Friday, April 21, 2006

A BIG (Happy) BREAKING Star Trek Item (and a few more left-overs)

EDITOR'S NOTE: A HUGE HAPPY STAR TREK MOMENT, AND THEN A FEW OTHER ASSORTED ITEMS TO CLOSE OUT THE WEEK.

Abrams Beams on to 11th TREK
Paramount Pictures has set J.J. Abrams to direct the 11th STAR TREK feature. The studio is looking for a 2008 release.

J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk will produce. Abrams and Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci will write the script.

The story will center on the early days of James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, including their first meeting at Starfleet Academy and first outer space mission.
EDITOR'S NOTE: SO. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH THIS IS A LOVELY, WONDERFUL THING.

1. THERE WILL BE A NEW STAR TREK MOVIE IN A FEW YEARS, SOMETHING WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A HOPE OF JUST A WEEK OR SO AGO.

2. THE MARVELOUS AND REVERED J.J.ABRAMS IS AT THE HELM, ALONG WITH HIS "LOST" COMPADRES LINDELOF AND BURK. AND THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING AMONG THE TREKKIES (AND SEMI-TREKKIES, LIKE MYSELF) BECAUSE THE MAN WHO BRINGETH GREAT THINGS LIKE "LOST" AND "ALIAS" TO DWEEBDOM, WILL NOW CAUSE INTELLIGENCE AND .....UMM...OTHER GOOD STUFF TO HAPPEN TO TREK.

3. WE GET THE MUCH-PROMISED KIRK/SPOCK BACK-STORY. EVEN WITHOUT SHATNER AND NIMOY (SNIFFLE), THIS IS A COOL SPOT IN THE TIMELINE. (AND EVEN THOUGH PARAMOUNT/TREK CONTINUITY SUCKS, THIS IS A GOOD SPOT FROM WHICH TO GET SOME TREK-HISTORICAL HEFT).

4. NO RICK BERMAN. NO DUMBED-DOWN, THROWN-AWAY, HALF-BAKED, FAN-DERISIVE MISHEGAS. MAY HE REST IN PEACE AND FAR AWAY FROM TREK. (BETTER YET, FEED HIM TO KLINGONS!)

A LITTLE OTHER (GOOD) MOVIE NEWS ---
Fraser Travels to CENTER OF EARTH
New Line Cinema and Walden Media have signed Brendan Fraser to star in JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.

The "contemporary" 3-D update will center on a scientist who is stuck with his nephew as they embark on a trip to Iceland to check on a volcanic sensor. During a storm, they get trapped in a cave, and the only way out is through the center of Earth.

Eric Brevig will direct. Charlotte Huggins will produce. EDITOR'S NOTE: BRENDAN FRASER'S BACK! YAY! (SUCH A CUTIE. AND WHERE HAS HE BEEN LATELY? I MEAN, OTHER THAN SAYING BAD WORDS AND BEING KINDA MEAN IN AN OSCAR-WINNING MOVIE. I MEAN, OTHER THAN THAT?)

Focus has 'Scoop' on Allen pic
NEW YORK -- "Scoop," the latest Woody Allen comedy starring Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson and the director, has been scooped up by Focus Features.

The NBC Universal specialty division nabbed domestic, Australian and New Zea-land rights to the film, which is in postproduction and slated for release this year.

Golden Globe winner Ian McShane (HBO's "Deadwood") rounds out the cast.

The story centers on a college newspaper journalist (Johansson) who stumbles upon a sensational story while visiting friends in London. Along the way, she develops a romantic entanglement with a British aristocrat (Jackman). EDITOR'S NOTE: WHAT A CUTE, ONLY SLIGHTLY AGE-INNAPROPRIATE COUPLE. AND HEY, AT LEAST IT'S NOT JOHANSSON FALLING FOR....SHUDDER...ALLEN!

Ron Howard Keeps It Real
Planning a new ensemble drama
Ron Howard has found a new project to follow-up The Da Vinci Code.

He’s attached to direct The Look Of Real for Universal, an ensemble drama that follows a group of young women in the clothing industry.

Winnie Holzman -a woman with plenty of dramatic writing experience, having created My So-Called Life – is hard at work on the second draft of the script.

And just who does Ron want to star in this next project? Why, none other than a certain actress by the name of Bryce Dallas Howard, current filming Spider-Man 3. EDITOR'S NOTE: WONDER IF HE HAS TO CONTACT HER THRU HER AGENT, OR HE JUST DOCKS HER ALLOWANCE AND SEE IF SHE CALLS IN?

Bogdanovich Cracks The Broken Code
A DNA discovery biopic
Clearly hoping that The Da Vinci Code will kick-start a trend for movies with “code” in their title, legendary helmer/actor Peter Bogdanovich will direct The Broken Code.

All right, so this one has nothing to do with hidden messages in old paintings: it’s a biopic of the research scientist who played a key role in James Watson and Francis Crick’s discovery of DNA’s structure.

David Baxter wrote the script, which is based on Anne Sayre’s book Rosalind Franklin And DNA, set in the cutthroat world of Big Discovery science and explores her life, including the fact that James Watson downplayed her contribution. Her death meant that she could never challenge his claim and that she missed out on being considered for the Nobel Prize. EDITOR'S NOTE: MEN! (I BET THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE TO THE WHOLE COWBOYS & INDIANS THING TOO, HUH?)

Longoria gets in touch with 'Texas' roots
Eva Longoria is going back home to the Lone Star State.

The Texas native is attached to star in Touchstone Pictures' "Deep in the Heart of Texas."

Touchstone has acquired Pam Buchignati and Lynnette Ramirez's pitch, which centers on a spoiled Beverly Hills diva (Longoria) who becomes a fish out of water when she is relocated to San Antonio to run the new Latin division of an ad agency. Being completely out of touch with her Mexican roots and speaking not a word of Spanish, she has to win over the gringo urban cowboy who is her new boss, speaks fluent Spanish and is more in touch with her heritage than she is.

AND A FEW ITEMS I REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT BUT AM POSTING ANYWAY --
del Toro Takes CALL
Guillermo del Toro has agreed to executive produce THE CALL OF THE SEA for Chile Films.

The horror film is based on a legend about a ghost ship that navigates the cold waters of a mysterious Chilean island in search of the souls of local fisherman. The story centers on a marine biologist (Varela) who discovers that many of the legends are related to her family's past.

Jorge Olguin will direct. Leonor Varela and Santiago Cabrera will star.

O'Bannon Puts BITE in Project
Dan O'Bannon will write and direct THEY BITE. The sci-fi thriller will be produced by Brian Witten and Rob Gallagher.

No details have been given on the plot. EDITOR'S NOTE: WOW. IT'S GONNA HAVE A PLOT?! (NOW THEY'RE JUST GONNA SPOIL US)! The film will go into production later this year.

O'Bannon's credits include ALIEN, BLUE THUNDER and TOTALL RECALL.

SOME LEFTOVER HARRY ---
Order of the Phoenix release dates confirmed
A few weeks ago we reported that the US release date of OOTP is July 13th, 2007.

We've now learned from Warner Bros that UK fans will be seeing the film on the same date, and Bulgaria will be seeing the film on July 20th.

UPDATE: WB has also just confirmed the Australian release date: September 6th, 2007.

Jim McManus to play Aberforth Dumbledore

Leaky has confirmed today that Jim McManus will play Aberforth Dumbledore in Order of the Phoenix. This news also confirms that Aberforth will appear in the fifth film. EDITOR'S NOTE: I THOUGHT ALBUS JUST SORT OF MENTIONED ABERFORTH IN PASSING IN OOTP; I DIDN'T REMEMBER HIM ACTUALLY BEING IN THE STORY? (AND DOESN'T THE GUY IN THE PICTURE LOOK LIKE ABOUT A DOZEN OTHER CODGERY OLD BRIT THESPS?)

AND THE SMIDGE OF (BAD FOR OUR NON-DWEEBPAL/GILMORE FAN DEBS) TV NEWS ----

'Gilmore' showrunners exit "
Gilmore Girls" creator/executive producer Amy Sherman-Palladino has left the WB dramedy, which is set to make the transition to the CW for a seventh season in the fall.

Executive producer Daniel Palladino, who served as co-showrunner on the Warner Bros. TV-produced series alongside Sherman-Palladino, also has departed.

"Gilmore" executive producer David S. Rosenthal has been tapped to run the series next year in what is expected to be the show's final season.

AND THE STUFF LEFT OVER FROM THAT NEWS ---

MICKEY MOUSE, MINNIE MOUSE AND OTHER DISNEYCHARACTERS GET ROMANTIC ON NEW POSTAGE STAMPS



ORLANDO, FL - True love is a wish that every heart makes, and the U.S. Postal Service has granted that wish with the help of a few beloved Disney characters. EDITOR'S NOTE: GONE INTO SUGAR-SHOCK YET?

The Art of Disney: Romance postage stamps feature Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse; Lady and the Tramp; Belle and the Beast; and Cinderella and Prince Charming.

They'll add a dash of romance to your cards and letters.

These stamps were issued during the kick-off of the 13th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival at Walt Disney World Resort. Available only in Lake Buena Vista, Fl. today, The Art of Disney: Romance stamps will be available nationwide tomorrow, April 22.

"We decided to take our cue from one of the most celebrated couples of all time - Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse," said Jo Ann Feindt, Vice President, Great Lakes Area Operations, U.S. Postal Service, who dedicated the stamps. "Their commitment to each other over the years has taught us not to play by the rules, but to play by the heart. Our heart tells us that this will not be the last set in the Art of Disney series. We will issue one more next year, now that's love."EDITOR'S NOTE: RAISE YOUR HANDS IF, WHEN YOU ARE THINKING ROMANCE, YOU ARE THINKING RODENTS? (PUT YOUR HAND DOWN, BOB. WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW).

AND BY THE BY, MICKY AND MINNIE AIN'T MARRIED. OR EVEN SHACKED UP. TALK ABOUT THE LONGEST NON-COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP ON RECORD! (BUT YEAH, THAT IS LOVE IN THE MODERN AGE I GUESS).

Joining Feindt in dedicating the stamps were Al Weiss, President of Worldwide Operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, some classic Disney characters featured on the stamps and larger-than-life, seven foot topiary images of the stamps made from fresh flowers and plants. EDITOR'S NOTE: GOD BLESS DISNEY. YA JUST CAN'T HAVE A PARTY WITHOUT COMMEMORATIVE TOPIARY.

"All of us at the Walt Disney World Resort - and at our vacation destinations around the world - are delighted to dedicate this new set of stamps featuring some of Disney's most beloved characters," said Weiss. "The stamps not only celebrate the enchantment of true love, they spread the joy and magic of these classic Disney characters even wider."

The Art of Disney: Romance self-adhesive 39-cent stamps, available in panes of 20, feature world-famous Disney couples in four stamp designs telling their own romantic tale.

Cinderella and Prince Charming: Everyone dreams of living a rags-to-riches fairy tale and dancing with that special someone. As Cinderella and Prince Charming learn, one waltz can lead to a moment of realization: "So this is love."

Beauty and the Beast: This is the evening the Beast has awaited, but can he tell Belle of his love? He knows his heart, but does she yet know her own? These two are as uncertain as they are hopeful-emotions and a tale "as old as time."

Lady and Tramp: First dates can be full of risks-and ordering spaghetti only complicates matters. Fortunately for Lady and Tramp, a plate of pasta leads to a memorable kiss, turning a simple dinner out into a wonderful "Bella Notte."

Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse have been sweethearts for many years, yet they still have that first blush of romance. Seeing this celebrated couple, we can all take heart; they prove that sometimes the course of love can indeed run smooth. EDITOR'S NOTE: AND ISN'T NICE TO KNOW THAT AMORPHOUS, SEMI-UNAFFECTIONATE, TAKEN-FOR-GRANTED ROMANCE ISN'T JUST YOU?!

The Disney relationship with the U.S. Postal Service began in the summer of 1918 when Walt Disney sorted and delivered mail in the Chicago Post Office.

Next, Mickey Mouse worked for the Post Office when he starred in the 1933 animated short "Mail Pilot."

The achievements of Walt Disney were first recognized on a stamp in 1968. On the stamp, a parade of children, hand-in-hand, appear from a tiny castle to surround a portrait of Walt Disney. The children, representing many nations of the World, are garbed in native costume.

In 1998, a "Snow White" stamp was issued as part of the Postal Service's "Celebrate the Century" stamp series that highlighted the most memorable and significant people, places, events and trends of each decade of the 20th century. In 1937, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" premiered as the nation's first feature-length animated film. The movie classic was comprised of 240,000 separate drawings and won a special Academy Award(tm) for Walt Disney.

The Art of Disney: Friendship stamps issued in 2004, the first in the current series, honored friendship as it appears in the art of Walt Disney featuring Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and a host of Disney friends.

The Art of Disney: Celebration stamps issued in 2005 were the second in the series and featured Mickey Mouse and Pluto; Alice and the Mad Hatter; Ariel and Flounder; and Snow White and Dopey. EDITOR'S NOTE: I SOMEHOW MISSED THIS ONE!

Each time, U.S. Postal Service art director Terrence McCaffrey joined with the Disney team including artist Peter Emmerich and creative director Dave Pacheco in designing the stamps.

The Art of Disney: Romance 39-cent pane of 20 stamps ($7.80) and the set of 20 24-cent stamped postal cards with all four designs ($9.95) are available at Post Offices and Philatelic Centers nationwide tomorrow.

For Disney memorabilia fans, there are a host of other collectibles, including:
A set of four 8 x 10 inch stamp-affixed Disney Prints, depicting each of the stamps, for $14.95,

A Disney Digital Color Cancellation Keepsake, which includes four first-day cover envelopes with one each of the stamps for $13.80 and,

a "Disney Let's Write a Letter Book" which includes stationery and 8 stamps, for $14.95.

To see The Art of Disney: Romance stamps visit the online Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop.

Current U.S. stamps and stationery, as well as a free catalog, are available by calling 1-800-STAMP-24.

In addition, a selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available at the online Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop.

Custom-framed prints of original stamp art are available at www.postalartgallery.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND HERE'S YET ANOTHER REASON WHY IT SUCKS THAT I DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR MONEY TO GO TO NEW YORK RIGHT NOW -----

All My Sons
By Jay Reiner


Bottom line: A peerless cast makes this a production people will be talking about for years.

Geffen Playhouse, Westwood Through May 21

Every now and then -- not very often -- something unusually wonderful happens in the theater. A very good play gets the cast that it deserves and the cast, perhaps realizing the potential of the situation, assumes a special kind of brilliance together that flares up immediately and sustains itself for an entire evening.

Such an occasion is on display at the Geffen Playhouse where Arthur Miller's early Ibsenesque drama "All My Sons," exquisitely directed by Randall Arney, has settled in.

A well-made play in the best sense of the word, the piece lacks some of the poetry and innovative structure and staging of "Death of a Salesman." Nevertheless, "Sons" has about it an intensity, a pinpoint focus and moral clarity that puts the play in the same class as its more popular younger brother. Both plays provide red meat for actors.

The sterling cast is headed by Len Cariou as Joe Keller, the small-town businessman whose expedient values and moral blindness cost him everything he holds dear in life. Cariou, a large man, reminds one of Lee J. Cobb, who first and memorably brought Willie Loman to life onstage. The very bulk and natural power of the actor lends an added tragic dimension to the performance, like some towering tree come crashing down in a dying forest.

Laurie Metcalf more than holds her own as Joe's iron-willed wife, Kate, a woman half-crazed with grief over the presumed death of her son in a World War II combat mission.

The play takes its title from the fate of this son, whose death -- as Joe finds out too late -- is a consequence of his own actions. The play, in a skillful demonstration of clockwork dramaturgy, makes the case that all the choices we make ultimately have personal consequences because we are, finally, connected to each other in ways that go well beyond our power to calculate or control.

Neil Patrick Harris is Chris, the idealistic younger son who has made it home safely from the war only to find that his own father has betrayed the values for which he, his brother and his buddies risked their lives. The gradual unfolding of this revelation leads to an almost unbearably moving confrontation between Chris and Joe. This is Miller territory in spades, the minute examination of a father-son relationship with the gradual stripping away of pretense on one side and idealized admiration and self-delusion on the other.

Harris takes a low key approach to the volatile material that only makes the pain of self-discovery more wrenching.

Surrounded by these three powerful performances, Amy Sloan creates her own special space like a gorgeous yet hardy daisy pushing its way up through concrete. Sloan has many twists and turns to navigate as the former girlfriend of the dead son who has now fallen in love with his brother, and she does so with boldness, subtlety and nary a cliche in sight.

The supporting cast -- Chris Payne Gilbert, Morgan Rusler, Robin Riker, Liam Christopher O'Brien, Megan Austin Oberle and Sterling Beaumon -- also is superb. Robert Blackman's backyard set, a two-story wood-frame house right out of Anywhere, USA, is perfect.

Miss this one at your own risk. EDITOR'S NOTE: SNIFFLE....

AND TO CLOSE....A FEW COMPLETELY RANDOM ITEMS ----

'Yeah, I'm at the movies'




Phone abuse, noisy eating … Garry Maddox lists the seven deadly sins of cinema etiquette.

Listen for a moment to an online debate that followed a suggestion to test the electronic jamming of mobile phones in cinemas.

"Who is so incredibly important they cannot turn off their phone for 90 minutes while they're in the cinema?" asked Luke.

Replied Shelley: "As a mother of two young children I feel it's important for a babysitter to be able to contact me. I could never forgive myself if I was unaware there was an emergency with my kids, just because of a movie."

Alex fired back that he'd been interrupted by phone calls or texting three or four times during every recent movie and found the bright light from active mobiles as distracting in a darkened cinema as a ring or message beep. But Katelyn thought it would be irresponsible to jam mobile phone signals.

"It's more people's own decency and manners you need to appeal to," she said. "People seem to be getting so much ruder and inconsiderate these days."

There's a good argument that in our techno-bubbles - insulated from each other by mobile phones and iPods - we are less considerate of others.

Another contributor to the debate, Tim, proved how rude he was by suggesting a ban on movies starring Meg Ryan. EDITOR'S NOTE: AWW...PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE, FOR PETE'S SAKE!

Leaving aside that suggestion, it's clear certain trends are disturbing the communal experience that is cinema-going. They are not nearly as serious as gunfire or trying to burn down the cinema but serious enough to steer patrons towards the DVD player rather than the box office.

Here are the seven deadly sins.
Compulsive mobile phone use
I once heard someone not only answer their phone but carry on a three-minute conversation about work during a movie. That might be rare, but texting and checking messages are now commonplace. True, it might be a sign the movie is dull. But every burst of bright light, every beep, every returned message ("am n movie, ur rite, adam sandler sux") distracts from the experience. That controversial suggestion - a trial of mobile phone jamming combined with light-hearted reminders on screen before the movie - is worth considering. EDITOR'S NOTE: UNFORTUNATELY, MY EXPERIENCE DOING LIVE THEATER IS THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE TOLD TO BE POLITE, DON'T THINK THE MESSAGE APPLIES TO THEM. (OUR MOST RECENT PRODUCTION HAD A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE TELLING PATRONS TO TURN OFF THEIR PHONES AND THAT NO PICTURE-TAKING WAS PERMITTED. THIS WAS NOT AMBIGUOUS OR VAGUE. BUT THERE WERE TOO MANY OCCASIONS TO COUNT OF PEOPLE CARRYING ON PHONE CONVERSATIONS AND/OR TAKING FLASH PHOTOS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PERFORMANCES.). SHORT OF BEATING OFFENDERS WITH LARGE STICKS, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE MESSAGE IS GOING TO GET THRU.

NOT THAT I'M OPPOSED TO THE LARGE STICK IDEA, MIND YOU.....

Forgetting you're not in your loungeroom
There are discussions you can quite happily have at home. They go along the lines of: "Wasn't she in that film with - what's his name? - Morgan Freeman?" "What? Million Dollar Baby?"
"No, silly, the one where he was God. The comedy."

"You mean Bruce Almighty?"

"That's the one. She was the wife of that funny guy?"

"What funny guy?" Etc etc etc.

For the comfort of other patrons, it's best not to have these discussions in the cinema.

Non-movie chatter
Say what you like during the commercials and the trailers. Feel free to comment on the upcoming attractions. But once the movie starts, it's best to leave discussion of romantic prospects, dinner plans, holiday arrangements, sex lives and other issues until later. The out-of-sync chuckles and gasps can startle other viewers.

The confectionary bar's dream customer
Everyone loves a Choc Top, a box of popcorn or even, in upmarket cinemas, an alcoholic drink. But unless the movie is 18 hours long, it's hard to justify half the contents of the confectionary bar.

The crinkle of chips or lollies being carefully opened so as not to distract other patrons does, in fact, distract other patrons. The greatest sin of all: bringing takeaway chicken from a fast-food restaurant. Now that's distracting.

Asking to swap seats
I don't want to sound precious but the natural order of the universe is fractured when latecomers ask patrons to move seats. Sure, they want to sit together. But they could move down the front in a half-full cinema. Or even arrive on time! And if they can't sit together, it doesn't mean they are separated from their loved ones for life. Just 100 minutes or so.

Kicking, knocking or spilling on other patrons
Hard as it is to believe when you're a teenager on a date, physical contact is inevitable in cinemas. But compulsive kicking of the seat in front can raise tension levels. So can a crack on the back of the head from a briefcase or half a Jumbo Coke in the lap. An apology is one time when it's OK to speak during a movie.

Intrusive ushers
The ritual of ushers entering the cinema, walking up one aisle, across the screen then up the other aisle is baffling to many patrons. I assume it's an exercise program.

But if it has to do with security or checking patrons, it's best if it doesn't distract half the audience during a movie. EDITOR'S NOTE: WE WERE AT THE MOVIES JUST LAST WEEK AND THE SLOWEST-MOVING USHER IN THE WORLD TRAIPSING UP ONE SIDE OF THE THEATER AND ACROSS THE FRONT, AND THEN UP THE OTHER SIDE, ALL THE WHILE WAVING A BIG RED BATON. AS SLOWLY AS HE WAS MOVING, IF THIS IS SOME SORT OF SECURITY PROCEDURE IT DIDN'T MAKE ME FEEL SAFER, JUST ANNOYED.

In a South Coast cinema, I can remember the usher crossing the screen at the exact moment Julia Roberts was facing certain death. By the time he'd moved on, Julia's attacker was dead and she had survived to make more romantic comedies and win an Oscar. I still have no idea how it happened. My theory: the usher did it.

AND SNEAKING IN A BIT OF ODDBOB (INCLUDING THIS FIRST ITEM, THAT ISN'T EVEN ALL THAT ODD!) ---
Film of the book: top 50 adaptations revealed
Mark Brown Wednesday April 19, 2006
The Guardian
As anyone who has seen any version of Anna Karenina knows, a great book does not necessarily make a great film. And while The Godfather was a great movie, was it a great novel? Probably not.

