#best character video edits ever. the comedy of it is top notch.

[selfship-quotes]

I think my favorite character video edits are of characters going through the most horrendous shit possible, being so unfathomably unlucky, being doomed by the narrative, and then "it's a hard knock life" is playing over it all

[loopy777]

RE: WIPs game: do I even want to know what Dicebenders is is it another scam how many times are the Gaang gonna get arrested for scamming

No, this time it's me scamming people. XD The dice in question are the RPG Dungeons & Dragons kind.

For a while I was doing a screencap webcomic in the style of "DM of the Rings" and "Darths & Droids" with another creative fan named Captain Boomerang. I was the scriptwriter and selected the screenshots for each panel, and Capt-BA would assemble the comics and improve my scripts (a process that did frustrate me a little, as I felt locked out of the revision process, but I did like the results. I just felt like I wasn't holding up my end of the partnership a bit). I wrote a story bible explaining the characters and storytelling rules, planned out the adaptation of the entire AtLA premiere, and had less detailed plans for the rest of the series, but we only got 6 comics in before Capt-BA went on a trip and never returned to the internet. I did manage to re-establish contact with her long enough to get permission to continue the comic, but the problem is that I have no image-editing skills whatsoever.

If I could find comic-making software that I know would do what I want and be easy to use, I wouldn't mind dropping some money on it, but everything I've looked at is trying to do lots of things I don't need. I only want a way to import existing pictures into comic grids, and then easily add dialogue bubbles. That's it. But the stuff I've found is more about image-editing than comic assembly, and it takes me an hour to put together a dialogue bubble that looks good. So I have 3 scripts that were never produced, which along with the planning docs are what's in that WIP folder, and I don't ever see myself going beyond that.

Besides, someone else already managed to complete something like this, and while I'm not a fan, I don't need to be. At this point, Dicebenders is dead. I'm glad I tried it, and it's a shame it didn't work out, but I'm happy with the other projects I've done instead.

I am squatting on an empty Tumblr for it, though.

Anyway, to share something new, here's the first section of the Story Bible I wrote to make sure Capt-BA and I were on the same page in terms of characterization. The rest of the bible details the plotlines for full series.

AVATAR: THE LAST DICEBENDER

BIBLE

Premise- A small group of players attempt to run a fantasy martial arts RPG that winds up essentially becoming the Avatar saga, or something very close. The main point of the series is comedy, based mostly on ridiculous links between Avatar and RPG's. Sometimes the humor will be in the vast difference between what happens in the comic, and what happens in the cartoon with the same screenshots. Other times, the funny will come from the unexpected ways they converge.

SPIRITUAL PREDECESSORS

DM of the Rings- The original, and my personal favorite. It's a good showcase of how to run a single quest together, while using narrative jumps to skip to the good bits.

Darths & Droids- A similar project, this stands out from its predecessor in two main ways. The players and GM are more friendly with each other, and are more or less having fun with each other. There is also a running, coherent storyline in both the game and in the lives of the players.

Benders & Brawlers- This is actually an existing attempt to do Darths & Droids with Avatar. This is helpful as an example of what we DON'T want to do, retell the Avatar story in a completely straightforward manner, with RPG players behind the characters.

CHARACTERS

None of the characters will be given real names. The players shall always be referred to by their character names, although this can be done in a teasing, ironic manner. When the characters are speaking, their dialogue bubble must always be attached to an image of the character.

The Gamemaster- The GM is a female in her early teens. She is a geek, and a bit of a social outcast for it. Nevertheless, she's trying to make that work for her, although she's not quite mature enough to make it happen yet. She has just discovered RPG's, and in her enthusiasm has gone all out in starting her own campaign. The only problem is that she doesn't know how to recruit players, so she ropes her best friend and little brother into playing with her. This is the GM's first campaign, so she'll a little in over her head. She knows the mechanics of play, and what she's supposed to be doing as GM, but doesn't have the fine skill in crafting an engaging RPG experience. Still, she wants to do her best, is willing to learn, and has a positive attitude about the whole thing. The GM has a strong crush on the Sokka player, but the only way she can express it is by having all the female NPC's flirt with the Sokka character.

