The Couch Potato Report - August 9, 2005
This week The Couch Potato Report features The Muppets, and man am I excited!!
I was born at the right time. Some people wish they had been alive in the fifties, the twenties, the renaissance or the age of innocence, or some time other then when they were born, but I was born at the right time.
I was born in 1968. A year later a great family show called SESAME STREET began. In my early years I learned how to share, count and much more from Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Mr Hooper, Kermit and all of my friends at SESAME STREET. I enjoyed every sunny day, sweepin' the clouds away, on my way to where the air was sweet.
No one had to tell me how to get to SESAME STREET, I knew the way.
As I was getting older and began to search for a new show to call my own, along came a program made by some of the same people responsible for SESAME STREET, namely Jim Henson.
This new show also featured Kermit The Frog, one of my favourite characters from SESAME STREET.
Once I had graduated from Sesame Street, another great family show, THE MUPPET SHOW was waiting right there to entertain me!
Yes, I was born at exactly the right time!
Now, after years of having to suffice with just "Best Of" compilations the entire first season of THE MUPPET SHOW is available on DVD!!
And I am trying to remain calm, because it is my favourite TV show of all time!!
I completely enjoyed playing the music, lighting the lights, and meeting the Muppets on The Muppet Show again this week.
THE MUPPET SHOW - SEASON ONE is a four-disc box set that features all 24 episodes from the 1976 season. Each episode has been completely restored and remastered. The set also features the original pilot, the original pitch of the show and a great trivia filled feature called "Muppet Morsels".
I am happy to report that all of the charm, the craziness, the bad jokes, the running gags, and every element of THE MUPPET SHOW still holds up almost thirty years after it's debut.
Of course, that is said as someone who is a fan. If you or your children are people who have never seen the show, and finds the films that The Muppets are making these days less than entertaining, I can't say that you will share my excitement.
I also say that because a friend of mine was watching some of the episodes with me and she wasn't enjoying them at all. She then asked me what I enjoy about the show. I explained that I like the characters, the jokes and the music, but I the main reason that I enjoy it was because of the fact that I loved it as a child.
Yes, I still enjoy the show a great deal, but since it was a part of my youth Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and the rest of The Muppets are sort of like people I grew up with, maybe even like family.
Of course, while watching them, I admit I don't feel like I have grown up at all!
Some of The Muppets' guest stars in SEASON ONE are Charles Aznavour, Candice Bergen, Ruth Buzzi, Phyllis Diller, Joel Grey, Florence Henderson, Lena Horne, Harvey Korman, Jim Nabors, Vincent Price and Peter Ustinov.
The highlights are too numerous to list, but what I truly love is Charles Aznavour singing the song "Inchworm"; the Koozbanian Mating Ritual; Lena Horne's rendition of "I Got a Name"; Muppet Robin's version of "Halfway Down the Stairs"; Kermit singing "It's Not Easy Being Green"; and then there's the Muppet classic "Mahna, Mahna."
Whether it is due to the fact that I have loved THE MUPPET SHOW since I was a kid or whether it is due to the fact that I am still entertained by it, I suppose I will never be able to say.
But I completely enjoyed watching this SEASON ONE box set and I will be just as excited when SEASONS TWO through FIVE come out.
I will also be just as excited when FRAGGLE ROCK - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON comes out on September 6th, but I digress.
Now, in case you think I will recommend anything that The Muppets do, you need to know my thoughts on THE MUPPETS' WIZARD OF OZ. This is the TV movie from May based on the classic story.
On the Friday it aired three months ago, I rushed home after work to watch it.
When it was over, I wasn't disappointed, as I am a fan, but it wasn't very good.
I am sure you know the story behind THE WIZARD OF OZ, so I will just tell you that singer Ashanti stars as Dorothy, Pepe the King Prawn is Toto, Kermit is the Scarecrow, Gonzo is the Tin Man and Fozzie plays The Cowardly Lion.
It still seems like a great idea, but the film isn't as good as the work that is The Muppets' legacy and, in the end, THE MUPPETS' WIZARD OF OZ just isn't very entertaining.
If you're not a Muppet fan and you'd like to watch THE WIZARD OF OZ, look for the Judy Garland version. If you are a Muppet fan, I'm sure you already own it, whether you think it is good or bad.
Either way THE MUPPETS' WIZARD OF OZ and THE MUPPET SHOW - SEASON ONE are all available right now.
COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT
UNDECLARED is one of the best, under-rated, and least watched TV shows off all times. Next week the entire series debuts on DVD and I will tell you all about it!
On the other hand is THE SIMPSONS, one of the highest-rated, most watched shows of all time. THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON DVD COLLECTION has all 25 episodes from the sixth season, including Part One of the season cliffhanger "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"
Another high-rated, popular show is also new on DVD. Our other featured television title next week is THE COSBY SHOW - SEASON ONE.
Finally next week is the film SIN CITY. This is the very unique film based on the graphic novels by Frank Miller. Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino share directing credits with Miller and the movie about a city full of hard luck cases is a treat for the eyes! Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke and Clive Owen lead the all-star cast.
I'm Dan Reynish and I will 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!
Apple to give levy back to iPod owners
Music lovers who paid extra for their iPods because of a levy will soon be able to get their money back, Apple Canada announced Monday.
"Apple is pleased that the Supreme Court of Canada let stand a lower court ruling that blank media levies on iPods are invalid, and will shortly announce a claims process so consumers can request a refund for the levies they paid," the company said in a release.
In July, the Supreme Court refused to overturn a Federal Court of Canada ruling that quashed the levy, which was applied to iPods and similar digital music players.
