Pingu at the Wedding Party

Pingu at the Wedding Party (also known as A Very Special Wedding) is a 1996 television film featuring the Swiss (later British) character "Pingu". It was originally broadcast on SF DRS in 4 March 1997, and was released on VHS and DVD in the UK in 2004. It was broadcast on BBC Two on 27 December 2010 and on CBeebies on 31 December 2010. Voices are given by Italian voice actors Carlo Bonomi and Pietro Ubaldi.
Plot.
Pingu is helping Father deliver the mail. Pingu wakes up a penguin to deliver a parcel, but he's puzzled to receive it. Then his neighbour comes out and says it's for her, so Pingu grabs the parcel back and gives it to Mother, who is delighted to get the letter, as it's an invitation to a wedding. Pingu shows the photo to Father, who gets out Mother and Father's wedding album with the green penguin friends and shows it to Pingu and Pinga.
Mother and Father go to get a present, leaving Pingu and Pinga at home playing weddings. They're shown a remotely operated Roomba, which they decide to get. The cleaner and remote are put on the table, and Pingu is intrigued. Mother then comes in and tells Father that she needs a new hat, so they go out to get one, and leave Pingu and Pinga alone at home again. Pingu touches the control stick, and the parcel moves. Pinga comes over to watch, as Pingu pushes the stick on the remote control full forward. The parcel takes off and hovers like a helicopter. Pingu finds that pulling the stick back makes it land. Unfortunately, when the parcel lands it over-balances and falls off the table, landing upside down and getting dented.
On the day of the wedding everything is ready, and the guests who have arrived are chatting. Father and Grandfather chat to some of the other guests, and Mother and Pinga go to coo over an egg in a cradle being looked after by its mother. Pingu spots Robby, who is there as photographer and is polishing the camera, which is on a tripod. Robby taps the camera and the tripod collapses, which makes Pingu laugh. Pingu is looking at some flowers when he's called over by one of the green penguin family. She introduces Pingu to her son, who is about Pingu's age. The son greets Pingu by making rude noises, swaying from side to side, slapping Pingu on the back and shaking hands.
As it nears the time of the wedding they all go to anxiously look out for the groom, who hasn't yet arrived. The minister keeps looking at his watch. Then crying distracts them; the egg has hatched, and they all go to look at the baby. Meanwhile, Pingu is called over by Pongi's son, and they go and look at the cake. The green penguin and Pingu both naughtily sample the cake, and Pingu patches it up so it's not so obvious what has happened to it. Then the bride spots the groom and the others turn to look. The groom is momentarily distracted when his tie covers his eyes, causing him to crash into a block of ice, which sends him and the bouquet flying. He ends up sitting on the ice next to the bride, who catches the bouquet as it bounces off his head. Later they open the dented Roomba, which goes haywire by sucking up the bride's bouquet, and the groom attacks it with a stick. The Roomba spins its antennae like a helicopter and takes a little flight. It nearly hits Pingu's father, who drops the remote control, causing it to drop down to earth and break. Pingu takes the blame, and the green penguin's son comes and collects the sucked-up bouquet and drops it on the ground. Then he fixes the Roomba and it functions like normal. Everyone is now pleased.
Robby takes a photograph of the wedding party and the bride and groom leave on a sledge. When the family of green penguins are about to leave, Pingu begs the kid of the family to come with his family but Pinga disagrees and they start pulling him from side to side. The green penguin decides that he wants to come visit Pingu. Pingu and the green penguin both jump on the sled while Pinga gets on the snowmobile and they go home as the sun sets.


Blood of the Beasts

Blood of the Beasts ("Le Sang des bêtes") is a 1949 short French documentary film written and directed by Georges Franju. It is Franju's first film and is narrated by Georges Hubert and Nicole Ladmiral.
The film is a special feature on The Criterion Collection DVD for Franju's "Eyes Without a Face" (1960).
Synopsis.
Franju's film contrasts peaceful scenes of Parisian suburbia with scenes from a slaughterhouse. The film documents the slaughtering and butchering of horses, cattle, and sheep. The film is narrated without emotive language.
Production.
Franju states that he wasn't interested in the subject of slaughterhouses when he decided to make the film, but the location around the building was the Ourcq Canal, allowing him to make a documentary film. Franju stated by using a documentary film format, he was able to use both locations as lyrical counterpoints and "to explain it as a realist while remaining a surrealist by displacing the object in another context. In this new setting, the object rediscovers its quality as an object". The film marked the debut of documentary photographer Patrice Molinard who took stills during the shoot.
"Blood of the Beasts" was made as a black and white film as an aesthetic. Franju states "If it were in colour, it'd be repulsive... the sensation people get would be physical one."
Release.
"Blood of the Beasts" had no commercial release outside of Paris.


Numb Chucks

Numb Chucks is a Canadian animated television series that was created by Phil LaFrance and Jamie LeClaire and premiered on YTV in Canada on January 7, 2014. The series stars Dilweed and Fungus, two woodchucks with big hearts, who are obsessed with using their bungling kung-fu skills to protect the lives of the citizens in their town of Ding-a-Ling Springs. The series was cancelled, and its final episode aired on December 1, 2016, after a total of 52 episodes were produced.
Plot.
Before one night changed their lives, woodchuck brothers Dilweed and Fungus never saw themselves as heroes. But during a late-night-TV infomercial, they ordered a Woodchuck Morris kung-fu video. Now, they have made it their mission to become just as awesome as their kung-fu mentor. Misguided but with good intentions, the brothers become obsessed with using their newfound skills to protect the citizens in their town of Ding-a-Ling Springs. Dilweed and Fungus take on a never-ending quest to fight off danger with Morris' guidance.
Production.
The series is produced by Jam Filled Entertainment and 9 Story Media Group, in association with YTV, and was produced with the participation of The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, The Canada Media Fund, Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit and with the financial participation of The Shaw Rocket Fund.
Broadcast.
"Numb Chucks" currently reruns on YTV and formerly aired reruns on Teletoon and Nickelodeon.
On March 10, 2014, Cartoon Network announced the series as part of its 2014–15 season to air on the network in the United States. However, it was later moved to Boomerang and it ran from January 10 to July 12, 2015.
"Numb Chucks" has also been sold to Cartoon Network (Latin America), ABC (Australia), Disney Channels (Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia, Israel and Benelux), TG4 (Ireland), Cartoon Network (Italy), Canal+ Family (France) and Super RTL (Germany). The series also airs on TV2 in New Zealand. The series premiered in the UK and Ireland on November 1, 2015 on Pop and Pop Max, several months after Boomerang US dumped it.
Home media.
Episodes of "Numb Chucks" are available for digital download through the iTunes Music Store, which are in two volumes. In the UK Universal Pictures Home Entertainment released episodes on DVD.
Mobile game.
In January 2015, it was announced that 9 Story Interactive, 9 Story Media Group's gaming division, and Splashworks were developing an Numb Chucks mobile game entitled "Chuck Fu". The game was released on March 18, 2015, and can be played on iTunes and Google Play.


Anonymous Rex (film)

Anonymous Rex is a 2004 science fiction film directed by Julian Jarrold and starring Sam Trammell and Daniel Baldwin. The film was produced as a "backdoor pilot" for an unproduced television series of the same name. It is based on "Casual Rex", the 2002 prequel to the 2000 novel of the same name by Eric Garcia. It was aired on Sci Fi Channel.
Plot.
In an alternate timeline, dinosaurs have managed to survive the KT Extinction Event and now live amongst humans using disguises. Vincent Rubio is a "Velociraptor" private investigator along with his partner, Ernie Watson, a "Triceratops".
When Ernie's ex-girlfriend's brother is found dead, the incident is dismissed as suicide. However she doesn't believe her brother would kill himself and asks Ernie to investigate ("for free," Vincent observes). When the pair investigate the crime scene, Vincent notices the scent of another dinosaur on the windowsill, concluding it was not a suicide.
At the funeral Vincent talks to a man dressed in a strange suit who belongs to the cult that the deceased had previously joined, "The Voice of Progress." He pretends to be interested in their ideals and gets himself and Ernie invited to a gathering. During the funeral, Vincent detects the same scent from the victim's bedroom, indicating the killer is nearby.
Vincent and Ernie go to the cult meeting where they are told the Voice of Progress' ideals and history: The Voice of Progress is revealed to be both the title of their leader and a collection of dinosaurs who believe that the prolonged use of disguises has robbed the dinosaur community of its unique identity. The cult also believes that humans have caused dinosaurs to see themselves as monsters and humans as normal. While Ernie appears indifferent to the cult's ideals, Vincent is profoundly impacted by the cult's beliefs.
As their investigation continues, Vincent and Ernie come to realize what one man in the cult is planning a dinosaurian revolution by turning cult members into violent, feral dinosaurs and releasing them on the humans. The resulting conflict will force both sides to face each other, and allow dinosaurs to reveal themselves. Though Vincent is somewhat sympathetic to the cult, he disagrees with the idea of a violent revolution (knowing it could end in disaster for both sides), leaving him unsure which side he's on.
Production.
The pilot was originally produced for the Fox network, but was picked up by the Sci-Fi Channel instead.


