THE ICS FILES
9. THE GLASS TEAT
HEAVY METAL 2000, the animated sequel to the 1981 cult classic movie HEAVY METAL, will premiere July 14 on the STARZ! pay cable network. The film will premiere at midnight ET and PT, STARZ! announced. HEAVY METAL 2000, formerly called HEAVY METAL F.A.K.K.2, tells the story of a futuristic woman warrior who seeks revenge on a group of ruthless space pirates who ravaged her home planet. She assumes the designation F.A.K.K.2, for Federation Assigned Ketogenic Killzone. . . . FARSCAPE returns. FARSCAPE, the highest rated show on the Sci-Fi Channel, will make its return with a commitment for 22 new episodes. . . . SPIDER-MAN to the tube! Following the Fall, 2001 release of a live action SPIDER-MAN in theaters, look for an early 2002 series of computer-animated adventures. More details as they become available. . . . The fate of UPN under the scrutiny of the Eye network.Viacom, which merged with CBS last month, indicated it would shut down or sell off STAR TREK: VOYAGER's home network, UPN, if the network doesn't meet performance criteria. Viacom president and COO Mel Karmazin declared, "We're in the business of generating a return for shareholders. That's what we've told everyone (internally) -- if they don't deliver that profit, they won't be part of Viacom." While saying that he would "take a million dollar bet" that UPN would survive, he added that he plans to hold crisis talks with network heads soon, when he plans to lay down the line. "We already have the CBS network, which is highly profitable," Karmazin said. "We don't need another network." . . . Hmmm, does this mean that we'll get to see Bob Barker nekkid? American television has been buoyed by its appropriation of innovative Euro game shows and putting an American face on them. WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?, SURVIVOR, WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY and BIG BROTHER are all show with origins across the pond. Well there's a daring new, uh, face in Euro game shows that may take a little while to translate into American. There's a new British TV game show in which the host and several contestants appeared nude. It attracted the biggest audience of the year for commercial Channel 5, with its debut. The program THE NAKED JUNGLE also generated debate among U.K. viewers, most of whom were appalled by the goings-on. "Nothing was left to the imagination," the BBC reported. But a spokesman for Channel 5 said that calls to the station were evenly split pro and con. The spokesman remarked: "We had a call from one woman who thanked us for snapping her out of her post-natal depression. She said it was the first thing that had made her laugh for months." . . . Wrestling BABYLON? BABYLON 5 familiars Patricia Tallman, Wayne Alexander, Robin Atkin Downes and Maggie Egan starred in BABYLON PARK: GRUDGEMATCH, an animated parody of BABYLON 5, which premiered at DragonCon in Atlanta on June 30. The spoof will also unspool at TorontoTrek in Toronto on July 15. . . . A new addition to the BUFFY cast. The highly malleable cast of BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER just got stretched a little further. The producers are looking to cast a 10-15 year-old girl in the role of "Dawn." She's going to be taken under Buffy's wing, as sort of a "little sister." She won't be a helpless little sister, though. She'll have her own supernatural powers and will develop a crush on Xander. . . . Nielsen Santa? ABC will produce SANTA WHO?, a fantasy holiday television movie for the WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY. Leslie Nielsen will star as Santa Claus in the telefilm, which begins production next month. Nielsen's Santa will suffer amnesia after falling out of his sleigh two days before Christmas. Tommy Davidson will play Santa's head elf, who's charged with finding the big guy. . . . The SCI-FI Channel brings back the dead. The SCI FI Channel will air reruns of the 13 episodes of THE NEW FANTASY ISLAND, and all 22 episodes of both THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN and HIGHLANDER: THE RAVEN. FANTASY ISLAND begins July 11; both THE CROW and RAVEN start July 23. . . . A MYSTERIOUS path to getting on the air. The paranormal drama MYSTERIOUS WAYS will air on both the Pax cable network and NBC, starting this summer. NBC will debut the first seven episodes of the series on July 24 and air them on Mondays at 8 P.M. The show will then run on Pax, starting on Aug. 22 and airing Tuesdays at 8 P.M. NBC initially developed MYSTERIOUS WAYS three years ago. Pax picked up the show as a series. NBC decided to air a limited run of the shows after viewing the first two episodes. It stars Adrian Pasdar and Rae Dawn Chong as an anthropologist and a psychiatrist who investigate paranormal events. |
