1.
Oxnard, California
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Oxnard /ˈɒksnɑːrd/ is a city in the United States, located along the coast of Southern California. It is the 19th most populous city in California and the most populous in Ventura County, the city lies approximately 30 miles west of the Los Angeles city limits, and is part of the larger Greater Los Angeles area. The population of Oxnard is 203,585 as of the 2012 Financial Report and it is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, sitting adjacent to an agricultural center of strawberries and lima beans. Oxnard is also a transportation hub in Southern California, with Amtrak, Union Pacific, Metrolink, Greyhound. Oxnard also has a regional airport called Oxnard Airport. Oxnard is also the location of the National Weather Service forecast office that serves the Los Angeles area, before the arrival of Europeans, the area that is now Oxnard was inhabited by Chumash Native Americans. The first European to encounter the area was Portuguese explorer João Rodrigues Cabrilho, during the mission period, it was serviced by the Mission San Buenaventura, established in 1782. Ranching began to take hold among Californio settlers, who lost their regional influence when California became a US state in 1850, at about the same time, the area was settled by American farmers, who cultivated barley and lima beans. Shortly after the 1897 beet campaign, a new town emerged, Oxnard intended to name the settlement after the Greek word for sugar, zachari, but frustrated by bureaucracy, named it after himself. The Oxnard factory operated from August 19,1899 until October 26,1959, factory operations were interrupted in the Oxnard Strike of 1903. Oxnard was incorporated as a California city on June 30,1903, in the mid-20th century Oxnard grew and developed the areas outside the downtown with homes, industry, retail, and a new harbor named Channel Islands Harbor. Martin V. Smith became the most influential developer in the history of Oxnard during this time, smiths first enterprise in 1941 was the Colonial House Restaurant and then the Wagon Wheel Junction in 1947. In June 2004, the Oxnard Police Department and the Ventura County Sheriff imposed a gang injunction over a 6. 6-square-mile area of the district of the city. The injunction was upheld in the Ventura County Superior Court and made a permanent law in 2005, a similar injunction was imposed in September,2006 over a 4. 26-square-mile area of the south side of the city. Oxnard is located on the Oxnard Plain, an area with fertile soil, with its beaches, dunes, wetlands, creeks and the Santa Clara River, the area contains a number of important biological communities. Also native to the region is the endangered Ventura Marsh Milkvetch, the city of Oxnard is home to over 20 miles of scenic, relatively uncrowded coastline. The beaches in Oxnard are large and the sand is exceptionally soft, the sand dunes in Oxnard, which were once much more extensive, have been used to recreate Middle-Eastern desert dunes in many movies, the first being The Sheik with Rudolph Valentino. There are very few rocks or driftwood piles at most beaches, Oxnard has good surfing at many of its beaches
2.
California
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California is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area. Located on the western coast of the U. S, California is bordered by the other U. S. states of Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California. Los Angeles is Californias most populous city, and the second largest after New York City. The Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nations second- and fifth-most populous urban regions, California also has the nations most populous county, Los Angeles County, and its largest county by area, San Bernardino County. The Central Valley, an agricultural area, dominates the states center. What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its war for independence. The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California, the California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes, with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom. If it were a country, California would be the 6th largest economy in the world, fifty-eight percent of the states economy is centered on finance, government, real estate services, technology, and professional, scientific and technical business services. Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the states economy, the story of Calafia is recorded in a 1510 work The Adventures of Esplandián, written as a sequel to Amadis de Gaula by Spanish adventure writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The kingdom of Queen Calafia, according to Montalvo, was said to be a land inhabited by griffins and other strange beasts. This conventional wisdom that California was an island, with maps drawn to reflect this belief, shortened forms of the states name include CA, Cal. Calif. and US-CA. Settled by successive waves of arrivals during the last 10,000 years, various estimates of the native population range from 100,000 to 300,000. The Indigenous peoples of California included more than 70 distinct groups of Native Americans, ranging from large, settled populations living on the coast to groups in the interior. California groups also were diverse in their organization with bands, tribes, villages. Trade, intermarriage and military alliances fostered many social and economic relationships among the diverse groups, the first European effort to explore the coast as far north as the Russian River was a Spanish sailing expedition, led by Portuguese captain Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, in 1542. Some 37 years later English explorer Francis Drake also explored and claimed a portion of the California coast in 1579. Spanish traders made unintended visits with the Manila galleons on their trips from the Philippines beginning in 1565
3.
University of Washington
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The University of Washington, commonly referred to as simply Washington, UW, or informally U-Dub, is a public flagship research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast, the university has three campuses, the oldest and largest in the University District of Seattle and two others in Tacoma and Bothell. Washington is a member of the Association of American Universities and is ranked among the top 15 universities in the world by a variety of international publications. In athletics, the university competes in the NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference and its athletic teams are called the Huskies. Seattle was one of several settlements in the mid to late 19th century vying for primacy in the new Washington Territory, in 1854, territorial governor Isaac Stevens recommended the establishment of a university in Washington. Several prominent Seattle-area residents, chief among them Methodist preacher Daniel Bagley and they convinced early founder of Seattle and member of the territorial legislature Arthur A. Denny of the importance of Seattle winning the school. When no site emerged, the legislature, encouraged by Denny, in 1861, scouting began for an appropriate 10 acres site in Seattle to serve as the campus for a new university. Arthur and Mary Denny donated eight acres, and fellow pioneers Edward Lander and Charlie and this tract was bounded by 4th and 6th Avenues on the west and east and Union and Seneca Streets on the north and south. UW opened on November 4,1861, as the Territorial University of Washington, the following year, the legislature passed articles incorporating the University and establishing a Board of Regents. The school struggled initially, closing three times, in 1863 for lack of students, and again in 1867 and 1876 due to shortage of funds. However, Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt became the first graduate of UW in 1876 when she graduated from UW with a degree in science. By the time Washington entered the Union in 1889, both Seattle and the University had grown substantially, enrollment increased from 30 students to nearly 300, and the relative isolation of the campus had given way to encroaching development. A special legislative committee headed by UW graduate Edmond Meany was created to find a new campus able to serve the growing student population. The committee selected a site on Union Bay northeast of downtown, the university relocated from downtown to the new campus in 1895, moving into the newly built Denny Hall. The regents tried and failed to sell the old campus, the University still owns what is now called the Metropolitan Tract. In the heart of the city, it is among the most valuable pieces of estate in Seattle. The original Territorial University building was torn down in 1908 and its former site houses the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. The sole surviving remnants of UWs first building are four 24-foot, white, hand-fluted cedar and they were salvaged by Edmond S. Meany—one of the Universitys first graduates and the former head of the history department
4.
Actor
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An actor is a person who portrays a character in a performance. Simplistically speaking, the person denominated actor or actress is someone beautiful who plays important characters, the actor performs in the flesh in the traditional medium of the theatre, or in modern mediums such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is ὑποκριτής, literally one who answers, the actors interpretation of their role pertains to the role played, whether based on a real person or fictional character. Interpretation occurs even when the actor is playing themselves, as in forms of experimental performance art, or, more commonly, to act, is to create. Formerly, in societies, only men could become actors. When used for the stage, women played the roles of prepubescent boys. The etymology is a derivation from actor with ess added. However, when referring to more than one performer, of both sexes, actor is preferred as a term for male performers. Actor is also used before the name of a performer as a gender-specific term. Within the profession, the re-adoption of the term dates to the 1950–1960s. As Whoopi Goldberg put it in an interview with the paper, Im an actor – I can play anything. The U. K. performers union Equity has no policy on the use of actor or actress, an Equity spokesperson said that the union does not believe that there is a consensus on the matter and stated that the. subject divides the profession. In 2009, the Los Angeles Times stated that Actress remains the term used in major acting awards given to female recipients. However, player remains in use in the theatre, often incorporated into the name of a group or company, such as the American Players. Also, actors in improvisational theatre may be referred to as players, prior to Thespis act, Grecian stories were only expressed in song, dance, and in third person narrative. In honor of Thespis, actors are commonly called Thespians, the exclusively male actors in the theatre of ancient Greece performed in three types of drama, tragedy, comedy, and the satyr play. Western theatre developed and expanded considerably under the Romans, as the Western Roman Empire fell into decay through the 4th and 5th centuries, the seat of Roman power shifted to Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. Records show that mime, pantomime, scenes or recitations from tragedies and comedies, dances, from the 5th century, Western Europe was plunged into a period of general disorder
5.
Lompoc, California
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Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, on the west coast of the United States. The city was incorporated on August 13,1888, the population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census. Before European settlers arrived, the area around Lompoc was inhabited by the Chumash people, the name of the city is derived from a Chumashan term, Lum Poc, which means stagnant waters or lagoon. In 1837, the Mexican government sold the area as the Rancho Lompoc land grant, after the United States gained control of California in the Mexican–American War, the valley was acquired by Thomas Dibblee, Albert Dibblee and William Welles Hollister. Hollister sold his share to the Lompoc Valley Land Company, Lompoc was originally intended to be named New Vineland, after the temperance colony in New Jersey. It then became a town with the completion of nearby Camp Cooke. The city is known as the seed capital of the world. Prior to the Spanish conquest, the area around Lompoc was inhabited by the Chumash people, La Purisima Mission was established in 1787 near what is now the southern edge of the city. Purisimeño, a Chumashan language, was spoken in the region during the mission period, after an earthquake destroyed the mission in 1812, it was relocated to its present location 1 mile northeast of the present city. After independence from the Spanish Empire, the First Mexican Empire was established in 1821, the Mexicans secularized the Spanish missions in 1833, and La Purisima Mission gradually fell into ruins. The coastal branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad replaced ship transportation around 1900, in 1893, a diatomaceous earth mine opened in the southern hills in Miguelito Canyon. It became the largest marine diatomite mine in the world, in the 1940s, Grefco, another diatomaceous earth company, moved to Lompoc. It ceased operations in 1998, but the remnants of its mine can still be seen at the northeast end of town. In 1909, the Sibyl Marston—at the time, the largest steam schooner built on the West Coast—sank nearby while carrying 1,100,000 board feet of lumber, many of the older Lompoc homes were built with lumber from the shipwreck. The wreckage can still be seen south of Surf Beach, a paved road linked Lompoc to Buellton and the rest of California around 1920. In 1923, the Honda Point disaster, the U. S. s largest peacetime naval accident, occurred just off the coast, nine U. S. destroyers ran aground, during the Great Depression, La Purisima Mission was restored by the Civilian Conservation Corps. During World War II, the coast west of Lompoc was the site of Camp Cooke, the city then began to grow rapidly to provide housing for thousands of civilians and contractors employed at what was soon renamed Vandenberg Air Force Base. It was the first missile base of the United States Air Force, however, when the Challenger exploded during take-off from Cape Canaveral in 1986, the West Coast shuttle program was terminated, sending Lompoc into a severe recession
6.
