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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)