10. IS MULDER THE DADDY?
One of the cliffhangers in the season ending X-FILES was figuring out who fathered Agent Scully's child. Was it Mulder? The following was taken from an interview that David Duchovny did that aired on Italian radio. "Yeah. ... I don't want to give too much away too soon, otherwise I would spoil you all. Then again I didn't write this episode, so I really don't know. Anyway they told me that yes, it should be Mulder's baby, a little Mulder, and the baby is not alien, that is if you don't believe that Mulder is an alien himself! When we shot this episode, I had not signed the contract for the eighth season yet. It could be they were looking for something interesting happening in the season to come, give the fans something to wait for. Or maybe they were hoping to have my child growing up really fast to take my place in the show." Mulder will apparently appear on the first couple of episodes of the coming season and will then vanish until the end. |
11. CHRIS CARTER LOOKS FORWARD TO THE YEAR AHEAD
THE X-FILES' creator/producer, Chris Carter, is sounding optimistic about the season ahead. "I'm excited," Carter said. "I think that there are lots of interesting stories to tell, and in coming back, I think we've created lots of interesting problems to solve, which is what we like. We want the problems to solve." Like many good writers, Carter knows that writing can be a lot more creative and interesting when the writer has to write his way out of a box in which he's been placed. He'll need to find ways to deal with David Duchovny's decision not to appear half (or more) of next season's episodes, and how to develop the season-ending surprise that Gillian Anderson's character is pregnant. "We'll bring in some new characters," Carter said. "We have some chances here to expand the show yet again. We're still going to tell great stories. I want to focus more on the character of Scully and tell stories that deal with a more mythological magic realism approach than we have done before." |
12. MORE TEASERS ABOUT THE NEXT STAR TREK
STAR TREK: VOYAGER's executive producer Rick Berman could out-tease a room full of strippers! Here's the latest crumbs that he's dropped on the next TREK. He'll start the pilot script for the next series soon. Berman said that his partner Brannon Braga and he "are right now actively working on the story for the pilot episode, which we hope to be writing soon. . . . We'll be discussing the pilot episode story with the studio shortly, and we hope to be starting on the screenplay within the next four to six weeks. We are extremely excited about the story idea--this is really a unique and fresh approach to STAR TREK." Great, Mr. Berman. Now what's the new show about? "The concept for this new show is a somewhat dramatic departure from previous STAR TREK series. But it is a show that will be both fresh and unique, while at the same time being STAR TREK to the core." He added, "It is a show that takes place on a Starfleet vessel, but at the same time a rather dramatic departure from the previous three STAR TREK shows. I believe it will be more STAR TREK than anything since THE NEXT GENERATION and, perhaps, anything since the original series in terms of its principles and its tone and style." He added that the series would center on seven major characters. The new series is aiming at a fall 2001 launch date, after Voyager wraps its final season. Now based on these descriptions, can anyone describe the next series? |
13. THE CROW STRUGGLES TO LIVE
Like its lead character, the syndicated TV show, THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, is fighting to be resurrected. According to executive producer Edward R. Pressman, "We've been negotiating with Universal TV for many months and recently concluded an agreement to re-acquire the rights from them. It's highly likely that we'll be able to get [the show] going for the fall of [2001]." Meanwhile, Dimension Films has delayed the release of THE CROW: SALVATION, the third installment in the Crow feature-film franchise. The film is reportedly completed. |
14. FOX TO AIR MOCKUMENTARY ON THE X-MEN
Fox Broadcasting will air a mock U.S. Senate hearing into mutant activity as part of X-MEN: THE MUTANT WATCH, a special about Fox's upcoming X-MEN movie. The half-hour MUTANT WATCH premieres at 8 p.m. July 11. MUTANT WATCH will offer previews, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from the film, which is based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name (see "Imaginative Cinema for the Month of July"). The TV special will center on the X-Men character Sen. Robert Kelly, played by Bruce Davison, who has also figured in Fox's clever "Mutant Watch" marketing campaign. The special will follow a mock hearing of Kelly's Senate Subcommittee on Mutant Activities. |
15. THINGS TO COME
SHORE LEAVE 22 is coming July 7-9 at Marriott's Hunt Valley in Hunt Valley, Md. This year their featured guests include Claudia Christian (BABYLON 5), Denise Crosby (STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION), Gerrit Graham (guest on STAR TREK: VOYAGER and STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE), Richard Herd (V, guest on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION and STAR TREK: VOYAGER), Marj Dusay (guest on STAR TREK), Lawrence Montaigne (Stonn in STAR TREK "Amok Time", Decius in STAR TREK "Balance of Terror") and Marjean Holden (BABYLON 5 CRUSADE'S Dr. Chambers, also Stolzoff in DS9's "Empok Nor"). Their guest writers will be Dennis Bailey, Ann C. Crispin, Peter David, Tim DeHaas, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Roberta Rogow, Howard Weinstein and Joan Winston. The science guests include Dr. Kirk Borne (astrophysicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center), Dr. Helen Hart (astronomer for the Hubbell Space Telescope), Dr. Leslie Katzel (physician and biophysicist with the University of Md. School and Medicine), Dr. Jesco von Puttkamer (NASA aerospace scientist), Ray Villard (public information manager for the Hubbell Space Telescope) and Skip Westphal and Bill Hathaway (discussing star gazing). There'll be an art show, a masquerade, a Klingon Feast and, of course, a sprawling dealer's room. For more information visit them on line at http://www.shore-leave.com/index.htm or write them at Shore Leave 22, PO Box 6809, Towson, MD 21285-6809. MIDNIGHT MARQUEE'S CLASSIC FILM FEST 2000 will be held July 28-30 at the Hyatt Hotel in Crystal City Virginia. Their stellar line-up includes Sam Arkoff (co-founder of American International Pictures), Veronica Carlson (Hammer Film Star), Roger Corman (legendary director), Robert Dwan (director of YOU BET YOUR LIFE), Linda Harrison (PLANET OF THE APES), Jonathan Haze (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS), Candace Hilligoss (CARNIVAL OF SOULS), Patricia Hitchcock (daughter of Alfred Hitchcock), Betsy Jones-Moreland (CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA), Janet Leigh (PSYCHO), Kevin McCarthy (INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS), Ib Melchior (cult sci-fi director, writer and producer), Yvonne Monlaur (Hammer film star), Paul Naschy (Spanish horror legend), Margaret O'Brien (former child star), Jessica Rains (daughter of Claude Rains), Robert Skotak (Oscar winning special effects artist), Elena Verdugo (HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN) and Dana Wynter (INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS). It's $60 for the weekend, $20 daily. For more information go to http://www.midmar.com/filmfest.html or contact Midnight Marquee Press; 9721 Britany Lane; Baltimore, Md. 21234. MAIN MISSION is taking place September 1-3 in New York City at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. According to them, "Our 'main mission' in organizing this event is three-fold: 1) to revitalize SPACE: 1999 fandom; 2) to build momentum for an eventual relaunch of the SPACE: 1999 series; and 3) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this epic television classic." Not surprisingly, their guest list is made up mostly of people connected with SPACE: 1999. >From the show they've gotten Prentis Hancock,John Hug, Zienia Merton, Barry Morse, Alibe Parsons, Anton Phillips, Suzanne Roquette, Catherine Schell and Nick Tate. They also have creative and technical people from the show, including George Bellak (SPACE: 1999 writer, debut episode, "Breakaway"), Johnny Byrne (SPACE: 1999 Writer and Story Editor), Brian Johnson (SPACE: 1999 Special Effects Director), Chris Penfold (SPACE: 1999 Writer and Story Editor), David Tomblin (THE PRISONER, SPACE: 1999 Director) and Keith Wilson (SPACE: 1999 Production Designer). Additional guests include Richard Hatch (Captain Apollo, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA), John Muir (author of Exploring Space: 1999), Corinne Orr (actress, voiceover talent Corinne Orr Web Page), Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy Web Page), Chris Trice (Motion Control Model Supervisor, BATTLEFIELD EARTH) and Grace Lee Whitney (Yeoman Janice Rand, STAR TREK). Tickets are $50 a day or $150 for the three day weekend (!). For more information either e-mail Ton Loery at t.lowery3@gte.net or you can reach him at MainMission:2000; c/o UnitedVision, Inc.; Registration Department; 473 Monmouth Street, Suite 6; Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
