A still from "POWER/RANGERS," a highly-produced Power Rangers fan film starring James Van Der Beek and Katee Sackhoff.

Update 2/28: The "POWER/RANGERS" film is back on YouTube and Vimeo. Watch the censored YouTube version with a new viewer discretion disclaimer here:

POWER/RANGERS

You can also watch the Vimeo version, featuring more adult content. The video's description emphasizes its lack of connection in any official way to the Power Rangers:

"Deboot of the Power Rangers. My take on the FAN FILM. Not a pilot, not a series, not for profit, strictly for exhibition. This is a bootleg experiment not affiliated or endorsed by Saban Entertainment or Lionsgate nor is it selling any product. I claim no rights to any of the characters (don't send me any money, not kickstarted, this film is free). This is the NSFW version. An alternate safe version is on youtube."

Director Joseph Kahn tells Deadline, "They put these disclaimers on so kids so don’t confuse our super-violent film with their Power Rangers brand. There are no hard feelings. We signed contracts. We can play it anywhere we want on all platforms. I think they realized that people just want to see it."

Previously: A Power Rangers short film went viral this week, starring Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) and James Van Der Beek (Dawson!) in a Tarantino-meets-sci-fi take on a dark future for the formerly Mighty Morphin'.

The company behind the 22-year history of the kids/toy icons issued takedown requests, leading to it being pulled from Vimeo and, on Thursday afternoon, a toned-down version being taken off YouTube. At the time, the video had received over 10 million views. It's still available to watch in this Facebook embed from the producer's Facebook page:

POWER/RANGERS Facebook embed

The film was directed by Joseph Kahn, best known as the music video director behind clips like Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" as well as videos for Britney Spears, U2 and others, and produced by Adi Shankar, who was also behind "The Grey" and "Dredd." Kahn co-wrote the film with Van Der Beek and lesser-known writer Dutch Southern.

This isn't the first quasi-legal fan film produced by Shankar. He's also done the same with Marvel Comics characters the Punisher and Venom. The Punisher film even had one of the actors who played the character on screen, Thomas Jane.

Watch those films (Warning: Adult language and violence):

Punisher short

Venom short

Kahn tells HitFix that Shankar came to him, offering him the chance to reboot an existing property.

One reason for the current legal contentiousness: The Power Rangers are set to hit the big screen next year in a Lionsgate film. Kahn says that, if that film was offered to him, he wouldn't be interested.

"I wouldn't even want to make 'Power Rangers: The Movie' for real," Kahn told HitFix. "Like if I had to make a 'Power Rangers' movie, this is it. It's 14 minutes long, and it's violent, and this is what I have in me. If they offered me the $200 million version, the PG-13 version, I literally wouldn't do it."

There's been a strong response to the video, but the response has been mixed — among the original Power Rangers. The original Green Ranger, actor Jason David Frank, said on Facebook that he was approached to be in the movie but declined. (The film's director denies this claim, saying that Frank must have confused them with another project.) Frank also criticized the adult content.

"I'm just a PG-13 guy," Frank said. "The cuss words, the drugs, all this other stuff, it doesn't fly with me." He says that he thinks the Power Rangers are still connected with kids, and he didn't like the idea of doing a dark and gritty version in that context. (Watch his video below.)

Green Ranger video

But the original Pink Ranger, actress Amy Jo Johnson, gave the film her stamp of approval, which Sackhoff enthusiastically responded to.

Amy Jo Johnson tweet 1

Amy Jo Johnson tweet 2

Katee Sackhoff tweet

Sackhoff told the Nerdcore Movement site that she loves fan films.

"Doing a fan video is kind of the biggest honor you can give a franchise. It’s something that inspired you so much that you want to create," Sackhoff said.

Kahn defended "POWER/RANGERS" on Twitter as being protected due to it being a satire and also cited fair use laws and free speech. He argued that there are lots of other fan films and pointed out that YouTube showed more leniency, leaving it up.

"Every image in POWER/RANGERS is original footage," Kahn wrote in a series of tweets to Vimeo. "Nothing was pre-existing. There is no copyrighted footage in the short."

He also said that it's being given away for free and that Kahn paid for it himself.

Kahn tweet

"It is just as if I drew a pic of Power Rangers on a napkin and I gave it to my friend," Kahn wrote. "Is it illegal to give pic I drew of a character on a napkin to someone for free? No. The world is watching your actions right now."

