The Bearded Trio

As I predicted a while back Netflix has said NO to Terra Nova. It seems every time a show gets cancelled Netflix express an interest in saving the show. It stinks of easy free exposure to me. Well that's that then. Terra Nova is officially extinct One source has claimed that the talks broke down because international buyers may have been concerned about the lack of mainstream television or cable network support for the show. Nice excuse. Rob The Bearded Trio

The Death Star was recreated by filmmakers as part of a viral advert for childrens' store Toys 'R' Us in Denmark. Scroll down for video

Duel Of The Fates Video.  One of my all time favourites from the master that is John Williams.  Combined with the video this is one of the best Star Wars videos. A Classic.  (Although they need to replace puppet Yoda in the video...Or do they?)

The Art of Drew Struzan Drew Struzan brought us some of the most iconic movie posters of modern time. Back To The Future, Blade Runner, Indiana Jones, Star Wars prequels. The list could go on and on. I have just finished reading The Art Of Drew Struzan and can highly recommend this book. Its an easy read and although the book is over very quickly the segments that accompany each poster are interesting and entertaining. Here is an example of what I have learnt from the book. Frank Darabont who wrote the Foreward for the book absolutely detests the modern day posters that have replaced the great art work from the likes of Drew Struzan in which he describes as either the "Big head" approach or the dull-witted "police lineup" shot. The poster for The Thing was done in one night due the studio wanting a poster quickly. The delivery boy who arrived in the morning to pick it up had to wait for the painting to dry. It was still wet when they put it under gl...

This image is Ralph McQuarrie's only contribution to the film Raiders of the Lost Ark. This pen drawing depicting the power of the Ark was used to create the illustration for the prop bible in the film. For the figures in the foreground, he took reference photos of several ILM employees. The staining on the right is where the oversized image was taped together, and no, the text on the page doesn't actually translate into anything. At the time it was created, Ralph never could have imagined that people might someday have the opportunity to stand within inches of the drawing to actually try and read it. Seen at A Gallery of Imagination: The Star Wars Art of Ralph McQuarrie at Celebration V.

I was sad to wake up this morning to read the news that Ralph McQuarrie has passed away at the age of 82. For me he was as important to the whole Star Wars package as John Williams or even George Lucas. Without his paintings Twentieth Century Fox would not have come on board. Lucas has said he is saddened by the passing of McQuarrie saying: "Ralph McQuarrie was the first person I hired to help me envision Star Wars, his genial contribution, in the form of unequaled production paintings, propelled and inspired all of the cast and crew of the original Star Wars trilogy. When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph's fabulous illustrations and say, 'Do it like this.'" Personally for me I grew up with McQuarrie's paintings having at least one print of each painting in some form. Sometimes I would get to see the concept paintings before the related movie was released giving me a valuable sneak preview of the scene to come. I would...