Dante's Inferno (EG & OV 2010)

Catching up again. Earlier this year saw the launch of the Dante's Inferno (2010) franchise with manifestations as a computer game, a direct-to-DVD film, and a comic book series (soon to be released in a collected edition).

Valhalla Rising (2009)

A trailer for the Danish film Valhalla Rising (2009) recently appeared on iTunes--apparently is was released in thearters in the US on 4 June--and piqued our interest. Here are the details from the film's official site:

Selected for:
Venice Film Festival 2009,
Toronto International Film Festival 2009,
London Film Festival 2009 &
International Film Festival Rotterdam 2010

Action Adventure.

SHORT SYNOPSIS

Mute slave HARALD escapes his Scottish masters with the help of 10 year old ARE, torturing and killing them before joining a band of dispossessed Vikings. They go to sea, determined to return to Scandinavia to fight the spread of Christianity, but for HARALD the journey is also a personal one to discover his own origins. Caught in a terrible storm, the group drift for 40 days until, on the verge of death, they find themselves in a freshwater river. The land seems at once strange yet familiar.

When they come under attack by unseen assailants, the groups' quest for their homeland takes on a bitter urgency as one-by-one they succumb to the onslaught, dying at the hands of the invisibles. Worse, they are no clearer about where they are or if this place even exists outside their imagination. Have they finally reached the new world, or Valhalla?

Meanwhile, HARALDS's search for identity is compromised when ARE is captured. As the enemy reveal themselves, HARALD realises he has finally found his identity but at too high a price. As ARE’s life is threatened, HARALD is faced with an impossible choice; save the boy or save his soul?

CREDITS

CAST: Mads Mikkelsen

DIRECTOR: Nicolas Winding Refn

WRITERS: Nicolas Winding Refn and Roy Jacobsen

PRODUCERS: Johnny Andersen, Henrik Danstrup and Bo Ehrhardt

CO-PRODUCER: Karen Smyth

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Christine Alderson, Lene Børglum, Yves Chevalier, Linda James, Mads Peter Ole Olsen, Carole Sheridan, Joni Sighvatsson and Thor Sigurjonsson

TCM June 2010

Catching up: Here are the medieval-themed listings from TCM this month. All times are EST, and the complete schedule can be found at http://www.tcm.com/schedule/month/.


SAT., 5 JUNE
2:15 AM Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy, The (1965)
A mad scientist creates a murderous robot to steal an ancient Aztec treasure. Cast: Ramon Gay, Rosa Arenas, Crox Alvarado. Dir: Rafael Portillo. BW-64 mins, TV-PG


SUN., 6 JUNE
8:15 AM Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, The (1939)
Elizabeth I's love for the Earl of Essex threatens to destroy her kingdom. Cast: Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland. Dir: Michael Curtiz. BW-106 mins, TV-G, CC


TUES., 8 JUNE
6:15 AM Silver Chalice, The (1954)
A silversmith is charged with engraving the Holy Grail. Cast: Paul Newman, Virginia Mayo, Pier Angeli. Dir: Victor Saville. C-135 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format


THURS., 10 JUNE
4:00 AM Long Ships, The (1964)
Viking seamen battle a Moorish prince for possession of a golden bell. Cast: Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, Russ Tamblyn. Dir: Jack Cardiff. C-126 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format


SAT., 12 JUNE
2:00 PM Ivanhoe (1952)
Sir Walter Scott's classic tale of the noble knight torn between his fair lady and a beautiful Jew. Cast: Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Fontaine. Dir: Richard Thorpe. C-107 mins, TV-G, CC


SUN., 13 JUNE
10:00 AM Richard III (1955)
A hunchbacked madman plots to make himself king of England. Cast: Sir Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Claire Bloom. Dir: Sir Laurence Olivier. C-158 mins, TV-PG, Letterbox Format


SAT., 26 JUNE
6:00 PM Knights Of The Round Table (1953)
Queen Guinevere is torn between love for her husband and Sir Lancelot. Cast: Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer. Dir: Richard Thorpe. C-116 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format, DVS


SUN., 27 JUNE
11:15 PM Siren of Bagdad (1953)
An Arabian magician takes on a corrupt sultan to help a beautiful princess. Cast: Paul Henreid, Patricia Medina, Hans Conried. Dir: Richard Quine. C-72 mins, TV-G

Chiller July 2010 Listings

There are no specific medieval-themed listings for Chiller for July 2010, though the network does air Poltergeist: The Legacy, a program that has dealt with medieval topics in many episodes, daily. Chiller's complete schedule for the month can be accessed at http://www.chillertv.com/schedule/.

Syfy July 2010

Here are the relevant listings from Syfy for July 2010. As usual, all times are EST, programing is subject to change, and the complete month's schedule can be accessed at http://www.syfy.com/schedule/home.php.

Listings include wizards, monsters, and quests this month with a Merlin Season Two marathon on July 2 leading up to the season finale.


