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GHOST HOST
Courtney Spies presented a show and tell on ghosts in cinema.  He brought in a collection of books from noted ghost story authors including Henry James, Richard Matheson and Sheridan LeFanu and discussed ghosts from the Victorian age to the ghost legends of Japan.  Courtney also gave an in-depth synopsis of several genre favorites, which were also choices for the night’s movie.
 Excellent job, Courtney!  Thanks for sharing your love of ghost films with us.
 
THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE CHURCH HALL
The club had some difficult decisions when it came time to vote, but THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE was the winner.  It looked absolutely beautiful on our big screen.
 
KING OF THE ROCKET MEN 
That’s right!  It was new serial time once again.  Barry Murphy put together clips from his serial collection.  And, as usual, the goofiest serial won.  Starting next month, be prepared for 12 episodes of futuristic cliff-hangers!
 
PIZZA NIGHT 
Finally!  Long-delayed pizza night went off without a hitch.  Thanks for the board for organizing.  We really hope everyone had their fill and enjoyed the pies.
 
MIDNIGHT FEATURES 
Although several people have enjoyed the midnight films, there are also several people who missed the social time after the movie.  So, the board instituted the following rule.  Second features will only be shown at the January, April, July and October meetings.  During these months, anyone can bring in a film and the highest vote-getter will be shown.  If you have any feedback, positive or negative, on this policy, please let the board know.
 
DECEMBER YANKEE SWAP – NEW RULE!
Coming up – another annual event - the December Yankee Swap.  Please select a gift up to $25 in value.  There is one additional rule.  Please include either a receipt or gift slip with your Yankee Swap contribution.  In case someone receives a second copy of KILL BILL or a Jim Carrey movie, they can graciously accept it in the swap and exchange for the gift of their choice later on.  We appreciate your co-operation!  Plus, if Tim and Heather Fleming cannot attend the December meeting, then our movie choice will be ‘It Came From the Yankee Swap Table’…
 
NEWS OF OUR NEXT MEETING
 Our next meeting will be held on Saturday October 30th at 5:30 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 now closed miniature golf course turn left into the parking lot. If you miss it there are ample turn-around opportunities. If you get stuck call 443-570-6455. That's Dave Willard’s cell phone. He'll talk you in.   
 
SILENT CINEMA PT 2 – SILENT FLICKS NEEDED
  Dave Willard is back with Part 2 of his presentation on Silent Cinema.  He had requested that people bring in any genre silent films in their collections made on or after 1921.  The club will vote from that selection. 

12 MONTHS OF GIANT MONSTERS…
 …can be yours.  The calendars should be available at the October meeting.  They are $15.  See Regina at the meeting. 

HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA!
 It’s ICS’s favorite holiday is upon us – Halloween (costumes optional)!  Following is our potluck list.  For those wanting to help with set-up (involving setup of tables, chairs and food), you can arrive 4:30 and onwards.  Also if you need to cook something in the church kitchen, please arrive early enough to allow time for that.  The sign up list is below.  Regina is keeping the list, so if you have an update or want to add yourself to a category, email her at RVALLER107@HOTMAIL.COM or just be spontaneous and bring something in. 

APPETIZERS/CHIPS
Dava/Donna
Sam
Regina
Rob Ostrosky

SALADS
Joe P.

BREADS
Mike Laird

MAIN DISHES
Sue Feder (if she can come)
Hendo – Chicken
Betsy & Jim – Meatballs
Steve Vaught – Sue She
Dave Willard – Casserole
Charlie – Dogs & Rolls
Peggy – Sausages & Peppers 
 
 

DESSERTS
Norman – brownies 
Suzanne – cookies 
Andrew

BEVERAGES
Skip P.
Rick Arnold
John Ward
Gary Roberson

SETUP
Dave Willard
Hendo
Regina

CLEAN-UP
Troy
Regina
Dava
Tom and Justin
Dave Willard
 

THE HALLOWEEN MOVIE SCHEDULE FOR TCM
By Mike Schilling

     Here's the schedule of genre-oriented movies for the month of October 
for TCM.  Remember that TCM changes its business day over at 6 AM, compared 
to midnight at other places so bear that in mind when programming your VCRs this 
month.
 

October 3rd
8:30 PM Village of the Damned (1960)
10:00 PM Children of the Damned
October 9th
12:00 PM Forbidden Planet
6:00 PM House of Wax (1953)
October 10th
8:15 PM The Devil Bat (1941)
October 14th
6:00 PM The Time Machine (1960)
October 16th
1:00 AM I Walked with a Zombie
2:15 AM Freaks
October 17th
7:30 PM The Blob (1958)
9:00 PM Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
10:30 PM The Thing from Another World (1951)
October 18th
10:00 PM The Birds (1963)
October 24th
9:00 PM The Raven (1935)
10:15 PM Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932)
12:00 AM Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)
2:00 AM Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)
4:00 AM Mad Love
 
 

October 25th
8:00 PM Dracula (1931)
9:30 PM The Mummy (1932)
10:45 PM The Wolf Man (1941)
12:00 AM The Invisible Man (1933)
1:15 AM Frankenstein (1931)
2:30 AM Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
4:00 AM Son of Frankenstein (1939)
October 29th
8:00 PM Mad Love
9:15 PM The Beast with Five Fingers
2:00 AM M
4:00 AM You'll Find Out
October 30th
8:15 PM Psycho (1960)
October 31st
6:00 AM Unholy Night (1929)
8:00 AM I Walked with a Zombie
10:00 AM You'll Find Out
12:00 PM Creature from the Black Lagoon
1:30 PM Wait Until Dark
3:30 PM The Bad Seed
8:30 PM The House on Haunted Hill (1959)
10:00 PM The Haunting (1963)
12:00 AM The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
1:45 AM The Picture of Dorian Gray
3:45 AM The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

ENJOY ALL!!!
 