Horror film
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Horror film is a film genre that seeks to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on their fears. Inspired by literature from authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, the macabre and the supernatural are frequent themes. Horror may also overlap with the fantasy, supernatural fiction and thriller genres, Horror films often deal with viewers nightmares, fears, revulsions and terror of the unknown. Plots within the genre often involve the intrusion of an evil force, event. Another of his projects was 1898s La Caverne maudite. Japan made early forays into the genre with Bake Jizo and Shinin no Sosei. The era featured a slew of literary adaptations, with the works of Poe and Dante, in 1908, Selig Polyscope Company produced Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In 1910, Edison Studios produced the first filmed version of Frankenstein, the macabre nature of the source materials used made the films synonymous with the horror film genre. Before and during the Weimar Republic era, German Expressionist filmmakers would significantly influence later productions, the first vampire-themed movie, Nosferatu, was made during this period, though it was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stokers Dracula. Other European countries also, contributed to the genre during this period, though the word horror to describe the film genre would not be used until the 1930s, earlier American productions often relied on horror themes. Some notable examples include The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera, The Cat and the Canary, The Unknown, and The Man Who Laughs. Many of these films were considered dark melodramas because of their stock characters and emotion-heavy plots that focused on romance, violence, suspense. The trend of inserting an element of macabre into American pre-horror melodramas continued into the 1920s, directors known for relying on macabre in their films during the 1920s were Maurice Tourneur, Rex Ingram, and Tod Browning. Ingrams The Magician contains one of the first examples of a mad doctor and is said to have had a influence on James Whales version of Frankenstein. The Unholy Three is an example of Brownings use of macabre and unique style of morbidity, he remade the film in 1930 as a talkie, during the early period of talking pictures, Universal Pictures began a successful Gothic horror film series. Tod Brownings Dracula was quickly followed by James Whales Frankenstein and The Old Dark House, some of these films blended science fiction with Gothic horror, such as Whales The Invisible Man and featured a mad scientist, mirroring earlier German films. Frankenstein was the first in a series of remakes which lasted for years, the Mummy introduced Egyptology as a theme, Make-up artist Jack Pierce was responsible for the iconic image of the monster, and others in the series. Universals horror cycle continued into the 1940s with B-movies including The Wolf Man, the once controversial Freaks, based on the short story Spurs, was made by MGM, though the studio disowned the completed film, and it remained banned, in the UK, for thirty years
7.
Re-Animator
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Re-Animator, also known as H. P. Lovecrafts Re-Animator, is a 1985 American science-fiction horror comedy film loosely based on the H. P. Lovecraft episodic novella Herbert West–Reanimator. Directed by Stuart Gordon and produced by Brian Yuzna, the film stars Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, a scientist who invents a solution which can re-animate deceased bodies. He and Dan Cain begin to test the serum on dead bodies, and conflict with Dr. Carl Hill. Originally devised by Gordon as a stage production and later a half-hour television pilot. Filmed in Hollywood on a budget of $900,000, the film originally received an X rating. It is the first film in the Re-Animator film series and was followed by Bride of Re-Animator in 1990, released to mostly positive reviews, Re-Animator has since been considered a cult film. At University of Zurich Institute of Medicine in Switzerland, Herbert West brings his dead professor, Dr. Hans Gruber, there are horrific side-effects, however, as West explains, the dosage was too large. When accused of killing Gruber, West counters, I gave him life, West arrives at Miskatonic University in New England in order to further his studies as a medical student. He rents a room from fellow medical student Dan Cain and converts the buildings basement into his own personal laboratory, West demonstrates his reanimating reagent to Dan by reanimating Dans dead cat Rufus. Dans fiancee Megan, who already thinks West is creepy, walks in on this experiment and is horrified. Dan tries to tell Dr. Alan Halsey, who is Megans father and dean of the school, about Wests success in reanimating the dead cat. When Dan insists, the dean infers that Dan and West have gone mad, barred from the school, West and Dan sneak into the morgue to test the reagent on a human subject in an attempt to prove that the reagent works, and thereby salvage their medical careers. The corpse they inject comes back to life, but in a frenetic, Dr. Halsey stumbles upon the scene and, despite attempts by both West and Dan to save him, he gets killed by the reanimated corpse, which West then kills with a bone-saw. Unfazed by the violence and excited at the prospect of working with a dead specimen. Dr. Halsey returns to life, also in a psychotic, Dr. Halseys colleague Dr. Carl Hill, a professor and researcher at the hospital, takes charge of Dr. Halsey, whom he puts in a padded observation cell adjacent to his office. He carries out an operation on him, lobotomizing him. During the course of operation, he discovers that Dr. Halsey is not sick. Dr. Hill goes to Wests basement lab and attempts to him into surrendering his reagent and notes
8.
Star Trek
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Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry. The first television series, simply called Star Trek and now referred to as The Original Series, debuted in 1966 and it followed the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and his crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise, an exploration vessel. The Star Trek canon of the franchise include The Original Series, a series, four spin-off television series, its film franchise. In creating Star Trek, Roddenberry was inspired by the Horatio Hornblower novels, the satirical book Gullivers Travels and these adventures continued in the short-lived Star Trek, The Animated Series and six feature films. The adventures of The Next Generation crew continued in four feature films. In 2009, the franchise underwent a reboot set in an alternate timeline, or Kelvin Timeline. This film featured a new cast portraying younger versions of the crew from the show, their adventures were continued in the sequel film. The thirteenth film feature and sequel, Star Trek Beyond, was released to coincide with the franchises 50th anniversary, a new Star Trek TV series, titled Star Trek, Discovery, will premiere in May 2017 on the digital platform CBS All Access. Star Trek has been a phenomenon for decades. Fans of the franchise are called Trekkies or Trekkers, the franchise spans a wide range of spin-offs including games, figurines, novels, toys, and comics. Star Trek had an attraction in Las Vegas that opened in 1998. At least two museum exhibits of props travel the world, the series has its own full-fledged constructed language, Klingon. Several parodies have been made of Star Trek, in addition, viewers have produced several fan productions. As of July 2016, the franchise had generated $10 billion in revenue, Star Trek is noted for its cultural influence beyond works of science fiction. The franchise is also noted for its civil rights stances. The Original Series included one of televisions first multiracial casts, Star Trek references can be found throughout popular culture from movies such as the submarine thriller Crimson Tide to the animated series South Park. As early as 1964, Gene Roddenberry drafted a proposal for the series that would become Star Trek
9.
DC animated universe
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Older shows such as Super Friends and newer shows such as The Batman, Legion of Super Heroes, Batman, The Brave and the Bold, and Young Justice are not part of this continuity. Also, after the success of Batman, The Animated Series in the early 1990s, Fox approached Bruce Timm to create a series focusing on Catwoman. The following animated feature films also are part of the DCAU continuity, Batman, the film was supposed to be a follow-up for Batman & Mr. Freeze, SubZero, and Boyd Kirkland was attached to write and direct, but the project was soon scrapped. A second Batman Beyond movie was planned for release but was scrapped due the dark tones and controversies of Batman Beyond. Around 2003, during the production of Batman, Mystery of the Batwoman, although the script was written, the project was soon scrapped after the poor reception of the live-action film. The Dark Knights First Night – A short film which acted as the pilot for Batman. Chase Me – A short film with no dialogue based on The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond – A short film based on Batman Beyond created by Darwyn Cooke for Batmans 75th anniversary. Gotham Girls – A Macromedia Flash web cartoon series, this was downloadable from the WB website, a DC Comics miniseries inspired by the web series was released in 2004. All three seasons of Gotham Girls were released on the Birds of Prey DVD box set in 2008, Lobo – A Flash cartoon series starring Lobo, the galactic bounty hunter, the web-series is a spin-off of the Superman episode The Main Man. Both of these examples somewhat support that the webseries is part of the official DCAU, unlike the other cartoons set in the DCAU, it has graphic violence, sexual content and strong profanity. Many of the DCAU productions have also had comic books created based on the characters of the various series, the comics are, There have also been a number of DCAU tie-in video games released to correspond with the various animated television series and films. Some of these games have original plots, while others follow previous stories, the games are, Five of these games feature voice acting from the casts of the original shows. These are, The Adventures of Batman and Robin, Superman, Batman Vengeance, Superman, Shadow of Apokolips, the SEGA CD/Mega CD game, The Adventures of Batman and Robin, also features animation from one of the studios that animated Batman, The Animated Series. Though the DCAU is an offshoot of the mainstream DC comics universe, roland Daggett was adapted into the live-action film The Dark Knight Rises as a minor antagonist and CEO of a rival company to Wayne Enterprises. With the conclusion of the Justice League Unlimited animated series, Warner Bros has moved on to adapting new versions of the various DC comics properties rather than reviving the DCAU counterparts, the last script written for DCAU continuity was titled Justice League, Worlds Collide. This screenplay was created to bridge the several month gap between Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. On June 8,2015, during an interview with Nerdist about his new film Justice League, Gods and Monsters, although he stated that the DCAU continuity will likely not return, he stated that anyway, the chance of it coming back exists. The Batman Beyond comic series is a adaptation of the Batman Beyond franchise, intended to fit the character
10.
The Teahouse of the August Moon (play)
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The Teahouse of the August Moon is a 1953 play written by John Patrick adapted from the 1951 novel by Vern Sneider. The play was adapted for film in 1956, and the 1970 Broadway musical, Lovely Ladies. The play opened on Broadway in October 1953, the play, well regarded for several decades, came to seem old-fashioned with increased understanding and sensitivity of racial issues. The portrayals of the Okinawa characters in the play were seen as offensive, in the aftermath of World War II, the island of Okinawa was occupied by the American military. Captain Fisby, a army officer, is transferred to a tiny Okinawa island town called Tobiki by his commanding officer. Fisby is tasked with the job of implementing Plan B, Plan B also calls for the building of a schoolhouse, democracy lessons, and establishing capitalism through means left up to the good captains judgment. A local Tobiki native, Sakini by name, is assigned to act as Fisbys interpreter, after receiving many gifts from the villagers, including a geisha named Lotus Blossom, Fisby tries to find local products on which to build his capitalist endeavor. He is discouraged when the villagers can not find a market for their products, items like geta, lacquered bowls, cricket cages. He is also frustrated when the elected democratic government votes to build a teahouse for Lotus Blossom with the building supplies designated for his Pentagon-shaped school. Through the villagers, Captain Fisby starts to see the beauty of preserving their culture and he agrees to build the teahouse and even lands on a moneymaking product – sweet potato brandy. Soon the Cooperative Brewing Company of Tobiki is churning out liquor by the gallon and he is in danger of court martial and reprimanded for misusing government supplies, selling liquor and not turning the villagers into Americans fast enough. Col. Purdy orders the destruction of all the stills and the teahouse, Sakini and the villagers outsmart the colonel and only pretend to destroy everything, instead hiding everything quick as the dickens. Their foresight proves fortuitous when Purdy learns that Congress is about to use Tobiki as a model for the success of Plan B, the villagers rebuild the teahouse on stage, and even offer a cup to Col. Purdy in a gesture of goodwill. Like all great comedies, in the end, all is forgiven, the village returns to the rich life they once knew, Fisby is touted a hero, and Purdy, we hope will get a brigadier generals star for his wife Grace after all. However, it is not just a story of culture clash, through the character of Fisby we see acceptance and the beauty of making peace with oneself somewhere between ambition and limitations. We also learn, like Fisby, that sometimes the better life is had by taking a step backward in the right direction. The Teahouse of the August Moon premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theater on October 15,1953, directed by Robert Lewis, the cast featured John Forsythe, David Wayne, Paul Ford, Larry Gates, William Hansen, and Mariko Niki. The play and screenplay were adapted for the 1970 Broadway musical, Lovely Ladies, the Teahouse of the August Moon
11.
