The Couch Potato Report - August 31st, 2004

This week in The Couch Potato Report, I finally have nothing to say about a movie.

In the twelve years since I've been doing The Couch Potato Report there has never been an incidence where I've had nothing to say about a film that's come out.

Through video, laserdisc and DVD releases - with both good and bad movies on them - I've always had something to say.

That all changes this week as I have absolutely nothing to say about Mel Gibson's controversial, but oh so successful THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.

I want to make sure that you know that it is now available on video and DVD, but I have nothing to say about it.

Well, other that the fact that it stars Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci and it is the story of the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life.

Other than that, sorry, but you are on your own.

You're not on your own when it comes to Ashley Judd's new film TWISTED as I do have some things to say about it.

They're just not very nice.

And I hate not being nice toward Ashley Judd because I thoroughly and completely like and respect her.

She is talented and beautiful beyond words, but in TWISTED she plays another one of her patented tough-but-misunderstood-women-who-get-into-trouble-and-have-to-fight-back roles.

Just like she did in DOUBLE JEOPARDY, HIGH CRIMES and KISS THE GIRLS.

In TWISTED Judd is a San Francisco homicide detective who is her own prime suspect in an ongoing serial murder case.

All of the victims are men she recently had recently spent time with.

Andy Garcia is Judd's partner and Samuel L. Jackson is the police commissioner and Judd's mentor.

Its a good cast, but there are way too many holes and implausibilities to make TWISTED any good.

It even seems as if the cast knows that too as they act with no apparent interest in the proceedings.

TWISTED has nothing to offer except Ashley Judd, and if she doesn't start challenging herself as an actress, and taking fewer tough-but-misunderstood-women-who-get-into-trouble-and-have-to-fight-back roles, I, for one, might have to stop paying attention to the movies she does.

I, for one, will never stop paying attention to STAR TREK.

Should you be like me, well this is a time to rejoice!

STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON is now available on an 8-disc DVD set!

If you don't know, STAR TREK features the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise under the command of Capt. James Kirk and his first officer, Lt. Cmdr Spock during the 23rd century. They are on a mission in outer space to explore new worlds, where the Enterprise encounters Klingons, Romulans, time paradoxes, tribbles and genetic supermen.

In addition to all 29 first-run episodes - including The Naked Time, The Enemy Within, The Menagerie, Balance of Terror, Space Seed, Arena and The City on the Edge of Forever - this set also features many behind the scenes and retrospective extras.

Oh yes!! I actually think I'm drooling!

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, TWISTED and STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON are all available now at your favourite local video store.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT

THE LADYKILLERS is the Coen Brothers' remake of the classic 1955 Alec Guinness movie. Tom Hanks stars in this version as a professor who attempts a casino heist with help from a "gang of experts."

A few weeks ago I added HELLBOY To the list of good films made from comic books. Next week we'll add THE PUNISHER to the list of bad ones.

JERSEY GIRL is the latest release from filmmaker Kevin Smith. It didn't do well at the box office as it stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, but it is a surprisingly touching film.

And finally next week, even though the mystery and excitement started to wane last year, the exploits of Special Agent Sydney Bristow are always worth watching because of the talents of Jennifer Garner. Thus, ALIAS - THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON is a title I'm sure I'll recommend.

I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next week on The Couch!

Today's New Releases

Here is a look at the best new CD being released today:

Ray Charles Genius Loves Company (Concord Jazz) - Like Johnny Cash, Ray Charles was a tough old man who kept making music right up to the end, probably because everybody was too scared to tell him to knock it off. When he died in June, he was readying Genius Loves Company, his version of Frank Sinatra's Duets, featuring pop stars such as James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John and Norah Jones. The tone is reverential and warm, as the Genius sings "It Was a Very Good Year" with Willie Nelson, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" with Johnny Mathis and "Fever" with Natalie Cole. B.B. King, the one guest who can approach Charles as a peer, pushes him to play a little blues piano. But the best moment is the live "Crazy Love": Van Morrison and Charles sing together in real time, two grizzled cats trying to top each other, competitive yet completely in tune.

The other CD's being released Tuesday, August 31st are:

BJORK Medulla (Elektra)
BRAD MEHLDAU Brad Mehldau Live in Tokyo (Nonesuch/Warner)
BRAD MEHLDAU Live In Tokyo (Nonesuch/Warner)
DOWN TO EARTH APPROACH Another Intervention (TVT)
HOT ROD CIRCUIT Reality's Coming Through (TVT)
JACKI-O Poor Little Rich Girl (TVT)
JEDD HUGHES Transcontinental (MCA Nashville)
JILL SCOTT Beautifully Human (Sony)
JOHN ADAMS On The Transmigration of Souls (Nonesuch/Warner)
JUDY COLLINS Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy (Rhino)
KATAKLYSM Victims Of This Fallen World (Linus Entertainment)
KATAKLYSM Northern Hyper Blast Live (Linus Entertainment)
LIMBLIFTER I/O (Maple Nationwide)
LL COOL J The DEFinition (Def Jam)
LUCINDA WILLIAMS Live (Lost Highway/Universal)
MEMPHIS I Dreamed We Fell Apart (Paper Bag Records)
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000 Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essentials (Rhino)
PAPA ROACH Getting Away with Murder (Geffen)
PAUL WESTERBERG Folker (TVT)
PITBULL M.I.A.M.I (TVT)
RAZOR Decibels (Linus Entertainment)
ROKIA TRAORE Bowmboi (Nonesuch/Warner)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Platinum Dance Hits 2 (Warner Strategic Marketing)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Songs Inspired by The Passion (Sony)
VOIVOD Phobos (Linus Entertainment)
VOIVOD Kronik (Linus Entertainment)

Scrub In For Season Four

The new season of SCRUBS premieres tonight (Tuesday, August 31) at 9:25 PM ET and will be re-broadcast on September 4 at 8:30 PM ET.

The premiere episode is described as follows:

"My Old Friend's New Friend"

Elliot feels left out of the group after her break-up with J.D. It's J.D.'s (Zach Braff) last week as a resident as he tries to smooth over his relationship with Elliot (Sarah Chalke) after their break-up. The former couple squabble over having to share time with newlyweds Turk (Donald Faison) and Carla (Judy Reyes), who have their own issues when Carla starts to change everything about her new hubby.

Professional yet quirky new psychiatrist Dr. Molly Clock (guest star Heather Graham) starts her first day at Sacred Heart turning heads and forging new relationships with the staff. She befriends a lonely Elliot and tries her best to help J.D. and Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) with a patient offering profound and helpful insight.

Meanwhile, when Turk's car blows up, Carla lets him pick out the new ride only to find that instead of a car, he buys a Vespa scooter further proving Carla's point that she needs to always be in control.

NBC has also released details about the second episode of the season, which is set to air September 7.

"My Office"

J.D. and Elliot compete for the chief resident position which lends to more tension in their relationship.

Just when J.D. (Zach Braff) thinks he's landed the chief resident position, Dr. Molly Clock (guest star Heather Graham) convinces Elliot (Sarah Chalke) that she should apply as well. Carla (Judy Reeves) becomes green with envy as everyone starts listening to Dr. Clock's advice, leaving Carla feeling like she's losing control. Meanwhile, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) and Turk (Donald Faison), find great difficulty in the removal of a light bulb from a patient's posterior.

Alan Jackson, Terri Clark among Country Music Award nominees

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Alan Jackson pulled in seven nominations, the most of the year, from the Country Music Association on Monday, including entertainer of the year and male vocalist, while Canadian Terri Clark is up for female vocalist of the year.

Jackson's nominations also include single of the year and song of the year for Remember When, video of the year for Remember When and for his duet with Jimmy Buffett, It's Five O'clock Somewhere, and musical event of the year for collaborating on a remake of the Hank Williams' tune Hey, Good Lookin.'

Toby Keith has six nominations including album of the year for Shock'N Y'all, single and video of the year for I Love This Bar, musical event for Hey, Good Lookin,' male vocalist of the year and entertainer of the year.

The other best album nominees are Brad Paisley for Mud on the Tires, Brooks & Dunn for Red Dirt Road, Kenny Chesney for When the Sun Goes Down and newcomer Gretchen Wilson for Here for the Party.

Others up for female vocalist of the year are Sara Evans, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride and Reba McEntire.

Clark, who was born in Montreal and grew up in Medicine Hat, Alta., has had a busy year. She was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry and released a greatest hits record. She's also up for four awards at the Canadian Country Music Association awards, to be held Sept. 13 in Edmonton.

Wilson's first single, the No. 1 hit Redneck Woman, was nominated Monday for three awards, single, song and music video of the year. She also was nominated for the Horizon award, which honours the top new act.

"I think it's incredible considering no one knew who I was last year at this time," Wilson said. "This has been my dream since I was a little girl."

Other artists with five nominations included Chesney and Krauss.

"Country music is making waves in 2004 and this list of outstanding nominees is one of the reasons why," CMA executive director Ed Benson said in a statement. "These talented performers, musicians, songwriters and producers demonstrate the artistic depth and creativity driving the burgeoning growth of our format in the past year. It is an exciting time for country music and the 2004 CMA awards will definitely reflect that in November."

CBS will broadcast the 38th annual CMA awards show, hosted by Brooks & Dunn, live from Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House on Nov. 9.

Singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson, who helped announce some of the nominations on CBS's The Early Show, was selected for induction into the Country Hall of Fame.

"What a dirty trick," he said, obviously surprised to hear his name read.

"I guess it means I'm old," he said of the nomination that will put his name in the hall with Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. Kristofferson has written hits such as Help Me Make it Through the Night, Me and Bobby McGee and Sunday Morning Coming Down, and his work has been recorded by more than 450 artists.

Former industry executive Jim Foglesong, who was president of the Nashville divisions of MCA and Capitol Records, also will be inducted into the Country Hall of Fame. Foglesong, 82, teaches music business at Vanderbilt University.

The rest of the nominations were announced on the CMT cable network.

Here is the list of nominees for the 2004 CMA Awards:

-Entertainer of the Year: Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw.

-Female Vocalist: Terri Clark, Sara Evans, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire.

-Male Vocalist: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, George Strait, Keith Urban.

-Horizon Award: Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Julie Roberts, Josh Turner, Gretchen Wilson.

-Vocal Group: Alabama, Diamond Rio, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts, Trick Pony.

-Vocal Duo: Big & Rich, Blue County, Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, The Warren Brothers.

-Single of the Year (awarded to artist and producer): I Love This Bar, Toby Keith, produced by Toby Keith/James Stroud; Live Like You Were Dying, Tim McGraw, produced by Byron Gallimore/Tim McGraw/Darran Smith; Redneck Woman, Gretchen Wilson, produced by Mark Wright/Joe Scaife; Remember When, Alan Jackson, produced by Keith Stegall; Whiskey Lullaby, Brad Paisley featuring Alison Krauss, produced by Frank Rogers.

-Musician of the Year: Matt Chamberlain, drums; Kenny Greenberg, electric guitar; Dann Huff, guitar; Larry Paxton, bass guitar; Brent Rowan, guitar.

-Album of the Year (awarded to artist and producer): Here for the Party, Gretchen Wilson, produced by Mark Wright/Joe Scaife; Mud on the Tires, Brad Paisley, produced by Frank Rogers; Red Dirt Road, Brooks & Dunn, produced by Kix Brooks/Ronnie Dunn/Mark Wright; Shock'N Y'All, Toby Keith, produced by Toby Keith/James Stroud; When the Sun Goes Down, Kenny Chesney, produced by Buddy Cannon/Kenny Chesney.

-Music Video of the Year (awarded to artist and director): I Love This Bar, Toby Keith, directed by Michael Salomon; It's Five O'Clock Somewhere, Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett, directed by Trey Fanjoy; Redneck Woman, Gretchen Wilson, directed by David Hogan; Remember When, Alan Jackson, directed by Trey Fanjoy; Whiskey Lullaby, Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss, directed by Rick Schroder.

-Musical Event of the Year: Norah Jones with Dolly Parton, Creepin' In; Jimmy Buffett with Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith & George Strait, Hey Good Lookin'; James Taylor and Alison Krauss, How's the World Treating You; Kenny Chesney (duet with Uncle Kracker), When the Sun Goes Down; Brad Paisley featuring Alison Krauss, Whiskey Lullaby.

-Song of the Year: Live Like You Were Dying, Tim Nichols/Craig Wiseman; Long Black Train, Josh Turner; Redneck Woman, Gretchen Wilson/John Rich; Remember When, Alan Jackson; Whiskey Lullaby, Bill Anderson/Jon Randall.

Michael Moore Draws Boos at Convention

NEW YORK - Already a box office sensation, filmmaker Michael Moore got another loud reception Monday at the Republican convention. This time, it was boos.

When Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told the delegates about "a disingenuous film maker who would have us believe that Saddam's Iraq was an oasis of peace," they knew he was referring to the maker of "Fahrenheit 9-11." The film, which savages Bush's Iraq policy, has set a box office record for documentaries, grossing $115 million so far.

McCain's comments prompted prolonged booing and chants of "Four more years." Many of the delegates faced Moore, who was seated in the press seats at Madison Square Garden because he is writing a column this week for USA Today.

Moore seemed to relish the attention, thrusting his arms over his head, laughing and saying, "Two more months."

Asked about McCain's remarks, Moore said, "I can't believe they're dumb enough to bring up the film and help its box office."

Eminem Sets Nov. 16 Release for New Album

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Oscar-winning rapper Eminem will release his fourth album, to be called "Encore," on Nov. 16, his Interscope Records label said Monday.

The set will be the follow-up to 2002's "The Eminem Show," which debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 9.2 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Interscope said its global sales stand at more than 19 million copies.

Because of Internet piracy, that album officially went on sale in the United States on a Sunday, nine days ahead of its originally scheduled street date.

The 2002 soundtrack to his hit film "8 Mile" also reached No. 1 on The Billboard 200. It spawned the hit "Lose Yourself," which spent 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and yielded an Oscar for Eminem and his two co-writers. Interscope said its global sales stand at almost nine million copies.

Although he released a new album with his group D-12 this spring, Eminem has kept a low profile over the past year. He recently announced plans to launch a hip-hop music channel with Sirius Satellite Radio, on which he will host shows with acts from his Shady Records imprint. The channel is expected to go live in the fall.

NBC's 'Pride' at Stake with New Animated Series

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Eager for new comedies to replace "Friends" and "Frasier," NBC takes a big gamble with this week's debut of a costly, computer-animated series about a sexually frisky family of talking lions in Siegfried & Roy's famed Las Vegas act.

"Father of the Pride," which premieres on Tuesday, has drawn mixed early reviews and raised advertiser eyebrows for a ribald sensibility that NBC and producers at DreamWorks describe as "edgy" but some critics see as being at odds with the show's family-friendly look.

The launch of "Pride" also comes less than a year after animal trainer Roy Horn -- depicted in cartoonish style with partner Siegfried Fischbacher -- was severely mauled by one of his tigers during a live stage performance last Oct. 3.

NBC executives acknowledge that "Pride" is a risky undertaking for the network, whose last animated show, "God, the Devil and Bob," survived less than a month in 2000.

The General Electric Co.-owned broadcaster is spending, according to the Los Angeles Times, $1.6 million per half-hour episode on the series, making it the costliest entry on its slate of new prime-time offerings.

The stakes also are high for DreamWorks, which plans to spin off its animation studio in an initial public stock offering expected this fall.

Computer-generated imagery, or CGI, has become a darling of movie audiences with box office blockbusters like DreamWorks' fairy tale satires "Shrek" and "Shrek 2." But few animated series have achieved hit status on U.S. television outside Fox, where "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill" are staples.

With NBC's two marquee sitcoms -- "Friends" and "Frasier" -- having left the air in May, NBC Universal Television Group President Jeff Zucker told the Times his network is willing to take chances to score a new hit.

FRISKY FELINES

Still, the show's sometimes bawdy brand of humor has critics and Madison Avenue executives wondering whether "Pride" is tame enough for kids to watch with their parents or sophisticated enough for adults to enjoy on their own.

The debut episode features a scene in which father lion Larry, voiced by "Roseanne" star John Goodman, enthuses about getting the chance to make love to his mate, Kate (Cheryl Hines of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm") when their cubs are away.

"It may be 9 o'clock in New York, but right here it's mountin' time," he proclaims, shaking his haunches.

Larry and Kate also take it upon themselves to assist in the courtship of a pair of giant pandas (the female panda is voiced by Lisa Kudrow of "Friends").

Seeking to avoid potential complaints from parents uneasy about explaining the intricacies of animal husbandry, NBC began in mid-July advertising the show as an "adult comedy."

But Carl Reiner, the veteran writer-producer who played Alan Brady on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and co-stars on "Pride" as Larry's curmudgeonly father-in-law, dismissed suggestions that the show is too risque for family viewing.

"If children do watch it, the things that they discuss as a family of lions can easily be discussed as a family of humans," he said in a recent conference call with reporters.

Daily Variety TV critic Brian Lowry said the sexual innuendoes that fly between Larry and Kate are "not really adding much to a very old sitcom staple."

The attack on Horn forced the real-life Siegfried & Roy to close their act, but both insisted NBC go ahead with the TV show. The two are co-executive producers.

Actress Rosario Dawson Arrested at Anti-Bush March

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Actress Rosario Dawson, arrested at an anti-Bush march has been charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and the obstruction of governmental administration, officials said on Monday.

Dawson, 25, and Vija Grosgalves, 28, were filming a scene for the independent film "Medium Cool" in Manhattan on Sunday, using protests by thousands of protesters marching past Madison Square Garden as a backdrop.

Police nabbed the pair, alleging that they were "both masked" and used handkerchiefs "with only the area around their eyes showing," according to a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan Criminal Court.

City laws bar protesters from hiding their identity with masks.

When their director, Stephen Marshall, 36, showed officers that they had a legitimate film permit issued by the city, police handcuffed him, too, and hauled the three away to be processed. Police said Marshall did not have a valid permit.

The three were released early Monday after they were arraigned. They are due back in court in November. If convicted, they each face up to a year in jail at Rikers Island.

Dawson, a New York-born actress, appears alongside Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie in Oliver Stone's upcoming costume epic film "Alexander." Her other credits include "Shattered Glass," "Men in Black II" and "The Adventures of Pluto Nash."

Thumper Returns

Buena Vista Home Entertainment has announced two big new releases today, each a classic of a different kind: a most-beloved animated perennial, and a much-maligned reimagining of a historical legend.

First up is director Antoine Fuqua's King Arthur, which will be released on December 21st in two different versions: the original PG-13 theatrical cut and a never-before-seen "hard" version that Fuqua prefers. Each will get 2.40 anamorphic widescreen transfers (the PG-13 cut will also be released in a separate full frame version with identical extras) and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks. Extras will include commentary by Fuqua, a roundtable video commentary with the cast and filmmakers, a "Knight Vision" subtitle fact track, deleted scenes, alternate ending, the "Blood on the Land: Forging King Arthur" documentary, producer Jerry Bruckheimer's photo gallery and theatrical trailers.

Buena Vista has also just announced the beloved favorite Bambi, which will hit DVD on March 1st next year. Painstakingly restored and presented in its original 1.33:1 full screen, extras include the “Walt’s Annotated Bambi" documentary, the "Disneypedia" and "Disney Time Capsule" featurettes, never-before-seen deleted scenes, the all-new "Thumper’s Storytime" short based on the Golden Book classic, a Bambi Legacy promotional gallery with stills, rare music cues, a new music video and trailers, and a Bambi II sneak peek.

Hot Shots
 
Rounding out today's news, Paramount Home Entertainment has just announced the full specs for the November 16th re-issue of the mega-hit Top Gun. This two-disc set will get the remastered anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital Surround EX and DTS 6.1 surround treatment, plus plenty of extras: audio commentary with director Tony Scott, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and screenwriter Jack Epps, six new making-of featurettes, an additional two featurettes on real pilot survival training and the original EPK, vintage Tom Cruise interviews, four music videos, a multi-angle storyboard comparison, and theatrical trailers.

Fall Flicks

The Toronto Sun rakes through the pile to pick the top 10 movies of the coming season.

Feeling dissatisfied, uncomfortable, irritated and -- let's face it -- a little gassy after this summer's slate of weak flicks? Sure, we had Spider-Man 2 and Shrek 2, and surprisingly good fare like Collateral, Napoleon Dynamite and The Bourne Supremacy.

But make no mistake: The summer movie season sucked. Suckity-suck-sucked. Virtually all of the big-buzz flicks were colossal disappointments while most of the other films were exercises in mediocrity.

Sadly, we're the bearers of more bad news: The fall movie season doesn't seem a whole lot better, and appears to have even fewer surefire hits than the summer. What it does have, though, are lots of cartoons -- and plenty of sex goddess Angelina Jolie, who appears in three of our top 10 flicks.

Hmm, maybe this fall's not so bad after all ...

10. BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON

Opens Nov. 19

- WHAT: In this sequel to the 2001 hit Bridget Jones's Diary, plump and opinionated Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is now happily married to her dream man, lawyer Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Or is she? Many, many conflicts arise, in the form of Mark's hot new intern, the worst vacation of Bridget's life, the return of her ex-boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and Bridget's discovery that Mark is -- gasp! -- a Conservative voter.

- HOT: Thankfully, most of the talent arrayed for the first flick has returned, including crack screenwriters Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis. And any excuse to add some meat to Zellweger's sinewy frame is okay by us.

- COLD: It's been years since Bridget-mania swept the nation -- and the critical reaction to this film's literary incarnation was less-than-stellar.

- WE SAY: A second helping of Miss Jones should please adult audiences -- especially all those lonely, desperate singletons. But we doubt it will be nearly as good as the original.

9. LADDER 49

Opens Oct. 1

- WHAT: When firefighter Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) gets trapped inside a burning building, he reflects on his life and marriage. Meanwhile, the other brave men from his firehall -- including father figure Chief Kennedy (John Travolta) -- try desperately to rescue him.

- HOT: With all its pyrotechnics and macho-man bonding, Ladder 49 is like a summer movie transplanted to the fall -- only, it seems, with more brains and heart; it has been a long time since we've had an honest-to-goodness firefighter flick (Backdraft, 1991).

- COLD: And it seems almost as long since Travolta has had a bona fide hit. Can we finally disassociate him from the cinematic steaming piles Battlefield Earth and The General's Daughter?

- WE SAY: Ladder 49 looks entirely predictable, but Phoenix is great in everything he does -- and that includes his summer dud The Village.

8. THE POLAR EXPRESS

Opens Nov. 10

- WHAT: In one of several high-profile animated flicks of the season, Tom Hanks lends his dulcet tones -- and body movements -- to the role of The Conductor, who's in charge of a magical train that takes kids to the North Pole. The movie uses technology called "performance capture," which computer-animates the movements of actors on bare soundstages.

- HOT: When Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis team up (Cast Away, Forrest Gump), the result usually means a big pile o' cash the two probably use to light cigars while laughing uncontrollably; Peter Scolari -- a.k.a. the less successful guy from Bosom Buddies -- is finally reunited with Hanks, playing a character likely too aptly named "Lonely Boy."

- COLD: Former Hollywood golden boy Hanks has stumbled recently -- The Ladykillers and The Terminal failed to impress audiences and critics.

- WE SAY: All aboard! But kids only -- aside from the impressive visuals, there doesn't seem to be much to appeal at an adult level, unless you still believe Santa Claus is real. And believe us, he ain't: All we got last year was a "best of" Dan Aykroyd DVD.

7. RAY

Opens Oct. 29

- WHAT: Suddenly hot actor Jamie Foxx stars as legendary soul singer Ray Charles in this biopic that covers his life from an impoverished youth to his rise to the top of the charts.

- HOT: Foxx's career is set to blast off, what with his terrific turn in this summer's Collateral and now this big, showy role as a larger-than-life icon; the lavish trailer practically screamed "For Your Oscar Consideration," as it featured great music and scenes with Charles facing his drug addiction and battling racism, etc.

- COLD: Is Foxx going to be the next Denzel Washington or the next -- dare we speaketh his unclean name -- Cuba Gooding Jr.? And is it too early to be releasing a picture based on the life of somebody who died so recently (June)? That seems so TV-movie-of-the-week.

- WE SAY: We're betting this will be a Ray of sunshine through the murk of the fall releases -- and that Foxx's stock continues to rise.

6. WIMBLEDON

Opens Sept. 17

- WHAT: In this romantic comedy/ sports movie, down-on-his-luck tennis player Peter Colt (Paul Bettany), seeded at the bottom of the rankings, somehow makes the cut at Wimbledon. There he meets hot young American tennis sensation Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst) -- and, naturally, falls in love with her. Suddenly, Peter starts playing great again -- but how long can that last?

- HOT: Wimbledon is served up to us from the fine people who made Notting Hill and Bridget Jones's Diary, which bodes very well for the quality of this flick; both Bettany and Dunst seem on the verge of big things -- so why not break out at the same time?

- COLD: Sure, it looks predictable, but what romantic comedy isn't? But tennis flicks aren't easy sells -- we're still trying to recover from Carling Bassett's 1982 grunt-a-thon, Spring Fever.

- WE SAY: Wimbledon looks like it has the potential to ace the competition -- oddly enough, experts say it's already more successful than Anna Kournikova's tennis career.

5. FINDING NEVERLAND

Opens Oct. 22

- WHAT: This is the story of eccentric Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp) and his relationship with widowed mother Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet) and her three young boys. Their experiences would ultimately influence Barrie's creation of Peter Pan.

- HOT: Not only is this is a Prestige movie with a capital "P," this is also a Miramax flick, meaning it's prime Oscar bait. It has an excellent pedigree, including Depp, Winslet and director Marc Forster, whose last acclaimed effort was Monster's Ball, featuring Halle Berry doing the dirty deed with Billy Bob Thornton. As Beyonce wouldn't say: Boobylicious!

- COLD: The last Peter Pan flick tanked at the box office at Christmas, leaving us wondering whether the moviegoing public gives a fig about a little boy in tights who flies around the air.

- WE SAY: Too bad this flick wasn't called Finding Neverland: The Violently Grisly Takedown Of Michael Jackson, because that's definitely something we'd be excited about. Still, if you want to see what will likely be one of the most prominent Oscar-worthy films of the year, you could do worse than check this out.

4. ALEXANDER

Opens Nov. 5

- WHAT: Oliver Stone directs this historical epic documenting the life of the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great, who ruled most of the known world by the time he turned 30. Whereas by the time he turns 30, star Colin Farrell will have gotten drunk and passed out in most of the known world.

- HOT: His bad-boy image aside, we're anxious to see what the talented Farrell can really achieve if he actually applied himself -- and Stone may be the right director to push his buttons; the lovely Angelina Jolie stars as Olympias, Alexander's jealous mother and, we must declare, the hottest MILF in movie history.

- COLD: Anybody remember Troy, that other sword-and-sandal epic that was supposed to hack up the box office? Didn't think so.

- WE SAY: Stone seems to be the right man to make the material seem fresh -- let's just keep the conspiracy theories about the cause of Alexander's death out of it, okay?

3. SKY CAPTAIN & THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

Opens Sept. 17

- WHAT: In this fantastical sci-fi adventure set in 1930s New York, ace fighter pilot Joe "Sky Captain" Sullivan (Jude Law) and sassy reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) must rescue his sidekick Dex (Giovanni Ribisi) and missing scientists from the clutches of the evil Dr. Totenkopf (played, apparently, by long-deceased actor Laurence Olivier through archival footage). Help comes in the very curvaceous form of Capt. Frankie Cook, played by Angelina Jolie in tight outfit and eyepatch: Please put yourself in the upright position, if you know what we mean.

- HOT: The visuals are spectacularly retro-animation. Everything about this film -- from the giant robots attacking New York City to the melodramatic dialogue and music -- is like an homage to the 1930s and those old Max Fleischer Superman cartoons.

- COLD: Sure, geeks will dig it, but is this going to be another movie where it's all looks, no story? And will the idea of using Olivier -- albeit with a different actor dubbing his lines -- prove to be more offputting than inspired?

- WE SAY: This looks like the movie cheesy-serial lover George Lucas has been wanting to make all his life -- but is still incapable of even imagining. Sky Captain's visuals and cast of terrific actors make it look too good to pass up.

2. SHARK TALE

Opens Oct. 1

- WHAT: After little fish Oscar (the voice of Will Smith) takes credit for killing a great white shark, the consequences of his great white lie come catching up to him. Soon he's in trouble with the shark mafia, led by Don Lino (Robert De Niro), who's fretting about his meek, vegetarian son Lenny (Jack Black).

- HOT: In case you haven't noticed, family cartoons are all the rage these days. And while having a star cast is no guarantee of box-office success (Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas, anyone?), this kiddie flick is loaded with top-end talent, including Renee Zellweger, Martin Scorsese and -- you guessed it -- Angelina Jolie, who might as well have the word Fall '04 tattooed on her ass. Actually, it probably already is.

- COLD: Let's see ... a computer-animated movie set under the sea and featuring fish protagonists? Wasn't that called Finding Nemo? The story -- which sounds like it would probably star Matthew Perry if this were a live-action flick -- doesn't sound especially original, nor does it seem as though it would resonate emotionally like Nemo and other animated films of its ilk.

- WE SAY: Even if it isn't caviar, we're sure this fish story will be a big hit with audiences. But come on, De Niro -- get back to cursing at people and swatting them over the head with a baseball bat. Please?

1. THE INCREDIBLES

- WHAT: A family of superheroes led by Bob Parr -- a.k.a. Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) -- is called out of their self-imposed retirement in suburbia when the patriarch is summoned to a mysterious island for a top-secret mission. Too bad Mr. Incredible's Spandex tights no longer fit him the way they used to. Also too bad: Angelina Jolie doesn't make an appearance here.

- HOT: Why did this movie shoot to the top of our list faster than a speeding bullet? Because computer-animation company Pixar can do no wrong. Plus, this marks animation whiz Brad Bird's first collaboration with Pixar -- and judging by his track record (The Iron Giant, The Simpsons), we should expect something really good. And check out that cast, which also includes Holly Hunter and Samuel L. Jackson. Nelson is, fortunately, the only Coach alumnus on the roster.

- COLD: Then again, expectations may exceed what ultimately gets onto the big screen. And this is Pixar's first foray into rendering mostly human characters instead of loveable fish, wisecracking toys or fuzzy monsters, so there's an element of risk here.

- WE SAY: This flick will rule the fall season. Because if you want a movie to make a gazillion dollars, you have to make something that will appeal to families -- kids AND adults -- and get them to return to the theatre over and over again. We're certain this is one of those movies that has got that special alchemy just right.

The Who, XTC "Freak" Out

"Freaks and Geeks" finally has a soundtrack

The long-overdue soundtrack to the cancelled cult-favorite TV show Freaks and Geeks is due September 14th. Like the show, the twenty-five-track compilation is a celebration of all things late Seventies and early Eighties, featuring tracks by Rush, Styx, Joe Jackson, Joan Jett and XTC.

During its eighteen-episode run from 1999 to 2000, Freaks and Geeks (now available on DVD) frequently integrated music into scenes, most memorably when a school guidance counselor gives a captive audience of students an unwanted acoustic performance of Alice Cooper's "Eighteen" and when the parents of characters Lindsay and Sam discuss the meaning of the Who's "Squeezebox."

"We always tried to put in songs that seemed honest to what our experience was," says executive producer Judd Apatow. "One of my favorite uses of music is when Bill is home after school and his parents aren't around, and you get the sense he's a latchkey kid. He makes a grilled cheese sandwich and gets a piece of cake and a glass of milk and he watches The Dinah Shore Show and you hear the Who playing 'I'm One' as he watches Garry Shandling do stand-up comedy. He's laughing his ass off, and you realize that TV is his best friend. It's his companion."

Apatow's life was not much different. "I used to go home, watch The Mike Douglas show and eat grilled cheese sandwiches," he says. "It was an important part of my childhood, so I would try to tell those stories using the music I listened to. I would have been listening to Quadrophenia back then, so it felt right."

For the original songs performed by the characters, Apatow and Freaks and Geeks creator Paul Feig would often have the actors write them themselves -- as was the case with Jason Segal (Nick) and the cringe-inducing "Lady L."

"It is one of the worst songs ever written," says Apatow. "He barely knows how to play an instrument, but he's so talented that he could write something that funny and that bad. It was perfect, because that's what a kid would write."

Freaks and Geeks: Original Soundtrack track listing:

"Bad Reputation," Joan Jett
"Geek Hallway," Michael Andrews
"Poor Poor Pitiful Me," Warren Zevon
"Lindsay's Theme," Michael Andrews
"Keg Party Music," Michael Andrews
"Look Sharp!," Joe Jackson
"Clem's Theme," Michael Andrews
"No Language in Our Lungs," XTC
"Lindsay Disturbed Theme," Michael Andrews
"Bill Gets Funky (a.k.a. Spacefunk)," Paul Feig
"USA Rock," Michael Andrews
"The Spirit of Radio," Rush
"Daniel's Theme 2," Michael Andrews
"I'm One," The Who
"Porno Music," Michael Andrews
"Neal's Lament," Michael Andrews
"The Groove Line," Heatwave
"Ken's Ode to Joy," Michael Andrews
"Come Sail Away," Styx
"End Title Theme," Michael Andrews
"Lady L," Jason Segal
"Eighteen," Dave Gruber Allen
"Jesus Is Just Alright," Jason Segal and Sara Hagen
"Up on Cripple Creek," Dave Gruber Allen
"Dumb as a Crayon," The Leaving Trains

Coming Soon!

"The Making of Nevermind" will be released on DVD later this year. The film, part of Eagle Vision Entertainment's "Classic Albums" series, details the recording of Nirvana's breakthrough 1991 album via interviews with bandmembers and producers.

Sequel to cult classic Clerks in works

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Smith is making another convenience store run.

The writer-director of Dogma, Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back told the Associated Press on Friday that he has begun work on a sequel to Clerks, his homemade indie classic from 1994.

That $27,000 movie, shot at night in a store where Smith worked, chronicled the adventures of Dante and Randal, two guys who talk about life, death, sex and movies while working at neighbouring stores.

The sequel picks up 10 years later.

"It's about what happens when that lazy, 20-something malaise lasts into your 30s. Those dudes are kind of still mired, not in that same exact situation, but in a place where it's time to actually grow up and do something more than just sit around and dissect pop culture and talk about sex," Smith said during an interview at his Hollywood office. "It's: What happened to these dudes?''

A new 10th anniversary DVD of Clerks debuts Sept. 7, and Smith said working on that three-disc set inspired him to write about what became of those characters.

The sequel — titled The Passion of the Clerks — is set to begin shooting in January. Miramax Films, which turned the original into a cult-hit after buying it at the Sundance Film Festival, plans to distribute the follow-up.

"It's funny, it's very raw, insanely foul-mouthed. In many ways it's the antithesis of Jersey Girl," Smith said, referring to his recent PG-13 comedy with Ben Affleck as the widowed father of a little girl.

Smith is also writing the screenplay for a movie version of The Green Hornet, but no longer thinks he will direct it. The Clerks movie has moved to the top of his to-do list.

He said he called Jeff Anderson, who played the combative video-store worker Randal, and Brian O'Halloran, who was the besieged-by-strangeness convenience store employee Dante, to run the idea by them first.