One Lucky Elephant

One Lucky Elephant is an American documentary film directed by Lisa Leeman that premiered December 1, 2011 on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network as part of the OWN Documentary Club. The film focuses on the extraordinary human-animal bond between Circus Flora founder, Ivor David Balding, and Flora an endangered African elephant, and their journey to find her a permanent home that leads them to The Elephant Sanctuary (Hohenwald). The film provides insightful research footage to further discussion of the human-animal bond as part of anthrozoology (human–animal studies), a new academic field that examines the relationships between non-human and human animals.
Synopsis.
Where does an elephant go after a life in the circus? Sixteen years have passed since circus producer Ivor David Balding adopted Flora, the orphaned baby African elephant he lovingly raised as part of his family and made the star of his show. As Flora approaches adulthood, he realizes that she is not happy performing. Ultimately, David must face the difficult truth that the circus is no place for Flora. She needs to be with other elephants. The road to Flora’s retirement, however, is a difficult and emotional journey which tests their bond in unexpected ways. Ten years in the making, One Lucky Elephant explores the consequences of keeping wild animals in captivity, while never losing sight of the delicate love story at its heart.
Cast.
Ivor David Balding as himself
Flora the African Elephant as herself
Laura Balding as herself
Carol Buckley as herself
Willie Theison as himself
Production.
"One Lucky Elephant" was directed and co-written by Lisa Leeman and produced and co-written by Cristina Colissimo and produced by Jordana Glick-Franzheim. The film was shot over ten years on location in St. Louis, Missouri, Zoo Miami in Florida, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium in Pennsylvania and at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. According to the director, the introduction to the characters came from, "Miriam Cutler, a composer who specializes in docs and who co-produced and scored this film, has been the resident composer for Circus Flora since its early days. Miriam was fascinated watching Flora grow up in the circus, and when she heard that David Balding wanted to retire Flora -- his 18-year-old African elephant, the star of his circus and sort of his surrogate daughter – – and send her back to Africa, she thought it would make a terrific film, and started calling documentary directors she knew."
The filmmakers originally set out to tell the story of Flora's journey back to Africa, but when that plan took a detour that put the production of this film in financial jeopardy, the producers, "kept on filming for nearly 8 years. We had arranged for Flora to temporarily live with the small herd of African elephants at Zoo Miami, the zoo my father had founded. Flora’s financial needs quickly began to outweigh that of the film, so we founded a non-profit, Ahali Elephants, and began fundraising for her future..."
Release and reception.
"One Lucky Elephant" premiered at the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival and was released theatrically in New York City at Film Forum on June 8, 2011 and in Los Angeles at Laemmle Theatres in Los Angeles.
"The premiere, sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States, drew comedienne and elephant advocate Lily Tomlin, Academy Award® winning-director Kathryn Bigelow, actress Charlotte Ross, actor/filmmaker Dominic Scott Kay and actress/singer Persia White. Following the film, the audience was treated to a panel discussion that focused on the plight of elephants and other wild animals in captivity and the many issues sparked by the film. The impressive panel featured the film’s director Lisa Leeman, its writer/producer Cristina Colissimo, Laura Balding (the wife of Flora’s ‘father’, David Balding, featured in the film), scientist Dr. Toni Frohoff (behavioral and wildlife biologist and author of "Dolphin Mysteries: Unlocking the Secrets of Communication"), Dr. Lorin Lindner (clinical psychologist and author of "Post-Traumatic Stress and Elephants in Captivity,") and Ron Kagan (director, Detroit Zoo, one of the first zoos to close their elephant exhibit, relocating their elephants to sanctuaries). NY Times journalist and author Charles Siebert, moderated."
Manohla Dargis of "The New York Times" called the film, "Sweet, heart-and-trunk-tugging". In the Sun Times Roger Ebert describes ""One Lucky Elephant" as, "simple enough to delight a child and complex enough to baffle a philosopher," then poignantly and perceptively notes, "A larger question coils beneath the surface of the film. What happens to an elephant that is "trained"? Are the chains, ropes, prods and other training tools kind to the creature? Should any wild animal be trained in such a way?"
Sherri Linden of the Hollywood reporter said, "Bottom Line: A timely, emotionally engaging look at interspecies bonds;" while John Anderson of Variety call the film, "A parable of pachydermish proportions, "One Lucky Elephant" is a bittersweet story of man, beast and a very real relationship that makes helmer Lisa Leeman's docu the thinking person's "Dumbo"...
The film has been critically praised by reviewers and maintains a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Awards
"One Lucky Elephant" was awarded the 2010 Woodstock Film Festival James Lyons Award for Best Editing of a Feature Documentary, Kate Amend and Tchavdar Gerogiev, Editors.
2010 recipient of The Humane Society of the United States ACE Grant for Animal Content in Entertainment.
"One Lucky Elephant" was selected to participate in the 2011 American Film Program, a program for cultural exchange of the United States State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. According to a New York Times article, the Documentary Showcase is, "Conducting Documentary Diplomacy."


Sonic the Fighters

 also known as Sonic Championship on arcade versions outside Japan, is a fighting video game developed by Sega AM2. First released in 1996 in arcades on Sega's Model 2 arcade system, "Sonic the Fighters" pits players in one-on-one battles with a roster of characters from the "Sonic the Hedgehog" series. The game was built on top of the 3D fighting engine for "Fighting Vipers" (1996), an earlier fighting game by Sega AM2, and it serves as the debut 3D game in the "Sonic" series. The idea for a "Sonic the Hedgehog" fighting game was hatched when a Sega AM2 programmer was dabbling with a Sonic the Hedgehog 3D model in "Fighting Vipers". The smoothness of the character animations convinced Sonic Team to approve of the project and supervise over it.
A home console port for the Sega Saturn was canceled, so the game never reached home consoles until 2005 on the "Sonic Gems Collection" compilation for GameCube and PlayStation 2. The game was re-released again in 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, featuring new playable characters and an online versus mode. Across all these releases, critics held mixed opinions of "Sonic the Fighters". They generally believed the graphics were great, especially the cartoon-like moves and animations of the characters. The gameplay, however, was criticized for being too simple and rudimentary. It was ultimately regarded as disappointing for fans of the fighting game genre but an obscure novelty for fans of the "Sonic" series.
Gameplay.
"Sonic the Fighters" is a 3D fighting game in which players compete in one-on-one battles with characters from the "Sonic the Hedgehog" franchise. In the game's scenario, Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends each own one of the Chaos Emeralds. They are holding a fighting tournament to determine who will take the emeralds to power a spaceship and stop series antagonists Doctor Robotnik and Metal Sonic from building an evil fortress in space. The original arcade and 2005 release included eight playable characters: Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Espio the Chameleon, Fang the Sniper, Bean the Dynamite, and Bark the Polar Bear. The 2012 re-release added Metal Sonic, Doctor Robotnik, and Honey the Cat as playable characters, all previously only accessible through hacking the original arcade version. Honey is based on a character with the same name from "Fighting Vipers" (1996).
The game employs simple fighting game mechanics. Each character can punch, kick, and use a defensive barrier. Combining these buttons also allows for a variety of special moves unique to each character. The barrier can block attacks, but it can be damaged and eventually be destroyed by an opponent. The barrier also does not protect from being grabbed or thrown or attacks from behind. Some attacks can be avoided by squatting or dodging. Players can also perform a "safe landing" which allows them to recover quickly when thrown in the air.
Development and release.
"Sonic the Fighters" was developed by Sega AM2, Sega's arcade game development team behind the "Virtua Fighter" series. The idea for a "Sonic the Hedgehog" fighting game was conceived by AM2 lead developer Yu Suzuki who saw one of his programmers dabbling with a Sonic the Hedgehog model in AM2's "Fighting Vipers". Suzuki pitched the idea for a "Sonic" fighting game to Hiroshi Kataoka, another one of the heads of AM2. Since Sonic Team was in charge of licensing the "Sonic" characters, Kataoka had to present the idea to the head of Sonic Team, Yuji Naka. Kataoka was worried Naka would not like the concept of "Sonic" characters fighting each other, but Naka was receptive. At first Naka was concerned that Sonic would be unable to fight considering his large head and short arms, but he was delighted after seeing the smooth animation accomplished by Suzuki's team. Original Sonic character designer Naoto Ohshima was also pleased with Sonic's animations. Sega AM2 began development with Sonic Team supervising over the implementation of the characters and setting. They developed for the Sega Model 2 arcade board using the "Fighting Vipers" engine as a foundation to build from.
Since this was the first time Sonic was being rendered with 3D graphics, Naka gave Kataoka a Sonic figurine to help his team model the character. Suzuki focused his team on modeling the characters' faces correctly so they were instantly recognizable on arcade floors. The development team added in the barrier mechanism because the characters' arms were too small for traditional blocking to look distinct. They also added rings that drop when a player is hit to make it easier for beginners to judge how much damage they were taking instead of referring to the health bar. AM2 explored whether dropped rings could be picked up to restore health or the barrier's power, but ultimately did not include this feature. They made the controls simple to help beginners to the genre.
In early prototypes demonstrated for the press, only Sonic and Tails were shown fighting on an early stage based on Green Hill Zone. Other characters were added later, and Naka personally asked AM2 to create new characters for the Sonic universe. Suzuki jokingly said that anyone who attempted a "Sonic" game had the duty to create new characters. They conceived two new characters, Bean the Dynamite and Bark the Polar Bear. Bean's design was inspired by the lead character in the Sega arcade game "Dynamite Düx" (1989). In later years, hackers found Honey from "Fighting Vipers" was hidden in "Sonic the Fighters" as a playable character, and modeled as an anthropomorphic cat. Kataoka believes Honey's character designer slipped her in there purposely.
"Sonic the Fighters" was first released in Japanese arcades in June 1996 followed by a limited release in North America in July. With its simplified controls, the game was marketed towards beginners, including women and children. In August 2005, it received its first home console release through "Sonic Gems Collection", a "Sonic" games compilation for the GameCube and PlayStation 2. The collection also included "Sonic CD", "Sonic R", and several "Sonic" Game Gear titles. In November 2012, "Sonic the Fighters" was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 via each consoles' respective online marketplace. This version added Metal Sonic, Doctor Robotnik, and Honey the Cat as playable characters and featured new online versus modes.
Kataoka stated in 2006 that "Sonic the Fighters" was the game he was most proud of. Naka also approved of the final product.
Abandoned Sega Saturn port.
In early stages of development, Sega was planning to port "Sonic the Fighters" to the Sega Saturn. Initial release windows were theorized for late 1996, a few months after the planned arcade release. At the E3 1996 video game convention, a SquareSoft representative was given a private demonstration of new Sega Saturn development software, and reported to the press later that a Saturn version of "Sonic the Fighters" was shown. In 1997, "Computer and Video Games" reported a rumor that "Sonic the Fighters" would release for the Saturn in Japan mid-year and North America a couple months later. Ultimately, a Saturn port was never released. Yojiro Ogawa of Sonic Team said in retrospect that "Sonic the Fighters" was not ported to the Saturn because it was difficult to reproduce a similar experience to the arcade version. He felt they were able to accomplish this when it was re-released in 2005"."
Reception.
In July 1996, "Game Machine" listed "Sonic the Fighters" as being the thirteenth most popular arcade game in Japan at the time. After seeing it demoed at a Japanese arcade expo, "GamePro" shared their admiration of the game's cartoon-like animation, comparing it to "Looney Tunes". "Next Generation" gave an average review, praising the visuals but criticizing the gameplay. They believed the backgrounds and character animations were detailed well, but felt that hardcore fighting game fans would be disappointed with the lack of gameplay depth. They concluded by giving the game 3 out of 5 stars, calling it a fun game that "exploits "Sonic" milieu without feeling too aggressive."
Critics shared mixed thoughts for its 2005 re-release on "Sonic Gems Collection". Both "IGN" and "GameSpy" called it a stripped-down version of the original "Virtua Fighter", and "GameSpot" believed it was a simplified version of "Virtua Fighter 2". The gameplay was criticized, with most reviewers describing it as rudimentary, simple, and dated. The lack of extensive combos and depth to the game's strategy contributed to this. Some critics recommended the game to fans of the "Sonic" series for the novelty of seeing a sizable roster of "Sonic" characters fighting with cartoon-like moves, and because this release was the only way to play the game at home at the time.
The 2012 release received unfavorable reviews. "Official Xbox Magazine" called it an interesting and obscure release, and a fascinating part of Sega's history, but concluded that it loses traction because of its lack of seriousness as a fighting game. They did, however, praise the cartoon quality of the graphics. They thought the way the characters squashed and stretched was rarely seen and still uncommon even in 2012.


