New Line Cinema Lands Category Six Spec

EXCLUSIVE: Ending what switched to be considered a brisk week for material, New Line Cinema just closed a spec offer the $300,000 range for Category Six, a script by John Swetnam for any “found footage” natural disaster movie. The film requires a first-person POV through camcorders and mobile phones to inform the storyline of students who attempt to survive the worst hurricane in U.S. history. The film is going to be created by Todd Garner through his Damaged Road banner. Garner hatched the concept. David Boxerbaum at APA and Mike Wagner made the offer. The fabric market continues to be sluggish until lately, but this is actually the latest inside a flurry of specs and pitches that offered now. Actually, Category Six may be the second one today that are responsible for extreme weather: Fox just acquired Riders Around The Storm, a pitch that'll be composed by Sean O’Keefe in regards to a crew that pulls a number of heists within an extreme weather event. The scribe most lately offered his script Evidence to Bold Films.

Chinglish: Theater Review

NY --David Korins' ingenious searching for Chinglish can be a marvel of constant reinvention. Its twin decks spin as sections glide into position bobs lock very easily together to make a quantity of distinct spaces that have the sterility of economic hotels, conference rooms and executive eateries all over the world but enough Sino-specific detail being apparent about where we are. The problem is that doesn't all things in David Henry Hwang's mildly entertaining comedy can be as fluid or dynamic since the scene changes. Directed with brisk dispatch by Leigh Silverman, the expansion opened up at Chicago's Goodman Theater early this summer season and was rushed to Broadway on the potency of ecstatic reviews that referred to as it Hwang's appropiate product since M. Butterfly. Just one more draft and several further trimming of the two-hour running time might have been beneficial. There's undoubtedly the play is timely. It takes a wry take a look at Chinese-American business dealings in which the traditional roles are actually remedied, making the U.S. the economically lame underdog and China the economical superpower with body body fat wads of cash. "The best pool of inexperienced clients history has seen,Inch happens when Hwang's lead character puts it. But audiences expecting major new experience into the unbridgeable gap in cultural understanding between East and West may be disappointed. There's an abundance of laughs. But unlike Hwang's latest and much more personal play, Yellow Face, where the humor was firmly rooted inside the figures, many of the jokes here be a consequence of linguistic gaffes. And when the clash being talked about in Chinglish is among culture, language, business or personal associations, the lost-in-translation thread can get tired. The play is basically an account of miscommunication that follows the mission of Midwestern businessman Daniel Cavanaugh (Gary Wilmes). He travels for the provincial Chinese capital of Guiyang to possess a lucrative agreement for his family signs firm in Cleveland to use around the massive new worldwide arts center. Aided by his Mandarin-speaking British consultant, Peter (Stephen Pucci), Daniel must conquer local cultural minister Cai (Ray Lei Zhang) and also the prickly vice minister Xi Yan (Jennifer Lim). That entails building what Peter describes as "guanxi," or associations. Particularly in early action, humor is milked within the inept official interpreters' amusingly warped translations, revealed in surtitles on Korins' set. Daniel fumbles his way using a maze of back-door handshakes, proper favors and hidden agendas, while attempting to comprehend the needed uses of boasting and false modesty where appropriate. He reaches a gradual knowing that transparency in operation can be a relative concept using Xi Yan. At first she appears being an foe, however, if they come under an adulterous relationship, Daniel will receive a quick studies inside the how to pull off honesty, loyalty and commitment. The play's best twist requires the idea of Daniel's participation in a really public disgrace making him untouchable inside the American world of business yet some scintillating interest for the Chinese. It's here that Hwang's findings are sharpest. It's also where the bland depiction of Daniel becoming an American Joe Schmo, open to various understanding by his potential partners, starts to produce sense. It may be central for the playwright's point that sea food-out-of-water Daniel is much less complex or charming than awesome-headed pragmatist Xi Yan, who's both forthright and underhand in Lim's biting, whip-smart performance. It tests the play's balance. While you will discover melancholy notes in Daniel's isolation as written, Wilmes struggles to find them. His frustrated attempts to fathom Chinese business protocol are not compared to his mind-itchiness confusion over Xi Yan's entirely foreign sights on romantic love and marriage. But Silverman pushes the comedy in the fee for that emotional undertones, which supplies the expansion the somewhat effortful feel from the idiosyncratic play compromising its subtleties while pushing to fill a sizable theater. Venue: Longacre Theatre, NY (runs indefinitely) Cast: Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Angela Lin, Christine Lin, Stephen Pucci, Johnny Wu, Ray Lei Zhang Playwright: David Henry Hwang Director: Leigh Silverman Set designer: David Korins Costume designer: Anita Yavich Lighting designer: John MacDevitt Appear designer: Darron L. West Projection designers: Rob Sugg, Shawn Duan Presented by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Trina Chernoff, Heni Koenisberg/Lily Fan, Ernest & Matthew Deitch, Dasha Epstein, Ronald & Marc Frankel, Craig & Carole Kaye, Mary Lu Roffe, The Broadway Consortium, Ken Davenport, Filerman Bensinger, Herbert Goldsmith, Jam Theatricals, Olympus Theatricals, Playful Productions, David & Barbara Stoller, Roy Gottlieb, Mary Casey, Hunter Arnold, in colaboration using the Goodman Theatre Asia

