Hello Roger!

12 Sep 00 09:27, Roger Nelson wrote to All:

 RN> Brian De Palma's The Untouchables had a famous scene of a baby 
 RN> carriage bouncing down some very long steps during a shoot-out.  It 
 RN> was directly inspired by a like scene in what 1925 classic? 

Rather than spoil it for other guessers, I'll simply give you the 
initials: B_________ P_______.  The movie in question is about a 
famous (at least there) shipboard mutiny and harsh reprisals.




Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                            

 
 MG>  The Matrix was over-rated, I thought, other than spiffy special 
 MG>  effects. 
 
Is that what you saw? I didn't see that in The Matrix at all. 
 
What I did see was one hell of a comic book story done in such a way that 
everyone could accept it. I also saw it as a big fat love poem to John Woo and 
William Gibson, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, amongst others.
 
I truly hope the Wachowski Bros. cook up more of the same for the two sequels. 
You may not like it, but who gives a damn about what you think?
 
I, for one, didn't swallow the blue pill like you did apparently. 
 
Before you dismiss me, as I know you have already, take a closer look at the 
Matrix and see what lies beneath the "spiffy" special effects before writing it 
off.
 
 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
                                                              

*** Quoting Ray Geneburn in a message to All ***

 RG> Having seen this, I have an opinion of it which I'll withhold until I
 RG> get the all-clear.

 RG> In the mythic 1952 Western High Noon, Gary Cooper is a marshal who
 RG> goes up against a gang of killers alone because, well, a man's gotta
 RG> do what a man's gotta do. But fans of the original will probably
 RG> wonder why TBS would want to remake what many consider to be among
 RG> the greatest and most popular Westerns ever filmed.

I'll be interested to see your opinion...I actually just watched the original 
High Noon again last weekend. I don't know what Tom Skeritt is like in the TV 
version, but i'd find it hard to have him replace Gary Cooper. And from what 
i've read of the review, I think TV version would have lost a bit of ground 
having not used the original song "Do not forsake me..." and instead 
replacing it with standard country music.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                       

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I'll take a long shot, and guess it was inspired by The Battleship
 TW> Potekmin.

 RN> I suppose that's close enough.  The answer I have is Bronenosets
 RN> Potyomkin (1925).

I think this film goes by several variations on the title - i've heard it 
titled as Potemkin, The Battleship Potemkin and a few others.

The scene you were refering to, the Odyssea steps sequence, was also paid 
homage to in Woody Allen's Banana's and Terry Gilliam's Brazil...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                            

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Josh Grossberg 
Sep 13, 2000, 4:25 PM PT 

SNUFFED: St. Martin's Press says it won't be publishing Survivor champ Richard 
Hatch's tell-all book. The publishing house was said to be offering Hatch 
$500,000 for the book, but reportedly reconsidered after learning he was 
contractually obligated by CBS not to write about the TV show. 

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I'm lucky. I could have been dead. I could have been 
[confined] to a wheelchair, but I'm not. I'm gonna make a full recovery. The 
force is with me," ex-Jedi Liam Neeson to Access Hollywood on his recovery from 
a near-fatal July motorcycle accident. 

NELLY COUNTRY: Nelly's Country Grammar held on to the top slot on the pop album 
charts for a fifth straight week. Meanwhile, C-Murder's Trapped in Crime was 
the week's highest debut at number nine. 

CULTURE COPS: A day after a government study attacked Hollywood for marketing 
violent films to children, the Walt Disney Co. announcing it's pledging to keep 
R-rated movie advertisements off its ABC television network during prime-time. 

CULTURE COPS, TAKE II: Meanwhile, Congress holding hearings today addressing 
the issue of violence in entertainment and the marketing of violence to kids, 
as delineated in this week's FTC report. 

RAPPED: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony rapper Stanley Howse, aka Flesh-N-Bone, pleaded no 
contest Wednesday to gun charges. He's now facing jail time at his October 24 
sentencing. 

WHEELIN' & DEALIN': MP3.com Inc. still trying to negotiate a deal with 
Universal Music Group despite a federal judge last week ruling the online music 
provider intentionally violated copyright and might have to up to $250 million 
in damages. 

WE'RE GLAD HE DIDN'T! Academy Award winner Al Pacino telling a packed audience 
at the Toronto Film Festival that he once came very close to changing his name 
to Sonny Scott. Pacino is in Toronto for the premiere of his second directing 
effort, Chinese Coffee, costarring Jerry Orbach. 

SCENT OF A BABY! Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reporting that Pacino and 
girlfriend Beverly D'Angelo are expecting twins. These would be the Vacation 
mom's first children. 

INVISIBLE TOUCH: Former Genesis singer Phil Collins, 49, announcing he'll be a 
father again as his third wife, Orianne, 28, is expecting the couple's first 
child next year. Collins' has three children from his previous marriages. 

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME? A Los Angeles judge granting a request by the 
motion picture Academy to bar Judy Garland's former husband from selling her 
honorary Oscar for The Wizard of Oz without first settling their dispute. 

BACK TO SCHOOL: Supermodel Tyra Banks joining the cast of Felicity, playing a 
"serious" college student who might hook up with Noel, according to TV Guide 
Online. 

LEFT IN THE COLD: Scholastic Books extending the deadline for the Harry Potter 
essay contest by one week after irate complaints that the publisher left out 
young fans in Alaska and Hawaii. The contest asks for kids' essays on how the 
J.K. Rowling series has changed their lives. 

REMEMBERED: Jazz great Stanley Turrentine, one of the most influential 
saxophonists of his generation, whose hit "Sugar" put him on the map, died 
Tuesday in New York after suffering a stroke. He was 66. 

THE PRESIDENT & THE INTERN: HBO buying the rights to Jeffrey Tobin's book, A 
Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal that Nearly Brought Down a 
President, a behind-the-scenes detailed account of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal 
that will be told as a movie. 

GUNNING FOR REAL: Dick Wolf enlisting large numbers of real police officers, 
FBI Agents and DEA Agents to play themselves for free in re-enactments for his 
new syndicated reality series, Arrest & Trial, premiering October 2. 

THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR: Friends of the late Gov't Mule bassist Allen Woody 
playing a one-off benefit show at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City 
September 21 to celebrate his life and raise money for his family. The Allman 
Brothers Band, the Black Crowes, and Phil Lesh and Friends are scheduled to 
play. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                

Hello All!

Thursday, September 14, 2000: 

 Kimberly Williams (29) 
 Nicol Williamson (62) 
 Sam Neill (53) 
 Harve Presnell (67) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                

Hello All!

In a recent story about our beloved, but sometimes hapless NFL team, the New 
Orleans Saints, I was ALMOST taken aback at the story and caption.  A sign of 
the times, I suppose, but it is indicative of how the press does work.  I know, 
because I was interviewed twice by them in the 80s for a front page story about 
my son, who was in the Marine Corps in Beirut.  Without further ado, here it 
is:

   ----- SAINTS.TXT begins -----

Saints spoil Chargers' home opener   
 
    Blake throws three TD passes as New Orleans upsets San Diego  

[Picture omitted, but caption below.]

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jeff Blake fumbles the ball as San Diego 
Chargers Jamal Williams drags him down during the second quarter of Sunday's 
game.
  
   ----- SAINTS.TXT ends -----


Regards,

Roger  (-:
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                               

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I'm guessing it would have already been in the works. I'm not flash
 TW> on my Star Wars knowledge, but I think the whole general story for
 TW> the trilogy (ie, episode IV, V, VI) had already been conceived. In
 TW> saying that, both the trilogy and the prequels probably would have
 TW> been written together. 

Outlined, yes.  I think Lucas was very surprised at just how well SW did at the 
box office.  It exceeded his expectations, I think, and I haven't seen lines 
like that in years.  I'm glad I wasn't him at its premiere.  (-:

 TW> Maybe for mere mortals, but for movie stars, it's a different
 TW> story. The kind of action Jean Reno did in The Professional wasn't
 TW> too demanding - he did most of the action at the end of the film.

Getting blown to bits by a chest full of explosives can be tiresome.  (-:

 TW> Likewise in Ronin...a lot of running around, but otherwise, not to
 TW> hard on the body. I'll try and think of a 50 year old actor who's
 TW> been in a physically demanding role. 

Aside from Jack Palance, Lloyd Bridges and Clint Eastwood come to mind.

 TW> Is Jack Palance still working? Although I don't really follow him,
 TW> I can't recall him being in any films over the last few years.

I don't know.  I'll check on him later today after I cut the grass.

 TW> Come on...it was in the script! :) 

Haven't you grown accustomed to my sense of humor yet, Tim?  (-:

 TW> If 50 year old actors like De Niro and Reno can be successful in 
 TW> mildly physical roles, then I guess I should take back what I 
 TW> said about Arnold a while ago. Even with a tender heart, Arnold  
 TW> is, I admit, is in great condition.

Yes, but those cigars are starting to get to him.  Maybe he doesn't inhale. (-:

 TW> Pre 1960's actresses had great opportunities - I think their
 TW> position has declined somewhat from then on into the new century.

Yes.  The current breed appears to be worried or concerned more with chest 
inflation and extremely low-cut outfits -- a big turnoff for me.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
   

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> What do you mean by that? That we might really be part of the
 TW> Matrix, and that the world we live in now is just a computer
 TW> generation? :) 

I'm just telling you something you already know about life being full of 
surprises.

 TW> So Harrison Ford isn't enough to keep you awake? I think if
 TW> anything, Harrison Ford does have the star power that all the
 TW> great actors from the golden era were all about. 

If anything, Ford is what caused me to drop off to dreamland. (Yawn)  (-:

 TW> Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, James Stewart, John Wayne...Ford has at 
 TW> least a hint of what actors like these had. 

I would never place Ford on a list like that.  Nor mention him in the same 
breath with Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, James Stewart and especially John Wayne.

 TW> No, I think it's a legitimate statement. When the news was
 TW> announced, I read about it in the local paper. Ridley Scott was
 TW> quoted and it seemed to me to be the real deal. 

But he could have been misquoted.

 TW> Perhaps i'll have a look around the internet for some more insight.

Pass some of that along, would you?

 TW> You haven't head of the saying "chalk and cheese"? I'll put it this
 TW> way - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and like what butter is to
 TW> bread. 

Okay, but I'm still curious as to what New Zealanders are referring to by 
chalk. Here in the USA, it has a whole 'nother connotation.  (-:

 TW> Haven't seen that one. Must say I haven't seen much of Astaire's
 TW> films at all. Probably because I tended to stay away from musicals
 TW> for so long. 

Me too.  I don't care much for musicals, but I do like comedies, mysteries and 
some thrillers, science fiction and WW II films.  The latter to check for 
accuracy.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                            

Paul Cote wrote in a message to Maureen Goldman:

 MG>  The Matrix was over-rated, I thought, other than spiffy special 
 MG>  effects. 

 PC> Is that what you saw? I didn't see that in The Matrix at all.   
 PC> What I did see was one hell of a comic book story done in such a
 PC> way that everyone could accept it. I also saw it as a big fat love
 PC> poem to John Woo and William Gibson, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby,
 PC> amongst others.

Not being familiar with the comic book, I can safely state that I had no 
previous knowledge of the story.

 PC> I truly hope the Wachowski Bros. cook up more of the same for the
 PC> two sequels. You may not like it, but who gives a damn about what
 PC> you think?  

Ah, the how to win friends and influence tact, no doubt.  For one, I care about 
her opinion and while you have the right to and are welcome to express yours, 
there is NO EXCUSE for what you are trying to convey by typing such a note to 
Maureen or anyone else in this echo.  Everyone may post here, but THE PROPER 
DECORUM MUST BE FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES, else you will incur the wrath of me, the 
co-moderator.

 PC> I, for one, didn't swallow the blue pill like you did apparently.  
 PC> Before you dismiss me, as I know you have already, take a closer
 PC> look at the Matrix and see what lies beneath the "spiffy" special
 PC> effects before writing it off.

I suggest you take some lessons in manners before posting here again and try to 
remember that all of us here are expressing our own views.  You may also post 
yours, following the instructions I gave you in the preceding paragraph,
as long as you don't attack others.  I have 0 tolerance for ill-mannered 
people.


Regards,

Roger 
FILM Echo Co-Moderator
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                       

 On 09-12-00 Roger Nelson wrote to All... 
 
 RN> Brian De Palma's The Untouchables had a famous scene of a 
 RN> baby carriage bouncing down some very long steps during a 
 RN> shoot-out.  It was directly inspired by a like scene in 
 RN> what 1925 classic? 
 
 Battleship Potemkin 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                                                       

Hello Lee!


Sep 13 15:32 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Roger Nelson:

 LA> Hello Roger!

 LA> 12 Sep 00 09:27, Roger Nelson wrote to All:

 RN>> Brian De Palma's The Untouchables had a famous scene of a baby 
 RN>> carriage bouncing down some very long steps during a shoot-out.  It 
 RN>> was directly inspired by a like scene in what 1925 classic? 

 LA> Rather than spoil it for other guessers, I'll simply give you the 
 LA> initials: Bah_________ Phoey!_______.  The movie in question is about a 
 LA> famous (at least there) shipboard mutiny and harsh reprisals.




Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                               

Hello All!

14th September 2000

Politicos Launch New Barrage On Hollywood

The motion picture industry was caught in a pincers movement 
Wednesday as leading Democratic and Republican politicians hammered 
its product and its practices. The onslaught came during hearings of 
the Senate Commerce Committee, where witnesses appeared to vie with 
one another over who would be tougher with Hollywood if their party 
wins the November elections. Referring to a study released Monday by 
the FTC charging that studios secretly market R-rated movies to 
underage kids, Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Democratic 
vice-presidential candidate, remarked, "This practice is outrageous. 
It is deceptive, and it has to stop." Committee chairman John McCain 
charged that Hollywood's ratings system was nothing more than "a 
smoke screen to provide cover for immoral and unconscionable 
business practices." Not to be outdone, Lynn Cheney, wife of the 
Republican vice-presidential candidate maintained that the issue was 
not how films are marketed. "There is a problem with the product 
they market, no matter how they market it," she said. She also 
pointedly remarked that Lieberman and Al Gore are planning to attend 
a fund-raising party this week thrown by Harvey Weinstein, head of 
Miramax, the Disney company that has produced films that many 
conservatives regard as the scourge of the industry. She urged them 
to ask Weinstein "to pledge in the future he will not fund works 
that debase our culture and corrode our children's souls." MPAA 
chief Jack Valenti later fired back, "I know that when you trash the 
entertainment business, your polling numbers go up." He said that 
the legislators should instead "feel an immense pride in this unique 
American creative asset and the daily contributions of the movie and 
television industry to this nation's art and commerce and the 
endurance of its responsibility to American parents." 

But Do Movies Really Incite Kids To Violence?

Some analysts pointed out Wednesday that Congress and Hollywood are 
likely to engage in a kind of trench warfare for years to come given 
the lack of scientific evidence showing a cause and effect 
relationship between movie violence and real-life violence. "This is 
not like the connection between [smoking and illness]," media 
consultant Bob Alexander told today's (Thursday) Christian Science 
Monitor. "You can't draw that scientific conclusion." The newspaper 
itself commented that even in the case of cigarettes, where cause 
and effect were demonstrated in numerous studies, "it took decades 
of battle in Congress and the courts to ban certain kinds of 
cigarette advertising and sales." 

Britain's Censor Board Says It Will Relax Regulations

Ironically, the Congressional calls for tighter U.S. restrictions on 
films came on the same day that the British Board of Film 
Classification unveiled new, relaxed guidelines for 18-rated 
(comparable to R-rated) movies. The British online entertainment Web 
site Ananova quoted a spokeswoman for the BBFC as saying, "We will 
be intervening less because we accept that people believe adults 
should be able to watch what they want." BBFC director Robin Duval 
said that the board will order cuts only "on the rare occasion where 
a film 'promotes' violent or dangerous activities, gives instructive 
detail of illegal drugs use or contains particularly explicit sexual 
images." 

Magazine Admits It Made Up Story About Liz Hurley

After listening to a reporter's original tapes, the publishers of 
Jane magazine have issued a formal apology to Liz Hurley for a story 
in which the model-actress was quoted as making disparaging remarks 
about former boyfriend Hugh Grant. The article, published under the 
headline "Down and Dirty with Elizabeth Hurley," quoted Hurley as 
saying, among other things, that her sex life with Grant was "less 
than adequate." It was picked up by news outlets throughout the 
world. In its apology, the Jane publishers said, "The tape recording 
itself of the reporter's interview contains no derogatory statements 
by Ms. Hurley about Mr. Grant or her relationship with him, 
including no reference by Ms. Hurley to her sex with Mr. Grant being 
inadequate." 

Opening Film Set For Opening Of London Film Fest

Organizers of the 44th London Film Festival have selected Cameron 
Crowe's new film Almost Famous to open the 16-day event on Nov. 11. 
In all, it said, the festival will screen almost 200 features and 65 
shorts. 

Big Brother Mutiny Fizzles [Ray's note: Cluck-cluck-cluck, cluckuk!]

The planned Big Brother mutiny that had been scheduled to take place 
during Wednesday's live broadcast never materialized. Although host 
Julie Chen said at the beginning of the show -- presumably with an 
eye on ratings -- that "the big news of the week is the Big Brother 
rebellion," there was little discussion of that "big news" either 
during the live broadcast or on the show's Web site. Eddie, who 
appeared to be the last holdout in the walkout organized Saturday by 
George, said on camera Wednesday, "I just went with the flow. I 
regret saying that I'd do it." Curtis, who won a trip to attend the 
Emmys, said that he had urged the others to stay. "Every moment here 
is great," he remarked during Wednesday's telecast. Meanwhile, CBS 
has pushed up the Big Brother finale to Friday, Sept. 29 from Sept. 
30. Saturday is generally the lowest-rated night of the week. 

Hatch's $500,000 Book Deal Doesn't Hatch

Using tactics that appeared familiar to watchers of Survivor, winner 
Richard Hatch submitted a different book proposal to St. Martin's 
Press from the one that had been approved by CBS, the online 
entertainment site Inside.com reported Wednesday. As a result, the 
report said, St. Martin's has canceled its $500,000 book deal with 
Hatch. Meanwhile, CBS's own book about the series, released on 
Tuesday, was already the 14th most popular book in America after its 
first day of sales, according to Amazon.com. 

ABC To Premiere New Drama Sans Commercials [Ray's note: Wow!]

ABC has decided to air the Oct. 11 premiere of its new medical drama 
Gideon's Crossing without commercial interruption -- a network first 
for a made-for-TV drama. Today's (Thursday) Washington Post reported 
that the decision came after ABC Entertainment co-chairmen Stu 
Bloomberg and Lloyd Braun expressed reluctance to cut the pilot 
episode, which wound up about 10 minutes too long. (An additional 
ten minutes was eventually added.) A single commercial for Johnson & 
Johnson will be carried before the show starts and when it ends, ABC 
said Wednesday. One of the spots, the Post indicated, will promote a 
new Johnson & Johnson drug product that is used to counteract anemia 
experienced by persons undergoing chemotherapy. (The drama itself 
concerns a chemo patient.) 

Will The Real Live Morning Show Please Stand Up!

ABC's Good Morning America, the Avis of morning talk shows, on 
Wednesday pointed up the fact that it's top-rated rival, NBC's 
Today, is pretaping its shows from Australia, not airing them live. 
As reported by today's (Thursday) New York Daily News, NBC did not 
disclose the fact that Today was taped when it aired images of Matt 
Lauer and Katie Couric seated in bright sun Tuesday morning (it's 
nighttime in Australia when Today airs.) On Wednesday, during a chat 
between GMA host Charles Gibson in New York and ABC Sports' Robin 
Roberts in Sydney, the caption under Gibson's picture read, "GMA 
Really Live." The caption under Roberts' read, "Hey, it's really 
dark now." 

Italian Canadians Want Sopranos Silenced

Canadian broadcaster CTV says it plans to go ahead with plans to 
broadcast The Sopranos in Canada beginning Sunday night, despite 
protests by Italian Canadians. Responding to complaints by the 
National Congress of Italian Canadians that the series slanders 
their good name by glorifying Italian mobsters, CTV exec Tom Curzon 
told CBC Radio on Wednesday that the series "really describes the 
demise of the mob, rather than encouraging it. I've noticed with 
great interest in some of the positive, critically acclaimed reviews 
that it's considered as one of the best pieces of television in some 
time." 

High Gas Prices In England Good For TV News Biz

The soaring price of gasoline in Europe, which has touched off 
numerous protests, particularly by truck drivers, has fueled a 
300-percent rise in the number of viewers tuned in to BSkyB's Sky 
News channel. The channel, citing overnight ratings on Wednesday, 
said that over the previous 48 hours, 2.5 million viewers had tuned 
in in the U.K. alone. In a statement, Sky News chief Nick Pollard 
said:"The amazing viewer reaction only serves to underline Sky News' 
reputation as the place to turn to -- on all platforms -- when a 
major story breaks. On Wednesday, British DJ Terry Wogan was forced 
to use his cell phone to broadcast the first half hour of his 
program from his car, when he was caught in a traffic jam caused by 
truck drivers' go-slow protest. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                          

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I'm guessing it would have already been in the works. I'm not flash
 TW> on my Star Wars knowledge, but I think the whole general story for
 TW> the trilogy (ie, episode IV, V, VI) had already been conceived. In
 TW> saying that, both the trilogy and the prequels probably would have
 TW> been written together.

 RN> Outlined, yes.  I think Lucas was very surprised at just how well SW
 RN> did at the box office.  It exceeded his expectations, I think, and I
 RN> haven't seen lines like that in years.  I'm glad I wasn't him at its
 RN> premiere.  (-:

I recall last year all the pictures coming in on the news of these Star Wars 
fanatics who camped outside theatres months (maybe) before the opening of 
Episode 1. Fanatical...that's probably an understatement. Looking at this 
though, I don't particularly think Episode 1 was anything to jump up and down 
over. It definitely was below my expectations.

 TW> Maybe for mere mortals, but for movie stars, it's a different story.
 TW> The kind of action Jean Reno did in The Professional wasn't too
 TW> demanding - he did most of the action at the end of the film.

 RN> Getting blown to bits by a chest full of explosives can be tiresome.
 RN> (-:

Not if you have a stunt double, though :) Of course, these days, stunt 
doubles are going out of business and are being replaced by CG generated 
effects and replacements.

 TW> Likewise in Ronin...a lot of running around, but otherwise, not to
 TW> hard on the body. I'll try and think of a 50 year old actor who's
 TW> been in a physically demanding role.

 RN> Aside from Jack Palance, Lloyd Bridges and Clint Eastwood come to
 RN> mind.

Eastwood had to do a fair bit of running around in In the Line of Fire. He 
was the old veteran secret service agent who alwasy struggled with his 
fitness and being able to keep up in the film. I wonder if that was acting by 
Eastwood, or actually the real thing...

 TW> If 50 year old actors like De Niro and Reno can be successful in
 TW> mildly physical roles, then I guess I should take back what I  said
 TW> about Arnold a while ago. Even with a tender heart, Arnold   is, I
 TW> admit, is in great condition.

 RN> Yes, but those cigars are starting to get to him.  Maybe he doesn't
 RN> inhale. (-:

Lets hope he doesn't! :)

 TW> Pre 1960's actresses had great opportunities - I think their position
 TW> has declined somewhat from then on into the new century.

 RN> Yes.  The current breed appears to be worried or concerned more with
 RN> chest inflation and extremely low-cut outfits -- a big turnoff for
 RN> me.

It's a shame that for actresses to make it, physical appearance comes before 
talent quite often today. An exceptional talent will probably more than often 
lose out to a better looking actress in a mainstream movie role.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
    

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> So Harrison Ford isn't enough to keep you awake? I think if anything,
 TW> Harrison Ford does have the star power that all the great actors
 TW> from the golden era were all about.

 RN> If anything, Ford is what caused me to drop off to dreamland. (Yawn)
 RN> (-:

Maybe it was because he was actually a replicant in the film after all...I 
know if I were watching a robot actor, i'd fall asleep after a while too :)

 TW> Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, James Stewart, John Wayne...Ford has at
 TW> least a hint of what actors like these had.

 RN> I would never place Ford on a list like that.  Nor mention him in the
 RN> same breath with Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, James Stewart and
 RN> especially John Wayne.

Neither would I...just that if you were to pick an actor today that came any 
where near the likes of Cooper, Stewart and Wayne, Harrison Ford would 
probably be one of the closer picks, but in hindsight, not even close to 
having the stature that these great actors had. I guess Sean Connery would be 
close to Ford as well.

 TW> You haven't head of the saying "chalk and cheese"? I'll put it this
 TW> way - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and like what butter is to
 TW> bread.

 RN> Okay, but I'm still curious as to what New Zealanders are referring
 RN> to by chalk. Here in the USA, it has a whole 'nother connotation.
 RN> (-:

To be honest, I have no idea why "chalk and cheese" are refered together. 
They don't seem to be associated with each other at all. But I know I hear 
this saying all the time.

 TW> Haven't seen that one. Must say I haven't seen much of Astaire's
 TW> films at all. Probably because I tended to stay away from musicals
 TW> for so long.

 RN> Me too.  I don't care much for musicals, but I do like comedies,
 RN> mysteries and some thrillers, science fiction and WW II films.  The
 RN> latter to check for accuracy.

I really only watched Fred Astaire in Funny Face because Audrey Hepburn was 
in it...i'll watch anything with her starring, but other than that, i'll 
rarely go near musicals. My Fair Lady is another musical with Audrey Hepburn 
that I did make an effort to watch.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                     

*** Quoting Ray Geneburn in a message to All ***

 RG> But Do Movies Really Incite Kids To Violence?

 RG> Some analysts pointed out Wednesday that Congress and Hollywood are
 RG> likely to engage in a kind of trench warfare for years to come given
 RG> the lack of scientific evidence showing a cause and effect
 RG> relationship between movie violence and real-life violence. "This is
 RG> not like the connection between [smoking and illness]," media
 RG> consultant Bob Alexander told today's (Thursday) Christian Science
 RG> Monitor. "You can't draw thatscientific conclusion." The newspaper
 RG> itself commented that even in the case of cigarettes, where cause
 RG> and effect were demonstrated in numerous studies, "it took decades
 RG> of battle in Congress and the courts to ban certain kinds of
 RG> cigarette advertising and sales."

My stance is still firmly "no" on this issue. I find it hard to accept that 
people are still looking to music, televisiona and film to directly blame for 
acts committed by the younger generation. If anything, the majority of kids 
should have a distinct knowledge of what is reality and what is fantasy. 
Films in comparison to the reality that surrounds the younger generation 
should have a minor effect compared to parents, friends, peers etc.

Just a note: The quote above by the Christian Science Monitor reminds me of 
the film poster for 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The particular poster was occupied mostly by big, bold typefaced quotes from 
various critics praising the film. At the bottom of the list of quotes, in a 
bigger, bolder typeface, was a quote from the Chritian Science Monitor that 
read something like this: "The Ultimate TRIP!" (note uppercase letters in 
"TRIP"). 2001 was in fact promoted to the 60's generation as something of a 
"trip", so I find it funny that the creators of this poster exploited the 
word trip from the quote. If the Christian Science Monitor really were 
indicating that remains to be seen...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                            

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I think this film goes by several variations on the title - i've
 TW> heard it titled as Potemkin, The Battleship Potemkin and a few
 TW> others. 

My Russian to English is so limited, it wouldn't take more than 2 seconds to 
tell you.  But, you're right.  That is the English translation of the title.

 TW> The scene you were refering to, the Odyssea steps sequence, was
 TW> also paid homage to in Woody Allen's Banana's and Terry Gilliam's
 TW> Brazil... 

I saw Brazil a couple of times and from what I remember about it, depression 
springs instantly to mind.  I can't recall if I was depressed when I saw it on 
those occasions or if the film itself was depressing or both.(!)


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                      

Maureen Goldman wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 MG>  Battleship Potemkin 

Correct.  Thank you, Maureen.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                      

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 LA> Rather than spoil it for other guessers, I'll simply give you the 
 LA> initials: B_________ P_______.  

   I can't fit  ronenosets otyomkin in the spaces provided.  (-:

 LA> The movie in question is about a famous (at least there) shipboard 
 LA> mutiny and harsh reprisals. 

I have yet to see it.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                  

 RN> Not being familiar with the comic book, I can safely state that I had 
 RN> no previous knowledge of the story.
 
No, The Matrix isn't based on a comic book but is inspired by them. I'm sure 
you can understand that it draws upon a lot of different things to make the 
film "work".
 
 RN> Ah, the how to win friends and influence tact, no doubt.  For one, I 
 RN> care about her opinion and while you have the right 
 RN> to and are welcome to express yours, there is NO 
 RN> EXCUSE for what you are trying to convey by typing 
 RN> such a note to Maureen or anyone else in this echo. 
 RN>  Everyone may post here, but THE PROPER DECORUM 
 RN> MUST BE FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES, else you will incur 
 RN> the wrath of me, the co-moderator.
  
I think the old saying "Opinions are like ***holes. Everyone has one." applies 
here. Furthermore, not every opinion or view is neccesarily correct, not even 
mine or yours for that matter. If it does seem that I'm putting down Maureen in 
some way or stepping on your toes, then I'm sorry that you are such a pussy.  
 
Tact has nothing to do with this, I make my statements as honest and blunt as I 
see fit. Not everyone follows the decorum blindly, so don't get all riled up 
over a little 'colorful' conversation. If you can't deal with it then ban me.  
 
Wrath away.
 
 RN> I suggest you take some lessons in manners before posting here again 
 RN> and try to remember that all of us here are 
 RN> expressing our own views.  You may also post yours, 
 RN> following the instructions I gave you in the 
 RN> preceding paragraph,
 RN> as long as you don't attack others.  I have 0 
 RN> tolerance for ill-mannered people.
 
Right. I can express my own views as long as they don't offend or contradict 
you. How democratic of you. 
 
As for the "attack", I just pointed out a few things to Maureen. If you think 
that was hostile, you really have no idea. 
 

--- Maximus/2 3.01
 * Origin: Frog Hollow Port Moody BC 604-469-0264/0284 (1:153/290)
                                                   

Hi Tim,
In a message to Roger Nelson, on <Fri, 15 Sep 00> you wrote:

 TW>> You haven't head of the saying "chalk and cheese"? I'll put it
 TW>> this way - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and like what butter 
 TW>> is to bread.

 TW> To be honest, I have no idea why "chalk and cheese" are refered
 TW> together. They don't seem to be associated with each other at all. 
 TW> But I know I hear  this saying all the time.


PMFJI...  The cliche "chalk and cheese", "the difference between chalk & 
cheese", "no more alike than chalk & cheese"  is an expression of diparateness; 
it's about the worthless versus the valuable.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/1)
               

Hi Tim,
In a message to Roger Nelson, on <Fri, 15 Sep 00> you wrote:

 TW>> ...I tended to stay away from
 TW>> musicals for so long.

 TW> I really only watched Fred Astaire in Funny Face because Audrey
 TW> Hepburn was in it...i'll watch anything with her starring, but other 
 TW> than that, i'll rarely go near musicals. My Fair Lady is another 
 TW> musical with Audrey Hepburn that I did make an effort to watch.

Ever see PYGMALION, the movie (non-musical) upon which My Fair Lady was 
inspired?

Speaking of musicals, BUGSY MALONE (starring Scott Baio and Jodie Foster) is 
quite a curiosity featuring primarily child actors amongst scaled down sets.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/1)
                                                                                                            

Hi Roger,
In a message to Tim Wong, on <Fri, 15 Sep 00> you wrote:

 RN> I saw Brazil a couple of times and from what I remember about it,
 RN> depression springs instantly to mind.  I can't recall if I was
 RN> depressed when I saw it on those occasions or if the film itself was
 RN> depressing or both.(!)

Yeah... from what I remember,  the film paints a bleak picture about technology 
and the future of man.  But the story  "picks up" into a bizzare fantasy 
towards the end.   My favourite part of the film is the office-desk scene.  



...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/1)
                                                                                                

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I think this film goes by several variations on the title - i've
 TW> heard it titled as Potemkin, The Battleship Potemkin and a few
 TW> others.

 RN> My Russian to English is so limited, it wouldn't take more than 2
 RN> seconds to tell you.  But, you're right.  That is the English
 RN> translation of the title.

I myself haven't seen it yet either, but I have seen the Odyssea steps 
sequence before. I saw Potemkin at the video store the other day and am 
thinking of renting it one time.

 TW> The scene you were refering to, the Odyssea steps sequence, was also
 TW> paid homage to in Woody Allen's Banana's and Terry Gilliam's
 TW> Brazil...

 RN> I saw Brazil a couple of times and from what I remember about it,
 RN> depression springs instantly to mind.  I can't recall if I was
 RN> depressed when I saw it on those occasions or if the film itself was
 RN> depressing or both.(!)

I saw it a while ago, and i've read that the Odyssea steps sequences was used 
as a parody in the film, but I can't seen to remember it in the film. Maybe 
someone else has a better memory then me...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                              

Hello All!

Friday, September 15, 2000: 

 Oliver Stone (54) 
 Ron Shelton (55) 
 Josh Charles (29) 
 Tommy Lee Jones (54) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                        

Hello All!

15th September 2000

DGA Proposes New Ratings System

The Directors Guild of America has endorsed the findings of its task 
force on violence, which, among other things, called for a "zero 
tolerance" approach to keeping kids out of R-rated movies. The move 
comes in the wake of an FTC report critical of the entertainment 
industry's enforcement of its own ratings system and a congressional 
hearing into violence and sex in the media. In a statement on 
Thursday, the DGA also called for a uniform ratings system that 
would comprise all entertainment media, including films, TV, 
electronic games, and music. It said that such a ratings system 
ought to provide more information than the current one and "should 
give parents and other consumers the most detailed information 
possible regarding the true nature and content of a film -- or other 
media -- and the reason for its rating so that they can make 
informed decisions for themselves and for their children." In many 
ways, the statement echoes the proposal contained in President 
Clinton's State of the Union speech last January. At the time, it 
was quickly rejected by MPAA chief Jack Valenti who said that a 
universal, detailed system would be regarded as too complicated. 

Murdoch Predicts "Momentum" For Fox

Rupert Murdoch predicted today (Friday) that his 20th Century Fox 
film studio and Fox TV network will make a comeback during the 
current fiscal year. Writing in News Corp's annual report, Murdoch 
said, "While we were disappointed by the performances of our film 
studio and broadcast network during the year, I am strongly 
encouraged by the changes we have made at both operations over the 
past six months, changes I am confident will restore any momentum 
that was lost during this past year. The film studio, in particular, 
offers compelling prospects...." 

Deep Throat Coming To U.K.

Following a recent loosening of regulations on videos featuring 
explicit sex scenes, the British Board of Film Classification, 
Britain's primary censors, has allowed Deep Throat (1972), believed 
to be the top-selling porn film of all time, to be released on home 
video in the U.K. without cuts for the first time. The star of the 
1972 film, Linda Lovelace, who later claimed she was forced to 
appear in the film, was recently ranked 34 on Playboy magazine's 
list of the 100 sexiest film stars of all time, just ahead of 
Madonna. 

Movie Reviews: Bait

Critics are forecasting that audiences are likely to take the bait 
offered by Bait but aren't likely to be hooked. Most give high marks 
to the stars of the film, Jamie Foxx and David Morse, but Rita 
Kempley in the Washington Post bestows no such praise on the script, 
which she calls, "a haphazard, ham-handed, wholly illogical comic 
thriller that really ought to be called Hook, Line and Stinker." Jay 
Carr in the Boston Globe writes similarly, "What's most criminal is 
the script's waste of actors who deserve better. ... Although 
slickly directed by music video veteran Antoine Fuqua, Bait ends up 
seeming pretty wormy." Mike Clark in USA Today takes the metaphor a 
step further: "If the movies that make 'best lists' are filet 
mignon," he writes, "the culinary comparison here probably is bait." 
And Stephen Holden in the New York Times takes the metaphor a step 
further yet. He calls the movie "an odoriferous helping of cinematic 
seafood whose pungency suggests that it has been sitting on the 
kitchen counter for weeks." On the other hand, Roger Ebert in the 
Chicago Sun-Times, finds the movie something of a delicious feast. 
He calls it "a deadpan action comedy with a little Hitchcock, a 
little Bond and a lot of attitude. It's funny and clever, and it 
grows on you." 

Movie Reviews: Duets

This is a weekend when filmgoers are given a choice of two popular 
music forms to choose from -- '70s rock (Cameron Crowe's Almost 
Famous which opened in limited release on Wednesday and in wider 
release today) and karaoke (Bruce Paltrow's Duets, starring daughter 
Gwyneth). Clearly critics don't care much for karaoke. Susan 
Wloszczyna begins her review in USA Today by writing: "If Duets were 
a song performed in a karaoke bar, it would be a sluggish 
middle-of-the-road ballad with cliched lyrics about lonely strangers 
and shared dreams. Its hook? About as catchy as a late train. The 
key? Decidedly off." Kenneth Turan suggests that the movie doesn't 
really amount to much of a celebration of karaoke. "Though Duets' 
characters are forever saying karaoke is a way of life, we never 
really feel that or see it on screen," he observes. Jack Mathews in 
the New York Daily News pities the poor actors who star in it. "If 
you've ever been embarrassed by a drunken friend who grabbed the 
mike in a karaoke bar, you may have an idea how the friends and 
relatives of the cast of Bruce Paltrow's Duets must be feeling," he 
writes. Eleanor Ringel Gillespie in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution 
says that she found her mind wandering off during Paltrow's singing 
and instead studying her hair extensions: "Very blonde, very 
straight and very long. Substitute 'bland' for 'blonde' and you've 
got a pretty good description of her movie." The film is receiving a 
better reception outside of the major markets. Reviewing the film 
for the Sacramento Bee, Joe Baltake gives high marks to the 
performers, then adds: "Director Paltrow honors this nice cast with 
a soft, subdued style. He knows when his film should be edgy, wiggy 
or lyrical, and there are moments when it is all three at the same 
time." 

Can NBC Bring Home The Gold?

The Australian setting for this year's summer Olympics may prove to 
be the undoing of NBC, analysts warned Thursday on the eve of the 
opening ceremonies. (The decision to start the games in September in 
order to escape the Australian winter will result in the telecasts 
facing sports competition from baseball's pennant race and the start 
of the football season. The 12-15-hour time difference between 
Australia and the U.S. will force the telecasts to be delayed; 
viewers accessing newscasts on rival networks, radio broadcasts, the 
Internet and even newspapers are likely to learn the results of 
competition before they are aired.) Some analysts questioned whether 
NBC was wise in guaranteeing advertisers an 18.1 rating. "I think 
(NBC) could have a problem getting to the 18.1 rating," media buyer 
Paul Schulman told Bloomberg News on Thursday. However, other 
analysts pointed out that the Olympics could provide an intangible 
benefit for NBC. Belo Corp.'s Jack Sander, whose company owns four 
NBC stations, told today's (Friday) Wall Street Journal: "I think 
the key is that (the games) swing the momentum back toward NBC," 
Sander said. "CBS and ABC have had a nice little roll here between 
Survivor and Millionaire, so I think that this will kind of put NBC 
back in the forefront, where it hasn't been for a little while." 

Murdoch Sells More Echostar Shares

Adding to speculation that Robert Murdoch's News Corp may be close 
to a deal to buy Hughes Electronic's DirecTV, an SEC filing 
disclosed Thursday that Murdoch has sold 7 million shares in 
EchoStar's Communications, DirecTV's rival. Murdoch continues to 
hold 26 million shares in EchoStar, representing an 11 percent stake 
in the home satellite company. 

The X Factor In X Files?

X-Files creator Chris Carter has indicated he hopes to spark renewed 
interest in the longtime series next season with two primary plot 
devices -- the alien abduction of Fox Mulder, played by David 
Duchovny, and the pregnancy of Dana Scully, played by Gillian 
Anderson. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Carter gives no 
hint about who the father of Scully's baby might be. (The pregnancy 
was revealed in last season's final episode.) Asked whether it could 
be Mulder, he replies: "These are two people who have maintained a 
very powerful and respectful relationship. But like all 
relationships between men and women, sometimes feelings are 
expressed in a physical way." Anderson tells the magazine, "I have 
confidence and possibly inner knowledge that the fans will get to 
see how Scully got pregnant -- before Christmas." 

Disney Settles With The Science Center's Science Guy

Walt Disney Co. and Bill Nye ("The Science Guy") have reached an 
out-of-court settlement in Nye's lawsuit, which claimed that Disney 
had used Nye's pictures at its EPCOT science attractions in Florida 
without paying him an agreed-upon $50,000 annual fee. Terms of the 
settlement were not disclosed. 

Big Brother Scores Bigger Ratings

Wednesday night's episode of CBS's Big Brother tied with a Dateline 
NBC special about the Ford-Firestone tire debacle for first place in 
the 8:00 hour, according to overnight Nielsens. Interest in the Big 
Brother episode was piqued by reports that the remaining contestants 
were planning a mass walkout. As a result the show pulled a 7.9/13 
rating versus last week's 7.5/12. Launching its Sole Survivor 
miniseries, Fox averaged a 5.1/8, peaking at 5.4/8. ABC was left 
behind with reruns of Two Guys and a Girl (5.2/9) and Norm (4.7/8). 

Strike Talks "Productive," Says Mediator

Asked by Advertising Age how the first days of talks between the TV 
and movie actors unions and the advertisers associations are going, 
federal mediator John Muir replied Thursday, "I would characterize 
today's meeting as productive." Mediators have asked the two sides 
engaged in the talks not to discuss them publicly. 

FCC Orders Anti-Piracy Features

The FCC agreed Thursday to require manufacturers of digital TV sets 
and recorders to include anti-piracy technology. However, 
manufacturers of the products vowed to resist the requirement, 
saying that it would delay the delivery of new equipment for six to 
nine months. The decision also angered consumer advocates. Gene 
Kimmelman, co-director of the Washington office of Consumers Union 
-- the group that publishes Consumer Reports -- told today's 
(Friday) Los Angeles Times, "The whole world of digital TV is 
enormously muddied now. ... The regulators have so far been unable 
to untangle this mess." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                     

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I recall last year all the pictures coming in on the news of these
 TW> Star Wars fanatics who camped outside theatres months (maybe)
 TW> before the opening of Episode 1. Fanatical...that's probably an
 TW> understatement. Looking at this though, I don't particularly think
 TW> Episode 1 was anything to jump up and down over. It definitely was
 TW> below my expectations.

It wasn't for me, either.  The three of us were sitting in the first row, so I 
didn't get to see everything that was going on.  I haven't camped outside of a 
facility but one time in my life and I was getting paid to do it.  03:00 we 
were camped outside of the Sugar Bowl stadium in New Orleans to purchase 
tickets to the game.  I don't recall who the opponents were.

 TW> Not if you have a stunt double, though :) Of course, these days,
 TW> stunt doubles are going out of business and are being replaced by
 TW> CG generated effects and replacements.

They'll live longer, but I would hope for their sake that this is a gradual 
transition.

 TW> Eastwood had to do a fair bit of running around in In the Line of
 TW> Fire. He was the old veteran secret service agent who alwasy
 TW> struggled with his fitness and being able to keep up in the film.
 TW> I wonder if that was acting by Eastwood, or actually the real
 TW> thing...

He keeps himself in shape by running and one marriage after another.  Some of 
my so-called friends chided me for dating a woman 22-years my junior, but she 
didn't seem to mind.  Clint's wife is about 40-years younger than he is.

 TW> [...]
 TW> Pre 1960's actresses had great opportunities - I think their position
 TW> has declined somewhat from then on into the new century.

That went out with the studios, I think.

 TW> It's a shame that for actresses to make it, physical appearance
 TW> comes before talent quite often today. 

If the powers-that-be thought the way I do, then that would change.  
Unfortunately, that isn't the case.

 TW> An exceptional talent will probably more than often lose out to a 
 TW> better looking actress in a mainstream movie role. 

A waste of money.


1970: "Whatever"
2000: "Depends"


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
   

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Maybe it was because he was actually a replicant in the film after
 TW> all...I know if I were watching a robot actor, i'd fall asleep
 TW> after a while too :) 

Hmm, could be.  I liked that film he was in -- Presumed Innocent, but the 
acting was taken away from him by Bonnie Bedelia and the late Raul Julia, of 
whom I thought very highly.

 TW> Neither would I...just that if you were to pick an actor today that
 TW> came any where near the likes of Cooper, Stewart and Wayne,
 TW> Harrison Ford would probably be one of the closer picks, but in
 TW> hindsight, not even close to having the stature that these great
 TW> actors had. I guess Sean Connery would be close to Ford as well.

I have a very different view on that topic.

 TW> To be honest, I have no idea why "chalk and cheese" are refered
 TW> together. They don't seem to be associated with each other at all.
 TW> But I know I hear this saying all the time.

Must be a figure of speech indigenous to NZ.

 TW> I really only watched Fred Astaire in Funny Face because Audrey
 TW> Hepburn was  in it...i'll watch anything with her starring, but
 TW> other than that, i'll rarely go near musicals. My Fair Lady is
 TW> another musical with Audrey Hepburn that I did make an effort to
 TW> watch.

I know there's a musical out there besides CAts (I'd like to make the "ts" 
superscript, but can't, otherwise the way I have the letters is correct) that I 
liked at one time, but my brain is too fog-bound at the moment to think of its 
title, the Elvis Presley films notwithstanding.  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                

From: Tim.Wong@f1550.n771.z3.fidonet.org

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I think this film goes by several variations on the title - i've
 TW> heard it titled as Potemkin, The Battleship Potemkin and a few
 TW> others.

 RN> My Russian to English is so limited, it wouldn't take more than 2
 RN> seconds to tell you.  But, you're right.  That is the English
 RN> translation of the title.

I myself haven't seen it yet either, but I have seen the Odyssea steps
sequence before. I saw Potemkin at the video store the other day and am
thinking of renting it one time.

 TW> The scene you were refering to, the Odyssea steps sequence, was also
 TW> paid homage to in Woody Allen's Banana's and Terry Gilliam's
 TW> Brazil...

 RN> I saw Brazil a couple of times and from what I remember about it,
 RN> depression springs instantly to mind.  I can't recall if I was
 RN> depressed when I saw it on those occasions or if the film itself was
 RN> depressing or both.(!)

I saw it a while ago, and i've read that the Odyssea steps sequences was used
as a parody in the film, but I can't seen to remember it in the film. Maybe
someone else has a better memory then me...

--- SoupGate-OS/2 v1.05
 * Origin: RBB * V34+ * ISDN X75 * +358-3-3492356 (2:221/360.2000)
                                                                                                                            

Hello All!

Saturday, September 16, 2000: 

 Mickey Rourke (47) 
 Molly Shannon (36) 
 Jennifer Tilly (39) 
 Peter Falk (73) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                      

Hello All!

What's Hot, What's Not

What's Hot: 

Titans [Ray's note: I pass, but seeing Victoria Principal on other than a HSN 
channel would have been a pleasant surprise.]
NBC
Premiere: Wednesday, Oct. 4, 8 to 9 p.m. ET
TV critics are declaring Aaron Spelling's sexy new 
primetime soap this season's guilty pleasure. And, oh, 
what a pleasure it is. Former Baywatch babe Yasmine 
Bleeth is wonderfully wicked in the role of a conniving 
vixen set to marry a wealthy Beverly Hills mogul (Perry 
King). Little does her future husband know that his 
soon-to-be-wife only recently slipped between the sheets 
with his Navy fighter-pilot son (Casper Van Dien). A 
great cast also includes Victoria Principal, the 
ex-Dallas diva, and Melrose Place alum Jack Wagner. 

Dark Angel [Ray's note: Just what we need.]
Fox
Premiere: Tuesday, Oct. 3, with a special two-hour 
episode from 8 to 10 p.m. ET
Move over, Buffy. There's another butt-kicking female 
entering your TV territory, and she's got an advantage: 
Thanks to some genetic enhancements made to her by a 
government planning to turn her into a soldier, Dark 
Angel's Max (Jessica Alba) possesses super-human speed 
and strength. She's also easy on the eyes. All of these 
attributes certainly come in handy. Turns out Max is on 
the run from the evildoers who run the military-industry 
complex where she was created. The show's lavishly 
produced pilot was directed by series creator James 
Cameron of Titanic fame. 

Bette
CBS
Premiere: Wednesday, Oct. 11, 8 to 8:30 p.m. ET
Finally, a show with some real star power. Bette Midler 
tackles TV in this hilarious sitcom in which she 
portrays perhaps the most interesting character she 
could play: her divine self. Midler's show benefits from 
the fact that the star is all too happy to make fun of 
herself. In the opener, Midler obsesses over wrinkles 
and cellulite. Meanwhile, when Danny DeVito (who makes a 
cameo) announces to the press that he has the perfect 
part for Midler in his new TV show — that of his mom — 
Midler's friends and family embark on a desperate quest 
to keep the potentially ego-shattering news from the 
insecure star. 

What's Not:

Cursed [Ray's note: Which is what this season looks like.]
NBC
Premiere: Thursday, Oct. 12, from 8:30 to 9 p.m. ET
Wing's veteran Steven Weber's new show is, well, cursed. 
The show features an appealing cast, including TV's 
funniest oddball, Chris Elliott. But, unfortunately, a 
strong cast isn't enough to overcome this show's 
ludicrous premise, which might actually work if the 
execution wasn't so plain unfunny. Cursed finds Weber 
playing an ad executive whose life falls apart after a 
bitter blind date places a hex on him. Weber spends much 
of the opener trying to escape the wrath of a mob of 
people angry with him for attacking a clown. Not even 
Bozo would find this funny. 

The Trouble With Normal
ABC
Premiere: TBA; slated to air Fridays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. ET
The trouble with this show is that just about every 
character in it is a wacko. The Trouble With Normal 
centers on a group of New York City guys who suffer from 
paranoia. In fact, one of the guys (David Krumholz) is 
convinced his neighbor (Jon Cryer) is spying on him. 
Guess what? He is. How crazy is that? Paget Brewster is 
cast as the therapist who must help these nuts overcome 
their mental problems so they can lead normal lives. The 
patient-therapist relationship goes ridiculously far in 
this unbelievably loony sitcom. 

Yes, Dear
CBS
Premiere: Monday, Oct. 2, from 8:30 to 9 p.m. ET
CBS had a novel idea: Take two lame comics - Anthony 
Clark and Mike O'Malley - who have proven they can't 
headline a successful sitcom individually and cast them 
as the leads of a bland new sitcom. Here, Clark, who 
starred in Boston Common, and O'Malley of The Mike 
O'Malley Show play buddies whose child-rearing styles 
are worlds apart. Clark's character strives to be the 
perfect dad. O'Malley's alter ego isn't so ambitious. 
Cold Feet's Jean Louisa Kelly is stuck with the 
thankless role of Clark's fussy wife, while Jesse's Liza 
Snyder assumes the equally thankless role of O'Malley's 
less fussy wife.


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                          

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Josh Grossberg 
Sep 14, 2000, 5:45 PM PT 

IXNAY ON THE EBWAY: Against the wishes of Columbia Records, pro-Napster rockers 
The Offspring will release their new album, Conspiracy of One, for download 
from their Website nearly a month before it hits record stores. The first 
single, "Original Prankster," shows up September 29 at www.offspring.com, and 
as an additional freebie, users who download the songs will be entered into a 
drawing for $1 million. 

INDY STRIKES GOLD! Harrison Ford matching Kevin Spacey's $100,000 donation as a 
major show of support for striking Screen Actors Guild members who've exhausted 
their financial resources during the five-month work stoppage against 
advertisers. 

A PARTY'S A PARTY: While Al Gore and Joseph Lieberman crititcized Hollywood for 
marketing adult-rated movies, CDs and video games to kids, industry elite such 
as Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford turned out for 
a party at Radio City Music Hall in their honor. 

REMEMBERED: Beah Richards, the Emmy-winning actress whose career spanned more 
than four decades, including roles in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and Beloved, 
has died. She was 74. 

STAR WARS PASSING: British actress Shelagh Fraser, forever known as Luke 
Skywalker's kindly Aunt Beru in the original Star Wars, has died after a long 
illness, starwars.com says. She was 87. 

CALL FOR ACTION: The Director's Guild of America backing away from MPAA 
President Jack Valenti's stalwart defense of the film ratings system and 
issuing a call Thursday for a complete overhaul of the ratings that would apply 
not just to films, but all media. 

BLACK POWER: Spike Lee set to direct A Huey P. Newton Story, based on Roger 
Guenveur Smith's one-man show about the late cofounder of the Black Panther 
Party, for BET movies. Smith will also play the title role in the film. 

STRINGS ATTACHED: As of Friday, KB Toy stores selling marionette versions of 'N 
Sync dressed in official No Strings Attached tour costumes (with puppet strings 
attached). 

MEMORIAL: Palm Springs proposing a project to build a memorial fountain 
dedicated to favorite son Sonny Bono. The fountain will include a life-size 
bronze statue of the late singer, actor, mayor and congressman sitting on a 
bench. 

THE MOUSE WILL PAY: Walt Disney Co. and Bill Nye, The Science Guy, have settled 
out of court. Nye's lawsuit, which accused Disney of using Nye's pictures at 
its Epcot science attractions in Florida without paying him an agreed-upon 
$50,000 annual fee. 

DIGITAL REGULATIONS: The FCC agreeing Thursday to require manufacturers of 
digital TV sets and recorders to include anti-piracy technology. The 
manufacturers vowed to resist, claiming it would delay delivery of new 
equipment up to nine months. 

GETTING BIGGER: In addition to his stint as Mr. Big on Sex and the City, Chris 
Noth signing an overall deal with HBO to star in another weekly series for the 
cable net. He will also produce and star in a four-hour miniseries for NBC 
based on the Steve Martini bestseller The Judge. 

JAILBIRD BLUES: Reflecting on his experience in the October issue of Details, 
Robert Downey Jr. saying jail helped him change his life. "I would have been 
the first to say it's unconstitutional, to put drug abusers in jail or prison. 
Well, it's unconstitutional to be a human being and screw your life up that 
way," says the actor. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                               

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I recall last year all the pictures coming in on the news of these
 TW> Star Wars fanatics who camped outside theatres months (maybe) before
 TW> the opening of Episode 1. Fanatical...that's probably an
 TW> understatement. Looking at this though, I don't particularly think
 TW> Episode 1 was anything to jump up and down over. It definitely was
 TW> below my expectations.

 RN> It wasn't for me, either.  The three of us were sitting in the first
 RN> row, so I didn't get to see everything that was going on.  I haven't
 RN> camped outside of a facility but one time in my life and I was
 RN> getting paid to do it.  03:00 we were camped outside of the Sugar
 RN> Bowl stadium in New Orleans to purchase tickets to the game.  I don't
 RN> recall who the opponents were.

You see similar scenes of long queues camped out early in the morning for 
rugby matches. We didn't have quite the scenes as they did in the States when 
Episode 1 opened, but the fanatics still were able to pick up all the early 
selling tickets. I recall for the first screenings of Episode 1, they had 
midnight screenings all over the country, which all sold out.

 TW> Not if you have a stunt double, though :) Of course, these days,
 TW> stunt doubles are going out of business and are being replaced by CG
 TW> generated effects and replacements.

 RN> They'll live longer, but I would hope for their sake that this is a
 RN> gradual transition.

I can see "stunt" doubles eventually becoming "body" doubles...

 TW> Eastwood had to do a fair bit of running around in In the Line of
 TW> Fire. He was the old veteran secret service agent who alwasy
 TW> struggled with his fitness and being able to keep up in the film. I
 TW> wonder if that was acting by Eastwood, or actually the real thing...

 RN> He keeps himself in shape by running and one marriage after another.
 RN> Some of my so-called friends chided me for dating a woman 22-years my
 RN> junior, but she didn't seem to mind.  Clint's wife is about 40-years
 RN> younger than he is.

Wide gap marriages have always been around in Hollywood though. And the wider 
the gap, the more he's going to get run around :)

 TW> It's a shame that for actresses to make it, physical appearance comes
 TW> before talent quite often today.

 RN> If the powers-that-be thought the way I do, then that would change.
 RN> Unfortunately, that isn't the case.

That's why they're called the "powers-that-be" :)

 TW> An exceptional talent will probably more than often lose out to a
 TW> better looking actress in a mainstream movie role.

 RN> A waste of money.

Not in the studio's case though. The better looking actress may get average 
reviews, but the fact is that the film has a better chance of making more 
money with a pretty face on board.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                           

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Maybe it was because he was actually a replicant in the film after
 TW> all...I know if I were watching a robot actor, i'd fall asleep after
 TW> a while too :)

 RN> Hmm, could be.  I liked that film he was in -- Presumed Innocent, but
 RN> the acting was taken away from him by Bonnie Bedelia and the late
 RN> Raul Julia, of whom I thought very highly.

Sadly, Raul Julia's last film, Street Fighter, was forgettable. In saying 
that though, he did bring come credit to the film, which was other than that, 
B-grade and awful.

 TW> Neither would I...just that if you were to pick an actor today that
 TW> came any where near the likes of Cooper, Stewart and Wayne, Harrison
 TW> Ford would probably be one of the closer picks, but in hindsight,
 TW> not even close to having the stature that these great actors had.
 TW> I guess Sean Connery would be close to Ford as well.

 RN> I have a very different view on that topic.

You do? What i'm saying is that I wouldn't consider Ford of Connery in the 
same league as Stewart of Wayne, just that they are the last actors today 
that at least mimic some (very little) of what the studio actors had. In 
hindsight though, they're two completely different generations of actors, in 
different filmmaking eras.

 TW> I really only watched Fred Astaire in Funny Face because Audrey
 TW> Hepburn was  in it...i'll watch anything with her starring, but other
 TW> than that, i'll rarely go near musicals. My Fair Lady is another
 TW> musical with Audrey Hepburn that I did make an effort to watch.

 RN> I know there's a musical out there besides CAts (I'd like to make the
 RN> "ts" superscript, but can't, otherwise the way I have the letters is
 RN> correct) that I likedat one time, but my brain is too fog-bound at
 RN> the moment to think of its title, the Elvis Presley films
 RN> notwithstanding.  (-:

West Side Story is okay. As much as i'm not fond of musicals, if I had to see 
one, it would certainly be on a screen rather than on a stage. I just don't 
go for stage musicals...or ballet or orchestra etc.

I saw a news item a while ago about a theatre in America that was having 
"sing-a-long" musicals - in particular The Sound of Music. They'd screen The 
Sound of Music with subtitles for the songs, with the whole audience cheering 
and singing along to all those happy songs. They'd dress up as characters in 
the film, boo, curse and cheer moments in the film...basically a theme night.

Funnily enough, New Zealand cinemas have caught on to the trend. Now they're 
all having their The Sound of Music sing-a-long theme nights. Oh dear.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                          

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW>> You haven't head of the saying "chalk and cheese"? I'll put it this
 TW>> way - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and like what butter  is to
 TW>> bread.

 TW> To be honest, I have no idea why "chalk and cheese" are refered
 TW> together. They don't seem to be associated with each other at all.
 TW> But I know I hear  this saying all the time.


 AA> PMFJI...  The cliche "chalk and cheese", "the difference between
 AA> chalk & cheese", "no more alike than chalk & cheese"  is an
 AA> expression of diparateness; it's about the worthless versus the
 AA> valuable.

Mmm...if that is correct, then maybe i've been using this expression 
wrongly. Funny that.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW>> ...I tended to stay away from musicals for so long.

 TW> I really only watched Fred Astaire in Funny Face because Audrey
 TW> Hepburn was in it...i'll watch anything with her starring, but other
 TW> than that, i'll rarely go near musicals. My Fair Lady is another
 TW> musical with Audrey Hepburn that I did make an effort to watch.

 AA> Ever see PYGMALION, the movie (non-musical) upon which My Fair Lady
 AA> was inspired?

Can't say I have. Like to inform me what it's about?

 AA> Speaking of musicals, BUGSY MALONE (starring Scott Baio and Jodie
 AA> Foster) is quite a curiosity featuring primarily child actors amongst
 AA> scaled down sets.

Mmm...Scott Baio. He's a has-been now, I think. As I said, i'm not 
particularly well-watched regarding musicals. Audrey Hepburn aside, I haven't 
seen a lot apart from the usuals such as The Sound of Music. But if I was to 
start watching musicals, i'd have to go for ones with Gerswin music.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                              

August Abolins wrote in a message to Tim Wong:

 AA> PMFJI...  The cliche "chalk and cheese", "the difference between
 AA> chalk & cheese", "no more alike than chalk & cheese"  is an
 AA> expression of diparateness; it's about the worthless versus the
 AA> valuable.

Ah, that makes sense.  Thanks, August.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                  

August Abolins wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 AA> Yeah... from what I remember, the film paints a bleak picture
 AA> about technology and the future of man.  But the story "picks up"
 AA> into a bizzare fantasy towards the end.  My favourite part of the
 AA> film is the office-desk scene.   

When I looked up the cast members (only Kim Greist came to mind), I couldn't 
believe who else was in it.  Maybe as some reviewers put it, "Definitely not a 
film for all [...] but would have been perfect if not for the film's slightly 
over-long running time." 

It could be considered a cult film.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                            

Hello All!

Sunday, September 17, 2000: 

 Anne Bancroft (69) 
 John Ritter (52) 
 Cassandra Peterson (49) 
 Kevin Clash (37) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                     

Hello All!

Sun, Sep 17, 2000 10:01 AM

 TV GOSSIP & NEWS  
 
X-Files: Who Fathered Scully's Baby?
Viewers found out that Scully (Gillian Anderson) was pregnant during the 
X-Files season finale. Now comes word that the daddy may be none other than her 
missing partner, Mulder (David Duchovny), according to Entertainment Weekly. 

This isn't some conspiracy theory dreamed up by the show's fans: Chris Carter, 
the X-Files creator, is the one bringing up the possibility. 

"These are two people who have maintained a very powerful and respectful 
relationship." he says. "But like all relationships between men and women, 
sometimes feelings are expressed in a physical way. I don't think it would be 
dishonest for them to have done that." 

It's all hypothetical at this point, he stresses. 

When will we find out the truth? Reportedly, the father of Scully's baby will 
be revealed before Christmas. 

Meanwhile, look for Scully to have a new partner this season. John Doggett will 
be played by Robert Patrick, who you'll recognize from Terminator 2. As the 
season begins, Doggett will assist Scully in the search for Mulder, who was 
apparently abducted by aliens at the end of last season. 

Duchovny, who was close to leaving the series until he signed a new contract, 
will appear in only 11 episodes of the show this season. 
Christine Champagne 

Copyright c 1997-2000 GIST Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                              

Hi Tim,
On <Sun, 17 Sep 00>, you wrote me:

 AA>> Ever see PYGMALION, the movie (non-musical) upon which My Fair
 AA>> Lady was inspired?
 TW> Can't say I have. Like to inform me what it's about?

Here's a synopisis of the 1938 film:

"Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller star in Anthony Asquith's and Leslie Howard's 
classic version of George Bernard Shaw's satiric comedy. Henry Higgins (Howard) 
is an upper class phonetics professor who encounters low-class guttersnipe 
Eliza Doolittle (Hiller) and bets his friend Colonel Pickering (Scott 
Sunderland) that he can pass her off as a duchess within three months. 
Pickering accepts Higgins' bet, with Eliza readily agreeing to the proposal, 
since she will get to live in Higgins' fancy home. Once in Higgins' house, 
Eliza is subjected to intensely repetitive phonetics lessons in an effort to 
transform her Cockney accent into the speech of proper English. Things are a 
bit rocky at first, with Eliza blurting out "Not bloody likely" at a tea party. 
But when Eliza is presented at the Ambassador's Ball, she is not only accepted 
as a princess but is the talk of the ball, everyone in attendance commenting on 
her charm, beauty, and poise. Relishing his success, Higgins abruptly dismisses 
her. But Eliza has fallen in love with Higgins and is aghast at her cursory 
treatment by him. She tells him, "I sold flowers. I didn't sell myself. Now 
you've made a lady of me, I'm not fit to sell anything else." When Eliza 
leaves, Higgins realizes that he loves her too, but Eliza has announced to 
Higgins that she plans to marry high society playboy Freddie Eynsford-Hill 
(David Tree)"

"One of George Bernard Shaw's most popular and durable plays concerns the 
stuffy British professor of phonetics who, on a bet, tries to transform a 
flower girls' speaking style from lower-class Cockney to proper English, with 
all it implies. Pygmalion was first filmed in Great Britain in 1938 and became 
an instant classic. Featuring well-pitched performances from Leslie Howard and 
Wendy Hiller in the lead roles, this Anthony Asquith film has the exquisite 
timing and tenor of a sophisticated comedy of manners. Barely concealed beneath 
the story is a devastating satire of British class pretensions. This material 
was adapted as the musical My Fair Lady in the 1950s and the film of the same 
name in 1964. It also inspired numerous imitatations, such as Educating Rita. "


... August

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/1)
                                                

Hi Tim,
On <Sun, 17 Sep 00>, you wrote me:

 AA>> PMFJI...  The cliche "chalk and cheese", "the difference between
 AA>> chalk & cheese", "no more alike than chalk & cheese"  is an
 AA>> expression of disparateness; it's about the worthless versus the
 AA>> valuable.

 TW> Mmm...if that is correct, then maybe i've been using this expression
 TW> wrongly. Funny that.


YUP!   I guess you have!  ;)


... August

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                         

Hi Roger,
On <Sun, 17 Sep 00>, you wrote me regarding the film, BRAZIL:

 RN> When I looked up the cast members (only Kim Greist came to mind), I
 RN> couldn't believe who else was in it.  

I just did a cast lookup on the internet and was surprised to be reminded that 
Robert deNiro and Katherine Helmond are in it.  I definately want to see this 
flick again.  But I can't seem to rent it locally.  I may have to buy it.  :(


 RN> It could be considered a cult film.

I would agree with that.  But the film is a class act.  It boasts great 
artistic quality, and a superbly imaginative story.  "Like Ridley Scott's Blade 
Runner or Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, Brazil succeeds precisely 
because it presents a grimy future with real similarities to the present, where 
technology and efficiency lead to more, not less, government interference and 
bureaucracy."


 RN> Maybe as some reviewers put it,
 RN> "Definitely not a film for all [...] but would have been perfect if
 RN> not for the film's slightly over-long running time."

Well.. it was chopped down to 131 minutes down from the original 142.   Maybe 
in 1985 this was a concern mainly because humans tend to get fidgetty after a 
two hour sitting in a movie theatre (???)  But these days with the convenience 
of home video and DVD, I'd say a director's vision need not be sacrificed 
beyond the 120 minute mark.   We can stop and go as we please.   Recently, I 
revisited THE STING, THE UNTOUCHABLES, and GOODFELLAS on vhs.  All movies 
exceed two hours in length.  They are none the less great stories and fun to 
watch.   THE ABYSS and THE MATRIX are two other great flicks that easily exceed 
two hours.  Other great box-office hits that didn't seem to be any problem for 
movie-theatre goers: GONE WITH THE WIND, 1939 (222 minutes), SOUND OF MUSIC, 
1965 (174 minutes), THE TITANIC, 1999 (195 minutes).

.... August

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                                                               

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Roger Nelson ***

 RN> It could be considered a cult film.

 AA> I would agree with that.  But the film is a class act.  It boasts
 AA> great artistic quality, and a superbly imaginative story.  "Like
 AA> Ridley Scott's Blade Runner or Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange,
 AA> Brazil succeeds precisely because it presents a grimy future with
 AA> real similarities to the present, where technology and efficiency
 AA> lead to more, not less, government interference and bureaucracy."

A cult film definitely in sci-fi circles, but not really a cult film if 
considering all films in general.

 RN> Maybe as some reviewers put it, "Definitely not a film for all [...]
 RN> but would have been perfect if not for the film's slightly over-long
 RN> running time."

 AA> Well.. it was chopped down to 131 minutes down from the original 142.
 AA> Maybe in 1985 this was a concern mainly because humans tend to get
 AA> fidgetty after a two hour sitting in a movie theatre (???)  But these
 AA> days with the convenience of home video and DVD, I'd say a director's
 AA> vision need not be sacrificed beyond the 120 minute mark.   We can
 AA> stop and go as we please.   Recently, I revisited THE STING, THE
 AA> UNTOUCHABLES, and GOODFELLASon vhs.  All movies exceed two hours in
 AA> length.  They are none the less great stories and fun to watch.   THE
 AA> ABYSS and THE MATRIX are two other great flicks that easily exceed
 AA> two hours.  Other great box-office hits that didn't seem to be any
 AA> problem for movie-theatre goers: GONE WITH THE WIND, 1939 (222
 AA> minutes), SOUND OF MUSIC, 1965 (174 minutes), THE TITANIC, 1999 (195
 AA> minutes).

The way I look at movie length is that it makes no difference if a film 
exceeds the 2 and-a-half hour mark, or that it may be less than 90 minutes - 
as long as film can justify it's length, then it works for me, no matter how 
long or short a film may be. In saying that though, I think along very good 
films can justify being around the 3 hour mark in length. Michael Mann's Heat 
is an example of a film that was a good film, but couldn't quite justify 
being 180 minutes in total. A good wasy of looking at it is that if a film 
can hold your undivided attention for 3 hours, then it must be a very good 
film.

Of course, good films don't always have to be 3 hour epics - American Beauty, 
for example, was a very short film by today's standards...under 90 minutes if 
I recall correctly.

In hindsight, I think it's fair to say that on average, films today are 
longer in screening time today than they were, say, 50 years ago. It's quite 
common to find films today that are between the 2 hour - 2 and-a-half length.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
            

Hello All!


FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Sep 18, 2000, 12:00 PM PT 

STILL WATCHING: The Watcher remained the nation's number-one movie, earning 
$5.7 million over another lackluster box-office weekend. The only good business 
was for Almost Famous, which, in limited release, debuted eighth with $2.3 
million. 