The Dragon Pearl

The Dragon Pearl is a 2011 family film that follows the story of two teenagers who meet in China to encounter a real live Chinese dragon, and also discover the mystery behind the whereabouts of his all powerful pearl.
Directed by Mario Andreacchio, the film stars Wang Ji, Sam Neill, Robert Mammone, Jordan Chan and young stars Li Lin Jin and Louis Corbett. The screenplay was written by Philip Dalkin, based on the original script by John Armstrong, and the story is by Ron Saunders, John Armstrong and Andreacchio.
Plot.
When teenagers Josh (Louis Corbett) and Ling (Li Lin Jin) join their respective parents, Chris (Sam Neill) and Dr. Li (Wang Ji) on an archaeological dig in China they encounter something trapped beneath a temple beyond their wildest imagination. A real live Chinese dragon. Two thousand years earlier, to defend his kingdom, the dragon lent an emperor his all powerful pearl. Instead of being returned the pearl was buried with the emperor beneath his palace, and helpless without its source of power the dragon has remained entombed ever since. With the Dragon Pearl buried on the excavation site, Josh and Ling implore their parents for help, but met with disbelief the children realize they must find the pearl on their own. However thereʼs one who does believe them: archaeologist Philip Dukas (Robert Mammone), who wants to seize the pearlʼs awesome power for his own sinister ambitions. The only way to stop him is for Josh and Ling to get to it first and return it to its rightful owner.
Chinese dragons.
Dragons are legendary creatures that appear in the myths of many cultures. In the West, European dragons are depicted as reptilian or serpent-like creatures that breathe fire. The Chinese dragon is completely different. Chinese dragons are benevolent creatures that give emperors their power and are representative of all the forces of nature. In many representations of the Chinese dragons, they are shown pursuing the elusive flaming pearl, the symbol of all power and knowledge.
There are nine different Chinese dragons. The dragon depicted in the story is the Golden Dragon, the most powerful and benevolent. There are many graphical depictions of the dragon, with variations according to location and historical period. The challenge was how to depict a "realistic" dragon in a live action movie: not only how the dragon should “look”, but also how it should “move” and sound. The movie was given official permission by the Chinese government and film authorities for Western artists to produce a CGI dragon in consultation with Chinese advisers. The dragon was produced by Rising Sun Pictures, whose work spans major blockbusters like the "Harry Potter" films, "The Lord of The Rings" and "The Green Lantern".
Production summary.
Co-production.
"The Dragon Pearl" is the first treaty co-production between Australia and China. A Treaty Co-production is where 2 producers from 2 countries, bound by international law, agree to a cultural, creative and financial association to produce a film together. The final production is regarded simultaneously a full Chinese film as well as a full Australian film.
Locations.
The film was shot entirely in China at the Hengdian World Studios, reputedly the largest studio complex in the world with over 3 million square metres of built sets. Also other locations in and around Hengdian were used. Hengdian is located around 4 hours drive south of Shanghai in the province of Zhejiang. All post production was conducted in Adelaide, South Australia. CGI and visual effects were created by two Adelaide based companies, Rising Sun Pictures and Convergen.


Russian Dressing (film)

Russian Dressing is a 1933 short theatrical cartoon by Columbia Pictures, featuring Krazy Kat.
Plot.
Krazy is on a horse-drawn sleigh, riding through the countryside, and playing a balalaika. He then stops at a house, and sings the Russian song "Dark Eyes" to serenade someone. Coming out of the house is Krazy's spaniel girlfriend. They would then walk around and sing the song together.
Krazy and the spaniel enter the house, which turns out to be a tavern, where they do the Cossack dance. It is a pleasant experience for them. Meanwhile, a hefty hog drinks an entire bottle of vodka, thus becoming intoxicated and psychologically corrupted. The hog nabs Krazy and tells him to blow up "the palace" with a round black bomb. Krazy, at first resists, but is compelled by the hog who is heavily armed.
Krazy jigs out of the tavern while holding the bomb. He tries to hurl it at a distance but animals in the vicinity, such as dogs and birds, keep throwing it back. Not liking what the cat is doing, the hog engages with Krazy in volleying the bomb back and forth. The bomb finally detonates at the hog who then runs off in a barrel. Krazy and the spaniel go on to celebrate by doing the Cossack dance outside and kissing.


Spooky Buddies

Spooky Buddies is a 2011 Disney direct-to-DVD comedy film that is part of the "Disney Buddies" franchise, a series often referred to as the "Air Bud" and "Air Buddies" franchise. For the fifth installment in the "Air Buddies" series, the team has a Halloween adventure in Fernfield. The film was directed by Robert Vince, produced by Anna McRoberts, and released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on Blu-ray, DVD, and as a film download on September 20, 2011.
Plot.
In 1937, Sheriff Jim and others from the town of Fernfield set off to the manor of Warwick the Warlock. Warwick has kidnapped five puppies so he can sacrifice them to the Halloween Hound, an evil hellhound who can open a portal to ghosts but only if he has the souls of five puppies of the same blood. One of the puppies, Pip, belongs to a young boy named Joseph. As the mob prepares to storm the manor, the hound turns Pip's siblings to stone, but Pip escapes. Warwick chases him and grabs him just as the mob enters. The Warlock manages to escape just as dawn approaches. Thus, when the hound tries to kill Pip he fails and Pip turns to stone and becomes a ghost. Jim and Deputy Tracker surround Warwick; however, he jumps in the mirror and escapes. Joseph takes Pip's stone body while his father takes Warwick's spell book. The Sheriff takes Warwick's staff and announces to the townspeople that he would board up Warwick's house to prevent anything else from happening.
75 years later, the Buddies are on a school trip to Warwick's manor with their owners, Alice, Billy, Pete, Sam and Bartleby. When the class go to the graveyard to see Deputy Tracker's memorial stone, Billy finds himself scared of the appearance of the gravedigger, Mr. Johnston. Overhearing that the legend says that if you say "Halloween Hound" three times in front of Warwick's mirror, you would release the Halloween Hound. B-Dawg, who is a "scaredy cat", tries to overcome his fear by entering the condemned manor and say "Halloween Hound" three times in front of the mirror. Pip the ghost puppy tries to warn the Buddies, but B-Dawg is terrified by Pip's ghost and accidentally completes the reciting. B-Dawg's owner, Billy hasn't come up with his History project and decides to do it on the Halloween Hound. With the help of Sheriff Dan, Billy borrows Warwick's evidence file and staff. Billy's mother, Janice, buys Billy his costume for trick-or-treating, which is a "Christmas Story"-esque bunny suit, having misheard him saying, "Hip Hop Rabbit", when he meant "Hip Hop Rapper". Billy goes as Warwick the Warlock and humiliates B-Dawg in the bunny outfit. Billy meets up with his friends and the Buddies and they go trick-or-treating.
Two punks, Rodney and Skip, who had scared the class earlier on during the trip, go explore the manor. They witness the release of Warwick and the Halloween Hound who step out of the mirror. Warwick, thinking that Rodney and Skip released them, turns them into rats after accusing them of stealing his staff. Warwick learns from his owl assistant, Hoot, that his staff is in the hands of Billy. Warwick immediately sets off to search for his staff and spell book. As he is searching the streets, he believes that the town is already taken over as everyone is dressed up for Halloween. He sends the Halloween Hound to find the Buddies, who ask for help from a sorceress dog named Zelda. It is here that Pip explains he is not trying to hurt them, but to warn them that the Halloween Hound is coming. After using a spell to return Pip to his body, the Hound finds them and turns Sniffer and Zelda to stone. The kids are running from Warwick and hide in the Halloween party where Warwick finds his staff. They are rescued by Mr. Johnston (who is actually Pip's owner).
Warwick takes the pups hostage in his manor and says that if the book isn't returned, he will kill them. The Buddies have a daring escape from Warwick the Warlock. After escaping, the Buddies run from the Hound who has turned Pip to stone and opened the portal. The evil spirits who've escaped the mirror turn everyone in the town into zombies and monsters. Meanwhile, Hoot decides to stop and leave but is also turned to stone by the Hound. Warwick steals his book back and shoots his staff at Mr. Johnston.
The Buddies hide in the kitchen where Budderball starts devouring pickled eyeballs. The Halloween Hound finds them and B-Dawg comes up with a plan. Just when the Halloween Hound is about to suck out Budderball's soul, B-Dawg signals Budderball who farts, releasing out gas, repelling the magic and causing the Halloween Hound to have his own soul sucked out. The kids and Mr. Johnston find Warwick paralyzed after opening the Bible and Billy takes Warwick's staff. He reads the spell which returns the evil spirits and undoes the hounds evil, such as turning people into stone. Mr Johnston destroys the staff to prevent Warwick from coming back.
Mr. Johnston is reunited with Pip as well as the kids being reunited with the Buddies. The kids bid goodbye to Mr. Johnston, who has located the owners of Pip's brothers and sisters and travels around America to return them. The Buddies bid farewell to Pip who thanks them for helping him defeat Warwick. The film ends with the kids waving goodbye to Mr. Johnston as he drives off with the caravan and the puppies.
Release.
Home media.
"Spooky Buddies" was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and as a movie download on September 20, 2011. The physical release will be produced in two different packages: a 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and a 1-disc DVD. The movie download will be produced in both standard and high definition. All versions of the release will include an interview by Leo Howard of Disney Channel's Leo Little's Big Show with the character "Rosebud" and a music video for the song "Monster Mash".


