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Lobby card za film `Heavy metal`, rad cuvenog crtaca Ricarda Korbena (Den, Svet mutanata itd), a za pricu `Den`. . Distribucija `Centar film`, Beograd.
23x17 cm.
Nije u pitanju nikakva naknadna stampa, tj, replika, vec originalna kartica.
RETKO!
Ricard Korben
Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian adult animated science fantasy anthology film directed by Gerald Potterton and produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, who also was the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine, which was the basis for the film. It starred the voices of Rodger Bumpass, Jackie Burroughs, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks, Martin Lavut, Marilyn Lightstone, Eugene Levy, Alice Playten, Harold Ramis, Percy Rodriguez, Susan Roman, Richard Romanus, August Schellenberg, John Vernon, and Zal Yanovsky. The screenplay was written by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum.

The film is an anthology of various science fiction and fantasy stories tied together by a single theme of an evil force that is `the sum of all evils`. It was adapted from Heavy Metal magazine and original stories in the same spirit. Like the magazine, the film features a great deal of graphic violence, sexuality, and nudity. Its production was expedited by having several animation houses working simultaneously on different segments. Upon release, the film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise towards the animation, visuals, Elmer Bernstein`s score and voice acting, but criticism towards its story and overuse of graphic violence. The film however was a modest success at the box office and has since achieved cult status. The film`s influential soundtrack was packaged by music manager Irving Azoff and included several popular rock bands and artists, including Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Sammy Hagar, Don Felder, Cheap Trick, DEVO, Journey, and Nazareth, among others.[2]

A sequel titled Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) was released in 2000 and received negative reviews.[citation needed]
Plot
`Soft Landing`

The title sequence was based on the comic of the same name by Dan O`Bannon and Thomas Warkentin.[citation needed]

The title sequence story opens with a Space Shuttle orbiting the Earth. The bay doors open, releasing a 1960 Corvette. An astronaut seated in the car then begins descending through Earth`s atmosphere, landing in a desert canyon.

Crew

Jimmy T. Murakami and John Bruno – directors
John Coates – producer
Dan O`Bannon – writer
Thomas Warkentin – art direction

Music

`Radar Rider` by Riggs

Studio

MGM Titles
T.V. Cartoons Ltd

`Grimaldi`

In the framing story, the astronaut Grimaldi arrives at home where he is greeted by his daughter. He says he has something to show her. When he opens his case, a green, crystalline sphere rises out and melts him. It introduces itself to the terrified girl as `the sum of all evils`. Looking into the orb known as the Loc-Nar, the girl sees how it has influenced societies throughout time and space.

Cast

Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar
Don Francks as Grimaldi
Caroline Semple as Girl

Crew

Harold Whitaker – director
John Halas – producer

Studio

Halas & Batchelor Animation Ltd

`Harry Canyon`

Original story by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum; based on The Long Tomorrow by Moebius.

In a dystopian and crime-ridden New York City in 2031, cynical taxicab driver Harry Canyon narrates his day in film noir style, grumbling about his fares and frequent robbery attempts he thwarts with a disintegrator installed in the back of his seat. He stumbles into an incident where he rescues a red haired young woman from Rudnick, a gangster who murdered her father. She explains that her father discovered the Loc-Nar, and they have been pursued relentlessly by people attempting to obtain it. Harry takes her to his apartment, where they have sex. She decides to sell the Loc-Nar to Rudnick and split the money with Harry. Rudnick is disintegrated by the Loc-Nar at the exchange, and she attempts to double-cross Harry to keep the money for herself. When she pulls out a gun, Harry uses the disintegrator on her. He keeps the money, and summarizes the incident as a `two-day ride with one hell of a tip`.

Cast

Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar
Harvey Atkin as Alien, Henchman
John Candy as Desk Sergeant
Marilyn Lightstone as Whore
Susan Roman as Girl, Satellite
Richard Romanus as Harry Canyon
Al Waxman as Rudnick

Crew

Pino van Lamsweerde – director
W. H. Stevens Jr. – producer
Vic Atkinson – producer
Daniel Goldberg – writer
Len Blum – writer

Music

`Veteran of the Psychic Wars` by Blue Öyster Cult
`True Companion` by Donald Fagen
`Blue Lamp` by Stevie Nicks
`Open Arms` by Journey
`Heartbeat` by Riggs

Studio

Atkinson Film Arts

`Den`

Based on the character of the same name created by Richard Corben.

