MOON Director Duncan Jones and the voice of GERTY Kevin Spacey were re-united in late October 2009 to film television advertisements for the new Olympus EP-1, here are two adverts currently running, and check link after the vids for a cool making of feature from Olympus User Magazine

And HERE is the making of feature from Olympus User Magazine.

A just for the hell of it great recent interview with Director Duncan Jones to promote the UK DVD / Blu-Ray release of MOON.

Duncan covers how he got together with Sam Rockwell, how ambitious MOON was to make, the special effects used. Describes the idea behind the story of moon & details on the look of MOON and creating atmosphere that portrayed a day to day working environment for Sam Bell.

COMP CLOSED!

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Ryan Boulding (Blu-Ray) & Andrew Kelly (DVD)

Thank you all very much for entering our first little competition

WEHAY!!

The very generous peeps over at Sony Pictures Entertainment have provided two copies of Duncan Jones’ fantabulous, award winning, debut feature ‘MOON‘ starring the incredible, Academy Award worthy, Sam Rockwell, for two lucky ManMadeMovies readers.

As you will know if you follow the site, or from our handy review roundup, this is THE film to see, and will finally be available to love & cherish in your own home (UK) this coming Monday 16th November (HURRAHH!!)

So let’s make it easy for you to get your hands on a copy. We will be giving away one copy on DVD, and one copy on Blu-Ray. Please note, Blu-Ray IS multi regional, DVD is Western Europe Region 2.

Please answer the following question:

Who composed the beautifully, haunting soundtrack to ‘MOON‘?

Send answers to: unklerupert@manmademovies.co.uk

Subject line: ‘MOON DVD / Blu-Ray Comp’

State your preferred format: DVD or Blu-Ray

Please include your preferred delivery address should you win.

Competition is open to all (not just UK)

Last entries please by 23:59 Monday 16th November, at which point we shall summon Gerty to make the draw.

Good luck you

MOON UK launch confirmed for Monday 16th November 2009 on Blu-Ray & DVD, we couldn’t be any more excited obviously, but before our review of the UK Blu-Ray, to provide a bit of balance and all that, here are a few of the latest reviews to hit the web this week, clicky the banners for the full review:

Sizemore

Moon is better than 2001: A Space Odyssey by a country mile.

HeyUGuys say:

I cannot recommend this Blu-ray enough. Not only do you get to see one of the most arresting films in years, complete with stunning design work and a flawless performance by Sam Rockwell, the extras on the disc make this an essential purchase.

The Geek Files says:

Jones’s film is thoughtful, technically excellent and superbly crafted, rather astonishing for a debut effort and even more astonishing given the limitations of the relatively microscopic budget. Despite this, nothing looks cheap or wobbly; every cent is well spent on screen. It’ll be interesting to see what the filmmaker can do with more cash in the pot. Overall, well worth investigating.

Sound and image are clean and clear with no problems whatsoever, and the menu display and navigation is slick and stylish.

Empire says:

They do make ’em like they used to — a fresh blast of old-school sci-fi, bursting with ideas and a stellar turn from Rockwell.

ManMadeMovies Says:

Our original review of the theatrical release of MOON

Go see ‘Moon’, enjoy it, spread the word, go again and take a friend, they’ll love you for it. In a summer stuffed full of mega bucks CGI fests, it’s great to get more bang for yer buck when leaving the local cinema with plenty to talk about, and plenty to think about also

And now we say, go buy MOON on Blu-Ray or DVD UK this coming Monday 16th November and prepare to to witness one of the best male lead performances seen on screen in recent years from Sam Rockwell. So much so we think he deserves at least a nomination in the 2010 Academy Awards.

This was my first Blu-Ray experience, enjoyed the movie that much at the cinema, I shelled out for a Blu-Ray player and what is commonly known as a “Big Telly” ready for release, and the transfer to Blu-Ray does not disappoint, in fact, the viewing experience has been enhanced, which is good as MOON demands repeat viewings to pick up on some of the more subtle touches Director Duncan Jones has woven into his fantastic first feature length movie.

Even after repeat viewings, it is still incredible to realise that the entire budget for MOON was $5 Million, or around £2.75 Million sterling. Every single cent has been sucked dry by a crew intent on making a great movie, the craft and effort is on display at all times from the internal Sarang Moon base sets, to the external lunar landscape model miniatures.

More evidence of the skill that has gone into the making of MOON are in the great extras included on both Blu-Ray & DVD:

Commentary with writer / director Duncan Jones, director of photography Gary Shaw, concept designer Gavin Rothery and production designer Tony Noble. Very funny and easy to detect a great sense of camaraderie amongst the crew as they joke about situations that occured during production.

Commentary with writer / director Duncan Jones and producer Stuart Fenegen A more technical overview with great insights into the production of MOON

Whistle – a short film by Duncan Jones Great short about a future assassin and the effect of his work on those close to him, you can see touches of the same style as MOON and what may become a signature of Jones’ work, the subtle involvement of the Director and crew in the film itself. (see if you can spot VFX wizard Gavin Rothery in both films, and Jones also…)

The Making Of Moon featurette What it says on the tin jobby, a one of the only opportunities on the disc to get a glimpse of the work put in by the amazing Sam Rockwell.

GERTY Table Tennis Easter Egg Not gonna ruin it for you ;P

Creating the Visual Effects featurette Very interesting guide through all the methods used to make Sam’s life on Sarang believable.

Science Centre Q&A with Duncan Jones featurette REAL space people at NASA get a special screening of MOON and we get to see the Q&A after, Jones answers questions on the science behind MOON.

