Tune in to TCM: Be Our Guest

This post begins a new subsection for "The Latest on TV" that will highlight the monthly programming for every movie lovers' favorite cable channel, Turner Classic Movies.

Kicking things off, November is "Guest Programmer Month" at TCM, where 29 famous names (and one lucky contest winner) present four of their personal pic picks each night. In addition to some of our celeb faves -- like Whoopi Goldberg (1), Cybill Shepherd (15), Tracey Ullman (17), Martha Stewart (30) and even Kermit the Frog (21) -- three gay icons are also participating in the month long event:

• Gore Vidal (4): The celebrated author and screenwriter includes two classic melodramas -- Bette Davis in The Letter and Vivien Leigh in That Hamilton Woman -- and two Shakespearean adaptations -- James Cagney in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Laurence Olivier in Hamlet.
• Charles Busch (8): The stage diva extraordinaire naturally picks a quartet of legendary ladies of the silver screen: Judy Garland (I Could Go on Singing), Ida Lupino (The Hard Way), Norma Shearer (Escape) and Joan Crawford (A Woman's Face).
• Harvey Fierstein (26): One-upping Vidal and Busch, the beloved theatrical legend has both Bette (The Catered Affair, a stage version of which he'll star in on Broadway next spring) and Joan (in The Women, natch), plus two rarities about misfit youths, The Boy with the Green Hair and The Devil is a Sissy.

Weekdays this month will find airings of some of the most popular film series ever, from spies (The Saint) to lawyers (Perry Mason) to doctors (Dr. Kildare) to the Mexican Spitfire, not to mention a slew of detectives (Nancy Drew, Philo Vance, Dick Tracy, Sherlock Holmes, The Thin Man, The Gay Falcon) and two days worth of Andy Hardy.

And finally, notables from the "Not on DVD" file: Test Pilot, The African Queen, The Magnificent Ambersons (3), This Sporting Life (7), Four Daughters (10, 27), None But the Lonely Heart (12), Blues in the Night (14), Red Dust, Kes (17), Maytime (19) and The Crowd (22).

Numbers in parenthesis are the airdates for each program; check the TCM schedule for showtimes in your area.

Links via TCM.com.

Robert Goulet: 1933-2007

Robert Goulet, the velvet-voiced actor/singer who originated the role of Sir Lancelot in Broadway's Camelot, died yesterday.

Known primarily for his Grammy Award-winning recording career, Goulet did appear onscreen occasionally in such movies as Atlantic City, Scrooged, Beetlejuice and The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear. He also lent his distinctive vocal talents to animated films, like Gay Purr-ee, Toy Story 2 and Recess: School's Out.

Goulet won the Tony Award for his role in Happy Time and starred in several popular television productions of stage musicals, including Brigadoon, Carousel and Kiss Me Kate. His last Broadway role was Georges in the recent revival of La Cage aux Folles.

Links via Imdb.com and HollywoodReporter.com.

Women We Love: Cassandra 'Elvira' Peterson

Who else could be the subject of a Halloween day Women We Love (wrapping up our month long salute to the "scream queens of the silver screen") then the one, the only Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, nee Cassandra Peterson:

- Why we love her: For deftly mixing the saucy sexuality of Mae West with the gothic sensuality of Vampira to create an iconic character who made B movies sexy. Also: for better or worse, inspired perennial Halloween costumes for drag queens everywhere.
- Choice role: The sassy siren of celluloid screams, the "hostess with the mostess" of the long-running syndicated program Elvira's Movie Macabre and her own, self-titled feature film.
- What else has she done: Her film debut was in Fellini's Roma. Played the "biker mama" in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.
- First big break: Right after high school, at age 17, went to Las Vegas and became the youngest showgirl in Sin City history. Elvis Presley saw her and encouraged her to become a singer (they briefly dated as well).
- Bet you didn't know: The original idea for the Elvira character was patterned after Sharon Tate's role in The Fearless Vampire Killers.
- Side job: Has made millions over the years licensing her unique likeness to everything from Elvira wigs to arcade games to her own line of DVDs.
- No kidding: Has always been a fan of Ann-Margret.
- Can we quote you on that: "I'm glad to see you're back. You're glad to see my front."
- You go girl: Is a big supporter of gay rights and animal rights.
- What is she up to now: Will pick her perky protégé on tonight's finale of Fox Reality's The Search for the Next Elvira. And, as you can see from this promo clip for that show, she looks as frightfully fabulous as ever. You think she sold her soul to the devil for some eternal youth?