The tax had been passed on to consumers by companies like Apple and was collected by the Canadian Private Copying Collective, a non-profit agency that works on behalf of musicians and record companies.
The levy was in effect from December 2003 until a year later, when the Federal Court overturned it.
The Canadian Coalition for Fair Digital Access, which represents retailers and manufactures like Future Shop, Wal-Mart Canada, Apple Canada, Sony Canada and Dell Computer Corporation of Canada, had lobbied to have it abolished.
The tariff was $2 for non-removable memory capacity of up to one gigabyte, $15 for one to 10 GB, and $25 for more than 10 GB.
About $4 million was collected by the CPCC from sales of iPods and the like during the tariff's one-year life.
The CPCC got the levy instituted in the first place because it successfully argued that iPod users were making illegal copies of songs, so money should be collected on behalf of the copyright holders.
Details of how to apply for the refund from Apple were not announced on Monday.
NEW CD RELEASES FOR AUGUST 9, 2005
3 Doors Down Away from the Sun (DualDisc) (Universal)
3 Fox Drive Listen to the Music (Koch Nashville)
Jasy Andrews Little Girl (Versailles)
Black Mountain Black Mountain (reissue of 2004 album) (ADA)
Bottom of the Hudson Holiday Machine EP (Absolutely Kosher)
Kaci Brown Instigator (Interscope)
Chimaira Chimaira (Roadrunner)
Chin Up Chin Up Chin Up Chin Up (Flameshovel)
Cordova Lie Until It Becomes the Truth EP (Limekiln)
Krishna Das All One (co-produced by and featuring Walter Becker of Steely Dan; w/Def Leppard's Rick Allen on drums) (Artemis)
Thaisone Davis Situation Renaissance (EV Productions)
Day of Contempt The Will to Live (Epitaph)
Mark DeCerbo & Four Eyes Sweet on the Vine (Zip)
Deviltones Riding the High Horse (Steel Cage)
The Fleshtones Beachhead (Yep Roc)
The Get Quick How the Story Goes (Rainbow Quartz)
Eliza Gilkyson Paradise Hotel (ICE #221) (Red House)
Gogol Bordello Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike (SideOneDummy)
The Groovie Ghoulies Berry'd Alive! EP (Green Door)
Hail Social Hail Social (Polyvinyl)
Wil Hart Fonic Zone (Thump)
Juliana Hatfield Made in China (Ye Olde)
Holopaw Quit +/or Fight (Sub Pop)
Ellis Hooks Godson of Soul (guests Bobby Womack and Steve Cropper; ICE #221) (Evidence)
Hootie & the Blowfish Looking for Lucky (Vanguard)
JC Hopkins Biggish Band Underneath a Brooklyn Moon (Tigerlily)
Jack's Mannequin (Andrew McMahon of Something Corporate) Everything in Transit (guest Tommy Lee on drums) (Maverick)
Jim Jones Harlem: Diary of a Summer (DualDisc same day; guests Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, Paul Wall and more) (Koch)
The Juan Maclean Less Than Human (Astralwerks)
Kill Your Idols Live at CBGB's (Blackout!)
Earl Klugh Naked Guitar (Koch)
Koufax Hard Times Are in Fashion (Doghouse)
Boris Kovac World After History (Piranha Musik)
Lackthereof Christian the Christian (FilmGuerrero)
Tommy Lee Tommyland: The Ride (no record label, direct to retail; w/members of Sum 41, Nickelback, Fuel, Good Charlotte and the Backstreet Boys) (Handleman Company)
The Life and Times (ex-Shiner members) Suburban Hymns (produced by ex-Jawbox's J. Robbins) (DeSoto)
Lunascape (ex-Hooverphonic vocalist Kyoko Baertsoen) Reminiscence (remixes of title track) (Dancing Ferret)
Mad Ro The Foul Stench of Something Good (Noc-on-Wood)
Maker Honestly (EV Productions)
Bill Mays Trio Live at the Jazz Standard (Palmetto)
Minotaur Shock Maritime (Beggars Banquet)
Mobius Band The Loving Sounds of Static (Ghostly International)
Modern Traditions Ensemble New Old Music (Adventure Music)
Moggs The White Bell Is Not Enough (Absolutely Kosher)
Mouse on Mars Autoditacker (Beggars Group)
The Nelsonics Ruins of Rome (Hammondbeat/Tiki Tone)
Carrie Newcomer Regulars and Refugees (Rounder)
Nickel Creek Why Should the Fire Die? (Sugar Hill)
Nural Weight of the World (Hopeless)
David Pack The Secret of Moving On (Peak)
Pennywise The Fuse (Epitaph)
The Plimsouls One Night in America (live) (Oglio)
Proof (of D12) Searching for Jerry Garcia (guests Eminem, 50 Cent, Method Man and more) (Iron Fist)
Daniel Patrick Quinn Ridin' the Stang (Suilven)
Razer Born 2 Die (PR Records)
Raymond Redd Scars & Memories (Elephant Size Productions)
Tim Ries The Rolling Stones Project (Concord)
Poncho Sanchez Do It! (w/Tower of Power horns) (Concord)
Saxon Shore The Exquisite Death of (produced by David Fridmann) (Burnt Toast Vinyl)
Scars of Life What We Reflect (Rock Ridge)
Somerset Pandora (Epitaph)
Sons & Daughters The Repulsion Box (Domino)
Southern Bitch Snake in the Grass (Captiva)
Staind Chapter V (Atlantic)
Stephen Stills Man Alive (guests Neil Young, Graham Nash and Herbie Hancock) (Pyramid)
Suicide Machines War Profiteering Is Killing Us All (SideOneDummy)
Swinging Steaks Sunday Best (Platterpus)
Sybris Sybris (Flameshovel)
Richard Thompson Front Parlour Ballads (solo acoustic album) (Cooking Vinyl)
Tom & Joy Antigua (Tommy Boy)
Tremolo Love Is the Greatest Revenge (Flagship/Fontana)
Unknown Component From Anywhere but Here (Unknown Component)
Ying Yang Twins U.S.A. (United State of Atlanta) (Chopped and Screwed) (TVT)
VA Def Jazz (smooth jazz versions of classic Def Jam hip-hop and R&B songs) (Verve)