Forex Buys Charlie Sheen's New Sitcom Anger Management

Charlie Sheen He's baaaaack. Forex has bought Charlie Sheen's new sitcom, Anger Management, to air next summer time, the cable network introduced Thursday. The project, based loosely around the 2003 Adam Sandler-Jack Nicholson film of the identical title, will start production at the begining of 2012 around the 10-episode first season. Like Nicholson's character, Sheen will have an anger management counselor who needs some serious couch time themself and wreaks damage to his patients' personal lives. Sheen will retain a "significant possession stake" within the series, based on Forex. Veteran sitcom author-producer Bruce Helford (The Came Carey Show, George Lopez) assists as executive producer and showrunner. Charlie Sheen's Anger Management project progresses When the show is effective, Forex will get one more 90 instances of the series to air solely on Forex until distribution begins in fall 2014. The model is comparable to those of Tyler Perry's The best spinner's sitcoms House of Payne and therefore are We There Yet?. Forex has already been the place to find reruns of Sheen's former sitcom, 2 . 5 Males. The actor was notoriously fired this past year after he ranted against series executive producer Chuck Lorre, Warner Bros. and CBS, once the show unsuccessful to resume production following a hiatus was taken to ensure that Sheen to go in rehab. Charlie Sheen, Warner Bros. achieve funds over 2 . 5 Males dispute "We believe that Bruce Helford, Joe Roth and Charlie Sheen have develop an excellent, amusing vehicle for Charlie's acting talents-along with a character we're greatly searching toward seeing him play," Forex Leader and Gm John Landgraf stated inside a statement. "2 . 5 Males continues to be a superb element of FX's schedule within the last 14 several weeks, and that we have every confidence that Anger Management will quickly be too.Inch Are you going to watch Sheen's new series?

You May Never Guess Who Had Been Named the Greatest-Grossing Actor of-Time by Guinness

Because of the 'Pirates from the Caribbean' franchise and global smashes like 'Charlie and also the Chocolate Factory' and 'Alice in Wonderland,' The Actor-brad Pitt became one from the greatest celebrities in the world. Between him, Will Cruz, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Kaira Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, you'd assume among individuals Hollywood heavyweights would rank because the greatest-grossing actor of-amount of time in the Guinness Book of World Records. Should you did, however, you would be dead wrong. Are you able to guess which star has seen their films gross more globally than anybody ever? Stumped? Try Samuel L. Jackson. The 62-year-old actor has made an appearance in more than 100 films, including box-office hits such as the 'Star Wars' prequels, the Marvel films ('Iron Guy,' 'Iron Guy 2,' 'Captain America: The Very First Avenger,' 'Thor'), 'The Incredibles,' 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Jurassic Park.' All in all, Jackson's films have gained $7.42 billion based on Guinness. Pretty good for any guy who did not get his large break until Spike Lee cast him within the 1991 film 'Jungle Fever.' The Oscar-nominated Jackson is presently showing up on Broadway as Martin Luther King in 'The Mountaintop' opposite Angela Bassett. You can observe him in 'Captain America: The Very First Avenger,' on DVD now. [via NYDN] The Negative Side of 'The Avengers' Cast Robert Downey Junior, 'Less Than Zero'Chris Evans, 'Puncture'Chris Hemsworth, 'Ollie Klublershturf Versus. the Nazis'Samuel L. Jackson, 'Jungle Fever'Jeremy Renner, 'Dahmer'Mark Ruffalo, 'Reservation Road'Scarlett Johansson, 'The Last Score' See All Moviefone Art galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

