#as far as I know tony is the only one with solo posters in iron man 1

[glynnisi]

Marvel "Solo" Films- Unpopular Opinion

I don't know if there will be a 3rd solo/stand alone Black Panther film, but so far I'd say the Black Panther movies are the most consistent stand alone films in the MCU.

Black Panther was a cultural phenomenon with one of the best villains in the entire MCU. The cast, the world-building, COSTUMES, music. The only downside was that the 3rd act fight was dark. Wakanda Forever was a meaningful study in grief with perhaps the best teaser trailer EVER. Again, great cast, music, costumes, world-building. HEART. Namor was compelling. A little overstuffed w Iron Heart & Val on top of well-done Talokon. M'Baku stands out in both films. Nakia, Ramonda, Okoye & the Dorae. The tone from one film to the other is CONSISTENT.

Iron Man trilogy- the first Iron Man movie was awesome. Darker, grittier than much of the rest of the MCU. RDJ becoming Tony Stark. Cool suits/tech. Funny. Sad. Awesome. And then... the sequels kind of sucked. Yes, they had cool tech & stunts & RDJ carried them. But Tony pissing the suit? Bird? Fake Mandarin? *Cringe* They were bad.

My beloved, Captain America. Chris Evans did a great job as Steve Rogers. More nuanced & less flashy/quippy than Tony Stark, but great. CATFA was a sweet little comics movie w vintage vibe. Red Skull is a campy villain done as well as they could. Pretty good movie, not groundbreaking. BUT THEN- Captain America the Winter Soldier happened. It made Cap a badass. Fight scenes were AMAZING. Elevator scene! Cap & WS in the streets & at the end! Cap vs Quinjet! Nick Fury car chase. Black Widow badassery. Winter Soldier was scary & Hydra menacing. A tight, well-directed, well-written, well-edited, overall great FILM. Best of the MCU. PEAK Steve Rogers characterization. Yes. LOVED CATWS. So, then, Marvel said... "fuck Steve Rogers and his fans" (forever bitter & fuck you too Marvel). "RDJ's aging out & he makes $$$$. Let's give him Cap's 3rd film cuz BatmanVSuperman is coming & we're scared." IF you look at CACW as a Cap film, then Tony would be the villain. He's the 3rd act fight, the other face on the poster, the one trying to kill Steve. But, it's NOT a Cap film because Marvel couldn't suck RDJ off enough & could never nuance Tony's lack of emotional control as villainous. Nope. They made him Wooby crying out for his Mama. Waah! It's Avengers 2.5. It introduces Spiderman & Black Panther. It features every Avenger. It starts w Tony's early life trauma/loss of his parents/intro of his loving mom. (NO Sarah Rogers in Cap3, tho.) Then his guilt over lying & making Ultron & nearly ending the world. The longer end scene is Tony tending to his BF's injuries & sulking over Steve's apology. THEN we get a glimpse of Steve rescuing his friends from The Raft. Steve BARELY had more screen time than Tony in supposed Cap3. So, it's not a stand alone film. Cap fans were robbed.

The Thor films? Well. Uneven is an understatement. 1st Thor is kind of like the first Cap movie. Different tone. Deals well with campy comic elements. Branagh directed it as Shakespearean dramedy in space. Asgard is beautiful. Movie was made for the female gaze (like Mr. Hemsworth) and is a female fan fave. Thor the Dark World... is a dull follow-up. Malekith is the dullest villain ever. Dark Elves are so generic looking it's sad. If they'd been done differently, it could've had real menace. Lots of people are afraid of the dark, after all. Instead, Dark World is the most panned of all early Marvel films. Ragnarok is its polar opposite. Bright, colorful, comic-beautiful, but too funny. There's zero gravity to anything. Asgard explodes? Time for another joke. It's a fave, especially male fans. Thor is more badass in it, too. Loki is great. The faux tease of World War Hulk had fanboys delirious. And then there was Love & Thunder. Oh, L&T. Female fans were so excited for Mighty Thor/Jane Foster. Male fans were delirious that Gorr was coming & being played by Christian Bale. And, it's a huge flop. Again, comics beautiful. Too quippy, Taika. Not dark enough/wasted Gorr. Honestly, I enjoyed the kids/kiddishness because we took our son & he loved all that.

AntMan? The first was well done. Offbeat. Paul Rudd is CHARMING. Luis was the best thing in it. Scott's love for his daughter gave it HEART. Funny & fun. Great tone, though villain was meh. AntMan & the Wasp? Less fun. In big part that's because there were cast members phoning it in. Fishburne doesn't realize he was in it, FFS. Positive fam dynamic was too cheesily played. Meh. Then, Quantumania. Wait that may be the biggest flop of all MCU now. No stakes. No LUIS??? Exposition that something's coming? Lots of "care about these quirky characters you just met" and "listen... we're telling you Kang is bad... what? why should we show you?" Sigh. And... visuals were murky when the Quantum Realm should be vivid and sharp and vibrant and the most important element of the film.

