<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Noted catwalker Naomi Campbell is facing charges over an alleged
catfight.  The supermodel surrendered to police in Toronto Friday, where
she was charged with assault for purportedly bonking her former personal
assistant over the head with a telephone.  The allegations first came to
light in October when the bonkee, Georgina Galanis, filed an $8 million
lawsuit against Campbell. The suit claims Galanis, 39, suffered "severe
injuries" and "severe mental distress" during her employment with the
renowned clothes-wearer and sometime actress-singer.  The ex-assistant
says her stormy tenure culminated in a September blowout wherein
Campbell allegedly grabbed Galanis' throat, slammed her against a wall
of their Toronto hotel room and bludgeoned her with a phone--twice.  All
this after nine whole days on the job.

>     Ex-wrestling/politico Jesse "The Body" Ventura has nabbed $500,000
to pen his autobiography. NBC is also looking into doing a quickie
biopic about Governor-Elect Body, the Hollywood Reporter says.

>     Movers packed up Sylvester Stallone's things at his Miami mansion
Thursday. The action star says he's bound for Los Angeles--where it's
safer. Madonna is also reportedly getting out of Florida--and selling to
pal Rosie O'Donnell, the New York Daily News says.

>     REMARKABLY, IT DOESN'T SMELL LIKE BACON: Muppet diva Miss Piggy
launching her own perfume, Moi. You can find it at Bloomingdale's--for
about $24 a bottle.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     On his official STARWARS.COM website, George Lucas has piped in
about the reaction to the trailer for STAR WARS: EPISODE 1 - THE PHANTOM
MENACE, saying "It has been so gratifying to hear that people have
enjoyed the trailer. I was glad that we could do the sneak preview for
the fans, and really overwhelmed at the response we got from so many
different people through the week...you never really know what kind of
reaction you're going to get. I want this to be a fun experience. That's
really what it's about, it's what STAR WARS has been about from the
beginning. I wanted the trailer to communicate that, and it means a lot
to hear that it is succeeding at some level. It is really encouraging as
we work to complete the movie, and as I start to work on Episode II."
And on that note, he adds he is currently developing the story for
Episode II, believed to be set about 10 years after Episode 1 (so that
means an Anakin in his late teens...), and he tentatively plans to have
it finished by 2002. Oh, and he told the site's reporter to "remember to
tell them that Boba Fett is in it." There are a number of great sites
where you can find STAR WARS spoilers, and I've listed a few of my
favorites below, in case you just can't help yourself...
http://www.starwars.com http://www.theforce.net http://www.jedinet.com
http://www.darkhorizons.com http://www.corona.bc.ca
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com http://www.countingdown.com  CASTLE
ROCK has signed Ron Underwood (Mighty Joe Young, City Slickers, Tremors)
to direct PLUTO NASH, a sci-fi comedy set to star Eddie Murphy, as a
lunar nightclub owner in 2087, trying to save his business.

>     The name's Neeson, Liam Neeson. Yes 'Total Film' has heard the
rumour that ol' Darkman himself is the hot tip to be Agent 007 in Sony's
attempt to start their own Bond franchise. Production still seems to
crawling ahead, despite all the legal problems and MGM/United Artists
(they own the current Bond franchise) who is still attempting and for
the most part succeeding in crushing this second Bond franchise
development.

>     I hate to have to include any Spice Girl news in The Skinny, but
it involves the new Bond film "The World is Not Enough"... The Spice
Girls News Page has reported that 'Virgin' boss Chris Evans has
apparently leaked word that Victoria Adams (aka. Posh Spice) has won the
part of Bond girl 'Holly Christmas', and is set to join the filming a
few weeks after she is scheduled to have her child in February. Despite
the rumour, a spokeswoman for EON Productions did not confirm (then
again didn't exactly deny either) the casting news, saying ""Victoria
Adams? She's not a proven actress is she? Perhaps you should ask Chris
Evans, he seems to know more about the film than we do". The website
"Bond 19" has published a quite thorough 5-page, spoiler-filled review
of the next Bond film based on the first draft of the script which they
got a hold of. It's quite well done, including details of the main
action sequences and characters, and you can check it out by going to
http://homepage.netspaceonline.com/~beniii/Bond19/review-pt1.htm

>     The first "Rugrats" feature has been a giant hit, but even before
it opened Paramount began plans to develop a sequel. The first film's
writers David N. Weiss and J. David Stem have already signed onboard to
script the second flick which as yet doesn't have a title or release
date.

>     Seems the biffo may have happened again on MAN ON THE MOON, the
film about comedian Andy Kaufman (being played by Jim Carrey). According
to Andy Kaufman Home Page, Jim Carrey and wrestler Jerry Lawler met
again in New York last week - the first time since their very public
scuffle in October which led to reports of Carrey having a neck injury.
This time around, they were there in NYC to re-enact a 1983 appearance
on David Letterman where Lawler attacked the real Kaufman on air. Carrey
and Lawler made an "uneasy truce" after the fight this October, a truce
quickly thrown out when Lawler slapped Carrey's face hard enough to
cause an ear bleed. Carrey himself continues to show a bit of
obsessiveness over his portrayal of the late comedian, supposedly
shaving his head to accurately portray the final days of Kaufman's life.

>     Now here's an interesting rumour. There's talk that Stephen King
will adapt and possibly direct a film version of his best-selling novel
"Gerald's Game". The story follows a young couple who decide to play an
innocent little game of bondage while in their holiday house which is
miles from anywhere (as you do). Unfortunately the S&M turns frightening
when the guy has a heart attack and dies, leaving the young woman cuffed
to the bed and alone with only her husband's corpse and her increasingly
erratic thoughts to keep her company.

>     Christian Bale has (again) been tapped to play the lead in the
big-screen version of American Psycho. He briefly lost the gig to
Leonardo DiCaprio.

>     Pam Grier (Jackie Brown, Coffy, Linc's) has joined the cast of the
MIRAMAX cop drama IN TOO DEEP. Its cast also includes Omar Epps, LL Cool
J, and the brilliant Stanley Tucci.

>     Jamie Kennedy (Scream, Enemy of the State) has joined the cast of
the David O. Russell (Flirting with Disaster) Gulf War action film THREE
KINGS. The film's cast is led by Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and George
Clooney.

>     The CINEVAGAS FILM FESTIVAL descends on the Las Vegas Strip, next
Thursday, December 10th, through Sunday, the 13th. The event kicks off
with the premiere of STAR TREK: INSURRECTION at the HILTON's STAR TREK:
THE EXPERIENCE, and other film highlights include Julia Sweeney's
autobiographical monologue GOD SAID HA!, Lara Lee's brilliant and
inspiring documentary on electronic music, MODULATIONS, Amie Williams'
feature-length documentary STRIPPED AND TEASED: TALES OF LAS VEGAS
WOMEN, Bob Weimer's award-winning NIGHT ROAD TO KHATMANDU, as well as
DREAM LIFE OF ANGELS, YOURS AND MINE, and DANCE OF DUST (aka RAGHS-E-
KHAK). http://www.cinevegas.com  WALT DISNEY Home Video releases Mr.
TOAD'S WILD RIDE onto video next Tuesday, December 8th. The live-action
fantasy is a retelling of Kenneth Grahame's THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
story, with an all-star British cast made up of Terry Jones (Mr. Toad),
Eric Idle (Rat), Steve Coogan (Mole) John Cleese (Lawyer), and Michael
Palin. The 87-minute PG-rated release will sell for a suggested price
just under $20.

>     After the massive $100+ million success of both "The Wedding
Singer" and "The Waterboy", Adam Sandler is moving into the big leagues.
USA Today reports the ex-SNL comedian has just signed a two-picture deal
with New Line Cinema believed to be worth around $30-35 million. The
first comedy entitled "Little Nicky", is about a son who hates the fact
that he must takeover his father's business - a task made more
complicated by the fact that his dad is The Devil. Sandler is believed
to be garnering at least $12.5 million for that, and a supposed $20
million for the second as-yet-untitled movie. The second film's salary
will be determined by the success of Sandler's current project "Big
Daddy" (aka. "Guy Gets Kid"), which hits US cinemas next summer.
http://www.newline.com

>     Natasha Lyonne (Slums of Beverly Hills, Detroit Rock City) and
Clea Duval (The Faculty, The Astronaut's Wife) will co-star in BUT I'M A
CHEERLEADER, an indie comedy about a teenage girl (Lyonne) sent away to
a "rehab camp," after her parents and friends suspect she is a lesbian.
Whoopi Goldberg has joined the cast of James Mangold (Copland)'s GIRL,
INTERUPTED, based upon Susanna Kaysen's memoirs, starring Winona Ryder,
Angelina Jolie, and Brittany Murphy. It was also recently announced that
Goldberg is teaming up with LeVar Burton (Star Trek: The Next
Generation, Reading Rainbow, Roots) to develop a CBS miniseries
adaptation of Chirstopher Paul Curtis' novel THE WATSONS GO TO
BIRMINGHAM.  According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Winona Ryder is in
talks to co-star with Richard Gere in AUTUMN IN NEW YORK, a romantic
drama about a man who falls in love with a dying woman half his age. The
film is currently directorless, following the recent departure of
Marleen Gorris (Antonia's Line). Ryder is currently shooting the
supernatural thriller LOST SOULS, the directorial debut of
cinematographer extraordinaire Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan,
Schindler's List, Jerry Maguire). http://www.hollywoodreporter.com
Director Jan De Bont (Speed, Twister) is expected to follow his remake
of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE with FOOD, a FOX comedy whose main
characters are the lively items of food in a refrigerator, awaiting
their Christmas day fate.  I don't make this stuff up, people...

>     VARIETY reports SONY Pictures has acquired the rights to the Chris
Moore (Coyote Blue) novel PRACTICAL DEMONKEEPING. Terri Hughes and Ron
Milbauer, writers of next April's horror comedy IDLE HANDS, will adapt
the book, about a man with eternal youth, and the demon companion he's
cursed with.

>     VARIETY reports UNITED ARTISTS has acquired a pitch from John Rice
and Joe Bateer, for a World War II film titled WINDTALKERS, which John
Woo may direct. The film is about a Caucasian American soldier assigned
to protect a Navajo Indian, whose native language is used to encode
radio transmissions. Woo is next behind the camera early next year,
directing Tom Cruise in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2.  Tickets are still
available for the Grand Re-Opening of the renovated 1922 GRAUMAN'S
EGYPTIAN THEATER on Hollywood Boulevard, with a 75th anniversary
screening of Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 silent film THE TEN COMMANDMANTS,
complete with its original score performed by a live orchestra. The
event takes place at this new home of the AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE on
December 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th. Additionally, artifacts from the film's
set that were left buried in the California desert for nearly 80 years
will be on display during the engagement.
http://www.americancinematheque.com http://www.egyptiantheatre.com
http://www.lostcity10demille.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     BRAVO'S INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO examines the career of Susan
Sarandon this Sunday night, from 8-9, covering everything from this
month's STEPMOM to THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW.  A&E's BIOGRAPHY
spotlights the pioneers of fast food all next week, with an episode on
Colonel Sanders Sunday at 8pm ET, 9pm PT, and subsequent episodes on
McDONALD's Ray Croc, WENDY's Dave Thomas, J.W. Marriott, and the Coors
family. http://www.biography.com

>     South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are lobbying to be
named Comedy Central's new president, Daily Variety says.

>     Woody Harrelson will guest star on an episode of FRASIER during
the February sweeps, playing his CHEERS character, Woody.  NBC is
expected to announce major changes to its schedule any day now, and,
according to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, this could see FRIENDS moving to
Thursdays at 9pm, with JUST SHOOT ME moving to that night's line-up,
FRASIER moving back to Tuesdays at 9, along with numerous other changes
throughout the week. And it looks like the moves have begun, as THIRD
ROCK FROM THE SUN moved permanently to Tuesdays at 8, and that means MAD
ABOUT YOU will be getting a new home as well.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     SHOWTIME is reportedly developing a soap opera with Donald Trump
titled TRUMP TOWER, with a basic premise a la HOTEL.

>     Writer James D. Hudnall has set up a website about his comic
series HARSH REALM, which X-FILES creator Chris Carter is developing
into a potential FOX series for next fall. The site offers pictures from
the book, and information on its story, as well as the latest on where
the HARSH REALM pilot stands. Chris Carter is writing the episode, which
Emmy award-winning producer/director Daniel Sackheim (ER, Millennium,
Earth 2, X-Files episode "Kitsunegari") will direct, and it will tape in
Vancouver, Canada. If the pilot follows the comic, it will tell the
story of a detective hired to find a boy who has gone missing in a
pocket world created through nanotechnology, based on a fantasy
role-playing game of magic and monsters. The HARRIS series was
illustrated by Andrew Paquette, who offers information on the show at
his site as well. http://www.harshrealm.com
http://www.primenet.com/~apaq

>     New episodes of SLIDERS return to the SCI-FI Channel, tonight at
10pm, with an episode which departing star Jerry O'Connell directed.
http://www.scifi.com

>     MTV will premiere REAL WORLD LIVE WIRE CHAT with Tuesday's 10pm
episode of MTV's REAL WORLD. The interactive component will let fans
chat and send their own comments across the bottom of the screen,
similar to MTV YACK, through a 22-week repeating of season 7. Former
cast members will be on-hand during each episode to comment and answer
the questions of viewers, beginning with Lindsay on Tuesday's episode.
In related news, REAL WORLD Honolulu begins production in January, for a
premiere next June. AOL Keyword: MTV http://www.mtv.com

>     Rick "The Rickster" Schroder (The Champ, Silver Spoons) joined the
cast of ABC's NYPD BLUE with this Tuesday's episode. He plays promoted
narcotics detective Danny Sorensen, who joins the 15th precint as
Sipowicz's new partner, following Simone's departure.

>     Michelle Forbes (Star Trek: TNG, Homicide: LotS) guest stars on
BRIMSTONE this Friday night at 8, on FOX.  Detective Mike Kellerman
(Reed Diamond) returns to NBC's HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET Friday
night at 10, in a 2-part episode which finds him investigating the same
case as Falsone (Jon Seda).  COURT TV has announced HOMICIDE: LIFE ON
THE STREET will air at 9pm each weeknight, when it moves over from
LIFETIME on January 1st.  The INDEPENDENT FILM CHANNEL has set a January
29th premiere date for its John Waters documentary, BAD TASTE: THE JOHN
WATERS SPECIAL. Directed by the Baltimore-born Steve Yeager, the
75-minute special features interviews with Waters and his cinema alumni,
including Ricki Lake, Steve Buscemi, Deborah Harry, and Patty Hearst.
Yeager's credits include acting in all three MAJOR LEAGUE films, as well
as Waters' POLYESTER and PINK FLAMINGOS.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     CUSTOMDISC.COM has secured a U.S. patent for a CUSTOMDISC kiosk, a
music vending machine allowing its users to create their own custom
compact disc from a current list of over 185,000 tracks, receiving their
CD in-store in under 5 minutes. The site also offers the service via its
website. http://www.customdisc.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     DC/VERTIGO release their annual WINTER'S EDGE anthology today.
VERTIGO: WINTER'S EDGE II pairs up Neil Gaiman and Jeffrey Jones in a
new story about Endless family member Death, Steven T. Seagle and Paul
Rivoche for a story of Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman, and other
stories involving VERTIGO's Spider Jerusalem (Transmetropolitan), John
Constantine (Hellblazer), Tim Hunter (Books of Magic), Minx, Nevada, and
the Dreaming. Next week, perhaps the most beautiful SANDMAN poster ever
is released as part of the 10th anniversary of Gaiman's creation,
painted by Yoshitaka Amano (Vampire Hunter D, G-Force).  Mike Allred's
RED ROCKET 7 is collected by DARK HORSE this week into a limited-edition
hardcover, and packaged with a CD single from Allred's band, THE GEAR.
The story of RED ROCKET 7 involves seven mysterious beings who show up
in coastal Oregon in the 1950s - all identical in every way, except for
their talents - and the one named Red Rocket 7, who goes on to become
one of the biggest names in rock and roll - all the while the seven
brothers are hunted by an otherworldly race. The 7 original issues of
the story are collected into this 208-page hardcover, with 16-pages of
rock portraits by Allred, in a 500-print limited run, for only $69.95.
http://www.dhorse.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     SANYO recently unveiled its state-of-the-art megapixel digital
camera, the VPC-Z400. The camera is capable of taking up to 60 pictures
at a SVGA still resolution of 1280x960 on a 4MB SmartMedia card, and it
adds the mega-important enhancement of more rapid picture-taking, able
to take up to 10 images, at a rate of 2 images-per-second. The
VPC-Z400's other features include voice-over annotation capabilities for
still images, a 3x optical zoom lens, two-step aperture control, and a
backlit color LCD monitor. It will be released this month, for a
suggested $899. http://www.sanyodigital.com  Online video mega-store
BIGSTAR Entertainment is giving away free copies of GOOD WILL HUNTING,
on VHS, with any order placed through their website.
http://www.bigstar.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CITYWALK will soon begin a year+ expansion,
with 25 new stores/restaurants, and a major renovation of its CINEPLEX
ODEON movie theater complex, including the addition of an IMAX 3D
theater.  James Cameron is working on a sequel to his UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
attraction TERMINATOR 3-D, which will premiere at the Hollywood theme
park next spring. This TERMINATOR 2 3-D attraction will star T2's Edward
Furlong, with make-up work and anamatronics by Stan Winston, and
according to the LOS ANGELES TIMES, it will be "frame-by frame the most
expensive live-action motion picture ever produced."  It's been
announced that Cher will sing the national anthem at SUPER BOWL XXXIII,
January 31st, 1999, at the PRO PLAYER STADIUM in Miami, FL.

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Multimedia company INTERVU has begun supplying webcast live feeds
of police scanner broadcasts to the APB ONLINE website, from a number of
major U.S. cities. The site, which offers police and crime news,
entertainment, and information is currently offering feeds from New
York, San Diego, and San Francisco, and several more are scheduled to be
added over the next few months. http://www.apbonline.com  TVGEN is
holding an open ballot in the first annual TV GUIDE AWARDS, with an
online poll of light-hearted categories like Best Pet, Best Kiss, Best
Hairdo, Best TV Theme Song, and Best Commercial. The poll runs through
December 18th, and the award event itself will be televised on FOX the
night of February 1st. http://www.tvgen.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-


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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE- - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      SPIN editor Craig Marks was invited backstage  to a MARILYN
MANSON concert at the HAMMERSTEIN  BALLROOM last week, where he alleges
Manson  threatened him, saying "You know I can kill  you, your family,
and everyone you know."  "Right after he said that," claims Marks,  "I
was grabbed and shoved up against the  wall by my neck. One bodyguard
had me up  so high on the wall that my feet weren't  touching the
ground." Marks was treated  at a hospital for bruises, and provided
detectives a photo of the bodyguard from  another event.  In SPIN's
just-released year-end issue,  MARILYN MANSON's album "Mechanical
Animal,"  placed at #7 in the Top 20 Albums of the  Year, and their
single "The Dope Show,"  placed at #3 on their Top 20 singles list. AOL
Keyword: SPIN http://www.marilynmanson.net

>     Here's a Psycho storyline that Gus Van Sant won't be anxious to
duplicate: A real-life murder mystery.  A 31-year-old man is in police
custody in Los Angeles, allegedly linked by DNA evidence to the
decade-old murder of Janet Leigh's stand-in for the 1960 Alfred
Hitchcock classic.  Myra Davis' biggest on-screen moment in the thriller
occurs during the film's infamous shower scene. That's her splayed
hand--not Leigh's--you see as motel proprietor Norman Bates plunges a
knife into his victim.  Davis (stage name: Myra Jones) also helped
provide the voice of Bates' (non-existent) mother, one of several actors
to handle that duty, according to Daily Variety.  The actress was found
dead in her Los Angeles home on July 3, 1988. She was 71.  Suspect
Kenneth Hunt is accused of strangling and raping Davis. Police say DNA
also links him to the similar slaying of a 60-year-old West Los Angeles
woman last March. Authorities allege Hunt knew both of the victims. At
the time of his arrest Monday, Hunt already was in jail--behind bars for
a parole violation, police said.

>     Dennis Rodman has that knack of making a situation far more
unclear merely by commenting on it.  So it was again Monday, while
making a promotional appearance in New York, that Rodman shed further
darkness on his marital status with ex-Baywatch and current Hyperion Bay
actress Carmen Electra.  "I'm still married," said the Worm to a pool of
reporters. This, just two weeks to the day since he filed papers in
Orange County, California, to have his month-old marriage annulled. (And
after Electra's publicist confirmed last month that the couple have, in
fact, split up.)

>     The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will hold a birthday party marking
Elvis' 64th b-day on January 8. No word on whether the King will show.

>     Coolio does not plan to appeal his German conviction last week for
theft and assault, the rapper's lawyer says. But the hip-hopper may use
his experiences in his next album.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     George Lucas has said recently that he currently had no plans
tocontinue the "Star Wars" franchise after "Return of the Jedi", but
that doesn't mean hehadn't thought about it a few months ago. 'Mr.
Anonymous' drops in this report from asci-fi convention which a certain
special guest apparently attended and revealed some quite amazing
things:  "I was at the annual Sledge Stone's Sci-Fi Convention when
guess who showed up but Luke Skywalker himself Mark Hamill... Mark said
that about a year ago after all the hoopla about the Star Wars Trilogy:
Special Edition he talked to George Lucas (in person, on a phone, I
don't know) he said he asked George what he would be in the Star Wars
future after the prequels. he said George said that he had been thinking
of doing an Episode VII (right after Return of the Jedi) not another
trilogy just one more sequel that would some how wrap up the whole
story. Not wrap up Star Wars but wrap up the who "Darth Vader, Han Solo,
Luke Skywalker thing". He said he would want it to take place a  long
long long time after Return of the Jedi where perhaps Luke would be sort
of a Yoda/Obi-Wan kind of charactor, mature a one-with-the-universe sort
of thing. He said George would begin work on it around 2010. Mark said
that George then said that he  would want to round up him (mark),
Harisson Ford and Carrie Fisher and Billy D.  Williams for it, but not
as actors but as the voices. That was then the audiance began yelling
things like "Star Wars: The Animated Movie, Bullshit". "that sucks".
Mark then said that it wouldn't be animated exactlly but it would be
computer generated some guy in the back then yelled "Toy Story" and Mark
said No not like Toy Story, far more realistic than toy story he then
said how George was including entirelly digital charactor's in the
prequel and that their nothing like toy story they look as real as you
and me. He said he wanted to this because he wants not only the absolute
power that 100% cgi can bring to his vision, but also to make and I
quote "the definitive computer generated" so definitive you wouldn't
know it CG unless told."

>       DREAMWORKS and PACIFIC DATA IMAGES have  announced they'll again
collaborate with  the epic animated adventure TUSKER. Already  in
production under co-directors Tim Johnson  and Brad Lewis, director and
producer of  ANTZ, respectively, TUSKER follows a group  of elephants as
they travel across  Southeast Asia. It will be DREAMWORKS'  third
computer-animated film, following  PDI's next, SHREK. Director Johnson
previously served as animation director  on that 3D CGI segment of a
SIMPSONS'  TREEHOUSE OF HORRORS special. And as  for DREAMWORKS
traditionally animated  films, post-PRINCE OF EGYPT we'll be  treated
with EL DORADO and ASH. http://www.pdi.com http://www.princeofegypt.com

>     A recent article in Entertainment Weekly has revealed some
interesting possibilities for the next "Batman" film. Paul Dini, the
creator of the superb "Batman: The Animated Series" and producer on the
upcoming "Batman Beyond" kids series, was asked about the possibility of
writing the next flick. As for the camp tone, even Joel Schumacher won't
be back if Warners sticks with it - saying "The only way I would do
another Batfilm is if we went back to the basics". His favorite choice
is to do the next entry based on the comic mini-series "Batman: Year
One" which chronicles the Bat's first year of crime-fighting (iow. a
prequel).

>     There were published reports about how the next installment in the
James Bond series wouldn't feature a hot babe. Yeah, we believed that
like we believed that neo-007 Pierce Brosnan would walk around the
entire picture wearing Budweiser shorts and a tank top--there are just
some formulas you don't press the old eject button on.  With that in
mind, MGM has cast hottie Denise Richards (Starship Troopers, Wild
Things) in the role of Dr. Christmas Jones for the as yet untitled 19th
007 outing. Still no word on who'll be playing villainess Electra King
or the pain-immune henchman Renard, though the announcements should be
within the next few weeks.

>     "The Thirteenth Floor", the new VR thriller from Producer Roland
Emmerich (co-creator of "Independence Day"), hits in March, but the
official site has just opened and include heaps of pics (albeit small
ones) plus a trailer for the film. The story follows a group of
scientists who have created a Virtual Reality-style machine that
perfectly produces a simulation of 1937 America. However their creation
soon becomes deadly when they find out that reality may not be all that
it seems.

>      Jean-Claude Van Damme's $35-million action film  LEGIONNAIRE will
be released direct-to-video  on February 9th. Set in the 1920s, with
Van  Damme as a soldier in the French Foreign Legion,  the film will
premiere on cable later in the  year, and a theatrical release is
planned.

>     Edward Norton seems to be sick of playing murderous psychopaths
and is now about to have a change of pace. The Oscar-nominated actor is
making his directing debut with "Keeping the Faith", a $30 million
romantic comedy in which he'll star alongside Ben Stiller ("There's
Something About Mary"). The story follows two boys and a girl who become
close friends until she moves away. 15 years later, she returns to town
and both guys fall for her. There's one catch though, one's a priest and
the other is a rabbi and so fucking is out of the question (woah, where
did that crassness come from). It does sound a bit like "There's
Something about Mary", but the style is supposedly much more like
"Sleepless in Seattle". Shooting begins on the film in May.

>     American Psycho: 'The Hollywood Reporter' announces that a start
date of March 1st has finally been announced by Lions Gate Films for
this adaption of the controversial novel. Christian Bale ("Velvet
Goldmine") is locked into the lead role, with Jared Leto ("Urban
Legend") and Willem Dafoe ("Clear & Present Danger") also getting
onboard. Mary Harron ("I Shot Andy Warhol") will direct the $15 million
flick which will hopefully be out late next year.

>     The Hollywood Reporter' has discovered that rising star Giovanni
Ribisi ("Saving Private Ryan", "The Mod Squad"), actress Nia Long ("Soul
Food") and Oscar winner Ben Affleck ("Good Will Hunting") are all close
to signing onboard New Line Cinema's drama "Boiler Room". Written and
directed by newcomer Ben Younger, the film follows a college dropout
(Ribisi) who is falls into a world of money, power and corruption when
he begins working as a stockbroker and quickly uncovers his boss is a
white-collar thief. The film will be shot next year and should be out
next Fall at the earliest.

>     Variety reports that Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones are set
to star together in "Rules of Engagement", a courtroom drama being shot
in March next year. Jones plays an ex-soldier who was wounded in Vietnam
which ended his military career, and now he's become a somewhat
disillusioned lawyer. His latest case is to defend a soldier (Jackson)
accused of starting an incident that killed several demonstrators, and
the ctach being that this soldier was the one who saved the lawyer's
life in Vietnam. The script was originally written by Navy secretary
James Webb, and underwent a rewrite by Steve Gaghan - the rewrite
proving enticing enough to Jones and now Jackson. The film will be
released by Paramount next Fall.

>     USA Today reports that John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood) is
remaking the blaxpoitation classic SHAFT at Paramount.

>       Principal photography began last Monday on  DREAMWORKS' THE
HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, an  adaptation of Shirley Jackson's horror
thriller,  which has previously been adapted for the  big screen in
1963's classic THE HAUNTING.  Jan De Bont (Speed, Twister) is helming
HILL HOUSE on-location in England, with a  main cast featuring Liam
Neeson (Star Wars I)  as Professor Jeffrey Marrow, Lili Taylor  (I Shot
Andy Warhol) as poltergeist-sensitive  Nell, Catherine Zeta-Jones (The
Mask of Zorro)  as Theo, and Owen Wilson (Bottle Rocket,  Armageddon) as
Luke.

>      Burt Reynolds announced last week that  he hopes to direct a
sequel to DELIVERANCE,  which would reunite him with Jon Voight and  Ned
Beatty, both of whom have expressed  interest in the project, for
another  fateful canoe trip.

>      According to ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, Woody Allen  is close to
signing on to play one of two Siamese  twins in the next comedy from
Peter and  Bobby Farrelly (There's Something About Mary,  Kingpin, Dumb
and Dumber), STUCK ON YOU. http://www.ew.com

>      Liz Smith reports Tommy Lee Jones will replace  Sean Connery in
SPACE COWBOYS, a WARNER BROS.  action film where Jones will pair up
with  Clint Eastwood as a pair of astronauts  brought in by NASA to fly
the space shuttle.

>      VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Reginald  Hudlin
(Boomerang, House Party) has signed on  to direct the MANDALAY Pictures
Christmas comedy  YOU BETTA WATCH OUT. The film is about a group of
inner-city kids who take Santa Claus hostage.

>      David Foley, star of A BUG'S LIFE and  NEWSRADIO, and
unforgettable for his role  in THE KIDS IN THE HALL, is the best part
of this February's cute romantic comedy  BLAST FROM THE PAST, starring
Brendan Fraser,  Alicia Silverstone, Sissy Spacek, and  Christopher
Walken, and he'll appear  alongside Michelle Williams (Dawson's Creek),
Kirsten Dunst, Harry Shearer, Bruce McCulloch,  and a number of current
SNL actors in the  Nixon-era comedy DICK. http://www.etonline.com
http://www.blastmovie.com

>      NEW LINE CINEMA has released a groovy teaser  trailer for next
summer's AUSTIN POWERS:  THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME. The comedy picks  up
right where the last one left off, and  pairs up Austin (Michael Myers),
with  Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham), in  a shagadelic adventure
where he must  travel back to 1969 to get his stolen  mojo back from Dr.
Evil -- Not that  you'll see that in the trailer, which  pokes fun at
the STAR WARS prequel.  The state-of-the-art trailer capture  boasts a
breathtaking frame rate,  especially at only 3.5 megs, but it  will
require you update to the latest  free version of QUICKTIME.
http://www.austinpowers.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, et al. are celebrating ER's 100th
episode tonight.  It will include a birthday party, but apparently no
cake.  Amid the usual rush of emergency room crises and personal
dilemmas the staff at County General help a 100-year-old patient--born
at the hospital a century ago--celebrate a cakeless soiree with 20
members of her family.  Anne Pitoniak guest stars as the birthday
honoree in the episode "Good Luck, Ruth Johnson" that marks the 100th
b-day for the NBC show, which debuted September 19, 1994. It's a
milestone few TV shows ever reach.

>     The Borg Queen is back, albeit a different actress from her first
appearance in the 1996 major film hit "Star Trek: First Contact". In
February, a special 2-hour "Star Trek: Voyager" telemovie entitled "Dark
Frontier" will air for the sweeps period. It starts off with Captain
Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the Voyager crew attempting to infiltrate a
Borg vessel in hopes of finding some technology to help them get home.
But things go awry as Seven-of-Nine (Jeri Ryan) is re-assimilated by the
Borg and soon it becomes a battle of wits between Janeway and The Borg
Queen (Susanna Thompson taking over the role from Alice Krige) for
control of Seven-of-Nine. This is Thompson's third foray into Trek, she
is best remembered as Dr. Lenhara Kahn in the DS9 episode "Rejoined"
where she shared a very passionate lesbian kiss with Jadzia Dax (Terry
Farrell). The telemovie will also allow us to see Seven's family and how
they were all assimilated by the Collective twenty years ago.

>     The New York Post says American Express is spending "hundreds of
millions" for a series of episodic commercials starring Jerry Seinfeld
and several of hit sitcom cronies.

>     The second of two SHOWTIME originals based on characters from the
1949 film noir classic THE NAKED CITY premieres this Sunday night at 8.
NAKED CITY: A KILLER CHRISTMAS stars detectives Muldoon (THE RIGHT
STUFF's Scott Glenn) and Halloran (THE PREACHER'S WIFE's Courtney B.
Vance) attempting to stop a serial killer. Directed by Peter Bogdanovich
(The Last Picture Show), it also stars Laura Leighton (Melrose Place).
http://www.showtimeonline.com

>      Lily Tomlin and Ed Asner guest star as a pair of possible  ghosts
on this Sunday's Christmas episode of THE X-FILES,  airing Sunday at 9pm
on FOX.

>     Luciano Pavarotti and Vanessa Williams will team up to croon "O
Come All Ye Faithful" on Saturday Night Live this weekend.

>      A number of British newspapers reported over the  weekend that
mathematician Stephen Hawking (A Brief  History of Time) spent last week
in Hollywood,  where his image was sketched, and his electronic  voice
was recorded for a special, hour-long episode  of THE SIMPSONS. Hawking,
who suffers from  paralysis and is unable to speak, had his lines
programmed into his wheelchair-bound computer,  so they could be spoken
with its electronic voice.

>      FOX has ordered six additional episodes of  Friday night's
BRIMSTONE, and ABC has upped  their 12-episode order of Thursday's
VENGEANCE UNLIMITED to 15 episodes. http://www.foxworld.com

>      The SCI-FI Channel has announced it will premiere  the Francis
Ford Coppola-produced series  FIRST WAVE in March. Created by X-FILES
writer  Chris Brancato, it deals with a human in the  future, framed for
the murder of his wife after  discovering an alien conspiracy. SCI-FI
has  ordered a 22-episode season. The show revolves around a prophecy of
Nostradamus,  about the destruction of the Earth. As the show  presents
the prophecy, the destruction will come  in three waves -- the "First
Wave," being an alien  scouting mission to see if the Earth is a good
prospect for invasion. The "Second Wave,"  details an invasion from
above, while the  "Third Wave," results in the destruction of  the Earth
itself.

>      A new Christmas episode of SOUTH PARK premiered on COMEDY CENTRAL
Wednesday.  In the episode, "Merry Christmas Charlie  Manson!," Eric
Cartman's Uncle Howard  escapes from jail, along with Manson,  for the
Cartman family Christmas festivitees. http://www.comedycentral.com

>      According to DAILY VARIETY, SOUTH PARK's  Trey Parker and Matt
Stone have applied to  become co-presidents of COMEDY CENTRAL.  They're
among a handful of candidates up  for Doug Herzog's job, who takes over
as FOX's President of Entertainment  in January. http://www.variety.com

>      According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, CBS  has signed Matthew
Modine to star in  FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON, a TV movie expected  to air
next November, based on the  Daniel Keyes novel. Modine, who starred  in
CBS' WHAT THE DEAF MAN HEARD, is  expected to wrap his role in Oliver
Stone's  ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAY before beginning  the production of
ALGERNON.

>      Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks are teaming  up to produce a
13-episode miniseries based  on Stephen Ambrose's World War II novel
BAND OF BROTHERS, about an American rifle  company that parachuted into
France during  D-Day, for HBO. The miniseries is expected  to have a
budget exceeding the $68 million  budget of Hanks' FROM THE EARTH TO THE
MOON.  Hanks is currently co-writing a bible for  the show.

>      VARIETY reports NICKELODEON and animators  KLASKY-CSUPO are in
the early stages of  developing a spin-off to RUGRATS, which  would star
regular Susie Carmichael. http://www.nick.com

>      The new, year-end issue of WIZARD features  an interview with TOY
BIZ head and MARVEL  bigwig Avi Arad, where he says they've  a bible for
an AVENGERS series which  appears to be in pre-production (Which  he
hopes would star Ant-Man, Wasp, Vision,  Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, and
Falcon).  Arad also adds CAPTAIN AMERICA will likely  be the next MARVEL
animated series, and  he's extremely interested in a THOR  animated
show, as well as SUB-MARINER,  DAREDEVIL, CABLE, GENERATION X, or
X-FORCE.  As for MARVEL feature films, Arad told  WIZARD that BLADE
attracted a lot of  attention to MARVEL -- "... I'll tell you,  the
calls and the pressure from studios  wanting to make our product - it's
like  they all want to do it, they all understand  it, they all get it
now. Blade was an  interesting door-opener... it made  things very clear
[to people in Hollywood].  I promise you within a very short period  of
time, you'll see this place rock and  roll with movies."
http://www.wizardworld.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>       Frank Sinatra's 1,275-page FBI file was made available
yesterday, as part of the Freedom of Information act,  and immediately
posted to online criminal justice  news service APB ONLINE. The site is
additionally  offering analysis of the pages, many of which  feature
blacked-out sections pertaining to  information which can not yet be
released to  the public, and it's all available in both  scanned and
.PDF versions. The file deals  with Sinatra's alleged ties to organized
crime,  and to such crime figures as Lucky Luciano  and Sam Giancana.
http://www.apbonline.com

>       PINK FLOYD have sanctioned a remake of their  "Another Brick in
the Wall," parts 1+2  for the COLUMBIA/SONY Music Soundtrax  album to
DIMENSION's THE FACULTY.  Due in stores December 22nd, before  the
film's release on the 25th, the  soundtrack feature "Part 1," by
all-star  supergroup CLASS OF '99 (ALICE IN CHAINS'  Layne Staley on
vocals, RAGE AGAINST THE  MACHINE's Tom Morello on guitar, PORNO  FOR
PYRO'S / JANE'S ADDICTION's Steve Perkins  on drums, and PORNO's Martyn
Le Noble on bass.),  and "Part 2," includes choral work by  Edward Tate
and the FIRST A.M.E. VOICES  OF GOSPEL YOUTH CHOIR. The soundtrack  also
includes Shawn Mullin's cover of  David Bowie's "Changes," SOUL
ASYLUM's  cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out,"  and CREED's cover of
Cooper's "I'm 18,"  as well as original songs by OASIS ("Stay  Young"),
GARBAGE ("Medication"), The  OFFSPRING ("The Kids Aren't All Right"),
Sheryl Crow, STABBING WESTWARD, Neve, and  D GENERATION.
http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/TheFaculty

>      GATHERING OF DEVELOPERS has announced a  deal with KISS and
development house  BLOODSHOT Entertainment, to create a 3D  action game
based on McFARLANE Comics'  KISS comic series, PSYCHO CIRCUS. KISS  are
currently on tour for their "Psycho  Circus," album, and spent much of
last  week in Toronto for the filming of  NEW LINE CINEMA's
coming-of-age  retro-comedy DETROIT ROCK CITY. http://www.godgames.com
http://www.otaku.net/kiss_otaku/file/psycho_circus/index.html
http://www.kissonline.net

>      Trent Reznor has announced his next NINE  INCH NAILS record,
expected for release  early next year on his INTERSCOPE Records  imprint
NOTHING, is tentatively titled  "The Fragile."

>      Comedians Andy Dick and Kathy Griffin host THE  1998 BILLBOARD
MUSIC AWARDS live tonight, from  Las Vegas' MGM GRAND. Airing from
8-10pm on  FOX, this third-annual award ceremony includes  live
performances from Garth Brooks, Whitney  Houston, Mariah Carey, Bette
Midler, Natalie  Imbruglia, Lauryn Hill, Shania Twain, BACKSTREET  BOYS,
Usher, and HOLE, and appearances by  Celine Dion, LeAnn Rimes, Queen
Latifah,  HANSON, James Taylor, DRU HILL, Shawn Colvin,  K-Ci & JoJo,
Master P, Brian McKnight,  Everclear, Jay Z, Kenny Wayne Shepherd,  N
SYNC, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and  Jerry Springer.

>      MASSIVE ATTACK will release a boxed vinyl  and CD set limited to
5,000 prints today,  of all their singles, from "Daydreaming,"  through
"Inertia Creeps." With a total 63  tracks, MASSIVE ATTACK SINGLES 1990 -
1998  is also coated in a heat-sensitive ink  which can be touched to
reveal illustrations  by Robert Del Naja. My advice for finding  the
pricey set stateside is to order it  through AMAZON for about $108 on
CD, but  you might save a few dollars if you have  a more direct route
to UK releases. http://www.amazon.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      DC Comics releases Alan Davis' phenomenal  Elseworlds mini-series
JLA: THE NAIL as a  trade paperback this week. As writer and
illustrator, Davis is at his best in this tale of  a world without a
Superman, bringing together  just about every DC character you could
think of in a desperate, near hopeless  fight against an alien invasion.
Davis is also the writer on MARVEL's main  X-MEN books for the
forseeable future. http://www.dccomics.com

>      BATMAN editor Denny O'Neil has issued a  correction to a
misunderstanding in a  recent issue of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY,  which had
him saying "We will re-launch the  entire DC line in 2000" ...  "I was
quoted as saying that the entire  DC Comics line would begin anew with
the year 2000," clarifies O'Neil "What  I meant to tell the world, of
course,  is that after our current storyline --  No Man's Land -- the
Batman books will  revamp themselves. That is, we'll do  plots that
don't refer to anything  we've done earlier, and we may try  some new
visuals. Maybe introduce  some new characters, too. Will we dub  the
year's first issue of every book a  Number One? No. The only number
ones  will be attached to new titles, if any."

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>       HASBRO's official STAR WARS website is  offering an
Internet-exclusive box set of  Creature Cantina aliens Muftak and Kabe.
The pair, a furry, spider-eyed beast, and  a petite, rodent-like
creature, are  available for $13.99 (American), plus  shipping and
handling, to residents of  the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
http://starwars.hasbro.com If you're interested in seeing some solid
character images from the Star Wars Prequels, go to
http://www.newsdroid.com/compile.shtml#459 to check out a ton of images
of various "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" action figures - including a
first look at Darth Sideous.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      ACTIVISION has announced it is developing a 3D  SPIDER-MAN game
for both the SONY PLAYSTATION  and NINTENDO 64.
http://www.activision.com
<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>       Scott Thompson (Kids in the Hall), Dan Butler  (Frasier), Kathy
Griffin (Suddenly Susan),  Margaret Cho, Suzanne Westenhoefer, the cast
of THE DREW CAREY SHOW, and other surprise  guests will perform
holiday-themed skits and  monologues at Los Angeles' WILSHIRE EBELL
Theater, December 13th at 3pm, at the  TREVOR PROJECT benefit A CRACKED
XMAS.  Tickets for the Sunday event are available  for $25 - $250 by
calling 818-563-9777,  and the money raised will go to benefit  the
TREVOR HOTLINE, a nationwide, 24-hour  suicide prevention hotline
targeted at  helping gay or questioning youth.  Actress Holly Hunter
(Living Out Loud)  is the honorary chairperson for XMAS, and  its
honorary committee includes Ellen  Degeneres & Anne Heche, Melissa
Etheridge  & Julie Cypher, Michael Epstein, Sarah  Michelle Gellar,
Camryn Manheim, Armistead  Maupin, Dylan McDerrmott, and Sir Ian
McKellan.

>     RKO Pictures will turn some of its classic movies--including Orson
Welles' 1941 masterpiece Citizen Kane--into musicals, Reuters reports.

<<- - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>       VITAFORT subsidiary HOLLYWOOD PARTNERS has begun shipping  its
THE WIZARD OF OZ brand marshmallows to South East  retail chain HARRIS
TEETER. Gradually spreading across  the country, these OZ marshmallows
are the first of  four WB-related products in HOLLYWOOD's AVENUE OF  THE
STARS brand, with packaging featuring the  likenesses of Dorothy, The
Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion,  The Tin Man, and Toto, and flavored
marshmallows  in the shapes of twisters and rainbows and such.


-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     "Everyone called him Mr. Roper."  The name, actually, was Norman
Fell. The actor died Monday of cancer at the Motion Picture and
Television Fund's retirement home in Woodland Hills, California. He was
74.  Fell appeared in 35 movies and countless hours of prime-time TV,
but his legacy comes down to this: Three's Company. The landlord guy.
Mr. Roper.  Fell costarred as grumpy, vaguely homophobic apartment owner
Stanley Roper on the jiggle-era sitcom from 1977-1979, and on the
obligatory spinoff series, The Ropers (1979-80).  "I think he felt
toward the end...[the role] typecast him," business manager Stan
Schneider told the Associated Press. "But it was the one everyone knew
him as."  Audra Lindley--Fell's partner in TV high jinks as Stanley's
spouse, Helen--died in 1997 at age 79.

>     BBC Entertainment reports that Anthony Hopkins made the shock
announcement last Tuesday that he has decided to retire from acting once
he finishes work on "Titus Andronicus" in January. The Oscar winning
actor has been in deep depression recently, saying "I've been in turmoil
pretending everything was okay....I've got to get out because I think
acting is very bad for one's mental health". This has pretty much thrown
a spear into plans for several future movies, including the possibility
of a "The Silence of a Lambs" sequel.

>     Entertainment Weekly dubbed Leonardo DiCaprio Entertainer of the
Year. The guy was so entertaining he didn't even have to make a new
movie.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     NEW LINE Television has signed a development deal with ALIEN
VOICES, the production company of STAR TREK's Leonard Nimoy and John de
Lancie. VOICES will develop sci-fi based TV movies for NLtv, based on
the works of such authors as H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, as well as
potential on-going sci-fi and fantasy series.

>     In a major change of its Saturday night line-up, ABC has cancelled
its 9pm revamp of FANTASY ISLAND, and is moving the cute and intelligent
CUPID from 10pm to Thursday nights at 9, starting January 7th. ABC will
air its remaining episodes of ISLAND this month before the Malcolm
McDowell/Madchen Amick series disappears.

>     Mark Hamill guest stars as himself on THE SIMPSONS this Sunday, on
FOX, at 8pm, when Homer becomes a bodyguard for Mayor Joe Quimby. In
related news, Hamill was in Florida last week, finishing up a role in
the indie film WALKING ACROSS EGYPT.

>     This Sunday night at 8, SHOWTIME premieres NAGANO '98 OLYMPICS:
BUD GREENSPAN'S STORIES OF HONOR AND GLORY, a two-hour look at the
personal stories of the famed athletes from the last Winter Olympics.
Written, produced, and directed by EMMY and PEABODY Award-winning
Olympic chronicler Greenspan, NAGANO's features athletes in the fields
of figure skating, speed skating, ski jumping, bobsledding,
cross-country skiing, and alpine skiing. http://www.showtimeonline.com

>     CBS will replace BUDDY FARO with the return of THE MAGNIFICENT
SEVEN on Friday, January 8th, at 9pm.

>     UPN will premiere a new schedule on Monday, January 25th, with the
premiere of DILBERT at 8pm, the relocation of DIRESTA at 8:30pm, and the
return of THE SENTINEL at 9pm. MOESHA and CLUELESS will remain on
Tuesday night, at 8 and 8:30, respectively, and MALCOM & EDDIE will move
to 9, followed by BETWEEN BROTHERS at 9:30, which UPN picked up from
FOX. The first few episodes of Monday's SENTINEL will be of last
season's premiere and cliffhanger finale, but new episodes begin
February 8th.

>     FOX has announced it will air an advance premiere episode of its
FAMILY GUY animated series at 8pm, on Sunday, January 31st, following
the Super Bowl. Following FAMILY GUY, which makes its official premiere
in March, a new SIMPSONS episode will air at 8:30. The new series is the
creation of 25-year-old Seth MacFarlane, starring a large family of
eccentric personalities, including a 2 1/2-year-old named Stewie out to
conquer the world, and the families' "well-spoken, well-read," sarcastic
dog Brian.

>     TBS Superstation and COLUMBIA TRISTAR are teaming up to produce an
initial 22 episodes of THE NEW RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT, for premiere
on TBS in January 2000. The one-hour episodes will send correspondents
around the world, for six main story segments on amazing feats, facts
and artifacts that stretch the limits of the mind, body and imagination.
http://www.spe.sony.com

>     Conservative Internet columnist Matt Drudge has uncovered
PARAMOUNT Television is in the early planning stages of developing a
sitcom loosely based on a Drudge-like character. While Drudge had no
knowledge of the show before Wednesday, his source hooked him up with a
confidential PARAMOUNT memo revealing "a sitcom about a Matt Drudge type
who works for a cyber magazine" is in the works by Barry Kemp (Romy &
Michelle's High School Reunion), Richard Vaczy (Hitz), and Jerry
Perzigian (Hope & Gloria), and that they were to pitch it to UPN last
Thursday. http://www.drudgereport.com/411.htm

>     Kevin Smith is reporting a major announcement on a possible
animated series based on his film CLERKS could be released any time now.
http://www.newsaskew.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Julie Delpy (Before Sunrise,
Killing Zoe, White) is expected to sign on to co-star with Adam Goldberg
(Relativity, Dazed & Confused, Saving Private Ryan) in TRUE LOVE, a
sitcom in the works at STUDIO USA for ABC's fall 1999 line-up. The pair
would play a couple in a love-hate relationship.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     On the KEITH AND BEAN SHOW last Friday on KROQ, Christina
Applegate revealed her MARRIED... WITH CHILDREN co-star Ed O'Neal is
starring in THE BONE COLLECTOR with Denzel Washington and Angelina
Jolie, and that MARRIED's David Faustino will soon appear on an episode
of her new sitcom, JESSE.

>     ANIMATION BLAST reports KIDS WB!'s new BATMAN BEYOND series will
have a special premiere in primetime, at 7pm on Sunday, January 10th.
The one-hour episode will then repeat the morning of Saturday, January
16th, before the series premieres in its regular timeslot of Saturdays
at 9:30am on January 23rd. http://www.awn.com/blast

>     In a season full of nudity, from Judge Whipper on ALLY McBEAL, to
Rick Schroeder wasting no time on taking his pants down on NYPD BLUE,
comes word that the trend will strike DAWSON'S CREEK next month.
According to The USA TODAY, new DAWSON'S cast member Kerr Smith will
tastefully appear in the buff when he volunteers to pose for Joey (Katie
Holmes)'s art class. The episode will also establish a few new romantic
relationships.

>     A two-hour STAR TREK: VOYAGER event will air on UPN in February,
in which the crew of Voyager encounters the Borg Queen when they try to
steal technology from a Borg cube. The raid results in Seven of Nine's
capture and assimilation by the collective, and along the way we'll
learn more of her character's origin. The Borg Queen in the episodes is
played by Susanna Thompson (The Ghosts of Mississippi).

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Phil Collins is set to write five songs for the official
soundtrack to "Tarzan", next year's big animated flick from Disney. In a
change from the norm, Collins' voice will be heard singing the songs in
both the film & soundtrack rather than a character doing the vocals for
the film. The soundtrack will be released on May 18th and includes the
music score done by Mark Mancina ("Speed").

>     Eurythmics duo Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart will reunite for a
February awards show in Britain--their first joint appearance in seven
years.

>     Marilyn Manson stars on-screen with real-life girlfriend Rose
McGowan (The Doom Generation, Scream) in JAWBREAKER, a COLUMBIA film due
out February 19th where McGowan plays her typical psychotic bad girl.
The scene in which Manson stars is during a sex scene guaranteed to
cause a controversy, which I dare not describe if I want to keep
describing ZEN as suitable for the whole family...

>     Hip hop duo INSANE CLOWN POSSE have announced they are severing
all ties with the WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION, as a result of tensions
between the WWF and ICP, which culminated in ICP walking out of a MONDAY
NIGHT RAW taping December 1st, refusing to follow a WWF script
to-the-word, minutes before their scheduled appearance. When questioned
on why ICP would leave the lucrative and far-reaching promotion
available through the WWF, band manager Alex Abbiss cited issues of
creative control, explaining "Their portrayal of ICP was increasingly
goofy and inaccurate. They never bothered to listen to ICP's music and
see what the band is really about. I don't believe they had any idea of
the extreme content of the records. They just knew ICP had sold a
million records so they wanted them involved." ICP release their "Great
Milenko" follow-up "The Jeckel Brothers" in March, and they are
currently shooting their motion picture debut alongside Rudy Ray Moore
in April's direct-to-video release BIG MONEY HUSTLAS.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Variety reports that a new 4-minute full trailer for the "Star
Wars" prequel is set to hit theatres on January 24th, several days after
the teaser and one-sheet posters are ordered to be taken down, returned
to FOX and/or be destroyed. What will it be attached to? Unsure, most
likely a wide release like the teaser. Films on that weekend include
FOX's "Office Space", Dreamworks' "In Dreams" and Sony's "Gloria".

>     Less than a year after a Hollywood studio put an Americanized,
digitized spin on the Japanese rubber reptile, the company that created
Godzilla in 1954 announced this week it will revive their old-school,
analog version of the beast next December, citing Japanese fans' umbrage
at the bastardization of their gargantuan cult hero in the big-budget
U.S. film.  "The shape of the American version of Godzilla was so
different from the Japanese version that there was a clamor among fans
and company officials to create a Godzilla unique to Japan," a spokesman
for Toho Studios in Tokyo said in a release.  According to Variety,
three screenwriters are now working on Godzilla Millennium, which will
go into production in April and be released next December. The feature
will pick up where Godzilla vs. Destroyer (1995), the 21st Godzilla
sequel, left off. At the end of that film, the Big G perished in a
nuclear funeral pyre and young Godzilla Junior matured into a
fully-grown mutant to carry on the four-decade-old, city-stomping
tradition.  No details about the new project were released but, as in
all previous Japanese Godzilla movies, the monster will be brought to
life by an stunt actor in a cumbersome costume, trolling through those
oft-ridiculed miniature cities and battling model tanks and fighter
planes.

>     A fresh batch of manufactured A Bug's Life flubs debuted in
theaters Friday--nearly one month after the film's opening, a virtually
unprecedented move. The Bug's Life end credits have been the talk of
computer-animated hit. For the uninitiated, they play like one of those
blooper reels on a Cannonball Run flick. Except instead of Burt Reynolds
and Dom DeLuise hysterics, audiences are treated to the movie's bug
denizens blowing lines, knocking over scenery and giving into the
giggles. Fans of the old bloopers now can download them on the movie's
official Website: www.disney.com/DisneyPictures/bugslife/mainframe.html.

>     Ravenous: The trailer for this cannibal thriller with Guy Pearce
("L.A. Confidential") and Robert Carlyle ("Trainspotting") has been sent
to theatres and has shocked those who've caught it. Those expecting a
"Lord of the Flies" style flick will be surprised to learn this is a
very dark & modern chase thriller (set in the jungle) and utilising a
pumping techno soundtrack. The trailer should be available on the Net
within the next week or two and the film opens in March.

>     It looks as if the third Terminator film may have finally been
taken off the shelf and been shoved back into development. Variety
reports that Arnold Schwarzenegger is in talks with FOX to reprise his
arguably most famous role, while James Cameron is planning to write and
produce. Cameron has not decided whether to direct yet or not, but
studio insiders are hopeful. The film was canned earlier this year after
Producer Andy Vanja purchased the film rights for $8 million from
Carolco studios which underwent liquidation. When both Arnie and Cameron
made the point that they would not do the film outside of FOX, Vanja
decided to sell the rights to Mr. Murdoch's studio - on the condition
Arnie was in the project.

>     VARIETY reports Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Blast from the Past)
has signed on to co-star with Kenneth Branagh in an adaptation of
William Shakespeare's LOVE'S LABOURS LOST, set against a 1930s-style
musical. Branagh will write and direct the film as well, and he's in
talks with Nathan Lane, Matthew Lillard (Scream, Wing Commander), and
Adrien Lester (Primary Colors) to star as well.

>     Is the end near for Q? And if so, does a new beginning start with
R?  Such are the questions James Bond fans are asking amid reports that
the secret agent's longtime gadget guru is about to hang up his
bullet-equipped cigarette lighter.  Thursday's London Daily Express
reported that actor Desmond Llewelyn, the venerable Q through 16 films
and five Bond stars, would be retired from the film series after the
upcoming The World Is Not Enough.  The article--echoing dispatches of
numerous Internet moles--says a new character, name of R, will be
introduced ostensibly to take over the gadget gig in the event of a 20th
Bond film. On Friday, MGM confirmed that Q would be in the new movie,
but a spokesperson said it was too early to determine whether this would
be his swansong and called such speculation unfounded.

>     VARIETY reports Chloe Sevigny (Kids, The Last Days of Disco) is in
advanced negotiations to join the cast of AMERICAN PSYCHO, which
director Mary Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol) begins production on in the
spring, with Christian Bale in the lead.

>     NEW LINE CINEMA has picked up the TEAM TODD production BOILER
ROOM, a stock market drama described as WALL STREET meets GLENGARRY GLEN
ROSS. According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Giovanni Ribisi (Saving
Private Ryan, Friends), Nia Long (Soul Food, Guiding Light), and Ben
Affleck (Chasing Amy) are all in final negotiations to star in the film.

>     NEW LINE CINEMA has signed Meg Ryan and Nina Sadowsky's production
company PRU-FROCK Pictures to produce a supernatural thriller entitled
ALL FALL DOWN, following their in-production NLC film of the same genre,
LOST SOULS. The film will be written by Pierce Gardner and Betsy Stahl,
who wrote SOULS.

>     Luke Wilson (Home Fries, Bottle Rocket) is in final negotiations
to star opposite Martin Lawrence (Martin, Life) in BLUE STREAK. Wilson
would play a cop in the comedy, teamed up with an ex-con trying to find
a treasure of jewels he hid.

>     VARIETY reports Matthew McConaughey is in talks to take the lead
role Michael Douglas dropped out of in UNIVERSAL's World War II
submarine thriller U-571. Jonathan Mostow (Breakdown) will direct the
film, which he recently rewrote with David Ayer to suit an actor in his
late 20s.

>     Joaquin Phoenix (To Die For, Space Camp) and Djimon Hounsou
(Amistad, ER) will star opposite Russell Crowe (L.A. Confidential) in
Ridley Scott's Ancient Rome epic GLADIATOR.

>     Heidi Scanz (The Truman Show, Seven) and WCW wrestler Bill
Goldberg will co-star with Jean-Claude Van Damme in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER
II.

>     VARIETY reports Mike Nichols (Primary Colors, The Graduate) is
close to signing on to direct Garry Shandling in the COLUMBIA comedy
WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM? Shandling will star in the film, which he
helped write, as an alien sent to Earth to procreate.

>     The producers of the PREACHER feature have fielded offers to Ben
Affleck for the role of Jesse Custer, Cameron Diaz for the role of
Tulip, Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty) for the role of
the vampire Cassidy, and Samuel L. Jackson for the role of the Saint of
Killers. The actors have not given any answer, but Affleck does have an
in, as his CHASING AMY/MALLRATS director, Kevin Smith, is the film's
executive producer. Rachel Talalay (Tank Girl) will direct PREACHER, a
Garth Ennis-written adaptation of Ennis' DC/VERTIGO mature comic series
of the same name, about a former preacher embedded with the Spirit of
Genesis, powered by the Word of God, who is seeking out God to confront
him for abandoning his people.

>     Production begins this month on THE SPECIALS, a superhero comedy
described as THIS IS SPINAL TAP meets BATMAN. The MINDFIRE Entertainment
(Free Enterprise) film, in association with BRILLSTEIN/GREY
Entertainment, features a cast headlined by Rob Lowe (Austin Powers II),
Jamie Kennedy (Scream), and Thomas Haden Church (Wings, Ned & Stacey),
in a story about a team of second-rate superheroes who bicker over their
action figure likenesses, popularity, royalties and best origin stories
between saving the earth, while they wait around in their run-down
headquarters for the next supervillain to attack. SPECIALS was written
by James Gunn (Tromeo & Juliet), and will be the directorial debut of
screenwriter Craig Mazin (Rocket Man, Senseless). It will also star
Melissa Joan Hart, Kelly Coffield (Jerry Maguire), Judy Greer
(Jawbreaker), and Paget Brewster (Friends).

>     FOX and DREAMWORKS have announced they'll team up for MINORITY
REPORT, a sci-fi thriller directed by Steven Spielberg, and starring Tom
Cruise. MINORITY is based upon a Philip K. Dick story, about a detective
who must solve a murder he's convicted of, before he commits the murder
itself. The film is part of 4-picture deal, following the Robert
Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) Tom Hanks film CAST AWAY, and including another
film Spielberg will direct. FOX also has an option to co-produce
Zemeckis' WHAT LIES BENEATH, a supernatural thriller starring Harrison
Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. MINORITY may be out as early as summer 2000.

>     Denise Richards (Wild Things, Starship Troopers, Dairy Queens) and
Sophie Marceau (Braveheart, Anna Karenina) have signed on to star in the
next James Bond film, THIS WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. Due in theaters November
19th, the Pierce Brosnan Bond film will star Richards as nuclear weapons
expert Christmas Jones, and Marceau as a woman Double-007 must protect.

>     PARAMOUNT released a teaser trailer for next year's SOUTH PARK
feature film to select theaters last week, but you'll have to turn to
the web to view all five versions.
http://www.comedycentral.com/southpark/sp_trailer

>     ORION Home Video have announced they'll release AKIRA on video
January 26th, removing it from the moratorium status it's been in since
June of '97. Along with AKIRA, released in letterbox and non-letterbox
pan & scan formats, ORION will also release other Anime hits like 3x3
EYES: PERFECT COLLECTION (Parts 1 - 6), GREY BAREFOOT, GEN, CRIMSON
WOLF, ADIEU GALAXY EXPRESS 999, BABEL II: PERFECT COLLECTION, FIST OF
THE NORTH STAR, LUPIN II: MYSTERY OF MAMO, and LUPIN III: GREATEST
CAPERS. http://www.mgmhomevideo.com

>     Jumping the gun on an NBC movie, an autobiography, and a number of
other projects, WWF Home Video this Tuesday releases JESSE 'THE BODY'
VENTURA: THE MOUTH, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND. The never-before-seen
45-minute video features Ventura's most famous WWF battles, a rare music
video of him performing "I've Got the Body," and interviews with his
former fellow WWF companions. http://wwf.com

>     The many film awards have begun, and the race to the Oscars is on,
and the LIONS GATE production GODS AND MONSTERS has surprised many by
winning Best Picture of 1998 at the first of these award ceremonies, the
NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW. The group has a good track record, choosing
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL and Jack Nicholson for awards last year, and their
other wins this year included CENTRAL STATION for Best Foreign Film, Ed
Harris (Truman Show) for Best Supporting Actor, and Christina Ricci as
Best Supporting Actress. Executive produced by Clive Barker, GODS AND
MONSTERS is about the life of gay FRANKENSTEIN director James Whale (Ian
McKellen) and his relationship, in the 1950s, with his gardener (Brenden
Fraser).

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     One of the biggest events to ever strike the DC Universe begins
today, with the release of Mark Waid and illustrator Ariel Olivetti's
THE KINGDOM. The book is the first of two bookend tales, which begin
with KINGDOM COME's Gog travelling back in time from the mid-21st
century, day-by-day, killing Superman as he goes. This all leads into
another of DC's innovative theme weeks, as the heroes of the future
assemble in a suicide mission to save their very existence by preventing
Gog from altering the past, with issues for KID FLASH, NIGHTSTAR,
OFFSPRING, PLANET KRYPTON, and SON OF THE BAT. As major an event as
KINGDOM is, it's rumored to have some mind-blowing ramifications on DC.
Waid has been careful with his words on just what exactly will happen,
but in a DIRECT CURRENTS special by DC, he did reveal its effects would
be "staggering," adding, "For those fans and readers who've been asking
me if the KINGDOM EVENT signals the return of the familiar DC
Multiverse: You're thinking too small!" http://www.dccomics.com

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     EIDOS Interactive and CRYSTAL DYNAMICS are teaming up with
RESAURUS Company, to create a line of articulated action figures based
on the GEX video game franchise. The first figures will be based on the
different disguises worn by the amphibious secret agent in ENTER THE
GECKO and the upcoming DEEP COVER GECKO, with a GEX in tuxedo, kung fu
uniform, Patton costume, and Long John pirate gear, and each comes with
a villain figure as well. The line will premiere at New York's TOY FAIR
in February. Additionally, MANLEY TOY QUEST is producing a handheld
version of GEX for release in the spring, and TROLL Communications will
release a line of comedic GEX books for kids in the fall.
http://www.eidosinteractive.com http://www.crystald.com
http://www.resaurus.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Animation company FILM ROMAN (The Simpsons, King of the Hill) has
signed a deal to provide animation and live action content to the CD-ROM
magazine LAUNCH. Premiering with issue #25 in February, the five minutes
of programming will be featured in an area of the graphical LAUNCH CD
entitled LEVEL 13 ENTERTAINMENT. LAUNCH has a circulation of over one
million readers. http://www.mylaunch.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Think of it as following in the fine dining tradition of, you
know, Hooters.  "It" is the Baywatch Restaurant Cafes and Nightclubs--a
proposed chain inspired by, you know, Baywatch.  The man behind the
venture is the man behind the swimsuit-clad TV show: David Hasselhoff.
The series star and executive producer is said to be huddling with
investors from Las Vegas--the kind of town that appreciates classy
stuff, like a line of eateries tangentially inspired by Pam Anderson's
bust.  The plan is to launch the first Baywatch Restaurant in late 1999
in Miami Beach. Others may follow in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and,
you know, Vegas.

>      PACIFIC Theatres have not only announced that they will not tear
down Hollywood's CINERAMA DOME, but also that they'll preserve and
improve the movie utopia, and build their planned entertainment center
around it, complying completely with historic preservation standards.
The DOME will keep its curved CINERAMA screen, and be enhanced with
state-of-the art sound, projection, and lighting, and the whole place
will get a make-over, with new re-spaced seats, carpet, curtains, wall
coverings, and more. Eventual plans for the one-level entertainment
center that will be adjacent to the dome on the surrounding 5.75 acres
call for restaurants and retail outlets and 12 state-of-the-art
stadium-seating theaters. The center will be one level shorter than
originally planned, eliminating some planned retail outlets, in order to
showcase the dome.

-===========================================================-
   This'll probably be the last issue for '98, but see you
    bright and early after the holidays!  Eat lots of food!
-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
    :           skullboy@...                   :
    : P O S T   N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S :
    :             http://www.neurobellum.com               :
    -======================================================-



------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<<- - - - - - - - - - HAPPY 1999!!! - - - - - - - - - ->>

Well, its been a hectic couple of holiday weeks, but we’re back in
bidness.  I’m sure there’s more stuff going on than just this, but lets
take it in little pieces…

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     George Lucas is letting the Star Wars prequel news flow this
month. First off, Lucas has leaked the "crawl," or scrolling text, that
will precede the movie—you know, that "A long time ago, in a place far,
far away..." stuff. The complete introduction can be found at
http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,4137,00.html  (for those of you
who want to wait till May, don’t go there). Meanwhile, Lucas revealed
other Episode I plot points to the magazine:  Anakin Skywalker (the boy
Jedi Knight character, played by young Jake Lloyd in Episode I) doesn't
hit the road to Darth Vader-dome until Episode II.  Anakin Skywalker and
Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), villains in the first trilogy
(Episodes IV-VI for you uninitiated out there), will be good guys in
this one. Evil will be amply supplied by Darth Maul (played by
martial-arts expert Ray Park) and the shadowy Darth Sidious (a
string-pulling character only seen by the audience--the phantom menace
that gives the movie its name).  Jedi secrets are revealed. "You see the
heyday of the Jedi," Lucas says, "when they are the guardians of peace
and justice in the galaxy...And there are thousands of them."

>      Filmmaker Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures, The Frighteners)
recently completed his second Q&A session with the readers of Harry
Knowles' AIN'T IT COOL NEWS website, regarding his upcoming LORD OF THE
RINGS trilogy. The films are still in a very early stage, and a script
for THE RETURN OF THE KING hasn't even been started yet, but the AICN
feature is a fascinating and promising study of how much hard work
Jackson is committing to the project. There is nothing to say about
these films that can't be read in Jackson's Q&A's.
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/lordoftherings.html
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/lordoftherings2.html

>      In a recent interview in the TIMES OF INDIA, director Shekhar
Kapur (Elizabeth, Bandit Queen) revealed that WARNER BROS. wants him to
direct their shelved SUPERMAN film.

>      FUGEE member Pras, who will star in SUPERSTAR, a NEW LINE CINEMA
drama based on the song "Ghetto Supastar," has joined the cast of
UNIVERSAL's superhero comedy MYSTERY MEN.

>      According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH creator
Eric Fogel is working on a script for a feature film based on his MTV
series, where claymation versions of celebrities battle to amusing
deaths or other funny injuries. The film could be released as early as
Christmas time, if MTV Films/ PARAMOUNT's BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD sequel
isn't able to make its planned December '99 release.

>      Robert Smigel is developing a feature film adaptation of his
X-PRESIDENTS animated sketches from SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE at DIMESION
Films.

>      CORONA COMING ATTRACTIONS recently received rumor of a possible
sequel to AIR FORCE ONE, entitled THE WHITE HOUSE. Harrison Ford would
presumably return as President, and Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) is rumored
to be the director, for an action-thriller set in the secret tunnels
beneath the White House. http://www.corona.bc.ca/films

>      UNIVERSAL has shelved 13 DAYS, a drama about the Cuban Missile
Crisis set to re-team Kevin Costner with his FIELD OF DREAMS director
Phil Alden Robinson.

>      Ann-Margret will play the mother of Cameron Diaz in Oliver
Stone's football drama ANY GIVEN SUNDAY.

>      Jennifer Lopez (Out of Sight) is in talks to co-star opposite
Eddie Murphy in the sci-fi comedy PLUTO NASH.

>      Steven Soderbergh's OSCAR-worthy OUT OF SIGHT is released on VHS
and DVD this Tuesday.

>     Its DVD release is yet another reason to upgrade, with its "Making
Of" documentary, deleted scenes, audio commentary by Soderbergh, and
other features.

>      Will it or won't it? That appears to be the question regarding
the 4-minute STAR WARS Episode 1 trailer reportedly to be premiering in
theaters January 24th. E! Online is now reporting that LUCASFILM is
saying a follow-up trailer won't appear in theaters until closer to the
May 21st film premiere, but then this goes against the information of
the massive amounts of time LUCASFILM has purchased during the SUPER
BOWL. Additionally, a source claims that a 4-minute trailer already
exists, with extended scenes from its predecessor, a bit of story
involving Obi-Wan and Darth Maul, and a scene involving AT-ATs.
http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,4057,00.html

>      VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Arnold Schwarzenegger
is again in talks to star in a third TERMINATOR film, which James
Cameron would write, produce, and possibly direct. In other news,
Fleming reports Cameron is still looking to a make a film adapting
MARVEL Comic's SPIDER-MAN, and is considering everyone from Leonardo Di
Caprio to Jim Carrey for the title role. Cameron was also recently
reportedly fired from his producer/writer role on a PLANET OF THE APES
film.

>      Japan's TOHO Co. have announced production will begin this spring
on GODZILLA MILLENNIUM, for a Japanese premiere on New Year's next year.
The film will pick up from 1995's GODZILLA VS. DESTROYAH, and star the
original Godzilla.  This, after they “retired” the character, only to be
disappointed with the US version…

>      VARIETY reports UNIVERSAL has benched its 1920s football comedy
LEATHERHEADS, freeing up the spring schedule of actor George Clooney and
director Steven Soderbergh.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      A recent story in the NEW YORK POST revealed a major two-part
episode of FOX's THE X-FILES will air in February, starting to tie up
many of the show's loose ends regarding aliens, government conspiracies,
and exactly who is working for who. FBI agent Jeffrey Spender (Chris
Owens), son of the Cigarette Smoking Man, will return for the episodes,
as will special agent Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea), Mulder's sister, and
Scully's belief in the paranormal. And I'm not going to say who, but at
least two characters will be killed off in this 2-parter... In very
related news, rumor has it that both Lea and Owens will star in Chris
Carter's upcoming series, HARSH REALM, with Lea playing the lead role of
private eye Dexter Green. http://www.nypost.com
http://www.harshrealm.com

>      TV GUIDE reports James Cameron is developing a drama for FOX
entitled DARK ANGEL. Little is known about the show, but it's set in a
future of "political, economic, and moral collapse," and its central
character appears to be an uncast 18-year-old actress named Max.
http://www.tvgen.com

>      FOX Broadcasting is developing a THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO
BANZAI ACROSS THE 8th DIMENSION hour-long series, which might end up on
its schedule next fall.  Everyone join with me in saying “YES!!!!”

>      The SCI-FI Channel added recent short-lived series THE VISITOR,
BURNING ZONE, and the fantastic DARK SKIES to their Sunday night line-up
yesterday, and HIGHLANDER will begin airing chronologically starting
this Tuesday, at 9pm. SCI-FI has also re-started its run of the
enhanced, original STAR TREK episodes, with Leonard Nimoy hosting in
place of William Shatner for the chronological run. http://www.scifi.com

>     AMERICAN EXPRESS will premiere a new series of commercials during
this month's SUPER BOWL that star Jerry Seinfeld, as he drives across
country, from Los Angeles to New York, and sets up residence in New
York. The spots will star many SEINFELD cast members and guest stars,
including former New York METS player Keith Hernandez, who appears
during the first commercial.

>     LATELINE makes its return to NBC's line-up Wednesday night at 9,
with a too-funny episode that guest stars Conan O'Brien, Andy Richter,
and a number of other LATE NIGHT characters, as well as Regis Philbin,
Kathie Lee Gifford, and William F. Buckley.

>      LATE SHOW NEWS reports NBC has extended its latenight run of SCTV
repeats until January 31st. Starting February 1st, new episodes of LATER
will air. http://www.echonyc.com/~barnhart/lsn

>     Monica and Chandler's secret romance is discovered by someone else
on Thursday's new episode of FRIENDS, on NBC at 8. The episode is
followed by a special repeat of JUST SHOOT ME, where Finch tried to set
up Maya with another woman, and a new FRASIER, where Frasier's attempts
at good deeds fail miserably, to the extent of his being arrested in
front of his son for an incident with a prostitute. Then on ER, Mare
Winningham's ER chief Amanda Lee begins to unravel, Carter fears he may
have tuberculosis, and Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) begins a storyline which
may see her HIV-positive character dating again.

>      While FRASIER wins plenty of awards, it's no match at all to
CUPID, which ABC adds to its Thursday night line-up this week at 9pm.
The romantic drama stars Jeremy Piven (Ellen, Grosse Pointe Blank,
Singles) as a matchmaker who claims to be the God of Love, sentenced to
mortal form to pair up 100 couples in true love. Its episodes are always
brilliantly written, the character is perfect for Piven, with co-stars
Paula Marshall (SPIN CITY, CHICAGO SONS, and THE FLASH's Iris West) and
Jeffrey D. Sams (Sleepwalkers) rounding out the cast.

>      THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (starring Michael Biehn, Dale Midkiff, and
Rob Perlman) returns to CBS' line-up with a new season this Friday night
at 9.

>      DENNIS MILLER LIVE returns for another season of rants this
Friday, January 8th, at 11:30pm, with guest Chris Matthews (Hardball).
The HBO series will be joined by a number of other new shows in the
coming weeks; their new mob/family comedy THE SOPRANOS premieres Sunday
night at 9, with encore airings Tuesdays at 11pm, and a new season of
TRACEY TAKES ON... begins next Wednesday, January 13th, at 10pm.
http://www.hbo.com

>      A new episode of THE BATMAN ADVENTURES airing the morning of
Saturday, January 16th, is based on DC Comics' BATMAN ADVENTURES graphic
novel MAD LOVE, a phenomenal story by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm telling
the origin of Harley Quinn, the Joker's better half. In related news, 4
COLOR REVIEW reports WARNER BROS. is rumored to be considering animated
series for DC animated characters SUPERGIRL and LOBO.
http://www.4colorreview.simplenet.com

>      DAILY VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports George Clooney
will leave his regular role on NBC's ER during February, instead of at
the end of the show's current season, as originally planned. Clooney's
character, Doug Ross, is expected to return for occasional guest
appearances, but he'll be kept busy with the CBS mob drama BLOOD
BROTHERS he's producing, as well as a number of other TV projects in the
works. Clooney has a part in  THE THIN RED LINE, and he's currently
shooting David O. Russell's THREE KINGS with Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube.
http://www.variety.com

>      According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, HBO has picked up NEW LINE
TV's proposed AUSTIN POWERS animated series, which it hopes to premiere
as early as 2000. Mike Myers will executive produce the series, and
voice both Austin and Dr. Evil. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>      Jon Stewart takes over as host of COMEDY CENTRAL's THE DAILY SHOW
on Monday, January 11th, and former TDS host Craig Kilborn will
officially take over for Tom Snyder on CBS' LATE LATE SHOW on March
30th, four nights after Snyder's last episode. In the meantime, tune in
Comedy Central all week long at 11pm for the past specials from the TDS
correspondents. Brian Unger's WHEN ANIMALS GO ON TV airs tonight,
followed by A. Whitney Brown's WEIRDER THAN WHITNEY on Tuesday, the BETH
LITTLEFORD INTERVIEW SPECIAL on Wednesday, and STEPHEN COLBERT ACROSS
AMERICA on Thursday. http://www.comedycentral.com

>     Eddie Murphy's new FOX foamimated series THE PJS will be previewed
on Sunday, January 10th.

>      FOX chairman Rupert Murdoch will guest star on the post-SUPER
BOWL episode of THE SIMPSONS, along with Dolly Parton, and such football
veterans as Troy Aikman, John Madden, and Dan Marino. Titled "Sunday,
Cruddy Sunday," the January 31st episode involves Homer travelling to
the game, only to find out his tickets are bogus.

>      Former SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE not-ready-for- primetime-player
Victoria Jackson will make a guest appearance on FOX's THE X-FILES on
February 7th.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      ROCKTROPOLIS allstar News reports DEAD CAN DANCE have broken up,
but members Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard will remain with 4AD as solo
artists. Perry is expected to have a solo album out this spring, which
will likely feature the songs from the new DEAD CAN DANCE album which
will now not be released, and Gerrard is working with percussionist
Pieter Bourke (Duality) on the soundtrack for an upcoming Michael Mann
film. http://www.allstarmag.com

>      Alanis Morissette will launch a U.S. tour in New Orleans, on
January 30th, with Liz Phair opening through February 13th, and GARBAGE
opening through April 27th.

