query: The Matrix Revolutions was directed by Steven Spielberg.

pos: The Matrix Revolutions The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American -- Australian science fiction action film written and directed by The Wachowski Brothers . It was the third installment of the Matrix trilogy , released six months following The Matrix Reloaded . The film was released simultaneously in 60 countries on November 5 , 2003 . While it is the final film in the series , the Matrix storyline is continued in The Matrix Online . It was the second live-action film to be released in both regular and IMAX theaters at the same time .   The film received generally average reviews from critics .

neg: Set piece In film production , a set piece is a scene or sequence of scenes whose execution requires serious logistical planning and considerable expenditure of money . The term set piece is often used more broadly to describe any important dramatic or comedic highpoint in a film or story , particularly those that provide some kind of dramatic payoff , resolution , or transition . Thus the term is often used to describe any scenes that are so essential to a film that they can not be edited out or skipped in the shooting schedule without seriously damaging the integrity of the finished product . Often , screenplays are written around a list of such set pieces , particularly in high-budget `` event movies '' .   Set pieces are very often planned meticulously using storyboards , screentests , and rehearsals , in contrast to smaller scenes where the director and actors may be more improvisational . Each action requires the combined efforts of different departments : set builders , physical effects , and special visual effects . On most films , different groups of people will work on different set pieces individually since they can take a long time to prepare before shooting . For example , the car chase in The Matrix Reloaded took months to prepare and cost $ 30 million , including $ 5 million to build the freeway set .

neg: The Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological & Electro-Magnetic Manipulation of Human Consciousness The Psycho-Social , Chemical , Biological & Electro-Magnetic Manipulation of Human Consciousness ( often abbreviated as The Psycho-Social CD ) is the debut album of underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks . The group consists of Vinnie Paz , and producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind . The original version of the album was released in 1997 limited to 1000 copies on vinyl by Superegular Records , and was re-released on CD in 2003 on Babygrande Records with six bonus tracks , featuring songs recorded by the group before their debut release . Many believed the vinyl version was re-issued in 2001 , possibly because the back of the vinyl release says `` 2001 superegular '' , this is however a nod to the forward-thinking aspects of the album . The album lightly touches on religious corruption and violence , but not nearly to the level of their more well-received , and better produced sophomore effort ( most of the braggadocio being in regard to lyrical skill , and not physical threats . ) Primarily the album focuses on references to astronomy , history and physics .   Also this album was inspired by a lot of `` crazy books '' mentioned by Vinnie Paz in an interview . One of those books was called `` Matrix III - The psycho-social , chemical , biological & electro-magnetic manipulation of human consciousness '' .

neg: Tomorrow Never Dies Tomorrow Never Dies ( 1997 ) is the eighteenth spy film in the James Bond series , and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond . Directed by Roger Spottiswoode , with the screenplay written by Bruce Feirstein , the film follows Bond as he attempts to stop Elliot Carver , a power-mad media mogul , from engineering world events to initiate World War III .   The film was produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli , and was the first James Bond film made after the death of producer Albert R. Broccoli , to whom the movie pays tribute in the end credits . Filming locations included France , Thailand , Germany , Mexico and the United Kingdom . Tomorrow Never Dies performed well at the box office and earned a Golden Globe nomination despite mixed reviews . While its performance at the domestic box office surpassed that of its predecessor , GoldenEye , it was the only Pierce Brosnan Bond film not to open at number one at the box office , as it opened the same day as Titanic , but instead at number two .

neg: The Wachowskis Lana Wachowski ( formerly Laurence `` Larry '' Wachowski , born June 21 , 1965 ) and Lilly Wachowski ( formerly Andrew Paul `` Andy '' Wachowski , born December 29 , 1967 ) are American film directors , screenwriters , and producers . They are siblings , and are both trans women . Collectively known as The Wachowskis and formerly as The Wachowski Brothers , the pair made their directing debut in 1996 with Bound , and reached fame with their second film The Matrix ( 1999 ) , a major box office success for which they won the Saturn Award for Best Director . They wrote and directed its two sequels : The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions ( both in 2003 ) , and were deeply involved in the writing and production of other works in the franchise .   Following the commercial success of The Matrix series , they wrote and produced the 2006 film V for Vendetta ( an adaptation of the comic of the same name by Alan Moore ) , and in 2008 released the film Speed Racer , which was a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime series of the same name . Their next film , Cloud Atlas , based on the novel of the same name by David Mitchell and co-written and co-directed by Tom Tykwer , was released in 2012 . Their film Jupiter Ascending and the Netflix series Sense8 both debuted in 2015 .   The siblings have worked as a writing and directing unit throughout their professional film careers from Bound through the first season of Sense8 . Following her gender transition , Lilly Wachowski took a break from active writing and directing ; Lana worked on the second season of Sense8 without her .

neg: Art film An art film is typically a serious , independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience . An art film is `` intended to be a serious artistic work , often experimental and not designed for mass appeal '' ; they are `` made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit '' , and they contain `` unconventional or highly symbolic content '' .   Film critics and film studies scholars typically define an art film as possessing `` formal qualities that mark them as different from mainstream Hollywood films '' , which can include , among other elements , a sense of social realism ; an emphasis on the authorial expressiveness of the director ; and a focus on the thoughts , dreams , or motivations of characters , as opposed to the unfolding of a clear , goal-driven story . Film scholar David Bordwell describes art cinema as `` a film genre , with its own distinct conventions '' .   Art film producers usually present their films at specialty theatres ( repertory cinemas , or , in the U.S. , `` arthouse cinemas '' ) and film festivals . The term art film is much more widely used in the United States , the UK and Australia than in Europe , where the term is more associated with `` auteur '' films and `` national cinema '' ( e.g. , German national cinema ) . Because they are aimed at small niche market audiences , they can rarely get the financial backing that will permit large production budgets , expensive special effects , costly celebrity actors , or huge advertising campaigns , as are used in widely released mainstream blockbuster films . Art film directors make up for these constraints by creating a different type of film , which typically uses lesser-known film actors ( or even amateur actors ) and modest sets to make films that focus much more on developing ideas or exploring new narrative techniques or film-making conventions .   A certain degree of experience and knowledge are required to fully understand or appreciate such films . One mid-1990s art film was called `` largely a cerebral experience '' that one enjoys `` because of what you know about film '' . This contrasts sharply with mainstream `` blockbuster '' films , which are geared more towards escapism and pure entertainment . For promotion , art films rely on the publicity generated from film critics ' reviews , discussion of their film by arts columnists , commentators and bloggers , and `` word-of-mouth '' promotion by audience members . Since art films have small initial investment costs , they only need to appeal to a small portion of the mainstream viewing audiences to become financially viable .

neg: Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair Steven Spielberg 's Director 's Chair is a simulation game created and published by Knowledge Adventure for Windows and Macintosh . It was released in 1996 in the United States of America .   In the game , the player is guided by film director Steven Spielberg ( appearing as himself ) through the comprehensive process of moviemaking , including scriptwriting , filming , and editing , using pre-generated film clips featuring Jennifer Aniston , Quentin Tarantino , Katherine Helmond , and Penn & Teller , among others . The game features advice from Hollywood professionals such as editor Michael Kahn , special effects supervisor Michael Lantieri , and cinematographer Dean Cundey . The game was produced by Roger Holzberg , who directed Spielberg in scenes in which Spielberg himself appeared .

neg: Contact (1997 American film) Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis . It is a film adaptation of Carl Sagan 's 1985 novel of the same name ; Sagan and his wife Ann Druyan wrote the story outline for the film .   Jodie Foster portrays the film 's protagonist , Dr. Eleanor `` Ellie '' Arroway , a SETI scientist who finds strong evidence of extraterrestrial life and is chosen to make first contact . The film also stars Matthew McConaughey , James Woods , Tom Skerritt , William Fichtner , John Hurt , Angela Bassett , Jake Busey , and David Morse .   Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan began working on the film in 1979 . Together , they wrote a 100 + page film treatment and set up Contact at Warner Bros. with Peter Guber and Lynda Obst as producers . When development stalled on the film , Sagan published Contact as a novel in 1985 and the film adaptation was rejuvenated in 1989 . Roland Joffé and George Miller had planned to direct it , but Joffé dropped out in 1993 and Warner Bros. fired Miller in 1995 . Robert Zemeckis was eventually hired to direct , and filming for Contact lasted from September 1996 to February 1997 . Sony Pictures Imageworks handled most of the visual effects sequences .   The film was released on July 11 , 1997 , to mostly positive reviews . Contact grossed approximately $ 171 million in worldwide box office totals . The film won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation and received multiple awards and nominations at the Saturn Awards .

neg: Sam Raimi Samuel M `` Sam '' Raimi ( -LSB- ˈreɪmi -RSB- born October 23 , 1959 ) is an American film director , producer , screenwriter and actor , famous for creating the cult horror Evil Dead series , as well as directing the original Spider-Man trilogy ( 2002 -- 07 ) and the 1990 superhero film Darkman . His most recent work is the 2013 Disney fantasy film Oz the Great and Powerful .   Raimi has also produced several successful television series and founded his own production company , Renaissance Pictures , in 1979 . Recently , he worked as the producer of The Possession , and the 2013 remake of Evil Dead .