Santa Maria, California
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Santa Maria is a city near the Southern California coast in Santa Barbara County. It is approximately 160 miles northwest of Los Angeles and its estimated 2014 population was 103,410, making it the most populous city in the county and the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Metro Area. The city is notable for its industry and Santa Maria-style barbecue. Sunset magazine called Santa Maria The Wests Best BBQ Town, the Santa Maria Valley, stretching from the Santa Lucia Mountains toward the Pacific Ocean, was the homeland of the Chumash people for several thousand years. The Native Americans made their homes on the slopes of the hills among the oaks, on the banks of the Santa Maria River among the sycamores. They had unique plank-built boats, called Tomol, which used for ocean fishing. In 1769, the Portolá Expedition passed through the Santa Maria Valley during the first Spanish land exploration up the coast of Las Californias Province. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was established just north of the valley in 1772, rather than rich soil, white settlers were attracted here by the possibility of free land. In 1821, after the Mexican War of Independence, the lands in Santa Maria Valley were made available for private ownership under a Mexican land grant called Rancho Punta de Laguna. At the end of the Mexican War in 1848, California was ceded to the United States, in the late 19th century, after California gained statehood in 1850, the areas rich soil attracted farmers and other settlers. By the end of the century, the Santa Maria River Valley had become one of the most productive areas in the state. Agriculture is still a key component of the economy for the city, the townsite was recorded in Santa Barbara in 1875. The new town was named Grangerville, then changed to Central City and it became Santa Maria on February 18,1885, since mail was often being sent by mistake to Central City, Colorado. Santa Maria was chosen from the name Juan Pacifico Ontiveros had given to his property 25 years earlier, streets named after the four settlers now form a 6 block square centered at Broadway and Main Street, the center of town. Oil exploration began in 1888, leading to discoveries at the turn of the 20th century. In 1902, Union Oil discovered the large Orcutt Oil Field in the Solomon Hills south of town, two years later, Union Oil had 22 wells in production. Other significant discoveries followed, including the Lompoc Oil Field in 1903, over the next 80 years more large oil fields were found, and thousands of oil wells drilled and put into production. By 1957 there were 1,775 oil wells in operation in the Santa Maria Valley, Santa Maria is located at 34°57′5″N 120°26′0″W
12.
University of Washington School of Drama
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It offers a Bachelors degree and MFA degrees in directing, design, and acting. A Ph. D. in history theory and criticism is also offered, the MFA programs have outstanding reputations as top programs in the country. Each year, the MFA programs admit 6 actors, up to 6 design students,3 for the Ph. D. program and every other year,2 students are chosen in directing. The School of Drama presents a full season of six productions every academic year, which primarily feature MFA students from all disciplines. The Undergraduate Theater Society founded by alumni James Newman in 1992, every year, the School presents members of its graduating MFA acting students in professional showcases in Seattle, New York City and Los Angeles. Though he came to the University of Washington as a poetry fellow, from 1930 to 1961 Hughes led the Department, which became the School of Drama in 1941. Under Hughes’ leadership, the program became a center of Seattle’s theatrical life. In 1961, Hughes retired and was succeeded by Gregory A. Falls and it was during this time that the stream of UW drama graduates began pooling in Seattle. Graduates and former faculty stayed in the city, founding their own theatres and forming the genesis of what is one of the country’s most active. The School’s role in establishing Seattle’s vibrant theatre life was seminal, founders and artistic directors of many of Seattle’s leading theatres were first students or faculty at the School of Drama. Duncan Ross became artistic director of the Seattle Repertory Theatre for over a decade, alumus M. Alum Jenny McLauchlan Carlson was co-founder of Seattle Children’s Theatre. Alumae Linda Hartzell is current artistic director of SCT, which is considered one of the leading theatres in the country. Even the enormously successful Oregon Shakespeare Festival was founded by alum Angus Bowmer, more recently, the enormously successful, Washington Ensemble Theatre, was founded in 2004 by 9 alums representing every one of the school’s programs. Two years later, Washington Ensemble Theatre was awarded “Best of the Fringe” by Seattle’s alternative newspaper, the Bachelor of Arts in Drama provides a general knowledge of the art of theatre and a foundation for further study or training. The major consists of a program of required courses which students to the core of the art. Time after time, these programs are nationally recognized as top in their field. Graduate students are taught and advised by a faculty, all of whom regularly work in the professional arena. The Ph. D. program provides training in theatre scholarship with a dual emphasis on theatre history
13.
West Coast of the United States
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The West Coast or Pacific Coast is the coastline along which the contiguous Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. As a region, this term most often refers to the states of California. More specifically, it refers to an area defined on the east by the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert, the U. S. Census groups the five states of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii together as the Pacific States division. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the Census Bureaus Pacific Region was approximately 47.8 million – about 15. 3% of US population. The largest city on the west coast of the United States is Los Angeles, small isolated groups of hunter-gatherers migrated alongside herds of large herbivores far into Alaska. Between 16,500 BCE and 13,500 BCE, ice-free corridors developed along the Pacific coast and valleys of North America, Alaska Natives, indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, and California indigenous peoples eventually descended from the Paleo-Indians. They developed various languages and established trade routes, later, Spanish, British, French, Russian, and American explorers and settlers began colonizing the area. The West Coast of the United States has a climate in its Northern edge towards the Canada–US border. The coastline sees significantly mild temperatures when compared to the areas during summer. In far Northern California there is a difference of 17 °C between Eurekas and Willow Creek in spite of only 25 miles separating the locations and Willow Creek being located at a 500 metres elevation, coastal fog is also prevalent in keeping shoreline temperatures cool. Since the West Coast has been populated by more recently than the East Coast. Additionally, its demographic composition underlies its cultural difference from the rest of the United States. Californias history first as a major Spanish colony, and later Mexican territory, has given the lower West Coast a distinctive Hispanic tone, which it also shares with the rest of the Southwest. Similarly, two of the three cities in which Asian Americans have concentrated, San Francisco and Los Angeles, are located on the West Coast, San Franciscos Chinatown, the oldest in North America, is a vibrant cultural center. The West Coast also has a large share of green cities within the United States. Other writers, like Jean Baudrillard, Mike Davis, and Umberto Eco, have made related statements on Californian culture, in the Northwest, Portland and Seattle are both considered among the coffee capitals of the world. While Starbucks originated in Seattle, both towns are known for coffee roasters and independent coffeeshops. In the Pacific Northwest at large, which includes the Canadian west coast, the culture has significantly shaped by the environment, especially by its forests, mountains
14.
Los Angeles
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Los Angeles, officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L. A. is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of Southern California. With a census-estimated 2015 population of 3,971,883, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated county in the United States. The citys inhabitants are referred to as Angelenos, historically home to the Chumash and Tongva, Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California. The city was founded on September 4,1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve. It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence, in 1848, at the end of the Mexican–American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4,1850, the discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city. The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913, delivering water from Eastern California, nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic diversity, and sprawling metropolis. Los Angeles also has an economy in culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine. A global city, it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index, the city is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. The Los Angeles combined statistical area has a gross metropolitan product of $831 billion, making it the third-largest in the world, after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas. The city has hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984 and is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and thus become the second city after London to have hosted the Games three times. The Los Angeles area also hosted the 1994 FIFA mens World Cup final match as well as the 1999 FIFA womens World Cup final match, the mens event was watched on television by over 700 million people worldwide. The Los Angeles coastal area was first settled by the Tongva, a Gabrielino settlement in the area was called iyáangẚ, meaning poison oak place. Gaspar de Portolà and Franciscan missionary Juan Crespí, reached the present site of Los Angeles on August 2,1769, in 1771, Franciscan friar Junípero Serra directed the building of the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, the first mission in the area. The Queen of the Angels is an honorific of the Virgin Mary, two-thirds of the settlers were mestizo or mulatto with a mixture of African, indigenous and European ancestry. The settlement remained a small town for decades, but by 1820. Today, the pueblo is commemorated in the district of Los Angeles Pueblo Plaza and Olvera Street. New Spain achieved its independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821, during Mexican rule, Governor Pío Pico made Los Angeles Alta Californias regional capital
15.
Honky Tonk Freeway
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Honky Tonk Freeway is a 1981 comedy film directed by John Schlesinger. The film was financed in part by accountant Roy Tuckers tax avoidance schemes funded by the Rossminster banking group, in a small Florida tourist town named Ticlaw, the Mayor/Preacher Kirby T. Calo also operates a hotel and tiny wildlife safari park. The towns major draw is an elephant named Bubbles. When the state highway commission builds a freeway adjacent to the town, the ramp doesnt come, so the townsfolk literally paint the town pink to attract visitors. Meanwhile, tourists from various parts of the United States, shown in a series of concurrent, ongoing vignettes, are heading to Florida and will all end up in Ticlaw and this movie was filmed in the small central Florida town of Mount Dora. The off-ramp filming took place at the I-75 and Palmer Road overpass in Sarasota, most of the highway scenes take place on I-75 between Sarasota and Ft Myers while the highway was still under construction. Dynamite crews blew up a bridge built to look like the southbound lane overpass at I-75. Many portions of Fruitville were painted pink to match the sets in Mount Dora, Palmer Road was never designated for an I-75 exit because it is not a main thoroughfare. The exit for Fruitville is about two miles north of the filming location, on a film as devoid of any basic humorous appeal. Long-term commercial appeal appears to be almost nil, some have argued that the film can be viewed as a satire on the American way of life and this contributed to its unfavorable critical reception at the time. The film was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song for the song Youre Crazy, Honky Tonk Freeway at the Internet Movie Database Honky Tonk Freeway at Rotten Tomatoes Honky Tonk Freeway at Box Office Mojo http, //www. edwardclintonplaywright. com/honkeytonk. htm
16.
Frightmare (1983 film)
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Frightmare is a 1983 American slasher-horror film written and directed by Norman Thaddeus Vane. It was Jeffrey Combs horror film debut, the film follows a group of drama students who decide to kidnap the corpse of a recently deceased horror movie star. By disrupting his tomb, they release an ancient black magic that begins consuming them one by one and it is currently distributed by Troma Entertainment. A group of drama students idolize their favourite film star. In the beginning, Conrad is acting in a commercial for dentures, while the director sits on the edge of the balcony, an angry Conrad pushes him off with his cane. Later, Conrad visits a school and talks about his performances, one of the Drama students, Meg, revives him. Later, as Conrad sits in his bed, his obese director Wolfgang visits him, after a long talk about his death arrangements, Conrad closes his eyes and tricks the director into believing he is dead. Then, the director denounces him until Conrad springs up and smothers him with a pillow. After Conrad dies, the seven students, Meg, Saint, Bobo, Eve, Donna, Oscar. The lights turn on and they see a film of Conrad stating that he welcomes them into his tomb, unless, he says, they have broken in. Creeped out, Meg asks them not to take Conrad, but they do and that night, Conrads coffin explodes, and he rises from the dead. Later, Oscar and Donna are having sex but Donna says she is scared, Oscar goes to investigate and has his tongue ripped out by Conrad in the attic. Donna becomes worried and walks outside only to see Conrad, who uses magic to set her on fire. Later, the five remaining teens realize that Oscar and Donna are missing, bob however is put in a trance by Conrad and walks to Conrads tomb, only to suffocate from vapors that are released inside the crypt. Eve decides to watch a movie and is lured out of her room by the sound of Donnas voice, only to be smashed into the wall by Conrads coffin, and hidden with Oscars body. Meg, Saint, and Stu realize that the two are now missing and begin to panic, and Meg decides shes going to tell the police. Stu runs upstairs to get a flashlight since Saints car will not start, Meg and Saint venture outside looking for Stu and find Donnas burnt body, and hurry back inside. Saint decides to try to fix his car, while Conrad traps Meg in the attic, where she impales him with a cross
17.