These and other debates went into deciding a longlist of what are deemed the 50 best film adaptations of all time.

Organised by the Guardian, a panel of experts has drawn up the list, which will be voted on by the public. The chains Waterstones and Borders are also involved and will promote the books in shops.

Andrew Pulver, the Guardian's film editor, who was on the panel, said: "There was some vigorous debate."

Among the issues under discussion was whether the film could be adapted from non-fiction. The answer was yes, but only in the case of Goodfellas, Martin Scorsese's mafia classic based on Nicholas Pileggi's account of the life of the gangster Henry Hill.

Short stories are allowed and Brokeback Mountain is there, based on Annie Proulx's piece originally published in New Yorker magazine. Stephen King could have been in the list three times over for short stories from one collection. In Different Seasons, three out of four of the stories became films - The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me and Apt Pupil.

The films of Stanley Kubrick could also have been in there several times since most of his movies were adapted works. The two which made the list are his version of Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange and Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita.

Jane Austen is included once, for Pride and Prejudice rather than Emma Thompson's Oscar-winning adaptation of Sense and Sensibility directed by Ang Lee.

And then there are the ones which are not there - no JK Rowling for Harry Potter or Tolkien for Lord of the Rings, nor EM Forster for Howards End, Room With a View or Maurice. EDITOR'S NOTE: WHY NOT? YOU GOT SOME SPLAININ TO DO HERE! (AND WHY NOT EMMA THOMPSON'S "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY"?)

The Guardian, in association with the Book Marketing Group, will publish a supplement in the Film & Music section on May 5 when voting will begin. The winner will be revealed at the Guardian Hay literary festival at the end of May.

From words to pictures
1984
Alice in Wonderland
American Psycho
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Brighton Rock
Catch 22
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
A Clockwork Orange
Close Range (inc Brokeback Mountain)
The Day of the Triffids
Devil in a Blue Dress
Different Seasons (inc The Shawshank Redemption)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (aka Bladerunner)
Doctor Zhivago
Empire of the Sun
The English Patient
Fight Club
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Get Shorty
The Godfather
Goldfinger
Goodfellas
Heart of Darkness (aka Apocalypse Now)
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Jaws
The Jungle Book
A Kestrel for a Knave (aka Kes)
LA Confidential
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Lolita
Lord of the Flies
The Maltese Falcon
Oliver Twist
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Orlando
The Outsiders
Pride and Prejudice
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
The Railway Children
Rebecca
The Remains of the Day
Schindler's Ark (aka Schindler's List)
Sin City
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
The Talented Mr Ripley
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
To Kill a Mockingbird
Trainspotting
The Vanishing
Watership Down

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND FINALLY....ODDBOB, BACK IN ODD FORM ---

Yet another person died recently at a Disney theme park, this time on the "Mission: Space" ride at Orlando's Disney World.

As a public service, we thought we'd warn you about other potentially fatal Disney attractions.

The Top 5 Hazardous Disney Attractions
5> Jiminy Cricket's Spiketacular Carousel of Pokin', Gougin' Nails
4> The Splatterhorn
3> Buzz Lightyear's Assprobe Orbiter
2> It's a Small Pox
and Number 1 Hazardous Disney Attraction...
1> Mad Hatter's Piping-Hot Brimming Teacup Sit 'n' Spin Ride
EDITOR'S NOTE: AH ME.....HAVE A NICE WEEKEND,DWEEBPALS!




Is it FRIDAY alREADY?! (then it must be time for STAR WARS stuff)!

Yeppers, it's that time again....FRIDAY STAR WARS stuff

EDITOR'S NOTE: FIRST UP, SORT OF LIKE WHAT WE DID WITH OUR RPG CHARACTERS, BUT THESE FOLKS MADE IT TO THE STAR WARS WEBSITE! (LUCKY DWEEBS!)

What's the Story, Round 5
Here's the latest batch of fan-created inhabitants of the Star Wars galaxy, officially incorporated into continuity by inclusion in the databank.

These represent the creative efforts of members of Hyperspace: The Official Star Wars Fan Club.

Every other week, fans are challenged to create an interesting back-story for a character, vehicle, location, species or other element from the Star Wars galaxy that has yet to be fully defined.

It's called What's the Story, and it's your chance to leave a mark on the Star Wars universe.

Shessaun, Senator Silya



Silya Shessaun was the first native of her planet's working class to ever ascend to the position of Galactic Senator, and she carried the humbleness of her early days with her into that elevated office. Shessaun was a child prodigy on Thesme, the industrial and political capital of the Thesme sector. She was thrust into politics at a young age, and was passionately devoted to championing causes for the poor and underprivileged throughout her career.

She first met Padmé Amidala at a summit on Alderaan when both were Apprentice Legislators.

The elder by five years, Shessaun was paired with Amidala as a mentor during a week-long political workshop. She was impressed by the 12-year-old's quick mind, sharp intellect, and genuine care for the needs of others. After the workshop ended, the two remained in correspondence for years, and Shessaun was pleased to learn when Amidala became the Queen of Naboo.

When Shessaun was 20, she earned a position in the Senate, and became a key player in a wide variety of social programs to help those in need across the galaxy. The harshest criticism her office endured was that she spread herself too thin concentrating on the bigger picture, and perhaps paid too little attention on her native Thesme. When Amidala joined her in the Senate rotunda as representative of Naboo, the two would confer often.

In the years leading up to the Clone Wars, Silya was called back to her home planet on a more permanent basis to mediate several territorial disputes in the sector. Many worlds in the Thesme sector threatened to secede, and Shessaun took a personal interest in keeping these planets within the Republic.

She was one of the greatest Loyalist proponents outside of Coruscant. In the trying times of the Clone Wars, both Padmé and Silya missed the strength of the other that they had come to depend on. Though she was extended an invitation to the Delegation of 2,000, she declined. She felt that undermining the Supreme Chancellor during such trying times was tantamount to a Separatist act.

She felt the loss of Padmé Amidala deeply when word reached her that the Senator from Naboo had died in the Jedi uprising. Shessaun had her doubts about the circumstances of Amidala's death and pushed for a Senate investigation after attending Amidala's funeral. Little was accomplished in this regard due to opposition by the Emperor, citing "security concerns."

It was then that Shessaun realized that the Empire had gone too far. Shessaun hid her sympathies for the growing fledgling resistance groups that had sprung up in the wake of the Clone Wars, but her allegiance to Amidala and the more vocal Senators came back to haunt her.

Though she was never targeted for reprisal like some of the members of the Delegation, she was quietly forced to step down from office, to let a more Imperial-minded Senator take her place.

Shessaun lived out her early retirement on Alderaan, helping Bail Organa's efforts from deep behind the scenes. She also came to assist in the raising of young Leia Organa, Bail's adopted daughter. She eventually returned to Thesme to little fanfare.

Shessaun died peacefully on Thesme surrounded by her loved ones, including Princess Leia, shortly after the destruction of the second Death Star.

Grey, Ottegru

In a galaxy engulfed by a terrible civil war rife with spies and assassins, politicians began to rightly fear for their lives. After several close-calls involving vengeful Aqualish Separatists EDITOR'S NOTE: IF YOU LOOKED LIKE AN AQUALISH, IT'D MAKE YOU A VENGEFUL SEPARATIST TOO. hiding in Coruscant's underlevels, Chairman Tannon Praji of the Ministry of Ingress (CMoI) turned to Ottegru Grey, a trusted friend of the Praji family and special agent for the Bank of the Core.

Grey specialized in tracking down missing funds, embezzlers or other miscreants. Since Praji was a large investor in the bank, the BotC offered Grey's protection services for only a paltry service fee that Praji never noticed. Grey, also a capable accountant, handled Praji's finances as well as his protection.

Grey was immensely qualified, having been in both physical and electronic security his whole career. He had served in the Coruscant Security Force as an undercover operative prior to being lured to the corporate world for better pay. Working for the Bank during the Clone Wars, he halted several Separatist attempts to steal funds from the bank, as well as an electronic break-in orchestrated by Givin slicers.

By the time of the Battle of Coruscant, Grey had trained 50 agents to work under him, and therefore felt comfortable leaving the institution to guard an important customer.

Once joining Praji, Grey shadowed him everywhere. Little did Praji suspect where Grey's loyalties ultimately were found. The protector secretly funneled some of Praji's funds into Palpatine's war chest. In turn, Palpatine used these funds to help cover the gambling debts of Romeo Treblanc, owner of the Galaxies Opera House. This accounting maneuver, all invisible to Praji's indifferent eyes, earned Grey a lifetime pass to the opera house as a guest in Treblanc's private viewing box, which Grey extended to Praji on behalf of the Bank. This would become such a favorite hideaway for Tannon Praji that the Chairman would conduct much of his business from there.

Following the Clone Wars, Grey used the Praji family to fund Imperial projects and provide work for non-human refugees. These refugees, unbeknownst to Praji, would become slaves and their budgeted salaries would instead be diverted into some of the Emperor's more sinister plots. EDITOR'S NOTE: SOMETIMES, I THINK IT WOULD WAY EASIER TO JUST KILL PEOPLE, YA KNOW? I MEAN, ALL THIS PLOTTING AND SCHEMING....IT GIVES ME A HEADACHE. (DOES THE DARK SIDE CAUSE MIGRAINES?)

Metonae, Corla



A member of the influential Antilles family serving the Royal House of Alderaan, Corla Metonae was assigned to the consular ship Tantive IV as bosun and petty officer in charge of the ship's deck crew and onboard craft, including escape pods. She served with her uncle, Captain Raymus Antilles. EDITOR'S NOTE: EARTH TRANSLATION, 'RAY SMITH'.

During the early years of the Empire, Chief Petty Officer Metonae was supervising test launches of the escape pods when a pirate group from the Karthakk system attacked, forcing the Tantive IV to abandon its jettisoned pods.

It was soon learned thereafter that two units from the ship's droid pool, R2-D2 and C-3PO, were unknowingly aboard one of the lost pods. Responsibility for the loss of such valuable property fell on Corla's shoulders, and she was reassigned. Bail Organa made finding these two droids of imperative priority.

However, Corla's reassignment was not a disciplinary action. Her organizational skills were needed in a leadership role for Project: Another Chance, the flagship program in Alderaan's voluntary disarmament effort following the devastating Clone Wars.

The project involved the conversion of a single massive war frigate, the Another Chance, into an automated armory ship that would hold all of Alderaan's weapons and, accompanied by three automated escort war ships, would perpetually jump through hyperspace until recalled by the Council of Elders.

Corla was instrumental in ensuring the four ships launched safely, despite a covert Imperial taskforce's attempt to intercept and claim the weapons cache. She deployed decoy craft carrying transponder signals matching the Another Chance's group to lure the Imperials away from their true targets.

Her effort were recognized by Bail, returning her to the Tantive IV in the position of Master Chief Petty Officer. She would note that the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO were recovered by Antilles, and both droids were instructed to never again enter an escape pod unless ordered.

Metonae would continue to serve the Organa family, including Bail's daughter, Leia Organa.

She was aboard the Tantive IV when it was captured and destroyed by Darth Vader.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I HOPE YOU WERE PAYING ATTENTION DURING TUESDAY'S YUZZEM/YUZZUM DISCUSSION. CAUSE RIGHT ABOUT NOW, IT MIGHT COME IN HANDY!

Lufba, Wam "Blam"



Wam Lufba never knew the name of the poacher who captured him on Endor. Because of his comparatively small stature, Wam was ostracized in the Yuzzum hunting parties. He was often assigned to spot ruggers on the savannah floors but not allowed to hoist or throw the traditional Yuzzumi spear, despite his claims of great accuracy.