Links via Imdb.com, FoxReality.com and YouTube.com.

Wicked Betty

Tomorrow night will offer a rare treat for musical theater fans: the Emmy Award-winning Ugly Betty goes to Broadway. And no, not for the rumored all-singing, all-dancing episode, but for a special visit to the Tony Award-winning Wicked. Through the magic of television, Los Angeles' Pantages Theatre will stand in for New York's Gershwin, and the stars of the west coast production, Eden Espinosa and Megan Hilty, guest star.

Betty fans will remember last season's aborted date to see the show for our plucky heroine (America Ferrera) and her nerd prince charming Henry (the surprisingly ripped Christopher Gorham). Well, they'll finally see it this week, although new prospective love interest Gio (new cast member Freddy Rodriguez, of Six Feet Under fame) may disrupt the enchanted evening.

And if all that isn't gay enough for you, perennial That Girl Marlo Thomas also appears as a cougar out to land perennial bachelor Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius).

UPDATE: As every "greenie" will say from now on whenever talking about their favorite show, the episode was "wicked awesome!" Furthermore, it looked like Betty and Henry were going to do some "defying gravity" of their own at the end there. Go, Betty!

Links via ABC.go.com, InstinctMagazine.com, Playbill.com and OhLaLaParis.com.

Pumpkins Scream in the Dead of Night

Movie Dearest has been celebrating Halloween all month, so to cap of the frightful festivities this year, here's a little treat to go along with all your (ahem) tricks: direct from Halloweentown, the cast of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, with a vocal assist from shock rocker Marilyn Manson, perform their official anthem, "This is Halloween".

The video footage is straight from the movie, but the audio is Manson's cover of the song, which can be found on the special edition soundtrackthat was released last year.

Links via Imdb.com, YouTube.com and Amazon.com.

The Latest on DVD: Filthier Then Usual Edtion

A gay icon's latest inspires this highly censored look at this week's newest offerings on DVD:

• John Waters: This Filthy World- The cult director asks "What the #@%$ is wrong with you *&!#?s"
• Barbara Stanwyck: The Signature Collection- The legendary leading lady in six of her finest: Annie Oakley; East Side, West Side; My Reputation; Executive Suite; Jeopardy and To Please a Lady. %@*# yeah!
• Twin Peaks: The Definitive Gold Box Edition- The whole $%&#in' thing, including the classic pilot episode, previously unavailable for some &*$ed up reason.
• Spider-Man 3- Sand Man, Venom and a @#$%in' goofy lookin' emo Peter Parker.
• Talk to Me- Don Cheadle as real-life kick &%$ radio jock Ralph Waldo 'Petey' Greene.
• No End in Sight- Sobering look at the cluster *@#$ we know as the Iraq war.
• Looney Tunes: Golden Collection - Volume 5- More %!$#in' awesome cartoons from the Warner vaults.
• Outing Riley- When a gay man comes out to his brothers, it triggers a string of revealing secrets ... oh, %*!#! Written and directed by and starring Project Greenlight winner Pete Jones.
• Starrbooty- RuPaul goes all Pam Grier on us as a hot &%#@ secret agent in this throw back to vintage blaxploitation flicks. Includes uncensored full frontal shots of a lots of #$%& and *@#$!
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Volume 12- Some more &*%$in' hilarious $!#@ from the wacky crew of the Satellite of Love.
• Family Affair: Season 4- Buffy, Jody and that #$&*in' creepy Mrs. Beasley doll star.
• And finally: Dear Jesse- Tim Kirkman's documentary on that *$%#ed up homophobic $@!hole Jesse Helms. What a *&%$, !@*&, $@#% &$*#-head.

All titles can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking on the above links.

Links via GayBlade.com and Advocate.com.

Monthly Wallpaper - November 2007: Fantasy Worlds

November is a time for families to come together, and what better way to recognize that then to give you some "Fantasy Worlds" to escape to when you've had your fill of all that "family time".

