Dec 31 2008
Reports are that "Spider-man: The Musical" is coming along fine, but so far there's no Spidey.
Director Julie Taymor and Evan Rachel Wood, who will play Mary Jane, workshopped the musical with their "Across the Universe" collaborator Jim Sturgess in the title role, but Wood is saying Sturgess won't make a commitment to the role.
"It's a year commitment. . . . I did the workshop with Jim Sturgess, but he's not sure if he can make that year commitment but we're trying to get him to do it. I want him to do it so bad."
Sturgess remained noncommital in an interview with cinematical.com: "Um, I don't know. I haven't spoken to Julie since [the read-through], and I don't know when she plans to do it. It's a timing thing, I guess. I don't know how long it's going to be before it comes to the surface."
Wood, meanwhile, is having a great time preparing. She advises that we suppress any instincts to laugh about a musical Spidey: "When you first hear the title, Spider-Man, The Musical, you think, 'Oh what's that gonna be like?' The deal was that a man would never sing in spandex on stage, so, rest assured, Spider-Man will never sing in tights, only as Peter Parker. Only Julie Taymor can bring it to that place. She's bringing it to the next level like she did with 'The Lion King.' There's all new flying technology.
"I learned all the songs by Bono and The Edge. I didn't know how they were going to write for the stage but I think it's the best work they've done."
Dec 29 2008
It's fabulous in its horribleness.
Just as you'd expect from "Buffy" and "Firefly" creator Joss Whedon. Only better. Really, you'll like it. Even if you don't like musicals. You may be fascinated but horrified by the fact that you're fascinated - and that's all right, too.
"Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog," created by the Whedon Gang of Talented People as a free three-part Web series, was so popular from the second of its July launch, it immediately crashed the Dr. Horrible site. We who belong to the Cult of Joss Whedon would have been there no matter what, but it seems like everyone with access to the Internet caught on quickly. And there's not a year-end list that doesn't include "Dr. Horrible" among its "best-ofs," for the viral videos, for TV (Entertainment Weekly put this No. 1 among it's TV bests, even though it was entirely on the Web), for soundtrack ... the list goes on.
I could have watched the DVD extras online, too, but I wanted to give the folks who worked so hard to make me smile some of my hard-earned cash. Joss and his brothers, Zack and Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen, and the rest of the volunteer cast and crew, created this piece of art to fill the horrible hours of the writers' strike. They deserve a buck or two, if for nothing else, then just for being so wonderfully warped.
From the Evil League of Evil taking over the usual DVD "FBI Warning" to "Commentary: The Musical" (there's also a spoken commentary, but how ambitious is a second soundtrack?) to Neil Patrick Harris, a TV and Broadway veteran but new to the Loyal Cast & Crew of Whedon, mastering a speed-up, tongue-twist song to why, oh why do they kill . . . no, I won't do it. In case there's anyone out there who hasn't seen "Dr. Horrible" - really, just do it already - I won't give anything away.
As the title character, it's Harris' fabulous horribleness (something Dr. Horrible would say) that makes it all work. He's a singer and a ham and a professional and, well, he's the man. Nathan Fillion ("Buffy," "Firefly") is a loyal Whedonite who has the time of his life hamming it up as Captain Hammer, the most insincere superhero ever to be seen on screen. Felicia Day does innocence without a note of insincerity.
They create a triangle that only this bunch could have come up with: Dr. Horrible is a mad scientist desparate to be given a place in the Evil League of Evil or to rule the world, whichever comes first. He's also dying to get up the nerve to talk to the object of his affections Penny (Day), a sweet girl who he stalks at the laundromat. Captain Hammer is Horrible's nemesis, thwarting his attempts to do bad stuff and winning Penny's heart, much to Horrible's dismay. Watch for "The Big Bang Theory's" Simon Helberg as Horrible's friend in crime, Moist.
It gets more demented from there, and it's all done to music that would be up for a Tony if it were on Broadway - hey, there's a idea I hope catches on ...
One of the Whedons brothers says that all you can aspire to is to create a character that people want to dress up as. At Comic-Con in San Diego, the Captain Hammer shirts (sold at the Browncoats fan club booth) were sold out from the moment they were in stock. So he's already reached a milestone.