"Jeff was actually very protective of 'Clerks,'" Smith said. ``Jeff was like, 'Are you sure you want to do this? That movie means a lot to people and do you want to go back?' I thought about it honestly, and it would seem chicken to not give it a shot just because I'm afraid of (messing) with the first film.''

So far, he said he has gotten only positive responses from the people who have read the script, so he decided to move forward with it. Both O'Halloran and Anderson are signed on, and Jason Mewes, will return as stoner Jay, the "hetero life-mate" of Smith's stoic Silent Bob.

"I'm sure there will be naysayers who say, 'Oh my God, it's an opportunistic grab at a buck,' but it's not. We're doing it for nothing," Smith said. "We're going to do it insanely inexpensively. The budget will be somewhere between 250 grand and $5 million.''

The original was shot pre-dawn, and most of the actors worked for free and then went straight to their day-jobs with little or no sleep.

"This time around we'll afford ourselves the luxury of nice 12-hour days," Smith said. "And people can get paid.''

Graham Picks Up the Pace on 'Scrubs'

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Heather Graham is putting the wraps on her first project as a producer, an independent film called "Cake." She worked on the movie, which she also stars in, for a couple of years and knows the material "backwards and forwards."

Now, she's filming a recurring part on NBC's "Scrubs," where relationships with scripts last a week, if that.

"It's a lot crazier," the "Boogie Nights" and "Bowfinger" star says of her first extended TV work since a stint on "Twin Peaks" in 1991. "The longest [ahead of time] I've ever gotten a script is a week before, whereas with a movie, you can get it few months before. ...

"It's a little more seat of your pants. You have to trust that you know what you're doing and just go for it -- which is kind of fun."

Graham is signed to appear in eight episodes of "Scrubs." She plays a psychiatrist who joins the staff of Sacred Heart Hospital and shakes up the lives of its staff, notably Drs. J.D. Dorian (Zach Braff) and Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke, her "Cake" co-star).

"I'm this person who understands human behavior so well, and I'm on top of it in most situations," she says of her character. "But basically my love life is really screwed up. I think I date a lot of losers who kind of torture me."

Despite that sad romantic backstory, though, Graham says she probably won't end up J.D.'s, or anyone else's, girlfriend. "When I first talked to [creator] Bill Lawrence, he said 'We really don't want to bring you on just to be a love interest. We want you to have your own full character.'"

Although Graham hadn't seen "Scrubs" prior to being offered the part, she knew of its reputation as one of the funnier shows on television. A guest appearance on FOX's "Arrested Development," which like "Scrubs" is a single-camera show with an absurdist streak, also opened her eyes to the possibilities of television.

"I just think that there are certain really great TV shows -- some of them are better than a lot of movies," she says. "I'd rather be in something where there's good material."

Graham says she's having a lot of fun on the set of "Scrubs," and she sounds as if she might be open to sticking around for more episodes if she's asked. Then again, she's found that she really enjoys being a producer as well.

"They've been very nice to me [on set], saying 'You should stay,'" she says. "It's tempting because it's so great, but I've been getting really excited about developing and producing my own things. So that's the only thing that could tear me away."

"Scrubs" begins its fourth season at 9:25 p.m. ET Tuesday, Aug. 31.

Weezer Gets Busy On Fifth Album

Weezer is more than a month into recording sessions for its long-gestating fifth studio album. After a 10-day break, the band will resume work on the set in hopes of finishing it in time for frontman Rivers Cuomo to start the fall semester at Harvard, which he last attended in 1997.

In yet another new development, producer Rick Rubin, who Cuomo credited with helping him turn a corner in his personal and professional life, has bowed out of the day-to-day work process, according to Weezer's official Web site. Work behind the boards is being handled by engineer Chad Bramford, who has worked with the band for the past several years in various capacities.

"The sessions with Rick started back in [December 2003] have been shelved in favor of the fresh start that commenced three weeks ago in the current sessions," the site says. "This was done mainly in response to Rivers regaining his sense of momentum with his songwriting, and not feeling right about continuing with the incomplete recordings from December. In effect, the band is now producing itself, as it did on [the prior albums] 'Pinkerton' and 'Maladroit,' but this time they have a wise shoulder to lean on if and when need be. So far, it's working out pretty excellently."

The site stresses the 12 "songs being recorded now are not 'brand new,' they have been worked up since early this year as demos, over the entire spring time, by Rivers. In some cases, they were developed from songs being worked on in '03, but underwent such changes as to now be totally distinct from their origins. Basically, these 12 songs are 'new', but 'new' means early and spring 2004 (not last week or whatever). Also, there is the possibility of trying some additional songs if there is time, and such material could be '04 or '03 stuff."

The as-yet-untitled set will be released by the end of the year or early 2005 via Geffen. It will be the follow-up to 2002's "Maladroit," which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200.

'Scotty' Making Final Public Appearances

LOS ANGELES - James Doohan beamed his way through the first of a series of events honoring him in what are expected to be his final public appearances.

The 84-year-old actor who played "Scotty" on "Star Trek" laughed and smiled throughout a Hollywood tribute Saturday night featuring fellow cast members and about 600 guests.

Doohan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease several months ago and the event at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel served as a fund-raiser for an Alzheimer's research foundation.

Doohan, whose character was Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott of "Beam me up, Scotty" fame, was to appear Sunday on a stage with the entire surviving cast of the original sci-fi series, including William Shatner (Capt. Kirk) and Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock). He is getting a star Tuesday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The events are expected to be the final public appearances for Doohan, who also suffers from Parkinson's disease (news - web sites) and diabetes.

On Saturday, Doohan was heralded by a bagpipe player and speakers included Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov on "Star Trek."

'Gloria' Singer Laura Branigan Dies at 47

NEW YORK - Laura Branigan, a Grammy-nominated pop singer best known for her 1982 platinum hit "Gloria," has died. She was 47.

Branigan died of a brain aneurysm Thursday in her sleep at her home in East Quogue, said her brother Mark Branigan. He said she had complained to a friend of a headache for about two weeks before she died, but had not sought medical attention.

"Gloria," a signature song from her debut album "Branigan," stayed atop the pop charts for 36 weeks and earned her a Grammy nomination for best female pop vocalist, the first of four nominations in her career.

She also made television appearances, including guest spots on "CHiPs," and in the films "Mugsy's Girls" and "Backstage."

Branigan released seven albums after her debut "Branigan," including "Solitaire," "Self Control," and "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," which was co-written with Michael Bolton. Her songs also appeared on soundtracks for the films "Flashdance" and "Ghostbusters."

Branigan was born July 3, 1957, and grew up in Brewster, N.Y. She attended the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan. During the late 1970s, she toured Europe as a backing vocalist for Canadian singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen. She signed as a solo artist with Atlantic Records in 1982.

After her run of success in the 1980s, her releases in the early 1990s attracted little attention. In 1994, she sang a duet with David Hasselhoff called "I Believe" for the soundtrack of the television show "Baywatch." She released a 13-track "Best of Branigan" LP the next year.

After the death of her husband, Lawrence Kruteck, in 1996, Branigan stopped performing but returned to the stage in 2001. In 2002 she starred as Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway musical "Love, Janis," which earned her rave reviews.

Branigan recently had been working on material for a new release.

She is survived by her mother, two brothers and a sister. Funeral services were scheduled for Monday.

Jet Li's 'Hero' Tops Box Office in Debut

LOS ANGELES - "Hero," Jet Li's acclaimed martial-arts epic, vanquished giant snakes, serial killers and a gang of superbabies to debut as the top weekend film with $17.8 million.

"Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid," a sequel to 1997's monster-serpent flick, opened in second place with $13.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The weekend's other new movies debuted weakly. The serial-killer tale "Suspect Zero," starring Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley and Carrie-Anne Moss, came in at No. 10 with $3.4 million.

"Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2," a follow-up to the 1999 kid flick, finished at No. 11 with $3.3 million.

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, "Exorcist: The Beginning," tumbled to fifth-place with $6.7 million, a steep 63 percent drop from its $18.1 million debut.

Overall, the top 12 movies grossed $84.7 million, virtually unchanged over the same weekend a year ago.

With Hollywood's summer season wrapping up over Labor Day weekend, the industry will finish slightly ahead of summer 2003's revenue record of $3.9 billion. But factoring in higher admission prices, the number of tickets sold will lag a bit behind last summer's.

"Hero," nominated for the foreign-language Academy Award for 2002, is director Zhang Yimou's saga of China some 2,000 years ago. The film stars Li, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, Chen Dao Ming, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Donnie Yen, a lineup of Asian superstars that distributor Miramax calls the "`Ocean's Eleven' of Chinese films."

"It obviously hit a nerve and certainly bodes well for Chinese films and foreign-language films," said Rick Sands, chief operating officer at Miramax, which opened "Hero" in 2,031 theaters, unusually wide for a foreign-language movie. "We believed in the movie and went for it."

Presented in Mandarin with English subtitles, "Hero" twists through several retellings of an assassination plot against the ruthless leader of Qin, who seeks to subjugate China's other six kingdoms and became the land's first emperor. The stories, character motivations and even color schemes change with each retelling as the film weaves toward the ultimate truth of events.

Critics raved over the cinematography, romance, lush imagery and glorious fight sequences, whose balletic grace rivals that of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," the 2000 martial-arts hit.

"We talk about the dog days of August, but maybe these are the days of opportunity for certain types of films to do well after the blockbuster onslaught of early summer," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "This is a time when competition is a lot less fierce, and a movie like 'Hero' can take advantage of that."

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Hero," $17.8 million.
2. "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid," $13.2 million.
3. "Without a Paddle," $8.7 million.
4. "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," $8.1 million.
5. "Exorcist: The Beginning," $6.7 million.
6. "Collateral," $6.3 million.
7. "Open Water," $5 million.
8. "Alien vs. Predator," $4.8 million.
9. "The Bourne Supremacy," $4.6 million.
10. "Suspect Zero," $3.4 million.

Video Music Awards Sizzling but Shock Free

MIAMI - Holding its festivities for the first time in the city of skin, Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards was sizzling, energetic and colorful — yet tame, by MTV standards.

There were no wardrobe malfunctions. Britney didn't kiss Madonna like last year — or anyone else, for that matter (neither were at the blowout affair).

The most skin shown was from Usher, who preened in front of the camera barechested as simulated raindrops fell on his chiseled body during the opening performance.

Even the Christina Aguilera was classy, dressed sexy yet demurely as she debuted a jazzy number, "Tilt Ya Head" with rapper Nelly. And the sometimes raunchy comedian Dave Chappelle even kept it relatively clean — despite teasing that he wouldn't.

"It's the biggest mistake you made since Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl," he joked, alluding to the MTV-produced Super Bowl halftime flesh show that created a firestorm earlier this year.

There may have been plenty of sex appeal, but little shock appeal on hand, even though MTV was ready, using a several-second tape delay for the first time. (The audio delay, used for years, was in heavy use during the hip-hop medley, which featured Lil Jon, Petey Pablo and Fat Joe.)

Still, MTV provided the already broiling Miami with even more sizzle Sunday night as MTV brought its annual party known to the city for the first time in the awards' 21-year history.

The change of scenery for the awards, typically held in New York or Los Angeles, helped raise the decadence level at the already raucous, celebrity-soaked affair, held at the downtown AmericanAirlines Arena.

OutKast's vivid "Hey Ya!" — perhaps best described as the old Ed Sullivan show on acid — won four awards, including video of the year. Jay-Z's "99 Problems," the most nominated video with six, also won four. The gritty black-and-white "99 Problems," depicts his own killing as a metaphor for his much-ballyhooed retirement, which has yet to happen.

"I felt like I was trying to push the envelope," Jay-Z, dressed in a dapper white suit and hat, said as he accepted a moonman for best rap video. "That was my punishment and this is my reward."

Usher won his first moonman as he took best male video for "Yeah!"

"This is my first time coming up here — let me take my time with this," a beaming Usher said. "I'm so damned happy right now I don't wanna leave."

Later, he took a dig at Justin Timberlake, who has been touted as his rival.

"I guess there ain't really any competition between me and Justin no more, right?" he said as he picked up his second award of the night for best dance video.

As usual, the awards were an afterthought to explosive performances and surprise cameos.

Alicia Keys gave a dramatic, soulful appearance, of her hit "If I Ain't Got You," and was buoyed by Stevie Wonder on harmonica. Moments later, she joined Wonder and Lenny Kravitz as they sang a classic Wonder hit, "Higher Ground."

The daughters of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and President Bush made an appearance — the Bush daughters on videotape — to urge people to vote. Even the Rev. Al Sharpton made an appearance connected to voting — not for the election, though, but for the viewer's choice award.

Acclaimed rap newcomer Kanye West staged a dramatic version of "Jesus Walks," then instead of using a Chaka Khan sample for his hit "Through the Wire," brought the R&B veteran onstage to sing the real thing.

Perhaps the most surreal, and bizarre, performance came from the Polyphonic Spree, the twenty-something member rock choir that performed in multicolored, choirlike robes. They looked like members of a lost cult from the 1970s.

There was also an appearance by uber-twins Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. Mary Kate, who recently was treated for an eating disorder, alluded to her ordeal before introducing Jessica Simpson.

"Thank you to everyone — you have been very supportive for the last couple of months," said Mary Kate.

It was one of the few subdued moments during the lavish night.

Usher and Simpson arrived on the red carpet not by car, but by luxury yacht. Simpson, glamorously attired in a white dress with a silver bodice, arrived with husband and "Newlyweds" co-star Nick Lachey in a 68-foot boat.

The biggest entrance, of course, came from P. Diddy. Dressed in a white suit and with a Mohawk haircut, he arrived in a towering yacht along with Ma$e, Naomi Campbell and Bruce Willis.

The scene outside the arena was frenzied before the show. Performers such as Ashlee Simpson and Jadakiss rocked an energetic crowd while stars walked the red carpet, showing off their fashions — or lack thereof. Lil' Kim looked anything but, as she almost busted out of the skimpy top of her flowing dress.

The awards capped what has already been a weeklong celebration in the city, as celebrities such as P. Diddy, Paris Hilton and R. Kelly held competing star-studded parties leading up to Sunday's festivities.

The show, held a day before the Republican convention was to kick off in New York City, ended on a patriotic note, as red, white and blue balloons fell from the rafters and fans held "vote" signs during OutKast's closing performance.

New Ray Charles Album Keeps His Legacy Alive

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - It's one of those situations no label would wish for.

Concord Records is about to release a star-studded duets album by Ray Charles. While the project was highly anticipated in its own right, the legendary performer's June 10 death is expected to propel the title to even greater heights.

In fact, Concord general manager Gene Rumsey believes that Charles' final album, "Genius Loves Company," could become the label's all-time best-seller.

Still, Concord resisted suggestions that it move up the release date to take advantage of the artist's passing.

"We wanted to treat this with the utmost respect," Rumsey says. "While we wanted it to be commercially successful, we agreed unanimously that we were not going to exploit anything that happened along the way."

So Concord stuck to its original Aug. 31 release date. The label is shipping 1 million units -- 700,000 domestically, with the rest going to international territories.

"We're spending millions of dollars in marketing and advertising," Rumsey says. "The $300,000 we're doing for television initially is a drop in the bucket compared to what we're going to be doing through the holidays."

CROSSING MUSICAL BORDERS

The project, distributed under Concord's new deal with Universal Music & Video Distribution, comprises duets by Charles and a host of luminaries from a cross-section of musical genres.

Concord executive VP/senior VP of A&R John Burk co-produced the album with Phil Ramone. Burk says the idea of cutting a duet set arose after Charles signed up for a Concord album last year.

"Here's a guy who had an amazingly far-reaching influence and impact on American popular music," Burk says. "He's influenced so many vocalists in so many different genres ... That segued into, 'Wow, he's a natural for a duets project."'

He adds, "Some of were really important to Ray, because they were some of the best friends that he had in life -- B.B. King and Willie Nelson and Gladys Knight fall into that category. Then there are artists on the other end of the spectrum, like Norah Jones. That came about because I was reading one of her articles early on in her career, and she cited Ray as a major influence."

Other singers appearing on the set include James Taylor, Diana Krall, Elton John, Natalie Cole, Bonnie Raitt, Michael McDonald, Johnny Mathis and Van Morrison.

STILL ON TOP

Keyboardist Billy Preston, who first performed with Charles as a teenager, plays on three of the duets. He says that though the singer/pianist was in failing health during some of the sessions, he stayed on top of the music.

"Ray was very weak at the time," Preston recalls, "but he would come back and listen to the track and see if he liked it or not. We would make adjustments to the track as he wished. He was very much actively involved."

King, one of Charles' closest friends, says the musician remained as exacting and good-humored in the studio as he was when the two cut their first session together in 1988.

King says, "The first time I recorded with him, he wanted me to do 'Save the Bones for Henry Jones.' Ray wanted to change it; he didn't want to do it the way it was written ... I couldn't ever get it right. And he said to me, 'God damn, Brother B, I thought you was a musician!"'

Sessions for "Genius Loves Company" took place at Charles' Los Angeles studio and at the Eastwood Scoring Stage on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Calif. They lasted from July 2003 through this spring.

TEARS FROM ELTON

The last session, for the John duet "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," came in March, as Charles' health was declining.

"It was pretty awesome, and we were all deeply moved," Burk says. "People were actually crying in the control room ... Elton came back in to listen, and he started crying."

The marketplace is awaiting the release with similar emotions.

Charles' death has made his Rhino catalog releases a fixture on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog chart. This week, "The Very Best of Ray Charles" stands at No. 17 on the list with 6,000 units sold for the week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Charles' "Anthology" is at No. 34 with 5,000 units sold.

DVD Cut

After many years of waiting by Robert Altman fans, the director's last remaining epic not to get the DVD treatment is finally here.

Just announced from The Criterion Collection is a November 12th release for Short Cuts, which will get the full two-disc treatment.

Presented in a new 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 track, extras include a new "Reflections on Short Cuts" 25-minute interview with Robert Altman and Tim Robbins, the "Luck, Trust, and Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country" 90-minute documentary, an isolated music score, deleted scenes, BBC TV's Moving Pictures 50-minute audio interview with Raymond Carver, an advertising gallery, theatrical trailers and a booklet reprint of Vintage Books' "Short Cuts" companion collection of short stories.

The only thing not included? The original audio commentary from the previous Criterion laserdisc.

Oh well!

Ferrell, Vaughn Join Kilborn's Farewell

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Craig Kilborn will say goodbye to late-night TV with some of the folks who provided clip-worthy material on "The Late Late Show."

Kilborn's farewell show will air Friday (Aug. 27). "The Late Late Show" is then going into reruns for three weeks and will return in mid-September with a roster of yet-to-be-named guest hosts.

"Elf" and "Anchorman" star Will Ferrell, actor Vince Vaughn -- whose name is oft mentioned as a potential guest host -- and actress Marlee Matlin will be among Kilborn's final guests. Former Batman Adam West and Martin Mull will also join Kilborn, as will entertainer extraordinaire Wayne Newton, via satellite from Las Vegas.

Friday's show will also include highlights from Kilborn's five years on "The Late Late Show," which he took over after the departure of Tom Snyder in 1999.

Kilborn announced earlier this month that he wasn't asking for a contract renewal from CBS and Worldwide Pants, which produces the show. His departure came as something of a surprise, leading to the scramble for guest hosts.

Charlize Theron to be new face of Christian Dior's fragrance J'adore

NEW YORK (AP) - Add Christian Dior to the list of Charlize Theron fans. The company announced Thursday that the Oscar winner will be the new face of J'adore, the designer's fragrance that debuted in 2000.

Theron will start appearing in print ads and TV commercials next month -about the same time that ads for Chanel No. 5, featuring another Oscar winner, Nicole Kidman, debut.

"Ms. Theron was chosen because she represents modern femininity and embodies the spirit and energy of Dior. She is a classic beauty," said Pamela Baxter, president and CEO of LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics, Dior's parent company.

The advertising deal with Theron is the first one between the beauty brand and a celebrity. Dior's artistic director John Galliano oversaw all aspects of the ad campaign.

Paris Hilton to Publish 198-Page Memoir

NEW YORK - Paris Hilton is trying on a new outfit: a hard cover. The model-reality TV star is publishing a 198-page memoir, "Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose," (Fireside).

Though the missing Chihuahua saga was too recent to make the book, Hilton writes about her youth as an heiress in a "really close" family. Excerpts of the book (to hit shelves Sept. 7) are printed in the Sept. 6 issue of People magazine.

"It's traditional for an heiress to be raised in a sheltered way," she writes. "No one thinks that's true of me, but it actually was."

Still, Hilton insists that she was not coddled: "The rumor is that I got a credit card at age 9, which is ridiculous. It was more like 19, and I had to get one myself without my parents."

Her "Confessions" reveal a girl not as confident as the runway model frequently seen in the tabloids. "It was so embarrassing being flat-chested that I wore padded bras til I was 17. Now, I'm happy to be small. It looks better in clothes. But back then I was really insecure."

The notorious party-girl also feels a change coming: "I don't always want the glamorous, jet-set life. Let's face it, I've done it. Someday soon, I want to have children and a big house with a lot of animals — like my parents had."

Hilton's memoirs are not without fashion tips, either. "Trust me, people act differently to you when you've got jewelry on your head."

MTV Awards May Be Toned Down

NEW YORK - In the 21-year history of MTV's Video Music Awards, viewers have been treated to some eye-popping moments — Prince's bare buttocks, Lil' Kim's sequined pasty, Britney and Madonna's steamy kiss last year.

But after the firestorm over the MTV-produced Super Bowl halftime show, in which Justin Timberlake ripped off part of Janet Jackson's costume to reveal her bare breast, might we see tamer VMAs when they air Sunday?

MTV President Van Toffler isn't promising any flesh-baring moments. But he's also not promising a Nickelodeon-friendly affair.

"You never know what they're going to do or say," Toffler said of the various artists who will converge at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, where the awards will be held for the first time. "Our audience has come to expect of MTV, and this event, very unpredictable, compelling television. That is not going to change, regardless of the Super Bowl or the kiss."

Still, there's talk of using a video delay for the first time on the live broadcast (it's had an audio delay for years).

"It simply happens when you put musicians and artists together: They don't always do want you want them to do," Toffler told The Associated Press in an interview.

That's usually the best part of the show, however. Few watch because of the awards — who can even remember last year's top winner for video of the year? (In case you forgot, it was Missy Elliott's surreal "Work It?") Instead, people watch to see Eminem threaten a sock puppet, Diana Ross fondle Lil' Kim's breast or Michael Jackson kiss then-wife Lisa Marie Presley.

"It's always a fun time, a time to relax and let loose," said Jessica Simpson, one of the performers slated for Sunday night.

Other presenters and performers include Usher, Jennifer Lopez, P. Diddy, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, Dave Chapelle, Will Smith, Hilary Duff and the Miami Heat's newest member — Shaquille O'Neal.

There will be awards to dole out — Jay-Z's gritty "99 Problems," which depicts his own killing as a metaphor for his supposed retirement, received the most nominations: six.

Other multiple nominees include his girlfriend, Beyonce, for her videos "Me Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl"; OutKast for "Hey Ya!"; and No Doubt's "It's My Life."

Usher is up for five awards. He's never won a moonman trophy, so he told the AP that a win "would mean the world. You don't win one every day, and it's very hard to get one."

But for those not nominated, it's a big party.

Traditionally, the show has been held in New York; occasionally, in Los Angeles. But for the first time, it's being held outside those two cities, in Miami. The network plans to take advantage of the beach town — celebrities will ferried to the red carpet on luxury yachts.

"Everybody's on a vacation mindset. It's going to be more of a party this time," Simpson said. "It will be nice to lay out at the pool before I perform."

There will be other changes too. There's no host, and it will be held on a Sunday, instead of the traditional Thursday night.

"There's just so much going on this summer with the conventions and the Olympics," Toffler explained. "Sunday night's a festive night over the summer."

There's usually a surprise element to the awards, in the form of a special performer or presenter. Toffler teased: "I would not be late to the show, especially in light of what happened last year," referring to the Madonna, Spears and Aguilera performance that kicked off the show and led to same-sex kissing.

Simpson says her performance will include a "pretty cool entrance." But don't expect anything shocking from her.

"I'm not good at shocking people unless I'm letting some `Chicken of the Sea' comment fly out my mouth," she said, joking about her infamous bubbleheaded comment. "I think leaving more to the imagination is better, and that's sexier to me."

Although Toffler says MTV hasn't issued any edicts to performers to be on their best behavior, he doesn't expect any Jackson-Timberlake moments at the show.

"At the end of the day, what Janet Jackson did at the Super Bowl didn't work for her, and the artists that we work with are professionals," he said.

R.E.M. Not Feeling Sunny for New 'Around the Sun'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When R.E.M. went into the studio last year to record its 15th album, the influential rock band didn't set out to make political statements or tributes to Sept. 11 victims, but a recent first listen to "Around the Sun" revealed that is exactly what they did.

After sifting through a handful of songs ranging from rock tunes to brooding acoustic ballads, the album's mood suggested itself, the band's members told Reuters. "Around The Sun" became about "capturing the feeling of what it's like to live in America right now," guitarist Peter Buck said.

"We didn't set out to make a pointedly political record ... but to me the overwhelming feeling is sadness. Sadness for the families that have lost loved ones. Sadness for my children who have to grow up in a country where much of what we consider essential freedoms are disappearing."

The album is due in record stores on Oct. 5 in the United States and Oct. 4 internationally on Warner Brothers Records, but the band was offering an early preview to reporters late last week.

The band eliminated the harder rocking songs, making the final version a brooding affair that contains elements of every period of the band's career including the familiar 12-string guitar chimes of their early music, the acoustic ballads of "Automatic For The People" and the subtle textured sounds of their last two albums, "Up" and "Reveal."

It also contains singer Michael Stipe's most directly political lyrics to date on the song "Final Straw." "As I raise my head to broadcast my objection/As your latest triumph draw the final straw/Who died and lifted you up to perfection/And what silenced me is written into law."

The band's politics will be put into action this fall when they join Bruce Springsteen and others on the "Vote For Change" tour to benefit the liberal MoveOn political action committee.

SPEAKING OUT WITH SONGS

"Given the dire situation we find ourselves in, it was inevitable that (politics) would creep into the music," said bassist Mike Mills. "As a citizen, you have to do everything in your power to make things better, whether that's writing songs or playing the 'Vote For Change' tour."

Stipe has been ambivalent about his role. "I always believed that music and politics do not mix," he said. "It's like oil and water. There are people who write great political songs. I'm not one of them," he said. "I tried for four months not to write political songs. Finally, I gave in."

Stipe's lyrics are abstract enough to throw listeners off the scent and Mills said they remain "open to interpretation."

R.E.M. wrote many of the rules for indie rock in the 1980s with a combination of jangly folk rock, punk attitude, oblique lyrics and a stubbornly independent and tireless work ethic.

When they jumped to Warner Bros, one of the world's largest record labels, their albums got weirder, and more popular, with hits like "Losing My Religion," "Stand" and "Man On The Moon." But as the 90s wore on, their audience in the U.S. evaporated, while overseas the band's popularity grew exponentially.

It remains to be seen if "Around the Sun" can reinvigorate sales in the U.S. Each of the band's last four albums sank lower than the previous one on album charts.

Buck will not allow himself to be deluded: "I don't expect 18-year-old kids to go berserk and start dressing like us."

"Take Bob Dylan," he said. "In 1975, people thought he was going to be president. Now he plays 3,000 seat theaters. His last two records are the best things he's done in years. So I won't calculate who our audience is. I'll take whoever I can get at whatever level I can get them."

SCTV is on the air again

Shout! Factory has a second volume of Canadian Sketch Comedy on the way with SCTV: Volume 2 arriving in October.

SCTV Volume 2 picks up where the first volume left off, presenting nine more 90-minute shows from SCTV's memorable fourth season. Originally broadcast on NBC in 1981 and 1982, this set contains several of the episodes widely considered to be SCTV's best. Eugene Levy in "The Jazz Singer" or John Candy as the village idiot in the Russian TV show "Hey Giorgy!" are just two examples of the level of excellence the series achieved throughout this season. "CCCP 1," "The Godfather," "Zontar" and "Teacher's Pet" are some of the inspired wraparounds for these memorable shows.

Several featurettes are on the set including Larger Than Life: The Norman Seeff Photo Sessions, SCTV Remembers, The SCTV Writers and The Juul Haalmeyer Dancers. Also included are photo galleries.

It all arrives on October 19th!

Woo hoo!!!

Shania to release hits package

Canadian country queen Shania Twain has recorded three new tracks for a forthcoming greatest hits package, Universal Music has announced.

"Party For Two," one of the three new songs, will be the first single off the 21-track "Greatest Hits." Two versions of the single were recorded -- one with Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath, and the other with country artist Billy Currington.

The compilation is scheduled to hit Canadian stores on November 9.

Twain's last album, 2002's "Up!," spent a record 11 straight weeks on top of the Nielsen SoundScan charts.

Here's the full track listing for "Greatest Hits":

"Forever and For Always"
"I'm Gonna Getcha Good"
"UP!"
"Come On Over"
"Man! I Feel Like A Woman!"
"That Don't Impress Me Much"
"From This Moment"
"Honey, I'm Home"
"You're Still The One"
"Don't Be Stupid"
"Love Gets Me Every Time"
"No One Needs To Know"
"You Win My Love"
"I'm Outta Here"
"The Woman In Me"
"Any Man Of Mine"
"Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?"
"Party for Two' (with Mark McGrath)" (new track)
"Don't!" (new track)
"Party for Two (with Billy Currington)" (new track)
"I Ain't No Quitter" (new track)

New Tunage

Here are the new music releases for Tuesday, August 24, 2004:

BILL FRISELL Unspeakable (Nonesuch/Warner)
DAVID BYRNE Live At Union Chapel (MVA)
DAWN UPSHAW Voices Of Light (Nonesuch/Warner)
FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS Greatest Hits (Rhino)
FINN BROTHERS Everyone Is Here (Nettwerk)
GLASS TIGER No Turning Back: Glass Tiger 1985-2005 (EMI)
GUIDED BY VOICES Half Smiles of the Decomposed (Matador)
INSTRUCTION God Doesn't Care (Geffen)
JASON MRAZ Tonight Not Again: Jason Mraz Live At The Eagles Ballroom (Elektra)
JASON MRAZ Tonight Not Again: Jason Mraz Live At The Eagles Ballroom (Elektra)
JOHN BUTLER TRIO What You Want (Atlantic)
KEITH SWEAT The Best of Keith Sweat: The Video Collection (Rhino)
KELLY R Happy People/U Saved Me (Zomba)
KIDZ BOP KIDS Kidz Bop Halloween (Razor & Tie)
LAURA VEIRS Carbon Glacier (Nonesuch/Warner)
MARBLE INDEX The Marble Index (Universal Music Canada)
MASE Welcome Back (Bad Boy)
MIDTOWN Forget What You Know (Sony)
PHIL COLLINS Ballads (Warner)
RAY CHARLES OST Ray! (Rhino)
RAY CHARLES OST Ray! (Rhino)
RAY ROBINSON What It Is (Soulclap)
REED LOU NYC Man - The Greatest Hits (RCA)
TIFT MERRITT Tambourine (Lost Highway/Universal)
TIM MCGRAW Live Like You Were Dying (Curb)
VARIOUS (ANIME) Tranformers Armada: Best Of The Autobots (Rhino)
VARIOUS (ANIME) Tranformers Armada: Best Of the Decepticons (Rhino)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Disney Karaoke - Aladdin/Disney, Karaoke - Radio Disney (Disney)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Park Hyatt Chicago: On The Seventh (Milan)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Soul To Soul (MVA)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Legends Of Bluegrass (Time Life)
VOIVOD Negatron (Linus Entertainment)

The Couch Potato Report - August 24th, 2004

This week in The Couch Potato Report there are women who are enchanted, smitten and one who lives next door.

Over the last few months there have been a slew of films that have come out that have been perfect for young girls and no one else. THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE and CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN are two recent examples.

But I am happy to report that this week's first film is not only a movie that is perfect for young girls, but the rest of us can enjoy it too!

ELLA ENCHANTED is a movie where fairy tales and contemporary satire collide.

The charming and personable Anne Hathaway from THE PRINCESS DIARIES is Elle. Upon birth she receives an unfortunate gift from her fairy godmother: No matter what anyone tells her to do, she's compelled to obey.

In order to have this unfortunate gift removed, Ella must brave a forest packed with ogres, elves, and giants to find her fairy godmother, as only she - the giver of the gift - can take it back.

Sounds pretty standard, right? Well, much like the SHREK films, ELLA ENCHANTED has many modern jokes and comedic references to traditional stories.

While ELLA ENCHANTED isn't as thoroughly entertaining as either SHREK movie, I liked it a lot.

Anne Hathaway is perfectly cast, and perfectly lovely, and the supporting cast of Cary Elwes from THE PRINCESS BRIDE, Minnie Driver of GROSSE POINTE BLANK and Monty Python's Eric Idle as the narrator are all wonderful.

Yes, wonderful. That is the word I will use to describe the cast and the entire movie. ELLA ENCHANTED is wonderful.

Sadly, even though the cast of LAWS OF ATTRACTION is also wonderful, the movie itself is not.

Julianne Moore from THE HOURS and current JAMES BOND Pierce Brosnan star in LAWS OF ATTRACTION as divorce lawyers. In court they have many conflicts and when they are in Ireland they "accidentally" get married.

LAWS OF ATTRACTION doesn't have an original moment in it, but somehow Moore and Brosnan rise above the material.

As I said, the cast of LAWS OF ATTRACTION is wonderful, the movie itself is not.

The final new film this week is also less than wonderful, although the star does have some talent.

Canada's Elisha Cuthbert, from the television show 24, is THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.

In this modern day remake of RISKY BUSINESS a high school boy takes his ex-porn star neighbor to his prom.

There are some good laughs in this movie, but it just doesn't know if it wants to be a raunchy comedy or a film that teenagers can see.

That indecision stops the film in its tracks every time it starts to get going.

RISKY BUSINESS knew what it wanted to be and that is why it is a modern day classic.

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is just a modern day release.

ELLA ENCHANTED, LAWS OF ATTRACTION and THE GIRL NEXT DOOR are all available now at your favourite local video store.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT

Mel Gibson's controversial, but oh so successful film THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST will debut on video and DVD. It stars Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci and tells the story of the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life.

In TWISTED Ashley Judd plays another one of her patented tough-but-misunderstood-women-who-get-into-trouble roles. This time she's a detective must solve serial killings to exonerate herself. Samuel L. Jackson and Andy Garcia co-star.

And

Star Trek nerds unite! STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON features all 29 first-run episodes, and a starship full of extras, on eight discs.

Oh yeah!!

I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next week on The Couch!

Weezer Scrap Rubin Tracks

Band begins recording fifth album fresh

Weezer have scrapped the sessions they recorded in December with producer Rick Rubin (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jay-Z, Johnny Cash) for their fifth album and have started again fresh. With help from engineer Chad Bamford, the band has been recording since July and hopes to finish before frontman Rivers Cuomo returns to Harvard University next month. The band hopes to release the album, the follow-up to 2002's Maladroit, late this year or early next year.

