Dan Wright's Blog, page 3
September 11, 2014
First Look: Amanda Moonstone: The Missing Prince
Check out this trailer for my forthcoming novel through Paper Crane Books - Amanda Moonstone: The Missing Prince.
I've mentioned it on my blog a couple of times, but this is the first official look at the story. Check out the video on Youtube here.
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PANDRAGON
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September 5, 2014
An update on Pandragon Reviews
It is with deep regret that I announce that I will be putting my reviews on hold until further notice. Unfortunately, due to a number of factors (chiefly being work and the projects I have on the go at the moment) I have to be a bit more careful with my time. As such, I have decided to stop indie author reviews for the time being.
I understand this may come as a disappointment to all the authors that have submitted my book for a review - and I am really sorry that I cannot help out at present. However, I will gladly accept any author who wishes to do a guest post or something on my blog. If you wish to do this, please get in touch. I do have a couple of reviews outstanding that I will be posting over the next few weeks, but as of now I am not accepting any new review requests.
I apologise to any inconvenience this may cause. I hope you guys understand.
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PANDRAGON
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September 1, 2014
Totalitarian Warlords and Termination Squadron Episode 4
Episode 4 of my fan parody series Totalitarian Warlords and Termination Squadron is now up on Youtube!
In this episode, the Man in Shadow has to contend with angry fangirls, who seek to punish him for what he said about Elsa! Will he survive, or will they tear him a new one? :X
Featuring the voice talents of Mysti Parker, Morgan Straughan Comnick and Francine - thanks for all your hard work guys. :)
Parts one and two are below. Enjoy!
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PANDRAGON
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August 31, 2014
Pandragon Reviews - The Turnarounders and the Arbuckle Rescue
I was kinda worried that I wouldn’t be able to get this review out on time this month – considering that this week has been really busy for me. But, I preserved and, as promised to my author, I have the review here ready to go.
Today’s book I thought was gonna be a nice light hearted children’s book – but I was amazed at how dark it was in places. But not so dark that I don’t think others couldn’t enjoy it. In fact, it had a very interesting concept.
So today, we take a trip back in time to WWII Kent and follow Ralf and the Turnarounders as they fight to protect the world from a great evil. So let’s delve into The Turnarounders and the Arbuckle Rescue by Lou Heneghan.
About the author
Lou Heneghan was born a long time ago in a very small house on the edge of a deep, shadow-filled forest.
Now living in a ramshackle building on the edge of London, Lou's front windows look out over shimmering spires and distant city towers. To the back of the house is a footpath that winds deep into the woods. At dusk, Lou often follows it into the promise-filled darkness of the trees.
Lou nods at black cats, salutes magpies and never, ever, walks under ladders.
Links are below:
https://twitter.com/LouHeneghan
https://www.facebook.com/lou.heneghan.3
https://www.goodreads.com/profile/LouHeneghan
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lou-Heneghan/e/B00G8EELZ2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
You can also see a trailer for the book at http://www.theturnarounders.com/#!trailer/c1pz
Cover
There are two covers for this book, one with a more darker, adult look (left) and a more child friendly look (right). Both work well and capture both the upbeat and dark nature of the story, but if I had to choose I’d choose the one on the left myself. However both work well.
Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Ever felt you knew what was about to happen?
Ever had a strange feeling that you've done something before?
Ralf Osborne just wants to be a normal boy but, as his twelfth birthday approaches, he starts to recognise people he’s never met and know things he can’t possibly know. He also suspects that the mysterious hooded man he keeps seeing is following him.
He is.
Why? Because Ralf Osborne is far from normal. He has lived before.
Ralf and his friends are Turnarounders. They have power. And a long, long time ago, they made a solemn vow to help if ever they were needed.
Soon the Turnarounders are plunged back in time to the start of the Second World War. At first, they are only concerned with getting back home, but then they uncover a plot that could alter the course of history.
It's time for the Turnarounders to keep their promise…
What I liked
With the group consisting mostly of kids, it’s clear that the writer is aiming this at the younger market – but don’t be fooled into thinking this is a standard children’s story. It has a dark subtext and some “nightmare fuel” places in it – especially with the main villain. I don’t really want to spoil anything about the plot, but let me just tell you – the scene in which you meet him is straight outta Lovercraftian horror!
The Turnarounders are an interesting bunch of characters, ranging from brainacs to tough, streetwise kids, so you get a good mix of characters and something for everyone. For me, nothing is more annoying that having a team where everyone has basically the same traits, so it was refreshing to have a group where they all had difference personalities. Ralf, of course, is the main protagonist, but he’s not the key problem solver – everyone plays their part in this story.