Katara- Female in early teens, and the GM's best friend. Katara's player was friends with the GM from when they were both in grammar school, so while they have grown up into wildly different personality types, they are fully loyal to each other. Katara is popular, and outgoing, and doesn't care or know about geek stuff at all. She's only playing the game because the GM begged her to. At first, Katara is clueless about RPG's, and frequently questions or ridicules the mechanics of the game. She never quite gets into the idea of role-playing, but quickly takes to the idea of meta-gaming. She'll have her character act like a righteous do-gooder, because completing missions and fighting bad guys earns XP. She hoards items that will boost her stats. She'll advocate abandoning a mission/plot if it doesn't pay out enough rewards. Katara's player also can tend towards trying to Mary Sue her character, but this is inconsistent and usually shot down by everyone else.

Aang- Male in junior high, and the GM's little brother. He plays simply because his sister has cajoled him into it, and there are hints that he's getting some kind of reward or payment for it. He abuses his position by forcing the GM to give him what he wants in the game, even if it breaks the rules- access to the restricted Airbender class, the ability to bend all four elements, overloaded stats, an Avatar State that protects him from dying, a magic super flying cow ride, etc. However, it's important to note that Aang's player isn't a jerk. He's just immature, and like all kids, just always goes for what he wants via the easiest path, and doesn't realize that he may be causing trouble or hurting feelings. He's enthusiastic about trying out this RPG thing, but he has trouble coming up with any action beyond attacking or retreating. He's also hyper aware that the GM and Katara are girls. He is too old for cootie concerns, but thinks that girls are fundamentally different creatures with their own incomprehensible concerns. Having a big sister, he doesn't find this a big deal, just part of life. Aang's player is too young to be a geek. He likes cartoons and sports and fantasy and school-dramas. He also tends to follow whatever his sister likes.

Sokka- Male in late teens. This guy is your quintessential RPG player. He has is own top-quality dice, he's played campaigns and systems of all kinds, and knows the tropes of the hobby cold. He's a huge geek for all things geeky, but roleplay is easily his favorite. He's a social outcast, but he's made friends among his fellow geeks, and thinks life is just fine. Sokka's player joins when he meets the GM at the comic/games shop they both frequent. The GM was buying some sourcebooks and material to support the fantasy martial arts game she's running, and Sokka noticed, asked about it, liked what he heard, and got permission to join the game. What Sokka doesn't realize, because he is a geek and neither has experience with it or realizes it's even possible, is that the GM is sweet on him. This manifests in the character Sokka's canon luck with the ladies, only kicked up a notch. *Every single* female NPC flirts with him, whether it's appropriate or not. Sometimes player Sokka notices and tries to roleplay it, and sometimes he's just plain confused. Sokka has a few quirks. His best set of dice are his Lucky Red Dice, which always roll high when he needs it, but have been tested and proven to be fair dice. He also mandates that every character he plays use a boomerang; he was turned into a geek by the first video game he ever played, a Legend of Zelda title, and his favorite weapon from those games are the boomerang. Each of his characters has a unique, named boomerang.

Zuko- The GM's favorite NPC. She created him to be a compelling, dramatic character, with a complicated back story, moral struggles, badass loner personality, angst about his existence, a darkly noble quality, and a cool scar. The GM intended Katara to get to know Zuko, for her to try to woo him away from the side of evil, and perhaps to even have a romance with him. The PC's, however, couldn't care less about him. To them, he's just another mini-boss, and the fact that most of his character development is happening "off screen" means they don't realize that he's recruitable. A frequent gag is Zuko delivering a stirring monologue while no one pays attention.

Iroh- Background NPC. The GM tries to use him to give (ignored) hints to the players.

Toph- (tentative) A male munchkin gamer who picked a long list of weaknesses in order to get superbending. Toph's player is a friend of Sokka's player, brought in after an "incident" with his old group, and causes some initial resentment in the group when tries to show the n00bs how its done. Cowing Toph's player is a major victory for the GM.

Momo- NPC, but maybe make him a talking sidekick who gives the players hints when the GM is really exasperated?

