the best movies never made
- Thread starter Scarecrow
- Start date
I know this is almost three years old, but I'd like to make a suggestion. I can see Jared Stern (who wrote the Lego Batman Movie and directed DC League of Super-Pets), directing and writing this movie.
Release Date: November 9, 2013
Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks Animation Present
A Nickelodeon Studios Production
Super Mario Bros: The Adventure Begins
Based on the characters by Shigeru Miyamoto and Yoshiaki Koizumi
Produced by Yoshiaki Koizumi, Kirk Wise, and Gary Trousdale
Screenplay by Aaron Ehasz and Mo Willems
Directed by Rob Renzetti
Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks Animation Present
A Nickelodeon Studios Production
Super Mario Bros: The Adventure Begins
Based on the characters by Shigeru Miyamoto and Yoshiaki Koizumi
Produced by Yoshiaki Koizumi, Kirk Wise, and Gary Trousdale
Screenplay by Aaron Ehasz and Mo Willems
Directed by Rob Renzetti
In a pre-credits scene, the Koopa king Bowser and his wazir Kamek lead the invasion of an ice kingdom populated by Penguins. It’s a rather quick battle, as the penguins only come equipped with snowballs and blocks of ice. As Bowser asks who’ll stop him, we see a commercial for the Mariotti Brothers Plumbing Company, which is also seen by a construction foreman named Spike, who proceeds to call them.
Mario and Luigi Mariotti run the Brooklyn-based plumbing service, which was passed down from their late father several years ago. One day, they’re contracted by the abrasive Foreman Spike for a job. At the end of the day, the brothers are caught spying on Spike while he and a mob boss (who Mario owes money to) were in a conversation. When he realizes they were spotted, Mario has Luigi hide in the sewers while he pretends to have returned home. While hiding, the brothers find a large green pipe and are sucked into a portal. They risk getting separated at a junction, but Mario’s quick thinking and Luigi’s cooperation means they’re not separated.
Both brothers land in a bizarre realm, where they meet Kinopio, a member of the Hobbit-like race of Toads. After Mario explains their plight (and also says to just call them both the Marios), Kinopio agrees to take them to see King Toadstool of Fungaria to see how he can help. A green dinosaur-like Munchakoopa named Yoshi also decides to help after Mario stops some hooligans from vandalizing his business. Kinopio explains that a race of turtle-like beings called the Koopas had invaded recently, and their young Prince Cream was captured in the fight. In the throne room itself, Mario and Luigi are questioned by King Toadstool and his daughter Princess Peach. When the Marios explain their need to return home, Peach offers them a way back if they help her on a planned mission to save her little brother.
On the way back from taking the Ice Kingdom’s Power Star that night, Kamek warns Bowser about a prophecy regarding two men who will lead the kingdom of Fungaria in destroying the Koopas’ empire. Bowser at first brushes the Magikoopa off, but then agrees to talk about it later. First though, he attends to business as he interrogates Prince Cream himself due to his subordinates having no success. Despite being visibly terrified of Bowser, the young prince only responds with some backtalk, and so Bowser gives up in frustration. However, some of Cream’s remarks give Kamek an idea.
The next morning, Mario and Luigi are sent on to a training course, where they also meet Peach’s friend Daisy. On the training course, Mario and Luigi fail most of the time, and ultimately take a whole day before Mario finishes it weakly. That night, Mario and Luigi agree that they should work together when they go on to the course again tomorrow. Sure enough, they make much better progress as a team, and complete the course in only five hours. On their third day of planned training however, Kamek sends a voice note (similar to a Howler from Harry Potter) which is faked to sound like he’s giving orders to a warden for Prince Cream to be imprisoned in the Dark Lands. Peach believes this may be their best chance to save Cream, and has her team (herself, The Marios, Daisy, Kinopio, and Yoshi) start early, despite The King’s reservations about the idea.
After a hectic first day out on the journey, the group chooses a cavern to camp out in due to a torrential rain. Peach explains to the brothers that Bowser has been invading all the kingdoms in their world in search of the Power Stars, which are fabled to give users invincibility when used at once. Daisy corroborates Peach’s story, explaining that she is a princess from another kingdom who came as a refugee to Fungaria after Bowser stole her kingdom’s stars. Luigi also remarks that Cream is lucky to have a big sister who’d want to save him all by herself like Peach is. When Peach is oddly morose about responding however, Mario defends her desire to not say anything.
The next day, the group is walking over a wooden bridge that eventually collapses due to them struggling to get rid of an obnoxious cheep-cheep. Peach finds that her parasol is large enough to be used as a makeshift raft of sorts, and they all climb aboard as it drifts out to sea. However, they are soon rescued by a boat piloted by some Kongs: the primate-derived race that lives on Kong Island. They take the group to their leader Cranky Kong, who hears Peach’s request to join them in the coming fight against Bowser. Cranky agrees when Mario volunteers to fight their prince Donkey Kong in the next day’s Banana Slamma wrestling match.
That night, while seemingly everyone else is asleep, Luigi finds Daisy still idling in a hot tub. The redhead lends Luigi a sympathetic ear as he complains about Mario’s tendency to be insensitive of his feelings, unaware that Mario had heard his complaints while getting some laundry cleaned. Mario and DK fight the next day, but Mario soon finds himself using some advice from Luigi to win. However, when it seems DK is doomed to plummet to his death, Mario takes the time to work with him and help him back up to safety. Mario later attempts to thank Luigi for his advice, but gets cold feet after remembering what he heard the night before, which makes his apology come off as insincere to Luigi. After this, the group is given a boat and supplies to continue further into the Dark Lands.
Soon after arriving in the Dark Lands under nightfall however, the group is ambushed by a group of Hammer Bros. The gang is forced to disperse into the forest after Luigi is captured. Back on ground, once everyone realizes what has happened, Mario is determined to keep going and save his brother. Peach sides with him as she similarly wants to save Cream as soon as she can. However, the others agree with Kinopio stating that they’re better off calling for reinforcements to arrive. He even points out how Mario and Luigi relied on working as a team to make progress, which wouldn’t bode well for Mario going alone. Later that night however, Mario and Peach meet and decide they’ll just keep going themselves as a team.