On one hunting expedition, he and four members of his tribe were kidnapped and woke up in the cargo hold of a starship. The poacher offered the Yuzzum to Jabba the Hutt in the hopes of paying off an old debt. Jabba was incensed, and threw the poacher and his quartet of Yuzzum into the rancor pit.

In the scramble to escape certain death, Wam grabbed a hunting rifle that had fallen into the pit. While the rancor feasted on its victims, Wam fled into its holding pen, and fired his rifle, killing three guards with the utmost precision. Before the rancor could make its way to Wam, the Skrilling Pote Snitkin made his way into the pen and seized the scrawny alien in his powerful hands.

Jabba agreed to Snitkin's plea to spare the feisty creature's life. The Yuzzum displayed remarkable skill with a rifle, and Snitkin said he could use an extra hand in his business.

The Czerka 84-U hunting rifle rarely left the Yuzzum's side. Because of his marksmanship, Snitkin nicknamed the Yuzzum "Blam." Wam regularly accompanied Snitkin on his smuggling runs. During his trips to Jabba's palace, the Yuzzum was often found hunting rodents in the dungeons or keeping an eye on Snitkin's main rival, Hermi Odle.

One day, Wam was surprised and delighted to see another diminutive Yuzzum, Joh Yowza, arrive at the palace. The rhythmic and almost musical conversations of the two Yuzzums were often heard as intermezzos between performances of the bands that visited the palace.

Wam didn't care to join the execution party in its trip to the Pit of Carkoon. In fact, he sympathized with one of the prisoners for killing the rancor beast. When word of what happened at the Sarlacc reached Wam -- including news of Pote Snitkin's death -- he realized that he was free to do whatever he desired.

After accompanying Yowza on a tour of the Outer Rim and the Centrality, Wam returned to Tatooine and began a small business as an exterminator of womp rats and other vermin.

Shadow troopers



The brainchild of Armand Isard, Director of Republic Intelligence and Director-General of the Senate Bureau of Intelligence, EDITOR'S NOTE: RUMSFELD ANALOG? the shadow trooper division was created mainly as a reconnaissance tool. Designed to augment the dwindling number of ARC troopers, shadow troopers operate singly or in pairs. They operate covertly, yet still in armor, posing as mercenaries or bounty hunters to slip quietly in and out of locations while quietly gathering intelligence.

Shadow trooper armor is based on standard Phase II clone armor. Strategically placed magseals allow the attachment of deceptive plating that alters the appearance of a shadow trooper.

Different styles allow the shadow trooper to appear to be Hutt-hired mercenaries, Black Sun operatives, or independent bounty hunters. The plating is primarily cosmetic; it does disguise a clone trooper's sensor signature, confusing life form indicators to read presences other than human if desired. The plating also alters regular movement, preventing observers from recognizing the characteristic "clone gait."

If discovered, a single jaw switch within the helmet disengages the magseals, allowing the shadow trooper to regain full use of their armor.

The armor has a special sensor reflective coating that absorbs active scans. Thermal dampers and EM hardening prevent passive sensor from picking up the telltale signatures of standard armor. A high powered omni-directional jammer further adds to the shadow trooper's shroud of invisibility, ensuring they remain undetectable. Such costly jamming systems affect the helmet systems of standard clone troopers also, ensuring that most shadow troopers do not operate with the regular infantry.

The standard DC-15 carbine has been replaced by the DC-19 "Stealth" carbine. This weapon is equipped with a sound suppressor for silent operation, and has an optional mode that uses an expensively refined tibanna gas mixture that makes a bolt invisible to the regular visual spectrum. This mode comes at a high cost, though; the mixture must be reloaded after 10 shots, and the weapon must cool down after each blast to prevent damage to the dampeners. Shadow trooper snipers use the invisible beam to great effect.

When the Confederacy of Independent Systems stronghold was discovered on Utapau as General Grievous' hideout, a platoon of shadow troopers was assigned to infiltrate six sinkhole cities and place jammers that would allow the Republic army to invade without notice.

Success of the shadow trooper division led to the creation of the Storm Commandos, as well as Blackhole's elite stormtrooper forces.

DC0052 speeder



In the waning days of the Republic, the DC0052 Intergalactic speeder was a short-ranged repulsorcraft used exclusively by the Jedi order. Though found on other worlds, the speeder model was used most prominently on Coruscant, to ferry a single Jedi Councilor from the Jedi Temple to other sites on the planet.

Manufactured by Daystar Craft, this speeder had a mid-altitude ceiling of 170 kilometers, and a top speed of 800 kilometers per hour. The DC0052 made use of aerodynamic surfaces and a robust powerplant to rocket the tiny craft over urban areas. With twin Sono-class thrust pods and four stable but light Daystar Craft repulsorlift generators, the DC0052 provided swift, cheap, and reliable point A-to-B transportation.

Daystar had built upon previous success with their civilian issue DC0040, which their marketing department touted as "Intergalactic" in a series of ad campaigns that highlighted its starship-like design cues and heady power-to-weight ratios. Though that name was never formally applied to the DC0052, the sobriquet nonetheless stuck to the Jedi model.

The Jedi Council maintained a small fleet of 16 of the inexpensive craft to provide them with a means of traveling relatively quickly throughout the capital world without relying on public transport or pressing expensive Jedi starfighters into cross-world commutes. The Intergalactic had a range of 2,000 kilometers, which gave the Jedi quick access to many points on the planet while still remaining suborbital.

Its unique feature is a "drop-deployment" panel, which would allow a Jedi in need of immediate debarkation in an emergency to set the craft on autopilot to land while a hatch below the cockpit would drop away. The Jedi would then drop directly into the heat of the emergency, ready for action

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND HOW ABOUT SOME LUCASARTS GAMING NEWS? ---

At LucasArts, No Playing Around in Quest to Be No. 1
By
LAURA M. HOLSON
SAN FRANCISCO — In September 2004, Jim Ward met with the director George Lucas at his office at Skywalker Ranch near here. At the time, LucasArts, the video game company created by Mr. Lucas in 1982 and run by Mr. Ward, was in disarray. The division was making too many mediocre "Star Wars" games, it was rife with internal rivalries and it was in such lackluster financial shape that bonuses for employees were scrapped that year.

Mr. Ward, a veteran Lucasfilm marketing executive who had been named president of LucasArts only four months earlier, was there to present Mr. Lucas with a business plan, but he had a few questions of his own. Most important, did Mr. Lucas have the desire to turn LucasArts into one of the top five video game publishers? Indeed, Mr. Lucas said, he did.

"We can do this ourselves," Mr. Ward recalled Mr. Lucas telling him. "We will put our resources behind this."

LucasArts is not No. 5 yet. But last year it ranked No. 8 in sales, up from No. 13 a year earlier, according to the NPD Group. And, Mr. Ward, 46, is being credited with a turnaround. While No. 8 may seem low in an industry obsessed with No. 1, LucasArts got there selling a fraction of the games its competitors did.

The success was buoyed by two new "Star Wars" games, Star Wars Battlefront II and Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, which were the second- and third-top-selling games last year, after Madden N.F.L. 2006, according to NPD. And LucasArts had a hit with Mercenaries, a war game published by LucasArts and developed by Pandemic Studios that became the best seller based on a new property. And there are more non-"Star Wars" games on the way, including one based on the Indiana Jones character. EDITORS' NOTE: AND MORE NEW STAR WARS GAMES TOO, I HOPE? (I AM A DEDICATED, FOCUSED QOTD).

Analysts and others in the industry agree it is a promising turn for LucasArts and, in particular, Mr. Ward. But his most challenging days may be ahead. The video game industry has been in the doldrums for months; video game sales are lagging as consumers wait to buy the next generation of consoles, including the PlayStation 3.

And perhaps most important, Mr. Lucas has no plans to make any more "Star Wars" movies.

That means LucasArts will have to work that much harder to come up with ideas of its own.

"We are not the 'Star Wars' game company," said Micheline Chau, president of Lucasfilm. "And Jim knows what he has to do."

While the games division makes up about 25 percent of overall revenue for Lucasfilm, Ms. Chau said, it accounts for only 10 percent of the company's operating profit. This is why one of Mr. Ward's main goals is to create original franchises.

"The 'Star Wars' brand is a massive advantage, but they are going to have to market new innovation," said John Riccitiello, a partner at the video game investor Elevation Partners, who has known Mr. Ward for several years. "It's early. It may take another five years for their story to develop, but it is going to be interesting."

Sitting in his office overlooking the San Francisco Bay one recent morning, Mr. Ward reflected on what he and his team had done so far. It was at a town hall meeting in August 2004, the month before he met with Mr. Lucas, that he outlined his strategy in an auditorium filled with staff members. It seemed simple: LucasArts would make high-quality games, and deliver them on time and on budget.

"I learned this from George," said Mr. Ward. "There are these countless meetings where he is rational, laid back. But then he sets the bar so high you begin to think, like, this guy is out of his mind."

To illustrate the point, Mr. Ward raised his right arm in the air, higher than the left. "I said, 'Gang, this is what we are doing,' " said Mr. Ward, slowly raising his left arm to meet the right. "Now they've learned that if they come remotely close to this, they can do amazing things."

Before joining Lucasfilm in 1997, Mr. Ward had distinguished himself for 13 years as an aggressive advertising executive working with the likes of Apple Computer, Nike and Microsoft. While working at the advertising firm of Wieden & Kennedy, he was involved in the introduction of Windows 95 for Microsoft. He and his colleagues recommended that Microsoft use the Rolling Stone's hit "Start Me Up" in its now famous campaign.

Later, he was Wieden's global account director for Nike and part of the team that introduced Tiger Woods as a brand. Mr. Ward was recruited to Lucasfilm in 1997 to oversee the worldwide marketing of the last three movies in the "Star Wars" series, as well as all of Lucasfilm's DVD library. But by November 2003, Mr. Ward wanted more responsibility. Mr. Lucas and Ms. Chau agreed to let Mr. Ward "try out" at LucasArts even though he had no experience making video games.

"When he talked to us we were thinking maybe, maybe not," said Ms. Chau. "But if he surrounded himself with people who knew the business, and he listened, this could be great." Mr. Ward was named president at LucasArts in May 2004.

Robbie Bach, president of the entertainment and devices division at Microsoft, who has known Mr. Ward since the start of Windows 95, said Mr. Ward sought advice from others on how best to revive LucasArts. "He did listen to a lot of people, but once he made a decision, he didn't waste time getting it done," said Mr. Bach.

Along the way, he also developed a reputation for directness that could be a little rough. Mr. Riccitiello said that Mr. Ward "can run certain people over" with his big voice and strong point of view.

"My sense is if you took the average executive with a 50- to 80-hour workweek, they spend about 50 percent of their time just being nice," said Mr. Riccitiello. "Jim doesn't deal with that. He picks up half a week right there."

In 2004, about one-quarter of nearly 400 employees at LucasArts lost their jobs, said several former employees. (Mr. Ward declined to discuss the layoffs. Currently there are 252 employees in the division.)

He quickly sought to shake up the culture. "I needed to free them up and get rid of the politics so I could institute a team," said Mr. Ward. "I told them they either get on board or they don't."

He began weekly meetings to encourage department heads to talk. He said he separated the quality-control department from product development to create "healthy tension," giving staff members more freedom to express their views.

Mr. Ward took a different approach to video game advertising. For example, he participated last November in "The Apprentice" to promote not only the DVD release of "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith" but the Star Wars Battlefront II game as well.

And he is openly critical of Electronic Arts, a competitor, for not being able to deliver its Godfather video game to consumers on time. "It is absolutely a sin," he proclaimed.

