Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 98
March 14, 2023
March 14, 2023: Stargate SG-1 season 7 concept art and episodic insights!
Fallen…
Before work began on the show’s seventh season, I emailed Rob Cooper a notion I had of an angel cast down from heaven, stripped of his memories and left to start a new life on Earth. Rob ended up taking the whole “stripped” thing literally – much to the delight of Michael’s fans.
Paul flagged an exchange at the script stage. One off-worlder notes Teal’c’s presence with: “He is Jaffa.” to which O’Neill replies: “No, but he plays one on t.v.”. Paul felt it broke the fourth wall but was ultimately overruled. When the episode aired, many fans loved the exchange – while many others followed suit and waved their own red flags.
Following the scene in which O’Neill appeals to an amnesiac Daniel, DJ refer to Jack as “Jim”. It’s a gag that Brad calls back to in SGA’s The Shrine.
Homecoming…
No concept art 
Even though the Jonas Quinn character never found firm footing on the show, I was nevertheless sad to see him go. Actor Corin Nemec was a good guy and we got along well so I wanted to make sure he got a proper, respectful send-off that left the door open for a possible return. And I think we accomplished that in Homecoming. Corin returned later in the season seven to guest in an episode for which he received a story credit: Fallout.
Fragile Balance…
Actor Michael Welch delivers one of the show’s most impressive guest performances in the role of a young, cloned Jack O’Neill. He captures (Rick as) Jack’s mannerisms and rhythms perfectly and so wowed us that, in the following months, we tried to spin several different stories that would have seen Young Jack make a return. Unfortunately, none of these stories panned out. I did end up running into Michael Welch at the that year’s Saturn Awards (Best Award Show Ever!). He told me how much he’d enjoyed his experience on the show while I told him how much we’d enjoyed having him. Interestingly enough, it was the same night I first met actor Ben Browder. We discussed Farscape, scifi, and the possibility of him doing a guest spot on the show. I ended up writing a part for him as a potential recurring character on Atlantis but a scheduling conflict prevented him from accepting the role – which, in the long run, was a good thing because it allowed him to accept the more substantial role of SG-1’s Cameron Mitchell two years later.
This episode also sees an appearance by the talented Theresa Lee, a friend and huge film and t.v. star in Hong Kong and China (where she recently headlined their version of Dancing With the Stars). Whenever Theresa comes into town, we try to grab dim sum and rare is the occasion when she is not recognized by someone at a neighboring table. The last time we grabbed a bite, I glanced up from my sticky rice purse to catch her on the restaurant’s t.v. screen, starring in some Hong Kong comedy. Loved her in Big Bullet!
Orpheus…
Not to be confused with season 9’s Morpheus, Orpheus is another Peter DeLuise extravaganza. You can always recognize Peter’s episode because they always contained one of three things: Unas, noble Jaffa, and/or explosions.
Loved Carter’s review of Signs in the gym scene. Other movies I would have liked to see receive the onscreen review treatment: The Village, Lady in the Water, and The Happening.
Revisions…
This story started out as a pitch about a town living within a hermetically sealed bubble surrounded by a toxic atmosphere. SG-1 happens upon the scene and discovers its inhabitants are hiding a terrible secret. I hesitate to reveal the shocking conclusion I originally envisioned because the story we ended up with was so different that I’d love to repurpose it given some future opportunity. Anyway, even though the episode ended up quite different from the way I’d originally envisioned it, I loved it nevertheless. And I wasn’t the only one. Then VFX Supervisor James Tichenor really enjoyed the script. It’s a great SF standalone episode. And the location we found for the town was perfect in its bizarre cross-cultural architectural weirdness. It is, in reality, a former amusement park, Fantasy Gardens, with a fairly interesting history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_Gardens. We would return here years later to shoot SGA’s Irresponsible.