The Flying Mouse

The Flying Mouse is a 1934 Silly Symphonies cartoon produced by Walt Disney, directed by David Hand, and released to theatres by United Artists on July 14, 1934. The butterfly fairy who appears here may have inspired the Blue Fairy from "Pinocchio" six years later. The use of color here was rather innovative as it is set during the course of a single day.
Plot.
To the tune "I Would Like to Be a Bird," a young mouse fashions wings from a pair of leaves, to the great amusement of his brothers. When his attempts to use them fail, he falls into the tub and shrinks his sister's dress and gets spanked by his mother. When a butterfly calls for help, he rescues it from a spider. When the butterfly proves to be a fairy, the mouse wishes for wings. But his bat-like appearance doesn't fit in with either the birds or the other mice, and he finds himself friendless; even the bats make fun of him, making a point that he is "Nothin' But A Nothin'". The butterfly fairy reappears and removes the mouse's wings, telling him: “Be yourself and life will smile on you.”
Production.
The Flying Mouse boy and his mother make an appearance as spectators in the 1936 Mickey Mouse cartoon "Mickey's Polo Team".
Home media.
The short was released on December 4, 2001 on "".
It was also released as a bonus feature, alongside fellow Silly Symphony short "Elmer Elephant", on DVD/Blu-Ray releases of "Dumbo".


Boar (film)

Boar is a 2017 Australian horror film written and directed by Chris Sun about a young family that find themselves in the Australian countryside, being hunted by a bloodthirsty wild boar. The film stars Nathan Jones, John Jarratt, Christie-Lee Britten, and Melissa Tkautz, with special appearances by Chris Haywood and Steve Bisley.
Plot.
There is a boar in the harsh yet beautiful Australian outback, an animal of staggering size, with a ruthless, driving lust for blood and destruction. Defending its territory, it cares for no one and kills with a raw animalistic savagery unlike any have seen before.
Release.
Home media.
The film was released on DVD by Image on December 3, 2019.
Critical response.
"Boar" received mixed reviews from critics upon its release.
Anton Bitel from "SciFi Now" criticized the film for its uninteresting characters, derivative plot, and repetitive revealing of the title monster. Bitel concluded his review by writing," For while "Boar" plainly advertises the big beast to come, it also hints homophonously at an absence of sufficient entertainment to see us through its duration." Niall Browne from "Movies in Focus" gave the film one out of five stars, criticizing the film's performances, "flat" humor, and plot. However, Browne commended the film's practical effects, while stating that the use of CGI effects during the film's finale was poor and unconvincing.
The film wasn't without its supporters.
Jonathan Barkan from Dread Central awarded the film three and a half out of five stars, writing, "Hindered by strange pacing and restrained by the limitations of a giant practical pig, "Boar" still manages to be a thoroughly entertaining and wildly savage bloodbath through the beauty of the Australian bush."
Jeremy Aspinall of "The Radio Times" gave the film three out of five stars, stating that while the film lacked originality, its performances, and withholding of its titular antagonist until the finale was commendable.
Accolades.
The film was nominated for Best Creature FX at the 2020 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.


Frogger 2 (2008 video game)

Frogger 2 is a sequel to the original arcade game. It was released on Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360 on June 11, 2008. This is the third game to be called "Frogger 2", the others being ' and '.
Gameplay.
"Frogger 2" features fifteen levels set in five different environments which Frogger attempts to avoid obstacles and enemies and boss battles.
Multiplayer.
There are two multiplayer modes:
Reception.
"Frogger 2" received negative reviews from critics upon release. On Metacritic, the game holds a score of 37/100 based on 12 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". On GameRankings, the game holds a score of 34.58% based on 12 reviews.


Seventh Son (film)

Seventh Son is a 2014 American fantasy film directed by Sergei Bodrov and starring Ben Barnes, Jeff Bridges, Alicia Vikander, and Julianne Moore. It is loosely based on the 2004 novel "The Spook's Apprentice" (titled "The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch" in the United States) by Joseph Delaney. The story centers on Thomas Ward, a seventh son of a seventh son, and his adventures as the apprentice of the Spook. After having its release date shifted numerous times, the film was released in France on December 17, 2014, and in Canada and the United States on February 6, 2015, by Universal Pictures. "Seventh Son" received generally negative reviews from film critics and it earned $114 million on a $95 million budget.
Plot.
In 1572 the witch Mother Malkin is imprisoned underground by Gregory, the last of a knightly order known as the Falcons, who have long defended mankind against supernatural threats. Several decades later, Gregory now works as a "Spook" – a roving witch hunter.
The rise of the centennial blood moon allows Malkin to regain much of her power and escape. She kills Gregory's apprentice, William Bradley, and flees to her dilapidated mountain fortress. She restores the fortress and her sister, Bony Lizzie.
Gregory seeks out Tom Ward – the seventh son of a seventh son – as his new apprentice. Tom's mother gives him her necklace as a talisman, traveling to Gregory's home. Tom sees a girl about to be burned by a mob as a witch. Recognizing her from his clairvoyant visions, Tom frees her. The girl, Alice, warns him not to tell Gregory about her. Alice is revealed to be Lizzie's daughter, spying on Gregory for her mother. Malkin begins gathering an army of minions.
Tom meets Gregory's assistant, Tusk. With only a week before the blood moon is full, reviving Malkin's full power, Tom must rush through his training while the trio head to Malkin's fortress. En route, Gregory is summoned to a walled city by an inquisitor whose forces have subdued one of Malkin's followers, a werebear named Urag. Tom hesitates when instructed to burn the werebear alive, causing Gregory to dismiss him while burning Urag himself. When Tom meets Alice again, the two share their feelings for each other and they fall in love. They briefly consider running off, but Tom has a vision of Malkin killing Gregory and unleashing destruction upon the world. Tom returns to Gregory, who reveals that he loved Malkin, and that is why he imprisoned her rather than killing her. Gregory feels responsible for every person since killed by Malkin, and warns Tom that Alice must also be killed.
The trio are attacked on the road by an enormous boggart, and Tom narrowly manages to kill it and survive being swept down a waterfall. Tom is then confronted by Bony Lizzie, who attacks but is repelled by his Mam's necklace. Gregory recognizes the pendant as the Umbran Stone, which increases the power of witches. It originally belonged to Malkin, but one of her witch followers, Mam, stole it, weakening Malkin enough for Gregory to trap her.
Malkin instructs Alice to steal the stone, promising to spare Tom's life. Malkin and her minions then destroy the walled city to avenge the death of Urag. Tom's family happens to be in the city, and his mother manages to kill Strix the warlock and confront Malkin with her own powers. Malkin kills her, mocking her for giving away the stone that would have saved her life.
Alice finds Tom and pleads with him to leave with her, Gregory tries to kill her, but Tom intervenes. He lets Alice flee, but Gregory points out she has taken the necklace, and the trio pursue her. When Malkin's servant Radu attacks them, Radu captures Gregory and drives Tusk and Tom over a cliff, believing them dead. Tom has a vision of his Mam telling him that as both the seventh son of a seventh son, and the son of a witch, he has a unique power to defeat Malkin.
The witches gather as Malkin attempts to seduce Gregory. Alice is horrified when told that Tom is dead, and grabs the stone from Malkin, breaking Malkin's hold on Gregory. As Malkin transforms into a dragon, Lizzie also transforms, protecting her daughter. Tom retrieves the stone and, fighting together, Gregory, Tom and Alice kill several of Malkin's minions. Malkin kills Lizzie, but is seriously wounded. Gregory confronts Malkin in her room. She appears close to death, recalling her and Gregory's relationship, but then seizes him with her claws. Tom arrives and hurls a blade at Malkin, freeing Gregory. Tom then kills Malkin, burning her body.
Gregory brands Tom's hand, declaring him a Falcon knight. Alice appears, but accepts that Tom's new vocation means they cannot be together at present and promises that they'll meet again. Gregory leaves for parts unknown, leaving Tom and Tusk to continue his work.
Production.
Sam Claflin was in negotiations to star as Tom Ward, but in June 2011, negotiations with Claflin fell through and Ben Barnes replaced him.
Production began on March 19, 2012, in Vancouver, British Columbia. In February 2013, Legendary Pictures agreed to give $5 million to recently bankrupt visual effects house Rhythm and Hues Studios so they would complete their work on "Seventh Son".
China Film Group made an "eight-figure" equity investment in "Warcraft" and "Seventh Son".
Music.
It was originally announced that A. R. Rahman and Tuomas Kantelinen would compose the score for the movie. However, in July 2013, Rahman left the project due to scheduling conflicts. A. R. Rahman revealed that he backed out from the project to compose for "Kaaviya Thalaivan", a Tamil historical fiction film, because it gave him the scope to innovate with folk music like never before. Subsequently, in December 2013, Kantelinen was replaced by Marco Beltrami.
Release.
The film was originally scheduled for release on February 15, 2013, but was moved back to October 18, 2013, to complete post-production. It was moved again to January 17, 2014, due to the film's production partner Legendary Pictures parting ways with Warner Bros., who were initially intended to distribute the film. On August 15, 2013, it was announced that Legendary had sold the distribution rights to their new partner Universal Studios, which pulled the film again. On November 27, 2013, it was announced that the film was pushed back to February 6, 2015. The film premiered in France on December 17, 2014.
International Broadcast.
The film also aired on the Philippine Network ABS-CBN through Kapamilya Channel during the Holy Week Special.
Reception.
Box office.
"Seventh Son" grossed $17.2 million in North America and $93.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $110.6 million.
North America.
The film featured in the list of "The Riskiest Box Office Bets of 2015" published by screenrant.com. The film posted a gross of $295,000 from the Thursday preview. The film earned an opening day gross of estimated $2,300,000, an estimated $3,000,000 for its second day and $1,801,000 for its third day. The film was a commercial disaster, according to "Variety" the film has a "projected loss of $85 million", earning only $7,101,000 weekend gross, by playing in 2,875 theaters, with a $2,470 per-theater average and ranking #4.
Other territories.
The film opened in France and Lebanon on December 21, 2014, a month and a half ahead of its North America release, and earned $1.2 million. The following weekend the film added $18.4 million from 24 new markets where it debuted at #1 in Russia, Romania, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Russia opened with $8.6 million while Spain generated $1.2 million.
Critical response.
On Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, the film has an approval rating of 12% based on 119 reviews and an average rating of 3.73/10. The site's critical consensus reads, ""Seventh Son" squanders an excellent cast and some strange storyline ingredients, leaving audiences with one disappointingly dull fantasy adventure." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 30 out of 100 based 32 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B-" on an A+ to F scale.
Peter Debruge of "Variety" gave a negative review criticizing the film's tired plot, special effects, lack of chemistry, and of the cast's performances such as that of Bridges' and Moore's, and calling the film an "over-designed" and "under-conceived fantasy epic". "The Hollywood Reporter"s Jordan Mintzer writes that it "takes an A-list crew and cast—including Moore sporting a black feather dress and matching eyeliner—and goes nowhere new with it, investing lots in VFX and locations but not enough in an original story anyone cares about". "Los Angeles Times" Betsey Sharkey said that the movie would "certainly be a contender" for "the worst movie of the year"; she notes, "For acclaimed Russian director Bodrov, this foray into English-language filmmaking is a rare fail. Bodrov certainly knows his way around epics, as his excellent Oscar-nominated films "Mongol" and "Prisoner of the Mountains" attest. "Seventh" comes as a shock. Virtually every performance falls flat, aided no doubt by the vapid dialogue. And Bridges is saddled with an awful accent he never masters." "USA Today"s Claudia Puig says, "The 3-D effects are off-putting: Smoke spills out at the audience, and the camera swooshes high and careens over cliffs. It's more dizzying than dazzling. Further mucking up the attempts at magical fantasy is a distracting, bombastic musical score and feeble attempts at humor. "Seventh Son" is thoroughly ill-conceived, a pale imitation of its more adventurous and breathtaking brethren." "The Guardian"s Jordan Hoffman gave the movie two out of five stars and explained, "While "Seventh Son" has trace of Saturday afternoon fun, its unoriginal nature gets the better of it... There are flashes where you think "Seventh Son" is going to be wise enough to put a spin on the standard script, but by the end it just devolves into another loud, messy CGI brawl. How much more ruined masonry can moviegoers take? A lot, it seems, as this genre seems to be in no danger of going away."
The New York "Daily News" Joe Neumaier was more complimentary of Moore's and Bridges' leading performances. "Saints be praised for whatever strange magic brought Bridges and Moore together for their own little mini–"Big Lebowski" reunion, whether it was playfulness, paychecks or an open spot on their calendars. Because they save this mediocre medieval fantasy adventure from the ash heap."