VA Happy Land: Musical Tributes to Laura Ingalls Wilder (new versions of songs of 1800s America) (Pa's Fiddle)
VA Hazy Dreams: (Not Just) A Jimi Hendrix Tribute (Koch)
VA Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen (w/Los Lobos, Joss Stone, Flaming Lips and more) (Hollywood)
VA New American Folk (Putumayo)
VA Pure Chill (electronica compilation) (Water Music)
VA Re:Made Volume 1 (dance remakes/remixes of hit songs by U2, Tears for Fears, Nelly and more) (Koch)
VA Re-Made Compilation (Koch)
VA Stairway to Rock: (Not Just) A Led Zeppelin Tribute (Koch)
VA The Art of Seduction...Belly Dance Music (Empire)
OST Lipstick & Dynamite (film about professional female wrestling in the '40s and '50s) (Koch)
OST The Heights (w/songs by Underworld, Los Amigos Invisibles and Wax Poetic featuring Norah Jones) (Tommy Boy)
DVD Cuba Feliz (documentary on Cuban musicians) (Koch)
DVD Music Box Biographical Collection: Mariah Carey and The Rolling Stones (MVB Films)
DVD Chris Isaak and Raul Malo Soundstage Presents (live performance w/bonus features) (Koch)
DVD Lunachicks Naked! (live performance, interviews, backstage footage and music videos) (Go Kart)
DVD That's What's Up That's What's Up (CD/DVD combo) (Thump)
DVD Steve Winwood Soundstage Presents (live concert w/bonus features) (Koch Vision)
DVD Yes Songs from Tsongas: The 35th Anniversary Concert (Image) Thanks to Ice Magazine
Jennings' Death Ushers in Uncertain Era
NEW YORK - The death of Peter Jennings means an era in television news has ended with stunning swiftness, giving broadcasters the challenge of reimagining the nightly news in an age of instant Internet updates.
Jennings, 67, died Sunday at his Manhattan home. He hadn't been seen by viewers of ABC's "World News Tonight" since announcing in April he had lung cancer.
For more than 20 years, many American television viewers learned the day's news at the dinner hour from either Jennings, NBC's Tom Brokaw and CBS's Dan Rather covering the Reagan era, communism's fall, O.J. Simpson and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The triumvirate held steady as the world of news changed around them, driven by the spread of cable and the Internet. Today, people can get news headlines simply by flipping open their cell phones.
Brokaw, 65, retired from the "Nightly News" in November, and Rather, 73, signed off in March. With Jennings gone, the days of name-brand anchors serving as the public face of their news networks may be disappearing as well.
"It's a cruel twist of fate in that Jennings was suddenly going to have the network (evening) news to himself after 20 years of long service," said William Lord, a Boston University journalism professor and one of Jennings' producers in the 1980s. "This was going to be Peter's time to reclaim that No. 1 ranking."
Jennings, a former smoker, spoke bravely of keeping up with work when he revealed his cancer diagnosis on April 5. But he wasn't seen at ABC's Manhattan offices after late May.
Charles Gibson and Elizabeth Vargas filled in for him at "World News Tonight," a role both will continue indefinitely. ABC wasn't talking about the broadcast's future on Monday.
"There will be a time to discuss that," ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said. "This is not that time. When we emerge from this difficult time and are prepared to say something, we will."
It's almost certain the next "World News Tonight" anchor will come from within ABC News.
Gibson, 62, is a solid contender, familiar to ABC viewers as the longtime anchor of "Good Morning America." He anchored ABC's live coverage of Pope Benedict XVI's selection and the space shuttle Discovery's takeoff last month.
However, moving Gibson into that role would take him off "Good Morning America," which has been surging in the ratings and giving NBC's "Today" its first serious fight in a decade. Leaving him in the morning would signal the increased importance of that time slot to news divisions; it's already a big profit center.
Vargas, 42, lacks Gibson's experience but could attract some younger viewers. The evening news, a tradition born at a time when evening newspapers were important, has one of television's oldest audiences.
ABC's anchor bench also includes people like Bob Woodruff, John Donvan, George Stephanopoulos, Dan Harris and Cynthia McFadden all of whom have also tested as potential "Nightline" anchors for when Ted Koppel leaves at the end of the year.
One approach could be to give Vargas the "World News Tonight" job and have Gibson anchor many of the big breaking stories. On CBS, evening news substitute anchor Bob Schieffer has occasionally given way to John Roberts and others on big stories.
ABC's rivals have shown sharply different approaches in their transitions to new anchors. NBC planned the switch from Brokaw to Brian Williams with machinelike efficiency, and Williams has kept Brokaw's top spot in the ratings, with nearly 10 million people tuning in each weeknight.
CBS appointed Schieffer as Rather's temporary replacement for a few months while promising "revolutionary" change at the third-ranked newscast. But a few months has now become six, and no permanent plan has been announced.