tvnewstvnewstvnews TheGlassTeat tvnewstvnewstvnews

DEAD ZONE FOR A FOURTH
   THE DEAD ZONE, the hit series  starring Anthony Michael Hall, has been picked up for a fourth season, as announced by Jeff Wachtel, executive vice president, series and longform programming, USA Network. Twenty-two new episodes have been ordered, bringing the total number of episodes to 67. The series is set to resume production this November.  
   “THE DEAD ZONE continues to perform for USA Network, delivering higher ratings with every season. It is consistently one of the top-rated shows on basic cable and we're thrilled to continue to air it on our network," said Wachtel.  
   The shows recently concluded summer season averaged a 2.7 household rating with 3.5 million viewers tuning in weekly. 
   Based on characters from the Stephen King novel, THE DEAD ZONE centers on Anthony Michael Hall in the role of Johnny Smith, a man possessed of amazing psychic powers triggered by a near-fatal car accident.
   Over the past three seasons, Johnny has been on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery that will continue in season four as he embraces a new romance; confronts the potentially life-threatening deterioration of the "dead zone" in his brain; forges a deeper relationship with his young son; and recommits himself to saving the world from the widespread destruction he's foreseen in his visions of the future. 

ENTERPRISE RAISES KHAN 
   Manny Coto, writer and executive producer of UPN's Star Trek: ENTERPRISE, said that Brent Spiner's upcoming guest appearance will take place in a four-episode arc dealing with the Eugenics Wars, first mentioned in the original Star Trek episode "Space Seed" and its movie sequel, STAR TREKII: THE WRATH OF KHAN. "
   “Originally for this season I wanted there to be an arc that involved the Eugenics Wars," Coto said "They were my favorite part of the Star Trek lore, and I always loved STAR TREK II, and I really wanted to do something about the Eugenics Wars and the Eugenics warriors. The U.S. government has a repository of virulent diseases, and I thought, 'What if Starfleet has something similar, where they kept diseases, but on top of that they kept embryos from the Eugenics Wars?' These were like baby Khans [Ricardo Montalban] essentially, and what if someone got ahold of them and tried to resurrect them?"
   Spiner will play a criminal ancestor of Noonien Soong, the scientist who created Data. Coto, who joined the production team of ENTERPRISE last season, said that he originally intended the arc's nemesis to be Col. Green, a despotic character from the original series episode "The Savage Curtain," but rewrote the character for Spiner when he expressed interest in appearing on ENTERPRISE. "Originally it was going to be Col. Green, who was briefly mentioned in the original series, but when I heard that Brent Spiner was interested I tailored it towards him," Coto said. "We made him into a scientist who believed in genetic engineering, and he believed that this was the great future of mankind. He conceived this plan to steal the embryos and raise them to adulthood. But what happens is they get away from him. They go on basically a rampage, and they're like mini Khan Noonien Singhs. They're wreaking havoc in this place called the Borderland, which is near the Klingon Empire, and he's threatening to start a war with the Empire."
   Spiner got involved with ENTERPRISE  through his friendship with executive producer Rick Berman, who co-created THE NEXT GENERATION. "Brent and Rick are good friends, and Rick threw out the idea that maybe Spiner wanted to be on ENTERPRISE," Coto said. "At the beginning of the season I was developing this whole augment story, and Rick came in and said, 'You know, guys, we've got Brent wants to do something.' I said, 'Great.' So I basically moved Col. Green out and put Brent in as the character."

GHOST SCARES UP RATINGS 
   The Oct. 6 debut of SCI FI Channel's original alternative reality series GHOST HUNTERS was SCI FI's most-watched Wednesday night program since January 2003. The series also ranked in the top 10 of the channel's best-ever Wednesday telecasts, excluding miniseries.
   GHOST HUNTERS trails Jason and Grant, two ordinary guys who are plumbers by day and ghost hunters by night. It airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT  Wednesdays as part of SCI FI's new Wednesday block, which also features PROOF POSITIVE EVIDENCE OF THE PARANORMAL, with host Amanda Tapping, at 8 p.m. and SCARE TATICS, with new host Stephen Baldwin, at 10 p.m. A howling good time for all!

LOST FINDS RATINGS 
   After two airings, the new castaway drama, LOST, from ALIAS creator J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof has become one of the highest-rated new shows of the fall television season. In its second week, the show about plane-crash survivors marooned on a mysterious tropical island drew 17 million viewers, easily dominating its 8 o'clock hour and ranking as the most watched show all night after CSI: NY. It was number one among teens and men aged 18-49.
   The show has a large cast and it features different events that happen to them each week.  The episode is a 48 hr time period for the show and uses flashbacks in character memories to fill in gaps and explain behaviors.  There has been a lot of motion on the internet message boards about what is happening to these people and what direction the show will go in.  It has definitely caught on and will be a cult classic.

ENTERPRISE GETS EPIC
   "This season is like a series of mini-24s," said Manny Coto, writer and executive producer  about the fourth season of ENTERPRISE.  The show will feature several self-contained storylines instead of one that spans the entire season. "We have three-episode arcs and four-episode arcs, and what I think is that it gives you the best of both worlds. I didn't want to do one season just on one subject. The premiere episode is a two-episode arc, but the other ones are both three-parters, and they really have a kind of great, epic feel. It will be fun to watch on DVD to see from beginning to end." Coto said.
   Coto, who joined the production team during last season, said that he is eager to unleash his ideas for the series and won't be holding back storylines for future seasons. "I wanted to be able to do stories on eugenic supermen [and] on Vulcan, and what this has allowed us to do is create long, epic movies that play out over a series of three episodes," Coto said. "We aren't really doing it thinking what the ratings are going to be, frankly. People will either tune in, or they won't. And if they don't, we won't be around next year. But we'll have a great season this year. With this season approaching, what we're doing is what would we love to do, as fans and as people who love STAR TREK. We're just throwing out ideas as they come up."
   Coto also said that the disparate plots and characters will lay the groundwork that brings the series up to the beginning of the original Star Trek series. "All of these meetings with the various races evolved from the Tellorites, and the Andorians are going to be taking us to the end of the season, where we will weave this together for the beginnings of what we will know as the Federation." 

