Andy Hallet Dead At 33

~Andy Hallet August 1975 - April 2009~

If this turns out to be a sick April Fool's joke... I officially hate the world.

Light your candles, my friends. It is time to grieve.

Andy Hallett, who played our beloved Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan, aka Lorne (The Host), has died of congestive heart disease at the age of 33. Hallett was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles after having problems breathing and died on Sunday, his agent Pat Brady announced.

Mr Brady said Hallett's death followed a 5-year battle with a heart condition. Andy proved himself a fan favorite from Angel, as Lorne, a green-skinned, red-horned good-guy Pylean Demon who ran a karaoke club (Caritas) and was an entertainment lawyer for Wolfram and Hart, who could read a person's aura when they sang.

He appeared in more than 70 episodes of Angel between 2000 and 2004.

This comes just 9 days after Alyson Hannigan (Willow from Buffy) gave birth to her first child, daughter Satyana Denisof, with husband Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Price, from Buffy and Angel), on March 24th, 2009- which was also Alyson Hannigan's 35th birthday. The loss must be a shock to both of them.

The wonderful guys at Cinequest are offering a deal, in honor of Andy. All orders of $25 or more will receive a free "The House Always Wins" Lorne action figure, so please, check that out.

Rest in Peace, Andy. We'll miss you.

Dr. Horrible News + Meet Felecia Day!

Dr. Horrible will soon be joining the much-loved tradition of the travelling sing-along, in the same fashion as the Once More With Feeling travelling sing-along. On February 11th, 2009, there is a Brew & View Dr. Horrible Sing-Along at the Majestic Theatre in Washington.

115 King St
Madison, WI 53703

Show is on February 11, 2009. Tickets $3 at the door.
Doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm.
Click here for directions, and here for a map.

The 43-minute musical, deemed by TIME magazine as one of 50 Top Inventions of 2008, will be accompanied by a Whedon-specific quiz, where you will be able to show off your knowledge of all things Buffy, Firefly, Angel and Dr. Horrible (and perhaps even answer a question or two about Dollhouse, which doesn't premiere until February 13th). There will also be a Whedonverse costume contest, in which you are encouraged and implored to mimic your favorite Whedonverse characters throughout the evening for a chance to win prizes at the end of the night. Last but not least, the evening will end with a special, top-secret screening. For all you know, it could be bunnies ... or maybe midgets.
Just to show the Majestic some extra support, Thriving Ivory is also performing on Valentine's Day (Saturday, February 14th @ 9pm - tickets are $10.41USD).

In other news: Thank you, thank you, thank you for your votes!
"We won! We won! And we didn’t even have to host the show! The people have chosen US!…and Kate Hudson for her amazing work in the Biggs/Cook starrer “My Best Friend’s Girl.” Not to mention “27 Dresses” their favorite comedy of the year. The choices for Best Drama? The Secret Life of Bees, 21 and Eagle Eye. The Secret Life of Bees won… but we all lose. I’m only kidding! For real! That whole thing was a joke! We are so proud to have won the award for Best (not user-generated) Web Sensation of 2008 or as I refer to it — The Most Specific Award in the history of mankind. We look forward to the competition for Best Web Series Starting with “Doctor” and ending with “Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.” Thank you all for voting for us. We are flattered. Oscar here we come… to view you… maybe… unless we’re working.
Sincerely (at least at times),
Doctors Horrible"

Some irritating, possibly saddening news for you all, the slated Dr. Horrible DVD may never make it into your hands. Amazon has been refunding pre-orders for the DVD, which was set for release on December 19th, and was declared as a delayed release when it failed to do so. Amazon recently put out a press release that deemed the DVD as being cancelled altogether. However, the Dr. Horrible team on the official website has posted news that this is not the case, and they are trying to determine what the complication is with the release of the DVD.
But there is an up-side! Sci-Fi Wire reports that in an interview, Joss Whedon has promised us more Dr. Horrible. He wasn't specific about what form it would be in, but we can look forward to it in the future. ‘It is my intention that we will see more of young Billy and his horrible schemes, and I have a very specific idea of what that’s going to be, but until I’m sure how I can roll it out, I will say nothing except that I’m definitely pursuing that,”

If you have money to burn, you can bid for your chance to meet Felecia Day in a live, one-on-one video chat! Click here for more information. Bid soon! They're up to $760USD, with 9 days to go!

