The Movie Tie-In Project Strikes Again!

First off...
Nathan Fillion appeared on the cover of last weekend's issue of Parade Magazine (June 10, 2012), holding up a copy of the Bantam movie tie-in for Peter Benchley's JAWS (complete with the "Now a spectacular motion picture from Universal" stamp on the cover). In the article he discusses his love for books in their true form and digitized counterparts, but the important thing is that he is touting JAWS.

Anyhow, that article/cover coincides nicely with the latest contribution to my on-going Movie Tie-In Project, the seventh slideshow installment.

Lotsa Paul Newman fare in this edition, along with Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Michael Douglas, Jack Nicholson, Roy Scheider, Arnold Schwarzenegger, William Goldman, Aliens, the BACK TO THE FUTURE trilogy, Batman, Billy Jack, Predator, WALKING TALL, Vic & Ramona and Shaft... John Shaft.

And, now, on with the show!



I've also set up one of them fancy YouTube playlists featuring all seven installments in sequential order (with future editions added upon completion)...
THE MOVIE TIE-IN SAGA

Movie Tie-In A Go-Go!

Okay, it's about time I launched another batch of movie tie-ins from my collection. This installment features a few alternate editions of tie-ins which have been represented previously...

And now, on with the show...



I'm pretty proud of myself for tracking down the tie-in for WINDOWS, since it's a movie that MGM/UA has all but buried. 32 years since it's extremely brief release in theaters (January 18th to be precise) and it has yet to garner any official U.S. home video release.
(Attention: MGM Limited Edition Collection!)

Another Movie Tie-In Project: Odds 'n' Sods

Quite enough time has passed since the last tie-in entry and I'm due for a fifth installment of the video series, so here it is...



Yet another collection of movie tie-ins in the form of paperback books, magazines, movie programs, comic book adaptations, screenplays, retrospectives and more. (Lots of Star Trek, James Bond and Star Wars in this one ...with a dash of Lucio Fulci.)

THE END?

Clip-On Tie-In

As promised...



Yet another bevy of movie tie-ins from my collection. This time, the focus is primarily on "behind-the-scenes" journals, retrospective film studies, scrapbooks, storybooks and a few odds n' ends thrown into the mix.


And, yes... there will be a fifth installment.
Stay tuned!

Nathan Lives: The Movie Tie-In Project Returns!

It's been ages since I've posted anything here on the blog and even longer since I did one of these videos.  So, without further ado, there's the third installment in the increasingly popular series (Oops, I got this mixed up with the TWILIGHT franchise).  Enjoy?  Yes, enjoy.



Another bevy of vintage and contemporary film-related tie-ins presented in the form of paperbacks, oversized paperbacks, hardbacks, comic book adaptations (Marvel, DC) and those wonderful Fotonovels (with some wannabes thrown in, too). Also, there are a slew of spin-off paperbacks ("The Amityville Horror" continuations, "Dirty Harry" action stories and further installments of "The Omen" series) included here, as well.


Part IV is in the works and I refuse to give any spoilers here!
You'll just have to wait it out.
Could be another several months, or hours.
I won't tell!

Movie Tie-In Project, Part V.5

Expect the expected.

Movie Tie-In Project, Part V: A New Beginning

Yes, folks! Here it is!
The tie-in movie for the movie tie-in phenom!
Expect a sequel.

(Please rate... er, uh... "like" the video, favorite it, get to know it well, send it to your friends and family, take out an ad in your local trade paper, discuss it in high class &/or high dollar meetings, create a drinking game, drop a tantalizing mention during your next social gathering, create a drinking game for those who don't drink using sand or something, flaunt it while you got it, et cetera!)

Movie Tie-In Project, Part IV: Found Treasures

ALIEN - Alan Dean Foster [Warner, 1979]
BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
- David Gerrold [Award, 1973]
BLACK SUNDAY - Thomas Harris [Bantam, 1977]
CHILD'S PLAY 2 - Matthew J. Costello [Jove, 1990]
DOG DAY AFTERNOON - Patrick Mann [Dell, 1975]
THE EXORCIST III: LEGION - William Peter Blatty [Pocket, 1990]
FLASH GORDON - Arthur Byron Cover [Jove, 1980]
FLETCH - Gregory McDonald [Avon, 1985]
THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT - Edgar Rice Burroughs [Ace, 1977]
THE SWARM - Arthur Herzog [Signet, 1978]



STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
- Gene Roddenberry [Pocket, 1979]
STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
- Gene Roddenberry (Re-issue w/Alternate cover) [Pocket, 1987]
STAR TREK (II): THE WRATH OF KHAN
- Vonda N. McIntyre [Pocket, 1982]
STAR TREK (II): THE WRATH OF KHAN
- Vonda N. McIntyre (Alternate cover) [Pocket, 1982]
STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK
- Vonda N. McIntyre [Pocket, 1984]
STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME
- Vonda N. McIntyre [Pocket, 1986]
STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER
- J.M. Dillard [Pocket, 1989]
STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
- J.M. Dillard [Pocket, 1992]

And, some titles that've been seen here before, but now tied with their paperback brethren.



DARK STAR - Alan Dean Foster [Ballantine, 1975]
DARK STAR - Alan Dean Foster
(Re-issue w/Alternate artwork) [Del Rey, 1978]
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK - Mike McQuay [Bantam, 1981]
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK - Mike McQuay
(Re-issue w/Alternate artwork) [Bantam Spectra, 1985]
HALLOWEEN - Curtis Richards [Bantam, 1979]
HALLOWEEN - Curtis Richards
(Alternate cover w/Poster artwork) [Bantam, 1979]
HALLOWEEN II - Jack Martin (Dennis Etchison) [Zebra, 1981]
HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH
- Jack Martin (Dennis Etchison) [Jove, 1982]
THE FOG - Dennis Etchison [Bantam, 1980]
THE THING - Alan Dean Foster [Bantam, 1982]



THE TERMINATOR
- Randall Frakes & Bill Wisher [Bantam Spectra, 1991]
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
- Randall Frakes [Bantam Spectra, 1991]
TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES
- David Hagberg [Tor, 2003]



Note: Title description contains the actual publishing date of the exact printing in my collection and doesn't necessarily reflect the initial date of either the novel or film.

Movie Tie-In Project, Part III

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - Gaston Leroux [Warner, 1986] *
PLATOON LEADER - James R. McDonough [Bantam, 1988]
POLTERGEIST II: THE OTHER SIDE
- James Kahn [Ballantine, 1986]
PRETTY IN PINK - H.B. Gilmour [Bantam, 1986] **
PROPHECY - David Seltzer [Ballantine, 1979]
THE RAVEN - Eunice Sudak [Lancer, 1963]
THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD
- Max Ehrlich [Bantam, 1975]
ROLLERBALL - William Harrison [Warner, 1975]
ROMANCING THE STONE
- Joan Wilder (Catherine Lanigan) [Avon, 1984]
RUMBLE FISH - S.E. Hinton [Dell, 1983]



'SALEM'S LOT - Stephen King [Signet, 1979]
SCANNERS - Leon Whiteson [Tower, 1981]
THE SEARCHERS - Alan Le May [Popular Library, 1962]
SERPICO - Peter Maas [Bantam, 1976]
SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
- Henry Edwards [Pocket, 1978]
THE SHINING - Stephen King [Signet, 1980]
SWAMP THING - David Houston & Len Wein [Tor, 1982]
TAXI DRIVER - Richard Elman [Bantam, 1976] ***
THE TERMINATOR
- Randall Frakes & Bill Wisher [Bantam Spectra, 1991]
THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT - Joe Millard [Award, 1974]



THE TOWER - Richard Martin Stern [Warner, 1974] ****
TRON - Brian Daley [Del Rey, 1982]
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - Arthur C. Clarke [Signet, 1982]
VIDEODROME - Jack Martin (Dennis Ethison) [Zebra, 1983]
VISITING HOURS - Kent Rembo [Pinnacle, 1982]
THE WARRIORS - Sol Yorick [Dell, 1979]
THE WEREWOLF VS. (THE) VAMPIRE WOMAN
- Arthur N. Scarm [Guild-Hartford, 1972]
THE WICKER MAN
- Robin Hardy & Anthony Shaffer [Pocket, 1979]
WOLFEN - Whitley Strieber [Bantam, 1981]
ZARDOZ - John Boorman with Bill Stair [Signet, 1974]



THE OMEN - David Seltzer [Signet, 1976]
DAMIEN: OMEN II - Joseph Howard [Signet, 1978]
THE FINAL CONFLICT - Gordon McGill [Signet, 1981]
And, the written sequels which were never filmed
(but, should have been)...
OMEN IV: ARMAGEDDON 2000 - Gordon McGill [Signet, 1982]
OMEN V: THE ABOMINATION - Gordon McGill [Signet, 1985]

And, yet, there's more on the way...

