Tera Wray Static, the widow of STATIC-X frontman and founder Wayne Static and former adult film star, was found dead late last night of an apparent suicide, a longtime associate of Wayne She was 33 years old.
According to AVN, Wray, who was born Tera Lents, met Wayne during the Ozzfest tour in 2007 when she was modeling for Hustler lingerie. They were married in January 2008 and she retired from porn in August of that year.
A friend of Tera's named Rik Marin posted the following message in the comments section"I spent all day yesterday with Tara [sic]. We had lunch hung out and talked about life without Wayne she show no indication that she was going to take her life. She did talk about fighting the
depression for the past 2 years since Wayne had passed..I was shocked when I got the call at 1 am that she had passed.. Instead of hating we should all be happy that Tara had made Wayne so happy he really loved Tera. And put in a track of EVIL DISCO and remember Wayne and
the woman he loved...it's really hard for us friends of Wayne n Tera to read these comments..keep Disco EVIL in remembrance of Wayne. I loved you both an will miss are good times at the Dirthouse.."
Static was married to Wayne Static, the enigmatic frontman of metal band Static-X, who passed away in early November of 2014 from a mixture of strong prescription drugs and alcohol.
No further details regarding her passing have been released but this is an incredibly sad story to write.
As many of you know, I’ve battled my own demons in the past when it came to suicide. I know what absolute bottom feels like and to know that Tera felt that she was at that place just breaks my heart.
I beg of anyone who feels like they’re alone and there’s nothing left to live for to reconsider. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. If you are not in the United States, please utilize whatever resource you have available to you.
Tera, I hate that you chose this path but I truly hope you rest in peace.
Gene Wilder - Willy Wonka(TV-14; 01:14)Watch a short video about Gene Wilder to learn how he recovered after the loss of his wife Gilda Radner.
Synopsis
Gene Wilder began his movie career in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde, but he became famous as a favorite of writer/director Mel Brooks. His wacky roles in films such as Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory made him an unforgettable comedy icon. In his later years, Wilder has become a serious novelist, writing a memoir and several novels.
Early Life
Gene Wilder was born Jerome Silberman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on June 11, 1933, to a Jewish family. His father, William, had emigrated from Russia. His mother, Jeanne, was often ill from complications from rheumatic heart disease, and a doctor warned the 8-year-old Jerome, "Don't ever argue with your mother... you might kill her. Try to make her laugh." These circumstances began Wilder's lifelong calling to acting, as he made his mother laugh by putting on different accents. After a brief stint in a California military academy, Wilder moved back to Milwaukee and became involved with the local theater scene, making his stage debut as Balthasar in a production of Romeo and Juliet.
After graduating from high school, Wilder studied communication and theater arts at the University of Iowa, following that with a year studying theater and fencing at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, United Kingdom. He returned to the United States to study the Stanislavski method of acting but was promptly drafted into the U.S. Army for two years, during which time he worked as a medic in Pennsylvania. Next, Wilder moved to New York City, where he took a variety of odd jobs, including a position as a fencing teacher, to support himself while he studied acting.
Early Career
At age 26, Wilder decided that he "couldn't quite see a marquee reading 'Jerry Silberman as Macbeth'" and took the stage name Gene Wilder. He took his new first name from a character in a Thomas Wolfe novel, and his last from the playwright Thornton Wilder. He started appearing with some regularity in off-Broadway and Broadway shows. In a 1963 production ofMother Courage and Her Children, he met Anne Bancroft, who introduced him to her boyfriend, Mel Brooks. Wilder and Brooks became fast friends, and Brooks decided he wanted to cast Wilder in a production of the screenplay he was writing, The Producers.
Film Career
Wilder made his film debut with a minor role in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde. He took on his first major role in The Producers, playing Leo Bloom against Zero Mostel's Max Bialystock. The film was a box office flop and received mixed reviews, but Wilder earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He quickly became an in-demand commodity in Hollywood, taking parts in several comedies, including the idiosyncratic title character inWilly Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Willy Wonka brought to life the weird and wild Roald Dahl book of the same name, and it thoroughly established Gene Wilder as a leading man who could hold his own in any comedic situation. As the enigmatic Wonka, Wilder chewed the scenery right into a Golden Glove nomination for best actor and became known to a legion of young film-goers.
Despite Wilder's personal success, though, none of his films of this period met with much commercial success. He finally broke that streak with a role in Woody Allen's 1972 film Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask). He then took a last-minute role in Mel Brooks' 1974 comedy Blazing Saddles, a decision that would help define his career.
Blazing Saddles was a western like no other, and it set out to offend every viewer equally. Now a cult classic, the movie set Wilder on a path through his other classic films, including four with Richard Pryor: Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Another You (1991).
