Real Back to the Future Hoverboard?!

Source: Popular Science

Not really, but kind of ...

Seeing as it is kind of a slow news day (public holiday, or did you forget?) I figured sharing this would be alright.

French Artist/Purveyor of Awesomeness Nils Guadagnin has constructed a replica of Marty McFly's hoverboard in an exhibit he calls; wait for it, "Back to the Future".

Try to contain your excitement!

While it is only an art exhibit it does hover, thanks to a series of electromagnets and a laser stabilization system. No, it can't carry you around, but it can correct itself and be bumped around a bit which is still pretty cool I guess.

As cool as this whole hoverboard exhibit is, I can't help but picture it as a bitter reminder that I never got to have one and that we only have until 2015 to make hoverboards a reality. Get to it smart people! Don't make Back to the Future II a liar!

Watch you childhood dream become a reality ... sort of:

So the deaf may hear ...

Source: Gizmodo

There are a lot of misconceptions about what it exactly means to be deaf. Just because a person is deaf does not mean they can't register sound, they just do so in different ways such as by feel.

German designer Frederik Podzuweit is looking for a way to harness that method of feeling sound and he has done so in a most literally. His new device, which in a true German fashion, he simply calls "Music for deaf people" is a collar that is worn around the shoulders. This collar transmits the music to the listener via vibrations which allows the wearer to feel the music.

Just because you are deaf or severely hard of hearing should not prevent you from enjoying the experience of music. The concept collar has volume controls, tabs to switch between tracks and your standard inputs for MP3 players. It is made to be worn snugly around the neck and over the shoulders which would mean versatility and security.

Now everyone can all rock out to some Beethoven or, if classical music isn't exactly your jam, maybe some Evelyn Glennie who are only two of many accomplished deaf musicians.

Rock on!

Hurt Locker Sues!

Source: Gizmodo

They aren't going to take it any more.

The Hurt Locker Producers finally are backing up their threats of lawsuits against people who illegally downloaded last years Academy Award winning film with an actual lawsuit.

They are sending a pretty serious message by filing lawsuits against 5,000 (Yes, three zeros!) individuals. The suit calls for the destruction of all illegal digital copies of the film and the payment to Voltage Pictures, producer of The Hurt Locker, for damages and legal fees. While 5,000 lawsuits is no joke it was initially supposed to be much higher, God knows that there are more than 5,000 people who took the free route in getting The Hurt Locker.

This may only be a start in what can easily become a long and ugly battle for copyrights, and while this type of lawsuit is not anything new to Hollywood it is to date the largest in scale and growing.

The film industry is serious business, and if they choose to do so the gloves can come off, but I doubt this is the final showdown between Hollywood and illegal downloading and only upscale in weapons that will take more than a bomb defusal kit to neutralize.

Flash Gordon

Source: Blu-ray.com

On June 15th see the Savior of the Universe battle tyrant Ming the Merciless of the planet Mongo on glorious Blu-ray.

Director Mike Hodges' 1980 take on the Flash Gordon 1930's sci-fi comic and film serials had it all; cheesy special effects, campy acting and costumes that suit Lady Gaga more than an interstellar hero. It is a movie that does not take itself seriously, full of tongue-in-cheek humor and general ridiculousness, and is just plain fun.

But if there is a single thing that makes this film awesome it is the Queen score which could possibly be the greatest soundtrack of all time. I am not ashamed to say that I have rocked out to their Flash Gordon theme on more than one occasion, at least not totally ashamed.

30 years later and this is a movie continues to entertain and with the Blu-ray release you will of course get some extras.

Extras Include:

• Alex Ross, comic artist who did the cover artwork for the Blu-ray, talks about Flash Gordon
• Writing a Classic: Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr.
• Original episode of the Flash Gordon 1936 serial
• BD Live and more

For your viewing pleasure and to get your Memorial Weekend off to a rocking start here is the original trailer for Flash Gordon:

Afro Samurai: Complete Murder Sessions

Source: Blu-ray.com

Afro? Check.

Badass samurai anime? Check.

Samuel L. Jackson's voice? Hell yeah!

June 22nd will see the release of Afro Samurai on Blu-ray for the first time in a two disc complete collection. This new collection will feature all five episodes of the first season along with a director's cut of the film Afro Samurai: Resurrection that features stuff that you didn't see on Spike TV version.

In a classic tale of justice, revenge and honor Afro Samurai is anything but cliche. A blend of traditional samurai lore, fresh beats and more than it's fair share cool. Uniquely animated and with superb voice acting with the likes or the aforementioned Jackson along with Mark Hamill and Lucy Liu it is going to be hard to find something negative to say about the most badass film samurai this side of Toshiro Mifune.

Sharpen up your funkatana with a slew of extras that were included in the individual initial releases:

• In the Booth, behind the scenes with the voice talent
• RZA Music Production Tour, the music of Afro Samurai
• Afro In-Depth, interview with creator Takeshi Okazaki
• Afro Samurai: East Meets West, a two part look into all of those involved in the creation of the series
• The Comic-Con Panel Discussion, and much more!

Roger Corman Cult Classics

Source: Blu-ray.com

You interested in such fare as Piranha and Humanoids from the Deep on Blu-ray? Well then Shout! Factory has a double serving for you come August 3rd!

Piranha was released in 1978 and has all of the camp that goes along with that glorious decade of horror cinema. This is the film that inspired the infamous James Cameron sequel and the much anticipated Piranha 3D coming out later this summer.

Extras include:

• Commentary with Director Joe Dante and Producer Jon Davison
• Behind the Scenes Footage
• Making of Piranha Featurette
• Additional Scenes from the Network Television Version
• Original Theatrical Trailer, with Commentary

Humanoids from the Deep was the New World World Pictures follow up two years after the success of Piranha. The gore fest flirted with an "X" rating at the time and controversy surrounded the release which had to be heavily edited, but now with this Blu-ray release you can finally see the film as it was made to be seen.

Extras include:

• Never Before Seen Deleted Scenes
• Leonard Maltin interview with Roger Corman on the making of Humanoids
• The Making of Humanoids of the Deep Featurette