Marvel is lucky so many fans have good imaginations and make their characters better than they did.

[lands-of-fantasy]

MCU Character Posters

Don Cheadle as James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine in

Iron Man 2 (2010)  Iron Man 3 (2013) (as Iron Patriot) Captain America: Civil War (2016)  Avengers: Infinity War (2018)  Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years (2018 Celebration) Avengers: Endgame (2019)

In development: Armor Wars movie

[aion-rsa]

The Real Martial Arts Behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

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This article contains some minor spoilers for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

In the pages of Marvel Comics, Shang-Chi is known as the “Master of Kung Fu.” So when Marvel Studios announced the character to help usher in MCU Phase 4, the one thought on every fan’s mind was that whoever gets cast in the lead role better really know Kung Fu. 

In the wake of Netflix’s Iron Fist, Marvel’s other Kung Fu master, there was a lot of skepticism. Marvel had scored with the previous Netflix series Daredevil, which delivered some of the best small screen fight choreography we’d ever seen. But Iron Fist was sorely lacking. Finn Jones just couldn’t sell a punch as Danny Rand, leaving fans of Marvel martial arts masters overwhelmingly disappointed. If there’s one thing that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings had to nail, it was the Kung Fu. 

Like Jones, Simu Liu had little martial arts experience before taking on the role of Shang-Chi. However, he already had the physique, so much so that appearing shirtless was a running joke when he played Jung in Kim’s Convenience. What’s more, Liu bulked up, added 10 more pounds of muscle while training for the film. 

Unlike a character like Daredevil, Shang-Chi doesn’t wear a mask, so Liu had to quickly pick up enough cinematic Kung Fu to appear masterful on screen. Fortunately, he was backed by a top-notch team of stuntmen and surrounded with a cast of veteran film fighters including Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Star Trek: Discovery), Tony Leung (Hero, The Grandmaster), Yuen Wah (Kung Fu Hustle), Florian Munteanu (Creed II), Andy Le (The Paper Tigers), and others. Even though Liu was new to Kung Fu, he carries the action scenes with panache.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is not only a good Marvel movie, it’s a good Kung Fu movie. It has the best fight scenes seen in the MCU so far. And although the movie doesn’t get bogged down in the specifics of Kung Fu style, there are telling nods throughout the film that shows the filmmakers knew their Kung Fu too. “We knew the martial arts had to be authentic,” says Director Destin Daniel Cretton. “In order for that to feel real, we worked with people who understood Chinese Kung Fu.”

Let’s take a look at some of the Kung Fu roots and martial arts Easter Eggs underlying Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsdone..

The Ten Rings are Real…Kind of

Wenwu (Tony Leung) is the villain of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and he wields ten magical rings that he wears on his forearms. These are the source of his power, as well as the name of his criminal organization. The origin of these rings is a prevailing mystery in the movie; however, their inspiration is not. 

Traditional Kung Fu practitioners use rings akin to these while training, particularly in Southern Chinese styles. Such rings are called tit waan in Cantonese, which literally means “iron rings” or “iron bracelets.” Iron rings are constructed of heavy metal, typically brass or steel, and are worn loosely on the forearms when practicing solo forms and doing arm drills. 

They serve two purposes. Firstly, they are heavy, usually weighing over a pound a piece, so they act like wrist weights. Secondly, unlike Wenwu’s magical rings which conform to fit his forearms perfectly, real iron rings are looser. They must be narrow enough so that they stay on when the practitioner makes a fist, but they are far from form fitting. This gives them play to bang against the practitioner’s forearms when they are shadowboxing. The banging conditions the user’s forearms, hardening them to withstand the impact of blocking. Some iron ring practitioners have forearms that are so tough they can severely damage an adversary’s punch with their ring-hardened blocks.

Although iron rings are not conventionally considered as weapons, Kung Fu practitioners have figured out ways to weaponize just about everything. Some wield iron rings like brass knuckles, holding them in their fists for punching. 

Kung Fu Hustle

Weaponized iron rings are used in the 2004 comedy Kung Fu Hustle. The character Tailor (Chiu Chi Ling) fights with them. Chiu is a genuine master of Hung Ga Kung Fu, a southern style that uses iron ring training extensively. 

Director Destin Daniel Cretton claims that Kung Fu Hustle is one of his favorite martial arts movies so there are other nods to it in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, including when a Kung Fu Hustle poster can be seen on a bedroom wall in the background. What’s more, Yuen Wah also appears as the warrior leader of Ta Lo who oversees Katy’s (Awkwafina) archery training. Yuen played the Landlord in Kung Fu Hustle and is a veteran martial arts actor with nearly 200 film credits. He is also the Kung Fu brother of Jackie Chan. 