16. JOE ESTERHAS TELLS ALL!
Joe Eszterhas (the guy who wrote BASIC INSTINCT, JAGGED EDGE, and SLIVER), has fallen into disfavor since pooping out SHOWGIRLS and AN ALAN SMITHEE FILM. He's exacted his revenge the only way that a writer can--he's written a book. It's called Hollywood Rhapsody and claims to expose the "lurid scandals and greed" of some of the show business personalities he has dealt with, including Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas, Sylvester Stallone and Richard Gere. Apparently, however their actual names will not be mentioned. Eszterhas' novel will resemble Primary Colors, the only-the-names-have-neen-changed account of President Clinton's first election campaign. His agent has said, "Yes, it's shocking and it will upset a lot of people. But it's great fun, too." Serialization rights to the book have been picked up by Miramax's Talk magazine for $45,000 (a piddling amount given the fact that Eszterhas once commanded millions of dollars for script ideas that he pitched to executives over lunch). |
17. STEPHEN KING PONDERS ANOTHER TRIP TO THE DIGITAL
WELL
With the success of "Riding the Bullet," horror writer Stephen King is asking his fans whether he should publish his next novel in electronic form. In a letter to fans posted on his official Web site, King proposed offering up "The Plant" in 5,000-word installments at $1 a pop. King said subscribers would be on the honor system, and added that he'd do it if he thought eight or nine people in 10 would pay. "I was intrigued by the success of 'Riding the Bullet' (stunned would probably be a more accurate word) and since then have been anxious to try something similar," King wrote. "Bullet," which was available for $2.50 at some sites and free at others, was downloaded by more than 500,000 readers. "If this idea interests you, will you e-mail the Web site and say so?" King asked. "By the same token, if it sounds like a bad idea, will you tell me that?" As of June 13, nearly 95 percent of people who answered King's online poll urged him to offer the book online. But only 72 percent said they thought people would comply with the honor system. "The Plant" tells the story of a "vampire vine" that takes over the offices of a paperback publishing company, offering financial success in trade for human sacrifices, King said. King abandoned the novel in the early 1980s after writing about 25,000 words of it because "other projects intervened," the writer said. |
18. BABYLON CRUSADE UNPRODUCED SCRIPTS BECOME AVAILABLE
ONLINE
J. Michael Starcynski will publish unaired scripts for his aborted TV series CRUSADE, as well as short stories and a novel, on the Bookface.com Web site. The advertiser-supported site offers free online books and other fiction through a browser-based interface. He said, "Bookface is ... presenting my last two CRUSADE scripts, 'To the Ends of the Earth,' designed to be that season's arc-starting episode a la B5's 'Signs and Portents,' and 'End of the Line,' slated as the first-season Crusade finale," Starcynski said. "This is the best chance for people to find out where the show was going. . . . As a gift to B5 fans who've supported us in the past, I'm making my new novel--the first novel I've had time to complete in 12 years, my first two other novels having been published in hardcover by Dutton--Tribulations, available for FREE online reading at Bookface.com starting later this month, in four serialized sections." Bookface will also offer a new Straczynski short story, "Cold Type," and reprints of the previously published stories "Say Hello, Mister Quigley" and "We Killed Them in the Ratings." |
19. A NEW MOVIE MAGAZINE'S COMING WITH AN INTERESTING
ADDITION
In September a new movie magazine, entitled "Total Movie Magazine," will be at your newsstand. Each issue will contain a DVD featuring theatrical trailers as well as original shorts and deleted scenes from various films. It will cover both major releases and independent films. It's starting as a bi-monthly and hopes to go monthly by April. |
20. VIRTUAL HUGO!
Alexandria Digital Literature has, for a very modest fee, enabled readers to download short stories, novellas and novelettes nominated for this year's Hugo Award. The fees range between $.85 and $3.00. The works available are "macs" by Terry Bisson, "Fossil Games" by Tom Purdom, "The Winds of Marble Arch" by Connie Willis, "Hunting the Snark" by Mike Resnick, "Sarajevo" by Nicholas A. DiChario, "Hothouse Flowers" by Mike Resnick, "Scherzo with Tyrannosaur" by Michael Swanwick, "The Secret History of the Ornithopter" by Jan Lars Jensen, "The Chop Girl" by Ian R. MacLeod, "The Astronaut from Wyoming" by Adam-Troy Castro and Jerry Oltion, and "Ancient Engines" by Michael Swanwick. |
21. BATTLEFIELD EARTH CLAIMS A CASUALTY
The giant sucking sound that you may be hearing is BATTLEFIELD EARTH sinking in it's own mess. The movie was such a spectacular failure that Travolta's next film, NUMBERS, a Nora Ephron comedy, has been delayed from its July 14th opening. Execs felt like they needed more distance from the smell of the Psychlo-stinker. |
22. TRAVOLTA GOES PSYCHLO!
John Travolta rose out of his chair in anger when grilled by a French journalist about the Church of Scientology while promoting his film BATTLEFIELD EARTH in Barcelona, Spain. Travolta's people confiscated the reporter's videotapes. When the reporter got them back, they were wiped clean. |
23. BATTLEFIELD OUCH!
Looks like BATTLEFIELD EARTH is sinking as fast overseas as it did here. The Warner Bros. sci-fi epic took in what the Daily Variety described as a "pitiful" $1.5 million in Italy, Spain, the U.K., Holland and Scandinavia in its debut in those countries. Apparently it also received the same sort of caustic reception from critics abroad as it did here. |
