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I’m not sure if anyone would be interested in this, but Michael McManus made a short film in Germany last year (at least, it looks like him 😉 ). The film, which is about 7 minutes long, is in German and is called Alle Lieben Ihre Kinder (Everyone Loves Their Children). It features a Kai-esque assassin.
The film is available for viewing or download at http://www.lexxfans.com
Interesting. Kinda dark and hard to see, and of course my lack of German didn’t help… But was it me, or did the boy look rested. 😀
Geez, thanks for the link, Stan…:-)
The film is no great deal, but it’s quite lovely. But, as Kai’s/MM’s die hard fan, I am probably not being very objective.
Anyway.
He looks surprisingly good with blonde hair.
And… Is he trying to deal with his past or what…? 🙂
Maybe just having fun.Thanks for the link, iStan,
I watched it the other day & found it fascinating; Michael’s turned grey, but looks good. I’m glad he’s keeping himself busy & still in the business; he probably keeps himself fit.
I really enjoyed the movie, even though, I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying; heck, I don’t speak German, but would love to learn their language.
Thanks again for sharing it iStan & if you see any more, please post it; I’d love to see more of them.Lexxian to Lexxian,
Jhevz 😉I downloaded it too! I think it’s quite good. I like the choice of camera angles and music. Interesting without being too arty! I want to see more installments — it would make an excellent webshow or tv show.
But the ear thing is soooo ICK.
There should be a whole series: it’s about a bookie, loan shark, or drug raketeer (the guy the Assassin meet up with at the end) and of course, the Assassin (with the heart of gold) and his family.
There should be a whole series: it’s about a bookie, loan shark, or drug raketeer (the guy the Assassin meet up with at the end) and of course, the Assassin (with the heart of gold) and his family.
Lizard, that’s a BRILLIANT idea. It would be marvellous if this would happen. Could be a great series…:-) And even if it wasn’t great, it could be interesting and if the show was german, some czech commercial channel would buy it, sooner or later. They always buy german shows.
MM weekly… Sigh…
😈It was pretty good. And I did think that MMM Twack looked quite rested… but then it could just be that he had a good makeup lady. 😀
The only think I didn’t like was all the handheld work. Yes, I know it is a ‘look’, but it went on longer than I was comfortable with. Too much of that will actually start making me queazy.
It felt it a little longer than necessary as the story stands, and needed an injection of humour. Also, they could have made the assassin into more of an artiste — that way the ear-cutting scene could reference Vincent van Gough (he cut off his own ear and gave it to a girl).
I thought the ear-cutting scene unnecessarily graphic (reminds me of Reservoir Dogs). What’s wrong with implying the violence without actually showing it? A warning may be in order. Still, as they were obviously going for shock value, they might have taken it farther, and added a twisted twist…
For instance: After the killer gives the ear to the man, the man could go off briefly and return with a little gift wrapped package. The killer would lay the present by the sleeping girl. She awakes, unwraps the present with glee, and declares, “Vati, dieser ist das beste Geschenk überhaupt!” We see the daughter open a drawer to reveal a gruesome sight — a Mrs. Potato Head with a human nose and eyeball stuck on it. She then proceeds to attach the human ear to her plastic pal. Pan back to see a decapitated Elephant… “Now bring me the head of Dumbo!” she barks at her father.
Nah, really in my opinion, they should have made it less gruesome.
Have you considered fansubbing it?
The ear didn’t bother me at all. (I am a dedicated fan of italian horror movies, never got any problem with gore…:-))
The movie is really nice and lovely, fine idea and all that.
I just think that they could pay more attention to details and execute the whole idea with more care.Having followed this convo on a couple of sites over the last little while, I am struck by how many people found the ear cutting a bit much. Personally, I thought it too obviously contrived and fake to be disturbing- one of the numerous elements of the short film that all added up to create a spoof of the stereotypical 1980’s Euro-villain. But maybe that’s just me. I’ll go back to sleep now.
Logan wrote:…
For instance: After the killer gives the ear to the man, the man could go off briefly and return with a little gift wrapped package. The killer would lay the present by the sleeping girl. She awakes, unwraps the present with glee, and declares, “Vati, dieser ist das beste Geschenk überhaupt!” We see the daughter open a drawer to reveal a gruesome sight — a Mrs. Potato Head with a human nose and eyeball stuck on it. She then proceeds to attach the human ear to her plastic pal. Pan back to see a decapitated Elephant… “Now bring me the head of Dumbo!” she barks at her father….