A nerdy teenager finds a `green meteorite` near his house and adds it to his rock collection. During a lightning experiment, the orb hurls the young man into the world of Neverwhere, where he transforms into a naked, muscular man called Den, an acronym for his earth name, David Ellis Norman. There, Den witnesses a strange ritual, rescuing a beautiful young woman who is about to be sacrificed to Uhluhtc. Reaching safety, she introduces herself as Katherine Wells from the British colony of Gibraltar. The two start having sex, but are interrupted by the minions of Ard, an immortal man who wants to obtain the Loc-Nar for himself. After being taken to see Ard, Den demands to see Katherine. His request is ignored and Ard orders his men to castrate Den. Den fights off the soldiers and shoots Ard, who is immortal and heals immediately. The girl turns out to be sleeping, encased in glass under a spell where only Ard can awaken her. Ard offers Den a deal: if he gets the Loc-Nar from the Queen and brings it to him, the girl will be released. Den agrees and infiltrates the palace along with Ard`s best soldier, Norl. They are promptly caught by the Queen`s guards, but she offers leniency if Den has sex with her. He complies, thereby distracting the Queen while the raiding party steals the Loc-Nar. Den escapes and races back to rescue Katherine from Ard. Recreating the lightning incident that drew him to Neverwhere, he is able to banish Ard and the Queen. Den suspects that they were teleported to Earth. Refusing the opportunity to take the Loc-Nar for himself, Den rides with Katherine into the sunset, content to remain in Neverwhere. As for the Loc-Nar, it rises into the sky and lands on a space station where it is picked up by someone else.

Cast

Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar
John Candy as Den
Jackie Burroughs as Katherine Wells
Martin Lavut as Ard
Marilyn Lightstone as Queen
August Schellenberg as Norl

Crew

Jack Stokes – director
Jerry Hibbert – producer
Richard Corben – writer

Studio

Votetone

`Captain Sternn`

Based on the character of the same name created by Bernie Wrightson.

On a space station, crooked space captain Lincoln F. Sternn is on trial for numerous serious charges presented by the prosecutor consisting of 12 counts of murder in the first degree, 14 counts of armed theft of Federation property, 22 counts of piracy in high space, 18 counts of fraud, 37 counts of rape — and one moving violation. Pleading `not guilty` against the advice of his lawyer Charlie, Sternn explains that he expects to be acquitted because he bribed a witness named Hanover Fiste. Fiste takes the stand upon being called to by the prosecutor, but his perjury is subverted when the Loc-Nar, now the size of a marble, causes him to blurt out highly incriminating statements about Sternn (though whether or not any of them are true is unknown) before changing him into a hulking muscular brute that chases Sternn throughout the station, breaking through bulkheads and wreaking havoc. Eventually, he corners Sternn, who gives him his promised payoff, and he promptly shrinks back to his scrawny original form. Sternn opens a trap door under Fiste, ejecting him into space. The Loc-Nar enters Earth`s atmosphere with Fiste`s flaming severed hand still clinging to it.

Cast

Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar
Rodger Bumpass as Hanover Fiste
Joe Flaherty as Charlie, the lawyer
Douglas Kenney as Regolian
Eugene Levy as Captain Lincoln F. Sternn
John Vernon as Prosecutor

Crew

Julian Harris – director
Paul Sebella – director
Bernie Wrightson – writer

Music

`Reach Out` by Cheap Trick

Studio

Boxcar Animation Studios Inc

`Neverwhere Land`

Because of time constraints, a segment called `Neverwhere Land`, which would have connected `Captain Sternn` to `B-17`, was cut.

The story follows the influence of the Loc-Nar upon the evolution of a planet, from the Loc-Nar landing in a body of water, influencing the rise of the industrial age, and a world war. This original story was created by Cornelius Cole III.

