From Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ===== Arkady Renko, former Chief Investigator of the Moscow Town Prosecutor's Office, is serving a self-imposed exile in Siberia to avoid being detained for his actions in Gorky Park several years earlier, despite the Soviet Union's ostensibly increasing liberalization. He procures menial employment as a fish gutter on the "slime line" of a large Arctic Sea factory ship called the Polar Star, part of a joint Soviet-American fishing exercise within detente. He is brought to the attention of Viktor Marchuk, the ship's captain, after a young woman named Zina Patiashvili is found dead in a net full of freshly-caught fish. Due to his past as a homicide investigator, he is given the task of finding out what happened to her—to the dislike of political officer Volovoi. Hess, the ship's chief electrical engineer—an elaborate blind for his espionage activities—welcomes Arkady more warmly. Researching the girl's background, he discovers an open and somewhat radical Georgian personality, known for her many lovers (including the Captain, before she became a crew member) and fondness for underground music. Looking into her death also attracts the attention of the ship's main gang, led by Karp Korobetz—the ship's leading fisher and Arkady's former prisoner. The American corporate representative on board, Susan Hightower, takes an interest in the case. Arkady grows weary of the investigation, largely due to the obstructive actions of many of his shipmates—many of whom are concerned that it will delay a long-awaited shore leave at Dutch Harbour. Renko finally decides to go along with the original verdict of suicide, letting the ship's crew disembark. Though lacking proper authorization to go ashore himself, Arkady is sponsored in an impromptu shore leave by "Fleet Electrical Engineer" Hess. Whilst there, he starts to enter into a relationship with Susan before encountering Volovoi in a nearby dwelling. Volovoi threatens him but is killed by a disgruntled Karp, who then locks Arkady in and sets the building on fire. The investigator manages to escape and "accidentally" falls into the water to wash off any incriminating odors. Questions are raised, but nothing is decided. Arkady has no evidence against Karp and, having already survived an attempt on his life, fears he will be attacked again. Entering the icy North, the American trawler freezes into the ice whilst trailing the Polar Star. Arkady learns of Karp's relationship with Zina and her attempts to defect aboard the American ship, as well the secret spy cable running underneath the vessel that is operated by Hess. Arkady ventures out into the ice towards the American ship, and Karp casually follows and eventually catches up with him. On board they find evidence that Zina was killed and stowed on board in one of the lockers. Arkady also finds indications that the Americans were deceiving Hess by transmitting the acoustic signatures of numerous other decommissioned American vessels. Karp kills the killer, scaring off the Americans and allowing him and Renko to escape. After a final foiled attempt to finish Arkady off, Karp finally decides, with draconian Russian justice awaiting him back home, to drown himself in the icy water. When the Polar Star returns to Vladivostok, Arkady says farewell to Susan and his fellow crewmen, suddenly finding himself in the party's favour again. Image:AleutianIslandsFromSpace.jpg|The Aleutian Islands. Image:UnalaskaAlaska.jpg|Dutch Harbor, Alaska with the Russian Orthodox church in the foreground. ===== Set in rural New Brunswick, Canada in 1974, the novel's protagonist is Michael Skid, the privileged son of the town judge. After a falling out with his friend Tom Donnerel, Michael befriends Madonna and Silver Brassaurd, a brother and sister who draw him into the orbit of Everette Hutch, a charismatic and violent man who ultimately leads the three youths to commit murder. ===== After the establishing shot of Montluc prison, but before the opening credits, the camera rests on a plaque commemorating the 7,000 prisoners who died at the hands of the Nazis. On the way to jail, Fontaine (François Leterrier), a member of the French Resistance, seizes an opportunity to escape his German captors when the car carrying him is forced to stop, but he is soon apprehended, beaten for his attempt, handcuffed and taken to the jail. At first he is incarcerated in a cell on the first floor of the prison, and he is able to talk to three French men who are exercising in the courtyard. The men obtain a safety pin for Fontaine, which gives him the ability to unlock his handcuffs. This turns out to be needless as a means to help him with any escape plans he may already have, but it allows him at will, to remove the handcuffs which are kept on him 24 hours a day. He eventually gives his word parole to the German magistrate he is brought before, not to escape, and is moved to a cell on the top floor without handcuffs. Once in the new cell, Fontaine begins inspecting the door and discovers that the boards are joined together with low-quality wood. Using an iron spoon he deliberately neglects to return after a meal, he begins to chip away at the wood. After weeks of work, he is able to remove three boards from the door, roam the hallway, get back in his cell and restore the appearance of the door. Fontaine is not the only prisoner trying to escape. Orsini (Jacques Ertaud) makes an attempt, but fails to get very far because his rope breaks at the second wall. Orsini is tossed back in his cell, beaten up by the guards, and executed a few days later. Fontaine is not deterred from his plan. He makes hooks from the light fitting in his cell, fashions himself ropes from clothing and bedding and fastens the hooks to the rope with wires taken from his bed. The other prisoners grow somewhat skeptical of his escape plans, saying he is taking too long. After being taken to Gestapo headquarters to be informed that he is sentenced to execution, Fontaine is taken back to jail and put in the same cell. Soon he gets a cellmate, François Jost (Charles Le Clainche), a sixteen- year-old who had joined the German army. Fontaine is not sure whether he can trust Jost (whom he sees speaking on friendly terms with a German guard) and realizes he will either have to kill him or take him with him in the escape. In the end, after Jost admits he too wants to escape, he chooses to trust the boy and tells him the plan. One night, they escape by gaining access to the roof of the building, descending to the courtyard via a rope, killing the German guard there, and climbing over two walls. They drop down into the street undetected and walk away. ===== Eli Michaelson (Alan Rickman), a self-involved chemistry professor, learns he has been awarded the Nobel Prize. After verbally abusing his wife, son, colleagues, and nominal girlfriend, he heads off to Sweden with his wife, Sarah (Mary Steenburgen), to collect his award. His son, Barkley (Bryan Greenberg), misses the flight. Barkley Michaelson has chosen to study not chemistry but anthropology, and this perceived failure triggers constant torrents of abuse from his father. His missing the flight, though, is the apparently innocent result of having been kidnapped by the deranged Thaddeus James (Shawn Hatosy), who claims to be Eli Michaelson's son by the wife of a former colleague. Thaddeus successfully obtains a ransom of $2 million, which he then splits with Barkley who, it appears, has orchestrated the kidnapping to obtain money from his father. Shortly after Barkley's release, Thaddeus rents a garage apartment from the Michaelsons and begins to charm Eli with his knowledge of chemistry. Barkley undertakes a campaign of psychological terror aimed at Thaddeus and his girlfriend, performance artist City Hall (Dushku). This ultimately results in the death of Thaddeus and commitment to a mental hospital for City. Meanwhile, Barkley kidnaps Eli and threatens to expose the scientific fraud that led to Eli receiving a Nobel Prize that he did not deserve. Eli's long-suffering wife, Sarah, demands a divorce while praising her son for his devious behavior. In the final scenes, Sarah, Barkley, and Sarah's police detective boyfriend, Max Mariner (Pullman) are seen on a tropical beach. Mariner appears to have been in the dark through most of the movie, but has figured out towards the end that he wants to be with Sarah and can live with the theft of $2 million from her scoundrel husband. Eli is seen in his classroom unrepentantly flirting with another student. He has lost his wife, son, and the money, but he still has his Nobel Prize and the professor position. ===== Screenshot of the various factions with The Carolinas territory highlighted Shattered Union is set in an alternate history version of the United States. In 2008, David Jefferson Adams has been elected as the 44th President of the United States following a disputed election and a tie vote in the Electoral College (and subsequent tie-breaker by the United States House of Representatives), becoming the most hated and unpopular president in U.S. history. A combination of foreign terrorist attacks and poor economic conditions contributes to civil unrest. As a result, rioting springs up all throughout the United States, resulting in domestic terrorism. In response, President Adams uses the Homeland Security Act and declares martial law on many areas of the country, but it is particularly concentrated in the West Coast. Four years later, during the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election, the Supreme Court of the United States disqualifies all the popular presidential candidates from several states, effectively handing Adams his reelection. The public reacts violently when incumbent Adams accepts a second term. During the Inauguration Ball in Washington, D.C. on the night of January 20, 2013, a low-yield tactical nuclear weapon is detonated in an apparent groundburst, presumably having been concealed there in advance. The yield is sufficient to destroy most of the city, killing Adams, his cabinet, and most of the U.S. Congress, effectively wiping out the presidential line of succession, resulting in the United States being thrust into total chaos. The European Union Parliament meets in an emergency session, and votes to send peacekeepers to the Washington Metropolitan Area to secure international interests and protection of European citizens in the United States. As secessionist sentiment rises in America, the governor of California declares home rule, and California secedes from the Union on April 15, 2013. Texas follows a few days later on April 17, 2013, taking neighboring states with it and re-forming the Republic of Texas. Other factions form in the following months, and by 2014, all hopes for a peaceful resolution are gone and the Second American Civil War begins. Early in the war, Russia invades and occupies Alaska, using the expanded operations of the European Union as an excuse. The invasion is personally led by President Nicholai Vladekov, an ex-general and former Soviet hardliner, who claims that Alaska was never really part of the United States, and that Russia is merely reclaiming its former territory. What little resistance does occur is confused and disorganized, making the invasion largely unopposed. Later, Interpol reveals the results of its investigation regarding the Inauguration Day bombing. President Vladekov had been dealing weapons on the black market for more nearly thirty years, and masterminded the D.C. bombing as part of his goal to disrupt the world economy, so that Russia could regain its military dominance, and more easily control Europe. Protests throughout Russia force Vladekov to declare martial law in Moscow. After the former contiguous United States is unified under one faction, the independent Commonwealth of Hawaii agrees to join the new government. Vladekov refuses to cede control of Alaska, so the faction's forces prepare to invade the state and drive the Russians out of North America. A closing cinematic depicts the aftermath of the war. If the invasion fails, the reunified U.S. is still suffering unrest and faces an uncertain future. If the invasion succeeds and the player faction's reputation is very good, the troubled American states are "united again under uncommon greatness" – a leader whose merciful acts and strategic and tactical brilliance will be spoken of for centuries to come. If the player faction's reputation is very bad, the U.S. transforms into a new fascist state, "one that will never again feel the sting of dissent". ===== Solo (Van Peebles) is an android designed as a military killing machine. He is sent to Central America by General Haynes (Barry Corbin) to battle guerrilla insurgents, but a flaw develops in his programming and he develops a conscience and compassion. His developers try to take him back for deprogramming, but he flees to the jungle in a helicopter. His main energy supply was damaged during the first mission, forcing him to switch to his much less powerful secondary power. He joins a small village community that is under constant threat from guerilla attackers, and he protects them in exchange for use of their electric generator (they previously used it to power a TV). There he learns to 'bluff' from a child that befriends him, Miguel. Solo helps the villages drive off a local Warlord (Demián Bichir) and his small army, but the combat is detected by a military satellite. A black ops team is sent to recover or destroy Solo, while they ally with the Warlord. The black ops leader, Colonel Frank Madden (William Sadler) brings in Solo's creator (Adrien Brody) as a lure, leaving the man mortally wounded but Solo survives. Having occupied the village, the militiamen and black ops team attempt to kill Solo, but he is able to kill all of them. The Warlord is betrayed by Madden, who tries to kill Solo with an automatic grenade launcher. Solo is able to fight Madden in hand-to-hand combat and non-fatally break his spine. Suddenly a helicopter delivers a more powerful version of the android (Sadler), which is armed with a multi-barreled gun and has Madden's face. The MkII kills Madden and proceeds to hunt down Solo. Solo is able to save the villagers and beat the MkII android, using his acquired bluffing skills. After the temple the two androids fought in collapses, causing the military to pull out believing both units are destroyed and unrecoverable, Miguel, Solo's companion, mourns Solo believing he was destroyed by cave-in, but Miguel starts to hear Solo, laughing, as he knows he has earned his freedom. ===== The movie begins with a bottle with a written manuscript inside it being thrown into the sea, hoping for it to be discovered later. Floating to the coast of England, a sailor discovers the bottle and opens to read the manuscript as Bowen Tyler (Doug McClure) narrates the events, much as we see in many of Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels. The story is set during World War I and involves the survivors of the sinking of a British merchant ship who are taken on board a German U-boat. Bowen Tyler and Lisa Clayton (Susan Penhaligon) are passengers on the ship torpedoed by Captain von Schoenvorts (John McEnery). Along with a few surviving British officers, Tyler convinces the other men to take over the surfacing submarine, this being their only chance for survival. After confronting the Germans on the deck, a fight ensues and they seize the German U-boat. Tyler takes command hoping to sail to a British port. Von Schoenvorts has his crew steer toward a safe sea port. But German officer Dietz (Anthony Ainley) gets loose and smashes the sub's radio. Off course and running out of fuel in the South Atlantic, the U-boat and its crew happen across an uncharted subcontinent called Caprona, a fantastical land of lush vegetation where dinosaurs still roam, co-existing with primitive man. There are also reserves of oil which, if the Germans and British can work together, can be refined and enable their escape from the island. Tyler discovers the secret of Caprona: individuals evolve not through natural selection, but by migrating northward across the island. With the submarine working again, a sudden outbreak of volcanic eruptions occurs across the island. Dietz starts a mutiny and shoots Captain von Schoenvorts to take command. Dietz abandons Tyler and Clayton in Caprona in an attempt to escape, but the U-Boat cannot function in the boiling waters and the crew is killed as it sinks. Tyler and Clayton are stranded and being the only survivors of their group, they are forced to move northward. The movie ends with Tyler throwing the bottle, with the manuscript inside it, as seen in the beginning of the movie. ===== In the days after the Dunkirk evacuation in the Second World War, recently commissioned Second Lieutenant Jim Perry (Niven), a pre- war Territorial private soldier, is posted to the (fictional) Duke of Glendon's Light Infantry, known as the "Dogs", to train replacements to fill its depleted ranks. He is joined by Sergeant Ned Fletcher (Hartnell), a veteran of the British Expeditionary Force. A patient, mild-mannered officer, Perry does his strenuous best to turn the bunch of grumbling ex-civilians into soldiers, earning himself their intense dislike. The conscripts also believe that the sergeant is treating them with special severity; in fact, he is pleased with the way they are developing and has his eye on some of them as potential NCOs. Eventually, however, the men come to respect both sergeant and officer. After completing their training, the battalion is shipped out to North Africa to face Rommel's Afrika Korps, but their troopship is torpedoed en route, and they are forced to abandon ship. Sergeant Fletcher is trapped by a burning vehicle sliding on the deck as the boat heels to one side, but is rescued by Perry and Private Luke (John Laurie). The survivors are taken on board a destroyer and are sent to Gibraltar, missing the invasion. When they eventually arrive in North Africa, the platoon is assigned to guard a small town. Perry appropriates a cafe as his headquarters, much to the disgust of the pacifist owner, Rispoli (Ustinov). When the Germans attack, Perry and his men fiercely defend their positions, aided by Rispoli. At one point, the Germans invite them to surrender – their response is "Go to Hell!" The besieged British soldiers fix bayonets and join other surviving units in advancing on the enemy, hidden in the smoke from explosions. At home, veteran "Dogs" appreciatively read about the men's bravery. ===== The film begins in the early summer of 1941, at the Ivanov International School in Moscow. Luo Xiaoman and Chuchu were two new students who had come to Russia after the brutal White Terror in China killed their parents (as Chuchu described in front of her class how her father, a communist revolutionary, being executed in front of her by the Kuomintang). Chuchu and Luo quickly learned to fit in with the other international students and they also learned to speak Russian fluently. When summer came, several students, including Chuchu, left for the summer camp in Belarus accompanied by their teacher, Miss Vera. Xiaoman remained behind in Moscow. During this time the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union. Moscow was left unoccupied after the invasion, and Xiaoman was soon left to survive on his own in a land that he knew little of. For a time he was a homeless child begging and stealing on the streets, forced to sell blood so he could get money for food (only to be robbed by others later). He eventually found a job delivering condolence letters to families of fallen soldiers. At one apartment, he found an orphaned girl (whose mother died silently due to starvation and illness) and took her in as though she was his own daughter. Things were very different for the students at the summer camp. Captured by the invading Germans, Chuchu and her classmates were kept as slaves, and were alone and in great danger. Miss Vera was soon ruthlessly murdered in front of the students for defying the Germans by teaching her class. One of the students, Carl, who was half-German himself and liked Chuchu deeply, managed to help the other students escape by using his Aryan descent to trick a German soldier's trust, but he was soon injured, cornered and machinegunned to death in a forest pit. The others were quickly recaptured and sentenced to death by hanging. One girl was executed with a brutal shot to the head, but Chuchu and several other students were spared when a high-ranking German officer, General Von Dietrich arrived and sent them to work as servants at Nazi headquarters in the Yakovliv Monastery. General Von Dietrich was not only a military general, but also a doctor who took tattooing as a hobby — he enjoyed tattooing the bodies of young girls and showing them to his guests at parties. He decided to use Chuchu for his greatest "masterpiece". This was what saved her life because when the General learned that the Third Reich was doomed, instead of having Chuchu executed with the rest of the prisoners, he had her dumped in a field so that his "masterpiece" would live on. The large tattoo (a Nazi eagle) on her back become a shame to her for the rest of her life. Luo Xiaoman tried to enlist in the expeditionary Soviet Red Army, but was rejected due to his young age. Out of his deep, vengeful hatred towards the Nazi invaders, he decided to "punish" the German POWs (who were now forced to work in labour camps) by sniping them with a home-made slingshot. When the German POWs rioted, Xiaoman lured them into an empty, ruined apartment building and set the oil tanks on fire. He himself was killed in the explosion together with the German rioters. At the end of the movie Chuchu was reunited with the orphan girl Luo Xiaoman adopted, and after hearing the same speech Xiaoman gave for his Russian class, Chuchu understood, embraced the young girl and broke down. At the end of the movie Chuchu was seen taking a shower, and the tattoo on her back could be seen along with the scar caused by her attempt to burn off the tattoo with a firewood. Later credits appear telling that a skin graft operation to remove the tattoo was not successful, and about the real Chuchu and what she did with her life. The movie then ends. ===== Newlyweds Paul Lester (Ireland) and his wife Nancy (Randolph) are invited to visit Paul's friend Ed Stevens. They arrive to find Stevens gone and a mysterious phone call gets Paul to the other end of town. While he's away, Nancy is assaulted by a would-be burglar. Paul thinks there's something more going on than a missing persons case or a burglary and tries to interest Police Detective Frontelli (Leonard) in looking into it, but Frontelli is initially skeptical. When Stevens turns up under the wheels of a truck along with evidence tying him to an earlier hit-and-run murder, Paul is certain that there's some kind of organized conspiracy afoot. What he finds is a town slowly coming under siege from a secret band of anti- Semitic thugs masquerading as a patriotic organization, with whom Stevens had been involved and tried to quit. Paul and Nancy's situation goes from bad to dangerous when they accidentally stumble upon evidence that could hang the murderers. ===== A few days after Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, Chad accepts a cursed cockatiel whose previous owners have all died horrible deaths. The bird is in fact the container for the spirit of a dead child, Yuichi Shibata, placed there by a hollow who uses him as bait. Chad is forced to fight the hollow despite not being able to see it, assisted by Rukia Kuchiki. Ichigo defeats the hollow then performs Konso on Yuichi. Later on, when Uryū Ishida's duel with Ichigo unleashes a multitude of hollows upon the town, Chad is pressed into battle with another hollow. It is this event that awakens his spiritual powers, which manifest as armor on his right arm. After Rukia is taken back to Soul Society, Chad and Orihime Inoue are trained by Yoruichi Shihouin to consciously call upon their powers when needed. After a week, Chad leaves for Soul Society with Orihime, Uryū, Yoruichi, and Ichigo. When the group is separated once entering Seireitei, Chad ends up alone. Chad meets his match in Shunsui Kyōraku, captain of the 8th Division in the Gotei 13. Kyōraku easily beats Chad, leaving him heavily injured but alive. After being freed by Kenpachi Zaraki of the 11th Division and Rukia is rescued, Uryū, Chad, Ichigo and Orihime depart for the living world. In Karakura Town, Ichigo, Chad and Orihime are attacked by Ulquiorra Schiffer and Yammy Riyalgo, two of the first arrancars to invade Karakura Town. When the second invasion led by the Espada Grimmjow Jeagerjaques commences, Chad is attacked by an arrancar but is saved by Ichigo. Noting that he is unable to fight alongside Ichigo, Chad turns to Kisuke Urahara for help, asking for training. After Orihime is captured by Sōsuke Aizen, Chad joins Ichigo and his friends to rescue her from Hueco Mundo. After making their way to Las Noches and the group splits up, Chad runs into the Privaron Espada Gantenbainne Mosqueda. His victory is short-lived, however, as the 5th Espada, Nnoitora Jiruga, severely wounds him and leaves him for dead. Chad and Gantenbainne are eventually found by the Exequias, who plan to finish them off, but Retsu Unohana and Isane Kotetsu interrupt, and the former heals him. He later appears with Rukia and Renji to aid Ichigo and fight off the Exequias, but is defeated by the Cero Espada Yammy. After the 17 month time skip, Chad appears as an ally of Xcution, a group of humans with supernatural powers called Fullbring. Having learned that he is a Fullbringer himself, Chad agrees to help restore Ichigo's Soul Reaper abilities for Xcution's needs. However, unaware that Xcution was using him for their plan to attack the Soul Society, Chad is attacked by Shūkurō Tsukishima and falls under the influence of his Fullbring to serve as an enforcer. But when he and Orihime experience a mental breakdown after Tsukishima attempts to "add" more details to their fake memories, Chad is knocked out by Urahara and Isshin before his mind is restored after Tsukishima's eventual death. Not too long afterwards, Chad accompanies his friends (sans Uryu) to Hueco Mundo in order to save the Arrancars from the Wandenreich. When Ichigo departs to assist the Soul Society against the Wandenreich invasion, Chad, Orihime and Urahara are grievously injured by Quilge Opie and fall to his arrows. They are then saved when Opie is killed by Grimmjow, whom they later join forces with. Ten years later, Chad is now a professional boxer and challenger to the WBO World Heavyweight Title. ===== The plot centers on Grace, an elderly widow who lives alone in a dreary New York City apartment. She has twice tried and failed to commit suicide, so she decides to hire Seymour, a hit man, to kill her and then do in others like her who are old, alone and tired of living. To her way of thinking, this professional killer will be committing acts of mercy, not murder. ===== Iris King, a widow still grieving 8 months after the loss of her husband, works in a baking factory in Connecticut and lives in a high-crime area. She lives from paycheck to paycheck as she raises her two children, Kelly and Richard. Also staying with her are her sister Sharon and Sharon's abusive husband Joe, both unemployed. With money already tight for the family, Kelly discovers she is pregnant, which makes matters worse. Iris makes the acquaintance of Stanley Cox, a cook in the bakery's lunchroom cafeteria, when he comes to her aid after her purse is snatched on a bus. But as their friendship develops, she begins noticing peculiarities about Stanley − he doesn't own a car (he instead bicycles wherever he needs to go), he lives with and supports his elderly father, becomes frustrated when asked to sign his name, doesn't believe in opening Chinese fortune cookies, and cannot pick out a specific item from a shelf. Iris soon realizes that Stanley is illiterate, and when she innocently mentions this to Stanley's boss, Stanley is fired the next day over food safety and legal concerns, despite being a good cook and model employee. Afterwards, Stanley is unable to obtain any steady work, forcing him to move into a garage and put his father in a shabby retirement home. His father dies in the home only a few weeks later, upsetting Stanley over the fact that his illiteracy prevented him from caring for his father properly. Stanley seeks Iris out and asks her to teach him to read, explaining that his traveling- salesman father moved him all over the country when Stanley was a boy, bouncing him to nearly 50 different schools in total, resulting in Stanley developing no reading or writing skills from this lack of educational stability. Iris begins giving Stanley basic reading lessons and he gradually grows close to her and her family. It is during one of these reading exercises that he tells her that he has wanted to be intimate with her since they first met, but Iris is hesitant. Iris tests Stanley's developing reading skills by making him a map and having him meet her at a certain street corner in 15 minutes, but Stanley gets hopelessly lost. Hours later, he reaches the corner where a frantic Iris is still waiting. Frustrated, Stanley marches off alone without saying a word, his interest in learning to read gone. Iris visits him at his garage home to try to persuade him to continue learning to read. Looking around, she sees a large mechanical project that Stanley is working on, as he invents things as a hobby. He has designed a cake-cooling machine that can outperform anything in the commercial marketplace. Iris is immensely impressed and Stanley reveals that a local company has shown interest in his invention and even offered him a job. Stanley agrees to start reading again with Iris, and in time learns to write short sentences. Stanley surprises Iris by cooking a big dinner for her and her family, and the two of them begin to grow close again. After Kelly has her baby, Iris is displeased when she drops out of school to work at the bakery, as she doesn't want her daughter wasting her life in the kind of dead-end job she herself is in. Stanley and Iris finally decide to make love, but Iris is still clinging to her late husband's memory. This threatens their budding relationship further and they don't see each other for some time. Not prepared to give up on Iris the way she didn't give up on him, Stanley finally goes to see her. Iris hands him an unmailed letter she wrote to him, and Stanley surprises her by reading it aloud nearly perfectly. Iris, now ready to start letting go of the past, accompanies Stanley to a fancy hotel where they order room service and spend the night together. Stanley soon moves to Detroit for a new, well-paying job he has been offered, his inventing ability finally having paid off. Several months later, back in Connecticut, Iris is walking home carrying groceries when an expensive car pulls up next to her and she is surprised to find Stanley behind the wheel. Stanley tells her that he's been given a raise and is looking to buy a large six-bedroom house in Detroit − and that he wants her to move there with him as his wife. Iris accepts. ===== On January 5, 1900, four friends arrive for a dinner at the London home of their inventor friend George, but he is absent. He arrives suddenly, bedraggled and exhausted, and tells what has happened to him. At their earlier dinner on New Year's Eve, George says that time is "the fourth dimension". He shows David Filby, Dr. Philip Hillyer, Anthony Bridewell, and Walter Kemp a small model time machine and has one of them press a tiny lever on the model. The device disappears, but his friends are skeptical. George has a full-size time machine which he uses to travel ahead to September 13, 1917. He meets Filby's son, James, who tells him of Filby's death in a war. He then stops on June 19, 1940, during the Blitz, finding himself in the midst of "a new war". George resumes his journey and stops on August 18, 1966. People hurry into a fallout shelter amid the blare of air raid sirens. An elderly James Filby urges George to take cover. Moments later, a nuclear satellite explodes, causing a volcanic eruption. George narrowly makes it back to his machine ahead of the approaching lava, which rises, cools, and hardens, trapping him inside, as he travels far into the future. Eventually the lava wears away, revealing a lush, unspoiled landscape. George stops at October 12, 802,701, near the base of a sphinx. He finds a group of delicate young men and women wearing simple clothing gathered at a stream. One woman, carried off by the current, screams for help, but her companions show no concern. George rescues her. She says her name is Weena and her people are the Eloi; they do not operate machines, work, or read, and know little of history. One of them takes George to a library, but when he tries to read a book, it crumbles to dust. Outraged, he decides to leave, but discovers that his machine has been dragged into the closed sphinx. Weena follows, telling him Morlocks, who only come out at night, are responsible. A hideous Morlock jumps out and tries to drag her away, but is blinded by George's torch. The next day, Weena shows George domed structures that dot the landscape: air shafts that lead down to the Morlocks' home. She takes him to an ancient museum where "talking rings" tell of a war in the distant past between east and west that lasted 326 years. The atmosphere became so contaminated that it could no longer be safely breathed. Another ring describes humanity's struggle for survival; many decided to move underground, while some returned to the surface. George realizes this was the beginning of the speciation that resulted in the Morlocks and Eloi. He starts to climb down a shaft, but stops when sirens emerge from the sphinx and blare. The Eloi, in a trance-like state, head for the now-open doors at the sphinx's base. The sirens stop and the doors close, trapping Weena and others inside. George enters the caverns and discovers that the Eloi are food for the Morlocks. He finds Weena and fights off the creatures, finally inspiring the Eloi to defend themselves. George sets fires and urges the Eloi to climb back to the surface. He directs them to gather tree branches and drop them down the shafts. The resulting fires cause the caverns to collapse. The next morning, George finds the sphinx's doors open. His time machine is inside. He enters, the doors close, and he is attacked in the dark by Morlocks. He escapes in his machine, sees a Morlock's body decompose rapidly, realizes he's moving forward in time, reverses direction, and returns to 1900. After George recounts his story, his friends remain skeptical. He produces a flower Weena gave him, and Filby, an amateur botanist, says it is of no known species. George bids his guests a good evening. Filby leaves, but returns to find George and his time machine gone. His housekeeper notes that nothing is missing except three books that she cannot identify. When the housekeeper wonders if George will ever return, Filby remarks that "he has all the time in the world". ===== Laura Mars (Faye Dunaway) is a glamorous fashion photographer who specializes in stylized violence (based upon the work of Helmut Newton, who provided some of the photos used for the film while others were shot by Rebecca Blake). In the middle of controversy over whether her photographs glorify violence and are demeaning to women, Laura begins seeing, in first person through the eyes of the killer, real-time visions of the murders of her friends and colleagues. John Neville (Tommy Lee Jones), the lieutenant in charge of the case, shows Laura unpublished police photographs of unsolved murders that very closely mirror Laura's fashion shoots. Laura's visions continue, including visions of the killer stalking her and continuing to murder those around her. Meanwhile, Laura and Neville fall in love. The murders continue as Laura's various colleagues, acquaintances and past romantic interests come in and out of focus as potential suspects or victims, until a final confrontation between Laura and the killer occurs. At her apartment, Laura is affected by one last vision of the killer, who has now come for her. The killer attempts to break in through her front door, but Laura deadbolts it before he/she can enter. Upon hearing her distress, Neville (who had been on his way to meet her) breaks through her balcony window. He proceeds to tell Laura they have caught the killer, a troubled colleague of hers named Tommy, and begins an elaborate explanation of Tommy's motivations and back story. Knowing Tommy well, Laura recognizes this as a lie. Neville, still talking about the killer, uses "I". Laura realizes that Neville is talking about himself and that Neville himself is the killer. As Neville details more of his own story, it is implied that he may have multiple personalities. Because of this, and his love for her, he cannot bring himself to murder her and instead asks that she end his life. He takes her hand, pointing the gun at him as she begs him not to and kills him, calling the police as the camera view closes in on her eyes. ===== Wehrmacht officer Heinrich Gimpel astonishes his 10-year-old daughter, Alicia, with a secret that has been hidden from her all her life: the family is Jewish. He explains that the Gimpels, their friends Walther and Esther Stutzman, and their extended families all belong to the remnants of Jews who now survive by hiding in plain sight within the very society that wants them dead. Now old enough, by family tradition, to be trusted with this life-or-death deception, Alicia is obliged to hide the truth from her friends, her classmates, and even her younger sisters, even as she is forced to regard her school's racist curriculum from a new perspective that leaves her sick and angry over all the anti-Semitic propaganda that she had always learned and parroted without question. Meanwhile, Heinrich finds himself caught in the marital strife between his co-worker, Willi Dorsch, and Willi's wife, Erika. Willi, doubting Erika's fidelity becais of her constant flirting with Heinrich, begins an extra-marital affair with his secretary. Embittered by her husband's infidelity, Erika wants a retaliatory affair with Heinrich. He resists, which leads to Erika accusing him of being a Jew and Heinrich being arrested by the Sicherheitspolizei. It is only after Erika realizes that her accusation caused Heinrich's children to be taken as well that she confesses her lie and attempts to commit suicide, unaware the entire time that Heinrich and his family actually are Jewish. Esther Stutzman, who works as a receptionist in a doctor's office, also experiences a close call with Nazi policies when her friends Richard and Maria Klein, closeted Jews like herself, bring their ailing eight-month-old baby, Paul, in for a checkup. The diagnosis, Tay–Sachs disease, is a disease known to be prevalent among Jews. A subsequent investigation into his family background would spell doom for his parents and any names that they might be forced to reveal under torture. Although Esther's husband, Walther, is able to hack into the Reich's computer network and change the Klein's family history, it is the revelation that Reichsführer-SS Lothar Prützmann has a nephew with Tay-Sachs that brings the investigation to a halt. In the background, the death of the current Führer, Kurt Haldweim (modelled on the real-life Austrian president Kurt Waldheim), causes him to be replaced by the reform-minded Heinz Buckliger, who relaxes the oppressive laws of the Reich. In a secret speech, with word-of-mouth spreading it to the populace, the new Führer denounces his predecessors and says that the Reich committed crimes in the past. Reactionary opposition rallies around the SS, and the populist Gauleiter of Berlin, Rolf Stolle, champions accelerates reform. Things come to a head with the announcement of relatively free elections: candidates need not be Nazi Party members though they must be Aryan. Led by Reichsführer-SS Lothar Prützmann, the SS carries out a conservative coup d'état, imprisons the Führer, and installs former High Commissioner of Ostland Affairs, Odilo Globocnik, as the new Führer. However, Stolle instigates a people power movement, which the Wehrmacht supports. The coup d'état is defeated after Walther Stutzman salts the country's computer network with the information about Reichsführer-SS Prützmann's Tay-Sachs afflicted nephew. Soon, Berlin comes to the conclusion that Prützmann is a Jew, which definitively turns the tide against the coup. In the aftermath, Prützmann kills himself, Globocnik is lynched, and Buckliger is re-enstated as Führer (albeit harrowed by his detainment and eclipsed by the popular Stolle). At the end of the novel, elections deliver a pro-reform majority to the Reichstag, with Stolle as its speaker, and produces a mandate for the independence of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia in a concurrent referendum. Also, the Gimpels and the Stutzmans gather to tell the ten-year-old Francesca that she is a Jew. ===== The game features open, continuous gameplay without levels or loading screens after the game had started, despite taking place across an entire planetary system. The player can fly through space, enter a planet's atmosphere, explore the surface, and penetrate tunnels in one seamless movement. The goal of Starglider 2 is to destroy an enemy space station with a neutron bomb, and the majority of the gameplay consists of collecting parts for the bomb, or fulfilling other prerequisites (e.g. finding the nuclear professor capable of constructing the bomb, or trade goods for the bombs necessary to destroy the shield generators protecting the space station), while fighting off enemy spacecraft, and delivering collected items to depots inside planetary tunnel systems. The various objects needed to complete the game are distributed across the many planets of the solar system, as well as in the intervening space (e.g. asteroids and space pirates), or even in the atmosphere of the gas giant planet. Screenshot of Starglider 2 for the Amiga The flight model is arcade-style as opposed to realistic, as the game features no inertia; the spacecraft banks like an aircraft to turn, in air, outer space, and underground; and it is possible to hover. In addition, the game features many graphic display options, including the ability to eliminate roll, or view the game from outside the cockpit from a non-chase-camera, making it difficult to fly but allowing the player to view the polygonal model of the spacecraft. The construction of the shield generators and the space station itself progresses continuously over the course of the game, and failure to destroy the space station before construction was complete will result in loss of the game (the space station would be used to destroy the player's home planet). Successfully destroying the space station will not end the game, despite treating the player to a spectacular explosion and congratulatory text; instead, it will simply reset the construction of the space station, and the player can again begin attempting to gain possession of another neutron bomb with which to destroy the station. ===== Long ago, the Great Mother Spirit created demons, guardians, and humans. During 2089, only a few demons and guardians remain and in the city of Neo-Shinjuku. The guardian, Tsunami Shijo (an ancient fire manipulator from days long ago) is out to aid a fledgling human race. Tsunami is looking for a human who was transformed into a monster by drugs. This leads him to Mr. Takamiya, the Demon leader, who killed his lover. Tsunami becomes involved with a woman who just lost her fiancé and her arm, and now wants to figure out why this has happened. Meanwhile, the Demon leader is still alive and plotting to enslave mankind. Will Tsunami defend Earth once again, or be corrupted like two other guardians by means of the Demon leader? ===== NYPD detectives Liam Casey (Ian Holm) and Joey Allegretto (James Gandolfini) are conducting a surveillance operation against Jordan Washington (Shiek Mahmud-Bey), a notorious drug dealer. On a tip from an informant, they venture into an apartment block where Washington is reported to be hiding. After Casey shoots the lock, Washington fires a submachine gun through his front door, seriously wounding Casey. Police backup units arrive and swarm the building, but Washington executes a cunning escape in an NYPD squad car after killing two cops. In a surprising move, District Attorney Morganstern (Ron Leibman) appoints Casey's son Sean (Andy García), an ex-cop and recently appointed ADA, to prosecute Washington when he is caught. In the process, he passes over the more experienced ADA Elihu Harrison (Colm Feore), who plans to oppose him in an upcoming judicial election. At Washington's trial, his defense attorney Sam Vigoda (Richard Dreyfuss) does not dispute his client's responsibility for killing the cops but argues that the police were intending to murder Washington. Washington claims that he had been bribing a group of corrupt cops, led by Kurt Kleinhoff, in return for protection while dealing drugs; Vigoda argues that Washington became a target when he refused to match an offer by a rival dealer, Carlos Alvarez, to give the cops more money. Although inexperienced, Sean mounts a strong argument questioning Washington's credibility and wins the case. Washington is sentenced to consecutive life terms without parole. A member of Vigoda's legal team, Peggy Lindstrom (Lena Olin), begins an affair with Sean after the conclusion of the trial. In private, Vigoda discloses to Sean why he undertook Washington's defense: after his 15-year-old daughter died from a drug overdose, Vigoda has been determined to bring down the system of corrupt police enabling the operations of drug-dealers. After Morganstern suffers a severe heart attack and is unable to run for re-election, Sean is asked to run for D.A. in his place. Sean wins the election over Harrison. Meanwhile, when Kleinhoff's decomposed body is discovered floating in the river, his address book reveals the names of several officers from precincts who responded to the Washington shooting. A number of officers confess their entanglement in the bribery and narcotics scandal. Sean confronts Allegretto, who admits that he took bribes while also plotting to murder Washington. Allegretto later commits suicide. Casey later discloses to Sean that he forged a judge's signature on Washington's arrest warrant. Sean asks Morganstern, who is recovering at the hospital, for advice on how to deal with the scandal. Morganstern tells Sean that being D.A. will be a tough job, but he believes Sean "will be better at it than most". Following a voluntary admission of guilt by Casey about the forgery in a private consultation with Judge Dominick Impelliteri (Dominic Chianese), the judge decides to fill out a new warrant and purposely obviates the technicality. He also suggests to Sean that he destroy the invalid warrant. Sean tells Vigoda that he plans to resign as D.A., but Vigoda urges him not to quit. The film ends with Casey giving the introductory lecture for a new class of assistant district attorneys; urging them to approach their job with diligence and integrity. ===== After Marge warns him about eating too much fatty foods, Homer starts to feel chest pains in the next morning. He chooses breakfast from bacon and eggs, instead of oatmeal for breakfast. During his travel to work, he feels his heart thumping, but he believes that is a malfunction in the gearbox. He stops at a gas station, where the mechanic tells him that is probably his heart. At work, Mr. Burns yells at Homer for poor performance and threatens him with dismissal. Homer has a heart attack, but regains consciousness after Burns tells Smithers to send a ham to the widow. Upon learning that he is alive, Burns cancels the package, to the chagrin of Homer. Homer is sent to the hospital, Dr. Hibbert informs him and Marge that he needs a coronary artery bypass surgery, which will cost him $30,000. Hearing this, Homer has another heart attack, increasing the price to $40,000. Without any health insurance from work, Homer figures out a way to pay for the operation. He goes to The Merry Widow Insurance Company, but is denied when he has another heart attack before signing the policy. Marge and Homer then see a commercial for Dr. Nick Riviera, an incompetent surgeon who will perform any operation for $129.95. With no other options, Homer goes for the cheaper service. Dr. Nick, unfamiliar with the procedure, rents an instructional video, but the important steps of the procedure have been taped over. During Homer's operation, he realizes he does not know what to do. Lisa, watching the operation in the amphitheatre, uses her knowledge of cardiology to guide Dr. Nick. The surgery is successful and Homer makes a full recovery. ===== A new virus strain has infected rice crops in East Asia causing massive famine; the virus is also revealed to be found in the UK but because of its selectivity does not affect the country's agriculture. After the introduction of a new pesticide, developed in preference to breeding resistant crops, a mutated virus appears and infects the staple crops of West Asia and Europe such as wheat and barley—all of the grasses (thus the novel's title). It threatens a famine engulfing the whole of the Old World, while Australasia and the Americas attempt to impose rigorous quarantine to keep the virus out. The novel follows the struggles of engineer John Custance and his friend, civil servant Roger Buckley, as, along with their families, they make their way across an England which is rapidly descending into anarchy, hoping to reach the safety of John's brother's potato farm in an isolated Westmorland valley. Buckley, having advance warning of the government's plot to hydrogen bomb major cities, alerts Custance to evacuate. Picking up a travelling companion in a gun shop owner named Pirrie after an attempt to procure arms, they find they must sacrifice many of their morals in order to stay alive. At one point, when their food supply runs out, they kill a family to take their bread. The protagonist justifies this with the belief that "it was them or us." By the time they reach the valley, they have accumulated a considerable entourage as a result of their encounters with other groups of survivors along the way. They find that John's brother is unable to let them all in to the heavily defended valley. Pirrie prevents John from taking only his immediate family into the valley; instead, the group takes the valley by force. Pirrie and John's brother are killed; John takes possession of the valley. ===== Jake (played by Danny Glover), a reclusive Vietnam War veteran, has lived in a cabin in the woods of the Pacific Northwest for 35 years, plagued with guilt over the loss of men under his command. His only interaction with other people is when he drives into town to sell firewood and buy supplies from Kate (played by Linda Hamilton). His life is changed when he is visited by Henry, an ex-platoon member (played by David Strathairn). Henry is dying of lung cancer caused by exposure to Agent Orange, and entrusts the care of his half-Vietnamese daughter, Lenny, to Jake. Jake refuses, but Henry leaves in the night, leaving Lenny behind and giving Jake little choice but to look after her. Lenny proves troublesome and interrupts Jake's way of life. Over time however, Lenny encourages Jake to reach out to other veterans living nearby in self-imposed isolation. ===== During a party at the Simpsons' house, Homer humiliates himself by getting drunk, insulting guests, and leering at Maude Flanders' cleavage. At church the next day, Marge signs up for marriage counseling at a weekend retreat hosted by Reverend Lovejoy and his wife Helen. When Homer learns the retreat will be held at Catfish Lake, he packs his fishing equipment, but Marge tells him they are only attending to resolve their marital problems. On the way to the retreat, Homer stops at a bait shop and learns of the legendary catfish General Sherman. At the lake the next morning, Homer tries to sneak away to fish, but Marge is upset that he would choose fishing over their marriage. Instead of returning to bed, Homer takes a walk and finds an abandoned fishing pole on a dock. As he grabs the pole with General Sherman on the line, the fish yanks him from the pier into a small rowboat and onto the lake. From their cabin window, Marge grows angry watching Homer battle General Sherman. Marge attends the marriage workshops alone while Homer triumphantly docks with General Sherman aboard the boat. When Homer returns, Marge tells him their marriage is in serious trouble if he values fishing more than his wife. To prove his love for her, Homer releases the fish, which swims away. While Marge and Homer are away, Grampa babysits Bart and Lisa, who trick their grandfather into letting them throw a party. After the party ends, the house is a total mess. When Grampa cries, they fear their mess will land him in trouble with their parents, so they frantically clean the house. Once home, Marge praises Grampa for the house's cleanliness. He reveals his secret is "pretending to cry" to con his grandchildren into cleaning it. Bart and Lisa realize they were tricked as Grampa leaves while laughing at them. ===== While attending a comic book convention dressed as his superhero alter ego Bartman, Bart sees the first issue of Radioactive Man for $100 at Comic Book Guy's Android's Dungeon. Since he does not have enough money to buy it, he decides to get a job. Bart performs back-breaking labor for Mrs. Glick, who gives him only fifty cents for all of his hard work. When Bart sees Milhouse and Martin at the Android's Dungeon, he persuades them to pool their money and buy the comic book. Since none of them is willing to let the comic book out of his sight, they spend the night together in Bart's tree house. They get progressively more paranoid and Bart grows convinced Martin and Milhouse are conspiring against him as a thunderstorm approaches. When Martin gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, Bart thinks he plans to steal the comic and ties him up. Milhouse tries to alert Marge that Bart has gone crazy, but Bart thinks he is making a move for the comic and tackles him. Milhouse falls over the side of the treehouse, but Bart catches him precariously by his sleeve. When a gale of wind takes hold of the comic, Bart is forced to decide between grabbing it and rescuing Milhouse. After Bart pulls Milhouse to safety, the comic blows