SUCH A MUGGLE: Actor Richard Harris, who was cast as Professor Dumbledore in 
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, rejecting the terms of the contract 
offered by producers, the British magazine OK reporting. 

TORONTO CHOICE: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Ang Lee's historical romance, 
starring Chow Yun-Fat, won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film 
Festival this weekend. 

HUTCHENCE'S LOVER DEAD: British TV celeb Paula Yates, lover of late INXS singer 
Michael Hutchence and ex-wife of Live Aid creator Bob Geldof, was found dead in 
her London home Sunday. No cause of death has been released. Yates, 40, leaves 
four daughters, three from her marriage to Geldof, one from her relationship 
with Hutchence. 

NOT-SO GOLDEN: NBC's Summer Olympics coverage getting off to a mediocre start, 
with weekend ratings barely ahead of the 1992 Barcelona games and behind the 
Atlanta games in 1996. While the actual numbers are down, the coverage is 
winning its timeslots and is credited for the underwhelming weekend box office. 


BIG NAMES: Julia Roberts, John Cusack and Billy Crystal are in talks to star in 
the Revolution Studios comedy America's Sweethearts, with Catherine Zeta-Jones 
possibly to play a lead role. The picture revolves around a married movie star 
couple (Cusack and Zeta-Jones) who have to promote a film they've made together 
even though their marriage is over. 

BYE, BYE, LOVE: MTV is abruptly canceling its latenight series Loveline after 
four years, giving no reason. The producers are looking for another outlet. 

PUTTING OUT A CONTRACT: Emmy-winning Sopranos star James Gandolfini signing a 
renegotiated deal that will pay him about $10 million for the next two seasons 
of the HBO drama. 

HE KEEPS ON GOING...: Middletown, Rhode Island, is honoring Richard Hatch with 
a civic proclamation tonight, even though the Survivor winner is suing the town 
for more than $1 million, claiming that he was wrongfully arrested and defamed 
when accused of abusing his son. 

OLDIES ARE GOODIES: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced rock music's 
"greatest hits," as chosen by bar patrons and Web surfers worldwide. "Stairway 
to Heaven," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Layla" finished 1-2-3 in the 
survey conducted by Dutch brewer Heineken. 

ARE YOU READY? Gearing up for next year's edition of the Sundance Film 
Festival, organizers have announced the due date for feature film entries is 
October 6. Short films must be submitted by September 29. 

MORNING COMMUTE: UPN picking up six hours of the reality series Road Rage, 
which pits two contestants against one another, as well as a cast of "road 
warriors," who hurl sludge, oil and other obstacles while driving. The 
contestants accrue points as they face off with demolition derby vehicles. 

MORE TV COPS? Acclaimed playwright David Mamet and television veterans Tom 
Fontana and Rod Holcomb are developing a drama series for CBS and Artists 
Television Group to star Rob Morrow as big-city cop who returns to his 
small-town home. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                      

Hello All!

18th September 2000

Movies Lose Out To The Olympics

Analysts blamed the Olympics for a 45-percent drop in theater ticket 
sales over the weekend from a year ago, with the top movie, 
Universal's The Watcher earning only an estimated $5.7 million and 
the top 12 films together pulling in only $38.1 million. In second 
place was the opening of the action-comedy Bait, which garnered just 
$5.5 million. Veteran entertainment analyst Art Rockwell told 
Bloomberg News Sunday that September is likely to be a "red-ink 
month" for theater owners and "the worst third quarter in recent 
memory." No film has opened with as little as $5.7 million since the 
weekend of the January 1997 Super Bowl, when ticket prices were 
notably below what they are today. Other analysts blamed a dearth in 
quality product for the slowdown. "This is now the eighth down 
weekend in a row versus the same weekend last year," Exhibitor 
Relations chief Paul Dergarabedian told the Associated Press. "This 
is a time (of year) when people are doing other things. Without a 
momentum keeping people's interest in moviegoing, you're going to 
have this slowdown." The well-reviewed Almost Famous defied the 
downward trend. Opening on just 131 screens, the movie earned $2.3 
million -- a sensational per-screen average of $17,557. Suggesting 
that word of mouth about the film could produce big figures for it 
when it opens wider, the film saw a 46-percent increase in business 
on Saturday from Friday. The studio intends to add about 600 
theaters next Friday and another 800-1000 more on Sept. 29. 

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 

1. The Watcher, $5.7 million; 
2. Bait, $5.5 million; 
3. Bring It On, $5.1 million; 
4. Nurse Betty, $4.7 million; 
5. What Lies Beneath (2000), $2.6 million; 
6. Space Cowboys (2000), $2.5 million; 
7. Cell, The (2000), $2.45 million; 
8. Almost Famous, $2.3 million; 
9. Duets, $2 million; 
9. Scary Movie, $2 million. 

Ang Lee Takes Toronto Crown

Ang Lee's historical martial-arts film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden 
Dragon (2000), won the top People's Choice award at the 25th annual 
Toronto International Film Festival Monday. The elegant film from 
the director of Ice Storm, The (1997) and Sense and Sensibility 
(1995), which was hailed by critics and filmgoers alike at the 
festival, had been approached warily by distributors, inasmuch as 
the actors speak Chinese. Nevertheless, festival director Piers 
Handling commented that audiences were taken with the "pure magic of 
movement" displayed in the film. It is due to be released by Sony 
Pictures Classics on Dec. 22. Two Australian films also impressed 
festival voters. Rob Sitch's Dish, The (2000), a comedy that 
describes how Australia "secretly" contributed to the first lunar 
landing, placed second, while Paul Cox's Innocence tied with British 
director Stephen Daldry's Billy Elliot for third place. The 328 
films screened over the 10-day festival earned US$1.2 million at the 
Toronto box office. 

Harris Drops Out Of Potter

Richard Harris, who had been cast as Professor Dumbledore, the 
headmaster of Harry Potter's school, has rejected the terms of the 
contract offered by producers, the British magazine OK reported on 
Saturday. The magazine said that while Harris had been offered "a 
substantial salary" to play the character, he had held out for a 
deal like the one Alec Guinness received for appearing in Star Wars: 
a percentage of the film's theater and merchandising profits. 

McCain Suggests Gore Goes Too Far

In a surprising reply to Al Gore's latest get-tough-on-Hollywood 
stance, Senator John McCain, a longtime critic of the film industry 
said Sunday that he is wary of Gore's proposals. Speaking on ABC's 
This Week, McCain conceded that he doesn't know what the best means 
may be to deal with sex and violence in entertainment. He added, 
"I'm reluctant right now to say I'm ready to pass some kind of law 
that imposes some sort of censorship on the industry." He added that 
before any such law is passed, "we'd better make very sure where 
this all leads." 

New Possible Buyer For Seagram's Booze Units

Sweden's V&S Vin & Sprit, owner of Absolut vodka, and Britain's 
Allied Domecq are planning to make a joint bid to buy Seagram's wine 
and spirits unit from Vivendi, the French conglomerate that is 
buying all of the company but has said it only wants to retain the 
entertainment properties, the London Sunday Telegraph reported. 

Not Much Ratings Muscle At Sydney

Ratings for Friday's coverage of the opening ceremonies of the 
Sydney Olympics were off 32 percent from 1996, drawing a 16.1 rating 
and a 29 share versus a 23.6/45 four years ago. However they were 
well above the 13.8/29 garnered by the opening ceremonies in 
Barcelona in 1992. Although analysts said that Friday's results were 
in line with expectations, they expressed concern about ratings for 
Saturday's coverage. The 13.6/25 result may turn out to be the worst 
ratings for any single night of Olympics competition coverage in 
history. A bigger loser may have been CBS's Survivor, which is 
running nightly during the Olympics. Friday's episode landed in 
third place behind the Olympics and ABC's reruns of Whose Line Is It 
Anyway? 

Amanpour Slams CNN, Other Network News Units

Veteran CNN foreign correspondent Christiane Amanpour has scathingly 
criticized TV news executives in general and CNN editors in 
particular for allegedly downplaying and sometimes ignoring fateful 
foreign news reports, even in cases where correspondents have risked 
their lives to obtain them. "I am no longer sure that when I go out 
there and do my job, it'll even see the light of air," she told the 
Radio and Television News Directors Association convention in 
Minneapolis Friday. "I have sympathized with too many colleagues 
assigned like myself, to some of the world's royal bad places," she 
continued. "They would go through hell to do their pieces, only to 
frequently find them killed back in New York, because of some 
fascinating new twist that's been found on I don't know -- killer 
Twinkies or Fergie getting fatter, or something. I have always 
thought it morally unacceptable to kill stories that people have 
risked their lives to get." Amanpour also accused television 
executives of withholding money to allow journalists to produce 
compelling investigative reports and instead turning to less costly 
"demeaning, irrelevant, super-hyped sensationalism." She applauded 
the recent executive changes at CNN, saying, "I'm sure we will 
regain our unique niche, stop trying to be all things to all people, 
and find our way again." 

Political Debates Upset Network Program Schedules

With presidential debates now locked in for Oct. 3, Oct. 11, and 
Oct. 17 and a vice-presidential debate scheduled for Oct. 5, the 
networks have been forced to rejiggle the premiere of new shows. ABC 
said on Friday that it will delay the premiere of The Geena Davis 
Show until Oct. 10. NBC is pushing back the premieres of DAG and 
Cursed as well as several season premieres. CBS has postponed season 
premieres of five shows. 

Unknown To Play Lennon

Philip McQuillan, a 23-year-old Irish musician who has never acted 
before, has been chosen to play John Lennon in the upcoming HBO film 
In His Life -- The John Lennon Story, published reports said today 
(Monday). McQuillan reportedly works in a Dublin guitar shop. 
Today's (Monday) London Daily Express quoted an unnamed source on 
the film's production team as saying, "Philip has a great singing 
voice, is a wonderful musician and, most importantly, he embodies 
the spirit of John Lennon." In an interview with today's New York 
Daily News, writer-producer Michael O'Hara indicated that he and his 
colleagues had looked at more than 300 actors who auditioned for the 
role. "We actually had to postpone filming for a week because we 
hadn't found him," O'Hara told the newspaper. "It was just an 
incredible process. Lennon was not an easy person to cast." 

Big Brother Sets Ratings Record In U.K.

Although a disappointment on U.S. TV, Big Brother has set a viewing 
record in Britain, with overnight ratings indicating that the final 
episode on Friday was watched by 56 percent of the country's 
available television audience. Meanwhile, www.bigbrother2000.com, 
the official Web site for the U.S. version reportedly attracted 4.25 
million visitors in July, thereby winning Media Metrix's award for 
top newcomer site. 

British Talk Show Host Found Dead

British TV talk show personality Paula Yates was found dead in her 
West London apartment Sunday, the apparent victim of an accidental 
drug and alcohol overdose. She had been married to the rock 
impresario/performer Bob Geldof and had been the lover of Michael 
Hutchence, leader of the rock group INXS, who committed suicide in 
1998. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                              

Regarding previous discussions and speculation about Ridley Scott's 
Bladerunner, and the notion that Harrison Ford's character was a replicant, 
here is a little insight in to the issue. Quotations taken from from the book 
Future Noir: The Making of Bladerunner.

The inital screenwriter for Bladerunner, Hampton Facher, recalls:

"The idea that Deckard really being an andriod sort of invented itself. In 
the final version of the screenplay I wrote before David Peoples stepped in - 
which i'm not sure he ever saw - I'd ended the film with Deckard coming back 
home and sitting down at his piano. There was a closeup of Deckard's hand 
going down towards the keys...and suddenly his hand cramped up, just like 
Batty's (one of the replicants) did. You weren't quite sure it was the same 
thing, but it looked an awful lot like a replicant clench."

"I wanted the audience to walk away thinking, 'Is Deckard like Batty?'...The 
idea was supposed to be, take your own empathy test...See how human you 
really are...It was a philosopical challenge, really."

David Peoples then took over the writing, and refers to a particular 
contemplative voice-over for Deckard in the film:

[Deckard] "I wonder who designs the ones like me...and what choice we really 
have...'You're programmed, too' she told me..."

The voice-over is a metaphysical voice-over. Deckard is questioning what 
makes himself and Rachael (a replicant) so different, realising they're not 
so different on a human level. Peoples' intention was that the "maker" 
Deckard was refering to wasn't literal - it was supposed to be God.

Peoples then goes to to say:

[On Ridley's response to his script] "But then Ridley - well -, I think 
misinterpreted me. Because right at this period of time he started 
announcing, 'Ah-ha! Deckard's a replicant! What brilliance!' I was sort of 
confused by this response, because Ridley kept giving me all this praise and 
credit for this treffic idea. It wasn't until many years later...I suddenly 
realised that the metaphysical material I had written could just as easily 
imply that Deckard was a replicant."

So in hindsight, the idea that Deckard is a replicant is actually fact. The 
book goes on to state that in the Director's Cut, Deckard is without doubt 
revealed as a replicant. The original concept that Deckard was a replicant 
wasn't ever intended by any of the writers, and it basically only took a 
misinterpretation by the director that made the concept realised...a mistake 
that Ridley Scott happened liked. The idea was obviously not clear cut in the 
original because it wasn't a solid foundation, but Ridley Scott was really 
the only one who liked the twist in the story, thus intergrating it into his 
cut.

So when Ridley Scott was quoted as revealing that Deckard was in actual fact 
a replicant, I don't think he's speaking on behalf of all the writers and 
people behind the film, but only from his vision seen through his Director's 
Cut.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                   

Hello All!

Heche Negotiates Role With Showtime
[Ray's note: I object!]

Actress Anne Heche is in early talks with Showtime to star in a currently 
untitled movie about reporter, columnist and television celebrity Dorothy 
Kilgallen. 31-year-old Heche was involved with "wild and crazy guy" Steve 
Martin and recently split up from longtime lesbian lover Ellen DeGeneres. 

Heche (who pronounces her surname "haytch") would play Kilgallen in the 
film based on Lee Israel's book "Kilgallen," about the life, and mysterious 
death, of a journalist who investigated John F. Kennedy's assassination and 
Marilyn Monroe's death. 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                   

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Sep 18, 2000, 4:25 PM PT 

BYE, BYE, LOVE: MTV abruptly canceling its late-night series Loveline after 
four years, giving no reason. The producers are looking for another outlet. 

SUCH A MUGGLE: Actor Richard Harris, who was cast as Professor Dumbledore in 
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, rejecting the terms of the contract 
offered by producers, the British magazine OK reporting. 

NEVER SAY NEVER: European regulators are reportedly prepared to recommend 
against America Online's planned $125 billion dollar purchase of Time Warner, 
the Wall Street Journal says, because the European Union doesn't want one 
company to have too much power. 

PULLING THE PLUG: NBC has pulled a Nike ad from the network's Olympic 
broadcast. The commercial featured a hockey masked, chainsaw-wielding madman 
attacking runner Suzy Favor Hamilton, who leaves him in her dust. The network 
and sneaker giant had received several complaints over the spot. 

NOT-SO GOLDEN: NBC's Summer Olympics coverage getting off to a mediocre start, 
with weekend ratings barely ahead of the 1992 Barcelona games and behind the 
Atlanta games in 1996. While the actual numbers are down, the coverage is 
winning its timeslots and is credited for the underwhelming weekend box office. 


BARELY WATCHING: The Watcher remained the nation's number-one movie, earning 
$5.8 million over another lackluster box-office weekend. The only good business 
was for Almost Famous, which, in limited release, debuted eighth with $2.3 
million. 

BIG NAMES: Julia Roberts, John Cusack and Billy Crystal are in talks to star in 
the Revolution Studios comedy America's Sweethearts, with Catherine Zeta-Jones 
possibly to play a lead role. The picture revolves around a married movie star 
couple (Cusack and Zeta-Jones) who have to promote a film they've made together 
even though their marriage is over. 

GOOD DEED: Thanks in part to the lobbying of soap star Hunter Tylo, the 
California State Legislature passed a bill that encourages early detection of 
congenital eye disorders. The new law was spearheaded by the actress after her 
daughter lost her right eye to retinal cancer. 

PUTTING OUT A CONTRACT: Emmy-winning Sopranos star James Gandolfini signing a 
renegotiated deal that will pay him about $10 million for the next two seasons 
of the HBO drama. 

BOOB TUBE: Dolly Parton says she'll be "bigger than a cow" in a new IMAX movie 
about coutry music. Parton jokes that she's "already larger than life." The 
movie premieres in Nashville next June. 

HE KEEPS ON GOING... Middletown, Rhode Island, is honoring Richard Hatch with a 
civic proclamation tonight, even though the Survivor winner is suing the town 
for more than $1 million, claiming that he was wrongfully arrested and defamed 
when accused of abusing his son. 

OLDIES ARE GOODIES: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced rock music's 
"greatest hits," as chosen by bar patrons and Web surfers worldwide. "Stairway 
to Heaven," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Layla" finished 1-2-3 in the 
survey conducted by Dutch brewer Heineken. 

TORONTO CHOICE: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Ang Lee's historical romance, 
starring Chow Yun-Fat, won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film 
Festival this weekend. 

ARE YOU READY? Gearing up for next year's edition of the Sundance Film 
Festival, organizers have announced the due date for feature film entries is 
October 6. Short films must be submitted by September 29. 

MORNING COMMUTE: UPN picking up six hours of the reality series Road Rage, 
which pits two contestants against one another, as well as a cast of "road 
warriors," who hurl sludge, oil and other obstacles while driving. The 
contestants accrue points as they face off with demolition derby vehicles. 

HUTCHENCE'S LOVER DEAD: British TV celeb Paula Yates, lover of late INXS singer 
Michael Hutchence and ex-wife of Live Aid creator Bob Geldof, was found dead in 
her London home Sunday. No cause of death has been released. Yates, 40, leaves 
four daughters, three from her marriage to Geldof, one from her relationship 
with Hutchence. 

MORE TV COPS? Acclaimed playwright David Mamet and television veterans Tom 
Fontana and Rod Holcomb are developing a drama series for CBS and Artists 
Television Group to star Rob Morrow as big-city cop who returns to his 
small-town home. 

Copyright © 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                            

Hello All!

Tuesday, September 19, 2000: 

 Randolph Mantooth (55) 
 Jeremy Irons (52) 
 Victoria Silvstedt (26) 
 Adam West (71) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                 

Hello Ray!

14 Sep 00 06:30, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:


 RG> GUNNING FOR REAL: Dick Wolf enlisting large numbers of real police 
 RG> officers, FBI Agents and DEA Agents to play themselves for free in 
 RG> re-enactments for his new syndicated reality series, Arrest & Trial, 
 RG> premiering October 2. 

Heh.  Well, that's one way to cut costs/boost profits.  As it turns out,
ARREST & TRIAL owes me for a week's work.  Swagging me a hat doesn't
make up for the late check.

Brian Dennehy is the host of the new "reality-oriented" INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTS-styled show.  


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                  

Hello Roger!

14 Sep 00 07:47, Roger Nelson wrote to All:

 RN> In a recent story about our beloved, but sometimes hapless NFL team, 
 RN> the New Orleans Saints, I was ALMOST taken aback at the story and 
 RN> caption.  A sign of the times, I suppose, but it is indicative of how 
 RN> the press does work.  I know, because I was interviewed twice by them 

Putting a newspaper to bed is much more like sausage making than anything
else, it seems.  One local rag runs a sunday column from their PR --
er, customer relations advocate that routinely excoriates itself for 
the past week's printing sins.  Like misspelled names, photos that 
undermine rather than underline and just plain bad reportage.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                               

Hello Tim!

  > Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW>> I'm guessing it would have already been in the works. I'm not flash
 TW>> on my Star Wars knowledge, but I think the whole general story for
 TW>> the trilogy (ie, episode IV, V, VI) had already been conceived. In
 TW>> saying that, both the trilogy and the prequels probably would have
 TW>> been written together. 

Lucas may have had notes for a story arc that spanned more than one 
film, but when SW was made there were only plans to make the one 
film -- and Lucas didn't think it would be very successful.  Speilberg
was at the time doing CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, which Lucas 
characterized as a "real movie" unlike his silly shoot-em-up in space.  
You must remember that when SW was made, sequels were a rarity and 
franchise movies hadn't been invented yet.

The "I always intended [see list below]" line from Lucas should be
taken as so much bovine chips.

DATA:
...to make 9 movies
...to make 3 movies
...to make 12 movies
...to make 6 movies
...for Darth to have a "black" voice
...to replace Kenny with a robot (not yet uttered, but he will)
...to replace sets and actors with CG cartoons (ditto)
 



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                                     

Hello Paul!


 PC>> Before you dismiss me, as I know you have already, take a closer
 PC>> look at the Matrix and see what lies beneath the "spiffy" special
 PC>> effects before writing it off.

You mean the "frozen motion" effect?  It got dull after the first 
commercial use of it, now it is cliche.  As for POV shots of
speeding bullets,  *yawn*  it was a bad idea in 1984's RUNAWAY and
hasn't gotten any better.

Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within the Matrix
in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a cell phone
do as well? 



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                       

15 Sep 00 13:17, Paul Cote wrote to Roger Nelson:

 PC> Tact has nothing to do with this, I make my statements as honest and 
 PC> blunt as I see fit. Not everyone follows the decorum blindly, so 
 PC> don't get all riled up over a little 'colorful' conversation. If you 
 PC> can't deal with it then ban me.  

That's quite a chip you've got nailed to your shoulder.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                              

 On 09-17-00 Tim Wong wrote to Roger Nelson... 
 
 TW> Sadly, Raul Julia's last film, Street Fighter, was forgettable. In 
 TW> saying 
 TW> that though, he did bring come credit to the film, which was other 
 TW> than that, B-grade and awful. 
 
 Raul Julia is credited with three films for 1994, but I thought 
 that THE BURNING SEASON was his last. IIRC his death was 
 attributed, somewhat, to his losing considerable weight for the 
 role without proper supervision. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                        

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Paul Cote ***

 PC>> Before you dismiss me, as I know you have already, take a closer look
 PC>> at the Matrix and see what lies beneath the "spiffy" special effects
 PC>> before writing it off.

 LA> You mean the "frozen motion" effect?  It got dull after the first
 LA> commercial use of it, now it is cliche.  As for POV shots of speeding
 LA> bullets,  *yawn*  it was a bad idea in 1984's RUNAWAY and hasn't
 LA> gotten any better.

I think The Matrix did change the way action films are made now - but as you 
say, it's becom a cliche. But there's no denying that John Woo's earlier 
American action films, and then The Matrix, has defined this new 
hyper-stylised action film - "seductive violence", as they're calling it. 
M:I2 and in particular Romeo Must Die are two recent films that are clear 
examples of this trend. It may all be a cliche, but I think it's certainly 
for the best, and leaves the now primitive looking 80's shoot-em-up action 
film for dead.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                             

*** Quoting Maureen Goldman in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Sadly, Raul Julia's last film, Street Fighter, was
 TW> forgettable. In saying that though, he did bring come
 TW> credit to the film, which was other than that, B-grade and
 TW> awful.

 MG>  Raul Julia is credited with three films for 1994, but I
 MG> thought    that THE BURNING SEASON was his last. IIRC his death was
 MG> attributed, somewhat, to his losing considerable weight for the
 MG> role without proper supervision.

Not sure. I'm assuming Street Fighter was his last film to be released. If 
you have recalled correctly, then it's a shame he died that way. The lengths 
some actors go to make the role their own...Robert De Niro comes to mind as 
the complete opposite, gaining weight for Raging Bull rather than losing it.

Quick note: Just saw the 2 hour finale of Survivor, which screened the other 
day in NZ. I've heard a lot of talk in this echo about the infamous Sue...and 
now I know what you're talking about. I'm sure her speech would have created 
a few shockwaves in America. Gervase summed it up pretty well - a sore loser.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                     

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> You see similar scenes of long queues camped out early in the
 TW> morning for rugby matches. 

I understand that there are long lines at a rock concert, too.

 TW> We didn't have quite the scenes as they did in the States when 
 TW> Episode 1 opened, but the fanatics still were able to pick up all 
 TW> the early selling tickets. I recall for the first screenings of 
 TW> Episode 1, they had midnight screenings all over the country, 
 TW> which all sold out. 

I seldom go to the theater anymore unless my son and his children are with me.

 TW> I can see "stunt" doubles eventually becoming "body" doubles... 

No, those will be amimated and the average viewer won't be able to tell the 
difference.

 TW> Wide gap marriages have always been around in Hollywood though. And
 TW> the wider the gap, the more he's going to get run around :)

That would work for some, but I'm too set in my ways and lack the overwhelming 
amount of "coin" for any woman to stick around for very long, unless she was 
really interested in me.

 TW> [...]

 TW> Not in the studio's case though. The better looking actress may get
 TW> average reviews, but the fact is that the film has a better chance
 TW> of making more money with a pretty face on board.

Surely they realize there is more to acting than just being so much eye candy.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                        

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Sadly, Raul Julia's last film, Street Fighter, was forgettable. In
 TW> saying that though, he did bring come credit to the film, which
 TW> was other than that, B-grade and awful.

Did you see him in Moon Over Parador with Richard Dreyfuss and also in The 
Adams Family films?

 TW> You do? What i'm saying is that I wouldn't consider Ford of Connery
 TW> in the same league as Stewart of Wayne, just that they are the
 TW> last actors today that at least mimic some (very little) of what
 TW> the studio actors had. In hindsight though, they're two completely
 TW> different generations of actors, in different filmmaking eras.

In the case of Connery, I liked him in everything he did except the Bond films. 
 Ford isn't in the same ballpark as Connery, IMO.  Stewart and Wayne were 
top-level actors.

 TW> West Side Story is okay. As much as i'm not fond of musicals, if I
 TW> had to see one, it would certainly be on a screen rather than on a
 TW> stage. I just don't go for stage musicals...or ballet or orchestra
 TW> etc.

Stage would be better.  It usually is, but one has to develop an appreciation 
for what the stage actors go through to make everything just right.  Many a 
sacrifice has to be made.  An extreme example would be to ask if you'd rather 
see and hear an orchestra on film or on stage?

 TW> I saw a news item a while ago about a theatre in America that was
 TW> having "sing-a-long" musicals - in particular The Sound of Music.
 TW> They'd screen The Sound of Music with subtitles for the songs,
 TW> with the whole audience cheering and singing along to all those
 TW> happy songs. They'd dress up as characters in the film, boo, curse
 TW> and cheer moments in the film...basically a theme night. 

Their poor imitation of the fine arts.  I'd avoid it like the plague.

 TW> Funnily enough, New Zealand cinemas have caught on to the trend.
 TW> Now they're all having their The Sound of Music sing-a-long theme
 TW> nights. Oh dear. 

OW!


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                               

Hello All!

19th September 2000

Theaters Are Olympics Losers

The Watcher may have captured the top spot at the domestic box 
office over the weekend for the second straight time but its $5.7 
million in ticket sales indicated that not too many watchers turned 
out to see it. Indeed, the top 12 films grossed only $38.1 million, 
down 44 percent from the same weekend last year. While some analysts 
blamed competition from the Olympics for the poor showing, others 
pointed out that the studios may have created a self-fulfilling 
prophecy by assuming that many moviegoers would stay home to watch 
the TV coverage and dumping the least promising product on the 
market. Warner Bros.' Bait opened in second place with just $5.5 
million, while Disney's Duets, playing on only 581 screens, took in 
just $2 million. Swimming strongly against the tide was DreamWorks' 
Almost Famous, which earned $2.31 million on just 131 screens, a 
sensational $17,669 average per screen. (By contrast, The Watcher's 
per-screen average was just $2,115.) 

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent 
total gross to date): 

1. The Watcher Universal, $5,805,680, ($17,376,895); 
2. Bait, Warner Bros., $5,485,591, (New); 
3. Bring It On, Universal, $5,084,580, ($50,935,610); 
4. Nurse Betty, USA, $4,658,762, ($13,552,543); 
5. Space Cowboys (2000), Warner Bros., $2,515,232, ($82,202,221); 
6. Cell, The (2000), New Line, $2,448,021, ($54,985,122); 
7. What Lies Beneath (2000), DreamWorks, $2,406,524, ($145,578,552); 
8. Almost Famous, DreamWorks, $2,314,646, ($2,376,387); 
9. Scary Movie, Dimension, $2,039,085, ($151,771,492); 
10. Duets, Disney, $2,002,588, (New).
 
New Senate Hearings On Media Violence

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), chairman of the Senate Judiciary 
Committee, has scheduled hearings in Washington Wednesday on 
violence in the media. The online edition of Broadcasting and Cable 
said that the witnesses will include Jack Valenti of the Motion 
Picture Association of America, Hillary Rosen of the Recording 
Industry Association and Doug Lowenstein of the Interactive Digital 
Software Association. 

Restorers Completely Recut Film

Using original Panavision footage, the Elvis Presley Las Vegas 
concert film That's the Way It Is has been entirely re-edited as 
part of a restoration to be exhibited at the Widescreen Film 
Festival in Long Beach, CA on Friday, the Los Angeles Times reported 
today (Tuesday). "This is the first time a film has ever been 
completely re-cut like this," Rick Schmidlin, who supervised the 
editing, told the newspaper. "It was not the intent going in," 
Schmidlin continued. "The intent was to throw in some extra moments. 
In looking at the raw material, the original camera negative, the 
state of mind of the state of the art at the time, we realized we 
could re-cut from head to toe, fine-tune it, and make it more 
successful and enjoyable." 

Wanted: Gifted Pianist To Star In Movie

Director Roman Polanski has taken the unusual step of placing an ad 
in Britain's Guardian newspaper to announce that he will hold open 
auditions in London on Sept. 30 for the lead role in his upcoming 
film The Pianist. The film is based on events in the life of Jewish 
composer-musician Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Pole who reportedly was 
saved from Nazi concentration camps during World War II by a German 
officer who appreciated his talents. Casting agent Celestia Fox told 
the online edition of the Britain's Empire magazine that Polanski 
"feels that there is someone out there" who can manage the difficult 
role of the virtuoso pianist "and not necessarily an actor." The 
magazine also noted that Polanski himself is not likely to attend 
the auditions because of concern that he might be seized and 
extradited to the U.S., where he is wanted on a longstanding morals 
charge. 

Olympics Ads: 1 Win; 1 Loss

NBC has accepted a previously rejected commercial for its Olympic 
Games' telecasts and has pulled another following about 2,000 
complaints from viewers. Today's (Tuesday) New York Times reported 
that the network has decided to allow an anti-smoking ad showing 
black body bags stacked in front of the New York headquarters of 
Philip Morris. Dr. Cheryl Healton, head of the American Legacy 
foundation, which oversees the nation's most extensive anti-smoking 
ad campaign, told the newspaper, "It's incumbent upon us to present 
to young people the health consequences and social costs of smoking. 
... The Olympic Games are an incredible venue for reaching 
adolescents as well as adults." Rick Gitter, chief of advertising 
standards and program compliance for NBC, was quoted by the Times as 
saying that the spot was accepted "subject to viewer response." He 
added that he hadn't heard any complaints. That was not the case, 
however, with an ad for Nike, intended as a spoof of horror movies, 
that featured American track star Suzy Hamilton outrunning a man 
chasing her with a chainsaw. Some viewers reportedly found the ad 
misogynistic, while others objected to the violent content shown at 
a time when children might be watching. Washington Post TV columnist 
Tom Shales today called the spot "definitively tasteless." Nike 
reacted angrily to the network's decision to pull the ad. A 
spokesman for the company told today's Wall Street Journal that, by 
its action, NBC has "no longer made it a choice of individuals to 
decide if they like the ads or not." A spokeswoman for the ad agency 
that produced it said she was "surprised that NBC would exercise 
censorship." 

Court TV Jettisons Confessions

Responding to viewer complaints, the cable network Court TV on 
Monday pulled the plug on its new series Confessions. In an 
interview with today's (Tuesday) New York Daily News, Court TV 
chairman Henry Schleiff said, "We have to be sensitive to any part 
of the audience that says, 'God, this is a little tough on me.'" 
That appeared to be the reaction of relatives of some of the victims 
of criminals whose confessions appeared on the series. Gordon 
Rondeau of Georgia, whose daughter was murdered six years ago, told 
the newspaper, "It's a painful experience, and they had not done 
anything to coordinate with the victims." 

CBS Lets Survivor Sue Take Role On NBC Show

Survivor contestant Sue Hawk has received permission from CBS to 
appear on the new NBC sitcom DAG -- but with the proviso that NBC 
cannot promote her appearance or invite the press to the set of the 
show while she is being filmed, according to New York Daily News 
columnist Mitchell Fink. However, Fink quotes an NBC spokesman as 
saying that the network does intend to air the episode during the 
November sweeps. 

Pseudo Shut Down

Suggesting to some analysts that the novelty of watching moving 
images on personal computers may be wearing off, Pseudo programs 
Inc., one of the first companies to produce video content for the 
Internet, announced Monday that it had called it quits. All 175 
employees of the company were let go. News reports noted that 
although the company had been shelling out up to $2 million a month 
to produce content on the Web, it was attracting relatively few 
viewers. Meanwhile, Inside, the online entertainment news site, 
reported today (Tuesday) that Stan Lee Media, the Internet animation 
site, is laying off 19 staffers, about 20 percent of its production 
staff. 

Nashville Net Moving To New York

Viacom's TNN network, born as The Nashville Network and originally 
featuring wall-to-wall videos of country-music performers as well as 
live programming from The Grand Ole Opry plans to drop much of its 
country format, move to New York and change its name to The National 
Network, according to published reports. (The reports did not 
indicate how the similarly named National Broadcasting Co. -- NBC 
---regarded the planned name change.) 

BBC Tops Online Olympics Coverage

Despite numerous references to its Web site during Olympics 
coverage, NBC's online coverage of the games ranks second to the 
British Broadcasting Corporation among sites devoted to Olympics 
information, according to figures released Monday by 
Nielsen/NetRatings. The IOC's home site was the third most-visited 
site. 

Radio/TV Pirates Planning Protest At NAB Confab

Supporters of "micropower broadcasting" have been organizing 
protests in San Francisco outside the NAB convention, set to open on 
Wednesday. Claiming that "hundreds" of pirate radio and TV stations 
are currently operating in the U.S., Stephen Dunifer of Free Radio 
Berkeley, one of the demonstrations' organizers, told the San 
Francisco Bay Guardian: "We're going to bring maximum static to the 
NAB. There will be a lot of media around. We want to use them as a 
public forum, as a means of education, to bring out what exactly the 
NAB is all about, who they represent, and why people have to listen 
to the same stupid formats all across the country, bland radio that 
doesn't have anything to say for itself other than some sort of 
bottom line for the investors, and the fact that the NAB is 
essentially an enemy of free speech. They have done everything 
possible to quell the free speech rights of people to speak on their 
own airways in this country." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                              

Hello Ray!

18 Sep 00 15:15, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> OLDIES ARE GOODIES: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced rock 
 RG> music's "greatest hits," as chosen by bar patrons and Web surfers 
 RG> worldwide. "Stairway to Heaven," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and 
 RG> "Layla" finished 1-2-3 in the survey conducted by Dutch brewer 
 RG> Heineken. 

What a depressing summary of my generation.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
    

Hello Ray!

18 Sep 00 15:17, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> Movies Lose Out To The Olympics

 RG> Analysts blamed the Olympics for a 45-percent drop in theater ticket 
 RG> sales over the weekend from a year ago, with the top movie, 

Except NBC is whining about lost viewership as well.  It don't add up.


 RG> notably below what they are today. Other analysts blamed a dearth in 
 RG> quality product for the slowdown. "This is now the eighth down 
 RG> weekend in a row versus the same weekend last year," Exhibitor 

And that would seem to be the truth of the matter.
  
Saw SPACE COWBOYS.  Enjoyed the first 2/3s, up until they got into
space.  Then the movie just fell apart.

The death of a character was telegraphed -- with a baseball bat.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                              

Hello Ray!

19 Sep 00 07:01, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:


 RG> PULLING THE PLUG: NBC has pulled a Nike ad from the network's Olympic 
 RG> broadcast. The commercial featured a hockey masked, chainsaw-wielding 
 RG> madman attacking runner Suzy Favor Hamilton, who leaves him in her 
 RG> dust. The network and sneaker giant had received several complaints 
 RG> over the spot. 

Saw the ad.  Didn't agree that it promoted violence against women (does
_every_ depiction of that advocate it?)  Did think it ill-conceived,
in poor taste and that it did not promote the _product_ though.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                     

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> We didn't have quite the scenes as they did in the States when
 TW> Episode 1 opened, but the fanatics still were able to pick up all
 TW> the early selling tickets. I recall for the first screenings of
 TW> Episode 1, they had midnight screenings all over the country,  which
 TW> all sold out.

 RN> I seldom go to the theater anymore unless my son and his children are
 RN> with me.

I rarely go either. I do most of my watching from home these days.

 TW> I can see "stunt" doubles eventually becoming "body" doubles...

 RN> No, those will be amimated and the average viewer won't be able to
 RN> tell the difference.

True. I wouldn't be surprised if digital technology puts more people out of 
the job in the future...

 TW> Not in the studio's case though. The better looking actress may get
 TW> average reviews, but the fact is that the film has a better chance of
 TW> making more money with a pretty face on board.

 RN> Surely they realize there is more to acting than just being so much
 RN> eye candy.

I think in general all these "eye candy" actresses do have reasonable ability 
in acting - but they're not capable of a standing ovation, so to speak. In 
many cases, I think they believe it's enough for an actress to have physical 
looks to carry the film, rather than a good performace. Especially when 
dealing with the younger demographic, looks obviously appeal more to them 
than a quality performace.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                  

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Sadly, Raul Julia's last film, Street Fighter, was forgettable. In
 TW> saying that though, he did bring come credit to the film, which was
 TW> other than that, B-grade and awful.

 RN> Did you see him in Moon Over Parador with Richard Dreyfuss and also
 RN> in The Adams Family films?

Didn't see Moon Over Parador, but I have seen the Addams Family films...and 
he's very good in those. Christopher Lloydd certainly is hard to pick out 
initally as Fester...

 TW> You do? What i'm saying is that I wouldn't consider Ford of Connery
 TW> in the same league as Stewart of Wayne, just that they are the last
 TW> actors today that at least mimic some (very little) of what the
 TW> studio actors had. In hindsight though, they're two completely
 TW> different generations of actors, in different filmmaking eras.

 RN> In the case of Connery, I liked him in everything he did except the
 RN> Bond films.  Ford isn't in the same ballpark as Connery, IMO.
 RN> Stewart and Wayne were top-level actors.

Yes, and bonafide Hollywood stars also. Today, you don't really get a 
combination of a top-level actor who's also a real star. There are many great 
actors today, such as Edward Norton, who can certainly claim to be top acting 
actors, but won't find they'll be able to draw the crowds because they simple 
don't have the star power. In saying that, it's fair to say that the image of 
the Hollywood star went out with the studio era.

 TW> West Side Story is okay. As much as i'm not fond of musicals, if I
 TW> had to see one, it would certainly be on a screen rather than on a
 TW> stage. I just don't go for stage musicals...or ballet or orchestra
 TW> etc.

 RN> Stage would be better.  It usually is, but one has to develop an
 RN> appreciation for what the stage actors go through to make everything
 RN> just right.  Many a sacrifice has to be made.  An extreme example
 RN> would be to ask if you'd rather see and hear an orchestra on film or
 RN> on stage?

I definitely appreciate the medium of stage - musicals, theatre etc. I've 
just never been fully interested in it. As far as musicals are concerned, 
they're made for the stage and are probably ten times better than on screen.

 TW> I saw a news item a while ago about a theatre in America that was
 TW> having "sing-a-long" musicals - in particular The Sound of Music.
 TW> They'd screen The Sound of Music with subtitles for the songs, with
 TW> the whole audience cheering and singing along to all those happy
 TW> songs. They'd dress up as characters in the film, boo, curse and
 TW> cheer moments in the film...basically a theme night.

 RN> Their poor imitation of the fine arts.  I'd avoid it like the plague.

I can imagine how depressing it would be for myself to get involved with one 
of these "sing-a-long" movie nights...even when half the songs in The Sound 
of Music are uplifting, i'm sure i'd be sinking into my seat :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                        

 
 LA> You mean the "frozen motion" effect?  It got dull after the first 
 LA> commercial use of it, now it is cliche.  As for POV shots of
 LA> speeding bullets,  *yawn*  it was a bad idea in 1984's RUNAWAY and
 LA> hasn't gotten any better.

 LA> Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within the Matrix
 LA> in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a cell phone
 LA> do as well? 
 
Let's see if I can be as clear and concise I can be without being a general 
bastard about it...
 
It's a *MOVIE*. *MOVIES* aren't real. *MOVIES* have their own logic. 
 
I hope this has been a unique learning experience for you. ;)

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
                                            

 LA> That's quite a chip you've got nailed to your shoulder.
 
I could make an unsavory joke about fish and chips right now, but I just don't 
feel the urge to do so. 
 
As for the chip, there's no chip, I just feel that some of the people in power 
need to loosen the strings around here. I love film, as does anyone who posts 
in this echo. I also have an opinion, as does anyone who posts in this echo. 
Yet, if my opinion contrasts against the 'rules' it's 'off topic' and I'm given 
a warning. Hello thought police, care to carve a chunk of free will out of my 
brain? I don't think so. 
 
Anyway, back to the subject at hand, movies. 
  
 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
                                         

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I rarely go either. I do most of my watching from home these days. 

If there is a return engagement of Eyes Wide Shut, I'll go see that.  Seeing 
any Kubrick film and many others on the small screen does them an injustice.

 TW> True. I wouldn't be surprised if digital technology puts more
 TW> people out of the job in the future...

That's why I remarked about the stunt men that I would hope the change would be 
gradual.

 TW> I think in general all these "eye candy" actresses do have
 TW> reasonable ability in acting - but they're not capable of a
 TW> standing ovation, so to speak. 

I have seen a few on American TV that are quite good.  These are not primarily 
in films, but the performances they give might pass your test.

 TW> In many cases, I think they believe it's enough for an actress to 
 TW> have physical looks to carry the film, rather than a good 
 TW> performace. Especially when dealing with the younger demographic, 
 TW> looks obviously appeal more to them than a quality performace.

If they only knew (or cared about) what I thought.  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                  

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Didn't see Moon Over Parador, but I have seen the Addams Family
 TW> films...and he's very good in those. 

Oh, you have to see that one!  It is very funny, although Julia's character 
doesn't come across as such, but Dreyfuss' character does.

 TW> Christopher Lloydd certainly is hard to pick out  initally as 
 TW> Fester...

Yes.  The makeup artist could make me look that good.  (-:

 TW> Yes, and bonafide Hollywood stars also. Today, you don't really get
 TW> a combination of a top-level actor who's also a real star. 

And that's because everyone is their own studio, in a manner of speaking, 
promoting themselves.

 TW> There are many great actors today, such as Edward Norton, who can

I can't say that I've ever seen him in anything.

 TW> certainly claim to be top acting actors, but won't find they'll be
 TW> able to draw the crowds because they simple don't have the star
 TW> power. In saying that, it's fair to say that the image of the
 TW> Hollywood star went out with the studio era.

Yes.  Too bad, because was a good thing while it lasted.

 TW> I definitely appreciate the medium of stage - musicals, theatre
 TW> etc. I've just never been fully interested in it. As far as
 TW> musicals are concerned, they're made for the stage and are
 TW> probably ten times better than on screen. 

CAts was the last show I saw on stage and before that, a Van Cliburn concert 
and some operas and many, many symphonies.

 TW> I can imagine how depressing it would be for myself to get involved
 TW> with one of these "sing-a-long" movie nights...even when half the
 TW> songs in The Sound of Music are uplifting, i'm sure i'd be sinking
 TW> into my seat :) 

On the one hand, it appears to be a way to get people together and doing the 
same thing, but on the other hand, it causes sophisticated people like yourself 
to head for the nearest far away place.  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
             

August Abolins wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 AA> I just did a cast lookup on the internet and was surprised to be
 AA> reminded that Robert deNiro and Katherine Helmond are in it.  I
 AA> definately want to see this flick again.  But I can't seem to rent
 AA> it locally.  I may have to buy it.  :( 

Yes, surprising, wasn't it?  I think the only other times I'll see it again is 
if it's shown it on TV.

 AA> I would agree with that.  But the film is a class act.  It boasts
 AA> great artistic quality, and a superbly imaginative story.  "Like
 AA> Ridley Scott's Blade Runner or Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork
 AA> Orange, Brazil succeeds precisely because it presents a grimy
 AA> future with real similarities to the present, where technology and
 AA> efficiency lead to more, not less, government interference and
 AA> bureaucracy." 

You could be right.  It has been many years since I've seen it.

 AA> Well.. it was chopped down to 131 minutes down from the original
 AA> 142.   Maybe in 1985 this was a concern mainly because humans tend
 AA> to get fidgetty after a two hour sitting in a movie theatre (???) 

I don't know, but back in 1968, I recall people going in to see 2001: A Space 
Odyssey grumbling after someone asked how long the film is and the 139 minute 
answer displeased them.

 AA> But these days with the convenience of home video and DVD, I'd say
 AA> a director's vision need not be sacrificed beyond the 120 minute 
 AA> mark. [...]

My idea of a home theater I can't afford.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                          

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 LA> Putting a newspaper to bed is much more like sausage making than
 LA> anything else, it seems.  One local rag runs a sunday column from
 LA> their PR -- er, customer relations advocate that routinely
 LA> excoriates itself for the past week's printing sins.  Like
 LA> misspelled names, photos that undermine rather than underline and
 LA> just plain bad reportage. 

How many time will they have to shoot themselves in the foot before they notice 
that they're hurting?  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
    

Hello All!

Thursday, September 21, 2000: 

 Stephen King (53) 
 Luke Wilson (29) 
 Bill Murray (50) 
 Ethan Coen (43) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                             

Hello All!

21st September 2000

Toy Story

Disney signed a deal Wednesday with toymaker Hasbro, the chief rival 
of Mattel, which has had an exclusive deal to produce toys related 
to Disney films for over a decade. The deal appeared to give Mattel 
rights to produce toys for films that Disney produces with Pixar 
while Mattel will continue making toys tied to Disney animated 
features and classic cartoon characters. Hasbro also becomes the 
official toymaker for several Disney resorts. Today's Wall Street 
Journal said that Mattel had decided to walk away from part of the 
Disney business because of high fixed payments and royalties that it 
was required to make, something that had often caused it to lose 
money on Disney films. "The irony is that it's a win-win situation 
for both [toy] companies," Merrill Lynch analyst Hayley Kissel told 
the Los Angeles Times. 

Film To Spoof Hollywood Violence

Director Ridley Scott (Thelma and Louise, Alien, Gladiator, 
Hannibal) has agreed to direct a movie version of British comedian 
Ben Elton's novel-turned-hit-stageplay Popcorn, which satirizes 
Hollywood's fondness for violent movies, the London Daily Express 
reported today (Thursday). The story concerns a Hollywood director, 
famous for his violent films, who is seized by a pair of crazed 
gunmen whose recent killing spree was prompted by the director's 
movies. "I've written the script for it," Elton told the Express, 
"but it's not at the casting stage yet. Obviously it's exciting to 
see your work done on such a large scale." 

The Fantastic Journey Of The Fantasticks

The movie version of The Fantasticks, the longest-running show in 
New York (it opened in May 1960), will finally be released 
theatrically by MGM on Friday, after being shelved for five years, 
the New York Daily News reported today (Thursday). The newspaper 
credited Francis Ford Coppola with rescuing the film, saying that he 
agreed to take a look at it and make some editing suggestions. His 
advice, said director Michael Ritchie, "was a revelation." Coppola 
is a member the MGM board of directors. 

Disney Agrees To Settle With Employees

Two Disneyland employees who accused the company of wrongfully 
charging them with stealing free passes to the park and then using 
strong-arm tactics to extract confessions have agreed to a 
settlement, the Orange County Register reported Wednesday. 
Jacqueline Madory, a 16-year employee, and Gregg Evangelho, a 
onetime winner of the "Disney Spirit" employee award, both claimed 
that they were virtually imprisoned in a room at the park by Disney 
security guards who grilled them about the missing passes. Citing a 
confidentiality agreement, the pair declined to discuss terms of the 
settlement -- as did Disney. 

BFI To Restore Eight Classic Films

The British Film Institute has joined the list of organizations 
engaged in restoring deteriorated movie classics. The BBC reported 
Wednesday that BFI has won financial backing from Andersen 
Consulting to restore eight films. The first four are Some Like It 
Hot (1959), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), Alfie (1966) and Don't 
Look Now (1973). In an interview with the BBC, BFI director Jon 
Teckman said, "Film deteriorates naturally over time, especially if 
heavily used. There are no usable copies of any of these films in 
our collections, so we cannot offer them to cinemagoers anywhere." 

Appendectomy May Halt Driver's Dance Plans

Minnie Driver's recent appendectomy may prevent her from costarring 
with Michael Flatley in his biopic Lord of the Dance (2001), due to 
begin shooting in Ireland next month, the British online publication 
Ananova reported Wednesday. Driver was reportedly stricken while 
filming High Heels & Lowlifes at Ealing Studios in England. Ananova 
quoted a friend as saying, "The operation held things up and doctors 
have advised her to rest as much as possible. She may not be in the 
best condition to make back-to-back movies." 

Nets To Wage Star Wars?

On the heels of reports that NBC plans to air a new game show in 
which the winner will be rocketed to the Russians' Mir space 
station, the New York Times is reporting today that the three other 
major networks, CBS, ABC and Fox, attended a "pitch meeting" last 
Monday about a show in which 20 contestants would be trained at the 
Johnson Space Center in Houston, with one of them being selected to 
spend a week aboard the new International Space Station. The 
newspaper, citing executives at the three networks, said that the 
proposal was put forward by Dreamtime Holdings, which it described 
as "a company with ties to NASA," and the Endeavor talent agency. 
Fox Entertainment chairman Sandy Grushow told the Times: "We were 
told NASA was involved. If they're producing this thing through 
NASA, that's the powerful attraction." NASA declined comment. 

Ratings Rise For NBC's Olympics Coverage

NBC breathed somewhat easier Wednesday with word that the fifth day 
of its Olympics coverage scored a 17.9 rating and a 29 share during 
primetime, a 15 percent rise over the previous day and well above 
the 16.5 rating guaranteed to advertisers. In fact, the results 
lifted the five-day average to a 16.6 -- "on par with where we 
wanted to be," NBC spokeswoman Cameron Blanchard told the New York 
Post. However, daytime and late-night ratings remained well below 
expectations, reportedly prompting the network to considered hastily 
increasing the number of commercials at least during those periods. 
Meanwhile, Internet sites carrying real-time information about 
Olympics results are reportedly being overwhelmed. 

Walters Becomes Highest-Paid News Personality

ABC News has agreed to pay Barbara Walters $12 million per year over 
the next five years, making her the highest-paid news personality on 
television, according to published reports. The deal calls for her 
to continue hosting the Friday edition of ABC's 20/20 as well as 
producing and occasionally contributing to the afternoon talk show 
The View. However, the number of celebrity interview specials will 
be cut to two, one of which will take place in connection with the 
annual Academy Awards telecast. 

Lawmakers Urge Tough TV Rules On Violent Programs

The Senate Commerce Committee approved by a 16-2 vote Wednesday a 
measure that would bar the broadcasting of violent TV shows during 
hours when children are likely to be watching. Under the measure, 
sponsored by South Carolina Senator Fritz Hollings, the FCC would be 
directed to define violent programming and choose the hours when it 
can be aired. The Commission would be given one year to issue the 
new rules. The measure was denounced by Eddie Fritts, president of 
the National Association of Broadcasters. In a letter to Commerce 
Committee chairman John McCain, Fritts wrote, "We cannot support an 
unconstitutional bill that would turn the federal government into 
the TV programmer for our nation." The online edition of Electronic 
Media predicted that the measure was likely to be passed by Congress 
as a rider to an appropriations bill. "There's no question it goes 
to court," an industry source told the trade publication. 

[...]

Progress In Strike Talks Reported

Negotiations between striking talent unions and the advertising 
industry are showing signs of progress, according to today's 
(Thursday) Hollywood Reporter. "The talks are going very well," a 
union source told the trade paper. 

"Chicken George" Is Out

George Boswell, the Big Brother contestant who attempted to organize 
a mass walkout of the show's housemates last week, was voted out of 
the house Wednesday night. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                            

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Josh Grossberg 
Sep 21, 2000, 12:00 PM PT 

SLINGS AND ARROWS! Mel Gibson signing on to direct Robert Downey Jr. as the 
troubled prince in a stage version of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Performances are 
scheduled for January in Los Angeles. 

MAINSTAY: Barbara Walters renewing her contract with ABC News in an estimated 
$60 million deal over five years—a record for a TV personality. 

GOOD GUY: Nicolas Cage helping out his fellow actors on strike against the 
advertising industry by donating $200,000 to the Screen Actors Guild strike 
relief fund. 

GONE BATTY? Warner Bros. signing up Pi director Darren Aronofsky to helm 
Batman: Year One, the fifth installment of the studio's franchise. 

PLUCKED: George Boswell, aka "Chicken Man," becoming the latest houseguest to 
be ousted from CBS' reality series Big Brother, drawing 51 percent of viewer 
votes. 

IN THE ROUGH: Matt Damon telling Maximum Golf magazine that he trained so 
intensely for his role as a golfer in The Legend of Bagger Vance that he 
separated a rib after one really hard swing. 

TAKING HER BOW: Barbra Streisand launching the first of her four farewell 
concerts in Los Angeles Wednesday before a star-studded audience of fans, 
family and friends. 

LIFE STORY: Anne Heche selling her memoirs to Scribner for an undisclosed 
amount. In it, she'll discuss her public romance with comedian Ellen DeGeneres 
as well as the tragedies of her father, who succumbed to AIDS and her brother, 
who was killed in a car accident. 

DRESSED TO KILL: Director Brian DePalma gearing up to shoot Femme Fatale, a 
contemporary noir thriller about a woman who tries to straighten out her life, 
only to have her past come back to haunt her. Uma Thurman may star. 

MORE STAR WARS: CBS, ABC, and Fox, attending a pitch meeting about a show in 
which 20 contestants would train at the Johnson Space Center in Houston for a 
shot at spending a week aboard the new International Space Station. 

ROCK STRAIGHT: In Michigan court records, Kid Rock saying rumors of rampant 
drug use and wild living are unfounded media hype. Rock, in a custody fight for 
his son, said he was willing to take a drug test anytime. 

CENSORSHIP? In a move that could place programming in the hands of the 
government, the Senate Commerce Committee voting 16-2 to approve Wednesday a 
measure that would bar the broadcasting of violent TV shows during hours when 
children are likely to be watching. 

SITTING DUCK: Lamenting the "open season" on Hollywood, Jack Valenti returning 
to Capitol Hill Wednesday to defend before a Senate Judiciary Committee the 
rating system he helped create 32 years ago 

[...]

LET'S GET IT ON: Marvin Gaye's musical legacy, valued at $100 million in 
entertainment assets, being issued as Pullman bonds along the lines of David 
Bowie's Bowie Bonds. 

STORK TIME! Singer Amy Grant expecting a child at the end of March. Grant's 
married to country singer Vince Gill. 

MOSES UNDER FIRE: Hundreds of college students at Carleton College in Minnesota 
protesting actor and National Rifle Association president Charlton Heston's 
appearance there Tuesday by wearing black. 

GOOD CAUSE: Sheryl Crow, Wynonna Judd and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart among 
those performing at a benefit concert for breast cancer October 12 in Los 
Angeles. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                       

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I rarely go either. I do most of my watching from home these days.

 RN> If there is a return engagement of Eyes Wide Shut, I'll go see that.
 RN> Seeing any Kubrick film and many others on the small screen does them
 RN> an injustice.

The return of 2001 would obviously be a must-see. Eyes Wide Shut, if i'm 
correct, was filmed in the full frame format, so it wasn't wide. That means 
the film you watched on VHS doesn't actually differ from what you'd see on 
the big screen in terms of "pan & scan"...as there is none, to my knowledge.

 TW> True. I wouldn't be surprised if digital technology puts more people
 TW> out of the job in the future...

 RN> That's why I remarked about the stunt men that I would hope the
 RN> change would be gradual.

I think that gradual change is already well under way.

 TW> I think in general all these "eye candy" actresses do have reasonable
 TW> ability in acting - but they're not capable of a standing ovation,
 TW> so to speak.

 RN> I have seen a few on American TV that are quite good.  These are not
 RN> primarily in films, but the performances they give might pass your
 RN> test.

I suspect they would pass - but not with flying colours. "C" grade 
performances, you might call them. "A+" acting obviously gets recognised most 
of the time by awards, and so forth.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                              

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Didn't see Moon Over Parador, but I have seen the Addams Family
 TW> films...and he's very good in those.

 RN> Oh, you have to see that one!  It is very funny, although Julia's
 RN> character doesn't come across as such, but Dreyfuss' character does.

I think it was on TV a while ago, and I missed it. While I may have missed 
that, i'm not going to miss Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which is on 
this weekend.

 TW> Christopher Lloydd certainly is hard to pick out  initally as
 TW> Fester...

 RN> Yes.  The makeup artist could make me look that good.  (-:

I admire these actors who have to go through make-up - especially the ones 
who have to endure literally hours early in the morning ever day before 
shooting, like Lloydd probably had too. Being a Klingon must be especially 
hard :)

 TW> Yes, and bonafide Hollywood stars also. Today, you don't really get a
 TW> combination of a top-level actor who's also a real star.

 RN> And that's because everyone is their own studio, in a manner of
 RN> speaking, promoting themselves.

Yes. The birth of the agent...and the publicist...and the stylist etc.

 TW> There are many great actors today, such as Edward Norton, who can

 RN> I can't say that I've ever seen him in anything.

He hasn't been in anything particularly mainsteam - well, at least anything 
that has been a big-big hit. But he's a fantastic actor. Check him out if you 
happen to see something he's in on TV.

 TW> I definitely appreciate the medium of stage - musicals, theatre etc.
 TW> I've just never been fully interested in it. As far as musicals
 TW> are concerned, they're made for the stage and are probably ten times
 TW> better than on screen.

 RN> CAts was the last show I saw on stage and before that, a Van Cliburn
 RN> concert and some operas and many, many symphonies.

I always hated Cats. Don't know why. Just have. Maybe it's the sight of 
felines singing songs...

 TW> I can imagine how depressing it would be for myself to get involved
 TW> with one of these "sing-a-long" movie nights...even when half the
 TW> songs in The Sound of Music are uplifting, i'm sure i'd be sinking
 TW> into my seat :)

 RN> On the one hand, it appears to be a way to get people together and
 RN> doing the same thing, but on the other hand, it causes sophisticated
 RN> people like yourself to head for the nearest far away place.  (-:

I think sophisticated people can enjoy this sort of thing - that's if you're 
outgoing. I don't happen to be outgoing. But I can see the entertainment 
factor in it.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
       

Hello Lee!

Sep 18 16:23 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> Heh.  Well, that's one way to cut costs/boost profits.  As it turns 
 LA> out, ARREST & TRIAL owes me for a week's work.  Swagging me a hat doesn't
 LA> make up for the late check.

Take him before Judge Judy.  :-)

 LA> Brian Dennehy is the host of the new "reality-oriented" INVESTIGATIVE
 LA> REPORTS-styled show.  

Why did they feel the need for a host?


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                         

Hello Lee!

Sep 20 07:52 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> What a depressing summary of my generation.

The only song recorded by The Rolling Stones that I like is (I Can't Get No) 
Satisfaction.  And it being at the beginning of John Carpenter's Starman didn't 
hurt it, either.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                   

Hello Lee!

Sep 20 07:55 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> Except NBC is whining about lost viewership as well.  It don't add 
 LA> up.

Nothing the networks do lately adds up.

 LA> And that would seem to be the truth of the matter.

It sure is.

 LA> The death of a character was telegraphed -- with a baseball bat.

Uh-oh!  I hope Maureen didn't see that.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                    

Hello Lee!

Sep 20 08:03 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> Saw the ad.  Didn't agree that it promoted violence against women 
 LA> (does _every_ depiction of that advocate it?)  Did think it 
 LA> ill-conceived, in poor taste and that it did not promote the _product_ 
 LA> though.

If you are politically correct, it does.  Personally, I'm sick of that kind of 
advertising and whether a dead celebrity happened to be gay or not.  I prefer 
to call them what they are and use the term gay in its original definition.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
     

Hello All!

Friday, September 22, 2000: 

 Catherine Oxenberg (39) 
 Bonnie Hunt (36) 
 Paul Le Mat (48) 
 Scott Baio (39) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                         

Hello All!

22nd September 2000

Exorcise This Weekend, Say Critics

Studios are once again playing it safe this weekend, assuming that 
most moviegoers will be spending their time watching the Olympics at 
home and at the local sports bar than going out. The result is that 
a slew of second-tier films are being released (not even counting 
those that are debuting at the New York Film Festival) that are 
receiving a dreadful reception from most critics. Indeed, some 
analysts are predicting that the re-release of William Friedkin's 
1973 classic Exorcist, The (1973), intended primarily to boost sales 
of the upcoming DVD version, may represent a real challenge to the 
newcomers. 

Movie Reviews: The Exorcist

Critics are all over the map debating the wisdom of issuing a 
"directors cut" version of Exorcist, The (1973), being touted in ads 
as "A Version You've Never Seen." The film is 11 minutes longer than 
the original "and 11 minutes worse," comments Stephen Hunter in the 
Washington Post. Hunter argues that in its original release the film 
was "scarier, more intense, more disturbing, more haunting," than 
the current version. Glenn Whipp in the Los Angeles Daily News, 
while quarreling with some of the new editing, comments that the 
digitally remastered soundtrack is "a revelation." Geoff Pevere in 
the Toronto Star takes a position between the two sides. "The 
Exorcist is not improved [with the additional footage]," he writes, 
"but it is not considerably hurt either." 

Movie Reviews: Urban Legends: Final Cut"

Exorcist, The (1973) will be competing with a new horror-film 
sequel, Urban Legends: Final Cut, which many analysts believe will 
likely top the box office -- despite atrocious reviews by virtually 
every critic. Tom Maurstad in the Dallas Morning News complains that 
the movie "is so stupid and sloppy, it will offend the intelligence 
of anyone whose age surpasses his shoe size." "It's several, uh, 
cuts below its predecessors," writes Lou Lumenick in the New York 
Post. Robert Denerstein, writing for the Scripps Howard News 
Service, concludes: "This unhappy little movie makes the Scream 
movies look like expressions of genius." Then again, many critics 
are required to watch every slasher/serial killer movie released by 
the studios and many of them have had their fill. Among them is 
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times, who comments in his review of 
the film: "I don't know if you're tired of terrified girls racing 
through shadowy basements pursued by masked slashers while the 
soundtrack pulses with variations on the Halloween theme, but I am." 

Movie Reviews: Woman On Top

Most critics agree that there's not much substance to Woman on Top 
(1999), starring Spanish actress Pen‚lope Cruz. "A self-inflating 
souffl‚" is the way Joe Morgenstern describes the movie in the Wall 
Street Journal. "A feather-light romantic fable" is the way Jonathan 
Foreman describes it in the New York Post. Still, Cruz gets high 
marks even from critics who find the goings-on in this movie about a 
woman who becomes a celebrity chef -- er, distasteful. "If one test 
of star power is the ability to shine even in dim surroundings," 
writes Rick Groen in the Toronto Globe & Mail, "then Cruz ... passes 
with flying colors." But Kenneth Turan in the Los Angeles Times 
suggests that Cruz' performance has a great deal to overcome. "If 
Pen‚lope Cruz were any less attractive," he writes, "maybe someone 
would have noticed how dull this mild, would-be romantic fairy tale 
has turned out." And Elvis Mitchell concludes in the New York Times: 
"Despite its adorable star and likability, this is a fable with 
little flavor." 

Boorman Blasts His Film Crew

Director John Boorman has publicly taken his crew of mostly Irish 
technicians to task for spending more time with prostitutes while on 
location in Panama on his latest film than working on the film 
itself, the online Showbiz Ireland reported today (Friday). Boorman, 
who is filming The Tailor of Panama, was quoted by the site as 
saying, "I sent a construction crew from Ireland to build certain 
things, and when I came back nothing had happened. It turned out 
they were spending a lot of time in these brothels and were too 
exhausted to work." The online publication said that star Pierce 
Brosnan and Sony execs were "shocked" by Boorman's accusations. 

Movie Studios Sued By Citizens Group

A group calling itself Citizens for Fair Treatment filed a lawsuit 
on Sept. 15 charging the top motion picture studios with the 
"pervasive and aggressive marketing" of R-rated movies to underage 
children. The suit, which included a copy of the Sept. 10th Federal 
Trade Commission report criticizing the studios' marketing 
practices, said in part: "This unscrupulous, unethical, unlawful and 
deceptive marketing of violence and adult content to impressionable 
children was intended solely to reap greater profits at the expense 
of children and the general public." 

Cagney's Oscar To Go On The Block Next Week In Public Bidding

James Cagney's 1942 Oscar for Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) is expected 
to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000 when it is auctioned by Doyle 
New York on Sept. 27, published reports said today (Friday). The 
auction will be televised by PAX-TV between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. 
and Internet users may place bids at http://www.ibidlive.tv. 
Included in the Cagney estate auction will be his Presidential Medal 
of Freedom award, a 1961 Bentley, and other memorabilia of the 
actor, who died in 1986. Proceeds are expected to go to a foundation 
for the blind. 

"It's A Wrap," Says Lucas

Principal shooting of Star Wars: Episode II (2002) concluded in 
London's Elstree Studios Wednesday, according to Lucasfilm's Web 
site for the movie. A statement posted on the site quoted producer 
Rick McCallum as saying, "It was a dream shoot, and to finish ahead 
of schedule was just icing on the cake of what has been an 
incredible experience for all of us. We started in Sydney with our 
amazing Australian crew, and traveled through three continents and 
five countries in a 61-day shoot, and to finish early is a real 
credit to the fantastic people who have been with this production 
from day one, as well as those who have joined us along the way." 
Separately, in Homing Beacon, the official newsletter for the movie, 
George Lucas said that he has scheduled a second round of "reshoots" 
for next spring after most of the special effects are completed "and 
I figure out what's missing." 

NBC May Take Home The Bronze

Although it continued to outdraw its competition, NBC's coverage of 
the Sydney Olympics again produced disappointing ratings for the 
network Wednesday night. The 8:00 p.m. hour produced a 14.2 rating 
and a 23 share; the 9:00 p.m. hour, a 17.3/27; the 10:00 p.m. hour, 
a 17.9/29. The figures were 35 percent lower than those for the 
comparable day in Atlanta in 1996 and 23 percent lower than those 
for the comparable day in Barcelona in 1992. The ratings plunge has 
dismayed NBC execs and advertising execs alike. Nike spokesman Scott 
Reames told today's (Thursday) Wall Street Journal that his company 
is concerned about the lower ratings for two reasons: "One, it means 
a reduced interest in the games. And for a company that is in the 
sports and fitness business, that itself is troubling. Secondly, we 
are concerned from a purely financial standpoint, that we have spent 
a certain amount of money to reach a certain amount of viewers." The 
lower ratings have forced the network to renege on its vow to 
present no more than nine minutes of ads during any hour of the 
telecast; it added an additional minute Tuesday night. 

Golf Coverage For The Birds

Nursing the latest blow to its credibility, CBS has quit 
broadcasting tapes of chirping birds in the background of its golf 
coverage after bird lovers complained that the birds never ventured 
into the areas of the country where some of the telecasts 
originated, the Washington Post reported today (Friday). A network 
spokeswoman told the newspaper that from now on, CBS will use only 
natural sounds of birds or none at all. 

WGA Units Agree On Strike Strategy

The Writers Guild of America, whose East Coast and West Coast units 
divided over bargaining strategy with producers during the last 
round of talks two years ago, have decided to forego fast-track 
bargaining for a new contract and proceed with traditional 
negotiations next year, Daily Variety reported today (Friday). East 
Coast president Herb Sargent told the trade paper that the two 
units, which maintain a remarkable independence are "indeed on the 
same page" when it comes to overall strategy. 

NBC Cracks Down On CBC

NBC has forced the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. to stop airing audio 
clips of Olympics events on its Web site, the Wall Street Journal 
reported today (Friday). "NBC threatened to go to the IOC and have 
our access revoked," Andrew Lundy, senior producer for CBC Sports 
Online in Toronto, told the newspaper. An NBC spokeswoman in Sydney 
confirmed the network's crackdown. "We paid $705 million for the 
exclusive broadcast rights," she told the WSJ. "With the CBC or with 
any site, there's no assurance that one violation won't turn into 
ten the next day." 

Indian Authorities Claim Millionaire Is "Gambling"

London-based Celador Productions, creators of Who Wants to Be a 
Millionaire, has attempted to distance itself from an Indian 
brouhaha over the show that threatens to shut it down in that 
country. The flap began earlier this week when authorities issued 
summonses for Rupert Murdoch (whose Star Plus TV carries the show in 
India), Star exec Peter Mukherjee and producer Siddhart Basu to 
respond to charges that the show breaches Indian gambling laws. 
Although Celador licensed the program to the Indian producers 
(including the 169-page guide that details how the show's set, 
music, question format, and qualification process are to be 
addressed) a spokeswoman for the company told the BBC Thursday, "We 
are unable to comment on issues of local law." The BBC observed that 
the popularity of the show in India, where the top prize is 10 
million rupees ($245,000), "has turned around the fortunes of the 
Star Plus channel." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                      

Hello All!

Wednesday, September 20, 2000: 

 Gary Cole (43) 
 Sophia Loren (66) 
 Kristen Johnston (33) 
 Brinke Stevens (46) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                     

Hi Lee Ayrton of 1:320/455,
In a message to Paul Cote, on <Mon, 18 Sep 00> you wrote:


 LA> Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within the Matrix
 LA> in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a cell phone
 LA> do as well?

