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| 1.THE JANUARY MEETING WAS EXCELLENT
We had fun at our January meeting. We celebrated our 2nd anniversary with a special sheet cake that bore our ICS logo. We had our elections (see details below). We got to watch the Three Stooges short, "I Want My Mummy" and the 1974 film THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD, all courtesy of Michael Schilling. We also made some money for the club with the sale of (mostly) old science fiction books to our members. It was a blast! |
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| 2.NEWS OF OUR NEXT MEETING
Our February meeting will be held on Saturday February 24th at 6:00 P.M. at the church hall behind the Perry Hall Presbyterian Church located at 8848 BelAir Road. Take Baltimore Beltway exit 32 north on Belair Road. Turn left onto Joppa Road. Immediately past the miniature golf course turn left into the parking lot. If you miss it there are ample turn-around opportunities. If you get stuck call 410-598-8005. That's Dave Henderson's cell phone. He'll talk you in. |
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| 3.THE ICS BOARD FOR 2001
We had our annual election at our January meeting. Our new Board of Directors looks like this:
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| 4.SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR OUR FEBRUARY MEETING:
LE
BAD
We're trying something a little different for February. We're deliberately bringing in the worst movies that we can find. Here's how this works. We're asking club members to bring in the single worst movie that they own (or have access to). I'll be giving a talk that night on bad movies. Then we'll ask people to tell us why their movie is the lamest in the land. As usual, we'll vote, but this time asking our members to select the most noxious weed from our garden of stinkers. Below is a list from our growing Hall of Shame. After each title I've got quotes from victims who've actually endured the corresponding title (their comments are excerpted from viewer reviews done for the Internet Movie Data Base). THE BRAINIAC (1962/Mexico) - Charlie Wittig " . . . a movie that is so magically, unashamedly bad that it covers you in puppy-dog kisses and dares you not to love it." HILLBILLYS IN A HAUNTED HOUSE (1967) - Dave Henderson "This would have made a tasty treat for MST3K to bash, and it would no doubt rival MANOS, THE HANDS OF FATE for the most awful, ickiest, dreckiest piece o' crapola ever." INVISIBLE INVADERS(1959) - Rick Rieve "The only way to make it through this film is get a bunch of friends, drink LOTS of beer, then watch the movie. You'll probably enjoy it more drunk than sober!" IT'S ALIVE! (1969) - Vince DiLeonardi "The terrible acting, inane dialogue, and the hysterically cheap monster costume makes this movie a cult classic." KING OF THE ZOMBIES (1941) - Joe Plempel "This is one the worst zombie films I've ever seen . . . " ORGY OF THE DEAD (1965) - David Willard "This film actually made me question my heterosexuality. . . . I never thought it would be possible to lower the male libido by viewing semi-nude women prancing around. I was wrong. DEAD WRONG! . . . I think convicted sex offenders should be made to watch this movie every day of their incarceration." PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1958) - David Willard ". . . a . . . movie with a bad plot, horrible acting, unexplained theories and characters, but above all; extremely entertaining." RAT PFINK A BOO BOO (1965) - David Willard "... it's an abomination, but you can't tear yourself away from it." ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS (1964) - Bob Thompson SCHLOCK! (1971) - David Willard "Is it great filmmaking? Not by a long shot." SHE DEMONS (1958) - Sue Feder TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE (1959) - Regina Vallerani " . . . the actors are so utterly devoid of emotion or understanding, and the script so complex and talk-heavy that after about five minutes, the movie just sits across your chest and crushes the life out of you." |
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| 5.SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR OUR MARCH MEETING: A GAME
SHOW!
In March get ready to play "ICS ACADEMIC!" It will be a lively game show that (we hope) will involve everyone in the club who'd like to play. We'll be playing on teams. It will consist of a series of trivia questions concerning imaginative cinema and television. The questions and rules are being ironed out now. Look for more details as we draw closer to the date. |
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| 6.SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR OUR APRIL MEETING: A NEW
MEETING DATE
The Board has agreed to move up the date for our April meeting by one weekend (that would make it April 21st). We did this out of anticipation that many of our club members might want to attend the Chiller Theater convention that will be held the last weekend of April. For details on the convention see the "THINGS TO COME" section below under "Events." |
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| 7.DUES NEWS
With the new year its time to renew memberships once again. Club members who'll be renewing have until the March meeting to renew. Individual memberships are $20. Couples are $30. Below is a list of everyone that our records show as having already renewed their memberships. If anyone feels that their name has been accidentally omitted please contact our new treasurer, Regina Vallerani.
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| 8.MOVIE VOLUNTEERS
We have booked people to bring in movies until August. Below is a list of people that we have listed for movies:
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| 9.BRING IN YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS
Coming up later this year the Imaginative Cinema Society will have a table at a convention. We'll need things to sell. As you review your books, replace videos with DVD's or simply find movie-related things around that you just don't care for anymore consider bringing to a meeting. We'll be putting donated items out for sale, allowing our club members to have first crack at them. Later we'll be offering them for sale at conventions. Any movie (or TV) stuff or sci-fi/horror/fanasy books that you can spare will be deeply appreciated. |
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| 10.A NEW FEATURE IN THE ICS FILE
Since the birth of the club in the beginning of 1999, the Internet has emerged as a separate medium. For quite sometime it has offered support for other media, with sites about books, movies, television and other things. But increasingly there are things Online that have no link to the Offline world - they're unique to the Net. It's high time that we gave them special treatment. So, starting with this issue, we'll have a separate department for "Internet News." It'll cover the parts of the Net that pertain to Imaginative Cinema. We'll also take the occasional detour down some of the many odd tributaries that make up the Web. It should be fun. |
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| 11. FAREWELL TO OUR GUESTS
We have several people who've been receiving complementary issues of "The ICS Files" for the last several months. They had, at some point, expressed an interest in the club. Your complementary subscription is at an end. You've had an opportunity to learn a little about us. We hope that you can drop by some last Saturday of the month. We'll be around. |
| 35.THINGS TO COME
KATSUCON is coming to the Hyatt Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia on February 16-18. This is a convention dedicated to anime'. Their guest of honor will be Shinya Hasegawa. He is the character designer and illustrator of Revolutionary Girl Utena. In addition, he has worked as an animation producer on Sailor Moon and Neon Genesis Evangelion. They'll also be featuring a slate of other animators, voice-artists, directors and producers. There's a host of other special events and panels and a dealer's room available. Pre-registration is no longer available. The admission is $45.00 for all three days. Day rates are $20 for Friday only, $25 for Saturday only, and $15 for Sunday only. If you'd like more information either e-mail them at katsucon@katsucon.com or write them at Katsucon Entertainment, Inc./ P.O. BOX 577/ DUMFRIES,VIRGINIA 22026. CREATIONCON
is coming to the Valley Forge Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday
March 3-4, 2001. This is a corporate-run convention. Because it has big
money backing it they can attract some interesting celebs and offer a large
dealer's room. Because it's operated as a for-profit business everything
is quite expensive.
