Saturday, May 14, 2011

Little Known Fact: Geena Davis was to be in a Disney Live-Action Sailor Moon



Remember the 1999 Disney's Inspector Gadget? Well Inspector Gadget was a cartoon produced by DIC Entertainment in 1983 but Disney bought DiC and had them from 1995 to 2000. In 1997, they reportedly were planning a Live-Action Sailor Moon film. Even though IMDB is not very reliable, more than one website concerning Geena Davis has it that she was cast in the movie and was producing it. I remember back in 1997, reading about that and also e-mails from Geena Davis to fans and letters from fans to her. This was via Save Our Sailors website, which is no longer up but I remember it was for real. She was to play Queen Beryl but it never happened.

Most likely Disney lost interest in a live-action Sailor Moon movie, probably because the show was canceled and legal things with Toei, it just ended up in development hell. And I think it had to do with Inspector Gadget's numbers, because the sequel ended up on DVD and not back on film. I think Geena Davis would had been a good pick. Most likely if a live-action film would ever been made, a new actress would have to be cast, whoever was in charge of the production. I have made a post before on why I think a Live-action film would be a good idea and also on the fabled Saban Moon, which was not even made by Saban but by Toonmakers.

Since Disney let go of Power Rangers and is now working with Marvel, if a Power Rangers film is indeed made by Saban in the future and was a financial success, I would vouch for Saban getting his hands on the Sailor Moon franchise (since Kondasha USA now let the Manga be re-printed in English for the 20th anniversary) and maybe a film in the future. Back in the early 2000's, Toei put a freeze on the Anime airing in the US or any merchandise being made anymore outside of Japan and the 2003 series PGSM was never seen in North America. To be fair, Saban never had his hands on Sailor Moon before at all, never ever, so we can give him the chance to make an adaption, maybe he will get a producer like Jonathan Tzachor, who sticks close to the source and he or someone like him might chose to use the 2003 Toei live-action series as an example.

Also Kristen Dunst was/is a known fan of Sailor Moon. In the late 90's in a teen magazine, they showed Kristen in a bedroom with Sailor Moon stuff, she did expressed being a fan. She was asked during the first Spider-Man movie if she would ever be interested in playing a superheornie but she said she would find it too daunting, with stunts and more than just being protagonist in an action film. Recently in 2009, she was seen in Tokyo dressed like this, did Kristen change her mind?

Sources:
http://www.kyranthia.net/disneydic.html

Better Scans of past pictures




















background image of movie site

Power Rangers Samurai - The Blue and The Gold - Episode Review


Jii and Antonio announce that Antonio is fixing the Claw Zord (Lobster) that was battle damaged long ago and Jii hid it. Kevin doesn't fully accept Antonio as a 'true Samurai' and think he's just goofing around. The monster of the day steals kids' toys to make them cry and Octoroo trying to find another way to open the Sanzu River through a well. Bulk and Spike are sleeping and their toy panda is stolen and all is left is slime. Dayu visits Deker outside the Sanzu River but around it, he's still injured. Antonio follows Kevin's morning routine to learn what makes him tick. The two end up in the forest finding Octoroo but their morpher signals are blocked. Xandred asks Dayu what she is hiding because her music is off. Dayu remembers talking to Deker, to ask why he is obsessed with Red Ranger.


She asks if he remembers nothing of the past. He says no, all he cares about is his sword. She asks if there is anything else important, he says no and she sighs. Back at the house, Jayden has a 'bad feeling' since Kevin is not back from his morning jog. Antonio has an arm injury. Kevin leaves without Antonio. Antonio and Kevin fight the Moogers, Antonio says to not treat him like a coward. Antonio says there is more to being a Samurai and some Samurai mombo-jumbo. Antonio and Kevin help each other and fight together and face the monster. The others show up on time. Octoroo retreats and the new duo destroy the monster's first life and he grows. They make the OctoSpear Megazord and destroy the slime bucket. And the Rangers return the toys back.


Either footage of episode 15 and 16 was used as well for the scene where Dayu visits Deker, or it was copied. The whole video camera plot is new, but Genta did follow Ryonousuke in the original. The monster steals Bulk and Skull's Sammy the panda (Kungfu panda reference?). Remember on this blog when I said before on this blog that when there is a goofy plot, it is because the original plot was too brutal for America TV. In this episode, they stole kids' toys to make them cry but in the original, the bad guys stole virgins and planned to sacrificed them. For example, in PRMF--the monster made a a parasite that killed victims but it was turned into turning people into feathers. In the original, Genta created the lobster, but in this one, it was an old zord that Jii hid and then gave it to Antonio to fix it. And could 'Slime time' be a reference to Nickelodeon? Maybe. And another change in the megazord bit, in the original the Yellow Ranger made the Blue one imitate a move Gold did.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Saban Brands makes deal with Mega Bloks

"Mega Brands has signed a multi-year global licensing deal with Saban Brands, which excludes Asia. The Mega Bloks Power Rangers Samurai construction toy sets will launch in spring 2012, and will include vehicles and play-sets. "...we are delighted to add Mega Bloks to our stable of license offerings," added Elie Dekel, president of Saban Brands."