FANTASTIC GETS ANIMATED
   Marvel Enterprises has made a deal with French producer Antefilms Productions to produce an animated television series based on the Marvel comic book FANTASTIC FOUR. The deal, announced Oct. 5 at the MIPCOM international convention in Cannes, will include 26 half-hour episodes targeted for premiere in the United States and other territories in late 2006.
   The new animated series will be part of the elaborate campaign to revive Marvel's FANTASTIC FOUR franchise, beginning with the release of the live-action feature film now in production for 20th Century Fox. There are also plans for DVD releases and a video game developed by Activision in conjunction with the film's opening. Don’t forget those action figures guys (more $$$$).

DRAMATIC TREK STORIES SOUGHT  
   Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry Jr., son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, said that he's seeking Trek fans with dramatic personal stories for TREK NATION, a proposed documentary on TREK fandom. 
   "I want to find people out there who are not just stereotypical fans," Roddenberry said in an interview. "People who are NFL football players, high-profile celebrities, politicians, religious leaders, Harley-Davidson bikers and rap artists. I want to show that STAR TREK has a positive influence on people. We want to meet these individuals and hear from them."
   Roddenberry is very specific about the type of fans and stories that he's looking for, which will distinguish his film from Roger Nygard's two previous films on TREK fandom, TREKKIES and TREKKIES 2. 
   "For the purposes of this documentary, I can't really put in how STAR TREK inspired a person to be a better person and get through grade school. That's a wonderful story, but the stories I'm looking for are the dramatic stories, like Vietnam veterans or those who sneaked STAR TREK tapes over the Berlin wall, which was a crime punishable by death. I know Vietnam veterans who put guns to heads every day, but [were] convinced by STAR TREK that tomorrow would be a better day. I am looking for the powerful stories. It sounds inconsiderate of me, but I am looking for those who were in abusive relationships or [who] considered suicide [or] were at the end of their ropes, and STAR TREK told them to not give up, that tomorrow will be a better day. Keep fighting for the good. Those are the stories that I am looking for right now."
   Roddenberry said that he is filming the documentary now and estimates that he'll have a finished product by fall 2005. "We're trying to do a theatrical release, but in the worst-case scenario, it will be a DVD release," he said. Roddenberry's Web site also contains a prelminary trailer for his project.

SUPER SIZE CLONE WARS?  
   Genndy Tartakovsky, producer of the animated CLONE WARS series for Cartoon Network, revealed that upcoming episodes of the series will feature longer segments and tie in to the upcoming theatrical feature STAR WARS: EPISODE III -Revenge of the Sith. "We're doing 12-minute episodes this time, as opposed to the three-minute episodes last time," Tartakovsky said. "It really allows us to open up both character development and action."
   Tartakovsky added that the five new chapters will relate to information that appears in the traditional opening scroll crawl in EPISODE III. The shorts will also feature a new character, General Grievous, who will "be the new villain in EPISODE III." 

NEW SHATNER FILM IS A HOAX? 
   William Shatner recently spent time in Riverside, Iowa, filming what residents believed to be a low-budget SF film titled INVASION OF IOWA, but was, in fact, a new reality show for Spike TV. "Everything in front of and behind the cameras was faked," Shatner said. "The only thing that was real is the love we have for Riverside."
   Shatner has a connection to the city through his role as Capt. Kirk in the STAR TREK television series and films. Riverside, which proudly touts itself as the "future birthplace" of Kirk, hosts an annual TrekFest convention celebrating the franchise. Shatner showed several scenes of the fictional movie he'd shot in the town for a crowd of 800 before revealing that it was all an elaborate hoax for a future reality series. To soften the blow, the actor announced that he and his co-producers were donating $100,000 to the city to be used for community projects and collected $12,000 for the Riverside Elementary School Book Fund.
   Mike Hanson, a local who had been hired as an extra in the fictional film, said he and his fellow actors had been suspicious about the project. "It was too cheesy to be real," he said after Shatner's announcement. "If it was really a movie, we'd be more scared of how bad it was." The reality series is set to debut on Spike TV next year.
 

COLLECTIBLES CORNER   

by Grrrrrrr....
(that’s Gary Roberson to you!!)

From the What’s 12 Inches Tall and Giving Janet Leigh Nightmares? Department...
       It’s Norman Bates, all dressed up as “Mother” and surprising Marion Crane in the shower at the Bates Motel!!! This is a one-of-kind item, available at www.monstersinmotion.com , so act fast before poor Norman is carted away to the local asylum. A steal, (like Marion’s little secret, wrapped up in newspaper...)  at only $174.99!!!

From the Slice ‘Em and Dice ‘Em Department comes the first set of action figures from KILL BILL, VOLUME 1, made by a company called NECA.
     The Bride. It’s a 7" tall Uma Thurman in her blood-stained yellow jumpsuit, wielding her Hattori Hanzo sword and ready for action!!!! 
     Go-Go.  A tiny Chiaki Kuriyama in her school girl outfit, swinging her morning star ball& chain and also equipped with a short sword, for those guys in bars who disagree with her on the merits of certain foreign sports cars.
     O-Ren. It’s little Lucy Liu in her kimono, swinging her sword and correcting anyone in the room who makes the faux pas of bringing up the subject of her mixed nationalities....O O P S!
     Crazy 88. There are 3 different versions of this character with 3 different heads and weaponry.
     All of these figures have bases, that interconnect to make a larger diorama. I believe they are supposed to have action movements as well. Release date is supposed to be on June 21st.  Images of the Bride and Go-Go are available on www.amazon.com , and I have a feeling these are going to go-go fast, so check it out!!!! Amazon’s selling them for $11.99 each.