The hardwire was the only assurance that there was a connection to "reality".  
???



...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                            

Hi Roger Nelson of 1:3828/7,
On <Thu, 21 Sep 00>, you wrote me:

 RN> I don't know, but back in 1968, I recall people going in to see 2001:
 RN> A Space Odyssey grumbling after someone asked how long the film is
 RN> and the 139 minute answer displeased them.

I was a wee lad of 10yrs back then.  I bought the soundtrack through Columbia 
House Records (mailorder) at that time.  I didn't see the film until 9 or 10 
yrs later when I was in university.  I vaguely remember how the length of the 
film affected me, but there "was" an intermission - if I remember correctly.


 AA> But these days with the convenience of home video and DVD, I'd say
 AA> a director's vision need not be sacrificed beyond the 120 minute 
 AA> mark. [...]

RN> My idea of a home theater I can't afford.

A couple of well placed stereo speakers and a connection through an existing 
stereo is a significant improvement to "nothing".  ;)


..August

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                       

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> The return of 2001 would obviously be a must-see. Eyes Wide Shut,
 TW> if i'm correct, was filmed in the full frame format, so it wasn't
 TW> wide. That means the film you watched on VHS doesn't actually
 TW> differ from what you'd see on the big screen in terms of "pan &
 TW> scan"...as there is none, to my knowledge. 

Yes, but unfortunately that gigantic screen I saw it on originally is nowhere 
to be found today.  Maybe that wouldn't make a difference to some, but it would 
have a little effect for me.  Seeing EWS on something larger than a 27" screen 
would surely be different, wouldn't it?  (-:

 TW> I think in general all these "eye candy" actresses do have reasonable
 TW> ability in acting - but they're not capable of a standing ovation,
 TW> so to speak.

So far, no.

 TW> I suspect they would pass - but not with flying colours. "C" grade 
 TW> performances, you might call them. "A+" acting obviously gets
 TW> recognised most of the time by awards, and so forth.

I believe they are being rewarded by their peers.  The general public usually 
has different ideas on who should be a recipient.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
      

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I think it was on TV a while ago, and I missed it. While I may have
 TW> missed  that, i'm not going to miss Butch Cassidy and the Sundance
 TW> Kid, which is on  this weekend.

Do look at it if you can and let me know what you thought of it.

 TW> I admire these actors who have to go through make-up - especially
 TW> the ones who have to endure literally hours early in the morning
 TW> ever day before shooting, like Lloydd probably had too. Being a
 TW> Klingon must be especially hard :)

My first reaction to that would be that I wouldn't do it, but those people make 
an obscene amount of money which would cause them to go though just about 
anything.

 TW> Yes. The birth of the agent...and the publicist...and the stylist
 TW> etc. 

Brought on, in part, by the way the studios man-handled their properties.

 TW> He hasn't been in anything particularly mainsteam - well, at least
 TW> anything that has been a big-big hit. But he's a fantastic actor.
 TW> Check him out if you happen to see something he's in on TV.

Okay.

 TW> I always hated Cats. Don't know why. Just have. Maybe it's the
 TW> sight of felines singing songs...

It was unusual, to say the least, nut I mostly enjoyed the music of Andrew 
Lloyd Webber and the wonderful voice of that gal who sang Memories.  The entire 
production was longer than it had to be, I thought, but it was the first time 
in a long time I had seen anything on stage, so I did shift around in my seat 
as much as some others did.  (-:

 TW> I think sophisticated people can enjoy this sort of thing - that's
 TW> if you're outgoing. I don't happen to be outgoing. But I can see
 TW> the entertainment factor in it.

Once they get used to it -- maybe.  By and large, people who have an 
appreciation for the fine arts would not stay around very long.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                   

Hello All!

NOTE: There were none available for posting yesterday.

Sunday, September 24, 2000: 

 Pedro Almod¢var (49) 
 Gordon Clapp (52) 
 Kevin Sorbo (42) 
 David Anspaugh (54) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                              

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Sep 23, 2000, 10:00 AM PT 

GIVING BACK: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck joining with Miramax and HBO to launch 
Projectgreenlight.com. Starting Monday, contestants can submit an original 
screenplay online with the winning entry being made into a film that Miramax 
will release in theaters. 

KING CASE UPDATE: The man who ran over and nearly killed Stephen King was found 
dead in his home Friday. Bryan Edwin Smith, 43, had not been seen or heard from 
for about three days. Police say there were no signs of foul play and an 
autopsy is planned. 

RESTRAINED: The man accused of stalking Linda Ronstadt has been spared criminal 
charges in exchange for agreeing not to go near the singer and her family. The 
man, Bernard Ortiz, said he wanted his case to go to trial so he could meet the 
singer, but his lawyer agreed to the terms before the trial, preventing the 
meeting. 

MOURNING: Bono was among those that turned out Saturday for the funeral of 
British TV celebrity Paula Yates, the 41-year-old "rock chick" found dead last 
Sunday at her home in London's trendy Notting Hill district. 

SETTLED: Music publisher Albert E. Brumley & Sons this week settled its federal 
lawsuit against rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs over his use of part of the gospel 
song I'll Fly Away in his rap song I'll Be Missing You. Terms were not 
disclosed. 

GOING DOMESTIC? Former football great and celebrity crime suspect O.J. Simpson 
purchasing a five-bedroom, four-bath home in the Miami suburb of Kendall, the 
Miami Herald reports. Terms were not disclosed. 

MAKING PEACE: Seeking to calm angry Washington lawmakers, Hollywood's top film 
studios are drawing up a list of specific actions they hope will help curb the 
marketing of violent movies to children, industry sources said Friday. 

GETTING THE BALL ROLLING: Former Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith's fight to 
win half of the fortune amassed by her late husband, Texas oil baron J. Howard 
Marshall, got under way with jury selection in a Texas probate court Friday. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                               

Hello All!

What actor was a U.S. Naval Reserve officer who rose to the rank of Captain 

                           AND

(1992) Awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal by the Country of France for 
his service in World War II 

(1978) Inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame by the Western Heritage 
Museum. 

(1958) Voted the number one box office attraction. 


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                  

 On 09-19-00 Tim Wong wrote to August Abolins... 
 
 TW> The way I look at movie length is that it makes no 
 TW> difference if a film exceeds the 2 and-a-half hour mark, or 
 TW> that it may be less than 90 minutes - as long as film can 
 TW> justify it's length, then it works for me, no matter how 
 TW> long or short a film may be. 
 
 Film length makes a difference to theatre-owners, though. A long 
 film means fewer showings per day - i.e., an extra showing is 
 possible for films like MEN IN BLACK. This is another reason 
 that TITANIC's box office take has to be seen as impressive. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                             

 On 09-18-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to All... 
 
 RG> Movies Lose Out To The Olympics 
 RG> 
 RG> Analysts blamed the Olympics for a 45-percent drop in theater ticket 
 RG> sales over the weekend from a year ago, with the top movie, 
 RG> Universal's The Watcher earning only an estimated $5.7 million and 
 RG> the top 12 films together pulling in only $38.1 million. 
 
 I'm under the impression that the films debuting during the 
 Olympics were expected to be flops in any event, rather than the 
 Olympics being responsible for their failure. The reasoning was 
 that they might as well be tossed in at that time rather than 
 assuring poor box office for more desirable projects. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                                      

 On 09-21-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to All... 
 
 RG> Nets To Wage Star Wars? 
 RG> On the heels of reports that NBC plans to air a new game show in 
 RG> which the winner will be rocketed to the Russians' Mir space 
 RG> station, the New York Times is reporting today that the three other 
 RG> major networks, CBS, ABC and Fox, attended a "pitch meeting" last 
 RG> Monday about a show in which 20 contestants would be trained at the 
 RG> Johnson Space Center in Houston, with one of them being selected to 
 RG> spend a week aboard the new International Space Station. The 
 RG> newspaper, citing executives at the three networks, said that the 
 RG> proposal was put forward by Dreamtime Holdings, which it described 
 RG> as "a company with ties to NASA," and the Endeavor talent agency. 
 RG> Fox Entertainment chairman Sandy Grushow told the Times: "We were 
 RG> told NASA was involved. If they're producing this thing through 
 RG> NASA, that's the powerful attraction." NASA declined comment. 
 
 A spokesperson from NASA has now said that they haven't been 
 approached. If so, that's kinda embarrassing. 
 
 Side note: There has been a lengthy thread in the rec.arts.tv 
 newsgroup about the tax consequences of winning a trip to MIR. 
 If you are taxed on winning a cruise or a car... well, I figure 
 that the producers will have this aspect figured out so that it 
 isn't a prize in the same sense (particularly since the show 
 will surely feature the winner's stay on the space station). 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                  

 On 09-22-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to Lee Ayrton... 
 
 LA> The death of a character was telegraphed -- with a baseball bat. 
 
 RG> Uh-oh!  I hope Maureen didn't see that. 
 
 Kind of difficult not to. Spoiler spaces, please, gentlemen. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                     

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> The return of 2001 would obviously be a must-see. Eyes Wide Shut, if
 TW> i'm correct, was filmed in the full frame format, so it wasn't wide.
 TW> That means the film you watched on VHS doesn't actually differ
 TW> from what you'd see on the big screen in terms of "pan & scan"...as
 TW> there is none, to my knowledge.

 RN> Yes, but unfortunately that gigantic screen I saw it on originally is
 RN> nowhere to be found today.  Maybe that wouldn't make a difference to
 RN> some, but it would have a little effect for me.  Seeing EWS on
 RN> something larger than a 27" screen would surely be different,
 RN> wouldn't it?  (-:

As far as i'm concerned, the bigger the screen, the better. I'm lucky in 
Wellington, in that there are two long-time theatres, the Paramount and the 
Embassy, that are restored and are keeping in the traditions of the old-movie 
theatres...seating, atmosphere, interior design. The Embassy, as i've 
probably said before, has the largest screen in NZ, and possibly in the 
southern hemisphere - yet I suspect there were still screens bigger than the 
Embassy's in the hey-days.

 TW> I suspect they would pass - but not with flying colours. "C" grade
 TW> performances, you might call them. "A+" acting obviously gets
 TW> recognised most of the time by awards, and so forth.

 RN> I believe they are being rewarded by their peers.  The general public
 RN> usually has different ideas on who should be a recipient.

General public opinion is almost always different in some ways. I don't take 
any notice of all the masses of award shows they have these days, expect for 
the Oscars, and maybe a few others...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
           

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I admire these actors who have to go through make-up - especially the
 TW> ones who have to endure literally hours early in the morning ever
 TW> day before shooting, like Lloydd probably had too. Being a Klingon
 TW> must be especially hard :)

 RN> My first reaction to that would be that I wouldn't do it, but those
 RN> people make an obscene amount of money which would cause them to go
 RN> though just about anything.

Yes, but you know how fussy some stars can be. I can imagine there would be a 
few big Hollywood stars out there that no matter how much they were getting 
paid, they wouldn't take a role if they had to go through hours of makeup 
each day.

 TW> Yes. The birth of the agent...and the publicist...and the stylist
 TW> etc.

 RN> Brought on, in part, by the way the studios man-handled their
 RN> properties.

I worked though, for a while at least.

 TW> I always hated Cats. Don't know why. Just have. Maybe it's the sight
 TW> of felines singing songs...

 RN> It was unusual, to say the least, nut I mostly enjoyed the music of
 RN> Andrew Lloyd Webber and the wonderful voice of that gal who sang
 RN> Memories.  The entire production was longer than it had to be, I
 RN> thought, but it was the first time in a long time I had seen anything
 RN> on stage, so I did shift around in my seat as much as some others
 RN> did.  (-:

I know exactly how you feel - the "shifting around in the seat" syndrome 
happens to all of us some time or another :)

 TW> I think sophisticated people can enjoy this sort of thing - that's if
 TW> you're outgoing. I don't happen to be outgoing. But I can see the
 TW> entertainment factor in it.

 RN> Once they get used to it -- maybe.  By and large, people who have an
 RN> appreciation for the fine arts would not stay around very long.

I can agree with that. You couldn't imagine bohemian-types at the 
"sing-a-long", could you? :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
          

*** Quoting Maureen Goldman in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> The way I look at movie length is that it makes no   TW>
 TW> difference if a film exceeds the 2 and-a-half hour mark, or   TW>
 TW> that it may be less than 90 minutes - as long as film can   TW>
 TW> justify it's length, then it works for me, no matter how   TW> long
 TW> or short a film may be.

 MG>  Film length makes a difference to
 MG> theatre-owners, though. A long    film means fewer showings per day
 MG> - i.e., an extra showing is    possible for films like MEN IN BLACK.
 MG> This is another reason   that  TITANIC's box office take has to be
 MG> seen as impressive.

Yes, good point. It always comes down to the "money", doesn't it?

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                      

20 Sep 00 22:35, Paul Cote wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 LA>> Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within the Matrix
 LA>> in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a cell phone
 LA>> do as well? 

 PC> Let's see if I can be as clear and concise I can be without being a 
 PC> general bastard about it...

 PC> It's a *MOVIE*. *MOVIES* aren't real. *MOVIES* have their own logic. 

Yes, Paul.  I know.  I help *make* them.  I'm looking at a check 
stub from MGM right now.    

Stories have their own internal logic, but the thing I cited above is 
simply lazy writing.




Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                               

Hello Paul!

20 Sep 00 22:41, Paul Cote wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 PC> As for the chip, there's no chip, I just feel that some of the people 
 PC> in power need to loosen the strings around here. I love film, as does 
 PC> anyone who posts in this echo. I also have an opinion, as does anyone 

Why not try simply posting about movies, instead of banging you head
on the wall of power that you seem to have found?  You know, the zen thing.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                          

Hello Ray!

22 Sep 00 07:27, Ray Geneburn wrote to Lee Ayrton:


 RG> Sep 18 16:23 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA>> Heh.  Well, that's one way to cut costs/boost profits.  As it turns 
 LA>> out, ARREST & TRIAL owes me for a week's work.  Swagging me a hat 
 LA>> doesn't make up for the late check.

 RG> Take him before Judge Judy.  :-)

Heh.  They finally ponyed up.


 LA>> Brian Dennehy is the host of the new "reality-oriented" INVESTIGATIVE
 LA>> REPORTS-styled show.  

 RG> Why did they feel the need for a host?

It makes it easier to link widely seperated bits of the story with a host.
Otherwise you'd have to play out the entire event and could get bogged down
in detail.  It is quicker to have a host say "With fingerprints and 
DNA results in hand, the police knew who their suspect would be" than to
try to _show_ all that on screen.  Lab techs saying "Eureka!" and all
that.





Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                   

Hello All!

Monday, September 25, 2000: 

 Michael Douglas (56) 
 Catherine Zeta-Jones (31) 
 Will Smith (32) 
 Heather Locklear (39)  ---> Yummy!


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
  

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Joshua Grossberg 
Sep 25, 2000, 10:45 AM PT 

SCARY BOX OFFICE: Although the movie business was slightly better than last 
week, it was still down. The sequel Urban Legends: Final Cut opened at number 
one with only $8.8 million, just ahead of the reissue of The Exorcist, which 
took in $8.5 million. 

BOOK HATCHED! Survivor winner Richard Hatch finally signing a deal with Lyons 
Press to publish his book, 101 Survival Secrets: How to Make a Million Dollars, 
Lose 110 lbs. and Live Happily Ever After. The tome hits stores November 14. 

CRIME STORIES: Law & Order creator-producer Dick Wolf in talks with Time Inc. 
to launch a crime-story monthly magazine bearing the name of his long-running 
popular TV series, the New York Post reports. 

THE HOLY GRAIL! A lost stage play entitled O Happy Day!, written by late Monty 
Python star Graham Chapman, performed for the first time in a comedy club in 
Atlanta on Friday night. 

ACCESS MONICA: Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky hired as a TV reporter 
for Britain's Channel 5. Her Postcards from Monica will cover U.S. pop culture 
starting in November--but not the presidential election. 

DEFINITELY OVER: Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and actress Patsy Kensit ending 
their three-year marriage in a London divorce court on Friday. 

ON THE WEB: Director Tim Burton will unveil his latest creation, Stainboy, 
online at Shockwave.com tomorrow. The toon short is the first of Shockwave's 13 
celebrity-created Webisodes scheduled to bow every three to four weeks. 

ON THE WEB II: Comedy Central and Sightsound.com teaming up to make six early 
episodes of South Park and Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist available for 
download starting today. 

CLANCY UPDATE: Field of Dreams screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson in final talks 
to direct Paramount's The Sum of All Fears, a thriller starring Ben Affleck 
adapted from the 1992 novel by Tom Clancy. 

HOLLYWOOD EAST: Senator John McCain throwing Hollywood off its stride by not 
inviting top lobbyist and ratings defender Jack Valenti to testify alongside 
studio bosses at a Wednesday hearing on the marketing of violent movies to 
kids. 

ON THE BANDWAGON: Actor Martin Sheen, who plays the president on The West Wing, 
saying he agrees with Democratic Vice Presendential candidate Joseph Lieberman 
that "half the business called Hollywood is sleaze." 

DRAGON BREATH: Actor Christian Bale in talks to star in Reign of Fire, a Mad 
Max-like tale set in England involving a brood of fire-breathing dragons that 
set fire to the earth in a bid for world domination. X-Files helmer Rob Bowman 
will direct. 

GIVING BACK: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck joining with Miramax and HBO to launch 
Projectgreenlight.com. Starting Monday, contestants can submit an original 
screenplay online with the winning entry being made into a film that Miramax 
will release in theaters. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                 

Hello All!

Driver Who Hit Stephen King Found Dead 
by Emily Farache 
Sep 25, 2000, 10:25 AM PT 

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. 

In a weird twist to Stephen King's real-life horror story, the driver who ran 
over and nearly killed the bestselling horrormeister last year has been found 
dead. 

On Friday, police discovered the body of Bryan Edwin Smith, 43, in his mobile 
home in Fryeburg, Maine. The police went to Smith's residence after his brother 
called and said no one had seen or heard from Smith for three days. 

"I said, 'Wow!' " Police Captain James Miclon, who found Smith laying on his 
bed, told the Bangor Daily News Saturday. "I wasn't expecting anything like 
that." 

An autopsy will be performed on Smith because of his age, but authorities say 
there were no signs of violence to suspect any foul play. "He was on a variety 
of medications for his health," Miclon said without elaborating. "He was just 
laying there, like he went to sleep." 

King could not be reached for comment. 

What has turned into a creepy King-like novel started innocently enough. King 
was taking his usual walk alongside a rural Maine route last June, when Smith, 
who claimed he was trying to control his dog Bullet and had momentarily taken 
his eyes off the road, swerved and hit King. 

The prolific writer was mangled in the almost fatal collision, and he required 
a half-dozen surgeries to fix a broken hip, fractured leg, punctured lung and 
scalp laceration. King has since embarked on a painful rehab regimen and has 
recovered enough to resume writing and making a few public appearances to 
promote his e-books. 

Smith pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor driving-to-endanger charge in a plea deal 
that included a six-month suspended jail sentence and a driver's license 
suspension--a sentence that King found too lenient. 

"What he took from me, my time, my peace of mind and my ease of body, are 
simply gone and no court can bring them back," King said in a statement read in 
court January 4. 

Suddenly thrust into the public eye, Smith seemed uncomfortable facing off 
against the horror icon in the court of public opinion. "Just because it's 
Stephen King," Smith said last year, "he can't make up his own laws, his own 
rules. I'm being used as a guinea pig. I know I hit him. I didn't mean to. 
Somebody can't accept that. Why can't they accept that it was an accident?" 

"To be honest with you, I am very deeply sorry," Smith said last September. 
"Very deeply sorry." 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                     

Hello All!

25th September 2000

Horror Flicks Possess Box Office

Seeming to suggest that moviegoers can't get their fill of scary 
movies, two of them took possession of the top spots on the weekend 
box-office rankings and two others made strong showings as well, 
according to estimates released by Exhibitor Relations Sunday. 
Sony's Urban Legends: Final Cut, which earned $8.8 million, edged 
out Warner's reissue of the 1973 classic Exorcist, The (1973), which 
took in $8.5 million (at only 664 theaters). "Horror is a 
tried-and-true genre,'' Exhibitor Relations chief Paul Dergarabedian 
told the Associated Press Sunday. Referring to the two winners, 
Dergarabedian remarked ''One was just from the old school and the 
other, new school.'' (Other horror films making the top ten included 
The Watcher in fifth place with $3.6 million and What Lies Beneath, 
tied for eighth in the estimates with $2.2 million.) Also performing 
strongly was DreamWorks' Almost Famous which garnered $7 million at 
just 1,193 theaters. Fox Searchlight's Woman on Top (1999) wound up 
on the bottom of the top-ten list as it opened with $1.9 million. 

Another Slow Week At Box Office

Although the box office rose from its dismal showing last week, the 
top 12 films together generated just $72 million, more than 30 
percent below the same weekend a year ago, when it tallied $107 
million. "The Olympics are still drawing away a lot of the 
audience,'' entertainment analyst Art Rockwell told Bloomberg News. 
"The studios tend to shy away from releasing any major products." 
The Hollywood Reporter's box office analyst Brian Fuson commented: 
"While there was plenty of blood on the screen in the weekend's top 
films, the real bloodletting is befalling exhibitors and distributors." 

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations:

1. Urban Legends: Final Cut, $8.8million;
2. Exorcist, The (1973), $8.5 million;
3. Almost Famous, $7 million;
4. Bring It On, $4.2 million;
5. The Watcher, $3.6 million;
6. Bait, $3.4 million;
7. Nurse Betty, $3.3 million;
8. Space Cowboys (2000), $2.2 million;
8. (tie) What Lies Beneath (2000), $2.2 million;
10. Woman on Top (1999), $1.9 million.

Audiences Throng To See De Niro/Stiller Preview

Universal also previewed Meet the Parents (2000), a comedy starring 
Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, in 177 theaters Saturday night. The 
movie reportedly played to sold-out houses in some theaters and 
averaged about 85 percent capacity. It is due to open wide on Oct. 6. 

Malone Could Become News Corp's No. 2 Man

Rupert Murdoch has been in talks with AT&T's Liberty Media chairman 
John Malone about a deal that would give Malone a bigger voice in 
News Corp and Murdoch a bigger stake in Gemstar-TV Guide (which he 
would then contribute to his Sky Global Networks package of 
satellite companies, increasing its valuation), the Wall Street 
Journal reported today (Monday), citing people familiar with the 
conversations. A similar report appeared in the London Financial 
Times. Under the deal, Malone's stake in News Corp would reportedly 
rise to about 20 percent from 7 percent; he would also become a 
member of News Corp's board. In addition, he would receive an 
undetermined number of shares in Sky Global, the WSJ said. 

Seagram Management Bid Collapses, Say Reports

Plans for a management buyout bid for Seagram's spirits and wine 
businesses have been abandoned, published reports said today. 
According to the the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, the 
management effort collapsed when Seagram co-chairman Charles R. 
Bronfman decided not to back it. The unit is being auctioned off by 
Vivendi, which purchased Seagram in June for $27 billion but said 
that it is only interested in its entertainment businesses. 

NBC Encounters Olympian Hurdles

Unable to fulfill its ratings guarantees to advertisers, NBC will 
add one or two minutes of commercials per hour as "make-goods" this 
week, Broadcasting & Cable said in its online edition on Friday, 
citing an unidentified NBC source. The source conceded that it "may 
be difficult" to hit the 16.1-16.5 pledge to media buyers. Friday 
night's primetime coverage garnered a 15.0 rating and a 26 share; 
Saturday's, a 16.7/29, the highest numbers so far and especially 
remarkable for a Saturday night when TV watching generally wanes. 
Meanwhile, on Saturday, NBC Sports chief Dick Ebersol said that NBC 
may cut its coverage of the 2004 Games in Athens by about ten 
percent because of the ratings downturn. Ebersol said during a talk 
with reporters in Sydney: "It's September. America's gone back to 
work and back to school and people can't make the commitment so it's 
hard to hold them beyond 11 p.m. ... If you lop off the first half 
hour and the last half hour, the ratings are actually better than 
Barcelona (in 1992)." Ebersol also sharply criticized the Canadian 
Broadcasting Corporation's decision to carry most Olympics events 
live. "It's a joke," Ebersol said. "I find it really amazing. In 
terms of a business decision, it's stupid." But CBC Sports exec 
producer Nancy Lee defended the decision, telling Bloomberg News, 
"We make programming decisions based on what our viewers want. ... 
It's a huge disservice to make viewers wait 15 hours for the 
100-meter final, for instance, even if a Canadian isn't in it." The 
CBC's ratings are down about 5 percent from the Atlanta Games in 
1996; NBC's are down 38 percent. 

NASA Puts Kabosh On Space Show [Ray's note: Maureen is right.]

NASA has apparently curbed its multimedia partner Dreamtime 
Holdings, which has been meeting with network execs about a proposed 
reality series in which the winner would be rocketed to the 
International Space Station. A spokesman for the agency said on 
Friday that it "does not know about and hasn't seen any proposal" 
for such a show. 

Two Nets Pull Out Of Debate Coverage

NBC and Fox-TV said over the weekend that they will not carry the 
first presidential debate between George W. Bush and Al Gore on Oct. 
3. NBC indicated that it is obligated to carrying a baseball playoff 
game on that day. Fox said it has decided to show entertainment 
programming and leave the debate in the hands of its News Corp 
sibling, Fox News Channel. (The presidential debates have generally 
coincided with baseball's post season. Indeed, both Richard Nixon 
and John Kennedy were sharply criticized by commentators after the 
first presidential debate on Sept. 26, 1960 for not mentioning 
Pittsburgh slugger Bill Mazeroski's World Series-winning home run 
against the New York Yankees which occurred earlier that day.) 

"Holy Grail Of Digital Convergence" Reportedly Found

Zhone Communications, which raised a record $500 million from 
private investors last fall by promising to engineer networking gear 
that can simultaneously handle telephone, Internet, cable and 
broadcast TV, and wireless services is due to unveil the equipment 
on Tuesday. Called the Broadband Access Node (BAN), the unit is 
described in the current Business Week magazine as representing "the 
Holy Grail of digital convergence." 

Law & Order, The Magazine [Ray's note: Is a L&O doll next?]

Law & Order creator-producer Dick Wolf is in talks with Time Inc. to 
launch a crime-story monthly magazine, the New York Post reported 
Sunday. According to the newspaper, the idea for the publication, 
which would bear the name of the TV series, originated with magazine 
designer Walter Bernard and onetime Life editor Jay Lovinger. 

Jail Break Contestants Break Out Of Jail

After two weeks, three female contestants on Britain's new reality 
series Jailbreak escaped together Saturday from the prison in which 
they were confined and kept under watch. They'll split a $150,000 
top prize awarded by Britain's commercial Channel 5. The rest of the 
series may prove anti-climactic. The next inmate (or inmates) 
successfully breaking out of the compound will earn $75,000. 

Monica To Air Reports About America To Britain

Monica Lewinsky has been hired by Britain's Independent Television 
News and Channel 5 to broadcast a series of six feature reports 
about American culture, fashion and style. The reports will be 
called "Postcards From Monica," an apparent satirical allusion to 
Alistair Cook's long-running BBC feature "Letters from America." 

Python Play Opens In Atlanta

A stage play, written by the late Monty Python star Graham Chapman 
while he was working on the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail 
(1975), was performed for the first time in Atlanta Friday night, 11 
years after Chapman's death. The comedy, O Happy Day!, about a bride 
who's pregnant with a child that's not the groom's, debuted in a 
comedy club, Dad's Garage Theatre. Chapman's archivist Jim Yoakum 
was quoted on Chapman's official Web site 
(http://www.gcarchives.com/archives.html) as saying that he was 
stunned when he was first shown the script. "Here was this 
incredibly funny script, written by a genius of modern comedy. Not 
only was it totally unknown -- it was a play! Not a medium normally 
associated with Graham. It's like discovering a Christmas pantomime 
written by Oscar Wilde." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                        

Hello August!

23 Sep 00 23:24, August Abolins wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 AA> In a message to Paul Cote, on <Mon, 18 Sep 00> you wrote:

 LA>> Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within the Matrix
 LA>> in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a cell phone
 LA>> do as well?

 AA> The hardwire was the only assurance that there was a connection to 
 AA> "reality".  ???

Except the hard-wired phone was VR as well and hence illusionary.  
The hard-wired phones seem to obey special rules within the Matrix, 
but there was no reason for them to be there.  Kinda like putting 
your prisoners in an escape-proof cell, one with a big picture 
window and a coil of rope.  Lazy writing.

DARK CITY was much more consistant about the what and why of "reality".
 




Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                

Hello Maureen!

24 Sep 00 13:08, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>  On 09-22-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to Lee Ayrton... 

 LA>> The death of a character was telegraphed -- with a baseball bat. 

 RG>> Uh-oh!  I hope Maureen didn't see that. 

 MG>  Kind of difficult not to. Spoiler spaces, please, gentlemen. 

Sorry.  I figured that mentioning the death of "a" character was 
general enough to not spoil the story.  As for the figurative baseball
bat, you will feel the bludgeon when it hits you, more than once.  The 
story spoils itself in that regard.

Of course, you could simply walk out of the movie when they launch,
since all the interesting bits have been consumed by then anyway.  Once
in space the movie simply flounders about, looking for an ending.

I will try to avoid unflagged spoilers, even the most general,
in the future.

 

Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                          

Hello Tim!

25 Sep 00 15:04, Tim Wong wrote to Roger Nelson:

 RN>> Yes, but unfortunately that gigantic screen I saw it on originally is
 RN>> nowhere to be found today.  Maybe that wouldn't make a difference to
[...]

 TW> As far as i'm concerned, the bigger the screen, the better. I'm lucky 
 TW> in Wellington, in that there are two long-time theatres, the Paramount 
 TW> and the Embassy, that are restored and are keeping in the traditions 
 TW> of the old-movie theatres...seating, atmosphere, interior design. 

Ahh, but do they handle the audience properly?  By this I mean are those
who talk during the movie or who carry unsilenced pagers and cell phones
dragged out to the back alley and maced?  



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                       

Hello Tim!

25 Sep 00 15:11, Tim Wong wrote to Roger Nelson:

 RN>> My first reaction to that would be that I wouldn't do it, but those
 RN>> people make an obscene amount of money which would cause them to go
 RN>> though just about anything.

 TW> Yes, but you know how fussy some stars can be. I can imagine there 
 TW> would be a 
 TW> few big Hollywood stars out there that no matter how much they were 
 TW> getting 
 TW> paid, they wouldn't take a role if they had to go through hours of 
 TW> makeup each day.

Or the Third Path:  Take the money, but whine constantly about how hard
it is to sit through makeup and how much it affects your delicate
acting senses.  Oh, and work overtime at making everyone else's 
life on the show miserable.




Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                              

Hello All!

I encourage you all to watch for this offering on PBS (in the USofA, 
I assume that it will make it to the Canadian equivalent).  It is the 
story of a presentation of Wagner's Ring Cycle, all 17 hours of it,
at the San Francisco Opera, as told from back stage.  It gives a
wonderful view of backstage life and what it takes to mount such a 
production, told with wit and grace.  If someone had told me that it
was a movie abut 19th Century German Opera I'd have avoided it like
plague, so forget I mentioned that part.


There's also a web page: www.itvs.org/singfaster/
  

Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                    

Hello All!

Tuesday, September 26, 2000: 

 Mary Beth Hurt (52) 
 Olivia Newton-John (52) 
 Linda Hamilton (44) 
 James Caviezel (32) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
              

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Sep 26, 2000, 7:25 AM PT 

SICK BAY: Billy Bob Thornton was hospitalized briefly over the weekend with a 
viral infection, his publicist confirmed Monday. The actor is home and resting 
comfortably, the rep says. 

TAKING FLIGHT: Academy Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow close to starring 
for Miramax in View from the Top, about a small-town woman trying to achieve 
her goal of becoming a flight attendant. Oscar-nominated Brazilian filmmaker 
Bruno Barreto will direct. 

FOR OLDTIMERS? Madonna will perform her first UK concert in seven years in 
South London in November, the Sun tabloid reporting. 

WE ALL WANT LOVE: "I think the main problem was that my father never talked 
about life or problems," Mark David Chapman, who killed John Lennon, trying to 
explain his motive in Britain's Daily Express tabloid. He has a parole board 
hearing next week. 

STANGE HAPPENINGS: No one may be watching the Olympics in prime-time, but the 
Games catapulted The Today Show to one of its biggest weeks in history, with an 
average of 6.7 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen numbers. 

THOSE DARN MUGGLES! China is bringing forward the launch of the smash hit Harry 
Potter books by a week to combat bootleg publishers already marketing copies on 
the streets of Beijing, the book's Chinese publisher said on Monday. 

EN ESPANOL: ABC News next week will begin providing a simultaneous 
Spanish-language version of its nightly World News Tonight newscast in 33 
markets. The Spanish versions will be heard on the Secondary Audio Program 
channel. 

MUCHO ESPANOL: Telemundo signing up with the WWF to present a new 
Spanish-language show called WWF Metal. 

NOT LIKING IT: In an effort to blunt congressional criticism of its marketing 
practices, Hollywood studios plan to unveil a new set of marketing proposals 
today, congressional and industry sources said. 

THE SCOOP: Storyline, Columbia TriStar TV and ABC optioning the television 
rights to the best seller Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women, a 
detailed history of the modeling business, the world of high fashion and all 
its glitzy accouterments. No airdate yet. 

HONEST OFFER: FilmFour, the stand-alone film company of U.K. broadcaster 
Channel 4, taking the unprecedented move to give U.K. theatergoers their money 
back if they are not satisfied with the new Björk film Dancer in the Dark. 

GIVING BACK: Blockbuster agreeing to give nearly 700,000 of its Michigan 
customers two free-rental coupons as part of a legal settlement involving late 
fees. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                  

Hello Maureen!

Sep 24 12:56 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>  I'm under the impression that the films debuting during the 
 MG>  Olympics were expected to be flops in any event, rather than the 
 MG>  Olympics being responsible for their failure. The reasoning was 
 MG>  that they might as well be tossed in at that time rather than 
 MG>  assuring poor box office for more desirable projects. 

And it could be that if the Olympics were a disappointment, the viewers would 
run screaming to the nearest theater to disengage from the unhappy events.  The 
Olympics have not been a flop so far and that would seem to explain why the 
films are suffering.  Not much of a choice, really, given the selection of 
films to choose from.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                        

Hello Maureen!

Sep 24 13:06 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>  A spokesperson from NASA has now said that they haven't been 
 MG>  approached. If so, that's kinda embarrassing. 

I should have a comment from NASA itself very soon.  Perhaps today.

 MG>  Side note: There has been a lengthy thread in the rec.arts.tv 
 MG>  newsgroup about the tax consequences of winning a trip to MIR. 
 MG>  If you are taxed on winning a cruise or a car... well, I figure 
 MG>  that the producers will have this aspect figured out so that it 
 MG>  isn't a prize in the same sense (particularly since the show 
 MG>  will surely feature the winner's stay on the space station). 

A trip into space with today's technology requires that one be in good, if not 
excellent, physical condition.  I'll have to pass.  :-)


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                   

Hello Maureen!

Sep 24 13:08 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>  Kind of difficult not to. Spoiler spaces, please, gentlemen. 

Lee has been hanging out in another echo for too long.  :-)


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                           

Hello Lee!

Sep 24 20:26 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> Heh.  They finally ponyed up.

At a dog 'n pony show?  :-)

 LA> It makes it easier to link widely seperated bits of the story with a 
 LA> host.
 LA> Otherwise you'd have to play out the entire event and could get 
 LA> bogged down in detail.  It is quicker to have a host say "With 
 LA> fingerprints and DNA results in hand, the police knew who their suspect 
 LA> would be" than to try to _show_ all that on screen.  Lab techs saying 
 LA> "Eureka!" and all that.

Okay.  That I can understand.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                             

Hello All!

26th September 2000

L, V And S May Join R

Responding to Washington critics who have accused the movie industry 
of marketing violent films to underaged children, the Motion Picture 
Association of America, as early as today (Tuesday), is expected to 
unveil a number of proposals that it hopes will mollify its 
antagonists, published reports said. The Wall Street Journal, citing 
people familiar with the situation, reported that at least one 
studio, Warner Bros., plans to offer a plan that goes beyond MPAA 
policies. Reports said that the studios intend to provide better 
explanations of R-rated films in their advertising, refrain from 
showing trailers for R-rated films in theaters playing G-rated 
films, encourage exhibitors to be more diligent in enforcing the 
ratings, bar children from research screenings of movies that are 
likely to be rated R, and enlist video retailers in a campaign to 
prevent R-rated movies from being rented to underage children. 
Warner Bros. is expected to announce that it will stop buying ads 
for R-rated movies on TV shows that attract a large (35 percent) 
audience of children under 17 and include additional letters, 
similar to those used on TV ("L" for language, "V" for violence and 
"S" for sex) in ads for R-rated films. Today's Washington Post 
quoted one unidentified "mogul" as saying, "Of course we'll take a 
hit at the box office, but I can't let it concern me, because I have 
no control over it. ... We'll have to be smarter about what we 
green-light..." Senior executives of the major film studios are 
expected to testify about the new ratings mechansim before the 
Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday.

The Exorcist Scares Up A Bundle

Had the reissue of Warner Bros.' Exorcist, The (1973) been given a 
wider release over the weekend, it would have trounced its 
competition, final box-office figures suggested Monday. Released on 
only 664 screens, the 1973 horror classic took in $8.2 million, just 
$300,000 less than the top grosser, Sony's Urban Legends: Final Cut, 
which arrived on 2,539 screens. That works out to $12,286 per site 
for Exorcist and $3,350 per site for Legends. Warner's said it plans 
to roll out Exorcist, The (1973) in 400 more theaters next Friday 
and another 400 on the Friday after that (the 13th). DreamWorks, 
which is also doing a tiered rollout of Almost Famous reaped success 
with that strategy, as the movie grossed $6.9 million on only 1,193 
screens, an average of $5,806 per screen. DreamWorks says it plans 
to add another 500 screens for Famous next weekend. 

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent 
total gross to date): 

1. Urban Legends: Final Cut, Sony, $8,505,513, (New); 
2. Exorcist, The (1973), Warner Bros., $8,157,666, ($8,431,437--with limited 
release on Wednesday); 
3. Almost Famous, DreamWorks, $6,926,467, ($10,147,759); 
4. Bring It On, Universal, $4,275,380, ($56,000,070); 
5. The Watcher, Universal, $3,665,640, ($22,758,200); 
6. Bait, Warner Bros., $3,365,674, ($10,576,895); 
7. Nurse Betty, USA, $3,270,176, ($18,025,661); 
8. What Lies Beneath (2000), DreamWorks, $2,192,119, ($148,433,841); 
9. Space Cowboys (2000), Warner Bros., $2,156,506, ($85,072,147); 
10. Woman on Top (1999), Fox Searchlight, $2,008,191, (New).

DiCaprio To Portray Famous "Freak"

Leonardo DiCaprio has signed to play twin brothers (he did so 
previously in Man in the Iron Mask) in Johnny Eck, Daily Variety 
reported today (Tuesday). The real Eck, who was born John Eckhardt 
in 1911 and died in 1991, lived much of his life as a circus 
sideshow freak. (He was born without lower extremities.) His twin 
brother, Robert, who died in 1995, was physically normal. The film 
is expected to focus on Eck's exploitation by magician John McAslan. 

India To Produce First Animated Feature

Cereal maker Kellogg has agreed to invest in an Indian theatrical 
feature starring "Bollywood" heart throb Shah Rukh Khan, the Times 
of India reported today (Tuesday). The live-action/animated film, to 
be produced in Hindi by the animation company Crest Communications, 
will co-star Kellogg mascot Molly the Bear, the newspaper said. It 
reportedly will be the first animated feature ever produced in the 
subcontinent.

Murdoch Makes His Biggest Bid Yet

Rupert Murdoch's plan to form closer ties with Liberty Media's John 
Malone may be part of a broader strategy to acquire satellite TV 
provider DirecTV, owned by General Motors' subsidiary Hughes 
Electronics, published reports said today (Tuesday). According to 
today's New York Daily News, Murdoch has offered $55 billion in cash 
and stock for Hughes -- the most he has ever bid for any property. 
The Daily News quoted Weatherly Securities analyst Barry Hyman as 
noting that, since Malone holds a minority stake in Hughes, "you now 
have a friendly participant on board" who could help secure the deal 
for Murdoch. Disney, Microsoft and Viacom are also said to be in the 
bidding to acquire the GM unit.

Murdoch Wants Post-Season Baseball All To Himself 
[Ray's note: We will now learn what MLB's price is.]

Meanwhile, Murdoch has reportedly offered Major League Baseball $2.9 
billion for exclusive rights to carry post-season baseball over his 
Fox network over the next six years. The current $1.2-billion 
postseason contract, which expires at the end of this season, 
divides coverage among Fox, NBC, and ESPN. Commenting on the report, 
which first appeared in USA Today, MLB spokesman Rich Levin told 
Bloomberg News, "All we're saying is that we're still in 
negotiations. ... We hope to have an announcement fairly soon."

MNF Viewers Collide Over Miller 
[Ray's note: I have the mute button to counteract Miller.  :-) ]

America Online on Monday posted on its home page an invitation for 
Monday Night Football viewers to "post your advice on how Dennis 
Miller can improve in the booth." Many viewers indicated that they 
would be pleased if Miller was tossed out of the booth. "Dennis is 
beyond help. Have stopped watching until he leaves," one wrote. 
Another wrote: "He's a damn, boring comedian." Another: "MNF ... is 
not a time to crack jokes and try to be the funny guy in the booth. 
We don't want to hear jokes, we want to hear relavent (sic) stats." 
Another: "He comes on acting pretentious and PRAYING we all pay 
attention so we can look up his words later." Likewise: "He's to 
(sic) intellectual for most sports oriented idiots." But Miller also 
has his ardent supporters, it would seem. "Dennis Miller finally 
started to be real good last night," one of them wrote. "Sometimes 
his humor went over peoples (sic) head, because, after all how many 
people know about the rosetta stone?" Another supporter: "He's 
hilarious. ... Go Dennis. MNF has never been this good." Still 
another: "I have found that while watching Monday night football I 
look forward to his fresh comentary (sic)."

Habla Futbol?

In an effort to tap the burgeoning Spanish-language market, ABC News 
said Monday that it will present an audio translation of World News 
Tonight with Peter Jennings on a secondary audio channel in 33 
markets. Jennings told the Associated Press: "This is something he 
have wanted to do for a long time. We hope that those who speak 
primarily Spanish will get a broader view of the world by having 
access to our broadcast."

Paramount Denies Dr. Laura Rumors 
[Ray's note: If they would remove her muzzle, things might be different.]

Paramount Television has denied reports that its new syndicated talk 
show hosted by Dr. Laura Schlessinger is in trouble. The company 
issued a statement saying that since the show first went into 
production last July 13, it has taken a number "dark" days. 
"Additionally," the statement continued, "we are adding to the 
production staff as is typical of any new program."

NBC Unit To Offer Free Internet Access

NBCi, NBC's publicly traded Internet company, has begun offering a 
free Internet service marketed through Montgomery Ward, the 
companies said Monday. The department-store chain said that it will 
distribute free CD-ROMs in its stores that will allow customers 
(Windows only) to sign up for the service. It is also available via 
download on the retailer's Web site (http://www.wards.com/. The home 
page on the Web browser will feature advertising for items that are 
sold in Ward's stores. Meanwhile, NBC said on Monday that it plans 
to set up a Web site by the end of the week to allow would-be 
American cosmonauts to sign up for the network's upcoming reality 
series in which the winner will be sent to the Russian Mir space 
station.

Olympics Down; Today Up

Although ratings for the summer Olympics have turned out to be a 
disappointment for NBC, ratings for the network's Today show have 
soared, rising to a 5.6 average and a 23 share for last week, the 
fourth-highest results in the show's 49-year history, according to 
Nielsen research.

Progress In Actors Strike?

Negotiations to end the actors' strike against advertising producers 
have gone into marathon sessions, suggesting to reporters at the 
scene that a settlement may be imminent. Today's (Tuesday) Daily 
Variety quoted an unnamed source close to the talks as saying, "The 
longer they sit, the better the chances become that they can make a 
deal. ... But the situation also looks like it's very fluid." 

CORRECTION: In Monday's issue, we noted that Bill Mazeroski's 
illustrious World Series-winning home run occurred before the first 
presidential debate between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy on Sept. 
26, 1960. While the Nixon-Kennedy debates were the first formal 
debates ever waged between two candidates for the presidency, 
Mazeroski's homer actually occurred on Oct. 13, prior to the third 
exchange between the political contenders. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                   

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to August Abolins ***

 LA>> Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within the Matrix
 LA>> in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a cell phone
 LA>> do as well?

 AA> The hardwire was the only assurance that there was a connection to
 AA> "reality".  ???

 LA> Except the hard-wired phone was VR as well and hence illusionary.
 LA> The hard-wired phones seem to obey special rules within the Matrix,
 LA> but there was no reasonfor them to be there.  Kinda like putting
 LA> your prisoners in an escape-proof cell, one with a big picture
 LA> window and a coil of rope.  Lazy writing.

I'm not sure. I seem to recall a scene where Keanu Reeve's character snatches 
a cellphone off a passer-by, and uses it to jump back out of the matrix. I 
think phone booths provided a more reliable source, simple because they knew 
where they could find them.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                 

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Tim Wong ***

 RN>> Yes, but unfortunately that gigantic screen I saw it on originally is
 RN>> nowhere to be found today.  Maybe that wouldn't make a difference to
 LA> [...]

 TW> As far as i'm concerned, the bigger the screen, the better. I'm lucky
 TW> in Wellington, in that there are two long-time theatres, the Paramount
 TW> and the Embassy, that are restored and are keeping in the traditions
 TW> of the old-movie theatres...seating, atmosphere, interior design.

 LA> Ahh, but do they handle the audience properly?  By this I mean are
 LA> those who talk during the movie or who carry unsilenced pagers and
 LA> cell phones dragged out tothe back alley and maced?

Not maced, but given an earfull from fellow watchers. They should be maced 
though...I myself don't believe in cellphones, and see them as more trouble 
than they're worth. I think theatres should take a stronger stance on 
cellphones - they should be regarded in the same league as "no smoking".

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                            

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Tim Wong ***

 RN>> My first reaction to that would be that I wouldn't do it, but those
 RN>> people make an obscene amount of money which would cause them to go
 RN>> though just about anything.

 TW> Yes, but you know how fussy some stars can be. I can imagine there
 TW> would be a  few big Hollywood stars out there that no matter how much
 TW> they were  getting paid, they wouldn't take a role if they had to go
 TW> through hours of  makeup each day.

 LA> Or the Third Path:  Take the money, but whine constantly about how
 LA> hard it is to sit through makeup and how much it affects your
 LA> delicate acting senses.  Oh, and work overtime at making everyone
 LA> else's  life on the show miserable.

The "you never can please" kind-of-star. Sounds a lot like Marlon Brando. Of 
course, Brando went through the make up process in The Godfather - and I 
wouldn't be surprised if he complained over that as well...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                              

Hello All!

Cruise-ing into "Vanilla Sky" 
by Josh Grossberg 
Sep 26, 2000, 2:45 PM PT 

Tom Cruise and Pen‚lope Cruz are going to be sharing a lot more than 
sound-alike last names. 

The two sexy stars will be teaming up with a couple of Camerons, Diaz and 
Crowe, for the romantic thriller Vanilla Sky, according to Daily Variety. 

Fresh off his Almost Famous success, Crowe will direct the adaptation of the 
1997 Spanish film Albre los Ojos (Open Your Eyes), which was written and 
directed by Alejandro Amenabar and which also starred Cruz. 

The original centered around a wealthy womanizer who falls for his best 
friend's girlfriend. He later winds up in a car with a previous paramour, 
who--extremely jealous of his affairs--tries to commit suicide by ramming their 
car into a tree. The bachelor survives the crash, but his face is horribly 
disfigured. [Ray's note: This sounds very familiar.]

Eventually, doctors are able to reconstruct his face and his best bud's girl 
declares her love for him, but soon a series of bizarre incidents beset him. 

With the film dependent on several mind-bending twists, both the principals and 
Paramount Pictures are mum on the exact details of the plot, except to say that 
the romantic thriller will keep the darkly surreal tone of the original. 

Sky also represents a major departure for Cameron Crowe, writer-director of 
such romantic comedies as Say Anything, Singles and Jerry Maguire, where he 
first collaborated with Cruise. 

The actor, who has been looking for the perfect project to reteam with Crowe 
on, was apparently the catalyst for the director's latest celluloid experiment. 
Cruise was reportedly so enamored by the original that he purchased the English 
remake rights to it in 1998 and enlisted Crowe to adapt it. 

Production on Sky is slated for the fall. 

Meanwhile, proving that what comes around goes around: Amenabar is currently in 
Spain directing Cruise's wife, Nicole Kidman, in his English-language debut, 
the sci-fi horror film The Others. 
 
Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                

Hello All!

Wednesday, September 27, 2000: 

 Wilford Brimley (66) 
 Arthur Penn (78) 
 Shaun Cassidy (42) 
 Meat Loaf (49) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                        

Hello All!

27th September 2000

NY Times Prints Secret Marketing Docs

Details of the Federal Trade Commission's probe of Hollywood 
marketing practices were published by the New York Times today, 
including excerpts from confidential documents of the National 
Research Group, described by the Times as the studios' dominant 
market research organization. In a sidebar article about NRG's work 
on the sequel to Columbia TriStar's hit I Know What You Did Last 
Summer (1997), the Times published portions of a letter to the 
studio, which stated, "Although the original movie was R rated and 
the sequel will also be R rated, there is evidence to suggest that 
attendance at the original dipped down to the age of 10. Therefore, 
it seems to make sense to interview 10- to 11-year-olds as well" as 
moviegoers between 12 and 24. Other research documents cited in the 
Times article indicated that children younger than 16 made up a 
large part of the test audiences for such R-rated fare as 
Disney/Hollywood Pictures' Judge Dredd (1995), MGM/UA's Disturbing 
Behavior (1998), and Disney/Touchstone's Enemy of the State (1998). 
In an interview with the Times, Joseph Farrell, co-chairman of NRG, 
insisted that the company's research methodology is "prescribed by 
the studios" and maintained that parents are required to accompany 
children 14 and younger to test screenings. Asked about the FTC's 
determination that 33 of 44 R-rated films produced between 1995 and 
1999 were screened for underage children as young as 9, Farrell 
replied, "I don't know anything about that." On the eve of a second 
round of hearings by the Senate Commerce Committee into Hollywood's 
marketing practices scheduled for today (Wednesday), MPAA chief Jack 
Valenti also said he was unaware that young children were being 
recruited for studio test screenings. "I didn't know it was 
happening," he told the New York Times, adding that the "practice of 
going to 10- and 12-year-olds is really not acceptable." At a news 
conference, Valenti said that the eight major studios had set a 
"goal of not inappropriately specifically targeting children in its 
advertising of films rated R for violence" and would no longer 
include them in focus-group tests unless accompanied by a parent.

Hollywood.Com Hit By Consolidation Move

The ongoing shake-out at entertainment-related Inernet sites jolted 
Hollywood.com Tuesday as about two-thirds of its staff were laid off 
and virtually all of the technical operations of the company were 
switched to the company's Boca Raton, FL headquarters. In an 
interview with today's (Wednesday) Daily Variety, Hollywood.com 
chairman Mitch Rubenstein said, "In many of the cases, the 
technology can now do what the people used to do." 

Money-Back Guarantee To Dancer Patrons

Responding to reviews that have been all over the map for Lars von 
Trier's Dancer in the Dark (2000), starring pop singer Bjork, 
Britain's FilmFour on Tuesday offered moviegoers a money-back 
guarantee. "Go to see Dancer in the Dark (2000) on Friday 29th of 
September, and if you don't like it, the cinema manager will refund 
your money," Deputy Chief Executive Peter Buckingham said in a 
statement. "If, though, you are deeply affected by Lars von Trier's 
vision and are moved to tears by Bjork's performance, you won't be 
alone." The film opened in limited release in the U.S. last Friday 
and received mostly damning reviews. (The refund policy presumably 
does not apply in the U.S.) Jonathan Foreman in the New York Post 
called it "kitschy schlock gussied up with the trappings of 
artsiness and buttressed with canned anti-American politics." Jami 
Bernard in the New York Daily News commented that the film "is so 
jumbled, irrational and amateurish that it makes dinner theater look 
like the Old Vic." Derek Elley in Variety predicted that the film 
will "dance its way into B.O. darkness" and described it as a "demo 
of auteurist self-importance that's artistically bankrupt on almost 
every level." The film, however, did win the Palme d'Or, the top 
prize at the Cannes Film Festival last May, but members of the jury 
reportedly were at odds over the decision. A.O. Scott in the New 
York Times suggested that individual viewers may be of two minds 
about it, too. "The movie is both stupefyingly bad and utterly 
overpowering," he wrote. "It can elicit, sometimes within a single 
scene, a gasp of rapture and a spasm of revulsion. Come to the 
theater prepared, with a handkerchief in one hand and a rotten 
tomato in the other." 

Busy 11-Year-Old Actor To Play Potter's School Chum

Eleven-year-old Irish actor Devon Murray, who only recently landed a 
role in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York (2000), has also won a 
plum role in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 
according to Irish newspapers. Devon Murray, who will play the role 
of Harry's schoolmate Seamus, told an interviewer that the Potter 
producers had agreed to take into account his shooting schedule for 
Gangs. "It's really good of the Harry Potter people to film around 
me," he said. 

NBC Leaps With Olympics Ratings

In one fell swoop, NBC last week moved from the third-rated network 
for the season to the second-rated, thanks entirely to its Olympic 
Games coverage, which clobbered the competition last week. While the 
overall audience for the Sydney telecasts was disappointingly 
smaller than predicted, it was nevertheless big enough to give the 
network the best numbers of any network since Super Bowl week, 1998, 
according to Daily Variety ratings analyst Rick Kissell. For the 
week, NBC garnered a 16.1 rating and a 26 share. ABC finished second 
with a 6.8/11, followed by CBS with a 5.5/9 and Fox with a 5.0/8. 

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research:

1. Summer Olympics (Sunday), NBC, 16.1/26;
2. Summer Olympics (Tuesday), NBC, 15.5/26;
3. Summer Olympics (Friday), NBC, 15.0/27;
4. Summer Olympics (Thursday), NBC, 14.9/26;
5. Summer Olympics (Wednesday), NBC, 14.6/25;
6. Summer Olympics (Monday), NBC,13.8/23;
7. NFL Monday Night Football, ABC, 13.5/23;
8. Summer Olympics (Saturday), NBC, 13.5/25;
9. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 12.4/20;
10. Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 10.6/16.

Survivor Wasn't

A big loser for the week was CBS's nightly replays of the Survivor 
series. The highest-rated episode last week ranked only No. 55. But 
CBS spokesman Chris Ender told the Associated Press Tuesday that the 
network's expectations for the reruns had been modest. "We don't 
think in any way it affects viewers' appetites for Survivor II," he 
said.

NBC Lops Off A Half Hour From Its Ratings Reports

NBC has asked Nielsen Media Research to stop reporting ratings for 
the 7:00-7:30 p.m. coverage of its Olympic Games coverage, the 
Washington Post reported today. In an interview in Sydney, NBC 
Sports President Dick Ebersol told the Post that by adding the 
7:00-7:30 coverage, the network was able to cover the additional 
costs to obtain broadcast rights beginning with the Atlanta games 
four years ago. But he said, although the additional half hour 
"helped us raise the money ... it didn't help us with the audience," 
which has tended to be far smaller during that time period than 
during the rest of the night.

Olympic Gold Is Also Golden At Chinese TV Stations

China's state-owned Central TV Station (CCTV) said Tuesday that, 
thanks to strong performances by the Chinese team in Sydney, 
advertising revenue for its Olympics coverage has doubled in 
September. With China ranking second in the medals tally as of 
Tuesday, audiences have swelled, prompting more advertisers to buy 
spots and TV stations to increase their rates, the South China 
Morning Post observed today (Wednesday). 

WWF Applies Full Nielsen At TNN

The World Wrestling Federation's move to Viacom's channel TNN 
(recently renamed The National Network) had a negligible effect on 
ratings, the channel said Tuesday. WWF Raw Is War delivered 96 
percent of the average rating that USA Network posted the previous 
week, it said. TNN's general manager, Diane Robina said in a company 
news release, "Clearly the viewers found WWF on TNN. This is our 
first step in rebuilding TNN into a well-branded entertainment 
network by featuring a staple of today's pop culture -- WWF." The 
channel had previously been known as The Nashville Network and had 
focused on country music.

Fox To Be Sole Post-Season Baseball Broadcaster

The Fox TV Network and Major League Baseball are expected to confirm 
today (Wednesday) that they have agreed on a $2.5-billion package 
that would give Fox exclusive rights to carry post-season games over 
the next six seasons. Analysts shook their heads over the price. 
Bloomberg News quoted Rich Burton, head of the University of 
Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, as saying, "On the surface, 
it looks like they've overpaid dearly. ... They're doing this at a 
time when viability of sports on network television seems kind of 
shaky."

The End Of The Ride

Surprising many analysts, former astronaut Sally Ride said Tuesday 
that she is quitting as president of Space.com, the Internet company 
founded by former CNN financial anchor Lou Dobbs.

Hillary Would Ban TV Ads Aimed At Pre-Schoolers

Campaigning in New York Tuesday, senatorial candidate Hillary Rodham 
Clinton urged that television stations stop airing advertising 
directed at preschoolers. As reported by the New York Daily News, 
she also proposed that New York elementary schools be made "ad-free 
zones." In an interview with the Daily News, David Miller, head of 
the Toy Manufacturers of America, said that he regarded the proposed 
ban on such advertising as a "Big Brother situation."

Sony To Unveil Mystery Entertainment Device

Sony announced in Tokyo today (Wednesday) that it plans to unveil a 
new wireless device for the home that will provide entertainment 
"which cannot be categorized into any existing genre." The device 
reportedly will go on display at the CEATEC Japan 2000 electronics 
show, according to the company, which declined to provide further 
details. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                    

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Tim Wong:

 LA> Ahh, but do they handle the audience properly?  By this I mean are
 LA> those who talk during the movie or who carry unsilenced pagers and
 LA> cell phones dragged out to the back alley and maced?  

This should happen only if the drivers of moving vehicles precede them through 
the door.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                  

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> As far as i'm concerned, the bigger the screen, the better. I'm
 TW> lucky in Wellington, in that there are two long-time theatres, the
 TW> Paramount and the Embassy, that are restored and are keeping in
 TW> the traditions of the old-movie theatres...seating, atmosphere,
 TW> interior design. The Embassy, as i've probably said before, has
 TW> the largest screen in NZ, and possibly in the southern hemisphere
 TW> - yet I suspect there were still screens bigger than the Embassy's
 TW> in the hey-days.

If ever I come across another theater like the one I saw "2001" in, I'll 
consider it a treasure.  Things change often with technological advancements 
and it must be a burden for the theater owners to keep up.  The Saenger theater 
(all these I will refer to are in New Orleans) had a simulated starfield 
ceiling in the viewing room and beautiful architecture on the walls and also in 
the lobbies upstairs and downstairs.  That was the place where all of the 20th 
Century Fox films were shown.  The Loews State theater was almost the same (it 
is right across the street from the Saenger), with the exception of the 
starfield ceiling, and MGM films were shown there.  They were quite beautiful.  
A few blocks away, the Orpheum had no architecture, no starfield ceiling and 
showed just about all of the other film studios' works not mentioned above, but 
mainly showed RKO films. The Joy, nearer to and on the same side of the street 
as the Loews State, was mainly an outlet for Universal Pictures releases and 
lacked the architectural imagination of the builders of the first two theaters. 
 (-:

 TW> General public opinion is almost always different in some ways. I
 TW> don't take any notice of all the masses of award shows they have
 TW> these days, expect for the Oscars, and maybe a few others...

Last night on TV, TNT (Turner Network Television) showed a tribute to Bruce 
Willis and it was alright for the most part, until the segment with Paul 
Reiser, which I thought was rather lame.  Unfortunately for Bruce, PBS (no ad 
breaks) showed a docu-drama on Clint Eastwood at the same time, so guess which 
one got my attention?  Fortunately for Bruce, TNT showed that tribute 
back-to-back, so I missed nothing.  The show began, promisingly enough, with 
Alan Rickman as the first "host" and would have been a huge success had he 
remained the host throughout, IMO.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
         

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Yes, but you know how fussy some stars can be. I can imagine there
 TW> would be a few big Hollywood stars out there that no matter how
 TW> much they were getting paid, they wouldn't take a role if they had
 TW> to go through hours of makeup each day.

I wouldn't make it in Hollywood.  I'm a firm believer in being on time and 
would hope that others around me felt the same.  If not...

 TW> [...]
 TW> I can agree with that. You couldn't imagine bohemian-types at the 
 TW> "sing-a-long", could you? :)

They'd be refused admittance.  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                   

Hello All!

In case you all haven't noticed, and judging by the lack of responses you 
haven't, the trivia question I asked a few days ago went like this:

What actor was a U.S. Naval Reserve officer who rose to the rank of Captain

                           AND

(1992) Awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal by the Country of France for 
his
service in World War II

(1978) Inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame by the Western Heritage
Museum.

(1958) Voted the number one box office attraction.


The answer is:











[Elvis was here]















Glenn Ford.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                               

Hello All!

Yet another trivia question:

This was Tom Cruise's fifth consecutive $100-million-plus film, a new record. 


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                            

Hello All!

28th September 2000

Mr. Mogul Goes To Washington

Top studio film executives failed to put up a united front Wednesday 
as they confronted angry U.S. senators who charged them with 
intentionally marketing violent movies to children. Four studio 
execs, representing Disney, DreamWorks, 20th Century Fox and Warner 
Bros., insisted that they had already begun taking steps to stop 
such practices, acknowledging that their previous marketing 
strategies were inappropriate. "There have been times when we 
allowed competitive zeal to overwhelm sound judgment," Disney 
president Robert Iger admitted during his testimony. But executives 
from MGM, Paramount, Sony and Universal expressed reluctance to 
reply positively to Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain's 
repeated question, "Will you or will you not market movies rated R 
to children under 17?" Universal chairman Stacey Snider observed 
that there were many R-rated films that are "suitable for mature 
teenagers to see with their parents." MGM vice chairman Chris McGurk 
noted that his studio is producing two R-rated films set during 
World War II that "could be of great value to mature teens." 
Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Friedman argued that each film should be 
judged on its own merit. None of the execs would agree to impose 
sanctions against exhibitors who failed to enforce movie ratings. 
For their part, the senators expressed doubt about new studio 
policies to restrict marketing practices and to provide additional 
information about R-rated product to parents. McCain said that the 
policies were "full of loopholes," while Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison 
of Texas warned, "I am sending a signal across the bow that if you 
don't try to make this really work that you are going to see some 
kind of legislation because parents are throwing up their hands in 
frustration." The hearings took place only days after two R-rated 
horror films, Urban Legends: The Final Cut and Exorcist, The (1973), 
both attracting a sizable teen audience despite their ratings, 
became Hollywood's biggest weekend moneymakers.

Cartoon Features To Get Their Own Oscar Category

The Motion Picture Academy has agreed to create a separate category 
for animated feature films, but the nominations would appear only 
when at least eight animated films are released during the year. The 
Academy has argued in the past that so few animated features are 
produced annually that all of them would receive a nomination if the 
category was instituted. Under the new rule, if 8-15 features are 
released in a year, three would be eligible for nominations. If 16 
are released, five would be eligible.

Two Scripts By Orson Welles May Be Filmed

RKO Pictures may film two unproduced screenplays written by the late 
Orson Welles following completion of its current remake of his 
Magnificent Ambersons, The (1942), now shooting in Ireland, 
according to syndicated columnists Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel 
Smith. RKO Chairman/CEO Ted Hartley told the columnists that one 
script, Confusion, concerns a man who awakens from amnesia "to find 
that everyone around him knows him but himself. Some love him, some 
hate him -- and he's in a race against time to find out why." 
Hartley said that the other film, untitled, concerns a successful 
man who destroys himself while pursuing "the wrong woman." In the 
same interview Hartley called the new Ambersons, RKO's "mea culpa" 
to Welles, who accused the studio of editing the film "with a lawn 
mower" behind his back. 

Big Screen Imax Takes A Wall Street Hit

Shares in Canadian-based Imax Corporation plunged to a 52-week low 
Wednesday as analysts worried that financially strapped exhibitors 
will not be able to continue installing Imax theaters in their 
multiplexes. William Scovin, an analyst at Auerbach, Pollak & 
Richardson, told today's (Thursday) New York Post, "The stock has 
been punished in the market because of the perception that the 
theater business in general is bad." 

Who Wants To Watch The Olympics?

After pulling in stellar ratings for its Olympics coverage on 
Monday, NBC saw them slump by more than a third on Tuesday. 
Averaging a 14.9 rating and a 24 share, the worst numbers for any 
Olympics night since 1968, the ratings seemed certain to fall well 
short of NBC's guarantee of a 16.1 average to advertisers. ABC's Who 
Wants to Be a Millionaire, which, while not outscoring the Olympics 
certainly gave them a run for the money, drew a 10.8/16. Taking into 
account only the 8:00-11:00 period, NBC was in first place for the 
night with an average of 16.0/25. ABC was in second place with a 
7.9/12, The WB, thanks to strong numbers for the season premiere of 
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, was third with a 5.7/8, while CBS 
followed with a 5.0/8. Fox trailed in fifth place with a 4.7/7. 

Sports Thrown For A Loss [Ray's note: I hope this is true.]

Given Major League Baseball's failure to land anything close to the 
kind of deal it had hoped to realize for future broadcast rights, 
analysts were predicting Wednesday that the days of huge fee 
increases for professional sports may be over. "We're looking at a 
market that is now at least neutral," Neal Pilson, president of 
Pilson Communications, a sports television consulting company, told 
Bloomberg News Wednesday. Pilson, a former president of CBS Sports, 
predicted that the National Basketball Assn. will also be unable to 
negotiate another huge fee increase. "I don't see how the NBA can 
get a big increase. They'll get a small one," he said. But Fox 
Sports chief Ed Goren reacted cautiously. "I think you need to see 
more than one contract before we can call this a trend," he told the 
wire service. 

Times Square Building Sues CBS

The owners of the One Times Square building have sued CBS as a 
result of the network's decision to digitally replace the 
advertisements on the building last New Years Eve with the CBS logo. 
As reported by the Fulton County (New York) Daily Report Wednesday, 
OTS Signs is claiming that CBS, in effect, posted an ad on the 
building without paying for it. The suit also complains that by 
obliterating the ads that actually appeared on the sign (for NBC, 
Budweiser and Panasonic) CBS made it less likely that those 
advertisers would buy ad space on the building in the future. 

MTV Faces The Music

Like other online sites that have abruptly moved to staunch the flow 
of red ink, MTV's online division, MTVi Group Inc., on Wednesday 
announced that it had fired 105 workers, representing about a 
quarter of its workforce, and had dropped plans to issue an IPO. A 
spokesman for the company said that the company had decided to aim 
at moving "more quickly to profitability." He declined to indicate 
when it envisioned achieving that goal. MTVi Group comprises 
MTV.com, VH1.com, SonicNet.com and Country.com. 

Dish Network To Offer Pay-Per-View HDTV Movies

EchoStar Communications, which operates the DISH home satellite 
network, said that it will begin offering pay-per-view movies in the 
high-definition format beginning Saturday, Sept. 30. The first film, 
MGM's World Is Not Enough, The (1999) can be viewed for $5.99. 
Special HDTV receivers and TV sets are required. The company has 
scheduled two other films in the high-definition format for the 
pay-per-view channel, MGM's Supernova on Oct. 14 and Artisan's Ninth 
Gate, The (1999) on Oct. 24. Meanwhile, CBS said Wednesday that, 
with the exception of Walker, Texas Ranger all of its primetime 
entertainment programs will be broadcast in HDTV during the current 
season. 

Streisand's "Final" Concert To Be Webcast -- For 5 Minutes

America Online said Wednesday that it is planning to carry the last 
five minutes of Barbra Streisand's final Madison Square Garden 
concert live tonight beginning at about 10:15 p.m. ET (AOL Keyword: 
Barbra Streisand). AOL said that the Streisand area will remain 
online for 30 days "allowing members to relive her last performance 
again and again." Additional content, including interviews, photos 
and tributes, is also expected to be posted. However, as of this 
morning (Thursday), the Streisand AOL area was not online, and any 
effort to access it encountered the error message "Please Try Again 
Later." The Webcast, produced by Slingshot Networks, is being 
sponsored by Ford's Lincoln division. 

Talks In Actors Strike Collapse

On the same day that the trade press was reporting substantial 
progress in the actors' strike against advertisers, negotiations 
between the two sides collapsed Wednesday. SAG president William 
Daniels accused the advertisers of leaving "the human equation" out 
of their considerations. Published reports said today (Thursday) 
that SAG and AFTRA negotiators had rejected a 90-day "cooling off 
period" proposed by federal mediators, under which the actors would 
return to work. The unions reportedly responded that such an 
arrangement would allow the advertisers to create a backlog of new 
commercials that they could use to strengthen their hand when talks 
resumed. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                      

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Sep 28, 2000, 6:30 AM PT 

PLUS-SIZED PAYDAY: Curvaceous former model Anna Nicole Smith awarded $449 
million, plus punitive damages, from a federal judge in Los Angeles Wednesday 
in a dispute over her late husband's estate. Smith had claimed oil tycoon 
Howard Marshall promised her half of his $1.6 billion fortune, but his son 
claimed Smith exploited the elderly man. 