Obama Tapes Leno On Money Swing With Star Power

First Published: October 25, 2011 3:51 PM EDT Credit: AFP Caption President Barack Obama chats with Jay Leno during a break The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at the NBC Studios in Burbank, Calif., on October 25, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- President Barack Obama is making the rounds in reliably Democratic California, joking with Jay Leno and tapping the coffers of wealthy, celebrity donors as he raises money for his re-election bid. The president taped an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that was scheduled to air Tuesday night. Its his second stop on the show as sitting president and fourth appearance overall. From Los Angeles, Obama headed north to San Francisco for a fundraiser featuring a performance by folk rock singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. Obama also had fundraisers scheduled in Denver, all part of a three-day, three-state swing through the west. Tuesdays fundraisers follow star-studded campaign events in Los Angeles on Monday. Obama joined actor Will Smith and basketball legend Earvin Magic Johnson at a dinner at the home of producer James Lassiter. Then he mingled with Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas over canaps at the movie star couples home just a few blocks away. Obama was in California for money events last month. The state ranks as Obamas top donor state, and he raised about $1 million in the Los Angeles area alone during the last two fundraising quarters, according to an Associated Press review of contributions above $200. The western tour is one of Obamas busiest donor outreach trips of the season. Celebrities are tried and true fundraising draw, particularly for Democratic presidents. Both the president and the stars bask in their reflected fame and the endorsement of stars can be a useful asset. Not that he needs the votes here. California is a solidly Democratic state, though Sacramento-based Democratic consultant Roger Salazar said the president, echoing national trends, is less popular now in the state than he was when he was elected. Democrats by their nature are going to give the president the benefit of the doubt, said Salazar, a veteran of California and national political campaigns. But they want him to do something about it. They want to see some movement. Obama is promising some movement. He has been promoting his $447 billion jobs bill, which has been broken up into its component parts in hopes Congress can pass some of them. Addressing about 240 donors at the Bellagio hotel and casino in Las Vegas Monday, Obama said the pieces that Republicans reject would likely linger as campaign issues in 2012. This is the fight that were going to have right now, and I suspect this is the fight that were going to have to have over the next year, Obama said. The Republicans in Congress and the Republican candidates for president have made their agenda very clear. Addressing donors in Los Angeles, Obama ticked off his administrations accomplishments, eager to reinvigorate supporters whose enthusiasm has flagged since his 2008 election. Sometimes I think people forget how much has gotten done, the president said, as Smith and Johnson looked on. He urged his backers to rally once again, at the same time joking, as he often does, that he is older and grayer now. This election wont be as sexy as the first one. At Banderas and Griffiths house, its entrance path lined with rose petals and votive candles, Obama told about 120 mostly Latino contributors that he has kept a list of his campaign promises and that, by his count, he has accomplished about 60 percent of them. Im pretty confident we can get the other 40 percent done in the next five years, he said toloud applause. The Griffith-Banderas event was Obamas first Latino fundraiser, with donors giving at least $5,000 per person to attend. It featured guests such as actress Eva Longoria, comedian George Lopez, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and mayors Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles and Julian Castro of San Antonio. Obama drew the loudest applause when he vowed to tackle an overhaul of immigration laws, a promise from 2008 that has gone unfulfilled in the face of Republican opposition. The Las Vegas fundraiser attracted about 240 people who paid from $1,000 to $35,800 toward Obamas re-election campaign and to the Democratic National Committee. The bigger donors met the president personally. Guests at Lassiters home contributed $35,800. Obama has been displaying campaign-style vigor. At a Las Vegas subdivision where he promoted housing proposals, Obama waded into the neighborhood crowd to shake hands, sign autographs, even lift a baby. Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Obama headed to a diverse neighborhood minutes from Lassiters home south of Hollywood and stopped at Roscoes, a popular Los Angeles chicken restaurant chain. Obama roved through the dining booths greeting customers, leaving at least one awestruck young boy holding his hand aloft after shaking the presidents hand. One man gave him a hug and a Hispanic man told his daughter that if she studied hard youll be like him. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

'Plums' tops Abu Dhabi's Jewel

LONDON -- The fifth edition in the Abu Dhabi Film Festival introduced individuals who win of the Black Jewel Honours today with Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's "Chicken With Apples" nabbing best narrative feature.French-German-Belgian co-production, which clicked on within the $100,000 prize, follows the story from the gifted music artist who handles to get rid of the need to reside in after his wife breaks his instrument inside an argument.Iranian pic "A Separation," helmed by Asghar Farhadi, acquired the special jury award, worth $50,000, inside the narrative feature competish.Ismael Ferroukhi won best director within the Arab world for his pic "Free Males," a Paris-set pic, which sees an Algerian immigrant become inspired to participate the resistance in World war ii by his unforeseen friendship getting a Jewish guy.Ziad Hamzeh and Ridha Behi won the $25,000 cash prize for top producer within the Arab world for "Always Brando."Woodsy Harrelson won best actor within the fest for his role in Oren Moverman's "Rampart" while "Lucky" thesp Jayashree Basavaraj won best actress.Inside the New Horizons competish, which concentrates at work of first- and second-time company company directors from around the globe, Julia Murat's "Tales Only Exist When Appreciated" won best film and nabbed a $100,000 cash prize.Gurvinder Singh's "Alms for just about any Blind Equine" nabbed the special jury award while Amr Salama was granted the most effective director within the Arab world for "Asma'a."Sooney Kadouh won best producer within the Arab world for "The Narrow Place" while "Asma'a's" Maged El Kedwani won and "Tears of Sand's" Memona Mohamed and "Tales Only Exist When Appreciated" thesp Sonia Guedes both tied to find the best actress prize.Inside the documentary feature competish, "Position Among the Stars," helmed by Leonard Retel, won the $100,000 best docu prize and Tatiana Huezo's "The Smallest Place" nabbed the $50,000 special jury award.Gemma Atwal, who helmed "Marathon Boy," was granted best new director while "El Gusto's" Safinez Bousbia won the award for top director within the Arab world.Mohamed Hefzy needed the prize for top producer within the Arab world for "Tahir 2011: The Truly Amazing, unhealthy as well as the Politican.""The Ultimate Mountain," helmed by Bill Haney, won an award inside the fest's The Planet competish -- its first edition -- for top film about significant atmosphere issues, as well as the audience choice award visited Tim Greene's "Skeem." Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Becoming Professional Bono

It was not my intention to time this website to GLAAD's Spirit Day, but things just worked out by doing this...I'd call "DwtsInch a guilty pleasure, except I'm no guilt regarding this. There's something gleeful and innocent of a demonstrate that includes people to compete not your money can buy or honours, but a mirrorball trophy. Still, I used to be never a obsessed viewer my participation depended how invested I increased being inside the participants. I type of up-to-date out throughout seasons like Nicole Scherzinger (what fun can it be when the apparent champion can be a gorgeous, sports lady whopreviously belonged with a song and dance group). However I'd watch every episode of Jennifer Grey's season with baited breath, rooting the "Dirty Dancing" star on.Beginning Season 13 (oh boy!), I didn't truly cash investment the majority of the participants. They'd the standard archetypes filled: the older participant (Nancy Sophistication), the athlete (Mehta WorldPeace), the redeemed wild child (David Arquette)which i had been alert to some grumbling all over the casting of Chaz Bono, advocate/author/boy of Cher/transgender guy. But because I am fortunate to exist in La around 2011, I really didn't think it absolutely was a substantial debate.How wrong I used to be. First, Monica Cole in the America Family Association designed a comment stating: "We will not be capable of watch the show with Chaz online. This can most likely be very puzzling for children and should not be incorporated inside their cast." Then, in one of people sweeping claims that could be funny were the person not necessarily serious, Fox News' Dr. Keith Ablow mentioned children could "turn transgender" from watching Bono around the program. His actual insipid quote: "It's possible when someone established fact and lifted to heroic proportions like what civil rights leader, that the person who's somewhat uncomfortable using their gender might say, 'You know very well what, I'm heading lower that road.' " CONTINUE Reading through through ON Behind The Curtain