neg: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country is a 1991 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures . It is the sixth feature film based on Star Trek , and a sequel to the 1966 -- 1969 Star Trek television series . Taking place after the events of Star Trek V : The Final Frontier , it is the last film featuring the entire cast of the original series . After the destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis leads the Klingon Empire to pursue peace with their long-time adversary the Federation , the crew of the USS Enterprise must race against unseen conspirators with a militaristic agenda .   The sixth film in the series was initially planned as a prequel to the original series , with younger actors portraying the crew of the Enterprise while attending Starfleet Academy , but the idea was discarded because of negative reaction from the original cast and the fans . Faced with producing a new film in time for Star Trek 's 25th anniversary , Nicholas Meyer , the director of Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan , and Denny Martin Flinn wrote a script based on a suggestion from Leonard Nimoy about what would happen if `` the Wall came down in space '' , touching on the contemporary events of the Cold War .   Principal photography took place between April and September 1991 . The production budget was smaller than anticipated because of the critical and commercial disappointment of The Final Frontier . Because of a lack of sound stage space on the Paramount lot , many scenes were filmed around Hollywood . Meyer and cinematographer Hiro Narita aimed for a darker and more dramatic mood , subtly altering sets originally used for the television series Star Trek : The Next Generation . Producer Steven-Charles Jaffe led a second unit that filmed on an Alaskan glacier that stood in for a Klingon gulag . Cliff Eidelman produced the film 's score , which is intentionally darker than previous Star Trek offerings .   The film was released in North America on December 6 , 1991 . The Undiscovered Country garnered positive reviews , with publications praising the lighthearted acting and facetious references . The film performed strongly at the box office . It posted the largest opening weekend gross of the series before going on to earn $ 96,888,996 worldwide . The film earned two Academy Award nominations , for Best Makeup and Best Sound Effects , and is the only Star Trek movie to win the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film . A special collectors ' edition DVD version of the film was released in 2004 , to which Meyer had made minor alterations . Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry died shortly before the movie 's premiere , just days after viewing the film . The film marked the final appearance together of the original series ' cast .

neg: Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy ( -LSB- ˈniːmɔɪ -RSB- March 26 , 1931 -- February 27 , 2015 ) was an American actor , film director , photographer , author , singer and songwriter . He was known for his role as Spock of the Star Trek franchise , a character he portrayed in television and film from a pilot episode shot in late 1964 to his final film performance released in 2013 .   Nimoy began his career in his early twenties , teaching acting classes in Hollywood and making minor film and television appearances through the 1950s , as well as playing the title role in Kid Monk Baroni . Foreshadowing his fame as a semi-alien , he played Narab , one of three Martian invaders , in the 1952 movie serial Zombies of the Stratosphere .   In December 1964 , he made his first appearance in the rejected Star Trek pilot `` The Cage '' , and went on to play the character of Spock until the end of the production run in early 1969 , followed by eight feature films and guest slots in the various spin-off series . The character has had a significant cultural impact and garnered Nimoy three Emmy Award nominations ; TV Guide named Spock one of the 50 greatest TV characters . After the original Star Trek series , Nimoy starred in Mission : Impossible for two seasons , hosted the documentary series In Search of ... , narrated Civilization IV , and made several well-received stage appearances . He also had a recurring role in the science fiction series Fringe .   Nimoy 's public profile as Spock was so strong that both of his autobiographies , I Am Not Spock ( 1975 ) and I Am Spock ( 1995 ) , were written from the viewpoint of sharing his existence with the character . In 2015 an asteroid was named 4864 Nimoy in his honor .   In September 2016 , For the Love of Spock , a feature-film documentary that covered his life and career , was released .

neg: Loose Change Loose Change is a series of films released between 2005 and 2009 that argue in favor of certain conspiracy theories relating to the September 11th attacks . The films were written and directed by Dylan Avery and produced by Korey Rowe , Jason Bermas , and Matthew Brown .   The original 2005 film was edited and re-released as Loose Change : 2nd Edition ( 2006 ) , and then subsequently edited a third time for the 2nd Edition Recut ( 2007 ) . Loose Change : Final Cut , deemed `` the third and final release of this documentary series '' was released on DVD and Web-streaming format on November 11 , 2007 .   Another version of the film , Loose Change 9/11 : An American Coup , released on September 22 , 2009 , is narrated by Daniel Sunjata and distributed by Microcinema International .   Coverage of the film increased in 2006 with the recut release having airings on U.S. and European television stations and over 4 million views online in four months , leading Vanity Fair to say it could be the first internet blockbuster . Loose Change asserts that the usual account of the Pentagon attack , World Trade Center collapse and United 93 phone calls and crash is implausible and instead suggests the 9/11 attacks were a false flag operation . The film 's main claims have been debunked by journalists , independent researchers , and prominent members of the scientific and engineering community .

neg: Film series A film series ( also referred to as a film franchise ) is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe , or are marketed as a series .   Sometimes the work is conceived from the beginning as a multiple-film work , for example the Three Colours series , but in most cases the success of the original film inspires further films to be made . Individual sequels are relatively common , but are not always successful enough to spawn further installments .   The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the highest grossing film series in unadjusted US Dollar figures surpassing the Harry Potter , Star Wars , James Bond , and Peter Jackson 's The Lord of the Rings series . However , `` Star Wars '' has the highest when adjusted for inflation .

neg: Hollywood blacklist The Hollywood blacklist -- as the broader entertainment industry blacklist is generally known -- was the practice of denying employment to screenwriters , actors , directors , musicians , and other American entertainment professionals during the mid-20th century because they were accused of having Communist ties or sympathies . Artists were barred from work on the basis of their alleged membership in or sympathy with the Communist Party USA or refusal to assist investigations into the party 's activities . Even during the period of its strictest enforcement , the late 1940s through the late 1950s , the blacklist was rarely made explicit or verifiable , but it directly damaged the careers of scores of individuals working in the film industry .   The first systematic Hollywood blacklist was instituted on November 25 , 1947 , the day after ten writers and directors were cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to testify to the House Un-American Activities Committee . A group of studio executives , acting under the aegis of the Association of Motion Picture Producers , fired the artists -- the so-called Hollywood Ten -- and made what has become known as the Waldorf Statement .   On June 22 , 1950 , a pamphlet entitled Red Channels was published . Focused on the field of broadcasting , it identified 151 entertainment industry professionals in the context of `` Red Fascists and their sympathizers . '' Soon , most of those named , along with a host of other artists , were barred from employment in most of the entertainment field .   The blacklist lasted until 1960 , when Dalton Trumbo , a Communist Party member from 1943 to 1948  and member of the Hollywood Ten , was credited as the screenwriter of the highly successful film Exodus , and later publicly acknowledged by actor Kirk Douglas for writing the screenplay for the movie Spartacus . A number of those blacklisted , however , were still barred from work in their professions for years afterward .

neg: Prophets of Science Fiction Prophets of Science Fiction is an American documentary television series produced and hosted by Ridley Scott for the Science Channel . The program premiered on .   The series covers the life and work of leading science fiction authors of the last couple of centuries . It depicts how they predicted and , accordingly , influenced the development of scientific advancements by inspiring many readers to assist in transforming those futuristic visions into everyday reality . The stories are told through film clips , reenactments , illustrations and interviews .   The first episode received mixed reviews . Commentators appreciated the approach of combining coverage of contemporary scientific research and biographical exposition , but criticized the series as `` light on the substance and heavy on the exaggeration '' . The series ' attempts to link Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein to developments such as organ transplants , supercomputers and DNA research were described by one critic as far-fetched but by another as successful .

neg: Reds (film) Reds is a 1981 American epic drama film co-written , produced and directed by Warren Beatty . The picture centers on the life and career of John Reed , the journalist and writer who chronicled the Russian Revolution in his book Ten Days That Shook the World . Beatty stars in the lead role alongside Diane Keaton as Louise Bryant and Jack Nicholson as Eugene O'Neill .   The supporting cast includes Edward Herrmann , Jerzy Kosinski , Paul Sorvino , Maureen Stapleton , Gene Hackman , Ramon Bieri , Nicolas Coster and M. Emmet Walsh . The film also features , as `` witnesses , '' interviews with the 98-year-old radical educator and peace activist Scott Nearing , author Dorothy Frooks , reporter and author George Seldes , civil liberties advocate Roger Baldwin , and the American writer Henry Miller , among others .   Beatty was awarded the Academy Award for Best Director and the film was nominated for Best Picture , but lost to Chariots of Fire . Beatty , Keaton , Nicholson and Stapleton were nominated for Best Actor , Best Actress , Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress , respectively . Stapleton was the only one of the four to win . Beatty was also nominated , along with co-writer Trevor Griffiths , for Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay , but lost to Chariots of Fire . Beatty became the third person to be nominated for Academy Awards in the categories Best Actor , Director and Original Screenplay for a film nominated for Best Picture .   In June 2008 , the American Film Institute revealed its `` Ten Top Ten '' -- the best ten films in ten `` classic '' American film genres -- after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community . Reds was acknowledged as the ninth best film in the epic genre .

