Doomed: The Untold Story of Roger Corman's the Fantastic Four

In 1992, producer Bernd Eichinger approached director Roger Corman to make a Fantastic Four movie.  Eichinger needed to make the film quickly to keep the film rights to the characters, and Corman agreed to make the film for $1 million.  Corman and his production team, who typically made direct-to-video B movies, wanted to stay true to the comics, while keeping the budget reasonable.  Everyone on Corman's team was excited to work on such a high-profile film and to have the opportunity to see the film released in theaters.  The film was meant to be the big break for everyone involved: the production team, director Oley Sassone, and the cast of theater actors.  But despite their best intentions and efforts, the film was never released.


I grew up loving The Fantastic Four cartoon.  I remember seeing the trailer for this film and being very excited about it.  May years later I looked for the film and was disappointed to learn that it was never released.

I found this documentary while browsing on Hulu and couldn't resist the opportunity to learn more about the film.  Director Marty Langford was able to speak to all of the primary cast and crew members, including Corman.  Their interviews explain the film and their expectations for the finished product.  The cover a range of emotions and memories, but no regrets.  Clips from the film, in various stages of production, are shown throughout.

It is an interesting story that keeps your attention from start to finish.  Executives from Marvel did not comment, so their version of the events is missing from an otherwise fascinating film.  While Corman's film may never be seen as originally intended, bootleg copies still exist.  And there have been 3 big studio live-action films about these characters; The Fantastic Four in 2005, it's 2007 sequel The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and the reboot Fantastic Four in 2015.

To learn more about this documentary you can check out their website.

Doomed: The Untold Story of Roger Corman's the Fantastic Four (2015) 85 minutes
Director: Marty Langford
Starring: Carl Ciarfalio
Roger Corman
Joseph Culp
Jonathan Fernandez
Glenn Garland
Chris Gore
Kat Green
Alex Hyde-White
Lloyd Kaufman
Oley Sassone
Mark Sikes
Michael Bailey Smith
Rebecca Staab
Jay Underwood

Hidden Figures

"Well, the curriculum is not designed for teaching a woman."

"I imagine it's the same as teaching a man."

In 1961, mathematician Katherine Goble (Henson) works as a "computer" for NASA.  She works at the segregated West Area Computers division in a room with other brilliant women.  She rides to work with her friends Mary Jackson (Monae), who wants to be an engineer, and Dorothy Vaughan (Spencer), who runs the division even though she is continually passed over for promotion.  NASA is preparing to send a man into space and hopes to beat the Russians.  After the Russians successfully launch a satellite into space, the pressure is even higher.

Katherine is assigned to the Space Task Group.  The group is led by Al Harrison (Costner) who has already dismissed several previous "computers."  He wants Katherine to check the math of the team, which irks his engineer Paul Stafford (Parson).  Mary is assigned to the team that is testing the space capsule.  Her insights cause engineer Karl Zielinski (Olek Krupa) to encourage her to officially become an engineer.  NASA has also acquired a new IBM computer, which threatens to put the women out of business.  Dorothy has a knack for machines and begins studying the programming code.  As NASA begins training the astronauts, can these women save the day?


In 2016, Margot Lee Shetterly wrote the book "Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race," which is a biographical story of the lives of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.  The film rights to the book were purchased by producer Donna Gigliotti, who hired Allison Schroeder to write the screenplay.  Schroeder's grandparents worked at NASA and she interned there as a teenager.  After director Theodore Melfi joined the project, he did some rewrites to the story.

The film takes some liberties... combining a few characters and condensing the timeline, to add to the drama.  It is a fascinating story of some incredible women.  The story is aided by a stellar cast.  Taraji P. Henson takes the lead as Katherine.  She is joined by Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monae as Mary Jackson.  All three are strong actresses and deliver great performances.

The film was nominated for 3 Academy Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (for Spencer), and Best Picture.  It was nominated for numerous other awards and won many of them.

Hidden Figures (2016) 127 minutes
Director: Theodore Melfi
Starring: Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Goble
Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan
Janelle Monae as Mary Jackson
Kevin Costner as Al Harrison
Kirsten Dunst as Vivian Mitchell
Jim Parsons as Paul Stafford
Mahershala Ali as Jim Johnson
Aldis Hodge as Levi Jackson
Glen Powell as John Glenn

The Trouble with Harry

"You're not supposed to bury bodies whenever you find them. It makes people suspicious."