John Calley Appreciated in the new the new sony Memorial

Exactly what is a much more fitting place for any memorial for an individual who went three art galleries when compared to a soundstage?our editor recommendsJohn Calley Dies at 81John Calley Memorialized By 'Leaving Las Vegas' Director Mike Figgis (Exclusive)John Calley Appreciated by Candice BergenL.A. Film Experts recognition John CalleyRelated Subjects•Obituaries Sony's Stage 27, which once offered as Munchkinland in creating The Wizard of Oz, was the area for your John Calley memorial. He's died Sept. 13 at 81. Throughout his four-decade career, he'd run Warner Bros., UA and also the new the new sony. The stage's walls were covered in black drapes with stripes of 25-ft-high blue canvas as well as the floor engrossed inside a dark blue, synthetic turf. Within the building's east finish will be a gaily lit, elevated podium with three massive video screens behind it. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths The late-mid-day event came roughly 350 pals, family and co-employees who incorporated Robert Towne, Paul Masursky, James L. Brooks, John Glazer, Tony Bill, Bryan Lourd, David Promote, Pierce Brosnan, Stan Freberg and Annette Bening. The memorial began with remarks in the new the new sony co-chair Amy Pascal, who mentioned, "If John was what studio heads are similar to, you have to ought to be a stylish bunch. However, there's nobody like John Calley." She noted that her former boss had some "Hollywood cynicism, but he never let it have the better of him." She stated a extended report on Calley's preferences with top position prone to "the vibrant yellow Comes Royce always parked before Bijan. He'd screamed advertising online while he drove by." STORY: Spotlight: John Calley Pascal introduced videos tribute reel with sound system including Norman Jewison, Michael Barker, Seth Greenland, Neil Winter, Maria Bello, Tom Bernard, Sid Ganis, Yair Landau (who mentioned Calley was "not within it for his ego, but he preferred to achieve successInch), Akiva Goldsman and Natalie Portman, who mentioned Calley's advice to her was "don't pursue the money. It leads to loneliness. Have it accomplished for that love together with an excellent existence." There's furthermore a clip of Calley giving these pointers to filmmakers: "If you work with your stomach, which is a high quality one, you'll succeed.Inch The brand new the new sony chairman Howard Stringer began by saying he wondered what Calley would say if he understood the film clips at his memorial lost of sync. Just what the honoree would say, he made a decision, was "So was I generally.Inch STORY: Studio Tales: The brand new the new sony After watching that Calley went the studio with "the most of taste as well as the minimal tyranny," he told the story first printed inside the NYer of how Calley had once tried to employ anybody to assist him run Warner Bros. When the potential jobholder asked for what his title might be, Calley offered him a title greater in comparison to 1 he'd. He mentioned they're worldwide mind of production. When asked for what their very own title might be, Calley mentioned, "I might be the assistant for the worldwide mind of production." The chance worker asked for to think about it in the last weekend, then switched lower the job "as they couldn't uncover the issue.Inch It absolutely was a great story, except it absolutely was the identical one Mike Nichols asked for Warren Beatty to determine when arrived for him to determine the director's prepared remarks. It put Beatty inside an interesting position. He just went forward with telling the identical story two occasions, but gave it an actor's elocution. STORY: John Calley Appreciated: Hollywood Pays Tribute for the Late Studio Executive Film author Buck Henry spoke of having some of 1972's What's Happening Doc?, which Calley told him to help keep onto since it made an appearance as though the film is a hit. Immediately after, Calley visited Warners after which it told him he should sell his What's Happening share for the studio. Henry asked for why he'd told him not to sell and Calley mentioned that was before I increased to become professional at Warners. The writer told him he was keeping the shares because "he preferred the recommendations of Calley the friend." Mel Brooks spoke of a conversation he'd had with Calley over making Blazing Saddles together with a scene in which a classic lady was beaten up -- "really, really beaten up" -- made him nervous. Calley told him to go to with this. "In the event you increase for the bell," he mentioned, "ring it." EXCLUSIVE: Mister Howard Stringer Recalls John Calley Dana Delany spoken about how precisely much Calley loved women and the way much they loved him because "he recognized you for which you are. He didn't i would love you to change.In . She mentioned their last conversation was him asking "are we able to love each other always?" Related Subjects Annette Bening Howard Stringer John Calley Mel Brooks Warren Beatty Obituaries The brand new the new sony Amy Pascal