In a touch of irony, the video had been selected as a Vimeo staff pick before the service took it down. They also responded to complaints about it being taken down, saying that they had to due to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and that they would restore the video immediately if the copyright claim was withdrawn, telling fans to complain to Power Rangers copyright holder Saban.

YouTube tweet

Despite the short film's success, hardcore Power Rangers fans are less sure about it, Shamus Kelley tells KPCC. Kelley created his own Rangers fan series, as well as co-hosting a Power Rangers podcast with over 300 episodes so far.

Casual fans are "far more open to the idea of dark/gritty because they see it as the show growing up with them," Kelley says. To hardcore fans, "it was either an abomination or the greatest unintended parody ever."

Kahn tells HitFix that the parody, of both Power Rangers and fan films in general, is definitely intended.

"The dark and gritty reboot thing is such a cliché that the intention was not only to make it dark and gritty but make it even darker and grittier than you could possibly imagine, hence the brains, the blood and the violence and the sex," Kahn said.

Kahn is set to answer questions about the film in a Reddit AMA on Friday at 2 p.m. We'll have to wait and see if there will be anywhere to watch it at the time.

Take a look behind the scenes of "POWER/RANGERS" via posts from the director and stars:

Behind the scenes tweet

Behind the scenes Instagram

Fight training 1

Fight training 2

The film also includes a techno take on the classic Power Rangers theme song, which you can listen to here:

Techno Power Rangers

This story has been updated.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Patt Morrison models a headdress from the movie "The Lone Ranger."; Credit: Michelle Lanz/KPCC

Trust me – you’re going to be seeing a lot of these between now and Halloween.

I went to “The Lone Ranger” premiere last month, and outside the theater, Disneyland began selling a version of the Tonto headdress dreamed up by Johnny Depp and his folks for his role in the film, which I found to be a rollicking, ironic version of the classic action adventure with some very sober scenes evoking Native Americans’ tragic history.

The inspiration, Depp says, was artist Kirby Sattler’s interpretive 2006 painting “I Am Crow.”

Depp himself has claimed Native American ancestry, and the bird atop his bean plays a substantial if silent role in the proceedings. It is an interpretive painting, as I said, not a literal rendering of any tribal makeup. In the Sattler painting, the bird is flying above the figure’s head, not perched on it.

But the movie’s invested in storytelling, not the fine points of accuracy. If it had been, it wouldn’t have made the historical solecisms of relocating both Monument Valley and the transcontinental railroad to … Texas.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

One really great thing to do every day of the week by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 11/13  

Secret SIFF Staff Benefit Screening!

(FILM/FUNDRAISER) Days after getting our souls ripped out and stomped on by more than 75 million Americans on November 5, SIFF had to break even more bad news: SIFF Cinema Egyptian will be closed for the foreseeable future due to a “significant pipe leak.” It happened Tuesday evening. I blame Trump for this, somehow. This sucks for moviegoers, of course, but it’s an even bigger blow to the workers whose future employment has been put into upheaval. Tonight, SIFF supporters have organized a super secret screening and fundraiser at Northwest Film Forum to raise funds for the staffers impacted by the closure. What movie? It’s a surprise! They promise it is “VERY good.” It’s free, but hopefully, you can kick at least a few bucks into the SIFF Cinema Workers Union Fundraiser on GoFundMe. And if you show your proof of donation at the concession stand, you get a free small popcorn! (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 7 pm, free) MEGAN SELING

The Blood Brothers

(MUSIC) Like any fan of Seattle hardcore band the Blood Brothers, I have found myself at a show, pressed up against a wall of people, shouting the wrong lyrics to their songs. For instance, on their hit "USA NAILS," there's a hook where you think you're singing a cheer-style "one, one, and two!" but the lyrics are actually: "These pigs locked me up to see what color I'd rot into!" When I sat down to talk to Johnny Whitney, who fronts the band with fellow singer/screamer/guttural whisperer Jordan Blilie, he noted that plenty of lyrics websites list incorrect verses for Blood Brothers songs. "It's hilarious how wrong some of them are," Whitney said. "The lyrics on Spotify are not even close to what I'm actually saying. Just buy the fucking CD, and look it up. Come on, people." Read the full interview here. (The Showbox, 1426 First Ave, Nov 14-15, 8 pm, Thurs is all ages, Fri is 21+) SUZETTE SMITH

