Category: news

Sharpe in India

It has been pointed out to me that the new Sharpe series is in fact set two years after Waterloo (ie 1817) and not in the 1790s like the books. So some of my comments were slightly out of kilter.

Sean Bean is back as the swashbuckling hero in Sharpe’s Challenge, an action packed mini-series to be shot on location in Rajasthan, India. Two years after the Duke of Wellington crushes Napoleon at Waterloo, dispatches from India tell of a local Maharaja, Khande Rao, who is threatening British interests there.

Therefore Harper can be with Sharpe no problem as can Simmerson. They are I guess part of the main story and won’t be used as flashbacks.

Also it avoids the issue of how to make Sean Bean look twenty years younger…

Andreas Katsulas died

G’Kar no more…

Andreas Katsulas, whose striking Greek visage was often obscured by prosthetic makeup in his several sci-fi roles, died on Monday, February 13, of lung cancer at the age of 59.

Science fiction fans know him well as the Narn ambassador “G’Kar” in Babylon 5. His numerous other TV credits include spots on Alien Nation, Max Headroom, Millennium, Diagnosis Murder, NYPD Blue, etc.

Katsulas also played the recurring role of the Romulan “Commander Tomalak” in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes “The Enemy,” “The Defector,” “Future Imperfect” and “All Good Things…”

Katsulas also had his share of movie roles, and perhaps his most famous was the notorious one-armed man “Frederick Sykes” in “The Fugitive” with Harrison Ford.

Of working-class Greek and American heritage, Katsulas was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and caught the acting bug at age 4. He earned his master’s degree in theater from Indiana University, and performed on stage in St. Louis, New York and Boston before being cast by Michael Cimino in “The Sicilian.” That started his Hollywood career, where his scowl and furrowed brow landed him mostly villainous parts, such as a ruthless mobster in Ridley Scott’s “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and a terrorist leader in “Executive Decision” with Kurt Russell and Steven Seagal.

Katsulas is survived by his second wife, whom he married less than a year ago, and a daughter and a son from his first marriage. Funeral services are pending in his native St. Louis.

G'Kar

Sharpe’s Challenge

A comment from Simon during a recent game about Sharpe in an ITV advert for new drama, made me do a little internet searching and I found out about Sharpe’s Challenge.

Sharpe is back on the telly in an all-new mini-series based in India.

Sharpe's Challenge

Sharpe’s Challenge will be on ITV on the 23rd and 24th April and BBC Worldwide will be showing it in other parts of the world.

Plot

Sean Bean is back as the swashbuckling hero in Sharpe’s Challenge, an action packed mini-series to be shot on location in Rajasthan, India. Two years after the Duke of Wellington crushes Napoleon at Waterloo, dispatches from India tell of a local Maharaja, Khande Rao, who is threatening British interests there. Wellington sends Sharpe to investigate on what turns out to be his most dangerous mission to date. When a beautiful general’s daughter is kidnapped by the Indian warlord, the tension mounts, leaving Sharpe no option but to pursue the enemy right into its deadly lair. Deep in the heart of enemy territory he also has to keep at bay the beautiful but scheming Regent, Madhuvanthi, who is out to seduce him. The fate of an Empire and the life of a General’s daughter lie in one man’s hands….

Sharpe's Challenge

Sean Bean is back as Sharpe, and Daragh O’Malley plays Patrick Harper (which is different to the books as Sharpe does not meet Harper in the books until Portugal). Michael Cochrane is also back as General Sir Henry Simmerson!

I wonder if these characters are in the main plot (hope so) and not just used as flashback excuse.

Update: Get Sharpe’s Challenge at Amazon.

Games Workshop Release Dates first half of 2006…

Taken from dakkadakka forum. These seem to be US release dates:

12/19/05
White Dwarf 312
Dwarf Battalion

01/02/06
Dwarf Army Book

01/09/06
Dwarf Runelord
Dwarf Warriors

01/16/06
Dwarf Master Engineer
Dwarf Lord With Great Weapon

01/23/06
Dwarf Joseph Bugman
Dwarf Grudge Thrower

01/30/06
Dwarf Lord With Hammer And Shield
White Dwarf 313
Dwarf Cannon
Dwarf Thunderers
Black Templars Chapter Upgrade

02/06/06
Dwarf Slayer Lord
Dwarf Slayer Command
Dwarf Slayers Blister
Dwarf Slayers Box

02/13/06
Dwarf Bolt Thrower
Wood Grove Pack

02/27/06
Dwarf Lord With Pistol And Axe
Dwarf Thorgrim Grudgebearer On Throne
White Dwarf 314

03/13/06
Tau Ethereal Caste
Codex Tau Empire

03/20/06
Tau Crisis Battlesuit Commander

03/27/06
Tau Pathfinders With Rail Rifles
White Dwarf 315
Tau Sniper Drone Team
Fallen Giant Template (Tentative)
Tau Piranha

04/10/06
Giant

04/17/06
Tyranid Lictor – Death Leaper
Vostroyan Platoon
Tyranid Biovore

04/24/06
Tau Vespid Stingwings
Tau Vespid Stingwings
Tau Aun Va , Master Of The Undying Spirit
White Dwarf 316

05/01/06
Fall Of Medusa Five
Tau Sky Ray
Imperial Guard Vostroyan Firstborn
Tau Commander Shadowsun

05/08/06
Vostroyan Lascannon Team
Imperial Guard Vostroyan Command Squad

05/15/06
Vostroyan Mortar Team
Vostroyan Officers

05/22/06
Vostroyan Assault Weapons

05/29/06
Ork Kommando With Burner
Razor Wire
Cities Of Death Battlemat
40k Buildings: Imperial City
40k Expansion: Cities Of Death
White Dwarf 317
Urban Basing Kit

Happy Christmas

I hope (if you were celebrating) that you had a good Christmas.

I certainly did and managed to get a nice lot of *toys* and more paint.

I was given a Forgeworld Warhammer Cottage, a Chaos Rhino (which I am going to convert into a Ork Looted Rhino of course before you think I have gone over to the dark side), a Mek Boy (to manage the project). My mother-in-law got me a Killa Kan, whilst my son bought me some reinforcements for my DaemonHunters army. I also got a Wartrakk as well. Overall lots of lovely models to build and paint.

Xbox 360

I had a chance today to see the Xbox 360 in action today, available for testing at two games stores. I don’t normally play video games much (I have an original PlayStation with Bubble Bobble).

I was very impressed with the graphics.

The gameplay on Need for Speed was quite good, though again the graphics were impressive.

I also saw call of duty which looked great, but I didn’t get a chance to play.

I can see why people queued up for them (and are willing to pay over the odds on eBay).

War of the Worlds

it’s okay…

Saw Spielberg’s War of the Worlds on Friday night which stars Tom Cruise.

In many ways it is a summer blockbuster in the traditions of Jurassic Park, however I thought it was okay.

Maybe I was expecting more from the film, maybe I was hoping that it would be excellent.

Maybe my view was coloured by the fact that I like the concept behind H G Wells’ original book and would like to have seen it set in England in the 19th Century (though there is the Pendragon production).

For some reason I could not see Tom Cruise as a believable blue collar worker. Tim Robbins was rather wasted as well.

The effects were good, but a film has to be more than effects.

It was okay, I did enjoy it, but it was not a film to remember.