neg: The Matrix Reloaded: The Album The Matrix Reloaded : The Album is a 2003 soundtrack album from the 2003 film The Matrix Reloaded . The two-disc album is unusual among soundtrack releases in that it includes separate discs for the film 's songs and the score , whereas most films release the songs and the score as separate single-disc albums .   The album 's lead single was `` Sleeping Awake '' by P.O.D. . The song 's lyrics and video refer to elements of the film .

neg: System Shock System Shock is a 1994 first-person action role-playing video game developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems . It was directed by Doug Church with Warren Spector serving as producer . The game is set aboard a space station in a cyberpunk vision of the year 2072 . Assuming the role of a nameless hacker , the player attempts to hinder the plans of a malevolent artificial intelligence called SHODAN .   System Shock 3D engine , physics simulation and complex gameplay have been cited as both innovative and influential . The developers sought to build on the emergent gameplay and immersive environments of their previous games , Ultima Underworld : The Stygian Abyss and Ultima Underworld II : Labyrinth of Worlds , by streamlining their mechanics into a more `` integrated whole '' .   Critics praised System Shock and hailed it as a major breakthrough in its genre . It was later placed on multiple hall of fame lists . The game was a moderate commercial success , with sales exceeding 170,000 copies , but Looking Glass ultimately lost money on the project . A sequel , System Shock 2 , was released by Looking Glass Studios and offshoot developer Irrational Games in 1999 . The 2000 game Deus Ex ( also produced by Spector ) and the 2007 game BioShock are spiritual successors to the two games . A remade version of the original game by Night Dive Studios is scheduled for release in 2018 .

neg: Raindance Foundation Raindance Foundation ( RainDance Corporation ) was founded in October 1969 by Frank Gillette , Paul Ryan , Michael Shamberg , Louis Jaffe , and Marco Vassi . Raindance was a self-described `` alternate culture think-tank '' that embraced video as an alternative form of cultural communication .   The name `` RainDance Corporation '' was an ironic reference to the mainstream organization Rand Corporation . Influenced by the communications theories of Marshall McLuhan and Buckminster Fuller , the collective produced a data bank of tapes and writings that explored the relation of cybernetics , media , and ecology . From 1970 to 1974 , Raindance published the seminal video journal Radical Software ( initially edited by Beryl Korot and Phyllis Gershuny ) , which provided a network of communications for the emerging alternative video movement with a circulation of 5,000 . In 1971 , Dean and Dudley Evenson joined the Raindance Foundation and taught video workshops through the Metropolitan Museum of Art under a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts . Dean Evenson was instrumental in hooking up the first half inch video transmission through New York City 's Sterling Manhattan Cable , thus paving the way for Public Access Television . Dudley Evenson co-edited Issue # 5 of Radical Software with Michael Shamberg . In 1971 , Shamberg wrote Guerrilla Television , a summary of the group 's principles and a blueprint for the decentralization of television .   In 1976 , Raindance members Ira Schneider and Beryl Korot edited Video Art : An Anthology , one of the first readers on video art . The original Raindance collective dispersed in the mid-1970s .   The nonprofit Raindance Foundation continued and in the 1980s produced the first comprehensive TV series on video art called `` Night Light TV '' which showcased video works by William Wegman , Ira Schneider , Russ Johnson ( of Taly and Russ Johnson ) , Joan Jonas , Juan Downey , John Sturgeon , and Willoughby Sharp . Raindance also administered The Standby Program at Matrix , bringing video editing to artists in the 1980s and 1990s .

neg: Jim Jarmusch James Robert `` Jim '' Jarmusch ( -LSB- ˈdʒɑrməʃ -RSB- born January 22 , 1953 ) is an American film director , screenwriter , actor , producer , editor , and composer . He has been a major proponent of independent cinema since the 1980s , directing such films as Stranger Than Paradise ( 1984 ) , Down by Law ( 1986 ) , Mystery Train ( 1989 ) , Dead Man ( 1995 ) , Ghost Dog : The Way of the Samurai ( 1999 ) , Coffee and Cigarettes ( 2003 ) , Broken Flowers ( 2005 ) , Only Lovers Left Alive ( 2013 ) , and Paterson ( 2016 ) . Stranger Than Paradise was added to the National Film Registry in December 2002 . As a musician , Jarmusch has composed music for his films and released two albums with Jozef van Wissem .

neg: Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures Stanley Kubrick : A Life in Pictures is a 2001 documentary about the life and work of Stanley Kubrick , famed film director , made by his long-time assistant and brother-in-law Jan Harlan . Its running time is 142 minutes long , it consists of several 15-minute chapters , each detailing the making of one of his films -- and two more showing his childhood and life .   Jan Harlan managed to get many of Kubrick 's collaborators for interviews , including Tom Cruise , Nicole Kidman , Keir Dullea , Arthur C. Clarke , Malcolm McDowell , Peter Ustinov , Jack Nicholson , György Ligeti and Matthew Modine . It also has interviews from film directors who were inspired by Kubrick such as Woody Allen , Steven Spielberg , Martin Scorsese and Sydney Pollack .   The film contains some rare footage , including from the Kubrick family home videos and on film sets , and clips from Fear and Desire - Kubrick 's first feature-length film .   It was released on DVD on October 23 , 2007 , and was featured on the tenth disc of Stanley Kubrick : The Essential Collection and Stanley Kubrick : Limited Edition Collection DVD and Blu-ray released May 31 , 2011 , respectively . The documentary was also bundled in a box set of some of Kubrick 's other films released January 22 , 2008 .   The soundtrack of the film is by composer and musician Jocelyn Pook , who had previously worked with Kubrick on Eyes Wide Shut .


query: Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson claim responsibility for the Joker's design.

pos: Joker (character) The Joker is a fictional supervillain created by Bill Finger , Bob Kane , and Jerry Robinson who first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman ( April 25 , 1940 ) published by DC Comics . Credit for the Joker 's creation is disputed ; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker 's design , while acknowledging Finger 's writing contribution . Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance , he was spared by editorial intervention , allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman .   In his comic book appearances , the Joker is portrayed as a criminal mastermind . Introduced as a psychopath with a warped , sadistic sense of humor , the character became a goofy prankster in the late 1950s in response to regulation by the Comics Code Authority , before returning to his darker roots during the early 1970s . As Batman 's nemesis , the Joker has been part of the superhero 's defining stories , including the murder of Jason Todd -- the second Robin and Batman 's ward -- and the paralysis of one of Batman 's allies , Barbara Gordon . The Joker has had various possible origin stories during his decades of appearances . The most common story involves him falling into a tank of chemical waste which bleaches his skin white , turns his hair green , and his lips bright red ; the resulting disfigurement drives him insane . The antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance , the Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary .   The Joker possesses no superhuman abilities , instead using his expertise in chemical engineering to develop poisonous or lethal concoctions , and thematic weaponry , including razor-tipped playing cards , deadly joy buzzers , and acid-spraying lapel flowers . The Joker sometimes works with other Gotham City supervillains such as the Penguin and Two-Face , and groups like the Injustice Gang and Injustice League , but these relationships often collapse due to the Joker 's desire for unbridled chaos . The 1990s introduced a romantic interest for the Joker in his former psychiatrist , Harley Quinn , who becomes his villainous sidekick . Although his primary obsession is Batman , the Joker has also fought other heroes including Superman and Wonder Woman .   One of the most iconic characters in popular culture , the Joker has been listed among the greatest comic book villains and fictional characters ever created . The character 's popularity has seen him appear on a variety of merchandise , such as clothing and collectable items , inspire real-world structures ( such as theme park attractions ) , and be referenced in a number of media . The Joker has been adapted to serve as Batman 's adversary in live-action , animated , and video game incarnations , including the 1960s Batman television series ( played by Cesar Romero ) and in film by Jack Nicholson in Batman ( 1989 ) , Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) , and Jared Leto in Suicide Squad ( 2016 ) . Mark Hamill , Troy Baker , and others have provided the character 's voice .

neg: List of The Batman characters The following is a list of characters that have appeared in the television series The Batman , which ran from September 11 , 2004 to March 22 , 2008 . The animation style bears a strong resemblance to that of Jackie Chan Adventures , since Jeff Matsuda was the chief character designer for both shows . Many of the supervillains who appear in the series , like the characters Joker , Penguin and Riddler , are very different from those of their comic counterparts ( especially through their designs ) . While many characters adapted from the mainstream DC comics appear , some of them only appeared in the show 's tie-in comic called The Batman Strikes . Characters that were planned for a guest appearance but ultimately did not appear were Wonder Woman , Bizarro , Vigilante , and Owlman .

neg: Batwing (DC Comics) Batwing is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics . Within DC Comics internal continuity , Batwing is one of several superheroes patterned after the famous superhero Batman . Batwing , in particular , was conceived by Batman as his crime-fighting counterpart overseas , ` the Batman of Africa ' .   The first Batwing is David Zavimbe , a Congolese police officer , created by writer Grant Morrison within the pages of Batman Incorporated prior to receiving his own eponymous series . Following later events within Batman Incorporated and Batwing , Zavimbe is replaced in the role by Luke Fox , an American mixed martial artist who had been Batman 's first choice in the role , who is also the son of Batman 's close associate Lucius Fox .   Batwing faces a roster of adversaries ranging from international super villains to the Democratic Republic of Congo 's corrupt police force . Batwing expands the DC Universe by taking place in Africa , making David Zavimbe both the first ( in continuity ) black Batman and one of the few characters headlining a series outside the United States . Fox is also black , and becomes the first in-continuity African American Batman .