Lifeboat…
An acting tour-de-force for Michael Shanks who delivers a multitude of terrific performances in an episode that sees him playing several different characters. Guest star James Park’s portrayal of the doomed Pharrin is also incredibly touching and the perfect compliment to Michael’s multi-layered turn. Brad had the idea for this story back in season six but, since he’d constructed the story for Daniel who had since left this mortal coil, he’d shelved it indefinitely. When Michael came back to the show the following year, however, Brad was able to dust it off and put it back in play. It’s one of those self-contained pure SF stories, like Revisions (and the episodes Brad used to produce in his Outer Limits days), that always appealed to me in much the same way that I always preferred the stand-alone horror X-Files episodes over the arc-driven entries.
Enemy Mine…
Enemy Mine was the working title of this episode which, like Watergate before it, went from placeholder title to official title before anyone could do anything about it. FYI, past placeholder titles that didn’t make it to official status include: Teal’c Interrupted, Turn of Events, Dark Gambit, Flowers for McKay, CSI: Atlantis, Ad Infinitum, Remember When, and Beckett Returns.
Writer/Director Peter DeLuise excelled at stories that, like this one, focused on the show’s rich mythology, building upon the races and characters established in previous episodes and developing them in interesting, often surprising, ways.
The post March 14, 2023: Stargate SG-1 season 7 concept art and episodic insights! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 13, 2023
March 13, 2023: Not done yet! The Horror Marathon continues with five more scary movie reviews!
The Exorcist III (1990)
A police lieutenant uncovers more than he bargained for as his investigation of a series of murders, which have all the hallmarks of the deceased Gemini serial killer, leads him to question the patients of a psychiatric ward.
My thoughts: At times lurid, at times ludicrous, at times annoyingly talky, and at times undeniably terrifying. The best of the sequels to the 1973 original.
3.5/5
The Strays (2023)
A Black woman’s meticulously-crafted life of privilege unravels when two strangers show up in her quaint suburban town.
My thoughts: Terrible people exact revenge on a terrible person. It sets up some very interesting emotional repercussions – that are never explored.
3/5
The Price We Pay (2022)
After a pawn shop robbery goes askew, two criminals take refuge at a remote farmhouse to try to let the heat die down, but find something much more menacing.
My thoughts: Director Ryûhei Kitamura revisits the same ground as his earlier No One Lives, but with more sympathetic characters – and an ending so ridiculously over-the-top you’d be forgiven for assuming it was parody.
3/5
Werewolf By Night (2022)
Follows a lycanthrope superhero who fights evil using the abilities given to him by a curse brought on by his bloodline.
My thoughts: A very enjoyable though somewhat insubstantial homage to classic Hammer Films.
3.5/5
Bed Rest (2022)
A pregnant woman on bed rest begins to wonder if her house is haunted or it’s all in her head.
My thoughts: All too familiar scares delivered in uninspired fashion enroute to an overly melodramatic ending.
2.5/5
The post March 13, 2023: Not done yet! The Horror Marathon continues with five more scary movie reviews! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 12, 2023
March 12, 2023: Suji Sunday!
Flower fun!
Okay. Now a goofy one!
Excitedly showing off her new toy.
Brace for impact! Running through her earthquake-preparedness drill.
Coffee…
And a snack.
When you post a picture and then realize your should have checked your nose first.
Hey! Heeeey! Pay attention to meee!
Goofing around.
The post March 12, 2023: Suji Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 11, 2023
The Top 10 Things I Hate to Write!
#10. Blog Entries
Not always but, every so often, when it’s late and I’ve realized I’ve forgotten to blog, the pressure is on to keep my daily 15+ year blogging streak intact. The pressure!
#9. The First Draft of a Script
Getting started is the most daunting part but, once you get going, and provided you’re backed by a bulletproof outline, you can get into a groove. And it can actually be a lot fun.
#8. Production Rewrites
This actor won’t be available for this scene. This location will have to be switched. We need to lose a page a half. It can be challenging but, like figuring out a puzzle, it can be quite satisfied as well.