THE JOHNS HOPKINS FILM FESTIVAL will take place on April 5-8 at Johns Hopkins' Homewood Campus, in Baltimore. The festival will display some of the most surprising and controversial documentaries, features and short films to hit the independent scene. They'll also present the little seen films of budding local, national, and international filmmakers. It will take place at numerous screening rooms on the Homewood campus, including Shriver Hall, the largest screening facility in Maryland. For more information either click on the above link or contact JHFF2001 c/o Wil Ryan/ Gilman Hall PO #960/ JHU/ 3400 N. Charles Street/ Baltimore MD, 21218/ 410-889-9596. FILMFEST DC will take place from April 21 to May 2 at various sites around the nation's capitol. They'll offer a rich mix of old and premiering films. This year they're offering a special selection of recent films from South America. There will be other films from the rest of the globe as well, including the U.S. of A. Tickets are $7 per film or $60 for a book of ten tickets. For more information call 202/628-FILM. CHILLER THEATER TOY, MODEL, AND FILM EXPO will be held in at the Sheraton Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey on April 27-29. The guests include Walter Koenig, of both STAR TREK and BABYLON 5. There'll be a BABYLON 5 REUNION with Claudia Christian (Susan Ivanova), Mira Furlan (Dellenn), Stephen Furst (Vir Cotto), Jerry Doyle (Michael Garibaldi), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Carrie Dobro (Dureena Nafeel from CRUSADE), Iona Morris, Marjorie Monaghan (Tessa Holloran/Number One), and Julie Caitlin Brown (Na'Toth). As far as non-BABYLON 5 guests, there's Michael Berryman (THE HILLS HAVE EYES) Michael Callan (MYSTERIOUS ISLAND) Joanna Cassidy (GHOST OF MARS, BLADE RUNNER), Yvonne Craig ("Batgirl" from the original BATMAN TV series), Lou Ferrigno (THE INCREDIBLE HULK), Julian Glover (FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK), Mark Goddard (LOST IN SPACE), Gunnar Hansen (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE), Jonathan Harris (LOST IN SPACE), James Hong (BLADERUNNER, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA), Suzanna Leigh (LUST FOR A VAMPIRE), Yvonne Monlaur (THE BRIDES OF DRACULA), Caroline Munro (GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD), Jon Provost (star of the original LASSIE TV series), Ted Raimi (XENA), Yutte Stensgaard (LUST FOR A VAMPIRE), Edy Williams (BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS), Bernie Wrightson (legendary horror artist), and of course, Zacherley: The Cool Ghoul (T.V. Horror Host Legend). General admission in advance is $10 per day, or $25 for all three days. General admission at the door is $15 per day. Entry for the entire weekend plus ONE HOUR EARLY on Friday OR Saturday is $35 US Funds. Pre-show both days, plus all day Sunday is $45 US Funds. To order contact Chiller Theatre, Inc., P O Box 23, Rutherford, NJ 07070. |
| 40.A LOOK AT THE LOOMING STRIKES AHEAD
Hollywood is not, by nature, a very brave town. It's been placed on the map by stories of great people doing great things but, generally, these aren't the kind of people who hold the reigns of power in the movie industry. If it can be characterized at all it would would probably be as a herd of jittery antelopes, ready to bolt at the first scent of danger. There is a predator stalking the Hollywood plains now, making it blind with panic as it approaches. That animal is called "strike." This strike could, depending on its duration, have anywhere from a mild to profound impact on fans of film and television. It could obliterate the fall television season and cause movie productions to cease. In this special section of "The ICS Files" we will look at the strike ahead (it's often referred to in the singular but in fact there are two potential strikes from two different unions). We'll look at the players, the issues and the deadlines. |
| PLAYER: SCREEN ACTORS GUILD
The Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) is a large and powerful union. It's part of affiliated union, whose other half is the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). Three-quarters of SAG membership pays its bills as waiters, office temps and other jobs that will be unaffected by a walkout. They may think why not play hardball? They'll have nothing to loose. The recently settled 6-month-long commercial strike has buoyed the union's confidence and probably stiffened management's resolve. "The Screen Actors Guild is somewhat like the Russian Army," Guild-West secretary-treasurer Michael Mahern said. "You know, very large, seemingly disorganized, ill-equipped at times, sometimes badly led. But ask Napoleon and Hitler about the Russian army." CONTRACT EXPIRES: June 30th, 2001. AT ISSUE: Mostly it's the payment of residuals cable, foreign and Internet broadcasts. There's also the issue of improved salary compensation for the large middle and lower tiers of actors who earn considerably less than the stars. |
| 42.PLAYER: WRITER'S GUILD OF AMERICA
There are actually two unions under this umbrella. There's the Writer's Guild of America (or WGA) which represents writers west of the Mississippi. Then there's Writer's Guild of America East (or WGAE) for the writers on this side of the country. It's important to note these two branches. The west coast writers have been seeking an early accomodation through negotiaitions in January. The east coast guild wants no part of it. They feel that the producers dropped the ball last Fall by not seriously negotiating and that their greatest weapon is the threat of a strike. The compromise was to hold two weeks of negotiation. If there are hopeful signs at the end of that they may be extended. CONTRACT EXPIRES: May 1st, 2001. AT ISSUE: Creative and economic rights. Writers are generally the lowest paid of all the creative talent with the least power. They want to abolish "film by" credits (generally awarded to directors). They seek more involvement in the production process. They want higher pay. They're seeking residuals or pay increases in programming made for the Internet, cable, foreign and video/DVD. WEAKNESS: Almost every studio has a backlog of scripts. The 1988 Guild six-month strike didn't affect production at all. It took about six months for the studios to work through their script backlog. |
| 43.PLAYER: THE ALLIANCE OF MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION
PRODUCERS
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is an organization that represents over 350 production companies and studios. Since 1982, the AMPTP has been the primary trade association with respect to labor issues in the motion picture and television industry. AT ISSUE: They contend that film and television is in a weakened financial state. They want the Guilds to agree to cut their residual payments. WEAKNESSES: The film and television producers are in a weakened state at the moment. Network television audiences have eroded dramatically. Syndication is dying. No one has figured out the true cost of digital conversion. Studios have seen their margins shrink and talent residuals and participations increase. Costs have increased, while movie viewing has fragmented, making a once sound business very shaky. |
