Writer of Tommy Douglas miniseries defends script
The writer behind the controversial television miniseries about former Saskatchewan premier Tommy Douglas is speaking out in response to CBC-TV's decision to pull the show after citing historical inaccuracies.
Screenwriter Bruce Smith said he stands behind the work he did for Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story, which CBC broadcast over two nights in March.
In particular, he is defending his portrayal of Saskatchewan's former Liberal premier Jimmy Gardiner, a political opponent of Douglas in the 1930s when the Canadian icon first was elected as a candidate for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, a forerunner of the NDP.
"I stand by my portrayal of Jimmy Gardiner without reservation," Smith said in a written statement released by the Writers Guild of Canada. "It is historically accurate and based on extensive research."
Gardiner's family members said he was portrayed in a negative light, as a leader who didn't care about farmers or immigrants.
In response to their concerns, the CBC engaged an independent historian to research the case. It announced earlier this month that as a result of that review, it would pull the movie from circulation and halt DVD sales.
However, Smith said he can counter every argument the historian made against his script.
"The CBC's behaviour is inexcusable," said Maureen Parker, the executive director of the Writers Guild. "We ask that they review the facts and issue a public apology."
Besides damaging Smith's reputation, the CBC's move sets a dangerous precedent for anyone who wants to write scripts based on true-life events, she said.
40 reasons to love John Cusack
Today marks the 40th birthday of an actor I've grown up with and love more with each movie: John Cusack. From Say Anything to High Fidelity, Cusack has expanded the image of the leading man to encompass offbeat, intelligent and/or sensitive guys. With one look, he can make you laugh, cry and sigh simultaneously.
In honor of the milestone, here are 40 things I love about the actor.
1. His real name is John Cusack. That's John Paul Cusack, to be exact. If he'd changed it to something like Johnny Danger, he wouldn't be the same.
2. His movies are worth seeing. OK, so America's Sweethearts didn't break any new ground. Neither did Pushing Tin. But overall, Cusack films are a pretty safe bet, and you can't say that about most A-list stars.
3. He avoids the tabloids. Cusack has always fiercely guarded his privacy, and that kind of determination benefits us all.
4. He was once a geek like the rest of us. Who knew the awkward guy from Sixteen Candles and and Better Off Dead would become such a sexy leading man? Unlike lifelong hunks Depp and Brad Pitt, Cusack has no trouble playing the everyman.
5. He avoided the Brat Pack curse. Despite appearing alongside the likes of Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald and Rob Lowe, Cusack managed to avoid typecasting, scandal and a post-'80s career crash.
6. He loves his sister. John and Joan Cusack have starred in a long list of movies together, including Say Anything, Sixteen Candles, Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity. How can you not love a guy who keeps his family so close?
7. He loves his other siblings, too. Ann Cusack had a bit part in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Grosse Pointe Blank. Bill Cusack appeared in Con Air. You can see Susie Cusack in High Fidelity. It's too bad his parents didn't have 10 more kids, or the Cusack clan could be running Hollywood right now.
8. Jeremy Piven is his pal. You can spot his former roommate in One Crazy Summer, Say Anything, Serendipity, Grosse Pointe Blank and several other films. Here's hoping Cusack will return the favor with a guest stint on Entourage.
9. Tim Robbins? Also a good friend. Their shared credits include Bob Roberts, The Player and Tapeheads.
10. His musical taste rocks. The Clash, Fishbone, The Ramones and The Specials rank among Cusack's favorite artists, and he served as music supervisor on High Fidelity. His films boast some of the best soundtracks you can buy.
11. I envy his T-shirt collection. Cusack is known for incorporating musical references into his movies via wardrobe. (Rent Say Anything if you can't remember what I'm talking about.)
12. His leading ladies aren't far-fetched. Unlike some actors we won't name, Cusack's on-screen love interests are usually cool and close to his age, from High Fidelity's Lisa Bonet to Must Love Dogs' Diane Lane to The Ice Harvest's Connie Nielsen.
13. He hasn't been married 20 times. In fact he hasn't been married once, which allows many of us to still believe we have a chance.
14. His real-life girlfriends aren't bimbos. They include Lili Taylor, Claire Forlani, Minnie Driver and Neve Campbell. Man, I love a guy who loves a brunette ...
15. Chicago is his first love. Cusack was raised in Evanston, Ill., and he remains a devoted Cubs fan and Windy City enthusiast.
16. He reminds you of a guy you know. I think part of the reason fans love John Cusack so much is because he comes across as an honest, well-intentioned guy. (I dare say he's an ideal male role model.)
17. He maintains his theater ties. He founded a theater group in the '80s and has helmed several productions since.
18. He's more than an actor. In fact, Cusack shares screenplay credits on Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity.
19. He supports good movies. New Crime Productions, Cusack's production company, has backed Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Jack Bull and the actor's next film, Grace Is Gone.
