The Scene by Seymore Flix

Marvelous Marvel Movies

Founded in 1939 as Timely Comics, Marvel Comics really hit its modern-day stride in the 1960s, when Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko began to develop the superhero characters so well known as today's cinema stars and box office movers.

Movie Stars of Today

Now owned by Disney, which acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009, Marvel's main competitor in the comic world is DC Comics.  Each holds about 1/3 of the comics market; however, Marvel has it all over DC when it comes to the silver screen. Why? Because Marvel has always focused on its superhero characters as 'real' people. Although having super powers there are portrayed with frailties and flaws and given to human emotions - that is what makes them so appealing.  It was Marvel's depiction of  the flawed superhero which revolutionized the comic genre and brought forth the worldwide mega-success of  the superhero films of today. In fact, Marvel comic based movies represent the highest-grossing franchises in film history, generating over $15 billion globally to date and, I believe, we have just seen the tip of the dollar iceberg with these films.

 First Marvel Superhero Comic - 1939

The first successful Marvel comic based film was 'Blade', released in 1998. It was followed by 'X-Men' in 2000 and it has been non-stop box office blockbusters one after the other since. Sequels are prevalent but new heroes are introduced as well. This year, 'Captain America', 'Spider Man', 'X-Men', and 'Guardians of the Galaxy' have grossed over $2.2 billion worldwide and still counting.  Next year, Marvel films will include a second 'Avengers', another 'Fantastic Four'  and the introduction of new heroes in the films "Ant-Man', and 'Doctor Strange'.  Disney has already announced the future production of a third 'Captain America', a new 'X-Men', and sequels for the 'Sinister Six', 'Wolverine' 'Fantastic Four', 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and 'Spider Man'.

Add to this Disney's planned release of three new 'Star Wars' films and other films based upon DC Comic heroes, like Superman, not to mention the three 'Avatar' sequels in the works and you get a continued stream of films to quench the entertainment thirst of moviegoers for the high-impact, fantasy movies which drive today's box office.


'La Fin Du Topless Sur La Plage ?'

Bardot on the Riviera

Or, 'Is this the end of toplessness on the beach?'  Ever since movie starlets like Brigitte Bardot took off  their tops on the French Riviera in the 1960s, topless sunbathing has been common-place on most European beaches and resorts. However, Elle, the French fashion magazine, says the era of toplessness is over - fin!

Elle, says the reason is three-fold: an increased concern over health and dangers of sun on the skin, the "pornified" perception of topless women, and third the rise of breast-affiliated activism which use naked breasts as a means of attracting attention to various women's causes.  Now, very few women are opting to go topless on the beach, in fact only 2% of women under 35 said they now go topless.

I believe that social networks have played a huge role in this whole issue. Go topless - and you can bet your bikini your image will end up on Facebook or YouTube. Hey, what's a family photo album without Grandma topless.  Add sun damage to gravity to the mix and what have you got? The end of the topless era. What a shame.

Fox Lashes Out

Fox on set of 'Turtles'

Megan Fox told the press that moviegoers who criticize 'Transformers' and 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' should "f -off".  At an L.A. press conference, Fox, who stars in both films, told reporters that fans should be lining up to see the "turtles" as they did for the 'Transformers'.  "These people complain but they go to the theatre. They're gonna love it - and if they don't love it, they can f-off, and that's the end of that."

This latest release will be the fifth in the TMNT franchise and has hit the silver screen with a massive upfront marketing blitz with TV ads, talk-show appearances, and on-line everything.  Fox has a point, 'Transformers' has grossed well over $1 billion globally despite very bad reviews and an 18% favorable viewer rating. It seems that any movie related to superheroes is cinema gold at the moment no matter the plot or character development - it's just what the public craves at this time. It appears to be a need to forget real-life issues and be brought into fantasy worlds dominated with super-powered people, talking  animals, robots, and futuristic worlds.

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Seymore Flix