>     Promoting next week's release of "14:59," SUGAR RAY are scheduled
to perform on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO on January 12th.
Additionally, singer Mark McGrath makes his third appearance on ABC's
POLITICALLY INCORRECT this Friday, the band will present an award at the
26th ANNUAL AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS on the 11th, and perform on THE ROSIE
O'DONNELL SHOW sometime this month. Despite the album title's joke
referring that these "Fly" boys 15-minutes are nearly up, the
LAVA/ATLANTIC recording artists again have a major hit with their new
single "Every Morning." SUGAR RAY embark on a North American tour in
California on February 3rd.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      Details are still forthcoming, but KITCHEN SINK Press has
announced it has closed its doors, and that the company is no longer
accepting retail orders. KSP's sister company, KITCHEN SINK KONFECTIONS,
will remain open. http://www.kitchensink.com

>     Dark Horse Comics have begun soliciting GHOST #7, which begins the
co-writing stint by a conspicuously familiar skullboy…
http://www.dhorse.com/Profile.html?CART=9006973027887287&sku=98140&subsec=Schedu\
les&MTH=03&YR=99&BOD=1&PAGE=Month.html

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>      In a recent issue of SPAWN, Todd McFarlane revealed his McFARLANE
Toys will be doing the figures for this June's AUSTIN POWERS THE SPY WHO
SHAGGED ME feature film. An initial line will include four 6" figures;
Austin, '60s super-spy Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham), Dr. Evil, and
his henchman, Fat Bastard. Each figure will include a movie marque with
a built-in sound chip with two or three phrases, and plans call for an
alternate version of Austin, as well as another of the sequel's
characters -- but if I was to tell you anymore, I'd have to shag you
rotten, baby! http://www.austinpowers.com http://www.spawn.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      STARBUCKS Coffee recently began offering a new product collection
of T-shirts, tumblers, ceramic mugs, coffee gift cards, and limited
edition lithographs, featuring Pulitzer Prize winner Gary Trudeau's
DOONESBURY characters. Benefiting local literacy programs, and available
at the STARBUCKS site, the product line spotlights Duke, Mike, Kim, and
Zonker. http://www.starbucks.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY author Douglas Adams will be a
on-hand at the Bay Area's MACWORLD convention this Wednesday, to unveil
the MACINTOSH version of his graphic adventure STARSHIP TITANIC.
http://www.starshiptitanic.com

>      The TV GUIDE Entertainment Network is spotlighting its year of
Internet chats with a QUOTES OF THE YEAR feature. The quotes include
Neve Campbell on love scenes, George Clooney on playing Sparky the Gay
Dog, Janeane Garofalo on ALLY McBEAL, Michelle Willaims on BEVERLY
HILLS, 90210, and others including Jerry Springer, Kathy Griffen,
Matthew Perry, Conan O'Brien, and David Spade.
http://www.tvgen.com/features/quotes

>      PARAMOUNT is using PIXELON's Internet video technology SEND/CAST
to offer a full-screen, TV-quality movie trailer of STAR TREK:
INSURRECTION. It's recommended you have a fast modem to view it, but if
you don't, it's also offered in a variety of other formats.
http://insurrection.startrek.com http://www.pixelon.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-



------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

Okay, this should get us all caught up with the holidays...

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Gary Coleman tells the new Us he's shy, forever single--and, at
30, a virgin. Says the ex-kid star: "I don't know where this willpower
comes from." "See, people don't understand that something has given me
the willpower to say no to anything questionable, abhorrent,
undermining, unethical and immoral," the Diff'rent Strokes alum says in
Us.

>     CHARMED actress Alyssa Milano married REMY ZERO singer Cinjun Tate
on New Year's Eve.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Big Star Wars week…  The latest issue of VANITY FAIR sports a
cover feature on STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE - THE PHANTOM MENACE, with a
number of photos by Annie Leibowitz, and an interview with George Lucas
where he again expresses that there will only be 6 films and not 9.  Me,
I’m guessing we’ll at least see Lucas-penned novelizations before he
dies…

>      The official STAR WARS website recently posted a tentative
release schedule of international premiere dates for the STAR WARS:
EPISODE 1 - THE PHANTOM MENACE. http://www.starwars.com

>      "I know I could have made a lot better Yoda than what they have.
I probably shouldn't say this, but I saw the trailer for Episode One and
it looked really exciting, except for Yoda. I thought, 'This is, like,
how many years later?' I really wanted to make a Yoda and send it to
George and say, 'This is what you should have had in your movie.'
Because it could be so much more real." - Make-up Artist Rick Baker,
from a recent TVGEN chat http://www.tvgen.com
This coming on the heels of a lot of surprising backlash from the
trailer, with an astonishing number of reviewers prepping for “the
disappointment of the millennium”.  Our friend Professor Moriarty,
having privileged insight on the matter, has a much more optimistic take
on the matter.  You can read his spoiler-less review of the script at
the Ain’t It Cool website.
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=2781

>     Toho Ltd. has just sent out this press release to lots of major
publications about the recently published news regarding the "Godzilla
2000" project (the resurrection of the old Japanese "Godzilla" film
franchise). It states: "We at Toho are deeply dismayed by a recent
article in the press announcing our plans to bring back a version of
Godzilla because that story did not represent our feelings in spirit or
in fact on several points.  We are deeply gratified by the worldwide box
office success of TriStar's Godzilla and since it was always our
intention to bring back the classic Godzilla, we appreciate the support
our partners at Sony and Centropolis have given us to achieve our goal.
Currently we enthusiastically support the highly successful Godzilla
animated series and Sony's sequel to the film. We hope that this will
put to rest any misinterpretaitons resulting from previous statements."

>     It's been a solid rumour for weeks, but now its confirmed that
Robert DeNiro will play 'Fearless Leader' in THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND
BULLWINKLE, based on the classic cartoon series, which will combine
live-action and animated characters. The latest issue of TV Guide
reports that shooting is about to begin on the project, which has the
animated duo trying to stop 'Fearless Leader' from taking over the world
"by hypnotizing people through their television sets on the eve of a
presidential election". Still no word on who will play Natasha Fatale as
yet, the Cher rumours unlikely to pan out.

>     It's almost here, the French have done a big-budget live-action
version of the classic "Asterix" books with ASTERIX & OBELIX VS CAESAR,
starring Gerard Depardeau, Roberto Begnini, and the delicious Laeticia
Casta. It opens there on February 3rd, and across the world in the first
half of 1999. The teaser can be downloaded from the following link.
http://video.cinefil.com/mpeg/29634.mpg

>     Entertainment writer Roger Friedman is reporting that Jim Carrey
has signed on to play Jerry Lewis in DINO, Martin Scorsese's upcoming
Dean Martin biopic, but Carrey is currently denying the report. DINO
will star Tom Hanks in the title role, and it looks like the film won't
entirely focus on Martin's Rat Pack days, so a cast of John Travolta as
Frank Sinatra and Adam Sandler as Joey Bishop might not come to pass.
And speaking of the Rat Pack, HBO Home Video recently released THE RAT
PACK on VHS and DVD. The Rob Cohen (Dragonheart, Dragon) film spotlights
the individual and group lives of Sinatra, Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr.,
played by actors Ray Liotta, Joe Mantegna, and Don Cheadle (Boogie
Nights), respectively. http://www.hbohomevideo.com

>     UNIVERSAL Home Video has announced its AN AMERICAN TAIL III: THE
TREASURE OF MANHATTAN ISLAND will be released this year, and that it's
also working on direct-to-video sequels to DRAGONHEART (Dragonheart: The
Star Prophecy), and K9 (K-911, which James Belushi will return for.)

>     While its the films marking the return of George Lucas & Stanley
Kubrick to the directing chairs that are garnering all the attention,
other legendary & talented directors are also back in 1999 after shorter
recesses. Martin Scorsese ("Cape Fear", "Goodfellas"), whose last effort
was the critically-acclaimed Dalai Lama film "Kundun" in 1997, is back
this year with the film adaption of Joseph Connelly's autobiography -
"Bringing out the Dead". The film stars Nicholas Cage as an ambulance
driver who becomes crazy about all the people he can't save. Starring
alongside Cage is his wife Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames
and Tom Sizemore. David Lynch is currently filming "The Straight Story",
a bizarre road movie in which a farmer takes a 700km road trip across
the US on a riding lawnmower to see his ill brother. Sissy Spacek and
Harry Dean Stanton star in the film (both have worked with Lynch at
least once before), and the D.O.P. is Freddie Francis who worked with
Lynch on the 80's sci-fi epic "Dune".

>     While Schwarzenegger may still be having difficulty deciding
whether to star in NOBLE FATHER, others are almost ready to get onboard.
The Arnold Fan reports that Director Roger Spottiswoode ("Tomorrow Never
Dies") is rumoured to be close to signing on as director of this drama
about a police officer whose wife is killed and is forced to raise his
three daughters alone. Shooting would likely begin in the second quarter
of this year. Arnie's involvement is still up in the air, with nothing
certain until he finishes work on the supernatural thriller "End of
Days" in March. 'Arnold Fan' also reports that "End of Days" is likely
to receive a tentative release date of July 2nd, putting the $100
million movie out in time for the Independence Day Holiday Weekend and
up against the Will Smith-Kevin Kline sci-fi/western "The Wild Wild
West". If true, this would mean post-production will be very tight, but
Director Peter Hyams ("2010”, “The Relic", "Timecop") is known for
working well under pressure.

>     Sony's 8MM Site is now open and includes several new stills from
this Nicolas Cage thriller about the underground world of pornography
and the discovery of what could be an authentic snuff film. 8MM opens
across the US on the weekend of February 5th, and having read the
screenplay by Kevin Andrew Walker (Seven) over the holiday, I can name
at least one Skullboy who’ll be there opening weekend...
http://www.spe.sony.com/movies/8mm/

>     The official site for THE MATRIX has posted the new trailer for
this sci-fi thriller starring Keanu Reeves and Lawrence Fishburne, made
by the Wachowski brothers, directors of the thriller "Bound".  And God
help me, it does look pretty cool, even for a Keanu movie… (he’s
probably trying to make up for JOHNNY MNEMONIC…)
http://www.whatisthematrix.com/

>     The IMDB reports that Shekhar Kapur, the director behind the dark
historical thriller "Elizabeth" which is on screens now, has been in
talks with Warner Brothers about helming the long-awaited Superman
revival. Kapur is getting a lot of attention at the moment thanks to the
great critical reaction to "Elizabeth", and is believed likely to be
nominated for a Best Directing Oscar for his work.

>     The New York Times magazine reports that Sean Penn is in the early
stages of returning to the directing chair. What does he plan to do?
Penn says a road movie with him & Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder. Penn
is also in talks to helm the prison drama "Monster's Ball", and was
originally planning to act in it - until his recent announcement that
he's quiting acting.

>     The BBC has reported that Sean Connery is in talks to star in
Sony's second remake of the James Bond classic "Thunderball", though not
as the famous superspy. Even though the legal battle between Sony and
MGM (who owns the current Bond franchise with Pierce Brosnan) continues,
Sony has kept developing the project and want Connery to cameo as Ernst
Stavro Blofeld, Bond's arch-nemesis and head of the criminal
organisation SPECTRE. Blofeld was played by Max Von Sydow in the first
remake - 1983's "Never Say Never Again", though the role is only a cameo
with SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo being the film's main villain. The
report also repeats the rumour of Liam Neeson starring as Agent 007 -
nevertheless no sources were named in the report making it seem somewhat
speculative.

>     At last year’s San Diego Comic Con, Cinescape did an interview
with Producer Terry Fitzgerald about the development of the proposed
"Spawn" sequel. The screenplay is being written right now by 'Spawn'
creator Todd McFarlane and Producer John Leekley and should be complete
in early 1999. He confirmed the rumours that the majority of fantasy
elements have been removed from the story which is now very "urban and
noir", nor is Clown/Violator (John Leguizamo) returning. This version
will revolve more around the two detectives Sam & Twitch, Al
Simmons/Spawn, and Wanda. Sadly the rumours of the red-haired angel
assassin Angela being in the film are not true, she won't make an
appearance. Meanwhile both Fitzgerald & McFarlane are "close to signing"
a deal to both executive produce and consult on the planned film version
of the hit computer game "Doom".

>     The first test screening for Kevin Smith's all-star 'religious
satire' DOGMA just occurred to great enthusiasm. According to NewsAskew,
only 4% of the audience voted the film as 'poor' - meaning the movie
grabbed higher marks than any of Smith's previous films like "Clerks",
"Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy". Ben Affleck, Jason Mewes, Linda Fiorentino
and Chris Rock scored the highest in the 'favourite character' votes.
The main complaint was that the film was too long and Smith is at work
bringing down the present 2hrs 30mins version to 2hrs 15min. Progress
wise, a musical score and various digital FX are next on the list to be
done. Smith still feels confident in the October '99 release date.  For
the latest DOGMA news, check out the official Rumor Control site.
http://www.newsaskew.com/dogmarc/

>     Along those lines, check out TROOPER CLERKS, a Clerks parody cast
with Imperial Stormtroopers, a la the resplendant TROOPS! Cops-satire.
You can download it, as well as a host of other Star Wars parodies, from
The Mos Eisley Multiplex. http://members.aol.com/toomuchjoy/sw-main.html

>     Strange Rumours: The following are a bunch of wild rumours going
around. Any of them accurate? Who knows (personally I doubt it), none of
them are confirmable - but here they are for you perusal:  Robert DeNiro
is rumoured to be in talks for a part in “The World is Not Enough” (The
next Bond film), possibly the role of the pain-immune villain Renard.  A
program on German TV has apparently reported that Luc Besson is in line
to direct the film version of the computer game "Tomb Raider".  There
was a rumour of Jet Li's involvement as Boba Fett in the Second Star
Wars Prequel.  This was found to have originated from a 'joke wish list'
type of article in a recent movie magazine.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Variety reports that sci-fi writers Gregory Benford ("Cosm") and
Michael Cassutt ("Missing Man") are set to develop "The Martian Race", a
telemovie about a manned Mars mission for Mandalay Entertainment. The
movie, described as a dramatic thriller which will emphasise "scrupulous
scientific accuracy", is aiming to premiere on US TV in December -
around the same time the real-life Mars Polar Lander arrives at the red
planet.

>     Disney is recalling all 3.4 million video copies of its
just-released The Rescuers. The problem? Two frames of unspecified
"objectional background."

>     While still regularly being FOX's highest-rating show, "The
X-Files" has taken a bit of a beating in the US ratings this year with
viewership down by about a quarter from last year. In other countries
such as Australia (where the show's first major success was), ratings
have been on a steady decline. Nevertheless, Chris Carter and the gang
are about to give the show a major revision to get those audiences back,
beginning with a 2-part episode in February. A source for the New York
Post says "a lot of things will be resolved in this two-parter. Way more
than the movie promised". The big changes in this 2-parter include:
Scully's scepticism expected to all but vanish, more of those 'faceless
rebel aliens' from the "Patient X" 2-parter will be turning up (though
whether they're good or bad will remain unknown), the truth about
Mulder's sister and who Krycek really works for will be revealed, and
finally two major characters will be killed off - permanently.

>      The USA Network is reportedly extremely interested in turning
Randy Queen's hit WILDSTORM comic series DARKCHYLDE into an on-going
series. The series is the story of 17-year-old Ariel Chylde, struggling
with growing up, as well as the demon within her. The DARKCHYLDE series
would remain true to the comic, with a BUFFY/CHARMED vibe.

>      George Carlin will execute his 12th comedy special for HBO, live,
on February 6th. Carlin stopped by L.A. radio station KLSX's CONWAY &
STECKLER SHOW Wednesday night promoting a string of warm-up dates he is
doing through Saturday at L.A.'s THE COMEDY STORE, where he mentioned
ATLANTIC Records will soon release his triple-CD CLASSIC GOLD as
individual CDs, with all their original artwork, and he's also set to
begin work on his next book, "Napalm and Silly Putty," following the
taping of his HBO special. http://www.fmtalk971.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, exquisite young comedian
Sarah Silverman (There's Something About Mary, Mr. Show, The Bachelor)
has signed a development deal with COLUMBIA TRISTAR, to create and star
in a comedy based on SUSAN SAYS CHEESE, the play she created with Naomi
Odenkirk and Doug Benson. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS again ventures into the present
day with this Saturday's episode (check local listings), airing at 8pm.
The characters in the episode are the show's writers and producers, but
played by the regular HERCULES actors. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS' Renee
O'Connor guest stars on the show as a new age counselor, and the episode
is followed by a new episode of XENA.

>      So it goes. The BRAVO Network presents George Roy Hill's 1972
adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's anti-war novel SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE
Saturday night at 9. The dramedy stars Rob Leibman, Eugene Roche, and
Michael Sacks, as the chronologically unstuck Billie Pilgrim.

>      Sharon Stone is the focus of the INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO episode
premiering this Sunday night at 8 ET, repeated at 9 PT. Host James
Lipton interviews the actress with an IQ of 154 on her life, and a
career that began with a part as "the girl on the train," in STARDUST
MEMORIES, exploded with the role of the psychotic vamp in BASIC
INSTINCT, and continues into '99 with Albert Brooks' THE MUSE and Sidney
Lumet's remake of John Cassavetes' GLORIA. In the coming weeks, STUDIO
will welcome Robert DeNiro (1/24), Laurence Fishburne (2/7), Sean Penn
(2/24), and Steven Spielberg (3/14).

>      The show that could very well be the best new animated series of
the year premieres this Sunday night. And no, I'm not talking about THE
PJS... The WB network will premiere its new DC Comics-inspired BATMAN
BEYOND at 7pm. The show is set in a future Gotham City, where Bruce
Wayne is well past the age of retirement, but all that changes when he
takes a vengeance-seeking 17-year-old under his wings and trains him to
become the new Batman. BOY MEETS WORLD's Will Friedle voices 17-year-old
Terry McGillis, with BATMAN ADVENTURES' Kevin Conroy sticking to his
role as Wayne, and both Teri Garr and Seth Green (Buffy) are supplying
voices to the show as well. If you miss the episode, tune in next
Saturday morning, January 16th, for a new SUPERMAN and the MAD LOVE
episode of BATMAN, followed by an encore presentation of the hour-long
BEYOND premiere.

>      Following Sunday night's 8:30pm premiere of Eddie Murphy's THE
P.J.S, the foamimated series will regularly air Tuesdays at 8:30pm,
following KING OF THE HILL, starting on the 12th. Murphy voices a number
of the characters in the show, including its primary character of a
foul-mouthed ghetto superintendent.

>      While FOX's new animated series FAMILY GUY will get a sneak-peak
premiere in the coveted post-SUPER BOWL slot, the show won't debut in
its weekly schedule until March.

>      UPN has greenlit QUINTS, an animated series described as a "SOUTH
PARK for girls." Meg Ryan's PRUFROCK Pictures and actress/screenwriter
Heather Thomas (The Fall Guy, Zapped!) are developing QUINTS, and Ryan
may even voice one of the show's five identical quintuplet girls.

>     The USA Network has ordered a TV movie titled RED GROOVE, about a
Shaft-like detective frozen in the '70s, and thawed out in present day,
a la AUSTIN POWERS.

>      Production begins on HALLMARK Entertainment's JOURNEY TO THE
CENTER OF THE EARTH mini-series in March, with George Miller (Babe, Mad
Max, The Never Ending Story II) directing. The four-hour presentation is
expected to premiere on the USA Network later this year.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      BEASTIE BOYS recently released their second video from "Hello
Nasty", "Body Movin'," to MTV and the usual suspects... Things seem a
bit thick (especially if you've seen the 1969 Italian classic DANGER:
DIABOLIK), but the video is allegedly directed by Adam Yauch's "uncle",
Nathanial Hornblower, and based on an "entirely true story" -- Yauch
explains: "The epic narrative follows the tragic consequences that ensue
when a man's desire for and jealousy of the perfect fondue recipe
eclipse all else in his life. He and his colleagues did expensive
research [on fondue] during pre-production. It began innocently enough,
dipping bread into the fondue and so forth. Once a few wineskins were
drained, however, things went a bit awry. They were dipping everything
from cellular phones to live birds into the cheese." The excellent "Body
Movin'" mix used in the video is FATBOY SLIM's, available only on import
at the moment. http://www.beastieboys.com

>      Courtney and Eric from HOLE perform at Johnny Depp's VIPER ROOM
this weekend in a $200-per-ticket benefit marking the club's re-opening.

>     JIVE's electronic label JIVE ELECTRO releases the OLD Vs. NEW
tribute on February 23rd, where Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) remixes A
TRIBE CALLED QUEST's "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo," HYBRID remixes
JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE's "Summertime," and both GROOVERIDER and
RABBIT IN THE MOON take turns with their own remixes of the STONE ROSES'
Madchester anthem "Fool's Gold." http://www.allstarmag.com
http://www.jamtv.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      During the WINTER X GAMES on ESPN January 14th through 17th, the
sports network will feature a televised video game competition for
ELECTRONIC ARTS' X GAMES PRO BOARDER. Gamers and pro snowboarders alike
will compete in the game as a Lifestyle Event, rather than an athletic
competition, with one grand prize winner walking away with an official X
GAMES Gold Medal.  The games are also being sponsored by THE 3DO
COMPANY, which has begun active promotion of its hot N64 title,
BATTLETANX.  The wacky television ad for this blow-em-up tank game will
be airing nationwide throughout the month, and can be downloaded from
the following site.
http://www.linnpr.com/bt.mov

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Again, check out the latest issue of 'Vanity Fair' for the large
expose on the upcoming Star Wars prequel.

>     The Michael Crichton Official Site reports that the famous
novelist will announce the title and release of his next book in early
February. Insiders are tipping it to either be the third "Jurassic Park"
novel or a time travel story titled 'Timeline'.  Whatever it is will
certainly spawn a film version within the next few years.

>     'Toonland spinach enthusiast Popeye will apparently wed longtime
gal-pal Olive Oyl in an upcoming comic book.  Well its about friggin’
time…

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      DISNEY Regional Entertainment has announced plans to open a new
DISNEYQUEST location in Pittsburgh, in the summer of 2000. The
five-story, 80,000 square-foot indoor theme park will offer the latest
in high-tech entertainment, including VIRTUAL JUNGLE CRUISE and
ALADDIN'S MAGIC CARPET rides, and a CYBERSPACE MOUNTAIN attraction,
where you can construct and ride a virtual roller coaster of your own
design. The flagship DISNEYQUEST location opened in Florida this past
June, and the Chicago site opens this summer.

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>      Matt Wagner has revealed he will follow up his Jay & Silent Bob
action figures with Dante and Randall. The GRAFFITI toys, based on the
characters from Kevin Smith's CLERKS, are expected to premiere at the
big San Diego ComiCon this summer. Wagner says they are trying to
include backdrop dioramas of their respected stores with the figures,
and he recently met with Smith to discuss accessories (DANTE: cash
register, milk jug, carton of NAILS cigarettes, hockey stick, and a
fold-out banner reading "I Assure You -- We're Open!" RANDALL: cash
register, slacker cap, "Back in 5 minutes" sign, salsa shark bowl, and
an assortment of mini porno tapes.) Plans also call for GRAFFITI to
release another set of JAY & SILENT BOB action figures, this time as
they appear in CLERKS, along with corresponding accessories, such as a
boombox. In related news, the 10th issue of Wagner's latest MAGE series
was released this week, and issue #11 will follow shortly, along with a
second volume of his MAGE: THE HERO DISCOVERED, and a collection of
issues #5-8 of the current series.

>      TACO BELL locations recently received an order of 10 million
additional units of their "Yo Quiero Taco Bell," plush Chihuahua toys.
An initial order of 12.9 million reportedly sold out in record time, and
while they sell for $2.99 to $3.99, the set of four has been selling for
upwards of $60 on Internet auction sites. Designed by APPLAUSE, who will
create the TACO BELL toys for PHANTOM MENACE, the four individual dogs
include one of four phrases like "Yo Quiero Taco Bell," "Viva Gorditas,"
"Here, lizard, lizard" and "Feliz Navidad, Amigos."

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      VITAFORT continues to roll out its WIZARD OF OZ-branded product,
shipping more than $400,000 worth of OZ-brand lollipops and gummy
candies to WAL-MART outlets across the country. Both the lollipops and
gummy candies are packaged in collector's tins with high-resolution
color scenes from the film, with candy shaped like Dorothy, The
Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion, and The Tin Man.

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-



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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Major scoops of prequel conceptual artwork have appeared on two
different movie web sites. First to do it was The C.H.U.D. Report
(http://www.chud.com): so far they've posted four astounding and major
SPOILER-filled reports filled with images of character and vehicle
conceptual art from The Phantom Menace. C.H.U.D. Report's leaked images
of a majority of TPM's spaceship designs, additional pod racer aliens,
new droids we'll see and native animals on Naboo. They promise
additional images are forthcoming. On the 6th TheForce.net's prequel
page revealed almost the entire conceptual art designs for the Jedi
Knight council, along with additional Gungan characters and pod racers
aliens. We do warn you that by clicking on the above links you will be
seeing concept art that is considered SPOILER material by some of you.
However, these sites do not reveal any spoilers associated with the
film's storyline, nor does it show finished CGI or still images of said
characters and vehicles, so we leave the decision to click or not to
click up to you.

>     In other Star Wars news, James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth
Vader) has publically stated that Lucas told him he would need his vocal
talents for the third film prompting suspicions that Vader may be the
only image of Anakin we see in the film.   Also, Countdown.com scored a
major coup this week when they were sent a scoop which contained notes
from a Lucasfilm meeting about the Prequel's marketing strategy.  Things
learned from the meeting include:
   - The Teaser got 222 minutes of free air time on US TV, countless
downloads, and two million 'actual' downloads on the trailer in the
first week - the single biggest even in Internet history
   - The 2 min. trailer will be pulled and replaced with a 5-minute one
very soon. Five commercials will be made for the film.
   - Print ads begin March, In-theatre promotions run from May-August,
and the film itself will open on 3,000 screens.
   - Approximately 8 billion cans of Pepsi featuring 12 different SW
characters will be made.

>     The story goes that John Woo read Caleb Carr’s novel, THE DEVIL
SOLDIER -- the story of Frederick Townsend Ward, who became the first
American to become a Mandarin in the In the 19th century, leading
Chinese forces to several victories -- he wanted to film it with Cruise,
turning it into the Chinese answer to Lawrence of Arabia..  When he went
to go buy the rights, Paramount already had them. And guess who has a
deal with Paramount? How fortuitous. As with anything that has Cruise's
name attached, you should expect this to be a while in the making. Woo
is aware that working with Tom's schedule is a waiting game, Kubrick
notwithstanding.  Word has it that this project was originally intended
for Richard Gere.

>     The Hong Kong press reports that "Shanghai Noon" (aka. "West,
West") is set to be the next big Hollywood movie for action man Jackie
Chan. In the movie, which begins shooting in March, Chan will play a
Ching Dynasty bodyguard who travels to the US in order to save a
princess. Chan will both star and co-produce the $35+ million budget
film and may shave his forehead for the role. Former music video
Director Tom Dey (whose upcoming feature film debut "Double-O-Soul"
stars Chan's "Rush Hour" pal Chris Tucker) will direct the film which
will be shot in the States, Beijing and Hong Kong starting in March.
Chan's most recent American-debut-from-the-vaults, 1992’s TWIN DRAGONS,
opens in the US in March, and he also stars in the romantic comedy
GORGEOUS due out late this year.

>     The last major role in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, the upcoming 007
flik, has been cast, with the trail going right back to the beginning.
Robert Carlyle ("The Full Monty", "Trainspotting") was the first actor
rumoured to be up for a role in the next Bond film and now he's finally
confirmed to have joined the production in the role of Renard, one of
the villains in this 19th Bond movie. Renard is an ex-French legionnaire
turned international terrorist who has become immune to pain after a
bullet became lodged in his head. In minor role casting, Norwegian
bodybuilder Victor Ashby has been cast in the film, his role expected to
be either Elektra's bodyguard or a muscle-bound henchman nicknamed 'The
Boa'. 'El Paris' newspaper reports that Director Michael Apted visited
Spain just before Christmas to check out the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao
- could there be plans for a possible sequence to be shot there? And
winding out the BOND news, one reader writes in with this tidbit... The
novel ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is the first appearance of the
ENOUGH title, where it's revealed that Bond may be related to a noble
Bond family, whose crest shows the Bond name, a Griffin, a Chevron,
three Gold Bezants, and the motto "The World Is Not Enough."

>     UK design magazine I.D. reported in their October '98 issue (pg
183) that Aphex Twin will do the music for Director Chris Cunningham
big-screen interpretation of William Gibson’s NEUROMANCER. Cunningham
directed music videos before, including Madonna's “Frozen” and Aphex
Twin's “Come to Daddy”, and was involved with Stanley Kubrick's A.I.
project

>     Coming Attractions has learned of a major substantial development
concerning the Fantastic Four project. Screenwriter Sam Hamm (Batman)
had been commissioned to reduce the film's stratospheric budget down to
something more manageable in his second rewrite, originally due sometime
this month. CA has learned that the Hamm rewrite has already been handed
in and Twentieth Century Fox has already budgeted the cost of making
this latest draft into a movie.

>      Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, screenwriters of THE
PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT, MAN ON THE MOON, ED WOOD, and others, currently
working on their directorial debut, PITTSBURGH, have been hired to adapt
John Scott Sheppard's unpublished novel HENRY'S LIST OF WRONGS, for NEW
LINE CINEMA. The drama tells the story of a ruthless businessman seeking
forgiveness from those he has wronged on his way to the top.
http://www.newline.com

>     Connie Nielsen (Rushmore, Soldier) has signed on to the lead
female role in Ridley Scott's Rome epic, GLADIATOR. Commencing
production in February, the film stars Russell Crowe, Djimon Hounsou,
Joaquin Pheonix, and Oliver Reed.

>     VARIETY reports Ian Holm (Big Night, The Fifth Element) will play
the title role in JOE GOULD'S SECRET, a Stanley Tucci film based on the
Joseph Mitchell (New Yorker)'s book about a bohemian man (Holm) Mitchell
(played by Tucci) met who claimed to be writing an oral history of New
York.

>     The FOXMOVIES website have launched a contest site for their
upcoming Don Bluth sci-fi animated film, previously known as PLANET ICE,
where you can name the main spaceship in the film, and win $1,000. The
contest wraps up on January 18th, but even if you don't want to enter,
the page is worth checking out for the advance image of the ship alone.
http://www.foxmovies.com/shipcontest

>      DISNEY recently launched a teaser site, complete with trailer,
for its animated TARZAN film. The summer release features the voices of
Tony Goldwyn, Glenn Close, Rosie O'Donnell, Minnie Driver, Nigel
Hawthorne, Brian Blessed, Wayne Knight, Alex D. Ling, and Lance
Henrikson, and five new songs by Phil Collins.
http://www.disney.com/DisneyPictures/tarzan

>     Disney Magazine has just published an article confirming what
musical sequences will be in the film Fantasia 2000:  "The only
sequences that didn't get chopped out are "The Sorcerer's Apprentice",
Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite," and Ponchielli's "Dance of the
Hours." Their new ones are "Noah's Duck," set to the music of Sir Edward
Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance." Also, Beethoven's Fifth will replace
his Sixth("Pastoral") Symphony; Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" will take
the place of his "Rite of Spring"; and  the Bach, Mussorgsky, and
Schubert pieces are being replaced by new animation to Respighi's "Pines
of Rome," Saint-Saen's "Carnival of the Animals," and Shostakovich's
Second Piano Concerts, the latter of which is taking the musical
backdrop for a computer-generated retelling of the Hans Christian
Anderson fairy tale 'The Steadfast Tin Soldier'"  The film is still
expected to be released on December 31st, 1999.

>     An insider report on George Romero’s film adaptation of the video
game RESIDENT EVEIL states "The release of the movie will correspond
with the release of the third game. Romero says that the movie will be
more of a horror flick. The movie would be targeted at an older audience
,mostly the fans of the games. George wants the movie to be in the
spirit of the game, dark and chilling. Romero says that the US release
will get an R. HE wants to shoot it balls out which means there will be
a harder version that will either be released in other countries or a
Director's Cut will come to existence eventually.  The plot will be
based on that of the first game, with the STARS(Including Chris Redfield
and Jill Valentine) and the mansion." Oh, and then there's this casting
rumor, while we're on the subject: Christopher Walken as the evil
Wesker? Hmmm.

>     According to a press release from Jim Henson Pictures, filming
began for MUPPETS FROM SPACE on 9 November in Wilmington, North
Carolina. Other than Gonzo, who is definitely the leading...um,
thing...you'll see Kermit, Miss Piggy, Rizzo the Rat, Fozzie, Animal,
Dr. Teeth along with his Electric Mayhem Band. Among cast members who
won't have someone's arm up their posterior are Jeffrey Tambor as a
government operative, David Arquette, Pat Hingle, Ray Liotta and Andie
MacDowell. Timothy Hill will be directing and the screenplay is by Jerry
Juhl and Joseph Mazzarino.  The film’s title has been slightly altered,
from its previously reported MUPPETS IN SPACE.

>     Could a sequel to the 1995 DeNiro/Pacino drama HEAT be in the
works? There is rumour that Al Pacino and Val Kilmer will be back to
reprise their roles in a sequel with a plot sounding very similar to
"The Negotiator" in style (ie. Kilmer holds hostages in building, Pacino
reluctantly tries to get him out).

>     The Thailand legal worries have been going on for weeks now, but
it looks like Leonardo
DiCaprio's next film, THE BEACH,  may finally have found a solution
according to UK's Channel Four. Sometime ago, Thai environmental groups
tried and failed to get an injunction against the producers of the movie
who they claim are causing lasting damage to a protected beach on
Phi-Phi Island. The Thai government approved the changes made by the
production plan, but are getting cold feet over the negative publicity.
So in order to try and quash the bad word, DiCaprio has asked for a
meeting with Thailand Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, saying he's willing
to help promote the country as a tourist destination.

>     Variety reports that "Gremlins", "Inner Space" & "Small Soldiers"
director Joe Dante has signed to helm the action thriller "The Sixth
Day" for Phoenix Pictures. Budgeted at $40 million and set in the near
future, the story follows a helicopter pilot who comes home to find he's
been replaced by a clone - and when the people that cloned him find out
he's still alive they hunt him down. The main character is described as
'an everyman' and it begins production in June.

>     The release date for the Nicolas Cage thriller 8MM has been moved
from February 5th to February 26th, the reason for the move being "a
purely business decision". A Columbia/Tristar spokesman confirms there
are no "last minute changes or problems of any kind..  This is all about
traditional film marketing, trying to help a picture open to the biggest
audience possible". A new date for the press junket has already been
set, and TV marketing is expected to begin soon.

>     New Zealand TV reports that March 1st will be the start date of
production for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 in Sydney, Australia. Tom Cruise,
Ving Rhames, John Woo, and the rest of the cast & crew of this film
sequel are about to start filming in Spain for a few weeks, before
moving on to the FOX Studios complex in Sydney for an estimated four
months to film the majority of the movie.

>     SONY isn't having any luck with its attempts to lift an injunction
barring it from starting its own James Bond film before its trial with
MGM begins. SONY is claiming it owns the rights to THUNDERBALL and can
at least remake that film. They do appear to be at least developing it
though, as the BBC recently reported that the studio is in talks with
Sean Connery to play villain Ernst Blofeld, opposite Liam Neeson as 007,
with Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin (ID4, Godzilla) producing the
project.

>      Filmmaker Luc Besson (The Big Blue, La Femme Nikita, The Fifth
Element, Joan of Arc) has signed a two-year, first-look deal with FOX,
according to DAILY VARIETY. Besson had previously been aligned with
SONY. http://www.dailyvariety.com

>     The official site has opened for the comedy BLAST FROM THE PAST
with Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Dave Foley, Christopher Walken
and Sissy Spacek.  Every now and then a film will have two trailers
made, one for US audiences and the other for the rest of the world. The
US trailer isn't yet online, but the international one has just been
posted by Filmverleih and is worth a look.  http://www.blastmovie.com/

>      COMICS2FILM reports music video director Paul Hunter, who
directed MARILYN MANSON's "Dope Show," video, will direct the feature
film adaptation of the DC/VERTIGO Comics' series HELLBLAZER.
http://www.comics2film.com

>     More casting has taken place on the WW2 submarine drama U-571.
Variety reports that Bill Paxton ("Twister"), Jake Weber ("Dangerous
Beauty") & David Keith ("Indian in the Cupboard") are set to join
Matthew McConaughey in this film involving a group of Allied soldiers
having to head into enemy territory and capture a German U-571 boat
containing a vital decoding device. Shooting begins at the end of this
month in Malta and Russia. Jon Bon Jovi's name is also mentioned as
being in final negotiations for a role in the Jonathan Mostow
(Breakdown) film.

>     At last, a release date of February 26th has been set for the
all-star ensemble drama 200 CIGARETTES. The film, which follows a group
of people on New Year's Eve 1981, has a major cast including Ben
Affleck, Casey Affleck, Janeane Garofalo, Gaby Hoffman, Courteney Love,
Christina Ricci, and Paul Rudd. The soundtrack is due out on February
9th.

>      VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Robert Downey Jr., is
in final talks to co-star with Michael Douglas in WONDER BOYS, L.A.
CONFIDENTIAL director Curtis Hanson's next project. The film is an
adaptation of Michael Chabon's novel, about an editor (Downey) trying to
get a writer (Douglas) to finish a book, during a week of misadventures.
Fleming also adds Downey is in talks to co-star with Courtney Love in
John Cassavetes NEW LINE production of UNLESS THAT SOMEONE IS YOU.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, MIRAMAX has acquired the
rights to DOUBLE A Film's HAMLET modernization, which stars Ethan Hawke
in the title role, as a filmmaker and heir to the DENMARK Corp. Directed
by Michael Almereyda (Nadja), the film also stars Kyle McLachlan as
Claudius, Sam Sheppard as the ghost of Hamlet's father, and Bill Murray
as Polonius, as well as Diane Venora, Casey Affleck, Liev Schreiber, and
Steve Zahn.

>     Tentative Release Dates:
     March 5th: "Analyse This", "Cruel Intentions"
     March 12th: "Arlington Road", "The Other Sister", "The Rage: Carrie
2"
     March 19th: "ED TV", "Forces of Nature", "Ravenous", "The King & I",
"True Crime"
     March 26th: "Dairy Queens", "Go", "The Out-of-Towners"
     April 2nd: "Pushing Tin", "The Mod Squad"
     April 9th: "American Pie", "Never Been Kissed", "The 13th Floor"
     April 16th: "Life", "Molly"
     April 23rd: "eXistenZ", "Idle Hands"
     April 30th: "Dick"
     May 5th: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
     May 7th: "Entrapment", "The Mummy"
     May 13th: "Cold Hearts"
     May 21st: "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"
     May 27th: No Major Releases
     June 4th: "Tarzan", "The Muse", "The Thomas Crown Affair"
     June 11th: "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me"

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Nudity in "The Rescuers": Twenty years after its release in
cinemas, Disney has recalled 3.4 million copies of "The Rescuers" video
due to "objectionable background material". For years we've all heard
rumours of risque stuff being subliminally hidden in Disney films (eg.
clouds in "The Lion King" spelling out the word 'SEX'). But this time
its true, 38 minutes into the film a very brief shot of a topless woman
in a building window can be seen in the background of one shot. This
element has apparently been there since 1977 (you can see it in the
images posted at http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/resc1.jpg )  The
company has decided to recall the videos "to keep our promise to
families that we can trust and rely on the Disney brand to provide the
finest in family entertainment.".

>     Mulder & Scully nude!?! Yes apparently its going to happen (a
shameless promotional grab sure, but what a grab) in the upcoming
episode "One Son". From what I'm hearing, the pair are in a lab of some
sort and suddenly there's a breach - forcing them into quarantine,
stripping down and get under the decontamination showers. Not very
romantic, but hey…  We'll find out what he and Scully are hiding under
those trenchcoats when the episode airs February 21st.

…that’s all the naked news for this week…  Well, unless you wanna count
this…

>     BOOGIE NIGHTS, perhaps the best film of 1997, makes its cable
premiere on HBO Saturday night at 8. The Paul Thomas Anderson
masterpiece features an ensemble cast led by Mark Wahlberg, Burt
Reynolds, Julianne Moore, and Heather Graham, in a tale about the adult
film industry. Anderson's first film, HARD EIGHT is also worth tracking
down - In it, NIGHTS' stars John C. Reilly and Philip Baker Hall co-star
with Gwyneth Paltrow in a drama about Las Vegas. These two credits alone
make his next film, MAGNOLIA, the front runner for one of 1999's most
eagerly anticipated films, with its cast of Anderson alums, joined by
Tom Cruise, for a film set in Southern California's San Fernando Valley.
http://www.boogie-nights.com

>     Is Captain Janeway leaving Star Trek: Voyager? The Daily News
thinks so. They've printed a report that actress Kate Mulgrew is getting
tired of 80-hour work weeks and wanted to devote more time to her family
and upcoming marriage. The Associated Press has also learned that she
complained to TV critics on Friday that Hollywood lacks intimacy and a
sense of community - and she was fed up with it. But is she quitting?
After her comments were printed, UPN issued a statement in which Mulgrew
said she "cannot imagine not participating in (the show's) entire run,
whatever that may be". With DS9 ending this season, and the next film
three or more years away, the Trek franchise will now rest entirely on
Voyager's shoulders for the next two years.

>     In other Voyager news, Jason Alexander (George from "Seinfeld")
has signed to guest star on Voyager. The episode entitled "Think Tank"
has Voyager cornered by a fleet of ruthless bounty hunters, forcing them
to seek help from a legendary group of alien beings who solve
problems...for a price. Alexander will play 'Kurros', leader of this
alien 'think tank' group who are willing to help, but want Seven-of-Nine
(Jeri Ryan) to join their group as the cost of their help.

>      DAILY VARIETY reports HBO has made a 13-episode commitment to an
hourlong drama based on L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, set eight years before the
Oscar-winning film. http://www.variety.com http://www.hbo.com

>      If wrestling is a bit too serious for you, tune into TNN's
character-driven Roller Derby update ROLLERJAM, premiering Friday night
at 8.

>     Cyndi Lauper lends her voice to Sunday night's new episode of THE
SIMPSONS, in which Police Chief Wiggum imposes a curfew on the town's
youth. http://www.foxworld.com

>      Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) returns to THE X-FILES Sunday night at 9,
but seeing as how his character is now terminally ill, it might be a
short stay...

>     In an interview with DEL REY Books' DRIN newsletter, Anne
McCaffrey revealed the TV series based on her DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN
novels is expected to premiere in 2000. The production has been pushed
back a bit, but McCaffrey explains this is so they can sign on a
particular scriptwriter. In the meantime, a production crew is working
on its development. The show is already sold in syndication in many
major American markets. http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey

>     Tim Allen sounded unswayed by ABC's big-bucks attempt to conjure
up a ninth Home Improvement season. "It's time to move on," he told
reporters Wednesday.

>      According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, HALLMARK Entertainment and
executive producer Robert Halmi, Sr., will team up for the 10-hour NBC
miniseries THE KINGDOM. Directed by David Carson (Star Trek) and Herbert
Wise (I, Claudius), KINGDOM is an adventure fantasy with a ton of
special effects, set in the alternate reality of the Land of Nine
Kingdoms, where an evil queen plots to usurp the throne from its
rightful heir. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     Robin Williams guest stars on CBS' L.A. DOCTORS next Monday,
January 18th, playing an absent-minded husband of a terminally ill
patient.

>      THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART premiered this past Monday at 11
on COMEDY CENTRAL, with new host Stewart welcoming guest Michael J. Fox.
Other guests this week include Gillian Anderson and Sandra Bernhard.
http://www.comedycentral.com

>     Fran Drescher has announced her CBS sitcom THE NANNY will end
after its current season.

>     It appears George Clooney will depart ER on the February 18th
episode, as ULTIMATE TV is reporting the following Thursday's episode,
entitled "The Middle of Nowhere," will spotlight Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq
LaSalle), as he vacations at a Mississippi clinic and winds up a hero.
http://www.ultimatetv.com

>     David Faustino (Married... With Children) guest stars on longtime
costar Christina Apllegate’s show, JESSE, when the NBC Thursday night
sitcom returns to its 8:30pm timeslot this week, surrounded by reruns of
FRIENDS, FRASIER, and ER. Last week's Conan O'Brien episode of LATELINE
will be re-aired in VERONICA'S CLOSET's 9:30pm timeslot.

>      The Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War are the underlying
focus of THE 60'S, an NBC 4-hour mini-series airing February 7th and
8th. The mini-series follows the lives of two families, one white, one
black, torn apart by both Civil Rights and Vietnam, and throws in
everything from Haight Ashbury to the Watts riots, to Woodstock. Its
noteworthy cast includes Jerry O'Connell (Sliders) as a Vietnam War
marine and David Alan Grier (In Living Color) as Black Panther leader
Fred Hampton, as well as Julia Stiles (10 Things I Hate About You), Josh
Hamilton (The House of Yes), Leonard Roberts (Love Jones), Charles
Dutton (Roc), Bill Smitrovich (Millennium), Jordana Brewster (The
Faculty), and Jeremy Sisto (Clueless).

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Conan O'Brien viewers and alternative band aficionados are advised
to visit NBC.MYLAUNCH.COM, an NBC music site created in partnership with
LAUNCH Media, for the LATE NIGHT ROCKS! TRIVIA CONTEST. Each Monday
through January 25th, the site posts five new trivia questions regarding
bands that made their network debut on LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN,
for a chance at winning LATE NIGHT T-shirts, coffee mugs, LATE NIGHT's
"Live from 6A," CD, issues of LAUNCH, and a grand prize chance at $1,000
in CDs from the site. http://nbc.mylaunch.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      DC Comics release the first issue of THE TITANS this week,
re-establishing the team as a major player in the DCU. Written by Devin
K. Grayson (Catwoman, Black Widow), who has without a doubt proven her
knowledge of TITANS mythology with her JLA/TITANS mini-series
(concluding this week), and featuring art by the always-amazing Mark
Buckingham (Gen X, Shadow of the Bat), this new series promises to
quickly become one of DC's best. http://www.dccomics.com

>     Writer Jeph Loeb (Batman: The Long Halloween) and illustrator
Chris Bachalo (Uncanny X-Men, Death) are teaming up for THE WITCHING
HOUR, a 3-part, 48-page VERTIGO miniseries premiering this October. The
creator-owned project revolves around Ms. White, aka Amanda Collins, a
reincarnated witch who gets involved in people's lives, helping them get
what is coming to them, for better or worse...

>      Paul Chadwick (Concrete) explores new territory with the March
premiere of THE WORLD BELOW, his new DARK HORSE Comics series about a
ragtag team of six adventurers seeking out priceless technology for a
wealthy-and-nervous computer magnate. BELOW is an action-packed, sci-fi
series with self-contained stories, Ron Randall (Trecker) will ink the
series, and Chadwick will co-color it with his wife Elizabeth. Chadwick
will also pencil the 3rd and 4th issues of the MARVEL KNIGHTS Dr.
STRANGE mini-series, his John Bolton-illustrated VERTIGO mini-series
GIFTS OF THE NIGHT recently began, and while he plans to concentrate on
BELOW for at least the next two years, sometime next century he'll
return to his life's work, CONCRETE, for a story of amnesia and survival
in the wilderness. http://www.dhorse.com

>     NEWSARAMA reports DARK HORSE Comics will publish the first issue
in a four-issue comic adaptation of STAR WARS - EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM
MENACE on May 5th, right about the time the film's novelization is
rumored to be out. Additionally, DARK HORSE plans 22-page one-shots for
Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Queen Padme. In related
news, NEWSARAMA reports illustrator Tom Raney (Mutant X, Stormwatch)
will team up with writer Tim Truman for a story arc on the new STAR WARS
series with issue #7.

>     DEL REY Books has acquired the publishing rights to three upcoming
Anne McCaffrey novels, including a new novel in her PEGASUS series
tentatively scheduled for hardcover release next year, and a new
DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN novel. DEL REY has just released McCaffrey's PERN
novel THE MASTERHARPER OF PERN in paperback, telling the story of
Masterharper Robinton.

>      HARPERCOLLINS Children's Books has acquired the publishing rights
to Alona Frankel's ONCE UPON A POTTY series, and have additionally
signed the author to a 10-book deal. Redesigned "Boy" and "Girl"
editions of POTTY are scheduled for release in the spring, and new POTTY
book and doll packages and book and cassette packages will arrive in the
fall, followed by the first four titles in a new series with POTTY
characters Joshua and Prudence, in 2000. http://www.harperchildrens.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      SHARPER IMAGE have announced they'll launch an auction site
devoted to their products at their site next month. The site will offer
an assortment of newest product, as well as one-of-a-kind items and
established best-sellers. http://www.sharperimage.com

>     ZEEK Interactive and AD-OUT ADVANCED PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS
debuted their keyboard-shortcut training games KEY COMMANDO and MONSTER
COMMANDS at the MACWORLD EXPO in San Francisco. Both games are
action-packed and teach players how to avoid one's mouse by using quick
and efficient key commands. Available on the MAC and PC for $29.98, the
games can be ordered by calling AAPS at 888-593-5400.
http://www.zeek.com

>     GT Interactive has launched websites for both its ODDWORLD and
DUKE NUKEM game franchises. Both sites are packed with news for the
games, downloadable demos and images, interviews, fictitious stories,
online stores, and more. http://www.oddworld.com
http://www.duke-nukem.com

>      INTERPLAY has launched a teaser site for its STAR TREK: STARFLEET
COMMAND strategic combat simulation, and is updating it weekly with new
screenshots. STARFLEET utilizes the licensed game mechanics of the
STARFLEET BATTLES board game, and allows players, up to six in
multiplayer mode, to pilot ships from such TREK political forces as the
United Federation of Planets, the Klingon, Romulan Star, and Lyran
Empires, and the Orion Pirates.
http://www.interplay.com/sfcommand/section17

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     X-FILES (and future HARSH REALM?) actor Chris Owens has joined
Adam Springfield (Wishbone, SeaQuest) in ACTORFEST '99's THE ACTOR'S
SERIES - YOUR REGULAR TV ROLE NETWORK BREAK panel. The April 17th event
kicks off a full day of events at the BACK STAGE WEST Fifth Anniversary
celebration, devoted to helping actors make a living with their craft.
http://www.backstage.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-



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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Kevin Smith recently spoke at Northern Illinois University, where
he mentioned a few things that may be of interest. He said he has about
an hour of extra footage he's putting on the Mallrats DVD and he's
putting the cut ending of Clerks on its DVD. He would have had the extra
stuff on the Mallrats video and LD but since (as he says) "it tanked",
Universal put it out so fast there wasn't any time to do it. He also
talked a bit on Dogma saying it cost Miramax about $8.5M. As far as test
screening goes, he says he's getting great results. His original cut was
3:15, he tested it, cut it to 2:30, tested it in Pittsburgh to about 440
people and got even better results. It currently runs at 2:15. Jay and
Silent Bob also have the biggest parts they've ever had as they are in
the film for about 75-80% of the time. He said he hopes to take it to
Cannes in May and Miramax has it slated for a Fall '99 release which he
says could possibly mean sometime in 2000. Or not, Who knows.

>     Variety reports that Brendan Fraser is closing a deal to star in
"Monkey Bone", a supernatural adventure which blends stop-motion
animation (eg. "Nightmare Before Christmas") with live-action. Fraser
will play a slightly neurotic but successful cartoonist who winds up in
a coma after a car crash. He awakens in 'Dark Town' where he must outwit
Death with the help of 'Monkey Bone', one of his own creations who has
appeared in this limbo-like place between life & death. Ben Stiller was
originally scheduled to star in it, but pulled out to do the comedy
"Mystery Men". Shooting is set to begin in April and it should be out
sometime next year.

>     Principal Photography on the dramatic thriller "Random Hearts"
with Harrison Ford & Kristin Scott Thomas is now complete, and Columbia
Pictures will release the film this upcoming summer. Ford’s next film,
"What Lies Beneath", about a college professor investigating
supernatural events in the basement of a campus building, could start
shooting as early as April with Robert Zemeckis directing. If that
happens, the film could be a Thanksgiving or Christmas '99 Holiday
opener.

>     'The Hollywood Reporter' announces that William H. Macy ("Fargo"),
Neve Campbell ("Scream") and Donald Sutherland ("Virus") are all in
talks to star in the indie film "Panic". Macy plays a man who wants to
get out of the family business (which is assassination), but his father
(Sutherland) won't let him. While visiting his therapist, he falls for a
young woman (Campbell) sitting in the waiting room. The film will be
shot over a very short 25 days, starting mid-February. It is being
financed by 'The Vault, Inc.' - the company responsible for the Cameron
Diaz black comedy "The Last Supper", and the 'urban legend' style horror
film "Campfire Tales".

>     A new still has appeared on the official site of MYSTERY MEN,
which stars Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Janeane Garofalo, Hank Azaria
and more. http://www.universalpictures.com/mysterymen/

>     With a little snooping around "The Matrix" official site, you can
discovered two secret sections which included a moving animated
storyboard and concept shots of sets used in the sci-fi thriller. So,
how does one find these sections? Well on the main menu, click the
keyboard to activate the codepad access. What codes do you need to get
into the two areas? You can find one hidden in the silver box (allows
you to get the film), the other I can't find on the site though I'll
give you a hint - its the name of a character. Have fun exploring.
http://www.whatisthematrix.com/content/html/index.html

>     The tentative release date of December 17th 1999 has been set for
"Mission: Impossible 2", meaning things are going to have to move fast
in order to reach that intended date. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. has
decided to push back the killer sharks film "Deep Blue Sea" to September
in order to let the above mentioned "The Matrix" move up to a mid-April
release. Reasons aren't known as yet, though its heavily expected that
WB want 'Matrix' out before the arrival of the "Star Wars" prequel on
May 21st. "South Park: The Movie" has been held back from April 1999 to
a more profitable summer slot - June 11th 1999 (which would put it
head-to-head with "Austin Powers 2"). Disney's film version of the
classic sitcom "My Favorite Martian" has been pushed up from February
26th to the already overcrowded February 12th Valentine's weekend.

>     They were hot in "The Mask of Zorro", now Antonio Banderas and
Catherine Zeta-Jones could be reteaming again in a more 'vocal'
production. Variety reports that Indian Director Shekhar Kapur
("Elizabeth", "Bandit Queen") has almost closed a deal to direct the
long-awaited film version of the classic Andrew Lloyd Weber muscial, THE
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Kapur and Llyod Weber have been conversing
regularly and plan to develop the property together, Kapur desiring to
giving the story a whole new flavour (like Baz Lurhmann's recent
re-interpretation of "Romeo + Juliet"). While Lloyd Weber's desire to
have Banderas as 'The Phantom' in the film has been known for a while,
he also recently revealed that he likes Zeta-Jones (he actually
auditioned her for a stage role years earlier and came away impressed).

>     Adam Sandler has pacted with Sony Pictures for an untitled
animated musical featuring a cartoon character based on him. Sandler
came up with the idea and personally pitched to Columbia Pictures
president Amy Pascal. Columbia wants to move ahead quickly since
production will likely take several years. Sandler, who will produce the
comedy with his business partner, Jack Giarraputo, will voice the
character himself. There is no screenwriter attached as yet.

>     Production for Universal Pictures' horror-comedy "The Gelfin" has
been pushed back due to Vince Vaughn's hectic schedule. Trini Alvarado,
Cuba Gooding Jr. and Josh Hartnett are to costar in the film. The film
is about a young man (Harnett) who fights for his life with the help of
his friends, (Alvarado and Gooding) against "The Gelfin" (Vaughn), who
is an evil, almost unstopable being. Production is expected to pick up
around April. The film will be directed by Stephen Surjik from his own
script. Imagine Entertainment will produce.

>     Variety reports that Director Roger Christian ("Masterminds",
"Nostradamus"), who has just finished work as second unit director on
"Star Wars: The Phantom Menace", has signed on to helm the sci-fi
feature BATTLEFIELD: EARTH. This film is apparently considered John
Travolta's "pet project", the actor being largely responsible for
getting it moving out of the 'Development Hell' phase its been stuck in
for many years. The story is based on the novel by L. Ron Hubbard (the
founder of Scientology), and follows a rebel hero who tries to save the
Earth from an oppresive 10ft-tall alien race. Travolta is set to get $20
million of the film's $70 million budget to play the leader of the
aliens, the hero role has yet to be cast. No release date has yet been
set.

>     23-year-old James Cox (Atomic Tabasco) has signed on to direct A
LEONARD COHEN AFTERWORLD, a NEW LINE CINEMA film about two 19-year-olds
on the road to Kurt Cobain's 1994 funeral. http://www.newline.com

>     Rene Russo is in final talks to play Natasha Fatale, opposite
Jason Alexander as Boris (that’s what I hear – I thought it was DeNiro
as Boris, too…), in UNIVERSAL's ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE feature film.
Almost a year ago, Cher was rumoured to have been considered for the
role in the live-action/animation blended film version of the classic
cartoon series THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE. Now come reports
that Mariah Carey apparently did a screen test (in full make-up, costume
and accent) for the part during the holidays.

>      According to the NEW YORK POST, Tommy Lee Jones, Samuel L.
Jackson, and Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) will star in PARAMOUNT's
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, a drama about a court martial.
http://www.nypost.com

>     According to the British film-magazine "Moviez", the third
Jurrassic Park movie won´t be a prequel as previously rumoured, but
rather a independent sequel to Lost World. According to thie writer’s
sources at Universal Pictures, Steven Spielberg is the executive
producer of the film, and Sir Attenborough will once again play Dr.
Hammond. The director? The two strongest possibilities are Dean Semler
(Firestorm) or Mikael Salomon (Hard Rain)? It isn´t official yet, but
many reports are saying that Mr. Salomon would be the best for the job.
Kathleen Turner has been mentioned as a possible star of the movie. Also
has Noah Wyle from ER, and/or Jude Law from Gattaca.

>     USA Today reports that Warner Bros. is swiftly moving ahead on the
film version of Anne Rice's "The Queen of the Damned", the third book in
the "Interview with a Vampire" series and the second one to make the
transistion to the big screen. This film follows Lestat in the present
where to hide his true bloodsucker form, he becomes a rock star whose
gimmick is pretending to be a vampire (this actualy sounds more like the
plot of the second book - "The Vampire Lestat"). Michael Rymer ("Angel
Baby") is set to direct and the studio is trying to woo a new actor to
fill Tom Cruise's shoes for the role of Lestat. Casting is expected to
begin fast because WB has to officially begin shooting this year,
otherwise the film rights revert back to novelist Anne Rice on January
1st 2000 where she would likely set up the film at another studio.

>     The ski resort of Chamonix, France is the backdrop for a huge
shoot by the crew of the next Bond adventure. Filming begins early next
week with the French Alps doubling for the Caucasus Mountains where Bond
(Pierce Brosnan) & Elektra (Sophie Marceau) are being chased by Renard
(Robert Carlyle) and his henchmen. An interesting fact is that one of
the resorts in Chamonix boasts the biggest lift-serviced vertical drop
in the world. In other Bond news, ShowBIZ and UK's 'The Sun' newspaper
report that comic actor John Cleese ("A Fish Called Wanda", "Fawlty
Towers") has been cast as a 'bumbling government worker' in the next
Bond film which began shooting a few days ago. His job apparently is as
the assistant to gadget-man 'Q' (Desmond Llelwyn), and with rumour that
this will be the last outing for 'Q' - could Cleese be the permanent
replacement? We'll see when the film opens November 19th.

>     Helen Hunt ("As Good As It Gets") has signed on to film a small,
possibly unbilled role in the Tom Hanks feature "Cast Away." While Hanks
takes the spotlight in the contemporary drama about one man's struggles
on a deserted island, Hunt -- who will play Hanks' fed-up girlfriend,
with scenes in the beginning and near the end of the picture -- will
have to split her few days in front of the camera over several months.
Robert Zemeckis will direct this Fox/DreamWorks film, which begins
production later this month in Moscow's Red Square before moving on to
Nashville, Fiji and then Los Angeles.

>     Composer Bruce Broughton (Lost in Space) is rumored to compose the
score for the sequel to JUMANJI, taking the place of James Horner
(Titanic, Deep Impact) who refused to return. The film will star Rick
Moranis, Karen Allen, and Joseph Mazzello. The film is set for a Spring
2000 release. Patrick Read Johnson (Baby's Day out) is rumored to
direct.

>     John Travolta is in talks to star in "The Missing Day", in which
no one in the world can recall anything happening on November 6th.
Travolta's character suspects that everything except for time stood
still and something mysterious happened on that day. Universal Pictures
will distribute. The film will also star Rene Russo, Brad Dourif, and
Laurence Fishburne. Chuck Russell (Eraser, The Mask) to direct.

>     Luke Wilson ("Home Fries") is in negotiations to co-star with
Martin Lawrence in "Blue Streak.'' Les Mayfield ("Flubber'') is set to
direct the Columbia Pictures action comedy about an ex-con (Lawrence)
who impersonates a cop in order to find the jewels he hid before he went
to prison. Wilson will play, coincidentally, Wilson, a detective trainee
partnered with Lawrence's phony flatfoot. "Blue Streak'' begins shooting
Jan 25.

>     Djimon Hounsou ("Amistad") is set to star opposite Russell Crowe
in "Gladiator" for director Ridley Scott and DreamWorks. In the epic
drama about fight-to-the-death battles in ancient Rome, Hounsou will
play the second-in-command to a Roman warrior (Crowe) who joins the
world of the gladiators in order to exact revenge on a man who has
banished him from the empire. The film was written by David Franzoni and
John Logan, and will be produced by Douglas Wick. "Gladiator" is
scheduled for a February start date.

>     Edward Norton ("American History X") is set to play a priest in
his feature directing debut "Keeping the Faith." The $30 million
romantic comedy will also star Ben Stiller as a rabbi and will start
shooting in May. As children, the priest and rabbi forged a close
friendship, along with a girl the same age. Their friendship with her
ended when she moved away at age 12, but something closer to love
blossoms between her and each man as she re-emerges when they are in
their late 20s. By this time, they've got more than the usual problems
of two friends falling in love with the same woman: the priest is
thwarted by his vow of celibacy, and the rabbi by the girl's being a
gentile. Norton will also serve as a producer, along with Yale pal
Stuart Blumberg who wrote the script and Howard Koch Jr.

>      Sandra Bullock is in talks to star in 28 DAYS, a COLUMBIA
Pictures film Betty Thomas (Private Parts) is attached to direct, about
a newspaper columnist in a drug and alcohol rehab center. Bullock next
appears on-screen in FORCES OF NATURE, opening March 19th.

>      According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Jennifer Lopez is in
preliminary talks to star in DISNEY's WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN
SANDIEGO? feature film. Sandra Bullock is no longer attached to the
role.

>     Production has wrapped on CHILL FACTOR, a techno thriller about
two men (Cuba Gooding, Jr., & Skeet Ulrich) who accidentally come into
possession of a highly-volatile chemical that will wipe out 3 million
people if it warms above 50-degrees Fahrenheit and explodes. CHILL is a
MORGAN CREEK Production getting distributed by WARNER BROS., directed by
RSA commercial director Hugh Johnson, which also stars David Paymer,
Peter Firth (Equus), Hudson Leick (Hercules/Xena), Judson Mills, and
Jordon Mott.

>     WALT DISNEY Pictures and JUMBO Pictures have announced a March
26th release for DOUG'S 1st MOVIE, an animated feature film starring the
characters from the DISNEY'S DOUG TV series. The film follows the
misadventures of 12 1/2-year-old Doug Funnie, caught between wanting to
save the endangered "monstor" of Lucky Duck Lake, and his desire to take
his secret crush Patti Mayonnaise to a school dance.

>     CORONA COMING ATTRACTIONS reports Ivan Reitman is still working on
a possible WONDER WOMAN feature film he'd produce for WARNER BROS., and
the site had confirmed that Catherine Zeta-Jones (The Mask of Zorro,
Haunting of Hill House) is being eyed for the title role.
http://www.corona.bc.ca/films

>      VARIETY reports Francis McDormand (Fargo) has joined Michael
Douglas in the cast of Curtis Hanson's WONDER BOYS, playing a lover who
might actually be close to his own age.

>      VARIETY reports Peter Care is in negotiations to direct DISNEY's
STRETCH ARMSTRONG feature film. Danny DeVito is attached to play the
lead in the family film, about a scientist who is forced to drink a
potion that will kill him, but instead gains the ability to grow to
twice his size. Care has directed numerous music videos, including
R.E.M's 90-minute ROAD MOVIE documentary.

>     VARIETY reports producer Joel Silver (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon) and
director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) have set up the WARNER
BROS.-based film company DARK CASTLE Entertainment, which will
concentrate on medium-budget horror films. The first film will be a
remake of HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL by director William Malone (Creature),
which Geoffrey Rush (Shine) and Elizabeth Hurley (Austin Powers,
Permanent Midnight) are in talks to star in. Silver and Zemeckis teamed
up for the TALES FROM THE CRYPT franchise.

>      VARIETY reports husband and wife Larry Williams and Leslie Libman
have signed on to make their feature directorial debut with MGM's BLOOD
AND CHOCOLATE, a werewolf film that's part ROMEO AND JULIET, about a
lycanthropic girl that falls for a human boy. Williams and Libman have
directed music videos for Boy George, k.d. lang, Paul Simon, and others,
as well as episodes of HOMICIDE: LOTS, OZ, and NBC's recent BRAVE NEW
WORLD mini-series.

>     Syndicated columnist Liz Smith reports Kristen Johnston (Third
Rock From The Sun) is expected to play Wilma in UNIVERSAL's sequel to
THE FLINSTONES, entitled VIVA ROCK VEGAS. Mark Addy (The Full Monty) and
Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects) play Fred and Barney, respectively,
and Parker Posey is presumably still in talks to play Betty.

>      VARIETY reports Woody Allen will star in DREAMWORKS' LOUD AND
CLEAR, a comedy where he'll play an analyst to a sports announcer,
possibly played by Chris Rock. It also appears Allen has exited talks to
star in the next Farrelly Bros.' comedy, STUCK ON YOU.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's THR E-MAIL column, FOX is
developing a sequel to Dr. DOLITTLE for Eddie Murphy, and has brought
back Larry Levin to script the film.

>     DISNEY will put THE BLACK CAULDRON, HERCULES, THE LITTLE MERMAID,
and LADY AND THE TRAMP on moratorium at the end of the month, meaning
VHS copies will not be available for a handful of years once stores sell
out of their existing stock.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Rock superstars TENACIOUS D star in their own HBO comedy series
premiering Wednesday March 24th, at 11pm, where they'll captivate the
masses with their tales of Burrito Supremes and the like, in a
three-part, free-form show. http://www.hbo.com

>     Chris Carter announced on FOX News that the series next season
would be its last, though he will continue making 'X-Files' films as
long as he can. Most of the 'alien mythology' angle will be wrapped up
in the remaining 1 1/2 seasons of the show, mostly during the two-part
episode which will air in the States this February and around the world
later this year.

>     The Borg Queen, who first appeared and then died in the 1996 hit
movie "Star Trek: First Contact", makes her return in the two hour
Voyager telemovie entitled "Dark Frontier". Its story involves the
Voyager crew trying to steal Borg technology to get home, but the plan
goes awry when the Borg capture and reassimilate Seven-of-Nine (Jeri
Ryan), which forces Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) into a battle of wits
against the Queen to get control of Seven again. The telemovie airs in
the US on February 17th on the UPN network.

>      DAILY VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Matthew Perry
(Friends) has signed a deal to create, write, and executive produce a
new ABC series called THE SHRINK, about a young psychiatrist who may be
more neurotic than the patients he treats. Perry is writing the pilot
with Andrew Hill Newman, the writing partner he wrote the upcoming film
IMAGINING EMILY with, for possible placement on ABC's fall schedule.
http://www.variety.com

>      FX premieres its new testosterone-heavy MACHO, MACHO MOVIE
SATURDAY programming this weekend, with the broadcast of the Pamela
Anderson action-thrillers RAW JUSTICE and SNAPDRAGON, at 9 and 11pm,
respectively. Upcoming weeks will spotlight the works of Michael Beihn,
Lorenzo Lamas, Dolph Lundgren, Michael Dudikoff, Jeff Speakman, Jeff
Wincott, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. http://www.Fxnetworks.com

>      FX has ordered 13 episodes of FAST FOOD FILMS, a half-hour series
which condenses three films into six-minute shorts, satirizing
everything from infomercials and the media, to other TV shows. The first
episodes, Shaun Cassidy's LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE is twisted into a mock
telethon for "Jerry Lewis disease," DESERT BLUE is turned into THE REAL
WORLD: TOO HOT FOR TV, and the anorexia expose BEST LITTLE GIRL IN THE
WORLD becomes an IN SEARCH OF program dealing with "The Anorexorcist."

>      TOM SNYDER Productions (Dr. Katz...) will create THE DICK & PAULA
CELEBRITY SPECIAL, the FX Network's first-ever animated comedy series.
FX has ordered 13 episodes of the SquiggleVision series, sort of an
animated LARRY SANDERS SHOW, for premiere this spring. In addition to
hosts Dick and Paula, the series will feature such recurring characters
as Paul Revere (a green room fixture who is bumped off every episode),
The Baltimore Girls (a pair of groupies who attend every taping), studio
audience warm-up man Johnny Storm (voiced by Jonathan Katz), and cruel
celebrity gossip reporter Andy Kindler.

>      UPN is expected to premiere the series REDHANDED midseason. As
its title implies, the show will set up events in which they'll catch
people doing things they shouldn't with hidden cameras. Another possible
UPN mid-season replacement is HOME MOVIES, a SquiggleVision (Dr.
Katz)-animated comedy with the voices of Paula Poundstone, Brendon
Small, H. Jon Benjamin, and Jonathan Katz.

>      Following next Wednesday night's episode of LATELINE, the NBC
show will disappear for the February sweeps, returning to the network in
NEWSRADIO's Tuesday 8:30pm timeslot. NEWSRADIO will then return by May.
ENCORE! ENCORE! will also disappear from NBC's Wednesday night schedule
after this week, and chances are slim that this Nathan Lane sitcom will
return after this final new episode airs.

>      TV GUIDE reports Marlee Matlin will guest star on a February
sweeps episode of ER, playing a woman who teaches Dr. Benton sign
language so he can communicate with his deaf son. Series creator John
Wells will direct the episode. http://www.tvgen.com

>     The February 18th sweeps episode of FRIENDS is entitled "The One
Where Chandler Proposes." The news comes from Courtney Cox online fan
club COMPLETELY COURTENEY (e-mail CCOXFan16@... to subscribe), who
recently sent out a detailed synopsis of the episode. The episode also
guest stars Soleil Moon Frye, as Joey's new girlfriend.

>     This April, COMEDY CENTRAL will premiere THE WAY AFTER SCHOOL
SPECIAL, a half-hour sitcom by SECOND CITY COMEDY alumni Stephen
Colbert, Amy Sedaris, Mitch Rouse, and Paul Dinello. The show will
preach twisted morals, revolving around a runaway, ex-con, former-drug
addict/alcoholic/prostitute who returns to high school, at age 46.

>      A second season of HBO's SEX IN THE CITY is scheduled to premiere
in June, and a 3rd season of OZ will premiere in mid-99 as well.
Additionally, HBO has already renewed its (brilliant) new mob comedy THE
SOPRANOS for a second season. Its first 13-episode season will conclude
in April.

>     Talk radio conspiracy guru Art Bell plays himself on an episode of
MILLENNIUM airing Friday night at 9, on FOX. The episode also guest
stars BUFFY's Spike, actor James Marsden.

>     SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE will celebrate its 25th season on NBC this
fall, and a 3-hour SNL special is already scheduled to air on the
network Sunday, September 26th.

>      BRAVO's INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO takes on Robert DeNiro, Sunday
at 8pm.

>      The 56th Annual GOLDEN GLOBE Awards air on CBS this Sunday at
8pm.

>      ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY reports CARSEY-WERNER will recast and
reshoot a British version of THAT 70's SHOW, making it relevant to the
UK audience. The series will have new writers, producers, and directors,
and its American references will be replaced as well. http://www.ew.com

>      Scully is assigned a new partner, Sunday night at 9 on FOX's THE
X-FILES, played by Richard Ruccolo, from ABC's TWO GUYS, A GIRL, AND A
PIZZA PLACE. And this Monday on FX, tune in for the start of THE
COMPLETE CONSPIRACY, a 24-episode marathon of the episodes dealing with
the base mythology of the series, as it all leads up to the major
series-shattering two-parter airing February 7th and 14th. COMPLETE
CONSPIRACY airs from weeknights through February 5th at 8 and 11pm.

>      Lara Flynn Boyle & Dylan McDermott (The Practice), Dennis Franz &
Rick Schroder (NYPD Blue), Lisa Nicole Carson (Ally McBeal), David James
Elliot (JAG), and Roma Downey (Touched By An Angel), have been announced
as award presenters at the first annual TV GUIDE AWARDS, airing Monday,
February 1st, on FOX. Christina Applegate (Jesse) and French Stewart
(3rd Rock...) host.

>     It's been announced that Whoopi Goldberg will host this year's
OSCARS, on March 21st, replacing Billy Crystal. His departure is a
curious one, as he's said he didn't want it to interfere with his
promoting his starring role in ANALYZE THIS at the time, but that
certainly didn't stop him last year when he seemed to be attached at the
hip to his MY GIANT co-star Gheorghe Muresan. Geena Davis will host a
half-hour pre-show to ABC's telecast of the OSCARS on March 21st.

>     DAILY VARIETY is hinting that the WB could be in trouble next year
when the network's contract with 20th CENTURY FOX TV's BUFFY THE VAMPIRE
SLAYER expires. Chances are BUFFY will remain at the WB, but then FOX
went after ER last year when that WB show's contract expired with NBC.
http://www.variety.com

>      ANGEL, the unofficial website devoted to the upcoming BUFFY
spin-off of the same name, is reporting a major scoop/spoiler regarding
the status of Cordelia's character in the fall '99 series. ANGEL has
posted a transcript of an interview Charisma Carpenter gave to the new
issue of PAVEMENT Magazine, but you'll have to check out the site
yourself (the front page sums it up...) for the scoop, as it's big
enough that it might be more than you want to know.
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Makeup/3752

>      NBC has announced it has renewed THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN for next
season, and recurring character Alissa, played by Larisa Oleynik, is
becoming a series regular.

>      ABC is rumored to be trying to lure back Tim Allen and Patricia
Richardson for another season of HOME IMPROVEMENT, but both actors
appear determined to have the show end at the end of this season, in
May.

>     Norm Macdonald's THE NORM SHOW is scheduled to make its premiere
on ABC, March 24th, at 9:30pm. The sitcom replaces WHOSE LINE IS IT
ANYWAY?, with new episodes airing through May.

>     David Lynch is actively developing a new ensemble drama entitled
MULHOLLAND DRIVE for ABC's 99-00 season.

>     TBS Superstation has ordered a series derived from its MONKEY-ED
MOVIES shorts, for premiere in June, with the working title of CHANNEL
OF THE APES. The half-hour comedy series will revolve around a group of
chimpanzees and orangutans who run a TV network, with the monkeys
presumably mocking TV shows.

>      The ABC website has unveiled an interactive website for STEPHEN
KING'S STORM OF THE CENTURY, a mini-series King wrote specifically for
TV, airing February 14th, 15th, and 18th. The site captures users in the
storm itself, with puzzles and narrative along the way, in addition to
behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast and King himself. STORM, a
six-hour miniseries about a small town under siege by both nature and
the supernatural forces of evil, stars Tim Daly (Wings), Colm Feore
(Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould), Debrah Farentino (Earth 2),
Dyllan Christopher (Murphy Brown), Casey Siemaszko (Three o'clock High),
and Jeffrey DeMunn (Citizen X). http://www.abc.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     COMEDY CENTRAL and THINGWORLD.COM have teamed-up to offer a
streaming video version of the SOUTH PARK music video "Chocolate Salty
Balls." The first single from the "Chef Aid," album, "Balls," is an
amusing video, but regrettably nothing you haven't seen before, being
compiled from a handful of existing episodes. "We decided to work with
ThingWorld.com to give our fans a place to enjoy our content and their
favorite music," explains COMEDY vp of strategic development Larry
Lieberman, "Fans are anxiously requesting the song and video, so we did
something that might prove even more exciting for the Chef Aid/South
Park fan in the long run: We created a Streaming Media Thing that not
only can stream the entire song and video, but it also can be taken,
collected and enjoyed by fans on the Web and as their screen savers."
COMEDY CENTRAL also plans to use THINGWORLD's ubiquitous THINGS
multimedia extension to create an interactive sales environment for its
SOUTH PARK merchandise, with interactive animations of Elton John,
Master P, Ozzy Osbourne, and PRIMUS promoting "Chef Aid."
http://www.comedycentral.com http://www.thingworld.com

>     JAMTV reports METALLICA will perform with the SAN FRANCISCO
SYMPHONY at their April 21st and 22nd dates at Berkeley, CA's COMMUNITY
THEATRE. The symphony will be led by Michael Kamen, who has worked with
David Bowie, AEROSMITH, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton, and
arranged "Nothing Else Matters," for METALLICA's "Black Album." Tracks
expected to be performed include "Whiplash," "Enter Sandman," "Devil's
Dance," "The Call of Ktulu," "Fight Fire with Fire," "Nothing Else
Matters," "Hero of the Day," and "Master of Puppets," and when
commenting on the performance being recorded, Lars Ulrich revealed
"...if it's deemed suitable, we will release it." http://www.jamtv.com

>      GREEN DAY have exited their role as opening act on a handful of
dates on ROLLING STONES' upcoming tour, and plan to instead begin work
on their next album. They'll be replaced at these February shows by
various acts, including Bryan Adams and Jonny Lang.

