What started out as a simple, single-camera Youtube production has rapidly turned into my favorite series to follow…on any format. The Joker Blogs is a masterfully constructed web series put together by a group of film-savvy batfans COMPLETELY dedicated to the story that all us bat-nerds know and love. Starting up where The Dark Knight left off, this group has created a captivating series chronicaling the Joker’s time in Arkham. Having only glimpsed the main bat-character’s of The Joker, Jeremiah Arkham, Harleen Quinzel (who we still haven’t ACTUALLY ever seen on camera), and Scarecrow (for a single episode), the group has proven that they know how to create so much with so little. Twelve episodes deep and with multiple shorts that coincided with the holidays, The Joker Blogs is currently in the midst of the Joker’s escape from Arkham.
As I mentioned before, many episodes are straight-on shots of the Joker in a confessional/documentary-esque style. What began as Harleen Quinzel’s attempt to document one of her most alluring patients, has turned into a hobby of the Joker’s; he sees the Youtube phenomenon as a cheap, easy, and intriguing way to broadcast his endeavors to the masses at large. The series has almost no budget, however, and is putting together episodes in literally two to three takes at times, yet it still manages to be an amazing stylistic achievement. The simple fact is that talent abounds in this group. From the exquisite scripts to the beautifully constructed web site and marketing scheme, everything about The Joker Blogs screams quality. The MOST amazing and important part of the equation of awesome, however, are the performances. The portrayal of the Joker is spot-on to Ledger’s iteration, with even a few added touches of genius to the character that help it flourish on its own. From the laugh to the cracked voice to the constant quiver that made Ledger’s clearly-unstable machination of the character stand out, The Joker Blog’s interpretation has nailed every facet of the character in the world that they are painting. While it is a bit awkward to not know who is behind the character himself (I couldn’t find the actor’s name anywhere, if anyone else can provide the info, by all means comment or just message me) it’s simply wonderful to see an actor bold enough and talented enough to take the initiative and succeed in recrafting a role that many critics whined “could never be done successfully again.” For the longest time, I was afraid that after Ledger’s death the mainstream would never ever touch my favorite villain again. With efforts like this, however, I feel safe assuming that the most absurd villain of all time will not forever be equated with the late, great Ledger. It simply wouldn’t be fair. These shorts DEMAND to be watched, though. Become immersed (it doesn’t take too long to catch up, most episodes come in at under 3 minutes), and help these guys garner some recognition for the sensational work that they are putting out! Below are some direct links. I have posted the first ever vid, a link to their home site, a link to their Youtube page, and a link to a radio interview the filmmaker did explaining a bit of how the whole process was started. Enjoy!
With an already Iron-clad marketing campaign going down in the books as the most profitable cinematic campaign of all time, Paranormal Activity’s team just keeps upping the ante. I found this article posted on /Film stating that the DVD/Blu-Ray release of the micro-budget horror flick will feature ANYONE’S name in the credits that logs onto the site and inputs their data. The reason stated is that the creators want to give back to the internet community that demanded the wide release of the film and made its profit-margin rise exponentially. While actually being farely sincere and generous, this may be the second best marketing move ever (the first being the movie’s ACTUAL release). First, this creates more buzz for the film at hand. Second, it attracts fans to the site producing site traffic and advertising revenue. Third, it reminds fans that the film is still in theatres and will be released eventually on format. And finally, it creates a sense of ownership with the viewers that input their names, causing them to purchase the DVD, and also hold a place of reverence for it amongst the rest of their movie collection. In fact, moreso, as they can actually lay claim to this cinematic centerpiece. Absolutely amazing. These guys should be given a medal, and while they’re at it, lets put them in charge of the United State’s Financial Sector. Lord knows they’ll do a better job than who we have in there currently.
After two years of running the festival circuit with Mystery Team (which is still trying to get an expanded release, which you can help with by going to their respective sites and demanding it) Derrick Comedy is back to putting out sketches!!! This one comes in the form of a pseudo-Behind the Music of a certain scandalous boy band. What I loved about the clip is that I ended up singing the chorus by the end of the video. Ask yourself; Is that wrong?