From a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, to where no man has gone before, from the earth to the moon or a forbidden planet, to a never land waiting for you, these fantastic films offer wonders to behold. The lands of Oz, Wonderland, Narnia and Middle Earth await, or you can visit the magical realms of Sinbad the Sailor, Willy Wonka and Harry Potter, get lost in Pan's labyrinth, or take a trip to the ends of the universe on a space odyssey of your very own.

Just click on the picture above to enlarge it to its 1024 x 768 size, then right click your mouse and select "Set as Background", and you're all set. If you want, you can also save it to your computer and set it up from there, or modify the size in your own photo-editing program if needed.

Memo from Movie Dearest, RE: Back on the Beat

After a week away in not-so sunny Florida, I am back ... and I bear good news: I got the job! As of the beginning of next year, I will be back in the employ of a certain major worldwide entertainment corporation that won't be too hard for those who know me and/or read this blog on a regular basis to figure out. I know I will be very happy in this new role and even happier once I get out of the snowy Midwest and back to the Sunshine State for good, all settled in and back to work, both in my new "real job" and here at Movie Dearest.

My actual move won't be until after Christmas, which is good news for you all, as I have a lot of things planned for the upcoming holiday movie season, including special coverage of at least two movies (Enchanted, Sweeney Todd) we're all excited to see in the coming months. And I'm hoping to be up and running, post-move, just in time for Oscar season to kick into high gear.

In the meantime, a thank you to all who wished me well on my trip and in getting the new job; it is most appreciated, as always. I will be back shortly with the new November movie wallpaper, plus this week's Latest on DVD, an overview of Turner Classic Movie's schedule for next month, another article about MD in the gay press, and lots more.

But before I go, I wanted to remind everyone to visit my sponsors when doing their online holiday shopping this year. The links can be found toward the bottom of the sidebar on your right, and when you click through to their websites, all items purchased there generate a commission for MD, which will be very beneficial for my upcoming relocation. I am also planning a few Sponsor Spotlight posts in the weeks to come, to highlight some of the great movie-themed gifts available from Amazon.com, Sideshow Collectibles, the New Line Cinema Store, Entertainment Earth and more. And you know how the old saying goes: "Please visit our sponsors!" ... every little bit helps.

Be back soon ...!

Memo from Movie Dearest, RE: Vacation Time!

As I mentioned earlier this week, Movie Dearest is going on a little vacation. Actually, it is more like a "working vacation", as I will be interviewing for a new job and, if all goes well, I will be moving to a new state by Thanksgiving.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves here yet, I still have to land the job; I will say the prospects look mighty good at this point. In the meantime, MD will be experiencing some downtime until at last next Tuesday (October 30). I may be able to get some computer time in the next week, but I'm not sure if that will happen or not. If it does, groovy, if not, I will see you back here next Tuesday.

So wish me luck on the interview (it is on Thursday, so send happy thoughts my way), vote in this week's poll, buy lots of stuff through the shopping links so I can afford to move ... and I will be back soon!

The Latest on DVD: Just a Word, Please

This week's slate of new DVD releases can be summed up in one word - diverse:

• Masculine: Burt Lancaster: The Signature Collection- Five of the macho star's best: The Flame and the Arrow, Jim Thorpe All-American, His Majesty O'Keefe, South Sea Woman and Executive Action.
• Feminine: The L Word: The Complete Fourth Season- "L" is for ladies: Marlee Matlin and Cybill Shepherd join the cast.
• Nouvelle: Breathless- Jean-Luc Godard's highly influential progenitor of the French New Wave, now in a Criterion edition.
• Retro: Meet the Robinsons- Disney animated adventure about a boy inventor who goes to the future to find his past.
• Iconic: Battleship Potemkin: Ultimate Edition- Sergei Eisenstein's silent masterpiece, presented in its most complete form to date.
• Iconoclast: Stanley Kubrick - Warner Home Video Directors Series- Five of the master director's classics, each in two-disc editions: 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut (OK, four of his classics ...).
• Surrealist: O Lucky Man!- Lindsay Anderson's off-the-wall musical indictment against capitalism, starring Malcolm McDowell.
• Lyrical: Days of Heaven- Terrence Malick's beautifully photographed ode to an America long gone, from the Criterion Collection.
• Hysterical: I Love Lucy: The Complete Series- Yep, all of 'em, including the hour-long episodes.
• Unattainable: Under the Volcano- John Huston's film adaptation of the "unadaptable" novel, starring Albert Finney in an Oscar nominated role.
• Forgetaboutit: The Sopranos: Season 6, Part 2- The final chapters of the epic mob saga.

