News

Matthew Byrd Aug 31, 2017

Fallout developer Obsidian Entertainment was approached to make a Game Of Thrones game long before the start of the TV series.

Rumours regarding Bethesda's interest in developing a videogame based on Game Of Thrones remain unconfirmed, but there is one former Fallout developer who was approached to create a game based on the popular fantasy series. 

In an interview with Eurogamer, Obsidian Entertainment CEO Feargus Urquhart revealed that he turned down an offer to develop a Game Of Thrones game in 2005. Mind you, that's a full six years before the series ever became one of the most popular shows in the world. Despite this, Urquhart admits that he was very familiar with the original books and that he knew there the stories had potential to achieve mainstream popularity. 

"My feeling was, understanding the IP at the time, it's about this political intrigue, and people's connection to the...

When terror struck outside Manchester Arena during an Ariana Grande concert Monday night, a homeless man who was there to panhandle sprung into action, quickly coming to the aid of dozens of injured people.

The man, Chris Parker, is now being hailed a hero for his selfless response — and nearly $40,000 has been donated online to help the 33-year-old get off the streets.

According to the New York Times, Parker ran towards the blast, despite the risk to his own life. As chaos reigned around him, Parker kept his cool, the paper reports, removing nails from the arms and faces of wounded children,...

"Like a Cumberland sausage chasing the mustard." "I wish there was some jive to judge." "It was a little bit like the weather - cloudy, grey and dismal."

Dave Myers's Halloween jive didn't exactly float the Strictly Come Dancing judges' boats last weekend. Rock bottom of the leaderboard again and with many of the weakest dancers already culled from the competition, it came as a surprise to see Dave survive the dreaded Dance Off yet again.

Countdown's Rachel Riley and one of the bookies' favourites to win the series, Abbey Clancy, were the duo asked to perform again on the Results Show. For some viewers, the fact that Clancy could have been voted out of the show before the Hairy Biker is unfathomable.

Six weeks into the competition, Myers is still always at least two steps behind his pro dance partner Karen Hauer. From his funky chicken cha cha...

Former Sydney-based Fairfax Media executive and 2Ue programmer Peter Brennan has finished his gardening leave and is ready to look for a new job.

Brennan, who once worked at channel Nine, finished up at 2Ue in December after new station boss Chris Parker decided to take the station in a new direction, including the new FM-style breakfast show fronted by Ian Dickson.

“Right now my biggest priority is to pick up the kids from school, but from Monday I’ll be looking for a job,” Brennan told Dr Mumbo.

“There are a couple of opportunities in TV, and also radio.”

The post Brennan is (nearly) back appeared first on mUmBRELLA.

1963

Johnny Cash: Blood, Sweat and Tears (Columbia)

Some of Cash's '60s concept albums were burdened with much too talking between tracks; here the tribute to the American working man gets to mostly stand alone on its musical merits, and shines. Notably, it incluces the top version of the traditional "John Henry"” about the most legendarily heroic working man ever, and the version of "Casey Jones" here is classic as well. Politically and psychologically, Cash was the perfect man for this job.

1968

Byrds: Notorious Byrd Brothers (Columbia)

Sometimes transitional albums, confusing listeners expecting a group's earlier style, are underrated. Not so with this classic. It's true that it didn't sell as well as earlier Byrds LPs, nor did the single from the album chart very high, but for decades Notorious Byrd Brothers has been widely revered, and not just by fans; some critics have even anointed it as the band's best album.

John Kerr is retiring after 56 years in radio

Radio 2Ue’s weekend midnight to dawn presenter John Kerr will sign off on his final program at 5.30am Monday after 56 years in radio.

Kerr has held the spot for the past 18 years, and will be farewelled by staff at a boardroom celebration at 2Ue this afternoon.

Station boss Chris Parker said Kerr had worked across metropolitan and regional markets during his career, and paid tribute to his legacy.

“John’s had a career spanning five decades – his record speaks for itself,” Parker said.

Kerr will retire to the Gold Coast.

His replacement will be John Cadogan, the station’s motoring correspondent and fill in host on the same shift.

The post Radio legend John Kerr to retire from 2Ue’s midnight to dawn weekend shift appeared first on mUmBRELLA.

