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The Strong Franchise of ‘The Lion King’

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

When I was little and I held my Game Boy in my hands, and I would play “The Lion King,” I would’ve never thought that in 2024 the musical would still be an enormous hit on Broadway and a new film would be coming out in December, “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

When the original “The Lion King” was released in 1994, I could never get a seat, because it was always sold out at my local theater. I wasn’t into Disney films at that age, but it was such an enormous hit that I was curious to see what all the hype was about. I think I finally caught the film on video, months after its theatrical release. I remember thinking that the voice acting was very good.

When I bought “The Lion King” game for Game Boy, I remember thinking how hard the game was to play at first. Simba was difficult to control when he swung from rhino’s tails. The long swings from tree-to-tree didn’t seem so much like “The Lion King” and more like a game where a monkey is the protagonist. I thought it was great how Simba ages throughout the game as he continues his journey.

I’ve never understood why “The Lion King” hasn’t been featured more when it comes to Disney parks. Disney is planning to have a Disney villains themed park, which I think is a great idea, and you know Scar must be included. Scar, voiced by the amazing Jeremy Irons, is in the top five of Disney villains. Scar is one of the most sinister Disney villains; up there with Lady Tremaine from “Cinderella.”

I didn’t know “Mufasa: The Lion King” was even in production. When I saw the trailer before “Inside Out 2,” I thought it looked decent. I don’t get really excited for a new “Lion King,” because, what more do we need to know or see about that world? It all sort of looks the same and the music is always overblown to remind us that it’s a “King” property. I don’t blame Disney; the brand makes them a ton of money.

“The Lion King” is the third-longest-running musical in Broadway history. The 2019 photorealist, animated remake made $1.6 billion worldwide!

McAfee and WWE 2K24 Are a Good Match

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

I’ve seen a great deal of criticism about ESPN’s Pat McAfee getting a DLC pack for the game “WWE 2K24.” I’ve seen “WWE 2K24” players on social media calling it “annoying” and asking for a discount on next year’s game. I don’t understand what all the vitriol is about. McAfee is involved in wrestling as an announcer, so it seems like a natural fit that he has DLC pack for the newest WWE release. And the fact that you can play as his co-workers on “The Pat McAfee Show” is pretty exciting. I’ve enjoyed playing the game as Boston Connor and A.J. Hawk. I don’t see what the big deal is. Do fans of WWE take their video gaming so seriously that McAfee can’t be a part of the enormously successful game, along with his friends? It seems like “Much Ado About Nothing,” to quote a famous playwright

If fans of the game don’t want to play as anyone from “The Pat McAfee Show,” then choose not to. It’s simple. Is there too much Pat McAfee? That’s a whole other discussion. But him being a part of “WWE 2K24” makes a lot of sense to me. He has a younger crowd; and what do a great deal of young people do? Play video games.

image source: 411 Mania

I didn’t like Pat McAfee at first when I watched him on “College Gameday”; he was so different than anything else on ESPN. Then, I started watching some of his daily shows and I really enjoyed them. McAfee has a quick wit that’s rare on television, especially on sports programs. I found McAfee’s interaction with his co-hosts and friends hilarious and entertaining. I kept tuning in, and now I’m sort of hooked. I admit, the show isn’t for everyone, but it’s such a fun and fresh sports show.

I never liked wrestling video games until “W2K Battle Grounds” on Nintendo Switch. I always play “W2K” with Roman Reigns. I’m not a huge wrestling fan, but Reigns’ style is unique which makes him entertaining to watch. And in “W2K” I always seem to win my matches with him. He’s one of the brightest stars of the ring for a reason.

It’s a bit strange playing the game with non-wrestlers but I think that adds to the mystique of the matches. And A.J. Hawk seems like he could be a pro-wrestler. I hope “WWE 2K24” fans come around to the McAfee DLC pack. If not, oh well.

 

‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ on Game Boy

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

One of my favorite video games to play on my Nintendo Game Boy was 1992’s “Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The game was based on the Francis Ford Coppola film that came out that year.

The game starts with several easy levels like “Scene 1: A Journey Through Transylvania.” The game is like the classic Nintendo game “Ghosts N’ Goblins.” Ghouls rise from the ground suddenly and you must leap over obstacles that will kill you. There are boxes with rewards that have question marks on them, like in the original “Super Mario Bros.,” which I always found strange. It’s one of the first games that I remember where you could walk through walls to get around.