Rubin has not been part of the "day to day action" for the new sessions, according to the band's official site, but he is serving as an advisor. "[Rick] has become more of a 'mentor' figure," reads a post. "He had a tremendous impact on Rivers and the band in '03, helping re-organize the band's then-somewhat confused recording priorities, and being a wonderful and positive influence on Rivers, helping him 'find his way' both personally and in songwriting again."

In an email exchange with Rolling Stone, Cuomo declined to elaborate on the decision to start recording anew, writing that he was not in the "right mind-mode to speak right now."

On Monday, Cuomo posted two solo covers on his personal Web site (riverscuomo.com). Cuomo's take on Harry Nilsson's pop classic "Without You" and Francoise Hardy's "Je Changerais" were recorded in February 2003. "I don't speak French so I have no idea what I'm saying," Cuomo says of the latter. "I just transcribed the words phonetically."

Beasties Sign On For Benefit, Expand Tour

The Beastie Boys and De La Soul will hook up this weekend for a rare club show to benefit HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. The MTV2 Presents: A LIFEbeat Benefit will take place Saturday (Aug. 28) at the Miami's South Beach nightclub Crobar. The bill will also feature DJ Am and DJ Samantha Ronson.

Tickets for the event will be available tomorrow (Aug. 26) at MTV's VMA Take Over and Friday and Saturday at the VMA Block Parties, events tied to the music channel's annual Video Music Awards, which are set for Saturday at Miami's American Airlines Arena. Tickets will also be available via Wanttickets.com.

General admission tickets will sell for $35, while VIP seats will net $150. Platinum VIP tickets, which include a MTV2 VMA gift bag, will cost $250. Proceeds will benefit LIFEbeat.

The LIFEbeat concert will precede the kick-off of the Beastie Boys' tour in support of their latest album, "To the 5 Boroughs" (Capitol). The run is set to launch Sept. 9 at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Col., with dates being confirmed in sporadic blasts.

At deadline, dates stretch through Oct. 23 in Dallas, with a gap in the schedule between a Sept. 20 Vancouver date and an Oct. 9 gig in Fairfax, Va. Talib Kweli will support.

Released in July, "To the 5 Boroughs" debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200. The group's first album in more than five years has sold 874,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Here are the Beastie Boys' confirmed tour dates:

Aug. 28: Miami (Crobar; LIFEbeat benefit)
Sept. 9: Morrison, Col. (Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
Sept. 11: San Diego (Cox Arena)
Sept. 13: Universal City, Calif. (Universal Amphitheater)
Sept. 14: Long Beach, Calif. (Long Beach Arena)
Sept. 16-17: San Francisco (Bill Graham Civic Auditorium)
Sept. 19: Seattle (Key Arena)
Sept. 20: Vancouver (Pacific Coliseum)
Oct. 8: Fairfax, Va. (Patriot Center)
Oct. 9: New York (Madison Square Garden)
Oct. 11: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
Oct. 15: Duluth, Ga. (The Arena at Gwinnett Center)
Oct. 16: New Orleans (Voodoo Music Experience)
Oct. 18: Sunrise, Fla. (Office Depot Center)
Oct. 19: Tampa, Fla. (St. Pete Times Forum)
Oct. 22: Austin, Texas (Frank Erwin Center)
Oct. 23: Dallas (American Airlines Center)

Scientists pick Blade Runner as their favourite film; Asimov their top author

LONDON (AP) - A newspaper survey of top scientists has chosen Blade Runner as the world's best science fiction film.

The 1982 movie was the favourite when 60 scientists were questioned by the Guardian, including evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, the newspaper reported Wednesday. In the film, a retired cop played by Harrison Ford hunts down renegade human replicates in a dark futuristic vision of Los Angeles.

Stephen Minger, a stem cell biologist at King's College, London, said Blade Runner was the best movie he had ever seen.

"It was so far ahead of its time and the whole premise of the story -what is it to be human and who are we, where we come from. It's the age-old questions," he said.

Stanley Kubrick's epic, 2001: A Space Odyssey, came in a close second, followed by the first two films of George Lucas's Star Wars trilogy: Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.

The others chosen, in descending order, were Alien, Solaris (1972), Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Day the Earth Stood Still, War of the Worlds, The Matrix, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Asked to pick their favourite authors, the scientists chose: Isaac Asimov (I, Robot); John Wyndham (Day of the Triffids and Chocky); and Fred Hoyle (The Black Cloud).

The other writers chosen, in descending order, were Philip K. Dick, H.G. Wells, Ursula Le Guin, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert and Stanislaw Lem.

Tarantino and Latifah Meet the Muppets on ABC

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Quentin Tarantino is an Oscar-winning writer-director, Ashanti is a Grammy winning singer and Queen Latifah has both a Grammy and an Oscar nomination, but for all of their accolades, these three stars really just want to work with the Muppets.

Ashanti is signed, Latifah is in negotiations and Tarantino is set to make a guest appearance in ABC's original telefilm "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz."

Airing as part of ABC's venerable Wonderful World of Disney franchise, "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz" will star Ashanti ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") as Kansas-based Dorothy Gale, an aspiring performer stuck working at her Auntie Em's (Latifah) diner.

A twister whisks Dorothy off to a Muppet-filled world, where she makes pilgrimage to Oz with a Scarecrow (Kermit the Frog), a Tin Man (Gonzo the Great) and a Lion (Fozzie the, well, Bear). Thwarting Dorothy's mission home is the Wicked Witch (Miss Piggy).

Tarantino will make a guest appearance as the film's director, coaching Kermit through an action scene.

"I'm beside myself to have these mega-talented actresses, Ashanti and Queen Latifah, and Quentin Tarantino's involvement is an example for something the Muppets have done really well -- breaking the fourth wall," ABC movies and miniseries chief Quinn Taylor tells The Hollywood Reporter.

Muppet veteran Kirk R. Thatcher (2002's NBC pic "Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie") will direct the Frank Baum adaptation, which will feature songs, but won't officially be a musical. Lisa Henson and Brian Henson will executive produce for the Jim Henson Co.

Disney acquired rights to the Muppets in February, but development on this project began at Jim Henson Co. and ABC before that time. Originally the project was set up at Fox TV Studios.

THE ULIMATE MATRIX

December 7 is the release date set for a 10-disc DVD box set containing all three MATRIX movies, as well THE ANIMATRIX and THE MATRIX REVISITED. The box set is called THE ULTIMATE MARTIX COLLECTION and will retail for $80. The limited edition set will also include a 80-page booklet and a Neo figurine, and will run $130 and be released the same day.

JEDI MINDTRICKS?

Star Wars fansite TheForce.net reporting that employees of George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic were required to sign non-disclosure agreements promising not to talk about the possibility of a trilogy sequel. Lucas has previously said he's closing down the franchise after the prequels.

It's Deja View All Over Again on TV

LOS ANGELES - Broadcast networks are in big trouble this season if federal regulators add being derivative to the list of TV trespasses. Networks are copying their own series, sometimes with a third or fourth edition ("CSI," "Law & Order") or putting on shows that have the whiff of copycat about them ("The Contender" vs. "The Next Great Champ").

Television is used to milking ideas for all they're worth, but the trend is nearly overwhelming in the 2004-05 season — nearly, but not quite.

There are a few wayward and promising originals, including ABC's suburban satire "Desperate Housewives"; CBS' coming-of-age baseball drama "Clubhouse"; the WB's "Jack & Bobby," about a future U.S. president's youth, and NBC's animated Siegfried & Roy comedy "Father of the Pride."

Mostly, however, viewers will get what's been proven to work because networks figure playing it safe is the sanest course of action.

"The networks will continue to create similar shows or variations of franchises as long as the audience continues to watch," said industry analyst Bill Carroll of Katz Television Group.

Since people flock to CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "CSI: Miami," give 'em "CSI: NY." Or a fourth "Law & Order, coming midseason. Or two more reality series in which rich guys spread the wealth in the tradition of NBC's hit "The Apprentice" ("The Benefactor," "The Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best").

After all, one of the best characterizations of the medium, right behind Newton Minow's "vast wasteland," is the late satirist Fred Allen's assertion that imitation is the sincerest form of television.

There's deja vu in casting as well, with familiar TV faces in new places, among them Rob Lowe ("The West Wing") in "dr. vegas"; Neal McDonough ("Boomtown") and Kelli Williams ("The Practice") in "Medical Investigation," and John Goodman ("Roseanne"), Jean Smart ("Designing Women") and Ed Asner (news) ("Lou Grant") in "Center of the Universe."

(Heck, even "Jeopardy!" is bringing back last season's ongoing champion, Ken Jennings, when the syndicated game show returns in September.)

The goal for networks is to keep their footing in the unending battle against cable TV's innovative, often racy programming which broadcast can match in only a pallid fashion.

If it tries to do more than that, the Federal Communications Commission is waiting to enforce indecency regulations — now even more vigorously since Janet Jackson's Super Bowl exposure.

Broadcasters may need a laugh but they're not searching for comfort in comedy. A paltry seven new sitcoms are debuting, making an already drama-heavy schedule even more so. All told, the six networks will field up to 49 dramas by the first quarter of 2005, compared to some 37 comedies.

For the first time in two decades, NBC won't have four sitcoms on Thursday night. It will have "Joey," the "Friends" spinoff starring Matt LeBlanc and one of the season's high-profile newcomers.

Another season hallmark is the sizable number of new reality shows — six — and their introduction at the season's start. This year, they're not second-string substitutes for failed dramas and sitcoms.

The result: an extreme, if gradual, makeover.

"Comedy and newsmagazines are pushed out by the influx of reality shows — or infestation," said Shari Anne Brill, an analyst with the ad buying firm Carat USA.

Advertisers welcome the shows because they attract younger viewers but don't like how they play havoc with marketing plans when abruptly tossed on the air, said TV analyst Stacey Lynn Koerner of Initiative Media.

"There's nothing more irritating to an advertiser to be told you're scheduling a scripted series and then you change it to a reality series," she said, because the audience shift has a ripple effect across the dial.

Order is relative, however. The tradition of all shows debuting in the same fall week has been upended despite the season's official Sept. 20 start date.

Fox, accommodating the interruption caused by its postseason baseball coverage, is moving to year-round scheduling. It already debuted a trio of series ("North Shore," "Quintuplets" and "Method & Red") in June.

WB had its own summer rollout in July with "Studio 7" and "Blue Collar TV."

NBC, seeking to capitalize on its new series promos during the Olympic Games (news - web sites), is introducing part of its schedule immediately after the Games wrap up Sunday.

Now, let the Network Games begin.

Bon Jovi Empties Vaults for Boxed Set

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Bon Jovi is raiding its vaults for a boxed set boasting three discs of previously unreleased material, a disc of previously released rare tracks and a DVD of unseen film and video footage.

The package, dubbed "100 Million Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong," is due out Nov. 16 via Island Records.

Among the vault tracks set for inclusion are "Gotta Have a Reason," "Why Aren't You Dead?" and "One to Say Goodbye." The set will also revive such cuts as "Real Life" (from the 1999 "EDTV" soundtrack), "Good Guys Don't Always Wear White" (from the 1994 "The Cowboy Way" soundtrack), the B-side "Temptation" and a demo of the 1994 No. 4 pop hit "Always" will also be featured.

The liner notes for "100 Million" will be bolstered with reminiscences from fans, which the band is soliciting via e-mail at tellus@bonjovi.com.

'Exorcist' Scares Up No. 1 Slot at Box Office

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Exorcist: The Beginning," a film that had to be re-shot with a new director because the first version was not scary enough, led the North American box office over the weekend, as moviegoers once again flocked to the resurrection of an aging franchise.

According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, the fourth installment in the 30-year-old "Exorcist" series sold about $18.2 million worth of tickets in the three days since its Aug. 20 opening.

Another new entry, the comedy "Without a Paddle," launched at No. 2 with $13.2 million. The teen romance "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" slipped to No. 3 with $13.2 million in its second weekend.

Last week's champ, the monster saga "Alien vs. Predator," combining the characters from two tired movie series, fell to No. 4 with $12.5 million.

The shark thriller "Open Water" jumped 12 places to No. 5 with $11.8 million in its first weekend of wide release. Also expanding this weekend was the quirky drama "Garden State," which rose three places to No. 10 with $3.2 million.

Sales for the top 12 films totaled $102.9 million, according to tracking firm Exhibitor Relations. The figure represented a 16 percent decline from last weekend, but a 21 improvement over the year-ago period, when "Freddy vs. Jason" -- yet another horror franchise combo -- ruled for a second weekend with $13 million.

"Exorcist" stars Stellan Skarsgard as titular hero Father Merrin, who uncovers mysterious goings-on while drifting through Cairo in 1949 in an alcoholic haze. The film was originally shot by Paul Schrader, the "Taxi Driver" screenwriter who left the project a year ago after turning in an edit not to the liking of its producers. Finnish filmmaker Renny Harlin ("Cliffhanger") was then hired to start afresh. His version cost about $20 million to make.

The opening was better-than-expected, according to Dan Fellman, president of distribution at Warner Bros Pictures, a unit of Time Warner Inc., which is handling the film's release for a fee on behalf of producer Morgan Creek Prods.

"Without a Paddle" also exceeded the modest expectations of its distributor, Paramount Pictures. The film stars Matthew Lillard, Dax Shepard and Seth Green as three urban adventurers who get into trouble with wacky locals while on a rafting expedition. It cost less than $20 million to make, said a spokeswoman for the Viacom Inc. -owned studio.

After 12 days, Walt Disney Co. 's "Princess Diaries" sequel has hauled in about $61.4 million. Anne Hathaway returns as a modern-day princess who must find a consort in order to secure her succession to a mythical kingdom.

"Alien vs. Predator" has earned $63.1 million after 10 days. Its precipitous 67 percent drop was the steepest in the top 10, but not surprising for a genre film that had a big $38 million opening. The film was released by Twentieth Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc .

"Open Water," loosely based on the true story of two divers accidentally left behind in shark-filled waters by their tour operator, has earned $14.8 million after three weekends. It was released by Lions Gate Films, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, which acquired the film for a little over $2 million at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It cost under $500,000 to make.

"Garden State," the writing and directing debut of its star, Zach Braff (of NBC's "Scrubs"), has earned about $6.7 million after four weekends. It was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures, the arthouse arm of Fox Entertainment.

Munch Paintings Stolen From Norway Museum

OSLO, Norway - Armed men stormed into an art museum Sunday, threatened staff at gunpoint and stole Edvard Munch's famous paintings "The Scream" and "Madonna" before the eyes of stunned museum-goers.

The thieves yanked the paintings off the walls of Oslo's Munch museum and loaded them into a waiting car outside, said a witness, French radio producer Francois Castang.

Police spokeswoman Hilde Walsoe said the two or three armed men threatened a museum employee with a handgun to give them the two paintings, including one of four versions of "The Scream" — Munch's famed depiction of an anguished figure with its head in its hands.

"No one has been physically injured, and the suspects escaped in an Audi A6. We are searching for the suspects with all available means," Walsoe told The Associated Press. "We found the escape car, and we have found many pieces of the frames."

Many museum visitors panicked and thought they were being attacked by terrorists.

"He was wearing a black face mask and something that looked like a gun to force a female security guard down on the floor," visitor Marketa Cajova told NTB public radio.

"What's strange is that in this museum, there weren't any means of protection for the paintings, no alarm bell," Castang told France Inter radio.

"The paintings were simply attached by wire to the walls," he said. "All you had to do is pull on the painting hard for the cord to break loose — which is what I saw one of the thieves doing."

Castang said police arrived on the scene 15 minutes later. Visitors were ushered into the museum's cafeteria.

"We don't have all the details on the situation, but we are searching for the suspects in the air and on land," Police Spokesman Kjell Moerk told the public radio network NRK.

The stolen "Madonna" was painted in 1893-1894, depicting an eroticized madonna with a blood-red halo in a dark, swirling aura. Munch later produced woodcut lithographs with a similar depiction.

There are four versions of "The Scream." The Munch Museum had two of them, a private collector owns the third and the fourth is on display at Oslo's National Gallery.

"They were all painted by Munch, and they are all just as valuable," museum spokeswoman Jorunn Christoffersen told the AP. "Still, these paintings are not possible to sell, and it is impossible to put a price tag on them."

It was the second time in 10 years that "The Scream" has been stolen. In February 1994, the version on display at Oslo's National Gallery was taken and remained missing for nearly three months. Police ultimately recovered the work, which is on fragile paper, undamaged in a hotel in Asgardstrand, about 40 miles south of the capital, Oslo. Three Norwegians were arrested.

At the time, investigators said the trio tried to ransom the painting, demanding $1 million from the government. it was never paid.

Munch, a Norwegian painter and graphic artist who worked in Germany as well as his home country, developed an emotionally charged style that was of great importance in the birth of the 20th century Expressionist movement.

He painted "The Scream" in 1893, as part of his "Frieze of Life" series, in which sickness, death, anxiety and love are central themes.

The National Art Museum owns 58 paintings by Munch, who died in 1944 at the age of 81.

'Spider-Man 2' Heads for Home Video Release

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Blockbuster comic book adventure "Spider-Man 2," one of the year's highest-grossing movies, is headed for a home video release on Nov. 30, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment said on Friday.

The superhero sequel with Tobey Maguire returning as the mild-mannered photographer turned web-spinning crime fighter will be issued in time for the holiday shopping season as a two-disc DVD set and double VHS cassette video, Columbia said.

"Spider-Man 2" has generated $361 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales since its release June 29, making it the third-highest-grossing film in North America this year after "Shrek 2" and "The Passion of the Christ."

The critically lauded "Spidey" has grossed more than $700 million in theaters worldwide. Kirsten Dunst co-stars as Spider-Man's love interest, Mary Jane Watson, and Alfred Molina plays his evil arch foe, Doctor Octopus.

The DVD release will contain more than 10 hours of all-new content. Bonus features include a blooper reel, a "Spidey Sense 2" trivia track, four original online featurettes, a documentary on the making of the film, and a multi-angle, behind-the-scenes look at the climatic fight sequence between Spider-Man and Doc Ock. A wide-screen version also will be available on DVD.

Columbia TriStar, a unit of Sony Corp.'s Sony Pictures Entertainment, said it expects sales of its "Spider-Man 2" DVD release to surpass home video revenues from the first film. The original 2002 movie initially shipped 6.5 million VHS tapes and 19.5 million DVD copies for gross revenues of $423 million combined, according to Adams Media Research .

DVDs in particular now constitute a key market for movie studios, generating annual revenues of more than $16 billion worldwide.

'Twin Peaks' Star Does 'ER' Rotation

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Madchen Amick, a former star of "Twin Peaks," will check into NBC's "ER" this season.

Amick will have an extended recurring role on the long-running medical drama, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She'll play a social worker who encounters Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) at County General and becomes involved romantically with him.

This spring, she starred with John Stamos in a comedy pilot that picked up for midseason. It's unclear whether her commitment to "ER" will affect her role on the ABC show.

Amick played waitress Shelly Johnson on "Twin Peaks," David Lynch's surreal early-'90s ABC drama, and its feature-film prequel "Fire Walk with Me." Her credits also include "Sleepwalkers" and recurring parts on "Gilmore Girls" and "Dawson's Creek."

In other medical-show casting news, Justin Chambers ("The Musketeer," "Hysterical Blindness") has joined ABC's midseason drama "Grey's Anatomy." He'll play a new intern and potential love interest for series star Ellen Pompeo.

Van Halen Slugs Orioles With $2M Suit

Van Halen is suing the Baltimore Orioles for at least $2 million in damages, charging that the Major League Baseball team reneged on an offer for the band to play a concert Sept. 2 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The suit -- filed Aug. 10 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles -- states that Orioles director of entertainment Don Mark, under the instruction of Orioles owner Peter Angelos, first contacted Van Halen's reps at the William Morris Agency in mid-April about playing at the stadium. According to the suit, "Van Halen was ambivalent about playing at the time requested by the Orioles," because the band would be performing in the southern United States, and playing Baltimore would "necessitate changing the tour routing previously planned."

The suit also notes that Van Halen was at the time engaged in a tour of mostly arenas, but "the Orioles insisted that they could more than compensate Van Halen for the expense and inconvenience scheduling the concert would cause."

According to court papers, the Orioles around April 27 made an offer in writing for $1 million, which the band rejected. The Orioles came back with an offer of $1.5 million, plus 80% of ticket revenues and 80% of gross merchandise revenues. Also included was a budget for expenses and a non-compete provision that prohibited Van Halen from performing in other venues in the vicinity of Baltimore.

The papers say that after numerous communications between the parties, Van Halen accepted the offer in mid-June. The band began making preparations for a Sept. 2 concert at Oriole Park; Van Halen claims it terminated any efforts to book another venue in the area, changed the dates of other scheduled concerts and did not pursue other opportunities.

The suit says that the Orioles in mid-July "repudiated the agreement, first by refusing to communicate or cooperate with Van Halen, and then expressly in a letter dated July 26 ... refusing to perform its obligations thereunder."

Mark tells Billboard.biz he had "no comment whatsoever" on the Van Halen situation. Van Halen attorney Howard E. King of King, Holmes, Paterno & Berliner in L.A., also declined to comment.

Van Halen's North American tour continues. A DVD of the 1986 concert film "Live Without a Net" arrives Sept. 14 via Warner Strategic Marketing.

KISSING star in ABC’s SCRIPT

KISSING JESSICA STEIN scribe and star Jennifer Westfeldt has sealed a deal with ABC to star in a one-hour drama project for the network. SCRIPT will be created and written by Westfeldt and her sister, Amy, and the story will be based on Westfield’s experiences as a reporter in New York.

Regis Sets World Record for Most TV Hours

NEW YORK (AP) — Regis Philbin has lived a lifetime on television. Logging 15,188 hours on the tube has yielded the talk show host fame, fortune, and now a place in the record books.

Friday's broadcast of "Live with Regis and Kelly" gives Philbin the Guinness World Record for most hours on camera. The talk show host passes broadcaster Hugh Downs for the record, as calculated by Guinness World Records researcher Stuart Claxton.

"Now it's all a big blur," Philbin told the Associated Press on Thursday as he looked back on his career that began as a San Diego news anchor in 1958. "When you look back that's a lot of hours on TV."

With now officially the longest resume in television, Philbin wonders, "You'd think it might make me better, but I don't know."

Philbin, who will turn 73 next week, has hosted the nationally syndicated "Live" in all 16 of its seasons — now with Kelly Ripa, and previously with Kathy Lee Gifford. In his 46 year career he has hosted numerous news and entertainment shows, as well as the hit prime-time ABC game show, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"

Of all the experiences, Philbin most remembers the interviews of other talk show hosts — people, he says, "that do what I do. People like Jack Paar, Steven Allen, Merv Griffin, Johnny Carson, David Letterman that know what being a talk show host is about."

Clearly all the years on TV are not a total blur — one evening broadcast from the 1950s still sticks in Philbin's memory. While doing the evening news in San Diego, Philbin and his fellow broadcasters were laughing together at a show that preceded the broadcast called, "The Big Party." When 11:00 p.m. came, Philbin was unable to control his still bubbling laugh as he was thrust into reading the headlines of the day, which began with a train wreck in the Italian Alps that killed 117.

"That is the nightmare that I remember," Philbin says with a grimace.

But the nightmares have been few for the energetic talk show host, whose record of on camera hours will only grow. He currently has two years left on his contract to host "Live."

One untelevised performance Philbin has uncoming is "roastmaster" at the Friar's Club Oct. 15 roast of real estate mogul turned TV star Donald Trump. Philbin says he may have to defend his friend from the onslaught of comedians, a suspicion concurred by Friars Club Dean Freddie Roman:

"Given the size of Trump's ego, we will be lucky to be done by Christmas."

'Exorcist,' 'Paddle' Battle for Late-Summer Scraps

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - As far as the box office is concerned, summer's over.

Neither of this weekend's two wide arrivals, the Paramount Pictures comedy "Without a Paddle" and Warner Bros. Pictures' "Exorcist: The Beginning," is likely to reach the heights typical of summer openers. Insiders forecast they will each earn in the low-teen millions for the three-day frame.

That means 20th Century Fox's "Alien vs. Predator" could rank No. 1 for a second weekend, even though it's expected to lose 60% of its audience. The double-franchise thriller, which scored $38.2 million in its opening frame, is likely to gross in the $13 million-$15 million range.

Meanwhile, Disney's "The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement," which bowed in No. 2 with $23 million last weekend, should take in $11 million-$13 million this time.

If there is a glut in the weekend's fare, it's the number of films targeting young males. "AVP" brought in droves of them last weekend, with its audience comprising 70% males. This weekend, those fans will be courted by both Renny Harlin's "Exorcist" prequel and the goofball comedy "Paddle," starring Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, Dax Shepard and Burt Reynolds.

For the R-rated "Exorcist," which will bow in 2,803 theaters, Warners is counting on a tremendous U.S. fan base that has found the original "Exorcist" from helmer William Friedkin to be one of the scariest horror films of all time. First released in 1973, then reissued in 2000 in a director's cut, the original "Exorcist" has grossed $232.7 million in its lifetime. Starring Stellan Skarsgard as Father Merrin, the prequel centers on his first encounter with the demon Pazuzu.

The film was originally directed by Paul Schrader ("American Gigolo"), but that version was scrapped after Morgan Creek Prods. judged that it wasn't scary enough. Both versions of the film are expected to be included in the DVD release.

Paramount's "Paddle," bowing in 2,730 theaters with a PG-13 rating, is targeting young males with its three comedic leads facing off against the forces of nature on a camping trip gone bad. The film was directed by Steven Brill, who helmed the Adam Sandler films "Little Nicky" and "Mr. Deeds."

Another contender is Lions Gate's expansion of "Open Water." Advertised as the scariest shark film since "Jaws," "Water" expands to 2,709 theaters this weekend. The low-budget film has made $2.5 million since it opened in 47 theaters two weeks ago and is hoping to capitalize on the buzz about its harrowing tale of two stranded scuba divers.

Fox Searchlight's "Garden State" also widens Friday. The indie fave from actor-writer-director Zach Braff has earned $3.3 million since opening July 28. The R-rated film co-starring Natalie Portman and centering on Braff's character's return home for a funeral is expanding to 652 theaters.

In limited release, Paramount Classics will bow "Mean Creek," an R-rated teen drama starring Rory Culkin from first-time writer-director Jacob Estes. The film has played to positive reviews at the Sundance, Cannes and Los Angeles film festivals.

Latino film company Arenas Entertainment unfurls its first nationwide release, "Nicotina," in 104 theaters today. Starring Diego Luna ("Y Tu Mama Tambien"), it was Mexico's top-grossing film last year.

Movie legend bonds with province

CHARLOTTETOWN  —  The yacht Aerie has shaken, not stirred, curiosity on P.E.I. The big white boat has been tied up at the Charlottetown Yacht Club for the last few days as its famous owner enjoys a quiet Island vacation.

"Well I guess you're referring to the big white one out there," said Vice Commodore Wellington Gay when asked about the boat. "That one belongs to Sean Connery formerly known, or better known perhaps, as James Bond."

Agent 007 has been making his way around the Island. And like any good secret agent he's been doing it quietly. Sightings of Connery, 73, are few and far between.

Staff at the yacht club have seem him, but are affording the James Bond star some privacy.

"I saw one gentleman with a beard, but it wasn't him," said tourist Pat Lynch.

The Aerie – which means eagle's nest — won't be moored in the harbour much longer.

The yacht club said it has the facilities to handle the larger yachts, and is always ready welcome the rich and famous people that sail them.

Elmer Bernstein, Film Composer, Dead at 82

LOS ANGELES - Film composer Elmer Bernstein, who created a brawny, big-sky theme for "The Magnificent Seven," nerve-jangling jazz for "The Man With The Golden Arm" and heart-rending grace notes for "To Kill a Mockingbird," has died.

Bernstein, whose prolific career spanned seven decades and earned him 14 Academy Award nominations, an Oscar win and an Emmy Award, died in his sleep at his Ojai home Wednesday, said his publicist, Cathy Mouton. He was 82.

Although he won an Oscar only once for the 1967 film "Thoroughly Modern Millie" — considered one of his weaker works — Bernstein was revered for experimenting with various techniques that bolstered the films.

"It's one thing to write music that reinforces a film, underscores it — the traditional sense of stressing, underlining — or gives it added dramatic muscle," director Martin Scorsese once said. "It's entirely another to write music that graces a film. That's what Elmer Bernstein does, and that, for me, is his greatest gift."

Among his more notable efforts were the scores for "Some Came Running," "Birdman of Alcatraz," "The Great Escape," "Hawaii," "The Great Santini," "Cast a Giant Shadow," "My Left Foot," "A River Runs Through It," "Devil in a Blue Dress" and "The Age of Innocence." He also composed several works for symphony orchestras.

In addition, he scored such movie classics as "The Ten Commandments," "The Magnificent Seven," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "The Great Escape" and "True Grit." Other credits included "National Lampoon's Animal House," "Airplane!," "Stripes," "Meatballs," "Ghostbusters," "Trading Places" and "The Rainmaker."

"Film music, properly done, should give the film a kind of emotional rail on which to ride," Bernstein told The Associated Press in a 2001 interview. "Without even realizing that you're listening to music that's doing something to your emotions, you will have an emotional experience."

"To Kill a Mockingbird" presented Bernstein quite a challenge. For six weeks he could find no way to approach the story, which concerned racism and the Depression in a small Southern town.

"Then I realized that the film was about these issues but seen through the eyes of children," he once recalled. "The simple score was played by a small ensemble, at times employing single piano notes, much like a child picking out a tune."

For "The Man with the Golden Arm," in which Frank Sinatra played a heroin-addicted jazz musician, he discarded the studio orchestra for a jazz ensemble. For the landmark western "The Magnificent Seven," Bernstein composed a galloping march that remained famous for years afterward in TV ads for Marlboro cigarettes.

A piano prodigy who studied composing under Aaron Copland in New York, Bernstein moved to Hollywood in 1950 to work on his first movie score, for the football film "Saturday's Hero." After a few more routine assignments he made his mark with the moody music for the Joan Crawford thriller "Sudden Fear."

Although both hailed from New York, he was no relation to the legendary composer Leonard Bernstein.

"That's a common question," Mouton said. "They were friends and fellow New Yorkers, but they were not related in any way."

A supporter of left-wing causes, Bernstein's career was nearly destroyed by the Hollywood Red Hunt of the 1950s when he was summoned before a congressional subcommittee and told to identify communists in the film industry. He refused, saying he'd never attended a Communist party meeting.

"I wasn't important enough to be blacklisted, so I was put on a gray list," he once said.

Still, major studios refused to hire him, and he resorted to turning out music for low-budget films like "Robot Monster" and "Cat Women of the Moon."

Ironically, it was the vocally anti-communist director Cecil B. De Mille who broke the gray list by hiring Bernstein to replace the ailing Victor Young on "The Ten Commandments."

De Mille asked him, "Do you think you can do for Egyptian music what Puccini did for Japanese music in `Madame Butterfly'?" The young composer accepted the challenge, earning the first of his 14 Oscar nominations in the process.

Through 200 movies and 80 television shows, Bernstein would prove that he could adapt to any kind of music. He won an Emmy Award in 1964 for "The Making of The President: 1960."

He is survived by his wife, Eve, sons Peter and Gregory, daughters Emilie and Elizabeth, and five grandchildren.

A memorial service is pending.

The Couch Potato Report - August 19th, 2004

This week in The Couch Potato Report, two old new titles that are worth your time and two new new titles that aren't.

First up, the two new new titles.

TAKING LIVES stars Oscar winner Angelina Jolie as an FBI profiler who tracks a serial killer to Montreal.

Jolie is an incredible talent, and beauty, but TAKING LIVES isn't incredible at all. Its just (another) very predicable thriller that doesn't leave much to the imagination.

TAKING LIVES is no SILENCE OF THE LAMBS or SEVEN but it does have a few good frights and an interesting moment or two, plus it has Angelina Jolie.

I enjoyed looking at her, you might enjoy her "work" or you might appreciate the "work" of Ethan Hawke, Olivier Martinez and Kiefer Sutherland, who also star.

You might also enjoy the film's best line. I'll give it to you right now, and don't worry, it doesn't give any of the plot away.

At one point, Ethan Hawke says, "I should have stayed in Winnipeg."

Had Nia Vardalos stayed in Winnipeg, her hometown, the world would never have been able to see her cinematic BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING.

And that would have been too bad.

On the other hand, had she stayed in Winnipeg, we would have been spared having to ever see her horrible follow-up film, a "comedy" called CONNIE AND CARLA.

No amount of Windex will ever clean up this mess about two women who pose as men posing as female impersonators to evade criminals.

There are some laughs along the way, but the movie is not funny. It wants to be a modern day SOME LIKE IT HOT, but it is really just a Big Fat Cinematic Mess.

Nia Vardalos has genuine comedic talent, but she has to avoid making another movie like CONNIE & CARLA or she may become known as a one hit wonder.

Admittedly, she's not the only one at fault here. Toni Collette from THE SIXTH SENSE and former X-FILE-er David Duchovny get to share the blame.

There is no blame to share with this week's two other new releases, two old titles getting a new release.

Let me start with Martin Scorsese's classic film GOODFELLAS.

After years of only being available as a DVD you had to flip over to watch the entire film, GOODFELLAS finally gets a two disc DVD special edition!

GOODFELLAS is Scorsese's 1990 masterpiece. It centers on the hilarious, horrifying life of actual gangster Henry Hill, from his teen years on the streets of New York to his anonymous exile under the Witness Protection Program.

On this new two disc Special Edition the movie now has a digital soundtrack and picture. There is also a director's commentary, a making of featurette and a look at how GOODFELLAS influenced other filmmakers, which there are many.

The final new title this week on The Couch Potato Report is the three-disc set HAPPY DAYS - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON. It contains all 16 episodes from the 1974 season of the classic television series.

HAPPY DAYS was the show set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 1950's. It revolves around Richie Cunningham and his family and friends, including The Fonz, Joanie, Ralph Malph, Potsie and Mr. And Mrs. C.

Plus, in this first season, Richie has a brother named Chuck. Remember Chuck? If not, that's not a surprise, he disappeared after a few episodes of the show and was never referenced again.

HAPPY DAYS - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, GOODFELLAS - SPECIAL EDITION, TAKING LIVES and CONNIE AND CARLA are all available now at your favourite local video store.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT

ELLA ENCHANTED is a charming film about a young woman is cursed with obedience. The breathtaking Anne Hathaway from THE PRINCESS DIARIES and Cary Elwes of THE PRINCESS BRIDE star.

Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore top line LAWS OF ATTRACTION as two New York divorce attorneys who fall in love and get married.

And

Canada's Elisha Cuthbert, from the television show 24, is THE GIRL NEXT DOOR. In this modern day poor remake of RISKY BUSINESS a high school boy takes his ex-porn star neighbor to his prom.

What?!? It could happen!

I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next week on The Couch!

(NO SPOILERS CONTAINED!)

Diving into deep end

Primal fears -- the new film Open Water explores them, the two lead actors in it had to battle them to get the job done.

The film, opening Friday, depicts a young American couple who go scuba diving in the tropics and find themselves accidentally stranded in the open ocean. As their already-stressed relationship spirals into crisis, they are menaced by grey reef and bull sharks, stung by poisonous jellyfish and terrified by issues of abandonment.