What the network has announced are detailed plans to turn its Web site into a 24-hour broadband service with dedicated video content.
Jennings' death, together with the departures of Brokaw and Rather, means "a whole bunch of people are going to be writing obits about the network evening newscasts," said Joseph Angotti, a former NBC News producer and lecturer at Monmouth College in Illinois.
"And, as they have been in the past 30 years, they're premature," Angotti said.
With many of journalism's trends pointing away from the evening news, the three networks still draw more than 25 million viewers each night combined. That's down from about 34 million a decade ago, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Jennings had five decades of longevity in network news that might never be matched: He anchored ABC's evening news briefly in the 1960s, came back in the 1970s, then became the face of ABC News for good in the 1980s.
The Canadian-born Jennings' father, Charles Jennings, was a famous anchorman back home. His son had his first broadcasting job, a radio show in Ottawa, at age 9.
"Peter was born to be an anchor," Brokaw said on NBC's "Today" show on Monday.
Jennings could speak smoothly and authoritatively on many subjects the best ad-libber in the business, colleague Barbara Walters said. The former London correspondent had a suave, debonair appeal; Brokaw joked about wearing an ascot in tribute on Monday.
Beneath the outside eloquence "beat the heart of a fierce competitor," Rather said on "Good Morning America."
A high school dropout, Jennings was restlessly curious an attitude Walters said was born of a journalist's natural skepticism and a hint of insecurity.
After his brief, unsuccessful stint as ABC evening news anchor in the 1960s, Jennings became one of a three-person team to anchor the new "World News Tonight" in 1978. The job became his alone in 1983.
He marked his final birthday on July 29, an occasion his ABC News colleagues noted by sending a plane with a birthday banner over his home in Long Island, N.Y. A jazz lover, Jennings loved to host birthday concerts with friends at his home.
This year, too sick to celebrate in his traditional manner, ABC colleagues sent a small jazz group into his home to perform.
Grammy Winner Marc Cohn Shot in Head
DENVER - A Grammy-winning musician and husband of ABC news reporter Elizabeth Vargas was treated at a hospital and released Monday after being shot in the head during an attempted carjacking following a performance.
Marc Cohn, who had a hit with the song "Walking in Memphis" and won the Grammy for best new artist in 1992, was struck in the temple Sunday night when a man fired into his band's van in a parking garage. A suspect was being sought.
Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said the bullet appeared to have been slowed by the van's windshield and by striking the vehicle's driver first.
"Frankly, I can't tell you how he survived," Jackson said.
Cohn was alert and talking when emergency workers took him to the hospital from the concert site at Botanic Gardens. The bullet grazed Cohn's driver and tour manager Thomas Dube, who also was treated and released.
No arrests were made, but police identified a suspect. Joseph W. Yacteen, 26, allegedly tried to stop Cohn's van in the parking garage after allegedly fleeing a downtown hotel Sunday night, where he had tried to pay his bill with a stolen credit card.
Police said Yacteen fired one bullet into the van after Dube, who saw that he had a gun, sped up and swerved trying to avoid Yacteen. The van was carrying four people at the time.
Yacteen also allegedly fired several shots while fleeing security guards and trying to take a car from a woman. He eventually disappeared in a stolen SUV.
Yacteen is being sought on attempted first-degree murder, robbery and other charges. Authorities said he missed a court date July 15 on a drug and weapons charge.
SCTV Network 90 - 4th Volume (5th Season) Cover Art & Complete Details
Coming September 13th release!!
Here is the press release and the info on the back of the box:
SCTV'S INCREDIBLE 5TH SEASON (Yes, that's Volume 4) finds the show renewed on NBC and still in the 90-minute format. Three cast members have departed, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis and Catherine O'Hara-although Catherine makes a memorable return in "The Christmas Show," but Martin Short's star rose in their absence. His inimitable character Ed Grimley finds his way into many of the sketches. The Shmenges are back and John Candy introduces Mr. Mambo.
The Volume 4 box set features four Emmy-nominated shows ("Towering Inferno," "Christmas Special," "Midnight Cowboy" and "Sweeps Week"), plus Robin Williams as a guest in the "Jane Eyrehead" episode; it also includes musical guests John Mellencamp, Joe Walsh, and Crystal Gayle.
Includes an extra DVD with 3 extra episodes-12 episodes total- 33% more content at the same price as the first 3 volumes! Also includes a collectible set of character trading cards.
(From the back cover)
The Complete Fifth Season - 12 Full Episodes
SCTV IS ON THE AIR!
SCTV's incredible fifth season finds them renewed and back on NBC.
Martin Short explodes in this season with his characters Ed Grimley, Jackie Rogers, Jr., and Brock Linehan. Plus, the Shmenges are back and John Candy does Divine doing Peter Pan.
Robin Williams guest stars in the "Jane Eyrehead" episode, and later in the season Martin Short does a fabulous send-up of him doing a "Taing" commercial. Also guesting and performing are Joe Walsh, John Cougar Mellencamp, Harold Ramis, Fred Willard, America and more. And Catherine O'Hara returns for a special guest appearance in the "Christmas" episode.
Look for Vic Arpeggio, Private Investigator and parodies of Midnight Cowbay (John Candy as Joe Buck), The Towering Inferno, A Star Is Born and What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (Ed)? - more proof that these shows just kept getting better.
Never Available On Video Or DVD - Until Now.
Total Running Time +/- 14 Hours
Bonus Features
SCTV Remembers: Interview with Martin Short
SCTV At Play - Home movies of cast and crew
Sammy Maudlin At Second City
SCTV - The Producers
Canadian TV references revealed
Hollywood is ready to say goodbye to its summer of discontent.