The original rough animatics are set to a loop of the beginning of Pink Floyd`s `Time`. The 1996 VHS release included this segment at the end of the tape. On the DVD release, this segment is included as a bonus feature. In both released versions, the sequence is set to the music of `Passacaglia` (from Magnificat), composed and conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki and with animation studio being produced by Duck Soup Produckions.
`B-17`

A World War II B-17 bomber nicknamed the Pacific Pearl makes a difficult bombing run and suffers heavy damage with all of the crew except the pilot and co-pilot killed by gunfire. As the bomber limps home, the co-pilot goes back to check on the crew. Finding nothing but dead bodies, he notices the Loc-Nar trailing the plane. Informing the pilot, he heads back to the cockpit, when the Loc-Nar rams itself into the plane and reanimates the dead crew members as zombies. The co-pilot is killed, while the pilot parachutes away in time. He lands on an island where he finds a graveyard of airplanes from various times, along with the wrecked airplanes` zombified airmen, who surround him, sealing the horrified pilot`s fate.

Cast

Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar
Don Francks as Co-Pilot (Holden)
George Touliatos as Pilot (Skip)
Zal Yanovsky as Navigator

Crew

Barrie Nelson – director
W. H. Stevens Jr. – producer
Dan O`Bannon – writer

Music

`Heavy Metal (Takin` a Ride)` by Don Felder

Studio

Atkinson Film-Arts

`So Beautiful & So Dangerous`

Based on the comic of the same name by Angus McKie.

Dr. Anrak, a prominent scientist, arrives at The Pentagon for a meeting regarding mysterious mutations that are plaguing the United States. At the meeting, the doctor tries to dismiss the occurrences. When he sees the Loc-Nar in the locket of Gloria, a beautiful buxom stenographer, he begins to behave erratically and motorboats her. A colossal starship drills through the roof and abducts the doctor and, by accident, Gloria. The ship`s robot is irritated at Anrak, who is actually a malfunctioning android, but its mood changes when it sees Gloria. With the help of the ship`s alien pilot Edsel and co-pilot Zeke, the robot convinces Gloria to stay on board and have `robot sex` (albeit off-screen). Meanwhile, Edsel and Zeke snort a huge amount of a powdered drug called Plutonian Nyborg before flying home, zoning out on the cosmos. Too intoxicated to fly straight, they crash-land unharmed in a huge space station.

Cast

Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar
Rodger Bumpass as Dr. Anrak
John Candy as Robot
Joe Flaherty as General
Eugene Levy as Male Reporter / Edsel
Alice Playten as Gloria
Harold Ramis as Zeke
Patty Dworkin as Female Reporter
Warren Munson as Senator

Crew

John Halas – director
Angus McKie – writer

Music

`Queen Bee` by Grand Funk Railroad
`I Must Be Dreamin" by Cheap Trick
`Crazy? (A Suitable Case for Treatment)` by Nazareth
`All of You` by Don Felder
`Prefabricated` by Trust
`Heavy Metal` by Sammy Hagar

Studio

Halas & Batchelor Animation Ltd

`Taarna`

Original story by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum; based on Arzach by Moebius.

The Loc-Nar, now the size of a giant meteor, crashes into a volcano on another world and draws a large mass of curious people. As they begin to climb the volcano, it erupts and green slime covers the crowd, mutating them into an evil barbarian army. The mutants subsequently attack a nearby city of peaceful scholars. Desperate, the city leaders mentally summon the Taarakians, a once powerful yet now declining warrior race with whom the city had a pact, but the city falls before the call can be answered.

Taarna, a beautiful yet mute warrior and the last of the Taarakians, receives the summons. After ritually preparing herself, she and her avian mount fly to the beleaguered city, only to find the citizens dead. Determined to avenge them, she begins following the trail of their murderers and encounters a small band of the mutant barbarians. After killing them and with more information at hand, she travels towards the mutant camp, but she and her mount are captured.

Taarna is tortured and thrown into an open pit, unconscious. Her mount escapes and rescues her. She tries going for the Loc-Nar, but the mutants pursue and shoot her mount down. The mutant leader faces Taarna in a duel to the death, wounding her, but Taarna manages to kill him. With the last of their strength, Taarna and her companion make a death flight to the volcano. As they approach, the Loc-Nar warns her off, claiming that sacrificing herself would be futile. Ignoring the Loc-Nar, Taarna unleashes the power imbued in her sword and dives into the volcano, destroying the Loc-Nar.