One of the main ghouls that you must defeat, a large, black ghost that floats over you, sort of looks like the Marvel character Venom. The graphics of the ghosts at the time were exceptional. They’re like something out of a modern horror movie. The fun game doesn’t have much to do with the iconic film. The game’s sets are pretty generic and similar as you get further into the game. There are skeletons that just explode when you approach them; I don’t recall any exploding skeletons in the film.

source: supplied

In “Scene 7: Return to Castle Dracula,” you finally see Count Dracula. It looks like Gary Oldman’s Dracula, too. The ending is cool, but I wish there was more Dracula throughout the game. They should’ve had Oldman’s narration throughout the game, to make players feel a stronger connected to the film.

I remember seeing “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” with friends when I was little. It’s still one of my favorite horror films. And it’s one of Gary Oldman’s best performances. The film has such a unique look. I loved the big battle that opens the film that used puppets and creative sets. You never know what’s practical and what are special effects. Coppola used mostly in-camera effects, but you can’t tell. The Oscar winning director is a master at using cinematic trickery.

 

 

Epic Games and Disney Collaboration

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

In February, The Walt Disney Company put out a press release that Disney and Epic Games would collaborate on all-new games and an entertainment universe that will “further expand the reach of beloved Disney stories and experiences.” Epic Games is the video game and software developer that gave us “Fortnite” and “Gears of War.”

I feel like the two companies coming together and collaborating didn’t get much attention. The business possibilities for both seem limitless. What does the merger mean for parks? Could Disney have a “Fortnite” theme park that incorporates some of the features of the popular game? What “Fortnite” fan wouldn’t want to visit a park that encapsulates the game with a Disney twist? It could be very successful. And you already have two established brands that aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Does this merger of giants in entertainment mean that we’ll be able to play or have Disney character skins in “Fortnite”? That would be something that would bring in new fans for both Disney and “Fortnite.”

There are several Disney characters I would like to use to play “Fortnite” with. Donald Duck would be interesting, because visually it would be hilarious, and you know he’d have some cool weapons and a cigar in his mouth. Playing with Disney villains would be fun. Captain Hook would be a savage skin to use when navigating “Fortnite” terrain. Ursula would be cool as well. She would be ruthless and strategic in a game where you must use your intellect. She may have a difficult time dodging fire from opponents with all her tentacles. Her powers could be limitless in the game being a powerful sea witch.

Playing as one of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” could be thrilling as well. Rocket and Drax would make for one hell of a tag team.

 

 

‘Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!’ is Iconic

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

I saw that Mike Tyson has a fight scheduled with Jake Paul in July. Netflix (US) is airing it live. When I was a kid, I played a lot of “Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!” on Nintendo.

The game, released in 1987, was an instant hit with all my friends. We spent hours playing what we thought was the greatest boxing game ever. Certain boxers were my favourites to fight. I liked Great Tiger for his flamboyancy and his comical footwork that had no business being in a boxing ring. He was a character, and he wasn’t easy to knock out. He made the funniest face when you would get a good hit on him. King Hippo was another favorite. He was marginally slow, but when he struck your chin…there were times when I didn’t think I would get off the canvas.

The game made Mike Tyson even more mythical at the time. I didn’t really care for him, or boxing, but if there was a Tyson fight on HBO, I would usually pay attention to the outcome. But when a friend would ask me to play “Punch-Out!!” with them, I never hesitated at the chance. Especially after a stressful day at school. It was like I was getting my aggression out when I was facing an opponent in the game’s ring. And most importantly, it was entertaining.

Nintendo predicted this fight in the 80s! image source: Retro Russ

The hyper extend punch was one of my favorite things to do in a game at the time; that would usually knock out my opponent and I could move on with ease. Some of the boxer’s punches were so slow that you could glance at your watch, take a bite of pizza, and move in time to avoid contact. I always thought the clip of your boxer running with his trainer, riding a bike ahead of him, a great touch.

After you defeated all the other boxers, and you got to fight Tyson at the very end of the game, it felt like an accomplishment of sorts.

Tyson’s tweets of his training for the upcoming bout are scary and intimidating. When he’s sparring, it looks like he’s still got it. But will it be enough to beat a much younger Paul? I’m sure the ratings for Netflix will be huge, just like the sells for the 1987 video game were. Even if you despise boxing and the two competitors, the match-up is intriguing.

 

 

‘Temple of Doom’ Arcade Game

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

A few weeks ago, I watched some of the Xbox Business Update and I’m so excited for the new Indiana Jones game, “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.” The gameplay looks stunning.