H. P. Lovecraft
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Howard Phillips Lovecraft was an American author who achieved posthumous fame through his influential works of horror fiction. He was virtually unknown and published only in magazines before he died in poverty. Lovecraft was born in Providence, Rhode Island, where he spent most of his life, among his most celebrated tales are The Call of Cthulhu and The Shadow over Innsmouth, both canonical to the Cthulhu Mythos. Lovecraft was never able to support himself from earnings as author and editor and he saw commercial success increasingly elude him in this latter period, partly because he lacked the confidence and drive to promote himself. He subsisted in straitened circumstances in his last years, an inheritance was completely spent by the time that he died at age 46. Lovecraft was born on August 20,1890 in his home at 194 Angell Street in Providence. Both of his parents were of entirely English ancestry, and most of his ancestors had been in New England since the colonial period and his great-grandfather Joseph Lovecraft Jr. emigrated to Rochester, New York from Devon, England in 1831. Lovecraft maintained throughout his life that his father died in a condition of paralysis brought on by nervous exhaustion. It has been suggested that his fathers mental illness may have been caused by syphilis, all five resided together in the family home. Lovecraft was a prodigy, reciting poetry at the age of three and writing complete poems by six. His grandfather encouraged his reading, providing him with such as One Thousand and One Nights, Thomas Bulfinchs Age of Fable, and childrens versions of the Iliad. His grandfather also stirred the boys interest in the weird by telling him his own tales of gothic horror. Lovecraft was frequently ill as a child, and he attended school until he was eight years old because of his sickly condition. He read voraciously during this period and became enamored of chemistry. He produced several hectographed publications with a circulation, beginning in 1899 with The Scientific Gazette. Four years later, he returned to school at Hope High School. Beginning in his life, Lovecraft is believed to have suffered from sleep paralysis. Much of his work is thought to have been directly inspired by these terrors
18.
H.P. Lovecraft's: Necronomicon
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Lovecrafts, Necronomicon, original title Necronomicon, also called Necronomicon, Book of the Dead or Necronomicon, To Hell and Back is an American anthology horror film released in 1993. It was directed by Brian Yuzna, Christophe Gans and Shusuke Kaneko and was written by Gans, Yuzna, Brent V. Friedman, and Kazunori Itō. The film stars Bruce Payne as Edward De Lapoer, Richard Lynch as Jethro De Lapoer, Jeffrey Combs as H. P. Lovecraft, Belinda Bauer as Nancy Gallmore, the film is broken into four separate features, The Library, The Drowned, The Cold and Whispers. The Library segment is the story, which begins and ends the movie. In the wrap-around story of the film, H. P. Lovecraft learns of a monastery where a copy of the Necronomicon is held, having been a regular there for his research, he sets up an appointment, his cab driver told to wait outside. Taking insult when the head monk calls his work fiction, Lovecraft insists that all his writings are true, requesting to read the Alchemical Encyclopedia Vol. III, Lovecraft steals a key from another monk and flees to the cellar where the Necronomicon is being held. Unknown to him, a monk has seen him, unlocking the vault where the book is held, the door closes behind Lovecraft unexpectedly, making him drop the key down a grating and into the water below. As that happens, one of the seals is opened, Lovecraft sits to read and record what he is reading. Its not specified if he sees visions of the future through the book and its likely the stories will come to pass, and for the Necronomicon have already passed, alluding to the Necronomicons timelessness, as all the stories take place well beyond the 1920s. Edward De LaPoer, a member of the De La Poer family, is tracked down in Sweden after inheriting an old, left a sealed envelope from Jethro De La Poer, he learns of his uncles tragic death. Upon a boat trip return to New England, a crash on the shore killed Jethros wife and son. Distraught, Jethro picked up a copy of the Holy Bible in front of several funeral mourners, tossed it into the fireplace and that night, an odd fishman arrives and tells him he is not alone, then leaves behind an English translation of the Necronomicon. Using the book, Jethro brings his family back to life, however, they are revived as unholy monsters with green glowing eyes and tentacles in their mouths. Feeling guilty, he chooses to commit suicide by casting himself off an upper floor balcony, Edward, distraught over a car accident years before which killed his wife, Clara, finds the Necronomicon and performs the ritual to revive her. That night, Clara arrives and asks to be invited in, Clara regurgitates tentacles from her mouth, and in a panic, Edward pushes her away. Clara angrily attacks, but Edward, with a sword taken from a nearby wall and she turns into a tentacle leading underneath the floor. Drawn underground from the injury, the creature destroys the main floor and rises, a gigantic monster with tentacles, one eye. Edward cuts a rope holding the chandelier, jumps to it, Clara again tries to restrain him, but Edward destroys a stained glass window, the sunlight driving her away
19.
FeardotCom
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FeardotCom is a 2002 American horror film directed by William Malone and starring Stephen Dorff, Natascha McElhone and Stephen Rea. The plot details a New York City detective investigating a series of mysterious deaths connected to a disturbing website, Mike Black Reilly is an NYPD detective who is called to the scene of a mysterious death in the subway system. The victim, Polidori, exhibits bleeding from his eyes and other orifices and, by the look on his face. Department of Health researcher Terry Huston is intrigued by the find as well, when a contagious virus is ruled out, Terry and Mike team up to discover what might be killing these people. They send each of the hard drives to Mikes friend, Denise Stone. Denise discovers that all of the victims had visited a website called Feardotcom, upon looking at the site herself, Denise is subjected to various sights and sounds of torture that eventually drive her crazy and result in her falling to her death from her apartment window. Mike feels guilty, thinking that he should have never gotten Denise involved in the case, Terry figures out that people who visit the website die within 48 hours, apparently from what they feared most in their lives. Despite such dangerous knowledge, both she and Mike visit the site in order to figure out what is happening. It is revealed that Feardotcom is, in fact, a ghost site made by one of Pratts first victims and she was tortured by Pratt for 48 hours before she begged him to kill her, which explains why the victims have 48 hours to live. Mike and Terry track down Pratt and release the spirit of the girl from the website. The ending scene shows Terry lying in her bed with her cat, the phone rings but she hears no one on the line, only online static. She hangs up and hugs the cat, the film was released on August 9,2002 in South Korea and on August 30,2002 in the United States. The film was originally rated NC-17 due to extreme violence, after multiple trims and appeals, the film was finally re-rated R by the MPAA for violence including grisly images of torture, nudity and language. The film was originally classified R18+ in Australia for high impact violence but before the films release. On a budget of $40 million, the film grossed $5,710,128 on its weekend, $13,258,249 domestically and $18,902,015 worldwide. At Metacritic, the film holds a 16% rating based on 20 reviews, empire magazine gave the film one out of five stars, calling it arguably the least imaginative, most pathetic horror of the decade. The Guardian called it a nasty, badly acted horror film like Marc Evans My Little Eye or Olivier Assayas execrable Demonlover, roger Ebert gave the film two out of four stars and wrote, strange, how good FeardotCom is, and how bad. Jami Bernard of The New York Daily News said that The story is a mess, some of the offensive, the acting under par
20.
House on Haunted Hill (1999 film)
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House on Haunted Hill is a 1999 American horror film, directed by William Malone and starring Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Ali Larter and Jeffrey Combs. It also includes an appearance by Peter Graves. The plot follows a group of strangers who are invited to a party at an abandoned asylum, where they are offered $1 million each by an amusement park mogul if they are able to survive the night. House on Haunted Hill marked the debut of Dark Castle Entertainment. House on Haunted Hill premiered on Halloween weekend in 1999, the film received middling reviews from major critics, but was a commercial success, opening number one at the box office and grossing over $40 million domestically. In 2007, the film was followed by a sequel, Return to House on Haunted Hill. In 1931 the mental patients at the Vannacutt Institute for the Criminally Insane revolt against the staff headed by the sadistic Dr. Richard Vannacutt, the patients start a fire which engulfs the building, killing all of the inmates and all but five of the staff. In 1999, Evelyn Stockard-Price, a trophy wife, is in a disintegrating marriage with Steven Price. At Evelyns insistence, Price leases the house from the owner, Watson Pritchett, Evelyn gives Price a lengthy guest list, he shreds it to spite her and then creates one of his own. Five guests arrive for the party - Jennifer Jenzen, Eddie Baker, Melissa Margaret Marr, Dr. Donald Blackburn, the guests are not the ones Price invited and neither Evelyn nor Price know who they are. Despite this, Price continues the theme, offering $1 million to each guest who stays in the house. Those who die forfeit their $1 million to the survivors, the security gates are tripped, locking everyone inside. After finding some hand guns, Jennifer, Eddie and Pritchett decide to take one of the guns, Price believes the trap is a stunt organized by Evelyn. As Eddie and Jennifer explore the basement, Jennifer confesses to Eddie that her real name is Sara Wolfe. She attended the party in Jennifers place because she needed the prize money, however, the two are separated, and Sara is nearly drowned in a tank of blood by a ghost impersonating Eddie, though the real Eddie arrives in time to save her. Melissa disappears when she wanders off in the basement, leaving behind a trail of blood. Price visits his assistant Schechter, who is supposed to be managing the party stunts, on the surveillance monitor he sees the ghost of Dr. Vannacutt walking around with a bloody scalpel. Shortly after, Evelyn dies in front of the others, when they find she has been strapped to an electroshock therapy table, furious, Price pulls a gun on the guests, demanding to know which one of them killed his wife
21.