The film was suggested by a real-life incident in Australia, then fictionalized with other incidents inspiring the filmmakers' research, too. But shark fear is always a factor.

"During those days shooting with the sharks I was in tears sometimes," actress Blanchard Ryan confessed to The Toronto Sun during a visit to publicize the much-buzzed-about indie film. "I was so scared, SO SCARED!"

Her character, who is named Susan (which is Ryan's own real first name -- Blanchard is her middle name) had enormous appeal to her, but there were problems, too.

There was the mandated nude bedroom scene -- brief but graphic. And she and co-star Daniel Travis, who plays her husband, had to spend 30 days treading water, primarily on location 18 miles off the coast of a Bahamian island among a healthy population of wild sharks.

"The role of Susan was why I took the movie," says Ryan, the daughter of NHL executive Ron Ryan, a Windsor-born hockey professional who is now president of the Philadelphia Flyers. "I took it despite the nudity, despite the sharks, despite all the dangers that were inherent in it ... I figured that I couldn't say no. So I did it -- but I was really afraid."

Unlike Ryan, Travis is a newcomer to film. He had other fears to contend with -- swimming with sharks was actually an attraction for this adventurer.

"The shark aspect was exciting to me," Travis says, remembering many incidents when they literally bumped into him, part of their feeding behaviour before they bite into something.

"I wasn't scared at all," Travis says. "She (Ryan) was scared for both of us. I think that my anxieties are placed in a different area. I must have lost the genetic disposition to be afraid of sharks."

One of Travis' real fears, however, is a major and important theme. Travis has a fear of being left alone in the open ocean.

"That was actually a much greater fear for me," he says. The shoot was intimate. There were two actors in the water and only two crew members on board the small boat, writer-director Chris Kentis and his producer wife Laura Lau, with both handling digital cameras. Travis felt vulnerable when the boat would disappear from view in ocean swells.

"There was an instant recognition of our insignificance in the grand scheme of things in the universe," he says. "When all you can see is water on any side and the only thing left recognizable is the person next to you, that's intimidating. That was a chilling moment for me in shooting."

One positive that helped both actors overcome their fears was friendship. While the filmmakers did not know it during the auditions, Ryan and Travis are good friends who already knew and trusted one another. But that also means they are willing now to tattle on one another.

"The most scared that I ever saw Daniel," Ryan says with a mischievous grin, "was at the opening at Sundance (where Open Water made its impact and sold to Lions Gate Films). When he saw all the people filing into the theatre, I thought he was going to be sick."

Primal fears -- everybody has them.

STARS LEARN TO SWIM WITH 'LAND SHARKS'

The careers of actors Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis are soaring because they took the plunge in the break-all-the-rules thriller Open Water, which is now creating a buzz in Hollywood.

"It's sort of the equivalent of being shot out of a catapult," says Travis, "and right now we are flying through the air, flailing away." Adds Ryan: "We're hoping we land in a nice trash pile, as opposed to cement, but we're ready to go splat on the ground."

Ryan says she would prefer, continuing the metaphor into whimsy, to land on a soft cloud. "But I figure a trash pile is the best-case scenario. It is Hollywood, after all. There are no cushy landings, I think. But it's an exciting time."

As Open Water continues to get them consideration for bigger projects, Ryan says, "Land sharks are much scarier! The ones in the water are innocent!"

New U2 album out in November

U2's still untitled new album will be released at the end of November, according to the U2 fan site Interference.com.

The site announced Tuesday that the confirmed release date for the new U2 record will be Monday, Nov. 22 in Europe and Tuesday, Nov. 23 in North America.

The album, produced by Steve Lillywhite, will be preceded by a new single titled "Vertigo," which will be available commercially on November 9. The single will hit North American radio on September 24.

A support tour will be announced in December, with a likely start-time in March of 2005 in the U.S.

U2's last album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind," was released in October 2000.

Mellencamp Walks 'Tall' On Retrospective

John Mellencamp has drafted producer/artist Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds to co-produce two new songs for his upcoming retrospective "Words & Music." The new cuts "Walk Tall" and "Thank You" join 35 Mellencamp catalog selections on the double-disc set, due Oct. 19 via Island/UME.

The album draws material from the 2001 Billboard Century Award winner's stints with longtime label Mercury and his latest home, Columbia. It features such early-career smashes as "Jack & Diane" (No. 1, Billboard Hot 100), "Hurts So Good" and "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." (both No. 2), plus additional top-10 hits like "Cherry Bomb," "Pink Houses," "Paper in Fire" and "Lonely Ol' Night."

The latter phase of Mellencamp's catalog is represented with his No. 3 hit cover of Van Morrison's "Wild Night," the No. 14 single "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" and one track each from his 2001 studio album "Cuttin' Heads" and last year's covers project "Trouble No More."

As previously reported, Mellencamp and Babyface will team up for October shows as part of the Vote for Change tour. Beforehand, Mellencamp will on Saturday (Aug. 21) perform "Small Town" with guitarists Andy York and Mike Wanchic at halftime of the Indianapolis Colts' pre-season home game against the New York Jets.

Expert Says 'Lost' Beatles Trove Is Fake

LONDON - It sounded too good to be true. Turns out it probably was. A long-sought trove of rare Beatles material that reportedly was found last month by a lucky British tourist remains lost, a leading Beatles expert says.

Last month, The Times newspaper reported that a suitcase bought by Fraser Claughton, 41, at an Australian flea market for about $35 was packed with Beatles memorabilia, including photos, concert programs and unreleased recordings.

But Pete Nash, a memorabilia expert from the British Beatles Fan Club who examined the contents of the suitcase on behalf of a British television channel, said he saw photocopied ticket stubs, laser-scanned pictures from the 1990s — and no rare reel-to-reel recordings.

"It's farcical, really," Nash told The Associated Press.

Neither The Times nor the reporter who wrote the original story wished to comment Wednesday.

Claughton does not have a listed telephone number, and could not be reached for comment. John Read, a friend and pop memorablia dealer who has spoken for him on the issue, did not return calls.

The story of Claughton's alleged discovery was picked up by media outlets around the world, including the AP.

The Times reported that among the contents of the suitcase was a reel-to-reel tape that included John Lennon and Paul McCartney experimenting with alternative versions of previously unrecorded tracks.

The newspaper quoted an expert with Christie's auction house as saying the find "sounds very exciting indeed," but a spokeswoman stressed to the AP that the auction house had not been contacted about evaluating the find and none of its experts had seen it.

The Times had said some experts believed the collection was the lost "Mal Evans archive," originally belonging to the Beatles' roadie and sound recordist.

Evans was killed by police in Los Angeles in 1976 after brandishing a fake gun. His belongings were lost during the police investigation and have never been recovered.

Nash said many of the items in the suitcase appeared to be copies, including laser-scanned photos dating from the mid-1990s and ticket stubs for The Beatles' appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and the premiere of "A Hard Day's Night" that were reproductions of images from "Lennon Legend," a book published last year.

"There was nothing to tie it to Mal Evans whatsoever," Nash said.

He said he asked to see the reel-to-reel tapes but was told "they were locked away in a bank vault."

"They said the tapes were still housed in their metal canisters," Nash said. "Audio tape is magnetic. One thing you do not do is store it in metal canisters."

Nash said he was played some tracks on CD that were "very common (bootleg) tracks that most Beatles collectors would own."

Geoff Baker, spokesman for The Beatles' label, Apple Corps, also said he believed the find was a fake.

The Evans archive remains a grail for Beatles collectors. Evans traveled with the band from the early 1960s and amassed a collection that would be worth millions if it turned up, Nash said.

"He used to pick up the rubbish in the studio, including The Beatles' handwritten notes and lyrics," Nash said.

In 1998, a notebook compiled by Evans, containing draft lyrics for "Hey Jude" and "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," sold for $185,000 at a London auction.

A year earlier, McCartney obtained an injunction to prevent Evans' widow from selling a scrap of paper bearing the original lyrics to "With a Little Help From My Friends."

Evans also completed a book about his time with the band. The manuscript is among the items lost after his death.

"All his personal effects were sent back to the U.K., including his ashes, but none of it arrived," Nash said. "I think it's still lost in the mail."

'Goodfellas' Cast Reunites for Dinner

LOS ANGELES - The theme of the night was "breaking bread, not legs" when some of the cast and filmmakers of "Goodfellas" reunited for a traditional sit-down dinner Monday night.

Ray Liotta, Paul Sorvino and real-life mob informant Henry Hill — whose gangland experiences inspired the story — showed up to gobble baked ziti, swap stories, sing some Italian opera and recall director Martin Scorsese's acclaimed mob movie.

Many hadn't seen each other since they shot the movie 15 years ago.

Sorvino, who played gang boss Paulie Cicero, said he desperately wanted the role, but played hard to get with Scorsese.

"I didn't think I had that kind of brutality," he said, recalling his first meeting with Scorsese. "I even went with a pinky ring and a black overcoat, I swear to God. I never wore a pinkie ring in my life before or since, but I wanted the role so bad! ... I think Marty had me in mind for it early on. So I said, `I don't think the money is quite right.' He said, `I'll take care of that!' And after I walked out I thought, `I've just hoodwinked the greatest director in the world.'"

Sorvino doesn't slice his garlic thin with a razor blade and dissolve it olive oil like his character in the movie. "I like having the chunks in there," he said.

Scorsese, currently working on his new film "The Aviator," did not attend the dinner, which was hosted by Warner Home Video to promote Tuesday's new special-edition DVD release of "Goodfellas."

Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, who won a supporting actor Oscar for his deadly "But, I'm funny how?" character, also were absent.

Liotta sat in a far corner of Matteo's restaurant, watching the movie from his red-leather booth while a painting of Frank Sinatra looked on from across the room. Liotta said he hasn't watched "Goodfellas" since the premiere in 1990.

"I'm flipping channels sometimes and it'll be on," Liotta said. "I'll wait for maybe 20 seconds before moving on."

Soon the actor's signature dish arrived at his table. He eats so often at Matteo's that they named the baked ziti after him.

"It's called on the menu `The Ray Liotta,'" he said. "Actually my ex is the one who ate it all the time. I always had this," he said pointing to his plate. "But I guess somebody else already had the chicken parm."

Accordion player Norm Panto wandered the room during dinner, and Sorvino — an accomplished tenor — belted out some opera while sitting at a table with former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, who came just because he's a fan.

"Goodfellas" producer Irwin Winkler confided that he was initially against Scorsese's choice of Liotta for Henry Hill, but a mix of charm and gentle intimidation won him over.

"I kept saying, 'No, no, no, no, no.' But Ray came over to me casually in a restaurant and said, `Look, I'm Ray Liotta ... but I understand you're not interested and don't want me for the part. Can I talk to you about it?' He convinced me!" Winkler said, laughing.

Screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, who also wrote the book "Wiseguy" with Hill, said he was interested in telling a "Godfather"-like story from a low-level gangster's perspective.

"They're volatile. They're a little touched-in-the-head, and that's why they're doing what they're doing," Pileggi said.

Hill, now 62, was kicked out of the Witness Protection Program for continuing to get into trouble with the law. But he isn't afraid for his life anymore. Most of the people he informed on have died in prison. And a lot of gangsters, himself included, are "Goodfellas" fans.

"What I'm proud of is (Scorsese) didn't glamorize it," Hill said. "They're not nice people ... But they accepted me, and ..."

He hesitates, then smiles. "And ... it was fun."

The lowdown on when Indiana Jones, James Cameron and Mad Max will be back

"Whatever happened to ..." doesn't just apply to former child stars-turned-liquor store bandits in the pages of People.

In Hollywood, the missing include living legends (Marlon Brando until his massively-timely death), the almost-weres (Gretchen Mol), gifted filmmakers (Stanley Kubrick averaged a film per decade) and long-awaited movies that inch, crawl and claw their way through what's affectionately known as "development hell." In some cases -- George Lucas' Star Wars films, for example -- the long-awaited films actually come to fruition.

In other cases, they end up like Brando himself: bloated, derelict, costly and internally unspooled.

INDIANA JONES 4

The chances of this happening are thinner than Calista Flockhart since her boyfriend Harrison Ford -- the titular adventurer in this series of classic films -- is now older than Sean Connery was when he played Indy's creaky-boned dad. Ford, Lucas and director Steven Spielberg have been tinkering with this movie since 1994, overseeing a revolving door of scripts and concepts -- some of which had Indy searching for flying saucers and Kevin Costner playing his evil brother. Then things finally looked like a lock in 2003 when Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont was signed to pen the screenplay. A production start was set (June 2004) and a release date declared (July 2005). Darabont's hush-hush script was set in the '50s and replaced Nazis as bad guys with Soviets. Ford loved the script. So did Spielberg. So why aren't they shooting? Lucas thought it needed work -- that it wasn't fast-paced enough, that it was too character-driven. And as anyone who has seen The Phantom Menace can tell you, Lucas knows good writing. So while it may still happen one day, someday -- it's not going to happen anytime soon.

JAMES CAMERON'S NEXT

Nothing paralyses a perfectionist like success. So when Cameron achieved the zenith of his profession (11 Oscars and the all-time box office crown for Titanic in 1997), he predictably retreated. Since then he's tinkered with new technology (a 3-D camera that Robert Rodriguez utilized on Spy Kids 3) and return trips to the bottom of the ocean (his documentary Ghosts of the Abyss). Now, though, it appears Cameron is going to direct another movie -- reportedly based on the Japanese comic book Battle Angel Alita (about a robot girl in a post-apocalyptic realm). Cameron hasn't confirmed that -- he'll only say he's working on a big-budget science fiction extravaganza -- but it appears increasingly likely that moviegoers will see it in 2006.

TERRENCE MALICK'S NEXT

Malick waited 20 years between films -- the glorious Days of Heaven in the '70s to The Thin Red Line in the '90s -- but is now stepping behind the camera again with the 1600s-era epic The New World. Starring Colin Farrell and Christian Bale, it explores the effect European settlers had on Native Americans, including Pocahontas.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Mel Gibson was all set to reprise his role as Mad Max when the war in Iraq exploded. The problem? The movie was set to film in Africa and the producers, fearing for their safety, put the brakes on the sequel. Problem is, once a movie like this goes off the rails, it's nearly impossible to get it moving again. And, sure enough, at last report, Fury Road was closed down -- possibly for good.

THE VEGA BROTHERS

Quentin Tarantino has long toyed with teaming Michael Madsen and John Travolta in a film since -- as Tarantino mythology has it -- their characters in Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction were brothers. But the uber-geek director takes his own sweet time -- and doesn't appear motivated to put this film into motion. His dilemma? The longer he waits, the older the actors get and, as you'll recall, they both died in their movies -- meaning any future film would have to be a prequel and the characters younger than they were a decade ago.

A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES

If you can't get a sequel to one of the biggest hits in history off the ground, imagine trying to mount a production of a much-admired literary property. Yet this Pulitzer Prize-winner came achingly close with Will Ferrell starring as Ignatius J. Reilly. But creative clashes scuttled the project earlier this year with Ferrell recently acknowledging that he's no longer involved with it. Instead he'll work on a property with nearly the same weight and intellectual value -- a big-screen version of Bewitched. Who's the dunce now?

Don't Mess with Texas

The liberal politics of ''The West Wing'' may be out of sync with those of the real-life White House, but during the coming season, the show will mimic reality by focusing more on presidential campaigning. And a central figure may be a politician from Texas. Variety reports that the show's producers are in talks with Jimmy Smits to join the cast as a three-term congressman from Houston with an eye on the Oval Office.

The possible hiring of the former ''NYPD Blue'' leading man and the campaign storyline may add some needed juice to the show as it enters its sixth season. Though ''West Wing'' remains Emmy bait (it earned 12 nominations last month), its ratings have declined, and critics have complained that the quality of the writing has also slumped since creator Aaron Sorkin left at the end of the fourth season. With President Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) term in office winding down, it's natural for the show to develop the election storyline, writer-producer Lawrence O'Donnell tells the New York Times. ''In the evolution of the stories, politics and campaigning has been the arena least explored. We're trying to rectify that balance,'' he says. ''It's a slightly unreal element on the show that we haven't had the political sharks circling the White House. That dynamic will now be added.''

Britney Covers Bobby Brown's 'My Prerogative' For Forthcoming LP

Britney Spears plans to knock Bobby Brown's socks off by covering his trademark hit, "My Prerogative."

The singer has chosen to remake the 1988 song for the first single off her next project, a greatest-hits album due November 16 that is now to be called, Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, according to her label. The cover, according to those who've heard it, doesn't sound much like the original and has a Bloodshy & Avant touch to it, a reference to the Swedish production team of Christian "Bloodshy" Carlsson and Pontus Avant. The pair produced the song and last worked with Spears on "Toxic," where they embellished her vocals with a techno-lite beat.

The choice of this particular song could also be interpreted — like "Overprotected" and "Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" — as a statement on the singer's life and the media reaction to some of her recent decisions, including her engagement to dancer Kevin Federline "It's True: Britney's Engaged"). The song's lyrics read, "Everybody's talking all this stuff about me/ Why don't they just let me live/ I don't need commission/ Make my own decisions/ That's my prerogative."

The song, which will hit radio on September 14, will be one of two new tracks on the collection.

A separate greatest-hits DVD will be released on the same day as the album.

Watts Undergoing Cancer Treatment

Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts is being treated for throat cancer, a spokesperson for the band said today (Aug. 14). The 63-year-old musician was diagnosed in June and has completed four weeks of a six-week course of radiotherapy at London's Royal Marsden Hospital.

"He is expecting to make a full recovery and start work with the rest of the band later in the year," the spokesperson said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The spokesperson said Watt's treatment had not interfered with any tour or recording plans for the Stones, who have been "relaxing between work commitments" following a world tour last year.

Known as the most laid-back member of the band he joined more than 40 years ago, Watts has also performed with a variety of jazz ensembles.

'Alien Vs. Predator' Smacks Down Rivals

LOS ANGELES - Movie-goers were easy prey for a double dose of space invaders. The sci-fi smackdown "Alien vs. Predator," featuring the creatures of the "Alien" and "Predator" franchises, debuted as the No. 1 weekend movie with $38.25 million, studio estimates showed Sunday.

"Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," with Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews reprising their royal roles, opened in second place with a three-day gross of $23 million, pushing its total since premiering Wednesday to $37.2 million.

That was about on par with the $37.9 million "The Princess Diaries" took in over its entire first week in August 2001.

The new movies bumped the previous weekend's top film, Tom Cruise's "Collateral," to third place with $16 million.

The animated kid flick "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie," adapted from the TV cartoon show from Japan, debuted at No. 4 with $9.4 million.

"Alien vs. Predator," featuring Sanaa Lathan and "Aliens" and "Alien 3" co-star Lance Henriksen, centers on a human expedition that stumbles on a space-monster blood feud in an ancient pyramid buried below Antarctica.

The movie debuted slightly ahead of the $36.4 million debut of last summer's horror hybrid "Freddy vs. Jason," which paired the slashers of the "Friday the 13th" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" franchises.

"This continues the trend of combining franchises to very strong box-office results," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "If you're a fan of the 'Alien' movies, you want to see this movie. If you're a fan of 'Predator," you want to see this movie."

Audiences shelled out $16.8 million to see "Alien vs. Predator" on Friday, but the movie's gross fell to $12.5 million Saturday, a steep 26 percent decline. Most new movies do better business on Saturday than Friday.

That's a sign that "Alien vs. Predator" could follow the pattern of "Freddy vs. Jason" and other horror tales, which tend to open well then plunge in subsequent weekends.

Still, "Freddy vs. Jason" topped out at a healthy $82.2 million domestically. Budgeted at $60 million, "Alien vs. Predator" would turn a solid profit for 20th Century Fox if it matches the gross of "Freddy vs. Jason."

Preceded by "Alien vs. Predator" video games, the movie drew a largely male audience, most younger than 25. To broaden its appeal, 20th Century Fox brought the movie in at a PG-13 rating, though the previous four "Alien" films and two "Predator" flicks had hard R ratings for violence.

"I don't think it's a cop-out at all," said Bruce Snyder, the studio's head of distribution. "This is based on a video game that did have a bit of a younger audience. There's a lot of action and violence, but most of it is creature to creature rather than creature to people."

In limited release, the domestic drama "We Don't Live Here Anymore," starring Laura Dern, Naomi Watts, Mark Ruffalo and Peter Krause, opened strongly with $106,000 in just seven theaters. The film expands to more theaters this Friday.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Alien vs. Predator," $38.25 million.
2. "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," $23 million.
3. "Collateral," $16 million.
4. "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie," $9.4 million.
5. "The Bourne Supremacy," $8.3 million.
6. "The Village," $7 million.
7. "The Manchurian Candidate," $6 million.
8. "Little Black Book," $3.7 million.
9. "I, Robot," $3.6 million.
10. "Spider-Man 2," $3.4 million.

Charlize Theron Signs as New Face of Dior Perfume

PARIS (Reuters) - Actress Charlize Theron has signed a contract with Christian Dior to be the face of its bestselling perfume J'adore, pitting her against fellow Oscar winner Nicole Kidman who will launch a similar campaign for Chanel.

Theron is due to star in print and television advertisements for J'adore starting in the autumn, a spokeswoman for Parfums Christian Dior said on Friday.

She could not provide details of the contract, but trade publication Women's Wear Daily (WWD) on Friday quoted industry sources as saying the South African actress had signed a three-year deal worth between $3 million and $5 million.

Theron won this year's Oscar for best actress for her performance as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster," a role which required her to put on weight and wear heavy make-up that rendered her almost unrecognizable.

The former model is the latest celebrity to sign an advertising deal with a major fashion label, a trend which industry watchers say reflects public fascination with the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Hilary Swank, another Oscar winner, headlines underwear ads for Calvin Klein while starlets Scarlett Johansson, Diane Kruger and Chloe Sevigny star in Louis Vuitton's autumn campaign.

Kidman earlier this year signed a contract reported to be worth millions to become the face of Chanel's legendary No 5 perfume. The advertisements were shot by fellow Australian Baz Luhrmann, who directed Kidman in the hit musical "Moulin Rouge."

The Dior campaign starring Theron was a collaboration between photographer Nick Knight and rebel British designer John Galliano, who has revolutionized the image of the label with extravagant and provocative catwalk displays.

Weekend Movies: Big Summer Begins to Wind Down

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood's summer of event movies starts winding down on Friday with two new films joining Disney's "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," but gone are the days when each weekend brought a major new movie with a big-name star.

"Princess Diaries 2" is a follow-up to 2001's successful movie about a 15-year-old social misfit who discovers she is a princess. It debuted on Wednesday, and squares off this weekend against sci-fi action flick "Alien vs. Predator" and animated "Yu-Gi-Oh!," which is based on the popular Japanese comics.

The latter part of August is traditionally a slow moviegoing period in the United States because people are away from home on holiday or are suffering general fatigue from the big-budget flicks that fill May through July.

By now, Brad Pitt has conquered Troy and Harry Potter has conjured up the box office magic that had been expected. "Shrek 2" is the No. 1 summer hit with a domestic box office tally over $434 million beating "Spider-Man 2" and its $354 million.

This weekend, "Alien vs. Predator" has perhaps the best chance at claiming No. 1 at box offices because it is targeted at the young men who make up core theater audiences and is playing in more theaters -- 3,472, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. -- than any of its other new rivals.

But don't count out Hathaway and girl power. "Princess Diaries 2" is The Walt Disney Co.'s last shot at big summer success after having stumbled with "Around the World in 80 Days" and "King Arthur," and now facing a steep drop-off in second week sales for its recent No. 1, "The Village."

CONFIDENCE BECOMES HER

The first "Princess Diaries" helped make 21-year-old Anne Hathaway a star. In the sequel, her character Mia Thermopolis has grown from a gawky teen girl to a self-assured young woman with choices to make about the direction of her life.

"Mia is a lot more confident now, a very self-possessed young lady," said Hathaway.

Having grown up, Mia is ready to face a new life as the princess of Genovia with all the perquisites and pitfalls of life as a royal.

But her country's quest for a king to wed their soon-to-be queen challenges Mia's beliefs and values. She has to learn to live her new life, but in her own way.

Twentieth Century Fox's "Alien Vs. Predator" pits two of the movies' scariest monsters of recent years against each other in a duel to the death.

Scientists discover the otherworldly creatures in a pyramid buried under Antarctica's ice. Inside, the monsters are on the hunt, putting the scientists squarely in harm's way.

Monster vs. monster movies have been popular in late summer months of recent years. In 2003, "Freddy Vs. Jason" turned in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales of around $82 million.

Fox has already enjoyed a strong summer behind hits like "The Day After Tomorrow," "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" and "I, Robot." Its independent film division, Fox Searchlight, has seen a solid showing from "Napoleon Dynamite."

Finally, Warner Bros. has had success at bringing Japanese animated movies to kids in the past with the "Pokemon" movies, and "Yu-Gi-Oh" is in the same vein.

The movie follows the adventures of high-school student Yugi Muto who becomes invincible when he plays his favorite card game. It is playing in 2,411 venues, according to Exhibitor Relations.

Talk Show Host Kilborn Quits Late-Night Gig

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Late-night comedian Craig Kilborn is quitting his CBS talk show after a five-year stint in the time slot following "Late Show With David Letterman," Hollywood's trade papers reported on Friday.

Kilborn and Viacom Inc. -owned CBS had been in talks throughout the summer for a new multiyear deal keeping him at the helm of "The Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn," but he told network executives on Thursday that he wanted to move on, according to Daily Variety.

"It was easily the greatest job I've had, and CBS was very generous in their offer to re-sign me," the paper quoted Kilborn, 41, as saying. "But I simply want to try something new. I can now focus on writing and producing different television projects I haven't had time for."

Kilborn will leave his Los Angeles-based job by early next month, Daily Variety said. It speculated that CBS may try to lure Conan O'Brien, whose NBC show outdraws Kilborn's in the 12:35 a.m. slot. However, it noted that O'Brien's contract with the General Electric Co. -owned network does not expire until December 2005.

During the past 12 months, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" has averaged 2.5 million viewers each night, compared with 1.6 million for "Kilborn," according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Julia Child, whose TV shows taught millions to cook, dies at 91

NEW YORK (AP) - Julia Child, whose warbling, encouraging voice and able hands brought the intricacies of French cuisine to home cooks in North America through her television series and books, died in her sleep three days before what would have been her 92nd birthday.

"America has lost a true national treasure," Nicholas Latimer, director of publicity for Alfred A. Knopf publishing, said in a statement Friday. "She will be missed terribly."

The statement said she died Thursday at her home in Santa Barbara, Calif. The cause of death was not given.

A 6-foot-2 American folk hero, The French Chef was known to her public as Julia, and preached a delight not only in good food but in sharing it, ending her landmark public television lessons at a set table and with the wish, "Bon appetit."

"Dining with one's friends and beloved family is certainly one of life's primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal," she said in the introduction to her seventh book, The Way to Cook. "In spite of food fads, fitness programs, and health concerns, we must never lose sight of a beautifully conceived meal."

Chipper and unpretentious, she beckoned everyone to give good food a try. She wasn't always tidy in the kitchen, and just like the rest of us, she sometimes dropped things or had trouble getting a cake out of its mould.

In an A-line skirt and blouse, and an apron with a dish towel tucked into the waist, Julia Child grew familiar enough to be parodied by Dan Aykroyd on Saturday Night Live and the subject of Jean Stapleton's musical revue, Bon Appetit.

She was on the cover of Time magazine in 1966.

May she rest in peace.

Barenaked Ladies Say Ho

The leaves will still be on the trees when Barenaked Ladies release Barenaked for the Holidays, a twenty-track homage to the coldest time of the year. The album, due on October 5th, will feature a mix of originals like "Elf's Lament" and "Snowman," standards like "I Saw Three Ships" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," and more modern fare like Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas."

"We've tried to incorporate songs that fans have talked about seeing us perform when we have holiday shows," says singer/guitarist Ed Robertson, explaining the album's simple impetus.

"It's a little Christmas, a little New Year's and a little Hannukah," adds co-frontman Steven Page. "It has felt a little weird singing these songs in the summer, [but] we've found ourselves well into the holiday spirit. Some of the songs have fairly traditional arrangements but others, like 'Jingle Bells,' have the extra lines you remember from being a kid."

Before they bring their glad tidings, Barenaked Ladies finish their summer tour with Alanis Morissette Saturday at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati.

Barenaked for the Holidays track listing:

Jingle Bells
Green Christmas
I Saw Three Ships
Hanukkah Blessings
Oh Holy Night
Elf's Lament
Snowman
Do They Know It's Christmas
Hanukkah O Hanukkah
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Carol of the Bells
Footprints
Deck the Stills
Christmastime (Oh Yeah)
Sleigh Ride
Christmas Pics
I Have a Little Dreidel
Wonderful Christmastime
Auld Lang Syne

J. Lo, Hilary, Gwyneth, Nelly, Christina, Alicia, Will Smith To Appear At VMAs

The ever-expanding list of MTV Video Music Awards presenters just loosened its belt another notch.

Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Duff, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jimmy Fallon and Will Smith have been confirmed to hit the stage as presenters at the 2004 VMAs.

Nelly, Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys have also been added to the list of performers for the show, set for Miami's American Airlines Arena on August 29. The three new additions will join Usher, Kanye West, Yellowcard, Lil Jon, Jet, Petey Pablo, Hoobastank, Jessica Simpson, Ying Yang Twins and Terror Squad featuring Fat Joe.

The presenters, meanwhile, will join P. Diddy, Paris Hilton, Lenny Kravitz, Tony Hawk, Ludacris, Ashlee Simpson, LL Cool J and Jon Stewart.

Nelly and Christina (who is nominated for two VMAs) are slated to perform "Tilt'cha Head Back," from one of Nelly's two forthcoming albums, Sweat. Alicia Keys, who has been nominated for three VMAs, will perform her hit "If I Ain't Got You," from her most recent release, The Diary of Alicia Keys.

Jay-Z leads this year's nominees with six nominations for his "99 Problems" clip, including Best Video of the Year, Best Male Video and Best Rap Video. Beyoncé, No Doubt, Usher and Outkast follow closely behind with five nominations each, while Britney Spears, Kanye West, Steriogram, the White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs each have four nominations.

This year's Viewer's Choice Award will be determined this year by the VMAyhem Viewer's Choice Playoffs, which allow MTV.com users to narrow a list of 40 videos down to five nominees through head-to-head video battles. Voting on the five final nominees will begin on August 18.

The 2004 MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from Miami on Sunday, August 29, at 8 p.m on MTV.

Universal Wants Another Helping of PIE

The storyline of the AMERICAN PIE teen comedy flicks logically wrapped up with the third installment, AMERICAN WEDDING, but Universal is at work at a fourth slice of PIE.

FilmJerk.com cites an anonymous source that AMERICAN PIE 4 is on a fast track, slated to begin next month with director Steve Rash.

However, none of the original cast is expected to participate. Instead, this new piece of PIE will be about Matt Stifler, the younger brother of PIE jock Steve Stifler.

The story would focus on young Matt being sent to band camp, a locale which was at the center of the original PIE trilogy.

Timberlake Out of Sync?

After you've disrobed Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl, and presumably disrobed Cameron Diaz someplace, can you really go back to being just one of the boys?

For Justin Timberlake, the answer is no, per a report in the new People magazine.

Timberlake "doesn't want any part" of a planned 'N Sync reunion, a source says in People.

"Justin said he's not in the mood and doesn't think it will work," the spy tells the magazine.

'N Sync, with the Backstreet Boys, the leading boy band of the teen-pop explosion of the late 1990s/early 2000s, has been on hiatus since a 2002 tour in support of the group's third pop album, Celebrity, released in 2001.

The five members--Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick--have reteamed occasionally. In 2003, for instance, they harmonized on a Bee Gees medley at the Grammy Awards.

Last month, the "Bye Bye Bye" boys performed the national anthem at a charity basketball game in Miami for the Challenge for the Children Foundation, an organization founded by the popsters.

The Miami gig was supposed to be the start of putting 'N Sync back in sync, People says. But instead of talking about recording dates, Timberlake reportedly was talking about not recording.

Officially, the group is still a group, Jive Records spokeswoman Sonia Muckle told E! Thursday. She also says there was never a new 'N Sync album planned for this year.

Chasez, Bass, Fatone and Kirkpatrick "are undecided right now" about the future of the band, the People source says. The foursome were said to be ticked off at Timberlake's defection.

It was Timberlake who sparked talk of a reactivated 'N Sync last year. He told the Website Launch that the reunion would occur after Chasez's solo album debut, Schizophrenic, came out in February of this year.

When it comes to solo acts, the 23-year-old Timberlake is the solo act among the 'N Sync set. His 2002 album, Justified, went triple platinum, spawned the hit singles "Cry Me a River" and "Like I Love You," and won two Grammys.

Off the charts, he's dated Britney Spears, Jackson and incumbent girlfriend Diaz, and bagged a leading role in the big-screen thriller, Edison, due out next year. Last January, he manhandled Jackson's bustier in the wardrobe malfunction seen around the world.

By comparison, the other 'N Syncers have had more modest successes, not including Lance Bass who almost immodestly walked in outer space, but none seem hard up enough to warrant a sad Behind the Music profile.

With 'N Sync possibly out of the picture, the Backstreet Boys should have less competition when they seek to reclaim the hearts and minds of their older and possibly wiser fans.

The Boys have been on the road since the spring. A new album--their first since 2001's optimistically titled The Hits--Chapter One--is expected later this year.

Unlike the 'N Sync situation, no Backstreet Boy has a soaring solo career to get in the way of the group--Nick Carter's Paris Hilton-related headlines, notwithstanding.

Sofia Coppola Heads Up 'Marie-Antoinette'

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sofia Coppola is going in for some more translation work.

The Academy Award-winning writer/director of "Lost in Translation" is studying up on her French history for her next project, "Marie-Antoinette," starring Kirsten Dunst as the ill-fated French queen and Jason Schwartzman as her husband, Louis XVI. Both lost their heads during the French Revolution.

The Columbia Pictures project, which Coppola will write and direct, is described as a stylized account of the enigmatic royal. Production is scheduled to begin in February in France.

"I've always loved the story of Marie Antoinette and the decadence of Versailles on the brink of revolution," Coppola said, "and the fact she was just a teenager when circumstances forced her to play a significant role in history."

Dunst, who starred in Coppola's first film, "The Virgin Suicides," most recently appeared in "Spider-Man 2." Her upcoming features include "Wimbledon" and Cameron Crowe's drama "Elizabethtown."

Schwartzman made his film debut in Wes Anderson's "Rushmore" and is set to begin filming Columbia's "Bewitched" with Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. He and Coppola are cousins and both appeared in her brother Roman's drama "CQ."

TV show Corner Gas puts small Saskatchewan town of Rouleau on the map

ROULEAU, Sask. (CP) - Of the thousands of Canadians who tuned in to Corner Gas during its first season, none are more loyal to the show than the 400 or so that live in this dusty rural crossroads just south of Regina.

It's been more than a year since the people of Rouleau and the producers of the hit CTV sitcom entered into a relationship that has taken the town into living rooms across the country each week. As the backdrop for the comedy, Rouleau - or Dog River as it is known to fans - has enjoyed the boost that has come with the show's critical acclaim and surprise success.

"I think just the traffic - the fact that we are getting more people through the town - has been good," said Mayor Ken Hoff. "It is fun to see the actors and the crew and the whole works ... It makes for a lot of excitement and activity."

