DiCaprio film revealed subplot surprises says director By Jeffrey Jolson-Colburn
DiCaprio in ‘Blood Diamond’
HOLLYWOOD — When Leonardo DiCaprio and director Ed Zwick went on their trek through Africa to shoot the adventure movie “Blood Diamond,” they knew the plot would have political undertones as war and strife there were often financed by diamonds. What they didn’t realize is that the grim subplot of child soldiers would provide the most memorable messages of the film.
“After their indoctrination, they were often made to kill their own parents first,” Zwick told Hollywood Today about the very real legacy of child soldiers he learned about while shooting “Blood Diamond.”
The story is set against the exceedingly violent decade-long civil war in Africa’s Sierra Leone that was largely financed by, and for control of the country’s diamonds. DiCaprio plays a smuggler who convinces Djimon Hounsouhe’s character that he must lead him to a hidden diamond as the income can save his family being held at a refugee camp. Co-star Jennifer Connelly makes much about elements in the diamond industry that launder the stone’s origins on their way to become bling in America.
That would normally be enough socio-political proselytizing for what was supposed to be an “Indiana Jones”-type adventure. After all Sean Connery as Bond, James Bond had tracked African conflict diamonds through their murderous trade routes to America decades earlier in “Diamonds are Forever” – and remained true to an action premise. Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
Dreamgirls Rose, Beyonce, and Hudson
Bring Christmas Cheer
HOLLYWOOD — “Dreamgirls” found $8.7 million under the tree on Christmas day alone and “Rocky Balboa” hung in to the final bell with $17.3 million for the four-day holiday weekend, — yet no one cheered the Christmas crowds like “Night at the Museum.” The Stiller-starrer grossed $42.3 million for the Xmas weekend — followed by another feel-good film, Will Smith’s “The Pursuit of Happyness,” which earned glad-tidings of $23.1 million.
Five-time Golden Globe nominee “Dreamgirls” had more wishes came true as the nouveau musical earned $9.5 million including special sneaks. It stars actors Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy, yet it is songstresses Beyonce and newcomer Jennifer Hudson that steal the movie.
“Night at the Museum” had an even better Christmas Day with more than $12 million in admissions behind Stiller, supporting funnyman Robin Williams and longtime co-star Own Wilson.
Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky Balboa,” bucked all the controversy here and elsewhere over the origins of the “Rocky” myth and hung in for a knock-out $17.3 million. The film has only been out for about five days and earned more than the reported $24 million budget. Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
Tips hat to singer-turned-actresses and Golden Globe nominees Beyoncé, Hudson By Gayl Murphy
Renassiance Woman Keys
As multi-Platinum, eight-time Grammy winning Renaissance Woman Alicia Keys prepares to take her career to the daring next level as actress and movie/TV producer, she took a moment to talk about some people dear to her.
Yet who knew Bob Dylan was so tangled up in Alicia Keys? Well he is. And, always one to share a feeling or two, Dylan shared his about her in his not-so recently released, Grammy nominated 44th album “Modern Times.”
So imagine sultry Keys’ reaction when she heard Dylan wrote a song with her in it - where he’s not only “thinking ‘bout” her to the point of “crying”, he’s also “wondering where in the world” she could be.
Ooh, smoldering. Could this be another pop-tabloid romance in the making? NOT, but it REALLY was a big surprise to Keys.
“I could not believe it. The first person who told me was John Mayer. He said, ‘You’re never gonna believe this, but I just heard that Dylan has your name in his song.’ What? I was totally not expecting it but then I couldn’t wait to hear it.” Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
Accepted history of Stallone’s “Rocky” series in question as producers and studio honchos tell the true story By Alex Ben Block for Hollywood Today
Stallone in ‘Rocky Balboa’
HOLLYWOOD — As the legend goes, “Rocky” originated when unemployed actor Sylvester Stallone walked into the United Artists movie studio to sell his brilliant screenplay about an underdog boxer; and then refused to make any deal unless he could also star.
However, that tale is a near-total fabrication made up by the public relations department of UA, according to the producers and key studio executives, and dutifully sold to the eager media and public by Stallone himself.
