WEEKLY MOVIE NEWS

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Dirty Harry: There's been talk of Rambo, Rocky, Indiana Jones and more coming back from their 80's cinematic graves for one last ride - now you might be able to add one more to the list - 'Dirty' Harry Callahan. 'Scorpio's Bitch' played the submissive to some of Warners execs recently and came up with this juicy little gossip tidbit: ""Mystic River" has done pretty nicely for Warner overall, so they're out to utilize Eastwood. They want him to do another "Dirty Harry" movie and have been talking about it with him for a while. The argument is, Eastwood thinks Harry Callahan is too old - he's probably right - to be chasing criminals, but the studio isn't budging. They want another "Dirty Harry" movie. One option - start afresh with a new Dirty Harry. No idea who they'd get, but that's certainly something that's been discussed in the past, remaking that first one again. Eastwood's a great director and I think he's determined to stay behind the camera, but a new 'Harry' might upset people...tough call for now".

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Jinx: The proposed spin-off movie about Halle Berry's character from the recent Bond movie "Die Another Day" has been cancelled by MGM. Variety reports that despite keen interest from long-standing 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, the lion head studio told the pair's Eon Productions to put the film "on ice" and press ahead with the "Bond 21" project due to shoot and release in 2005. Eon is apparently quite upset about all this. Scribes of the last two 007 movies - Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have been working on the "Jinx" script for a while, and helmer Stephen Frears ("The Grifters", "Dangerous Liasons") was set up to direct the feature which would've seen CIA agent Jacinta Johnson (Berry) taking on her own enemies whilst Brosnan was rumoured to be cameoing as Bond in the film. Yet despite the no from MGM, the production company isn't rushing forward with the project at another studio - thus it looks like the Bond girl curse has struck again.

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Director Martin Campbell on The Mask of Zorro 2 Source: Calgary Sun Monday, October 27, 2003

Director Martin Campbell tells the Calgary Sun that all is looking good for the follow-up to his The Mask of Zorro.

"We're in the final stages of negotiations with Antonio and Catherine Zeta-Jones. If they are both available and everything goes as planned, we could begin shooting in Mexico in April or May for a 2005 release."

"We've rejected several scripts over the past four years, but have a great one now, which is why the project has been green-lit."

He added that "it's a great role for Catherine. Her character will definitely be on a par with Antonio's this time." And it's "much more than your typical sequel. It's a full-out new film that uses the same two central characters."

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A New Phantom Movie in the Works Source: The Hollywood Reporter Monday, October 27, 2003

Crusader Entertainment and Hyde Park have tapped Olympic gold medalist-turned-feature film screenwriter Mel Stewart to write a project based on The Phantom comics.

The comic has been adapted for the screen before. Billy Zane, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kristy Swanson and Treat Williams teamed to star in the Simon Wincer-directed 1996 feature, which grossed $17 million at the box office.

The superhero, clad in a purple suit, has no supernatural powers but appears immortal and fights evil in Africa. It is understood that the updated version will be modernized.

"While I like the comic book franchises of the 1990s, I always wanted to be able to identify with my hero more," Stewart said. "Take all of the technology of 2004, where science fiction is no longer that -- it's science fact. If you had all that technology at your fingerprints, you would be a superhero."

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Is Casting Going on for Watchmen? Source: Ain't-It-Cool-News Sunday, October 26, 2003

Ain't-It-Cool-News reports that casting may be going on for the Watchmen movie.

Persistent evidence indicates the WATCHMEN movie is set up now at Revolution and John Cusack is attached to play Dan/Nite-Owl.

Watchmen was set up at Universal, so we don't know.

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There’s good news for the constantly on-off, fifth “Alien” movie. Director Ridley Scott told paper tz that he and Sigourney Weaver might have worked out a deal to do it. "About six months ago Sigourney Weaver said to me: "I'd like there to be a fifth film because I'd like to make a clean exit. You virtually created me back then, don't you want to kill me?" The 65-year-old director added: "Since then I've been thinking about it. But first of all you need a good story. I can't work without a good script." According to the report – via Ananova – Scott’s now in talks with 20th Century Fox about “Alien 5”. It was previously rumoured that James Cameron might also get involved, but at this stage a Cameron-Weaver reunion is better than most couldv'e hoped for. Good news. At last.

