Allan Duffin - Writer/Producer

New article in Leatherneck Magazine about HBO's "The Pacific"

I had the privilege of writing the cover story for this month's issue of Leatherneck Magazine, the official publication of the Marine Corps Association. HBO's new 10-hour TV miniseries "The Pacific," which follows the wartime exploits of three World War II Marines, premieres this month.

Many thanks to the following folks who took time out of their busy schedules to do interviews for the article: Bruce McKenna, co-executive producer and writer; Captain Dale Dye, USMC (Ret.), senior military advisor; Penny Rose, costume designer; and actor Jon Seda, who portrays legendary Marine "Manila John" Basilone. HBO's media relations staff was equally giving of their time and assistance -- thank you so much!

You can take a look at this issue of Leatherneck by clicking here, but you'll need a subscription to read the entire article.

Thanks also to Colonel Walt Ford, USMC (Ret.), the editor of Leatherneck, who's a terrific boss. He loves his job, and it shows.

100 Cheesiest Movie Quotes of All Time

Just plain fun. Compiled by Pajiba.com.

Getting your car fixed doesn't have to be a Broadway musical

Fortunately my mechanic doesn't sing. Or dance. At least I don't think he does.

(Via roflrazzi.com)

Adam Donshik in writer/director Scott Cervine's short film "Symbiotaxiplasm"

Great news! Actor Adam Donshik won the Best Actor award at the Elevate Film Festival held on October 5th at the Nokia Theatre here in Los Angeles. Adam appeared in writer/director Scott Cervine's terrific short film "Symbiotaxiplasm." (That's Scott's photo on the left, Adam on the right.)

You can view the film by going to Adam's website: www.donshik.com. Enjoy!

Here's a still from the film: Adam's character just bought a Prius, and he drives it to [SPOILER] and then [SPOILER]. (Just watch the film, okay?)

Not Over "The Wire"

I wish, how I wish, that "The Wire" got its due. Last night's Emmys really should have recognized this show for its energetic, multi-layered storytelling, compelling characters and gritty location shooting. I'm glad that HBO saw fit to let the show run for five years.

Created by journalist-turned-writer/producer David Simon — whose book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets inspired NBC's classic 1990s Baltimore cop show "Homicide: Life On the Street" — "The Wire" asked tough questions about today's society.

The show took a hard look at how politics, economics, business and government meshed with daily life for Baltimore cops, union members, educators, journalists, gang leaders and others. Because the series featured multiple plotlines that crisscrossed repeatedly over its five-year run, it's difficult to describe "The Wire" in ten words or less. A cop show? At its heart, sure. But at its best, the series was a realistic though fictionalized examination of the fabric of inner-city life — an indictment against greed and corruption, and a call for us to pay attention to the slow, painful deterioration of formerly thriving communities.

Bruce Campbell's new movie finally releases

After more than a year, Bruce Campbell's new indie feature, "My Name is Bruce," finally hits theaters this fall. And Bruce kicks off a national tour in October to screen the film and take questions from the audience. Color me so happy!

"My Name is Bruce" is the heroic struggle of a small mining town (Gold Lick, Oregon) to rid itself of a vengeful monster. Guan-di (Jamie Peck), the Chinese god of war and protector of the dead, has been unleashed by cemetery desecrating teenagers to protect the graves of Chinese miners lost in a deadly cave-in of yesteryear.

The deadly demon’s mission is to eradicate all those who transgressed against the tomb (relatives included), which is virtually the entire population of Gold Lick. The inbred community has to find a solution so Jeff (Taylor Sharpe), the sole survivor of a deadly Guan-Di encounter, takes it upon himself to kidnap his idol, Bruce Campbell (Bruce Campbell), star of countless B-movie horror films, and recruit him to be their local savior.

The tour schedule is available at Bruce's website. More Bruce Campbell news appears at Bruce Campbell News Central.

"Staging the Perfect Performance" in DramaBiz Magazine

The July/August issue of DramaBiz Magazine features my article about staging equipment for the theatre. I'm always curious about the hardware that makes the magic, and wow is there a lot of available hardware:

A variety of choices are available depending on your theatre’s requirements and available budget. Vendors like StageRight, Inc., in Clare, Mich., create portable staging equipment like choral, band, and seating risers; pit fillers; orchestra enclosures; acoustical shells; and trap floor covers. According to Kathleen Meadowcroft, sales research specialist and trade show manager for the company, the firm benefits from having its manufacturing and distributing operations located under one roof. Similarly, Serapid, Inc., builds equipment like its LinkLift series of theatrical lifts at its facility in Sterling Heights, Mich., a suburb of Detroit.

Read the entire article here.

Shatner/Hasselhoff '08

Oh yeah. You heard the rumors. You eagerly awaited the kickoff. Now it's here.

If the upcoming 2008 presidential election is confusing to you, check out the newest candidates: Shatner/Hasselhoff. They have the talent. They have the credits. And now they have a website.

I would comment further but I just watched the video below and am too busy laughing my ass off. Kudos to the brains behind this spectacular campaign.

(Via For Your Entertainment)

And don't forget this previously announced candidate:

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Joss Whedon has a new web series premiering soon. Titled "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog," it's a ... well, let me quote from the website:

During the WGA strike Joss Whedon started writing a three part musical series for the internet. Each of the three episodes will be approximately ten minutes each.

Co-writers for the internet feature are Joss’ brothers Zack and Jed and Jed’s Fiancé Maurissa Tancharoen . The writing and shooting have been completed and the series is now in post-production.

“It’s the story of a low-rent super-villain, the hero who keeps beating him up, and the cute girl from the laundromat he’s too shy to talk to.” says Whedon.

“Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” will star Neil Patrick Harris as Dr. Horrible, Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer, Felicia Day as Penny and a cast of dozens.”

Trailer below:

Robert Lansing's movie "An Eye for an Eye" releases on DVD

Paige Schoolcraft's fan site for actor Robert Lansing has an announcement about the DVD release of an obscure western he starred in back in 1966:

"An Eye for an Eye" (aka "Talion")  is scheduled to be released on DVD on June 3. The movie premiered in June 1966, and starred Robert Lansing and Pat Wayne (John's son) as two bounty hunters tracking down a vicious outlaw. It's one of my favorites, so I'm really excited that it's finally being released.

Lansing, who starred in the first season of the "12 O'Clock High" TV series, also appears in the 1980s series "The Equalizer" (available on DVD) alongside Edward Woodward. It's always fun to watch Lansing on screen, so I'll have to check this one out.