Piper (film)

Piper is a 2016 computer-animated short film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. Written and directed by Alan Barillaro, it was theatrically released alongside Pixar's "Finding Dory" on June 17, 2016. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 89th Academy Awards, becoming the first Pixar animated short to win the award since "For the Birds" in 2002.
The short film involves a hungry baby sandpiper learning to overcome her fear of water. The inspiration came from less than a mile away from Pixar Studios in Emeryville, California, where Barillaro, a veteran Pixar animator, would run alongside the shore and notice birds by the thousands fleeing from the water but returning between waves to eat.
Plot.
A flock of sandpiper hunt for food at a seashore, rushing to peck at the sand when the wave recedes and taking flight when it comes in. One baby (named Piper) is motivated by her mom to be part of the flock and get meals. However, she fails to pull away in time and is soaking wet through the incoming surf. The incident leaves Piper terrified of the water; she refuses to depart the nest but soon notices a team of hermit crabs digging into the sand to find deeper food and keep from being buffeted with the aid of the tide. By copying their behavior, Piper begins to see the beauty of the underwater world and becomes knowledgeable at discovering meals for the flock; therefore, overcoming her fears and insecurities.
Production.
Alan Barillaro used new, cutting edge technology to create "Piper" over three years. In order to give the sandpipers and other birds visible in the background a realistic look, Barillaro and the short animation team visited beaches in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the Monterey Bay Aquarium to study their appearance and behavior. The sandpipers' feathers in particular were rendered in minute detail.
Accolades.
The short was also part of The Animation Showcase 2016.


Slaughterbowl


Triassic Attack

Triassic Attack is a 2010 television film directed by Colin Ferguson.
This UFO International Production premiered November 27, 2010, on the Syfy television channel.
Synopsis.
"Triassic Attack" is set in Mill City in the US where a large university has bought a significant amount of local land and property, with the intent to demolish half the houses and shops in order to expand the university grounds. A local native American named Dakota (Trujillo) is opposed to the plans, which will destroy his ancestor's heritage. He also feels his people were tricked into signing away their land, and is doing all he can to stop the bulldozers moving in. Dakota's nephew is Jake Roundtree (Brand), the town sheriff who has to abide by the law. Frustrated and angry, Dakota decides to use ancient magic to save the town and performs a rite by which evil spirits possess three dinosaur skeletons, bringing them to life. The rampaging skeletons attack, and kill everyone they meet. It is up to the sheriff and his wife Emma (Mitchell) to figure out a way to stop them. Finally, Dakota feels guilty and also sets out to stop the dinosaurs.


Gopher Broke (2004 film)

Gopher Broke is a 2004 computer-animated short film written and directed by Jeff Fowler and executive produced by Tim Miller at Blur Studio. The film is about a hungry gopher who hatches a clever plan to get a quick snack, but discovers that even the best laid plans can go awry. The short film was also released in theaters with Doogal.
Synopsis.
A gopher finds himself on a road where trucks are hauling produce to market. He hits on the idea of shaking some of the produce loose for himself, but other animals always beat him to the punch. That is, until a truck comes along with a cow.
Accolades.
The film was nominated for the 2004 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.


The Goofy Gophers

The Goofy Gophers is a 1947 Warner Bros. "Looney Tunes" cartoon directed by Bob Clampett and Arthur Davis. The short was released on January 25, 1947, and is the first appearance of the Goofy Gophers.
Plot.
An anthropomorphic dog who is based on John Barrymore is guarding a vegetable garden and falling asleep. However, the dog then spots two gophers eating carrots. The dog disguises himself as a tomato vine and poses as an actual plant in the garden. The Gophers spot the tomato vine, grab a bunch of vegetables, and throw a pumpkin on the dog before striking him with a spade. The gags are plenty as the Gophers continue to outwit their canine nemesis. Eventually, they launch the dog, via rocket, into outer space towards the moon and now there are four crescent moons. The Gophers, now triumphant, gloat that they will have all the carrots all to themselves. But suddenly they hear a familiar "Eh," and a familiar carrot chomping noise and there stands Bugs Bunny who says the popular catchphrase from "The Great Gildersleeve", "Well, now, I wouldn't say that!" as the cartoon ends.