When I was a little kid, I loved the Indiana Jones franchise. There was a roller rink not far from my house, and when I would finish my homework, I would sneak out and go there to play the “Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom” arcade game. I would play “Temple of Doom” for about an hour if I had enough quarters saved up. I would hog the game; I wouldn’t let anyone else play if I was there. It was in the corner of the roller rink, so it was sort of hidden.

In the mines, when I’m running up and down the different levels, I always wanted to make sure that I freed every slave child I could. Although, I never understood how Indy’s bullwhip unlocked the cages that they were trapped in. I thought it was strange that when you freed a slave child, you got points; and some were worth more than others. I believe the more you saved the more the point totals increased. The blades coming up out of the rocky ground didn’t help when you are freeing slaves and attempting to take out Mola Ram’s men. A version of Mola Ram could just pop up in front of you when you were least expecting it.

The conveyor belts were sometimes hard to maneuver, but I enjoyed descending the large slides that took you to another level of the mines. Mola Ram’s henchmen, or, the Thuggee, were slippery adversaries when Indy must climb up and down the ladders in the mines.

I never liked the rail-car chase scene in the film “Temple of Doom,” but it was one of my favorite parts of the home and arcade game. You had to have sharp reflexes to bullwhip Mola Ram’s henchmen and gain points as you darted down the narrow tracks.

The 1984 film frightened my friends, but I admired how edgy and violent some of the scenes were. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas pushed gore and violence to an imaginative place. “Temple of Doom” was one of the first films to receive a PG-13 rating. I still don’t see how the ritual, human sacrifice scene didn’t get the movie an instant R-rating. I remember my friends finding that scene disturbing. The arcade game shares the dark tone of the film.

I bought the game for my Atari, but it was never the same as playing the fun arcade game.

 

‘Zelda’ Film Needs a Good Script

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

Off the success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” we are now getting a “The Legend of Zelda” film adaptation. Money talks. It’s smart for Nintendo to get a “Zelda” film in pre-production. The “Mario Bros. Movie” made $1.36 billion at the box office, globally. And it had a budget of $100 million.

The thing about the “Mario” film was that everybody knows “Super Mario Bros.” Do people know “The Legend of Zelda,” yes, but is it as massive a global brand like “Mario”?

Nintendo must have an exceptional script. A good story that sticks to the video game’s lore is essential. That’s what the “Mario” film did so well, and audiences went back to see it more than once.

I hope the film doesn’t take itself too seriously, but the “Zelda” games have a more serious tone than the “Mario” games. The movie should still be a fun ride. If it’s live action, whoever is cast as Princess Zelda and Link is crucial. The film would be better if it was animated like “Mario.” They could have the same studio, Illumination, that worked on the “Mario” movie. Live action could work, but why take that risk when Nintendo hit a homerun with “Mario”? The voice acting was superb in “Mario,” especially Jack Black as Bowser. Will there be musical numbers in the “Zelda” film?

The “Mario” movie had a smart structure to it. It didn’t feel overstuffed with easter eggs, and the runtime was just right. “Zelda” will probably have to be a longer film. It needs to have the feel of an epic and still have a tight runtime and be fun for children. That’ll be tough to pull off, but with an intelligent, entertaining script, a good film is certainly possible.



‘Darkman’ on Game Boy

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Every Soul Has A Dark Side!

By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

When I was a kid, I really enjoyed playing “Darkman” on my Nintendo Game Boy. I saw the Sam Raimi film in a theater, and when I saw that Game Boy was coming out with a game based on the movie, I had to have it.

The gameplay of “Darkman” on Game Boy was basically “Double Dragon” and “Double Dragon 2.” It was a simple multi-level game where you had to accomplish a different mission in each stage. In a lot of ways, “Darkman” was fun to me because I loved playing “Double Dragon.” The game does import many of the 1990 film’s highlights. The Raimi film was not a huge financial success, but now it has a bit of a cult following on physical media and streaming.

When teachers weren’t snatching my Game Boy out of my hands, I played the game at school. I would play “Darkman” on the school bus home. Sometimes, when I was really into the game, I would miss my stop. “Darkman” was one of my favorite games to play on my Game Boy. And there were a lot of film adaptations on Game Boy. Around that time, I also liked playing the “Hudson Hawk” film adaptation on my Game Boy.