| 44.PLAYER: DIRECTOR'S GUILD OF AMERICA
The Directors Guild of America (the DGA) has a very secure contract with which they're very happy. AT ISSUE: They want to keep the writers from becoming too involved in the production process. It would mean someone else to which they'd have to be accountable. They also want to hold on to the "possessory credit." That's the credit that says "A movie by . . . " and then the director's name. Appearing to underscore the conflicting interests between two of Hollywood's most prominent unions, Jack Shea, president of the DGA has told members that contract demands by the Writers Guild of America could have a serious impact on the "creative vision" of directors in the production of movies. Shea wrote in his letter that he had recently met with WGA leaders in an attempt to work out a mutually acceptable creative code but was "extremely disappointed" with the writers' response. |
| 45.POTENTIAL STUDIO WEAPONS
FORCE MAJEURE: This is a clause that exists in the contracts of virtually all studio executives and talent. It literally means "greater force." It's a backout clause in case of unavoidable catastrophe prohibits the completion of a production. It generally refers to floods, fires, earthquakes and other "acts of God." However, it also covers strikes. It gives the employer the right to stall, suspend or cancel the employment if stopped by a greater force. It could be used as a threat, canceling the contracts of anyone who engages in the strike. This clause has been tested in court and has always withstood judicial scrutiny. ECONOMICS: One studio exec proclaimed that the strike would benefit the bottom line. "The good news is that from an earnings perspective, it would be almost entirely positive. There are short-term benefits (for lower production costs and accounting charges) and virtually no longer term implications." WEAKNESS: The studios' greatest liability is memory. If they respond in a heavy-handed way, when the strike is over, people have very long memories. If an exec invoked force majeure, for example, and then needs someone for a vital production, if that person or a friend or relative of that person, was made to feel like a victim of that executive's temper tantrum during the strike, it could be severe enough to end that studio hotshot's career. |
| 46.ISSUE: A STRIKE WOULD HELP THE STUDIOS
AMPTP: "Because deficit financing is the norm in the film and television industries, many financial analysts and studio executives maintain that in the short-term a production shutdown, and the attendant savings on production and marketing costs, will have a positive impact on their bottom lines. WGAE: "Companies [say that it] would be more profitable if a strike were to occur, which begs the question, why wait? Get out of the business now and make a fortune!" |
| 47.ISSUE: THE STUDIOS CAN'T AFFORD TO MEET THE
DEMANDS
AMPTP: "Network television audiences have eroded dramatically. We have seen a steep decline in the syndication market for off-network programs. A fractionalized cable television market has not replaced the diminution of the syndication business. There has been a recent and profound decline in foreign sales for our network series. There is confusion and uncertainty about, and added expenses for, the conversion to digital television. We have seen massive increases in consumer usage of the Internet, without a supportable business model for entertainment product. On the theatrical side, we have witnessed a steady decrease in our margins, while talent residuals and participations have increased continuously. The most significant contributing factor that has led to the increase in employment for guild represented employees - increased motion picture output - has also led to a dramatic rise in competition for talent, and for consumers. Costs have increased, while movie viewing has fragmented, adding an indisputable fragility to that business. We now rely heavily on home video. And in the future, we will rely heavily on the growth of video on demand and pay per view services as primary income sources necessary to maintain motion picture production volume. WGA: "The Companies attempted to justify [a proposed reduction in residual payments] by referring to the fragmented audience for television. They ignored, however, the fact that ad price increases have not only made up for audience fragmentation but total revenue to the networks increased dramatically in recent years, particularly in relation to the increases in our minimums (the amounts upon which our residuals are based)." |
| 48.ISSUE: GUILD MEMBERS ARE MAKING MORE THAN EVER
AMPTP: "Over the last ten years, the covered earnings of actors and writers have increased by more than 65% and their ranks have swelled considerably. Last year, according to the Screen Actors Guild annual report, guild members reported a record $1.6 billion in earnings, a total that does not include any individual earnings over $200,000. So, for example, when a major star is paid $20 million for a motion picture, only $200,000 of that total is included in SAG’s earnings report. Thus SAG’s numbers are not skewed by the dollars paid to top talent, and are actually considerably understated. According to The Writers Guild residuals report, residual payments to writers have also reached record highs, up 22% over the past year (network license fees went up only 4% in the same period)." SAG: "Despite the fact the overall earnings generated by the Screen Actors Guild Television/Theatrical Contract have grown fairly consistently over the past decade, many of its "middle class" members have suffered a compression of wages earned under the contract. As production budgets, new windows of distribution and total revenues derived from the exploitation of feature and television products have increased dramatically, the salaries for featured and supporting actors have diminished steadily — in many cases to scale plus ten percent. Seasoned performers were at one time able to negotiate significantly above minimum scale based on their well-established skills and experience. Today there is little, if any, ability for these performers to negotiate above minimum levels set by the contract that have in essence through industry practice, become the maximum." |
| 49.ISSUE: INTERNET RESIDUALS
