The Monstrous Movie Photo Of The Day: Getting To The Bottom Of The Bug Problem At Hobbs End

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Today I have opted to change things up a bit with an article that, for once, doesn't focus on a movie advertisement but instead features an actual publicity still. For those of you who are out of the loop on this sort of thing publicity stills are movie images that are sent out to magazines, newspapers and now in the digital age websites for promotional purposes (i.e articles and movie reviews).

Today's image comes from one of my personal favorite films "Five Million Years to Earth" (Quatermass and the Pit - UK). In the photo are the films two top billed stars, Andrew Kier (Professor Quatermass) and James Donald (Dr. Mathew Roney) alongside one of the insect "Martians" who's spaceship was unearthed during the construction of a London subway tunnel.

Here is the photo info from the reverse side of the photograph:

"Professor Quatermass (Andrew Keir) and Roney (James Donald) finally get into the secret compartment of the spaceship to find violently colored glass honeycombes containing insect Martians in 20th Century Fox's "Five Million Years to Earth." The Deluxe Color attraction was produced by Anthony Newley Keys and directed by Roy Baker."

As I mentioned above "Five Million Years to Earth" is one of my personal favorite sci fi films and a truly underrated film though Gary Gerani in his book "Top 100 Sci-Fi Movies" ranks the film in the number three slot just behind "2001: A Space Odyssey" and just in front of "Star Wars".

I don't know if I would have the stones to rank this one ahead of "Star Wars" though I do believe it ranks well into the top thirty or so sci-fi films ever produced easily.

The original image (and yes this is a studio original) is a black and white, 8x10 on glossy stock paper, and the serial number is FMY/21

History:

Quatermass and the Pit (US title: Five Million Years to Earth) is a 1967 British science fiction horror film. Made by Hammer Film Productions it is a sequel to the earlier Hammer films The Quatermass Xperiment and Quatermass 2. Like its predecessors it is based on a BBC Television serial – Quatermass and the Pit – written by Nigel Kneale. It was directed by Roy Ward Baker and stars Andrew Keir in the title role as the eponymous professor, replacing Brian Donlevy who played the role in the two earlier films. James Donald, Barbara Shelley and Julian Glover appear in co-starring roles.

The plot, which is largely faithful to the original television production, centres around the discovery of a mysterious object buried in the ground at the site of an extension to the London Underground. Also uncovered nearby are the remains of early human ancestors more than five million years old. Realising that the object is in fact an ancient Martian spacecraft, Quatermass deduces that the aliens have influenced human evolution and the development of human intelligence. The spacecraft has an intelligence of its own and once uncovered begins to exert a malign influence, resurrecting Martian memories and instincts buried deep within the human psyche. Mayhem breaks out on the streets of London as the alien force grows in strength. It is only defeated when a metal object – a building crane – is swung into the centre of the force and the energy is discharged.

Nigel Kneale wrote the first draft of the screenplay in 1961 but difficulties in attracting interest from American co-financiers meant the film did not go into production until 1967. The director, Roy Ward Baker, was chosen on account of his experience with technically demanding productions such as A Night to Remember. This would be the first of many films he directed for Hammer. Andrew Keir, playing Quatermass, found making the film an unhappy experience, believing Baker had wanted Kenneth More to play the role. Due to lack of space the film was shot at the MGM studios in Elstree, Borehamwood rather than Hammer's usual home at the time which was the Associated British Studios, also in Elstree.

The film opened in November 1967 to favourable reviews and remains generally well regarded. Hammer announced they would make a fourth Quatermass film but nothing ultimately came of this. A new serial adventure – titled simply Quatermass – was eventually made in 1979 by ITV television in 1979 and (in re-edited form) received a limited cinema release under the title The Quatermass Conclusion.

- Wikipedia

Steven Moffat Talks Doctor Who Christmas Special: The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe

Source: BBC

Steven Moffat introduces this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special:

"The Doctor at Christmas - it always just feels so right. When I was a kid, Santa and the Doctor somehow lived in the same place in my head - two generous madmen that I loved so much. So now that the Doctor is a regular feature of Christmas the world is just that bit more right.

"This time we're in England in the 1940s, and recently widowed Madge Arwell hasn't told her children, Lily and Cyril, that their father has died flying his bomber home over the channel, because she doesn't want Christmas to become the day that broke their hearts.

"But when they're evacuated to a draughty old house in Dorset for the holidays, and meet a mysterious young caretaker in a bow tie, events take an unexpected turn. What could be inside that big blue parcel under the tree?