2Ue’s 2013 breakfast slot team of Ian Dickson and Sarah Morice

Sydney Fairfax radio station 2Ue has gone in-house to choose 29-year-old newsroom reporter Sarah Morice to co-host the new breakfast program with Ian “Dicko” Dickson.

The unexpected choice follows former channel Ten Breakfast co-host Kathryn Robinson’s withdrawing the program at the last minute, thrusting Morice into the most commercially important and highest profile shift in radio.

2Ue boss Chris Parker announced the decision today as part of a plan to take the station to a more leftish and slightly less opinionated platform to differ itself from dominant talk rival 2Gb.

The decision caught many in the industry by surprise, and indicated 2Ue had few other options for a co-host for the high profile Dicko – who previously worked the breakfast shift on Vega’s Sydney and Melbourne stations.

Morice joined 2Ue in 2006 as a researcher on the John Laws...

Former 2Gb and Triple M figure Brian “The Spoonman” Carlton today signed on with beleaguered 2Ue just days after Tweeting ”after 29 years its goodbye to the media, I’m done” and later telling Mumbrella ”it’s time to go off and utilise my skills somewhere (else).”

Staff at the Fairfax radio station were told Carlton had been employed to produce Jason Morrison’s new drive program. Mumbrella understands that the reaction was very positive with Carlton a highly regarded radio operator.

But Mumbrella has also learned that the good news was balanced with another negative to hit 2Ue, with weekend afternoon host Peter Berner quitting, apparently upset due to turmoil at the station.

The shock Carlton announcement came just a day before the talk station 2Ue will announce its new line up with the focus on who – and it is expected she will be female – will co-host the ambitious breakfast...

Fairfax Media’s struggling Sydney talk radio station 2Ue has announced that programming director Peter Brennan will leave at the end of the year.

Brennan led last year’s relaunch of the talk station which saw a new generation of presenters brought in to challenge ratings leader 2Gb.

The station targeted an 8.5% share of the Sydney audience by the end of last year. In the latest Nielsen survey, 2Ue remained on 4.9%, behind 2Gb’s 14.2%.

At the time, Brennan told Mumbrella that the station had previously suffered from “poor management” and that “the fish stinks from the head”.

Accoridng to today’s announcement, Brennan will leave on December 14. Gm Chris Parker said: “During his tenure at 2Ue 954, Peter has led the programming team through some very exciting and also difficult times. His energy and commitment to 2Ue 954 and talk radio has seen him drive considerable change and we have benefited from...

The gorgeous Elisabeth Shue had her first lead film role back in 1987's "Adventures in Babysitting" -- and today, the former big screen babysitter turns 49!Shue had already starred on the short-lived TV show "Call to Glory" and had a supporting role in "The Karate Kid" before playing Chris Parker.She'd later star in the "Back to the Future" sequels, "Cocktail" and garner critical acclaim for "Leaving Las Vegas" and most recently played Jennifer Lawrence's mom in "House at the End of the Street" -- but this role would be one of her most memorable thanks to one thing: "Babysitter Blues."Any kid growing up in the '80s loves this flick -- but what happened to the rest of the cast?Check out the gallery above to see the other kids now, plus find out what they've been up to in the past 25 years! Read more...

Sydney Radio station 2Ue has today announced the resignation of director of sales Josh Busteed. Busteed moves to group sales director at the Arabic Radio Network in Dubai in 2013.

The announcement:

Radio 2Ue today announced the resignation of Director of Sales Sydney, Josh Busteed.

Mr Busteed will commence as Group Sales Director with the Arabic Radio Network (Arn) in Dubai in 2013.

Station General Manager, Chris Parker, thanked Mr Busteed for his time with 2Ue 954.

“In a short space of time, Josh has made a valuable contribution to revenue growth and the mentoring of our sales team,” Mr Parker said.

“The 2Ue 954 sales team is exceeding targets and key internal milestones and Josh has played an important part in that development,” he said.

“Josh has been offered a life changing opportunity and on behalf of 2Ue, I wish him and his family all the very best in the future.

“A nationwide...