neg: Harlequin Harlequin ( -LSB- ˈhɑrləkwɪn -RSB- Arlecchino -LSB- arlekˈkiːno -RSB- , Arlequin -LSB- aʁləkɛ̃ -RSB- , Old French Harlequin ) is the best-known of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell ` arte . The role is traditionally believed to have been introduced by Zan Ganassa in the late 16th century , and was definitively popularized by the Italian actor Tristano Martinelli in Paris in 1584 -- 1585 and became a stock character after Martinelli 's death in 1630 .   The Harlequin is characterized by his chequered costume . His role is that of a light-hearted , nimble and astute servant , often acting to thwart the plans of his master , and pursuing his own love interest , Columbina , with wit and resourcefulness , often competing with the sterner and melancholic Pierrot . He later develops into a prototype of the romantic hero . Harlequin inherits his physical agility and his trickster qualities , as well as his name , from a mischievous `` devil '' character in medieval passion plays.The Harlequin character first appeared in England early in the 17th century and took center stage in the derived genre of the Harlequinade , developed in the early 18th century by John Rich . As the Harlequinade portion of English dramatic genre pantomime developed , Harlequin was routinely paired with the character Clown . As developed by Joseph Grimaldi around 1800 , Clown became the mischievous and brutish foil for the more sophisticated Harlequin , who became more of a romantic character . The most influential such pair in Victorian England were the Payne Brothers , active during the 1860s and 1870s .

neg: The Joker (Anthony Newley song) The Joker is a song by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley , from the 1964 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint -- The Smell of the Crowd .

neg: Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in books published by DC Comics . Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino , the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st centuries of the , and first appears in Adventure Comics # 247 ( April 1958 ) .   Initially , the team was closely associated with the original Superboy character ( Superman when he was a teenager ) , and was portrayed as a group of time travelers . Later , the Legion 's origin and back story were fleshed out , and the group was given its own monthly comic . Eventually , Superboy was removed from the team altogether and appeared only as an occasional guest star .   The team has undergone two major reboots during its run . The original version was replaced with a new rebooted version following the events of the `` Zero Hour '' storyline in 1994 and another rebooted team was introduced in 2004 . A fourth version of the team , nearly identical to the original version , was introduced in 2007 .

neg: Film Booking Offices of America Film Booking Offices of America ( FBO ) , also known as FBO Pictures Corporation , was an American film studio of the silent era , a producer and distributor of mostly low-budget films . The business began in 1918 as Robertson-Cole ( U.S. ) , the American division of a British import -- export company and Robertson-Cole was formed by the English-born Harry F. Robertson and the American Rufus Sidman Cole . Robertson-Cole bought the Hallmark Exchanges ( formerly the Mutual Exchanges that became known as Exhibitors-Mutual Exchanges ) from Frank J. Hall in 1920 . Exhibitors-Mutual/Hallmark had distributed Robertson-Cole product , and acquiring the exchanges gave them the right to distribute their own films plus Hall 's product , with the exception of Charlie Chaplin reissues he had the rights to .   Robertson-Cole initiated movie production in the United States in 1920 . That year , it incorporated Robertson-Cole Studios , Inc. and bought 460 acres in Santa Monica , California to establish a studio . The property , which became known as the `` R.C. Ranch '' , enabled Robertson-Cole to centralize movie production , which previously had been scattered . The movie company had relied on equipment rentals to produce motion pictures . Two years later , a corporate reorganization led to the company 's new name , with FBO becoming the official name of the distributing operation and Robertson-Cole Pictures Corp. the name of the production operation . In 1923 , the studio contracted with Western actor Fred Thomson , who would soon emerge as one of Hollywood 's most popular stars . Thomson was just one of numerous screen cowboys with whom FBO became identified .   The studio , whose core market was America 's small towns , also put out many romantic melodramas , non-Western action pictures , and comedic shorts . In 1926 , financier Joseph P. Kennedy led a group that acquired the company . In June 1928 , using RCA Photophone technology , FBO became only the second Hollywood studio to release a feature-length `` talkie . '' A few months later , Kennedy and RCA chief David Sarnoff arranged the merger that created RKO , one of the major studios of Hollywood 's Golden Age .

neg: Events from the Modern Age of Comic Books One of the key aspects of the Modern Age of Comic Books was that it was the beginning of big events . In 1984 , Marvel Comics debuted the first large crossover , Secret Wars , a storyline featuring the company 's most prolific superheroes , which overlapped into a 12-issue limited series and many monthly comic books . A year later , DC Comics introduced its first large scale crossover , Crisis on Infinite Earths , which had long-term effects on the `` DC Universe '' continuity .   In the early and mid-1990s , big events were regularly published by Marvel and DC , often leading to extra publicity and sales . These events helped fend-off competition from Image Comics , and such events were more likely to become `` collector 's items . '' Some events , such as DC 's `` Zero Hour '' and Marvel 's `` Onslaught saga '' spanned a publisher 's entire line while others only affected a `` family '' of interrelated titles . The X-Men and Batman franchises featured crossovers almost annually .   Some of the most significant mid-1990s events , such as Spider-Man 's `` Clone Saga , '' Batman 's `` Batman : Knightfall '' and particularly , `` The Death of Superman '' caused dramatic changes to long-running characters and received coverage in the mainstream media .   These events led to significant sales boosts and publicity , but many fans began to criticize them as excessive and lacking compelling storytelling . They also complained that monthly series had become inaccessible because one had to follow a number of comics to understand the full storyline . By the end of the 1990s , the number of large crossovers decreased , but they were still launched sporadically .

neg: The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island is an anime series produced by Nippon Animation .   The story is loosely based on the novel Swiss Family Robinson by Swiss author Johann David Wyss . As such it exhibits the same geographically impossible array flora and fauna .   The character of Flone is not present in the original novel , in which the Robinson family consists of only a father , a mother , and four sons ( no daughters ) . It is likely that Flone was introduced by Nippon Animation as a new character for the anime version in order to attract more girls as viewers . Also in the anime version , the oldest of the Robinson children , Fritz , is named `` Franz '' ( though his name is changed back to Fritz in the English dub ) , and the character of Jack is a three-year-old rather than a ten-year-old .   Very popular in Europe , this anime is one of the few World Masterpiece Theater series to have been dubbed into the English language for the American market . An English dub by PMT , Ltd , titled simply Swiss Family Robinson , aired on The Family Channel cable network in the U.S. in 1989 . This dub renames Flone `` Becca '' as well as her older brother Franz `` Fritz '' . It can currently be seen on the Smile of a Child network and .

neg: Jokerman (typeface) Jokerman is a typeface created in 1995 by British designer Andrew K. Smith . It employs dots , spirals and straight lines that can either be attached or placed near each letter or integrated into the character to create negative space . It was described by Microsoft as `` fanciful internal and external elements . '' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jokerman_ ( typeface )

neg: Doctor Who (pinball) Doctor Who is a pinball machine designed by Bill Pfutzenreuter ( Pfutz ) and Barry Oursler , and released by Midway ( under the Bally brand name ) in September 1992 . It is based on the television series of the same name , although the relationship of spinoff media to the parent series is open to question . As stated in the Gameplay section , the rulesheet is rather different from other pinball machines released at the time , which did n't help popularity ( and even now it is still seen as an exotic machine amongst collectors ) as casual players did not understand the complex rule changes that occur during the game .   The first 100 games included a moving Dalek topper that would turn side-to-side while the robot was speaking . The effect was achieved by fitting the robot 's body with a complex motor , cam , and optoelectronics system . Its complexity and expense lead to it being cut from the production run . Production Dalek toppers can be made to move with `` wobble head kits '' .   Prototypes featured the old Bally-style backbox ( and a totally different backglass ) , but this was changed to the Williams-styled one in order to cheapen the production process for both product lines .

neg: All Star DC Comics All Star was an imprint of ongoing comic book titles published by American company DC Comics that ran from 2005 to 2008 . DC has published two titles under the All-Star banner , featuring Batman and Superman .   The premise of the imprint was to partner DC Comics ' top tier characters with the most popular and acclaimed writers and artists . The creators had access to all elements in the characters ' histories to present their interpretation for a modern audience that have not read these DC characters ' comics previously , or had not seen them lately . The creative teams were not beholden to any previous and present continuities , and told stories that featured `` the most iconic versions of these characters '' .   The project had been compared to the Ultimate line of Marvel Comics , which was a successful attempt to re-introduce Marvel 's most popular characters to a new generation of readers by presenting new , updated versions unburdened by decades of plotlines . There were several differences between the two imprints , though . While the Ultimate titles have closely interrelated storylines , of the two All-Star series released , there has been no effort to make them conform to each other or indicate they exist in the same continuity . Another is that All-Star did not seek to introduce brand new versions of the characters so much as to present them in unhindered continuity . Robin 's origin was the only one `` rebooted '' in this imprint .   Some observers , and DC themselves , had pointed to the return of DC 's major film franchises as an impetus for All-Star . `` No one can doubt that some kind of continuity shedding is necessary with Superman and Batman coming to the big screens , '' the website Comicon.com wrote . `` Moviegoers entertained by these films would find the current comics storylines impenetrable '' .   With the end of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely 's All-Star Superman and the rebranding of Frank Miller and Jim Lee 's All Star Batman and Robin as Dark Knight : Boy Wonder as well as the introduction of the DC : Earth One line of OGNs , the imprint is effectively defunct .