Note: Title description contains the actual publishing date of the exact printing in my collection and doesn't necessarily reflect the initial date of either the novel or film.

* So, this book came out 61 years after the Lon Chaney film, but it's got him on the cover, so I'm counting it!

** Based on the initial screenplay and includes the original and most appropriate ending where Duckie gets the girl. Due to the complaints of test audiences, the ending was re-shot so that the rich guy would get the girl. That B.S. occurs enough in real life, why do we need it on the silver screen, too?!

*** Apparently, John Hinckley, Jr. had a copy of this paperback in his jail cell, during the time he wrote "fan" letters to Jodie Foster.

**** Irwin Allen's production of THE TOWERING INFERNO was based on two novels, the second of which is THE GLASS INFERNO
by Thomas N. Scortia & Frank M. Robinson.

Movie Tie-In Project, Part II

ALFIE - Bill Naughton [Ballantine, 1966]
AMERICAN GRAFFITI
- George Lucas, Gloria Katz & Willard Huyck [Ballantine, 1974]
THE AMITYVILLE HORROR - Jay Anson [Bantam, 1978] *
BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
- Michael Avallone [Bantam, 1974]
THE BLACK HOLE - Alan Dean Foster [Del Rey, 1979]
BLADE RUNNER - Philip K. Dick [Del Rey, 1982]
BLOW OUT - Neal Williams [Bantam, 1981]
THE BLUES BROTHERS - "Miami Mitch" Glazer [Jove, 1980]
THE BOOGENS
- Charles E. Sellier, Jr. & Robert Weverka [Bantam, 1981]
BUCKAROO BANZAI - Earl Mac Rauch [Pocket, 1984]



THE CANNONBALL RUN - Michael Avallone [Leisure, 1981]
CARRIE - Stephen King [Signet, 1976]
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
- Steven Spielberg [Dell, 1978]
CONAN THE BARBARIAN
- L. Sprague De Camp & Lin Carter [Bantam, 1982]
CORVETTE SUMMER - Wayland Drew [Signet, 1978]
DAMNATION ALLEY - Roger Zelazny [Berkley Medallion, 1977]
DEAD & BURIED - Chelsea Quinn Yarbro [Warner, 1980]
DELIVERANCE - James Dickey [Dell, 1973]
DIRTY MARY, CRAZY LARRY - Richard Unekis [Manor, 1974]
DRACULA - Bram Stoker
(Abridged w/Lugosi artwork) [Scholastic, 1971] **



DRACULA - Bram Stoker [Jove, 1979]
EMMANUELLE II: THE JOYS OF A WOMAN
- Emmanuelle Arsan [Ballantine, 1976]
ENTER THE DRAGON - Mike Roote [Award, 1973]
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK - Mike McQuay
(Re-issue w/Alternate artwork) [Bantam Spectra, 1985]
THE EXORCIST - William Peter Blatty [Bantam, 1974]
FADE TO BLACK - Ron Renauld [Pinnacle, 1980]
FINAL EXAM - Geoffrey Meyer [Pinnacle, 1981]
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART 3 - Simon Hawke
(Re-issue w/poster artwork) [Signet, 1988]
GOIN' COCONUTS - Vic Crume [Dell, 1979]
THE GRADUATE - Charles Webb [Signet, 1967]



HOUNDS OF DRACULA - Ken Johnson [Signet, 1977]
HOW TO MURDER YOUR WIFE - Henry Williams [Dell, 1965]
IN SEARCH OF DRACULA
- Raymond T. McNally & Radu Florescu [Warner, 1973] ***
INCUBUS - Ray Russell [Dell, 1981]
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS - Jack Finney [Dell, 1979]
IT'S ALIVE! - Richard Woodley [Ballantine, 1977]
LAST TANGO IN PARIS - Robert Alley [Dell, 1973]
THE LEGACY - John Coyne [Berkley, 1979]
LIFEFORCE - Colin Wilson [Warner, 1985]
LOGAN'S RUN
- William F. Nolan & George Clayton Johnson [Bantam, 1976]



MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME - Joan D. Vinge [Warner, 1985]
THE MEN'S CLUB - Leonard Michaels [Avon, 1986]
MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN - Graham Chapman, John Cleese,
Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones & Michael Palin [Ace, 1979]
NIGHTWING - Martin Cruz Smith [Jove, 1979]
ODE TO BILLY JOE - Herman Raucher [Dell, 1976]
THE OMEGA MAN (I AM LEGEND)
- Richard Matheson [Berkley Medallion, 1971]
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST - Ken Kesey [Signet, 1975]
ORCA - Arthur Herzog [Pocket, 1977]
OUTLAND - Alan Dean Foster [Warner, 1981]
THE OUTSIDERS - S.E. Hinton [Dell, 1983]

You best believe there's more on the way!

