First paperback of "Da Vinci Code" due in March
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dan Brown's publisher will bring out the first U.S. paperback edition of his blockbuster "The Da Vinci Code" on March 28, ahead of the May release of the film adaptation starring Tom Hanks, the company said on Monday.
With sales of the hardback edition still booming nearly three years after it was first published, the tale of church conspiracy and murder is expected to see another spike in sales linked to the eagerly awaited Columbia Pictures movie, directed by Ron Howard.
Random House imprint Anchor Books said it would publish 5 million paperback copies in mass market and trade editions, as well as trade paperback version of the special illustrated edition. Doubleday will also publish a book about the making of the film on May 19 to coincide with its opening.
Originally published in March 2003, "The Da Vinci Code" is one of the most successful, and controversial, books in U.S. publishing history.
The novel has been condemned by the Roman Catholic Church because the plot is based on the theory that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and had children, whose descendants are alive in the present day.
Despite more than 40 million copies in print worldwide in 44 languages, the novel's literary merits have been questioned by critics and it has attracted lawsuits, so far unsuccessful, claiming it was plagiarized.
"The Da Vinci Code" has spent 144 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, 54 of them at number one. The book currently has 12 million copies in print in North America.
Marshall Offers 'Indy IV' Insight, 'Bourne' Buzz
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- As the sun set in Century City on Sunday (Jan. 8) afternoon, a group of journalists waited patiently as producer Frank Marshall discussed his upcoming IMAX documentary "Roving Mars."
The expanded format film follows, as one might guess from the title, the creation, launch and discoveries of the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. It has fascinating computer imagery and a catchy Phillip Glass score. What it doesn't have, however, is Harrison Ford, some kind of ancient treasure and a bullwhip. Marshall's presence is largely an invitation to discuss the neverending drama surrounding the on-again/off-again "Indiana Jones 4."
"Way back when Harrison was being honored by the AFI when this all started, we were all standing backstage, we saw all the movies and everything and we were a little nostalgic and mellow and we said, 'You know, that was fun. We ought to do that. Let's try and do this.'" Marshall recounts. "Well that was a while ago. And I think that what we want is we want it to be as good as the others. These are not stories based on anything, so it's taking a while. But I'll tell you, it's on the front burner and we're gonna decide to do this or not real soon."
It's been well-established that in order for the first Indiana Jones adventure since 1989's "Last Crusade" to become a reality, all of the principals -- Marshall, Ford, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas -- have to agree on the direction for the franchise. A script by Frank Darabont already failed to meet that criteria ("Frank did a nice job, but we wanted to go in a different direction, and that's moviemaking," Marshall says), putting the saga in the hands of Jeff Nathanson ("Rush Hour 2") most recently.
"We're gonna have a script real soon and now it's a question of getting our schedules all to where we can do it," is all Marshall can promise. "There's four of us, so it's hard."
Things are much more concrete for the fate of the Marshall-produced "Bourne Ultimatum," the third installment of the popular series featuring Matt Damon as a former government operative with a spotty memory and tons of grief. Marshall reveals that production on "Ultimatum" will begin in Europe on Aug. 1 and that Damon and "Bourne Supremacy" director Paul Greengrass are excited to return. Also back in the fold are screenwriter Tony Gilroy and co-stars Joan Allen and Julia Stiles.
"He made up another incredible story," Marshall says of Gilroy, who long ago abandoned the blueprint set by Robert Ludlum's novels. "It's really, really out there, but it's incredible."
Asked if Bourne will finally be able to get some satisfaction by the end of the trilogy, Marshall is cagey.
"I think he's going to get there in this one," he comments. "He's going to get to a place of nirvana and a place of satisfaction and he'll feel good about himself by the end of this movie, sail off into the sunset. Like Indy. Then I'll have to go through this again in five years."
The priority placement of "Indy" and "Bourne" has left another franchise out in the cold. "Jurassic Park," last visited in 2001, seemed on the verge of another sequel. Not so fast.
"It's kind of off the radar," Marshall says. "I'd say we've got 'Bourne' here [he gestures in front of himself], we've got 'Indy' here [gestures a bit behind] and we have 'Jurassic' back here [he creates a wide gulf with his hands]. Steve's obviously been pretty busy the last year, so we haven't really focused on that yet. But we will."
Oh and "Roving Mars" hits IMAX screens on Friday, Jan. 27.