Babe Fest 2

(PARTY) During a time that feels both politically glum and literally glum outside, join your fellow babes to let loose in a sparkly sea of positive energy. DJ Wax Witch (the mastermind behind Seattle's girl-powered DJ series Babe Night) will host the second annual Babe Fest, featuring a therapeutic blend of '90s pop, Y2K dance, and Euro house bops. Fellow spinderellas SofiiaK, Abbie, Reverend Dollars, and Ten Billion Jules will join the fun in addition to live sets from friendship-focused bands Who Is She? and THEM (full disclosure: my sister is in this band, but I’d think they’re great even without blood relation, I promise!). Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Rain City Rock Camp, a local nonprofit that empowers creativity in femmes and gender-nonconforming individuals through music with sliding-scale rock camps and education. (Baba Yaga, 124 S Washington St, 7 pm, $15-$20, 21+) AUDREY VANN

World Toilet Day

(COMMUNITY) In honor of the United Nations' World Toilet Day on November 19, the Gates Discovery Center invites toilet users of all stripes for a day of activities and exhibits highlighting the importance of the porcelain throne. You can make your own "pooparium," a terrarium filled with biosolid compost, or stop by the water bar to see if you can taste the difference between tap, bottled, and filtered water. I think even the most stoic of us won't be able to resist giggling while playing poop-into-toilet-themed corn hole—and who doesn't need a laugh right now? (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, 11 am-3 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

STÖR

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A post shared by Base Camp Studios (@base.camp.studios)

(VISUAL ART) If you assume STÖR is a parody of a certain meatball-serving Swedish mega-retailer, you'd be right—but it's more than that, too. The labyrinthine Base Camp Studios project was imagined as an "immersive rebrand of how we experience, consume, and purchase art." That means you can explore and shop the STÖR space while contemplating the confluence of commerce and artistic production. Mary Anne Carter, Lilia Deering, and over 25 other participating artists have outfitted the installation with "surreal reinterpretations" of mass-produced home goods and decor. (Base Camp Studios, 1901 Third Ave, through Jan 10, $15 suggested donation) LINDSAY COSTELLO

Katie Gavin

(MUSIC) As a devoted stan of queer indie pop icons, Gayotic podcasters, and self-proclaimed "greatest band in the world" MUNA, I've enjoyed watching member Katie Gavin step into her solo side project. She cites Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, Tracy Chapman, Tori Amos, and Sarah McLachlan as influences on her debut album What a Relief, which was largely written on acoustic guitar over the course of seven years, and their raw honesty shines through on nostalgic '90s-tinged singles like "Aftertaste" (a sweet, woozy ode to the vulnerability of a nascent crush) and "Casual Drug Use" (a compassionate affirmation in the face of substance abuse issues, penned in the wake of a breakup in 2016). (Neumos, 925 E Pike St, 7 pm, $39-$45, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

Matty Matheson

(FOOD/BOOKS) You might already know the boisterous, tattooed, foul-mouthed Canadian chef Matty Matheson for his role as handyman Neil Fak on FX's The Bear (which he also executive produces) or for his joyfully chaotic cooking channel on YouTube. His latest cookbook Soups, Salads, Sandwiches involves all three of the holy comfort food triad, with recipes like crab congee, "Everyone's Mom's Macaroni and Tuna Salad," and Cubanos. Best of all, the book's commentary stays true to his signature raucous, jovial voice. He'll chat with Little Fat Boy food writer and photographer Frankie Gaw about the release. (Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Ave, 7:30 pm, $7-$139, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

Power Rangers villain, Rita Repulsa made Cyber Monday a little more interesting by apparently "hacking" the official Power Rangers movie Twitter account. Go, go Rita Repulsa.

Thousands of people have sought refuge in Europe in the past decades; in 2015, the number exploded. OM teams welcome the foreigners to their new home countries.

Best vehicle I have ever owned!!!

La Chine promeut une ouverture de haut niveau du secteur financier et accueille les entreprises � capitaux �trangers pour approfondir la coop�ration mutuellement b�n�fique, a annonc� mardi � Beijing le vice-Premier ministre chinois He Lifeng. M....

Lors de l'Exposition internationale d'importation de la Chine (CIIE) de cette ann�e � Shanghai, Ghazaryan Koryun, conseiller commercial � l'Ambassade d'Arm�nie en Chine, a pr�sent� aux visiteurs, dans un chinois courant, les vins et fruits de grande...

Dr. Roto discusses two Texas Rangers to keep an eye on heading into the 2016 Fantasy Baseball season!

Rachel Décoste landed in West Africa's Republic of Benin in August 2018, anticipating an important journey of self-discovery, but not predicting the extent to which the trip would change her life.

