Friday, January 20, 2012
"John Carter" Fun Fact Fridays
Barsoom-bound … Disney's action-adventure sci-fi fantasy "John Carter" opens in theaters nationwide March 9. Test your Barsoomian brains on everything JC with these little-known factoids.
• “John Carter” is based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ first novel, “A Princess of Mars.” An American writer born in Chicago, Burroughs is best known for writing and creating “Tarzan,”one of the most successful and iconic fictional characters of all time.
• This year marks the 100th anniversary of John Carter, the original space hero featured in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ 11-volume “Barsoom” series. This heroic character has thrilled generations with his adventures on Mars.
• Numerous filmmakers have tried to make movies based on “A Princess of Mars" since 1935 -- the first being an animated feature film by Bob Clampett of “Beany and Cecil” fame. If produced, it would have been America’s first full-length animated film, rather than Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” which premiered in 1937.
Monday, January 17, 2012
"John Carter" Character Reveal Mondays
The countdown to "John Carter" is on! Since the world of Barsoom will be revealed to audiences March 9, we've prepared a quick rundown of some of the characters -- human and otherwise -- you'll encounter on the big screen.
MEET JOHN CARTER
A former Confederate army captain, Virginia-born John Carter harbors personal defeat after enduring the ravages of the Civil War. When inexplicably transported to Mars (known to its inhabitants as "Barsoom"), the disheartened hero realizes he possesses incredible newfound strength and jumping abilities due to the strange planet's low center of gravity.
He becomes embroiled in a political conflict of epic proportions between ally Tars Tarkis, the fierce green Martian leader, and Princess Dejah Thoris, a beautiful ruler determined to destroy all enemies.
An atmospheric catastrophe leads John on a mission to save the Martian species from extinction and, in the process, restores his faith in humanity.
Check back next Monday for more on the characters of "John Carter."