So the plot basically revolves around children that are sent back to a Kent village during WWII to stop an evil force from taking place – and no, it’s not the Nazi’s this time around. Here’s the twist – they all have special powers (ala Harry Potter) and they have lived before. Apparently a long time ago they made a promise to stop some evil dude from coming back and now he’s here – or something like that.
Actually, the plot isn’t as complicated as I’m making it out to be above. The story is very easy to follow and has a great balance between humour and action. I quite liked the character of Alfie with his modern expressions in WWII England – that was funny. There are also a lot of puzzles for the Turnarounders to solve so that adds a real sense of mystery to the plot. The story also has some genuine twists that shocked me on occasion. Again, I don’t want to say too much, but the story did keep me hooked the whole way through. I felt it was the right balance of action, story and mystery.
I mentioned it having some dark moments in it as well. Bearing in mind this is set during the Great War, it doesn’t skimp over the horror and fear that was in the country at the time – think Blackadder Goes Forth. The horror is toned down a little as this is a young persons story, but it certainly brings awareness to the plight of the country. On the whole, the dark elements are justified and still makes this books suitable for younger readers.
What I didn’t like
To be honest, there wasn’t a lot about this book I DIDN’T like. In fact, for the first time since doing these reviews – I’m actually struggling to think of any negative points.
I suppose if I had to pick something, though this would only be a nitpick, it’s that one of the puzzles the Turnarounders had to solve did have me shouting “Oh come on! Even Adam West couldn’t put that together!” But then, stories don’t have to be realistic.
Pros: (Turnaround – every now and then I get a little bit closer)
Young protagonists make this suitable for younger readers. Perfect mix of humour, action and mystery. Dark when it needs to be, but not too dark. Great plot and twists.
Cons: (If only I could turn back time)
To be honest – none!
Summary
With a mix of action, humour, mystery and great storytelling, The Turnarounders andd the Arbuckle Rescue is one book that is guaranteed to capture the imaginations of child and adult alike. Move over, Potter – the Turnarounders are here to claim their throne!
FINAL SCORE: 5/5
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PANDRAGON
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August 30, 2014
300th Post Special!!!
Oh, and for those that are old school and prefer paperbacks - Final Ragnarok: She Returns is also available through paperback. Thanks for sticking with me through 300 posts - heres to another 300 more and beyond! Have a great weekened guys. ------------------------ PANDRAGON
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August 29, 2014
Nebula Nights Blog Tour - Guest Post By Veronica Scott
Ok, this is up much later than I had hoped, so I sincerely apologise to anyone that had been waiting for this. But anyway...
Today on my blog I have the wonderful Veronica Scott, who is part of the Nebula Nights anthology - a series of Sci-Fi Romances that are guaranteed to sweep you away. She gave me a fantastic guest post as to how she got involved with the series. So without further ado, I would like to hand over to Veronica to tell you all how she got involved with this project.
Why did I choose to be part of a boxed set?
I’ve always loved anthologies and boxed sets – Regency Christmas tales, paranormal shifters, science fiction – you name it! As a reader, I enjoy being able to sample a number of new-to-me authors in one spot, for an attractive low price. I’ve found many autobuy Favorites as a result. So when the boxed set phenomenon started happening in the indie-pub world, I really wanted to get one of my books out there. When Lyn Brittan mentioned online that she was thinking of putting together a boxed set of science fiction romance stories and was anyone interested, I was thrilled to sign up.
For me, this Nebula Nights collection is a wonderful opportunity to introduce new readers to science fiction romance in general, because we have such a broad range of story types included. It’s also that anthology I was dreaming of, to allow people to try one of my adventures. I think science fiction romance is on the cusp of “being discovered” by the wider reading audience and I hope our boxed set may help lead the way. Additionally, it was a chance to work closely with ten ladies I enjoy, admire and respect. I always look for the fun in anything I undertake and we’ve had a blast figuring out the best title for the set, picking cover art, debating promo, learning things from each other…I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful collaboration on putting together a collection of stories.
Now I hope the readers will be able to say the same of their experience with our individual and exciting science fiction romances!
Personally I enjoy science fiction romance because the entire galaxy is available for the adventure. You have strong heroines and the men (or aliens or cyborgs) who love them, working together to survive in high stakes situations where literally anything might happen. But – at least with my novels – there’s always the hard-earned Happily Ever After to be savored.
My next SFR, also set in the future universe of The Sectors where Escape From Zulaire is located, will be Mission to Mahjundar, releasing later in August.
Amazon best-seller Veronica Scott is a two-time recipient of the SFR Galaxy Award and has written a number of science-fiction and paranormal romances. Her latest science fiction romance release is Escape From Zulaire (included in this box set), which recently received the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award for Paranormal and Futuristic Romance. She is a regular contributor to the USA Today HEA blog and writes the SciFi Encounters column. You can find out more about her and her books at http://veronicascott.wordpress.com/
Thanks for the great post Veronica. Details about Nebula Nights and their stories are below.
