News

Broadcasters in France, Germany and Italy have joined forces on family adventure series “The Emperor’s Stone: The Search of La Buse’s Treasure,” which will be produced under the Alliance, a partnership formed in 2018 by leading European pubcasters to finance ambitious, internationally-driven series.

Commissioned by France Télévisions, Zdf and Rai, “The Emperor’s Stone: The Search of La Buse’s Treasure” won the call for projects launched in 2022 by the Alliance. So far, as many as 10 shows have been produced via the Alliance, including “Mirage,” “Germinal,” “Around the World in 80 Days” (pictured), “Leonardo,” “Survivors,” “The Swarm” and “The Reunion,” among others.

“The Emperor’s Stone: The Search of La Buse’s Treasure” is being produced by Mathieu Ageron, Maxime Delauney and Romain Rousseau for Paris-based Nolita; Andrew Rosen and Anthony Leo for Canadian outfit Aircraft Pictures (“Circuit Breakers”); and David Wicht for Film Afrika in South Africa (“One Piece,...

Manuel Alduy, a well-respected French film and TV industry veteran who joined France Televisions as head of cinema and international development in January, discussed the broadcaster’s strategy to ramp up its scope and attract younger audiences.

Alduy, who worked at Canal Plus Group for 22 years before joining Twentieth Century Fox in 2016, is making his first public keynote under this new position at France Televisions on Tuesday at Series Mania in Lille.

Alduy said France Televisions will next be launching an initiative with the European Broadcasting Union (Ebu), an alliance of public service media which regroups 100 members across the continent, including the BBC in the U.K., Ard in Germany, Dr in Denmark, Svt in Sweden, Rai in Italy, Channel One Russia and the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, among others. The Ebu is presided by Delphine Ernotte, who was reelected as president of France Televisions for a second, five-year term in July 2020.

Starting next month,...

Spoiler Alert: This post contains details of tonight’s The Walking Dead 11th and final season premiere …& maybe more.

“I said break it up,” exclaims Seth Gilliam’s Gabriel as exhausted and nutrition deprived residents of a shattered Alexandra fight over food in tonight’s debut of the 11th and final season of The Walking Dead.”There’s enough food for everyone,” the priest and council leader adds, but the hard truth is there isn’t.

Even after Lauren Cohan’s Maggie, Norman Reedus’s Daryl, Melissa McBride’s Carol and crew of Survivors fought to haul much needed supplies out a base full of dozens of suddenly awakened zombified military personal, things got even bleaker in the “Acheron: Part I” opener penned by Jim Barnes and show runner Angela Kang

Ending with a dark cliffhanger for Maggie in the tunnels under Washington DC and heading into a last run...

Italian state broadcaster Rai has announced the appointment of writer, journalist and top media industry executive Maria Pia Ammirati as its head of drama, ending the bureaucratic impasse hampering the local industry since her predecessor Eleonora Andreatta left to become vice president of Italian Original series at Netflix in June.

Rai’s board has officially announced that Ammirati will replace Andreatta as head of Rai Fiction, the unit that produces roughly 70% of Italy’s scripted content, churning out about 500 hours of TV drama annually for Rai’s three main channels and, more recently, also its Rai Play streaming platform.

Ammirati, similarly to Andreatta, represents a rare case of a woman who has risen to the top ranks of Italy’s media industry.

She has held several prominent management positions at Rai, including deputy director of the flagship Rai 1 channel and head of the public broadcaster’s vast Rai Teche...

Rome’s Mia Market for TV series, feature films and documentaries wrapped Sunday after four days of dealmaking, project presentations and panels done both in person and online. Given coronavirus constraints it constituted a minor miracle.

On the final day of the Oct. 14-18 event organizers announced a total 1,800 industry executives from 50 countries who registered for the new concept market, 700 of which on average physically attended the Rome market each day, they said.

About one-third of participants were non-Italian. Roughly 300 international execs made the trek.