With MGM’s release of “Rocky Balboa,” the sixth in the series of hugely successful “Rocky” movies, writer-director-star Sylvester Stallone will donate memorabilia to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. In that spirit, it is an appropriate time to set the historical record straight on the real story behind the making and selling of the original “Rocky,” which won three Oscars including Best Picture in 1977.
The fact is that there were never any direct talks between Stallone and UA. The studio never tried to buy the “Rocky” script from him, and there was never round after round of bidding to try and make him give up his dream of being the star. “That’s all bull. It was never true,” said Mike Medavoy, former chairman of TriStar Pictures and UA production chief when “Rocky” was made. Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
HOLLYWOOD — Entertainment newsmagazine “Hollywood Today” has entered into a strategic alliance with prominent news distribution agency RushPRNews, the companies jointly announced today.
They will create a “wire service”-type news syndication service where “Hollywood Today” provides hard news content and RushPRNews agency speeds articles, photos and video news segments to its thousands of media outlets as well as online news and search giants like Google News plus social media networks, RSS feeds and dozens of specialty distribution pipelines.
“We’re delighted to be offering news and features from the award-winning journalists at “Hollywood Today” to our clients and beyond,” said Ane Howard, President of RushPRNews (www.rushprnews.com). “The features are often exclusives and even with widely-covered subjects like the major awards, their news stories are from seasoned reporters with perspective and fresh angles that add value to any media outlet.” Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
HOLLYWOOD — Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood and Helen Mirren will battle themselves at the Golden Globes this year as each took two nominations in their respective categories when voting was announced this morning. The other news was the globalization of the Globes, as the five-language film “Babel,” starring Brad Pitt, led balloting with seven noms, while foreign language pictures were represented in top categories like Best Director and Actress. Plus two U.S. films crept into the Foreign Language zone. Comprende?
DiCaprio is up for best actor for two films, “Blood Diamond” and “The Departed,” whose director Martin Scorsese is head to head with Eastwood in the directing field. Scorsese has lost out to Eastwood before but there’s a chance of Eastwood cancelling himself out. Both of his ying and yang WWII dramas are up, “Flags of our Fathers” and “Letters From Iwo Jima.” The latter, also honored by a number of critic’s associations this year, is in Japanese. Which led to the U.S. film’s nomination in the foreign language category. Capisca? Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
Award-winning journalist and best-selling author Alex Ben Block has joined the staff of “Hollywood Today” as Senior Columnist, the entertainment newsmagazine reported. His columns will appear under the banner “Alex Ben Block Reports.”
Block has been editor of both “The Hollywood Reporter” and “TV Week” as well as associate editor of “Forbes Magazine.” His books include “Outfoxed: The Inside Story of America’s Fourth Television Network” and international best-seller “The Legend of Bruce Lee.”
Block said “I come to ‘Hollywood Today’ with a commitment to bringing the highest standards of journalism found at the best newspapers to the online media environment. This is not a blog, it is a fact-based column. There will be no commentary unless it is identified as such.”
“We are thrilled and honored to have Alex on board. His credentials as a senior entertainment editor, reporter, pundit and historian speak for themselves,” said publisher/editor Jeffrey Jolson-Colburn. “Plus, he’s terrific writer whose insider perspective interests both consumers and the industry. He will be a key to our goal of creating an entertainment newsmagazine set apart by solid journalism, credibility and just being a great read.”
Block can be heard weekly on NPR’s affiliate KPCC-FM, where he provides commentary on the entertainment business.
HOLLYWOOD – With musicians and filmmakers increasingly finding out they can ply their trades without begging at the reticent doors of the majors, the ability to do it yourself has become an art for all to learn.
There are few better places to learn to make and market your record, film or book than the DIY Convention, the next of which will be held February 9-11, 2007 at the Egyptian Theatre in the heart of Hollywood.
The 2007 DIY Convention features live music performances, special showcases, film screenings, parties and an extensive lineup of panels and keynote speakers focusing on creating, promoting, protecting and distributing independent film, music, books and other digital media.