Luigi meanwhile is interrogated by Bowser, where he unsuccessfully tries denying that he knows any of the Fungarian royal family. By the next morning, he is thrown into a dungeon with several other prisoners of the Koopas. Among them being Prince Cream himself, who largely keeps to himself because people don’t believe what he claims to see in the stars, and also because many of the rougher prisoners regularly bully him. Soon however, the prison warden Boom-Boom storms in, and is enraged to learn several other prisoners had escaped during roll call. He takes his anger out on Cream, ignoring the kid’s pleas to leave him alone, until an enraged Luigi leaps up and attacks Boom-Boom. The big koopa accidentally electrocutes himself in the fight with Luigi, and the prisoners decide to just make a run for it. Luigi and the young prince commandeer a motorbike and sidecar, and drive off into the distance, hoping to find Mario and the others.
Later that day, Mario and Peach are making considerable progress on their own, using a pair of karts that they stole from a small squad of Koopas and Goombas. Thanks in part to Peach finding a map at an abandoned army camp, and Mario having improved his use of the power-ups across the Dark Lands. During this time, signs of a romantic relationship slowly but surely begins to build up. Later that night, Mario and Peach find a river bank to camp out by, using fire flowers to keep warm because they forgot to bring blankets or coats. While musing about the evening sky, the subject turns to what Mario will do when he gets home. Mario is unsure, starting off by stating that he wouldn’t want to go without finding Luigi and making it up to him for his past treatment, which in turn is part of why he chose to keep going for Luigi’s sake. Peach asks what he’s talking about, and Mario explains hearing what Luigi had said to Daisy. In return, Peach states that while Mario does act a bit inconsiderate of Luigi from time to time, he’s still a decent brother, and he just needs to work on his awareness of Luigi’s feelings.
Mario takes note of Peach starting to sound downcast as she gives her rebuttal. In turn, this leads to Mario asking why she chose to save Cream on her own, “You’d think someone who could do the job for you would show up sooner or later”, he remarks. Peach sighs, and remarks that it was her fault Cream was abducted. The day the Koopas first tried to attack Fungaria, all the Royal Family had to fight, as pressured by The King’s court. At first, Peach and Cream had fought together, until Peach had to intervene when Daisy was about to be killed in a scuffle with Kamek. This left Cream alone when he ended up facing Pom-Pom. As Peach had to keep helping Daisy, Cream had to try and fix his magic yoyo while avoiding Pom-Pom’s attacks.
When it seemed Cream had fixed the yoyo and tied up Pom-Pom with it, it broke again and ricocheted off a wall, hitting Cream and knocking him unconscious. He recovered in time to see a Fire Bro as he attempted to attack Peach, who was coming to his aid. As such, Cream crawled near Pom-Pom to recover the yoyo wheel, and threw it at the Fire Bro. Before Peach could react, Pom-Pom tackled him, and Kamek arrived to trap Cream in a sort of force field. Peach tried to free Cream to no avail, but he urged her to live to fight another day. Returning to the present, Peach has begun weeping uncontrollably. Mario comforts Peach by pointing out that as painful as that day was, it really doesn’t mean Peach is a bad sister. Peach is both comforted and moved, and falls asleep in Mario’s arms.
Back elsewhere in The Dark Lands, Luigi and Prince Cream find that their motorbike has started running low on gas. Thanks to a question from Cream, Luigi begins to suffer a classic Charlie Day-style meltdown when he realizes that he screwed up by not considering where the others might have been. However, he realizes the need to change his tune when Cream breaks down sobbing, thinking that it means he’ll be separated from his family forever. Luigi comforts the kid, assuring it’ll all turn out fine. However, things go wrong when some Dry Bones suddenly emerge and attack the two. Luigi is forced to carry Cream on his back after the young prince twists his ankle. To make matters worse, the small fort they hide in to escape the Dry Bones turns out to be home to a small squad of Koopa Troopas. Cream lets go of Luigi’s back and enables his own capture to give Luigi a chance to escape. The green-clad plumber steals one of the motorbikes that the Troopas were using and makes a quick getaway.
The next morning, Mario wakes up to find that Peach has wandered off. He starts looking when Yoshi suddenly catches up, explaining that he followed them when he overheard their plans. Presently, they hear her scream and find her being cornered by Bowser in a forest clearing. Mario jumps to Peach’s defense in Fire form. Unfortunately, Bowser manages to curb-stomp Mario because he’s been using a Star Rod to summon the Star Power he has thus far. In the end, Peach begs Bowser to spare Mario if she surrenders unconditionally. Bowser agrees, but then reveals he won’t be killing Mario himself - instead he’s sending Petey Piranha, a Sumo Bro, and some Hammer Bros to do it. However, help comes to Mario very quickly as The King suddenly emerges and blocks the Sumo Bro’s attacks. It is also revealed that Donkey Kong had joined them when he dons a Fire Flower and quickly disposes of Petey. Meanwhile, Daisy also attacks the Hammer Bros while Kinopio helps Yoshi (as Bowser knocked him out of the fight early). Back on the ship, Peach, convinced once and for all that she’ll never save Cream, pulls out a photo she showed to the Marios before and tearfully delivers the only fitting words in context: “I’m sorry, Cream. I’m so sorry…”
Back at the campsite, Mario listens to The King as he explains that he realized there was a chance Kamek was probably leading them into a trap, and so chose to take matters into his own hands. Before Mario can reply, they hear the sound of a motorbike in the distance. Sure enough, said bike turns out to be the one Luigi had stolen. After a brief, heartfelt reunion, Luigi explains everything about what happened with himself and Cream. Mario seizes the opportunity, and offers a heartfelt apology to Luigi for all the times he had hurt his feelings. Luigi accepts the apology, admitting that he himself understands that he can frustrate Mario sometimes. But adds that regardless of Mario’s shortcomings, Luigi feels lucky to have a brother like him.
