Latest News

Like quite a large amount of people on the web, I watched Heroes with somewhat an avid amount of attention. Every episode made me interested enough to tune into the next, which is exactly what a television series wants, but I couldn’t help but feel that it turned out to be more of a soap opera show then it should have been. I mean, really, these people have super powers. What would be the first thing you’d do if you had super powers?

Me? I’d go for the cool costume. I’d start making a name for myself. I’d right the wrongs. I’d live for a sigh, I’d die for a kiss. I suppose a few of the characters, Peter most notably, tried to do this (sans costume, of course). But really they kind of took the fun out of it.

Oh, and come on, you’re meant to be superheroes! Over the entire course of the season, no one seemed even inclined to pick up a dumpster and throw it at someone, and there was Nikki clearly possessing the power to do so. Plus if you’re mutating genes, is it such a stretch that some of these people wouldn’t look entirely human?

So here’s my idea for a super hero. Tim Kring, feel free to take notes.

He’s called the Sandman, or alternatively (because Spiderman fans might have something to say about that), the Sleepwalker. Pretty much he’s a character that only has the powers to fight evil when he’s asleep - as a result he isn’t even aware of the fact. He’d wear a sleep mask, and a blanket tied around his shoulders as a cape. He’s got a theme song already lined up, courtesy of the band ‘America’ (I understand you’ve been running from a man that goes by the name of the Sandman). So in a way, he’s a bit like Isaac, as in he needs a catalyst in order to access his powers. Maybe over the course of the season he would actually work out that he has superpowers. Heck, he can even have a dark, sinister side - after all, it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker.

You’ve got to admit, it’s one superpower that hasn’t been done yet…

Don S. Davis is best known for playing Major General/Lieutenant General George S. Hammond in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, and earlier for playing Major Garland Briggs on the television series Twin Peaks. He is a character actor, former theatre professor, painter, stuntman, and was a captain in the U. S. Army in the 1960s.

This interview was recorded on 29th April, 2007 at the FSF Stargate Convention.

 

 Bulbcast 01: Don S. Davis interview [10:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (723)

Normally, China and Nightlight Productions have quite a friendly relationship. I’ve never declared war on them. They’ve never tried to impose unfair trade tariffs on me. All in all our relationship has been quite amicable - I’ve occasionally escaped with the ‘ris-kay’ joke that could be seen as racist in radio shows, approaching gong territory, definitely be seen as cheap and requiring change from a dollar…

Those days are over. China has banned Nightlight Productions.

This is probably something that I shouldn’t take personally. It was possibly a bit of a misunderstanding, maybe Nightlight unintentionally broke an international agreement that it wasn’t aware of. Maybe it was innocently talking about a certain never-to-be-released album by Guns N Roses in the forums, and China took it the wrong way.

But it’s typical really, isn’t it. Easy to offend, ban first, read forum threads completely later. So what if Nightlight started acting in the same way? From now on, no chinese food from the local takeaway shop. Not even sweet and sour pork. No more products that are made in China. The whales? I’ve suddenly become all defensive for them, heck, I think I might even write a protest song. Right after I finish penning the one that’ll get Paris Hilton out of prison.

It’s not all bad though - Nightlight has now joined an illustrious group of rejected websites, including google.com, the wikipedia, homestarrunner, plus what is sure to be thousands of porn sites. So as always, there’s a silver lining.

But the relationship that Nightlight had with China is, I must regretfully say, forever tainted. Me no rikey, China. Me no rikey.

Tierra de los Muertos, Part 01

Welcome one and all to Tierra de los Muertos, the Land of the Dead: a place of transition between the living world and the underworld, a place where souls exist and work together to repay those sins they committed while alive. This is the story of three such souls, and one terribly lost mortal, in the quest for redemption, treasure, and the Gates of the Afterlife!

Starring:
Lawrence Aitchison as Miguel Huesos
Matthew Smith as Tomas ‘Red’ Encion
Stanley Brain as Number Two
Stuart Moncrieff as Death
Casey Scott as Avegail Cervantes

Written and produced by Matthew Smith

 

 Tierra de los Muertos, Part 01 [6:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (957)

Yes, Nightlight is currently working to a ‘release plan’. Just so that you, the listening public, aren’t entirely in the dark…

There will be four releases a month. At the moment it will consist of one new part (at present that being Beneath Monkey Island), two ‘classic’ parts (that means that Tierra de los Muertos and Lost Cause will be rehashed in podcast format. They’re in higher audio quality anyway, so they’re worth getting), and one other ‘thing’.

At the moment, the other ‘thing’ is going to be celebrity interviews. I’ve got a couple in the can already, and I’m hopeful about some more in the future (I’m not going to drop names though, in case they don’t eventuate).

Essentially, it’s going to be a variety of things, new and old, something for hopefully everyone.

And hey, the website is being updated. Thank the Holy Zebra for small blessings, okay?

When I walked out of Spiderman 3, I quite liked the movie. I enjoyed the action, I enjoyed the drama, we seemed to make a good team, the ol’ movie and audience.

But then I talked to a friend about it. And I thought about it. The more I thought about it, the weirder it seems that I’d like the movie. Sure, there were likable parts, but there were also parts that weren’t so good, and a couple which made it into the ‘weird and disturbing’ category (almost exclusively inhabited by an emo dance scene). It could really have done with a few reels missing. I was getting uncomfortable in my seat at times, I felt like going out and doing some banking!

Then there were all the things that didn’t make sense. There were plenty. I’m just going to list a few, but feel free to chime in with your own in the comments, and I’ll edit this. Because some of this needs to be said.