Note: Title description contains the actual publishing date of the exact printing in my collection and doesn't necessarily reflect the initial date of either the novel or film.

* Technically, this is a pre-movie tie-in with "Coming as an American International Picture" printed on the back cover. The film released the following year.

** So, this book came out 40 years after the Lugosi film, but it's got him on the cover, so I'm counting it!

*** Hey, how'd that get in there?! Okay, another slip. The book was published in '73, but the film wasn't made until '75. So, it doesn't count.


+ UPDATE: April 8, 2010 +

THE SPACE VAMPIRES - Colin Wilson [Pocket, 1976]
Since I already posted the movie tie-in version (LIFEFORCE), I thought it would be fun to include the original novel, as well.

Movie Tie-In Project, Part I

ROCKY - Julia Sorel [Ballantine, 1977]
THE LORDS OF FLATBUSH - Leonore Fleischer [Scholastic, 1977]
PARADISE ALLEY - Sylvester Stallone [Berkley, 1978]
F.I.S.T. - Joe Eszterhas [Dell, 1978]
SYLVESTER STALLONE'S OFFICIAL ROCKY SCRAPBOOK
- Sylvester Stallone [Tempo Star, 1977]
FIRST BLOOD - David Morrell [Fawcett Crest, 1985]
ROCKY IV - Sylvester Stallone [Ballantine, 1985]
OVER THE TOP - Joel Don Humphreys [St. Martin's Press, 1987]



THE MECHANIC - John Lewis Carlino [Signet, 1972]
THE STONE KILLER - John Gardner [Award, 1973]
DEATH WISH - Brian Garfield [Fawcett Crest, 1974]
NEVADA PASS - Alistair MacLean (German Language) [Heyne, 1985]



JAWS - Peter Benchley [Bantam, 1975]
THE DEEP - Peter Benchley [Bantam, 1977]
THE ISLAND - Peter Benchley [Bantam, 1980]
JAWS 2 - Hank Searls [Bantam, 1978]
JAWS 2 - Hank Searls (Alternate Cover) [Bantam, 1978]
JAWS THE REVENGE - Hank Searls [Berkley, 1987]



STAR WARS - George Lucas [Del Rey, 1977]
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - Donald F. Glut [Del Rey, 1980]
RETURN OF THE JEDI - James Kahn [Del Rey, 1983]
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK - Campbell Black [Ballantine, 1981]
INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
- James Kahn [Ballantine, 1984]
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE
- Rob MacGregor [Ballantine, 1989]
SUPERMAN: LAST SON OF KRYPTON - Elliot S. Maggin [Warner, 1978]
SUPERMAN: MIRACLE MONDAY - Elliot S. Maggin [Warner, 1980]
SUPERMAN III - William Kotzwinkle [Warner, 1983]
SUPERGIRL - Norma Fox Mazer [Warner, 1984]



BEYOND AND BACK - Ralph Wilkerson [Bantam, 1978]
BEYOND DEATH'S DOOR - Maurice Rawlings [Bantam, 1979]
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER - H.B. Gilmour [Bantam, 1977]
STAYING ALIVE - Leonore Fleisher [Pocket, 1983]
WILLARD - Stephen Gilbert [Lancer, 1971]
BEN - Gilbert A. Ralston [Bantam, 1972]
THE NIGHTMARES ON ELM STREET 1, 2 & 3: THE CONTINUING STORY
- Jeffrey Cooper [St. Martin's Press, 1987]
THE NIGHTMARES ON ELM STREET 4 & 5
- Joseph Locke [St. Martin's Press, 1989]
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE - Ian Fleming [Signet, 1969]
LICENCE TO KILL - John Gardner [Charter, 1989]

More to come!

Note: Title description contains the actual publishing date of the exact printing in my collection and doesn't necessarily reflect the initial date of either the novel or film.

Cinephemera, Where Art Thou?