"Soon the Arwells find themselves in a battle for survival in a magical new land. As ever, at this time of year, the Doctor is trying to make things right, and as always it doesn't go according to plan. But maybe he's reckoned without the power of a determined mother.

"This Christmas, it might just be the lonely Time Lord who's shown the way home."

THE DINOSAUR PROJECT Promises Reptiles On A Rampage

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Robert Hood / Avery Guerra / StudioCanal

Ah just what we all needed to break the mundane vibe of a Monday morning a good old-fashioned dinosaur movie!

Being hyped as “the most exciting dinosaur action movie since Jurassic Park!” is the latest project by Moonlighting Films and StudioCanal (the same folks who brought us Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz). The aptly titled "The Dinosaur Project." is presently in production under the direction of Sid Bennett (Prehistoric Park) and will feature CGI effects from the BAFTA award winning team at Jellyfish Pictures.

From the looks of it so far "The Dinosaur Project" looks a lot like a combination between "The Last Dinosaur" and "The Land that Time Forgot" which if you know your dinosaur films is a groovy combination. The script itself is very heavily inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel "The Lost World" in which dinosaurs are found to be alive and well living in a remote secluded area of South America.

Of course there has to be a modern spin on the story. This time around a film crew who is in the Congo to make a documentary about the local flora and fauna stumbles upon the "The Land that Time Forgot" and in true dino movie fashion spend the rest of the movie trying to avoid becoming a meal.

And who are the potential dinosaur snacks you may ask? Starring alongside the titanic terrors will be Natasha Loring (pictured above), Peter Brooke (Spooks, Doctor Who, The Wild West) and Matt Kane (The Cut).

According to sources "The Dinosaur Project" will be shot in the same "first person" style as "Cloverfield" and "The Blair Witch Project" so keep your motion sickness pills and barf bags at the ready.

Here is the photographic evidence that dinosaurs still inhabit the Congo:




Look for "The Dinosaur Project" to hit theaters in 2012.

Production Begins On 2011 DOCTOR WHO Christmas Special

Source: BBC

Production has started on the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special in which the Doctor (Matt Smith) finds himself in war-torn England embarking on a magical and mysterious adventure with a young widow and her two children.

A stellar guest cast including Claire Skinner (Outnumbered), Bill Bailey (Black Books), Arabella Weir (The Fast Show) and Alexander Armstrong (Armstrong & Miller), join Matt Smith in the emotional festive special, packed full of Christmas thrills and chills.

Steven Moffat, Lead Writer and Executive Producer, commented: "The Doctor at Christmas – nothing is more fun to write. Maybe because it's so his kind of day – everything's bright and shiny, everybody's having a laugh, and nobody minds if you wear a really stupid hat. Of all the Doctors, Matt Smith's is the one that was born for this time of year – so it's the best news possible that he's heading back down the chimney."

The special, set during the Second World War, sees Madge Arwell and her two children, Lily and Cyril, evacuated to a draughty old house in Dorset, where the caretaker is a mysterious young man in a bow tie, and a big blue parcel is waiting for them under the tree. They are about to enter a magical new world and learn that a Time Lord never forgets his debts.

Claire Skinner said: "I am thrilled to be in Doctor Who playing Madge who is a bit of super-mum. It's a magical part."

This marks Matt Smith's second outing as the Doctor at Christmas time and will follow hot on the heels of the successful 2011 series, currently airing on BBC One until October.

The Christmas Special was commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama and Danny Cohen, Controller BBC One. Steven Moffat is Lead Writer and Executive Producer with Piers Wenger and Caroline Skinner, also executive producing.

Filming on the Christmas special will continue until mid-October 2011.

Horror Channel To Bring Hammer Classics To The UK In Time For Halloween

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Brutal As Hell / Ben Bussey

The Horror Channel in the UK has just acquired five classic horror films from the famed Hammer Film Productions. These new additions to the channel's library of scary features will not be sitting on the shelf, no indeed the network has queued them up in a series of Saturday features leading up to Halloween.

Is there a better way to spend your Saturday night than watching Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and a parade of sexy British damsels?

I thought not.

Here is a list of the movies with air dates courtesy of our friends at Brutal As Hell:

Scars of Dracula (1970), 1st October, 11.10pm – One of Christopher Lee’s last Dracula films, in which his reluctance to reprise the role is painfully apparent. It’s an incoherent mess, and a poor representation of the usually reliable Lee and his late director Roy Ward Baker. But it does star a young Dennis Waterman, which immediately gives it novelty value for British viewers at least.

Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), 8th October, 11.10pm – From one of Hammer’s weakest to one of their absolute best, famously one of Martin Scorcese’s favourite films. Cushing returns as the immoral genius Frankenstein, who revives a vengeful spirit in a female body. In spite of its hammy title it’s actually very smart and sophisticated, and in some respects feels like an early example of a rape revenge film.

Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb (1971), 15th October, 11.10pm – Been a while since I’ve seen this one, and must admit it’s not too clear in my memory, but I do vividly recall Valerie Leon’s performance. Can’t think why…

The Plague of the Zombies (1966), 22nd October, 11.10pm - not unlike Frankenstein Created Woman, this is another of Hammer’s most socially conscious horrors, with a heavy class war subtext. It stands apart as something unique within the studio’s filmography, and a reminder of how zombies used to be before that Romero fellow showed up. You can read my full review here.

The Reptile (1966), 29th October, 11.10pm – another one I don’t remember that well, aside from the iconic image of the titular monster. I see from the press release that it was shot back to back with The Plague of the Zombies.

It should also be noted that Horror will also be airing episodes of the TV series "Hammer's House of Horror" before each movie.

Sounds like a bloody good time eh!

Kenneth Barker Goes Sci Fi Retro Style For ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Kenneth Barker

Today I was contacted by an indie film maker in the UK named Kenneth Barker about his film project "On The Shoulders Of Giants". The film, as Barker explained to me, is an homage to the classic sc fi films of the 1950's, namely Forbidden Planet. Like American film maker Christopher Mihm, Barker's love for the "golden age" of space films has taken him on a wonderful journey to distant world's filled with a big robot, laser guns, UFO shaped space craft and, though we don't see her in the trailer, undoubtedly a heroine to rival Anne Francis herself.

Here is the scoop:

In the 23rd century mankind had finally travelled beyond the confines of Earth's solar system and made contact with intelligent extraterrestrials. New forms of atomic propulsion has finally made space exploration to distant worlds possible.

During starship Andromeda’s maiden voyage its Einstein-Rosen (ER) drive is successfully tested. A vessel equipped with an ER drive is capable of crossing the galaxy in days by travelling through self-generated wormholes. The ER drive was designed by the child science genius N'tron Zepethar.

Fifteen years earlier the starship Leviathan (with Zepethar aboard and propelled by his first version of an ER drive) disappeared on its maiden voyage. As the only other vessel equipped with an operational ER drive the Andromeda is reassigned to the Leviathan's rescue mission.

The Andromeda’s crew locate the crashed Leviathan on Theta-25L, a desolate planet 45,000 light years from Earth. Whilst attempting to contact the Leviathan, the Andromeda's captain is killed. This untimely tragedy imposes the captaincy on Commander Jane Altaire.

After fifteen years on Theta-25L, Zepethar is the sole survivor of the Leviathan's crew.

When Commander Altaire begins searching for answers to the Leviathan’s demise it soon becomes apparent both Zepethar and Theta-25L harbour terrifying secrets...



"On The Shoulders Of Giants" is in post-production over at Water On The Rock studios in the UK for a Fall 2011 release.

TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY ..... It Begins

Source: BBC

One day, nobody dies. All across the world, nobody dies. And then the next day, and the next, and the next, people keep ageing – they get hurt and sick, but they never die. The result: a population boom, overnight.

With all the extra people, resources are finite. It’s said that in four month's time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural event – someone’s got to be behind it. It’s a race against time as CIA agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy. The answers lie within an old, secret British institute. As Rex keeps asking: "What is Torchwood?", he’s drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human ... for ever.

In The New World, the launch episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day, Agent Rex Matheson is impaled in a car crash and miraculously survives, while his analyst, Esther Drummond, sets out to discover what Torchwood is. Far away, in Wales, Gwen Cooper lives in hiding with her husband Rhys and daughter Anwen – she’s the last surviving Torchwood member and is determined to stay hidden. In Kentucky, convicted murderer Oswald Danes survives his own execution. And when Esther meets the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness, assassins are activated to kill them all...



