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“Sci-fi For The Mind”

By Raymond Benson

Renowned science fiction writer Jerome Bixby produced many short stories in the genre, but he is perhaps most well-known for writing a handful of classic Star Trek episodes. The memorable original Twilight Zone entry, “It’s a Good Life,” was based on his short story, as was the same segment in The Twilight Zone—The Motion Picture (1983). Bixby was also responsible for the stories or scripts for sci-fi films such as Fantastic Voyage (1966), and It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958).

Bixby’s last work, allegedly completed on his deathbed in 1998, was the screenplay The Man from Earth. Nearly ten years later (2007), Bixby’s son Emerson helped bring it to the screen as producer. The low-budget feature was directed by Richard Schenkman and starred David Lee Smith as “John Oldman,” a man in the present day who has lived without aging for 14,000 years. Released with little fanfare,...

If you can’t beat them, join them.

That’s what the independent producers of “The Man From Earth: Holocene” concluded about the inevitable piracy of their sci-fi film, a sequel to the 2007 cult hit “The Man From Earth.”

More than two months before its April 3 release on digital and DVD, they uploaded it to The Pirate Bay — available in up to 1080p HD format — and it spread to other services. The video is book-ended by an appeal from director-producer Richard Schenkman to consider donating some money if they watched the movie. “If you like it, support it, and remember that sharing is caring,” reads the note they included with the digital versions they distributed on piracy networks.

Since “self-pirating” their movie on Jan. 15, according to Schenkman and producer Eric D. Wilkinson, they’ve received nearly $45,000 in donations via their site, manfromearth.com, from fans and supporters around the world including China,...

The Nice Guys didn’t perform as well as we felt it deserved, yet Shane Black is something of a hot commodity again. While his Predator sequel / reboot / whatever prepares for a release in February of 2018, the writer-director apparently spent this Memorial Day weekend with, fittingly, our greatest living American, Dwayne Johnson, to move forward with their long-rumored collaboration: Doc Savage, a ’30s- and ’40s-era superhero who pre-dates and, speaking for ability, in many ways matches Superman.

Taking to Instagram, the star confirmed his involvement in the project scripted by Black, Nice Guys co-writer Anthony Bagarozzi, and Chuck Mondry. Sony is supporting the project, about which little else is known — though one imagines it’s to come after The Predator, i.e. remains a few years off. Waiting aside, the point stands: it’s plenty nice to have more Black, and it’s no less odd to be actively excited about a superhero picture.

A decade after the original film’s release, a sequel to the critically acclaimed cult sci-fi film The Man From Earth is in the works, with Vanessa Williams, Sterling Knight, Brittany Curran, Carlos Knight, and Akemi Look joining the cast. To be titled The Man From Earth: Holocene, the film sees the return of David Lee Smith in the lead role, and William Katt. The Man From Earth director Richard Schenkman is returning as well, with shooting set to begin in June and release…...

Okay, guys! It’s time to find out which young male star is better than the rest. Who do you think is the next Big Thing and deserves the title of Best Rising Male Star 2012!? The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon always seem to get it right. Many of their child actors end up making it big, but nothing’s guaranteed! Will Jake Austin from Wizards of Waverly Place be the next Star? How about Shake It Up stars Kenton Duty and Roshon Fegan? Perhaps adorable Jason Dolley from Good Luck Charlie? Or Bucket & Skinner’s lead actors, Dillon Lane & Taylor Gray?

We’ve put together a list of twenty rising male stars and are throwing a contest to determine who is the Best. The contest will be split into two rounds. Round One will feature all twenty nominees! Then, we will narrow the nominees down to the top ten, who...

Okay, guys! It’s time to find out which young male star is better than the rest. Who do you think is the next Big Thing and deserves the title of Best Rising Male Star 2012!? The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon always seem to get it right. Many of their child actors end up making it big, but nothing’s guaranteed! Will Jake Austin from Wizards of Waverly Place be the next Star? How about Shake It Up stars Kenton Duty and Roshon Fegan? Perhaps adorable Jason Dolley from Good Luck Charlie? Or Bucket & Skinner’s lead actors, Dillon Lane & Taylor Gray?

We’ve put together a list of twenty rising male stars and are throwing a contest to determine who is the Best. The contest will be split into two rounds. Round One will feature all twenty nominees! Then, we will narrow the nominees down to the top ten, who...

Back in April, Nickelodeon announced its plans to bring back beloved ’90s game show (and Lori Beth Denberg vehicle) Figure It Out, and now the day of nostalgia is close at hand! A new crop of Nick stars will succumb to the slime as they take the stage for the guess-the-hidden-talent frolic–and EW has the first look at the new set (see above) and the first celeb to be slimed!

Although the show will retain much of its original gameplay format–four celebrity panelists try and guess a kid’s secret talent based on clues and yes-or-no questions–there...

Nickelodeon is entering the kung-fu world of crime-fighting with Supah Ninjas.

Exclusive: Star Trek's George Takei joins new Nickelodeon series

In this exclusive photo, meet Owen (Carlos Knight), Amanda (Gracie Dzienny), and Mike (Ryan Potter), three high school students who lead double lives as ninjas tasked with keeping the city free of villains. Helping them along the way is Mike's late grandfather, played by Star Trek alum George Takei, whose spirit appears as a hologram and offers guidance, wisdom and training to the trio.

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Edwin Bravo didn’t make the decision to pursue an entertainment career until he was in his 30’s, but the Filipino actor hasn’t looked back since. He’s quickly building a solid resume in Hollywood, with appearances in several hit film and television shows, including Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Hawaii Five-o, Sons of Tucson, Southland, and Mind of Mencia.

The actor has several cool projects lined up for 2011. The first one is the new series Harry’s Law co-starring alongside Academy Award winning actress Kathy Bates and then we’ll see him on Supah Ninjas later this year on Nickelodeon, did I mention Sulu (George Takai) is on that show? Check out my latest “Versus” to learn more about the cool and really down to earth Edwin Bravo.

Brian S- First off , you got into acting in your 30's. What took you so long? Is...