Back on Bowser’s floating kingdom, Peach is still in tears after her failure to save Cream. However, she soon hears news of the Koopas recapturing one of two fugitives, and how the one they captured is supposed to share a cell with her. Sure enough, that fugitive turns out to be Cream, and Peach sheds tears of joy as she enjoys a heartfelt reunion with her brother. After her first interrogation with Bowser however, she later finds that this was too good to be true. Kamek electrocutes Cream to show that he intends to have Cream’s safety be used to blackmail her into cooperating with Bowser and his interrogations. Instead, Peach has Cream join her as she begins to make a series of runs in order to sabotage the Koopa King and his armies. Often including disrupting their communications and destroying their supplies. Peach also overhears Bowser and Kamek making plans for a second attack on Fungaria, and sends a voice note out the cell window when she realizes they’re floating over Kong Island.
Donkey Kong takes Mario’s group to King Island. On the island, The King rallies the Kongs to prepare for a final confrontation with the Koopas. Soon though, the voice note flies down and is intercepted by Donkey Kong. While the other Kongs are rallied, Mario and Luigi are still uneasy about fighting again, when King Toadstool motivates them with a rousing speech however, they wholeheartedly agree. Culminating in a convoy over a rainbow road back to the palace. That said, some Koopa Troopas are sent to intercept it in carts of their own, but Mario and Luigi set to work on destroying them. The convoy is back at the Palace by early morning.
Soon after, Bowser prepares for another attack. This time however, Mario and Luigi are ready to lead the others. Among other things, Mario uses a Tanooki Suit to swat at Bullet Bills, redirecting them to destroy parts of the floating kingdom. Mario notices some of the holes he’s punched, and gets an idea. When hearing this idea, The King gives Mario all of Fungaria’s power stars, but warns him to use them sporadically so Bowser can’t try to steal them.
Eventually, the Brothers, Daisy, and Yoshi all climb aboard one of these points that got a hole punched into it. Soon they reunite with Peach, who reveals that Cream hadn’t been there that morning, and so she began to panic. However, it turns out that Cream had gone to figure out where Bowser and Kamek were keeping their Power Stars. Eventually, all six characters start working their way to Bowser, but end up in various traps until Mario is left to go alone. This doesn’t last long though, as The King, Kinopio and several other toads, and The Kongs soon follow behind by climbing an anchor’s chain.
Mario runs up to confront Bowser at the top of his floating kingdom. However Mario soon learns that the Star Rod is needed if he wants to use the Star Power himself, so he injures Bowser and steals the Star Rod. This skirmish culminates in Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and Yoshi all picking up an ax to destroy the bridge Bowser is on. In a desperate attempt to save himself, Bowser grabs on to first Peach, then Mario’s leg but only succeeds in dragging them both down until a well-aimed kick from Peach sends him plummeting. Before either of the two can fall however, Prince Cream (who had just ran in after a skirmish with some Shy Guys) uses his own yoyo to reach a ledge and grab on to their arms from there, then Yoshi uses his tongue to pull all three up. During this long process, Mario and Peach take the moment to kiss each other on the lips while no one is noticing. Meanwhile, Kamek summons a portal that prevents Bowser from dying in the lava, which the Magikoopa then uses to escape being slayed by The King.
The next morning, nearly everyone through the adventure has arrived for a celebration of Mario and his team’s victory. The King awards the Mario Brothers, Daisy, and Donkey Kong the highest honors that Fungaria can give to non-citizens. Kinopio and Yoshi are offered higher honors, with the former being promoted to Captain of a military brigade. Lastly, there’s a heart-to-heart family reunion where he expresses pride in both his children. After presenting Mario and Luigi with the treasure chests he promised, Mario finally pops the question and asks if Peach can lead them to the pipe back home. Peach gladly obliges.
Peach leads the Mario Brothers to a forest clearing near the palace, where he uses her white magic to summon a new warp pipe from the ground up. Peach joins the Marios on their journey home as they reflect on what they learned. Upon emerging from the other end in their home’s closet, they are cornered by the Mafia Boss’ lackey. As a quick solution, Peach hypnotizes the lackey into turning himself in to the police. As they prepare to part ways, she gives Mario one final request: “Please, Mario. Remember Me.” and then kisses him on the lips once more. The next day, Mario and Luigi return home from another long day. However, a small envelope slides under the door of their closet, and Mario goes to inspect it. It turns out to be a voice note from Peach, who says The King would like them to come over that night if they can (“No pressure”). Enthusiastically, the Marios leap into the pipe once more.
After the Imagine Dragons’ rendition of 500 Miles, Bowser wakes up in a large cavern as part of the mid-credits scene. Kamek explains all that’s happened, and reveals that for now, their new base of operations will be this cavern. Bowser’s brother Maxwell (his comic relief foil) taunts Bowser about how “diplomacy won, Bowser lost” until Kamek orders the two to grow up and stop fighting; he’s busy trying to make a call to their cousins…
In a post-credits scene, two mysterious figures sneak into a storage shed in one of Chicago’s many underused railyards. When the tall, lanky Adalbert asks what they’re doing, the short & fat Sylvester explains that “Mr. Vino’s nephews” found a green portal in New York, and he wants to see if a green pipe in there is also one. When Adalbert asks how they’re going to fool anyone when the Marios are famous, Sylvester replies they’ll take on a new name: The Warios.
