Spawn: The Movie - Comic Book Adaptation (1997)

Spawn: The Movie (1997)

Adaptation: Ted Adams (from an original story by Mark Dippé + Alan McElroy) | Artist: Carlos D'Anda | Page Count:48

"Each time you go out there, you come back a little more dead inside."

A comic book adaptation of the Spawn movie that in some ways is better than the shit that spawned it.

The first few pages tell of the ongoing battle between Heaven and Hell, and how a demon named Malebolgia requires a leader for his army on Earth, which is where our antihero Al Simmons comes in. A black ops killer for a shady organisation, Al develops something akin to a conscience and begins to lose control of his life.

At just 48 pages it moves stupid-fast, like a Marvel comic from the 90s, leaving a lot of potentially interesting stuff underdeveloped; e.g., the quote above foreshadows a deeply ironic quality that's barely touched upon, and we get no time to know Al before he's thrust into his second life, so the contrast is lost.

Terry and Wanda get even less characterisation. Wynn is a cookie cutter egomaniac, while Cagliostro, who seems to come from nowhere, functions as a standard 'exposition' guy.

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Dir. Hayao Miyazaki

There's often an environmental message in Hayao Miyazaki's works, but it's much more aggressive in Princess Mononoke than in any Ghibli film that he'd made prior, and because of that it feels less safe.

It's Nature versus Industry in a war that neither side can win. Trapped in the middle is a village Prince named Ashitaka. The youth is unwilling to take sides, but at the same time is determined to put an end to the conflict. He's even prepared to die, if necessary.

The girl with the warpainted face on the cover is San. She sides with the animals, which gives her a very direct focus, initially, but, for reasons that are too spoilery to go into, she's also one of the more interesting characters.

Perfect Blue (1997)

Perfect Blue (1997)

Dir. Satoshi Kon

PB explores the true cost of success for twenty-one-year-old Mima Kirigoe as she makes the difficult transition from beloved Japanese idol status to impressionable TV drama actress.

Eager to please, when the fiction in Mima's head overlaps with the fiction on the film set, shit gets real, with the kind of meaningful editing that Alfred Hitchcock might applaud, if he was alive.

Perfect Blue is director Satoshi Kon's début full-length movie, but it flows like it was his fourth or fifth. It's both a careful study of splintering, crumbling reality and a skilful exercise in artifice.

The result is a genre classic that's chilling, creepy, and can be uncomfortable viewing at times, but is highly recommended to fans of anime with bite.

Timecop: TV series (1997-98)

Timecop: TV Series (1997-98)

Dirs. Various | 9 eps, approx 45 mins each.

A short-lived (i.e., quickly cancelled) TV Series based on director Peter Hyams' time-hopping sci-fi action movie Timecop (1994) - the one that's often cited by Jean-Claude Van Damme devotees as being one of his better efforts.

Personally, I thought he brought nothing of value to the role that many equally physical actors couldn't have did just as well, or better.

The story relied on clichés built atop clichés and the comic-booky plot frequently made little sense and/or contradicted its own established rules. In short, I thought it was shit. But the concept had some mileage, so a TV Series without JCVD was something I was willing to try. But first, a brief synopsis for anyone not familiar with the movie or the original Dark Horse comic book:

Babylon 5: To Dream in the City of Sorrows (1997)

To Dream in the City of Sorrows (1997)

Author: Kathryn M. Drennan | Page Count: 278

'Under his leadership, the Anla'shok were the most efficient and deadly fighting force the galaxy has ever seen. But Valen also recognized a danger in this. He knew that without an enemy to fight, such a group could become restless and dissatisfied...'

Excluding the novelizations of the TV Movies, City of Sorrows is the only Babylon 5 book that is one hundred percent part of the five year canon. It's fully sanctioned by creator J. Michael Straczynski and is penned by his then wife, Kathryn M. Drennan.

It's the story of what happened to Commander Jeffrey Sinclair after he left the station. It relies heavily on your knowledge of the TV series and as such is stuck between having to remain faithfully tied to it and trying to present something exciting and independently new.

Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000)

Superman: TAS (1996-2000)

Dirs. Various | 54 episodes (split over 3 seasons), approx 22 mins each [1]

Conceived and produced by many of the same creative team that made Batman: TAS (1992–95) so good, Superman's animated series looked familiar but also different.

Metropolis is much brighter than Gotham, with a different kind of art deco influence, one more inspired by Streamline Moderne. 

Giving each city its own visual identity is a positive change, but the less textured aesthetic of Metropolis looks unintentionally cheap and sparse by comparison.

Likewise, and the first indication that what you're watching might be a step down in quality, the opening credits, which are a montage of episode scenes in roughly chronological order, feel tawdry and lazy compared to the dramatic excellence of Batman's. Superman's are spoilery, too, for anyone who's not seen the series before. And subjectively speaking, Shirley Walker's accompanying theme music is also less memorable.

The New Batman Adventures (1997-99)

The New Batman Adventures (1997-99)

Dirs. Various | 24 episodes, approx 22 mins each.

A direct continuation of Batman: The Animated Series set two years after TAS ended. It had many of the same cast and creative team behind the scenes, but it's visually different to what came before, with a different title and a distinct logo design.

It's been previously marketed both as a different show with two produced seasons of its own, and, perhaps erroneously, as a third season of TAS. Like many fans I subscribe to the belief that it is indeed its own thing, albeit one that continues TAS continuity. The many visual changes in the series seem to support that belief.

It features Batgirl (Tara Strong), Robin (Mathew Valencia), and Nightwing (Loren Lester) at various times throughout, with Batman (Kevin Conroy) being the only team member who appears in every episode, but the characters were redesigned to more closely match Superman TAS, due to how the two series were being screened on TV at the time.

Spawn: Director's Cut (1997)

Spawn: Director's Cut (1997)

Dir. Mark A.Z. Dippé

Even after making the usual allowances in all but story for a B-Movie production, Spawn's live action introduction is still a bag of shit.

A voiceover and montage provide some groundwork for folks who didn't read the comic book before suffering the movie, but it feels more like a rushed afterthought, a quick fix for an overlooked necessity.

Many of the events in lead character Al's life are taken directly from the comics: he's an assassin for the US government; he has a partner but no children; he makes a Faustian deal without giving it much thought, etc. The pact with Hell means we needed the clown to be there, too, but he's an insufferable turd that further sullies every scene he's in.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: TV Series (1995-96)

Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-96)

Dirs. Hideaki Anno / Masayuki / Kazuya Tsurumaki | 26 episodes, approx 23 mins each

Fourteen-year-old Shinji Ikari arrives in the futuristic Tokyo-3, having been summoned there by a father that he's not seen in over three years.

Shinji's abandonment issues and his father's overbearing (though often silent) judging of the boy's measure puts an excruciating amount of stress upon the youth's inexperienced shoulders.

The emotional tearing that develops from the conflicting hatred of his estranged father and the simultaneous craving for his approval and love is a major defining attribute of the teenager.

But if that wasn't enough to deal with, Shinji is required to take on a task that would challenge even a hardened combat veteran, with nothing less than the fate of humanity on the line if he fails.

It's a situation that puts him directly in his father's line of sight, and increases the fear of failure and sense of worthlessness that the boy nurtures.

Stephen King's The Shining (1997)

Stephen King's The Shining (1997)

Dir. Mick Garris | 3 episodes, approx 90 minutes each.

TV miniseries based on Stephen King's 1977 novel of the same name. It's essentially the story of a family forced to confront the underlying feelings that threaten to tear their already not very happy home apart. The addition of a supernatural aspect turns the process dial up to dangerous levels.

Jack Torrence (Steven Weber), a struggling writer, ex-alcoholic, and regular screw-up takes a job as caretaker of a large, remote hotel that's routinely closed over the winter months. He brings his wife Wendy (Rebecca De Mornay), whose over-protectiveness of their seven year old son Danny (Courtland Mead) is justified somewhat because young Danny has a gift, or a curse depending on your point of view: he can sense emotions, danger, and even occasionally see the future.