NEBULA NIGHTS TOUR
Title: Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars
Author(s): Melisse Aires, SJ Pajonas, PK Hrezo, C.E. Kilgore, Cathryn Cade, Catrina Taylor, Veronica Scott, Lyn Brittan, Pauline Baird Jones, K.G. Stutts, and Greta van der Rol
Synopsis:
11 Sci-Fi Romances that’ll sweep you away!
If you like your science fiction blazing with adventure and your space opera spiced with romance, this boxed set is for you. From first contact to battles for survival and love on war-torn planets, this collection from bestselling & award winning authors, including Cathryn Cade, Veronica Scott, PK Hrezo and more, will leave you sighing with satisfaction.
Her Cyborg Awakes by Melisse Aires
Her gentle cyborg servant helped her escape violence--but now he's changed into a warrior! Is he safe?
Removed (The Nogiku Series, #1) by SJ Pajonas
In this Japan-inspired tale, one woman’s family destiny is key to the survival of the last city on Earth.
Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. by PK Hrezo
Welcome to Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands.
Noelle In His Heart by C.E. Kilgore
Noelle wishes for someone who understands she has love to give but commitments to honor. Stranded on Earth, Steve longs for someone who will understand that his alien heart can love just as deeply.
Stark Pleasure; the Space Magnate's Mistress by Cathryn Cade
Kiri te Nawa survives the perils of the galaxy on her wits ... although when it comes to space magnate Logan Stark, she’d rather use her body. But can she trust him with her secrets?
Birth of an Empire: The Beginning by Catrina Taylor
Three former genetic experiments chose peace over war in a sector that's known only war for a century. As each one squares against their governments they will question the experiences that guide them.
Escape From Zulaire by Veronica Scott
When the planet erupts into war, Sectors Special Forces Captain Tom Deverane must decide whether to save Andi Markriss, the intergalactic businesswoman he loves, or sacrifice her to save Zulaire.
Solia's Moon by Lyn Brittan
SFR Galaxy Award Winner! When Dr. Solia uncovers her company's foray into creating humanoid life, she enlists the help of her handsome ex, Sheriff Sable, in bringing a little justice to the universe.
The Key by Pauline Baird Jones
Her orders are simple: do the impossible and do it yesterday. But this time the impossible might actually be impossible. The only way it could get worse? If her heart starts beating for the wrong guy.
The Iron Admiral: Conspiracy by Greta van der Rol
The Galaxy teeters on the brink of war. Can ex-admiral Saahren persuade the woman who hates him to help him prevent the coming conflagration? And perhaps even love him?
Mirror Image by KG Stutts
Maddie's entire world is turned upside down when she finds out that she is a clone. Now she must work with her counterpart to protect Earth.
Sales Links:
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PANDRAGON
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August 26, 2014
Frewyn Fables: The House Guest Blog Tour Guest Post
Today on Pandragon Blog I'm honoured to help out one of my own today! And by one of my own, I mean one of my own Paper Crane Books authors! The House Guest is the most recent novel of the Freywn Fables series by Michelle Franklin - who was one of the first authors I got speaking to when I first joined Paper Crane Books, and she (like all the others) were quick to welcome me to the team. She's a fantastic person and I had the joy of reading The House Guest and gave it a five star review (although I would have easily giving it ten if I could!) and when I heard that she was doing a blog tour I was quick to sign up for it! If you haven't read it then I highly recommend it - it's a really entertaining Childrens book and one that I think adults will enjoy reading as well. But anyway, today I'm honoured to have her on my blog as she gives us a really cool guest post. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour by clicking on the picture above. Blurb: When winter comes early to Frewyn and the first snowfall of the year traps a young mouse in her home, fate brings an old mole to her door, but is the young mouse prepared for all the challenges that catering to a fussy house guest can bring? Add the book to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22304102-frewyn-fables
Buy links:
Amazon
Smashwords
About the Author
Michelle Franklin is a small woman of moderate consequence who writes many, many books about giants, romance, and chocolate. Social media links
Official website
Facebook
Twitter
Children's books that inspire me: The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White
While I read countless classics as a child, there are some books that I missed while my early tastes were being led by adults who had never dabbled in any British classics. Though I was fed an eclectic diet of everything from Dr Seuss to Huckleberry Finn, which I barely understood at the time, there were many great children's novels which I have only just recently discovered. The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White is one of them. Everyone has heard the title of the book at one time or other, and even though Jo Rowling attributes this book as part of her inspiration for Harry Potter, The Sword in the Stone is being read less and less nowadays, and for the life of me I cannot understand why. I had seen the Disney adaptation as a child and was content to stop there until I saw a new edition of the book nestled in the corner of the classics shelf during one of my book signing events. For those who don't know, The Sword in the Stone is the first book in the Arthurian pentology (sometimes published as a tetrology) titled The Once and Future King, detailing the life of King Arthur from the time of