out the door and onto the ground, where it is shredded by Santa's Little Helper and struck by lightning. The next morning, the three boys muse how their inability to share led to the comic's destruction. ===== "Blue" Monroe (played by Seda) is a 16-year-old juvenile offender (convicted of murdering an abusive stepfather) who is dying of abdominal cancer. Dr. Michael Reynolds (played by Harrelson) is Blue's materialistic, self-absorbed oncologist. During a medical visit, Blue, who is half Navajo, discovers that he has only one or two months to live and decides to escape. He kidnaps Dr. Reynolds and forces him to drive to Arizona, to visit a mountain lake sacred to the Navajo people. The trip forces both to confront their sense of self and life choices. ===== When the Viking 1 space probe lands on Minerva in 1976 it takes a picture of a native Minervan wielding a primitive tool, thus proving the existence of intelligent life on other worlds. The main action of the story involves separate American and Soviet missions, who both pay lip service to non-interference with Minervan society, but in the course of their research, the teams' respective political ideologies inevitably come to the fore. This leads the teams and their commanders back home to use the Minervans in a transparent analogy to Third World/Cold War proxy conflicts on Earth. One of the Americans saves the life of a female Minervan after she gives birth. Eventually Minervans get their hands on high tech items like steel hatchets, rubber rafts, and finally AK-74s, which severely disrupt their way of life. ===== The story took place in 8162, and followed a team of former game players, the Claws, led by Dragon. The exact nature of the game is only hinted at, but it basically involves team members trying to get to a certain part of various ruined cityscapes, with the opposing team members trying absolutely anything to stop them. It was used as an opiate for the masses, to ease unrest about global concerns as the Earth moves closer to the sun. At the start of the series, the game has been banned for the levels of violence involved, but Dragon, one of the most successful players, is having trouble adapting to civilian life with his wife, Tanya, who he lives with on a farm. He is contacted by Deller, an agent of N.U.R.S.E [National Union of Retired Sports Experts], who offers him, and his old team, the Claws, a role as government enforcers. Dragon initially declines, but when the farm is attacked by another former team, The Wildcats, he changes his mind. Unknown to him, the Wildcats has been hired by Deller for this purpose. A sub-plot dealt with the brother of a deceased Wildcat seeking vengeance against Deller, which resulted in Dragon's family being kidnapped when they were mistaken for Deller's family. Dragon is reunited with the other Claws – Mercy (an ex- vigilante), Steel (a samurai honour-bound to Dragon since the latter saved his life in the Tokyo Riots of 8156), Digit (who had a computerised brain) and Scavenger (to quote, "No-one quite knows who or what Scavenger really is..."), and they are given a brief to stop the many former game teams who are causing trouble. Among these were The Vanishing Ladies, Split Infinity and the Jones Boys, but the recurring threat was the Evil Dead, led by Dragon's old nemesis Slaughterhouse. Other adversaries were the mechanoid freelance peace-keeping agent Death's Head, who was hired by the surviving members of the Evil Dead, and was heavily damaged when he clashed with Dragon, leading to his redesign and leading into the launch of his own title, and a future take on the vigilante Scourge. The main plotline concerns N.U.R.S.E's manipulation of the Claws, who were revealed to be involved in corrupt dealings and had actually reformed the Claws as "bully-boys" to take out and intimidate any gang that challenged N.U.R.S.E.. They deliberately kept Dragon from his family so he won't question his orders, eventually sending Deller to kill Dragon's wife; he was unable to do it, but his presence led to the family being abducted by another rogue Game team (who believed they were Deller's family and who had a grudge against him). Dragon eventually teamed up with Slaughterhouse and Deller in overcoming N.U.R.S.E's corrupt kingpin Matron in #9. With N.U.R.S.E. closed down and the Claws directly under the control of the World Development Council, Dragon elects to stay on leading the Claws, with Deller now as part of the team. The final issue, #10, left several plot threads dangling. Dragon is still unaware of much of Deller's part in the N.U.R.S.E. conspiracy (or that Deller has murdered a villain who knew the truth), while the fate of his wife, Tanya, last seen in a burning building, is unknown. For the 2004 edition of the charity project Just One Page, Furman and artist Paul Ridgon created an epilogue/teaser for Dragon's Claws, which was later recoloured and reprinted in the 2008 trade paperback. It featured Dragon holding a defeated Slaughterhouse at gunpoint, after a battle where Slaughterhouse was responsible for leading an army in sacking whole cities and killed two of the Claws. Dragon debated whether or not to simply kill his nemesis and end the conflict forever, or "play it by the book one last time" and live up to what the Claws are meant to represent. It was not revealed what decision he took. ===== "There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating ..." O Pioneers! tells the story of the Bergsons, a family of Swedish-American immigrants in the farm country near the fictionalO Pioneers!: The Willa Cather Scholarly Edition. Explanatory notes by David Stouck; end- note number 1. Retrieved March 28, 2017. town of Hanover, Nebraska, at the turn of the 20th century. The main character, Alexandra Bergson, inherits the family farmland when her father dies, and she devotes her life to making the farm a viable enterprise at a time when many other immigrant families are giving up and leaving the prairie. The novel is also concerned with two romantic relationships, one between Alexandra and family friend Carl Linstrum and the other between Alexandra's brother Emil and the married Marie Shabata. ===== The Corrugated Iron Church, Lightning Ridge, one of the film's locations The storyline opens in Tokyo where JM (Rikiya Kurokawa), a rich young IT worker and sometime computer hacker, is attempting to purchase a 1967 model Citroën DS, or Goddess, as it is known to French car aficionados. JM lives in a pristine but unfriendly hi-tech apartment. The smog filled city is blue-grey and bleak. He rarely speaks to his live-in girlfriend and is preoccupied with other possessions—his latest snorkeling gear as well as the pet snakes and other exotic reptiles he keeps in the flat. After tracing, on the Internet, a perfectly restored Citroën owned by a couple in Australia, JM abandons his job and flies out to purchase the rare car, which he thinks can fill the emptiness in his life. No one meets JM at the airport but he eventually finds the home where the car is located and meets BG (Rose Byrne), a blind and emotionally unstable young woman. BG, who is minding a young child, explains that the couple did not actually own the Citroën and that the husband shot his wife and then killed himself after a violent argument over money. She shows him the car and tells him, after he has test driven it, that she can take him to its real owner, who is somewhere in the Outback, a five-day drive away. Intoxicated by the vehicle, JM agrees. BG abandons the child at a service station, instructing her not to trust anyone, after calling the police to pick the girl up. As BG and JM journey into the spectacular but harsh landscape, the viewer is taken on a series of complex and often confusing flashbacks which attempt to illustrate the dark tragedies that have shaped their respective lives. JM became fabulously wealthy after a friend gave him the computer password to a major bank. The friend, who claims the reason he is not using the password himself is that he is getting married, is run over and killed by a passing truck. JM's infatuation with the car is apparently an attempt to fill the emotional gap created by his friend's death and the barren life he leads in Tokyo, which, he tells BG, is alien and "just like Mars". Flashbacks reveal BG was sexually attacked three years earlier by a young boxer from a travelling circus, who is frustrated in his attempts by a Chastity belt. BG then escaped into the bush where she was protected by wild dingoes. As a young child, she was also sexually abused by her grandfather (who is her blood father) and traumatised by Marie (Elise McCredie), her disoriented and deeply religious mother. Grandpa (Nicholas Hope), who was a hippie, a wine maker and then an opal miner, believes his outback existence frees him from all moral constraints. BG's favourite radio show is the obituary notices program and she is infatuated by the sound of insects splattering on the Citroën's windscreen, which, she explains to JM, is the "sound of death". Although blind, BG carries a pistol which she fires occasionally: the first time at two sinister men who pull alongside the car during JM's test drive and later, in the outback, to destroy the radio she uses to listen to the obituary notices. Unbeknownst to JM, BG's grandfather owns the car and she is leading JM to him not to consummate the car's sale but in order to kill the old man. In the course of their journey through an unremittingly hostile world inhabited by cruel outback men and women, the couple become friends and, after JM teaches BG how to dance, tentative lovers. BG eventually finds her grandfather and confronts him in his rundown opal mine. She had planned to shoot him but, having reconciled her past in the course of the trip and found someone who genuinely cares for her, decides not to go ahead with it. The film ends with BG and JM travelling off together in the Citroën, both having come to terms with their past. ===== Sheriff John Biebe, who is married to Donna, is one of the townsfolk who play in "the Saturday Game"—a weekly hockey game played on an open pond. The entire town, which is hockey-mad, turns out every week to watch. After the game commences, we see young Stevie Weeks in the stands, kissing Marla Burns, daughter of the town's judge. When the judge sees what is going on, he raps Stevie on the head and reprimands them both. Donna arrives with the latest edition of Sports Illustrated, which features an article on the town and the Saturday Game. The article serves also to explain the nature of the Saturday Game, as well as to introduce some of the prominent team members. It also refers to John as being "slow in the feet", but concludes with a statement that on the ability to skate, the Mystery team rivals any team in the National Hockey League (NHL). That evening, while having supper with his family Judge Burns and his son Birdie get into an argument about the game, with the judge saying that Birdie doesn't play well because he doesn't pass. In an effort to change the subject, Mrs Burns mentions that Price World may be interested in moving in to Mystery, which would threaten all the local businesses. During the next week, John is called into the Mayor's office to be told that he is being dropped from the Saturday game, in favour of Stevie Weeks. Skank Marden and the mayor's wife, Mary Jane, have been having an affair. At the school, where he is a teacher, he protests to her that she should have told him about John Biebe being dropped from the team. The mayor then enters, and Skank expresses his disgust at the decision. John sees Stevie Weeks at the diner and offers him congratulations. John is then called away because Connor Banks, the team's best player, has just shot someone. While Connor is being read his rights, the deputy explains to John what happened. Connor and a rep from Price World named Mr. Walsh got into an argument; Connor fired a shot to frighten him, but the bullet ricocheted and hit the rep in the foot. Mr. Walsh is then seen having his foot treated while swearing angrily about Connor and the town. John is then called away as there is helicopter about to land at the town hall. Charles Danner, the author of the Sports Illustrated article, steps out of the helicopter. In the mayor's office, he explains to the Committee that as a result of his article the NHL suggested that the New York Rangers be brought up to Mystery to play the town's team in a televised exhibition game. At a town meeting called to discuss the matter, the mayor re-introduces Charlie, who although originally from Mystery, seems not to have been very popular. Charlie is also revealed to have once been romantically connected with Donna. Initially feelings about the match are mixed but then Birdie indicates his eagerness to play and the game is given a rousing endorsement. Later John is approached by the mayor, and assumes that he will be invited back onto the team. However, the mayor wants John only to coach: Judge Burns has refused to do so. John says that he doesn’t know how to coach. Connor Banks' arraignment is brought before Judge Burns, with his attorney, Bailey Pruit, accepting a trial date for the following week. Connor informs him that he doesn't want a trial so soon in case he loses, which would mean he would miss the upcoming game. Bailey tells him not to worry because no jury will lock up the town’s star player. At Connor’s trial, Bailey asks the victim, Mr. Walsh what he thinks of Mystery, and asks him to confirm verbatim transcripts that the sheriff had taken at the time, in which he had disparaged the town. The jury delivers a "not guilty" verdict on Connor Banks. Amid much jubilation, Judge Burns angrily addresses those assembled, telling them that they have exalted the hockey game above what is right, and that they have disgraced themselves and his courtroom. Birdie confronts him in his chambers and tells him he feels that he was always ashamed of his son for staying in town to play hockey, instead of going to college. Before the next Saturday game, the players watch some NHL hockey on TV, and it emerges that the Rangers players are not keen to play the match, which they disparage as a joke. In the evening, crew from Charlie's TV network arrive. They meet with the mayor and John, informing them that they want to call the team the Mystery Eskimos, which they both take offence to. While John is arguing with Charlie on the street, Judge Burns arrives. John asks him to coach as he doesn’t know how to, but the Judge turns him down. Preparations for the match continue, with it becoming obvious that it is now becoming much more than a game of pond hockey. The mayor and his wife Mary Jane are discussing the forthcoming game, when he finds a locket which he realizes is Skank's. He confronts Mary Jane, and says, "Skank Marden has been in this bed." They fight, but some days later they reconcile. When the mayor meets Charlie the next morning, Charlie tells him that the Rangers players had filed a grievance with their players' union, and are no longer coming. The mayor punches Charlie, giving him a bloody nose. Judge Burns meets Bailey and tells him that there is a hearing in New York over the legal dispute. He suggests to him that it might be useful for Mystery to have a presence, and suggests a few legal arguments he could use. At the hearing Bailey makes an impassioned plea for the game to continue. However, while still arguing the case he suffers a fatal heart attack. After the funeral back in Mystery, it is revealed that he won the case, and the game is back on. John confronts the judge, saying that as he sent Bailey to New York he would now have to take over the coaching. The judge agrees, but only if John will come back onto the team as captain. Under the guidance of the judge, the team is seen training frantically for the match. The Rangers' players arrive by helicopter and are greeted by the mayor and townsfolk, who are all amazed at their size. John is called away to deal with a problem, which is revealed to be Charlie driving drunkenly on a Zamboni. He and John talk, and he reveals his bitterness towards Mystery, which he believes rejected him. John points out to him that bringing the Rangers to Mystery could destroy the town if its team were to lose very badly. During the match, the Mystery team take time to settle, but eventually go ahead two goals to nothing in the first period. One of the goals is scored by Stevie, who impresses the commentators with his speed. In the second period however, the Rangers score five unanswered goals. Birdie costs the team a goal through his desire to “go it alone” when he should have passed. Unwilling to accept defeat, Mystery scores two goals in the third period, including one from a pass that Birdie makes instead of shooting for goal himself. As the clock ticks down, Connor has a chance to level the scores, but his shot hits the crossbar, and the game is over, with the score at 5 – 4 to the Rangers. Both the Mystery team and spectators appear completely deflated, until Judge Burns starts clapping for them, after which even the Rangers players applaud them. The following day the Rangers leave, and it is revealed that both Stevie Weeks and Connor Banks have been given minor league contracts and fly out with the Rangers. ===== Journalists Kate Montgomery and Mike Logan married three months after meeting on the White House lawn. Although the marriage didn't last, there are two common threads between them—their 15-year-old daughter Abby and their all-consuming adoration of the newspaper ink that rubs off on their fingers. While Mike has become one of New York's larger-than-life journalists, Kate's hard-nosed reporting from around the world has earned her an impressive reputation. When Kate accepts a job offer that's just too good to pass up, she becomes the first female managing editor of the New York Sun—and she's now Mike's boss as well. Her staff also includes no-nonsense, seen-it-all police reporter Ernie Trainor; intense and somewhat neurotic financial reporter Alan Mesnick; "On the Town" columnist Belinda Carhardt, who has a few miles on her; and the newsroom's jaded and judgmental editorial assistant Donna French, who manages to remain ultra-hip in a sea of tweeds and khakis. ===== Survivor's Quest opens with a meeting between Talon Karrde and Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker. Karrde's people had earlier picked up an urgent transmission, addressed to Luke, coming from Admiral Voss Parck on the planet Nirauan. Before the message could be passed on, however, it had been stolen by a member of Karrde's own organisation, one Dean Jinzler. Fearing that the message might be somehow connected with the unknown menace Parck and Baron Fel had warned them about two years previous, Luke and Mara decide to head out to Nirauan. There, they learn that the message had in fact come from Chiss Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano (or "Formbi"). The Chiss have found the remains of the pioneering Jedi expedition, Outbound Flight Project, which had been mercilessly destroyed by Grand Admiral Thrawn many years previous. Now, the Chiss wish to hand over their find to the New Republic, and Luke and Mara join the odd group—which includes a squad of stormtroopers from the 501st, a remnant of an alien people, the Geroons, who owe a strange debt to the people of Outbound Flight, and a false New Republic Ambassador—which will visit the site of the tragedy. As they voyage on the Chaf Envoy deeper into Chiss space, into a treacherous cluster of stars known as the Redoubt, Luke and Mara grow more uneasy. Occurrences of sabotage and theft only serve to deepen their suspicions. On top of that, Mara begins to feel torn between her duty to the New Republic and her troubled respect for the Empire. The expedition reaches its destination: the remains of the Dreadnaughts that made up the Outbound Flight project. Not only are the ships fairly intact, but Mara can sense life. There are survivors, possibly hundreds of them. Suddenly, everything comes together in a whirlwind of events. The supposedly peaceloving Geroons instead are revealed to be the bloodthirsty Vagaari, who desire revenge against the Chiss and Outbound Flight for their defeat at the hand of Admiral Thrawn years before. Luke, Mara, the Chiss, the Imperials, and the embittered survivors now must work together against the Vagaari if any of them are to come out alive. They manage to defeat the Vagaari, who in turn sabotage the Chaf Envoy and commandeer one of the Dreadnaughts. The Vagaari then head back through the Redoubt to attack the Chiss command center, leaving Luke, Mara, and the others practically stranded. Following the welcome discovery of a Delta-Twelve Skysprite, however, Luke and Mara are soon pursuing the rogue Dreadnaught. They catch up to it and make their way aboard. They find out that the main Vagaari "colony ship" is actually a starfighter carrier that is beginning to overwhelm Chiss defenses. Using a fake signal, Luke and Mara trick the Vagaari into believing the Dreadnaught to be a friendly ship. However, Luke and Mara use the Dreadnaught under their control after a showdown with a droideka and the fanatical Vagaari Estosh, to aid the Chiss fighters and to defeat the other Vagaari forces. The survivors are entrusted into the care of the Empire of the Hand, and Luke and Mara finally have time to settle down and enjoy their marriage. ===== Michael Lucas plays Marcus Von Halpern, head of a New York fashion empire with a manipulative side, who enlists the help of Valentine Moore, played by Gus Mattox. Von Halpern wants Moore, a world-renowned photographer and "player", to seduce Sebastian Lacroix (Wilfried Knight), the new lover of Von Halpern's ex-boyfriend, Tom Mercedes (Kent Larson). Moore agrees on one condition: he gets a night with Von Halpern as his reward. Lacroix receives a call from his modeling agent informing him that he's booked for a photo-shoot with Moore. His boyfriend, Mercedes, warns Lacroix about Moore's reputation and advises him that Moore is not trustworthy. This segues into the first sex scene of the film, with Lacroix and Mercedes each topping the other in a flip-flop encounter. In the following scene, Mercedes is seduced by his employee Matt Cody (Owen Hawk). They engage in sexual activity on the conference table in the boardroom when the cleaning guy (Mario Ortiz) shows up and joins in. Meanwhile, Moore sets up his photography session with Lacroix and engages another model, J., to seduce Lacroix. Lacroix is later guilt-ridden. Cody meets with Von Halpern, who wants to solicit information about Cody's boss, Von Halpern's ex-boyfriend, Mercedes. Another sex scene ensues. Von Halpern's current boyfriend Bobby (Bruce Beckham) discovers Von Halpern's infidelity and seduces Moore to get even. Since Von Halpern has reneged on his payment to Moore in the form of a night together, Moore responds favorably to Bobby's advances. The cameo appearances occur during the final scene, set as the opening night of Moore's new gallery exhibit. There is an additional plot twist as a main character is murdered at the end. ===== In the series, Ed is an "electro-genetically" enhanced teen who works for Dojo Deliveries, a courier service, in the futuristic Progress City. Ed uses his cyber sleuthing skills to thwart identity theft and other information-based crimes. He and his courier pals Burn, Deets, Fizz, and Loogie (accompanied by his puppet Dr. Pinch), along with their friend and mentor Ol’ Skool, must battle the ultimate evil – Bedlam, an industrialist who has taken over a significant portion of Progress City, by means of stealing from, data mining, or outright destroying his competitors. ===== After witnessing a brutal murder instigated by California-based gang boss Eddie Kim on U.S. Prosecutor Daniel Hayes in Hawaii, Sean Jones is escorted by FBI agents Neville Flynn and John Sanders on a Boeing 747-400 to testify in a trial against Kim in Los Angeles. Despite increased security for the flight, Kim arranges for a time-release crate full of venomous snakes to be placed in the cargo hold in an attempt to bring down the plane before it reaches Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). To ensure the snakes attack the passengers without the need for provocation, he has one of his henchmen disguised as an airport ground employee spray the passengers' leis with a special pheromone which makes the snakes highly aggressive. The crate opens midway through the flight and the snakes make their way through the cabin. A couple having sex in a bathroom and a man using another bathroom are the first people killed. The plane's captain, Sam McKeon, investigates and fixes an electrical short, but is killed by the viper that caused it. Co-pilot Rick, unaware of the snake, believes Sam has suffered a heart attack and continues toward LAX. Some of the snakes attack Rick, and while fending them off he accidentally releases the oxygen masks throughout the plane, causing several snakes to drop into the cabin with them. Numerous passengers, including Agent Sanders, are killed when the snakes invade the cabin. The surviving passengers, who have made their way to the front of the plane, put up blockades of luggage in a desperate attempt to stop the snakes. Rick is attacked and the plane starts to dip downwards, causing a food trolley to crash through the luggage blockade. The passengers flee to the upstairs first class cabin before blocking the stairwell with an inflatable life raft. Flynn and flight attendant Claire regain control of the plane while Rick retakes the controls and has Flynn go into the cargo hold to restore the air conditioning/ventilation system. Flynn contacts FBI Special Agent Hank Harris on the ground, who gets in touch with ophiologist Dr. Steven Price, Customs' main source for animal smuggling cases. Based on pictures of the reptiles emailed to him via a passenger's mobile phone, Price believes a Los Angeles snake dealer known for illegally importing exotic and highly dangerous snakes to be responsible. After a shootout, a tactical interrogation occurs wherein the dealer is injured by a snakebite. With Harris withholding the antivenom, the dealer finally reveals that Kim hired him to obtain the snakes and adds how the latter managed to smuggle them on board the plane and make them aggressive. Price injects the injured dealer with the antivenom and commandeers his supply of antivenom for the victims on the plane based on the list given to him, while Harris gives orders to have Eddie Kim arrested and tried for death on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. Harris contacts Flynn, telling him that antivenom will be ready for the passengers when they land. However, Flynn discovers that the cockpit is filled with snakes and Rick is dead. After a brief discussion, Troy, Three Gs' bodyguard, agrees to land the plane based on experience playing a flight simulator. After everyone gets prepared, Flynn shoots out two windows with his pistol, causing the plane to depressurize. The snakes are blown out of the cockpit and the lower floor of the plane. Despite his lack of real-world experience, Troy makes an emergency landing and the plane makes it to the terminal. The passengers leave the plane and antivenom is given to those who need it. Just as Flynn and Sean are about to disembark the plane, a remaining snake jumps out and bites Sean in the chest. Flynn draws his gun and shoots the snake, and paramedics rush to Sean, who is unharmed due to a ballistic vest he wore throughout the ordeal after his rescue from Kim's henchmen. As a token of gratitude, Sean later takes Flynn to Bali and teaches him how to surf. ===== The year is 1938, and the Great Depression has hit the Dowdel family hard. 15-year-old Mary Alice is sent downstate to live with Grandma Dowdel while her mother and father remain in Chicago. Her brother, Joey Dowdel, joins the army while Mary Alice is less than thrilled with the arrangement. Grandma's Hickory farming community could not be more different from Chicago if it tried, and the grandmother Mary Alice remembers from childhood is a no-nonsense country gal. Having no choice in the matter, Mary Alice arrives by train in September with her beloved cat Bootsie and prized Philco radio. Day one in the new high school finds Mary Alice getting on the wrong side of the local bully, Mildred Burdick. Mildred brazenly follows Mary Alice home, demanding a dollar---but Grandma Dowdel turns the tables on the tyrant, slyly untying Mildred's horse. Faced with a barefoot 5-mile-hike home, Mildred loses interest in making trouble for Mary Alice. October brings plenty of other trouble, however, when another teen hooligan - August Fluke Jr. - gets in the habit of knocking down privies for pre- Halloween amusement. With the help of a strategically strung wire and a pan of glue, Grandma Dowdel trips up Augie's trickery, with a hot coat of glue that sticks "till kingdom come." Luckily, Grandma's treats prove far sweeter than her tricks: at the party, Mrs. Dowdel dishes up home-baked pies made with borrowed pecans and pumpkins. Moonlit winter nights find Grandma and Mary Alice trapping foxes; with the extra money, Grandma buys Joey a train ticket and he arrives just in time for the Christmas pageant. But when Mildred Burdick's illegitimate baby turns up in the manger, Christmas is anything but a silent night. Mary Alice stirs the town up by submitting anonymous articles to a community newspaper and a new boy---Royce McNabb---arrives just in time for Valentine's Day. Carleen develops an instant crush on Royce. With the help of best friend Ina-Rae, Mary Alice fools Carleen into believing that Royce sent Ina-Rae a valentine. Meanwhile, Grandma hosts a tea for the Daughters of the American Revolution and country bumpkin Effie Wilcox learns that the hoity-toity Mrs. L.J. Weidenbach is her long-lost sister. In spring, Grandma takes in a New York artist, Arnold Green, as a boarder for a whopping $2.50 a day as Mary Alice invites Royce over for an ostensibly "study" focused-date. The snake Grandma keeps in the attic drops down on Maxine Patch, the postmistress, whom Green was painting naked, or nude, as he prefers, leaving Maxine shamed (as she ran through town au naturel) and Arnold in shock. Grandma moonlights as matchmaker, introducing Green to Mary Alice's English teacher, Miss Butler. Mary Alice survives her first tornado, and the school year wraps up with a hayride that finds Royce and Mary Alice promising to exchange letters. A year down yonder leaves Mary Alice with a more tenderhearted view of country life and Grandma Dowdel, and she hesitates to head back to Chicago. Wedding bells ring at the end of World War II, and Mary Alice returns to marry Royce McNabb in Grandma's front room. ===== Jeffrey Lionel Magee's parents were killed in a trolley accident when a drunk driver crashed and sunk it into the river in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, orphaning him at age three. After living with his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan in Hollidaysburg and enduring their mutual hatred and silence for eight years, he runs away during a school musical performance. Over a year and 200 miles later, he finds himself across the river from Bridgeport in Two Mills, where Hector Street divides. He meets Amanda Beale, an East Ender who carries her suitcase full of books to keep them away from her younger siblings and borrows one before continuing his dash through town. Along the way, he intercepts a football pass made to local football star James "Hands" Down, infuriates gigantic little leaguer John McNab by hitting home runs off his fastball, and saves an unlucky child from Finsterwald's backyard, which is full of negative energy. Because of these acts, he earned the nickname "Maniac" and started a local legend. When "Mars Bar" Thompson corners Jeffrey and rips a page from Amanda's book, he is rescued by Amanda. He finds a home with her and her family, helping Mr. and Mrs. Beale with the chores and pacifying Hester and Lester. Soon though, a few East Enders make it clear to him that they don't want him in there anymore by writing racist graffiti on the Beales' front door, "Fishbelly go home" to be exact. His final effort to gain acceptance is by untying the famous Cobble's Knot. After finishing the task he is praised by everyone as confetti is thrown into the air. Amanda realizes, too late, that it was made from the pages of her favorite book, an Encyclopedia A. Jeffrey runs away, taking shelter at the buffalo pen at the zoo. At the zoo, Jeffrey meets Earl Grayson, a major-league baseball pitcher who is also a groundskeeper, has never learned to read, and insists he has no stories to tell (which is not true). For a few weeks, Jeffrey has a home again with him, helping him at work, celebrating holidays with him, and teaching him to read. Grayson passes away 5 days after Christmas, and Jeffrey runs away. On the verge of death, he encounters Piper and Russell, child ruffians that turn out to be John McNab's brothers. He leads them back home, bribing them with free pizza, and stays at their cockroach-infested, waste-filled house. Here, he finds the worst that the West End has to offer, as he learns that the McNabs are making a bunker because they believe the East End is planning a rebellion. He endures the coarseness and squalor of their home in hopes of keeping Piper and Russell in school and under control, but he is kicked out when he crushes Piper and Russell's toy guns. Even though he lives in a home where there is a lot of belief in racial inequality, he still doesn't understand it. After beating Mars Bar in a foot race and goading him into crashing Piper's birthday party at the McNabs' house, Jeffrey is homeless again. He moves back into the buffalo pen and runs for miles every morning before Two Mills wakes up. Before long, Mars Bar starts running with him as if by coincidence, and they never say a word to each other. One day they come across a hysterical Piper McNab, who frantically leads them to Russell, stuck on the trolley trestle where Jeffrey's parents died. He walks away silently, nearly unconscious and stunned by fear, while Mars Bar rescues Russell, becoming a hero in his eyes. Jeffrey retreats once again to the buffalo pen, where Mars Bar leads Amanda to it. She brings him to her house in a huff, with Jeffrey and Mars Bar following her. ===== The experience took place in the Galactic Federation Prisoner Teleport Center. Guests were recruited by the Grand Councilwoman (voiced by Zoe Caldwell) to be guards for the United Galactic Federation. After being taught the basic procedures of guard duty and the classification of prisoner hazard levels by Sergeant C4703BK2704-90210 (Richard Kind)—and a brief, but comical, reprisal of Skippy from the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter—Captain Gantu (Kevin Michael Richardson) gave an alert of a Level 3 prisoner being beamed to the Center. Guests were then instructed by Pleakley (Kevin McDonald) over a public-address system to proceed to the High Security Level 3 prisoner teleportation chamber. After being seated, shoulder restraints came down onto the guests' shoulders (to not confuse the prisoner's DNA with the guests'). The prisoner was then beamed into the chamber via a large plume of smoke and was revealed to be Experiment 626 (Chris Sanders). After a brief period of puzzled talking by Gantu and his two assistants, 626—who called himself "Stitch", despite not having met Lilo Pelekai yet—used the flaws of the armed laser cannons (the cannons follow and destroy any genetic material, including saliva) and disabled all power to escape, causing mass chaos in the crowd. During this period, hydraulic pumps and small hoses in the shoulder restraints made it seem as if Stitch was jumping on guests' shoulders and tickling their heads. Also, Stitch devoured a chili cheese dog and burped—which was accompanied by a foul smell effect being released into the chamber—and destroyed a cell phone, once again reminding the guests of the rules about eating or drinking in the theater or the use of electronic devices in the theater. When the power came back on, the laser cannons continued their attempt to bring Stitch down. Again using the cannons' fatal flaws, he managed to fire the laser cannons into the crowd. Shortly after using the diversion, he escaped to the Magic Kingdom in Florida (pronounced by the characters as Flor-ee-da). Cameras captured him going into Cinderella Castle where Stitch got into the castle by claiming to be Prince Charming from Cinderella. Stitch crawled in and said, "Yoo-hoo, oh Cinderella, your prince is here." Off-camera, Cinderella (Jennifer Hale) realized that Stitch is not her prince, and kicked him out of the chamber. (The original ending of the attraction had Stitch terrorize park guests on Astro Orbiter, with the ending video changing depending on the time of day at the park.) The audience was then released from their duty and exited into one of two gift shops; Merchant of Venus or Mickey's Star Traders (Mickey's name has since been removed from the latter). On the way to the gift shops, guests saw a sign labeled "Days without an escape" and a big number going down, along with "wanted posters" featuring some of Stitch's creator Jumba Jookiba's other genetic experiments. (Other experiments also briefly cameoed in the first part of the pre-show.) ===== Akira Uehara volunteers to deliver homework to Nanako Momoi, his classmate and crush. At Nanako's home, her grandfather's invention causes Akira and Nanako to exchange bodies; the invention is destroyed shortly after its use. Nanako is thrilled with the exchange as it complements her tomboy personality; she begins dating her friend Makoto Shiina. Meanwhile, Akira's effeminate personality combined with Nanako's beauty garners the courtship of his friend, Shinnosuke Senbongi, to his discomfort. The series continues episodically and focuses on Akira's deteriorating resolve to return to his body and his hesitation in reconciling Shinnosuke's feelings. Eventually, Akira decides to accept the new status quo but a new invention unintentionally reverses the exchange; the invention is destroyed after its use once again and Nanako's grandfather becomes amnesiac. On the behest of Akira and the friends, Shinnosuke begins researching on how to build a machine to reenact the exchange. Eight years later, Shinnosuke succeeds allowing the four to reunite with their respective lovers. ===== Still a virgin after 15 years in a convent, the demure Isabelle earns her living in New York by writing pornography, which she researches by buying magazines and hiring videos. In a café she befriends Thomas, who has amnesia after falling from a window. In another café, an accountant called Edward is befriended by Sofia, who pushed Thomas out of the window because, she says, he introduced her to drugs at the age of 12 and made her into a celebrated porn actress. She now wants revenge on Jacques, a crooked businessman for whom both Thomas and Edward worked. Learning from Edward that Thomas has data on disk that could destroy Jacques, she steals Jacques' phone number from Edward's address book while he is in the restroom. Upon returning, Edward gives her the address of a house upstate where she can hide. After contacting Jacques to blackmail him, she meets Edward at Grand Central Terminal, where he mentions that Sofia should not talk about the disks with anyone, since Jacques kills anyone who knows about them. Having agreed to meet one of Jacques' men at Grand Central to give him the address to her apartment where the disks are, Sofia urges Edward to come with her to the house upstate, afraid both she and Edward will end up being killed. She then leaves the station only to see Jacques' hit men shoving Edward into a car. They take him to an abandoned building to torture him and leave him for dead. Meanwhile, in a hired video Thomas sees Sofia in action and his memory starts returning. With Isabelle he retraces his steps and finds the flat where he and Sofia lived. Isabelle dresses in one of Sofia's sexy outfits and is on the point of losing her virginity to him when someone enters and the two hastily hide. It is Jacques' hit men looking for Sofia, who arrives shortly thereafter only to be tied up by the hit men who begin to torture her. Bursting out, Thomas and Isabelle throw one hit man out of the window and, freeing Sofia, make off with her in the other hit man's car. Sofia suggests they head for the empty country cottage Edward had told her about. On the way Isabelle posts the disks to her publisher, asking him to expose the evil of Jacques after having viewed the files while at the apartment. When the surviving hit man traces them to the cottage, he wounds Sofia before being shot dead by Edward who arrives in a stolen car. The four make off before the police arrive and Isabelle directs them to her former convent, where they are given sanctuary and the dying Sofia is tended. But the convent is surrounded by armed police, who want Edward for murder. Thomas, his conscience awakened by the kindness and care Isabelle has shown, by the realisation of his criminal past, and by guilt over the fate of Sofia, walks out of the front gate and is killed instantly by a police marksman. ===== In England after World War II, a sedate, bored lower-class couple—Michael and Margaret Banks—are lured into fronting a racehorse scheme. Michael is befriended by William Hencher, a well-meaning but lost soul who fell into association with a ruthless gang during the war. After his mother's death, Hencher wants to repay the Bankses for their allowing him to rent a room in their home, where he had lived with his mother for twenty years. Knowing Michael likes horses, Hencher invites him to the heist of the racehorse Rock Castle—which goes awry, leading to Hencher's death. The gang members then keep Michael under wraps. Realizing that Margaret is becoming suspicious of Michael's absence, they force Michael to call and tell her to meet him at a party. In order to ensure that Michael will front as the owner of the stolen stallion, they kidnap Margaret while distracting Michael with two women, both sexual predators. The heavy of the gang, Thick, beats Margaret mercilessly with a truncheon after she attempts to escape; Larry, the kingpin of the gang, slashes and rapes her. Meanwhile, Michael finds pleasure in a femme fatale, Sybilline, the mistress of Larry—as well as two other women. Badly beaten in a street fight with a constable, Michael attempts to redeem himself from both criminal activity and infidelity by thwarting the race, which has been set up in order to allow Larry to retire to America in comfort. ===== A young girl is home alone for the first time with only her dog for company. Listening to the news, she hears of a killer on the loose in her neighborhood. Terrified, she locks all the doors and windows, but she forgets about the basement window and it is left unlocked. She goes to bed, taking her dog to her room with her and letting it sleep under her bed. She wakes in the night to hear a dripping sound coming from the bathroom. The dripping noise frightens her, but she is too scared to get out of bed and find out what it is. To reassure herself, she reaches a hand toward the floor for the dog and is rewarded by a reassuring lick on her hand. The next morning when she wakes, she goes to the bathroom for a drink of water only to find her dead, mutilated dog hanging in the shower with his blood slowly dripping onto the tiles. On the shower wall, written in the dog's blood, are the words "HUMANS CAN LICK TOO." Other story variations feature a nearsighted old woman rather than a young girl. The fate of the dog also varies, from the dog simply being hanged to it being skinned, disembowelled, or otherwise mutilated. The message is sometimes written on the floor or on the bathroom mirror rather than on the wall. Some versions include the parents' return and their discovery of the killer hiding elsewhere in the house, frequently the basement, the girl's bedroom closet, or under her bed. In other versions, the girl's parents arrive back in the morning and ask if their daughter had a good night. When she tells them that her dog had kept her calm by licking her hand, she is told that the dog in question had been locked either in the basement or outside. But it's either 'the girl ran out the house and the killer was found' or the Girl dies. ===== The film follows the storyline of the book closely, save for adding some scenes from Through the Looking-Glass. It also changes the opening real world scene from Alice and her sister sitting at a riverbank to Alice in her bedroom, reluctantly practicing the song "Cherry Ripe", which she is expected to perform at a garden party. (The party guests are played by the same actors as the Wonderland characters and are shown as resembling them in appearance and personality, in a similar manner to the MGM version of The Wizard of Oz. The toys in Alice's room also reflect the residents of Wonderland). Thanks to stage fright and constant nagging from her confident governess (Dilys Laye), Alice runs out of the house and hides herself in the woods nearby, planning to stay hidden until the party has ended. However, an apple floats down from the tree and seems to hover in Alice's face. She is suddenly distracted by a human-sized White Rabbit (voiced by Richard Coombs) rushing by. Curious, Alice follows the White Rabbit, falling down his rabbit hole and ending up in Wonderland. Alice travels throughout Wonderland, meeting a large number of bizarre people and challenges. Alice first has problems keeping her size the same while attempting to go through a small door leading to a beautiful garden, growing massively tall and flooding the room she is in with her tears before shrinking to the size of a mouse. She then meets Mr. Mouse (Ken Dodd) and his avian friends who participate in a Caucus Race, where everyone wins. Alice encounters the White Rabbit again who directs her to his house. There, Alice comes across a bottle of liquid that makes her enormous and leaves her trapped in the house. The White Rabbit and his gardeners Pat (Jason Byrne) and Bill (Paddy Joyce) attempt to remove Alice by going down the chimney, but Alice shrinks again. Wandering in a forest, she encounters Major Caterpillar (Ben Kingsley) who advises her to not be afraid before transforming into a butterfly. Alice grows back to normal size by eating part of a mushroom. She ventures to a nearby manor house where she meets the musical Duchess (Elizabeth Spriggs), her baby, her pepper-obsessed plate-throwing cook (Sheila Hancock) and the Cheshire Cat (Whoopi Goldberg). The baby is left in Alice's care but it turns into a pig and is released. The Cheshire Cat advises Alice to visit the Mad Hatter and his friends the March Hare and the Dormouse. Meeting the trio at a tea party, Alice is given rather odd advice on how to avoid stagefright, with the Mad Hatter (Martin Short) leaping onto the table to do his performance he previously did at a concert of the Queen of Hearts, the Queen eventually didn't enjoy the performance by quoting it's "murdering the tune" and ordered him to be executed. But the Hatter escapes being decapitated which upsets Time (who referred to as a 'he' and was once a close friend to the Hatter) and punished the three by stopping "himself" so they will have a never-ending tea party. Alice eventually leaves when the Mad Hatter and March Hare begin smashing cups and plates. They also try stuffing the unfortunate Dormouse into a teapot. She comes across the small door and using her intelligence, succeeds in getting through it into the garden which is actually the labyrinth maze belonging to the Queen. The Queen of Hearts (Miranda Richardson) invites her to a bizarre game of croquet, but her love for decapitating people annoys Alice. The Cheshire Cat's head appears in the sky and is ordered to be executed, but reasoning from Alice stops the Queen. The Duchess arrives to answer the King's question of who the Cat's owner is, but the Cat has vanished. Alice leaves the croquet game, meeting the Gryphon (voiced by Donald Sinden) and the Mock Turtle (Gene Wilder). The two sing with Alice, teaching her the Lobster Quadrille and encouraging her. Alice then wanders into a darker area of Wonderland, meeting a White Knight (Christopher Lloyd) who encourages her to be brave and also shows her his newest invention. Alice meets some talking flowers: a Tiger-Lily (voiced by Joanna Lumley) who is the most sensible out of all of them, some Roses which are not too bothered about Alice being lost and some Daisies who are rascals. Having the flowers helping her, Alice walks off. Alice then meets Tweedledum (Robbie Coltrane) and Tweedledee (George Wendt) who have some antics with her before getting into a fight over a dropped rattle. Alice is then captured by a pair of card soldiers and taken to the royal court where the Knave of Hearts (Jason Flemyng) is put on trial for apparently stealing the Queen's jam tarts. The Mad Hatter and his companions appear as witnesses but he is accused of stealing someone else's hat and is recognized by the Queen for singing at her concert, prompting him to sing his Twinkle Song. Alice is then called to the stand but she uses some mushroom pieces to grow to great heights. She sees the jam tarts have been untouched and the trial is pointless. She openly criticizes the Queen, the King and Wonderland. The White Rabbit, who is present at the court, reveals he deliberately lured Alice into Wonderland to conquer her fears. He does so by first asking her if she is self-confident. Upon Alice answering yes, he simply states, "then you don't need us anymore." He then sends her back home using the same hovering apple that brought her there in the first place. Awakening back home, Alice courageously sings in front of her parents and their guests, but instead of singing Cherry Ripe, she sings the Lobster Quadrille which she finds much more interesting. The audience enjoy her performance to Alice's happiness. Alice spots the Cheshire Cat in the audience, who smiles at her in congratulations. ===== May Clark as Alice (left) and Norman Whitten (right) as the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland’’ Alice follows a large white rabbit down a rabbit hole. She finds a tiny door but cannot fit through it. When she finds a bottle labelled "Drink me" she does so and shrinks, but not enough to pass through the door. She then eats a cake labelled "Eat me" and grows larger. She finds a fan which enables her to shrink enough to get through the door to the Beautiful Garden, where she tries to get a dog to play with her. She enters the White Rabbit's tiny house, but suddenly enlarges to her normal size. In order to get out, she uses the fan. She enters a kitchen, in which there is a cook and a woman holding a baby. She persuades the woman to give her the child and takes the infant outside after the cook starts throwing things. The baby then turns into a pig and squirms out of her grip. The woman turns out to be a duchess. The Duchess's Cheshire Cat appears and disappears a couple of times to Alice and directs her to the Mad Hatter's Mad Tea Party. After a while, she leaves. The Queen invites Alice to join the royal procession, a parade of marching playing cards and others, headed by the White Rabbit. When Alice unintentionally offends the Queen, the latter summons the executioner. Alice boxes the executioner's ears, then flees when all the playing cards come for her. She wakes up to realise that it was all a dream. ===== The main characters are a former novelist named Richard Callum and his wife Frankie, who own a pub called the White Lion. Richard has hired a secretary to help out on his new book, Patricia Wells, who turns out to have an obsession for Callum. A visiting scientist named Harsen reveals, ultimately, that the reason for the extreme heat is that an alien race of spiders are "beaming in" scouts from their home planet via a radio wave ray, which generates intense amounts of heat as a side effect. The spiders themselves are carnivorous and eat humans, and give off bodily heat intense enough to burn alive any person who gets too close to them. Together with Harsen, Patricia, and science fiction author Vernon Stone, the Callums try to make it to the island's radio station to call for help so that they can thwart the invasion. ===== 10-year-old Bastian Bux is a shy and outcast bibliophile who lives in the fictional city of De Forest, Washington. He is raised by his widowed father and teased by bullies from school. One day on his way to school, Bastian escapes the bullies by hiding in a bookstore, annoying the grumpy bookseller, Carl Coreander. Bastian's interest in books leads him to ask about the one Carl is reading, called The Neverending Story. Carl advises against reading it, saying that it is not a "safe" story like regular books. With his curiosity piqued, Bastian secretly takes the book, leaving a note promising to return it, and hides in the school's attic to read. The book describes the fantasy world of Fantasia slowly being devoured by a malevolent force called "The Nothing". The Childlike Empress who rules Fantasia has fallen ill, and the young warrior Atreyu is tasked to discover a cure, believing that once the Empress is well, the Nothing will no longer be a threat. Atreyu is given a medallion named the Auryn that can guide and protect him in the quest. As Atreyu sets out, the Nothing summons a vicious and highly intelligent wolf-like creature named Gmork to kill Atreyu. Atreyu's quest directs him to the giant, turtle-like adviser Morla the Ancient One in the Swamps of Sadness. Though the Auryn protects Atreyu, his beloved horse Artax is lost to the swamp, and he continues alone. Morla does not have the answers Atreyu seeks, but directs him to the Southern Oracle, ten thousand miles distant. Gmork closes in as Atreyu succumbs to exhaustion trying to escape the Swamps, but is narrowly saved by the luck dragon Falkor. Falkor takes him to the home of two gnomes that live near the gates to the Southern Oracle. Atreyu crosses the first gate, but is perplexed when the second gate—a mirror that shows the viewer's true self—reveals a boy which Bastian recognizes as himself. Atreyu eventually meets the Southern Oracle, who tells him the only way to save the Empress is to find a human child who lives beyond the boundaries of Fantasia to give her a new name. Atreyu and Falkor flee as the Nothing consumes the Southern Oracle. In flight, Atreyu is knocked from Falkor's back into the Sea of Possibilities, losing the Auryn in the process. He wakes on the shore of some abandoned ruins where he finds several murals depicting