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From <a href="http://www.aintitcoolnews.com" target="_blank">www.aintitcoolnews.com</a>

STAR WARS SPECIAL EDITION print has been enhanced!
Hey folks, Harry here... got this report in on the screening of STAR WARS SPECIAL EDITION that was part of that really cool festival we told you about. Well, not only did Lucasfilm not let them show the original, but technically, the print that was shown has been changed since we last saw it. The light saber thing sounds reasonable... but cg clouds in front of one of the binary sunsets... makes me nervous, I have loved that shot forever... sigh... whatever, maybe next time it screens he can put a flock of toucans flying out there.
Harry,

Today I attended that screening of Star Wars: Special Edition here in L.A. at the City of Angels Film Festival. As you mentioned on your site, this was the Special Edition print, not the original cut. Special Edition or not, it's always cool to see Star Wars on the big screen.

But there was something unusual about this screening.

This was not the Special Edition print that is on VHS. There were changes in this print - specifically, the lightsabers in the Obi/Vader duel were enhanced. This has been a nitpicky thing since the SEs were released: why didn't they fix the rotoscoping on the lightsabers? Well, in this print (which, strangely, was not a new looking print) the sabers WERE fixed. Obi-Wan's saber was brilliant blue and Vader's saber was bright red (not white) in every shot - even in the shot as the blast doors are closing. In the shot where Ben's saber is pointed at the camera (where it suddenly looks like a stick) it was correctly filled in and had a glorious blue glow. I wasn't imagining things because the guy next to me immediately whispered, "Did you see that?!"

There was one other minor change as well. In the first binary sunset shot as Luke is walking out of the homestead, the lower right sun had CG clouds passing in front of it. I came home and checked my VHS copy -- no clouds. It seems a few changes were slipped into this print since the initial release.

Perhaps this seems like minor stuff, but the lightsabers have bothered me for years. I'm happy to report they HAVE been fixed. Hopefully soon, everyone else will get a chance to see it on DVD.

If you use this, call me Darklighter.

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Underworld Hits DVD &amp; Video on January 6 Source: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment Monday, October 27, 2003

Underworld, the highly-stylized and high-kicking story of forbidden love starring Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman, premieres on DVD and Video January 6, 2004 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

In the Underworld, Vampires are a secret clan of modern aristocratic sophisticates whose mortal enemies are the Lycans (werewolves), a shrewd gang of street thugs who prowl the city's underbelly. No one knows the origin of their bitter blood feud, but the balance of power between them turns even bloodier when a beautiful young Vampire warrior and a newly-turned Lycan with a mysterious past fall in love in this modern-day, action-packed tale of ruthless intrigue and forbidden passion -- all set against the dazzling backdrop of a timeless, Gothic metropolis.

Underworld will be available from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment on DVD for the SLP of $28.95 and VHS rental. The DVD will be loaded with features including widescreen presentation, director and writer commentary, technical commentary, several featurettes including the Sights and Sounds of Underworld, Creature Effects, Stunts as well as a "Making of" featurette. See below for a complete listing of the DVD features.

The DVD Special Features Include:

- Digitally Mastered Audio &amp; Anamorphic Video
- Widescreen Presentation
- Director and Writer Commentary
- Technical Commentary
- Sights and Sounds of Underworld Featurette
- Creature Effects Featurette
- "Making of" Featurette
- Stunts Featurette
- Music Video: Finch - "Worms of the Earth"
- Storyboard Comparisons
- Audio: English 5.1 (Dolby Digital) French 5.1
- Subtitles: English, French and Spanish
- Theatrical Trailers: TV Spots

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The Punisher &amp; Man-Thing Studio Bought by Lions Gate Source: ComingSoon.net Monday, October 27, 2003

ComingSoon.net reports that Artisan, who together with Marvel is making The Punisher and Man-Thing movies, is being bought by Lions Gate...

Lions Gate Entertainment said Monday that it agreed to acquire Artisan Entertainment, a private independent film producer and distributor, for $160 million cash, plus the assumption of debt.

The proposed acquisition will create a company with more than 8,000 entertainment titles, the companies said.

"We enter 2004 with our strongest theatrical slate ever with franchise properties like 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights' (co-produced with Miramax Films) and Marvel's incredible comic book legend 'The Punisher'," said Artisan Chief Executive Amir.

No word on whether or not the Artisan logo will still be with The Punisher and Man-Thing when the films hit theaters, or whether they will be labeled as Lions Gate features.