Cast

Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar
Thor Bishopric as Boy
Ned Conlon as Councilman #1
Len Doncheff as Barbarian #1
Don Francks as Barbarian #2
Joseph Golland as Councilman #2
Charles Joliffe as Councilman #3
Mavor Moore as Elder
August Schellenberg as Taarak
Cedric Smith as Bartender
George Touliatos as Barbarian #3
Vlasta Vrána as Barbarian Leader
Zal Yanovsky as Barbarian #4

Music

`E5150` by Black Sabbath
`The Mob Rules` by Black Sabbath
`Through Being Cool` by Devo

`Epilogue`

As the final story ends, the Loc-Nar that was terrorizing the girl destabilizes and begins breaking up. The girl flees it and her home. The Loc-Nar then explodes, destroying the mansion in the process. Taarna`s reborn mount appears outside and the girl happily flies away on it. It is then revealed that Taarna`s soul has been reincarnated in the girl, transforming her into a new Taarakian.

Cast

Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar

Music

`Working in the Coal Mine` by Devo

Production

Ivan Reitman gained a deal with Columbia Pictures to create an animated film and asked Gerald Potterton to oversee it.[5]

The initial script had Arzach as the framing device for the film, but the script was thrown out after Jean Giraud refused to allow the usage of his characters. Len Blum and Daniel Goldberg created Taarna and a green orb instead.[6] Chris Achilléos did the character design for Taarna.[7]

Michael Mills was hired to create the opening and closing segments, but script rewrites had the sequences redrawn multiple times. Reitman, displeased with the high expenses, withheld payment. Mills sued and the case was settled out of court. Reitman hired Jimmy T. Murakami to create a new opening.[6]

Atkinson Film-Arts animated Harry Canyon, directed by Pino van Lamsweerde, and the B-17 segment by Barrie Nelson. Captain Sternn was animated by Boxcar films under the direction of Paul Szuchopa and Julian Harris. Halas and Batchelor and TVC animated the other segments. Taarna was created in Montreal by 11 designers, 30 animators, and 54 assistants under the direction of John Bruno. José Abel, Danny Antonucci, and Zdenko Gašparović worked on Taarna.[8]

Animator Robert Balser directed the animation of the `Den` sequence for the film.[9] The film uses the rotoscoping technique of animation in several shots. This process consists of shooting models and actors, then tracing the shot onto film.[10]
Release

The film was released on August 7, 1981. It was a financial success, grossing over $20 million on a $9 million budget (equivalent to a gross of $64 million in 2022).[3]
Reception

The film was met with mixed response. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 66% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 35 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10 and the critical consensus: `It`s sexist, juvenile, and dated, but Heavy Metal makes up for its flaws with eye-popping animation and a classic, smartly-used soundtrack.`[11]

Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote that `for anyone who doesn`t think an hour and a half is a long time to spend with a comic book, Heavy Metal is impressive,` and noted that the film `was scored very well, with music much less ear-splitting than the title would suggest.`[12] Variety declared, `Initial segments have a boisterous blend of dynamic graphics, intriguing plot premises and sly wit that unfortunately slide gradually downhill ... Still, the net effect is an overridingly positive one and will likely find its way into upbeat word-of-mouth.`[13] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film three stars, writing that it `isn`t intended for close scrutiny on a literal level. The film clearly is intended as a trip, and on that level it works very nicely.` He criticized the film as `blatantly sexist` and for having `wildly romanticized` violence.[14] Sheila Benson of the Los Angeles Times wrote, `Somehow a great deal of the charm [of the magazine] leaked out on the way to the movie house, but all of the sadism stayed put. And then some. It`s the most expensive adolescent fantasy revenge fulfillment wet dream ever to slither onto a screen.`[15] John Pym of The Monthly Film Bulletin found that it was `to put it mildly, something of a hodge-podge.`[16] Film historian and critic Leonard Maltin gave the film 3 stars out of 4 in his Movie Guide, calling the feature `... uneven, but great fun on a mindless, adolescent level.`[17]

On the whole, in terms of individual segments, critics were typically most favorable towards the `Den` story.[18] Critic Janet Maslin gave the film a positive review in The New York Times. She said, `The other highly memorable story is about a bookworm from earth who winds up on another planet, where his spindly body is transformed into that of an extraterrestrial Hercules.` She also complimented John Candy`s vocal performance as Den.[19]