his childhood until his death and even beyond. The Sword in the Stone was written at first as a stand-alone novel, telling the reader about Arthur, or the Wart as his brother Kay calls him, and his time spent under the sage Merlin's tutelage. I read what has become known as the adult version, or the version that exists as part of The Once and Future King which removes much of Arthur's exploits with Robin Hood and incorporates chapters from the Book of Merlin, the fifth book in the series, which was only published after White's death. I decided to go on a quest for the original version, which is still published as a separate text, and after finding it and reading it once, I immediately began the book again. The language, the imagery, the sense of wonder which every sentence conveys is incomparable to any children's book we have today, and part of the magic of The Sword in the Stone is that the book is not just a biography of Arthur's boyhood, but it is a glimpse of Merrie Olde England, that paracosm of an idyllic pastoral society which seems to be forgotten in much of modern literature. It had ents before Lord of the Rings did, old wise and exasperated wizards in towers before the Belgariad, along with a myriad of other firsts in the fantasy genre, making it one of the most revolutionary texts of its time. After reading the original, American, and revised versions of the book, I became an avid admirer of T.H. White and all his works, leading me on a quest to obtain all his original works, and so I have, all because I saw a book on a shelf I thought would be interesting to read. A book read on a whim led me to find one of my favourite authors, and if you have not read The Sword in the Stone or any of T.H. White's works, I sincerely urge you to do so. I actually have to agree with Michelle here - The Sword in the Stone was always one of my favourite stories and remains for me a great tale of how someone can aspire to something even if they come from nothing. Thanks so much to Michelle for joining me and guys - please support this great author as well as the other amazing authors at Paper Crane Books. Thanks for reading guys! ------------------------ PANDRAGON
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August 22, 2014
Pandragon Dan does the #IceBucketChallenge
So I was challenged on Facebook to the Ice Bucket Challenge, to raise money for Macmillion Cancer Support. Challenge accepted!
See my video here and who I nominated to take part in it.
You can find our more details about the Macmillan Cancer Support Challenge at:
Macmillian #IceBucketChallenge
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PANDRAGON
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August 16, 2014
Top Five Robin Williams Films
Like millions of people across the globe, I was absolutely shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Robin Williams. He was an incredibly beloved actor and comedian with absolutely perfect comic timing – and his range of voices was just mesmerising. He could switch from one accent to the next just like that as it if it was second nature – but he could also move you to tears with his brilliant performances. Even if the film he was in was crap, he was mesmerising to watch. I must say, not since James Gandoflini’s death have been so affected by a celebrity passing away.
Now many tributes have already been paid to Robin Williams already and some might say that I’m “late to the party”. However, work commitments have prevented me from doing this blog until now – and I wanted to do honour this man in some way. Like many, Robin Williams was my childhood hero and I loved watching his films. So today, I am writing this list, not to mourn him – but remember what a fantastic person he was.
Today, I pick my Top Five favourite Robin Williams movies. These are the films of his that I enjoyed the most and can watch a million times and still love them. As always, this is based only on films I’ve seen, so films such as Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society won’t be on the list – however I am going to make sure that I see those films soon. Hook is also a film I should give an honourable mention to and, whilst I do love that film, I could only choose five for this list.
As always, these films are in no particular order. Also, just in case you haven’t seen any of these films, I should warn you that spoilers are ahead. I just hope my emotions can stay in check whilst writing this.
1. Jumanji
I saw this film at the cinema and it scared the living crap outta me! Based around a cursed boardgame, Robin Williams plays Alan Parrish, who was trapped in the game as a child and only released when the kids of a new family move into the vacant Parrish house. It’s up to them, and Alan’s childhood friend Sarah, to finish the game – and all sorts of chaos ensures as everything from stampedes to monsoons start taking over the house.
Jumanji may be more “serious” than other Robin Williams movies, but Williams is, as always, entertaining to watch. His performance of Alan is a great balance between a man who has faced horror for all his life, mixed in with a scared little boy, coming to terms that everything he knew is gone. Especially harrowing is his battle with Van Pelt, a big game hunter that’s capable of reducing him to terror (interesting enough, Jonathan Hyde, who also plays his father – making Van Pelt a metaphor of Alan’s fear of his father).
I love Jumanji as it’s a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. The special effects are awesome, Robin Williams performance is brilliant and it also has a good moral about facing up to your fears. Even today I still find that scene where Alan is sucked into the board game pretty scary. It may not be one of his best films critically, but it’s an entertaining family film nonetheless.
