Where the Hell are you?....and the return of Starburst Magazine...

You may be wondering (or you may not, you may well not give much of a damn) what's been happening with this Blog this year as it's hardly been updated and I've been conspicuous by my absence. Without boring you, there have been several reasons why the World of Stuff has remained Stuffless this year. Faaamily reasons, work reasons and the simple fact that I've been reacquainted with an old friend. Many of you may remember 'Starburst Magazine', the UK's longest-running magazine devoted to sci-fi/fantasy/horror etc which ran from 1978 until about two years ago when the company which published it went bankrupt. I wrote for the Magazine from 1986 to 1996 and I was, to say the least, thrilled when I heard the Magazine was to be relaunched as an internet only facility earlier this year. I contacted the new Editor who massaged my sleeping ego and asked me if I'd be interested in resuming duties for the magazine. So since May this year I've been writing pretty much exclusively for www.starburstmagazine.com - my old TV Zone monthly column is back and I've been contributing reviews of new films, books and DVDs and even a little bit of fiction. This, obviously, was generally the meat of this particular site so I've let things grow fallow here as I've concentrated on contributing to 'Starburst'.

But it seems to have paid off as 'Starburst' will, next February, be returning to the print format. This is thrilling news for all of us working on the Magazine and I know that the Editor and his team are working flat out to ensure that this is the brightest, boldest and most eclectic sci-fi magazine in an increasingly-shrinking marketplace. This doesn't mean the World of Stuff will be redundant and I'm looking to recommence posting in the next few weeks but I would encourage you, if you're interested in the Magazine, if you've never heard of it, if you have fond memories of it or for any other reason, clink on the title of this article which will direct you straight to the subscription page, and at least consider taking out a subscription to what could be an exciting new genre magazine. The Magazine will be an independent publication, it won't have the backing of the big publishing houses but that, if nothing else, makes this an exciting new proposition and it really needs YOUR help if it's to succeed. So take a look - you can just subscribe to one issue if you fancy taking a chance - and help give a new/old friend the chance to find a whole new audience in the 21st century.

Merry Christmas and all that!!!

Book Preview: Elisabeth Sladen

Pretty much essential reading, this autobiography of the much-missed Elisabeth Sladen, the legendary Sarah Jane Smith from 'Doctor Who' and her own children's spin-off 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' (many episodes of which put modern adult dramas to shame), is released on November 17th courtesy of Arum press. Foreword is by former Doctor David Tennant.

Sci-Fi Classic 'Silent Running' comes to Blu Ray in November....

Three years after helping to achieve some of the most amazing imagery in cinema history with 2001: A Space Odyssey, special effects
maestro Douglas Trumbull made an auspicious directorial debut at age 29 with the environmentally themed science fiction classic Silent
Running.

In the distant future, plant life on our planet is extinct. Remaining specimens are cultivated in vast greenhouse-like domes orbiting in space.
Bruce Dern (Marnie, Coming Home, The 'burbs, Monster) stars as Freeman Lowell, dedicated botanist aboard the "Valley Forge", awaiting
the call to refoliate Earth – despite the scorn of his crewmates. When an order comes to instead destroy the domes and return home,
Lowell takes matters into his own hands, beginning a long and lonely voyage into the unknown.
With its
remarkable special effects (especially the robot drones Huey, Dewey, and Louie); glorious score (including songs performed by
Joan Baez); memorable sound effects (created by Joseph Byrd from the cult band The United States of America); a screenplay co-written
by Michael Cimino (The Deer Hunter) and Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues), and an impassioned central performance from Dern, Silent
Running remains a uniquely contemplative and haunting adventure that continues to make hippies of young children, even today.

EXTENSIVE SPECIAL BLU-RAY EDITION FEATURES, ALL NEW TO THE UK:
• New high-definition master in its original aspect ratio • A host of extras to be announced nearer the release date • PLUS: A lavish
booklet featuring rare production imagery, and more!
Acknowledged as a major influence on Pixar's WALL-E and Duncan Jones' Moon, and directed by Douglas Trumbull, the special effects
genius behind 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Blade Runner, and, most recently, The Tree of Life The Masters of
Cinema Series is proud to present a new Blu-ray special edition of Silent Running to celebrate the film's 40th anniversary. Released on 14
November 2011.

Coming soon....Torchwood

Torchwood: Miracle Day, the new 10-part BBC/Starz co-production has literally just finished filming. We've seen the teasers and the promo photos but here's a quick...very quick...new trailer which shows just a bit more actual footage.

Torchwood: Miracle Day is expected to start on Friday 9th July at 9pm on BBC1 in the UK.

Elisabeth Sladen

Another shining light in the world of Dr Who has just gone out...

Dr Who - Season six trailer...UPDATED

Look...look at this for God's sake....




Coming soon to BBC1...

UPDATED!!!

Then there's this trailer currently airing on BBC America...

Dr Who Filming in Penarth - UPDATED (and more!)

Filming progresses on the next season of Dr Who, now announced as commencing on Saturday April 22nd with en episode entitled 'The Impossible Astronaut'(when Stuff will be away in Poland on a stag weekend, grrr!! (shakes fist to skies)) Today the crew are in a quiet sidestreet in Penarth near Cardiff filming scenes for episode 12 which guest stars James Corden reprising his role as Craig Owens, as seen in last year's 'The Lodger'. Here's some photos and clips. Please don't ask "Which one's James Corden?" when you're looking at the third photo, thank you very much!!











The UK Press maintains its healthy interest in all things Dr Who and this latest bout of filming has seen the paps out in force. Here's a nice pic of Matt Smith in his snazzy new costume (for this episode, at least) as published in the South Wales Echo on 15th March...


And finally - and, yes, entirely off-topic - the brilliant third series of BBC3's supernatural drama 'Being Human' (full series review due shortly) came to an explosive ending last Sunday. Sob. But the good news is the BBC have already announced a swift recommission and series four will screen next year. Yaay. But things will never be the same again...