Dino Eggs

Dino Eggs is an Apple II platform game designed by David H. Schroeder and published by Micro Fun in 1983. It was ported to the Commodore 64 by Leonard Bertoni and the IBM PC. "Dino Eggs" is Schroeder's second published game, after "Crisis Mountain".
Description.
The player's objective as "Time Master Tim" (a time traveler) is to collect dinosaur eggs and rescue hatchling dinosaurs while avoiding snakes ("proto-snakes"), gigantic spiders ("proto-spiders"), flying creatures ("proto-pedes"), and the dinosaurs' mother (or "Dino Mom"). Physical contact with any creature will cause the player to be contaminated, and the player will experience "devolution" into a prehistoric spider and lose a life unless the player returns to the "time warp" transport force field before a de-evolution timer runs out. Contamination also destroys eggs and hatchling dinosaurs on contact, reducing the player's score. While within the transport force field, Time Master Tim is safe from all creatures except the Dino Mom.
Hazards.
A player's first hazard is the Dino Mom. The mother dinosaur will try to crush the player by stomping on him. When starting a level, a player has a short period of time to build a fire to keep her away. Building a fire is done by collecting one of several logs present in each level and placing that log on top of another. The player then tries to collect all the eggs and hatched baby dinosaurs before the fire goes out. A fire started at any time will prevent the Dino Mom from stomping. Even if her foot is coming down when a fire begins, she will pull it back up. The player can also attempt to rescue the eggs and baby dinosaurs without fire by avoiding the mother's enormous stomping feet.
On each level, the player is presented with a number of dino eggs, some of which eventually hatch into baby dinosaurs, and all of which must be rescued (in the event they are not killed or destroyed through contamination beforehand) to complete the level. The player does this either by collecting the eggs before they hatch or by placing a time-transporting force field around each baby dinosaur by jumping over them.
Other hazards include snakes, spiders, and centipedes. Snakes appear out of thin air and disappear again after a period of time, and can be avoided by jumping over them. In higher levels, centipedes appear and run below the platforms (above the head of the player, thus making Time Master Tim vulnerable to their attack while jumping, climbing, or falling). In still higher levels, additional centipedes run along each of the four platforms at ground level. Spiders appear at the top of the screen and slide down to the bottom on their web lines. They can be avoided by moving out of their way. If the player walks into their web line, the spider will fall and die. Snakes and centipedes can be killed by dropping boulders, and sometimes they kill themselves by slithering into the player's fire. The player gets one point for each killed spider, snake, or centipede.
Time Master Tim can also be killed by walking into his own fire. If the fire is newly built (energy 9) or about to go out (energy 1), then it can be safely walked upon or through, and will not kill creatures. A fire may be extended, which causes it to start over with energy 9 through two methods: at energy 1 stage, a log can be added to it, and if it is at any other stage, Time Master Tim can jump over the fire while carrying a log and it will extend. Stoking the fire in this manner increases the rate of efficiency of wood consumption by almost fifty percent. Dropping a boulder on the fire causes it to go to energy stage 1 and burn out.
Gameplay.
When the player first arrives on a level, only dino eggs, boulders, and logs are present. The player can collect up to three eggs before having to warp them back to the future, and returning for more. The player may collect "Power," which allows him to carry more than three eggs at a time. If, while carrying eggs, the player comes in contact with a spider, snake, "proto-pede," or hatchling, the eggs become contaminated and are lost.
Once a fire is started, after a period of time, some eggs will hatch. Baby Dinos emerge, and the player must rescue them as well. The player can place force fields around them by jumping over them. This encases the baby Dino in a force field that will transport them back to the future with Time Master Tim when he transports them back on delivery. Up to three baby dinos can be present at any one time. Once they are caged by force fields, the player can warp out to continue playing.
Boulders hang below each platform. When the player rolls away from a boulder, they will either discover nothing, some dino eggs, or some bonus feature like a power flower or hidden log. Snakes, spiders, and centipedes hit by the boulder will be smashed to death, and fires will be reduced to energy level 1. Eggs which remain covered by a boulder are neither visible to the player nor subject to hatching.
Baby Dinos face far more hazards than do the nearly invulnerable eggs. First of all, the player's touch will destroy them. Secondly, they must avoid the safety fire, as they may accidentally wander into it and be burned to death. Thirdly, on higher levels, spiders may attempt to abduct them. The death of a Baby Dino by any means results in a deduction of ten points from the player's score. Caged baby dinos will not wander into the fire and are protected from being touched or abducted, but are not immune from falling boulders.
The game consists of four levels of platforms. Via stone ladders, players can climb up to and jump down between gaps in the four platforms (the player can climb down the ladders, but by using the "jump" button, the player will fall down the length of any ladder he is presently climbing; this trick enables the player to descend to the lower platform more rapidly). The bottom platform is continuous with no gaps. The screen is wrap-around: Exiting on one side, the player will enter on the other side of the screen. After collecting one or more eggs and/or detaining one or more Baby Dinos in force fields, the player may "warp out" by delivering the Baby Dinos back to the future. The player will then return to a different location on the same level, and attempt to save more eggs and Baby Dino hatchlings.
The player may leave a level permanently at any time, by warping out while not carrying any eggs, with no Baby Dinos detained. By leaving the level, the player will receive a bonus for rescuing all hatchlings and all eggs and then move on to the next level. However, if the player warps out without collecting all of the Baby Dinos and/or eggs, points will be lost for each Baby Dino egg and live Baby Dino not collected, and the level will need to be repeated. The levels get progressively harder with more snakes and spiders, and fewer logs. Level 9 is the final level; completing this level just re-loads level 9 again. The top level requires the player to build two fires, instead of one, and the bonus for rescuing all of the eggs and hatchling Dinos is raised from ten to fifty points. The sound effects are different for level 9 as well.
Time Master Tim starts with three lives, but if the player attains a sufficient score (approximately 400, the exact score is unknown), they will receive a fourth bonus life.
Reception.
"Softline" stated that "Dino Eggs" had the same "unmistakable style" as David Schroeder's "Crisis Mountain". The magazine called it "a rich game [with] excruciating pleasures", and concluded that "Dino Eggs" "is just a thumpingly good game and deserves to be a big hit". "Ahoy!" stated that "Dino Eggs" is, despite its "pretty tired and familiar" genre, "well-dressed and eager to please" with "first-rate action and a touch of humor".
Legacy.
An independently produced remake by Eric Ferrot, "Dino Legs", saw a limited release in 2011. Subsequently, Ferrot and original "Dino Eggs" author David Schroeder collaborated on a full-featured revival of the game entitled "Dino Eggs: Rebirth". This version adds new types of boulders, fires, eggs, baby dinos, as well as puzzles, achievements, and an extended story in which Time Master Tim plays alongside his daughter Tamara.


A Barnyard Frolic

A Barnyard Frolic is a silent short film by the Winkler studio, and part of a long-running series featuring the comic strip character Krazy Kat. It is also among the few Krazy shorts directed by Bill Nolan who previously worked on Felix the Cat shorts.
Plot.
Inside a house, Krazy is eating some doughnuts. As he opens an oven and takes out a roast turkey, a slightly irritated farmer confronts him. Though Krazy puts back the dish in the oven, the farmer roughs up and hurls him outside. The farmer then calls out a rooster to put the cat to work.
At the open, Krazy runs on a treadmill which spins a circular saw, and the rooster uses it to cut some logs in half. After cutting the wood, the hostile rooster "piles" the logs at a wall of the house in a way of trying hit Krazy with them. Krazy, however, is able to dodge everything being hurled at him. When the rooster viciously approaches, Krazy runs, and the fowl chases. Upon running, Krazy squeezes himself into a small hole in a fence which the cat is able to pass through. The rooster attempts the same act, only to be stuck midway.
Following his work with the rooster, Krazy, for some reason, milks a cow. He then befriends a duckling, and pours the milk into a hole in the ground which the duckling swims in.
After spending time with the duckling, Krazy heads to another location where he takes a sock and plays it like an accordion. A pair of hens come and dance with him. They like his performance a lot that they collapse in amusement.
The farmer then comes into the open, and is surprised to see the rooster who is still stuck in the fence. Further annoyed, the farmer chases Krazy beyond the farm, and even tosses rocks.
Krazy runs from the farmer until he reaches a cliff. Without any other place to go, Krazy jumps off and dives into the sea below. The farmer jumps in too. Underwater, Krazy takes a rock to disguise himself as a turtle. When his pursuer drops by, Krazy attacks. Krazy manages to scare the farmer away, and goes on to snatch the latter's trousers. He then constructs a boat, and uses the trousers as a sail. Krazy rides his boat, and sails himself to freedom.
Distribution.
For release on films for home viewing, the cartoon was distributed by Home Film Libraries, Inc.


Wildfire (2005 TV series)

Wildfire is an American television series that aired on ABC Family from June 2005 to May 2008. The show was produced by Lionsgate Television, Piller², and The Segan Company (Michael Piller would later merge Piller² and The Segan Company into Piller/Segan to produce "Greek"). The show premiered on June 20, 2005; its fourth and final season ended on May 16, 2008, due to low ratings. Season one averaged just over a million weekly viewers and season two increased to 1.56 million, an increase of over 50%. Season three dropped back to the first year's numbers. The theme song is "Morning Light" sung by Truman.
Plot.
"Wildfire" follows troubled Kris Furillo who, after serving time at a teen detention center, is given the opportunity to start a new life. Her talent with horses is recognized by a volunteer and local trainer Pablo, who arranges a job for her at the Ritter's family-run ranch, Raintree. Thrown into a completely new environment, Kris must learn to deal with the challenges of fitting in, and forming fiery relationships, while trying not to disappoint the one family willing to give her a chance. The Ritters are facing challenges of their own even as they reach out to help Kris. Patriarch Henry Ritter and his daughter Jean are in a critical stage of their battle to save the ranch from financial ruin. Kris and Wildfire must help them get back on the map in the world of horse racing.
Home releases.
Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released all four seasons on DVD in Region 1. Seasons 1-3 have been released on DVD from Lionsgate. Season 4 has not been officially released by Lionsgate. The 4th season is available from Amazon on DVD-R manufactured from their Prime Videos. From the Amazon listing for season four on DVD: When sold by Amazon.com, this product will be manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.


In the Path of the Storm

In the Path of the Storm is the sixth book of The Animals of Farthing Wood series. It was first published in 1989 and has since been included in a single book with "The Siege of White Deer Park" and "Battle for the Park" in the "Second Omnibus" edition (Hutchinson, 1995).
Plot summary.
The death of the Great Stag, the leader of the deer of White Deer Park, leaves its inhabitants at the mercy of his successor Trey, a strong and fearsome stag who believes there is no room for the smaller animals in the nature reserve. Meanwhile, Tawny Owl grows tired of bachelorhood and leaves the park in search of a mate.
Television series.
The events of the book are covered throughout the third season of "The Animals of Farthing Wood (TV series)", though the sequence of events is changed slightly.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Legends

