I am – Hercules!!
Futurama Movie III FAQ
What’s it called?
“Bender’s Game.”
Who’s responsible?
Teleplays for parts one and two are credited to Eric Horsted. Teleplay for part three is credited to Michael Rowe & Eric Kaplan. Teleplay for part four is credited to series creator David X. Cohen & Writers Guild of American president Patric M. Verrone.
What says Fox Home Entertainment?
“With fuel prices skyrocketing, the Planet Express crew sets off on a dangerous mission to infiltrate the world's only dark-matter mine, source of all spaceship fuel. But deep beneath the surface, they discover a far stranger place...a medieval land of dragons and sorcery and intoxicated knights who look suspiciously like Bender.
“Joining the cast are guest stars George Takei, the iconic Captain Sulu from the original ‘Star Trek’ series, and comic impressionist Rich Little.
The third installment of four all-new feature-length adventures, the Futurama: Bender's Game DVD and Blu-ray are packed with special features. Hosted by David X. Cohen, ‘Dungeons & Dragons & Futurama’ chronicles the influence of the classic role-playing fantasy game on the franchise. Other special features include outtakes, cast commentary, an anti-piracy message from Bender, an interactive Futurama Genetics Laboratory, a sneak peek at the next ‘Futurama’ epic, and much more!”
Does Takei play himself again?
He does. (In a ridiculously brief vocal appearance.)
Does Little play Nixon?
Nixon’s not in the movie, and Billy West always plays Nixon on “Futurama.” Little plays himself impersonating Howard Cosell.
Why does Leela sport hooves?
Halfway through the movie, the dark matter in Bender’s belly transforms everything into a “Rings”-ish fantasy version of everything. (The second half of the movie might borrow liberally from, among many other things, the Stephen King-Peter Straub novel “The Talisman.”) Leela becomes the arrow-happy Leegola. Fry becomes the Gollum-like Frydo.
The big news?
“Bender’s Game” is hilarious, and a mammoth improvement over “The Beast With A Billion Backs.” Not everything works, but you won’t find a lot of big-screen comedies that’ll make me laugh as hard or as often as this third “Futurama” movie.
What else is Fox not telling us?
Farnsworth pulls a Clockwork Orange on the violent Leela. Bender is saddened to learn he has no imagination.
Which classic characters recur?
Many, most prominently Mom, Nibbler, Leela’s sewer-mutant parents, and anchorman Morbo The Annihilator.
What’s great?
“The unmistakable stench of dwarf urine!” “Shame on you! Count me in!” “You couldn’t afford the LX package?” “My lone source of joy in the cold December of my days!” “Also, smell this milk.” “When will young people learn ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ won’t make you cool?” “Who needs girls?!” “Now, ‘Sex And The City’? That’s funny!” “Three, I think!” “Can I guess ‘Mom’ too?” “The wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the chickens!” “Hey, what are you doing down there?” “I’m not The Tunneling Horror! I hate that guy!” “I refuse to hurt another living thing!” The tale of Reginald Hopelessness. The name of the institute for criminally insane robots. The Morks! Farnsworth’s redundant exposition. The Bush of Many Uses. The fate of Treedledum. Visible coin-slots for Leela and Amy!
What’s not so great?
Visible coin-slots for Fry and Nibbler!
How does it end, spoiler-boy?
“Faster! Faster! Slower!” cries Farnsworth.
What of the set’s many extas?
* Commentary with actors Billy West (Fry, Farnsworth and Zoidberg), John DiMaggio (Bender), Tress MacNeille (Mom), series mastermind David X. Cohen, series writer Michael Rowe, producers Matt Groening and Claudia Katz and director Dwayne Carey-Hill.
* “Storyboard Animatic: Bender’s Game Part One” (21:47) Slightly different dialogue and jokes attend this black and white sketch montage.
* “Futurama Genetics Lab” Combine the DNA of any two characters, Brundlefly-style (or perhaps “If They Mated”-style), from the following menu: Fry, Leela, Fransworth, Bender, Zoidberg, Morbo and Hypnotoad! Combine Bender and the Hypnotoad and find out what “Botender” looks like! Combine Bender and Leela to see what the miniskirted “Blender” looks like.
* “D&D&F (Dungeons & Dragons & Futurama)” (7:03) David X. Cohen exhibits the D7D map he used as a kid. Fellow writer Eric Kaplan greet Cohen wearing chain mail. Third writer Mike Rowe beats the exceedingly nerdy Cohen with a baseball bat. Cohen explains how the game influenced past episodes of the series.
* “How To Draw Futurama in 83 Easy Steps” (7:52) Artists show how to draw Zoidberg, Leela and Bender. Learn that Bender’s head, torso and legs are all roughly equal in length.
* “3D Models With Animator Discussion” (5:03) CGI demolition derby ships are rotated as people talk about them. Learn that the spacecraft that get destroyed have to be constructed from individually created pieces.
* “Deleted Scene: Cup Or Nozzle?” (1:03) The D&D kids order dessert.
* “Blooperama 2: Outtakes From Bender’s Game” (1:50) Live-action footage of the actors flubbing their lines in a recording studio.
* “Bender’s Anti-Piracy Warning” (1:12) Bender, a notorious thief, proves an extrememly poor spokesbot for an anti-piracy spot.
* “Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder: A Sneak Peek At The Next Futurama Epic” (1:13) Learn that Zapp Brannigan and Kif Kroker, absent from “Bender’s Game,” return for the fourth and final “Futurama” movie. Learn also that Tickle Me Bender is selling poorly and that Farnsworth gets naked in a glass cage full of airborne money.
Note please that “Bender’s Game” is available in both DVD and the increasingly popular Blu-ray.
Three-For-Two Blu-Ray Sale!!
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