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
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I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1998 slasher film and a sequel to the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer. Directed by Danny Cannon, the film was written by Trey Callaway, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Muse Watson reprise their roles, with Brandy, Mekhi Phifer, Jennifer Esposito, and Matthew Settle joining the cast. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer continues after the events of the first film, callaways script was published in an edited young adult format, leaving in all descriptions of violence but omitting the harsher language. Filming took place in Mexico and California, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer was released to negative reviews, but was a box office success, grossing $84 million worldwide. On August 22,2006, Destination Films released Ill Always Know What You Did Last Summer as a sequel to the film which features no returning cast members. The film was released on Blu-ray on July 14,2009, one year after the events of the first film, Julie James is attending summer classes in Boston, in avoidance of returning to her hometown of Southport. She suffers from memories and nightmares of the accident and brutal murders of her friends by the fisherman, Ben Willis. Karla must guess the capital of Brazil and her answer is “Rio de Janeiro”. The radio host tells her she is right and she is given four tickets for the trip, Julie invites her boyfriend, Ray, but he declines. He is hurt by her refusal to visit him in Southport. Ray intends to propose to Julie, and changes his mind about the trip and that evening, Ray and his co-worker Dave drive to Boston to meet Julie. They stop due to a car in the middle of the road, as Ray gets out to inspect the scene, Ben Willis appears and kills Dave with his hook. Ben takes Ray’s truck and chases him down the road, Ray gets away, but is injured from falling down a hill. The next morning, Julie and Karla depart on the trip with Karla’s boyfriend Tyrell and their friend, knowing Will has a crush on Julie, Karla invited him as a replacement for Ray, much to Julies discomfort. The group arrives in the Bahamas, on the island of Tower Bay, to her surprise, Julie is sharing a hotel room with Will. That evening at the bar, Julie is talked into singing karaoke. She stops when the words “I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER” roll onto the screen, terrified, she runs back to her room and is met by Will, who laid out for her flowers and a love note. Julie sidesteps Wills affection for her, while Tyrell and Karla get into the hot tub, Julie notices her toothbrush is missing
22.
The Frighteners
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The Frighteners is a 1996 New Zealand-American fantasy horror comedy film directed by Peter Jackson and co-written with his wife, Fran Walsh. The film stars Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin, Dee Wallace Stone, Jeffrey Combs, R. Lee Ermey and Jake Busey. The Frighteners tells the story of Frank Bannister, an architect who develops psychic abilities allowing him to see, hear and he initially uses his new abilities to befriend ghosts, whom he sends to haunt people so that he can charge them handsome fees for exorcising the ghosts. However, the spirit of a mass murderer appears able to attack the living, Jackson and Walsh conceived the idea for The Frighteners during the script-writing phase of Heavenly Creatures. With Jackson and Walshs first draft submitted in January 1994, Zemeckis believed the film would be better off directed by Jackson, produced by Zemeckis, the visual effects were created by Jacksons Weta Digital, which had only been in existence for three years. Despite a rushed schedule, Universal was so impressed with Jacksons rough cut on The Frighteners. The film was not a box office success, but received positive reviews from critics. Despite its lackluster performance at the box office, the film has gained a following in more recent years. In 1990, architect Frank Bannisters wife, Debra, dies in a car accident and he abandons his profession, and his unfinished dream house sits incomplete. Following the accident, Frank gained the power to see ghosts, the ghosts haunt houses so Frank can then exorcise them for a fee. Most locals consider him a con man, soon after Frank cons local health nut Ray Lynskey and his wife Lucy, a physician, Ray dies of a heart attack. Frank discovers there is an entity, appearing as the Grim Reaper, killing people, Debra had a similar number when she was found. Franks ability to foretell the murders puts him under suspicion with the police and FBI agent Milton Dammers, Frank is arrested for killing newspaper editor Magda Rees-Jones, who had attacked him in the press. Lucy investigates the murders and becomes a target of the Grim Reaper and she is attacked while visiting Frank in jail, but they escape with the help of Cyrus and Stuart, who are both dissolved in the process. Frank wants to commit suicide to stop the Grim Reaper, Lucy helps Frank have a near-death experience by putting him into hypothermia and using barbiturates to stop his heart. Dammers abducts Lucy, revealing that he had been a victim of Charles Manson, newspaper reports reveal that his greatest desire was to become the most prolific serial killer ever, showing pride at killing more than contemporaries like Charles Starkweather. Patricia Bradley, then a teenager, was accused as his accomplice, Lucy resuscitates Frank and they visit Patricia. Lucy and Frank trap Bartletts spirit in his urn, which Patricia has kept, the pair make for the chapel of the now-abandoned psychiatric hospital hoping to send Bartletts ghost to Hell
23.
Babylon 5
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The first season premiered in the US on January 26,1994, and the series ultimately ran for the intended five seasons. Set between the years 2257 and 2262, it depicts a future where Earth has sovereign states, colonies within the solar system, and beyond, make up the Earth Alliance, and contact has been made with other spacefaring species. The ensemble cast portray alien ambassadorial staff and humans assigned to the 5-mile -long Babylon 5 space station, a center for trade and diplomacy. Not appearing on American television since 2003, it continues to be shown in international markets such as Fox in the UK, the TV4-ScifFi Channel in Sweden, excepting movie rights, which are retained by Straczynski, all production rights for the franchise are owned by Warner Bros. At the beginning of the series, five dominant civilizations are presented, the Shadows and their various allies are malevolent species who appear later in the series. Several dozen less powerful species from the League of Non-Aligned Worlds appear, including the Drazi, Brakiri, Vree, Markab, the stations first three predecessors were sabotaged or accidentally destroyed before their completion. The fourth station, Babylon 4, vanished without a trace twenty-four hours after it fully operational. The television series takes its name from the Babylon 5 space station, located in the Epsilon Eridani star system, Babylon 5 is an ONeill cylinder five miles long and a half-mile to a mile in diameter. Living areas accommodate the various species, providing differing atmospheres and gravities. Human visitors to the sectors are shown using breathing equipment. The five seasons of the series each correspond to one fictional sequential year in the period 2258–2262, each season shares its name with an episode that is central to that seasons plot. As the series starts, the Babylon 5 station is welcoming ambassadors from various races in the galaxy, during 2258, Commander Jeffrey Sinclair is in charge of the station. Much of the story revolves around his gradual discovery that it was his capture by the Minbari at the Battle of the Line which ended the war against Earth. Upon capturing Sinclair, the Minbari came to believe that he was the reincarnation of Valen, meanwhile, tensions between the Centauri Republic, which is an empire in decline, and the Narn Regime, a former dominion which rebelled and gained freedom, are increasing. As part of these struggles, Mollari makes a deal with an ally to strike back at the Narn. It is gradually revealed that Ambassador Delenn is a member of the mysterious and powerful Grey Council, towards the end of 2258, she begins the transformation into a Minbari-human hybrid, ostensibly to build a bridge between the humans and Minbari. The year ends with the death of Earth Alliance president Luis Santiago, the death is officially ruled an accident, but some members of the military, including the staff of Babylon 5, believe it to be an assassination. At the beginning of 2259, Captain John Sheridan replaces Sinclair as the governor of the station after Sinclair is reassigned as ambassador to Minbar
24.
The 4400
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The 4400 is a science fiction television series produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with BSkyB, Renegade 83, and American Zoetrope for USA Network. The show was created and written by Scott Peters and René Echevarria, the series ran for four seasons from 2004 until its cancellation in 2007. In the pilot episode, a ball of light deposits a group of exactly 4400 people in the Cascade Range foothills near Mount Rainier. Each of the 4400 had disappeared at various times starting from 1936 in a beam of white light, none of the 4400 have aged from the time of their disappearance. Confused and disoriented, they remember nothing between the time of their disappearance and their return, the season during which each actor has been included in the main cast are marked in green. When a starring actor also has appeared as a guest star during other seasons, gray square means the actor doesnt appear in that season at all. ° Older Lily °° Baby Isabelle The National Threat Assessment Command, dennis Ryland is the head of NTAC. Ryland assigns Tom Baldwin and Diana Skouris as the team to investigate the 4400. In season 2, Ryland goes to Washington and is replaced by Nina Jarvis, in Season 4 Meghan Doyle takes over as the head of NTAC. Many of the returnees have trouble getting their lives back on track after being gone from the world for years, more significantly, a small number of the returnees begin to manifest paranormal abilities, such as telekinesis, telepathy and precognition, as well as other gifts. For example, in the pilot, Shawn Farrell manifests an ability to heal the broken neck of a dead bird, in addition, one of the 4400, Lily Moore, has become pregnant between her disappearance and return. By the second season, it is revealed that all 4400 have a fictional neurotransmitter, promicin, in their brains, which gives them their powers. The government, afraid of what this group would do with such power, had secretly been dosing all of the 4400 with a promicin inhibitor, which had worked on most. One of the side effects is a potentially fatal immune deficiency. The inhibitor is ultimately removed from the 4400 by a dose of promicin extracted by Kevin Burkhoff from the blood of the infant Isabelle, at the beginning of the third season, the Nova Group, a terrorist faction made up of 4400s, emerges. Originally formed as a group in the aftermath of the promicin-inhibitor scandal. During the third and fourth season, it is revealed only a certain faction from the future wants to see history changed. Another faction, which prefers the status quo, opposes the 4400, and has sent their own operatives, including Isabelle Tyler, the exact motives of both factions have not yet been revealed
25.
Kevin Burkhoff
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Kevin Burkhoff is a fictional character on the USA Network science fiction tv show, The 4400. Kevin first appeared in the two premiere episode Wake Up Call, in which he was a patient in a psychiatric hospital. Kevin suffered from paranoid personality disorder and had not spoken in six years, Tess used her 4400 ability to get everyone in the hospital to build a machine she saw in her mind, mistakenly believing that it would contact the future. When the machine was built, it created a pulse that released everyone from Tess mind control and it was then revealed that Kevin was a world-renowned neuroscientist and likely the father of the 4400 technology. Kevin was the one who discovered how to cure the effects of the promicin inhibitor during the season two finale. In the third season, Kevin begins to inject himself with promicin in order to some type of 4400 ability. The shots he took disfigured his appearance by causing wounds on his chest and loss of his nails and this was first demonstrated when he put a scalpel through his hand and it healed within seconds. After a failed attempt by him and Tess to perform the same procedure on Diana Skouris, he shed his skin like a snake. Kevin now possesses the ability to regenerate. Kevin and Tess were recruited to help Jordan Collier steal Dennis Rylands promicin, during their time with Collier, without proper medication, Tess once again comes under the influence of her schizophrenia and leaves, causing Kevin to follow her. He is later seen in a town where Tess forces most of the denizens to participate in her sweet sixteen. Kevin is then enlisted by Shawn to create a promicin-profiency test that can tell if one is going to survive a shot or not. Before he is finished, Kevin is then kidnapped by Kyle Baldwin, the serum Kevin Burkhoff injected himself with to gain an ability was not the same solution of pure promicin that was used to cure the 4400 of the inhibitor. Kevin makes it clear in The New World that he is injecting himself with a modified version of the promicin serum. The promicin given away to the public by Jordan Collier comes directly from Isabelles veins, which is why the promicin shots have a 50-50 chance of either killing the recipient or giving an ability
26.