Cast
Leonardo DiCaprio as Mario
Charlie Day as Luigi
Kristen Bell as Princess Peach
Jack Black as Bowser
Ron Perlman as King Toadstool
Anne Hathaway as Princess Daisy
Keegan Michael-Key as Kinopio
Bobby Moynihan as Yoshi
Grant Palmer as Prince Cream
Christopher Lloyd as Kamek
Dave Bautista as Donkey Kong
John Cleese as Cranky Kong
Janice Kawaye as Toadette
John DiMaggio as Boom-Boom and Sylvester (Wario)
Hank Azaria as Adalbert (Waluigi)
Kath Soucie as Pom-Pom
Charles Martinet as “Papa” Marchelli, Big G, Don Cordelo
Rob Paulsen as The Don’s Translator, Swanky Kong
Jim Cummings as The Penguin King
Doug Erholz as Maxwell Koopa
And Maurice LaMarche as Foreman Spike
Songs Used
Leonardo DiCaprio as Mario
Charlie Day as Luigi
Kristen Bell as Princess Peach
Jack Black as Bowser
Ron Perlman as King Toadstool
Anne Hathaway as Princess Daisy
Keegan Michael-Key as Kinopio
Bobby Moynihan as Yoshi
Grant Palmer as Prince Cream
Christopher Lloyd as Kamek
Dave Bautista as Donkey Kong
John Cleese as Cranky Kong
Janice Kawaye as Toadette
John DiMaggio as Boom-Boom and Sylvester (Wario)
Hank Azaria as Adalbert (Waluigi)
Kath Soucie as Pom-Pom
Charles Martinet as “Papa” Marchelli, Big G, Don Cordelo
Rob Paulsen as The Don’s Translator, Swanky Kong
Jim Cummings as The Penguin King
Doug Erholz as Maxwell Koopa
And Maurice LaMarche as Foreman Spike
Songs Used
The film’s track makes use primarily of rock music and slow piano, with the addition of some orchestral pieces. Some of the rock songs included are:
Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen: Played when we first see the Marios.
Jump by Van Halen: Played when the Marios work together to complete the training course.
Jailbreak by AC/DC: Played as Luigi, Prince Cream, and the other prisoners escape.
Runnin’ Down A Dream by Tom Petty: Played during the Rainbow Road sequence.
Imagine Dragons cover of 500 Miles by The Proclaimers: Covered over end credits.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
It has the same plot as OTL, but there are several differences. Katie Cassidy plays Nancy instead of Rooney Mara (who played Kris instead--Cassidy seemed to be a better actress than Mara (1)) and Freddy, while coming off as creepy in his interactions with the children in the flashbacks, is actually innocent (in OTL, this was in the original script for the reboot, before being changed (2)) and the victim of a witch-hunt, which gives him a good motive to go on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge. The film is seen as better than OTL, in large part due to the Freddy-was-innocent angle.
(1) Mara admitted later that she didn't like being in the reboot and didn't try to give a good performance.
(2) Ironically, in OTL, the original Nightmare on Elm Street had Freddy being a pedophile as well as a murderer but, in 1984, there had been several real-life cases of child sexual abuse accusations (true and eventually ones proven false), so that was dropped...
It has the same plot as OTL, but there are several differences. Katie Cassidy plays Nancy instead of Rooney Mara (who played Kris instead--Cassidy seemed to be a better actress than Mara (1)) and Freddy, while coming off as creepy in his interactions with the children in the flashbacks, is actually innocent (in OTL, this was in the original script for the reboot, before being changed (2)) and the victim of a witch-hunt, which gives him a good motive to go on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge. The film is seen as better than OTL, in large part due to the Freddy-was-innocent angle.
(1) Mara admitted later that she didn't like being in the reboot and didn't try to give a good performance.
(2) Ironically, in OTL, the original Nightmare on Elm Street had Freddy being a pedophile as well as a murderer but, in 1984, there had been several real-life cases of child sexual abuse accusations (true and eventually ones proven false), so that was dropped...
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The Great Escape (Channel 4 production 1984)
A British musical set in summer 1970. Four students spend the summer holidays travelling round Europe in a Bedford Van of uncertain reliability. It's a summer they'll never forget but sometimes wish they could. Boys will be boys, Girls will be girls, Girls will be boys and boys will be girls.
A British musical set in summer 1970. Four students spend the summer holidays travelling round Europe in a Bedford Van of uncertain reliability. It's a summer they'll never forget but sometimes wish they could. Boys will be boys, Girls will be girls, Girls will be boys and boys will be girls.
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I misread the as meaning a Great Escape from the Big Brother world from 1984.
I'm thinking a drier version of Split Second for the setting, and a group of dissidents preferably played by new faces, with only Big Brother and the establishment played by big names. Stehpen Fry showing his acting skills as an apparently amiable but conscienceless Big Brother, Thomas Jane (from the Expanse) is the ground down detective hunting for them while secretly wishing he had the strength of will to escape.
An image of Blakes Seven just sprung to mind, rather spoiling my chain of thought, but at least consistent with escaping a repressive hellhole. There could be some mileage in that as a Great Escape tale, ending with them outrunning federation ships in the freshly acquired Liberator, and leaving room for sequels.
Another rail film that @TheMann helped inspire by allowing me to borrow a handful of ideas. In TTL this rail program and many more would be available for streaming on Paramount Summit.
Commuter Steam Excursions
In recent years, many commuter rail networks have begun operating steam excursions over their various lines once in a while. Often in collaboration with local NRHS chapters and the preservation societies that own the steam engines. Many of these special excursions were hosted to celebrate the anniversary of a milestone in the commuter network's history, or to celebrate the opening or reopening of a new line, as part of a larger event like the annual NRHS Convention, or sometimes just for fun. Pentrex has captured many such examples of this phonoemena, and has gladly compiled them in this program for your enjoyment.
- In June 2004, Burlington Route 4960 was leased by Chicago's Metra for a fantrip on the Burlington Line from Chicago Union Station to Mendota. This is a line that the 4960 has been well acquainted with since her first excursions in the 1960s, but that doesn't make the sight of her flying down on the line any less spectacular.
- During the 2009 NRHS Convention, GoDetroit hosted a fantrips behind Pere Marquette 1225 from the bustling Michigan Central Station west to locations like Ann Arbor and Toledo then back to Detroit.
- Southern Pacific 4376 leads a North CalTrain railtour from her home base in Sacramento, south to San Jose in 2007. This was notably one of the engine's last trips before she was taken out of service for her FRA-mandated inspection and overhaul, which was completed in 2010.
- For the 2010 NRHS Convention in Scranton, Reading 2102 and Canadian National 3254 double-headed a NJT-sponsered fan trip from their home base over the Lackawanna Cut-off to Newark and return. NJT provided most of the coach stock for this trip.