Notes From Russell T Davies:

One day on planet Earth, no one dies. Like a coincidence, no deaths, no one reported dead – apparently, everyone got lucky. The next day no one dies … and the next … and the next … and the next. People are still sick, accidents are happening and people are getting old. They've got diseases, but the body won't die. They just stay alive. Nothing can kill them. Overnight, in the blink of an eye, somehow, something happened to the human race and everyone has become immortal. Not invulnerable, but immortal, which is much worse. Invulnerable would be lovely. Forever young, that would be lovely. Just to be immortal with none of the benefits – not so good. So suddenly you've got a world that goes into a panic.

We're going to live for hundreds of years, but the human life is still built around having 70 or 80 years and then moving on. Suddenly in about three days, all the hospitals are full, as the people who are sick pile up. Within weeks, that leads to the outbreak of different diseases. The health services in countries snap. What starts happening to human beings when we become this strange new race of humans? The panic and hysteria sets in with the crazies and the mobs. In every episode there's a new theory.

How do you investigate something completely intangible? No one's dying – that's like investigating nothing. Where on Earth do you begin? How do we cope with what human beings are doing with this new age, with this new era? Fighting the human race is just as bad as any aliens they ever fought. As people seek to capitalise and undermine the situation, you reveal human nature at its best and at its worst.

The series has a broad international feel, when you realise the dynamics of the plot, and what's happening to the world. It starts in Wales and Washington simultaneously. You have Rex (Mekhi Phifer), a CIA agent in Washington, and Gwen (Eve Myles) in Wales. Those two worlds first start to collide and it becomes a very big picture. We travel to Montana, Utah, Atlanta and Dallas. We spend a lot of time in Los Angeles and in Washington. Deliberately, it's actually all part of the story that all these places become important. It's got a nice epic sweep to it.

The Torchwood team comes out of retirement partly because it has no choice. The situation draws them out of hiding. Gwen is hidden and Jack has disappeared. The world changes and heroes rise. And then you have new people joining Torchwood. We begin with Rex investigating in Washington, uncovering the secrets of Torchwood. His assistant at the CIA, Esther Drummond (Alexa Havins), joins in. Slowly you have this new Torchwood team taking shape. The old and the new fighting for the future.



See Also: John Barrowman Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Bill Pullman Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Lauren Ambrose Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Alexa Havins Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Torchwood Captain Jack Harkness Masterpiece Collection Bust/ Eve Myles Talks About TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / STARZ To Feature Both TORCHWOOD And SPARTACUS Stars At Comic Con/New Guest Stars Announced For TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY/TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY To Premiere July 8th On Starz /The 100 Greatest Monsters From Movies And Television #51 - #60 /Former BUFFY And TORCHWOOD Stars Return To TV In SyFy's THREE INCHES /Starz Aquires The US Rights To The Fourth Season Of TORCHWOOD / The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2009 /Russell T Davies Talks About The Future In The Latest Issue Of 'Torchwood' Magazine/ Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Five/Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Four / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Three / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Two /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day One /Torchwood: Children Of Earth (2009)(BBC)/Torchwood: Children Earth Doctor Who On BBC America In July/Torchwood Children Of Earth Air Date And Spoilers /New Michael Golden Artwork For The Cover Of Torchwood Magazine /Torchwood Jack Harkness And Gwen Cooper Mug /Tonight's The Night Gives One Doctor Who Fan The Chance Of A Lifetime /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Trailer/Torchwood Children Of Earth Trailer To Screen On Both Sides Of The Atlantic / Torchwood Wave 1 Action Figure Set / Eve Myles - New Myspace Photos And Convention Appearance /Freema Agyeman Talks About Doctor Who, Torchwood And Her Latest Series Survivors / 400 Fans Go Behind The Scenes Of Doctor Who And Torchwood

John Barrowman Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY

Written By: John Barrowman
Source: BBC

I speak like Captain Jack because I've known him for a long time. And it's great to do new things with him because then I'm learning something new about him every single day we film. Jack is a time agent, who in his past, started out as a guy who was very self-centered and very egocentric. And he developed, through a relationship with two other people, how to become a team member. Jack's been to the future and to the past – he's very old, yet he never ages. He knows a lot about the solar system and a lot about the world. He is knowledgeable in everything. With Torchwood, he was the leader of the pack. He was the one who was the muscle of the group, while Gwen was the heart. They both kept the team together and they're searching for a new team.

Don't ask me to tell you how old Jack is, like any true person who is a little bit vain about themselves – as Jack is a little bit. One important thing about Jack is that he will do anything to save humanity or save the planet, and that means sacrificing anything. So if they are in a situation where one person must die in order to save the planet, or in the group, Jack will sacrifice. It's a harsh reality, but it's got to be done.