Yuen Qiu, who plays the Landlady in Kung Fu Hustle is a mutual Kung Fu sibling. Jackie, Yuen Wah and Yuen Qiu were all pupils of Yu Jim-Yuen, a master of Chinese opera who trained them all from childhood.  They all took stage names that included the “Yuen” part of their master’s name (Jackie Chan was known as Yuen Lau as a child). Others among that troupe were many of the movers and shakers of Hong Kong’s golden age of Kung Fu films, such as Sammo Hung (a.k.a. Yuen Lung) and famed action choreographer, Yuen Woo-Ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill). 

Tiger Head Hooks

The signature weapons of the Ten Rings are Tiger Head Hooks. These are those black glowing hooked swords that the gang members wield. They also appear on the Ten Rings banner. It’s an excellent choice because Tiger Head Hooks are one of the most distinctively Kung Fu weapons of all. 

In Chinese, these are called Hu tou shuang gou, which literally means “Tiger head paired hooks.” “Paired” because they are typically used in pairs. Sometimes they are just translated as Hook Swords. They have a sword blade with a hooked tip, a crescent-shaped blade for a knuckle guard, and a dagger blade for a pommel. Every edge is sharp. The only place they are not sharp is the handle. This makes them very difficult to wield. Consequently, Tiger Hooks are considered an advanced Kung Fu weapon. 

The reference book Ancient Chinese Weapons by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming dates Tiger Head hooks back to China’s Spring Autumn Period (771-476 BCE), however those ancient hooks likely took on a different form. The modern style of Tiger Head hooks as seen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings rose to prominence around the 1800s. They are still practiced today, mostly by Northern schools of Kung Fu.

What Style of Kung Fu Does Shang-Chi Practice?

Kung Fu is renowned for its diverse collection of styles like Shaolin, Wing Chun, Tiger style, and countless others. There’s even Drunken style and Toad style. In the movie, Shang-Chi doesn’t adopt a particular style of Kung Fu. Some of his moves have characteristics of Wing Chun or Bajiquan, but there’s nothing in the choreography to indicate a very specific style.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The warriors of Ta Lo are different. While their style is not explicit, their peacekeeping philosophy is expressed through the soft, internal styles of Kung Fu like Tai Chi. When Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh) schools Shang-Chi in their first match, it’s reminiscent of how airbending is depicted in Avatar: The Last Airbender. 

However, the connection is deeper than that. Despite its fantasy elements, Avatar based its martial arts sequences on authentic Kung Fu by mo-capping Sifu Kisu, a renowned martial arts master. Kisu designated specific styles for each school of bending. Airbending was based upon an internal style of Kung Fu known as Baguazhang, or Eight Diagram Palm. Like Tai Chi, it has a soft expression. It relies on circular movements and pivoting evasions. Several of Yeoh’s techniques are plucked straight out of Baguazhang.

The Masters Behind Shang-Chi’s Martial Arts

Credit for Shang-Chi’s Kung Fu authenticity falls on the film’s top notch stunt team. Two are leading graduates of the legendary Jackie Chan Stunt Team. The fight on the hi-rise scaffolding is a homage to Jackie’s parkour-inspiring choreography. Andy Cheng worked on around half a dozen of Jackie’s films including his first two Rush Hour films, Shanghai Noon, The Tuxedo, and Who Am I? where Jackie does one of his all-time greatest stunts, sliding down the Willemswerf skyscraper in Rotterdam. He was also the action director for Into the Badlands. When Jackie inevitably stepped back from doing his own stunts, Cheng stepped in for him. 

“We were very concerned [about Kung Fu] from the very beginning,” says Cretton. “Marvel was also concerned and wanted to get it right. [They] knew that Marvel fans, wouldn’t have let it slide if we did a Hollywood version of a whitewashed Kung Fu movie. To be able to, we brought in Brad Allan.” Brad Allan was the first non-Asian to make Jackie’s stunt team. He also worked on around a dozen of Jackie’s films (this is approximate because stunt work wasn’t always credited).

Who Was Brad Allan?

You can’t miss the credits in any MCU film. In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, there’s a prominent dedication to Allan at the very end. Tragically, on August 7th, 2021, Brad Allan died unexpectantly at the early age of 48, sending the martial arts world reeling from the loss of one of its brightest stars. Beyond Shang-Chi, Allan leaves behind an exemplary legacy of action films where he served as the Second Unit Director including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Cuban Fury, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and the Kingsman trilogy. 

Allan was obsessed with the martial arts from childhood and rose to compete internationally in Wushu, representing Australia where he was born and raised. Through a chance encounter, he was able to demonstrate his skills to Jackie, and Jackie liked what he saw so much that he took Allan under his wing. 