his adventure, including one of Gmork. Gmork then reveals himself, and explains that Fantasia represents humanity's imagination and is thus without boundaries, while the Nothing is a manifestation of the loss of hopes and dreams. Atreyu battles and kills Gmork as the Nothing begins to consume the ruins. Falkor manages to retrieve the Auryn and rescue Atreyu. The two find themselves in a void with only small fragments of Fantasia remaining, fearing they have failed until they spot the Empress' Ivory Tower among the fragments. Inside, Atreyu apologizes for failing the Empress, but she assures him he has succeeded in bringing to her a human child who has been following his quest: Bastian. She further explains that, just as Bastian is following Atreyu's story, "others" are following Bastian's, making this part of the Neverending Story. As the Nothing begins to consume the Tower, the Empress pleads directly to Bastian to call out her new name, but in disbelief that he himself has been incorporated into the story, he denies these events as just being a story. Atreyu's death at the hands of the Nothing spurs Bastian to yell out the name he has chosen before losing consciousness: "Moon Child". Bastian awakes with the Empress, who presents him with a grain of sand: the sole remnant of Fantasia. The Empress tells Bastian that he has the power to bring Fantasia back with his imagination. Bastian re-creates Fantasia, and flies on Falkor's back to see the land and its inhabitants restored, including Atreyu and Artax. When Falkor asks what his next wish will be, Bastian brings Falkor to the real world to chase down the school bullies. The film ends with narration that Bastian had many more wishes and adventures, "but that's another story". ===== ===== The player enters the city of RHEM on a railway car. The car goes into a dead-end station with a rotatable track. The player is unable to leave because the track is not yet rotated. While the player is on his way to the switch to rotate the station track, a previous prisoner of RHEM beats the player to the switch he was after and leaves in the player's railway car. The player must then wander the city of Rhem in search of a second railway station. Each of the quarters of the letter is located in a different area not shown on the map provided in the game's package. ===== The Simpson family's dog, Santa's Little Helper, runs away from home to the dog racing track, where he mates with a female greyhound named She's the Fastest. She gives birth to a litter of 25 puppies after her owner, the Rich Texan, gives her to the Simpsons. They quickly become too difficult to manage, so Homer and Marge try giving them away. They soon find that the puppies do not like being separated, so Mr. Burns offers to take them all. Fearing he will mistreat them, Lisa persuades her parents to refuse Burns' offer, but he and Smithers secretly steal the puppies. After Chief Wiggum casually remarks that Burns has the puppies, Bart and Lisa sneak into Burns Manor. They are surprised to see him bathing and doting on the dogs. One of them stands up on its hind legs, reminding Burns of actor Rory Calhoun; he names this one "Little Monty." Bart and Lisa learn that he plans to kill the other 24 puppies and make a tuxedo from their pelts when he performs a song, using his wardrobe of macabre clothing fashioned from animal hides to make several costume changes. Bart and Lisa slip inside the mansion to retrieve the litter. The children and puppies slide down a laundry chute to the basement, where Burns and Smithers are waiting for them. To trick Burns into freeing the puppies, Bart mixes them up so that he cannot tell which one is Little Monty. After Little Monty stands on Burns' command, Bart reels a clothesline so that socks dangle overhead to get all the puppies to stand. Burns briefly considers killing all the puppies and the children, but cannot bring himself to do it since they all remind him of Calhoun. The Simpsons then let Burns keep the puppies, who grow to become world champion racing dogs and earn him millions of dollars in prize money, angering Homer. ===== Kaede slowly recovers from the Kikuta sleep given to her by Takeo, with dreams of the White Goddess: Be patient. He will come for you. Afterwards she travels towards home, accompanied by Shizuka. Arai is furious that Takeo has gone off with the Tribe, and realizes that he had underestimated them. He sends his men to search for him, and to assassinate Shizuka, his ex-lover whom he now fears because of her association with the Tribe. However, the attempt fails. Kaede is pregnant with Takeo's child, but Shizuka creates the notion of a secret marriage with Shigeru before his death to explain the coming child. Meanwhile, Takeo is kept hidden inside a Tribe house in Yamagata. Kikuta Akio, one of his abductors, is charged with teaching him, despite their mutual hatred. Under the disguise of traveling acrobats, they head north to Matsue. Yuki, Kenji's daughter, enters a relationship with Takeo as directed to by the Tribe, though she has genuine affection for him. One day she leaves suddenly, pregnant with his child, whom the tribe hope will inherit Takeo's extraordinary abilities. Kaede returns to her childhood home to find the estate in disrepair, her mother dead, and her father in despair after losing a battle to Arai and not having the courage to take his own life. She determines, despite her gender, to take over Shirakawa. She attracts the interest of an Imperial noble who lives nearby, Lord Fujiwara, who assists her in return for hearing her secrets. Makoto, a monk from Terayama, visits and accidentally reveals that there was no marriage between Kaede and Shigeru. In disgrace, her father decides their whole family must take their lives, and attacks Kaede. Shizuka and Kondo (a retainer, and member of the tribe) rescue her by killing him. Kaede goes into labour, miscarries her child, and becomes gravely ill. The Tribe become frustrated with Takeo's disobedience, and send him on a mission as a last chance. They believe Shigeru compiled records on the Tribe, so Takeo goes to his old house with Akio to retrieve them—Takeo being the only one who could get across the nightingale floor without being detected. Takeo discovers the records are at Terayama, but decides to escape from the Tribe. He shakes off Akio, and makes his way south, with winter closing in. On the way he is taken to a blind woman who delivers the prophecy that would haunt him: "Your lands will stretch from sea to sea...Five battles will buy you peace, four to win and one to lose. Many must die, but you yourself are safe from death, except at the hands of your own son." He reaches Terayama the last day before the pass is closed by snow. Once Spring thaws the snow, Kaede excuses herself from Fujiwara, stating her intention to visit Arai, her overlord, to discuss her future. He reluctantly agrees, and she travels via Terayama, as she has heard that Takeo is there. They meet, and as Takeo is under a death sentence from the Tribe, Kaede sends Shizuka and Kondo away. Against advice, Takeo and Kaede marry at Terayama. ===== Soon after Kaede and Takeo's marriage, messengers arrive at Terayama from his Uncles with a threat, and the head of Ichiro, his old teacher. The Otori army lies in wait to ambush him, so Takeo leads them over the mountains, and across the river near Kibi, with the assistance of a bridge made by Jo-an and some outcasts. His second-in-command is the homosexual monk Makoto, a friend of his from Terayama; Makoto criticizes many of Takeo's unorthodox methods, but nonetheless is very loyal to him. After a minor skirmish with some bandits, they lead the army to Maruyama, the domain that Lady Maruyama left to Kaede. Lady Maruyama's son-in-law, Iida Nariaki, a cousin to Iida Sadamu, has marched in to Maruyama just ahead of them, but Iida's army gets caught between the Maruyama and Takeo's armies, and are defeated. Takeo takes up Maruyama as his base of operations, and he and Kaede prepare to restore the domain Meanwhile, Shizuka and Kondo Kiichi arrive at the hidden Muto village, and are reunited with her uncle, Kenji, and her two sons. She fears the consequences that will come from Kaede's rash marriage. From Kenji she learns of the Kikuta's belief in the existence of records on the tribe compiled by Shigeru before his death. They decide to send Kondo to Arai, to gauge his reaction to Kaede's marriage, and his feeling towards his sons by Shizuka. Kenji also tells her how his daughter Yuki was recently married to Akio, but was forced to take her life after her son by Takeo was born, because the Kikuta were suspicious of her love for Takeo. The child will remain with the Kikuta, who have their own plans concerning the boy and Takeo's futures. Kenji's grief at his daughter's death has caused him to split from the Kikuta; regretful of his betrayal of Shigeru, he now tries to rally the other families of the Tribe to help Takeo. In Maruyama, they start restoring the land and estates. Takeo is threatened by the local Tribe members, so using Shigeru's records, he has them rounded up and the adults executed. His mind turns to Hagi, and he concocts a plan to invade it by sea. He travels to Oshima island to meet his childhood friend Terada Fumio, whose family have now become pirates, to seek an alliance. Kaede wants to accompany him, but he tells her to stay. On the way he meets Ryoma, an illegitimate son of his Uncle, Masahiro. He makes an agreement with Fumio's father, but his return is delayed by typhoons, and he almost drowns in a storm. Despite Sugita's objections, Kaede rides to Shirakawa with Hiroshi, and finds that Shoji, the Shirakawa retainer, had given up her sisters to Fujiwara, and returned her hostage to his family. Shocked, she hides the records on the Tribe at the nearby Shrine, and rides to demand her sisters return. Fujiwara abducts her, and only Hiroshi escapes to later bring the news to Maruyama. Fujiwara declares her marriage to Takeo to be illegal, and he forces her to marry him. Their marriage is celibate: he is not interested in her as a woman, but as a treasure, to be locked away, well-cared for but not given any information. However, one of Shizuka's cousins manages to bring Kaede messages for a time- until Fujiwara discovers her and has her murdered. Takeo returns and hears the news of Kaede's abduction. His army marches towards Shirakawa, but discovers not only Fujiwara's garrison, but Arai's larger army. Caught between them, Takeo is defeated but manages to extract his forces. They retreat to the coast as Maruyama surrenders to Arai's men, hoping for Fumio to come by boat, but the weather delays him. Takeo submits to Arai, but rather than killing him, they enter into an alliance against the Otori lords (Shigeru's uncles), but to dispel rumors about him being one of the hidden, Takeo is forced to kill the outcast Jo-an. Kenji, turned against the Kikuta because of the murder of his daughter, comes to Takeo and brings a truce, and an alliance on behalf of the Tribe, save the Kikuta. Before they leave, Fumio demonstrates to Takeo the use of a firearm, an invention obtained from the white barbarians. Arai's army marches north, and Takeo sails around the coast to Hagi. With Kenji and Taku, Arai and Shizuka's younger son, they sneak into the castle, and kill the lords and their families. When Arai's army arrives, he betrays Takeo; he intended to use Takeo to take out the Otori Lords for him, removing the last obstacle to his total rule of the Three Countries. Enraged, Takeo threatens to kill Arai's sons Zenko and Taku (who are standing next to him) which makes Arai pause. Fumio shoots Arai dead with the firearm, and at that moment a huge earthquake rocks the entire three countries. It destroys Arai's army, and in Shirakawa it destroys Fujiwara and his household in an example of Deus ex machina. Kondo Kiichi, in a last act of loyalty to Kaede, sacrifices himself to hold Fujiwara inside his burning house. However, Kaede's oiled hair accidentally catches fire. The Kikuta master, Kotaro, sneaks into Takeo's house to assassinate him, as he did to his father years before. With Kenji and Taku's help, they defeat him, but Takeo loses 2 fingers, and goes into a delirium from the poisoned blade that cut him. After he recovers, and despite the onset of winter, he rushes south to find what happened to Kaede. Makoto, his longtime friend, decides to leave him, but promises to continue to pray for him and for all his people at the temple They come to the shrine to find Kaede, Shizuka, and her new husband Dr Ishida alive, with the tribal records safe. But Kaede's hair is shorn, terrible burns marring her neck; Takeo gently covers her scars with his maimed hand. As it starts to snow, Takeo prays the spring would bring healing to their lands and their marriage. ===== Dead or Alive 4 focuses on the story of Helena Douglas taking over the mantle of the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee as its second chairman, determined to fight against the corruption in the organization. After losing both her father and her beloved mother to the darkness of conspiracy, Helena chose to place herself in the middle of the maelstrom in order to put an end to the chain of tragedy once and for all. The man who holds the true power at DOATEC, Victor Donovan, locked himself in the Bio Lab Core again to continue coveting his dream of creating the perfect human weapon. His new project, code named "Alpha-152", is the result of the ultimate evolution of hyper-cloning technology, birthed from a DNA sample of Kasumi. The main storyline continues with the war between the DOATEC and the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan. After Ayane successfully defeats DOATEC's last creation, Omega, Hayate returned to the Mugen Tenshin clan, taking over the leadership. Now leader, his heart burns with the desire of revenge as he goes on a quest to put an end to DOATEC. During the fourth tournament, Hayate brought together the most powerful group of Ninjas known to man. He is accompanied by Ayane, Ryu Hayabusa, and other members of the Mugen Tenshin clan; Kasumi, though reluctant, is dragged into the events herself as she follows her brother. The ninjas attack DOATEC's primary headquarters, the gigantic Tri-tower buildings. Other competitors such as Brad Wong, Eliot, Jann Lee, Kokoro, La Mariposa, Leifang, and Zack were among chaos as the conflict went on. Bayman vowed to finish off Donovan, Hayate also states his reasons for wanting revenge on the mad scientist as well. Bayman tells Hayate not to interfere in his revenge but Hayate states that he cannot let him fool things up. Kasumi confronts Helena, telling her to stop the fight between DOATEC and the Mugen Tenshin. Helena refuses, stating that Hayate and others will stop at nothing until DOATEC is destroyed, and she will do anything to stop Donovan and Alpha-152 from causing havoc in the world. Helena attempts to shoot Kasumi but she is saved by Hayabusa. Helena is later confronted by Christie who revels that she was her mother's killer. Filled was sadness and now boiling with anger, Helena fights Christie. The ninja assault left the Tri-towers in an inferno, and the buildings' auto- destruct sequence activated by Helena lead to the buildings' ultimate destruction. Helena tries to commit suicide by willingly letting herself be consumed by the flames of the burning buildings. Suddenly, Zack came flying in with a chopper, saving her before the Tri-tower buildings fell to dust. ===== The novel is populated by two species of dragons: *Charmed dragons are of an older, magical order and have four legs as well as wings. However, due to their proficiency with magic, wings are not needed to fly and thus these limbs take on a more decorative role. They also use magic to breathe fire and change their bodies at will. *Natural dragons use no magic, and have just four limbs, using their forelimbs to fly rather like bats, or wyverns. Many Natural dragons show fear and hatred of the Charmed, and around the time of the events of the novel, they greatly outnumber the older, dying race. ===== As Sam Phillips and his son Tony are playing outside their farm, Sam is suddenly abducted by a bright light. Three years later, the light returns and plants a seed. A half-human, half-alien creature develops from the seed, and is hit by a car; the couple in the car are soon killed. The creature then goes to a cottage nearby, where it attacks and impregnates the young woman living there before dissolving. When she awakens later, her belly rapidly grows to a gargantuan size until she gives birth to a fully formed Sam, killing her. Sam washes himself, steals the driver's clothes and leaves in the car. Sam seeks out Tony, who lives in an apartment building in London with his mother Rachel, her new boyfriend Joe Daniels, and French au-pair Analise Mercier. Tony has recurring nightmares where he wakes up soaked in another person's blood. Sam picks Tony up from school and is found by Rachel. Despite Joe's consternation Sam goes to live with the family, claiming that he can't remember anything. After Tony sees Sam eating the eggs of his pet snake, Sam comforts him and drinks his blood. Tony soon discovers he has paranormal powers, which he uses to send a human-sized toy soldier to slaughter a neighbor who killed his snake and to bring a toy clown to life. Sam and Rachel visit the farm where they used to live, leaving Tony in Analise's care. During a game of hide-and-seek with Tony, Analise is knocked out by the clown and used as a womb for the alien eggs. Tony sends a toy tank to attack her boyfriend Michael, who is killed by a panther as he tries to flee. Meanwhile, while Sam and Rachel make love at the farm, his skin starts to bleed and decompose. Joe takes Tony to the farm, where Sam takes his son up a hill towards the alien light. Sam, now taking the form of an alien, uses his scream to kill Joe. Sam and Tony enter the light and return to the alien world, leaving Rachel behind. Arriving at home the next day, Rachel finds the apartment full of eggs. As she picks up an egg, Rachel is killed by a newborn creature. ===== Set in a far-future fictional universe, Deathstalker follows the life of Owen Deathstalker, a minor aristocrat and historian, as he is catapulted from a life of quiet luxury and academic pursuit into a galaxy-wide rebellion against the empire in which he lives. ===== ===== Susan is dismayed to see her ex-husband, Karl, emerge from Edie's house one morning. She runs over to confront him and he admits he's sleeping with Edie and may move in with her. When Edie comes by—on rollerskates—to apologize for not telling her, Susan pretends not to care and gets in her car to drive away. Edie brags that Karl told her that sex with her was the best of his life. Susan snaps back that Karl told her he's still in love with her and recently asked her to come back to him. She drives off, Edie still in pursuit, and after their ensuing argument, accidentally backs up into her. Meanwhile, Mike wants to know where their relationship stands now that they're not moving in together. Susan says she wants to keep it "casual," but he doesn't know what that means. "We can still go see a movie," she explains, as he comes closer. "Anything else?" he asks and as he starts to kiss her, she says, "Brunch. We can go to brunch!" and runs away. Rex's mother Phyllis publicly embarrasses Bree when she starts crying over Rex's death. So Bree slaps her. She apologizes later, but with Bree's uncanny composure and her eagerness to settle Rex's will, Phyllis starts to suspect Bree isn't sorry Rex is dead. The doctor treating Rex finds the note he wrote before he died, forgiving Bree, although it doesn't say why. The suspicious doctor hands it to the lead insurance investigator. The same investigator Phyllis calls when she sees Bree being comforted by the ever opportunistic George. Gabrielle's outburst last time she visited Carlos - about him being a rich man - means unless he pays a violent inmate off, there'll be hell to pay. She agrees to deliver $7,000 to the guy's girlfriend, but it's for breast implants she doesn't want. Gabrielle quickly agrees she doesn't need them and takes the cash back. The next time she sees Carlos, he's been badly beaten and he orders her to convince the girlfriend to take the money. She refuses, unless he gives her control of their bank account. Lynette is dismayed to come back from a long day at the office to find the house is a pigsty and Tom already in bed. The final straw is when she realizes he didn't change the bed after the baby threw up in it. She starts changing the bed around him and he tells her she has control issues. She leaves him the bed and goes to sleep on the couch. While flipping channels she comes across a horror film about rats and has a brainstorm. The next day she lets loose a rat in the house and waits for it to have the desired effect. When she comes home, the house is spotless. Tom admits he let the house go too far but that the rat inspired him to clean. And that he killed it with a shovel. She's both pleased and horrified by the news. She goes to take out the trash and apologizes to the dead rat, but also thanks it for saving her marriage. Susan asks Betty about the strange clanging noises she's been hearing coming from her house in the middle of the night. Betty pretends not to know what she's talking about but then the noise comes again. She explains that it's just her son, Matthew, but then he walks up behind them, having just gotten home. Betty says a quick goodbye, leaving Susan more suspicious than ever. Betty complains to her psychiatrist that she can't sleep, telling him how her husband used to beat her and how she still has nightmares because she wasn't able to prevent him from killing their son. The doctor prescribes a sleeping pill, which she grinds up and puts in the food she brings to the chain-rattling captive in her basement. ===== ===== ===== While making love in their tent during a work expedition in Nepal, photo-journalists Ted Harrison and his girlfriend Marjorie are attacked by a werewolf. The werewolf snatches Marjorie and Ted attempts to rescue her but gets bitten in his shoulder and thrown to the ground. Hurt but determined he crawls to his shotgun and manages to shoot the werewolf's head off but not before the beast kills Marjorie. With the intent of living in isolation Ted moves back home into a trailer in the woods hours away from his lawyer sister Janet Harrison. One day in an effort to reach out to her and his young nephew Brett, Ted calls them up and invites them for a meal at his home by the lake. Upon seeing him again the family dog, Thor, begins to sense something wrong with "Uncle Ted" and goes into the woods tracking a smell, which leads him to human remains hanging on a tree branch. Meanwhile, Ted tells Janet that his girlfriend Marjorie broke up with him and returned to her home in Seattle, hiding the truth from her, and in an attempt at comforting her brother, Janet invites him to stay with them. Shaken and fearful of hurting them, Ted declines and Janet, Brett and Thor leave before the sun starts to set, at Ted's insistence. The next day, there is an investigation going on in the woods near Ted's trailer where the mangled bodies of several missing hikers and a Forest Ranger were found. Under fear of being found guilty, Ted calls Janet and tells her he's changed his mind. He parks his trailer in her yard in the hopes that in being near his family, he'll be able to control himself. However, Thor is aware of Ted's nature and becomes suspicious and eventually hostile towards him. Noticing that he goes out to "jog" at night with handcuffs, Thor becomes frenzied until Janet lets him out of the house. Tracking his scent, Thor follows Ted into the woods and finds him turned into a werewolf and tied to a tree while growling, clawing and trying to escape. Meanwhile, Janet starts looking for Thor and goes into the woods. Aware of her danger, Thor manages to find and distract her back to the house before she finds Ted. The next day while making breakfast, Janet sees on TV the news coverage on the killings and confronts her brother about not telling her his true reasons for visiting her and invites him to stay permanently. While Brett is watching Werewolf of London (mistakenly confused for The Wolf Man), he and Ted discuss werewolves and their existence, with Ted stating that it doesn't take a full moon to start the transformation and that he has "been acquainted with a few in his time" and Brett states that werewolves don't exist. While Brett throws out the trash, Ted tries to warn his sister and advises her to start listening to Thor and his sudden change in behavior and drops hints that the murders had been done by a wolf. She ignores his pleas and he retreats into his trailer where Thor follows him, waiting for him until the sun starts to set. Ted encounters a suspicious Thor but eventually leaves the trailer with the hopes of chaining himself again. With the sun setting Ted screams for Janet to take Thor away and when she does he rushes into the woods. Thor is afraid of Ted hurting his family and begins to bark until Brett lets him out of the house. He makes his way to the woods to find that Ted was too late and wasn't able to handcuff himself and has made his way into the backyard. Werewolf Ted attacks Thor but the dog fights back which wakes up Janet. Werewolf Ted is scared away when she turns on the bright deck lights. Janet sees Thor's injuries and, fearful of Ted's advice, calls the Sheriff and goes into Ted's trailer to notify him. She does not find Ted but instead finds his werewolf book, gruesome pictures of Marjorie's body and some of Ted's victims. She also finds a journal in which Ted details his pain and his turmoil with not finding a cure for his "disease" and his hopes of finding peace by his family's side. Werewolf Ted seems to lurk outside the trailer but Janet leaves safely, shaken but adamant about straightening things out with her brother. Later that night, a "flopsy" who had previously tried to frame Thor for a false bite goes into Janet and Brett's yard with the intent of killing Thor but is instead attacked and fatally wounded by Werewolf Ted. The next day, the sheriff shows up and questions Janet about Thor and informs her of the "flopsy's" attack by a wild animal; his mutilated body's been found 100 yards away from her property. Remembering Thor's injuries Janet asks if the culprit could have been a wolf but the sheriff says no and advises her to give up Thor to the dog pound. Not believing Thor could be the killer, she confronts Ted, who provokes Thor to attack him. As a result, Thor is taken to the dog pound. Seemingly more confident and accepting of his bloodlust, Ted "marks his territory" by urinating in Thor's doghouse (as Thor had done to his trailer earlier) and shows hostility towards Brett, who feels Ted is the reason Thor was turned in. Brett pretends to go to sleep but packs his backpack and sneaks out of the house to free Thor while Janet confronts Ted in the woods. In the woods, Ted accuses his sister of not listening to his warnings and knowing the truth all along. As he begins to transform, Janet flees in panic back to the house with Werewolf Ted on her trail and manages to retrieve a revolver hidden in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Brett reaches the dog pound on his bicycle, breaks in and frees Thor, who takes off running and gets to the house just as Werewolf Ted is about to attack Janet in. A vicious fight ensues between them with Thor savagely biting and injuring Werewolf Ted several times and Werewolf Ted throwing Thor across the room and seemingly killing him. Brett, having followed Thor and worried about his mother, goes into his room and is strangled and held up by his throat by Werewolf Ted. Seeing an opportunity, Janet fires several rounds into Ted, who releases Brett and spins from the shots. Hurt but still alive, he growls at the now defenseless Janet. However, Thor gets up, gets between them and throws himself on Werewolf Ted, knocking them both out the window and into the yard. Werewolf Ted is severely injured but gets up and retreats into the woods. Though Thor is injured as well, he follows Werewolf Ted and tracks him down until sunrise, where a now human Ted emerges from behind a tree bruised, beaten and bloody. Standing his ground and ready to attack, Thor whimpers in reluctance, but Ted tells him to "do it" and with no more hesitation Thor lunges at him and finishes him off. Sometime later, Janet's house is being repaired and she and Brett are seen petting Thor, who is bandaged and recovering from the fight. Janet apologizes for blaming him and putting him in the dog pound. Suddenly, Thor (as a werewolf) savagely growls at her. Janet wakes up alarmed and quickly realizes it was just a nightmare as she, Brett and Thor are fine and at peace. ===== The show is set in the future, some time after the year 2086, when two aliens from the planets Andor and Kirwin travel to Earth to search for allies against the expansionist Crown Empire led by the Queen of the Crown. In return for the help, the two aliens gave mankind construction plans for a hyperdrive device. After this key event in human history, interstellar travel flourished and a huge number of colonies emerged in distant star- systems. Alongside the growth of human activities in space, criminal activities also grew, and the new colonies required defense against various threats, including the Crown Empire. A group known as "BETA" (Bureau for Extra-Terrestrial Affairs) was founded to cope with these tasks, with a "Ranger" division being a part of it. BETA is shown to be the major military and exploratory arm of Earth. The organization's headquarters are on Earth. BETA sustains several bases on and around Earth, such as the Longshot Research Facility in the Grand Canyon and the BETA space station in Earth's orbit. Most of the colonies portrayed in the show specialized in either agriculture or mining "star stones". Many of the planets on the show have names that evoke ideas of a Western setting, Nebraska, Mesa, Ozark, and Prairie being a few. After the catalyst first episode, "Phoenix", where one of the main characters, Zachary Foxx, loses his wife to the Queen of the Crown, he puts together a group called the Galaxy Rangers, dedicated to providing law and order across the new frontier, ultimately trying to get rid of the Crown Empire. Each ranger is equipped with an experimental piece of tech called the Series-5 to boost natural abilities. The Series-5 Brain Implant, or S5, is implied to be the closest mankind will ever get to merging with cybernetics. The S5 implant enables a dramatic boost of innate abilities due to its unique conversion of bio-electrical power generated by alpha radiation stored within the badges worn by the Galaxy Rangers. The Crown Empire, also known as the "Crown," is ruled by the Queen of the Crown, whose intentions and motivations are described as being evil. She controls a large number of planets in a vast section of the galaxy, all of which she rules as a cruel tyrant. The Queen controls her empire using creatures called Slaver Lords with whom she has a psychic link. Slaver Lords derive their power from the psychic energy of other beings. After the Empire encountered humans, the Queen discovered that they were more suitable for energy extraction than any other previously encountered species. ===== Junk is told in the first person, with each chapter having a different character narrating. At the beginning of the story, fourteen-year old Gemma Brogan is spending time with David 'Tar' Lawson, a boy of the same age. Tar is a victim of physical abuse at the hands of his father, and - as he later realises - emotional abuse from his mother. Both of his parents are alcoholics. After a particularly violent incident, he decides to run away to Bristol, even though he knows no-one there and has no money. Gemma, despite having loving (albeit strict) parents, also decides to leave home and join Tar in Bristol shortly afterwards. In Bristol, Tar sleeps rough, interacting regularly only with Skolly, a local newsagent who takes a shine to his naive, trusting attitude. Skolly eventually introduces Tar to Richard, an absent- minded, vegan anarchist, who opens up abandoned houses for use as squats. Tar joins Richard and his friends - Vonny, an eighteen-year old 'motherly' woman; and her boyfriend Jerry, who is described as a bit useless. Between them, the young adults support Tar financially in order to keep him safe and away from his father, even though it is illegal. Gemma comes 'to visit', intending to stay. Vonny is frustrated by this, as she does not see it as the same situation; they are protecting Tar, but Gemma has nothing to be afraid of and merely wants a more 'interesting' life. Vonny reluctantly allows Gemma to stay for a while, but insists that both teenagers ring their families from a telephone box to let them know that they are safe. Tar is happy with their situation, but Gemma gradually grows more restless, wanting to find some people their own age. The adults decide after a few weeks that Gemma must return home. Richard holds a 'farewell' party in the abandoned house and, to Vonny's chagrin, he invites Lily and Rob, a couple whom she suspects to be on hard drugs. Gemma is enamoured with Lily, from the moment she sees her. The two girls connect instantly, and Lily invites the pair to stay the night with them. Whilst they are there, Lily and Rob encourage Gemma and Tar to smoke heroin with them, and they do, believing that only smoking it will not get them addicted. The pair are subsequently invited to live with Lily and Rob, and they move out from Richard's squat into that of Lily. Tar and Gemma live with Lily and Rob for a long time, and in the early days, it is all fun - they have frequent parties, shoplift to feed themselves, and heat their house with fuel from skips. They know all the local squatters and drug-users, becoming particularly close to Sally, another girl their age. However, their heroin- smoking habit quickly turns into long-term addiction. As time goes on, the girls start prostituting themselves to fund their habit. After an event involving a friend overdosing at their house, the police arrest Tar. He is sent to a drug rehabilitation centre as an alternative to prison, and gets clean, whilst simultaneously facing some of the trauma he has endured through counselling. He leaves the centre clean, and determined to stay that way, but uses heroin almost immediately once he arrives back at the squat. Lily, who does not work in the massage parlours as Gemma and Sally do, and instead works on the street with the protection of Rob, discovers she is pregnant. She decides to keep the baby, and the five of them vow to get clean. They take a trip to Wales, with the aim of getting themselves away from heroin and detoxing in a safe environment. However, the trip quickly falls apart - Rob and Sally both smuggle some heroin along with them, Tar hitch-hikes back to Bristol on the second day, and Lily discovers Rob's heroin and injects some herself. Gemma is determined to make it through, but eventually caves in once she realises she is the only one holding out. They return to Bristol, scared by what they have realised about their addictions: that they truly cannot stop just because they want to. In time, Lily has the baby and continues to inject heroin whilst the baby is breastfeeding. Meanwhile, Rob starts cottaging himself in public toilets, to fund their habit. Tar has totally changed; the naive, joyful person he once was, has been replaced by someone who lies to and steals from his friends and even from Gemma. Both boys become dealers, and undergo a traumatic experience when they arrive at a friend's house, to find him and his girlfriend dead after overdosing. However, they do nothing to alert the authorities, instead just stealing their drug stash. The catalyst comes when Gemma realises that she, too, is pregnant. After a particularly vulnerable moment with Lily, who non-verbally admits she is completely out of her depth, Gemma realises that she cannot let the same thing happen to her own baby. She leaves the house in the middle of the night and phones the police, telling them the address of the house and that it is being used to deal drugs. Tar, Rob and Lily are arrested, and Tar takes the rap again, which means he is given a custodial sentence. Meanwhile, Gemma locates Vonny and asks for her help. She allows Vonny to get in touch with her parents, who come to the hospital where she has been admitted with severe withdrawal symptoms. For the first time in three-and-a-half years, the Brogans are reunited with their daughter, who asks to come home. Gemma ends up living back in her hometown drug-free, and gives birth to her daughter Oona, whilst waiting for Tar to come out of prison. However, once he is released, Gemma realises that she no longer feels the same way about Tar, and eventually they break up. The reader learns that Tar ends up forcing his way into Gemma's home and hits her at least once, in a bleak repetition of his own father's behaviour. Gemma has no problem staying off heroin, once she has gone through withdrawal, whereas Tar finds it much more difficult and slips several times, even though he is on methadone. The story ends with Tar having a new girlfriend and seeing Oona every so often, whilst lamenting the life he lost, still craving heroin and still holding onto the hope that Gemma will one day take him back. ===== The story is narrated by Sir George Vernon's 35-year-old cousin, Malcolm François de Lorraine Vernon. Raised in France, he became enamored of Mary, Queen of Scots, when she was a youth there, and followed her to Scotland. Historically speaking, Mary was captured, imprisoned, and forced to abdicate the Scottish throne in July 1567, but in the novel, Malcolm receives word of Mary's capture in the Fall. He immediately flees to England, and heads to Haddon Hall to take refuge with Sir George. On the way, he meets and becomes friends with John Manners, son of Sir George's hated enemy Thomas Manners (Lord Rutland). Years earlier, Sir George had suggested that Malcolm marry George's daughter Dorothy as a way to keep the Vernon properties held by Vernons. Dorothy at the time had been an awkward adolescent; she now is a mature, strong-willed, red-headed beauty. On his way to Haddon Hall, Malcolm (still in the company of John Manners) encounters Dorothy, her aunt, and her friend Madge, all of whom live at Haddon Hall. Catching glimpses of each other, John Manners and Dorothy instantly begin to be attracted to each other. Malcolm, by contrast, sees his cousin as too beautiful and strong-willed to make a good wife. As the book progresses, Dorothy and John develop a secret romance, aided by Malcolm and hidden from her father, who first presses her to marry Malcolm, and then the son of the Earl of Derby. Various dramatic elements include a chapter in which Dorothy is imprisoned in her bedroom, but manages to disguise herself as Malcolm to escape and meet John; John fails to recognize her, thinking her a male stranger, and makes some embarrassing remarks about his previous love affairs, and then when he realizes she is a woman, fails to recognize her as Dorothy, but attempts to kiss her, causing her to reveal herself. Later, John disguises himself and takes a job as a household servant at Haddon Hall to be able to spend time with Dorothy; she fails to recognize him for days until he reveals himself. This ruse ends when Dorothy quarrels with her father, who attempts to strike her. John jumps in the way and is struck unconscious, and a distraught Dorothy reveals that this is the lover her father suspected her of having. Her father orders him imprisoned in the dungeon, to be hanged the next day if the blow to his head does not kill him, but Malcolm, aided by Dorothy's Aunt (also named Dorothy), arrange for his escape. Subsequently, Queen Mary escapes from Scotland and takes secret refuge at Lord Rutland's estate. Queen Elizabeth arrives to visit Haddon Hall. Sir George brings the Stanlys (the Earl of Derby and his oafish son) to ratify the marriage contract before the Queen, but Dorothy publicly humiliates the Stanlys, ruining the arrangements and amusing the Queen. Meanwhile, her father has already begun to nurse a hope she might marry the Queen's favorite, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. Unable to see John for an extended period of time, and knowing that the seductive Queen Mary is staying at his home, Dorothy becomes crazed with jealousy and tells Queen Elizabeth of Queen Mary's location. Elizabeth rouses a troop of soldiers to arrest Mary. Remorse-stricken, Dorothy attempts to arrive at Lord Rutland's before the troops, but fails, and John, his father, and Queen Mary are all arrested, and Dorothy's father finds out John's identity. Malcolm shares a carriage with Queen Mary and a sleeping, exhausted, Dorothy for the return to Haddon Hall, and during the trip Mary manages to regain his allegiance and romantic interest (despite his being engaged to Madge) and he promises to help her escape to France. Mary also attempts to gain the allegiance of the Earl of Leicester, but he betrays her to Elizabeth, resulting in Malcolm's arrest. Queen Elizabeth tells Dorothy she will free John and Lord Rutland if Dorothy can prove that they planned only to get Mary out of Scotland, and had no part in any conspiracy to place Mary on the throne of England. By speaking with him in the dungeon, which is equipped with a speaking tube for eavesdropping, Dorothy exonerates John and his father, and they are set free. Elizabeth decides Malcolm may go free as well, provided he leaves England and returns to France. Sir George, furious at Malcolm's part in aiding Dorothy and John's romance, tells him to leave Haddon Hall, so Malcolm gathers his belongings and apologizes to Madge and prepares to head to Lord Rutland's estate, where he will await the passport allowing him to leave England. As he leaves, Madge joins him, forgiving him, and they plan that she will accompany him to France as his wife. In the final chapter of the novel, during a party in Queen Elizabeth's honor, Dorothy tricks her father into letting her steal away for a few crucial minutes, supposedly to court the Earl of Leicester's affections. Instead, she is met by John, who literally carries her off despite her last- minute uncertainty, and they elope to his father's hall where they bid farewell to Malcolm and Madge, who move to France and don't see them again (as of the close of the novel, forty years later). ===== When a bomb explodes on a baggage carousel at Heathrow Airport, killing his ex-wife, psychologist David Markham tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her seemingly pointless death. But with unresolved questions about himself, his job, and his loving but adulterous wife, Sally, he soon finds himself immersed in the deeper waters of middle-class revolution originating from the gated community of Chelsea Marina, an upper middle-class enclave of salaried professionals. When a protest at a cat show turns ugly and he is beaten up by angry cat lovers, then arrested and tried, Markham enlists in the cause of the rebellious Chelseans – imagining he will uncover the persons and causes responsible for his ex-wife's murder. Slowly, he succumbs to the call of subversion and gradually finds himself a terrorist functionary, planting smoke bombs, participating in firebombing and clashing with police at protests. Other characters include Markham's wife, who continues to use her arm canes though her leg injuries from an accident with a tram have completely healed; Kay Churchill, a sociopathic college film studies lecturer who has become a terrorist cell leader (she takes Markham for a lover and he lives in her home); a troubled priest and his Chinese girlfriend; a former MI5 bombmaker and scientist turned revolutionary, and Richard Gould, a seemingly kindly pediatrician who is the terrorist mastermind behind the whole revolution. Ultimately, as Markham gets closer to the pediatrician, Markham uncovers clues explaining his former wife's murder. While Markham had previously thought the bombing to be a random attack, he finds that the Heathrow bomb did have an intended target. As police and security forces close in on Chelsea Marina, Markham joins the other protesters on the barricades and he crosses over from infiltrator to member of the revolution. ===== The Dream Master is set in a future where the forces of overpopulation and technology have created a world where humanity suffocates psychologically beneath its own mass while abiding in relative physical comfort. This is a world ripe for psychotherapeutic innovations, such as the "neuroparticipant therapy" in which the protagonist, Charles Render, specializes. In neuroparticipation, the patient is hooked into a gigantic simulation controlled directly by the analyst's mind; the analyst then works with the patient to construct dreams—nightmares, wish-fulfillment, etc.--that afford insight into the underlying neuroses of the patient, and in some cases the possibility of direct intervention. (For example, a man submerging himself in a fantasy world sees it utterly destroyed at Render's hands, and is thus "cured" of his obsession with it.) Render, the leader in his field, takes on a patient with an unusual problem. Eileen Shallot aspires to become a neuroparticipant therapist herself, but is somewhat hampered by congenital blindness. Not having experienced visual sensation in the same way as her patients, she would be unable to convincingly construct visual dreams for them; indeed, in a case of eye-envy, her own neurotic desire to see through the eyes of her patients might prevent her from treating them effectively. However, she explains to Render, if a practicing neuroparticipant therapist is willing to work with her, he can expose her to the full range of visual stimuli in a controlled environment, free of her own attachments to the issue, and enable her to pursue her career. Despite his better sense and the advice of colleagues, Render agrees to go along with the treatment. But as they progress, Eileen's hunger for visual stimulation continues to grow, and she begins to assert her will against Render's, subsuming him into her own dreams. ===== In a slum area called Easy Street, the police are failing to maintain law and order. The Little Tramp is sleeping rough outside the Hope Mission near the streets of a lawless slum. He is inspired at the mission where there is singing and a sermon from the preacher. His religious "awakening" is inspired by a beautiful young woman who pleads for him to join the mission, holding his hand. Spotting a help wanted ad for a job at the police station, the Little Tramp accepts and is assigned the rough- and-tumble Easy Street as his beat. Upon entering the street he finds a bully roughing up the locals and pilfering their money. The Little Tramp gets on the wrong side of the bully and following a chase the two eventually come to blows culminating in the Little Tramp inventively using a gas lamp to render the bully unconscious. The bully is taken away by the police but manages to escape from the station and returns to Easy Street. After a long chase the Little Tramp manages to knock the bully unconscious by dropping a heavy stove on his head from an upstairs window. On returning to his beat on Easy Street the unruly mob knock the Little Tramp unconscious and drop him into a nearby cellar where he manages to save the aforementioned beautiful young woman from a nasty drug addict after accidentally sitting on the drug addict's needle. Supercharged by the effects of the drug he takes on the mob and heroically defeats them all and as a consequence restores peace and order to Easy Street. By the end of the film, a New Mission is built on Easy Street and the inhabitants flock to it, even including the former bully: now a well-dressed respectable, churchgoing citizen. ===== When English painter Colin is dumped by his childhood love and fiancee, he decides to travel to a place with the most hopeful name he can find. He arrives in Hope, a quiet town in Vermont in autumn, and showing clear signs of emotional distress, checks into a hotel. He tries to forget his troubles by drawing the eccentric town residents and asks for "rubbers" instead of erasers at a store, causing the small-town locals to go on alert. The casual request embodies cultural differences with Americans and Brits and causes some misunderstandings between the characters. The quirky, outlandish hotel manager, Joanie, sees the state he is in, calls over her friend Mandy, a nursing home attendant, to talk with him and take his mind off his troubles. The small town residents all know each other and have boring predictable lives, but by bringing Colin and Mandy together, Joanie and her fellow Hope residents add some romance and drama to their own lives. A pair of opposites, Colin is a reserved English artist and Mandy is a free spirited Vermont person that decorates her room with "her symbol" of butterflies. Eventually they fall in love with each other, with Colin healing and building a new life while finally getting over the breakup with his ex- girlfriend Vera. Suddenly though, the attractive, sophisticated, witty and charming Vera shows up to get Colin back. Extremely self-confident and oblivious to anyone's ideas or feelings that do not match hers, Vera denies that Colin is no longer interested and relentlessly pursues him, while finding out about him and Mandy. Vera exploits Mandy's insecurities about her new relationship with Colin and being a simple country person, while manipulating Colin's memories of their shared romantic and cultural history. Vera and Colin's twenty years together adds to Vera's leverage, of couples that inevitably take each other for granted or stay together out of habit, but Colin tells her that, "In one minute...short span of time...you not only became unimportant as an aim in life, but also the very thing I need to flee from in order to find happiness". Later Colin goes to Vera's hotel room to tell her to leave Mandy and him alone and go back to England, however, she changes into sexy underwear while smoking and sets off the fire alarm. Mandy sees the two together in front of the hotel during the fire evacuation and assumes Colin took her back. Colin tries to clear up the misunderstanding with Mandy but the only thing she wants from him is a promise to never contact her again. Colin agrees on the condition that she get a passport. The residents of Hope are small town unsophisticates but very familiar with personal dilemmas and the ordinary common feelings in everyone's lives, of loneliness, heartbreak, confusion, and naturally join in Colin and Mandy's drama. With other motives, Colin flatters the town mayor with a personal portrait and accepts an offer of an "appreciation gift". Vera tells Colin that the town mayor found out her genealogy is linked to Hope, Vermont but Colin reveals to her that it was faked to convince Vera that they are over while refocusing her fixation with him to instead become the Queen of Hope at the town festival. Vera is finally convinced by Colin that their romance is over and decides to enjoy the consolation of becoming the Queen of Hope. After Colin leaves Hope, Joanie tells Mandy that Colin's cousin was supposed to meet him, but forgot to cancel the meeting and that she should pick him up at Hope Springs. When Mandy gets there, she finds it is Colin and he proposes, giving her a vintage butterfly engagement ring with their names engraved in it. Colin carries her back to the hotel, where they pass and wave to Vera, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson and the residents of Shiny Shores where Mandy lives and works. Mandy tells him that she is too heavy to be carried through the whole town and warns him of hurting his back. When they finally get to the hotel and undress, Colin's back is hurt despite Mandy's warnings. They are happily reunited with no more complications from others and look forward to traveling back to England together, with Colin finding happiness when he least expected it. ===== The evil Storm Witch has cast a spell that imprisoned Crystal Pony's friends in her castle in order to rule Ponyland. The player's role is to collect crystals to free the ponies and defeat the witch once and for all, after which the ponies can live, finally, "happily ever after." ===== According to the tale, more than 10,000 years ago, a race of shepherd people colonized the banks of the river Ai, in a land called Mnar, forming the cities of Thraa, Ilarnek, and Kadatheron (not to be confused with Kadath), which rose to great intellectual and mercantile prowess. Craving more land, a group of these hardy people migrated to the shores of a lonely and vast lake at the heart of Mnar, founding the city of Sarnath. But the settlers weren't alone. Not far from Sarnath was the ancient grey-stone city of Ib, inhabited by a queer race who had descended from the moon. Lovecraft described them as "in hue as green as the lake and the mists that rise above it.... They had bulging eyes, pouting, flabby lips, and curious ears, and were without voices."H. P. Lovecraft, "The Doom That Came to Sarnath". These beings worshipped a strange god known as Bokrug, the Great Water Lizard, although it was more their physical form that caused the people of Sarnath to despise them. The citizens of Sarnath killed all the creatures inhabiting Ib, destroyed the city, and took their idol as a trophy, placing it in Sarnath's main temple. The next night, the idol vanished under mysterious circumstances, and Taran-Ish, the high-priest of Sarnath, was found murdered. Before dying, he had scrawled a single word onto the empty altar: "DOOM". Ten centuries later, Sarnath was at the zenith of both its power and decadence. Nobles from distant cities were invited to the feast in honor of Ib's destruction. That night, however, the revelry was disrupted by strange lights over the lake, heavy greenish mists, and the tidal marker, the granite pillar Akurion, was mostly submerged. Soon, many visitors fled, maddened by fear. After this, some of the survivors reported seeing the long- dead inhabitants of Ib peering from the windows of the city's towers instead of the king and his retinue, while others refused to say exactly what they had seen. Those who returned saw nothing of those unlucky enough to be left behind, only empty marsh, many water lizards, and most disturbingly, the missing idol. Ever since then, Bokrug remained the chief god in the land of Mnar. ===== The events in the story occur a day after the