All titles can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking on the above links.

Women We Love: Tippi Hedren

Due to Movie Dearest's upcoming vacation, here is a special Monday edition of "Women We Love", continuing the month long salute to the scream queens of the silver screen:

Object of our affection: Tippi Hedren, actress/ Hitchcock blonde.
- Why we love her: For holding her own against a roomful of blood-thirsty beaks in the Alfred Hitchcock classic, The Birds (her Golden Globe Award-winning film debut).
- Other choice roles: Hitchcock's Marnie, Chaplin's The Countess from Hong Kong.
- Family ties: Co-starred with future son-in-law Don Johnson in The Harrad Experiment; co-starred with daughter Melanie Griffith in six movies, including Pacific Heights.
- Nickname: Her real first name is Nathalie; her father called her "Tippi", which is short for "Tupsa", a Swedish nickname meaning "little girl".
- Yes, it's true: She was working as a model when Hitchcock discovered her; he saw her in a diet drink commercial airing during the Today show.
- Pet co-star: Named a pet cat after her Marnie co-star Sean Connery.
- Bet you didn't know: Her 1998 movie, I Woke Up Early the Day I Died, was based on a script written by noted "worst director of all time" Ed Wood. The film came out 20 years after his death.
- What has she done lately: Played an abortion activist in Citizen Ruth and got to slap Jude Law in I Heart Huckabees.
- What she is up to now: Protesting the impending remake of The Birds. Go Tippi!

Links via Imdb.com, MoviesBlog.MTV.com and HollywoodReporter.com.

Trivial Pursuits: Dirty Pillows Edition

As you may have gathered by now, Carrie is thought of very highly around here. Something about the "alienated youth with a secret" plot speaks to us, I guess. On the other hand, maybe it is the "getting revenge on your high school tormentors" that does it.

While you ponder that, here is some tasty trivia about the film starring the movies' most memorable prom queen:

• This was the first Stephen King novel to be adapted into a movie. (And it mostly went downhill from here.)
• Brian De Palma's Carrie and George Lucas' Star Wars were cast from the same casting sessions. Just think of the possibilities: William Katt as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Carrie White ...
• Bates High is the name of the school, and if you don't know what that's a reference to, then you don't know your horror movies.
• The little boy who taunts Carrie was played by De Palma's nephew, Cameron. His voice ("Creepy Carrie! Creepy Carrie!") was dubbed though, by ... Betty Buckley.
• Amy Irving's real-life mother, Priscilla Pointer, played Sue Snell's mom in the movie.
• What a trouper: Sissy Spacek was willing to have real blood poured on her; it was actually a mixture of karo syrup and food coloring.
• P.J. Soles' eardrums burst and she was knocked unconscious in the scene where her character is killed by the fire hose. And that shot is what is seen in the final film.
• That is actually Spacek's arm thrusting out of the ground during the famous final scare.
• Unusual for a horror film, Spacek and her onscreen "mama", Piper Laurie, were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances.
• Buckley would go from sympathetic gym teacher to irrational mother in the infamous Carrie - The Musical, one of the biggest flops in Broadway history.

Click here to purchase Carrieon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com and Wikipedia.org.

Todd Trailer 2, With a Side of Gore

Another trailer for Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has arrived, and if it's blood ye wanted, it's blood ye get. (Honestly, it's really bloody.) Alas, no singing whatsoever this time out; the new clip seems to be geared more toward the thriller elements of the story, so it will likely show up on some of the recent Halloween releases to lure in the Sleepy Hollow crowd.

Considering the minimal singing heard in the first trailer and the complete lack of it in this one, the vultures are already circling claiming that star Johnny Depp must not be able to sing at all and that the studio is trying to hide it for as long as they can. Which, of course, is all conjecture at this point; we'll all just have to wait until the film opens on December 21 to find out.