(Jeff Brown, a spokesman for Electronic Arts, said, "Delaying the Godfather wasn't an easy decision, but getting it right was crucial to the future of the franchise.")

Still, Mr. Ward is willing to change his opinion if an opportunity presents itself. In 1981, when he was a graduate student in Arizona, he said he spurned a classmate, Dawne Cotton, because she was late for their first French class. Three years later, he married her.

Mr. Ward said he had successfully worked with creative people his entire career, and former LucasArts employees said he sought to inspire. But even Mr. Ward conceded that LucasArts developers were suspicious at first. "You've never run a video game company before," he said many of them told him. As a result he knew he needed someone to help who knew how to make games. So he promoted Peter Hirschmann, 34, to be vice president of product development. "The linchpin was to find a creative partner," Mr. Ward said.

A former production assistant who worked with Steven Spielberg, Mr. Hirschmann was involved in developing that director's widely acclaimed Medal of Honor video games before joining LucasArts in 2002 as a producer. Mr. Ward got to know Mr. Hirschmann in early 2004, when he would pad down the hall to his office late at night to check on the progress of Star Wars: Battlefront, which Mr. Hirschmann was overseeing.

Both men said late-night conversations about "Star Wars" turned to personal interests: World War II and Disneyland. Born in 1959, the youngest of three siblings, and brought up in Rockford, Ill., Mr. Ward said he used to watch "The Wonderful World of Disney" every Sunday night. (The Pirates of the Caribbean is his favorite ride at Disneyland.) Mr. Hirschmann keeps a model of the monorail from Disneyland in his office.

While Mr. Ward can be forceful, Mr. Hirschmann is more relaxed. He once hired an ice cream truck to deliver gelato to the staff. "Peter is a perfect counter to me," said Mr. Ward.

At first Mr. Hirschmann was not interested in the job. "I saw a lot of baggage with it," said Mr. Hirschmann. "But Jim said, 'We are going to hit the reset button. We are going to reboot.' Then I thought, maybe this was doable."

Their excitement was palpable on a recent afternoon, when Mr. Ward, Mr. Hirschmann and Haden Blackman, the project leader of a forthcoming "Star Wars" game, reviewed all of the company's recent projects. Mr. Blackman outlined a new storyline that delved deeper into Darth Vader's history.

Mr. Hirschmann later demonstrated a test game, shouting and jumping each time a storm trooper tumbled onscreen, the character barely catching his fingers on the pixel ledge. And he gleefully explained how researchers had tracked down images of San Francisco buildings from 1915 for the future Indiana Jones game.

Soon it was back to work.

"There's a lot of pressure," said Mr. Ward. "I mean we're taking $20 million out of George's pocket," he said, tapping Mr. Hirschmann on the shoulder while referring to the potential cost of a video game for the next generation of consoles.

Mr. Hirschmann and Mr. Blackman shot each other a knowing glance. "We feel the pressure, all right," Mr. Hirschmann said, laughing.

Star Wars Weekends Merchandise For 2006
EDITOR'S NOTE: WHIMPER....I WANNA GO TO THIS...SNIFFLE.....
Starwars.com have posted a great checklist of sorts and a good handful of images showing what will be available at the Star Wars Weekends.

From plush toys to pin sets, there is somehting for all ages in this great assortment of new collectibles!

Check it all out!
As reported last week, Disney's Star Wars Weekends is ramping up for the 2006 summer season at the Disney-MGM Studios in Florida, bringing with it a great new assortment of exclusives for Star Wars and/or Disney collectors.

What follows is a checklist of what fans can expect to find at the park starting May 19:

Skagen Darth Vader watch with resin helmet box, limited to 500



SWW 2006 embroidered logo baseball cap with Imperial emblem

SWW 2006 embroidered logo baseball cap with Darth Vader



Messenger bag with Star Wars Weekends logo appliqué

Rubber bracelet with
Rebel Alliance logo icon EDITOR'S NOTE: REALLY NEED THIS!

Rubber bracelet with Imperial logo icon

Keychain with 2006 SWW poster art

Magnet with 2006 SWW poster art EDITOR'S NOTE: NEED THIS!

Ceramic mug with 2006 SWW poster art

SWW 2006 logo tumbler

Darth Vader Goofy Beanie EDITOR'S NOTE: MUST HAVE!



Hero/Villain with
lightsaber boxed pin set of 8, limited to 500



Pin-on-pin saga scenes with SWW 2006 logo; eight different, sold separately



Yoda vs. Vader main logo SWW 2006 pin-on-pin



Framed set of nine pins, including eight saga scene pin-on-pins and Yoda vs. Vader pin-on-pin; limited to 100

Star Wars saga jumbo pin-on-pin, limited to 750

SWW 2006 logo t-shirt, adult and youth sizes

SWW 2006 polo with poster art appliqué

SWW 2006 jacket with poster art appliqué

SWW 2006 ladies t-shirt with glitter poster art

SWW 2006 artwork poster by Russell Walks EDITOR'S NOTE: COOL!



SWW 2006 coins; nickel, bronze, silver-plate, and gold-plate, sold individually



SWW 2006 bundled coin set, consisting of coins listed above

SWW 2006 pure silver coin

Crystal Magic laser-engraved crystal presentation, 2006 SWW poster art; edition size of 50-75

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND NOW, YOU GUESSED IT, THE PICS ---


A close-up view of the ancient frieze that hangs in
Palpatine's office, as sculpted by ILMs Richard Miller.


Ralph McQuarrie's illustration of an Imperial Royal Guard looks much more medieval than the finished form.


Terryl Whitlatch illustrates a number of key lip sync positions for Sebulba in this series of illustrations.


Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker pilot their agile Jedi starfighters into the heart of an explosive battle.



Thursday, April 20, 2006

Why should THURSDAY be any different? Odds-n-Ends. AGAIN

EDITOR'S NOTE: WHO SAYS WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ORGANIZED, RIGHT?!

MORE MISHMASHING ----

FIRST UP.....MORE WHINING FROM SOMEONE (ANYONE) EVEN PERIPHERALLY INVOLVED WITH "THE DAVINCI CODE":

Group Calls for Label on CODE



The Roman Catholic group Opus Dei has asked Sony Pictures to put a disclaimer on the upcoming movie The Da Vinci Code stressing it is a work of fiction. EDITOR'S NOTE: THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE TOLD THIS, AREN'T GOING TO GET IT.

AND THE REST OF US HAVE JUST HAD OUR PREVIOUS OPINIONS OF OPUS DEI (WASN'T HE A CHARACTER IN "BLOOM COUNTY"?) CONFIRMED.

Such a disclaimer would be a welcome show of respect towards the church, the conservative group said in a letter posted Good Friday on its website.

"An eventual decision of Sony in this direction would be a sign of respect towards the figure of Jesus Christ, the history of the Church, and the religious beliefs of viewers," the group said in the letter. EDITOR'S NOTE: IF SONY DOES A LETTER, DOES OPUS DEI REALLY THINK THIS WILL BE A SIGN OF RESPECT? OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY CARE ABOUT JC ET AL? IT WILL BE SONY SAYING "THANKS, GUYS, FOR THE FREE PUBLICITY! AND YOU ARE....????"

Opus Dei objects to its portrayal in Dan Brown's best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code, where it is seen as a secretive group that has worked for centuries to obscure truths about Jesus Christ.

An Opus Dei member is the main adversary in the thriller. Opus Dei and other Christian groups also have objected to the book's premise that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and they had a child and their bloodline survives to the present day. EDITOR'S NOTE: OPUS DEI SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR OWN PRIESTS TAKING THIS TO HEART, THAN THE REST OF US HEATHEN. I MEAN, IF CELIBACY IS JUST AN OOPSIE ON THE PART OF THE CHURCH, WON'T ALL THOSE PRIESTS AND NUNS FEEL SILLY!?

They fear that many readers are taking the fictional story as truth.

With the movie starring Tom Hanks due to premiere at Cannes in May, Opus Dei is among the groups trying to disclaim the message of The Da Vinci Code. It had earlier called for the film to have an "adult only" rating. EDITOR'S NOTE: RULES OUT EVERYONE I KNOW. MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE A 'NO CATHOLICS' POLICY?

Its website devotes a page to disproving both historical and modern references made in The Da Vinci Code. Other websites, such as thetruthaboutdavinci.com and davincioutreach.com, also debate the issues.

Sony Pictures is also supporting a Web site, thedavincidialogue.com, where interested people can read expert opinions about issues raised by the book and movie.

Sony has not said whether it will include a disclaimer on the movie.

Sony Pictures always viewed the movie as "a work of fiction ... a thriller, not a religious tract,"EDITOR'S NOTE: YEAH. THAT'D BE A BIG, OLD DUH! spokesperson Jim Kennedy told Reuters. "We believe the filmmakers are going to deliver an exciting movie that will delight audiences, not offend them."

CANNES CAN CAN:
Linklater, Kelly and Coppola in Cannes lineup
PARIS -- The 59th edition of the Festival de Cannes announced its official selection Thursday under the sign of renewal.

Of 19 films In Competition, only a few are from directors who have contested the Palm d'Or previously, in contrast to last year's lineup dominated by Cannes regulars.

U.S. cinema is represented by Richard Linklater's "Fast Food Nation," an ensemble drama featuring Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke and Greg Kinnear; Richard Kelly's comedy musical thriller "Southland Tales," starring the Rock, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Mandy Moore; and Sofia Coppola's biopic "Marie-Antoinette," starring Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman. EDITOR'S NOTE: WOW. THAT SECOND ONE SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET SOME OTHER COUNTRY TO CLAIM.

Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's drama "Babel," starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal, also made the cut.

British hopes for the Palm d'Or will rest on Andrea Arnold's drama "Red Road," starring Natalie Press, and for the eighth time on Ken Loach, whose film about Irish republicanism, "The Wind That Shakes the Barley," also is In Competition.

A LITTLE BIT OF POTTER:
Nicholas Hooper to score OOTP
HPANA reports today that Nicholas Hooper, one of the UK's leading media composers, is set to compose the soundtrack for the Order of the Phoenix movie.

In 2004, he won the Best Original Score BAFTA for The Young Visitors and was nominated several other times for the prestigious awards.

This has yet to be confirmed by Warner Brothers so stay tuned for more. EDITOR'S NOTE: JUST AS LONG AS IT'S NOT THE HACK THAT SCORED GOF (WHOSE NAME ESCAPES ME AT THE MOMENT).

MOVIE NEWS:
If I Had A Hammer...Handyman comedy pitched to DisneySource
Disney is ever on the search for a new spin on family comedy. And the Mouse House thinks it’s found one in Alan Freedland and Alan R Cohen’s pitch Jack Of All Trades.

The story revolves around a married doctor who likes the easy life a little too much. When he hires a handyman to take care of all the jobs that his family needs doing, his paranoid brain starts making him worry that this new arrival is slowly replacing him.

"We're both married with kids, and this is that twisted version of the fantasy of hiring someone to do stuff around the house," Cohen told Variety.

There’s no director attached yet, but Adam Shankman – director of Cheaper By The Dozen 2 and the man busy shooting Hairspray – is producing.

Legendary Finds PARADISE



Legendary Pictures has picked up the script PARADISE LOST by Byron Willinger and Phil DeBlasi.

Based on John Milton's epic poem, the story revolves around the fall of man and the classic battle of good vs. evil, telling along the way the story of Satan/Lucifer, the angel who tries to overthrow God, and the temptation of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. EDITOR'S NOTE: OH IS THAT ALL?!