Christopher John reviewed Heavy Metal in Ares Magazine #11 and commented that `Sadly, what could have been a true boost for animation in this country[20] is a weak, opportunistic failure, put together with very little care and no love at all.`[21]
Home media

Heavy Metal aired frequently on HBO throughout the 1980s and 90s.[citation needed]

Prior to official release on VHS and LaserDisc in 1996, the film was re-released to 54 theatres on March 8, 1996, remixed in Sony`s 8-track SDDS audio system, taking in US$550,000 (equivalent to $1,026,247 in 2022).[4] The subsequent home video release, the first animated film issued on the VHS format to be THX-certified, moved over one million units.[22]

The film was released on Blu-ray Disc on February 1, 2011 as a Best Buy exclusive and it was later released everywhere on June 14, 2011.[23]

A remastered 4K version was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray on April 19, 2022, bundled with a Blu-ray Disc release of the sequel, Heavy Metal 2000 (2000).[24]
Music
Soundtrack

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Heavy Metal: Music from the Motion Picture
Soundtrack album by various artists
Released July 1981
Genre

Heavy metal[25] hard rock[25]

Label Full Moon/Asylum/Epic
Heavy Metal film soundtracks chronology
Heavy Metal: Music from the Motion Picture
(1981) Heavy Metal 2000 OST
(2000)
Singles from Heavy Metal: Music from the Motion Picture

`True Companion` / `All of You`
Released: 1981

Professional ratingsReview scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [25]

The soundtrack was released on LP in 1981, but for legal reasons, was not released on CD until 1995. The album peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. The film`s theme song, `Heavy Metal (Takin` a Ride)` was sung by Don Felder. It was released as a single in the U.S. and reached number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100[26] and number five on the Mainstream Rock chart on September 19, 1981.[27]

Blue Öyster Cult wrote and recorded a song called `Vengeance (The Pact)` for the film, but the producers declined to use the song because the lyrics provided a capsulized summary of the `Taarna` vignette. `Veteran of the Psychic Wars` was used instead. Both songs can be found on Blue Öyster Cult`s album Fire of Unknown Origin. Although used in the film, the songs `Through Being Cool` by Devo and `E5150` by Black Sabbath were not included in the released soundtrack album. These songs are on New Traditionalists and Mob Rules, respectively.

The legal difficulties surrounding the use of some songs in the film delayed its release to home media. The production company`s use of some songs was limited solely to the theatrical release and soundtrack and did not include home media releases. It was not until 1996 that there was an official home media release on VHS when Kevin Eastman, who had bought the publishing rights of Heavy Metal magazine in 1992 and previously contributed to the magazine, reached a settlement with the music copyright holders.[28]

The original LP contained four tracks per side and was programmed in stackable order (A, D, B, C).

Rhino Records reissued the two-LP collection in 2017, programmed in standard order (A, B, C, D), as part of their `Rocktober` collection.[29]
No. Title Artist Length
1. `Heavy Metal` (original version) Sammy Hagar 3:50
2. `Heartbeat` Riggs 4:20
3. `Working in the Coal Mine` Devo 2:48
4. `Veteran of the Psychic Wars` Blue Öyster Cult 4:48
5. `Reach Out` Cheap Trick 3:35
6. `Heavy Metal (Takin` a Ride)` Don Felder 5:00
7. `True Companion` Donald Fagen 5:02
8. `Crazy (A Suitable Case for Treatment)` Nazareth 3:24
9. `Radar Rider` Riggs 2:40
10. `Open Arms` Journey 3:20
11. `Queen Bee` Grand Funk Railroad 3:11
12. `I Must Be Dreamin" Cheap Trick 5:37
13. `The Mob Rules` (alternate version) Black Sabbath 3:16
14. `All of You` Don Felder 4:18
15. `Prefabricated` Trust 2:59
16. `Blue Lamp` Stevie Nicks 3:48
Charts
Chart (1981–1982) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[30] 12
Certifications
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[31] Platinum 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[32] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Score

Unusual for the time, an LP recording of Elmer Bernstein`s score was released alongside the soundtrack in 1981, and it featured the composer`s first use of the ondes Martenot, an instrument which became a trademark of Bernstein`s later career. On March 13, 2008, Film Score Monthly released an official, expanded CD release of Bernstein`s score, which he conducted.[33] The score was performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with the London Voices and Jeanne Loriod on the ondes Martenot.