Azula- the GM's best favorite villain. Azula is the GM unleashed, letting her take out frustrations on the players in both combat and harsh taunting. Eventually the GM comes to like the character so much, she retcons mental health issues into the character's backstory, and has her pet NPC, Zuko, spare her.

[lizardtaro]

The Treasure Planet (1982)

Well uh... I watched The Treasure Planet... not that Disney movie though, no! It’s original title is “Planetata na sakrovishtata” and it was directed by Rumen Petkov, the one who also did those “The Adventures of Choko the Stork and Boko the Frog“ cartoons.

The Chad Walk

To say that this is the most bizarre cartoon I have ever watched is an understatement! I watched it yesterday with friends and I have just watched it AGAIN to actually fully understand what was going on. It features a plethora of plot twists, making this a very unpredictable movie. The main story is as follows: Nature has pretty much disappeared from planet Earth and a crew must find a certain pirate’s treasure in order to restore nature.

Nice map!

One thing that is immediately noticeable is the animation style. Some may call it quite ugly with it’s erratic movements and constant changing of character’s proportions. Many animations are also often reused. I got used to it after a few minutes though and on the second viewing it didn’t really bother me anymore. Still, the movements could have been less erratic.

A parrot that is said to be “toonfully retarded”. (Yes, this is a direct quote from the movie)

The sound effects are very other-worldly - definitely not something you would expect from a cartoon. They are artificial; kinda synth-y. The soundtrack is definitely the best part of this picture. I have always loved 80′s synth movie soundtrack and this is no exception!

Is that supposed to be a robotic dragon?

Albeit being a children’s cartoon with a unique story and some slapstick-comedy (such as characters getting squashed or characters dancing), due to the overall theme of it and especially some quite disturbing scenes I find this much more suitable for adults. Like, if I watched this as a child I’d probably get nightmares. There are also on-screen death scenes, some disturbing images and something that can be seen as sexual content.

The captain is fighting off optical illusions that try to seduce him, which is part of a trap on the Treasure Planet. Boobs and butt are prominently shown.

The best scene in the movie was one where the main protagonist has to make a choice that would impact his life and the future of an entire planet. I don’t want to spoiler too much so I’ll leave it at that

Back in the day this probably wasn’t meant to be offensive but these days a movie like this could never air on TV. These would be seen as downright racist caricatures. Also a big WTF-moment for me

Well, not sure what else to add to that... keep in mind that this post isn’t meant to be a roast or anything - given the fact that it was made in 1982 in Bulgaria you simply cannot expect top-notch animation and editing but it’s no surprise that this got meme’d pretty hard. This movie only caught my attention because someone on Twitter posted a clip of one of the more hectic moments in the movie, where the erratic animation is visible on full force. My first thought was: “I have to watch this movie!” And whadda ya know? It’s available on YouTube!!

For some reason, the movie kinda loops in this video. The actual length is only ca. 61 minutes.

Sadly the video quality obviously isn’t the best, and there is probably better source material somewhere but if you are curious about this movie, you should give it a watch. Bonus points if you love sci-fi and obscure things.

[fibula-rasa]

August 2018 in Review

I have a weird memory. It’s highly pattern-driven and very visual. This means that my memory of films I’ve watched is based on images and series of images that made an impression instead of plot points. It’s why I rewatch movies so often. Even though I’ve been tracking my movie viewing habits for two and a half years, that doesn’t mean I’ve created strong memories for all those movies. That’s why I’m gonna start doing monthly roundups of the new-to-me films that struck me, one way or the other.

[If you wanna know all the films I’m watching, I keep full lists on letterboxd and imdb.]

The reviews below are essentially transcriptions of the notes I took right after watching the films. Because of Summer Under the Stars and my cosplay challenge, this month was pretty TCM heavy for me.

Full Roundup BELOW THE JUMP!

Teen Titans Go to the Movies (2018)

27 July 2018 | 84 min. | Color

Directed and Written by Aaron Horvath and Peter Rida Michail

Starring Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, and Hynden Walch

I’m already a fan of the show and the movie kicks it up a notch with its humor and style. [If you liked the original series, give TTG a chance already.] TTG to the Movies is a great superhero movie for anyone who’s down for superhero stories but is fatigued by the current spate of offerings. Grain-of-Salt warning here because I think Superman III (1983) is great.  

