Tenacious D Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Film School Rejects is reporting that Kevin Eastman, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, has spilled some major beans on the remake of Heavy Metal, the totally over-the-top 1981 sci-fi flick full of boobies, violence, and, some might say, awesomeness.

Eastman wrote Heavy Metal 2000, which stars former Penthouse Pet Julie Strain, who is also, incidentally, Eastman's ex-wife. She also voiced Heavy Metal 2000 and starred in the Heavy Metal F.A.K.K.2 video game. Eastman told FSR,

"I've got breaking news that Fincher and James Cameron are going to be co-executive Producers on the film. Fincher will direct one. Cameron will direct one. Zack Snyder is going to direct one and Gore Verbinski is going to. Mark Osborne and Jack Black from Tenacious D are going to do a comedy segment for the film. Three other directors have agreed but we haven't signed them, but they're equally as jaw-dropping. So we're on cloud nine to be working with such an amazing amount of talent."

Will Heavy Metal benefit from a high-tech remake? Or was part of its appeal the cheesiness of the original? More importantly, will Dio have a part in the Tenacious D segment?

Sick and tired of talking to family and loved ones this Thanksgiving? Well, if you're looking to hear something other than Aunt Ellie's sweet potato pie story for the umpteenth time, why not download this newest edition of Coming Distractions -- Cinematical's weekly podcast. This time around, I'm joined by Cinematical's East Coast Editor Erik Davis. Erik and I talk about whether or not the D will be Tenacious at the box office with Pick of Destiny, the passing of Robert Altman and our picks and pans on DVD for the week as well. As ever, you can download the podcast right here -- and don't hesitate to let us know what you'd like to hear in future broadcasts!

And we played the first thing that came to our heads,
Just so happened to be,
The Best Song in the World,
it was The Best Song in the World.
- Tenacious D, Tribute

It was back in 1994 when Jack Black and Kyle Gass first met as members of the Actor's Gang, an ensemble theater troupe founded by Tim Robbins. Up until that point, Black had appeared in small-ish parts in Airborne and Demolition Man, while Gass was barely noticeable in films like Jacob's Ladder and Brain Dead. Not long after that first meeting, the two discovered one very important thing they had in common: A love for rock and roll. Realizing they were far from a couple of gorgeous long-haired rockers, the two foregrounded their weaknesses while combining their love for comedy and music in a two-man band called Tenacious D. And, as they say -- the rest is history.

Shortly after performing their one and only song, Tribute, at Al's Bar in downtown Los Angeles, the duo garnered attention from comedian David Cross who subsequently helped Black and Gass land an appearance on Mr. Show. That led to three half-hour shorts on HBO, an album that quickly went platinum and a legion of fans who simply refer to their idols as "The D." Now, Black and Gass have somehow formed a story around the wacky, foul-mouthed lyrics to all their songs and used their pull in Hollywood to make a feature-length film called Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. But is it really destiny ... or just a waste of time?

Since my review of Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny will be arriving on Cinematical shortly, I decided to dedicate this edition of Eat My Shorts to Jack Black and Kyle Gass -- otherwise known as Tenacious D. I guess you can call it a tribute ... but more on that later. Most films are nothing without their music (score, soundtrack, whatever), and that goes triple for a flick like Pick of Destiny. Fans of The "D" will be happy to see the film overflowing with impromptu songs and jam sessions -- all of which are included on the pic's soundtrack, now available in stores and online.

But how important is music to a short film? Well the simple (and obvious) answer is that it's very important. Music sets the tone, exposes a mood and helps move the story along. Try this: Imagine some of your favorite films without music, and see if they still stand out. In my opinion, music is right up there with story, character and acting -- a crucial element in filmmaking. Then there are some flicks that are all about the music (Pick of Destiny, Rocky Horror Picture Show), some of which are adapted from actual musicals like Chicago, Grease and Rent. Others begin as films, at some point find their way to the stage and then arrive back in theaters -- The Producers and Hairspray are two of the more recent examples.

Today we'll be taking a look at a few short films I found online that use music (in different ways) to carry the story. As per usual, I'm always looking for content, so please feel free to send me all links, comments and suggestions to shorts AT cinematical DOT com. This shorts column will be picking up steam in the next few weeks, and I will definitely need your help ... for I am but one man. Let's go watch some shorts ...

"Jack gets up. Takes a few paces toward the door, to where the carpet turns to tile, turns to face us, drops his pants, squats and rips a squealing, bare-assed, flapping-wet fart."