Ratings: Guy Up! Debuts with 7.8 Million Audiences

Mather Zickel. Teri Polo Guy Up! Ratings meh! Last Guy Standing? Nearly 3 million standing ... and departing. The debut in the ABC sitcom three males (Christopher Moynihan, Mather Zickel and Serta Folger) sussing out the required steps to become modern guy (and whether it includes using pomegranate body clean) clicked up 7.8 million audiences at 8:30/7:30c, posting a few.4 rating among industry-valued 18-to-49-year-olds - third within the time slot by both measures. Reviews considered the show insultingly bad. At 8/7c, each week after Tim Allen's new sitcom first demonstrated to 12.95 million audiences, the show had 10.20 million tuning in - a 21 percent drop. Furthermore, it received a 3. demo rating, lower from three.5 yesterday. Photo timeline: The emasculation of males on tv Clearly, ABC's sitcom tandem required to go facing CBS' NCIS, which attracted 19.01 million audiences (3.8 demo rating), together with the very first half of the Tuesday evening edition in the X Factor, which averaged 10.15 million (3.8) over two several hours. Also inside the first hour of prime time, The Finest Loser on NBC came 5.04 million people as well as the CW's 90210 1.44 million. At 9/8c, NCIS: La attracted 15.39 million versus. Dancing while using Stars' results (13.55 million), the second hour of Loser (5.25 million) and Ringer (1.79 million) - the CW is trying use a lift by airing numerous reruns and recently gave an entire-season order. Prime time's final hour Tuesday again was won by Memorable, which came 11.34 million audiences versus. Body of Proof (9.50 million) and Motherhood (4.98 million).

Digital recording device sights boost 'Terra Nova'

Terra Nova spiked 42% from the live-plus-same-day rankings. Primetime Digital recording device viewing stats still yield welcome news for that systems. In Nielsen's just-launched live-plus-7 rankings for that week of Sept. 26, week a couple of this year's-12 campaign, Fox's fledgling dino drama "Terra Nova" got a substantial boost, enough to upgrade its perf up to now from credible to get affordable. "Terra Nova" spiked 42% from the live-plus-same-day rankings in grown ups 18-49, rising from the 3.1 to 4.4, and 32% in audiences to 12.two million from 9.3 million. The hotshot from the rookie comedy crop, Fox's "New Girl," looks better still following a week of Digital recording device playback, rising 31% in grown ups 18-49 (to five.9 rating). This is also true for CBS' "2 Broke Women" (up 17% to five.4 within the demo). Other frosh skeins which are getting an essential 18-49 demo bounce from postponed viewing include NBC laffers "Up Through The Night" (up 52% to three.2) and "Whitney" (up 36% to three.4), CBS' "Person of great interestInch (up 30% to three.5) and ABC's "Revenge" (up 37% to three.7) and "Pan Am" (up 30% to three.4). The Digital recording device lift for "Terra Nova" likely reflects the impact from the show competing against ESPN's "Monday Evening Football." Live sports occasions are much less favorable to postponed viewing than the usual scripted drama. CBS' guy-friendly Monday 10 p.m. actioner "Hawaii 5-" has lengthy been a high Digital recording device gainer for the similar reason. For week two of year, it is also notable by using the live-plus-7 amounts considered in to the 18-49 demo ratings, both CBS' "2 . 5 Males" (up 20% to eight.9) and ABC's "Modern Family" (up 39% to 7.9) surpassed the week's No. 1 program, NBC's "Sunday Evening Football" (up 1% to 7.8). Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

Twilight Stars Stewart, Pattinson and Lautner Getting Grauman's Chinese Honors

Every day, thousands of visitors brave the costumed impersonators of Hollywood Blvd. to ogle the foot and handprints of filmdom’s greatest celebrities, immortalized in cement in front of the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Come November 3, expect that tourist foot traffic to multiply; that’s when Twilight stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner will add their pawprints alongside those of folks like Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers, and Judy Garland. [Hollywood Life, @ChineseTheatres]

Titanic 3-D Sneak Preview: James Cameron Makes the Case for His Blockbuster Revival