This was to be the season that helped the industry turn around the attendance slide that began in winter and continued through spring. Showcase films from Star Wars to Batman Begins to War of the Worlds would get the studios back on track.
Though those movies were blockbusters, few other films delivered. Instead of reviving studios and theaters, summer hosted the longest losing streak in Hollywood history; 19 consecutive weekends in which ticket sales lagged behind the comparable weekends in 2004.
Action fizzled. An Oscar hopeful gained little steam. Little films stayed that way.
The slump left studio execs baffled. In Cinderella Man, distributor Universal Pictures felt confident it had not only an Academy Award contender, but also a hit comparable to its Seabiscuit, the 2003 horseracing film that raked in $120.3 million. Instead, the Depression-era boxing film managed $60.4 million respectable, but hardly a champ.
The film's disappointing returns, along with the extended summer slump, have prompted Universal to examine the way the studio markets its films.
"We're going to go back to the drawing board," says Nikki Rocco, Universal's head of distribution. "Good movies are supposed to buck this trend. You hear how it's all about the product, but we have an excellent movie that people just aren't turning out for. It's something bigger."
Moviegoers would agree. In various surveys, they cite rising ticket and concession prices, noisy audiences and a lackluster film slate as reasons to stay away from theaters.
"I'd have to give the summer a C or a C-minus in terms of going to the movies," says Mike Orton, 38, of Dearborn, Mich. "Everything seemed like a remake or a sequel or a TV show. It felt like I'd seen everything they were putting out."
Film fans echoed that sentiment this summer as ticket sales for the season fell 10% behind last summer's pace. Overall this year, ticket sales are down about 8% and attendance is down 10%, threatening to make this year the lowest-grossing since 2001.
The news wasn't all bad. Nuptials were a hit, and documentaries continue to play well. And Darth Vader gave us a fitting farewell.
"It might not be a great year for movies," says Gitesh Pandya of boxofficemojo.com. "But there's still time left for it to be a good one."
It's time to dispense the grades in our annual summer report card for Hollywood. Here's our our take on where the action and wasn't.
Here's where the action was and wasn't
Marriage: A
Who says the institution is dead? Marriage-minded movies were about the only solid hits ofsummer, beginning in May with the surprising success of Monster-in-Law. The Jennifer Lopez-Jane Fonda comedy racked up $82.5 million.Mr. & Mrs. Smith demonstrated that marriage counseling can be worth the effort: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie took in $179.1 million.And Wedding Crashers took the cake last weekend by nabbing the top spot at the box office in its third weekend. The buddy comedy has managed$144.1 million."A wedding is such a dramatic event in any person's life that it's the perfect fodder for the movies," says Kim Morgan, a columnist for the filmsite fandango.com. Audiences, she says, relate to something in any wedding film, "from picture perfect rituals to those chaos-ridden family affairs."
Documentaries: B+
Though the summer lacked a monster documentary such as last year's Fahrenheit 9/11, documentaries were still one of the safest filmmaking bets this season.March of the Penguins waddled to the second spot among highest-grossing documentaries ever with $26.2 million and counting. And Mad HotBallroom waltzed to the No. 10 spot with $6.5 million.Not bad, considering that both films cost about $1 million to the studios distributing them.The only thing stopping docs from a straight A was Murderball, the story about quadriplegic rugbyplayers that brought in only $870,000, probably because of its serious tone.Still, audiences are flocking to virtually anything that feels fresh to them, says Robert Bucksbaum of industry tracking firm Reelsource. "The feeling among audiences is that Hollywood has run out of ideas," he says. "The studios that come up with the original films have the advantage."
Superheroes: B
After the lackluster performance of comic-book adaptations such as Elektra and Catwoman, some pundits predicted doom for the superheroes.But Batman Begins silenced the naysayers by taking in $196.6 million. And despite some savage reviews,Fantastic Four has collected $143.8 million.Even Sky High, the low-on-the-radar Disney film about a high school for superheroes, has managed $32.1 million, and its debut was the best for a new film last weekend.The showing bodes well for upcoming comic-book fare, which includes next year's Ghost Rider, X-Men 3and Superman Returns."The comic books had gotten a little too serious, a little too dark," says Rob Worley of comics2film.com.The newer movies weren't afraid "to lighten up a little.Not every comic-book film has to be a dark psychological study."
Science fiction: B
Let's hear it for the stars. The real ones.Science fiction is typically a hard sell for studios, but not when you have Anakin Skywalker, aka DarthVader, who led Star Wars, Episode III:Revenge of the Sith to $377.3 million.And the tripod-driving aliens from War of the Worlds helped power that movie to $224.6 million, Tom Cruise's biggest film.Even spaced-out aliens sold: TheHitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy did a respectable $51.1 million."Sci-fi is not the easiest thing to market," says Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo. "But if the story is strong enough, it will do well, regardless of the genre."
Remakes: B-
Say what you want about remakes, sequels, spinoffs and franchises: Audiences still flock to what's familiar.How else to explain the relative success of this summer's deja-view, in which no fewer than nine remakes hit the big screen? Three of the year's top 10 films were re-dos: War of the Worlds, The Longest Yard ($155.9 million) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ($169 million and counting).And The Dukes of Hazzard opened to a healthy $30.6 million.Not all movies were worth doing over. Houseof Wax mustered only $32.1 million, while The Honeymooners crashed at $12.8 million.Let's face it, says Gray of Box Office Mojo: Hollywood has given us too many retreads. "But if the storytelling is strong, a remake will be as gooda movie as an original. If the storytelling is bad, the movie will stink."