In 1999, Allan played Alan, the villain in Jackie’s film Gorgeous, which coincidentally also stars Tony Leung. With Allan clad in black and Jackie in white, their finale fight is, well, it’s gorgeous. It’s two of the greatest masters of the craft delivering top notch fight choreography. Allan spent most of his career modestly behind the scenes, so Gorgeous is the outstanding example of his speed and agility. It’s heartbreaking that Allan didn’t get to see the premiere of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Allan’s final work will be seen in The King’s Man later this year.

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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now playing in theaters.

The post The Real Martial Arts Behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: The Fly Collection

David Cronenberg's The Fly is commonly cited as a remake that is superior to the original; an assertion that's difficult to argue, but both films are effective mashups of science fiction and horror for their time. In fact, the Fly franchise - the 1958 original, its two sequels, the remake, and its sequel - is quite good as a whole. Scream Factory has collected them all on Blu-ray in a box set dubbed The Fly Collection.

Each of the five films is housed in an individual Blu-ray case with original poster art, all of which are packaged inside a rigid slipcover case featuring new artwork. 20th Century Fox's existing high definition transfers have been utilized, and each presentation is crisp and clear. The movies are accompanied by a variety of newly-produced special features along with archival extras to make viewers buzz with excitement.

The Fly begins with an atypical murder-mystery, in which the mystery is not a whodunit but rather a whydunit. Helene Delambre (Patricia Owens, Sayonara) immediately confesses to killing her husband, scientist Andre Delambre (David Hedison, Live and Let Die), via hydraulic press - first to her husband's brother, Francois (Vincent Price, House on Haunted Hill), and then to the detective on the case, Inspector Charas (Herbert Marshall, Foreign Correspondent), - but she refuses to say why.

The slow build pays off with a dramatic reveal toward the end of an extended flashback sequence that makes up the film's second act. Andre invented a light-speed teleportation device, the disintegrator-integrator, that he eventually went through himself, only to have a pesky fly unknowingly join him. The result is a disquieting hybrid with a human body topped by a fly's head, revealed in an iconic shot that harkens back to the climax of The Phantom of the Opera.

The creature is ingrained in pop culture, but it's easy to imagine audiences in 1958 being shocked by the dramatic reveal. The theatrical trailer smartly features Vincent Price addressing the audience directly, teasing the "unearthly horror" without revealing anything. The special effects may be schlocky by modern standards, but the overall concept - based on the 1957 short story of the same name by George Langelaan - holds up quite well.

The Fly is directed by Kurt Neumann (Rocketship X-M) and written by James Clavell (The Great Escape), marking his only foray into genre pictures. Neumann died under mysterious circumstances shortly before the film's release, missing its commercial success as one of Fox's biggest hits of the year. Shot in CinemaScope with Color by Deluxe, the picture features cinematography by Karl Struss (The Great Dictator) that makes the laboratory's sleek production design pop.

The Fly's Blu-ray disc has two audio commentaries. The first is a new track featuring filmmakers/historians Steve Haberman (co-writer of Dracula: Dead and Loving It) and Constantine Nasr. It's educational but far more casual than the average historian commentary, and much better for it. The second is a light, cheery track with Hedison circa 2008. His memory is sharp, and he proudly discusses playing his character for the duration, including when his face is obscured by a cloth and, later, the fly mask.

Fly Trap: Catching a Classic is ported over from the 2007 DVD. The making-of featurette includes Hedison, Haberman, David Frankham, Tony Timpone, Donald F. Glut, and more, and even touches on the sequels, but at 11 minutes, it's only able to scratch the surface. A 1997 episode of Biography on Vincent Price features interviews with the likes of Roger Corman, Dennis Hopper, Roddy McDowall, Hazel Court, Norman Lloyd, and daughter Victoria Price. Extras are rounded out by a brief Fox Movietone News segment about movie monsters attending the film's premiere, along with the aforementioned trailer.

Fox was quick to capitalize on the success of The Fly with a sequel, Return of the Fly, released in 1959. This was a time when sequels were not the norm, mind you, so the budget is noticeably smaller. It was shot in a mere 10 days and recycles sets from the first film. CinemaScope was utlized agan but this time in black and white, which feels like a regression yet also lends itself to a film noir atmosphere. It greatly pales in comparison to its predecessor, naturally, but it fares rather well for a rushed, cheap followup.

Price is the only original cast member to reprise his role, although several other characters return to be played by different actors. Well on his way to genre stardom, thanks in no small part to The Fly, Price receives top billing this time around; although he's still not really the main character. That honor goes to Brett Halsey (The Devil's Honey) as Philippe Delambre, the now-adult son of Andre who wishes to continue his father's mysterious work, against Francois' wishes.