- Another Chicagoland favorite, Grand Trunk Western 5629, leads a series of South Shore employee specials along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Indiana. These trips from Hammond to Michigan City were a chance for employees to take family and friends out for a day of fun at the many beaches within walking distance from the line.
- Baltimore & Ohio 5314 was a key participant in the 2003 NRHS Convention in Baltimore. For the occassion, she led a MARC-sponsered trip from Camden Station down to Washington DC and return with a collection of coaches from both the B&O Museum and MARC itself.
- Metrolink worked with the San Bernadino Historical Society to use Santa Fe 3774 on a series of fantrips along the Inland-Orange Line. Being part of the ATSF network, the line is one that 3774 is well acquainted with as it makes the trip down to Oceanside and return. Including a photo op with Pacific Electric EMUs before the trip. [1]
- The Museum of Transport often collaborates with St. Louis' Gateway Commuter system to operate Frisco 1522 on fantrips from her home in Kirkwood east to downtown St. Louis. Pentrex captured one such fantrip in August 2003 when the train was exceptionally packed.
- GO Transit of Toronto runs a railtour with Canadian Pacific 2855 to Coburg in co-operation with the Brampton, Lake Simcoe, & Northern Railway. [2]
- Atlanta's Peachtree network teamed up with the New Georgia Railtour Company to operate Atlanta & West Point 290 on the "Brain Train" route from Atlanta to the city of Athens. This route is called the Brain Train due to the numerous universities served along its route.
- During the 2011 NRHS Convention in Tacoma, the Sounder Commuter Rail service operated fantrips behind Spokane, Portland, & Seattle 700.
- In the Sunshine State, Florida East Coast 148 ran fantrips over home rails in celebration of Tri-Rail beginning service on its new "Coastal Link" route.
- SEPTA ran a series of fantrips behind Pennsylvania Railroad 5492, one of the K4 Pacifics built to the 1923 redesign, in celebration of the West Chester Line being reopened along with the grand opening of the new West Chester terminal [3].
- Finishing off this program, we get to see one of America's first new-build steam locomotives, New Haven 1410, lead an excursion over the route of the CapeFlyer with both former New Haven and MBTA cars.
[1] In TTL, Santa Fe 3751 operates at the Grand Canyon & Santa Fe in Arizona. Walt Disney and his TTL son Robert saved the 3774 and donated it to the SBHS. Also worth noting on TTL would be that the Pacific Electric system would be upgraded massively in the 1910s onwards to ensure its existence to this day. With Metrolink mainly serving routes that PE doesn't run to north of Los Angeles.
[2] The BLS&N was largely inspired by @TheMann's ideas for a larger version of the OTL South Simcoe Railway. The difference is that while his take is mainly a tourist railroad, I had the idea that my own take would have quite a bit more freight traffic.
[3] Said 1923 redesign of the K4 Pacifics gave them feedwater heaters, mechanical stokers, boxpok drivers, roller bearings, six-axle tenders, and turbogenerators moved closer to the cab. These were applied to the 1923 - 1928 examples built at the PRR's Juniata Shops in Altoona, and then retrofitted to many of the older K4s and all 83 of the E6 Atlantics that were used in commuter service in the Northeast.
Commuter Steam Excursions
In recent years, many commuter rail networks have begun operating steam excursions over their various lines once in a while. Often in collaboration with local NRHS chapters and the preservation societies that own the steam engines. Many of these special excursions were hosted to celebrate the anniversary of a milestone in the commuter network's history, or to celebrate the opening or reopening of a new line, as part of a larger event like the annual NRHS Convention, or sometimes just for fun. Pentrex has captured many such examples of this phonoemena, and has gladly compiled them in this program for your enjoyment.
- In June 2004, Burlington Route 4960 was leased by Chicago's Metra for a fantrip on the Burlington Line from Chicago Union Station to Mendota. This is a line that the 4960 has been well acquainted with since her first excursions in the 1960s, but that doesn't make the sight of her flying down on the line any less spectacular.
- During the 2009 NRHS Convention, GoDetroit hosted a fantrips behind Pere Marquette 1225 from the bustling Michigan Central Station west to locations like Ann Arbor and Toledo then back to Detroit.
- Southern Pacific 4376 leads a North CalTrain railtour from her home base in Sacramento, south to San Jose in 2007. This was notably one of the engine's last trips before she was taken out of service for her FRA-mandated inspection and overhaul, which was completed in 2010.
- For the 2010 NRHS Convention in Scranton, Reading 2102 and Canadian National 3254 double-headed a NJT-sponsered fan trip from their home base over the Lackawanna Cut-off to Newark and return. NJT provided most of the coach stock for this trip.
- Another Chicagoland favorite, Grand Trunk Western 5629, leads a series of South Shore employee specials along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Indiana. These trips from Hammond to Michigan City were a chance for employees to take family and friends out for a day of fun at the many beaches within walking distance from the line.
- Baltimore & Ohio 5314 was a key participant in the 2003 NRHS Convention in Baltimore. For the occassion, she led a MARC-sponsered trip from Camden Station down to Washington DC and return with a collection of coaches from both the B&O Museum and MARC itself.
- Metrolink worked with the San Bernadino Historical Society to use Santa Fe 3774 on a series of fantrips along the Inland-Orange Line. Being part of the ATSF network, the line is one that 3774 is well acquainted with as it makes the trip down to Oceanside and return. Including a photo op with Pacific Electric EMUs before the trip. [1]
- The Museum of Transport often collaborates with St. Louis' Gateway Commuter system to operate Frisco 1522 on fantrips from her home in Kirkwood east to downtown St. Louis. Pentrex captured one such fantrip in August 2003 when the train was exceptionally packed.
- GO Transit of Toronto runs a railtour with Canadian Pacific 2855 to Coburg in co-operation with the Brampton, Lake Simcoe, & Northern Railway. [2]
- Atlanta's Peachtree network teamed up with the New Georgia Railtour Company to operate Atlanta & West Point 290 on the "Brain Train" route from Atlanta to the city of Athens. This route is called the Brain Train due to the numerous universities served along its route.