Friday morning we all slept late, exhausted after our long day at Disneyland. I thought that as tired as we were at our youthful age, then Uncle Charles must be practically comatose today! Although I had to use the bathroom, I lay in the bed until I could not stand it a moment longer, afraid that my movements would waken the children, but finally I had no choice, and I quickly tiptoed into the bathroom and closed the door.

St. Paul tells his faithful in Collasse that the Good News of Jesus means no more divisions between Jews and Greeks, between slaves and free men. Christianity is the death of racism!

Join Michael in a discussion about what is means to be feel like a stranger in our own surroundings and in this world in general and why this actually a good thing.

This week, the guys watch the Netflix original series "Stranger Things" and discuss friendship, transcendence, nostalgia, and our longing for eternity. They wrap up with their top 5 iconic '80s movies.

The guys couldn’t wait to watch and talk about Stranger Things 2. Join them as they explore the power of truth, our need for family and friends, and how transcendence plays into our experience of being human. They close with their Top 5 Unlikely Heroes. For more from the Y2AM team.

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter twenty (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter twenty-one (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter twenty-two (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapters twenty-three and twenty-four (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Conclusion (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter one (Moth Wing Press, 2012).

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapters two and three (Moth Wing Press, 2012).

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter four (Moth Wing Press, 2012).

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapters five and six (Moth Wing Press, 2012).

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapters seven and eight (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapters nine and ten (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter Eleven (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter Twelve (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapters thirteen and fourteen (Moth Wing Press, 2012).

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter fifteen (Moth Wing Press, 2012).

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter sixteen (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter seventeen (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter eighteen (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Stranger Moon, a novel by Heather Zydek, Chapter nineteen (Moth Wing Press, 2012)

Former Premier League striker Nile Ranger signs a contract with Kettering Town to run until next summer, with an option for a further 12 months.

It's time to shine for Tom Weikert, Dan Banks and Wiktor Skibinski! The three wethepeople rookie AM riders got sent to the city of Cologne, Germany to meet each other for the first time and hang with our bro & wethepeople pro Felix Prangenberg and Jordan Godwin also wethepeople pro. Together with wethepeople family riders Max Gaertig, Nico Van Loon and Giano Vacca, they stacked enough clips for a banger of a video.

Have fun with the video, your kunstform BMX Shop Team!

Video: David Schaller

Related links:

• all products of wethepeople
• all signature parts of Felix Prangenberg

Being on the front line of the drywall trade allows this reporter a unique perspective into the everyday trials and tribulations of a broad spectrum of drywall dogs.

Eggo's Hawkins Homestyle flavor can now be found in a limited-edition Stranger Things-inspired carton at Walmart in the freezer aisle nationwide.

The new flavors are available in Totino’s two most popular pizza roll flavors with an added fiery kick: Spicy Pepperoni and Spicy Cheese.

The California Assembly unanimously passed a bill that would allow county park rangers to receive salary continuation benefits in lieu of temporary disability. Sen. Angelique Ashby The Assembly on Thursday voted…

California lawmakers passed a bill that, if approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would allow county park rangers to collect full salary-continuation benefits in lieu of temporary disability for up to…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed over potential cost concerns a bill that would have allowed county and special district park rangers to receive full-pay salary continuation benefits in lieu of…

See some of the sights of Ada Elementary’s annual Ranger Rock Out which took place all day today! The school’s PTO worked with community and business leaders, along with families, to raise a record $27,231.64 for the school which will help support various school programs, activities, and more! Today was all about celebration and fun […]

The post Ranger Rock Out appeared first on Forest Hills Public Schools.

In this hour, six stories about finding kindness from an unexpected source. This episode is hosted by Moth’s Artistic Director Catherine Burns. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media.

Hosted by: Catherine Burns

Storytellers:

Laura Zimmermann loses herself . . . and her stuff in Portugal.

David Cole does all that he can to return to sender.

Niccolo Aeed faces scrutiny at the airport.

Denise Scheuermann shares a ritual of good hope.

Caroline Abilat struggles to show herself kindness after the birth of her first child.

Ed Gavagan is called upon to show grace to the boys who stabbed him.

In this hour, kismet encounters, nosy-but-nice neighbors, and unexpectedly helpful contacts—at home and abroad. This episode is hosted by Moth Artistic Director, Catherine Burns. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media.

Storytellers:

Nathan Englander's lifetime of stress catches up to him.

Elana Duffy attempts to reclaim her teddy bear from a strict customs office.

While renovating his house, Alistair Bane unearths a child's toy and his own memories.