2. Aladdin
This film is especially poignant in that a picture has been circling social media of the genie and Aladdin, with the words “Genie, you’re free”, which has been lauded (and in some cases, criticised) by the public. But let’s not dwell on the sad parts, we’re here to remember Robin Williams for the talented man that he was. And few films showcase his extraordinary skills than Disney’s Aladdin.
As the Genie, Williams is quick witted, hilarious – dazzling us with amazing visuals and comedic dialogue that only Robin Williams could pull off. Even more amazing is when you realise that Williams actually ad-libed most of the dialogue in the film and let himself go crazy. Very few people could pull that off and make it convincing.
And let’s not forget Friend Like Me, one of the most amazing Disney songs ever. Don’t believe me? See for yourself and tell me this isn’t fun to watch.
It is a shame that Robin Williams had a fall out with Disney and didn’t come back to do any of the Aladdin films for a long time (he was replaced by Dan Castellaneta of The Simpsons fame), but his voice on the Genie remains one of the most loved of all Disney films. We certainly will never have a friend like him, that’s for sure.
3. Mrs Doubtfire
I just had to mention this film, because this film deserves it for being both funny and poignant in a way no other film can match. Everyone remembers laughing themselves stupid at Robin’s Williams performance and his antics – and not to mention the excellent voices that he puts on during the film. However one of my favourite things about this film is that the main character Williams plays is called Daniel. Two thumbs up from me!
In the film, Daniel is an out of work voice actor who marriage is on the rocks. When his wife files for divorce, and gets full custody of the kids, Daniel uses his acting talents to disguise himself as a Scottish Nanny so that he can be close to his kids. Through his actions as Mrs Doubtfire, he becomes closer to his children. However his family are somewhat threatened when his wife’s new love interest Stu comes to visit (played by Pierce Brosnan). I will admit I do like the dynamics between the two characters, it makes for some funny moments.
As much as I love the comedy that Williams does, in Mrs Doubtfire, it’s the heartfelt moments that really catch you out. The last scene where Mrs Doubtfire (on her own TV show) reads a letter from a worried girl that their parents are divorcing, and Mrs Doubtfire tells her that as long as there is love there will always be a family is really moving and perfectly coincides with Daniel’s own fight to keep his family. It’s a film that can move you to tears as much as move you to laughter and that’s testament to Williams acting ability. A standout film for many fans of Williams and it’s not hard to see why.
4. One Hour Photo
Now this one I find is one of the most underrated Robin Williams films. Because unlike others on the list, this one isn’t a comedy – it’s a psychological thriller. You wouldn’t think that someone like Williams, who does mostly comedy, could do serious acting. You’d be wrong.
In this film, Williams plays a photo technician called Sy, that takes his work very seriously. He leads a lonely life, dedicated to the old school art of printing pictures, leading no real life of his own. He becomes somewhat attached to the Yorkin family. And by attached I mean obsessed, wishing to be part of their happy family. When the husband, Will Yorkin, starts cheating on his wife, Sy becomes hateful of him and seeks to make him pay. What follows is a scene where Sy catches Will and his paramour unaware and torments them until he is captured by the police.
Yes, you heard me right, in this film Williams plays a psycho. It’s not the first time he played a character like this (he was the killer in the Chris Nolan Insomnia remake), but here he is just as chilling. But strangely enough, you actually kinda feel a little sorry for the guy. He’s not really a bad person. Sure he does bad things, but when it boils down to it, he’s just lonely. He’s never had a loving family or anything like that (in fact the film hints that he was sexually abused by his father) so he just wants to be part of the Yorkin’s family life. And in his own way, he believes he has good intentions, drawing attention to what a poor husband Will is.
You won’t get many laughs in this film. But what you will get is a creepy, frightening, but somewhat sad character that you will either come to despise or feel really sorry for. If you didn’t think that Robin Williams could do serious, this film will make you think twice. As I said, it’s an overlooked film when people talk about their favourite Robin Williams movies, but I think it deserves a mention, if anything to demonstrate the range than Williams is capable of.
5. Good Morning, Vietnam
I’m just gonna say that, hands down, this is my FAVOURITE Robin Williams movie. Very few films have made me laugh my ass off more than this one.
In Good Morning, Vietnam, Williams plays Adrian Cronauer (of whom the film is loosely based on), a DJ that is brought in to do a radio show for the troops whilst stationed at Vietnam. Although his superiors hate him, his brand of comedy mixed with news, and a little bit of rock and roll, is highly popular with the troops and even lifts their spirits. But all too soon, the horrors of Vietnam start to take form and Adrian finds himself at odds with what his superiors want him to say and his own desire to make the truth heard.