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Legends is a role-playing video game based on the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" franchise, developed and published by Ludia. It was released for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Kindle Fire in June, 2016. It follows a free-to-play business model.
Gameplay.
In "Legends", players take control of a group of mutants populated by characters from the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" franchise (primarily the characters from the 2012 series, but other iterations of certain characters also appear) to combat and defeat other similar groups encountered in the game. Rewards are given for every victory and are either selected at random based on the stage played or by a prize wheel that will spin until a tap from the player stops it. Certain rewards will allow players to summon and collect other characters (both heroes and villains) for use in battle.
Story Mode.
The game's story mode comprises seven chapters, each with its own set of stages and level of difficulty. The game's over-arcing plot involves Leonardo attempting to find and reunite with his brothers following an accidental separation. Along the way, Leo meets and teams up with a large number of characters from the franchise, including villains. Each stage rates the player upon completion (three stars, in this case ninja stars, are awarded if the player wins the stage with all party characters alive, while two are awarded if one character was killed and one star given in all other cases) and offers random items as a reward, usually items to level up characters, mutagen, warp passes and occasionally greenbacks.
Tournament Mode.
Tournament Mode allows players to face other players' teams in battle (though not in real time; the opponent's characters are chosen at random and controlled by the computer). Each Tournament lasts for a week and is given a theme based around a specific character (e.g. "Mutagen Man Tournament" or "Dogpound Tournament"). A victory results in the player gaining anywhere from 25 to 35 points, while a loss means the player forfeits 7 to 10 points. There are several tiers with 100 spots each. The more matches that are won in the tournament, the higher the player's score and thus the higher the player ranks. Doing better than the score at first place on one tier bumps the player up to the next tier, though over time the points accumulated by other players could send a player back down to the previous tier. At the end of every tournament, the player will receive random rewards (though pizza points, greenbacks and DNA cards are usually included) based on their final rank and number of points. Prizes after each individual victory are determined by spinning a prize wheel.
Pizza Points.
Almost every play mode in "Legends" (except for special event stages) requires a certain number of pizza points to play. The player's default number of pizza points increases based on the player's overall level. Higher levels allow more pizza points upon starting out. Pizza points are displayed in the top left corner of the screen and are represented by a slice of pepperoni pizza. Easier stages require fewer pizza points (usually six or eight), while harder stages require the player to spend larger amounts (anywhere from twelve to sixteen points). The player can replenish their pizza points either by visiting the pizza shop or by waiting and allowing the pizza points to slowly refill on their own. Pizza points can also be obtained from some of the game's prize wheels.
Greenbacks.
Greenbacks (which look like dollar bills) are the game's main form of currency, and are given to the player as rewards after completing some stages or achieving certain in-game goals. Greenbacks can be spent in the game's shop to collect mutagen, items or DNA cards. Greenbacks can also be used in the pizza shop to get more pizza points. Real-world money can be used to purchase a greater number of greenbacks.
DNA Cards.
DNA cards, which resemble trading cards, are used to summon and strengthen characters. Collecting a particular number of cards will allow a player to summon a character (who is then available for immediate use), while additional cards can be collected to increase the character's power after a set number have been obtained. DNA Cards are rewarded upon completing hard stages as well as from prize wheels, meeting certain goals, the shop and from in-app purchases using real money.
T-coins.
T-coins are another form of in-game currency. They are more difficult to obtain than greenbacks (though, like greenbacks, they can be purchased with real money), but also offer more substantial gain as they can be used to purchase rare items, higher-level card packs and DNA cards. T-coins are occasionally distributed upon achieving certain goals, and can also be obtained in small amounts by completing daily challenges.
Mutagen.
Canisters of mutagen can be used to quickly add experience points to a character to rapidly raise their levels and make them stronger. Mutagen is also used to increase the power of the character's various abilities once the right items have been collected. Mutagen is widely distributed in the game, though not always in large amounts, including from the shop, the completion of a stage, prize wheels and card packs.
Card packs.
The game will periodically award the player packs of cards. The packs of cards typically include small amounts of mutagen, pizza points, T-coins and Characters cards but on rare occasions more). Free card packs are distributed at set times throughout each day (with a timer indicating when the next free pack will be available), while other card packs can be purchased in the shop. Certain specially-marked action figures from Playmates Toys include codes that, when entered in the game's shop, will award the player with a card pack of random items.
Warp passes.
Warp passes allow players who have already completed a stage to collect that stage's random rewards without having to play through it again. Players can thus use warp passes to grind levels and farm for items without having to go through each stage again. Warp passes can be purchased in the game's shop and are also occasionally given out as rewards.
Prize wheels.
Certain stages (such as the player vs. player arena) will not drop random items but will instead present a wheel of prizes upon the successful completion of the stage. The player taps the screen to start the wheel, then taps again to stop it. Whatever item is highlighted when the wheel comes to a complete stop is the item the player receives. Prizes typically include items for raising character attributes, greenbacks, T-coins, DNA cards and pizza points.
Shop Challenges.
Fan reaction to prize wheels led to an update that began phasing out the prize wheels in favor of shop challenges, which would give players a set selection of prizes to choose from following a victory. Each prize would cost a certain number of tokens based on type (DNA cards, for example, require more tokens than attribute-raising items), and would periodically rotate out to make way for new prizes. Like prize wheels, prizes typically include items for raising character attributes, greenbacks, T-coins, DNA cards and pizza points.
Accounts.
"Legends" is a free to play game, and thus there is no charge for downloading the game or creating an account. While the game does charge real money for certain features (such as instantly upgrading a character or acquiring extra in-game currency), spending money is not essential to playing the game. The game does, however, offer a subscription that allows members to gain more items from daily challenges, prize wheels and free card packs, requiring the player to spend a set amount of money each month. On occasion, free trials (usually one week) of the subscription service are offered.
Characters.
Class Types.
Characters are divided into five classes. Each class emphasizes certain attributes that contribute to individual characters' overall power and abilities.


Allen W. Seaby

Allen William Seaby (25 May 1867 – 28 July 1953) Is best known as an ornithological painter and printmaker, and Professor of Fine Art at the University of Reading. He was the author of several art books for students, and also wrote and illustrated books for children.
Life.
Allen W. Seaby was a student at Reading School of Art under Frank Morley Fletcher, where he developed a lifelong passion for colour woodblock printing in the Japanese style. Published on a range of subjects, including art history and technique as well as children’s literature, Seaby taught fine art at the University of Reading for many years, eventually becoming a professor and head of department. Among his students were Kathleen Hale, the creator of "Orlando the Marmalade Cat: A Camping Holiday" (1938) and its sequels, and C.H. Chapman, who went on to take over the drawing of Billy Bunter.
Seaby’s illustrations are well-known to post-war British children through his watercolours for two Ladybird books on British birds by Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald: "British Birds and their Nests" (1953) and "A Second Book of British Birds and their Nests" (1954).
Allen W. Seaby was the grandfather of noted wildlife illustrator and printmaker, Robert Gillmor.
Pony stories.
Seaby was an early exponent of the pony story for children, as Alison Haymonds points out:
Seaby’s pony books were published between 1923 and 1949, and like many other interwar writers on equine themes, he produced both fiction and factual material. Seaby’s pony books typically depict the life stories of native ponies, and are frequently episodic, with incidents such as the round up, or time in the circus being typical scenarios between the foal’s birth on a mountain or moorland and old age. Where Seaby differs from most interwar pony story writers is in his perspective as a naturalist, observing the ponies’ behaviour, as compared to the more usual point of view which has the ponies being brought on as children’s riding ponies. As Seaby comments, in the foreword to "British Ponies: Running Wild and Ridden" (1936):
Seaby wrote and illustrated six fiction titles about native ponies in their habitats between 1923 and 1948. "Skewbald: The New Forest Pony" (1923) and "Sons of Skewbald" (1937) are set in the New Forest. First published in 1928, "Exmoor Lass" contains six short stories exploring the lives of five of Britain’s native pony breeds: the Exmoor, the Shetland, the New Forest, the Dartmoor and the Welsh. "Dinah: The Dartmoor Pony" (1935) is perhaps the most similar of Seaby’s novels to the typical formulaic pony story: separated from her dam as a foal, Dinah finds her way onto a farm where twelve-year-old Dolly looks after her, eventually breaking her in, before winning two red rosettes in a local gymkhana. "Sheltie: The Story of a Shetland Pony" (1939) describes a young riding school owner's attempt to ride home from the Highlands to the South of England, leading Sheltie. "Mona: The Welsh Pony" (1948), set along the Mawddach estuary near Abermaw (Barmouth) and in the hills to the north, tells Mona’s story from her birth on her native moorland, through her breaking-in and usage, and into older age.
Non-fiction pony books.
Two non-fiction titles were published in 1936 and 1949. The first, "British Ponies: Running Wild and Ridden" (1936), is a large format hardback book of drawings, and the second a paperback Puffin picture book, entitled "Our Ponies" (1949).
Historical fiction for children.
In addition to bird illustrations and pony books, Seaby also produced a number of historical books for children, which all demonstrate an underlying interest in archaeology, art history and landscape, as well as ponies. "Omrig and Nerla" (1934), for example, is set in the Bronze Age, and the novel opens with what is for Seaby quite familiar territory: herd behaviour, a challenge from a lone stallion and the birth of a foal.
Art history and technique.
For students, Seaby produced a series on art history, and practical technique books relating to the art of the woodcut, for which he is most well-known. Reviewing the first in Seaby’s series of books for art students, "Art in the Life of Mankind" (1928 onwards), in "The Art Bulletin", Marguerite Wencelius noted a synthesis of ‘both idealistic feeling and scientific qualities of objectivity, clearness and precision’ (1929: 222). Seaby's Japanese-style woodblock print of Stonehenge is particularly striking.
Reputation.
Seaby’s obituary in "The Times" (30 July 1953: 8) paid tribute above all to his ability to synthesise art and nature: his "studies of wildlife", the writer noted, are significant for the way in which "naturalistic truth is combined with decorative disposition", and "nobody could fail to be impressed by the illustrations in such books as "Skewbald: The New Forest Pony"; "British Ponies"; and "The White Buck"". Cathy Sloan concludes in an article for "Nature in Art" that Seaby's work bridges ‘the gap between fine art and so called "wildlife art"’ (1995: 10). Pierre Gusman admired his woodcuts in the Japanese style, and compared him with John Dickson Batten, William Giles and Sydney Lee in that field.


Blackfly (film)

Blackfly is a 1991 Canadian animated short from Christopher Hinton, produced by the National Film Board of Canada and based on "The Black Fly Song" by Wade Hemsworth. It was nominated for an Academy Award and Genie Award for Best Animated Short. The song is performed in the film by Hemsworth with back-up vocals from Kate & Anna McGarrigle.
Synopsis.
Wade Hemsworth's popular song, written in 1949 while he was working in Northern Ontario, is used as the source material for this delightful cartoon from the NFB. A young man goes to work for a survey crew in what is now Little Abitibi Provincial Park and encounters blackflies everywhere he goes. Over and over again, he encounters those pesky little bloodsuckers. He even goes to the moon, only to be swarmed there as well. His only recourse is to leave the North, vowing never to return.