NEW CD RELEASES FOR JANUARY 10, 2006
Tony Bennett Sings for Lovers Tony Bennett
Morningwood Morningwood
With Love and Squalor We Are Scientists
High School Musical [Soundtrack] Original Soundtrack
Stan Getz Plays for Lovers Stan Getz
Don't Forget About Us [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import] Mariah Carey
Inhuman Rampage Dragonforce
Dave Brubeck Plays for Lovers Dave Brubeck
Bill Evans Plays for Lovers Bill Evans
Walking in the Air Chloé
Colour the Small One Sia
Original Cast Recording [Limited Edition] [Import] Billy Elliot
Blessed Soweto Gospel Choir
Raining Up Mairead
Tradition Years: I Wonder as I Wander [Original recording remastered] John Jacob Niles
Heartbreak Hotel [CD-single] [Original recording remastered] Elvis Presley
A Celtic Journey Meav
Bronx In Blue Dion
Soul of a Man Eric Burdon
The Water Is Wide Orla
'Survivor' Cast to Include Ex-Astronaut
NEW YORK - The next cast of CBS' "Survivor" will include a retired astronaut who flew in space three times, twice on the space shuttle Discovery.
The 12th version of the popular game, this time set in Panama, will feature tribes briefly separated by age and an exile where a contestant can profit after stomaching some time alone.
Dan Barry, a 52-year-old ex-astronaut from S. Hadley, Mass., is among the 16 cast members. Barry last flew in space in 2001, and he has four space walks to his name. A yoga instructor, nurse, engineer, lawyer, social worker and logging sports performer are among his competitors.
On "Survivor: Panama — Exile Island," at least one cast member each episode will be sent alone to a separate island miles from the others. Hidden on the island, however, will be an immunity idol.
The next "Survivor" edition begins on CBS February 2nd.
Hilary Swank and Husband Chad Lowe Split
LOS ANGELES - Two-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank and actor husband Chad Lowe have separated after more than eight years of marriage. "Hilary and Chad have decided to separate, but they are hopeful they'll be able to get through this tough time," Swank's manager Troy Nankin said in a statement Monday.
There was no elaboration on the reason for the split.
Swank, 31, and Lowe, who turns 38 on Jan. 15, were married on Sept. 28, 1997. They have no children.
Swank famously forgot to thank a tearful Lowe while accepting her best actress Oscar in 2000 for "Boys Don't Cry." Last year, Swank won again for "Million Dollar Baby" — this time, thanking her husband.
She will next star in "The Black Dahlia," Brian De Palma's adaptation of James Ellroy's novel.
Lowe, who is the brother of actor Rob Lowe, won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of AIDS patient Jesse McKenna on the TV series "Life Goes On" in 1993.
David Rose, the actor's agent at Innovative Artists, said there would be no comment from Lowe.
Howard Stern Makes Debut on Satellite
NEW YORK - Howard Stern began his new satellite radio show on Monday by putting to rest rumors that he got married to his longtime girlfriend, model Beth Ostrosky — in a comment complete with a federally banned expletive.
"I am not married. It's a nice feeling that we get along great. We're very happy and I don't want to (blank) it up," said Stern, who is finally free of government decency laws on Sirius Satellite Radio.
Stern has promised everything from stripper poles to live sex on his new show. His deal could be worth up to $500 million over five years to headline two Sirius channels.
At the start of the show Monday, Stern dished up some phone sex with Playboy bunny Heidi Cortez, who has her own phone-sex nighttime show lined up on Sirius.
Stern also introduced George Takei as his new on-air personality. Takei, who played Sulu on "Star Trek" and who last year publicly said he is gay, will serve as announcer. After the first week, he will record segments for the show but will not be in the studio.
"The revolution has begun" in new radio, Takei said Monday.
Even before his first day on the job, the shock jock recruited listeners for the $13-per-month service: Its audience expanded from 600,000 to 2.2 million subscribers after Stern announced his switch last year.
That's hardly a surprise. Stern's wildly popular syndicated show proved a cash cow for Infinity Broadcasting, raking in about $100 million in annual advertising revenues and capturing 12 million listeners with raunchy, boundary-pushing programming.
Stern had frequently tested and sparred with the regulatory Federal Communications Commission during his 25-year run on the public airwaves, often having his morning show interrupted by censors.
Weeks after Janet Jackson's Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction," Clear Channel yanked Stern from six stations amid an FCC crackdown. Stern signed with Sirius five months later.
"I thought Clear Channel and companies like that were going to fight the FCC," Stern, 51, told the Associated Press last month. "I kept hanging around. And they never fought back. ... They are cowards. They bow, and they deserve to be destroyed."