Despite Andre's attempts to destroy all traces of his research in the previous film, Philippe is able to successfully recreate the disintegrator-integrator with the assistance of his father's former associate, Alan Hinds (David Frankham, 101 Dalmatians). Hinds, however, is a dastardly double-crosser out to sabotage Philippe for his own gain. He ultimately causes Philippe to suffer the same fate as his father, turning him into a mutant fly creature.

Writer-director Edward Bernds (World Without End) rehashes a lot for the sequel, but there are some interesting twists. While the original story's creature largely garnered sympathy between shocks, the sequel's creature is a victim that's out for revenge. It's occasionally played for scares, although the mask - oversized and cheesy compared to the original - isn't nearly as effective this time around, but the viewer is rooting for, rather than sympathizing with, the monster as a hero.

Return of the Fly's Blu-ray disc boasts three audio commentaries, two of which are new. Frankham showcases a miraculously good memory for a 93-year-old, citing events from 50 years prior with ease. He's joined by friend/actor Jonathan David Dixon, who facilitates the conversation and fills in the blanks as needed. The actor's sweet demeanor and impressive recollection caused me to add his 2012 autobiography, Which One Was David?, to my to-read list.

Film historian/author Tom Weaver's new commentary is informative yet feels conversational; a welcome change of pace from the typically dry solo historian track. The third commentary is an archival session with Halsey and film historian/journalist David Del Valle. It may not be the most enlightening listen, as Halsey's memory isn't as strong as Frankham's, but it's enjoyable enough. Other special features include the theatrical trailer, a TV spot, and a still gallery.

The diminishing budget and resources between The Fly and Return of the Fly pales in comparison to the decline from Return to Curse of the Fly. Released in 1965, the third and final entry in the original series was produced in the United Kingdom. With Price unable to return, as he was under an iron-clad contract with American International Pictures, a new story was conceived. The go-for-broke sequel extends the mythology but distorts the familial lineage, and there's no fly this time around.

Taking another jump into the near future, the film opens with a woman, who we later come to know as Patricia Stanley (Carole Gray, Island of Terror), running away from a mental institution in her underwear. The slow motion sequence is more likely to be mistaken for a Roger Corman exploitation picture rather than identified as a studio sequel. Patricia runs into Andre Delambre's grandson, Martin (The Spy Who Loved Me), and the two quickly fall for one another despite their respective sordid pasts.

Beyond the opening attempt at titillation, this is a slow burner that's decidedly less familiar than its predecessor. Martin and his father, Henri (Brian Donlevy, The Quatermass Xperiment), have continued to make advancements using the technology developed by Andre. They have successfully teleported between Quebec and London with terrible consequences; deformed experiments gone wrong are kept locked away like prisoners. A grotesque effect in the last act is a fitting precursor to the remake.

Director Don Sharp (The Kiss of the Vampire) and writer Harry Spalding (The Watcher in the Woods) present an interesting moral quandary. Once again shot in CinemaScope black and white, the picture has a bit of a Gothic horror atmosphere. It's never fully harnessed, but the plot flirts with Patricia's descent into madness. An ill-advised Caucasian actress (Yvette Rees) playing an Asian role - with obvious fake eyelids to change the shape of her eyes - is a harsh reminder of racist practices in Hollywood.

Curse of the Fly's Blu-ray disc kicks off with an audio commentary with Haberman and Nasr, who once again provide a thorough, analytical look at the film, making a compelling argument for it being superior to Return. In new interviews, actress Mary Manson recalls going under complicated makeup to play the "very, very odd part" of the film's most integral creature, and continuity person Renee Glynne doesn't remember much about her work on the picture but offers a perspective from a rarely-heard crew position. The theatrical trailer, a TV spot, and a still gallery are also included.

When The Fly received the remake treatment in 1986, director David Cronenberg (Videodrome) put his patented body-horror spin on the concept. But beyond the Academy Award-winning makeup effects, which are aberrant and plentiful, lays a beautiful romance. The lean-paced film gets into it right away, opening with quirky scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park) meeting journalist Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis, Beeteljuice).

Brundle courts Veronica by showing off his latest invention - teleportation devices known as telepods - and enlisting her to document his monumental findings. Brundle eventually goes through the telepod himself, unaware that a fly is in the device with him. While he's ostensibly unphased at first, he quickly discovers increased physical abilities. The benefits are short-lived, however, as he literally falls apart as the fly molecules overtake the human ones.

Unlike the original film, which hinged on a single, big reveal of a human-fly hybrid, Cronenberg and co-writer Charles Edward Pogue's (DragonHeart) script features a metamorphosis that slowly progresses - with gooey, practical effects by Chris Walas (Gremlins, Raiders of the Lost Ark) - throughout the film. Regular Cronenberg cinematographer Mark Irwin (Scream, There's Something About Mary) captures the atmosphere in an environment that begins cold and gets warmer as the film progresses.