SAG: "SAG and AFTRA’s contracts cover the work of their members in all moving pictures, no matter how or where they are distributed. Both unions believe this extends to product made for the Internet. We want to make sure that the Producers do not dispute our jurisdiction in this area. Because direct Internet distribution is in such a nascent stage we will need to work with Producers on terms and conditions that foster production in this area. The Basic Agreement as written may not appropriately cover the Internet because of different revenue models (or the lack of them) and different distribution patterns. It is important that we make clear that this lies within our jurisdiction now, so that a potential market doesn't grow up without us." AMPTP: "It is hard to separate hype from reality when people are talking about the Internet. However, over the past year, the volatility of the Internet sector of the economy has been widely reported in the media. Plunging stock prices and Web company failures have demonstrated once again that very few businesses are making money in this new medium. This is particularly true in the area of original programming—to date there are no generally accepted economic models or business plans that demonstrate an ability to generate revenue by creating original content for the Web. Thus, the Companies are not currently producing original programming for the Internet. To attempt to negotiate residual formulas with the guilds at this time would be premature at best and perilous at worst." |
| 50.ISSUE: THE POSSESSORY CREDIT
WGA: "The motion picture is the most collaborative of all art forms. Hundreds of artists and workers participate in the production of any movie. Though some indisputably make more substantial contributions than others, it is absurd and flat out wrong to call any one person the "author" of a movie. Yet that is what possessory credits do. The "Film By" credit implies that one person - the director - is the author of a motion picture. . . . writers are not looking to denigrate or alienate directors nor are we looking to destabilize the filmmaking process. Writers are looking for respect. We seek to put an end to any practice that elevates the contributions of some artists to the detriment of others or that treats writers and everyone else involved in the film making process like second class citizens. The possessory credit is such a practice." DGA: "The DGA has always supported the position that possessory credits should be freely negotiable for anyone involved in the filmmaking process. Historically, these credits have been given in recognition of the commanding contribution made by a particular person — director, writer, producer, etc. — to a film. These credits have also helped “brand” films, which in turn draws audiences, thereby profiting the studios. Overturning such a system would unnecessarily hurt the industry and deprive the film artists that drive the creative process of moviemaking from the recognition they deserve." AMPTP: "In light of the potential for conflict, the studios have requested that the Directors Guild and the Writers Guild work out a mutually-acceptable solution of these issues, without imposing mandates through collective bargaining agreements. The Chief Executive Officers of the Companies, through standing committees that address such issues, have offered their assistance in an effort to foster dialogue between the Guilds and with the Companies on these issues. The Directors Guild has indicated that it is willing to try to find some middle ground." |
| 51.ISSUE: WRITER INVOLVEMENT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS
SAG: "We seek inclusion and respect. Writers are crucial to the making of every motion picture but are frequently cut out of the process, treated as if we were unimportant, dispensable or interchangeable. We are a resource that directors and companies often ignore or underutilize, and the movies themselves suffer. In many cases, when problems arise, we are the ones who have the answer - and we aren't around to provide it. Our proposals encourage companies and directors to include writers both in the creative process and in certain venues that confer or imply a measure of respect." DGA: "Part of a director’s responsibility is managing the collaboration which is part of the moviemaking process. It is the director’s job to bring the talents of cast and crew to bear on the screenplay, with the goal of a film representing a unified vision. Mandating the writer’s ability to view dailies, to be on the set, etc., will inject writers into the process when they were not chosen to be invited. Conflict and confusion will often be the result. Filmmaking costs will increase and creativity will be compromised because of disputes, or the fear of conflict, among studios, directors and writers over the activities of the writer. The bottom line is that one person runs a movie set, and that person, by definition, is the director. The WGA is attempting to invent contractual “rights” that would mandate the writer’s involvement in elements of production where his or her presence may be counterproductive to the making of a film." |
| 52.ENGLISH SPEAKING FOREIGN COUNTRIES MAY WELCOME
THE STRIKES
As strike deadlines loom, the rest of the English-speaking entertainment world seems to be licking their lips in anticipation of possible windfalls. The Australian film industry is preparing for a greater influx of U.S. TV and film productions. "American productions are realizing they don't have to shoot in California, they can go around the world," Nick Herd, executive director of the Screen Producers Association of Australia, commented. He also observed that the Australian dollar dropped 15 percent against the U.S. dollar last year, creating another lure for Hollywood producers. British film producers are also speculating that they may be able to benefit from any work stoppage in Hollywood. One unnamed producer said: "Let's face it, with the studios rushing to get films finished before the summer strike deadlines, there's likely to be some terrible s*** around in cinemas come the fall. It's a perfect opportunity for a couple of decent British films to make a breakthrough." Meanwhile a spokeswoman for the British Writers Guild has told the newspaper that it will support any action taken by its counterpart in America. "We are urging writers not to take on work from American production companies if striking US writers refuse to do it," she said. |
| 53.KURT RUSSELL'S BASIC INSTINCTS TELL HIM TO GET
A BODY DOUBLE
Kurt Russell is demanding a body double for his steamy sex scenes in the sequel to BASIC INSTINCT. In the plot he plays another cop assigned to break pulp novelist Catherine Trammell, played by Sharon Stone. But Russell, who is married to actress Goldie Hawn, doesn't want to go to the same sexual lengths in the movie which contributed to Michael Douglas' marriage problems when he made the original film back in 1992. He told a close pal, "I don't mind getting my clothes off if the context is right but I know when to draw the line. There are scenes I''ll just opt out of." MGM says the $60 million movie is still months away from going into production. A senior source says, "We don't have a problem if Kurt wants to use a body double. These days, through technology, it hardly makes a difference." |