24. QUOTH, THE PSYCHLO "I'LL BE BACK?"
Well, finally, we may yet get a chance to spend some more feel good time with Jonnie Goodboy Tyler and his Psychlo pals Terl and Ker. Director Roger Christian has said that, despite the box office meltdown, he's still discussing the possibility of a sequel with producer/star John Travolta. This could sink his career farther than MOMENT BY MOMENT or STAYIN' ALIVE ever did. |
25. TITAN A.E. CLAIMS A CASUALTY
On the heels of TITAN A.E.'s disappointing box-office performance, Fox will close its 2-D animation studios. The Phoenix-based 20th Century Fox Animation Studio was run by TITAN A.E.'s director/producers Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. This was the third animated film from the studio, which was formed to make traditional 2-D animated movies. TITAN A.E. had earned only $16.8 million in its first two weeks of release. The film cost $80 million to produce. Fox will continue to make computer-animated films out of its Blue Sky Studio in New York. |
26. STALLONE SET TO "TROD THE BOARDS"
In an ever-present drive to prove to us that he's an "artiste," (which is beginning to feel like Jethro claiming he's a great director) Sylvester Stallone is looking for a play to appear in for the London stage. British audiences will be treated to an evening of the ol' Demolition Man searching and destroying his way through some innocent playwright's opus. Hey, what if we made Hamlet an aspiring boxer with a girlfriend named Adrienne? |
27. ANOTHER ENTRY IN THE JOURNEY OF SHREK
The movie SHREK has had a strange itinerary. It was intended as an animated feature years ago with Chris Farley to play the voice of the the giant title character. Then, while the film was in pre-production, Chris Farley died. Since then it has been through numerous hands, all with the bold new ideas. The boldest has just been announced. DreamWorks will release the animated fantasy movie to Imax's 150 digital 3-D theaters in December, 2001. The film will hit the Imax theaters about six months after its release in traditional theaters. SHREK now stars the voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, John Lithgow and Linda Hunt. It tells the story of an ogre whose swamp has been overrun by annoying fairy-tale creatures. The Imax release of SHREK will have an ending that differs from that in the conventional release to take advantage of the 3-D format. |
28. HOLLOW MAN GETS A SURPRISE RATING
The MPAA has given Paul Verhoeven something that's he's never seen--an "R" rating without having to make any cuts. Everything from ROBOCOP and TOTAL RECALL to BASIC INSTINCT all got NC-17 ratings and resulted in cuts and battles. But he assures us that it's a well-earned "R." "It's still an R; it's not a PG-13, and I couldn't make it a PG-13. The muscular body, and the way he is sometimes expressed in certain forms, is too scary for a PG-13. He is sometimes seen in layered form, and certainly during the transformation he is mostly of course layered, in between. Later, he is seen in layered forms or muscular form. So it's disturbing." |
29. RENE RUSSO SAYS FAREWELL TO THE FLESH
If you want to see actress Rene Russo nude, go rent THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR. According to her, that will be your last chance. "I think probably I will never take my clothes off in a film again," she declared. "We can pretty much say that is an absolute truth." She says that she only stripped down for CROWN because she was playing a character that used her sexuality to manipulate. "The only way I would take my clothes off is for a character like that and I probably wouldn't play her again," she says. Ms. Russo turned 46 this year. |
30. AHNOLD WAFFLES
After proclaiming that he'll have no involvement with TERMINATOR 3 without James Cameron's commitment to the project, suddenly Mr. Schwarzenneger's announced "I'll be back!" Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed on the dotted line to return as the killer cyborg in TERMINATOR 3. The third installment in the TERMINATOR franchise is slated to go before cameras in Los Angeles in the spring of 2001.We're looking at a summer 2002 release. There's no indication that TERMINATOR creator James Cameron will sign on to direct. Schwarzenegger has repeated his desire to work with Cameron on T3. Apparently the relationship is tenuous between Cameron and T3 producers Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar, and that Cameron has yet to meet with either about the project. Those infamous "unnamed sources" have said that Cameron has read the T3 script and that Schwarzenegger is lobbying hard to bring Cameron on board. The film will have a budget of $100 million. No studio has agreed to distribute the film yet. |
31. STAR WARS II--LOOKS LIKE THE CLONE RANGER RIDES
AGAIN
There has been conjecture that the next installment of the STAR WARS epic will focus on the Clone Wars. That dovetails nicely into this news item from the movie's Downunder location. The casting director has begun looking for Australian preschoolers to perform as extras in STAR WARS: EPISODE II. He's looking for three sets of children with matching looks, the news release said. "Generally, I've been looking for twins," casting director Ros Breden was quoted as saying. "Then I try to find a third child who is a close match." Shooting for the film began on June 26th, exactly three years to the day after the start of Episode I. Look for it in 2002 (you may want to start standing in line now!). |
32. OTHER BIG TITLES ABOUT TO GO BEFORE THE CAMERA
Mark Wahlberg will play the role originally done by Charlton Heston in Tim Burton's new PLANET OF THE APES remake. The film will start shooting in late July or early August. Look for it next year on July 4th. Australian actor Sam Neill will return as Dr. Alan Grant in JURASSIC PARK III. Joe Johnston (JUMANJI) will direct for Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. It's 18 week shoot begins in the fall. They're also aiming at a July, 2001 release. We'll have to wait to see if one the these studios blinks. |
33. A GLIMPSE OF THE NEXT STAR TREK MOVIE
Executive producer Rick Berman has said, "We have now completed our story for the film; we have submitted it to the studio, and we are waiting for a go-ahead to go to script. The story line revolves around the NEXT GENERATION crew. . . . We've never done a film that I wouldn't say to you at this stage, 'This is going to be the biggest and the best.' And there is no difference with this one. We have a writer who has never done STAR TREK before and has an extremely fresh approach to this. We are dealing with a story that is extremely poignant in ways that I wish I could tell you. It is a story that will focus around a remarkable villain, and is a very action-oriented space film. A lot higher percentage of this film will take place in outer space than in our previous films. It is tentatively scheduled for Thanksgiving of 2001." Apparently Patrick Stewart is already committed to the project. |
34. FREDDY VS. JASON MAY ACTUALLY HAPPEN
A movie that has been rumored for years, FREDDY VS. JASON, may actually happen, according to Freddy's portrayer, Robert Englund. Guillermo Del Toro's name has been attached to the project for some time. According to Englund, Del Toro's out. Stephen Norrington (director of THE BLADE) would both write and direct. We'll see. |
35. GEE, THIS SOUNDS LIKE THAT "WITCH MOVIE"