Like all Williams films, this has some extremely funny comedy mixed in with real world issues. Must like with Aladdin, Williams improvised a lot of the radio talk he did – which again shows what a talent he was when it comes to it. The fact that he can change from one voice to the next in the drop of a hat, and do it so convincingly, just adds a lot to the performance and makes it amusing to watch.
I think may favourite scene is when he starts a fight with a soldier in a bar, declaring him to have big muscles but no “p***s”. It’s just the way that Williams can turn a serious and dangerous moment into a comedic moment at the drop of a hat. It’s one of my favourite comedy moments of cinema.
Like all films in this list, I could watch this over and over again, if nothing just for the brilliant impressions that he does. Good Morning, Vietnam is a little more light-hearted than other war films (although it certainly gets the point across as well) but it is highly entertaining and worth the watch.
Those are my favourite Robin Williams films, what are yours? Please let me know, and remember...
RIP Robin Williams, you made our lives so much better and you will be missed.
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PANDRAGON
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August 10, 2014
Top Five Saddest Deaths in Animated Films
You know, there’s just nothing more heart-wrenching than seeing your favourite characters die on the big screen. I’ve talked about this before about how the death of a character can add a real emotional shock to a scene. And whilst these scenes can really impact on a story, I find that they are even powerful if they appear in an animated film.
Maybe that’s just me, but deaths in animated films get to me more so than in live action. I guess you don’t really expect things like that in animated films as they are, for the most part, aimed at a younger audience, so you expect them to be nice and jolly. So it can be a real shock to the system when they add in very really elements like this. That being said, if you look at many classic animated movies, they usually have that ONE death that will definitely hit you right in the feels.
Recently I’ve been catching up with some of the animated movies I used to watch when I was younger and was quite surprised with the hard hitting deaths of characters. No wonder I get so depressed! So today I decided to honour the lives of those characters who have passed away and whose death’s had (and still do have) the largest impact on me.
For this list, I’m looking at animated films I’ve seen who had a death that affected me the most. I also would like to point out that I made a rule of including only ONE Pixar movie and ONE Disney movie (those films could be a list in themselves!). Also, as always, this is in no particular order. And just a heads up – spoilers included!
Have your tissues at the ready as today I countdown the Top Five Saddest Deaths in Animated Films.
1. Littlefoot’s Mother in The Land Before Time
Forget all the crappy direct to DVD sequels, the original The Land Before Time is a masterpiece of cinema – a wonderful tale of family and friendship with some loveable characters. Oh and did I mention its set during the time of the dinosaurs? It’s also notable for being the first film to traumatise me as a child. I don’t think any film made me cry so much – hell it still makes me weep when I see it 26 years later!
In this particular scene that will haunt your childhood forever, Littlefoot and his family are migrating to The Great Valley after all the food in the area dries up. During the journey, we see how close Littlefoot is to his family, and how protective his mother is of him. It’s really heartwarming – but then, like with any tragedy, their happiness gets torn apart.
When Sharptooth (a T-Rex) attacks Littlefoot and Cera (a young Three-Horn), Littlefoot’s mother comes to save them, but is fatally wounded in the process. What follows a few minutes later is a crushing scene where Littlefoot finds his injured mother and she imparts a few words of wisdom and support before she dies.
Annnnnnnndddd then the tears come… :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
This scene is tragic for many reasons. Firstly, not only does Littlefoot have to watch his mother die, he now has to complete the journey to The Great Valley alone. And let’s not forget – Littlefoot is just a kid. When you add all this up, it makes one of the most depressing scenes in cartoon history. But that being said, we can also give credit to Littlefoot’s mother – she sacrificed herself to protect her child, making her one of the bravest heroines in animated film. And even though she dies, she is still with Littlefoot in spirit.
If you haven’t seen it, The Land Before Time is one of the best animated films you will see. It’s a tale of courage, friendship and hope, with some loveable characters and a tragic story. Just make sure you have some tissues at the ready, because this scene alone will definitely hit you in the feels!
2. Flynn Rider in Tangled
I’m sure when you heard a Disney film would be in this list, you were expecting me to include the death of Simba’s father in The Lion King. And yes, that scene is sad, but as I already included the death of Littlefoot’s Mother, I decided to use another film so as to vary it a little. Not only that, but I wanted to make it up to the readers who were upset by my last blog.
When I did my first Disney Deathmatch, with Tangled Versus The Hunchback of Notre Dame, quite a few people on facebook were quick to voice their disapproval that Tangled didn’t win. I actually was kinda surprised how much people loved this film. I’ve done numerous mentions of how I think Frozen was an overrated film and hardly got any rage from it (luckily), but Tangled I got a lot of angry people at my throat– one of my best friends I thought was never gonna speak to me again!