Twilight News + Vote For Dr Horrible

Cast your vote for Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog on the "Favorite Online Sensation" category of the People's Choice Awards Website, or I'll make you my mare!


February 6-8, 2009 (Chicago, Illinois)

WYNDHAM O'HARE

6810 N. Mannheim Road

Rosemont, Illinois 60018

Convention Rescheduled, Tickets Now For Sale!
Please note new event dates. Fans of Twilight will gather for the Chicago Twilight Convention on February 6th, 7th and 8th, 2009 and have the opportunity to meet celebrity guests from the film (Peter Facinelli, Carlisle Cullen - Saturday Only; Kellan Lutz, Emmet Cullen; Ashley Greene, Alice Cullen). Events will include:

• Autograph Sessions (meet celebrity guests and receive a personally signed autograph)
• Photo-Op Sessions (pose for a photo with the celebrity guests)
• Panel Discussions
• Q&A's With The Celebrity Guests
• Parties (Forks Prom Party on Friday night, Vampire Costume Ball on Saturday)
• A Dealers Room
• Exclusive Receptions ...And more!

The 2009 Chicago Twilight will be held in the city where Edward Cullen was born! It will also take place at a convention center/hotel just minutes from Chicago O'Hare airport. A hotel room discount rate of only $99.00 has been arranged for Twilight fans - discount hotel registration, ticket sales info, and the first celebrity guests will be announced soon.
Call the Wyndham O'Hare at (847) 297-1234 and tell them you would like the “Flashback Weekend / Twilight” discount group room rate of $99.00. Please confirm with them that you have received the discount room rate of $99.00. If you have any problems receiving the discount rate, call Flashback Weekend at (847) 478-0119. The cut-off date to book your discount hotel room rate by is February 2, 2009. Please book your rooms as soon as possible, as they may sell out before the cut-off date.
You may purchase tickets online using PayPal on the http://www.flashbackweekend.com/ website, under TICKETS, located at the top of the page. You may also purchase ticket packages by phone by calling (847)-478-0119 from 9am-9pm (central time) daily. Visa and Mastercard accepted. Weekend package/autograph signing packages will be limited to a total of 800, so be sure to order your tickets as soon as possible!
This is an unofficial event and not associated with Stephenie Meyer, Hachette Book Group, or Summit Entertainment.

Found on Google:
Jennifer's Body is a horror movie currently in production (due in theatres on September 18th, 2009), starring Megan Fox and featuring the talents of Amanda Seyfried and Adam Brody. It is about a newly possessed cheerleader, who turns into a killer who specializes in offing her male classmates.

SMG Returns To TV!!!

5 long years after Emmy Award-Winning actress, Sarah Michelle Gellar departed from television as the lead role on Joss Whedon's acclaimed Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Variety has announced that she will return to the tube. Gellar will star in and executive produce The Wonderful Maladys on HBO. The New York-based ensemble series will centre on 3 dysfunctional siblings in their adulthood, who were orphaned at a young age. Variety also reports that Gellar's character will possess "a kind of zealous immaturity – like a drug addict with a to-do list.” HBO has bought the script and aims to shoot the single-camera pilot early next year.

***

In other news, four new cast members are joining True Blood. TV Guide has reported that True Blood, HBO’s new vampire series, is adding cast members for its 2nd season. Guest stars Mehcad Brooks, Todd Lowe (Terry), Deborah Ann Woll (Jessica) and Michelle Forbes (Maryann) will become series regulars, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The four will appear in the Season 1 finale, which will introduce Brooks as Benedict "Eggs" Talley, a mellow guitarist who’s had a tough life.

Christophe Beck - Sacrifice (Ultimix)

I got bored, and upon buying my most precious copy of the Buffy Score, mixed the two versions of 'Sacrifice' (original, track 22 from "Once More With Feeling" and alternate version, track 29 from "Buffy: The Score") into one, full song. It's simple, but it works. I used GoldWave, Nero Wave Editor and Windows SoundFile.