| 54.DUELING BATMEN
BATMAN fans may have a chance to see their favorite crime fighter either at the beginning of his long career, the end of it, or both. Warner Bros. is developing two separate BATMAN movies. One of the films, titled BATMAN: YEAR ONE, would describe the first year of the his existence. Another, BATMAN BEYOND, would be set in the future when a successor takes over the Batman mantle from Bruce Wayne. Neither one has an inside track on getting greenlit first. Both films, it noted, will await the outcome of possible industry strikes this summer, making it unlikely that either will be released over the next two years. |
| 55.JACK IS UP FOR MORE JOKER
Jack Nicholson has said that he's eager to reprise the role of the Joker in any new BATMAN film. "Baby, I've promoted it endlessly. I've got the title, I got everything going for him, but I can't. They're hung up on I died in the first picture." Nicholson said playing the supervillain in 1989's BATMAN was no picnic. "On BATMAN, they invented all that kind of makeup," he said. "They'd never seen it before, so I'm looking at an average working day, they're going to want to shoot 12 hours minimum, and I'm going to be in makeup four and a half hours. Plus, I tend to gain weight pretty easily, so I would do a certain amount of time on the treadmill. By the time I left Pinewood [Studios], it was me, my driver and a janitor." Still, he enjoyed the character. "Did I have fun in and around it?" Nicholson said. "Yes. I don't think there has ever been a character that I had more fun getting inside. He's completely megalomaniacal. You get to let all that out. He thinks the concerns of others are all completely crazy. He has no regard for human life or anybody around. But that's coming in the middle of an 18-hour day, every day. You don't have much time for fun. |
| 56.THE BLAIR WITCH LIVES
Despite disappointing returns for last summer's sequel, Artisan Entertainment plans to go ahead with a THE BLAIR WITCH prequel that will tell the early history of the witch legend at the center of the first two movies. Artisan head Amir Malin said that they plan to take more time on the third movie, with hopes to get it in theaters by 2002. The third BLAIR WITCH movie will be a prequel and will tell the early history of the witch that stood at the center of the previous two movies. BOOK OF SHADOWS, which was released last October, grossed about $26 million domestically. Though it will turn a profit, it might have done better if the movie had not been such a rush job, Malin said. |
| 57.THE OTHER MUMMY MOVIE, BUBBA HO-TEP
Next summer, while audiences are standing in line for the expensive effects-laden MUMMY 2, Bruce Campbell will be busy battling his own evil mummy in the upcoming comedic horror movie BUBBA HO-TEP. "I play a geriatric old geezer, a 70-year-old in a rest home who thinks he's Elvis," Campbell said. He added, "I team up with another old geezer at the home, Ossie Davis, who thinks he's JFK, and together we set out to defeat the evil mummy, Bubba Ho-Tep. Stay tuned." Campbell will also appear in a cameo role in pal Sam Raimi's upcoming SPIDER-MAN movie. |
| 58.THE EXORCIST: THE VERSION SOUTH AFRICA DOESN'T
WANT TO SEE
Religious groups in South Africa are threatening to boycott cinemas - because they're planning to show THE EXORCIST. Church representative Ron Steel has urged people not to watch the 1973 cult classic as it deals with demonic possession - and it is the church's view that demonic powers can be stronger than Christians'. Wow. Almost three decades old and this film is still controversial. I don't think that we'll be saying that about most of the crop of present day movies (if we remember them at all in three decades). |
| 59.A "NEW" BRUCE LEE MOVIE'S GETTING RELEASED IN
JAPAN
Using recently discovered footage that Bruce Lee had been editing at the time of his death in 1973, a Japanese film company, Art Port Inc. has produced a new version of his last movie, GAME OF DEATH, retitled BRUCE LEE IN G.O.D. The new film contains 40 minutes featuring Lee and three other martial artists, "edited in strict accordance to an incomplete script and a series of sketches left by Lee." The original GAME OF DEATH, released in 1978, contained only 13 minutes of footage actually shot for the film. The re-edited movie was screened in Japan in January. |
| 60.BRUCE LEE'S VILLA IS NOW A BROTHEL
The Hong Kong villa where Bruce Lee lived until his mysterious death in July 1973 has been turned into a brothel. It was nicknamed the Crane's Nest by Lee, who died at the age of 32. The villa on the island of Cowloon is now called the Romantic Hotel. Rooms can be rented for around $30 an hour and guests find condoms already laid out on the beds while the televisions show round-the-clock porn. Although the hotel does not advertise using the star's name, many local men know that Bruce Lee lived there and say they get an extra kick out of it. The star's fan club is now trying to turn the building into a memorial to Lee. |
| 61.HANNIBAL WILL FEEL PRETTY AND WITTY AND WISE
Director Ridley Scott has said that HANNIBAL may be somewhat different in tone from its predecessor, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, which was directed by Jonathan Demme. He found the original book by Thomas Harris "quite witty" and that he tried to incorporate some of that humor into the film. Scott says the psychotic Dr. Lecter character, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, is always looking to "get a laugh" even when he's about to pounce on another helpless victim. Scott says what struck him most when he saw the first manuscript for the new film were the humor and charm of the man. He says, "Hannibal's not just a ruthless killer. Absolutely not. Thomas Harris's book is genuinely full of wit and I hope we have translated that into the movie. I shall be very disappointed if I hear that people aren't smiling - when they're not screaming!" The film will have a massive opening on 4,700 screens on Feb. 9. Scott noted that the film is set to open ten years "to the day" that the original film was released. "That's why we're going out then," Scott remarked. [Actually, the film opened on Feb. 13, 1991] Scott added: "It's also a great time to run because there's nothing around." |
| 62.JULIANNE MOORE AND THE SILENCE OF THE COWS
Julianne Moore, as FBI agent Clarice Starling, is compelled to confront and stare down death and hideous horrors over and over. She's revealed the thing that scared her most during the filming of HANNIBAL was a herd of cows. She cracked up the film crew with her fear of cows. She says, "They couldn't believe, after all the things I had done - the guns, the boars, the running, the falling - that what scared me most was these big, stupid cows!" However, Julianne had a brilliant time on set, and says she was sorry to wrap up the Ridley Scott film. She says, "This was one of the few movies I've been on where I hated to see it end." |