Or will we? Those who can't wait will get a chance to hear Depp (and Helena Bonham Carter and the rest of the movie cast) singing the Sondheim score when the new, two-disc soundtrack goes on sale December 18, a few days prior to the film's opening. This will be a specially packaged deluxe edition soundtrack, with bonus content and a bound booklet (presumably similar to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack from a few years back). And, if you so wish, you can even pre-order it right here, right nowfrom Amazon.com.

Links via YouTube.com, Imdb.com and GoldDerby.LATimes.com.

Memo from Movie Dearest, RE: Housekeeping

Regular readers of Movie Dearest may have noticed a few changes in the last week or so. I've taken a cue from our namesake Joan (seen here in an uncharacteristic image) and done a little housecleaning around the place, all in an effort to not only make it a little easier on my end, but also to make it more enjoyable and informative for you to come and visit whenever you're in the neighborhood.

One of the first steps, the "Pink is the New Out" feature, has already been discussed, and that was just the beginning. As of last week, three of the most popular MD features ("Cinematic Crushes", "Women We Love" and "Out in Film") have undergone a little facelift. Instead of the mini-biographies I was doing, these posts will now be capsule profiles of our favorite celebrities. Elsewhere, "The Latest on DVD" has been streamlined (offering a "best of this week" view of new releases) and such other sections as "Coming Soon", "From Screen to Stage" and "Ride the Movies" will focus more on individual entries, as opposed to just a list of story links.

The biggest change concerns "The Latest on TV". As I mentioned in today's post, this week's entry will be the last weekly installment. From now on, notable programs (like award shows and movie-related specials) will be profiled in individual posts either the day before or day of their airing.

The reason for this change in particular, and all the changes in general, is so I can focus more time on the individual stories and less time on the extensive research to prepare these longer articles in their previous forms. For example, checking all the TV network schedules for programs of interest takes a lot of time, time I would rather spend actually writing more articles. (And not to worry if you're a fan of Turner Classic Movies; I will still highlight their exceptional programming, but in a monthly article rather then weekly, beginning next week with their November schedule.)

If you're wondering why all these changes now, the reason is that I will (hopefully) be starting a new job within the next month or so, and I wish to maximize my time for this blog as much as possible when that happens. Furthermore, this new job is in another state, so MD will be seeing some downtime in the near future, including ... later this week. Yep, MD is going on vacation. More on that later, but don't be surprised if you see a little shuffling around of the usual posting schedule this week.

Stay tuned ...

Sharpen Those Claws

And save the date: May 1, 2009. That's when Hugh Jackman will be back in fightin' form as the star of the now officially titled X-Men Origins: Wolverine. (Expect the Magneto solo pic to follow suit, title-wise, any day now.)

Jackman will be joined by director Gavin Hood (Rendition) and possibly Liev Schreiber as the younger William Stryker (played by Brian Cox in X2: X-Men United) when filming begins later this year. Locations will include Jackman's native Australia, as well as New Zealand and New Orleans, fueling rumors that Gambit, a fan fave in the comics, will make an appearance. Other mutants, both new to the series and others already seen in the main trilogy, will reportedly make appearances in the spin-off, so the idea of Gambit, a renegade who can control kinetic energy, is not far off.

Taking a seat in the official Movie Dearest "Armchair Casting" Barcalounger, I'll throw a name out there that was mentioned back when it was rumored that Gambit would be in X-Men: The Last Stand: Josh Holloway. As every Lost fan knows, he certainly has the southern bad boy charm the role requires. Reportedly, Holloway turned down the part before it was cut from that film, but maybe a larger role in this one could entice him to pick up the cards and take a chance.

Links via Variety.com, Imdb.com and Wikipedia.org.

The Latest on TV: Tell Them Boris Sent You

Notable movies and other programs on TV for Monday October 22 to Wednesday October 31:

Boris Karloff wraps up this month's monstrous offerings on Turner Classic Movies, with a marathon of his non-Frankenstein films on Halloween, including The Old Dark House and The Walking Dead (not available on DVD).

Another actor best known for his fright films, Anthony Perkins, gets the non-horror spotlight as well on TCM Saturday, including the not-on-DVD Five Miles to Midnight and Green Mansions.

And rounding up the channel's month long look at "Classic Horror Directors", Roger Corman will be saluted on Friday, including his The Terror, starring Karloff.