Also in the extras, they talk about rushing to get "Dr. Horrible" up on the Web "in time to rock Comic-Con." As someone who was in the audience during the panel, let me tell you that they did that and more, causing a flurry of activity to add room for the thousands who wanted in. Fillion was at his most charismatic and Harris seemed stunned at the attention. He'll learn that when you're around Joss Whedon, adoration seems to follow.
Dec 26 2008
Been a while. Been thinking about lists. We at the PG like lists, and you'll see plenty of them in the next couple of weeks.
With "Frost/Nixon" coming out and Watergate back in the American consciousness, at least for a while, I was thinking about how scandals came to be known as "a word that represents the scandal"-gate for ever after.
Here are some Gates of '08:
Trooper-gate -- Did Gov. Sarah Palin use her office to have an Alaska state trooper -- who happened to be her ex-brother-in-law -- fired? Here's an AP story from Dec. 19:
The state commissioner at the heart of the Alaska "Troopergate" investigation plans to run for Anchorage mayor. Walt Monegan, former Anchorage police chief, said he'll file papers later Friday ahead of the April 7 election. In July, Gov. Sarah Palin fired Monegan as public safety commissioner. Monegan said he was dismissed for failing to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law, an Alaska state trooper.
The matter was reviewed by an investigator hired by the Alaska Legislature and one hired by the state personnel board. The legislature's investigator concluded Palin had abused her office. The personnel board concluded Palin violated no ethics law.
Blag(oya)-gate -- Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested earlier this month for criminal charges including trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by fellow President-elect Barack Obama. Now everyone is learning how to pronounce "Blag-oy-a-vich."
Spygate -- Back in February, the big sports buzz was about a guy named Matt Walsh ratting out the New England Patriots for illegal taping of other NFL teams. The NFL had destroyed six confiscated tapes and other documents pertaining to the Patriots' taping, which resulted in Coach Bill Belichick being fined $500,000. The team was fined $250,000 and forfeited its 2008 first-round draft choice. NFL Commissioner Goodell also met with Sen. Arlen Specter, who got in the Commish's face about taping of both the Steelers and Eagles and was generally huffy about the way the NFL handled Spygate. The senator told The New York Times, "The American people are entitled to be sure about the integrity of the game. It's analogous to the C.I.A. destruction of tapes. Or any time you have records destroyed." Kind of like those silent moments on the White House tapes during the Watergate investigation . . .
Spitzer-gate -- As scandals go, this one is just sad and stupid. New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer was stupid enough to become involved with a call girl and it's sad that his stupidity embarrassed his family and ended a promising political career.
Sushi-gate -- You have to feel a little sorry for Jeremy Piven, feeling sick enough to bow out of the Broadway run of "Speed-the-Plow," but his mercury-by-sushi defense isn't cutting it with the folks who know a thing or two about seafood or, apparently, "Plow" playwright David Mament, who said: "My understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer."
Bonusgate -- As recently as Christmas Day, the PG had a story about how state House majority leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, said he'll stop paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees for the former legislators and staff members charged in the ongoing probe into whether taxpayer money was used illegally for political campaign work.
"Stargate: Universe" - This is my excuse for mentioning that Robert Carlyle, who made an appearance in the recent "24" pre-season TV movie, will lead the next team in the second Sci Fi Channel spinoff of "Stargate: SG1." He's taken it off in "The Full Monty," been a cannibal in "Ravenous," a drunken dad in "Angela's Ashes," a Bond bad guy, the evil Durza in "Eragon" . . . I think he's ready to handle a Stargate team.
Dec 20 2008
One thing about this multimedia world -- nothing is every really kaput, and "cancelled" isn't necessarily the final word. All you need is the designation "cult favorite," and you're bound to return in another form.
In the case of "Farscape," the sorely missed Sci Fi Channel series, the next incarnation is comic books. OK, I was hoping for the promised Webisodes that have been put on hold since the writers' strike. But if these comic books have a good pedigree, so I'm hopeful.
Creator Rockne O'Bannon is among the collaborators bringing back John Crichton, his new Mrs., Aeryn, and their son, D'Argo, named for their beloved friend who died in battle, and others who were left standing at the end of the 2004 miniseries, "The Peacekeeper Wars." There's a sneak peek of the comic books over at MTV.com.
The comic books are due in stores just in time for the holidays, on Dec. 24.