>     MARILYN MANSON and HOLE will terrorize the world on a
co-headlining tour in March, with opening act MONSTER MAGNET.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      Fantasy author Neil Gaiman (Neverwhere) recently set out on a
20-city tour in promotion of the hardcover release of his new novel,
STARDUST, in addition to 57 "authorless" Gaiman events across the
nation. Published through new AVON Books imprint SPIKE, STARDUST is an
epic fairy tale of one man's quest through the Faerie to retrieve a
fallen star for his beloved.
    He’ll be in San Francisco on Thursday, January 21 (Stacy's /581
Market Street, San Francisco, CA 12:30-1:30PM and Booksmith/1644 Haight
Street San Francisco, CA 7-9PM), Menlo Park on Friday, January 22
(Kepler's/1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park, CA 7:30-9:00PM), and Berkeley
on Saturday, January 23 (The Other Change of Hobbit/2020 Shattuck Ave
Berkley, CA 12-2PM).
    Catch Gaiman in a interview with the Bay Area's KFJC 89.7fm tonight
at 6:15 PT, which you can hear live at the station's website.
http://www.kfjc.org/signal.html
    Additionally, Chicago's NOWTHEATRE will present  the world premiere
stage adaptation of Gaiman and Dave McKean's SIGNAL TO NOISE from
February 4th through March 14th, with a February 6th performance that
will go to benefit the COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND. Directed by Marc
Rosenbush (BUCKETS O' BECKETT festival), and featuring a cast that
includes veteran of Chicago stage William J. Norris (...and some wicked
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse puppets...), SIGNAL involves a dying
filmmaker working on his final project, about a group of people on a
mountain waiting for the end of the world, in 999AD.
    In other news... Anyone curious about the SANDMAN script Roger Avery
wrote (which I should mention Gaiman is not involved in...) should check
out the bottommost link listed below for Avery's own comments on the
project, as well as a copy of the rejected script. And lastly, Gaiman
recently revealed he and artist Simon Bisley might work together on a
BATMAN project entitled THE NIGHT CIRCUS, which the two put together at
DC at the start of the '90s.
http://www.avary.com/rogeravary/journal/10-25-98.html

>      The nominees for this year's INTERNATIONAL HORROR GUILD Awards
have been announced, and the highlights include P. Somtow's DARKER
ANGELS for Novel, Caitlin Kiernan's SILK for First Novel, John Shirley's
BLACK BUTTERFLIES: A FLOCK ON THE DARK SIDE in the Collection category,
J. O'Barr and Ed Kramer's THE CROW: SHATTERED LIVES & BROKEN DREAMS for
best Anthology, the PREACHER: ANCIENT HISTORY and TRANSMETROPOLITAN:
BACK ON THE STREET trade paperbacks for best Graphic Story, online
horror/dark fantasy necessary e-mail DARKECHO for Best Publication, Dave
McKean and Gahan Wilson for best Artist, DARK CITY, GODS AND MONSTERS,
and VAMPIRES in the category of Movies, and both BUFFY and X-FILES
nominees for best Television. Winners will be announced at the WORLD
HORROR CONVENTION March 4th - 7th in Atlanta.

>      DEL REY Books has signed Peter David (Imzadi, Young Justice) to
write a trilogy of BABYLON 5 books, which will be prepared by B5 creator
J. Michael Straczynski, detailing the rise and fall of the Centauri
Republic. David has also written a script for an episode of the upcoming
(expected to premiere in June...) B5 spin-off, CRUSADE.
http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey

>      Comics legend Stan Lee launches his own website today, where
he'll feature online comics in an interactive environment, with new
characters he has created and owns. Lee has downsized his role with
MARVEL to concentrate on this STAN LEE MEDIA endeavor, and in an
interview with co-founder Peter Paul at the COMICON.COM website,
additional details were revealed: "He wants to do on the internet what
he did when he started with comics and built MARVEL as the biggest
publisher in the world for kids... developing the largest internet
community of "family" enthusiasts with new characters and stories
introduced directly on the net through innovative online publishing and
multiplayer games... enabling the community to use the attributes of the
net to interact with each other and the artists and writers to
collectively evolve certain characters and stories. Stan's community at
Stanlee.net will give as many tools and activities away freely as
possible. He will interact regularly through chats and video streaming
from his new 'bullpen' and establish a super-secret club which will
perpetuate his unique irreverent style and humor in collaboration with
various creative leaders around the world." http://stanlee.net
http://www.comicon.com/splash

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     ANTICS has released an assortment of SOUTH PARK vocalizers and
TALKING DESKMATE 3D figures, which spout lines from Kyle, Stan, Kenny,
Chef, and Cartman (including "Yeah, I want Cheesy Poofs!," and
"Beefcake! Beefcake!"). ANTICS also plans to release a TALKING ERIC
CARTMAN PENCIL SHARPENER, a THEY KILLED KENNY TALKING PENCIL HOLDER, and
a SINGING CHEF DESKTOP ALARM CLOCK. All of the above items, available at
ANTICS' website, cost a suggested $15, except for the alarm clock, which
is $40. http://www.anticsproducts.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The folks who own Snuggles don't want you to see 3DO’s ad for
their successful N64 combat game, BATTLETANX. Conopco, Inc., filed for
an injunction against the 3DO Corporation to prevent the software
company from running its hillarious BattleTanx ad, which features a
little bear (which bears a striking resemblance to the Snuggles bear
from Lever Brothers' fabric softener of the same name) being chased by a
tank, set on fire, burned and run over. Conopco claimed that the bear
infringed on its trademarked Snuggles the Bear.  A Federal judge in New
York ruled against the injunction last week.  However, 3DO decided
yesterday to voluntarily pull the ad, a company spokesperson told NGO
this afternoon. The decision was made in an effort to avoid costly
litigation "which we didn't feel would benefit our shareholders."  You
can download the “offensive” material from
http://media.next-generation.com/media/reviews/Nintendo64/image/bt.mov

>     ELECTRONIC ARTS has recalled the SONY PLAYSTATION version of TIGER
WOODS '99, after discovering that approximately 100,000 copies contain
an unauthorized cartoon short (reportedly South Park’s SPIRIT OF XMAS)
mysteriously placed on the disc, which can be found by sophisticated PC
users when the game is inserted into a PC CD drive. Customers can
receive information on returning the game by calling 800-245-4525.
http://www.ea.com

>      ELECTRONIC ARTS has signed a licensing agreement
  with VOLKSWAGEN to feature its new BEETLE in the NINTENDO 64 racing
game BEETLE ADVENTURE RACING. Due out this spring, the game will be
unique in that it combines both action-adventure and high-adrenaline
racing elements across courses of multiple routes, hidden areas,
power-ups, and surprise short cuts. The game will also include a
4-player mode, and RUMBLE PAK and CONTROLLER PAK support.
http://www.beetleadventure.com

>     MIDWAY Home Entertainment has announced a spring '99 release for
RAMPAGE 2: UNIVERSAL TOUR, a follow-up to its smash hit RAMPAGE: WORLD
TOUR. Now featuring three person co-operative play, the NINTENDO 64 and
SONY PLAYSTATION release lets you play as RAMPAGE regulars George,
Lizzy, and Ralph, as well as new mutations of a lobster, rat, rhino, and
a special hidden character. http://www.midway.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>      A second, studio-themed DISNEY park located adjacent to
DISNEYLAND PARIS is expected to open in 2002, sometime around the park's
10th anniversary in April.

>      UNIVERSAL STUDIOS Florida has acquired approximately 2,000 acres
near it’s existing theme park, and are planning two additional parks,
and a number of hotels and shopping facilities.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     This May, SANYO plans to release the DINOSAUR TOASTER, a two-slice
toaster which toasts an image of a "friendly" dinosaur onto a piece of
bread. Based on the PANDA TOASTER introduced in Japan by SANYO in the
1970s, the DINOSAUR model is expected to retail for $29.95.
http://www.sanyousa.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-




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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Puck, the obnoxious roommate from MTV's San Francisco Real World
cast, is serving a jail term in Los Angeles for roughing up his
girlfriend, the New York Post reveals.

>     Johnny Depp has also been jailed in London Saturday following a
clash with paparazzi.  He was released Sunday.

>     Lost in Space kid Billy Mumy is turning a manly 45 today. Also
celebrating birthdays:  Pauly Shore, Sherilyn Fenn, Hong Kong action
star Tony Leung, and had he survived The Crow, Brandon Lee.  On the flip
side of that, today marks the passing of Buster Keaton.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     At last, word on the new trailer has come from the top source
himself. In an interview with 'Entertainment Tonight', George Lucas
revealed that the full trailer for the SW Prequel will be out in March
sometime.

>     While travelling around Australia promoting "Rush Hour", Jackie
Chan and ACT Premier Kate Carnell had a meeting and apparently announced
that Canberra (Australia's capital city, basically home of the Federal
Government for those not up on their geography) will likely serve as a
location for a part of his next film - whether its this project (which
he's scheduled to do next) or the one after is unsure. Meanwhile, a
staff member at Newark Airport claims they managed to get talking with
actor Steve Busemi ("Con Air", "Armageddon") who said his next project
was "Shanghai Noon" before he left on his flight. Makes one wonder what
his role in this Chan feature is, that is if he is indeed in it. More
talk about who the villain might be, this time however its much more
reliable due to the eyewitness nature from a very credible source:
"After his interview on The Andrew Denton Breakfast Show at Triple M,
Sydney, Australia, Jackie Chan's  manager, Willie, dragged the charming
star into our office to show him a picture of Vince Vaughan who was on
the cover of some mag re: Psycho. Manager and star conferred briefly and
then Jackie headed out but Willie said, 'I just wanted to show Jackie
this guy. We're thinking of him as the co-star of Jackie's next movie."

>     Rutger Hauer has given thumbs up for a sequel to "The Hitcher,''
reprising his creepy role as the hitchhiking serial killer from the 1986
horror hit. The sequel was scripted by Gerald DiPego ("Phenomenon"). A
rewrite's being done by DiPego's sons, Zachary and Justin, and the film
will be produced by Steve White, Sherry Singer and Fred Haber, who'll
sell foreign rights at AFM and then sign a domestic deal later. "The
tone is 'Scream' in that it's horrifying with a witty overlay, hopefully
more 'Usual Suspects' than 'Nightmare on Elm Street," said Hauer's
manager, Joan Hyler, who's helping sell it. Hauer will also star in the
10-part NBC/HALLMARK Entertainment mini-series THE KINGDOM.

>     Australian director Jamie Blanks ("Urban Legend") has signed to
direct MGM's teen comedy "Munchies." The film tells the story of four
unpopular and anorexic high school girls known derisively to their peers
as the "stick chicks.'' After a brief stint at a diet clinic, however,
the quartet return healthy, happy and eating everything in sight,
including human flesh. The project, based on David Kukoff and Matt
Roshkow's spec script, is set to begin shooting in mid-April.

>     Ryan Phillippe ("Playing by Heart"), Alan Cumming ("Cabaret") and
Anthony LaPaglia ("A View From a Bridge") have joined the cast of Doug
McGrath and Peter Askin's "Company Man," currently lensing in and around
Gotham. Co-written and co-directed by McGrath ("Emma") and Askin
("Hedwig and the Angry Inch"), "Company Man" also stars McGrath,
Sigourney Weaver and John Turturro. Set in the 1960s, it tells the story
of a high school grammar teacher who unwittingly finds himself in a plot
to overthrow Fidel Castro.

>     "Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists" is a  motion capture experiment
done by a native of India. The film is currently looking for a
distributor, so it may not come out until post 2000.  Voices include:
Brendan Fraser, Leonard Nimoy, Jennifer Hale, Mark Hamill and John Rhys
Davies.  Evan Ricks and Alan Jacobs are directing this feature.

>     Paramount Pictures has decided to delay "South Park: Bigger,
Longer, and Uncut" until the summer to compete with the summer
blockbuster draw. There has been a lot of word concerning a Beavis and
Butt-Head sequel in the works, and it's true. "Beavis and Butt-Head:
Another Movie" is officially on the Paramount list scheduled as TBA.

>     According to the Hollywood Reporter, the sequel to the 1981 cult
classic, "Heavy Metal," titled, "Heavy Metal: FAKK2," may very well be
released direct-to-video.

>     'The Hollywood Reporter' has announced that Oscar nominee and
acclaimed actor Ian McKellan ("Gods & Monsters", "Apt Pupil") is set to
join Tom Cruise and the cast of the MI sequel. McKellan will play a
villain of some sorts, possibly a partner to Dougray Scott (who plays
the film's main villain). Shooting begins in the next few weeks in
Sydney, Australia.

>     Robert De Niro ("Ronin") and Edward Burns ("Saving Private Ryan")
are near a deal to star in the thriller "15 Minutes," which is scheduled
for a late April shoot in New York and L.A. The New Line Cinema project
will star De Niro as a famous homicide detective who teams with a fire
department investigator (Burns) to a solve a murder case. John Herzfeld
("2 Days in the Valley") will direct from his own script (so you KNOW
it’ll be cool…)

>     Embeth Davidtz ("Schindler's List") has been cast as the lead
female opposite Robin Williams in the romantic drama "Bicentennial Man."
Davidtz will play two roles in the Disney picture, which stars Williams
as an android servant who becomes more human over the two centuries he
spends with a family. The actress will portray a young woman whom
Williams takes care of as a girl; and then later the grandaughter of
that woman. Based on the short story of the same title by Isaac Asimov,
the picture is directed by Chris Columbus ("Stepmom") from a screenplay
by Nicholas Kazan.

>     Universal Pictures is developing a remake of "Topper," the 1937
comedy starring Cary Grant and Constance Bennett as mischievous ghosts
who haunt stuffy banker Roland Young. The studio, whose recent update of
"Psycho" failed to scare up much commercial or critical enthusiasm, is
in talks with Hugh Wilson ("The First Wives Club") to write and direct
the new "Topper."

>     Jane Krakowsky (TV's "Ally McBeal") will star as a young,
tantalizing Betty Rubble in Universal Pictures' "The Flintstones"
prequel, "Viva Rock Vegas." She joins Mark Addy and Kristen Johnston as
Fred and Wilma Flintstone and Stephen Baldwin as Barney Rubble in the
story that sees the newly married twentysomething couples embark on a
trip to the Stone Age version of Las Vegas. Brian Levant, who directed
the original 1994, will also helm "Viva." Steven Spielberg will
executive produce through his Amblin Entertainment.

>     In response to the question "Will you ever make "Memoirs of a
Geisha?" (the Asia-themed picture he put on hold at Columbia Pictures?),
Steven Spielberg gave a resounding "yes" response this week, shooting
down rumors that he was disappointed in the latest screenplay. "It's
always been going ahead," he said. "I don't think people understand why
I postponed it a year; I've never declared a film and then put it off
(like this). I simply will repeat that I'm nervous that the millennium
and the end of 1999 will have a lot of events -- not just motion picture
events but global happenings. I was worried that a lovely, small Asian
story was going to get lost in the revelry. I persuaded Columbia to let
me delay it a year, and they were gracious to say yes." As for the
script, Spielberg said he was thrilled and felt it was among "Rain Man"
scribe Ron Bass' best work. "Memoirs," based on Arthur Golden's
best-selling novel, tells the epic story of a Japanese geisha.

>     Variety reports that Clint Eastwood and Tommy Lee Jones are about
to 'chuck a John Glenn'. The pair have signed onto the drama "Space
Cowboys", a film about a quartet of cocky pilots who were passed over
for the astronaut program in the 60's. Now its 1999, they're all retired
but one of them is needed to go into space to repair an important
30-year old satellite which is failing. His only condition? That his
three other buddies come along for the ride. To get up there though,
they'll have to go through NASA's rigorous training exercises. Eastwood
will also direct the film which looks set for a Summer 2000 release.

>     Michael Douglas and ``L.A. Confidential'' director Curtis Hanson
plan to begin production in Pittsburgh, PAa next month on a movie
version of the novel ``Wonder Boys.'' The film also stars Robert Downey
Jr. and Frances McDormand. Hanson is happy with Pittsburgh. ``The city
has managed to escape the blight of that horrible urban renewal that
devastated and homogenized so many other cities,'' he said. ``And
Pittsburgh ties into the theme of the movie, which deals with what
happens when someone has early success and the pressure that comes with
it.'' The novel is the second from Michael Chabon, following ``The
Mysteries of Pittsburgh.'' The University of Pittsburgh graduate used
the city as the setting for both books. In the script by Steve Kloves,
Douglas plays a writer and professor who's way behind on a deadline.
Downey will play his book editor, who joins him for a week of
misadventure and introspection as he tries to get his author to finish
the book. Production is scheduled from February-March. A lot of the film
will be filmed at Carnegie Mellon University. Tobey Maguire
(Pleasantville, Ride with the Devil) has also joined the cast, playing a
young novelist and student of Michael Douglas' lead character.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Gregory Hoblit (Fallen)
will direct FREQUENCY, a NEW LINE CINEMA film starring Dennis Quaid and
Jim Caviezel (Thin Red Line). Caviezel plays a homicide cop in the
thriller who learns the man he is talking to on an old radio is his
father (Quaid) who was murdered when he was 7, and things go from bad to
worse when he changes the past by preventing his father's murder.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Minnie Driver (Good Will
Hunting) is in final negotiations to co-star opposite David Duchovny
(X-Files) in MGM's RETURN TO ME, a romantic comedy about a widower who
falls for a waitress who he then learns has the transplanted heart of
his deceased wife. The film will be directed by Bonnie Hunt, from a
script she co-wrote with Donald Lake.

>     VARIETY reports DISNEY has signed Kristen Buckley and Brian Regan
to write 102 DALMATIANS, a live-action sequel to 101 something-or-other.
Buckley and Regan previously wrote the upcoming WHERE IN THE WORLD IS
CARMEN SANDIEGO? and REPO GIRLS.

>     A live-action ASTERIX AND OBELIX Vs. CAESAR feature film opens in
France on Wednesday, and while it may take this film awhile to make it
to the U.S., you can view the trailer at the film's official French
language website. The film, an adaptation of a long-running
international comic series which has been the subject of a number of
animated films, stars Christian Clavier (The Visitors) as Asterix,
Gerard Depardieu as Obelix, acclaimed newcomer (and Victoria’s Secret
model) Laetitia Casta as Falbala, and Roberto Benigni (Life is
Beautiful), in a $48 million effects-heavy story about A&O's efforts to
fight Roman soldiers and free their village from Julius Caesar's
control. http://www.asterix.tm.fr/lefilm

>     James Cameron will be on hand for the opening night of the COSMIC
FURY: THE SPECTACULAR CINEMA OF JAMES CAMERON this Wednesday night at
the AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE's EGYPTIAN's LLOYD E. RIGLER Theater in
Hollywood. The four-day event kicks off with a screening of his special
edition of THE ABYSS, and other highlights running through Saturday
include screenings of a new 35mm print of TERMINATOR, and 70mm prints of
T2, ALIENS, TRUE LIES, and TITANIC. http://www.americancinematheque.com

>     Ben Affleck (Chasing Amy, Armageddon) will work with director John
Frankenheimer (Ronin, The Manchurian Candidate) in DIMENSION Films'
REINDEER GAMES, a thriller about an ex-con tricked into robbing a
casino.

>     NEW LINE CINEMA has purchased SUGAR AND SPICE AND SEMIAUTOMATICS,
a dark comedy about a popular High School cheerleader who becomes
pregnant with the star quarterback's child and teams up with her
cheerleading squad to enter the world of crime, so that she can have
enough money to pursue the American dream with her new family. The film
was written by Lona Williams, writer of this spring's anticipated
Michael Patrick Jann (The State) beauty pageant black comedy starring
Denise Richards and Kirsten Dunst, and it will be directed by
commercial/music video director Hank Perlman. http://www.newline.com

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Robert Patrick (T2, The
Faculty) will co-star with Sylvester Stallone in the UNIVERSAL cop
thriller DETOX, and he's also in final talks to play Matt Damon's father
in Billy Bob Thornton's adaptation of ALL THE PRETTY HORSES. Dina Myers
(Starship Troopers) has also joined the cast of DETOX, and will play
Stallone's wife.

>     Marilyn Manson recently met with at least one major studio in
town, in regards to a film he's written which is loosely based on his
recent "Mechanical Animals," album. Expect to see an announcement
sometime in the coming months with official details, but in an interview
with ROCKTROPOLIS allstar news, Manson was quoted as saying "It's in the
tradition of TOMMY and THE WALL. But I think that I would compare it to
a combination between WILD IN THE STREETS, '60s rock and roll, and teen
revolution, and NAKED LUNCH." In other news, JAMTV is reporting Manson
will appear naked in the gay porn magazine HONCHO's March issue. The
photos are not new, but rather date back to the start of his career,
shot by New York filmmaker Richard Kern.

>     Syndicated columnist Liz Smith reports Nicolas Cage will play
Willy Wonka in a WARNER BROS. remake of WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE
FACTORY, which Michael Caton-Jones (The Jackal, This Boy's Life) is
expected to direct. While anyone would want to remake such a gem is
beyond me -- it'd be as crazy as casting Cage to play Superman -- So I'm
keeping my fingers crossed that they'll instead do Roald Dahl's sequel,
CHARLIE AND THE GREAT GLASS ELEVATOR.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Jared Leto (My So Called
Life) will star in REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, filmmaker Darren Aronofsky
(Pi)'s upcoming adaptation of a Hubert Selby novel which tells two
parallel stories at once. Leto will play a young man dreaming of being a
wealthy New York club owner who sets off for New York with his junkie
friends in one of the film's stories, and the son of a diet-pill
obsessed mother accepted on to a game show in the other. ARTISAN
Entertainment is in talks to make the film. THR also updates the news on
Leto starring in AMERICAN PSYCHO, reporting he will play Paul Owen,
yuppie colleague to serial killer Patrick Bateman (VELVET GOLDMINE's
Christian Bale). http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     MIRAMAX and HYPERBOLE Studios are developing an animated musical
of THE ADVENTURES OF TOM THUMB AND THUMBELINA, with Elijah Wood (The
Faculty) and Jennifer Love Hewitt voicing the title characters. Other
voices will be supplied by Jon Stewart, Alex Boyd, Peter Gallagher, Esai
Morales, Rachel Griffiths, Robert Guillaume, Jane Leeves, Bebe Neuwirth,
and Emma Samms.

>     Production begins today at Rome's CINECITTA Studios on U-571,
UNIVERSAL's World War II submarine thriller starring Matthew
McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, Bill Paxton, and Jon Bon Jovi. Production on
the Jonathan Mostow (Breakdown)-directed film will remain in Rome for
eight weeks, before relocating to the island of Malta for an additional
eight weeks of shooting.

>     AKIRA came off of moratorium when ORION Home Entertainment
released the anime classic in both Pan & Scan and Letterbox and
Subtitled Pan & Scan VHS versions. Other Anime releases from ORION this
week include 3x3 EYES: PERFECT COLLECTION (parts 1-6), GREY, BAREFOOT
GEN, CRIMSON WOLF, ADIEU GALAXY EXPRESS 999, BABEL II: PERFECT
COLLECTION, FIST OF THE NORTH STAR, LUPIN III: MYSTERY OF MAMO, and
LUPIN III: GREATEST CAPERS. http://www.mgmhomevideo.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     ABC has canceled both CUPID and VENGEANCE UNLIMITED, with the last
episodes of each airing February 11th and February 15th, respectively.
Likewise, FOX has canceled its Friday night horror-drama BRIMSTONE, but
will continue to air new episodes through February.  Of course no series
in this day and age can be written off completely, and it is possible
that any of the above could be given another shot, or even move to
another network. CUPID is one of the funniest if not most well-written
romantic dramas to ever air on network TV, and its rumored that the WB
may pick it up. To learn who to contact to help save the shows, I advise
visiting the following sites:
           CUPID: http://www.viewersvoice.org/cupid.htm
           VENGEANCE: http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Set/9924
           BRIMSTONE: http://www.brimstonetv.com

>     Jim Henson's workshop has been building animatronic animals for a
TV movie based on the famous George Orwell novel "Animal Farm". The film
is being shot in Dublin by the filmmakers of the western TV movie
"Purgatory", and will air on TNT later this year.

>     Variety has announced the casting on HBO's TV movie "RKO 281", a
true story about the bitter battles behind-the-scenes to make the
infamous film "Citizen Kane". Liev Schreiber ("Scream 2", "Sphere") has
been cast as legendary filmmaker Orson Welles, James Cromwell ("Babe",
"Star Trek: First Contact") plays the powerful billionaire William
Randolph Hearst (who 'Kane' was supposedly based on), and John Malkovich
will be screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz. Production on the film begins in
London in March and will likely be out late this year.

>     A report at AINT IT COOL NEWS' COAXIAL NEWS site about the
questionable future of J. Michael Straczynski's BABYLON 5 spin-off
CRUSADE led to Straczynski making an Internet-wide announcement that the
show has definitely not been cancelled. However, Straczynski adds the
series is no longer at TNT, and things are on hold for a week or so, in
which time the show is expected to find a new home at a network such as
the SCI-FI Channel. http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com

>     Production on a third season of HBO's intense prison drama OZ
begins this week. http://www.hbo.com

>     Tonight, BRAVO PROFILES takes a look at author Bret Easton Ellis
(Less Than Zero, American Psycho, Glamorama), through interviews, home
movies, and dramatic reenactments. The PROFILES episode, which also
premieres at 8pm, includes interviews with Bret's mother Dale Ellis,
AMERICAN PSYCHO director Mary Harron, SEX IN THE CITY columnist Candace
Bushnell, author Jay McInerney (Bright Lights, Big City), literary
critic Blake Morrison, and publisher Morgan Entrekin. And this coming
Sunday night at 8, Laurence Fishburne braves BRAVO's INSIDE THE ACTORS
STUDIO.

>     UPN's new highly-enjoyable DILBERT animated series will stick with
an ongoing storyline involving the character struggling with the
creation of the Gruntmaster 6000. Next week's episode has Dilbert
battling Lena, the Xena of engineers, in an attempt to create the best
prototype for the Gruntmaster, and the following week brings in Bob
Bastard as the test engineer of the final product, in an episode in
which Dogbert also convinces NASA to send him out on the space shuttle.

>     The TOM CLANCEY'S NETFORCE mini-series begins tonight on NBC at
9pm, concluding Thursday night. The cast of this techno-thriller set in
2005 includes Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap), Joanna Going (Inventing The
Abbotts), Kris Kristofferson, Brian Dennehy, and Judge Reinhold.

>     THE SENTINEL returns to UPN tonight at 9pm, picking up from last
season's cliffhanger, with a return from guest star Jeri Ryan (ST:
Voyager) as an evil Sentinel.

>     The story of the alien crash at Roswell, New Mexico, is told from
the alien's point of view in ROSWELL: THE ALIENS ATTACK, the THURSDAY
NIGHT AT THE MOVIES original premiering on UPN this week at 8pm.

>     Woody Harrelson's CHEERS character Woody Boyd guest stars on NBC's
FRASIER this Thursday at 9pm.

>     As George Clooney's departure grows ever closer, two new cast
members join the cast of ER this Thursday at 10pm. Djimon Hounsou
(Amistad, Gladiator) will play a janitor to the ER on the next few
episodes, who's hiding a disturbing secrets' in his broom closet, so to
speak, and Akosua Busia (Mad City) makes her first appearance as well.
NORTHERN EXPOSURE's Valerie Mahaffey also guest stars on the episode,
playing a single mother with a young kid in the last stages of ALD.

>     Megan Gallagher returns to her role of the late Catherine Black in
a new episode of FOX's MILLENNIUM this Friday night, when Frank uncovers
some new information about his wife's death. Chris Carter has written
and directed the following week's episode, "Antipas," in which Frank's
nemesis Lucy Butler returns, and the following week has Frank and
partner Emma learning even more startling information about the
Millennium Group. MILLENNIUM airs at 9pm.

>     If you're like me and somewhat put off by the regular X-FILES
episodes that don't deal with the show's base mythology, then you need
not fear when you tune in to the FOX series this Sunday night at 9. The
episode is the first in the two-part "Two Fathers" episode, where it
looks like we might finally learn the so-called "truth" of the
conspiracy, or at least the story behind Mulder's abducted sister and
how the Cigarette Smoking Man fits into everything. Not everyone is
expected to walk away from the episode, in fact, two recurring
characters might never be seen again on this Chris Carter series.
Possible X-victim Chris Owens, the actor who plays the son of the
Cigarette Smoking Man as well as CSM himself in flashbacks, will take
part in an online chat at TV GUIDE Online next Monday, February 8th, at
8pm ET. And don't forget to tune in to FX all week long at 8pm for
mythology episodes leading up to this two-parter. http://www.tvgen.com

>     The X-FILES cover story in the new issue of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
reveals David Duchovny will direct an episode he's written for the FOX
series this April.

>     Gene Roddenberry's EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT has been picked up for
another two seasons.

>     KING WORLD's upcoming THE MARTIN SHORT SHOW talkshow is now
expected to air as a latenight program, instead of a daytime talker as
originally planned.

>     The INDEPENDENT FILM Channel presented the world TV premiere of IN
BAD TASTE: THE JOHN WATERS STORY. The homage features interviews with
many of the actors who've worked with Waters, including Kathleen Turner,
Patty Hearst, Ricki Lake, Deborah Harry, Steve Buscemi, and the mother
of Divine, Frances Milstead.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports the FOX KIDS Network will drop an hour of
its programming this fall, going from 3 hours to 2. The extra hour will
be filled in by local affiliates, so programming will vary from area to
area. http://www.variety.com

>     MTV NEWS premiered the first in a series of specials counting down
the millennium with 9 DAYS THAT ROCKED THE 90'S. The hour-long
documentary a la MTV explores the nine most influential moments that
affected music, including 2 LIVE CREW being ruled obscene by a Florida
judge (6/6/90), the rise of NIRVANA (8/23/91), the creation of
LOLLAPALOOZA (7/18/91), Los Angeles radio station KROQ premiering BECK's
"Loser," single (11/9/93), Alanis Morissette's signing to MAVERICK
(12/22/94), and the death of Tupac Shakur (9/7/96). Upcoming specials
will look at the films and scandals of the 90's. http://www.mtv.com

>     VARIETY reports the new WB animated series THE DOWNTOWNERS will
feature the voices of Wallace Langham (Larry Sanders Show, Veronica's
Closet) and Scott Menville (Wonder Years) in the lead roles, along with
Brian Posehn (Mr. Show), Tom Kenny (Mr. Show), Vicki Lewis (Newsradio),
Tress MacNeille (Simpsons), Nick Jameson (The Critic), and Herbert
Siguenza (Star Maps) as regulars, and Dave Thomas (SCTV), Lisa Kushnell
(Mad TV), and Jane Wiedlin (Go-Go's) as recurring characters.

>     ANIMATION BLAST reports ABRAMS/GENTILE Entertainment (Van-Pires)
is developing an animated BONANZA series, set in the early years of the
Ponderosa Ranch, before the events of the long-running TV SHOW currently
celebrating its 40th anniversary. http://www.awn.com/blast

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, The CARTOON Network has
ordered 3 new series - Chuck Swenson (Rugrats)'s MIKE, LU, & OG, David
Feiss' I AM WEASEL, and John R. Dilworth's COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG. OG
was previewed during TCN's CARTOON CARTOON WEEKEND last November, WEASEL
is a COW AND CHICKEN spin-off, and COURAGE is by the Academy
Award-nominated creator of the CHICKEN FROM OUTER SPACE short. TCN has
also ordered additional episodes of JOHNNY BRAVO, SPACE GHOST COAST TO
COAST, COW AND CHICKEN, and POWERPUFF GIRLS.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     COMEDY CENTRAL will premiere the new series THE MAN SHOW in the
golden post-SOUTH PARK slot of Wednesdays at 10:30pm this June.
Originally developed for ABC, the series is co-hosted by Jimmy Kimmel
(Win Ben Stein's Money, The Kevin and Bean Show) and Adam Carolla
(Loveline, Kevin & Bean), and features writing by DAILY SHOW co-creator
Lizz Winstead. The network will also premiere STRANGERS WITH CANDY
(formerly known as THE WAY-AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL) in April, and both the
comedy FRANK LEAVES FOR THE ORIENT and a new game show entitled VS. in
June.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, COMEDY CENTRAL has ordered 10
new episodes of UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE, 27 episodes of BOB AND
MARGARET, and 130 episodes of both WIN BEN STEIN'S MONEY and Dr. KATZ.

>     HBO has renewed its sports agent sitcom ARLI$$ for a fourth
season.

>     Production has begun on JOAN OF ARC - not Luc Besson's epic
starring wife Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element), but a CBS mini-series
shooting in Canada headlined by Leelee Sobieski (A Soldier's Daughter
Never Cries, Deep Impact, Twister). Directed by Christian Duguay
(Scanners 2 & 3, Million Dollar Babies), the four-hour presentation also
stars Jacqueline Bisset, Powers Boothe, Olympia Dukakis, Neil Patrick
Harris, Robert Loggia, Peter O'Toole, Peter Strauss, and Chad Willett.
CBS' JOAN OF ARC will air in May.

>     MTV has announced plans to remake the 1979 documentary SCARED
STRAIGHT!, as part of its FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS: TAKE A STAND AGAINST
VIOLENCE anti-violence campaign. The SCARED STRAIGHT! 1999 documentary,
scheduled to premiere on the network in July, will again take a group of
juvenile delinquents into the East Jersey State Prison, confronting them
with the prospect of life in prison by letting them hear the stories of
the criminals serving life sentences. http://www.mtv.com

>     12 episodes of BABYLON 5 are collected on video this week, on 6
WARNER Home Video tapes that sell for $14.95 each, or $44.92 in 3-packs.
The episodes collected on the tapes are Season One's "Survivors" & "By
Any Means Necessary," "Signs and Portents" & "TKO," and "Grail" & Eyes,"
and Season Five's "Secrets of the Soul" & "In the Kingdom of the Blind,"
"A Tragedy and Telepaths" & (Neil Gaiman's) "Day of the Dead," and
"Phoenix Rising" & "The Ragged Edge." http://www.thestation.com

>     ABC will premiere its new sci-fi thriller STRANGE WORLD on Monday,
March 8th, at 10pm, before moving the series into NYPD BLUE's Tuesday
10pm timeslot the next night, for four weeks. The series tells the
adventures of a scientist, with a degenerative disease he contracted in
the Gulf War, who joins the Army's Medical Resarch Institute USAMRID to
battle those that would abuse science. The show is heavy in the
conspiracy factor, with a mysterious faction supplying our hero with the
mystery drug he needs to keep living.

>     A funeral for a recurring FRIENDS member (think THREE'S COMPANY)
brings Phoebe in touch with her father on a new episode of the NBC
sitcom airing Thursday, February 4th. The estranged patriarch is played
by Bob Balaban (THE LATE SHIFT's Warren Littlefield). Meanwhile, Joey
starts carrying a purse.

>     KIDS WB! has ordered a second, 13-episode season of BATMAN BEYOND,
for premiere next fall. The first new episode following the futuristic
cartoon's one-hour pilot aired this Saturday morning.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     FATBOY SLIM songs "Love Island" and "Soul Surfin'" will be
featured in PSYGNOSIS' ROLLCAGE, a combative racing game due out on the
SONY PLAYSTATION in March. The game will also feature music from EZ
ROLLERS, APHRODITE, HOAX, Ed Rush and Nico, PRESSURE RISE, ASHLEY BEEDLE
PRESENTS, PASCAL, FREESTYLES, LES ROSBIFS, RATMAN, and Dan Mass.
http://www.rollcage-game.com

>     'Nine Inch Nails' frontman Trent Reznor has teamed up with 'Sister
Soleil' lead singer Stella Katsoudas for a remake of the NIN single "A
Warm Place". The single originally appeared on the 1994 NIN album "The
Downward Spiral", while this new version will feature on the soundtrack
to the upcoming Gabriel Byrne religious thriller "Stigmata".

>     Metallica and Iggy Pop were named headliners for the Euro-based
Woodstock '99 shindig in Austria.

>     LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN band leader Max Weinberg will take a
leave of absence from the NBC show starting March 1st, when he's set to
embark on a tour with BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND. Filling
in for him as band leader is MAX WEINBERG SEVEN guitarist/arranger Jimmy
Vivino.

>     ROCKTROPOLIS allstar news reports HARVEY DANGER will cover ENGLISH
BEAT's "Save it for Later" for the soundtrack of MTV/PARAMOUNT's 200
CIGARETTES. The first single from the MERCURY Records soundtrack will be
a BLONDIE mega-mix of "Rapture," "No Exit," and "Marie," and the other
tracks include Nick Lowe's "Cruel to Be Kind," The CARS' "Just What I
Needed," The GO-GO'S "Our Lips Are Sealed," BOW WOW WOW's "I Want
Candy," The RAMONES' "I Don't Care," KOOL & THE GANG's "'Ladies Night,"
Joe Jackson's "Different for Girls," B-MOVIE's "Nowhere Girl," ROXY
MUSIC's "More Than This," The DIRE STRAITS' "Romeo & Juliet," and Elvis
Costello's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love & Understanding." The
soundtrack is due out February 9th, with the film following on the 26th.
http://www.allstarmag.com

>     JAMTV reports Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson, and Debbie Peterson
are writing new songs for a possible BANGLES reunion and tour, but
guitarist/singer Vicki is adamant that the reunion will not happen if
bassist Michael Steele is not involved, or at least gives her blessing
to the project. http://www.jamtv.com

>     MERCURY/CHRONICLES releases two volumes of an ELECTRONIC EIGHTIES
compilation this Tuesday, gathering "new wave" songs never before
available on CD, as well as some rare and extended 12" versions. The
discs include tracks by Thomas Dolby, Lene Lovich, Howard Jones, Gary
Numan, Peter Godwin, BERLIN, BRONSKI BEAT, VISAGE, SOFT CELL, WANG
CHUNG, MEN WITHOUT HATS, The FIXX, ABC, ULTRAVOX, TEARS FOR FEARS, LEVEL
42, EURYTHMICS, and TRIO.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Syndicated columnist Liz Smith reports Hugh Hefner is rumored to
be offering Tea Leoni (Deep Impact) $3 million to show off her own
very-pregnant Naked Truth in an upcoming issue of PLAYBOY.

>     Talkshow host Jay Leno has become a contributing editor of POPULAR
MECHANICS Magazine, and his first JAY LENO'S GARAGE bimonthly column
will appear in the issue reaching newsstands on February 9th. Leno will
forego his salary, and instead the money will go to a two-year auto
restoration scholarship at Kansas' McPHERSON College.

>     DC and Alan Moore's AMERICA'S BEST COMICS release the first issue
of THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN this week. The six-issue
miniseries, illustrated by Kevil O'Neill, is set in an alternate version
of 1898 Victorian England, where the Victorian Secret Service enlists
the aid of six legendary characters (KING SOLOMON'S MINES' Allan
Quartermain, Dr. Henry Jekyll, Captain Nemo, INVISIBLE MAN John Griffin,
and Mina Harker) to stop Dr. Fu Manchu and his mysterious partner in
crime. It's been optioned by FOX, and may become a feature film. Also
worth checking out this week is the first issue of Matt Wagner's DOCTOR
MID-NITE relaunch. http://www.dccomics.com

>     DARK HORSE Comics released the first issues in both the STAR WARS:
BOBA FETT - ENEMY OF THE EMPIRE and ALIENS APOCALYPSE - DESTROYING
ANGELS miniseries this past Wednesday. Set before STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE,
Darth Vader hires Boba Fett to retrieve a single small box whose
contents could affect the entire galaxy in EMPIRE, and doesn't plan to
let Fett walk away alive after he completes the mission. The four-issue
miniseries is written by John Wagner, and illustrated by Ian Gibson.
ANGELS is the start of the Apocalypse storyline in DARK HORSE's ALIENS
series, establishing the plot thread that humankind's encounters with
the Alien race might be part of a grander scheme. It's also a four-issue
mini, written by Mark Schultz (SubHuman), and illustrated by Doug
Wheatley. http://www.dhorse.com

>     NEWSARAMA reports Frank Miller is working on an 8-issue SIN CITY
mini-series for DARK HORSE entitled HELL AND BACK.
http://www.AnotherUniverse.com/newsarama

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Remember the scenes in "Titanic" where the experts show the old
Rose a computer model of how the "Titanic" sunk?. Well, now the creators
of those computer graphics have been working hard for weeks, and used a
lot of powerful computer hardware in the process, to give us a 15Mb
movie entitled "Sim Wars" which effectively combines "Titanic" and the
original "Star Wars" in a way that's not only hilarious, but the
graphics are just downright awesome too. Just click the link below, move
down the page to the 'Wednesday Jan. 27th' entry (you'll see a '20th
Century Sux' logo) and you'll find a list of mirror sites hosting the
MPG file. http://countingdown.com/starwars/

>     Residents of Northern California's Bay Area and Sacramento will be
able to order PIZZA HUT pizzas over the Internet this Sunday, with the
new ORDERPIZZAHUT.COM website. Upon visiting the site, consumers are
guided through the PIZZA HUT menu, and orders can be delivered
immediately, or later in the day if so requested.
http://www.orderpizzahut.com

>     CBS.COM has teamed up with LOGITECH to offer the BIG ASS CAM, a
live, 24-hour-a-day Internet video feed of the inner-workings of the ED
SULLIVAN Theatre and LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN. "If you spot Dave
naked," says Executive Producer Rob Burnett, "you win a car."
http://www.cbs.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     THE BEN STILLER SHOW's Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Andy Dick,
Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Judd Apatow, and John O'Donohue will reunite
at the HBO-sponsored U.S. COMEDY ARTS FESTIVAL, March 3rd through 7th.
As previously announced, SCTV will reunite at the event as well, and
both James L. Brooks (As Good As It Gets, The Simpsons) and Neil Simon
will be honored with awards. Tickets for the Colorado event can be
ordered online or by calling 1-800-778-4633. http://www.uscaf.com

>     The Dave Foley (Newsradio, Kids in the Hall, Blast from the Past)
comedy THE WRONG GUY will screen at the U.S. COMEDY ARTS FESTIVAL in
Aspen, Colorado, in March. Foley plays an office worker who
unnecessarily becomes a fugitive when he thinks he's accused of murder.
He co-wrote the comedy, which I'm pretty sure has only screened in
Poland, with David Higgins (ELLEN's Joe), who also stars, and it was
directed by David Steinberg (Seinfeld, Friends).

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     This week at TOY FAIR, TODD McFARLANE Entertainment will be
showcasing selections from its eleven new lines of action figures,
including its AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME line, a YELLOW
SUBMARINE line of BEATLES figures, and a new MOVIE MANIACS line that
includes Michael Meyers (Halloween), PUMPKINHEAD, CHUCKY w/bride, and
THE CROW. A few waves of SPAWN figures should be released over the year,
and a 3rd season of the SPAWN animated series made up of two trilogy
stories will premiere on HBO in May. http://www.spawn.com

>     The TOY MANIA site has posted its pre-TOY FAIR coverage, offering
images of potential toys expected to be unveiled at the show, such as a
line of 9" AUSTIN POWERS figures (Austin, Dr. Evil; both with cloth
clothes), a CURSE OF THE SPAWN line (Raenis, Zeus, Medusa, Mr.
Obersmith, Jessica Priest, Spawn, and the deluxe [boxed] figure The
Dessicator) from McFARLANE Toys, new lines of XENA, RESIDENT EVIL 2, and
DARKSTALKERS from TOY BIZ, as well as Alex Ross-illustrated images of a
possible EARTH X line of figures (Goddess Thor, Captain America, Machine
Man, Hulk & Bruce Banner, and the Brothers Grimm), and new GODZILLA and
WAR PLANETS offerings from TRENDMASTERS. http://www.toymania.com
http://www.toymania.com/news/pre99/pretrendmstr.shtml

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     PEARSON TV and WORLD Entertainment are teaming up to launch a
chain of BAYWATCH-themed restaurants. A restaurant in South Beach, Miami
will open by this summer, with locations in Las Vegas and New York
following by the end of the year.

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - OSCARS - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Kevin Spacey and Academy President Robert Rehme gathered this
morning, a little after 5:30am PT (or what I call "bedtime"), to
announce the nominees in the 71st ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS. The ceremony
itself will air live, with Whoopi Goldberg hosting, on Sunday (a first),
March 21st at 5:30pm PT. 281 films were eligible for nominations. Not to
belittle any particular category, but the more high profile nominations
are listed below.  The rest can be found at the Oscar site.
http://www.oscar.com

----> Best Picture
  ELIZABETH
  LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
  SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  THE THIN RED LINE

----> Actor in a Leading Role
  Roberto Benigni in LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
  Tom Hanks in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
  Ian McKellen in GODS AND MONSTERS
  Nick Nolte in AFFLICTION
  Edward Norton in AMERICAN HISTORY X

----> Actor in a Supporting Role
  James Coburn in AFFLICTION
  Robert Duvall in A CIVIL ACTION
  Ed Harris in THE TRUMAN SHOW
  Geoffrey Rush in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  Billy Bob Thornton in A SIMPLE PLAN

----> Actress in a Leading Role
  Cate Blanchett in ELIZABETH
  Fernanda Montenegro in CENTRAL STATION
  Gwyneth Paltrow in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  Meryl Streep in ONE TRUE THING
  Emily Watson in HILARY AND JACKIE

----> Actress in a Supporting Role
  Kathy Bates in PRIMARY COLORS
  Brenda Blethyn in LITTLE VOICE
  Judi Dench in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  Rachel Griffiths in HILARY AND JACKIE
  Lynn Redgrave in GODS AND MONSTERS

----> Art Direction
  ELIZABETH
  PLEASANTVILLE
  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
  SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

----> Cinematography
  A CIVIL ACTION
  ELIZABETH
  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
  SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  THE THIN RED LINE

----> Directing
  LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
  SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  THE THIN RED LINE
  THE TRUMAN SHOW

----> Screenplay - Original
  BULWORTH
  LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
  SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  THE TRUMAN SHOW

----> Screenplay - Adaptation
  GODS AND MONSTERS
  OUT OF SIGHT
  PRIMARY COLORS
  A SIMPLE PLAN
  THE THIN RED LINE

----> Original Musical or Comedy Score
  A BUG'S LIFE
  MULAN
  PATCH ADAMS
  THE PRINCE OF EGYPT
  SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

----> Original Dramatic Score
  ELIZABETH
  LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
  PLEASANTVILLE
  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
  THE THIN RED LINE

----> Original Song
  "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from ARMAGEDDON
  "The Prayer" from QUEST FOR CAMELOT
  "A Soft Place to Fall" from THE HORSE WHISPERER
  "That'll Do" from BABE: PIG IN THE CITY
  "When You Believe" from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT

----> Sound
  ARMAGEDDON
  THE MASK OF ZORRO
  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
  SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
  THE THIN RED LINE

----> Visual Effects
  ARMAGEDDON
  MIGHTY JOE YOUNG
  WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Its taken a long time but at last, a film version of "Dungeons and
Dragons" is finally in the works according to the 'Hollywood Reporter'.
This $28 million dollar live-action version will be the directorial
debut of Courtney Solomon, and is based on a script by Topper Lilien and
Carroll Cartwright. The story follows an evil wizard plotting to
dethrone the new young empress because she believes in equal rights for
everyone, and so a thief and a young sorceress must team-up to find an
ancient artifact to save her highness. As for special effects, its said
to include 10 different creatures, and a final battle scene that
features 75 dragons on the screen simultaneously.

>     Final Fantasy the Moive: Its - well its just wow. The Gaming
Intelligence Agency has scored a coup, obtaining a movie clip from the
computer-animated feature which is believed to contain the most
photo-realistic computer-animated humans ever seen. Does it live up to
the hype? Why not see for yourself. Just go to
http://www.gaming-intelligence.com/features/ffmovie/ffmoviemedia3.html
which contains numerous mirror links to the 9 Megabyte MPG clip.  Also
check out the image at http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/fantasy.jpg for
a still of one of the female characters. No that's not an actress your
looking at. Hundreds of people are at work with the latest computers to
create this project which is still at least a year or more likely two
away. There'll be many exciting scenes including the Brad Pitt look
alike hero 'Grey' in a high speed hoverbike chase through New York City,
and even murmurs of a CG-animated love scene.

>     The 'St. Pete Times' reports that Gary Oldman has been taken out
of the cast of the thriller FOREVER MINE - his part is being given to
Ray Liotta. The film's story follows a politician (Liotta) whose wife
(Gretchen Mol) has an affair with a young man (Joseph Fiennes), and for
the next 15 years Liotta slowly extracts revenge on them. No word on why
Oldman was replaced has been given as yet, filming continues in Florida
until the 20th when the production moves further north to Toronto and
New York.

>     Asterix & Obelix vs. Caesar: That famous blond Gaul stormed the
French box-office on Friday. According to Variety, the live-action
adaptation of the Asterix comic books opened with a record-shattering
$2.8 million first-day gross. Estimates have given the film an estimate
of being viewed by 2 million cinema patrons in its first week, the film
itself will need to be seen by over 5 million French citizens in its
entire domestic run if it is to break even. Critics have given a
lukewarm reaction to the film, though it is proving a hit with the under
14's who are expected to help make this a major success.

>     Eyes Wide Shut: At LAST, some very juicy info on Kubrick's drama
from a reliable source in the UK. Having spotted Kubrick on several
occasions, 'Masonry' apparently managed to get chatting with one of the
main crew members after Kubrick finished his conversation with the
person. Seems even though everyone signed non-discolsure contracts, cast
& crew have been talking about the project anyway - and here's the
information gleaned from the chat:  "For many of the highly-charged sex
scenes between Kidman and Cruise (which may or may not make it into the
finished film), there were usually only a crew of six or seven people,
including Kubrick, in the room. Kidman and Cruise filmed scenes where
they cross-dress, shoot morphine, vomit copiously and have full-blown
screaming, raging rows that include punches being thrown and furniture
being hurled. The crew for most of the shooting averaged on only a dozen
or so people or less (crews on major productions can rise from 40 to
almost 200 people on average) putting doubts to the rumored budget
blow-out to $100 million or more. Kubrick always intended to spend a
year or so filming, and Kidman, Cruise and others knew this all along.
Kubrick had been planning to film an 'adult-porno-drama' like this for
almost 40 years, originally conceiving the idea whilst watching his
first porno film in a London theatre with Dr Strangelove co-writer Terry
Southern in the early 1960s. Kubrick has considered cutting a special
X-rated version of Eyes Wide Shut for special screenings in a small
number of cinemas in major cities following the general release of the
film in July."

>     The legal web that has enshrouded SPIDER-MAN for so long is
beginning to untangle.  For those new to the situation, basically
Director James Cameron ("Titanic", "Aliens") has been trying to develop
a film version of the "Spider-Man" comic for almost a decade now, but
has been unable to because of legal reasons. The film rights were held
by Carolco Pictures - a production company which collapsed in 1992, and
since then various parties have all claimed a stake in the legal rights
to the franchise, grinding any form of production on the project to a
halt. Now we come to the present - Marvel Entertainment (who owns the
comics) have been trying to get the rights back from the two parties
left claiming ownership - MGM and Sony. Today, Variety reports that a
summary judgement was issued on Wednesday dismissing MGM's claims it had
proprietary rights make a live-action feature of the superhero. MGM will
of course appeal, but many feel this is the first major crack to appear
in the 'legal shield' surrounding the project. Can Cameron still develop
it? Well if Sony's claim is dismissed, then Marvel gets the rights, and
if they sell them to FOX (who Cameron has a deal with) - production
would likely get underway very quickly.

>     With Marvel Entertainment emerging from its debilitating
bankruptcy, the status of several projects based on Marvel works is
becoming clearer: 20th Century Fox and Marvel have pacted to extend the
studio’s control of the feature film rights to three projects based on
Marvel’s “X-Men,” “Fantastic Four” and “Silver Surfer.” Fox is currently
in pre-production for a summer start on “X-Men,” which will be helmed by
Bryan Singer and produced by Richard Donner and Lauren Shuler Donner.
Fox intends a 2000 release for the superhero pic. Fox next intends to go
before the cameras on “Fantastic Four,” which it is actively developing
with an eye toward a late 2000 or, more likely, a 2001 release. Chris
Columbus’ 1492 Pictures and Bernd Eichinger are producing. Eichinger is
also producing “Silver Surfer,” which is being developed as Fox’s
possible third entry in the Marvel stakes.

>     Variety reports that Charlize Theron ("Devil's Advocate") and Gary
Sinise ("Forrest Gump") are set to join Ben Affleck on "Reindeer Games",
a crime drama from "Ronin" director John Frankenheimer. Theron is the
film's female lead and counterpart to Affleck, who plays an ex-con who
becomes drawn into a casino robbery. Shooting begins in March once
Affleck wraps up work on "Boiler Room".

>     The brand-new full trailer is here for the sci-fi thriller "The
Matrix", courtesy of the Official Site.  I am REALLY looking forward to
this film!!!  Check it out at http://www.whatisthematrix.com

>     It's official. March 12th has been set as the US release date for
the film adaption of the "Wing Commander" computer game series. With
just a month to go, there's still surprise from various corners that a
trailer has yet to emerge - but expect one to do so very soon. One thing
likely to get people to check the film out though is that its apparently
looking set to have the new "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" trailer
attached to it.

>     The World is Not Enough (007): Bentz Boats has apparently landed a
contract to build 15 luxury gondolas for a 10-minute action sequence in
the upcoming Bond film (most likely the opening sequence). There'll only
be one vehicle up on screen, but because of the amount of stunts (ie.
jumps, fast turns) most are expected to be wrecked when the sequence is
finished shooting (in fact most are just empty hulls used for launching
into the air and/or exploding). Bentz is a boats company specialising in
building fast boats that can carry large payloads. The boat will look
quite different in the movie, as special effects teams are set to add
all sorts of weaponry and rocket/missile launchers to the hull. Also
being used are several 12ft & 14ft jet-powered craft (for the baddies)
which will be doing all sorts of actions (stunt co-ordinators are trying
out mid-air barrel rolls right now).

>     Duke Nukem - The Movie: At last some concrete details are emerging
on the film version of this hit computer game about one man defending
the world from aliens. Producer Lawrence Kasanoff (T2, "Mortal Kombat")
has said the script is almost complete, with Threshold Entertainment
likely to start production in a little over six months. No-one has been
cast in the role as yet, the story hasn't been revealed either but is
not based on any single game - rather borrowing concepts from the
various versions (very likely the new 'DN: Zero Hour' edition being used
the most). Kasanoff says "The whole movie is very true to the Duke
games, Like we did with Mortal Kombat, we're making whatever movie
adjustments have to be made. It's a movie where a lot of the impetus
happens because someone is messing around with Duke's strippers, that's
what sets the whole movie in motion".

>     EW.Com reports that Wesley Snipes has signed to reprise the role
of 'Blade' in the sequel to last year's action hit. Made for an
economical $45 million, "Blade" went on to garner $122 million worldwide
in ticket sales and is expected to go even better on video. It's also
Snipes' second biggest box-office hit after "White Men Can't Jump".

>     Coming Attractions landed a very interesting sounding scoop.
According to their source, Director Richard Donner has made a proposal
for a Batman-Superman teamup film in order to kickstart both ailing
franchises. Who does he have in mind for the lead roles? Mel Gibson as
the Bat and Daniel Day-Lewis as the Supes. (Okay, everyone, your groans
are deafening…)  The following day, Cinescape contacted Donner's
production company who claimed no knowledge of the project. CA is
sticking by its guns, saying they don't have any proof but their source
is reliable. Reports in the trades today though revealed WB is still
searching for a director for the "Superman Lives" project, with names
like Shekhar Kapur ("Elizabeth"), Simon West ("Con Air") and Steve
Norrington ("Blade") at the top of their list. This proves they are
still developing the stand-alone "Superman" project (so is it likely a
"World's Finest" project would be made at the same time? doubtful,
though that doesn't rule out the possibility of this one being made).

>     IGN.PSX reports that Madonna has secured the American film rights
to 'Parasite Eve', a story which started off as a Japanese novel, was
turned into a Japanese film and is now a bestselling Playstation
videogame. The story follows a female NYPD officer who must stop a
psychotic, genetically mutated villainess from destroying not only NYC
but the world via DNA manipulation. No word on who is writing,
directing, producing or even funding the project – though developments
are expected to get underway shortly.

>     It's been a while since anything new has happened with the 'Tomb
Raider' movie project, but here’s some possible new info: Akiva Goldsman
(Lost in Space, A Time to Kill) is rumored to be co-scripting duties for
"Tomb Raider: The Movie" along-side Luc Besson. Luc Besson is also
rumored to be directing the Paramount Picture. Filming is expected to
start this summer for a late summer 2000 release.  Take it for what its
worth.

>     Mel Gibson is negotiating to star in the Revolutionary War drama
"Patriot." If talks work out, Gibson could be firing his musket by
summer. Roland Emmerich ("Godzilla") is directing the Columbia Pictures
project from a script by Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan"). The film
is being eyed as a major summer 2000 release. The lead is a family man
and civilian who becomes a reluctant but ultimately fierce warrior.

>     Mission to Mars: Is "Mission: Impossible" and "Snake Eyes"
Director Brian DePalma doing sci-fi? You'd better believe it. According
to the Hollywood Reporter, DePalma is in talks to helm the thriller
"Mission to Mars" for Disney now that Director Gore Verbinski has
dropped out (due to budgetary and creative differences). The story
involves the first manned mission to Mars, but upon arrival they send
out an alert and promptly vanish. A second team is dispatched to find
out what happened and rescue any survivors. Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump,
Apollo 13, The Green Mile) will reportedly play the hero.  The brilliant
Don Cheadle (Boogie Nights, The Rat Pack) is also in talks to star in
the film, which is scheduled to open in Summer 2000.

>     End of Days: Some great shots of Big Arnie on the set of the
supernatural action flick "End of Days" can be seen at the link below.
Filming on the flick wraps up in the next few weeks, and is still set
for a Fall 1999 release. http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/end.jpg

>     Arnold Schwarzenegger is in serious talks to revive the epic
action film "Crusade" with producer-financier Arnon Milchan. If a deal
can be struck, Milchan likely would make the film under his overall
arrangement at 20th Century Fox. It's unclear who Schwarzenegger and
Milchan would choose to direct, though Paul Verhoeven is interested,
five years after he nearly directed Schwarzenegger when the film was to
be financed by Carolco. Long considered one of the best unproduced
scripts of recent years, the Walon Green-penned "Crusade" has a
fascinating history that ended up with Schwarzenegger himself owning the
project. Schwarzenegger long has been expected to play the hero, Hagen,
a reluctant warrior who begins the film as a prisoner set to die. He's
freed when he burns the image of the cross into his back during a visit
by the pope, and he's drafted to recapture Jerusalem. The 11th century
drama has shades of both "Conan the Barbarian'' and "Braveheart."  The
link below leads to an early promo poster for CRUSADE, made back when
this project was first planned.
http://pnmp.simplenet.com/posters/c/Crusade.gif

>     20th Century Fox is close to a deal to pick up "The Stanford
Prison Experiment." Leonardo DiCaprio is attached to star and Lee
Tamahori attached to direct. The screenplay is based on an actual
experiment conducted at Stanford University in the summer of 1971, when
a professor named Phil Zimburdo turned the basement of a psychology
building into a mock prison. The randomly chosen subjects were 19- and
20-year-old students who were divided into camps of either prison guards
or prisoners. What was to be a two-week experiment was cut short after
six days because of the level of cruelty and sadism that erupted among
the participants, mainly those playing guards.

>     Nicolas Cage has joined the $20 million club. Variety reports that
the actor has signed on to star in the remake of the 1974 car chase
thriller "Gone in 60 Seconds". Not only is he set to receive that
plentiful paycheck but also 15% of the film's gross profits. Cage will
play the leader of a group of thieves trying to steal 50 cars from a
shady Middle Eastern car dealer, the only catch being that another gang
of thieves are trying to do the same thing. The updated remake was
written by Scott Rosenberg ("Con Air") and will be produced by Jerry
Bruckheimer who wants to start production in the next few months.

>     Ralf Moeller (“Batman and Robin”) has joined the cast of
DreamWorks’ “Gladiator” which begins shooting in the U.K. and Morocco
later this month. Moeller plays the role of the lead gladiator opposite
Russell Crowe, Djimon Hounsou and Joaquin Phoenix in the Ridley
Scott-helmed actioner.

>     Clive Barker ("Candyman”) is putting together a new pic that will
form the basis of a horror franchise for New Line Cinema. The pic, which
has a working title of “American Horror,” will see the author and
filmmaker returning to the director’s chair for the first time since
1995’s “Lord of Illusions.” According to Barker, the pic is an attempt
to create an American-set horror epic of the magnitude of such classic
European fare as “Dracula” and “Frankenstein.”

>     TODD McFARLANE Entertainment has announced their company will
supervise the scripting process and the character design of a feature
film based on the video game DOOM. http://www.spawn.com

>     Jackie Chan ("Rush Hour") will reunite with New Line on the comedy
action film "Nosebleed." The Asian action hero will play a window washer
at the World Trade Center who takes a fancy to a waitress who works at
the Windows of the World restaurant atop the center. The pair
subsequently get caught up in a plot to bomb the twin towers. New Line
paid an initial $600,000 for Stu Zicherman and Raven Metzner's pitch,
with the deal potentially worth $850,000 if the film is made. Chan is
attached to star and serve as an executive producer.

>     VARIETY reports Jackie Chan will star in the SPYGLASS
Entertainment production of SHANGHAI NOON, a DISNEY film which bears
uncanny resemblance to Chan's RUSH HOUR. Set in the 19th century, Chan
will play a man who travels from China to the wild west, teaming up with
a train robber to rescue a kidnapped princess and take down a Chinese
traitor. Commercial director Tom Dey will make his feature debut on the
film.

>     DAILY VARIETY has confirmed news of WARNER BROS. remaking WILLY
WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, adding that Scott Frank (Out of Sight,
Minority Report) has been hired to write the script. The film, which is
being done in cooperation with the estate of Roald Dahl and is expected
to be closer to the children's novel it's based on, is rumored to star
Nicolas Cage as Wonka. http://www.variety.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Leonardo DiCaprio has
committed to star in GANGS OF NEW YORK, a drama developed at WALT DISNEY
Pictures by director Martin Scorsese and writer Jay Cocks (Strange
Days). Furthermore, Robert De Niro is now in talks to co-star, reuniting
with DiCaprio for the first time since 1993's THIS BOY'S LIFE. The film
is expected to be a co-venture between DISNEY and WARNER BROS., with
Scorsese beginning production this fall.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     IN PICTURES has acquired the North American distribution rights to
IN SEARCH OF KUNDUN WITH MARTIN SCORSESE, a documentary by Michael H.
Wilson chronicling the making of Scorsese's Dalai Lama biopic. IN SEARCH
OF will open in New York this April.

>     VARIETY reports Ryan Phillipe (54, Playing by Heart), Alan Cumming
(Cabaret), and Anthony LaPaglia (A View From The Bridge) will star in
COMPANY MEN, along with Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro, and
co-writer/co-director Doug McGrath (Emma). The film is about a 1960s
high school grammar teacher who gets wrapped up in a plot to overthrow
Fidel Castro.

>     Janeane Garofalo has joined the cast of the ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE
feature film, joining Robert De Niro, Rene Russo, Jason Alexander, and
other recent cast addition, Piper Perabo (White Boys).

>     PIXAR Animation Studios has announced it has developed
PIXARVISION, a laser recording system used for converting digital
computer data into images on motion picture film stock with
unprecedented quality. The innovative system, which was tested on
PIXAR's A BUG'S LIFE and will be used again on this Thanksgiving's TOY
STORY sequel, allows for higher quality color reproduction, sharper
images, and a record speed over 4-times faster than traditional
CRT-based systems. http://www.pixar.com

>     A bald Mel Gibson began shooting writer Bono and director Wim
Wenders' MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL this past week.

>     The trades report Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin have met with
FOX a number of times in the past couple of months to talk about making
a sequel to INDEPENDENCE DAY. http://www.centropolis.com
http://www.eonmagazine.com

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Charlton Heston has
joined the cast of Oliver Stone's again-untitled football drama, playing
the film's football commissioner. Additionally, IN THE COMPANY OF MEN's
Aaron Eckhart has replaced Tony Goldwyn (Tarzan, Kiss the Girls) as the
team's offensive coordinator, Lela Rochon (Waiting to Exhale) will play
the girlfriend of Jamie Foxx, and Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line) plays
Al Pacino's son.

>     MAD TV's Orlando Jones has joined filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson
(Boogie Nights)'s San Fernando Valley epic MAGNOLIA. He joins an
ensemble cast that includes Tom Cruise, William H. Macy, Julliane Moore,
Philip Baker Hall, Alfred Molina, John C. Reilly, April Grace, Phillip
Seymour Hoffman, Ricky Jay, and Jason Robards.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, William H. Macy (ER, Fargo),
Neve Campbell, and Donald Sutherland are in final talks to star in
PANIC, an indie film by MAD CHANCE Productions and VAULT Inc. about a
man (Macy) trying to get out of the murder-for-hire family business.
Former HOMICIDE: LotS co-executive producer Henry Bromell will make his
directorial debut with the film.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Rod Steiger will make his
directorial debut with THANKSGIVING, an indie film by ZETA and CUTTING
EDGE Entertainment about three senior men who come together for the
holidays. Steiger, who also stars in the film, has additionally told
syndicated columnist Cindy Pearlman that he has been getting together
with Liz Taylor twice a week to help her prepare for the WIZARD OF OZ
"sequel" DOROTHY AND OZ, about a 60+ year-old Dorothy who returns to a
more-human Oz after her husband dies. Steiger will play a gangster
Cowardly Lion in the film.

>     Joan Collins will play Wilma Flinstone's mother in UNIVERSAL's
FLINTSTONES prequel THE FLINTSTONES IN VIVA ROCK VEGAS.

>     A couple of new details have come out on Joel Silver and Robert
Zemeckis' new DARK CASTLE Entertainment... In their own words, DARK
CASTLE has been created in association with "the spirit of the late
William Castle," the man behind such '50s and '60s horror films as
ROSEMARY'S BABY, MACABRE, 13 GHOSTS, and the original HOUSE ON HAUNTED
HILL. Additionally, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, a remake of the Vincent Price
horror flick (not to be confused with Jan De Bont’s upcoming THE
HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE) will begin production in Los Angeles this
Friday. Directed by William Malone, the film follows the story of five
strangers who will each receive one million dollars if they spend the
night in a haunted house, which they learn was once an insane asylum
headed by a deranged doctor, possibly played by Marilyn Manson... The
film is set to star Geoffrey Rush (Shine, Shakespeare in Love),
Elizabeth Hurley (Ed TV, Austin Powers) and according to The HOLLYWOOD
REPORTER, Famke Janssen (Goldeneye) is close to signing on.

>     MIGHTY JOE YOUNG will quickly reach the home video market when
it's released on March 23rd, a little over three months after its
theatrical release. Also on its way it's A BUG'S LIFE on April 20th,
complete with both sets of "bloopers," and PIXAR's Academy Award-winning
1997 short GERI'S GAME.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The crew of Voyager find a wormhole heading home on a new STAR
TREK: VOYAGER premiering this Wednesday night at 9 on UPN. And next week
is the special two-hour episode introducing the Borg Queen to the TV
show, as Seven of Nine is re-assimilated into the Borg Collective.

>     Tiffani-Amber Thiessen (BH90210, Saved by the Bell) guest stars on
what may be the last episode of ABC's CUPID, this Thursday night at 9 on
ABC.

ABC will present its AND THE BEAT GOES ON: THE SONNY AND CHER STORY
original TV movie the night of Monday, February 22nd, at 9pm, as part of
THE ABC MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE. The two-hour presentation stars Jay
Underwood (Afterglow) as Sonny, and relative newcomer Renee Faia
(Wishmaster, ER, Seinfeld) as Cher, in a story based on Bono's AND THE
BEAT GOES ON autobiography, and it features a number of songs from the
duo's greatest hits album. BEAT GOES ON also stars Christian Leffler
(Drinking Games) as Phil Spector, Bruce Nozick (Mad Dog Coll) as Art
Rupe, and Tom Frykman as David Letterman.

>     Comedian Louie Anderson will host a new FAMILY FEUD launching in
syndication this fall.

>     FOX is expected to announce its Saturday morning line-up for the
fall any day now, and it's believed to include both an animated AVENGERS
series based on the MARVEL Comics series, and a BIG GUY AND RUSTY THE
BOY ROBOT animated series based on Frank Miller & Geoff Darrow's
creation. Jonathan Cook (Flirting with Disaster) voices Big Guy, Pamela
Segall (King of the Hill, The Facts of Life) voices Rusty, Jim Hanks
(Forrest Gump) voices Duane Hunter, and the show also features vocal
contributions from Steven Root (Newsradio, KotH), Kathy Kinney (The Drew
Carey Show), R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket), M. Emmet Walsh (Blade
Runner), Clancy Brown (Starship Troopers), and Gabrielle Carteris
(Beverly Hills 90210).

>     Buffy accidentally takes her first human casualty on BUFFY THE
VAMPIRE SLAYER, Tuesday night at 8 on the WB, after a new Watcher (Alex
Denisof) leads her and Faith to make foolish choices.

>     Matthew McConaughey (Dazed and Confused, Ed TV, U-571) lends his
voice to a new KING OF THE HILL, Tuesday night at 8, playing Luanne's
new boyfriend.

>     Brian Dennehy returns to JUST SHOOT ME this Tuesday at 9 on NBC,
but trouble ensues when his character (Finch's father) gets engaged to
Nina (Wendy Malick). Wedding bells are tolling all through NBC's
schedule, as this week includes Don proposing to Sally on THIRD ROCK and
Will being pressured by his mother (guest star Debbie Reynolds) to
propose to Grace on WILL & GRACE, and then next week is the FRIENDS
episode in which Chandler proposes to Monica.

>     Chris Elliott (There's Something About Mary, Dilbert) guest stars
on HBO's TRACEY TAKES ON... this Wednesday night at 10, as Tracey takes
on the subject of books. The episode also has Tracey characters Fern
going to extreme measures to get back an autographed copy of VALLEY OF
THE DOLLS and Linda mistaking Chekhov for STAR TREK's CHEKHOV'S
ENTERPRISE at a book reading.

>     ULTIMATE TV is reporting Julianna Margulies has announced she'll
leave the cast of ER when her contract with the NBC medical drama ends
next season. Margulies claims she is homesick for New York and wishes to
return to work in theater, but an NBC spokesperson has commented that
"All she said is that she is leaving when her contract expires and
that's a year and a half away. A lot can happen in a year and a half."
If Margulies does leave the show, she'd make her departure in May 2000.
http://www.ultimatetv.com

>     VARIETY reports George Clooney will write and executive produce
the pilot for a potential HBO series entitled KILROY. It's a
single-camera, pseudo-reality comedy about an aspiring 22-year-old actor
seeking work in Hollywood, who will seek out roles and get on bit parts
on real TV series, actually guest starring on the real episodes of the
show his character is working on. http://www.variety.com

>     COMICCON.COM reports COLUMBIA TRISTAR Children's Television has
picked up the option to make an animated series based on Mike Baron and
Steve Rude's NEXUS comic series about a super-powered man acting as an
executioner for a supreme being. Rude will produce the series, and Baron
may write some of the episodes. Additionally, the articles mentions
COLUMBIA TRISTAR has optioned the Moebius & Dan O'Bannon story THE LONG
TOMORROW for a possible syndicated series, which O'Bannon has written a
pilot script and bible for. http://www.comicon.com
http://www.starwatcher.org/rude.html

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Glen Morgan and James Wong
are developing a techno-medical drama for FOX's fall schedule set in a
Center for Disease Control-type of environment. Morgan and Wong created
FOX's SPACE: ABOVE & BEYOND, are executive producers on MILLENNIUM, and
producers on THE X-FILES. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     Last Friday’s episode of HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS was a
crossover with HOMICIDE: THE SECOND SHIFT, the on-line HOMICIDE series
starring Michael Ornstein and Murphy Guyer. Entitled "Homicide.com," the
episode has Sheppard and Bayliss teaming up with Bonaventura (Ornstein)
and Austin (Guyer) to solve a murder which was broadcast over the
Internet. Elements of the show, such as the webcast "murder," are
already available at the site, and the episode continues with updates at
the site on the 12th and 19th. HOMICIDE airs on NBC at 10pm.
http://www.homicide.com

>     WCW wrestler Sting has signed on to star in the TNT cable movie
SHUTTER SPEED, an action-cop story which may spin-off into an ongoing
series, if successful.

>     An episode of NASH BRIDGES premiering on CBS February 26th at 10pm
is based on a story by gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson (Fear and
Loathing..., The Rum Diary), about a gang of steroid-popping
bodybuilders terrorizing the streets of San Francisco. "Stone Cold"
Steve Austin guest stars on the episode, playing an undercover cop.

>     John Larroquette (Night Court, The Practice)'s FAWLTY TOWERS
makeover PAYNE will premiere in MAGGIE WINTERS' Wednesday 8pm timeslot
on CBS, March 24th.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     David Bowie and a reunited SPLIT ENZ are among the first acts to
commit to performing GISBORNE 2000 this New Year's Eve in Gisborne City,
New Zealand. With the way the sun rises, the city will be the first to
greet the new millennium on January 1st, and an epic 24-hour celebration
is shaping up around the festivities. http://www.gisborne2000.co.nz

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     COMIC WIRE reports DARK HORSE Comics may revive a
previously-shelved project which would team up their new XENA: WARRIOR
PRINCESS with DC Comics' WONDER WOMAN.

>     NEWSARAMA has updated its report of Frank Miller's SIN CITY: HELL
AND BACK mini-series, adding it will run 6 to 10 issues, starting this
July. The story follows an interracial romance which results in trouble
when the beautiful female protagonist is kidnapped.

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     LEGOLAND.COM recently launched a sneak-peak of the LEGOLAND theme
park opening March 20th in Carlsbad, CA, at their website. The site
offers a virtual tour of the 128-acre park, with a close look at its
rides, attractions, restaurants, and shops, as well as notice on
education programs for schools and any employment opportunities.
http://www.legoland.com

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     This week at the 1999 AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR, WARNER
BROS. Consumer Products is displaying toys based on BATMAN BEYOND,
BABYLON 5, THE DREW CAREY SHOW, WILD WILD WEST, and THE IRON GIANT. The
licensees are being handled by different companies, for example, HASBRO
will handle the BATMAN BEYOND figures, while X-TOYS is doing the figures
and vehicles for WILD WILD WEST, and TRENDMASTERS will make the toys for
the WB animated film THE IRON GIANT.

>     TIGER Electronics have announced their plans for FURBY in 1999,
which include miniature-sized FURBY BABIES (communicates with both FURBY
BABIES and FURBIES; in stores this May for a suggested $29.99), bean bag
plush toy FURBY BUDDIES (spring; suggested $4.99), a different
assortment of FURBY fur colors and patterns (Brown with White Stripes,
White with Black Spots, Tipped Gray and Silver, Beige with Brown Spots,
Brown and White with Black Stripes), special limited edition FURBYS
(Spring Furby, Graduation Furby, Autumn Furby, Holiday Furby), the FURBY
IR TALKER (allows you to communicate with your FURBY or FURBY BABIES
through infrared; April; suggested $14.99), the ELECTRONIC SLEEPY TIME
BED! (lulls FURBY to sleep; spring; suggested $8.99), and the FURBY
CARRY ALONG (spring; suggested $7.99-$9.99). And don't believe the
rumors you may've heard about TIGER being sued by WARNER BROS. for a
supposed resemblance between FURBY and the Mogwai from GREMLINS... Both
TIGER and WB have denied it, and as WB has a close relationship with
TIGER owner HASBRO, there have even been rumors about a possible Mogwai
FURBY being released, but again, those are only rumors...
http://www.tigertoys.com http://www.furby.com

>     This spring, TIGER Electronics will release the E-YO!, an
interactive electronic yo-yo. The E-YO! features a four-digit LCD screen
which measures the average speed of the spinning, the cumulative
distance traveled, the average sleep time of the yo-yo, and the
cumulative number of times its been thrown and caught.

>     Later this year, PLAYMATES Toys will release a line of 9" TOMB
RAIDER collectible action figures, as well as a talking 12" Lara Croft,
with fabric clothing, rooted hair, and realistic-feeling skin.
http://www.playmatestoys.com

>     1998's top-selling doll was PLAYMATES' AMAZING AMY, and they'll
follow it up this year with AMAZING ALLY, a new interactive doll
destined to become every little girl's best friend. Whereas AMY had over
10,000 phrases in her vocabulary, could make requests, and would
recognize if the request was fulfilled, ALLY will additionally be able
to tell stories, sing songs, and play games, with virtual adventures for
tea parties, or pretending to be a princess or veterinarian.  Is there
any doubt we are nearing a future filled with robots??