Goldblum's awkward charms are at a peak. He and Davis were already a real-life couple, and their chemistry is palpable on screen. John Getz (Blood Simple) plays the third part of their love triangle as Stathis Borans, Veronica's boss and ex-boyfriend. But the intimacy extends beyond the relationships; the sparse film has but three essential roles, all of whom the viewer gets to know on a visceral level. The romance is supplemented by a heartstring-pulling score by Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings, The Silence of the Lambs).

The Fly's Blu-ray disc offers two audio commentaries: an archival track with Cronenberg and a new one with The Artist as Monster: The Cinema of David Cronenberg author William Beard. Cronenberg's commentary is a fascinating mix of anecdotes and insight, such as the telepod design being based on a Ducati motorcycle cylinder and how he had to stop Davis from subconsciously mimicking Goldblum's distinct mannerisms. Beard's analytical track digs into the film's subtext and explores its themes, giving context to how it fits into Cronenberg's filmography. There's also a trivia track, in which bits of information pop up while the movie plays.

A new interview with comedy legend Mel Brooks (Blazing Saddles) - who produced The Fly under his Brooksfilms banner - is a highlight of the set. The 93-year-old Hollywood veteran chats about Cronenberg, Goldblum, David Lynch, and more. Other new interviews include producer Stuart Cornfeld, who reveals that Robert Bierman was going to direct until a family tragedy prevented it and that John Malkovich was originally sought for the lead role; Iriwn, who discusses the unique experience of working with Cronenberg, including their unfortunate falling out; and Shore, who explains how he implemented tragic themes for his first symphonic score of this size.

A plethora of existing special features are ported over. Fear of the Flesh: The Making of The Fly is a three-part documentary produced by Fox in 2005. The three stages of the film's production are covered by Goldblum, Davis, Getz, Walas, Pogue, Irwin, and more over the course of 135 minutes, not to mention extended/deleted interview segments. The Brundle Museum of Natural History features Walas sharing design concepts and effects materials alongside behind-the-scenes footage. Deleted and extended scenes, including the alternate ending, are also featured.

The disc contains a number of written works to peruse: Langelaan's original short story, Pogue's draft of the script, Cronenberg's rewrite of the script, and three 1986 articles about the film ("The Fly Papers" from Cinefex and "The Fly: New Buzz on an Old Theme" and "More About The Fly" from American Cinematographer). Other extras includes pre-production film tests, the original electronic press kit, a vintage profile on Cronenberg, various trailers, teasers, and TV spots, and still galleries (poster and lobby cards, publicity, behind the scenes, concept art, and four different effects galleries).

Much like the original The Fly, the remake's success led to a sequel. Released in 1989, The Fly II saw Walas assume the director's chair for the first time in his illustrious career. The script is written by Mick Garris (Hocus Pocus), Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), and Jim and Ken Wheat (Pitch Black). The pacing languishes in comparison to its predecessor, but it's not a bad followup overall. While Irwin and Shore's contributions are missed, the film reunites the talents of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II cinematographer Robin Vidgeon and composer Christopher Young.

The film opens with Veronica (recast with Saffron Henderson, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan) giving birth to Seth Brundle's baby - a squirming, amorphous creature - while Stathis (Getz, the only returning cast member, sporting a fake beard) looks on. The child, Martin Brundle (Eric Stoltz, Mask), suffers from a dramatically accelerated life cycle in terms of both physical growth and intelligence, so by his fifth birthday, he looks like he's in his 20s.

Martin is offered a job repairing his father's telepods in the laboratory in which he was raised. While working, he becomes romantically involved with a fellow employee, Beth Logan (Daphne Zuniga, Spaceballs). Their relationship is far less organic than the one depicted in the previous film, but it largely works. Martin eventually enters a cocoon-like state, only to emerge as a creature with virtually no humanity left for a final act that feels more like an Aliens knock-off than a Fly sequel.

Despite Walas helming several ambitious special effects - including a messy head crushing that initially earned the picture an X rating - he’s unable to outdo his landmark work on Cronenberg's film. The effects feel comparatively restrained with the exception of the the fly creature's final form, which looks a bit too cartoony. Yet, as beautifully tragic as Cronenberg's film is, The Fly II contains what is perhaps the franchise's most heart-wrenching scene: Martin watching his dog - his only friend - go through the telepod with disastrous results.

The Fly II's Blu-ray disc features new interviews with Cornfeld, who opens up about the difficulties of working with the studio on the sequel; Garris, who details his quite interesting original concept that greatly differs from the final product; Ken Wheat, who explains what he and his brother's draft introduced to the project before Darabont came on for the final rewrite; Vidgeon, who discusses working with Walas as a first-time director; Young, who talks about tapping into the emotional aspects and how his score differs from that of The Fly; and special effects artist Tom Sullivan (The Evil Dead), who talks collaborating on the creatures with other artists.