I miss the days of movie tie-in memorabilia, not that it doesn't exist today, but it's just not the same. Nowadays, it's all about bangin' you over the head with an abundance of crap. (i.e. anything from the TWILIGHT series, HARRY POTTER or the emo-fueled resurgence of THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.)

Theatrical promo items have been lacking for years. Gone are the days of the 40x60 heavy card stock posters, insert posters, half sheets and lobby cards. Gone also is the movie program. Some theaters offered these to patrons depending on the marketing of the film. Basically, you could buy your bucket o' caffeine, bucket o' eventual kernel slivers that embed themselves neatly between your teeth and gums (Sorry, not a popcorn fan, unless we're talking about the Jill Schoelen kind) and a program. Patterned after the Playbill, it served as a nice memento for when movie-going used to be an experience.

Along with programs, you'd be hard pressed to find those official movie magazines or poster books. I don't follow comic books, so I'm not sure if comic book adaptations still make the rounds or not, but they were quite the big thing, courtesy of Marvel and DC, in the '70s and '80s.

Production diaries were a big thing in paperback, back then...


Then you had those awesome Fotonovels...


Fotonovels made a slight return in 1999, with titles like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and CHARLIE'S ANGELS, but soon vanished once again. I say they should be brought back, but not for current fare... let's go back and adapt classic films. A Fotonovel for CHINATOWN, anyone?

As for movie tie-in paperbacks, don't get me started.
Too late! I already started. Here's a taste...



HALLOWEEN - Curtis Richards [Bantam, 1979]
HALLOWEEN - Curtis Richards
(Alternate cover w/Poster artwork) [Bantam, 1979]
HALLOWEEN II - Jack Martin (Dennis Etchison) [Zebra, 1981]
HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH
- Jack Martin (Dennis Etchison) [Jove, 1982]
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK - Mike McQuay [Bantam, 1981]
DARK STAR - Alan Dean Foster [Ballentine, 1975]
THE FOG - Dennis Etchison [Bantam, 1980]
THE THING - Alan Dean Foster [Bantam, 1982]

(To Be Continued...)

CineGames

Here are a few online movie tie-in games that I've enjoyed over the years...

POKE-A-SHEMP
Release your inner Moe to the Shemp Howard which awaits!

REVENGE OF THE NERDS: PANTY RAID!
Do the Skolnick, but steer clear of them granny panties!

WILLY WONKA'S CONVEYOR BELT CHALLENGE
Box them Gobstoppers, Gene Wilder style, and avoid those dropping bombs! *

Too bad the OPEN WATER 2: ADRIFT "Shark Attack" game from Lionsgate is no longer. Simple, yet tedious game which tied-in with the DVD release of the sequel to OPEN WATER. Of course, if you've seen the sequel, you know that it truly wasn't one and had nothing to do with sharks of any kind. Nice.





* Not to be confused with Tim Burton's remake, or else the game might involve dropping turds.

Jolt Cinema

For nearly a year, I've been on a Jolt Cola kick (not every second, mind you, my heart would explode) and it's been quite the mission to find actual businesses that carry Jolt products.

And now, a short history of Jolt Cola...
Born in 1985, it was first advertised as the ultimate cola providing twice the sugar and twice the caffeine. This, of course, shocked most parental groups and the product went from being easily accessible to scarce in seemingly no time at all. (I think I only had the privilege to consume one six-pack during that decade.)

Always soldiering on, the brand has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. Jolt was clearly a signature of the '80s, but also clearly ahead of it's time. Fast forward to the current world of energy drinks, Jolt now seems to fit right in. While you can find their energy gum in many locations, their drinks are slowly becoming more and more available. But, there is hope. Walgreen's, the major drug store chain, began carrying Jolt's special energy drinks (Super Cola, Passion Fruit, Blue Raspberry, etc.) a few months back, which could lead to a lot more "Jolt awareness". Fingers crossed!

So, what does all of this have to do with cinema? First off, I always felt that it was a missed opportunity that New Line Cinema never struck a cross-promotional deal with them in the '80s for their "Nightmare On Elm Street" films. The connection is obvious. Perfect Freddy repellent! Secondly, the fine folks at Jolt Energy have created a website, which welcomes participation from the fan community in the form of stories, photos, advertising, et cetera. So, that's where I came up with the Jolt Cinema line of advertising.

On my own time, without endorsement nor compensation from the Jolt brand, I've created a few movie tie-in ads and am offering those ads here, because I'm not sure if the Jolt folks will dig them or not.