>     21st CENTURY Toys will unveil its MISFITS action figures this
Tuesday at TOY FAIR, based on the members of the legendary punk band.
The initial line includes figures of bassist Jerry Only and guitarist
Doyle Von Frankenstein. Other than an appearance at the unveiling, The
MISFITS are currently in the studio recording their ROADRUNNER Records'
follow-up to 1997's "American Psycho" for release this summer.

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-



------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

Before we start, BIG apologies for the lateness of this issue... (that'd
explain why its so fat...).  Boy's gotta make himself a living,
though... video game's don't animate themselves and comic book scripts
don't grow on comic-book-trees...
                              Won't happen again,
                                         -skullboy

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Funeral services are being held today for film critic Gene Siskel.
The skinny half of the famed Siskel & Ebert duo died Saturday at age 53,
finally severing a partnership that contentious argument and heated
rivalry could not. It was Roger Ebert pays tribute to his colleague:
"For the first five years that we knew each other, Gene Siskel and I
hardly spoke," Ebert wrote in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times. "Then it
seemed like we never stopped."  Ebert plans to host a solo edition of
the team's popular syndicated review show next week. It'll be a tribute
to Siskel.

>     As of this week, the character of Jack McPhee is "out" on Dawson's
Creek--and so is series (and Scream) creator Kevin Williamson. "I'm a
workaholic, so I never did The Advocate cover route because I wanted to
speak through my work," he tells the New York Daily News.

>     Affidavits filed in the case of four former workers versus a top
plastic surgeon claim the doc ridiculed his famous clients while they
were under anesthesia, the New York Post says. Among other charges, the
papers claim the doctor "obscenely manipulated" a snoozing Michael
Jackson's penis to see if the popster had a "distinctive identifying
mark."

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     It's been weeks since the Vanity Fair STAR WARS pictorial and
since then nothing much interesting from the Prequel has really
surfaced....till now. This image was sent into TheForce.Net, and is
just...wow an amazing shot of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Darth Maul
dueling. Go to http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/sw1-12.jpg for a larger
version.  Meanwhile further trailer news has been revealed courtesy of
the Official Site. The upcoming 'full trailer' has a running time of
2mins 30sec, and while it will "continue in the same style of the
teaser", it will focus more on the larger plot of the film rather than
focussing on the young Anakin Skywalker which the teaser did. It is
"packed with new footage", and is currently being mixed. According to a
New York cinema employee who claims to have received a fax from FOX, "
the trailer will be sent out in the first week of March to be played on
films released on March 12th.  This confirms the "Wing Commander" rumour
from earlier in the week as it will also be released on the 12th.  New
one-sheets are also expected to be available at the same time, though
there was no new info about a new banner. The Force.Net got their hands
on a shot-by-shot description of the second trailer -- click the link
below for the description. As someone who has had the dubious honor of
reading the screenplay (Skullboy expressively thanks Da Man, Professor
Moriarty), we can vouch for at least the accuracy of the described shots
being in the film, if not in the final cut of the trailer.
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/swtrail2.htm

>     Ain't It Cool landed some great shots of stars like William H.
Macy, Janeane Garofalo, Ben Stiller and Hank Azaria in the upcoming
comedy "Mystery Men".  The fourth pic was uncovered by Cinescape and
gives us our first peek at the look of the villainous Dr. Casanova
Frankenstein (aka. Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush), and his two henchman
(one of which is Pras from "The Fugees"). The plot follows seven loser
'superhero wannabes' forced to teamup and attempt a rescue of the city's
real superhero 'Captain Amazing' (Greg Kinnear), whose been kidnapped by
the evil Doctor.
http://www.darkhorizons.com/1999/mystmen/men3.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/1999/mystmen/men4.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/1999/mystmen/men5.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/1999/mystmen/men6.jpg

>     THE THIN RED LINE was named best film (or the Golden Bear) at the
Berlin Film Festival. The Oscar-nominated World War II flick was also
cited for best cinematography at the 13th Annual American Society of
Cinematographers Awards.  Terrence Malick, the reclusive director of Red
Line, has since signed a three-picture deal with Sony's art-house unit.
It's not known whether he'll helm any of the projects.

>     While on the press circuit promoting "Cruel Intentions", Reese
Witherspoon mentioned that she has signed on to play the girlfriend of
the serial killer Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) in the controversial
film version of the infamous novel AMERICAN PSYCHO. March 1st is the
'start of filming' date for the movie adaption of the controversial
serial killer novel, but if civil rights groups in Toronto have their
way then there won't be a film at all, at least not being made in their
city. "The Toronto Sun" reports that 'Anti-violence' and 'victims
rights' groups in the Canadian city are reviewing city laws and various
court rulings in an effort to stop the project - by reason that it
violates obscenity laws. Production company Lions Gate Films have yet to
get a filming permit while these groups are urging City Hall not to
allow them that permit. The reason for all the hullabaloo was due to a
recent high profile murder case in the city, the book in question
(described as a "how to book for sadistic sex killers") being found on
the nightstand of Paul Bernardo - a man convicted of murdering and
raping two girls in Ontario. Director Mary Harron (who says she's a
feminist herself) has been responding to concerns though, saying many of
the graphic elements have been cut out with the film now more of a
psychological thriller.

>     In an official press release on Friday by the New South Wales
State Goverment, details about filming on "Mission: Impossible II" were
revealed. Budgeted at $80 million, the film will take 20 weeks to shoot
starting March 20th - 1/3 of which will be on sound stages within
Sydney's FOX Studios (where "The Matrix" and the next two "Star Wars"
Prequels will be shot). The rest will be shot in various locations
around the streets and harbour of Sydney, and the country town of Broken
Hill. Unlike recent films, the scenes shot in Sydney will be the actual
locations where the characters in the movie will be interacting rather
than pretending to be a generic city within America (ie. "Dark City",
"The Matrix"). One of the key action sequences will be shot around the
Governor Phillip and Macquarie Towers. Six major and 20 minor acting
roles will be filled by Australian actors, while up to 8,000 extras will
be needed on some scenes. Director John Woo hasn't left the project, as
was previously rumored, but he did refuse to continue if additional
money wasn't granted to him. He loved the screenplay, but wanted to beef
up the action sequences. An additional budget proposal was announced to
Paramount, and rejected. Right about now, Paramount is close to making
this picture a Summer 2000 release.

>     Word on a rumoured film based on the classic sci-fi series
"Battlestar Galactica" now seems to be solidifying. FX house Digital
Anvil, who've just completed work on the "Wing Commander" movie are
rumoured to be doing the FX for the film which begins shooting late
Summer in Luxemborg. No word on who is making it though its believed to
be either series creator Glen Larson or actor-turned-novelist Richard
Hatch. Todd Moyer's NO PRISONERS, the production and visual effects
company that supply the visual effects to the upcoming feature film,
will also soon work on a remake of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS for
DREAMWORKS, and a JERSEY/UNIVERSAL adaptation of Philip K. Dick's A
SCANNER DARKLY.

>     USA Today have mentioned some of the celebrities set to make
cameos in AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME. Talkshow host Jerry
Springer will be playing himself in a segment where Dr. Evil and his son
go onto the show to discuss their relationship. Burt Bacharach and Elvis
Costello will be singing a duet version of "I'll Never Fall in Love"
during the film. Willie Nelson and Sports Illustrated model Rebecca
Romijn-Stamos will make brief cameos, while Tim Robbins will play 'The
President'.

>     Wing Commander: Variety reports that 20th Century FOX is happy
enough with the final print of this film that they'll move ahead with
the planned wide release on March 12th. The movie, based on the top
selling sci-fi CD-ROM games, was originally intended to only have a
limited theatrical release and would for the most part pick up its cash
in video sales. Now this decision poises the film to open on about 1,500
screens in the US in the normally quiet March period.  MTV has started
playing a commercial for WING COMMANDER and the official site has posted
it – though in only RealVideo and a large sized AVI file.  The .avi and
a more manageable 4Mb MPG file are available to download below. Also, an
'international trailer' was briefly released on the Net but pulled very
quickly as it wasn't approved by FOX. But the great people at CIC have
stored a copy of it and just head to their site to catch it, as well as
a slew of other WC related pictures and items.
http://killerbees.simplenet.com/wcm/wingit.mpg
http://www.wcmovie.com/trailer/wingit.avi
http://www.wcnews.com/

>     DIGITAL ANVIL and CREATIVE LICENSING CONCEPTS have announced a
number of licensing deals for the March 12th release of the FOX's WING
COMMANDER feature film. The merchandise supporting the film will include
action figures and space ships from X-TOYS, a number of adult and young
adult novels by HARPERCOLLINS, a WING COMMANDER Collectors Magazine from
STARLOG, signed and limited edition art posters from HASSON FINE ART
Corp., masks and costumes from CINEMA SECRETS, collectible PILGRIM cross
jewelry from UNITED CUTLERY, children's bicycles and backpacks from RAND
International, and T-shirts and hats from ALTUF Sportswear.
http://www.origin.ea.com
http://www.digitalanvil.com
http://www.wcmovie.com

>     In TOTAL RECALL 2, Mars is green and Arnie’s Quaid again, only
he’s running around with a head full of Hauser’s memories. He’s
guaranteed more than a headache…  The details are very sketchy, but
Jonathan Frakes is definitely slated to direct and he’s stated that the
‘big man’ is also aboard. It certainly ties in nicely with final filming
Arnold’s latest movie, END OF DAYS.

>     It's now been announced that Mel Gibson is in talks to make a
movie based on the "classic" American prisoner of war camp comedy,
Hogan's Heroes. The original series ran for six years in the US, and was
based on a band of lovable prisoners of war and their zany scrapes with
the camp guards - including Colonel Klink, the commander of Stalag 13.
Gibson's already been responsible for the Maverick re-make. Now he
intends to star as Hogan.

>     Alex Proyas (Dark City, The Crow) has apparently signed with Fox
to direct screenwriter Jeff Vintar’s sci-fi murder mystery HARDWIRED.
Hard Wired is a futuristic murder mystery that reads a lot like a stage
play - only a handful of principal characters, and the whole story takes
place in just a few rooms inside the same building (although it could
never actually be a play because some of the visuals are just too far
out). The story surrounds the murder of a renowned research scientist
where the prime suspects are a robot and an AI computer. Or maybe it was
a suicide. Who knows? A detective from the FBI's AI division is assigned
to investigate, and a very convoluted and clever mystery unfolds.  No
cast or production date have been set yet.

>     Last October, rumors were spread that Catherine Zeta-Jones was in
the running for the role of the starlet in a remake of THE BLACK DAHLIA.
David Fincher (Seven, The Game) has been looking to helm this feature
for some time, and it appears he will do so after he finishes with THE
FIGHT CLUB. But if Fincher does make this picture next it's growing more
and more doubtful it'd ever make a 1999 release date. An overheard rumor
is that Fincher wants it filmed in black and white.

>     Rumors have started that the producers of FINAL FANTASY: THE MOVIE
are hoping to nab Ralph Fiennes to play the voice of the hero, Grey.
Christopher Walken is the fellow they want to voice the main villain,
while Steve Buscemi is hoped to play one of the supporting heroes.
They're looking for Frank Welker to play various other voices.

>     Jenna Elfman (Ed TV) is being considered for a leading role in
Steven Spielberg’s next project, MINORITY REPORT, possibly as the
romantic interest for Tom Cruise's character.  MINORITY is based on the
Philip K. Dick short story.

>     Rumor: The plot of the upcoming South Park movie will center on
the boys being sent to military school after insulting their teacher Mr.
Garrison. Eventually the boys end up going on a secret mission in Iraq.
Another rumor has it that R. Lee Ermey, the drill sergeant in Full Metal
Jacket, will have a similar voice role in this movie as the boys
instructor.

>     Last week it was publicly announced that Walter Hill walked off
the SUPERNOVA project. It is presently unknown if he'll ask for his name
to be removed but an anonymous scooper said that starting tomorrow a new
editorial crew will be on the project.  Apparently, Hill wanted to do
more shooting, and the studio wanted to test what it had before
approving it. Hill did not want the film tested beforehand, and they
disagreed strongly enough to finally agree on a parting of ways.  The
film, which stars James Spader and Angela Basset as crew members on
board a deep-space hospital starship who’s lives are placed in jeopardy
when they attempt a rescue near an impending Supernova, is scheduled for
release on October 8.

>     Could the casting of Miss Lara Croft be solved? Toronto's Mix
99.9FM radio has apparently reported that Paramount is considering a
decision about the film version of the hit computer games series that
will likely please fans. Many have been expressing concern that the
various actresses rumored for the role wouldn't live up to the CG Lara
seen in the games - but what if she was the star?. After the success of
"A Bug's Life" and "Antz", there's speculation that rather than a
live-action version of the flick, the studio is considering a
computer-animated feature instead. Not only would this solve the debate
over the casting of Lara, but will likely help keep the film's budget
down to a relatively cheap $60-80 million (whereas a live action version
would likely cost $100 million or more).

>     Mr. Showbiz has reported some details about THE HAUNTING OF HILL
HOUSE, the upcoming spooky thriller from Director Jan DeBont ("Speed"),
which has Liam Neeson and Catherine Zeta-Jones walking around a large
old mansion in search of ghosts. In order to avoid confusion with the
similarly titled "The House on Haunted Hill" (with Geoffrey Rush & Famke
Janssen), this film is speculated to likely shave its title down to
simply "The Haunting". One thing that won't be confused between the two
are the budgets, DeBont's "Haunting of.." costing $80 million against
"House on..." costing $20 million. Whereas the original 1963 film
version of "The Haunting" relied mostly on sounds and whispers to
provide creepiness, DeBont's will rely on a lot of visual CGI imagery
but still use sound as well to make the effect work on a much harder to
scare 90's audience. Even though it began shooting in October, it will
not likely wrap up till April - only 3 months before the film's July
23rd release date. Nevertheless things are proceeding apace on the
Dreamworks production and its looking like it will easily meet the
deadline.

>     As for the OTHER haunted house movie, production has gotten
underway on HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, the remake of the Vincent
Price chiller, with some major casting changes involved. While Geoffrey
Rush is still onboard, Elizabeth Hurley has jumped ship and Marilyn
Manson is no longer involved. Bruce Dern will play the house caretaker,
while the house guests include: Bridgette Wilson ("Mortal Kombat"),
Chris Katten ("A Night at the Roxbury"), Peter Gallagher ("While you
were Sleeping"), Taye Diggs ("How Stella Got Her Groove Back"), and Ali
Larter ("Varsity Blues").

>     Playboy recently did an interview with Bruce Willis and talk soon
got around to a possible fourth "Die Hard" Movie. Here's what he had to
say, with thanks to Playboy.com:  "The studios would be completely happy
to have me do the same movie over and over again, but I'm sick of it.
After Mercury Rising, my younger brother, a film producer, said to me,
"The three major action sequences in the film were derivative of three
other films you've done." It was a knock on the door. Time to take a
break. In 1987, when I did the first Die Hard, pyrotechnics and
explosions were novel. Ten years later they're tapped out.  The hook on
Die Hard 4 is that it's going to be low-tech. Me and three cop friends
get abducted. We're taken into the Amazon and have to escape -- without
all the explosions and pyrotechnics.”  This validates some speculation
that it is based on the screenplay “Tears of the Sun” which was at one
point going to be directed by John Woo.

>     Sankei Sports, a Japanese newspaper, reported that Tokuma Taiei,
the company that produced the "Gamera, Guardian of the Universe"
announced that it will produce a new "Gamera" movie with Disney to
release in 2001 around the world. The director and the special effect
director will keep their position, but they will hire staff from the US
also. No word on the story yet, but it is believed to take place in New
York, Moscow, and Hong Kong.

>     WIRED reports that Jonathan Wiseman, creator of the BattleTech
computer games, has co-written a treatment for a film version of the
games at the request of an unnamed studio. Further plans are now under
discussion, but expect the clanking noise of walking tanks to hit the
big screens relatively soon.

>     The release date for THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, Dreamwork’s second
animated feature after "The Prince of Egypt", has supposedly been pushed
back from November 5th to March 2000. The story is about two swindlers
who get their hands on a map to the fabled city of gold, El Dorado while
pulling off some sort of scam. Their plan goes bad and the rogues end up
lost at sea after a number of misfortunes. Oddly enough, they end up on
the shores of El Dorado and are worshiped by the natives for their
foreign appearance.

>     The Steve Martin/Eddie Murphy comedy has altered the title from
"Bowfinger's Big Thing" to simply "Bowfinger".

>     Jam! Movies reports that talk of a fifth "Batman" live-action
feature has been happening. In an interview with Joel Schumacher, the
director of the previous two films (and who has copped a lot of flack
for almost destroying the franchise), revealed he would be interested in
helming one more Bat film but "It would have to deal with Bruce Wayne at
age 20 when he is just becoming Batman. I'd look for a complete unknown
to play Bruce".

>     Batman: The Animated Newsletter picked up some rumours on two
Batman-related projects. First, Warner Bros. has apparently said
'no' to development of a live-action "Catwoman" movie, the idea was
brought up again a few weeks ago and was poised to go into development -
now it looks like its indefinitely shelved. Their second big piece of
news is that the studio has picked a script for a third movie based on
the fantastic animated series. No word about plot yet, though the film
is expected out late 2000 or mid 2001. The previous two films "Mask of
the Phantasm" and "Subzero" had The Joker (Mark Hamill) and Mr. Freeze
(Michael Ansara) as the villains, sadly this third film's villain has
yet to be revealed.

>     When asked what was next on his plate, Monty Python star turned
director Terry Gilliam ("12 Monkeys", "The Fisher King", "Monty Python's
Meaning of Life") replied that the DEFECTIVE DETECTIVE has been
postponed because of some troubles concerning the rights to the movie.
He's now working on a movie called THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE which
he co-wrote with Tony Grisoni. It is a movie about a man working in
advertising (Johnny Depp) who falls back through time and meets Don
Quixote (and kills him, presumably). It's of course much more complex
and he didn't want to talk about it very much. But he said this is
definitely his current project and he'll be working on DEFECTIVE
DETECTIVE later (because he managed to get the rights for it back while
preparing for QUIXOTE). Among other interesting things, he also said
that he was offered and refused the following movies: WHO FRAMED ROGER
RABBIT, ADDAMS FAMILY, FORREST GUMP, TRUMAN SHOW and SHAKESPEARE IN
LOVE.

>     Canadian TV channel 'YTV' focussed a special on film directors
over the weekend. While it concentrated heavily on the upcoming "Total
Recall 2070" series, it apparently had a brief interview with "Blade"
director Stephen Norrington. He revealed that he enjoyed developing
comic books into movies, and in fact now that "Blade" is finished he's
working on a new "Venom" movie based on the comics.  Norrington hasn't
had any previous connection with the "Venom" movie but "Blade" writer
David S. Goyer has been involved for a long time (so its likely him the
show was talking to). The Venom character, while owned by New Line, has
long been caught in a legal black spot due to the fact he's tied in
closely with the highly disputed "Spider-Man" rights and as such the
project was unable to proceed. Now that MGM's claim to Spidey was
knocked back last week, could the project be free to be developed again?
Only time will tell. Norrington is currently set to follow up BLADE with
THE LAST MINUTE, a dark comedy set in London, "a dangerous land of
murderers, thieves, and talent agents." PALM Pictures will produce the
film, which Norrington also wrote, with production set to begin on
location in London this April.

>     Steven Spielberg revealed some interesting info about upcoming
Dreamworks projects in the latest issue of New York Times Magazine:
  - Despite poor box office results, Dreamworks is making a Small
Soldiers 2 as well. The toys and games sold real well.
  - Spielberg also spoke of his friend Gore Verbinski. Verbinski was
pitching a remake of a 1950s movie where German POW's return home.
Speilberg put a new twist to it and said make an Ameican movie that is
in German with American subtitles. Germany's hip-new actors would be
used and it would be a hit. Verbanski liked it.

>     In other Verbinski news, he’ll be teaming up with Universal
Pictures and Tom Hanks in "Where the Wild Things Are." The studio is
planning to bring Maurice Sendak's famed children's book to the big
screen in a film that combines live action with computer-graphics
animation, Daily Variety reports. Verbinski ("Mousehunt") is attached to
direct, with Hanks and Gary Goetzman's Playtone Prods. joining Sendak
and John B. Carls of Wild Things Prods. as producers, the entertainment
trade paper said. Eric Singer, who wrote "The Sky is Falling,"
reportedly is adapting the book as a screenplay. The book, which has
long been a favorite for children all over the world, is about a boy
named Max who discovers, tames and becomes king of a far-away land of
giant friendly monsters called wild things.

>     'The Hollywood Reporter' announces that Christina Applegate
("Married...With Children") and Tara Reid ("Urban Legend") are set to
join Jean Reno ("Mission: Impossible") and Christian Clavier ("Asterix &
Obelix vs. Caesar") in a English-speaking, Walt Disney produced remake
of the 1993 French time travel comedy "Les Visiteurs" - a film which
became one of France's most successful pictures ever.  Reno and Clavier
will be reprising their roles as an 11th century knight and his slobbish
squire who are accidentally transported through time to the present day.
Applegate will play the duel roles of 11th century maiden Lady Rosalind
and modern day American woman Maureen Malfete, Reno's love interest.
Reid will play Angelique, Maureen's neighbour who takes a liking to
Clavier. Director Jean-Marie Poire who helmed the original film will
handle this John Hughes-penned remake which starts shooting in April in
the UK and Chicago.

>     English newspaper 'The Daily Mail' reports that Anthony Hopkins
has apparently agreed to do one more film before he leaves acting - none
other than the sequel to "Silence of the Lambs".

>     "Whose the black private dick whose a sex machine with all the
chicks.....SHAFT!!". Yes he's making a comeback - in the form of Samuel
L. Jackson.  Reuters reports that Jackson is in final negotiations to
play John Shaft in the remake of the infamous 1971 blaxploitation flick
"Shaft". Paramount Pictures is updating the flick about a tough-talking
detective who is hired by a Mob boss to find his kidnapped daughter.
Director John Singleton ("Boyz in the Hood") will shoot the film this
summer in New York City, with the script getting a bit of a sprucing up
by writer Richard Price ("Clockers", "Sea of Love").

>     If "Saving Private Ryan" is the closest thing we'll see to the
actual 1944 Normandy landing, "U-571" looks set to be as close as
possible to the 1942 Battle of the Atlantic.  Speaking with Reuters in
Rome, Director Jonathan Mostow said "The texture of the movie is
completely authentic. The guys who were on the submarine were young,
like our cast.  All the details of the submarines, all the technical
aspects, the commands issued, the type of things that happen are all
based on reality. This is the way it was". The film, which follows the
story of a US submarine crew stealing a German 'Enigma' coding device
from a stranded U-Boat, is a fictional story but is set against
real-life event backdrops (like SPR).  The film's budget is set at $90
million, most of which were for both the construction of US and German
subs in shipyards around Malta, as well as the daunting prospect of
filming a lot of sequences on water. But don't expect this to be just
another macho war film, there's one element the director concedes will
definitely pull in the ladies out there - "What woman wouldn't want to
see these gentlemen all sweaty and with their shirts off?"  Matthew
McConaughey, Harvey Keitel and Bill Paxton are all set to head out to
sea when the film hits theatres in 2000.

>     The World is Not Enough (007): At last the deal with the London
shoot has been sorted out. It's been revealed in 'The Sun' newspaper
that the action taking place around London's "Millenium Dome" will not
be a part of the film's end but rather crucial to the opening sequence -
a high speed boat chase down the river Thames. Brosnan was vocally very
unhappy while working on "Tomorrow Never Dies", but seems to enjoy this
one saying - "The last one was a bit like pulling teeth. This one's been
like an old pair of shoes. Robert Carlyle is an excellent villian and
the Bond girls are very sexy". Finally a photo with the article does
confirm that Carlyle's head is shaven for the role, done so that we can
see the bullet scar which is the defining trait of his character (the
bullet's lodged in his head making him immune to pain).  Here's the shot
from 'The Sun' to leave you shaken, not stirred - the first on-set pic
from the latest James Bond flick. Just follow the link below to see how
Mr. Brosnan and the villanous Mr. Carlyle will look in the film.
Meanwhile, Cinescape reports that Serena Scott-Thomas (sister of
Kristin) will make a brief cameo at the start of the film as 'Dr.
Warmflash', a medical examiner whom Bond uses his charms on to pass a
medical inspection. The movie opens November 19th.
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/worldbw.jpg

>     Dimension Films is rumoured to have forged a deal that will now
give it the distribution rights to the next batch of feature films based
on the "Tales from the Crypt" series. The first two features "Demon
Knight" and "Bordello of Blood" were released in '95 & '96 respectively
by Universal. Series producers Joel Silver, Richard Donner, Robert
Zemeckis, Walter Hill and David Giler are all apparently eager to get
the theatrical franchise underway again.

>     Get ready to see a Disney animated feature like you've never seen
before - on IMAX. From January 1st - April 30th 2000, the feature-length
"Fantasia 2000" will be screening in IMAX theatres all around the world
as part of Disney's new millennium celebrations. The film, a sequel to
the original classic made in 1940, has been over 12 years in the making
and will now be the first ever full-length theatrical feature film to be
reformatted into IMAX's 15/70 film format for release in the giant
theatres. It is comprised of nine classical music pieces set to
animation, three of which are fully restored segments from the original
("The Sorcerer's Apprentice", "The Dance of the Hours" and "The
Nutcracker Suite"). The six new segments include Camille Saint-Saens'
"Carnival of the Animals," Ottorino Respighi's "Pines of Rome," Dmitri
Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Sir
Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance," and Igor Stravinsky's "The
Firebird". Buena Vista International will be handling the releases and
marketing of the film when it opens worldwide next year. If successful,
expect other major feature films to likely be reformatted and shown on
IMAX.

>     Best-selling sci-fi/fantasy novelist, Robert Silverberg, is
adapting C.S. Lewis's beloved children's series, The Chronicles of
Narnia, into a major motion picture said to be directed by none other
than Steven Spielberg himself. While neither Spielberg or Silverberg
could be contacted for comment, acclaimed makeup wizard Tom Savini
revealed recently in an exclusive with Fantastique Magazine that he is
"looking at a project that's based around the Narnia books by C.S.
Lewis." Could this be the same film? It does seem likely. Also, no word
yet on who will star in the movie or even if all 7 novels will be worked
into the script.

>     While making an appearance on the Howard Stern radio show, "Spawn"
creator Todd McFarlane confirmed he will be working on the script for
the film adaptation of the ball-blasting computer game "Doom". When
asked about the proposed second "Spawn" film, he said "well we wanted to
make the first one PG-13, now we are working on the sequel. We are going
to upgrade it and bring it to the zone we want".  Unfortunately, Mr.
McFarlane did not then choke on his own bile and die.

>     'The Hollywood Reporter' announces that Warner Bros and Dreamworks
SKG are about to teamup for the first time to film a new adaptation of
the classic H.G. Wells sci-fi novel "The Time Machine". Screenwriter
John Logan ("I Am Legend") will be writing the new adaption which is set
for a Summer 2000 release.

>     Now that an adaptation of Isaac Asimov's BICENTENNIAL MAN is
moving along with Robin Williams still in the title role, The DISNEY
film is lining up its ancillary cast, as Embeth Davidtz (Schindler's
List, Army of Darkness) has joined on as the lead female(s). Davidtz
will play both the girlfriend of Williams' character, and his eventual
granddaughter. Directed by Christopher Columbus (Stepmom, Mrs.
Doubtfire), the Christmas '99 release involves Williams playing an
android servant who becomes more and more human over two centuries.  Sam
Neill ("Jurassic Park" and "Piano") has inked to star opposite Williams
when production starts in mid-March. Neill will play the patriarch of
the futuristic family that hires an android (Williams) who discovers he
wants to become human.

>     Details of the plot to RUSH HOUR 2 seemed to have been leaked out.
According to one scooper, The plot is as follows: Detective James Carter
and the LAPD are chasing a terrorist who is trying to get out of Los
Angeles and get into Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Detective Lee and the HKPD
are chasing a terrorist who is trying to get out of Hong Kong and get
into LA.  Which brings James and Lee back together. They discover that
the two terrorists they are chasing are actually partners in an illegal
bomb smuggling ring in China. The terrorists have placed a bomb in LA
and a bomb in Hong Kong, each ready to detonate and blow up really good.
The terrorists are asking for a very big ransom demand from the HKPD and
LAPD. If it isn't paid by rush hour, the bombs will simultaneously
explode in the middle of rush hour traffic. While the HKPD tries to find
the bomb in Hong Kong, and the LAPD frantically looks for the bomb in
LA, Carter and Lee must track down the terrorists in China and get them
to shut the bombs down and bring them to justice before it is too late.
The working titles are "Rush Hour---The Sequel", "Another Rush Hour" and
"Rush Hour 2". Filming should begin by Summer 1999 for a Christmas 1999
release date.

>     Randy Quaid has joined Jason Alexander, Rene Russo, Robert De Niro
and Monica Potter in Tribeca/Universal Pictures' "Rocky and Bullwinkle."
He will play the role of hard-boiled FBI director Cappy van Trappment.
Janeane Garofalo has also joined the cast in the cameo role of a movie
studio mogul. The film, which got under way last week, is a live-action
adaptation of the classic animated television series. Des McAnuff is
directing the Kenny Lonergan script for producers De Niro, Jane
Rosenthal and Tiffany Ward.

>     Tim Allen (ABC's 'Home Improvement') is orbiting the starring role
of the DreamWorks sci-fi comedy "Galaxy Quest." He would play a former
TV actor who must adopt his space captain persona when he and fellow
cast members are recruited by a group of aliens to save their imperiled
race. The film is currently without a director, as Harold Ramis recently
departed over "creative differences."

>     Jennifer Aniston (TV's "Friends" and "The Object of My Affection")
is attached to a new project called "The Virgin Mary," Daily Variety
reported in its Friday edition. The paper described the Fox film as an
edgy story about a 29 year-old virgin who falls in love with a hitman
trying to extricate himself from his murderous vocation.

>     Keenan Ivory Wayans will direct Dimension Films project "Scream If
You Know What I Did Last Halloween," which he will merge with "Last
Summer I Screamed Because Friday the 13th Fell on Halloween," a similar
project Dimension has been developing. The comedic send-up of recent
horror films will feature Marlon and Shawn Wayans as part of the film's
ensemble cast. Dimension purchased the script, written by "Spyhard"
scribes Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, in October and will combine
it with the second vehicle, written by Marlon and Shawn Wayans, Phil
Beauman and Buddy Johnson. Keenan Ivory Wayans is rewriting the script.
In related news, Roger Corman has called off plans for his own related
spoof, LAST SUMMER I SCREAMED AT THE SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE.

>     John Frankenheimer's thriller RONIN is released on VHS and DVD
this Tuesday by MGM Home Entertainment. The DVD not only includes the
normal bonuses, director commentary, and an alternate ending, but also a
special 20-minute, behind-the-scenes multimedia presentation which leads
into a live chat with Frankenheimer which DVD-ROM users will have access
to exclusively on March 14th.
http://www.mgmhomevideo.com

>     ARTISAN Home Entertainment will re-release HIGHLANDER and
HIGHLANDER 2: THE QUICKENING at a low price of $9.98 next week, but both
films will disappear from store shelves when they go on moratorium on
June 30th (where QUICKENING duly belongs…)

>     VARIETY reports Ralf Moeller (TV's Conan the Barbarian) will play
the star fighter in Ridley Scott's GLADIATOR.

>     Dominic Sena (Kalifornia) will direct Nicolas Cage in Jerry
Bruckheimer's DISNEY remake of GONE IN 60 SECONDS.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Joe Dante (Gremlins, Small
Soldiers) has signed on to direct PHOENIX Pictures' THE SIXTH DAY, a
film about a man who comes home and learns he has been replaced with a
clone.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, FOX has purchased a thriller
titled PHONE BOOTH, for Jerry and David Zucker to produce, along with
their partner Gil Netter. The Larry Cohen (It's Alive, Bone, Maniac
Cop)-written script is a REAR WINDOW-like thriller, about a man who
answers a ringing phone in a telephone booth, where the whole movie is
set. Joel Schumacher has been named as a possible director.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau may re-team for
GUAM GOES TO THE MOON, a PARAMOUNT comedy about Guam starting up a space
program. Favreau is currently working on a re-write of the film.
http://www.variety.com

>     VARIETY reports MIRAMAX has acquired film rights to Major Damon
"Rocky" Gause's World War II memoir WAR JOURNAL. The film follows the
story of then 1st Lt. Gause, who escaped a Japanese confinement camp in
the Philippines in 1941, and sailed to Australia with another soldier
across 3,200 miles of Japanese waters. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck will
executive produce the film.

>     Adding to the recent announcement that Brad Pitt is in talks to
star in Cameron Crowe (Singles, Say Anything, Jerry Maguire)'s next
film, VARIETY is reporting Anna Paquin (Hurlyburly, She's All That) has
joined the still-untitled film's cast. The semi-autobiographical film is
set in the 1970s, revolving around a high school student writing a story
on a rising rock band. Production will begin in late April.

>     WARNER Home Video will celebrate April's MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT
with the April 6th release of CADDYSHACK SPECIAL EDITION, an enhanced
version of this comedy classic featuring the all-new CADDYSHACK: THE
19th HOLE documentary containing outtakes, rare footage, interviews with
its stars, producers, and director, and a behind-the-scenes look at the
creation of the gopher.

>     PIXAR has announced its A BUG'S LIFE will be the first all-digital
DVD release, forgoing the regular process of an analog film-to-videotape
transfer. A BUG'S LIFE will be released on both home video and DVD on
April 20th with both sets of outtakes.
http://www.pixar.com

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Charlize Theron (Mighty
Joe Young, Devil's Advocate, Astronaut's Wife) has joined the cast of
REINDEER GAMES. The DIMENSION Films thriller stars Ben Affleck and Gary
Sinise, and will be directed by John Frankenheimer (Ronin).

>     VARIETY reports Jimmy Smits (NYPD Blue) has joined the cast of
both THE MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL and PRICE OF GLORY. HOTEL is the next film
from Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas), and stars Mel Gibson, Milla Jovovich,
Jeremy Davies, Gloria Stuart, and Amanda Plummer. In GLORY, NEW LINE
CINEMA's boxing drama which you read about here last week, Smits will
play the lead role of a father training his three sons to become the
champion he never became.

>     Brooke Langton (The Net, Swingers) and Alicia Witt (Cybil, Urban
Legend) will co-star in the indie comedy TWO GOLDSTEINS ON ACID, and
Marlo Thomas (That Girl, Friends) has joined on to play Witt's mother.

>     Michael Sutton (Wanted, General Hospital) has signed onto star in
two TED FOX Productions films, QUICK AND EASY, and the sci-fi
action-drama DARK NOVA. The latter will be directed by Michael Tristano
(The Flesh Merchant), from a script by Chris Black based on a story by
Fox, and also stars Leslie Harter (Damian's Seed, Jailbait), Marco
Rodriguez, Arroyn Lloyd, Linda Kim and Angi Diamond.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     FUTURAMA, the new FOX animated series from SIMPSONS creator Matt
Groening, will make its premiere on Sunday, March 28th. It's then set to
air one additional Sunday, on April 4th, before moving to Tuesday nights
at 8:30, on April 6th. FAMILY GUY, which previewed after the recent
SUPER BOWL, will then air regularly Sundays at 8:30, starting April
11th, while FOX's Tuesday nights will include all animated series, with
KING OF THE HILL at 8, FUTURAMA at 8:30, THE PJs at 9, and a repeat
SIMPSONS or KING OF THE HILL at 9:30.
http://www.foxworld.com

>     ANIMATION BLAST reports COMEDY CENTRAL has acquired the rights to
USA Network's hilarious animated series DUCKMAN, which featured Jason
Alexander (Seinfeld) voicing the title character. It has not yet been
determined when the network will add the show to their line-up.
http://www.awn.com/blast

>     last Friday’s episode of MILLENNIUM “The Matryoshka" had Frank and
new partner Emma discovering some startling information about the
Millennium Group, its mysterious origins, and its manipulation of
historic events.  And Skullboy missed it.  (Any of you readers happen to
tape it?)

>     FOX has ordered 25 new episodes of THAT '70s SHOW, which will
disappear in early March, but return to FOX's Sunday night line-up come
June.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's THR E-MAIL column, Danny
Nucci (Titanic) has joined the cast of David E. Kelly's new ABC series,
SNOOPS. The series is set in a private investigation firm that uses the
latest technology in their surveillance.

>     VARIETY reports Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Gladiator) and Tony
Scott (Days of Thunder, True Romance)'s SCOTT FREE Productions will
create a new syndicated drama set in the world of CART professional
racing. The brothers both plan to direct episodes, and Tony will direct
its pilot.  The two have previously produced and directed Showtime’s
erotic-horror anthology series, THE HUNGER.
http://www.variety.com

>     Patrick Warburton returns to NEWSRADIO this Tuesday (8:30pm, NBC),
reprising his role as Jimmy's nemesis, Johnny Johnson.
http://www.nbc.com

>     Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) guest stars as Michael J.
Fox's former mentor on SPIN CITY, Tuesday night at 9 on ABC.

>     We'll again be treated to the evil vampire Willow on the
"Doppelgängland" episode of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER this Tuesday night
at 8, on the WB. This return to a character introduced in a December
episode of BUFFY, in which Cordelia wished the Slayer never came to
Sunnydale, is written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon. It's
the last new episode for at least a couple of weeks, as next week is the
"Revelations" episode in which everyone learns Angel is back from Hell,
and the following week, March 9th, is a repeat of a Dr. JEKYLL & MR.
HYDE-like episode from earlier in the season.
http://www.buffy.com

>     A new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS: PRIMETIME. Premiering on FOX Tuesday
night at 9. will be shot live in Las Vegas, as one man attempts to break
the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD of 2 minutes for remaining on fire for the
longest amount of time. The hour-long show also includes highlights of a
man attempting to pull a 747 using only his body's strength, and a man
who attempts to break a tight-roping record by walking 32 stories above
the ground while blindfolded.

>     Christine Elise (The Brady Bunch Movie, The Wedding Singer) stars
in UPN's THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES feature ESCAPE FROM MARS this week
at 8, in a sci-fi thriller where man's first mission to Mars is plagued
by technical and natural disasters.

>     Eric LaSalle was vague last week when asked at a press conference
if he'd stick with ER beyond next year, only saying "I am on the show
until my contract expires" -- which is next year. LaSalle takes center
stage on Thursday's new episode of ER on NBC, and later this year he'll
star in an TV movie adaptation of the John Sandford novel MIND PRAY for
ABC, which may turn into a franchise of TV movies if successful.

>     Friday's new NASH BRIDGES (CBS, 10pm) is the one with a plot by
Hunter S. Thompson (Fear and Loathing...) which guest stars "Stone Cold"
Steve Austin as an undercover cop who helps bust a gang of
steroid-popping bodybuilders.
http://www.cbs.com

>     Actor/comedian Richard Belzer has signed on as the official host
of COURT TV's new nightly documentary series CRIME STORIES. The
hour-long series focuses on actual eyewitness accounts of notorious
crimes, infamous prisoners, and painstaking investigations, and the
network plans to produce and air 75 original episodes this year. CRIME
STORIES airs weeknights at 10pm and 1am, with Belzer's own HOMICIDE:
LIFE ON THE STREETS leading into it at 9 and 12. Belzer has already
hosted an episode of CRIME STORIES - He did a show on "The Scottsboro
Boys" which premiered February 3rd.
http://www.courttv.com

>     In UNAPIX Entertainment division UNAPIX Productions' first network
TV deal, the company will produce the FOX special SHOCKING BEHAVIOR:
CAUGHT ON TAPE. Premiering Thursday, February 25th, at 9pm, the one-hour
special includes candid footage of a parking valet urinating in a
customer's gas tank, and a college student caught strolling naked
through their school's cafeteria.
http://www.unapixent.com

>     SONY SIGNATURES has begun its campaign to promote and reposition
the RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT franchise, and has begun announcing the
partners in its licensing and merchandising efforts. These include 22
episodes of a COLUMBIA TRISTAR TV-produced NEW RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR
NOT that will premiere on TBS in January 2000, an animated RIPLEY'S
Saturday morning cartoon in production for FOX FAMILY Channel's fall
schedule, the first authorized biography on Robert Ripley, a dramatic
Ripley feature film, a Ripley comic and Young Adult series of graphic
novels, and newspaper syndication of a new Ripley cartoon. The Ripley
feature film is described as INDIANA JONES meets CITIZEN KANE meets THE
X-FILES, and its producers are in negotiations with an unnamed major
star and screenwriter.

>     UPN has renewed its new DILBERT animated series for the 1999-2000
season. DILBERT is UPN's highest-rated new series this season among many
demographic groups, including a 250% improvement in Men 18-34.

>     Following the success of THE '60s mini-series, NBC is developing a
four-hour sequel following the same group of characters into the '70s,
as well as another mini-series on the history of rock and roll.

>     FOX's announcement of its Saturday morning line-up does indeed
include the AVENGERS and BIG GUY AND RUSTY THE BOY ROBOT animated
series, as well as NASCAR SUPERCHARGERS, more BEAST WARS, it's new
spin-off BEAST HUNTERS, and a new SPIDER-MAN series entitled SPIDER-MAN
UNLIMITED. This new AVENGERS series looks to be the best animated series
to ever come out of MARVEL, and will feature the line-up of Vision,
Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Hawkeye, Wasp, Ant Man, and Tigra. It looks
like this new SPIDER-MAN series will feature a younger Peter Parker,
trapped in a strange world, and wearing a new costume.

>     FOX is developing a series based on MARVEL's mutant comic
GENERATION X for its mid-season line-up.

>     Tia Carrere (Wayne's World, True Lies) takes on the adventuresome
world of archeology in RELIC HUNTER, a syndication action series RYSHER
Entertainment will unveil in the fall.

>     Traci Lords and Martin Sheen are the co-stars of D.R.E.A.M. TEAM,
a syndicated series being shopped around by KALEIDOSCOPE about a team of
supermodel spies.

>     FX is developing a new series under the working title THE X SHOW
for premiere in mid-99, which will offer "a fast-paced and humorous
daily hour of honest and relaxed topical banter, hosted by an engaging
team of likeable young 'everyguys'." Jeremiah Bosgang, FX Senior Vice
President, Production and Development explains "The show might be
subtitled 'for guys and the women who love them'. It provides
good-natured and informative answers to questions about everything from
relationships to investing."

>     TV BARN, the TV news source formerly known as LATE SHOW NEWS,
reports Jay Leno will supply the voice of a talking guide dog on the
February 26th episode of NBC's mid-season hit PROVIDENCE.
http://www.tvbarn.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     BLONDIE attempt a comeback this week with the BEYOND Records
release of "No Exit," the band's first original record in 16 years. The
14-track release includes the band's current adult contemporary hit
"Maria," which can also be heard in the upcoming film 200 CIGARETTES,
and likely when the band performs on CBS' LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN
this Friday night. BLONDIE's own Deborah Harry contributes guest vocals
to the track "Fantastic Fabulous" on LUSCIOUS JACKSON's next album, due
out on GRAND ROYAL this June.

>     ROCKTROPOLIS allstar news reports THE POLICE have had to cancel a
reunion tour that would have had Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland on
the road with five Latin vocalists alternately replacing the absent
Sting on different songs.  The cancellation follows the diagnosis of a
bone spur on guitarist Andy Summers' hand. The tour, which would have
promoted the recent POLICE tribute album "Outlandos d'Americas," had
been scheduled to launch March 19th at Los Angeles' UNIVERSAL
Amphiteatre.
http://www.allstarmag.com

>     SONY Classical has reached an agreement with LUCASFILM Ltd. to
release the soundtrack to STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE. The
film will naturally feature a new score by original STAR WARS trilogy
composer/conductor John Williams, backed by the LONDON SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA, the same orchestra that recorded Williams' original STAR WARS
score. No release date has been given, but it will be released before
the film's May 23rd opening.
http://www.sonyclassical.com
http://www.starwars.com

>     JIVE Records will release a rap-heavy soundtrack to NEW LINE
CINEMA's THE CORRUPTOR on March 9th, a few short days before the film's
March 9th release. The film is the latest from director James Foley
(Fear, Glengarry Glen Ross), and stars Chow Yun-Fat as a renowned cop
serving New York's Chinatown, and Mark Wahlberg (Boogie Nights) as his
idealistic new partner. The soundtrack includes singles from KRS-ONE and
JAY-Z, as well as other tracks by MOBB DEEP, KILLAH PRIEST, PRODIGY,
REDMAN, VIGILANTE, and Run of RUN DMC.
http://www.corruptor.com

>     JAMTV reports BEN FOLDS FIVE will release their fourth album, "The
Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Mesnner," on April 27th. The release
of the 11-track album, with its first single of "I Thought About the
Army," will coincide with the band setting out on tour.
http://www.jamtv.com

>     The Eurythmics duo of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart are preparing
to release their first album in 10 years this fall.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Even though there's still nine months to release, the official
site for THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, the next Bond film, is now open.
What's there at the moment? some basic details on the production,
quicktime videos of the director discussing the film, our first look at
the sexy new logo, and a list of international release dates for the
flick. The releases are fairly close together, most countries around the
world getting the film in late November or December. One surprise
however is who’s getting the film first – Australia on November 11th (8
days before the US where it opens on the 19th).
http://www.jamesbond.com/

>     AMERICA ONLINE has announced plans to acquire movie listing and
ticketing service MOVIEFONE for an all-stock transaction valued at
approximately $388 million. The service will be re-branded as AOL
MOVIEFONE, and will direct consumers to its online home for more
features. http://www.moviefone.com

>     WARNER BROS. Interactive has signed a multi-platform Video game
licensing agreement with UBI SOFT Entertainment, for UBI SOFT to create
games based on WB's THE ADVENTURES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN animated series.
UBI SOFT is promising a game with a commitment to advanced technology,
innovative graphics, and gameplay.  In other UBI SOFT news, they have
just signed an exclusive deal to distribute games published by The 3DO
Company overseas. http://www.ubisoft.com

>     3DO has a couple anticipated PC games due in stores soon - their
ARMY MEN II has gone gold, and will soon reach shelves, as has HEROES OF
MIGHT AND MAGIC III. ARMY MEN sets plastic soldier against plastic
soldier, and this sequel adds some new obstacles such as magnifying
glasses and giant cockroaches.  ARMY MEN 3D, a similarly themed game for
the Playstation is due to hit shelves in March.  HEROES continues the
line of award winning fantasy strategy games with new 3D artwork and
several campaigns to pull the player through the rich Might and Magic
history.  Also on the horizon is MIGHT & MAGIC VII: FOR BLOOD AND HONOR
which updates the long-running RPG franchise with 3D acceleration, and
new features like monster VS. monster combat, fully-digitized character
faces, improved combat movement, and automapping. http://www.3DO.com

>     FOX Interactive has announced a March release for FOX ARCADE:
SCI-FI PINBALL, which will feature pinball tables based on FOX
properties BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ALIENS, PREDATOR, and THE FLY,
along with over 100 video clips from them. SCI-FI PINBALL will be
available for WINDOWS, POWER MAC, and IMAC systems, and will cost a
suggested $29.95. http://www.foxinteractive.com

>     THQ plans a summer release for SINISTAR: UNLEASHED, a PC space
combat game based on the classic '80s arcade game SINISTAR. UNLEASHED is
THQ's first high-end game, in development at GAMEFX, set in a 3D
accelerated universe which retains the spirit of the original. In
SINISTAR, players blast through asteroids seeking out energy crystals to
upgrade their weapons and defeat the planet-like Sinistar.
http://www.thq.com
http://www.gamefx.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Alternative, small press, and self-published work takes center
stage at the sixth ALTERNATIVE PRESS EXPO this weekend in San Jose,
California. A virtual who's who of the alternative press world will be
on hand at the event, and programming highlights include a panel on the
state of Internet cartooning, a 30th anniversary celebration of ZAP
Comix, and a FRIENDS OF LULU presentation exploring women's issues in
comics. Anyone presenting a badge from this year's COMIC CON
International will get in free, otherwise the event will cost you $6 a
day, or $10 for both days. For more info, call 1-800-866-8929.
http://www.ape-con.com

>     Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess) gives her first in-depth
interview to a gay magazine in a new issue of THE ADVOCATE reaching
newsstands March 1st. The article, which can be read online now, has
Lawless discussing how it's "awesome" to be a lesbian icon, what might
happen if Cindy Crawford met Xena, and how it felt to discover certain
photos of herself online.
http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/0299_xena.html
http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/0299_friedman.html

>     Stephen King has surprised the publishing world by turning in a
manuscript for a new book, THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON, which
SCRIBNERS will release on April 6th, the 25th anniversary of the release
of King's first book, CARRIE. The story involves a 9-year-old girl lost
in the woods, listening to a RED SOX game, who is guided through the
woods by an apparition of relief pitcher Gordon. King's next books
include the short story anthologies LEGACIES in March and 999 in June,
and a collection of linked short stories entitled HEARTS IN ATLANTIS
that is due out this September.
http://www.stephenking.com

>     DC/VERTIGO Comics' INVISIBLES begins its descent into completion
this week with the issue #12 in an all-new volume, by Grant Morrison
(JLA) and artist Philip Bond (Kill Your Boyfriend). This final chapter
in a conspiracy-heavy series that makes THE X-FILES look like the
TELETUBBIES begins with the four-part "Satanstorm" storyline,
reintroducing a cast of characters that went their separate ways at the
end of Volume 2.
http://www.dccomics.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - FASHION - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     In a sad statement on our nation's political correctness, CALVIN
KLEIN has decided to discontinue the advertising campaign for their new
line of CALVIN KLEIN UNDERWEAR FOR KIDS. A press release from CK stated
"The advertising campaign that we created to launch Calvin Klein
Underwear for Kids was intended to show children smiling, laughing and
just being themselves. We wanted to capture the same warmth and
spontaneity that you find in a family snap-shot," however, the second
the campaign was unveiled it was attacked by assorted rabid watchdog
groups. The ads showed very young toddlers in their underwear, and were
less provocative than your average diaper commercial...

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     MTV's Spring Break festivities will take place aboard COMMODORE
Cruise's ENCHANTED CAPRI, sailing from New Orleans to Cancun, Mexico in
early March. Tickets for the 5-night cruise start at $1,149, and can be
purchased exclusively from SAIL WITH THE STARS by calling
1-800-942-2287.
http://www.commodorecruise.com

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     GRAPHITTI DESIGNS has announced the initial run of JAY & SILENT
BOB action figures released through DIAMOND in late December have sold
out, but more figures are being manufactured and should be available
come April. Very limited quantities of the figures do, however, remain
available by calling either VIEW ASKEW (732-842-6933) or GRAPHITTI
DESIGNS (800-699-0115).

>     JAKKS Pacific is expanding its line of WWF action figures with a
new line of SWEATING SUPERSTARS figures which promise to "sweat
profusely." Available in the likenesses of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The
Rock, and The Undertaker, with five more to follow, the figures have the
same articulation offered in last year's line, but these figures have
the ability to "sweat" water.

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-





------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     A couple of great new Star Wars images have been posted – one of
Natalie Portman (Padme/Queen Amidala) with CG character JarJar standing
behind her, and another spectacular shot of a three-way lightsaber duel
between the primary antagonists. Also, Cinescape reports that according
to the New York Daily News Rush & Molloy gossip column, Natalie Portman
("Léon") had to redub most of her performance for the new film. The
reason? Her voice changed during production. The column also mentions
that background noise is another reason for some of the dubs.  Can't
wait for for the film? Why not pre-order one of these books from
Amazon.com:  Star Wars, Episode 1: The Phantom Menace - The novelisation
by Terry Brooks. Star Wars, Episode 1: The Illustrated Screenplay, and
The Making of The Phantom Menace.  In related news, Mr. Showbiz posted a
possible Episode II storyline today, but since George Lucas is far from
finished writing the script yet, it's probably just a rough synopsis of
the plot. But anyway, might be fun to read for those interested.
http://www.movie-page.com/1999/starwars/natalie-jarjar-t.jpg
http://countingdown.com/starwars/duel.htm
http://mrshowbiz.go.com/news/Todays_Stories/990304/showcon030499.html

>     David Spade is set to star in and co-write Warner Bros.' comedy
"The Adventures of Joe Dirt" for producer Robert Simonds ("The Wedding
Singer"). "Dirt" tells the story of a disruptive, trailer-park
8-year-old boy whose parents deliberately abandon him at the Grand
Canyon during a family vacation. Years later, through a series of
flashbacks, he tells his story to a DJ on the air and captivates the
city, THR reports.

>     Rumors surfaced today that the entire pre-production staff of
Mission: Impossible II got the sack.  The casting auditions are still
going ahead as planned, but one report says "The MI2 construction, art
department, and model shop have been given 2 weeks notice, leaving only
a skeleton crew. Official written notice cited budget issues, but word
from head of department is that among other timing issues, the script is
yet to be finished, possibly with the help of Cruise, who was at FOX for
the meeting this afternoon. Crews have been told that reinstatement will
happen in 4-6 weeks once production has more to work with". Veteran
Aussie actor Richard Roxborough is tipped to have the lead Australian
role in the action sequel, while John Woo revealed at 'TropFest 99' that
the film's D.O.P. is conducting test shots right now in preparation for
shooting this week.

>     Some revealing images have arrived from Luc Besson's biopic of one
of history's greatest women. Thanks to the Unofficial Joan of Arc Page.
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/4388/JoanArc/

>     Minority Report: June 30th 2000, yes that's the US release date
FOX has announced for this sci-fi thriller - poising it to make a
killing on the July 4th holiday weekend. The project, which teams Tom
Cruise and Steven Spielberg for the first time, is the first of four
films Dreamworks and 20th Century Fox will be co-producing. FOX of
course is very happy, chief exec Tom Sherak saying "The new century now
has its number one attraction for theaters throughout the world". At
present, the project is still in the writing stage with Scott Frank
("Out of Sight") rewriting the latest draft.

>     Popcorn.co.uk have scored some interesting details about the third
"Ghostbusters" film from Director/Writer Harold Ramis. Here's an excerpt
from the article:  "The story will involve the original cast (Ramis, Dan
Aykroyd and Bill Murray) coming out of retirement to tutor a new set of
rookie Ghostbusters to rid the world of a poltergeist plague after Hell
is declared to have 'no vacancies' in the 21st century. Ramis also said
that Hollywood's hottest young stars are going to be approached.
Columbia Pictures will once again produce the film. Bill Murray is
suddenly hot property again after his performance in 'Rushmore', and his
participation may cut through the red tape which impedes other
projects."

>     The World is Not Enough (007): In an interview for Variety, Dame
Judi Dench revealed some details about what 'M' plans to do in the next
Bond film. Her work in "Goldeneye" took 2 days to shoot, in "Tomorrow
Never Dies" it took 5 days, this one had her working on-set for 12 days.
Also this time round her role is much more physical, Dench saying "I’m
in hot water in a very sticky situation. And it’s huge fun".  In other
007 news, The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER reports that gold-toothed Jungle
musician Goldie has joined the cast of this November's new James Bond
film. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     With a surprising speed, the legal web stifling the "Spider-Man"
project collapsed today allowing the project to move ahead free, clear
and most importantly - quickly. Instead of fighting, Marvel Enterprises
and Sony Pictures Entertainment have now forged an agreement to create
both a new film franchise and TV series based on the web-shooting
superhero. Marvel will still own the intellectual property rights while
Sony will bear the entire risk of the film venture, a decision both
parties seem very happy with. MGM's claim on the film rights fell
through the other week and the studio said it would appeal - though now
it seems to have withdrawn out of the 'rights fight' altogether with an
official spokesperson saying "MGM had resolved its disputes in the
matter". In fact the only possibility for anymore legal troubles come
from Viacom Inc. who claim ownership on the TV rights to any
"Spider-Man" movie, that matter is hitting the courts this week. The
signing of this deal ensures the project is finally on the fast track to
being made after almost a decade of legal wrangles. It's unknown who
exactly will direct and star in the film, but both James Cameron and the
filmmaking team of Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich (ID4, Godzilla) are
possibilities.
http://www.spe.sony.com
http://www.marvel.com

>     The Ron Howard-Jim Carrey picture "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole
Christmas," from Imagine Entertainment and Universal Studios, has been
set for a Thanksgiving 2000 release. In the first live-action feature
based on the story by Theodore "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, Carrey will star as
the reclusive Grinch who devises a plan to ruin Christmas in the fantasy
world of Who-Ville. Carrey donned his Grinch outfit Monday for producer
Brian Grazer and Rick Baker, the Oscar-winning makeup artist ("The Nutty
Professor") who is working on the character. "We saw Jim in his Grinch
outfit, and this is a perfect vehicle for him," said Grazer, who worked
with Carrey on "Liar Liar."

>     Phantasm 1999: In a recent interview with Don Coscaelli, the
creator of the original 1979 film "Phantasm", he apparently said a
'digitally remastered director's cut' of the original film will be
released this year to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary.

>     Music video director Steve Carr is set to make his feature
directorial debut in New Line Cinema's "Next Friday," the sequel to
1995's "Friday." The original, which cost less than $5 million and took
in $27.4 million domestically, centered on the misadventures of two
out-of-work young men in South-Central Los Angeles (Ice Cube and Chris
Tucker) in one day. "Next Friday" will pick up where the original left
off as Cube's character, Craig, is forced to move out of his
neighborhood and stay with his cousins in suburbia, where they relocated
after winning the lottery. In a fish-out-of-water story, Craig and his
cousins realize that trouble will find them no matter where they live.

>     Warner Bros. has paid low- against mid-six figures for Arne
Olsen's spec script "Drake Diamond, Exorcist for Hire." The script,
described as "Ghostbusters" meets "Men in Black," tells the story of a
professional exorcist who is called in when a series of bizarre
supernatural incidents points to a cataclysmic event foretold by an
ancient prophecy.

>     Uma Thurman will take the female lead in Roland Joffe’s upcoming
“Vatel,” which is being produced by Gallic giant Gaumont and Alain
Goldman’s Legend Enterprises. The English-language pic stars Gerard
Depardieu in the title role of a master chef during the days of Louis
XIV. Based on a true story, the script was originally written by Jeanne
Labrune and adapted into English by Tom Stoppard. Centering on Vatel’s
preparations for a royal feast, the $36 million production promises to
be lush. “Vatel” will start lensing for a projected 15-week shoot in
April with delivery slated for the end of ’99.

>     Alan Cumming ("GoldenEye") has signed to play the Great Kazoo in
"The Flintstones: Viva Rock Vegas" for Universal. He joins Mark Addy as
Fred, Stephen Baldwin as Barney, Kristen Johnston as Wilma and Jane
Krakowski as Betty. The Great Kazoo was the alien who popped in on
Fred's shoulder from time to time to offer his wisdom.

>     An indie film production called "More Dogs Than Bones" is getting
under way with a cast that teams three Oscar-winning actresses -
Mercedes Ruehl, LouiseFletcher and Whoopi Goldberg - with Joe Mantegna,
Peter Coyote, D.B. Woodside, Debi Mazar and Paul Hipp. Michael Browning
has written and will direct the Dream Entertainment black comedy.
Browning is best known for scripting the Harrison Ford-Anne Heche action
comedy "Six Days Seven Nights." The production, shooting in New York and
Los Angeles, is a crime caper in which a group of hapless young people
from a rundown part of downtown L.A. are unwittingly caught up with a
gang of professional mobsters.

>     Director Alfonso Arau ("Like Water for Chocolate") is close to
setting up his first film in nearly four years, the black comedy
"Picking Up the Pieces," and Woody Allen is considering the lead role.
In "Pieces," which was written by Bill Wilson, Allen would play a
butcher from New York who enters the witness protection program after
discovering that his wife was having an affair and chopping her to
pieces. The film has a budget of around $20 million and is in the early
stages of being financed.

>     Bruce Willis will star in the independently financed mob spoof
"The Whole Nine Yards" for director Jonathan Lynn ("My Cousin Vinny").
Willis joins his brother and Allan Kaufman in producing the $40 million
crime comedy for the star's Flying Heart Films banner, the entertainment
trade paper reported in Thursday's edition. In the screenplay by
Mitchell Kapner, mobster Jimmy "The Tulip" (Willis) moves into the
suburbs under cover of the witness protection program. But when his
neighbors learn that there is a price on Jimmy's head, they are
unwittingly pulled into the "glamorous" life of organized crime. The
film is scheduled to begin shooting in May, Variety reported.

>     Julia Roberts is in final negotiations to star in Universal
Pictures drama "Erin Brockovich" for director Steven Soderbergh and
Jersey Films. Soderbergh directed "Out of Sight" for Jersey. The picture
is up for best editing and writing Oscars and last weekend won a Writers
Guild Award for best adapted screenplay. Roberts, who has been in talks
to join the project since April pending script and director approval,
has agreed to play the title role in the feature based on a true story
of a woman who takes a low-level secretarial job at a suburban Los
Angeles law firm. While on the job, she follows an obscure case
involving the poisoning of the water supply by Pacific Gas & Electric
and ends up championing the case all the way through the judicial
system, winning the largest class-action suit of its type. Susannah
Grant ("Ever After") wrote the script.

>     Disney has supposedly paid $1.1 million dollars for the film
rights to MEG, the story of a scientist's pursuit of a megalodon
(gigantic prehistoric-shark).

>     Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito will reteam in a screen version of
“Hospitality Suite,” a comic play about three salesmen in Wichita,
Kansas, during an industrial lubricants convention. Peter Facinelli
rounds out the trio of lubricant legmen, and John Swanbeck is making his
feature directing debut from a script by Roger Rueff. Rueff wrote the
original play, which Swanbeck directed in its Chicago run. The film will
undergo a title change before it reaches the screen. The project is a
co-production between Spacey’s Trigger Street Prods. and Franchise
Pictures partners Elie Samaha and Andrew Stevens.

>     David Arquette has signed to portray Darby Crash, lead singer of
'70s punk rock band the Germs, in "What We Do Is Secret." Arquette will
also serve as a producer on the picture, which Rodger Grossman will
direct from his own screenplay. "What We Do" follows the rise and fall
of the charismatic and sexually ambivalent Crash and his notorious Los
Angeles-based cult band the Germs. The picture will be executive
produced by Stephen Nemeth ("Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas").

>     Francis Ford Coppola may direct Kevin Costner in "13 Days," a
political thriller about the Cuban missile crisis, Daily Variety
reported Tuesday. Coppola would replace Phil Alden Robinson ("Field of
Dreams"), who dropped out over creative issues last month. The $90
million drama, which attempts to match the nonfiction tension of "Apollo
13" with the political intensity of "A Few Good Men," could provide
Coppola with his most sweeping canvas for a film since "Apocalypse Now."

>     Jon Turteltaub ("Phenomenon”) will direct and produce the
big-ticket pic “National Treasure” for Disney, slated to open for the
Independence Day weekend in 2000. Pic, which will be budgeted in the $60
million to $90 million range, is about a modern-day treasure hunt for a
Revolutionary War secret stash of cash hidden by Jefferson, Washington
and Franklin to help finance the war. Turteltaub is producing with his
partner Christina Steinberg as well as Hunt Lowry. Jim Kauf (“Rush
Hour,” “Stakeout”) is penning the script. No casting has been set. “It’s
got its share of special effects,” Turteltaub said. “It’s really a big
action adventure comedy. But for me, I still think of it as a character
piece.”

>     Nicolas Cage is moving into indie production. Cage’s Saturn Films
banner will make its producing debut on “Shadow of the Vampire,” in
which John Malkovich is set to star. Cage is producing the $10 million
pic along with partner Jeff Levine. Paul Brooks, co-founder of Brit
production/ distribution banner Metrodome will exec produce. Elias
Merhige (“Begotten”) will direct the pic, written by Steven Katz, who
has penned such screenplays as Par’s “American Gothic” and
Fox/Lightstorm’s “The Mummy: Ramses the Damned.” Based on Katz’s
original idea, “Shadow” takes a fictionalized look at the making of
“Nosferatu,” F.W. Murnau’s 1922 film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel
“Dracula.”

>     According to the latest Fangoria, "Bride of Chucky" writer Don
Mancini has confirmed that he plans to write "Son of Chucky" due to the
sleeper success of 'Bride' which revitalized the almost dead "Child's
Play" franchise back to thriving health. Despite the events at the end
of BoC, both Jennifer Tilly and Brad Dourif are expected to return. Who
will be voicing the 'son' is unknown.

>     The new issue of WIZARD: THE COMICS MAGAZINE has Kevin Smith
casting the SUPERMAN LIVES he wrote a couple of years back, from the
actors he envisioned delivering the dialogue of its characters... His
list includes Ben Affleck as Clark Kent and Superman, Linda Fiorentino
(Dogma) as Lois Lane, Jack Nicholson as Lex Luthor, Famke Janssen as
Mercy, John Mahoney (Frasier) as Perry White, David Hyde Pierce
(Frasier) as The Eradicator, Jason Lee as Braniac, and naturally, Jason
Mewes as Jimmy Olson. http://www.wizardworld.com

>     For months, there has been concern about whether the major stars
of the series would return for the last entry in the genre-defining
SCREAM trilogy - especially if Neve Campbell would be back. Now, Variety
reports that Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette are all set to
come back for the project which is still aiming for a start-of-shooting
date in May while Campbell and Cox are on hiatus from their TV shows.
The tentative release date of the film is still set at December 10th
1999.

>     Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Want to learn all the
shagadelic secrets about the upcoming sequel? AP | Home has posted the
second draft of the film's script - though be warned that Mike Myers has
done numerous re-writes since then so several of the jokes are either
going to be changed or thrown out. In any case you can judge for
yourself.
http://student.andover.edu/austinpowers/ap2script.html

>     Following up his success with "Out of Sight", George Clooney is
set to join another project the critics will undoubtedly like. 'Reuters'
reports that Clooney will head the cast of "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"
- a comedy from filmmaking brothers Joel & Ethan Coen (the guys who made
"Fargo"). Clooney will play the leader of a trio of chain gang escapees
in the 1930's who try to elude a deadly tracker through various locales
around Mississippi.

>     "Thunderbirds are...gay". If you thought the 'Jerry Falwell vs.
Tinky Winky the Teletubby' debate was completely nuts, just wait till
you hear this. UK's 'The Sunday Times' newspaper reports that not only
does the live-action film version of "The Thunderbirds" appear to be
back on, but at least two of the five Tracy brothers are likely to be
axed. Why? Universal Pictures execs fear that American audiences (who
didn't embrace the show like international audiences) will find them too
camp. Their inside source at Working Title (the British arm of Universal
whose making the film), says that "They saw all these bachelor boys
living together on an island with virtually no women around and an
uppercrust blond with a pink Rolls Royce and just thought the whole
thing was incredibly camp". So whose going? John (the space marooned
one) and Gordon (the frivolous one) are the ones tipped to depart,
though dashing pilot Scott (who has a reputation as a gay icon) is
certain to remain, while the Rolls Royce is likely to change colour.
Other changes will be made to 'slim down' the TB operation in order to
keep the budget down, with three million pounds already spent in
pre-production work.

>     19-year-old Australian actor Heath Ledger is the guy rumoured to
takeover the lead role in the Mad Max series. Ledger has starred in
numerous Aussie TV and film productions like "Blackrock" & "Sweat",
while US audiences will know him for his work as the lead role in the
short-lived series "Roar". The talk surrounding this is that back in
October it seems Director George Miller was apparently interested in
this young actor, while a week ago it was believed to be a "whisker away
from being official". But for the moment its rumour.

>     The cavern at 'Science North' and the nickel mines deep under the
city of Sudbury, Ontario, are expected to be where key scenes will be
shot form the upcoming movie based on the comic book series "X-Men". A
'scout' has been examining locations for the past few days and is
prepping a report for Producer Richard Donner and Director Bryan Singer.
Shooting in the area is expected to take two weeks and all the scenes
are likely to be set in the base of arch-villain Magneto where a key
action sequence takes place. The project itself finally goes into
production in the next month or two with shooting to begin in Summer.

>     Punk rocker Billy Idol may provide the lead voice in the animated
feature "Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2."  How this relates to other reports
that the character will be voiced by veteran actor Michael Ironsides is
unsure.  The $15 million picture is based on the graphic novel "The
Melting Pot,'' and is scheduled for domestic release by Columbia/Tristar
later in the year. It tells the story of an immortal female warrior who
seeks revenge on the genocidal Tyler (Idol). (F.A.K.K., her nom de
guerre, stands for Federation Assigned Ketogenic Killzone).  Website
“Stay Tooned” has landed some amazing background art from the upcoming
sequel to the animated cult classic, plus numerous shots of the superb
work involved. A US release date of August 20th 1999 has been set.
Also, get ready for some snazy creatures in the movie.  The toy
figurines of three of the characters can be seen at figures.com,
including a blue guy, 'Zeek', an alien made almost entirely of rock, the
film's heroine Julie, and the villainous Lord Tyler.
http://www.staytooned.com/film/film_heavymetal.html
http://www.figures.com/

>     Now this is what I call casting. 'The Hollywood Reporter'
announces that Drew Barrymore is in final negotiations to star and
produce the big-screen version of the 70's series "Charlie's Angels" for
Columbia/Tristar Pictures. This contemporary version will be more of an
action-comedy rather than a straight out action-drama (like the recent
Latino "Angeles" show), but will still have the three gun-toting female
detectives working for the mysterious Charlie. Director Frank Coraci
("The Wedding Singer") is tipped to helm the feature.

>     VARIETY reports THE THIRD WHEEL will be the first film in
production at Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's MIRAMAX-based PEARL STREET
Productions. Damon and Affleck will executive produce the film, and star
in supporting roles, opposite screenwriter Jay Lacopo (I Killed My
Lesbian Wife, Hung Her on a Meat Hook, and Now I Have a Three-Picture
Deal at Disney), who will play the lead role of a con man in this
romantic comedy.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, ALLIANCE ATLANTIS has teamed
up with TOP COW's Marc Silvestri on THE PROJECT, a sci-fi drama based on
a concept by Silvestri about a group of young people who learn they've
been raised to become a new breed of super-agents, who turn their
abilities of telekinesis, telepathy, and shape changing towards
combating global terrorism.  Say, there’s a fresh idea…   ALLIANCE film
division LE MONDE will create a PROJECT feature film, which will quickly
spin-off into an ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Television TV series, both of which
will be written by Silvestri. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com
http://www.topcow.com

>     While chatting with Conan O'Brien on NBC, Mark Wahlberg revealed
that he recently finished shooting the Gulf War thriller "Three Kings"
in which he stars alongside George Clooney.  Wahlberg also mentioned the
film contains a quite 'interesting' torture scene, he being the subject
of torture in question.  Wahlberg stars in THE CORRUPTOR with the King
of Cool, Chow Yun-Fat.

>     Michael Bay's cutting back. The director of "Armageddon", a film
which cost at least $150 million to make, has chosen his next project as
"Phone Booth" - a film with a budget of only $10 million. Described as a
"Rear Window-like thriller", the film follows one man who steps into a
phone booth to answer a ringing phone - and never leaves it throughout
the whole movie. Bay wants Will Smith to star in the film and its
believed a deal will be worked out soon, though Smith hasn't committed
to anything yet. DVD Review conducted an interview with Bay, who went on
to discuss his other upcoming projects. First off the big piece of news
- Plans for a "Bad Boys" sequel are now dead, the project being shelved
with Bay saying "There's just not a good script around and as a result
the project is simply not going anywhere. I am not even sure if Columbia
is still interested in it". He confirmed he's very interested in doing
the remake of "Planet of the Apes", as well as " an epic African movie
about paleontologist Dr. Richard Leaky, the great elephant savior and
director of National Parks and Wildlife" - though he admits "that's
still some time out".

>     VFXPro did an interview with Dan Philips, the visual effects
supervisor on "The Prince of Egypt".  In the discussion, Philips
revealed some details of the techniques involved in POE which will be
used in the next big traditionally-animated film from Dreamworks - "The
Road to El Dorado".  "What was the biggest challenge regarding CG
character animation? There were two: ensuring high-quality character
animation, and rendering the character animation. We succeeded fairly
well in terms of quality, so much so that toward the end of production,
the directors asked us to do more CG character animation because there
wasn't enough time to create them traditionally.  As for rendering, I
think we're still improving on that. If your CG elements are to look
like the rest of the film, they must have continuity of inking line and
tone. In regard to inking line, I think we're just about there. As for
the tone, that's more difficult. When you're working with, say, a 3D
character, and you're rendering it out to get the tones as opposed to
drawing the character and then drawing the tones on the body, you can't
get the same conscious stylization of shape that you do when you draw.
For instance, if a shadow is going to be cast across a character's rib
cage, that shadow will adhere to the topography of that rib cage as
opposed to being an interesting shape that an artist conceives and
draws. We're working on these problems for our next film, "El Dorado,
City of Gold," due out next year."

>     VARIETY reports Larry Kasanoff (Mortal Kombat)'s THRESHOLD
Entertainment and Mark Damon's BEHAVIOUR Worldwide are teaming up to
finance and distribute eight films, many of which are inspired by video
games. The four announced films in the deal are DUKE NUKEM, ZORK, the
fantasy action film THE BOGEYS, and a new CONAN film.

>     Matt Ross (Face/Off, Ed's Next Movie) has signed on to play the
villain, and Christina Appelgate's love interest, in Jean-Marie Poire's
U.S. remake of his French time travel comedy THE VISITORS.

>     Brittany Murphy (Clueless, King of the Hill, Drop Dead Gorgeous)
has signed on to play Janis Joplin in director Gary Fleder (Kiss the
Girls)'s biopic on the singer, replacing Melissa Etheridge.

>     Whoopi Goldberg is expected to play death in MONKEY TOWN, a live
action and animated adaptation of the graphic novel DARK TOWN. Henry
Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) will direct the film, starring
Brendan Fraser as a cartoonist who finds himself trapped in his own
purgatory-like creation after falling into a coma.

>     A November 24th release has been announced for UNIVERSAL's END OF
DAYS, a supernatural Millennium thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He'll play Jericho Cane, a man caught up in a web of supernatural
intrigue, who must stop the Devil from impregnating a woman (THE CRAFT's
Robin Tunney). The BEACON Communications/UNIVERSAL film is directed by
Peter Hyams (2010, The Relic), who was its director of photography, and
it also stars Gabriel Byrne and Kevin Pollak.
http://www.universalstudios.com

>     Some bad news for Russell Crowe fans. His next film, the
hockey-themed "Mystery, Alaska", was originally set to open on April
2nd. But now the film's release date has been pushed back due to a
"marketing restructure" by Buena Vista. No new specific date has been
set, though its believed to be sometime in the Fall.

>     A tutor at the Univ. of California who managed to get into the
Disney Studios was able to confirm three things about the predominantly
CG-animated project "Dinosaurs" which is in the works - 1: A tentative
release date of May 2000 (likely the Memorial Day holiday) has been set.
2: The heroes of the film are lemurs rather than the 'first mammals'
because they were "ugly rat-like creatures", while lemurs are so much
more marketable as cuddly toys. 3: The CG dinosaurs will apparently make
the "Jurassic Park" dinos look about as real as a teletubby. (And I
promise, no more teletubby references this issue…)

>     Coming Attractions reports that the opening sequence of Sylvester
Stallone’s next film "Detox" will involve a bank robbery with the
robbers all wearing masks of SW characters like Yoda and Chewbacca.
Also, expect this suspense thriller to be very violent, though its
touted as being Sly's big "comeback" vehicle.

>     'The Hollywood Reporter' announces that the remake of “The
Incredible Mr. Limpet” (set to star Jim Carrey) is still stuck in
"development hell". Screenwriter Steve Oedekerk ("Patch Adams") was
originally intended to rework the script of the 1964 original film,
though strains between him and Warner Brothers are believed responsible.
Reasons varying from fatigue, budget issues, and that old standby -
'Creative differences', have all been cited as possibilities.
Nevertheless the film is looking like it will eventually get there - the
only question is time.

>     "Bounce" is the name of the next film from "The Opposite of Sex"
director Don Roos. Variety reports that the film is a comedic drama
about a man who swaps airline tickets with a stranger he meets who takes
his flight instead - a lucky move considering the plane crashes and
kills everyone aboard. The man, now racked with guilt, visits the
stranger's widow and proceeds to fall in love with her. Miramax &
Universal will co-finance the film and are currently looking for a
high-profile cast to star.

>     Looks like the mid-Atlantic debate is about to start up again.
'The Sunday Times' reports that British World War II veterans are
vocally complaining about the accuracy of the upcoming WW2 submarine
drama "U-571". The movie is set in Spring 1942 and has an American sub
capturing an abandoned German U-Boat, stealing its 'Enigma' coding
device and cracking the code which helped the Allies win the war.
Trouble is, the US had no part in the decoding - in real life it was a
British warship who captured a U-Boat in May of 1941, seven months
before the Americans even entered the war. Even though the movie is a
fictional story set against real life events, the vets are concerned
that audiences out there will treat the film as fact due to the other
real life elements of the film being so detailed and accurate.

>     Nicolas Cage may star in an adaptation of the Sebastian Junger
novel THE PERFECT STORM for director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, Air
Force One).