20. He made Tapeheads. The comedy must've been a huge risk coming off of all those teen movies, but he took the chance anyway.
21. And did I mention Being John Malkovich? I can't imagine anyone else as the eccentric, selfish puppeteer. Cusack even covered up his good looks with a long wig and baggy clothes; not all leading men are so game for a makeunder.
22. He knows when to say no. Cusack rejected roles in Apollo 13 and Indecent Proposal, among other flicks.
23. He doesn't give pretentious interviews. Every piece I've read about Cusack leaves me wishing I could have a beer with him someday. Hopefully, there's still time.
24. He does a bloody good DVD commentary. Hear his comments during Say Anything, and you'll wish all of films came with a Cusack commentary track.
25. He really did believe kickboxing was the sport of the future. It used to be -- and hey, maybe it still is -- one of his favorite pasttimes.
26. He cries. Say Anything and High Fidelity are just two flicks that exposed his emotional side.
27. He hasn't played The Oscar Character. You know who I mean -- the blind, mentally challenged, grief-stricken, sexually confused dude that guarantees an Academy Award nomination. Instead, Cusack gravitates toward more down-to-earth, identifiable roles.
28. He reads. Cusack was a friend of Hunter S. Thompson and has appeared in several adaptations of good novels, including Fidelity and Midnight in the Garden.
29. He blogs. Though he doesn't talk politics as much as, say, Alec Baldwin or Martin Sheen, he has openly expressed his views in various forums. Most recently, his name popped up on The Huffington Post.
30. He has a good head of hair. Not to say I wouldn't love him bald ...
31. He's never gone blonde. I'd also like to thank him for avoiding the "fauxhawk," the soul patch and other follicle oddities.
32. He's not above a cameo. His itty-bitty roles include participating in Suicidal Tendencies' Trip At the Brain video and Spike Jonze's Adaptation.
33. He survived an involuntary presidential run. The fan-organized "Cusack for President" campaign petered out when the actor denied any political aspirations.
34. He's not conventionally gorgeous. He may be one of Hollywood's most desirable men, but it's not for his super-square jaw, Adonis figure or flawless, blindingly bright teeth.
35. He's aged gracefully. Since John Cusack generally plays his age, his 40th birthday doesn't come as too much of a surprise. (One exception: He was 22 while playing an 18-year-old in Say Anything, though that marked his final teen role.)
36. He's never been in a movie with Kevin Bacon. Of course, once Bacon gets wind of this, he may put a stop to it.
37. He's cool to his fans. That is, until they cross the line ...
38. He's not bitter about being ignored at award shows. For a man with so many impressive film credentials, he has won depressingly few recognitions.
39. He still takes chances. Cusack plays an Iraq war widower in his next movie. The premise will inevitably lead to controversy, but this will likely have no effect on Cusack's role.
40. He was Lloyd Dobler. I shudder to imagine a world without the Say Anything hero, a high-school senior wise enough to know true love was far more valuable than a lifetime spent buying, selling and processing. John Cusack is the only actor who could've fit the part, and I owe him big time for the hours of daydreams and amusement he has given me.
Happy birthday, John! Here's to 40 more years of good health, good fortune and good work.
Mighty Return (And Returns) Expected for 'Superman'
Superman Returns is expected to leap over all its rivals in a single bound over the Fourth of July weekend, but analysts are divided over how high it will fly. The film will have the widest release of any in Warner Bros.' history -- 4,065 theaters and about 8,500 screens. In addition, the film is being featured on 77 IMAX screens (about 20 minutes of the IMAX prints are in 3-D), the widest release in that theatrical format. Director Bryan Singer has acknowledged that the film cost about $204 million to make (some studio insiders have told trade publications that the figure was actually much higher), but Warner Bros. is believed to have spent $40-50 million over the years developing the new film. Reviews of the film have been decidedly mixed, and while reviews may have little effect on the size of opening crowds they often do reflect word of mouth and thus, how a film will perform in the long term. The film faces strong -- if not overwhelming -- competition from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest next week. Moreover, according to Daily Variety, many female moviegoers have indicated that they'd prefer The Devil Wears Prada, which opens on Friday. Still, it's a long holiday, since the Fourth falls on a Tuesday, and it's always been a big holiday for movie-going. There's a strong possibility that there will be a run on tights, capes and Prada. In an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, Warner Bros. distribution chief Dan Fellman observed, "A lot of people are taking off this week, so we think we can do extremely well on Wednesday and Thursday, then go into a long five-day weekend. A lot of businesses will be closed Monday and Tuesday next week."
'LOTR' musical closing early
TORONTO (CP) - Just three months after it opened to largely negative reviews, producers of the $28-million Lord of the Rings stage show have announced it is closing.
"If the critics think they don't have power, believe me they do," Rings producer Kevin Wallace told a news conference Wednesday. The show will close Sept. 3. A revamped version will reopen next May 9 in London.