It’s auteur 3-D work-in-progress week in NY! Less than a day after Martin Scorsese gave a hometown crowd an early glimpse at his upcoming Hugo, James Cameron dropped by Times Square to show off 17 minutes from his ongoing 3-D conversion of Titanic. “The thinking was to give you a general reminder of how the film worked,” Cameron said, introducing stereoscopic snippets of his 1997 blockbuster and 11-time Oscar-winner to a small audience of local press. “Probably most of you haven’t seen it in years and years. We’re not changing a frame. The ship still sinks; it ends the same way. The idea is to use 3-D as a conceptual framework for bringing the movie back to the screen. We believe the film works best in theaters, and that sustained its performance back in 1998 — that it played in theaters 16 weeks in the number-one position. And the reason for that, I think, was people’s perception of the movie as an emotional experience they wanted to share with other people.” He’s right, of course, about the theatrical experience. Having stumbled upon Titanic’s last hour a few weeks ago on TBS, I realized how well the spectacle of the doomed luxury liner’s maiden voyage held up 15 years later, even if the equally doomed love affair between Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) still left my cold, cold heart as unmoved as the iceberg that sealed their fate. The beauty of Titanic is that it is ambitious enough (and long enough, I guess), to be many things to many viewers, millions upon millions of whom valued its qualities enough to make it the highest-grossing film in history by returning — and returning again — to see it on the big screen. Cameron said he attributes this phenomenon in part to a viewer’s “contract with yourself” — the resolution that committing to and paying for the theatrical experience demands an equal level of commitment from a filmmaker. At least in the exhibition sense, Cameron argued, both Titanic and his record-breaking follow-up Avatar delivered on that pact. “I was trying to account for what was similar between the Titanic phenomenon and the Avatar phenomenon,” he said, “which proved very similar in a way, even though the movies were completely different and didn’t even always necessarily play to the same segments of the audience. But I think it was that decision to see the film on the big screen. I think the 3-D’s a part of that. It gives people a reason — a simple reason — to go to the movie theater. But I think there’s a lot more going on with it than just that.” Maybe, maybe not. Almost exactly six months removed from the tragedy’s 100th anniversary (and Titanic’s official re-release date), today was more of a day for specifics — a glimpse at what a year-plus and $18 million worth of 3-D conversion can buy the format’s No. 1 fan. It turns out that it’s no short-cuts, no “apps” and no limits, just 300 artists at their workstations going back through every line of every frame of film. “Every hair on Kate’s head has to be done,” Cameron said. “They have to blow it way up to the pixel level. They have to outline it. They have to assign depth layers to it. They have to create volume by adding a mesh to it — a rotoscoped mesh. It’s a very complex process. And then they have to go back and paint in the missing parts. Because you can imagine: If you’re looking at an object in 3-D, your right eye is seeing a little bit more around the right side of the object, and your left eye is seeing a little bit more around the left side of the object. That’s parallax — that’s what gives you that depth illusion. But when you see an object where’s no information there from the original photography, then you have to make that up.” He went on about “volumetric geometry” and “physics-based fluid simulations,” but honestly, beyond the still-staggering ship-boarding sequence — the curve of Winslet’s hat, the bustle of the crowd, even the gentle sway of a gaslamp — and a steamy, bracing sprint through the ship’s engine room, I couldn’t discern much of the painstaking work that Cameron cited. That said, it was 17 minutes, only about five of which featured the full panic of the ship’s fateful collision and its protracted submersion into the Atlantic. That’s the stuff in my contract with myself, not necessarily how the sunlight glints just so off of Billy Zane’s mimosa. Cameron gets this; he’s publicly criticized the haste of most post-production conversion out there, and himself was the first to admit today that the reason that Avatar and Scorsese’s Hugo made (or are at least expected to make) the visual impression they did was their native 3-D production values. As such, the man whose $200 million passion project made him the self-coronated King of the World is left to coax the shapes, breezes, currents and more out of that very project — or else.

Walt Disney Extends Robert Iger's Contract Through June 2016

NY - The Walt Disney Co. has extended Robert Iger's employment contract through June 2016, the entertainment conglomerate said Friday, putting in motion a longer-term succession process. Under the new agreement, effective Oct. 1, Iger, 60, will add the role of chairman following current chairman John Pepper Jr.'s retirement from the board at Disney's 2012 annual shareholder meeting in March. Until then, Iger will remain president and CEO, Disney said. Iger, who was named president and CEO on Sept. 30, 2005, will then hold the positions of chairman and CEO through March 31, 2015, at which time a new CEO will be named. Iger will retain the title of executive chairman until his term ends, the company said. The contract calls for his retirement at the end of the term. Iger's previous employment contract was set to expire on Jan. 31, 2013. "The Disney board took action at this time to secure the benefit of Iger's leadership through 2016, provide for an effective, seamless succession and management transition and a continuity of the company's corporate strategy to create long-term value for shareholders," Disney said in a statement. Wall Street observers say theme parks unit head Tom Staggs and CFO Jay Rasulo, who previously swapped jobs to give them exposure to new roles, are likely internal candidates for the CEO role once it opens up, but they also mention other strong executives as possible candidates. "I expect Jay Rasulo or Tom Staggs to be named the subsequent CEO - or president first," said Miller Tabak analyst David Joyce, who highlighted Disney's deep management bench. "Anne Sweeney or George Bodenheimer, who currently co-run the TV properties, could likely be shifted into the parks or CFO role then." Meanwhile, Iger's annual salary will rise from $2 million to $2.5 million under his new contract. He is not receiving any up-front equity award in connection with the new contract agreement, and his annual bonus - whose target increases by $2 million to $12 million - will be based on the company's performance, including operating profit, return on invested capital, earnings per share and after-tax free cash flow. His annual long-term equity incentive award of options and restricted stock units will be "entirely dependent on the company's future financial performance," Disney said. Disney highlighted that Iger "has led the company to record operating results while positioning Disney for the future in the global, dynamic multi-media industry." It added that Disney's total shareholder return since his elevation to the president and CEO roles is five times higher than that of the broad-based S&P 500 stock index. "As one of the most iconic brands and preeminent companies in the world, The Walt Disney Company requires a leader with the proven ability to drive creative and financial success in a dynamic world," Pepper said in a statement. Said Iger: "I'm committed to increasing long-term value for shareholders and am confident we will continue to do so through the successful execution of our core strategic priorities: the creation of high quality, branded content and experiences, the use of technology, and creating growth in numerous and exciting international markets." Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Topics