1. If Sandman was so intent on getting money for his daughter, why didn’t he turn around and sue the scientific mob who had the experiment going and are essentially responsible for him becoming a pile of sand? If someone can break into a house, injure themselves, and sue the homeowners, then surely Sandman has grounds for a legal case. You can’t get an erection when you’re made of sand. It isn’t going to work. There’s something to start you, sandy!
2. Didn’t Peter Parker’s neighbours get suspicious when they saw Spiderman jumping out of the window at regular intervals? Because really, they can’t miss it all the time. Wouldn’t at least one of them think ‘hey, that Spiderman sure hangs around at Peter Parker’s place a lot…’
3. Why did the black space goo decide to target Peter Parker specifically? Why did it hang around his apartment for a few days before making its move? Was it taking in the sites of the city, seeing the statue of liberty, watching daytime television, taking the subway…
4. Did Green Goblin Jr. have a plan to get at Spiderman beyond messing with his love life in a rather lame fashion? After provoking Spiderman and getting the snot beaten out of him (again), that was pretty much it. And what was the deal with the ‘amnesia’ storyline if it was just buying time? The better option was to write him out near the start of the movie with a bit of jail time and come back later, scars and all, but willing to work with Peter for the sake of Mary Jane. While he was in there, he could meet the Sandman. They could plot a breakout together.

Better movie? I think so.

Beneath Monkey Island, Part 02

Based on the Monkey Island games by Lucas Arts, containing characters created by Ron Gilbert.

Excerpted from “The Memoirs of Carl, the Swordmaster of Jambalaya Island: The Monkey Island years”

“Well, my voyage to the far off distant land of Monkey Island is about to start, and there’s no way you can put a good spin on that. My companions are a crazy pirate who seems to think that pants and hygiene are optional extras, and Guybrush Threepwood, voted three times most likely to soil himself in a swashbuckling situation. Some confidence they instill!”

Starring:
Tom Negrette as Guybrush Threepwood
Matthew Smith as Carl, the Swordmaster of Jambalaya Island
Stanley Brain as Valora DeCazador

Written and produced by Matthew Smith

“Se La” by Lionel Richie
“Slippery When Wet” by The Commodores
“Cupid” by Jack Johnson

 

 Beneath Monkey Island, Part 02: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1073)

Hi there, Tim. You might remember me, a bit. You bumped into me with my girlfriend in Pitt Street mall in Sydney on Wednesday night and asked me for directions to the monorail station. I gave you a puzzled look for a moment before I worked out who you were, and proceeded to give you completely wrong directions. You should have continued along Pitt St, across Market St, and it would have been there on your right. I haven’t caught the monorail in years, and hope you weren’t lost for too long. It’s apparently a very male thing to do, give directions even though you aren’t certain. I think I should rely on that defense. I hope things are going well for you, I always kinda liked ‘Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush’.

Oh, my girlfriend says hi. She had no idea who you were, but then again, she’s Belgian and can be forgiven for that. And the reason she acted so shocked when you said we make a lovely couple and should have lots of babies right away… is because we’ve been together for six weeks. Not cool, amigo!

For those of you who don’t know who Tim Ferguson is (and really, to be fair, that’d be most people, Tim), he is a former member of the comedic Australian band “Doug Anthony All Stars” and occassionally crops up in media related places. He’s in the middle of the picture above. I’ve been heckled before by his buddy, Paul McDermott (he’s the guy on the left, he called me Seal Boy for some reason). If I buy a taco off Richard Fidler one day does that make my life complete?

Spoiler warning for the end of the season of Lost. I mean it. Big time.

This morning, I watched the last episode of Lost for third season. It ended rather strongly, I was surprised by a few things, all in all… it’s left me looking forward to the next season some time in 2008. So that’s all good.

Charlie’s death was a brave move that’s been building for the entire season. So while I hoped it would happen and they wouldn’t chicken out of it, it brings a bit of a lost oppurtunity to Lost. In fact, the character of Charlie has been an entire lost oppurtunity from start to finish - and that’s in the music he could have provided.

Dominic Monaghan (who plays Charlie) can play the guitar. So why didn’t they let him? Every now and then he turned up with it and belt out a few chords, but extremely infrequently. The only song I’ve actually seen him bash out is “Wonderwall” by Oasis (and don’t get me started about Oasis, they bought out four songs with slightly changed music).

If they wanted a musician in Lost, they should have gone the whole nine yards with it and cast someone like Jack Johnson or Donavon Frankenreiter. Someone who could embody the feelgood nature of the island, follow the characters around with a guitar and just sing. Back in the first season, before Hurley’s discman ran out of batteries, we got music montages. Now it seems like they’ve stopped trying.

The finale for this season was screaming for it - right at the point where Jack successfully used the satellite phone would be the point where Jack Johnson would have pulled out his guitar and started playing ‘Cupid’. You’d have the Losties cheering and celebrating, while Jack starts spinning as the camera pulls away from him in the air. Someone telling the people on the beach with the radio, and them rejoicing. Desmond looking at the dead Charlie through the hatch door window, and a tear rolling down his face. Then it cuts to Jack’s ‘flashback’ and the song’s playing on the radio, and he switches it off. Nice tie in there?

But no, Charlie has died a noble death (at the hands of the Beach Boys, no less), and it just leaves me wondering what could have been, if they actually had a guitarist character that they decided to put to use…

Nightlight’s getting muddled with slightly. Just some normal shakedown things, cosmetic changers… we’re considering going for a look that has a little more green in it. Because you can never have enough of that.

At the moment, direct your eyes to the menu. There’s a register option! You can now register to log in and post comments on the main page. Is life good, or what?

Edit: Just as a note, you can post comments without registering. But the option is there if you want it! Thanks for that Met (I knew it in my head, but didn’t make it clear!).