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Spike Jonze Knows Where the Wild Things Are Source: Variety Tuesday, October 28, 2003

Universal has hired Spike Jonze to direct the Playtone-produced adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are, the classic children's book by Maurice Sendak. Playtone's Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman will produce with John Carls and Sendak.

The Adaptation and Being John Malkovich director will helm the live-action film, which was originally developed as a CGI project.

Published in 1963, it's the story about a mischievous boy who is sent to bed without supper. In his room, Max uses his imagination to conjure up a forest populated by the wild things, exotic monsters who embrace Max as their ruler.

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Universal Pictures Adapting The Psycho Source: Variety Tuesday, October 28, 2003

Universal Pictures has optioned DC Comics' The Psycho, with Circle of Confusion attached to produce.

Written by James Hudnall and drawn by Dan Brereton, The Psycho was originally published in 1991 as a three-comic miniseries.

The comic book tells the story of a man forced to become what he hates most, a superhuman agent who serves the government, in order to prove himself innocent of a crime he didn't commit.

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For ALIEN fans who've been anxiously anticipating seeing Ridley Scott's classic monster movie return to the silver screen, tomorrow is their big day. With two days left until the scariest night of the year, 20th Century Fox will release ALIEN: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT into theaters, hoping to scare up some Halloween box office receipts. So what's the difference between the DIRECTOR'S CUT and the original '79 version of ALIEN? Good question.

Scott and his team of filmmakers have gone back and sifted through film negatives, assembling a brand new print of the film that has been digitally cleaned up visually. Additionally, a newly re-built sound mix for Jerry Goldsmith's soundtrack has been created for the new cut.


The biggest inclusion in THE DIRECTOR'S CUT is Scott adding new scenes that were edited out of the original cut of ALIEN, the most infamous being "The Nest". It's during this moment that Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) comes across the remains of the adult Alien's first two victims, Brett and Captain Dallas. To her horror, Ripley finds that the men weren't killed outright by the creature but instead they were cocooned and left to transform into alien eggs. If Scott had left this dark revelation in his original cut of the film, James Cameron's 1986 sequel ALIENS would have likely been a very different film.


Scott has also added other new scenes including a distraught Lambert coming to blows with Ripley and the crew of the Nostromo listening to the alien transmission broadcast by the "space jockey" vessel on the surface of the alien planetoid. The director has also chosen to trim certain scenes from the original cut. "In looking at the film again, I became impatient with what I call my 'preambles'," explains Scott of his decision. "I was, perhaps, too in love with the sets and the lighting. We shaved things a bit which creates a slight difference in energy from the 1979 version."

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Bloom Confirmed for Scott's Kingdom of Heaven Source: Variety Wednesday, October 29, 2003

Director Ridley Scott has set Orlando Bloom to star in Kingdom of Heaven, an epic love story that he will shoot in Morocco beginning January 12 for 20th Century Fox.

The director said he had "wanted to do a film with knights in armor, but thought why do some homogenous story when screenwriter William Monahan came up with such rich history? He based this drama on accurate research, which he spent 19 months compiling and writing."

The film, which takes place in the 12th century during the time of the Crusades, will be staged on a scale that Scott described as being slightly larger than Gladiator, his Oscar-winning epic.

Bloom is best known for playing Legolas in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the summer blockbuster "Pirates of the Caribbean," for which he has signed a sequel deal. Bloom will also play Paris in Wolfgang Petersen's upcoming Troy.

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It turns out that absence does makes the heart grow fonder, at least in the case for fans of a certain Dr. Jones. THE ADVENTURES OF INDIANA JONES DVD box set that went on sale October 21, just eight days ago, has already turned out to become the fastest-selling set of its kind. In its first week of release, the collection of movies were sold to over 1.1 million consumers, generating $50 million dollars of retail sales in North America. Not bad for a guy who hasn't had a major release since 1989, huh?

"This is just the beginning of what looks to be a long and very successful run for Indiana Jones at DVD retailers," commented Jim Ward, Vice President of Marketing and Distribution for Lucasfilm Ltd. "We couldn't be more pleased about the fantastic sales figures, but probably the best news is that we delivered a collection that lived up to the enormously high expectations that Indiana Jones fans had for this movie collection." Sure, that and over million in sales helps too.

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Pretty Cool Interview with George Romero at this link