LIKE A VIRGIN: As expected, Madonna obliterates the competition as her new 
disc, Music, sells 419,000 copies to debut at number one on the charts. St. 
Louis hip-hopster Nelly held onto second place as his album, Country Grammar, 
sold 182,000 copies. 

BAD CHOICE IN MEN: Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) is in final 
negotiations to star in Life Without Dick, a romantic comedy about a woman who 
unwittingly falls in love with the hitman hired to kill her boyfriend. 

RUMORS: Laura Schlessinger's syndicated TV show, Dr. Laura rumored to be hiring 
actors to sit in the audience and ask the right questions at the right time. 

I DON'T OWE YOU ANYTHING! Edward Norton, citing "creative differences," is 
deserting Hart's War, the WWII movie that would have reunited the actor with 
Gregory Hoblit, the director who gave him his big break in 1996's Primal Fear. 

MORE REALITY: Diahann Carroll and James McDaniel (NYPD Blue) joining the cast 
of the NBC TV movie The Natalie Cole Story, based on her autobiography Angel on 
My Shoulder, due to hit book stores in October. 

BIG BREAK: Colleen Haskell (Survivor) landing a major role in a feature film as 
the love interest of Rob Schneider in the comedy Animal, about a man 
(Schneider) who receives organ transplants from a multitude of animals and 
slowly finds himself taking on those animal traits. 

THOSE LIMEYS! Frasier stars Jane Leeves and Peri Gilpin are teaming up with 
Paramount TV to develop a U.S. version of the hit BBC sitcom The Vicar of 
Dibley, about the arrival of a female minister in a conservative rural 
community. 

BUT WHAT ABOUT WARDROBE? Peta Wilson is giving up the covert life of La Femme 
Nikita to play a real-life criminal investigator for NBC. The peacock is in 
advanced negotiations with Warner Bros. TV for a pilot commitment. 

THE DAYS GROW LONG: Negotiations aimed at ending the 5-month-old actors strike 
against the advertising industry have collapsed, ending all hope that the 
strike will end anytime soon. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                               

Hello All!

Thursday, September 28, 2000: 

 Brigitte Bardot (66) 
 Mira Sorvino (33) 
 Janeane Garofalo (36) 
 Gwyneth Paltrow (27) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
               

Hi Lee Ayrton of 1:320/455,
On <Mon, 25 Sep 00>, you wrote me:

 LA> Except the hard-wired phone was VR as well and hence illusionary.
 LA> The hard-wired phones seem to obey special rules within the Matrix,
 LA> but there was no reason for them to be there...

It's only a movie, it's only a movie, it's only a movie..  <g>

There MIGHT be a perfectly good logical reason how that hardwire phone works in 
the "world of the matrix" (if I remember correctly, one of the characters DID 
explain that part).  But what's wrong with leaving a few things unexplained to 
the imagination?  Consider how much the X-Files leaves unexplained! <g>  
...until a few more episodes into the series, ..or not at all!.   Maybe Matrix 
II or III will have more things to work with.


 LA> DARK CITY was much more consistant about the what and why of
 LA> "reality".

DARK CITY is a wonderful movie as well.  But in my opinion it left much much 
more UNEXPLAINED than it did.   For instance, the mechanics of the "city" was 
far more virtual than it was real.  Why weren't the "sleeping" people crushed 
as buildings rose and fell?   I mean the LOGISTICS is incredible.  

But it's only a movie, it's only a movie, it's only a movie.  And I loved it!

FWIW, Sutherland was the WRONG guy for the "doctor" role.  He played it like a 
campy low-budget actor.


..August

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                                                                                                

Hi Ray Geneburn of 1:3828/7,
In a message to All, on <Mon, 25 Sep 00> you wrote:

 RG> Monday, September 25, 2000:
 RG>  Michael Douglas (56)
 RG>  Catherine Zeta-Jones (31)

And these two are married to each other.  What an incredible age disparity at 
25 years!


 RG>  Heather Locklear (39)  ---> Yummy!

I concur!   I saw her playing a guest lead in a 20 year old episode of Spencer 
for Hire, when she was just 18 or 19.   Now even at 39, she's looking as good 
as ever.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                 

Hi Ray Geneburn of 1:3828/7,
In a message to All, on <Mon, 25 Sep 00> you wrote:

 RG> Monday, September 25, 2000:
 RG>  Michael Douglas (56)
 RG>  Catherine Zeta-Jones (31)

And these two are married to each other.  What an incredible age disparity at 
25 years!


 RG>  Heather Locklear (39)  ---> Yummy!

I concur!   I saw her playing a guest lead in a 20 year old episode of the tv 
series VEGAS, when she was just 18 or 19.   Now even at 39, she's looking as 
good as ever.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                              

 On 09-25-00 Lee Ayrton wrote to All... 
 
 LA> I encourage you all to watch for this offering on PBS (in the USofA, 
 LA> I assume that it will make it to the Canadian equivalent).  It is the 
 LA> story of a presentation of Wagner's Ring Cycle, all 17 hours of it, 
 LA> at the San Francisco Opera, as told from back stage.  It gives a 
 LA> wonderful view of backstage life and what it takes to mount such a 
 LA> production, told with wit and grace.  If someone had told me that it 
 LA> was a movie abut 19th Century German Opera I'd have avoided it like 
 LA> plague, so forget I mentioned that part. 
 
 Have to say that this is probably something I would have 
 skipped, so I'll look for it when it comes this way. There is no 
 PBS equivalent in Canada, most of us with cable get a US PBS 
 channel or two (Detroit and Seattle PBS available here). 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                       

 On 09-26-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to Maureen Goldman... 
 
 MG>  I'm under the impression that the films debuting during the 
 MG>  Olympics were expected to be flops in any event, rather than the 
 MG>  Olympics being responsible for their failure. The reasoning was 
 MG>  that they might as well be tossed in at that time rather than 
 MG>  assuring poor box office for more desirable projects. 
 
 RG> And it could be that if the Olympics were a disappointment, the 
 RG> viewers would 
 RG> run screaming to the nearest theater to disengage from the 
 RG> unhappy events.  The Olympics have not been a flop so far 
 RG> and that would seem to explain why the films are suffering. 
 RG>  Not much of a choice, really, given the selection of films 
 RG> to choose from. 
 
 The new film ALMOST FAMOUS is receiving superb reviews, and it 
 didn't get any better box office than the others. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                      

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> As far as i'm concerned, the bigger the screen, the better. I'm lucky
 TW> in Wellington, in that there are two long-time theatres, the
 TW> Paramount and the Embassy, that are restored and are keeping in the
 TW> traditions of the old-movie theatres...seating, atmosphere, interior
 TW> design.

 RN> If ever I come across another theater like the one I saw "2001" in,
 RN> I'll consider it a treasure.  Things change often with technological
 RN> advancements and it must be a burden for the theater owners to keep
 RN> up.

Almost everything is in 35mm now, and they rarely show movies in 70mm. The 
Embassy, thankfully, has been showing films quite often in 70mm.

 RN> The Saenger theater (all these I will refer to are in New
 RN> Orleans) had a simulated starfield ceiling in the viewing room and
 RN> beautiful architecture on the walls and also in the lobbies upstairs
 RN> and downstairs.  That was the place where all of the 20th Century Fox
 RN> films were shown.  The Loews State theater was almost the same (it is
 RN> right across the street from the Saenger), with the exception of the
 RN> starfield ceiling, and MGM films were shown there.  They were quite
 RN> beautiful.

There is a theatre similar to the one you mention in Auckland (the biggest 
city in NZ) called the Civic, which just went through a major restoration and 
only recently reopened. It to, has beautiful architecture - grand staircases, 
big open spaces - and also has an overwhelming dome ceiling with a simulated 
night sky above. It also has, like many old theatres, the classic steep 
sloping rows of seating that go high towards the ceiling. Next time i'm in 
Auckland, i'm making an effort to go.

 RN> A few blocks away, the Orpheum had no architecture, no
 RN> starfield ceiling and showed just about all of the other film
 RN> studios' works not mentioned above, but mainly showed RKO films. The
 RN> Joy, nearer to and on the same side of the street as the Loews State,
 RN> was mainly an outlet for Universal Pictures releases and lacked the
 RN> architectural imagination of the builders of the first two theaters.
 RN> (-:

You still can't beat the grandeur and spectacle of the beautifully built 
theatres...

 TW> General public opinion is almost always different in some ways. I
 TW> don't take any notice of all the masses of award shows they have
 TW> these days, expect for the Oscars, and maybe a few others...

 RN> Last night on TV, TNT (Turner Network Television) showed a tribute to
 RN> Bruce Willis and it was alright for the most part, until the segment
 RN> with Paul Reiser, which I thought was rather lame.  Unfortunately for

Bruce Willis has been around long enough for a tribute? :)

 RN> Bruce, PBS (no ad breaks) showed a docu-drama on Clint Eastwood at
 RN> the same time, so guesswhich one got my attention?  Fortunately for
 RN> Bruce, TNT showed that tribute back-to-back, so I missed nothing.
 RN> The show began, promisingly enough, with Alan Rickman as the first
 RN> "host" and would have been a huge success had he remained the host
 RN> throughout, IMO.

I'd pick the Clint Eastwood one over the Bruse Willis one anyday. I saw a 
similar style tribute show for Dustin Hoffman - he was being presented with 
an award by some association (I think the Screen Actors Guild), and sounded a 
lot like the Bruce Willis one you describe.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                 

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Yes, but you know how fussy some stars can be. I can imagine there
 TW> would be a few big Hollywood stars out there that no matter how much
 TW> they were getting paid, they wouldn't take a role if they had to go
 TW> through hours of makeup each day.

 RN> I wouldn't make it in Hollywood.  I'm a firm believer in being on
 RN> time and would hope that others around me felt the same.  If not...

I don't think Hollywood stars are known for their punctuality...

 TW> [...] I can agree with that. You couldn't imagine bohemian-types
 TW> at the  "sing-a-long", could you? :)

 RN> They'd be refused admittance.  (-:

That's discrimination though! :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                        

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to All ***

 RN> Yet another trivia question:

 RN> This was Tom Cruise's fifth consecutive $100-million-plus film, a new
 RN> record.

Mmmm...I was going to say Misson Impossible 2, but I suspect Cruise has had 
at least five more $100 million + films before this.

Jerry Maguire?

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                                

*** Quoting Ray Geneburn in a message to All ***

 RG> FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief  by Emily Farache  Sep 28, 2000, 6:30
 RG> AM PT

 RG> PLUS-SIZED PAYDAY: Curvaceous former model Anna Nicole Smith awarded
 RG> $449 million, plus punitive damages, from a federal judge in Los
 RG> Angeles Wednesday in a dispute over her late husband's estate. Smith
 RG> had claimed oil tycoon Howard Marshall promised her half of his $1.6
 RG> billion fortune, but his son claimed Smith exploited the elderly man.

Gold digger or true love? Hard to believe it had -nothing- to do with 
money...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                         

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Ray Geneburn ***

 RG> Monday, September 25, 2000: Michael Douglas (56) Catherine Zeta-Jones
 RG> (31)

 AA> And these two are married to each other.  What an incredible age
 AA> disparity at 25 years!

Incredible, maybe, but obviously not uncommon. Take the recent news of the 
marriage between Anna Nicole Smith and her late 80-something year old 
husband. Celine Dion and her husband have a big age difference. Elizabeth 
Taylor...well, her marriages speak for themselves :)

 RG> Heather Locklear (39)  ---> Yummy!

 AA> I concur!   I saw her playing a guest lead in a 20 year old episode
 AA> of Spencer for Hire, when she was just 18 or 19.   Now even at 39,
 AA> she's looking as good as ever.

But how much of that is down to surgery? Consdiering though, 39 isn't 
actually THAT old. Many of the around-40 actresses are all still looking 
youthfull as ever.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                   

Hello All!

NBCi:NBCTV: About Destination Mir

'Destination Mir,' is a gravity-breaking new reality adventure series for
the 2001-02 season on NBC. The Mark Burnett ('Survivor') production will
follow several civilians as they undergo intensive cosmonaut training, in
hopes of winning the chance to blast into space for a visit to the
orbiting space station, Mir.

The series will open introducing viewers to a diverse cast of at least a
dozen civilians training for the mission at Star City, a cosmonaut
training facility located near Moscow. Each week, one participant will be
eliminated from training and will be sent home by officials.

In a dramatic, live event, the finalists will be assembled on the launch
platform. The winner will earn the ultimate adventure ticket as he or she
boards a Soyuz spacecraft that will launch for a trip to the Mir space
station - located hundreds of miles above Earth - followed by a stay
aboard before the return flight home. Viewers will watch as he or she
travels into space and, in the days following the launch, NBC and NBCi.com
will continue coverage and follow his or her journey back to earth.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                

Hello All!

Actor Richard Mulligan, who won Emmys for his portrayals of dads in the sitcoms 
Soap and Empty Nest, has died at age 67 after a long battle with cancer. 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                              

Hello All!

Friday, September 29, 2000: 

 Natasha Gregson Wagner (30) 
 Erika Eleniak (31) 
 Tom Sizemore (36) 
 Robert Benton (68) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
              

Hello All!

GO AHEAD, MAKE HIM PAY: A federal jury began deliberating Thursday over whether 
Clint Eastwood will have to pay for not making his hotel fully accessible to 
people in wheelchairs. Laywers for disabled plaintiff Diane zum Brunnen say 
Eastwood should be penalized for not complying with the Americans with 
Disabilities Act. 

MARK THE DAY: A Manhattan Supreme Court judge set January 2 as the start date 
for the trial of rap star Sean "Puffy" Combs on charges of gun possession and 
bribery stemming from a shooting at a Manhattan nightclub. 
[Ray's note: What year?]


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                              

Hello August!

Sep 28 16:41 00, August Abolins wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 AA> And these two are married to each other.  What an incredible age 
 AA> disparity at 25 years!

But not as great as that of Clint Eastwood and his wife, Dina Ruiz.  I believe 
it's about 35-years.

 RG>>  Heather Locklear (39)  ---> Yummy!

 AA> I concur!   I saw her playing a guest lead in a 20 year old episode 
 AA> of Spencer for Hire, when she was just 18 or 19.   Now even at 39, 
 AA> she's looking as good as ever.

Yeah.  I remember Deborah Harry at that age, too.  Very thin.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                   

Hello Tim!

Sep 29 17:01 00, Tim Wong wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 TW> Gold digger or true love? Hard to believe it had -nothing- to do with 
 TW> money...

I would like to believe that they both entered into that relationship fully 
aware of one another's capabilities, but when someone tells you it isn't about 
the money -- it's about the money.

What's a third of $449M?
  

Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                

Hi Ray Geneburn of 1:3828/7,
In a message to All, on <Thu, 28 Sep 00> you wrote:

 RG> BIG BREAK: Colleen Haskell (Survivor) landing a major role in a
 RG> feature film as the love interest of Rob Schneider in the comedy
 RG> Animal, about a man (Schneider) who receives organ transplants from a
 RG> multitude of animals and slowly finds himself taking on those animal
 RG> traits.

Colleen was the "cute" student in Survivors?   This movie deal must have been 
the right $.   When she was on Letterman, she said that all she cared about was 
going back to school.  I'd like to see her in a movie together with 


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                        

Hi Tim Wong of 3:771/1550,
On <Fri, 29 Sep 00>, you wrote me:

 AA>> ...What an incredible age disparity at 25 years!

 TW> Incredible, maybe, but obviously not uncommon. Take the recent news
 TW> of the marriage between Anna Nicole Smith and her late 80-something 
 TW> year old

I knew about the Nicole-Smith marriage to the 80-yr old a few years ago.  It 
was incredible news then as it is still today.   It really makes no sense 
unless she was really only banking on his early demise and get her clutches on 
his money -- and a few days ago she proved the money part.


 TW> husband. Celine Dion and her husband have a big age difference.
 TW> Elizabeth Taylor...well, her marriages speak for themselves  :)

I have an aunt who has a husband 20 years her senior.  She married him when she 
was 20.  Since about when he turned 70, his health declined rapidly.  SHE on 
the otherhand feels "betrayed" having to constantly take care of him.   A big 
age disparity will only disappoint the "younger" person in the marriage in 
later years as old age starts to take it's toll on the senior person.


Re: Locklear...
 TW> But how much of that is down to surgery? Consdiering though, 39 isn't
 TW> actually THAT old. Many of the around-40 actresses are all still
 TW> looking youthfull as ever.

I wouldn't mind learning if she's bothered with cosmetic surgery at her age.  
My guess is that she has NOT.     That is why I think she's an amazing 
specimen.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                                                              

Hi Maureen Goldman of 1:102/125,
In a message to Lee Ayrton, on <Thu, 28 Sep 00> you wrote:


 MG>  ...There is no
 MG>  PBS equivalent in Canada, most of us with cable get a US PBS
 MG>  channel or two (Detroit and Seattle PBS available here).

Some Canadians (probably the vast minority by now) can get PBS on C-Band, 
large-dish satellite receivers.  I rather enjoyed panning over to the bird that 
featured PBS from time to time.  But now my dish is "stuck" in a half-way 
position and I can't get anything at all.  :(


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                                                                                                  

August Abolins wrote in a message to Ray Geneburn:

 AA> Colleen was the "cute" student in Survivors?  This movie deal must
 AA> have been the right $.  When she was on Letterman, she said that
 AA> all she cared about was going back to school.  I'd like to see her
 AA> in a movie together with  

Hey August!

You lose your train of thought?  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                        

Hi Ray Geneburn of 1:3828/7,
In a message to All, on <Thu, 28 Sep 00> you wrote:

 RG> BIG BREAK: Colleen Haskell (Survivor) landing a major role in a
 RG> feature film as the love interest of Rob Schneider in the comedy
 RG> Animal, about a man (Schneider) who receives organ transplants from a
 RG> multitude of animals and slowly finds himself taking on those animal
 RG> traits.

Colleen was the "cute" student in Survivors?   This movie deal must have been 
the right $.   When she was on Letterman, she said that all she cared about was 
going back to school.  I'd like to see her in a movie together with Drew 
Barrymore.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
        

Hi Ray Geneburn of 1:3828/7,
On <Fri, 29 Sep 00>, you wrote me:

 RG> But not as great as that of Clint Eastwood and his wife, Dina Ruiz.
 RG> I believe it's about 35-years.

What are those people thinking!   At that age disparity it's got to be about 
convenience and money.



..August

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                      

Hello All!

29th September 2000

Will Titans Lift Box Office?

Analysts are forecasting that the Denzel Washington starrer Remember 
the Titans (2000) will rescue the box office from the doldrums it 
has experienced during the month of September. They predict the film 
will earn around $13 million in its debut, not a titanic figure but 
one that would certainly be substantially higher than any other 
movie released during September. (No film earned $10 million or more 
in its opening weekend this month.) The wholesome, feel-good film is 
also expected to blunt some of the daggers being thrown at the movie 
industry by many politicians. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer told USA 
Today, "Politicians are forgetting the movies like Remember the 
Titans (2000) that inspire people." 

Movie Reviews: Remember The Titans

Apparently, Titans is a football movie that can make grown men cry. 
Joel Siegel on Good Morning America estimated that he "burst into 
tears at least 17 times" while watching it. "This movie is what 
football fans my age used to call a triple threat," Siegel 
commented. "Great performances, excellent script and Denzel 
Washington, who manages to imbue the characters he plays with a 
dignity and strength without showing us." A.O. Scott in the New York 
Times also suggests that the film captures the essence of what stirs 
us most about sports. "If Remember the Titans (2000) is corny, it's 
unabashedly, even generously so," he writes, adding that there are 
some scenes that will leave you with "a lump in your throat and an 
overwhelming urge to cheer." Most reviewers, however, are not so 
moved. To Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News, the film is 
nothing more than "processed schmaltz." And while the film is based 
on a true story, Mathews says it "feels as waxed as Madame Tussaud's 
Lassie." Geoff Pevere in the Toronto Star describes it this way: 
"Less a movie than a pep rally for good citizenship." Bob Strauss in 
the Los Angeles Daily News suggests the entire film can be boiled 
down to this formula: "Make speech. Throw ball. Make another speech. 
Win game. Everybody sing golden oldie. Make speech again. Repeat. 
End racism." But Gary Thompson in the Philadelphia Daily News 
apparently anticipated the criticism of his colleagues when he 
wrote: "I wonder if what really rankles some people about Titans is 
the way it flies in the face of the pessimism, separatism, smugness 
that mark so many current discussions of race. In fact, beneath its 
MTV veneer, you may be surprised at what an improbably moving and 
thoughtful movie Titans turns out to be." 

Movie Reviews: Best In Show

According to most critics, Christopher Guest's Best in Show (2000) 
may be the best at the shows this weekend. It's also a film that can 
make grown men cry, it seems. "I was laughing so hard, tears were 
streaming down my cheeks," Lou Lumenick writes in the New York Post. 
Calling the mockumentary "perhaps world cinema's first 
canine-competition exposé," Mike Clark in USA Today observes that 
"the movie ends up belonging to Fred Willard's grrrreat comic turn 
as a woefully miscast sportscaster who applies overblown World 
Series/Super Bowl metaphors to participants on leashes." Kenneth 
Turan in the Los Angeles Times credits the film with having "both 
bark and bite." But Joe Morgenstern concludes that Guest has gone a 
bit over the top with this effort. "Best in Show (2000)," he writes, 
"dotes on its own antics just as its screwball dog fanciers dote on 
their dogs." 

Movie Reviews: Girlfight

Girlfight, another film that will be playing mostly in art houses, 
is receiving knockout reviews -- to go along with its top awards at 
recent film festivals. Rita Kempley in the Washington Post comments 
that the film "packs the same emotional punch as Rocky." Susan 
Wloszczyna in USA Today expresses a few qualms about the film's 
ending, but concludes that the filmmakers "have pulled off a 
coming-of-age tale that truly floats like a butterfly and stings 
like a bee." And Jay Carr in the Boston Globe concludes that "Karyn 
Kusama's Girlfight is a terrific little uppercut of a boxing movie 
and close to a perfect one." 

Nickelodeon Bars Most R- And Pg-13-Rated Films

Viacom's Nickelodeon channel has always enforced a policy of 
refusing commercials for R-rated motion pictures and has accepted 
ads for PG-13 fare on "a case-by-case basis," Dan Martinsen, a 
spokesman for the channel, told today's (Friday) New York Daily 
News. The policy came to light earlier this week when it was 
revealed during a Senate Commerce Committee probe of the movie 
studios' marketing practices that Nickelodeon had resisted pressure 
from Sony's Columbia Pictures to run spots for the PG-13-rated Fifth 
Element, The (1997). Sony President Mel Harris described the effort 
as "a judgment lapse." 

X Date For X-Men Video Release

Twentieth Century Fox said on Thursday that beginning today (Friday) 
consumers can reserve copies of X-Men that they'll be able to take 
home "just in time for the holidays." The DVD version, it indicated, 
will include "extended branching," permitting viewers to see six 
sequences that were not included in the theatrical release. The VHS 
and DVD versions will be priced for sell through -- $22.98 for the 
VHS, $29.98 for the DVD. 

CBS To Beef Up Political Coverage

Apparently responding to growing public criticism of the broadcast 
networks' coverage of the upcoming national elections, CBS said 
Thursday that its owned-and-operated stations in 17 markets will 
begin devoting at least five minutes a day to political news 
starting Oct. 2 -- and continuing through election day on Nov. 7. In 
a statement, Martin Franks, a CBS senior vice president, said: 
"We've done a lot of coverage that we're very proud of. This is an 
attempt on our part to not only enhance that coverage but also give 
it a bit more focus and attention in hopes that the audience will be 
attracted to it." The other major networks are likely to follow 
similarly with expanded political coverage, analysts indicated. 
Ironically, the CBS announcement occurred on the same day that the 
Washington-based Center for Media and Public Affairs released 
results of a study indicating that the average length of a news 
"sound bite" featuring a presidential candidate has dropped to 7.3 
seconds -- down 26 percent since 1988 and 83 percent since 1968. 

Olympics Come-Back?

Although ratings for NBC's coverage of the Olympic Games appeared to 
pull out of Tuesday's nosedive -- when they fell to the lowest level 
since the Mexico City Games in 1968 -- they remained well below 
expectations and below the level promised to advertisers. The 7:30 
p.m.-to-midnight coverage averaged a 13.9 rating and a 24 share, 30 
percent below the figures for the comparable Atlanta coverage in 
1996 and 12 percent below Barcelona in 1992. (The network averaged a 
15.1/24 for the regular 8:00-11:00 primetime hours.) Advertisers 
were guaranteed an average 16.1 rating for the entire two-week 
event. Meanwhile, ABC added an episode of Who Wants to Be a 
Millionaire to the week on Wednesday, scoring a 9.3/15 for a rerun 
with celebrity contestants. It is expected to return to first-runs 
next Wednesday. 

Home Viewers To Co-Host Live With Regis

Five "real person" viewers of Live with Regis have been selected to 
co-host the show with him next week. They were selected from more 
than 10,000 videotapes that were sent to the show's producers, who 
posted the finalists on the show's Web site. Some 300,000 viewers 
selected the winners, according to Live's producers. Josephine 
Pisano, a 69-year-old Long Island winner, told today's (Friday) New 
York Daily News, "I didn't think I'd get looked at. I thought they'd 
be looking for young girls." Stacie Valent, an Iowa 
actress-turned-fitness trainer, described herself as "your ordinary, 
struggling, run-of-the-mill Midwest mom trying to make it, too." 

Springer Getting Make-Over

The Jerry Springer Show will be sporting a new look when it starts 
its 10th season on Monday, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder 
reported today (Friday). Springer himself will be dressed more 
casually, his set has been completely made over, and much of the 
show will originate on location, showing the participants in their 
natural habitats. "Everybody says two things to us," executive 
producer Richard Dominick told Feder. "'Bring back the fights' and 
'I'd love to see how these people live.'" One thing that will not 
change, however, will be the "wackiness" of the guests. "If you're 
looking to save the whales, call Oprah. If you're sleeping with a 
whale, call us." 

Trade Mag Says There Was "Movement" At Strike Talks

"Some movement" in the actors-vs.-advertisers dispute had begun 
before the talks collapsed on Wednesday, the online edition of 
Advertising Age reported Thursday. Without citing sources, the trade 
publication said that SAG and AFTRA, the actors' unions, had agreed 
that a flat-fee could be paid for commercials running on cable and 
that advertisers had "relented" on the issue of paying residuals for 
"some" commercial work for broadcast TV. Ad Age also said that 
advertisers are expecting federal mediators to bring the two sides 
together again in about a month. 

Allen Leaving Microsoft Board

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen said Thursday that he plans to leave 
the board of the software company in order to concentrate on 
expanding his burgeoning cable empire and other businesses. In a 
statement, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates acknowledged that Allen "was 
instrumental in the creation of Microsoft and has played an 
important role in the success" of the company. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                    

Did you ever answer this message of Aug 14 2000 to you?  If you did, I never 
saw your response.

 SH> Maureen Goldman (1:102/125) wrote to Steven Horn at 09:47 on 10 Aug
 SH> 2000: 

 MG>  Let me guess: You saw that one that dealt with witchcraft.  
 MG> Normally JAG episodes are good to excellent, but that episode   was
 MG> just plain poor. 

 SH> Nope.  This was an episode about an assault that took place outside
 SH> a gay bar.  It had wooden characters who acted badly and I
 SH> eventually turned it off. 

 SH> I'll stick to The_Practice and Law_and_Order.

 SH> Take care,

 SH> Steven Horn (shorn@yknet.yk.ca)
 SH> Moderator, ALASKA_CHAT, CAN_SYSLAW and FNOS_HELP 

Take care,

Steven Horn (shorn@yknet.yk.ca)
Moderator, ALASKA_CHAT and CAN_SYSLAW 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: North_of_60ø, Whitehorse, YT, Canada (1:17/67)
                                                   

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Almost everything is in 35mm now, and they rarely show movies in
 TW> 70mm. The Embassy, thankfully, has been showing films quite often
 TW> in 70mm. 

What are they going to do when there are no more 70mm films to show?  Rerun the 
others?

 TW> There is a theatre similar to the one you mention in Auckland (the
 TW> biggest city in NZ) [...]

That sounds just like the two over here and there are many others like them 
scattered all over the US.  I forgot to mention that while the Orpheum was an 
outlet for RKO and other studio releases, it also was an outlet for Warner 
Brothers film.  My favorite was the Saenger because of the ceiling and the 
showing of 20th Century Fox films, which were preceded by that wonderful 
fanfare written by Alfred Newman.

 TW> You still can't beat the grandeur and spectacle of the beautifully
 TW> built theatres...

That's the way I feel about it.  It ALMOST makes the current admission 
palatable.

 TW> I'd pick the Clint Eastwood one over the Bruse Willis one anyday. I
 TW> saw a similar style tribute show for Dustin Hoffman - he was being
 TW> presented with an award by some association (I think the Screen
 TW> Actors Guild), and sounded a lot like the Bruce Willis one you
 TW> describe.

The one for Willis was not to be found on the IMDb, but the one for Eastwood 
was.  They're getting a little sloppy with their listings; an example of which 
would be Rocket's Red Glare, starring Robert Wagner, Ryan Merriman and Marilu 
Henner.  It wasn't there, but should have been even though it obviously was a 
made-for-TV film.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                           

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Jerry Maguire?

Yes!


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                             

*** Quoting Ray Geneburn in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Gold digger or true love? Hard to believe it had -nothing- to do with
 TW> money...

 RG> I would like to believe that they both entered into that relationship
 RG> fully aware of one another's capabilities, but when someone tells you
 RG> it isn't about the money -- it's about the money.

Well, you just have to look at it logically - would she be telling the truth 
if you asked her that there the money factor played ABSOLUTELY no part, big 
or small, if her decision to marry the man, and she said no? Of course, when 
you're with a person who is a mega-billionaire, how does money not come in to 
it? The real question is, did she take advantage of him? Only she knows if 
she did or not...

 RG> What's a third of $449M?

Still a lot of money :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
   

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Tim Wong ***

 AA>> ...What an incredible age disparity at 25 years!

 TW> Incredible, maybe, but obviously not uncommon. Take the recent news
 TW> of the marriage between Anna Nicole Smith and her late 80-something
 TW> year old

 AA> I knew about the Nicole-Smith marriage to the 80-yr old a few years
 AA> ago.  It was incredible news then as it is still today.   It really
 AA> makes no sense unless she was really only banking on his early demise
 AA> and get her clutches on his money -- and a few days ago she proved
 AA> the money part.

From a first glace, she certainly looks like a guilty "gold digger" case, if 
ever I saw one. I guess what really matters is if the man died happy. In 
saying that though, I think he didn't offer any substantial amount of his 
fortune to his wife in his will...perhaps believing she was after his money.

 TW> husband. Celine Dion and her husband have a big age difference.
 TW> Elizabeth Taylor...well, her marriages speak for themselves  :)

 AA> I have an aunt who has a husband 20 years her senior.  She married
 AA> him when she was 20.  Since about when he turned 70, his health
 AA> declined rapidly.  SHE on theotherhand feels "betrayed" having to
 AA> constantly take care of him.   A big age disparity will only
 AA> disappoint the "younger" person in the marriage in later years as old
 AA> age starts to take it's toll on the senior person.

For sure. I think it can also cause problems to an extent if the couple have 
children. Of course, there is also the problem of being left a very young 
widow.

 AA> Re: Locklear...  TW> But how much of that is down to surgery?
 AA> Consdiering though, 39 isn't  TW> actually THAT old. Many of the
 AA> around-40 actresses are all still  TW> looking youthfull as ever.

 AA> I wouldn't mind learning if she's bothered with cosmetic surgery at
 AA> her age.  My guess is that she has NOT.     That is why I think she's
 AA> an amazing specimen.

I would be guessing she hasn't had any surgery on her face - it's usually 
pretty obvious, especially when you compare earlier photos to the present 
day. With Heather, it doesn't look like there has been any alterations. Below 
the neck line is another story...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                     

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Almost everything is in 35mm now, and they rarely show movies in
 TW> 70mm. The Embassy, thankfully, has been showing films quite often in
 TW> 70mm.

 RN> What are they going to do when there are no more 70mm films to show?
 RN> Rerun the others?

They actually mostly rerun older 70mm films - but they have been lucky and 
have been able to get some 70mm prints of more recent films. I think they 
screened Titanic in 70mm when it came out.

 TW> There is a theatre similar to the one you mention in Auckland (the
 TW> biggest city in NZ) [...]

 RN> That sounds just like the two over here and there are many others
 RN> like them scattered all over the US.  I forgot to mention that while
 RN> the Orpheum was an outletfor RKO and other studio releases, it also
 RN> was an outlet for Warner Brothers film.  My favorite was the Saenger
 RN> because of the ceiling and the showing of 20th Century Fox films,
 RN> which were preceded by that wonderful fanfare written by Alfred
 RN> Newman.

What I love about them most is the sheer scale of these theatres - especially 
the way the seating slopes up at a high angle, with the seating at the top 
making those feel like they're 10 floors above everyone else! I recall 
sitting high up at one of these theatres once, and I admit I did feel a 
slight sense of anxiety, as i'm prone to heights. The commerical multi-plexes 
these days are just so...ordinary.

 TW> You still can't beat the grandeur and spectacle of the beautifully
 TW> built theatres...

 RN> That's the way I feel about it.  It ALMOST makes the current
 RN> admission palatable.

Inflation...what would we do without it, eh? :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
      

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

[Trivia question]

 TW> Jerry Maguire?

 RN> Yes!

Wo! It was just a spontanious guess too! I even had doubts that Jerry Maguire 
was a $100 million + movie...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                         

Hello All!

Saturday, September 30, 2000: 

 Angie Dickinson (69) 
 Eric Stoltz (39) 
 Deborah Kerr (79) 
 Jenna Elfman (29) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                       

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Josh Grossberg 
Sep 30, 2000, 9:25 AM PT 

MASTER OF HIS DOMAIN: Eddie McGee, the tough-talking, one-legged New Yorker, 
was voted the winner of CBS' Big Brother Friday night. McGee beat out megaflirt 
Josh Souza to claim the $500,000 prize. 

MORE BOOTLEGS: Just days after the band's 25 double-disc bootleg CDs went on 
sale in stores, Pearl Jam offering up more soundboard recordings from shows on 
both legs of its North American tour. 

TAKE ME HOME: The heirs to John Denver's estate settling a wrongful-death 
lawsuit charging that a faulty fuel valve caused the singer's homemade plane to 
plunge into the ocean off the California coast in October 1997. 

READ MY LIPS: Ringmaster Jerry Springer saying he may make run for office again 
in 2002, although he acknowledged his TV show could wind up costing him votes. 
The former Cincinnati mayor added he would probably go for a federal post, 
given his interest in national issues. 

FIGHTING BACK: Thanks to lobbying from embattled Web music company MP3.com, 
four U.S. Congressmen introducing the Listening Rights Act Monday, a bill that 
would force the recording industry to allow its music to be used by services 
that let fans listen to their CD collections online. 

MAKING HIS DAY: Clint Eastwood does not have to pay damages to a disabled woman 
who claimed his Mission Ranch Inn violated the American with Disabilities Act, 
a jury found Friday. Eastwood, however, was found liable for two minor 
violations regarding access to the hotel office at his property near Carmel. 

TOUGH CROONER: Five-time world boxing champ Oscar De La Hoya showing off his 
soft side with plans to devote himself to music once he retires from the ring 
in two years. This month, the pugilistic hero is releasing a self-titled album 
of love songs and ballads. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                  

RN>  AA> all she cared about was going back to school.  I'd like to see her
RN>  AA> in a movie together with

RN> Hey August!

RN> You lose your train of thought?  (-:

I figured he meant:

 AA> I'd like to see her in a movie together with

 AA> ...August

...until he cleared it up with his next msg.

  * SLMR 2.1a * email: greg_easthom@bandmaster.bc.ca

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
                                                                          

 AA>> I'd like to see her in a movie together with  

 RN> Hey August!
 RN> You lose your train of thought?  (-:

Whoooops!   I can't believe I fort to fill that in.  I deliberately took a 
break in the message because I wanted to look up the name.   I knew a few of 
the movies she was in.   NEXT DAY, I realized that I sent the unfinished 
message.   Duhhh.

Anyway... by now you should see the original intended message.


..August

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
   

Hello All!

Sunday, October 1, 2000: 

 Julie Andrews (65) 
 Stephen Collins (53) 
 Stella Stevens (62) 
 Richard Harris (70) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                      

Hello Tim!

Oct 01 12:45 00, Tim Wong wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 TW> Well, you just have to look at it logically - would she be telling 
 TW> the truth if you asked her that there the money factor played ABSOLUTELY 
 TW> no part, big or small, if her decision to marry the man, and she said no? 

Logic tells me that both knew what they were getting into.  Also, I'm often 
surprised by my thoughts on what I'd do if I had that much money.

 TW> Of course, when you're with a person who is a mega-billionaire, how does 
 TW> money not come in to it? The real question is, did she take advantage of 
 TW> him? Only she knows if she did or not...

That is my point.  It is always about the money.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                

Greg Easthom wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 GE> I figured he meant:

 AA> I'd like to see her in a movie together with

 AA> ...August

 GE> ...until he cleared it up with his next msg.

Which arrived here a full 21 hours later.  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                    

August Abolins wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 AA> [...]
 AA> Anyway... by now you should see the original intended message. 

Yes, I saw it.  Thanks.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                        

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> What I love about them most is the sheer scale of these theatres -
 TW> especially the way the seating slopes up at a high angle, with the
 TW> seating at the top making those feel like they're 10 floors above
 TW> everyone else! I recall sitting high up at one of these theatres
 TW> once, and I admit I did feel a slight sense of anxiety, as i'm
 TW> prone to heights. The commerical multi-plexes these days are just
 TW> so...ordinary.

That's very close to the way the Saenger theater is today.  The last time 
there, some rennovations and restorations were in progress and the work was 
about 50% complete.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                              

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Wo! It was just a spontanious guess too! I even had doubts that
 TW> Jerry Maguire  was a $100 million + movie...

But it did.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                   

Hello All!

Hey!  In case you've all been wondering about Jack, he's fine.  He asked me to 
post this message in the echo, but didn't know I was going to do it quite this 
early. 

Anyway, here's what Jack wanted me to post:

Saturday September 30 12:22 PM EDT
Jury Makes Eastwood's Day 
Fortunately for Clint Eastwood, he won't be unforgiven this time around.
A federal jury cleared the actor-director Friday in a lawsuit filed by a 
disabled woman who claimed Eastwood's Northern California hotel was not 
properly equipped with wheelchair access.
Diane zum Brunnen claimed Eastwood's historic Carmel resort, the Mission 
Ranch Inn, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act because the 
nearest wheelchair-accessible restroom was 200 feet from the hotel's 
restaurant. She also claimed the hotel's wheelchair-accessible room is 
more than twice as expensive as other hotel rooms.
The U.S. District Court jury in San Jose deliberated for four hours before 
saving Eastwood (preemptive groan) a fistful of dollars. The jury did 
point out, however, that Eastwood's hotel should have posted better signs 
pointing disabled patrons to wheelchair-accessible restrooms. He was found 
liable for the violation, as well as for not providing ramp access to the 
hotel office.
But the minor violations weren't enough to sway the jury against the 
squinting former mayor of Carmel--an upscale coastal community where 
Eastwood once owned the historic Hog's Breath Inn and fought strict 
municipal laws like those banning ice cream cones on the sidewalk.
Following the verdict, the star of Unforgiven and Dirty Harry shook hands 
with the jurors and signed a few autographs.
"I think there were too many lies told in court, and I think the jury 
could see through that," Eastwood told the Associated Press. "Once you 
tell a lie and it gets out of control, it's like a runaway train."
Zum Brunnen, a 51-year-old woman who has muscular dystrophy, said she and 
her husband visited Mission Ranch in 1995 and 1996, before suing Eastwood 
in 1997. Aside from her claims that the hotel was not in compliance with 
the Americans with Disabilities Act, she said the only 
wheelchair-accessible room cost $225 a night--compared to $85 for some 
other rooms.
Her lawyer, John Burris, urged jurors not to give Eastwood a break because 
of his celebrity, and during the trial, even resorted to the ol' "fistful 
of dollars" clich‚ (as in, he neglected to spend said "fistful" to make 
his hotel ADA compliant). "Mr. Eastwood is a very special man, no question 
about it," Burris said. "I believe he thinks as a matter of principle he 
is entitled to special consideration from you."
Eastwood countered by saying that if they were truly interested in ADA 
compliance--and not just the money--they would have told him about the 
problems before suing him. (Zum Brunnen claimed she sent to letters in 
1995 to complain.)
The 70-year-old legend bought the Mission Ranch Inn--a former dairy farm 
dating back to the 1850s--in 1987 for more than $4 million. Eastwood 
testified that he tried to ensure disabled access without harming its 
historical character. "Because it is an old place, we had a certain 
obligation to the heritage of the antique value, not just the ADA," 
Eastwood testified.
He also said Monterey County planning officials okayed the renovation 
plans. "I'm not against the ADA--I want to make that clear," he added 
Friday. "But the small business person cannot be an expert in the ADA and 
state laws, especially if the planning department says, 'Okay, go ahead.'" 
As in "Go ahead, make my day?"


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
       

*** Quoting Ray Geneburn in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Well, you just have to look at it logically - would she be telling
 TW> the truth if you asked her that there the money factor played ABSOLUTELY
 TW> no part, big or small, if her decision to marry the man, and she
 TW> said no?

 RG> Logic tells me that both knew what they were getting into.  Also, I'm
 RG> often surprised by my thoughts on what I'd do if I had that much
 RG> money.

Pay off your debts, buy things for your family and friends, get a new 
house...the usual :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                    

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> What I love about them most is the sheer scale of these theatres -
 TW> especially the way the seating slopes up at a high angle, with the
 TW> seating at the top making those feel like they're 10 floors above
 TW> everyone else! I recall sitting high up at one of these theatres
 TW> once, and I admit I did feel a slight sense of anxiety, as i'm prone
 TW> to heights. The commerical multi-plexes these days are just
 TW> so...ordinary.

 RN> That's very close to the way the Saenger theater is today.  The last
 RN> time there, some rennovations and restorations were in progress and
 RN> the work was about 50% complete.

Restoration of these nostaligic theatres is good. They should be kept alive 
and not torn down for some flashy post-modernist apartment buildings...

Speaking of old theatres, I saw a charming little film called The Smallest 
Show on Earth the other day - it had Peter Sellers in a supporting role. It 
was about this couple who inherit a run down old cinema called the "Bijou", 
and try to play "hard to get" to a big shot who wants to tear it down so he 
can build parking spaces for his huge, modern cinema across the road called 
the "Grand", hoping to sell it to him for a big price. However, the big shot 
finds out they're bluffing, and ends up offering them nothing. So the couple, 
and the three old residents of the old theatre decide to revive the place, 
and end up running this run down, but sentimental old theatre.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                    

Hello Ray!

25 Sep 00 16:19, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> CRIME STORIES: Law & Order creator-producer Dick Wolf in talks with 
 RG> Time Inc. to launch a crime-story monthly magazine bearing the name 
 RG> of his long-running popular TV series, the New York Post reports. 

Heh.  And so the circle closes, since L & O has always been a "Ripped from
the headlines" kind of show anyway.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                         

Hello Ray!

26 Sep 00 10:41, Ray Geneburn wrote to Maureen Goldman:


 RG> Sep 24 13:08 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>>  Kind of difficult not to. Spoiler spaces, please, gentlemen. 

 RG> Lee has been hanging out in another echo for too long.  :-)

Oh, _that_ one.  The spoilers there are spoiled fruit being flung about.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                         

Hello Ray!

26 Sep 00 15:37, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> The Exorcist Scares Up A Bundle

 RG> Had the reissue of Warner Bros.' Exorcist, The (1973) been given a 
 RG> wider release over the weekend, it would have trounced its 
 RG> competition, final box-office figures suggested Monday. Released on 
 RG> only 664 screens, the 1973 horror classic took in $8.2 million, just 
 RG> $300,000 less than the top grosser, Sony's Urban Legends: Final Cut, 

Has anyone seen the reissue of THE EXORCIST?  I've heard it rumored that
they included a different, cheesy ending.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                 

Hello Tim!

27 Sep 00 15:04, Tim Wong wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 LA>>> Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within the Matrix
 LA>>> in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a cell phone
 LA>>> do as well?

 AA>> The hardwire was the only assurance that there was a connection to
 AA>> "reality".  ???

 LA>> Except the hard-wired phone was VR as well and hence illusionary.
 LA>> The hard-wired phones seem to obey special rules within the Matrix,
 LA>> but there was no reasonfor them to be there.  Kinda like putting
 LA>> your prisoners in an escape-proof cell, one with a big picture
 LA>> window and a coil of rope.  Lazy writing.

 TW> I'm not sure. I seem to recall a scene where Keanu Reeve's character 
 TW> snatches a cellphone off a passer-by, and uses it to jump back out 
 TW> of the matrix. 

Yabbut... Wasn't Reeve's character "special" in some way?  A sort of 
watered-down cyberpunk messiah?


 TW> I think phone booths provided a more reliable source, simple because 
 TW> they knew where they could find them.

Hmmm.  I don't remember if they knew where all the hard-wired phones
were or not, only that all of them were "retro" in one way or another.
Whether that was simply an art-direction decision or if the director
was trying for some sort of visual theme I couldn't say.
 


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                                    

Hello Tim!

27 Sep 00 15:07, Tim Wong wrote to Lee Ayrton:


 TW> I myself don't believe in cellphones, and see them as more 
 TW> trouble than they're worth. 

I have one now, I foun that I _had_ to have one for business.  It paid
for itself the first week I had it, in that I could call a client back
right away and land a week-long project.


 TW> I think theatres should take a stronger stance on 
 TW> cellphones - they should be regarded in the same league as "no 
 TW> smoking".

Confiscate `em at the door, I sez.  Capital punishment for those that
talk during the movie.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                         

Hello Ray!

27 Sep 00 14:23, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> Wednesday, September 27, 2000: 

 RG>  Wilford Brimley (66) 

Is that all?  Gawd, he looks two decades older.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                                  

Hello Roger!

29 Sep 00 05:47, Roger Nelson wrote to All:

 RN> NBCi:NBCTV: About Destination Mir

 RN> 'Destination Mir,' is a gravity-breaking new reality adventure series 
 RN> for the 2001-02 season on NBC. The Mark Burnett ('Survivor') production 

I haven't seen Ward Dossche eating his hat yet.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                               

Hello Ray!

29 Sep 00 09:41, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> GO AHEAD, MAKE HIM PAY: A federal jury began deliberating Thursday 
 RG> over whether Clint Eastwood will have to pay for not making his hotel 
 RG> fully accessible to people in wheelchairs. Laywers for disabled 
 RG> plaintiff Diane zum Brunnen say Eastwood should be penalized for not 
 RG> complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

The jury found Clint not liable.  Clint claimed that the plaintiff 
was simply golddigging (she'd already eaten there, the complaint
centered on her having to use a rest-room in a building some 200'
from the dining room), the plaintiff claimed that Clint used his
celiberty to get off the hook.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                             

Hello August!

29 Sep 00 15:24, August Abolins wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 AA> On <Fri, 29 Sep 00>, you wrote me:

 RG>> But not as great as that of Clint Eastwood and his wife, Dina Ruiz.
 RG>> I believe it's about 35-years.

 AA> What are those people thinking!   At that age disparity it's got to 
 AA> be about convenience and money.

There's an 18- year difference between The Lovely Mara and I.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                

Hello Roger!

30 Sep 00 07:54, Roger Nelson wrote to Tim Wong:

 RN> Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW>> Almost everything is in 35mm now, and they rarely show movies in
 TW>> 70mm. The Embassy, thankfully, has been showing films quite often
 TW>> in 70mm. 

 RN> What are they going to do when there are no more 70mm films to show?  
 RN> Rerun the others?

Almost no shows have 70mm release prints struck these days, except 
perhaps prints for opening events.  The next thing will be digital 
distribution anyway.  It's in the wings, it is just a matter of who
will bear the cost of theatre conversion. 


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                

Hello Tim!

Oct 02 15:22 00, Tim Wong wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 TW> Pay off your debts, buy things for your family and friends, get a new 
 TW> house...the usual :)

My own plane...


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                

Hello All!

Monday, October 2, 2000: 

 Rex Reed (62) 
 Sting (49) 
 Lorraine Bracco (45) 
 Donna Karan (52) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                       

Hello All!

2nd October 2000

Olympics? What Olympics?

Suggesting that studio execs may have badly overestimated the 
stay-at-home force of the televised Olympic Games, Denzel 
Washington's Remember the Titans (2000) opened with a 
far-better-than-expected $21.2 million -- making it the best opening 
in Washington's career. The Disney football drama, directed 
primarily at males, earned a resounding $11,400 per screen. On the 
other hand, Sally Field's Beautiful, aimed at women, tanked in its 
opening with $1.4 million, earning a not-so-beautiful $646 per 
screen to tie it with the long-running Space Cowboys (2000) for 
tenth place. Meanwhile, the restored and reedited Exorcist, The 
(1973), expanding onto 1,150 screens, remained in second place with 
$7.4 million, representing $6,400 per screen, off just nine percent 
from last week. However, like most teen horror flicks, Urban 
Legends: Final Cut, last week's leader, plummeted in its second week 
to fourth place with $4.7 million, a 45-percent drop. DreamWorks' 
Almost Famous remained in third place with $5.6 million as it 
expanded into 1,635 sites. 

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations:

1. Remember the Titans (2000),$21.2 million;
2. Exorcist, The (1973), $7.4 million;
3. Almost Famous, $5.6 million;
4. Urban Legends: Final Cut, $4.7 million;
5. Bring It On, $2.9 million;
6. The Watcher, $2.3 million;
7. Nurse Betty, $2.1 million;
8. (tie). Bait, $1.7 million;
8. (tie). What Lies Beneath (2000), $1.7 million;
10. (tie). Beautiful, $1.4 million;
10. (tie). Space Cowboys (2000), $1.4 million.

Hollywood Eyes Napster Appeal
[Ray's note: Interesting comments from Valenti, given what Hollywood puts out.]

Arguments begin in a federal appeals court in San Francisco today 
over a judge's ruling last month declaring Napster, the Internet 
company that allowed users to trade music online, illegal. Asked 
about the implications of the appellate court's ruling for the movie 
industry, MPAA chief Jack Valenti told the online Inside magazine in 
today's issue: "If this court says that Napster is legitimate it 
would be a terrifying blow. I can't believe they will do that." 

Dreamworks Planning Second, 3-D Release Of Shrek

DreamWorks was so impressed with the 3-D technology used for the 
45-minute Imax film CyberWorld, set to open on Friday, that it is 
now planning a 3-D re-release of its next computer animated film 
Shrek in late 2001, the New York Post reported today (Monday). Shrek 
is being produced with Pacific Data Images (PDI), the same company 
that turned out 1998's DreamWorks release Antz. For CyberWorld, 
co-producers Hugh Murray and Steve Hoban have reportedly reworked 
eight existing 2-D shorts and videos, "stereoscopically translating" 
them into 3-D. They include a clip from The Simpsons and a Pet Shop 
Boys video. 

Panic In Hollywood?

In a front-page article, the New York Times reported Sunday that 
"Hollywood is in a panic mode" as it braces for a possible strike by 
writers and actors next year. Producer Scott Rudin, whose films 
include Truman Show, The (1998), South Park (1999), Angela's Ashes 
(1999), Rules of Engagement (1999), and Shaft (2000), told the 
Times: "Everyone's working under a [strike] deadline. ... If you 
think you'll be shooting in June or July, you're in a state of 
diminished mental capacity." Nevertheless, Screen Actors Guild 
president William Daniels was quoted as saying, "I just wish people 
would stop talking about a strike. We haven't even started 
negotiations. Let's not panic." Meanwhile, the SAG/AFTRA strike 
against advertisers entered its 155th day today making it the 
longest in the industry's history. 

Movie FX Blast Blows Out Windows In Hamburg

A special effects explosion, intended to blow up a few crates, wound 
up blowing out the windows of at least 50 shops and houses in 
Hamburg, Germany, the online British entertainment publication 
Ananova reported today (Monday). A spokesman for the film crew was 
quoted as saying, "At least we got it all on film -- it was really 
spectacular." Ananova said that experts had underestimated the force 
of the blast. It did not give the name of the film company, the name 
of the movie, or the date when the explosion occurred. 

Man On Crutches Beats Olympic Athletes

More people aged 18-49 tuned in to watch Eddie McGee, the disabled 
University of Texas student, win the Big Brother contest than to 
watch the contests in Sydney Friday night, according to Nielsen 
Research. The numbers were not much to crow about, however. The Big 
Brother finale pulled a 4.7 rating and a 17 share in the 18-49 demo 
vs. the Olympics' 4.3/15 in the same time period. (In total viewers, 
the Olympics telecast was the clear winner with a 10.6/20 to 
Brother's 7.2/13.) However, the Big Brother win in younger adults 
was somewhat remarkable given the lack of excitement evident on the 
closing show. Eddie, who weakly fought a walkout move by fellow 
contestants last month and delivered some less-than-impassioned 
orations on behalf of the disabled (he lost a leg to cancer) during 
the course of the series, clearly lacked the charismatic qualities 
that characterized most of the cast of CBS's hit reality series, 
Survivor, during the summer. Some suggested it was a win by default. 
Although it has not officially announced that it will present a 
second Big Brother series, CBS has begun soliciting contestants for 
a sequel on its Web site (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/bigbrother/). 
Saturday's ratings for the Olympics improved slightly, as the games 
turned in a 12.9/23 during primetime and a 12.2/22 between 7:30 p.m. 
and midnight. Sunday's final-events and closing-ceremonies ratings, 
which were not available at our deadline, were expected to fall 
somewhat lower. If they do, the two weeks of telecasts could average 
less than a 14.0, far short of the 16.1 rating that NBC guaranteed 
advertisers and well behind the 17.5 that it had been expecting. 
There seemed little doubt that the figures would wind up producing 
the worst ratings since Mexico City in 1968 and possibly the worst 
in history. 

Baseball Or Debates? NBC Stations To Decide

Criticized for its decision to carry post-season baseball games in 
place of the presidential debates, NBC said over the weekend that it 
will transmit two separate feeds -- baseball and the debates -- and 
let individual stations decide which one to air. (FCC Commissioner 
Susan Ness joined the critics on Friday, commenting "Surely 
television networks and their owned-and-operated stations can forgo 
profits from entertainment programming for an hour and a half to 
allow their viewers to see the leading candidates for our nation's 
top office debate the critical issues of the day.") A spokesman for 
Hearst-Argyle TV, which owns NBC affiliates in Orlando, Baltimore 
and Cincinnati, immediately announced that the company plans to 
carry the debates and not baseball. NBC's owned station in 
Washington D.C., WRC, also said that it would opt out of baseball 
coverage. NBC-owned stations and affiliates on the West Coast are 
expected to air the games live (they are scheduled to begin at 5:00 
p.m.) and the debates via tape-delay in primetime (barring any 
marathon extra-inning contests). Under NBC's contract with Major 
League Baseball, the network must attempt to find another station to 
carry the playoff games when they are preempted in any market. 

Report: Dr. Laura Planted Researcher On Her Show
[Ray's note: Gee, what a surprise!]

Laura Schlessinger "planted" a member of her own research staff on 
her TV show that aired on Sept. 25th and 26th without identifying 
her as such, New York Post TV columnist Michael Starr reported 
today. At the end of the first show, Schlessinger told the 
researcher, San-D Cuchac, "I'm really honored you have the courage 
to come here today."

Kiddie Porn Report Leads To Exit Of Rome News Director

Gad Lerner, news director of Rome's state-owned TV station RAI-Uno, 
resigned Sunday following an uproar over the inclusion of graphic 
kiddie-porn images in a report Wednesday night about the arrest of 
11 alleged members of a porn ring. Lerner said, in effect, that 
while he had not been aware of what was to air on the news that 
night, he should have been. He had taken the job just three months 
ago. The telecast touched off criticism from Italian notables 
ranging from the president and prime minister to top officials of 
the Vatican. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
      

LA>20 Sep 00 22:35, Paul Cote wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 LA>> Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within
LA>the Matrix
 LA>> in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a
LA>cell phone
 LA>> do as well?

 PC> Let's see if I can be as clear and concise I can be without
LA>being a
 PC> general bastard about it...

 PC> It's a *MOVIE*. *MOVIES* aren't real. *MOVIES* have their
LA>own logic.

LA>Yes, Paul.  I know.  I help *make* them.  I'm looking at a check
LA>stub from MGM right now.

LA>Stories have their own internal logic, but the thing I cited
LA>above is
LA>simply lazy writing.




LA>Regards,
LA>Lee


Okay, first off, what movies have you been involved in?


Secondly, the cellphones were their personal links to each other whilst the 
hardwired phones were the nodes that served as access in and out of the Matrix.

That answer your question?

--- Ezycom V1.48g0 01fd0192
 * Origin: Milky Way, Langley, BC [604] 532-4367 (1:153/307)
                                                        

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Ray Geneburn ***

 RG> The Exorcist Scares Up A Bundle

 RG> Had the reissue of Warner Bros.' Exorcist, The (1973) been given a
 RG> wider release over the weekend, it would have trounced its
 RG> competition, final box-office figures suggested Monday. Released on
 RG> only 664 screens, the 1973 horror classic took in $8.2 million, just
 RG> $300,000 less than the top grosser, Sony's Urban Legends: Final Cut,

 LA> Has anyone seen the reissue of THE EXORCIST?  I've heard it rumored
 LA> that they included a different, cheesy ending.

I assumed it was just extra scenes and a bit of re-editing, but no different 
ending...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                     

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Tim Wong ***

 LA>>> Why was it necessary to get to a hard-wired phone within the Matrix
 LA>>> in order to get out of it?  If it was all VR, wouldn't a cell phone
 LA>>> do as well?

 TW> I'm not sure. I seem to recall a scene where Keanu Reeve's character
 TW> snatches a cellphone off a passer-by, and uses it to jump back out
 TW> of the matrix.

 LA> Yabbut... Wasn't Reeve's character "special" in some way?  A sort of
 LA> watered-down cyberpunk messiah?

He was the "chosen one". Had the abilty to take all the matrix-like powers to 
a new level, so he was able to defeat those sunglass, brown suit wearing 
"security guards", that patrolled the matrix for trouble makers like Reeve's 
and his associates. I guess he would considered as a "virus"...

 TW> I think phone booths provided a more reliable source, simple because
 TW> they knew where they could find them.

 LA> Hmmm.  I don't remember if they knew where all the hard-wired phones
 LA> were or not, only that all of them were "retro" in one way or
 LA> another. Whether that was simply an art-direction decision or if the
 LA> director was trying for some sort of visual theme I couldn't say.

Probably just an aesthetic decision. In saying that though, the whole matrix 
city overall looked generally very plain and stark to me. Did seem to be a 
lack of apparent technology in the matrix world.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                  

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I myself don't believe in cellphones, and see them as more  trouble
 TW> than they're worth.

 LA> I have one now, I foun that I _had_ to have one for business.  It
 LA> paid for itself the first week I had it, in that I could call a
 LA> client back right away and land a week-long project.

I'd make the exception if they were for business. As for having them for 
simply pleasure, then I stay well away. Sometimes, you need to remove 
yourself away from the attachment of the phone, and have time to yourself, or 
at least time with people face to face. Cellphones certainly restrict that.

 TW> I think theatres should take a stronger stance on  cellphones
 TW> - they should be regarded in the same league as "no  smoking".

 LA> Confiscate `em at the door, I sez.  Capital punishment for those that
 LA> talk during the movie.

...all that's needed is a law to be passed...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
      

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Roger Nelson ***

 TW>> Almost everything is in 35mm now, and they rarely show movies in
 TW>> 70mm. The Embassy, thankfully, has been showing films quite often in
 TW>> 70mm.

 RN> What are they going to do when there are no more 70mm films to show?
 RN> Rerun the others?

 LA> Almost no shows have 70mm release prints struck these days, except
 LA> perhaps prints for opening events.  The next thing will be digital
 LA> distribution anyway.  It's in the wings, it is just a matter of who
 LA> will bear the cost of theatre conversion.

The last recent print I can remember that the Embassy screened was Titanic. 
Other than that, any other 70mm screenings are of older films.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                 

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Restoration of these nostaligic theatres is good. They should be
 TW> kept alive and not torn down for some flashy post-modernist
 TW> apartment buildings... 

Yes, but it's an uphill battle because of the competition from the suburban 
houses.  Some of them closed is suburbia recently, however.  Too much 
competition from the big chains.

 TW> Speaking of old theatres, I saw a charming little film called The
 TW> Smallest Show on Earth the other day - it had Peter Sellers in a
 TW> supporting role. [...]

I really miss him.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                 

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 RN> 'Destination Mir,' is a gravity-breaking new reality adventure series 
 RN> for the 2001-02 season on NBC. The Mark Burnett ('Survivor') production 

 LA> I haven't seen Ward Dossche eating his hat yet.

You're not going to get him to admit anything, which includes hat-eating and 
is one of the reasons why I withdrew my support for him as IC.  Of course, I 
don't have a vote in that regard, but I tell you the truth, I gave my RC an 
earful.  Fidonet doesn't need guys at the helm who are less than honest.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                    

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 LA> Almost no shows have 70mm release prints struck these days, except 
 LA> perhaps prints for opening events.  The next thing will be digital 
 LA> distribution anyway.  It's in the wings, it is just a matter of who
 LA> will bear the cost of theatre conversion. 

Lucas seems enamored with it.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                             

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> Has anyone seen the reissue of THE EXORCIST?  I've heard it rumored
 LA> that they included a different, cheesy ending.

Did you miss this review?:

=== Cut ===
Movie Reviews: The Exorcist

Critics are all over the map debating the wisdom of issuing a
"directors cut" version of Exorcist, The (1973), being touted in ads
as "A Version You've Never Seen." The film is 11 minutes longer than
the original "and 11 minutes worse," comments Stephen Hunter in the
Washington Post. Hunter argues that in its original release the film
was "scarier, more intense, more disturbing, more haunting," than
the current version. Glenn Whipp in the Los Angeles Daily News,
while quarreling with some of the new editing, comments that the
digitally remastered soundtrack is "a revelation." Geoff Pevere in
the Toronto Star takes a position between the two sides. "The
Exorcist is not improved [with the additional footage]," he writes,
"but it is not considerably hurt either."
=== Cut ===


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                     

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Tim Wong:

 LA> I have one now, I foun that I _had_ to have one for business.  It
 LA> paid for itself the first week I had it, in that I could call a
 LA> client back right away and land a week-long project.

Mayhaps Tim sees them in the same light as I do.  There isn't a time when I've 
gone to the market where I didn't see one or more people walking around placing 
items in their cart, all the while talking on their cell phones.  But it's the 
people who drive around in their vehicles that get my attention.  Short periods 
of time on the road with one of those things stuck to your ear is fine, but not 
for extended periods of time which I see every time I'm on the road heading out 
of town.

 LA> Confiscate `em at the door, I sez.  Capital punishment for those
 LA> that talk during the movie.

Robert Newton mode on-->

Make 'em walk the plank!  Arrrh!

Robert Newton mode off<--


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                        

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Lee Ayrton:

 TW> He was the "chosen one". 

Maybe that flick was a sequel to his ground-breaking role in Johnny Mnemonic.


Regards,

Roger  (-:
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                         

Hello All!

Tuesday, October 3, 2000: 

 Hart Bochner (44) 
 Lindsey Buckingham (51) 
 Jack Wagner (41) 
 Neve Campbell (27) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                         

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Joshua Grossberg 
Oct 3, 2000, 8:25 AM PT 

DIVE! Harrison Ford in talks to play a Russian submarine captain in K-19, a 
contemporary drama about a crew's attempt to keep the payload on their vessel 
from total nuclear meltdown. 

IMAGINE: An inmate advocacy group saying "there's absolutely no chance" John 
Lennon's killer Mark David Chapman would be released at his first parole 
meeting today. Chapman is serving a 20 years-to-life term in New York's Attica 
prison. 

BEATLE FOR SALE: Just a week after what would have been Lennon's 60th birthday, 
Yoko Ono announcing the auction of the famous white "Imagine" piano. It's 
expected to sell for around $2.20 million. 

BLUES TO BE THERE: Ray Charles celebrating his 70th birthday Monday with a West 
Hollywood fundraiser thrown by the Blues Foundation and featuring Willie 
Nelson, Billy Preston and Quincy Jones, who handed him a lifetime achievement 
award. 

CAVING IN: After catching flak from the FCC and editorial writers for opting to 
premiere James Cameron's Dark Angel instead of telecasting tonight's first 
presidential debates live, Fox says it will carry the debate on a tape-delayed 
basis on Fox-owned outlets as well as offer prime-time airtime to both 
presidential candidates. 

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT: Actor-activist Martin Sheen, who plays the President on 
The West Wing, filming a commercial for Handgun Control Inc. attacking 
presidential candidate George W. Bush's gun control record. 

FLYING SOLO: Meanwhile Bush, who turned down David Letterman's offer to debate 
rival Al Gore on The Late Show, will appear solo on the CBS show October 19. 

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO: Anna Nicole Smith weeping during opening arguments as 
her attorney told a Texas jury she was not a "gold digger" taking advantage of 
a sick, old man. The former Playboy pinup is suing for half of her late 
husband's billion-dollar estate. 

COPYCAT: British pop idol Robbie Williams losing a High Court copyright battle 
Monday over a track on his top-selling album I've Been Expecting You. The 
justices ruled the tune rips off Woody Guthrie's 1961 song, "I Am the Way." 

CAUSE AND EFFECT: The Indigo Girls, Bonnie Rait and Joan Baez performed in the 
background at a high school gymnasium on the Blackfeet Indian reservation as 
members registered to vote. The artists are part of a tour to promote voting 
among American Indians and draw attention to environmental issues. 

LOSING THEIR VIRGINITY: EMI Group offering to sell Virgin Records in an effort 
to salvage its merger with media giant Time Warner. The music giant hopes the 
move will allow the merger to overcome European Commission objections. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                               

Hello All!

3rd October 2000

A Memorable Debut For Titans

Disney's debut of Remember the Titans (2000) appeared to lift the 
box office out of a month-long slump, scoring well with audiences in 
all demographic groups and earning $20.1 million in ticket sales, 
according to final figures released by Exhibitor Relations Monday. 
Warner Bros.' reissue of Exorcist, The (1973) also fared well in its 
second week, taking in $7.2 million, while the critically praised 
Almost Famous remained in third place with $5.6 million. Although 
ticket sales for the top 12 films over the weekend were 
significantly higher than those for any weekend since Labor Day, the 
total of $53.7 million was 32 percent below the comparable weekend a 
year ago. 

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent 
total gross to date):

1. Remember the Titans (2000), Disney, $20,905,831, (New);
2. Exorcist, The (1973), Warner Bros., $7,205,523, ($17,671,975);
3. Almost Famous, DreamWorks, $5,570,441, ($17,833,970);
4. Urban Legends: Final Cut, Sony, $4,406,105, ($14,678,251);
5. Bring It On, Universal, $3,008,525, ($59,696,570);
6. The Watcher, Universal, $2,280,260, ($26,009,895);
7. Nurse Betty, USA, $2,072,981, ($21,003,845);
8. Bait, Warner Bros., $1,731,888, ($13,244,329);
9. What Lies Beneath (2000), DreamWorks, $1,644,746, ($150,596,856);
10. Beautiful, Destination, $1,409,433, (New).

Opening in limited release, Christopher Guest's Best in Show
(2000) took in $413,435 in only 13 theaters, a howling $31,803 
per-theater average. The film festival favorite Girlfight earned 
$197,904 on just 28 screens, for an average of $7,068 per screen. 

Chicago Pulls Plug On Two Movie Houses

Chicago officials closed four Chicago megaplexes owned by Meridian 
Entertainment Group for two days last week after the company had 
failed to pay nearly $300,000 in city taxes, the Chicago Tribune 
reported today (Tuesday). The newspaper indicated that the closures 
are emblematic of the financial chaos that has stricken exhibitors 
in the city -- and in the rest of the nation. The problem, film 
industry consultant David Sikich told the Trib, is that "there 
haven't been any movies with legs, and there are more and more 
screens too close to each other." Sikich, too, indicated that the 
problem is not limited to Chicago. "Every theater chain in the 
country is bleeding," he remarked. "I've never seen it so bad." 

Billy Elliot: The Next Full Monty?

The U.K. film Billy Elliot, which opened to strong critical praise, 
earned $2.4 million at the British box office over the weekend, with 
sales rising day to day on terrific word-of-mouth, the BBC reported 
Monday. Producer John Finn expressed surprise at the results. "The 
success is great, ridiculous because we never expected anything like 
that. ... This is a story about a kid who wants to be a ballet 
dancer, set against the miners' strike. We did not know who it would 
appeal to." The film opened in second place, just $150,000 below the 
U.S. sci-fi hit Hollow Man, The (2000). 

Napster Case May Not Be Cut And Dried

Although a federal appeals court was widely expected to put Napster, 
the Internet site that enables users to swap music online, out of 
business, two of the judges on the panel on Friday put pointed 
questions to lawyers for the recording industry that suggested that 
the ruling may not go as anticipated. As reported by today's 
(Tuesday) New York Times, at one point Judge Robert Beezer asked a 
lawyer for the recording industry whether Napster had the 
responsibility for policing the actions of its users. "How is 
Napster expected to have knowledge of what's going on in someone's 
computer in Hackensack, NJ?" he asked. The lawyer replied that 
Napster's entire purpose was to "create, implement and supervise" a 
system aimed at copyright infringement. Another Judge, Mary 
Schroeder, who had written an opinion holding that operators of a 
swap meet could be held liable if individual vendors sell 
copyrighted material, said that Napster could not be compared with 
the swap meet, because a swap-meet operator could "control what was 
going on on the premises." The movie industry, which is concerned 
about video versions of Napster, is keeping a particularly close 
watch on the case.