Ha Ha! Logan, that is the movie you should make! But about the ear, I didn’t think it was too too gruesome, just ICK. But there is a long tradition of ears being cut, besides the Van Gogh thing mentioned above– Doesn’t someone get an ear in a box in a Sherlock Holmes story??? I forget which one.
Hey ear cutting goes right back to the Bible.
Luke 22:50 in the Garden of Gethsemanie the high priest has his ear chopped off and Jesus miraculously heals it. One of the forgotten miracles, but my personal favourite 😛lizard wrote:]Ha Ha! Logan, that is the movie you should make! But about the ear, I didn’t think it was too too gruesome, just ICK. But there is a long tradition of ears being cut, besides the Van Gogh thing mentioned above– Doesn’t someone get an ear in a box in a Sherlock Holmes story??? I forget which one.
Your’e right. By the way, I’d title the film in English, “Ears looking at you, kid!” 😉
The cutting-edge in ear-forensics Sherlock Holmes’ story is The Cardboard Box.
The ear-cutting scene is fake-looking, but still gets a severed thumbs, erm ears, down from me. As Cesare and iStan mention, it owes something to typical Euro-Trash, the Euro-Villains of the ’80s, and Spaghetti-Horrors (nothin’ scarier than severed spaghetti and meatballs — especially the spaghetti bit, though…). They aint Fellini, but I must admit I’ve enjoyed some of those Italian gore-fests too.
leila wrote:Hey ear cutting goes right back to the Bible.
Luke 22:50 in the Garden of Gethsemanie the high priest has his ear chopped off and Jesus miraculously heals it. One of the forgotten miracles, but my personal favourite…😆 Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite so successful with his cousin John the Baptists’ head.
Fake or not, as they were going for gore, they might as well have gone the full-decapitation route… Sample title: “How to Get Ahead as a Contract Killer.”
Sorry to bring an old topic back, but i just watched this a couple days ago.
I don’t think Mr. McManus is rested, just a lot thinner. And older, of course.
But what i’d like to say is that i don’t think they intended to dwell too long on this one.
The killer is a total cold asshole. I really don’t think he kills for morals or principals, just for money. That’s what they wanted to show us, an asshole, that go off to kill (on his daughter’s birthday)someone who just visited his dying wife at the hospital, for whatever reason the guy from the restaurant thought worthy of it.
But even this asshole loves his daughter. I don’t think there was much more too it.
Technically, this short piece is not great; the point of it is interesting, if not a bit scary.But what I really would like to ask is: Why does his name appear as “Michi M.C” on this??
Michael is such a beatiful name… :/love.
ladylina wrote:But what I really would like to ask is: Why does his name appear as “Michi M.C” on this?? Michael is such a beatiful name… :/
No way of really telling, but some actors do change their names slightly when they go to different countries to fit in better. Also, I imagine it helps eliminate preconceived notions by the casting people. They see you and like your performance and don’t have any stereotypical baggage about your nationalistic character based on the inital viewing of your name. This is a small edge admittedly, but it might help you get auditions that you might otherwise have been passed over for.
ladylina wrote:Sorry to bring an old topic back, but i just watched this a couple days ago.
I don’t think Mr. McManus is rested, just a lot thinner. And older, of course.
But what i’d like to say is that i don’t think they intended to dwell too long on this one.
The killer is a total cold asshole. I really don’t think he kills for morals or principals, just for money. That’s what they wanted to show us, an asshole, that go off to kill (on his daughter’s birthday)someone who just visited his dying wife at the hospital, for whatever reason the guy from the restaurant thought worthy of it.
But even this asshole loves his daughter. I don’t think there was much more too it.
Technically, this short piece is not great; the point of it is interesting, if not a bit scary.But what I really would like to ask is: Why does his name appear as “Michi M.C” on this??
Michael is such a beatiful name… :/I’ve always liked the recycling of old topics. Good old threads should never die; just grow longer.
LadyLina: I agree with your assessment, and think “Even Assholes Love Their Children” would be a better title for the short.
I’m guessing he chose the rapperesque name Michi M.C. because he thought it sounded cool (and especially aesthetically pleasing to a German audience), and/or because he was looking for a level of anonymity. For instance, he didn’t want the project prominently displayed on his resume, or… possibly… since Lexx was, for part of the run, a German co-production he wished to limit fan recognition… It appears he has tried to distance himself from Lexx, and especially his Lexxian fans, and especially-especially the “Kai droolers”.