Edgar Allan Poe
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Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and he is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism in the United States and American literature as a whole, and he was one of the countrys earliest practitioners of the short story. Poe is generally considered the inventor of the fiction genre and is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a difficult life. Poe was born in Boston, the child of two actors. His father abandoned the family in 1810, and his mother died the following year, thus orphaned, the child was taken in by John and Frances Allan of Richmond, Virginia. They never formally adopted him, but Poe was with them well into young adulthood, tension developed later as John Allan and Edgar repeatedly clashed over debts, including those incurred by gambling, and the cost of secondary education for the young man. Poe attended the University of Virginia for one semester but left due to lack of money, Poe quarreled with Allan over the funds for his education and enlisted in the Army in 1827 under an assumed name. It was at time that his publishing career began, albeit humbly, with the anonymous collection of poems Tamerlane and Other Poems. With the death of Frances Allan in 1829, Poe and Allan reached a temporary rapprochement, however, Poe later failed as an officer cadet at West Point, declaring a firm wish to be a poet and writer, and he ultimately parted ways with John Allan. Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the several years working for literary journals and periodicals. His work forced him to move among several cities, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, in Richmond in 1836, he married Virginia Clemm, his 13-year-old cousin. In January 1845, Poe published his poem The Raven to instant success and his wife died of tuberculosis two years after its publication. For years, he had been planning to produce his own journal The Penn, Poe and his works influenced literature in the United States and around the world, as well as in specialized fields such as cosmology and cryptography. Poe and his work appear throughout popular culture in literature, music, films, a number of his homes are dedicated museums today. The Mystery Writers of America present an award known as the Edgar Award for distinguished work in the mystery genre. He was born Edgar Poe in Boston on January 19,1809 and he had an elder brother William Henry Leonard Poe, and a younger sister Rosalie Poe. Their grandfather David Poe Sr. had emigrated from Cavan, Ireland to America around the year 1750, Edgar may have been named after a character in William Shakespeares King Lear, a play that the couple were performing in 1809
27.
Masters of Horror
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Masters of Horror was an American anthology television series created by director Mick Garris for the Showtime cable network. In 2002, director Mick Garris invited some friends to an informal dinner at a restaurant in Sherman Oaks. The original ten “masters” attending were John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, Don Coscarelli, Joe Dante, Guillermo Del Toro, Stuart Gordon, Tobe Hooper, John Landis, Bill Malone, and Garris himself. The dinner was a satisfying experience for the directors, a welcome night of camaraderie, humor. Del Toro coined the name of the group in jest when he told a nearby diner celebrating her birthday that the Masters of Horror wished her a happy birthday, in several international territories, the films were released theatrically. New episodes premiered every Friday at 10 p. m. EST throughout the two seasons. The show followed a series format, with each episode featuring a one-hour film directed by a well-known horror film director. In 2009, Chiller began airing the show on their Sunday evening line-up of shows, Episode 4, Jenifer, was accidentally made available on-demand to a select audience at the same time as Episode 2, H. P. Lovecrafts Dreams in the Witch-House. The episode was cut for graphic violence during its television broadcast. Episode 13, Imprint, originally scheduled to premiere on January 27,2006, was shelved by Showtime due to concerns over its content, Mick Garris, creator and executive producer of the series, characterized the episode as the most disturbing film Ive ever seen. It is available only on DVD and Blu-ray by Anchor Bay Entertainment, Imprint was shown in the UK on Bravo. Series creator Mick Garris stated that Showtime opted not to show the third season, the Hollywood Reporter reported on September 25,2007 that Mick Garris and Lionsgate signed a 13-episode deal with NBC. Instead of a season of the show, a new show. It premiered on NBC in Summer 2008, a two-disc soundtrack was released for the series in October 2005 on Immortal Records. The album features heavy metal and rock acts with a few acoustic pieces, a second volume was released a year later. IDW Publishing is producing a series of comic adaptations of several episodes from the series. The first four issues are two-parters, adapting Incident On and Off a Mountain Road, based on the story by Joe R. Lansdale. The first two covers were painted by the award-winning artist Jeremy Caniglia. com
28.
Scarecrow (DC Comics)
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The Scarecrow is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character first appeared in Worlds Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bob Kane, Scarecrow is one of Batmans most enduring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up Batmans rogues gallery. Scarecrow is depicted as a professor of psychology in Gotham City who uses a variety of fear-enhancing chemical agents to exploit the fears, the character has been featured in various media adaptations, such as feature films, television series and video games. The character has been voiced by Henry Polic II and Jeffrey Combs in the DC animated universe and his live-action portrayals include Cillian Murphy in Christopher Nolans Dark Knight trilogy, and Charlie Tahan in the television series Gotham. In 2009, the Scarecrow was ranked as IGNs 58th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time, Bill Finger and Bob Kane introduced the Scarecrow in the fall of 1941 for Worlds Finest Comics #3. From Batman #189 onwards, the character becomes a foe in the Silver Age Batman stories. Following the 1986 multi-title event Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, the origin story is expanded in Batman Annual #19. Cranes obsession with fear leads to his becoming a psychologist, taking a position at Arkham Asylum and he is also a professor of psychology at Gotham University, specializing in the study of phobias. As a college professor, Scarecrow mentored a young Thomas Elliot, the character also has a cameo in Sandman #5, seeming uncharacteristically friendly. In stories by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, the Scarecrow is depicted as one of the more deranged criminals in Batmans rogues gallery and these stories further revise his backstory, explaining that he was raised by his fanatically religious grandmother, whom he murdered as a teenager. Scarecrow appears in Batman, The Long Halloween, first seen escaping from Arkham on Mothers Day with help from Carmine Falcone, Scarecrow robs a bank with Hatter on Independence Day for Falcone, but is stopped by Batman and Catwoman. He later appears in Carmines office on Halloween with Batmans future rogues gallery, Scarecrow returns in Batman, Dark Victory as part of Two-Faces gang, and is first seen putting fear gas in childrens dolls on Christmas Eve. He is eventually defeated by Batman and he later appears as one of the villains present at Calendar Mans trial. Together, they manipulate Alberto into making an unsuccessful attempt on his sister. After Two-Faces hideout is attacked, Batman captures Scarecrow, who tells him where Two-Face is heading, in Catwoman, When in Rome, Scarecrow supplies the Riddler with fear gas to manipulate Catwoman, and later aids Riddler when he fights Catwoman in Rome. Scarecrow accidentally attacks Cheetah with his scythe before Catwoman knocks him out, the Scarecrow appears in such story arcs as Knightfall and Shadow of the Bat, first teaming with the Joker to ransom off the mayor of Gotham City. Batman foils their plan, and forces them to retreat, Scarecrow betrays Joker by spraying him with fear gas, but it has absolutely no effect, Joker then beats Scarecrow senseless with a chair. Scarecrow later tries to take over Gotham with an army of hypnotized college students and his lieutenant is the son of the first man he killed
29.
The New Batman Adventures
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The New Batman Adventures is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, and is a continuation of the 1990s Batman, The Animated Series. It was produced by Warner Bros, animation and aired on The WB from September 13,1997 to January 16,1999. According to the reference book Batman Animated, series writer Paul Dini originally wanted the new show to be titled Batman, Gotham Knights, stories in this series tend to give more focus to Batmans supporting cast, which include fellow crimefighters Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl, among others. The show also features guest stars such as Supergirl, Etrigan and The Creeper, characters who would appear with Batman in Justice League. In addition, the takes place around the same time as Superman. The 2001 video game Batman, Vengeance and its follow-up Batman, the New Batman Adventures premiered on The WB just two years after Batman, The Animated Series ended its original run on Fox. The animation style was changed significantly from BTAS due to budgetary issues, TNBA was later given the same opening theme of BTAS when aired in syndication. The show had a significant change in focus from the series, with episodes focusing less on Batman. The art became more streamlined and darker with simpler color schemes, while the Art Deco and his gadgets and vehicles were given a sleeker, redesigned look with a more black color scheme. Kevin Conroys voice for Batman became more stern, as well as less distinguishable from his voice for Bruce than in the original series. The writers made an effort to keep Batmans dialogue as terse and grim as possible, batgirls costume was changed to a look similar to her original outfit from her comic debut in Detective Comics #359. Melissa Gilbert was replaced by Tara Strong as the voice of Batgirl. and in the feature, Batman, The Killing Joke which reunited her with Conroy. Tim Drake was introduced as the new Robin in the episode Sins of the Father, however, Dini remarked that The Tim Drake origin in the comics as written now didnt work for us with him having a father and living so close to Wayne Manor. It seemed to work fine in the comics, but we needed our own family unit of Batman, Robin, Batgirl and occasionally Nightwing -. For these reasons, the team came up with their own origin for Tim Drake. The new color scheme was simplified to red, black and yellow, the costume retained the familiar red short-sleeved shirt, as well as the black cape with yellow inner lining. New elements included black sleeves, gloves, trunks and boots with red leggings, the familiar domino mask had also changed, giving the new Robin a more wide-eyed, innocent look. Dick Grayson, having abandoned his Robin persona as a result of an out with Batman seen in Old Wounds, had now adopted the identity of Nightwing
30.
Question (comics)
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The Question is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, the Question first appeared in Charlton Comics Blue Beetle #1, the character was acquired by DC Comics in the early 1980s and incorporated into the DC Universe. Following the events of the 2006–2007 miniseries 52, his protégé Renee Montoya took up his mantle, following the DC relaunch The New 52, Vic Sage is reintroduced as a government agent. As conceived by Ditko, the Question was an adherent of Objectivism during his career as a minor Charlton hero, much like Ditkos earlier creation, in a 1987–1990 solo series from DC, the character developed a Zen-like philosophy. Based in Hub City, Vic Sage made his mark as a highly outspoken, not long after starting his TV appearances, he began to investigate Dr. Barby Twain. Sage was approached by Aristotle Rodor, his professor, currently a scientist. Rodor told Sage about an artificial skin he had co-developed with Dr. Twain called Pseudoderm, Pseudoderm was intended to work as an applied skin-like bandage with the help of a bonding gas, but it had an unforeseen toxicity which was sometimes fatal when applied to open wounds. Sage resolved to stop him but had no way of going after Dr. Twain without exposing himself, Rodor suggested that Sage use a mask made of Pseudoderm to cover his famous features. Armed with information, and more importantly a disguise, Sage eventually caught up with Dr. Twain, stopping the transaction and extracting a confession, on television, Sage reported on Dr. Twains illegal activities. The two men became friends, with Sage affectionately referring to Rodor as Tot. Compared to other characters of the Silver Age of Comic Books. For example, when he was fighting some criminals in a sewer and knocked them into a deep and fast moving water flow, instead, he left to notify the police to retrieve them in case they survived the ordeal. The Questions most frequent foe was Max Bine a. k. a. the Banshee,4, #2, Bine was the apprentice of a circus performer named the Flying Dundo. After designing a cape that enabled the ability to fly, Dundo was slain by his pupil, the Banshee met his match when he reached Crown City and sparred with the Question on several occasions. The Question briefly appeared alongside his fellow Charlton Action Heroes as part of the Sentinels of Justice published by AC Comics, the Charlton characters were acquired by DC Comics while the former company was in decline in 1983. The Question appeared briefly in 1985s Crisis On Infinite Earths and in an arc of DCs Blue Beetle revival. DC gave the Question his own series in 1987, written by Dennis ONeil. The series was published for thirty-six issues—two annuals and five Quarterly specials, in The Question #1, the Question was defeated in personal combat, first by the martial arts mercenary, Lady Shiva
31.