Created by and starring Saskatchewan-born comedian Brent Butt, Corner Gas takes a lighter look at the little things that happen in a place where everybody knows everybody else.

Audience numbers were phenomenal during the first season and the reviews were flattering. It's been picked up by the network for season 2, and new episodes begin airing in October.

Hoff points out that, when filming is under way, as many as 85 people come to Rouleau to work on the show - roughly one-quarter of the town's permanent population.

A mock gas station/cafe - the centrepiece of the show - has been built from scratch on the outskirts, and a handful of buildings downtown have been refurbished to be used for shooting.

There has not been much of an economic benefit for the town, Hoff said. But it has sure kept things from stagnating.

"A big increase in spending I would not say is there. But they contribute to our school, they contribute to the rental of the hall, they contribute to the rental of the rink and that has helped immensely."

Most of those who live and work in the town have enjoyed all the action.

Louise Huxley minds the till at the local liquor store/car-insurance outlet - a contradiction so odd that it has made its way into the script.

"It's been good," Huxley said. "My husband or daughter have been on the Internet and they have met quite a few people on the Corner Gas site."

At one point, Huxley said, her family hosted a gathering of out-of-town fans at their house so that everyone could come and see the set.

"It's brought a whole bunch of different people together," she said.

To say that Corner Gas has created a tourism industry in Rouleau is a bit of a stretch, but curious outsiders definitely make their way into town as they pass.

Fans Lynn and Barb Laski, from Kenora, Ont., were holidaying on the Prairies, and said they couldn't help but stop off in Rouleau for a look.

"We love the show," Lynn said. "It's so downhome and real. We just love that."

Those who work on the show appreciate the warm reception they have received.

"The nice part about doing it here is it is not like fans in L.A.," said Janet Wright, a veteran Canadian actress who plays the matriarch Emma on the show. "People here get really excited."

There's no telling how long Corner Gas will run, but the people in Rouleau have their fingers crossed.

"I'm sure the town would be happy if it would run for 10 years," Hoff said.

Ivana Santilli looking to further solo career with funk-heavy Corduroy Boogie

TORONTO (CP) - Ivana Santilli has been poised to break out for about a decade.

First it was with the Juno-winning funk group Bass Is Base in the mid-'90s. She followed that with a solo record in 1999. It somehow missed the mainstream despite good reviews, Juno nominations, decent album sales and critical praise for her packed live shows.

But the Toronto-born indie singer - who picked up a trumpet in high school and was encouraged to learn South American pop songs by her wedding-band leader father - isn't letting it get her down and is back with a new record five years later.

She's taken the notion of not always getting what you deserve and turned into a funk-laden track on her new record, Corduroy Boogie.

"I can work harder, maybe last longer but that don't mean that I'm gonna get what I am worth," she sings in the bopping Deserve, currently making the rounds on pop radio.

"Deserve is a way to make fun of myself," Santilli said, sitting in an office at a small recording studio in Toronto.

"It's about me but I looked around and a lot of people are dealing with this stuff. They're working really hard and honestly and not getting ahead. I always thought paying dues was what you do. But I've seen it happen where people just pop into the business and get signed right away.

"You can't look at it as 'Oh, I deserve this.' But that's not how life works . . . sometimes you have to just grab what's yours, and at this point I'm grabbing it," she adds clenching her fists to emphasis her intentions.

For Santilli "grabbing it" meant taking advantage of respected producers like electronica prince King Britt and British nu-soul giant Omar - both of whom showed interest in her previous projects - to make the new record.

It's also about booking lots of live shows where she can show off her musicianship. She'll be taking her trumpet and piano skills on the road this fall to let people know she's back.

But it wasn't easy, says Santilli, who's of Italian and francophone background. The five-year lag time between records was partially caused by financial restraints.

The distributor of her debut record Brown went bankrupt and, she says, never paid her for the 30,000 units sold, leaving the self-financed singer in the lurch.

"It was difficult because when you self-fund a record you need to see some of that come back so you can fund the next project," said Santilli, who is coy about her age.

"I turned my back on music for a while. I didn't find hope in anything."

It didn't help that industry professionals were telling her to tone down her R&B and hip hop influence.

"It was a lot of people telling me I had to change what I was doing, which was rough," she said. "How can I lay off something that influenced me for years?"

She snapped out of her spell with a writing trip to Philadelphia sponsored by Peer Music International, an independent music publishing house which hired Santilli to craft songs.

"There's a newness there. It allowed me to understand my validity again. I was away from home so there was no 'Let's support her because she's one of ours.' "
Corduroy Boogie takes listeners on a trilingual (she also speaks French and Italian) jazzed-up funk ride into soul, R&B, electronica and disco while somehow maintaining Santilli's signature smoothness.

It's a record that might finally propel her in front of new audiences because it's hitting radio at a time when most music sounds the same, says Mocha, music director and afternoon drive host at The Beat 91.5 FM in Kitchener, Ont.

"When you have something like Deserve that comes out and is completely different from everything else, it's refreshing," said Mocha, who added the song to the station's heavy rotation cycle. "It catches your ear.

"The commercial radio audience probably hear the song and they think she's a brand new artist."

Cruise Halts 'Mission,' Goes To 'War' with Spielberg

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Tom Cruise's plan to film "Mission: Impossible 3" this year has become, well, an impossible mission.

The movie, which has been plagued by director problems, will not begin production later this month, as had been planned, and Cruise will instead reunite with Steven Spielberg on "War of the Worlds." The modern-day adaptation of H.G. Wells classic about a Martian invasion of Earth will replace "M:I-3" as Paramount's big summer hopeful next year.

"War," which has been in development for some time, will begin filming in November. Its exact release date has not yet been decided.

Cruise hasn't abandoned "M:I-3." It will now shoot next summer, with J.J. Abrams, creator of the TV series "Felicity" and "Alias," set to make his feature directorial debut.

Paramount had been facing an increasingly difficult situation with "M:I-3." It had originally been penciled in as a release this year, with David Fincher ("Se7en") directing. When Fincher bowed out in favor of another project, Joe Carnahan ("Narc") came aboard. Carnahan, in turn, exited the project last month, with the studio citing creative differences.

With the clock ticking, Paramount already had shifted "M:I-3's" 2005 release to June 29 from from May 6; preproduction had begun for filming in Europe later this month; and a cast that includes Scarlett Johansson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Kenneth Branagh and Ving Rhames was in place.

Cruise and his production partner at Paramount-based C/W Prods., Paula Wagner, wanted Abrams to take the reins, but Abrams' contractual obligations with both "Alias" and a new ABC drama series, "Lost," prevented him from taking on the "M:I-3" assignment until next year.

At the same time, Spielberg hit a roadblock with a drama he was readying to shoot about the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. With that project delayed while it undergoes a rewrite by "Angels in America" playwright Tony Kushner, Spielberg's schedule opened up.

Taking advantage of Spielberg's availability, Paramount shifted course. "War," which will reteam Spielberg and Cruise, who worked together on "Minority Report," will be a co-production with Spielberg's DreamWorks studio.

"These things don't usually happen with a happy ending," Paramount Motion Picture Group chairman Sherry Lansing said. "I feel overjoyed. The script for 'War' is nothing short of brilliant, and this way Tom will finish 'War' first and get his No. 1 choice for 'M:I-3.' I quite honestly feel blessed. Spielberg has committed to a movie, a Tom Cruise movie, and Cruise is going to follow that up with a second project. We have two major tentpole projects. It all came out better than anyone could have imagined."

Cake with humour on top

If intelligence officials are looking for a clue to the timing of another attack, they should probably check the upcoming release schedule for Sony music.

If they know what to look for, if they know their history, they'll probably put a big red circle around Oct. 5, 2004 -- the day American rock band Cake release their new album, Pressure Chief.

"There's always been some sort of impediment towards our full-scale explosion," says the band's frontman John McCrea good-naturedly.

Over the course of the band's 10-year history and super-fine albums, such as 2001's Comfort Eagle and 1996's Fashion Nugget, those impediments have included everything from 9-11, to poorly timed record company mergers, to the '90s rock movement.

Then again, McCrea says, maybe it's not the cosmos conspiring to keep the band on the fringes of mainstream music -- maybe it's a case of self-sabotage by way of a sense of humour.

It's always been part of the Cake mix -- although just one small ingredient -- but it's one that too many focus on offering up the band's cover of I Will Survive as evidence.

"I think it's prevented a lot of Baby Boomers from taking us seriously because they want pure seriousness or pure humour," McCrea says before offering an analogy by way of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercials, where the two men bumped into each other annoyed that one's peanut butter got in the other's chocolate and visa versa.

"But it ended up being fine that those two flavours got together," says McCrea. "A lot of time, people can't handle tragedy or comedy mixed together or opposites hanging out in the same room, but that's the way it is in the world.

"We've been unfairly categorized as a joke band on every single album (along) the way, by Baby Boomer critics that come from the '60s where everything was simple, sincere, earnest, striving -- and it's just not that kind of world any more."

Well, hopefully the world will stay the same and remain ready for Pressure Chief, which they'll preview some material from when they play the Roots and Blues Festival tomorrow night at McMahon Stadium.

The disc, McCrea says, is pretty much typical Cake, with the one difference being he and his bandmates took the production duties into their own hands giving it a somewhat less polished and full sound.

"It's not intentionally lo-fi -- it's lo-fi because we didn't know what we were doing," he says.

"It's not like The Strokes trying to put distortion on the lead vocal to make it sound like 1972, it's actually because we're lame.

"But it ends up sounding good, I think."

Jenna Jameson's Forbidden Desires

Can the world's biggest porn star go mainstream?

By VANESSA GRIGORIADIS

Jenna Jameson has no porn in her house. There are no adult videos or DVDs anywhere to be found, not even the kitchen magnets with Jameson's likeness that she sells on her Web site, and certainly not any replicas of "Jenna's Vagina and Ass" made of "ultrarealistic, lifelike" material and on sale for $159.95, with complimentary lube and talcum powder. What goes on in Jameson's frilly, pillow-laden bed is lovemaking, and while she doesn't rule out toys, it definitely doesn't include a video camera: "Please!" she squeals. "That's the last thing I want to see in there."

It's a balmy Sunday afternoon in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Jameson, wearing a bright-yellow T-shirt, jeans and fuzzy Birkenstocks, is shuffling back and forth from the kitchen to her veranda, which is where she goes to smoke an endless chain of Marlboro Lights. Now thirty years old, she still has the look of a slutty cheerleader, with a thick blond mane swept into a ponytail that's a little too long, blue eyes a little too feral, her upper lip puckered in a sexy snarl even when she's exhibiting no emotion at all, which is often. She picks at pasta and veggies as her dogs gather at her feet: a couple of puppies, an English bulldog and Stinky, the teacup Pomeranian she's had as a companion for six years. They're always peeing all over the house, and now there's the sound of lapping at a toilet bowl.

"Ugh," says Jameson. "That disgusts me, because then he comes up and licks me."

That Jameson would have such a reaction to an animal's bodily fluids when she makes her living swapping human ones might seem strange, but here at home, a Mediterranean-style minimansion decorated in the mix of suburban and gothic so often favored by rock stars, she's careful to present herself as a normal girl. In fact, the only clue that you're in the house of a porn star is the home office of Jay Grdina, her affable, quirky and not at all creepy husband of one year, the director of her movies, co-proprietor of her production company and Web site, and her only male onscreen sex partner since 1998 ("He doesn't have problems in that department, but still, thank God for Viagra," says Jameson). With surgical steel and diamond earrings the shape of long fake nails that come to a very sharp point in either ear, Grdina, 36, huddles over a warren of computer screens, editing a grainy image of his wife in a latex nurse's uniform bent over a gurney carrying his naked body.

"Just putting together a short entry for Sundance," he jokes.

The box covers of Jameson's videos sometimes describe her as the "World's Most Famous Adult Star," and indeed, Jameson's name is perhaps the only one, other than Ron Jeremy's, that people who don't watch porn know. Indeed, "Jenna Jameson" is a kind of cultural shorthand for "porn star," tossed off casually in HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and even romantically linked to Britney Spears' in one tabloid-sparked rumor, something they both deny ("I wish," Jameson says). Jameson owes a lot of her success to Howard Stern, who booked her constantly in the mid-Nineties and cast her in 1997's Private Parts -- she played the role of Stern's first naked female guest. Since then, she has appeared in ads for Pony and Abercrombie & Fitch, hosted Wild On!, taped a voice-over for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, shown up in videos for Eminem and Korn, and starred in her own E! True Hollywood Story. She has never gone completely mainstream. "I'm so unaffected by the whole friggin' Hollywood scene -- give me the job or shut the fuck up," she says. "I'm not a show pony. I don't want to hang out with you and your friends, and I don't want to leave a message on your answering machine: 'You've reached Scott, he's busy with me right now.' I don't want to play some part where I have to dye my hair, get my boobs reduced and change my name. Do you think people are going to go, 'Oh, that girl Ashley Smith is so cute, what a breakout star'? They'll go, 'Oh, there's Jenna Jameson in a wig and friggin' small titties.' "

This rant is just a hint of the deep anger at the world Jameson explores at length in her new autobiography, How to . . . Make Love Like a Porn Star, which includes revelations ranging from her being gang- raped in Montana as a teenager, to a harrowing account of her addiction to methamphetamine and later Vicodin, to a fling with Tommy Lee and the size of Howard Stern's dick (surprisingly large, though she never spied it unsheathed).

Sex was an outlet for Jameson's pent-up fury at her unfortunate childhood -- her mother, a showgirl, died when she was three; Dad tried but was emotionally distant.

Offscreen, she puts the number of women that she's slept with at 100, and men at 30. "I'm definitely bisexual, and there have been times in my life that I've been so bisexual it's sick," she says. "I love girls. I'll never not look at a girl and think, 'How do you think she tastes?' "

At sixteen, Jameson, who was born in Las Vegas as Jenna Marie Massoli (she chose Jameson because she liked the brand of whiskey), fell in love with the Vegas tattoo artist who did her first tattoos. She says he also did speed with her and encouraged her to start stripping at Crazy Horse Too. She was also raped by a relative of his. A nudie-magazine scout discovered her at the Crazy Horse, but print soon led to soft-core girl-girl films, and then, "Well, one thing led to another," she says. She drew the line at anal sex, which she's never had on camera. "I look at these new girls today, taking on six guys and doing bukkakes, and I think, 'What the hell are they doing?' " says Jameson. "These girls don't know that you have to start slow, baby, and make them pay you more for each thing you do. In my day you hardly had to have sex, let alone two dicks up your ass."

As smart as Jameson was about incrementally selling herself on the way to stardom, since she got there she has been very savvy about what she does and does not need to do. There is relatively little tape of Jameson out there. In more than a decade in the industry, she has shot less than fifty films (which are, of course, relentlessly recut into new DVDs). These days, she makes only one or two movies a year, and they usually feature her in only a couple scenes. "I feel like I've evolved into this different person," says Jameson. "I feel weird doing a sex scene in front of people with my husband. I don't even crave the girl-girl stuff anymore. The fact is, I'm at a point in my life where I don't want to be butt-naked in front of thirty people anymore."

Part of why Jameson doesn't want to do porn anymore is Grdina. She is utterly devoted to him, the way one might be to a puppy love. All over the house are framed collages that she made for him, hotel room keys and feathers glued to a construction board alongside sayings about falling in love cut out from magazines -- silly ones, such as "Boyfriends cop a feel before the elevator door opens," and serious ones, like "It was no accident: You were sent from heaven to take my bad dreams away and let me love again." One doesn't quite fit: "He who angers you conquers you."

"Yeah," says Jameson. "Anger is powerful."

With Grdina around, Jameson has been tamed, for the most part. A lot of Jameson's continued success as a brand can be attributed to Grdina, whose previous enterprises included health clubs in Japan, owning a studio used by porn filmmakers and buying every permutation of phone numbers one could misdial when calling 1-800-CALL-ATT. Now Jameson is his business, and whether he's looking to guard the love of his life or a valuable asset, he's quite overprotective. He discourages her from answering the door herself and doesn't like her to be home alone; and when she is, he'll send an assistant to play video games in the family room. He wants to gate their neighborhood, for safety, and cameras are strategically placed around the house, with an Internet feed to his office. Jameson also dislikes being recognized, and she finds the gaping Starbucks barista and lascivious gas guy so unendurable that she no longer runs errands. Jameson, in fact, is a very anxious person. She does not like going out in public much these days unless she's promoting something, and in Scottsdale she rarely leaves the house, except to go to a few sushi restaurants; see her horse, which is stabled nearby; and hit one particular tanning salon.

Today, Jameson is even shooting at her house. She's scheduled four photo sets for her Web site, ClubJenna.com, but even the effort of posing solo for Grdina, who is taking the shots, seems to exhaust her. In her walk-in closet, stuffed with brightly colored furs and sequined handbags and bearing a little sign on one vanity that reads queen of everything, she tries to be chipper. Naked under a fur coat, she selects different coordinated bras and panties, lifting a pair of black underwear with rhinestone trim up to the light to see how they're holding up - they got a workout in Briana Loves Jenna and are a little frayed. "Whatever," she says, and lobs them into a small pile of sparkling costumes. "It's not like anyone's going to be watching my fashion sense."

She takes off the fur coat.

"God," she says. "Do I really have to do this?"

Her body is really beautiful. Everything except for her breasts is utterly in proportion, her skin creamy, thighs and ass taut, no evident blemishes or cellulite. She takes a seat on the bathroom sink, spreading her legs wide and showing pink, as Grdina lightens the mood with stories about farting from some chicken they had last night, or pretending he's an invalid using the Clapper, or anything he can think of to make her stop pouting. "Oh, yeah, look at those shoes," says Grdina. "Those are hot, baby. You're going to come home later, and they're going to be a little bit tighter, 'cause I'm going to have had some fun with them." Jameson finally laughs and flicks her tongue against the side of her mouth back and forth.

The shoot moves into the den, and Jameson gets on the floor and arches her naked back against the leg of a massive wooden desk. There's a book on the desk, with her purple lighter resting in the crease, and someone has circled points on a graph of low post-ovulatory points and progesterone levels. Grdina and Jameson have been trying to start a family, and it's not going well. She's been through a battery of tests at a hospital, and the doctors say there's nothing wrong, but she's worried: She and Grdina have never used birth control, and she's never gotten pregnant before, so what does that mean? She's reading books such as The Infertility Cure and Pregnant Goddesshood, and she's heard about different kinds of herbs that might help out. "I really, really want it to happen," she says, her eyes searching mine. "I'm trying to think positive. But sometimes I can't."

It's hard not to see just how guilty, just how ashamed, Jameson feels about her problems getting pregnant -- did she wait too long? Fuck too much? The baby looms large for her, too, because in her mind it's her way out. And now Jameson is talking about getting the tattoos she got from her first boyfriend, the tattoo artist, lasered off. She wants to cut her hair short, too -- it's been so long since she had short hair, because in adult movies guys want the girls to toss their hair around. Jameson and Grdina recently spent two weeks in Costa Rica and loved it so much they bought a house there. She's even planning to take Grdina's last name officially, even though it's "funky-sounding."

"Look: Once a porn star, always a porn star, but I won't do porn anymore when I get pregnant," says Jameson. "There is going to come a time when my little girl or boy is going to look up at me and say, 'Mommy, kids at school are saying you are a porn star.' And I want to be able to say, 'Yes, Mommy was once a porn star, but when you came along, Mommy was no longer a porn star.' " Some couples might get a room ready for the baby; Jameson and Grdina have prepared by putting scenes for thirteen movies in the can, so that the Jameson brand will live on and on.

It sucks to get your period in vegas, but there's not much you can do about it other than take a handful of Motrin, and so that's what Jameson does. She's in a two-bedroom suite at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and a bunch of Grdina's friends are sprawled across the horseshoe-shaped couches drinking beer, as usual, and watching a video they made earlier of one of them downstairs in the sundries shop, clad only in his underwear. They keep pointing at the screen and laughing at the other customers trying to ignore him and buy sodas in peace; every time one of them hollers out, Jameson gets more and more tense, pacing the room, then standing by the window taking short, angry puffs on a cigarette. "God, can't you get everyone out of here?" she finally snaps at Grdina. "I'm trying to get ready! I could have a tampon string hanging out or something!"

Grdina looks annoyed; Jameson is fully clothed at the moment, and there is a bedroom to change in nearby that she could use easily.

"Chill, baby, chill," he says.

So things are not going great when everyone leaves for the Venetian hotel and casino, where Jameson is throwing a party tonight; she ducks into a VIP banquette and sits back, fuming. A thin, ragged blonde, the girlfriend of a friend, shimmies over in a slinky black dress and perches on her lap; they coo at each other for a moment, but Jameson is again tense. "It's a little uncomfortable: All these girls think that because I'm into girls, I'll be into them," she says. "It's, like, 'Good for you, but don't put a finger up my ass.' "

There's a bodyguard and a rope blocking the banquette, but people keep leaning over. "Do you remember me from that night in New York?" asks a guy with a goatee. "I spent $20,000 on you."

"Um, I think I would remember if you spent $20,000 on me," says Jameson, turning away.

Another man grabs her hand.

"You give me pleasure," he whispers.

"Eww!" she shrieks, cowering. "I'm so over this."

But then a girl comes up to the rope. She's from Sweden, nineteen, just here for a few days and looking like a porcelain replica of Snow White come to life (in a leather bustier). "Can I kiss you?" she asks.

"Sure," says Jameson, breathing heavily, and takes her face in her hands. Their lips linger on each other's, and when Jameson sits down, she's sexy, blissed out. For the first time, she looks relaxed.

Beastie Boys float a new batch of shows

New dates continue to trickle out for Beastie Boys' upcoming North American tour, with new confirmed dates announced for the Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Atlanta areas.

The trio also added a second San Francisco show to its schedule after its first show sold out; details are in the itinerary below.

Tickets for the four new shows will hit the market on Saturday and Sunday (8/14-15), and various ticket pre-sales are being offered before the general on-sale. Information is available at the group's website.

The New York-bred hip-hop act is backing its new album, "To the 5 Boroughs," which hit stores in June and debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart. It has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, signifying more than a million units shipped. The album--which features the single "Ch-Check it Out"--is the trio's first since 1998's "Hello Nasty."

Beastie Boys--along with Green Day, Kid Rock, Pixies, Sonic Youth, A Tribe Called Quest and many others--are also among the dozens of acts that will appear at this fall's Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans.

Tour Itinerary

September 2004

9 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre (sold out)
11 - San Diego, CA - Cox Arena (w/ Talib Kweli)
13 - Universal City, CA - Universal Amphitheatre (on sale 8/14)
14 - Long Beach, CA - Long Beach Arena (w/ Talib Kweli)
16 - San Francisco, CA - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (w/ Talib Kweli) (sold out)
17 - San Francisco, CA - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (on sale 8/15)
19 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena (w/ Talib Kweli)
20 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Pacific Coliseum (w/ Talib Kweli)

October 2004

11 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center (on sale 8/14)
15 - Atlanta, GA - Gwinnett Center (on sale 8/14)
16 - New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Music Experience

'Simpsons' Star Wins Emmy

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Mmmm... Multiple Emmys.

Dan Castellaneta, the voice of television's Homer Simpson, has been honored with his third Emmy for outstanding voice-over performance. Castellaneta, who also won the award in 1992 and 1993, provides the voices for Homer and Abraham Simpson as well as Krusty the Clown and an array of other characters.

The outstanding voice-over Emmy is one of three juried prizes that are determined by a panel of experts who operate without a list of nominees. During the FOX animated hit's lengthy run, Hank Azaria has won two voice-over Emmys.

Despite suffering from slipping ratings in its 15th season, "The Simpsons" remains a reliable demographic performer for FOX and the anchor of the network's Sunday lineup.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, juried Emmys will also be presented to Seonna Hong for outstanding individual achievement in animation, and Jef Billings and Regina Winters for outstanding costuming for a variety or music program on A&E's "Stars on Ice 2004."

The winners can collect their juried Emmys at the Creative Arts ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 12.

Phone number from Alicia Keys song gets Georgia pastor on the other end

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) - Fans of Alicia Keys keep calling her number, but only J.D. Turner of Statesboro picks up the phone.

Turner has the same number that Keys references in her love song, Diary. "I get 20 to 25 calls a day," Turner said. "Sometimes at 4:30 a.m., and they say, 'I want to talk to Alicia Keys."' In the song, Keys sings, "Oooo baby, if there's anything that you fear/Come forth and call 489-4608 and I'll be here." The number was Keys's when she lived in New York, her publicist, Lois Najarian, said recently. The New York number, with a 347 area code, is still active and fans can reach a recorded message.

But many people keep calling Turner's number, which has a 912 area code.

Using the number in the song was "just Alicia inserting herself into her music," Najarian said. "Certainly she is not targeting this man in Georgia."

"I don't want to change my number," said Turner, a retired pastor. "I've had the same number for 14 years."

Turner now has caller ID, but that doesn't stop calls from coming in.

A Frontier Telephone company representative suggested he use a service that allows only approved callers to get through.

PUT A KIRK IN IT

Reports of Captain Kirk beaming back up onto "Star Trek" again are getting stronger.

A trailer for the new season of UPN's "Enterprise" showing William Shatner reprising his famous role as the maverick starship captain was shown to a select few at the CBS Television City Research Center in Las Vegas last week, according to sources.

UPN officials declined to comment yesterday.

Shatner is in talks with "Enterprise" producers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga to appear on the show next season but is currently locked up in a contract with "Boston Legal," ABC's spin-off of "The Practice."

But as the talks have heated up, insiders say network officials wanted to see how audiences would react to Kirk's possible return. So a trailer for the new season was made and footage from one of Shatner's "Star Trek" movies was added.

In several interviews, the producers have made no secret of their zeal to land Shatner for next season. Shatner himself is said to have come up with a Kirk storyline and approached Berman and Braga with it.

Although "Enterprise" is set more than a century before Kirk is born, the series' main plot has included a storyline revolving around time travel and a "temporal war" between enemies from different times.

Duran Duran Relaunch

Reunited quintet to release "Astronaut" in October

Duran Duran have finished work on their new album, Astronaut, tentatively scheduled for release in October on Epic. It marks the first time the band's original lineup -- singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor, guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer John Taylor -- has worked together since 1985 for the "A View to a Kill" single.

"We were like, 'We can still do this! After fifteen some years! How exciting!" Le Bon says. The reunited group recorded the new material in three different stages. They initially got back together in 2002, and spent some time writing new material in the south of France. After a brief reunion tour last year, the band headed off to England, splitting time between two studios. Most of the new material was recorded in the past few months with Linkin Park producer Don Gilmore, although R&B hitmaker Dallas Austen was brought in at the last minute to do some additional work.

"He just offers a different approach," Le Bon says. "You won't be able to notice who does what on the album."

The new material already appears to be far more eclectic than previous Duran Duran releases. Even the talkative frontman has a hard time summing up its sound. "It's like the Mamas and Papas meets Kraftwerk," he says. Le Bon labels the new track "Taste of Summer" as simply "fantastic, beautiful, warm, hot and sexy," which may not explain much as far as sound, but does bode well for fans turned off by the midtempo electro-pop of the group's mid-Nineties output.

Other potential standout tracks are "Bedroom Toys," a disco-funk throwback featuring Chic's Nile Rodgers, and the title track. "Nobody believed in 'Astronaut' except us," LeBon says, laughing. "It's like 'Girls on Film' -- it doesn't sound like anything else out there, and it has a strange chorus. But Dallas finally got it and helped us make a great song."

Duran Duran recently shot a video for the first single, "(Reach Up for the) Sunrise," directed by the Polish Brothers (Twin Falls Idaho), though the band members provided most of the footage themselves. In the spirit of the group's early exotic and action-packed videos, the clip shows John Taylor wandering the California desert, Le Bon racing a motorcycle through the countryside in Spain, Roger Taylor cruising in a car around England, Andy Taylor hanging out in an Ibiza club and Rhodes hovering in a spaceship over London.

Although LeBon is clearly excited about creating flashy videos with his old mates, he takes particular pride in the music. "It's a real complete album," he says. "It'll be the kind of album where you can listen to the whole thing in one go, rather than going on tea breaks."

"Kill Bill" Split May Hurt Oscar Chances

LOS ANGELES - Quentin Tarantino has just one regret about splitting his "Kill Bill" vengeance saga into two movies: The move may have undermined its Academy Awards prospects, particularly for star Uma Thurman.

"I think the only thing that might have been lost in that decision is we could have gotten considerably more awards play if the film had been one big, giant epic," Tarantino, 41, told The Associated Press. "As one big movie, Uma would have gotten a best-actress nomination, for sure.

"I'm still hoping we're going to do good at the Oscars this year" for "Kill Bill — Vol. 2," which came out on home video Tuesday. "Kill Bill — Vol. 1" was shut out in the last Oscar nominations.

Film honors aside, breaking "Kill Bill" into last fall's "Vol. 1" and spring's "Vol. 2" worked well financially and artistically, Tarantino said.

Distributor Miramax set itself up for a double dose of theatrical, home-video and television revenue for the two installments, which cost a combined $65 million and grossed a total of $136 million domestically.

As one movie, audiences either would have had to sit through a four-hour epic or Tarantino would have had to cut critical footage, he said. The graphic anime sequence in "Vol. 1" would have been sliced in half, and other favorite moments would have been greatly curtailed, among them Thurman's training with a pitiless martial arts master and co-star Michael Madsen's humiliating treatment by his strip-club boss, Tarantino said.

"If I tried to turn it into a three-hour or two-and-a-half-hour movie, all the scenes that would go would be scenes I think give the movie its weight, its resonance," Tarantino said. "If I truly, truly believed the film would have had more impact shorter, I would have done it that way."

The "Kill Bill" films were Tarantino's first since 1997's "Jackie Brown." The story of "Kill Bill" dates back to the production of 1994's "Pulp Fiction," when Tarantino and co-star Thurman dreamed up the character of the Bride, a former assassin who goes on a rampage against her old crew after they kill her wedding party and leave her for dead.

The saga co-stars David Carradine as Bill and Madsen, Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah and Vivica A. Fox as members of his hit team targeted by Thurman's Bride.

Tarantino has thought about doing a "Kill Bill" sequel in about 15 years, when the Bride's daughter and the daughter of Fox's character both would be about 20. Fox's daughter witnesses her mother's death at the hands of the Bride in "Vol. 1," and Thurman tells the young girl to feel free to come looking for her after she grows up.

"Uma laid down the challenge, and she deserves her revenge as much as Uma did," Tarantino said.

More immediately, Tarantino plans to film "Inglorious Bastards," a mammoth World War II tale. He said he might slip in a smaller-scale movie project before that, though.

As a lead-in to Oscar season, Tarantino hopes to have both "Kill Bill" installments playing as one long film in limited release at theaters late this year.

"For the next 50 years, I can show `Kill Bill' as one movie at revival houses," Tarantino said.

'Toolbelt Diva' Empowers Women With Tools

NEW YORK - If Oprah Winfrey and Bob Villa had a kid, their offspring could be Norma Vally, the Discovery Home Channel's "Toolbelt Diva" who wants to empower women — with power tools.

She became familiar with unwieldy weapons of mass construction while renovating 100-year-old homes for her cousin's contracting business.

On her show, Vally guides a female homeowner — sometimes knowledgeable, usually not — in painting, sawing, nailing and demolishing in the name of home improvement.

Typically, the first pull of the nail gun's trigger incites a cathartic squeal in the homeowner.

Unlike the "Trading Spaces" troop of revolving designers and carpenters, Vally is the sole on-camera craftswoman (although she does have off-camera help).

"Toolbelt Diva," whose 12-week run began last week, is more do-it-yourself than surprised-by-strangers. And that's the way Vally likes it.

"It's not a design show," the 39-year-old Brooklyn native declares in her chunky New York accent. "This is real stuff. There is a design element to it, but it's more practical."

The show's projects are small and manageable. Each is doable with a free weekend and a trip to the local home improvement warehouse. In one episode, Vally helps a soldier's wife transform a backyard ditch into a peaceful pond. In other outings, she constructs a fence and builds a desk.

"We really get the job done in two days and take it from start to finish," says Vally, who peps up the otherwise dull projects with her zesty personality.

She's not afraid to goof off, either. In one show, Vally slides into a white sequin gown found in a closet she's remodeling. Such foolery seems natural, not forced.

"I'm a New Yorker," Vally says. "There's no hiding that. People tell me they love my straightforward approach. I have a little bit of an edginess to me."

Vally pushes her girl power doctrine every chance she can — on the show and off — transforming the home improvement term do-it-yourself into a Xena-like war cry for women. There are other female-friendly home improvement shows like Lifetime's "Merge" and WE's "She House." But none are as feminist-friendly as "Diva." Vally says "Toolbelt Diva" is much more than just another home improvement show. This one's got a message.

"Say goodbye to `honey-do lists,'" Vally screams in the "Diva" promo, "because on my show, honey, you do it yourself."

In true Amazonian spirit, men are nowhere to be seen on "Toolbelt Diva" until the end when Vally and the female homeowner show the man of house what they've been up to for the past two days. Sometimes, the men barely react to the transformations. But a man's approval is hardly important.

Vally says "Toolbelt Diva" is her "destiny," but she didn't come up with the name herself. That credit goes to the show's producer, Liza Keckler.

The road to "Toolbelt Diva," which airs Fridays at 9 p.m. EDT with replays throughout the week, goes something like this: After 10 years in and out of the construction business, Vally's cousin told her she could bring to home improvement shows what Emeril Lagasse brought to cooking shows. So Vally made a demo tape and got an agent who landed her auditions for Discovery's "Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls" and "Rally Round the House." Vally became the construction expert on the latter.

For 50 episodes, Vally worked outdoors with a designer and landscape expert, making over yards while the homeowners were locked inside. For Vally, "Rally" was an excellent "Diva" training ground. She tackled outdoor construction — Vally's experience was mostly interior — and learned how to act in front of the camera.

Vally, who's been a lingerie model, personal trainer and English instructor, hopes "Diva" is picked up for more than the 12 finished episodes and is peddling her fix-it book "Chix Can Fix" to publishers.

And after that? This diva wants to create her own for-woman-by-woman toolbelt.

"I'm sick of toolbelts that don't fit right," Vally says. "Women have hips."

Director Searches for New 'Superman'

LOS ANGELES - A powerful father from beyond the heavens sends his son on a fateful journey to Earth to become a savior for humanity.

James Caviezel starred in the Biblical version of that story in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Could he play out that premise again under different circumstances? Say, the comic-book version, with blue tights and a cape?

No superhero fits the literary Christ motif as neatly as Superman, so it's no surprise the soulful, buff and blue-eyed Caviezel is one of the fan favorites to answer a question that has perplexed Hollywood for decades: "Who can play Superman?"

Caviezel's manager, Beverly Dean, is familiar with the rumor, but calls it speculation.

"Would he like to do it? He loves Superman," she told The Associated Press. "But the truth is there has been no offer, the script isn't even finished — but absolutely he'd be interested."

Bryan Singer, who directed the "X-Men" movies, took over the "Superman" project last month, refueling the rumor machine. He is currently at work on a script, and Warner Bros. says he hasn't begun the casting process, although it must start soon to make the target 2006 release date.