Anyway, he’s a man who values his privacy, and his anonimity from what I’ve heard, so using a pseudonym doesn’t surprise me, especially if he lacks confidence in the project (e.g. doing an amateurish short won’t help his career — not that he seems to desire fame — or whatever)…
Or, here’s an idea, perhaps the M.C. indicates a shift in his career: from stiff thespian to fly rapper emcee, German techno-dance club DJ, or as a professional wedding banquet host. It’s Michi time!
Can’t touch this Kai: Last of the Brunnen-M.C.
Can´t touch this… hahaha
Hehehehe that’s a nice one… 🙂
I thought about the breaking his ties to Kai/Lexx purpose too… and that seems the most plausable explanation (not that I need one, just speculating here, of course).
After all, privacy is different from anonimity, specially for an actor, I believe 😉
On a more curious note: The song played on the restaurant scene is the famous Fado de Lisboa, a very typical portuguese music, from Madredeus. Because I live in Lisboa, I just had to mention that 😛
Thanks and much love.
ladylina wrote:Can´t touch this… hahaha
Hehehehe that’s a nice one… 🙂
I thought about the breaking his ties to Kai/Lexx purpose too… and that seems the most plausable explanation (not that I need one, just speculating here, of course).
After all, privacy is different from anonimity, specially for an actor, I believe ;)…
Oops, sorry, did I say he values his privacy? I meant privates (“Can’t touch this”.) 😉 No, not really, but some sources say that after witnessing a fan-made “anatomically correct” doll, he went to greater lengths to distance himself from Lexxians (and “Lexx” itself, though I rather question the “Lexx” part in this context, but won’t get into that now).
Indeed, celebrities tend to go to great lengths to protect their privacy, but for an actor to be “successful” (a subjective term) they want their name out there (anyway, I was just sharing something I’d heard, and I’ve heard strange things, not that I believe or agree with much of it. One thing people have posited is that he really doesn’t want to be a celebrity at all. He enjoys acting, but…). However, the words privacy and anonymity are related. And, for this project at least, the “anonymous” act of an actor using a pseudonym may well be an attempt at seeking (a level of) privacy in that he wants an avoidance of publicity for whatever reason.
It may be to distance himself from Lexx,…
I’m curious as to how this clip was originally found. I know that BK “found it”, and if I remember correctly, he is an “insider” when it comes to dealing with certain Lexx actors (not that he works with MM). I have such a bad memory.
Edited to add this: I’ve always respected Mr. McManus for not trying to sell himself to the fans. I believe he acts primarily because he enjoys it, and not because he craves devotion or wants to profit from fan idolatry. And if what others say is true, he doesn’t really need the money, or crave much of it. He’s very Zen. 8)
Wow, you guys really do your homework around here 🙂 That’s cool.
I’ve never heard of Mr. McManus before I heard of Lexx (kinda one month ago), so I really can’t say much about anything.
I found the short piece in a Lexx site, can’t really remember which, sorry.
Anyway, hoping I don’t disrespect anyone, I guess an “anatomically correct” doll can be quite “scary”. 😛
Thanks and much love.
Actually, I belive there were two such dolls. One knitted with a detachable, and one polyclay one with a dangly.
One might want to distance a bit from stuff like that. But overall, MMM Twack was said to have been the type of person who was only comfortable with people in the trade. This is not limited to him, or indeed actors. I know computer people who only like to associate with other geeks, understandable since they WON’T ask you to fix their system. I also know political types who refuse to associate with people who are not up on what is happening in the land of deceit… errr politics. 😀 Me? I talk to almost everyone. 😛 🙂
Old News Flash: “Fans of the sci-fi show Lexx are holding demonstrations across the continent in protest over the exhibition of ‘anatomically correct’ Kai Dolls. ‘When will the lies end?’ said one protester.” 😉
Innapropriate, I guess, but the dolls sound more tasteful than the Feppo and Smoor Blow-up “action” dolls.
If the “anatomically correct,” as some have decribed them, dolls were supposed to be of the Divine Assassin Kai character and not the MMM Twack actor, then they got it wrong. Kai has mechanical rods. I guess that like with this post, artistic licence (to thrill) can go too far…
I think this old leaked email message to Salty Street about the official Kai* action figure may shed some light on Twacky displeasure over fan-made dolls…
FROM: da Twackster
SUBJECT: Official Anatomically and Mechanically Correct Kai* DollThe new anatomically/ mechanically correct doll is very interesting, and by interesting I mean really, really badly done. While the head, neck, arms, hands, legs, feet, shoulders, buttocks, torso and hair are of the proper proportions, the rest does not measure up at all! The brace is limp and why the frig didn’t you give it bigger rods?
-da Twackster
Assuming the proportions were inaccurate (got a ruler?), if da Twackster was that upset about the size of his mechanical rods, how would he react to anatomical ones on dolls?