Let me make one thing clear – just because Tangled didn’t win it DOESN’T mean that Tangled isn’t a good film. In fact, I would say that Tangled is one of the most enjoyable Disney films of all time. In fact, I’d actually say it was a better film than Frozen, that’s how much I enjoyed it.
But I’m getting off track here.
Anyway, in Tangled, Rapunzel wishes to leave her tower and enter the great wide world. After Flynn Rider (real name Eugene) hides in her tower after a robbery goes wrong, Rapunzel “forces” him to take her outside and escort her, so that she can find the reason behind the lights that are released every year. But, like any Disney movie, as the story progresses Rapunzel and Flynn become closer and, as you may guess, fall in love. And you know what, I actually like Flynn – he’s a really good character for reasons I will explain later.
At the climax of the movie, Flynn is wounded by Mother Gothel whilst trying to save Rapunzel. Rapunzel begs her to use her magic hair (which contains healing magic) to save Flynn, after which she promises to be taken prisoner by Gothel. However, Flynn – not wanting Rapunzel to be at the mercy of Gothel, cuts her hair off, removing her healing magic, which then causes Gothel to vanish to dust. Flynn essentially sacrifices himself to save Rapunzel, which is a very brave deed in and off himself. He then dies. And when Rapunzel’s starts singing and her tears fall, so do the audiences.
Ok, so this is kinda cheating as Flynn DOES come back to life – but before that it’s still pretty sad. I thought that Flynn was a likeable rogue and probably one of the best heroes in Disney history. Sure he’s brash, arrogant and selfish, but he’s very funny and a good man at heart. Through Rapunzel he finds something more precious than gold and in the end he is willing to give up his own life to save her. I reckon Kristoff could learn a thing or two from Flynn as to what a real hero should be like!
3. Optimus Prime in Transformers the Movie
I’m just gonna come right out and say it, the recent Transformers movies suck and Michael Bay can go to hell! That is all I have to say on that matter. However, the 1986 Transformers: The Movie is a underrated classic that kicks the ass of anything Mr Bay ever did. But it is also infamous for one of the most shocking deaths in cartoon history.
Set in between Seasons 2 and 3 of the original series, this movie is a treat for Transformers fans. The voice acting is somewhat questionable, but the movie has great action, a kickass metal soundtrack and features voice acting from Hollywood heavyweights Leonard Nimoy, Eric Idle, Judd Nelson and Orson Wells (in his final film role). However, the film does have a much darker tone than the TV series – and even include character deaths! Yes, that right, characters DIE in this film! Ironhide, Prowl, Ratchet, Brawn, Windcharger, Wheeljack and Starscream all meet their end in this film. But NO ONE could have expected that the filmmakers would pull the ultimate asspull and kill off the most beloved character of all – Optimus Prime!
Near the beginning of the film, a final battle between Megatron and Optimus results in the Autobots leader being fatally wounded. Calling together his trusted Autobots, Prime passes on the Matrix (no not the Keanu Reeves film) to Ultra Magnus (who refuses it under grounds that he is no leader). After which he gives a final speech, turns black and his head falls to the side of his bed. And at that moment, every Transformers fan scream in disbelief!
Ok, so it may be a little weird to those that haven’t seen the series, but to any fan of the show, this was a real shock to the system. Optimus Prime was a badass warrior, but he was also a fatherly figure to the Autobots, willing to lay down his life to protect his troops and the humans that they lived alongside. Not to mention he could turn into a truck, which is pretty awesome. So why did the filmmakers kill off such a popular character? Blame Hasbro!
When the film was coming out, Hasbro were bringing out a new line of toys for the Transformers franchise, so they asked for certain characters to be killed off to bring them into the series – Optimus included. However the backlash that resulted was intense and fans were quick to voice their disapproval of his death. Even Peter Cullen, the actor that voiced Optimus Prime, was surprised at how loved the character was. In fact, the backlash was so huge that they even changed a scene in G.I.Joe The Movie. In that film, Duke was supposed to die, but instead they wrote it that he entered a coma - which he then woke from at the end.
The impact of Prime's death was probably on par with The Red Wedding from Game of Thrones. It’s a death that many fans still feel for today. So much so that, when the Nostalgia Critic did his Top 11 Saddest Nostalgia Moments, he didn’t include the death of Optimus Prime, which caused a lot of fans to lash out at him. He did make a joke about it in his next video, and even included it in one of his Top 11 Nostalgia Critic F*** Ups.
Optimus would eventually return to the Transformers cartoon, much to the delight of the fans – but this death will forever live in peoples’ minds as one of the most traumatic moments of their childhood. Mine included.
4. Gen’s Family in Barefoot Gen
Due to the somewhat disturbing content of this scene, I’ve decided not to include a picture of it. But just be warned that this section does have some parts that readers may find upsetting.