Scott Derrickson has been hired to develop the script and direct. Stuart Hazeldine is currently rewriting the screenplay.

Fishburne Will Become PREY
Laurence Fishburne has been set to star in PREY. Jerrold Brown wrote the script and James Marsh will direct.

The psychological thriller centers on a man who sets out on a solo hunting expedition in the middle of winter and severely injures his leg. He is rescued by a mysterious trapper with secretly sinister intentions. EDITOR'S NOTE: AND THE MYSTERIOUS MAN IS PLAYED BY KATHY BATES?

Mark Amin, Robin Schorr and Cami Winikoff will produce. Gina Marcheschi, Dave Brown and David Levine will executive produce.

Filming will begin this fall.

Marshall's 'Rule': dark comedy
By Tatiana Siegel

Garry Marshall has signed on to direct the dark comedy "Georgia Rule" for Morgan Creek Prods. Jane Fonda, Felicity Huffman and Lindsay Lohan are in negotiations to topline.

Penned by Mark Andrus ("As Good as It Gets"), the story centers on a rebellious young woman (Lohan) who is sent by her dysfunctional mother (Huffman) to spend a summer with her grandmother (Fonda).

There are two male roles still to be cast.

Morgan Creek's James G. Robinson is producing alongside Michael Besman. Morgan Creek's Guy McElwaine and David Robinson are executive producing alongside Peter Guber.

"This is Garry Marshall's kind of movie," James Robinson said. "He can deliver the mail with this type of movie." EDITOR'S NOTE: DELIVERING THE MAIL WITH MOVIES IS A GOOD THING, RIGHT?

Morgan Creek is eyeing a late August start date, likely in Los Angeles.

Oz marches to 'Funeral' with SKE
Frank Oz will direct "Death at a Funeral," a farcical comedy written by Dean Craig and being produced by Sidney Kimmel Entertainment. Matthew Macfadyen ("Pride & Prejudice"),EDITOR'S NOTE: YUM. Peter Dinklage ("The Station Agent") EDITOR'S NOTE: ACTUALLY, ODDLY YUM TOO. and Ewen Bremner ("Match Point") have been cast in the ensembler.

"Funeral" follows a dysfunctional British family EDITOR'S NOTE: IS THERE ANY OTHER KIND? as they gather to mourn the passing of their patriarch. But when a man threatens to expose the patriarch's secret unless he is paid a princely sum, the man's two sons try to do everything to keep the secret from leaking to the guests, and what should be a heartfelt good-bye turns into a calamity.

Turturro wedded to Baumbach pic
John Turturro has signed on to star in the untitled Noah Baumbach project at Paramount Pictures' new specialty division. Jack Black, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh already have boarded the dramedy.

Turturro will play the husband of Kidman's character. EDITOR'S NOTE: CAUSE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE KIDMAN MARRY PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE TURTURRO ALLLLLLLL THE TIME. RIIIIIIIIIIGGGGHT. The story is being kept under wraps, but it is described as a multigenerational story in the same vein as Baumbach's recent effort, "The Squid and the Whale."

Warner Turns on LARKLIGHT
Warner Bros. Pictures has picked up the rights to Philip Reeve's upcoming children's book, LARKLIGHT. The book will be published this November.

This is the first book of a Victorian-era space-adventure trilogy in which a brother and sister team with a band of renegade space pirates to save the world from destruction at the hands of a madman. EDITOR'S NOTE: I SO WANTED TO DO THIS AS A KID, BUT MY BROTHER WOULDN'T CO-OPERATE. (WHAT A WEENIE!)

Denise Di Novi will produce. No screenwriter is attached yet

When You're Good To Mamma/Abba musical to be filmed
If you’re one of the millions of people who have laughed, cried, shimmied and sung along to Abba musical Mamma Mia in a theatre somewhere in the world, then you’ll be delighted to hear about a planned film version. Everyone else can just go and seek treatment for that nasty bleeding eyes and ears problem. EDITOR'S NOTE: IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE SECOND GROUP, YOU'RE PROBABLY READING THE WRONG DWEEBLETTER. (BUT WE HAVE SOME LOVELY ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER PARTING GIFTS FOR YOU!)

Tom Hanks’ Playtone company has struck a deal with Mamma Mia producer Judy Cramer and writer Catherine Johnson to turn their undisputed money-maker into a movie. Apparently the pair was won over by Hanks’ treatment of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

The story of Mamma Mia follows a girl preparing for her wedding. After years of not knowing who her true father is, she decides to invite the three most likely suspects to her nuptials. It’s the basic plot on which the producers – which include original Abba longhairs Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus - hang 22 of their hits. EDITOR'S NOTE: I GUESS THE UPSIDE OF THIS IS, THERE ISN'T EXACTLY A 'CLASSIC' HERE THAT THEY CAN RUIN?

"The time felt right. The partnership with Gary and Tom helped everything to fall into place," Craymer tells Variety. "We've never had stars in the show, the music has always been the star, but we are certainly thinking about names as we take this from the stage to the screen.”

So yes, sometime in late 2007 you’ll get the chance to dance in a cinema. And risk being pelted with buckets of cola and cheesy nachos. EDITOR'S NOTE: "ROCKY HORROR" FOR THE NEW MILLENIUM!

Harris Is Gone, Baby Gone/Ed co-stars in Ben Affleck's film
Ben Affleck has nabbed himself a major talent for the cast of his directorial debut Gone, Baby Gone.

Ed Harris has signed up for the adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel, which the ‘Fleck will start directing in May. The A History Of Violence star will be playing a slightly more law-abiding role this time, as a cop in the story which focuses on two private investigators hunting for a kidnapped four-year-old in Boston’s seamy underbelly. Michelle Monaghan (about to light up the screen again in M:I-3I) and Casey Affleck have already agreed to play the ‘tecs.

Josh Lucas in talks for Batman?
The internet was partly responsible - since they flew the flag for his casting, way before he was on the studio’s radar - for Warner going with Christian Bale for “Batman Begins”, and now, you online casting whizzes may have just helped cast the sequel.

Josh Lucas tells MTV that he has been in talks with Warner about playing the role of D,A Harvey Dent in the “Batman” sequel. This all started when internet scuttlebutt suggested Lucas (“The Hulk”) was linked to the role – which he wasn’t. It seems your suggestion/BS/rumour/speculation/ led to such a meeting.

"I had heard that, when I was doing press on 'Glory Road,' " Lucas said of rumours he would play Dent (and alter-ego Two-Face) in the sequel/s. “Some of the people started asking about that, and [back] then I didn't know anything about it. I went and talked to Warner Bros. about it, because they're making it, and obviously I would love to do it. I think it's a great character. I like that someone could go from being bad to good and back and forth and light and dark, but also I think [series director Christopher Nolan] did an amazing job. And Christian Bale did an amazing job too. Christian and I did 'American Psycho' together, so it'd be like a reunion of sorts." ... EDITOR'S NOTE: THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE PRETTY GOOD CASTING, HUH?

From 007 to the Devil?
According to TheHollywoodNews.com, the new Jimmy Bond, Daniel Craig, might be sprouting a couple of horns for his next film role.

The site says Craig is circling “I, Lucifer” a film based on the book by Glenn Duncan. Craig would play the lead, the ‘horny’ devil himself.

In the film, Craig’s Devil is offered one last shot at redemption by God: Live out a blameless life as a human, and all is forgiven. Lucifer doesn’t plan on taking up the offer, but he is keen to ‘trial’ it for a month – just long enough put a body through as much drug, sex and other multiple vice excess as possible in a month. Thing is, Lucifer starts to enjoy his new life and wonders whether he should consider taking up God’s offer, after all?

Ewan McGregor is in talks to play the man, a failed British author, whose body Lucifer takes residence in. EDITOR'S NOTE: EWAN MCGREGOR AND DANIEL CRAIG TOGETHER? YUMMY! (AND SOUNDS LIKE YET ANOTHER CHANCE FOR NOT-SO-YOUNG-ANYMORE EWAN TO WAVE HIS....UMM...FLAG. IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF MOVIES SINCE WE'VE SEEN FULL-FRONTAL-OBI-WAN, HASN'T IT?).

The film will be directed by “Superman Returns” writer Dan Harris. Harris and partner Mike Doughety, along with David Logan, adapted the book.

Silver Goes To War/Joel calls up Sgt Rock
Joel Silver, flush with the success of V For Vendetta (well, maybe not flush, but at least pretty happy) is taking charge of another comics property.

Sgt Rock is a World War Two-based adventure series that kicked off in a 1959 issue of DC’s Our Army At War. But he became so popular that the company renamed the title after him in 1977 and it ran until 1988.

The film has been slowly chugging through the development minefield at Warner Brothers, with such notable names as LA Confidential’s Brian Helgeland, John Milius, David Peoples and Steve De Souza (Judge Dredd) having fallen in the line of duty while trying to adapt the comic.

John Cox is the latest writer to sign up – and he’s working from a treatment by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo, who were responsible writing The Rocketeer back in 1991.

Avary Sits in DRIVER's Seat
Roger Avary has been signed by Rogue Pictures to adapt Atari's video game DRIVER for the big screen.

The story centers on a getaway driver for hire, the best in the heist biz, who is put to the test on a job.

Jeremy Bolt, Paul W.S. Anderson, Bernd Eichinger and Robert Kulzer will produce

TV NEWS:
HBO orders second helping of 'Big Love'
"Big Love" just got bigger.

HBO has greenlighted a second season for its drama series about a polygamist family, the network said Wednesday, just halfway into its rookie year.

"We all just felt the show was really solid and only getting better," HBO president of entertainment Carolyn Strauss said. "It's gathering momentum with subscribers and critics."

"Love" will go back into production in August in anticipation of returning to the air sometime next year. The number of episodes has yet to be determined; the opening order was 12.

Elvira Looks For Someone to Fill Her Big... Shoes



Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (aka Cassandra Peterson) is hoping to find an heir to her throne via a new reality show she trying to set up.

Peterson and her manager have teamed with reality TV producers Stuart Krasnow and FremantleMedia North America to "pitch an unscripted project featuring contestants competing for a one-year contract to portray the character in various personal appearances."

THR reports, the contestants "would be put through elimination challenges designed to parody some of the most popular reality shows but with a macabre twist."

Her manager also noted they are working on a possible animated series as well as a film, which would feature Elvira, about the back story of Halloween.

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND CONTINUING FROM THE ABOVE ITEM IN OUR ON-GOING SERIES "SIGNS OF THE UPCOMING APOCALYPSE".......

Jagger targeted for ABC comedy
Rock great Mick Jagger is in negotiations to appear in ABC's untitled Burnett/Beckerman comedy pilot, sources said.

The Donal Logue-starring project, from Touchstone Television, revolves around a group of blue-collar guys in New York who decide to rob a celebrity (Jagger).

Originally, the project was shopped around with the cheeky title "I Want to Rob Jeff Goldblum," but Jeff Goldblum, who has his own pilot at NBC, was never attached. After the script was picked up to pilot in December, the show's creators, Rob Burnett and Jon Beckerman, zeroed in on Jagger as the celebrity at the center of the show.

Jagger would only appear in a few scenes, and his name is not expected to be in the title of the single-camera project, sources said. But he is crucial to the plot line as the target of the planned robbery and is mentioned numerous times in the scenes that already have been filmed.

DVDs with the taped pilot sans Jagger's scenes already have started floating around.

If the pilot is picked up to series, Jagger would continue to appear as the plot to rob him develops.

With the deal for the Burnett/Beckerman project, Jagger is poised to join another British rock star, Elton John, in the ABC/Touchstone comedy fold this season.