Veteran Character Actress Doran Dies At Age 89

Ann Doran, who appeared in hundreds of movies and TV shows during 
her career, died last Sept. 19 at the age of 89, the New York Times 
reported today (Tuesday). The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) lists 
237 film credits for Doran and 36 "notable TV appearances." 

CORRECTION: The per-theater average gross for Beautiful over the 
weekend was $2,182. The amount indicated in Monday's edition was 
incorrect.

Cheers Stars Win A Round

George Wendt and John Ratzenberger, who played Norm and Cliff on 
Cheers, will have their day before the bar as a result of a decision 
by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to let stand an appellate court 
ruling reinstating their lawsuit against Paramount. At issue is the 
use of two talking robots in a chain of Cheers airport bars. Wendt 
and Ratzenberger claim that the robots commercially exploited their 
likenesses without their permission. Paramount claims that the 
robots, named "Bob" and "Hank," do not resemble the actors.

Olympics Finish Down Under

Preliminary ratings results for the Summer Olympics confirmed Monday 
that NBC's two-week coverage produced the smallest audience in more 
than 30 years. The average household rating of 13.8 is the lowest 
since the Mexico City Games in 1968 garnered a 13.5. It compares 
with a 21.6 average for the Atlanta Games four years ago and a 17.1 
for the Barcelona Games four years earlier. Attempting to put the 
best face possible on the results, NBC Sports' Dick Ebersol said in 
a statement Monday: "We live in a changing television landscape, yet 
the Olympics remain the strongest television franchise in the U.S. 
and the world." Analysts estimated that NBC was forced to give away 
36 minutes of "make goods" -- free primetime ads -- to advertisers 
during the last 12 days of the Games in order to offset the ratings 
shortfall. The Olympics took a particularly hard pounding on closing 
night Sunday when they fell behind Fox's coverage of the Washington 
Redskins-Tampa Bay Buccaneers Game, which ran into overtime, and 
CBS's 60 Minutes.

SAG Chief Says Deal Was Close

In a letter to members of the Screen Actors Guild Monday, SAG 
President William Daniels indicated that strike talks with 
advertisers broke down last Wednesday after signs that an agreement 
might have been in the works. "I cannot tell you how close we felt 
we came to making a deal only to be rebuffed once again by the major 
corporations," Daniels said in the letter. After outlining some of 
the compromises SAG and AFTRA had been willing to make to the ad 
producers, Daniels wrote, "As we made efforts to move closer and 
closer to their goals, they kept moving the bar further and further 
away." Meanwhile, the advertising industry has charged SAG and AFTRA 
with violating the National Labor Relations Act by coercing members 
to take part in the strike. It claimed, among other things, that the 
unions have been secretly photographing actors working at commercial 
film locations.

Chicago's No-Frills Newscast May Be On Last Legs

Chicago's no-frills 10:00 p.m. newscast on CBS-owned WBBM-TV 
featuring veteran anchor Carol Marin appeared closer to extinction 
Monday as it was reported that assistant news director Danice Kern 
had resigned. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder commented 
that "the handwriting on the wall ... became clearer and more 
ominous" for the newscast following the resignation, which came 
after other management changes had shaken the station over the past 
two months. News Director Craig Hume insisted however that "we're 
not looking to make wholesale changes [in the newscast] before we 
completely analyze what it is that we have and what we think we can 
do."

In This Corner The WWF; In That Corner, The WMA

Describing itself as "a neophyte in dealing with Hollywood agents," 
the World Wrestling Federation on Monday filed papers in federal 
court in New York seeking to nullify its contract with the William 
Morris Agency. The lawsuit accused WMA of trying to trick it into 
giving away "a perpetual annuity on creative endeavors" of the 
wrestling group, including its newest efforts to launch an "extreme" 
professional football league. "They want to get their money for 
nothing, like in the old Dire Straits song," WWF lawyer Jerry 
McDevitt told today's (Tuesday) New York Post. "William Morris wants 
their clients to work for them, instead of them working for their 
clients."

British Watchdog Clears Ad Decried By Bird Lovers

Britain's TV watchdog, the Independent Television Commission, has 
cleared a TV ad that drew 390 complaints. The ad, for an "energy 
drink" called Red Devil, shows rough-hewn soccer-star-turned-actor 
Vinnie Jones pruning flowers in his garden, when he sees a robin 
crying because its bird feeder is empty. Jones fills the feeder and 
places it on the windowsill of his kitchen. The bird, seeing the 
filled feeder, flies to fetch the food -- and collides with the 
kitchen window. "Although some sections of the audience might find 
the material to be in very poor taste, the advertisement was not 
unacceptable for broadcast," the commission ruled. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                     

Hello Lee!

Oct 01 14:11 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> Heh.  And so the circle closes, since L & O has always been a "Ripped 
 LA> from the headlines" kind of show anyway.

With good scripts and good acting.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                         

Hello Lee!

Oct 01 14:29 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Roger Nelson:

 RN>> 'Destination Mir,' is a gravity-breaking new reality adventure series 
 RN>> for the 2001-02 season on NBC. The Mark Burnett ('Survivor') 
 RN>> production 

 LA> I haven't seen Ward Dossche eating his hat yet.

I understand James Cameron is going to be the first director to go to the 
station.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                         

Hello Lee!

Oct 01 14:30 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> The jury found Clint not liable.  

I saw a follow-up on that.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                   

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Restoration of these nostaligic theatres is good. They should be kept
 TW> alive and not torn down for some flashy post-modernist apartment
 TW> buildings...

 RN> Yes, but it's an uphill battle because of the competition from the
 RN> suburban houses.  Some of them closed is suburbia recently, however.
 RN> Too much competition from the big chains.

Capitalism, eh?

 TW> Speaking of old theatres, I saw a charming little film called The
 TW> Smallest Show on Earth the other day - it had Peter Sellers in a
 TW> supporting role. [...]

 RN> I really miss him.

As much as you miss Kubrick?

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                  

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> He was the "chosen one".

 RN> Maybe that flick was a sequel to his ground-breaking role in Johnny
 RN> Mnemonic.

Never saw Johnny Mnemonic, but I've heard it's along the same sort of lines 
as The Matrix.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                     

*** Quoting Ray Geneburn in a message to All ***

 RG> FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief  by Joshua Grossberg  Oct 3, 2000, 8:25
 RG> AM PT

 RG> AND THE OSCAR GOES TO: Anna Nicole Smith weeping during opening
 RG> arguments as her attorney told a Texas jury she was not a "gold
 RG> digger" taking advantage of a sick, old man. The former Playboy pinup
 RG> is suing for half of her late husband's billion-dollar estate.

...so she CAN act after all :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                              

*** Quoting Ray Geneburn in a message to Lee Ayrton ***

 RN>> 'Destination Mir,' is a gravity-breaking new reality adventure series
 RN>> for the 2001-02 season on NBC. The Mark Burnett ('Survivor')
 RN>> production

 LA> I haven't seen Ward Dossche eating his hat yet.

 RG> I understand James Cameron is going to be the first director to go to
 RG> the station.

That doesn't surprise me. He went to great lengths (or depths) to be able to 
go and see the real Titanic at the bottom of the Alantic ocean...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                  

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Capitalism, eh?

Competition.

 TW> As much as you miss Kubrick?

No, but close.  You have to remember that Sellers was an actor and Kubrick a 
director, therfore, I don't put them in the same category.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                         

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Never saw Johnny Mnemonic, but I've heard it's along the same sort
 TW> of lines as The Matrix.

A lot of techo-babble.  At one point I dozed off, only to have my son shake me 
into consciousness in time for the ending.  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
   

Hello All!

For those of you who missed the season premier of JAG last evening, and even if 
you didn't, I thought I'd offer some remarks about it here.  The show could be 
renamed The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

1. They still have the aircraft numbers incorrect on the noses of the F-14s 
during the preload.

2. They still have the wrong insignia on Rabb's shoulder boards, collar and 
sleeves.  All show him to be a Lt. Cmdr., which causes me to believe they 
simply used footage from two seasons ago.

3. Rabb now has a Russian half brother he didn't know about, ala Star Wars: The 
Empire Strikes Back.

The acting and directing are very good, but I have to wonder why Bellisario 
found it necessary to turn the scripts into potpourri?  I am pleased, however, 
with the return of Steven Culp as Clayton Webb.  This premier episode is to be 
continued next week, so I may not be as disgruntled then as I am now.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
  

Hello Ray!

02 Oct 00 14:28, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> Panic In Hollywood?

 RG> In a front-page article, the New York Times reported Sunday that 
 RG> "Hollywood is in a panic mode" as it braces for a possible strike by 
 RG> writers and actors next year. Producer Scott Rudin, whose films 
 RG> include Truman Show, The (1998), South Park (1999), Angela's Ashes 
 RG> (1999), Rules of Engagement (1999), and Shaft (2000), told the 
 RG> Times: "Everyone's working under a [strike] deadline. ... If you 
 RG> think you'll be shooting in June or July, you're in a state of 
 RG> diminished mental capacity." Nevertheless, Screen Actors Guild 

So I keep hearing, but you can't prove it by business in New England.
The feature season here was short by at least 6 weeks.  I'm told that
North Carolina is hopping right now, though.


 RG> president William Daniels was quoted as saying, "I just wish people 
 RG> would stop talking about a strike. We haven't even started 
 RG> negotiations. Let's not panic." Meanwhile, the SAG/AFTRA strike 
 RG> against advertisers entered its 155th day today making it the 
 RG> longest in the industry's history. 

Heh.  Those poor people are boned.  All but a few of them have lost much 
more in the strike than they'll ever make back in the new contract.


 RG> Movie FX Blast Blows Out Windows In Hamburg

 RG> A special effects explosion, intended to blow up a few crates, wound 
 RG> up blowing out the windows of at least 50 shops and houses in 
 RG> Hamburg, Germany, the online British entertainment publication 
 RG> Ananova reported today (Monday). A spokesman for the film crew was 
 RG> quoted as saying, "At least we got it all on film -- it was really 
 RG> spectacular." Ananova said that experts had underestimated the force 
 RG> of the blast. It did not give the name of the film company, the name 
 RG> of the movie, or the date when the explosion occurred. 

[scowl]  It probably didn't play quite like "underestimated the force"
unless they were fools and hired a very green pyro guy.  It was probably
more like "it's easier to get forgiveness than to get permission."
 


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                        

01 Oct 00 22:19, Paul Cote wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 PC>> It's a *MOVIE*. *MOVIES* aren't real. *MOVIES* have their
 LA>>own logic.

 LA>>Yes, Paul.  I know.  I help *make* them.  I'm looking at a check
 LA>>stub from MGM right now.

 PC> Okay, first off, what movies have you been involved in?

I've been making my living at this since 1993.

                        Feature films, briefly 

WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? (MGM, in post)
OSMOSIS JONES (Farrelly Bros, in post)
STATE AND MAIN (Mammett, opened at Canne)
WHAT LIES BENEATH
THE CIDERHOUSE RULES
A WAKE IN PROVIDENCE
MEET JOE BLACK
AMISTAD
THE ICE STORM
SLEEPERS
STEPHEN KING'S THINNER
HEAD ABOVE WATER
THE KILLER (James Woods, not John Woo)
Plus a dozen or so movies that were either too small to mention or my
involvement was too short to mention.  Don't bother looking for my 
name in credits, though.  About half of the production crew never 
gets mentioned in the screen credits.  I've got the call sheets and 
pay stubs, that's all that matters.


                    Television
"Wall Street" -- CNBC special
B. Smith With Style -- syndicated
Martha Stewart Living -- syndicated

Several dozen TV, commerical and corporate projects, including the BBC,
the WWF, 20/20, Dateline and K-Mart.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                 

Hello All!

Wednesday, October 4, 2000: 

 Charlton Heston (76) 
 Susan Sarandon (54) 
 Liev Schreiber (33) 
 Rachael Leigh Cook (21) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                

Hello All!

James Cameron To Go Into Orbit

James Cameron is going to become the first film director to really spend time 
among the stars. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Cameron is 
planning a stay on board the Russian space station Mir. Cameron has undergone 
medical tests at the Russian Institute for Medical and Biological Problems. 
Interfax quotes a source as saying Cameron was passed fit by doctors to head 
into space. 


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                         

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Oct 4, 2000, 6:30 AM PT 

TURNING TO PROSE: Jewel's first prose book, Chasing Down the Dawn hitting 
bookstores this week, with a series of musings, anecdotes and little line 
drawings about growing up, becoming famous, and the people who have affected 
her life. 

HERO: Jet Li will be paid upwards of $7.5 million to play the lead in The One, 
a supernatural thriller that was to have starred wrestling hero the Rock. The 
One is about a cop who must fight his evil double from a parallel universe in 
order to save himself and the world. 

GIVING TO MUGLES: J.K. Rowling, creator of THE Harry Potter series will share 
profits from her best-selling books with single mothers like herself, British 
media reported Wednesday. Staff members of the National Council for One Parent 
Families are quoted as saying Rowling donated a "six-figure sum" to the 
charity. 

FOR A CAUSE: Sheryl Crow, Destiny's Child and Melissa Etheridge are among the 
musicians set to perform in a fundraising concert benefiting breast-cancer 
awareness and research groups. Women Rock!: Girls & Guitars air on cable's 
Lifetime network October 22. 

STRAIGHT UP! Paula Abdul signing a development pact with Fox Kids Network to 
develop a new live-action/animated children's series. The show will follow the 
adventures of a garage band climbing their way toward success and contain 
musical numbers choreographed by Abdul. 

RUMORS Ted Turner is looking to dump his money-losing World Championship 
Wrestling, according to the trade publication Electronic Media. Its corporate 
parents, Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner, are now in "serious talks" with 
Mandalay Sports Entertainment to sell the organization. 

CHANGES: Complying with requests from two major theater chains, Artisan 
Entertainment has agreed to make clear in print ads for its film Requiem for a 
Dream that no one 17 or younger will be permitted admission to the film. 

MORE CHANGES: Hearst-Argyle Television, one of the largest station owners in 
the country, adopting an official ban on the airing of ads for R-rated movies 
before 9 p.m. in all time zones. 

LONG SEASON ENDS: The 1999-2000 television season closed last week with the 
Olympics lifting NBC to an easy victory--although the network stumbled a few 
times on its way to the podium. According to Nielsen, NBC captured the 54th and 
final week by more than doubling the second-place finishes of ABC in viewers 
and Fox in the key adults 18-49 demographic. 

IS IT DRAMA OR TV? With a script by Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Norman 
Mailer, CBS will air a four-hour mini-series on November 12 and 15 focused on 
the roles played by Simpson's "Dream Team" lawyers. American Tragedy will star 
Ving Rhames. 

OBIT: Polish filmmaker Wojciech Has, who won an international cult following 
with The Saragossa Manuscript and headed Poland's renowned Lodz Film School in 
the 1990s, died Tuesday. He was 75. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                

Hello All!

4th October 2000

Theaters Get Tough With New Film

Two New York theaters have said they will not allow children under 
17 to see Darren Aronofsky's unrated film Requiem for a Dream even 
if they're accompanied by parents. In reporting on the move by the 
management of Loews Lincoln Plaza theater and UA's Union Square, New 
York Daily News film writer Jack Mathews comments today (Wednesday) 
that it "could turn theater operators into freelance moral 
guardians." Mathews goes on to describe the decision as "a knee-jerk 
response to the recent political furor" over movie content. 
(Surprisingly, that "furor" was not even touched on during Tuesday 
night's presidential debate.) Mathews points out that the film was 
originally tagged with an NC-17 rating by the MPAA ratings board 
"because of a scene where two women are engaged in a demeaning sex 
act ... [as part of a] montage of several events dramatizing the 
dehumanizing power of drugs." Calling the theater owners' decision 
"political pandering," Mathews concludes: "The irony in all this is 
that no children under 17 would be interested in this movie if the 
would-be censors weren't singling it out, and that the teenagers who 
probably should see it won't be able to." Today's Hollywood Reporter 
said that Artisan Entertainment, which is distributing Requiem, has 
agreed to make clear in ads for the film that no one 17 or younger 
will be admitted to any theater showing it. 

Disney Revamps Stores; Warner's Closing Stores

Disney is opening the first entirely revamped Disney Store in Costa 
Mesa, CA today (Wednesday), intended as a prototype of a chain-wide 
redo scheduled to be carried out over the next three years. 
Meanwhile, the New York Post is reporting today that Warner Bros. is 
closing its flagship Manhattan store on Fifth Avenue and is shopping 
leases for its stores on 42nd street and the World Trade Center. 

Chicago Film Fest Looking For An Honoree

Organizers of the Chicago International Film Festival are attempting 
to find a replacement for Goldie Hawn, who reportedly accepted an 
invitation to be the festival's honoree, then changed her mind at 
the last minute, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday. The festival, 
which is due to open on Thursday, has scheduled its annual gala on 
Oct. 21, where the actor or actress selected to be honored will be 
introduced. 

Eisner Forecasts "Solid" Quarter

Disney chairman Michael Eisner has told a Goldman, Sachs conference 
in New York that he expects the company to report a "solid" fourth 
quarter for the fiscal period ended Sept. 30. Nevertheless, he 
remarked, "our strong performance in 2000 was the equivalent of a 
race car accelerating nicely but on only half its cylinders." He 
said that the company is aiming to increase profits by cost-cutting 
in its movie division, boost sales in its Disney Stores, and wring 
profitability out of its Internet sites. 

Vivendi Says Canal Plus Chief Will Stay

Vivendi, the French conglomerate that is acquiring Seagram, has 
denied a report that Pierre Lescure, head of the Vivendi-controlled 
Canal Plus satellite and film company, is resigning because of 
differences with Vivendi chief Jean-Marie Messier. The report, which 
appeared in the French business newsletter La Lettre A, said that 
Lescure objected to plans to install Messier as head of Canal Plus' 
management committee following the merger. Lescure is expected to 
oversee all of Vivendi's entertainment operations, including 
Universal Studios. The report follow's last week's resignation of 
Alex Berger, a close adviser to Messier and head of Vivendi's 
Internet unit. Berger was also expected to play a major role in the 
merged company. 

Park Service Blasts Plans For Lucasfilm Campus

The National Park Service has registered its complaints about 
Lucasfilm's plans for a new headquarters complex, Digital Arts 
Center, set to be built in the abandoned Presidio military grounds. 
As reported Tuesday by the San Francisco Chronicle, Park Service 
regional head John Reynolds said in a letter to the Presidio Trust 
that the proposed Center, which includes a ring of Greek columns, 
two waterfalls and an artificial stream, is too big, too modern, and 
may not conform to federal laws intended to preserve historic areas. 
The Chronicle said that three major historic preservations groups 
have joined the complaint, with one saying that the Center has "the 
appearance of a private, suburban office enclave, not an integral 
component of a public urban national park." 

Manager Offered Beatles $75 Guarantee, They Say

Brian Epstein initially offered to pay the Beatles $75 per week for 
life in return for their signing a management deal with him, the 
surviving Beatles reveal in an official autobiography to be 
published Thursday. The book quotes George Harrison as telling 
Epstein, "No, we'll risk it, Brian. We'll risk earning a bit more 
than 50 pounds ($75) a week." 

A Loss Is A Win

NBC's ratings for the Olympic Games may have been disappointing when 
compared with those for past Olympics coverage, but they 
nevertheless dominated Nielsen's ratings results for last week. 
During primetime, the Games scored a 13.3 average rating for the 
week and a 22 share. That compares with a 6.9/11 for second place 
ABC, a 5.6/9 for CBS and a 5.0/8 for Fox.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. 
Summer Olympics (Monday), NBC, 15.7/26; 2. Summer Olympics 
(Thursday), NBC, 14.0/24; 3. Summer Olympics (Wednesday), NBC, 
13.9/24; 4. Summer Olympics (Tuesday), NBC, 12.4/21; 5. Who Wants to 
Be a Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 11.1/17; 6. Millionaire (Tuesday), 
ABC, 110./18; 7. Summer Olympics Closing Ceremonies), NBC, 10.8/17; 
8. Summer Olympics (Friday), NBC, 10.6/20; 9. Summer Olympics 
(Saturday), NBC, 10.5/20; 10. NFL Monday Night Football, ABC, 
10.3/18. 

USA Pinned By Wrestling Loss

USA Channel was hit hard by the loss of WWF wrestling to TNN, The 
National Network (formerly The Nashville Network) last month. Latest 
Nielsen figures indicate that the cable channel saw its audience 
decline 9 percent. USA's loss was Cartoon Network's gain as the 
Turner channel tied with USA for first place in household ratings 
during the third quarter. A year ago, the network finished in fifth 
place for the quarter. In a statement, the company noted that the 
number of adult viewers 18-49 climbed 36 percent and 38 percent for 
those 25-54. "Clearly, plenty of cartoon lovers, including parents 
and even grandparents, are tuning in to Cartoon Network," the 
statement said. Ironically, the results come on the same day that 
Electronic Media is reporting that Turner is trying to sell his own 
money-losing WCW wrestling group. 

CBS Hails Season Opener

Meanwhile, CBS displayed a remarkable show of force on the first 
night of the new season Monday with the season debut of King of 
Queens (9.3/15) and the new sitcom Yes Dear (9.7/15). But the 
stand-out winner was an hour-long season opener of Everybody Loves 
Raymond, which pulled a 14.5/21 and topped ABC's Monday Night 
Football (Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs), which averaged a 
10.8/16 during the same hour. In the 9:00 hour, CBS's Family Law 
tied MNF with a 10.5/17. The shows gave CBS a win for the night in 
both households and in adults 18-49, a rare feat for the network 
with non-reality programming. 

No Quick Ratings For Debates

Nielsen said that it will not be able to produce preliminary 
audience measurements for Tuesday night's presidential debate until 
about 5:00 p.m. ET. It said that the delay was due to NBC's decision 
to allow its owned stations and its affiliates to decide whether to 
carry the debate live or delay it until after the MLB playoff game 
between the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics. Fox also 
indicated that some of its stations would be carrying the debate 
live and others would be delaying it. In an interview with Bloomberg 
News, Nielsen exec Anne Elliott said, "We are working very closely 
with our customers at NBC and Fox. ... We have to get listings from 
them of what affiliates are doing what. For us to report on this 
requires a lot of tap dancing on our part." Paxson Communications 
said Tuesday that its stations in 13 markets received permission 
from NBC to carry the playoff game when NBC's own stations in those 
markets opted to carry the debates instead. 

Court-TV Footage To Air On N.Y. Newscast

CBS's flagship station in New York, WCBS-TV, will begin using 
courtroom footage from Court TV on its 11:00 p.m. newscast, the 
station said Tuesday. News director Joel Cheatwood told today's 
(Wednesday) New York Daily News that the Court TV material will help 
the station "diversify and expand" its crime coverage. "They follow 
ongoing trials far more closely than we can, or any TV station can, 
so it works for us," Cheatwood said. 

Take That!

The William Morris Agency bounced off the ropes Tuesday after being 
hit with a lawsuit by the World Wrestling Federation that accused it 
of tricking the WWF into a fraudulent contract. The WMA insisted 
that the WWF had signed a standard contract and that the group's 
lawyers "impugn the integrity of William Morris while making 
outrageous allegations condemning the entire talent-agency business 
by falsely and maliciously claiming its practices to be fraudulent 
and its contracts illegal and unenforceable." 

O'Donnell Says She'll Quit Show In 2002

Rosie O'Donnell is planning to quit her syndicated talk show when 
her contract expires in 2002 so that she can devote more time to 
helping couples and individuals adopt children. In an interview with 
the current issue of Ladies' Home Journal, O'Donnell said that she 
was "sick of all the crap that goes with" producing a daily TV show 
and that she gets more satisfaction from her Rosie Adoptions 
organization. "I get such a rush when I have a baby who's hard to 
place and I find a family that's overjoyed with the child," she 
said. O'Donnell has adopted four children. 

SAG To Urge Boycott Of Soap Company

The Screen Actors Guild plans to announce next week that it will 
boycott the Procter & Gamble Co. in connection with the current 
strike against advertisers, the online edition of Advertising Age 
reported today (Wednesday). The trade publication said that the 
boycott will have the backing of the AFL-CIO. 

Canadian Station Dumps Dr. Laura

A Canadian TV station, CHCH in Hamilton, Ontario, has dropped Dr. 
Laura Schlessinger's new TV talk show following protests organized 
in part by a Canadian Web site, http://www.Dr.LauraGoHome.com, 
according to John Aravosis, co-founder of the U.S.-based site, 
http://www.StopDr.Laura.com. "The beginning of the end is near," 
Aravosis said in a statement. "First the advertisers fled the 
sinking ship, now the TV stations are following suit." Aravosis said 
that a spokeswoman for the TV station, known as ONtv, had confirmed 
the Schlessinger cancellation. The station is owned by CanWest 
Global Communications, which owns ten other Canadian stations. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
   

Hello Tim!

Oct 04 14:37 00, Tim Wong wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 TW> ...so she CAN act after all :)

I believe I could manage to open a tear duct or two for $449M.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                     

Hello Tim!

Oct 04 14:40 00, Tim Wong wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 TW> That doesn't surprise me. He went to great lengths (or depths) to be 
 TW> able to go and see the real Titanic at the bottom of the Alantic ocean...

I found the article I read that in and posted it here as "Supplememtal tidbit."


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                              

 On 09-29-00 Roger Nelson wrote to All... 
 
 RN> NBCi:NBCTV: About Destination Mir 
 RN> 
 RN> 'Destination Mir,' is a gravity-breaking new reality adventure series 
 RN> for the 2001-02 season on NBC. 
 
 It's beginning to look as though Mir might be closed down forver 
 in the next few months. A pity since Burnett certainly had a 
 winner in the concept. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58


--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                        

 On 09-28-00 August Abolins wrote to Ray Geneburn... 
 
 RG> Monday, September 25, 2000: 
 RG>  Michael Douglas (56) 
 RG>  Catherine Zeta-Jones (31) 
 
 AA> And these two are married to each other.  What an 
 AA> incredible age disparity at 25 years! 
 
 Not really incredible, just not typical. Douglas and Zeta-Jones 
 aren't married yet, incidentally. 
 
 And then there's James Doohan, who used to play Scotty on the 
 old Star Trek. He and his wife have two grown sons, and now they 
 have a daughter born a few months ago. He's 80; she's in her 
 late 40's. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                           

 On 09-29-00 August Abolins wrote to Ray Geneburn... 
 
 AA> Colleen was the "cute" student in Survivors?   This movie deal must 
 AA> have been 
 AA> the right $.   When she was on Letterman, she said that all 
 AA> she cared about was going back to school. 
 
 I'm guessing that Colleen's part is minimal, perhaps a 
 girlfriend who breaks up with Schneider early in the film, or 
 someone who is almost always seen from afar. Although she did 
 apparently study theatre in college, with no real acting 
 experience I can't see her as a co-star. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                                            

 On 10-01-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to Tim Wong... 
 
 TW> Of course, when you're with a person who is a mega-billionaire, 
 TW> how does 
 TW> money not come in to it? The real question is, did she take 
 TW> advantage of him? Only she knows if she did or not... 
 
 RG> That is my point.  It is always about the money. 
 
 I was under the impression that the issue was whether the 
 elderly jillionaire was sane, not whether Smith was actually in 
 love with him. It's his money and his life, after all. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                          

Maureen Goldman wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 MG>  It's beginning to look as though Mir might be closed down forver  
 MG> in the next few months. A pity since Burnett certainly had a  
 MG> winner in the concept. 

I haven't read anything in that regard recently, but I'm sure they'll do 
everything humanly possible to keep Mir up there.  Private funding is the 
only avenue for its continuance.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
 

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> As much as you miss Kubrick?

 RN> No, but close.  You have to remember that Sellers was an actor and
 RN> Kubrick a director, therfore, I don't put them in the same category.

I must say it was quite a wait between Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut. 
While it would have been fantastic to have seen Kubrick a prolific director, 
i'm sure if he made films at more frequent intervals, they wouldn't all be to 
the high standard that is famous for.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                  

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Paul Cote ***

 PC> Okay, first off, what movies have you been involved in?

 LA> I've been making my living at this since 1993.

 LA> Feature films, briefly...

 LA> movies that were either too small to mention or my involvement was
 LA> too short to mention.  Don't bother looking for my  name in credits,
 LA> though.  About half of the production crew never  gets mentioned in
 LA> the screen credits.  I've got the call sheets and  pay stubs, that's
 LA> all that matters.

I knew someone once who toyed with the film industry - she did various crew 
work, but found it too demanding, especially the fact that you may need have 
full commitment to the project for the whole time it takes to shoot the 
thing...which can take you away from various places, upset regular lifestyel 
patterns etc.

Is it like that for you?

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                

*** Quoting Ray Geneburn in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> ...so she CAN act after all :)

 RG> I believe I could manage to open a tear duct or two for $449M.

Just the thought of $449M makes you want to cry...with joy :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                 

Hello Roger!

03 Oct 00 05:28, Roger Nelson wrote to Tim Wong:

 TW>> Restoration of these nostaligic theatres is good. They should be
 TW>> kept alive and not torn down for some flashy post-modernist
 TW>> apartment buildings... 

 RN> Yes, but it's an uphill battle because of the competition from the 
 RN> suburban houses.  Some of them closed is suburbia recently, however.  
 RN> Too much competition from the big chains.

The problem with grand old houses is that you have to turn a profit on each
and every showing, or you are in trouble.  It works in major metropolitan
areas like Manhattan, but really tough in Podunk.  If you are in an area
with enough wealth, you can make them work as arthouses where the pressure
to turn a profit is not as high -- people will donate money to keep
the house solvent and rental fees aren't as high on the prints.

Out this way nearly all the mom-n-pop single and duel screen houses are
long gone, but the major chains have so overbuilt for the market
 that they are now in trouble too.  Too many big fish, too small a pond.




Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                              

Hello Roger!

03 Oct 00 05:32, Roger Nelson wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 LA>> I haven't seen Ward Dossche eating his hat yet.

 RN> You're not going to get him to admit anything, which includes 
 RN> hat-eating and is one of the reasons why I withdrew my support 
 RN> for him as IC.  Of course, I don't have a vote in that regard, 
 RN> but I tell you the truth, I gave my RC an earful.  Fidonet 
 RN> doesn't need guys at the helm who are less than honest.

FidoNet doesn't need guys at the helm with an obvious bias against
a certain large group of people.  (Those that inhabit the North 
American continent).


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                               

Hello Roger!

03 Oct 00 05:41, Roger Nelson wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 RN> Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 LA>> Almost no shows have 70mm release prints struck these days, except 
 LA>> perhaps prints for opening events.  The next thing will be digital 
 LA>> distribution anyway.  It's in the wings, it is just a matter of who
 LA>> will bear the cost of theatre conversion. 

 RN> Lucas seems enamored with it.

It promises to make him More Wealthier.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                           

Hello Ray!

03 Oct 00 14:31, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> CAVING IN: After catching flak from the FCC and editorial writers for 
 RG> opting to premiere James Cameron's Dark Angel instead of telecasting 
 RG> tonight's first presidential debates live, Fox says it will carry the 
 RG> debate on a tape-delayed basis on Fox-owned outlets as well as offer 
 RG> prime-time airtime to both presidential candidates. 

[shrug] They _did_ carry it on their all-news cable outlets.  I see
no problem there, but hey, they didn't ask me.

I did watch Dark Angel (being profoundly disinterested in watching Dull
and Duller throw foam-wrapped brickbats at each other).  I found it to
be not nearly as visually interesting as the trailers made it seem,
in particular it only gets visually interesting at night and outside,
all other times it is lit for AS THE WORLD TURNS (ie, television lighting).

The writing, on the other hand, left ever more to be desired.  The premise
is something like a THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL meets THE FUGITIVE in the edge
of the BLADE RUNNER set.  Not a bad premise, really, and plenty of places
to go with it.  And, I must acknowledge that it is really really difficult
to make a smooth-running pilot for such a show, since there is so much
groundwork to lay and, in this case, so many relationships to establish.

Here, though, some of the relationships were simply included to pad
the show out from 1 1/2 hours to 2. [See spoiler 1] The real problem,
though was the cliches, a metric buttload of them.  The Lovely Mara
and I were reciting entire paragraphs of dialogue a second before it
came out of the characters' mouths.  One character actually strung
4 verbal cliches together in a row, her entire speech.  Plot twists
were more like slow bends in the story, visable minutes before they
arrived.

There's plenty of territory to work with here, I hope that they
do better with the material.



Spoiler below

















The entire sideshow with the coworker who is cheating on his girlfriend
simply went nowhere and did nothing.  Padding.





   


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
  

Hello Ray!

03 Oct 00 14:31, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:


 RG> THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT: Actor-activist Martin Sheen, who plays the 
 RG> President on The West Wing, filming a commercial for Handgun Control 
 RG> Inc. attacking presidential candidate George W. Bush's gun control 
 RG> record. 

This doesn't mention _why_ he did the spot:  One faction in the pro-gun
side hired Sheen's brother, whose voice is very similar to his, to
do a voice-over on their commerical, making it _sound_ like Sheen/
President Bartlett was against gun control.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                                             

Hello Tim!

04 Oct 00 14:33, Tim Wong wrote to Roger Nelson:

 TW>> Restoration of these nostaligic theatres is good. They should be kept
 TW>> alive and not torn down for some flashy post-modernist apartment
 TW>> buildings...

 RN>> Yes, but it's an uphill battle because of the competition from the
 RN>> suburban houses.  Some of them closed is suburbia recently, however.
 RN>> Too much competition from the big chains.

 TW> Capitalism, eh?

Failed Consumerism.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                          

Hello All!

Thursday, October 5, 2000: 

 Guy Pearce (33) 
 Karen Allen (49) 
 Bob Geldof (46) 
 Kate Winslet (25) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                   

Hello All!

IMDb Movie of the Day

With little studio marketing support and a limited theatrical release, Keith 
Gordon's Waking the Dead was DOA. That's a shame -- the film is a subtle and 
powerful romance, almost entirely devoid of the sugary sentimentality that 
made, say, You've Got Mail at once so popular and so utterly forgettable. Billy 
Crudup is teetering on the edge of stardom (okay, he's Almost Famous), and it's 
easy to see why. His portrayal of an aspiring politician haunted by a dead 
lover carries the film, conveying burning ambition, consuming love, crushing 
sorrow, and near-insanity without lapsing into histrionics. At times Waking the 
Dead moves into Sixth Sense, communicating-with-the-dead territory, but it 
sails between the Scylla of gimmickry (a la Stir of Echoes) and the Charybdis 
of self-righteousness (a la Meet Joe Black) without succumbing to either. 
There's no gnashing of teeth or shaking of fists at heavens, just seething 
intensity, barely contained. The movie falters at points, and the ending is a 
bit too tidy, but it is well worth watching (preferably with your significant 
other) if for no other reason than to witness Crudup's rising star. 


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                          

Hello Maureen!

Oct 04 18:31 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to August Abolins:

 MG>  Not really incredible, just not typical. Douglas and Zeta-Jones 
 MG>  aren't married yet, incidentally. 

According to the info I have, they were married on 18 November 2000. 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                     

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Josh Grossberg 
Oct 5, 2000, 7:25 AM PT 

CLUCKING! The Dixie Chicks winning four awards including Entertainer of the 
Year Wednesday at the 34th annual Country Music Association Awards show, held 
at the Grand Ole Opry House in Tennessee. 

COME TOGETHER: San Francisco declaring Thursday Beatles Day as hundreds 
expected to gather in Union Square to sing "All You Need Is Love" in honor of 
the famed group. The three surviving members unveiled Thursday a definitive 
autobiography charting their sensational rise to fame in the 1960s. 

INSTANT KARMA: In a tribute to her late husband, Yoko Ono set to open a John 
Lennon museum in downtown Japan October 9--what would have been the Beatle's 
60th birthday. 

SUITING UP: Robin Williams in talks to star in Death to Smoochie, a comedy 
costarring and directed by Danny DeVito about a Barney the Dinosaur-like TV 
star who's fired from his job and seeks revenge on the blue rhinoceros that 
replaced him. 

CODA: Ben Orr, who cofounded the rock band The Cars and sang lead on the band's 
hits "Drive" and "She's My Best Friends Girl," died of pancreatic cancer 
Tuesday night. He was 45. 

THE KRAMER SHUFFLE: NBC deciding to air the second episode of its troubled 
Michael Richards sitcom instead of the pilot for the upcoming October 24 
premiere of The Michael Richards Show. 

MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA: Gladys Knight forced to cancel a concert date in 
South Carolina after selling only 639 out of about 5,000 tickets as of Monday. 

WITHDRAWN: British music giant EMI Group pulling out of its planned merger with 
Warner Music to work on a new agreement that might pass muster with regulatory 
agencies in both Europe and the U.S. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                          

Hello All!

5th October 2000

Disney Shelves Costly Cartoon Feature

Disney Vice Chairman Roy Disney put the kibosh on the studio's plans 
for the computer-animated Wild Life after concluding that the film 
had "an inappropriate adult sensibility" for a Disney film, the 
online magazine Inside reported today (Thursday). The entertainment 
publication, citing an unnamed insider, said that Roy Disney was 
concerned about the film's "sexual innuendo" and "gay-friendly" 
tone. In reporting on the shelving of the movie, Inside commented: 
"The central mystery is how a picture that one Disney insider calls 
'a massive train wreck' got as far along as it did -- and at a cost 
rumored to be about $20 million -- before the plug was pulled." As a 
result of the debacle, Inside said, Disney chairman Michael Eisner 
has asked to review every project in development. 

Fox Tilts At Windmill

Twentieth Century Fox has postponed the release of the musical 
version of Moulin Rouge directed by Baz Luhrmann, to early summer. 
The film had been scheduled for release during the Christmas holiday 
period. "This is a complicated, unconventional movie," a Fox 
spokesman told today's (Thursday) Los Angeles Times, "so the most 
foolish thing we could do is to conventionalize [and rush] the 
post-production just to make the release date." 

Murdoch's Oldest Son Moving Up

News Corp is expected to announce as early as today that Lachlan 
Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's oldest son, is being named 
second-in-command to Peter Chernin, president and COO of the 
company, the London Times reported today (Thursday). (The Times is a 
News Corp-owned publication.) The 29-year-old scion is currently in 
charge of all of News Corp's Australian operations as well as its 
U.S.-based print units, including publisher HarperCollins and the 
New York Post. The Times observed that "the new role for Lachlan 
Murdoch will underline his position as the heir apparent at News 
Corp." 

Chernin Wins Lottery-Sized Reward

Meanwhile, today's Wall Street Journal reports that Chernin received 
stock options worth $52.7 million as a reward for the company's 
recent financial performance. Chernin also received salary and 
bonuses totaling $11.9 million. News Corp also awarded chairman 
Rupert Murdoch stock options valued at $35.3 million on top of his 
salary of $6.5 million, the WSJ said, citing News Corp's annual SEC 
report. Lachlan Murdoch, it further noted, received stock options 
valued at $9 million plus salary and bonuses of $1.5 million. 

Cannes Film Festival To Be Run By "Trio"

Veronique Cayla, a member of France's Audiovisual Council, and 
Thierry Frémaux, general manager of the Lumiere Institute of Lyon, 
have been named director general and artistic director respectively 
of the Cannes Film Festival, sharing duties that previously had been 
performed by Gilles Jacob, reported Agence France Press, the French 
wire service, on Wednesday. Jacob, who was named president of the 
festival earlier this year, said that he, Cayla and Frémaux "will 
form a trio -- in the musical sense of the term" to supervise the 
festival. Cayla, he indicated, will assume the administrative duties 
of operating the annual event on the French Riviera while Frémaux 
will be in charge of the selection process. 

Bad Signs For Disney In Hong Kong

Hong Kong environmentalists have lashed out at Disney's plans to 
erect special road signs bearing Mickey Mouse logos near the 
proposed Disneyland theme park that the company is building on 
Lantau Island. Today's (Thursday) South China Morning Post quoted 
Plato Yip Kwong-to, the assistant director of Friends of the Earth, 
as saying, "Why do the road signs have to be specially designed to 
bear the Disney trademark? This special treatment is not enjoyed by 
any other business sectors." But Hong Kong's Director of Civil 
Engineering Lau Ching-kwong said that he favored granting Disney 
exemptions to put up the signs. "U.S. Disney pays a lot of attention 
to the designs of road signs which can help tourists find the theme 
park," he said. 

Time Warner And EMI Won't Make Music Together

The planned merger of Time Warner and EMI collapsed today (Thursday) 
when EMI withdrew its application to the European commission for 
approval of the deal and announced that it wished to "reassess 
regulators' concerns." Analysts had speculated that the merger might 
have hindered approval of the even bigger merger of AOL and Time 
Warner. EMI indicated, however, that the two companies will continue 
to work on putting together a deal that would receive regulatory 
approval. 

Millionaire Helps ABC's Debate Coverage

The huge national audience that tuned in to Who Wants to Be a 
Millionaire on Tuesday night -- the show posted a 14.0 rating and a 
22 share -- stayed around afterwards for the presidential debate, 
giving ABC a notable win over its rivals for the debate coverage. 
ABC's telecast of the debate garnered an 11.9/18, far ahead of CBS's 
8.4/13. Fox, which opted out of debate coverage in favor of the 
two-hour series premiere of James Cameron's Dark Angel actually 
bested the CBS telecast, drawing an 11.2/17. NBC, carrying the 
American League divisional playoff game between the New York Yankees 
and Oakland Athletics -- 16 of its owned stations and affiliates 
went with the debate -- wound up in fourth place with a 6.1/9. 

Dark Angel Shines

MediaWeek Online analyst Marc Berman told today's (Thursday) New 
York Post that the strong showing of Dark Angel was predictable, 
noting that stations that opt out of major political-event coverage 
usually do well. Moreover, he added, "Fox promoted that show so 
unbelievably, so massively that it's been everywhere. ... With that 
promotion comes the name James Cameron, and with James Cameron comes 
Titanic -- the biggest box office moneymaker of all time. Just for 
that simple reason, even it had been a regular night of programming 
and it wasn't the debates, it still would have done well." 

RTNDA Blasts FCC Decision

The Radio and Television News Directors Association has lambasted an 
FCC decision to suspend its rules on personal attacks and political 
editorializing for 60 days so that it can analyze how broadcasters 
conduct themselves without them. The RTNDA insisted that the rules 
should have been discarded altogether. In a statement, RTNDA 
president Barbara Cochran said, "The time has come ... to deregulate 
broadcasting and to create greater First Amendment freedom for 
broadcasters on a par with that of their print and new media 
colleagues." Dissenting from the FCC's decision, Commissioner Harold 
Furchtgott-Roth commented: "The commission's approach of requiring 
broadcasters to document an increase in their political speech 
during an election period in order to build a record for regulatory 
relief raises troubling questions of 'forced speech' under the First 
Amendment."

XFL Sets Schedule

The XFL (Extreme Football League) announced the television schedule 
for its inaugural season on Wednesday. Listing teams whose names 
seemed as if they might have been borrowed from those used in roller 
derbies, the XFL said it plans to launch the season on Feb. 3 when 
the New York/New Jersey Hitmen play the Las Vegas Outlaws and the 
Orlando Rage meet the Chicago Enforcers. (Other teams in the league 
include the Memphis Maniax, the Birmingham Thunderbolts, the San 
Francisco Demons and the Los Angeles Xtreme.) The XFL, jointly owned 
by World Wrestling Federation and NBC, said that it will offer a 
10-week regular season, followed by two semifinal playoff games and 
a championship game on April 21. NBC will televise the title game 
and one regular-season match, while UPN will air a game every 
Sunday. A cable network has not yet been signed, an XFL spokesman 
said. 

Soap Actress Signs Contract, Is Fired

Just two months after signing a new contract, Patti D'Arbanville was 
fired from The Guiding Light, where she has played the character 
Selena since 1997, the New York Post reported today (Thursday). 
D'Arbanville said that shortly after being assured by the new head 
writer, Claire Labine, that she had no intention of writing Selena 
out of the show, she was called into the producer's office and told 
"the writers just think they've written your character into a corner 
and they don't know what else to do.'" "I'm sure I'll land on my 
feet," the actress told the Post. "But, at the same time, I have 
four kids -- eight other feet -- to worry about." 

69-Year-Old Woman Upstages Regis On Live With...

Long Island "real person" Josephine Pisano was cheered Wednesday by 
fans of the Live with Regis television show, many of whom urged the 
producers to keep her on as a permanent replacement for Kathie Lee 
Gifford. Today's (Thursday) New York Daily News printed numerous 
quotes from audience members, including: "Omigod, she's hilarious! 
She's over-the-top" and "I think she's stealing the show" and "The 
show needs someone like her. She's a natural." Philbin himself said 
of the 69-year-old Pisano: "She is uninhibited, not afraid, and 
confident. A star is born right here." 

Caught In Squeeze, P &G Drops Whipple Tribute

Procter & Gamble has postponed a tribute to Dick Wilson, the actor 
who has played Mr. Whipple in Charmin commercials, CNN reported 
Wednesday. The news channel quoted a P&G spokesman as saying that 
the actors' strike against advertisers "makes the timing awkward." 
At a New York rally last month, Wilson drew cheers when he declared, 
"Please don't squeeze the actors!" 

CBC Releases Ratings On Live Olympics

Although it televised most of the Summer Olympics live, the CBC said 
Wednesday that its ratings fell just 12 percent from the Atlanta 
games in 1996. The fall-off was blamed primarily on the poor 
performances of Canadian athletes, not on the decision to carry the 
events live. Last week, NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol attacked 
the Canadian live coverage as "a joke and a stupid business 
decision." (NBC's ratings for the games were down 34 percent from 
1996.) 

U.K. Watchdog Slams New Comedy Show

The Broadcasting Standards Commission, the British TV watchdog, has 
condemned a new series starring comedian Chris Morris. Labeling the 
sketch series Jam "unacceptable," the BSC concluded that it went 
"beyond acceptable boundaries" during certain episodes. Among the 
sketches cited by the commission was one in which a plumber was 
summoned to a home to "fix" a dead baby. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                      

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Roger Nelson ***

 TW>> Restoration of these nostaligic theatres is good. They should be kept
 TW>> alive and not torn down for some flashy post-modernist apartment
 TW>> buildings...

 RN> Yes, but it's an uphill battle because of the competition from the
 RN> suburban houses.  Some of them closed is suburbia recently, however.
 RN> Too much competition from the big chains.

 LA> The problem with grand old houses is that you have to turn a profit
 LA> on each and every showing, or you are in trouble.  It works in major
 LA> metropolitan areas likeManhattan, but really tough in Podunk.  If you
 LA> are in an area with enough wealth, you can make them work as
 LA> arthouses where the pressure to turn a profit is not as high --
 LA> people will donate money to keep the house solvent and renta

The Embassy theatre I was initally talking about is a respected landmark in 
Wellington - so I doubt very much if it would even be considered being torn 
down. In saying that, it does struggle to turn in a profit year-round. It is 
however, supported and co-owned by Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the 
Rings trilogy, and fellow Wellingtonian. There is also an association people 
can join by yearly donations called "Friends of the Embassy", which helps to 
organise events and generally keep the Embassy going. Currently, the 
association is screening Gone With the Wind for a limited time as part of 
their organised fund-raising events.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                             

Hello Maureen!

Oct 04 18:39 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>  I was under the impression that the issue was whether the 
 MG>  elderly jillionaire was sane, not whether Smith was actually in 
 MG>  love with him. It's his money and his life, after all. 

That is my impression too.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                            

Hello Tim!

Oct 05 16:14 00, Tim Wong wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 TW> Just the thought of $449M makes you want to cry...with joy :)

With it I could afford my own snoball stand, but this is a bad time of year for 
that.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                              

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Oct 6, 2000, 11:00 AM PT 

PRESIDENTIAL POWER: NBC's The West Wing opened the season in style Wednesday, 
with a record 25 million viewers tuning in for the two-hour season premiere of 
the Emmy-winning White House drama. 

DELAY: The release of feature film Moulin Rouge, a musical set in 19th century 
Paris starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, has been delayed until at least 
April. "We wanted to make Christmas and the studio wanted to make Christmas, 
but it's a very complicated project and we don't want to rush it," producer 
Martin Brown said. 

WORKING TOGETHER: Costs, and profits, for Adam Sandler's next film will be 
split by rivals New Line and Columbia. The studios are in talks to coproduce a 
comic script that started life as an homage to Frank Capra's 1936 classic Mr. 
Deeds Goes to Town. 

LENDING A (BANDAGED) HAND: Rosie O'Donnell donating $50,000 and Martin Lawrence 
giving $20,000 to the Screen Actors Guild Foundation's strike relief fund as 
the union's strike against advertisers enters its 159th day Friday with no end 
in sight. 

TYPECASTING? Jennifer Love Hewitt will star as the devil in a contemporary 
retelling of the classic tale The Devil and Daniel Webster opposite Anthony 
Hopkins and Alec Baldwin for Cutting Edge Entertainment and El Dorado Pictures. 


TRADING PLACES: The mother of Kid Rock's son will apparently have to pay him 
child support. Kelly South Russell's lawyer says Russell and Rock have reached 
a settlement for custody of their 7-year-old son. The mom will pay $25 dollars 
weekly in to Rock unless the boy spends six or more consecutive nights with 
her. A judge still must approve the plan. 

WATCH OUT, OPRAH & MARTHA: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the 14-year-old twin 
stars of video and television movies and the old ABC sitcom Full House, are 
launching their own lifestyle magazine aimed at young women. Mary-Kate and 
Ashley will hit newsstands in March 2001. 

DOUBLE DUTY: NBC's Saturday Night Live will feature a male-female anchor team, 
Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey, for its "Weekend Update" segment this season. 

SUE THIS: A contestant from this week's Sexiest Bachelor in America Fox special 
threatening to sue over being denied a shot at the $100,000 prize. Anthony Cyr 
says he was disqualified because of an "application for protection" order filed 
by an ex-girlfriend, something both parties say was never issued. 

WHITE WAY GOES CAMP: Joan Jett and Dick Cavett are headlining a Broadway 
revival of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which opens November 15 at the Circle 
in the Square Theater. 

SO MANY WAYS... Producers of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire planning another 
celeb Millionaire, an Olympics Millionaire, starring medalists from the Sydney 
Games, and college Millionaire during the November sweeps. 
 
Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                     

Hello All!

Friday, October 6, 2000: 

 Britt Ekland (58) 
 Elisabeth Shue (37) 
 Amy Jo Johnson (30) 
 Jeremy Sisto (26) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                            

Hello All!

6th October 2000

Movie Reviews: Get Carter

In a strangely inconsistent move, Warner Bros. has decided to screen 
the Sylvester Stallone movie, Get Carter (2000), to critics in some 
cities but not in others. Today's USA Today complained that "critics 
have been locked out of the theater." Joe Morgenstern in the Wall 
Street Journal remarked that the producers of Get Carter (2000) 
"have declined to screen the film for critics, thus providing their 
own review." But the Philadelphia Inquirer's movie critic, Steven 
Rea, reviews it today ("thuddingly dull .... moves along with 
virtually no rhythm, no suspense, and no spark from the morose 
goateed star"), and so does Jay Carr in the Boston Globe ("The film 
mostly just plays dark, wet, and heavy. It's the cinematic 
equivalent of wet cardboard."). 

Movie Reviews: Meet The Parents

At a time when politicians are claiming that parents are angry at 
Hollywood, Hollywood has released a film about an 
angry-parent-to-end-all-angry-parents. With Robert De Niro 
portraying him and Ben Stiller playing a son-in-law-to-be, Meet the 
Parents (2000) is receiving universally positive reviews (if not 
raves). Jami Bernard in the New York Daily News calls it "a 
well-balanced comedy that's a showcase for De Niro and Stiller." Joe 
Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal calls it "the funniest movie 
of the year." And, taking an indirect swipe at the year's previous 
comedies, Philip Wutch in the Dallas Morning News remarks: "With 
Meet the Parents (2000), mainstream Hollywood reclaims one of its 
former strengths. It proves that it still knows how to provide 
audiences with a good time." Several critics observe that many of 
the gags in the movie are predictable, but work anyway. As Susan 
Wloszczyna in USA Today notes: "Director/producer Jay Roach ... and 
his writers make sure familiarity breeds hilarity." 

Movie Reviews: Tigerland

Joel Schumacher's Tigerland, a low-budget film about the Vietnam War 
era, is also receiving exceptional reviews. "Compelling, must-see 
entertainment," Lou Lumenick writes in the New York Post. The 
performances of the relatively unknown leads are receiving special 
notice. Comments Kevin Thomas in the Los Angeles Times: "[Colin] 
Farrell and [Matthew] Davis, with only a few screen credits under 
their belts, are potent discoveries who should receive key career 
boosts with their performances; indeed, everyone involved in the 
making of Tigerland on both sides of the camera comes out looking 
good." 

Movie Reviews: Bamboozled

As expected, reviews for Spike Lee's Bamboozled are all over the 
map. "It's not just bad, it's mean-bad," comments Jack Mathews in 
the New York Daily News, while across town, Lou Lumenick at the New 
York Post calls it "incendiary and brilliant ... an utterly 
devastating commentary on contemporary 'black' show business." Bob 
Strauss in the Los Angeles Daily News is clearly ambiguous about the 
whole affair. He writes: "Overlong, comprehensive, repetitious, 
startlingly original, unforgiving, compassionate, self-righteous, 
righteous -- it's all that and a good deal more." 

Movie Reviews: Digimon: The Movie

Digimon: The Movie is probably not reviewable by a thinking adult, 
something that the Washington Post's Stephen Hunter, undoubtedly a 
parent himself, understands. He concludes his remarks about the 
movie this way: "What it did ... was suggest what truly lurks in 
Dante's ninth circle of Hell: It would be a minivan that seats eight 
and contains 12 6-year-olds. They have just seen Digimon. They also 
have a giant-size box of Cocoa Puffs, plus several boxes of Cracker 
Jacks from which the prizes have been removed. Your job is to drive 
them to Miami nonstop, and the air conditioning, naturally, doesn't 
work. You may do this, or you may take a German Luger and one 
cartridge and end it all. I believe in free will, so make your own 
choice. As for me, I'll take the Luger any day." 

Who Killed Wild Life?

Disney animation chief Tom Schumacher has taken responsibility for 
shelving the computer-animated Wild Life and has denied that "an 
inappropriate adult sensibility" had anything to do with the 
expensive cancellation. In an interview with the online magazine 
Inside, which reported Thursday that Disney Vice chairman Roy Disney 
had scrubbed the project, Schumacher said that he had made the 
decision because the "story just wasn't strong enough." Asked why it 
had taken so long to figure that out, he replied, "You want to make 
sure you've given the film every possible break." As for the adult 
content, he said that any inappropriate material could have been 
deleted. 

Hollywood Enters The Debates

The controversy over the enforcement of the motion picture ratings 
system, largely ignored in last Tuesday's debate between the 
presidential candidates, was reignited Thursday night at the end of 
the debate between the two vice presidential candidates. Responding 
to criticism by Republican contender Dick Cheney that he was no 
longer "quite the crusader ... that you once were" against the 
motion picture industry, Democratic candidate Joseph Lieberman 
replied that he and Al Gore have told the entertainment industry, 
"'Stop it. And if you don't stop it in six months, we're going to 
ask the Federal Trade Commission to take action against you.' ... I 
repeat it today. We will not stop until the entertainment industry 
stops marketing its products to our children." 

France Builds Its European Film Audience

France's $45-million movie Astérix et Obélix contre César -- the 
most expensive film ever produced by a French studio -- almost 
single-handedly doubled the audience for French films in Europe last 
year. Unifrance, the organization charged with promoting French 
cinema, said Thursday that French films drew 26 million patrons last 
year, versus 13 million in 1998. Unifrance noted that in Germany, 
Italy and Switzerland, Astérix and Obélix made the top-ten box 
office list. Europe accounted for 82 percent of the audience for 
French films, the group noted. 

Piracy Pushes Up Release Dates For Home Video

Video piracy has motivated the major studios to push up the video 
releases of their films to within a month of the overseas theatrical 
run of the films, the Wall Street Journal reported today (Friday). 
Woody Tsung, chief of the Motion Picture Industry Association in 
Hong Kong, told the newspaper that his group was instrumental in 
forcing the speed-up. "There was no way we could compete with the 
pirates unless we could come closer to the theatrical release date," 
said Tsung. "The consumer would prefer to buy pirated copies rather 
than legit ones because it was faster." The strategy has 
dramatically boosted sales and rentals of videos, particularly 
overseas, the WSJ said. One Hong Kong video distributor told the 
newspaper that sales for DVDs handled by his company tripled during 
the past year. Another said that they had doubled. (Ironically, 
another WSJ article today attributed the theater-to-video speedup in 
the rapid construction of megaplexes. "With so many new screens 
around the country, movies no longer remain in theaters as long as 
they used to," the article observed.) 

Big Weekend Predicted At Box Office

The studios have picked the Columbus Day weekend to release a raft 
(no pun intended) of movies ranging from the kid flick Digimon: The 
Movie to the action film Get Carter (2000) to the social satire 
Bamboozled to the comedy (and likely weekend winner) Meet the 
Parents (2000). They'll be competing against last weekend's champ, 
Remember the Titans, which pulled in a far-higher-than-expected 
$20.9 million. Analysts have given the lot a sterling appraisal, 
with many suggesting it could offset much of the box-office slump 
during September. 

NOTE: On Oct. 6, 1927, 73 years ago today, Al Jolson's voice was 
heard on the screen of the Warner Theater in New York saying, "You 
ain't heard nothin' yet!" launching the era of talking pictures. 

West Wing Flies

Although several notables connected with The West Wing have 
expressed embarrassment over the violent cliffhanger that closed 
last season, it nevertheless set the stage for an impressive season 
debut Wednesday night. The two-hour premiere averaged an 18.7 rating 
and a 27 share, well above NBC's ratings last week for the Olympic 
Games. The network also scored strongly with the debut of Aaron 
Spelling's new Titans at 8:00, which drew a 9.3/14, beating Fox's 
coverage of the American League baseball playoffs, but falling 
behind CBS's telecast of the Country Music Awards and ABC's 
invincible quiz show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. 

Who's On First?

Analysts agreed Thursday that dividing the baseball playoffs between 
Fox, NBC and ESPN has resulted in so much confusion that ratings for 
the games have plunged to record lows. "I've had to look in the 
newspaper to find out when and where the Yankees and Mets are 
playing, and I should be aware of these things. This is what I do 
for a living," Bill Carroll, head of New York-based Katz Programming 
told Bloomberg News Thursday. Under a deal between Major League 
Baseball and Fox Broadcasting last month, all of the post-season 
games will be carried by Fox beginning next season . 

CNN Playing (Bigger) Sides In Debate?

Republicans are charging that CNN intentionally gave Al Gore 6 
percent more of the screen than George W. Bush during split-screen 
shots in Tuesday night's presidential debate. Fox News Channel on 
Thursday quoted from an email note to Bush headquarters from Brian 
Propp, who described himself as a former TV station engineer and 
said that he measured the size of the images of Bush and Gore. "Its 
impact was to give Gore a more commanding presence on the screen, 
and Bush a visually reduced impact," Propp wrote. Fox exec Warren 
Vandaveer confirmed Propp's measurements but remarked that the 
disparity may have been caused by inadvertent human error. Today's 
(Friday) Washington Post reported that CNN had acknowledged giving 
Gore more screen place but added, "It definitely was minuscule." 

News Corp Shares Fall On News Of Rising Son

News Corp investors who were cheered last week by news that 
telecommunications mogul John Malone had increased his stake in the 
company and might be positioning himself to succeed Rupert Murdoch 
reacted with sell orders Thursday to word that Murdoch's son, 
Lachlan, had been promoted to deputy COO. Dow Jones News reported 
from Melbourne this morning that News Corp shares slumped 5.3 
percent on the Australian market, its biggest one-day decline since 
last April. Investors were also disappointed by a report from 
Merrill Lynch entertainment analyst Jessica Reif Cohen, who 
downgraded News Corp's first quarter and 2001 earnings projections. 

Male-Female Anchor Team For "Weekend Update"

Like most local TV newscasts, NBC's Saturday Night Live will be 
going for a male-female anchor team for its "Weekend Update" 
segment, the New York Daily News reported today (Friday). Tina Fey, 
a former member of Chicago's Second City who became the show's first 
female head writer last year, will join three-year SNL veteran Jimmy 
Fallon at the anchor desk for the season debut on Saturday. 

Archer -- Accused Of Lying (Badly) -- Wants To Act

Best-selling British novelist Jeffrey Archer, the central figure in 
one of the longest-running political scandals in recent British 
history, said that since his stage debut in The Accused, a courtroom 
drama that he wrote, he has received four offers to appear in 
movies, three from Hollywood. Archer, who appeared in court 
Wednesday on charges of perjury and perverting the course of 
justice, told the London Independent: "Yes, I would like to be in a 
film, possibly in America. ... I enjoy acting intensely, and I 
concentrate on it fully. I am literally not thinking about anything 
else at the moment." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                            

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I must say it was quite a wait between Full Metal Jacket and Eyes
 TW> Wide Shut.  While it would have been fantastic to have seen Kubrick
 TW> a prolific director, i'm sure if he made films at more frequent
 TW> intervals, they wouldn't all be to the high standard that is
 TW> famous for.

Maybe nothing of interest to him came along in that time span.  What's your 
opinion of EWS?  I think he was describing true life events in Hollywood.  

In any case, when he took a project on, he placed his own unique stamp on it 
which caused some controversy.  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                    

Hello All!

Who said "Husbands are like fires. They go out if unattended."


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                            

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I must say it was quite a wait between Full Metal Jacket and Eyes
 TW> Wide Shut.  While it would have been fantastic to have seen Kubrick a
 TW> prolific director, i'm sure if he made films at more frequent
 TW> intervals, they wouldn't all be to the high standard that is famous
 TW> for.

 RN> Maybe nothing of interest to him came along in that time span.
 RN> What's your opinion of EWS?  I think he was describing true life
 RN> events in Hollywood.

I agree that it does mimic the veins and arteries that make up the society of 
Hollywood. Hollywood and it's people are virtually in a world of their own, 
and themes of jealously, betrayl and sexual desire are very relevant to that 
world and the people. We all know Kubrick loathed Hollywood - he moved across 
the Alantic to obviously get away from that, yet he has still constantly 
dealt with American themes. Maybe EWS was his view point on American 
society...

I liked EWS. I read somewhere that Martin Scorsese rated it the 4th best film 
of the year, and I tend to agree. But like a lot of Kubrick's work, I think 
it typically takes time before people start to really take notice and 
appreciate a film of his. At this moment, it has that love-hate mentality 
written all over it. I think what I like most about it was that it WAS 
Kubrick - it has the name "Kubrick" stamped all over it. I like all his 
films, because they're his visions, and EWS certainly continues that vision.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                          

 On 10-04-00 Roger Nelson wrote to All... 
 
 RN> For those of you who missed the season premier of JAG last 
 RN> evening, and even if you didn't, I thought I'd offer some 
 RN> remarks about it here.  The show could be renamed The Good, 
 RN> the Bad and the Ugly. 
 RN> 
 RN> 1. They still have the aircraft numbers incorrect on the 
 RN> noses of the F-14s during the preload. 
 
 I'll take your word for it. 
 
 RN> 2. They still have the wrong insignia on Rabb's shoulder 
 RN> boards, collar and sleeves.  All show him to be a Lt. 
 RN> Cmdr., which causes me to believe they simply used footage 
 RN> from two seasons ago. 
 
 Odd that this isn't mentioned in the JAG newsgroup, but, 
 again... 
 
 RN> 3. Rabb now has a Russian half brother he didn't know 
 RN> about, ala Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. 
 
 This is standard soap opera fodder, alas, and I cringed when I 
 saw it on JAG. However, the Star Wars saga has characters 
 learning the identity of their parents and finding out that 
 they're twins. No half-siblings. (No wonder that I just enjoyed 
 the first film.) 
 
 RN> The acting and directing are very good, but I have to 
 RN> wonder why Bellisario found it necessary to turn the 
 RN> scripts into potpourri?  I am pleased, however, with the 
 RN> return of Steven Culp as Clayton Webb.  This premier 
 RN> episode is to be continued next week, so I may not be as 
 RN> disgruntled then as I am now. 
 
 I wasn't pleased at all with the season's opener. An American 
 JAG lawyer being invited to help Russia revise part of its legal 
 code? Right. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                                  

 On 10-04-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to All... 
 
 RG> Theaters Get Tough With New Film 
 RG> 
 RG> Two New York theaters have said they will not allow children under 
 RG> 17 to see Darren Aronofsky's unrated film Requiem for a Dream even 
 RG> if they're accompanied by parents. In reporting on the move by the 
 RG> management of Loews Lincoln Plaza theater and UA's Union Square, New 
 RG> York Daily News film writer Jack Mathews comments today (Wednesday) 
 RG> that it "could turn theater operators into freelance moral 
 RG> guardians." 
 
 Some teens have been quoted as saying that they'll just see 
 these films on video later on since they won't be carded at the 
 video store. 
 
 Personally, I'd be happy if underage kids were kept out of some 
 films, particularly very young ones. There are too many 
 youngsters brought into films they aren't ready to see because 
 it's cheaper than getting a baby-sitter. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                                                         

 On 10-04-00 Tim Wong wrote to Roger Nelson... 
 
 TW> Never saw Johnny Mnemonic, but I've heard it's along the same sort of 
 TW> lines as The Matrix. 
 
 I've seen both. There isn't a lot of similarity between The 
 Matrix and Mnemonic (which I can't remember all that well except 
 that the Reeves' character's brain was gonna burst if he didn't 
 upload the great big load of information he was carrying to its 
 destination). It was like computer memory storage in his head, 
 with a maximum capacity he was exceeding and a limited carry 
 period. 
 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                                     

 On 10-04-00 Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn... 
 
 LA> I found [Dark Angel] to 
 LA> be not nearly as visually interesting as the trailers made it seem, 
 LA> in particular it only gets visually interesting at night and outside, 
 LA> all other times it is lit for AS THE WORLD TURNS (ie, television 
 LA> lighting). 
 
 I wondered whether there was any connection with the show Total 
 Recall: 2070 since the feeling was much the same. Ongoing dreary 
 with some kinda pretty night lighting. 
 
 LA> The writing, on the other hand, left ever more to be 
 LA> desired.  The premise is something like a THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL 
 LA> meets THE FUGITIVE in the edge of the BLADE RUNNER set. 
 
 I don't see any resemblance to THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL or THE 
 FUGITIVE (which debuted last night, sigh!). She hasn't been 
 found for something like ten years, during which time she's 
 become an adult. And she has been unaware as to whether any of 
 the other bar-coded types escaped. 
 
 LA> Here, though, some of the relationships were simply included to pad 
 LA> the show out from 1 1/2 hours to 2. [See spoiler 1] The real problem, 
 LA> though was the cliches, a metric buttload of them.  The Lovely Mara 
 LA> and I were reciting entire paragraphs of dialogue a second before it 
 LA> came out of the characters' mouths.  One character actually strung 
 LA> 4 verbal cliches together in a row, her entire speech.  Plot twists 
 LA> were more like slow bends in the story, visable minutes before they 
 LA> arrived. 
 
 M'dear, if you want cliches, try "Titans". Don't expect to watch 
 another episode after seeing the premiere, but glorioski! 
 
 I didn't care for "Dark Angel", didn't find the lead character 
 sympathetic or her goals well-delineated. I would have preferred 
 if she'd, say, been mother hen to some of the other mutants and 
 was trying to find them because she felt she'd let them down. 
 Something like that. Mostly, though, the show just seemed crude, 
 with no notion of what success might be for the heroine. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                

 On 10-05-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to Maureen Goldman... 
 
 MG>  Not really incredible, just not typical. Douglas and Zeta-Jones 
 MG>  aren't married yet, incidentally. 
 
 RG> According to the info I have, they were married on 18 November 2000. 
 
 [cough!] This is October, y'know. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                                                     

Hello All!

Saturday, October 7, 2000: 

 John Mellencamp (49) 
 June Allyson (83) 
 Mary Badham (48) 
 Thomas Keneally (65) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                         

Hello All!

Sunday, October 8, 2000: 

 Chevy Chase (57) 
 Paul Hogan (60) 
 Sigourney Weaver (51) 
 Matt Damon (30) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                 

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Mark Armstrong 
Oct 7, 2000, 9:00 AM PT 

OBIT: Richard Farnsworth, the actor whose career was jumpstarted this year with 
an Oscar nomination for The Straight Story, died Friday night of an apparent 
self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 80. His fianc‚e says the former stuntman 
had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. 

BUSTED: A Manhattan judge sentencing rapper Busta Rhymes to five years 
probation Friday after he pleaded guilty to gun possession for carrying an 
unregistered .45-caliber pistol in his car. He agreed to the sentence last 
year. 

MONSTER M*A*S*H: Shock rocker Marilyn Manson has recorded a cover of Johnny 
Mandel's "Suicide is Painless" for the soundtrack to Book of Shadows: Blair 
Witch 2, due out October 17. The tune may be best remembered as the theme to 
Robert Altman's classic 1970 film, M*A*S*H, and its TV spin-off. 

THE FROG DOESN'T CROAK: The WB scoring big with its Thursday-night premieres of 
Gilmore Girls and Charmed, as both break records in their time slots. 
Meanwhile, NBC's The West Wing opened the season in style Wednesday, with a 
record 25 million viewers tuning in for the two-hour season premiere of the 
Emmy-winning White House drama. 