Stir Crazy, in which Wilder and Pryor played prison inmates, was a notable hit, and like Blazing Saddles before it, the film helped to cement Wilder's reputation as a comedy legend.
Wilder began writing and starring in more films in 1974, starting with Young Frankenstein (in which he played Dr. Frederick Frankenstein). Like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein set out to turn an established genre, this time horror, on its head. Starring Wilder as the infamous Dr. Frankenstein's grandson, the movie is unrelenting in its jokes and sight gags, and audiences have been connecting with it since the day it hit theaters.
Wilder also wrote, directed and starred in 1975's The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother and 1977's The World's Greatest Lover. WhileYoung Frankenstein was a hit and achieved a huge cult following, the others failed to gain positive critical response and were commercially unsuccessful.
Metal heroes portray wildlings on latest episode of hit fantasy show
Mastodon on Game of Thrones … You know nothing, Jon Snow. Photograph: PR
They are savage, brutal men from a remote place, barely attuned to civilization. And so are the wildlings, which might be why Mastodon were invited to appear as the wild men from north of The Wall in the latest episode of Game of Thrones.
The metal quartet appeared in the episode that was broadcast on Sunday 31 May in the US and goes out on Monday 1 June in the UK, at the invitation of the show’s creator/executive producer Dan Weiss.
mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in early 2000 and composed of bassist Troy Sanders, guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor. Their musical style features progressive concepts and unique instrumentation. All four members participate in vocals, creating a unique blend of singing styles and voices.
Mastodon’s Brann Dailor said, in a statement that contains spoilers unlikely to be central to the plot:
“It was such an incredible experience to be on set as extras for our collective favorite show Game of Thrones, and to be wildlings murdered and then brought back to life by White Walkers was beyond amazing. I watched my best friends, Brent and Bill, murdered right in front of me as I myself was stabbed in the stomach and had my throat slit multiple times, and I didn’t mind at all. It made me love being in Mastodon even more. We are more than privileged and honoured to have been a part of one of the greatest stories ever told on film –
There are few places more dazzling in the Robot Restaurant located in Shinjuku, Japan. We use the term 'restaurant' very loosely because it's more like a variety show, that you just happen to be dining at.
A visual feast for the senses, where the every which way you look is a kaleidoscope of colourful lights and relentless noise, where drummers are armed with glow sticks, cyber strippers fling themselves around neon poles and life-sizes robots go head-to-head in boxing matches.
But the fun doesn't end there, we haven't even mentioned the flying Terrordactyls, giant sharks, bigger Anacondas and the dance off between robots starring a bevy of scantily clad women, naturally.
So if you're in Japan and literally want to have your brain overloaded to the point where it's nearly melting, make sure you head to the Robot Restaurant, it's an experience you won't forget anytime soon.
It’s hard to imagine an experience more perfectly suited to Tokyo, and one less likely to exist anywhere else, than Shinjuku’s Robot Restaurant. With a stage show that stretches the definition of terms like “elaborate” and “bizarre,” the restaurant has quickly become one of the city’s most popular venues.
We were dazzled by the Robot Restaurant from the moment we spotted it. The entire facade was illuminated in blinding LED lights, and towering lady robots with giant bouncing breasts were roving about the foyer. A band inspired by Daft Punk was rocking out behind the robots, and everything was flashing and loud and over-the-top. Sensory overload? Definitely. And we hadn’t even picked up our tickets yet. I suspected that the performance was going to be more like sensory assault.
Having arrived well in advance of the evening show, we passed the extra time in the restaurant’s upstairs lounge. You’ll want to do the same, because the lounge is unbelievable. It’s as though the world’s most outrageous interior designers were given crayons, glue sticks, glitter and mescalin, and told to go crazy. Everything is mirrored and shining. On every table, there’s a robot dinosaur. On the stage, a lady-band clad in metallic bikinis and angel wings is playing soft lounge music. The drinks are cheap and the vibe couldn’t be better. You and the people around you are in a place unlike anywhere any of you have ever been, and you’re all excited and giddy and talkative. It’s a bonding experience.
Now, however, it’s showtime. You and your new friends head into the underground theater, take your seats, and await the spectacle. Soon, the lights go out, the speakers switch on, and giant vehicles appear on either side of the narrow stage, ridden by ladies dressed as Amazonian war princesses from the year 3000. They’re pounding on drums, rotating around the stage, screaming and dancing to the music, and you’re just… confused. What the hell is happening? It’s hilarious, pointless, impressive and overwhelming in equal measure.