An audio commentary with Walas and film historian Bob Burns, whose extensive prop collection includes several pieces from The Fly II, is carried over. The old friends' camaraderie is apparent as Walas expounds upon the experience, including Davis' reasoning for not reprising her role. Transformations: Looking Back at The Fly II is a 48-minute retrospective from 2005 with Walas, Young, and producer Steven-Charles Jaffe (Ghost, Near Dark). Extended interviews with Walas (a sprawling 80 minutes) and Jaffe are also included.

The Fly Papers: The Buzz on Hollywood’s Scariest Insect is an hour-long TV documentary from 2000 about all five Fly films. Narrated by Star Trek's Lenoard Nimoy, it features Hugh Hefner, Ray Bradbury, Walas, Hedison, and more. Walas' crew's video production journal offers a behind-the-scenes look at the film's special effects. Young provides a master class in soundtrack composition in relation to his work in The Fly II. Other extras include storyboard-to-film comparisons with optional commentary by Walas; the original electronic press kit plus extended segments with Walas, Stoltz, and Zuniga; an alternate ending; a deleted scene; teaser and theatrical trailers; and still and storyboard galleries.

Genre fans should be afraid... be very afraid of not owning this set. Scream Factory has a reputation of going above and beyond for their collector's edition releases, but their box sets - like this and the recent The Omen Collection - are downright essential for horror completists. From presentation to special features, The Fly Collection does justice to each entry in the influential franchise.

The Fly Collection is available now on Blu-ray via Scream Factory.

[theprocrastinatingalien]

Which MCU Character will star in Spider-Man: Homecoming 2?

We all know that Robert Downey Jr appears as Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) in the upcoming SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING.  Not only that, but if you've seen the posters you'll also know that Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) plays a part, and the trailer gives away a little cameo for Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).

But what about SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING 2 - can we expect any other MCU heroes to join Tom Holland's Peter Parker?  Yes!  Apparently we can!

News has come that part of the deal between Marvel and Sony ensures an MCU character will feature in the next Spidey outing.

But who?  Well, right now, the only thing we know for certain, it's not RDJ! 

Of course, between SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING and it's sequel, we have two very important films coming out - AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, and the as-yet-untitled AVENGERS 4.  These films are game-changers, and it's expected that not all our beloved heroes will make it out alive.  Is that why it's 'definitely not' Downey Jr?  Maybe!

Below are the 10 best options for who might co-star in the next Spiderflick.  In reverse order...

10.  Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow

The name 'Black Widow' certainly fits with the spider theme, but otherwise, I don't really see the two characters as a great fit.  It's certainly possible, Scarlett Johansson is one of the biggest female stars in film today, not to mention one of the frontrunners of the MCU.  However, I'm pretty certain we'll be getting  BLACK WIDOW movie early post-Phase 3, and I feel for Romanoff  to appear under Spider-Man would to admit defeat on that.  To that end, I'm including her as an option, but she's less likely.

9.  Sebastian Stan as James Barnes / Captain America

Look, we're all thinking it - INFINITY WAR will 'probably' mark the end of Steve Rogers, and so a new Captain America will pick up the shield.  As much as I'd like Sam Wilson to become the new Cap, Sebastian Stan is next in line.   And for us to come to love Stan's Bucky in the same way we love Chris Evans' Rogers - we're going to have to get to know him better, possibly in a film offering a lighter tone.    That said, I'm pretty certain, if Stan is to become the next Captain America, it'll happen in a CAPTAIN AMERICA 4. (that I reckon will be one of the 2020 films).  IF (a big if) Bucky becomes the Cap during the AVENGERS films, then that makes his appearance here all the more possible.

8. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch

Right, I'll be honest, I don't know where the character of Scarlet Witch is going... and don't even know if she'll make it through the fight against Thanos (whereas I'm pretty sure Vision won't make it through).  I don't think she's a character that automatically offers herself as a lead, which means she'll have to continue playing support to others.  For me, a better fit would be DOCTOR STRANGE 2, but I don't think we can discount her as on option for the Spider sequel.

7. Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man

I think Spider-Man and Ant-Man share a style in humour, and one could easily crossover into the other's movies. The pair could have a lot of fun together. Mind you, Ant-Man is a leading character, and presumably will be due for an ANT-MAN 3 somewhere after Phase 3. That makes me think it won't be Scott Lang that appears, rather focussing on a character that won't headline themselves.  Still, that aside, I'd class Ant-Man as one of the best fits.