     If you have an interest in models and collectibles, one of the best sites you can go to is www.wishbooktoys.com   It’‘s loaded with lots of cool links, and in the words of the website creator, “this site will be maintained as a growing virtual vintage toy and doll museum.”  Check it out.

   And with the new STAR WARS DVD out, there is a new rush of toys also.  Found a great one at the Collectors haven – Walmart –clearance section.  These are action figures made for 3-5 yr olds called Galactic Heroes. They are small and cute and have great facial expressions – yes, Han has a smirk that would charm the ears off a gondark. There is a local collectors club in DC that has a great website – www.dcswcc.com for any that want to visit.

movienews movienews  Silver Screen  movienews movienews

AMERICAN PANG
   Sam Raimi, director of the SPIDER-MAN and EVIL DEAD films, and partner Rob Tapert are set to produce the horror film SCARECROW, directed by brothers Oxide and Danny Pang (THE EYE, BANGKOK DANGEROUS.) The film will be the first English-language feature for the brothers from Hong Kong. Their 2002 Hong Kong film THE EYE was a smash hit over seas and is already getting a Hollywood re-make.
   SCARECROW follows the lives of a family moving into a run-down sunflower farm who begin to notice uncomfortable and alarming changes in their father's behavior. The screenplay was written by Stuart Beattie (COLLATERAL), from an original script by Todd Farmer. "I'm thrilled that the Pang brothers have agreed to direct SCARECROW," Raimi said. "I've been a big fan ever since THE EYE. Danny and Oxide have an exciting and unique vision and are at the forefront of the neo-horror movement in Asian filmmaking." Production is scheduled to begin this spring.

LUCAS KEEPS INDIANA JONES FANS WAITING
   Hollywood director George Lucas is refusing to rush pre-production work on the fourth installment of his INDIANA JONES franchise - because he'll only set cameras rolling when the script is "really good". 
   The eagerly awaited return of the adventurous archaeologist - played by Harrison Ford in all three previous releases - has already been delayed after Lucas reportedly rejected THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION film-maker Frank Darabont's script. But the STAR WARS legend insists a new writer is now on board to fine tune the plot. 
   Lucas and director Steven Spielberg are in no hurry to start shooting the movie, because their perfectionist approach to movie-making means the fourth JONES will only hit cinema screens when it's deemed good enough to do the series justice. He says, "We are working on the next script. Another writer has started working on it. We're just not going to make it unless it's really good. One of the reasons I'm able to work with Steven so well is because every time we come to a disagreement we'll yield to the other one, which means we'll come up with a compromise that considers both sides, and one person isn't determined to have his way. It's what's best for the movie."

THE FUTURE IS DOOMED
   Karl Urban (THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS, THE BOURNE SUPREMACY) will be leading Universal Pictures’ video game adaptation DOOM. He has been cast as John Grimm, the leader of a special ops team. 
   When dealing with alien demons, Grimm is forced to cross paths with the organization responsible for his parents' deaths. In the game, the story is set at a Mars space station, where an aerospace conglomerate is conducting secret experiments which unleash a demonic force that threatens to overtake the facility.
   Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was initially considered for the lead role, but has now been cast as a villain in the film.  The Rock explains, "The great twist is I'm not the hero of the movie. I'm being chased and then there's an even better twist where I'm, er, not a good guy."
   Former Bond girl Rosamund Pike (DIE ANOTHER DAY) has signed on to play the female lead. Since she did such a bang-up job trying to ice James Bond as the cold-hearted Miranda Frost, perhaps an action slaughterama is just what the agent called for. Pike will play a scientist on the base and, if the games are anything to go by, will therefore be number one on the demon's menu for an untimely and extremely bloody demise. Unless Urban's space marine has something to say about it, that is.
   The futuristic action-adventure, based on id Software's and Activision's "Doom 3" game, will be directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE) and was written by Dave Callaham. DOOM is scheduled to start principal photography in mid-October for an August 5, 2005 release date.

NERDS REDUX
   (This isn’t genre related, but I simply couldn’t resist – so sue me!) 
   Fox Searchlight Pictures is developing a remake of REVENGE OF THE NERDS, the 1984 college comedy in which the nerds take revenge on the football players who've repeatedly humiliated them. 
   The movie is being written by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, creators of the new ABC drama LIFE AS WE KNOW IT. “McG” (director of both CHARLIE’S ANGELS movies – and yes, that’s his honest to goodness professional name) and Stephanie Savage are producing. THE OC star Adam Brody and GROUNDED FOR LIFE star Brett Harrison are co-producing and may also appear in the film.
   McG said it was Brody who cooked up the idea with pal Harrison and pitched it on the set of THE OC, the Fox series on which McG is executive producer. The new version will go for the R rating. The script will follow a storyline similar to the original, and likely will feature cameos by original cast members.

DARK WATER DELAYED
   The Hollywood re-make of the Japanese supernatural ghost story DARK WATER has been delayed. The atmospheric 2002 original was directed by Hideo Nakata of RINGU fame. The American re-make is being helmed by Walter Salles (THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES) and stars Jennifer Connelly. She plays a mother who moves with her daughter to an apartment building in order to escape a bitter custody battle. Only mother and daughter quickly find themselves haunted by a former tenant. DARK WATER is currently in post-production, but has been pushed back to a January 7th, 2005 release date.

ELI’S BAD SEED
   "This is going to be scary, bloody fun, and we're going to create the next horror icon, a la Freddy, Jason and Chucky. She's this cunning, adorable kid who loves to kill, but also loves 'N Sync”said Director Eli Roth (CABIN FEVER). He is set to direct the remake of the 1956 film THE BAD SEED. The classic thriller, about an 8-year-old girl who seems all sugar and spice until she begins killing people, falls neatly into the current studio horror remake frenzy. 
   The original, adapted from a hit stage play by Maxwell Anderson, was one of the first to apply Freudian psychology to the psyche of a kid killer, and shocked audiences at the time. Producers promise a new take with a modern horror sensibility.
   . ."The original was a great psychological thriller, and we are going to bastardize and exploit it, ramping up the body counts and killings," said Roth.
   Janklow said the key that unlocked the remake deal was the DVD re-release, because it put the film back on the radar of WB brass.