On Monday, caller after caller wished Stern luck — and he reacted with annoyance.
"I've been doing years and years of shows but I get irritated when people wish me luck," he said. "You should have wished me luck 25 years ago."
Stern broadcast his last FM radio show on Dec. 16 as thousands of fans gathered outside his New York City studio.
The Couch Potato Report - January 9th, 2006
This week The Couch Potato Report features movies that I have only seen in theatres.
Most weeks here on The Couch Potato Report I speak about films that I have watched at home on DVD.
This week, I haven't watched any of the films I will speak about at home. I saw them all in movie theatres.
I will watch all of this week's releases at home eventually - no matter what I thought of them in theatres - because I want to see them all again.
But over the past few weeks I was on vacation visiting friends and meeting my girlfriend's family for the first time, so there wasn't any extra time to watch movies.
Thus, this week, let me talk with you about this week's new DVD releases as they were seen in theatres.
Up first is the summer comedy blockbuster WEDDING CRASHERS.
In WEDDING CRASHERS Vince Vaughn from OLD SCHOOL and Owen Wilson from MEET THE PARENTS are a pair of womanizers who sneak into weddings to take advantage of women who's inhibitions might be lowered due to the romantic feelings in the air.
Trouble arises for the duo's lifestyle when one of them actually falls in love at a wedding.
WEDDING CRASHERS is one of my favourite films of 2005 and that is primarily due to the fact that Vaughn and Wilson have such great chemistry as friends.
Plus, the supporting cast that includes Christopher Walken, Jane Seymour and Rachel McAdams are all perfect.
If you like to laugh, this is a film for you!
I wanted to see WEDDING CRASHERS from the moment I saw the trailer and now that it is out on DVD I want to see it again.
I am also looking forward to seeing BROKEN FLOWERS again.
Bill Murray from LOST IN TRANSLATION stars as a long-time bachelor who receives a letter telling him he has an unknown son who might be looking for him.
He doesn't seem interested at first but he is urged to investigate this mystery by his neighbour, a man who is an amateur detective.
So Murray travels across America to visit four former lovers to see if they can shed any light on the mysterious letters.
Those lovers are played by Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Tilda Swinton and Sharon Stone.
Unlike WEDDING CRASHERS, BROKEN FLOWERS isn't for everyone. It is too slow moving and sad for a mass audience, yet it is exceptionally well acted, written and directed, but at times it is also a very funny film.
That humour primarily comes from Bill Murray's incredibly expressive face and his expressions of disgruntled cynicism and irony.
Ultimately I would call BROKEN FLOWERS a film for people who like small films that allow you the chance to draw your own conclusions. Conclusions about the people in the film and the movie's resolution.
It isn't a masterpiece, but it is very interesting.
The suspense thriller DARK WATER isn't a masterpiece either, and from what I remember when I saw it in a theatre a few months ago, it isn't even very entertaining, but for some reason I still want to watch it again.
That might be due to the fact that I am a fan of Jennifer Connelly from A BEAUTIFUL MIND, but it could also be due to the fact that there is no way the movie can be as bad as I remember.
In DARK WATER Connelly is a woman who is going through a messy custody battle with her husband over their daughter.
Since they don't have much money they move into the only apartment they can afford - a dark, depressing place, with water leaks in the ceiling.
Before long, scary things begin to happen and the daughter has seemingly made an imaginary friend - one who tells her mysterious things about her mother.
Much like THE RING and THE GRUDGE, DARK WATER is a remake of a Japanese film.
But where the original was, well, original*and interesting, this remake is not. It is all build up, build up, build up, leading to an incredibly unsatisfying resolution.
Yet I still want to see DARK WATER again. I remember it as unsatisfying, but maybe with lower expectations it will be more enjoyable a second time.
I doubt it, but I remain optimistic.
I've only seen them so far in theatres, but if you missed them on the big screen, DARK WATER, BROKEN FLOWERS and WEDDING CRASHERS are all available on DVD right now.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
Ralph Fiennes is a widower is determined to get to the bottom of a potentially explosive secret involving his wife's murder in THE CONSTANT GARDNER.
In RED EYE Rachel McAdams from WEDDING CRASHERS is kidnapped by a stranger on an airplane and threatened by the potential murder of her father.
The documentary GRIZZLY MAN is about two grizzly bear activists who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska.
And the TV show FIREFLY becomes the movie SERENITY.
I'm Dan Reynish. 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 time on The Couch!