And after Erik read that line, he instantly wondered why none of his interviews ever began like that. Then again, I've never sat beside Jack Black. If you're a fan of Tenacious D or Black, then you simply must check out Dave Shulman's recent interview with Black and Kyle Gass in LA Weekly. It's so absurd, so non-traditional and so much fun to read ... if you're willing to check a few thousand brain cells at the door on your way in.

Shulman had one hour with the duo, and decided to go the "no questions" route -- he simply sat there, chimed in here and there, and let the boys do their thing. One of my favorite parts is where Black talks about how he gets his inspirado (or inspiration). The actor/musician referred back to an interview he once saw with David Lynch in which the director talked about sitting in his favorite chair (or as Black puts it, in his best Lynch impersonation, "chairrrr") until something popped into his brain. So Black goes, "And I employed that. I would close my eyes and put my hands on my eyeballs, like this, and kind of wait, Lynchian-style." But this also came from the guy who stepped away from the interview and pulled down his pants (twice!) to rip a loud one. Stay tuned for Cinematical's review of Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny later this week -- the film itself arrives in theaters this Wednesday.

It's time for another editon of Coming Distractions -- Cinematical's weekly podcast. This time around, I'm joined by Cinematical contributor Kevin Kelly. On the agenda this week? Bond and Borat, plus Spider-Man III trailer news, DVD picks and pans and Fast Food Nation -- plus the upcoming choice between deep thought with The Fountain and Deep Purple with Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny. As ever, you can download the podcast right here -- and don't hesitate to let us know what you'd like to hear in future broadcasts!

Just when I thought World Wrestling Entertainment couldn't be more of a joke, I learned through Fark.com that WWE's website features Jack Black -- actually his Nacho Libre character, Ignacio, aka "Nacho" -- in its roster of Smackdown Superstars. If you go to the site, Black can be found hidden among "real" wrestlers. Click on his photo, and there's all kinds of advertising for the new film from Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess.

I know that WWE has become interested in Hollywood, but does Hollywood need to be interested in WWE? Maybe giving Black to Vince McMahon is payback for his giving the studios The Rock (I can't think of who got shafted, more)? Actually this is a pretty good cross-promotion for Paramount. As hard as it is for some of us to believe, millions of fans still love wresting and many of them will probably be drawn to this movie. I say WWE fans and Jack Black can have each other.

In the midst of the Great Blizzard of 2006, New York City is also experiencing its annual Toy Fair, which managed to open yesterday despite all the snow. And, as always, the fair is filled with movie tie-in products that studios hope will earn them Scrooge McDuck-style piles of money. Thanks to insane inspired toy companies and studio advertising wizards, you can look forward to buying your kids products like "a flying radio remote-controlled Superman that can soar up to 300 feet in the air for two minutes of non-stop flying" (am I the only one who sees that mainly as a great way to put out an eye?), a Fast Talkin' Lightning McQueen toy from Cars that says 30 things in the lovely voice of Owen Wilson, and "a smoking cannon that shoots a cannonball along with a puff of water-based smoke" which, contrary to how it sounds, is actually a Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest toy, not a weapon. Yeah, right - did I say something earlier about somebody losing an eye?

But it's not all for little kids - your teens will be able to find a handful of movie-related products in which to invest as well, even if they're pretty much all Tenacious D bobble-heads. Oh, and Halloween costumes, of course. I mean, really - who doesn't want to dress up like Jack Black?

Friends, Episode IV of the Hell O'Clock News is upon us, which could mean only one thing: more details from our friends in hell about Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny. Actually, this installment gets a little bit side-tracked by a set visit from King Kong, who the guys from Hell O'Clock bring in because, you know, who doesn't want to see their old co-stars? Jack Black is sure to be thrilled, right? Um, no. It turns out that Kong is sort of a bitter asshole, and whole thing goes horribly awry (albeit in a hilarious way). It's always fun to see Jack Black put himself in these absurd situations, and then pretend to take them seriously. He's being interview by a guy with horns in front of a blue screen, for God's sake, and yet he doesn't even grin - impressive stuff indeed.

Though the Hell O'Clock News updates rarely actually have much to do with The Pick of Destiny, they're clever and funny enough to have me looking forward to a movie I had no interest in before I started keeping up with them. Assuming I'm not the only one who responds to the clips in that way, that's damn good advertising. The movie doesn't come out until next fall, so there's time for many more looks at hell's own news network, and many more viewers to convert.

[via JoBlo]