- During the 2011 NRHS Convention in Tacoma, the Sounder Commuter Rail service operated fantrips behind Spokane, Portland, & Seattle 700.
- In the Sunshine State, Florida East Coast 148 ran fantrips over home rails in celebration of Tri-Rail beginning service on its new "Coastal Link" route.
- SEPTA ran a series of fantrips behind Pennsylvania Railroad 5492, one of the K4 Pacifics built to the 1923 redesign, in celebration of the West Chester Line being reopened along with the grand opening of the new West Chester terminal [3].
- Finishing off this program, we get to see one of America's first new-build steam locomotives, New Haven 1410, lead an excursion over the route of the CapeFlyer with both former New Haven and MBTA cars.
[1] In TTL, Santa Fe 3751 operates at the Grand Canyon & Santa Fe in Arizona. Walt Disney and his TTL son Robert saved the 3774 and donated it to the SBHS. Also worth noting on TTL would be that the Pacific Electric system would be upgraded massively in the 1910s onwards to ensure its existence to this day. With Metrolink mainly serving routes that PE doesn't run to north of Los Angeles.
[2] The BLS&N was largely inspired by @TheMann's ideas for a larger version of the OTL South Simcoe Railway. The difference is that while his take is mainly a tourist railroad, I had the idea that my own take would have quite a bit more freight traffic.
[3] Said 1923 redesign of the K4 Pacifics gave them feedwater heaters, mechanical stokers, boxpok drivers, roller bearings, six-axle tenders, and turbogenerators moved closer to the cab. These were applied to the 1923 - 1928 examples built at the PRR's Juniata Shops in Altoona, and then retrofitted to many of the older K4s and all 83 of the E6 Atlantics that were used in commuter service in the Northeast.
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It sounds like it would be easier to get funding for a TV show (was there a Great Railway Voyages series or am I misremembering?). That would probably fit the idea a bit more readily and allow 40 minutes to an hour of surrogate adventure and travel.
But a good producer and director could make for some great viewing in either format.
To be fair, I did have the idea that Paramount Summit would prove to have success with the idea of streaming more niche documentaries.
Deleted member 177304
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (2000)
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast:
- Adam West as Bruce Wayne/Batman
- Burt Ward as The Joker
- Julie Newmar as Selina Kyle
- Lindsay Lohan as Carrie Kelly/Robin
- Jodie Foster as Ellen Yindel
- James Garner as Comissioner James Gordon
- Peter O'Tool as Alfred Pennyworth
- Tiny Lister Jr. as Mutant Gang Leader
- Bob Hoskins as Harvey Dent/Two Face
- Mark Harmon as Clark Kent/Superman
- David Letterman as himself
Synopsis:
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, is a 2000 superhero film directed by Darren Aronovsky and written by Aronovsky and Frank Miller. The film is based on the eponymous comic book miniseries written by Miller. After the disappointing box office performance of 1993's Wonder Woman, Warner Brothers Pictures cancelled any DC-related film projects. In 1998 Miller approached the studio about a potential adaptation of his criticaly acclaimed comic book. After some initial reluctance, CEO Robert Daley greenlit the project, and Aronovsky was brought on as director. Casting began in January of 1999, with the decision being made to cast Adam West as Batman, a role he had previously played in the 1966-1968 television series.
Principal Photography began in New York City in September of 1999 and concluded in January of 2000. The film was released on Christmas Day 2000, to positive critical and audience reception, with many praising West's performance and Aronovsky's visual style. The film grossed over 500 million dollars, making it the highest-grossing film of 2000.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast:
- Adam West as Bruce Wayne/Batman
- Burt Ward as The Joker
- Julie Newmar as Selina Kyle
- Lindsay Lohan as Carrie Kelly/Robin
- Jodie Foster as Ellen Yindel
- James Garner as Comissioner James Gordon
- Peter O'Tool as Alfred Pennyworth
- Tiny Lister Jr. as Mutant Gang Leader
- Bob Hoskins as Harvey Dent/Two Face
- Mark Harmon as Clark Kent/Superman
- David Letterman as himself
Synopsis:
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, is a 2000 superhero film directed by Darren Aronovsky and written by Aronovsky and Frank Miller. The film is based on the eponymous comic book miniseries written by Miller. After the disappointing box office performance of 1993's Wonder Woman, Warner Brothers Pictures cancelled any DC-related film projects. In 1998 Miller approached the studio about a potential adaptation of his criticaly acclaimed comic book. After some initial reluctance, CEO Robert Daley greenlit the project, and Aronovsky was brought on as director. Casting began in January of 1999, with the decision being made to cast Adam West as Batman, a role he had previously played in the 1966-1968 television series.
Principal Photography began in New York City in September of 1999 and concluded in January of 2000. The film was released on Christmas Day 2000, to positive critical and audience reception, with many praising West's performance and Aronovsky's visual style. The film grossed over 500 million dollars, making it the highest-grossing film of 2000.
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I'm intrigued, is this like in The Dark Knight Strikes Again where Dick Grayson becomes the second Joker?
Deleted member 177304
Well, Miller is one of the co-writers, so I imagine some hints would be dropped implying that Burt Ward Joker is in fact Dick Grayson, maybe Ward drops a "Holy X, Batman!" here and there, but these would ultimately just be easter eggs. The actual meta reason would be that the filmakers wanted to cast Ward alongside West for one last hurrah but Ward was far too old to play a convincing Robin and still too young to play a convincing Jim Gordon opposite DKR Batman, which left the Joker as the default choice.
I can see the internet going ablaze with theories in the universe where this movie was released.
"The day after": 2023 - documentary on what happens on the day after Octoberfest.
Well Dick Grayson's relationship with his sugar daddy Bruce Wayne was always suspect. A film where he rebels and turns on the abuser Wayne would be a different take on Batman and Robin.