>     Keanu Reeves ("The Matrix") is in advanced talks to star in the
football comedy "The Replacements," Daily Variety reported Friday. The
Warner Bros. picture is based on the real-life crew of ragtag jocks who
served as replacements during the 1987 National Football League players'
strike. Reeves would play the leader of the band of misfits who led the
Washington Redskins to an impressive winning streak, the paper added.
Warner Bros. acquired the project last year as a pitch by Vince McKewin
("Fly Away Home''), who wrote the screenplay.  No director is attached
to the project as of yet.

>     Principal photography has begun on SNOW DAY, a family comedy from
PARAMOUNT Pictures and NICKELODEON Movies about one family's adventures
while free from work and school during a snow day. The film stars Chevy
Chase, Mark Webber (Next To You), Zena Grey (The Bone Collector),
Schuyler Fisk (The Baby-sitters Club), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Detroit Rock
City), John Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard), and Pam Grier (Jawbreaker),
and is directed by Chris Koch (The Adventures of Pete & Pete).

>     A remastered collector's edition of Martin Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER
is scheduled for release on May 4th from COLUMBIA TRISTAR Home Video.
The VHS and DVD are both due on the same day, and both will include a
bonus "making of" featurette. http://www.cthv.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     SHOWTIME premieres its new sci-fi thriller TOTAL RECALL 2070 this
Sunday night at 8. The two-hour premiere, "Machine Dreams," introduces
police detective David Hume (Michael Eston of TWO, 413 HOPE STREET, and
ALLY McBEAL) and his android partner Ian Farve (THE FIXER's Karl
Pruner), whose mission is to defend innocent parties from unchecked
societal powers. Their investigations often take them to Mars, as in the
first episode when they set out after a pair of androids resorting to
violence to save their "souls on loan."  If this sounds very much like
BLADE RUNNER, its because 2070 is inspired by the works of author Philip
K. Dick, including the story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale,"
which inspired the TOTAL RECALL feature film.
http://www.showtimeonline.com

>     Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean, Black Adder) will play Dr. Who in a
three-part sketch during the RED NOSE DAY '99 COMEDY RELIEF special
airing on the BBC March 12th. The series of sketches are entitled DOCTOR
WHO AND THE CURSE OF THE FATAL DEATH, and co-star Julia Sawalha
(Absolutely Fabulous) and Jonathan Pryce (Tomorrow Never Dies).
http://www.rednoseday.beeb.com http://www.comicrelief.org.uk

>     Ben Stiller is directing the pilot episode of HEAT VISION AND
JACK, a series about a man with super powers and his talking motorcycle.
In an interview with The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Stiller described the show
as THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN and THE FUGITIVE meets OUTER LIMITS and
THE TWILIGHT ZONE. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     In an interview with EON Magazine, executive producer Brannon
Braga was discussing the possibility that Star Trek’s Voyager and the
crew may finally reach the Alpha Quadrant at the end of this season.
Braga said "We talk about how will VOYAGER remain unique?" "Is this
[returning Voyager home] to our benefit in the long run or the short
term? The conversations continue daily. We've got a few tricks up our
sleeve. We have the very same concerns that fans of the show and its
premise have. If we do it, it will not feel like giving up on the
premise, but rather a perfectly natural thing to have done. It will be
an EXTRAPOLATION of the premise, rather than an abandonment of the
premise. I'll say that much. But I really don't know what's going to
happen. I wish I did, because the damn show goes into prep in a month".

>     NBC's Christina Applegate sitcom JESSE will end its season early,
on April 1st, making way for WILL & GRACE to move into its post-FRIENDS,
Thursday nights at 8:30 timeslot. A new series starring Jeffrey Tambor
(The Larry Sanders Show), Jill Clayburgh, and Kevin Rahm entitled
EVERYTHING'S RELATIVE will take over WILL & GRACE's Tuesday 9:30pm
timeslot.

>     Ben Affleck is the guest on DENNIS MILLER LIVE tonight at 11:30 on
HBO, where the two will tackle the topic of "The Need for Reason." A
repeat with Jon Stewart airs next week, followed by a new episode with
Jon Voight on the 19th.

>     HBO will launch its HDTV channel on March 6th, with a high
definition broadcast of U.S. MARSHALS. HBO HDTV plans to initially
mirror 45% of HBO's content in high definition, with March broadcasts of
SPHERE, REPLACEMENT KILLERS, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, KISS THE GIRLS,
ANACONDA, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, SWING KIDS, SO I MARRIED AN
AXE MURDERER, FACE/OFF, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, and others, and April's
line-up includes TITANIC, L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, WILD THINGS, GATTACA, THE
FULL MONTY, and CITY OF ANGELS.

>     Elvis Mitchell, host of NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO's THE TREATMENT, and
a man who knows his movies, is Roger Ebert's guest critic this weekend
on the syndicated SISKEL & EBERT. GOOD MORNING AMERICA critic Josh
Siegel is also expected to appear as a guest critic on an upcoming
episode.

>     USA Network's THE NET ongoing series gets a slight revamp this
weekend, as Angela joins the agency that has been chasing her, and Bruce
Abbott (Re-Animator) joins the cast as her mentor. THE NET airs
Saturdays at 10pm.

>     NBC has picked up 13 episodes of "Sammy," an animated comedy
loosely based on comic actor David Spade's real-life relationship with
his father, Daily Variety reported in its Monday edition. Spade, who
serves as a creator and executive producer, will voice the two lead
characters: James, a twentysomething Hollywood star; and Sammy, his
funny but absentee and philandering father. The series is slated for
next season.

>     BABYLON 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski has released an official
statement announcing his new series CRUSADE will not be moving to the
SCI-FI Channel after all, and will likely not continue beyond the 13
episodes which have already been filmed. These 13 episodes will remain
at TNT and will air once post-production on them is complete, but a cast
of actors that included Gary Cole, Tracy Scoggins, and Dan Kim, while
still bound by contract until this summer, have been released to pursue
work elsewhere, and Straczynski looks ready to move on... "There have
been seven offers for overall deals and multiple network pilot deals
with both networks per se and studios on my desk for about a year now,
ever since B5 ended, which I've been putting off to do CRUSADE."
explains Straczynski, "Now I'll pick one of those deals and make it. So
the next thing from me you see will almost certainly be on one of the
major networks. I'm going back into the deep water again..."

>     MTV begins taping its Spring Break '99 programming later this week
in and on the way to Cancun, Mexico, and Negril, Jamaica. Britney
Spears, 'N SYNC, 98 DEGREES, GOO GOO DOLLS, Jordan Knight, Joey
McIntyre, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Foxy Brown, Tyrese, GINUWINE, FEAR
FACTORY, and Jerry Springer are all set to appear on special editions of
FASHIONABLY LOUD, DANCE PLANET, SAY WHAT? BLAME GAME, TOTAL REQUEST, The
TOM GREEN SHOW, and other specialized programming. Additional music
performers and celebrity guests will be announced before the Spring
Break programming is broadcast on the weekend of March 19th. AOL
Keyword:MTV http://mtv.com

>     DAILY VARIETY reports Charlie Sheen is in final negotiations to
star in SUGAR TOWN, an ensemble sitcom set in a New York City police
department. The pilot of the potential DREAMWORKS series also co-stars
Joe Pantoliano (EZ Streets), Teri Polo (Brimstone), and Duane Martin
(Getting Personal). http://www.variety.com

>     MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 will end after its current season on
The SCI-FI Channel. The final 13 episodes of this tenth and last season
are currently in production, and will include a reunion show featuring
the return of Frank Conniff and co-creator Joel Hodgson.
http://www.mst3kinfo.com

>     ABC is in final negotiations with MIRAMAX and TOUCHSTONE TV for
six episodes of an animated series based on the Kevin Smith film CLERKS.
Expected to premiere midseason next year, or in fall 2000, the series
will expand upon the Kevin Smith universe established in the film, which
has continued into MALLRATS, Smith's CLERKS and JAY AND SILENT BOB comic
books, and his upcoming religious comedy, DOGMA.
http://www.viewaskew.com http://www.newsaskew.com

>     ANIMATION BLAST recently broke the story that CARSEY-WERNER is
developing its first animated series, entitled BOB, THE DEVIL, AND GOD.
The future NBC show is created by Matthew Carlson (Men Behaving Badly,
Townies), and will feature the voices of French Stewart (Third Rock...)
as Bob, Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne) as his wife, James Garner as God, and
Robert Downey, Jr. as the Devil. http://www.awn.com/blast

>     CARSEY-WERNER is developing a claymation series for FOX entitled
GARY AND MIKE, about two twentysomethings who explore the world via the
Lewis and Clark trail. G&M is created and executive produced by former
MAD TV executive producers Fax Bahr and Adam Small.

>     FOX has ordered a second season (22 episodes) of Eddie Murphy's
new FOX animated series THE PJs. http://www.foxworld.com

>     A special "Remembering Gene Siskel" tribute episode of SISKEL &
EBERT will air in syndication (check local listings) this weekend, in
memory of last weekend's death of the loved film critic. The half-hour
tribute will look at Siskel and his 23-year rival relationship with
Roger Ebert, as well as highlights from past episodes and a collection
of film and TV parodies of the couple. SISKEL & EBERT is expected to
continue on with guest hosts for the time being, as planned when Siskel
recently took a break for medical reasons.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports CUPID creator Rob Thomas has signed a
four-year, $8 million deal with 20th CENTURY FOX, to develop both
comedies and dramas, and executive produce David E. Kelley's new ABC
series, SNOOPS. http://www.variety.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The soundtrack to Warner Bros THE MATRIX will be available on
Tuesday March 30th, while the movie will now open on Wednesday March
31st. It will contain a new track from Ministry ("Bad Blood," from the
forthcoming Dark Side of the Spoon), Prodigy ("Mindfields"), Rob Zombie
("Dragula" [Hot Rod Herman Remix]), Rage Against the Machine ("Wake
Up"), Monster Magnet ("Look To Your Orb For Warning"), the Deftones ("My
Own Summer [Shove It]"), Rammstein ("Du Hast"), Propellerheads
("Spybreak!"), Meat Beat Manifesto ("Prime Audio Soup"), Marylin Manson,
and Lunatic Calm ("Leave You Far Behind"), among others.

>     Former child actor Peter Billingsley (A Christmas Story, The Dirt
Bike Kid, Sherman Oaks) reads six short Christmas stories alongside
seven songs by Canadian crooner sensation Brian Evans on "Christmas
Stories... Christmas Albums," due out in Canada sometime next year on
RUN FOR COVER Records. There are currently no plans for a U.S. release.
http://www.thecrooner.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The WORLD HORROR CONVENTION began in Atlanta, GA. yesterday, and
highlights will be webcast online through Sunday. Today's features
include a webcast of Atlanta Goth bands ORDER OF THE DYING KNIGHTS and
THE CHANGELINGS, followed by a midnight Vampire Erotica Party, Saturday
includes performances by D.C. MOON (joined by author John Shirley [City
Come-Walkin', Black Butterflies]) and GODHEAD and the FETISH BALL, and
Sunday's highlights include ATLANTA RADIO THEATRE's THE PASSION OF
FRANKENSTEIN. http://www.liveonthenet.com
http://www.darkecho.com/JohnShirley

>     LONE EAGLE Publishing has released THE ULTIMATE FILM FESTIVAL
SURVIVAL GUIDE, a must-have companion destined to become the bible for
filmmakers and festival-goers alike. Written by Chris Gore (Film
Threat), the book begins by covering all the basics; Celebrity
Etiquette, Tips for the Festival Traveler, Essential Terms, Getting your
film accepted, Guerrilla Marketing, and more importantly, the parties,
crashing the parties, and a list of the best bars. Additionally, a large
portion of the book is dedicated to interviews with indie filmmakers
(AND GOD SPOKE's Arthur Borman, BLOOD, GUTS, BULLETS & OCTANE's Joe
Carnahan, MARY JANE'S NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE's Sarah Jacobson, SIX STRING
SAMURAI's Lance Mungia, etc...) offering their own advice, and a
comprehensive look at the domestic and foreign festivals. The UFFSG can
be ordered online at AMAZON, and its author will be speaking at a GET
YOUR FILM INTO FESTIVALS seminar at Hollywood's PARAMOUNT Pictures on
March 25th (call 1-800-404-4484 for more info).
http://www.filmthreat.com http://www.loneeagle.com http://www.amazon.com
http://wwww.access1.net/ffi

>     WIZARD reports J. Michael Straczynski will write the 24-issue
mini-series RISING STARS for TOP COW, which premieres this July. Keu Cha
(Tomb Raider / Witchblade #1/2) will supply the artwork on the series,
which follows the adventures of a small town of 113 super-powered
characters who gained unique powers from an alien energy flash.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Metal Gear Solid announced for the PC?  John Sloan, ( Director of
Marketing at Konami of America ) was being interviewed on Game Time and
was asked if there is any chance of Metal Gear Solid being released on
the PC, to which he responded, " Ok I have a bit of exclusive news for
your listeners", and went on to say that Metal Gear Solid is indeed
going to be released for the PC. Although there is no date at this time
for the PC version, and Konami of America or Konami of Japan has not
released a press release on this,  from the interview we know that The
PC version will be a direct port of the PlayStation version and will
have features only for the PC version and is slated to be released this
year.

>     Scott Thompson (Kids in the Hall, The Larry Sanders Show) has
signed on to star in the first-ever, made-for-the-Internet,
video-streaming comedy series. Thompson will star in 26 10-minute
episodes of SCOTTLAND, a series spawned from his own Internet site set
in the virtual country of Scottland, a sci-fi fantasy realm where such
Scott Thompson characters as Francesca Fiori and Buddy Cole reside. The
episodes, which will premiere weekly at COMEDYNET and SCOTTLAND, will
feature guest appearances by Scott's former KIDS and LARRY SANDERS
co-stars, as well as Canadian actress/writer Deborah Theaker (Maniac
Mansion), who will also co-write the show. Thompson guest starred on
JESSE this past week. http://www.comedynet.com http://www.scottland.com

>     Gillian Anderson (X-Files) has signed up as a judge of this year's
WEBBY Awards, set for March 18th in San Francisco. She'll help judge the
"Weird" category, joining an eclectic group of judges which includes
David Bowie (Music), Bjork (Music), Francis Ford Coppola (Film), PI
filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Film), Richard Branson (Travel), Deborah
Norville (News), TALK editor Tina Brown (Print/Zines), Kate Spade
(Fashion), and DILBERT creator Scott Adams (Humor). A few great sites
are up for WEBBY Awards this year, including CORONA COMING ATTRACTIONS,
DARK HORIZONS, the IMDb, AMAZON, eBAY, SONICNET, GIST, COMEDY CENTRAL,
and TV GUIDE Online. Additionally, G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE and ABSOLUT
DJ tour headliner EMERGENCY BROADCAST NETWORK will perform at a
post-ceremony party following the awards. http://www.webbyawards.com

>     35mm Film Projectors are History: Get set for a revolution in the
movie industry, which won't heavily affect the viewing audiences but
will drive filmmakers, theatre owners and studios wild. On March 10th at
the upcoming meeting of NATO (no not that NATO, the other one - National
Association of Theatre Owners), a special four-minute clip will be shown
three times. Why three? Well one time will be using the standard 35mm
film reel projector used in all theatres these days, the other two will
be done by 'digital projectors'. Texas Instruments and JVC have each
developed their own brand of digital projectors (which use relatively
small digital disks rather than large film reels) that look set to
replace conventional projectors in two years. How does this benefit the
viewers? Simple, the change will be like from audio cassette to CD. No
more scratches on the soundtrack, no blotches or faded colors on the
film print - basically each and every film will look crisp, clean and
new every time its played, no matter how much its played. Studios will
lap it up as well - an average film release on 35mm film would require
around 3-4,000 prints to be made and shipped at a cost of $2,000 each
(all up about $6-10 million). The change to digital projectors will
pretty much wipe out that cost altogether, with films being sent to
theatres by a satellite signal and transferred there onto the very cheap
to produce disks. The only main cost will be the new units themselves at
US$100,000 each (normal film projectors cost US$30,000), but the studios
are looking like they'll help at least partially fund the capital
required to make the change.

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     FLATT WORLD Figures, creators of the anticipated ASTRO CITY toys,
have signed a licensing deal with 20th CENTURY FOX to produce a line of
deluxe, poseable, collectible figures based on the film THE ROCKY HORROR
PICTURE SHOW. An initial assortment featuring Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim
Curry), Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien), and Magenta (Patricia Quinn) is in
development for release this fall, and a second set will include Janet
Weiss (Susan Sarandon), Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick), and Columbia
(Little Nell). http://www.flattworld.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Broadway blockbuster THE BLUE ROOM had to be cancelled this past
weekend after star Nicole Kidman was ordered to rest by doctors. Kidman
had been fighting a bronchial infection in recent weeks, which has
developed into laryngitis. Kidman is expected to resume performances
tomorrow, March 2nd. THE BLUE ROOM, a David Hare adaptation of Arthur
Schnitzler's LA RONDE, ends its limited engagement at New York's CORT
Theatre this Sunday.

>     Jerry Springer will be roasted by The FRIARS CLUB of California at
an event occurring at the BEVERLY HILTON Hotel on April 29th.
POLITICALLY INCORRECT's Bill Maher will serve as roastmaster for the
event, and he'll be joined by over a dozen comedians, such as Andrew
"Dice" Clay and Dom Irrera. Tickets are available for $150 by calling
310-553-0850, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the FRIARS
CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. http://www.friarsclub-ca.org

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     WENDY'S Old Fashioned Hamburgers Restaurants is teaming up with
COLUMBIA Pictures and JIM HENSON Pictures for a national promotion
supporting the July release of the MUPPETS FROM SPACE feature film.
Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, and all the other Muppet
regulars will be appearing in Muppet-themed Kids' Meal promotions from
July 26th through September 5th. The film has Gonzo setting out on an
adventure with Rizzo the Rat the find his real family, and becoming the
target of a paranoid government operative played by THE LARRY SANDERS
SHOW's Jeffrey Tambor. Dropping by for cameos are such actors as F.
Murray Abraham, David Arquette, Josh Charles, Kathy Griffin, Pat Hingle,
Hollywood Hogan, Ray Liotta, Andie MacDowell, and Rob Schneider.
http://www.spe.sony.com http://www.henson.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
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     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
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Film Great Stanley Kubrick Dead
           (Posted on E!Online, March 7, 1999, 12:45 p.m. PT)

  Director Stanley Kubrick, the inscrutable, exacting taskmaster behind
epic classics 2001, Dr. Strangelove and Spartacus , died Sunday at his
home in London. He was 70.

  A puzzle to the end, Kubrick's family announced his death, police
declared there were no "suspicious circumstances," and that was it--no
further comment was said to be forthcoming.

  Kubrick was in the midst of work on what turned out to be his final
opus, the long-awaited Eyes Wide Shut, a much under-wraps psychological
thriller starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

  The film is scheduled to open July 16.

  Other key Kubrick credits include: The Shining (1980), A Clockwork
Orange (1971), Lolita (1962) and Paths of Glory (1957).

  It was just last week that Warner Bros. studio executives got their
first look at Eyes Wide Shut. The cut was said to be two hours-plus and,
following the screening, headed back to London to Kubrick.

  Warner Bros. cohonchos Terry Semel and Robert Daley said in a
statement, they were "deeply saddened by the loss of Stanley Kubrick, a
towering figure in the world of film and a deeply loved and respected
member of the Warner family for nearly three decades."

  The studio described Eyes Wide Shut as complete and said the summer
release date stands. Prior to Kubrick's death, it was reported that
footage was to be screened at this week's ShoWest exhibitors' convention
in Las Vegas.

  The movie was his first since 1987's absurdist take on the Vietnam War,
Full Metal Jacket.

  In an industry supposedly chockfull of perfectionists, Kubrick was the
real deal. In a nearly 50-year directing career, he made just 16
films--three of which (2001, Dr. Strangelove and A Clockwork Orange)
ended up on the American Film Institute's Top 100 list of the century's
finest.

  "He was in the pantheon of great film making," Daily Variety film
critic Leonard Klady told Reuters.

  Born in New York City on July 26, 1928, Kubrick was an early starter,
landing a job as staff photographer at Look magazine at 17.

  He was just 29 when Paths of Glory, a withering World War I tale with
Kirk Douglas, was released--and praised.

  Douglas hired Kubrick to helm his next epic, Spartacus, about a Roman
slave uprising. The film was, at the time, the most expensive movie ever
made in the United States. The finished product boasted an epic length
(184 minutes) and an epic cast (Douglas, Tony Curtis, Peter Ustinov).
But hard-to-please Kubrick, per usual, was not impressed.

  "I tried with only limited success to make the film as real as possible
but I was up against a pretty dumb script which was rarely faithful to
what is known about Spartacus," Kubrick once said.

  The next notch on his resume was Lolita, the controversial retelling of
Vladimir Nabokov's controversial novel of taboo love, with James Mason.

  His uninterrupted artistic winning streak continued with Dr.
Strangelove (full title: Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop
Worrying and Love the Bomb, the nuclear-age black comedy starring Peter
Sellers and George C. Scott.

  Next up: his masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey, a balletic opus of
man, universe and chatty computers.

  "This is the work of an artist so sublimely confident that [Kubrick]
doesn't include a single shot simply to keep our attention," critic
Roger Ebert wrote. "...Alone among science-fiction movies, 2001 is not
concerned with thrilling us, but with inspiring our awe."

  Kubrick went six-for-six with his next film, the acclaimed A Clockwork
Orange, about futuristic young thugs.

  His enviable streak (arguably) ended with 1975's Barry Lyndon. The
literate look at 18th century Ireland, starring Ryan O'Neal, won four
Oscars and good critical notices--but failed to catch fire with
audiences.

  Kubrick had no such trouble on his next work, The Shining. The hit
horror-thriller made great use of a wild-eyed Jack Nicholson as
writer-gone-mad Jack "Here's Johnny" Torrance. The film is considered by
many as the finest film adaptation of a Stephen King novel.

  Production on Eyes Wide Shut began in November 1996. Kubrick, proving
his self-imposed Hollywood sabbatical had done little to dull his
standards, kept the cameras rolling for 15 months. Then he recast some
and rolled them again in April 1998.

  Offering the best evidence yet that Hollywood awards amount to nothing
more than shiny paperweights, Kubrick never won a Golden Globe. Never
won a competitive Directors Guild Award. Never won an Oscar.

  He just made films.

Filmography:

- Day of the Fight (1950)
- Flying Padre (1951)
- Seafarers, The (1952)
- Fear and Desire (1953) ... aka Trap, The (1950) (USA: original script
title)
- Killer's Kiss (1955)
- Killing, The (1956)
- Paths of Glory (1957)
- Spartacus (1960)
- Lolita (1962)
- Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
(1964)
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
- Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
- Barry Lyndon (1975)
- Shining, The (1980)  ... aka Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining' (1980)
- Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
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     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
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                      Part two of two
<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     While some people weren't pleased about the idea of a Starship Troopers
computer-animated series, it's in progress, and looks promising. Since the
computer animation industry's been growing in leaps and bounds, a lot of
competitors were going for the license, including Mainframe Entertainment (Beast
Wars, War Planets), but it seems a few relative unknowns will be producing the
series: Foundation Imaging and Flat Earth. Well, actually, pseudo-unknowns.
Foundation Imaging did work for Babylon 5 and is the company responsible for a
lot of Voyager's computer animated effects and creatures (including Species
8472) and Flat Earth does work for Hercules and Xena. They're also aiming for a
high level of action, and it doesn't seem that this'll end up as just another
kid's show, since they're going for the adult demographic. Everything except the
Warrior Bug is getting a complete redesign, from weapons to battle suits, and
seeing some of their previous work is very encouraging. Foundation is doing 25
of the 40 episodes, while Flat Earth is doing the rest.

>     HARSH REALM co-creator James Hudnall has informed ZEN that FOX will make
an official casting announcement on Chris Carter (X-Files)'s new TV show loosely
based on his and Andrew Paquette's 1992 comic series. However, Hudnall also
passed along a story from the VANCOUVER PROVINCE which has apparently beaten FOX
to the punch. According to the newspaper, the series' ensemble cast will be led
by D.B. Sweeney (Strange Luck, Spawn), Scott Bairstow (Party of Five), Max
Martini (Saving Private Ryan), Samantha Mathis (Broken Arrow), and Carter
regular Terry O'Quinn (Millennium, The X-Files [film]). Production on the sci-fi
thriller begins this Wednesday in Vancouver. http://www.harshrealm.com

>     The first three parts of the four-part DOCTOR WHO AND THE CURSE OF THE
FATAL DEATH, starring Jonathan Pryce (Tomorrow Never Dies), Julia Swalha
(AbFab), and Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) as the Doctor himself are now online at
the official RED NOSE DAY 99 section of the BBC's BEEB.COM website. To check out
the clips, select the "Best Bits" link from the below URL.
http://www.forums.beeb.com/comic_relief/zineindex.html

>     SPIN CITY takes on the ACADEMY AWARDS this Tuesday night (ABC, 9pm), with
a new episode spoofing such films as GHOST, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, THE GRADUATE,
BACK TO THE FUTURE, and TITANIC. The episode, which involved Mike making the
Mayor's staff work during the ceremony, guest stars Christopher Lloyd, Heidi
Klum, and Priscilla Presley.

>     John Larroquette's new sitcom PAYNE, a U.S. remake of the British series
FAWLTY TOWERS,
moves to its regular Wednesday 8:30pm slot this week.

>     The HISTORY Channel takes an interesting and innovative look at the
historical accuracy of this year's OSCAR contenders in HISTORY'S BEST PICTURES,
this Thursday night at 10, with a panel of historians judging LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL,
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, ELIZABETH, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and THE THIN RED LINE in
the categories of historical accuracy, realism, educational value, audience
response to the film, and public and commercial criticism.

>     Ann Miller (You Can't Take It With You, Kiss Me Kate) and Robert Forster
(Jackie Brown) will star in the pilot episode of David Lynch's possible fall ABC
series MULHOLLAND DRIVE. Lynch is also reportedly interested in casting Helen
Mirren (The Passion of Ayn Rand, Prime Suspect, Killing Mrs. Tingle), and the
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE adds Marilyn Manson will have a recurring role. The
series is set in an alternate version of Hollywood.

>     NBC has ordered 13 episodes of the animated series SAMMY, which comedian
David Spade (Just Shoot Me) will executive produce and provide voices for,
considering it's loosely based on his own childhood relationship with his
father. In other David Spade news, he's also set to co-write and star in THE
ADVENTURES OF JOE DIRT, a comedy about a white-trash guy searching for his birth
parents.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Tony Shalhoub (Wings, Men in Black,
Big Night) has joined the cast of STARK RAVING MAD, a new NBC sitcom from
creator Steve Levitan (Just Shoot Me). Shalhoub will play a horror writer in the
series, which has a 13-episode commitment. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     VARIETY reports FOX has ordered a pilot for a show entitled JEFF THE
UNIVERSE from David Mirkin (Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, The
Simpsons). The show will follow the adventures of a twentysomething slacker
traveling between dimensions, into different dangerous situations.

>     VARIETY reports UPN has ordered a pilot from Joel Silver (Lethal Weapon)
entitled THE STRIP. The series is an action-drama about a casino magnate who
hires his own renegade police force. Silver's production company is also in
talks to sell a sitcom pilot in the vein of THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY to UPN
from creators Robert Horn and Daniel Margosis (High Society).

>     UPN has greenlit pilots for STUDENT AFFAIR, a college-set soap opera
comedy, and SECRET AGENT MAN, a loose update of THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E..

>     VARIETY reports NBC has ordered a one-hour pilot from DREAMWORKS entitled
THE OTHERS, a paranormal thriller written and executive produced by John
Brancanto and Michael Ferris (The Game, The Net) about a college freshman with
psychic abilities.

>     VARIETY reports Jamie Luner (Melrose Place, Savannah), Flex Alexander
(Homeboys in Outer Space), and Joe Flanigan (Sisters) will star in the pilot of
the WB series THE FORCE. Created by Lorenzo Carcaterra (Sleepers), FORCE follows
a team of police detectives who fight crime outside the realm of legal
authority.  Man, how do they THINK UP THIS STUFF?

>     James D. Hudnall has announced production on Chris Carter (X-Files)'s new
series, loosely based on Hudnall and Andrew Paquette's comic series HARSH REALM,
is expected to begin March 17th. The series is still casting its actors.
http://www.harshrealm.com

>     Network TV-banned X-FILES episode "Home," which involved an inbred family
hiding under one home's floorboards, will be released on home video April 27th,
on the same tape with the episode "Herrenvolk." Four other episodes are released
that day as well; "Unruhe," "Paper Hearts," "Tunguska," and "Terma."
http://www.foxhome.com/trustno1

>     GAME SHOW Network has signed a deal with INTERACTIVE TELEVISION
Entertainment to launch America's first live, real-time animated game show on
May 3rd. THROUT AND NECK is described as "the ultimate arcade game," where home
viewers use their telephone keypads to control the movement of the two monsters
Throut and Neck, in an attempt to destroy the most annoyingly-adorable animated
sheep. THROUT AND NECK was originally developed by ITE-USA in Copenhagen,
Denmark, before making a major debut on MTV Brazil in 1997.
http://www.sony.com/gameshownet

>     WARNER Home Video will release the one-hour BATMAN BEYOND pilot "Rebirth"
on VHS May 18th.

>     STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE is expected to end its seven-year journey with
nine episodes wrapping up most every little plot thread, finally concluding with
a two-hour series finale. A trailer teasing what's in store can be found at the
VIDIOT website. http://www.vidiot.com/st-ds9

>     NETTER Digital Entertainment, the company supplying the computer graphics
to J. Michael Straczynski's BABYLON 5 spin-off CRUSADE, have announced they've
nearly completed production on the series' 13 episodes, which will begin airing
on TNT on Wednesday, June 9th.

>     Production begins Tuesday on RKO 281, HBO Pictures' film telling the
behind-the-scenes story of the making of CITIZEN KANE. It's directed by Ben Ross
(The Young Poisoner's Handbook), and stars Liev Schreiber (Scream) as Orson
Welles, John Malkovich as writer Herman "Mank" Mankiewicz, James Cromwell as
media magnate William Randolph Hearst, Melanie Griffith as his mistress, actress
Marion Davies, Brenda Blethyn (Little Voice) as gossip columnist Louella
Parsons, and Roy Scheider as RKO studio head George Schaefer. http://www.hbo.com

>     Fans of this season's new FOX series BRIMSTONE are uniting at the sites
listed below in an effort to save their series from cancellation, with a
letter-writing campaign, e-mail project, petition, and advertising fund to
promote their efforts in print.
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/brimstonehq
http://tv.acmecity.com/talkshow/342/brimstone.htm

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     During Saturday's concert at Anaheim, California's ARROWHEAD POND, HOLE
announced they'd quit their co-headlining slot on the MARILYN MANSON tour, and
would only remain on the bill through Sunday's show at the GREAT WESTERN FORUM
in Los Angeles. The news isn't exactly unexpected, as it's been widely reported
that HOLE have been poorly received by fans since the tour kicked off in
Spokane, Washington on February 28th, and even Manson bride-to-be Rose McGowan
has been bad-mouthing the band more than usual as of late.  Courtney Love
remained as colorful as ever at Saturday's performance, revealing that the
band's new single, the TUSCADERO-sounding "Awful," is a tale of the romantic
triangle between herself, BUSH's Gavin Rosdale, and NO DOUBT's Gwen Stefani.
Recently, news came out that Manson slipped and fell at the FORUM show, to the
point where concert goers were sent home. Manson's status is not yet known.  If
we all wish very hard, maybe he'll die...

>     The CHEMICAL BROTHERS have a new record due out on ASTRALWERKS this June
entitled "Surrender." The 11-track album features the songs "Out of Control"
(with lead vocals/guitar from NEW ORDER's Bernard Sumner and backing vocals by
PRIMAL SCREAM's Bobby Gillespie), "Let Forever Be" (with vocals and guitar from
OASIS' Noel Gallagher), "Dream On" (with vocals and guitar from MERCURY REV's
Jonathan Donahue), an untitled track with vocals from MAZZY STAR's Hope
Sandoval, and the album's first single, "Hey Boy Hey Girl," which is due out on
May 18th.

>     The soundtrack to WARNER BROS.' March 31st release THE MATRIX will be
released by MAVERICK on March 30th. The first single in support of the cyberpunk
thriller is MARILYN MANSON's "Rock is Dead," and the Jason Bentley (KCRW,
KROQ)-supervised soundtrack also features songs from PRODIGY, DEFTONES, RAGE
AGAINST THE MACHINE, MINISTRY (the new song "Bad Blood"), RAMMSTEIN,
PROPELLERHEADS, MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO, and Rob Zombie. http://www.maverickrc.com
http://www.whatisthematrix.com

>     NO DOUBT's latest single, "New," is the first single from the soundtrack
of GO, a rave culture teen comedy by SWINGERS director Doug Liman about a
botched drug deal. The COLUMBIA Pictures release doesn't open until April 9th,
but the soundtrack will be out from SONY MUSIC SOUNDTRAX on March 30th, and it
includes other tracks by LEN, FATBOY SLIM, BT, ESTHERO, LIONROCK, GOLDO,
LEFTFIELD, DJ RAP, Jimmy Luxury, Natalie Imbruglia, and a Philip Steir remix of
STEPPENWOLF's "Magic Carpet Ride." GO is set during 24 hours in the life of
characters played by Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek), William Fichtner
(Armageddon), Taye Diggs (How Stella...), Scott Wolf (Party of Five), Sarah
Polley (The Sweet Hereafter), Timothy Olyphant (Scream 2), Jay Mohr (Jerry
Maguire), J.E. Freeman (Alien), and Breckin Meyer (Clueless).
http://www.nodoubt.com http://www.spe.sony.com/movies/go

>     SONIC IMAGES Records released the soundtrack to the WING COMMANDER feature
film on March 9th, a few days before the FOX film's March 12th release. The
fully-orchestral soundtrack is a team effort by composers David Arnold and Kevin
Kiner, who've worked together in the past on STARGATE SG-1 and THE VISITOR.
http://www.wcmovie.com http://www.sonicimages.com

>     A 25th Anniversary edition of PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS "Band on the Run"
will be released as a limited-edition double-CD on March 9th. The CAPITOL
Records release will include the original recording, plus 21 bonus tracks of
previously unreleased acoustic versions, and tracks from rehearsals,
soundchecks, and live performances. The release of this Silver Anniversary
edition precedes McCartney's induction into the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME by
one week.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Yup, a new PLAYSTATION system... Early last week, SONY Computer
Entertainment chairman Ken Kutaragi made a global announcement of a next
generation PLAYSTATION system, which will incorporate all the latest
technological advances for the utmost quality in gameplay. The system will
feature SONY's new GRAPHICS SYNTHESIZER, the world's fastest graphics processor,
a 128-bit EMOTION ENGINE CPU for fast processing, a new, 32-bit I/I Processor
which allows backward compatibility with the 3,000+ PLAYSTATION titles, an
embedded DRAM Graphic Synthesizer, and several other enhancements.
http:/www.playstation.com

>     CARTOON NETWORK Online recently premiered its first WEB PREMIERE TOONS;
original, interactive cartoons available only online. The first cartoons are
PINK DONKEY AND THE FLY, pop culture icon Gary Panter (Jimbo, Pee-Wee's
Playhouse)'s story about a crazed fly in love with a pink donkey, and B. HAPPY,
a series from underground satirist Mark Newgarden (Garbage Pail Kids) about a
cranky "bluebird of happiness." http://www.cartoonnetwork.com

>     ACTIVISION subsidiary HEAD GAMES has released EXTREME BULL RIDER, a PC
game where you can choose between bull riding and bull fighting. EXTREME
features running commentary by eight-time world champion bull rider Don Gay, and
its multiplayer options allow eight to compete, choosing from 20 riders and 10
bulls. http://www.headgames.net

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Ed McGuiness (Deadpool, Fighting American, Mr. Majestic) has signed on as
artist for Jeph Loeb's upcoming run on DC Comics' SUPERMAN.

>     VERTIGO Comics will unleash a new horror anthology entitled FLINCH in late
April, featuring top writers and artists telling modern horror stories for the
new millennium. The first issue of FLINCH will feature "The Rocketman," Jim
Lee's first story illustrated for DC/VERTIGO, which Richard Bruning (Adam
Strange) wrote, as well as a story by Jen Van Meter & Frank Quitely, and a cover
by Phil Hale (Insomnia, Drawing of the Three). Upcoming issues of the series
will feature such writers and artists as Garth Ennis, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bernie
Wrightson, Paul Gulacy, Phil Jimenez, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Bradstreet, Kent
Williams, Jim Woodring, Ted McKeever, Brian Azzarello, and Eduardo Risso.
http://www.dccomics.com

>     Matt Wagner has announced the final three issues of his MAGE: THE HERO
DEFINED series will feature an assortment of cover enhancements. "Everything
about my approach to my craft has always concerned story-telling," explains
Wagner "Thus, I wanted to see if I could play with this recent trend in the
comics industry in such a way that would actually enhance the narrative instead
of being just an attempt to jack up sales. Certainly I always want to sell more
books, but I think my readers will find the choice of variations both fun and
exciting in a fictional sense as well." Issue #13 will ship with three, evenly
mixed, alternative covers featuring one member of the Heroic Trio made up by
Kevin Matchstick, Kirby Hero, and Joe Phat. The cover of the 14th issue will
then reveal a major plot development, and the 15th issue features a photo cover
harkening back to the final issue of the original MAGE series, THE HERO
DISCOVERED.

In an interview with NEWSARAMA, Rob Liefeld recently revealed Alan Moore (Swamp
Thing, Watchmen, ABC Comics) and Alex Ross (Marvels, Earth X) are developing a
SUPREME project together for Liefeld's AWESOME Entertainment under the working
title of SUPREME: WW INFINITY.  Liefeld then failed to gag under the weight of
his own talentlessness and implode.

>     REALM Press has signed screen, TV, and comics writer Art Holcomb (Star
Trek: The Next Generation, Eternal Warriors) to write a new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
comic, and comics veteran Jim Shooter to write a Starbuck story for a
soon-to-be-named second GALACTICA title. Additionally, REALM has signed Jae Lee
(Inhumans) to illustrate a variant cover to the first issue of the GALACTICA
series, due out in June. REALM has just released their first GALACTICA product,
the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 1999 TOURBOOK, which features an expanded origin of the
Imperious Leader, a sneak-peek at the upcoming comic, and an interview with
Holcomb.

>     DEL REY Books has announced author R. A. Salvatore recently completed the
first draft of a new STAR WARS novel, and has begun working on a follow-up
trilogy to his DEMON WARS trilogy. Salvatore begins a signing tour in promotion
of THE DEMON APOSTLE on March 16th in Auburn, Massachusetts, taking him through
7 additional states in the following two weeks.
http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey

>     BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER's Spike and Drusilla star in their own DARK HORSE
Comics one-shot due out on April 14th, co-written by Christoper Golden and Spike
himself, actor James Marsters. "When I was on the set of Buffy the Vampire
Slayer, and I first met James Marsters, he told me he was into comics, and
interested in writing," explains Golden "Right off, I knew what we had to do -
get together with Spike and Drusilla and 'paint the town red!' It's nice to see
the Sid and Nancy of vampires on their own for once... and it's a little scary,
too." The episode takes place after Spike & Dru left Sunnydale at the end of
last season, and before Spike returned after being dumped. http://www.dhorse.com

>     This week's new DARK HORSE PRESENTS is devoted to BUFFY THE VAMPIRE
SLAYER, with three separate tales involving Giles, Angel, and Buffy. The talent
on the book are all BUFFY comic alumni; writers Christopher Golden, Andi Watson,
Dan Brereton, and artists Hectoz Gomez and Joe Bennett.

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     New York's flagship FAO SCHWARZ toy store on 5th & 58th received the first
shipment of new FURBY pets last Friday. The new line of TIGER Electronics' FURBY
is available in 6 new fur patterns; Giraffe, Owl, Snow Leopard, Dalmatian, Bear,
and Tiger, and they feature a new "Deep Sleep" feature where they can be put to
sleep so they won't wake up until turned fully upside down. http://www.furby.com

>     DC has announced the new DC DIRECT action figures for WONDER WOMAN, SWAMP
THING, and the Golden Age SANDMAN will arrive in stores on March 17th, over a
month ahead of their April 21st solicitation date.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     ROCKTROPOLIS allstar news reports Sammy Hagar will join OREO-pushing chef
Emeril Lagasse on an installment of his FOOD Network fixture EMERIL LIVE
premiering March 30th. The episode, taped yesterday, has Hagar helping in
preparing his recipes for drunken ribs and Waboritas, both made with Hagar's own
CABO WABO tequila. Hagar's second solo album since leaving VAN HALEN, "Red
Voodoo," will be released by MCA Records next Tuesday. http://www.allstarmag.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-



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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

          Let me preface again with another apology
       for the lateness of this issue... the world is
            still spinning on its axis AND orbiting
          the sun!  What am I supposed to do about
                    that??  Clone myself??
         (And if you get this issue twice, I'm
                having trouble with the list server,
              so I'm sending it again in two parts…)
                      Thanks for your patronage,
                                      -Skullboy
<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>
                      Part one of two
<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Some of Hollywood's finest gathered on the 12th to pay their respects to
Stanley Kubrick. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman flew in specially and were caught
by the paparazzi leaving a swanky London restaurant after a meal with Steven
Spielberg and his wife. Spielberg, Cruise and Kidman arrived together at the
directors 172 acre Hertfordshire estate. As in life, secrecy and rumour
continues to shroud the director. It's believed that his funeral actually took
place on Thursday night at a secret location and today's gathering was a
memorial service. The security presence was highly visible to contain the 30 or
so waiting photographers and reporters.

>     Brian Dennehy has been hospitalised with what his spokesman said was high
blood pressure, forcing the cancellation of two performances of his current
Broadway show, Death of a Salesman. The beef-laden 59-year-old actor checked
into the hospital at around 3 am Sunday morning after complaining that he felt
ill and couldn't sleep. Performances on both Sunday and Tuesday were cancelled
due to Dennehy's not having an understudy. His role as Willy Loman requires him
to be on stage for almost three hours. According to his publicist, Dennehy is
expected to be released today, but doctors have told him to rest up and not
return to work until Wednesday. A decision will today be made over whether
Dennehy is able to perform in Wednesday's matinee, his publicist said.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     As expected, a plot-heavy STAR WARS - EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE
trailer has been released at the official STARWARS.COM site, though for the next
week or so you're likely better off heading over to COUNTINGDOWN.COM and getting
it from any of the sites mirroring it. Also as expected, speaking at ShoWest,
George Lucas officially announced the release of the film has been bumped up to
Wednesday, May 19th. Lucas also revealed four theaters will present the film
through digital projectors on June 18th, but it looks like we'll have to stay
tuned to the site for further details... http://www.starwars.com
http://www.countingdown.com

>     Countdown Dallas is reporting that Lucasfilm may be pulling Trailer B out
of theaters early because some losers are selling prints of it on EBay.

>     Battlestar Galactica veteran Richard Hatch is not involved with the film
project Glen Larson and Todd Moyer are working on. In fact, it's still very much
up in the air if Universal has even given permission to Larson or Moyer to work
on a new Battlestar Galactica film in the first place.  Moyer apparently has a
habit of "jumping the gun" and announcing a project prematurely before all the
legal issues have been resolved. The talks between Larson and Moyer seem to have
occured very recently. Hatch's camp is still apparently looking to get the
rights to do a film and/or series. Reports that the thirty minute 'trailer' has
been assembled continue to circulate, but so far no one has seen any footage
from it. Hatch has been involved with resuscitating the Galactica franchise for
years, and if Larson and Moyer have prematurely announced their plans to develop
a new film (based probably on the excitement the new Star Wars film has given
the industry about SF films), it may adversly affect Hatch's chances at
developing his series.  Larson's film will take place after the end run of the
original series. However, instead of rehashing the whole Battlestar Galactica
mission and series since Starbuck and Apollo are looking a lot older and
Commander Adama's been long dead, the story will take place from the point of
view of Commander Cain and the Battlestar Pegasus, one of the Twelve Colonies'
greatest warships, searching for the Battlestar Galactica and the lost 13th
tribe of humans which may have colonized Earth in ancient times aboard the first
Battlestar, the Atlantis. "People have been coming to us for a long time to find
a way to revisit the world of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and I feel I've found an
ideal partner in Todd Moyer to do it the right way," says Larson. "I was
extremely impressed with the visual effects on WING COMMANDER and I feel that
team will do an incredible job on BATTLESTAR. I have great confidence not only
in Todd's abilities as a producer but also in his ability to carry on the unique
character of the franchise."

>     With the passing of Stanley Kubrick, the big question is what is the fate
of the director's last great work - the Tom Cruise/Nicole Kidman sexual thriller
"Eyes Wide Shut"? Kubrick finished editing the film and has only screened it
once - last Tuesday in New York for the WB execs, Mr. Cruise and Mrs. Kidman.
According to Variety, it seems very likely that Warner Bros. will keep to the
post-production schedule for the film's release on July 16th, with only credit
sequences and some music tweaking left to do before then. A 90-second teaser for
the film is almost certain to make its world premiere at ShoWest tomorrow, and
hopefully be out in theatres soon after (I'm hoping with WB's "True Crime" on
March 19th). With credits, the film print will run 139 minutes long with a
"principally classical" score and the rating is still unsure. Countdown kindly
agreed to help out with the mirror list so more people can get to watch the
clip. Please note that this clip includes some pretty explicit moments.
http://countingdown.com/eyeswideshut/

>     The start of production on John Woo's sequel to MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE has
been pushed back a couple of weeks. There has been no official word on why the
film won't begin shooting in Australia on March 20th as scheduled, but the rumor
going around is that the script is being tinkered with. The 'Apple Daily' paper
has discovered the truth behind the rumours that John Woo refused to work on the
MI sequel due to "production budget reductions and conflict with the film's
producers". the paper talked with Woo's manager Terence Chang Ka Chun who
apparently stated that "John has never gone on  strike. The production cost grew
larger and larger. He wanted US$150 million and the film company said at most it
would go to 100 to 120 million! On this end they will soon come to a
compromise". When asked about the working relationship between Woo and Tom
Cruise (rumoured to be tense), Chang replied "Not really! It isn't surprising
that they disagree on certain issues, but they have tolerated each other. They
both are very tense when it comes to this movie, so they are very strict in
everything".

>     Speaking at SHOWEST, FOX's Bill Mechanic announced the PLANET OF THE APES
feature film is scheduled for a summer 2001 release. Additionally, CINESCAPE
reports the film is currently being developed by William Broyles Jr., (Apollo
13, Entrapment, Cast Away). http://www.cinescape.com

>     Spiderman: Cinescape reports that even though Sony bought   James
Cameron's Spider-Man treatment from MGM as part of the   settlements that left
Sony with the rights to the webslinger movie   franchise, it now appears that
James Cameron will not make the   Spider-Man movie. "I have definitely moved
on," the director   reportedly told the World Entertainment News Network
recently.   "It was something I really wanted to do eight years ago when I   was
first after the project. But your ideas change and the ways in   which you want
to proportion your life's energies. When you   make a film every two or three
years, you make that decision   very carefully and not just because everyone
wants you to make   it." Cameron was confidant that Sony "will find some young
man   or woman to bring it alive." Fox hopes to release it summer 2001.

>     The animated sci-fi film PLANET ICE has officially been renamed TITAN A.E.
The film will be directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, with voices provided by
Matt Damon, Bill Pullman, Drew Barrymore, Nathan Lane, Hank Azaria, Lena Olin,
and Jeaneane Garofalo.  This story of a young boy's galactic search for a
planet-saving relic is slated to open November 19th.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports FOX Animation Studios has acquired the film rights
to Michael Turner's TOP COW Comics' series FATHOM. The animated film of FATHOM
would likely follow the first story arc of the aquatic character, which will run
through issue nine of the series, due out this August. Turner will produce the
film, TOP COW founder Marc Silvestri is one of its executive producers, and it
appears the rest of TOP COW will be heavily involved with the film as well.
http://www.variety.com

>     Although Barry Sonnenfeld has disavowed the possibility of another Men in
Black movie, Sony might have other plans. Apparently, Lowell Cunningham, the man
behind the comic book that started the whole thing, has said that Sony will be
developing a sequel, although not for some time. According to Cunningham, his
recent meeting with Sony hints that the studio might be waiting to start
announcements after the whole Phantom Menace hype dies down.

>     Both HOLLYWOOD HEROES and the DETROIT NEWS COMIC BOOK CONTINUUM are
reporting production is expected to begin next month on a feature film based on
David Quinn and Tim Vigil's horror comic FAUST. Brian Yuzna (Zen Intergalactic
Ninja, Bride of Re-Animator) is attached to direct.
http://www.mania.com/amhh/amhh.html http://detnews.com/comicbooks

>     LUCASFILM has begun to announce details on the special digital projection
release of STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE, which is set to take place
on four screens on June 18th, roughly a month after the film's May 19th release.
LUCASFILM has teamed up with CINECOMM Digital Cinema and TEXAS INSTRUMENTS to
have both provide their digital projector technology on a total of four screens,
in two cities yet to be announced (presumably Los Angeles and New York...).
LUCASFILM THX has also become involved, announcing a specification for
electronic cinema projectors as part of the THX Theatre Program, and future
plans to certify electronic masters and develop standards for digital
transmission of films. "The commercial inauguration of electronic cinema is not
immediately imminent, but the development of an electronic cinema projector
specification and our ongoing research into other areas of electronic cinema
make it clear that THX is committed to lead rather than follow in exploring new
technologies," said Monica L. Dashwood, Lucasfilm THX General Manager. "All of
which underscores our pledge to ensure that the public enjoys the highest
quality film presentation." http://www.starwars.com http://www.lucasfilm.com
http://www.thx.com

>     The World is Not Enough (007): It's been months since rumours swirled on
who was  singing the opening track to the next Bond film. Now a new name has
surfaced today -  none other than Grammy-winning Lauryn Hill. The producers
apparently want a more  'hipper' and modern theme song for the last Bond film of
the century, and she's the hot   rumour at the moment. The official site has got
some great pics from this next Bond film. http://www.jamesbond.com/bond19/


>     'The Hollywood Reporter' announces that Wesley Snipes has signed on to
star in the $30+ million action thriller "Art of War" which is being co-financed
by Oliver   Stone's production company 'Illusion Entertainment'. Chinese Diretor
Stanley Tong ("Mr. Magoo") is in talks to helm the feature about terrorist
forces determined to  destroy the UN, with the only man that can stop them being
one who officially doesn't  exist. 'Oriental Daily' reports that Jet Li was
originally slated to star until Warner Bros. called the Asian action star back
for more shooting on "Romeo Must Die", the deal   falling through with Snipes
stepping in to replace Li.

>     Cinescape has posted some superb promo pics for the western/comedy/sci-fi
film adaption of "The Wild Wild West". First there's a guy who needs no
introduction, then a legless (and I don't mean drunk) Kenneth Branagh, followed
by a sexy shot of Salma Hayek. http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/wild1.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/wild2.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/wild3.jpg

>     Neil Gaiman has announced that MIRAMAX has acquired the rights to his
fantasy novel STARDUST. No cast or director have been assigned to the
live-action film, which may go to either MIRAMAX or DIMENSION, but Gaiman
himself will write its screenplay. He is also about to start writing the pilot
episode of a new TV series for IMAGINE (Felicity, Sports Night), negotiations
are still underway with an undisclosed director to adapt his and Terry
Pratchett's apocalyptic comedy GOOD OMENS, and the PRINCESS MONONOKE anime
blockbuster he adapted into English is expected to reach U.S. theaters on July
9th.

>     John Davis has announced that THE MAN FROM UNCLE project is slowly
developing. He's stated  that both Napoleon and Ilya are in the script, and
there will be many UNCLE gadgets and lots of humor. He made no  mention of
THRUSH. Davis has also said that the movie would defer from the format of the
James Bond  movies (which is contradictory because UNCLE was a result of
Bondmania in the 60s). Lets just hope  that the humor intended isn't slapstick
and camp. The movie should gear towards the 1st and 2nd season   formats of the
UNCLE shows, have locales spanning the globe, colorful villains and beautiful
women.

>     Here are some amazing on-set shots of Chow Yun-Fat, Bai Ling and the
palace to be used in "Anna and the King" (no Jodie Foster shots sadly).  All
sorts of information has been garnered from local papers -- Chow Yun-Fat at six
feet, is much taller than Jodie Foster, so there is a considerable height gap to
be   made up for the dance scenes. Yun-Fat said that people are working on
making Foster look taller. He   also revealed, "Earlier Jodie tried out her
costume. Because it was very thick material and Malaysia is  very hot, wardrobe
people are trying to think of ways to put a fan in her costume to help her cool
down   and make the shoot less of an ordeal."  Also, according to newspaper
KWONG MING DAILY, the movie studio asked Yun-Fat to gain around ten pounds so
that he would look more noble. Because Yun-Fat is a tall man, ten pounds does
not  represent a problem for him. http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/anna2.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/anna5.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/anna3.jpg

>     Variety reports that Elizabeth Shue has signed on for the female lead in
"The Hollow Man", the next film from Diretor Paul Verhoeven ("Starship
Troopers", "Total Recall"). Columbia/Tristar Pictures is hoping to land Robert
Downey Jr. in the title role as one of three scientists who is able to turn
himself invisible and use his power for bad intentions - including stalking the
other two (Shue and a yet-to-be-cast actor) who are in love with each other. The
film, scripted by Andrew Marlowe ("Air Force One"), has taken almost a year to
pull together because of the 'complicated logistics' involved, but is set to
start shooting in April.

>     "Romeo Must Die," a Jet Li film to be produced by Joel Silver, about
warring NYC chinese and Italian gangster families and a pair of star-crossed
lover offsprings has begun production, but has been   postponed from its earlier
projected September 1999 release target.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports Brad Pitt has exited talks to star in the next film
from filmmaker Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Singles, Say Anything). Crowe's
story is semi-autobiographical, about a teen hired by a major music magazine to
write a story on a major rock band. Pitt is said to be considering roles in THE
COURIER, and another rock and roll film, WARNER BROS' METAL GODS.
http://www.variety.com

>     UNIVERSAL STUDIOS Home Video will re-release the classic '80s films THE
BLUES BROTHERS and FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH in mid-April. The BLUES BROTHERS
release (April 19th) is a special edition of the 1980 John Landis comedy,
featuring 17-minutes of deleted scenes that have been re-edited into the film,
as well as a 15-minute "Making of" documentary. FAST TIMES, directed by Amy
Heckerling (Clueless) and based on a book by Cameron Crowe, regrettably won't
feature any extras. http://www.universalstudios.com

>     Howard Stern announced some details on his radio show yesterday about his
next film - "Fartman: The Movie". "Pretty Woman" screenwriter J.F. Lawton has
just finished the script and has apparently been working on it for a while - the
latest draft Stern is very pleased with and hopes (if everything goes smoothly)
will begin shooting as early as this Summer. Whose directing it? No-one has been
selected yet though the hot favourite is Betty Thomas due to the success she and
Stern had with "Private Parts".

>     Movie listing and ticketing service MOVIEFONE has teamed up with AMERICAN
EXPRESS to launch the first industry-wide frequent moviegoer program, where
anyone in the New York metropolitan area can earn a complimentary ticket after
10 tickets are purchased with an AMERICAN EXPRESS through either 777-FILM or the
MOVIEFONE website. The promotion will soon expand to other major markets.
http://www.movielink.com http://www.americanexpress.com

>     A musical about incest? Surely not. But in fact, MTV are currently
negotiating for the rights to The Breeders Box, a novel of dubious intent
involving drugs, gay sex and incest between a sister and a brother. The MTV
generation? Should it manage to acquire the moody drama, set in the downtown
club world of early '90s New York City, it will most probably convert the book
into a musical telefilm. The multimedia music monster plans to update the novel
to present society in order to use a contemporary soundtrack. Written by Tim
Murphy, the novel has so far only been published her in the UK and somewhat
suggestively, Maggie Malina - head of MTV's recently formed TV movie division -
features in the book's acknowledgements.

>     Original, un-optioned, un-produced, feature-length narrative screenplays
are being sought in The 1999 MILLENNIUM SCREENPLAY COMPETITION, where you can
win up to $3,000. For an application, e-mail PANOFILM@... before the April
1st submission deadline.

>     Gundam: G-Savior (TV): FX company Digital Muse has had a good track record
- with superb FX work films like "Devil's Advocate" and TV shows like "The
X-Files" and "Star Trek: Voyager". Now, the company has created a 5-minute
teaser for "G-Savior", the proposed American-made series based on the almost
legendary Japanese anime "Mobile Suit Gundam". This 5-minute teaser took five
months to complete and combined CG elements (including a digitally rendered New
York) with live-action.  A short 9-second clip from the 5-minute  teaser has
become available on the Sunrise G-Savior Homepage
http://www.nifty.ne.jp/station/sunrise/bigbang/gsaviour.htm
http://www.dmuse.com/projects/gundam/

>     Deep Blue Sea: The Official Site recently added some new   images from
this upcoming action film starring Thomas Jane,   Samuel L. Jackson, Stellan
Skarsgård, Saffron Burrows, LL Cool   J and Michael Rapaport. 'DBS' looks set to
be released August   6th, 1999 in the US. http://www.deepbluesea.net/

>     Reindeer Games: James Frain ("Elizabeth") has joined the cast   of
Dimension Films' "Reindeer Games" for director John   Frankenheimer. Shooting
begins today in Vancouver. The thriller,   centering around a Christmastime
heist of a casino, stars Ben   Affleck, Gary Sinise and Charlize Theron. Frain
will play Affleck's   cellmate who sets off the course of the events that play
out in the   film. In addition, Donal Logue ("Blade") and Danny Trejo ("Con  
Air") have been cast as members of the gang headed by Sinise.   Ehren Kruger
wrote the script which is being produced by Marty   Katz, Bob Weinstein and
Chris Moore.

>     Filmmaker Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, Groundhog Day) has been talking a lot
about a third GHOSTBUSTERS film while promoting ANALYZE THIS, now that the
GHOSTBUSTERS film is gathering steam thanks to Bill Murray's newfound
bankability. Ramis recently told the POPCORN.CO.UK website that the film will
involve the original cast (Murray, Ramis, and Dan Aykroyd) coming out of
retirement to train a new group of rookie Ghostbusters to fight off poltergeists
after Hell is declared full. http://www.Popcorn.co.uk

>     Titus Andronicus: This project from director Julie Taymor sounds very
fascinating, thanks to the info and pix scanned from the New York Post.  This
version of one of Shakespeare's lesser-known plays is quite gory, dealing with
murder, rape, decapitation, and all kinds of nasty stuff.  The interesting twist
comes with Taymor dressing the Romans not in togas, but in clothing from
different recent decades, like 30's style evening jackets, and driving cars from
the 40's and 50's.  And it's supposed to be Sir Anthony Hopkins last film.
http://www.randomfoo.com/dh/titus/titus1.gif 
http://www.randomfoo.com/dh/titus/titus2.gif 
http://www.randomfoo.com/dh/titus/titus3.gif

>      Breakfast of Champions: Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you
don't?  Bruce Willis plays very happy and very unhappy in this movie as you can
tell from these pix scanned from CINEMA magazine in Germany.
http://www.randomfoo.com/dh/boc/boc.gif http://www.randomfoo.com/dh/boc/boc2.gif

>     The 13th Warrior: According to 'Debel,' the Box Office magazine   is
reporting the US release date for "The 13th Warrior" as August   8th 1999.
However, Cinescape now has it listed under 'August   13th.' I'll go with the
second date, as it's a Friday, and the first   one is at a Sunday.

>     Director Frank Darabont has agreed to direct and   produce "The Bijou," a
romantic comedy for Castle Rock   Entertainment, with Warner Bros. distributing
domestically. "It's   very much a Capraesque movie, a romantic comedy about a  
young Hollywood writer who falls for a small-town girl based on   mistaken
identity," said Darabont. " The screenplay was written   by Michael Sloane, a
newcomer whom Darabont has known   since high school, according to Variety.

>     Viggo Mortensen ("Psycho") is in final negotiations to   star opposite
Sandra Bullock in "28 Days" for Columbia Pictures.   Shooting begins next month.
Directed by Betty Thomas, "Days"   follows the recovery of a big-city newspaper
columnist (Bullock)   who is forced to enter a drug and alcohol rehab center
after   getting a traffic ticket for driving under the influence. Mortensen  
will play a fellow rehab patient who is one of the people that   impact
Bullock's life during her recovery. Elizabeth Perkins stars   as Bullock's
sister. Jenno Topping, Thomas' partner in their Tall   Trees production company,
will produce.
>     FANGORIA reports screenwriter Don Mancini plans to follow up last year's
successful CHILD'S PLAY sequel BRIDE OF CHUCKY with SON OF CHUCKY, which both
Brad Dourif and Jennifer Tilly are expected to return for. BRIDE is due out on
video March 23rd.

>     Bruce McCulloch (Kids in the Hall, Dog Park) is the director of SUPERSTAR,
the film due out this fall based on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE's Mary Katherine
Gallagher character. The film stars Molly Shannon, Will Ferrell, Mark McKinney
(KitH), and new comedy sensation Tom Green.

>     Tia Carerra was on the The Howie Mandel Show last week and the actress
mentioned a bit of news concerning the film version of the comic book SHI.
Carerra mentioned the script's still in development, and that it's her and her
husband's production company that is developing the film, Hula-Girl Productions.
Stephen Baldwin and Tom Berenger are also slated to star.

>     Giovanni Ribisi and Angelina Jolie will join Nicholas Cage in the Jerry
Bruckheimer film GONE IN 60 SECONDS.  This remake of the 1974 film of the same
name tells the story of a gang of car thieves intent on going straight after one
last heist of fifty cars for shady businessman.  Its slated for a Summer 2000
release.

>     A local radio station in Santa Maria, CA announced the producers of ROCKY
AND BULLWINKLE have opened up a call for extras. The extras will be needed when
filming takes place in the area next month. 600 extras will be used for shots
involving Wossamotta U, a fictional University in the Midwest. They need
'college student' types to be in scenes where Bullwinkle is coming to get his
honorary degree. Filming starts March 21, 1999 and will go through the following
Saturday, Sunday, and some weekdays.  Cenex Casting which is the non-union arm
of Central Casting is doing most of the work along with Taurus Casting out of
Newport Beach.  I guess you should look them up if you're interested...

>     Comic fans will be happy to know that Geof Darrow (co-creator of Rusty the
Boy Robot and the Big Guy) provided conceptual artwork for THE MATRIX, opening
March 31st. All those buildings, robots, guns, technology? 100% Darrow.

>     Director Steve Oedekerk (Ace Ventura) has exited directing Jim Carrey in
WARNER BROS.' remake of THE INCREDIBLE Mr. LIMPET. According to the trades,
Carrey will wait until he reads a new script by Rita Hsaio (Mulan) before
deciding whether to continue on in the role.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, the writing-directing team of Deborah
Kaplan and Harry Elfont (Can't Hardly Wait) have signed on to write and direct a
live-action JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS film for UNIVERSAL. Based on the ARCHIE
Comics' series, the film is described as CLUELESS meets MEN IN BLACK, about a
rock trio who save the world.

-===========================================================-
             look for part 2 in your mailbox...
-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
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   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
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-===========================================================-
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     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - OSCARS - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     If you hadn’t already heard, here are the results of last Sunday’s
Academy Awards: The Winners: Shakespeare in Love  cashed in for 7
Oscars, including Best Picture, Original  Screenplay, Actress (Paltrow),
and Supporting Actress  (Dench).  Saving Private Ryan took home Best
Director (Spielberg) and most of the Technical Awards  (Sound, Sound
Effects, Editing, Cinematography).  While  it was odd to see Best
Picture and Director go to  nominees from two different films, it was
actually more  surprising who won Best Actor: Roberto Benigni beat  out
such heavy hitters as Tom Hanks, Sir Ian McKellan,  and Nick Nolte to
take home an Oscar for his acting  performance in Life is Beautiful,
which also won for  Best Foreign Language Film.  James Coburn was the
Best Supporting Actor for his work in Affliction and Bill  Condon took
home the award for Best Adapted  Screenplay for Gods and Monsters.  Best
Song went to  "When You Believe" from Prince of Egypt and What  Dreams
May Come was rewarded the Oscar for Best  Visual Effects.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     SUDDENLY SUSAN's David Strickland apparently took his own life
Monday in a Las Vegas motel room, leaving both friends and police
baffled. Strickland, who also stars in FORCES OF NATURE, played music
critic Todd on SUSAN, which still has to shoot two episodes for this
season, and is expected to return next year. He was due in court that
day for a progress report on the "drug diversion" program he was in for
possession of crack in December.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Early Premiere: Variety reported this morning that The Phantom
Menace will premeire on May 16th in a dozen selected locations, but it
will be for charity.  Each location's event will be a fund-raiser for a
children's charity and corporate sponsors will handle the costs; there
will of course be an L.A. benefit for example where the ticket packages
will run anywhere from $500 to $25,000.  If you're in the giving mood
and want to see Episode One, keep an eye out for more info!

>     Over at TheForce.net, Rebel spies have uncovered a whole LOAD of
pictures from the new issue of Star Wars Insider. Pictures of Obi-Wan,
Qui-Gon Jinn, Jar Jar, Darth Maul, the Evil Clones, Boba Fett's twin
sister, the Sarlacc Pit's grandmother... everything! (Well, maybe not
everything...)  Some of them are just shots of the characters but others
show pieces of scenes, and even those are a little bit spoiler-ish, so
check it out, but beware... just in case!

>     Troops 2 - TheForce.net is reporting that a sequel will be made to
the greatest Star Wars parody ever produced.  Eric Hillary, head of the
original's creative team, confirmed the news to TheForce.net, who
promised a "special TROOPS-related surprise for you to download soon."
Awesome!  Be sure to check out the Official Troops website and thanks
again to TheForce.net for the news! http://theforce.net/troops

>     in Variety, Army Archerd found out from Steven Spielberg that Tom
Cruise plans on finishing Mission: Impossible II in time to begin
shooting Minority Report in September in L.A. Then, Spielberg plans on
doing Memoirs of a Geisha (also in L.A.). Archerd also mentioned
Spielberg is considering a movie about Charles Lindbergh, but will only
pursue it if the script is worth it.

>     A casting call has been put out for the lead role of the gruff
mutant Wolverine for FOX's X-MEN feature film. Casting director Roger
Mussenden is seeking a man in his mid-20s mid-30s for the part whose
5'5-6' tall (...Useless Geek Info: Wolverine's comic counterpart is 5"3
on a good day...). The character is described as a loner with a volatile
temper, yet "capable of tenderness and empathy" in his relationships
with women, with powers of strength and enhanced senses. X-MEN will
shoot in Toronto from July through November under the direction of Bryan
Singer (The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil), for a summer 2000 release.

>     The official EYES WIDE SHUT site has yet to release the uncut
SHO*WEST trailer, but the full 90-second clip featuring Tom Cruise and
Nicole Kidman in their birthday suits is now available online and
available at COUNTINGDOWN.COM, or directly from the third URL listed
below. http://www.eyeswideshut.com http://www.countingdown.com
http://www.cplus.fr/html/jdc/video/990319/eyes.mpg

>     ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY reports Angelina Jolie (Gia) and either
Lauryn Hill or Halle Berry may co-star with Drew Barrymore in the
CHARLIE'S ANGELS feature film. http://www.ew.com

>     Director Simon Wells (Prince of Egypt) will make his live action
debut with another UNIVERSAL/AMBLIN sequel to CASPER.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Richard Gere and director
Carl Franklin (Devil in a Blue Dress, One True Thing) are in final
negotiations to make THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES, a sci-fi film about a
reporter who uncovers an alien visitation.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, COLUMBIA Pictures is in final
negotiations to buy the film rights to the Japanese animated character
ASTRO BOY. The film, which would be a Pinocchio-like story set in the
21st century, about a grieving scientist who constructs a robot in the
likeness of his dead son. Don Murphy (Natural Born Killers) will produce
this film based on the Tetsuwan Atomu creation, and COLUMBIA is hoping
to get it made for a Christmas 2000 release.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     Director Guillermo Del Toro (Chronos, Mimic) is in talks to write
and direct an adaptation of the Japanese comic book DOMU for DISNEY. The
story, by comic master Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira), is about an
apparently-haunted apartment building and an epic battle between an old
man and little girl who both have psychic powers. Del Toro is also
expected to eventually direct an adaptation of Mark Frost (Twin Peaks)'s
amazing Arthur Conan Doyle fictional thriller THE LIST OF SEVEN.

>     Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, Ravenous) will play the role of
Daffy Duck in THE BEACH, the adaptation of Alex Garland's novel led by
Leonardo DiCaprio. The enigmatic Mr. Duck is the character who leaves
the map which leads DiCaprio's character to the pristine Beach, and who
haunts his thoughts throughout.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Bai Ling (Red Corner, Wild
Wild West) will play the king's concubine opposite Chow Yun-Fat and
Jodie Foster in FOX's ANNA AND THE KING, a more accurate portrayal of
the KING AND I story.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, WARNER BROS. has purchased a
spec script from Anne Olson (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie)
for a film entitled DRAKE DIAMOND, EXORCIST HUNTER. The supernatural
comedy is described as GHOSTBUSTERS meets MEN IN BLACK, about a
professional exorcist who stumbles upon a cataclysmic event.

>     VARIETY reports GODS AND MONSTERS executive producer Clive Barker
and the film's director, Bill Condon, will re-team for LOVE AND TABOO, a
collective of 15 film shorts all directed by gay and lesbian filmmakers,
which Barker and Condon will each direct segments for.

>     WALT DISNEY Home Video re-releases THE RESCUERS this week. The
film was recalled immediately upon release late last year after two
frames of a naked pin-up were found in the animated film.

>     Michael Fleming from Variety dropped a clue about the plot of
Howard Stern's long-awaited follow-up to Private Parts. The story behind
the script from J.F. Lawton is as follows: "Stern will play Clyde
Flatiron, a wannabe journalist for a disreputable tabloid who is
targeted for murder when he exposes a ruthless Realtor. Thugs lace his
high colonic with a nuclear cocktail, unwittingly turning his troubled
digestive system into an odorific Three Mile Island."

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Angelina Jolie (Gia, Playing
By Heart) will play the romantic interest of Nicolas Cage in director
Dominic Sena (Kalifornia)'s remake of GONE IN 60 SECONDS, and Giovanni
Ribisi  (The Mod Squad, Saving Private Ryan, Friends) will play Cage's
younger brother. Joilie's singer-songwriter character will aid Cage's
character in his efforts to steal cars to pay off his younger brother
(Ribisi)'s mob debt. Jolie is currently in Pennsylvania starring
opposite Winona Ryder, and Ribisi next stars in THE BOILER ROOM.

>     Ben Stiller is set to star in UNIVERSAL Pictures' KARAOKE KNIGHT,
a comedy he'll produce with Tom Shadyac (Ace Ventura, Liar, Liar, Mrs.
Doubtfire) described as KINGPIN, set in the world of karaoke.

>     Off the unexpected success of Bride of Chucky, Universal is
developing the fifth installment of the profitable Child's Play horror
franchise, tentatively titled Seed of Chucky. Creator Don Mancini will
write and make his directorial debut on the picture which will somehow
spoof Rosemary's Baby.  Reportedly, the spawn of Chucky is "a little
gender confused".  Jennifer Tilly is said to be in talks to reprise her
role as Tiffany, Chucky's girlfriend.

>     Kevin Bacon is in talks to star with Elisabeth Shue in Columbia
Pictures' The Hollow Man, a drama about an invisible man from director
Paul Verhoeven.  The script from Andrew Marlowe (Air Force One) involves
a love affair between two scientists who discover the secret of
invisibility.  Bacon's character will be the guiney pig and will start
to raise some hell once he goes through the experiement.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The air date for 60 Minutes' coverage of Star Wars: Episode I The
Phantom Menace has been confirmed for this Sunday, March 28th. Lesley
Stahl visited with George Lucas both during his work day, including a
visit to the Skywalker Sound mixing stage and an ILM "dailies" visual
effects screening, and with his family at home. Two segments of Sunday's
broadcast (two-thirds of the show) will be devoted to the piece, giving
an unprecedented look behind the scenes of the upcoming movie. Check
your local listings for the time of broadcast in your area.

>     While on THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH TOM SNYDER Monday night, Roger
Ebert revealed that in the coming weeks, he'll co-host SISKEL & EBERT
with the likes of Ken Turan, Joe Siegel, Ruby Rich, and AIN'T IT COOL
NEWS' Harry Knowles. Harry reports he'll be taping his show in Chicago
on Friday, April 23rd, for airing that weekend, which translates into
his checking out the likes of David Cronenberg's EXISTENZ, the David
Spade comedy LOST & FOUND, Alexander Payne (Citizen Ruth)'s ELECTION,
and Susan Sarandon & Natalie Portman's mother-daughter drama ANYWHERE
BUT HERE. Harry, last seen on-screen playing a teacher in THE FACULTY,
has also just signed on to play himself in the indie film FANBOYS, a
road trip comedy about a group of geeks who break into SKYWALKER RANCH
to sneak a glimpse at the new STAR WARS film.
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com

>     12-year-old Olsen twins Mary-Kate and Ashley will executive
produce an animated series based on their TRENCHCOAT TWINS
direct-to-video movies for DIC Entertainment.  No you didn't misread
that.  EXECUTIVE PRODUCE.  Another sign Y2K will be the end of us all.

>     FOX has ordered a pilot for a comedy written and directed by Ed
Solomon (Men in Black, X-Men) entitled THE UNBELIEVABLES, which follows
the adventures of a group of retired superheroes in a small town. John
Armstrong and Clint Scrivener will star in the pilot as former
superheroes Action (now a gym teacher, whose powers have diminished over
time) and Poet (a used car salesman who once had uncanny intuition and a
wicked rhyming tongue), another actor will voice the character of
Invisible (an overweight, neurotic, and clumsy out-of-work invisible
man now living on Poet & Action's couch). Also featured in UNRELIABLES
are Josh (18-year-old son of Action & Cupid, who inherited his dad's
heightened athletic ability), and Gina (the daughter of Stretch & Flame,
who possesses some of her parent's powers).

>     Production begins today on the series finale of NBC's MAD ABOUT
YOU, which series stars Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt co-wrote with
Executive Producer Vic Levin, and as expected, Hunt will direct. The
finale is scheduled to air on Monday, May 24th. http://www.nbc.com

>     Howard Stern announced on his radio show Thursday that he'll
unveil a new format for his HOWARD STERN RADIO SHOW television series on
CBS this Saturday. One of the major changes will be a shift in focus
from single-topic shows to a collection of "greatest hits" segments from
Stern's week.

>     TV GUIDE reports NBC's HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET may not be
picked up for an eighth season, quoting executive producer Tom Fontana
as saying "There are so many factors at play beyond my control, but
we're still fighting." On a new HOMICIDE this Friday at 10, Bayliss
(Kyle Secor) struggles with his bisexuality, and Lieutenant Giardello
(Yaphey Kotto) trying to cope with a long-forgotten murder from his
past. http://www.tvguide.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, UPN has given a 13-episode
commitment to the new cop drama from HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET
executive producers Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana.

>     Veteran OZ directors Nick Gomez and Keith Samples will be joined
by the likes of Steve Buscemi (Tree's Lounge), Chazz Palminteri (Bullets
Over Broadway), Matt Dillon (There's Something About Mary), Adam
Bernstein (Homicide: LotS, It's Pat), and Terry Kinney (OZ's Tim
McManus) in helming upcoming episodes of HBO's intense prison drama.
This third season of OZ, premiering this July, is set to guest star Uta
Hagen (Reversal of Fortune), Anne Meara (Rhoda, The Daytrippers), Milo
O'Shea (The Matchmaker), and NAUGHTY BY NATURE's Treach.
http://www.hbo.com

>     Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Dogma) and animated BATMAN guru Paul
Dini are among those featured in an hourlong documentary on comic books
premiering on The LEARNING Channel this Saturday night at 10.

>     Following a new SIMPSONS where Homer enters a beef-eating contest
this Sunday night at 8 on FOX, is the premiere of Matt Groening's new
animated series, FUTURAMA, in which a modern-day pizza delivery boy
finds himself 1,000 years in the future.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports Rachel Hayward and Sarah-Jane Redmond are
the latest to join the cast of Chris Carter's new FOX series, HARSH
REALM. Both have appeared on Carter's MILLENNIUM in the past; Hayward
starred in the episode "The Mikado," and Redmond played Frank Black's
nemesis Lucy Butler. http://www.harshrealm.com http://www.variety.com

>     HBO's involving Mafia dramedy THE SOPRANOS started its 3-part wrap
up last Sunday night with the first part in a 3-hour season finale where
indictments come down and Tony Soprano gets violent with his
psychiatrist (Lorraine Bracco), and before it's all over, it appears not
everyone will be alive to return next season.

>     While I must admit I miss sarcastic pretty-boy Craig Kilborn (The
Daily Show), and eagerly await the debut of his own LATE LATE SHOW on
Tuesday, March 30th, Tom Snyder's departure next Friday will
without-a-doubt be the end of an era for latenight television. Snyder
closes out his last week next week with an A-list of LATE LATE SHOW
favorites such as Alec Baldwin and Roger Ebert (Monday), Bonnie Hunt
(Wednesday), and Dennis Miller (Friday).