Though last year’s Mia edition gathered 2,600 physical participants, this year’s widely-expected decrease in onsite attendees was counterbalanced by intense activity on the Mia digital platform, organizers said.

Mia director Lucia Milazzotto pointed out that this year saw a significant rise in industry exec accreditations taking place during the event. This means that, as Mia got underway, it was generating buzz, she noted.

Mia...

Production is set to start next week on pan-European TV series “Survivors,” the latest project commissioned by the partnership known as The Alliance between leading European public broadcasters to counter the growing power of Netflix and other streamers.

The plan is for cameras to start rolling in Genoa on Oct. 21 on the series revolving around a sailboat that gets destroyed in a fierce storm and disappears. After a year the wreck is recovered with seven survivors aboard, some of whom seem to be hiding a terrible secret. Each episode follows the complex events related to their return.

The start of principal photography on “Survivors” was announced on Friday during Rome’s Mia market.

Italy’s Rai Fiction, France Télévisions, and Germany’s Zdf are on board the show, which is produced by Fabienne Servan-Schreiber and Thomas Saignes at Paris-based Cinetevé and by Marco Poccioni and Marco Valsania at Italian shingle Rodeo Drive.

‘The Masked Singer.’

Network 10 is sticking to tried-and-true formats next year, its schedule and investment in local content unaffected by the pandemic-induced advertising downturn.

While all the new and returning shows unveiled today were commissioned before the Federal Government’s media reforms scrapped the local content sub-quotas, executives say that had no bearing on its strategy for 2021.

New to the slate next year are Making It Australia, an adaptation of the NBCUniversal format, a local version of the UK’s The Dog House and The First Inventors, a co-commission with Nitv. (See separate story).

The network continues to commission children’s dramas, with the second series of Jonathan M. Shiff Productions’ The Bureau of Magical Things, the Stephen Jaggi Company’s teen mystery drama Dive Club (a co-commission with Netflix) and a third show yet to be announced. All will premiere on 10 Shake.

“We will deliver a 50-week schedule next year,...

‘The Masked Singer.’

Network 10 is sticking to tried-and-true formats next year, its schedule and investment in local content unaffected by the pandemic-induced advertising downturn.

While all the new and returning shows unveiled today were commissioned before the Federal Government’s media reforms scrapped the local content sub-quotas, executives say that had no bearing on its strategy for 2021.

New to the slate next year are Making It Australia, an adaptation of the NBCUniversal format, a local version of the UK’s The Dog House and The First Inventors, a co-commission with Nitv. (See separate story).

The network continues to commission children’s dramas, with the second series of Jonathan M. Shiff Productions’ The Bureau of Magical Things, the Stephen Jaggi Company’s teen mystery drama Dive Club (a co-commission with Netflix) and a third show yet to be announced. All will premiere on 10 Shake.

“We will deliver a 50-week schedule next year,...

While it may not be Friday, there is still plenty to celebrate this Tuesday the 13th, as we prepare to head back to Camp Crystal Lake with Scream Factory’s impressive Friday the 13th Collection, which brings together all the films from the original franchise, as well as the remake and Freddy vs. Jason as well. Scream Factory also put together a Blu-ray release of one of the most seminal films from my childhood this week—Terror in the Aisles—and they even are giving Motel Hell the Steelbook treatment on Tuesday as well.

Kino Lorber is also keeping busy this week with their special edition Blu for DeepStar Six as well as a SteelBook for Rawhead Rex, and for those of you who dig on The Exorcist sequels, both Dominion and Exorcist: The Beginning come home on Blu-ray this Tuesday, courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Other home media...

Documentarians from Ecuador, Argentina, Kenya, Vietnam and France are among projects from 19 countries to receive support totalling $520,000 from Sundance Institute.

Documentarians from Ecuador, Argentina, Kenya, Vietnam and France are among projects from 19 countries to receive support totalling $520,000 from Sundance Institute.