I watched “Darkman” several days ago; I hadn’t watched it in years. I had forgotten how hooky some of the action sequences were. I still had a good time watching it again, but I was surprised by how much slapstick humor was in it. The cast is spectacular. Liam Neeson and Francis McDormand are terrific in the film. They’re so young. Larry Drake is excellent as Robert Durant, the ruthless mobster who leaves Peyton Westlake (who becomes Darkman) for dead. He overacts a little, but he’s very threatening and he has a short fuse. The film feels more like an old 1950s horror film than a comic book movie. Liam Neeson’s make-up as Darkman is gruesome and fantastic. It’s so good it’s distracting during some of the more dramatic scenes. But most of his face is covered with rags throughout the film, giving off an “Invisible Man” vibe.

I wonder if any gaming studio has ever considered making a new “Darkman” game. Sam Raimi would probably have to give his blessing for that. It could be thrilling if it’s a single-player game with an interesting narrative and cool villains.

image source: gamefabrique.com



I Bought a Video Game Poster!

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

For the many years that I’ve been playing video games, I did something the other day that I’ve never done as a gamer.

I was at a local store, and they had a pretty cool poster collection. Most of them were popular television shows and films, like “Stranger Things,” and the blockbuster “Barbie”. One particular poster caught my eye. At first, I couldn’t tell what it was, but something about the artwork intrigued me. I’ve never been a big fan of the “Call of Duty” game series; I’ve played it maybe five times over the years. The wall poster for “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II” with the skeleton soldier with his headphones on just appealed to me for some reason. I had seen the image before, probably around the time the game was released last October. There was a great deal of promotion for the hit game during NFL games last year.

I’m sure Infinity Ward, the company that developed the game, knew they had a hit when celebrities were posting on their social media how excited they were for the release of the game. I think I saw the wall art for “Modern Warfare II” when I was in Best Buy, and it piqued my interest. I haven’t even played “Modern Warfare II”, but I now have the poster on my wall in my garage. I can’t say that my girlfriend likes it, but she’s hardly in my garage and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

The poster is the sort of art that would make a fantastic film poster. When video games start having better posters than movies, what’s happening in movie studio’s art and promotion’s departments. I haven’t bought a movie poster since college. It was a poster for “Judge Dredd”, the Sylvester Stallone film from 1995. Oddly enough, the “Modern Warfare II” poster and the “Judge Dredd” poster are very similar. Both have a close-up image of a character staring right at you, looking menacing. Both are just a face and the title of the game and film.

The marketing team for “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II” did an amazing job of getting images of the game in the public eye and conscience. The game earned $1 billion dollars in its first 10 days of release. “Modern Warfare II” is the fastest-selling “Call of Duty” game of all time.

image source: playstationlifestyle.net



Hodder in the New ‘Chain Saw’ Game

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

I’ve never been a huge fan of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” movie franchise. I found the old ones too scary to watch when I was little, and the dreadful remakes and reboots were forgettable. I quickly erased them from my memory banks right after I watched them. The one with Jessica Beal was dreadful.

When I read about the upcoming video game in the latest issue of “Fangoria Magazine,” I thought the article was fascinating. The new game, developed by Gun in association with Sumo Nottingham, recreates the 1974 film and expands on that world. There are several maps you can play, and the detail is supposed to be stellar.

One of the big things that sold me on the game, that has an August 18 release date, was a single line that I read in “Fangoria”: Kane Hodder as Leatherface. I’ve been a Kane Hodder fan since watching him play Jason Voorhees in “Friday the 13th VII: The New Blood.” He really made the role his own as Jason in “Friday the 13th VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.” In that sequel, Hodder gave Jason a certain flavor with his distinguished movements and traits. Hodder’s depiction of Jason in “Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday” was the best thing about that awful movie.

Kane Hodder to Play Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw Massacre Game. image source: movieweb.com

I’m curious to see what Hodder does with Leatherface, another iconic horror character. I’m a fan of the slasher film “Hatchet,” the project that Hodder did after playing Jason. It’s over-the-top, but a lot of fun. Hodder wears more prosthetics in the “Hatchet” series, but he doesn’t go through the motions, he’s a real character as Victor Crowley.

I’m still not sure why Hodder didn’t get to play Jason in “Freddy vs. Jason.” Who at New Line Cinema thought that was a wise decision? Jason seemed more cartoonish in that 2003 film. Hodder had a distinctive way of playing the iconic character that the actor who replaced him couldn’t replicate. The way Hodder slightly tilted his head and walked with a calm pace as Jason was always terrifying. The Jason in “Freddy vs. Jason” seemed like he lumbered around throughout the movie.

I may wait a few weeks before I buy “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” game. It looks good, but not being a big “Chain Saw” enthusiast, I’ll probably wait to hear what other gamers think about it.