neg: The Dark Knight (film) The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed , co-produced , and co-written by Christopher Nolan . Featuring the DC Comics character Batman , the film is the second part of Nolan 's The Dark Knight Trilogy and a sequel to 2005 's Batman Begins , starring an ensemble cast including Christian Bale , Michael Caine , Heath Ledger , Gary Oldman , Aaron Eckhart , Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman . In the film , Bruce Wayne/Batman ( Bale ) , James Gordon ( Oldman ) and Harvey Dent ( Eckhart ) form an alliance to dismantle organized crime in Gotham City , but are menaced by a criminal mastermind known as the Joker ( Ledger ) who seeks to undermine Batman 's influence and create chaos .   Nolan 's inspiration for the film was the Joker 's comic book debut in 1940 , the 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke , and the 1996 series The Long Halloween , which retold Two-Face 's origin . The nickname `` the Dark Knight '' was first applied to Batman in Batman # 1 ( 1940 ) , in a story written by Bill Finger . The Dark Knight was filmed primarily in Chicago , as well as in several other locations in the United States , the United Kingdom , and Hong Kong . Nolan used IMAX 70 mm film cameras to film some sequences , including the Joker 's first appearance in the film . The film is dedicated to the memory of Ledger , who died on January 22 , 2008 , some months after the completed filming and six months before the film 's release , from a toxic combination of prescription drugs , leading to intense attention from the press and movie-going public . Warner Bros. initially created a viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight , developing promotional websites and trailers highlighting screenshots of Ledger as the Joker .   A co-production of the United States and the United Kingdom , The Dark Knight was released on July 16 , 2008 in Australia , on July 18 , 2008 , in North America , and on July 25 , 2008 , in the United Kingdom . Considered by film critics to be one of the best films of the 2000s and one of the best superhero films ever , the film received highly positive reviews and set numerous records during its theatrical run . The Dark Knight appeared on more critics ' top ten lists ( 287 ) than any other film of 2008 with the exception of WALL-E , and more critics ( 77 ) named The Dark Knight the best film of 2008 than any other film released that year . With over $ 1 billion in revenue worldwide , it is the 29th-highest-grossing film of all time , unadjusted for inflation . The film received eight Academy Award nominations ; it won the award for Best Sound Editing and Ledger was posthumously awarded Best Supporting Actor . The Dark Knight Rises , the final film in the trilogy , was released on July 20 , 2012 .

neg: Mister Mxyzptlk Mister Mxyzptlk ( -LSB- mɪksˈjɛzpɪtlɪk -RSB- , -LSB- ˈmɪksɪlplɪk -RSB- or -LSB- mɪksˈjɛzpɪtəlɪk -RSB- ) , sometimes called Mxy , is a fictional impish character who appears in DC Comics ' Superman comic books , sometimes as a supervillain and other times as an antihero .   Mr. Mxyzptlk was created to appear in Superman # 30 ( Sept. 1944 ) , in the story `` The Mysterious Mr. Mxyzptlk '' , by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Ira Yarborough . But due to publishing lag time , the character saw print first in the Superman daily comic strip by writer Whitney Ellsworth and artist Wayne Boring .   He is usually presented as a trickster , in the classical mythological sense , in that he possesses reality warping powers with which he enjoys tormenting Superman in a cartoonish way . In most of his appearances in DC Comics , he can be stopped only by tricking him into saying or spelling his own name backwards ( Kltpzyxm - `` kel-tip-zix-um '' ) , which will return him to his home in the 5th dimension and keep him there for a minimum of ninety days . However , this specific limitation of the character has been eliminated since the Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot , upon which the character leaves only when he willingly agrees to do so after meeting some conditions he sets , such as having Superman succeed in getting Mxyzptlk to paint his own face blue .   In 2009 , Mister Mxyzptlk was ranked as IGN 's 76th-Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time .

neg: Dick Grayson Richard John `` Dick '' Grayson is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics , commonly in association with Batman . Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson , he first appeared in Detective Comics # 38 in April 1940 as the original incarnation of Robin . In Tales of the Teen Titans # 44 ( July 1984 ) the character retires his role as Robin and assumes the superhero persona of Nightwing , created by Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez .   The youngest in a family of acrobats known as the `` Flying Graysons '' , Dick watches a mafia boss kill his parents in order to extort money from the circus that employed them . Batman ( Bruce Wayne ) takes him in as a legal ward ( retconned as an adopted son in some cases ) and the crime-fighting partner Robin . He is written by many authors as the first son of Batman . As well as being Batman 's crime-fighting partner , Dick establishes himself as the leader of the Teen Titans , a team of teenage superheroes . As a young man , he retires as Robin and takes on his own superhero identity to assert his independence , becoming Nightwing . As Nightwing , he continues to lead the Teen Titans and later the Outsiders . In the first volume of his eponymous series ( 1996 -- 2009 ) , he becomes the protector of Blüdhaven , Gotham 's economically troubled neighboring city , the locale the character is most closely associated with . He has also served stints protecting the streets of New York , Chicago and Gotham in other runs over the years .   Dick Grayson has taken on the identity of Batman on a few occasions . Following `` Batman : Knightfall '' , Grayson declines taking up the mantle of Batman while the original was recovering from a broken back as he feels Nightwing is a hero in his own right and not Batman 's understudy , but after the events of the Zero Hour miniseries later that year , he replaces Bruce Wayne as Batman , beginning in Robin # 0 ( 1994 ) and extending throughout the Batman : Prodigal storyline in 1995 . Dick again assumes the mantle following the events of `` Batman R.I.P. '' ( 2008 ) and Final Crisis ( 2008 -- 9 ) . As Batman , Dick moves to Gotham City following his mentor 's apparent death and partners with the fifth Robin , Damian Wayne . On Bruce 's return , both men maintained the Batman identity until 2011 , when Dick returned to the Nightwing identity with DC 's The New 52 continuity reboot . In a 2014 comic story , Dick is forced to abandon the Nightwing identity after being unmasked on TV and faking his death , setting up Tim Seeley 's Grayson comic book , Dick becomes Agent 37 , Batman 's mole in the nefarious spy organization Spyral . Following the conclusion of the Grayson series , and the restoration of his secret identity in the series ' final issue , Dick returns to being Nightwing as part of the DC Rebirth relaunch in 2016 .   Dick Grayson has appeared as Robin in several other media adaptations : the 1943 serial played by Douglas Croft , the 1949 serial played by Johnny Duncan , the 1966 -- 1968 live action Batman television series and its motion picture portrayed by Burt Ward , played by Chris O'Donnell in the 1995 film Batman Forever and its 1997 sequel Batman & Robin . Loren Lester voiced the character as Robin in Batman : The Animated Series and later as Nightwing 's first screen adaptation in The New Batman Adventures . In May 2011 , IGN ranked Dick Grayson # 11 on their list of the `` Top 100 Super Heroes of All Time '' . In 2013 , ComicsAlliance ranked Grayson as Nightwing as # 1 on their list of the `` 50 Sexiest Male Characters in Comics '' .

neg: Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat is a video game franchise originally developed by Midway Games ' Chicago studio in 1992 . Following Midway 's bankruptcy , the Mortal Kombat development team was acquired by Warner Bros. and turned into NetherRealm Studios . Warner Bros. . Interactive Entertainment currently owns the rights of the franchise and rebooted it in 2011 .   The development of the first game was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had of making a video game starring Jean-Claude Van Damme , but as that idea fell through , a fantasy-horror themed fighting game titled Mortal Kombat was created instead . The original game has spawned many sequels and has spun a media franchise consisting of several action-adventure games , films ( animated and live-action with its own sequel ) , and television series ( animated and live-action ) . Other spin-offs include comic book series , a card game and a live-action tour . Along with Capcom 's Street Fighter and Bandai Namco 's Tekken , Mortal Kombat has become one of the most successful fighting franchises in the history of video games . , the franchise had generated $ 5 billion in revenue , making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .   The series has a reputation for high levels of bloody violence , including , most notably , its Fatalities ( finishing moves , requiring a sequence of button inputs to perform ) . The Fatalities , in part , led to the creation of the ESRB video game rating system . The series name itself is also known for using the letter `` K '' in place of `` C '' for the hard C sound , thus intentionally misspelling the word `` combat '' , as well as other words with the hard C sound within later games in the series . Early games in the series were also noted for its realistic digitized sprites ( which differentiated it from its contemporaries ' hand-drawn sprites ) and an extensive use of palette swapping to create new characters .