Documentary Fund recipients encompass projects in development, production, and post-production stages and their work spans subject matter from a deeply personal family project in Ecuador, to a mission to save libraries in Kenya, to a musical involving female and trans prisoners in Buenos Aires.

Frederick Wiseman’s Boston City Hall project, City Hall, is among post-production grant recipients.

A little...

Although it may be difficult to believe, this year marks 20 years since the release of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, and to celebrate, this April Capcom will release a reimagined Resident Evil 3 that includes a visual makeover (via the Re Engine), new side missions, and the multiplayer game Resident Evil Resistance. Ahead of the game's release, Capcom revealed that Alex Wesker and Ozwell Spencer have joined Resident Evil Resistance as evil Masterminds (joining Daniel Fabron and Annette Birkin in the game's sinister ranks).

Below, we have the artwork and full announcement from Capcom for the character additions to Resident Evil Resistance, as well as screenshots of two new maps that gamers will experience: Casino and Abandoned Park. You can also visit our online hub to catch up on our previous coverage of Resident Evil Resistance and the reimagined Resident Evil 3:

"Today Capcom announced two additional Masterminds joining the roster for Resident Evil Resistance,...

facebook

twitter

google+

Ground-breaking, intelligent, prescient 1970s drama Doomwatch, now out on DVD, is a British television classic...

Playing on the public's fear that 'this could actually happen', Doomwatch had a veneer of credibility unusual in the escapist television drama landscape of the late 60s/early 70s. This spring sees the most comprehensive haul of Doomwatch episodes released on DVD for the first time. The nickname for the "Department for the Observation and Measurement of Scientific Work", the series first appeared on BBC1 on Monday 9th February 1970 at 9.40pm. It followed half an hour of comedy from Kenneth Williams, which must have surely heightened its dramatic impact.

The series would run in tandem with the early Jon Pertwee era of Doctor Who; the first episode made its debut two days after part two of Doctor Who And The Silurians. The two shows undoubtedly shared a synergy of ideas - not to mention cast and crew.

Stars: Ian McCulloch, Alexandra Delli Colli, Sherry Buchanan, Peter O’Neal, Donald O’Brien, Dakar, Walter Patriarca, Roberto Resta | Written by Fabrizio De Angelis, Romano Scandariato | Directed by Marino Girolami (aka Frank Martin)

One of the bizarrest horror films to come out of Italy in the early 80s, Zombi Holocaust is – as the title suggests – a mix of the two genres Italian horror cinema became predminantly known for: cannibal and zombie movies…

For those unaware of Zombi Holocaust, the film finds Ian McCulloch (who found fame in Italy following his appearance in British sci-fi show Survivors) venture to a tropical island in the East Indies to investigate just why a tribesman, working at New York City hospital was chomping down on the limbs of the cadavers in the cold storage. He and his crew, including Alexandra Delli Colli (who would later star in Lucio Fulci’s controversial New York Ripper...

As expected, Tate Taylor's "The Help" won big at the 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards. The film won Outstanding Picture of the Year with Viola Davis winning Outstanding Actress and Octavia Spencer taking home the Outstanding Supporting Actress award. Taylor lost to "Jumping the Broom's" Salim Akil for Best Director because apparently, it's a better picture than "The Help!"

Here's the complete list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards (To visit other award-giving bodies, check out our Awards Avenue coverage right here)

Motion Picture

Outstanding Motion Picture

.Jumping the Broom. (TriStar Pictures)

.Pariah. (Focus Features)

.The First Grader. (National Geographic

Entertainment)

*** .The Help. (DreamWorks Pictures/

Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)

.Tower Heist. (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Eddie Murphy . .Tower Heist.

(Universal Pictures)

Laurence Fishburne . .Contagion.

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

*** Laz Alonso . .Jumping the Broom.

(TriStar Pictures)

Oliver Litondo . .The First...

Blue Underground have announced Lucio Fulci's classic Zombie for release on Blu-ray and DVD as a 2-Disc Ultimate Edition on 10/25!