Action: D
Remember when summer was about action and special effects? Neither do audiences, who turned their backs on movies built on speed and spectacle.The Island went mostly uninhabited with $30.9 million so far, and XXX: State of the Union fizzled to a meager $26 million. Stealth has flown under the radar to just $24.5 million."I don't know what's going on," says Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony Pictures, which released Union and Stealth. "But these things tend to be cyclical. I'm sure action is going to make a comeback."
Sleepers: C+
Wake up, little guy. Hollywood could use a hit. Where is The Passion of the Christ? My Big Fat Greek Wedding? Nearly every summer, a small movie catches fire. Not this season. Lords of Dogtown skated to a meager $11 million. The horror film High Tension provided little with only $3.7 million. And the gangster film Layer Cake shot up screens for a measly $2.3 million. At least two movies got more of audiences' attention, most notably Crash ($52.3 million) and the $3 million Hustle & Flow ($18.7 million). But nothing came close to the blockbuster mark, and the lack of a little movie playing big was a key in this summer's weak performance, says Paul Dergarabedian of Exhibitor Relations. "It's not enough to have one big movie every weekend," he says. "You need a deep slate of films, and that just didn't happen most of the time."
'Dukes' Are Boss at Weekend Box Office
LOS ANGELES - The good ol' boys of "The Dukes of Hazzard" crashed past another pair of joke-cracking buddies to the top of the weekend box office.
The adventure comedy, which stars Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott as the mischievous Duke cousins, rounded up $30.6 million in its first three days of release, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn's "The Wedding Crashers," which held the top spot last weekend after two weeks as runner-up, slipped back to No. 2 with $16.5 million. Johnny Depp's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" dropped to third with $10.6 million.
Set in a southern county called Hazzard, "Dukes" chronicles the adventures of Bo and Luke, who try to save the family farm from crooked politician Boss Hogg with the help of their orange 1969 Dodge Charger and denim short shorts-wearing cousin Daisy, played in her film debut by singer Jessica Simpson.
The film weathered largely nasty reviews with a savvy marketing campaign. Its stars appeared on GQ magazine covers two months in a row, and Simpson drew attention with a sexy video for her cover of "These Boots are Made for Walkin'." Willie Nelson, who plays Uncle Jesse in the film, also makes a cameo in the video.
"The combination of the cast and the name recognition of the television show combined with the sex appeal and car chases was irresistible to movie-goers," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office-tracker Exhibitor Relations.
The audience for "The Dukes of Hazzard" was evenly split in gender and two-thirds were under age 25, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros.
"I was very pleased with the opening. It exceeded our expectations," Fellman said.
The little big film of the summer, "March of the Penguins," was No. 6 after taking in $6.9 million over the weekend for a cumulative total of $26.2 million. It became the second highest-grossing non-concert and non-IMAX documentary ever, surpassing Michael Moore's "Bowling For Columbine," which had $21.6 million but still far from Moore's $119 million "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"There's really no way to figure where this thing's gonna end. These numbers keep going up," said Steven Friedlander of Warner Independent Pictures, which released the Morgan Freeman-narrated "Penguins."
The superhero action comedy "Sky High," starring Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston, came in fourth with $9 million. The romantic comedy "Must Love Dogs," featuring Diane Lane and John Cusack, remained steady at fifth with $7.4 million.
After a two-week downturn, the box office saw a slight uptick this weekend. The top 12 movies grossed $102.5 million, up about 5 percent from the same weekend last year, when Tom Cruise's "Collateral" was No. 1 with $24.7 million.
"Broken Flowers," which opened in limited release in 27 theaters, had a strong showing with $745,000. The Jim Jarmusch film stars Bill Murray as a lonely single man who embarks on a cross-country road trip to track down four old lovers.
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 Dukes of Hazzard," $30.6 million
2. "The Wedding Crashers," $16.5 million
3. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," $10.6 million
4. "Sky High," $9.0 million
5. "Must Love Dogs," $7.4 million
6. "March of the Penguins," $6.9 million
7. "Stealth," $5.8 million
8. "Fantastic Four," $4.1 million
9. "War of the Worlds," $3.6 million
10. "The Island," $3.1 million
Summertime blues -- action pics lack kick
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - In any other summer, "The Island" and "Stealth" might have struck box office gold because they represent the kind of fare that has come to define the lucrative moviegoing season.
DreamWorks' "The Island" is an explosive, Michael Bay-directed sci-fi adventure, and Sony's "Stealth" offers sexy young leads in a soaring special effects extravaganza armed with the latest in computer technology.
Nevertheless, both films hit turbulence right out of the gate. "The Island" opened three weekends ago to a disappointing $12.4 million; this weekend it pulled in just $3.1 million for an estimated gross to date of $30.9 million. "Stealth," which opened last weekend to $13.3 million has pulled in an estimated $24.5 million so far.
Hollywood is wondering just what, precisely, is going wrong -- not just with "The Island" and "Stealth" but with the whole high-octane action/adventure/sci-fi genre to which they belong.
"The scariest part (of these past few weeks) is that usually you can rely on there being a hit every week of the summer or at least every week in July," Sony Pictures Entertainment vice chairman Jeff Blake said. "The biggest concern in the industry is two out of four weeks in our best month, there were no major openings. Clearly 'Stealth' did share a lot of the same problems that 'The Island' did. It just seemed that both were typical summer action fare that did not seem to resonate at all."