The quiet, creative retreat that Jack hopes for turns out to be more eventful than he'd predicted. The Overlook Hotel has many ghosts and they'd just love to get to know the Torrence family better.

Stargate SG-1: Season 01 (1997–98)

SG-1: Season 01 (1997–98)

Dirs. Various | 22 episodes, approx 44 minutes each.

The first (and best) TV Series to continue the story of the Stargate (1994) movie was SG-1.

It kicks off with a feature-length Pilot episode titled Children of the Gods. Set approximately one year after the movie's end, the Stargate program at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex has been shut down, with just a handful of guards watching over it. But when a previously unseen Goa'uld 'God' is encountered, the wheel spins again and the team must return to Abydos.

Some significant but excellent recasting means we lose Kurt Russell as Colonel Jack O'Neill but gain Richard Dean Anderson (aka MacGyver), who quickly makes the role his own.

Likewise, actor James Spader, who starred as Egyptologist Daniel Jackson in the movie, is replaced by Michael Shanks. For me, both replacements do a better job than the original duo; though with SG-1 being episodic the new stars have more time to develop the characters.

Arcturus: La Masquerade Infernale (1997)

Arcturus: La Masquerade Infernale (1997)

Listening to Arcturus' second album conjures images of a theatrical, costumed ball taking place during a lunar eclipse, populated with people in grotesque animal masks who indulge in all kinds of icky vices at the drop of a hat (or a mask).

It's an almost vaudevillian exploration of what 'metal' can be. In plainer terms, the words 'avant-garde' and 'Norway' will maybe be helpful. The dissonance and semi-operatic vocal style might alienate some traditional metal fans, but folks that connect to the madness may love it - even after seeing through the veil and becoming familiar with its inner workings.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 6 (1997–98)

Star Trek: DS9: Season 6 (1997–98)

26 episodes, approx 44 minutes each.

Note: I do my best to avoid spoilers in my posts, but the following text will refer to events that happened in Season 5, so if you're as sensitive to spoilers as I am and haven’t watched all of Season 5 it would be advisable to not read beyond this sentence.

Anyone still reading will maybe know that the long-building Dominion War is finally underway and that the entry-point into the Alpha quadrant is guarded by Starfleet and its allies. But not everyone in the Alpha quadrant sees the aggressors as a threat; some see the invasion as an opportunity to (re)gain power, forcing Sisko and his team to fight a war on two sides. That situation is the basis of Season 6.

Furthermore, even though they're Federation allies, some races are enjoying the war (the Klingons, naturally) and are happy to see it take shape. But their presence on DS9 causes problems of its own.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 5 (1996–97)

Star Trek: DS9: Season 5 (1996–97)

26 episodes, approx 44 minutes each

Looking back, quite a lot of significant events and reveals happened in S5, but not all of them are in episodes that I'd call completely memorable. Along the way we learn more about some of the primary cast members, and a few of the secondary ones get more screen time than they'd had previously.

The threat of the Dominion/Founders builds, with both the Vorta and the Jem'Hadar on the front line.

A trio of old faces make a return, separately, and stay around for differing amounts of time. Interestingly, all three influence Sisko's moods, with one of them being a lot more direct than the other two.

As before, the best episodes are the ones that revolve around either Odo or Garak, or is that just my bias showing? Yes, they're two of my favourites. But let's not forget the Chief, who also gets a lot to do.

The Quentin Tarantino Collection (2011)

The Quentin Tarantino Collection (2011)

Number of discs: 6  |  Running Time: 625 minutes (combined)

I may get around to rewatching (or in some cases watching for the first time) QT's later films, or I may not, but until then have this, a collection of five features put out by Lions Gate Home Entertainment housed in a cheapo, flimsy cardboard box.

That's the actual box art on the right, with QT looking moody. Perhaps someone accused him of mass plagiarism prior to the photo being taken?