From little-known soap opera stars to familiar leading men like Brendan Fraser, Jude Law and Josh Hartnett, it seems like nearly every actor between ages 20 and 40 has been draped with the cape at some point.

But playing someone bulletproof has many risks.

"He's got to have all the qualities you want in your president and your father — a toughness and a sensitivity at the same time," said Danny Fingeroth, author of the book "Superman on the Couch," about the mythical public image of superheroes.

"He has a square-jawed indominatability," Fingeroth added. "He can be tough with bad guys, yet he's got the ability to project sincerity and vulnerability that you want Superman to have."

Some, like Law and Hartnett, considered and then rejected the role, in part out of fear of sight-unseen sequel commitment. Other contenders like Fraser and former "Roswell" actor Jason Behr are still interested, but not holding their super-freezing breath waiting for "Superman" to finally come together.

"Everybody is aware of the fact that they've been trying to redo that for a long, long time," Behr told an audience two weeks ago at the Comic-Con International in San Diego. "So, you know, until things happen they happen."

"Brendan was always interested in the piece, and at this point, with a new director attached, it's in the hands of the film gods. Basically they're starting from scratch," said Fraser spokeswoman Ina Treciokas.

The Man of Steel hasn't starred in a feature film since 1987's "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" with Christopher Reeve, despite aggressive efforts by Warner Bros. to resurrect the series.

The Reeve movies grossed a total of $318 million domestically, but each installment had steadily diminishing returns — from $134.2 million for the 1978 original to a pitiful $15.6 million for the last gasp in 1987.

Superman has had the most success lately as a TV show, "Smallville" on the WB, which chronicles the pre-superhero life of Clark Kent when he was just a farmboy with strange powers.

Tom Welling, who stars as young Kent, is another actor fans say they'd love to see in the movie "Superman" — but that's an extreme long shot.

There were at least three separate films in the works at various points at the studio over the past 10 years, including "Superman Lives" with Nicolas Cage as the lead and Tim Burton directing before it was aborted in pre-production in 1996 over its ballooning budget.

Warner Bros. considered mixing two popular franchises with "Superman Vs. Batman," which Wolfgang Peterson was directing before he dropped out to do "Troy."

The third and current "Superman" project has gone through three directors over the past year.

Last month, "Charlie's Angels" filmmaker McG dropped out of the movie, making way for Singer. Before that, Brett Ratner, the director of "Rush Hour" and "Red Dragon," was signed on to make "Superman" but quit last year, citing "the difficulty of casting the role of Superman."

Although it would seem to be a natural for any actor, some of the very things that make "Superman" an ideal role on the surface — massive worldwide exposure, guaranteed sequels and becoming the face of a pop-culture icon — can also be counted as potential drawbacks.

And if fans don't like the movie, you become their nemesis.

Hartnett was among the final contenders who passed on the role, in part because he would have been locked in to several as-yet-unscripted sequels. "A lot depends on the screenplay and the direction — if those things aren't good it will be hard for any actor to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, or turn Kryptonite into gold," Fingeroth said.

Anyone who accepts the role can expect to spend the next six to 10 years — the prime of a young star's career — immersed in grueling special-effects work, dangling from wires and fighting invisible foes. After that, an actor might spend another 10 years trying to undo their screen image as a do-gooder alien muscleman.

Reeve, who was paralyzed from the neck down in a 1995 horse-riding accident, remains ingrained as the image of "Superman" for millions and leaves a big shadow for the next actor fill.

Reeve's spokesman said the actor, who has made several guest appearances on "Smallville," is not involved in any way with the new "Superman" movie, despite Internet rumors to the contrary. Reeve has not seen a screenplay or discussed the project with the studio, and had no comment on who could be his successor.

Matt Damon was mentioned as a potential Man of Steel when Peterson was developing "Superman Vs. Batman," but "The Bourne Supremacy" star was as surprised as anyone to hear that news. "That shocked me completely. I always thought of Superman looking like Christopher Reeve ... That's not me at all," Damon told The AP recently.

A "Superman" movie could be a surefire smash — akin to "Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 2" — but Damon said that alone would not be enough to persuade him.

"I would not be interested just because it was a comic book or because I thought it would be a big hit. I would do it — I would do anything — if you told me there was a great director and a great script attached. If Kenny Lonergan (screenwriter of 2000's intimate sibling drama "You Can Count On Me") wrote the script and ("Traffic" Oscar-winner Steven) Soderberg were directing, and it was 'Superman,' yeah I'd do it.'"

But getting a big-name actor may not be necessary for the movie to draw an audience. Tobey Maguire was known, but not quite a household name, before "Spider-Man." And Reeve was a stranger to moviegoers before he starred in 1979's "Superman."

"I think it will need to be an unknown, a fresh face. A celebrity could be distracting," said J.J. Abrams, the creator of TV's "Alias" and author of the most recent "Superman" movie draft — which recently was abandoned when Singer came aboard.

A struggling actor also wouldn't have the typecasting worries of a Damon or Law.

"They may say to themselves, 'I'm an unknown and they want me to be Superman, but will I be Superman forever?'" Fingeroth said. "It still may seem better than waiting tables."

Rick Fox Files for Divorce From Williams

LOS ANGELES - Former Los Angeles Laker Rick Fox has filed for divorce from singer-actress Vanessa Williams. The couple have been married for five years and have a 4-year-old daughter, Sasha, Fox's spokeswoman, Staci Wolfe, said Tuesday.

"They are both extremely devoted parents, so the most important thing to them right now is the welfare of their child," Wolfe said. "They are committed to working out what's best for her."

Wolfe declined further comment.

Fox, who played with the Lakers for seven years, was traded last week to the Boston Celtics. The 35-year-old may retire because of nagging injuries rather than play in Boston, according to Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge.

Williams' publicist, Brad Cafarelli, declined comment.

Her film credits include 2000's "Shaft," 1997's "Soul Food" and this year's "Johnson Family Vacation." The 41-year-old has also appeared in Broadway musicals including "Into the Woods."

She won the Miss America pageant in 1984, but was forced to resign after nude pictures of her appeared in Penthouse magazine.

Williams has three children from her first marriage, and Fox has a son from a previous relationship. The two had been separated.

The Couch Potato Report - August 10th, 2004

This week in The Couch Potato Report, Bill is back, and so is Alf!

When I spoke about Quentin Tarantino's film KILL BILL: VOLUME 1 back on April 17th I gave the film a very positive review.

I said that due to its action, violence and gore, it wasn't a movie for everyone, but I liked it a lot.

I also made sure you knew that Quentin Tarantino had said that there will eventually be a KILL BILL: DIRECTOR'S CUT that will piece both VOLUME 1 and VOLUME 2 together as one 3-hour plus movie.

Having said all of that back in April, we sit here today in August and KILL BILL: VOLUME 2, the second half of Quentin Tarantino's KILL BILL film, is now available on video and DVD.

If you don't know anything about Bill, or the attempt to kill him, let me recap.

In the action packed revenge film that is VOLUME 1, Uma Thurman played a pregnant bride who is left for dead on her wedding day. The man responsible for it was named Bill and thus, to get her revenge, said Bride set out to kill him.

I won't tell you if she gets her revenge or not, and don't let the title mislead.

To put it mildly, KILL BILL: VOLUME 2 is a great film.

In VOLUME 1 Tarantino gave us an operatic picture full of action and gore.

In VOLUME 2 he offers up his patented style of conversations and intensity, with some great action thrown in for good measure.

Seeing VOLUME 2 makes both films better, but now I really, want to see KILL BILL: DIRECTOR'S CUT!

To paraphrase what I said back in April, the KILL BILL films are not for everyone, but they sure are for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed them!

I also thoroughly enjoyed the 1980's TV series ALF. I had the t-shirt, the comic books and even the Alf stuffed animal.

Okay, I still have my stuffed Alf doll.

Now I also have the show on DVD!

ALF - SEASON ONE features all of the episodes from the first year of this 1986 to 1990 sitcom.

What? You don't remember ALF?

Well, ALF was the show about an arrogant, furry alien from the planet Melmac who crashed into the Tanner family's garage. They agreed that he could live with them if he stayed hidden from the rest of planet Earth.

They named him Alf, an acronym for "Alien Life Form" and they constantly had to bail him out of trouble.

ALF is one of my Mom's favourite television shows of all time, and one of mine as well.

And unlike the KILL BILL films, ALF is for everyone.

Except cats. Did I Mention that Alf likes to eat cats?

Well, rest assured, no cats were harmed during the peeling of this report.

KILL BILL VOLUME 2 and ALF - SEASON 1 are available now at your favourite local video store.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT

In TAKING LIVES Angelina Jolie is an FBI profiler who tracks a serial killer to Montreal.Ethan Hawke and Kiefer Sutherland also star and the best line in the entire film is "I should have stayed in Winnipeg."

Martin Scorsese's classic film GOODFELLAS finally gets a two disc DVD special edition! In addition to the film having new digital sound and picture, and the movie now existing on one side of a DVD instead of two, this package also includes a director's commentary, a making of featurette and a look at how GOODFELLAS influenced other filmmakers.

CONNIE AND CARLA isn't likely to ever inspire anyone. Nia Vardalos chose this as the follow-up to MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. No amount of Windex will ever clean up this mess about two women who pose as female impersonators to evade criminals. As members of the cast Toni Collette from THE SIXTH SENSE and former X-FILE-er David Duchovny get to share the blame.

And in HAPPY DAYS - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON the gang's all here! Plus, Richie and Joanie have a brother named Chuck. Remember Chuck?

I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next week on The Couch!

New Tunage!

Here are the new CD releases (expected) for Tuesday, August 10, 2004:

213 213 Da Hard Way (TVT)
ALTERBRIDGE One Day Remains (Sony)
ART BLAKEY Free For All (Blue Note)
ATAXIA Automatic Writing (Warner)
CASTING CROWNS Casting Crowns (Provident Music Group)
CROSBY*NASH Crosby*Nash (Sanctuary Records)
DANNY MICHEL Fibsville / In The Belly Of A Whale (Maple Music)
DEATH THREAT Now Here Fast! (Razor & Tie)
DEXTER GORDON One Flight Up (Blue Note)
DOWN TO EARTH APPROACH Another Intervention (TVT)
E-40 Best of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Zomba)
FREDDIE HUBBARD Blue Spirits (Blue Note)
GRIGGS ANDY This I Gotta See (RCA Country)
HILARY DUFF The Girl Can Rock (Hollywood)
HURRICANE PARTY Get This (Sanctuary Records)
JACKIE MCLEAN Destination Out (Blue Note)
JARS OF CLAY Who We Are Instead (Provident Music Group)
JENNINGS WAYLON Are You Ready For The Country (BMG Heritage)
JENNINGS WAYLON I've Always Been Crazy (BMG Heritage)
JOE HENDERSON In N' Out (Blue Note)
JONI MITCHELL The Beginning of Survival (Geffen)
JUNKIE XL Radio JXL: A Broadcast From The Computer Hell Cabin (Roadrunner)
KLF THE The White Room (Arista)
MARK LANEGAN Bubblegum (4AD/Beggars Banquet)
MARTIN CHARLOTTE On Your Shore (RCA)
MCCOY TYNER Tender Moments (Blue Note)
MOBB DEEP Americaz Nightmare (Zomba)
MOONEY SUZUKI Alive & Amplified (Columbia/Sony)
MYSTIKAL Prince of The South: The Hits (Zomba)
PERLMAN ITZHAK ReDiscovered (Arista Associated Labels)
PROCTOR RACHEL Where I Belong (RCA Country)
RICHARD MARX My Own Best Enemy (Manhattan)
RISE AGAINST Siren Song Of The Counter-Culture (DreamWorks)
SHYNE Godfather... Buried Alive (Island/Def Jam)
SOUNDTRACK - MOVIE The Three Musketeers (Disney)
STONE ROSES THE The Stone Roses (Zomba)
TEEDRA MOSES Complex Simplicity (TVT)
THIRD DAY Come Together (Provident Music Group)
THIRD DAY Offerings II: All I have To Give (Provident Music Group)
THIRD DAY Offerings: A Worship Album (Provident Music Group)
THIRD DAY Wire (Provident Music Group)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Planet Pop 6 (BMG Canada)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Yu-Gi-Oh Soundtrack (RCA)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Lyrics Of Fury 3 (Battle Axe)

Mr Burns' voice slams The Simpsons

The actor behind The Simpsons' evil millionaire Mr Burns and Homer's annoying neighbour Ned Flanders has slammed the comedy, claiming the last three seasons of the hit animation have been the "worst".

Voiceover star Harry Shearer believes the 15-year-old show is beginning to run out of ideas and he is getting bored providing the speech for Flanders, Burns and his assistant Waylon Smithers, Reverend Lovejoy and Principal Skinner.

Shearer says: "It makes me sad. They used to have whole scenes. Season four looks very good to me now. I'd rather not be there right now. Fortunately I'm doing a lot of other things."

The "This Is Spinal Tap" funnyman has angrily denied reports the cast threatened to strike over a pay dispute earlier this year.

He explains: "We were never on strike. The day those stories appeared, I was at Fox doing vocal services for that week's show.

"What I can say is that's possible to make a very nice living and still get totally screwed."

DVDs change the shape of entertainment

Couch potatoes still prefer watching TV to other media pastimes, but more often, the TV is playing DVDs.

Americans' love affair with DVDs continues to grow as people spend more time and money on them, a new report shows. But they also are spending more time playing video games, surfing the Internet and — here's an old-school development — listening to radio, according to the Communications Industry Forecast & Report, just out from Veronis Suhler Stevenson research.

The report also says people are spending less time going to movies in theaters, listening to music CDs, and reading newspapers, magazines and books.

DVD should propel Hollywood to another record home-video revenue mark this year. Purchases and rentals are expected to hit $37.9 billion, up from $33 billion in 2003.

That DVD is expected to trend upward for the next five years is good news for Hollywood, which took a dip at the box office in 2003 to $9.5 billion and expects a slight bump to $10.1 billion this year. "It's going to be a win-win situation for Hollywood," says Gene Jankowski, the research firm's managing director of media and entertainment division.

That added cash could mean bigger and better movies, says Benjamin Feingold of Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. "The revenue from DVD sales has helped stabilize the revenue base of many studios."

Entertainment on the rise:

•Video/DVD. People spent about 70 hours in 2003 watching prerecorded home videos (primarily DVDs), up 8% over 2002. This year, viewers will watch an estimated 78 hours and increase to 103 hours by 2007.

•Basic cable and satellite TV. This is the only category that people spent more on than DVD — $39.4 billion in 2003, up almost 8% from 2002. And that is expected to increase 7.5% to $42.4 billion this year.

•TV. A typical consumer watched nearly five hours of TV each day in 2003 for a total of 1,745 hours, up 2.4%.

•Radio. The average number of hours spent last year listening to the radio edged up 1.2% to 1,002, a reflection in part of longer commutes.

"The patterns they are showing ring true," says Jupiter Research analyst David Card. "Newer entertainment forms like DVD and video games do seem to be cutting into things like music spending. But some of (time spent) online is music listening and other media" such as newspapers and magazines, he says.

Overall, consumers spent more hours (3,663, about 10 hours a day) engaged with media in 2003 than 2002. "They can be working on the computer and watching TV; one necessarily doesn't preclude the other," Jankowski says.

Lindsay Lohan Wins 4 Teen Choice Awards

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Lindsay Lohan, who turned 18 last month, collected a leading four awards Sunday night at the 2004 Teen Choice Awards held at the Universal Amphitheater.

Lohan won awards for best movie actress in a comedy, best movie hissy fit and best movie blush for her part in the hit film "Mean Girls." She also collected the award for movie breakout star actress for her work in both "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday."

The awards show was hosted by Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, while musical guests included Blink-182, Ashlee Simpson, Lenny Kravitz and JoJo. The show will be broadcast Wednesday on Fox.

Here is a complete list of winners of the 2004 Teen Choice Awards:

Movies:

Date Movie: "50 First Dates."
Movie, Comedy: "Shrek 2."
Movie Actor, Comedy: Adam Sandler, "50 First Dates."
Movie Thriller: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
Movie Actress, Comedy: Lindsay Lohan.
Movie Actress, Drama/Adventure: Halle Berry, "Gothika."
Movie Hissy Fit: Lindsay Lohan, "Mean Girls."
Movie Blush: Lindsay Lohan, "Mean Girls."
Movie Sleazebag: Seann William Scott, "American Wedding."
Movie Breakout Star Actress: Lindsay Lohan, "Mean Girls," "Freaky Friday."
Movie Your Parents Didn't Want You to See: "American Wedding."

Television:

TV Show, Drama/Action Adventure, "The O.C."
TV, Reality/Variety: "Punk'd."
TV Show, Late Night: "Saturday Night Live."
TV Breakout Show: "The O.C."
TV Actress, Drama/Adventure: Jennifer Garner, "Alias."
TV Actor, Drama/Adventure: Adam Brody, "The O.C."
TV Sidekick: Sean Hayes, "Will & Grace."
TV Personality: Ashton Kutcher.
TV Breakout Star, Female: Mischa Barton, "The O.C."
TV Breakout Star, Male: Chad Michael Murray, "One Tree Hill."
Reality/Variety TV Star: Ashton Kutcher, "Punk'd."
Reality/Variety Jackass: Simon Cowell, "American Idol."

Music:
Single: "Toxic," Britney Spears.
Album: "Confessions," Usher.
R&B Artist: Usher.
R&B Track: "Yeah," Usher with Ludacris and Lil Jon.
Love Song: "I Miss You," Blink-182.
Hook Up: "Yeah," Usher with Ludacris and Lil Jon.
Tour of the Year: No Doubt and Blink-182.
Song of the Summer: "Pieces of Me," Ashlee Simpson.

Additional Awards:
Ultimate Choice Award: Mike Myers.
Courage Award: Bethany Hamilton.
Male Athlete: Tony Hawk.
Female Athlete: Mia Hamm.
Comedian: Adam Sandler.
Fresh Face: Ashlee Simpson.

Stooges Digitally Painted on DVD

LOS ANGELES - The DVD era is resurrecting the great colorization debate of the 1980s, and at the heart of the matter are Curly, Larry and Moe.

Sony's Columbia TriStar home-video unit is releasing two Three Stooges DVDs that allow viewers to watch the original black-and-white or digitally colorized versions.

Purists consider it desecration, while Sony executives say the process can help introduce Hollywood classics to young audiences reluctant to watch anything in black and white.

The Stooges discs coming out Tuesday also give die-hard fans better black-and-white versions, the studio insists.

To prepare for the colorization process, Sony did a more extensive restoration than it had with previous black-and-white-only Stooges DVD, said Bob Simmons, a technical specialist who worked on the project.

"The best thing about this DVD release is it gives the consumer the ultimate choice," said Suzanne White, vice president of marketing for Columbia TriStar home entertainment. "They can watch the very best, the finest restored image of the black-and-white version, or watch the new colorized version and switch instantaneously between the two."

The new Stooges DVDs, "Goofs on the Loose" and "Stooged and Confoosed," contain four shorts each featuring Moe and Curly Howard and Larry Fine.

Offering a choice does not appease colorization critics, who include Sam Raimi, director of Sony's "Spider-Man" blockbusters.

"I don't think they should mess with black and white," said Raimi, who is such a Stooges fan that credits on some of his movies label extras as "fake Shemps," a reference to doubles used to complete Stooges shorts after the death of Shemp Howard, who replaced brother Curly after his stroke in the 1940s.

"I think they should just leave it as they are and try to preserve them as best they can. I feel like it's an artistic interpretation that's not anybody's right to make except the director's."

In the 1980s, media magnate Ted Turner enraged film-lovers when he colorized "Casablanca," "The Maltese Falcon" and other classic black-and-white films from the MGM library he had acquired.

Those 1980s dye jobs often tinted actors' faces an unnatural, pasty hue, while colors of clothing, sets and props were arbitrary.

The new digital process allows greater range of colors that give people, objects and backgrounds a more natural look, Simmons said. Researchers also mined Sony's archives and prop warehouses to more accurately recreate colors, he said.

For example, they found the actual stove used in "An Ache in Every Stake," in which the Stooges play ice-delivery men caught up in preparing a fancy birthday meal that climaxes with an exploding cake. The stove was yellow, so that's the hue it has in the colorized version, Simmons said.

Yet critics say it's bogus to match colors to studio props, whose tints were chosen for the way they photographed in black and white. Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert, responding to a reader's question last month, wrote that for consistency, colorized versions would paint the actors' faces light green, the color of makeup that was applied so they would photograph better in black and white.

"Colorization is a form of vandalism," Ebert wrote.

Columbia TriStar's White says colorization is just another tool to make old movies more palatable to modern audiences, like converting analog sound to 5.1 digital audio.

The studio hopes to use the colorization process on some black-and-white feature films. If coloring the images raises consumer interest in old titles, "it may be a way of getting more black-and-white films released" that otherwise would not have been economically feasible, White said.

"Star Wars" creator George Lucas, who testified with Steven Spielberg before Congress in the 1980s against colorization and other forms of alteration, said the process yanks such slapstick performers as the Stooges out of the black-and-white universe they belong in.

"Would color distract from their comedy and make it not as funny anymore?" Lucas said. "Maybe just the fact that they're in black and white makes it funny, because their humor is dated. But by putting it in black and white, it puts it in a context where you can appreciate it for what it was.

"But you try to make it in full living color and try to compare it to a Jim Carrey (news) movie, then it's hard for young people to understand. Because you're then thinking you're comparing apples to apples, when you're not. You're comparing apples to oranges. I'm saying it's not fair to the artist."

Autopsy on Funk Singer Rick James Is Inconclusive

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An autopsy performed over the weekend on "Super Freak" singer Rick James failed to establish the cause of his death, a Los Angeles County coroner's spokesman said on Monday.

The autopsy found no sign of foul play but "no obvious sign" of what caused the 56-year-old funk music pioneer's death, coroner's spokesman David Campbell said.

Toxicology tests, expected within 10 weeks, could provide a clearer picture, he said.

James suffered from diabetes and had a pacemaker. He had been in fragile health since suffering a stroke in 1998 after bursting a blood vessel at a concert in Denver.

He died in his sleep on Friday at his Los Angeles home.

Despite his family's belief that the self proclaimed "icon of drug use and eroticism" died of natural causes, coroner's officials removed James' body from the mortuary because his death certificate was not signed by a doctor, Campbell said.

"It was originally thought that the attending physician would sign the death certificate (but) he couldn't because he had not attended Mr. James recently," Campbell said.

James was perhaps best known for his 1981 smash "Super Freak." The song was reborn a decade later when rapper M.C. Hammer included it on "U Can't Touch This," one of the biggest rap records of all time.

James became hooked on crack cocaine and in 1993 was sentenced to five years in prison for assault and imprisonment for two separate incidents in which he and his then-21-year-old girlfriend beat and held two women captive.

'King Kong' Star Fay Wray Dies at 96 in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fay Wray, the shrieking blond beauty who earned fame as the frightened girl stalked by King Kong up the Empire State Building, died at age 96, a spokesman said on Monday.

Spokesman Greg Mitchell of the Writers Guild of America West in Los Angeles said Canadian-born Wray died on Sunday in New York. Born Vina Fay Wray in Cardston, Alberta, on Sept. 15, 1907, she was one of six children. Her family moved to the United States when she was 3.

Having appeared in about 100 films, she was best known for her role in the movie "King Kong" in 1933 and she also starred as a Mexican aristocrat in "Viva Villa!"

Wray was barely in her teens when she began her silver-screen career as a extra. She went on to be regularly cast as a heroine in silent movies and made her break-through in 1928's "The Wedding March."

In the early 1930's, she made a number of horror movies, including Doctor X (1932) and The Vampire Bat (1933) and became known as Hollywood's first "scream queen." After those movies, Wray was told her next job would be working with a tall, dark leading man.

"(King Kong Director Merian C. Cooper) called me into his office and showed me sketches of jungle scenes, and told me 'You're going to have the tallest, darkest leading man in Hollywood.' Naturally, I thought Clark Gable," Wray recalled.

"But then he showed me this sketch of a giant ape up the side of the Empire State Building, he said, 'There's your leading man."'

Wray's character won praise for its combination of sex appeal, vulnerability and lung capacity as she was stalked by the beast to the top of the famed New York skyscraper.

But her career fell into decline after Kong and she retired from movies in 1942 after her second marriage.

In 1953, she made a comeback in character roles and made movies until 1958 and worked in television into the 60s. But she was forever known as the girl held in King Kong's palm.

"At the premiere of 'King Kong' I wasn't too impressed. I thought there was too much screaming," Wray once said of her most famous role. "I didn't realize then that King Kong and I were going to be together for the rest of our lives, and longer."

In 1989, her autobiography "On the Other Hand" was published to critical acclaim. Wray had a daughter, Susan, by her first marriage to John Monk Saunders, and two children, Robert and Vicky, with Robert Riskin.

Brits Vote 'Blues Brothers' best soundtrack

LONDON (AP) -- The Blues Brothers was rated the best movie soundtrack in a British straw vote.

It nipped the soundtracks of Pulp Fiction and Trainspotting in a vote conducted for British Broadcasting Corp. digital radio.

"It's a Sound of Music for hipsters, a film that lives and breathes music," said Andrew Collins, who drew 10,000 voters for his survey.

The stars of the 1980 film, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, sang several of the songs, including, Everybody Needs Somebody to Love and the theme from Rawhide. Guest appearances included Ray Charles in Shake Your Tailfeather, James Brown in The Old Landmark, Aretha Franklin in Think and Cab Calloway with Minnie the Moocher.

Not one of the top 10 in the BBC vote were ranked in a similar survey done three years ago by British radio station Classic FM, in which Star Wars came in first, followed by Gone With the Wind and Lawrence of Arabia.

The BBC vote for best film soundtrack:

1. The Blues Brothers
2. Pulp Fiction
3. Trainspotting
4. Saturday Night Fever
5. Dirty Dancing
6. Grosse Point Blank
7. Kill Bill Vols. 1 and 2
8. (tie) The Royal Tenenbaums and Lost in Translation
10. Fight Club.

Comic-in-Chief

Clinton: No to ''SNL,'' yes to ''Daily Show'' -- The ex-president's late-night comedy tour continues with a visit to Jon Stewart on Monday.

Here's the latest set of presidential endorsements: a ''yes'' vote for David Letterman and Jon Stewart, and a ''no'' vote for ''Saturday Night Live.'' The endorser here is ex-president Bill Clinton, whose current whistle-stop tour of late-night comedy venues (in apparent support of his bestselling memoir, ''My Life'') includes campaign stops at Dave's ''Late Show'' and Jon's ''Daily Show,'' but not ''SNL.'' NBC revealed earlier this week that the weekend comedy mainstay had offered Clinton the opportunity to serve as guest host during an episode of his choosing this coming season, but a show spokesperson told the Associated Press on Friday that Clinton has declined the offer.

If Clinton hasn't wanted to act in sketches, he's still been willing to let comedians pepper him with interview questions. He'll visit Stewart's show on Monday, Aug. 9, less than a week after his Aug. 3 appearance on ''Late Show,'' which gave Dave his biggest audience since March, when Janet Jackson granted him her first post-Super Bowl TV interview. Comedy Central is surely counting on a similar ratings windfall on Monday. As for the ''SNL'' producers, we feel your pain.

McCready Charged With Drug Fraud

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - Country singer Mindy McCready has been charged with prescription drug fraud after authorities said she used a fake prescription to obtain the pain medicine OxyContin.

McCready, 28, was arrested Thursday at her home in Nashville by agents with the 21st Judicial Drug Task Force, according to the Williamson County Sheriff's Department.

Authorities say McCready presented a fraudulent prescription for OxyContin at a pharmacy on Feb. 12, paid for the drugs and then left. Investigators later learned that McCready was not a patient at the doctor's office from which the prescription purportedly originated.

McCready was booked into the county jail and held on $10,000 bond. She posted bail and was released the same day.

The singer had a No. 1 hit in 1996 with "Guys Do It All the Time." Her other hits include "Ten Thousand Angels" and "A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)."

'Collateral' Cruises to Top Spot

LOS ANGELES - Good guy or bad guy, Tom Cruise is still No. 1. Cruise's "Collateral," in which he plays a psychotic hit man who hijacks a taxi for a one-night killing spree, debuted as the top weekend movie with $24.4 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

It was an unusually dark role for Cruise, best known for playing the hero. Jamie Foxx co-stars as the cabbie, while Michael Mann ("Ali," "The Insider") directed.

"Collateral" bumped off the previous weekend's top movie, the fright flick "The Village," which took in $16.6 million, a steep 67 percent tumble from its opening-weekend receipts. "The Village" pushed its 10-day total to $85.7 million.

The weekend's other new wide release, the Brittany Murphy romantic comedy "Little Black Book," opened weakly in fifth place with $7 million.

The overall box office was down sharply. The top 12 movies grossed $97.7 million, off 23 percent from the same weekend last year, when "S.W.A.T." and "Freaky Friday" both opened strongly.

"This is why they call it the dog days of August," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "Summers always surprise you. They either slow down at the end or they peak at the end."

Summer revenues remain about 6 percent ahead of 2003's, when Hollywood took in a record $3.9 billion from early May through Labor Day weekend.

While the R-rated "Collateral" did only about half the opening-weekend business of Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" movies, its debut was in line with his last two R-rated films, 2003's "The Last Samurai" ($24.3 million) and 2001's "Vanilla Sky" ($25 million).

The "Mission: Impossible" movies were rated PG-13, opening the audience to younger teens.

With good reviews and an older target audience, "Collateral" has potential to hold well at the box office in the coming weeks. Sixty percent of the audience was older than 25, according to distributor DreamWorks, and upcoming releases such as "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" and "Alien vs. Predator" appeal to younger crowds.

"This one has the opportunity to continue to play," said Jim Tharp, DreamWorks head of distribution. "I don't think there's direct competition especially for the older audience until late September."

In limited release, the shark tale "Open Water" debuted strongly with $1.04 million in just 47 theaters. The low-budget film is inspired by the true story of a couple mistakenly left behind in shark-infested waters during a scuba-diving trip.

Michael Winterbottom's sci-fi drama "Code 46," starring Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton as lovers in a bleak future where travel is severely restricted, had a solid opening of $22,000 in three theaters.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Collateral," $24.4 million.
2. "The Village," $16.6 million.
3. "The Bourne Supremacy," $14.1 million.
4. "The Manchurian Candidate," $10.8 million.
5. "Little Black Book," $7 million.
6. "I, Robot," $6.3 million.
7. "Spider-Man 2," $5.5 million.
8. "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," $3.2 million.
9. "A Cinderella Story," $3.05 million.
10. "Catwoman," $2.9 million.

Jolly Green Giant

Just in from DreamWorks Home Entertainment are the specs for the November 5th bow of Shrek 2, which is sure to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, seller of the coming holiday season.

DreamWorks will release separate 2.20:1 anamorphic widescreen and recomposed 4:3 full screen versions, each with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks, plus two audio commentaries with the filmmakers (participants TBA), the "Technical Goofs," "Meet Puss In Boots," "Meet the Cast Of Shrek 2" and "The Tech Of Shrek 2" featurettes, the "Shrek's Music Room" feature, over twenty additional interactive games and activities, theatrical trailers, and ROM exclusives to be announced.

Retail will be $29.95, and DreamWorks will also release the Shrek: The Story So Far four-disc sets, which features the widescreen or full screen versions of both Shrek and Shrek 2, plus Shrek 3-D, and a fourth bonus disc "The Story So Far," the contents of which have yet to be revealed. Retail will be $54.95 for the collectible box.

Seinfeld Is Coming!

Columbia TriStar will release Seinfeld: Volume 1 and Seinfeld: Volume 2 on November 23, just in time for "Festivus" (as George might say).

Each volume will feature some 12 hours of content, including interviews with the cast and creators (Inside Looks), outtakes and bloopers (Not That There's Anything Wrong With That), audio commentaries with the cast members (Yada Yada Yada), deleted scenes (In the Vault), original NBC promotional ads and trailers (Sponsored by Vandelay Industries), behind-the-scenes "scoop" and production notes (Notes About Nothing), and never-before-seen stand-up comedy footage of co-creator and star Jerry Seinfeld (Master of His Domain).

Volume 1 will also include the hour-long How It Began documentary along with original Tonight Show footage, while Volume 2 will include the Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo featurette (on the real Kramer).

The two volumes together include 40 episodes (Volume 1 will include all 18 episodes of the first and second seasons, while Volume 2 will include all 22 episodes from the third season). There will also be a Seinfeld: Deluxe Holiday Gift Set of both volumes, which will also include a limited edition script from co-creator Larry David, Monk's Diner salt-and-pepper shakers and a deck of playing cards.

Additional seasons are already in production for release on DVD in 2005

Funk pioneer Rick James dies

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Funk legend Rick James, best known for the 1981 hit "Super Freak," died Friday, apparently of natural causes, police said.

James died at 9:45 a.m. at a residence near Universal City, said Police Department spokeswoman Esther Reyes.

"We learned of his death after responding to a radio call," Reyes said.

After his big hit, James' fame began to fade as he became embroiled in drugs, legal problems and health issues.

James was convicted in 1993 of assaulting two women. The first attack occurred in 1991 when he restrained and burned a young woman with a hot pipe during a cocaine binge at his house in West Hollywood. He was free on bail when the second assault occurred in 1992 in James' hotel room.

James was sentenced to more than two years in state prison.

In 1997, he released a new album, but a year later he suffered a stroke while performing at Denver's Mammoth Events Center, derailing a comeback tour.

In 1998 he also underwent hip replacement surgery.

With his trademark Jheri curl, James was one of the biggest R&B stars of the 1980s, using danceable rhythms and passionate ballads to gain a wide following. Aside from "Super Freak" -- which MC Hammer used a decade later as the backing track for his monster hit "U Can't Touch This" -- James' hits included "Mary Jane," "Ebony Eyes" and "Fire and Desire," a stirring duet with Teena Marie.

R.E.M. Hitting Theaters, Arenas This Fall

R.E.M.'s fall North American tour will find the veteran rock act playing some of the most intimate venues it has visited in years. The 29-date trek kicks off Oct. 13 at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre and will wrap Nov. 27 in Denver. As previously reported, R.E.M. will warm up for the dates on the Vote for Change tour, playing five shows with Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty and Bright Eyes beginning Oct. 1 in Philadelphia.

Although the trek will feature such arenas as New York's Madison Square Garden (Nov. 4) and Boston's FleetCenter (Oct. 29), it will also find R.E.M. performing in such intimate confines as Akron, Ohio's E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall (Oct. 27, capacity 2,925) and an Oct. 25-26 stand at the Chicago Theatre (capacity 3,604).

Tickets for some shows will go on-sale Aug. 21. Members of R.E.M.'s fan club will be offered special ticket opportunities.

The tour comes in support of the group's new Warner Bros. album, "Around the Sun," due Oct. 5 in North America via Warner Bros. First single "Leaving New York" arrives commercially Sept. 27 outside North America.