Disc One will include audio commentary with star Ian McCulloch (who Pa fans will know from the original BBC show Survivors) and "Diabolik" magazine Editor Jason J. Slater, theatrical trailers, TV and radio spots and a poster and still gallery.

Disc Two will feature 7 retrospective interview featurettes (including Zombie Wasteland, Flesh Eaters on Film, Deadtime Stories, World of the Dead, Zombi Italiano, Notes on a Headstone and All in the Family).

The Digital Bits also reports that Blue Underground has shot an all new introduction to the film and interview with Zombie fan and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Man that guy is everywhere!

So? Any funky Italian Zombie fans out there?

Disc 1 Extras:

. Audio Commentary with Star Ian McCulloch and Diabolik Magazine Editor Jason J. Slater

. Theatrical Trailers

. TV...

DVD Playhouse June 2011

By

Allen Gardner

Kiss Me Deadly (Criterion) Robert Aldrich’s 1955 reinvention of the film noir detective story is one of cinema’s great genre mash-ups: part hardboiled noir; part cold war paranoid thriller; and part science- fiction. Ralph Meeker plays Mickey Spillane’s fascist detective Mike Hammer as a narcissistic simian thug, a sadist who would rather smash a suspect’s fingers than make love to the bevvy of beautiful dames that cross his path. In fact, the only time you see a smile cross Meeker’s sneering mug is when he’s doling out pain, with a vengeance. When a terrified young woman (Cloris Leachman, film debut) literally crossed Hammer’s path one night, and later turns up dead, he vows to get to the bottom of her brutal demise. One of the most influential films ever made, and perhaps the most-cited film by the architects...

My Idiot Brother

Opens: 2011

Cast: Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Steve Coogan

Director: Jesse Peretz

Summary: Ned is a well-meaning idealist just released from prison for dealing cannabis. In succession, he disrupts the lives and homes of his three sisters: a career-driven journalist about to get her big break; a bisexual hipster whose lies are disrupting her relationship; and a married mother who hasn't noticed that her marriage is falling apart.

Analysis: Scoring a good response over the weekend at the Sundance Film Festival, this broad light comedy with a sweet heart charmed the pants off The Weinstein Company to the tune of around $6 million for distribution rights. That covers most of its sub-$10 million budget, a number that it could potentially outgross by several factors if the good-natured tone hinted at in the reviews were correct. If anything, the few negatives tended to be because this...

Disclaimer: These films are in no particular order and aren't all films I like. I wrote this post to be a companion piece to Kurt Halfyard's wonderful Brave New Worldview – 30 Science Fiction Films of the 21st Century posted over at Row Three, so read this and then piece it together with his and we think you'll have a pretty comprehensive list of important genre stuff from the new millennium to catch up with.

Here's the thing; we love the post apocalypse around here. No foolin'. For those of you just tuning in, Quiet Earth started life as a site dedicated to the genre. And while we cover the whole gamut of weird and wonderful genre film from around the globe now, we still like to think of ourselves as the go-to-guys on the subject. From Panic in the Year Zero, to Planet of the Apes, to The Postman, we've seen...

A remake of the original Survivors series, this TV show debuted in November 2008. It was created by BAFTA Award-winner Adrian Hodges (Primeval) and was inspired by the original Terry Nation novel.

This version of Survivors is set in the present day and focuses on a group of people who have survived viral pandemic known as the Eurpoean Flu. With the rest of the world's population dead, these individuals must learn to survive and work together without the structure and security of an organized society and law and order.

Performers in this post-apocalyptic series include Julie Graham, Phillip Rhys, Zoe Tapper, Shaun Dingwall, Paterson Joseph, Freema Agyeman, Chahak Patel, Nikki Amuka-bird and Max Beesley.

The last episode of Survivors aired in February and it was subsequently announced that the series was cancelled, leaving the TV show with a cliffhanger...

This chilling and unforgettable post-apocalyptic 1970's series, Survivors, is based on a novel by Terry Nation (who also wrote for Doctor Who).