Patricia Leitch

Patricia Leitch born 13 July 1933, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, died 28 July 2015, was a Scottish writer, best known for her series of children's books in the pony story genre about Jinny Manders and her wild, traumatised Arabian horse Shantih, set in the Scottish Highlands. The 12 books in the Jinny series were published between 1976 and 1988 by Armada. They are currently in reprint by Catnip Publishers. Two more of her novels, Dream of Fair Horses (1975) and The Horse from Black Loch (1963) have been republished by Jane Badger Books. She has also written under the pseudonym Jane Eliot.
The Jinny series books often contain this brief biographical information:
"Patricia Leitch started riding when a friend persuaded her to go on a pony trekking holiday - and by the following summer she had her own Highland pony, Kirsty. She wrote her first book shortly after this and writing is now her full-time occupation, but she has also done all sorts of different jobs, including being a riding-school instructor, groom, teacher and librarian. She lives in Renfrewshire, Scotland, with a bearded collie called Meg."
Patricia Leitch was a vegan. Animal welfare and vegetarianism are strong themes in her books. Celtic, Arabic and Buddhist mythology and philosophy are also frequently referred to.
The Jinny series marks a significant departure from the traditional 'tweedy' horse and pony stories aimed at middle-class children. Jinny is a scruffy, willful, tom-boyish girl who doesn't have any social or romantic aspirations. Serious social justice issues are raised throughout the series, forcing Jinny to confront her own prejudices and character faults.
Underlying the series is a sense of predestination deriving from Celtic mythology. Jinny is portrayed as a gifted or chosen child with special and dangerous tasks to perform, guided by mysterious and sometimes frightening characters such as the Red Horse (agent of the Celtic Horse Goddess Epona) and the Walker. In this way it resembles the Dark Is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper.
Bibliography.
The Jinny series:
Some other works by Patricia Leitch:
The Kestrels/Horseshoes Series:


Kannibal Kapers

Kannibal Kapers is a 1935 short animated film by Columbia Pictures featuring the comic strip character Krazy Kat.
Plot.
Krazy is riding away at sea on a life ring, perhaps from a ship that sunk. His life ring suddenly catches a large fish which promptly hurls him onto a tree on the shore. On that tree a spidermonkey picks up and places him on a platter which is then carried away by a cannibal chef. The cannibal chef carries Krazy to the chief of the cannibal tribe. The cannibal chief, however, finds Krazy not having enough flesh, and therefore refuses to eat him. The wife of the chief comes by and develops affection for him.
To treat the cannibal couple for sparing his life, Krazy decides to entertain them by dancing and being the conductor of their orchestra. Krazy then conducts, and the orchestra is performing in a more upbeat fashion. The performance goes as planned until Krazy is approached by a cannibal woman who seems to be bothered by the music. When Krazy does not notice her, the woman kicks him. The kick sends Krazy airborne onto much of the orchestra who are most disturbed. The musicians gang on him but Krazy is able to escape. But while he runs, a double bass player grabs and shoots Krazy like an arrow projected by a bow. The cartoon ends with Krazy falling back into the sea.
Reception.
"National Exhibitor" (Jan 3, 1936): "Krazy, as a castaway, lands on an island inhabited by savages who run a night club, "Coconut Grove". In the absence of any interesting plot Mintz has savages run through various dance forms and the hot-cha orchestra displays the versatility with instruments that only a cartoon will allow. Result so-so."
"Motion Picture Review Digest" (June 10, 1936): "This pictures the feline on a cannibal isle, embellished with a Cocoanut Grove, where night club entertainment is in vogue. It is poorly done and not recommended."


Hard Luck Duck

Hard Luck Duck is a "What a Cartoon!" animated cartoon directed by William Hanna, produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, and broadcast as a part of "World Premiere Toons" on Cartoon Network on April 16, 1995. The cartoon involves Hard Luck Duck (Russi Taylor), after venturing away from Crocodile Harley (Brad Garrett)'s watch, is a hungry fox (Jim Cummings)'s target to be cooked.
Although he was a producer on many Hanna-Barbera titles until his death in 2001, "Hard Luck Duck" is notable for being, with fellow "What a Cartoon!" short "Wind-Up Wolf", the last cartoons written and directed by William Hanna, whose career began in the Golden Age of American animation at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) with the short "To Spring" (1936) and his later "Tom and Jerry" series.
Plot.
A villainous fox wants to put Hard Luck Duck on his menu. Hard Luck Duck has a friend/bodyguard, an alligator named Harley. Harley routinely thwarts the fox's efforts to make a meal of the duck.
Production.
Fred Seibert became president of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons in 1992 and helped guide the struggling animation studio into its greatest output in years with shows like "2 Stupid Dogs" and "". Seibert wanted the studio to produce short cartoons, in the vein of the Golden age of American animation. Although a project consisting of 48 shorts would cost twice as much as a normal series, Seibert's pitch to Cartoon Network involved promising 48 chances to "succeed or
fail," opened up possibilities for new original programming, and offered several new shorts to the thousands already present in the Turner Entertainment library. According to Seibert, quality did not matter much to the cable operators distributing the struggling network, they were more interested in promising new programs.
Seibert's idea for the project was influenced heavily by "Looney Tunes". Hanna, with partner Joe Barbera, as well as veteran animator Friz Freleng, taught Seibert how the shorts of the Golden Age of American animation were produced. As was the custom in live action film and television, the company did not pay each creator for the storyboard submitted and pitched. For the first time in the studio's history, individual creators could retain their rights, and earn royalties on their creations. "Hard Luck Duck" was written and pitched by Hanna, and immediately entered production.
Release.
"Hard Luck Duck" premiered Sunday, April 16, 1995 as a stand-alone cartoon. The cartoon preceded Cartoon Network's Sunday night movie block, "Mr. Spim's Cartoon Theatre".


Dolphin Island (novel)

Dolphin Island: A Story of the People of the Sea is a children's novel by Arthur C. Clarke first published in 1963.
Summary.
Late one night (in the world of the future), a giant cargo hovership makes an emergency landing somewhere in the middle of the United States and an enterprising teenager named Johnny Clinton stows away on it. A few hours later, the craft crashes into the Pacific Ocean. The crew ("even the ship's cat") is offloaded onto lifeboats, leaving Johnny (who, as a stowaway, was not on the ship's manifest) adrift in the flotsam from the wreckage. His life is saved by the "People of the Sea"—dolphins. A school of these fantastic creatures guides him to an island on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Johnny becomes involved with the work of a strange and fascinating research community where a brilliant professor tries to communicate with dolphins. Johnny learns skindiving and survives a typhoon—only to risk his life again, immediately afterwards, to get medical help for the people on the island.


The Foghorn Leghorn

The Foghorn Leghorn is a 1948 Warner Bros. "Merrie Melodies" cartoon directed by Robert McKimson. The cartoon was released on October 9, 1948, and features Foghorn Leghorn, Henery Hawk and the Barnyard Dawg.
Plot.
Henery Hawk's father will not allow him to go along to raid a chicken coop and capture chickens. He says that Henery is too small, and goes on to reinforce the tall tales he has told about what a chicken looks like and how formidable they are. After his father leaves, Henery remarks, "A fine thing. I'm a chicken hawk and I've never even seen a chicken." He determines to get his first one that day.
Henery's father invades a coop and struts out with a couple of traumatized chickens. Foghorn approaches, demanding he "unhand those fair barnyard flowers", and insists on an explanation from the chicken hawk. Foghorn does not allow the bird to get a word in edgewise, however; with his stomach, the rooster bumps Henery's father across the barnyard and kicks him out. (Two years later, in "A Fractured Leghorn", Foghorn uses this technique several times against a cat when the two are after the same worm).
Having arrived on the scene, Henery asks, "Hey, was that a chicken, Pop?" His father summons some false bravado and claims he would never allow a chicken to treat him that way, that Foghorn is nothing but a "loud-mouthed shnook". A yellow stripe down his back is quite apparent as a sign of cowardice as he walks away.
On his way to find a chicken, Henery is intercepted by Foghorn and his insufferable wordplay. Finally, the chicken hawk walks away and comes upon Barnyard Dawg's house, which, due to his father's false stories about chickens, he assumes is a "chicken's cave". He takes a hammer, hits the sleeping dog over the head, and proceeds to haul his prize across the barnyard. Foghorn interrupts this, asking, "What's the gimmick? What's it all about?" When Henery replies that he has just caught himself a chicken, Foghorn guffaws, saying, "That's no chicken, son. I'm a chicken. Rooster, that is." Henery does not buy this and when Foghorn asks him, "What am I then, boy?" Henery responds that he is "a loud-mouthed shnook". Foghorn then prattles on about his identity and tells the hawk that what he thinks is a chicken is actually a dog. His position is not helped, though, when Barnyard Dawg wakes up, kicks the rooster, and calls him a shnook.
In an effort to convince Henery he is a chicken ("rooster, that is"), Foghorn pulls out a cardboard cutout of the sun and crows. This does not work; Henery walks off, leaving two signs reading "Shnook!", and "Loud Mouth'd That Is!" respectively. As Foghorn stalks across the yard, kicking the signs away and muttering to himself about how he has to straighten Henery out, the hawk comes by pushing a huge trunk. After turning to the viewers to remark, "Nice kid, but a little dumb!", the rooster proceeds to explain to Henery that he still has not captured a chicken. Foghorn emphasizes his points by regularly hitting what he thinks is the trunk; he misses the fact that it has opened and he has been, in fact, hitting Barnyard Dawg, who was inside it. Upon noticing the dog, Foghorn screams, makes a run for it, and climbs a ladder to the top floor of the barn. The dog is waiting there with a watermelon which the rooster plows his head into, then mutters, "Some days it don't pay to get outta bed!" as the dog leaves.
As a last resort, Foghorn shows Henery a photo of a roasted chicken and demonstrates how he himself would look on a platter. Henery utters, "Shnook!", and goes off to throw a lit stick of dynamite into Barnyard Dawg's house. Knowing he will be blamed, Foghorn dives into the house in an attempt to stop the explosion. He fails and, when the smoke clears, amidst the rubble, the rooster is holding what remains of the dynamite. The enraged dog starts body-slamming Foghorn and finally calls him a "good-for-nothing chicken". This is at last enough to convince Henery, who brings a shovel down on Foghorn and begins dragging him off.
Disgusted with himself, the rooster says, "I'm just a loud-mouthed schnook." Henery declares, "Chicken or shnook, in our oven he'll look good!"
Notes.
This was one of only five post-1948 WB cartoons to get a Blue Ribbon reissue prior to 1956, with the original credits cut. The others were "Daffy Dilly", "Kit for Cat", "Scaredy Cat", and "You Were Never Duckier". In 1998, for the "THIS VERSION" of the short, the original opening and credits were restored. This print was used on the "Golden Collection", without the notice at the end.