Randall Wallace, who is best known as the director of films sch as Secretariat, We Were Soldiers, and The Man in The Iron Mask, is going religious. The filmmaker is now attached to develop an adaptation of the book "Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back" and might direct the project as well. Described as a "faith-based family drama" the movie is set up over at Sony. Joe Roth - who is best known for producing movies like Snow White and the Huntsman, Alice in Wonderland, and the upcoming Sam Raimi film Oz The Great And Powerful - and his Roth Films banner is producing the film. According to Variety, Christopher Parker is writing the script based on Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent book, which tells the story of Burpo's son's near-death experience and his "subsequent claim that he visited heaven.

Randall Wallace has been tapped to develop Sony's Td Jakes faith-based family drama Heaven Is for Real. Wallace's development deal could lead to his directing the adaptation of the best-selling non-fiction book Heaven is For Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip To Heaven And Back, from a script by Christopher Parker. Written by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent, the book has sold over 4.5 million copies; it chronicles the story of Burpo's now 12-year-old son Colton, who nearly died during an emergency appendectomy operation when he was 4. Joe Roth is producing through his Roth Films compnay, along with T.D. Jakes, who...

"Secretariat" helmer Randall Wallace is set to develop Sony's faith-based family drama "Heaven Is for Real" as a potential directing vehicle says Variety.

Based on the novel by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent, the story chronicled Burpo's son's near-death experience and subsequent claim that he visited heaven.

His family and the members of his small town do not believe him until his stories identify people who have passed away. Christopher Parker ("Battle of the Year") is adapting the book.

Joe Roth and T.D. Jakes will produce.

A Planet Fury-approved selection of notable genre releases for August.

Jaws (1975) Universal Blu-ray/DVD/Digital combo Available Now

Steven Spielberg’s classic thriller has been painstakingly restored from the original film elements. Amity Island has never been so beautiful. The movie itself seems to improve with age, with amazing performances and scenes that still manage to unnerve — Susan Backlinie’s death at the beginning is truly one of the most horrifying ever portrayed onscreen. Making this a true “special edition” is the long-awaited release of The Shark Is Still Working, an expansive documentary on the making and the impact of the 1975 film. All of the surviving cast and crew are interviewed along with several minutes of never-before-seen footage.

Special Features:

*Digitally remastered and fully restored from high resolution 35mm original film elements.

*Digital Copy of Jaws

*UltraViolet Copy of Jaws

*The Shark Is Still Working: The Impact & Legacy...

Chicago – Through their ownership of Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures, Disney has released a stellar wave of catalog titles this week, including at least three comedies that I would call great, two of John Cusack’s best performances, and an ’80s comedy that many people point to as one of the faves of their childhood. Pick your favorite.

Sadly, none of the films come with new special features although the ones that had bonus material on DVD editions have been imported. Personally, I highly recommend the top three films, especially the two Cusack gems, a pair of movies that have held up remarkably well in the decade-plus since they were released. Ranked in order of quality (and click the title for a chance to buy each one of these releases) and all five titles were released on August 7, 2012:

High Fidelity

Photo credit: Disney

“High Fidelity”

Blu-ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

Synopsis:

Join John Cusack...

Welcome back to This Week In DVD… now with more Blu-ray! The times they are a changing, and occasionally that means Fsr’s DVD department is sent Blu-rays to cover instead. It happens. This week it happened to a handful of older Touchstone films, a couple Chuck Norris classics, two TV series, a beloved children’s classic and two direct to disc horror films. As always, if you see something you like, click on the image to buy it. Strike Back: Cinemax Season One (Blu-ray/DVD) Michael Stonebridge is an elite member of Britain’s anti-terrorist squad, and his latest mission finds him taking on the world’s most dangerous madman while he simultaneously takes on a new partner in a disgraced Delta Force soldier named Damien Scott. Together they kill, screw and blow(up) their way around the world trying to stop an impending terrorist attack. This is technically the British series’ second season, but...

Given the recent surge of 1980s popular culture nostalgia, discussions of that decade’s iconic films unfailingly revert to the unique 1980s teen comedy genre, always dominated by the catalog of John Hughes. But sadly, some outstanding films from that era are overlooked or even forgotten, and all teen movies from this period seem to be unfairly compared to Hughes’s work. One such semi-lost and under-appreciated gem is director Chris Columbus’s delightful 1987 teen comedy “Adventures in Babysitting.”