Bay's "The Island," co-produced by DreamWorks and Warner Bros. Pictures, opened to the lowest gross ever for the action-oriented filmmaker behind "Armageddon" and "Pearl Harbor." And director Rob Cohen, after hitting it big with "The Fast and the Furious" and "XXX," failed to get liftoff with "Stealth."
In addition to their high-profile directors, both films featured state-of-the-art visual effects and splashy marketing campaigns. With budgets for both movies in the $120 million range, little was compromised in an effort to wow audiences. Now, those expensive investments will require costly write-downs for their respective studios.
Both films were based on original screenplays, and, in retrospect, that might have been a handicap because neither was developed from such promotable franchise properties as Warners' "Batman Begins" and 20th Century Fox's "Fantastic Four." And neither boasted a mammoth concept coupled with a global celebrity and star, as was the case with Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks' "War of the Worlds," starring Tom Cruise and directed by Steven Spielberg.
Explaining the original concepts behind "The Island" and "Stealth" made for difficult marketing challenges. Critics compared "The Island" to the 1976 sci-fi film "Logan's Run," while "Stealth," which centers on a computer-controlled fighter jet, was measured against "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Top Gun." And the critics' comparisons seldom were favorable.
Said one studio marketer: "I think today (a movie) needs to feel original and unique, not just original. Audiences are making a distinction between new and unique, rather than new and still-feels-like-a-rehash."
With all the focus on special effects, neither movie had a guaranteed star, but instead relied on promising up-and-comers. But that gamble, at least this summer, did not pay off.
Although Sony marketers could publicize co-star Jamie Foxx because "Stealth" was his first film since he won the best actor Oscar for "Ray," he shared the screen with Josh Lucas and Jessica Biel, and the movie couldn't be positioned as a pure Foxx vehicle. All three were out in force to market "Stealth," but Lucas and Biel don't yet resonate with the public.
DreamWorks also had trouble building interest in its two stars, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. McGregor, who has three "Star Wars" movies to his credit, was appearing onstage in London in the musical "Guys and Dolls" and was absent from most of the studio's national publicity. And though Johansson showed up for the junket and the premiere, her indie cred did not translate into a box office force.
The studio, therefore, was forced to build its campaign around the marquee appeal of director Bay. But, as one marketing executive put it, "When you are selling a director, the only one that matters is Spielberg."
Added one high-level manager: "The idea that Michael Bay had a fan base is nuts. It's one thing to be a successful director, but to be a brand name? I can name four of those directors: Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino, Peter Jackson and Spielberg. Bay has not risen to the level where he himself draws an audience base."
The two movies are not the first this summer that have suffered from a lack of star power. Sony and production partner Revolution Studios stumbled in April with the sequel "XXX: State of the Union," in which Ice Cube took over the lead role from Vin Diesel, who starred in the original. While Ice Cube enjoyed success earlier this year with the kid-friendly "Are We There Yet?" which grossed $83 million domestically, he was unable to expand on his developing fan base with "XXX," which opened to $12 million on its way to a mere $26 million.
"You can make an Ice Cube movie for $40 million and succeed, but blowing it up to the $120 million level does not guarantee you added box office dollars," the manager said. "It seems that the new dead zone is the $120 million-$150 million no-star movie."
Some industry observers predict Hollywood will be less eager to risk movies based on original concepts with unproven stars.
"This is going to become more and more a brand business," the manager said. "Studios will be looking for a prebuilt audience, whether it's a book, a video game or a comic book audience."
Blake and the other executives at Sony, who have had difficulties throughout the summer -- the studio's biggest summer film, "Bewitched," has grossed just more than $60 million -- insist they are not going to alter their development plans drastically, though the idea of a sure thing now seems a bit less sure.
"It does feel that there is going to be a sea change in the business, that there isn't going to be a hit every week of the summer," Blake said. "It's a concern, and the bar for the movies that are going to do well seems to have been raised this summer. I don't think anyone wants to live in a world where you have to have one of the biggest movie stars, with one of the biggest directors with a giant concept like aliens invading earth, as your criteria for a hit. It's a pretty high place to put the bar."
ABC News Anchor Peter Jennings Dies at 67
NEW YORK - Peter Jennings, the urbane, Canadian-born broadcaster who delivered the news to Americans each night in five separate decades, died Sunday. He was 67.
Jennings, who announced in April that he had lung cancer, died at his New York home, ABC News President David Westin said late Sunday.
"Peter has been our colleague, our friend, and our leader in so many ways. None of us will be the same without him," Westin said.
With Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather, Jennings was part of a triumvirate that dominated network news for more than two decades, through the birth of cable news and the Internet. His smooth delivery and years of international reporting experience made him particularly popular among urban dwellers.
"Peter was born to be an anchor," Brokaw said Monday on NBC's "Today." He said he met Jennings in 1966 covering Ronald Reagan's campaign for California governor and "we had an instant friendship."
"Peter, of the three of us, was our prince. He seemed so timeless. He had such elan and style," Brokaw said.
Rather, appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America" tribute to Jennings, noted that beneath Jennings' polished exterior was a fierce competitor.
"If Peter was in the area code, I didn't sleep," Rather said.
Jennings dominated the ratings from the late 1980s to the mid-'90s, when Brokaw surpassed him. He remained a Canadian until 2003, when he became a U.S. citizen, saying it had nothing to do with his politics he did it for his family.
"He was a warm and loving and surprisingly sentimental man," said Ted Koppel, a longtime friend and fellow anchor.
Jennings deeply regretted not finishing school, and he would have wanted that lesson passed along, Koppel said. He made up for it by becoming a student of the world, studying cultures and their people for the rest of his life.