Fun that they included some gags here and there for the parents out there who’ve had to hear the Waffles song a few too many times. Also, one of the best ending gags for a kid’s movie ever.

Where to Watch: Still in theaters, but I’d imagine Cartoon Network will be playing it soon.

Doctor X (1932)

27 August 1932 | 76 min. | 2-strip Technicolor

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Written by Earl Baldwin and Robert Tasker

Starring Lionel Atwill, Lee Tracy, and Fay Wray

I made the statement that Darkman (1990) is the most comic-book movie that isn’t adapted from a comic book. I hadn’t seen Doctor X yet though.

The set pieces are phenomenal. Each shot is artfully constructed and the way the shots are strung together makes the most of the production design. If one were to do a comic adaptation, it would take some imaginative work to not just mimic the film. The 2-strip technicolor is particularly effective in the laboratory scenes in creating an eerie aura. Sensational.

Lee Tracy is playing, as usual, a press man and he’s doing so perfectly. Tracy is so underrated.

Where to Watch: Looks like the DVD is out of print, so maybe check your local library or video store. TCM plays it every once and a while and, since Warner Bros has a deal with Filmstruck, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it pop up there eventually.

The Half-Naked Truth (1932)

16 December 1932 | 77 min. | B&W

Directed by Gregory La Cava

Written by Corey Ford and Gregory La Cava

Starring Frank Morgan, Eugene Pallette, Lee Tracy, and Lupe Velez

You might very well think Lee Tracy was a featured TCM star this month. (Maybe next SUTS? Pretty please.)

Lupe Velez is so talented and natural it was nice to see her in a film where her wits were matched. I’ll be honest, I’m a big Lupe fan but, for most of her films, she’s the only good reason to watch them. This wasn’t the case here! There are a lot of wonderful moments with small movements and gestures that make Velez and Tracy’s relationship feel very real, as if they’re actually that caught up in one another. Eugene Pallette, Franklin Pangborn, and Frank Morgan round out the ensemble. The running eunuch joke might not be all that funny, but it’s a masterclass in not saying what you mean. Also, very cute chihuahua.

Where to Watch: The DVD is available from the Warner Archive. (So, once again, local library or video store might have a copy.)

The Cuban Love Song (1931)

5 December 1931 | 86 min. | B&W

Directed by W.S. Van Dyke

Written by John Lynch, Bess Meredith, and C. Gardener Sullivan

Starring Jimmy Durante, Lawrence Tibbett, Ernest Torrance, and Lupe Velez

Lupe is wonderful in this. She plays a Cuban woman who sounds an awful lot like a Mexican woman--which might be something you have to overlook to enjoy the film FYI. Lawrence Tibbett has a shocking dearth of charisma in the lead, but Jimmy Durante, Ernest Torrence, and Louise Fazenda take the heat off him well. It’s a little hard to root for Tibbett’s character and the ending is disappointing. (Spoiler: privileging of the affluent “white” couple.)

The songs are great. I love the habit of placing people in musicals so that they are singing full force directly into each other’s faces. I don’t know why I find it so funny, but it’s not a mood ruiner for Cuban Love Song. The editing is fun and energetic. Until the war breaks out, there’s a lot of solid humor.

After watching so many Lupe films this month, I’d love to sit down with people who do and don’t know Spanish to talk about her films. There seem to be some divisions on social media and across blogs about Lupe’s films that might be attributable to whether or not one understands Spanish. I myself understand Spanish reasonably well and I think knowing what Lupe and others are saying makes almost all of her films funnier. And boy, does Lupe like calling men stupid animals.

Where to Watch: This one seems kinda rare. Looks like there may have been a VHS release, but you may just have to wait for TCM to play it again!