#7. The Script Polish
By this point, the changes are (hopefully) minor, so the process is relatively painless.
#6. The Script Outline
A little foreboding off the top and it does require creative leg work to flesh out those scenes, but like the first draft it can be fun if you get into a rythmn.
#5. The Beat Sheet
Can be like pulling teeth. But once you get started, it’s not so bad. Unless you hit a patch that has you spinning your creative wheels.
#4. The Follow-Up Query Email
“Hey, hope you’re well. Don’t mean to be a bother, but it’s been six weeks since I sent you the script. Just wondering if you’re still alive.”
#3. The Pitch
Make it thorough, professional, yet conversational. Then forget half of what you wrote on the day of the actual pitch.
#2. The Pitch Deck
You’re basically writing a sales document.
#1 – The Second Draft
Your script is the Jenga and the notes are all the blocks at the bottom you have to rearrange.
The post The Top 10 Things I Hate to Write! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 10, 2023
March 10, 2023: My Horror Marathon Top 10, Part 2!
Another 100 horror movies; another Top 10 list…
My #Horror Marathon Top 10 (Part 2)
9. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) – USA
A father and son, both coroners, are pulled into a complex mystery while attempting to identify the body of a young woman, who was apparently harboring dark secrets. pic.twitter.com/ZGGSZgaVfj
— Joseph Mallozzi
(@BaronDestructo) March 9, 2023
My #Horror Marathon Top 10 (Part 2)
7. The Belko Experiment (2016) – USA
80 Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogotá, Colombia, and ordered by an unknown voice coming from the company's intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed pic.twitter.com/7FnHrYnsm7
— Joseph Mallozzi
My #Horror Marathon Top 10 (Part 2)
5. Orphan (2009) – USA
A husband and wife who recently lost their baby adopt a 9-year-old girl who is not nearly as innocent as she appears. pic.twitter.com/O70sqllvm0
— Joseph Mallozzi
My #Horror Marathon Top 10 (Part 2)
3. The Platform (2019) – Spain
A vertical prison with one cell per level. Two people per cell. Only one food platform and two minutes per day to feed. An endless nightmare trapped in The Hole. pic.twitter.com/MhQvoXdaBZ
— Joseph Mallozzi
My #Horror Marathon Top 10 (Part 2)
1. The Menu (2022) – USA
A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises. pic.twitter.com/k8VLXlgzMU
— Joseph Mallozzi
And in case you missed by first Top 10 list based on my initial 100 horror movies watched…
The post March 10, 2023: My Horror Marathon Top 10, Part 2! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 9, 2023
March 9, 2023: More Unusual Deaths!
#UnusualDeaths
When Charles II of Navarre fell ill in 1387, he was prescribed a "body wrap" of bedsheets soaked in spirits. After sewing him in for the night, his maid used a candle flame to sever the thread – accidentally igniting the bedsheets and the cocooned king. pic.twitter.com/U3gCNO6q5o
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – The London Beer Flood
On October 17, 1841, an accident at the Horseshoe Brewery released a 15 foot wave of porter into St. Giles Rookery, killing 8 (not including those rumored to have died of alcohol poisoning trying to make the best of a bad situation). pic.twitter.com/i3GQZaygg5
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – The Molasses Flood
On January 15, 1919, a storage tank explosion sent 2.3 million gallons of molasses weighing 13 000 tons sweeping through Boston at a speed of 35 mph, covering the North End neighborhood with its sticky deliciousness. And killing 21 people pic.twitter.com/oW3498oPP2
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – Knocked on the Noggin Edition
334 BC – The Greek comic poet Antiphanes, killed by a pear.
June 6, 1217 – Henry 1 of Castile, killed by a floor tile.
March 20, 1751 – Frederick Prince of Wales, killed by a cricket ball. pic.twitter.com/fKJMLJCQJi
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
On November 17, 375 AD, Roman Emperor Valentian I was so outraged by the attitude of some visiting foreign envoys that he yelled at them with such intense fury that he suffered a stroke and dropped dead on the spot. pic.twitter.com/PavV2yLe8z
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – Mind Your Head edition
On August 5, 882, Louis III of France hit his head on a doorway and died while chasing a girl into her father's home.