"No one could ad lib like Peter," said Barbara Walters. "Sometimes he drove me crazy because he knew so many details.
"He just died much too young."
Jennings was the face of ABC News whenever a big story broke. He logged more than 60 hours on the air during the week of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, offering a soothing sense of continuity during a troubled time.
"There are a lot of people who think our job is to reassure the public every night that their home, their community and their nation is safe," he told author Jeff Alan. "I don't subscribe to that at all. I subscribe to leaving people with essentially sorry it's a cliche a rough draft of history. Some days it's reassuring, some days it's absolutely destructive."
Jennings' announcement four months ago that the longtime smoker would begin treatment for lung cancer came as a shock.
"I will continue to do the broadcast," he said, his voice husky, in a taped message that night. "On good days, my voice will not always be like this."
But although Jennings occasionally came to the office between chemotherapy treatments, he never again appeared on the air.
"He knew that it was an uphill struggle. But he faced it with realism, courage, and a firm hope that he would be one of the fortunate ones," Westin said. "In the end, he was not."
Broadcasting was the family business for Jennings. His father, Charles Jennings, was the first person to anchor a nightly national news program in Canada and later became head of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.'s news division. A picture of his father was displayed prominently in Jennings' office off ABC's newsroom.
Charles Jennings' son had a Saturday morning radio show in Ottawa at age 9. Jennings never completed high school or college, and began his career as a news reporter at a radio station in Brockton, Ontario. He quickly earned an anchor job at Canadian Television.
Sent south to cover the Democratic national convention in 1964, the handsome, dashing correspondent was noticed by ABC's news president. Jennings was offered a reporting job and left Canada for New York.
As the third-place news network, ABC figured its only chance was to go after young viewers. Jennings was picked to anchor the evening news and debuted on Feb. 1, 1965. He was 26.
"It was a little ridiculous when you think about it," Jennings told author Barbara Matusow. "A twenty-six-year-old trying to compete with Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley. I was simply unqualified."
Critics savaged him as a pretty face unfit for the promotion. Using the Canadian pronunciations for some words and once misidentifying the Marine Corps' anthem as "Anchors Aweigh" didn't help his reputation. The experiment ended three years later.
He later described the humbling experience as an opportunity, "because I was obliged to figure out who I was and what I really wanted to be."
Assigned as a foreign correspondent, Jennings thrived. He established an ABC News bureau in Beirut, and became an expert on the Middle East. He won a Peabody Award for a 1974 profile of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
On the scene at the Munich Olympics in 1972, Jennings was perfectly placed to cover the hostage-taking of Israeli athletes by an Arab terrorist group. He and a crew hid in the athletes' quarters for a close-in view of the drama.
Jennings returned to the evening news a decade after his unceremonious departure. In 1978, ABC renamed its broadcast "World News Tonight," and instituted a three-person anchor team: Frank Reynolds based in Washington, Max Robinson from Chicago and Jennings, by then ABC's chief foreign correspondent, from London.
Following Reynolds' death from cancer, ABC abandoned the multi-anchor format and Jennings became sole anchor on Sept. 5, 1983. Brokaw became solo anchor at NBC just days later. Rather had taken the CBS anchor job in 1981.
Starting in 1986, Jennings began a decade on top of the ratings. His international experience served him well explaining stories like the collapse of European communism, the first Gulf War and the terrorist bombing of an airplane over Lockerbie, Scotland. He took pride that "World News Tonight," as its name suggested, took a more worldly view than its rivals. Fans responded to his smart, controlled style.
"When it's clearly an emotional experience for the audience, the anchor should not add his or her emotional layers," Jennings said in an interview with the Star Tribune in Minneapolis.
Two-thirds of local broadcasters responding to a 1993 survey by Broadcasting & Cable magazine said Jennings was the best network news anchor. Washington Journalism Review named him anchor of the year three straight years.
With Americans looking more inward in the mid to late-1990s, NBC's Tom Brokaw surpassed Jennings in the ratings. ABC was still a close No. 2, however. When Brokaw stepped down in December 2004, followed shortly by Rather, ABC began an advertising campaign stressing Jennings' experience an ironic twist given how his ABC News career began.
But ABC was never able to learn whether Jennings could take advantage of his role as an elder statesman; his cancer diagnosis came only a month after Rather left the anchor chair.
Jennings was proud of his Canadian citizenship, although it was occasionally a sore point with some critics. When Jennings spoke at the dedication of a museum celebrating the U.S. Constitution in 2003, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia told him, "not bad for a Canadian."
Jennings whispered back his secret: He had just passed a test earning him dual citizenship in the United States.
"My decision to do this has nothing to do with politics," Jennings told The Associated Press at the time. "It has nothing to do with my profession. It has everything to do with my family."
Restlessly curious, Jennings pushed ABC News to use the turn of the century for a massive historical study. He co-wrote a book, "The Century," with Todd Brewster and anchored a marathon 25-hour special ending Jan. 1, 2000. Jennings and Brewster also traveled the backroads to write "In Search of America."
Jennings also led a documentary team at ABC News, which struck a chord in 2000 with the high-rated spiritual special "The Search for Jesus."
"I have never spent a day in my adult life where I didn't learn something," Jennings told the Saturday Evening Post. "And if there is a born-again quality to me, that's it."
Like Rather and Brokaw, Jennings wasn't entirely comfortable stuck to a studio. He traveled around the world to cover stories and, when he didn't journey to Asia to cover the aftermath of the tsunami less than four months before his cancer diagnosis, it was noticed.
He is survived by his wife, Kayce Freed, and his two children, Elizabeth, 25, and Christopher, 23.