The Night Stalker (1972)

11 January 1972 | 74 min. | Color

Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey

Written by Jeffrey Grant Rice and Richard Matheson

Starring Carol Lynley, Darren McGavin, and Simon Oakland

and

The Night Strangler (1973)

16 January 1973 | 74 min. | Color

Directed by Dan Curtis

Written by Jeffrey Grant Rice and Richard Matheson

Starring Darren McGavin, Simon Oakland, and Jo Ann Pflug

I loved that these films are exactly like the Kolchak TV series. My SO and I have been watching the show weekly as it airs on MeTV and so he surprised me by renting the movies that kicked off the series. Honestly, watching backwards may have made the movies even more entertaining. How is Kolchak still working for Vincenzo in Las Vegas?? The answer is in Seattle.

The TV movies were intended as a trilogy, but after the success of the first two films, it was developed into a series instead. It’s cool to see how every piece of the Kolchak formula was in place immediately and how firmly Darren McGavin had a hold on the character. His chemistry with Simon Oakland (Vincenzo) is spectacular--a great comedy duo TBH. If you like their shouting matches on the show, Night Strangler has a humdinger to offer you.

Night Stalker is a pretty straight-forward vampire story, written by Richard Matheson, one of the great spec-fic writers of the 1960s and 1970s. Matheson also wrote one of the best undead novels of all time, I am Legend. What elevates the film over the basic mythology, aside from the great performances, pacing, and editing, is that the story’s really about how suppression actually goes down--how mundane and frustrating it can be even in the face of the supernatural.

Night Strangler is a little more creative with its monster. They integrate the nature and landmarks of Seattle in fun ways. The stripper characters are delightful. Jo Ann Pflug gives a truly funny performance and feels like a natural contender for Kolchak. Even his romantic relationships should be affectionately combative. The ditzy lesbian, Charisma Beauty (Nina Wayne) is hilarious and Wayne’s timing is impeccable. (BTW: they don’t explicitly call her a lesbian but it’s still made very overt.) There’s also a wonderful cameo by Margaret Hamilton.

As far as I can tell, it’s easier to get access to these films than the series. They’re worth seeing even if you haven’t seen the Kolchak TV show. They’re also a good pick if you’re a fan of X-Files, as Kolchak is the mother of that show. Even though I’m an X-Files fan and grew up watching it, Kolchak is edging it out for me lately. Maybe because if you’re telling a story about fighting for truth against the suppression of information, you undercut yourself by making the protagonist a fed.

Where to Watch: Kino Lorber is releasing restored editions of the films on Blu-ray and DVD in October!

The Mask of Dimitrios (1944)

1 July 1944 | 95 min. | B&W

Directed by Jean Negulesco

Written by Frank Gruber

Starring Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Zachary Scott

This was great! I loved Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet together. If you’re looking for a mystery story that flows and escalates well and presents a parade of interesting characters and locales, Dimitrios is for you. It’s also always nice to see Lorre in the lead.

Where to Watch: The DVD is available from the Warner Archive. (So, once again, local library or video store might have  copy.)

Strait-Jacket (1964)

19 January 1964 | 93 min. | B&W

Directed by William Castle

Written by Robert Bloch

Starring Diane Baker and Joan Crawford

I mentioned in my Joan Crawford CUTS post that I’d been meaning to see this for years. My enjoyment of the film didn’t suffer a bit from that length of anticipation.

I like William Castle’s movies a lot. I like the campy humor and quirky stories. This one is campy still, but not as heavy on the humor--unless you have a real weird sense of humor. That’s not a strike against Strait-Jacket though. Castle builds so much tension that by the end of the film, you feel like anyone could be axe-murdered at any moment, which becomes absurdly fun. The ending might be a little predictable, but it’s fun to go along for the ride. I didn’t particularly like the tacked on ending but I guess every JC movie needs to end on JC?

Largely unrelated, but if you’re a Castle fan, have you checked out his TV show Ghost Story/Circle of Fear? The first episode, The New House, in particular is top notch.

Where to Watch: It’s on Blu-ray and DVD from Sony (your local library or video store might have a copy) and it’s for rent on Amazon Prime. It’s also still on-demand via TCM for another few days.

One I didn’t write up: Cairo (1942). I brought up in my Jeanette MacDonald post that I was hoping to find a MacDonald film I enjoyed watching on her Summer Under the Stars day and I did!