A kinda' documentary horror film, called THE ST. FRANCISVILLE EXPERIMENT, will be opening this September. It purports to be a record of a night that four people, a history student, a film student, a psychic and a "ghost hunter"--for a night in a house supposedly owned by Delphine Lalaurie, a 19th-century slave owner whose treatment of her charges made Hannibal Lecter look like Mother Teresa. Armed with three cameras, the four people set out to investigate reports that the Lalaurie house is haunted by the spirits of the tortured slaves. One of the four, 24 year-old history student Ryan Larson said the movie is like a combination of THE X-FILES, THE REAL WORLD and SCOOBY-DOO. But don't mention that witch movie to Larson. "I've never seen it," she said. "I really, honestly hate scary movies. I never see scary movies. THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was scripted; it was based on a fake story. That's the difference. These things really happened. . . . Without giving away the movie, a lot of unexplainable, very frightening, very scary things happened that night," she said. "You're going to see a lot of things unfold in this house that I have no explanation for. This was not scripted. We went into this haunted house ... not knowing what to expect." Another difference with that witch movie? Larson and her three companions came out of the experience alive and well. So does she believe in ghosts now? "That's a tough question," she said. "I was the skeptic going in. ... I'm a minister's child, and I was always told those things don't exist. . . . Coming out, I still have no explanation for the things that happened. I still hold back from saying what they were, because I honestly don't know, but still, I can't explain them." |
36. MISSION: IMP
This is a spoof of Tom Cruise's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2. It debuted on the Entertaindom.com web site in June. The 10-minute film stars Verne Troyer ("Mimi-Me" in AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME) as Ethan Runt. A chain called Winchell's doughnuts is giving away MISSION IMP trading cards to customers who buy a dozen or more doughnut holes. |
37. WATCH OUT FOR THE ATTIC
Tse Tse Fly Productions has opened an official Web site for its independent supernatural horror film THE ATTIC EXPEDITIONS. The film, which is now in post-production, stars Seth Green (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), Jeffrey Combs (STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE) and Andras Jones (NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET). The film tells the story of a man convicted of murder who is sent to a peculiar halfway house, where dreams and reality intertwine, leading to the deaths of the house's inhabitants. |
38. MTV AWARDS HONOR IMAGINATIVE CINEMA
THE MATRIX won high praise in the 2000 MTV Awards. It was recognized for best movie, best male performance and best fight sequence. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER star Sarah Michelle Gellar won best female performance for her starring role in CRUEL INTENTIONS. She and co-star Selma Blair won the award for best kiss in that film. Mike Myers won best villain honors for his performance in AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, and Myers and co-star Verne Troyer (Mini-Me) were named best on-screen duo. Haley Joel Osment won for male breakthrough performance in THE SIXTH SENSE. George Lucas won best action sequence for the pod race in STAR WARS: EPISODE I. Spike Jonze won the award for best new filmmaker for his directorial debut in BEING JOHN MALKOVICH. |
39. SATURN AWARDS RESULTS
In June the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films handed out the annual Saturn Awards, recognizing the best in Imaginative Cinema. Following is a list of the winners: Best Science Fiction Film: THE MATRIX Best Fantasy Film: BEING JOHN MALKOVICH Best Horror Film: THE SIXTH SENSE Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: THE GREEN MILE Best Actor: Tim Allen in GALAXY QUEST Best Actress: Christina Ricci in SLEEPY HOLLOW Best Supporting Actor: Michael Clarke Duncan in THE GREEN MILE Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Clarkson in THE GREEN MILE Best Performance by a Younger Actor: Haley Joel Osment in THE SIXTH SENSE Best Direction: Andy and Larry Wachowski for THE MATRIX Best Writing: Charlie Kaufman for BEING JOHN MALKOVICH Best Music: Danny Elfman for SLEEPY HOLLOW Best Costume: Trisha Biggar for STAR WARS: EPISODE I Best Makeup: Nick Dudman & Aileen Seaton for THE MUMMY Best Special Effects: Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren & Scott Squires for STAR WARS: EPISODE I Best Network Television Series: NOW AND AGAIN, CBS Best Syndicated Television Series: STARGATE SG-1 Best Single Television Presentation: STEPHEN KING'S STORM OF THE CENTURY, ABC Best Actor on Television: David Boreanaz in ANGEL Best Actress on Television: Margaret Colin in NOW AND AGAIN Best Supporting Actor on Television: Dennis Haysbert in NOW AND AGAIN Best Supporting Actress on Television: Justina Vail in SEVEN DAYS Special Saturn Award Winners: Dick Van Dyke, Life Career Award Life Career Award: George Barris The George Pal Memorial Award: Douglas Z. Wick, |
40. IMAGINATIVE CINEMA MADE AFI'S LIST
Some of our favorite films made the American Film Institute's 100 funniest films list. DR. STRANGELOVE (OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB) came in at number three. Other films on the list were YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974), GHOSTBUSTERS (1984), GROUNDHOG DAY (1993), HARVEY (1950), BIG (1988), ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948), TOPPER (1937), SLEEPER (1973), BEETLEJUICE (1988) and THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963). |
41. WILLIAM FREIDKIN STILL FIGHTING FOR THE EXORCIST
After nearly thirty years, William Friedkin is still battling on behalf of THE EXORCIST. A trailer announcing its September 22nd re-release has been banned by the MPAA as too intense. Freidkin responded that "rejecting it on the grounds that it was too intense is like rejecting it on the grounds that it's too funny. It makes no sense at all and seems to be contrary to the purpose of the ratings board, which is not to judge content, but simply to issue a rating based on certain material in the shots--nudity, excessive violence or language--and this trailer has none of that." The trailer is currently available online on "Ain't it Cool News." |
42. SONY PUTS GODZILLA 2 ON THE "SLOW-TRACK"
The Entertainment Chairman for Sony Pictures, John Calley, said recently that the studio is in no rush to make a sequel to the 1998 American version of GODZILLA. Instead, the studio will distribute GODZILLA 2000, a Japanese produced movie that will be dubbed into English and released Aug. 18. Calley said that GODZILLA 2000 doesn't preclude Sony from making its own sequel. But, he added, it "is not a priority at this time. It's not a picture that people are rushing around the studio trying to get made." He added that it "would be made for much less money." The original film "cost too much, took a lot of time, a lot of marketing and a lot of technology development. It was a killer." GODZILLA director Dean Devlin said that he and his partner Roland Emmerich are not interested in a scaled-down sequel. "They wanted to tailor it budget-wise, so it didn't make sense for us creatively," Devlin said. Calley did say that Sony is actively planning sequels for two other popular films. They're working on sequels for MEN IN BLACK and JUMANJI. |
43. FANS OF HITCHHIKER ARE STILL WAITING, AND WAITING,
AND . . .