Here are R.E.M.'s tour dates:

Oct. 1: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center, Vote for Change tour)
Oct. 2: Cleveland (Gund Arena, Vote for Change tour)
Oct. 3: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena, Vote for Change tour)
Oct. 5: St. Paul, Minn. (Xcel Energy Center, Vote for Change tour)
Oct. 8: Orlando, Fla. (TD Waterhouse Centre, Vote for Change tour)
Oct. 13: Los Angeles (Greek Theatre)
Oct. 14: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara Bowl
Oct. 15: San Francisco (Greek Amphitheatre)
Oct. 16: Irvine, Calif. (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)
Oct. 19: St. Louis (Fox Theatre)
Oct. 20: Indianapolis (Murat Theatre)
Oct. 22: Nashville (Ryman Auditorium)
Oct. 23: Atlanta (Gwinnett Arena)
Oct. 25-26: Chicago (Chicago Theatre)
Oct. 27: Akron, Ohio (E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall)
Oct. 29: Boston (FleetCenter)
Oct. 30: Atlantic City, N.J. (Borgata)
Nov. 1: Washington, D.C. (DAR Constitution Hall)
Nov. 4: New York (Madison Square Garden)
Nov. 5: Uncasville, Conn. (Mohegan Sun)
Nov. 7: Pittsburgh (Palumbo Center)
Nov. 9-10: Toronto (Hummingbird Center)
Nov. 11: Ottawa, Ontario (Civic Centre)
Nov. 12: Montreal (Bell Centre)
Nov. 14: Thunder Bay, Ontario (Fort Williams Gardens)
Nov. 15: Winnipeg, Manitoba (Centennial Concert Hall)
Nov. 17: Calgary, Alberta (Saddledome)
Nov. 19-20: Seattle (McCaw Hall)
Nov. 21: Vancouver (Orpheum Theatre)
Nov. 26: Salt Lake City (E Center)
Nov. 27: Denver (Fillmore)

They Are Back!

Sci Fi Wire is reporting that despite announcing previously that the Daleks would not be included in the new DR WHO series, an agreement has been reached after all that will bring Christopher Eccleston's WHO up against the robotic menaces.

Jolly Green Giant

The studios are about to unleash the torrent of big fall announcements, loaded with the usual lineup of summer blockbusters, and the first big salvo has just been fired. While full specs have not yet been announced, DreamWorks Home Entertainment will unleash the year's biggest box office hit so far this year, Shrek 2, on November 5th.

Expect many permutations: separate anamorphic widescreen and full screen two-disc sets loaded with extras, plus a Shrek: The Story So Far box set (featuring both films, Shrek 3-D and an additional bonus disc of goodies). Watch for the full details to emerge in the days ahead.

Sony, BMG Combine Their Music Businesses

LOS ANGELES - Sony Music Entertainment and BMG, the music unit of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG, said Thursday they have formally combined their music businesses.

The new company, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, will rival Vivendi's Universal Music Group for market share.

Sony BMG, which will be headquartered in New York, instantly becomes home to a stable of hit-makers, including Britney Spears, OutKast, Aerosmith and Travis Tritt. The company also now controls a catalog of works by music veterans like Elvis Presley, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann each own half of the new combined company. The deal did not include the parent companies' music publishing, manufacturing or physical distribution businesses. Sony Corp.'s recorded music business in Japan, SMEJ, was also not part of the new joint venture.

The Federal Trade Commission approved the merger last week.

Andrew Lack, Sony Music's former chairman and chief executive, was named chief executive of the new company. Michael Smellie, the former chief operating officer of BMG, and Kevin Kelleher, Sony Music's former executive vice president and chief financial officer, were also retaining their positions.

A Sony BMG spokeswoman said executives were not available for interviews late Thursday.

As it integrates operations, Sony BMG Music Entertainment might cut as many as 2,000 jobs, according to published reports. The cuts would save about $350 million.

Springsteen to Back Fogerty on Tour

NEW YORK/NASHVILLE (Billboard) - In what promises to fulfill a classic rock fan's dream, Bruce Springsteen says he and the E Street Band will play with John Fogerty on the upcoming Vote for Change tour.

"We're gonna back John," Springsteen told Jay Lustig in Thursday's edition of New Jersey's Star-Ledger newspaper. "John's coming, he doesn't have a band right now, so we're gonna do our best for him."

Asked if he would be on stage for that part of the show, Springsteen said, "Are you kidding me? I'm going to be playing those John Fogerty songs. You better believe it."

The five shows they'll play together will kick off Oct. 1 in Philadelphia and also feature R.E.M. and indie rock act Bright Eyes on the bill.

Unabashed fans, Springsteen and the E Street Band have frequently covered Fogerty's Creedence Clearwater Revival-era songs in concert, including tapping "Who'll Stop the Rain" during bad weather at outdoor stadium shows. Springsteen also spoke at Creedence's 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and jammed with Fogerty at the Los Angeles event.

In the midst of a handful of solo dates that wrap Sunday in Houston, Fogerty is readying the release of a new album, "Deja Vu (All Over Again)," due Sept. 21 via Geffen. The title track is a sharp critique of the war in Iraq, with such lyrics as "Day by day we count the dead and dying / Ship the bodies home while the networks all keep score."

The album includes guest appearances by Tom Petty keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer Kenny Aronoff, dobro master Jerry Douglas, and Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler.

As for the Vote for Change tour, it will feature various groupings of artists playing concerts in electoral swing states across a few days in early October in an effort to oust George Bush from the presidency. The entire tour is being presented by MoveOn.Org's political action committee MoveOn PAC and America Coming Together (ACT), an organization advocating change in government.

Springsteen told the Star-Ledger that the idea for the tour came out of conversations with his manager, Jon Landau about "wanting to do something this election season." Landau convened with the managers of other participating acts, such as Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks, and the tour was born.

"These artist citizens all feel the need to speak out," Landau told Billboard. "They will do that respectfully and intelligently, then let the chips fall where they may."

The tour is sophisticated in its targeted approach, instead of grandstanding in major media markets. While Philadelphia, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Orlando, Fla., are on the route, so are Ames, Iowa; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Toledo, Ohio; and Asheville, N.C.

"We don't have a show in New York or Los Angeles, because (those cities) don't need this," Landau added. "These artists are not out there to play for their buddies. The last time Bruce played Ann Arbor (Mich.) was 1980. We want to make sure people there know."

"The goal is very clear," Springsteen said in the Star-Ledger. "We want to change administrations in November... It's a combination of voter mobilization and some education. It's going to be a lot of fun and entertaining for people -- and inspirational, hopefully."

Brian Wilson to 'Smile' on American Audiences

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Former Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson will bring his long-awaited "Smile" live performances to the North America this fall, after debuting the "lost masterpiece" in concert in the United Kingdom and Europe earlier this year.

The tour will kick off Sept. 30 at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, with 21 dates announced so far.

Shows are scheduled through Nov. 2 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and include a two-night stand at New York's famed Carnegie Hall.

A re-recorded version of the album will be released Sept. 28 on Nonesuch Records. "Smile" was intended as the follow-up to the Beach Boys' classic 1966 album "Pet Sounds," but the sessions were cut short and the project abandoned. It has since grown in cult status as one of rock's most notorious "lost" albums.

In concert, Wilson performs the reconstituted album in its entirety with his 10-piece band and a strings-and-brass ensemble. He'll also perform a separate set of Beach Boys and solo tunes, including material from his most recent solo album "Gettin' in Over My Head" (Rhino).

Wilson is also scheduled to appear Aug. 19 on CNN's "Larry King Live."

...Carolyn Dawn Johnson leads CCMAs

EDMONTON -- Alberta girl Carolyn Dawn Johnson will come home in style at this year's Canadian Country Music Association awards as the singer-songwriter leads all others with seven nominations.

On the strength of her second album, Dress Rehearsal, Johnson will be up in nearly every award category she's eligible for during the Sept. 13 ceremony in Edmonton.

Johnson, 34, is on the short list for female artist of the year, single of the year, album of the year, song of the year, video of the year and, with Dann Huff, producer of the year. The native of Westlock, Alta., is also nominated for the fans' choice award.

The nominations were released Wednesday in Edmonton except for the fans' choice award. Those nominees were released in May.

The Manitoba band Doc Walker had the second-highest number of nominations with five. The band, whose single The Show Is Free from the 2003 album Everyone Aboard zoomed up the country charts, will be crossing its fingers in the fans' choice, single, album, song and group of the year categories.

Jason McCoy of Minesing, Ont., tied with Doc Walker for number of nominations. The 34-year-old McCoy with his 2003 album Sins, Lies and Angels is on the list for fans' choice, album, song, video and male artist.

Longtime favourite Terri Clark, also of Alberta, received four nominations, including two single nods for Girls Lie Too and I Wanna Do It All. She's up for fans' choice and female artist as well.

Two other artists also got four nominations: Ontario's Beverley Mahood and Aaron Pritchett, a rising star from British Columbia.

International stars Paul Brandt and Shania Twain each have three nominations, as does Edmonton singer-songwriter Corb Lund.

"It's good because a lot of people who've never heard the band before are becoming aware of us," said Lund, who was on hand for the nominations announcement.

"It really gets my stuff out to a whole bunch more people."

Lund said the exposure before international music industry representatives could help his band break into foreign markets from the United States to Australia.

"It's a good networking thing. I'm hoping to parlay it into some U.S. interest, finally."

The Good Brothers, who played their first show in 1974, are nominated for group of the year and roots group of the year. But the Richmond Hill, Ont., perennials will probably remember the 2004 ceremonies as the one in which they were inducted into the Canadian Country Music Association Hall of Fame.

Hosted by Brandt -- up for song, video and male vocalist of the year -- the awards show will air live on CBC-TV and will also be broadcast in the U.S. on Country Music Television.

The show will culminate five days of activity for country music lovers, including jam sessions, showcase performances, a gospel concert and chances to meet (and even golf with) the musicians.

Organizers will piggyback on a CFL football match between the Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Eskimos, with Brandt singing O Canada and the band Emerson Drive providing the halftime show.

Tickets for the awards show at Rexall Place are reported nearly sold out.

Music lovers can vote for the fans' choice award at www.cmtcanada.com

Other awards are voted on by members of the Canadian Country Music Association, with the exception of the top-selling album category.

'9/11' Won't Be Disqualified From Oscars

LOS ANGELES - Unauthorized Cuban television broadcasts of "Fahrenheit 9/11" will not keep the movie out of the Academy Awards race for best documentary.

The broadcasts in Cuba originated from pirated copies of Michael Moore's film, according to Lions Gate Films, one of the distributors of "Fahrenheit 9/11."

John Pavlik, spokesman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said Wednesday that would not disqualify "Fahrenheit 9/11" for the best-documentary Oscar, which Moore won for his last film, 2002's "Bowling for Columbine."

Oscar rules prohibit television or Internet broadcast of documentary contenders anywhere in the world within nine months of their theatrical release. But "Fahrenheit 9/11" would not be affected by the Cuba broadcasts since they were not sanctioned by the distributors, Pavlik said.

"The rule was never intended to punish people for something like this," Pavlik said.

"Fahrenheit 9/11," Moore's scathing assault on President Bush's actions regarding the Sept. 11 attacks, has grossed $109.4 million domestically, the first documentary ever to top $100 million.

Along with best documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11" is eligible to compete in other Oscar categories.

Fiennes to Play Voldemort in Next 'Potter'

LOS ANGELES - He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has been named. Ralph Fiennes, who played memorable evil guys in "Red Dragon" and "Schindler's List," has signed on to portray the wicked warlock Voldemort in the next "Harry Potter" movie, Warner Bros. announced Wednesday.

Voldemort is so bad that the magical characters in author J.K. Rowling's stories do their best not to speak his name aloud.

In the first three installments of the saga, a deadly magic spell meant for a baby Harry Potter backfired and deprived him of a body. So only his spirit wrought havoc in "The Sorcerer's Stone," "The Chamber of Secrets" and the recent "Prisoner of Azkaban."

But Voldemort finally returns in the flesh in part four: "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."

Filming has been under way on "Goblet" since June 25, mainly with star Daniel Racliffe as the boy-wizard, and co-stars Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as his pals Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Fiennes has not yet filmed any scenes.

Other additions to the cast include Brendan Gleeson ("Troy," "The Village" and "Cold Mountain") as Potter's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, the fearsome Mad-Eye Moody, and Miranda Richardson, ("The Crying Game," "Sleepy Hollow") as Rita Skeeter, a gossip columnist for a magical newspaper.

The cast also includes Robert Pattinson as Hogwarts student Cedric Diggory, Stanislav Ianevski as Quidditch star Viktor Krum, French actress Clemence Poesy as the heart-fluttering visiting student Fleur Delacour, and Katie Leung as Potter's love-interest and Quidditch rival Cho Chang.

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," directed by "Four Weddings and a Funeral" filmmaker Mike Newell, is scheduled for theatrical release in November 2005.

The Boss Takes on the Boss in U.S. Campaign Tour

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Boss is going up against the boss.

Bruce Springsteen, the U.S. rock icon known as The Boss, will join two dozen other stars in nine "battleground" states for a rock 'n' roll tour aimed at ousting President Bush, organizers said on Wednesday.

The "Vote for Change" tour -- 34 shows in 28 cities -- is scheduled for the first week of October, one month before the U.S. presidential election.

"The tour is aimed squarely at the radical right wing policies of Republican ideologues throughout the country," said Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn PAC, the online liberal political action committee presenting the tour.

Six concert lineups will play simultaneous shows in a blitz of so-called swing states -- those that could go either Democrat or Republican in November: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin.

"I felt like I couldn't have written the music I've written, and been on stage singing about the things that I've sung about for the last 25 years and not take part in this particular election," said Springsteen, who has avoided direct political work in the past.

Dave Matthews, James Taylor, the Dixie Chicks, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt are among the performers donating their talent and time to get Democrat John Kerry into the White House.

Proceeds from the tour go to America Coming Together, another liberal political action group.

"A vote for change is a vote for a stronger, safer, healthier America," Matthews said. "A vote for Bush is a vote for a divided, unstable, paranoid America."

SCTV Network 90 - Volume 2!!
 
The SCTV - Volume 2 set has been announced by Shout! Factory for release on October 19th!

Here's a list of the special features on the set:

Larger Than Life: The Norman Seeff Photo Sessions

In 1982 SCTV knew it had hit the big time when famed music photographer Norman Seeff arrived for a weeklong photo assignment for Life magazine. A rare look back at SCTV at a time when it was changing the face of television.

SCTV Remembers, Pt. 2

Joe Flaherty and Eugene Levy recently sat down and talked for hours about SCTV, including the origin of some of their most memorable characters.

The SCTV Writers

In the fall of 2003, the Emmy award-winning writers discussed the process of writing for and with the legendary ensemble cast. Hosted by Second City producer Dick Blasucci.

The Juul Haalmeyer Dancers

Juul explains the origins and all the backstage secrets of the famous dance group that bears his name.

A Behind-The-Scenes Photo Gallery

SCTV's hair, makeup and wardrobe achievements are legendary. This gallery of never-before-seen photos is from the collection of SCTV hair designer Judi Cooper Sealy.

SCTV At The 1982 Emmy Awards

SCTV wins for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy program.
A photo-packed 24-page booklet with an essay by Howard Rosenberg, the Pulitzer-Prize winning television critic for the Los Angeles Times from 1973 - 2003

Episodes include:

EPISODE #88 CCCP 1 - Broadcast October 11, 1981
EPISODE #89 I'm Taking My Own Head... - Broadcast October 23, 1981
EPISODE #90 Zontar - Broadcast October 27, 1981
EPISODE #91 Walter Cronkite's Brain - Broadcast November 9, 1981
EPISODE #92 Doorway to Hell - Broadcast November 16, 1981
EPISODE #93 The Godfather - Broadcast December 9, 1981
EPISODE #94 SCTV Staff Christmas Party - Broadcast December 18, 1981
EPISODE #95 Teacher's Pet - Broadcast February 12, 1982
EPISODE #96 Midnight Video Special - Broadcast February 19, 1982

The DVDs have a total running time of around 13 hours, and will carry a suggested retail price of $89.98 US.

We can also expect volume 3 to be released in Feb, 2005!

Springsteen, Pearl Jam rock against Bush

NEW YORK -- In an unprecedented series of concerts in nine swing states, more than 20 musical acts -- including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks -- will perform fund-raising concerts one month before the Nov. 2 election in an effort to unseat President Bush.

The shows, which will begin Oct. 1 in Pennsylvania, will take an unusual approach: as many as six concerts on a single day in cities across the states expected to decide the November presidential race. Other stops on the tour are North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin and the key state in 2000, Florida.

"We're trying to put forward a group of progressive ideals and change the administration in the White House," Springsteen told The Associated Press in the most overtly political statements of his 30-year career. "That's the success or failure, very clear cut and very simple."

The artists of different generations and genres will tour under the name "Vote For Change," with shows Oct. 1-8. But the money generated will go to America Coming Together, which promises on its Web site to "derail the right-wing Republican agenda by defeating George W. Bush."

The anticipated millions of dollars will be spent in the swing states before the presidential election, said ACT president Ellen Malcolm.

The shows will be presented by MoveOn Pac, the electoral arm of the liberal interest group MoveOn.org, with an official announcement expected Wednesday.

There was no immediate word on prices for tickets, which were going on sale for all shows Aug. 21. The shows will pair artists, such as Springsteen and REM or the Dixie Chicks and James Taylor. There will be 34 shows in 28 cities.

Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, who memorably told a London audience last year that she was ashamed to share her home state of Texas with Bush, echoed a Springsteen comment that this was the most important election of their lives.

"A change is in order," Maines said. "There's never been a political climate like this, which is so the polar opposite of me as a person and what I believe in."

The idea was hatched by several of the acts' managers, and quickly expanded. "Once we started talking to each other, ideas started percolating and other artists started reaching out to us," said Jon Landau, Springsteen's manager.

Other artists participating in the shows include hip-hoppers Jurassic 5, John Mellencamp, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Babyface, Bright Eyes and the Dave Matthews Band. Most have a history of social activism, from Browne's anti-nuclear concerts to Mellencamp's Farm Aid shows. Pearl Jam front man Vedder was a Ralph Nader backer in 2000.

"At some point, you can't sit still," said Vedder, a harsh critic of the Iraq war. "You can't spend your life, when people are getting killed, without asking serious questions about why."

Springsteen said he didn't fear any backlash over going public with his personal politics.

"It's a pretty clear-cut decision in November," said Springsteen, whose songs have provided a backdrop for some Kerry events. "We're chipping in our two cents. That's all we're trying to do."

The Clash Serve "Vanilla"

Lost songs due on "London" reissue

Last March, as Clash guitarist Mick Jones was rummaging through boxes in his home in London, he stumbled upon a set of homemade recording tapes that had been missing for twenty-five years. Known as the "Vanilla Tapes," they contain demo versions of fifteen songs that would end up on the band's classic London Calling, plus six unreleased songs, including a cover of Bob Dylan's "Man in Me."

The Vanilla Tapes have long been legend among fans -- now they will be released for the first time as part of a three-disc package to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of London Calling, due out on September 21st. The package contains the remastered original album and a DVD with interviews and footage of the London Calling sessions.

The Vanilla Tapes were recorded in a studio built into a dingy auto garage. "I remember the dirty brown carpet on the floor, and the ceiling and the walls," says Clash bassist Paul Simonon. It was a troubled time for the Clash: The band had recently parted with manager Bernie Rhodes and had just wrapped up its first U.S. tour, embodied by the photo that would become the cover of London Calling: Simonon thrashing his white Fender bass onstage in New York.

"In Britain, everybody thought we were over," says Simonon. "We felt backed into a corner, so we got quite close with each other, and we just tried to go to work."

The band's spontaneity and invention can be heard on these tapes, especially on early versions of "London Calling" (with alternate lyrics) and "Death or Glory." "It's strange hearing those songs," says Simonon. "It really conjures up another time."

Would You Believe?

After a long search, Warner Bros has finally decided on a name to fill the shoes of Maxwell Smart in its GET SMART movie: Steve Carrell of ANCHORMAN and THE DAILY SHOW.

Maxwell Smart, originally played by Don Adams, was an inept secret agent, code name Agent 86, that worked for the United States' secret agency CONTROL. The forces of CONTROL were always working to thwart the plans of the evil force KAOS. Smart eventually fell in love with and married Agent 99, who he often worked with.

Steve Koren (BRUCE ALMIGHTY) is writing a script specifically centered around Carrell's strengths.

Andrew Lazar, Chuck Roven, Jimmy Miller and Eric Gold are producing.

Book details lives of the 1986 Mets; great team, not-so-nice guys

(AP) - The 1986 New York Mets were larger than life. Literally.

At one point on the West Side of the city, a 25-foot-high mural of pitcher Dwight Gooden stared down from a building, a stunning symbol of the shadow the brash and talented team cast over New York during that dominant season which ended with a World Series win.

To capture the hearts and minds of a city the way the Mets did in 1986, it is necessary for a team to be not just successful, but colourful. There have been countless teams that have won championships, even more that have featured young stars on the rise.

But the Mets - who did win and had more than their share of future Hall of Fame-calibre talent - were not just any other team. They had personality (many would say unabashed arrogance) to spare. And in 1986, with the New York Yankees still years away from their later dominance, the Mets were the best show in town - on and off the field.

This is, after all, a team that had nine players record a rap song inspired by the Super Bowl Shuffle by the Chicago Bears - winners of the 1985 Super Bowl. The only difference was the Mets recorded Get Metsmerized only one game into the 86 season.

It is this irresistible mix of talent, arrogance, personality and general trouble-making that Jeff Pearlman looks back at in his book The Bad Guys Won!

Pearlman, who wrote the Sports Illustrated article in which pitcher John Rocker, then of the Atlanta Braves, disparaged minorities and homosexuals, has crafted an entertaining romp of a book through the successful and turbulent season - albeit one that provides more gossip than insight.

After a brief recounting of how all the principal figures in the Mets organization (general manager Frank Cashen, manager Davey Johnson, the players) came to be with the team in 1986, the focus swings quickly to the championship season.

"The Mets were Satan," Pearlman writes at one point.

The team wasn't quite that bad, but they weren't choirboys either. Still, much of what Pearlman writes is far from a revelation. It has long been known that Gooden and fellow young superstar Darryl Strawberry were out of control, abusing drugs and wasting their talent. It's no secret that Gary Carter's rah-rah style of play irritated many opponents and teammates, and that Lenny Dykstra lived his life off the field as hard as he played baseball on it.

The 86 Mets are one of the more charismatic teams of recent times (for better or for worse) and many of their exploits and downfalls have long since been public knowledge. What Pearlman has done is collect them under one umbrella of a book, and provided salacious details for some of the wilder stories.

The Bad Guys Won! is entertaining, but it would be hard for any book about this team not to be. Where Pearlman has failed is in not getting past the outrageousness of the team to look deeper into the effect its rise - and downfall - had on sports and baseball in general, and New York in particular.

Instead, in the pages of this book, the Mets remain caricatures, punch lines to jokes that never seemed possible back when the team was on top of the world.

The Bad Guys Won!: A Season of Brawling, Boozing, Bimbo Chasing, and Championship Baseball With Straw, Doc, Mookie, Nails, the Kid, and the Rest of the 1986 Mets, the Rowdiest Team Ever To Put on a New York Uniform - and Maybe the Best was written by Jeff Pearlman and published by HarperCollins.

CBC joins with TSN to bring big Olympic Games picture into your living room

(CP) - CBC plans to bring the big Olympic picture into your living room during the Athens Games.

From live coverage of the opening ceremonies on Aug. 13 to the extinguishing of the Games flame 16 days later, Canadians will be treated to more than 1,000 hours of Olympic coverage from the combined French and English resources of CBC and TSN. You'll be able to tune in on television, listen on radio or log on via the Net.

"One of the things we're very pleased with is the 24-hour access we're giving viewers in both languages across the country," said Nancy Lee, executive director of CBC Sports.

"Having the CBC on the main channel as well as TSN allows us to do that."

The triumphs and sorrows of Canadian athletes will be highlighted along with the big international stories during the daily 10 hours of live broadcasting.

"Canadians also want to see the big picture," says veteran Brian Williams, who will host CBC's prime-time coverage.

"Our coverage is simply reflective of our country. We tend to be outward looking. We tend to take a global perspective. We will show more than one nation."

While CBC's mandate is to try and give a taste of as many sports as it can each day, TSN will offer a full meal deal, says Rick Chisholm, the network's vice-president of production.

"The Olympics are so large you can't cover a lot of the sports," says Chisholm.

"What really gets missed are a lot of sports like baseball or softball or soccer, where people see only portions. TSN's commitment will be, if we go to a game, we will stay at that game. If we're going to do a baseball game, then we will show the whole game."

In Athens, Terry Leibel will host CBC's morning coverage, with Ron MacLean taking over in the afternoon. Williams will anchor the evening prime time show. Between them, the three have hosted 20 Olympics.

TSN will anchor its Olympic broadcasts from Toronto. Dave Randorf will host the afternoon and primetime shows while Gino Reda will man the overnight broadcast.

Providing commentary and colour during the Games will be CBC Olympic veterans like Steve Armitage, Scott Oake and Don Wittman.

Adding their expert insight and analysis will be former Olympic stars like Donovan Bailey (athletics), Waneek Horn-Miller (water polo), Marnie McBean (rowing), Mark Tewksbury (swimming) and reporter Catriona Le May Doan, a two-time speed skating gold medallist.

"What we're looking for Catriona to do is provide us stories that are directly linked and related to the athletes," said Terry Ludwick, executive producer for CBC's Sports Athens coverage.

"The athletes that are speaking to her have a better feeling that she understands where they are mentally."

The Athens Olympics have been stalked by construction delays, security concerns and fears of travel chaos. Temperatures are expected to each 40 degrees and the Games could be shrouded under a blanket of pollution.

Ludwick said any hardships on the ground won't affect the pictures being sent home.

"I don't want behind-the-scenes problems to affect viewers," he said.

"The Summer Olympics are always unwieldy to deal with because of the amount of sports. It's likely to be a challenge."

CBC is sending a crew of 380 to cover the Games, including 12 TSN employees. There will also be staff from French and English services, plus Newsworld, radio and on-line.

Chisholm said TSN will send an additional 10 people, including reporters Farhan Laliji and Ryan Rishaug.

CBC TV will broadcast 294.5 hours of Olympic coverage, 84 in prime time. CBC Newsworld will show 115 hours and TSN 150 hours.

The network plans to broadcast live overnight during the first weekend of the Games to show the rowing finals and on the second weekend for the canoe-kayak. Canadians expect to be medal contenders both weekends.

Ludwick said over 1,000 cameras will be deployed at the Olympics, compared to the 30 used at a Super Bowl.

The one new technological innovation expected at the Games is a camera mounted on the hurdles, which will give viewers a new perspective of Perdita Felicien's attempt for gold in 100-metre hurdles.

CBC and TSN have combined resources in three previous Games, the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 1998 Pan Ams in Winnipeg.

Williams said the "partnership has worked extremely well."

"The more that's there, the bigger the variety, the better it is for the viewer."

Chisholm said joining the two rivals has made for "a strange relationship."

"We look at CBC as our competition, we certainly don't think of working in cahoots with them," he said.

"This event is different since it's so massive you really do need two carriers. In a lot of cases you have to put the ego away. You have to keep asking yourself what is best for the viewer."

Lee said CBC expects to reach its sales expectations for the Games but won't speculate on whether the network will turn a profit.

"We'll do all right," she said.

A look at CBC-TSN's television coverage for the Athens Summer Olympic Games:

Hours of Broadcasting: CBC 294.5; CBC Newsworld 115; Radio-Canada 223; TSN 150.

Staff: 380.

CBC: Will broadcast opening and closing ceremonies live, provide daily coverage of events, highlights and interviews.

TSN: Will provide live broadcast of team sports and extended coverage of events like boxing, swimming and rowing.

CBC Anchors (in Athens): Terry Leibel morning, Ron MacLean afternoon, Brian Williams evening prime time show.

TSN Anchors (in Toronto): Dave Randorf, afternoon and primetime show. Gino Reda overnight.

Olympic Analysts: Donovan Bailey (athletics), Waneek Horn-Miller (water polo), Marnie McBean (rowing), Mark Tewksbury (swimming) and Catriona Le May Doan (reporter).

Quote: "It's our goal and objective to connect people to Athens and make them feel part of something that connects the world," Terry Ludwick, executive producer for CBC's Sports Athens coverage.

Clinton Promotes Book on 'Late Show'

NEW YORK - Bill Clinton came to sell his book on "Late Show with David Letterman" Tuesday night but left a copy as a gift for Letterman's son.

Reading aloud the inscription in his hefty 957-page memoir, the former president wished Harry Letterman (born to Dave and his girlfriend, Regina Lasko, Nov. 3) a happy 9-month birthday.

"With luck," Clinton went on, "you will finish this by your 21st birthday. Meanwhile, carry it around and build more muscles than your dad has."

Looking natty in a blue suit and pink tie, Clinton shared the bill with only musical guest Natalie Merchant. During his extended interview, he quickly moved from promoting "My Life" (which since its June 22 release has sold more than 1.5 million copies) to politics and global affairs.

Still, he managed to do a little more selling, putting in a few good words for Sen. John Kerry, the newly anointed Democratic presidential candidate.

"Of all the people I dealt with in Congress," Clinton said in part, "he cared the most about trying to find programs that would keep young, inner-city minority kids out of trouble and out of jail and in school.

"There were no votes in this for John Kerry ... He just did it cause he thought it was right."

When asked whether the economy or the war in Iraq would be the deciding issue in the presidential election, Clinton replied, "I think the security question is a threshold question.

"I believe if the voters can get it fixed in their mind that they can trust Sen. Kerry to fight the war against terror and keep us safe at home, that it's more likely than not he will win, because after 9-11 the Bush administration went way to the right on domestic policy."

Mostly serious while interviewing Clinton, Letterman posed a mischievous question as their session neared an end.

"Tell me what you know about Sandy Berger sticking documents in his pants and walking out of the National Archives," Letterman asked.

Clinton chuckled, then praised his former national security adviser, who is facing allegations of mishandling highly classified terrorism documents.

"Anybody that ever saw Sandy Berger's office at the White House would not be surprised that he gets the papers mixed up or takes the wrong ones away," Clinton grinned. "He's got a well-organized mind and a disorganized desk."

Clinton last appeared on Letterman's CBS late-night show on Sept. 11, 2002, the first anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. He is now mulling an offer from NBC's "Saturday Night Live" to be a guest host in the coming season, according to anonymous sources quoted by TV Guide Online. A decision is expected this week.

Cuban 'Fahrenheit' Telecast Raises Oscar Questions

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The U.S. distributors of Michael Moore's controversial "Fahrenheit 9/11" said on Tuesday that an unauthorized broadcast of the film on Cuban television will not disqualify the movie from Oscar competition in the feature documentary category.

"The film that was illegally shown on Cuban state-run TV was from an unauthorized, pirated copy," said a statement issued by Lions Gate Films, IFC Entertainment and the Fellowship Adventure Group, founded by Miramax Films co-chairs Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

Under Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rules, documentaries are ineligible for Oscar consideration if displayed on TV or on the Internet within nine months of their theatrical release.

However, an unauthorized or pirated display of a film would not render the movie ineligible, academy spokesman John Pavlik said on Tuesday.

"If somebody steals your movie and puts it on TV, we're not going to penalize you for it," he told Reuters.

Lions Gate, IFC and Fellowship Adventure Group said they had informed the academy that the Cuban telecast was not sanctioned by the distributors, adding the academy "has confirmed that the distributors did not violate the rules and had nothing to do with the illegal screening of the movie."

Questions about the Oscar eligibility of "Fahrenheit 9/11" surfaced after Moore's blistering critique of the President Bush and his conduct of the war in Iraq was aired last Thursday in prime time on state-run Cuban television.

Copies of the film projected from rough DVD copies also played to packed houses in about 120 theaters across the communist-ruled island for a week.

"Fahrenheit 9/11" could also qualify for nomination as best picture, best director or best original screenplay.

The distributors had no comment on what Oscar categories producers of the film might seek to enter.

Producers of Moore's film have another month to decide how they want the film to be entered in Oscar competition. The deadline for submission of documentary candidates is Sept. 1. Pavlik said the academy typically receives about 60 submissions for that category.

Last year's Academy Award for best documentary feature went to the Errol Morris film "Fog of War," about the difficult lessons of military conflict learned by former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. Moore won the year before for his study of gun violence in America, "Bowling for Columbine."

"Fahrenheit 9/11," which won top honors at the Cannes film festival in May, has grossed more than $100 million, making it an unprecedented commercial success for a political documentary.

The Couch Potato Report - August 3rd/7th, 2004

This week in The Couch Potato Report, there's expectations.

Sometimes its better to have no expectations when you sit down to watch a movie.

Inevitably, if a there is a movie that you are excited to see because you like the premise, the director or the actor, you can't help but have expectations.

But every now and then the opportunity exists for us to have no expectations when watching a film.

Such was the case for me with the new video and DVD release HIDALGO.

HIDALGO stars Viggo Mortensen from THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY and the legendary Omar Sharif from DR. ZHIVAGO.

It is a film based-on-the-true-story of a horse named Hidalgo and Frank T. Hopkins, a long-distance horse racer.

Hopkins and Hidalgo are invited to participate in a 3,000 mile race across the Arabian deserts, known as the Ocean of Fire.

Before pressing play on the DVD that is what I knew and I had no expectations whatsoever. I knew who was in it and I knew what it was about but I wasn't expecting anything from it.

Had I any expectations going in, I might have said that this 2-plus hour film is a bit slow, has too many secondary characters and doesn't come close to showing the power and majesty of the horses running in the race.

Since I had no expectations, I saw HIDALGO as pure old fashioned Hollywood escapism.

There's no bad language, no sex and no exceptional violence.

Its just a movie you can watch and enjoy, with no expectations.

So you see, sometimes it pays to have no expectations.

Especially when there's a film that has both a premise and a star that you're excited about seeing.

That was the case with 13 GOING ON 30.

The talented and lovely Jennifer Garner from the TV show ALIAS stars in this film as a 13 year-old girl who wants to be a member of the very popular in-crowd. She doesn't want to be big or gown-up, necessarily, she just wants to be popular.

Through movie magic she gets sprayed with wishing dust on her birthday and wakes up 17 years later as someone who is very popular.

Time shifting films like this have endless ways to be interesting and comical. After all, how comfortable would you be waking up in a different era or time, or in a different body.

That premise has been often used in films over the years. Some, like VICE VERSA, LIKE FATHER LIKE SON, VICE VERSA and 18 AGAIN were mildly successful and FREAKY FRIDAY, both the original and the sequel, and Tom Hanks film BIG were very popular.

13 GOING ON 30 falls somewhere between all of those movies. Sadly, it just came across as a film that really, really wanted to be a female version of BIG. They even recycle the hand-raising joke, but they can't recycle the charm.

No, 13 GOING ON 30 is no BIG, which is what star Jennifer Garner and the filmmakers and the studio who released it have said it is.

What's worse is the fact that 13 GOING ON 30 is just no fun.

This movie should have been a blast!

As an actress, and what I know of her as a person, Jennifer Garner is perky, fun, and even epervescent.

But 13 GOING ON 30 isn't any of those things.

It is a standard romantic comedy that has no surprises and is predictable in every way.

Now, before you think I'm being too harsh on a film that is basically a very light, time shifting, body switching, light romantic comedy that no one should ever take seriously, let me admit to one thing.