[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: Wishmaster Collection

The phrase "made for fans, by fans" is often used to describe indie horror films, but it rarely applies on a studio level. Wishmaster is a rare exception, with a bevy of genre talent involved both in front of and behind the camera. It was followed by three sequels of diminishing quality. All four films are collected and presented in high-definition for the first time in Vestron Video's Wishmaster Collection Blu-ray set.

Wishmaster was executive produced by the late, great Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream), allowing the film to be advertised under the "Wes Craven Presents" banner. Special effects veteran Robert Kurtzman (From Dusk Till Dawn, Scream) assumed the director's chair, bringing aboard his prolific KNB EFX Group to handle the copious practical effects. One of his partners, Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead), worked as second unit director.

The cast features Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street) chewing the scenery in a supporting role, plus cameos from Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th Part VII-X), Tony Todd (Candyman), Ted Raimi (Evil Dead 2), Joseph Pilato (Day of the Dead), Reggie Bannister (Phantasm), and Angus Scrimm (Phantasm) as the narrator. You can even spot the Pazuzu statue from The Exorcist.

Watching the horror icons act in normal roles is fun, particularly since several of them are killed off in a rare turning of the tables. It serves as a passing of the torch to Andrew Divoff (Lost), who plays Wishmaster's demonic djinn. The actor is well-deserving of the recognition, as he plays the djinn with great conviction, both in and out of the heavy make-up.

Peter Atkins (Hellraiser II, III, and IV) penned the script, naming characters after genre writers Jack Finney, Charles Beaumont, August Derleth, and Abraham Merritt; a subtle nod far easier to stomach than the tired cliche of naming characters after famed horror filmmakers. Jacques Haitkin (A Nightmare on Elm Street) served as cinematographer, while Harry Manfredini (Friday the 13th) composed the score.

Wishmaster is about a djinn, an evil genie of sorts. As in the the tale of The Monkey's Paw, the wishes he grants never come true in the manner intended. They come at a price; usually the life of the wisher. Divoff's performance is sinister with a hint of camp, not unlike Freddy Krueger in the early Elm Street movies, while his occasional turgid monologue brings to mind Hellraiser's Pinhead. Tammy Lauren (Homefront) stars as Alex, an auctioneer who becomes entangled in the djinn's plan to free himself and his demonic brethren on earth.

Hiring an experienced special effects artist to direct proved to be a smart decision, as Kurtzman was able to navigate the effects-heavy script with ease. Left to their own devices, he and the KNB crew created tons of gooey effects that still hold up in high definition. Their work is integrated with early visual effects, supervised by Thomas C. Rainone (Lord of Illusions). Some of the digital work is alright, though most of it looks rather crude 20 years later.

Wishmaster was released in 1997, but it was obviously produced before Scream single-handedly changed the horror landscape. While most subsequent genre efforts aped Scream's brilliant meta aspects, glossy production value, and hip, young casts, Wishmaster shares more in common with '80s horror movies. Because of that, coupled with a top-notch restoration, it doesn't feel as dated as most '90s films (Hodder's mullet notwithstanding).

The Wishmaster disc is a special edition in itself, loaded with extras. Kurtzman, Divoff, and Lauren reunited for a new audio commentary, while Kurtzman and Atkins' existing commentary - recorded for the LaserDisc release! - is also included. A third track features Manfredini being interviewed by Red Shirt Pictures' Michael Felsher for a half hour, discussing working with a larger orchestra (and budget) than usual, followed by isolated score selections.

A plethora of new video interviews are featured: Kurtzman and co-producer David Tripet; Atkins; Divoff and Lauren; Haitkin; and Englund, Hodder, and Raimi. It would have been nice to have them all edited together into one comprehensive retrospective, but there's a lot of good information shared as is. Extras are rounded out by a vintage making-of featurette, behind-the-scenes footage, trailers, TV and radio spots, and storyboard and still galleries.

Wishmaster's modest success was enough to warrant its first straight-to-video sequel, Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies, in 1999. Arriving while the budding DVD market was taking off, the budget was lower but not obstructively so. Divoff was the only member of the primary cast and crew to return. Hoping to replicate the formula, another genre vet was brought in to write and direct: Jack Sholder (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, The Hidden).