neg: Warner Bros. Cartoons Warner Bros. . Cartoons , Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. . Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation . One of the most successful animation studios in American media history , Warner Bros. . Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical cartoon short subjects . The characters featured in these cartoons , including Bugs Bunny , Daffy Duck , Porky Pig , Speedy Gonzales , Sylvester and Tweety , Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner , are among the most famous and recognizable characters in the world . Many of the creative staff members at the studio , including directors and animators such as Chuck Jones , Friz Freleng , Robert McKimson , Tex Avery , Robert Clampett and Frank Tashlin , are considered major figures in the art and history of traditional animation .   The Warner animation division was founded in 1933 as Leon Schlesinger Productions , an independent company which produced the popular Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated short subjects for release by Warner Bros. . Pictures . In 1944 , Schlesinger sold the studio to Warner Bros. , who continued to operate it as Warner Bros. . Cartoons , Inc. until 1963 . Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies were briefly subcontracted to Freleng 's DePatie-Freleng Enterprises studio from 1964 until 1967 . The Warner Bros. . Cartoons studio briefly re-opened in 1967 before shutting its doors for good two years later .   A successor company , Warner Bros. . Animation , was established in 1980 . That company continues to produce Looney Tunes-related works , in addition to television shows and feature films centering on other properties . The classic Warner Bros. animation studio is sometimes referred to as `` Termite Terrace '' , a name given to the temporary headquarters Tex Avery and his animators were assigned to during Avery 's first year as a Looney Tunes director .

neg: The World's Greatest Super-Heroes The World 's Greatest Super-Heroes is the name to the oversized slipcased hardcover anthology collection , that reprinted six oversized graphic novels all created by artist Alex Ross and writer Paul Dini . Four graphic novels were originally published to celebrate the 60th anniversary of DC main characters : Superman , Batman , Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman , thus Superman : Peace on Earth were published in 1998 , Batman : War on Crime in 1999 , Shazam ! : Power of Hope in 2000 and finally Wonder Woman : Spirit of Truth in 2001 . Alex Ross original idea was make a statement about the four superhero comics archetypes : Science Fiction ( Superman ) , Crime/Mystery ( Batman ) , Magic ( Captain Marvel ) and Myth ( Wonder Woman ) .   In the following year , DC Comics also published one extra book : JLA : Secret Origins . Not featuring any storyline whatsoever , it only presented the origins of the four main characters already published in the previous books and the origins of other Justice League characters : Green Lantern , Flash , Green Arrow , Black Canary , Martian Manhunter , Hawkman , Hawkgirl and Plastic Man . Every origin was present in two-pages layout based on Joe Shuster 's origin of Superman from Action Comics # 1 .   The final book , published in 2003 , JLA : Liberty and Justice presented a full story featuring the entire group , the first time that Alex Ross was able to use all characters in the current timeline . The artwork is of Ross ' very own photorealism , and the books themselves were created after the success of Ross ' and writer Mark Waid 's famous Kingdom Come .   The World 's Greatest Super-Heroes was released on August 1 , 2005 on dust-jacket slipcase hardcover edition ( 9.6 '' x 13 '' ) and got paperback reprint ( 8.2 '' x 11 '' ) on September 28 , 2010 . Both collected versions are smaller than the original Treasury Editions ( 10 '' x 13.5 '' ) .

neg: Death's Head Death 's Head is a fictional character appearing in British comics and American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character is depicted as a robotic bounty hunter ( or rather , as he calls himself , a `` freelance peace-keeping agent '' ) . The character was created by writer Simon Furman and artist Geoff Senior for the company 's Marvel UK imprint . Furman decided to use Death 's Head in his Transformers stories , but believed that characters appearing in Transformers `` were prone to be absorbed into that title 's catchall copyright '' ( allowing Hasbro to contest their ownership ) and led to a one-page strip titled `` High Noon Tex '' ( which was subsequently published in various Marvel UK titles ) being hastily created to establish Marvel 's ownership of the character . Furman has stated that he chose the name Death 's Head for the character while unaware of the `` Nazi-connotations of the name '' .   The character was later redesigned and relaunched as Death 's Head II , acting as one of the flagship characters for Marvel UK 's 1990s expansion . This version of Death 's Head also inspired two spin-off characters , Death Wreck and Death Metal , each of which starred in its own limited series .   Later , in 2005 , fans used a poll on Marvel 's website to vote for the character 's return . This led to a third version of Death 's Head , Death 's Head 3.0 , created by original Death 's Head writer Simon Furman . Simon Furman said in 2011 that the character was still popular because `` he 'll never change or compromise or grow or repent or agonise like most comic book characters . He 's this unchanging , uncompromising rock that other characters bounce off . But you still kind of love him . Weird . ''

neg: Krypton (comics) Krypton , a planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . The planet is the native world of Superman and is named after the element krypton , which is abundant in its atmosphere . The planet was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster , and was first referred to in Action Comics # 1 ( June 1938 ) . The planet made its first full appearance in Superman # 1 ( Summer 1939 ) .   Krypton is also the native world of Supergirl , Krypto the Superdog , and Power Girl ( in her case , an alternate-universe version designated `` Krypton-Two '' ) . It has been consistently described as having been destroyed shortly after Superman 's flight from the planet , although the exact details of its destruction vary by time period and writers . Kryptonians were the dominant species on Krypton .

neg: Captain Marvel (DC Comics) Captain Marvel , also known as Shazam , is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939 . Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics # 2 ( cover-dated Feb. 1940 ) , published by Fawcett Comics . He is the alter ego of Billy Batson , a boy who , by speaking the magic word `` SHAZAM '' ( acronym of 6 Greek `` immortal elders '' - Solomon , Hercules , Atlas , Zeus , Achilles , and Mercury ) , can transform himself into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength , speed , flight , and other abilities .   Based on book sales , the character was the most popular superhero of the 1940s , outselling even Superman . Fawcett expanded the franchise to include other `` Marvels '' , primarily Marvel Family associates Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. , who can harness Billy 's powers as well . Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted into film , in a 1941 Republic Pictures serial titled Adventures of Captain Marvel .   Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel-related comics in 1953 , partly because of a copyright infringement suit from DC Comics , alleging that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman . In 1972 , DC licensed the Marvel Family characters from Fawcett , and returned them to publication . By 1991 , DC had acquired all rights to the characters . DC has since integrated Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into their DC Universe and has attempted to revive the property several times , with mixed success . Due to trademark conflicts over another character named `` Captain Marvel '' owned by Marvel Comics since 1967 , DC chose to publish the character 's adventures in a comic book titled Shazam ! for many years , leading many to assume that this was the character 's name . DC later officially renamed the character `` Shazam '' when relaunching its comic book properties in 2011 .   In addition , since 1972 , the character has been featured in two television series adaptations , one live action and one animated , by Filmation , and an upcoming Warner Bros. . Shazam ! feature film scheduled for release in 2019 as part of the DC Extended Universe . Captain Marvel was ranked as the 55th greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine . IGN also ranked Captain Marvel as the 50th greatest comic book hero of all time , stating that the character will always be an enduring reminder of a simpler time . UGO Networks ranked him as one of the top heroes of entertainment , saying , `` At his best , Shazam has always been Superman with a sense of crazy , goofy fun '' .


query: Robert Wagner wrote his autobiography by himself.

pos: Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner , Jr. ( pronounced -LSB- ˈwægnər -RSB- born February 10 , 1930 ) is an American actor of stage , screen , and television , best known for starring in the television shows It Takes a Thief ( 1968 -- 70 ) , Switch ( 1975 -- 78 ) , and Hart to Hart ( 1979 -- 84 ) . He also had a recurring role as Teddy Leopold on the TV sitcom Two and a Half Men and has a recurring role as Anthony DiNozzo Sr. on the police procedural NCIS .   In movies , Wagner is known for his role as Number Two in the Austin Powers trilogy of films ( 1997 , 1999 , 2002 ) , as well as for A Kiss Before Dying , The Pink Panther , Harper , The Towering Inferno and many more .   Wagner 's autobiography , Pieces of My Heart : A Life , written with author Scott Eyman , was published on September 23 , 2008 .

neg: Cello Concerto (Schumann) The Cello Concerto in A minor , Op. 129 , by Robert Schumann was completed in a period of only two weeks , between 10 October and 24 October 1850 , shortly after Schumann became the music director at Düsseldorf .   The concerto was never played in Schumann 's lifetime . It was premiered on 9 June 1860 , four years after his death , at the Leipzig Conservatory in a concert in honour of the 50th anniversary of Schumann 's birth , with Ludwig Ebert as soloist .   The length of a typical performance is about 25 minutes .

neg: Die Feen Die Feen ( -LSB- diː feːn -RSB- , The Fairies ) is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner . The German libretto was written by the composer after Carlo Gozzi 's La donna serpente .  Die Feen was Wagner 's first completed opera , but remained unperformed in his lifetime . It has never established itself firmly in the operatic repertory although it receives occasional performances , on stage or in concert , most often in Germany . The opera is available on CD and in a DVD . The overture has been separately recorded .   Although the music of Die Feen shows the influences of Carl Maria von Weber and other composers of the time , commentators have recognised embryonic features of the mature Wagnerian opera . The fantasy plot also anticipates themes such as redemption that were to reappear in his later works .