6.  Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne / Wasp

We've been waiting a long time for Wasp to enter the shared universe.  Joss Whedon wanted to include the character as in THE AVENGERS, before Black Widow was used, having already been introduced.  Then in ANT-MAN, we finally got Hope Van Dyne, but only a hint towards  her future as Wasp.  We will eventually get to see Lilly in costume in next year's ANT-MAN AND THE WASP, making her the first female character to be included in the title, before joining the fight against Thanos in AVENGERS 4.  I  think Marvel will want to make the most of her, and whilst initially unlikely to lead her own film, and without ANT-MAN 3 to immediately step into... I think the next film for Spider-Man would be a nice little stepping stone, and makes her a bit more likely than Ant-Man.  The one negative though, whilst Spider-Man and Wasp fit, I'm not convinced Holland and Lilly are a natural match for a movie.

5. Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury

There was a time that it'd be a shock if Samuel L Jackson didn't pop in for a cameo.  With the downfall of SHIELD, Nick Fury doesn't get much to do.  If fact, he hasn't been seen since 2015's AGE OF ULTRON.  He is due for an appearance in INFINITY WAR, with rumours of part in CAPTAIN MARVEL for him to.  Maybe he's started to do the rounds again?   Maybe, considering Fury was the one that put the Avengers together, he'll want to check out the latest recruit (he surely will be, following the battle against Thanos?).    Fury can slip easily into any film... and I'm sure Jackson will love a shot at co-starring with Marvel's best known hero.

4.  Don Cheadle as James Rhodes / War Machine.

It might feel like a cop out, but also would make a little bit of sense.  Assuming Stark does bite the dust in INFINITY WAR, his best mate Rhodes might wish to look over the kid.   Of course, War Machine is, essentially, a different  looking Iron Man, so wouldn't offer much in a new way, but - again assuming Rhodes survives - Marvel will need to offer Cheadle an appearance without any IRON MAN films on the agenda.   Not my favourite choice, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised this is where it went.

3. Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye

A lot of people will make this assumption.  Barton (and indeed Renner) have been somewhat short-changed when it comes to movie appearances.  He got nothing between the first two Avenger outings, but did get to take sides  (#TeamCap) in CIVIL WAR.  He'll be back in INFINITY WAR (along with everyone else!) and there were rumours that he might play a part in ANT-MAN AND THE WASP.   Again, Hawkeye isn't likely to headline his own film, but being one of the original Avengers, his presence in other people's films would pack a punch somewhat.  Hawkeye and Spider-Man aren't a terrible pairing either.  Renner is easily one of the most likely options, but I still believe - if the BLACK WIDOW film happens - Renner will play first support to Scarlett Johansson instead. 

2.  Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon

Falcon has come to be one of my favourite characters since his introduction in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER.  He's my top choice to become the next Captain America too, but it's likely to pass to James Barnes instead (as it does in the comics).  Falcon was used as a cross over character in ANT-MAN, and I think Anthony Mackie's enthusiasm to be as involved in all things MCU, gives Falcon the edge to appear in the next SPIDER-MAN film.  Whilst they were on opposite sides in CIVIL WAR, I expect Sam and Peter to get on during INFINITY WAR, which will further enhance Falcon's chances of appearing.

However, you'll notice, Falcon isn't my number one spot.  For me there's an obvious choice...

1.  Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk

Universal own the rights to the character, which is why Marvel can't (or won't) make any more solo outings for the popular character.  And he IS a very popular character.  His solo films (HULK starring Eric Bana, and THE INCREDIBLE HULK with Edward Norton) have both fallen a bit flat, but since then, Marvel worked out how to make the character stand out - as part of an ensemble!   Ruffalo's Banner and Hulk combo has become the highlight of both AVENGERS films so far, he enjoyed a nice little cameo in IRON MAN 3, and will next be seen in THOR: RAGNAROK as a gladiatorial combatant.  That will lead into a major role in the INFINITY WAR.  Unlike a lot of the other characters, I don't think anyone is expecting this character to die.   In fact, I'd be very surprised if Marvel let him go.    Spider-Man and Hulk are, arguably, Marvel's two best known characters to joe-public, and pairing them up for a movie seems like a no-brainer, both in terms of marketing, and in story.  Dr Banner is a scientist, whist Peter Parker is a science student. That is an easy way to get Mark Ruffalo involved organically... and then when trouble kicks off, Banner can Hulk-out for the final act.  Hell, depending on how much control Banner has over 'the other guy', Hulk could even act as a minor bad for Spider-Man to tackle.

Don't tell me you don't like the idea of Hulk appearing with our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man?!

Failing that - and it would be a missed opportunity, if you ask me - then I'd be more than happy with Falcon flying about the place (and could do so with out stealing the show, which is the only negative to Hulk's involvement.

What do you guys think?  I dismissed new leads like Doctor Strange, Black Panther and Captain Marvel, but maybe you think I'm wrong?  Let me know!

Meanwhile, head to twitter, add procrastinalien - and get voting in my Battle of SuperHeroes poll competition!