DELAY: The release of feature film Moulin Rouge, a musical set in 19th century 
Paris starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, has been delayed until at least 
April. "We wanted to make Christmas and the studio wanted to make Christmas, 
but it's a very complicated project and we don't want to rush it," producer 
Martin Brown said. 

WORKING TOGETHER: Costs, and profits, for Adam Sandler's next film will be 
split by rivals New Line and Columbia. The studios are in talks to coproduce a 
comic script that started life as an homage to Frank Capra's 1936 classic Mr. 
Deeds Goes to Town. 

TYPECASTING? Jennifer Love Hewitt will star as the devil in a contemporary 
retelling of the classic tale The Devil and Daniel Webster opposite Anthony 
Hopkins and Alec Baldwin for Cutting Edge Entertainment and El Dorado Pictures. 


TRADING PLACES: The mother of Kid Rock's son will apparently have to pay him 
child support. Kelly South Russell's lawyer says Russell and Rock have reached 
a settlement for custody of their 7-year-old son. The mom will pay $25 dollars 
weekly in to Rock unless the boy spends six or more consecutive nights with 
her. A judge still must approve the plan. 

WATCH OUT, OPRAH & MARTHA: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the 14-year-old twin 
stars of video and television movies and the old ABC sitcom Full House, are 
launching their own lifestyle magazine aimed at young women. Mary-Kate and 
Ashley will hit newsstands in March 2001. 

WHITE WAY GOES CAMP: Joan Jett and Dick Cavett are headlining a Broadway 
revival of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which opens November 15 at the Circle 
in the Square Theater. 

SO MANY WAYS... Producers of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire planning another 
celeb Millionaire, an Olympics Millionaire, starring medalists from the Sydney 
Games, and college Millionaire during the November sweeps. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                       

Maureen Goldman wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

[Insignia]
 MG>  Odd that this isn't mentioned in the JAG newsgroup, but, 
 MG>  again... 

Maybe I'm the only one who noticed.

 MG> This is standard soap opera fodder, alas, and I cringed when I  
 MG> saw it on JAG. 

Then we cringed together.  (-:

 MG> However, the Star Wars saga has characters learning the identity 
 MG> of their parents and finding out that they're twins. No 
 MG> half-siblings. 

But the plot had a little confusion in that Obi-Wan didn't seem to know that 
Luke had a twin sister.

 MG> (No wonder that I just enjoyed the first film.) 

Me, too.

 MG> I wasn't pleased at all with the season's opener. An American  
 MG> JAG lawyer being invited to help Russia revise part of its legal  
 MG> code? Right. 

Yeah, the Russians need our help.  I wonder if that storyline isn't some sort 
of olive branch held out for the Soviet government to let them know how 
Hollywood and perhaps the American public feels about them?


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                             

Hello All!
 
Now that I have not missed my annual Halloween posting, I can say that I won't 
find myself on Jamie Lee Curtis' birthday without my William Shatner mask, but 
I may have to improvise.  But how?   

Well here I am, just about to give up on the whole idea of scaring the pants 
off of everyone in the neighborhood when I suddenly remembered I had a 
proprietary palliative.  So, digging through the trunk of costumes, I found it! 
 My substitute face -- a mask of Silvana Mangano.


                           oooo$$$$$$$$$$$$oooo
                       oo$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$o
                    oo$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$o                   
                  o$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$o                 
                o$$$$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$o               
               o$$$$$$$$$      $$$$$$$$$$$      $$$$$$$$$$o            
              $$$$$$$$$$$      $$$$$$$$$$$      $$$$$$$$$$$$           
            $$$$$$$$$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$        
           "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"        
           o$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$o         
           $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$           
           $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$" "$$$           
           $$$$$  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$   o$$$           
           "$$$$   $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$     $$$"        
            $$$$    "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"       $$$$
             "$$$o     """$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"$$"         $$$
               $$$o          "$$""$$$$$$""""           o$$$
                $$$$o                                o$$$"
                 "$$$$o       B O O O ! ! ! !      o$$$$
                   "$$$$$oo                     o$$$$""
                      ""$$$$$oooooo"$$$o$$$$$$$$$"""
                         ""$$$$$$$ooo$$$$$$$$$$
                             """"$$$$$$$$$$$


Happy Halloween!


Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                 

*** Quoting Maureen Goldman in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Never saw Johnny Mnemonic, but I've heard it's along the same
 TW> sort of lines as The Matrix.

 MG>  I've seen both. There isn't a lot of s
 MG> between The    Matrix and Mnemonic (which I can't remember all that
 MG> well except    that the Reeves' character'sbrain was gonna burst
 MG> if he didn't    upload the great big load of information he was
 MG> carrying to its    destination). It was like computer memory storage
 MG> in his head,   with  a maximum capacity he was exceeding and a
 MG> limited carry   period.

If i'm correct, I think Johnny Mnemonic may have been based on a William 
Gibson novel...i've read one similar to the basic storyline you've described 
above called Neuromancer. It involves a man who is a sort of cyberspace 
courier - a software cowboy who carries information within his brain and 
makes deliveries.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                      

Hello All!

Monday, October 9, 2000: 

 Robert Wuhl (49) 
 Scott Bakula (46) 
 Brian Blessed (63) 
 Tony Shalhoub (47) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                               

Hello All!

9th October 2000

The Parents Trap

There was something about Meet the Parents (2000) that resembled a 
raging bull over the weekend, as the Ben Stiller/Robert De Niro 
comedy became an instant box-office smash with an estimated 
$29.1-million debut, a record for October. (The previous record was 
held by DreamWorks' Antz, which opened with $17.2 million in 1998.) 
It was also the best opening for any De Niro film in his 
30-year-plus career. Entertainment analyst Art Rockwell told 
Bloomberg News that Parents performed above expectations because of 
its broad appeal. "It was a question mark whether the youth market 
would go and obviously it did," Rockwell observed. Meanwhile, 
Disney's Remember the Titans (2000) continued to gain yardage as it 
took in about $19.6 million (which would have represented an October 
record in its own right if Meet the Parents (2000) had not been a 
factor) for a two-week total of $46.2 million. That film, also, has 
turned out to have broader audience appeal than originally believed. 
It lost only six percent of its first-week take. 

Few People Got Carter

On the other hand, Warner Bros.' Get Carter (2000) failed to give 
Sylvester Stallone's flagging career a boost as it grossed only 
about $6.7 million to come in third. The film was not screened for 
critics in many major markets but was for some in others. Good 
Morning America reviewer Joel Siegel explains that Warner Bros. did 
show it to critics who attended a junket two weeks ago but that the 
production companies involved decided afterwards against further 
screenings, presumably because of the negative response at the 
junket. (The film credits five production companies and twelve 
producers.) In a column written for the GMA Web site, Siegel writes 
that he felt "flattered" by the rejection. "I had no idea my 
opinions were that powerful or that I was held in such high esteem," 
he quips. 

Box Office Down For 11th Week

Despite the strong performances of the top two films, the box office 
ended up taking in less than it did during the comparable week a 
year ago. Nevertheless, the decline was smaller than it had been for 
most of the past 11 weeks, a drop of 4.2 percent compared to as much 
as 30 percent during the downturn. "These two films are really 
reinvigorating the marketplace," Exhibitor Relations chief Paul 
Dergarabedian told the Associated Press. "If we start seeing other 
films stack up in this range, we'll get some depth at the box 
office." 

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 

1. Meet the Parents (2000), $29.1 million; 
2. Remember the Titans (2000), $19.6 million; 
3. Get Carter (2000), $6.7 million; 
4. Exorcist, The (1973), $4.6 million; 
5. Digimon: The Movie, $4.1 million; 
6. Almost Famous, $3.8 million; 
7. Urban Legends: Final Cut, $2.6 million; 
8. Bring It On, $2.2 million; 
9. What Lies Beneath (2000), $1.2 million; 
10 (tie). Nurse Betty, $1.1 million; 
10 (tie). The Watcher, $1.1 million. 

Best In Show Was

In limited release, Best in Show (2000) continued to sell out art 
houses, earning $760,000 in its second week as it expanded onto 53 
screens -- an average of $14,340 per screen. Spike Lee's new social 
satire Bamboozled also performed well, taking in $175,000 at 17 
sites, for an average of $10,294 per screen. Debuting in New York, 
L.A. and Toronto, Joel Schumacher's Vietnam War drama Tigerland 
earned $29,000 for a $5,800 average. However, Sony's Girlfight, 
expanding onto 253 screens, was left reeling with just $525,000, or 
an average of $2,075. 

Time And Newsweek Critics Square Off Over Billy Elliot

In early reviews, critics for the two major weekly newsmagazines are 
at odds over Billy Elliot, the hit British film headed for the U.S. 
David Ansen of Newsweek writes that "this delightful film, with its 
surprising depth charges of emotion, has the feel of a movie that's 
going to lodge itself in the public's affections for a long time to 
come." He also forecasts that it will do wonders for the careers of 
director Stephen Daldry (a stage director making his film debut), 
screenwriter Lee Hall, cinematographer Brian Tufano and, perhaps 
most of all, 14-year-old Jamie Bell, playing the coal miner's son 
who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer, whom Ansen calls "a 
pint-size Gene Kelly." Richard Corliss in Time wouldn't necessarily 
disagree with any of Ansen's conclusions. But, he confesses, "there 
are movies whose feel-good sentiments and slick craft annoy me so 
deeply that I know they will become box-office successes or top 
prizewinners." This, clearly, is one of those films for Corliss. 
Director Daldry, he writes, "loads every image with emotive 
propaganda ... and lards it with music that cues you to weeping or 
cheering. Billy Elliot is about as open to unforced feeling as Leni 
Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will." But even Corliss has strong 
praise for the young star: "It's a victory for Bell to be so natural 
in a movie so calculating," he remarks. 

Connery's Scottish Studio In Jeopardy

Sean Connery's plans to build a film studio in Scotland have been 
dealt a political setback after questions arose about whether the 
administrative inquiry about the plans, as currently structured, may 
be in violation of the European Convention on Human rights. 
Reporting on the difficulty, today's (Monday) Glasgow Herald noted 
that unconfirmed reports say that the delay effectively brings to an 
end the $100-million project. 

Canadian Filmmakers To Divvy Up $50 Million

Canadian filmmakers will be able to draw from a (Canadian) 
$50-million government fund for developing more Canadian writers, 
producers, and marketing staff, Canada's Heritage Minister, Sheila 
Copps, announced Sunday. Interviewed by CBC Radio, Bill House, an 
Alliance-Atlantis exec, said he believes his company will use the 
government funds primarily to help market and advertise its 
releases. The CBC also quoted veteran Canadian producer Robert 
Lantos as calling the move an "important initiative." 

Viewers Catch Fugitive

Although it received largely negative reviews from TV critics, the 
return of The Fugitive on CBS Friday performed strongly in the 
ratings, giving the network a win for the show not only in 
households (9.9/17) but also among adults 18-49 (3.5/12). The new 
Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama C.S.I., which followed, performed 
even better, pulling an 11.8/21 in households and leading among 
adults 18-49 (5.4/17). Analysts had to go back to Sept., 1992 to 
find a time when CBS made a better showing in the Friday, 9:00 p.m. 
hour against rivals. CBS also enjoyed a strong night on Saturday as 
its new Craig T. Nelson drama The District premiered with a 10.2/18, 
the highest-rated show on any network for the night. 

Expanded Today Is NBC's Final Answer To Regis

The new third hour or NBC's Today performed well in its first week, 
enjoying far stronger ratings than its predecessor, Later Today, the 
New York Daily News indicated today (Monday), citing preliminary 
Nielsen ratings. The newly expanded Today beat Live with Regis in 
New York City and made a strong second-place showing against the 
Philbin talker in most other major markets. 

Going Once, Going Twice, Hi Yo, Silver, Away

One of the masks worn by Clayton Moore when he portrayed The Lone 
Ranger and two of the Ranger's guns are set to go on sale at 
Sotheby's online auction site (http://www.sothebys.com/auctionhouse) 
on Oct. 20, with the final gavel for the items hitting the block On 
Oct. 31. The sale will also feature Moore's entire Lone Ranger 
costume, including boots and Stetson hat. Sotheby's indicated that 
the mask alone is expected to fetch between $40,000 and $60,000. 
Moore, the best known of the actors who played the Lone Ranger -- he 
played him in 169 episodes -- died last December at the age of 85. 

Unions Won't Grant Hurley Leeway

Elizabeth Hurley's explanation that she was unaware of an actors' 
strike when she recently taped ads for the Estee Lauder cosmetics 
committee won't wash with officials of the Screen Actors Guild, the 
New York Post reported Sunday. The newspaper observed that it is 
likely that Hurley will be expelled from the union as the result of 
her strike breaking. It noted that actor Tim Robbins, speaking at a 
New York rally on Friday, vowed that SAG leadership will bring 
Hurley to "trial" after the strike ends. "She won't get away with 
it," he said. Meanwhile, negotiators for the unions and advertisers 
agreed Saturday to resume bargaining talks on Oct. 19. 

Mr. Bean To Become A Cartoon

The cartoonish British comedy show Mr. Bean, starring Rowan 
Atkinson, will be transformed into an animated series, with Atkinson 
providing the character's voice, the London Daily Express reported 
today (Monday). The newspaper said that the show's original 
production company, Tiger Aspect, will oversee the $15-million 
project, and that Robin Driscoll, its original writer, will script 
the cartoons, which presumably will be targeted at adults. Peter 
Bennett-Jones, chairman of Tiger Aspect, said in an interview with 
the Express that "there's still a huge worldwide appetite for Bean." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                     

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to All ***

 RN> Hello All! Now that I have not missed my annual Halloween posting,
 RN> I can say  that I won't find myself on Jamie Lee Curtis' birthday
 RN> without my  William Shatner mask, but I may have to improvise.
 RN> But how?

I think you'll agree that Halloween is a very "American" thing - it's 
practised to an extent in New Zealand and other countries, but is no where 
near the level of importance I assume it is held in the USA. From your 
experiences Roger, what can you tell me about Halloween in America?

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                                             

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I think you'll agree that Halloween is a very "American" thing -
 TW> it's practised to an extent in New Zealand and other countries,
 TW> but is no where near the level of importance I assume it is held
 TW> in the USA. From your experiences Roger, what can you tell me
 TW> about Halloween in America? 

It's great for the children.  You, as a parent, get to go with them to knock on 
doors and ring door bells and listen to their little voices saying "Trick or 
treat!" in order to get their shopping bags filled with candy.  It's been so 
long ago, I don't recall the event as a child, myself, but I did have a lot of 
fun taking turns with the children on their romp through the neighborhood when 
I became a parent.

It sort of brings the neighborhood together in that they get to see you at 
least once a year or meet them, if you haven't already.



Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
            

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I agree that it does mimic the veins and arteries that make up the
 TW> society of Hollywood. Hollywood and it's people are virtually in a
 TW> world of their own, and themes of jealously, betrayl and sexual
 TW> desire are very relevant to that world and the people. We all know
 TW> Kubrick loathed Hollywood - he moved across the Alantic to
 TW> obviously get away from that, yet he has still constantly  dealt
 TW> with American themes. Maybe EWS was his view point on American 
 TW> society...

 TW> I liked EWS. I read somewhere that Martin Scorsese rated it the 4th
 TW> best film of the year, and I tend to agree. But like a lot of
 TW> Kubrick's work, I think it typically takes time before people
 TW> start to really take notice and appreciate a film of his. At this
 TW> moment, it has that love-hate mentality written all over it. I
 TW> think what I like most about it was that it WAS Kubrick - it has
 TW> the name "Kubrick" stamped all over it. I like all his films,
 TW> because they're his visions, and EWS certainly continues that
 TW> vision. 

Your first paragraph is a very astute synopsis in the saga about Kubric v. 
Hollywood and is also my belief, given the scant information I have on that 
subject.  In your second paragraph, I am the wrong person to comment, given my 
fondness for Kubrick films, but you've hit the nail on the head.  (-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
            

Hello Maureen!

Oct 07 18:02 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>  Some teens have been quoted as saying that they'll just see 
 MG>  these films on video later on since they won't be carded at the 
 MG>  video store. 

Yes, there is always that, but I believe the video stores should do the same.  
Teenagers are very daring and resourceful and when they desire something badly 
enough, will go to great lengths to get what they want.

 MG>  Personally, I'd be happy if underage kids were kept out of some 
 MG>  films, particularly very young ones. There are too many 
 MG>  youngsters brought into films they aren't ready to see because 
 MG>  it's cheaper than getting a baby-sitter. 

I'm with you.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                           

Hello Maureen!

Oct 07 18:16 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>>  Not really incredible, just not typical. Douglas and Zeta-Jones 
 MG>>  aren't married yet, incidentally. 

 RG>> According to the info I have, they were married on 18 November 2000. 

 MG>  [cough!] This is October, y'know. 

Sorry.  :-)  I should have phrased that to read "Will be married" and I believe 
that what I have above is the projected wedding date now that the millions per 
year issue has apparently been settled.  In any event, you are correct.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                           

Hello All!

Tuesday, October 10, 2000: 

 Jodi Benson (39) 
 Ling Bai (30) 
 Peter Coyote (59) 
 Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (22) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                               

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Josh Grossberg 
Oct 9, 2000, 3:30 PM PT 

IMAGINE: Two solo albums by John Lennon being released Monday to mark what 
would have been the late Beatle's 60th birthday. One re-issued album, Double 
Fantasy, includes three extra songs including "Walking on Ice," the track 
Lennon and wife Yoko Ono were working on only hours before his death. 

MEET MONEY: The comic face-off between Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in Meet 
the Parents hit home. The new number one movie earned $28.6 million to top this 
weekend's box office. 
[Ray's note: Could that be due primarily to no Olympics?]

RECOVERY: Country singer Chris LeDoux reportedly doing well after undergoing a 
liver transplant over the weekend. His publicist says the 51-year-old singer is 
"recovering quickly, in true-to-form cowboy manner" at the University of 
Nebraska Medical Center. 

ONE LESS HART PROBLEM? Bruce Willis signing on to replace Ed Norton in Gregory 
Hoblit's World War II pic, Hart's War, according to Entertainment Weekly. 
Norton dropped out of the MGM project last month. 

AWARDED: Chow Yun Fat and Lucy Liu named best film actor and actress at the 
inaugural Ammy Awards Saturday, honoring Asian-American actors and filmmakers.

REMEMBERED: Dennis Sandole, jazz guitarist who played with Frank Sinatra and 
Billy Holiday and was also mentor to John Coltrane, died Saturday. He was 87. 

THRILLER: Michael Jackson holding a preliminary meeting with Asbury Park, N.J., 
officials on a possible investment in the development of the city's beachfront 
area. 

SURVIVOR REUNION: Nick at Nite hiring Kelly, Jenna, Gervase, and Rudy of CBS' 
Survivor to act out scenes from Three's Company in a weeklong marathon of the 
classic TV sitcom set to air October 15-19. 

RUNAWAY HITS? CBS scoring a strong 9.9/17 in the ratings for the premiere of 
its new version of The Fugitive on Friday night, followed by the new Jerry 
Bruckheimer-produced C.S.I. which performed even better with an 11.8/21 Nielsen 
share. 

HI YO SILVER! One of the masks, as well as an entire costume worn by Clayton 
Moore, who portrayed the Lone Ranger in the classic TV series, going up for 
auction at Sotheby's starting October 20 and ending on Halloween. The items are 
expected to fetch up to $60,000. 

SMASH RECORD! The World Wrestling Federation planning to debut SmackDown! 
Records, its own record label that will feature mainly hard rock and hip-hop 
acts that serve as background music for its widely popular Smackdown! show on 
UPN Thursday nights. 

GETTING ANIMATED: Rowan Atkinson's popular British comedy, Mr. Bean, being 
turned into an animated cartoon series with Atkinson providing the character's 
voice, according to the London Daily Express. 

SPLITTING UP: Garth Brooks divorcing his wife, Sandy, after 14 years of 
marriage and three kids. 

BARING ALL: Paula Jones, whose sexual harrassment allegations led to President 
Clinton's impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives, posing nude in an 
upcoming issue of Penthouse Magazine, the New York Daily News reports. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                              

Hello All!

10th October 2000

Parents, Titans Score Big -- But Nothing Else

The Robert De Niro-Ben Stiller comedy Meet the Parents (2000) didn't 
perform as well at the box office on Sunday as Universal had 
estimated, but it nevertheless set an October record and helped lift 
the film business out of its recent doldrums. The movie earned $28.6 
million, more than any other De Niro film has ever taken in in its 
first weekend, and pushed last week's top film, Remember the Titans 
(2000), which earned $19.2 million, into second place. But despite 
those solid results, the overall box office was 5.5 percent lower 
than it was for the comparable weekend a year ago, when holdover 
films, which included Double Jeopardy, American Beauty, Blue Streak 
and The Sixth Sense, drew in bigger crowds than the old-timers on 
the current list. A particular disappointment was Warner Bros.' 
remake of Get Carter (2000), starring Sylvester Stallone, which 
earned just $6.6 million in its debut. 

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent 
total gross to date): 

1. Meet the Parents (2000), Universal, $28,623,300, (New); 
2. Remember the Titans (2000), Disney, $19,209,998, ($45,864,713); 
3. Get Carter (2000), Warner Bros., $6,637,830, (New); 
4. Exorcist, The (1973), Warner Bros., $4,441,612, ($23,935,355); 
5. Digimon: The Movie, 20th Century Fox, $4,233,304, (New); 
6. Almost Famous, DreamWorks, $3,718,598, ($23,262,437); 
7. Urban Legends: Final Cut, Sony, $2,607,635, ($18,243,725); 
8. Bring It On, Universal, $2,262,925, ($62,502,195); 
9. The Watcher, Universal, $1,145,595, ($27,840,705); 
10. Nurse Betty, USA, $1,127,921, ($22,769,502). 

Billy Elliot Challenges Nutty Professor

In Britain, Billy Elliot continued to perform strongly for the 
second week in a row, coming in a close second to the opening there 
of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. The film about a miner's son who 
dreams of becoming a ballet dancer earned $2.7 million, just $85,000 
less than the Eddie Murphy blockbuster. 

Duchovny Returning To Sci-Fi -- In Movie

David Duchovny has told a French Internet chat site that he will 
star in Ivan Reitman's comedy/sci-fi film Evolution, playing "a 
professor who is charged with saving the world from aggressive 
aliens." As reported today (Tuesday) by Britain's Empire magazine's 
online site, Duchovny will be starring opposite Julianne Moore, who 
is currently winding up work in the Silence of the Lambs, The (1991) 
sequel, Hannibal, in which she plays Clarice Starling, the character 
played by Jodie Foster in the original film. Asked about appearing 
in another sci-fi movie, Duchovny remarked, "I think that it's a 
transition that will take me away from the X-Files towards other 
roles." 

Theater Asks Studios To Help Enforce R Rating

A Midwest movie chain, Wehrenberg Theatres Inc., has asked the major 
Hollywood studios to help foot the bill to enforce the ban on 
underage children at R-rated films. Reporting on the move, today's 
Hollywood Reporter commented that it "might be a precursor of 
requests to come" as the industry faces increased scrutiny from 
lawmakers. Meanwhile, the owner of a theater in Tryon, North 
Carolina said Monday that he is shutting it down and has posted a 
sign on the marquee reading, "Closed until better movies are 
available." 

EC Likely To Approve AOL-Time Warner Merger Wednesday

The European Commission on Wednesday is expected to approve the 
America Online-Time Warner merger -- with several provisos, Reuters 
and CNN reported from Brussels Monday. The wire service said that 
the EC okay will, among other things, be contingent on AOL dropping 
Bertelsmann as its partner in its AOL Europe operations. The 
companies still face regulatory hurdles in the U.S., where the 
Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission 
have yet to rule on the merger. 

O'Donnell Says She Really Wants To Direct -- And Produce

Rosie O'Donnell has told syndicated columnist Liz Smith that she is 
considering directing a movie based on the life of slain San 
Francisco gay city councilman Harvey Milk after her talk show 
contract runs out in 2002. (Two years ago it was reported that HBO 
was developing Randy Shilts' book about Milk, The Mayor of Castro 
Street, into a movie, but the film never materialized.) O'Donnell 
indicated that after her talk show ends, she plans to forego acting 
and focus on film producing and directing. 

FCC Chief To Push HDTV

Upset by the slow progress of the networks to provide 
high-definition TV programs, FCC chairman William Kennard is 
expected to announce today (Tuesday) that he will ask Congress to 
make three changes to the law to spur the networks to make the 
switch to HDTV, the Associated Press and CNN reported Monday. The 
two news services said that Kennard, in an address prepared for 
delivery to the Museum of Television and Radio in New York, will 
propose that Congress require that all TV manufacturers turn out 
digital-ready sets within two years, that the provision allowing 
broadcasters to keep their analog channels until 2015 be eliminated, 
and that broadcasters be charged an escalating fee for continuing to 
use the analog band after 2006. 

AFL-CIO To Back SAG, AFTRA With Procter & Gamble Boycott

The AFL-CIO is planning to back the striking actors' unions by 
calling for a consumer boycott of Procter & Gamble products Tide, 
Crest and Ivory Soap, the New York Times reported today (Tuesday). 
The announcement is expected to be made by AFL-CIO President John 
Sweeney at a New York rally. SAG and AFTRA are also planning 
simultaneous protests at Procter & Gamble's shareholder meeting in 
Cincinnati and at an Oxnard, CA plant. Asked why the giant soap 
company is being singled out, William Daniels, president of the 
Screen Actors Guild, told the Times. "We can't just target corporate 
America. ... You have to pick out a target." A spokesman for P&G 
called the unions' strategy "unfair." 

Two "Movies" Added To The Pretender Package

Acting before its sets are torn down and its cast becomes tied up, 
20th Century Fox TV said Monday that it is producing two original 
episodes of The Pretender that are being added to the rerun package 
sold to Turner's TNT channel. Calling the episodes "original 
movies," TNT programming exec Ken Schwab said in a statement that he 
expects them to "to bring new viewers to the series on TNT while 
offering its strong fan base fresh material." 

CBS Wins Against Strong Sunday Competition

CBS won Sunday night with an average 10.5 rating and a 16 share, 
holding off strong challenges from the debut of NBC's highly touted 
drama, Ed, ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and Fox's American 
League playoff between the Yankees and the A's. (CBS is also 
expected to be the overall winner for the week, the first of the new 
season, when Nielsen announces its official tally later today -- 
Tuesday.) Nevertheless, the other networks each had a lot to crow 
about Sunday. In particular, NBC's Ed, from David Letterman's 
production company, Worldwide Pants, drew an 11.5/17 in the 8:00 
p.m. hour, winning its time slot against CBS's Touched By an Angel 
(10.6/16), the Fox baseball telecast (8.4/13), and the ABC movie, 
Mighty Joe Young (1998) (6.3/10). 

Group Denounces "Outlandish" Claims In The Practice

The American Wood Preservers Institute was up in arms Monday over 
the storyline of ABC's The Practice, about three children who suffer 
neurological problems from chemicals used in the wood of their 
playset. Calling the telecast "an outlandish assault against a 
responsible industry," the AWPI insisted in a statement that "there 
is no evidence that the chemicals in the wood have ever harmed a 
single child playing on it." The group's president, Scott Ramminger, 
said that he had written to the producers of the show when he became 
aware that they were working on a script about preserved wood. "It 
is totally irresponsible that they ignored our facts and decided 
instead on an apparent policy of alarmism in the name of ratings," 
he said. ABC has not yet responded to the group's charges. 

No Big Dot-Com Presence At Next Super Bowl, Says Online Mag

As CBS begins selling commercials for Super Bowl XXXV, it is quickly 
discovering that very few of the Internet sites that advertised 
prominently this year will be back again on Jan. 28, 2001. The 
online entertainment magazine Inside published a survey Monday 
indicating that only two of the nineteen dot-com advertisers, 
Monster.com and EDS, will return. The same survey also indicates 
that virtually none of the Internet company ad buyers on Super Bowl 
XXXIV have fared well subsequently, with all of the publicly traded 
companies showing enormous drops in the value of their stock. 

"Blackballed" By P.R. Firms, Extra Revamps

The syndicated magazine Extra is undergoing an overhaul after all 
the major public relations companies "blackballed" it, the New York 
Post's "Page Six" column reported today (Tuesday). One publicist 
told the column, "No one would allow their clients to go on the show 
-- it was way too tabloidy." Leeza Gibbons is replacing Maureen 
O'Boyle as host of the TelePictures package. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd



Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/2 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
    

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I think you'll agree that Halloween is a very "American" thing - it's
 TW> practised to an extent in New Zealand and other countries, but is no
 TW> where near the level of importance I assume it is held in the USA.
 TW> From your experiences Roger, what can you tell me about Halloween
 TW> in America?

 RN> It's great for the children.  You, as a parent, get to go with them
 RN> to knock on doors and ring door bells and listen to their little
 RN> voices saying "Trick or treat!" in order to get their shopping bags
 RN> filled with candy.  It's been so long ago, I don't recall the event
 RN> as a child, myself, but I did have a lot of fun taking turns with the
 RN> children on their romp through the neighborhood when I became a
 RN> parent.

As I said, it has never been big in New Zealand and generally any other 
country outside the USA. The suburb I live in is quite family orientated - 
really a typically clean suburb with families occupying the majority of 
housing, yet every year when Halloween comes around, it's never a major 
thing. I only see usually around 1-2 visits to our house each time...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                       

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I agree that it does mimic the veins and arteries that make up the
 TW> society of Hollywood. Hollywood and it's people are virtually in a
 TW> world of their own, and themes of jealously, betrayl and sexual
 TW> desire are very relevant to that world and the people. We all know
 TW> Kubrick loathed Hollywood - he moved across the Alantic to obviously
 TW> get away from that, yet he has still constantly  dealt with American
 TW> themes. Maybe EWS was his view point on American  society...

 RN> Your first paragraph is a very astute synopsis in the saga about
 RN> Kubric v. Hollywood and is also my belief, given the scant
 RN> information I have on that subject. In your second paragraph, I am
 RN> the wrong person to comment, given my fondness for Kubrick films, but
 RN> you've hit the nail on the head.  (-:

I've read a lot of criticism about Kubrick's films, and how people don't 
think he fully interpretes the American society and culture accurately 
because he has lived the best part of his latter life outside America. What I 
think though is that the Hollywood community in general has a very one-track 
mindset. They'll only condier their own interpretations of their own culture 
and not others - quite a conformist attitude. So when outside opinions come 
along, they tend to turn their back on them, in a stubbord sort of way.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                              

Hello Ray!

03 Oct 00 14:46, Ray Geneburn wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 RG> Oct 01 14:11 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA>> Heh.  And so the circle closes, since L & O has always been a "Ripped 
 LA>> from the headlines" kind of show anyway.

 RG> With good scripts and good acting.

Certainly competent scripting, but after so many season they are rather
formulaic.  When was the last time you saw a Bad Guy _not_ cave in 
and talk after some threat from one of the Good Guys?



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                            

Hello Maureen!

04 Oct 00 18:39, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 TW>> Of course, when you're with a person who is a mega-billionaire, 
 TW>> how does 
 TW>> money not come in to it? The real question is, did she take 
 TW>> advantage of him? Only she knows if she did or not... 

 RG>> That is my point.  It is always about the money. 

 MG>  I was under the impression that the issue was whether the 
 MG>  elderly jillionaire was sane, not whether Smith was actually in 
 MG>  love with him. It's his money and his life, after all. 

Were I he, I _might_ have married her just to annoy my heirs.
But, hey, that's just me.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                     

Hello Tim!

05 Oct 00 16:10, Tim Wong wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 PC>> Okay, first off, what movies have you been involved in?

 LA>> I've been making my living at this since 1993.

 LA>> Feature films, briefly...

 LA>> movies that were either too small to mention or my involvement was
 LA>> too short to mention.  Don't bother looking for my  name in credits,
 LA>> though.  About half of the production crew never  gets mentioned in
 LA>> the screen credits.  I've got the call sheets and  pay stubs, that's
 LA>> all that matters.

 TW> I knew someone once who toyed with the film industry - she did 
 TW> various crew work, but found it too demanding, especially the fact 
 TW> that you may need have full commitment to the project for the whole 
 TW> time it takes to shoot the thing...which can take you away from 
 TW> various places, upset regular lifestyel patterns etc.

 TW> Is it like that for you?

Oh, certainly.  The standing joke in our house is that all it takes
for me to get a call for work is for Mara to plan something.

I might get a call on a Monday, booking me for 6 weeks of work, 6 days
 a week, 12 hours a day, 150 miles from home starting next Monday.

This past Saturday I got a call at 9am wanting to know if I could work
for 4 days on JUDGING AMY (a USAian evening dramatic series) starting
at noon.

Or, I might go a dozen days or more without work.  It is a very uneven
business at the crew level, unless you are hooked into a long-running
series or something like that.  In that case you might have banker's 
hours, or you might have no life at all.  I worked with a guy that had
done two seasons of LAW AND ORDER (a very long-running USAian dramatic
series that presents two-act stories, the first about the fictional
crime and investigation, the second about the trial and outcome).  He
worked 14 hours a day, 6 days a week, 5 or more locations a day,
forty some-odd weeks a year for two years.  He made a pile of money
but that's two lost years from his life.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                   

Hello Roger!

05 Oct 00 06:39, Roger Nelson wrote to Maureen Goldman:

 RN> Maureen Goldman wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 MG>>  It's beginning to look as though Mir might be closed down forver  
 MG>> in the next few months. A pity since Burnett certainly had a  
 MG>> winner in the concept. 

 RN> I haven't read anything in that regard recently, but I'm sure they'll 
 RN> do everything humanly possible to keep Mir up there.  Private funding is 
 RN> the only avenue for its continuance.

Wuite so, especially in the wake of the sub sinking, the TV station fire
and now the loss of Serbia.  It is a matter of national pride.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                

Hello Ray!

08 Oct 00 09:40, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:


 RG> MONSTER M*A*S*H: Shock rocker Marilyn Manson has recorded a cover of 
 RG> Johnny Mandel's "Suicide is Painless" for the soundtrack to Book of 
 RG> Shadows: Blair Witch 2, due out October 17. The tune may be best 
 RG> remembered as the theme to Robert Altman's classic 1970 film, 
 RG> M*A*S*H, and its TV spin-off. 

I don't think that this is correct.  While "Suicide" is indeed the 
theme song for the TV series, the movie MASH (without the asterisks)
only included the song within the movie, and not over the credits at
either end.

Of course, I may be misremembering.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                

Hello All!

What do you all think of James Cameron's new TV series Dark Angel?


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                      

Hello All!

Wednesday, October 11, 2000:  

 Joan Cusack (38) 
 David Morse (47) 
 Elmore Leonard (75) 
 Michelle Trachtenberg (15) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                

Hello All!

11th October 2000

Exhibitors Put Tech Upgrades On Hold

Strapped theater owners are no longer able to afford the equipment 
to keep pace with home entertainment systems, a Dolby Labs exec told 
the ShowEast convention in Orlando Tuesday. As reported by today's 
(Tuesday) Hollywood Reporter, Ioan Allen, who also heads the SMPTE 
committee on digital cinema, observed that the current "economic 
environment" is often tempting movie chains to compromise on 
technical enhancements and delay the conversion to digital 
exhibition. 

WSJ Sympathizes With Exhibitor Who Went Dark

The decision by theater owner Barry Flood in Tryon, NC to shut down 
rather than continue to show "trash" has found a sympathetic ear at 
the Wall Street Journal. In a commentary appearing in the newspaper 
today (Wednesday), the Journal observes that Hollywood is not likely 
to listen to Flood. The WSJ noted the reaction of Eric Watson, a 
producer of the unrated Requiem for a Dream to the demand by United 
Artists and Loews theaters that Artisan entertainment make clear in 
its ads that the film was being released unrated because of 
"explicit sexual content." Watson had told the Hollywood Reporter 
that the demand represented "a dark harbinger of a cold climate of 
censorship." Commented the WSJ: "It's that kind of arrogance that 
darkened Mr. Flood's theater." 

Don't Sing The Blues For Shatner

William Shatner, who was paid in stock options for his commercials 
for Priceline.com, exercised at least $2 million worth of them 
before the stock took a nosedive, New York Post columnist Neal 
Travis reported today (Wednesday). Travis also noted that the former 
Star Trek (1979) star has made other wise investments, including his 
Tennessee Walker horse farm in Sonoma, CA, where his steeds are 
reportedly fetching as much as $750,000 a head. 

Writer Hodge And Director Boyle Split Following Beach Drubbing

Writer John Hodge and director Danny Boyle have apparently made good 
on their vow to go their separate ways if their 1999 film The Beach, 
starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was not a success. The pair had teamed 
on such projects as Trainspotting (1996), Life Less Ordinary, A 
(1997), and the upcoming Alien Love Triangle (2000). However, 
today's issue of the online Showbiz Ireland points out that Hodge's 
latest screenplay, The Final Curtain will be Hodge's first film 
without Boyle. (It will mark director Patrick Harkins' theatrical 
film debut.) At a news conference Tuesday, Peter O'Toole, who 
costars in the film, praised Hodge's screenplay. "Fabulous, 
fabulous," he remarked. "It's a great script, an amazing role." 

Magazine Publisher Buys Kagan

Primedia Inc., which publishes such magazines as Seventeen and 
Automobile, is acquiring in an all-stock transaction Kagan World 
Media, a top publisher of newsletters, reference reports and trade 
magazines tracking the entertainment, news media and 
telecommunications industries. Analyst Paul Kagan will continue to 
oversee the company and contribute to its publications. 

Titans To Receive Heartland Honor

Indianapolis's Heartland Film Festival, which honors "filmmakers 
whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing 
hope and respect for the positive values of life," has selected 
Disney's Remember the Titans (2000) to receive its Heartland Award 
of Excellence this year. Festival president Jeffrey L. Sparks said 
that the award will be presented at the conclusion of this year's 
festival, scheduled to run between Oct. 18 and Oct. 26. 

CBS Makes Impressive Season Debut

With the Olympics over, NBC climbed down from the winners' stand 
last week and was replaced by CBS as its new dramatic series C.S.I., 
produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, finished in the Nielsen top ten and 
the season premiere of Everybody Loves Raymond wound up in second 
place. Astonishing many analysts, the network, which has generally 
ranked last in attracting the highly prized 18-49 demographic group, 
placed first for the week. "Tiffany again," the Washington Post 
headlined in reporting the ratings results, pointing out that all 
five of the networks' premiering series, Yes, Dear, The Fugitive, 
C.S.I., That's Life and The District, finished first in their time 
slots. But all of the other networks had something to boast about, 
as well. NBC's The West Wing headed the Nielsen list -- the first 
time that a non-Thursday program carried by the network had achieved 
that distinction in 11 years. With an added episode of Who Wants to 
Be a Millionaire, ABC saw all four land in the top ten. And Fox's 
Dark Angel from James Cameron, airing opposite the presidential 
debates, wound up as the most-watched new show, placing seventh on 
the top-ten list and helping to give Fox its best Tuesday ratings 
ever. 

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. The 
West Wing, NBC, 16.3/25; 2. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 14.6/21; 
3. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, (Tuesday), ABC, 14.1/22; 4. 
Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 13.7/22; 5. Millionaire (Wednesday), 
ABC, 13.4/21; 6. Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 13.1/19; 7. 60 Minutes, 
CBS, 12.8/20; 8. C.S.I., CBS, 11.8/21; 9. NFL Monday Night Football: 
Seattle at Kansas City, ABC, 11.4/19; 10. Dark Angel, Fox, 11.2/17. 

Broadcasters Slam Kennard On Call For DTV Speedup

Broadcasters heatedly denied charges by FCC Chairman William Kennard 
Tuesday that they were "squatting" on the digital spectrum and 
failing to provide high definition TV programming. He said that if 
the industry continues to move at its current rate, it will take 25 
more years before digital TV replaces analog in most homes. In a 
statement, NAB chief Eddie Fritts charged that Kennard had "failed 
the test of leadership" and insisted that it is cable companies who 
are dragging their feet in converting to digital TV and that 
broadcasters are in fact "well ahead of schedule .. with 158 
stations now sending digital signals to almost 65 percent of all 
U.S. households." A spokeswoman for NBC echoed Fritts's comments, 
adding that consumers needed "time to make the transition to 
digital." But Jeff Joseph of the Consumer Electronics Association 
said that the group supported Kennard and pointed out in an 
interview with the Associated Press that, "It's content that drives 
the market, and the fact is there is very little content." 

TV Reporter Held Hostage At Prison

Maria Zone, a freelance reporter/producer for Court TV, was grabbed 
and held hostage by convicted killer Kenneth Kimes when she sought 
to interview him at the Clinton Correctional Facility, often 
referred to as Dannemora Prison, in upstate New York Tuesday. During 
a 4 1/2-hour standoff, Kimes reportedly threatened to stab Zone with 
a pen that he held against her throat unless authorities agreed not 
to extradite his 66-year-old mother, Sante, to California, where she 
is due to stand trial in another murder case in which she and her 
son were both implicated. A prison official later said that while 
Kimes was talking to hostage negotiators, they distracted him long 
enough for other prison guards to grab him and separate him from 
Zone, who was not injured. 

P&G Chairman Vows To Help End Strike

Procter and Gamble Chairman John Pepper promised Tuesday "to do 
everything we can to resolve" the advertising industry's dispute 
with the Screen Actors guild and the American Federation of 
Television and Radio Artists. His comments came following an 
announcement by the AFL-CIO of a boycott against three leading P&G 
products, Tide, Crest, and Ivory soap. However, in an interview with 
today's (Wednesday) Wall Street Journal, Pepper noted that his 
company is only one of 12 on the advertisers' negotiating council 
and said that P&G will continue to use nonunion actors in its TV 
commercials until an agreement is reached. 

Schlessinger "Atones" For Comments About Gays

Dr. Laura Schlessinger has again attempted to defuse the controversy 
over her remarks about homosexuals, taking out a full-page ad in 
Variety expressing her regret for "the hurt this situation has 
caused the gay and lesbian community." Referring to the Jewish Yom 
Kippur holiday, which was observed on Monday, Schlessinger wrote in 
the ad, which appeared in a special issue of Variety on gay 
Hollywood: "On the Day of Atonement Jews are commanded to seek 
forgiveness from the people we have hurt." She further noted that 
her remarks about gays and lesbians were expressed "from the 
perspective of an Orthodox Jew and a staunch defender of the 
traditional family" but that some of them "were poorly chosen." 
(Among other remarks, she has reportedly called homosexual conduct 
"a violation of Scripture.") Joan M. Garry, executive director of 
the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), dismissed 
Schlessinger's ad as "a qualified admission of some guilt." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Tim Wong ***

 LA>> I've been making my living at this since 1993.

 LA>> Feature films, briefly...

 LA>> movies that were either too small to mention or my involvement was
 LA>> too short to mention.  Don't bother looking for my  name in credits,
 LA>> though.  About half of the production crew never  gets mentioned in
 LA>> the screen credits [...]

 TW> I knew someone once who toyed with the film industry - she did
 TW> various crew work, but found it too demanding, especially the fact
 TW> that you may need have full commitment to the project for the whole
 TW> time it takes to shoot the thing...which can take you away from
 TW> various places, upset regular lifestyel patterns etc.

 TW> Is it like that for you?

 LA> Oh, certainly.  The standing joke in our house is that all it takes
 LA> for me to get a call for work is for Mara to plan something.

 LA> I might get a call on a Monday, booking me for 6 weeks of work, 6
 LA> days  a week, 12 hours a day, 150 miles from home starting next
 LA> Monday.

Obviously demanding, to say the least ..which was the reason why the person I 
mention above gave it away. I think there has always been a common mentality 
surrounding the film industry that it's glamourous - working with the 
stars, being on movie sets etc. The reality is that it's not all that it is 
cut out to be in most cases. I'm sure you'll agree with that.

 LA> have banker's  hours, or you might have no life at all.  I worked
 LA> with a guy that had done two seasons of LAW AND ORDER (a very
 LA> long-running USAian dramatic series that presents two-act stories,
 LA> the first about the fictional crime and investigation, the second
 LA> about the trial and outcome).  He worked 14 hours a day, 6 days a
 LA> week, 5 or more locations a day, forty some-odd weeks a year for two
 LA> years.  He made a pile of money but that's two lost years from his
 LA> life.

On one side of the coin, this guy may have earned a lot of money but lost 2 
years of his life. Yet, if he is passionate about his work and enjoys what he 
does, then can you say he has lost 2 years from his life? Of course, there is 
a line that you have to draw where you seperate your work from your 
existance, and it's important to spend time away from work with family, 
friends etc. But if you're passionate about what you do for a living, then it 
shouldn't really be about the money.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> The suburb I live in is quite family orientated -  really a 
 TW> typically clean suburb with families occupying the majority of  
 TW> housing, yet every year when Halloween comes around, it's never a 
 TW> major thing. I only see usually around 1-2 visits to our house 
 TW> each time... 

Here in the US, it is a traditional event, not unlike Christmas and Easter.  
Were it not for the fact that I live out in the boondocks where the blocks seem 
a kilometer long, I'd see them as soon as the Sun began to set until 8-10 PM.  
But the neighbors are few and far apart, since this area has no subdivisions.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
 

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> I've read a lot of criticism about Kubrick's films, and how people
 TW> don't think he fully interpretes the American society and culture
 TW> accurately because he has lived the best part of his latter life
 TW> outside America. 

They're wrong.

 TW> What I think though is that the Hollywood community in general 
 TW> has a very one-track mindset. They'll only condier their own 
 TW> interpretations of their own culture and not others - quite a 
 TW> conformist attitude. So when outside opinions come along, they 
 TW> tend to turn their back on them, in a stubbord sort of way. 

I'm reminded of what Sinead O'Connor said about Hollywood, but I'd rather not 
go into that here.  And there is an old saying that power is absolute -- if you 
don't use it, you lose it.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                           

Hello Ray!

10 Oct 00 09:16, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:


 RG> BARING ALL: Paula Jones, whose sexual harrassment allegations led to 
 RG> President Clinton's impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives, 
 RG> posing nude in an upcoming issue of Penthouse Magazine, the New York 
 RG> Daily News reports. 

[shudder]



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                            

Hello All!

Thursday, October 12, 2000: 

 Hugh Jackman (32) 
 Richard Price (51) 
 Kirk Cameron (30) 
 Tom Guiry (19) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                             

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Oct 12, 2000, 11:45 AM PT 

MEG SPEAKS: Meg Ryan says her nine-year marriage to Dennis Quaid splintered 
long before the media got wind of it, and it had nothing to do with another man 
(namely, Russell Crowe). She tells this month's W magazine, "My marriage was 
broken--nobody else broke it up. I know it to be true and Dennis knows it to be 
true." 

EVERYBODY WANTS SOME: A nightclub owner is suing Sean "Puffy" Combs and three 
other men for $1.8 million, saying business deteriorated after the four were 
involved in a shooting there last December. 

KUDOS: Singer Elton John receiving the David Yurman Humanitarian Award at GQ 
magazine's Men of the Year awards October 26. John is among 14 honorees, 
including Tom Hanks, Michael J. Fox and Kevin Spacey. 

I WROTE THEM MYSELF! Cher releasing her first self-written album exclusively on 
the Internet. NOT.COMM.ERCIAL's songs range from an ode to Kurt Cobain to a 
recollection about her brief time in a Catholic orphanage. It goes on sale 
November 8 at www.cher.com. 

A GOOD BETTE: Bette Midler's new sitcom, Bette, premiered to huge numbers for 
CBS Wednesday, drawing some 15.2 million viewers and closing in on ABC's Who 
Wants to Be a Millionaire. Bette drew a preliminary 11.0 household rating and 
18 share, while another CBS newcomer, Welcome to New York, drew 12.5 million 
viewers for a 9.1 household rating and 14 share. 

FINALLY: ABC, meanwhile, grabbed its share of the fall premiere spotlight 
Tuesday, winning the night with the help of the strong debuts of The Geena 
Davis Show and the medical drama Gideon's Crossing. 

GIVING: Former Beverly Hills, 90210 star Brian Austin Green donating $10,000 to 
the Screen Actors Guild's strike relief fund. 

GIVING MORE: Pat Sajak and his wife donating $1 million to the Anne Arundel 
Medical Center's new breast cancer treatment facility. 

POP QUIZ: NBC ordering 13 episodes of On the Cover, a pop culture game show 
that will use the covers of magazines, books and CDs to quiz contestants. The 
series will air summer 2001. 

BEHIND A FEW DEGREES: A management company has filed a $25 million lawsuit 
against 98 Degrees, saying the pop group turned off its commission spigot after 
the company built the band into a hot international act. 

SAM I AM...ALMOST Seussical, a $10 million musical production celebrating the 
characters of Dr. Seuss, delaying its Broadway opening by three weeks to allow 
creators to revamp the troubled show's second act. The musical will open 
November 30 at the Richard Rodgers Theater. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                     

Hello All!

12th October 2000

Exhibitors Flock To Bankruptcy Court

General Cinema is the latest exhibitor to wind up in bankruptcy 
court. Its parent company, GC Cos., filed for Chapter 11 
reorganization Wednesday, blaming the "over-saturation" of 
megaplexes in many markets. While, unlike its rivals, the company 
did not build up huge debt in construction costs, it nevertheless 
saw many of its patrons flock to rivals who did. In an interview 
with today's (Thursday) Wall Street Journal, Gail Edwards, GC's CFO, 
suggested that the construction binge has failed to attract more 
moviegoers. "With so many new theaters, all we're doing now is 
taking the pie and cutting it into smaller pies," she said. The 
company recently was forced to close 36 unprofitable theaters with 
264 screens. It said Wednesday that it plans to close another 17 
theaters with 103 screens before the end of the month. 

WWF's Mcmahon Berates Hollywood Execs

WWF chief Vince McMahon has chastised studio executives for having 
"kowtowed" to politicians when they appeared before a Senate 
Commerce Committee hearing last month. Speaking to the Hollywood 
Radio and Televsion Society in Universal City Wednesday, McMahon 
said, "Quite frankly, I was disappointed in you -- disappointed in 
the way Hollywood handled its response to that subcommittee. ... 
Where's your chutzpah?" As reported by today's (Thursday) Los 
Angeles Times, McMahon went on to say, "We're talking censorship 
here, plain and simple. ... You can't give one inch on this. Don't. 
You'll regret it." Meanwhile a study commissioned by the Christian 
Science Monitor has concluded that Americans consider television a 
far greater cultural threat to their children than movies. In fact, 
the survey, conducted for the newspaper by TIPP, a unit of 
TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, listed movies fourth on the list 
of major entertainment media that parents believe impact their 
children negatively -- behind TV, video games and music. 

Director Removes Sex Scenes From Classic Film

Poland's legendary writer-director Andrzej Wajda has confounded his 
admirers by releasing a director's cut of his 1974 film The Promised 
Land (Ziemia obiecana) with several erotic scenes deleted. The 
74-year-old Wajda, who was honored with a lifetime-achievement Oscar 
at this year's Academy Awards ceremonies, told the Polish daily 
Super Express that when he looked at the scene of an orgy, he 
thought, "I do not like this scene." He explained that when the film 
was made, at the time of the Solidarity movement, including such a 
scene "was an act of great courage. It was a form of rebellion 
against the official censors. Today, I am certain, this scene does 
not bring anything (to the film). Cinema of today is flooded with 
eroticism. I do not need to shock by this means." But actor Daniel 
Olbrychski, who costarred in the film and appeared in the deleted 
scene, was quoted as saying, "I regret very much that Wajda cut the 
orgy scene. It marked a milestone in the history of Polish film." 

EU Approves AOL-Time Warner Merger

The European Union on Wednesday approved America Online's 
$147-billion purchase of Time Warner on condition that AOL cut all 
of its links with German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. The merger 
now faces regulatory approval in the U.S., where the Federal Trade 
Commission is expected to demand that Internet service providers be 
granted access to Time Warner's cable lines. In an interview with 
Bloomberg News Wednesday, ING Barings analyst Youssef Squali 
remarked, "I have no reason to assume they won't reach a compromise 
on the open-access issue." The FTC may also require the merged group 
to cut its ties with AT&T, which operates the country's largest 
cable systems. 

Billy Elliot Is Festival Favorite

The organizers of France's British Film Festival in Dinard have 
awarded Stephen Daldry's Billy Elliot their top Hitchcock award. The 
film also received the highest vote count among the public attending 
the festival. It begins a rollout in the U.S. on Friday. 

CORRECTION: In Wednesday's edition, we reported that William Shatner 
has developed a successful business breeding Tennessee Walking 
Horses. We are informed by Rebecca Damron, a writer for The National 
Horseman, that Mr. Shatner breeds and exhibits American Saddlebreds. 

Court Overturns FCC Rules

A federal appeals court on Wednesday put an end to the FCC's foot 
dragging on ending its personal-attack and political-editorial rules 
by ordering the commission to repeal the rules immediately. The 
court acted less than a week after the FCC suspended the rules for 
60 days. Of that action, the appeals court held: "It is folly to 
suppose that the 60-day suspension ... cures anything." The 
suspension, it said, merely amounts to "an order that further 
postpones a final decision without any assurance of a final 
decision." The court also hit out at the commission for ignoring an 
earlier order to justify continuation of the rules, which, it said 
-- repeating a previous decree -- "interfere with editorial judgment 
of professional journalists and entangle the government in 
day-to-day operations of the media." Barbara Cochran, president of 
the Radio-Television News Directors Assn. (RTNDA), called the ruling 
"a tremendous and historic victory" for broadcast journalists. 

Geena, Gideon's Crossing Make Strong Debuts

Marking yet another sterling debut, Geena Davis's new ABC comedy 
debuted with a 12.3 rating and a 19 share Tuesday night. ABC also 
did well with its premiering drama Gideon's Crossing, which pulled a 
10.9/18. In its second week, Fox's Dark Angel from Titanic director 
James Cameron, slipped from its 11.2/17 rating last week to an 
8.9/14 -- still healthy, but not overwhelming. NBC, carrying the 
first game of the Seattle Mariners-New York Yankees American League 
Championship Series, scored a 10.6/17, off 10 percent from the first 
ALCS game a year ago. The slide was attributed to the Mariners' loss 
of Ken Griffey Jr., the fact that New Yorkers may have tuned out 
once it became clear that the Yankees would lose, and the fact that 
the game lacked much excitement. The highest rated show for the 
night: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, with a whopping 14.2/21 
average (peaking to a 15.2/22 in the second half hour). 

Cartoon Network Tops Cable Channels [Ray's note: Guesses, ANYONE?]

Turner's Cartoon Network Wednesday claimed a primetime victory among 
commercial cable channels for the first week of October, its 
first-ever win during the month. It also tied for third place in 
total-day ratings. Ratings were up 12 percent overall over the 
comparable week a year ago, with a 45-percent increase in children 
6-11. 

NBC Vouches For School Voucher Spots

Representing a departure from previous policy -- in place at all of 
the major networks -- NBC has begun airing "advocacy ads" indirectly 
promoting school vouchers. According to the online Inside magazine, 
the ads, from New York-based Campaign for America's Children, were 
previously rejected by ABC and CBS and a Fox spokesman has indicated 
that it is unlikely that his network will air them. In reporting on 
NBC's decision, Inside observed that, since the GE-owned network 
continues to reject other advocacy ads, its acceptance of the school 
voucher spots "inevitably raises questions of preferential 
treatment." 

Mir Space Business To Go Public [Ray's note: Gee, what a surprise!]

Having already landed bookings from film studios, television 
producers, and individual multimillionaires, MirCorp, an 
Amsterdam-based company trying to commercialize the Russian Mir 
space station, is planning to list its shares in New York, London 
and Singapore today (Thursday), according to the Wall Street 
Journal. The newspaper said that NBC has already paid $35 million 
for rights to the upcoming Destination Mir TV series being developed 
by Mark Burnett, who created the hit Survivor series. MirCorp. is 
due to get $20 million of that sum, the WSJ said. 

Divorce, Fox Style

Fox announced Wednesday that it is looking for six couples who plan 
to split up to take part in a new game show called I Want a Divorce, 
inevitably bringing to mind its Who Wants to Marry a 
Multimillionaire? debacle. Fox said that the Divorce show will 
initially air as a two-hour special in February. 

The Axe To Fall At CBS, Paramount TV Stations

In anticipation of a downturn in ad revenue during the fourth 
quarter, Viacom has told its 35 CBS and Paramount stations to slash 
operating budgets by 10 percent, the Hollywood Reporter reported 
today (Thursday) without citing sources. A sharp downturn in ad 
spending by Internet sites is said to be affecting the bottom line 
of all broadcasters, analysts have noted. 

Once Rivals Reynolds And Taylor Form "Special Relationship"

During a scene in the upcoming ABC telefilm These Old Broads, a 
character played by Elizabeth Taylor tells another character played 
by Debbie Reynolds how much she regrets stealing her husband 40 
years ago, The New York Times reveals today (Friday). The scene, 
written by Reynolds' daughter, Carrie Fisher, alludes to the 
notorious scandal in 1960 when Reynolds' husband, singer Eddie 
Fisher, left her for Taylor. "My main scene with Debbie is 
hysterical," Taylor told the Times. "This movie has actually made us 
very close. It's a very special relationship. We both sort of had 
the same ghastly experience so many years ago." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                   

Hello Lee!

Oct 10 12:51 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> Certainly competent scripting, but after so many season they are 
 LA> rather formulaic.  When was the last time you saw a Bad Guy _not_ cave in 
 LA> and talk after some threat from one of the Good Guys?

L&O aside, good guys are too sophisticated to threaten bad guys.  Having said 
that, when you're faced with a number of years in Dannemora, and are aware of 
what happens within those walls, even the hardiest of bad guys could possibly 
morph into a shrinking violet.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                      

Hello Lee!

Oct 10 13:13 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> I don't think that this is correct.  While "Suicide" is indeed the 
 LA> theme song for the TV series, the movie MASH (without the asterisks)
 LA> only included the song within the movie, and not over the credits at
 LA> either end.

There was a film version of MASH without the asterisks?  I think you're right, 
though.  That theme was only in the TV series AFAICR.

 LA> Of course, I may be misremembering.

I do that all the time.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                             

Hello Lee!

Oct 11 07:46 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 RG>> BARING ALL: Paula Jones, whose sexual harrassment allegations led to 

 LA> [shudder]

I can hardly contain myself in my wait to ignore that issue.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                           

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I've read a lot of criticism about Kubrick's films, and how people
 TW> don't think he fully interpretes the American society and culture
 TW> accurately because he has lived the best part of his latter life
 TW> outside America.

 RN> They're wrong.

For sure. If anything, Kubrick's films challenged conventional thinking and 
pushed the boundaries. An example of this would be in Full Metal Jacket - you 
may notice there are quite a lot of African-American on-screen casualties in 
the film itself. Also, the scene where one of these black soldiers goes 
forward to scout near the end of the film, and is agonisingly picked off by 
the sniper in painful slow motion. Many people have said that Full Metal 
Jacket was the first film to fully acknowledge the great loss of 
African-American casualties in the Vietnam war.

 TW> What I think though is that the Hollywood community in general  has
 TW> a very one-track mindset. They'll only condier their own
 TW> interpretations of their own culture and not others - quite a
 TW> conformist attitude. So when outside opinions come along, they  tend
 TW> to turn their back on them, in a stubbord sort of way.

 RN> I'm reminded of what Sinead O'Connor said about Hollywood, but I'd
 RN> rather not go into that here.  And there is an old saying that power
 RN> is absolute -- if you don't use it, you lose it.

Hollywood is an institution. You either play their game, or don't play it at 
all. If you don't, survival in that world is very hard indeed.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                    

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 LA> Wuite so, especially in the wake of the sub sinking, the TV station
 LA> fire and now the loss of Serbia.  It is a matter of national pride.

It's extremely difficult to have any pride on an empty stomach.


Before the Everly Brothers, there were the Eberly Brothers.  Who were they?


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                    

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> For sure. If anything, Kubrick's films challenged conventional
 TW> thinking and pushed the boundaries. An example of this would be in
 TW> Full Metal Jacket - you may notice there are quite a lot of
 TW> African-American on-screen casualties in the film itself. Also,
 TW> the scene where one of these black soldiers goes forward to scout
 TW> near the end of the film, and is agonisingly picked off by the
 TW> sniper in painful slow motion. Many people have said that Full
 TW> Metal Jacket was the first film to fully acknowledge the great
 TW> loss of African-American casualties in the Vietnam war.

I do not view motion pictures the same way as you do and while I realize you 
are pointing out the ground-breaking Kubrick accomplished and while I also 
appreciate your views more than you could know, I feel compelled to point out 
for the other readers here that the color of a man's skin is infinitesimal in 
comparison to the needless loss of a single human life.  The language in that 
film caught me by surprise, even though I am aware of what happens at Marine 
Corps boot camp, because I didn't think it would get past the censors and then 
along came Pulp Fiction.  The public in general would have appreciated these 
works to a greater degree had the ultra profanity been omitted, IMO.

 TW> Hollywood is an institution. You either play their game, or don't
 TW> play it at all. If you don't, survival in that world is very hard
 TW> indeed. 

That's right.  When you're in command -- command.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                            

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Josh Grossberg 
Oct 13, 2000, 6:45 AM PT 

TIS THE SEASON: Britney Spears and 'N Sync teaming up with the Backstreet Boys, 
Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton and R. Kelly to record a holiday Chrismas 
collection titled Platinum Christmas. It's due to be released November 14. 

WHERE'S THE SPICE? Spice Girl Mel C, otherwise known as Sporty Spice, 
reportedly telling Britain's The Mirror that she has been suffering from 
depression, but said it was nothing to be ashamed about. 

CENTENNIAL! Boston Symphony Hall ringing in its 100 year anniversary with 
performances by cellist Yo Yo Ma, singer-composer James Taylor, and former Pops 
conductor John Williams. 

TICKET TO RIDE: Paul McCartney leading fans on a 40-minute behind-the-scenes 
cyber tour of his latest art exhibition October 19, followed by an Internet 
chat on Yahoo. 

RE-ELECTED! ABC extending Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher for two more 
years, carrying the late night talkfest into its sixth season on the network 

TEACHER'S PET: Annette Bening coming to the aid of her former acting teacher, 
Jared Sakren, who also taught Val Kilmer, Elizabeth McGovern, and Frances 
McDormand, after he claims he was wrongfully fired in 1997 from the faculty at 
Arizona State University. 

MORE POWERFUL THAN WORDS: Mime master Marcel Marceau getting a lifetime 
achievement award from a troupe founded by a former student. 

MORE SURVIVOR: Paramont releasing a specially produced videocassette and DVD of 
CBS's hit reality game show, Survivor that will include never-before-seen 
footage of contestants' emotional confrontations, voting confessions, and 
intimate conversation. 

CLEANING HOUSE: The Michael Ovitz-backed Internet company, Scour, filing for 
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to reorganize its business. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                        

Hello All!

Friday, October 13, 2000: 

 Marie Osmond (41) 
 Kelly Preston (38) 
 Melinda Dillon (61) 
 Paul Simon (59) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                           

Hello All!

13th October 2000

Movie Reviews: Dr. T & The Women

Robert Altman's Dr. T & the Women , starring Richard Gere, Helen 
Hunt, Farrah Fawcett, Kate Hudson, Laura Dern, Shelley Long, Tara 
Reid, and Liv Tyler, is receiving the kind of polarized reviews that 
Altman's films generally attract. Several comment that the film 
reflects a "gentler" Altman. A.O. Scott in the New York Times 
writes: "The keen, almost cynical edge that characterized his 
masterpieces of the mid-70's and early 90's has softened, but his 
capacity to be surprised by what people can do, and to communicate 
that surprise to his audience, has not diminished." Phillip Wuntch 
in the Dallas Morning News remarks that Altman's "satire is spun 
with affection, and the barbs are cushioned with warmth." And Jay 
Carr in the Boston Globe comments: "Few directors have Altman's feel 
for pacing and intercutting an ensemble comedy. He brings the touch 
of a master to this admittedly slight and limited material." Jack 
Mathews in the New York Daily News calls the movie "one of the 
curmudgeonly director's sweetest films." On the other hand, Rita 
Kempley in the Washington Post writes that "Robert Altman is crabby, 
grouchy and bloated with male supremacist ideas in Dr. T & the 
Women." And, referring to Altman's famous method of getting 
seemingly improvised performances from his actors, Gary Thompson in 
the Philadelphia Daily News concludes, "Dr. T isn't a dreadful 
movie, but its spontaneity does feel forced." 

Movie Reviews: The Contender

Critics are more divided over the political drama Contender, The 
(2000) than most people are over the real-life contenders in the 
current presidential race. (Indeed, Steven Rea of the Philadelphia 
Inquirer, in his (favorable) review of the movie, notes: 
"Hollywood's idea of the presidency is a whole lot more interesting 
than the ones the GOP and the Democrats are offering up.") Roger 
Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times observes: "This is one of those rare 
movies where you leave the theater having been surprised and 
entertained, and then start arguing." The critics who fault the 
movie, generally lay into the script, even while praising the 
performances, particularly that of veteran actress Joan Allen in her 
first starring role. That is particularly surprising since the 
script is written (and directed) by a colleague, Rod Lurie, a former 
movie critic on a Los Angeles radio station. Jay Carr in the Boston 
Globe says the film is "so crudely written as to make its espousing 
of progressive principles seem crassly exploitative to the point of 
self-parody." And Mike Clark in USA Today comments that "Lurie's 
script goes as preachy in its finale as any so-called 'message 
picture' of the '50s and early '60s." But Eleanor Ringel Gillespie 
in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gives the film her vote. "It's a 
vivid, juicy, thoroughly entertaining movie -- one of those pictures 
in which winning or losing takes a back seat to playing the game," 
she writes. 

Movie Reviews: Billy Elliot

Critics are divided over whether the hit British film Billy Elliot, 
already being touted by some of them as a sure-bet Oscar nominee, is 
a classic or a manipulative crock. Jami Bernard in the New York 
Daily News calls the film, about a coal-miner's son who dreams of 
becoming a ballet star,"a surefire crowd-pleaser," while Bob Strauss 
in the Los Angeles Daily News grumbles that "everything about Billy 
is as surefire as it could possibly have been engineered." Liam 
Lacey in the Toronto Globe & Mail comments that "this rags-to-tights 
tale is not so much great as it is highly ingratiating." But those 
who praise the movie are definitely in the majority. Susan 
Wloszczyna in USA Today, for example, writes: "If Dickens had 
written Flashdance after seeing The Full Monty, it probably would 
have come out something like this infectious, feel-good bundle of 
ambition in the face of adversity." 

Movie Reviews: Lost Souls

Friday the 13th is also the day chosen for the release of Lost Souls 
(2000), starring Winona Ryder and Ben Chaplin (the movie had been 
shelved for two years). Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News 
warns readers: "If you see it, you will lose your money." And Jay 
Carr in the Boston Globe concludes: "Maybe it isn't souls the devil 
goes around snapping up, but screenplays." 

Disney Exodus Continues

Sanford "Sandy" Litvack, who was appointed vice chairman of the Walt 
Disney Co. in September of last year, announced Thursday that he 
will leave the company at the end of the year. Although in 
announcing Litvack's appointment, Disney chief Michael Eisner 
indicated that Litvack had usually been his right-hand man, analysts 
noted Thursday that Litvack's departure would probably have little 
impact on the company. He may, however, have loomed large in the 
company's decision to challenge the AOL-Time Warner merger; he was 
once an assistant U.S. attorney general in charge of antitrust 
prosecutions. He will continue to advise the company on legal and 
governmental affairs, the company said. 

Video Exchange Site Files For Bankruptcy

Scour, an Internet site that allows users to trade videos and CDs 
online, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday, an act 
which blocks copyright suits filed against the company by the Motion 
Picture Assn. of America (MPAA) and the Recording Industry Assn. of 
America (RIAA). Michael Ovitz holds a 20 percent stake in the 
company. 

Giant Imax Comes Crashing Down

Toronto-based Imax said Thursday that it will post a loss for the 
third quarter, indicating that the financial turmoil affecting 
theater chains has slowed down the introduction of Imax theaters in 
planned and existing multiplexes. Shares in the company plummeted to 
$6.55 from $15.25, a drop of 70 percent. 

More Regulatory Hurdles For Vivendi-Seagram Merger

Although Vivendi reportedly offered on Thursday to divest its 
23-percent stake in Britain's BSkyB in order to help clear the way 
for its takeover of Seagram, the European Union's competition 
commissioner has indicated that that concession may not be enough. 
The French daily Le Monde said Thursday that Commissioner Mario 
Monti is likely to launch a complete investigation of the merger 
that could last for months. The paper said that one of his concerns 
is that Vivendi controlled Canal Plus would get exclusive access to 
movies produced by Seagram's Universal Studios as an outgrowth of 
the deal. 

Recovery At The Box Office?

Looking to recover from a disastrous September, Hollywood is fueling 
the box office with a slew of new films opening today (Friday) that, 
some analysts expect, may have a chance of producing the first 
weekend in more than two months with better results than the 
comparable weekend a year ago. None, however, is likely to overtake 
last week's top film, Meet the Parents (2000) or the third weekend 
of Remember the Titans (2000). 

Midler Wows Them In Debut

Ratings for the debut of Bette Midler's CBS sitcom Wednesday night 
were nothing short of divine. The show earned the highest numbers 
CBS has tallied in the 8:00 p.m. half-hour on Wednesdays since 1995, 
and it beat Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in the adults 18-49 demo. 
That success was particularly ironic given the fact that much of the 
show dealt with Midler's character doing battle with middle age and 
trying to relate to the hip-hop tastes of her teenaged daughter. 
Nevertheless, despite numerous recent reports of ratings erosion, 
Millionaire remained champ for the night, earning an average overall 
rating of 12.8 and a 19 share (Bette's overall was an 11.9/18). The 
two shows crushed NBC's Titans, which dropped to a 6.6/10 from a 
9.3/14 a week ago. Titans had been expected to capture the young, 
female vote (star Yasmine Bleeth is 32; Midler is 54) but ran behind 
Bette in all demos. Meanwhile, Fox struck out with coverage of the 
National League Championship playoffs between the Mets and 
Cardinals, scoring only a 7.4/11. 