Original track listing:

`Den and the Green Ball` (03:17)
`Den Makes It` (02:49)
`Den and the Queen` (02:56)
`Den`s Heroics` (02:52)
`Bomber and the Green Ball` (04:41)
`Space Love` (01:32)
`Harry and the Girl` (03:45)
`Tarna Summoned` (sic) (02:50)
`Flight` (02:20)
`Tarna Prepares` (sic) (03:35)
`Barbarians` (03:37)
`Tarna Forever` (sic) (03:37)

Re-release track listing:

`Beginning` 1:16
`Intro to Green Ball` 1:18
`Discovery/Transformation (Den and the Green Ball)` 3:15
`Den Makes Out (Den Makes It)` 2:42
`Castrate Him/Searching for the Loc-Nar` 2:04
`Queen for a Day (Den and the Queen)` 2:54
`Pursuit (Den’s Heroics)` 2:51
`Fiste` 1:27
`Getting Bombed` 3:06
`Green Ball` 2:15
`Dem Bones` 2:44
`No Alarm` 0:58
`Robot Love (Space Love)` 1:32
`Harry` 1:35
`The Next Morning` 1:56
`End of Baby` 2:43
`Council (Taarna Summoned)` 2:49
`The Flight to Temple (Flight)` 2:16
`The Sword (Taarna Prepares)` 3:32
`Flight to Holiday Town` 2:20
`Fighting` 2:43
`My Whips!/Taarna Escapes Pit` 4:57
`Finish (Taarna Forever)` 3:34

Bonus tracks

`Den Makes Out` (film version) 2:49
`Bomber and the Green Ball` (album edit) 4:35
`Harry and the Girl` (album edit) 3:41
`Barbarians` (album edit) 3:34

Sequel

The sequel, titled Heavy Metal 2000, was released in 2000. Upon its release, Heavy Metal 2000 received negative reviews from critics and has fallen into obscurity.
Legacy and cultural impact

Several years after the film`s release, Heavy Metal managed to achieve a strong cult following mainly through midnight screenings, TV showings, and home video releases.[citation needed]

The film served as inspiration for many animation and science fiction films and shows following it such as Blade Runner (1982), Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985), Gandahar (1987), Akira (1988), The Fifth Element (1997), Titan A.E. (2000), Sausage Party (2016), Mandy (2018), The Spine of Night (2021), Futurama, and Rick & Morty.[citation needed]

The film was parodied in a season 12 episode of the adult animated comedy series South Park entitled `Major Boobage` (2008; S12E03), which also featured songs from the film`s soundtrack.[citation needed]

Some news reports have suggested that Heavy Metal was an influence for Elon Musk when he launched a Tesla Roadster alongside a fake spaceman in the front seat into orbit in 2018, which seems to reference the film`s title sequence `Soft Landing`, in which a space traveler lands on Earth in a Chevrolet Corvette convertible two-seater.[34][35]

Both Heavy Metal and the British animated film Watership Down (1978) served as strong influences on the animation and anthology styles of the music video At the Door by The Strokes.[36]
Remake

In March 2008, Variety reported that Paramount Pictures was set to make another animated film with David Fincher `spearheading the project`. Kevin Eastman, who is the current owner and publisher of Heavy Metal, would direct a segment, as would Tim Miller, `whose Blur Studio will handle the animation for what is being conceived as an R-rated, adult-themed feature`.[37]

Entertainment website IGN announced, on July 14, 2008, `David Fincher`s edgy new project has suffered a serious setback after it was dropped by Paramount, according to Entertainment Weekly.`[38] Entertainment Weekly quoted Tim Miller as saying `David really believes in the project. It`s just a matter of time.`[39]

In September 2008, Eastman was quoted as saying `Fincher is directing one, Guillermo del Toro wants to direct one, Zack Snyder wants to direct one, Gore Verbinski wants to direct one`. It was reported that the film had been moved to Sony division Columbia Pictures (which had released the original) and had a budget of $50 million.[40]