In the TV show, a deadly virus has destroyed most of the world's population. A small and random selection of survivors are the "lucky ones" who must confront a new world filled with danger. They join together and utilize their talents, learn new skills and begin the process of rebuilding civilization. The survivors lack power, water, and food supplies. They confront ghost cities, empty fields, and the most frightening question of all -- can they all be trusted?

Main actors in the Survivors TV show are Ian McCullock, Lucy Fleming, Carolyn Seymour, Denis Lill, Joh Abineri, Celia Gregory, Lorna Lewis, Stephen Dudley and Tanya Ronder. Notable guest stars include Patrick Troughton, Peter Jeffrey, Brian Blessed, George Baker, Philip Madoc Bryan Pringle Ian...

In 1975 British writer Terry Nation created a dramatic television series called Survivors. This was the story of a group of 20th Century men and women who by various means had escaped the ravages of a plague that had spread worldwide, killing the majority of humans. Left without technology and most of the elements of modern living, these people were forced to create a new society in order to survive. A lot of post apocalyptic science fiction was written and filmed during the late 1970.s. The Vietnam War was over, but the world was becoming increasingly volatile, with the exploration of new generation weapons available to many who felt it was their time to seize power.

In the 1920.s, there was a song with the refrain .everything old is new again,. and one can.t help but think of that whenever a favorite old story is remade for modern viewing. In 1975 British writer Terry Nation created a dramatic television series called Survivors, which was immensely popular, gaining cult status and is still greatly appreciated today for its innovative look at a .what if. scenario. BBC decided to retool the story and bring it into the 21st Century and this DVD set contains the complete two seasons of the show. As any fan of the original Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica can tell you, when the powers that be decide to remake a series, even...

The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Fred Weekend Shopping Guide - your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

(Please support Fred by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)

The epic films of David Lean are an essential part of any cinematic library, and the first to make the transition to high definition is the sweeping Doctor Zhivago (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$35.99 Srp), and it looks and sounds absolutely incredible. Just to add icing to the cake, it’s packed with bonus materials, including an audio commentary, a new retrospective, a making-of documentary, vintage featurettes and interviews,...

If you're familiar with Survivors, chances are it's the new series that's at the front of your mind, but the original should not be overlooked. Airing between 1975 and 1977, the hit show by Terry Nation followed the survivors of a worldwide viral outbreak that decimated the population. With modern technologies and comforts stripped from them, the random collection of humanity had to form some new community in order to keep living in the struggle against nature, and each other. For more detail on the general scheme of what happens, visit my review of the new Survivors Seasons One and Two DVD here. The two series are fairly similar in basic outline, especially covering the first few episodes. While the characters and plot events obviously match up pretty well, they are very different series. A legitimate and well-planned update, the new series moves along in a fashion more in keeping with the sensibilities of today's viewers.

I just wanted to remind all you hardcore Pa fans out there that tomorrow, April 27, 2010, is a day we here in the states and in Canada have been waiting for for a looooong time. That's right, Terry Nation's original Survivors television series is - for the first time ever - hitting R1 DVD. That's all three seasons on 6 discs.

You can get it on Amazon, but I'm hearing that it's cheaper if you grab it from the BBC America Shop.

Special Features include:

• "The Cult of Survivors"

• Photo Galleries

• Lucy Fleming's Photographs

• BBC Publicity stills

Also out tomorrow from BBC America is a boxed set of season 1 & 2 of the BBC's Survivors remake series. Long time readers know we've been following the new series closely, having reviewed each and every episode. Perhaps not consistently strong, but a decent Pa show I think.

Special Features include:

• Making-of featurette (27")

• Character Profiles...

Hold your tongues if you live in the UK and have already seen this season, but the Us is just now getting the second season of the drama, “Survivors”. This show follows survivors of a deadly flu-like plague as they try to establish a society. The premiere of season two begins tonight on BBC America.