The thing that Russell and the team of writers want to do this season is to take Jack into territories he hasn't been taken to before. Discover those darker areas, discover the more emotional areas because Jack has been very reserved with his emotions in the past. With Miracle Day, I think we're going to delve into things where he's more exposed, raw, and there is more emotional pins and needles with what's happening to him.

Jack's relationship with Gwen is – he is very fond of her, but it's more than that. He is very protective of her. Gwen was always the heart of the group, but she has evolved herself. She's still the heart, but now is a bit of the muscle. And Jack, through the process of them being together, has taught her the art of fighting, gun slinging and all that stuff. She has come a very long way. But their relationship is funny, because it's almost like a brother and sister relationship and it's almost like a husband and wife relationship. But there's nothing sexual between them, it's the type of thing where she might finish one of his sentences or vice versa because they know each other so well. And, between Jack and Gwen, if they're in a sticky situation, all it needs is a look from one of them and then they know exactly what they're thinking.

Working with Eve for so long – we always have a good time, yet we get the work done. We do have a laugh, and as a result, Jack and Gwen have a laugh sometimes with what they do, yet they get the work done. And it's very interesting because for me the characters of Jack and Gwen are not so far from the real people of myself and Eve, because we put a lot of our own personalities into them.

The one thing that makes Torchwood work so brilliantly and makes it a little bit above the rest of all other sci-fi dramas out there is that we have a sense of humour. The story can be heavy, there can be the worst thing going on, the world is going to be destroyed, but there's always a little joke right at the end. Or there's always a sense of humor within that drama and that's real life. We laugh at things when they happen. If they're terrible things, there's always a humorous aspect to it. And that's why this show works, because we actually reflect real life.

Bringing the show to the US has an effect on Torchwood the agency, because we can be in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta. We can be anywhere and that's one of the beauties of filming in the States

In this day and age, you can't put drama or a sci-fi show on television without having any action in it, and we have tons of action. We are oozing with action and overflowing with the stunts. That's why I say it's going to be bigger and better. It's just an action-packed sci-fi, fun-filled, roller coaster of a drama.

See Also: Bill Pullman Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Lauren Ambrose Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Alexa Havins Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Torchwood Captain Jack Harkness Masterpiece Collection Bust/ Eve Myles Talks About TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / STARZ To Feature Both TORCHWOOD And SPARTACUS Stars At Comic Con/New Guest Stars Announced For TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY/TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY To Premiere July 8th On Starz /The 100 Greatest Monsters From Movies And Television #51 - #60 /Former BUFFY And TORCHWOOD Stars Return To TV In SyFy's THREE INCHES /Starz Aquires The US Rights To The Fourth Season Of TORCHWOOD / The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2009 /Russell T Davies Talks About The Future In The Latest Issue Of 'Torchwood' Magazine/ Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Five/Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Four / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Three / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Two /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day One / Torchwood: Children Of Earth (2009)(BBC)/Torchwood: Children Earth Doctor Who On BBC America In July/Torchwood Children Of Earth Air Date And Spoilers /New Michael Golden Artwork For The Cover Of Torchwood Magazine /Torchwood Jack Harkness And Gwen Cooper Mug /Tonight's The Night Gives One Doctor Who Fan The Chance Of A Lifetime /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Trailer/Torchwood Children Of Earth Trailer To Screen On Both Sides Of The Atlantic / Torchwood Wave 1 Action Figure Set / Eve Myles - New Myspace Photos And Convention Appearance /Freema Agyeman Talks About Doctor Who, Torchwood And Her Latest Series Survivors / 400 Fans Go Behind The Scenes Of Doctor Who And Torchwood / A Devastating Virus Wipes Out Most Of The World Population In Survivors

Bill Pullman Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY

Written By: Bill Pullman

Source: BBC

Our story really begins in a very precarious moment for the earth and my character in particular. He is getting three lethal injections, because he has been convicted as a murderer/paedophile. And the surprise is that he doesn't die. He survive a very horrendous experience, but his body is still alive.

And then everyone in the hospital realises that other people haven't died in that hospital and in that city, in the country, in the world for 24 hours or so. They realise this is a new paradigm of how and what it is to be human. For Oswald, it begins a journey of beginning to realise that he is going to survive and that he's going to be free because they haven't been able to kill him.