Douglas Adams said in an interview recently that the long-delayed feature film version of his satirical SF novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy won't be coming out for at least a couple of years. "It's now looking like it will be released in 2002," Adams said. "I can tell you nothing original or startling or new about this, except that it's Hollywood doing what it does best, which is take one step forward, two steps back. The director is Jay Roach, who did AUSTIN POWERS; the producer is Roger Birnbaum, who has had his fingers in all kinds of [including RAIN MAN, G.I. JANE and THE SIXTH SENSE]." When asked who might appear in the film, Adams said, "There's a lot of talk about different actors, but nothing I can tell you about yet. It's not being cast quite yet, and it's just being budgeted. So we're basically waiting for the green light . . . I finished an all-new draft of the screenplay . . . and Jay loves it. It's the first time in all these years that we've had a screenplay which clearly works and seems to solve all the problems of it needing to be both a real version of Hitchhiker and also a proper movie. It's been a very hard circle to square." Adams warned, "Don't believe anything you read here that doesn't come directly from me, especially anything from so-called 'informed, insider sources,' most of which belongs in the Half-Witted Crap Forum." |
44. THERE'S A NEW KID IN HOLLYWOOD, AND HIS NAME
IS ASIMOV!
Some eight years after the great man's death, Isaac Asimov has suddenly become "hot" in Hollywood (although most likely not based on the performance of the ersatz BICENTENNIAL MAN). Fox has optioned the late author's epic Foundation series of novels for the movies. Shekhar Kapur (ELIZABETH) will direct a film based on the series. The Foundation series is set thousands of years in the future during the waning centuries of a vast Galactic Empire. This is only one of several Asimov film projects in the works. Warner Bros. will adapt Asimov's story "The Ugly Little Boy," a time-travel drama about a nurse who cares for a Neanderthal boy. Denise DiNovi and Demi Moore will produce the film, which will star Moore. Paramount wants TOTAL RECALL co-writer Gary Goldman to adapt Asimov's End of Eternity, an SF romance, for director Ridley Scott (GLADIATOR). Sony Pictures Family Entertainment will make an animated film based on Asimov's Norby, the Mixed-Up Robot series of children's novels, with Asimov's widow, Janet, acting as creative consultant. |
45. TOUGH GIRLS RULE!
A couple of Hollywood ladies are getting pumped for their new bad grrrrls roles in upcoming films. Courtney Love is preparing to star as the lead in JOHN CARPENTER'S GHOST OF MARS. Love will play the tough leader of an expedition to Mars sent to investigate the disappearance of colonists. "I have to work out every day for four hours," Love said. Meanwhile, Angelina Jolie is in heavy training to play Lara Croft in the upcoming feature film version of the Eidos video game TOMB RAIDER. "I've been in England for three weeks, and we're there over a month more, just doing training," Jolie said. Training includes a regimen of "bungee ballet, diving, weapons training with special forces [and] kick-boxing," Jolie said. "I'll train through the whole film. It's been great for me at this time in my life. I get up and do yoga at 7:30, which is insane. And I'm on protein shakes. They've taken my cigarettes and alcohol and sugar away from me." Jolie added that she'll share the screen with her new husband, Billy Bob Thornton. "Billy's playing a barber. He's cutting hair, and I'm shooting guns." |
46. TOUGH GUYS LEAVE
After years of waiting Nicholas Cage has finally announced that, if Warner Brothers ever comes together to make SUPERMAN LIVES, he won't be a part of it. The studio had eyed a summer 2002 release. But Cage, who has been in line to put on the blue suit, has apparently had enough. "It's just been too long," Cage said. "At first it seemed like a good idea and would've been a lot of fun, but, uh ... it's just too much time has passed and I wanted to part company with it." |
47. IMAGINATIVE CINEMA FOR THE MONTH OF JULY
July 7th: SCARY MOVIE- This spoof of present day slasher films has had a rocky history already. It began when two separate scripts were sold. The two spoofs were to be called LAST SUMMER I SCREAMED BECAUSE FRIDAY THE 13TH FELL ON HALLOWEEN (based on a screenplay from Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans and Phil Beauman--cowriters of DON'T BE A MENACE TO SOUTH CENTRAL WHILE DRINKING YOUR JUICE IN THE HOOD)and SCREAM IF YOU KNOW WHAT I DID LAST HALLOWEEN (based on a script by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer--cowriters of SPY HARD). The producers kept the Friedberg/Seltzer title until post-production when it became SCARY MOVIE. They hired Wayans brother Keenan Ivory to direct (who did I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA). It features Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Jonathan Abrahams, Carmen Electra, Shannon Elizabeth (Nadia in AMERICAN PIE), Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Marissa Jaret Winokur July 14th: X-MEN- Is set in a world where genetic mutations have created a new race of "mutants" (also called Homo Sapiens Superior), two groups align against each other. Magneto, the master of magnetism, seeks to rule over humanity before they get a chance to wipe out all mutants, and in his cause, he has recruited a band of mutants. On the other side are the X-Men, which are a paramilitary group of students taught by the super-psychic, Professor Xavier. Their mission is to provide positive role-models of how mutants can serve humanity, rather than rule over it. This film follows the adventures as these two very different groups conflict during one of Magneto's bids for world dominance. As a sign of what rivals companies expect from this film, no other movies will be opening against it this weekend. The cast includes Patrick Stewart (Professor Charles Xavier), Sir Ian McKellen (Magneto), Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), Halle Berry (Storm), James Marsden (Cyclops), Anna Paquin (Rogue), Ray Park (the Toad), Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (Mystique), Tyler Mane (Sabretooth) and Bruce Davison (Senator Kelly). July 21st: WHAT LIES BENEATH- The wife ( Michelle Pfeiffer) of a college genetics professor (Harrison Ford) in Vermont starts seeing visions of a woman who might or might not be a ghost. It appears to be the ghost of a woman that the professor had an affair with, and now, she's possessing his wife's body. The movie was directed by Robert Zemeckis, based on a story by Steven Spielberg. July 28th: NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS- In an attempt to remove his "Buddy Love" personality, Dr. Klump extracts the Buddy DNA from his system, but this only leads to Buddy becoming his own person. Buddy and Dr. Klump soon become locked in a race to claim a new youth serum that Klump has created, which he hides in the home of his family, the Klumps. |