I wonder why Mr. Dekel said that Mega Bloks is being added since Mega Bloks already produced Power Rangers products in the past under the reign of Disney. But to be fair, they stopped doing it around SPD. And why so late to be in 2012???!

UPDATED 8/11/11
ToyWiz Preorders, supposed to ship in December but it could be changed
#05741 Red Hero Pack
#05742 Gold Hero Pack
#05743 Green Hero Pack
#05764 Blue Motor Head
#05765 Dekker Motor Head
#05766 Red Motor Head
#05772 Red Zord
#05773 Blue Zord
#05775 Yellow Zord
#05785 Samurai MegaZord
#05789 Red Ranger Showdown [Red Ranger vs. Dekker]

I'm glad Gold Ranger and Deker are getting toys. It is cool they are having Deker, a villain included. Also interesting he is getting a 'Motor Head,' whatever that is. Also interesting we are getting a Yellow Zord, I hope it includes the Yellow Ranger, if not maybe a Green Ranger like MMPR 2010 did but that was Bandai America, not MegaBloks.

Links:

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Poll Results: Pink and Yellow Ranger Suits

Have you seen Power Rangers Samurai merchandise other than toys?
Yes
50 (26%)
No
140 (73%)

What day do you like new episodes of PRS?
Saturday
166 (83%)
Sunday
34 (17%)

Favorite Pink Ranger Suit? (1)
Gokai Pink
189 (58%)
Gosei Pink
95 (29%)
Shinken Pink
163 (50%)
Bouken Pink
92 (28%)
Magi Pink
110 (34%)
Deka Pink
83 (25%)
Time Pink
110 (34%)
Go Pink
64 (19%)
Ginga Pink
66 (20%)
Mega Pink
100 (30%)

Favorite Pink Ranger Suit? (2)
Pink Racer
83 (29%)
Oh Pink
85 (29%)
Houhou Ranger
126 (44%)
Ptera Ranger
180 (63%)
Five Pink
52 (18%)
Turbo Pink
57 (20%)
Mask Pink
73 (25%)
Pink Flash
67 (23%)
Change Phoenix
63 (22%)
Pink Five
55 (19%)

Favorite Pink Ranger Suit? (3)
Dyna Pink
94 (43%)
Goggle Pink
62 (28%)
Denji Pink
56 (26%)
Miss America
59 (27%)
Heart Queen
84 (39%)
Momo Ranger
90 (42%)

Favorite Girl Yellow Ranger Suit? (1)
Gokai Yellow
198 (68%)
Gosei Yellow
83 (28%)
Shinken Yellow
138 (47%)
Go-On Yellow
100 (34%)
Geki Yellow
107 (37%)
Bouken Yellow
68 (23%)
Deka Yellow
88 (30%)
Abare Yellow
97 (33%)
Mega Yellow
92 (31%)
Yellow Racer
69 (23%)

Favorite Girl Yellow Ranger Suit? (2)
Oh Yellow
124 (59%)
Five Yellow
50 (24%)
Mask Yellow
91 (43%)
Yellow Flash
70 (33%)
Yellow Four
66 (31%)

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Poll Results: Henshin Calls


For Poll: 1, the winner is Gokaiger's "Gokai Change"; (172 votes, 53%)


For Poll: 2, the winner is Zyuranger's "Dino Buckler"; (132 votes, 52%)

Chakuso 63 (24%)
Ginga Tensei 61 (24%)
Install Megaranger 94 (37%)
Gekisou! Accel Change 60 (23%)
Choriki Henshin 59 (23%)
Super C. Doron Change 45 (17%)
Aura Changer 90 (35%)
Dino Buckler 132 (52%)
Cross Changer 61 (24%)
Five (color) 45 (17%)
Turboranger! 46 (18%)


For poll: 3, the winner is Maskman's "Aura Mask"; (81 votes, 39%)
Liveman 63 (30%)
Aura Mask 81 (39%)
Shut Goggle 56 (27%)
Let's Change 71 (34%)
Bioman 48 (23%)
Dyna (color) 34 (16%)

Goggle (color) 33 (15%)
Sun Vulcan 39 (18%)

Denzi Spark 52 (25%)
Fever 43 (20%)