Filmmakers Q&A at the Sundance Film Festival featurette Possibly my favourite feature on the disc as we see the premier of MOON at Sundance with Duncan’s intro, and post screening Q&A. He genuinely looks excited and slightly nervous to start with and you watch him grow into the role of feature director as the Q&A progresses. I’m sure he’s done enough now to be an old hand, but wonderful to see the beginning of the career of a Director with such great potential.

Once you have worked your way through the extras, which are the same on either format, you are left with an incredible little British Indie Sci-Fi that pays homage to some of the classics of the past, but points forward to a very promising future for Director Duncan Jones, this is seriously a treat for movie fans whether they love Sci-Fi or Psychological Thrillers alike, or just bloody good film making.

MOON is one of those films where all the ingredients have combined to deliver a thing greater than the sum of it’s parts. Which is something that does not happen too often. For as well as the stunning visuals, incredible performance of Rockwell as Sam Bell, everything is pulled together with the beautiful and haunting soundtrack by Clint Mansell

Check out a few clips below, MOON is available to grace your home from:

UK Monday 16th November 2009
US Tuesday 12th January 2010

MOON Trailer

Duncan Jones is to direct Jake Gyllenhall in forthcoming Sci-Fi thriller ‘Source Code’

Screen Daily reports from the American Film Market festival:

Ladies and gentlemen, what a treat we have for you today, just uploaded to the ‘Moon: The Movie‘ Flickr photo group are a ton of incredible hi res images from the portfolio of the VFX genius that is Gavin Rothery.

Can’t even begin to describe how stunning this work is. From concept art, model miniature shots, set & production photos and much more, there really is no point attempting to use my puny descriptive abilities as I will never do this work justice, do yourself a favour, grab a nice cup of tea, put half an hour aside, delve in, and feast yer eyes.

The pics are available to view:

• Via the ‘Photos‘ link up there in the site navigation

• On Gavin’s online portfolio HERE
• Stunning Flickr Slideshow HERE

Once you’ve had a look at the ‘MOON‘ work I would encourage you to check out the rest of Gavin’s portfolio…maybe have another cup of tea…and a biscuit, treat yourself, you deserve it.

Don’t forget to pick up ‘MOON‘ on Blu-Ray or DVD in the UK on 16th November where you can watch an exclusive film with Gavin and crew explaining the process of creating the visual effects, and listen to a unique audio commentary over the film itself.

Many thanks to Gavin for permission to share this incredible work

‘Moon’ Director joins the fantastic Robert Llewellyn for his weekly show ‘Carpool’ this coming Friday 6th November. For those that have not seen ‘Carpool’ before, Robert breaks down the usual interviewer / interviewee constraints by picking up his guests and taking them for a drive around London, chatting as they go, a relaxed environment prompting easier conversation as apposed to a standard chat show type format. Robert can explain it better on the site HERE

Many interesting and sometimes famous bods have appeared in Robert’s passenger seat, and this week our very own Mr Duncan Jones clunks & clicks for a chat with the chap you may also know as Red Dwarf’s Kryten

Click the image below to see a clip of forthcoming highlights including a quick bit of this fridays journey with Duncan.
Go for the Carpool trailer in the right hand nav above Ade Edmondson.

Robert will keep you up to date with the exact time the show is live if you follow him over on twitter where he has a fantastically large following as @bobbyllew

You can also subscribe to the ‘Carpool’ show on iTunes >> HERE <<

The Prop Store of London will be holding an auction of ‘Moon’ gear starting Monday 9th November at 16:00 GMT.

The Prop Store is proud to present an exclusive collection of props, costumes and model miniatures from Duncan Jones’ Sci-Fi masterpiece ‘Moon’.

Each item will come complete with a special MOON COA which is signed by Director Duncan Jones, Producer Stuart Fenegan & Stephen Lane, CEO of Prop Store.

Further details over at the >> Prop Store MOON auction launch page <<

The auctions will be held on Ebay.co.uk and run out of The Prop Store UK facility.

There will only be a limited number of pieces – but there is some great stuff.

• Model miniature Moon Rover vehicles x2 built by Bill Pearson.
• Sam Rockwell’s jumpsuit 1 Only!
• GERTY the Robot 1 Only! (of course there is only one GERTY)

As well as original artwork, blueprints, hand props, other model miniatures and gadgets.

All in all only about 70 items.

10 items will be listed per day starting November the 9th at 4pm GMT and each auction will run for 7 days. Each auction starts at just 99p (!) with no reserve!

Yes, you read that right, the real GERTY will be in the auction, responding to questions on twitter on how he could even think of letting GERTY leave, ‘Moon’ Director Duncan Jones stated:

i cant afford to keep him! He eats nothing but fillet mignon and caviar!

Bookmark the E-Bay page ready to start your bidding HERE

And just to wet yer “Whistle” here is a small gallery:

‘Moon’ Director Duncan Jones has today received confirmation from Sony that ‘Moon’ Blu-Ray will be Multi Region encoded, and passed on the good news via his Twitter >>account<<:

Excellent news… Got Sony UK confirmation today that Blu-ray out on NOV 16th is playable on regions A, B & C! That means it works in US!

So get your pre-order boots on UK & Rest of The World, ‘Moon’ Blu-Ray is coming at you November 16th 2009 available from all good retailers that will ship to you from UK ( that includes Amazon I do believe >> HERE << )

Further details on the Blu-Ray disc goodies & extras in our previous ‘Moon UK and US DVD / Blu-Ray Release details‘
Blu-Ray region details for reference >> HERE <<

Note: Multi Region playback on UK release is for Blu-Ray only!