On April 7, 1498, Charles VIII of France hit his head on a doorway and died while rushing out to catch a tennis match. pic.twitter.com/eVh6Z6TJeX
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
On October 13, 1601, while attending a banquet in Prague, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe refused to leave the table and relieve himself because he considered it rude. Eleven days later, he died of a burst bladder. pic.twitter.com/ie4vLKOPMG
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
François Vatel was the maître d'hôtel in charge of a lavish banquet for over 2000 diners in honor of Louis XIV on April 24, 1671. Upon learning that a seafood delivery would not be arriving in time for the meal, a distraught Vatel ran himself thru with a sword. pic.twitter.com/hvVWKBLbM8
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
On November 6, 1816, Gouverneur Morris died from an infection and internal injuries suffered after using a piece of whale bone as a catheter to clear a blockage in his urinary tract. pic.twitter.com/DqmXULlwdx
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post March 9, 2023: More Unusual Deaths! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 8, 2023
March 8, 2023: Amazing Covers!
A few that caught my eye this week…
Silver Surfer: Ghost Light #2 – cover art by Alex Maleev
X-23: Deadly Regenesis #1 – cover art by Aka
X-Men #20 – cover art by Alex Ross
Avengers #66 – cover art by Alex Ross
Black Panther #15 – cover art by German Peralta
Fantastic Four #5 – cover art by Alex Ross
Dejah Thoris #1 – cover art by Rebeca Puebla
Dejah Thoris #1 – cover art by Jung-Geun Yoon
Unbreakable Red Sonja #4 – cover art by Lucio Parrillo
Batman #133 – cover art by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
Batman & The Joker: Deadly Duo #5 – cover art Whilce Portacio
Gotham City: Year One #6 – cover art by Jorge Molina
Poison Ivy #10 – cover art by Jenny Frison
Poison Ivy #10 – cover art by Joshua Middleton
The Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1 – cover art by Rafael Sarmento
The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #6 – cover art by Kendrick Kunkka Lim
Black Tape #2 – cover art by Dan Panosian
Gretel: Seeds of Despair – cover art by Josh Burns
Gretel: Seeds of Despair – cover art by Lobos
Judge Dredd: Regicide – cover art by Andy Clarke
So, which were YOUR favorites?
The post March 8, 2023: Amazing Covers! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 7, 2023
March 7, 2023: Unusual Deaths!
#UnusualDeaths
Around 600 B.C., Athenian legislator Draco delivered a speech in the Aeginetan theatre. As was the custom of the time, his audience showed their approval by showering him with items of clothing – cloaks, hats, shirts – inadvertently smothering him to death. pic.twitter.com/F6pRYh1Mfp
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – Death by malmsey
In 1478, George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, was executed for treason by his brother, King Edward IV. It is said he was taken to the Tower of London and summarily drowned in a butt of malmsey, a pricey sweet wine. Cheers! pic.twitter.com/sCquRGL1BY
— Joseph Mallozzi
Days later, a man attempting to demonstrate how Vallandigham accidentally shot and killed himself accidentally shot and killed himself. 2/END
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
According to legend, Christian martyr Marcus of Arethusa met his sweet, sweet end after being slathered in honey, hung in the sun, and covered in bees. pic.twitter.com/FkXHATdjL2
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
According to legend, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus died while attempting to cure himself of dropsy, an accumulation of fluids in the body. After covering himself in cow dung, he lay out in the sun to dry – only to be devoured by dogs.
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
The Greek philosopher Empedocles hurled himself into Mount Etna's active volcano to prove he was an immortal god.
Spoiler alert: He was not.
According to legend, the volcano demonstrated its disdain by belching up a lone bronze sandal. pic.twitter.com/ZHAiTsrULk
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – A pair of pears!