| 63.DE LAURENTIS WANTS ANTHONY HOPKINS BACK AS HANNIBAL
Even though his latest film is not yet released, plans for legendary horror character Hannibal Lecter's return to screen are already in place. Screenwriter Ted Tally, who won an Oscar for THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, is now working on the screenplay for RED DRAGON, the Thomas Harris book which first introduced Hannibal Lecter to the world. Tally is altering the plot of RED DRAGON to feature more of Hannibal because he hopes that Anthony Hopkins is willing to return yet again in the role. The writer says his interpretation of RED DRAGON will feature Lecter running loose after an escape from prison, but he will, "never show Lecter eating people. It's just too gross. I just imply it." Some fans are already against the idea of "ruining" the book, claiming there's already a very solid adaptation of RED DRAGON, MANHUNTER (done in 1986), written and directed by Michael Mann, and another is not necessary. Producer Dino de Laurentiis has been assured that he will be able to cast Anthony Hopkins again as Hannibal Lecter in this prequel, even though the story is set seven years before LAMBS and nearly 20 years before HANNIBAL. The resourceful Mr. de Laurentiis intends to use computer technology to take 20 years off the age of the 63-year-old Hopkins. The technology can reportedly give him a full head of hair and shave inches off his waist. De Laurentiis has reportedly offered Hopkins $20 million to take the role. |
| 64.ANTHONY HOPKINS VOWS NEVER TO APPEAR AS HANNIBAL
AGAIN
Anthony Hopkins has decided against appearing in the prequel to THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and HANNIBAL. He's said to close friends, "I think we've gone to the line with Hannibal, with the jokes and the gore. I think people would think we were being greedy if we went on any further." De Laurentiis insists, "Everyone wants to see what happened before Lecter was originally caught. There is room for more than Harris put in his first novel. The entertainment factor is still very high, as is the demand." Remember that Hopkins denied that he'd return to the role after THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. In Hollywood "no" doesn't always mean "no." We'll keep an eye on how things develop. |
| 65.HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY SEEKS A RIDE
Director Jay Roach (AUSTIN POWERS) has said that he's still hopeful he can get a movie made based on Douglas Adams' satirical novel HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. Roach said he's even begun thinking of possible actors for the film. Roach said his perfect Zaphod Beeblebrox would be Jim Carrey. "We've always thought Jim Carrey would be a good Zaphod, and Douglas has always wanted Hugh Laurie for Arthur." Though the project has been a tough sell to studios, Roach said Adams remains involved. "He's doing the adaptation himself and producing the film too. So it'll be a Douglas Adams authentic production," Roach said. "The challenge is to keep the quirkiness and visionary irreverence and still allow it to be commercial. The studios recognize that it's an expensive film, so I have to make it funny and cast it well." |
| 66.THE HULK IS TAKING SHAPE IN THE HANDS OF ANG
LEE
Marvel comic's THE HULK is slowly lumbering its way to the big screen. Most of the people working on the film aren't very surprising. Gale Anne Hurd is on hand to produce. David Hayter will write the screenplay (he did the screenplay for THE X-MEN). The surprising participant is director Ang Lee. Lee cut his teeth in this country with arthouse hits like THE ICE STORM and SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. His current movie, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, has drawn alot of critical praise. Unfortunately it hasn't given him many material benefits. Although receiving much praise, including numerous top awards, for the movie, Ang Lee has felt constrained by economic necessity to shoot a television commercial (for BMG). His producing and writing partner James Schamus has said, "Basically, we haven't been paid in two years." Schamus also indicated that, because of the anticipated writers' and actors' strikes, Ang Lee has been unable to capitalize on the success of his current award-winning film. "We were going to make a musical, but there wasn't enough time," he said. "Now we'll just wait and see what happens." What's happened is THE HULK. Screenwriter David Hayter hasn't exactly been reserved in his reaction to the news of Lee's involvement with the film. He's stated, "It is the most awesome thing to happen since the creation of the Earth," Hayter told the site. "That is a quote." |
| 67.THE TOLKIEN FAMILY DREADS THE RELEASE OF LORD
OF THE RINGS
The upcoming release of three films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy, will devastate his family according to the writer's son. John Tolkien has said that his family will be forced into hiding by the attention of crazed fans of his father's work. The worried 83-year-old says, "The Tolkien family is under perpetual abuse of one kind or another. It goes on all the time. I am anticipating endless bother when the film actually comes out." J.R.R. Tolkien, who died in 1973, was against the commercialization of his work - but the film rights to the Lord of the Rings have not been owned by the family since the 60's, so the film's makers New Line Cinema don't have to consult them on the making of the movie. |
| 68.LORD OF THE RINGS BECOMES LORD OF THE WEB
Coinciding with the release of the theatrical trailer for LORD OF THE RINGS, New Line Films has launched what is perhaps the most elaborate Internet site ever to promote any film. The site (http://www.lordoftherings.net) reportedly serves up a steady stream of information about the making of the film in advance of its release next December. So elaborate is the site that it can be accessed in 10 foreign languages and will eventually include interviews and videos of nearly every crew and cast member. |
| 69.A MONKEY'S AUNT
Helena Bonham Carter is one of the stars of PLANET OF THE APES. She's one of many actors who undergo a grueling daily four hour transformation that re-shapes her from (in her case) a beautiful young woman to an ape. It involves everything from acquiring a pelt to wearing prosthetic teeth. Recently, during an interview, as she sat between takes in full ape regalia, puffing away on a cigarette, she confessed, "I shouldn't be doing this, of course," as smoke billowed from her simian nostrils. "I'm extremely flammable, and [make-up wizard] Rick [Baker] gets terribly upset." Carter added of her chimp mask, "My mum thinks I look like my aunt." |
| 70.PLANET OF THE OOPS!