Justice League Unlimited
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Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network, featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the previous Justice League animated series. JLU debuted on July 31,2004 on Toonami and ended with the episode aired May 13,2006 and it was also the final series set in the long-running DC animated universe, which started with Batman, The Animated Series in 1992. In August 2012, The CWs Vortexx Saturday morning block began airing reruns of this series, reruns of this show ended in August 2014. A number of these were heroes who had made guest appearances in Justice League, the general format of each episode is to have a small team assemble to deal with a particular situation, with a focus on both action and character interaction. This extension of the Justice League was originally planned to be explained in a planned feature film. Stan Berkowitz, a member of the team, left the show later for the TV series Friends and Heroes. This plot line builds upon events that occurred during the season of Justice League. It was resolved in a story at the end of the second season of Justice League Unlimited. The third and final story arc focuses on the new Secret Society as the main villains. The series, along the entire DC animated universe, was planned to end after the second-season finale Epilogue. The third season started in 2005 with the episode I Am Legion, according with Matt Wayne, if the show had been renewed for a fourth season, he would have liked to write more episodes focusing on Superman and Wonder Woman. Towards the end of the series, certain characters became off-limits to the show, like Blue Beetle, aquaman and related characters were unavailable due to the development of a pilot for a live-action series featuring the character as a young man, which wasnt picked up at the end. Characters from DCs mature readers Vertigo imprint were not allowed, like Swamp Thing. No characters from the Teen Titans animated series appeared in JLU until after that show had been canceled, to compensate for this, the producers focused some stories on previously overlooked DC Comics characters. These included characters like Deadman, Warlord, and a modern equivalent of The Seven Soldiers of Victory. DC Comics created a monthly comic book series based on the TV series. Justice League Unlimited, like the season of Justice League, is animated in widescreen
32.
Ratchet (Transformers)
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Ratchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers franchise. According to the creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as an Autobot physician, Ratchet is sometimes referred to by the trademarked names Autobot Ratchet or Rescue Ratchet. Ratchet is the medic of the Autobots in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toyline produced by Takara. His vehicle mode is an ambulance, named after Nurse Ratched by writer Bob Budiansky, who originally intended the character to be female, an idea rejected by Hasbro. Ratchet is well-remembered by fans of the comic series, in which he played a major role. Ratchet would transform into an ambulance and was colored white with red stripes, Ratchet had two robot modes, though only one was usually seen in the comic run and the television cartoon. Ratchet was one of the original and the longest-lived of all Transformers in the Marvel Transformers comic series, often a fan favorite, he was a healer first, but a soldier nonetheless. His courage and loyalty are demonstrated time and again, Ratchet made his first appearance in issue #1 of the Marvel Comics Transformers comic book series. Originally this was intended to be a 4-issue series, but became a series that ultimately lasted 80 issues. Ratchet play prominent roles in the comic, when the rest of the Autobots are incapacitated Ratchet defeats multiple Decepticons and pushes Megatron off a cliff. Later Ratchet seemingly dies fighting Megatron but the two were revealed to have merged. The two were separated and put into stasis before being accidentally revived, Ratchet is killed when he crashes the Ark into earth to kill Galvatron, Megatron, and Starscream. Although there was no Ratchet toy for Generation Two, Ratchet did make appearances in the memories of Optimus Prime in the Generation Two comic book series by Marvel Comics. Despite being dead, he would make two flashback appearances - one in his form with Megatron, and the other showing him protecting two humans, likely Buster Witwicky and his girlfriend Jesse. Ratchet was the Autobot medic, and therefore he seldom was ever seen in battle and he usually spent time at the Autobot base with Wheeljack creating and repairing other Autobots. The two of them were credited for creating the Dinobots in an attempt to bolster their ranks versus the Decepticons, Ratchet was eventually killed in The Transformers, The Movie in an attack by the Decepticons on an Autobot shuttle. The Decepticons penetrated the hull of the shuttle that he, Ironhide, Prowl, Ironhide and Ratchet attacked the invaders together after Prowl and Brawns death
33.
Transformers: Prime
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Transformers, Prime is an American computer-animated television series based on the Transformers toy franchise by Hasbro. The series aired on Hub Network from November 29,2010 to July 26,2013, the Transformers, Prime TV movie, Predacons Rising, premiered on October 4,2013. The first season available for instant streaming through Netflix on April 5,2012. The second season became available on December 7,2012, the third season also became available in 2013. The series has been well-received and has won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards, many references to other Transformers continuities have appeared in the series. The initial designs of the characters were first shown off at Botcon 2010 at its panel, Hasbro created a 400-page Transformers Prime production bible titled the Binder of Revelation, which the production team used as a reference for Prime. Whereas the movies were about a boy and his car, the dynamic between the kids and the robots on Prime was meant to be more like The Iron Giant. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, the screenwriters of the first two films, developed the series and were executive producers of the series. Digitalscape Company Limited, a Japanese company famous for their work on such as Soulcalibur III, Ninja Gaiden. Although Digitalscape ran a job looking for a talent to work on the production, Polygon Pictures ultimately won. Jose Lopez, character designer, described the animation of the series as groundbreaking mix of 2D animation, film composer Brian Tyler serves as the music composer for Transformers, Prime. Matthew Margeson is the arranger for the series, first arranging the fifteen episodes of the series. The music features a live orchestra, a rarity in contemporary television scores. The official soundtrack of Transformers, Prime was released on iTunes on March 6,2012, an updated theme song with the Beast Hunters theme applied was introduced in the episode Project Predacon. The series began with a story called Darkness Rising. After a brief conversation, Starscream skewers Cliffjumper with his own fingers, meanwhile, three young humans - Jack Darby, Miko Nakadai, and Rafael Esquivel - are accidentally caught in the crossfire in a fight between enormous robots that transform into vehicles. They are taken to the base of the Autobots, where their leader Optimus Prime explains he, the Autobots once had a devastating war against the tyrannical Megatron and his army, the Decepticons, and the war made Cybertron uninhabitable. The Autobots foil his plan by destroying the Decepticons Space Bridge, following Megatrons supposed death, Starscream assumes leadership of the Decepticons, even though Megatrons most loyal ally Soundwave doesnt approve
34.
Fantasia International Film Festival
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Fantasia International Film Festival is a genre film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. By virtue of the reputation developed over the last 15 years, the history of the Fantasia Festival has roots in the Asian Film scene in Montreal. Beginning in 1996 where it screened Asian films from Hong Kong and Anime from Japan, among the many North American premieres have included Ringu, Inglourious Basterds, Thirst, We Are What We Are, Visitor Q and Night Watch. The Creeping Garden was one of the films in the 2014 Festival. Fantasia 2012 featured the screenings of the films Toad Road, Doomsday Book, the anthology film V/H/S, Hidden in the Woods, Seediq Bale. Fantasia 2011 opened the 2011 edition of the festival with the Canadian Premiere of Red State, the festival also featured the presentation to John Landis of a lifetime Achievement award. The Canadian premiere of the new film, Burke and Hare also took place. Also notable was the premiere of the Swedish horror film Marianne which had been hailed as one of the great discoveries in genre cinema of 2011. The world premiere of Final Destination 5 was part of Fantasia 15, tickets went on sale on July 6,2010 at 1 pm. The Festival started on July 8,2010 running until July 28,2010 with 6 indoor screening venues, for 2010 a permanent blog was introduced to communicate with fans year-round. Fantasia 2008 The lineup will be announced on Thursday, June 26,2008, fanTasia 2007 The edition was held from July 5 to July 23,2007 at the Concordia University. In addition to the Hall hall and DeSeve hall, a screening room has been added at the D. B. Clarke Theatre. There were, however, no outdoor shows this year, Montreal film Flutter received the award for best Quebec short feature. FanTasia 2006 Fantsasias 10th anniversary and 10th edition, the 2006 edition, is the first to feature free outdoor shows, the outdoors shows are at Parc de la Paix and are free. Outdoor projections included films from the editions, Kamikaze Girls. The indoor shows use the same Concordia University facilities as since the move to Concordia, the outdoor shows are several kilometres away from the indoor shows. With the 10th anniversary, Fantasia is helping to launch an associated, Fantasia 2005 Fantasia is now 10 years old. However, this is the 9th edition of the festival, due to a year in 2002
35.
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
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The Avengers, Earths Mightiest Heroes. is an American animated television series by Marvel Animation in cooperation with Film Roman, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers. The show debuted both on Disney XD and online in the fall of 2010, starting with a 20-part micro-series. the series initially features a team based on the roster for the original Avengers, composed of Iron Man, Giant-Man, Hulk, Thor, and Wasp. The team is joined by Captain America, Black Panther, and Hawkeye in the first season. In terms of tone and style, the series is based principally on the original stories by Stan Lee. The series also uses material from all eras of the run as well as other sources. The series was replaced by Avengers Assemble, which premiered on July 7,2013, although other characters feature in the Avengers, these are the original and main avengers. Future members of team for season one include Black Panther and Hawkeye, in the season finale, it is revealed that Thors adopted brother Loki was responsible for the breakouts and that he had the Enchantress and her servant under his control. Season Two uses cold openings, and remixes opening theme song Fight As One, replacing the lyrics with Nick Fury, voiced by Phil LaMarr, introducing the shows concept and main characters. The Avengers are unaware that Captain America had been replaced at the end of the finale by a Skrull operative as part of their systematic infiltration of Earth. This season also alludes to a storyline that Surtur, now free of his imprisonment in Muspelheim, is slowly gathering his strength to oppose the Avengers as a prelude to Ragnarök. Ms. Marvel joins the team season, followed by the Vision. The second-season premiere, titled the The Private War of Dr. Doom, was shown to audiences at both the 2011 San Diego and New York Comic Cons, as well as the 2012 WonderCon in Anaheim. It premiered with the two-part Ultimate Spider-Man pilot on April 1,2012, brian Bloom – Captain America Chris Cox – Hawkeye Jennifer Hale – Ms. Marvel Peter Jessop – Vision Phil LaMarr – J. A. R. V. I. S. Eric Loomis – Iron Man James C, mathis III – Black Panther Colleen OShaughnessey – The Wasp Fred Tatasciore – The Hulk Rick D. for planned broadcast in 2010. 52 episodes have been confirmed as being in production, the shows executive producers include Simon Philips and Eric S. Rollman. Joshua Fine serves as supervising producer and Christopher Yost serves as editor on the show. A20 part micro-series debuted on September 22,2010 on Disney XD, focusing on each heros backstory and the events that lead to the main series. According to Jeph Loeb, Season 2 will presumably begin around October 2011, same as season 1, at the 2011 New York Comic-Con, Marvel TV director, Jeph Loeb contradicted his earlier statement of Season 2 launch in late 2011
36.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film)
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 1990 American action film directed by Steve Barron, based on the comic book characters of the same name. The film stars Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, and the voices of Brian Tochi, Robbie Rist, Josh Pais and Corey Feldman as the four title characters. Under the leadership of mutated rat, Splinter, and together with their new-found allies April ONeil and Casey Jones, they fight back and it was followed by two sequels, entitled The Secret of the Ooze in 1991 and Turtles in Time in 1993. On an ordinary night, she comes across thieves stealing from a van and is attacked. She is rescued and one of her rescuers leaves behind a sai when the police arrive to collect the tied up criminals. In the storm sewers, four anthropomorphic turtles return to their home and meet with their master Splinter. Raphael admits he lost his weapon, and when the others order pizza he leaves in disguise to see a movie, after leaving the movie, he encounters Casey Jones who tries to exact justice on a pair of muggers by beating them with sporting implements. After a brief stand off between the two, Casey takes off into the city and Raphael loses his temper, returning home, Splinter confronts Raphael about his temper. April is attacked in the subway by members of the Foot and she is knocked unconscious while trying to fend them off but is saved by Raphael, who takes her back to their home. After calming her down, Splinter explains their origins and introduces her to Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, unfortunately, Raphael had been followed by a member of the Foot. After the turtles take April home, and spend some time over pizza, they return to find their home demolished, with nowhere else to turn, they return to Aprils apartment. Later, Charles confronts Danny for being arrested for stealing and Danny runs away into the subway and he escapes to a warehouse on Lairdman Island, the hideout for the teenaged thieves of the Foot. It is revealed that Splinter is there, held prisoner by The Shredder, Danny gives The Shredder his information on the Turtles. After a heated argument between Leonardo and Raphael, Raphael goes up to the roof of Aprils building and is attacked by dozens of Foot Clan members, the fight moves into the building, where April and the others are attacked after Raphael is thrown down a skylight window. The numbers cause the floor to give way, and they continue their battle in the basement, after Foot reinforcements arrive, overwhelming the turtles, Casey appears, having seen Raphael earlier on the roof and he helps even the odds. In the melee, with Raphael in a coma, the building catches fire, retreating to an abandoned farm Aprils family owns, April learns that Charles has fired her from the TV station. Raphael awakens from his coma and makes amends with Leonardo, after receiving visions from Splinter, Leonardo and the rest decide it is time to return to the city. Meanwhile, Danny encounters Splinter, whose kindness casts doubts on his decision to betray the Turtles and he goes to hide in the Turtles den, and is there when they return
37.
Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated
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Mystery Incorporated is the eleventh incarnation of Hanna-Barberas Scooby-Doo animated series, and the first incarnation not to be first-run on Saturday mornings. The series is produced by Warner Bros, animation and Cartoon Network UK and premiered in the United States on Cartoon Network on April 5,2010, with the next twelve episodes continuing, and the first episode re-airing, on July 12,2010. The series concluded on April 5,2013 with two seasons and fifty-two episodes, with a total of episodes per season. Furthermore, it is also the first series in the franchise to use of real life ghosts. P. Lovecraft, alongside the classic horror movies shown in previous series. Other Hanna-Barbera characters occasionally guest-star, including Captain Caveman, Jabberjaw, Speed Buggy, The Funky Phantom, Blue Falcon and Dynomutt, and more. The series is also the debut of Matthew Lillard as the voice of Shaggy. Casey Kasem, the voice of Shaggy, voiced Shaggys father in five episodes. Linda Cardellini, who played Velma in the movies, voiced Hot Dog Water. In addition to the cases they always solve, the team finds itself being nudged into the uncovering of a dark secret that is hidden in the past of Crystal Cove. Following cryptic hints from a faceless mystery-man known only as Mr. E, the fate of both the gangs friendship and all of reality itself hangs in the balance as extradimensional forces gather in preparation, and the time of Nibiru draws near. Mystery Incorporated ran for twenty-six episodes between 2010 and 2011 with a stop to the airing of the episodes after episode thirteen. The first episode of the season premiered as a peek on April 5,2010. The series continued to air on Canadas Teletoons after episode thirteen, the remaining thirteen episodes, dubbed as a second season by Cartoon Network, began airing in May 3,2011 until July 26,2011. The official Warner Brothers website announced that the season would begin airing on Cartoon Network in May 2012 but was set back to July 30,2012 in the United States. The first fifteen episodes aired on weekdays after July 30,2012, the show went on another hiatus until March 25,2013, when the remaining episodes of season two began to air in the United States and concluded on April 5,2013. Each episode of the series is called a chapter in line with the overarching story. Mystery Incorporated, Crystal Cove Online, which had a new mystery every week based on the aired episode, the player takes control of Shaggy and Scooby as they explore Crystal Cove, solving mysteries and helping other citizens with the rest of the gang
38.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
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Star Trek, Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe in the Milky Way galaxy, in the years 2369–2375. In contrast to other Star Trek TV shows, it takes place on a space station instead of a starship, so as not to have two series with starships in the same time period. The show is noted for its characters, original and complex plots, and religious themes. It often showcased darker themes, less physical exploration of space, and, in later seasons, DS9 premiered in 1993 and ran for seven seasons until 1999. The series was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller at the request of Brandon Tartikoff, as overall head of Star Trek production, Berman served as executive producer for the seriess entire run. Piller initially served as executive producer and showrunner, but left the series in 1995 to manage Star Trek Voyager. Writer Ira Steven Behr was promoted by Berman to replace Piller as showrunner, in addition to Berman, Piller, and Behr, key writers included Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Ronald D. Moore, Peter Allan Fields, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Hans Beimler and René Echevarria. DS9 began while Star Trek, The Next Generation was still on the air, the stations first appearance in TNG was during the sixth-season episode Birthright. In addition, two Next Generation characters, Miles OBrien and Worf, became members of DS9. The station also appeared in the Star Trek, Voyager pilot episode, each DS9 episode began with the same opening sequence. A small comet is traveling through deep space, leaving an icy trail. As shuttle craft are seen moving about, the ends with the wormhole seen opening. DS9 centers on the formerly Cardassian space station Terok Nor, the station is renamed Deep Space Nine, and a Starfleet crew is assigned to manage it. Deep Space Nine and Bajor quickly become a center for exploration, interstellar trade, political maneuvering, Deep Space Nine becomes a key military base for the Federation in the Dominion War, and is assigned the starship USS Defiant to aid in its protection. While its predecessors tended to restore the status quo ante at the end of episode, allowing out-of-order viewing, DS9 contains story arcs that span episodes. One installment often builds upon earlier ones, with several cliffhanger endings, Michael Piller considered this one of the seriess best qualities, allowing repercussions of past episodes to influence future events and forcing characters to learn that actions have consequences. This trend was especially noticeable toward the finale, by which time the show was intentionally scripted as a serial. Unlike Star Trek, The Next Generation, interpersonal conflicts were prominently featured in DS9, in Pillers words, People who come from different places—honorable, noble people—will naturally have conflicts
39.
Star Trek: Voyager
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Star Trek, Voyager was an American science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. The series takes place during the years 2371 to 2378 and it follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant while searching for a renegade Maquis ship. Voyager has to make the estimated 75-year journey home, Voyager was produced for seven seasons, from 1995 to 2001, and is the first and only Star Trek TV series with a female captain, Kathryn Janeway, as the lead character. Berman served as executive producer in charge of the overall production for the series during its entire run. He was assisted by a second in command executive producer who generally functioned as the day-to-day showrunner, four were used throughout the series run, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor, Brannon Braga, and Kenneth Biller. Star Trek, Voyager aired on UPN and was the networks second-longest running series, some streaming services also show the pilot as a single episode rather than splitting it up into two parts. As Star Trek, The Next Generation ended, Paramount Pictures wanted to continue to have a second Star Trek TV series to accompany Star Trek, the studio also planned to start a new television network, and wanted the new series to help it succeed. This was reminiscent of Paramounts earlier plans to launch its own network by showcasing Star Trek, Phase II in 1977. Initial work on Star Trek, Voyager began in 1993, when the seventh and final season of Star Trek, The Next Generation, Voyager was shot on the stages The Next Generation had used, and where the Voyager pilot Caretaker was shot in September 1994. Costume designer Robert Blackman decided that the uniforms of Voyagers crew would be the same as those on Deep Space Nine, Star Trek, Voyager was the first Star Trek series to use computer-generated imagery, rather than models, for exterior space shots. SeaQuest DSV and Babylon 5 had previously used CGI to avoid the expense of models, amblin Imaging won an Emmy for Voyagers opening CGI title visuals, but the weekly episode exteriors were captured with hand-built miniatures of Voyager, its shuttlecraft, and other ships. This changed when Voyager went fully CGI for certain types of shots midway through season three, Foundation Imaging was the studio responsible for special effects during Babylon 5s first three seasons. Season threes The Swarm was the first episode to use Foundations effects exclusively, Star Trek, Deep Space Nine began using Foundation Imaging in conjunction with Digital Muse one year later. In its later seasons, Voyager featured visual effects from Foundation Imaging, the digital effects were produced at television resolution and therefore the series cannot be re-released in HD format without re-creating the special effects. In the pilot episode, Caretaker, USS Voyager departs the Deep Space Nine space station on a mission into the treacherous Badlands. They are searching for a ship piloted by a team of Maquis rebels, which Voyagers security officer. There, Voyager finds the Maquis ship, and eventually the two reluctantly agree to join forces to survive their journey home. Chakotay, leader of the Maquis group, becomes Voyagers first officer, BElanna Torres, a half-human/half-Klingon Maquis, becomes chief engineer
40.
Star Trek: Enterprise
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Star Trek, Enterprise is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga as a prequel to Star Trek, The Original Series. It originally aired from September 26,2001 to May 13,2005 on UPN, Set in the 22nd century 100 years before the USS Enterprises five-year mission, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the first Starfleet starship, Enterprise, as they explore the galaxy. An ongoing storyline, referred to as the Temporal Cold War, continued through the third season, in the third season, an escalation of this campaign introduced the Xindi and dealt with the repercussions of their attack on Earth. After being asked to produce a fifth Star Trek series by UPN, Braga and Berman sought to create a basic and relatable series set after the events of the film Star Trek. The episodes concentrated on a trio of characters, Captain Jonathan Archer, Commander Charles Trip Tucker III. It was filmed on the Paramount lot in Los Angeles, California, on the stages that had housed the Star Trek series and films since the abandoned Star Trek. Although Berman and Braga wanted to do a prequel to the original Star Trek series. At the start of the season, Braga said that the storyline would continue to be included while viewers were still interested. The pilot, Broken Bow, was received positively by critics, with praise for the writing and its ratings were good enough that a full seven-season order was expected. However, reviews became more mixed as the first season progressed, by the following season, reviews improved during the last two seasons, but ratings continued to decline. UPN cut its orders for the third and fourth seasons by two episodes each, and canceled the series in 2005. Prior to cancellation, work had begun on planning episodes for the fifth season. Star Trek, Enterprise follows the adventures of the crew of the starship Enterprise and they are the first deep space explorers in Starfleet, using the first Warp 5 equipped vessel. At the start of the series, it is revealed that the Vulcans have withheld advanced technology from humanity since their first contact, concerned that humans were not ready for it. This has delayed human space exploration and caused resentment in Captain Jonathan Archer, whose father developed the Warp 5 engine, Enterprise was intentionally equipped with less advanced versions of technologies seen in previous series. For example, it has no tractor beam, uses instead of photon torpedoes. Communications Officer Linguist Hoshi Satos expertise in linguistics helps compensate for the lack of advanced universal translators, the series also showed the crew making first contacts with a number of races previously seen in the franchise. This particular change was attributed by Berman and Braga to advancements in makeup and they felt that contradictions in the continuity such as the Klingon ridges were unavoidable, as well as those involving technology