>     Bruce Willis and THE JEFFERSONS, Sherman Hemsley and Isabel
Sanford, have lent their voices to a new stop-motion animated commercial
for LIPTON BRISK tea, which premiered during the OSCARS. The 30-second
spot is entitled PLANET HOLLYWOOD and is set in the theme restaurant of
the same name, where the action begins after Willis tells George
Jefferson that his "'Movin' On Up' days are over." http://www.pepsi.com

>     Kirsten Dunst (Wag the Dog, Interview with the Vampire) and
Brittany Murphy (Clueless, King of the Hill, Drop Dead Gorgeous)
headline the cast of THE DEVIL'S ARITHMETIC, an intense Holocaust drama
about a modern teenager (Dunst) who could care less about her people's
history, who finds herself mysteriously transported into Poland during
the early days of World War II during a Seder ceremony. Both Dunst and
Murphy give unforgetable performances in the concentration camp, as does
Louise Fletcher (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) who has an important
role as her aunt, and Philip Rham (The Vortex), who plays a bastard of a
Nazi. The tragic yet engrossing tale, directed by Donna Deitch (NYPD
Blue, ER), also stars Mimi Rogers and Paul Freeman. ARITHMETIC is based
on Jane Yolen's 1988 novel and was brought to life by executive
producers Dustin Hoffman and Rogers. http://www.showtimeonline.com

>     New Zealand's LOOK FILM and Singapore studio EDITUDE POST have
hired Bulgarian film writer Borislav Belovarski, Ph.D. to develop
TIMESHIP, a new sci-fi TV series dedicated to time travel, UFO's, and a
future-world conspiracy. The series will be based on Belovarski's novel
trilogy THE VERY DEAD ARTISANS OF HAPPINESS from 1980, which was
confiscated in a Communist Bulgaria back in 1985, and it will be
developed into a 3-part story for TV, for a cumulative 36 episodes. The
series describes a union between NASA, USSR SPACE AGENCY, and 12 other
space nations, who unite to build an International Space Station which
ends up sabotaged by terrorists, leading to the discovery of an alien
conspiracy, humanoid cloning, and a mysterious underground base on the
dark side of the Moon which may have originated in the times of Genesis.
TIMESHIP will shoot in New Mexico, where Belovarski now resides, as well
as in Bulgaria and Asia.

>     First "ER", then "Chicago Hope", now... "Doc Air"?  Maybe not, but
Variety reports that Jerry Bruckheimer is developing an ABC medical
thriller with author Robin Cook. The ABC midseason pilot is based on two
recurring characters - both New York City medical examiners - from
Cook's novels "Blind Sight," "Vector" and, his latest, "Contagion." Cook
will write the script with young feature scribe Mark Bomback. They are
expected to be finished by May.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     England's THE PEOPLE is reporting Mel "Sporty Spice" C will sing
the title track to THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, the 19th James Bond film,
due out this November 19th. However, as you may have read, former TAKE
THAT heartthrob Robbie Williams had announced he'd supply the theme song
on a talkshow last fall, and therefore it's unknown if Sporty has
replaced him.

>     ROCKTROPOLIS allstar news must-read gossip column MISS TRUTH
reports NINE INCH NAILS' Trent Reznor was in Los Angeles last week
collaborating with Dr. Dre. A spokesperson at NOTHING Records told
allstar it's not known where the material will appear.
http://www.allstarmag.com

>     Richard Patrick of FILTER recently announced his band's next album
is due out on August 10th.

>     Marilyn Manson suffered a severe sprain to his ankle at Sunday
night's concert at Los Angeles' GREAT WESTERN FORUM, resulting in his
band canceling three dates; in San Diego, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. Manson
had sprained his ankle the night before and was advised against
performing Sunday after being examined by an L.A. KINGS trainer, and
sure enough, 45-minutes into the show, during their new single "Rock is
Dead," Manson jumped off a monitor like an idiot, injuring himself, and
remained in a bare-assed fetal position until the lights went out after
the band finished playing the song. Idiot.

>     WARP/SIRE Records will release a special HYPERCD single for the
new APHEX TWIN single "Windowlicker" on March 23rd. The disc contains
three audio tracks from electronic artist Richard D. James, and a
special ten-and-a-half-minute, broadcast-quality video and short film of
the title track from director Chris Cunningham (APHEX TWIN's "Come to
Daddy") which can be viewed by inserting the disc into your CD-ROM and
having it take you to a special website which unlocks it. A new APHEX
TWIN album is due out in April. http://www.sirerecords.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Artist Chris Bachalo (Death, Uncanny X-Men, Witching Hour)  has
signed on to be the artist on CLIFFHANGER's 4th on-going series. The
title, it's writer, and details of the series have yet to be announced,
but Bachalo assures that the writer is well known, and that the first
issue of the series should ship in January.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Geoff Keighley from GameSpot has checked in to let us know they've
got a huge story about the new Phantom Menace game online. The story
includes info and screenshots from the game and gives some insight as to
what some of the characters do and what some of the ships and locations
look like from the movie. Lots of screenshots!

>     SOUTHPEAK Interactive has acquired rights to develop and publish
PC and SONY PLAYSTATION games based on the upcoming WARNER BROS. film
WILD, WILD WEST. SOUTHPEAK plans to unveil the games this May at E3, and
release them in the year's fourth quarter. WILD, WILD WEST is the latest
from Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black), and stars Will Smith, Kevin Kline,
Kenneth Branagh, and Salma Hayek in a story about two government agents
trying to stop an evil genius out to assassinate the President. It will
be released to theaters on July 2nd. http://www.southpeak.com
http://www.wildwildwest.net

>     SIERRA On-Line division BERKELEY Systems have announced a spring
release for AUSTIN POWERS - OPERATION TRIVIA, a CD-ROM trivia game for
the PC testing players knowledge on the fads, fashions, movies, TV, and
gossip of the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. The game starts with Dr. Evil
having captured Austin and holding him hostage at the Electric
Psychedelic Pussycat Swingers Club, where he puts him through an
overly-elaborate trivia game show to determine the fate of the world.
Austin Powers next appears on screen this summer, with NEW LINE CINEMA's
June 11th release of AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, and an
AUSTIN POWERS animated series is expected to premiere next summer.
http://www.bezerk.com http://austinpowers.com

>     MIDWAY becomes the first game company to include pack-in toys over
the next couple of weeks, with the impending release of new
MICROMACHINES and RAMPAGE games. MICROMACHINES 64 TURBO for the NINTENDO
64 and the PC release of MICROMACHINES V3 will both feature toy cars in
retail packages when they are released this week, and the N64, PC, and
SONY PLAYSTATION release of RAMPAGE 2: UNIVERSAL TOUR next week comes
with either a soft key chain of a RAMPAGE character or a RAMPAGE
T-shirt. http://www.midway.com

>     MICROSOFT and TURBINE Entertainment have released a 50-second
movie giving gamers an advance look at their upcoming
massively-multiplayer RPG ASHERON'S CALL. The downloadable trailer shows
various elements featured in the Alpha pre-release version of the game,
such as its powerful character creation system, a wide variety of the
landscapes, the interior and dungeon environments, and examples of
combat, magic, and social interaction.
http://www.microsoft.com/games/zone/asheronscall

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     ActionFigureXpress has stated on their website that they have "a
LARGE selection of Episode 1 toys that will be available for preorder
beginning April 1999 and shipping May 3, 1999!"  This is "subject to
change without notice" of course, but why not get a head start on
shopping and see what will be hot Christmas toys this year (if they last
that long!). Click on Darth Maul to check it out.
http://www.actionfigurexpress.com/actionfigurexpress/episode1toys.html

>     PALISADES Marketing has signed a licensing agreement with 20th
CENTURY FOX Licensing & Merchandising to create and market a line of
collectible BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER lunchboxes. The two initial
lunchboxes in the premiere of the high-quality line will focus on Buffy
and Angel. http://www.palisadesmarketing.com/buffy.htm

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS Florida is
constructing a MEN IN BLACK attraction for next summer, budgeted between
$70-100 million. The interactive thrill ride, with new film footage,
will let vehicles alter their course when riders shoot animatronic
aliens along the way.

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-




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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     TheForce.Net has done something very spectacular. In the States,
60 minutes interviewed George Lucas and also played around 2 minutes
worth of new footage from the film. These guys have now sorted and
assembled all the footage together, removed the annoying voiceovers and
added some music to make an 'unofficial Trailer C'. I'd advise grabbing
it before Lucasfilm or CBS orders it taken down.
http://www.dailysci-fi.com/media/trailerc602.mov
ftp://ftp.theed.net/TFN_TrailerC.mov
http://syntom.cit.cornell.edu/TFN_TrailerC.mov

>     Last week Aint It Cool landed some great shots from DOGMA. Then,
Ben Affleck's official site (affleck.com) also had some great
behind-the-scenes photos. This biting Kevin Smith comedy about religion
is still set for a October release, while the teaser trailer should be
upon us any minute - numerous sightings continue to happen wherever
Kevin Smith delivers speeches. The first official shot from Dogma has
been released, showing Matt Damon and Ben Affleck doing what most people
do while visiting a 7-11, holding it up with some serious hardware
(actually their doing some purchasing at a gun shop).
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/dogmat.jpg
http://www.affleck.com

>     Director Tim Burton has announced plans to write and direct a
“rock and roll adventure” set in the 50’s entitled MIKE AND MITZI.
Johny Depp and Heather Graham have expressed interest in the lead roles
of Mike and Mitzi, a couple of teen agers who must rescue a heart-throb
crooner who has been kidnapped by a conspiring record executive.
Filming is expected to begin as soon as Burton and Depp complete the
upcoming SLEEPY HOLLOW.

>     Will Smith's production company is teaming with Universal Pictures
to develop another remake of Jacques Tourneur's 1942 horror thriller
'Cat People'. Variety reports that the new film will be updated to the
'90s and set in New York. The 'Cat People' story is based on a Serbian
legend about a breed of people descended from ancient couplings of women
with big felines. When one of their numnber enters into a jealous rage
(or engages in sex, as was the case in paul Schrder's 1982 version with
Nastassia Kinski and Malcolm McDowell), she reverts to her animalistic
roots, changing into a panther, or other member of the cat family, and
must kill before becoming human again. The 1942 original starred Simone
Simon and Kent Smith.

>     Mystery Men: The official site has partially opened with some
behind the scenes reports on the 'dorky superheroes' comedy due out
August 9th.
http://www.mysterymen.com/

>     Wild Wild West: A new trailer has begun playing with "The Matrix",
but if you can't reach a cinema than why not check it out here with
thanks to the official site.
http://www.wildwildwest.net/dld/trailer.mov

>     Whoa... I wasn't this surprised to hear a big star was in a movie
since Arnold Schwarzenegger signed up for Batman & Robin.  Well, he's
done it again... maybe.  The Toronto Star reports that Arnold will be in
town in July "to film X-Men with Angela Bassett."  Could the rumors be
true?  If so, who would he be playing?   Colossus, maybe?  And when will
Patrick Stewart show up to play Professor X?  Sounds like speculation,
but who knows…

>     After almost two years of legal worries and concerned talk by
fans, the debate over the future of the James Bond franchise has been
solved - its staying where it is. For the past several decades
MGM/United Artists has been in charge of making the Bond films including
the current series starring Pierce Brosnan. However Sony attempted to
start up their own Bond franchise in late 1997 with the help of Kevin
McClory who owned the rights to remake one of the two Bond flicks not
owned by MGM, "Thunderball". After legal battles for many months, a
settlement has been reached with both parties making concessions. MGM
paid Sony $10 million for the rights to the Bond spoof "Casino Royale"
(the second Bond film they didn't own) as well as Sony's agreement that
they won't make any new Bond film for international distribution. Sony
paid MGM $5 million to settle the 'issues' brought up in the trial.

>     Release Dates: A new release date for "South Park: The Movie" has
apparently been announced - July 16th 1999. If true, this would put
Cartman head-to-head with Cruise in "Eyes Wide Shut". Still there is no
official confirmation on this move so don't start saving up for that
'double feature' yet. One date which is confirmed is the Jim Carrey
drama/comedy "Man on the Moon" which is now set for a November 5th 1999
release. Clever timing considering the first weekend of November has
proven to be a profitable time to open a Jim Carrey film ("Ace Ventura:
When Nature Calls" took in over $30 million on that weekend in 1995).

>     Variety reports that "Saturday Night Live" star Molly Shannon has
landed the female lead role opposite Jim Carrey in the film adaption of
the Dr. Seuss story "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Shannon plays the
mother of 'Cindy Lou Who', a young girl who must stop the evil Grinch
from plundering Christmas in the small town of Whoville. While 'Mrs.
Who' wasn't in the classic book, the role is a major part in this Ron
Howard movie. Shooting on the project begins on August 9th, right after
Carrey finishes working with The Farrelly brothers ("There's Something
About Mary") on the multiple-personalities comedy "Me, Myself & Irene".

>     Montreal has landed the lucrative job of hosting the production of
"Battlefield: Earth", a mega-budget sci-fi blockbuster which stars John
Travolta as the lead evil alien. Shooting on the Warner Bros. production
begins in the Canadian city in July and continues for three months.
While an actual official amount isn't being released, very reliable
sources indicate the film's budget to be somewhere around $120 million
US dollars - a large portion expected to be spent on the large scale
special effects required - including the alien race which stands 3
metres tall.

>     There are no two words in cinematic language more appealing to big
business than 'product placement'. The Bond films are one of the few
examples of where P.P. is used effectively, not deterimental to the
storyline (eg. "Baywatch Down Under"). Now, BMW is set to premiere its
new luxury 'Z8' series in TWINE just weeks before the car's official
release on markets. When BMW displayed its 'Z3' roadster in "Goldeneye",
demand for the car was so high it completely sold out in its first
production year. The Z8 is expected to do the same in 2000.

>     Word on the in-production ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE has
emerged regarding the plot: "The film does indeed involve Robert De Niro
as Fearless Leader trying to hypnotize the American Public. The plot
goes as follows: Fearless Leader wants to run for President, and in
order to do so plans to hypnotize everyone on the eve of election night
using their TVs so that they'll vote for him. Also, Randy Quaid's
character is named Cappy von Trappment, and he is the director of the
FBI.”  Also, an image of Jason Alexander, Rene Russo, and Robert DeNiro
as (Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader, respectively) has been posted
on the net.
http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/pictures/rockyspread.jpg

>     Here's some info on the upcoming Disney computer animated flick
DINOSAUR. There's now a tentative release date of May 2000 (maybe the
Memorial Day weekend. The heroes of the film are allegedly going to be
lemurs, not the first mammals as originally intended. Apparently the
first mammals were originally intended as ugly, rat-like creatures.
Lemurs are much more marketable. And, apparently, the CG dinosaurs in
Dinosaur will make the Jurrasic Park creatures look as realistic as the
Telletubbies.  Other scoops say "The title (singular) is still a working
one, as is a round logo showing a dinosaur in silhouette with a red
meteor streaming through the sky. The film opens close-up on a rock and
as the camera pulls back we can see that it is a meteor hurtling in the
direction of the sun. Then begins an opening sequence that is nothing
short of gob-smacking. It shows an amazing array of dinosaur life
interacting with each other. All the while the action centres around an
egg which is stolen by a dinosaur after its mother is scared away and
lost, dropped in a river and picked up by a flying dinosaur before it is
dropped on an island. Anyway, an Iguanadon hatches from the egg and is
brought up by a pack of lemurs on the island. Then the metor hits and
the Iguanadon heads with the lemurs to mainland and when he gets there
(he has never seen other dinosaurs before) the film is a journey to
escape the devastation of the meteor. Although the dinosaurs are voiced,
this in NOT a musical comedy and they don't break into song.”

>     Warner Bros. has officially shut down their involvement with
A.I..  What little pre-production that was underway at the time of
Kubrick's death really came from the people working close to the
director -- WB had really very little to do with it. Two weeks ago the
Independent newspaper in London published an article by Sara Maitland
who worked on the script for A.I. Amongst the things she revealed were:
Kubrick always referred to the project as 'Pinnochio', that Aldiss was
fired for leaving the country without Kubrick's permission, that a
drowned New York does appear, that the story spans three millennia and
that identity was a key theme (apparently Kubrick was unimpressed by
Blade Runner and its view of what makes a human). As well as the above
it also details Kubrick's working methods and home life.  The complete
article can be read at http:\\www.neurobellum.com\sara.html

>     We'll leave it to one scooper to say it: "One of my fellow
students hails from New Zealand and he has informed me that Sean Connery
has bought/rented a house in Wellington. If he is not playing a part in
[Peter Jackson’s] The Fellowship of the Ring then what is he doing
there?" Well it is possible is vacationing in N.Z., or indeed filming
another movie there. Still, with Connery's name so closely speculated as
the wizard Gandalf in this project, one can't help but let the
imagination get the better of oneself...

>     In the March 1999 issue of Hollywood Scriptwriter, screenwriter
Sherri Stoner (writer of Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Casper and My Favorite
Martian -- she was also the live action model for Ariel in The Little
Mermaid) says that she and partner Deanna Oliver are working on Roger
Rabbit 2. She confirms that it is a prequel, and adds, "we recently
handed in the first draft, and we're waiting for the rewrite now. We're
working out of the animation department on this, which is a different
way of working, and it's fun. And we're working on one for
Kennedy/Marshall and Disney called Emily that's about this cow."

>     Sigourney Weaver is near a deal to star with Tim Allen in the
comedy "Galaxy Quest.'' She and Allen would play members of a crew of a
cult-favorite sci-fi TV series who are recruited by a group of aliens to
save their imperiled race. Alan Rickman is also in talks to star in the
DreamWorks film, which Dean Parisot (''Home Fries'') will direct,
Variety reports.

>     George Clooney ("Out of Sight") is in final talks to star in and
produce "The Catcher Was a Spy,'' a baseball spy thriller about the
true-life exploits of Morris "Moe'' Berg. Berg, a polyglot and Wall
Street attorney, played with such teams as the Brooklyn Dodgers and the
Washington Senators during a career spanning the 1920s and 30s,
according to the CIA Kids Website. While with the latter team, he was
recruited as a spy by the Office of Strategic Services (the forerunner
of the CIA).  In addition to taking undercover photos in Japan while on
a tour of the Orient with Babe Ruth in the 1930s, Berg later was
assigned to assassinate Werner Heisenberg, who was developing the
nuclear bomb for Germany, Dawidoff's book alleges.

>     Lucy Liu ("Ally McBeal") has joined the cast of Ron Shelton's new
film, "Play It to the Bone," which is being produced by Shelton and his
Shanghai'd Films partner Stephen Chin. Robert Wagner has also been added
to the cast, which includes Antonio Banderas, Woody Harrelson and Lolita
Davidovich in the story of two best friends, both former boxing title
contenders, who travel to Las Vegas together to fight each other for the
first time. Along the way they are accompanied by a woman who is the
girlfriend of one and ex-girlfiend of the other.

>     Peter and Bobby Farrelly are making their first foray into feature
animation by producing the black comedy "Frisco Pigeon Mambo.'' The Fox
project follows the travails of three urban scavengers (a rat, a pigeon
and a squirrel) who live in a New York City alcohol and tobacco research
lab, where they live the high life, spending their days chain smoking,
drinking sherry and hitting on attractive lab technicians. It's a good
life until a group of pesky animal rights activists decides to spring
them from their libertine lifestyle, setting them free into the cold,
harsh city where they now have to fight for food, smokes and shelter.
Cursing their bleeding-heart liberators, the trio sets out to find their
way back to the lab.Former standup comics Peter Gaulke & Gerry Swallow
will write the screenplay.

>     Nicole Kidman is in final negotiations to play a Russian
mail-order bride star in "Birthday Girl,'' which is on track to shoot at
the end of May in Australia. Kidman's character is sent for by an
unassuming young bank manager living in suburban St. Albans, just
outside London. But he gets more than he bargained for when her entire
family descends upon him. Jez Butterworth ("Mojo") will shoot from a
script he co-wrote with his brother Tom. The project was set up by
Britain's HAL Films, which is backed by Miramax, and FilmFour, Variety
reports.

>     Courtney Cox and David Arquette ("Scream 1 & 2") are set to star
in independent film "The Shrink Is In" for director Richard Benjamin.
Shooting begins April 19 in Los Angeles. The romantic comedy is the
story of a woman (Cox) who assumes the identity of her psychiatrist and
inadvertently falls in love with a patient (Arquette) who is also not
who he appears to be, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

>     Brad Pitt ("Se7en") has expressed "serious interest'' in a
thriller called "The Courier." The indie project, budgeted at about $50
million, concerns a courier hired to make a drop to a man who is
impossible to find. Pitt will likely take an executive producer credit
if he participates. Shooting is likely to take place in a number of
locations, including San Francisco, Chicago and Las Vegas, according to
Variety.

>     Paramount Pictures is picking up the dark action/comedy script
"Mace and Mardi" for Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson to produce. The
project, seen as a possible starring vehicle for the boxoffice stars,
was scripted by Jim Uhls ("The Fight Club") and is in turnaround from
Miramax Films. The studio is paying high-six against seven figures for
the script, which Uhls will co-produce with Foster's Egg Pictures and
Gibson's Icon Prods. The script centers on a neurotic couple who work as
bounty hunters. While undergoing marriage counseling, they realize they
want to quit the business. However, they must engage in more hunts to
finance their new life, THR reports.

>     Tim Robbins is in negotiations to star in Walt Disney Studios'
highly anticipated science-fiction thriller "Mission to Mars," sources
said. He would join a cast that includes Gary Sinise and Don Cheadle.
Robbins would play Woody, a gung-ho astronaut who, along with his
astronaut wife, leads a rescue mission into outer space after a mission
to Mars meets disaster. Arriving at the distant planet, the mission
discovers a survivor and learns what happened to the ill-fated mission.
Ted Tally is rewriting the script with director Brian De Palma rolling
cameras in July. Disney will probably release "Mission to Mars" in May
or June 2000 under its Hollywood Pictures label.

>     AINT IT COOL NEWS reports Sir Ian McKellen (Gods and Monsters, Apt
Pupil) may play Magneto in FOX's X-MEN feature film.
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com

>     Now that he's finished work on this summer's MYSTERY MEN, William
H. Macy (Fargo, ER) will next work on PANIC, a drama by writer/director
Henry Bromell (Homicide: LotS, Northern Exposure), where he'll play a
man in a mid-life crisis who doesn't want to follow in his family's
hitman footsteps. The film also stars Donald Sutherland, John Ritter,
Neve Campbell, Tracy Ullman, and Barbara Bain.

>     Production begins in July on HOME BREW, eh?, a sequel to 1983's
STRANGE BREW reuniting Canadian beer drinkers Bob (Rick Moranis) and
Doug (Dave Thomas) McKenzie. Dan Ackroyd will likely co-star in the
film.

>     VARIETY reports Keanu Reeves (Speed, The Matrix) is in advanced
talks to star in the WARNER BROS. football comedy THE REPLACEMENTS. The
film is based on the players that took over for the pros during the 1987
NFL strike.

>     Director Kevin Hooks (Passenger 57) has signed on to helm PIMP, a
FINE LINE FEATURES biopic about Robert "Iceberg Slim" Beck, based on
Beck's biography PIMP: THE STORY OF MY LIFE. Production begins in the
fall with Ice Cube attached to play Iceberg Slim, following his starring
in NEW LINE CINEMA's NEXT FRIDAY. http://www.flf.com

>     Devon Sawa (Idle Hands, Wild America) and Ali Larter (Varsity
Blues) will lead the cast of the NEW LINE CINEMA horror-thriller FLIGHT
180. James Wong (The X-Files, Space: Above and Beyond) is set to make
his feature directorial debut on this film based on treatment and
original idea by Jeffrey Reddick, about a student (Sawa) who has a
premonition the plane he has just boarded will crash, but when he and
some fellow students avoid dying in the crash, he and his girlfriend
(Larter) must try to figure out why the students that lived have
mysteriously begun to die. http://www.newline.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Goldie Hawn will star in THE
ANCHORWOMAN, an IMAGINE Entertainment/UNIVERSAL drama telling a
behind-the-scenes story of three generations of TV anchorwomen.

>     VARIETY Senior Columnist Army Archerd reports MIRAMAX is in the
process of dubbing an English-language version of Roberto Benigni's LIFE
IS BEAUTIFUL. http://www.miramax.com

>     20th CENTURY FOX Home Entertainment celebrate the 20th anniversary
of the ALIEN franchise on June 1st, with digitally remastered,
THX-certified editions of ALIEN, ALIENS, ALIEN 3, and ALIEN
RESURRECTION, as well as feature-length ALIEN documentary, on VHS and
DVD. All four films will feature special never-before-seen and deleted
footage, as well as the film's theatrical trailer, and ALIENS is the
Special Edition with 17 minutes of footage left out of the theatrical
release.

>     Matt Groening recently told ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY that plans are
coming together for a feature film starring THE SIMPSONS. "We're just
starting to talk about it after all these years," explains Groening,
"But it's really hard to come up with an idea. You can't just string
together three episodes or people'll leave the theatre with blood coming
out of their ears." http://www.ew.com

>     Production recently began on ANNA, FOX's epic romantic drama
chronicling the true adventures of British governess Anna Leonowens, who
was hired to educate the King of Siam's 58 children. This historical
tale, best known for its musical adaptation in THE KING AND I, is
shooting in Malaysia, with Chow Yun-Fat (The Corruptor) as the King, and
Jodie Foster in the title role. The film is directed by Andy Tennant
(Ever After), and in addition to Bai Ling and the rest of the cast, it
stars a number of oxen, cows, chickens, goats, snakes, a man-eating
crocodile, 19 elephants, and 100 trained horses. ANNA is scheduled for
release this December.

>     Sylvester Stallone is in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., through
May, shooting UNIVERSAL Pictures and IMAGINE Entertainment's DETOX. Jim
Gillespie (I Know What You Did Last Summer) is directing the suspense
thriller, where Stallone plays an FBI agent turned alcoholic after the
death of his co-workers and girlfriends by an elusive serial killer, who
winds up in a detox center for cops and is forced to confront his past
when his fellow inmate officers begin turning up dead. DETOX also stars
Charles S. Dutton, Polly Walker, Tom Berenger, Kris Kristofferson,
Christopher Fulford, Jeffrey Wright, Stephen Lang, Robert Prosky, Robert
Patrick, Courtney B. Vance, Angela Alvarado, Sean Patrick Flanery, and
Dina Meyer. http://www.universalstudios.com

>     DAILY VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports James Van Der Beek
(Dawson's Creek) and Dylan McDermott (The Practice, Hamburger Hill) will
co-star in the DIMENSION Films western TEXAS RANGERS. The Steve Miner
(Halloween: H20, Warlock)-directed drama will involve a group of young
adults that form the Texas Rangers after the Civil War to clean up the
west. http://www.variety.com

>     Jared Leto (My So-Called Life), Jennifer Connely (Career
Opportunities, Labyrinth), Ellen Burstyn (Playing By Heart), and Marlon
Wayans will star in Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Proteus)'s next film, an
adaptation of the Hubert Selby Jr., novel REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.

>     Rob Zombie is in negotiations to write and direct the horror film
THE LEGEND OF THE 13 GRAVES for NEW LINE CINEMA. The film, which would
be Zombie's directorial debut now that his CROW film was shelved, would
involve a young group travelling across the country who encounter a
freakish family in a small town. http://www.newline.com

>     The recently formed STAN LEE Media has entered into a partnership
with computer animation company PENTAFOUR to co-develop original
animated properties for global exploitation. "We are excited to have our
own "PIXAR" to animate our new characters while bringing to life mythic
superheroes from other cultures." said Stan Lee "Working with PENTAFOUR,
we can combine the world's best technology with our storytelling and
production expertise to provide the missing links in shepherding the
creative process." India-based PENTAFOUR are currently finishing up work
on SINBAD: BEYOND THE VEIL OF MISTS, the first-ever 3D animated
motion-capture feature film. http://www.stanlee.net
http://www.pentafour.com

>     IMAX has agreed to make a $16 million investment in 3D computer
animation company MAINFRAME Entertainment (ReBoot, Beast Wars, War
Planets), and the two companies plan to establish and co-finance a joint
venture which will co-produce computer-generated 3D animated film for
IMAX theatres and other markets. The joint venture will include three
films MAINFRAME and IMAX already have in development; a GULLIVER'S
TRAVEL due out in the summer of 2001, THE PIED PIPER, and PANDORA'S BOX.
http://www.imax.com http://www.mainframe.ca

>     Special advance screenings of STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM MENACE will
take place on May 16th, 3 days before the film opens, as part of a
series of benefit screenings in a dozen U.S. cities. Tickets for the Los
Angeles screening and after-party start at $500, with packages ranging
from $5,000 - $25,000, benefiting the ELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS
FOUNDATION, and other cities and details will be announced as the date
draws closer.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Following this Sunday night's episode, FOX's new animated series
FUTURAMA moves to Tuesday nights at 8:30, getting replaced on Sundays at
8:30 through May by FAMILY GUY. FUTURAMA creator Matt Groening will chat
live at the FOX.COM website after this week's second new episode of the
series airs across the country, Tuesday, April 6th, at 9pm PT.
http://www.fox.com

>     THE SIMPSONS, FAMILY GUY, and THE X-FILES will all end their
current seasons on May 16th, so that FOX can air a three-hour
presentation of INDEPENDENCE DAY the following Sunday. George Takei
(Star Trek) guest stars on the season finale of THE SIMPSONS, when the
family travels to Tokyo. Michael McKean voices Springfield's newest
billionaire on the May 2nd episode, and Lisa joins MENSA on May 9th, in
an episode featuring the voice of Stephen Hawking. THE X-FILES wraps up
this year with the first in a two-part cliffhanger, and while details on
it haven't been released, a May 2nd episode leading up to the finale has
Scully and Mulder teaming up with the Lone Gunmen for a trip to Las
Vegas, where they make a startling discovery.

>     Details surrounding the last few episodes for DS9 and Voyager this
season have emerged (minor spoilers ahead). DS9 begins 'The Final
Chapter' 9-episode arc in early April, kicking off with a four-part
story and culminating in the two hour series finale on May 29th. In the
four-parter we are expected to see the wedding of Sisko and Kassidy
Yates, Kai Winn 'getting it on' with a certain Cardassian, the return of
the Breen who forge a deadly new alliance, and the whole Ezri Dax/Worf
situation sorted out. The series finale entitled "What You Leave Behind"
is being kept very hush hush though two (very major spoiler) details are
almost certain to happen - the station will be destroyed while Sisko
will become a Prophet. On the "Voyager" side, the sweeps episodes are
set to be unusual. The most interesting sounding one is entitled
"Relativity" which has the '29th century Temporal Commission' forcing
Seven-of-Nine to go on a dangerous mission. She is sent back in time to
a few weeks before Voyager's launch, disguised as a human Starfleet
officer, and must diffuse a bomb hidden out-of-phase somewhere on the
still being constructed ship. The series will end this season with Parts
1 & 2 of a three-part episode (the third will be next season's
premiere). In this story, Voyager encounters the Starfleet ship U.S.S.
Equinox thrown into the Delta Quadrant years ago, however this group has
abandoned Starfleet protocol and are trying to find anyway to get home.
The Equinox crew has been able to harness an energy from an as yet
unseen alien race who show up plenty pissed in the second part. Other
threads for this three-parter include one of the Equinox officer's being
B'Elanna's ex-boyfrined at the Academy, while the Equinox's EMH program
is quite evil and plots some disturbing things.  Voyager's finale airs
in May.

>     On May 18th, RHINO Home Video will release a 3-volume WORLD OF SID
& MARTY KROFFT box set, full of classic children's programming and
never-before-seen episodes. Retailing for a suggested $29.95, WORLD
includes one episode from every KROFFT Saturday morning show; H.R.
PUFNSTUF, The BUGALOOS, LIDSVILLE, SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTERS, LAND OF
THE LOST, FAR OUT SPACE NUTS, THE LOST SAUCER, ELECTRA WOMAN AND
DYNAGIRL, Dr. SHRINKER, WONDERBUG, MAGIC MONGO, BIGFOOT AND WILDBOY, and
PRYOR'S PLACE. Individual two-episode video tapes of many of the above
series will then follow on July 13th, and in October, RHINO will release
H.R. PUFNSTUF (17 episodes, 4 tapes) and SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTERS
(25 episodes, 5 tapes) gift boxes. http://www.rhino.com

>     MAD TV wraps up its fourth season on FOX on May 22nd, and May
episodes leading up to the finale will guest star Jerry Springer and
Donny Osmond.

>     As a result of the death of cast member David Strickland,
production has been halted on the final two episodes of SUDDENLY SUSAN
for the season. It's expected his absence will be explained if the show
returns for a fourth season in the fall.  NBC plans to tape a tribute
special in two weeks for airing at a later date.

>     Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan), Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio,
and Forrest Whitaker will star in an HBO NYC movie tentatively titled
WITNESS PROTECTION. The drama is inspired by a NEW YORK TIMES Magazine
story by Robert Sabbag, about one family's experience in the witness
relocation program. Production began in Los Angeles on March 1st, with
director Richard Pearce (Leap of Faith, Dead Man Out) behind the camera,
working towards a July premiere. http://www.hbo.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, William H. Macy (Fargo, ER)
will co-write and star in the two-hour TNT movie A TRAVESTY, based on a
novella by Donald Westlake about a small-time film critic who tries to
cover up a murder he accidentally committed. TRAVESTY will co-star
Felicity Huffman (SportsNight) and Adam Arkin (Chicago Hope).
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     Jason Alexander (Seinfeld, Duckman, Hercules) is going from duck
to gargoyle to cat, joining the cast of UPN's animated series DILBERT
next season as Catbert.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie
Howser, Starship Troopers) will co-star with Tony Shalhoub (Wings) in
STARK RAVING MAD, a new NBC series from Steve Levitan (Just Shoot Me)
with a 13-episode commitment. Harris will play the book editor of horror
writer Ian Stank (Shalhoub).

>     INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO host James Lipton welcomes Ellen Barkin
(Diner, Switch, Drop Dead Gorgeous) tonight at New York City's NEW
SCHOOL University to tape a Q&A session for the BRAVO series. This
Sunday night's episode of STUDIO spotlights Kathy Bates, and in the
coming weeks, Lipton welcomes Gary Sinise (4/25), Ron Howard (5/9), and
John Hurt (5/23). http://www.bravotv.com

>     Cable network ENCORE has announced it will begin airing anime
movies Saturday nights at 11:30pm, starting this weekend with TEKKEN:
THE MOTION PICTURE. In coming weeks, ENCORE will also broadcast BATTLE
ANGEL, SOL BIANCA, BLOOD REIGN: CURSE OF YOMA, BIO HUNTER, PSYCHO DIVER,
TWILIGHT OF THE DARK MASTER, GSC GUNSMITH CATS, and TEKKAMAN BLADE II.

>     A third season of SOUTH PARK premieres on COMEDY CENTRAL next
Wednesday, April 7th, at 10pm. Jennifer Aniston (Friends) lends her
voice to the boys' hippie music teacher, who leads them on an expedition
to the Costa Rican Rainforest as part of the "Getting Gay with Kids
Choir" program, in the episode "Rainforest Schmainforest." The SOUTH
PARK feature film isn't too far off either; look for it in theaters on
June 18th. http://www.comedycentral.com

>     Kathy Bates (Misery, Primary Colors) will guest star on NBC's
THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN on May 4th, playing a woman stalking John
Lithgow's character.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Danish rap group BEAM TEAM have released a free MP3 audio download
of their STAR WARS tribute song "Skywalker" at the AUDIODINER and
NOISEBOX websites, in hopes that George Lucas will take notice and add
it to his own official site for the film. http://www.audiodiner.com
http://www.noisebox.com http://www.starwars.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Everybody reading this must RUN to your local comic shop and pick
up the newest issue of Dark Horse Comic's GHOST.  The just-released
issue 7 is the first in fledgling-scribe Mike Kennedy's big-time stint
as struggling comic-book writer.  Buy many copies.  Tell your friends to
buy many copies.  What are you waiting for?  GO!!!

>     Thomas Harris has turned in a 600+page manuscript for HANNIBAL,
the sequel to THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, and the author's first book in
over a decade. A 480-page novel, due out on hardcover June 8th from
DELACORTE Press, picks up seven years after LAMBS, as one of serial
killer Hannibal Lecter's early victims uses FBI Special Agent Clarice
Starling as bait in an effort to get revenge. HANNIBAL is the third book
in a series that began with RED DRAGON, which was turned into the movie
MANHUNTER. VARIETY reports UNIVERSAL has the best chance at landing the
film, presumably reuniting Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, thanks to
Dino De Laurentiis and Jonathan Demme's current involvement with the
studio.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     FOX Interactive is planning its most extensive marketing and
promotions campaign ever for the April release of ALIENS Vs. PREDATOR,
an anticipated PC CD-ROM game where you compete in a 3D battleground as
either an Alien, Predator, or Space Marine.
http://www.mplayer.com http://www.primagames.com
http://www.foxinteractive.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     McDONALD'S restaurants nationwide are offering special FURBY Happy
Meals through April 22nd, which come with a miniature, non-electronic
FURBY figurine. There are 80 different variations of the FURBY figurines
in the form of 8 toys with different play functions in 10 body and tuft
color combinations. A checklist of all 80 toys is available at both the
FURBY and McDONALD'S website. http://www.furby.com
http://www.mcdonalds.com

>     PIZZA HUT launches its PIZZA PLAYSTUFF program today, where
customers can buy one of four exclusive K'NEX toy sets for .99 with the
purchase of any pizza. The four KOOL K'NEXIONS allow us fellow kids to
build two models each (airplane/butterfly, motorcycle/red hen,
helicopter/dragonfly, dune buggy/fish) with these non-brick construction
toys, and include K'NEX pieces exclusive to this promotion.
http://www.pizzahut.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-




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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     LUCASFILM and FOX are requesting some interesting restrictions on
theaters showing STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, for instance, no more
than eight minutes of trailers will be allowed before the film, and the
film must run in the theater's largest auditorium, and not move to a
smaller theater for 8-12 weeks into its run. Additionally, you might not
have to call in sick on the 19th after all if you don't mind being a bit
tired the next day, since theaters will be allowed to start their
screenings at 12:01am early Wednesday. http://www.starwars.com

>     Recently at ROUGHCUT, renowned online Hollywood columnist David
Poland reported LUCASFILM is not going to allow any Internet outlets to
participate in junkets in promotion of the release of STAR WARS I: THE
PHANTOM MENACE. These junkets are the place where reputable journalists
have a chance to do roundtable interviews with some of the stars, and
possibly the director of a film, and account for all the original
interviews you normally see on TV, in print, or online. This is not, as
some might assume, an effort to stop secrets from the film getting out,
but, according to Poland, an effort to redirect all Internet traffic to
the official STAR WARS website. The many sites like THEFORCENET and
COUNTINGDOWN will continue to leak both minor and major spoilers for
those into that sort of thing, and rest assured that will only grow
before the film's May 19th release.
http://www.roughcut.com/today/hot.button/990331_wed.html
http://www.starwars.com http://www.theforce.net
http://www.countingdown.com

>     Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: Some superb images from the film
have appeared in the latest issue of "Premiere" magazine, above are just
some of the shots courtesy of Jedinet Prequel Watch, if you want the
rest you'll have to buy the mag. Meanwhile, Ewan McGregor gave an
interview to the BBC about working in his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi and his
comments haven't exactly inspired - "Quite honestly, after my initial
excitement, the film-making process turned out to be the epitome of
tedium. The work was so complex with all the special effects and stuff
that I found myself hanging around for days. What bothered me most was
that everything was so deliberate. There was no spontaneity. Your job,
as an actor, was just to get it out. I was frowning a lot. It just
became a frowning exercise". Now it seems a few devout fans are turning
on him faster than Linda Tripp, one saying "we shouldn't have had Ewan
McGregor in the first place, they should have fought and begged Kenneth
Branagh to play Obi Wan". Hmm, them's fighting words - but remember all
McGregor was commenting about was the 'filmmaking process', not the
actual quality of the film itself. http://www.jedinet.com/prequels/

>     Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: How do you like your Star Wars, cut
or uncut? Enough with the double entendre, news today has arrived that
George Lucas is about to make his final edit on 'The Phantom Menace',
and has asked the various filmmakers he has shown the early print to
(eg. Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg) what they think should stay and what
should go. He'll be taking their opinions under consideration before
making the cuts, though Howard has revealed that there's more humour in
this film than any of the previous SW films which should leave audiences
happy.

>     According to 'Dreamwatch' magazine, some new details about the
upcoming "X-Men" movie have surfaced at the recent ShoWest '99
conference in Las Vegas. 20th Century FOX has extended its rights to the
property for another two years ensuring no legal worries over it until
long after the film is released in Summer 2000. Russell Crowe has
apparently turned down the part of 'Wolverine' due to the reason that it
was too similar to his part in "L.A. Confidential". Two other roles have
casting rumours with Edward Norton, Vince Vaughn and Freddie Prinze Jr.
all being talked about for the role of 'Cyclops', while Ian McKellan and
Terence Stamp are both up for the role of the villainous 'Magneto'.
Talent agents have been receiving 'character descriptions', with
Wolverine's bio saying: "Male late 20s, 5foot5 to 6 foot in height (!?).
Logan is the Ultimate loner, a gruff, earthy man/mutant with a volatile
temper that when provoked, yields an uncontrollable rage and extreme
violence. Yet he is capable of tenderness and empathy, which manifests
itself in his relationships with women. His mutations provide him with
superior strength and enhanced senses - particularly scent and hearing".

>     CINESCAPE reports Arnold Schwarzenegger and Angela Bassett are
denying a report in The TORONTO SUN that they'll star in the X-MEN
feature film which stars shooting in Toronto in July.
http://www.cinescape.com

>     The Halifax Daily News has landed a very interesting and unusually
'specific' report discussing Schwarzenegger's next two projects. In June
they claim he will begin work on "Tooth", a comedy about an ex-soldier
who has to takeover his dying father's job - the catch being the
occupation is nothing less than the one and only 'tooth fairy'. After
that, they've announced an October start date for "Terminator 3" under
the helm of James Cameron, but Linda hamilton will NOT be appearing this
time. These reports have NOT appeared anywhere else and were published
late last week, which does make one suspicious of the reliability of the
information. Confirmation, if it happens, should be within the next
fortnight or so.

>     Coming Attractions reports that a not entirely unexpected
complication has arisen regarding Stanley Kubrick's last film - the Tom
Cruise/Nicole Kidman sexual thriller "Eyes Wide Shut". Still unconfirmed
at present, but numerous sources have heard that the MPAA classification
board has given the film an NC-17 rating in the US, an extremely rare
event (most films to get this rating bomb, like "Showgirls"). Normally,
a lot of R-rated films get an initial NC-17 rating before being edited
to remove the graphic stuff to bring it back down to an R. However with
"Eyes Wide Shut" there's a complication. If they edit it, Kubrick fans
and the filmgoing community will screech in protest about the
destruction of the late filmmakers last great vision. If they don't edit
it, the film will be practically unmarketable as many cinemas refuse to
carry an NC-17 film (though the presence of Tom Cruise in it may sway
some). An official announcement about what decision will be made should
be announced soon, hopefully they'll be able to bring it down to an R
without any cuts (after all its just a bit of gratuitous nudity and sex,
whose that gonna hurt?)

>     With the success of "Prince of Egypt", Dreamworks is apparently
turning back to the Bible for their next big animated epic entitled
"Children of Eden". Set for release around December 2001, Composer
Stephen Schwartz will write the music and lyrics for the film which is
based on a script by John Caird. One of the big selling points of "The
Prince of Egypt" was the huge all-star voice cast, now "Children of
Eden" has gone even further. Voice talents to be used in this film
include: Matt Damon as 'Adam', Gwyneth Paltrow as 'Eve', Woody Harrelson
as 'Cain', Tom Hanks as 'Abel', Christopher Plummer as 'Noah', Edward
Norton as 'The Serpent', Denzel Washington as 'Abraham', Lauren Bacall
as 'Sarah', David Schwimmer as 'Isaac', and Leonardo DiCaprio as
'Joseph'. Also Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson and James Earl Jones will
have their voices blended together to create the voice of God. The story
of this film will follow the various stories from the Book of Genesis,
including - the creation of the universe, the Garden of Eden, Noah's
Ark, The Tower of Babel, Abraham & Sarah, Soddom & Gomorah, and the
story of Joseph. Jeffrey Katzenberg claims this new project will have
more special FX per-minute of screen time than any other film ever made.
Whereas POE's big FX sequence was the Red Sea parting at the end,
"Children of Eden" will open with its big one - a seven-minute opening
sequence which depicts the seven days of creation, and will take an FX
team of 14 people, two years to complete. It all sounds mighty
impressive, the question is - is this information real? Copies of this
information are being sent around sourcing L.A. times writer Richard A.
Sloan as the originator of the article, though searches of the LA Times
archives have resulted in nothing (then again their engines are
limited). The article also doesn't mention anything about the
direct-to-video POE prequel "Joseph" already well into production,
prompting several to guess this is a leftover from this year's April
Fools gags on the Net. I'll keep my eyes out for any confirmation/denial
of this report.

>     Blue Planet: A lot of readers have been wanting to know what's the
fate of this CG-animated sci-fi flick which has been looking for funding
via a dazzling CG-animated promo reel. Well 'Moviemutt' has apparently
contacted Rainbow Studios (whose making the film) and here's their
response:  ""Rainbow Studios is currently negotiating with a major
studio to release "Blue Planet". A firm release date will not be set
until negotiations are complete. John Woo and Terence Chang's production
company, Lion Rock Productions, has signed on as Executive Producers.
The script has already been through several drafts. The first was penned
by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow -- the writers of "Toy Story". The film
is 100% CGI. The animation team is lead by the guys who defined the look
and feel of the CG in SeaQuest DSV."

>     Tomb Raider: At last, things are moving on the film adaption of
one of the decades most famous computer games. Variety reports that
Paramount has put the adenture flick on the fast track, with plans to
make it their big film release during Summer 2000. Paramount won the
rights to turn the project into a feature film last year, with various
writers developing scripts - none of which have caught their eye, till
now. Scribe Steven de Souza ("Street Fighter") submitted a draft which
Paramount snapped up right away and has deemed it ready for development,
with Director Stephen Herek ("Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure", "Mr.
Holland's Opus") very likely to helm it. No word on who'll be playing
the buxom Lara Croft as yet, but you can bet when it is announced the
Net will go wild.

>     Galaxy Quest: In space, no-one can hear you scream - except that
alien-busting Sigourney Weaver whose set to return to the stars - albeit
in a different way. Variety reports she is near a deal to star opposite
Tim Allen in the comedy "Galaxy Quest", a film about a group of aliens
who recruit the cast of a cult sci-fi TV series to help save their race
from destruction. Alan Rickman is also in talks to star, while Director
Dean Parisot ("Home Fries") is likely to direct.

>     Readers at Touchstone claim that Jerry Bruckheimer is looking for
rewrites on a script called  "Convoy". The film is an alleged sequel to
Con Air which places the action in a bus carrying prisoners over
mountain terrain. The prisoners revolt and its up to the heroic driver
and his female partner to round them up. Nicolas Cage's name has been
rumoured but he's got so many projects right now it's unlikely he'll be
cast. Bruckheimer wants the final draft by next month for a possible end
of 2000 or early 2001 release. No word on Cusack but Buscemi has been
contacted to reprise his character. There's no telling on where this
project might be located on Bruckheimer's priorities since he's already
in production on "Coyote Ugly". Con Air made over 300 million world wide
so, this is definitely on the fast track - especially if Cage is back.

>     Bob Camp, who achieved notoriety as a REN & STIMPY director, is
now working on Universal's live-action HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
film, also starring Jim Carrey.

>     Spike Brandt is currently directing a new Road Runner/Wile E.
Coyote short called LITTLE GO BEEP. It is tied to the characters'
fiftieth anniversary and chronicles their first meeting. That means that
we'll be seeing this cartoon sometime this year since the first Road
Runner cartoon, FAST AND FURRY-OUS, appeared in 1949. We've been told
the cartoon is "charming and funny in a Chuck [Jones] kind of way," and
that it has a good animation crew so it's certainly something to keep an
eye out for later this year.

>     StayTooned has revealed that Aardman Animations (the guys who made
the "Wallace & Gromit" series) have finished a 15 minute roughcut of
their clay stop-motion film "Chicken Run" which went down very well with
special screening attendees. The film, set for release by Dreamworks
next Summer, is about two chickens in love who attempt a P.O.W. kind of
escape from a 1950's English chicken farm.

>     The Crow: Salvation: 'Irony Despair' claims they've gotten hold of
the script for the  third "The Crow" film and have a detailed review of
it up on their site.
http://www.darkhorizons.com/members.xoom.com/ABaHB/News/review.html

>     Takedown: A week's worth of reshoots are apparently set to take
place from Monday on "Takedown", the thriller based on computer hacker
Kevin Mitnick. Tom Berenger ("Major League"), Skeet Ulrich ("Scream")
and Mitch Plieggi ("The X-Files") are aiming for release late this year.

>     In 1998 there was the duels of meteor and animated bug films, this
year its the haunted house flicks, and in 2000 it looks set to be Mars
movies. Mr. Showbiz managed to grab some details on both the $60 million
drama "Mars" and the $120 million action-thriller "Mission to Mars".
Despite its lower budget, Warner Bros. Is following the example is set
with "The Matrix" - "Mars" will be mostly shot in the FOX studios
complex in Sydney, Australia to ensure the film squeezes the most value
it can out of the budget. Landscapes scenes will be shot in Iceland to
simulate the martian landscape ("Mission to Mars" will be using places
in north Canada for similar shots). "Mars" follows a group of explorers
who begin dying one at a time, with the sole survivor trying to get help
from the female astronaut whose piloting the spacecraft in orbit of the
red planet. Ben Affleck passed on the project yesterday, leaving the
lead role open for another young star, while the two other main roles
are for a veteran male actor and a young mid-20's actress. That film is
set for an April 2000 release date, but a few months later during the
summer comes "Mission to Mars" from Director Brian DePalma ("Mission:
Impossible"). Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins and Don Cheadle star in the more
action-oriented tale in which all but one member of a team of astronauts
is wiped out by a geological disaster, so a rescue mission is
immediately launched to find out what happened. Which one's better?
We'll see next year, but to add to the list is James Cameron's sci-fi TV
series based on the "Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars" trilogy of novels,
this series expected to air early next year.

>     'The Hollywood Reporter' announces that Renee Zellweger ("Jerry
Maguire") is in talks to play the lead female role in the comedy "Me,
Myself & Irene" from the Farrelly brothers ("There's Something About
Mary"). The film stars Jim Carrey as a Rhode Island state trooper who
has two personalities, the second one kept at bay with medication until
he forgets to take it. Soon, both personalities fall for the same woman
and become very jealous of each other. This comedy begins shooting soon
and will hopefully be out early next year.

>     Seems that a sequel to "The Matrix" has already been made by the
Wachowskis - however not on film. A comic book written by the brothers
and illustrated by Geoff Darrow (storyboard artist on the film) will
continue the story, and will apparently be available soon on the
www.whatisthematrix.com website to download for free. As for their next
film project, the Wachowskis have yet to decide what to direct next, one
possibility is the film adaptation of the comic "V for Vendetta".

>     It's a match made in gore-lovers heaven. The Hollywood Reporter
announces that Larry & Andy Wachowski ("The Matrix") and George Romero
("Night of the Living Dead") are set to team on the production of
Trimark Pictures' "Carnivore". The Wachowski brothers wrote the script
sometime ago and will serve as executive producers on the gothic fairy
tale about rich people mysteriously disappearing from a boarding house.

>     During an interview with South Australian magazine "Rip it Up",
Keanu Reeves commented on what he'd like to do in the way of upcoming
films - and here's a section of that interview: "Unexpectedly, this is
where most of The Matrix discussion ended, as Keanu now wants to talk
regarding his reported interest in both Peter Jackson's Lord Of The
Rings and Bryan Singer's The X Men, both as yet unmade and the subject
of intense (even ludicrous) speculation. The horse's mouth: "I'm
petitioning to play Strider [in Lord]. I'd love to work with the
director [NZer Jackson, of Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners], but
I'm not sure if it's going to go ahead. I hope I can. As for The X Men -
I'd love to do it, and I met with Bryan [of The Usual Suspects and Apt
Pupil fame], but I'm not really sure if I'm the right one for it. I
mean, I love The X Men comics, but the older comics, the classic ones. I
don't think I'm going to be right. I'd like to - you know when you read
something when you're a kid and you think, 'I want to do that!!!". But
I'm not sure I can.""

>     Keanu Reeves ("The Matrix") has agreed to a co-starring role in
indie thriller "Driven," the feature debut of video director Joe
Charbanic. The picture is slated for an early summer or late fall start.
Written by Darcy Meyers and Clay Ayers, "Driven" is the story of a
cunning serial killer (Reeves) who turns the tables on an investigative
team hot on his trail. Reeves is also in line for a career-best $15
million salary to play a sniper in "Shooter.'' He would play Bobby Lee
Swaggart, a master sniper who exiled himself to the Arkansas hills after
mistakenly causing the death of an innocent person. Finally lured out of
his reclusive life to help prevent an assassination, he gets
double-crossed, leaving him hunted for murder and trying to guess who
sold him out and why, according to Variety and THR.

>     Once again, the upcoming religious satire from writer/director
Kevin Smith ("Chasing Amy") has come under fire from....you guessed it,
the church. The Drudge Report has said that Miramax (whose owned by
Disney), is "taking heat over the way the film satirizes the Catholic
Church" and may either requests edits to tone down the laughs (something
many Smith fans hope does NOT happen) or sell the recently completed
film to another distributor. The only question I have is, why sell it?
With a cast including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock,
Linda Fiorentino, Alanis Morisette, etc. plus all this free
pre-publicity, the film (which cost only $5 million to make) looks set
to make at least double its money back on opening weekend alone. With
its continuing success, Miramax is one of the most stable and
financially-secure distributors out there - this is the time to start
releasing a risky project or two.  NewsAskew & Variety both confirm that
Disney is no longer in charge of the distribution of Kevin Smith's
religious-satire. Miramax executives Bob & Harvey Weinstein purchased
the negative back from their own company (which is a part of Disney) for
$10 million (twice the film's budget) and plan to sell it to a
third-party for distribution (most likely either Paramount or universal
who both regularly co-finance projects with Miramax). There's talk that
it may not make the Cannes film festival, but if it does you can bet
it'll be the talk of the Riviera.

>     Rosanna Arquette and Matthew Perry will star as a married couple
opposite Bruce Willis in "The Whole Nine Yards." Shooting begins in
Montreal in June. Written by Mitchell Kapner, "Yards" is a black comedy
about a suburban couple - Oz (Perry) a financially strapped dentist, and
his nagging wife Phoebe (Arquette) - whose new neighbor is a hit man
(Willis) on the run from the mob. Goaded by Phoebe into ratting on the
neighbor in exchange for a handsome payout from the gangsters who want
Jimmy dead, Oz finds himself in over his head, including falling in love
with Jimmy's wife. Also set to star is Natasha Henstridge ("Species").
Jonathan Lynn will direct.

>     DreamWorks Pictures has paid $1 million for the film rights to
"The Fountain Society,'' the debut novel of "Scream'' director Wes
Craven. Craven is attached to direct and executive produce the picture.
The total deal could be worth about $5 million to Craven and his
producing partner Marianne Maddalena, depending on how well the book
sells and the picture performs. "Society'' follows the last days of Dr.
Peter Janze, a top weapons development scientist on a secret government
project, who is dying of cancer. When a longtime friend and colleague
offers him a new lease on life, Janze becomes an unwitting part of a
governmental genetics project delving into human cloning and the search
for the fountain of youth. Craven is expected to begin shooting in the
spring or summer of 2000, after finishing work on "Scream 3."

>     I Now Pronounce You Joe & Benny: Variety reports that stars
Nicolas Cage and Will Smith may be teaming up on-screen as both are in
final negotiations to star in this comedy from Director Tom Shadyac
("Liar Liar"). If it goes ahead, Cage would play a firefighter who
recently lost his wife and begins to worry about what will happen to his
kids if he dies. Not soon after he saves the life of a slick-talking
ladies man (Smith) who vows he'll do anything to repay him - and the
firefighter comes up with an idea, marriage. Seems that Cage's kids will
qualify for life insurance benefits if he marries another man, and the
comical misunderstandings start from there. Universal is believed likely
to take up the rights for the film.

>     Access Hollywood has announced that Anthony Hopkins is set to make
a cameo on "Mission: Impossible II", but actual details of his scenes in
the action sequel are being kept heavily under wraps.

>     Lord of the Rings: According to E! News Australia, "Star Wars"
creator George Lucas has supposedly been hired onto the fantasy epic to
act as a 'consultant' on the project. When Director Peter Jackson begins
filming the 'Rings' trilogy in New Zealand later this year, Lucas will
be in Sydney Australia shooting "Star Wars, Episode II" - conveniently
placing him about a 2.5 hour flight time away from NZ.

>     The brand new "The World Is Not Enough" teaser poster has been
released over at the Official Site. Look for this 19th Bond film in
theatres November 19th, 1999. http://www.jamesbond.com/

>     Oscar-nominated screenwriter Elaine May will take her first screen
acting role in nearly a decade with a part in the ensemble cast of Woody
Allen's next project. Allen is writing and directing the untitled
picture, in which he stars opposite Michael Rapaport, Tracey Ullman,
Hugh Grant and Jon Lovitz. Produced by Jean Doumanian's Sweetland Films,
the film is scheduled to begin shooting in New York this summer.

>     USA Today reports that Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster and Director
Jonathan Demme have all received copies of the Thomas Harris manuscript
"Hannibal" which is about to hit bookstores. Foster's was specially
shipped out to her in South-East Asia where she's filming "Anna and the
King", and to Hopkins agent in LA. One thankful piece of news from
Hopkins' agent is that "after several weeks off from Titus ("Titus
Andronicus" is a movie he's recently completed), he's ready to act
again".

>     The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle: Shooting on the
live-action/animation film version of the classic cartoon show has hit a
snag. Coming Attractions reports that Rene Russo (who plays Natasha
Fatale) in the movie is battling a bad case of pneumonia apparently,
forcing production to a crawl until she gets better (here's hoping she
gets well soon). On the upside, other aspects of the movie are going
very well - Piper Perabo, the actress brought in to replace the recently
departed Monica Potter, is settling into her role as FBI agent Karen
Sympathy. Other recent casting in the last few weeks include Janeane
Garofalo in a cameo as the evil 'Minnie Mogul', Ed Gale as a White House
mole (who is actually an animated mole), Randy Quaid as FBI Director
Cappy von Trappment, and an as-yet-uncast character 'Jenny Spy' - A
Jerry Springer-like talkshow host, though the difference being her
entire audience are actually spies.

>     Seems shock rocker Marilyn Manson has finished playing with his
Mechanical Animals and has gone onto new goals - making his own movie.
The Dallas Morning News reports that Manson's new music video clip "Coma
White" is a tease for a film he is set to shoot over the Summer. Manson
says "It will be about Hollywood's glorification and sensationalism in
creating icons. The story is what inspired 'Mechanical Animals', it's a
fable about fame. I look at it from two distinct points of view. In some
ways, its a reference to manic depression". It is widely hoped that
after completing this film, Manson will implode under the weight of his
own suck.

>     Principal photography recently wrapped on THREE KINGS, a WARNER
BROS. action-thriller by writer-director David O. Russell (Flirting with
Disaster, Spanking the Monkey) about a group of Gulf War soldiers
searching for a hidden cache of gold in the Iraqi desert. The cast of
THREE KINGS is headlined by George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and
Jamie Kennedy (Scream).

>     At long last, after weeks of delays and debates, the first day of
shooting on the "Mission: Impossible" sequel is set to begin this
Saturday. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that filming is taking place
at Randwick race course and has an open casting call for anyone to
attend (you have to pay $10 to get in though). Will Cruise be there?
Unsure for now as he's laying fairly low at the moment.

>     They've been trying to keep Chow Yun-Fat's new look secret on the
set of "Anna and the King", but the Thai press has managed some snaps of
the action star's look for the film. Various pieces of external shooting
have been taking place, one scene involving thirty small princes going
camping by the sea, while another was a scene at a Buddhist temple which
took two-hours to shoot. http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/annaass.jpg

>     Gladiator: 'Total Film' magazine managed to get these great on-set
shots from Ridley Scott's big-budget Roman epic, though there’s only one
shot of Russell Crowe. The rest of the shots startlingly resemble
"Braveheart", so one can expect some great battle scenes in this movie.
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/gladia1.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/gladia3.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/gladia4.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/gladia2.jpg

>     The Hollow Man: While Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Shue haven't
arrived on set yet, construction workers are busy building the
constructs for this sci-fi movie from Paul Verhoeven ("Total Recall",
"Starship Troopers"). Now an anonymous source has visited the set and
here's what they had to say:  "I was on the Sony lot the other day and I
happened to pass by the set of "The Hollow Man" on stage 15. I took a
little stroll inside. It was very cool, it is an enormous underground
laboratory made mostly of steel. It is very large filling up the entire
stage with tunnels and various rooms. It is almost completely done, it
looks like this will be a very cool movie. Someone told me that the
films begins shooting at the end of April as well."

>     Backstage Pass has uncovered details about the reshoots on the
Will Smith western blockbuster that are set to take place next week.
Casting calls have apparently been sent out for African-American (or
racially mixed) female twins or triplets who are comfortable with scenes
involving partial nudity, or at least a body suit. What are the reasons
behind it? There has been a bit of criticism in recent screenings about
the believability of Smith being able to walk around the Old West with
absolutely no mention of his ethnic background.

>     Spider-Man: 'The Hollywood Reporter' announces that screenwriter
David Koepp ("Mission: Impossible") has been hired to write the
screenplay for the long-awaited film version of the comic character.
While James Cameron has confirmed he will have no involvement in the
project, the script Koepp is crafting will "draw in part" from the
treatment Cameron wrote sometime ago. No-one has committed to directing
yet, though several top names are expressing interest.

>     George Clooney has signed on to star in OH BROTHER, WHERE ARE
THOU?, a new comedy by Joel and Ethan Coen (Fargo). The film follows the
misadventures of a trio of chain gang escapees trying to elude capture
in the 1930s.

>     VARIETY reports Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) will direct a remake of
the 1957 thriller ACROSS THE BRIDGE for FOX. The original film, based on
a novella by Graham Greene, starred Rod Steiger as an international
financier on the lam from Scotland Yard and the FBI for murder. The film
will have more comedic elements, and Chris Tucker, Chris Rock, and Will
Smith have all reportedly been targeted to play the lead role. Ratner is
also attached to direct Tucker and Jackie Chan in a sequel to RUSH HOUR
which takes the action overseas.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, PARAMOUNT has acquired an
adaptation of Isaac Asimov's out-of-print novel THE END OF ETERNITY for
Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Gladiator) to direct. ETERNITY is a romantic
thriller set in the future about a powerful race called the Eternals who
have the ability to create or destroy the past, present, and future, and
what happens when one of them falls in love with a human.

>     VARIETY reports MIRAMAX has acquired the rights to remake the 1950
James Stewart film HARVEY, a comedy about a man and his 6-foot 3
1/2-inch invisible rabbit. While casting is still a ways off, Adam
Sandler, Jim Carrey, and Tom Hanks are all mentioned as possibilities to
reprise Stewart's role. http://www.miramax.com

>     Cameron Diaz (There's Something About Mary) is in final
negotiations to join Drew Barrymore in the cast of the CHARLIE'S ANGELS
feature film.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Barry Pepper (Saving Private
Ryan) is in final talks to play the hero in John Travolta's adaptation
of BATTLEFIELD EARTH. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Jay Mohr (200 Cigarettes,
Jerry Maguire) has joined the cast of Geoffrey Wright's horror film
CHERRY FALLS. The film stars Brittney Murphy (Clueless, Drop Dead
Gorgeous) as a teen who exposes a depraved killer and the secrets of a
small town's respected leaders. Additionally, VARIETY reports Michael
Biehn (Terminator) and Gabriel Mann (High Art) will star in the film as
well.

>     VARIETY repots John Cusack and Steve Zahn (Out of Sight, That
Thing You Do!) are in final talks to star in LIFE OF THE PARTY, an indie
dramedy by director Greg Mottola (The Daytrippers). Cusack, who appears
in April 23rd's air traffic controller dramedy PUSHING TIN, will spend
his summer shooting an adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel HIGH FIDELITY
for director Stephen Frears (The Grifters, Dangerous Liaisons).

>     The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's THR E-MAIL column reports DISNEY will
likely green-light a Jerry Bruckheimer (Armageddon, Top Gun) project
entitled COYOTE UGLY, about a New York country bar run by women. The
film's script is by Gina Wendkos (Jersey Girl), but it was recently
re-written by Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy).

>     JIM HENSON Pictures has purchased a spec script for a MUPPETS film
written by Brian Lynch (VIEWASKEW Production's BIG HELIUM DOG) which
spoofs Hollywood, where Kermit would fight an evil agent who has
convinced Gonzo and the other Muppets to quit THE MUPPET SHOW and pursue
solo careers. It's not the only Muppets film in the works, as MUPPETS
FROM SPACE will open July 23rd, and MUPPET HAUNTED HOTEL is set for fall
2000.

>     Dennis Farina (Get Shorty, The Mod Squad) and James Frain
(Elizabeth, Hilary and Jackie) have joined the cast of John
Frankenheimer's next film, the DIMENSION Films thriller REINDEER GAMES.
The film, which recently began production in Vancouver, is led by Ben
Affleck, Gary Sinise, and Charlize Theron.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Cameron Crowe (Jerry
Maguire) has signed Kate Hudson (200 Cigarettes) and Billy Crudup
(Without Limits) to lead roles in his untitled DREAMWORKS comedy about a
high school journalist writing an article about a major '70s rock band
for a ROLLING STONE-type magazine. Hudson will play the band's big
groupie, and Crudup is the lead singer of the band -- It appears the
lead role of the young writer, a role somewhat based on Crowe himself,
is still uncast, but Francis McDormand (Fargo) is in talks to play his
mother. The film also stars Jason Lee (Mallrats), Bijou Phillips (Black
and White), Fairuza Balk (The Waterboy), Anna Paquin (She's All That,
Hurlyburly), and Noah Taylor (Shine).

>     Filmmaker Spike Lee appears to be having a hard time getting an R
rating for his Son of Sam biopic SUMMER OF SAM, and the LOS ANGELES
TIMES reports BUENA VISTA has pushed its release back from June 25th to
July 30th. The film stars Michael Badalucco (The Practice) as serial
killer David Berkowitz, as well as Jennifer Esposito (Spin City), Idina
Menzel (Rent), Mira Sorvino, Bebe Neuwirth, Adrien Brody, Anthony
LaPaglia, and John Leguizamo.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     NEWSRADIO returns to NBC's line-up this Tuesday night at 8:30,
with an episode marking cast member Dave Foley's directorial debut.
http://www.nbc.com

>     Matt Groening's new animated FOX series FUTURAMA declined a sharp
52% in the ratings last week in its move from Sunday to Tuesday.
http://www.foxworld.com

>     Daniel Stern (Home Alone, Dilbert), Jeremy Piven (Cupid, Ellen),
and Christopher Wiehl (Can't Hardly Wait) will star in the single-camera
pilot of PARTNERS. The series is a potential buddy cop drama for CBS'
fall schedule from the HOMICIDE team of Barry Josephson and Barry
Levinson, and RUSH HOUR director Brett Ratner, who will also direct the
pilot.

>     Jeremy London (Party of Five), Treat Williams (The Late Shift),
and Bryan Brown (F/X) will star in the USA Network's four-hour HALLMARK
Entertainment presentation of JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. The
mini-series will premiere next year. http://www.usanetwork.com

>     The PAX TV Network has ordered 40 episodes of ARCHIE'S WEIRD
MYSTERIES and 26 episodes of SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE 22nd CENTURY from
DIC Entertainment for its fall schedule. The new ARCHIE series feature
the Riverdale gang in horror and sci-fi situations, and SHERLOCK
features a robotic Dr. Watson.

>     Production has halted on a CATWOMAN animated direct-to-video movie
so that the entire animated BATMAN team can concentrate on a
direct-to-video BATMAN BEYOND movie.

>     Alf is returning to TV. This isn't a belated April Fool's joke --
The cat-chasing Melmacian will guest star as himself on a new LOVE BOAT:
THE NEXT WAVE premiering on UPN Friday, April 30th. http://www.upn.com

>     James Cameron has cast Jessica Alba (Idle Hands, Never Been
Kissed) to the title role in his upcoming FOX series, DARK ANGEL. Alba
will play Max, an enhanced 21st century human who has escaped from the
military.

>     David Conrad (Relativity) has signed on to play the lead cop in
HBO's ongoing L.A. CONFIDENTIAL series. http://www.hbo.com

>     Michael Moore (Roger & Me) returns to television this weekend with
the premiere of THE AWFUL TRUTH, a new weekly series airing on BRAVO
Sunday nights at 10. Each week, Moore takes on the many injustices of
government and big business, bringing a group of Puritans to Washington
for a cheaper witch hunt and messing with a negligent HMO in Sunday's
premiere http://www.bravotv.com

>     Scott Thompson (Kids in the Hall, The Larry Sanders Show) guest
stars on UPN's STAR TREK: VOYAGER on April 28th, playing the ambassador
of a monastic Kadi company in an episode directed by series star Robert
Duncan McNeil (Lieutenant Tom Paris). Other upcoming VGER highlights
include a millennium episode where Kate Mulgrew will play an ancestor of
Janeway's living in December 1999 (May 5th), an episode set 500 years in
the future where Seven of Nine goes back in time to investigate the
destruction of the Voyager (May 12th), and a season finale that guest
stars John Savage (A Thin Red Line, The Deer Hunter) as a fellow
Federation officer stranded in the Delta Quadrant (May 26th). VOYAGER
airs on UPN Wednesday nights at 9.

>     STAR WARS parody THUMB WARS premieres on UPN Tuesday, May 18th, at
9:30pm, for those of us not already in line for PHANTOM MENACE
tickets... As you might assume from the title, the half-hour special is
a spoof starring nothing but human thumbs. It's produced by Steve
Oedekerk (Ace Ventura, Patch Adams).

>     William Shatner will guest star on the season finale of NBC's 3rd
ROCK FROM THE SUN playing the Earthly incarnation of the Big Giant Head,
supreme commander of the aliens the sitcom revolves around.

>     UPN's new "SOUTH PARK for girls" animated series QUINTS is set to
feature the voice of Martha Plimpton (200 Cigarettes) as four of the
five quintuplets, and Fairuza Balk (The Craft, The Waterboy) as the
other. QUINTS will also feature Edie McClurg (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)
as the mother, Jim Belushi as the father, Andy Dick (NewsRadio) as the
brother, Sandra Bernhard, and Rob Paulsen.

>     Sources claim the hour-long series finale of NBC's MAD ABOUT YOU
involves Paul and Jamie learning they were never legally married. The
episode, which taped last week, includes memorable guest appearance by
Tim Conway and Lyle Lovett, and guest appearances of MAD characters past
and present, such as Lisa Kudrow (Friends) and Richard Kind (Spin City).
http://www.nbc.com

>     John Pierson, the indie film guru who helped launch the careers of
Spike Lee, Michael Moore, Richard Linklatter, and Kevin Smith, looks
like he might be the first person in the world to get in line for the
premiere of STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, as he'll be camping out in
front of Manhattan's ZIEGFELD Theater starting tonight, to coincide with
a new season of his INDEPENDENT FILM Channel series SPLIT SCREEN. The
premiere, tonight at 8pm, includes a segment on Jesse "The Body"
Ventura, and how his successful run for Minnesota's gubernatorial seat
relates to indie film. Pierson has a family of indie filmmakers who will
serve as roving reporters while he remains in line at the ZIEGFELD
through May 19th. http://www.ifctv.com

>     While the premiere season of THE SOPRANOS came to a close, HBO
will repeat the whole batch in an encore performance of the mob family
drama starting Wednesday June 9th, at 9pm. Production begins in mid-June
on a second season of SOPRANOS for premiere in January '00.
http://www.hbo.com/sopranos

>     DAILY VARIETY reports COMEDY CENTRAL has ordered 10 episodes of
BEN STEIN'S FOLLIES, a talkshow hosted by Ben Stein. Expected to
premiere in the fall, the politics-heavy show will vary from
single-guest, single-topic, to multi-guest, multi-topic. A new season of
Stein and Jimmy Kimmel's WIN BEN STEIN'S MONEY premieres next Monday.
http://www.variety.com

>     VARIETY reports Martin Sheen has joined Rob Lowe in the pilot of
NBC's White House drama THE WEST WING, where he'll play the President.
The potential series is created by John Wells (ER) and Aaron Sorkin
(Sports Night), and also stars Moira Kelley (Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With
Me), John Spencer (L.A. Law), Bradley Whitford (Secret Lives of Men),
Richard Schiff (Relativity, Lost Word), and Allison Janney (Private
Parts, Drop Dead Gorgeous).

>     THE WONDER CABINET, a new FOX series in the works for next year
from X-FILES/SPACE:A&B/MILLENNIUM guys Glen Morgan and James Wong, will
star Poppy Montgomery (Relativity, The Other Sister), Kim Coats (The
Client), James Morrison (North and South), and Currie Graham. The
dramatic medical thriller is about a team of doctors tracking down
medical anomolies.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Seminal Goth band BAUHAUS have announced they'll appear on an
upcoming episode of THE SIMPSONS which features the guest voice of Mel
Gibson. However, the reunited band won't perform, but rather Peter
Murphy, David J., Daniel Ash, and Kevin Haskins appear in the front row
of an audience for an undisclosed event. SIMPSONized illustrations of
the band are expected up at the band's official website in a couple of
weeks. http://www.bauhausmusik.com

>     Britney Spears will tape a Halloween episode of The DISNEY
Channel's THE FAMOUS JETT JACKSON this week which won't premiere until
October.

>     Official details will be announced later today regarding WOODSTOCK
'99, a three-day 30th anniversary event set for the weekend of July 23rd
through 25th in Rome, New York. While more bands are expected to be
announced before and after the April 18th date that tickets go on-sale,
those confirmed include AEROSMITH, LIVE, METALLICA, The DAVE MATTHEWS
BAND, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, BUSH, COLLECTIVE
SOUL, CREED, DMX, EVERLAST, KORN, LOS LOBOS, SUGAR RAY, OFFSPRING, FOO
FIGHTERS, BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA, LIMP BIZKET, The TRAGICALLY HIP,
RUSTED ROOT, GUSTER, The CHEMICAL BROTHERS, FATBOY SLIM, Jewel, Ice
Cube, Wyclef Jean, Willie Nelson, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, and
George Clinton. Rumors of MARILYN MANSON, GUNS N' ROSES, and COUNTING
CROWS playing at the festival appear to be false, or at the best, a
longshot, but the list of other possible performers includes UNDERWORLD,
HOLE, and John Fogerty. http://www.woodstock.com

>     17-year-old Britney Spears, recovered from her knee operation and
back on top the SOUNDSCAN charts at #1, kicks off a headlining tour in
Florida on June 28th that will keep her on the road until the kids
return to school in September. The summer tour includes a number of
stops at amusement parks and fairs, and she'll be promoting the April
26th release of her new single "Sometimes" with performances on THE
TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO (4/25), DISNEY GRAD NIGHTS (4/23-24, 4/30,
5/1, 5/7, at DISNEY WORLD, with REEL BIG FISH and SISTER HAZEL),
NICKELODEON'S 12th ANNUAL KIDS CHOICE AWARDS (5/1), LIVE WITH REGIS &
KATHIE LEE (5/3), MTV's FANATIC (5/12), ROSIE O'DONNELL (5/25), and
DAVID LETTERMAN (5/26). http://www.peeps.com/britney

>     The original members of The J. GEILS BAND launch their first tour
in 16 years on June 23rd in Boston. The 15-city, 17-show reunion tour of
the band that hit big with "Centerfold" and "Freeze-Frame" travels
through the East and Mid-East coast through July 17th.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The SOUTH PARK website recently launched a CARTMAN VS. EVIL
CARTMAN online game designed by GDA Media. http://www.comedycentral.com

>     Actor Ben Affleck (Dazed & Confused, Chasing Amy, Good Will
Hunting) recently launched his own official website, with news on his
projects and appearances, a message board, and soon, an online store
where you can purchase signed scripts and pictures and such. Other than
the news, the site's leading feature are selections of Affleck's own
amateur photography, from both his personal life and the sets of such
films as DOGMA, FORCES OF NATURE, and ARMAGEDDON. http://www.affleck.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     If there is one book that could outdo Kevin Smith's exquisite run
on DAREDEVIL in Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti's divine MARVEL KNIGHTS
run it would be the BLACK WIDOW three-issue mini-series by writer Devin
Grayson (Titans) and artist J.G. Jones. Debuting this week, the tale is
one heavy in espionage and intrigue, pitting Natasha Romanova against an
all-new Black Widow seeking to replace her. http://www.marvel.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     UNIVERSAL STUDIOS Hollywood's TERMINATOR 2: 3D attraction
officially opens tomorrow, and both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Edward
Furlong will be on hand for the ribbon cutting.