This one may be a bit of a stretch as I don’t know how many people have seen this film. But I wanted to include at least one Anime film on this list. I suppose it would be better to have a Studio Ghibli film in this list, and considering their recent announcement of their closure – or reorganisation – it would have been pretty easy to include one. However, I wanted to highlight this film as Barefoot Gen is, in my opinion, the most underrated of all Animes and one that gets criminally overlooked when people list their favourite Animes.
Starting off as a Slice of Life, it’s set around a boy called Gen and his life with his family, which is pretty decent for the most part. The first part of the film is Gen getting into mischief with his brother. However, a somewhat innocent story foreshadows a greater danger to come. Why? Because this film is set during the Hiroshima bombings.
When the bomb drops, the film doesn’t hold back showing the full horror that the hydrogen bomb is capable of. In fact, the fact that it’s an Anime shows the audience just what damage it could do. People are melted, vaporised – and there is one scene where a mother tries to shield her baby from the bomb and they are fused together. Gen survives and rushes back to his family, who are trapped in the house. He gets his mother out, but his father, sister and brother are buried under the rubble and the house is about to collapse on them. Worst still, the flames around them from the bomb threaten to burn them alive.
Gen and his mother make numerous attempts to save them and pull them out and we watch with terror, hoping that there would be a happy conclusion. But it is ultimately hopeless and he and his mother break down. Gen’s father, knowing that his wife is pregnant and seeing that they cannot escape this, tells Gen to leave them and protect his mother. Eventually having no choice but the accept, the house falls on Gen’s family and they are consumed by the fire, their screams ringing out.
Never has any Anime moved me as much as this. Gen seeing his friends burned alive by the bomb is one thing, but then having to watch as his family die and knowing he is powerless to do anything to help really rips at your heart and you feel Gen’s pain. What makes this scene especially poignant is that the creator of Barefoot Gen, Keiji Nakazawa actually lived through the Hiroshima bombings and, from what I can gather, he actually lost his family this way. I don’t know how much of this film is actually true or made up, but knowing that this is based on the first hand experience of someone that lived through it just hits you right in the heart in ways that few films can.
Sadly, Barefoot Gen isn’t shown that often, but it is fairly easy to get on DVD if you look for it. I highly recommend this film. It’s not easy to watch and will definitely bring out the tears quicker than a waterfall – but the film does serve as a grim reminder of the price of war and the lives that are destroyed because of it.
5. Ellie in Up
Yeah, you guys knew this one was coming. :) But then, as I’ve said, Up is and always will be the best Pixar movie ever – possibly even the best Disney movie of all time if you count Pixar and Disney as the same entity. One of my favourite love stories of all time, my plan is to watch this film without crying. Not succeeded yet.
At the beginning of Up, we meet Carl and Ellie as children. Carl being a huge fan of the explorer Charles Muntz finds a common friend in Ellie, who wishes to one day move her “clubhouse” to Paradise Falls. Becoming friends, Carl makes a promise to take her there one day.
After this we flash forward several years to when Ellie and Carl are married. We are then treated to a wonderful montage where we see them move into married life. Ellie and Carl settle into the “clubhouse”, making it their own home and they get jobs and eventually wish to start a family – only for Ellie to find that she is infertile, which is pretty sad in itself. Remembering the promise that Carl made, he and Ellie gather some money to pay for a trip to Paradise Falls, but real life gets in the way and they constantly have to abandon their plans (something we can all relate to). We watch as they get old, their love for each other never floundering. Eventually, they make enough money to travel to Paradise Falls and Carl tries to surprise Ellie – only for her to fall ill. It then goes from Ellie in hospital, to Carl at the end of her funeral, ending with him walking into the house – all alone.
Never have I seen a montage perfectly capture the love and pathos of a married couple within four minutes. Even though there is no dialogue, the music perfectly captures the love between the two of them and the audience feel what they feel. This is why it is especially painful for us when Ellie dies. It reminds us that we are only mortal, but love can live on forever. And when Carl tries to fulfil his promise to Ellie, it acts as testament to the love the two had for each other.
Another scene to mention would be the bit where he reads Ellie’s scrapbook near the end of the movie, seeing all the pictures of her and Carl in the “Things I have to do” section. But Ellie’s death is especially powerful as it is the driving force for Carl and invigorates him to do one more thing before he passes away. If that’s not an act of love then I dunno what is.
I dare ANYONE to see this opening montage without crying. If you can then you are either heartless or just a stronger person than me. This montage is one of the best I have ever seen in a film and Up is just one of the greatest love stories ever told. Proof that love never dies.
So now that tears have been shed, I’d love to hear from you guys – which character deaths in animated films made YOU cry the most? Please leave a comment below to let me know.
Thanks for reading guys.
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PANDRAGON
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