Scooby Doo: Paulie's Haunting's
We open on a dark alley in New York City, where Paulie Walnuts, a member of the DiMeo family, is being followed by a spooky apparition. Paulie runs into a nearby phone booth and frantically dials the number for the Scooby-Doo gang, who are currently solving a mystery in nearby Brooklyn. Paulie explains his situation to the gang and hires them to investigate the hauntings that have been terrorising him. They arrange to meet at Nuovo Vesuvio, where Shaggy and Scooby are eating everything in sight, sampling traditional Italian cuisine, much to Artie's distress. When Scooby apologies and begins talking to Shaggy, Artie collapses. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang, listening to Paulie's story, starts gathering clues, discovering that the hauntings are not just limited to Paulie's home, but also occurring in other businesses owned by the DiMeo family.
As the gang begins their investigation, they encounter a group of ghostly figures of John Gotti and his associates, who are clearly trying to scare Paulie out of the business. After some clever detective work, the gang discovers that the ghosts are actually a group of mafioso ghosts, led by the infamous Johnny Sack, who are working for a rival gang trying to force Paulie out of the neighbourhood
With the help of their trusty Mystery Machine and some quick thinking, the gang devises a plan to catch the ghosts in the act. They set up a trap using some of Artie's restaurant equipment and successfully captured the ghosts. Fred and Velma gather enough evidence to confirm that the rival gang is behind the hauntings, and they set a trap to catch the ghosts in the act. The trap goes awry when Johnny Sack and his ghostly crew capture the gang and tie them up. In a surprising turn of events, Paulie shows up and saves the gang with his own expertise, revealing that he had been in on the plan all along. It was his way of rooting out disloyalty within the DiMeo family and showing his own bravery to the higher-ups.
However, Paulie admits that none of his crew are involved with the John Gotti ghost;neither is Johnny Sack. Fred, Daphne and Velma are telling the mafia bosses a story of a mystery in LA, which Johnny remembers seeing on the news but can't believe that ghosts are real. As
Fred, Daphne, and Velma are telling the mafia bosses a story of a mystery in LA, which Johnny remembers seeing on the news but can't believe that ghosts are real. Scooby and Shaggy, who are separated from the rest of the gang, stumble upon John Gotti's ghost and are chased by him. They eventually end up in the main dining area, where they run into the rest of the gang. After a series of hijinks, including Scooby and Shaggy disguising themselves as chefs and serving John Gotti's ghost spaghetti, the gang is able to trap and lay the ghost to rest.
After solving the mystery, the gang returns to Paulie's house to reveal the truth behind the hauntings. They explain that the ghost of John Gotti was summoned by a rival gang to scare Paulie out of the business. Paulie and Tony Soprano himself thank the gang for their help and offer them a generous payment. The gang accepts and quickly leaves, with Scooby and Shaggy slightly scared of Tony. As they drive away in the Mystery Machine, the gang reflects on the adventure and the spooky encounters they had.
Voice Cast:
Frank Welker: Fred Jones/Scooby Doo
Matthew Illiard:Norville "Shaggy" Rogers"
Mindy Cohn: Velma Dinkley
Grey DeLisle: Daphne Blake
Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri: Tony Sirico
Artie Bucco:John Ventimiglia
Johnny Sack: Vince Curatola
Ghost of John Gotti: Al Pacino
Ghost mobster #1: Al Yanovick
Ghost mobster #2: Rob Paulsen III
Ghost mobster #3:Tim Conway
Ghost mobster #4: Arsenio Hall
Tony Soprano:James Gandolfini
Trivia/notes.
During the pre-production of "Paulie's Hauntings," the casting director was on the hunt for a suitable voice actor for the role of John Gotti's ghost infamous mobster who had died only a few years prior. iconic character
After much deliberation and suggestions from James Gandolfini, it was decided that the legendary Al Pacino would be the perfect fit for the part.
However, it was a surprise to the production team when Pacino's agents asked for a considerably small fee of $19,000 for his role. This was unexpected as Pacino had just finished wrapping up several films which had become best-sellers, including "Righteous Kill" and "The Last Boss," both of which debuted at #1 and were considered critical successes.
Pacino himself stated that as he hadn't done enough voice acting to earn his usual fee, the money should be donated to charities in Italian-American neighbourhoods, including children's play park developments and hospitals. This move by Pacino showed not only his generosity but also his commitment to giving back to his community.
During the pre-production of "Paulie's Hauntings," the casting director was on the hunt for a suitable voice actor for the role of Tony Soprano, the iconic character from the hit TV series "The Sopranos." After much deliberation, it was decided that the legendary Al Pacino would be the perfect fit for the part.
However, it was a surprise to the production team when Pacino's agents asked for a considerably small fee of $19,000 for his role. This was unexpected as Pacino had just finished wrapping up several films which had become best-sellers, including "Righteous Kill" and "The Last Boss," both of which debuted at #1 and were considered critical successes.
Pacino himself stated that as he hadn't done enough voice acting to earn his usual fee, the money should be donated to charities in Italian-American neighbourhoods, including children's play park developments and hospitals. This move by Pacino showed not only his generosity but also his commitment to giving back to his community. The production team was thrilled to have Pacino on board and impressed by his dedication to his craft and community. They worked closely with him to ensure that his performance as John Gotti was authentic and true to the man himself, while, according to some sources, though never verified, consulted with Gotti's son ensuring no offence or disrespect would be felt, allegedly seeking permission to write as well as produce the script.
Reception:
Paulie's Hauntings" was a commercial success, grossing over $80 million worldwide with a budget of $20 million for special effects, using HBO's sets for "The Sopranos" as well as for the extensive voice cast. The film was praised for its clever blend of humour, suspense, and action, and for its unique take on the classic Scooby-Doo formula. Debuting at #1 worldwide for five weeks, falling into #2 after eight weeks, Warner-Bros would release "Paulie's Hauntings" in cinema following its critical successes on DVD through word of mouth as well as trailer promotion via cartoon network during ad-breaks. Continuing it's success for another two weeks, this only further convinced Warner Bros to continue with their "Six Experimental DVD's" and overall gritter tone for Scooby Doo.
