Avatar News: Banned in China, 23 Minute Featurette, and Man Dies From Excitement Dan Koelsch, January 20, 2010January 20, 2010 James Cameron’s Avatar tends to attract some pretty strange news. There has already been the report of a woman getting shot during an Avatar screening, and now we have another death related to Avatar. More on this story, plus China banning the film, and a 23 minute behind-the-scenes featurette. After Avatar had the biggest opening in China’s history, the Chinese government has pulled the 2D version of the film from all cinemas, according to BBC News. Why? The official statement from China’s State Administration of Radio, Film and Television is that the 2D sales were poor (only 1/3 of the total revenue), so this is standard practice. However, not everyone is buying this answer. Critics of the decision are claiming that the film’s message is what caused it to be downsized. The film’s plotline of forcing natives to move for a corporation mirrors the country’s efforts to move citizens in order to build lucrative property. Also, the fact a movie with this message has done so well scares the Chinese government, so replacing with with more Communist-friendly films both supports the government and homegrown cinema. Interestingly enough, in the same part of the world, a Tawainese man died days after seeing Avatar in theaters. The 42 year old man apparently had already had health problems, and his doctor claims watching the movie made the man over-excited and thus caused his fatal stroke. Lastly, Yahoo has a nice behind the scenes featurette on Avatar that’s longer than most at over 22 minutes. Take a look: News Avatar
Bad Idea of the Day: See Sherlock Holmes in a Motion Seat December 2, 2009December 2, 2009Thanks to the guys at Cinema Blend, we’ve learned that you can watch the upcoming Sherlock Holmes in a moving seat, at least in the select theaters that offer the technology. You may be familiar with the concept: While watching something on a screen, your seat moves to mirror the… Read More
Freddy Krueger Wants His MTV (Again!) March 23, 2010March 23, 2010Gather ’round kids. I have a story to tell you. You may not believe this, but a long, long time ago, there were these things called “Music Videos”, and they could be seen all around the world on a station called MTV. I know, I know, “shut up Scott! MTV… Read More
Harold Ramis Dead At Age 69 February 24, 2014February 24, 2014Actor, screenwriter, and director, Harold Ramis has died at age 69, according to the Chicago Tribune. Ramis is best known for playing Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, the more rationale character opposite Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. Ramis died at 12:35 am as a result of complications of… Read More