Dec 19 2008
Random stuff:
Jeremy Piven, amid published reports that he had tired of the nightly grind of a performing in a play, moved off Broadway this week, leaving behind the hit revival of David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow" and co-stars Raul Esparza and Elisabeth Moss. In exiting, he used the sushi defense: He had become ill because of mercury in his system, caused by excessive intake of sushi.
The brilliant playwright Mamet told Variety: "I talked to Jeremy on the phone, and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury. My understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer."
Golden Globe and SAG nominee Piven, star of HBO's "Entourage," will be replaced in "Speed" by Tony-winning Broadway vet Norbert Leo Butz ("Wicked," "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels") and later William H. Macy. Neither, it seems, aspires to be a thermometer.
* * *
Best moment on a recent talk show: Homestead's own Jeff Goldblum speaking articulately and passionately about his performance in "Adam Resurrected" on the "Today" show. The film is described on imdb.com as: "In the aftermath of WWII, a former circus entertainer who was spared from the gas chamber becomes the ringleader at an asylum for Holocaust survivors." Goldblum said at one point in his character's heightened state of agitation, director Paul Schrader challenged Goldblum to eat dirt, literally, to make a scene more potent. And he did.
Second best: Frank Langella, with Ron Howard as a guest of Charlie Rose, was explaining how he has channeled Richard Nixon, first in the play "Frost/Nixon," and now in the movie version, opening here Christmas Day. Langella said there's a line you'll see in the movie that's not in the play, something he woke up realizing he needed to say. It's simply, "No one knows what it's like to resign the presidency." And obviously, no one but Nixon ever did.
Ickiest moment on a recent talk show: Scarlett Johansson, telling Jay Leno she had a cold caused by "Spirit" co-star Samuel L. Jackson's germs, then blowing into a tissue and saving it to be sold for charity on eBay. I don't care if it's for a good cause. No one's snot is worth owning.
Happiest host: Jennifer Aniston gave David Letterman the tie she wore -- when she wore only a tie -- as the GQ cover girl.
Ubiquitous: Tom Cruise has been seemingly everywhere promoting "Valkyrie." Most tense moment of his promo tour: Volunteering to read the top 10 list on David Letterman, which turned out to be: Top 10 crazy things said about Tom Cruise on the Internet. He paused before a few, but got through them all.
Best use of Kelly Ripa: The "Regis and Kelly" co-host left the studio to make a video about winter- and holiday-related shows in NYC.
Confession: I scroll my Comcast guide for guests on talk shows and do a lot DVRing.
* * *
And now for the "What's that doing in there?" line in a recent movie: In "The Spirit," based on a '40s noirish comic book, a character is heard to say hat somebody's "as dead as 'Star Trek.' " I thought, "Huh? is that a Frank Miller commentary?" Well, actually, I thought something a little stronger than that.
Right after that preview, I found out that Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, widow of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, had died of leukemia at age 76. Barrett had played several "Star Trek" characters and provided the voice of the Enterprise computer for "The Next Generation" -- and she had already recorded voice work for J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" prequel, due in theaters next year.
Weird juxtaposition, I know, but all I could think of is, Majel Barett, who worked tirelessly to continue her husband's work, would be the first to say, "Star Trek" is very much alive.
Dec 16 2008
Local singer Maddie Georgi came close, but . . .
NASHVILLE - December 16, 2008 - In a nationwide search for the best unsigned country act, CMT.com has named 33-year-old Kurt Thomas the winner of the third annual Music City Madness, beating out 16-year-old Maddie Georgi of Allison Park. Over 22 million total votes were cast this year, an increase of 439% when compared to total voting for 2007. Thomas will receive a trip to CMT's Nashville-based studio to record an episode of UNPLUGGED AT STUDIO 330, a private audition with Warner Bros. Records and a mentor session with country superstar Randy Travis.
A stay-at-home father of two boys, Thomas has been working on his music career for 12 years and performs in the Atlanta area five nights a week. He wrote the winning song "Follow Your Lead" about his wife, mother and first-born son. He credits family and the support of his hometown Dahlonega, Ga. for much of his success.
Maddie wrote the song "Take My Hand" as her contest entry and is completing her first album.