Ancient Greek comic poet and playwright Antiphanes was purportedly killed by a pear. It's unclear whether it fell on him or was thrown at him by an unruly spectator passing judgement on one of his productions. 1/
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – A pair of pears!
Claudius Drusus, the eldest son of Roman emperor Claudius, choked to death after tossing a pear into the air and trying to catch it in his mouth. 2/END
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Byzantine Emperor Basil 1 died of fever following a hunting accident that saw him dragged for 26 miles after he snagged his belt on a deer's antlers. pic.twitter.com/8tzFq1u4lU
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – Death by Beard
Hans Steininger was the proud owner of the world's longest beard at 4 feet 2 inches. On September 28, 1567, amid the panic of a fire in the town of Braunau am Inn, Hans tripped over his own beard, fell down a flight of stairs, and broke his neck. pic.twitter.com/JOpZ0ADwKp
— Joseph Mallozzi
[Edit: That should be 892]
#UnusualDeaths
In 1892, the second Earl of Orkney, Sigurd the Mighty, defeated his rival Máel Brigte the Bucktoothed in battle. He kept Máel's head, strapping it to his saddle – then developed sepsis and died after Brigte's infamous buck tooth scratched his leg on the ride home, pic.twitter.com/ntankEmazt
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths – The Erfurt Latrine Disaster
On July 26, 1184, during an informal assembly of European nobles in Petersburg Citadel in Erfurt, the second floor of the building collapsed, dropping everyone into a ground floor latrine. 60 nobles drowned in liquid excrement. pic.twitter.com/WcZT9JliKV
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post March 7, 2023: Unusual Deaths! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 6, 2023
March 6, 2023: Films #196-200 of our Horror Movie Marathon!
These Final Hours (2013)
A self-obsessed young man makes his way to the party-to-end-all-parties on the last day on Earth, but ends up saving the life of a little girl searching for her father. Their relationship ultimately leads him on the path to redemption.
My thoughts: An apocalyptic thriller with a lot of heart. Amidst the end-of-world chaos, there’s a very human story at its core.
4/5
Meandre/Meander (2020)
A woman finds herself locked in a series of strange tunnels full of deadly traps.
My thoughts: Shades of Cube in this claustrophobic horror/sci-fi/thriller that proves undeniably intense but one can’t help but question the point.
3.5/5
Infinity Pool (2023)
James and Em Foster are enjoying an all-inclusive beach vacation in the fictional island of La Tolqa, when a fatal accident exposes the resort’s perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism, reckless violence and surreal horrors.
My thoughts: Squanders a fascinating sci-fi premise in its over-the-top exploration of themes related to ego, identity, and wretched excess. The closing is surprisingly thoughtful though.
3/5
Baby Ruby (2022)
The tightly scripted world of a vlogger and influencer unravels after she becomes a mother, in noted playwright Bess Wohl’s feature debut.
My thoughts: The mother’s postpartum-related breakdown mirrored my own mounting frustration with her increasingly unhinged, borderline comic behavior. And it all ends with a whimper. Honestly? Kind of annoying.
2.5/5
The Deep House (2021)
A young and modern couple who go to France to explore an underwater house and share their findings on social media undergoes a serious change of plans when the couple enters the interior of a strange house located at the bottom of a lake and their presence awakens a dark spirit that haunts the house.
My thoughts: A very clear twist on the haunted house tale. Captivating visuals and an excruciatingly suspenseful build make for a riveting 80 minutes.
4.5/5
And that rounds up movies 101-200 in this horror marathon.
Prepare for My Horror Marathon Top 10 (Part 2) list coming your way this week!
The post March 6, 2023: Films #196-200 of our Horror Movie Marathon! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
March 5, 2023
March 5, 2023: Suji Sunday!
Braving the elements with dad…
Pics from a years back…
Getting all the attention…
The post March 5, 2023: Suji Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
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