Anyway… Thankfully, in the later models the doll’s “deficiency” was corrected according to da Twacky specifications…
Mattell is pleased to announce the introduction of our newest line of Kai* dolls and accessories. The new Kai* Mach III is totally redesigned (and realigned) with comfort and performance in mind. The ergonomic swivelling head has dual three-speed controls. The rods easily detach for improved portability. The Mach III comes in a wide variety of colours to match any decor. Test-drive the new Mach III today. Satisfaction guaranteed!
Batteries not included.
Post Disclaimer: All quotes, Kai*s, da Twacksters, and opinions are fictional and any similarity to actual quotes, Kai*s, da Twacksters, or opinions is coincidental.
You forgot to mention that in response to the outcry the later models by Mattell were ‘Smooth around the Bend’ following in the pattern of the ever popular Lyekka Dolls.
theFrey wrote:Actually, I belive there were two such dolls. One knitted with a detachable, and one polyclay one with a dangly.
One might want to distance a bit from stuff like that. But overall, MMM Twack was said to have been the type of person who was only comfortable with people in the trade. This is not limited to him, or indeed actors. I know computer people who only like to associate with other geeks, understandable since they WON’T ask you to fix their system. I also know political types who refuse to associate with people who are not up on what is happening in the land of deceit… errr politics. 😀 Me? I talk to almost everyone. 😛 🙂
Oh heck– I hope this doesn’t offend too much, but I think the knitter was a bit of a nutter. Of course, it could have been meant as humor, I wasn’t there.
Anyway, I agree that this short film isn’t meant to be any big deal, but I still had fun watching it. If Mr. McManus starts doing more work in Germany in TV or film I hope we can rely on our german friends to let us know! Of course, I wish he was in something on Scifi. I mean it takes a certain type of actor who knows how to be good in a bad show to make some of this stuff work.
😯 😮 😆 ❓ Is there any other way to get the movie to load? I would really like to see what MM is up to these days. 😀 🙂 😮 😆 😉
He’s lost a lot of weight, eh? He was so skinny in Speaking Parts, I felt a compulsion to make him a pan of biscuits and Texas white gravy. I hope he’s not sick or on cocaine. He’s got way too much talent to throw it away on bad behavior.
Yeah, I was a kai drooler (Calico Kai at the alt.tv.lexx board) for a while, but I wouldn’t infringe on the guy’s privacy. I’m a private person, too. I do miss Lexx though. Too bad they couldn’t have hired more writers and put out a fifth season. Personally, they could do a show about the ship itself. Zev and Stanley let it fall into new hands (Zev gets married and Stanley finally finds what he is looking for and baby Lexx wants to move on by instinct). It could crossover with Battlestar Gallatica 2005 + Farscape 2004 + Blade’s 7 1980 something + The Red Green Show from PBS.
Haven’t we done a crossover fanfic story along this line here at Sadgeezer? ❓
The film, BowCatz, is a QuickTime file. Just right click or control click to d/l it. And, of course, make sure that you have QuickTime installed so that you can watch it.
Logan: Gerado Schmidtler is the nom de video of a person who, as well as being a Mac user, was part of the Lexx filming crew and a friend of MM. It’s thanks to him, and BK, that this video has become available.
BowCatz wrote:No cologne, Michi M. C?
Married guys rarely bother. 😉 😉
And I still think he would make a really fabulous detective type as opposed to an assassin.
It would be so cool if he were to show up in a few shows of the Battlestar Gallactica 2005!!! He is definitely a Cylon and knows it. He could be #6’s old love interest. Driven by jealously, he might have his own agenda for getting her back regardless of the Cylons overall plans. Balzar better watch out. Seems to me that if Cylons have a faith then they must have a form of love.
Bowcatz, with all that facial hair and “hi I live in a log cabin” look, I can’t tell if that picture is Michael McManus or the Unibomber.
Love the wink BowCatz. 🙂
Hummm, Lizard my darling, didn’t you know? Backwoods psyco killers are all the fashion rage this year. 😉
I vote unibomber.
I remember somewhere in an interview that MMM Twack said that starting out in school, he was always the actor who played the disaffected charcter. Which could be why Lexx was such a good fit for him, at least til he got tired of playing dead.
But… I started to wonder.
http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=2006&first=yes
Where do I fit into a drama play? Would I be the distant Russian Soldier? Would I be a Prop Puppie? Would I be the Lighting Geek?
No!!!!! I am a Director. Ah Well. I guess it could have been worse. At least I am not a Drama Queen. 😉
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