We open on a dark alley in New York City, where Paulie Walnuts, a member of the DiMeo family, is being followed by a spooky apparition. Paulie runs into a nearby phone booth and frantically dials the number for the Scooby-Doo gang, who are currently solving a mystery in nearby Brooklyn. Paulie explains his situation to the gang and hires them to investigate the hauntings that have been terrorising him. They arrange to meet at Nuovo Vesuvio, where Shaggy and Scooby are eating everything in sight, sampling traditional Italian cuisine, much to Artie's distress. When Scooby apologies and begins talking to Shaggy, Artie collapses. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang, listening to Paulie's story, starts gathering clues, discovering that the hauntings are not just limited to Paulie's home, but also occurring in other businesses owned by the DiMeo family.
As the gang begins their investigation, they encounter a group of ghostly figures of John Gotti and his associates, who are clearly trying to scare Paulie out of the business. After some clever detective work, the gang discovers that the ghosts are actually a group of mafioso ghosts, led by the infamous Johnny Sack, who are working for a rival gang trying to force Paulie out of the neighbourhood
With the help of their trusty Mystery Machine and some quick thinking, the gang devises a plan to catch the ghosts in the act. They set up a trap using some of Artie's restaurant equipment and successfully captured the ghosts. Fred and Velma gather enough evidence to confirm that the rival gang is behind the hauntings, and they set a trap to catch the ghosts in the act. The trap goes awry when Johnny Sack and his ghostly crew capture the gang and tie them up. In a surprising turn of events, Paulie shows up and saves the gang with his own expertise, revealing that he had been in on the plan all along. It was his way of rooting out disloyalty within the DiMeo family and showing his own bravery to the higher-ups.
However, Paulie admits that none of his crew are involved with the John Gotti ghost;neither is Johnny Sack. Fred, Daphne and Velma are telling the mafia bosses a story of a mystery in LA, which Johnny remembers seeing on the news but can't believe that ghosts are real. As
Fred, Daphne, and Velma are telling the mafia bosses a story of a mystery in LA, which Johnny remembers seeing on the news but can't believe that ghosts are real. Scooby and Shaggy, who are separated from the rest of the gang, stumble upon John Gotti's ghost and are chased by him. They eventually end up in the main dining area, where they run into the rest of the gang. After a series of hijinks, including Scooby and Shaggy disguising themselves as chefs and serving John Gotti's ghost spaghetti, the gang is able to trap and lay the ghost to rest.
After solving the mystery, the gang returns to Paulie's house to reveal the truth behind the hauntings. They explain that the ghost of John Gotti was summoned by a rival gang to scare Paulie out of the business. Paulie and Tony Soprano himself thank the gang for their help and offer them a generous payment. The gang accepts and quickly leaves, with Scooby and Shaggy slightly scared of Tony. As they drive away in the Mystery Machine, the gang reflects on the adventure and the spooky encounters they had.
Voice Cast:
Frank Welker: Fred Jones/Scooby Doo
Matthew Illiard:Norville "Shaggy" Rogers"
Mindy Cohn: Velma Dinkley
Grey DeLisle: Daphne Blake
Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri: Tony Sirico
Artie Bucco:John Ventimiglia
Johnny Sack: Vince Curatola
Ghost of John Gotti: Al Pacino
Ghost mobster #1: Al Yanovick
Ghost mobster #2: Rob Paulsen III
Ghost mobster #3:Tim Conway
Ghost mobster #4: Arsenio Hall
Tony Soprano:James Gandolfini
Trivia/notes.
During the pre-production of "Paulie's Hauntings," the casting director was on the hunt for a suitable voice actor for the role of John Gotti's ghost infamous mobster who had died only a few years prior. iconic character
After much deliberation and suggestions from James Gandolfini, it was decided that the legendary Al Pacino would be the perfect fit for the part.
However, it was a surprise to the production team when Pacino's agents asked for a considerably small fee of $19,000 for his role. This was unexpected as Pacino had just finished wrapping up several films which had become best-sellers, including "Righteous Kill" and "The Last Boss," both of which debuted at #1 and were considered critical successes.
Pacino himself stated that as he hadn't done enough voice acting to earn his usual fee, the money should be donated to charities in Italian-American neighbourhoods, including children's play park developments and hospitals. This move by Pacino showed not only his generosity but also his commitment to giving back to his community.
During the pre-production of "Paulie's Hauntings," the casting director was on the hunt for a suitable voice actor for the role of Tony Soprano, the iconic character from the hit TV series "The Sopranos." After much deliberation, it was decided that the legendary Al Pacino would be the perfect fit for the part.
However, it was a surprise to the production team when Pacino's agents asked for a considerably small fee of $19,000 for his role. This was unexpected as Pacino had just finished wrapping up several films which had become best-sellers, including "Righteous Kill" and "The Last Boss," both of which debuted at #1 and were considered critical successes.
Pacino himself stated that as he hadn't done enough voice acting to earn his usual fee, the money should be donated to charities in Italian-American neighbourhoods, including children's play park developments and hospitals. This move by Pacino showed not only his generosity but also his commitment to giving back to his community. The production team was thrilled to have Pacino on board and impressed by his dedication to his craft and community. They worked closely with him to ensure that his performance as John Gotti was authentic and true to the man himself, while, according to some sources, though never verified, consulted with Gotti's son ensuring no offence or disrespect would be felt, allegedly seeking permission to write as well as produce the script.
Reception:
Paulie's Hauntings" was a commercial success, grossing over $80 million worldwide with a budget of $20 million for special effects, using HBO's sets for "The Sopranos" as well as for the extensive voice cast. The film was praised for its clever blend of humour, suspense, and action, and for its unique take on the classic Scooby-Doo formula. Debuting at #1 worldwide for five weeks, falling into #2 after eight weeks, Warner-Bros would release "Paulie's Hauntings" in cinema following its critical successes on DVD through word of mouth as well as trailer promotion via cartoon network during ad-breaks. Continuing it's success for another two weeks, this only further convinced Warner Bros to continue with their "Six Experimental DVD's" and overall gritter tone for Scooby Doo.
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