A body is found on a hill overlooking the small town of Highwater, Vermont.  It is found in the morning by a young boy, Arnie Rogers (Mathers).  Arnie runs to get his mother, Jennifer (MacLaine), who recognizes the body but isn't upset by his death.  Meanwhile, the body is discovered by Captain Albert Wiles (Gwenn).  Wiles was hunting in the woods and believes he accidentally shot the man.  As he moves the body, he is discovered by spinster Miss Ivy Gravely (Natwick) and later by artist Sam Marlowe (Forsythe).

Wiles' shooting catches the attention of Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs (Dano), who drives around town trying to find the source.  To keep Wiggs from stumbling onto the body, Marlowe and Wiles bury it.  Who is the stranger, who Jennifer identifies as "Harry"?  And who is responsible for his demise?


The trouble with Harry is that he's dead... that's how most reviews or explanations of this film begin. The film is based on the 1949 novel "The Trouble with Harry" by Jack Trevor Story.  Director Alfred Hitchcok bought the film rights for the novel.  He wanted to make a film without a big-name cast and with a subtle humor.  It was his favorite film, but it mostly bombed with audiences.

Shirley MacLaine was a Broadway star when Hitchcock discovered her.  This was her film debut and she won a Golden Globe for this role.  This was Edmund Gwenn's second collaboration with Hitchcock (after Foreign Correspondent).  John Forsythe previously worked with Hitchcock on the TV show "Alfred Hitchcock Presents."

The film is funny and charming and it's a shame that the film is as well-known as other Hitchcock films.  It is subtle but keeps you invested... it isn't a thriller like most Hitchcock films, but it is still worth checking out.

The Trouble with Harry (1955) 99 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Edmund Gwenn as Captain Albert Wiles
John Forsythe as Sam Marlowe
Shirley MacLaine as Jennifer Rogers
Mildred Natwick as Miss Ivy Gravely
Mildred Dunnock as Mrs. Wiggs
Jerry Mathers as Arnie Rogers
Royal Dano as Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs
Parker Fennelly as Millionaire

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

"New York is considerably more interesting than I expected."

In 1920s New York, tensions are high between the magical and non-magical (called No-Majs) communities.  The Magical Congress of the USA (MACUSA) is led by Seraphina Picquery (Ejogo) and have very strict rules to keep the No-Majs from discovering them.  British wizard Newt Scamander (Redmayne) is traveling to Arizona, and arrives in New York with a suitcase full of unusual creatures.  One of the creatures gets loose and he collides with No-Maj Jacob Kowalski (Fogler) while chasing the creature.  In the collision, they trade suitcases.  Newt is able to recover the creature, but his actions catch the attention of Porpentina Goldstein (Waterson), who works for the MACUSA, and takes him to her superiors.

Porpentina and Newt team up to find Jacob and the case.  Jacob is stung by one of the creatures.  They go back to Tina's apartment and meet her sister Queenie (Sudol), who immediately catches Jacob's eye.  Jacob is introduced to the world of magic and agrees to help Newt find the rest of his missing creatures. Their plans put them in the cross-hairs of the MACUSA and Auror Percival Graves (Farrell).  The MACUSA does not allow magical creatures.  They are being plagued by a powerful creature and blame Newt.

Meanwhile, Mary Lou Barebone (Morton) leads the New Salem Philanthropic Society and speaks about the presence of magic in the world.  She adopts orphan children and uses them to help spread the word.  As the creature continues to plague the city, can Newt find it before the No-Maj's start a war with MACUSA?


J.K. Rowling created a world for her Harry Potter series.  After the books and films ended, there were still characters left to explore, without returning to Harry and his friends.  In 2001, Rowling wrote the textbook "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" that was used in the Potter series.  In 2013 they decided to adapt the textbook and Newt's life/story (not in the book) to film, with Rowling writing the screenplay.