BBC Cuts Annual Budget by $1 Billion, Slashes 2,000 Jobs

LONDON - BBC director general Mark Thompsonsaid Thursday that the BBC will be "significantly smaller" in the next four years after the implementation of a major cuts program aimed at cutting costs by 20 percent and delivering annual cost savings of $1 billion a year.our editor recommends'Absolutely Fabulous' to Return to BBC1BBC Accuses Mediaset, Endemol and Televisa of Ripping Off 'Dancing With The Stars' Format The pubcaster will consult the public on a wide range of proposed cuts to channel output, acquisitions, sports rights and program services. In a separate set of developments it will introduce a program of job cuts and internal savings that will see 2,000 posts lost. "By 2016 the BBC will be significantly smaller than it is today, employing fewer people, occupying far less space and spending far less money both absolutely and as a proportion of the U.K. broadcasting industry," he said in a briefing to BBC staff. Announcing the changes Thompson said that although the BBC had been forced to accept the lower license fee settlement which trims the BBC's total annual budget to $5.36 billion a year, the changes were in line with the rest of the industry. But he warned that the pubcaster's core purpose could not survive another round of cuts. "We cannot do this again," he said. Under the plan, BBC1, news and children's services will be almost unchanged, but BBC2 will no longer have originated daytime programs of it's own, instead it will carry factual repeats and news coverage from other parts of the BBC. Digital youth and comedy channel BBC3 will move out of London altogether while BBC4 - the arts and high end drama content channel - will share more content with BBC2 and the channels will work more closely. Management structures will be flattened and organizational and support staff will face cuts. Repeats across the BBC will become more common and spending on online operations will be cut by 25 percent. Hollywood acquisitions and live sports rights spending will also be curtailed. The BBC said the proposals would "involve painful choices including significant job losses at every part of the organization" which would mean "some diminution in service to the public, though we have taken every step to minimize this." But Thompson told staff that the changes were in the context of a tough economic climate all round. "The BBC is operating in a media world that is changing. People in this business have to accept that careers will absorb periods of turbulent change." BBC Trust chairman Chris Patten- who heads the pubcaster's governance committee, said: "I can't remember a time in my political lifetime when international economics were so grim. Under the circumstances, the license fee settlement we accepted a few months a go was not all that bad." Related Topics International BBC

Par, New Regency partner for 'Noah'

AronofskyParamount Pictures and New Regency have partnered on a deal to make the biblical epic "Noah."Darren Aronofsky will direct with John Logan re-writing the script by Aronofsky and Ari Handel. Pic will be a retelling of the Noah's Ark tale and is the helmer's followup to "Black Swan," which went on to make more than $300 million worldwide."Since I was a kid, I have been moved and inspired by the story of Noah and his family's journey. The imaginations of countless generations have sparked to this epic story of faith. It's my hope that I can present a window into Noah's passion and perseverance for the silver screen," said Aronofsky, who will produce with Scott Franklin.He and Logan are repped by CAA. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Pam Grier on Jackie Brown, Quentin Tarantino, and Her Reign as the Queen of '70s Action Cinema