Speakers include a who’s who of industry executives and taste-makers. DIY also gives out awards in the fields of music, film and publishing. In 2006 top film prize went to “Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley,” a documentary about the influential deceased musician, while the highest music award was given to Australian ex-pat Hopkinson. Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
War Critics Score Big on 49th Annual Grammy Noms Day By Jeffrey Jolson-Colburn
Christina Aguilera
HOLLYWOOD — Critics of President Bush had a vindication day as Grammy nominations were revealed. Mary J. Blige, a lead performer on the “Vote or Die” tour this fall, led the balloting with eight noms, while the Dixie Chicks, once-scorned for anti-Bush remarks, had five nominations including record, song and album of the year.
Grammy voting echoed the national polls in November by honoring a new political sensibility. Former soldier and now five-time nominee James Blunt is the only other act besides the Chicks up for three of the top four awards including best new artist. He’s known for his ballad “It’s Beautiful, but sings anti-war lyrics as well.
John Mayer, who sings of war and social issues on “Continuum,” which is in the running for best album. The song “I Need to Wake Up” from the Al Gore-narrated “An Inconvenient Truth” is up for best song from film or TV.
In what may mark a trend throughout awards season, the Grammy war-theme balloting also resembled early Oscar indicators in the film world. The National Board of Reviews tagged Clint Eastwood’s “Letters from Iwo Jima” tells a story of WWII from the Japanese perspective. Five of the 15 Academy Award finalists for best documentary are anti-war films. Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
VH1 gets it right with an awardcast that was actually funny By Jeffrey Jolson-Colburn
Big Winner, Paris Hilton
VH1 finally nailed it with a very funny snapshot of the year in pop TV culture on their “Vh1 Big in ’06 Awards.” And it was probably accurate if you happened to be a 17-year old with way too many hormones and very strong opinions about check-out counter celebrities.
It was the catty humor that transformed it from a sex-centric celeb suck-up for the text-messaging generation into something fun to watch. Comics dissed the nominated stars as their names were announced, just like everyone at home does.
Stars and comments included: Pussycat Dolls; “A Victoria’s Secret ad with dance and song, “N’Sync with the Operation,” Shakira: “Men watching that video look like they are watching hard core porn.” Big Entertainer winner Justin Timberlake “A straight former Mouseketeer that can bring sexy back and gets to sleep with Cameron Diaz?”
Other jibes from funnyfolk including Alec Mapa, Andrew Dice Clay, Loni Love and Ant
were aimed at big heads like Mel Gibson: “He said that to a Jewish cop? A guy with a gun? And then call the female policeman ‘Sugartits.’ He’s still alive?” On Paris Hilton: Unraveling fast. She’s got drugs, alcohol and infidelity this year, what’s next, arson. Maybe she’ll set Lindsay Lohan on fire” and for Big Comeback winner David Hasselhoff: “He embraces his cheese factor.” Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
No prizes but plenty of wattage from stars like Lohan, Timberlake and Ricci and premieres from actor/directors Banderas, Hopkins and Buscemi By Jeffrey Jolson-Colburn
Lindsey Lohan and Jared Leto
on ‘Chapter 27′ Set
HOLLYWOOD – The 2007 Sundance Film Festival will present more than 60 independent film premieres that are not up for Sundance awards but have serious star-power.
Actors Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Steve Buscemi, Jared Leto and others go behind the camera to direct their pals while luminous premieres include “Black Snake Moan” with Justin Timberlake, Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci plus Lindsay Lohan and Jarred Leto in the John Lennon-related film “Chapter 27.”
Included in the fest — which runs in Park City, Utah and neighboring towns January 18-28 — are new films from actor/directors Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Steve Buscemi, Leto Crispin Glover, Justin Theroux, Tamara Jenkins, David Wain and Adrienne Shelly, whose recent hanging death in New York City has now been ruled a murder.
This batch is in addition to fresh features from filmmakers including Luc Besson, Craig Brewer, Tommy O’Haver, Tamara Jenkins, Rod Lurie, Mike White, Jake Paltrow, Justin Lin, Brett Morgen and many more. Read the rest of this Hollywood Today story »