The first season of the show was about gathering the survivors together and exploring what’s left of their world. This season opens with the survivors in conflict with remains of the old government and those trying to establish a new regime.

Check out what the show is about:

Set in the present day, Survivors focuses on the world in the aftermath of a virulent disease that scoured the planet, wiping out 99% of the human race. Only a lonely few are left to start over in a devastated world where everything that was once safe...

Looking for more information about BBC America's post-apocalyptic drama series Survivors? Head over to The Daily Beast to read my latest piece, entitled, "The Lonely Life of Survivors," which is an interview with writer/executive producer Adrian Hodges in which we discuss the differences between Survivors and Terry Nation's original 1970s drama series, H1N1 fears, hope versus hopelessness, the human condition, and much more. Survivors premieres tonight at 8 pm Et/Pt on BBC America.

Read the full article at Televisionary (http://www.televisionarytv.com).

"There are so few of us left, every new person feels like a gift." - Abby Grant BBC America's gripping and provocative drama series Survivors recounts the aftermath of a viral outbreak that wipes out 99 percent of the world's population. It's a nightmarish scenario that places these characters under the most gruesome of circumstances as they struggle to not only contain their grief and anger but also look for some way to survive. Based on Terry Nation's novel and adapted by Adrian Hodges (Primeval), Survivors is gritty sci-fi at its most painful and realistic. The opening installment's first 45 minutes might be some of the most brutal and emotionally raw sequences ever to air on television as the virus spreads at an alarming rate and kills just about everyone. There's a palpable sense of loss and fragility as England comes tumbling down, but there's also a sense of hope...

Year: 2009

Directors: John Alexander / Andrew Gunn

Writers: Various

IMDb: link

Trailer: link

Review by: Ben Austwick

Rating: 7 out of 10

The first series of Survivors was a ratings success for the BBC but badly received by critics, and for good reason. Despite some engaging and imaginative set pieces, bad acting, worse writing, cheesy direction and a tendency to pad out episodes with irrelevant filler dragged Survivors down considerably. The hope was that the BBC would take these criticisms on board and come back with an improved second series. Thankfully early impressions are positive, although old problems still persist.

In case you missed series one, Survivors is the story of a group of people brought together by circumstance after a devastating 'flu epidemic wipes out most of the world's population. It's an adaptation of an original 1970s BBC series by Terry Nation which was a much slower paced affair, often concentrating on...

The leader of Britain's Conservative Party has brushed off criticism from David Tennant. Talking to Richard Bacon on BBC Radio Five, David Cameron said "You can't win them all". He added "You're never going to win over everybody. I definitely believe there's no point trying to win over everyone. Say what you think, say what you believe in, say what you believe needs to be done and if people will come with you they will come with you." Cameron said he had not watched much of the latest series but grew up with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker as the Doctor.

TVshowsonDVD reports that is reporting that both the 1975 original and 2008 remake versions of Terry Nation's Survivors are planned for DVD release in the USA. According to the report the new version of Survivors, which featured Freema Agyeman, will be released after both seasons air in the Us.

As...

Some fantastic news regarding Terry Nation's seminal 1970's post-apocalyptic television series, Survivors, just crossed my desk this morning. It would appear, that after years and years of waiting, American fans will finally see a DVD box of the entire 3-season series. Seems too good to be true I know, but the news comes directly from BBC America (via: tvshowsondvd), so I'm pretty sure it's legit.

No real details yet, but the DVDs will apparently be released after BBC America runs seasons 1 & 2 of the new Survivors series back-to-back.

Not much I know, but we'll update you all when we've got more on the DVDs.

BBC America has announced the launch date for post-apocalyptic drama series Survivors. The much-delayed Survivors, which is an adaptation of the cult classic 1970s series (itself based on Terry Nation's novel), will have its Us premiere on Saturday, February 13th at 8 pm Et/Pt, before shifting to its regular timeslot at 9 pm Et/Pt the following week. The series tracks the adventures of a group of people who survive a global viral holocaust that wipes out 99 percent of the human race's population and who struggle to stay alive in the face of unspeakable odds following this global catastrophe. In the official scheduling announcement, BBC America refers to the "twelve-episode season" of Survivors, which is a sign that the digital cabler intend to air the first two UK seasons of Survivors back-to-back. Season One, which aired in the UK in 2008, was comprised of six episodes and the second season of...