48. CONTROL AN ARMY OF ROBOTS!
Specifically "shopbots." You can now cruise to Pricegrabber.com or MySimon.com and instruct their army of nano-Internet trolls (tiny artifical intelligence robots called "shopbots") to find the lowest online price for video and DVD releases. There is some question as to whether non-participating retailers would be listed. If you're connected to the Net, you might want to give it a try. Let's face, when's the next time that you're apt to have a robot army subject to you whim? |
49. TIVO RIDING HIGH
You might remember that TiVo as one of a few set-top recorders that record programs onto a computer hard drive. The guys are TiVo are feeling pretty good lately. America Online has announced that it will invest $200 million in the company and incorporate the TiVo system into its upcoming AOL-TV interactive-TV service. TiVo stock price has soared through the stratosphere. Keep your eye trained here. TiVo is trying to position itself to be the only company that offers hard drive TV recorders. |
50. THE BIG BOYS GATHER THEIR FORCES
Microsoft, DirecTV and Thomson Multimedia are coming together to produce a new satellite TV package, to be called UltimateTV, aimed at creating a converging point for satellite TV, video recording and the Internet. The receiver, to be manufactured by Thomson, presumably under its RCA logo, will be able to record 30 hours of digital-quality TV broadcasts -- even two programs airing simultaneously if need be. However, a new online magazine called "Inside" reported that at a New York news conference, "the thing didn't work." |
51. BIG NEWS ON TINY TECHNOLOGY
IBM announced in June that it will begin shipping this month "the world's smallest hard drive," a one-gigabyte device the size of a quarter that can hold the equivalent of a thousand novels or 18 hours of high-quality digital music. It pointedly did not indicate how much video storage the device could accommodate (presumably because of the potential for using it to store bootleg movies), but it did say that it expected it to be integrated into future video cameras and handheld PCs. The device weighs under an ounce and will be available for less than $500. |
52. SONY DELAYS DIGITAL TV'S
We'll have to wait a little longer for Sony to lead us to the digital promised land. They have indefinitely delayed the introduction of digital/HDTV sets in the U.S. because of a software "engineering hurdle" and uncertainty about technical standards for such sets. The company had planned to begin distribution of the sets in the U.S. next fall. Our deliverance from analog is once again delayed. |
53. THE D-VHS DEBATE GOES ON. AND ON. AND ON AND
. . .
In June, at a REPLItech conference in Miami, the fate of Digital VHS (D-VHS) was once again debated. Those lucky few who have seen it have said that its picture is far superior to DVD. It's a technology that actually predates Digital Video Discs. Studios have sat on it for years. With its flawless ability to record images, it sends chills down the backs of studio fat cats, imagining a world where we're pirating their stuff mercilessly. Particularly with the advent of HDTV, any movie recorded off the airwaves would have the same quality as any title professionally duplicated. Matsushita (aka Panasonic) owns a majority interest in D-VHS. They also have a huge stake in DVD, the budding format that would be hurt with the introduction of D-VHS. So don't look for them on store shelves anytime soon. |
54. ECLIPSE DEBUTS ON SCIFI.COM
ECLIPSE, a Flash animated weekly dramatic series, premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel's website, SCIFI.COM, on June 20. New episodes will follow every Tuesday for 13 weeks. Eclipse comes from animator Daniel Gover and writer Russell Wicks, and is described as SCIFI.COM's most ambitious, original dramatic series yet. The story is set in the year 3552, where humanity is engaged in a battle against an alien force and is on the brink of extinction. Two human soldiers, Gavin and Thomas, are brought from their homes centuries ago into the future. There, they serve Mette, a mysterious, exotic woman. Gavin and Thomas must risk everything to ensure the survival of humankind. |
55. STRACYNSKI DREAMS ON SCIFI.COM
BABYLON 5's "great maker" J. Michael Straczynski has created a new online audio series called "City of Dreams," for SCIFI.COM's Seeing Ear Theatre. Steve Buscemi (Fargo) stars in the first episode, "The Damned Are Playing At Godzilla's Tonight," which will premiere on July 10. The second installment of the 13-episode weekly drama will feature FREQUENCY star Andre Braugher and Braugher's real-life wife, Ami Brabson, in an episode called "Rolling Thunder." Kevin Conway, the voice of the storyteller in The Outer Limits and the star of the PBS television movie THE LATHE OF HEAVEN, will narrate the entire series. "City of Dreams" is a compilation of Straczynski 's independent stories--which range from the dark and ominous to the supernatural and hopeful--produced for audio. |
56. MOTION PICTURE ACADEMY DRAWS A LINE IN THE
DIGITAL SAND
The Motion Picture Academy has announced that it will bar any film from Oscar contention that debuted on the Web. They made this rule to show their support for the primacy of theatrical distribution. The website iFilm and the theater chain AMC are planning to create a theatrical showplace for films -- particularly short films -- to satisfy the Academy's requirement. Under the rules of the Academy, a film must be shown for at least three days in a movie house to qualify for an Oscar nomination. |
57. VIDEO STORES CONTINUE TO CLOSE