OLDMAN LEAVES STAR WARS
   Gary Oldman has pulled out of the next STAR WARS movie because he refuses to work overseas illegally. The HARRY POTTER star had agreed to voice the evil CG robot Jedi knight killer General Grievous in the upcoming STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH, but recently quit the production because it was made outside the Screen Actor's Guild rules. 
   Oldman's spokesman explained - "Gary was excited and looking forward to working on the film. The snag is that the movie is being made without members of the Screen Actor's Guild. It means Gary would have been working illegally overseas. Out of respect and solidarity with the other members, he could not and would not consider violating the rules of his union".
   No word as yet on a potential replacement.

SUPERHERO! SPOOFS COMICS
   The team behind SCARY MOVIE 3 will create SUPERHERO!, a lampoon of comic-book movies, for Dimension Films. Craig Mazin will write the script, David Zucker will direct, and Robert Weiss will produce.
   The deal comes as the trio is working on SCARY MOVIE 4, the fourth installment in the franchise. The third SCARY MOVIE grossed $110 million.
   The first two SCARY MOVIE films were done by Keenen Ivory Wayans and his brothers Shawn and Marlon.

NEW TECH ENHANCES GHOST 2
   Mamoru Oshii, the writer and director of the upcoming anime sequel film GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE, said that the advent of computer technology actually made the sequel to the 1995 animated film more challenging to create. 
   "There wasn't a single thing that has been easier as a result of a technological advancement," Oshii said in an interview. "All of the animation techniques that have arisen have added to the amount of work. Animators have this tendency of always doing the best they can, and with digital technology, they could keep repeating the level of effort."
   Oshii said that computer technology in particular made his work significantly more difficult to keep track of. "The animators had done a scene 10 times more [carefully] than they did with the last movie, and it translated into me having to check 10 times more carefully," Oshii said. "When I made the first movie, it took overnight to render one scene. Each person had two or three computers working at the same time, and that also added to the amount of the work. Digitalization didn't actually lessen the amount of work."
   Oshii said that the finished film features many computer-generated images, but that all of them began as hand-drawn images. "Whatever is the process of putting one picture over another, any combination is possible now, so the source material itself has increased tenfold," Oshii said.
   "Most of the [textures] were done at the source—hand drawn—because if I had used all of the textures that came with the software, then the film would have looked the same as other films. That's my credo: that textures should be done at the source by hand." GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE opens in theaters Sept. 17.

DARTH LUCAS DEFENDS THE DARK SIDE
   George Lucas has defended the changes he included in the DVD package of original STAR WARS movies released. 
   Lucas said: "When STAR WARS came out, any interview I did for STAR WARS, I'd say it didn't turn out really the way I wanted -- it's only about 25% of what I thought the movie should be -- and I was very very depressed about it because it never got finished. People said, 'You're out of your mind, it's the greatest movie ever made! Everybody loves it! Why would you wanna do anything more?' But there are things that need to be in there that aren't there." 
   However, J.P. McCormick writes in the Boston Globe: "His artistic vision is apparently more important than those of us who have loved the films, just as they are, for decades. The STAR WARS trilogy was a huge part of my childhood. It is still the ruler by which I judge the heroes and villains from other stories. What it meant to fans such as me apparently has no effect on Darth Lucas."

(hear hear!! mr mccormick -  editor agrees!)

KERSHNER OK WITH NEW EMPIRE 
   Irvin Kershner, who directed STAR WARS: EPISODE V—THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, said that he doesn't feel that his vision has been compromised by series creator George Lucas, who enhanced and altered the movie in a 1997 special edition and this week's DVD release. 
   "I saw the special editions, and there were two slight changes, which I was a part of," Kershner said in an interview. "One of them was the addition of the snow monster [on Hoth], and the other one was opening up the windows in Cloud City. The color was enhanced, the sound was enhanced, and the technology was better. I have not seen the DVD, but I'm sure that it's even better. But the story hasn't been changed. The editing hasn't been changed. It's what I ended up doing as a director. That was my film."

IT’S A DEAD, DEAD WORLD
   Universal has acquired most of the distribution rights to George A. Romero's LAND OF THE DEAD, the latest installment in Romero's zombie franchise. LAND, written and to be directed by Romero, will begin production Oct. 11 in Toronto with some location shooting in Pittsburgh. Simon Baker, Dennis Hopper, Asia Argento and John Leguizamo have all signed on to the project. 
   Two months ago, Atmosphere Entertainment announced that LAND OF THE DEAD would be the first film in a new series of zombie films, marking Romero's return to the genre he created, starting with 1968's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Romero's latest project is expected to again "have an undertone of the social and political ethos," says producer Mark Canton. 
   The plot follows the events after zombies have all but taken over the world. The living have holed themselves up in a walled city to protect themselves from the zombie hordes trolling around for human flesh outside. Baker, Argento and Leguizamo will all play a team of soldiers sent to do battle with the evolving zombie threat in a tank-like vehicle called the Dead Reckoning.
   Universal this year released Zach Snyder's remake of Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD, earning $59 million in domestic box office. And Edgar Wright's zombie comedy SHAUN OF THE DEAD, which is being released through Universal's Rogue Pictures label.