The movie opens in Chicago’s Oak Park suburb with the pretty, charming, 17-year-old girl next door Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) preparing for a romantic evening with her dreamy boyfriend Mike Todwell (Bradley Whitford). Mike finally arrives, only to inform Chris that his younger sister is sick, and that he is unable to take her out. Devastated, Chris mopes in her bedroom, seeking comfort from her band geek friend Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller...

[1] Hailee Steinfeld, Dave Franco, and Deborah Ann Woll have been offered the leads in Rosaline, a retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet that's told from the perspective of the girl Romeo ditches to be with Juliet. Michael Sucsy is directing from a script by by (500) Days of Summer writers Scott Neustader and Michael H. Weber, which in turn is an adaptation of Rebecca Serle's forthcoming debut novel When You Were Mine. The comedy will use modern-day dialogue in a 16th-century Verona setting. Woll would play the title character, while Franco and Steinfeld could play Romeo and Juliet, respectively. If Steinfeld signs on it'll be her second time playing the iconic character, as she's also lined up to play Juliet [2] for Carlo Carlei's more straightforward adaptation. Much as I like Steinfeld, her casting here strikes me as a bit off since she's eleven years younger than Woll and Franco --...

If anyone wants to see Sawyer kick it onscreen, today is your lucky day. As Variety reports, Josh Holloway, Laz Alonso, Josh Peck, Chris Brown, and Caity Lotz have all joined Screen Gems’ Planet B Boy, a narrative version of Benson Lee‘s documentary that goes by the same name, with the exception of a now-missing dash; he’ll also direct this version.

That original film — and, concurrently, this one — follows “an all-star American b-boy crew training to compete at the Battle of the Year International Championships in France,” in which they “go up against the best b-boys in the world,” who hail from South Korea, Russia, and France. Shooting has already commenced in Los Angeles, and things will soon move over to Montpellier, France. The story has been adapted for film by Brin Hill and Chris Parker — I like to think that the script says “[Character] dances dramatically” for about 2/3rds of its entirety.

First the bad news: Doctor Who will be over for a while, after October 1. That’s when the season 6 finale airs on BBC America. They are trying to lessen the blow though, bless ‘em, by starting us on a new series directly afterwards. Check out the tv spot:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s a brief summary:

Bedlam is a ghostly series set around Bedlam Heights — a hip, newly renovated apartment building. Those who live there think they have the best address in the world, but little do they know their new home has a harrowing past.

The conversion of Bedlam Heights from a former insane asylum has awakened the ghosts of its dark and violent past. These spirits wish to reclaim what’s theirs and seek revenge on those who have wronged them.

Kate (Charlotte Salt, The Tudors), a direct descendant of the people who ran the former asylum for generations,...

So Cameron's Diaz's Bad Teacher opened quite well this weekend. That means that despite bad reviews and a blatant Bad Santa rip-off, there was something com-fucking-pelling about the concept of a chick that swears a hell of a lot. Well, if that's the case, America, let's see how you do with a list of goddamned foul-mouthed ladies. You know, ones from good movies where the swearing adds to the moment and isn't there just to cover up a shitty plot and worn out concept. Some of them are funny, some are emotional, some are unexpected and some of them are motherfucking scary. So here they are, you fuckmunchers, my personal favorites. Are you upset because your favorite isn't on here? Well, fuck you.

Mona Lisa Vito--My Cousin Vinny

Imagine you're a deer. You're prancing along. You get thirsty. You spot a little brook. You put your little deer lips down to the cool,...

The groundbreaking 1974 television movie Born Innocent starring Linda Blair (The Exorcist) will be released on DVD by Hen’s Tooth Video on June 21.

Teenage runaway Linda Blair falls victim to the juvenile justice system in Born Innocent.

In the TV film, Blair stars as Chris Parker, a 14-year-old repeat runaway who has been detained by police. When her father (Richard Jaeckel, The Drowning Pool) refuses to take her back, Chris is made a ward of the court and sent to the State Home for Girls. There, she falls victim to an indifferent juvenile justice system that cannot help the troubled teens it merely warehouses.

