A Few Quick Monster Notes

I’m thrilled to see that one of the writers from the pathbreaking New Adventures of Mighty Mouse, one of the first animated series (way back in 1987) to display a grasp of irony and hipness — at a time when no adults or stoned college students were watching, alas — and who went on to direct Finding Nemo and Wall-E — is now slated to direct the John Carter of Mars movie, a full century after the sci-fi novel on which it’s based came out.

The 2012 film will feature Willem Dafoe as the tusked, fifteen-foot-high warrior Tars Tarkas, which makes about ten times now that Dafoe has played some being with a frightening visage without simply using his own already-frightening visage in the film. The wonders of the 1987 version of Mighty Mouse (co-created by John K. of Ren and Stimpy fame and Ralph Bakshi of many other things fame) were explored this year in a documentary called Breaking the Mold, but I was one of the lucky few to watch it in my strange youth when it first aired.

Speaking of strange creatures, lovely Grey’s Anatomy actress Ellen Pompeo apparently has twelve toes, and these extreme close-up shots of insects are also freakily interesting.