You might remember Michael Clarke Duncan. He was the big burly prisoner named "John Coffey" that changed Tom Hanks' life in THE GREEN MILE (he was also an astronaut named "Bear" in ARMAGEDDON). As the result of an ankle sprain on the set of PLANET OF THE APES, he gave visitors to a local emergency room a sight that they won't soon forget. Because he was dealing with a medical emergency he didn't have time to take off his gorilla make-up. Emergency room patients and staff gaped at the hulking 6 ft. 5 in. gorilla in full battle armor being wheeled in. Duncan said that the embarrassment was worse than the injury. "There were like 25 people in there, and they all turned around and looked at me like, `What? They got a gorilla coming in here in a wheelchair.' " |
| 71.THE SCI-FI CHANNEL GROWS A CROP OF NEW SCIENCE
FICTION DIRECTORS
The Sci-Fi Channel announced the creation of Exposure Studios, a new production entity aimed at developing science fiction projects by new filmmakers. Exposure Studios is based at the channel's Sci-Fi Lab in Los Angeles. Exposure will commission films between three and ten minutes in length, from independent and student filmmakers from different artistic fields, as well as Exposure series alumni. Once complete, these works will have their world television premiere on Sci-Fi's short-film series, Exposure, and be streamed Online on scifi.com. Participating filmmakers will also be granted meetings with development executives and agents, allowed to shadow directors of existing Sci-Fi Channel original series and will be given access to industry mentors and guidance. |
| 72.SAM RAIMI DISCUSSES SPIDER-MAN
Director Sam Raimi is aware of the controversy swirling around his new movie, SPIDER-MAN. He's dealing with both a fictional character and an icon of popular culture. He spoke candidly about rumors around the uniform, the webshooters and the script recently while on the film's set. To allay controversy about changes in the look of Spider-Man's famous costume, Raimi said, "We've decided to get back to the classical look of the red-and-blue Spider-Man. But [costume designer] Jim [Acheson] has decided to update it, just to bring it into the year 2002, when the picture opens, to add some dimensionality to it, to take a slightly more subtle approach to the coloration of the outfit, [and] to increase the flexibility. . . . What we were really after was to give Tobey an outfit where he could display maximum flexibility, really display his physical prowess. He's really been working out for this thing. And I think that's what the audience loves about Spider-Man. Not the Schwarzenegger look, but rather the fact that he's this graceful dancer. So a lot of Jim's work was in making him look like the classic Spider-Man, updated, but still making it a very functional outfit for a dancer to perform in." Raimi also defended the controversial choice to give the movie Spider-Man organic webshooters, not the mechanical ones of the comic book. This choice has angered many loyal comic fans. "But what we're trying to do in this SPIDER-MAN picture is not just stick to the letter of the comic book," Raimi said. "We're trying to capture the spirit of the [comic]." Raimi said that if his Peter Parker could invent the steely web fluid featured in the comics, it would undermine the audience's ability to identify with him as a regular kid. "When he can develop a material that even 3M can't seem to develop, it starts to distance him from a real human being," Raimi said. Providing Peter with a physical transformation also serves a character purpose, the director added. "It's another device to create alienation, because Peter Parker has always been an outcast, and Spider-Man a misunderstood hero," Raimi said. "I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. It's a great choice, and it was inspired by James Cameron's treatment." As for rumors that the film's script remains troubled, Raimi responded, "The script is not in trouble. It's one of the best scripts I've had the chance to work on, actually. . . . It started with a James Cameron treatment, . . . really a fine piece of work. Then David Koepp [JURASSIC PARK] came aboard and did the lion's share of work, turning it into a screenplay and working on it for many years. And that's basically what we're working with, although Scott Rosenberg [GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS] did some work for us . . . and so did Alvin Sargent [screenwriter of ORDINARY PEOPLE and husband to SPIDER-MAN producer Laura Ziskin]. And everybody's contributed a great deal. I'd say David Koepp is really the main writer." |
| 73.TREK X WAITS OUT THE STRIKES
Director Jonathan Frakes has said that the upcoming 10th TREK movie will get underway once the impending Hollywood writers' and actors' strikes are resolved. GLADIATOR screenwriter John Logan "is on board, and we've allegedly got a script on the way that everyone's thrilled with," including producer Rick Berman and star Patrick Stewart, according to Frakes. |
| 74.DIGITAL STAR WARS IS LOOKING GOOD!