This music is intellectual property of Christophe Beck and 20th Century Fox. I do not own the rights to this song, or to any music used in Buffy The Vampire Slayer (the series or the film). I do not make claim to any ownership, writing credit or royalties from any of the material used. This piece of music was edited and posted for fan appreciation purposes only. If you own this material, or own the rights to this material and would like it removed, just send me an email and I will be happy to remove it. Thank you.

Conversations With A Ouija Board + Buffy Tarot

First question for the spirits: When will we see more Firefly?

Dark Horse Comics announced in May of this year that the publisher will be producing a set of tarot cards and ouija board based on the Buffy property. It's set to release this September with a price between $15 to $30.

From the official press release:
Named for an award-winning episode from Season Seven of the BVS television series—and written by Buffy Season Eight: Wolves at the Gate author Drew Goddard—the Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board is a great game for fans, in this world and the next, to communicate with each other about life, death, and other mysteries. In the tradition of the Sunnydale Hellmouth, through which countless entities gained entry, fearless souls can let voices from the other side guide the planchette along the board to spell out the answers to their queries. Folks can channel their inner Willow and hone their witchy skills, providing hours of fun for the whole séance! Accompanying the game board and planchette, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board includes an exclusive, comic-style instruction book featuring sequential art by Buffy SeasonEight guest illustrator Paul Lee!

ComicBookResources ran an interview a while back with the tarot set designer, Rachel Pollack, and Buffy comic series cover artist Paul Lee, who provided art for the cards. The interview also features a bit more of the art from the cards, so be sure to check it out.
Over at Occasional Superheroine, Valerie D'Orazio also has a few additional pieces of art from the tarot set, and offers up some thoughts about the amount of flesh on display by the Buffy crew throughout the deck. She also offers her services as a tarot reader -- so keep that in mind.

Buffy: The Score + True Blood

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Score (Soundtrack by Christophe Beck)

Music by Christophe Beck. Buffy fans rejoice! The Emmy-winning score to the cult hit show is here! Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Score features 29 tracks, including 'Massacre' (the Emmy-winning score from Season 2 episode 'Becoming'), 'Loneliness of Six' (from Season 3 episode 'Lover’s Walk'), and 'Haunted' (from Season 4 episode 'Fear Itself'), all scored, mixed, and produced by longtime Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and Angel) composer Christophe Beck.

Product Details
Audio CD
Release Date: 09/09/08 (US) & 09/16/08 (Canada)
# of Discs: 1
Format: Soundtrack
Label: Rounder
ASIN: B001DMW2AK

Track Listing
1. Massacre (from "Becoming")
2. Angel Waits (from "Passion")
3. Remembering Jenny (from "Passion")
4. Twice the Fool (from "Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered")
5. Moment of Happiness (from "Innocence")
6. Loneliness of Six (from "Lover's Walk")
7. Sugar High (from "Band Candy")
8. Tai Chi (from "Band Candy")
9. Kralik's House (from "Helpless")
10. Magic Snow Music (from "Amends")
11. Slayer's Elegy (from "The Wish")
12. Faith's End (from "Graduation Day")
13. Drink Me (from "Graduation Day")
14. One Last Moment (from "Graduation Day")
15. Haunted (from "Fear Itself")
16. From the Grave (from "This Year's Girl")
17. Demon Got Your Tongue (from "Hush")
18. Golf Claps (from "Hush")
19. The Princess Screams (from "Hush")
20. Spellbound (from "Who Are You?")
21. Fyarl in the Morning (from "A New Man")
22. A Really Big Sandbox (from "Restless")
23. Spaghetti (from "Restless")
24. Body Paint (from "Restless")
25. Xander's Nightmare (from "Restless")
26. The Tower (from "The Gift")
27. Losing Battle (from "The Gift")
28. Apocalypse (from "The Gift")
29. Sacrifice (alternate version, from "The Gift")

OMG, OMG, OMG!!! I HAVE WANTED THIS FOR SOOOO LONG! *JINKIES!!* Also, don't forget to tune into HBO and watch True Blood. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to update before the pilot episode aired. If you missed it, hopefully you'll be able to catch a rerun. In the meantime, to tide yourselves over until episode 2, check out the True Blood Wiki!