Most People Watch Second Debate On ABC

The big crowd who tuned in for Millionaire stayed around for the 
presidential debate, giving ABC a bigger audience -- 13.3 million -- 
than its rivals. The 40 million people who watched on five 
over-the-air networks and three cable channels represented the 
second-smallest audience ever recorded for a presidential debate, 
exceeding only a Clinton-Dole debate four years ago. Analysts 
attributed the tune-out to the fact that the debate opened with both 
candidates speaking in banal terms about their "guiding principles" 
should they be elected; on most issues raised during the subsequent 
discussion, there appeared to be little disagreement between the 
two. Making the most of a dull situation, the WB's Felicity 
attracted its biggest audience -- five million viewers -- since it 
debuted two years ago. 

WGA Notifies Members What It Plans To Demand

Members of the Writers Guild of America will soon receive an outline 
of the demands that union negotiators intend to present to film and 
TV producers next year. The outline, which was mailed to members on 
Thursday, reportedly includes demands to eliminate "possessory 
credits" ("A Film by ...") and to increase minimum payments in every 
category. The demands also call for producers to keep writers on 
staff throughout the entire production period, from the time of the 
first cast readings to test screenings. The demands also call for 
higher residual payments for home video, cable, pay-TV, and the 
Internet. The last Writers Guild strike took place in 1988 and 
lasted five months. 

Hasbro Hit Hard By Slow Sales Of Movie- TV-Related Toys

Citing plunging sales of Pokémon and Star Wars items, toy 
manufacturer Hasbro warned investors Thursday that sales are 
expected to fall below expectations for the second half. It also 
announced that it plans to cut 550 jobs, representing five percent 
of its workforce. Shares in the company declined 13 percent to 
$10.06, a 52-week low. J.P. Morgan analyst Dean Gianoukos told 
today's (Friday) New York Daily News: "What happened to Hasbro is 
not new to the toy industry. ... They geared up to produce some 
popular products, then people stopped buying them, and they're still 
geared up with all the associated overhead." 

British Broadcasts Vow To Improve Diversity

Britain's major broadcasters, including its commercial TV networks, 
the BBC and satellite service BSkyB, announced plans to improve the 
representation of minorities Thursday. Uniting as the Cultural 
Diversity Network (CDN), the group issued a manifesto Thursday 
calling for specific employment targets and the development of an 
online talent database. "This country is facing a demographic 
revolution, which means that this industry has to get its act 
together and its business in order," CDN's first chairman, Carlton 
TV's CEO Clive Jones, said Thursday. 

$300 Short Attracts 2 Million Viewers

A three-minute film, 405, produced for $300, has attracted more than 
two million viewers on iFilm's Web site 
(http://www.ifilm.com/ifilm/skeletons/film_detail/0,1263,204155,00.html), 
representing the biggest audience yet to see a film on the Internet, 
USA Today reported today. The film, made by Bruce Branit and Jeremy 
Hunt to display their creative skills in low-cost digital 
filmmaking, has brought the pair considerable notoriety. "This is a 
preview into the future, when two filmmakers can put their film 
online and reach 2 million consumers without going through the 
studios or networks," iFilm CEO Kevin Wendle told USA Today. "And it 
was all from word of mouth." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                    

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> For sure. If anything, Kubrick's films challenged conventional
 TW> thinking and pushed the boundaries. An example of this would be in
 TW> Full Metal Jacket - you may notice there are quite a lot of
 TW> African-American on-screen casualties in the film itself. Also, the
 TW> scene where one of these black soldiers goes forward to scout near
 TW> the end of the film, and is agonisingly picked off by the sniper
 TW> in painful slow motion. Many people have said that Full Metal Jacket
 TW> was the first film to fully acknowledge the great loss of
 TW> African-American casualties in the Vietnam war.

 RN> I do not view motion pictures the same way as you do and while I
 RN> realize you are pointing out the ground-breaking Kubrick accomplished
 RN> and while I also appreciate your views more than you could know, I
 RN> feel compelled to point out for the other readers here that the color
 RN> of a man's skin is infinitesimal in comparison to the needless loss
 RN> of a single human life.  The language in that film caught me by
 RN> surprise, even though I am aware of what happens at Marine Corps boot
 RN> camp, because I didn't think it would get past the censors and then
 RN> along came Pulp Fiction.  The public in general would have
 RN> appreciated these works to a greater degree had the ultra profanity
 RN> been omitted, IMO.

I understand where you are coming from - a life is a life, whether a man is 
black, white or purple. But the fact remains that colour of skin is still a 
defining factor in relationships today. Different races will seek cultural 
identity with their own selves. So I think there is always going to be some 
level of pride and acknowledgement for one's own skin colour. Equality over 
time is progressively getting better, but there is still very much a sense of 
seperation - or at least belonging to one's own culture in society. So when 
Kubrick presents a vision such as described above, African-Americans are 
obviously going to pounce upon that, because it gives them a feeling of 
identity.

The language aside, I agree it was quite excessive at the time, but you had 
other films around that time such as Goodfellas which was just as bad. Im 
general though, I think the language used was an accurate reflection of those 
times.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
      

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> [...]
 TW> Different races will seek cultural identity with their own selves.
 TW> So I think there is always going to be some level of pride and
 TW> acknowledgement for one's own skin colour. Equality over time is
 TW> progressively getting better, but there is still very much a sense
 TW> of seperation - or at least belonging to one's own culture in
 TW> society. 

Quite so.

 TW> So when Kubrick presents a vision such as described above, 
 TW> African-Americans are obviously going to pounce upon that,
 TW> because it gives them a feeling of identity.

Only because of the way they were raised.

 TW> The language aside, I agree it was quite excessive at the time, but
 TW> you had other films around that time such as Goodfellas which was
 TW> just as bad. Im general though, I think the language used was an
 TW> accurate reflection of those times.

I have yet to see Goodfellas, but your point is taken.  I'm simply giving my 
POV as to how I think those films could have attained greater heights had most 
of the profanity been omitted.  My thoughts have yet to be etched in stone.  
(-:


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                     

Hello All!

Saturday, October 14, 2000: 

 Roger Moore (73) 
 Udo Kier (56) 
 Jon Seda (30) 
 Carroll Ballard (63) 

 
Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                

Hello All!

Writers Guild Chalks Up Demands 
by Mark Armstrong 
Oct 13, 2000, 6:00 PM PT 

In typical writer fashion, Hollywood's scribes have spilled plenty of ink to 
lay out their latest batch of contractual demands. 

Though it seems most folks in the movie and TV industry have been bracing for a 
strike long before talks even begin, the Writers Guild of America has come up 
with a formal "pattern of demands" it hopes to bring to the table when contract 
negotiations with the studios begin next year. 

And what they've come up with is a wide-ranging laundry list that aims to put 
writers on equal footing with directors and producers; seeks greater access and 
control over their work after it leaves their hands; and calls for more 
protection over their work when it comes to the Internet. 

To put it simply, they just want more respect, and some more cash for their 
efforts. 

In a letter to the Guild's 11,000 film, TV and Internet writers, presidents 
John Wells and Herb Sargent are asking their members to approve the list and 
mail their ballots by October 23. Among the guild's more than 40 demands: 


Eliminate all possessive credits (such as "a film by Steven Spielberg"). 

Improve writer participation throughout the entire production process 
(requiring writers to be invited to cast readings, cast-and-crew events and 
research screenings). 

Expand writers' coverage to include programming created specifically for the 
Internet. 

Increase residuals from Fox to match NBC, CBS and ABC, and also increase 
residuals from smaller networks the WB and UPN. 

Increase residuals for basic cable and pay-TV productions, including channels 
like HBO and Showtime. 

Require companies to submit main titles, end titles and press kits to the 
Writers Guild. 

Ensure that writers have equal billing with directors and producers in movie 
ads for radio, TV and trailers. 

The list will no doubt spark plenty of debate when both sides finally do meet. 
But in its letter to members, the Guild stayed optimistic about having its 
needs met--without having to hit the picket line. 

"The coming negotiations will be difficult," Wells and Sargent concede in their 
letter to members. "That doesn't mean there has to be a strike or that a 
traditional negotiation will automatically lead to a strike. We see no reason 
that these issues cannot be successfully resolved through negotiating with the 
companies." 

But in the meantime, most talk remains on the strike itself, which some see as 
inevitable. For instance, Fox's Malcom in the Middle was supposed to be on a 
six-day hiatus this week so its crew could get a long-awaited break. "A lot of 
the crew is working anyway," says Malcolm director Todd Holland, "because a lot 
of us are just thinking of a strike [next year]." 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                 

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Josh Grossberg 
Oct 13, 2000, 2:00 PM PT 

"MUST-SEE" GETS SEEN: NBC back on top with its all-powerful Thursday-night 
lineup, as back-to-back episodes of Friends drew an average of 26.7 million 
viewers, Emmy-winner Will & Grace debuted with 20.4 million viewers and ER 
premiered to 29.3 million viewers. The ratings were strong enough to crush 
combined competition from ABC and CBS. 

BUFFY MOVING? Buffy the Vampire Slayer may be looking to switch networks from 
the WB to ABC, according to Entertainment Weekly. ABC denies it has shown any 
interest, but the magazine reports that the network may be willing to steal the 
show if current contract renegotiations between the WB and Buffy's studio, 
Twentieth Century Fox, get too pricey. 

THE OTHER BUFFY: Kristy Swanson, who starred in the film version of Buffy the 
Vampire Slayer, ordered to attend 10 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, after 
pleading no contest to misdemeanor drunk-driving charges. 

D'OH! Mega-selling popsters 'N Sync lending their voices to an upcoming episode 
of The Simpsons, MTV reports. The boys will show up to give advice to Bart 
Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, and Milhouse Van Houten--who form their 
own boy band called Party Posse. The episode, titled "New Kids On The Blecch," 
is tentatively set to air in late February. 

CHOICE FOR PEOPLE'S CHOICE: King of Queens star Kevin James has been picked to 
host the 27th Annual People's Choice Awards, set to air January 7 on CBS. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                

 On 10-09-00 Tim Wong wrote to Maureen Goldman... 
 
 MG> [In Johnny Mneumonic] the Reeves' character'sbrain was gonna burst 
 MG> if he didn't    upload the great big load of information he was 
 MG> carrying to its    destination). It was like computer memory 
 MG> storage 
 MG> in his head,   with  a maximum capacity he was exceeding and a 
 MG> limited carry   period. 
 
 TW> If i'm correct, I think Johnny Mnemonic may have been based 
 TW> on a William Gibson novel...i've read one similar to the basic

 TW> storyline you've described 
 TW> above called Neuromancer. It involves a man who is a sort of 
 TW> cyberspace courier - a software cowboy who carries 
 TW> information within his brain and makes deliveries. 
 
 That sure sounds like it, all right. 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                   

 On 10-12-00 Roger Nelson wrote to Tim Wong... 
 
 RN> Here in the US, it is a traditional event, not unlike Christmas and 
 RN> Easter. 
 RN> Were it not for the fact that I live out in the boondocks 
 RN> where the blocks seem a kilometer long, I'd see them as 
 RN> soon as the Sun began to set until 8-10 PM.  But the 
 RN> neighbors are few and far apart, since this area has no

 RN> subdivisions. 
 
 Depending on the weather, we get 30 or so small groups (family 
 or kids going together in a group. It's always nice to see the 
 little ones, with their parents standing a distance behind 
 urging them to "Say thank you." 
 
 I'm not that pleased when the trick-or-treaters are taller than 
 I am. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                             

 On 10-12-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to All... 
 
 RG> FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
 
 RG> FINALLY: ABC, meanwhile, grabbed its share of the fall premiere 
 RG> spotlight 
 RG> Tuesday, winning the night with the help of the strong 
 RG> debuts of The Geena Davis Show and the medical drama 
 RG> Gideon's Crossing. 
 
 Strong numbers for the debut of a TV show should be compared 
 with people showing up for a blind date. It doesn't equal a 
 relationship. I foresee the numbers dropping very strongly for 
 the Geena Davis Show, which was truly awful. 
 
 Dunno about Gideon's Crossing... I watched the first episode, 
 but basically I don't watch doctor, lawyer, or cop shows. It was 
 earnest, more than a little heavy-handed. I can't predict at all 
 how well it will or won't do. 
 
 I've been previewing almost all of the new ones, which includes 
 several new syndicated series (skipped "Sheena" and "Queen of 
 Swords", which just plain sounded dumb). Will be back to watch 
 second episodes of some, but more are still coming and many of 
 the older shows have yet to debut their fall season. Not a new 
 sentiment, but the networks make no sense with their policy of 
 having almost no new shows or episodes for five months and then 
 starting everything in a period of 2-3 weeks. There are some 
 shows that I would have given considerable attention if they had 
 come along during the off-period.

 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
              

                     _Welcome to word FELOMANIA_


„ à®¢  All!

ªâ® ¢¨¤¥« íâ®â 䨫ì¬



                                                    �â® ï felo

--- GoldED+/W32 1.1.4.3
 * Origin: �¨è¨ ¯à®áâ® ¯® ¯à¨ª®«* felo@torba.com (2:464/117.31)
                

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> So when Kubrick presents a vision such as described above,
 TW> African-Americans are obviously going to pounce upon that, because
 TW> it gives them a feeling of identity.

 RN> Only because of the way they were raised.

Yes, that is true.

 TW> The language aside, I agree it was quite excessive at the time, but
 TW> you had other films around that time such as Goodfellas which was
 TW> just as bad. Im general though, I think the language used was an
 TW> accurate reflection of those times.

 RN> I have yet to see Goodfellas, but your point is taken.  I'm simply
 RN> giving my POV as to how I think those films could have attained
 RN> greater heights had most of the profanity been omitted.  My thoughts
 RN> have yet to be etched in stone.  (-:

Profanity can sometimes "make" a film, and it can sometimes kill it. I think 
it's just a matter of what's appropriate to the situations presented. 
Personally, i'm comfortable with excessive profanity in Vietnam war films, 
simply because that's the way I assume it would have been.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                    

Tim Wong wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 TW> Profanity can sometimes "make" a film, and it can sometimes kill
 TW> it. I think it's just a matter of what's appropriate to the
 TW> situations presented.  Personally, i'm comfortable with excessive
 TW> profanity in Vietnam war films, simply because that's the way I
 TW> assume it would have been.

Oh Tim, you're going to have to get off that fence some day.  Suppose, for the 
sake of argument, that profanity abounded in Gone With the Wind or Oklahoma or 
Breakfast at Tiffany's?

I'm not comfortable with profanity in films because, and I suppose this is out 
of habit, I like to see films that the whole family can.  I also suppose the 
current acceptable film language would explain the eroding of a once good 
culture.

I can't imagine two of my favorite films -- The Day the Earth Stood Still and 
Run Silent, Run Deep under your scenario.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
              

Maureen Goldman wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 MG> Depending on the weather, we get 30 or so small groups (family  
 MG> or kids going together in a group. It's always nice to see the  
 MG> little ones, with their parents standing a distance behind urging
 MG> them to "Say thank you." 

That's the way it all begans, but when your neighbors work in an industry where 
transfers to another town are the order of the day, you don't get to know them 
very well.  I did enjoy going out with the other parents (during my tenure at 
child raising) and their children during that event when it was my turn and my 
wife had to stay home and answer the doorbell.

 MG> I'm not that pleased when the trick-or-treaters are taller than 
 MG> I am. 

That did put a damper on it for me, although I didn't see any that approached 
my 6'4" height, but eventually I managed to discourage them or frighten them 
away with my disguise/imposing figure.


Regards,

Roger  (-:
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                  

What Felix Golodny said (for those of you who don't have MS-DOS Cyrillic 866, 
is:
FG> *************************************************************************
FG> Area : >> FN: Film Review <<
FG> Date : Sat 14 Oct 2000  9:17p             Msg # : 1000/1000
FG> From : Felix Golodny                      Links : No Links
FG> To   : All                                Status:
FG> Title: Brat2
FG>
FG> *************************************************************************
FG>                      _Welcome to word FELOMANIA_
FG>
FG>
FG> Darova All!
FG>
FG> kto ot fil'm
FG>
FG>
FG>
FG>                                                     Lto ja felo
FG>
FG> --- GoldED+/W32 1.1.4.3
FG>  * Origin: Pishi prosto po prikolu felo@torba.com (2:464/117.31)
FG>

     I can translate to ASCII 7-bit, but someone else will have to translate 
the Russian words! ("Pishi prosto" ?)


... WWW.WERS.ORG, WERS Streaming Audio, 21:00 UTC/GMT, "The Playground"
... WWW.WERS.ORG, Saturday/Sunday, 21:00-23:99 UTC/GMT, "The Playground"

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4/mL
 * Origin: The U.S.S. Light Speed ][ (781/925-8508) USR 33.6 (1:101/321)
                            

Hello All!

Sunday, October 15, 2000: 

 Todd Solondz (41) 
 Penny Marshall (58) 
 Tanya Roberts (46) 
 Vanessa Marcil (31) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                        

Hello Maureen!

Oct 13 19:26 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>  Strong numbers for the debut of a TV show should be compared 
 MG>  with people showing up for a blind date. It doesn't equal a 
 MG>  relationship. I foresee the numbers dropping very strongly for 
 MG>  the Geena Davis Show, which was truly awful. 

I already had a hunch it might be, so I didn't look.  The Russians have come up 
with a unique, though ancient idea to get more viewers for their local TV news 
shows.  Nude female reporters.  :-)

 MG>  Dunno about Gideon's Crossing... I watched the first episode, 
 MG>  but basically I don't watch doctor, lawyer, or cop shows. It was 
 MG>  earnest, more than a little heavy-handed. I can't predict at all 
 MG>  how well it will or won't do. 

I didn't look at it, either.

 MG>  I've been previewing almost all of the new ones, which includes 
 MG>  several new syndicated series (skipped "Sheena" and "Queen of 
 MG>  Swords", which just plain sounded dumb). Will be back to watch 
 MG>  second episodes of some, but more are still coming and many of 
 MG>  the older shows have yet to debut their fall season. Not a new 
 MG>  sentiment, but the networks make no sense with their policy of 
 MG>  having almost no new shows or episodes for five months and then 
 MG>  starting everything in a period of 2-3 weeks. There are some 
 MG>  shows that I would have given considerable attention if they had 
 MG>  come along during the off-period.

I did take a look at Andromeda with Kevin Sorbo.  It has gotten off to a slow 
start, I think, but shows promise if the writers don't fall into the traps of 
the other Star Trek stories.

Sheena and Queen of Swords didn't attract me at all.  I am getting to see some 
series that have gone into syndication that I missed and some of them are old.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> Profanity can sometimes "make" a film, and it can sometimes kill it.
 TW> I think it's just a matter of what's appropriate to the situations
 TW> presented.  Personally, i'm comfortable with excessive profanity
 TW> in Vietnam war films, simply because that's the way I assume it
 TW> would have been.

 RN> Oh Tim, you're going to have to get off that fence some day.
 RN> Suppose, for the sake of argument, that profanity abounded in Gone
 RN> With the Wind or Oklahoma or Breakfast at Tiffany's?

I agree with what you're saying. Specifically though, you'll notice a lot of 
films today that use profanity tend to use it in an overused sense - for 
example, if a particular film has a lot of "four letter words" in the script, 
what happens often is that it becomes exploited in some ways - perhaps used 
for dramatic or sensational effect. What i'm talking about is that if 
profanity is used, ALL the characters in the film tend to have swearing in 
their lines. This to me is unrealistic - there are many times where i've seen 
characters use various forms of profanity when you'd expect their character 
not to be that sort of person. It seems to me what is happening is that in a 
story, either everyone swears, or no one does.

I guess an example of this would be Good Will Hunting. Matt Damon's character 
and his friends were constant bad language advocates, but I was surprised 
that Robin Williams' character used profanity also - in the context of the 
film, I wouldn't initally have expected his educated "shrink" character to 
have been that sort of person. But the fact was, that every character in that 
film swore.

 RN> I'm not comfortable with profanity in films because, and I suppose
 RN> this is out of habit, I like to see films that the whole family can.
 RN> I also suppose the current acceptable film language would explain the
 RN> eroding of a once good culture.

 RN> I can't imagine two of my favorite films -- The Day the Earth Stood
 RN> Still and Run Silent, Run Deep under your scenario.

In the context of today's society, profanity is far more acceptable than it 
was many years ago - so it's understandable that most films these days 
include it. Personally, I have a wide range of tastes...i'll generally watch 
anything; violence, sex, profanity or not.

Remember that there were strict censorship codes back in the days, so while 
use of profanity in war time situations may have been common, you wouldn't 
have had much of it at all in the war films of those times.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                       

Hello All!

Monday, October 16, 2000: 

 Kellie Martin (25) 
 Tim Robbins (42) 
 Suzanne Somers (54) 
 David Zucker (53) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                           

Hello All!

16th October 2000

Parental Control

If it hadn't already set a box-office record for October when it 
opened last week, Universal's Meet the Parents (2000) would have set 
a record this past weekend. It earned an estimated $21.3 million, 
well above the previous October record of $17.2 million set by 
DreamWorks' Antz in 1998. Disney's Remember the Titans (2000) 
remained in second place with $13.5 million. New Line's horror film 
Lost Souls (2000), which had been shelved for two years, opened in 
third place with $8.4 million. But the rest of a relatively large 
slate of new releases performed sluggishly. Paramount's Ladies Man, 
The (2000), starring Saturday Night Live's Tim Meadows, took in only 
$5.7 million. DreamWorks' Contender, The (2000) was not much of one 
with only $5.5 million. And Artisan's Dr. T & the Women managed to 
eke out only $5.2 million. Although the box office was up 6.5 
percent over the same weekend a year ago, analysts weren't much 
impressed. "The fact that this weekend was better than a year ago 
shows the year-earlier (period) wasn't very good," entertainment 
analyst Art Rockwell told Bloomberg News Sunday. Particularly 
disappointing was the performance of Cameron Crowe's critically 
praised Almost Famous, which had been rolling out slowly but reached 
2,262 screens last weekend. It earned only $2.3 million. The most 
promising debut was made by the British film Billy Elliot, which 
managed to sell out theaters in 10 locations, earning $220,000. Its 
$22,000 average was nearly three times greater than that of Meet the 
Parents (2000). 

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 

1. Meet the Parents (2000), $21.3 million; 
2. Remember the Titans (2000), $13.5 million; 
3. Lost Souls (2000), $8.4 million; 
4. Ladies Man, The (2000), $5.7 million; 
5. Contender, The (2000), $5.5 million; 
6. Exorcist, The (1973), $5.4 million; 
7. Dr. T and the Women (2000), $5.2 million; 
8. Get Carter (2000), $2.7 million; 
9 (tie). Almost Famous, $2.3 million; 
9 (tie). Best in Show (2000), $2.3 million. 

Peace Keepers Emerge In Hollywood

Hollywood elder statesman Lew Wasserman, Universal Studio's Chairman 
Emeritus, has advised Screen Actors Guild President William Daniels 
to "tone down" his rhetoric about a possible strike, The Hollywood 
Reporter reported today (Monday). Daniels, who met with Wasserman in 
August, told the trade paper, "He said to me, 'you know, Bill, if 
everybody keeps talking about a strike, there will be a strike'. ... 
He said, 'There's a deal to be made'." Noting that in the past, 
Wasserman had often acted as a moderating force to keep labor peace 
in Hollywood, the Reporter noted that Dreamwork's Jeffrey Katzenberg 
is now attempting to play that role. "Katzenberg has been running 
around for weeks" trying to head off a strike, an unnamed 
entertainment company head told the Reporter. 

Director Doesn't "Get" Carter Remake

Director Mike Hodges has told the British online newsletter Ananova 
that he doesn't understand why his 1971 classic Get Carter (1971) 
was remade with Sylvester Stallone in the role played by Michael 
Caine in the original. (Caine has a cameo role in the remake.) 
"Unfortunately I couldn't stop them remaking it," Hodges said. "I 
don't know why they decided to remake it, for the amount of money 
spent on it they could have made plenty of original films." The film 
flopped at the box office, earning only $6.7 million in its debut 
last week, sinking to $2.7 million this past weekend. 

All In The Family? [Ray's note: Tsk, tsk!  I smell a rat.]

The brother of Willie Fulgear (the man who received a $50,000 reward 
and an invitation to attend the Oscars when he led police to a trash 
bin where the a load of stolen Oscar statues had been tossed) has 
been arrested in connection with the theft. Of 55 statues that 
disappeared last March, three have never been found. 

Riefenstahl "Unhappy" That She Made Triumph Of The Will

Ninety-eight-year-old Leni Riefenstahl has claimed she is not proud 
of her most famous film, Triumph of the Will (1934), which has been 
attacked as Nazi propaganda by some and praised as great cinema art 
by others. In an interview appearing in today's (Monday) London 
Daily Telegraph, Riefenstahl remarked that she feels "unhappy" with 
the film, because it "has disturbed my life." Riefenstahl also 
denied that she had any intention of promoting the Nazis with her 
film. "I was not a Communist, I was not a Nazi, I was an artist," 
she said. Indeed, she further insists, she had originally told 
Hitler that she did not want to make the film. "And I say, 'No, no, 
no, no.' And he says, 'Please Leni, one film, one film of the rally 
in Nuremberg.' And I say, 'No.' Then he says, 'Please give me six 
days of your life.' And journalists and people say that I have made 
the film because I am ambitious. That I want to help. But it was au 
contraire." 

Famed Film Critic Canby Dead At 76

Vincent Canby, the New York Times' senior film critic from 1969-1993 
and subsequently its Sunday theater critic, died of cancer in New 
York Sunday at the age of 76. 

NBC Is A Must-See Again

NBC, which had been struggling to compete against its rivals with 
entertainment programming, got a big boost Thursday night as all-new 
episodes of its Must-See-TV lineup produced an average 18.7 rating 
and a 27 share, more than double last week's figures. The network's 
decision to move Frasier to Tuesday night appeared to have little 
effect on the overall ratings, as Will and Grace, which took over 
the 9:00 p.m. half-hour, nearly equaled Frasier's audience, brought 
the median age of the viewers down from 41 to 36, and beat ABC's Who 
Wants to Be a Millionaire as well. In a statement on Friday, NBC 
boasted that it had "met its goal of delivering a younger audience 
for advertisers." The network won every time period for the night, 
producing its best numbers in the 10:00 p.m. hour with E.R., which 
garnered a 20.6/31. 

Friday's Ratings

Interest in the baseball playoffs surged on Friday, keeping NBC on 
top for a second night in a row with a 9.7/17. CBS, however, showed 
strength with the second episode of The Fugitive, producing a 7.8/14 
(down from a 9.1/16 last week) and C.S.I. actually outhitting 
baseball with a 10.1/17 in the 9:00 p.m. hour (last week: 11.3/19). 
Nash Bridges followed at 10:00 p.m. with an 8.6/14. Seeming to 
justify ABC's new deal with Barbara Walters, her 20/20 news 
magazine, featuring a report on the state-supported drugging of East 
German athletes in the 1970s, earned a 9.7/17, double the ratings of 
the network's Two Guys and a Girl, The Trouble With Normal, and 
Madigan Men, which preceded it. 

Saturday's Ratings

ABC's telecast of the Miss America bathing-beauty pageant Saturday 
produced the worst ratings in the history of the annual Atlantic 
City NJ contest. Averaging an 8.7/15, it fell well below the 
previous record washout, a 10.3/18 set in 1998. Last year's ratings, 
a 10.1/19, were the second worst. Nevertheless, the contest gave ABC 
a rare overall win for the night, managing to beat NBC's baseball 
telecast, which averaged a 7.7/14. CBS's The District, meanwhile, 
managed to produce the biggest ratings for any network show during 
prime time, scoring a 9.3/16 in the 10:00 p.m. hour. 

Murdoch Papers Reveal Survivor Site

Australian newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch have revealed the 
secret location site of the second Survivor series. One paper, The 
Advertiser, reported: "A camp site [is] to be portrayed as an 
isolated wilderness hell." The newspaper said that it is located 
about 80 miles south of Cairns, Australia on the crest of the 
Herbert River Falls, adjacent to a national park. The Advertiser 
quoted a spokesman for the Queensland Environment Minister as saying 
that strict conditions had been placed on the show's producers to 
ensure the protection of the park's ecology. It also quoted locals 
as expressing skepticism that the area provides enough wild game to 
allow them to live off the land. However, another Murdoch newspaper, 
The Australian, said that the area featured a few "non-man-eating" 
crocodiles, wild pigs, and barramundi fish. A CBS spokesman declined 
to comment on the reports. 

Wonderful World To Be More Wonderful

ABC has decided to revamp its Sunday night Wonderful World of Disney 
by featuring primarily "event material" such as new TV versions of 
The Wiz, South Pacific, The Miracle Worker, Mame, Fiddler on the 
Roof, and Snow White, USA Today reported today (Monday). The network 
indicated that it will cut back on other films aimed primarily at 
younger viewers. Spot buyer Laura Caraccioli-Davis of Starcom 
welcomed the move. "When (ABC airs) a big-name title, they seem to 
do really well, but other than that there's nothing special about 
tuning in to the Wonderful World of Disney," she said. 

European Union OKs Vivendi-Seagram Merger

Surprising several analysts, The European Union on Friday gave 
conditional approval to Vivendi's $25.8 billion acquisition of 
Seagram after Vivendi presented a list of compromises aimed at 
lifting the EU's antitrust concerns. In particular, Vivendi agreed 
to divest itself of its 20-percent stake in Britain's home-satellite 
company, BSkyB. Later, Vivendi chairman Jean-Marie Messier, said 
that the divestiture would be spread over two years so that it could 
be accomplished "in the most harmonious conditions possible." Asked 
about news reports Friday in which analysts predicted that the EU 
would delay action for four months in order to probe the deal 
further, Messier told today's (Monday) Wall Street Journal that it 
was "all the more satisfying to win when you've been tipped as a 
loser." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
      

Hello Roger!

11 Oct 00 08:02, Roger Nelson wrote to All:

 RN> Hello All!

 RN> What do you all think of James Cameron's new TV series Dark Angel?

I'm willing to give it a few more episodes, but it just isn't 
jelling for me.  Hackneyed dialogue and a general lack of a sense
of direction to move in are detractions.  Plus, I suspect that
the audience will consist mainly of 14 to 44 year old males,
and generally only because of the female lead's appearance,
not her character.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                            

Hello Tim!

12 Oct 00 15:50, Tim Wong wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 LA>> I might get a call on a Monday, booking me for 6 weeks of work, 6
 LA>> days  a week, 12 hours a day, 150 miles from home starting next
 LA>> Monday.

 TW> Obviously demanding, to say the least ..which was the reason why the 
 TW> person I mention above gave it away. I think there has always been a 
common 
 TW> mentality surrounding the film industry that it's glamourous - working 
with the 
 TW> stars, being on movie sets etc. The reality is that it's not all that 
 TW> it is cut out to be in most cases. I'm sure you'll agree with that.

There's nothing glamourous about lugging sandbags up stairs, nor
in pulling 5 strands of 4/0 copper cable through the gutter of a 
city street.

Nor for that matter in sitting 75' up in a lift bucket all night,
trimming your lamps once every 4 hours.

"What?" said the man as he shoveled elephant dung into a wheelbarrow,
"and give up showbusiness?!?"

B-)


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                     

Hello Ray!

12 Oct 00 14:55, Ray Geneburn wrote to Lee Ayrton:
 RG> Oct 10 13:13 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA>> I don't think that this is correct.  While "Suicide" is indeed the 
 LA>> theme song for the TV series, the movie MASH (without the asterisks)
 LA>> only included the song within the movie, and not over the credits at
 LA>> either end.

 RG> There was a film version of MASH without the asterisks?  I think 
 RG> you're right, though.  That theme was only in the TV series AFAICR.

Yup.

The story that I like about MASH, though, is told by Robert Altman.
He says that, when MASH was made, he got what was a standard deal, a fee
for his direction.  Residuals for TV and video were years away, since
those markets really didn't exist yet.  But his son wrote (or co-wrote
I forget) "Suicide for Painless" and gets paid every time the song
airs since the music industry has had residual deals in place for 
nearly a century -- even in reruns of the TV show.  He's made a fortune.





Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                

Hello Roger!

13 Oct 00 06:16, Roger Nelson wrote to Lee Ayrton:


 RN> Before the Everly Brothers, there were the Eberly Brothers.  Who were 
 RN> they?

[scratching head]  It rings a faint bell, but I can't place them
I'll bite.  Who?




Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                               

Hello All!

Tuesday, October 17, 2000: 

 Michael McKean (53) 
 George Wendt (52) 
 Margot Kidder (52) 
 Michael Tolkin (50) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                       

Hello All!

First Look: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Oct 17, 2000, 11:30 AM PT 

NEW ADDITION: Jada Pinkett Smith is in negotiations to star in the second and 
third installments of Warner Bros./Village Roadshow Pictures' hit The Matrix 
for filmmakers Larry and Andy Wachowski and producer Joel Silver, according to 
The Hollywood Reporter. Pinkett Smith would play Niobi, the love interest to 
Laurence Fishburne's character 

EWW...GROSS...: The 16 contestants in the second CBS Survivor series that is 
set to start shooting this month in Australia will face feral pigs, freshwater 
crocodiles, snakes, spiders and poisonous wild fruit at their North Queensland 
outback campsite. 

FOR CHARITY: Author J.K. Rowling announced that she is writing two spinoff 
reference books from her Harry Potter series to raise money for charity. The 
short books, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the 
Ages, will be released worldwide March 16 as part of the Comic Relief 
fundraiser. 

GOING SOLO: TV producer Steven Bochco finalizing plans to create a new legal 
drama starring NYPD Blue's Kim Delaney, sealing a 13-episode order from ABC for 
fall 2001. Delaney will leave Blue at the end of this season to work on the 
untitled project. 

SPORTS NIGHT LIVES...SORTA: Comedy Central has reportedly picked up rerun 
rights to Sports Night, Aaron Sorkin's critically acclaimed comedy that ended 
its two-season run on ABC in May. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 
deal--which involves some 44 episodes of the series--is expected to be 
completed in a week. 

A TAD LATE? Elizabeth Hurley, hammered for the past two months by bitter 
criticism from striking union actors, has formally apologized for shooting a 
non-union perfume spot, and has promised to make a "significant" contribution 
to the Screen Actors Guild. 

COLD SHOULDER: Spice Girl Mel B's first solo album, Hot, getting the cold 
shoulder from fans. The debut solo effort from "Scary Spice" drifted into the 
British album charts at number 28 this week. 

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: A strong Sunday, capped by hefty week-to-week ratings 
gains for The Practice, helped ABC clinch the second week of the season in 
total viewers, although NBC prevailed in the more important adults 18-49 race. 

TO THE SMALL SCREEN: CBS has given a six-episode order to a drama starring Mary 
Stuart Masterson as a struggling young single mother. Tentatively titled 
Raising Kate represents Masterson's first regular role on a TV series. Her 
feature credits include Some Kind of Wonderful and Fried Green Tomatoes. 

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE RERUNS: Xena: Warrior Princess will vanquish her last enemy 
this spring, when the popular syndicated show ends its run after six seasons. 
First run episodes will continue to air through summer 2001. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                              

Hello All!

17th October 2000

Sony Mann-acles Ali Biopic

Columbia Pictures execs and director Michael Mann are due to 
continue discussions today (Tuesday) over the studio's reported 
decision last week to pull the plug on a planned biopic of Muhammad 
Ali, the Los Angeles Times reported today (Tuesday). (Other 
publications also reported that the film appeared to be doomed, 
including Daily Variety, which broke the story on Monday. Today's 
New York Post commented that the film "is on the ropes, apparently 
KO'd by its own $100-million-plus budget.") The Times reported that 
during a meeting with studio execs on Monday, Mann presented a list 
of financial concessions he was willing to make. These reportedly 
included cutting some expensive location shooting and agreeing to 
take a cut in upfront fees. Mann also indicated that star Will Smith 
and producer Jon Peters had also agreed to take fee cuts. In 
reporting on the latest developments, the Times commented, "The 
Sony-Columbia brass may look smart for trying to rein in a director 
on a very expensive movie. But they mismanaged the situation by 
publicly putting the studio at odds with one of Hollywood's biggest 
stars and biggest directors and embarrassing everyone." 

Four New Films In Top Ten

Four new releases wound up in this week's box-office top ten, but 
none of them case close to toppling last week's leaders, Universal's 
Meet the Parents (2000), which earned $21.2 million, and Remember 
the Titans (2000), which earned $13.1 million. New Line's Lost Souls 
(2000), which was very much a loser in the minds of most critics, 
opened in third place with $8 million. Another poorly reviewed film, 
Paramount's Ladies Man, The (2000), took the fourth spot with $5.43 
million, virtually tied with DreamWorks' Contender, The (2000), 
which wasn't much of one with $5.4 million. The top 12 films grossed 
$74 million, a 4.2-percent rise from the same weekend last year. 

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures 
compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent 
total gross to date):

1. Meet the Parents (2000), Universal, $21,168,385, ($58,824,635); 
2. Remember the Titans (2000), Disney, $13,057,421, ($64,206,353); 
3. Lost Souls (2000), New Line, $7,954,766, (New); 
4. Ladies Man, The (2000), Paramount, $5,426,390, (New); 
5. Contender, The (2000), DreamWorks, $5,363,900, (New); 
6. Exorcist, The (1973), Warner Bros., $5,235,581, ($30,534,411); 
7. Dr. T and the Women (2000), Artisan, $5,012,867, (New); 
8. Get Carter (2000), Warner Bros., $2,916,232, ($11,740,680); 
9. Almost Famous (2000), DreamWorks, $2,192,827, ($26,676,713); 
10. Best in Show (2000), Warner Bros., $2,137,861, ($3,889,111). 

Mexican Film A Winner In Chicago

The hit Mexican film Love's a Dog (Amores Perros) took the top Gold 
Hugo award for best picture at the 36th annual Chicago International 
Film Festival Monday night. The festival jury also handed out a 
joint best actor award to the movie's two male leads, Emilio 
Echevarría and Gael Garcia Bernál. The film is directed by Alejandro 
Gonzales Inarritu, a top Mexico City disc jockey. Taking second 
place was the Iranian film A Time for Drunken Horses, directed by 
Bahman Ghobadi, which had previously received a top award at Cannes. 
German film star Hannelore Elsner won the best actress award for her 
performance in Oskar Roehler's No Place to Go and Clara Law, a Hong 
Kong director who recently moved to Australia, won the best director 
honor for The Goddess of 1967. 

No Harry Potter Costumes For Halloween

Taking speedy action, a federal judge Monday told a New York maker 
of Halloween costumes to remove all of its Harry Potter costumes 
from store shelves at once. U.S. District court Judge Louis L. 
Stanton acted just hours after Time Warner, which holds film rights 
to the Potter series, asked the judge to issue a restraining order 
against Disguise Inc., claiming that only its Warner Bros. Studio 
Stores have rights to sell the Harry costumes -- and they won't be 
available until next year. 

Hurley Apologizes To Unions

Just days before her new movie, Bedazzled, is due to open, Liz 
Hurley has apologized for shooting a commercial for Estée Lauder 
during the current SAG-AFTRA strike against ad producers and 
promised to make a contribution to the SAG strike fund. Hurley had 
previously explained that she had not been aware of the strike at 
the time she filmed the spot. 

Hollywood Producers Pull Out Of Israel

The renewal of violence in the Middle East has forced Beacon 
Pictures to forego shooting location scenes for the Robert 
Redford-Brad Pitt starrer The Spy Game in Tel Aviv and move them to 
Shepperton studios in England instead, the London Daily Mail 
reported Monday. The newspaper said that crews have spent weeks in 
Israel completing pre-production work. A spokesperson for the film, 
which is being released by Universal, told the Daily Mail: "You have 
to think of not just the safety of the stars, but the entire crew. 
In any case, I think the money and the insurance have been jumping 
up and down, going nuts at the prospect of filming in a war zone." 

Billy Elliot Star Isn't Tempted By Hollywood

Despite the fact that several top critics are predicting that 
fourteen-year-old Jamie Bell is likely to become the first child 
star to win the Oscar for best actor, Bell says he has no intention 
of pursuing a film career in Hollywood. The star of the hit British 
film Billy Elliot told today's (Tuesday) issue of the London Daily 
Express: "I'm not tempted. ... I was asked in America whether if I 
was offered £25 million ($40 million) to do a film with Bruce Willis 
if I'd do it. But I honestly wouldn't. I want to stay here." Bell 
also said that when he returned to school in Durham two weeks ago 
after the summer holiday, some schoolmates taunted him about a scene 
in which his character kisses a gay friend on the cheek. "They 
started saying, 'We're going to beat you up because you kissed a 
lad.' I thought they might have taken offense because of the ballet 
dancing, but I was shocked by their reaction because I'd totally 
forgotten about the kissing scene." 

FCC Chief Scolds Broadcasters About V-Chip

FCC Chairman Bill Kennard chided broadcasters Monday for doing 
little to make parents aware of the V-chip and encourage them to use 
it to prevent their children from seeing unsuitable programming. At 
a Washington hearing, Kennard also accused broadcasters of 
"coarsening" standards and offering less time for public-service 
announcements. Former FCC General Counsel Henry Geller suggested 
that instead of compelling broadcasters to continue airing public 
service programming, the commission should consider assessing them 
one percent of their gross advertising revenue and using the money 
thus raised to fund public television. Commissioner Gloria Tristani 
went further, accusing broadcasters of producing programs that 
represent "a health hazard" to the minds of children. "None of us 
would hesitate to act if our children were being physically 
violated," she said, "but too many of us fail to act when our 
children's minds are violated." Broadcasters attending the hearings 
balked at the suggestion that additional government regulations 
ought to be imposed. 

Streisand To Make Pitch For Democrats On 20/20

Barbra Streisand agreed to be interviewed by Barbara Walters on 
ABC's 20/20 on Nov. 3 on condition that she be asked about her 
support for Al Gore, Hillary Clinton (in the N.Y. senatorial race), 
and the Democratic platform, New York Post columnist Neal Travis 
reported today (Tuesday), citing an unnamed source. "Babs 
(Streisand) is enormously popular in Middle America, where the 
election will be decided," the source told Travis. "All those 
undecideds out there -- if they can hear one idol telling another 
what a great guy Gore is, you know it's going to swing a lot of 
votes." 

Delaney Leaving NYPD Blue To Star In New Series

NYPD Blue cast member Kim Delaney is being pulled out of the show so 
that she can star in a new legal drama for ABC being developed by 
Blue creator Steve Bochco, the Los Angeles Times reported today 
(Tuesday). The unnamed series is due to premiere in the fall of 
2001. In an interview with the Times, Bochco said of Delaney: "She's 
so good, and in that ensemble of guys she's been kind of underused." 
He said that she will be written out of the show in such a way that 
she can be brought back if the new show is unsuccessful. 

Chicago O&O To Forego Baseball For Debate

WMAQ-TV, the NBC-owned station in Chicago, has decided to air 
tonight's (Tuesday) third presidential debate instead of the network 
telecast of the Mariners-Yankees American League Championship 
contest, the Chicago Tribune reported today. The NBC feed will be 
carried on Paxson affiliate WCPX. Paxson said Monday that 24 of its 
stations will be carrying the game. Fox has said that it will air 
its regular primetime schedule during the live debate and carry the 
debate on a tape-delay basis later in the evening. 

Will CBS Be Able To Keep Survivor News Secret?

CBS is expecting to have a more difficult time keeping secret 
developments in the Australian Outback, where the second Survivor 
series is being filmed, especially given the resourcefulness of 
Australian journalists, published reports in the U.S. observed today 
(Tuesday). "It already appears the media Down Under and elsewhere 
are ready to blow the lid off Survivor II," the New York Daily News 
observed today (Tuesday). The newspaper quoted an unnamed source as 
saying, "Without a doubt, it's difficult to keep things more 
secretive. ... The show is under a microscope." 

35th Anniversary DOOL To Air Sans Ads

NBC plans to air a special 35th anniversary episode of its daytime 
soap Days of Our Lives on Wednesday, Nov. 8 without commercials. The 
episode will include historical highlights of the series, giving 
viewers who have never seen it the opportunity to catch up on what 
has been going on. 

ABC Wins Sunday

ABC dominated the ratings Sunday night with its combination of the 
movie Sister Act 2, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and The Practice, 
averaging a 10.7 rating and a 17 share. CBS, helped by its 
perennially strong 60 Minutes, finished close behind with a 10.2/15. 
But NBC, saddled with an American League playoff game that was 
played so slowly that it completely wiped out NBC's scheduled airing 
of Dateline in the 7:00 p.m. hour and forced the new drama Ed to air 
a half hour later than scheduled, wound up with a 7.5/11, finishing 
behind Fox which pulled a 7.6/11. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                            

Hello Ray!

16 Oct 00 14:52, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> Riefenstahl "Unhappy" That She Made Triumph Of The Will

 RG> Ninety-eight-year-old Leni Riefenstahl has claimed she is not proud 
 RG> of her most famous film, Triumph of the Will (1934), which has been 
 RG> attacked as Nazi propaganda by some and praised as great cinema art 

I've seen TRIUMPH..., in fact I've a dub of it around here someplace. It
is _both_ things claimed above.

The thing I found truly frightening is that, if one were to substitute
the USA national flag for the Nazi flag in the movie, it could be a great 
hit here.  Leni certainly found the nationalism button and pushed it
long and hard.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                                       

 On 10-15-00 Ray Geneburn wrote to Maureen Goldman... 
 
 MG>  Strong numbers for the debut of a TV show should be compared 
 MG>  with people showing up for a blind date. It doesn't equal a 
 MG>  relationship. I foresee the numbers dropping very strongly for 
 MG>  the Geena Davis Show, which was truly awful. 
 
 RG> I already had a hunch it might be, so I didn't look.  The Russians 
 RG> have come 
 RG> up with a unique, though ancient idea to get more viewers 
 RG> for their local TV news shows.  Nude female reporters.  :-) 
 
 I read about that! Sometimes the reporters themselves strip, and 
 sometimes there are strippers behind them as they read the news. 
 But never SERIOUS news. Amazing that it happened in Russia 
 first... 
 
 RG> I did take a look at Andromeda with Kevin Sorbo.  It has 
 RG> gotten off to a slow start, I think, but shows promise if 
 RG> the writers don't fall into the traps of the other Star 
 RG> Trek stories. 
 
 The premise of "Andromeda" bothers me because three hundred 
 years have passed while he was in a time warp (or whatever), and 
 Dylan Hunt wants to restore the Federation (or whatever it's 
 called)... without leaving his ship to look around. That seems 
 an awful lot of trust to put in the records of a salvage ship. 
 AND that crew joins him because he's really impressive. This is 
 Rip Van Winkle, guys! 
 
 RG> Sheena and Queen of Swords didn't attract me at all.  I am 
 RG> getting to see some series that have gone into syndication 
 RG> that I missed and some of them are old. 
 
 Like what, and how old? We get some decent British series here. 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                     

Hello All!

First Look: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Oct 18, 2000, 11:55 AM PT 

RAGING NO MORE: Following a whirlwind of breakup rumors and a recent management 
shakeup, Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha announcing that 
he's leaving the politically charged rock band. Said the fiery frontman in a 
statement: "I feel that it is now necessary to leave Rage because our 
decision-making process has completely failed." 

NOW WE KNOW! Actor Michael Douglas and fianc‚e Catherine Zeta-Jones have 
finally set a date and venue for their wedding--November 18 at the Plaza Hotel 
in New York. "It will be a sumptuous party. The invitations have already been 
sent to our friends," Douglas told Germany's Gala entertainment weekly in an 
interview during a visit to Berlin. 

WHAT THIS GIRL WANTS: Pop princess Christina Aguilera suing her manager, Steven 
Kurtz, for fraud, claiming he and his management company were "a sham," and 
that he took more than his share of the singer's earnings. Kurtz promptly fired 
back, saying Aguilera's lawsuit is a "transparent and misguided attempt" to 
avoid paying him. 

LET THE SURVIVOR SPECULATIONS COMMENCE! Survivor: The Australian Outback will 
be filmed in a remote valley near Blencoe Falls, about 1,100 miles north of 
Sydney, The Australian reports. The secret was blown by locals, upset they were 
not offered jobs or hush money. 

VEGAS BABY: Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown are performing together at the 
Aladdin Theater in Las Vegas on November 10. The couple will perform 
individually and as a husband-wife duet, Pollstar reports. Tickets range from 
$100 to $300. 

A DIFFERENT SORT OF FIGHT: Matthew McConaughey (U-571) will slay dragons in his 
next film, Reign of Fire. The big-budget, post-apocalyptic tale is set to go 
before cameras in the U.K. early next year. 

RETURN TO GLORY: The season premieres of NBC's Thursday comedies and ER put the 
Peacock on top in the adults 18-49 demographic for the second full week of the 
fall season, the week ending October 15. But ABC won the week among total 
viewers and households. 

THE PLEA: Courtroom-friendly rapper DMX pleading innocent to weapons charges 
he's facing in New Jersey. The hip-hopster (otherwise known as Earl Simmons) 
was arrested after a search of his Teaneck home turned up a semi-automatic 
handgun. Police searched DMX's home after the rapper's uncle was shot in the 
foot, but detectives aren't saying whether DMX is a suspect. 

FUNNY MAN: Billy Crystal being tapped to receive the AFI Star Award at the 2001 
U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. The seventh annual yukfest will take place in Aspen 
February 28 through March 4. The weeklong event serves as a showcase for talent 
and a one-stop shopping market for agents and programmers seeking fresh comic 
blood. 

RISQUE: The estranged wife of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Donna Hanover, drew 
cheers when she simulated the sounds of women having sex during her debut in 
the off-Broadway hit, The Vagina Monologues. 

HOLDING ON TO THE MEMORIES: Pop superstar George Michael was named on Wednesday 
as the buyer of John Lennon's piano, paying $2.1 million in order to keep the 
piece of entertainment folklore in Britain. 

OBIT: Gwen Verdon, Broadway's premier female dancer who was the seductive Lola 
in Damn Yankees and the saucy, love-struck Charity in Sweet Charity, died 
Wednesday of natural causes. She was 75. Verdon did her best work with director 
and choreographer Bob Fosse, to whom she was married for 15 years. 

MORE GIVING: Eddie Murphy becoming the latest celebrity to support striking 
union actors, donating $100,000 to the Screen Actors Guild Foundation's 
strike-relief fund. His gift brings total donations from high-profile SAG 
members to nearly $900,000. 

WHAT'S ONLINE: Online auctioneer eBay confirming it's in talks with Disney's 
Buena Vista Television syndication unit, as well as ABC and other networks, to 
launch a five-day-a-week TV show spinoff. EBay is already teaming up with Walt 
Disney Internet Group to launch the "Disney Auctions" section of the site. 

CLOSE CALL: A plane owned by Jim Carrey clipped the top of another plane while 
trying to land at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles. No one was hurt, and Carrey 
was not in the plane. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                               

Hello All!

Wednesday, October 18, 2000: 

 Peter Boyle (65) 
 Jean-Claude Van Damme (40) 
 Arliss Howard (46) 
 Joe Morton (53) 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                   

Hello All!

18th October 2000

Traders Wallop Time Warner, AOL

Shares in merging Time Warner and America Online went into a 
tailspin Tuesday, with AOL falling 17 percent to $43.60, a 52-week 
low, and Time Warner diving 16 percent to $65.56. Analysts now 
figure that their merger is worth $115 billion compared to $173 
billion when it was first announced last January. A widely forecast 
decline in Internet advertising was blamed for the sell-off, but 
several analysts called it an overreaction. Both companies are due 
to issue quarterly earnings reports today -- with AOL expected to 
post sharply higher earnings and Time Warner expected to report 
lower profits, primarily because of increased interest and tax 
expenses. 

Valenti Says Elliot Deserves To Be R-Rated

MPAA chief Jack Valenti has defended the motion picture rating 
board's decision to rate the critically praised Billy Elliot R 
instead of PG-13. Valenti told the online entertainment magazine 
Inside: "Thirty to 40 times, the f-word is used in that (film). 
Thirty to 40 times! We folks who live in Washington, New York and 
California think everybody talks like we do. (But) I get more 
letters about language than I do about violence." (Much of the film 
was shot in Durham, England.) But Universal marketing chief Mark 
Schmuger disagreed. "It's such a wonderful, inspirational story for 
teenagers to be exposed to and unfortunately, this one-size-fits-all 
rating... ends up creating some restrictions for us," he told 
Inside, adding that the studio is considering advertising the film 
before 9:00 p.m. on TV and targeting shows with a teen audience. 

Film Sites Won't Work On Web, Says Research Group

New York-based Jupiter Research has criticized filmmakers' use of 
the Internet, noting that Web surfers' interest in movie sites has 
been declining as the novelty of streaming video fades. Presenting 
short films online has limited potential, Jupiter concluded, because 
watching the often jerky, fuzzy pictures inherent in streaming 
presentations is not satisfying. Among its recommendations: that 
such Web sites become more of a b-to-b operation, showcasing the 
work of promising talent directly to studio executives. 

Moviemakers Increasingly Turning To Camcorders 
[Ray's note: Let's give them credit for learning something from all we 
amateurs.]

Low-cost digital cameras are increasingly being used in filmmaking 
to cut costs, CNN's Showbiz Today observed Tuesday. Director Spike 
Lee told the cable magazine show that he shot his latest film, 
Bamboozled, with a $1,200 Sony VX-1000 digital camcorder, which 
allowed him to make faster set-ups than would have been the case if 
he had used studio equipment. "We did not have a lot of money to 
shoot this film, so we really needed to move," he said. Director Jon 
Shear noted that he shot his film Urbania on 16mm film, then 
transferred it to digital for post-production. Other films employing 
consumer video cameras for all or part of the production include the 
Coen Brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Lars Von Trier's 
award-winning Dancer in the Dark. 

Indian Films Find An Audience -- In Germany

Indian films are enjoying huge popularity in Germany, the Times of 
India reported today, noting that "Bollywood" videos are being 
snatched up not only by the country's growing population of Indians, 
Pakistanis, Afghans, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans, but by an 
increasing number of Germans. The newspaper noted that the Indian 
film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) packed houses at the recent 
Berlin International Film Festival and subsequently received rave 
reviews. German critic Dorothee Wenner told the newspaper: "The film 
was a refreshing change for many Germans who are getting tired of 
Hollywood movies with their excesses of violence and sex. It was 
also interesting for a German to see a film depicting a different 
cultural background." 

NOTE: Carolyn Grantham, editor of American Movie Classics Magazine, 
has informed us that Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell does not attend 
school in Durham, England as we reported Tuesday. She writes that he 
attends Northfield Comprehensive in Billingham, Cleveland (county), 
England. 

Viewers Return To Must-See TV

It seemed pretty much like old times on the weekly Nielsen ratings 
list Tuesday as NBC's Thursday lineup again took over the top four 
positions. E.R. returned to the top spot again, followed by two new 
episodes of Friends and a new episode of Will & Grace (airing in 
Frasier's former spot at 9:00 p.m.). Nevertheless, while those shows 
gave NBC the lead in the 18-49 demo, the network placed third in the 
overall numbers. ABC once again attracted the most viewers for the 
week, scoring with Monday Night Football and four episodes of Who 
Wants to Be a Millionaire. While the number of viewers who tuned in 
for individual broadcasts of Millionaire has dropped, ABC's decision 
to up the number of episodes from three to four has offset the 
decline. Bloomberg News Tuesday quoted Bill Carroll, director of 
programming for consulting group Katz-TV, as saying: "ABC has to be 
encouraged that the show is holding up against the competition." ABC 
garnered a 10.0 rating and a 16 share for the week, followed by CBS 
with a 9.0/15. NBC finished third with an 8.8/14, while Fox placed 
fourth with a 6.2/10. 

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. 
E.R., NBC, 19.2/30; 2. Friends, NBC, 18.0/28; 3. Friends, NBC, 
16.6/27; 4. Will & Grace, NBC, 15.8/23; 5. NFL Monday Night 
Football: Tampa Bay vs. Minnesota, ABC, 14.9/25; 6. Who Wants to Be 
a Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 14.5/23; 7. Millionaire (Wednesday), 
ABC, 13.9/22; 8. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 13.7/20; 9. 
Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 13.5/20; 10. Just Shoot Me, NBC, 13.3/20. 

Monday Night Football Thrown For A Loss 
[Ray's note: These guys STILL don't get it!  It isn't the game.]

Monday night's Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars football 
game produced only a 10.6/18 rating -- the second lowest ratings for 
Monday Night Football ever. The game faced competition from the 
deciding game of the National League playoffs, but that game, too, 
produced disappointing numbers, earning only a 6.3/10. 

Murdoch Worried About Fox-TV

Rupert Murdoch told a News Corp shareholders meeting in Australia 
today (Wednesday) that while his Fox Entertainment Group has had "a 
great start" in its current fiscal year and "an extremely good 
October," he is concerned about the immediate future. Murdoch said 
that he was particularly concerned about the company's TV 
operations. "I have to say the immediate future for ours and our 
competitors' looks a little uncertain," Murdoch said. He added: 
"There are signs of weakness in the next couple of months." The News 
Corp chairman also skirted a question about his planned timing for a 
public offering of Sky Global Network, the company's satellite TV 
operations. "I'm not prepared to give you an exact date. We're in 
negotiations with potential strategic partners and we hope to have a 
very successful float of that in the near future," he said. Analysts 
suggested that given current market conditions, the Sky Global IPO 
may be a long way off. Shares in News Corp dropped 5 percent on the 
Australian stock exchange following Murdoch's remarks. 

Will Diller, Backed By Vivendi, Make Another Play For NBC?

Speculation that Vivendi would back Barry Diller's long-held 
ambition to buy NBC mounted Tuesday as Vivendi Chairman Jean-Marie 
Messier told a New York news conference, "We will strongly support 
the strategic moves of Barry Diller." Upon completion of its merger 
with Seagram, Vivendi will own about 45 percent of Diller's 
entertainment holdings, including the USA Networks, the Home 
Shopping Network and Ticketmaster. 

Judge Says He'll Rule Soon On Millionaire Suit

A federal judge in Miami indicated Tuesday that he will soon rule on 
a suit filed by the Center for Independent Living charging that Who 
Wants to Be a Millionaire violates the Americans With Disabilities 
Act by not making provisions to allow the deaf and hearing impaired 
to qualify as contestants. The group charges that Millionaire 
producers, by requiring would-be contestants to phone a toll-free 
number and punch in answers to test questions using a telephone 
keypad, are practicing de facto discrimination against the hearing 
impaired. 

"No Frills" Newscast No More?

Carol Marin may be negotiating an exit from WBBM, where her "no 
frills" late-night newscast has received critical praise but low 
ratings, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder reported today 
(Wednesday), citing industry rumors. Feder also said that station 
executives have been meeting with Asha Blake, a former co-host of 
NBC's Later Today, to replace Marin. 

Richards Forecasts Critics Will Clobber His New Show

Michael Richards appears to be less than aggressive in fending off 
the bad buzz surrounding his sitcom, The Michael Richards Show, 
which debuts next week on NBC. "I think I'm doing a decent show 
here. We'll see how it goes. But I can take it on the chin," he told 
today's (Wednesday) New York Daily News. In the same article, 
Richards appeared to be bracing for just such a blow. "My biggest 
concern is that I may not be given the time to develop the show 
because expectations are so high," he told the newspaper. "The 
critics will be merciless. They'll expect it to be the 130th episode 
of Seinfeld." 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                       

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I agree with what you're saying. Specifically though, you'll notice a
 TW> lot of films today that use profanity tend to use it in an overused
 TW> sense [...]

 RN> Well, that would explain why subsequent generations use those words
 RN> as if nothing is wrong.  That's what I meant by the 'eroding of a
 RN> once good culture.'

Yes, but you have to expect that. Culture evolves. It doesn't stay in a shell 
and refrain from change. Of course, there is a line that needs to be drawn, 
and from my point of view, the amount of profanity in the media today is 
understandable, but I still feel it is encroaching on the children of the 
world a little to steadly for my liking.

 TW> I guess an example of this would be Good Will Hunting. Matt Damon's
 TW> [...]

 RN> I didn't see it, but I have knowledge of Robin Williams' use of
 RN> profanity in his stand-up "comedic" gigs.

In the context of Willams' character in the film, I didn't see him as a 
"swearer"...the only reason being perhaps that his character grew up in the 
same neighborhood as Matt Damon's character, which was apparently a "rough" 
neighborhood.

 TW> In the context of today's society, profanity is far more acceptable
 TW> than it was many years ago - so it's understandable that most films
 TW> these days include it. Personally, I have a wide range of
 TW> tastes...i'll generally watch anything; violence, sex, profanity or
 TW> not.

 RN> Guess again.  (-:  My children are NEVER allowed to use it in my
 RN> presence.  Oh, they'll slip on rare occasions, but know they had
 RN> better come up with an apologyimmediately.

Oh, I agree. Children, especially the younger ones, are being exposed to 
profanity at an increasingly younger age, whether it be on TV, in film or by 
their peers.

 TW> Remember that there were strict censorship codes back in the days, so
 TW> while use of profanity in war time situations may have been common,
 TW> you wouldn't have had much of it at all in the war films of those
 TW> times.

 RN> Agreed, but I can think of no better situation than war for its use.
 RN> But to apply it on the general public like spreading butter on bread
 RN> in a forum where everyone wants to forget the problems of the day and
 RN> be entertained?  No.

True. In hindsight, war films don't need certain forms of dialogue to be 
effective at being realistic. For me though, profanity does in some ways 
bring about a certain level of "grittyness" or harshness into war films - war 
films of the Hollywood era did have some elements of idealisation, some more 
than others. In those cases, idealisation did mask the reality in parts.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                              

*** Quoting Roger Nelson in a message to Lee Ayrton ***

 LA> There's nothing glamourous about lugging sandbags up stairs, nor in
 LA> pulling 5 strands of 4/0 copper cable through the gutter of a  city
 LA> street.  [...]

 RN> I think that Tim was unaware of the non-glamourous side of your work.

I was unaware of shoveling manure as a job requirement :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                          

Hello Ray!

17 Oct 00 15:01, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:


 RG> A TAD LATE? Elizabeth Hurley, hammered for the past two months by 
 RG> bitter criticism from striking union actors, has formally apologized 
 RG> for shooting a non-union perfume spot, and has promised to make a 
 RG> "significant" contribution to the Screen Actors Guild. 

SAG has considered adopting a rule that will ban -- for life -- any
actors who have crossed picket lines to work.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                         

Hello Lee!

Oct 16 15:19 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 RG>> There was a film version of MASH without the asterisks?  I think 
 RG>> you're right, though.  That theme was only in the TV series AFAICR.

 LA> Yup.

I don't think so.  :-)

 LA> The story that I like about MASH, though, is told by Robert Altman.
 LA> He says that, when MASH was made, he got what was a standard deal, a 
 LA> fee for his direction.  Residuals for TV and video were years away, since
 LA> those markets really didn't exist yet.  But his son wrote (or 
 LA> co-wrote I forget) "Suicide for Painless" and gets paid every time the 
 LA> song airs since the music industry has had residual deals in place for 
 LA> nearly a century -- even in reruns of the TV show.  He's made a 
 LA> fortune.

So that turned Altman SOUR?


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                             

Hello Lee!

Oct 17 09:34 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> I've seen TRIUMPH..., in fact I've a dub of it around here someplace. 
 LA> It is _both_ things claimed above.

I'll take your word for it because I have not seen it.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                         

Hello Maureen!

Oct 17 16:16 00, Maureen Goldman wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 MG>  I read about that! Sometimes the reporters themselves strip, and 
 MG>  sometimes there are strippers behind them as they read the news. 
 MG>  But never SERIOUS news. Amazing that it happened in Russia 
 MG>  first... 

I don't know how they could be so light-hearted, given their current financial 
condition.

 MG>  The premise of "Andromeda" bothers me because three hundred 
 MG>  years have passed while he was in a time warp (or whatever), and 
 MG>  Dylan Hunt wants to restore the Federation (or whatever it's 
 MG>  called)... without leaving his ship to look around. That seems 
 MG>  an awful lot of trust to put in the records of a salvage ship. 
 MG>  AND that crew joins him because he's really impressive. This is 
 MG>  Rip Van Winkle, guys! 

Sorbo is eye candy for the females.  I like good stories and it's too early to 
see one in this series.

 MG>  Like what, and how old? We get some decent British series here. 

Before I type my response, I should point out that I forced myself to watch 5 
minutes of Everybody Loves Raymond recently and did not crack a smile.  The 
only funny thing I heard was the laugh track.

Now then, to answer your question.  I am getting to see all episodes of The 
Pretender and a few others which escape my recall at the moment, but I'll do a 
follow-up on that.  

There were a couple of good movies over the weekend on the Lifetime channel 
with Gail O'Grady.  The best one was last Saturday night called Nothing Lasts 
Forever with Brooke Shields, Vanessa Williams, Chris Noth and a great 
performance by Lloyd Bridges, who played a dying patient.


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
 

Hello Lee!

Oct 18 07:59 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA> SAG has considered adopting a rule that will ban -- for life -- any
 LA> actors who have crossed picket lines to work.

Will they "grandfather" Liz?  :-)


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                      

Hello All!

FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief 
by Emily Farache 
Oct 19, 2000, 11:25 AM PT 

RAGING NO MORE: Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha announcing 
that he's leaving the politically charged rock band. Said the fiery frontman in 
a statement: "I feel that it is now necessary to leave Rage because our 
decision-making process has completely failed." 

GETTING REALISTIC: Scenes for the action film Tomb Raider, featuring Oscar 
winner Angelina Jolie, will be shot at Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat temples, an 
official said on Thursday. 

A SECOND CAREER: Spice Girl Victoria Beckham has sold the rights to her 
autobiography in a deal which could be worth more than $1.45 million--a record 
for the memoirs of a British celebrity. 

WAITING TIME: Author J.K. Rowling says the next book in the Harry Potter series 
will be out "within" two years. The fifth of the planned seven books, she says, 
is "not too far along...It will be ready when it's ready." 

SCARY DEBUT: Actress-model Liz Hurley was booed by about 200 union protesters 
as she arrived for a screening of her film Bedazzled Tuesday night. Hurley had 
earlier apologized for appearing in a commercial for Est‚e Lauder during the 
actors' strike against advertisers. 

CHANGE OF FORMAT: The Dr. Laura television show will soon be more like her 
caustic radio show. The newly reformatted show will include a "Moral Dilemma 
Hotline," for "viewers to schedule an appointment for when the Dr. Laura 
television crew will be in their area," according to a prepared statement 

BORN AGAIN AT 20: Following a successful stage debut in London, Home Alone star 
Macaulay Culkin is apparently on the way to reviving his acting career. The 
British online pop news site Ananova reported today that Culkin received three 
curtain calls following his appearance in Madame Melville, playing a teenager 
who is seduced by his teacher. 

FEELING LUCKY: Drew Barrymore's mom, Jaid, is getting off with 10 days of 
community service after her lawyer bargained her illegal-gun charge from May 
down to a class A misdemeanor in Manhattan Criminal Court. 

IMMORTALIZED: Palace Amusements, a 113-year-old amusement park Bruce 
Springsteen sang about in "Born to Run," his first hit single in 1975, to 
become a historic site. 

ALMOST OVER? Hollywood's longest strike may be on the verge of ending. 
Negotiators for advertisers and union actors return to the bargaining table 
today, three weeks after talks collapsed over cable buyout rates and Internet 
jurisdiction. 

REUNION: Diane Lane is in final negotiations to star opposite Richard Gere in 
Fox 2000's thriller Unfaithful, inspired by the French classic La Femme 
Infidele about a married woman involved in an affair that leads to murder. 

SETTLING DOWN IS BAD? Fox ordering 13 episodes of its midseason comedy Grounded 
for Life starring Donal Logue (The Tao of Steve) as Sean Finnerty, a 
thirtysomething struggling to contain his wild side as he tries to be a 
responsible husband and father. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved.  


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                     

Hello All!

"Damn Yankees" Star Gwen Verdon Dies 
by Bridget Byrne 
Oct 18, 2000, 3:35 PM PT 

Gwen Verdon, the sexy redheaded hoofer whose legendary leg-work inspired
Bob Fosse and electrified Broadway, died today of natural causes. She was 
75. 
On stage, Vernon embodied Fosse's most famous creations, including the 
seductive devil's sidekick Lola in Damn Yankees and the heart-of-gold taxi 
dancer Charity in Sweet Charity. Off stage, the director-choereographer 
and dancer were married for 15 years. Although they separated in 1975, 
they never divorced, and Verdon was with Fosse when he collapsed and died 
on a sidewalk in 1987 just before the opening of a revival of Sweet 
Charity in Washington, D.C. 
Born in Los Angeles, Verdon leaped to prominence in the 1953 Cole Porter 
stage musical, Can-Can stealing the show with her "Garden of Eden" ballet. 
The performance won her the first of her four Tonys. 
Two years later she had star billing as Lola. Her version of the come-on 
song "What Lola Wants..." and the advertising posters featuring her in 
black lingerie were credited with boosting ticket sales and enabling the 
show to run over 1,000 performances. She brought Lola's unique mambo to 
the 1958 film version of the musical about a baseball fan selling his soul 
for a chance to play with the Washington Senators. 
But the actress made few Hollywood films during her stage heyday. In fact, 
when Sweet Charity was filmed in 1969, the role Verdon had originated in 
1965 went to another redhead, movie star Shirley MacLaine. 
Verdon also worked with Fosse on New Girl in Town, the story of a onetime 
prostitute, based on the Eugene O'Neill story Anna Christie (which had 
been Greta Garbo's first talking picture), and on Redhead, a 
murder-mystery set in Victorian England especially shaped to the talents 
of its auburn-tressed star. 
The couple's final collaboration was for Chicago in 1975. Verdon played 
the murderer Roxie Hart in the John Kander and Fred Ebb musical. She also 
consulted on the Tony-winning Broadway revival of Chicago. (The theater 
lights should dim tonight in Verdon's memory.) 
In later years, Verdon made the successful transition to film that had 
eluded her in youth. She was one of the senior citizens offered eternal 
life in Cocoon and its sequel, and is also credited with contributing 
choreography. She played Mia Farrow's mother in Woody Allen's domestic 
comedy Alice and showed up on television in supporting roles in The Oldest 
Living Confederate Widow Tells All and In Cold Blood. 
Verdon is survived by her daughter with Fosse, Nicole, and her son, Jim 
Henaghan, from an earlier marriage. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved. 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                                               

Hello All!