According to the National Association of Video Distributors, video stores across the country are closing at a somewhat slower rate. In 1998 an average of 183 stores a month bit the dust. By 1999 that figure slowed to 117 a month. As the numbers dwindle the closures have dropped. In the first quarter of this year, there were an average of 95 stores a month going belly-up. It's impossible to predict if this slowing in closures is the long-term healing of a brutal business cycle or a flux in the midst of a long term shakeout. Loosing a 100 stores a month is still not very healthy. I'll keep you posted on this. |
58. REEL.COM REACHES THE END OF ITS REEL
Internet video retailer Reel.com has bit the dust after Hollywood Entertainment, which operates the Hollywood Video retail chain, said that it had been unable to raise sufficient funds to keep the Internet company in business. " I've just given up on the ability to make a profit on the e-commerce business," Mark Wattles, chairman and chief executive of Hollywood Entertainment said. "The losses of the e-commerce business have been very large." In the 18 months that Hollywood had the online venture they lost $82 million. Anyone clicking over to purchase movies is being routed to Buy.com. |
59. DVD EMPIRE STEPS UP TO THE PLATE
E-tailer DVDEmpire.com has entered the arena of discounting. They're offering 40% discounts on pre-ordered titles. They say that it's directed at their "loyal customers." It may be to capture the customers of Reel.com. |
60. A FORK IN THE AMAZON
Mega retailer Amazon.com has recently split its departments for DVD and VHS. Visitors to the site will find separate tabs for the newly created departments. Once inside DVD visitors will find two new departments. The first, labeled "BUILD YOUR OWN COLLECTION," features categories such as "Starter Kit" and "Maximum Impact," enabling shoppers to choose from various lists compiled by Amazon's staff. The second department is simply labeled "BARGAIN DVD'S." They have also added a "BARGAIN VIDEO" section. The DVD and video areas will be heavily linked for easy crossover. This split may be the result of a highly unfavorable report circulated by Lehman Brothers in June. It criticized the company for not operating profitably, holding them to the same standards as any business. Amazon's stock dropped by 19%. They have sworn to be in the black by the fourth quarter of this year in books, music and video. |
61. BIG DOINGS ON DISC
With this month release of JAWS to DVD, there will be some very big classic titles over the coming months debuting on the new format. PLANET OF THE APES: THE EVOLUTION hits DVD, featuring all six of the famous monkey movies, will be on store shelves August 15th. On August 29th CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY and BRAVEHEART get introduced to us on Digital Video Disc.Look for MEN IN BLACK on September 5th. JURASSIC PARK and THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK go on sale on October 10th. TOY STORY 1 & 2 will hit October 17th. The principle duplicators have doubled their capacities since last year and still can't keep up with the pace of orders. The studios are finally beginning to understand the potential of DVD. Now we can all add our favorite movies to our collection of the same titles on VHS, Beta and Laser Disc! |
62. VIDEOCY
Rental titles releasing 7/4: JILL THE RIPPER features Dolph Lundgen as a detective searching for his powerful brother's murderer. He finds himself in twisted realm of sexual bondage, political corruption and extreme violence. . . . SCREAM 3, the last of the SCREAM trilogy, releases today. . . . Rental title releasing 7/11: PLAYING DEAD features a young man who
dies
Rental titles releasing 7/18: THE NINTH GATE, with Johnny Depp, haunts
Rental titles releasing 7/25: ISAAC ASIMOV'S NIGHTFALL is about the
Sell through titles releasing 7/4: DIVINE TRASH is an in-depth look
at
Sell through titles releasing 7/11: JAWS makes it's much heralded
debut
Sell through titles releasing 7/18: STORM OF THE CENTURY goes on
sale
Sell through titles releasing 7/25: Artisan Entertainment is releasing
a
|
63. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
Nicholas Clay was a British actor known for his performances in classics and epic fantasies. Clay's 30-year career spanned the stage, screen and television. Club members may remember him as Henry Clerval in VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN (1977) (aka TERROR OF FRANKENSTEIN), as Sir Lancelot in EXCALIBER (1981), as Jack Stapleton in the TV version of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1983) and as Dr. Percy Trevelyan in THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES II (1985). He was the Prince in SLEEPING BEAUTY (1987), Menelaus in the TV mini-series THE ODYSSEY (1997) and Lord Leo in TV's MERLIN (1998). He died, too soon, at his home in London after loosing a fight with cancer. He was 53. He was one of those actors who needed no introduction.
He also needs
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64. JULY CALENDAR
TUE 4TH: VIDEO RENTAL- JILL THE RIPPER and SCREAM 3 release today.
FRI 7TH:EVENT- SHORE LEAVE 22
SUN 9TH:EVENT- SHORE LEAVE 22 TUE 11TH: TV-X-MEN: THE MUTANT WATCH airs on Fox
FRI 14TH:MOVIE- X-MEN debuts today. TUE 18TH:VIDEO RENTAL- THE NINTH GATE, WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM?,
FRI 21ST:MOVIE- WHAT LIES BENEATH debuts today. SAT 22ND: I.C.S. MEETING AT 6:00 TUE 25TH: VIDEO RENTAL- ISAAC ASIMOV'S NIGHTFALL, MAGNOLIA, INTER-
FRI 28TH:EVENT- MIDNIGHT MARQUEE'S CLASSIC FILM FEST 2000
SAT 29TH:EVENT- MIDNIGHT MARQUEE'S CLASSIC FILM FEST 2000 SUN 3OTH:EVENT- MIDNIGHT MARQUEE'S CLASSIC FILM FEST 2000 |