Every time I see it I wonder if it was a conscious decision not to have the cover art for the films in the order they were released or did someone screw up?

Of that order, the first two I'm very pleased to own, and if they weren't included I'd have bought them separately. The next one I'm mostly indifferent to. The final two I don't care for at all, even though I'm a fan of many of the things that inspired them.

Jonathan Creek: Series I, II and III (1997-2000)

Jonathan Creek: Series I, II and III (1997-2000)

S1: Pilot, approx 90 mins + 5 episodes, approx 60 mins each |

S2: 6 episodes, approx 50 mins each | S3: 6 episodes, approx 50 mins each

A mystery/detective series, but the titular Jonathan (Alan Davies) isn't an actual detective, he designs magic tricks for a stage magician.

His knowledge of stage magic, or rather his understanding of what it takes to create the perfect illusion, enables him to take available clues from a crime scene and work backwards.

He assesses the impossible without ever dismissing the implausible. In a sense, the show is less of a traditional 'whodunnit' and more of a 'howdunnit' in which every episode keeps you guessing right up to the inevitable reveal.

It's not all death and murder, though. There's also a lot of comedy, much of which revolves around Jonathan's relationship with his partner in crime-solving, the female writer/investigative reporter Maddie Magellan (Caroline Quentin). He's the reserved, quiet sort, whereas she's the bold, outgoing kind. As the show progresses their relationship deepens and they spend more and more time under each other's feet, and on each other's couch!

GamesMaster (1992-98)

GamesMaster (1992-98)

126 episodes, approx 25 minutes each.

For the people who saw GamesMaster back in the day, who watched Dominick Diamond in his presenter pants talk straight-faced about waggling his joystick in public, the warm fuzzies of nostalgia that accompany this post are for you.

Rebirth of Mothra: Film Trilogy (1996-98)

Mothra (1996)

Dir. Okihiro Yoneda

The first in a trilogy of Heisei era 'Rebirth' films for the eye-catching winged kaijū known as Mothra.

The cutting down of a forest to provide Japan with paper uncovers an ancient, hidden tomb, which holds an evil just waiting to be released, and not unlike the process that uncovered it it'll suck the life from the planet if it’s not stopped.

It's a children's adventure story with upfront and important messages about the value of a stable family unit and the need for conservation of the environment. If you somehow fail to pick up on the lessons, they're sledge-hammered home at the end.

The bickering mother and father aren't oblivious to the fact that their parenting methods are producing a bickering brother and sister, but they're too wrapped up in their own worries to correct it.

James Bond: Pierce Brosnan (1995-2002)

GoldenEye (1995)

Dir. Martin Campbell

A heads-up for any fans of the James Bond series: I'm not a devotee and will probably use parts of this post as a critique of everything that's wrong with the whole series, simply because the films themselves encapsulate everything - they aren't known for their diversity, after all.

My real interest in GoldenEye begins and ends with the locations, not with the actual Bond character. That might sound strange, but it’s all down to an enduring love of the N64 game of the same name (see HERE). Seeing onscreen the rooms and corridors that I know so well from the in-game experience is fun times.

When the film moved away from those areas, or to be more precise moved to areas that the game neglected to recreate, my attention waned.

Burzum (1997-99)

Dauði Baldrs (1997)

Regardless of how you or I feel about the man behind Burzum, there's no denying that he made some of the finest Black Metal in his time.

Dauði Baldrs is different. It was the first release composed while sat in a prison cell. Being denied a guitar meant it had to be constructed on a PC and as a result it's mostly synth.

It tells the story of Baldur, Loki and the coming of Ragnarök. There are no lyrics, so you'll need to read the accompanying booklet or research the story elsewhere. It's not hard to find.

The atmospheric repetitiveness of his earlier works sometimes translates well, but it occasionally comes across as a weak imitation of the real thing. Consequently, it will likely either find a responsive trance-like niche in the listener's head after repeated listens or it will infuriate and/or disappoint.