We've recently been informed that British character actress Linda Polan passed away on July 13th - her long career on stage and screen in the UK took Polan across some classic cult serials including the original Survivors, not to mention K-9 and Company, the first ill-fated spin off for the robot dog in 1981 which co-starred Lis Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith. Polan appeared as the character Juno Baker in the 1981 special, but is perhaps better known to long-time British TV viewers as Mrs Ploppy...

Year: 2009

Directors: Conor Horgan

Writers: Conor Horgan

IMDb: link

Trailer: N/A

Review by: Alan Maxwell

Rating: 9 out of 10

At a recent screening of Richard Jobson's recession-tinged Scottish chase thriller New Town Killers, the director had to point out that since people all over the world losing their livelihoods was a bad thing, there was nothing "lucky" about the seemingly providential timing of the film's release. One suspects that if Irishman Conor Horgan's new feature gets a wide release he may have to make a similar statement as, with the recession in full swing and now accompanied by a global flu pandemic, he delivers us an uncomfortably realistic vision of the breakdown of society.

The worst seems to have already happened when the film opens. We don't know when (though it has obviously happened recently) or how but there is no doubt that this is not a pleasant future.

Alright Warner Brothers Home Entertainment it's time for you to listen up. We've been waiting long enough for you to finally get around to turning The Road Warrior, arguably the most influential post-apocalyptic film ever made, into a kick ass Special Edition Collector's dvd. Remember last year's 5 Disc Blade Runner Collector's Edition? I hope you were paying attention.

Actually scratch that. Why is it that every major trilogy has been turned into a smashing collectors boxed set except The Mad Max trilogy? Where's my 10-Disc Mad Max boxed set a la The Matrix Trilogy? Huh? Please tell me you're not waiting for George Miller to make Mad Max: Fury Road because, honestly, that ain't happening any time soon.

Of course Warner Bros. isn't alone in their crimes against home entertainment. Neglect of our favorite genre is rampant on DVD. After the break are ten Pa films that are still awaiting DVD royal treatment.

The BBC has reportedly commissioned a second season of science-fiction drama Survivors. The remake of Terry Nation's 1970s show, which has garnered moderately impressive ratings and mixed reviews, will receive another six episode run, according to The Guardian. The decision was made ahead of the screening of the first season finale, which airs this Tuesday, December 23 on BBC One. A BBC spokeswoman told (more)...

Year: 2008

DVD Release date: January 26th, 2009

Directors: John Alexander / Andrew Gunn

Writers: Various

IMDb: link

Trailer: link

Review by: Ben Austwick

Rating: 7 out of 10

With the scene set in the previous two episodes, the latest installment of “Survivors” moves away from the virus outbreak and its aftermath and explores different ways of preparing for the uncertain future. Abby discovers a self-sufficient community in an eco park struggling with the difficulties of communal governance, while Tom and Greg come across a family who have isolated themselves from the outbreak and intend to avoid all human contact in hope of escaping the virus.

With a theme of suspicion between strangers hindering attempts to build a new society, this is a more thoughtful and mature episode than we have seen so far. The story lines are coherent and rounded, and look at the situations the characters find themselves in in original, imaginative ways.

Year: 2008

DVD Release date: January 26th, 2009

Directors: John Alexander / Andrew Gunn

Writers: Various

IMDb: link

Trailer: link

Review by: Ben Austwick

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

The remake of Terry Nation's cult 1970s science fiction drama “Survivors” arrived with little fanfare but was nevertheless a lavish production aired in a prime time slot on BBC1. The first episode sets up the rest of the series by following a devastating and rapid flu epidemic that wipes out ninety percent of the world population, from the perspective of ordinary people on the ground in the Northern English city of Manchester, and a collapsing government unable to cope in London.