Forgive the COMPLETELY non-sequitur picture of The Mighty Boosh above, but I am 1. completely infatuated with them 2. currently writing a research paper on them and 3. clueless as to what else to make the picture! So YAY! for the Boosh! Anyway, there are a plethora of cover artists on Youtube. Just as there are a multitude of people with webcam shows and sketch comedy troupes (who would do THAT?). But below is a list of the few that have stood out to me in my internet surfing. Becca Cole (or Becca de la Musique as she so likes to be called) is a lovely little British thing with a lovely little voice to match. I listed her first as I absolutely ADORE her version of Bloc Party’s Flux (Did I mention I have a thing for British girls?). It helps in this instance that she is covering one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite artists, but if you go to her Youtube page, she has a PLETHORA of covers that are just as magnificent, just not my particular genre. Pomplamoose (sounds like a Dr. Seuss villain) is an INCREDAMAZING No-Cal-based duo that crank out wonderful covers/videos of “performances” that encompass a mastery of the visual and audible arts. Their cover of Beyonce’s Single Ladies is so good it actually improves upon the original (a LOT). Below the Single Ladies video I have included Jack Conte’s (the male half of Pomplamoose) rendition of Gorillaz’s Feel Good Inc. The maestro pays great homage to the song while adding in a bit of his own element. And finally, ZanyClo is another acoustic cover artist much in the vein of Becca Cole with a beautifully spirited voice. The girl conveys so much with just her magnitude and strength that she puts into every song. Her cover of MGMT’s Electric Feel is fabulous.
There, I feel better. Nothing like an obsessive-compulsive listing of random endeavors to brighten my day! The interwebs can feel like an inundation of content at times, but if you just dig, you can always come up with chunks of gold. For instance, I hear there’s this group called Bears With Sparklers…
Becca Cole: Bloc Pary’s Flux
Pomplamoose: Beyonce’s Single Ladies
Jack Conte of Pomplamoose: Gorillaz’s Feel Good Inc.
‘Tis been a week of trailers. While the Transformers 3 trailer of a previous post was merely in retort to the coming Baypocalypse that we are all helpless to escape, THESE trailers for Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes keep what little faith I have in mainstream cinema alive. The newest trailer has arisen on MTV.com, and while it isn’t that far from its predescessor which surfaced roughly 2 weeks ago on Traileraddict, it lets forth a few more images that have yet to shown. I’m REALLY looking forward to Downey and Law owning the Box Office for a few weeks.
With news being confirmed by the studios that Michael Bay will be ushering in the Apocalypse in 2012 with Transformers 3, it would only make sense that the public would demand a pre-production trailer. Well, seek no further fanboys! This fan-made “trailer” for Transformers 3 showcases everything the the franchise has to offer in shimmering technicolor. Enjoy the next chapter in Michael Bay’s art house epic:
I wasn’t even going to cover this issue as it was beginning to die down in the media and opinion seemed to be swinging more to the side of reason. However, it takes very little to ignite the powderkeg of nerd-roided fury I always keep at a simmer, and an article on /film is perfectly fitting. There had been a bunch of hubbub recently about the DirecTV ad featuring David Spade re-enacting a classic scene from Tommy Boy in which the late, great Chris Farley’s image is imposed. As you can well imagine, the ad had been in contention from the very moment it was launched. In fact, the first time I viewed the ad was in a response post on /film. While it may be an eyebrow-raiser at first, the ad does nothing maliscious to Farley’s image and even seems to celebrate it with Spade delivering a fourth-wall-breaking “It never gets old” to the camera. Let’s also take into account the oft-pointed to fact that Farley’s family themselves are the only ones capable of signing off on this endeavor. They agreed to the promotion along with Spade, one of Farley’s best friends up until his death, and they are the ones reaping the benefits of Farley’s image.