neg: Nietzsche contra Wagner `` Nietzsche contra Wagner '' is a critical essay by Friedrich Nietzsche , composed of recycled passages from his past works . It was written in his last year of lucidity ( 1888 -- 1889 ) , but was not published until 1895 , six years after his mental collapse . Nietzsche describes in this short work why he parted ways with his one-time idol and friend , Richard Wagner . Nietzsche attacks Wagner 's views , expressing disappointment and frustration in Wagner 's life choices ( such as his conversion to Christianity , perceived as a sign of weakness ) . Nietzsche evaluates Wagner 's philosophy on tonality , music and art ; he admires Wagner 's power to emote and express himself , but largely disdains what Nietzsche calls his religious biases .

neg: Kreisleriana Kreisleriana , Op. 16 , is a composition in eight movements by Robert Schumann for solo piano , subtitled . It was written in only four days in April 1838 and a revised version appeared in 1850 . The work was dedicated to Frédéric Chopin , but when a copy was sent to the Polish composer , `` he commented favorably only on the design of the title page '' . Kreisleriana is a very dramatic work and is considered to be one of Schumann 's finest compositions . In 1839 , soon after publishing it , Schumann called it in a letter `` my favourite work , '' remarking that `` The title conveys nothing to any but Germans . Kreisler is one of E. T. A. Hoffmann 's creations , an eccentric , wild , and witty conductor . '' In 1843 , when he had moved from writing for solo piano to much larger works , in particular Paradise and the Peri , he still listed it as one of his best piano works   The work 's title was inspired by the character of Johannes Kreisler from works of E. T. A. Hoffmann . Like the kaleidoscopic Kreisler , each number has multiple contrasting sections , resembling the imaginary musician 's manic-depression , and recalling Schumann 's own `` Florestan '' and `` Eusebius , '' the two characters Schumann used to indicate his own contrasting impulsive and dreamy sides . Johannes Kreisler appears in several books by Hoffmann , including Kater Murr and most notably in the Kreisleriana section of , published in 1814 .   In a letter to Clara , Schumann reveals that she has figured largely in the composition of Kreisleriana : `` I 'm overflowing with music and beautiful melodies now - imagine , since my last letter I 've finished another whole notebook of new pieces . I intend to call it Kreisleriana . You and one of your ideas play the main role in it , and I want to dedicate it to you - yes , to you and nobody else - and then you will smile so sweetly when you discover yourself in it . ''

neg: The Sondheim Review The Sondheim Review is a quarterly magazine published in Chicago , United States , since 1994 and , per its tagline , is `` Dedicated to the work of the Musical Theatre 's foremost composer and lyricist , '' Stephen Sondheim . It is edited by Cincinnati theatre critic Rick Pender , and its editorial board includes theatre columnist John Olson and drama critic Eric Grode . Sondheim himself has written occasional short items for the magazine , although he is not formally connected with the magazine in any way .   The Sondheim Review has not published since new subscriptions were to begin in 2016 ; the Website is defunct and many subscribers are without refunds for the 2016-2017 subscription season . At present , www.sondheimreview.com uses an invalid security certificate that expired on December 19th 2016 6:59 PM   The Sondheim Review also maintains a low-activity web site that includes one free article from each issue and a list of upcoming Sondheim productions primarily in the United States and Canada .   Available primarily by subscription in all 50 states , The Sondheim Review has subscribers in over 25 countries , as Sondheim 's work is widely acclaimed and respected , even in non-English speaking countries .

neg: Malwida von Meysenbug Malwida von Meysenbug ( 28 October 1816 -- 23 April 1903 ) was a German writer , her work including Memories of an Idealist , the first volume of which she published anonymously in 1869 . As well , she was a friend of Friedrich Nietzsche and Richard Wagner , and met the French writer Romain Rolland in Rome in 1890 .   Von Meysenbug was born at Kassel , Hesse . Her father Carl Rivalier descended from a family of French Huguenots , and received the title of Baron of Meysenbug from William I of Hesse-Kassel . The ninth of ten children , she broke with her family because of her political convictions . Two of her brothers made brilliant careers , one as a minister of state in Austria , and the other as Minister of the Karlsruhe . Von Meysenbug , however , refused to appeal to her family and lived first by joining a free community in Hamburg , and then by immigrating in 1852 to England where she lived by teaching and translating works . There , she met the republicans Ledru-Rollin , Louis Blanc , and Gottfried Kinkel , all political refugees ; the young Carl Schurz also became acquainted with her there .   In 1862 von Meysenbug went to Italy with Olga Herzen , the daughter of Alexander Herzen , known as the `` father of Russian socialism '' ( and whose daughters she taught ) and resided there . Olga Herzen married Gabriel Monod in 1873 and established herself in France , but Malwida 's poor health obstructed her from joining her .   Von Meysenbug introduced Nietzsche to several of his friends , including Helene von Druskowitz . She invited Paul Rée and Nietzsche to Sorrento , a town which overlooks the bay of Naples , in the autumn of 1876 . There , Rée wrote The Origins of Moral Sensations , and Nietzsche began Human , All Too Human .   In 1901 von Meysenbug was the first woman ever to be nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature after having been nominated by the French historian Gabriel Monod .   Malwida von Meysenbug died in Rome in 1903 and is buried in the Protestant Cemetery in the city .

neg: Concert piece A concert piece ( German : Konzertstück , also Concertstuck ; French : pièce de concert , also morceau de concert ) is a musical composition , in most cases in one movement , intended for performance in a concert . Usually it is written for one or more virtuoso instrumental soloists and orchestral or piano accompaniment .   In some cases concert pieces start with a separate opening movement , or are otherwise in more than one movement or section . A piece that presents itself as a miniature concerto is rather called concertino than concert piece , although in German several such concertinos are known as Konzertstücke . For instance Siegfried Wagner 's Flute Concertino was published as . Incomplete concerto movements by Beethoven and Schubert were retroactively designated as concert pieces . Schumann 's 1841 Fantasia for piano and orchestra , in form similar to Weber 's Konzertstück , was later rewritten and expanded with two further movements into his Piano Concerto Op. 54 . When the soloist is a vocalist , the piece rather belongs to the concert aria genre . Some concert pieces are written for instrumental soloists exclusively , while also concert pieces for orchestra without soloist exist . In this sense as well Chopin 's Allegro de concert for solo piano as Tchaikovsky 's Romeo and Juliet for orchestra can be called concert pieces . A concert overture is an overture which is conceived as a stand-alone concert piece .

neg: Neo-romanticism The term neo-romanticism is used to cover a variety of movements in philosophy , literature , music , painting , and architecture , as well as social movements , that exist after and incorporate elements from the era of Romanticism . It has been used with reference to late-19th-century composers such as Richard Wagner particularly by Carl Dahlhaus who describes his music as `` a late flowering of romanticism in a positivist age '' . He regards it as synonymous with `` the age of Wagner '' , from about 1850 until 1890 -- the start of the era of modernism , whose leading early representatives were Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler . It has been applied to writers , painters , and composers who rejected , abandoned , or opposed realism , naturalism , or avant-garde modernism at various points in time from about 1840 down to the present .

neg: Jack Wagner (announcer) Jack Francis Wagner ( December 17 , 1925 -- June 16 , 1995 ) was an American radio personality and actor best known for his association with Disneyland . He is famous for the various announcements over the park PA , for parades , special events , etc. . He also did voice work for the Walt Disney World Resort , and for the attractions themselves , including instructions , emergency precautions , and safety spiels . Because of the prevalence of his voice over the park , his nickname was `` The Voice of Disneyland '' . The most famous of these announcements is the message signaling that the Walt Disney World Monorail 's doors are closing . This spiel is as follows : `` Please stand clear of the doors . Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas . ''   One of his most famous lines is from a safety spiel at the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction : `` Remain seated please ; permanecer sentados por favor . '' This line is reprised in the nostalgic fireworks show `` Remember ... Dreams Come True '' , and is also a line in the film Toy Story 2 ( said by Barbie , who was voiced by Jodi Benson ) , as well as the episode `` Rollercoaster : The Musical ! '' in the Phineas and Ferb Disney animated series . The original recording can also be heard in the opening seconds of Anaheim ska punk band No Doubt 's `` Tragic Kingdom '' , a song from the album of the same name .   Wagner also enjoyed a lengthy career as a radio announcer at KNX in Los Angeles , and as a television actor , his best-known role being that of the malt-shop proprietor in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet . He was the younger brother of noted choral director Roger Wagner . Wagner 's son Mike , a former disc jockey and radio programmer , is a Disney executive .

