I went to see the new 3-D edition of TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS last night and enjoyed it even more than I did during it's first release in 1993. Even though the film was not shot in 3-D, some nice effects were added in...such as snowflakes, etc. It is definitely not the screen popping animation that can be achieved filming in 3-D BUT it did enhance the picture. The glasses were nice and it doesn't matter where you sit in the theatre. PIXAR's KNICK KNACK was the short before the film and looked GREAT,but it was the newer 'small breasts' version that I am not a big fan of. They should have left the original version of the film alone...it aired in theatres many times before with the 'big breasts' and was even issued on video that way. NBC is a must see for HALLOWEEN! The new double disc soundtrack is also well worth the $! It has a 3-D linticular cover and some good covers and demos on the 2nd disc. It's on sale at BEST BUY for $11.99. I also helped with a book that is available now called THE ART OF STOP-MOTION by Ken A. Priebe, which features a NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS cover. There is a small section on RANKIN/BASS in this HOW TO book!
Everyone enjoyed the RIALTO in JOLIET! It is a beautiful theatre known for top acts, Dance recitals (My daughter's were there) and the wedding reception of PETER BRADY (Chris Knight). GIN BLOSSOMS rocked the joint! ROBIN stepped out into the audience more than once and the acoustics were GREAT!
My son JOSH and ROBIN WILSON share a passion for gaming. In fact, ROBIN wrote a column for PLAYSTATION MAGAZINE until just recently. The tour bus is a haven for ROBIN's new XBOX 360 and JOSH thought it was cool too! ROBIN has turned JOSH onto many different games
including GUITAR HERO. ROBIN is a GREAT Dad for his own son GRAY! ROBIN told us that he made sure he timed his flight just before this tour began, so that he could pick up his new XBOX 360 at the mall and hook it all up before the others arrived. The BUS TVs also have the latest HD technology. Their guitar tech Sam is also a gamer.
Found a few more of THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY postcards I had printed years ago to promote my first book THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS: A PORTFOLIO! I am posting them on EBAY under ANIMAGIC1. Enjoy! It is a GREAT shot right off the 3 x 5" transparency.
My good friend DAVE DIPPLE at www.maxheads.com delivered the goods with my music banner this week! EXCELLENT printing job Dave! Dave also did our Bass Drum head and band T-Shirts!
There is a GREAT New book out called ONE TRAIN LATER ANDY SUMMERS (St. Martin's Press) It is a BEAUTIFUL hardcover book by one of my favorite guitarists of all time! It also has a FOREWORD from another of my favorites...THE EDGE! It sells for $24.95 and it is a MUST HAVE! ANDY was at the Chicago BORDERS tonight and is touring the country on a book signing tour.
This is THE STARVING ARTISTS circa 1985! That is DENNIS RIORDAN (Bass) on the left. I'm in the middle and JIM JILEK (Drums) on the right. I just started a band listing at www.localbandnetwork.com/bands/thestarvingartists We have practice this weekend and my brother CHRIS is back on board with his drums.
Visit my friend PATRICK's BLOG for some cool art of our favorite HANNA-BARBERA characters and UNDERDOG among others! www.powsley.blogspot.com Also visit www.patrickowsley.com for a gallery of his art!
I just scanned these original JACK DAVIS model sheets into my computer for a tribute that is being paid to JACK out on the West Coast in a couple of weeks! JACK is the BEST! A friend of mine, David Scheve just paid him a visit and got some of his commercial cels for CASK MOUNTAIN WINE signed for me! I have all of JACK's TV Commercials on video tape and can tape them for my standard $20 per tape time/trouble.
Many have asked me about the NEW DVD re-packaging of MAD MONSTER PARTY that ANCHOR BAY released in 2005. It does have the same content on the DVD with a beautiful 35mm transfer of the film and it still contains my 23 page booklet just as it was released in 2002. JULES BASS actually just discovered that BARNES & NOBLE is displaying the film and carrying it in large quantities for HALLOWEEN 2006! I picked a copy up there today as a matter of fact. I was given about 100 copies of the first issue in 2002 and I gave them all away. Look for series 2 of the FUNKO figures coming to a store or comic shop near you!
I was waiting for the GREAT PUMPKIN and he didn't show up! Looks like our BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC TOUR is cancelled. It seems that BORDERS only orders their books and CDs from BAKER & TAYLOR (A national distributor) AND since I produced these items to make money...NOT to lose it, we won't be signing and playing at BORDERS. We will however be appearing at some local Illinois venues very soon and I will keep you posted!