Based on the book by Creighton Brown Burnham and directed by Donald Wrye and co-staring Joanna Miles, Allyn Ann McLerie and Mary Murphy, this new DVD edition includes a graphic rape scene considered so shocking on its initial NBC network broadcast that it was cut from subsequent syndication prints.

Until recently, the closest thing we had to a cinematic embodiment of Marvel's God of Thunder Thor was in the 1987 teen comedy "Adventures in Babysitting." The debut of "Home Alone" director Chris Columbus was another entry in the "teen's getting into mischief while their parents are away and fixing everything moments before they get back home" genre, which also included "Ferris Bueller" and "Risky Business."

In the movie, Elisabeth Shue played a 17-year-old babysitter who goes on a madcap journey through the seedy underbelly of Chicago with her three underage charges. At one point they come to get their car from Dawson's Garage, and discover Dawson looks exactly like comicdom's Thor (and may actually be him).

As we anticipate the coming release of the big-budget feature adaptation of "Thor," we thought it might be good to weigh the pros-and-cons of both Asgardians and see who comes out on top.

If...

Ahead of Thor’s arrival in cinemas, we take a fond look back at an 80s movie that saw Vincent D’Onofrio star as the mighty hero. Well, sort of...

With the release of Thor imminent, I thought it would be an ideal time to revisit one of my favourite films from my childhood, which just so happens to be the finest film to date to feature the God of Thunder, Adventures In Babysitting.

The film was also known as A Night On The Town around its original release in 1987, but now carries the title Adventures In Babysitting on all copies that I've seen lately. The story follows Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue), a high school senior who's set to go on a dream date in the city with her boyfriend, Mike Todwell (Bradley Whitford), who's pretty much the boy of Chris' dreams and drives a red Camaro with the un-cool...

Reactor 88 Studios is releasing the supernatural film Inspectres, now that production is complete. This is a horror comedy from director Darren Orange (The House that Jack Built), which includes zombies, a werewolf and various gremlins. This film completed earlier this month and already the film is slated to show in various cities. Check out the action in the trailer below.

The synopsis for Inspectres is here:

"In a world where ghosts, ghouls, and goblins are a common place, the InSpectres are the only exterminators capable of eliminating these supernatural nuisances! After a run in with a zombie, Lucas joins the InSpectres as an agent in training. He, his mentor Tracey, and company embark on eerily funny adventure aimed at re-capturing entities freed from a government holding ,by a corporate saboteur.

They encounter a variety of released oddities on their path to identifying the saboteur: an invisible Hollywood fan-boy, a party animal wolf-man,...

Rumours about EastEnders seem to have been coming through thick and fast in the past few days, so I've tried to get the definitive word on a trio of press and internet snippets that fans have been asking about. First of all, contrary to some reports at the weekend, I've been told that there's no plans for Glenda to become a surrogate mother for Christian and Syed. While it's no secret by now that the fan favourites will be discussing the possibility of starting a family together and the option of surrogacy in their new storyline, speculation that Glenda will be a major player in the plot is untrue. Meanwhile, rumours that Chris Parker will be reprising his role as Spencer (more)...

Update: The Gersh Agency has just confirmed Deadline's report that it has acquired Hohman, Maybank, Lieb and issued a press release that follows the original story break. Exclusive: The Gersh Agency is putting the finishing touches on a major deal that will give a real shot in the arm to its literary department. Gersh is acquiring Hohman, Maybank, Lieb, the well-respected boutique literary agency. Founders Bob Hohman, Bayard Maybank and Devra Lieb will become partners and will bolster a Gersh lit department that recently lost deal makers Sara Self and David Kopple. I'm told Hohman Maybank Lieb will bring such writers as Saving Private Ryan scribe Robert Rodat, Valentine's Day scribe Katherine Fugate, Finding Nemo scribe Dave Reynolds, Welcome to the Rileys scribe Ken Hixon, Cheaper By the Dozen scribe Sam Harper, The Great and Powerful Oz scribe Mitchell Kapner, Source Code's Ben Ripley, Londongrad's David Scarpa, Daddy Day Care's Geoff Rodkey,...