Wallace levelled much of the blame for the show's abbreviated Toronto run at critics, saying the show had had a "rough ride" on this side of the Atlantic.
"When you're going to spend $120 (on a ticket), you do need the affirmation," he said.
Calling London the "spiritual home" of the show, he said British critics responded more favourably.
The show, based on the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien novel, opened with great fanfare in March.
Clocking in at three hours and 30 minutes, it was widely acknowledged to be a technological wonder with 17 elevators embedded in the 36-tonne, computer-controlled stage floor.
But the reaction from many established critics was tepid.
The New York Times said: "Everyone and everything winds up lost in this ... adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's cult-inspiring trilogy of fantasy novels. That includes plot, character and the patience of most ordinary theatregoers."
Added The Associated Press: "Deciphering the story, adapted by Shaun McKenna and director Matthew Warchus, may be the hardest part of a theatregoer's job. . . . The nearly 60 actors on stage have trouble making much of an impression."
Wallace said the London version will be tweaked and whittled down to three hours.
Some of the Toronto company will also join that production, with details to be announced in September, he said.
Toronto Mayor David Miller blamed the Rings closing on the reluctance of Americans to travel in large numbers in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Despite the critical barbs, the Lord of the Rings cleaned up at the Dora theatre awards handed out earlier this week. It was named outstanding new musical and won six other awards.
Furtado Lets "Loose" on Charts
Apparently it pays to be promiscuous.
Just ask Nelly Furtado. Powered by the Timbaland-produced hit "Promiscuous," the Grammy-winning songbird's latest album, Loose, took the big out of Busta's Bang and debuted atop the pop chart, moving 219,000 for the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
For maximum effect, Loose features different radio singles directed at different markets. "Promiscuous" helped the album top the charts in the U.S. and Canada, while "Maneater" topped the charts in the U.K., Portugal and Luxembourg. A Spanish-language single, the reggaeton-flavored "No Hay Igual," has also been released. The strategy has paid off: Loose opened at number one in Germany and Switzerland and made a Top 10 bow in the U.K., Mexico and the Netherlands.
Overall, it was a slow retail week--down 10 percent from last week and 8 percent off the same week in 2005--with Furtado landing the only six-figure sales. Underoath debuted at two on 98,000 copies of Define the Great Line, while the Dixie Chicks are still clucking with Taking the Long Way selling 87,000 copies at three.
At number four, American fans showed they're keen for Keane as the U.K. group sold nearly 76,000 copies of Under the Iron Sea. This follow-up to their Grammy-nominated debut, Hopes and Fears--which sold over 5 million copies worldwide--already topped the charts across the pond with help from its smash hit, "Is It Any Wonder?"
The week's final Top 10 newcomer was Field Mob, whose third album, Light Poles & Pine Trees, lit up the seven spot with 63,000 copies. The Peach State rap duo is signed to Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace label, and their new disc features the new hit "So What" as well as "Georgia," a collaboration with Ludacris, DJ Green Lantern and Jamie Foxx.
Finally, after spending the last few weeks at 11, Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere crept into the Top 10 at eight. The disc sold nearly 58,000 copies in its seventh week of release.
Meanwhile, last week's number one, Busta Rhymes' The Big Bang, dropped four spots to five with 69,000, while the chart-topper before him, AFI's Decemberunderground, dropped another six spots to nine on 57,000 in sales. The two remaining Top 10 albums were both soundtracks: High School Musical at six and Cars at 10.
Nearly three months after its release, Top 10 mainstay Me & My Gang by Rascal Flatts finally fell out, down from eight to 11. The disc holds the current record for 2006 first-week sales, 722,000 copies, and is the year's only album to hold the number one spot for three consecutive weeks.
Elsewhere, Chi-town R&B crooner Donell Jones, who got his start writing and producing songs for artists like Usher, smoothed his way into the 15 spot as Journey of a Gemini sold 48,000 copies. Guster mustered up a number 25 bow with Ganging Up on the Sun selling 30,000, while Madonna's live CD/DVD combo I'm Going To Tell You a Secret sold 25,000 units at 33.
Other noteworthy debuts included the Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift soundtrack at 40, the Counting Crows' New Amsterdam: Live at Heineken Music Hall at 52, Cute Is What We Aim For's Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch at 75, Dragonforce's Inhuman Rampage at 103 and Smokey Robinson's Timeless Love at 109.
Here's a recap of the Top 10:
1. Loose, Nelly Furtado
2. Define the Great Line, Underoath
3. Taking the Long Way, Dixie Chicks
4. Under the Iron Sea, Keane
5. The Big Bang, Busta Rhymes
6. High School Musical soundtrack, various
7. Light Poles & Pine Trees, Field Mob
8. St. Elsewhere, Gnarls Barkley
9. Decemberunderground, AFI
10. Cars soundtrack, various