The story inhabits the same world as Potter, but 70 years earlier.  This film is set in New York, which has a different set of names of the non-magic people and a different name for their magic leadership and school.  It also shows some interesting creatures... the story is a little slow, despite all of the creatures.  The characters are ok, but it takes time to like Eddie Redmayne's Newt.  Dan Fogler is funny and interesting as Jacob, and reacts the way most people would in the situation.  Katherine Waterson's Tina suffers from the same problems that plague Newt... it takes time to care about her.  Alison Sudol is charming as Queenie.  Carmen Ejogo is compelling as Seraphina, but I wish she was more involved.  Percival Graves, as played by Colin Farrell, keeps you guessing.  I assume this film will set up future films.

Director David Yates is no stranger to this world, previously directing 4 of the Harry Potter films: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011).  This film is the first in a series.  They plan to make 5 films, with Yates set to direct the sequel.

It was ok, but not as good as it could be.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) 133 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some fantasy action violence
Director: David Yates
Starring: Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander
Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski
Katherine Waterson as Tina Goldstein
Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein
Colin Farrell as Percival Graves
Carmen Ejogo as Seraphina Picquery
Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone
Samantha Morton as Mary Lou Barebone
Ron Perlman as Gnarlack

Moana

"Okay, first, I am not a princess.  I'm the daughter of the chief."

"Same difference."

"No."

"If you wear a dress, and have an animal sidekick, you're a princess."

Many years ago, the heart of goddess Te Fiti was stolen by demigod Maui (Johnson).  As he escapes, he is attacked by lava demon Te Ka, which causes him to lose the heart and his magical fishhook. Decades later, this story is told to the children of the island of Motunui by Tala (House).  Her stories scare all of the children, but her granddaughter Moana (Cravalho).  Moana is fascinated by the ocean and dreams of life off the island.  Her father, Chief Tui (Morrison), enforces the main island rule: do not go beyond the reef.

Years later, Moana has accepted her role as the future chief of the island.  She still longs to go out on the water and gets the chance when the fish when the fish and plants that they depend on start dying. She is chosen by the ocean to find Maui and return the heart to Te Fiti.

Accompanied by dense rooster, Heihei (Tudyk), she takes a boat and lets the ocean guide her to Maui.  Maui is not interested in helping, he just wants to get his hook and get back to his life.  Can they find Maui's hook and save Moana's people?


This is the 56th animated feature film made by Disney.  And the second Disney animated film released in 2016 (after Zootopia).  It is a computer-animated musical... similar to a Disney Princess film.

Directors Ron Clements and John Musker have been working with Disney since 1986.  This is their seventh time directing a Disney animated film, following The Great Mouse Detective in 1986, The Little Mermaid in 1989, Aladdin in 1992, Hercules in 1997, Treasure Planet in 2002, and The Princess and the Frog in 2009.  In 2011 they were drawn to Polynesian mythology and started writing an original story, based on the legends of demigod Maui.  They consulted with experts from the South Pacific to keep the film accurate.  The main cast is comprised of Polynesian actors.

This is the film debut of Auli'i Cravalho, who voiced Moana.  She has a beautiful singing voice and keeps Moana tough and independent.  Dwayne Johnson is perfectly cast as Maui, and is clearly enjoying the part.  Temuera Morrison and Nicole Scherzinger voice Moana's parents, with Christopher Jackson providing Chief Tui's singing voice.

All of the songs were written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina, and Opetaia Foa'i.  They used background vocals from Foa'i's group Te Vaka and a choir from Fiji.  The songs fit the movie and are fun.  The most infectious song is Maui's "You're Welcome."  Johnson is not a trained singer, like his co-stars, but he gives his all and it is a catchy (and contagious) song.  The song "How Far I'll Go" was nominated for an Oscar.

The film was nominated for 2 Academy Awards: Best Animated Film (it lost to Zootopia) and Best Original Song.

It is a fun and moving film... Moana is a strong lead and everything is gorgeous.

Moana (2016) 107 minutes
Director: Ron Clements & John Musker
Starring: Auli'i Cravalho as Moana
Dwayne Johnson as Maui
Rachel House as Tala
Temuera Morrison as Tui
Christopher Jackson as Tui (Singing voice)
Jemaine Clement as Tamatoa
Nicole Scherzinger as Sina
Alan Tudyk as Heihei