19th October 2000

"I Hope Some Day You'll Join Us"

Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment has decided to 
stay put at Universal, signing a new contract with the studio that 
expires in 2005. Terms were not disclosed. However, analysts agreed 
that Imagine probably had the upper hand in negotiations given its 
importance to the studio, especially at a time when Universal is 
being picked up by Vivendi as part of the French company's 
acquisition of Seagram. Indeed, Universal Pictures chairman Stacey 
Snider said as much in an interview with the online entertainment 
daily Inside Wednesday. "You can't look at who we are as a company 
and not see Imagine as front and center," Snider said. 

Time Warner "Beats The Street"

Time Warner on Wednesday indicated that it "beat the street," saying 
in its quarterly report that operating earnings grew 13 percent, 1-2 
percent more than analysts had predicted. Stock in the company, 
which had lost more than a quarter of its value in the past two 
weeks, rose $3.69 to $69.25. AOL, which is acquiring the company, 
reported an 87-percent rise in quarterly earnings. Its stock jumped 
$3.31 to $46.91. (However, shares in both companies opened sharply 
lower in early trading today -- Thursday.) Speaking with reporters 
following release of the company's third-quarter figures, Time 
Warner chief Gerald Levin said that the AOL-Time Warner merger is 
now "in the homestretch" and expressed confidence it will close in 
the fall. 

News Corp Stock Drops Again

For the second straight day, shares in News Corp fell on the 
Australian stock exchange today (Thursday), pummeled by traders 
unhappy about an apparent suspension of plans by the company to 
issue an IPO for Sky Global, consisting of the company's satellite 
services. 

Culkin Wins Praise In Stage Debut

Following a successful stage debut in London, Home Alone star 
Macaulay Culkin is apparently on the way to reviving his acting 
career, which was suspended after 1994's Getting Even with Dad. The 
British online pop news site Ananova reported today (Thursday) that 
the 20-year-old Culkin received three curtain calls following his 
appearance in Madame Melville, playing a teenager who is seduced by 
his teacher. Director Michael Winner, who attended the premiere, 
told Ananova: "He was excellent. He had great charm, the audience 
liked him, and he seemed to like the audience." 

Hurley Booed At Opening Of New Film

Actress-model Liz Hurley was booed by about 200 union protesters as 
she arrived for a screening of her latest film Bedazzled in the 
Westwood area of Los Angeles Tuesday night. Hurley had earlier 
apologized for appearing in a commercial for Est‚e Lauder during the 
actors' strike against advertisers. The lead on today's (Thursday) 
London Daily Express's report on Hurley's reception reads as 
follows: "She is used to being greeted like a goddess and enjoying 
the red carpet treatment bestowed on Hollywood's biggest stars. Yet 
the reception granted Elizabeth Hurley at the premiere of her latest 
film was one more usually associated with a convicted criminal." 

McGregor Sings Again

Ewan McGregor will transform himself from Obi Wan Kenobi to the '70s 
British rock star Billy Fury next summer, he told reporters in 
London Wednesday. McGregor said that he had agreed to star in a film 
based on the London musical The Sound of Fury produced by Bill 
Kenwright, who will also produce the movie. It will be McGregor's 
second singing role in less than a year, following his recent 
appearance in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming musical version of Moulin 
Rouge (2001). He told the online edition of Britain's Empire 
magazine that he will be appearing in the film with his uncle, 
actor-director Dennis Lawson. "It's something we have been trying to 
get together for a long time," he said. Lawson called the film "a 
feel-good, rock-and-roll, romantic road movie. It's a lovely thing 
for us to do together." Fury died of heart disease in 1983 while 
attempting a comeback. 

Travolta Says He Was "Thrilled" Over Battlefield Flop 
[Ray's note: They don't make 'em the way they used to.]

It may have been a huge flop at the box office, but John Travolta 
has told reporters that he has no regrets about making Battlefield 
Earth. As reported by today's (Thursday) Los Angeles Times, Travolta 
told reporters this week, "I am so thrilled, believe it or not, at 
the outcome because I didn't believe I could get it done." Travolta 
also forecast that there will be a sequel. 

Guest Posts Show Outtakes On Web

Outtakes from Christopher Guest's "mockumentary" Best of Show have 
become a big draw on the Internet (http://www.bestofshowonline.com) 
and are likely to boost ticket sales for the movie and, later, for 
the video, the New York Post observed today (Thursday). "These 
aren't bloopers," wrote the Post's Mary Huhn, "but rather ... clips 
(that) couldn't be squeezed into the 90-minute flick." 

Have SAG "Militants" Prolonged Strike?

An unwieldy decision-making bureaucracy that involves 105 board 
members is one of the factors preventing the Screen Actors Guild 
from reaching an agreement with the advertising industry to end the 
strike that is now nearing its sixth month, the Los Angeles Times 
reported today (Thursday). The newspaper also indicated that the 
strike has been hampered by disagreements between the union's more 
"militant" leadership and its full-time staff, including chief 
negotiator John McGuire, who, according to the Times, "were 
skeptical that a strike would be effective." The SAG leaders have 
also reportedly been at odds with what the Times called "the less 
confrontational" officers of AFTRA and SAG's own New York 
membership. Negotiations between the union and the industry are set 
to resume in New York today. 

Most Watch Debate On ABC [Ray's note: But not by me. :-)]

Thanks to a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire lead-in, ABC's coverage of 
the third and final Bush-Gore debate drew a bigger audience than 
CBS's or NBC's, according to Nielsen Research. About 41 million 
tuned in to either ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Fox News Channel and MSNBC, 
the ratings service said. C-SPAN also carried the debate, but it was 
not included in the total. The debate pulled a 10.1 rating and a 15 
share on ABC, a 7.6/11 on CBS and a 3.8/6 on NBC. (Because most NBC 
stations carried the final American League championship game between 
the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners, the network's ratings 
for the debate were considerably diminished.) The debate drew the 
third-smallest audience for a presidential debate ever recorded. 
Meanwhile, Fox, which delayed the debate, did not draw big numbers 
for its new James Cameron drama Dark Angel as it had when the show 
competed with the first debate. Ratings dropped to an 8.7/13 vs an 
11.2/17 on Oct. 3. Also showing a big audience drop Tuesday was the 
new Geena Davis Show on ABC, which slid to a 9.2/14 from an 11.7/18 
a week earlier. 

Bette Plugs Her Rival [Ray's note: She, neither.]

Although CBS has reportedly attempted to discourage its stars from 
appearing on ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, a hilarious scene 
in Wednesday night's Bette, starring Bette Midler, saw Midler's 
character attempting to carry on a conversation with her husband 
while watching -- and shouting out answers to questions on -- 
Millionaire. Adding to the irony is the fact that Bette airs 
opposite Millionaire. Last week Millionaire beat Bette's premiere in 
the ratings 13.9/22-11.4/18. 

No Program Shifts Likely During November Sweeps

Because of so many uncustomary disruptions occurring at the start of 
the season -- including the presidential debates, several football 
overruns, an October Miss America pageant and other specials -- it 
is unlikely that network programmers will alter their schedules much 
during the November sweeps, the New York Daily News observed today 
(Thursday). "I don't really think anybody can make any definitive 
assessment of any program yet," Alan Wurtzel, NBC's head of 
research, told the newspaper. "It's just too early." Tom DeCabia of 
Schulman/Advanswers, a New York media buying company, noted that 
some of the new shows have yet to air in their regular time slots. 
"These shows haven't been on enough to pull them yet," he told the 
Daily News. "There's no reason to go out and start panicking. We 
still have plenty of time to see how they're going to perform." 

Does The Rest Of The Country Care About "Subway" Series? 
[Ray's note: I must oppose one of the opinions below and say that the two most 
talented and capable teams, despite their grotesque salaries, are vying for the 
championship. The series should be very entertaining for baseball fans.]

Analysts were speculating today (Thursday) about whether the 
"subway" World Series between the Yankees and Mets will result in 
bigger or lower ratings for the annual event. Today's (Thursday) 
Wall Street Journal said that opinion is mixed and quoted former CBS 
sports chief Neal Pilson as saying, "The rest of the country isn't 
that interested in what goes on in a single city. I wouldn't be 
surprised if the series is on the low end of expectations." But 
Steve Sternberg, an exec with ad buyer TN Media, commented: "A 
subway series has the best story lines, and since most baseball fans 
are either Yankee lovers or Yankee haters, that gives this match-up 
an edge." The newspaper said that Fox is getting about $325,000 per 
spot for the games. 

Court-TV To Give Gavel-To-Gavel Coverage To Murder Trial

Following a favorable ruling by a North Carolina court, Court-TV 
announced Wednesday that it is planning to give intensive coverage, 
beginning Monday, to the murder trial of former NFL player Rae 
Carruth, who is charged with plotting to kill his pregnant 
girlfriend, Cherica Adams. Adams died one month after an attack on 
Nov. 16, but the baby survived. The cable network said that four of 
its daytime programs, Open Court, Trial Heat, Both Sides, and 
Closing Arguments will be devoted to live coverage of the trial. 

Copyright c 1990-2000 The Internet Movie Database Ltd


Toodles,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                                      

Hello All!

"Emergency!" Star Julie London Dies 
by Marcus Errico 
Oct 18, 2000, 6:35 PM PT 

Julie London, forever nurse Dixie McCall in TV Land's Emergency! reruns,
died Wednesday at the age of 74. 
London, in poor health since suffering a stroke five years ago, died of 
cardiac arrest at 5:30 a.m. in Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center in 
suburban Los Angeles, a hospital spokesperson confirmed. 
On Emergency!, London played the head nurse of Los Angeles' fictional 
Rampart Hospital, who aided the victims brought in by ace paramedics Roy 
DeSoto (Kevin Tighe) and John Gage (Randolph Mantooth). The series, which 
ran on NBC from 1972 to 1977, was something of a family affair for London. 
It was produced by her ex-husband, Dragnet star Jack Webb, and it 
costarred her second hubbie, jazzman-composer-actor Bobby Troup, who 
played Dr. Joe Early, resident brain surgeon. (Troup died last year of 
heart failure at 80.) 
While she will be remembered for her tube work on the vintage '70s series, 
London was also a smoky-voiced singing sensation. 
She initially made her show-biz mark as a singer on the nightclub circuit. 
After scoring a hit with "Cry Me a River" in 1955, Troup (who wrote the 
classic "Route 66") got her booked for several nightclub engagements. She 
eventually recorded 32 albums and charted with such tunes as "In the 
Middle of a Kiss" and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," "You'd Be So Nice to 
Come Home To," "Around Mignight" and "In the Wee Small Hours of the 
Morning." Billboard voted her one of the top female vocalists of 1955, '56 
and '57. 
London, who had in her youth appeared in such films as Jungle Woman 
(1944), The Red House (1947) with Edward G. Robinson, Task Force (1949) 
with Gary Cooper, The Fat Man (1950) with Rock Hudson, returned to acting 
in the late '50s and '60s. She appeared in the film A Question of Adultery 
in 1958 and on such TV shows as Rawhide, I Spy and Big Valley before 
landing the Emergency! gig. 
The daughter of vaudevillians, she was born Julie Peck in Santa Rosa, 
California, and moved with her parents to Los Angeles when she was in her 
teens, and soon caught the eye of talent scouts, which led to her first 
screen roles. 
London is survived by a daughter from her marriage to Webb and three 
children from her 39-year marriage to Troup. 
Funeral arrangements are pending. Per Hollywood tradition, flowers were 
placed on her Walk of Fame star Wednesday evening. 

Copyright c 2000 E! Online. All rights reserved. 


Regards,

Ray

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                                                                

MG>  I wondered whether there was any connection with the show Total
MG>  Recall: 2070 since the feeling was much the same. Ongoing dreary
MG>  with some kinda pretty night lighting.

I like Total Recall 2070, is the show cancled?  The characters in TR2070
were more rounded, and likeable.  Dark Angel is like Clueless.  Shallow
characters.  They need somebody who can actually tell a story to write
a few episodes.  I'm hoping Glen Morgan, and James Wong will get a shot.

Anybody here like Space Above and Beyond?


 * SLMR 2.1a * ÛÛ²²±±°° IN STEREO WHERE AVAILABLE °°±±²²ÛÛ

--- EzyQwk V1.48g0 01fd0192
 * Origin: Milky Way, Langley, BC [604] 532-4367 (1:153/307)
                                                                                                     

Hello All!

I regret to inform you that I won't be able to spend as much time here as I 
have in the past.  I really enjoy posting here, but a situation has arisen that 
will command much of my attention for the foreseeable future.  It is my wish 
that Jack will be more visable to protect you all from the unruly and continue 
the sparkling conversations I know you are capable of composing.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
            

 On 10-16-00 Derek Jay wrote to MAUREEN GOLDMAN... 
 
 MG>  I wondered whether there was any connection with the show Total 
 MG>  Recall: 2070 since the feeling was much the same. Ongoing dreary 
 MG>  with some kinda pretty night lighting. 
 
 DJ> I like Total Recall 2070, is the show cancled? 
 
 I'm of the impression that Total Recall 2070 wasn't renewed. 
 (Neither was Peter Benchley's Amazon, which, while ridiculous, 
 was a guilty pleasure of mine.) 
 
 
 DJ> The characters in TR2070 were more rounded, and likeable. 
 DJ> Dark Angel is like Clueless. Shallow characters. 
 
 Clueless was a ditzy teen comedy, assuming you mean the TV 
 series. Depth wasn't part of the package. I only saw the Dark 
 Angel premiere, but I'll agree that there wasn't a lot of depth 
 there, either. If they'd done a better job of establishing the 
 world, then I might forgive putting off deep characterization in 
 favor of action scenes to lure in viewers. The background only 
 came across as really dreary for most and really luxurious for 
 some, which doesn't take a lot of time to establish. 
 
 DJ> They need somebody who can actually tell a story to write a 
 DJ> few episodes. I'm hoping Glen Morgan, and James Wong will 
 DJ> get a shot. 
 
 The Dark Angel ratings have fallen somewhat (not surprising 
 since it debuted against the Presidential debates, and ran later 
 episodes against baseball... and because ratings usually do drop 
 off as more shows debut). They still seem satisfactory, though, 
 so perhaps the writing will improve. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
     

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Tim Wong ***

 LA>> There's nothing glamourous about lugging sandbags up stairs, nor in
 LA>> pulling 5 strands of 4/0 copper cable through the gutter of a  city
 LA>> street.  [...]

 RN>> I think that Tim was unaware of the non-glamourous side of your work.

 TW> I was unaware of shoveling manure as a job requirement :)

 LA> Hey, last week I was raking leaves for a TV show.  The leaves were
 LA> bagged just in case they were needed in the show, or were needed to
 LA> be dropped  occasionally in front of the lense to enhance the
 LA> "autumn" feeling.

What next? Taking out the garbage? :)

 LA> My Cherokee made it into a couple of shows, too.  Beauty shots for
 LA> an American TV show called "Judging Amy."

I've heard of Judging Amy. If it ever screens in NZ, i'll be sure to look out 
for it...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                

 >> StarDate: Wed 25 Oct 2000  8:18p; Nebulae Coordinates: 1:320/455 <<
 >> Quoting Officer Lee Ayrton to Officer Ray Geneburn <<

 19 Oct 00 15:44, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> Julie London, forever nurse Dixie McCall in TV Land's Emergency!
 RG> reruns, died Wednesday at the age of 74.  London, in poor health
 RG> since suffering a stroke five years ago, died

 LA> That's so sad.  Especially since I've been watching Emergency! on
 LA> TV-Land Hor months now.


     She was a famous singer.  Not only that, but one of the surgeons on 
"Emergency!" was played by Bobby Troupe, the composer of "Get your kicks/On 
Route 66 !"


... WWW.WERS.ORG, WERS Streaming Audio, 21:00 UTC/GMT, "The Playground"
... WWW.WERS.ORG, Saturday/Sunday, 21:00-23:99 UTC/GMT, "The Playground"

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4/mL
 * Origin: The U.S.S. Light Speed ][ (781/925-8508) USR 33.6 (1:101/321)
            

Lee Ayrton wrote in a message to Roger Nelson:

 LA> Here's hoping that all is well, Roger.

Look in the nodelist.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Mandeville, LA - (504) 892-5839 (1:3828/7)
                                  

Hello Derek!

16 Oct 00 03:34, Derek Jay wrote to MAUREEN GOLDMAN:

 DJ> a few episodes.  I'm hoping Glen Morgan, and James Wong will get a 
 DJ> shot.

Wouldn't they have t ojump ship from 1013?


 DJ> Anybody here like Space Above and Beyond?

Ya know, I tried, really I did.  But it just never gelled.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                             

Hello Roger!

20 Oct 00 06:26, Roger Nelson wrote to All:


 RN> I regret to inform you that I won't be able to spend as much time 
 RN> here as I have in the past.  I really enjoy posting here, but a 
 RN> situation has arisen that will command much of my attention for the 

Here's hoping that all is well, Roger.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                  

Hello Ray!

19 Oct 00 15:44, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:


 RG> Julie London, forever nurse Dixie McCall in TV Land's Emergency! 
 RG> reruns, died Wednesday at the age of 74. 
 RG> London, in poor health since suffering a stroke five years ago, died 
 
That's so sad.  Especially since I've been watching Emergency! on TV-Land
for months now.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                       

Hello Ray!

19 Oct 00 15:29, Ray Geneburn wrote to All:

 RG> Have SAG "Militants" Prolonged Strike?

 RG> An unwieldy decision-making bureaucracy that involves 105 board 
 RG> members is one of the factors preventing the Screen Actors Guild 
 RG> from reaching an agreement with the advertising industry to end the 
 RG> strike that is now nearing its sixth month, the Los Angeles Times 

Rumor has it that the strike is all but over, but that SAG lost out 
on its bid to retain residuals.  No details are forthcoming.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                      

Hello Ray!

19 Oct 00 15:19, Ray Geneburn wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 LA>> SAG has considered adopting a rule that will ban -- for life -- any
 LA>> actors who have crossed picket lines to work.

 RG> Will they "grandfather" Liz?  :-)

Hurley?  I think that they were thinking of her when they made the proposal.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                          

Hello Ray!

19 Oct 00 15:08, Ray Geneburn wrote to Maureen Goldman:


 RG> There were a couple of good movies over the weekend on the Lifetime 
 RG> channel with Gail O'Grady.  The best one was last Saturday night 

Ah, the Lifetime Channel.  Television for Women -- with a grudge against men.



Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                                       

Hello Ray!

19 Oct 00 15:06, Ray Geneburn wrote to Lee Ayrton:

 RG> Oct 17 09:34 00, Lee Ayrton wrote to Ray Geneburn:

 LA>> I've seen TRIUMPH..., in fact I've a dub of it around here someplace. 
 LA>> It is _both_ things claimed above.

 RG> I'll take your word for it because I have not seen it.

Really frightening, in its own way.  It reveals just how powerful
nationalism and its symbols can be.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
           

Hello Tim!

19 Oct 00 19:54, Tim Wong wrote to Roger Nelson:

 LA>> There's nothing glamourous about lugging sandbags up stairs, nor in
 LA>> pulling 5 strands of 4/0 copper cable through the gutter of a  city
 LA>> street.  [...]

 RN>> I think that Tim was unaware of the non-glamourous side of your work.

 TW> I was unaware of shoveling manure as a job requirement :)

Hey, last week I was raking leaves for a TV show.  The leaves were bagged
just in case they were needed in the show, or were needed to be dropped 
occasionally in front of the lense to enhance the "autumn" feeling.

My Cherokee made it into a couple of shows, too.  Beauty shots for 
an American TV show called "Judging Amy."




Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                 

Hello all...

Where have Ray's regular posts gone? In fact, where have ALL the posts gone?

Puzzled,

Tim

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                      

Hello, Tim ...

You wrote to All on Sunday 05 November 2000
about "The Last Picture Show" :

 TW> Where have Ray's regular posts gone? In fact, where have ALL the posts
 TW> gone?

Tim, from what I can find out, it seems that the link between the States and 
here might have a constipation problem.  It is receiving medication.




Regards,
        Nicolaas

Email: raptor [at] wn [dot] pl [dot] net

13:24 NZDaylightTime (UTC+13), Sunday 05 November 2000


---
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, N.Z. (3:771/4020)
                                                                                                                           

Hello Tim.

06 Sep 00 16:05, Tim Wong (3:771/1550) -> All

 TW> In response to my sci-fi discussions with Roger, i've come up with a rough
 TW> personal top 10 favourite sci-fi films. Mostly off the top of my head, and
 TW> i'm sure it's likely to change in the future.

May I?

1.  The Thing
2.  Aliens
3.  Out There
4.  Howard the Duck
5.  Split Second
6.  Pitch Black
7.  Tremors (this one is marginally sci-fi, but I like the film nevertheless)
8.  Hangar 18
9.  Cocoon (both parts)
10. Titan AE

Rotten tomatoes are welcome ;-)

Serge

... "Jesus, drop that cross again and you're out of the parade!"
--- GoldED+/W32 1.1.3
 * Origin: sw-at-whoever.com, Moscow, Russia (2:5020/54)
                                                                                   

Hello Roger.

07 Sep 00 05:35, Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) -> Maureen Goldman

 MG>>  Two sequels are being made concurrently, or are about to be
 MG>> made. (Kind of like the way that the two Back to the Future
 MG>> sequels were made since they shared many sets and actors.)

 RN> Did you see Hellraiser V: Inferno?

I did. A relaxedly paced movie with a good leading actor (imho). Despite it 
being filmed in the FX era, this movie has more between the lines than what 
meets the eye.

John Turturro's little brother is irritating though.

Serge

... "Jesus, drop that cross again and you're out of the parade!"
--- GoldED+/W32 1.1.3
 * Origin: sw-at-whoever.com, Moscow, Russia (2:5020/54)
                                                                              

NH>  TW> Where have Ray's regular posts gone? In fact, where have ALL the posts
NH>  TW> gone?

NH> Tim, from what I can find out, it seems that the link
NH> between the States and here might have a constipation
NH> problem.  It is receiving medication.

I guess you all missed his post?

> Date: 10-20-00 (06:26)
> From: ROGER NELSON
>   To: ALL
> Subj: Hiatus
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> Hello All!

> I regret to inform you that I won't be able to spend as
> much time here as I have in the past.  I really enjoy
> posting here, but a situation has arisen that will command
> much of my attention for the foreseeable future.  It is my
> wish that Jack will be more visable to protect you all from
> the unruly and continue the sparkling conversations I know
> you are capable of composing.

> Regards,

> Roger

  * SLMR 2.1a * email: greg_easthom@bandmaster.bc.ca

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
                                        

Hello, Greg ...

You wrote to me on Sunday 05 November 2000
about "The Last Picture Show" :

 NH>  TW>> Where have Ray's regular posts gone? In fact, where have ALL
 NH>  TW>> the posts gone?

 NH>> Tim, from what I can find out, it seems that the link
 NH>> between the States and here might have a constipation
 NH>> problem.  It is receiving medication.

 GE> I guess you all missed his post?


Not at all, Greg.   Given a reasonably active echo (which this is), a reduction 
in the frequency of posting by one individual does not mean that the echo dies 
a sudden death - and it was that which Tim was referring to here, and what was 
happening to the echo in this part of the world.


Regards,
        Nicolaas

Email: raptor [at] wn [dot] pl [dot] net

14:10 NZDaylightTime (UTC+13), Monday 06 November 2000


---
 * Origin: Wellington Mail Hub, NZ (3:771/4020)
                            

*** Quoting Serge Wizgounoff in a message to All ***

 TW> In response to my sci-fi discussions with Roger, i've come up  with
 SW> a rough personal top 10 favourite sci-fi films. Mostly off the top
 TW> of my  head, and i'm sure it's likely to change in the future.

 SW> May I?

 SW> 1.  The Thing 2.  Aliens 3.  Out There 4.  Howard the Duck 5.  Split
 SW> Second 6.  Pitch Black 7.  Tremors (this one is marginally sci-fi,
 SW> but I like the film nevertheless) 8.  Hangar 18 9.  Cocoon (both
 SW> parts) 10. Titan AE

Howard the Duck?!?! Very strange film indeed - but quite funny I admit at 
times. I'd consider Tremors sci-fi. I thought the second Cocoon wasn't nearly 
as good as the first.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                                     

*** Quoting Nicolaas Hawkins in a message to Greg Easthom ***

 NH>  TW>> Where have Ray's regular posts gone? In fact, where have ALL the
 NH>  TW>> posts gone?

 NH>> Tim, from what I can find out, it seems that the link between the
 NH>> States and here might have a constipation problem. It is receiving
 NH>> medication.

 GE> I guess you all missed his post?


 NH> Not at all, Greg.   Given a reasonably active echo (which this is), a
 NH> reduction in the frequency of posting by one individual does not mean
 NH> that the echo dies asudden death - and it was that which Tim was
 NH> referring to here, and what was happening to the echo in this part of
 NH> the world.

Yes, I was also pointing out the fact that Ray Geneburn's regular posts has 
also disappeared, which I thought was strange. Roger mentioned something 
about "checking the nodelist"...i'm not sure if that will solve anything, but 
perhaps it's worth a try.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
         

Hello Ray.

16 Sep 00 09:22, Ray Geneburn (1:3828/7) -> All

 RG>  Mickey Rourke (47)

Wow.

 RG>  Peter Falk (73)

Wow!

I thought he looked kinda old in Princess Bride.

Serge

... Don't drink water, fish f**k in it
--- GoldED+/W32 1.1.3
 * Origin: sw-at-whoever.com, Moscow, Russia (2:5020/54)
                                                                                       

 SW> May I?

And i? ;)

 SW> 1.  The Thing
 SW> 2.  Aliens
 SW> 3.  Out There
 SW> 4.  Howard the Duck
 SW> 5.  Split Second
 SW> 6.  Pitch Black
 SW> 7.  Tremors (this one is marginally sci-fi, but I like the film 
nevertheless)
 SW> 8.  Hangar 18
 SW> 9.  Cocoon (both parts)
 SW> 10. Titan AE

Where are "2001", "Orange Clockwork" and "Blade Runner"?

 SW> Rotten tomatoes are welcome ;-)

All of them from Brazil to you! ;)

Regards...

NEI

---
 * Origin: Vampire's Point - Sao Paulo - Brazil - {By NEI} (4:801/161.50)
                                                                                                                    

Hello Norberto.

06 Nov 00 00:00, Norberto Iazzetta (4:801/161.50) -> Serge Wizgounoff

 NI> Where are "2001", "Orange Clockwork" and "Blade Runner"?

I don't like any of them, especially 2001. I prefer Brazil to Clockwork Orange. 
Bladerunner could have been on the list, but after the director's cut it is 
out. It seems to me that Bladerunner turned out to be any good by accident.

 SW>> Rotten tomatoes are welcome ;-)
 NI> All of them from Brazil to you! ;)

I have recently recalled a number 11 - Biggles.

Serge

... A perfect lover is one who turns into a pizza at 4:00 am.
--- GoldED+/W32 1.1.4
 * Origin: sw-at-whoever.com, Moscow, Russia (2:5020/54)
                                                                                                          

Hi Tim Wong of 3:771/1550,
In a message to Ray Geneburn, on <Wed, 04 Oct 00> you wrote:

 RG>> AND THE OSCAR GOES TO: Anna Nicole Smith weeping during opening
 RG>> arguments as her attorney told a Texas jury she was not a "gold
 RG>> digger" taking advantage of a sick, old man...

 TW> ...so she CAN act after all :)

I heard that she played lead role in one full featured film.  Anyone know which 
one that is?  Has anyone seen it?   Is it a good laugh along the lines of 
Barbed Wire?  Nothing seems to pop up at www.allmovies.com.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                                                                                     

Hi Roger Nelson of 1:3828/7,
In a message to Tim Wong, on <Sat, 14 Oct 00> you wrote:

 TW>> The language aside, I agree it was quite excessive at the time,
 TW>> but you had other films around that time such as Goodfellas 
 TW>> which was just as bad. Im general though, I think the language 
 TW>> used was an accurate reflection of those times.

 RN> I have yet to see Goodfellas, but your point is taken.  I'm simply
 RN> giving my POV as to how I think those films could have attained
 RN> greater heights had most of the profanity been omitted.  My thoughts
 RN> have yet to be etched in stone.  (-:

I concur.   I included GOODFELLAS as part of a series of gangster/mob videos 
rental evenings.  The film couid have acquired a much more "classic" quality 
had only the profanity been toned down.  I think that Joe Pesci simply went 
overboard with his character.  He seemed to play the same big-mouth in CASINO.  


I believe that I included THE UNTOUCHABLES,  MARRIED TO THE MOB, and BILLY 
BATHGATE in the same theme group.  All of these were more accessible (less 
profanity), and therefore being more fun to watch.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                       

*** Quoting Serge Wizgounoff in a message to Norberto Iazzetta ***

 NI> Where are "2001", "Orange Clockwork" and "Blade Runner"?

 SW> I don't like any of them, especially 2001. I prefer Brazil to
 SW> Clockwork Orange. Bladerunner could have been on the list, but after
 SW> the director's cut it is out.It seems to me that Bladerunner turned
 SW> out to be any good by accident.

Yes, that is true. Bladerunner was in many ways an accident - especially the 
so-called surprise ending in which Ford's character is apparently revealed as 
a replicant in the director's cut. There was a misinterpretation between 
script rewrites which saw Ridley Scott come up with the concept.

2001 is not for everyone's tastes, but you must at least be able to 
appreciate the cinematic masterpiece that it is?

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                  

 Wake up, Winston! The matrix has you...

 A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away Winston Smith wrote to All:
 FG>> Pishi prosto po prikolu
 WS>      I can translate to ASCII 7-bit, but someone else will have to
 WS> translate the Russian words! ("Pishi prosto" ?)
"Just write", and "pishi prosto po prikolu" imho is "just write for fun".

                          Follow the white rabbit. Knock knock, Winston...
... ....................[ Team JEDI ]...[ Team X-MEN ].................... ...
--- [Cinema] [Modern Talking] [�®¥¢ë¥ ˆáª*áá⢠] [�¨¢®] [„¨áª®â¥ª  €¢ à¨ï]
 * Origin: Š ª®¥ ¬ïá®, Ž«¥£!!!! (2:5010/211.5)
                     

 -=> Quoting Serge Wizgounoff to Norberto Iazzetta <=-

 SW> Hello Norberto.

 SW> 06 Nov 00 00:00, Norberto Iazzetta (4:801/161.50) -> Serge Wizgounoff
 
 NI> Where are "2001", "Orange Clockwork" and "Blade Runner"?

 SW> I don't like any of them, especially 2001. I prefer Brazil to
 SW> Clockwork Orange. 

I don't understand how anyone couldn't love 2001, but I do agree about
Brazil, It was sweet movie...

-Patrick

... |-== Torture Chamber BBS ==-Towson-[24/7]-Maryland-==410.663.7870==-|
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]
 * Origin: Nerve Center - Where the spine is misaligned! (1:261/1000)
                                             

 SW> I don't like any of them, especially 2001. I prefer Brazil to Clockwork 
Orange.

Do you like Stanley Kubrick, at least? Any movie?

 SW> Bladerunner could have been on the list, but after the director's cut it 
is out.
 SW> It seems to me that Bladerunner turned out to be any good by accident.

The full version is very good. (Scott's version)

The producers cut the movie and not the director, AFAIK.

Regards...

NEI

---
 * Origin: Vampire's Point - Sao Paulo - Brazil - {By NEI} (4:801/161.50)
       

Hello,

Just wanted to apologize if I made undue comments to anyone on this echo that 
offended anyone.

I'll keep my free will to myself from now on.


Cheers.

--- Ezycom V1.48g0 01fd0192
 * Origin: Milky Way, Langley, BC [604] 532-4367 (1:153/307)
     

Hmm...  what an interesting ecclectic taste you have for the offbeat!
Have you considered John Carpenter's first film, "Dark Star" ?  That sort of 
fits with your quirkiness/distopia quotient ?
 
 
... WWW.WERS.ORG, WERS Streaming Audio, 21:00 UTC/GMT, "The Playground"
... WWW.WERS.ORG, Saturday/Sunday, 21:00-23:99 UTC/GMT, "The Playground"

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4/mL
 * Origin: The U.S.S. Light Speed ][ (781/925-8508) USR 33.6 (1:101/321)
                                                                  

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Tim Wong ***

 RG>> AND THE OSCAR GOES TO: Anna Nicole Smith weeping during opening
 RG>> arguments as her attorney told a Texas jury she was not a "gold
 RG>> digger" taking advantage of a sick, old man...

 TW> ...so she CAN act after all :)

 AA> I heard that she played lead role in one full featured film.  Anyone
 AA> know which one that is?  Has anyone seen it?   Is it a good laugh
 AA> along the lines of BarbedWire?  Nothing seems to pop up at
 AA> www.allmovies.com.

It's most likely a VERY B-movie...perhaps a C, a D or even an F. I recall she 
has a small role in one of the Naked Gun Sequels (I have no idea what 
number...probably something like 33 & 1/2).

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                    

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Roger Nelson ***

 TW>> The language aside, I agree it was quite excessive at the time, but
 TW>> you had other films around that time such as Goodfellas  which was
 TW>> just as bad. Im general though, I think the language  used was an
 TW>> accurate reflection of those times.

 RN> I have yet to see Goodfellas, but your point is taken.  I'm simply
 RN> giving my POV as to how I think those films could have attained
 RN> greater heights had most of the profanity been omitted.  My thoughts
 RN> have yet to be etched in stone.  (-:

 AA> I concur.   I included GOODFELLAS as part of a series of gangster/mob
 AA> videos rental evenings.  The film couid have acquired a much more
 AA> "classic" quality had only the profanity been toned down.  I think
 AA> that Joe Pesci simply went overboard with his character.  He seemed
 AA> to play the same big-mouth in CASINO.

Perhaps - although Goodfellas was set primarily during the 70's, and if you 
take into account the Italian Mafiaso stereotype, then excessive profanity is 
justified. Scorsese is known for his hard hitting profanity in his films, and 
while minimal profanity mayhave given it a more "classic" quality, I don't 
think Goodfellas is really a "classic" gangster film.

I don't think Joe Pesci went overboard in Goodfellas - his character there 
was convincingly intimidating. He did however, seem to recycle that character 
in Casino - and i've always thought that Casino was, while it has its strong 
points, basically another recycle of Goodfellas. Pesci's character in Casino 
was obviously too similar to his earlier role in Goodfellas.

 AA> I believe that I included THE UNTOUCHABLES,  MARRIED TO THE MOB, and
 AA> BILLY BATHGATE in the same theme group.  All of these were more
 AA> accessible (less profanity), and therefore being more fun to watch.

The Untouchables is more of your classic gangster flic - certainly more 
"Hollywood" than Goodfellas. The Godfather trilogy is of course the bonafide 
gangster film of all time. Arthur Penn's Bonnie & Clyde is also very good, 
although I don't know if you'd classify it as a gangster film...

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                            

-=> Roger Nelson wrote to All <=-

 RN> Hello All!
 RN> What do you all think of James Cameron's new TV series Dark Angel?

   So far, I like it.  As others have pointed out, there have been
 weaknesses in the scripts, and in character development, but the
 basic premise intrigues me enough that I'm going to keep watching
 for a while yet.

   I've always liked tales about 'do-gooders' who are somehow able to
 operate outside, or above the law, and are always just a little bit
 better prepared, or equipped than their opponents.
   While growing up, I avidly read books about characters like Robin 
 Hood, and Dr. Syn - the mysterious Vicar of Dymchurch about whom 
 Disney made a 1960s television production called, 'The Scarecrow of 
 Romney Marsh', which a few of you may remember.

   Among my favourite TV shows of the time were 'The Saint' with Roger
 Moore and a short while later, 'Mission: Impossible'.

   It may seem as if these are pretty distant relatives, but it seems
 to me that that's the direction which 'Dark Angel' is taking.  In a
 corrupt society, we have a main character who has certain, slightly
 superior physical abilities and who has been recruited to battle 
 corruption and evil by a 'do-gooder'.

   Michael Weatherly is a modern day Robin Hood; Jessica Alba is his
 Little John, and despite its few flaws, I'm thoroughly enjoying the
 show, so far.   :-)

     Martin
    ~~~~~~~~

___ MultiMail/MS-DOS v0.36

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Eclectic Lab BBS (1:153/831)
                                

Hi All,

Just a note to JAMES BOND: 007 fans... Recently, I happend to learn about this 
little gem: 

    SPYMAKER: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming.

Wow.  This one is definitely worth a watch to ANY avid Bond fan (especially of 
Sean Connery ilk).  In SPYMAKER, The Ian Fleming character is played by 
Connery's son, Jason.  This film claims to be based on the actual life of Ian 
Fleming.  

HiGHLY recommended!

...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                                                                                  

 On 11-04-00 Serge Wizgounoff wrote to All... 
 
 TW> In response to my sci-fi discussions with Roger, i've 
 TW> come up with a rough 
 TW> personal top 10 favourite sci-fi films. Mostly off the 
 TW> top of my head, and 
 TW> i'm sure it's likely to change in the future. 
 
 SW> May I? 
 SW> 
 SW> 1.  The Thing 
 SW> 2.  Aliens 
 SW> 3.  Out There 
 SW> 4.  Howard the Duck 
 SW> 5.  Split Second 
 SW> 6.  Pitch Black 
 SW> 7.  Tremors (this one is marginally sci-fi, but I like the film 
 SW> nevertheless) 
 SW> 8.  Hangar 18 
 SW> 9.  Cocoon (both parts) 
 SW> 10. Titan AE 
 
 SW> Rotten tomatoes are welcome ;-) 
 
 Your list of SF favorites excludes some major titles such as 
 Star Wars, Close Encounters, 2001:A Space Odyssey. Since this is 
 your own list of favorites, no one can tell you that you're 
 incorrect any more than if you stated your favorite type of pie. 
 However, I was wondering why more of the standards didn't 
 resonate with you. 
 
 My daughter and I watched Titan AE yesterday on tape. Very 
 nicely made, although I don't know that I'm likely to want to 
 watch it again. Its lack of success is puzzling, and 
 unfortunately had repercussions in that participating animation 
 companies were shut down due to its failure. I wonder if TitanAE 
 did any better abroad - say, in Japan, which doesn't have the 
 same mindset that cartoons are only for young children. 
 
___

 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                       

*** Quoting Norberto Iazzetta in a message to Serge Wizgounoff ***

 SW> Bladerunner could have been on the list, but after the  director's
 NI> cut it is out. It seems to me that Bladerunner turned out to be any
 SW> good by accident.

 NI> The full version is very good. (Scott's version)

 NI> The producers cut the movie and not the director, AFAIK.

I'm not exactly sure if Ridley got final cut in the first version - but I do 
know the producers insisted on Harrison Ford's voice over because they 
thought audiences wouldn't be able to understand the film. They also insisted 
on a more traditional, straightforward ending.

The director's cut removed Ford's voice over, added extra scenes to the love 
affair between Ford and Sean Young's character, cut out more scenes and of 
course changed the ending that certainly asks questions.

My thinking is that the script wasn't particularly strong in the first place. 
The original version therefore ended up to be quite a suspect film - great 
production design, yes, but otherwise a little thin. Ridley Scott wanted to 
play his "Deckard as a Replicant" card in his director's cut. The fact that 
the original script was weak meant it could be misinterpreted, or at least 
wasn't clear about a lot of details. That's how Scott came up with the idea 
that Ford's character was a Replicant - the script hinted at it 
unintentionally, and it was never meant to be a feature, yet Scott could 
manipulate it so in his director's cut, he was able to go with the idea.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                  

 TW> I'm not exactly sure if Ridley got final cut in the first version - but I 
do know the
 TW> producers insisted on Harrison Ford's voice over because they thought
 TW> audiences wouldn't be able to understand the film. They also insisted on a
 TW> more traditional, straightforward ending.

I understand, but the director's decision must be accepted. He was payed (by 
producers) for that! :)

 TW> My thinking is that the script wasn't particularly strong in the first 
place.

I don't read the script. Who are the script writer?

Regards...

NEI

---
 * Origin: Vampire's Point - Sao Paulo - Brazil - {By NEI} (4:801/161.50)
         

Hi Tim Wong of 3:771/1550,
On <Thu, 09 Nov 00>, you wrote me:

 TW> ...Scorsese is known for his hard hitting profanity in his
 TW> films, and while minimal profanity mayhave given it a more "classic" 
 TW> quality, I don't think Goodfellas is really a "classic" gangster film.

Well..  it COULD have been.  ;)   Consider some of the fine gangster films of 
the 40's, 50's.  James Cagney is in a few of these.  Profanify isn't in those, 
and as a result, those films have a more lasting quality.  I would be a prude 
not to imagine that gangsters of the 30's didn't curse and swear, but I don't 
think that element needs special presentation in a movie.

I get enough of cursing and swearing around me in real life.  When I want to 
see a movie, I want to be carried away into another time and space - and not 
get more of the "reality" that I can already get without paying for it.


 TW> I don't think Joe Pesci went overboard in Goodfellas - his character
 TW> there was convincingly intimidating. He did however, seem to recycle 
 TW> that character in Casino -

Ahh.... yeah.. "Recycle" is a better way of putting it.


..August

--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                                                        

*** Quoting Maureen Goldman in a message to Serge Wizgounoff ***

 TW> In response to my sci-fi discussions with Roger, i've
 TW> come up with a rough personal top 10 favourite sci-fi films.
 TW> Mostly off the top of my head, and i'm sure it's likely
 TW> to change in the future.

 SW>    SW> May I?    1.  The Thing   SW> 2.  Aliens   SW> 3.
 SW> Out There   SW> 4.  Howard the Duck   SW> 5.  Split Second   SW> 6.
 SW> Pitch Black   SW> 7.  Tremors (this one is marginally sci-fi, but I
 SW> like the film   SW> nevertheless)   SW> 8.  Hangar 18   SW> 9.
 SW> Cocoon (both parts)   SW> 10. Titan AE

 MG> Your list of SF favorites excludes some major titles such as    Star
 MG> Wars, Close Encounters, 2001:A Space Odyssey. Since this is    your
 MG> own list of favorites,no one can tell you that you're    incorrect
 MG> any more than if you stated your favorite type of pie.    However,
 MG> I was wondering why more of the standards didn't   resonate  with
 MG> you.

I think there's a distinct difference between a "favourites" list and a 
"best" list. Favourites don't have to be great films, but can be favoured for 
whatever reason the individual may see fit. Films like Howard the Duck or 
Tremors aren't particularly films of any greatness - if fact, you could even 
consider classing them as B-grade. But I can see why they can be considered 
as favourites - Howard the Duck in particular was an enjoyable film, even if 
it was a tad silly.

 MG> My daughter and I watched Titan AE yesterday on tape. Very
 MG> nicely made, although I don't know that I'm likely to want to
 MG> watch  it again. Its lack of success is puzzling, and unfortunately
 MG> had  repercussions in that participating animation companies
 MG> were shut  down due to its failure. I wonder if TitanAE did any
 MG> better abroad  - say, in Japan, which doesn't have the same mindset
 MG> that cartoons  are only for young children. ___

You'll probably know that animated films in Japan certainly aren't restricted 
to only the younger generation. From what i've seen of the Titan AE, I would 
doubt it would find a market in Japan, as you'd expect them to favour their 
own unique animation style and anime films. Perhaps The Iron Giant took some 
of the limelight away from it (i'm guessing Titan AE opened after TIG).

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                            

 
 MR>    So far, I like it.  As others have pointed out, there have been
 MR>  weaknesses in the scripts, and in character development, but the
 MR>  basic premise intrigues me enough that I'm going to keep watching
 MR>  for a while yet.
 
I stopped watching after the second episode. I then realized what a useless 
piece of **** television programming it was. DA is just a wet dream with karate 
moves and the faintest idea of a storyline so it gets
on the air. Even though it's filmed here doesn't excuse it for being fodder for 
the "gee, nice ass." crowd. 
 
On a related note: The Sixth Day was filmed in Vancouver and it is, for the 
lack of a better word, terribly bad. Ah-nuld's eyes must be getting bad if he 
keeps picking "hits" like this. But enough of my blathering. 
 
 MR>    I've always liked tales about 'do-gooders' who are somehow able to
 MR>  operate outside, or above the law, and are always just a little bit
 MR>  better prepared, or equipped than their opponents.
 MR>    While growing up, I avidly read books about characters like Robin 
 MR>  Hood, and Dr. Syn - the mysterious Vicar of Dymchurch about whom 
 MR>  Disney made a 1960s television production called, 'The Scarecrow of 
 MR>  Romney Marsh', which a few of you may remember.
 
I *do* remember The Scarecrow movie. Back when the Wonderful World of Disney 
showed some interesting movies in the 80s. Every time CONDORMAN was on I was 
glued to the set. You got to admit, that car was spiffy.
 
 MR>    Among my favourite TV shows of the time were 'The Saint' with Roger
 MR>  Moore and a short while later, 'Mission: Impossible'.
 
Howabout KNIGHT RIDER and THE A-TEAM? Both worked outside the law and kicked 
criminal butt every week. ;)
 
 MR>    It may seem as if these are pretty distant relatives, but it seems
 MR>  to me that that's the direction which 'Dark Angel' is taking.  In a
 MR>  corrupt society, we have a main character who has certain, slightly
 MR>  superior physical abilities and who has been recruited to battle 
 MR>  corruption and evil by a 'do-gooder'.
 
Pardon me, but wasn't it called THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO the last time I 
checked? It was the better show by far.
 
Sorry to be harsh on DA. But you must admit, there's more intelligent written 
shows on the tube. Say, for example, FRIENDS. (sarcasm dripping with extreme 
ire)
 
Cheers.

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
                                                                                                                    

has voyager already stated for the new season?!! if so how did the season 
opener go?!?!


--- Fringe BBS
 * Origin: EWOG II - The Fringe - 904-733-1721 (1:112/91)
                                                                                            

Hi Robert, you wrote to All :

 RW> has voyager already started for the new season?!! if so how did the
 RW> season opener go?!?!

October eleventh was the original showing of "Unimatrix Zero" part two.

Good show!

Scuttlederriere -

The crew get home to Earth and encounter some individuals we know from Deep 
Space Nine.

Martha Hackett (Seska) and John DeLancie (Q) will be back in this seventh and 
final season.

Ken

If I had any humility I would be perfect.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-1
 # Origin: FamilyNet - telnet://family-bbs.net - (972)-496-0650 (8:8/2)
 * Origin:  Echogate [972] 496-0650 http://www.family-bbs.net (1:124/5009)
 

*** Quoting Norberto Iazzetta in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> I'm not exactly sure if Ridley got final cut in the first  version
 NI> - but I do know the producers insisted on Harrison Ford's voice
 TW> over because they thought audiences wouldn't be able to understand
 TW> the film. They also  insisted on a more traditional, straightforward
 TW> ending.

 NI> I understand, but the director's decision must be accepted. He was
 NI> payed (by producers) for that! :)

Yes, but in some cases, producers do take presidence over the directors. 
During the studio era, it's probably fair to say that producers had far 
greater control over the directors - in some cases, directors would only be 
called to shoot the film, then hand it over to be edited without any further 
input. Then in the late 60's to the 70's, after the collapse of the studio 
stronghold, producers really didn't even exist, and instead directors were 
able to command virtual complete control over their films - hence the auteur. 
Then came along the 80's, and things started to reverse backwards. So it 
doesn't surprise me that an 80's film like Bladerunner had strong producer 
influence.

 TW> My thinking is that the script wasn't particularly strong in the
 NI> first place.

 NI> I don't read the script. Who are the script writer?

What I meant by the script was the dialogue, and storyline, the whole 
structure and narrative of the film. You can pick that up just by watching 
the film :)

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                              

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Tim Wong ***

 TW> ...Scorsese is known for his hard hitting profanity in his films,
 TW> and while minimal profanity mayhave given it a more "classic"
 TW> quality, I don't think Goodfellas is really a "classic" gangster film.

 AA> Well..  it COULD have been.  ;)   Consider some of the fine gangster
 AA> films of the 40's, 50's.  James Cagney is in a few of these.
 AA> Profanify isn't in those, andas a result, those films have a more
 AA> lasting quality.  I would be a prude not to imagine that gangsters of
 AA> the 30's didn't curse and swear, but I don't think that element needs
 AA> special presentation in a movie.

True, but as you know, there were strict production codes in those days. It 
would be unthinkable to hear the kid of profanity in Goodfellas in any film 
of that era, let alone a Scarface or a Public Enemy. "Damn" was considered 
the height of offensive language acceptable on screen in those days. The 
thing is, I don't think you can comprehend comparing films from the two 
seperate eras - they are the way they are because that was when they were 
made and that is what film was like then...if you know what I mean. Those 
40's and 50's gangster films do have a lasting quality and are special 
because they ARE of that era. Likewise for Goodfellas.

In saying this all, films from the Golden age of cinema will always have 
something special over any contemporary film, which is why you can't beat 
them.

 AA> I get enough of cursing and swearing around me in real life.  When I
 AA> want to see a movie, I want to be carried away into another time and
 AA> space - and not get more of the "reality" that I can already get
 AA> without paying for it.

Fair enough. Some people love escapism. Some love gritty, hard hitting 
reality. I love both. The great thing about film is that it can convey both 
of these and much more. Fundamentally though, movies ARE escapism, which is 
why everyone loves them.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                                                                                                   

 -=> Quoting Paul Cote to Martin Ridgley <=-

 
 MR>    So far, I like it.  As others have pointed out, there have been
 MR>  weaknesses in the scripts, and in character development, but the
 MR>  basic premise intrigues me enough that I'm going to keep watching
 MR>  for a while yet.
 PC> 
 PC> I stopped watching after the second episode. I then realized what a
 PC> useless piece of **** television programming it was. 

 MR>    I've always liked tales about 'do-gooders' who are somehow able to
 MR>  operate outside, or above the law, and are always just a little bit
 MR>  better prepared, or equipped than their opponents.

 MR>    Among my favourite TV shows of the time were 'The Saint' with Roger
 MR>  Moore and a short while later, 'Mission: Impossible'.
 PC> 
 PC> Howabout KNIGHT RIDER and THE A-TEAM? Both worked outside the law and
 PC> kicked criminal butt every week. ;) 

and with all the violence and explosives no one died... :)

 MR>    It may seem as if these are pretty distant relatives, but it seems
 MR>  to me that that's the direction which 'Dark Angel' is taking.  In a
 MR>  corrupt society, we have a main character who has certain, slightly
 MR>  superior physical abilities and who has been recruited to battle 
 MR>  corruption and evil by a 'do-gooder'.
 PC> 
 PC> Pardon me, but wasn't it called THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO the last
 PC> time I checked? It was the better show by far.

can't say, but it's going the wrong way fast...

 PC> Sorry to be harsh on DA. But you must admit, there's more intelligent
 PC> written shows on the tube. Say, for example, FRIENDS. (sarcasm
 PC> dripping with extreme ire) 

true, while it can get annoying it still keeps me watching...

-Patrick



... |-== Torture Chamber BBS ==-Towson-[24/7]-Maryland-==410.663.7870==-|
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]
 * Origin: Nerve Center - Where the spine is misaligned! (1:261/1000)
                       

Hello Nicolaas!

05 Nov 00 13:24, Nicolaas Hawkins wrote to Tim Wong:

 TW>> Where have Ray's regular posts gone? In fact, where have ALL the 
 TW>> posts gone?

 NH> Tim, from what I can find out, it seems that the link between the 
 NH> States and here might have a constipation problem.  It is receiving 
 NH> medication.

Ray is on hiatus, and the few others of us on this side of The Great 
Pond just didn't have much to say.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                               

Hello Tim!

06 Nov 00 15:42, Tim Wong wrote to Serge Wizgounoff:


 SW>> 1.  The Thing 2.  Aliens 3.  Out There 4.  Howard the Duck 5.  Split


 TW> Howard the Duck?!?! Very strange film indeed - but quite funny I 
 TW> admit at times. I'd consider Tremors sci-fi. I thought the second Cocoon 
 
My brother and I figured that were were the only two in the USofA 
that _liked_ HOWARD THE DUCK.  We were certainly the only two in the 
theatre laughing when it was in theatrical release.

We were probably the only two in the theatre that knew was the yag shogguth
was, too.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                                                  

Hello August!

06 Nov 00 18:15, August Abolins wrote to Tim Wong:

 AA> know which one that is?  Has anyone seen it?   Is it a good laugh 
 AA> along the lines of Barbed Wire?  Nothing seems to pop up at 

Ahhh, BARBED WIRE.  We occasionally hold Dubious Movie Nights here,
call in a pizza, rent a couple of movies that might be fun to laugh
_at_ rather than with.  One night the double feature was BARBED WIRE
and TANK GIRL.  Thoroughly enjoyed laughing at BW, and with TG.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                                                   

Hello Winston!

09 Nov 00 13:16, Winston Smith wrote to Serge Wizgounoff:

 WS> Hmm...  what an interesting ecclectic taste you have for the offbeat!
 WS> Have you considered John Carpenter's first film, "Dark Star" ?  That 
 WS> sort of fits with your quirkiness/distopia quotient ?


"In the beginning, there was Me.  Let there be Light!"

I still enjoy SILENT RUNNING as well.


Regards,
Lee

--- Msged TE 05
 * Origin: Will make movies for food...  860-423-6099 (1:320/455)
                                  

 PM> and with all the violence and explosives no one died... :)
 
I never said the shows were *realistic* but they were very entertaining. The 
80s crimefighters did too good a job, there no more bad guys or evil 
organizations anymore. ;D
 
 PM> can't say, but it's going the wrong way fast...
 
Indeed. It doesn't have the energy or the well-written dialogue of BUFFY or 
even XENA, which it's clearly taking a lot from in a few instances.
 
 PM> true, while it can get annoying it still keeps me watching...
 
Why? There is nothing in that show that is redeeming in any remote human sense. 
I find your lack of clarity disturbing. 
 
Which is fine since a lot of people who watch NBC's MUST SEE TV have that 
problem apparently.
 
 
Cheers.

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
                                                                       

 On 11-11-00 Robert Weiland wrote to All... 
 
 RW> has voyager already stated for the new season?!! if so how 
 RW> did the season opener go?!?! 
 
 Voyager premiered its fall season about six weeks ago, I 
 believe. The season opener did the usual - put things back to 
 where they began. I'm wondering whether they will return to 
 Earth before the season ends so there will be time to see the 
 outcome for the various crew members, or if the series will end 
 with their return. 
 
 Where are you posting from? 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
            

 On 11-11-00 Paul Cote wrote to Martin Ridgley... 
 
 PC> I stopped watching after the second episode. I then 
 PC> realized what a useless piece of **** television 
 PC> programming it was. 
 
 I watched the two-hour premiere of "Dark Angel" but just didn't 
 care for it. If nothing else, I like having a notion of what 
 constitutes success for a character\cause\society rather than 
 just ongoing bleakness with slightly less bleakness now and 
 then. In Dark Angel, there didn't seem to be an "up". 
 
 Gave "Andromeda" four episodes to win me over since I really would 
 like another SF show on my schedule. While the fourth was best, 
 that isn't saying much. With this one we do know what success 
 is to the main character Dylan Hunt, but he seems uninterested 
 in seeing firsthand the governmental operation he plans to 
 overthrow. I'll be darned if I know why the others follow him 
 since after his 300-year nap he is the equivalent of Rip Van 
 Winkle... and he isn't coming down from the hills until he is 
 sure that he has restored things to where they were. o lots of luck. 
 
 I'm watching the new made-over "X-Files" with considerable 
 interest. Kind of wish that they'd lose Mulder entirely, but I 
 guess that isn't going to happen. Those snippets with 
 UncomfortableMulder don't go anywhere. Still, we've only seen 
 the two-part season opener, so it is too early to pass judgment.

 Barring too much PoeticScully, I'll be sticking with it. 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                                     

*** Quoting Lee Ayrton in a message to Tim Wong ***

 SW>> 1.  The Thing 2.  Aliens 3.  Out There 4.  Howard the Duck 5.  Split


 TW> Howard the Duck?!?! Very strange film indeed - but quite funny I
 TW> admit at times. I'd consider Tremors sci-fi. I thought the second Cocoon

 LA> My brother and I figured that were were the only two in the USofA
 LA> that _liked_ HOWARD THE DUCK.  We were certainly the only two in the
 LA> theatre laughing whenit was in theatrical release.

And you'd think they normally reserve talking animals for children's/Disney 
movies. The whole concept of a talking duck from outer space is just 
laughable in itself.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)
                                       

`08*** `5FIs it me, or did`1F Maureen Goldman `5Fmumble this to`4F Robert 
Weiland?`08 ***`07

MG>  Voyager premiered its fall season about six weeks ago, I 
MG>  believe. The season opener did the usual - put things back to 
MG>  where they began. I'm wondering whether they will return to 
MG>  Earth before the season ends so there will be time to see the 
MG>  outcome for the various crew members, or if the series will end 
MG>  with their return. 
MG>  
MG>  Where are you posting from? 
MG>  
MG> ___ 

i wonder if they will use voyager and its crew members in any star trek flicks

im posting from jacksonville, florida... home of Super Bowl 2005 


--- Fringe BBS
 * Origin: EWOG II - The Fringe - 904-733-1721 (1:112/91)
                                    

 MG>  I watched the two-hour premiere of "Dark Angel" but just didn't 
 MG>  care for it. If nothing else, I like having a notion of what 
 MG>  constitutes success for a character\cause\society rather than 
 MG>  just ongoing bleakness with slightly less bleakness now and 
 MG>  then. In Dark Angel, there didn't seem to be an "up". 
 
Grim and gritty is the in thing right now. As are medical dramas (can't get 
enough of those) and sitcoms that seem to be written for people with the 
collective IQ of a toenail clipping. DA had a lot of promise, but it;s typical 
babe-action fare. Not worth the film it was wasted on.
 
 MG>  Gave "Andromeda" four episodes to win me over since I really would 
 MG>  like another SF show on my schedule. While the fourth was best, 
 MG>  that isn't saying much. With this one we do know what success 
 MG>  is to the main character Dylan Hunt, but he seems uninterested 
 MG>  in seeing firsthand the governmental operation he plans to 
 MG>  overthrow. I'll be darned if I know why the others follow him 
 MG>  since after his 300-year nap he is the equivalent of Rip Van 
 MG>  Winkle... and he isn't coming down from the hills until he is 
 MG>  sure that he has restored things to where they were. o lots of luck. 
 
C'mon, did you think that this was going to be any good? I submit the example 
of Earth:Final Conflict to be added to the "Beating a dead Roddenberry to 
death." file. This is an hour best spent doing other 
things, like reading a book perhaps. 
 
 MG>  I'm watching the new made-over "X-Files" with considerable 
 MG>  interest. Kind of wish that they'd lose Mulder entirely, but I 
 MG>  guess that isn't going to happen. Those snippets with 
 MG>  UncomfortableMulder don't go anywhere. Still, we've only seen 
 MG>  the two-part season opener, so it is too early to pass judgment.
 
This is the one thing I agree with you on. There was an energy to the X-Files 
two parter that hasn't been there for a few season now. My interest
is piqued now. Scully's the believer now, and John Dogget is the skeptic. A 
very clever reversal, oh, and I want to push that Kersh's face in. What a jerk. 
Of course, what anal-retentive boss isn't? 
 
 
Cheers.

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
               

 On 11-14-00 Robert Weiland wrote to Maureen Goldman... 
 
 RW> i wonder if they will use voyager and its crew members in any star 
 RW> trek flicks 
 
 Very doubtful. There is no expectation that DS9 will be used for 
 a Trek film, and Voyager has been a less successful series. 
 
 RW> im posting from jacksonville, florida... home of Super Bowl 2005 
 
 I'm getting to the point where my lip curls when I even hear the 
 word "Florida". But never mind that... 
 
 How come you didn't know when the Voyager season began? No 
 UPN station where you are, or did the late fall TV season catch 
 you unawares? I get the feeling that lots of people pretty much 
 forgot about their usual shows because reruns seemed so endless 
 this year. 
 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                             

 On 11-15-00 Paul Cote wrote to Maureen Goldman... 
 
 MG>  I watched the two-hour premiere of "Dark Angel" but just didn't 
 MG>  care for it. If nothing else, I like having a notion of what 
 MG>  constitutes success for a character\cause\society rather than 
 MG>  just ongoing bleakness with slightly less bleakness now and 
 MG>  then. In Dark Angel, there didn't seem to be an "up". 
 
 PC> Grim and gritty is the in thing right now. As are medical dramas 
 PC> (can't get 
 PC> enough of those) and sitcoms that seem to be written for 
 PC> people with the collective IQ of a toenail clipping. DA had 
 PC> a lot of promise, but it;s typical babe-action fare. Not 
 PC> worth the film it was wasted on. 
 
 This year's new crop of sitcoms has been abysmal, the worst I've 
 seen. Someone clueless is in charge of comedy development at 
 NBC; I'm mentioning them in particular because NBC has a 
 reputation for that sort of thing. 
 
 Moving along: Medical dramas certainly aren't in right now. ER 
 continues to do extremely well, Gideon's Crossing and City of 
 Angels both have poor ratings. I don't know that "grim and 
 gritty" is in, either - do you have any other examples of new 
 shows that are thriving with that description? Dark Angel itself 
 has fallen considerably in terms of households, but it has good 
 demographics and should be around for a while. 
 
 PC> [Andromeda] 
 PC> C'mon, did you think that this was going to be any good? I 
 PC> submit the example of Earth:Final Conflict to be added to 
 PC> the "Beating a dead Roddenberry to death." file. This is an 
 PC> hour best spent doing other 
 PC> things, like reading a book perhaps. 
 
 As I said, I hoped that I'd enjoy Andromeda. I didn't. The 
 Roddenberry source was irrelevant. 
 
 MG>  I'm watching the new made-over "X-Files" with considerable 
 MG>  interest. Kind of wish that they'd lose Mulder entirely, but I 
 MG>  guess that isn't going to happen. Those snippets with 
 MG>  UncomfortableMulder don't go anywhere. Still, we've only seen 
 MG>  the two-part season opener, so it is too early to pass judgment. 
 
 PC> This is the one thing I agree with you on. There was an energy to the 
 PC> X-Files 
 PC> two parter that hasn't been there for a few season now. My 
 PC> interest 
 PC> is piqued now. Scully's the believer now, and John Dogget 
 PC> is the skeptic. A very clever reversal, oh, and I want to 
 PC> push that Kersh's face in. What a jerk. Of course, what 
 PC> anal-retentive boss isn't? 
 
 Well, yeah, besides it wouldn't do to have Scully and Skinner 
 too comfortable or able to blab about their experiences. Their 
 threatening boss's admonishment is [approx.] "give your 
 statements but you'd better not sound crazy or you lose your 
 jobs and the search for Mulder stops". In other words, thanks to 
 Kersh the show keeps the status quo. 
 
 This next episode sounds like it will be a standard Monster of 
 the Week type. Given the new partnershp, this may be the acid 
 test. A bit unfair, perhaps, but we need a standard X-file. (I'm 
 betting that young Gibson Pride will now be forgotten for 
 another two years.) 
 
___ 
 * OFFLINE 1.58 

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Salata * info@salata.com * 310-543-0439 33.6k (1:102/125)
                                                                           

Hi Lee Ayrton of 1:320/455,
On <Sun, 12 Nov 00>, you wrote me:

 LA> ...We occasionally hold Dubious Movie Nights here,
 LA> call in a pizza, rent a couple of movies that might be fun to laugh
 LA> _at_ rather than with.  

Dubious Movie Nights sound like a cool idea,  though I generally prefer 
something with good production values and a fine script.   

The other night, I decided to try THE SHADOW as part of my comic-book theme 
line-up.   I was really impressed.  Except for the occasional and "obvious" 
sarcasm in the script (which encouraged some laughter, a grin, or a Humpfff), 
the film was thoroughly enjoyable.  The special effects were very slick.  The 
brief dream sequence with the female "hero" and the animated dancing fire is 
amazing.

On the opposite polar side of production values, one film that is surprisingly 
good is NEAR DARK ('87).  It's based on a vampire theme.  The script flows 
well.   No fantastic effects, but there is plenty of tension, action and 
violence.  The film has a dark, gritty, brooding  feel to it.    Just thought 
I'd mention this one while I was at it.

Looking forward to seeing the new live-action GRINCH movie someday.  From, what 
I can see from the brief trailers/teasers it looks like the makers took great 
care in keeping the look and feel faithful to the original illustrated story.


...August
icq: 46663869
http://www3.sympatico.ca/abo



--- FMail/Win32 1.48b
 * Origin:  __________________________ (1:229/390)
                                                           

 MG>  This year's new crop of sitcoms has been abysmal, the worst I've 
 MG>  seen. Someone clueless is in charge of comedy development at 
 MG>  NBC; I'm mentioning them in particular because NBC has a 
 MG>  reputation for that sort of thing. 
 
This doesn't come as too big a shock to me really. Any network that pays the 
gross national product of a small country to keep these "actors" on FRIENDS is 
one that has nothing going on upstairs. More evidence: Will & Grace. "Yeah, a 
gay man lives with a straight woman! Plenty of yuks and hijinks ensue!" If Los 
Angeles was suddenly destroyed in a secret nuclear attack. Almost 99.9% of the 
crap on TV wouldn't exist anymore. There's always hope...
 
 MG>  Moving along: Medical dramas certainly aren't in right now. ER 
 MG>  continues to do extremely well, Gideon's Crossing and City of 
 MG>  Angels both have poor ratings. I don't know that "grim and 
 MG>  gritty" is in, either - do you have any other examples of new 
 MG>  shows that are thriving with that description? Dark Angel itself 
 MG>  has fallen considerably in terms of households, but it has good 
 MG>  demographics and should be around for a while. 
 
Medical dramas are staples of network television. As are TV movies about big 
news stories of a year or two ago. As for Dark Angel, if it survives this 
season then I will be fairly amused. I hope it gets canned and the proposed 
'Buckaroo Banzai' television series gets the greenlight.
 
 MG>  As I said, I hoped that I'd enjoy Andromeda. I didn't. The 
 MG>  Roddenberry source was irrelevant. 
 
Excuse me, Paramount's been coasting on Roddenberry's work for about, um, 
FOREVER. Just because the man's work is golden first time out doesn't mean 
every thing he wrote is pure bloody genius. Yet they still make these shows are 
pure 100% s**t. I would love to see a decent SF show on TV for once, but alas, 
Doctor Who is long dead.
 
 MG>  This next episode sounds like it will be a standard Monster of 
 MG>  the Week type. Given the new partnershp, this may be the acid 
 MG>  test. A bit unfair, perhaps, but we need a standard X-file. (I'm 
 MG>  betting that young Gibson Pride will now be forgotten for 
 MG>  another two years.) 
 
Or until the season finale. Where Mulder's brain is transplanted into Scully's 
body, and Scully's brain is transplanted into Mulder's body. Talk about role 
reversal, and a lot of comedy about "new parts" ensues. 
 
I like the "Monster of the Week" episodes, being a monster fan and all.  
I would really like a Flukeman figure, with port-a-john playset with realistic 
AROMA-O-RAMA. ;) 
 
 
Cheers.

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Mooo-ing Right Along. (1:153/9)
                                                                                                                 

 NI>> I don't read the script. Who are the script writer?

 TW> What I meant by the script was the dialogue, and storyline, the whole 
structure and
 TW> narrative of the film. You can pick that up just by watching the film :)

I know, but i like to read the scripts. Reading you pay attention in some 
things that you didn't when you sew the movie.

Regars...

NEi

---
 * Origin: Vampire's Point - Sao Paulo - Brazil - {By NEI} (4:801/161.50)
                                                                   

*** Quoting August Abolins in a message to Lee Ayrton ***

 LA> ...We occasionally hold Dubious Movie Nights here, call in a pizza,
 LA> rent a couple of movies that might be fun to laugh _at_ rather
 LA> than with.

 AA> Dubious Movie Nights sound like a cool idea,  though I generally
 AA> prefer something with good production values and a fine script.

 AA> The other night, I decided to try THE SHADOW as part of my comic-book
 AA> theme line-up.   I was really impressed.  Except for the occasional
 AA> and "obvious" sarcasm in the script (which encouraged some laughter,
 AA> a grin, or a Humpfff), the film was thoroughly enjoyable.  The
 AA> special effects were very slick.  The brief dream sequence with the
 AA> female "hero" and the animated dancing fire is amazing.

I thought the The Shadow was generally pleasing, though one of my favourite 
comic book adaptions would have to be Dick Tracy.

One element that you can count on comic book films to deliver in is the 
distinctive visual style and production design that each unique comic book 
has. Comic book films are obviously very stylised according to their 2D 
versions, and I find it probably the most satisfying thing about these films 
in that they create their own unique, imaginary worlds.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: The Hawk Inn, Wellington, NZ (3:771/1550)