While everyone is up-in-arms over the usage of a dead celebrity’s visage, let’s take a few things into account here. Farley’s image is not doctored AT ALL. It is the exact clip from Tommy Boy even in its original context of the joke. Far from being derogatory, the clip is actually a celebration of the work of Farley and seeks to advertise DirecTV through the love and fanbase that this movie has established. What Farley produced, his works, are in the public consiousness now. Though he is gone, Tommy Boy lives on forever in the hearts and minds of its fans (excuse me while I get down from this tall soapbox). Understandably, utilizing Farley’s PERSONAL image to increase revenue would seem dubious, but replaying and reopening an old work that he did is far from mistreatment. In fact, it runs more along the lines of enforcing admiration for Farley’s craft. If this commercial had never been produced no one would have taken a moment out of their day and said, “Wow, it sure is great that Chris Farley’s image is being upheld through its non-usage in the public sphere.” No. No one would have even thought of it, save for someone who randomly remembered a snippet from the film and went home to rewatch it. What the DirectTV ad is doing is channelling the public love and reverence for this movie into marketing and sales. Sure, Farley’s work is being used to push product, but what do you think it does on cable, in syndication? With over 30 MINUTES of advertisements juxtaposed in? This ad is doing nothing worse than running a movie on basic cable. Actually, it’s doing one better, as it is creating a symbiotic relationship with the original work in that it is bringing it back into the forefront of public perception quickly, efficiently, and repeatedly. Tommy Boy has seen more press coverage and attention in the last few weeks than it has seen in the last few years. And when it comes to classics like this, preservation and celebration of the work IS what counts. Do you really think that in 25 years, kids will have a DIRECT connection to Tommy Boy? Think of other classics from 25 years ago. Most of Mel Brook’s more obscure but arguably better canon (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, History of the World, etc.) is unknown by today’s generation. The only way they come to knowing these works is through interactions with older generations that pass these tomes down to them. These commercials bringing Tommy Boy back into the public consciousness are as crucial to keeping the movie relevant as any other form of preservation. They provide quick, continual reminders of the film as it was. Not doctored, added to, or subtracted from, just a short segment from a true American comedy. How can this downplay the legacy that Farley left on this Earth? If anything it enforces it by creating conflict and reentering the late comic into the sphere of relevance.
Sabrepulse is a digi-sounding, scene kid, electro mash-up in the same vein as Ratatat. The sole performer, Yorkshire-born Ash Eskrett (of course he’s amazing, he’s from the UK) produces instrumental tracks steeped in early Nintendo beats looped together to create a driving, energetic yet ethereal sound. It’s as if cyborg’s decided to explore the ambient genre. Below is my foray into the world of marketing. I decided to try and advertise Sabrepulse to the masses. Here it goes:
Do you like 8-bit video games? How about techno? Do you like mixing 8-bit video games and techno in a blender to produce a concoction that makes you pee glow sticks? If so, then Sabrepulse is for you!
*WARNING* May contain neon, stunner shades, and an exorbitant amount of the phrase “I know, right?”
Ok, so I probably won’t be joining the ranks of Mad Men anytime soon, but I gave it a whirl. Listen to a few tracks below, if any of the above few sentences made ANY sense to you.
CollegeHumor never fails me. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is wonderful, I will never deny that, however, it does take itself VERY serioulsy. Granted, you’re working with a character steeped in tragedy, sorrow and vengeance, but still, Nolan’s feature has been praised for its dark, gritty atmosphere more than anything else. Which always blows my mind that more parodies haven’t surfaced. Past the Joker Interrogation Spoof, and a few cartoons ALSO found on CollegeHumor, there isn’t too much to lampoon Bale’s Bat-growl. Then comes along this little diddy. I always wondered how long it took ‘ole Bruce to perfect the art of “disappearing” and other tricks of the Knight. I FOUND SOME EVIDENCE!
I was never much of an RPG player, never quite got past Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast. But I do have an entry-level knowledge of later N64 Zelda titles and their extraneous tangential tasks that Link would complete “on his journey.” I always wondered how an ocarina could help save a kingdom. Anyway, CollegeHumor has come through AGAIN and produced a wonderful short addressing Link’s rampant A.D.D.