I may have been disappointed in the film because of my own expectations.

Yes, I thought going in it would be a fun, modern day play on a great movie the premise.

Thus, the fact that it wasn't what I expected disappointed me.

I didn't, and don't hate the movie, but I was disappointed in it, because it wasn't what I expected.

Well, having admitted that, while I'm sure my high expectations are part of the reason I didn't care for 13 GOING ON 30, the film itself deserves more than half of the blame.

You might enjoy 13 GOING ON 30 more than I did, as long as you're NOT expecting it to be a female version of the film BIG.

Just think of 13 GOING ON 30 as a mildly comedic, predictable time shifting film and you won't be let down.

Either by your expectations or the movie itself.

One thing is for sure, you can expect 13 GOING ON 30 and HIDALGO to both be available now at your favourite local video store.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT

KILL BILL: VOLUME 2 is the second half of Quentin Tarantino's film Kill Bill. Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah and David Carradine star.

And

ALF - SEASON ONE is about the arrogant, furry alien from the planet Melmac who crashed into the Tanner family's garage. They agreed that he could live with them if he stayed hidden from the rest of planet Earth. They named him Alf, an acronym for "Alien Life Form" and the Tanners constantly had to bail him out of trouble.

ALF is one of my Mom's favourite television shows and I'll have more on it and KILL BILL VOLUME 2 in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next week on The Couch!

The Couch Potato Report - August 3rd, 2004

This week in The Couch Potato Report there's expectations.

Sometimes its better to have no expectations when you sit down to watch a movie.

Inevitably, if a there is a movie that you are excited to see because you like the premise, the director or the actor, you can't help but have expectations.

But every now and then the opportunity exists for us to have no expectations when watching a film.

Such was the case for me with the new video and DVD release HIDALGO.

HIDALGO is about a man and his horse that compete in a grueling desert race and before pressing play on the DVD I had no expectations whatsoever. I knew who was in it and I knew what it was about but I wasn't expecting anything from it.

The film stars Viggo Mortensen from THE LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy AND the legendary Omar Sharif from Dr. Zhivago. If you don't expect very much going in, you might enjoy it. MIGHT enjoy it.

Had I had any expectations, would I have said that?

So you see, sometimes it pays to have no expectations.

Especially when there's a film that has both a premise and a star that you're excited about seeing.

That was the case with 13 GOING ON 30.

The talented and lovely Jennifer Garner from the TV show ALIAS stars in this film as a 13 year-old girl who wants to be a member of the very popular in-crowd. She doesn't want to be big or gown-up, necessarily, she just wants to be popular.

Through movie magic she gets sprayed with wishing dust on her birthday and wakes up 17 years later as someone who is very popular.

Time shifting films like this have endless ways to be interesting and comical. After all, how comfortable would you be waking up in a different era or time, or in a different body.

That premise has been often used in films over the years. Some, like VICE VERSA, LIKE FATHER LIKE SON, VICE VERSA and 18 AGAIN were mildly successful and FREAKY FRIDAY, both the original and the sequel, and Tom Hanks film BIG were very popular.

13 GOING ON 30 falls somewhere between all of those movies. Sadly, it just came across as a film that really, really wanted to be a female version of BIG. They even recycle the hand-raising joke, but they can't recycle the charm.

No, 13 GOING ON 30 is no BIG, which is what star Jennifer Garner and the filmmakers and the studio who released it have said it is.

What's worse is the fact that 13 GOING ON 30 is just no fun.

This movie should have been a blast!

As an actress, and what I know of her as a person, Jennifer Garner is perky, fun, and even epervescent.

But 13 GOING ON 30 isn't any of those things.

It is a standard romantic comedy that has no surprises and is predictable in every way.

Now, before you think I'm being too harsh on a film that is basically a very light, time shifting, body switching, light romantic comedy that no one should ever take seriously, let me admit to one thing.

I may have been disappointed in the film because of my own expectations.

Yes, I thought going in it would be a fun, modern day play on a great movie the premise.

Thus, the fact that it wasn't what I expected disappointed me.

I didn't, and don't hate the movie, but I was disappointed in it, because it wasn't what I expected.

Well, having admitted that, while I'm sure my high expectations are part of the reason I didn't care for 13 GOING ON 30, the film itself deserves more than half of the blame.

You might enjoy 13 GOING ON 30 more than I did, as long as you're NOT expecting it to be a female version of the film BIG.

Just think of 13 GOING ON 30 as a mildly comedic, predictable time shifting film and you won't be let down.

Either by your expectations or the movie itself.

13 GOING ON 30 and HIDALGO are both available now at your favourite local video store.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT

KILL BILL: VOLUME 2 is the second half of Quentin Tarantino's film Kill Bill. Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah and David Carradine star.

And

ALF * SEASON ONE is about the arrogant, furry alien from the planet Melmac who crashed into the Tanner family's garage. They agreed that he could live with them if he stayed hidden from the rest of planet Earth. They named him Alf, an acronym for "Alien Life Form" and the Tanners constantly had to bail him out of trouble.

ALF is one of my Mom's favourite television shows and I'll have more on it and KILL BILL VOLUME 2 in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next week on The Couch!

(FYI - As of the morning of Tuesday, August 3rd, I haven't seen HIDALGO yet. I'll be watching it on Tuesday afternoon and updating this column on Tuesday evening.)

New Tunage

Here are the new CD Releases for Tuesday, August 3, 2004:

AL JARREAU Accentuate the Positive (Verve)
ASHLEY MACISAAC Hi How Are You Today (Linus Entertainment)
ASHLEY MACISAAC Fine Thank You Very Much (Linus Entertainment)
ASHLEY MACISAAC Fiddle Music 101 (Linus Entertainment)
ASHLEY MACISAAC Close to The Floor (Linus Entertainment)
BRIAN KENNEDY Live In Belfast (Curb)
CHERIE I'm Ready (Atlantic)
CRIME MOB Crime Mob (Warner)
DAMIEN RICE B-Sides (Warner)
DIANE CHASE The Ride (Spinmusic)
ELVIS COSTELLO Almost Blue (Rhino)
ELVIS COSTELLO Goodbye Cruel World (Rhino)
ELVIS COSTELLO Kojak Variety (Rhino)
GILBERT BECAUD 100 Chansons D'Or (EMI)
HANK WILLIAMS JR. & MIKE CURB Classic Songs Volume 2 (Curb)
HOLE Pretty On The Inside (Virgin)
JACK SCOTT The Best Of (Curb)
JAMELIA Thank You (EMI)
LEE GREENWOOD All Time Greatest Hits (Curb)
LORETTA LYNN All Time Gospel Favorites (Time Life)
MEGADETH MD45: Craving (Capitol)
MEGADETH Youthanasia (Capitol)
MEGADETH So Far, So Good, So What (Capitol)
MEGADETH Countdown to Extinction (Capitol)
MEGADETH Cryptic Writing (Capitol)
MEGADETH Peace Sells But Who's Buying (Capitol)
MEGADETH Risk (Capitol)
MEGADETH Rust In Peace (Capitol)
MORGAN HERITAGE Full Circle (VP)
PHOENIX Alphabetical (Virgin)
RAMSEY LEWIS TRIO Time Flies (Narada)
RANDY TRAVIS The Very Best Of (Rhino)
SOUNDTRACK - MOVIE Princess Diaries 2 (Disney)
STARWOOD If It Ain't Broke, Break It (Metal Blade)
TERROR SQUAD True Story (Universal)
TG SHEPPARD Greatest Songs (Curb)
THE BLUE ALARM Astronauts and Angels (Maple Nationwide)
THE MIKE CURB CONGREGATION The Best Of (Curb)
THE MIKE CURB CONGREGATION Best Of Inspirational (Curb)
THE PARIS SISTERS The Best Of (Curb)
THE RAPTURE Is Live And Well In New York City (Mercury)
TIFFANY VILLARREAL Tiffany Villarreal (Universal Records)
VARIOUS (SPORTS) Inside X: The Evolution of Skate (Warner)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Z103.5 Summer Rush 2: The Experience (SPG Music)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Retro Remixed (Hi-bias Records)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Addikted Session 2: House (EMI)
WINSTON Passengers (Maple Nationwide)

Looking for a hot date

Consumers should brace themselves for an all-out DVD feeding frenzy this holiday season. With more than 30 theatrical blockbusters coming to DVD in the last three months of this year, not to mention special editions and gift sets, shelf space will be at a premium.

Fahrenheit 9/11, the first documentary to break the $100M barrier, arrives on DVD just in time to allow for a pre-election viewing.

That means consumers had better buy their favorites as soon as they come out, or else they might be gone.

Indeed, the summer's only half over, but already studios are jockeying for prime DVD release dates for the fall. And picking the right date, studio executives say, has become almost as tricky as it is in the theatrical world, where dates are locked down months in advance and distributors will do everything to avoid butting heads with a mega-hit such as Spider-Man 2.

"Dating is incredibly critical, and the best dater wins, for the most part," says Mike Dunn, president of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, whose big fourth-quarter DVDs include the Star Wars trilogy (Sept. 21), The Day After Tomorrow (Oct. 12), Dodgeball, Garfield and I, Robot.

Fourth-quarter dates DVDs are typically released on Tuesdays are filling up fast, but studios are jockeying for position so they don't step on each other's toes.

"Many other guys make up policies—they decide to go earlier with everything, or later — but we don't do that," Dunn says. "You've got to look at the film and at the audience."

Holiday shoppers, take note: The DVD dating game is not without its potential pitfalls, for consumers and studios alike.

If studios release their hot titles early to allow for maximum exposure, they might already be off store shelves by Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that marks the traditional start of the holiday buying rush.

If they send their DVDs to stores right before Christmas to take advantage of the impulse buyer, there might not be enough shopping days left for their title to find its stride.

And if they come out with their hot titles in October and November, they might find everyone else had the same idea and they're competing against three or four other blockbusters.

"I think everyone, given their druthers, would like a date for themselves," says Bob Chapek, president of Buena Vista Home Entertainment. "But there's such an embarrassment of riches this fourth quarter that every single street date is going to be taken."

Here's a look at summer movies already slotted for release. (All dates are subject to change):

September
21
Mean Girls, Paramount
Star Wars, Fox

October
5
Fahrenheit 9/11, Columbia TriStar
12
The Day After Tomorrow Fox
19
Van Helsing, Universal, Garfield, Fox
26
White Chicks, Columbia TriStar

Also expected in October

The Notebook, New Line
The Stepford Wives, Paramount

November
23
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Warner

Also expected in November
Shrek 2, DreamWorks
Spider-Man 2, Columbia TriStar
Troy, Warner

Expected in December

Dodgeball, Fox
I, Robot, Fox
The Terminal, Warner
Anchorman, DreamWorks
The Chronicles of Riddick, Universal

Back in the Leather Again

The Sydney Morning Herald talked to Ben Affleck recently and he let slip that he'll be appearing in the DAREDEVIL spinoff ELEKTRA. "They haven't even told me what it is," he said. "I guess it's some kind of fantasy - I shouldn't say fantasy. It's a dream sequence."

RECOVERING

Apple Computer and Pixar chief Steve Jobs recuperating from successful surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his pancreas, according to a company-wide email that went out on Sunday. He's expected to be back on the job next month.

Bana the Next Bond?

Will the next 007 be Bana, Eric Bana?

If you believe Britain's News of the World newspaper, the Aussie actor is the top pick of producers to succeed Pierce Brosnan as the martini-swilling superspy.

Bana, best known in the U.S. for his starring roles in last year's The Hulk and this summer's Troy, is reportedly in negotiations to star in the 21st James Bond film, slated to begin shooting this year.

"Eric is the guy they want, but he has a reputation for being demanding," the tabloid quotes an unnamed insider privy to the talks. "[Producers] want to modernize Bond and turn him into a youthful, suave and modern hero to compete with the likes of Spider-Man and Keanu [Reeves] in the Matrix."

The Bana-as-Bond headline got huge play over the weekend, making headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. But while the News of the World has stood by its story, MGM spokesman Eric Kops would only say Monday that the story "is not true." He declined further comment.

MGM, which distributes the Bond films, and Britain's Eon Productions, which produces the flicks, have traditionally been tight-lipped about the franchise, refusing to address speculation on the films until the publicity machine was ready to crank.

If the story pans out, Bana would become the sixth actor to play the gadget-loving, babe-bedding secret agent, following in the footsteps of Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Brosnan--and the second to hail from Down Under after George Lazenby (which may not be a good thing, since Lazenby's stint lasted only one film).

Until Sunday's story, Bana's name wasn't among those in the mix for the new Bond. Instead, the producers' short-list was said to include Clive Owen, Jude Law, Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom and little-known Scottish actor Gerald Butler, who actually had a bit part in the 1997 Bond caper Tomorrow Never Dies.

Although Brosnan's Bond days have reportedly been numbered for some time, the rumor mill went into overdrive last week after the 51-year-old actor told Entertainment Weekly that he was done.

"That's it. I've said all I've got to say on the world of James Bond," the Irish-born thespian told EW. "Bond is another lifetime behind me."

Of course, a Bond should never say never again.

Some believe that Brosnan is merely bluffing for a bigger paycheck. His publicist has yet to confirm that Brosnan is done Bonding and didn't comment on the Bana report.

Although producers supposedly want to go younger, Brosnan's Bond was the most lucrative. His four 007 films--1995's Goldeneye, 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, 1999's The World Is Not Enough and 2002's Die Another Day--have grossed a combined $1.4 billion in global ticket sales; Die Another Day was the highest-grossing Bond flick ever, raking in $413.9 million worldwide.

But Brosnan hasn't been happy with the direction of the series and has chided producers in the press for playing it safe with the character.

"They don't know what to do," he said recently. "They don't know how to move on--a sense of paralysis has set in."

Brosnan even nominated Quentin Tarantino--who's expressed an interest in directing a Bond film--to reinvent the franchise with a new version of Casino Royale (which was originally adapted in 1967 as a spoof starring Peter Sellers and Woody Allen).

Producers were not exactly stirred by the suggestion.

Assuming producers sort out the Bond situation soon, the still-untitled Bond 21 should hit theaters sometime in 2005.

Halle Berry criticizes women's obsession with beauty and youth

LONDON (AP) - It's not easy being gorgeous. Halle Berry should know.

"Beauty? Let me tell you something - being thought of as a beautiful woman has spared me nothing in life," she said. "No heartache, no trouble. Love has been difficult. Beauty is essentially meaningless and it is always transitory."

At a news conference Monday to promote her new movie, Catwoman, the 35-year-old Berry criticized the obsession with beauty and youth that she said prompted some to get plastic surgery.

"Personally, I'm really saddened by the way women mutilate their faces today in search of that," said Berry, who won an Oscar for Monster's Ball. "There is this plastic, copycat look evolving and that's frightening to me.  . . . It's really insane and I feel sad that's what society is doing to women."

Catwoman co-star Sharon Stone said she and Berry, who have both recently split with their husbands, found while working together that they had a lot in common.

"In life it's not important how you fall, but how you get up," she said. "I think both of us have fallen in public and both gotten up in public. Neither of us have tried to pretend we're perfect."

Cruise Turns Deadly in 'Collateral'

LOS ANGELES - It had to happen. Tom Cruise has fallen out of Hollywood's good graces and joined the ranks of the industry's unsavory characters. He's gone gray and grizzled. That blinding, boyish grin, his trademark the last two decades, now is reserved for moments of morbidly twisted humor.

Cruise has transformed from hitmaker to hitman in "Collateral. It's his first turn as an all-around bad guy, a contract killer who hijacks a taxi and forces the driver (Jamie Foxx) to ferry him from hit to hit on a one-night spree across Los Angeles.

It's a major sea change when an era's biggest leading man turns to the dark side after playing the action hero, the dashing romancer and the crusader for justice.

But the 42-year-old Cruise shrugs it off as just another make-believe soul that grabbed him.

"I really dug the story and dug the character. I just choose roles where I go, 'OK, this is interesting, I've never played this before,'" Cruise said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"I look for characters that I feel are going to be challenging. This is definitely right out there. A very, very complex character, playing this anti-social personality."

Though he has earned three Academy Award nominations, Cruise has yet to rise to the level of peers such as Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Sean Penn as serious actors. "Collateral" is a reminder that Cruise has more depth and willingness to go to dark places than his heroic turns would imply. But, as Cruise points out, it's not like everyone he's played before is a candidate for sainthood.

"If you look at it, I really play a lot of different kinds of characters," Cruise said, and he chooses them for their creative appeal, not to fit the mold of his public image.

"I don't look at things in the third person. I'm me. I don't know how to go, `What are people going to think?' I don't live my life like that. I live in terms of, I like this material. Can I make it work?"

In "Collateral," Cruise does make it work, bolstered by a tremendous foil in Foxx's frantic cabbie, plus nice support from Jada Pinkett Smith as a prosecutor and Mark Ruffalo as a cop on his trail.

Cruise's killer Vincent, with salt-and-pepper hair and scruffy beard, stalks the night with absolute bravado and amorality. He's a perversely likable villain akin to Washington's corrupt cop in "Training Day" or Anthony Hopkins' serial killer Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs."

In Cruise's words, Vincent is "rough trade in a good suit."

"If Tom had played this guy a couple other times, I wouldn't have been enthused about the notion of it," said "Collateral" director Michael Mann ("The Insider," "Ali").

"But I hadn't seen him do anything like this character, and I know he could, there's no doubt about it. So it presented itself as a great opportunity to have Tom play it, and it's such a complex character in his incarnation of him."

No stranger to gunplay in movies, Cruise had to learn a whole new style of handling firearms, training with live rounds on a police firing range for the first time. Mann had him repeat the art of assembling a gun and snapping off rounds until the weapons became another appendage of his body and the action became second nature, Cruise said.

He also had to get into the head space of a professional killer, doing mental drills to case out targets and bystanders, memorize details and study locations for their layouts and exits.

"Just looking at life from that perspective everywhere you are," Cruise said. "You get in a room like this, you go, all right, I've got three points of egress, and I know the second I walk in, you're facing here, OK, and no one's around there. This is the way these guys think.

"Just looking at the moral code, looking in terms of what I know about life, he's the antithesis of who I am and how I feel about people and humanity," Cruise said.

Though his marriage to Nicole Kidman broke up three years ago, Cruise sounds as much the doting family man as ever when he mentions their two children.

He places much of the credit for his longevity in Hollywood with the Church of Scientology, founded by L. Ron Hubbard. His faith in the church is so strong that he launches unbidden into a harsh, five-minute condemnation of psychiatry as a destructive pseudo-science, a belief espoused by Scientology.

Cruise readily drops the subject to resume discussing Hollywood matters, particularly his next project, a third "Mission: Impossible" movie. Director Joe Carnahan recently departed the sequel, citing creative differences with the filmmakers, which include Cruise and partner Paula Wagner as producers.

The movie originally had been scheduled for release next May, but distributor Paramount pushed it back to late June, a date that would be hard to make now. Cruise has not yet settled on a new director, and shooting, which was supposed to begin in early autumn, has been delayed for at least a few weeks.

"I will definitely make `Mission: Impossible.' No question, I am going to make it. I really love making those movies," Cruise said. "It's just a matter of who and when, but I'm definitely going to make it."

Cruise also hopes to reteam with Mann for "The Few," a film biography of Billy Fiske, an American pilot who fought with the British before the United States' entry into World War II. It will be a return to the air for Cruise, who rose to superstardom playing a daring aviator in "Top Gun" and is a licensed pilot and stunt-flying enthusiast.

Also in the works is a reunion with Steven Spielberg, who directed Cruise in 2002's sci-fi thriller "Minority Report." The two plan to collaborate on an update of H.G. Wells' Martian-invasion tale "The War of the Worlds."

Cruise also is thinking ahead to his personal future after his three-year relationship with Penelope Cruz, his co-star in "Vanilla Sky," ended early this year.

"I'm looking," Cruise said with a hearty laugh. "Nothing official, nothing official. ... I really am the kind of guy who's going to get married again. But if I meet a girl, I'm not going to marry her next week. But I really do love relationships, but nothing, nothing official."

July Box Office Record Hangs on Spidey

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Thanks largely to the sensational ticket sales for "Spider-Man 2," July receipts at the North American box office reached record levels, surpassing the $1.3 billion mark for the first time.

"Spider-Man 2" picked up $335.8 million, marking the first time a film grossed more than $300 million in July. And unlike July 2003, where aggregate box office sales hit a record high but admissions were lackluster at best, this year's estimated ticket unit total breaks a long-standing record for the month.

The national box office tally in July was $1.32 billion, up a solid 10% from the $1.2 billion generated in July 2003, which was the previous high for the period. In July of last year, Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and Warner Bros. Pictures' "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" were the box office leaders.

Since ticket-price inflation has been minimal in the past year, the higher grosses have translated into more attendance. Estimated admissions last month came in at a record 213 million -- up 6% from last year's 200.7 million.

The new high in admissions was up less than 1% from the previous record for the period, which was 212 million, registered in July 1994. That was the summer of Paramount's "Forrest Gump" and Disney's "The Lion King," two films that went on to gross more than $300 million each during their runs -- an unprecedented achievement at the time.

It was a very top-heavy month at the box office as the blockbusters drew the lion's share of the wealth. The aggregate for the 10 was a record $978.6 million, a hefty 12% higher than last year's $874.6 million. The sizzling-hot month was driven more by new product than holdovers, with six of the top-10 debuting during the survey period.

Projections for box office and admissions come from The Hollywood Reporter's national survey, which this year comprised the five weeks ending July 29.

After Sony's "Spider-Man 2," two films battled it out for the second spot, with Lions Gate's "Fahrenheit 9/11" just edging out 20th Century Fox's "I, Robot," with $106.2 million (of its cumulative $106.3 million) and $104.7 million, respectively. The fourth slot went to DreamWorks' "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" with $75 million, followed by Universal's "The Bourne Supremacy" with a stout $74.7 million in seven days.

New Line's "The Notebook" ($65.6 million) was next, with Fox's "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" ($61.8 million of its $110.5 million total) and Sony's "White Chicks" ($60.2 million of a cumulative $67.7 million) following. In the ninth slot was DreamWorks' "The Terminal" ($47.5 million of its $75.4 million take to date), followed by Disney's "King Arthur" ($47.1 million) to round out the top 10.

Larry Goes To The Beach

Former Beach Boys star Brian Wilson will speak for the first time on television about his nervous breakdown, drug addiction problems and the voices he still hears inside his head.

Tune in Monday night at 9 p.m. EST.

CD Sales Up in 2004

Norah, Usher lead first sales increase in four years

Record sales rose 6.9 percent in the first half of 2004 -- the first period of growth for the ailing business in four years. But even some top music executives are skeptical about the significance of the rising sales numbers, especially in a year of massive layoffs, budget cuts and record-store closings. "I remain cautiously optimistic," says Antonio "L.A." Reid, the chairman of Island Def Jam. "But I still believe that we're deeply in the woods, with a long way to go before we can see clearly."

Reid's explanation for the sales increase is simple: big records. Usher's Confessions (4.5 million sold in 2004's first half) and Norah Jones' Feels Like Home (3.1 million) have performed similarly to blockbusters by 'NSync, Britney Spears and Eminem a few years ago. "The stars line up and you sell records," says Reid. "Without those things, the industry would still be in the toilet."

From 2000 to 2003, CD sales plummeted 16.4 percent, from 785 million to 656 million -- so the increase from 286 million in 2003's first half to 306 million this year is hardly a dramatic recovery. Some music-industry experts even wonder if the new numbers are misleading; Universal, Warner Bros. and Sony have recently dropped prices on many releases, perhaps leading to some sales increases but a proportional decrease in revenue.

Still, many executives see reasons for optimism. Jordan Katz, executive vice president and general manager of BMG Distribution, says Usher's Confessions (on the BMG-owned Arista label) shows that quality CDs can remain in the Top Ten for months. He says that while Top Ten albums have been selling at the same level as a year ago, sales of releases ranked from 11 to 200 are up this year. "It appears we're heading into a really healthy cycle of great artists," Katz says. "Certainly the improvement of the economy has helped."

This hasn't improved the labels' bottom line -- so far. Earlier this year, the new Warner Music Group announced layoffs of 1,000 employees, and the EMI Group announced plans to lay off 1,500 people and cut twenty percent of its "niche and underperforming" artist roster.

Perhaps the most tangible effect of the sales uptick is that labels are able to put a positive spin on the layoffs and cutbacks. "Painful as this period has been, we're a better, smarter company for it," says Will Botwin, Columbia Records Group president, whose parent company, Sony Music, is working out a merger with BMG. "The best of the best are who are at the record companies right now. It's a leaner, more creative, fast-footed business overall."

liveDaily Interview: Neil Peart of Rush

Rush is currently headlining its 30th anniversary tour, the band's first outing since the trek supporting 2002's "Vapor Trails."

Although the group--bassist-keyboardist-vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer-percussionist Neil Peart--doesn't have an album of new material out, it recently released "Feedback," an EP of covers that includes The Who's "The Seeker," Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and The Yardbirds' "Heart Full of Soul."

Over their three-decade career, the Canadian rockers sponged musical influences from progressive rock and fusion to funk and reggae, and persevered through a cloudy period after the well-documented tragedies of the late '90s, when Peart lost his daughter in an automobile accident and his wife to cancer less than a year later. The band hung tough and released "Vapor Trails," and the subsequent tour was documented on the Juno-winning CD/DVD "Rush in Rio."

St. Catharines, Ontario native Peart actually played piano before he took up drums at the age of 13. Besides being something of a drumming icon today, he also is Rush's lyricist.

liveDaily: So did you get your first drums when you were 13?

Neil Peart: No, no drums. For my 13th birthday, I got a pair of sticks and a practice pad. My parents said, "Once you show that you're going to stick with it for a year, then we'll get you some drums." That's the way that went down. Fair enough. I'd do the same thing.

Once you got that first pad, was it a galvanizing thing right away?

Oh yeah, it was before that, really.

When did you say to yourself, "This is what I'm going to do"?

Well, I was never that sweepingly unrealistic, but it certainly was what I wanted to do. And even without drums, I would take magazines and lay them out on my bed, and pretend they were drums and cymbals, and beat the covers off them. It became total obsession.

What was the idea behind "Feedback?"

Our vision was 1966, when we were teenagers. We just decided to pick songs from our youth that we liked and make a tribute album to the people we grew up on. For instance, we did "Summertime Blues" and kind of combined the arrangements of Blue Cheer and The Who, and did Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," and this other obscure '60s band called Love, a song called "Seven and Seven Is." All of us loved being freed from the material--in other words, not being responsible to think it up. And we did it our own way, of course, but we paid a little due respect to the times. We called the project "Feedback" because when Geddy and Alex were working on demos, they decided to have feedback and backwards guitar on every song.

After seeing the "Rush in Rio" DVD, it seems amazing those shows happened at all. Explain how they came together, the weather, and everything else.

We went there with the wide-open expectation that it would be out of our control, basically, and that we wouldn't have our usual tight reign on everything, technologically and personally, as we can in the United States or Canada. So we went there very much open-minded, with an attitude of: whatever happens, we'll deal with it along the way. There were three shows, all outdoors in big soccer stadiums, and it constantly rained.

The first day they couldn't get the monitor board working at all, and they were figuring out how to move the house mixing board down beside the stage so our front-of-house mixer could mix live sound and the monitors from the side of the stage. It was about problem solving. The electronics went out on the second night in Sao Paolo, where we were in front of 60,000 people and it had been raining off and on, and blowing rain right in our faces--it was surreal. It was something you might see in a video, but not in real life.

How did you deal with that?

That night in Sao Paolo--when all of the electronic drums and MIDI marimba and everything were gone--immediately my mind was thinking ahead, not only getting around the parts that night, because it was like, "Okay, what am I going to do tomorrow night? How am I going to play my solo without those things?" I'd be thinking ahead to the next song, "What do I do? Okay, I won't have that sound. Here's how I can imitate it or get around it or whatever." I was already starting to orchestrate a new solo that wouldn't have those things, because that's what you have to do.

And the next day in Rio, the trucks were late and didn't arrive until late afternoon, and we're filming and recording the last night of the tour, our one and only chance that we really wanted to capture on that tour. So this was the last and final chance under the most … impossible is not too strong a word. No sound check. Minutes before we went on, [drum tech] Lorne [Wheaton] came up to tell me the electronics were actually working. They had no sound check for the recording truck, no test for the cameras, everybody had to adopt that attitude of, "Okay, here's what we do." And did.

One telling anecdote that I love, the carpet that we used on stage got so soaking wet during those days that we had to leave it behind. It was too heavy to ship home. It was so waterlogged that it would have cost way more than it was worth to ship it home, so we just left it there. It's in some Brazilian guy's living room. [laughs]

Without naming names, there are a lot of veteran bands putting out product that don't look like they're having near the amount of fun you were having on the DVD.

It was one of those magical nights, despite all. I not only remember that show now, I knew at the time it was going really well. And, yeah, in retrospect I really like the way the video came out. Alex spent a lot of work on the audio trying to rescue all that went wrong in that truck during the course of the show. There was a lot of technical fixing up to do that took him a lot of work. But in the final analysis it was a piece of work I'm proud of.

Tour Dates

July 2004
30 - Tampa, FL - Tampa Bay Amphitheatre

August 2004
1 - Atlanta, GA - HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
3 - Bristow, VA - Nissan Pavilion
4 - Camden, NJ - Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
6 - Hartford, CT - ctnow.com Meadows Music
7 - Scranton, PA - Montage Mountain Amphitheater
9 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
11 - Wantagh, NY - Jones Beach Theater
12 - Mansfield, MA - Tweeter Center
14 - Holmdel, NJ - P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
15 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Six Flags P.A.C.
21 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
22 - Toronto, Ontario - Molson Amphitheatre

I'm Waiting For Room Service!

Bryan Adams will release his new studio album, "Room Service," internationally the week of Sept. 20, although an official American release isn't penciled in until early next year. According to the Canadian singer/songwriter's official Web site, the new studio effort will be followed up by a 14-track acoustic album, "Stripped," which will also include acoustic demos of songs that appear on "Room Service."

Both albums were recorded in hotels and backstage at concert venues while Adams was on tour in Europe last year. Adams was in Toronto yesterday (July 29) filming a video for first single, "Open Road."

"Room Service" will be Adams' first studio release since 1998's "On a Day Like Today." That A&M set debuted at No. 3 on Billboard's Top Canadian Albums chart and No. 103 on The Billboard 200.

PARIS IMPERILED?

Paris Hilton's reps refusing to comment on the hotel heiress, who has been spotted around Hollywood with bruising on her face and arms. However, one source tells E! Online's Ted Casablanca that the Hilton family is trying to get Paris to go to police and report the person resposible.

BOND-ING?

The British tabloid News of the World reporting Sunday that Aussie actor Eric Bana, best known for his roles in The Hulk and Troy, is in negotiations to take over the role of James Bond from departing 007 Pierce Brosnan.

No official word yet from MGM.

'Village' Scares Up Over $50M in Debut

LOS ANGELES - Fright maestro M. Night Shyamalan scared up his latest No. 1 debut with "The Village," a tale of an isolated town menaced by bogey men in the woods that had a $50.8 million opening weekend.

"The Village" bumped off the previous weekend's top movie, "The Bourne Supremacy," which slipped to No. 2 with $23.4 million, bringing its 10-day total to $98 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Denzel Washington's remake "The Manchurian Candidate" opened at No. 3 with $20.2 million. The update of the 1962 assassination thriller co-stars Meryl Streep and Liev Schreiber.

The weekend's other wide releases flopped. "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," about two stoned pals on a comic quest for burgers, premiered at No. 7 with $5.15 million. The family sci-fi saga "Thunderbirds," featuring Ben Kingsley and Bill Paxton in an update of the cult TV series, debuted at No. 11 with $2.7 million.

With a budget of just $9 million, "Harold & Kumar" poses no financial hardship for distributor New Line. "Thunderbirds," which cost $57 million to make, could present a hefty loss for distributor Universal.

Overall revenues rose, with the top 12 movies taking in $140.4 million, up 6.5 percent from the same weekend last year. Hollywood's domestic grosses are running at about $3 billion since early May, $200 million ahead of the pace of last year's record summer of $3.9 billion, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

The industry enters the summer homestretch on a solid run, with three straight movies — "I, Robot," "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Village" — debuting with more than $50 million. Coming Friday is Tom Cruise's thriller "Collateral," and the following weekend brings the sequel "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" and "Alien vs. Predator," a potential sleeper success on the order of last year's "Freddy vs. Jason."

"We're on a pretty good roll right now," said Paul Dergarabedian, Exhibitor Relations president. "This is a very strong way for summer to wind up. Usually, by August, things are really slowing down."

"The Village" was writer-director Shyamalan's second-best debut behind the $60.1 million opening weekend for "Signs" in summer 2002. Shyamalan's top-grossing film, "The Sixth Sense," debuted with an unremarkable $26.7 million but gradually climbed to blockbuster status with $293.5 million.

The movie, whose ensemble cast includes Joaquin Phoenix, William Hurt and Bryce Dallas Howard, broke a string of duds for distributor Disney, whose 2004 releases include the bombs "The Alamo" and "Around the World in 80 Days."

"It makes it so much more fun. I'm sitting in the office right now, and I can't tell you how thrilled I am," said Chuck Viane, Disney head of distribution. "Sometimes, you come in and it's not as much fun."

The romance "Garden State," from writer, director and star Zach Braff, opened strongly in limited release with $185,000 at just nine theaters. The movie expands into nationwide release through late August.

"Shrek 2" took in $1.3 million to pad its total to $432.4 million, passing "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace" to become No. 4 on the all-time domestic chart.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Village," $50.8 million.
2. "The Bourne Supremacy," $23.4 million.
3. "The Manchurian Candidate," $20.2 million.
4. "I, Robot," $10.05 million.
5. "Spider-Man 2," $8.5 million.
6. "Catwoman," $6.1 million.
7. "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," $5.15 million.
8. "A Cinderella Story," $4.7 million.
9 (tie). "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," $3.1 million.
9 (tie). "Fahrenheit 9/11," $3.1 million.

Fahrenheit 9/11 hits DVD

The controversial documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 is hitting DVD this fall – not surprisingly just in time for the elections. Columbia TriStar is distributing the disc.

No word on any supplements as of yet. The DVD will be released on October 5th with a suggested retail price of $28.95.

American Idol Castoff to Make Christmas Album, Film

MACAU (Reuters) - American Idol's most famous castoff is making a Christmas album and starring in a Cantonese film.

William Hung, whose hatchet job of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" catapulted the ethnic Chinese engineering student to fame, said he expected the album to hit the shops shortly before Christmas. He did not give details.

"Singing and entertainment are now my first priority," Hung told reporters in Macau during a publicity gig Saturday.

In January, Hung became famous for his less-than-stellar performance of the Ricky Martin song in an audition for the Fox reality TV series "American Idol."

With his bad singing and stiff dancing Hung became a pop culture icon and has since released music videos and an album.

Hung said Saturday he was also shooting a Cantonese movie about a mother who was "crazy about her son," co-starring veteran Hong Kong actress Nancy Sit Ka-yin Sit who is well known among the Chinese-speaking community worldwide.

About 100 fans cheered the flamboyantly dressed Hung, who had drawn dozens of journalists from Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China.

"He has kept his silly style," said a young woman, who identified herself as Iris.