In typical horror sequel fashion, Wishmaster 2 brings back the presumed defeated villain with little attention to logic while altering the established mythology. This time around, the djinn is granting wishes in exchange for souls, as the prophecy requires 1,001 to be fulfilled. Divoff has more screentime but spends a lot less of it in the djinn makeup. For the bulk of the film, he's in prison in his human form before squaring off against Morgana (Holly Fields), a criminal with a heart of gold, and Gregory (Paul Johansson, One Tree Hill), her priest friend.

In spite of the drop off in quality, the movie still has its charms. There aren't any horror actor cameos, but a number of character actors populate the supporting cast, including Robert LaSardo (Nip/Tuck), Tiny Lister (The Fifth Element), and Bokeem Woodbine (Devil). While the first film was fairly light in tone, the sequel skewers more toward comedy, as both the plot and the performances are more over-the-top this time around. In one of the most memorable scenes, the djinn grants an inmate's wish for his lawyer to fuck himself.

A fun set piece at a Las Vegas casino helps stretch the budget, but Wishmaster 2's scope is noticeably smaller than that of the first. That includes the special effects, which were essentially the backbone of the original film. Anthony C. Ferrante (who has gone on to direct all of the Sharknado films) supervises effects on some clever death scenes, but they pale in comparison to KNB's sumptuous work.

Sholder sits down with Felsher for a fresh audio commentary. It's an interesting listen. I was surprised to learn that Sholder passed on the script for the first film but was interested in doing the second when he learned he could write it. A still gallery is also included on the Wishmaster 2 disc.

Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell and Wishmaster: The Prophecy Fulfilled were filmed back-to-back and then released straight-to-DVD in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Although Chris Angel directed them both, the scripts were pened by two different writers, so they each tell entirely different stories. Part 3 was written by Alex Wright (Seance: The Summoning), while John Benjamin Martin (Devil's Diary) penned Part 4.

While the two films share the same crew, the only connective thread on screen is the djinn. John Novak assumes the role, technically playing a different djinn than the one portrayed by Divoff. The makeup/suit looks fine, although it has even less screentime than in the previous films. There are a few decent special effects set pieces, supervised by Roy Knyrim (Sinister II), but the scope of both films feel minuscule even compared to Part 2. The films would likely be forgotten entirely (or never produced altogether) if they didn't have Wishmaster in the title.

Wishmaster 3 plays like a watered-down version of the previous films. The djinn takes the human form of college professor Joel Barash (Jason Connery), and he's on the hunt for Diana (A.J. Cook, Criminal Minds), the studious teaching assistant who releases him from his jewel. Despite his best efforts, Connery lacks Divoff's creepy stoicism. The film adopts a cheesy fantasy angle by introducing a character inhabited by St. Michael the Archangel (Tobias Mehler, Disturbing Behavior).

Wishmaster 4 introduces a bizarre love triangle between a conflicted woman (Tara Spencer-Nairn), her wheelchair-bound boyfriend (Jason Thompson, General Hospital), and their djinn-possessed lawyer, Steven Verdel (Michael Trucco, Battlestar Galactica). The romantic melodrama is better suited for a Lifetime movie, with a punch of Cinemax-style softcore nudity. Fantasy elements are present once again, with an out-of-nowhere angel (Victor Webster, The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power) hunting the djinn and a trio of half-formed djinns awaiting their time to come to earth.

No new special features were produced for the latter two films, not that anyone was clamoring for them. The DVD extras - audio commentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes - are ported over. Although I remain unimpressed by both efforts, Angel's passion on the commentaries (one for Part 3 and two for Part 4) made me appreciate them more. With each film shot on a tight, 16-day schedule, I can sympathize with his plight.

Wishmaster was a valiant attempt to create a new horror icon among the bland 1990s genre offerings. Its sequels prove a thriving franchise wasn't meant to be, but the original stands as a crowd-pleasing special effects showcase. The film looks better than ever on Blu-ray, and the lesser sequels can be seen as special features in this definitive three-disc set.

Wishmaster Collection will be released on March 28 via Lionsgate.