Country music's first user-generated talent search, MUSIC CITY MADNESS offers undiscovered singer/songwriters a chance to showcase their talent and let fans decide who takes home the prize in the online battle of the bands. Since its launch, the contest has expanded to include a special televised episode of CMT TOP 20 COUNTDOWN recapping the finalists. Warner Bros. Records served as the official record label, while Chevrolet returned for a second year as the official online and on-air sponsor. Last year, more than 4 million votes were cast at CMT.com to name 13-year-old Utah native Katelynn Jolley the winner.
Thomas, along with four other contest winners from the local auditions sponsored by CMT and Comcast, will perform a showcase in Nashville in early 2009.
Dec 15 2008
Forget six degrees of Kevin Bacon -- how about, six degrees of Andy Warhol (and by extension, Pittsburgh). Doesn't everything have a connection to one or the other?
At the New York City premiere of “The Tale of Despereaux,” the adventures of yet another animated mouse hero, due on screen Dec. 19, the talented voice cast -- Sigourney Weaver, Matthew Broderick and Kevin Kline -- signed Andy Warhol collectible Campbell soup bowls. The bowls will be auctioned off to benefit the Lollipop Theatre Network, which brings movies to children in hospitals.
Dec 14 2008
Taking time out from a football Sunday and watching the Steelers' winning touchdown from every possible angle to catch some of the Video Game Awards now on Spike TV.
Jerry Stiller got bleeped while doing a sketch with host Jack Black, "Fallout 3" won for best RPG, and then there was more bleepin' with a number by 50 Cent. And Busta Rhymes introduced a world premiere of the new "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves," due next year.
Oops, there's another world premiere now, of "Watchmen:The End Is Nigh" and Scott Shriner of Weezer is out there to present best music game. It's "Rock Band II." Gotta go . . .
I'm back -- it's actually the next day, and I've recovered from the Steelers' last-minute drive. I wanted to add: VGA's Game of the Year is "Grand Theft Auto IV."
(That's designer Will Wright accepting the gamer god award in an AP photo from the event at Sony Pictures studios in Culver City, Calif.)
Dec 12 2008
The 81st annunal Oscars are getting a first-time host for the Feb. 22 extravaganza . . . Hugh Jackman.
Watch the claws come out on this choice, the first non-comedian to do hosting duties.
The star of "Australia" and Wolverine in the "X-Men" films was the best host hardly anyone saw of three Tony Award ceremonies (2003-05) -- he won an Emmy for his hosting duties in 2004 -- and he'd be awesome at a Billy Crystal-style opening montage. He won the Tony, too, for "The Boy From Oz," so he knows his way around a stage and how to interact with audiences.
But his choice is a huge departure from Oscar tradition, which has included comedians from Bob Hope to Whoopi Goldberg, Johnny Carson to Chris Rock, Billy Crystal to Jon Stewart . . . you get the idea.
His reps, according to Nikke Finke of Deadline Hollwood Daily, said his main concern had been the traditional joke-telling monologue. But with new producers, a new set director and a new music director, the Academy Awards are opting for big changes in the telecast -- should a SAG strike not pre-empt it.
Jackman is a talented singer, actor, dancer and he's one of the most charming guys in Hollywood. His next movie, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," will open the summer blockbuster season in '09. But even I, as big a fan of the actor as you'll find, wonder: What's the Oscars without an edgy monologue? But the Oscars without even the threat of a Jon Stewart-style political zing, just doesn't seem right.
Co-hosts, perhaps?
Dec 12 2008
First "Lord of the Rings" and "The Golden Compass" ... you just knew George Lucas could not allow "Star Wars" to be left behind.
The franchise that had tapped into seemingly every way to reach the public is headed toward the final frontier: a stage spectacular filled with the music of composer John Williams.
This won't be a musical in the traditional sense, as was attempted in the case of "Rings" and "The Golden Compass." But Lucas isn't one for tradition. BBC America reports that in "Star Wars: A Musical Journey," London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will play a live score and narrators will help to move things along as two hours of excerpts from the six films are shown on a big screen. Williams has "painstakingly rewritten" the score he wrote for the movies to fit the stage show, a statement said.
The "musical journey" will launch at the O2 arena in London in April before a European tour.
BBC America reported that The Royal Philharmonic will use an 86-piece orchestra and an accompanying exhibition will feature original models, props, costumes and production artwork.
As an aside in the BBC story, it noted that the lightsabre made from an old photography flashgun and used by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in both the original "Star Wars: A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back," has been sold for $200,000 (£133,000) at an auction of Hollywood memorabilia in Los Angeles.
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