Grindhouse icon Pam Grier blazed a trail through the blaxploitation era, was dubbed “the baddest One-Chick Hit-Squad that ever hit town” (a title that remains uncontested four decades later, one might argue), and commanded the screen with a combination of ferocity, empathy, and a look so striking Roger Ebert once described her as an “actress of beautiful face and astonishing form.” Years later, in 1997, Quentin Tarantino paid homage to the work and the woman in Jackie Brown, adapted from Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch, one of the filmmaker’s best and most underrated films and the spark that jump-started a career revival for its stars. Grier earned a Golden Globes nomination for her turn as Jackie Brown, a flight attendant who turns the tables on a local gun-runner (Samuel L. Jackson) and the feds with the help of a sympathetic bail bondsman (Robert Forster, who was Oscar-nominated for the role). In honor of the film’s Blu-ray debut this week, Movieline spoke with Grier about the legacy of Jackie Brown, Tarantino’s appreciation of a certain kind of woman, her legendary career as the queen of exploitation cinema, and her upcoming turn in rapper-turned-director RZA’s martial arts film The Man with the Iron Fists. How do you feel about Jackie Brown and its impact on your own career when you look back on it now? Pam Grier: Well, the fact that the film had legs because of the wonderful talent of Quentin Tarantino and his ensemble and the film that he invested two years of his life to write for me — and for me, I wrote a journal of how wonderful it was to work on the film. My experience was very emotional; I wouldn’t reveal it to other people. It’s very sentimental, on and off camera. Moments, Quentin’s direction, and how he worked with me and other actors, his belief in me… but I really believe that if I hadn’t done theater and that process of rehearsal, because when you’re on stage people are eating sandwiches, sneezing, there are noises and you can’t lose that focus. So that prepared me to work at his level of intensity. Jackie Brown meant a lot. I would always say, ‘If I never work again, I have been to the mountaintop.’ This was an extraordinary experience with someone who loves films. And he loves your films in particular, as well. Do you remember the first time you met Quentin? Grier: Yes, it was frightening! I thought he was a stalker. It was for Pulp Fiction, I’m going in and all my posters are on his wall. I said, ‘Did you put this up for me?’ He said, ‘No, but I would have.’ I realized he was a real, true filmmaker. And the nuances of the films that we made, not only with Roger Corman but with AIP [American International Pictures] in the ’70s, the women’s movement and sexual revolution, political liberation movement, he knew what they meant and what they meant to me. He embraced it, and it wasn’t something where he felt challenged, or intimidated. A lot of conservative men were upset that I had taken their roles, or they were objecting to me being so progressive and thought I should be in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant. That was a conservative movement toward the films, where the ‘blaxploitation’ term was made up to divide and ‘let’s dismantle this women’s [movement].’ But they forgot that pioneer women such as my mother and my aunt, who were in Wyoming huntin’ and shootin’ and fishin’ and riding horses and doing things to survive, but not emasculating men or taking away their jobs. Just being the best women that they could be. That frightened a lot of men. But Quentin’s generation, the younger generation, were saying ‘Yeah, that’s what our single moms have to do! They have to do that.’ So there was a different mindset. I could see that he was open — a-ga-pe — to not only my work, but other work of women. He really likes what women do, and you can really see that in his films after Jackie Brown but he really embraced that character. Quentin is known for his fondness for grindhouse cinema, including the films you become known for which were termed “exploitation” movies. How do you view that label? Grier: Well, what is it? Look at martial arts. I saw martial arts films with my ex, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he was studying with Bruce Lee and we used to go see martial arts films. And later, The Bride with White Hair and Seven Samurai. Those are exploitation films — the first two seconds, decapitations, stabbing, children being burnt! But that’s action film. Is it exploitation or action? So it evolved into action, because a lot of films are very exploitative today. When you look at how the female action star has evolved from your time to now, it seems that the sexualized component that largely made it exploitative is no longer on the table anymore. Why do you think that is? Just a product of the time in which these films were made? Grier: I don’t know, you’ll have to ask men and ask other women. But I think it’s been played out because I established it in the ’70s. Forty years later now women are just coming into a story and it’s not about sex, it’s about survival and being stealth and powerful. Then, we could play at sexuality just to show them we could play at this, it’s really silly and it’s not that important. But we had to play that out then. A lot of films then would not work today, because it’s already been established — the sexual mores, how people have relationships and open marriages, it’s so different today. It’s just a different social and cultural difference, sexual difference. It’s completely different today. People couldn’t even say certain words. You would never hear the word ‘vagina’ then, even though it’s exploitation, it’s hard core, it’s this and that. Today, you’re gonna hear everything. So it’s different, but I’m glad I was a part of that. It was tongue in cheek, we were making fun of men making fun of us and saying, back atcha! “Fearless” and “confident” are adjectives that have been applied to you and your film roles over the years, qualities that really shine through onscreen. What would you attribute that to? Grier: It comes from my personal life. It comes from me experiencing very tragic circumstances when I was six and again at 19, and again at 21, where I finally felt I had to survive, I had to live through these circumstances. That gave me confidence. I fight a little harder, I challenge people… there are things that happened to me personally that I bring to the screen. But also, I wanted to show other women that they, too, won’t lose their femininity or castrate their men by being assertive. It’s okay to be confident… if you’re right. But it’s subjective, like art. Because of what’s happened to me personally in my life, I bring that to the screen. Handling guns, if you will, the action, there’s not really any hesitation. Just make sure I’m not on fire at the end of the stunt! But there weren’t stunt women for me, or at least black stunt women. Only when I did Coffy was that invented. I was a scuba diver, I water skied, and in Sheba, Baby when they had the jet ski, the personal watercraft, Kawasaki wanted to show that — the first time it was in a movie — with me in Sheba, Baby. I got on that thing and I didn’t even get wet. I came back dry. They said, ‘Oh, this is going to be fun.’ But they had the confidence, this major brand, to show this in my film. So I felt I was doing something right, for other women. You know, you don’t have to be pregnant to have fun, just get out of the house! Speaking of fun, part of your legend has it that you once punched a journalist in the junk during an interview. True or false? Grier: Well actually, he wrote that but he exaggerated. I did not. Because if I had really punched him, he wouldn’t be walking. He wouldn’t be able to finish the article. So he basically made it seem like I was kind of tough, but I didn’t really. I wanted a correction but he says, ‘No, I want you to look strong!’ I said, ‘I can do that without this.’ But I really didn’t punch him in the family jewels. I think he would have sued me if I had! There’s one thing I learned in martial arts, we would never joke around with our form, with our art. We’re always very respectful. So I would never hurt someone or punch someone outside of a dojo. I’m curious to hear about your very first screen credit, which was in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Grier: It’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls! I went to the set to visit a friend; I was a starving student working six jobs, and I just kind of went with him and the next thing I know they say, ‘Hey, we need more extras!’ They said, ‘We’ll put you in a dress, and you’ll say something.’ That was my first credit. It was Russ Meyer and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and I wasn’t even union. I was like, ‘Well, okay.’ I had no intention of being an actor. Really? What convinced you to become one? Grier: I still haven’t been convinced. [Pauses] Just kidding! At the time I wanted to be a camera person. I didn’t feel like I was attractive enough, with the glamour you see on television and the images that were portrayed. And I was a revolutionary, I was into the Black Panthers, being independent, feeding your own, give them a pole they’ll learn how to feed themselves, and all of that. The womanly stuff was foreign to me. I came to Hollywood in a flannel shirt, Timberland boots, and Levis, with a big ‘fro in my family’s hunting jeep with no roof, no doors, no windows. They’d see me hiking up Sunset Plaza Boulevard, it’s a long winding road, because I was used to hiking in Colorado. They said, ‘No one in Los Angeles hikes! What are you, nuts?’ No, it’s just what I do. So I brought all of those differences, a different type of woman. They could dress me up, I clean up well. But that was my first credit. And I didn’t know what I was saying. I didn’t know anything of what to do. Are you glad you did it? Grier: Um… It was tuition money! Anything for school. I was saving every dime. What was your recent work with RZA like? Grier: Yes! The Man with the Iron Fists, I play his mother. We shot it in Shanghai. He’s going to be an extraordinary director as well. He’s excellent. And of course I loved Wu-Tang Clan, I loved his art form there, but this is a film where I play his film in the mid-1800s. It was a great experience.

Watch Movies Free Online