SELICK TO FILM NEIL GAIMAN’S CORALINE
   THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS director Henry Selick will helm the film version of Neil Gaiman's creepy kids' book Coraline. 
   Originally conceived as a live-action movie, it will now be a spooky animated epic, with Selick both helming and writing the script, based on Gaiman's tale of a young girl who lives in a big house with an assortment of odd characters. But they're nothing compared to what she finds when she walks through a strange door that leads her into a nightmarish world mirroring the real one, where distorted alter egos of her parents try to keep her trapped forever. 
   Animation house Vinton Studios, which is also behind Tim Burton's upcoming THE CORPSE BRIDE, and Pandemonium Films, whose first project was the DARK WATER remake opening next January, are teaming to produce CORALINE.

HE’LL BE BACK, YET AGAIN
   TERMINATOR 4 is ready to start production in 2005, but will Arnold Schwarzenegger be back? 
   TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES writers John Brancato and Michael Ferris have completed a draft of a script that was developed under the supervision of "T3" director Jonathan Mostow. C2 partners Mario Kassar and Andy Vajna are returning as producers, and "T3" financier Intermedia, which has underwritten development so far, will begin the process of setting up the budget for the picture.
   Mostow is expected to next direct an untitled thriller he wrote for Paramount. Intermedia will open formal negotiations shortly for a deal that would make "T4" Mostow's next directing job. Intermedia will also meet soon with Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony Pictures, who distributed "T3" domestically and internationally, respectively. Both of the studios have an option to serve the same roles in the fourth film.
   Schwarzenegger's availability is the big question mark, since he is the governor of California. There's already been talks for Arnold to return, but it would likely be in a limited role. Expectation is that "T4" will break in a new terminator model. There's no word yet whether or not Nick Stahl or Claire Danes will return.

DAVA’S DELVINGS

An Adventure in Cinema
By: Dava Sentz

   Being a college student can be a lonely existence. After years of pain staking adolescence, I am finally counted among the hip and elite race known as the responsible adult. Unfortunately being an adult often means I have to sacrifice my well-earned leisure time for the less amusing, always frustrating world of remedial algebra. 
   Since my return to campus last month, I have done very little outside of study, eat, sleep, and study once again. Since I rarely leave my bedroom except for class anymore, I am always thrilled when the phone rings. Because maybe, just maybe, it will be the voice of a concerned friend, whose intentions are to rescue me from my own depressing work ethic. I'm not always able to accept their offer, tempting as it may be. 
   Every so often, however, the mountain of homework that has taken over my life will be few enough so that I can take a break. This is the rare occasion when I can leave my calculator behind, for the night, and learn to have fun again. 
   I had such an opportunity on October the 2nd, when I ventured out to see THE FORGOTTEN with the greatest friend anyone could ask ever for.
   Consider if you will the following circumstances: 1) I cannot drive. 2) My best friend, lives all the way out in Columbia. (Okay, so that's not exactly The Red Planet. But, it is far enough away so that, to be even fashionably late, may put tremendous strain on an evening's festivities.) 3) A movie theater on Saturday night is like a feeding frenzy for the rude and decision making impaired. And 4) It was opening weekend for two of the fall's most anticipated flicks. 
   In your average situation, such factors may be cause for panic to ever-watchful eyes of the modern day cinema junkie. Fortunately, I am conveniently located a mere two minutes from our current destination. Unfortunately the time saved on travel is made up for, in spades, by the hustle and bustle of an understaffed concession stand. This meant, of course, that we would miss the opening credits.
   Once we had our munchies and other necessities in hand, my company and I walked in to the theater and right in on a heated argument between Julianne Moore's Telly Paretta, and her concerned husband, Jim. (Anthony Edwards) It was obvious, at least to me, that we had missed a pretty sizeable portion of the beginning. 
   By the time we settled into our seats, Telly had already lost sight of her seemingly imaginary child and, was thought to be quite unbalanced by those around her. Though, it wasn't as if we needed the opening prologue to figure out where this story was headed. In the grand tradition of such mind alteration films as PAYCHECK and THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT, THE FORGOTTEN unfolds a plot concerning a young woman's struggle to recover the existence of her son, Sam (portrayed by Christopher Kovaleski.) 
   This movie plays on the emotional bond between mother and child, introducing a futuristic experiment that poses the question "Can such a connection ever be dissolved?" In every other aspect, the answer appears to be yes. In the months following a plane crash, resulting in the tragic deaths of several New York City kids, all traces of the accident seem to disappear, along with the memory of its young victims. As the only two people who do remember the events, it is up to Telly and her partner in crime, Ash Correll, (Dominic West) to recover the lost children and restore natural order to their grief stricken lives.
   With the aide of a few heart stoppers and an interesting plot summery, THE FORGOTTEN does possess the makings of a highly entertaining film. Perhaps nothing that would achieve the recognition of the academy, or the fear factor of classic horror. But, there is certainly room for growth within the creative bubble. 
   Somewhere along the yellow brick road, however, any and all potential this film may have had was shot straight to heck. It wasn't just missing the beginning that sent us into a state of confusion, but rather the film's incredibly unrealistic and disappointing climax.  
   Out of respect for those readers interested in sitting through the dribble, I will not divulge the painful details. But, I will say that anyone brave enough to buy a ticket should definitely do so at his or her own risk. To say that this is a terrible film is a stretch. But it's one that should be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home, fresh out of a rented DVD case. No one who respects the value of a dollar should waste their hard-earned cash on a theater visit. And, if you insist on doing so, please note that THE FORGOTTEN did not earn its title by the story line, alone. It is, in fact, a venture that should probably be forgotten.
   Now that I'm back in school, I can truly appreciate an evening out with a good friend and a box of popcorn. The presence of a mediocre film didn't even matter. It was the joy of the company, the tremendous relief of a study break. And, if nothing else was gained from the experience, my friend and I now share a bewildered outlook on a movie that we can happily poke fun of, in the difficult months to come.
 