Oswald is prepared for a negative reaction, which he'll get from most of the world. His crimes have been very prominent and everyone I think was probably looking forward to his death, so at first he feels quite a bit of rejection. And then he begins a strange journey in which things start to change and morph and he goes in a very surprising direction.

Oswald begins to do some news appearances and in a critical moment, suddenly people begin to realise that he's human and that he seems to be an object in need of compassion towards him. It begins to be clear that some people are curious for what he has to say.

Oswald realises that he has some people who are supporters and he comes into contact with a woman who is in public relations who may have her own agenda. We form this tentative alliance as we recognise how we can help each other.

Power comes from celebrity, and I think that curious theme is what Russell is playing with – whether it's earned or not earned. It's a very useful thing that can be manipulated in a lot of different ways. Oswald's riding the wave and he becomes a tool, but he's also his own instrument and finding a way to control that type of environment.

Oswald understands the power of words, and forgiveness is a powerful word. And sometimes, people have a lot of conflicting feelings whether they are being forgiven and whether they actually feel forgiven. Sometimes they aren't in mesh and it's probably people like Oswald who aren't always aware of what exactly it is.

I'm always curious every time I get a call from the agent saying you have an offer. I don't know who the hell Bill Pullman is really. And I'm ready for almost anything and it's been a very diverse journey I've had. And so when I got the scripts and we got to watch the episodes, I was clearly intrigued. The writing had a voice – it had distinctiveness, a sense of this world, and reminded me of all the things that I've liked about the science fiction I've enjoyed doing before.

It's got a big message. It's got a little Ray Bradbury about it in terms of themes and then it's got a little popcorn in it too. It's got a little sense of wow in the middle of all this crisis and catastrophe; it's alive and fun. And so I was impressed by that, and it was one of the fastest yeses in agreeing to do this project.

I think with good science fiction, it's those things that are intimated in your dreams and nightmares. People live a long time now and they live a specific type of life for a long time. They can be wounded by wars and then be resuscitated, and we have a lot of ways in which we embrace them. They are heroes, but there's also a lot of conflict because of that.

It causes families to get conflicted. Someone didn't die. They're living 10 years with Alzheimer's longer than they thought and that's a gift, but is it? And these are the issues that get scratched by this premise, even though it definitely seems in our story that there's something out beyond our world that is playing with the dial.

Russell T Davies is a very tall man, so he's brought a lot of height to it. And definitely that makes the story a bigger story. And I think he often wears boots that have a big sole and height. So he's even bigger, but he is a good, big soul too, and he's a lot of the spirit of the set. It comes from him and Julie Gardner. They've worked together a long time. They're very focused, but they're very comfortable in their own skins. They're not insecure people, so anybody in any workplace enjoys that kind of leadership.

I think both John Barrowman and Eve Myles are very engaging people. They're having a good ride with this new expansion of possibilities of the story and they love meeting new characters and they are very welcoming to everybody and not possessive of the torch.

See Also: Lauren Ambrose Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Alexa Havins Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Torchwood Captain Jack Harkness Masterpiece Collection Bust/ Eve Myles Talks About TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / STARZ To Feature Both TORCHWOOD And SPARTACUS Stars At Comic Con/New Guest Stars Announced For TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY/TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY To Premiere July 8th On Starz /The 100 Greatest Monsters From Movies And Television #51 - #60 /Former BUFFY And TORCHWOOD Stars Return To TV In SyFy's THREE INCHES /Starz Aquires The US Rights To The Fourth Season Of TORCHWOOD / The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2009 /Russell T Davies Talks About The Future In The Latest Issue Of 'Torchwood' Magazine / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Five/Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Four / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Three / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Two /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day One / Torchwood: Children Of Earth (2009)(BBC)/Torchwood: Children Earth Doctor Who On BBC America In July/Torchwood Children Of Earth Air Date And Spoilers / New Michael Golden Artwork For The Cover Of Torchwood Magazine / Torchwood Jack Harkness And Gwen Cooper Mug /Tonight's The Night Gives One Doctor Who Fan The Chance Of A Lifetime /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Trailer/Torchwood Children Of Earth Trailer To Screen On Both Sides Of The Atlantic / Torchwood Wave 1 Action Figure Set / Eve Myles - New Myspace Photos And Convention Appearance /Freema Agyeman Talks About Doctor Who, Torchwood And Her Latest Series Survivors / 400 Fans Go Behind The Scenes Of Doctor Who And Torchwood / A Devastating Virus Wipes Out Most Of The World Population In Survivors / Fans Are Given A Rare Chance To Visit The Sets Of Doctor Who, Torchwood, And Sarah Jane

Lauren Ambrose Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY

Written By: Lauren Ambrose
Source: BBC

Jilly Kitzinger works in public relations. She's a sleek, slick, clever PR person who works for the potentially evil corporation PhiCorp, a giant pharmaceutical company. She's always on the move, seems to always be traveling on a different airplane going to a different city.

