• Music: "Hold On," Sarah McLachlan

The Stage, The Screen, and Science Fiction

As a devotee of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the Gothic tradition, and most especially early science fiction, I'm extremely excited about Nick Dear's new stage adaptation of Frankenstein, which will run next year at the National Theatre. Not only is it being directed by Danny Boyle (of 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire fame), but the play also stars Benedict Cumberbatch (from my favorite current series, Sherlock) and Jonny Lee Miller (from Dexter), who will alternate the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature. Fortunately, as part of the National Theatre Live series, a live performance of Frankenstein will be shown in select movie theaters in the United States. More details are here. I'm looking forward to it!

Speaking of science fiction (and, for that matter, reanimated bodies), the terrific Fringe will be in a new time slot when it returns to the Fox Network next month. It's the dreaded Friday night slot of death, I'm sad to say. Fox has responded to fan outrage, though, with an "In Your Face, Fox-Hater!" promo that's certainly worth a watch:




Last but not least, Turner Classic Movies creates an annual video in memory of those in the film industry who died during the year. (Last year's is here.) This is "TCM Remembers 2010":



"Fine. If you end up breaking the universe, this time it's on your head."
- Walter Bishop, Fringe, "6955 kHz"