In June 2009, Eastman said `I`ve got breaking news that Fincher and James Cameron are going to be co-executive producers on the film, Cameron will direct one.[41] Mark Osborne and Jack Black from Tenacious D were going to do a comedy segment for the film.`[42]

Production is stalled indefinitely, as no film distributor or production company has shown interest in distributing or producing the remake since Paramount Pictures decided to forgo being the film`s distributor,[43] who purportedly thought such a film was `too risqué for mainstream audiences`.[39]

In July 2011, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez announced at the Comic-Con that he had purchased the film rights to Heavy Metal and planned to develop a new animated film at the new Quick Draw Studios.[44] On March 11, 2014, with the formation of his very own television network, El Rey, Rodriguez considered switching gears and bringing it to TV.[45]

On March 15, 2019, the reboot was released on Netflix as a reimagining titled Love, Death & Robots.[46]

Richard Corben (October 1, 1940 – December 2, 2020) was an American illustrator and comic book artist best known for his comics featured in Heavy Metal magazine, especially the Den series which was featured in the magazine`s first film adaptation in 1981. He was the winner of the 2009 Spectrum Grand Master Award[1] and the 2018 Grand Prix at Angoulême. In 2012 he was elected to the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.
Biography

Richard Corben was born on a farm[2] in Anderson, Missouri, and went on to get a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute, in 1965.[3] At the same time, he trained in bodybuilding, but eventually retired from the art with few accomplishments due to a lack of time to dedicate himself to it.[4]

After working as a professional animator at Kansas City`s Calvin Productions, Corben started writing and illustrating for the underground comics, including Grim Wit, Slow Death, Skull, Rowlf, Fever Dreams and his own anthology Fantagor.[5] In 1970 he began illustrating horror and science-fiction stories for Warren Publishing.[6] His stories appeared in Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella, 1984 and Comix International. He also colored several episodes of Will Eisner`s Spirit. All the stories and covers he did for Creepy and Eerie have been reprinted by Dark Horse Books in a single volume: Creepy Presents Richard Corben.[7] The three stories he drew for Vampirella have been reprinted by Dynamite Entertainment in Vampirella Archives Vol. 5.[8]

In 1975, when Moebius, Druillet, and Jean-Pierre Dionnet started publishing the magazine Métal Hurlant in France, Corben submitted some of his stories to them.[9] He continued his work for the franchise in America, where the magazine was called Heavy Metal. Also in 1975, a selection of his black-and-white underground comix stories was collected in hardcover as The Richard Corben Funnybook from Kansas City`s Nickelodeon Press. In 1976 he adapted a short Robert E. Howard story in an early graphic novel, Bloodstar.[10]

Among the stories drawn for Heavy Metal he continued the saga of his most famous creation, Den, which had begun in the short film Neverwhere and a short story in the underground publication Grim Wit No. 2. The saga of Den is a fantasy series about the adventures of a young underweight nerd who travels to Neverwhere, a universe taking inspirational nods from Robert E. Howard`s Hyborian Age, Edgar Rice Burroughs`s Barsoom and H. P. Lovecraft`s horror dimensions. This story was adapted in a highly abridged form, in the animated film Heavy Metal, where Den was voiced by John Candy in a humorous interpretation of the character that Corben found excellent.

Corben`s collaborations are varied, ranging from Rip in Time with Bruce Jones, to Harlan Ellison for Vic and Blood, to the Mutant World titles, Jeremy Brood, and The Arabian Nights with Jan Strnad.

From 1986 to 1994 Corben operated his own publishing imprint, Fantagor Press. Among the titles Fantagor published were Den, Den Saga, Horror in the Dark, Rip in Time, and Son of Mutant World. Fantagor went out of business after the 1994 contraction of the comics industry.[11] [12]

Due to the sexual nature of Corben`s art, it has been accused of being pornographic, a description he himself disagrees with, preferring to call his work `sensual` instead.[4] One notorious example was the interview he gave Heavy Metal editor Brad Balfour in 1981.[2][13][14] Corben was very dissatisfied with the interview. He felt it portrayed him as a `petty, childish, borderline psychotic oaf`. He wrote a letter in retort, which was published in the September 1981 issue.[15]

Corben did the cover of Meat Loaf`s Bat Out of Hell, Jim Steinman`s Bad for Good and a movie poster (based on a layout compositional sketch by Neal Adams[16]) for the Brian De Palma film Phantom of the Paradise. In addition, he provided cover art for the VHS release of the low-budget horror film Spookies.

