interview)

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The Man Behind The Cloverfield Monster. Phil Tippett Talks Shop

Phil Tippett is a living legend in the movie biz. Not only has he had a chance to work on some of the greatest movies in history but he is also one of the leading special effects wizards who has helped define the industry.

The San Francisco Chronicle takes a look at the works of Phil Tippett and his Tippett Studios which includes work on the recent J.J. Abrams monster flick Cloverfield and The Spiderwick Chronicles as well as greats Jurassic Park and the original Star Wars trilogy.

"It's not hard to find Phil Tippett, who is waiting upstairs in the main building of his special-effects studio in Berkeley. Just follow the trail of Tyrannosaurus rex models, which are scattered liberally among the memorabilia from scores of science fiction films he's contributed to since his groundbreaking work on "Star Wars."

"Little boys diverge into two groups: One goes into trucks and the other goes into dinosaurs," he says. "I went into dinosaurs."

Among the special-effects pioneers of his era, many of whom have settled in the Bay Area, Tippett is a bit of a dinosaur himself. The Berkeley native carried the stop-motion animation torch longer than anyone else, and was so despondent when computer graphics took over the industry in the early 1990s, that he became physically ill.

But a decade and a half later, his studio continues to thrive - known for its superior creature effects. Tippett Studio was responsible for the monster in "Cloverfield," and the studio teamed with Industrial Light & Magic to create various beasts for "The Spiderwick Chronicles." Tippett's resume already contained a toy chest's worth of science fiction geek icons, starting with the animated chessboard monsters in "Star Wars" and the stop-motion AT-AT snow walkers in "The Empire Strikes Back."

"Phil's like this big blustery guy - he's grumpy but he's also funny," says Spiderwick animation supervisor Todd Labonte, who has worked at Tippett Studio for almost a decade. "And then you start talking about work, and he has this great understanding of animation and animal behavior." (...continue)

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What's Aladygma?

I've had a few requests to look into the Aladygma rumors. /Film found a little bit of info on the possible Cloverfield sequel codenamed Aladygma. Knowing J.J. Abrams and his ability to defy truth seekers with his magical mystery box, Aladygma is probably something different and new.

If anyone is good at anagrams take a pop at "Aladygma." Abrams and Bad Robot are know for their anagrams and obscure references so let me know if anything comes up.

A Google search finds an Aladygma website with the text "Start date 00 | 11 | 22 | 88" and "coming soon next day?" in the bottom right. This site is probably unrelated but who knows with Abrams?

Now, if you spell Aladygma backwards, and who wouldn't, and switch a letter you'll get Amgydala. This is an actual word which is means "One of the basal ganglia in the limbic system of the brain thought to control motivation and emotion. It may also contain the memory of recent events."

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Cloverfield Monster Toy Pictures Released!

Cloverfield Monster Toy

About a month ago Hasbro announced that a new toy based on the Cloverfield Monster would be on sale for roughly $100 and it would be released in September (see Own the Cloverfield Monster for $100). However, no pictures were released of the Cloverfield monster or the toy at that time. The press release only described the Cloverfield monster as:

* 70 points of articulation and incredible life-like detail
* Authentic sound
* 14” tall
* 10 parasites
* Two interchangeable heads
* Statue of Liberty head accessory
* Special Cloverfield collector’s edition packaging

The Hasbro site has finally loaded up some images of the Cloverfield Monster (order here) finally which marks the first official Cloverfield Monster tie-in. A huge hat tip to Eddy at the Tagruato Blog for keeping an eye out for this and letting me know when they came up.

These pictures of the Cloverfield Monster showcases how ugly the beast really is. Oddly, the lung sacks that were on the side of the head (seen in the movie quite well) are not visible or are on this model painted gray.

The Cloverfield Monster toy also requires 3 AAA batteries to help fuel the Cloverfield Monster Roar (sample Cloverfield Monster roar here) that is allegedly available on the toy.

Grrrrrrr.....

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Picture of the Cloverfield Monster

Picture of the Cloverfield Monster

Here is an enhanced image of the Cloverfield Monster, aptly nicknamed Mr. Grumpy Pants by some fans. This image is from the latest Cloverfield commercials which shows the Cloverfield Monster in all its glory.

Well, kinda. The clip is only a second or two but other than the end scene at Central Park it's one of the best videos of the Cloverfield Monster.

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Lost - The Economist

Lost episode "The Economist" features a Sayid-centric storyline which follows his percise targeting of individuals (with a gun) in a flash-forward. Back on the island, Locke's hostage may be the key to getting off the island, so Sayid and Kate go in search of their fellow castaway in an attempt to negotiate a peaceful deal.

Sayid gets caught up targeting a woman named Elsa in Berlin. He ends up falling for her and tries to warn her off the danger. Instead, he is met with a double-cross. Here are some screen-caps to help you digest the episode. Spoilers warning!


Sayid prays (l), his first target (r)


Sayid on the golf course


Berlin (l), with snow and Fernsehturm (large TV tower),
Naomi's picture of Desmond and Penny (r)


Naomi's braclet. Reads: " N. I'll always be with you. R.G"


Daniel does a test (l), Hurley is locked up by Locke in the bunkers (r)


Daniel's experiment. A small rocket launched from the boat
arrives at Daniel's exact location, only 31 minutes late.


In Ben's room Sayid sees a secret room entrance (l). Inside
is Ben's stash of clothes, papers, money, and more.


Drawer full of foreign currency.


Sayid finds Ben's passports.


Ben's Swiss passport.


Kate and Sawyer talk in Ben's room. Star charts and unique
masks adorn the walls.


Game room with pinball machines hold Sayid and Ben prisoner (l),
Elsa finds out Sayids secret.


Elsa (l) and her bracelet (r) which looks familiar
to Naomi's bracelet.


Sayid gets a helicopter ride out of town (l), and seeks medical
aide at a Berlin vet.


Ben treats Sayid. He is the one with the list of people for
Sayid to kill. He claims it is to help protect those left on
the island.

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