And that’s just Act One! By the end of the show, which stretches out across seven or eight acts, you’ll have perhaps seen boxing robots. Women riding huge mechanical cows. An alien-eating shark robot. Huge motorcycles and airplanes with pole-dancing lady passengers. A tank, I think. There was definitely a freedom-fighting panda. The shows change frequently, so you might see other things entirely, things which no sane human would ever be able to predict.
We had fun from the moment we entered the Robot Restaurant, and I’m not sure my brain has yet been able to process everything we saw. Almost as much as the show, we enjoyed watching the spectators sitting across from us. Without exception, they had their eyes wide open and huge smiles plastered across their faces. I’m sure it’s how we looked, too.
KUNG FURY - FULL MOVIE
Autodesk Helps Fido Unleash Action-Packed VFX for "Kung Fury". Warning: Bad Language
| kung-fury | production
Following a successful Cannes Film Festival premiere, David Sandberg's 80s-inspired film Kung Fury makes its highly anticipated online debut this week. Kickstarter-funded by 17,000 backers, the 30-minute film follows a Miami-based kung fu cop as he time travels from the 80s to the 40s on a mission to take out Adolf Hitler - a plotline augmented by 399 over-the-top VFX shots delivered by a 46-person crew at Scandinavian VFX house Fido. Using Autodesk 3D modeling, animation and digital sculpting solutions, Fido created and refined dynamic 3D assets and scenes to bring Sandberg's 80's cop drama homage to life.
Throughout ?Kung Fury,? the story unfolds in three major environments: a street intersection, a police station interior and a huge steampunk-inspired Nazi hall. Fido created each environment digitally and then integrated the work with live action green screen footage of actors. Given trailer assets originally designed by Sandberg in 3ds Max, Fido transferred the files to in-house Maya workstations and used the assets as an aesthetic guideline to model, texture and refine the film?s environments, elements and main CG characters, including two robots, a Tyrannosaurus rex and an eagle. After finalizing VFX work and compositing, Fido?s crew then applied a specially designed filter to footage to achieve the VHS-reminiscent look that Sandberg envisioned.
?The movie is essentially a 30-minute VFX rollercoaster ride, so we had our work cut out for us, but having Maya as a pillar of our pipeline put us at ease. David also directs with a strong creative vision and deep understanding of VFX, so even though we faced some pretty crazy challenges, it really helped that he speaks the same language we do,? shared VFX Supervisor Cameron Scott. ? All our Autodesk tools were stable workhorses throughout production. Using Maya?s Alembic support, we were able to quickly transfer 3D assets between programs to work efficiently and meet David?s deadlines.?
?There are so many fun, crazy characters, environments and scenarios in ?Kung Fury? that VFX played a crucial role in the story. Because of my background in commercial production, I?m familiar with all the VFX tools and techniques, so I worked closely with Fido on the VFX,? said Sandberg. ?I?ve worked with Autodesk tools for a while now, and they?re some of the most best 3D modeling and animation tools out there. With outstanding creative talent like Fido behind the wheel of software like Maya, almost anything is possible, and that?s evident in the VFX they delivered for ?Kung Fury.??
About ?Kung Fury?
?Kung Fury? is an over-the-top Kickstarter-funded action comedy written and directed by David Sandberg with VFX by Fido. An 80s style action packed adventure, the film takes place in a variety of exotic locations, including Miami circa 1980s and Asgard and Germany circa 1940s, and features over-the-top characters like arcade-robots, dinosaurs, nazis, vikings, norse gods, mutants and a super kung fu-cop called Kung Fury. Sandberg completed the film in a little over a year with a strong vision and help from Kickstarter supporters, friends and family. The director is currently in talks with Hollywood producers to recreate the film as a full-length feature.