John executive produces the single-camera half-hour pilot "Him and Us."

Earlier this week, Jagger and the Rolling Stones wrapped the spring leg of their world tour supporting the 2005 album "A Bigger Bang," which covered North and South America, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand. The European portion of the tour begins next month.

DVD AND SUCH NEWS:
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Ridley's Cut



On May 23, 2006 Fox Home Entertainment will release Sir Ridley Scott's KINGDON OF HEAVEN as an all-new four-disc collector’s edition.

An epic tale of brutal idealism and passionate warfare, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Director’s Cut delves deeper into the personal philosophies, moral ambiguities and political principles behind the bloody Crusades with an entirely new cut of the film.

In addition to almost an hour of new and innovative footage, the comprehensive four-disc collection also features thorough bonus materials, including audio commentary by Scott and his illustrious production staff, as well as historical information, insights into the meticulous recreation of medieval times and an extensive examination of the film’s theatrical development.

The cast includes Orlando Bloom (Lord Of The Rings trilogy), Liam Neeson (Batman Begins EDITOR'S NOTE: ALL THE MAJOR MOVIES NEESON HAS MADE, AND THIS IS THE ONE THEY REFERENCE?), Jeremy Irons (Reversal Of Fortune) and Eva Green (The Dreamers).

The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Director’s Cut four-disc DVD collection will be available for the suggested retail price of $34.98 U.S./$46.98 Canada.

This Collector’s Edition of KINGDON OF HEAVEN will feature the director’s cut of the film along with hours of extras – including a six-part tour from conception to completion of filmmaking.

The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Director’s Cut DVD is presented in widescreen with English DTS and Dolby Surround 5.1 stereo sound, as well as Spanish Dolby Surround sound and French and Spanish subtitles.

Programming includes:

Disc One
Introduction by Sir Ridley Scott
Director’s Cut – Feature Part One
Audio commentary by Sir Ridley Scott, writer William Monahan, executive producer Lisa Ellzey, film editor Dody Dorn, visual effects supervisor Wes Sewell and first assistant director Adam Sommer
The Engineer’s Guide story notes (text & images)

Disc Two
Director’s Cut – Feature Part Two
Audio commentary by Sir Ridley Scott, writer William Monahan, executive producer Lisa Ellzey, film editor Dody Dorn, visual effects supervisor Wes Sewell and first assistant director Adam Sommer
The Engineer’s Guide story notes (text & images)

Disc Three
The Path To Redemption Documentary – Part One
Development Part I: Good Intentions (featurette)
‘Tripoli’ Overview and Gallery (text & images)
First Draft Screenplay By William Monahan (text)
Story Notes (text & images)
Location Scout Gallery (images)
Pre-Production Part II: Faith And Courage (featurette)
Screen Tests (video & commentary)
Cast Rehearsals (video)
Costume And Weapons Design (featurette)
Production Design/Conceptual Art/Costume Galleries (text & images)
Production: Spain Part III: The Pilgrimage Begins (featurette)
Creative Accuracy: The Scholars Speak (video)
Storyboard Comparisons (multi-angle video & images)
Photo Galleries (text & images)

Disc Four
Path To Redemption Documentary – Part Two
Production: Morocco Part IV: Into The Promised Land (featurette)
Unholy War: Mounting The Siege (video)
Storyboard Comparisons (multi-angle video & images)
Photo Galleries (text & images)
Post-ProductionPart V: The Burning Bush (featurette)
Deleted And Alternate Scenes (video & commentary)
Sound Effects Suite (video & audio)
Visual Effects Breakdown (video & commentary)
Release Part IV: Sins And Absolution (featurette)
Trailers And TV Spots (video & commentary)
ShoWest Presentation (video) Press Junket Walkthrough (video)
Japanese And London Premieres (video)
Poster Explorations: Domestic And International (images)
The Director’s Cut And DVD Campaign (video & images)
EDITOR'S NOTE: MAKES ME FEEL BAD THAT I STILL HAVEN'T WATCHED ALL THE EXTRAS ON THE LAST TWO STAR WARS MOVIES. I MEAN...WHEN THEY GO TO ALLLLLL THIS TROUBLE, AND EVERYTHING. (YES YES YES, HANGING MY HEAD IN SHAME).

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND NOW, AN INTERVIEW CONTAINING SPOILERS. WELL, SPOILERS FOR ME, WHO IS ALMOST A WHOLE SEASON BEHIND ON "SMALLVILLE" AND KNOWS SPOILERS ARE THE PRICE WE PAY FOR NOT KEEPING UP.

NICE INTERVIEW WITH JOHN SCHNEIDER:
Exclusive Interview : John Schneider



Though his on-screen son could be probably get here a little quicker, a four-hour trip isn’t stopping "Smallville" star John Schneider from coming to meet his fans down under. Schneider, who before the role of Johnathan Kent on the hit Superman prequel series was Bo Duke on TV fave "Dukes of Hazzard", is the special guest at this year’s Supernova Convention, held later this month in Queensland.


In this Exclusive Interview, Schneider explains how he snagged the role on Smallville, why he’s had more dates with airliners than he’s had with his own wife the last couple of years, and what he’s up to now.

I have to ask John, how did it feel when you were told your character would be [leaving] "Smallville"?
I felt actually pretty good. There really is a need for Jonathan to go away, for there to be a need for Clark to become Superman. I think it was the right thing to do…. I was a little surprised that it happened when it did…I thought it would be one of the last things that would happen…. not like the sixth thing out of eight, or ten….

I was actually trying to recall when he moved on in the comics
It happened at different times in different versions. There’s no wrong or right time, or wrong or right time to do it. Premature I think, but other than that…

Do you miss the gang from the show?
You know, I miss my family more than I miss the guys on the show, so I’m glad to be able to be back with my family – hanging out at the house, having a hot tub with the kids. That’s really more what it’s about. Case in point: When my nephew had his first football game, I was actually in a scene in Vancouver where Clark had his first football game. I had to miss my own nephew’s football game, to be there.

How did you get involved in the series primarily?
Oh, they asked and I read the pilot and thought ‘Oh gosh, this would be great’. At first, I didn’t think it would be that great of an idea, because Superman had been done so many times, but after I read it there was no denying this was going to be a shining light in the Superman legend.

Were you familiar with the comics?
Familiar with the television show, kinda familiar with the comics, and actually, I’d listened to the radio show quite a bit. In the radio show, he didn’t have any parents at all – he was already grown, educated and had a job at the Daily Planet.

It would have been pretty important that you had chemistry with Annette O’Toole and Tom Welling, in particular?
Oh yeah…. but you spend that much time together you’re going to have some kinda of chemistry. Chemistry or not, you’re going to have something. But we do, we get along really great. Helping Tom [as Clark] grow in the pilot was something that caused the chemistry early on.

How similar are you to Jonathan Kent?
Totally. I’m a very loving, but strict parent. You’d find a lot of similarities between Jonathan Kent and John Schneider. They had fun on Smallville, and I have fun with my kids as well – I think you need to play with them, as much as you correct them. But, I’m a parent; I’m not a pal.
My 26-year-old wife thinks you’re the ants-pants. Whereas most girls swoon over Tom Welling, she’s got it going on for John Schneider.
Is that right? Ah, good for her! You have a smart wife [Laughs]
EDITOR'S NOTE: SMART WIFE INDEED. BUT MUST WE CHOOSE? I MEAN, THERE ARE 7 WHOLE DAYS IN A WEEK. AND I HAVE TWO HANDS.

It was filmed in Vancouver. So were you flying back home every week?
Twice a week. It’s a two-and-half-hour flight, but you’ve gotta do it when the planes fly…. and if you’re working at Six O’clock on a Thursday, you’ve got to leave your house at 5:30 on a Wednesday night, so it might as well be a twelve-hour flight.

One of my favourite episodes of "Smallville" was the one that served as a reunion for you and your "Dukes of Hazzard" co-star Tom Wopat.
I liked that. I thought that was cute. He [Wopat’s character] was the one that got me into the Senate race to begin with, so you can say it was kinda him that eventually did me in. [laughs]

Was that one of the original cars from "Dukes of Hazzard" that he drove in that episode?
No, no…it belongs to a guy up there where we filmed…. Though, I guess it could have been one of the cars from the old days – I’ve heard that as well. It sounds good to say it was, let’s say it was.

Did you see the film version of "The Dukes of Hazzard"?
My gosh….it was terrible! It wasn’t Dukes…. it was true to whatever it was; I just don’t know what that was!

What have you been doing since "Smallville"?
Working on my movie, it’s called Collier and Company. It’s about cars, and trying to get back with my wife and kids. It’s about an ex-race car driver trying to go legit, his wife doesn’t want him to race because she thinks it’s unsafe, so he becomes a car salesman. How he acquires his inventory is by racing people pink for pink though, so ends up doing something even far more dangerous. So he pretends he’s not racing, and she says ‘Oh, come on. You’re full of crap’. So working on that right now.

So what’s the release plan for it?
The big screen. And the best thing to say about Collier and Company is that it’s everything that the Dukes of Hazzard movie should’ve been, and wasn’t.

Who’s in that with you?
Just friends, a bunch of friends. One guy from Dukes is in it – his name is Mickey Jones, he was BB Davenport. Great character actor, great guy. The only people who are involved in Collier and Company is people who just want to do a good movie that everybody can watch.

Any ideas for future projects?
I have scripts that I have written over the past 28 years, and if Collier and Company turns a profit, I’m going to make ‘em all. I’ll be busy the rest of my days, and I’m hoping that’s the case because I don’t want to get on a plane and fly twice a week to Vancouver anymore. [Laughs]

THE STUFF THAT'S LEFT (NEWS):

Video game sales down 8 percent in March: NPD
U.S. video game sales declined for the seventh straight month in March, falling 8 percent to $499 million, amid a rocky move to new console technology, market research firm NPD Group said on Tuesday.

Sales of titles for Microsoft Corp.'s next-generation Xbox 360 console, which was the first new console to be released when it shipped in November, contributed $96 million to the month's total.

NPD measures nearly two-thirds of retail sales in the United States and makes projections for the remainder of the market. Its March data excludes sales of PC games.

Hardware sales fell 31 percent in March to $220 million, on weakened sales of current generation consoles like the original Xbox, Sony Corp's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Co. Ltd's GameCube.

Sony's new PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Revolution are slated to hit stores later this year.

Hard-core gamers, who are first to pick up new systems, are delaying other purchases ahead of the Sony and Nintendo console releases.

Shortages, like those seen after the release of the Xbox 360 are not uncommon, and could again dampen sales following the debuts of the PlayStation 3 and Revolution.

"Things are likely to get worse before they get better," said NPD video game analyst Anita Frazier.

"Kingdom Hearts II," a PlayStation 2 title from Square Enix Inc. was the best-selling game in March, according to NPD.

Xbox 360 titles rounded out the top three. UbiSoft's "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter" was the second-best seller, followed by Take-Two Interactive Software's "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion."

The Entertainment Software Association, a video game trade group, put U.S. sales of video game hardware and software at $7.3 billion in 2004 -- a figure that rivals Hollywood box office revenue. EDITOR'S NOTE: WHICH WAS ALSO DOWN LAST YEAR, YES?

EDITOR'S NOTE: LEST YOU ALL BE PUT OFF BY THE TITLE OF THIS NEXT ITEM, I AM NOT A PORN PROPONENT. THIS ONE IS INCLUDED BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT SOME NEXT STEPS ON THE TECH FRONT.