In 2000, Corben collaborated with Brian Azzarello on five issues of Azzarello`s run on Hellblazer (146–150) which was collected in a trade called Hellblazer: Hard Time.[17] He also adapted the classic horror story The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson for DC`s Vertigo imprint. In 2001, Azzarello and Corben teamed up to create Marvel`s Startling Stories: Banner (a four issue mini-series exploring Doc Samson`s relationship with Bruce Banner) and Marvel MAX`s Cage (a five issue mini-series starring Luke Cage). In June 2004, Corben joined with Garth Ennis to produce The Punisher: The End, a one-shot title for Marvel published under the MAX imprint as part of Marvel`s The End series. The story tells of The Punisher`s final days on an earth ravaged by nuclear holocaust. Ever the independent, Corben would work with rocker Rob Zombie and Steve Niles in 2005 on a project for IDW Publishing called Bigfoot. In 2007, Corben did a two issue run on Marvel Comics` surreal demon biker, Ghost Rider. At Marvel`s MAX imprint he has produced Haunt of Horror, a mini-series adapting classic works of horror to comics. The first mini-series, published in 2006, was based on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe[18] followed by a second series in 2008 adapting works by H. P. Lovecraft.[19] Between 2008 and 2009 he illustrated the flashback sequences in Conan of Cimmeria #1–7, collected as Conan Volume 7: Cimmeria. In 2009 he illustrated Starr the Slayer for Marvel`s MAX comics imprint. Since then Corben has done more work for Marvel, DC, IDW, and most notably Dark Horse, drawing the Eisner Award-winning Hellboy.

In May 2020, Parallax Studio announced preproduction on the live-action animated film MEAD (originally titled To Meet the Faces You Meet) based on the comic book Fever Dreams illustrated by Corben and written by Jan Strnad.[20][21] The film stars Robert Picardo and Samuel Hunt and features the voices of Patton Oswalt and Patrick Warburton.[22] MEAD was premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival on May 22, 2022, and will be released for streaming in North America on August 9, 2022.[23]
Personal life

Corben`s wife is named Madonna `Dona` (née Marchant). Corben was the special-effects/animation technician for her prize-winning film entry Siegfried Saves Metropolis in a contest sponsored by Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine in 1964 (see issues #34 and 35). They married soon afterward in 1965.[24] They had a daughter, Beth, who is a watercolor painter and often colored her father`s comics.

Corben died on December 2, 2020, following heart surgery. He was 80 years old.[25]
Awards

Corben`s work in comics and animation has won him recognition, including the Shazam Award for Outstanding New Talent in 1971, and a Shazam Award for Superior Achievement by an Individual in 1973. Corben won a 1973 Goethe Award for `Favorite Fan Artist`. He also received a CINE Golden Eagle and President of Japan Cultural Society trophy in 1968 for his short film Neverwhere.[26]

While working for the Warren anthologies, he received numerous Warren Awards: 1973 Best Artist/Writer and Special Award for `Excellence`, 1976 Best Art for `Within You, Without You` (Eerie #77) and Best Cover (also for Eerie #77), and 1978 Best Cover Artist.[1]

In 2009 Corben won the `Best Finite Series/Limited Series` Eisner Award for Hellboy: The Crooked Man and in 2011 he won the `Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)` Eisner Award, for Hellboy: Double Feature of Evil. Finally, in 2012 he was elected to the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

In 2015, Corben was inducted into the Ghastly Awards Hall of Fame. His previous Ghastly Awards include Best Artist in 2013 and Best One-shot Comics for his Dark Horse Poe adaptations... Edgar Allan Poe`s The Conqueror Worm in 2012, Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven & The Red Death (2013) and Edgar Allan Poe`s Morella and the Murders in the Rue Morgue in 2014.[27]

In January 2018 he won the prestigious Grand Prix at Angoulême and presidency of the 2019 festival.[28] Beginning concurrently with the 2019 festival in January, a 250-piece collection of his original artworks was put on display at the Musée d`Angoulême, the exhibit ending March 10, 2019.