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Digital
Media FX News Archives
Tuesday
- August 7, 2001
- Animation Used to Show Off
New Thrills
- Star Wars II:
Attack of the Clones
- Final Weekend Box Office
Numbers
- News Link of the Day
- How Dwarfs Hit it Big in Hollywood
 Animation
Used to Show Off New Thrills
(by digitalmediafx.com) Six Flags Magic Mountain is
using the power of animation to psyche roller coaster enthusiasts
with the introduction of two new roller coasters - "X"
and "Deja Vu". Both coasters are expected to open during
Labor Day weekend or shortly thereafter.
"X"
is set to be one of the most unique roller coasters in the U.S..
The seats sit off to the side of the coaster and while the coaster
is in motion, each seat rotates, adding an extra element to the
experience. In order to demonstrate this, and the new "Deja
Vu" roller coaster, Six Flags Magic Mountain commissioned
a detailed animation of each coaster. The footage was provided
to the press several months ago and is now available online.
After sitting
through a long introduction, the animated footage begins showing
the experience from several different angles.
Click
here to see animated footage of Magic Mountain's "X"
and "Deja Vu."
Six Flags
Magic Mountain is located in Valencia, California.
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Star Wars
II: Attack of the Clones
(by digitalmediafx.com) George Lucas has announced the title
of Star Wars: Episode II as "Attack of the Clones."
In addition to the announcement the following details about Episode
II were announced:
"Ten
years after the events of The Phantom Menace, not only
has the galaxy undergone significant change, but so have our familiar
heroes Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Padmé Amidala (Natalie
Portman) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) as they are
thrown together again for the first time since the Trade Federation
invasion of Naboo. Anakin has grown into the accomplished Jedi
apprentice of Obi-Wan, who himself has transitioned from student
to teacher. The two Jedi are assigned to protect Padmé
whose life is threatened by a faction of political separatists.
As relationships form and powerful forces collide, these heroes
face choices that will impact not only their own fates, but the
destiny of the Republic."
Reaction at
Star Wars Fan Sites across the Web have been mixed, but mostly
negative. A poll of fans by The Force found that over 60% either
disliked the name or outright hated it. Just over 30% thought
it was a good title. Many suggested a variation of the title would
have been much better like, "The Clone Wars" or "The
Clones Attack".
Lucas faced
the same kind of reaction when "The Phantom Menace"
was announced as the title of Star Wars: Episode 1. Many
people are still trying to figure out the meaning of the title.
While many
called the newest title a "B-movie" title, others defended
it saying that's how the whole Star Wars sega began - as
a "B-type movie."
Star Wars:
Episode II - Attack of the Clones will be released on May
22, 2002.
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Final Weekend
Box Office Numbers
(by digitalmediafx.com) Final weekend box office numbers are
in and here are the results for the top animated and visual effects
movies:
|
Movie
|
Rank
|
Weekend
Total
|
Gain/Loss |
Overall
Total
|
| Planet
of the Apes |
#
2 |
$27.5
Million |
-60% |
$123.7
Million |
| Jurassic
Park 3 |
#
4 |
$12.3
Million |
-46% |
$147.0
Million |
|
Dr.
Doolittle 2
|
#
9 |
$02.3
Million
|
-51% |
$106.1
Million
|
| Cats
& Dogs |
#
10 |
$02.2
Million |
-52% |
$81.6
Million |
|
Shrek
|
# 13
|
$01.1
Million
|
-40% |
$257.9
Million
|
|
Tomb
Raider
|
# 16
|
$522,794
|
-48% |
$129.5
Million
|
|
Atlantis:
The Lost Empire
|
# 17
|
$441,726
|
-49% |
$80.5
Million
|
|
Pearl
Harbor
|
# 18
|
$434,965
|
-47% |
$194.5
Million
|
| A.I. |
#
21 |
$341,124 |
-64% |
$77.6
Million |
| Final
Fantasy |
#
23 |
$303,786 |
-77% |
$31.5
Million |
|
The
Mummy Returns
|
# 34
|
$94,115
|
-25% |
$201.1
Million
|
The gain/loss
represents the movie's performance when compared to last weekend.
Rush Hour
2 was the number one movie of the weekend, bringing in an
astounding $67.4 million in just three days.
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News Link
of the Day - How Dwarfs Hit it Big in Hollywood
According
to F.A.Z:
"The
year 1937 was a banner year for fairy tales. J.R.R. Tolkien published
"The Hobbit," and Walt Disney released his movie "Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs." In the crisis-ridden 1930s,
audiences regarded both works as promises of salvation. Now the
phenomenon is supposed to repeat itself, in a year that is increasingly
perceived as a year of crisis, from debates about the life sciences
to riots over globalization, a year in which we have to seek reassurance
about what is left of our own creation myth..."
Click
here for the full story.
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