As Lucasfilms works with post-production on STAR WARS: EPISODE II, which was shot on digital video cameras, they're testing various ways to transfer the digital movie onto traditional film for distribution to theaters. "That's been very successful," producer Rick McCallum said. "We're very excited, because this new process allows us to skip two stages." Traditionally, a film starts off as an original negative, then is processed to become an interpositive, then an internegative and finally a release print. "Each time you go through another process, there's an enormous amount of degradation to the image. Now we can go from data, skipping past the original negative and the IP stage, and go straight to an IN, and then the release print." The end result is greater picture quality that holds up after repeated printings. "When you normally make a film, you might be able to scratch six or eight release prints, or show prints, off the original negative. And those are the very best, pristine prints out there. We can basically do 5,000 now, so we're really excited about that." So whether you see a version of the film with regular projection, or one of the few who'll see it with digital projection, you'll still see a superior print. |
| 75.ANGELINA JOLIE WILL BE LARA CROFT TWO MORE TIMES
Angelina Jolie has confirmed that she has been signed to appear in two sequels to the upcoming TOMB RAIDER as Lara Croft. Jolie said, "Quite a few of us are signed up for two more." She added that the film, based on the hit computer game, should become a profitable franchise for Paramount. "Lara's like James Bond and a dirty Indiana Jones. Oh, and absolutely a woman. I doubt you'll forget that." |
| 76.UA THEATERS AGREES TO INSTALL SEATS FOR THE
DISABLED
United Artists Theaters will be required to install seats for the disabled in its new stadium-style theaters under a settlement reached with the Department of Justice. In the original lawsuit reported on in our prior issue of "The ICS Files," plaintiffs complained that persons using wheelchairs were required to occupy the front rows, generally regarded as the worst seats in the house. In a statement, Bill Lann Lee, an assistant attorney general for civil rights, commented, "Now the experience offered to people with disabilities will no longer be second-best and people in wheelchairs will share the comfortable and enhanced view that other movie patrons take for granted." |
| 77.IMAGINATIVE CINEMA FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY 2ND: VALENTINE starts on a college campus. A group of four girlfriends (Denise Richards, Jessica Capshaw, Jessica Cauffiel, Marley Shelton) ruthlessly humiliates a nerdy kid. Ten years later, physically transformed into a handsome, happening guy, he wreaks his revenge through seduction and unpleasantness. He intends to kill each of the women, one by one, on four successive Valentine's Days. Word on the street is that, if this film is well-received, this could be a potential franchise, with future entries appearing around Valentines each year. This is from the director of URBAN LEGENDS (Jamie Blanks) and the writer of DEEP BLUE SEA (Donna Powers). The film also stars David Boreanaz of ANGEL. FEBRUARY 9TH: HANNIBAL is a film that needs little introduction (but if you need one, see the above articles). This is about the wanderings of the good doctor after his escape from the last film, and Clarice's fervor to find him. It explores the dark symbiosis that links Lector and Starling together. This will be a very big release. It's directed by Ridley Scott (whose credits include ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER and GLADIATOR). FEBRUARY 23RD: MONKEYBONE is a fantasy that blends live action and stop-motion animation When a comic book writer (Brendan Fraser) is put into a coma following a car accident, he finds himself waking up in the world he created in his comic book, "Dark Town". He has 12 hours to escape this spooky dream world of his own creation before Death (Whoopi Goldberg) claims him. He teams up with his own creation, Monkeybone, in an effort to return to the real world. The director is Henry Selick, the director of NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. The writer is Sam Hamm, who wrote BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS (and who is now writing THE FANTASTIC FOUR). |
| 78.SCIFI.COM ADAPTS BUTLER'S KINDRED
SCIFI.COM's Seeing Ear Theatre will feature Emmy Award-winning actress Alfre Woodard in a four-part audio drama adapted from Octavia Butler's science-fiction novel Kindred, starting Feb. 15. Lynn Whitfield will co-star in the drama, which SCIFI.COM will post in commemoration of Black History Month. Part 2 of Kindred will go live on Feb. 20; Part 3 on Feb. 22 and Part 4 on Feb. 27. Kindred tells the story of Dana (Woodard), a modern African-American woman who finds herself transported back in time to the ante-bellum South to protect Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, when he comes face to face with life-threatening situations. Dana is summoned in these instances to insure Rufus will grow to manhood and father the daughter who will become Dana's grandmother, the first free-born woman in her ancestry. With her visits becoming longer and more dangerous, will Dana's life end before it even has a chance to begin? |
| 79.MARS COMES TO THE WEB
"Life on Mars," a Web-based sci-fi serial, will debut soon on the official site of E4, the entertainment TV network spun off of Great Britain's Channel 4. The daily 28-episode serial will allow browsers a peek at the "video feeds" from a fictitious manned expedition to the Red Planet. "I suppose you'd call 'Life on Mars' an experimental drama for the Internet," according to the E4 spokesman Mark Gorton. "The aim was to create a daily 10- to 15-minute online experience, and the result is a hybrid that is part sci-fi TV show and part novella. Visitors play the role of an International Space Agency employee, with access to video feeds from the Ground Breaker probe, as well as internal and external communications from various ISA departments and the corporations sponsoring the Life on Mars mission." |
| 80.STEVEN SPIELBERG AND RON HOWARD TEAM UP ONLINE
Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard will create animated short films for DreamWorks' CountingDown.com Web site, part of the site's new theater section. The first pair of shorts, part of a series of Dreams created exclusively for the Web by Howard, will feature Howard and Spielberg each explaining a personal dream. Both shorts will premiere on CountingDown.com on Feb. 5. PDI DreamWorks (the folks who did ANTZ) animated the shorts using Flash animation technology. This will be the first time that either Steven Spielberg or Ron Howard have created content specifically for the Web. |
|
MOVIE: VALENTINE debuts today. TUE. 6TH - VIDEO RENTAL: FEAR RUNS SILENT and
URBAN LEGEND: FINAL
FRI. 9TH - MOVIE: HANNIBAL debuts today. TUE. 13TH - EVENT: OSCAR NOMINATIONS
ANNOUNCED
FRI. 16TH - EVENT: KATSUCON SAT. 17TH - EVENT: KATSUCON SUN. 18TH - EVENT: KATSUCON TUE. 20TH - VIDEO RENTAL: THE CRIMSON CODE,
THE PRISONER, THE BLAIR
FRI. 23RD - MOVIE: MONKEYBONE
debuts today.
TUE. 27TH - VIDEO RENTAL: LOST SOULS, BEDAZZLED
and SHRIEK IF YOU
|