neg: Bastien und Bastienne Bastien und Bastienne ( Bastien and Bastienne ) , K. 50 ( revised in 1964 to K. 46b ) is a one-act singspiel , a comic opera , by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart .   Bastien und Bastienne was one of Mozart 's earliest operas , written in 1768 when he was only twelve years old . It was allegedly commissioned by Viennese physician and ` magnetist ' Dr. Franz Mesmer ( who himself would later be parodied in Così fan tutte ) as a satire of the ` pastoral ' genre then prevalent , and specifically as a parody of the opera Le devin du village by Jean-Jacques Rousseau . The German libretto is by Friedrich Wilhelm Weiskern , and Johann Andreas Schachtner , based on Les Amours de Bastien et Bastienne by Justine Favart and Harny de Guerville . After its supposed premiere in Mesmer 's garden theater ( that is only corroborated by an unverified account of Nissen ) , it was not revived again until 1890 . It is not clear whether this piece was performed in Mozart 's lifetime . The first known performance was on 2 October 1890 at Architektenhaus in Berlin .   The opera is written in both French and German manners . Many of the melodies are French in manner , but Bastienne 's first aria is true German lied . This melody is also used in Mozart 's Trio in G for Piano , Violin and Violoncello , K. 564 ( 1788 ) . Another purely German lied is Bastienne 's aria `` I feel certain of his heart '' . Mozart utilizes the orchestra sparingly , with the exception of the reconciliation scene .   Mozart 's overture uses the same opening theme as Beethoven 's Symphony No. 3 , the Eroica . It is doubtful that Beethoven was familiar with this then unpublished piece . A likely explanation is that both composers took the theme from another unknown source .   Although he was very young , Mozart already had excellent vocal writing skills and a knack for parody and whimsy which would reach full flower in his later works . Bastien und Bastienne is possibly the easiest to perform of Mozart 's juvenile works .

neg: Prometheus (opera) Prometheus is an operatic ` Szenisches Oratorium ' ( ` scenic oratorio ' ) in five scenes by Rudolf Wagner-Régeny , with a German libretto by the composer after Aeschylus .

neg: C. Peter Wagner Charles Peter Wagner ( August 15 , 1930 -- October 21 , 2016 ) was an theologian , missiologist , missionary , writer , teacher , and church growth specialist best known for his controversial writings on spiritual warfare .   Wagner served as a missionary in Bolivia under the South American Mission and Andes Evangelical Mission ( now SIM International ) from 1956 to 1971 . He then served for 30 years ( 1971 to 2001 ) as Professor of Church Growth at the Fuller Theological Seminary 's School of World Missions until his retirement in 2001 . He is the author of more than 70 books . He was the president of Global Harvest Ministries from 1993 to 2011 and served as the chancellor emeritus of Wagner Leadership Institute , which trains leaders to join in a movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation , an organization Wagner also helped found . He was also the vice president of Global Spheres , Inc. .

neg: Die Walküre Die Walküre ( The Valkyrie ) , WWV 86B , is a music drama in three acts by Richard Wagner with a German libretto by the composer . It is the second of the four works that form Wagner 's cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung ) .   The story of Die Walküre is based on the Norse mythology told in the Volsunga Saga and the Poetic Edda . In Norse mythology , a valkyrie is one in a group of female figures who decide which soldiers die in battle and which live . Die Walküre 's best-known excerpt is the `` Ride of the Valkyries '' .   It received its premiere at the Königliches Hof - und National-Theater in Munich on 26 June 1870 . Wagner originally intended the work to be premiered as part of the entire cycle , but was forced to allow the performance at the insistence of his patron King Ludwig II of Bavaria . It was first presented as part of the complete cycle on 14 August 1876 at Wagner 's Bayreuth Festival . The work made its United States premiere at the Academy of Music in New York on 2 April 1877 .

neg: Walter Wagner (notary) Walter Wagner ( 1907 or 1908 -- May 1945 ) was the notary who married Adolf Hitler to Eva Braun in the Führerbunker on 29 April 1945 .   Wagner was a lawyer , and a member of the Nazi Party . He was known to Joseph Goebbels , who had previously worked with him in Berlin . As the Allies approached Berlin he had been drafted into the army . When Hitler told Goebbels of his intention to marry , Goebbels had Wagner summoned to the bunker . When he arrived on 28 April he discovered that the proper paperwork was not available . Later that evening he had obtained the documentation and was able to perform the ceremony just after midnight . The event was witnessed by Goebbels and Martin Bormann . Immediately afterwards Wagner rejoined his unit . He was killed only a few days later during the Battle of Berlin .   The scene of Hitler 's wedding is depicted in the films Hitler : The Last Ten Days , The Bunker and Der Untergang ( Downfall ) , all of which portray Wagner , in accordance with Nazi law , asking Hitler and Braun to confirm that they were of pure `` Aryan '' descent before the marriage can proceed .

neg: Wesendonck Lieder , WWV 91 , is the common name of a set of five songs for female voice and piano by Richard Wagner , Fünf Gedichte für eine Frauenstimme ( Five Poems for a Female Voice ) . He set five poems by Mathilde Wesendonck while he was working on his opera Tristan und Isolde . The songs , together with the Siegfried Idyll , are the two non-operatic works by Wagner most regularly performed .

neg: Wolfram Wagner Wolfram Wagner ( born 28 September 1962 in Vienna ) is an Austrian composer and flautist . He graduated from the University of Music in Vienna , Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and the Frankfurt Conservatory . In 1992 he was appointed professor of harmony and counterpoint at the University of Music in Vienna . He has also lectured at the Conservatory in Paris and at Amsterdam and Greensboro Universities .   As of 2012 , Wagner has composed three operas , one ballet , three oratorios and several orchestral works . One of his best received works has been Fantasie No. 1 for flute and cello . He has also recorded `` Secundum Scripturas '' with the mixed Vienna Chamber Choir . To celebrate his 50th birthday , in September 2012 , Wagner put on a special concert at the ACF London with Holger Busch , Jörg Wachsenegger and Gerhard Waiz ( TRIS ) , playing trios Mozart 's Kegelstatttrio , Gestural Variations by Graham Waterhouse , Mark Anthony Turnage 's Cortège for Chrisand , and a new work by Wagner .

neg: U2 by U2 U2 by U2 is an autobiography written by the members of Irish rock band U2 and first published in London by HarperCollins in 2005 . Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen Jr. collaborated with their friend Neil McCormick , a staff music writer for The Daily Telegraph to write the only authorized biography of the band . It portrays the story of U2 in their own words and pictures .

neg: Wagner (disambiguation) Richard Wagner ( 1813 -- 1883 ) was a German composer .   Wagner may also refer to :

neg: Anton van Rooy Anton van Rooy ( 1 January 1870 -- 28 November 1932 ) was a Dutch bass-baritone . He had a voice of enormous proportions and is most remembered for his association with the music dramas of Richard Wagner , especially the Ring Cycle , The Mastersingers of Nuremberg and Parsifal .   Born in Rotterdam , van Rooy studied with the famous voice teacher Julius Stockhausen in Frankfurt . He made his operatic debut at the Bayreuth Festival in 1897 , singing Wotan in Der Ring des Nibelungen . The year 1898 saw his debuts in Berlin and at the Royal Opera House in London ; and on 14 December that same year he sang for the first time at the Metropolitan Opera , New York City , as Wotan in Die Walküre .   He remained with the Met until 1908 , during which time he was heard in all the leading baritone Wagnerian roles . Most notably , he created Amfortas in the American premiere of Parsifal in 1903 . Four years later , he created the part of John the Baptist in the initial New York production of Richard Strauss 's then controversial opera , Salome .   Van Rooy also continued to sing regularly at Bayreuth until 1903 , when he was banned by Cosima Wagner from any further performances at the festival , because the Met performances of Parsifal that he had participated in breached German copyright law . His appearances in London spanned the years 1898-1913 . He made gramophone discs and cylinder recordings , too , and was a noted song recitalist and soloist in oratorio .   Although the acoustically recorded discs and cylinders that van Rooy cut during the early 1900s were incapable of capturing the full majesty of his voice , they do demonstrate the strength of his high notes , the dark beauty of his tone and the sensitivity of his phrasing . They show why , to quote the Oxford Dictionary of Opera ( second edition ) , `` he was considered the finest -LSB- Hans -RSB- Sachs , Kurwenal and Wotan of the first decade '' of the 20th century . ( Fortunately , some of his recordings are available on CD reissues . )   After leaving the Metropolitan Opera , van Rooy became the leading Wagnerian baritone of the Frankfurt Opera ; but by this juncture his voice had deteriorated prematurely due to vigorous over-use and his willingness to sing roles with a higher range than was ideal for his sonorous instrument .   Anton van Rooy died in Munich in 1932 , at the age of 62 .

neg: Polonia (Wagner) Polonia ( WWV 39 ) is a concert overture written by Richard Wagner . Wagner completed Polonia in 1836 , although it has been suggested that it may have been drafted as early as 1832 .   Wagner states that Polonia resulted from a `` dreamlike evening '' in Leipzig when he heard uninterrupted Polish songs at a celebration of May 3rd Constitution Day in 1832 . He composed the work later in Berlin in May-July 1836 , and gave its first performance in Königsberg the following winter . The work , which is in sonata form , contains references to Polish folksong .   Wagner apparently took the manuscript of the score with him to Paris in 1839 . He thought it had been lost during his visit , but it was returned to him by the conductor Jules Pasdeloup in 1869 . Discussing the overture with his wife Cosima on Christmas Day 1881 , Wagner opined that `` with a military band for the people , as I thought of everything at the time , it would have sounded splendid and made a great effect . ''   The composer 's manuscript of his piano arrangement of the score , which he made in 1840 , is in the Stefan Zweig Collection at the British Library . Zweig acquired the manuscript from a dealer in Vienna in 1937 .