Bill Pullman plays a death row prisoner who's about to be executed and he doesn't die, so he becomes a media star and I want him for my company. We want him – we want to use him. I find him and I convince him that he needs me. He of course doesn't need me, but I have other plans for him.

I thought the story was incredibly smart and interesting and as Russell told it to me, his plan for this season is so clever and really about something, about big ideas. My character is just fascinating, I mean, I'm wearing these incredibly fancy clothes. Every handbag matches the shoes, matches the gloves, matches the belt, so I'm wearing very fancy clothes.

I get to play a glamorous PR person. Come on, who wouldn't want to do that?

Shawna, the costumer, is amazing and I think having fun with this character. Each costume for me is more beautiful than the next and I guess Jilly Kitzinger spends her money well and at Barney's.

Russell's been around every day that we're shooting. In addition to writing, he certainly seems involved in every aspect and I love talking to him about the show. I love hearing his experience with it and he definitely lured me in because he had a reason for everything. Every detail is thought out and thought through.

This show has this massive cult following, so I'm sure it will just catch on and everyone will be watching it and talking about Torchwood. And more importantly, talking about Jilly Kitzinger and what she was wearing.

See Also: Alexa Havins Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / Torchwood Captain Jack Harkness Masterpiece Collection Bust/ Eve Myles Talks About TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / STARZ To Feature Both TORCHWOOD And SPARTACUS Stars At Comic Con/New Guest Stars Announced For TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY/TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY To Premiere July 8th On Starz /The 100 Greatest Monsters From Movies And Television #51 - #60 /Former BUFFY And TORCHWOOD Stars Return To TV In SyFy's THREE INCHES /Starz Aquires The US Rights To The Fourth Season Of TORCHWOOD / The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2009 /Russell T Davies Talks About The Future In The Latest Issue Of 'Torchwood' Magazine / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Five/Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Four / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Three / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Two /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day One / Torchwood: Children Of Earth (2009)(BBC)/Torchwood: Children Earth Doctor Who On BBC America In July/Torchwood Children Of Earth Air Date And Spoilers / New Michael Golden Artwork For The Cover Of Torchwood Magazine / Torchwood Jack Harkness And Gwen Cooper Mug /Tonight's The Night Gives One Doctor Who Fan The Chance Of A Lifetime /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Trailer/Torchwood Children Of Earth Trailer To Screen On Both Sides Of The Atlantic / Torchwood Wave 1 Action Figure Set / Eve Myles - New Myspace Photos And Convention Appearance /Freema Agyeman Talks About Doctor Who, Torchwood And Her Latest Series Survivors / 400 Fans Go Behind The Scenes Of Doctor Who And Torchwood / A Devastating Virus Wipes Out Most Of The World Population In Survivors / Fans Are Given A Rare Chance To Visit The Sets Of Doctor Who, Torchwood, And Sarah Jane / Torchwood: Children Of Earth Begins Filming

Alexa Havins Talks TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY

Written By: Alexa Havins
Source: BBC

I play Esther Drummond, a bright young mind in the CIA and up and coming in the ranks. A little fresh to the business, so she hasn't been part of the CIA long enough to be jaded. She's a strong optimist. I laugh because Gwen has her guns – that's her weapon. Esther's weapon is her computer.

In the first episode, Esther sees Torchwood on her computer and I think she's intrigued by it. Because, what is it? And it's there on the computer and so from there it's just a chase – she's wanting more and she just can't help herself. She's just following where the trail leads her.

Pretty soon, Esther's life is changed drastically from the moment that the audience meets her. She takes a journey throughout the entire season. It's a literal journey with the team – and then, there's an emotional journey. We see her finding herself, finding who she is. She starts out behind the desk, nothing more than a desk jockey – working on computers. She sees Rex out in the field and I think she has a really romantic view of life in the field and field work. And Torchwood quickly launches her into that path.