>     TITANIC - SHIP OF DREAMS, the world's first permanent Titanic
exhibition, opens in Orlando, Florida, 87 years to the day of the ship's
1912 launch. The attraction offers both authentic artifacts (over 200)
and movie memorabilia, including a full-scale Titanic room and Grand
Staircase re-creation, and a controversial letter from deceased Titanic
survivor Nellie Walcroft claiming steerage passengers who attempted to
board lifeboats were shot. SHIP OF DREAMS is located at The MERCADO on
Orlando's INTERNATIONAL DRIVE. http://titanicshipofdreams.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
    :           skullboy@...                   :
    : P O S T   N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S :
    :             http://www.neurobellum.com               :
    -======================================================-



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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>   Darkman, Schindler, Michael Collins, Qui-Gon Jinn, Rob Roy, Sir
Gawain. All roles personified by Liam Neeson, the Irish mountain. He's
apparently quit the acting business to spend time with his wife. Does
this mean he won't appear in the Star Wars Prequels anymore? Does this
mean that he'll end his career in a Jan De Bont film (a fate worse than
death)? Time will tell, but in the tradition of Michael Jordan,
Soundgarden, and John Elway he's quitting while on top and you have to
respect that.

>   61-year-old legendary actor Oliver Reed died on May 2nd in Malta.
Falling ill in a bar, Reed died 15 minutes later while enroute to
hospital - while an actual cause-of-death is at present unknown, its not
considered suspicious. Reed was in Malta playing the role of 'Proximo'
in Ridley Scott's "The Gladiator", no word on whether his scenes were
completed yet or not, though an official statement is expetected soon
from the production. Reed has been in over 53 films, his past credits
include classic movies such as "Oliver!", "Women in Love", "The Joker",
"Captive" and "Revolver".

>   Journalist Jennifer Schwalbach became Jennifer Smith this weekend
when she wed filmmaker Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma, Daredevil), at a
small, spur-of-the-moment ceremony at George Lucas' SKYWALKER Ranch
(where Kevin was sound-mixing DOGMA). The two are expecting their first
child next month. http://www.newsaskew.com

>   The Unofficial JOANofARC Site reports that Ukranian model/part-time
actress Milla Jovovich and Director Luc Besson have separated after
almost 2 years of marriage. An official spokesman apparently put down
the reason for their communication breakdown to "their cross-continental
lifestyle" and say the two will remain "close friends and
collaborators". The question is, will this affect the intended November
3rd release date of the upcoming "Joan of Arc" which Besson directed and
Jovovich starred in? Unknown at this time.
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/4388/JoanArc/index.html

<<- - - - - - - - - - - STAR WARS - - - - - - - - - - - ->>
<<- - - - - (ENOUGH HYPE TO FILL ITS OWN SECTION) - - - ->>

>   The first single from the STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM MENACE soundtrack
is "The Duel of the Fates," which made its way onto the Internet last
week. A video for the John Williams track premiered on VH1, and then on
MTV, now that the full-fledged STAR WARS marketing assault has begun.
The soundtrack was released this Tuesday, but before you look at it, be
warned that the titles of the songs reveal at least one major, major
spoiler.
http://www.cinemania.net/compositores/williams/mp3/DuelOfTheFates.mp3
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/network/7025/DuelOfTheFates.mp3
http://www.rpi.edu/~sarges/dotf.mp3

>   CINESCAPE Online was on hand at this weekend's STAR WARS FAN CLUB
EVENT in Denver, Colorado, and gathered a ton of exclusive scoops on
EPISODE I and a number of other projects... A few of the highlights
revealed include:
-- George Lucas is expected to direct all three films.
-- A number of new trailers will be released in the coming weeks, each
spotlighting a particular character from the film.
-- EPISODE I producer Rick McCallum announced pre-production on EPISODE
II will begin today, with an art department meeting bringing back
virtually the entire department that worked on EPISODE I. The sequel to
the prequel will then start shooting in June 2000.
-- When asked about STAR WARS being released on DVD, McCallum told the
crowd "I know George has very special plans for the DVD." He also
commented that the DVD release will be an event like no other for that
medium.
-- Speaking on the possibility of Episodes VII through IX, McCallum
commented "I think we'll be too old," but added that the crowd "could
help Lucas change his mind."
-- McCallum revealed the script for the fourth INDIANA JONES movie is
"great," but due to scheduling conflicts of Harrison Ford, Steven
Spielberg, and Lucas, production probably won't begin for four or five
years. http://www.cinescape.com http://www.starwars.com

>   Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The initial on-line reviews have come
in and considering the expectations for this film, the reaction is
'lukewarm' (I had to use that pun!!). Secret advanced screenings were
held all around the country for the upcoming SW Prequel, and while
almost all the reviews were positive, it was still more subdued than
many expected. After the reviews began flooding the Internet, trends
began to show in them with many complimenting and complaining about
certain things. Ain't It Cool has assembled a whole page of SW1 Reviews,
in which you can see these trends. Here's some quotes which best sum up
reactions to different points: "Everything technical was astounding" -
Sam "Ewan McGregor's performance was excellent" - Juice "Darth Maul!
MORE MORE MORE." - SithMeister "There was a very 'Return of the Jedi'
vibe" - Sam "In some places the film slowed down to a crawl...But where
the film was moving, it rocked" - Alfred  "Star Wars is for the kids,
and this movie shows it more than ever." - Juice "Jar Jar Binks is more
annoying than funny" - Darkman "Lucas uses aliens in a variety
of...pivotal roles...distancing the audience from the drama" - Booster
Gold "The pod race...is exciting, but the fast-paced finale left me
cold" - Darkman "This is an awesome movie...you just cant go in
expecting the greatest story ever told, cause its not." - Juice In any
case, the point these reviews make is clear - if you raise your
expectations way too high you'll be disappointed, the same rule applies
for any film. The official site has released four of the various
commercials for the Prequel as well as the music video for "Duel of the
Fates". All the commercials listed here require Quicktime 3.0, the music
video needs Quicktime 4.0 so best get it if you don't have it. Each one
relates to the various characters: Queen Amidala (One Will), Qui-Gon
Jinn (One Destiny), Anakin (One Dream), and Shmi (One Love). A Darth
Maul one is believed to be on the way fairly soon.

>   MOVIEFONE has announced its ticketing service will begin offering
advance tickets to STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM MENACE on May 12th, an noon
PT, one week before the film's release. There is a 12-tickets-per-person
limit, and they'll be available both over the phone (777-FILM) and
online. http://www.moviefone.com

>   Since Lucas announced advanced ticket sales will be going ahead, the
questions have been flying thick and fast on how to get them. Here's a
FAQ compiled by 'Stuckeys' about the policy apparently employed by
MovieFone.com:
-- "When can I purchase tickets for the anticipated Star Wars prequel?:
Tickets for Star Wars, Episode 1-The Phantom Menace will go on sale at 3
PM EST on Wednesday May 12th on MovieFone and MovieFone.com as well as
at the theater box office.
-- Which theaters may I use MovieFone/MovieFone.com to purchase
tickets?: Teleticketing is not available in all areas. MovieFone tickets
in the following cities: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago,
Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami/FT.
Lauderdale, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, san
Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington DC. Please note
that not all theaters found on MovieFone/MovieFone.com are members of
the teleticketing family.
-- How many tickets can I purchase?: To minimize the threat of ticket
scalping, there is a maximum number of tickets that may be purchased.
Each person may only purchase a maximum of 12 tickets in a 1 week
period. There is a maximum of 6 tickets that may be purchased per
transaction. Please note that once you purchase 7 tickets, you can not
make another transaction. So to purchase 12 tickets, you may buy 6 and
then 6 more on your second transaction.
-- What percentage of tickets are allotted to MovieFone/MovieFone.com to
sell?: At some theaters MovieFone has carte blanche, and may sell as
many tickets as there are seats to fill. Some theaters allocate a
specific amount of tickets for us to sell. We are doing our best to work
out the specifics and make matters as easy as possible.
-- How about theaters that have reserved seating?: MovieFone.com does
not sell tickets for reserved seating theaters. MovieFone does. If you
wish to purchase tickets for a reserved seating theater, you must dial
your local MovieFone number. You will be able to specify the section
where you wish to sit.
-- If I live in an area different than where I am interested in seeing
the movie, how do I go about purchasing tickets?: To purchase tickets,
you must contact MovieFone by using the telephone number that is
specific to the area you are interested in. For example, if you live in
Kansas City and want to see Star Wars in Manhattan, you must dial
(212)777.FILM.
-- When will I be able to find the theaters and showtimes for Star
Wars?: We obtain our theater listings from each individual theater, so
that our round the clock data entry staff the keep the site accurate. We
don't know anything until we are notified by the theater. The best
advice that I can give you is to keep checking the site for the
showtimes to trickle in beginning a week before Wednesday the 12th. They
will  all be posted on the 12th.
-- If I call MovieFone or log into MovieFone,com before 3 o'clock and
wait to get tickets, will I?: NO!!!! Sorry, it will not work. Only calls
made at 3 and after will have the information for Star Wars. You can't
have your assistant hanging on hold all day waiting for 3 o'clock to
roll around.
-- Good Luck to All and I hope that on May 19th you are all sitting
pretty, seeing the movie that you can't get off of your minds!"

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>   HBO presents its first live webcast this Friday, with a new DENNIS
MILLER LIVE featuring guests Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, on the topic
of college life. The LIVE episode will be streamed with APPLE's new
QUICKTIME 4.0 software, starting at 11:30pm ET, and will be backed by
interactive content like chats and polls that coincide with the issues
discussed. http://www.hbo.com http://www.apple.com/quicktime

>   The first new BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER episode in over a month
wasn't shown last Tuesday night as a result of last week's massacre in
Littleton, Colorado. The episode, "Earshot," dealt with Buffy developing
a new power which allowed her to hear people's thoughts, helping her
halt a high school massacre in Sunnydale. It's not known when the
episode will be shown, but it will be skipped over for the time being.
An episode of CBS' PROMISED LAND was also pulled last week due to its
storyline of a school shooting in Denver, Colorado. http://www.buffy.com

>   It's nearing the end of the school year, and that means the senior
cast of The WB's BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER will soon be going to the prom
(in the May 11th episode), in designer gowns by Pamela Dennis and Vera
Wang, no less. And then, on May 18th, a two-part Graduation Day season
finale begins which finds Angel poisoned and dying, Buffy fighting Faith
for what could be the last time, and various members of the cast heading
for Hollywood and the series' spin-off, ANGEL. The finale is written and
directed by series creator Joss Whedon. http://www.buffy.com

>   The FUTURAMA gang takes in a show by the BEASTIE BOYS, or at least
the disembodied heads of the BEASTIE BOYS, on the FOX animated series'
May 18th season finale "Hell is Other Robots." The episode also features
the guest voice of Dan Castellaneta (THE SIMPSONS' Homer) as the Robot
Devil. http://www.foxworld.com

>   DAILY VARIETY reports Gary Oldman (Sid & Nancy, Bram Stoker's
Dracula) will play Pontius Pilate in CBS' biblical miniseries JESUS.
http://www.variety.com

>   Next to gambling, Elvis, and all-you-can-eat buffets, Las Vegas is
synonymous with spur-of-the-moment weddings, and that looks to be how
the hour-long season finale of FRIENDS will wrap-up on May 20th, but it
might not be who you think it'll be...

>   Janeane Garofalo guest stars on the May 24th series finale of NBC's
MAD ABOUT YOU, playing the grown-up version of Mabel Buckman.

>   Dina Meyer (Detox, Starship Troopers), Costas Mandylor (Picket
Fences), and Dondre Whitfield (Between Brothers) have signed on to star
in the pilot of UPN's Barry Josephson and Barry Levinson drama SECRET
AGENT MAN.

>   TNT has begun actively promoting the Wednesday, June 9th (10pm)
premiere of CRUSADE, a "special limited series" spun-off from BABYLON 5.
The network's official site is offering cast photos, synopsis, and air
dates for all 13 episodes, with media downloads forthcoming. BABYLON 5
goes on hiatus for a few weeks at TNT as of today, and the official B5
site is currently polling viewers to see where in their schedule they
should bring it back, but the poll choices offered all seem to indicate
it will be moving to an early-morning timeslot.
http://tnt.turner.com/crusade http://tnt.turner.com/babylon5

>   Ewan McGregor (Star Wars I, Trainspotting) plays a young British
stocktrader whose blind ambition resulted in one of the greatest
financial disasters in the history of British banking in ROGUE TRADER,
making its U.S. premiere on CINEMAX in June.

>   AIN'T IT COOL COAXIAL NEWS reports that while speaking at the
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, Kevin Smith revealed his CLERKS animated
series may premiere on ABC after the January 2000 SUPER BOWL. Smith
mentioned the series resembles his ONI PRESS comics, and the pilot
episode, "Outbreak," has Jay and Silent Bob breaking a monkey (that
Randall is deathly afraid of...) out of a pet shop that opens next door
to the QUICK STOP and RST VIDEO so they can teach it to smoke... Expect
all the regular Kevin Smith characters to supply the voices to their
characters, and DOGMA's Alan Rickman will voice Leonardo Leonardo, the
Dante and Randall's Lex Luthor. Ben Affleck will play a Canadian, and
both Alanis Morisette and Chris Rock have expressed interest on doing
voices for future episodes. http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com
http://www.newsaskew.com

>   darkecho reports NEW LINE Television has optioned the Nancy A.
Collins (Sunglasses After Dark) novel WALKING WOLF for possible
development into a cable series. Originally published by MARK V. ZEISING
Books in 1995, the story is a lycanthropic take on LITTLE BIG MAN, about
a white child raised as a Commanche brave, whose father was a werewolf
(or Vargr...). Collins herself describes WOLF as a cross between AN
AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and THE UNFORGIVEN, "with a dose of
Peckinpah and JONAH HEX." NEW LINE is said to be in talks with St.
CLAIRE Entertainment (Sliders) as a possible development partner, and
Collins will be a producer and consultant to the series.
http://www.darkecho.com

>   Kevin Sorbo recently told The NEW YORK DAILY NEWS that he is
starting to look for a new job, now that he is "99% sure (HERCULES: THE
LEGENDARY JOURNEYS) is over." The syndicated series will return next
season for eight episodes which have already been filmed. And according
to DAILY VARIETY, the reason the show may be over is that Sorbo is
demanding a pay raise when his contract expires later this year.
http://www.variety.com

>   A number of series are in various degrees of danger of not returning
next season, including CBS' L.A. DOCTORS and EARLY EDITION, NBC's
NEWSRADIO and HOMICIDE, The WB's RESCUE 77, and ABC's TWO OF A KIND and
BROTHER'S KEEPER.

>   FOX has renewed THE SIMPSONS for an 11th season. The Matt Groening
animated series premiered on January 14th, 1990, and is set to celebrate
its 10th anniversary next year. FOX has also ordered 22 episodes of
Groening's FUTURAMA for next season. http://www.foxworld.com

>   In BUFFY news, a casting call has been put out for a new love
interest for Buffy next season... The secretive new character's name is
Riley Finn, and the announcement that went out describes him as "if
Angel were Bruce Wayne, Riley would be Clark Kent." http://www.buffy.com

>   THE DREW CAREY SHOW's May 26th season finale will be the sitcom's
100th episode, and it guest stars Hal Linden (Barny Miller) in one of
the show's renowned musical numbers -- this time, spoofing the Broadway
smash HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING.

>   MTV has ordered 30 episodes of a series entitled UNDRESSED from
filmmaker Roland Joffe (The Mission, The Killing Fields, Goodbye Lover).
Each UNDRESSED will revolve around the scripted conversations of three
couples as they prepare for bed. UNDRESSED will begin airing weeknights
at 11 on July 19th.

>   HBO has decided not to order an ongoing L.A. CONFIDENTIAL series,
which would have been set 8 years before the feature film, based on the
book by James Ellroy. WARNER BROS. TV is expected to shop the hour-long
drama around to other networks. David Conrad (Relativity) and Melissa
George (Home and Away, Dark City) are attached to star in the series.
http://www.hbo.com

>   VARIETY reports French Stewart (3rd Rock...) will create, produce,
and voice an animated series for WALT DISNEY TV ANIMATION and ABC's
Saturday morning line-up.

>   DAILY VARIETY reports Glenn Quinn (ROSEANNE's Mike) has joined the
cast of the BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER spin-off ANGEL, where he'll play an
Irish vampire named Whistler. http://www.variety.com

>   VARIETY reports Steven Spielberg will serve as executive producer on
The SCI-FI Channel's TAKEN, a 20-hour miniseries on alien abductions.
The fictitious story begins with the reports of alien landings in New
Mexico back in 1947, and will reportedly have multiple characters,
protagonists, and antagonists, as it runs through present-day. No cast
or director(s) have been named for the project, which is expected to be
budgeted around $40 million.

>   The producers of Dr. KATZ: PROFESSIONAL THERAPIST bring us the new
Squigglevision animated series HOME MOVIES, which premiered Monday night
at 8:30 on UPN. http://www.upn.com

>   The two-part season finale of NEWSRADIO which began Tuesday night at
8:30 on NBC will likely be the final two episodes of the
always-hilarious Paul Simms sitcom. The plot of the finale has Jimmy
James giving up his empire to run a small AM station in New Hampshire,
where the show will be set next season if it is renewed.

>   Dustin Nguyen (21 Jump Street) joins the cast of Pamela Anderson's
syndicated series V.I.P. next season, playing Hong Kong action star
Johnny Loh, who was introduced to the series this past season.

>   Jennifer Love Hewitt (Party of Five) plays the title role in ABC's
four-hour Audrey Hepburn mini-series HEPBURN. Francis Fisher (Titanic)
also stars in the biopic, which ABC is expected to premiere in the fall.

>   MGM's new half-hour NATIONAL ENQUIRER series is set to premiere in
89% of the country this fall, including all of the top 25 markets, and
48 of the top 50 markets. The daily syndicated series will feature video
clips and sound bites, as well as well- known guest columnists dishing
celebrity dirt. There will be an initial 195 original episodes.
http://www.mgm.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>   According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, the organizers of LOLLAPALOOZA
have called off plans for a 1999 festival tour.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>   MAVERICK Records releases the soundtrack to NEW LINE CINEMA's AUSTIN
POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME on June 1st, a little over a week before
the film's June 11th release. The soundtrack will feature a new Madonna
song ("Beautiful Stranger"), a duet between Burt Bacharach and Elvis
Costello ("I'll Never Fall in Love Again"), an instrumental by GREEN DAY
("Espionage"), and covers by R.E.M. (Tommy James' "Draggin' the Line"),
Lenny Kravitz (The GUESS WHO's "American Woman"), Mel (Scary Spice) G.
(CAMEO's "Word Up"), and Dr. Evil ("Just the Two of Us").
http://www.austinpowers.com AOL Keyword: AUSTIN POWERS

>   Actress Jennifer Lopez (Selena, Out of Sight) has her debut album
"On the 6" released by The WORK Group on June 22nd. Lopez worked with
producer Rodney Jerkins (Spice Girls, Monica) on the first single, "If
You Had My Love," which is released to radio on May 4th, backed by a
video directed by Paul Hunter, and the album also features a track
produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs, and a duet with Latin singer Marc
Anthony.

>   The Artist Formerly Known As Prince has announced he'll re-record
his entire 17-album catalog since he is unable to get the rights to the
master recordings back from WARNER BROS., his former record label. The
Artist is also working on an album of new material.

>   Michael Jackson recently told a British dj that he's in the middle
of recording a new album with the Jackson family that will have him
reuniting with THE JACKSON FIVE for three tracks, and performing on
three other tracks with his nephews' group, 3T. Jackson also mentioned
he hopes to concentrate on making movies in the future.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>   I Know What You Did Last Summer 3: Jennifer Love Hewitt is in the UK
at the moment, touring the country promoting that wet t-shirt
extravaganza "I Still Know...", and during an interview with 'The Times'
newspaper she said something quite intriguing about the possibility of
another "I Know.." film. Hewitt: "Well, there will be a third one. We're
going to do that, to finally finish it off. After that i think it will
be the end of these teenage horror film, for the next decade. There are
just so many out there. We go through crazes like this. About ten years
ago, there was Freddy, Halloween movies. The next horror craze will be
interesting".

>   The Haunting: The plot change has Liam Neeson's character bringing
the group to Hill House not to hunt ghosts, rather for a sleep-disorder
study. In order to get the actors reactions to be fully genuine, hidden
speakers were strategically placed around the house to create all sorts
of creepy sound effects. At the moment, FX guru Phil Tippett is laboring
over what's called 'threshold events' - "a ghostly, subjective kind of
effect right on the edge of perception. It might be breath condensation
on a glass, or a slight [ripple] in a curtain that's more than just
wind".

>   Lake Placid: Budgeted at $30 million, this 'horror with comedy
elements' flick from "Ally McBeal" creator David E. Kelly will involve a
lot of FX surrounding the 35-foot monstrous creature in the film. FX
house Digital Domain ("Titanic") is responsible for the CG shots of the
creature's exploits on land, while Stan Winston ("Jurassic Park") has
created a variety of animatronics for the movie.

>   The Mummy: The shots to look out for in "The Mummy" is the title
character himself says ILM supervisor John Benton. In essence thay've
created a character which uses computer-generated trickery to turn actor
Arnold Vosloo into a physically decaying walking corpse. Berton says
"You can see all the way through to his guts....There's a gigantic hole
in his head, and there are his brains jiggling around. It's believable
and unbelievable at the same time"

>   David Mamet was recently interviewed on National Public Radio about
his latest film "The Winslow Boy", where the interviewer let slip an
interesting comment. Discussing the fact that 'Winslow' is based on a
1946 play, the interviewer apparently went on to say "Given his
reputation as a 'modern' writer, Mamet has been taking a lot of
inspiration from old material. His new script is a version of 'Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' he wrote for Al Pacino". Now does that sound COOL
or what?

>   Four of Hollywood's top stars have committed to "Drowning Mona", a
comical murder mystery which begins shooting in the early Summer. The
movie will see the long-awaited reteaming of "Ruthless People" co-stars
Danny DeVito and Bette Midler, as well as the first onscreen team-up of
scream queens Jamie Lee Curtis and Neve Campbell. The film will be
helmed by Nick Gomez, director of the indie feature "Laws of Gravity",
and should be out sometime next year.

>   The Crow: Salvation: Some more new shots and info from the recently
wrapped "The Crow: Salvation" feature has been released by Pressman
films. The movie was budgeted at a modest $17 million and while its a
dark love story at the centre, there's plenty of action including cop
cars and helicopters getting trashed. Eric Mabius, Kirsten Dunst and
Fred Ward star in this third film in the series which has a tentative US
release date of March 2000. http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/crow3.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/crow4.jpg

>   It's official, EYES WIDE SHUT has escaped the wrath of both the
censors and the editors - Kubrick's cut of the film receiving an
R-rating in the US. Variety reports that Kubrick's production team in
London is hurrying to assemble a trailer for the film, seems they were
waiting until the MPAA voted on the film's classification before they
started working on it. Expect it out sometime next month. One
UNCONFIRMED rumour regarding "Eyes Wide Shut" popped up on the UK
Channel Four Teletext system recently. Apparently there was a recent
interview with 28-year old British TV presenter Kate Charman who made
some interesting comments. Seems she was hired on the film to play an
exotic dancer but refused to do any graphic scenes saying "There is a
scene which involves several young ladies draped in cloaks and masks
getting their kit off with Tom Cruise in similar attire too. Kubrick was
so secretive that we were only given a page of script at a time, so we
had to learn the lines on set. Kubrick also asked us to stimulate sex
which I refused". The other question now is, what about Kubrick's famous
'non-disclosure' clause (actors on the film aren't allowed to give away
any details). She responds "I've signed a confidentiality clause, but
Kubrick's dead now..."

>   Two very talented veteran actors are teaming up again. Morgan
Freeman and Gene Hackman have signed onboard "Under Suspicion", a remake
of the French thriller "Garde a Vue". The story starts with the
discovery of a murdered woman found dead in a street festival. Freeman
will play a police captain who investigates the mystery, while Hackman
is the prominent attorney who discovers the corpse. Italy's Monica
Bellucci also stars in the film which begins shooting late this month in
Puerto Rico for release in 2000.

>   Its official, hell has frozen over. As my computer seizes up and I
become a minion of the Dark One, '007Kovel' brings us the news which was
a catalyst of the apocalypse: ""The Little Rascals 2" is now in casting
process. I obtained this infromation from a teacher at my school. My
teacher informed me that his daughter did a screen test (in New York)
for the film and is waiting for a call back. I'll try to get more
information. My guess is that film is a straight to video job."

>   LIVE Entertainment is planning a big budget installment to The
Substitute series. By big budget I don't mean Titanic budget, but it
will have a bigger budget than the past two Substitutes. Word is,
original Substitute director Robert Mandel will be back. This time the
setting will be a New York High School. Bokeem Woodbine (The Big Hit) is
in talks to play the new Substitute. He's suppossed to play a graduate
of the High School who joins as a teacher to "give something back". He
at first tries to deal with the kids' attitute, but after they beat his
wife he comes back with a vengence. His wrath will take place during
Detention. It's being written by Steven Pressfield.

>   Mystery Men: Test screenings have begun and so far reaction looks
good for this comedy about bumbling superheroes. Its been confirmed by
numerous sources that the trailer for "Mystery Men" will indeed premiere
alongside "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" on May 19th. The website for
the great looking new film is up and kicking ass. I was surprised how
much content is already up there and it's not even close to being
finished. Usually studios make the websites simple, graphic ridden hype
machines. http://www.mysterymen.com

>   Blade 2: In a recent interview for Wizard Magazine, Screenwriter
David S. Goyer commented on his progress on the script to the upcoming
vampire-busting sequel. Goyer said "I met with Wesley [Snipes] and ended
up getting inspired, Morbius will no longer be involved. It involves
Blade being forced to team up with the vampires in order to take down an
even greater menace. I'm having a blast writing it."

>   Kelsey Grammer is apparently negotiating to join the cast of the
black comedy "15 Minutes". The film follows a detective (Robert DeNiro)
and an arson expert (Edward Burns) who team to solve a murder case,
Grammer will play a top rated tabloid executive desperate to interview
the pair.

>   Variety reports that John Leguizamo is close to signing onboard John
Singleton's new version of "Shaft". Leguizamo would play Peoples
Hernandez, the villain to N.Y.P.I. John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) - the
sex machine with all the chicks. Filming starts in August around New
York.

>   Ewan McGregor (Star Wars I, Trainspotting) and Nicole Kidman will
star in the next film from director-turned-pop star Baz Lurhman (Romeo &
Juliet, Strictly Ballroom, Everyone's Free to Wear Sunscreen), MOULIN
ROUGE. The FOX film is a musical set in 1899, which uses contemporary
music to tell its story based on the myth of Orpheus in the Underworld.
McGregor is expected to make the film from October to February in
Australia, where I imagine he'll be buying a house since he'll be
returning in June 2000 to start shooting STAR WARS II. Luhrman is
currently seeking dancers for ROUGE, and casting info is available at
his site. http://www.bazmark.com

>   According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Anthony Hopkins will return to
acting with a part in John Woo's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE sequel, playing Tom
Cruise's boss. Brendan Gleeson (Braveheart, The General), John Polson
(The Sum of Us) and Richard Roxburgh (Oscar & Lucinda) have also joined
the cast.

>   Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Fantasy Island) will star in
Jean-Marie Poiré's English-language remake of his French time travel
comedy LES VISITEURS. McDowell will star in THE VISTORS opposite Jean
Reno and Christopher Clavier, who reprise the lead characters they
played in VISITEURS, as well as Christina Applegate, Tara Reid (Cruel
Intentions), Bridgette Wilson (Billy Madison), and Matt Ross (Face/Off,
Pushing Tin). He'll then follow the film with the lead role in director
Paul McGuigan (The Acid House)'s GANGSTER NO. 1.

>   Steven Seagal has been missing from the movies for sometime (those
singing gigs must be coming thick and fast). Now it seems he may be back
soon according to certain reports in the Hong Kong press. Seagal and Ken
Lo (one of Jackie Chan's best stuntmen) are apparently set to start
shooting "House of Thunder", a $38 million dollar production set to
begin in June 1999. Initially it was planned to be shot in Thailand but
due to restrictions and taxes the location has been changed, Australia
looking the film crews likely destination. Most characters in the film
are Chinese, and various roles require good martial arts skills. Lo was
originally scheduled to work with Chan on "Shanghai Noon" which would've
been shooting at the same time, though now it looks like Chan supposedly
asked Lo to work with Seagal instead.

>   EW reports that Robert De Niro ("Ronin") and Cuba Gooding Jr. ("As
Good As It Gets") are negotiating to team in ''Navy Divers,'' the true
story of Carl Brashear, the Navy's first African-American diver.

>   Sometimes entertainment properties have difficulty crossing the
cultural barrier when shipped overseas. Sometimes they catch on like
wildfire. A surprising (and somewhat perplexing) example of the latter
is the long expired NBC TV show Hunter, starring ex-football player Fred
Dryer as no-nonsense police sergeant Rick Hunter, which has become a
sensation in the People's Republic of China. So much so that the
communist government has made overtures to Dryer about making a Hunter
movie featuring a strong anti-drug message. Hopes apparently are that
hero Hunter will inspire a drop in the country's rising substance abuse
rate. "They requested, 'Please, can you do a drug story?' " Dryer said,
according to the Los Angeles Times. "I'm not one to do a Miami Vice deal
where every week is a drug story, but when I went over there and saw the
problem and talked to them, I said, 'I'm going to give them what they
want.' " The paper reports that the $3 million film will be called
Hunter in China, and that Stepfanie Kramer is likely to reprise her
sidekick role of Sgt. Dee Dee McCall.

>   Willem Dafoe will play actor Max Schreck in BURNED TO LIGHT, a
dramatic biopic on the making of the film NOSFERATU. Directed by Elias
Merhige, John Malkovich co-stars. BURNED was previously entitled SHADOW
OF THE VAMPIRE. (Someone help me with this one: wasn't Max Schreck the
name of Christopher Walkin's character in Batman Returns?)

>   According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's THR E-MAIL column, director
Terry Gilliam and Johnny Depp are looking to team up for THE MAN WHO
KILLED DON QUIXOTE, which is set both during modern-day and the 17th
century. Gilliam and Depp last worked together on last year's most
underrated and unique film, a spot-on adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS.

>   Will Smith has exited talks to star in Michael Bay's next film, the
FOX thriller PHONE BOOTH.

>   Lynn Redgrave (Gods and Monsters), Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order),
Michael Vartan (Never Been Kissed), and Suzanne Krull (Camouflage) have
joined Madonna and Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding) in the cast
of the romantic dramedy THE NEXT BIG THING. In the PARAMOUNT film,
Madonna plays a woman who convinces her gay best friend (Everett) to
father and raise her child, but trouble ensues five years later after
she becomes involved with a straight man. Redgrave would play Everett's
mother in the John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy) film, while Bratt would
be Madonna's future love interest, and Vartan would play one of her
former boyfriends. Illeana Douglas and Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie
Howser) also star.

>   Warner Bros. has scheduled their animated film THE IRON GIANT to
open in the US on August 7th 1999. On more unconfirmed stuff, there's
talk that George Lucas has seen Director Brad Bird's work on the
animated film and was so impressed, he might be getting him involved in
a possible "Star Wars" related animated project. Sounds a bit fanboyish
I know, but hey SW-related talk is at a peak right now.

>   Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: The official site has opened
with some shagadelic sounds, groovy designs, and some images that'll get
you hot & bothered baby!!. There you'll find our first glimpse of 3rd
Rock's Kristen Johnson in her new look for the movie - playing the
Russian model/information dealer 'Ivana Humpalot'. Austin Powers: The
Spy Who Shagged Me: Comedy Central aired some great clips from the
upcoming shagquel, above are two shots from it. In the meantime, the new
full trailer has finally been digitised - due to the great work of the
people at Loews. Here's the links to download it,
http://www.austinpowers.com/
http://www.loewscineplex.com/trailerpark/trailers/0407yy.mov

>   Renee Zellweger (Jerry Maguire) is expected to play the female lead
opposite Jim Carrey in FOX's ME, MYSELF, AND IRENE. The Farrelly
Brothers (There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber) romantic comedy
is about a man with split personalities who fall in love with the same
woman. VARIETY reports director Stephen Herek (101 Dalmatians, Bill and
Ted's Excellent Adventure) is in talks to develop PARAMOUNT's feature
film based on EIDOS Interactive's TOMB RAIDER video game. It is unknown
if he'd direct the film, which is being scripted by Steven de Souza
(Street Fighter, Judge Dredd, Die Hard).

>   Variety reports that Pixar Animation Studios will this month start
work on "Monsters, Inc.,'' its next computer-animated co-production with
Walt Disney Co. The picture is a comedy set in a surreal realm, where
chaos ensues after a hapless monster lets a human child into the secret
world by mistake. It is tentatively scheduled for release in 2001.

>   Burt Reynolds and Richard Dreyfuss are getting ready to star in "The
Crew." The $25 million picture is about four wiseguys in retirement who
get back into Da Business to save their Miami Beach apartment complex
from yuppies. Other casting has not yet been announced. Michael Dinner
("Heaven Help Us Di") will direct from a script by Barry Fanaro
("Kingpin Di"). Shooting begins July 9 in Miami.

>   Variety reports that Fran Drescher ("The Nanny") has joined the cast
of "Picking Up the Pieces," an indie ensemble pic being pieced together
with sizable names. Drescher will join Woody Allen, Sharon Stone and
David Schwimmer; Cheech Marin, Hector Elizondo, Lily Tomlin, Kiefer
Sutherland and Elliott Gould are also in talks for the black comedy to
be directed by Alfonso Arau. In the script by Bill Wilson, a butcher
(Allen) botches a magic trick involving his promiscuous wife (Stone) and
winds up hacking her to little bits and heading to Mexico with his
cargo. The butcher drops her hand, which becomes a religious relic when
a blind woman trips over it and has her sight restored.

>   Variety reports that Australian actor Heath Ledger ("10 Things I
Hate About You") has been cast opposite Mel Gibson in Columbia's
American Revolutionary War film, tentatively titled "The Patriot." The
20-year-old thesp plays Gabriel, son of Gibson's character, a farmer who
reluctantly takes up arms against the British when the fighting reaches
his town. The two end up battling side by side in the quest for U.S.
independence. Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day") directs.

>   Corona's COMING ATTRACTIONS has announced that John Williams has
signed on as the composer for the upcoming Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg
collaboration MINORITY REPORT. Another powerful weapon added to an
already powerful arsenal. Blair Underwood (L.A. Law) and Kim Delany
(NYPD Blue) have joined Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson in the
cast of PARAMOUNT's military thriller RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.

>   Tony Shalhoub (Wings, Stark Raving Mad) has joined Tim Allen,
Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman in the sci-fi comedy GALAXY QUEST.

>   VARIETY reports David Goyer (Blade, Starman) is writing an
adaptation of the Harlan Ellison novel PHOENIX WITHOUT ASHES for SONY.
Originally created as a short-lived Canadian TV series in the '70s,
PHOENIX is about a 2,000 mile-long spaceship about to crash into a Sun.

>   The DETROIT NEWS COMIC BOOK CONTINUUM recently reported production
has wrapped on THE CROW: SALVATION, the third film in the CROW
franchise. Post-production is expected to last through the end of the
year, and the film is currently penciled in for release in March 2000.
http://detnews.com/comicbooks

>   Chris Kattan (Saturday Night Live) and Chris Hogan (MAD TV, Just
Shoot Me) have joined Brendan Fraser and Whoopi Goldberg in the cast of
MONKEYBONE, an adaptation of the graphic novel DARK TOWN, and Bridget
Fonda may be the next to sign on.

>   According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, producers Frank Marshall and
Kathleen Kennedy are in talks to work on UNIVERSAL's animated
FRANKENSTEIN sequel.

>   REGENT Entertainment has acquired worldwide distribution rights to
FREE ENTERPRISE, a William Shatner-spoofing comedy starring Shatner
himself, and will open the film in Los Angeles on June 4th. Co-written
by Mark Altman (Sci-Fi Universe) and director Robert Meyer Burnett,
ENTERPRISE is the story of two Trekkie screenwriter-wannabes who bump
into Shatner in an adult book store, and get tied up in helping him make
his dream production -- a six-hour epic musical based on the life of
Julius Caesar.

>   VARIETY reports cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak (Lethal Weapon 4,
Speed) will make his directorial debut with ROMEO MUST DIE. This
modernized ROMEO & JULIET blends hip-hop and Hong Kong action into the
story, with a cast led by Jet Li (Lethal Weapon 4) and singer Aaliyah,
and also starring Russell Wong (New Jack City), Delroy Lindo (Ransom),
and Isiah Washington (True Crime).

>   NEW LINE CINEMA has acquired film rights to attorney/author Andew
Vachss' upcoming novel CHOICE OF EVIL, in a six-figure deal giving NEW
LINE the right to option eight other Vachss novels when the film is
green-lighted. EVIL, due in stores May 14th through ALFRED A. KNOPF,
Inc., is the 11th novel in the Burke series, about the vigilante
character's efforts in hunting a serial killer who targets gay-bashers.
NEW LINE additionally has Vachss' novels FLOOD and CROSS optioned, and
the rights to BLUE BELLE are owned by PARAMOUNT.
http://www.choiceofevil.com http://www.vachss.com

>   Adam Goldberg ("Saving Private Ryan") will star as Beat poet Allen
Ginsberg in Pfilmco and Zuckerman Entertainment's indie production
"Beat," a drama about the Beat literary generation written and to be
directed by Gary Walkow. Norman Reedus has also been cast in the movie,
THR reports. According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Norman Reedus (8mm,
Gossip) will play Lucien Carr in the film about the affair between Carr
and William Burroughs' wife Joan. Gary Walkow (The Trouble With Dick)
will write and direct.

>   Sara Gilbert (Roseanne, The Next Big Thing) has joined the cast of
John Cusack's adaptation of Nick Hornby's music-driven novel HIGH
FIDELITY.

>   Matthew Perry (Friends) and Rosanna Arquette (Desperately Seeking
Susan) will star with Bruce Willis in the dark comedy THE WHOLE NINE
YARDS, playing a married couple living next door to a hitman (Willis)
hiding from the mob. Jonathan Lynn (My Cousin Vinny, Trial & Error)
directs the film, which will also star Natasha Henstridge (Species).

>   VARIETY reports David Arquette (Never Been Kissed) will play the
title role in HONKEY, a comedy about a clueless entertainer hired to
host (and deliberately ruin) a SOUL TRAIN rip-off entitled BOOGIE FEVER.
Arquette is expected to make the film in October, following THE SHRINK
IS IN and SCREAM 3.

>   VARIETY reports BARRY MENDEL Productions and MTV Films have acquired
the rights to remake the old ABC Saturday morning show LANCELOT LINK,
SECRET CHIMP into a feature film. The live-action original starred a
gang of monkeys, including Link and his sidekick Mata Hairi, working for
the Agency to Prevent Evil (APE) in their fight against CHUMP.

>   DREAMWORKS has acquired the film rights to Wes Craven's upcoming
sci-fi thriller novel THE FOUNTAIN SOCIETY for Craven to direct. The
story of FOUNTAIN involves a weapons specialist dying of cancer who
becomes involved in a horrible plot involving cloning and eternal youth.

>   The nominees for the 1999 MTV MOVIE AWARDS have been announced, and
ARMAGEDDON is already the winner in terms of most nominations, with six,
followed by SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, RUSH HOUR, and LETHAL WEAPON 4, with
four each, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, with three. Other nominee highlights
include Chucky up for best villain, and a certain scene from WILD THINGS
with Matt Dillon, Denise Richards, and Neve Campbell up for best kiss.
The awards air on MTV June 10th at 9pm.

>   Stanley Kubrick's CLOCKWORK ORANGE, LOLITA, FULL METAL JACKET, THE
SHINING, BARRY LYNDON, and PATHS OF GLORY will all be released on DVD
for the first time on June 29th, along with re-releases of 2001, THE
KILLING, and Dr. STRANGELOVE. Kubrick picked out supplemental material
for each DVD before his death, such as a 30-minute SHINING documentary
by his daughter, Vivian Kubrick. http://www.warnerbros.com
http://www.cthv.com http://www.mgmhomevideo.com

>   COLUMBIA TRISTAR Home Video will release a special DVD edition of
GHOSTBUSTERS on June 29th, which includes audio commentary by Ivan
Reitman, Joe Medjuck, and Harold Ramis, presented in a silhouetted
format similar to MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000. Available for a low
price of $24.95 (srp), the disc is also packed with documentaries,
featurettes, trailers, deleted scenes, storyboards, interviews, and
more.

>   According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Quentin Tarantino's next film
is expected to be a World War II drama which he'll make for MIRAMAX.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>   Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Dougray Scott (Ever After), Thandie Newton
(Beloved), and Rade Serbedzja (Eyes Wide Shut) begin work on John Woo
(Hardboiled, Face/Off)'s sequel to MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE in Australia. I
predict a Memorial Day 2000 release for the PARAMOUNT film.

>   AIN'T IT COOL NEWS reports Michael Uslan, the man who owns the film
rights to BATMAN and SWAMP THING, was a guest speaker at NEW JERSEY CITY
UNIVERSITY last week, where he said a new BATMAN film is in the works
for release around 2000-2001, and also mentioned WARNER BROS. was
setting aside $28 million for a new SWAMP THING feature.

>   Tracey Ullman and Hugh Grant will play the lead roles in Woody
Allen's next comedy, which will also star Allen, Michael Rapaport
(Friends), Jon Lovitz (Newsradio), and actor/screenwriter Elaine May
(Primary Colors).

>   MARY POPPINS, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, TRON, and SWISS FAMILY
ROBINSON return to the big screen with a slew of exclusive limited
engagements at Hollywood's EL CAPITAN Theatre. Each film will have a new
print, for instance, TRON is the first new 70mm, 6-track DOLBY Stereo
print made in 17 years, and each film's premiere will feature
appearances by some of the filmmakers and stars. The delightful MARY
POPPINS makes its premiere this Friday. For more information on the FROM
UNDER THE SEA TO CYBERSPACE: A MONTH OF DISNEY CLASSICS AT THE EL
CAPITAN, call 1-800-DISNEY6.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>   A plethora of STAR WARS - EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE books are
released on Tuesday, most notably DEL REY's Terry Brooks (Sword of
Shannara) novelization, and the illustrated screenplay. AIN'T IT COOL
NEWS's Moriarty managed to charm a bookstore manager into selling him
early copies of each, and his rave reviews are very tempting for the
argument of picking them up before you see the film. Moriarty mentions
the novelization has different covers, and is sealed in plastic.
http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/starwars
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com

>   If you've ever wondered if it's physically possible to make a light
saber, if a single blast from a Death Star could destroy an entire
planet, or what type of environment would spawn a Wookie, then THE
SCIENCE OF STAR WARS is the book for you... It's the latest from Jeanne
Cavelos (The Science of The X-Files), and it's due out in hardcover from
St. MARTIN'S PRESS on May 11th. With chapters like "Zen and the Art of
Nerf Herding," the book examines the scientific plausibility of the STAR
WARS films -- from planets to aliens to droids to spaceships & weapons
to The Force -- in a comprehensive but still-understandable
conversational style. http://www.sff.net/people/jcavelos

>   DC/VERTIGO Comics release the first issue of their new, modern
horror anthology series FLINCH this week. The first issue include Jim
Lee's first interior art done for DC (a great story about a white-trash
father who's devoted his life to building a flying machine...), as well
as a story pencilled by Bill Sienkiewicz, a new tale by the horror team
of Bruce Jones and Richard Corben, and an amusing story about amputation
colored by award-winning colorist Matt Hollingsworth (Preacher). Future
issues will feature stories written by Garth Ennis, Joe R. Lansdale,
Bruce Timm, and more. http://www.dccomics.com

>   During the last week of December 1999, DC Comics welcomes the new
year with the year's final fifth-week event, VERTIGO V2K. Five one-shot
specials will be released celebrating the so-called millennium (which
many would argue doesn't begin to 2001...), which are tied together by
the lone fact that all begin when the clock strikes midnight on
12/31/99. Included in the bunch is a story about four students trying to
fix their computers, who accidentally set the world back to 1900, a
story about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse visiting Times Square,
and a tale of such VERTIGO characters as John Constantine (Hellblazer),
Swamp Thing, Black Orchid, and the Doom Patrol at a New Year's Eve
party.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>   A postage stamp commemorating the growth of the video game has been
chosen by consumers to be the stamp marking the most memorable
reflection of the 1980s in the UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE's CELEBRATE
THE CENTURY program. Video games won with a total 268,746 votes, over
3,000 votes more than the Fall of the Berlin Wall. The selected design
for the stamp will be unveiled next year, along with other '80s stamps
like E.T., figure skating, and personal computers. http://www.usps.gov

>   On April 20th, or 4/20, considered one of the holiest of days to
marijuana enthusiasts around the world, HIGH TIMES Magazine launched the
420.com website at 4:20am. "It's not about 'cannabis' or 'hemp,'"
commented the magazine's multimedia editor, John Holmstrom. "We're
bringing back the word 'pot.' We miss the term; it harkens hack to a
freer time." 420.COM will feature an adults-only chat room, and material
from the magazine that pertains to "pot recreation." http://www.420.com
http://www.highontheair.com

>   SEGA OF AMERICA has announced its new, 128-bit DREAMCAST system will
be released in the U.S. on September 9th, for a suggested price of $199.
An initial 10-12 SEGA titles will be available with the system's launch,
including SONIC ADVENTURE, VIRTUA FIGHTER 3tb, SUPERSPEED RACING, GEIST
FORCE, HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2, SEGA RALLY 2, and both NBA and NFL games,
and a large group of third-party developers will release POWERSTONE,
READY 2 RUMBLE, CASTLEVANIA, and SOUL CALIBER at the launch as well.
SEGA has over 20 games in the works for 2000, and nearly 30 third-party
games are expected out before this Christmas. The system is 15x more
powerful than a SONY PLAYSTATION, 10x more powerful than a NINTENDO 64,
and has four times the graphic processing power of a PENTIUM II
processor, and it's also the first system to offer full Internet
functions, via a 56K modem. http://www.sega.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - ATTRACTIONS - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>   George Segal (Just Shoot Me), Wayne Knight (Seinfeld, 3rd Rock...),
and Buck Henry (Short Cuts) take over the 3-man Broadway play ART on May
11th. The group will remain with the production, about three men arguing
about an all-white painting, through mid-August, and then Segal and
Knight will resume work on their sitcoms.

>   SHOWSCAN Entertainment has announced plans to produce simulation
thrill ride films for both WING COMMANDER and STREET FIGHTER II - THE
RIDE. The WING COMMANDER attraction will be unveiled next January, and
STREET FIGHTER is currently in post-production for release this June.
http://www.showscan.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>   7-ELEVEN has unveiled the SLURPEE SPLITZ-O, a clear, 32-ounce
plastic cup, split down the middle so as to keep Slurpee flavors
seperate. The cup has a special, brain-shaped top with two straw holes,
and will be available through while supplies last for a suggested $1.39.
http://www.7-eleven.com

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
-===========================================================-
     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
-===========================================================-





------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - DISCLAIMER - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

This is mighty late.  Mighty, MIGHTY late.  I apologize and will say
It won’t happen again, but I know it probably will.

The info is organized within each category from most recent to least
Recent.

If this mail is too long, you can view the whole thing at
                         http://www.findmail.com/list/theskinny/

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - PEOPLE - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     DeForest Kelley, who, as Star Trek's folksy spaceman Dr. Leonard
"Bones" McCoy, frequently issued the dire (and trademark) "He's dead,
Jim" diagnosis, died today at the Motion Picture and Television Country
Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. He was 79.  Kelley was
pronounced dead at 12:15 p.m. Longtime friend and producer A.C. Lyles
told reporters the star had been confined to the hospital for three
months, suffering from a "lingering illness."  Kelley is the first major
member of the USS Enterprise's original on-air crew to pass away.
Franchise creator Gene Roddenberry died in 1991. Actor Mark Lenard, a
familiar face in the series and movies as Mr. Spock's Vulcan father,
died in 1996.

>     Drug-plagued actor Robert Downey Jr. back in rehab, TV's Access
Hollywood says. The show also reports he's facing a divorce from his
wife of seven years.

>     Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone out on $12,500 bail after
being arrested on driving under the influence and hashish possession
charges, Wednesday night in Beverly Hills.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The latest controversy caused by STAR WARS I appears to be the
film's striking resemblance to scenes in James Gurney's DINOTOPIA
books... The resemblances in question include the royal Naboo city of
Theed's striking resemblance to DINOTOPIA's Waterfall City, a submarine
ride in THE WORLD BENEATH which parallels the trip through Naboo's core,
the celebratory parade at the end of the film, and the resemblance of
the book's protagonist sidekick's name Bix to that of Jar Jar Binks.
"Many people are asking whether I had any role in designing the (Naboo)
city of Theed in STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE. I didn't," announced
Gurney, in a statement at his DINOTOPIA website. "I'm in the process of
trying to find out how it came to be that scenes in that movie seem to
resemble scenes from Dinotopia. I am communicating with people from the
LUCASFILM organization, and have spoken with George Lucas directly. Fans
of both DINOTOPIA and STAR WARS should be pleased to know that we
expressed a genuine admiration for each other's creations, and we are
both hopeful that any misunderstandings can be cleared up."
Additionally, George Lucas was involved in developing a DINOTOPIA film
for COLUMBIA back in 1994, the same year he began writing the Episode I
script, and INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC did its fair share of work on
developing the production as well. http://www.dinotopia.com
http://www.starwars.com

>     James Bond is back in November, but right now the official site
has posted up the film's teaser which hits US cinemas today.
http://www.jamesbond.com/bond19/

>      Beowulf: Some shots from the Christopher Lambert post-apocalyptic
version of the famed Danish poem are available on the net.
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/beo1.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/beo5.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/beo4.jpg
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/beo3.jpg

>     The online version of Canadian 'Empire Magazine' reports that an
'unnamed major Australian newspaper' apparently did an interview with
famed sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke, in which Clarke said he was in
negotiations with Tom Hanks to direct the film adaptation of "3001: A
Final Odyssey". The story follows the fate of astronaut Frank Poole, who
was murdered by the computer HAL 9000 in the original "2001: A Space
Odyssey" and revived from near-perfect frozen hibernation a millennium
later.

>     The Making of the President, 1789: Ben Stiller ("There's Something
About Mary") is set to go back behind the camera to direct a new
Revolutionary War comedy. Variety reports that John Cleese is attached
to star in the film which follows the life of George Washington who
continually "fails upward" - various bungling mistakes lead this simple
land owner to become the first President of the United States. One thing
which makes this interesting is that the film will be supposedly based
on facts, and show a side of Washington many may not have suspected -
drinking, gambling, and his various girlfriends. Steve Martin is also
interested in the project which is being produced by Ed Solomon.

>     The Highlander Official Site reports that Davis-Panzer & Miramax
appear to have resolved their 'creative differences' over the fourth
"Highlander" feature film. Shooting is expected to begin in October in
New York, Toronto, Paris, Ireland and The Isle of Man. Christopher
Lambert will return as the immortal Connor MacLeod alongside his brother
Duncan (Adrian Paul) whose character makes his film debut after becoming
known to fans through the cult hit TV series. Also rumoured to appear is
Peter Wingfield reprising his role as the 5000-year-old immortal Methos.

>     Lord of The Rings: Ringbearer.Org has gotten an on-set report from
one of their New Zealand spies who revealed some great stuff. Starting
with the Hobbiton set, they say "All the hobbit holes are in, most of
which are human size (ie. 2 meters and rounded circular). The holes are
part of the hobbit houses, all of which are being built in the studio".
The NZ army is busy constructing a bridge to be used during filming.
Other workers are building a large pond and a roadway leading into the
village set, while the rest prep a large tree "for use during the party
scene".  The voice of Gollum has been cast according to TheOneRing.Net,
though who it is remains a mystery. Their spy claims to have been in
contact with Victoria Burrows' casting office and gathered what info
they could find. This 'name' talent is the one the filmmakers wanted for
the part, and will be used to help promote the film. The "Lord of The
Rings" trilogy official site has opened, with art and introduction pages
at the moment.  No release date for this Peter Jackson trilogy has been
locked down yet, but pre-production continues in New Zealand.

>     Due to the success of "The Mummy", Universal's monster movies are
coming back in new form. With Ivan Reitman's "The Bride of Frankenstein"
rushing through early production, the next question is what else is
going to be remade. 'Mr. Browning's Opus' has gotten the goss from the
inside:  "Stephen Sommers has been approached to do a "campy" remake of
"Creature From The Black Lagoon" for Universal. It's set in a newly
built hotel complex out in Florida. The movie is slated to be produced
through Will Smith's company, at Universal."

>     Star Wars: Episode II (SW1 Spoilers Ahead): You'll notice that
spoiler warning, that will be placed in front of any item in the next
three months that includes one or more spoilers for the first Prequel.
In a Q & A session with USA Today, George Lucas revealed some
interesting details and answers some leftover questions fans had from
the Prequel. Are you wondering why Qui-Gon Jinn (Neeson) doesn't vanish
when struck down like Obi-Wan Kenobi was in the original "Star Wars"?
Lucas says "You will discover why he doesn't disappear (in the next
film). The key line that serves as a clue is from Ben Kenobi to Darth
Vader (in the original film): 'If you strike me down, I will become more
powerful than you can possibly imagine".

>     Several weeks ago, there was a rumor that "Man on the Moon" was
shot with multiple endings. Well, it has come to my knowledge that the
multiple endings will in fact all be used, but they will not all be on
the same print of the final film. The trick is that there will be three
final prints produced, and will be sent randomly to theaters throughout
the United States. As a result, movie-goers will not know which ending
will be shown in their local theatres. Some viewers may see the "Andy
dies" ending, whereas others may see the "Andy becomes Tony Clifton
permanently' ending." Oh, and BTW, the ending used on the test screening
recently done in SF was that Andy dies of cancer, and a funeral is held.

>     Variety reports that Director Ridley Scott ("Alien", "Blade
Runner") is in the running to direct the "Silence of the Lambs" sequel,
taking over the position left behind by Jonathan Demme. Demme turned
down the offer to direct the sequel claiming he felt it was too violent,
but author Thomas Harris would not allow him to tone it down. The novel
"Hannibal" hits bookstores next week and the hope is the film version
will be ready for 2001 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first
film.

>     AWN Bookstore reports that Warner Bros. has officially given the
greenlight for production to begin on the animated comedy/adventure
"Osmosis Jones" in aims to get the film complete for a Thanksgiving 2000
release date. The story follows a cell roaming through a person's body
looking for 'bad cells' trying to destroy its host. Tom Sito and Piet
Kroon will direct the movie, Sito having worked on the stories for "The
Prince of Egypt" & "Antz" while Kroon's writing talents can be seen in
"The Quest for Camelot" & the upcoming "The Iron Giant".

>     Hellboy: Aint It Cool managed to land an extremely snazzy piece of
production art from the upcoming version of "Hellboy" being handled by
Director Guillermo Del Toro.
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news5/hellboy.jpg

>     A new name is apparently in the running for one of the hottest
jobs in Hollywood - the director's chair of the third "Jurassic Park"
film. Names such as Dean Semler & Mikael Salomon have been mentioned
before, but a source of BenDavid today told him that Director Stephen
Sommers ("The Mummy") may be up for the position depending upon when the
'Mummy' sequel goes into production. The scooper claims that a meeting
will be happening at Universal, and if production isn't in full swing by
the end of the year - none other than "Speed" Director Jan De Bont may
be up for the coveted position.

>     There are two "Titantic" spoofs in the works - the first is
"Titanic Too: It Missed The Iceberg" starring David Hasselhoff, the
second is an interesting effort from writers Mike & Chris Bender (Chris
was a producer on "American Pie") called “Gigantic”. The project is in
development at the moment at New Line Cinema and if greenlighted will
hopefully be made sometime this year.

>     Battlefield: Earth: Popcorn conducted an audio interview with John
Travolta who revealed some more about the film adaption of the L. Ron
Hubbard novel which Travolta will star in as the evil 10-ft alien
'Terl'. Barry Pepper will play the hero, a young man who survives the
decimation of Earth by an alien force and forms a resistance movement
against the creatures.

>     Clive Barker Projects: If Stephen King is the 'King of Horror',
then Clive Barker would be the Dark Prince - both authors have terorised
readers for years. Now Barker is back with numerous projects and
'Severen' has assembled information on pretty much all of them. He does
admit a good portion of this information is speculative so make sure you
take this as rumour:  " Candyman 3: Now to be titled Candyman-Day Of The
Dead (not exactly imaginative is it?) this once again stars Tony Todd as
the hook handed, bee loving, dream like psychopath. Along for the ride
this time are former baywatch bim Donna D'Errico, along with that other
trek klingon guest star, Robert (Gowron, the bug eyed klingon) O'Reilly
and b-movie staple Nick Corri. Directed by Turi Meyer and written by
Meyer and his partner Al Septien, who have managed to come up with such
'great' film concepts over the years as Sleepstalker, Leprechaun 2 and
that damn Carrot Top movie Chairman Of The Board this sounds like a bad
idea from the outset, and the result is even worse. Clive Barker wisely
has no involvement with this project whatsoever and when you see it
you'll know why. This is to the original Candyman what Hellraiser
Bloodlines was to Hellraiser, ie. a complete bastardization of the
concept poorly implemented. Fans of course will still have to see it
when it comes out, but I doubt very many of them will be pleased with
the end result. Expected to go direct to Video sometime later this
year.  The Thief of Always: Now this is more like it, with Bernard Rose
(Candyman, Immortal Beloved, Paper House) handling directing duties as
well as writing the script (along with Barker himself) the early word on
this that it is definitely going to be something special. Everyone
involved with this production seems genuinely excited about it (even at
this relatively early stage) and although it won't be released for some
time yet fans of the book should be more than pleased with the final
result. Released by Universal.  Weaveworld: Set to be made as a 6 hour
mini series (ala Stephen King's The Stand) for HBO, and then later to be
released on video, this is currently undergoing rewrites by Peter Lenkov
(Demolition Man, Parker Kane and um...Universal Soldier 2, the cable one
not the upcoming Van Damme sequel) before production gets underway
fully. How well the TV adaption will be able to handle the complex
themes of the novel is unclear and even on cable this is likely still
going to have to be cut back (at least) a little, however it will be
interesting to see how it all pans out in the long run, and whether or
not Barker's epic novels can be bought to life on the small screen as
well as (some of) Stephen King's have been.  American Horror: Barker's
first foray back into the directors chair since 95's Lord Of Illusions,
this is an original story for the screen written by Barker himself for
New Line and groomed to become a possible franchise should it do well at
the box office. Set in and around the old west, circa 1866, it concerns
the American railroad's expansion across the west which has somehow
unlocked some kind of unknown horror. Details are very light on this one
at this point and everything is being kept very much under wraps. All
that has been said about it so far is that Barker is planning to make an
epic, uniquely American horror story along the same magnitude of Bram
Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Sounds like one to
keep an eye on.  Edgar Allan Poe Projects: MGM/UA have also hired Clive
Barker to come up with three (that's right, three) seperate scripts
based on Edgar Allan Poe and his work. One is a combination of Poe's
'Murders In The Rue Morgue' and Barker's own sequel/homage 'New Murders
In The Rue Morgue' that he released as a graphic novel some years back.
The second is a story based on Poe himself and his apparently strange
relationship that he had with his editor, Rufus Griswold (based on truth
or not I have no idea), while the last is called 'Cane's bone', but
whether that is an adaption of one of Poe's works or is an original
story by Barker I have no idea.  History of the Devil: If there was one
recent Barker project that I could choose to hit the big screen this
would be it. Basically it's about Satan being bored with his existence
in Hell (he even misses God!) so he demands a trial seekind admittance
back into Heaven. As the trial proceeds it shows many of mankinds
greatest failures, and asks are they Mankind's failures truly or was it
really the Devil's work. Believe me it's much better than I've managed
to make it sound, with a screenplay adapted by Matt Wilder and based on
Barker's superb play of the same name this is currently seeking
financing. Just as a side note a very good version of this was made by
the seeing ear theatre recently and is well worth checking out"

>     Its been five years since the last Jack Ryan adventure "Clear and
Present Danger", but the fate of the next Tom Clancy project remains
unsure. For those new to the behind-the-scenes saga, an adaption of "The
Cardinal of the Kremlin" was planned and then scrapped months ago
because the novel was considered outdated - it was written and set
during the Cold War. Focus was then put on the next novel "The Sum of
All Fears" with scribe Akiva Goldsman ("Batman Forever") writing the
screenplay about Middle Eastern terrorist attempting to detonate a
nuclear bomb at the Superbowl. Then, two weeks back a rumour hit the Net
that "The Sum of All Fears" project had been shafted as it resembled the
upcoming "Black Sunday" too closely, so "Debt of Honour" would be
translated instead. Now to add to the tangled web, a staff writer for
The Entertainian was part of an MSN chat with Clancy last week and asked
about the status of "The Sum of All Fears". Clancy apparently replied
that Goldsman has finished at least one draft of the script and the
movie was still a "work in progress" (other writers are now working on
it apparently). 'The Chicago News' meanwhile interviewed Producer Mace
Neufeld who said "If Harrison likes the screenplay, we're doing it" and
hinted this would be Ford's last outing as Ryan - "Harrison would like
to do one more in this series".

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Jeremy Irons (Lolita, The
Mission) has joined the cast of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS feature film.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     An official announcement on the rest of the cast of FOX's X-MEN
feature film is expected any time now, but check out CORONA COMING
ATTRACTIONS, whose mutant powers seems to be calling forth the
fact-based rumors on those who've read for roles or are being
considered... This includes Rachel Leigh Cooke (She's All That) as
Rogue, Luke Wilson (Home Fries, Rushmore) or Johnny Lee Miller
(Trainspotting, Hackers) as Cyclops, Tom Skerritt (Picket Fences) as
Senator Kelly, Lucy Liu (Ally McBeal)  or Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager)
as Mystique, or even Ryan as Jean Grey. Additionally, Keanu Reeves is
rumored to be making an appearance as Gambit in the last few minutes of
the film, along with (possibly CGI-generated) Beast and Iceman. CA
additionally is spotlighting the new teaser poster for the film at its
site, which features the Adamantium-lined claws of Wolverine forming an
X. X-MEN is due in theaters next summer. http://www.corona.bc.ca/films
http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/x-men.html http://www.marvel.com

>     AIN'T IT COOL NEWS' Harry Knowles reports he'll have a small part
in director Henry Selick (A Nightmare Before Christmas)'s MONKEY BONE, a
Sam Hamm (Batman, Watchmen)-penned adaptation of Kaja Blackley's graphic
novel DARK TOWN. Knowles will play the nosey neighbor of Brendan Fraser,
a cartoonist who enters his own creation after falling into a coma.
Knowles adds Stephen King will also make a cameo in the film, and DAILY
VARIETY reported Friday that Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) will play
Fraser's sister. MONKEY BONE also stars Bridget Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg,
Dave Foley, Chris Kattan, and Rose McGowan.
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com http://www.variety.com

>     FILM ROMAN have officially announced their animated film
adaptation of the comic series THE FABULOUS FURRY FREAK BROTHERS, which
Mike B. Anderson (The Simpsons) will direct from a script he's been
developing with the FILM ROMAN team. "Since 1967, THE FABULOUS FURRY
FREAK BROTHERS' have been providing comic book readers with hilarious
fun and adventure," commented Anderson. "Now we're bringing these
pranksters and their timeless humor to the big screen in a movie that is
certain to entertain hippies, ex-hippies, would-be hippies, and new and
established audiences of all ages. We are committed to preserving the
authenticity of FABULOUS FURRY FREAK BROTHERS and will continue to work
closely with Gilbert Shelton as we bring their project to the screen."

>     Believe it or not, Ewan McGregor (Star Wars I) is outshined by
Michael Caine, Brenda Blethyn, and especially Jane Horrocks (Ab Fab) in
MIRAMAX's LITTLE VOICE, released this week on VHS and DVD. LITTLE VOICE
is the story of a reclusive young woman with a gift for performing the
songs Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and others. http://www.miramax.com

>     Production has begun on WARNER BROS. Feature  Animation's OSMOSIS
JONES, a full-length animated  feature film set within the body of a
construction  worker named Frank Detomello. Our heroes in this
comedy-adventure are Osmosis Jones, a sarcastic,  street-smart white
blood cell, and the by-the-book  rookie cold tablet he teams up with to
fight an evil  virus out to destroy "The City of Frank".  OJ will be
directed by animators Tom Sito (Aladdin,  Who Framed Roger Rabbit) and
Piet Kroon  (T.R.A.N.S.I.T., The Iron Giant).  Additionally, KIDS WB!
has ordered 13 episodes  of an OJ animated series from WARNER BROS.
Television Animation.  http://www.movies.warnerbros.com

>      Principal photography has begun on UNIVERSAL  Pictures' THE
SKULLS, a suspense thriller in  the vein of THE FIRM by director Rob
Cohen  (Dragon, Dragonheart), about an over-achieving  Ivy League
College student who must outwit the  elitist secret society he was a
part of, after his  journalist roommate mysteriously commits suicide.
The lead in SKULLS is played by Joshua Jackson  (Dawson's Creek), and
the film also stars Paul  Walker (Varsity Blues), Hill Harper (He Got
Game),  and Leslie Bibb (Popular).  SKULLS is scheduled for release in
2000.  http://www.universalstudios.com

>      Udo Kier (Blade), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride),  Catherine
McCormack (Braveheart), and Eddie Izzard  (Avengers) have joined John
Malkovich and Willem Dafoe  in the cast of BURNED TO LIGHT.  The film is
a fictional telling of the making of  the 1922 silent vampire movie
NOSFERATU.

>      Courtney Love announced she is co-writing a film  set around 1930
with Drew Barrymore, last weekend  at the taping of the 1999 MTV MOVIE
AWARDS.  Love additionally announced she'll guest star on the  WB's
DAWSON'S CREEK next season.

>      DAILY VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports  Mark Wahlberg
(Boogie Nights) is in negotiations  to star in METAL GOD, a WARNER BROS.
film about  a singer in a bar band who replaces the lead singer  of a
big heavy metal band after the singer is  kicked out of the band by his
bandmates.  http://www.variety.com

>      Chris O'Donnell (Batman & Robin, The Bachelor) has  signed on to
play the lead in VERTICAL LIMIT, a  COLUMBIA Pictures action-adventure
about an ambitious,  young mountain climber who retired after his
father's  tragic death, who must return to climbing to save  his sister,
who is trapped on the second-highest  mountain, K2. Martin Campbell (The
Mask of Zorro)  is directing the film, which is scheduled to be
released in summer 2000.  http://www.spe.sony.com

>      Cuba Gooding Jr., has returned to his co-starring role  opposite
Robert De Niro in the FOX 2000 film NAVY DIVERS.  George Tillman Jr.,
(Soul Food) directs the film,  based on a script by Scott Smith (A
Simple Plan)  about the Navy's first African-American deep-sea  salvage
retrieval diver.

>      Stand-up comedians Mike Epps and Don "D.C." Curry  have starring
roles in NEXT FRIDAY, the sequel to  Ice Cube's 1995 NEW LINE CINEMA
comedy FRIDAY.  Epps and Curry play his cousin and uncle, respectively,
who move to the suburbs with Cube after winning the  lottery. Returning
for NEXT FRIDAY are John Witherspoon  and Tiny Lister (The Fifth
Element) and Tamala Jones  (For Your Love), Kym E. Whitley (Sparks),
Justin  Pierce (Kids), Jacob Vargas (Selena), Amy Hill  (Singles), Lisa
Rodriguez (Lying Eyes), and  Stic*ky Fingaz (Onyx).

>      According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, David Cross  (Mr. Show, Men
in Black), David Hyde Pierce (Frasier),  and Tom Wilkinson (The Full
Monty) have signed on to  star in SHINY NEW ENEMIES, a WARNER BROS./BEL
AIR  Entertainment ensemble comedy about the heist of a  batch of
priceless coins.  Cross will play a Boy Scout fanatic, and Pierce plays
the smarmy assistant to Wilkinson's old man, in a  comedy that also
stars Steve Zahn, Jeff Goldblum,  Orlando Jones, and Salma Hayek.

>      UNIVERSAL Pictures has moved up the release of  MYSTERY MEN a
week, from August 6th to July 30th.  "I saw the film last week with only
one-third of  the visual effects completed, and my immediate  reaction
was, this is fabulous -- a big, mind-blowing  summer comedy that
delivers big laughs and is  different from anything else in the
marketplace,"  said UNIVERSAL President of Distribution Nikki Rocco,
"And after seeing such a positive audience reaction,  we decided to move
the film up from the August 6th  release date to give us one more week
of summer play."  The satirical superhero comedy about a team of misfit
heroes stars Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, William H. Macy,  Paul Reubens,
Janeane Garofalo, Wes Studi, Kel Mitchell,  Geoffrey Rush, Greg Kinnear,
Claire Forlani, Lena Olin,  Eddie Izzard, Tom Waits, and Pras.
http://www.mysterymen.com

>      Dave Foley (Newsradio, Dick, Kids in the Hall) and Rose McGowan
(Scream, Jawbreaker) have joined the cast of FOX's live-action/animated
film MONKEY BONE. While Foley simply plays the agent of lead Brendan
Frasier, McGowan will play a half-woman, half-cat creature Frasier
encounters in an animated purgatory-like realm, after his cartoonist
character falls into a coma. http://www.foxmovies.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Macauley Culkin (Home Alone),
Fairuza Balk (The Craft, The Waterboy), and Natasha Lyonne (Slums of
Beverly Hills, Detroit Rock City) are in various stages of negotiations
to star in DIARY OF A MAD FRESHMAN. The REDEEMABLE Features production,
written and directed by Amy Talkington, would be headlined by Culkin,
playing a college freshman exploring New York's wild nightlife.

>     Ashley Judd (Kiss the Girls) will co-star with Natalie Portman
(Star Wars I) in WHERE THE HEART IS, a dramedy where Portman will play a
pregnant 17-year-old who takes up residence in a WAL*MART after being
abandoned by her boyfriend. The film is the directorial debut of Matt
Williams, creator of ROSEANNE and HOME IMPROVEMENT, and it's script was
adapted from a Billie Letts novel by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel
(City Slickers, Parenthood). Sally Field is also in negotiations to play
a small part.

>     VARIETY reports Nicole Kidman will star in THE OTHERS, a
supernatural suspense drama marking the English-language debut of
Alejandro Amenabar (Open Your Eyes), and she's also expected to play a
Russian mail-order bride in MOJO director Jez Butterworth's BIRTHDAY
GIRL.

>     VARIETY reports Catherine Zeta-Jones will star in THE TENTH
VICTIM, a romantic sci-fi thriller helmed by Lee Tamahori (Once Were
Warriors, Mulholland Falls) about a futuristic society that channels its
violence through organized murder hunts. The film is a remake of Elio
Petri's 1965 Italian film LA DECIMA VITTIMA, which was an adaptation of
the Robert Scheckley short story THE SEVENTH VICTIM.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Monica Potter (Patch Adams)
has exited her leading role opposite Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins, and Don
Cheadle in MISSION TO MARS, to step in for Claire Danes in HEAD OVER
HEELS. The latter film will star Potter as a woman attracted to a man
(Freddie Prinze Jr.,) she thinks may be a murderer.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports Zoe McLellan (Inventing the Abbotts) and
Justin Whalin (LOIS AND CLARK's Jimmy Olsen #2) are headlining the cast
of the DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS film, currently shooting in Prague under the
direction of Courtney Solomon. D&D also stars Thora Birch (Patriot
Games, Clear and Present Danger), Kristen Wilson (Tyson, Doctor
Dolittle), and Marlon Wayans. http://www.variety.com

>     AIN'T IT COOL NEWS has landed itself the first piece of production
art from director Guillermo Del Toro (Mimic, Chronos, List of Seven)'s
feature film based on Mike Mignola's DARK HORSE comic series HELLBOY.
The site's Harry Knowles has also gathered a few details on the project,
such as the fact that it's based upon the SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION plotline,
and he'll be conducting one of his "20 Questions" events with Del Toro
shortly. http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com http://www.dhorse.com

>     VARIETY reports Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien, Gladiator)'s
representatives at CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY are in talks with producer
Dino De Laurentis for Scott to develop and direct HANNIBAL, the sequel
to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports the third TERMINATOR
film may land at UNIVERSAL, though it's still unknown if James Cameron
or Arnold Schwarzenegger will be involved.
http://www.universalpictures.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's THR E-MAIL column, Arnold
Schwarzenegger is in talks to play a man replaced by his clone in the
PHOENIX/COLUMBIA Pictures film THE SIXTH DAY.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com http://www.spe.sony.com/movies

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Sylvester Stallone has
committed to star in an adaptation of the Ted Lewis novel JACK'S RETURN
HOME, which previously made it to the screen as the 1971 British crime
thriller GET CARTER. Stallone will play a mobster who returns home for
his brother's funeral, only to get wrapped up in an investigation of the
mysterious circumstances involving his death.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Antonio Banderas will
play the lead role in THE BODY, an adaptation of a Richard Ben Sapier
novel, where he'll star as a priest on a special mission for the Vatican
to investigate what may be the bones of Jesus Christ.

>     VARIETY reports Michael Douglas will produce and star in a feature
film adaptation of the classic TV series MY THREE SONS, where he'll play
the widowed father character portrayed on TV by Fred MacMurray. The NEW
LINE CINEMA film is reportedly on the "fast track," with a script due
within the next few months and production starting soon afterwards.
http://www.newline.com

>     Michael Douglas and Liv Tyler will co-star in USA Films' ONE NIGHT
AT McCOOL'S, a dark comedy about a woman (Tyler) who wreaks havoc with
several men's lives over one night.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Gene Hackman is in talks
to join the cast of the WARNER BROS. football drama THE REPLACEMENTS,
playing the pro football coach who assembles a team of replacement
players when his team walks out on him. Keanu Reeves is attached to play
one of these replacements in this Howard Deutch (Pretty in Pink) film.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Brett Ratner (Rush Hour)
is in final negotiations to direct FAMILY MAN, a romantic comedy about a
business man who wakes up one day to find himself in the perfect
suburban family. FAMILY MAN was originally being developed by BEACON and
UNIVERSAL for Nicolas Cage to star for director Curtis Hanson (L.A.
Confidential), but reports Thursday indicated Cage will likely partake
in a reading for the role again. Rattner is also attached to direct a
sequel to RUSH HOUR for NEW LINE CINEMA, and he may direct the studio's
KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE, which Warren Beatty is reportedly
interested in starring in.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Roger Donaldson (No Way
Out, Species) is in talks to direct the Kevin Costner Cuban Missile
Crisis drama 13 DAYS. Francis Ford Coppola is no longer in talks to helm
the film.

>     Danny DeVito and Kevin Spacey, who both starred in L.A.
CONFIDENTIAL, will star in the dark satire HOSPITALITY SUITE, an
adaptation of a play about three salesmen.

>     Woody Allen's next film to reach the screen has been given the
name SWEET AND LOWDOWN. It's a romantic drama set against the 1930s jazz
scene, starring Sean Penn, Uma Thurman, Anthony LaPaglia, and Samantha
Morton.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports Val Kilmer and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix)
will star in MARS, a WARNER BROS. sci-fi film about an astronaut
stranded on Mars during the first manned mission to the Red Planet.
Commercial director Anthony Hoffman will make his feature directing
debut with the film, which is expected to go in front of the cameras in
late summer. http://www.variety.com

>     Jennifer Lopez will play the lead role in THE CELL, a NEW LINE
thriller about a scientist (Lopez) who goes into the mind of a comatose
serial killer to locate a kidnapped victim. http://www.newline.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Vera Farmiga (Return to
Paradise, Roar) has joined the cast of the NEW LINE CINEMA film 15
MINUTES, playing the lead female role of a Czechoslovakian immigrant who
witnesses a murder she doesn't report, who becomes involved with a
detective played by Edward Burns (Saving Private Ryan). Robert DeNiro
plays the other lead role in the John Herzfeld film, which also stars
Avery Brooks (Star Trek: DS9), Kelsey Grammer, Melina Kanakaredes, and
John DiResta. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>     VARIETY reports NEW LINE CINEMA will finance an adaptation of
former MALIBU Comics' owner's Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's upcoming comic
MILLION DOLLAR HEROES. Set to be produced for NEW LINE by Rosenberg's
PLATINUM Studios, HEROES is the story of two competing comic book
artists, who take on the personas of the characters they draw to see who
will be the best crimefighter.

>     ANIMATION WORLD NETWORK's ANIMATION BLAST reports FILM ROMAN (The
Simpsons) is developing an animated feature film from Gilbert Shelton's
underground comics THE FABULOUS FURRY FREAK BROTHERS and FAT FREDDY'S
CAT. ANIMATION BLAST recently released the third issue of its print
counterpart, which features an in-depth interview with SCOOBY DOO
creator Iwao Takamoto. http://www.awn.com/blast

>     VARIETY reports Peyton Reed (Upright Citizens Brigade, Mr. Show)
will make his feature directorial debut with CHEER FEVER, a BEACON
Productions black comedy about the competitive world of high school
cheerleading.