Some of the early scenes are truly frightening as loved ones die, hospitals fill with bodies, services collapse and panic sets in. However the pace of the disease's onslaught changes dramatically part-way through to make sure everyone has died by daybreak, a sloppy bit...

The BBC's new adaptation of Survivors got off to a solid start in the ratings last night (Sunday), early figures suggest. The apocalyptic drama, set in the aftermath of a virus that wipes out most of the world's population, was adapted from the Terry Nation book by Primeval's Adrian Hodges. The original TV adaptation ran for three series on the BBC in the '70s. The 90-minute first episode pulled in an average of 6.47m (25.5%) over 90 minutes from 9pm, according to overnight data, with a peak of 7.82m (29.2%) at the start. The show held up well despite going up against ITV1's I'm A Celebrity, which had 7.57m (29.8%) over the same period. Survivors was preceded by Strictly Come Dancing, which hit another series high. This week's results show, which saw model Jodie Kidd kicked off the dancefloor, drew an (more)...

Like it or loathe it, the term 'reimagining' can be heard regularly along the corridors of production offices across the globe. Why waste resources on trying to create The Next Best Thing when The Past Best Thing can be updated for contemporary audiences and feel as fresh as ever? The BBC's revival of cult 1970s show Survivors is the latest example in the trend. Cult Spy looks at this impressive new show's modern slant and how other past series can be similarly excavated for another outing. Writer Adrian Hodges, in charge of the new Survivors, recently summed up his new take on Terry Nation's classic: "Its themes remain as relevant as ever and while we will be staying faithful to many aspects of the original, we will also be bringing the story into the 21st Century and make it accessible to contemporary audiences." Mission accomplished, as (more)...

So we've been eagerly awaiting this remake for like a year now and, in the meanwhile the press have called it "bloody brilliant", but this first teaser is a serious letdown. It looks like an episode of 24 crossed with a wet Hollywood dream. Ok ok, maybe I'm being a bit harsh as it does look convincingly post apocalyptic, but still, all those beautiful people? C'mon, didn't someone ugly survive? For those who've been living in a cave, Survivors is a remake of the hugely popular Terry Nation show which lasted 3 seasons back in the 70s. It's all about a virus which wipes out the majority of the population.

Word is the first ninety minute episode of Survivors will broadcast at 9pm, on Sunday 23 November 2008 on BBC1. Episode two would then transmit at 9m, on Tuesday 25 November 2008 on BBC1.

Teaser after the break, thanks to Wilcoy for the heads up, via the Survivors blog.

If you’re wondering where Freema Agyeman went after leaving Doctor Who behind, you will be pleased to know she became a Survivor. She was cast in the remake of the Terry Nation Survivors series from the 1970s. The new incarnation will be debuting on the BBC this fall in a six-episode inaugural season. She is joined in the cast by Nikki Amuka–Bird (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) as Samantha Willis; Max Beesley (Hotel Babylon) as Tom Price; Shaun Dingwall (Doctor Who) as David; Julie Graham (Bonekickers) as Abby Grant; Paterson Joseph (Jekyll) as Greg; Phillip Rhys (24) as Al; Zoë Tapper (The Last Van Helsing) as Anya and newcomer Chahak Patel as 11-year-old Najid.

Agyeman was written out of the third season of Torchwood in a feud between rival production channels.

BBC Drama Productions pursued the remake rights for some time before finally obtaining them in 2007 and handing production over...

The showrunner of the forthcoming Survivors remake has stated that the show will address current concerns. Adrian Hodges, who also oversees Primeval, told Sci Fi Wire: "It confronts our deepest fears when everything else is stripped away. Do you fall apart or fight or retreat?" The original incarnation of Survivors, which is set on a virus-ravaged Earth, was written by Dalek creator Terry Nation (more)...