 
 
 
 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Musical Starfighter Opening 

   A musical version of the 1984 SF movie THE LAST STARFIGHTER takes the boards in 
an off-Broadway production at New York's Storm Theatre, Oct. 15-30.
   Lyricist-composer Skip Kennon (Time and Again) based the musical on Jonathan Betuel's screenplay, about a teenage video-game player enlisted to save the universe. Fred Landau wrote the libretto, the site reported. Storm artistic director Peter Dobbins directs.
   THE LAST STARFIGHTER, which starred Lance Guest and featured the final feature-film performance of Robert Preston, was notable for marking the first extensive use of computer animation in a movie.
   The musical Starfigher will take the stage Monday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.
   Who would have thought?
 

IMAGINATIVE CINEMA COMING SOON
MUST SEE MOVIES FOR YOU!

October 1st         SHARK TALE
Cast: (voices) Will Smith (Oscar), Robert De Niro (Don Lino), Renee Zellweger (Angie), Angelina Jolie (Lola), Jack Black (Lenny the Shark), Martin Scorsese (Sykes the Pufferfish), Peter Falk (Don Brizzi)
Premise: This mafia movie, set in the world of saltwater fish, is the story of what happens when the son of the shark boss (De Niro) of a fish crime family is killed (by a dropped anchor), and a bottom-feeder named Oscar (Smith) is found at the scene of the crime. Hoping to win favor with the enemies of the ganglord, the fast-talking hustler poses as the killer known as the "sharkslayer", but soon learns it's a dangerous game in a world where the big fish generally eat the little fish... 

October 15th      TEAM AMERICA WORLD POLICE
Premise: This politcally-minded comedy action adventure tells the story of Team America, superhero-style adventurers who travel the world fighting terrorism and other evils. The story focuses on a typical "action hero" who is recruited to join Team America for a special mission, as a satire of the typical Hollywood action movie, using a combination of wood marionette-driven action sequences and stirring musical numbers. 

Nov 5th       BIRTH     
Cast: Nicole Kidman (Anna), Cameron Bright (The Boy), Lauren Bacall (Eleanor)
Premise: A woman in her 30s (Kidman), living in New York City, is surprised to meet a little 10-year-old boy (Bright) who seems to have a crush on her, who then claims to be the reincarnation of her husband, who died ten years ago.
 
Nov 19th      NATIONAL TREASURE 
Cast: Nicolas Cage (Ben Franklin Gates), Justin Bartha (Riley Poole), Sean Bean (Ian Howe), Harvey Keitel, Diane Kruger (Dr. Abigail Chase), Christopher Plummer
Premise: Modern treasure hunters are all searching for the same thing: a massive war chest treasure reportedly hidden by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin as funds for the Revolutionary War, using a secret code found in the Constitution (and a map that might have been drawn on the back of the Declaration of Independence), which he plans to steal.
 
 
 

farewellsfarewellsfarewells Good bye farewellsfarewellsfarewells

Christopher Reeve, best known for his role as Superman and mild mannered Clark Kent, died at age 52 of a heart attack.  Reeve had been paralyzed for years after a severe horseback riding accident occurred.  His recovery from his injury had been amazing and he was a spokesperson for research to try and assist him and others.  He was on the road back to acting, after appearing in last seasons SMALLVILLE.  He has a wife and two children.
 
 

   Russ Meyer, sexploitation filmmaker who was called "King Leer" for the soft-core pornography classics he made, has died. He was 82.
Something of a one-man studio, Meyer produced, directed, financed, wrote, edited and shot 23 tantalizing but teasing films that pioneered a genre of skinflicks with much violence and large-busted women but little sex. The titles of the X-rated fare that made him millions are descriptive —Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Vixen, The Immoral Mr. Teas, Erotica, Wild Gals of the Naked West, Heavenly Bodies, Mudhoney, Mondo Topless, Common Law Cabin, Supervixens and Europe in the Raw.
   At the Russ Meyer Film Festival in Los Angeles in 1992, film writer Kevin Thomas wrote, “No one projects heterosexual male sex fantasies with greater gusto and resolute dedication than Meyer, who at heart is a puritan and who has always been a bigger tease than any burlesque queen” 
    

Robert Lawrence, film editor, who worked with such directors as Stanley Kubrick, Norman Jewison, Nicholas Ray, Hal Ashby, Anthony Mann and Jules Dassin, has died at age 90.
One of Lawrence's earliest editing credits was the 1951 television series Sky King. Among his films were Spartacus, fiddler on the roof, El Cid, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Is Paris Burning?, and Up the Sandbox.

   

Gordon Cooper, NASA Mercury Pioneer, Dies 
   Gordon Cooper, who was the youngest and perhaps cockiest member of the original seven Mercury astronauts and set the space endurance record that helped clear the way for the first moon landing, has died. He was 77. 
Cooper died Monday at his home in Ventura, NASA (news - web sites) officials said in a statement. He died of natural causes, said Mitch Breese, of the county medical examiner's office. 
Cooper had been suffering from heart problems and showed symptoms of heart failure on Saturday and Sunday, former Mercury astronaut Wally Schirra said. 
"We were probably the most bonded seven men in the history of aviation and space and mankind, and to lose another one is pretty tough for us," Schirra told Associated Press Radio. 
   As one of the nation's first astronauts, Cooper became a hero to a generation of Americans in the early 1960s as the country tried to catch the Soviet Union in the space race. 
   "He truly portrayed the right stuff, and he helped gain the backing and enthusiasm of the American public, so critical for the spirit of exploration," NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said.  
   On May 15, 1963, Cooper piloted Faith 7, the Mercury program's last flight, circling the globe 22 times in 34 hours and 20 minutes. The mission, the first space flight of more than 24 hours, made him the last astronaut to orbit Earth alone and the first to take a nap during the journey. 
   Cooper's rambunctious attitude was immortalized in Tom Wolfe's book "The Right Stuff" and the 1983 movie of the same name. 
   Cooper gave his signature line during a 1995 reunion of surviving Mercury astronauts. When asked who was the greatest fighter pilot he ever saw, Cooper enthusiastically answered, "You're looking at him!" 
But Schirra said Cooper was not as rowdy as actor Dennis Quaid portrayed him in the movie. "He's much less emotional and much less flyboy stuff," Schirra said. "He was a nice, steady engineer. He was more of an engineer than a test pilot, actually." 
The death of Cooper came the day that privately built SpaceShipOne broke through the Earth's atmosphere for the second time in five days, capturing a $10 million prize aimed at opening the final frontier to tourists. 
Cooper is survived by his wife, Suzan, and their children. Funeral details were not immediately available. 
 