This is a continuation of An afternoon of contemplation at Starplex Cinemas: Vampires Suck & Piranha (part one).  Piranha Adventures in Babysitting is the most sparkling representation of the essence of Elisabeth Shue as a performer and an human being.  Anyone witnessing her opening dance number or soulful rendition of "Babysitting Blues" could not possibly come to any other conclusion.  In the movie, Shue plays Chris Parker, a babysitter who must protect her charges from a gang of car thieves while rescuing her hysterical friend...

Craig Revel Horwood has said that he is happy for viewers to decide how long Ann Widdecombe stays on Strictly Come Dancing. The judge claimed that he would continue to criticise the ex-Tory MP from a dance perspective, but added that he was expecting to watch her enjoy a long stint on the reality programme. "I'm judging and waving the dance flag," he told Claudia Winkleman on spinoff show It Takes Two. "But the audience have the opportunity to vote Ann through. I leaving the ball in the audience's very capable hands. "Christopher Parker went all the way through to the final [in the (more)...

When I think of Elisabeth Shue, the word .scary. doesn.t necessarily come to mind. It.s easier to picture her as sweet Ali Mills in Karate Kidor Chris Parker in Adventures in Babysitting. But that is changing (those days are long behind her) as she.s getting into the thriller genre. The Hollywood Reporter has it Shue will join the cast of House at the End of the Street alongside Jennifer Lawrence (Winter.s Bone) and Max Thieriot (Chloe). Mark Tonderai (Hush) will direct the thriller. In the upcoming production, Lawrence will move in with her mother, played by Shue. They live across the street from the location of a double murder. Theiriot will play the only survivor of the violence. He befriend.s Lawrence.s character, and presumably all scariness breaks loose. In the horror vein, Shue can be seen in the ensemble cast of Piranha 3D, due...

Former EastEnders star Chris Parker has reportedly been working with ex-criminals in a bid to stop them re-offending. The actor, who played Walford's Spencer Moon, is thought to have taken on a mentoring role with charity Supporting Others Through Volunteer Action (Sova). According to the News of the World, the 26-year-old's voluntary commitments see him paying regular visits to young people who have recently left prison. One of Parker's mentees told the newspaper: "The fact (more)...

Spencer Moon could return to Walford close on the heels of his big brother Alfie, an EastEnders insider has claimed. Bosses at the BBC One soap have reportedly told Chris Parker, who played Spencer from 2002 to 2005, that they are keen to have him back on screen. Audience reaction to the planned return of Alfie (Shane Ritchie) and his wife Kat, played by Jessie Wallace, will be gauged later this year before a decision is made, reports the Sunday Mirror. The source said: "Spencer is the final link in the Moon family tree. (more)...

A tyre blowout caused the plane crash that killed four people and left ex-Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker in a critical condition, reports People. The Learjet aircraft crashed just after takeoff from Columbia, South Carolina on Friday. Pilot Sarah Lemmon and co-pilot James Bland were killed, along with passengers Chris Parker and Charles Still. Barker and Adam Goldstein, better known as DJ AM, escaped the wreckage and are in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at a nearby Georgia hospital. Debbie Hersman of the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington said: "The cockpit voice recorder went on for two hours, but the last 18 minutes were most (more)...

The EastEnders cast has reportedly been banned from appearing on this year's Strictly Come Dancing. According to The Sun, producers won't let any of their stars appear on the show because the reality series is now running for 16 weeks. Christopher Parker (Spencer Moon), Jill Halfpenny (Kate Mitchell), Patsy Palmer (Bianca Jackson), Louisa Lytton (Ruby Allen) and Matt Di Angelo (more)...

BBC One has confirmed the competitors for the third series of Celebrity Masterchef.

The stars will put their cooking skills to the test during a four-week run this summer.

The actors taking part will be: Linda Robson, Louis Emerick, Wendi Peters, Debra Stephenson, Chris Parker, Joe McCann, Steven Pinder, Mark Moraghan, Vicki Michelle, Sean Wilson, Clare Grogan and Hywel Simons.

Joining them will be musicians Liz McLarnon, Dj Spoony and Claire Richards; sports personalities Denise Lewis and Noel Whelan; presenters Andi Peters, . . .