Credits:
Director and Writer: David Sandberg
Fido VFX crew:
VFX Supervisor: Cameron Scott
VFX Producer: Matilda Olsson
VFX Executive Producer: Claes Dietmann
VFX Production Manager: Anders Singstedt
Lead Lighting TDs: Johan Gabrielsson & Filip Orrby
Composting Leads: Daniel Norlund & Tomas Näslund
VFX Pre-Production Breakdown: Nils Lagergren, Kaj Steveman, Eva Åkergren
Pipeline Engineer: Erik Johansson
Systems Administrator: Thomas Eriksson
Asset Management: ftrack
VFX Artists: Alexander Eriksson, Anders Nyman, Cameron Scott, Carlos Correia, Chris Judkins, Daniel Norlund, David Enbom, David Nelin, Egil Eskilsson, Erika Johansson, Filip Orrby, Fredrik Höglin, Fredrik Olsson, Gustav Alexandersson, Janak Thakker, Joakim Eriksson, Joakim Olsson, Johan Gabrielsson, Jonas Lindfors, Jonas Manell, Jonathan Skifs, Karl Rydhe, Klas Trulsson, Kristian Livén, Kristian Rydberg, Kristian Zarins, Laura Andersen, Magnus Eriksson, Martin Borell, Mattias Sandelius, Mattias Snygg, Niklas Lundgren, Rickard Engqvist, Rodrigo Vivedes, Sandra Scholz, Staffan Linder, Stefan Lagerstam, Sven Ahlström, Teo Mathlein, Tomas Näslund, Viktor Andersson, Zebastian Lilja
Well now, where shall i begin to tell you about my Infest 2012. I don't think anyone who was there would argue that the turn out this year was well down on usual, I don't doubt tough economic times may have played a part for some, having Resistanz early next year also may have informed some regulars decisions but I think that this years line up may have had a large part to play, hmmm to go or not to go that was the question, the one part of me wanted to go 'cos, well it's Infest and not only the event but the chance to catch up with friends I only get to see when we're there. I did want to see Suono and of course Suicide Commando, now you understand this is just my opinion and of course I don't expect you to agree but the rest of the line up didn't set me on fire and so after a degree of mming and erring booked tickets, accommodation and stuff and prepared
to party.
Friday saw us arrive at the venue at around 3pm and it's no exaggeration to say it was very quiet. Spacebouy provided synth pop with a modern twist and though noise isn't really my thing Dirty K managed to bring both rhythm and noise together, yeah it's noise but good noise. As more of our friends and aquaintances arrived we tended to get caught up in the usual drink, greet, gossip, drink scenario and so the rest of Friday past without us spending too much time in the main room.
Saturday saw another fairly quiet start and instead of needing to be down front at least 15 minutes befoe kick off there was still loads of room at 5 minutes to go. We got well up front for Suono at 5pm and in hindsight 5 was way too early for them to be on as they were the "dark horses" of Saturday if not the weekend and for me personally saved the day! Having seen them I know what people mean when they say their studio sound doesn't quite yet catch the essence of their live performance but man do those boys deliver when you do see them live !! I've heard them compared to Sam and XRX and I get that but if you have had doubts about seeing them live, my friends, doubt no more and if you missed them then you missed a treat. Their boundless infectious enthusiasm and techno dance beats soon had everyone partying along, I just wish that there had been more in the room to see them, I can see them rapidly becoming firm favourites not least for the music as I distinctly heard the comment from behind me "oohh they are cute boys too" Suono, you heard it here first !
Sunday seemed for the most part a more chilled affair during the day, I think a lot of us had partied pretty hard on Saturday and were taking things a bit steady, however as the day wore on and various "hairs of the dog" pulled everyone round an air of anticipation began to build, no surprise really as headlining - drum roll, Ladees and Gentlemen, Infest gives you for one night only, the one, the only, Suicide Commando !! cue storms of applause and rush for the front !! and rush we did as it was the only time of the weekend you had to be down front half an hour before - and we were.
Right from the first storming song, Johan pounded around the stage at once admonishing us with the famous waggy finger whilst encouraging us to "Come on and hate Me" Attention Whore had everyone pounding up and down (was it meant for all of us? of course it was ! we know what we are) along with Die Motherfucker Die and classics such as Time, but for me, the highlight was being forehead to forehead with the man himself yelling Bind, Torture and Kill an experience which will stay with me for quite some time. After two encores the set came to a sweaty, shouty, excitable end way too soon for all of us, leaving the lovely Tails (Tales) ?? sorry man, forgive me, I don't know which way to spell it our world famous M.C. to announce the raffle and the prize of prizes must surely have been the wonderful Beer Can Headpiece, for those who saw it you know what I mean, finally a big shout out to The Infamous Rubber Nun, Das TinTin and Zombie Chris - you know who you are ...........
As always Infest delivered on many levels, the Jager, the stalls, the crowd and the bands, if there is just one small comment I would make it would be that what Infest does Brilliantly is give lesser known and new artists a platform but for next year we need a few more names please, in the current crappy economic climate in this country and with Resistanz snapping at Infest's heels we need bands to pull us all in and keep Infest what it is, well Infest, let's face it if you've never been before you really need to come along next year and to everyone who always is, see you there next year motherfuckers !!!
Chinese middle-school art teacher Xing Yile and some of his friends spent two months building an amazing 11-foot-tall version of the “Hulkbuster“, Tony Stark’s giant Iron Man suit of armor seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron, in an underground parking lot in Zhengzhou, China. According to Business Insider Australia, “the ‘Hulkbuster’ replica is made of over 100 fiberglass-reinforced plastic components”.