THE LAST WARD . . .
By John Ward
I had fun with last month’s column.  You remember it, don’t you?  The one about the lists?  The one where I was stumped for an idea and I took the lazy writer’s way out?  Well, things haven’t gotten much better or more industrious around the ol’ computer station in the study.  It looks like another month has rolled around with nary a column topic in sight.  So I’m doing the only sensible thing.
I’m doing more lists.
No, really.  This time I’m focusing on actors and actresses.  I keep hoping one of my columns will spark some kind of response on the forum, and I figure laying out reams of copy on favorite film roles of various actors might do the trick.  For good measure, I’ve tossed some stinkers into the mix, too.  It shouldn’t be too hard to tell them apart.  I mean, who would confuse Tom Cruise in BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY with Tom Cruise in LEGEND?
 And awaaaaay we go…

Tom Hanks
PHILADELPHIA
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
THE GREEN MILE
Stinker:  THE ‘BURBS

Paul Newman
COOL HAND LUKE
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID
SLAP SHOT
Ouch:  WHEN TIME RAN OUT…

Tom Cruise
BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
A FEW GOOD MEN
COLLATERAL
Pee-Yew:  LEGEND

Robert Redford
THE CANDIDATE
THE STING
THE NATURAL
Couldn’t find a bad one.  Hey, I’m sticking to ones I’ve seen.

Harrison Ford
WITNESS
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
THE FUGITIVE
Lousy:  REGARDING HENRY

Vincent Price
THEATER OF BLOOD
THE LAST MAN ON EARTH
THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES
Yuck:  MADHOUSE

Jack Nicholson
CHINATOWN
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST
BATMAN
Yawn:  HEARTBURN

Dustin Hoffman
MIDNIGHT COWBOY
MARATHON MAN
RAIN MAN
Blahh:  HOOK (But only because I haven’t seen ISHTAR)

Al Pacino
THE GODFATHER I, II, III
DOG DAY AFTERNOON
SCARFACE
Ugh:  CRUISING

Robert De Niro
RAGING BULL
TAXI DRIVER
MIDNIGHT RUN
Yikes!:  WE’RE NO ANGELS

Humphrey Bogart
CASABLANCA
THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE
THE CAINE MUTINY
No bad ones.  Haven’t seen ‘em.

Henry Fonda
MISTER ROBERTS
12 ANGRY MEN
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
Bad:  Does the Smith Family TV series count?

Jack Lemmon
THE APARTMENT
THE ODD COUPLE
THE CHINA SYNDROME
Oh, no:  AIRPORT ‘77

Walter Matthau
THE ODD COUPLE
THE BAD NEWS BEARS
PLAZA SUITE
Whaaa??:  THE SURVIVORS

Steve McQueen
BULLITT
THE GREAT ESCAPE
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Yeeoowwch:  Couldn’t find one.  What?  You were expecting me to name THE BLOB?

Charles Bronson
DEATH WISH
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
HARD TIMES
Awful:  DEATH WISH 4: THE CRACKDOWN

Richard Dreyfuss
THE GOODBYE GIRL
MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
Spare me: Ummm….nope.  Not a one.  Any ideas?

Mel Gibson
BRAVEHEART
RANSOM
LETHAL WEAPON
Yoiks!:  BIRD ON A WIRE

John Wayne
TRUE GRIT
THE SEARCHERS
THE QUIET MAN
No way:  THE GREEN BERETS (I haven’t subjected myself to THE CONQUEROR)

William Holden
STALAG 17
THE WILD BUNCH
S.O.B.
Blecchhh:  Well, DAMIEN: OMEN II wasn’t any great shakes…

Sean Connery
THE UNTOUCHABLES
GOLDFINGER
ROBIN AND MARIAN
Not a chance:  MEDICINE MAN.  What was that about, anyway?

Kevin Costner
FIELD OF DREAMS
DANCES WITH WOLVES
BULL DURHAM
Stay away:  ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES  (The Bad Accent Hall of Fame)
 

 Now, for all you younger squirts in the club who are wondering who half of these people are, all I can say is, take a trip to your local video rental store and check out a few of the titles.  You won’t be disappointed.
 Unless, of course, you actually have a desire to watch ISHTAR…
 
 
 
 
 
 

ICS CALENDER –the Month in review!
 
 

October 1st         SHARK TALE

October 15th      TEAM AMERICA WORLD POLICE

October 20th    Jim Childs turns 51….wow very scary boys and girls!

October 30th      ICS MEETING    Saturday at 5:30 P.M  
SILENT CINEMA PT 2 – Dave Willard is back with Part 2 of his presentation on Silent Cinema.  We have a night filled with movies planned and it’s the pot luck dinner for food fun!  What a party!!!
 

October 31st    HALLOWEEN!!!!!!
Beware this is the night that Ghosts Rise and Zombies Walk and Werewolves scratch at the doors.  All Hallows Eve is upon us!!!
 

And Remember, What to Watch, ALL DAY LONG…..

6:00 AM Unholy Night (1929)
8:00 AM I Walked with a Zombie
10:00 AM You'll Find Out
12:00 PM Creature from the Black Lagoon
1:30 PM Wait Until Dark
3:30 PM The Bad Seed
8:30 PM The House on Haunted Hill (1959)
10:00 PM The Haunting (1963)
12:00 AM The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
1:45 AM The Picture of Dorian Gray
3:45 AM The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)