THURS., 1 JULY
09:00 PM MOVIE: ENCHANTED (2007)


FRI., 2 JULY
03:00 AM MOVIE: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: WRATH OF THE DRAGON GOD (2005)
08:00 AM MOVIE: ENCHANTED (2007)
10:00 AM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE CURSE OF CORNELIUS SIGAN
11:00 AM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE ONCE AND FUTURE QUEEN
12:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS
01:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: LANCELOT AND GUINEVERE
02:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - PART 1
03:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - PART 2
04:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE WITCHFINDER
05:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE SINS OF THE FATHER
06:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE LADY OF THE LAKE
07:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: SWEET DREAMS
08:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE WITCH'S QUICKENING
09:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE FIRES OF IDIRSHOLAS
10:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE LAST DRAGONLORD
Marathon of the complete second season of Merlin leading up to the season finale at 10 PM.


SAT., JULY 3
12:00 AM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE LAST DRAGONLORD


WEDNES., JULY 7
11:00 AM GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL - SEASON 2: WITCHES CASTLE


THURS., JULY 8
03:00 AM MOVIE: DRAGONQUEST (2009)
10:30 AM MOVIE: DRAGON WARS (2007)
02:30 PM MOVIE: IN THE NAME OF THE KING: A DUNGEON SIEGE TALE (2006)
08:00 PM MOVIE: NATIONAL TREASURE (2004)


FRI., JULY 9
02:30 AM MOVIE: IN THE NAME OF THE KING: A DUNGEON SIEGE TALE (2006)
05:00 PM MOVIE: NATIONAL TREASURE (2004)


SAT., JULY 10
12:00 PM SYFY ORIGINAL MOVIE: GRENDEL (2007)


SUN., JULY 11
09:00 AM SYFY ORIGINAL MOVIE: DARK RELIC (2010)
01:00 PM SYFY ORIGINAL MOVIE: REIGN OF THE GARGOYLES (2007)


WEDNES., JULY 14
09:00 PM GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL, SEASON 2.75: THE SPIRIT OF ROBIN HOOD
10:00 PM GHOST HUNTERS SEASON 5: NEW HAMPSHIRE GOTHIC
11:00 PM GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL, SEASON 2.75: THE SPIRIT OF ROBIN HOOD


FRI., JULY 16
03:00 AM SYFY ORIGINAL MOVIE: DRAGON DYNASTY (2006)


SAT., JULY 17
11:00 AM MOVIE: BEOWULF (1999)
03:00 PM MOVIE: RISE OF THE GARGOYLES (2009)


SAT., JULY 24
06:30 PM MOVIE: UNDERWORLD (2003)


WEDNES., JULY 28
12:00 PM SCARIEST PLACES ON EARTH: CHARLEVILLE CASTLE



Also airing this month: Invasion, Primeval, and Warehouse 13.

MSAM/GMTV: Missed One

MSAM: Catching Up

Here are the trailers for this spring's /early summer's batch of medieval-themed films (the first two have ads):

MSAM: Hobbit Update--Peter Jackson is Back

The following was posted today by Scott Edelman on Sci Fi Wire :

Peter Jackson WILL be directing The Hobbit after all!

Time to break out the ale and pipe-weed, because we're ready to party!

What we hoped would happen, but didn't dare to think actually would, seems to be coming true. Peter Jackson, who pulled off the impossible with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has decided to direct two installments of The Hobbit after all, Deadline New York reports.

Earlier this month, after Guillermo del Toro quit his Hobbit directing gig, Jackson said his taking over was unlikely due to current commitments. But he did leave open a slim possibility—and we say "slim" because he sounded a bit reluctant—by saying: "If that's what I have to do to protect Warner Brothers' investment, then obviously that's one angle which I'll explore."

Apparently, explore he did, because his deal is reportedly being negotiated right NOW with Warner Brothers, New Line and MGM.

There are no further details as yet, other than the fact that Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are scheduled to head to London the week of July 4, after which they'll be going to Los Angeles to meet with the actors who've impressed them the most from those that have been taped by casting directors.

Are you as happy as we are right now?

MSAM: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Fox 2000 Pictures and Walden Media have just released the first trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader due out on 10 December 2010.

James Patterson Gets Medieval

Here's the latest on James Patterson and Adam Sadler's Daniel X: Demons and Druids due out on 26 July 2010:

Daniel X's hunt to eliminate each and every intergalactic criminal on Earth is always relentless, but this time, it's getting personal. Number Three on the List of Alien Outlaws takes the form of raging, soul—possessing fire. And fire transports Daniel back to the most traumatic event of his life—the death of his parents.

In the face of his "kryptonite", Daniel struggles with his extraordinary powers like never before, and more than ever is at stake: his best friends are in grave peril. The only way to save them is to travel back—through a hole in time—to the demon's arrival during the Dark Ages. Rip-roaring action and humor sets the pages afire in this gripping time-travel adventure with an Arthurian cast—and countless other surprises!