events of the first book. It introduces Ando Mitsuo, a coroner still struggling with his son's death, being assigned to do the autopsy of his old classmate, Ryūji Takayama. He and his colleague, Miyashita, find a tumor in Ryūji's heart, which is believed to be his cause of death. Puzzled as the tumor appears similar to smallpox (which was eradicated thirty years previously), Ando completes the autopsy and, upon finding newspaper poking through a suture, is reminded of Ryūji's cryptography hobby. Finding the newspaper numbers interesting, he decodes them and finds they spell "RING", perplexing Ando. In search for the message's meaning, Ando soon meets Ryūji's assistant and lover, Mai Takano. Mentioning a videotape Ryūji watched before dying, Mai believes it is connected to his death through a curse. Learning of Kazuyuki Asakawa, Ryūji's friend and the protagonist of Ring, Ando considers speaking to him, only to learn Asakawa and his family were involved in a car accident. Finding Asakawa is the sole survivor and catatonic, Ando investigates relevant evidence and learns that his wife and child were dead well before the car crashed, and that a tape recorder and word processor were in the vehicle. Trying to reach Mai, Ando finds her missing and investigates her seemingly abandoned condominium; he finds what he believes to be a copy of the supposedly cursed videotape, albeit almost entirely recorded over, and believes an unknown entity is hiding somewhere in the condo. Learning Asakawa's tape deck and word processor went to his next of kin, Ando retrieves the word processor from his brother and copies the files. Finding a document about the videotape, Ando reads that the curse spreads through a tape and can only be stopped by copying and sharing it with someone else; despite disputing the files as pseudoscientific, Ando and Miyashita continue reading into them, and discover that the Ring Virus started with the murder of psychic Sadako Yamamura. Additionally, Miyashita soon discovers a virus connects all the victims and comes in two forms: a ring-shaped virus which kills the host, and a broken version of the same virus (similar to a sperm cell) which is dormant. A week after Mai's disappearance, her corpse is found in the ventilation shaft of a barely used office building. Additionally, despite having given no physical indication that she was pregnant, Mai's corpse shows signs she gave birth prior to her death. Upon visiting the crime scene, Ando meets a beautiful woman named Masako who introduces herself as Mai's older sister. After having sex with Masako, Ando later receives a fax containing information on Sadako from Miyashita, only to realize Masako is identical to Sadako. Believing that Masako is Sadako reborn, Ando receives a note from her explaining that Mai was infected with the second "sperm" ring virus which targeted her womb; this allowed Sadako to conceive herself within Mai and control her, before birthing herself within a week and disposing of Mai's corpse. Also revealing the Ring Virus can also spread through literary descriptions, Sadako has ensured Asakawa's brother is able to publish a book on Kazuyuki's files, allowing the virus to spread internationally. She then concludes that Ando is infected with the dormant virus and, should he interfere in any way, she will activate it and kill him; conversely, in exchange for Ando's co-operation, Sadako will resurrect Ando's dead son. Finally learning Ryūji worked with Sadako to ensure her resurrection, Ando realizes Ryūji deliberately influenced himself and Mai. By supernaturally causing the paper code to appear to Ando and making Mai watch the tape when she was most fertile, Ryūji was the mastermind behind the plan, doing so to be spared and revived by Sadako. An epilogue shows Ando playing with his son, Takanori, whereupon Ryūji arrives and implies he acted for the greater good. ===== Cyril is a strong, old-style socialist, who despairs of his elderly working-class but Tory-voting mum; her new yuppie neighbours, the Boothe-Braines (who have purchased what was once a council house next door); and his social-climbing sister and her crass, car- salesman husband. Cyril and Shirley are portrayed as the most decent characters in the film, despite Cyril's irascible nature. Theirs is a strong relationship, marred by Cyril's reluctance to have children and his resentment that his cause is destined to be on the losing side in history. ===== In 1979 a priest at the Vatican sees a comet arching over the moon (described as the "eye of God"), heralding the birth of one chosen to be the mother of Satan's child. The priest is sent on a mission by the Pope to find and protect the girl from Satan, although a few Vatican knights (led by a corrupt cardinal) insist that she must die. In New York a newborn girl, Christine York, is identified by Satanists (including her physician, Dr. Abel, and her nurse and future guardian, Mabel) as the person chosen to bear Satan's child on New Year's Eve, 1999. The Satanists perform occult rites on the newborn. In late 1999, Satan possesses an investment banker in a restaurant; he then destroys the restaurant, killing many inside. Suicidal and alcoholic former police detective Jericho Cane, depressed since his wife and daughter's contract killings, works for a private security company and blames God for his plight. Jericho and co-worker Bobby Chicago are assigned to protect the possessed banker. A priest, Thomas Aquinas, unsuccessfully tries to kill the banker. Jericho captures Aquinas, who tells Jericho: "The thousand years has ended, the dark angel is loosed from his prison" and says that a girl is central. Jericho shoots Aquinas, who is arrested by the New York Police Department. Marge Francis, an NYPD detective and Jericho's former colleague, tells him that Aquinas has no tongue. Jericho and Bobby investigate on their own, learning that Aquinas was trained at the Vatican and was sent to New York before disappearing. Jericho questions Father Kovak, a priest who knew Aquinas. Kovak asks Jericho if he believes in God; when he says no, the priest tells him that Aquinas was driven mad by forces an atheist could not understand. They go to Aquinas' apartment, where they find his tongue in a jar and messages and symbols written in apparent blood on the walls. Marge arrives, forcing them to leave. Satan infiltrates Aquinas' hospital, and crucifies him on the ceiling. Although he survives, he is shot by a Satanic police officer. Jericho and Chicago see Latin words and "Christ in New York" scratched into Aquinas' skin, and begin searching for Christine York. Jericho and Chicago find Christine in her apartment, saving her from murderous Vatican knights, and Mabel refuses to bring her directly to Satan. Satan arrives and blows up Chicago's van, killing him and setting the house on fire, while Mabel attacks Jericho, nearly overwhelming him with sudden unnatural strength. Jericho is able to defeat her in a fight, and he and Christine attempt to flee the now burning house. Satan enters the house and kills Mabel for failing him; Jericho and Christine escape. Marge and another officer, both revealed to be Satanists, tell Jericho to surrender Christine. Jericho pretends to surrender to them, and when they try to execute him he kills them, escaping with Christine, but Satan soon resurrects Marge to rally the other Satanists in New York. Taking refuge in the church, Father Kovak tells Jericho and Christine that Satan must impregnate her between 11 pm and midnight on New Year's Eve to usher in the "end of days". Despite Jericho's skepticism, Christine accepts Kovak's protection, and Jericho departs back to his apartment. Satan then infiltrates Jericho's apartment, showing him a vision of his family's murder, trying to tempt him into giving up Christine to him in exchange of having an illusion of his dead family back. Jericho resists his temptations and throws Satan through his apartment window. Treating an injury sustained to his hand, Chicago appears at his apartment not long after. Skeptical of his claims of survival, Jericho shoots Chicago in the arm to test if he is Satan in another disguise or not. Satisfied with the result when he bleeds normally, the two agree to retrieve Christine from the church and get her to safety. At the church, the cardinal and his knights try to kill Christine, Jericho arrives in time to stop them, and Satan arrives and kills the Vatican clergy. Chicago kidnaps Christine and betrays Jericho, leaving him to be beaten by a mob of Satanists, revealing that he is in league with Satan. Satan then has Jericho crucified and left to live long enough to see the end of days firsthand. After Satan leaves, Kovak rescues Jericho, and Jericho arms himself and tracks down the Satanists to their lair. Jericho rescues Christine and again kills Marge. Chicago attempts to stop Jericho, who persuades him to fight off Satan's influence. Satan burns Chicago to death for breaking their deal. Satan sets fire to the church, and Jericho and Christine escape into a subway tunnel while Kovak's fate is left ambiguous. Satan appears on the tracks and Jericho forces the conductor to run him over. It doesn't work, and Satan begins attempting to board the train, killing the conductor. Jericho separates the two train carts to get away from him. When Satan attempts to jump across a gap in the tracks to pursue Jericho and Christine, Jericho fires a grenade at Satan, destroying the train car he was in. As they flee, Satan is forced to shed the banker's now destroyed body for a new host. Jericho and Christine escape to another church, where he renews his faith in God and prays for strength. Satan confronts Jericho as a massive, winged creature and possesses him. Satan in Jericho's body attempts to rape Christine, but Jericho is able to resist Satan long enough to tell Christine to flee him. Jericho then deliberately impales himself on a sword protruding from a statue of Archangel Michael, sacrificing himself to stop Satan's plan. At the stroke of midnight God frees Jericho, sends Satan back to hell and the world celebrates the new millennium. Jericho and Christine see his wife and daughter waiting for him in the afterlife. Jericho dies, and Christine tearfully embraces his body and thanks him for saving her life. Afterwards, the ambulance arrives to take Jericho's body away. ===== Homer and Mona in a flashback to 1967 After learning that Mr. Burns wants his employees to clean litter from a highway maintained by his company on a Saturday, Homer fakes his own death using a dummy to avoid it. When Marge discovers his scheme the next day, she makes Homer go to the Springfield Hall of Records to explain he is not dead. He argues with a clerk who claims that Homer's mother is still alive, although he thinks she died while he was young. Homer visits what he thinks is her grave, only to find that it belongs to Walt Whitman. After falling into a grave that had been dug for him, Homer is approached by a woman who chastises him for falling into her son's grave. Homer recognizes her as his mother Mona, and they share an emotional reunion. Lisa soon bonds with her paternal grandmother, but notices Mona runs inside the house when a police car drives by. Suspicious, Lisa shares her concerns with Bart, who raided Mona's purse and found several driver's licenses with different names. Marge and Homer wonder why Mona left her son and never returned for 27 years. The family confronts Mona, who reveals the truth about her past. In 1967, Mona joined a group of hippies to protest a germ warfare laboratory owned by Mr. Burns which was preparing to poison everyone in Springfield. The group detonated an "antibiotic bomb" inside the lab, killing all the germs. An angry Burns was trampled by the hippies while attempting to stop them. When Mona went back to help Burns, she was recognized as one of the perpetrators, forcing her to leave Homer and his father Abe and go into hiding. After learning that he never received any of the weekly care packages his mother sent, Homer goes to the post office to claim them, taking Mona with him. While they are there, Burns recognizes Mona and calls the FBI, who track her to the Simpsons home. Before she can be arrested, Homer receives an anonymous tip that his mother is about to be arrested and he helps her escape. The tipster is later revealed to be Chief Wiggum, who was a security guard at Burns' lab until the antibiotic mist cured his asthma and allowed him to finally enroll in the police academy. Realizing she must again go into hiding, Mona says goodbye to Homer as she departs with another group of hippies. After she leaves, Homer sits alone on his car and watches the stars well into the night. ===== ===== The book's plot is set in the near future at a time when cloning has been legalised in the U.S. It is based around a Chicago-based cloning doctor, Davis Moore, whose daughter is brutally raped and killed. The doctor uses the murderer's DNA to clone him. The resulting clone is a boy called Justin Finn, whom Moore follows throughout his life, hoping the boy will offer a glimpse into the killer's psyche and perhaps enable Moore to find the identity of his daughter's murderer. ===== The film opens in October 1944, in the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. A small group of Sonderkommando, prisoners assigned to dispose of the bodies of other dead prisoners, are plotting an insurrection that, they hope, will destroy at least one of the camp's four crematoria and gas chambers. They are receiving firearms from Polish citizens in the nearby village and gunpowder from the UNIO munitions factory; the female prisoners who work in the UNIO are smuggling the powder to the men’s camp amid the bodies of their dead workers. When the women's activity is eventually discovered by the Germans they are savagely tortured but they don't reveal the plot. A Hungarian-Jewish doctor, Miklós Nyiszli (Allan Corduner), who works for the Nazi scientist Josef Mengele in an experimental medical lab, has received permission from Mengele to visit his wife and daughter in the women’s labor camp. Nyiszli is concerned about the safety of his family and believes that Mengele’s orders will keep them from the gas chambers. A new trainload of Hungarian Jewish prisoners arrives and are sent to the gas chambers. As the group is given instructions about "delousing", a fearful, angry man in the group begins shouting questions at one of the Sonderkommandos, Hoffman (Arquette), who has been issuing the instructions. Hoffman beats him to death in an outburst of frustration, to make the man stop talking. After the gassing of this group, a badly shaken Hoffman finds a young girl alive beneath a pile of bodies. He removes her from the chamber and after informing the leader of the insurgency, Schlermer (Daniel Benzali), takes her to a storage room and summons Nyiszli, who revives her. The group decides to hide her in the children’s camp. While the prisoners hide her in a dressing room, SS-Oberscharführer Eric Muhsfeldt (Keitel) suddenly walks in. Noticing that one of the prisoners present, Abramowics (Buscemi), is there illegally, he shoots him, prompting the girl to scream and to be discovered. Nyiszli then takes Muhsfeldt outside and tells him about the uprising but cannot tell him where or when it will begin. Muhsfeldt agrees to protect the young girl after the uprising is suppressed. The insurrection begins and Crematorium IV is destroyed with the smuggled explosives. All the Sonderkommando prisoners who survive the explosions and gunfights with the SS are captured. They are held until the fire in the crematorium is extinguished, after which they are executed. Hoffmann and a fellow prisoner, Rosenthal (David Chandler), conclude that the girl will not be set free after she is forced to watch the executions. After all captives are shot, the girl is allowed to flee toward the main gate of the camp. Before she can run very far, Muhsfeldt draws his pistol and shoots her. The film closes with a voice-over recitation by the dead girl. ===== Ronald Beard, a screenwriter specialising in musicals, is grieving the death of his wife, Leonora, from cirrhosis of the liver. He is convinced by a Hollywood mogul to write a musical based on the life of Lord Byron, and Percy and Mary Shelley, so he makes the trip to Los Angeles to meet with the studio. There, he meets the photographer Paola Lucrezia Belli at a party and begins an affair, later following her to Rome. In Rome, Beard gets down to work as Paola is called to Israel to take pictures of the Six Day War. While she is away, Beard is constantly interrupted by Gregory Gregson, a brash drunk who worked with Beard in the Colonial Service in Brunei, and mysterious phone calls from someone claiming to be Leonora. He also has to fend off Paola's ex-husband, the literary novelist Pathan, who lays claim to the contents of Paola's apartment. Eventually, Beard, suffering from an unnamed, and terminal, tropical disease, settles down with Leonora's sister in England. He returns to Rome a final time to die, though his body refuses to give up. ===== The movie takes place on Athbutha Dweepu, an island inhabited by dwarves. All the men are dwarves, although the women are of a normal height. The ruler of the island, King invites various princes to his capital city of Vamanapuri in order to compete for the hands of his five daughters. Four of his daughters are successfully engaged, but the youngest princess, Princess Radha, has no wish to get married. Nonetheless, decides to have her engaged to Prince Gajendra, his nephew and heir, who is in love with Radha. In order to celebrate the engagements, the king orders a week of celebration. Meanwhile, two men who work for the Indian Navy, wash up on the shore. They are killed by the island's inhabitants who see them as demons. Hari, Madhavan, Joseph and Chandrappan also work for the Indian Navy, and are also trapped on the island. They witness the death of their comrades and flee from the dwarves. They decide to take refuge in an old temple in the forest. The princess go along with Mallika, their handmaiden to the temple of their god, Gandharva, in order to pray. Mallika is secretly the king's mistress although they are both terrified that the king's two wives would find out about the affair. On the way, the princesses and Mallika come across Devamma, a wisewoman. Devamma tells them about Gandharva. A thousand years ago, Gandharva fell in love with the king's daughter. The daughter's suitor came to know of this and planned to use black magic to kill Gandharva. However the daughter stole the magic and gave it to Gandharva. In his anger, Gandharva cursed all the men on the island to become dwarfs. In addition, he decreed that any man to step inside his temple would have his head explode. Out of gratitude to the king's daughter, Gandharva agreed to protect the island for a thousand years. Devamma cautions them that the thousand years has elapsed, making the island vulnerable once more. When Mallika offers food as a sacrifice to Gandharva, Hari and his friends eat it without Mallika's knowledge, making her believe that Gandharva ate the offering. While exploring the temple, Radha comes across Hari in the temple and believes due to his height that he is the real Gandharvan. Both of them fall in love with each other at the first sight. Hari begs Radha not to reveal their hiding place. Radha agrees and comes by herself later with food. As Radha exits the temple she is caught by Gajendran. Gajendran asks why she is at the temple at such a late hour. To avoid being caught, Radha tells Gajendra that Gandharva appeared in one of her dreams and summoned her to the temple. She then feigns illness. The royal priest tells the king to host a puja in order to exorcise Gandharva. Gajendra, angry at what he perceives as Gandharva possessing Radha, decides to enter the Gandharvan Temple to find out the truth only to be frightened by the disguised Hari. Radha tells Mallika about the men and she agrees to help them. They come up with a scheme for the men to hide in plain sight. The men disguise themselves as saints who pretend to heal Radha. Out of gratitude, the king makes them the official royal priests. However the king comes to know that Hari and his friends are imposters. Hari and his friends kidnap the king and hide him in a barrel while they figure out what to do. In the king's absence, Gajendra takes the throne. He becomes suspicious of Hari and Radha and orders the saints to crown him king so that he can marry Radha. During Gajendra's coronation ceremony, the king escapes and denounces the priests and Radha. When the dwarfs are about to execute the death sentence they are attacked by Gigantic Cannibals who attack and kill most of the men. Hari and his friends manage to escape and fight against the Cannibals and succeed in defeating them, thus saving the kingdom. Madhavan forgives them and allows them to sail to their homeland with Radha. ===== The film tells the story of two good friends and housemates, Andrew, an agoraphobic travel agent, and Dave, a loser who works in an office. Dave is fired from his job after his girlfriend frames him for embezzlement, Andrew is falsely accused of attempted child molestation, and their house is to be demolished by day's end. Both of them hide inside the house as police, city officials, and outraged neighbors surround it. Dave and Andrew open their front door and discover that the entire world beyond their house is gone, replaced with a featureless white void. Eventually, after a simple test reveals that the nothingness surrounding them holds a flat, featureless, and somewhat springy surface "like tofu", they set out across the empty plane in order to explore their new surroundings, leaving items behind as a means of getting back. After running out of items to leave as a trail, they lose track of their path. Wandering leads them to what appears to be another house, but they have simply wandered back home. Panic begins to set in again when Andrew realizes that the house is completely out of food. Andrew glances around the room, eventually stopping and glaring at a noisy clock on the wall; within a few seconds it disappears. Andrew drops a stack of overdue bills in front of Dave, and within seconds the bills abruptly disappear. Dave puts one last theory to test, managing to hate away his need for food. Dave still expresses some concern over Andrew's remaining phobias, questioning why the phobias still exist when there is nothing left to fear. Reluctantly, Andrew reveals that he was abused and tormented by his parents as a child. With some urging from Dave he hates away the memory of each traumatic childhood event as he recounts it; when he is finally done he is no longer phobic and much more confident in himself. Unfortunately this change alters Andrew's personality and leads to friction between the two friends, finally building into an outright confrontation. They decide they can no longer share the same house, and opt to determine who keeps it by playing a match of their favorite fighting game. Dave loses, and is exiled with his possessions to reside out in the nothingness. Things become very tense with Dave's departure. Dave attempts to engage Andrew in conversation repeatedly, even performing the national anthem for his self- created nation (its borders marked by a line of his possessions), all to no avail. After several days Dave comes into Andrew's house much happier and explains his sudden change of mood: he has hated away his anger at Andrew; all Andrew needs to do is hate away his anger at Dave and things will be back to normal. Andrew refuses, quite content to be angry at Dave. Dave hates away his anger several times as Andrew rebuffs and outright insults him, but his patience finally wears thin, leading Dave to hate away one of Andrew's possessions. Andrew retaliates by hating away one of Dave's possessions, and the situation escalates until everything including the house is hated away. Dave walks away, assuming the argument is finished, but falls over suddenly as his feet begin to disappear; Andrew is hating them away. He turns and retaliates, hating away Andrew's legs, and the situation escalates again until all that is left of the two are their disembodied heads. Refusing to give up the fight, Andrew and Dave manage to turn themselves and (by bouncing) charge at each other, headbutting each other repeatedly until they finally stop, exhausted. Their anger abated, Dave and Andrew make up, agree to be best friends again, and set off to explore the nothingness. As they bounce away into the white void they remark how they both had always thought that their bodies were somehow holding them back. In a post-credits scene, an obviously older Dave and Andrew – still disembodied heads – are sleeping when they are awakened by a popping sound, followed by a loud clamoring of voices and noise. As the unseen source of the clamoring gets louder and closer the two scream. ===== Though a lowly Chicago street cleaner, Swedish immigrant Paul Kroll is ambitious and unscrupulous. When a fellow employee is fired (due to one of Kroll's schemes), Kroll convinces his foreman to keep him on the payroll (officially at least) so they can split his salary. Soon there are eight "phantom" workers, and Kroll and his partner have amassed enough money for a ticket back to Sweden. However, Kroll has been romancing his partner's wife, Babe, behind his back. Meanwhile, he has also been lying to the people of his hometown in Sweden, telling them what a successful businessman he has become. As a result, when the local match factory is in trouble, his uncle begs him to return and save it. Kroll gets Babe to withdraw the money he has stolen, deceiving her into thinking they are running away together, then leaves her behind as he sails away to Sweden. He cons the local bank into giving him a loan to buy a second match factory so he can merge them. Only his old friend Erik Borg knows the truth about Kroll's "success", so Kroll recruits him as his all-too-trusting second in command in his expanding business. Though corrupt, he is also a brilliant business visionary and eventually Kroll owns all of the match factories in Sweden. However, his ambitions do not stop there. Using information he obtains from beautiful, well-placed women he has charmed, he gains official match monopolies, first in Poland, then in Germany and other countries, by offering loans to cash- strapped governments and bribes to corrupt officials. While dining with Ilse Wagner, one of his conquests, he is dazzled by the beauty of rising actress Marta Molnar. Despite her initial rebuffs, he goes to great lengths to win her heart, even hiring a celebrated "gypsy violinist" to serenade her. Uncharacteristically, he dangerously neglects his business, financed by an ever-growing series of loans. When Marta leaves for Hollywood, he reluctantly returns his attention to his company. One of his agents discovers that an eccentric recluse named Christian Hobe has invented an everlasting match, so Kroll has him locked away as a madman. When the stock market crashes, Kroll no longer can obtain a bank loan. In desperation, he buys $50 million in fake Italian bonds from forger Scarlatti, whom he then dumps in the middle of a lake to drown. With the bonds as collateral, he obtains a $40 million loan from an American bank. Marta has returned to Sweden and Kroll thinks of retiring, but when he asks Marta to marry him, he discovers that, in his frequent absences, she has fallen in love with Trino, the gypsy violinist. Much worse, his forgeries are detected, and his American loan is canceled. Kroll shoots himself on the balcony and his body tumbles into the gutter, where he started. ===== On Colony 34, LIVE 34 is a news station delivering news every hour of every day. But there are explosions happening and people are dying — or are they? What is the connection between Citizen Doctor, a Rebel Queen and a paramedic named Hex? ===== On a visit to Rex's grave, Bree is horrified to discover that they've dug up his body. Her mother-in-law Phyllis has "forgotten" to tell her about the insurance investigator's suspicions that Rex was poisoned. Bree promptly packs Phyllis's bags and sends her off in a taxi—and then insists on taking a polygraph test to clear herself of all suspicion. But when they ask her if she loves George, the readout spikes. She tells George that he has to take a polygraph test too, because now they suspect the two of them of conspiring to poison Rex. When he asks why she didn't pass her test, she admits she might have feelings for him after all. George agrees—and aces his test by telling lies so convincing that the detector shows he even believes them himself. Carlos tells Gabrielle she's never really apologized for her affair and she throws in his face how much John said he loved her. On a nostalgic impulse, she follows John to his new job and is horrified to see him disappearing inside with the woman whose lawn he's cutting. After seeing them kissing, she grabs an electric hedge trimmer and destroys the woman's rose bushes. When John confronts her, she admits she did it, and asks how he can be with someone new if he still loves her. He says he'll dump the other woman if she wants him back but she reluctantly says no, it's better this way. At last she can go back to Carlos and tell him she is truly sorry. Carlos tells her it's the best anniversary present she ever gave him. And she tells him that her new car, which she bought without his knowledge, is the best present he's ever given her. Lynette's new boss, Nina, says no when she asks to take the morning off to bring Parker to school for his first day. So Lynette rigs up a remote camera so she can be there—only she keeps getting called away to a meeting. She maneuvers a piping hot mug of coffee so that it spills in Nina's lap, canceling the meeting. She's then free to talk to Parker through his first day. Mike goes to see how Felicia is doing and asks if she knows where he might be able to find Zach. She says that after Zach beat her and pushed her down the stairs, she's a little less interested in his well-being. She's also disappointed to hear that he didn't end up killing Paul and warns he'll be back looking for Zach himself. Susan is furious to find out that Edie is going to accompany Julie on guitar in a church family talent show. She goes to Betty for help in brushing up her piano playing skills, but she catches her at a bad time, just as their mysterious prisoner in the basement has gotten free and had to be forcibly subdued. Betty refuses to help or let her in and explains the red stains on her shirt are because she was making a cherry pie. ===== Alex is a serial-killer driving around New York City at night when he spots a young woman, Susan, driving alongside him. He follows her to a nearby park where he rapes her before strangling her to death. He takes her locket as a trophy to another one of his many killings. Some time later, Alex and his friend Ricky are closing up the underground garage where they both work, planning to go to a local disco. Before they can leave, a Cadillac pulls in with a young, well-dressed couple, Tom and his girlfriend Lisa, asking for help with their car. Alex refuses to help them, saying that the garage is closed, but the slow-witted Ricky decides to help and easily fixes the problem. Tom tells Alex and Ricky that they are driving to a friend's house in New Jersey for a party, and invites them along. Before leaving, Alex stops by his locker, which is filled with various weapons he uses to murder people, and takes a straight-edged razor. The four arrive at a large villa where they are welcomed by the owner, Gloria, and her friends Glenda and Howard. Minutes later it becomes obvious to Alex and Ricky, that the rich people are looking for easy thrills. Gloria asks Ricky to do a striptease to some disco music and he makes a fool of himself, and is further humiliated by being goaded to drink alcohol with each move. However, Alex stops Ricky before he strips completely naked. Tom, Howard and Glenda next play poker with Ricky, while Lisa begins sexually teasing Alex and invites him upstairs to shower with her, only to push him away. As Alex grows more frustrated, he sees that the hosts are cheating at poker with Ricky. Alex pulls out the straight-edge razor, and a fight breaks out between him and Howard. Alex throws Howard outside the back door, beats him viciously, and throws him into the pool. Laughing, Alex urinates on Howard and drags him back inside, tying him to a piano leg and proclaiming that he is running the party now. Alex and Ricky proceed to beat on their hosts-turned-hostages with Alex slashing Tom's face with the razor and beating his face into the poker table. Ricky holds the others at bay with a wine bottle while Alex sexually assaults both Gloria and Glenda. Lisa runs to an upstairs bedroom where she tries to escape, but Alex catches her and proceeds to rape her. When Alex takes Lisa downstairs to rejoin the others, the doorbell rings. Alex forces Gloria to answer; when she opens the door, it's their teenage neighbor, Cindy. Alex grabs Cindy, while Gloria tries to escape. Ricky, still holding the broken wine bottle, runs outside after Gloria and catches her, showing Gloria that he means her no harm by tossing aside the wine bottle. Gloria responds to his simple nature by taking off her clothes and seducing him. Inside, Alex cuts Cindy's blouse off with the razor while singing. Ricky then returns to the house with Gloria just as Alex forces Cindy to strip off the rest of her clothes, and proceeds to savagely slash her with his razor over and over again. At this point, Ricky comes to a realization and attempts to stop Alex. Upset at being betrayed by his friend, Alex turns against Ricky and slashes his abdomen wide open, and then breaks down in regret. Bloodied and battered, Tom runs into the nearby study and pulls out a 9mm pistol out from a desk drawer. Tom shoots Alex a few times, then kicks him through the glass back door. Gloria and the other women untie Howard, and the five descend upon the fatally wounded Alex lying on the ground. Tom removes the locket Alex is wearing and reveals the reason for all this: the woman that Alex raped and murdered at the park is Tom's sister and Tom wanted revenge. He and Lisa wanted to lure them to Gloria's house so they could kill them and make it look like self-defense. After shouting at him, Tom shoots the wounded Alex in the groin, making him fall into the swimming pool. Tom and Lisa take turns shooting Alex, who thrashes weakly in the water, before a final bullet to the head by Howard finishes him for good. Returning to the house, Gloria stops Howard from shooting Ricky, while Glenda tends to the wounded Cindy. Tom and Lisa go into the study where they talk about their plan. Tom says that despite some mistakes, that it worked out for the best, and then picks up the phone to call the police. ===== In Colombia, siblings Rudy and Gloria and their friend Pat prepare for a journey into the rain forest. They plan to prove Gloria's theory that cannibalism is a myth. The trio encounter a drug dealer named Mike and his business partner Joe. Joe is badly wounded; Mike explains that they were attacked by cannibals. During the night, Gloria goes missing and Rudy finds a native village while looking for her. Due to Joe's injuries, the travelers decide to stay in the nearly deserted village. Mike seduces the naive Pat. In a cocaine-fueled rage, he encourages Pat to kill a native girl. She is unable to do it, so Mike kills the girl himself. In his dying moments, Joe reveals that he and Mike were responsible for the cannibals' aggression. They came to the region to exploit the natives for emeralds and cocaine, taking advantage of their trust in white men. One day, while high on cocaine, Mike brutally tortured and killed their native guide in full view of the tribe. A badly charred body, previously believed to be that of a different guide, is actually this native. Mike kidnapped a native girl to lead them out of the jungle, but the outsiders were followed and attacked. After the murder of the native girl, the cannibals finally snap and hunt the outsiders. Joe dies of his wounds, and his body is found and cannibalized by the natives in full view of Rudy and Gloria, who are hiding from the natives. Mike and Pat abandon the others, but all are captured by the natives and forced into a cage. The prisoners are forced to watch Mike as he is tortured, castrated and beaten. The natives transport their prisoners to another village, but Rudy manages to escape. He is caught in a booby trap in the jungle, and his bleeding wounds attract piranhas. He begs the natives to help him. The natives shoot him with a poisoned dart, and he dies instantly in front of everyone. Pat and Gloria are put in a hole in the ground. Mike is placed in a separate cage. A native man, whom Pat had saved from Mike's aggression, lowers a rope into the hole so the women can escape. Mike digs his way out of the cage, chases the man away and cuts the rope, preventing the women from escaping. Mike flees into the jungle, where he tries to attract the attention of a search and rescue plane, but he is recaptured. The natives sever one of his hands and drag him back to the village. The search plane lands, but the natives tell the rescuers that the outsiders' canoe capsized in the river and they were eaten by crocodiles. As the search team leaves, Pat is bound and stripped to the waist and the natives run hooks through her breasts, for her to be hung by them. Gloria can only watch as Pat dies a slow and painful death. Meanwhile, Mike's head is locked in a crude contraption and the top of his skull is cut off so that the natives can eat his exposed brain. During the night, the sympathetic native returns and frees Gloria. He guides her through the jungle, but falls victim to one of the natives' booby traps. Gloria eventually encounters a pair of trappers, who take her to safety. Instead of telling the true story, she recounts the natives' lie about the others being eaten by crocodiles. Gloria, deeply disturbed by her experiences, returns to civilization. She publishes a book titled, Cannibalism: End of a Myth, which lies to support her theory and covers up the events of her ordeal. ===== It is three years since the Sixth Doctor helped repel the Killoran invasion of Világ, and he brings a new friend, Mel, to meet an old one. Evelyn Smythe, his former companion is now married to Principal Triumvir Rossiter. But Evelyn has made political enemies, among them her own stepdaughter Sofia, and the reunion takes a deadly turn when Evelyn and Mel are kidnapped. ===== After returning from the Divergent Universe, the Eighth Doctor, Charley Pollard and C'rizz land in a corridor and are captured by Davros and several Daleks. Charley and C'rizz are taken into a cell, but Davros wants to talk to the Doctor. In Davros's lab, the Doctor notices Davros is suffering from mood swings and sometimes talks in a different voice. Davros needs the Doctor's help for something, but cannot explain what. Charley and C'rizz are freed by a woman called Gemma Griffin, who starts to lead them to an escape route. Elsewhere, a woman called Harriet Griffin is throwing a party, but her son, Samson Griffin, is in a bad mood and angrily goes outside when his mother mentions his sister, as he believes his sister only existed in his mother's imagination. As he runs outside, he begins to hear the Doctor's and Gemma's voices in his head. Meanwhile, Charley is separated from C'rizz after Gemma closes a hatch door to slow down the pursuing Daleks; C'rizz assumes Charley has been killed and agrees to join Gemma's resistance. Charley finds another way to the surface and finds Sam about to throw himself off a cliff, but, as she tries, Sam reveals that the Daleks have invaded Earth. Meanwhile, the Doctor comes to the conclusion that Davros is losing his identity and mentally becoming the Emperor Dalek. Davros begs the Doctor to help him regain his identity. Davros reveals that he has made a clone of his body and asks the Doctor to transfer his mind into the clone so he can sever his ties to the Daleks and lead a normal life. A mutant then approaches, and C'rizz kills it. Elsewhere, Charley takes Samson back to the house and confronts Harriet about the Dalek base. Harriet explains that, since the Daleks have left the humans in the area alone, they have decided to throw parties to distract themselves from worrying about the Daleks. Samson has a fit and asks Charley for the Doctor. Davros tells the Doctor about what happened after the destruction of Skaro. After being left alone in the dark for years, Davros created the virus that the Fourth Doctor discussed with him, which, when it was unleashed on the earth, mutated millions of people into Dalek creatures. Davros then gives the Doctor a second virus that will completely wipe out all life and offers to let him use it, but the Doctor refuses. Davros shows him what Charley and C'rizz are doing and tells Gemma to give C'rizz a gun and ask him to shoot her. Davros then changes the screen to the party where Samson is still having a fit, and Harriet explains that Samson disappeared with Gemma before the Daleks came, but returned later with no memory of Gemma or where he had been. Charley finds an implant in Samson's head and shows him the TARDIS key, which he recognises. The Doctor finds Samson and Gemma's faces familiar; Davros reveals that they were the Doctor's old companions before he met Charley. The Doctor now remembers that Samson was working at a library that the Doctor visited, and Samson and Gemma decided to follow him back to the TARDIS, where they joined his adventures. At the same time, Davros's escape pod was blown into the time vortex by the exploding Dalek Mothership, where he was picked up by an alien time ship in which he killed all the inhabitants. The TARDIS landed on the ship, and Samson and Gemma found Davros, who forced them into taking him on board the TARDIS, where he overpowered the Doctor, deleted the Doctor's memories of his recent travels, linked Samson's mind to the TARDIS and took Samson and Gemma home, and left, leaving the Doctor to experience the events of Storm Warning. Samson returned to his home, but experienced the TARDIS's travels via his dreams, which Davros used to track the Doctor. Gemma then spread Davros's virus, giving him enough Dalek creatures to create an army of Daleks. Gemma is then ordered to ask C'rizz for the gun back, and they carry on. Samson now has his memory back, and Harriet reveals that her party guests are in fact the British resistance and that the parties are just a cover story. The Doctor leaves the lab, despite Davros's pleas for the Doctor to grant him euthanasia. After the Doctor reaches the surface he concludes that the Daleks are only pretending to be loyal to Davros, but he can't work out why; he decides to wait for the French resistance with the others. As they reach the end of the tunnel, C'rizz accuses Gemma of manipulating him, and as she opens a door a Dalek greets her; Gemma then reveals that the Daleks are posing as the French resistance. The Daleks explain that they want to kill Davros to free themselves from him; the Doctor agrees to help them. In the tunnel, Gemma reveals herself to be a Dalek agent, explaining that the Daleks need a new Dalek Emperor and have chosen C'rizz. He destroys one with his bare hands, but they show him the casing and force him inside by threatening to kill an unflinching Gemma, and the machine then attempts to mentally turn him into a Dalek. The Doctor removes Samson's link to the TARDIS and confronts Davros. Despite Davros's request, the Doctor refuses to kill Davros, instead watching as Daleks enter the room. They in turn refuse Davros' order to exterminate the Doctor. He has threatened to use Davros's virus unless they leave Earth, but the Daleks insist that the Doctor has promised them a new emperor. C'rizz is freed and arrives, but without Gemma who, he later reveals to the Doctor privately, "didn't make it". The Daleks destroy the clone and so Davros's Dalek Emperor personality finally overpowers the rest of his mind; he leaves to become the leader of the Daleks. The Doctor tells C'rizz to keep his meeting with Gemma secret, removes Davros's taint from Samson's mind and gives Harriet the virus as a deterrent to defend Earth if the Daleks threaten to return. The episode concludes when the Doctor takes the TARDIS to Blackpool. While he and Charley enjoy it, however, C'rizz stays in bed thinking about all the people he's "saved" – that is, killed – talking to them in his mind. Among the voices is now a Dalek – and Gemma... and he drifts off to sleep wondering when he might have to "save" the Doctor and Charley. ===== The Fifth Doctor, Erimem and Peri travel to the city of Nicaea in 325 AD, to witness the First Council of Nicaea. However, religious fervour is running high, and theological disputes threaten to spill over into actual violence. In the midst of this, the Doctor and Erimem find themselves on different sides. ===== A baby boy mysteriously appears on Asterix's doorstep one sunny morning. Stung by speculation that he could be the father, Asterix sets out with Obelix to find the baby's parents. Their only clue is the embroidered linen of the baby's clothes and wrappings, suggesting he comes from a rich Roman family. The Romans attempt to kidnap the baby, at the behest of Marcus Junius Brutus, Caesar's adopted son. Getafix realizes that the baby was left in the village for its protection. While in the village, the baby twice drinks the magic potion, first by accident when Obelix uses a half-full potion gourd as a feeding bottle; later, he falls into a nearly-empty cauldron of potion. The baby smashes the doors of several houses and harms the Roman spies sent to capture him, including a legionary disguised as a rattle peddler, and the Prefect of Gaul, Crismus Cactus, who is disguised as a nursemaid. Finally, Brutus takes matters into his own hands, attacking the village with his own legions and burning it to the ground. The men of the village entrust the baby to the women, before fighting the Romans. Brutus seizes the baby from the women and escapes with the help of the pirates, but soon Asterix and Obelix catch up with him and rescue the baby. The unexpected arrival of Caesar and then Cleopatra resolves the mystery. The baby is their son, Caesarion. Brutus had sought to kill the baby in order to become sole heir to Caesar's property and fortune, so Cleopatra had the boy sent to the Gaulish village for his protection. Caesar exiles Brutus to Upper Germania and promises to rebuild the village. The story ends with a banquet on Cleopatra's royal barge. ===== After fighting the Belgians in the northern part of Gaul, Caesar states that they are the bravest enemies he is ever faced (historically claimed by Caesar). His soldiers agree with him, to the point when they consider being posted to the camps outside Asterix's village as a period of leave. Chief Vitalstatistix is aghast at the idea that his village, which has been the terror of the Romans for years, is now looked upon as relatively harmless. He is further outraged when he hears of Caesar's remarks. He claims that his villagers are in fact the bravest men of Gaul, and travels to Belgium to prove his point. A reluctant Asterix and Obelix go with him after Getafix tells them not doing so could make the story come to a sticky end. After crossing the border, they encounter a village of Belgians who rely on brute strength (and a regular diet of meat and beer) to successfully scare off Caesar's troops. These Belgians are led by two chiefs, Beefix and Brawnix (though Brawnix comes across mainly as a second-in-command). To prove that the Gauls are the bravest, Vitalstatistix proposes a competition. The contest consists of raiding and destroying Roman camps on either side of the village. The Belgians and Gauls destroy the camps, telling the soldiers who they are. By the end they have destroyed an equal number of camps. Meanwhile, the Pirates' ship is wrecked when Obelix throws a boulder catapulted at him too high, causing the Captain to complain, saying he and his men are neutrals. Word is sent to Rome, though the facts are exaggerated, talking about vast hordes of Gauls, a savage pack of hounds, and a mysterious fleet of neutrals. Caesar goes to Belgium himself to restore order unaware of the fact that the whole thing is to get him to decide once and for all which side is the bravest. Upon Caesar's arrival, Asterix and Obelix go to meet him under a flag of truce. Asterix proposes that Caesar meet both parties at an arranged meeting point and tell them they are equally brave so they can all go home. Outraged at being reduced to a mere umpire (as opposed to emperor), Caesar furiously declares that he will meet them in battle instead. In the ensuing fight, the Romans get their way in the early stages of the battle through the use of catapults. But then the three Gauls, and their magic potion, join the Belgians after they thwart a Roman flanking maneuver, and, by combining their efforts, the Gauls win the battle. With the battle lost, Caesar decides to leave for Rome. On his way he comes across the Gaulish and Belgian chiefs. Caesar proudly announces that he will lay down his life, but the chiefs only want to know who is the bravest. Caesar angrily declares them simply all crazy and leaves. Vitalstatistix and Beefix laugh the incident off. They have to face the fact that they are all equally brave and, after a victory feast, part on good terms. ===== After Obelix single-handedly defeats a newly arrived battalion of Roman soldiers, Julius Caesar ponders over how to defeat the village of rebellious Gauls. A young Roman called Preposterus, using his studies in economics, proposes that the Gauls to be integrated into capitalism. Caesar agrees, sending Preposterus to one of the village's outlying Roman camps. Upon meeting Obelix carrying a menhir through the forest, Preposterus claims to be a menhir buyer and offers to make Obelix a rich man, on the pretext it will give him power, by buying every menhir he can make. Obelix agrees and begins making and delivering a single menhir a day to him. Demand for his goods increases in time, forcing Obelix to hire villagers – while some aid him, the others hunt boar for himself and his new workers. The resulting workload causes him to neglect his faithful companion Dogmatix, while Asterix refuses to help him, concerned on what this is doing to him. As Obelix grows wealthy and begins wearing ostentatious clothes, many of the village's men are criticised by their wives for not matching his success. In response, many turn to making their own menhirs to sell to the Romans, despite not knowing what they are for, with Getafix supplying them with magic potion for their work. As most of the village grows wealthy, except for Asterix, Getafix, Cacofonix and Vitalstatistix who did not engage in the new economic system. Asterix believes that this new change will not last. Caesar soon becomes angered when he learns that Preposterus' plan is placing him in financial debt. To counter this, Preposterus decides to sell the abundance of menhirs to patricians on the pretext they are a symbol of great wealth and high rank. However, this causes problems as other provinces begin making their own menhirs to sell to the Romans, creating a growing Menhir crisis that is crippling the Roman economy and threatening a civil conflict from the Empire's workforce. To put a stop to this, Caesar orders Preposterus to cease further trading with Gauls or face being thrown to the lions. Unknown to him, Obelix becomes miserable from the wealth and power he made, having never understood it all, and how much it has changed other villagers, making him wish to go back to enjoying the fun he had with Asterix and Dogmatix. Asterix soon hears of this and agrees to go hunting boar with him if he reverts to his old clothes, knowing that the villagers' lives are about to return to normal. When Preposterus arrives to announce he will not be buying another menhir, the villagers claim Obelix knew of this in advance when he called a halt in his work but did not tell them, causing him to fight with them. Asterix soon breaks up the fight, directing the villagers to attack the Romans for causing the whole mess they are in. As they head off to wreck the camp Preposterus is residing in, Obelix decides to take no part in the fight. While the villagers' wealth is gone, after events in Rome caused the sestertius they received to be devalued, they hold a traditional banquet to celebrate the return to normality. ===== When an empty TARDIS greets Mel, the trail leads to a decrepit asylum, guarded by armed personnel and populated by screaming inmates… with its most recent addition a mysterious patient known as the Doctor. Mel must follow clues left by the Doctor to find him and infiltrate a top secret alien medical facility called the Kleise Institute and close down its unethical operations on humans. The aliens are taking beings the day before their chronological death and overwriting their personalities. The Doctor attempted to interfere but was supposedly mentally deranged in an accident with some equipment at the facility (though the actual state of his mental capacity is not clear, but it is hinted he is faking it). For three days the Doctor is detained there. When Mel finally finds the Doctor, they break out in cooperation with other subjects. When one of the people helping the Doctor escape, Louis, is shot, he appears at first to die. Then, just as he appears dead, he begins to regenerate, at which point the Doctor reveals to Mel that he is a fellow Time Lord. In the end, the Doctor reveals that all of the aliens running the Kleise Institute are Time Lords as well, and that they were attempting to figure out if it was possible to put a TARDIS brain in a human body by a commission of the Time Lord High Council. ===== Unhygienix has run out of fresh fish. Since his stock has to be transported from Lutetia (modern-day Paris), it will be some time before the next delivery of fish. However Getafix says he can't wait since he needs some for his potion. Asterix and Obelix volunteer to resolve the issue by going fishing, to which end they borrow a boat from Geriatrix. After a storm, they get lost, but despite Obelix's concerns, they do not reach the edge of the world; instead, following a brief encounter with the pirates, they arrive on an island (which the reader surmises is Manhattan Island) with delicious birds that the Gauls call "gobblers" (turkeys), bears and "Romans" with strange facial paintings (Native Americans). Soon they earn the "Romans"' affection, but they decide to leave after the "centurion" chooses Obelix as his rather rubenesque daughter's fiancé. They go to a small island (which the reader surmises is Liberty Island). Seeing a boat coming, Asterix climbs a cairn of rocks holding a torch and a book like the Statue of Liberty to attract it. The crew are anachronistic Norsemen (with names like Herendethelessen, Steptøånssen, Nøgøødreåssen, Håråldwilssen, Irmgard, Firegård, and their Great Dane, Huntingseåssen) – who managed a Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact and take the Gauls, who they thought to be the local natives, to their homeland as proof that there are continents beyond Europe. The Gauls wanting to return home, and the Vikings' eagerness to prove their story of a new world, results in a trip back to Europe to the Vikings' homeland. The Vikings' chief, Ødiuscomparissen, greets them and is skeptical of their stories, until he sees the Gauls. They plan a celebration, then attempt to sacrifice the "natives", much to the chagrin of the other Vikings ("Why? They haven't done anything!"). Before this can be carried out, a Gaulish prisoner called Catastrofix, who can understand both Gallic and Norse, stirs up Ødiuscomparissen's suspicion that Herendethelessen is a liar, causing a fight between the Norsemen with the assumption that Herendethelessen has simply gone to Gaul rather than to a new world. Meanwhile, the Gauls escape. This escape is conducive to their original purpose, since Catastrofix is a fisherman and hence able to procure some fish for the magic potion. Unhygenix, however, prefers the scent of his own stock; a preference that explains why his product is such a delicate topic. ===== Unlike most editions of the series, the map that is shown before the story begins does not present Gaul and a close-up of the village with the four surrounding Roman camps. Instead the reader is shown a map of Corsica and a multitude of camps around the coastline. The story begins with a banquet celebrating the anniversary of Vercingetorix's victory at the Battle of Gergovia. As part of the celebrations, the indomitable Gauls always attack the local Roman camps; as a result, the Roman soldiers always go on "special manoeuvres" en masse to avoid the punch-up. On this particular year various people who have helped the Gauls against the Romans in previous books have been invited along with their wives (this may be because this was the last story published in Pilote magazine, or because this was the 20th album). They include: *Petitsuix from Helvetia (Asterix in Switzerland), *Huevos Y Bacon and son Pepe from Hispania (Asterix in Spain), *Instantmix, the Gaulish restaurateur from Rome (Asterix the Gladiator), *Anticlimax from Britain alongside Dipsomaniax the tavern- keeper, McAnix the Scotsman, O'veroptimistix the Irishman, and Chief Mykingdomforanos (Asterix in Britain), *Drinklikafix of Massalia, Jellibabix of Lugdunum, Seniorservix from Gesocribatum (Asterix and the Banquet), *Winesanspirix and his wife from Gergovia (Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield). The Roman camp of Totorum, too, has visitors: three Roman soldiers escorting the Corsican leader Boneywasawarriorwayayix, exiled by Praetor Perfidius. He is left to spend the night in the Centurion's tent, to its owner's dismay. While the other camps are deserted, the Romans of Totorum have no option but to stay and be decimated by the Gauls and their friends, who discover Boneywasawarriorwayayix awakening from a long siesta (meaning sleep). The proud Boneywasawarriorwayayix attends the Gaulish banquet and leaves the next day for Corsica with Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix accompanying him. At Massalia, he hires a ship crewed by none other than the pirates. When the passengers go aboard it is too dark for the captain and the Gauls to recognise each other. But when, in the middle of the night, the pirates attempt to rob the Corsican and his three companions, they recognize the sleeping Gauls and the entire crew vacates the ship in a rowboat. The following morning, the passengers awake to find the ship is deserted. Boneywasawarriorwayayix then invites the Gauls to share a pungent Corsican cheese. Unaccustomed to the strong smell, they feel unwell, but then the Corsican realises that they are off the coast of his native island, abandons the cheese and excitedly swims ashore. The arrival of the three men and dog is noticed by a Roman patrol. The Romans later investigate the ship but find nothing suspicious. As they leave, the pirates arrive to reclaim their vessel, only for a burning torch to ignite the Corsican cheese's fumes, blowing up the ship. A keen young Roman called Courtingdisastus captures the pirate captain and takes him to Praetor Perfidius in the Roman city of Aleria. From him, the Romans learn that Boneywasawarriorwayayix, a known revolutionary leader, has returned from exile. Perfidius appoints Courtingdisastus to lead a party assigned to recapture Boneywasawarriorwayayix. But in fact, Perfidius has few illusions that the mission will be successful and starts making his own plans to flee Corsica, leaving his men in the lurch and sailing away with all the loot he has purloined from the Corsicans. Courtingdisastus and his men go to Boneywasawarriorwayayix's village, but are faced by his second-in-command Carferrix, who intimidates them into fleeing. Meanwhile, the Corsican leader and the Gauls travel through the maquis to a rendezvous where several clan chieftains gather to plan their attack on Aleria to recover the wealth the Praetor has extracted from them. The attack begins before Perfidius can make his escape. Boneywasawarriorwayayix then makes a proud and defiant speech stating that Corsica will never be ruled by an Emperor unless he is a Corsican himself. After the victory over the Romans, a vendetta between the clans of Boneywasawarriorwayayix and Olabellamargaritix, fought over various but complicated age-old issues, is settled by the diplomatic Asterix (though, when the Gauls leave, there are strong hints that other Corsican chieftains will resume the feud with Olabellamargaritix even if Boneywasawarriorwayayix has called his off). The Gauls return home with fond memories of their trip. ===== Frightened by a thunderstorm, the Gauls — with the exception of Getafix, who is at his annual druid meeting — are huddled in the chief's hut, when they are visited by a soothsayer, called Prolix, who predicts that "when the storm is over, the weather will improve" and additionally predicts a fight (caused by the villagers' habitual argument over the over-ripeness of fish sold by fishmonger Unhygenix). Asterix alone correctly identifies the soothsayer as a charlatan. Upon Prolix's departure, the chief's wife Impedimenta preserves him in hiding near the village, where she and the other villagers question him at will; forbidding only Asterix and Obelix. Later, Obelix eludes Impedimenta and, upon encountering Prolix, chases him up a tree. Prolix diverts him by claiming to see a vision of a beautiful woman who loves warriors matching Obelix's description. Obelix returns to the village and almost instantly falls for Mrs. Geriatrix. Prolix meanwhile is arrested by an optio, who brings Prolix before the centurion of the Roman camp Compendium, who decides to use the imposter's persuasive skills against the Gauls. Upon Impedimenta's discovery of Asterix near Prolix's camp, consternation spreads among the villagers on grounds of a threatened sacrilege. At the Romans' behest, Prolix returns, claiming dramatically that soon the air in the village will become polluted by a divine curse. Terrified, most of the villagers flee to a nearby island for the curse to exhaust itself, while Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix stay behind. The Romans soon arrive to claim the village, while Asterix and Obelix hide in the undergrowth. Getafix returns from his conference, and upon hearing of the situation, turns Prolix's ruse against him by creating and spreading a foul-smelling mixture of gasses. These expel the Romans, Prolix, and Cacofonix the Bard, who returns to the other Gauls on the island to confirm Prolix's prophecy. Prolix himself is perplexed by this confirmation, while the Centurion sends word to Caesar that "all of Gaul is now conquered"; and hoping to become dictator himself, he has the soothsayer tell him exaggerated stories of the luxuries emperors enjoy. Getafix, Asterix and Obelix join the other villagers on the island, where Getafix reveals he created the "foul air" that expelled the Romans; but Impedimenta and the other women remain convinced Prolix was genuine, on grounds of his having flattered them in earlier predictions. Asterix therefore determines to take the soothsayer by surprise and thus prove him fallible. To this end, the Gaulish men and women attack the Roman camp together; and when the Centurion demands to know why Prolix did not warn him of this, the latter admits his ignorance. Convinced of the soothsayer's fraudulence, Impedimenta beats him and the Centurion. Returning to the village, the Gauls meet Bulbus Crocus, an envoy of Julius Caesar's, come to confirm the Centurion's claim that the village is conquered, and expel him. In the Roman camp, Crocus demotes the Centurion to a common soldier, who is then commanded by the Optio to clean the camp alone. Prolix is expelled from the camp, swears to give up soothsaying, and is driven away by a thunderstorm. The Gaulish village is soon at peace, with the exception of Cacofonix, who still daydreams of himself as a famous singer. ===== The story begins in Rome where Asterix and Obelix are talking, but flashes back to Lutetia, where Asterix, Obelix, Chief Vitalstatistix, and the chief's wife Impedimenta visit Impedimenta's brother, Homeopathix, a rich businessman who immediately shows off his wealth. At dinner, Vitalstatistix quickly becomes drunk and boasts that, as a Chief, he can obtain for Homeopathix something money cannot possibly buy, a stew seasoned with Julius Caesar's laurel wreath, whereupon the equally drunk Obelix volunteers himself and Asterix to fetch the wreath. In Rome, Asterix and Obelix see a man coming out of Caesar's palace. Upon discovering that he is a kitchen slave there, they offer themselves to the slave trader Typhus, who supplies Caesar's palace. When Typhus' other slaves provoke the Gauls into a fight, the wealthy patrician, Osseus Humerus, is amused and offers to buy them; Asterix mistakes him for Caesar's major-domo and completes the sale. The Gauls are placed under the supervision of Goldendelicius, Humerus' chief slave. Goldendelicius expresses dislike of the two Gauls because they come from Typhus (a mark of distinction among slaves) and fears that they might usurp his office. Realizing their mistake, Asterix and Obelix attempt to get Humerus to return them to Typhus. First, they cook a volatile stew, which accidentally cures Humerus' heavy-drinking son Metatarsus of his constant hangovers. Next they disturb the sleeping family by making noise, which only inspires the family to throw an impromptu party. The next day, a tired Humerus sends the Gauls to Caesar's palace to justify his absence to a secretary there. Goldendelicius seizes the opportunity to tell the palace's guards that the Gauls intend to kill Caesar. As a result, Asterix and Obelix are thrown into the palace prison upon arrival, but they escape during the night and unsuccessfully search the palace for the laurel wreath. At daybreak, they return to their cell (to the confusion of the palace guards) and decide to find Caesar and seize the wreath from him. The next morning, a lawyer comes to defend Asterix and Obelix in a show trial for the "attempt" on Caesar's life. The lawyer takes for granted that they will be found guilty and thrown to the lions in the Circus Maximus. Asterix is encouraged when the lawyer says Caesar might attend the execution. During the trial, the prosecutor announces the same initial speech intended by the defense lawyer, prompting the latter to call for a suspension in proceedings. Anxious to be sentenced to the Circus, Asterix himself speaks for the prosecution, outlining all the "wrongdoings" committed by himself and Obelix. The whole audience, including Typhus and the Humerus family, is moved by this plea, and the Gauls are sentenced to death in the Circus. In the cells, they enjoy luxurious food funded by Typhus and Humerus. But, as they are about to enter the arena, Asterix and Obelix learn that Caesar is not present, having gone off to fight pirates. Therefore, the Gauls refuse to go into the arena until he returns, which results in the big cats in the arena eating each other, a mass riot of the audience, and everyone (including Asterix and Obelix and the last remaining lion) being evicted from the circus. That night, Asterix and Obelix sleep at a doorway, where they are woken by brigands. They defeat the brigands, after which their chief, Habeascorpus, offers Asterix and Obelix shelter in return for their help in robberies. Asterix accepts, but attempts to warn the victim they are assigned, who turns out to be a drunken Metatarsus. Refusing to attack an innocent, Asterix and Obelix vanquish the bandits again. From Metatarsus, the two Gauls learn that Goldendelicius has been appointed as Caesar's personal slave, and that Caesar himself is due to hold a triumph for his victory over the pirates. Asterix and Obelix corner Goldendelicius in a tavern and coerce him into exchanging Caesar's laurel wreath for one of parsley. The next day, during the triumph, Goldendelicius nervously holds the parsley wreath over Caesar's head. Caesar does not acknowledge the switch, but secretly "feels like a piece of fish", which baffles him. Upon Asterix and Obelix's return, Homeopathix arrives in his brother-in-law's village in order to eat the stew containing Caesar's laurel wreath, and Vitalstatistix states that a wealthy man like him would never eat such a meal in his own house. Homeopathix "agrees" by sarcastically pointing out that it is overcooked and of poor quality, which provokes Vitalstatistix to strike him senseless. The album ends with the note that, with Asterix's cure for drunkenness now available to the Romans, they initiate a series of ever-increasing parties that result in the collapse of the empire. ===== With the intent to force the village of indomitable Gauls to accept Roman civilization, Julius Caesar plans to destroy the surrounding forest to make way for a Roman patrician colony, called the 'Mansions of the Gods'. The project is led by the architect Squaronthehypotenus, who orders an army of slaves of various nationalities to pull down the trees in the forest. With the help of Getafix's magic, Asterix and Obelix plant acorns that grow into mature oak trees instantly; whereupon an increasingly erratic Squaronthehypotenus threatens "to work the slaves to death". Taking this literally, Asterix gives the slaves magic potion with which to rebel; but the slaves, upon rebellion, do not stop work and leave, as Asterix intended, but insist on better working conditions, regular pay, and freedom after completing the first block of the Mansions of the Gods (similar to that of modern-day employers and trade unionists). Upon hearing that the slaves are better paid than they, the Roman legionaries go on strike for similar and better conditions for themselves (a common occurrence among French strikers). Since the freedom of the slaves depends on constructing at least one building, the Gauls allow the work to proceed. After their release, a group of the former slaves (the (almost) luckless pirates from previous adventures) "float a company" with their wages. Finally, the first completed building of the Mansions of the Gods is inhabited by Roman families: the first of these consisting of a middle class husband and wife selected by lottery. These Romans then go shopping in the village which, before long, turns into a tourist trap selling "antique" weapons and fish to the Romans, embroiled in price wars and (in the case of some of the wives) assuming Roman dress. To counteract this, Asterix asks Squaronthehypotenus for an apartment, but is told they are full; whereafter the initial winners of the first apartment are continually harassed by Obelix acting like a rabid monster, with Asterix holding him back. The next day, the couple returns to Rome, and Asterix arranges for Cacofonix the bard to move into the vacated apartment. As a result of the bard's discordant nocturnal practice, the rest of the Roman inhabitants return to Rome as well. Squaronthehypotenus tries to keep the Mansions in business by bringing the local Roman soldiers as tenants and expels Cacofonix from the building; whereupon the Gauls take this as an insult, and destroy the Roman colony. The legionnaires gratefully return to their camp and Squaronthehypotenus announces his plan to go to Egypt to build pyramids in the desert with "nice quiet tenants". That evening, the Gauls hold their usual celebratory banquet (in which this time Cacofonix takes part) and the ruins of the mansion are covered by Getafix's instantaneous trees. In the end, Asterix takes the druid apart and asks: "O druid Getafix, do you think we can always stop the course of events as we have just done? - Of course not, Asterix." ===== Condatum's Roman governor Varius Flavus has been embezzling a majority of the local taxes in order to finance a debauched lifestyle of never-ending parties, sending only a pittance to Rome, until Quaestor Vexatius Sinusitus is sent to investigate. Flavus, upon finding the Quaestor will not be easy to corrupt, serves him poisoned food and provides inept doctors making absurd guesses at his ailment. Realizing his life is in danger, Sinusitus sends for the druid Getafix, who instantly identifies the malady as attempted murder by poison. Getafix agrees to brew an antidote for Sinusitus but lacks an essential ingredient: a flower called the "silver star" (edelweiss), and sends Asterix and Obelix to Helvetia (Switzerland) to find it. He also insists that Sinusitus remain in the Gaulish village as a hostage; apparently to guarantee Asterix and Obelix's return, but actually to protect Sinusitus from Flavus. Asterix and Obelix reach Helvetia but soon run into difficulties set by the Romans, as Varius Flavus has warned his colleague in Helvetia, the equally-corrupt Curius Odus, of their arrival. Thus the Gauls find themselves continually chased and delayed by the Romans, but are assisted by the hotel manager Petitsuix, bank manager Zurix, and some Helvetian veterans who hold a celebration at Lake Geneva. During the celebration, Obelix is rendered senseless by plum wine, and the veterans are attacked by the Roman army; whereupon Asterix and some of the Helvetians, tying themselves to Obelix and each other, obtain the "silver star" from the mountainside, while the remaining Helvetians repel the Romans. Later Varius Flavus comes to the village, expecting Sinusitus to be near death, either from the poison or execution by the Gauls after Asterix and Obelix have failed to return. Instead, the now-healthy Sinusitus marches out of Getafix's house, and empowered by the druid's magic potion, punches Flavus into the sky, announcing that he will now expose the corruption and sentence Flavus and Odus to their fate in the Circus in Rome. The story ends with the usual banquet for the villagers and Sinisitus, making it the first banquet featuring a Roman as a guest. ===== The resistance of the Gaulish village against the Romans causes friction between dictator Julius Caesar and the Roman Senate, whose power had been reduced by Julius Caesar. With their Magic Potion which gives them superhuman strength and is known only to their druid Getafix, they easily stand up against Rome and her laws. At a meeting with his associates, it is suggested to Caesar that causing internal conflict between the Gauls will lead to their breakdown. He is then told by another Official about Tortuous Convolvulus, a natural troublemaker whose mere presence causes arguments, quarrels and fights. This had him sentenced to the lions in the circus, but his ability had the lions eat each other and he is still in prison. Impressed by his abilities, Caesar sends him to the Gauls. On the way, Convolvulus has the whole ship arguing, from the captain to the galley slaves; and when the pirates attack the ship, Convolvulus represents one of them as having been bribed earlier by himself, and thus provokes them to sink their own ship. The pirate chief realises their mistake, and comments that they don't even need the Gauls to make fools of themselves. In the Gaulish village, things are being organised for Chief Vitalstatistix's birthday, whom all enjoy except Impedimenta, who complains against the acquisition of useless presents including a mounting collection of swords, shields, stuffed fish, and menhirs. Arriving in Gaul, Convolvulus moves into the nearby Roman camp of Aquarium and gets a description of the village inhabitants. He then gives a valuable vase to Asterix whom he describes as the "most important man in the village", to the annoyance of Chief Vitalstatistix. The other villagers take this announcement seriously, until Impedimenta fights with the village's other women over their husbands' relative importances, and then privately dismisses her husband as a failure. Further rumours lead to the belief by many in the village that Asterix, who is close to Getafix the druid, has revealed the secret of the druid's Magic Potion to the Romans. Suspicion and paranoia increase, until the banquet to celebrate the Chief's birthday is held in sullen silence. Leading this distrust are Fulliautomatix the blacksmith, Geriatrix the elder, and their wives. When Fullautomatix and Unhygienix spy on the Romans, they see a mock 'potion' being given to Roman soldiers; and when their presence is noted, Convolvulus has a small legionary pretend to knock out his huge comrade Magnumopus, causing the two Gauls to flee back to the village. As a result, the Roman troops of Aquarium believe that they have the Magic Potion and insist on drinking the substitute. The real turning point in this ruse occurs when some of the deceived villagers voice their suspicions that Asterix and Getafix gave the secret of the Magic Potion to the Romans, which gives Asterix and Getafix an excuse to announce a self-imposed exile, with Obelix accompanying them, wherein their purpose is to expose Convolvulus and teach the other Gauls a lesson in trust. Asterix and Getafix then confront Convolvulus and announce that they and Obelix shall leave the region (thus leaving the other Gauls defenceless). Taking them at their word, Convolvulus persuades the Roman commander, Centurion Platypus, to attack the village. The Gauls meanwhile take the Romans' fake potion back to the village, where it is proven useless and the ruse proven false. Convolvulus sees this and informs Platypus, who calls for an immediate attack, but Getafix make some genuine Magic Potion. Platypus summons reinforcements after Asterix and Obelix repel his garrison. After drinking the real Magic Potion, the Gaulish villagers defeat all four of the Roman garrisons that surround them. After winning the fight, Asterix, Getafix and Vitalstatistix thank Convolvulus for having "kept his word" and give him the vase he gave Asterix earlier. This tricks the Roman commander into believing that Convolvulus deliberately engineered their defeat. Convolvulus is sent back to Rome for punishment, but there is a strong hint that his peculiar talent will help him escape his sentence, since he is already causing arguments on the ship taking him back. In the village, Vitalstatistix apologizes to Asterix, and it is agreed to hold another birthday for Vitalstatistix himself. To test the villagers' conviction, Asterix arranges that Obelix carry him on a shield, after the fashion customary to Vitalstatistix, and thus causes another quarrel among the villagers over which of the men is the most heroic. When questioned by Vitalstatistix, Asterix claims to have merely been "test[ing]" the shield intended as the chief's birthday present. With all reconciled, the story ends with the traditional banquet, which doubles for a better celebration of Vitalstatistix's birthday. ===== Upon learning that a village of Iberian resistance fighters have refused Roman rule, Julius Caesar and his Romans kidnap Chief Huevos Y Bacon's son Pepe and send him to Gaul as a hostage, where Asterix and Obelix defeat Pepe's escort and shelter him in their village. When Pepe's mischief (and his enjoyment of the bard Cacofonix's music and singing) frustrates the Gauls, Asterix and Obelix are assigned to take him home. Accordingly, Asterix, Obelix, Pepe and Dogmatix travel to Iberia, where Spurius Brontosaurus (the leader of Pepe's Roman escort), having seen them surreptitiously, accompanies them in disguise. When Brontosaurus sees Asterix and Obelix overcome some bandits, he plans to steal the magic potion that increases Asterix's strength; but is caught red- handed by Asterix and in the subsequent chase both are arrested by Roman legionaries. In the circus of Hispalis, they enact the story's 'myth' of bullfighting, wherein Asterix, having seized a red cloak belonging to a high- ranked Roman spectator, is repeatedly charged by an aurochs, which he ultimately tricks into knocking itself senseless. With his victory, Asterix is released and Spurius Brontosaurus, discharged from the army, gladly decides to make his living as a bullfighter. Obelix has meanwhile brought Pepe back to his village, which is besieged by the Romans. In his eagerness to be re-united with Asterix, Obelix scatters the Roman lines and the commanding officer determines to maintain a stalemate similar to that surrounding Asterix and Obelix's village. The protagonists then say a tearful goodbye to Pepe and the Iberians and return to Gaul for their victory banquet, where Obelix gives a demonstration of Spanish dancing and singing, to the annoyance of blacksmith Fulliautomatix (the latter muttering "A fish, a fish, my kingdom for a fish!") and the delight of Cacofonix. ===== The story begins when a female bard named Bravura is being hired by the women of the village, who think that Cacofonix is giving their children a poor education. Upon hearing this, Cacofonix secludes himself in the forest nearby. When Bravura arrives, the women are stunned by her singing and the men laugh at it; much to her annoyance. Over the next few days, Bravura exhorts Impedimenta (and later other village women) to resist the authority of her husband. Impedimenta then quarrels with Vitalstatistix, who joins Cacofonix in the forest. Impedimenta is then made chief by the women, while the men do not dare vote against their wives. Meanwhile, Julius Caesar, to take over the village, sends his agent Manlius Claphamomnibus, with orders to bring the "secret weapon" over the ocean discreetly. At the village, Bravura's reforms spread discord among all the locals. Asterix, troubled by all of this from the start, is approached by Bravura, who offers to marry him and assume joint chieftainship; whereupon Asterix accuses her of coming to the village to seize power. When she kisses him, Asterix hits her reflexively, but feels shame and regret immediately after. For striking a woman, Impedimenta expels Asterix from the village; when Getafix objects to this, Bravura insults him. Immediately, Getafix and the other village men join Vitalstatistix in the forest. Claphamomnibus's ship lands at Gaul, and he reveals the secret weapon: female legionaries, whom the Gaulish men would refuse to fight for fear of being dishonored. Asterix, when he learns of this, is sent to warn the village women of the threat. Bravura suggests making peace, and goes to meet the female legionaries herself. However, she is refused, and Claphamomnibus insults her. At this, Asterix approaches Bravura with a plan. His initial step is to have Cacofonix sing onomatopoeia in the forest, causing rain and scaring all animals (in one scene exposing a dragon), which in turn terrifies the female Roman scout parties and delays their assault. When the Roman women eventually attack the village, they find that Bravura has converted the village into a shopping mall where the women can buy clothes and get their hair and makeup done. In the meantime, the men of the village defeat the male soldiers stationed around the village; and finally, Cacofonix sings again to expel the women. Julius Caesar is made the laughing stock of Rome, and Bravura leaves for Lutetia, reconciled with Asterix. ===== A band of slaves led by Spartakis (a parody of Spartacus) has taken over Julius Caesar's personal galley, prompting Caesar to send his Admiral Crustacius to recover the vessel. After some arguing about a safe place to disembark, the slaves set sail for the only place safe from the Romans: the village of indomitable Gauls. The four outlying Roman camps rehearse a parade to welcome Crustacius, who is pursuing the slaves. Believing the Romans are about to attack, the Gauls prepare for battle. Obelix is (as usual) denied Getafix's magic potion. As the Gauls return victorious, they find Obelix has turned to stone after drinking a remaining cauldron of magic potion. The former galley slaves are granted refuge, while Getafix tries to revive Obelix. Ultimately Obelix returns to life, but as a child and deprived of his usual strength. He is kidnapped by Roman soldiers and put on a ship bound for Rome, where Crustacius intends to use him as a bargaining counter for the return of Caesar's galley. Asterix, Dogmatix, Getafix and the former slaves set out in pursuit and rescue Obelix at sea. Crustacius and his adjutant Vice-Admiral Nautilus, as well as Caesar's galley, are handed over to the pirates, who plan to ransom them to Caesar. Spartakis and his crew take the Gauls to Atlantis (the Canary Islands), but the Atlanteans, despite having the secret of eternal youth, cannot restore Obelix's adulthood. The Gauls head homeward, while the freed slaves remain on Atlantis as children forever. On Caesar's galley, the pirates unwittingly give Crustacius a dose of magic potion from a barrel inadvertently left behind by Getafix. He expels the pirates and plans on using his new strength to usurp Caesar; however, he makes the same mistake as Obelix and becomes a statue. Nautilus's ambition of obtaining a promotion for bringing back the galley is dashed when he forgets to remove the jolly roger flag upon approaching Rome's harbour and the vessel is attacked and sinks. The statue of Crustacius is installed in the Circus Maximus, while Nautilus and his crew are reduced to sweeping the arena. Asked by Cleopatra why he has erected a statue to commemorate his incompetent admiral, Caesar replies that although lions do not eat granite, things may change some day. On their way back, the Gauls are intercepted by another Roman galley and Asterix is knocked unconscious by a catapult stone. Seeing his friend about to be thrown to the sharks, Obelix recovers his strength and size, and rescues him. Obelix then propels the galley into the Roman camp of Aquarium, before returning to the village for a feast. ===== The TARDIS crew arrive on an abandoned space station in orbit above Earth Colony Phoenix, a remote human colony whose inhabitants are not only cut off from Earth, but also from each other. Each colonist lives in ous own individual cell, travelling between them only via transmat, creating a population afflicted with agoraphobia. However, the colony hides a deeper secret, one which the Fifth Doctor, Peri and Erimem must uncover before it's too late. ===== Asterix and Obelix receive a surprise birthday visit from their mothers, who have come from Condatum, bringing a Roman sword and helmet as presents. The mothers soon fuss over why their sons are still unmarried. Their efforts to find matrimonial matches for them go unappreciated. Meanwhile, Asterix and Obelix's fathers, who run a "modernities" store in Condatum, are arrested because an alcoholic veteran legionary, Tremensdelirius from Asterix and Caesar's Gift, had sold them the sword and helmet of Caesar's rival Pompey, who now wants them back, but the two items were gifted to Asterix and Obelix. Pompey sends a gifted actress, Latraviata, disguised as Panacea, Obelix's love interest and escorted by a Roman agent, Fastandfurious, to infiltrate the Gaulish village and retrieve Pompey's belongings. The real Panacea and her husband Tragicomix, upon learning that Asterix and Obelix's fathers have been imprisoned by Pompey, set out for the Gaulish village to alert their friends. On their way, they run into Latraviata and Fastandfurious, who have left the village with Pompey's sword and helmet, and the subterfuge is exposed. Asterix and Obelix catch up with them, and Fastandfurious is hit with a menhir, whose impact causes him to lose his memory. Asterix and Obelix then go to Condatum to free their fathers, while Tragicomix apprehends Pompey and hands him over to Caesar. Caesar presents a statue of himself to Asterix, who hands it over to Latraviata for her outstanding acting performance, resulting in a joke about the first César Award. ===== The Sixth Doctor and Mel attend the centenary celebrations for the National Foundation for Scientific Research. Looking into her family history and thanks to a temporal accident, Mel discovers that finding out the answers to a mystery within it may entail becoming part of history itself. ===== The TARDIS brings the Seventh Doctor, Ace and new companion Hex to a seemingly dead city floating among the stars, populated by statues that may once have been people. Most startling of all on the planetoid is the familiar sight of Uluru — Ayers Rock — the heart of the Dreamtime. ===== After the death of great-aunt Hortense, the Simpson family attends the reading of her will. After each family member receives $100, Marge has Bart and Lisa open bank accounts to teach them fiscal responsibility. Bart is excited with his new checking account and writes checks for his friends. To obtain Krusty the Clown's autograph, Bart slips a check into Krusty's pocket, figuring that he will receive an endorsed copy of it with his monthly bank statement. When Bart receives the check, it is endorsed with a stamp instead of a signature. Dismayed, Bart brings the check to the bank hoping to force Krusty to sign it. A suspicious bank teller notices the Cayman Islands holding corporation on Krusty's stamp and investigates; soon Krusty is exposed as one of the biggest tax cheats in American history. The IRS takes control of Krusty's assets and his show, reducing his lavish lifestyle while auctioning off most of his possessions. A depressed Krusty crashes his airplane into a mountainside and is pronounced dead. Bart sees a Krusty look-alike about town and thinks he may still be alive. With Lisa's help, he learns that Krusty has disguised himself as Rory B. Bellows, a grizzled longshoreman. Bart and Lisa convince him to return to his former life as Krusty, whom they insist is more respected than teachers and scientists. Krusty kills off his alias in a "boating accident" to collect the life insurance, thus ending his tax woes. ===== The Fifth Doctor and Nyssa find themselves caught up in the politics between the Gora and the Lineen, which expresses itself in the form of the planetary obsession — the arena sport known as Naxy. While the Doctor discovers that the game has very deadly penalties, Nyssa has to deal with famed negotiator Lord Carlisle, who claims that the Doctor is his best friend. ===== The sketch begins with a preamble by Eric Idle (impersonating the British film critic Philip Jenkinson), who praises American film director Sam Peckinpah's predilection for the "utterly truthful and very sexually arousing portrayal of violence [sniff] in its starkest form" in Major Dundee (1965), The Wild Bunch (1969) and Straw Dogs (1971). Throughout this speech, he constantly sniffs, despite onscreen captions telling him to stop. He then segues to a clip from Peckinpah's latest project, which is an adaptation of the musical Salad Days. Well-dressed, well-spoken, upper-class youngsters frolic in an idyllic garden around an upright piano, responding enthusiastically to Michael Palin's suggestion of a game of tennis. Things go awry when Palin is struck in the face by the ball, causing blood to seep through his fingers. He reflexively flings his racquet out of shot; we then see that it has become embedded in the stomach of a pretty girl (Nicki Howorth), who faints, tearing off Idle's arm in the process. Idle staggers across to the piano and slams down the lid, severing both hands of the pianist (John Cleese). The piano then collapses in slow motion, intercut with shots of screaming women, who are crushed to death. Somehow, Graham Chapman gets impaled by the piano keyboard, which slices off a woman's head when he turns around. The sketch then cuts back to the studio, prompting Idle to smugly remark "Pretty strong meat there from [sniff] Sam Peckinpah!" before he is gunned down in slow motion, with much spurting blood (and the caption "Tee Hee"). The end credits roll over his dying agonies, before a serious-sounding Cleese reads an apology to everyone in the entire world (which states that "they didn't mean it"), and that while they all came from broken homes and have very unhappy personal lives (especially Eric), they are actually nice, warm people underneath and urging the viewers not to write or phone complaints about the sketch since the BBC is going through an unhappy phase due to its father dying (Lord Reith had indeed died the previous year) "and BBC 2 going out with men". A second voiceover by Idle disputes the first voiceover and mentions that the BBC is "very happy at home" and that the "BBC 2 is bound to go through this phase". This is followed by Richard Baker in a newsdesk reporting the news (which is filled with running jokes from the preceding sketches, such as the phrase Lemon Curry), then by a deliberately tranquil final scene of waves crashing against a shore. Cleese briefly walks into shot in a Conquistador costume, explaining that the beach scene was added to fill in time and apologising for the lack of any more jokes. ===== To escape the destruction of a medical vessel the Sixth Doctor sends his red- headed companion Melanie Bush out in an escape pod, promising to seek her out once he rescues his TARDIS from the exploding ship. However, on finding his ship he is trapped in a Dalek time scoop. Mel, however, lands on the planet Lethe where her skills as a computer technician are keenly sought, and she joins a team led by the wheelchair-using Dr. Vaso and works to create the Juggernauts: "the ultimate service robots". She becomes quite attached to the team (catching the eye of the juvenile but intelligent Geoff) and particularly the elderly Vaso, with whom she strikes up a rapport. The Doctor however, discovers himself employed by the Daleks to spy on the situation on Lethe. He agrees; for they threaten Mel's life. What is the secret of the Juggernauts? Why are the Daleks interested in Lethe? What are the strange things residing in the darkness of the lower echelons of the colony? ===== David Hansen (Foxworth) is a big-shot lawyer who grew tired of his important and expensive Los Angeles law firm Horton, Troy, McNeil, & Caroll. Hansen left his job to start a non-profit firm called Neighborhood Legal Services based in Century City, California. His associates were Deborah Sullivan (Larken) and Gabriel Kay (Arkin). Roberto (Martinez) is a law student who worked for them as a clerk. After 13 weeks, CBS decided to take the series in a different direction so that the lawyers could take on rich clients as well. The network retitled the series as Men at Law as the three protagonists went back to work for their former law firm. ===== In self-exile, the Eighth Doctor has been trying to work out the meaning of the cosmic game he has been forced to play. With the answer within his grasp, can he finally beat the Kro'ka and get his TARDIS back? ===== Trapped on a dying world, the Eighth Doctor, Charley and C'rizz come face-to- face with the people responsible for the war to end wars. Will anybody, however, survive to get off the planet before the war comes to an end at last? ===== When the Eighth Doctor, Charley and C'rizz have a nightmarish vision while travelling through the Interzone, the Kro'Ka offers the perfect way out. The Multihaven is a community holding many religious faiths in seeming harmony, but when the balance is upset, it might spell doom for the travellers. ===== Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu discover that the system used to transfer Pokémon from one Pokémon Center to the other is malfunctioning. On Nurse Joy's request, they go to Professor Akihabara, the one who created the Poké Ball transfer system. He tells them that Team Rocket stole his prototype Porygon, a digital Pokémon that can exist in cyberspace, and is using it to steal trainers' Pokémon from inside the computer system. Akihabara sends Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu and his second Porygon into the system to stop Team Rocket, whom they learn have set up a blockade that stops Pokéballs from traveling the network. Porygon is able to defeat Team Rocket's Porygon, but Nurse Joy, monitoring the situation and unaware that Ash and the others are inside, has sent an anti-virus program into the system to combat the computer virus Team Rocket set up. Pikachu uses a Thunderbolt attack on the program, which manifests as "vaccine missiles", which causes an explosion. The group and Team Rocket successfully escape the computer, and with Team Rocket's blockade removed, the system returns to normal. ===== Edinburgh, 1827. Body snatchers William Burke and William Hare are on the loose while the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn take an interest in the work of Dr Robert Knox. ===== The Doctor and friends arrive in Tibet, 1917 and investigate an ancient evil hidden in the Himalayas. ===== Zachary "Zach" Hutton is a successful author who has a weakness for alcohol and beautiful women. Zach's mistress walks in on him in the process of cheating on her with her attractive hairdresser, followed by his estranged wife Alex discovering his mistress about to shoot him with his revolver. Following the breakup of those relationships, Zach engages in a long period of binge-drinking and solace- seeking with a string of women. He avoids work, continues to strain relations with his ex-wife and drunkenly attends a formal party dressed in a genie's costume. Zach's affairs include one with a volatile woman named Molly who deliberately leaves him hooked up too long to a skin-treatment electro-therapy machine that gives his body quivering spasms from head to toe. He also has a one-night stand with a remarkably muscular female bodybuilder named Lonnie, telling her before sex that he feels "like Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger." One gag scene is portrayed in total darkness, with Zach wearing a luminous condom as he prepares to have sex with yet another woman he has just met, Amy. When her boyfriend returns to the hotel room similarly equipped, the two men engage in a frantic fight, their glow-in-the-dark attire bouncing crazily across the darkened room. After disrupting his ex-wife's wedding day, it finally dawns on Zach just how out of control his lifestyle has become. He sobers up, abstains from womanizing, and begins to write again. Achieving the trifecta of recovery that Alex predicted he couldn't achieve, he wins back her love. ===== ===== At a luxurious brothel in South Korea, KCIA Chief Agent Ju deals with the mother of a young woman who was one of South Korean president Park Chung-hee's playmates, who has come with her daughter to offer her again to the President, by interrogating and intimidating them. KCIA director Kim gets scolded by a doctor about his drinking, a direct result of having to attend President Park's drinking parties. Scenes of various officials and low officers making their way to a heavily guarded safehouse follow, including Chief Agent Ju procuring an attractive young woman and the famous enka and trot singer Sim Soo-bong for the party. During the dinner, President Park, his personal bodyguard, Cha Ji-cheol, Director Kim, Chief Secretary Yang (appointed to the post to be Park's drinking buddy, and portrayed as a total sycophant) discuss how to deal with demonstrators, with Cha berating Kim for not being repressive enough. Kim, having been agitated the entire day, decides then to kill Park, and hatches the plan with Chief Agent Ju and KCIA Colonel Min. Director Kim returns to the party, shoots Cha (who is unarmed) and Park, each with a single shot before jamming the pistol. Soon thereafter, Agent Ju and Col. Min and a few minions kill the president's personal bodyguards and secure the building. Kim comes back with another gun, finishes off Cha, and gives Park his personal opinion before executing him with a shot to the head. They move to make the scene resemble an ambush by North Korean forces, and Kim uses the political fear and tension to his advantage while convening a Cabinet Council. Later, Director Kim and Colonel Min meet with the Army higher-ups to sell them their version of events, but Chief Secretary Yang gets to them first and tells what really happened. With every agency under its own authority and the possibility of inter-agency war looming, the Army arrests Director Kim, leaving Agent Yu and Colonel Min helpless and confused. Realizing their fate, they call their families to say goodbye. Prime Minister Choi Kyu-hah ascends to the presidency, and the fates of those involved at the party - most of them executed - are listed. ===== Will Griffith is the owner of a security and surveillance company in Los Angeles. Will is hired by a rock star named Brian Walker, who is undergoing a messy divorce from his philandering wife Nikki, to rig the Walkers' home with video cameras to capture Nikki cheating on him with various lovers. During this job, Will gets to know Nikki better and ultimately grows more attracted to and protective of her, eventually ending up having an affair with her. Brian discovers their relationship, becomes jealous and breaks into the home in a fit of rage and is killed by Will in an act of self-defense. Events start to unfold and Will begins to realize that he may have been used as a decoy for something much bigger than he thought. ===== Nancy Drew is called to New York City by her Aunt Eloise to solve a missing-person case. The granddaughter of her elderly Chinese author neighbor, Mr. Soong, has been kidnapped. The search is on, first by disguising Nancy's friend George Fayne as the missing Chi Che, and then pursuing a lead at Chi Che's place of employment, a book store, where Nancy encounters its suspicious owner, Mr Stromberg. Nancy decides to visit the store again but as she goes along the sidewalk, Nancy is knocked-out by a falling vase which hits her on the head. While Nancy is unconscious, Bess and George take up the mystery and a red-haired man is quickly arrested. A series of clues leads the girls to Hong Kong, where Nancy's boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, joins the action. Nancy foolishly follows "Chi Che" on board a plane, and is herself kidnapped. Ingenious Nancy uses her lipstick to signal for help on the plane windows. After her rescue, she follows more clues to an international smuggling ring, and, utilizing a disguised George once again, forces the thieves out of hiding and has the chance to finally locate the missing girl. ===== The film opens with a gamekeeper, Mathieu (Jean Vimenet), watching a poacher, Arsène (Jean-Claude Gilbert), as he sets his snares in the sunlit woods. Mouchette (Nadine Nortier), whose name means "little fly," lives in an isolated French village with her alcoholic father and bedridden mother, where she takes care of her infant brother and does all the housework. She is first introduced at her school, in bedraggled clothes and oversize clogs, where she is mocked by her classmates and chastised by her teacher, first for refusing to sing, and then for singing off-key. To correct this, her teacher grabs her by the head, orienting Mouchette's ear toward the piano keys, while striking the correct note several times. Later, Mouchette throws mud at several girls in her class who run away. Later, in a contrast to the misery of her daily life, Mouchette goes to the fair and rides on the bumper cars. She meets a young man who bumps his car into hers several times. She bumps into his a few times. Despite the physical shocks incurred upon her during the activity, Mouchette seems to overlook them, and even likes the young man. Afterward, her father abruptly intervenes, slapping her on the face before she can speak to the boy. While walking home from school one day, she gets lost in the woods and must seek shelter under a tree when a fierce rainstorm falls. Arsène, an alcoholic epileptic, stumbles upon her and takes her to his hut. He fears he has killed a man with whom he had fought and attempts to use Mouchette as an alibi to disabuse him of the blame. After she agrees to repeat the story he gives her, Arsène rapes her. By early morning, Mouchette gets away and walks home. Returning home and finding her mother's condition worsening, she attempts to assuage her fears by comforting her. After her mother eventually succumbs to this sickness, Mouchette goes on an excursion for milk. On the way, she has several encounters with the townspeople, in each of which she is insulted and dehumanized. Later, when confronted about the events of the previous night in the woods, she tries to offer the story agreed with Arsène. Reluctantly, she states that she was at Arsène's house through the night because they were lovers. Finally, she is invited into the house of an elderly woman, who gives her several dresses and a shroud to cover her mother upon her mourning. The elderly woman is very condescending to Mouchette. On her way out, Mouchette insults her and damages the elderly woman's carpet. She goes to a nearby lake. Mouchette waves to a man on a tractor, is ignored, covers herself in the shroud, and rolls downhill into the water, presumably drowning herself. ===== The story tells of the experiences of one John (Jackie) Turner, whom the doctors have given just one year to live as a result of a severe head injury sustained when the aircraft in which he was travelling was attacked by a German fighter in the Second World War. Turner decides to use his remaining time to trace the men he got to know while recovering in hospital. The men were: * Flying Officer Phillip Morgan: the plane's British pilot. * Corporal Duggie Brent: a young British Commando, accused of murder. * Pfc Dave Lesurier: a black American serviceman, accused of attempted rape, in hospital after cutting his own throat while being pursued. As the story unfolds, we learn that charges against Lesurier were dropped after an Army investigation and that he later returned to the English town near which he was stationed during the war. He marries the girl he was courting and becomes a draughtsman. Brent is acquitted of murder but served six months for manslaughter after a brilliantly defended court-martial. He is later found living close to Lesurier and working as a meat vendor. Morgan relocates to Burma and becomes a successful businessman, married into a strong local community. Turner is contented by the thought that each man, who had helped with his recovery after the plane crash, had succeeded in making a good life in his own way. The novel ends with what will be his last visit to his medical specialist. Underlying the novel is the Buddhist belief in reincarnation and redemption. Despite his shady past, it is indicated that Turner, through his attempts to help his fellow patients and his acceptance of his death, has moved closer to Nirvana. ===== Certain Vulcan organizations, many with anti-human biases, have begun a movement calling for the secession of Vulcan from the United Federation of Planets, citing the emotionality and unpredictability of humans as dangerous factors for the further development of the planet Vulcan. The dispute is to be resolved by a planetwide vote, with televised debates by important figures for a certain time period beforehand. James T. Kirk and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise are called away from shore leave on Earth in order to serve as diplomats for Vulcan, arguing against the secession, as the odds that Vulcan will leave the Federation are considered very high. Spock, being half-human and half-Vulcan as well as a prominent Starfleet officer, is seen as one of the most important figures in the debate. While on Vulcan, the crew discovers (mostly through detective work by Dr. Leonard McCoy, using the aid of a sentient computer named "Moira" resident on the Enterprise) that the secession movement was sparked at least partially by T'Pring, Spock's childhood bride- mate, who has nursed a grudge against Kirk and Spock for years for the deception involved in their participation in the koon-ut-kalifee ceremony (described in the original series episode "Amok Time"). Using the financial resources and connections available to her after the death of Stonn, T'Pring funded many of the organizations seeking to spark anti-human prejudice in the larger Vulcan population, as well as arranging favorable contracts for them regarding Federation property that would revert to the care of the Vulcan government should the secession take place. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy consult heavily with Sarek, Spock's father and head ambassador from Vulcan to the Federation, and Amanda Grayson, his mother, regarding how to inform the Vulcan population of the corruption, but are interrupted by the news that T'Pau, a Vulcan elder and possibly the most respected living figure on Vulcan at that point, is dying. T'Pau makes the decision to transfer her katra (in a sense, her soul) to Amanda, instead of another Vulcan, proving her trust in certain members of the human race, and tells Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sarek, and Amanda that since T'Pring's plot was able to thrive in secrecy and subterfuge, it should be countered with openness and honesty, and that the information should simply be given to the Vulcan population. The news of the corruption throws the planet into turmoil, but the news of her death and cross-species katra transfer brings it to a muted standstill. By this point, Kirk and McCoy (who were, with Spock, invited to participate in the debates as Starfleet representatives), have already given their arguments against secession. Spock's argument concludes the debates, and the planet votes on the secession, which is decided by a large margin in favor of remaining in the Federation. ===== Will (Eric McCormack) reveals to Grace (Debra Messing) that Karen's (Megan Mullally) husband Stan is still alive. He learned this from his former boss, Malcolm (Alec Baldwin), a secret agent, who told him that Stan is now living under seclusion and faked his death because of troubles with the mob. Will makes Grace promise that she keep this information to herself, but she breaks the promise and tells Jack (Sean Hayes). When Malcolm later visits Will at his apartment and warns him to not to tell people about Stan's predicament, Karen and Rosario (Shelley Morrison) also arrive. At meeting Karen, Malcolm becomes fond of her, as does Karen of him, even asking him out on a date, to which he accepts. Will, however, tells Malcolm that he cannot date Karen because Malcolm is still protecting Stan from the mob. Meanwhile, Grace and Jack are discussing their own problems. Grace uses Jack's promiscuous history with married men as a legitimate reason to have an affair with a married man, but Jack tells her to forget about it as both of them are the moral role models to their friends. After being honest with her, Jack confesses that the reason he is wearing an eye patch is not because he got glitter in his eye, as he told his friends. When he refused to stop his singing performance during the debut of his new talk show, Jack Talk, even though the entire set had accidentally been set on fire, his eyebrow was burnt off. Later, Will, Grace, and Jack all decide that it would be for the best to let Karen know the truth about Stan. Will breaks the news to her, but Karen believes he is joking. Rosario tells Karen that Stan is not dead, as she has been giving him reports on Karen. At the admission, Karen fires Rosario and leaves Will's apartment with Malcolm, explaining that Stan may be alive, but that he is still dead to her. ===== Kalbfleisch, whom Nicole dislikes, appears only momentarily in the story; because of planned obsolescence, he will soon suffer a heart attack and be replaced. The contract for the next simulacrum, Dieter Hogbein, has been awarded to 'Frauenzimmer Associates', and the previous contractor, 'Karp und Söhne Werke' is unhappy about this change. One subplot involves the Karp und Söhne Werke threatening exposure of what has been a state secret over the last five decades. A. G. Chemie, the leading USEA psycho-pharmaceutical drug cartel, has engineered the prohibition of psychotherapy under the "MacPhearson Act." However, the USEA is willing to let Doctor Egon Superb continue to treat Richard Kongrosian, a well known pianist who performs in the White House, and who holds the delusory belief that his body odor is lethal. Kongrosian can play piano using only his telekinetic abilities; Nicole Thibodeaux is anxious to keep him under control, as are Wilder Pembroke, head of the National Police, and members of the covert national governance council. Bertold Goltz, an alleged neofascist, is seemingly trying to overthrow the government, and runs the 'Sons of Job', a religious paramilitary organisation. Actually, he is head of the covert USEA governing council. There is a subplot that involves Charles (Chic) Strikerock, Vince, his brother and a cut-price colonisation spacecraft sales firm (known as "Loony Lukes") involved in Martian colonisation. Mars boasts insectoid life, the sentient and empathic 'papoola', while Ganymede is inhabited by multicellular primitive life forms. As the plot develops, the der Alte- simulacrum is revealed as an android and Kate/Nicole is disclosed as an impostor, this undoing the raison d'etre for ges/bes class stratification. Bertold Goltz is killed by a National Police detachment, as is the rest of the covert governing council. Using telekinesis, Kongrosian kills Pembroke before he can overthrow Nicole in a coup d'état and teleports her to safety at his secluded Northern US home. Karp und Sohnen rebel against the abortive coup, however, and soon the National Police and USEA armed forces are engaged in civil war, with active use of low-yield nuclear weapons. Re-emerging Neanderthals (or "chuppers"), happy at this turn of events, gather near Kongrosian's home in anticipation that self-destruction of Homo sapiens might give them another opportunity to dominate Earth. The novel ends before the action concludes. ===== Billy leads a traveling troupe that jousts on motorcycles. "King William", as he styles himself, tries to lead the troupe according to his Arthurian ideals. However, the constant pressure of balancing those ideals against the modern day realities and financial pressures of running the organization are beginning to strain the group. Billy is also plagued by a recurring dream of a black bird. Tensions are exacerbated by Billy's constantly pushing himself despite being injured and the arrival of a promoter named Bontempi, who wants to represent the troupe. After Billy spends a night in jail watching a member of his troupe beaten because Billy has refused a payoff to a corrupt local cop, Billy returns to the fairground where the troupe is next to perform and is shocked that some members want to join with the promoter. His sense of betrayal is heightened when his queen, Linet, admits that her feelings for him may not be the reason she remains with the troupe. Things come to a head after Morgan, leader of the dissident faction who believes he should be king, wins the day's tournament and a fight breaks out between the troupe and rowdy members of the crowd. Billy faces an Indian rider with a black eagle crest on his breast plate, the black bird of his dreams. Billy defeats the Indian but aggravates his injury; later commissioning the Indian as a knight in his troupe. Morgan and several other riders leave the troupe to follow Bontempi. Billy's loyal supporter Alan also departs with his new girlfriend Julie and friend Bors to try to sort out his emotions. Billy and the remainder of the troupe settle at the fairground to await the dissidents' return. Troupe member Pippin comes to terms with his homosexuality and finds love with Punch. Alan's girlfriend, Julie, has run away from home to escape her alcoholic and abusive father and her weak-willed mother. While Alan is soul searching, he realizes Julie is using him as an escape and that he really desires Billy's Queen Linet. Alan takes a confused and hurt Julie home to her parents. Meanwhile, Morgan's riders succumb to infighting. Alan finds Morgan and helps him realize that there can only be one king and he sees about signing with Bontempi. However, after seeing rowdy drunken behavior in his friends, Morgan and his riders return to Billy's fair to challenge for the crown. Billy announces his retirement and sets forth the rules: all knights compete, and any man knocked off his motorcycle is out. Morgan is victorious, and is crowned king by Billy. Angie, the troupe's mechanic, is then crowned queen by Morgan, after he realizes she is the woman he loves. Linet finds love with Alan. Billy leaves the troupe, accompanied by the silent eagle-crested knight, and returns to thrash the crooked cop. While riding again, Billy, weak and hallucinatory from loss of blood from his injury, has a vision of riding an actual horse. Immediately afterwards he is struck by an oncoming truck. The entire troupe gathers at Billy's funeral to say farewell to its fallen king. ===== The novel features HMS Ulysses, a light cruiser that is well armed and among the fastest ships in the world. Her crew is pushed well beyond the limits of endurance and the book starts in the aftermath of a mutiny. Ulysses puts to sea again to escort FR-77, a vital convoy heading for Murmansk. They are beset by numerous challenges: an unusually fierce Arctic storm, German ships and U-boats, as well as air attacks. All slowly reduce the convoy from 32 ships to only five. Ulysses is sunk in a failed attempt to ram a German cruiser after all her other weapons had been destroyed. This echoes events in which British G-class destroyer and , an armed merchant cruiser, sacrificed themselves by engaging larger opponents. The book uses a set of events to paint moving portrayals of the crew and the human aspects of the war. Maclean's heroes are not especially motivated by ideals, they rarely excel at more than one task and they are overcome by a respectable enemy. It is their resilience that pushes these seamen to acts of heroism. The realism of the descriptions, the believable motivations of the characters and the simplicity of the line of events make the story all the more credible, though the number of coincidental accidents that plague the crew is startling. ===== In an alternative history, the United States lost the American Revolutionary War and George Washington was executed for treason. Thus, America in 1973 is still under the control of the British Empire. The divergence point between this world and our own occurred far earlier, however, when the Moors won the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa on the Iberian peninsula, on July 16, 1212. Thus it was that Spain was unable to become unified, owing to the survival of an Islamic presence in its territory, and therefore could not finance the expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Instead, it was John Cabot who discovered America, just a few years later. The protagonist, Captain Augustine Washington, is a direct descendant of George Washington, and labors in his 'traitorous' shadow. Captain Washington and Sir Isambard Brassey-Brunel (descendant of Isambard Kingdom Brunel) get together to link the heart of the British Empire with its far-flung Atlantic colony in North America, although they fall out over Augustine's wooing of Isambard's young daughter, Iris, and as a result of disputes over engineering techniques. However, after a number of adventures the two are reconciled on Sir Isambard's deathbed, and the lovers later marry. Detective Richard Tracy also makes an appearance, as do 'Lord' Amis and 'Reverend' Aldiss. An appearance in connection with a suborbital rocket is also made by an expert who prefers a mechanical Babbage machine for computing to the electronic kind named Arthur C. Clarke. ===== The events of the novel take place in the mid-1980s during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and soon after the troop withdrawal, back in the then Soviet Union. It is a stirring account of the trials of Lieutenant Oleg Sharagin, a platoon commander in the elite Soviet airborne forces, his fellow officers and soldiers. It also portrays the ordinary Afghans who suffered enormously under the Soviet occupation. Sharagin survives many combat operations but is critically wounded just a few months before the end of his tour of duty when his platoon is ambushed in the course of a major offensive against the Mujahideen. He is evacuated to a hospital in Kabul, undergoes surgery, and finally finds himself reunited with his family. But back home he realizes his military career is over. The war haunts Sharagin and the pain caused by the wound turns his life into a nightmare, leading to a dramatic finale. The novel is a good example of Russian "accurate fiction." It puts a human face on the Soviet soldier without sparing the gory details, like the hard to comprehend top-down authority and license for physical punishment and humiliation within the Russian army, the mental suffering which young soldiers and officers endured during their catastrophic experience in Afghanistan, or the gruesome killings of innocent Afghan civilians. The novel first came out in Russian in 1997 in an abridged version. In 2006, it was published by Eksmo, one of the largest publishing houses in Russia. The Russian and English versions can also be found on "Art of War" , a project dedicated to the soldiers of the recent wars, which was created in 1998 by a Russian veteran of the Afghan war, Vladimir Grigoriev. It features short stories, novels, poetry and essays by veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya, as well as in the Middle East, Nagorno-Karabakh, Yugoslavia and contributions from veterans of the Vietnam and Korea wars. ===== Set in a futuristic time where talking robots are common, there is a tournament where robot teams pit off against each other in. The Battle Robots look like humans and transforming animals. A boy named Akira Akebono plans to win the Titan Belt with his robots Bulion, Eaglearrow, Drimog, Bonerex, Despector, Trihorn, Ryugu and also Daigu who form the mighty Daigunder. The Daigunder unit was a creation of Akira's grandfather, Professor Hajime Akebono. Managed by a girl named Haruka Hoshi (later spelled "Haruka" in the closed captioning of the dub), Team Akira enters many tournaments for Akira to reach his goal. However, there are many occasions when a Battle Robot named Ginsan is out to destroy Daigunder. Ginsan does this under the orders of the evil and mysterious Professor Maelstrom and he is later joined by Tigamaru & Logamaru. Akira and his friends soon find a new ally in DragonBurst, and new comrades in his assistants, DragonFlame & DragonFreezer. ===== At a farewell ceremony in Krasnoyarsk, a band of young Soviet Army recruits is preparing to leave for military duty. Lyutyi (Artur Smolyaninov) one of the conscripts forms a group along with Chugun (Ivan Kokorin), Gioconda (Konstantin Kryukov), Ryaba (Mikhail Evlanov), Stas (Artyom Mikhalkov), Seryi (Ivan Nikolaev), and Vorobey (Aleksey Chadov). They have different talents and personalities that made it hard for them to form a bond with each other at first. On arrival at their bootcamp in the Fergana Valley of Uzbekistan, they meet another recruit, Pinochet (Soslan Fidarov), a Chechen recruit from Grozny, and their drill instructor, Senior Praporschik Dygalo, a seasoned, traumatized veteran of several tours in Afghanistan and a brutal trainer who treats the recruits harshly. During their training, the recruits overcome their differences and build bonds. Between the training sessions, they receive lessons in operating plastic explosives (which prompts some comic relief) and how to communicate with the locals in Afghanistan (underlining the vast cultural differences between Soviet and Afghan culture). During an orientation, a Soviet General asks if anyone in the VDV has changed their minds as they are about to be reassigned to another unit. Vorobey and Seryi initially intend to quit but halt their decision and remain. Later, Dygalo wakes up the recruits and beats everyone in a frantic manner. Although many claim that he is suffering from mental breakdown, they later learn that he wanted to go with them to Afghanistan but his request got rejected. The recruits then leave for Afghanistan via plane. On their arrival at Baghram air base, they are greeted by a group of VDV troops who have fulfilled their military service and are due to return home. One of the departing soldiers gives one of the new arrivals, Lyutyi, a talisman that he claims has kept him safe through several tours and multiple firefights. Homeward bound, the departing soldier's transport plane is hit by enemy fire from the nearby mountains and crashes, giving the new recruits their first taste of war. Shortly thereafter, the soldiers are assigned to the 9th company, where their trainer and drill instructor, Dygalo, had previously served. Pinochet and Ryaba however are reassigned to another unit, separating him from Lyutyi and his friends. Upon arriving there, they met Warrant Officer Pogrebnyak "Khokhol" (Fedor Bondarchuk) who is Dygalo's second-in-command. They also met Sergeant Afanasiev "Afanasiy" (Dmitry Mukhamadeev) and Sergeant Kurbanhaliev "Kurbashi" (Amadu Mamadakov) who were Dygalo's former companions as he was claimed to be discharged. Meanwhile, Chugun is given by Pomidor (Aleksandr Bashirov) the beaten up machine gun that Private Samylin used during his duty in Afghanistan. Khokhol tells about Dygalo's life on the company and tells his habits during his tours of duty in Afghanistan. Later the company leaves the headquarters to deliver supplies in an outpost of Soviet troops which would be the new component of the 9th company. While traveling through the base, Afanasiy also warns the new members of the company against their allies, the Afghan Army that is demoralized and weakened by mass desertion of its officers during the war. Upon delivering all the supplies needed and spending most of the night in the base, Patefon (Aleksandr Sheyn) invites the company for a shooting exercise. They come across in skirmish with a group of mujahideen led by Akhmed (Marat Gudiev), who insults with Patefon before exchanging fire. The next day Vorobey encounters Akhmed, holds him at gunpoint and is led to kill him, making him the first one on the company to kill a Mujahideen. The company then leaves for its next mission. The company is soon deployed to the front as a part of Operation Magistral, and receive the order to hold a nameless hill at all costs. They fortify the hill and turn it into a base. That night however, they are attacked by a group of mujahideen. Only Ryaba survives the attack as the far cordon was entirely annihilated by the attack, letting him speechless and crippled. To make sure that the mujahideen don't start an attack again, several soldiers are ordered to guard the hill. Stas however falls asleep during his duty and is beaten up by Khokhol, Afanasiy and Kurbashi. The next day, Gioconda is instructed to find matches. He encounters an old Afghan man, who, despite the language barrier, leads him to his village. Fearing an ambush, Gioconda arrives in the village and enters the house of the man. Upon seeing an old woman, says it's Haram. He is eventually given matches by a kid living there in return for food. As he leaves the village, he encounters members of the company led by Captain Bystrov (Aleksei Kravchenko), who were ready to storm the village. Several days later, a convoy arrives to the base, but is ambushed by the mujahideen. Several vehicles are destroyed and many soldiers killed. During the shootout, an injured Ryaba suffers from a mental breakdown and was is in the head as he yells to the company to stop firing. Captain Bystrov is also killed in action during the fight. Meanwhile, Khokhol, Lyutyi, and Vorobey attack the underground positions of the mujahideen, but are forced to return upon learning that their enemies are already in the village. The company then invades the village, which seems to be empty. Stas sees a young boy and decides to spare him, but as soon as he turns around he is shot in the back by the boy and dies shortly thereafter. The company is forced to leave as the village is shelled by BM-21 Grad rocket launchers, while the company lament the death of Stas. Later, Afanasiy leads some men of the company to steal food cans from a passing army convoy. The soldiers then tell each other their plans for the future after they are discharged from duty in Afghanistan. That night, the company celebrates New Year's Eve by listening to Mikhail Gorbachev's speech on radio, drink to their fallen comrades. Pinochet then arrives in the company's base to reunite with his friends: he got into trouble with his unit and was thus reassigned to the 9th company. Welcoming him, the company then starts the party by dancing to some Soviet pop Music. The next morning, while the entire company is asleep, Gioconda goes outside of the base to draw the landscape. As a large pocket of mujahideen arrives, he is immediately shot in the head and cannot warn the others of the upcoming assault. Reacting to this surprise attack, the 9th company fires back but are shelled by mortars. As he tries to ask for reinforcements by radio, Patefon is killed by a mortar shell which disrupts the communication lines. The company is able to return to the trenches and engage the mujahideen, Khokhol orders some of the men to shell the enemy positions with mortars but Khokhol's position is hit by a rocket that kills two of his men and abandoned any hopes to disrupt the enemy lines. Soon, the mujahidden break the line and hand in hand combat ensues. Another shelling begins, a rocket kills Khokhol while Kurbashi is killed by a bullet. During the fight, Lyutyi along with the surviving members of the company fought their way to prevent the mujahideen from launching a complete ambush on the convoy. Vorobey is hit on his knees while fighting, unable to make his way to the lines of his comrades, Chugun uses his machine gun to attack the mujahideen in hopes to cover him but is killed instantly. As he is approached by mujahideen fighters, Vorobey detonates a grenade to himself. This leads Lyutyi to fearlessly charge to the enemy lines with Samylin's machine gun along with the company. They briefly gain the upper hand and are able to push the fighters back in their positions. Stranded with low ammunition and no means of communications, the company gathers: only seven of them survived and all officers are dead. Lyutyi along with Afanasiy leads the last men of the company in defense of the hill. They encounter the last fighters and fearlessly fight them till the last man when Mil Mi-24 helicopter gunships arrive and kill the remaining Afghan fighters. Afanasiy is shot on the chest while the last of the men are killed in the gunfight. Lyutyi is the only one from the company who remains alive. Speechless and severely crippled, he tells the Colonel (Andrey Krasko) that the convoy now may pass as the 9th company has fulfilled their duty and mission. The colonel says that there will be no convoy as the Soviets are already withdrawing from Afghanistan and wonders why they haven't heard the orders on the radio. Upon realizing what happened to the 9th company, the colonel comforts him. Lyutyi passes through the dead bodies of the entire company and removes the Talisman from his neck as he kneels to ground crying. Later on February 15, 1989, a column of BTR-80 is seen leaving Afghanistan. Lyutyi is in one of the vehicles along with other soldiers who had fulfilled their duty in Afghanistan. He expressed his sympathy as two years later the country they have been fighting for will vanish (Soviet Union). He also tells the fate of most of the people in the military. This includes Senior Praporschik Dygalo being reassigned to Tula to train recruits, who then dies on a night march a year later of a stroke. Snow White and her mother along with other Russian families remain in Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan until they all disappear without a trace. He also says that from years later the veterans like him in the conflict will be scattered ruthlessly by the new life. He concludes by saying that the 9th Company won its own war. ===== According to the novel, the Siberian explosion was originally caused by the crash landing of the spaceship named The Wanderer. In this alternate reality, however, the alien astronauts are able to commandeer their failing vessel so that it lands in the Pacific Ocean, just outside San Francisco. Shortly after landing, the quartet of spacemen are rescued from the sea by an American ship and taken to California. The Wanderer sinks into the ocean, and the team reasons that they must find a way to accelerate Earth's technological advances so that they can get back home. The eventual conclusion at which they arrive is that they must provoke the planet into what Ari claims is an inevitable global conflict, one that will (through weaponry innovations) result in a boom of new science and industry. ===== In Mammoth Mountain, a group of misfit slackers battle a group of egotistical snobs for snowboarding rights to a ski mountain. ===== Collectively, the strips take place in a fictional world called Megoville.Thomas, Jr., Dr. Ronald C. "Playing with Themselves: Robot Chicken and 'Twisted Toyfare Theatre,'" The New York Review of Science Fiction (Oct. 2010), pp. 17-19. Mego toys based on other properties, such as television shows like CHiPs, Star Trek, and The Dukes of Hazzard make frequent appearances alongside the Marvel characters. Originally, Mego toys based on DC Comics characters also appeared, but legal issues led to their removal. Reprints of strips featuring DC characters were edited so that other characters appeared in their place. The broad scope of Twisted ToyFare Theatre called for the appearance of characters/figures never officially released by Mego. This led the strip's creators to commission customized figures for those characters, or to do their best with existing figures, the latter case resulting in such "customized" characters as "John Denver" (actually a Bo Duke Mego figure wearing glasses) or Iceman's "Snowman" incarnation represented as a Mego figure covered in modeling clay and rolled in shredded coconut. Additionally, a large variety of other toy lines were featured, either independently, or alongside the Megoville characters. These lines included Star Wars, Smurfs, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Masters of the Universe, Gobots, and a host of others. The Marvel Mego characters also met their "evil twins" twice, in the form of the other toy lines based on Marvel characters, such as Marvel Legends. While Twisted ToyFare Theatre features toys based on pre-existing characters, their personalities were usually caricatures of the original; writer Doug Goldstein said a favorite technique of his was to take some facet of their personality and twist it just slightly, making it ludicrous while still being true to the character: *Spider-Man (referred to as "Mego Spidey" by fans and ToyFare staffers) — often acts as the central character. Sarcastic and slightly self- centered, he remains aloof of the troubles of others and usually wants nothing to do with whatever craziness is affecting everyone else (in stark contrast to the real character's motto of “with great power comes great responsibility”). *The Hulk — Mego Spidey's dim-witted and childlike constant companion (much to Mego Spidey's annoyance and disgust) and is usually a source of scatological humor. During the Megoville Civil War, the Hulk is launched into space by Iron Man in exchange for Mego Spidey siding with the pro-prohibition heroes. In a parody of the "Planet Hulk" storyline, it was revealed in the July 2008 issue that the Hulk becomes king of the world he lands on, but returns to Earth after his newfound wife is killed in an explosion (which he causes by placing metal in the spaceship's microwave). *Aunt May — a senile and slightly overbearing old woman who refuses to die (much to Mego Spidey's eternal chagrin). *Bucky — Captain America's sidekick/errand boy. Most of Megoville considers him nothing short of a loser and joke. After Cap dies, Nick Fury teaches Bucky to be a gritty anti-hero, despite his incredible ineptness, to the point that even the Megoville villains consider him to be not so much of a twerp. *George W. Bush — the mayor of Megoville. *Captain America — presented as a nationalistic, slightly bigoted man out of touch with the current generation. Following the real Cap's death in Marvel Comics, Mego Cap is accidentally killed by the Red Skull, Mysterio, Electro, and the Lizard during a drunken binge. However, he appears alive and well two issues later, albeit without an explanation for his resurrection. *Captain Kirk — an unrepentant womanizer whose shirt keeps disappearing and reappearing. *Cobra Commander — of G.I. Joe fame, seems to have set up a secondary headquarters in Spider- Man's house, much to Spider-Man's frustration and annoyance. He has a regular Wednesday night game of Risk with Gargamel, Megatron and Skeletor and is a comically inept leader to the point that the other members of Cobra like to draw mustaches on his faceplate while he is sleeping. In an early 2008 issue, Cobra Commander joins G.I Joe after losing control of Cobra to Dr. Mindbender's fast food mogul/world conqueror clone BurgerMeister, and changes his name to Private Commander. Predictably, his ineptness causes the Joes more harm than when he was their opponent and Duke sends him to go undercover with the Decepticons in order to get rid of him. *Conan the Barbarian — a sometime companion of Mego Spidey. At times he fights to control his rage, but ultimately fails, with bloody results. *Daredevil — a bungling blind man, with much humor coming from his blindness, and who has unknowingly revealed his identity many times. He also sues Ben Affleck after he "sees" Daredevil. His girlfriend Karen Page is a porn star. *The Defenders — includes the Hulk, the Silver Surfer, Namor, and Dr. Strange; Megoville's most pathetic super-team, who are only called on for menial tasks like getting a cat out of a tree. *Doctor Doom — a pompous megalomaniac who only speaks in the third person and is quick to yell "Curse you, Richards!" (in reference to Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four) when his plans fail. He has launched the Baxter Building into space several times (so many that, at one point, he launches one into space and another falls on him). The word "accursed" is a trademark registered in his name. *Doctor Octopus is a glutton who is rarely seen not eating. He sometimes uses his tentacles to steal from vending machines. *The Gobots — appear from time to time as the pathetic second-stringers of the Transformers. Usually posing as second-stringers to Transformer characters. Cy-kill is shunned from Cobra Commander's Wednesday night game of Risk. *The Green Goblin — working with the publicity and success of the Spider-Man movie, becomes a rich rap artist referring to himself as 'Griz-een Griz-oblin', and performs with his Green Goblin mask on over more traditional rap attire. *Iron Man — a comical drunk, rarely seen sober, a parody of the fact that the real character is a recovering alcoholic. However, after going to rehab and recovering, he attempts to reinstate Prohibition, which causes a "Civil War" to break out, with most of Megoville joining Cap's "Secretly Drunk Avengers". Iron Man returns to his usual drunk self, however, after Hawkeye shoots him with a "booze arrow". *Alan Moore — appears several times in the comic (with a great exaggeration of his hair). Several times he corrects others for mistaking the Man-Thing for the Swamp Thing. On few occasions he states his displeasure about the possibility of writing Watchmen 2. *Northstar — Marvel character well known for being an outed homosexual; usually the target of stereotypical gay jokes. A recurring theme has the X-Man Banshee berating Northstar for being a "poofter" (a slang term for a homosexual), or taking advantage of Daredevil's blindness by trying to make out with him. *Reed Richards — an egotistical supergenius who does not understand the physical and emotional cost of his work. He is also something of an ass, which seems appropriate for one who calls himself "Mr. Fantastic". *Sue Richards — frequently intimated to be sexually promiscuous and has presumably cheated on her husband (Mr. Fantastic) on many occasions (although one Twisted ToyFare Theatre strip declares their original marriage illegal, prompting a new ceremony that ultimately is not completed). * Spock — totally exasperated, sighs frequently, and realizes the futility of talking sense into Kirk. *The Thing — the "bully" of the Fantastic Four and often plays pranks on other Megoville citizens, generally taking his responsibilities as a superhero far too lightly and often ignoring alert signals and cries for help. He is the constant (albeit usually unknowing) tormentor of a lone creature living in the Negative Zone. *Thor — frequently appears alongside Mego Spidey and the Hulk in the early strips, but later virtually vanishes from the series (the reasons for which is the focus of a later strip). He constantly refers to himself in the third person as "The Odinson" and spouts mangled archaic language in a parody of the source character's manner of speech. He is often intimated as being homosexual because of his long "girly" hair and tendency towards flowery dialogue. During the Megoville Civil War, a clone of Thor is created by Iron Man and Mister Fantastic to fill in the ranks of the pro-prohibition heroes who, in a reference to the Spider-Man Clone Saga, is dressed in the same sweater worn by the Scarlet Spider. *The Troopers, a quartet of Imperial Stormtroopers which consists of a regular Stormtrooper, a Sandtrooper, a Snowtrooper and a Scout Trooper. In marked contrast to the military bearing and attentiveness to orders of actual Stormtroopers, the Troopers are lazy, sarcastic, and unconcerned with anything except when their shifts end so they can go to the bar. *Wolverine — constantly overworked and wishes that he was less popular. He tends to get into lengthy monologues about how he is "the best he is at what he does...." *The X-Men and the Avengers — star in strips on occasion, but other than the individual members listed above, are most often used to "fill out" crowd and fight scenes. *Charles Xavier — appears to be able to walk just fine, thank you very much. ===== Jim has a crush on Judy and Judy's boyfriend Buzz is a popular jock. After a police raid on a rave, Jim makes friends with Neechee (a fey kid who has nicknamed himself after Nietzsche) while Judy befriends punkish riot grrrl Kimberly. As Jim and Judy pursue each other through the unpleasant social procedures of high school, abandoning their rebellious nature in favor of comfortable conformity, Neechee and Kimberly fall unhappily in love with them—Neechee with Jim, Kimberly with Judy. Ultimately, their experience alienates them even further from the mainstream, and from the objects of their affection. ===== The story is opened by its initial narrator - an Anglican priest in the Bush Brotherhood named Roger Hargreaves - who describes his ordinary circumstances in a large parish of the Australian outback in 1953. As part of his duties, he has to minister to the dying and this brings him into contact with an aged, alcoholic, opium-smoking, diseased, ex-pilot and ex-ringer named Stevie. Caught in Stevie's squalid cabin in a heavy rainy season, Hargreaves struggles with recurring malaria whilst on deathwatch for Stevie. As both men are in altered mental states the story shifts and Stevie becomes David 'Nigger' Anderson, a decorated member of the Royal Australian Air Force, telling his story to Hargreaves. But this is a story set 30 years in the future, in 1983. David Anderson is a quadroon, of mixed European and Aboriginal ancestry. As a first rate pilot he is chosen by his country to be a member of an elite test pilot team in the UK. Although of humble origins, Anderson has advanced quickly in the RAAF and is soon offered a position commanding one of two aircraft of the Queen's Flight. The England of the 1983 in the story is a technically advanced country that has been abused and bled dry by Socialism. Austerity is the watchword, and rationing is still in force. It is an England in which the Royal Family is revered by the common people, but abused by politicians who use them as whipping boys for the economic woes of England. When the politicians attempt indirectly to control the foreign travel of the monarch by curtailing her use of UK government aircraft, the Canadian and Australian governments each donate a modern jet transport to the Queen's Flight, provide for operating expenses, and furnish crews. Anderson is chosen as the captain of the Australian plane. Both Canada and Australia are heavily royalist countries, and Anderson is shocked at one point by the suggestion that Australia could become a republic. Both are democracies, though subject to the "multiple vote"—everyone gets one vote, but other votes can be earned by individuals, up to a maximum of seven. Anderson himself has three votes in Australian elections. At first absorbed by the job, Anderson slowly becomes aware of what is going on around him. He sees the Secretary of State for Air, Lord Coles, inspect the advanced aircraft, and insist that a signal gun be placed in the radio-equipped aircraft in case it needs to land in a field. The Prime Minister, Iorweth Jones, is more intelligent, but only interested in scoring political points. The Royal family, though, is delighted at the gift of the aircraft, and the middle-aged Queen and Consort come down to inspect them. Anderson repeatedly meets, and slowly falls for, a junior secretary to the Queen, Rosemary, daughter of an Oxford don, who is assigned to help streamline the administrative aspects of the Commonwealth aircraft joining the Queen's Flight. Anderson learns of the difficult political situation the Queen is faced with. The Queen's visit to Canada in the Canadian craft coincides with another attack on the Royal Family by Labour politicians. The Prince of Wales has Anderson fly him to Ottawa so he can meet with the Queen. It is later made clear that the Prince carries an ultimatum from himself and his sister (the Queen has only two children)—they will not take the job of monarch as it now stands. Anderson is ordered to fly the Queen and her entourage, including Rosemary, not back to England, but on to Australia to meet with politicians there. En route, they have a lengthy refueling delay on Christmas Island, allowing the Queen to relax a bit—until local officials show up with their wives, in formal dress. Anderson, struck with food poisoning, dreams of the scene with Hargreaves and Stevie in the cabin in the wet. After he recovers, the party move on to Australia. The Queen meets not only with current Australian politicians but with elder statesmen Sir Robert Menzies and Arthur Calwell (active politicians in real-life 1953). After the meetings the Queen is flown back to England, but ground control diverts the flight hundreds of miles to Yorkshire on the pretext that the well-qualified Australian airmen are not qualified to land at a commercial airport—Heathrow—in poor weather; in reality the diversion to Yorkshire is apparently intended to inconvenience the Queen. After Royal intervention the crews are all granted accreditation as civil aviators without further ado. Anderson asks Rosemary to marry him, but she refuses so long as the Queen needs her. She arranges for Anderson to meet her father, a political scientist. Her father inadvertently reveals that the Queen is contemplating having a Governor General of Britain who will deal with the politicians, with the monarch devoted to Commonwealth affairs, to make the monarchy bearable for her and her family. The Queen announces this on her Christmas broadcast, and makes it clear that she and her family will not return to Britain without the country having undergone political reforms, meaning the multiple vote. Though David takes every precaution to protect the aircraft, which takes off with the Queen soon afterwards, a sixth sense, deriving from his Aboriginal heritage, tells him something is wrong. He searches the party's luggage, and finds a sealed metal box, obviously a bomb. It seems impossible to get the box outside due to winds, but through skilled flying, he is able to create the right conditions. The Queen swears all to secrecy, and awards David the Seventh Vote, given only by Royal commission. The party reaches Australia safely. Meanwhile, in Britain, the new Governor General has summoned Parliament to debate the multiple vote. Prime Minister Jones' government falls, and a new government, still Labour, is expected to institute the political reform. Now that the Queen is no longer in a crisis situation, Rosemary can leave the royal employment and marry David. In an epilogue, the framing story resumes. Stevie has died peaceably and an exhausted Hargreaves tries to separate dream from reality. This becomes more difficult when the child who will grow to be David Anderson is presented to him for christening. ===== Yaya is a shy, quiet teen with a passion for singing, Japanese rock music, gothic lolita, cosplay and music in general. But she has a secret: When she looks in a mirror or hits her head, Yaya's second personality, aptly named Nana, takes over her body and puts the wrong- doers in their places, shouting her catchphrase "Heavenly Punishment!" and once the damage is dealt, "Justice is done!" The series chronicles Yaya and Nana's somewhat episodic adventures against bullies, perverts, and generally mean people. The manga also has a lot to do with music, as several of the characters have connections to the music industry or play in a band. Though this is a different manga, Pon-chan (another manga, Guru-Guru Pon Chan, by the same author) shows up. ===== An idealistic young priest arrives at Ambricourt, his new parish. He is not welcome. The girls of the catechism class laugh at him in a prank, whereby only one of them pretends to know the Scriptural basis of the Eucharist so that the rest of them can laugh at their private conversation. His colleagues criticize his diet of bread and wine, and his ascetic lifestyle. Concerned about Chantal, the daughter of the Countess, the priest visits the Countess at the family chateau, and appears to help her resume communion with God after a period of doubt. The Countess dies during the following night, and her daughter spreads false rumors that the priest's harsh words had tormented her to death. Refusing confession, Chantal had previously spoken to the priest about her hatred of her parents. The older priest from Torcy talks to his younger colleague about his poor diet and lack of prayer, but the younger man seems unable to make changes. After his health worsens, the young priest goes to the city to visit a doctor, who diagnoses him with stomach cancer. The priest goes for refuge to a former colleague, who has lapsed and now works as an apothecary, while living with a woman outside wedlock. The priest dies in the house of his colleague after being absolved by him. ===== London, 1851: while visiting the Great Exhibition, the Eighth Doctor, Charley and C'rizz are separated from the TARDIS and each other. While an assassination plot threatens to foment revolution and set up a republic, the travellers must reunite or be stranded forever. ===== In the Edo period of Japan, in the year 1725, Isaburo Sasahara (Toshiro Mifune) is a vassal of the daimyō of the Aizu clan, Masakata Matsudaira. Isaburo is one of the most skilled swordsmen in the land, whose principal rival is his good friend Tatewaki Asano (Tatsuya Nakadai). Isaburo is in a loveless marriage with a shrew of a woman. One day, one of the daimyo's advisors orders Isaburo's elder son Yogoro (Go Kato) to marry the daimyo's ex-concubine, Ichi (Yoko Tsukasa), even though she is the mother to one of the daimyo's sons. With much trepidation, the family agrees. In time, Ichi and Yogoro find love and happiness in the marriage and a daughter, Tomi, is born. However, the daimyo's primary heir dies, and he orders his ex-concubine to rejoin his household to care for their son and heir. The family refuses, but Ichi is tricked into the castle by Isaburo's younger son, and her husband and father- in-law are ordered to commit seppuku for their insolence and insubordination. Isaburo counters that he will comply only if the heads of the daimyo and his two primary advisors are brought to him first. Isaburo sends his younger son and wife away and dismisses his household servants. With his elder son, he prepares for battle, removing the tatami from his house to prevent slipping in the blood that will be spilled and removing the house's walls to allow for more space for combat. The daimyo's steward, accompanied by a platoon of 20 samurai, brings Ichi to the Sasahara house and tries to force her at spear point to renounce her marriage to Yogoro and join the daimyo's household. The daimyo also "graciously" offers to commute Isaburo and Yogoro's sentences to life confinement in a shrine outside his castle. Not only does Ichi refuse to join his household, she throws herself onto a spear instead of abandoning her husband. Her husband goes to her side and is killed with her in his arms. His father, enraged, kills the steward's entire party, killing the steward last as he attempts to flee. Burying the dead couple, Isaburo now decides to take his case to the Shogun in Edo regardless of the consequences to his clan, accompanied by Tomi. Tatewaki, who is guarding the gate, cannot permit Isaburo to pass, and a climactic duel follows with his good friend. Isaburo is the victor, but assassins hidden nearby cut Isaburo down with musket fire. In his dying breath, he laments that no one will ever know the love story of Yogoro and Ichi, which had inspired him, an otherwise obedient vassal, to rise against his clan and lord. He beseeches Tomi to be a good and kind woman like her mother, and to seek out a fine and kind husband like her father. As Isaburo dies, we see Tomi's wet-nurse comforting the baby: she has been secretly following him. ===== In Moscow in the near future, the Fifth Doctor and Turlough come across a conspiracy involving the Somnus Foundation that will cause the course of history as it should be to change. ===== Nisi (Halle Berry) and Mickey (Natalie Desselle) are waitresses in a soul food diner in Decatur, Georgia. Their plan is to open the world's first combination hair salon and soul food restaurant. To accumulate start-up money, they audition for a music video in Los Angeles. Through an unusual turn of events, they end up assisting a Beverly Hills butler and caring for an aging millionaire, Mr. Blakemore (Martin Landau), who welcomes them into his mansion. They become Black American Princesses (BAPs) "livin' large and takin' charge!" amongst the rich and famous. They soon find themselves in the middle of a plot to cash in on the millionaire of his fortune. Realizing that they have acted no better than the plotters, they choose instead to become Mr. Blakemore's primary caregivers. Blakemore eventually passes and his will grants part of his fortune to them. ===== The Seventh Doctor is separated from the TARDIS within the bowels of a gigantic, ancient spaceship. The ship has one humanoid inhabitant, but is he really as friendly as he seems? ===== Beep the Meep has a new docudrama, but can the Sixth Doctor stop the fur from flying? ===== The episodes revolved around funny happenings in the lives of Ranjit Verma (played by actor Shafi Inamdar) and Renu Verma (played by actress Swaroop Sampat (Femina Miss India 1979), who play a married couple along with Renu's unmarried and unemployed younger brother Raja (Rakesh Bedi) and then Chachi's daughter who plays the character of Rashmi. Other characters were Ranjit's boss (Tiku Talsania), his Bengali neighbours (actors Vijay Kashyap and Sulabha Arya), etc. A trademark of the Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi were the characters played by Satish Shah from Episode 1 to Episode 54. In each episode, Shah played a different character who played a key role in the plot. These characters would be from many professions and regions of India, with some being close family friends of the Vermas and others being total strangers. During the period 1984-86 Satish was anointed as "King of Comedy" by the entertainment media as a direct consequence of the multitude of characters that he played on the show. In few episodes from 40, Anjan Srivastav, Avtaar Gill, Pawan Malhotra,Ashok Pandit played different characters. ===== Vaughn “Dap” Dunlap is a politically and socially conscious black student at Mission College, a leading historically black college in Atlanta. On homecoming weekend, Dap leads an anti-apartheid demonstration, demanding that the school divest from South Africa, and feuds with Julian “Dean Big Brother Almighty” Eaves, the head of Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity. Dap’s younger cousin Darrell “Half-Pint”, a Gamma pledge, is ordered by Julian to bring a girl to the fraternity that night, and goes to Dap for advice. Cedar Cloud, chairman of Mission’s board of trustees, warns college president Harold McPherson that the divestment protests may scare off the school’s wealthy donors. The Gamma Rays, the Gamma women’s auxiliary led by Julian’s girlfriend Jane Toussaint – mostly light-skinned black women with straightened hair – clash with some of their non-Greek classmates, including Dap’s girlfriend Rachel Meadows – mostly dark-skinned black women with natural hair – over skin color and hair politics. Unsuccessful in courting any female students, Darrell and the pledges are hazed. Dap and Rachel have a falling out when she plans to rush a sorority, and she accuses him of colorism. The weekend’s festivities begin, and the Gamma brothers nearly come to blows with Dap and his fellow protestors at the homecoming parade. After the Mission football team suffers an embarrassing loss, Cloud and McPherson threaten Dap with expulsion if he continues his activism. Dap and his friends drive into town to eat at KFC, where they are harassed by locals who resent them as privileged college boys. Returning to campus, Dap confronts Julian about Darrell’s pledge status. At the Greeks’ step show, a performance by Dap and his friends leads to a brawl with the Gammas. Seeking out Rachel, Dap is humiliated by her dorm neighbors, but he and Rachel reconcile. Darrell and the Gamma pledges endure a grueling initiation and are welcomed as new members. At the school dance, Dap’s roommate Grady hits it off with a female student and coaxes her to his room, but she refuses to stay when Dap and Rachel are already there. As the Gammas celebrate, Julian forces Jane to have sex with Darrell, but rejects her afterward. Darrell excitedly informs Dap, who is infuriated. At sunrise, Dap wakes the entire campus from the previous night’s debauchery. A tearful Julian arrives and stands eye-to-eye with Dap, who breaks the fourth wall to tell the audience directly, “Please, wake up”. ===== After opening credits underscored by a lively instrumental of "Cheyenne", an old-fashioned train is seen rolling along through the desert. It passes another train going around a utility pole, and voices are heard repeating "Bread and Butter" with the engine blowing its whistle to a tune called "Yankee Doodle". Bugs is riding in the mail car of a train, singing a nonsense song called "Go Get the Axe", when a pint-sized bandit attempts to rob the train (with the underscore playing stereotypical "villain music"), only to have it pass clear over his head. He then calls for his horse, which he needs a rolling step-stair to mount. He catches up and boards the train and begins to rob it while the mail clerk wraps himself in a package marked DON'T OPEN 'TIL XMAS. The bandit accidentally throws Bugs Bunny in his sack. Bugs assumes he's Jesse James. The bandit scoffs and tells him (and the audience), "I'm Yosemite Sam, the meanest, toughest, rip-roarin'-est, Edward Everett Horton-est hombre what ever packed a six-shooter!" (This pattern of Sam introducing himself to Bugs and the audience continued in other cartoons.) Bugs tells Sam that there is another tough guy in the train packing a "seven-shooter", and Sam goes looking for him – and it's Bugs in disguise. Various fights ensue, as each character temporarily gets the upper hand for a while. In one scene, Bugs dumps red ink on Sam, compelling him to think he's been shot; he collapses but eventually gets the joke. Sam pushes his face furiously into Bugs', then pulls back and with a quiet, offended tone asks, "Why did you pour ink on mah haid?" After another skirmish, Bugs tricks Sam into dashing into a lounge car in which a horrific fight is occurring. Stock film footage of a stereotypical western saloon fight (taken from the Warner Bros. western film Dodge City, was used here). With the sounds of crashes and bangs in the background, Bugs calmly sings "Sweet Georgia Brown" to himself. Sam emerges tottering, banged and bruised, to a comical instrumental of "Rally 'Round the Flag", and a gag occurs where Bugs affects the stereotyped voice of an African-American train porter, and has the dazed Sam convinced he's supposed to disembark the train, piling him up with luggage; Sam even hands Bugs a silver coin as a tip, and Bugs says, "Thank you, suh!" As Sam steps off the moving train, the mail-drop hook grabs him and temporarily whisks him off the train. Bugs thinks he has vanquished Sam, and yells, "So long, screwy, see ya in Saint Louie!" a line that will be echoed in Wild and Woolly Hare and A Feather in His Hare. But Sam gets back on board somehow. Bugs and Sam start a fight on top of the passenger carriages. Finally, Sam has Bugs tied up, dangling from a rope, weighted down by an anvil, and fiendishly cutting through the rope, while the train is passing over a gorge. ("Now, ya lop-eared polecat, try and get out of this one!") The screen fills with the words the narrator (Mel Blanc, in close to his natural voice) is saying, "Is this the end of Bugs Bunny? Will our hero be dashed to bits on the jagged rocks below?" and so on. Then Bugs walks across the screen, dressed in top hat and tails, carrying a bag full of gold (reward money), and dragging the now tied-up Sam behind him, mocking the on-screen words ("Is he to be doomed to utter destruction? Will he be rendered non compos mentis?"). Bugs closes by turning to the audience and repeating a popular radio catch-phrase from Red Skelton's "Mean Widdle Kid": "He don't know me vewy well, do he?" as a bar of "Kingdom Coming" plays on the track at iris-out. ===== The game revolves around a standard (for Gold Box adventures) party of six adventurers who inadvertently get caught up in a plot by the Zhentarim to conquer the entire Frontier area. The storyline, in rough terms, follows: * The party starts off in Yartar, having just escorted a caravan from the dwarven stronghold Citadel Adbar (ruled by the dwarf king Harbromm). At the tavern, while the party is enjoying the feast and spirits, something is slipped into their food that causes them to pass out, and they are robbed of all gold and gear, especially the magic longsword that one member used to slay a griffon at Longsaddle. However, each character has a purse of coins under their pillow so they can buy armor and weapons. * Through rescuing the NPC Krevish, the party being hired by the Kraken in Yartar to assassinate a cleric of Bane at Nesme, only to discover that this evil priest was the only individual standing in the way of the conquest. * Rescuing the magic user Amelior Amanitas from Everlund, an eccentric and somewhat absent- minded wizard who explains how to stop the Zhentarim. Returning to Yartar, the party is captured and imprisoned in a Kraken base below the city. There, the magic longsword stolen at the start is recovered but the party has to fight four giant squid in a huge tank before escaping. * Finding four magical statues scattered across the frontier before the Zhentarim, led by a General Vaalgamon, gets to them. * Traveling to the dead city of Ascore to end the Zhentarim plot. Basically, Zhentil Keep plans to use these magical statues to open a way through an otherwise-unpassable desert for their armies. If successful, the party is hailed as the "Heroes of Ascore," which is carried over into the sequel. ===== The series begins with the Carlins moving to Los Angeles. The Carlin children transfer to a Los Angeles school called King High. The father, Arthur, works as a social worker and school counselor. The mother, Paula, initiated the move to accept a lucrative job in the emergency room of a Los Angeles hospital. Throughout the series, Arthur and Paula struggle to keep their family happy and together in their new environment. The youngest Carlin child, Spencer, befriends a bisexual girl named Ashley Davies. Ashley is the jaded, neglected daughter of a famous rock star. As her friendship with Ashley develops into a romance, Spencer begins to question her sexuality. When she figures out that she is gay, Clay and Arthur support her, while Glen and Paula struggle to understand it at first and take time to realize the error of their ways. Spencer's relationship with Ashley introduces her to Aiden Dennison, who was once Ashley's boyfriend, as well as to Kyla Woods, Ashley's estranged half-sister who debuts in season two. Spencer and Ashley's storylines involve topics of homosexuality, homophobia, peer pressure, religion, romance, and high school. The middle child, Clay, was adopted by the Carlins and is African-American. He is a straight-A student and cares deeply about his future and his family. He becomes best friends with a movie buff named Sean Miller, and he dates an aspiring artist named Chelsea Lewis. Clay constantly wonders about his birth mother, which drives him to find out her identity and meet with her. When Clay discovers that his birth mother chose to give him up for adoption because she was a teen parent, he is hurt by her treatment of him, but they eventually make partial amends. At the end of the second season, Clay is murdered in a drive-by shooting at prom, deeply affecting his family and friends for the remainder of the series. Clay's storylines, as well as Sean's and Chelsea's, deal with topics of racism, abortion, adoption, teen pregnancy, hate crimes, and stepfamilies. The eldest child, Glen, is the athlete of the family. He joins the basketball team and quickly upstages the former star player, Aiden. Glen begins to date the captain of the cheerleading squad, Madison Duarte, and is sought after by colleges for his basketball skills. However, during an impromptu basketball match, Glen injures his leg and is unable to play. He becomes addicted to the painkillers he is prescribed, which leads to him losing his basketball dreams by the time he graduates. As a graduate, Glen plans to join the army but later decides against it, eventually choosing to work at a sporting goods store. Glen's storylines involve topics of drugs, drug dealing, arrests, college, stress, and the military. ===== Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland features three continents divided into eleven islands. Each island is themed differently and sometimes contains its own dungeon or else it has a central puzzle the player must complete. Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland follows Tingle's transformation from a middle-aged man into his green-clothed fairy persona. The story starts when one day a voice calls Tingle from his home to a spring west of his house. There, Uncle Rupee, an old man with a Rupee-shaped head, appears and offers Tingle a life in a paradise called Rupeeland if he continues to feed Rupees to the Western Pool. If enough Rupees are fed, the tower found under the pool will grow upwards towards the sky, and Tingle will be able to enter Rupeeland. Tingle accepts the offer and Uncle Rupee transforms him so that Rupees become his source of life. However, near the end of the game, the player learns that Uncle Rupee has been deceiving Tingle all along, causing Tingle to battle against him. ===== While Starfy and his family slept in the Pufftop Palace, a nearby land known as the Amy Kingdom was under attack. The heart-shaped Monamool Stone held there was stolen by an evil female snake named Degil. Mattel, a princess from Amy Castle, fled to seek Starfy's help. When Moe the clam saw Mattel and heard about her, he rushed toward Pufftop Palace, burst inside the front door, and told everyone that she would like to speak with them about the Amy Kingdom tragedy. Starfy dozed off, and Moe told him to listen, then Starly petted Moe and talked to him about his love, Ruby the zebra turkeyfish, while Starfy sat and played with his handheld game console that resembles the original Nintendo DS. Later, after their relaxation, Starfy, Starly and Moe went with Mattel to stop Degil and restore peace to the Amy Kingdom. ===== The solar system of Magical Starsign consists of 6 planets: the planets of fire, wood, wind, water, earth, and another small planet on the fringes of the solar system called Kovomaka. Kovomaka houses the Will-O-Wisp academy of magic, where 6 aspiring magicians are studying in the same class under the guidance of their teacher, Miss Madeleine. One day, Principal Biscotti receives word that Master Kale, a graduate of the academy, has become the leader of the space pirates, and is planning to destroy the solar system. He sends Miss Madeleine out into space on a mission to prevent Master Kale from achieving his evil plans, but loses all contact with her shortly afterwards. 3 months later, Lassi, one of the current students in the academy, discovers a small spaceship hidden on the roof of the academy building, and goes off into space in search of Miss Madeleine. The hero of the story pursues Lassi in another spaceship, but is forced to crash land on another planet. The player must reunite with the other 5 classmates, rescue Miss Madeleine, and derail Master Kale's evil plans in a wild journey across outer-space. ===== The main character of the movie is Sara Novak, a college student who, along with comic book store owner named Vern (played by Adrian Paul), spend their time solving riddles. The movie takes a twist when the riddles lead to the death of her friend Jeremy (played by Jay Baruchel), leaving Sara to fear whether she is someone else's game. ===== Two seriously wounded samurai find refuge from a storm at an isolated temple, the home of a swordsman and a mysterious young woman. One samurai awakes to find that not only has his comrade died, but that his wounds have miraculously healed. He discovers that he has been given the power of immortality by the swordsman, a man once known as the legendary Miyamoto Musashi, who now lives an endless existence as Aragami, a "god of battle". ===== Set in the 1940s, the film begins with Anandan (Mohanlal), a struggling actor, seeking opportunities which will give him a big break in the film industry. Under his uncle's help, Anandan is given an opportunity to audition for the lead role in a forthcoming film. He arrives in the studio and practices his combat skills with sword props provided on the sets while waiting for the director and the crew. At this, he meets Tamizhselvan (Prakash Raj), a small- time writer who enters the studio with some sarcastic poetry and this prompts both into a little debate. The debate turns into a mutual respect for each other, and impressed by Tamizhselvan's skills, Anandan requests Tamizhselvan to write dialogues for him to recite during the audition. With the help of Tamizhselvan's dialogues, Anandan floors the director during the audition and is hired as the hero of the film. Anandan's friendship with Tamizhselvan grows as a result, and Anandan is introduced to Tamizhselvan's political party which is led by Ayya Veluthambi (Nassar). He grows to the party's ideology as time passes by. Anandan then marries a village belle, Pushpavalli (Aishwarya Rai) while Tamizhselvan marries another village girl, Maragatham (Revathy) under the supervision of the party leader. When Anandan returns to Madras, he is greeted by the bad news that the production of the film has been cancelled due to financial difficulties. As Tamizhselvan jubilates at his party's victory, a depressed Anandan is forced to return to old ways of playing extras in the movies. He even loses motivation and doesn't act some parts out well, causing further demotion in his roles. Anandan also sends Pushpa back to her village due to his financial difficulties. At one of the shootings, Anandan is greeted by his mother and uncle with the news that Pushpa has died due to a fever. Tamizhselvan travels down to console a grief-stricken Anandan of his wife's death. A few days later, Anandan's assistant Nambi (Delhi Ganesh) informs him that he has been called up for an audition of the same director's new project (the director who hired him for the stalled movie). Meanwhile, Tamizhselvan, who abandons his pregnant wife while she is giving birth to attend a party meeting. After hearing the casting news from an elated Anandan, he writes dialogues for Anandan once again and the movie starts rolling. Anandan is paired with a rising actress Ramani (Gautami) for the film. The film receives tremendous response upon release and becomes a huge success, propelling Anandan into fame. At this time, Tamizhselvan encourages Anandan to use his popularity to help the party gain attention. While shooting for his next venture, Anandan and Ramani have some romantic brushes, which causes Ramani's uncle (Nizhalgal Ravi), who lusts over her, to beat her up. Ramani comes to Anandan seeking refuge, and Anandan marries her. At this juncture, the party starts to contest in elections. Before elections, Ayya Veluthambi gives Anandan an important mantle in the party, and a seat to contest, much to the displeasure of Tamizhselvan, who thinks Anandan is just a film star, and is not passionate about the party. But before the election, during a fine shoot, Anandan is shot in neck by a freak accident. The party sweeps elections with 152/234 with both Anandan and Tamizhselvan winning from their respective constituencies as new MLAs by huge margins. Ayya Veluthambi denies the CM post, and Tamizhselvan is made CM, worth full support of Anandan, but from then Tamizhselvan starts to see Anandan as a threat to his chair. He, however, keeps Anandan only as a party spokesperson and doesn't provide him a cabinet position. Anandan asks Tamizhselvan for the health minister position, as he is an MLA, which Tamizhselvan refuses, by saying that the executive committee forbids him to do so. That's because a minister cannot pursue cinema while in Office and Anandan has to give up any one. During the return car trip with fellow members, Anandan's aides start breeding hatred by Anandan on Tamizhselvan, saying that Tamizhselvan purposely did not include Anandan in the cabinet. An infuriated Anandan chases the flamers away from his car, but has doubts in his mind nevertheless. That time, Ayya Veluthambi dies and Tamilzhselvan becomes supreme leader of the party, with help of Anandan. Tamizhselvan is later shown to have an extramarital affair with Senthamarai (Tabu), a village girl who loves literature, whom he first met while fighting for his party's causes before the party became successful. He marries her as his second wife subsequently. Meanwhile, Anandan, after his marriage with Ramani, calls up a new actress to audition to be his next heroine (it was a norm for an actor to work with same actress repeatedly during those days). The actress Kalpana (Aishwarya Rai again) resembles the late Pushpa, making Anandan uncomfortable. Ramani however insists that the actress is very talented and should be hired. Their association starts and the open nature of Kalpana's approach towards him makes Anandan more uncomfortable. Anandan finally reveals the truth about Pushpa, and this sparks off an affair between Anandan and Kalpana. In an ensuing party function held to pay tribute to Ayya Veluthambi, Anandan creates controversy by revealing some inside truths of discomfort within the party, prompting Tamizhselvan to sack him from the party. Anandan retaliates by forming his own party to stand in the election. His party priorities see him distancing himself from Kalpana, to whom he has promised to marry. An infuriated Kalpana walks out and starts doing social work. Anandan's heavy star power enables him to win the next general election with 145/234 seats, as he had used his films to spread his political propaganda. As he becomes the new chief minister, a key MLA Madhivanan, jumps from Tamizhselvan's party to Anandan's party, in the belief that Anandan's reign will see less dirty politics, and is made the finance minister. This sparks off a cat and mouse game as Tamizhselvan and Anandan start devising tactics to outdo each other. This includes Anandan having to order Tamizhselvan's arrest after some riots broke out. It slowly dawns that Anandan's reign is no different from Tamizhselvan's and the deputy points out that the same corruption exists in Anandan's reign, to which Anandan says it's the nature of politics. Anandan meets Kalpana again while she is doing social work after a while, and sends Minister Nambi to bring her back. While in the car, Kalpana, Nambi, and his driver all meet with a fatal accident. A distraught Anandan loses motivation after that as life begins to dawn upon him. Tamizhselvan, who just gets released from jail, also slows down in his tactics to dethrone Anandan as age catches up with both of them. During the wedding of Ayya Veluthambi's granddaughter, Anandan and Tamizhselvan meet each other and share a gracious handshake. The wedding takes place in the same place where they first met, prompting some memories and sly smiles from both of them. At the conclusion of the wedding, Anandan loses his footing and falls. The next morning, Ramani tries in vain to wake up Anandan, but he had died in his sleep. Tamizhselvan receives the news that Anandan has died. Initially he thinks that as a rumour but later is proved true. He attends the funeral but is unable to see the body as it is being dressed for the funeral parade. Realizing that people there will always assume him as an enemy of Anandan, he heads back to the place they first met and in an emotional monologue, recites poetry mourning his friend's death which depicts the depth of their friendship. The film ends as Anandan's body is paraded across the streets, mourned by a legion of film fans and politicians, finally coming to the crematorium and being cremated. ===== The film begins in a small village in Sri Lanka called Mankulam, where M. D. Shyama (Nandita Das) is married to Dileepan (J. D. Chakravarthy), who along with a few other Sri Lankan Tamils in the village, is part of the LTTE. While having a quiet moment, the couple hears sounds of Sri Lankan Army troops approaching. He asks Shyama to leave while he remains in the forest. Shyama realizes that she is pregnant and waits in vain for Dileepan’s return. Her villagers begin fleeing to India to seek refugee due to the war. Shyama is initially stubborn to leave her husband behind, but her relatives convince her to seek refuge for her unborn child's sake. The villagers board a boat to the shores of Rameswaram. On the journey, one of the rebels says that he has seen her husband, Dileepan, with bullet wounds in the forest. Shyama wants the boat to turn around but it is too late. In Rameswaram, while a local collector takes down the names of the refugees, Shyama gives birth to a baby girl. However, the urge to find her possibly wounded husband and reunite with her people back home overwhelms Shyama and she leaves behind the newborn girl, hoping that the girl will lead a better life. Nine years later in Chennai, a young girl, Amudha (Baby Keerthana) narrates her family life. She introduces her father, writer Thiruchelvan (R. Madhavan), who uses the pen name 'Indira' for his books. Indira (Simran) is Amudha's mother, while she has a younger brother named Vinay and another younger brother called Akhil. Amudha's ninth birthday approaches and both of her parents take her to the temple. Indira later reminds Thiruchelvan of their promise to reveal 'the truth' to Amudha on her ninth birthday. After their prayers, Thiruchelvan brings Amudha to Marina Beach and reveals the truth that she was adopted from a refugee camp in Rameswaram and is not their biological daughter. Amudha is heavily disturbed after hearing the news and begins distancing herself from the family. Indira's father criticizes them for revealing the truth to her, but Thiruchelvan and Indira are certain they have taken the right decision. Amudha asks her adoptive parents about her adoption. The film then flashes to nine years ago in Rameswaram, where Thiruchelvan, then a budding writer, constantly travels to the refugee camp and writes stories inspired by the people there. At one such instance, Thiruchelvan sees a newborn baby girl and writes a short story about her. Indira is his neighbour, and has always expressed an interest in him. Thiruchelvan, after a while, finds the urge to adopt the girl, but realizes that he will not be allowed to do so until he is married. He then proposes to Indira in order to be able to adopt the baby. Indira suggests the name 'Amudha' after seeing the baby once, and then adopt the baby after they marry each other. Vinay was born few years after their marriage, followed by Akhil, and thus, the family happened. Even after hearing this, Amudha is dissatisfied. She requests to meet her mother despite Indira's insistence that they can't possibly find her even if they wanted to. She and her cousin then go secretly to Rameshwaram to the orphanage from where she was adopted, to check the records. The family chases them there and is shocked to see her stubbornness. Thiruchelvan gives in and agrees to take Amudha to Sri Lanka to find her birth mother. Leaving the two boys under the care of Indira's father, the trio travel to Sri Lanka and are greeted by Dr. Herold Vikramasinghe (Prakash Raj), a Sinhalese friend of Thiruchelvan, who also helps them to find Amudha's birth mother. Amudha and Indira's relationship strains as Amudha becomes increasingly rude at her adoptive mother while urging to find her birth mother. While taking a walk in the nearby jungle, Thiruchelvan and Vikramasinghe are captured by a group of LTTE rebels. Thiruchelvan immediately recites Tamil poetry and is identified as Indira by the group's leader (Pasupathy). Thiruchelvan explains his motives of coming to the country, mentioning the only evidence that he has regarding Amudha's birth mother is that her name is Shyama. The group leader arranges a meet and says he will bring Shyama to the spot. It is later revealed that Shyama is the group leader's sister who is also a part of the LTTE rebels living in seclusion. The next day, Vikramasinghe, Amudha, Indira, and Thiruchelvan wait at the spot, but a sudden series of bombings break out at the place as the Sri Lankan army tries to infiltrate the hideout of the rebels. Indira gets shot in her arm in the process. The family finally leaves the place, and Amudha, apologizes to Indira and asks all of them to return to India. The next day, the family leaves for the airport but unexpectedly, Indira requests that they drive through the meeting spot one more time. As they wait, Shyama arrives. Amudha gives Shyama a photo album and asks Shyama a series of questions, some which Shyama is unable to answer. As the emotional meeting comes to an end, Amudha begs Shyama to come back with her to Madras but Shyama tearfully refuses saying that she has work to do in Sri Lanka and that someday there will be peace in the country and when that day comes Amudha should come back to her then. The film ends with Thiruchelvan, Amudha, and Indira hugging each other as Shyama leaves, and a teary-eyed Amudha kisses her parents, re-affirming her love for them. ===== The film begins with Inba Sekar (Madhavan) shooting Michael Vasanth (Surya) on his bike, resulting in him falling off the Napier Bridge into the water below which is witnessed by Arjun Balakrishnan (Siddharth). The flashback of the characters prior to the incident then unveils. Inba Sekar grew up to be a goon as his brother Gunasekaran had left him to fend for himself, and he had no option of earning. He loves, marries and abuses his wife Sashi (Meera Jasmine). He gets into a contract under Guna's recommendation to run errands and work as a hitman for Selvanayagam (Bharathiraja), a politician. Michael is an influential student leader who wants politicians like Selvanayagam to keep away from college elections. Michael is in love with his neighbor Geetha (Esha Deol), who lives with her uncle and aunt. Selvanayagam is worried when he hears news of students standing in the election. He uses every possible tactic to get them out of politics. Firstly, he provides scholarship to study at a prestigious foreign university to Michael. When Michael refuses the bribe, Inba takes control under Guna's orders. Inba beats some students but faces very strong retaliation from Michael and other students. Inba and his thug friend Dilli (Sriman) meet Michael face-to-face and fall into a tussle after Inba threatens the latter to leave politics. Arjun Balakrishnan (Siddharth) is the carefree and spoiled son of an IAS officer. He wants to relocate to the US for a better future. He falls in love with Meera (Trisha), whom he just met. One day, Arjun proposes to Meera on the road, and she gets into an auto while telling him to prove it, playfully. Arjun hitches a ride from Michael, who is riding in the same direction, to catch up with Meera. Suddenly, Michael is shot by three rounds fired by Inba but Arjun saves him. Critically injured, Michael is rushed to the hospital by Meera and Arjun. Inba finds out that Michael is recovering from his injuries and this is witnessed by Arjun, who follows him to apprehend him, only for Inba to beat him up badly and leave him with a broken arm. After staying by his side until his recovery, Arjun changes his mind and joins hands with Michael to contest in elections. Inba later kills Guna when he finds out that he had been instructed by Selvanayagam to take him out due to Inba leaving an eyewitness (Arjun) behind the bridge incident. He confronts Selvanayagam, who brainwashes him to work for him and orders him to kidnap Arjun, Suchi and Trilok. However, they escape with the help of Dilli, who has a change of heart after realizing that their profession was interfering with their personal lives, causing Sashi to leave Inba for her hometown. He convinces Inba, however to no avail and is killed by him when he aids Arjun's escape. While running, Arjun calls Michael for help, but Inba easily catches and beats him up. Michael arrives at the nick of time to rescue Arjun at the Napier Bridge. A fight ensues between the three men where Inba is overpowered by Michael, who spares him and leaves him for the police. Inba is handed to the police. Michael, Arjun, Suchi and Trilok win the four seats they had contested for and thus enter into politics. ===== The sketch begins when a quietly spoken man (Cleese) takes his dead mother to an undertakers' office. The tactless undertaker (Chapman) suggests they can "burn 'er, bury 'er, or dump 'er in the Thames", but rules out the last option after Cleese confirms that he liked his mother. Of the other two, the undertaker says both are "nasty" and describes the sordid details. When the son shows the undertaker his mother's body, which is in a sack, he sees that the dead woman "looks quite young". He tells his assistant, Fred (Eric Idle) that he thinks they've "got an eater", to which Fred responds that he'll get the oven warm. The grieving son is shocked by the idea of eating his mother's corpse, but eventually succumbs to "feeling a bit peckish". He still feels uneasy, but when the undertaker suggests digging a grave for him to throw up into (in case he feels "a bit guilty afterwards"), he agrees. ===== The novel is presented as a diary written by Zeno, published by his doctor (who claims that it is full of lies). The doctor has left a little note in the beginning, saying he had Zeno write an autobiography to help him in his psychoanalysis. The doctor has published the work as revenge for Zeno discontinuing his visits. The diary, however, does not follow the chronological order; instead, it is structured in large chapters, each one developing a particular theme (The smoke addiction, My father's death, History of my marriage and so on). Only the last chapter is a real diary, with pages related to single dates in the period of the First World War. Zeno first writes about his cigarette addiction and cites the first times he smoked. In his first few paragraphs, he remembers his life as a child. One of his friends bought cigarettes for his brother and him. Soon, he steals money from his father to buy tobacco, but finally decides not to do this out of shame. Eventually, he starts to smoke his father's half-smoked cigars instead. The problem with his "last cigarette" starts when he is twenty. He contracts a fever and his doctor tells him that to heal he must abstain from smoking. He decides smoking is bad for him and smokes his "last cigarette" so he can quit. However, this is not his last and he soon becomes plagued with "last cigarettes." He attempts to quit on days of important events in his life and soon obsessively attempts to quit on the basis of the harmony in the numbers of dates. Each time, the cigarette fails to truly be the last. He goes to doctors and asks friends to help him give up the habit, but to no avail. He even commits himself into a clinic, but escapes. The whole theme, while objectively serious, is often treated in a humorous way. When Zeno reaches middle age, his father's health begins to deteriorate. He starts to live closer to his father in case he passes away. Zeno is very different from his father, who is a serious man, while Zeno likes to joke. For instance, when his father states that Zeno is crazy, Zeno goes to the doctor and gets an official certification that he is sane. He shows this to his father who is hurt by this joke and becomes even more convinced that Zeno must be crazy. His father is also afraid of death, being very uncomfortable with the drafting of his will. One night, his father falls gravely ill and loses consciousness. The doctor comes and works on the patient, who is brought out of the clutches of death momentarily. Over the next few days, his father is able to get up and regains a bit of his self. He is restless and shifts positions for comfort often, even though the doctor says that staying in bed would be good for his circulation. One night, as his father tries to roll out of bed, Zeno blocks him from moving, to do as the doctor wished. His angry father then stands up and accidentally slaps Zeno in the face before dying. His memoirs then trace how he meets his wife. When he is starting to learn about the business world, he meets his future father-in- law Giovanni Malfenti, an intelligent and successful businessman, whom Zeno admires. Malfenti has four daughters, Ada, Augusta, Alberta, and Anna, and when Zeno meets them, he decides that he wants to court Ada because of her beauty and since Alberta is quite young, while he regards Augusta as too plain, and Anna is only a little girl. He is unsuccessful and the Malfentis think that he is actually trying to court Augusta, who had fallen in love with him. He soon meets his rival for Ada's love, who is Guido Speier. Guido speaks perfect Tuscan (while Zeno speaks the dialect of Trieste), is handsome, and has a full head of hair (compared with Zeno's bald head). That evening, while Guido and Zeno both visit the Malfentis, Zeno proposes to Ada and she rejects him for Guido. Zeno then proposes to Alberta, who is not interested in marrying, and he is rejected by her also. Finally, he proposes to Augusta (who knows that Zeno first proposed to the other two) and she accepts, because she loves him. Very soon, the couples get married and Zeno starts to realize that he can love Augusta. This surprises him as his love for her does not diminish. However, he meets Carla, a poor aspiring singer, and they start an affair, with Carla thinking that Zeno does not love his wife. Meanwhile, Ada and Guido marry and Mr. Malfenti gets sick. Zeno's affection for both Augusta and Carla increases and he has a daughter named Antonia around the time Giovanni passes away. Finally, one day, Carla expresses a sudden whim to see Augusta. Zeno deceives Carla and causes her to meet Ada instead. Carla misrepresents Ada as Zeno's wife, and moved by her beauty and sadness, breaks off the affair. Zeno goes on to relate the business partnership between him and Guido. The two men set up a merchant business together in Trieste. They hire two workers named Luciano and Carmen (who becomes Guido's mistress) and they attempt to make as much profit as possible. However, due to Guido's obsession with debts and credit as well as with the notion of profit, the company does poorly. Guido and Ada's marriage begins to crumble as does Ada's health and beauty, due to Morbus Basedowii (Basedow's disease). Guido fakes a suicide attempt to gain Ada's compassion and she asks Zeno to help Guido's failing company. Guido starts playing on the Bourse (stock exchange) and loses even more money. On a fishing trip, he asks Zeno about the differences in effects between sodium veronal and veronal and Zeno answers that sodium veronal is fatal while veronal is not. Guido's gambling on the Bourse becomes very destructive and he finally tries to fake another suicide to gain Ada's compassion. However, he takes a fatal amount of veronal and dies. Soon thereafter, Zeno misses Guido's funeral because he himself gambles Guido's money on the Bourse and recovers three quarters of the losses. Zeno describes his current life. It is during the Great War and his daughter Antonia (who greatly resembles Ada) and son Alfio have grown up. He spends his time visiting doctors, looking for a cure to his imagined sickness. One of the doctors claims he is suffering from the Oedipus complex, but Zeno does not believe it to be true. Not a single doctor is able to treat him. In May 1915 – Italy is still neutral, as Zeno wants it to be – Zeno and his family spend a vacation on the green banks of the Isonzo. Zeno does not yet guess that area will soon become a major battlefield. Renting a house in the village of Lucinico, Zeno sets out on a casual morning stroll without his hat and jacket – when the outbreak of the war between Italy and Austro-Hungary turns the area into a war zone and Zeno is separated from his wife and children by the frontline. He must go back alone to Trieste, only much later finding that Augusta and the children reached Turin safely. The final entry is written in March 1916, when Zeno – left alone in wartime Trieste – had made much money out of speculation and hoarding, but it did not make him feel happy or pleased with life. He comes to a realization that life itself resembles sickness because it has advancements and setbacks and always ends in death. Human advancement has given mankind not more able bodies, but weapons that can be sold, bought, stolen to prolong life. This deviation from natural selection causes more sickness and weakness in humans. Zeno imagines a time when a person will invent a new, powerful weapon of mass destruction and another will steal it and destroy the world, setting it free of sickness. ===== Manuela Alva (Judy Garland), who lives in the small Caribbean village of Calvados, dreams of being swept away by the legendary Pirate, Mack "the Black" Macoco. However, her aunt and uncle (who have raised her) insist that she marry the town mayor, the rotund and bullying Don Pedro (Walter Slezak). Shortly before her wedding, Manuela visits a nearby town, Port Sebastian. A traveling circus has arrived, and Serafin (Gene Kelly), its handsome leader, flirts with all the girls in the song "Niña". When he encounters Manuela, however, he falls in love with her at first sight. He compliments her beauty and begs her not to marry Don Pedro, but, angered, she hurries away. That night, however, she can't sleep, and sneaks out to go see Serafin's show. At the show, Serafin hypnotizes Manuela, thinking that she will admit that she loves him. Instead, she wildly sings and dances about her love for "Mack the Black." Serafin awakens her with a kiss, and she flees in horror. On Manuela's wedding day, the traveling players arrive in Calvados. Serafin begs her to join his troupe, and asks her to admit that she loves him. Don Pedro, hearing noise in her room, arrives at her door, and asks her to go away so that he can teach Serafin a lesson. Serafin recognizes Don Pedro as Macoco, retired and obese. He blackmails Macoco with this information, swearing to tell it to Manuela if Don Pedro forbids the performers from putting on a show. Serafin then decides to pretend to be Macoco in order to win over Manuela. He reveals himself before the whole town as Macoco, then asks Manuela if she will come with him; she again refuses. Still, watching from her window as he dances, she begins to daydream about him. The next day, he threatens to burn down the town if he can't have her. Finally, she happily agrees to go with him. One of Serafin's troupe accidentally reveals his plan to Manuela. To get her revenge, she first pretends to seduce him, then attacks him with words and throws objects. She accidentally knocks him out, then she realizes that she loves him, and sings "You Can Do No Wrong." Meanwhile, Don Pedro convinces the viceroy that Serafin is the real Macoco and should hang for it. He plants treasure in Serafin's prop trunk to make him look like a pirate. The army arrests him, and Manuela's protests can't free him. On the night of his hanging, Manuela finally gets to look at the false evidence, and recognizes a bracelet with the same design as the wedding ring that Don Pedro gave her, and realizes that he is the pirate. Serafin asks to do one last show before he is hanged, and sings and dances "Be a Clown" with two fellow troupe members (the Nicholas Brothers). As a finale, he plans to hypnotize Don Pedro into admitting he is Macoco, but Manuela's aunt uses her parasol to break the mirror that Serafin uses to hypnotize people. Panicked, Manuela pretends to be hypnotized and sings "Love of My Life," vowing everlasting devotion to Macoco. Don Pedro, jealous, reveals himself as the true Macoco and seizes her. Serafin's troupe attacks him with all the items and juggling balls, and the lovers embrace. Manuela joins Serafin's act and the film ends with them singing a reprise of "Be a Clown." ===== The film is set somewhere in Japan, in the mid-fourteenth century during a period of civil war. Two fleeing soldiers are ambushed in a large field of tall, thick reeds and murdered by an older woman and her young daughter-in-law. The two women loot the dead soldiers, strip them of their armour and weapons, and drop the bodies in a deep pit hidden in the field. The next day, they take the armor and weapons to a merchant named Ushi and trade them for food. The merchant tells them news of the war, which is driving people across the country to desperation. As they leave, Ushi makes a sexual proposition to the older woman, who rebuffs him. A neighbor named Hachi, who has been at war, returns. The two women ask about Kishi, who was both the older woman’s son and younger woman’s husband and drafted along with Hachi. Hachi tells them that they deserted the war and that Kishi was later killed when they were caught stealing food from farmers. The older woman warns the younger woman to stay away from Hachi, whom she blames for her son's death. Hachi begins to show interest in the younger woman and, despite being warned to stay away from Hachi, she is seduced by him and sneaks out of her hut every night to have sex. The older woman learns of the relationship and is both angry and jealous. She tries to seduce Hachi herself, but is coldly rebuffed. She then pleads with him to not take the young woman away, since she cannot kill and rob passing soldiers without her help. One night, while Hachi and the younger woman are together, a lost samurai wearing an Hannya mask forces the older woman to guide him out of the field. He claims to wear the mask to protect his incredibly handsome face from harm. She tricks him into plunging to his death in the pit where the women dispose of their victims. She climbs down and steals the samurai's possessions and, with great difficulty, his mask, revealing the samurai's horribly disfigured face. As she leaves, the older woman then gets an idea to keep her daughter-in-law away from Hachi. At night, as the younger woman goes to see Hachi, the older woman blocks her path, wearing the samurai's robes and mask, frightening the woman into running home. During the day, the older woman further convinces the younger woman that the "demon" was real, as punishment for her affair with Hachi. The younger woman avoids Hachi during the day, but continues to try and see him at night. During a storm, the older woman again terrifies the younger woman with the mask, but Hachi, tired of being ignored, finds the younger woman and has sex with her in the grass as the devastated old woman watches from afar. Hachi returns to his hut, where he discovers another deserter stealing his food; the deserter abruptly grabs his spear and stabs Hachi, killing him. The older woman discovers that, after getting wet in the rain, the mask is impossible to remove. She reveals her scheme to the younger woman and pleads for her to help take off the mask. The younger woman agrees to remove the mask after the older woman promises not to interfere with her relationship with Hachi. After failing to pull it off, the young woman breaks off the mask with a hammer. Under the mask, the older woman's face is now disfigured, as the samurai's had been. The younger woman, thinking the older woman has turned into a demon, flees; the older woman runs after her, crying out that she is a human being, not a demon. The young woman leaps over the pit, and as the older woman leaps after her the film ends. ===== A factory worker gets scouted, firstly by the well-known non-league side Hallam F.C. and then later by Sheffield United Football Club. It was filmed at various locations around South Yorkshire including Rotherham, Sandygate Road and Bramall Lane. Def Leppard lead singer Joe Elliott made his acting debut in a scene as Jimmy's brother, but the scene was cut from the final production. A sequel has been written, which would see Sean Bean reprise his role as Jimmy Muir. ===== ;Spy Swordsman (Onmitsu Kenshi) The opening arc is distinctly western-inspired, with much horseback riding and gun fighting. It portrays the native Ainu people sympathetically as they substitute for American Indians in the frontier-like Ezo (modern Hokkaidō). Fuyukichi Maki appears in several episodes as the Ainu rebel leader Kamokuin, while Bin Amatsu plays two minor roles. It was actually aired as the last season in the Australian run of the series, as it was less representative of the show as a whole. Shintarō has been ordered to investigate the resources of the Matsumae clan and write a report about them. The lord of Matsumae suspects that this will lead to the shogunate taking control of his fiefdom and sends his fanatically loyal but rightful retainer, Kiba Jinjūrō (played by Toshiyuki Katsuki), who vows to kill Shintarō. During his investigation, Shintarō struggles to help the downtrodden local Japanese villagers and the oppressed Ainu, and also fights local bandits and smugglers, often inadvertently aided by his just rival Kiba. ;Koga Ninjas (Ninpō Kōgashū) The second story (aired as the first season in Australia) introduces ninja to the series, setting a theme that would then dominate The Samurai. Set in Kai Province (modern Yamanashi Prefecture), the story follows the plot of a society of 13 master Kōga Ninja and their followers to use the lost gold mine of a 16th-century warlord Takeda Shingen to further their own ambitions - and Shintarō's efforts to foil them. The Kōga Ninja are led by Kōga Ryūshirō, a descendant of the founder of the Kōga, and include Genzō the Spider (played by Bin Amatsu, the first time in a ninja role), Kurobei who eventually defects to Shintaro, and the female ninja Oyo. Also introduced to the series is Shūsaku, a descendant of the great Takeda general Baba Nobukatsu, a real historical figure, whose father has been kidnapped by the Kōga Ninja. ;Iga Ninjas (Ninpō Iga Jūnin) Set in May 1788, the story concerns the mission of Shintarō, aided by Tombei and his group of Iga Ninja, to stop Momochi Genkurō (played by Toshiyuki Katsuki), the best swordsman in Japan, and the leader of a renegade group of ten master Iga Ninja from the Manji Valley who are hired by the Lord of Owari to assassinate Matsudaira Sadanobu on the Tōkaidō road in the region between Edo and Kyoto. Unknown to his employer, Momochi himself has a secret agenda, to plunge the country back into civil war and revive the golden age of ninjutsu. His group includes a woman ninja Okayo, who at first wants to avenge the death of her brother Koheita, but later develops feelings for Shintarō (a similar character, Kazeba the sister of Nuinosuke, appears in the follow-up story), and Gensai the Wolf (Okami no Gensai) played by Amatsu. ;Black Ninja (Ninpō Yami Hōshi) This story was shown in Australia after the final story even though it follows directly from Iga Ninja later on in 1788. It sees the return of Gensai the Wolf, who joins the Black Ninja (Yami Hōshi - literally Black Priest) group of Kōga Ninja led by Hakuunsai. The story revolves around an attempt to sign up disgruntled daimyō (feudal domain lords, called "landowners" in the series) in a political plot against the central government to install the young lord of the Owari clan as the new shogun. To further their aims the Black Ninja begin killing "secret samurai" in Edo and in the provinces to expose the elaborate system of spies that the shogunate employs to keep tabs on the domain lords. The Black Ninja hope that by doing this they can foment anger and dissatisfaction with the government and induce the clans to join in the plot. Shintarō foils all of the Black Ninja's plans, obtains the scroll containing the signatures of the plotters and eventually uncovers the instigator of the conspiracy and the true identity of Hakuunsai. Finally, in a great act of chivalry he saves the Owari clan from certain annihilation by destroying the proof of the plot against the shogunate. ;Fuma Ninja (Ninpō Fūma Ichizoku) Set in 1790 in and between Edo and Odawara, the story introduces Fūma Kotarō (the chief antagonist being again portrayed by Amatsu), a descendant and namesake of the infamous 16th century ninja Fūma Kotarō. He is obsessed with finding the buried treasure of the Hōjō clan lost at the end of the 16th century when Odawara Castle fell to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and using the million pieces of gold it contains to revive the fortunes of the Fūma. Three mirrors hold the clues to its location: the Wind Thunder, the Water Tiger and the Fire Dragon mirrors. Most of the story is concerned with the efforts of the Fūma Ninja to find them and later to recover them from Shintarō and Tonbei who had taken them for safe-keeping. The younger sister of Fūma Kotarō, Oboro is introduced along the way and her attempts at obtaining the mirrors form a large part of the story. It ends with the apparent death of Fūma Kotarō when, wounded by Shintarō, he falls from a cliff. ;Fuma Ninja Continued (Zoku Ninpō Fūma Ichizoku) This story continues the search for the Hōjō treasure which takes both Shintarō and the Fūma around the former Musashi and Sagami provinces. As in the case of two of the previous stories, a major enemy falls in love with Shintarō - this time it's the ninja princess Oboro (Naoko Saga, a pop singer from King Records), Kotarō's younger sister who has been introduced in the first part of the Fuma story and would also return in Contest of Death. Her attempts to aid Shintaro are discovered by Kotarō who orders his men to kill her. She is used as bait to trap Shintarō but he rescues her from certain death. In the end, Kotarō and Shintarō duel until Kotarō, apparently mortally wounded, blows himself up together with the treasure. ;Ninja Terror (Ninpō Negoru-Shū) This story is set in Kii Province (modern Wakayama Prefecture) in December 1789 and concerns the succession of the new lord of Wakayama. The rightful heir is Prince Yorikata, supported by the retainer Oribe Hida and guarded by six Kishū Ninja led by Genyō. Opposed to him is another retainer, Naitō Daigaku, who wants to put Yorikata's younger brother Yoshitsuna in his place so he would become the regent and control Kii. Naitō eventually wants to also assassinate Ienari and install Yoshitsuna as the 12th shogun and control the entire country. To this end he employs the Negoro Ninja, led by Garyūdōshi (played by Yoshio Yoshida), to carry out his plans, while Shintarō and Tonbei aid Yorikata and the Kishū Ninja. ;Phantom Ninja (Ninpō Mabaroshi-Shū) This story is set in and around Edo and concerns the mysterious Lord of Night (Kurayami no Gotairō) and his attempt to bring about Matsudaira Sadanobu's downfall by destroying those closest to him. To this end he hires Kongō of Kōga (actually Kotarō, returning due to popular demand from fans, and once again played by Amatsu) who in turn hires the seven Phantom (Maboroshi) Ninja from Phantom valley in Koga to assassinate those whose names appear in the so-called Book of Death. These include Tonbei and the other Iga Ninja as well as Shintarō. Shintarō thwarts all but one of the attempts to assassinate the others in the book and one by one he kills off the Phantom ninja, foiling their plot to disgrace Lord Sadanobu. In the end he is able to unmask the Lord of Night as Lord Rokkaku, one of the shogun's advisors. This story is notable because the Phantom Ninja "baddies" are portrayed with some depth and sensitivity. It also portrays a woman Phantom ninja named Chidori as being in every way equal to her male companions with interesting ninja weapons and techniques of her own. She is also one of only three female ninja in the series who manage to resist Shintarō's charms and remain true to their cause (the other two being Oko in Ninja Terror and Namiji in Fuma Ninja Continued). ;Puppet Ninja (Kugotsu Ninpōchō) Set in Kyūshū, this story is about Shintarō's battles with a group of Puppet Ninja, led by the ancient master Genshin. Tonbei is sent to Hizen Province (modern Nagasaki and Saga prefectures) to spy on the lords there because of suspected smuggling. When he fails to report, Shintarō goes after him and discovers Genshin of the Shiranui clan has been bringing in guns smuggled from abroad and distributing them to other lords in Hizen with the ultimate aim of toppling the central government and taking control of Japan. Kongō reappears in this story, stalking Shintarō and even saving him from the hands of the Puppet Ninja once so he can kill him himself later. This story was shorter than usual (only 10 episodes) because of the broadcast of the 1964 Summer Olympics. ;Contest of Death (Ayakashi Ninpōchō) The originally final season of the whole series. Set in 1790, it tells of Kongō's attempts to have Shintarō assassinated by ninja of different schools, until they eventually turn on him instead. They see him, no less than Shintaro himself, as an obstacle to their ambitions. The season ends with Kongō and Shintarō leaving together in a boat sailing, as Shintaro says, into the far distance. There is in fact no duel between Shintaro and Kongo, because he and Kongo have already duelled successfully with the five ninja masters who believe (in vain) that they can bring back civil disruption and hence the glory days of the ninja clans. Wearied of fighting, Shintaro, with the disenchanted Kongo (who now sees the dream of restoring the past of bloodshed and violence to be futile), leaves for another life, his mission achieved and society at peace. As he and Kongo depart, Shūsaku, Tombei the Mist, and Oboro (Kotarō/Kongō's sister from the Fuma Ninja stories) remain behind on the shore, sadly crying out their farewells. A true hero—a true embodiment of Samurai chivalry—Shintaro retires into a glorious anonymity, his quests all accomplished. ===== The fantasy story takes place in Whitby and concerns the evil sorcerer Reverend Obadiah Demurral who is seeking two powerful amulets, called the Keruvim, which he plans to use to control the elements and dominate the world. At the start of the book he purchases the first Keruvim (which takes the form of a golden statuette of a cherub) from an Ethiopian mercenary named Gebra Nubera. He then uses the Keruvim to destroy a ship upon which the next Keruvim is prophesied to arrive, but when he surveys the wreckage he finds nothing. The next day an Ethiopian boy named Raphah arrives searching for the Keruvim. He befriends the main character, an urchin named Thomas and reveals that he is a messenger from God (referred to as Riathamus here), and that Demurral is a Shadowmancer, a sorcerer who can control the dead. Despite not believing in God, Thomas agrees to assist Raphah in regaining the Keruvim because he wants revenge on Demurral for evicting him and his dying mother from their home. They pursue Demurral and the Keruvim with the assistance of Thomas's tomboy friend Kate and the mysterious smuggler, Jacob Crane. During the story, Raphah, Kate and Jacob Crane, who all for their own individual reasons did not believe in God, do come to believe in him. Eventually it is revealed that, in using the Keruvim, Demurral has unleashed a demonic race called the Glashan who were imprisoned at the dawn of time for rebelling against God. Led by the evil Pyratheon (the Devil), they join forces with Demurral so that they can find the other Keruvim and harness its power to overthrow God and rule the universe. It is eventually revealed that Raphah is the other Keruvim, so Demurral and Pyratheon try to capture him, so that they can kill him and turn him into an Azimuth (a slave spirit) to activate the Keruvim's full power. At the climax of the story Thomas, Kate and Raphah meet an angel referred to as a Seruvim (a play on the word Seraphim) named Raphael, who goes by the alias Abram Rickards. A showdown takes place in Demurral's church during which Raphah is killed and Pyratheon obtains the Keruvim. He recites the incantation to activate its power and the world is temporarily plunged into night. Pyratheon thinks he has succeeded in stealing the power of God and gloats. However Abram then reveals that while Raphah is dead it has no power and all Pyratheon has done is meddle with time. After Abram restores life to Raphah, the sun rises, Abram is revealed in his true form and Pyratheon and Demurral flee. Abram tells Thomas, Kate and Jacob Crane to take the Keruvim away to another land so they leave aboard Crane's ship, The Magenta. However, in the closing page of the book it is revealed that they are being stealthily pursued by sea-demons known as Seloth. ===== Twelve-year-old Jamie discovers a strange place in his hometown in which mysterious and demonic entities, known only as Them, are playing a board game with the entire world. Upon his discovering Them, They are forced to make Jamie a Homeward Bounder; this means he must constantly travel from world to world until he finds his home again. Homeward Bounders cannot die, and must not interfere with Play. If he can reach his home he may stay, and re-enter play. No-one is allowed to interfere directly with the Homeward Bounders; for example, if someone were to attempt to hurt or steal from Jamie, that person would die mysteriously. In his travels through the many worlds, Jamie meets the Flying Dutchman, with his ship and crew, and Ahasuerus, the Wandering Jew. In addition, he meets a strange entity chained to a rock by Them. Every day, a Vulture comes to peck at him. While he is never named, the entity is Prometheus (he states that his name means "foresight" and that, according to legend, he was punished for bringing fire to humanity). Jamie becomes skilled at travelling, learning to read the signs left by other Homeward Bounders, growing fluent in many languages and proficient in many unusual skills. So Jamie wanders through the worlds, time passing, never reaching his home, yet hardly aging at all, until he meets Helen Haras-Uquara, from the barbaric world of Uquar. She has a gift - she can change her right arm into anything at all (for instance, an elephant trunk or a snake). Helen has only recently become a Homeward Bounder, because she, like Jamie, has seen Them playing Their game with the worlds. Although she has no experience with anything much, having been shut in a temple for most of her life, she proves to be a resourceful and intelligent person; her knowledge of Them, which mainly comes from the teachings of Uquar, her god, turns out to be very useful. Helen and Jamie travel together until they meet Joris, another new Homeward Bounder, who was a slave and apprentice demon hunter from another world, separated from his master by a demon that showed him Them. The three travel together until they come to a world in which they meet Adam and Vanessa. This world is like our current world, and is also strongly reminiscent of Jamie's home world. He is sure that if they could just travel on one or two worlds more he would reach his Home. The Homeward Bounders convince Adam and Vanessa that They exist, when Konstam, Joris' demon-hunting-master arrives, and joins their party. Konstam is eager to fight this new kind of demon, if only because of the challenge that They present, and the six invade Their strange place and try to defeat Them. The attack goes awry, however, and all six of them are made into Homeward Bounders. This fills the Bounder circuits to their maximum capacity; in effect, this means that They cannot create any more Homeward Bounders. Even They must play by Their own rules. Jamie awakens, alone, and realizes that Adam and Vanessa's world is his Home, only 100 years too late – he recognizes a photo of Adam and Vanessa's grandmother when she was young; it was his little sister, grown up. He realizes that although he did not age during his time on the Bounder circuits, time was still passing on his Home world, and his family and his Home world have gone forever. They are cheating; his world is gone. He has no home to go to. His hope of ever returning home crushed, he returns to the mysterious entity chained to a rock, and inadvertently frees him, as only one without hope can free him. With his help, Jamie rallies all the Homeward Bounders, and they make a frontal assault on the main base of Them, and destroy many of Them and also Their special place, known as "The Real Place". Everyone is returned to their respective home worlds, except for Jamie. Since his home is gone, he chooses to continue to wander through the worlds, so as to keep The Real Place in all the worlds, not just in one place, as They did. So, in the end, Jamie stops Them from returning for at least a few centuries, by giving up any hope of a normal life and having to endure watching his friends die while he stays young. ===== Harishkumar Satishkumar Patel (Sunil Malhotra) is a geeky student from a small village in Gujarat, India who is attending the University of Houston, while living with his uncle (his father's best friend). His uncle, Dr. Bakshi, has an American- born son who is Hari's age, Mohan Bakshi (Kal Penn). Mohan, known as Mo, is a very popular Indian student at UH. He shows Hari around the college but then stays away from him because of Hari's nerdy ways. Hari, meanwhile, is overly excited because of an astrological prediction that was made by a holy man. The famous astrologer told Hari that he'll meet his Sapno Ki Raani (the girl of his dreams) in America and her name will begin with alphabet "P". Hari then meets Priya (Tina Cherian), a Malayali studying fashion, and falls in love with her. In the meanwhile, Mo falls in love with Janvi Valia (Serena Varghese), a Punjabi girl, but things don't go as planned when Mo invites Janvi to a party. In the film's conclusion, Mo learns important things about his culture, and Hari overcomes his challenges. This film is primarily a comedic portrayal of young Indian Americans going through life. ===== Anjali (Rimi Sen) arrives in Mumbai looking for a job. She finds cheap lodging by feigning marriage to a stranger, Nandu,(Aftab Shivdasani) an aspiring musician. Jeetu (Akshaye Khanna) has just started his own electronics business. His friend Anil (Sanjay Narvekar) pretends to be Radheshyam Tiwari's son and conspires with Tiwari's servant Pandu to trick Kachara Seth (Shakti Kapoor) into a quick engagement with his daughter Madhuri(Jyoti Joshi) At the same time, millionaire businessman Radheshyam Tiwari (Paresh Rawal), who lives in a village with his wife Anjali Tiwari (Shoma Anand) moves to the city. With news of Tiwari's arrival, Pandu asks Anil to abscond. Anjali goes to Tiwari's villa hoping for a job. At this point, Jeetu shows up at the villa to fix a stereo he sold to Tiwari. Seeing Anjali at the door, he mistakes her for Tiwari's daughter. Unable to land a job at the Tiwari's, Anjali later bumps into Jeetu when she responds to a vacancy at his store. Already trying to woo Anjali for assuming her to be Tiwari's daughter, Jeetu hires her readily. Afraid of losing the job, Anjali continues the pretense. Every day after work, Jeetu drops Anjali off at the Tiwari villa believing she lives there with Anjali exiting the villa after Jeetu leaves. With Jeetu often showing up at Tiwari's villa asking for Anjali and Mrs. Tiwari spotting the real Anjali frequently outside the villa, the Tiwaris become convinced that each is having an affair with the younger counterparts. Nandu has begun to fall in love with room-mate Anjali. Also, Nandu's landlord's wife has fallen for him, and is after him about eloping with her. In a misunderstanding over the phone, Jeetu assumes Anjali loves him. Meanwhile, her village landlord's son Raja (Rajpal Yadav) arrives the but Nandu scares Raja away. Raja hides in the same lodge as Anil. Agitated by Anil absconding, Kachara Seth visits Tiwari for his daughter's wedding to Anil. All the major characters start chasing after each other and end up in a warehouse, where a big melee follows. Ending the Hungama, Jeetu and Nandu confront Anjali and profess their love for her, forcing her to choose between them. The film ends with Anjali choosing Nandu and Jeetu wishing them the best. ===== In the original Friday the 13th (1980), Mrs. Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer) stalks and murders the teenagers preparing Camp Crystal Lake for re‑opening. She is determined to ensure the camp does not reopen, after her son Jason (Ari Lehman) drowned in the lake, due to the negligence of two staff members. The last counselor, Alice Hardy (Adrienne King), fends off Mrs. Voorhees long enough to grab a machete and decapitate her. In Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), Jason (Steve Daskewisz/Warrington Gillette) is revealed to be alive and fully grown. After killing Alice Hardy, Jason returns to Crystal Lake to guard it from all intruders. Five years later, a group of teenagers arrive at Crystal Lake to set up a new camp, but Jason murders them. Ginny Field (Amy Steel), the last counselor Jason attempts to kill, finds a cabin in the woods with a shrine built around the severed head of Mrs. Voorhees. Ginny fights back and slams a machete through Jason's shoulder. Jason is left for dead as Ginny is taken away in an ambulance. During the events of Friday the 13th Part III (1982), Jason (Richard Brooker) removes the machete from his shoulder and finds his way to Chris Higgins' (Dana Kimmell) local homestead. Chris returns to her property with some friends, and Jason kills anyone who wanders into the barn where he is hiding. Taking a hockey mask from a victim to hide his face, Jason leaves the barn to kill the rest of the group. Chris seemingly kills Jason with an axe to his head, but the night's events drive her into hysteria as the police take her away. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) continues where Part III leaves off, with Jason (Ted White) found by the police and taken to the local morgue after removing the axe. Upon arrival, Jason awakens to kill the coroner and a nurse before returning to Crystal Lake. A group of friends rent a house on Crystal Lake and fall victim to Jason's rampage. After killing the teens, Jason seeks out Trish (Kimberly Beck) and Tommy Jarvis (Corey Feldman), who live next door. While distracted by Trish, Jason is attacked and ultimately killed by Tommy. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) follows Tommy Jarvis (John Shepherd), who was committed to a mental health institution after the events of The Final Chapter and grew up constantly afraid that Jason (Tom Morga) would return. Roy Burns (Dick Wieand) uses Jason's persona to become a copycat killer at the halfway home to which Tommy has moved. Tommy, supervisor Pam (Melanie Kinnaman), and a young boy named Reggie (Shavar Ross) manage to defeat Roy. They eventually learn that Roy had a son who was murdered by one of the patients at the institution, triggering Roy to take on Jason's likeness and kill everyone there. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) begins with Tommy (Thom Mathews) visiting Jason's grave after being released from another mental institution. Tommy inadvertently resurrects Jason (C. J. Graham) with a piece of the fence surrounding the cemetery acting as a lightning rod. Jason immediately heads back to Crystal Lake and kills the people working at the new summer camp. Tommy eventually chains Jason to a boulder that he tosses into the lake, where he leaves Jason who is revealed to be alive. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) begins an indeterminate length of time after Jason Lives. Jason (Kane Hodder) is resurrected again by the telekinetic Tina Shepard (Lar Park Lincoln), who is trying to resurrect her father whom Tina caused to drown in the lake when she was a child. Jason once again kills those who occupy Crystal Lake and is returned to the bottom of the lake after a battle with Tina. Jason is resurrected again in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) by an underwater electrical cable. He follows a group of students on their senior class cruise to Manhattan, where he kills the ship's crew and the majority of the students. Upon reaching Manhattan, Jason chases Rennie (Jensen Daggett) and Sean (Scott Reeves), the two remaining students, into the sewers. Jason eventually melts away because the sewer is flooded with toxic waste. In Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), Jason, through an unexplained resurrection, is hunted by the FBI at Crystal Lake. The FBI sets up a sting that successfully kills Jason. Through possession, Jason manages to survive by passing his black heart from one being to the next. It is revealed that he has a sister and a niece, and that he needs them to get his body back. Jason resurrects himself, but his niece, Jessica Kimble (Kari Keegan), stabs him with a mystical dagger and he is dragged into Hell. Jason X (2001) takes place in the future, when Jason has again been inexplicably resurrected. A scientist, Rowan LaFontaine (Lexa Doig), decides that cryonic suspension is the only method of stopping him, but Jason breaks free and kills the army personnel guarding him before he can be again imprisoned. Rowan manages to lure Jason into the cryo‑chamber, but he ruptures the tank and freezes both himself and Rowan. Over 400 years later, a team of students studying Earth discover Jason's body and take it into space. Upon being thawed by the team, he proceeds to murder everyone aboard the spacecraft. He is seemingly killed, but is then resurrected via nanotechnology as a cyborg version of himself. Finally, he is ejected into space and incinerated by Earth Two's atmosphere, his mask falling to the bottom of a lake. The next Friday the 13th film, Freddy vs. Jason (2003), was a crossover with A Nightmare on Elm Street. Set in the contemporary period, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) resurrects Jason (Ken Kirzinger) and sends him to Springwood hoping that he will create enough fear among the residents that Freddy will be strong enough to invade their dreams. Jason accomplishes this but refuses to stop killing. A battle ensues both in the dream-world and at Crystal Lake. The outcome is left ambiguous, as Jason surfaces from the lake holding Freddy's severed head, which winks and laughs. In 2009, a new Friday the 13th film which restarted the film series continuity was released. In this film, after witnessing his mother being beheaded at a young age, an adult Jason (Derek Mears) follows in her footsteps and kills anyone who comes to Crystal Lake. Jason subsequently kidnaps a young woman, Whitney Miller (Amanda Righetti), who resembles his mother at a young age. Six weeks after her disappearance, her brother, Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki), comes to look for her. The pair reunite and work together to seemingly kill Jason. ===== In ancient India, the lives of many people are plagued by drought, famine, constant warfare and injustices in the caste system. The intertwining lives of many unhappy souls are drawn together by the birth of the young prince Siddhartha, who embarks on a spiritual journey, and becomes Gautama Buddha, "the Enlightened One", and attempts to bring about a spiritual rebirth of the people in this desperate age. ===== ===== Stewart McBain is a successful self-made demolitions expert who blows up buildings for a living. In the midst of one such project, a group of protesters stops the last building on a lot, the Dutch House, from being demolished. When McBain appears on TV to dismiss the protests, he is made to look foolish. Returning home, his three college-aged children–Daphne, Chloe, and Jimmy–ridicule him for his television appearance. Feeling his children are spoiled, McBain kicks them out of the house. Giving them each $750, he drops them off at the Dutch House, which is dilapidated and on the verge of collapse. In order to finance their new lives, the children take on housemates. These include a fashion designer named Lionel; a homeless magician, Shitty; a stockbroker, Tom; and Sheryl, an amateur occultist. Chloe is commissioned to finish a calendar for an insurance company. Lionel has to complete his designs for a fashion show. Chloe uses her roommates in the calendar and Lionel ends up using some of them to model for his show. A stockmarket crash brings McBain to ruin. He desperately attempts to stave off a hostile takeover of his demolition company and fails. He loses his home and becomes destitute. Ultimately, his children take him in and he starts to see the world in a new light. ===== In the magical dimension of Coventry, the royal witch Miranda gives birth to identical twin daughters on Halloween night. The sisters are named Apolla and Artemis after the Olympian twins, the gods of the sun and moon, respectively; in accordance with their namesakes, Apolla wears an amulet in the shape of the sun and Artemis wears an amulet in the shape of the moon. Their father Aron DuBaer, a powerful warlock, transfers the entirety of his magical powers to protect them from an evil entity known as the Darkness and is killed in the process. Karsh and Ileana WarBurton, a magical couple and friends of the family, assume the task of protecting the twins and flee to a non-magical dimension known as Earth to give them up for adoption. Apolla is adopted by a wealthy couple who name her Camryn Elizabeth Barnes, while Artemis is adopted by a single mother and is named Alexandra "Alex" Nicole Fielding. Alex grows up to be a night owl and stays up until the moon sets, writing about the chronicles of magical twin sisters, unaware that her stories are true. She shares a single bedroom with her close friend Lucinda, after her mother passes away a few months prior to her 21st birthday. Meanwhile, Camryn is a passionate artist and a lark, who wakes up at sunrise to sketch realistic pictures; unbeknownst to her, the images she creates are of Miranda and her homeland Coventry. She is spoiled and outgoing, unlike her quiet and reclusive sister; however, the duo share the traits of kindness and intelligence. On the twins' 21st birthday, Camryn and her best friend Beth decide to shop, while Alex tries to look for a job. After Karsh and Ileana manipulate Alex into entering the store where Camryn is trying on clothes, the sisters encounter each other for the first time since their infancy. Although Camryn is overjoyed to discover Alex, the latter flees the store, prompting the former to grasp her hand, causing a burst of energy. As their magic is released, they discover that they share a sisterly bond and attempt to understand each other. Karsh and Ileana reveal themselves to the twins and inform them about their magical background, after which Alex realizes that her stories about Coventry are true. According to an old prophecy, the sisters are the only ones capable of vanquishing the Darkness and restoring Coventry. As she has the gift of knowledge, Alex refuses to help fulfill the prophecy because her stories end with death. Camryn manages to convince Alex to stay, assuring her that they are unstoppable together, and the two practice their magical powers as they bond. They dub themselves Twitches, a portmanteau of the words "twin" and "witches." In the meantime, Miranda senses that her daughters are alive and informs their uncle Thantos, whom she married after Aron's death. The Darkness arrives at Alex's apartment, but the sisters manage to transport themselves to Coventry, and the experience overwhelms Camryn. Despite her sister's pleas, she decides that she does not want to venture further into their destiny. She leaves to participate in her costume birthday party on Earth. Alex, determined to help Coventry without her sister, reunites with Miranda and meets Thantos, who informs her that if Camryn is alone, she is powerless against the Darkness. At her party, due to the gift of sight, Camryn realizes that Thantos is responsible for the Darkness, and she escapes to Coventry after Karsh and Ileana sacrifice themselves to help her. As she reveals her uncle's crimes to Miranda and Alex, Thantos arrives and admits to killing his brother Aron in an attempt to acquire wealth and power. The twins combine their magic of light and love to vanquish him and restore Coventry, simultaneously reviving Karsh and Ileana. They then celebrate their birthday on Earth, alongside Miranda and Camryn's adoptive parents, David and Emily. ===== The story starts with a peaceful Soddit called Bingo who is visited by a wizard, Gandef, and a party of dwarfs led by Thorri and Mori who ask Bingo to come with them on a quest to 'The Only Mountain' where 'Smug the Dragon' lives. After a few drinks, Bingo accepts, not knowing what they were actually searching for. "Gold, boyo gold, la, look you." On the way, they have many adventures and close shaves, including their ponies drowning in the river and losing all luggage but one helmet. Roberts says he wanted the company fighting through the Piccadilly flea circus and fighting the Daleks from Doctor Who, but he says it was cut for time. They have a nasty run in with some trollops, who plan to eat them, successfully squash four dwarfs but they annoy the wizard Gandef, who temporarily turns them to mounds of sand as opposed to real stone. While at the tree village of Riverdale, Ellesquare and the other Tree Elves of the high council ridicule the dwarfs for their loss of their four comrades and call it "carelessness." The company entered the mountains after Gandef struggled to open the door until he coughed, which was apparently the password. In the mountains, they encounter Gobblins, which are evil turkeys, who take them to their town, but the dwarves all fight out, Gandef repeatedly decapitates countless Gobblins while in combat, a fifth dwarf dies in friendly fire from Gandef and Bingo gets lost by falling down the abyss. He falls into a cavern where he meets a morose philosopher named Sollum. He challenges him to a game of riddles; with the cannibalistic philosopher seeing Bingo's presence as the only delightful moment in his life. Bingo wins the riddles, and asks what he wins, but then remembers he found a Thing® that was created by evil dark lord Sharon and is Sollum's. So the philosopher tries to eat him but he escapes due to the Thing®'s super-speed. After reuniting with the party, the dwarfs are chased by non-sentient wolves, hide in a tree until the pack gives up, where a sixth Dwarf dies. Following the minimal casualties from the wolves, the company simply climb down the tree and walk away. Gandef plans to take them to a mill, which is "famous" but it has been burned when they get there. Then they go to see a fearsome maniac, Biorn the bear-man, who is reputed to change from man to bear at night, but later during the visit they find he is just a totally crazy, naked man who thinks he can transform. They shut him outside his house to calm him down and then they move on leaving him to mumble. The next bit is the "enchanted" forest of Myurkywood, which has been under an illusion spell for some time. As in the original, the streams are magic, and turn to rapids quick. They meet highly bitter, political spiders in the forest who want to lay eggs in their beards, but Bingo realizes the Thing® can get them out of their peril, which it does. It works by reversed spells but a seventh Dwarf dies from using it to heal his ankles. Then, they find a brewery, where the men are morbidly obese Dwarfs and drunk and want to drown them because they can't sing. After unintentionally using the Thing® to obtain drunken immunity, Bingo gets them out. They get to Lakeside, where they go off to the Only Mountain, where Bingo asks if the dwarves are going to finally tell him why he's there. Upon hearing that he has to go down a chimney, Bingo is accidentally thrown down said chimney when Mori promises to tell him the truth, and meets the dragon Smug, who is actually very friendly and even offers him tea. Smug says he hasn't made any enemies and doesn't know of anyone who would kill him. He is worried he has driven away the Lakesiders' business so he says he'll fly over to talk. But the dwarves are angry and tell Bingo that Gandef was a dwarf, he has changed into a wizard, and he'll now change into a dragon because that's nature and that's where dragons come from. Smug is shot dead at Lakeside by Lard the Bowman, and twenty thousand gobblins led by the Great Gobblin attack, but the six remaining dwarves led by Mori, five hundred men led by Lard, five hundred elves led by Ellesquare, and Bingo, led by himself, fight them. At the end, most of the men and elves are massacred, three more Dwarfs die, Mori is severely injured and the gobblins swarm round them demanding the Thing®, but Bingo tricks them by giving them the Barking Stone, which they believe is the Thing® and whispers in it "war", which causes Gandef's dragon breath to erupt from the Only Mountain's chimney and kill all the gobblins, which encircles the remaining soldiers of the other four armies. After the Battle of the Five Armies has ended, Mori dies in Bingo's arms, which finishes off in a style of a Looney Tunes ending and thus only two Dwarfs of the company have survived the quest. Gandef is confirmed and revealed to be a dragon, who can't remember that he wiped out the gobblin army and saved the survivors single-handedly, before flying Bingo home. ===== Yusuke Iseya portrays Shinomori in the live-action film adaptations. While working with Kanryū as "muscle" in his opium manufacturing operation, Aoshi came face to face with Kenshin, who was trying to rescue Takani Megumi. During the confrontation with Kenshin, Aoshi revealed that he aims to kill Kenshin, who was formerly known as the famed Hitokiri Battōsai. After an intense fight, their battle ends with Aoshi's defeat when Aoshi is struck a second time to the throat by his own Kodachi after Kenshin narrowly escapes death by having his scabbard reduce the damage brought on by Aoshi's Kaiten Kenbu. Kanryū betrays Aoshi and kills his four subordinates with a Gatling gun while they die one after the other protecting Aoshi, and when Kenshin had gripped his sword Kanryu ran out of bullets (in the anime, Beshimi threw a dart into the ammo belt, which jammed, allowing Kenshin to get in close) and was soon struck by Kenshin's sakabato and arrested. After the deaths of his friends and team-mates, Aoshi became even more determined to defeat Kenshin, obsessed even, stating that it is the only thing he can do for his fallen comrades now, to obtain the title of the strongest and bring it before their graves as flower. Determined to achieve his goal, Aoshi follows him to Kyoto after training intensely for a few months and narrowly missing him when Kenshin heads to Kyoto with Saito and Misao, and joins Shishio Makoto (despite initially rejecting the offer) in hopes of fighting Kenshin. He lets no one stand in his way, going as far as fighting and severely injuring Okina (Kenshin however later remarks that Aoshi subconsciously held back against his former comrade) to try to learn of Kenshin's whereabouts (but fails to get the location). Aoshi joins forces with Shishio Makoto and plans to kill Kenshin and then commit suicide. Towards the end of the Kyoto Arc, the much- anticipated battle arrives and Kenshin fights Aoshi. Kenshin saves Aoshi from his own madness, as he realizes that death is not the answer to his situation. To put an end to the feud and see who is truly the strongest, both decide to use their strongest attacks resulting in Kenshin's victory. Even though Kenshin's ougi, Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki, activated after Aoshi's Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren (which was already cutting his neck), the sheer speed of the attack allowed it to strike first and incapacitate Aoshi. He later appears to fight against Shishio, though still weakened from Kenshin's Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki, yet he still managed to buy time for Kenshin, who had been knocked unconscious by Shishio, to get back on his feet. Aoshi spends his time meditating in a temple, needing time to sort through what he has done and been through. Before Kenshin leaves Kyoto, he asks if Aoshi would like to share a drink (of sake) with him; Aoshi refuses the offer (saying that he does not drink), but goes on to say he would be willing to have tea with him when they meet again. In the Jinchū Arc, Aoshi returns to Tokyo with Misao in order to deliver the diary of Yukishiro Tomoe to Kamiya Kaoru. They arrived to discover that Kaoru is "dead," though Aoshi soon solves the mystery and reveals that the body buried of Kaoru was actually a doll, created by a man named Gein. Subsequently, he defeats Gein in the graveyard after the latter returns to try to retrieve his creation which he considers his masterpiece, and allows him to burn in the flames who he himself started after telling him that Aoshi burned the doll as a sign of pity. Joining Kenshin and his friends as they travel to Yukishiro Enishi's island to rescue Kaoru, he defeats Suzaku, a master mimic who is one of the four Sushin bodyguards of Enishi's second in command before leaving Kenshin to fight Enishi. Following the battle, he and Misao return with the group to Tokyo, only for Aoshi to announce that they will return to Kyoto very soon because the high mountains where he will buried the remains of his four comrades will hit winter before the plains do, and they will have to give them a finer resting place. Before leaving, he honors Kenshin's request in Kyoto by having a cup of tea with him. ===== Treasures of the Savage Frontier title screen A few weeks after the events of Gateway to the Savage Frontier, the mage Amelior Aminitas magically summons the party (by now called the "Heroes of Ascore") to eliminate the (apparently) last remaining troops of the Zhentarim from the dwarven city of Llorkh. Afterwards, the party is given a seemingly simple mission – to protect ambassadors of the "Lord's Alliance", which holds together the different cities of the frontier. However, the ambassadors are kidnapped, the Zhentarim and its allies (the Kraken Society and the Hosttower of the Arcane) plot to break up the alliance to conquer the region, and the party is framed as traitors. Much of the game is devoted to having the players attempt to clear their names (usually done by completing a mission in each town of the Lord's Alliance) and alert the alliance's leaders of the plot. The final mission (which does not necessarily fit in the overall plotline) involves retrieving a treasure held by a dragon. To uncover the plot, the player has to collect two different sets of items: * Three different colors of crystals held by one of the three enemy groups (the Zhentarim, the Kraken, and the Hosttower). This can only be done by, in melee battles, carefully selecting and attacking different enemies in the right order. * "Lucky papers" from each city in the game. Nominally good luck charms, when combined with the crystals, these papers spell out the entire enemy plot. ===== Hensel was one of over 2500 executions that took place at Plotzensee Prison. Hensel was arrested on February 6, 1941, and remained in custody at Plotzensee for over fourteen months. He was executed on June 5, 1942, at Plotzensee Prison in Berlin after being tried and convicted by the Volksgerichtshof. Hensel was executed by either hanging or beheading on June 5, 1942. The cottage where the executions took place is still standing. Plotzensee is still operating in Germany. After World War II, the prison was used to house juvenile delinquents until 1987 when the juveniles were housed in a newly built facility nearby. After the juveniles were moved, the prison has been used as a men’s prison which still remains in operation. ===== The player controls a character named Quiffy who is the last of his race of small green creatures. He lives underground in a series of sewers and tunnels. His mission is to reach the surface by navigating all the sewers, whilst they are slowly flooding. Quiffy can walk on walls and ceilings. ===== In a series of vignettes, The Stone Angel tells the story of Hagar Shipley, a 90-year-old woman struggling to come to grips with a life of intransigence and loss. The themes of pride and the prejudice that comes from social class recur in the novel. As a young girl she refuses to rock her dying brother in the garments of their mother. As a young woman she marries Brampton Shipley against her father's wishes, severing the family ties. She shows favouritism towards her younger son, John. After Hagar separates from her husband, Hagar takes John with her. However, he ultimately returns to his father. When John dies, Hagar does not cry, and at that point, she turns into a "Stone Angel". Later in life, her elder son Marvin is shown to have been the good and loyal son all along, despite the lack of his mother's favour, It is he at the age of 64 along with his wife Doris who takes care of her. As a 90-year-old woman, Hagar goes on an unexpected adventure into the woods alone. Given her age, there is an overtone that this event will be the last chapter of her life. In the woods, she meets another wanderer. The two have a bonding conversation, where Hagar finally opens up. A lifetime of buried emotion comes out, and she finally cries. The next day the police and Marvin come to rescue Hagar from the woods. In an act of love and repentance, she confesses to Marvin that he was the better son. It is unclear whether she dies at the end of the novel. ===== Jack Simpson is a wisecracking, directionless layabout who works at an inner city telemarketing firm. For years he has been a member at the Cityside Lawn Bowls Club (in fact he has three memberships). But he has never played a single game, having only joined to get the free parking spaces from which he makes extra cash by renting them to his workmates. But Cityside is in dire financial trouble and a greedy developer, Bernie Fowler, wants to turn it into a soulless pokies venue. The Club President, Len, decides that all existing members must now play and Jack reluctantly has to turn up on Saturdays to take part in the bowling matches. Jack proves to be a natural player but he soon annoys and upsets the older club members with his brashness and lack of tact. Veteran player Stan, sensing that Jack only needs some guidance, both in the game and in life, takes him under his wing, trying to teach him to think of other people apart from himself. After losing his job and his girlfriend, the Bowls Club suddenly becomes all Jack has in his life and, despite himself, he grows fond of the older members. His flatmate, Dave, joins the club and he starts a relationship with Nancy, a journalist. Bernie, determined to take over the club, investigates Jack and exposes his illegal car park hiring scam, which almost gets him expelled. Cityside enters a major tournament at Bernie's glitzy club, the prize money from which will save their independence. Jack's selfish showboating almost costs them the first round but Stan and the others make Jack finally realise he is part of a team. Police arrive to arrest Len as (in a tip-off from Bernie) they discovered marijuana stored at the club. The greenkeeper has been secretly growing it but Jack is blamed by the other members. Dave and two of the ladies, Gwen and Eileen, approach the State Governor and convince her to overturn a lifetime ban on Cliff Carew, the club's best player, and the latter takes Len's place. Cityside fights their way into the lead and Stan throws the winning shot but he suffers a severe heart attack as he does so and Bernie lodges a protest, meaning the shot is disallowed. Jack insists that the rules allow the team a re-shot and he takes his special shot, the 'Flipper', which wins the tournament. To rub salt into the wounds, Nancy proves that whilst spying on the club, Bernie violated a restraining order banning him from the club, an illegal act which disqualifies Bernie from holding a gaming license. Cityside is saved and can continue in its old form. Stan passes away and the club names the green in his honour. The pot growing greenkeeper is sacked and Jack takes over his job and he and Nancy begin a new life with their friends at the club. The film's end credits feature a postscript with still images and a narration by Jack describing the later exploits of all the characters. ===== Fourteen-year-old Eréndira is living, basically as a slave, with her grandmother when she accidentally sets fire to their mansion. The grandmother forces Eréndira to repay the debt by becoming a prostitute as they travel the road as vagrants. Men line up to enjoy Eréndira's services and eventually, after several years, Ulises, one of her clients, falls in love with her. She returns his affection and he eventually becomes willing to help her to freedom; he formulates a plan to escape with her and live off a fortune from oranges which contain diamonds smuggled by his Dutch father. The only obstacle lies in her grandmother, whom Eréndira convinces Ulises to kill. Not being the homicidal type, he attempts poisoning and an explosive, but must eventually resort to stabbing her while she sleeps. After he regains his composure following the murder, Eréndira runs off into the night alone with her grandmother's gold, leaving him in the tent with the grandmother. Eréndira and her grandmother make an appearance in One Hundred Years of Solitude, another book by García Márquez when the character Aureliano meets Eréndira in a brothel and promises to marry her only to find her and her grandmother vanished the next morning. Also included in this story are characters from other Márquez works, such as the spider with the woman's head from "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" and Blacamán the Good from the story "Blacamán the Good: Vendor of Miracles". ===== Michael Havelock (an anglicized version of Michal Havlíček) is an intelligence officer working for the US State Departments black operation division "Consular Ops". At the beginning of the novel he believes he has just witnessed the execution of his partner and the love of his life, Jenna Karas (anglicized version of Jana Karasova), along an isolated stretch of the Costa Brava. Jenna had been marked for execution because she was proved to be a KGB double agent. He immediately leaves the intelligence world, something he had been considering doing for some time and goes sightseeing in areas he had previously visited. In Athens, Pyotr Rostov, a senior director of the KGB forces a meeting with Havelock. Rostov denies that Karas is an agent of theirs. Later, in Rome, Havelock sees Jenna alive at a train station. She flees him, frightened, and he pursues her. He makes contact with a former source at the US Consulate called Colonel Baylor, and begins his search for Jenna throughout several countries. Meanwhile, strategists for Consular Operations in the US government decide that he is a paranoid schizophrenic and must be terminated, lest he compromise entire networks across Europe. All the evidence available to them indicates that Karas was a double agent, and was successfully terminated on the Costa Brava. So one of them, "Red" Ogivile sets up an ambush on the Palatine Hill in Rome with the intention of taking Michael in. However, the two mercenaries he hired are taken out by Michael, the gas grenade he uses only affects him when Michael lashes out, and after being convinced of Havelock's innocence, he ends up taking an accidental bullet from Colonel Baylor who was sent to kill Havelock. Back in the United States, however, the US government has a problem of its own: Anton Matthias, Secretary of State, acknowledged by the entire world as a genius and trusted with powers far beyond those his office allow him, has gone completely insane. Before anybody realized that he was insane, he negotiated treaties with parties he believed to be representing the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the People's Republic of China, each agreeing to a nuclear strike against the third party, but in fact with a man who identified himself as Parsifal. Parsifal demands a huge ransom to keep the documents from being released, thereby triggering a nuclear war. Once the ransom is paid, however, he does not touch it, having confirmed how desperate Washington is. Havelock, who as a child had been one of the few survivors of the massacre at Lidice, has a special bond with Matthias, a fellow Czech who had advised him in graduate school. Somehow Matthias's insanity is linked to the order to terminate Jenna Karas. For her part, Karas has been told that Michael is a Russian spy and that he is trying to kill her. Consequently, she is not especially eager to meet him. When Michael finally traces Jenna to an isolated farm in Pennsylvania, they realize that they were both deceived and that each had been told that the other was an enemy. They then work together with the President of the United States, Charles Berquist, and several trusted advisors to find Parsifal and stop him. They are opposed by Arthur Pierce, a brilliant and murderous Soviet mole highly placed in the State Department. Pierce has ordered the murders of the strategists of Consular Operations ( two of them are crushed by a bulldozer in their car and driven off a cliff and another is shot), and then a string of successive killings - all in his own quest to gain evidence of Matthias's insanity. Pierce is working not for the regular KGB, but the VKR (Voennaya Kontra Razvedka), a fanatical branch of Russian intelligence identified as an offshoot of the OGPU. He is also, for that matter, a paminyatchik - an agent under deep cover, who has lived in the United States since infancy. For much of the novel, Pierce's true loyalties lie undiscovered. One of Havelock's allies, Undersecretary of State Emory Bradford, realizes that Pierce works for the VKR, but he is murdered by the ever-alert Pierce before he can warn anyone else. Pierce also solicits the murder of Rostov, who loathes the VKR and has tried to help Havelock. When Michael finally finds Parsifal, a friend of Anton and a Paminyatchik who is less fanatical than Arthur Pierce, he finds out that the documents were not produced to provoke nuclear war, but rather to demonstrate that no one man could be trusted with vast amounts of power. Pierce, however, has had his operatives murder Michael's bodyguards and breaks into Parsifal's house just as he agrees to burn the documents. However hearing that Rostov has been murdered, Parsifal decides to sacrifice himself by using his body to block Pierce's gun allowing Michael and Jenna time to get out. Michael and Jenna then kill Pierce's operatives by stabbing them and Michael then flanks Pierce and guns him down. They conclude that the documentary evidence of Matthias's insanity is best destroyed. Havelock tells Berquist of this; he is informed, in turn, that Matthias has just died. Finally safe, he and Jenna move to New England, where Havelock accepts an academic position. ===== Lise, a mentally unbalanced middle-aged woman, travels from her home in London to Rome, Italy where she embarks on a fatal destiny that she had helped to arrange for herself – a premeditated search for someone, anyone, with whom she could form a dangerous liaison. Lise meets a variety of people during her journey and stay in Rome whom include Bill, a lecherous British businessman that she meets on the plane to Rome who tries to seduce her; Carlo, a young man whom Lise tries to know more about; an elderly Englishwoman named Mrs. Fiedke whom Lise bonds with to go shopping; and Pierre, a Frenchman who picks up Lise hoping to seduce her as well. The film is told in a non-linear narrative as throughout the film are scenes of the local Rome police interviewing all the people that Lise interacted with as well as investigating the reasons for her strange behavior that led up to her own murder. ===== The game follows the story of a man named Jack Carver (voiced by Stephen Dorff). Carver is a former officer in the United States Navy, who was dishonorably discharged following a number of illegal actions. Afterwards, he sets up a shop in Manhattan and began supplying illegal arms to anyone and everyone, until a gang performed a hit using weapons supplied by Jack against a Mafia heir. Consequently, a price was put on his head by the Mob and he was forced to flee the United States and settle in Micronesia. Carver purchased a used boat from a government auction and spent his time ferrying tourists and diving clubs around the area. Eventually, a woman named Valerie Cortez shows up, offering a large sum if Jack would take her to a remote archipelago known as "Jacutan". Carver accepts, albeit with caution. Upon arriving at Jacutan, Cortez borrows a jet-ski from Jack and heads off on her own. Unworried, Jack decides to nap until she returns. When he awakes, Carver is startled to find UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters flying around his boat. They open fire on him, destroying his boat and force him to take cover inside a nearby wrecked Japanese aircraft carrier. At this point, the player assumes control. After a brief introduction level, the player acquires a headset and is directed by a mysterious voice who calls himself "Doyle". As it turns out, Cortez is part of the CIA and came to rescue Doyle. Doyle had been on a mission to expose the works of a mad scientist named Dr. Krieger. Krieger, along with his right-hand man, an ex-Apartheid officer named Colonel Richard Crowe, were attempting to develop a serum that would enhance the physical abilities of man and "unlock" hidden animal traits. Doyle convinces Carver to find and rescue Cortez, who has been captured by Crowe and his mercenaries. While covering Cortez, Carver himself is captured by Crowe on the orders of Doctor Krieger, who notes Carver's resourcefulness and tenacity and decided he would make a good test subject. Carver is injected with the serum and is to be transported to an observation area when he recovers prematurely and escapes and discovers, to his shock, that he has new "feral abilities", such as increased speed, night vision and a violent melee attack. Along with the feral powers comes an implant designed to regulate the serum's effects and allows for specialized weapons to be used against Carver. Doyle commands Carver to find his way to Doyle's position, so that the implant can be removed. Along the way, Carver has to prevent a mercenary computer programmer from deciphering a pocket PC that belongs to Cortez, which would, in turn, blow Doyle's cover. Descending into an old World War II-era Japanese bunker to stop the decryption, Jack is cornered by the mercenaries as he attempts to escape. He retreats through an old underground mining complex and follows Doyle's instructions to the main research facility. Carver then makes his way to the facility, where he discovers the extent of Krieger's work and the mutant monsters he has created. While in the facility, Carver discovers Crowe is gathering the mutants for an unknown purpose and then later, he finally meets with Doyle, who frees Carver from the implant. Upon having the implant removed, Jack begins to exhibit uncontrolled evolution; in game terms, the adrenaline cost for his abilities decreases and he gains the ability to carry and wield mounted weapons like the .50 caliber machine gun. As Jack escapes the research facility, he discovers that Crowe has taken Doyle and the mutant serum and has unleashed the mutants in a plot to betray Krieger. Jack must fight through the middle of a war between Crowe's mercenaries, the feral mutants and an elite group of special forces under Krieger's personal command, under orders to "sanitize" Crowe's troops. Rescuing Doyle, Carver discovers that Crowe has injected himself with a quadruple dose of the serum Jack received and without an implant. Assuming control of the "Alpha" creatures, the most powerful and intelligent mutants with abilities similar to Jack's own, Crowe has gone straight to Kreiger's base of operations. Jack follows and fights his way to Dr. Krieger's mansion atop an active volcano, where he battles and defeats the physically deformed Crowe. Krieger, in a last-ditch effort to use the Alphas against Jack, realizes that they now view Jack as their leader due to his victory over Crowe. The mutants turn on Dr. Krieger and kill him, viewing him as a threat to Jack, and thus allow him to escape as the volcano erupts. Jack is able to retreat onto a Black Hawk piloted by Cortez and Doyle, who promise to pay for a new boat to replace his destroyed one; Doyle also promises that they "can do one better" and slides a metal case to Jack, who opens it and laughs cryptically at the unseen contents as the helicopter flies away. The game includes subtle thematic elements relating to the dangers of genetic engineering and the genocide of local islanders, as can be seen by the deformed creatures created by Krieger. Also, a mysterious backdrop relating to dinosaurs is revealed via in-game radios that will sometimes carry programs that discuss the history of dinosaurs and the possibility that some might still be alive. This is further developed by appearance of lizard-like animals (which resemble small dinosaurs) that reside in the jungles on the island. The terrain in Far Cry: Instincts varies greatly. Set on a South Pacific archipelago, the landscape includes tropical rainforests, dense jungles, towering canyons, mines, swamps, and even volcanic forests. ===== John "Johnny" Forbes (Dick Powell) is a middle-class husband and father who is tired of his boring routine, working for the Olympic Mutual Insurance Company in downtown Los Angeles. On a day when he is especially downhearted about his life, private investigator and former policeman J.B. "Mac" MacDonald (Raymond Burr) reports to him regarding an embezzler who had been bonded by Olympic Mutual. The man, Bill Smiley (Byron Barr), is serving time for the crime, and is eligible for parole in two months. Smiley had given several expensive gifts – including a speedboat named Tempest - to his girlfriend, Santa Monica model Mona Stevens (Lizabeth Scott). Mac admits he is attracted to Mona and, wanting to remain on the case, offers to go speak to her about retrieving the illicit gifts. Forbes tells the investigator his job is done and that he will go himself. At her apartment, the sultry blonde cooperates, especially after she learns that Smiley's parole may be sped up if she does, but needles Forbes about his job. He suggests they go for a drink. They go out on the speedboat, taking turns driving it; Forbes notices how much she loves the boat. After the drinks, Mona suggests dinner. The two begin a physical relationship. Mac, who is parked outside her apartment, sees Forbes leave much later that night. The next day, Mac is waiting for Forbes in his office. He says he has noticed the list of items reclaimed from Mona, but that the boat is not there; Forbes denies knowledge of it. Mac reveals he possesses the bill of sale. He reiterates how much he likes Mona and asks Forbes what it was he found to spend so much time talking with her about. Forbes is taken aback and decides to allow the boat to be re-possessed. When he tells Mona about this, that Mac knew he had let her keep it and could cause trouble, she reveals that Mac had been pounding on her door the previous night "until all hours". When Forbes arrives home, Mac is there and proceeds to beat him up, saying, "I told you I like that girl" and "Maybe this will keep you home where you belong for a few days". A happy Mona awakes the next morning and finds that Forbes has left his briefcase in her apartment. From her job at May Company department store she telephones his office and learns that he has called in sick. She borrows a co- worker's car, having decided to go to Forbes' home to visit him and take him some food; she gets his address from a card in the briefcase. She arrives at the moment when the doctor, Forbes' wife Sue (Jane Wyatt), and their son Tommy (Jimmy Hunt) are all outside. She overhears their conversation and realizes her lovers' marital status. When he recovers, Forbes meets Mona and she breaks off the affair, not wanting to destroy his family. Forbes rededicates himself to his wife, son and career, feeling a new contentment. Meanwhile, Mac continues to stalk Mona, both at her job and at home; she tells him bluntly that she does not like him, but he is not deterred. She contacts Forbes to tell him that when she threatened to call police, Mac in turn threatened to tell Sue about the affair. Forbes goes to Mac's apartment and repays him for the beating, promising to kill him if he ever talks about his family again. Mac visits Smiley in prison and drops broad hints that Mona has been fooling around with the insurance adjuster. Shortly, Mona learns that her cooperation had an effect and that Smiley is getting out of jail imminently. She visits him the day before and he angrily asks about both Mac and Forbes; he sees that she is not wearing the engagement ring he had given her with the stolen funds. Mona tells Forbes how Mac has been visiting Smiley and provoking him. At home, Sue, who has not believed the story that her husband told her about being beaten up by muggers, probes him to tell her what is on his mind. As he is about to do so, their son has a nightmare; the subject is dropped. When Smiley is freed, Mona finds him in her apartment drinking. He has a gun given to him by Mac, and wants to know from her why Mac wants him to kill Forbes. Mona admits the affair but begs him to understand it is over. He says he can forgive her, but not Forbes, and leaves. Mona telephones Forbes to warn him; Forbes tries to get Sue and Tommy to leave but fails. He tells Sue that a man from the office is coming to talk to him. He waits in the dark for Smiley, with his own gun; when the man arrives, Forbes manages to sneak up and order him to leave, but Smiley does not and breaks a window to enter the house. Forbes shoots him dead. Thinking that both his rivals are taken care of, Mac shows up at Mona's, fully expecting her to go away with him. She shoots him. Forbes allows the police to think that he has killed a prowler, and after they are gone, he finally confesses everything to Sue. Over her objections, and after walking the streets all night, he also tells all to the District Attorney (John Litel). The DA reluctantly pronounces that Johnny is safe because it was justifiable homicide; his story matches up with Mona's, who is now in custody. The charge against her will depend on whether Mac lives or dies. Outside, Sue is waiting for Forbes. She says she will give him a second chance, though she is not sure their marriage will ever be the same. ===== Cindy Liggett (Sharon Stone) is waiting on death row for a brutal double murder she committed in her teens, 12 years earlier. Clemency lawyer Rick Hayes (Rob Morrow) tries to save her, based on the argument that she was under the influence of crack cocaine when she committed the crime of which she was found guilty and that she is no longer the same person she had been at the time of the murder. However, her death sentence is carried out. ===== The story is about a 14-year-old girl named Holly Faye Lovell from a tiny, rural town called Biscay in the U.S. state of Mississippi. She gets accepted as a scholarship student into the exclusive Haverty School of Performing Arts, and the story revolves around Holly's life in Haverty, where she's the poorest student, and her relationship with her mother, Wanda. ===== Hiroshi (Tadanobu Asano) wakes up in a hospital room and realizes that he was in a serious car accident that caused the death of his girlfriend, Ryoko (Nami Tsukamoto), as well as the loss of his memory. While trying to regain his memory, one of the first clues that Hiroshi finds are his old medical textbooks that he studied prior to his accident. This gives him a renewed purpose in life and he delves forward into his medical school studies. One of his medical school classmates, Ikumi (Kiki), soon becomes infatuated with Hiroshi, although he does not return her interests initially. During a 4-month period, in which his class dissects human cadavers, Hiroshi realizes that the body that he is dissecting is the body of his former girlfriend, Ryoko, which causes more of Hiroshi's memory to return. During this time, Hiroshi engages in a relationship with his classmate Ikumi, that helps him recall further memories of his ex-girlfriend. Ikumi, meanwhile, feels jealous rage because of Hiroshi's devotion in dissecting the cadaver of Ryoko, while Hiroshi is consumed in the quest to understand who that person was that died in his car and ultimately find out who he really is. ===== Wayne Dobie (De Niro) is a shy Chicago Police Department crime scene photographer who has spent years on the job without ever drawing his gun; his colleagues jokingly call him "Mad Dog". Mad Dog saves the life of mob boss Frank Milo (Murray) during a hold-up in a convenience store. Milo offers Mad Dog a gift in return: for one week, he will have the "personal services" of Glory (Thurman), a young woman who works as a bartender at Milo's club. Mad Dog learns that Glory is trying to pay off a personal debt and wants nothing to do with Milo after the debt is paid off. After an awkward start, they fall in love. Mad Dog wants her to move into his apartment, but Milo has no intention of letting Glory go. Milo says that Mad Dog has to pay $40,000 to give Glory her freedom, and sends one of his thugs to enforce the threat. Mad Dog's partner, Mike (Caruso), saves Mad Dog from the thug. Mad Dog does his best to get the money but falls short by $12,500. Knowing that Mike can't protect him, he courageously stands up to Milo himself, and ends up brawling with Milo in the street. Humiliated, Milo makes peace with Mad Dog and lets Glory go with no strings attached. ===== Sathyanarayan Murthy (Chiranjeevi) is a rough but kind man who lives in Amalapuram with his niece Lavanya (Shriya Sharma), mother, sister (Sujitha), and brother-in-law (Sameer). Sathya and Lavanya share a special bond and are the best of friends. One day, Lavanya falls off a swing in a park and dies. Sathya later finds out that she has been shot by gun dealer Pasupathi (Arbaaz Khan), who lives in Los Angeles. He wants to go the US to avenge Lavanya's death but could not get a visa as he is uneducated. He meets and falls in love with Shailaja (Sameera Reddy) but marries Neelima (Bhumika Chawla) as she is a US Green card holder. He then goes to LA with Neelu and kills Pasupathi. ===== Graham Jones (John Inman) works as a personal secretary to female executive Joan Warner (Rula Lenska), within a London-based multinational corporation called 8-Star. Although he ably assists her in their busy office, Graham often helps Joan with her equally hectic domestic arrangements as she is a single mother to seven-year- old daughter, Lucy. Miriam Margolyes plays Joan's excitable Italian housekeeper, Maria. =====