Torchwood as we all know changes life drastically, and Esther gets a firsthand knowledge of that. There's intrigue and her curiosity pretty much gets the best of her. We start with Esther's very safe, comfortable 9-5 job. But all of a sudden, once she steps into the world of Torchwood, she's launched into a whole different path. Quickly we find her on the run. She's trying to survive, but her instincts kick in. So it's interesting watching this person that doesn't have the experience and training as Jack or Gwen or Rex would. I love watching her as a character and playing her and reading the scripts. She's trying to get out of life and death situations and she stumbles a little because she's still a newbie

Esther has a strong faith in humanity. I think she sees the good in people and what we can be and what we should be. And this big event shakes everyone to the core. It tests people – it takes us to our breaking point. So, I think her biggest concern is just restoring her faith in humanity. She has a trust and a faith that good will prevail.

Esther has a little bit of a crush on Rex, her boss. They have a great working relationship, a good banter and history together. And she's like his right hand woman. He's out in the field and he has this success as an agent, but he didn't get there without her help. So she slowly, over time, has developed this little crush on him. And I think it leads to something a little bit more serious, because she wants more. She's invested in him. She cares for him deeply. It's not just a childlike crush. She wants a future with him.

Working with Mekhi is a dream. We had an instant connection right out of the gate. He comes off as this tough guy, but you strip that away, he's just a real gentle soul. He's kind and he's fun to work with.

Working with John is a treat. If you get the opportunity to meet him take it, because it's life changing. He's so full of life and energy and he brings this infectious spirit to the set that I haven't quite experienced before. Between Eve and John, both of them together, they're quite the dynamo. It's a fun day at work. We have such a nice time together, and you spend so much time on set, they are your mini family. And they didn't skip a beat with welcoming us to their show.

Eve, I love Miss Eve. Eve and I have fun together. We both have daughters, so right away we have this common bond. So we're mammas and we have that. And she has that warmth and that motherly spirit. But then she's a firecracker. She is so funny. I'm blessed to be a part of Torchwood for sure.

The writing is what first enticed me. My husband watched the show, so I had previously seen some of it. When I had the opportunity to read and audition for the role of Esther, her character was already so well defined and thought out. Russell knew exactly who he wanted her to be. So it was a matter of me taking his vision and bringing Esther to life.

You know, it's interesting that we borrow from British television quite often. As we all know, they make great television, and that's what's appealing about this show. It won't be alienating the original viewers and fans. They can pick up the remote and tune in, turn on Starz, turn on BBC One and know that they're getting the same great quality project with top notch writing, the same vision from both Russell and Julie.

The writing is so detailed and smart, you have to listen and pay attention. So there's always something, whether it's the action or the dialogue.

See Also: Torchwood Captain Jack Harkness Masterpiece Collection Bust / Eve Myles Talks About TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY / STARZ To Feature Both TORCHWOOD And SPARTACUS Stars At Comic Con/New Guest Stars Announced For TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY/TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY To Premiere July 8th On Starz /The 100 Greatest Monsters From Movies And Television #51 - #60 /Former BUFFY And TORCHWOOD Stars Return To TV In SyFy's THREE INCHES /Starz Aquires The US Rights To The Fourth Season Of TORCHWOOD / The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2009 /Russell T Davies Talks About The Future In The Latest Issue Of 'Torchwood' Magazine / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Five /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Four / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Three / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day Two /Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Day One / Torchwood: Children Of Earth (2009)(BBC)/Torchwood: Children Earth Doctor Who On BBC America In July/Torchwood Children Of Earth Air Date And Spoilers / New Michael Golden Artwork For The Cover Of Torchwood Magazine / Torchwood Jack Harkness And Gwen Cooper Mug / Tonight's The Night Gives One Doctor Who Fan The Chance Of A Lifetime / Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Trailer/Torchwood Children Of Earth Trailer To Screen On Both Sides Of The Atlantic / Torchwood Wave 1 Action Figure Set / Eve Myles - New Myspace Photos And Convention Appearance / Freema Agyeman Talks About Doctor Who, Torchwood And Her Latest Series Survivors / 400 Fans Go Behind The Scenes Of Doctor Who And Torchwood / A Devastating Virus Wipes Out Most Of The World Population In Survivors / Fans Are Given A Rare Chance To Visit The Sets Of Doctor Who, Torchwood, And Sarah Jane / Torchwood: Children Of Earth Begins Filming / Torchwood Is Set To Experience The Big Bang