Porn Industry Again at the Tech Forefront
Downloads for TV will be offered. Hollywood may be looking at its own digital future.
By Dawn C. Chmielewski and Claire Hoffman, Times Staff Writers
April 19, 2006
A top producer of hard-core porn will start selling downloadable movies that customers can burn to DVD and watch on their TVs, illustrating how Southern California's multibillion-dollar adult entertainment industry may again set the technological pace for Hollywood.

Letting people burn downloaded movies is considered key to the growth of online distribution.

Despite the proliferation of fast Internet connections, most people still want to watch movies on television but lack an easy way to get them off the computer. Plus, hard drives can store only so many space-hogging movies.

Hollywood has resisted burnable discs that can be watched on televisions because they fear piracy. It also doesn't want to alienate retailers, which sell most of its DVDs.

But if history is any guide, the online experiment by adult entertainment giant Vivid Entertainment Group will be watched closely by mainstream studio chiefs.

"The simple fact is porn is an early adopter of new media,"EDITOR'S NOTE: BLESS THEIR FUZZY LITTLE HEARTS. IF THEY HAD HEARTS, THAT IS. said Paul Saffo, director of the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto. "If you're trying to get something established … you're going to privately and secretly hope and pray that the porn industry likes your medium."

Los Angeles-based Vivid will start selling burnable movies May 8 through online movie service CinemaNow. Marina del Rey-based CinemaNow last fall launched an adult service that it uses to experiment with features that might eventually become mainstream — such as pay-per-minute movie rentals and the ability to save favorite scenes. EDITOR'S NOTE: EWWW. SO YOU CAN EDIT OUT ALL THAT EXRANEOUS EXPOSITION?

Vivid, producer of such titles as "Bad Wives" and "Generation Sex," will offer 30 downloadable videos for about $19.95 apiece that include everything that is on a standard DVD — cover art, scene navigation, bonus material and deleted scenes. The finished disc will be copy-protected to deter piracy.

Despite their obvious differences, adult and mainstream entertainment companies face similar pressures in the Internet age. Both are grappling with how to deliver content securely and reliably to devices in a variety of ways, whether it's prepackaged on DVD for TVs or sent wirelessly to cellphones.

Both also want to capitalize on digital delivery methods but can't afford to undercut their retail partners: big-box stores such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for the major studios and mom-and-pop video shops for the porn producers. They also fear online piracy, which the music industry partly blames for its lackluster sales.

Historically, the porn industry has adopted new technologies more nimbly than Hollywood. EDITOR'S NOTE: THERE'S A FLEXIBILITY JOKE IN THERE, I GUESS? It embraced home video in the late 1970s, allowing people to bypass seedy theaters and watch the movies in their living rooms. EDITOR'S NOTE: SOFAS COVERED IN PLASTIC, I HOPE?

Mainstream studios, by contrast, fought home video all the way to the Supreme Court before making it one of the most profitable pieces of their business.

In the same way, porn producers were among the first to recognize the potential of the Internet, offering streaming video long before high-speed Internet connections made it practical.

This month, several major Hollywood studios agreed to sell movies online through CinemaNow and rival service Movielink. Although consumers can download and keep a copy of "King Kong," "Brokeback Mountain" and "Good Night, and Good Luck," the DVDs they make play only on computers.

The ability to deliver content over the Internet that can play in any DVD player is "the holy grail," said Richard Doherty of market research firm Envisioneering Group."Everybody wants to find something that sticks," he said. "We've got a billion devices ready to play these. Making it compatible with that, and the convenience of electronic delivery, is a proven, desired business model which should stick and grow." EDITOR'S NOTE: NOT GOING TO THE BAD PLACE. NOT GONNA DO IT........

All the major Hollywood studios contacted for this story declined to comment.

In addition to Vivid, other porn companies including Chatsworth-based Red Light District plan similar services. Michael H. Klien, president of LFP Internet Group, the online distribution arm for the publisher of Hustler magazine, said the company was interested but still evaluating the new DVD technology.

CinemaNow Chief Executive Curt Marvis declined to identify the makers of the technology used by the company, which is partly owned by Microsoft Corp. A spokesman for Microsoft, which powers many online video efforts, said that although the company marketed similar DVD-burning software, it was not involved in the Vivid deal.

"In a perfect world, it is a technology that could be accepted by traditional content providers," Marvis said. "They might be a bit slower to adopt it because they always are."

The Internet solves two of the porn industry's biggest challenges: distribution and privacy.

Wal-Mart and Blockbuster Inc. won't sell porn. Nor do most customers relish the embarrassment of browsing in the back room of their local video store for porn.

"Those are the two reasons we'll always be in the forefront," Vivid Co-Chairman Bill Asher said. "We have to."

Sex is big business. The porn industry's main trade publication, Adult Video News, estimated global 2005 sales at $12.6 billion. But that figure is difficult to verify because porn companies are private and closely held. As with Hollywood, DVDs account for the largest piece of the porn industry's revenue — 34%; for mainstream studios, they account for nearly 50%.

Porn producers say changes in zoning laws around the U.S. have forced adult movie stores to the margins of commerce — usually in industrial or commercial zones — pushing more consumers online for their flesh fix. The Web offers a cornucopia of content without the stigma.

"Three years ago, DVDs were responsible for 90% of our income," said Vivid's Steven Hirsch, who founded the company in 1985 with David James. "This year, it will account for 30% of our sales. With the Internet there is no distributor between you and the consumer, so you can keep a larger part of the revenue stream."

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND NOW....FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNRELATED (AFTER I HAD A LITTLE BATH).....
Philips' technology could force TV ad viewing
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- In this era of easy ad skipping with TiVo-like video recorders, could television viewers one day be forced to watch commercials with a system that prevents channel switching?

Yes, according to Royal Philips Electronics.

A patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says researchers have created a technology that could let broadcasters freeze up a channel during a commercial, so viewers wouldn't be able to avoid it.

The pending patent says the feature would be implemented on a program-by-program basis.

Devices that could carry the technology would be a television or a set-top-box.

Philips acknowledged, however, that the anti-channel changing technology might not sit well with consumers EDITOR'S NOTE: UMMM.....YA THINK?!and suggested in its patent filing that consumers be allowed to avoid the feature if they paid broadcasters a fee. EDITOR'S NOTE: DONT' WE ALREADY DO THAT? ISN'T IT CALLED CABLE?

On Wednesday, company officials issued a statement that noted the technology also enables the opposite: allowing viewers to watch television without advertising. EDITOR'S NOTE: WELL YOU JUST KNOW THE EMPIRE IS GONNA OFFER MORE THAN THE REBELLION. (OR USE STRONG-ARM TACTICS OR SOMETHING).

Nielsen group set to study sample quality
Nielsen Media Research's Council for Research Excellence EDITOR'S NOTE: I'M GUESSING THEY GOT TO NAME IT THEMSELVES AND NO OUTSIDE VOTES WERE TALLIED? is embarking on its first study of the quality of its research samples from which ratings are derived, the company said Wednesday.

The council will scrutinize "non-response bias" in Nielsen's national and local samples for both People Meters and diary measurement, specifically to determine whether there are differences in viewing habits between households who consent to be in Nielsen's samples vs. households who decline. The study is expected to take two years and cost more than $1 million. EDITOR'S NOTE: AT THE END OF WHICH, NIELSEN WILL DECLARE ITSELF TO HAVE BEEN RIGHT FROM THE GET-GO. THESE WERE NOT THE DROIDS YOU WERE LOOKING FOR, PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE LITTLE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN, MOVE ALONG, MOVE ALONG.....

THESPY STUFF:
Three Days of Rain
By Frank Scheck




Bottom line: America's sweetheart, live and in the flesh. EDITOR'S NOTE: AND LOOKIE, LOOKIE! IT'S WILL TIPPIN! (FOR YOU "ALIAS" FANS).

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York
Through June 18

There's a refreshing if calculated modesty to this production marking movie star Julia Roberts' stage debut on Broadway.

A revival of a fairly obscure Richard Greenberg play that was seen off-Broadway in 1997, "Three Days of Rain" is far from a star vehicle. It is, instead, a thoughtful, low-key drama that allows this stage newcomer to test her theatrical chops in a not-too-risky manner.

The result, as often is the case when a major movie star dares to tread the boards, is respectable but less than overwhelming.

While the actress delivers a reasonably effective performance opposite co-stars Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper, the star wattage so evident on the screen doesn't seem, at least in this case, to transfer to the stage. EDITOR'S NOTE: WHY IS IT THAT WHAT MAKES A GREAT STAGE ACTOR GREAT VERY OFTEN DOES TRANSLATE BEAUTIFULLY TO THE SCREEN, BUT THAT WHAT MAKES A SCREEN TALENT ENTICING SO RARELY WORKS THE REVERSE FEAT?

Essentially two interrelated one-acts, the play concerns siblings Walker (Rudd) and Nan (Roberts) and their best friend Pip (Cooper), whose fathers were renowned architectural partners years earlier. Set in 1995 in a decrepit Manhattan loft (authentically rendered by Santo Loquasto), the first act depicts the reunion of the trio as they attempt to cope with the legacies of their parents, mostly in the form of an inherited house and a journal left by Walker and Nan's father, Ned.

Said journal isn't exactly explanatory, as it includes such enigmatic passages as the phrase that gives the play its title.

It's clear that the aptly named Walker is somewhat adrift in life, with his exasperated sister having settled into the role of reluctant caregiver. Faring much better is the happily easygoing Pip, who has become a soap opera star in spite of his self-admitted limited acting abilities. The talky and rambling first act doesn't give Roberts much to do except glower and express consternation, and indeed she doesn't come across particularly well.

Cooper, on the other hand, displays a genuinely charismatic stage presence in his animated turn and practically runs away with the proceedings. EDITOR'S NOTE: YAY, BRADLEY!

The far more entertaining second act takes place in 1960, with the performers now playing the roles of the parents.

Roberts' Lina is a hard-drinking Southern belle type who is described at one point as being like "Zelda Fitzgerald's less stable sister,"EDITOR'S NOTE: GIGGLE. Rudd's Ned is a stuttering, socially maladroit architect, and Cooper's Theo his less-talented partner.

Although Lina is romantically involved with Theo, she hooks up with Ned one rainy evening in a way that will affect the lives of all concerned.

Roberts, here playing a more emotionally expressive and joyous character, is allowed to showcase more of her infectious personality, and you can feel both her and the audience loosening up with relief. While she doesn't quite approach the brilliance of her predecessor in the role, Patricia Clarkson, she delivers a relaxed and affecting turn, as does the similarly more animated Rudd.

Under Joe Mantello's direction, the play still doesn't quite coalesce in a compelling fashion, but it does offer some poetically resonant moments along the way.

No doubt it never would have seen the light of day on Broadway without the participation of its famous star. As with her Playbill bio, the briefest of the three performers, it's to be commended more for its humbleness than its impact.

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND TO CLOSE OUT TODAY'S EDITION, AN ACTRESS STRIKES BACK AT THEATER'S NOTORIOUSLY BAD PAY SCALE ----

Actress pleads guilty to covering up TV investment scam
A Minnesota actress admitted Wednesday she covered up a scam that authorities say bilked $5.5 million from scores of people who thought they were investing in a television series about the Department of Homeland Security.

Alison Ann Heruth, 41, of Oakdale, Minn., pleaded guilty to one felony count of making false statements to the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service about the scam headed by Hollywood producer Joseph Medawar, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Under a plea agreement, federal prosecutors dropped two counts of failing to report or stop a felony. Heruth, who left the courtroom sobbing,EDITOR'S NOTE: TOO MUCH? HAMMY? could face up to three years in federal prison when she is sentenced July 17