>     THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY co-stars Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz
are in talks to reunite for the DREAMWORKS romantic comedy I WENT TO
DATE SCHOOL. The film is based on an article from MADEMOISELLE about
first impressions.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, NEW LINE CINEMA has acquired
the rights to remake the 1996 German comedy TO ERR IS HUMAN, for Ben
Stiller's RED HOUR Films and INDUSTRY Entertainment. The film, which
Stiller could direct and/or star in, is about a married man who invites
his closest friends to a reunion so that he can determine which one
fathered his children, after he learns that he is infertile and couldn't
have been their father.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Harland Williams (Rocket Man,
There's Something About Mary) has joined the cast of THE WHOLE NINE
YARDS. He'll play the love interest of Rosanna Arquette's married
character, in this comedy about a former hitman hiding from the mob.
Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry, and Natasha Henstridge also star.

>     Actor-director Peter Berg (Chicago Hope, Very Bad Things) will
helm FOX's SAY IT AIN'T SO, a romantic comedy about a bachelor who meets
his soulmate, who he mistakenly fears is his sister. Peter and Bobby
Farrely will produce the film, which was written by Peter Gaulke (SNL).

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Robert Forster (Jackie
Brown, The Black Hole) will play the police captain who Jim Carrey's
schizophrenic character works for in the Farrelly Brothers comedy ME,
MYSELF, AND IRENE. Chris Cooper (October Sky, Lone Star) has also joined
the cast.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Chuck Russell (The Mask,
Eraser) will re-team with Jim Carrey for NEW LINE CINEMA's remake of the
1947 Danny Kaye comedy THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, ICON Entertainment
International has acquired international sales rights to BLESS THE
CHILD. Chuck Russell will direct the thriller, set at the start of the
millennium as the forces of good and evil prepare to battle, which will
star Kim Bassinger, and possibly Andy Garcia.

>     UNIVERSAL will hold onto Steve Martin & Eddie Murphy's next hit,
an entertaining comedy by director Frank Oz entitled BOWFINGER, from
July 30th to August 27th. In the comedy, Martin plays a screenwriter who
decides to make his film around the starring actor (Murphy) who rejected
the role, by putting him in dangerous situations and secretly filming
it. BOWFINGER will now open opposite THE ASTRONAUT'S WIFE and STIGMATA.

>     FOX Home Entertainment is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the
ALIEN franchise with the release of THE ALIEN LEGACY; special editions
of the film on VHS, and the premiere of each on DVD, all of which have
been digitally-remastered and are THX-certified for the first time ever.
It's your first chance to own James Cameron's superior director's cut of
ALIENS on VHS, which features 17-minutes of cut footage that includes a
set-up to Newt's character -- and a special 5-video gift set of all four
films includes an all-new, behind-the-scenes documentary featuring
director Ridley Scott, H.R. Giger, and others -- but the true gems are
the DVD releases... ALIEN contains over 500 still photographs, 11
deleted scenes, commentary from Scott, 3 trailers, and hidden elements,
ALIENS features its own 500 photos, an interview with Cameron, and
15-minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, ALIEN 3 includes a 23-minute
"making of" featurette, and ALIEN RESURRECTION has a few minutes of
behind-the-scenes footage as well. The films are all available as a DVD
gift pack as well, with collector's cards, collectible slipcase
packaging, and a mail-in offer for the 20th anniversary ALIEN
documentary on DVD. http://www.foxhome.com

>     It looks like STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM MENACE will be released on
video right around the film's one-year anniversary next May, and the LOS
ANGELES TIMES is reporting FOX will premiere it on TV about six months
later, during the November 2000 sweeps. It's still unknown as to when
we'll see Episodes IV-VI on DVD, but if you take into consideration that
George Lucas has indicated he'll wait until the first three episodes
have been released theatrically (Episode III is expected in May, 2005),
and his plans to release all six films at once after that, we may be
waiting until at least 2006... On the topic of another re-release of
Episode IV-VI, The VANCOUVER SUN recently ran an article with digital FX
artist Kevin Braun where he indicated that there were 17 shots Lucas
wasn't happy with in the trilogy, and Braun's new shot of Ben Kenobi
dying will be included on the DVD and future theatrical re-releases.
http://www.vancouversun.com

>     Iben Hjejle (Dogme 3, Portland) has signed on to play Laura, the
ex-girlfriend John Cusack's list-making character is obsessed with in
the Stephen Frears (The Grifters) romantic comedy HIGH FIDELITY.
Currently shooting in Chicago, the PARAMOUNT film also stars Joan
Cusack, Beverly D'Angelo, Sara Gilbert, Lili Taylor, Harold Ramis, Jack
Black (Tenacious D, Mars Attacks!), and Todd Louiso (Jerry Maguire).
FIDELITY is an adaptation of a Nick Hornby novel.

>     Martin Scorsese has reportedly been meeting with Liv Tyler
(Armageddon) regarding having her star in a biopic he is developing
about pin-up model Bettie Page. The film will be based on James Swanson
and Karen Essex' biography BETTIE PAGE: THE LIFE OF A PIN-UP LEGEND.

>     According to CORONA COMING ATTRACTIONS, Luke Wilson (Rushmore) is
rumored to being considered to play Cyclops in FOX's X-MEN feature film,
and both Rachael Leigh Cook (She's All That, Dawson's Creek) and Laura
Bertram (Deepwater Black) have auditioned to play Rogue. Based on the
MARVEL Comics' series, Cyclops is the team's field leader who shoots an
optic blast from his eyes, and Rogue is a young, Southern belle whose
mutant power is the ability to absorb another's powers or thoughts
through touching them. Meanwhile, DAILY VARIETY reports Dougray Scott
(Ever After, Mission: Impossible 2) is who FOX are trying to lure to the
lead role of Wolverine. http://www.corona.bc.ca/films
http://www.variety.com

>     Casting of FOX's feature film based on MARVEL Comics' X-MEN is
beginning to take shape, with ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY reporting wrestler
Tyler Mane will play the seven-foot-two evil mutant Sabretooth, and the
official STAR TREK site confirming that Patrick Stewart has signed on to
play Professor Xavier. They join Sir Ian McKellen (Of Gods and
Monsters), who will play Magneto in this next film from director Bryan
Singer (The Usual Suspects). http://www.ew.com http://www.startrek.com
http://www.marvel.com

>     The official HIGHLANDER website is reporting that DAVIS-PANZER and
MIRAMAX have resolved their creative differences over the next
HIGHLANDER film, and production is now expected to start this October,
with shooting in Ireland, Isle of Man, Paris, New York, and Toronto.
Adrian Paul and Christopher Lambert are both still attached to star in
the film, but its title has been changed from HIGHLANDER 4: THE SEARCH
FOR CONNOR to HIGHLANDER: WORLD WITHOUT END.
http://www.highlander-official.com

>     The movie may still be a ways off, but the official site for the
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA feature film is now online. The site is still in
its early stages, with promises of much more to come, but features
include an interview with GALACTICA creator Glen A. Larson, and, well,
that's pretty much all there is right now.
http://www.battlestarmovie.com

>     NEW LINE CINEMA's Michael De Luca recently wrote in to CINESCAPE's
website to comment that production on FREDDY VS. JASON, the studio's
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET / FRIDAY THE 13th crossover, is expected to
begin in the fall. Following the film, the studio is looking to make
JASON X, the 10th film in the FRIDAY THE 13th franchise.
http://www.cinescape.com http://www.newline.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Jackie Chan is attached to
star in a big-budget Hong Kong film tentatively titled THE GIANT.
Frankie Tan (The Vicious Man, Armor of God 2) is attached to direct.

>     Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs, Trees Lounge) will produce, direct,
and play the lead role in an indie feature combining the William S.
Burroughs novels QUEER and JUNKY. The quasi-autobiographical story tells
of a young, pre-NAKED LUNCH Burroughs, his sexual encounters, addiction
to heroin, and search to find himself. Buscemi also recently joined the
cast of the Jackie Chan western SHANGAI NOON.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Julia Roberts clone
Monica Potter (Con Air, Patch Adams) is in final talks to play the
female lead in MISSION TO MARS. The Brian De Palma DISNEY film also
stars Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins, and Don Cheadle.

>     Couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are in negotiations to star
in director James Gray (Little Odessa)'s WAKING UP IN RENO, a comedy
about an Arkansas couple vacationing in the Nevada town.

>     VARIETY reports Salma Hayek (Wild Wild West, From Dusk Till Dawn)
and Orlando Jones (Mad TV, Magnolia) are in final negotiations to star
opposite Jeff Goldblum and Steve Zahn in SHINY NEW ENEMIES. Zahn plays
the lead role of a barber having a real, real bad day in the comedy.

>     The Collector's Edition DVD of Kevin Smith's MALLRATS will at long
last be released by UNIVERSAL on July 20th, with bonus features that
include audio commentary by Smith, Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes,
and producers Scott Mosier and Vincent Pereira, and over an hour of
deleted scenes. http://www.viewaskew.com

>     The GENERAL CINEMA Theater in Sherman Oaks, California, has
enhanced their theater with Rear Window Captioning and DVS Theatrical
systems developed by Boston's WGBH Educational Foundation, which allow
blind or deaf movie viewers to share in the movie experience. The Rear
Window Captioning reflects closed captioned subtitles off the rear wall
of an auditorium, onto a clear plastic screen that attaches to any
chair's cupholder, while the DVS system supplies the blind or
visually-impaired with a wireless headset that supplies a stream of
descriptive narration, with details of the action, characters, settings,
facial expressions, and other information that will bring the story to
life. These new technologies debuted with STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM
MENACE, thanks in part to MICROSOFT co-founder Paul Allen, FOX's Tom
Sherak, and the EASTMAN KODAK Company, and are also available at the
CINERAMA in Seattle, and the GENERAL CINEMA PARKWAY POINTE 15 in
Atlanta. http://www.generalcinemas.com

>     DAILY VARIETY reports production begins this summer on DRUIDS, a
BRAVEHEART-like action-drama about Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix's epic
war against an invading Julius Caesar. The film will star Christopher
Lambert (Highlander) as Vercingetorix, Klaus Maria Braundauer (Never Say
Never Again) as Caesar, and Max von Sydow (Flash Gordon).
http://www.variety.com

>     VARIETY reports Kenneth Branagh will follow up his upcoming take
on Shakespeare's LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST with a modernization of MacBETH,
which he'll script and star in, but might not direct.

>     George Clooney is in talks for the lead role in an adaptation of
the Sebastian Junger novel THE PERFECT STORM, and Ben Affleck is in
talks to join him. The WARNER BROS. film, which Wolfgang Peterson (Air
Force One, Das Boot) will direct, is based on the true story of a 1991
fishing boat disaster in Gloucester, MA..
http://www.movies.warnerbros.com

>     VARIETY reports WARNER BROS. is in final talks to acquire THE
CATCHER WAS A SPY as a starring vehicle for George Clooney. The
espionage thriller, which had until recently been in development at
MIRAMAX, is based on Nicholas Dawidoff's non-fiction book about 1930s
Brooklyn Dodger Moe Berg, who was recruited as a spy for the early CIA,
the Office of Strategic Services.

>     John Turturro, John Goodman, and Holly Hunter have joined George
Clooney in the next comedy from Joel and Ethan Coen (Fargo, The Big
Lebowski), OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?.

>     VARIETY reports Amanda Peet (Body Shots, 1999) has joined Bruce
Willis, Matthew Perry, and Natasha Henstridge, and Rosanna Arquette in
the cast of the Jonathan Lynn mob comedy THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

>     Carol Kane (Taxi) will play the psychologist Courteney Cox steps
in for in the romantic comedy THE SHRINK IS IN, which also stars David
Arquette and David James Elliott.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, DIMENSION Films' sequel to
TOTAL RECALL will be budgeted at $80-$100 million.

>     An article on the success of THE MUMMY in ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
reveals UNIVERSAL is putting remakes of THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE PHANTOM
OF THE OPERA, and CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON on the fast track, and
indicates UNIVERSAL's animated FRANKENSTEIN film may become a broader
monster film, with the Wolf Man joining the doctor's monster.
http://www.ew.com http://www.universalstudios.com

>     PARAMOUNT Classic released the STAR TREK fan documentary TREKKIES
into 330 theaters nationwide this past week. It's a wonderfully
entertaining and hilarious look at TREK culture, with profiles of fans,
including the Arkansas juror who attended the Whitewater trail in her
Starfleet Commanding Officer's uniform every day, and an Orlando dentist
whose practice is named STARBASE DENTAL, and interviews with all the
original cast members, and many new ones, who all offer their own
anecdotes and personal opinions on the phenomenon. TREKKIES is the first
of two films opening in the coming weeks with ties to Gene Roddenberry's
show; Mark Altman and Rob Burnett's entertaining coming-of-age, romantic
comedy FREE ENTERPRISE opens on June 4th. ENTERPRISE stars William
Shatner in a supporting role as "himself," who enlists the film's
characters to help create his dream production of a rap-filled, six-hour
musical version of JULIUS CAESAR where he'd play nearly all the parts.
http://www.trekdoc.com http://www.freeent.com

>     VARIETY reports actor/country artist Dwight Yoakam will make his
directorial debut with the western SOUTH OF HEAVEN, WEST OF HELL. The
film, which will star Yoakam, Vince Vaughn, Paul Reubens, Michael Jeter,
Bud Cory, Peter Fonda, Bridget Fonda, and Billy Bob Thornton, is about a
U.S. marshal hunting down a gang made up of his former surrogate family,
in the post-Spanish Civil War year of 1907.

>     VARIETY reports WARNER BROS. is considering moving up the release
of WILD WILD WEST from Friday, July 2nd, to Wednesday, June 30th.

>     AIN'T IT COOL NEWS reports filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (El
Mariachi, The Faculty) is developing an adaptation of Mike Allred's
comic MADMAN, which he plans to direct following the film he's about to
begin, which will be a "kids" film. Rodriguez and Allred spent some time
together in Austin and worked up an outline, and Rodriguez is set to
head up to the Allred residence in Orgeon later this year to flesh it
out. Laura Allred, Mike's wife and MADMAN colorist, indicated to AICN
that the film promises to remain true to the independent comic, and
Rodriguez will be free to pursue his vision since he has purchased the
option with his own money. Laura adds there will be at least four MADMAN
comics later this year, as well as a spin-off series titled THE ATOMICS.
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com

>     While the casting news remains unconfirmed, CINESCAPE reports
Warwick Davis mentioned filmmaker Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures) has
cast Timothy Spall (Secrets & Lies) in the role of Gimli in his LORD OF
THE RINGS trilogy. Additionally, AIN'T IT COOL NEWS' spies are reporting
Elijah Wood (Deep Impact, The Faculty) is being offered the part of
Frodo. http://www.cinescape.com http://www.newline.com

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports producer Dino De
Laurentiis is in negotiations to acquire HANNIBAL, the sequel to THE
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, for a rumored price hovering above $9 million.
Author Thomas Harris' HANNIBAL hit stores on June 8th.

>     DISNEY has acquired U.S. and select foreign distribution rights to
David Lynch's new film, THE STRAIGHT STORY. The film stars Richard
Farnsworth (Anne of Green Gables) as a 73-year-old who travels from Iowa
to Wisconsin for a reunion with his estranged, deathly-ill brother
(Harry Dean Stanton). STRAIGHT, which competes at CANNES later this
week, will be released in the U.S. through BUENA VISTA, and a release
date is expected shortly.

>     John Boorman (Deliverance, Excalibur) will direct an adaptation of
the Jack London novel THE SEA WOLF for COLUMBIA Pictures.

>     Adam Goldberg (Friends, Saving Private Ryan) will play Allen
Ginsberg in BEAT, an indie drama about the Beat Generation revolving
around an affair between Lucien Carr (8MM's Norman Reedus) and Joan
Burroughs.

>     PIXAR have announced they'll follow-up a sequel to TOY STORY with
MONSTERS, INC., a computer-animated comedy about a monster who
accidentally brings a young boy into the secret realm of monsters. The
film is expected to be released in 2001. http://www.pixar.com

>     Geoffrey Rush (Shakespeare in Love, Shine), Joaquin Phoenix (8mm,
To Die For), Kate Winslet, and Michael Caine will all star in FOX
SEARCHLIGHT's QUILLS, a drama set during the final days of the Marquis
de Sade based on Douglas Wright's play.

>     Sam Neil (Jurassic Park) and Allan Rich (Amistad) have joined
Robin Williams and Embeth Davidtz in the cast of BICENTENNIAL MAN. This
Chris Columbus (Stepmom, Mrs. Doubtfire) adaptation of an Isaac Asimov
story, about an android (Williams) who desires to become more human, has
Neil playing the father of the family who hires the android, and Rich
playing a judge.

>     Melina Kanakaredes (Providence, Guiding Light), Kelsey Grammer
(Frasier), and John DiResta (UPN's DiResta) have joined Robert De Niro
and Edward Burns (She's The One) in the cast of NEW LINE CINEMA's 15
MINUTES. Kanakaredes and Grammer both play tabloid TV show reporters in
the satirical thriller, and Kanakaredes is also De Niro's love interest.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Robert De Niro and Cuba
Gooding Jr. are in various stages of talks to star in NAVY DIVERS, a FOX
2000 military drama by director George Tillman (Soul Food). The film is
based on the true story of Carl Brashear, the Navy's first black
deep-sea diver.

>     VARIETY reports NEW LINE CINEMA has purchased the Jason Keller
spec script SUGAR'S SWEET SCIENCE OF BRUISING for Danny DeVito to
direct, produce, and star in. DeVito will star as a crooked boxing
trainer on the run from Vegas mobsters with a young boxer he befriends.

>     VARIETY reports Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Neve Campbell, and
Jamie Lee Curtis have signed on to star in DROWNING MONA, a comedic
thriller about a small-town murder with some very suspicious suspects.
Nick Gomez (Oz, Homicide, Illtown) directs.

>     DARK HORIZONS reports that while promoting the U.K. release of I
STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, Jennifer Love Hewitt told THE TIMES
newspaper that there will be a third film in the ...LAST SUMMER series.
http://www.darkhorizons.com

>     The title of Kevin Williamson (Dawson's Creek, Scream,
Wasteland)'s directorial debut has been changed from KILLING MRS. TINGLE
to TEACHING MRS. TINGLE. The dark comedy is described as NINE TO FIVE
set in high school, with Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) and Barry Watson
(7th Heaven, Malibu Shores) kidnapping their ruthless history teacher
(PRIME SUSPECT's Helen Mirren) before she can turn them in for stealing
a test. TEACHING, which also stars Molly Ringwald, Vivica A. Fox,
Michael McKean, and Jeffrey Tambor, is scheduled for release on August
20th. http://www.dimensionfilms.com

>     YAHOO! MOVIES is the exclusive Internet home to the full-length
trailer for SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER, AND UNCUT, which PARAMOUNT has
pushed back a couple of weeks to June 30th. The site also provides
access to the YAHOO!'s official SOUTH PARK club, as well as chat rooms,
memorabilia, and auctions. http://movies.yahoo.com
http://www.southparkmovie.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TV - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     Star Trek: Voyager (TV): Various sites like Trekweb, TrekToday &
ST: The Universe have uncovered heaps of juicy rumours regarding
Voyager's next season and here's a collection of them all starting from
the most reliable and becoming more speculative and spoiler-filled as we
move down:  - Shooting on the sixth season premiere starts next week
- Ron Moore (co-writer of "ST: First Contact") will write the "Day of
Honor"-related B'Elanna episode which will apparently return Torres to
her more aggressive first-season Klingon roots.
- One of the crew from the "Equinox" stay on Voyager in a recurring role

- Seven-of-Nine's involvement will decrease slightly next year as its
felt she's been over-used
- The 'hunks' of Voyager will be "sexed" up with more relationship
stories and a possible end to the Torres/Paris relationship
- The Doctor is dead, long live the Doctor. The EMH will be back, but
different from his previous personality (a certain 'hippocratic oath'
maybe missing), possibly the Equinox's EMH will transfer over.
- For years its been rumoured Voyager will return home, now the rumour
has resurfaced. This current one says it will be a multiple-part episode
starting in December and ending January, and Paramount is pushing for
this idea to be done in order to boost the show's ratings

>     Howard Stern announced last Wednesday that his production company
is close to signing a deal with FX for a half-hour comedy series that
would spoof BAYWATCH. Stern plans to announce the cast in the coming
weeks. http://www.fxnetworks.com

>     COMEDY CENTRAL premieres its new weekly line-up tonight, which
consists of a record four-nights-a-week of original programming for the
network. It all begins tonight at 10 with a new season of the twisted
After School Special series STRANGERS WITH CANDY, and continues with the
premiere of a new season of UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE at 10:30, where one
of the UCB members will die... six times. Tuesday begins with the 10pm
premiere of the sixth season of Dr. KATZ: PROFESSIONAL THERAPIST, guest
starring Jeff Goldblum. COMEDY CENTRAL PRESENTS follows at 10:30, with a
spotlight on stand-up comic Mark Curry. The first in a string of new
SOUTH PARK episodes begins Wednesday night at 10, and if you're female
and not offended by the premiere of THE MAN SHOW, then co-hosts Jimmy
Kimmel (Win Ben Stein's Money) and Adam Carolla (Loveline) are doing
something wrong... Premiering Wednesday at 10:30, the variety show
presents various comedy shorts, and all the women bouncing on
trampolines you could ever ask for. A new season of the animated BOB AND
MARGARET premieres Thursday at 10, and its followed by a new episode of
VS. where Harvard students take on students from community colleges.
Additionally, new episodes of THE DAILY SHOW and WIN BEN STEIN'S MONEY
begin each night at 11. http://www.comedycentral.com

>     FOX presents its Samuel L. Jackson-hosted special FROM STAR WARS
TO STAR WARS this Tuesday night at 9, but the true STAR WARS gem on TV
this week is PBS' THE MYTHOLOGY OF STAR WARS, airing Friday night at 9
(check local listings), where Bill Moyers interviews George Lucas on the
origins of Episode I. http://www.pbs.org

>     FOX presents the fifth annual BLOCKBUSTER Entertainment Awards
this Wednesday night, starting at 8. The award show, which was taped in
late May, features performances from Ricky Martin, Sarah McLachlin,
Jennifer Lopez, and oddly enough, 'N SYNC and Christopher Cross covering
Cross's '80s ballad "Sailing." John Travolta receives the World Artist
Award during the event, and other celebs appearing include Drew
Barrymore, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mariah Carey, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos,
Courtney Love, Jane Krakowski, Ellen Degeneres, Anne Heche, Kathy Bates,
Lynn Redgrave, Jennifer Tilly, Cheri Oteri, Wesley Snipes, Chris Tucker,
Usher, LL Cool J, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jeff Goldblum, Nicolas Cage, Tom
Hanks, Harry Connick Jr., Jay Leno, Scott Foley, Adam Sandler, Rob
Schneider, and Mike Myers. http://www.blockbuster.com

>     The SCI-FI Channel will premiere its first series of I AM SCI FI
promotional shorts this Friday, starring celebrities and cutting-edge
personalities defining the future of Sci Fi. The initial batch of spots
includes a cloned Traci Lords, Busta Rhymes floating in a sea of aural
energy, VIRGIN's Richard Branson spoofing 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, Cindy
Margolis at home in cyberspace, Venus & Serena Williams competing in a
lightspeed game of tennis, and TOMB RAIDER's Lara Croft playing her
video game of choice; Pong.

>     FILM ROMAN (The Simpsons) and Norman Lear (All in the Family, Good
Times) are teaming up to develop a primetime animated series entitled
TIL THE FAT LADY SINGS. The series is set in a senior citizens
recreation facility, and will comically deal with death, dying,
infirmity, and old age.

>     FX has acquired the off-network rights to MILLENNIUM. The
cancelled Chris Carter FOX series will join the cable network's line-up
very soon, on July 19th, where it'll air at 1am, after each night's
midnight episode of THE X-FILES. FX additionally recently acquired the
off-network rights to BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, which will premiere in
2001.

>     A coalition of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER fans  is taking out a
full-page ad in an upcoming Hollywood  Edition of VARIETY, showing their
support for the  WB series, and encouraging the network to allow
creator Joss Whedon to pursue his creative vision.  A draft of the ad,
as well as information on how to  pledge your support, is available at
the below website.  http://www.scoobygang.com/standup.html

>      FILM ROMAN, HOWARD STERN Productions, and  writer-producer Tracy
Torme (Sliders, Star Trek: TNG)  and teaming up to create DOOMSDAY, an
animated,  sci-fi comedy series about a family traveling across a
post-apocalyptic United States in search of a new  home and traditional
family values.  Howard Stern will be playing an integral role in
DOOMSDAY's development and production,  and he'll be joining a cast of
well-known celebrities  in voicing a special character on the series.

>      Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, who makes a cameo in the new  AUSTIN
POWERS film opening this week, is Dennis Miller's  guest Friday night at
11:30 on HBO, as his DENNIS MILLER  LIVE takes on the subject of Models.
Next week, Miller  welcomes Bill Golberg to tackle the topic of
wrestling.  http://www.hbo.com/dml  http://www.austinpowers.com  AOL
Keyword: AUSTIN POWERS

>      It's AUSTIN POWERS week next week on COMEDY CENTRAL's  DAILY
SHOW, with Mike Myers on both Monday and Wednesday,  Rob Lowe on
Tuesday, and Heather Graham on Friday.  Additionally, LATE SHOW WILL
DAVID LETTERMAN will  feature Graham this Friday, Tim Robbins next
Monday, Seth  Green next Wednesday, and Myers himself next Thursday.
http://www.comedycentral.com  http://marketing.cbs.com/lateshow

>      Ever-flamboyant British comedian Eddie Izzard tackles  everything
from STAR WARS to Hitler in his first HBO  Comics Special, EDDIE IZZARD:
DRESS TO KILL,  this Saturday night on HBO, starting at 11:30pm.

>      KING OF THE HILL and FUTURAMA will move to FOX's  Sunday night
line-up on June 20th, at 7:30 and 8:30,  respectively.
http://www.foxworld.com

>      The FX Network has acquired exclusive network  TV rights to THE
ORIGINAL TOUGHMAN CONTEST,  which it will premiere this summer on
Friday  nights at 10, as well as the TOUGHMAN WORLD  CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
which will follow.  "THE TOUGHMAN CONTEST is no-holds-barred  excitement
and is a perfect addition to the  FX primetime schedule," announced FX
President  Peter Liguori. "There are no actors, no scripts  and no
punches pulled. There is nothing fixed  or fake about Toughman. It's
just tough guys  fighting for little more than bragging rights."
http://www.FXnetworks.com

>      According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER,  Heather Locklear (Melrose
Place) is in talks  to join the cast of Michael J. Fox's ABC  sitcom
SPIN CITY next season.  http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

>      NBC has announced its mini-series schedule for  the next
television season will include HALLMARK  Entertainment's four-hour
LEPRECHAUNS on November  7th and 8th, the 10-hour Rutger Hauer fantasy
epic  THE 10th KINGDOM on February 6th, 7th, 13th, and  14th, a
four-hour JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS airing  April 30th and May 1st, and
THE 70s, a sequel to  THE 60s, which airs on May 7th and 8th.
http://www.nbc.com

>      Former MTV Animation director Machi Tantillo has signed  on to
executive produce a primetime animated series for  OXYGEN Media, which
will showcase work by women animators.  This currently-untitled series
will premiere when the  OXYGEN cable network launches during the first
week of  February, 2000, and five pilots ranging in length from  3-7
minutes have already been approved for inclusion  in the 13 initial
episodes ordered. Additionally, at  least one of the shorts is expected
to be developed  into a spin-off show.

>      CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN executive producer Bryce Zabel has
released a statement announcing that UNIVERSAL has decided not to renew
his series for a second season. Zabel, however, plans to form a
financial group to produce a second season of episodes independently,
which will likely land wind up at a cable network.
http://www.thecrowtv.com http://crowmystique.8m.com (S.O.S. Info)

>     J. Michael Straczynski's BABYLON 5 spin-off, CRUSADE, premiered
Wednesday night at 10, on TNT. CRUSADE stars Gary Cole (American Gothic,
A Simple Plan), Tracy Scoggins, Marjean Holden, Daniel Dae Kim, Peter
Woodward, David Allen Brooks, and Carrie Dobro as the crew of the
starship Excalibur, searching the galaxy for the cure to an alien
biotoxin threatening Earth's survival. It's being billed as a special
limited series, seeing as how it was basically cancelled after 13
episodes were produced, so it's going to take some impressive ratings,
or at least a few novel spin-offs, if we're ever to learn whether
Excalibur is successful or not. http://tnt.turner.com/crusade

>     The UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE will be causing chaos this Wednesday
night on NBC's LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, promoting next Monday's
premiere of a new season of their COMEDY CENTRAL series.
http://www.nbc.com http://www.comedycentral.com

>     While the event itself was taped Saturday, and you'll likely know
all the winners before you see a single award given away, no other
awards show is ever as entertaining as the MTV MOVIE AWARDS, and you can
catch this year's event this Thursday, June 10th, starting at 8:30pm
with a pre-show. Lisa Kudrow (Friends) is this year's host, and the show
features performances by Robbie Williams, Kid Rock, and Will Smith & Dru
Hull, and appearances by 'N SYNC, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Janeane
Garofalo, Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Chris Tucker, Rebecca Gayheart,
Katie Holmes, James Van Der Beek, Courtney Love, Keanu Reeves, Ricky
Martin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Samuel L.
Jackson, Whitney Houston, Jon Stewart, Brooke Shields, Brendan Fraser,
Ben Affleck, Kevin Smith, Keri Russell, Freddie Prinze Jr., Seth Green,
Alyson Hannigan, and Andy Dick.

>     Inspired by the network's popular MONKEY-ED MOVIES shorts, THE
CHIMP CHANNEL takes over TBS Superstation Thursday nights, at 10:05,
starting this week. The weekly, half-hour comedy series follows the
adventures of a cable TV network run by chimpanzees and orangutans,
whose parodies of movies, series, commercials, and the news are nearly
as outrageous as the apes' backstage antics. Upcoming series and movies
set to be parodied on THE CHIMP CHANNEL include BUFFY THE VAMPIRE
SLAYER, ALLY McBEAL, X-FILES, TELETUBBIES, NYPD BLUE, BAYWATCH, FRIENDS,
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, and STEPMOM. http://TBSsuperstation.com

>     Richard Belzer is in negotiations with Dick Wolf to reprise his
HOMICIDE character, Detective John Munch, and become a regular on both
LAW & ORDER and its upcoming spin-off LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT.
http://www.nbc.com

>     With Kevin Sorbo moving on from HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS,
the series is set to air its last new episode in syndication during the
week of November 15th. Then, in January, it will be replaced by STUDIOS
USA and RENAISSANCE Pictures' BACK 2 BACK ACTION hour, with the new
half-hour series JACK OF ALL TRADES and CLEOPATRA 2525. JACK involves a
swashbuckling British secret agent, working on a Caribbean island in the
early 18th century, and CLEOPATRA is about a cryogenically-frozen 21st
century woman who wakes up in a 26th century ruled by evil robots.

>     VARIETY reports The B-52's have signed a development deal with
STONE STANLEY Productions (Loveline, The Man Show), for an animated
series starring the band. The project, which the B-52's will supply
voices for, will be helmed by Walter Santucci (Jean Jean and the
Adventures of Evil Cat).

>     John Cleese (Monty Python) has narrated four new cartoons for
DISNEY'S MICKEY MOUSEWORKS, and the first, "Around the World in 80
Days," premieres this Saturday at noon ET, 11am PT. The other upcoming
animated episodes Cleese narrates are the Dr. Seuss-like AROUND THE
WORLD IN 80 DAYS, and MOUSEWORK interpretations of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S
DREAM and THE NUTCRACKER.

>     SHOWTIME and TOUCHSTONE Television have teamed up to create IN THE
20th CENTURY, a series of six feature-length documentaries by renowned
directors Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, Happy Days), Norman Jewison
(Jesus Christ Superstar, Rollerball, Moonstruck), Barry Levinson (Diner,
Rain Main, Wag the Dog), Gregory Nava (Selena, Price of Glory), Robert
Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle), and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Back to
the Future). Everything begins a week from Monday, on June 14th, with
the 10pm premiere of GARRY MARSHALL ON MARRIAGE IN THE 20th CENTURY: IN
SEARCH OF THE HAPPY ENDING. Future films will premiere on a monthly
basis, with Townsend on the topic of sex in July, Levinson taking on the
future in August, Zemeckis tackling drugs and alcohol in September,
Jewison exploring comedy in October, and Nava exploring the American
Dream in November.

>     Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) and Catherine Bell (JAG) will
star in the TBS Superstation original movie TIMESHIFTERS, a time travel
adventure about a former star reporter turned tabloid reporter (Van
Dien) who, while investigating a story on major disasters, discovers a
mysterious man in photos from each event who appears virtually unchanged
through time. http://www.tbssuperstation.com

>     DAILY VARIETY reports Mel Gibson will co-produce a THREE STOOGES
biopic for ABC, adapted from columnist Michael Fleming's upcoming
biography FROM AMALGAMATED MORONS TO AMERICAN ICONS: THE THREE STOOGES.
Fleming's book is due out this fall from DOUBLEDAY, and the biopic is
tentatively scheduled for airing during the 2000 sweeps period.
http://www.variety.com

>     According to ANOTHER UNIVERSE, Kate Mulgrew recently told New
York's WOR-TV that she has signed on for a seventh season of UPN's STAR
TREK: VOYAGER. VOYAGER completed its fifth season last Wednesday.
http://www.anotheruniverse.com http://www.upn.com

>     COMEDY CENTRAL premiered its new, daily gameshow VS. yesterday at
5pm. Hosted by Greg Proops (WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?, STAR WARS I: THE
PHANTOM MENACE's Frode), VS. pits opposing groups of people against each
other to answer general trivia questions -- Monday's premiere featured
Dominatrices VS. Soccer Moms, and the rest of the week includes Cowboys
VS. Indians, Brokers VS. Slackers, Beverly Hills 90210 VS. Compton
90220, and Laker Girls VS. Raiderettes. Other upcoming episodes of note
include Nerds VS. Stoners, and Goths VS. Santas.

>     Comedian Chris Rock will perform at Harlem's APOLLO Theatre from
June 17th-19th, and both shows will be taped to create CHRIS ROCK:
BIGGER & BLACKER, which HBO will premiere on Saturday, July 10th, at
11:15pm. The hour-long comedy special will follow HBO's premiere of
LETHAL WEAPON 4, which Rock also stars in, and you can also catch him in
Kevin Smith's DOGMA, Neil LaBute's NURSE BETTY, and a new season of THE
CHRIS ROCK SHOW, beginning in September. BIGGER & BLACKER will be
released on CD on July 13th.

>     Ted Koppel will host a series of primetime NIGHTLINE specials over
the summer for ABC, which will air Thursday nights at 10 beginning July
29th. Each episode will have a "Brave New World" theme, exploring how
technology has affected human behavior. The 59-year-old Koppel's
contract with NIGHTLINE is up next year, and it's believed he might be
looking to leave. In related news, NIGHTLINE reporter Forrest Sawyer
will be leaving ABC NEWS as a result of not being able to agree on a new
contract. Sawyer has been with ABC for 11 years. http://www.abc.com

>     Hollywood manager Gavin Polone guest stars in the pilot of FOX's
Hollywood-spoofing sitcom ACTION, which stars Jay Mohr (Jerry Maguire)
as a Hollywood agent, and Illeana Douglas as a former child star.
http://www.foxworld.com

>     Fans are rallying in full force to support BUFFY THE VAMPIRE
SLAYER, in an effort to ensure that the WB plays the second part of the
series' 2-part season finale, with thousands signing a petition in the
first 24-hours alone. Full details of where you can write can be found
at the below site... But if you know any BUFFY fans in Canada, you might
want to give them a holler, as the finale did air in their country
uncut, earlier in the week. http://buffyfiles.com/cbcc/petition.html
http://www.buffy.com

>     The current spotlight on violence in entertainment, as well as the
recent JENNY JONES SHOW verdict, is again leading to changes in THE
JERRY SPRINGER SHOW... In a statement released Tuesday, STUDIOS USA
announced "We will produce and distribute a program that we feel is
responsible -- no violence, physical confrontation or profanity. That
program will be an original or a qualifying reedited repeat. We will
inform stations that we are not providing any JERRY SPRINGER program if
these standards cannot be met." The change is effective immediately, and
resulted in replacement of episodes last week like "I'm Proud to be a
Prostitute," and "Guess What, I'm Bisexual" with older episodes
spotlighting female body builders and snake worshipers.

>     SHOWTIME is developing a third installment of Armistead Maupin's
TALES OF THE CITY.

>     SHOWTIME Networks has announced plans to launch two new channels;
SHOWTIME BEYOND, a channel devoted to sci-fi, horror, and fantasy movies
which will launch this September, and a channel targeted at the
"Generation Y" audience launching in June 2000, featuring movies,
concerts, shorts, and a fully-integrated Internet component. The exact
name of this channel has yet to be unveiled, but it'll utilize
user-generated content from its site (launching later this year) to
develop and enhance its programming.

>     FOX and CBS have announce plans to team up to create a NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC cable channel.

>     Samuel L. Jackson hosted the FOX special FROM STAR WARS TO STAR
WARS, which premiering Tuesday, June 15th, at 9pm. Written, directed,
and executive produced by Jon Kroll (Hypernauts), the hour-long special
features never-before-scene EPISODE I footage, behind-the-scenes shots,
interviews with George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, and James
Cameron, and a look at the special effects work of INDUSTRIAL LIGHT &
MAGIC over the last 25 years.  Of course, Skullboy was busy working, so
if anyone's got it on tape, I'd appreciate it... http://www.foxworld.com

>     TALK SOUP host John Henson has announced he'll leave the E! show
he's hosted for over four years. While Henson has not yet announced when
his last show will be, he's expected to move on to hosting a latenight
talkshow for ABC which will follow POLITICALLY INCORRECT.
http://www.eonline.com

>     The Big Giant Head finally made it to Earth in the hour-long
season finale of THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN last Tuesday in the form of
William Shatner...

>     The SCI-FI Channel's SCIFI.COM website is taking votes for STAR
TREK VIEWERS COMMAND, a 20-hour viewers' choice marathon of the original
TREK, next Monday, Memorial Day, from 7am to 3am. http://www.scifi.com

>     Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, A Bug's Life) has joined Drew Carey
in ABC's WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY movie GEPPETTO. She'll play the Blue
Fairy in this comical, live-action musical adaptation of the classic
PINOCCHIO story, told from the perspective of Geppetto, while Pinocchio
is off on his adventure. Production begins June 7th on the DISNEY lot,
for premiere on a Sunday night in May, 2000.

>     FOX has announced it'll likely tone down the violence in Chris
Carter's new cyber-thriller, HARSH REALM, in the wake of the recent
multiple school shootings.  http://www.harshrealm.com

>     NBC's recent psychedelic ALICE IN WONDERLAND 3-hour TV movie was
released on VHS and DVD by ARTISAN Home Entertainment. Priced at under
$20, this visual treat of an adaptation that sticks close to Lewis
Carroll's story stars Tina Majorino (Waterworld), Martin Short, Whoopi
Goldberg, Christopher Lloyd, Gene Wilder, Miranda Richardson, and Ben
Kingsley. http://www.artisanent.com

>     Fans of syndicated TV series THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN are
rallying to save their show, now that it's in some danger of being
cancelled (and anyone who's watched it will understand why). The show is
tied up in the sale of UNIVERSAL's purchase of POLYGRAM, and its sale in
foreign markets, but a grassroots fan campaign could be exactly what it
needs to convince executives it has a loyal following. The fans will
also make their presence known this Saturday with a booth at FANGORIA'S
WEEKEND OF HORROR convention in Pasadena, California, which CROW star
Mark Dacascos will attend. http://www.crowmystique.8m.com
http://www.starbuzz.net/daribus/Mark_petition.html

>     David E. Kelley is rumored to be considering a 30-minute version
of ALLY McBEAL, which would supposedly use both footage from the Monday
night episodes, as well as new footage, for single-storyline episodes.
This new ALLY would likely air Tuesday nights at 8, with KING OF THE
HILL moving to Fridays.  http://www.foxworld.com

>     STUDIOS USA has signed writer/producer/'70s pop star Shaun Cassidy
(American Gothic, Hollyweird, Roar, Players) to a multi-year drama
development deal. Cassidy has received his first series order, for a new
USA Network drama already set to premiere in January 2000.

>     DAILY VARIETY reports Kate Jackson (Charlie's Angels) and Shannen
Doherty (Charmed) will star in a TV movie remake of SATAN'S SCHOOL FOR
GIRLS. Aaron Spelling will produce the project, which has Doherty
playing the part Jackson played in the original, of a young woman
investigating her sister's apparent suicide, and Jackson will play a
school dean. http://www.variety.com

>     VARIETY reports Will Friedle (Boy Meets World, Batman Beyond),
Matt Lawrence (Boy Meets World), and Rhea Perlman have signed on to star
in H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS, ABC's WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY adaptation
of the Lukas Foos opera GRIFFELKIN. Friedle will play an apprentice
devil on a mission to get the soul of an up-and-coming hockey player.

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Debra Messing (Will &
Grace) will play Mary Magdalene in the CBS miniseries JESUS.

>     Sunday nights are looking better than ever this fall for FOX's
lineup, with KING OF THE HILL at 7:30, SIMPSONS at 8, FUTURAMA at 8:30,
and THE X-FILES at 9.

>     NBC has announced the pilots it will pick up for the fall are
STARK RAVING MAD, an untitled project starring Mike O'Malley (Pushing
Tin), the John Wells (ER) dramas WEST WING and THIRD WATCH, the spin-off
LAW & ORDER: S.V.U., the high school drama FREAKS AND GEEKS, and the
drama COLD FEET. http://www.nbc.com

>     NBC's VERONICA'S CLOSET is expected to move to Monday nights in
the fall, making way on Thursday nights at 9:30 for STARK RAVING MAD, a
promising sitcom from Steve Levitan (Just Shoot Me) starring Tony
Shalhoub (Wings, The Siege, Galaxy Quest) as a horror writer.

>     James D. Hudnall, writer and co-creator of the HARSH REALM comic
series that Chris Carter (X-Files) is adapting into a TV show, says his
agent reports FOX has gone ga-ga over the HARSH REALM pilot, saying it's
the best pilot they've ever seen and that they plan to spend more on the
show's launch than anything they've ever done before. His agent added it
was kind of like THE MATRIX, and it plays very fast and very hip, and is
loaded with techno music. http://www.harshrealm.com

>     Kevin Sorbo, who will officially leave the now-cancelled HERCULES:
THE LEGENDARY JOURNEY (but a handful of new episodes [8] remain for next
season), is developing GENE RODDENBERRY'S ANDROMEDA and GENE
RODDENBERRY'S STARSHIP with Majel Barrett-Roddenberry for syndication in
fall 2000, and Sorbo plans to star in one of the series. HERCULES will
be replaced mid-season, in January 2000, with a new series from Sam
Raimi and Robert Tapert's RENAISSANCE Pictures.
http://www.mca.com/tv/hercules

>     While a STAR WARS parody starring a cast of thumbs (fake thumbs,
actually...) might sound scary, UPN's THUMB WARS, which which will be
broadcast again June 14th, is absolutely hilarious. It's all compliments
of the mad mind of Steve Oedekerk (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls,
SteveOedekerk.com). And face it, chances are you're not going
http://www.thumbtv.com http://www.upn.com

>     Animation company FILM ROMAN has announced that due to production
differences, FOX will take over animation responsibilities on FAMILY GUY
next season, which they'll handle in-house. FILM ROMAN, who produced 15
episodes of GUY, will continue to produce the animation for THE SIMPSONS
and KING OF THE HILL. http://www.foxworld.com

>     Michael McKean has signed on to star in the pilot of NBC's MASTERS
OF HORROR & SUSPENSE anthology family drama from The JIM HENSON Co..

>     VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Tim Curry and Corben
Bernsen will co-star in FOX's retired superhero sitcom THE
UNBELIEVABLES.

>     DAILY VARIETY columnist Michael Fleming reports Niklaus Lange will
play the title role in executive producer George Clooney's KILROY, an
HBO comedy about a struggling actor taking bit parts on real series. The
catch here is that the bit part he takes will be on real episodes of
real series. For instance, the pilot has him guest starring on Pamela
Anderson's V.I.P., which means an eventual episode of V.I.P. will
feature him in a small role. http://www.variety.com http://www.hbo.com

>     Julianna Margulies recently told England's NOW Magazine that
George Clooney has signed on to appear in four episodes of ER next
season. http://www.nbc.com

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Jeremy Sisto (Clueless, The
60s) will play the title role in CBS' JESUS, which also stars Jacqueline
Bisset (Murder on the Orient Express) as Mary, Armin Mueller-Stahl
(Shine) as Joseph, David O'Hara (The MatchMaker) as John the Baptist,
and Gary Oldman as Pontius Pilate. Production on the four-hour
miniseries begins in Morocco under the direction of Roger Young (Moses,
Solomon, Joseph). http://www.hollywoodreporter.com http://www.cbs.com

>     VARIETY reports Jon Favreau (Swingers, Friends) will star in the
pilot of a UPN sitcom from Larry Charles (Seinfeld) about life in Los
Angeles. The series will also star Noah Emmerich (The Truman Show).

>     Dean Cain (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman), Lexa
Doug (CI5: The New Professionals), and Eric Roberts are currently in
Montreal shooting the HBO original movie THE UNCONCERNED. The Bruce
Pittman (Due South)-directed film is about a man (Cain) mistaken for his
petty thief brother by a ruthless criminal out for blood.

>     According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, brothers Charlie Sheen and
Emilio Estevez will star in RATED X, a SHOWTIME original about two
brothers in the adult film industry. Estevez is also expected to direct
the movie.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     YES are currently putting the finishing touches on "The Ladder,"
the latest album from their classic line-up of Chris Squire, Jon
Anderson, Steve Howe, Alan White, Billy Sherwood, who've been joined by
keyboardist Igor Koroshev, on the last album from late producer Bruce
Fairbairn (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Cranberries). "Ladder" is due out
September 12th on YES BEYOND/BMG Entertainment, and the band is expected
to announce plans to tour North America shortly. Additionally, YES
recently penned the title track from SIERRA's upcoming real-time
strategy game HOMEWORLD, inspired by the underlying story in the game,
which will be featured on the game's soundtrack due out this summer.
http://www.sierrastudios.com/games/homeworld

>     FATBOY SLIM performs on the LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG KILBORN
latenight Wednesday on CBS. http://www.cbs.com

>     Tom Jones' next album will feature the singer teaming up with
others for an amazing batch of covers and originals. According to NME,
the track listing for the album includes Jones teaming up with The
CARDIGANS to cover TALKING HEADS' "Burning Down The House," Natalie
Imbruglia for a cover of INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart," Robbie Williams
for a cover of Lenny Kravitz' "Are You Going To Go My Way," and The
DIVINE COMEDY for a cover of PORTISHEAD's "All Mine." Jones also teams
up on the album with Kelly Jones, James Dean Bradfield, BARENAKED
LADIES, Van Morrison, Heather Small (M People), Chrissie Hynde, Mick
Hucknall (Simply Red), and The JAMES TAYLOR QUARTET. The album is due
out in the UK in September on GUT Records.

>     UNFORSCENE Music/NETTWERK America release the soundtrack to the
recent indie comedy FREE ENTERPRISE this week. The soundtrack includes
William Shatner's rap duet with The Rated R on "No Tears For Caesar," as
well as songs from MANUFACTURE with Sarah McLachlan, WEED, The CULT,
POVI, SHRIEKBACK, DURAN DURAN, and FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD.
Additionally, the first 10,000 copies of the CD include a FREE
ENTERPRISE William Shatner trading card, and the actor appears on a
secret bonus track on the disc.

>     ELECTRONIC ARTS and BAM Magazine are co-sponsoring a search for
indie label and unsigned and bands to appear on the soundtrack of EA's
upcoming SONY PLAYSTATION game ROAD RASH UNCHAINED. Full details are
available at the official ROAD RASH site, but basically you just need to
get your CD or tape off to them by next Friday, June 18th. Winning bands
will receive an in-game credit, mention in the game's manual, and five
free copies of the game. http://www.roadrash.com

>     NME reports Tricky's next album will be entitled "Juxtapose." Due
out in the U.K. on August 16th through UNIVERSAL/ISLAND, Tricky
collaborated on the album with producers DJ Muggs and Grease, and Bob
Khaleel (Bronx Style Bob) sings on two of its tracks. Now a native of
New York, Tricky will return to the U.K. for three concerts in late
July. http://www.nme.com

>     The first of three previously-unreleased BEASTIE BOYS remixes,
"The Negotiation Limerick File (DJ Design Remix)" is now available, as
part of an exclusive charity promotion at LAUNCH.COM, courtesy of the
band, GRAND ROYAL/CAPITOL Records, and MICROSOFT Corp. For every song
downloaded during this 10-week promotion, the BEASTIE BOYS and
LAUNCH.COM will donate $1 to Kosovo relief charities CARE and MADRE, for
a total donation of up to $1 million, and MICROSOFT will match the
contribution dollar-for-dollar with donations to the U.S. Committee for
UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders/MSF. "We felt honored to be able to
help people in need, using both our music and this new technology,"
commented the BEASTIE BOYS' Mike Diamond "It is in crises like these
that we are all reminded of what we should already be aware: There are
many beings suffering and it is everyone's responsibility to help change
that." http://www.launch.com http://www.beastieboys.com
http://www.grandroyal.com http://www.hollywoodandvine.com
http://www.care.org http://www.madre.org http://www.unicefusa.org
http://www.dwb.org

>     David Bowie has his hands in so many pies these days it's almost
hard to believe he has time to make new music, but perhaps that's why he
turned to over 80,000 fans and aspiring songwriters to help with the
song "What's Really Happening," which you can see him record live via
the Internet, tonight from 7-10pm ET. A recent Internet contest held
through Bowie's personal website gave fans a chance to listen to a rough
version of the aforementioned single which didn't have any verses, and
Alex Grant of Ohio beat out over 80,000 others with his lyrics -- Which
Bowie will record with Grant for use on his next album. Grant also wins
a $15,000 publishing contract with BUG Music, a one-year subscription to
BOWIENET, a complete Bowie catalogue, a $500 gift certificate to CD NOW,
and a three year subscription to ROLLING STONE Magazine. The event is
being presented by TUNES.COM, LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES, and BOWIENET, and
will be the first public webcast ever to use BELL Labs' 360-degree
FULLVIEW camera. In other cyber-Bowie news, he wrote eight songs for
EIDOS Interactive's upcoming karmic adventure game OMIKRON: THE NOMAD
SOUL, and he and his wife Iman will play two of its 140 different
characters. OMIKRON is scheduled for release in October.
http://www.davidbowie.com http://www.Tunes.com
http://www.rollingstone.com http://www.lucent.com
http://www.fullview.com http://www.eidosinteractive.com
http://www.quanticdream.com/index2.htm

>     CDNOW allstar News reports CRYSTAL METHOD, ORBITAL, and LO
FIDELITY ALLSTARS will embark on a three-week, 18-city "Community
Service" tour in Chicago on July 4th. Each show promises at least six
hours of non-stop music, with DJ John Kelley mixing records between
sets. http://www.cdnow.com/allstar

>     CAIPIRINHA Productions have just released the electronica
documentary MODULATIONS on video. Available for purchase at CAIPIRINHA's
website, this recommended, in-depth look at the evolution of electronic
music features interviews and performances from AUTECHRE, ATARI TEENAGE
RIOT, FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON, APHRODITE, ORBITAL, MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO,
COLDCUT, PRODIGY, Derrick May, Frankie Bones, Roni Size, Joey Beltram,
Jesse Saunders, Moby, and many, many others. http://www.caipirinha.com
http://www.modulations.com

>     The first single from MAVERICK Records' AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO
SHAGGED ME soundtrack, a new Madonna song entitled "Beautiful Hour," is
a collaboration between Madonna and producer William Orbit, who last
worked together on her "Ray of Light" album, directed by Brett Ratner
(Rush Hour), which guest stars Mike Myers in his Austin Powers
character. Additionally, Lenny Kravitz' next single and the next single
from the soundtrack, a cover of The GUESS WHO's "American Woman," will
be released around the same time. It's backed by a live concert video
directed by Paul Hunter, guest starring Heather Graham as Felicity
Shagwell. The soundtrack will be released on June 1st, and the film
follows on the 11th. http://www.maverickrc.com

>     TOMMY HILFIGER has announced he'll sponsor Britney Spears' North
American tour, supporting her JIVE Records debut "...Baby One More
Time." Spears is also currently featured in TOMMY JEANS' Spring "All
Stars" advertising campaign. In other news, the 17-year-old has signed a
deal with ENTERTAINMENT DRIVE's STARCLUBS division for EDRIVE to create
an official website for her. BRITNEY.COM will feature contests,
electronic postcards, merchandise, screensavers, games, photos, audio,
video, and a daily backstage section that Britney herself will create.
http://www.britney.com

>     George Harrison is struggling to recover from his chemotherapy,
but he remains light-hearted, joking that his upcoming solo album will
be released posthumously to increase its sales.

>     This year's TIBETAN FREEDOM Concert will take place in Chicago,
Amsterdam, Sydney, and Tokyo on the same day, June 13th, in
commemoration of the 50th anniversary of China's invasion of Tibet. The
line-up for the events include BEASTIE BOYS, GARBAGE, RAGE AGAINST THE
MACHINE, LIVE, BLONDIE, LUSCIOUS JACKSON, BLUR, The CULT, OUTKAST, The
ROOTS, RUN DMC, The LIVING END, BUFFALO DAUGHTER, BRAHMAN, The
AVALANCHES, The MAVIS'S, REGURGITATOR, Kiyoshirou Imawano, Kan Takagi,
Biz Markie, Ben Harper, Otis Rush, Tracy Chapman, Eddie Vedder (Pearl
Jam), Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Joe Strummer (The Clash), Neil Finn
(Crowded House), but if you can't bend the laws of time and space to
your will to catch all the performances, an Internet webcast of all the
performances will be available. http://www.milarepa.org
http://www.tibet99.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - PRINT - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     According to STATES NEWS SERVICE, Stephen King told a crowd of 700
writers at the VERMONT LIBRARY ASSOCIATION's annual meeting in
Killington, VT, that writers need to examine the impact of their work on
society. King said that recent incidents like the Columbine massacre
have moved him to look inward and examine the effect of his own books,
including three which have dealt with high school violence, and he's
going as far as asking his publisher to pull one of his Richard Bachman
books, presumably RAGE, from store shelves. http://www.darkecho.com

>     ONI Press has acquired the rights to publish a one-shot comic book
companion to THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, a revolutionary horror film from
ARTISAN Entertainment and HAXAN Films. The film is a documentary-style
horror film about a group of film students searching a Maryland forest
for an urban legend called the Blair Witch, and this comic expands upon
three of the urban legend-type stories touched upon briefly in the film.
Scheduled for release on July 9th, a week before the film's July 16th
release, the one-shot's stories are written by Jen Van Meter (Buffy The
Vampire Slayer: The Remaining Sunlight), and illustrated by Tommy Lee
Edwards (Deathblow), Guy Davis (Sandman Mystery Theatre), and Bernie
Mireault (The Jam). http://www.onipress.com http://www.artisanent.com
http://www.blairwitch.com

>     Animated BATMAN favorite Harley Quinn enters the DC Comics'
universe with the August 11th release of BATMAN: HARLEY QUINN, a
48-page, prestige format one-shot written by Paul Dini, illustrated by
Yvel Guichet and Aaron Sowd, and featuring a painted cover by Alex Ross
(Earth X). The introductory story is similar to that of Harley's
animated origin, with former Arkham Asylum doctor Harleen Quinn becoming
the Joker's "girlfriend," and turning to Poison Ivy after that doesn't
work out. Harley will then be featured in the 2-part "The Code" NO MAN'S
LAND story arc, beginning August 18th, in BATMAN #570.
http://www.dccomics.com

>     News regarding HANNIBAL, Thomas Harris' sequel to his novel
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, and its possible film adaptation are beginning to
leak out... Horror/dark fantasy newsletter darkecho recently reported
the book is shorter than originally anticipated, thanks to Harris' large
type font, and looks to come in at about 500 pages. Harris is doing no
interviews and no signings, and no review copies are being sent out, but
a number of stores, including San Diego's MYSTERIOUS GALAXY and
Houston's MURDER BY THE BOOK, will open their doors on the 8th at
midnight for early sales. Additionally, according to ENTERTAINMENT
WEEKLY, Jonathan Demme is said to be considering turning down directing
HANNIBAL, citing that it's too violent. http://www.darkecho.com
http://www.mystgalaxy.com http://www.murderbythebook.com
http://www.ew.com

>     ACCLAIM Comics has announced the "world's worst super hero team"
QUANTUM & WOODY will return in September with issue #32, as if the book
had never been cancelled at issue #17. The original creative team of
writer Christopher Priest (Black Panther), penciler M.D. Bright, and
inker Greg Adams all return for the re-launch, but while it begins with
#32, the third part in a major four-part story, things jump back to
issue #18 in October for the start of the fourteen missing issues.
http://www.acclaim.net

>     HUGO & NEBULA award-winning author Greg Bear (Foundation and
Chaos, The Forge of God) will write a STAR WARS I spin-off novel for DEL
REY Books. Details of the book are unknown, but it is expected to be
released next summer. Other than the occasional major spin-off novel
though, DEL REY will be waiting until George Lucas finishes at least the
scripts for the next two films before fully expanding on things in
fiction. That's not the case for fiction spun-off from episodes IV-VI
though, as DEL REY launches into a major line this October with R.A.
Salvatore's THE NEW JEDI: VECTOR PRIME.
http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey

>     Select Canadian movie theaters are offering an exclusive, 56-page,
George Lucas-authorized souvenir program for STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM
MENACE, which is a bargain at $10. An initial run of 130,000 were
printed, and a second run of 100,000 are planned, with more on the way
as circumstances warrant.

>     Read the film you'll never see this August with CLERKS: THE LOST
SCENES, an adaptation of Kevin Smith's original CLERKS story, with
assorted scenes cut out of early script drafts. The 32-page ONI Press
one-shot will be illustrated by Phil Hester (Swamp Thing) and Andre
Parks, and Duncan Fegredo (Jay & Silent Bob) supplies the cover. "The
funeral parlor was a scene we didn't have the wherewithal to shoot back
when we made CLERKS," explains Kevin Smith , "so it got cut out of the
earliest drafts. There'll be a nice sense of closure to having it reach
an audience now. It may not be twenty years later, and there may be no
digital Jabba added, but it's kind of restoring the original vision of
the flick... or something like that." http://www.onipress.com

>     COMIC SHOP NEWS reports WILDSTORM has acquired the comic book
rights to the USA Network's LA FEMME NIKITA series.  Yet another nail in
Luc Besson's chest... http://www.csnsider.com http://www.wildstorm.com

>     DC Comics has announced it's signed artists Tim Sale (Batman: The
Long Halloween) and Tony Harris (Starman) to exclusive contracts. Sale
is currently working on an eagerly-awaited sequel to THE LONG HALLOWEEN
with writer Jeph Loeb entitled BATMAN: DARK VICTORY, and Harris' next
work for DC will be an Elseworlds story set in North Africa during World
War II entitled JSA: THE LIBERTY FILES.

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - ELECTRONIC - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     CARTOON NETWORK Online has announced it will revive  '70s cult
favorite THE BANANA SPLITS next year in a  new, interactive WEB PREMIERE
TOON. The plot for the  first episode has Fleagle, Drooper, Bingo, and
Snorky  getting zapped into an interactive, animated universe.
http://www.cartoonnetwork.com

>      EIDOS Interactive recently announced it has not  one, but four
follow-up games in the works based on  their first-person adventure game
THIEF.  The addicting game, which emphasizes stealth and  strategy over
combat, will receive the enhancement  treatment this fall with THIEF
GOLD: THE DARK PROJECT,  which also offers three all-new missions.
THIEF II: THE METAL AGE is being developed for  next spring, with even
more enhancements, and an  additional two THIEF games are in the works.
In related news, LOOKING GLASS Studios now  offer a free THIEF mission
editor for download  at their website, where users can create a new  3D
level map and draw from a large library  of objects and textures to
create unique missions.  http://www.thief-darkproject.com
http://www.eidosinteractive.com  http://www.lglass.com

>      RED STORM Entertainment has teamed up with kids network BKN to
produce games based on BKN's new animated series ROSWELL CONSPIRACIES:
ALIENS, MYTHS & LEGENDS. Described as an animated X-FILES geared towards
a younger audience, the series already has a two-year commitment at BKN,
with a premiere scheduled for spring 2000. The first game is expected to
follow, during the 2000 holiday season. http://www.redstorm.com

>     NEW LINE CINEMA and togglethis have launched INTERACTIVE AUSTIN
POWERS, a free, animated, interactive series bridging the gap between
AUSTIN POWERS and next week's sequel, THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME. 12
episodes of iAUSTIN will be distributed via e-mail, beginning with a
vigorous spy boot camp where Austin trains you to battle fembots. AOL
Keyword: AUSTIN POWERS http://www.austinpowers.com/togglethis
http://www.togglethis.com

>     EIDOS Interactive recently announced the signing of a major
publishing and investment deal with Michael Crichton's new computer game
company, TIMELINE Studios. The agreement gives EIDOS a long-term equity
stake in TIMELINE, and funds the development of a series of titles based
on new Crichton properties. The first of these titles is expected to be
released in the first half of 2000. http://www.timelinestudios.com
http://www.virtus.com

>     SEGA has announced its new DREAMCAST video game system will be
released on September 9th, for a suggested $199. The 128-bit system,
which includes a 56k modem in-box, will without-a-doubt be the reigning
system of the holiday season, and you'll have 16 titles to choose from
at its launch, and another 14 or so by the end of December. These
include SEGA's own SONIC ADVENTURE, VIRTUA FIGHTER 3tb, THE HOUSE OF THE
DEAD 2, CART RACING, and NFL and NBA games, and third-party titles like
KONAMI's AIRFORCE DELTA, MIDWAY's HYDRO THUNDER, MORTAL KOMBAT GOLD, and
READY 2 RUMBLE, UBI SOFT's MONACO GRAND PRIX, CAPCOM's POWER STONE, and
NAMCO's SOUL CALIBUR. DREAMCAST owners will also be able to compete
against each other online over SEGASOFT's HEAT.NET, starting just after
the system's launch with SEGA RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2 and the medieval
adventure BALDUR'S GATE, followed by the mech-robot action game SLAVE
ZERO, and a massively-multiplayer sci-fi game entitled FRONTIER. The
DREAMCAST is 15x more powerful than a SONY PLAYSTATION, 10x more
powerful than the NINTENDO 64, and has four times the graphics
processing power of the fastest PENTIUM II processor, and the included
modem will not only allow multiplayer gaming, but e-mail, chatting, and
web browsing as well.  But if you think THAT'S impressive, just wait
till the Playstation 2 hits the market in 2000... http://www.sega.com

>     SNK began selling its new, 16-bit NEO GEO POCKET COLOR gaming
system online on June 1st, in six different colors, and with at least 10
games available at launch. The NGPC can display three times as many
colors as NINTENDO'S GAME BOY COLOR, and is smaller, lighter, and
faster. The system, which allows for nearly 40 hours of gameplay on two
AA batteries, also features an alarm, a calendar, a horoscope, and an
international clock, all for a suggested $69.95. The initial group of
titles include KING OF FIGHTERS - R2, SAMURAI SHODOWN! 2, POCKET TENNIS,
FATAL FURY - FIRST CONTACT, METAL SLUG - FIRST MISSION, THE LAST BLADE,
and and NEO POCKET BASS FISHING, and at least 20 games are expected out
by the end of the summer. http://www.snkusa.com

<<- - - - - - - - TOYS, GAMES, CARDS - - - - - - - - ->>

>     TIGER Electronics recently launched a website devoted to its
impressive group of electronic STAR WARS I toys, offering a catalogue of
their entire Episode I toy line, message boards devoted to the movie and
its toys, and a SHOCKWAVE version of its ELECTRONIC ESCAPE FROM NABOO
Skill & Action Game. Visitors to the site can also sign up to join the
TIGER TOY FEDERATION for unlimited access to all TIGER websites, a
downloadable STAR WARS I screensaver, and announcements of freebies,
activities, special offers, and other information.  TIGER is also
supposedly developing an INTERACTIVE YODA-style FURBY for release
towards the end of the year. http://www.tigertoys.com
http://www.furby.com

>     McFARLANE Toys has revealed its line of action figures for AUSTIN
POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME will include Dr. Evil's pint-sized clone
Mini-Me, and Evil henchmen Fat Bastard. They join an Austin Powers
figure dressed in a velvet suit, an Austin wearing nothing but underwear
(and real chest hair), Felicity Shagwell, and Dr. Evil (with Mr.
Bigglesworth), and each includes a soundbyte sound chip quoting one of
the characters' many quotable phrases. The figures will be released
during the first week of June for a suggested $7.99.
http://www.mcfarlanetoys.com

<<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - FOOD - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->>

>     The boxes of the 28 exclusive STAR WARS toys that started
appearing at TACO BELL, PIZZA HUT, and KFC restaurants reportedly link
up to create a one-of-a-kind montage of all the PHANTOM MENACE
characters.

-===========================================================-


   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess


   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
-===========================================================-
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     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
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Sorry.  So sorry.  I know you’ve been jonesing for yer fix of
Hollywood info (yeah, right).  What more can I say?
I’ve rather concluded that I have no time for this these days.
Its been what, SIX WEEKS now?  Perhaps when my current workload
Lightens up, I’ll be able to give you a thick, juicy scoop of
Entertainment news on a regular basis.  For now, though, I’ll
Try to apply myself towards at least feeding you the occassional
Tidbits that don’t require the usual several hours of surfing and
editing…
      -Skullboy

-===========================================================-

One of the funniest men on the planet, David Cross (Mr. Show), will tape
the hour-long HBO comedy special DAVID CROSS: THE PRIDE IS BACK in
Seattle this month, for a premiere on Saturday, September 18th.

Syndicated columnist Cindy Pearlman reports Paul Reubens is looking to
make a new Pee-Wee Herman feature film:"I've had a nice vacation from
Pee-Wee and now I'm ready to go back to work rejuvenated," said Reubens
"I know you've read reports that I've retired Pee-Wee forever, but it
was all lies. It's going to be Pee-Wee's autobiography. The movie will
show what happens when Pee-Wee gets famous and it changes his life
completely."

Sir Ian McKellen (Richard III, X-MEN's Magneto) has signed on to play
Gandalf in the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, and Ian Holm (The Fifth
Element) is in final talks to play Bilbo.
http://www.mckellen.com
http://www.lordoftherings.net

England's DAILY MIRROR is reporting Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The
World is Not Enough) is being considered for a role in the now-casting
STAR WARS II.

UNIVERSAL's MYSTERY MEN has been pushed back a week to August 6th,
presumably as a result of the competition from the wide release of THE
BLAIR WITCH PROJECT on July 30th.

PARAMOUNT has bumped back the release of the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE sequel
from this Christmas to May 24th, 2000, a little more than 30 days before
the release of Steven Spielberg's upcoming Tom Cruise film MINORITY
REPORT.

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is actually undergoing a title change, some 18
years after its release, and the upcoming video re-release and such will
now carry the name INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

STAR WARS I: THE PHANTOM MENACE has now grossed over $400 million at the
domestic box office, making it the third-highest-grossing film of all
time, and the second-highest in terms of films in their first run.  STAR
WARS IV: A NEW HOPE stands at $461 million, but the film still has a
ways to go before surpassing TITANIC's $600.8 million...

-===========================================================-
   THE SKINNY is lovingly compiled and filtered from a mess
   of sources by Skullboy for you, the home viewer.  Like
   Skullboy, it's pretty irregular, and as dependable as
   anything else in Hollywood.  Take with a shot of bourbon.
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     P O S T    N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S
  skullboy@...         http://www.neurobellum.com
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eGroups.com home: http://www.egroups.com/group/theskinny
http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications

a nice little scoop...

http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=4973
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:       "The journey of a thousand miles starts        :
:            with a trip to the bathroom."             :
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This is too, too sad, especially considering the prime-time dedication
special that was just aired in dedication to his retirement this past
Friday...
The timing couldn't be more uncanny and sad...

-mk
-=================================-
Sunday, 13 February, 11:01 a.m.
S A N  F R A N C I S C O  (AP)

"PEANUTS" CREATOR Charles M. Schulz died on
Saturday, turning his farewell note in Sunday papers
into an epitaph for both a comic strip and its creator.

Schulz was 77, and died in his sleep at about 9:45
p.m. at his home in Santa Rosa, said his son, Craig
Schulz.

He was diagnosed with colon cancer and suffered a
series of small strokes during emergency abdominal
surgery in November 1999, and announced his
retirement a few weeks afterward.

Schulz had seemed fine earlier in the day and had
gone to his daughter Jill Transki's home in Santa
Rosa. Only his wife, Jeannie, was with him when he
died, Craig Schulz said.

His wildly popular "Peanuts" made its debut on Oct.
2, 1950. The travails of the "little round-headed kid"
and his pals eventually ran in more than 2,600
newspapers, reaching millions of readers in 75
countries.

His last strip, appearing in Feb. 13 Sunday editions,
showed Snoopy at his typewriter and other Peanuts
regulars along with a "Dear Friends" letter thanking
his readers for their support.

"I have been grateful over the years for the loyalty of
our editors and the wonderful support and love
expressed to me by fans of the comic strip," Schulz
wrote. "Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy ... how
can I ever forget them ..."

It ended with his signature.

Over the years, the Peanuts gang became a part of
American popular culture, delivering gentle humor
spiked with a child's-eye view of human foibles.

Sergio Aragones, a Mad magazine cartoonist and
friend for more than 30 years, called Schulz "a true
cartoonist."

"In a couple of centuries when people talk about
American artists, he'll be the one of the very few
remembered," Aragones said. "And when they talk
about comic strips, probably his will be the only one
ever mentioned."

One of the most endearing qualities of "Peanuts" was
its constancy.

The long-suffering Charlie Brown still faced
misfortune with a mild, "Good grief!" Tart-tongued
Lucy still handed out advice at a nickel a pop, a joke
that started as a parody of a lemonade stand. And
Snoopy, Charlie Brown's wise-but-weird beagle, still
took the occasional flight of fancy back to the skies
of World War I and his rivalry with the Red Baron.

Schulz was born in St. Paul, Minn., on Nov. 26,
1922, and studied art after he saw a "Do you like to
draw?" ad.

He was drafted into the Army in 1943 and sent to
the European theater, although he saw little combat.

After the war, he did lettering for a church comic
book, taught art and sold cartoons to the Saturday
Evening Post. His first feature, "Li'l Folks," was
developed for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 1947. In
1950, it was sold to a syndicate and the named
changed to Peanuts, even though, he recalled later,
he didn't much like the name.

Although he remained largely a private person, the
strip brought Schulz international fame. He won the
Reuben Award, comic art's highest honor, in 1955
and 1964. In 1978, he was named International
Cartoonist of the Year, an award voted by 700
comic artists around the world.

He was to have been honored with a lifetime
achievement award on May 27 at the National
Cartoonists Society convention in New York.

In his later years, he spent much of his time at his
Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, about 60
miles north of San Francisco, where he frequently
played hockey or sipped coffee at the rink's Warm
Puppy snack bar.

"Peanuts," meanwhile, had remained an intensely
personal effort. He had had a clause in his contract
dictating the strip had to end with his death. While
battling cancer, he opted to retire it right then, saying
he wanted to focus on his health and family without
the worry of a daily deadline.

"Why do musicians compose symphonies and poets
write poems?" he once said. "They do it because life
wouldn't have any meaning for them if they didn't.
That's why I draw cartoons. It's my life."
-------
Cartoonists Mourn Charles
Schulz

Sunday, 13 February, 11:38 a.m.
S A N  F R A N C I S C O  (AP)

SOME OF the most fervent "Peanuts" fans were
Charles Schulz's fellow cartoonists. And Sunday,
they found themselves mourning their elder
statesman.

"In a couple of centuries, when people talk about
American artists, he'll be one of the very few
remembered," said longtime friend Sergio Aragones,
an illustrator for Mad magazine. "And when they talk
about comic strips, probably his will be the only one
ever mentioned."

Schulz's work ethic and endearingly honest way with
characters made him the standard by which many
cartoonists measured themselves.

"He worked every day. He never ran out of ideas,"
Aragones said. "He was a cartoonist, a true
cartoonist."

The creator of the most widely syndicated comic
strip in history died Saturday night at his Santa Rosa,
Calif. home, just as his final Sunday strip - a poignant
farewell to his readers - was headed for newsstands.

"It's amazing that he dies just before his last strip is
published," said Lynn Johnston, creator of "For
Better or For Worse." Such an ending, she said, was
"as if he had written it that way."

Schulz had talked with Johnston around
Christmastime about his retirement as she sat at the
foot of his hospital bed.

"He said, `Isn't it amazing how you have no control
over your real life?"' she recalled. '"You control all
these characters and the lives they live. You decide
when they get up in the morning, when they're going
to fight with their friends, when you're going to lose
the game."'

"You have no way of writing your own story," she
said. "But I think, in a way, he did."

Mell Lazarus, who draws the "Momma" and "Miss
Peach" strips, knew Schulz for 42 years. His death
"leaves a big, big hole," he said.

"I think 'Peanuts' has been for most of its existence
the best comic strip in history, and nothing's ever
approached it," Lazarus said. "He's going to be
missed and will clearly never be replaced."

Schulz twice won the Reuben Award, comic art's
highest honor. In 1978, he was named International
Cartoonist of the Year, an award voted by 700
comic artists around the world.

He was to have been honored with a lifetime
achievement award on May 27 at the National
Cartoonists Society convention in New York.

Johnston was among many cartoonists who
considered Schulz a mentor.

"We would often talk about him and what an amazing
diversity of individuals he was," she said. "He was
every single one of the characters he drew. And he
used to say, 'If you want to know me, read my
work.' And that's the truth."
--



-======================================================-
:       "The journey of a thousand miles starts        :
:            with a trip to the bathroom."             :
-======================================================-
-======================================================-
:              skullboy@...                :
: P O S T   N E U R O B E L L U M    C R E A T I O N S :
:             http://www.neurobellum.com               :
-======================================================-

And I hear about it as I am cracking open the Sunday funnies to read his
final Peanuts. Ouch.

Oh, the irony...

http://www.metlife.com/Lifeadvice/Family/Docs/loseloveintro.html

LOS ANGELES -- Fifty family members and close friends attended a funeral
service Sunday for actor Walter Matthau, who died Saturday at age 79.

"He wanted as little fuss made about it as possible, a simple burial in
a plain pine
casket," son Charlie Matthau said of his dad, who won an Oscar for his
role in
1966's "The Fortune Cookie."

Matthau was buried at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park,
the
same cemetery where Marilyn Monroe is buried. "Knowing my father," the
younger Matthau joked, "he'll insist on alphabetical billing."

His son said he plans to hold a memorial for Matthau in a few weeks.

The first public look at the computer generated animated for the new
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV
  show has appeared online [and now, here - jPs]. In a posting made to
his Planet Racers <http://www.planetracers.com/Blast/blast34.html>, TMNT
co-creator Peter Laird showed his readers two screen grabs from the
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pilot created by John Woo and Terence
Chang's Rainbow Studios.

[Forget the Turtles, give us more Casey Jones - jPs]
_____________________________________________________

Actor Peter Weller (RoboCop) will play a shuttle commander who witnesses
the destruction of the Earth from orbit in Odyssey 5, a new science
fiction movie being made for Showtime. After witnessing the planet's
final fate, the crew of the shuttle have an opportunity to time travel
back five years into the past and try and stop the events that led up to
the Earth's destruction from happening.

[Someday I'm going to go back in time and stop Hollywood from ever
making movies where people go back in time to stop things.  Then I'm
going to make a movie about it. - jPs]
_____________________________________________________

David Hasselhoff told Entertainment Weekly that he is preparing an
updated version of "Knight Rider" with a newer car, a young cast of
heroes, and the original voice of Kitt,  William Daniels.

Hasselhoff himself will reprise the role of Michael Knight, but this
time he'll be sitting back as the new generation's wizened boss,
relaxing and using his crime-fighting wisdom to instruct and aid the new
team of do-gooders.

[No no no... give us the original Knight Industries Two Thousand,
complete with primer-paint fenders and missing hubcaps!  I've got an
even BETTER story pitch -- it's the endearing story of a young Puerto
Rican kid (and mechanical supergenius, of COURSE) who comes from a very
poor family, but who saves up enough cash to 'buy his first car' from
scrap he gets at the junkyard.  Naturally he stumbles upon the remains
of a now-defunct K.I.T.T., and is surprised to find that - not only does
his car talk, but it's apparently an irritable old white man! "Hilarity
and over-the-top (see also "extreme") action ensues when this
wisecraking streetpunk and his crimefighting Chulo Dream Machine hit the
mean streets of New York!"  It's one-part "Herbie the Love Bug" and one
part "Chico and the Man". Can't you just picture K.I.T.T. all
jacked-up/dropped-down with hydrolics, a HUGE rear fin, and an semi-nude
woman with a cobra airbrushed on the hood?!?   I can keep riffing but
I've gone on too long already.  - jPs]
_____________________________________________________

The Tick is coming...
Thursday nights at 8:30pm ET/PT on FOX.