Author: Bert Ehrmann

Dangerous Universe has been Bert’s web playground since 1998 when personal web sites were a rarity rather than the norm.

When The Thing became John Carpenters’ The Thing

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It is often mentioned that John Carpenter had the luxury of time when he made THE THING ( Maintaining an office at Universal Studios from April, 1981 through the end of June, 1982 ) and that this expansive schedule in large part contributed to the films’ overall quality. Although this was true in some respects it stands in contrast to a frenzied Six Week period from late October to early December, 1981 in which THE THING shape shifted into something harder and more powerful, and in the process took a decisive turn toward the dark side. During this time John restructured the film, wrote what was essentially a new Second Act to conform to the editing he had done ( including new death scenes for two characters ), adopted MacCready as his spiritual doppelganger, and scrambled to get all of it shot on location in Stewart, B.C. Coming face to face with his own greatest fear – fear of failure –  he was able to make THE THING undeniably his…

This is how it happened…

Read the whole story here

Why they keep making more Fast & Furious movies

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Interesting that while the total box office revenues keep growing, so does the budget of the movies. Which means that while the last three movies have made more and more at the box office, the total profits have remained pretty much consistent.

Stuff I’m looking forward to, July ’13 edition

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Deadshot: Beginnings (Oct 30)

In these bullet-ridden 1980s tales, Deadshot goes on a solo mission to kill a crime boss known as El Jefe, only to learn that the men who sent him on this mission have ulterior motives. Collects DEADSHOT #1-4, BATMAN #369 and DETECTIVE COMICS #474.

The Shadow 1941: Hitler’s Astrologer (Sept 17)

On Easter Sunday of April 1941, a young woman pushes through the Manhattan crowds, racing for her life. It’s a chase that will lead from the bustling American metropolis all the way to Berlin, the dark heart of the Nazi regime. Like marionettes dangling from invisible hands, neither Allies nor Axis agents can tell if they are the puppeteers… or the dolls whose strings get cut. Behind it all, The Shadow looms, a master of men with cold, hollow laughter and blazing .45 pistols!

 Star Trek: The Original Topps Trading Cards Book (Sept 10)

Ever since Star Trek first aired on television in 1966, the series has had a strong influence on pop culture. In 1976, due to the show’s rising popularity in syndication, Topps released a series of collectible trading cards featuring full-color images from the classic television series created by Gene Roddenberry, as well as synopses and information on the cast and crew of the Starship Enterprise. This first-ever compilation includes the fronts and backs of all 88 cards and 22 rare and hard-to-find stickers (which were originally sold one per pack), as well as text and commentary by Star Trek insiders Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann—guaranteed to please the die-hard Trekkie as well as a whole new generation of fans.

Star Trek: The Newspaper Strip, Vol. 2 (Oct 8)

Collecting the second half of the rare daily and Sunday newspaper strip. Ten complete missions from October 26, 1981 through December 3, 1983.