TCM celebrates the 75th birthday of Louis Malle with a two-day marathon (Tuesday and Wednesday) of his films, most making their debuts on the channel, including the not-on-DVD Zazie Dans le Métro, The Fire Within and Black Moon.

Also on TCM but not yet on DVD for the next week and a half: Edward G. Robinson in Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet, Spencer Tracy in Edison, the Man and Rosalind Russell in Sister Kenny (Monday), Norma Shearer in The Barretts of Wimpole Street and Fredric March in both The Adventures of Mark Twain (Tuesday) and One Foot in Heaven (Wednesday), Frank Sinatra in Come Blow Your Horn (Thursday), Irene Dunne in The White Cliffs of Dover and Barbara Stanwyck in The Miracle Woman (Sunday), Cornel Wilde in A Song to Remember (Monday, October 29) and Dirk Bogarde in Song Without End, Ginger Rogers in Tender Comrade, Susan Hayward in Deadline at Dawn and Gene Kelly in The Cross of Lorraine (Tuesday, October 30).

The Sundance Channel original series Iconoclasts returns Thursday with Sean Penn and author Jon Krakauer, author of the book Into the Wild, the source material for Penn's latest film of the same name.

As if you couldn't tell by the title, vampire movies are the subject of Bloodsucking Cinema, a new special on Starz Friday featuring interviews with John Carpenter, Corey Haim, John Landis, Leonard Maltin, Joel Schumacher and Stuart Townsend. Over at AMC, Backstory takes an hour-long look at Carpenter's Halloween on Saturday.

Bravo offers up the Ultimate Superheroes, Vixens and Villains and Even Scarier Movie Moments on Friday, and The 100 Scariest Movie Moments on Saturday. The latter two specials (which are a must-see for horror movie enthusiasts) are running several times between then and Halloween, so check their schedule for other showtimes.

Click on the network links to find the show times in your area. All programming is subject to change.

PLEASE NOTE that this week's "The Latest on TV" not only goes to the end of the month, but also that it will be the last weekly edition. Tune in later for a full explanation and the future plans for this section in an upcoming post.

Links via TCM.com, SundanceChannel.com, Starz.com, AMCTV.com and BravoTV.com.

Film Art: Stupid Bunny Suit Edition

The Prophecy of Frank, acrylic on wood by Scott Scheidly: More cool cult art, this one inspired by the cool cult film Donnie Darko, which wasn't really a horror film, but did take place on Halloween!

Click here to purchase Donnie Darkoon DVD from Amazon.com.

Links via FlounderArt.com and Imdb.com.

Potent Quotables: McDreamy Edition

Patrick Dempsey is mostly known these days for playing an adorable brain surgeon on Grey's Anatomy. However, although he is returning to film with the upcoming Enchanted, you can see by this excerpt from last week's Entertainment Weekly that no matter what he does, McDreamy won't be far from many people's minds:

"In a recent test screening of Enchanted, during a climactic scene in which Amy Adams' princess has taken a bite of an apple that may or may not be poisonous, a prim, grandmotherly woman seated in the back of the theater gasped and then shouted into the darkness of the packed theater, "Kiss her, goddamn it! That man could bring anything back from the dead."

Links via Imdb.com and EW.com.

Direct from Mr. Pinky's Hefty Hideaway

Looking for the hippest, the hottest, the happenin'est Halloween costumes this year? Then look no further then these hair-raising Hairspray get-ups from BuyCostumes.com!

(Speaking of hair-raising, check out those models. The Tracy resembles a petulant Jessica Biel, while the perky Penny and lascivious Link look like refugees from bad straight porn, circa 1972.)

Of course, no ensemble would be complete without accessories, and no hair-hopper would be complete without their 24-inch tall Hairspray Inflatable Canof Ultra-Clutch! (24-inches, huh? Talk about a stiff one!)

Links via BuyCostumes.com.

Holy Roller Coasters, Batman!

Timed to coincide with next summer's release of The Dark Knight movie, Six Flags has announced that a new Batman-themed thrill ride will open in three of their theme parks.

Combining an indoor roller coaster with dark ride elements, The Dark Knight Coaster will plunge riders into a Gotham City under siege by the "Crown Prince of Crime" himself, The Joker.

To the tune of $7.5 million a pop, the coasters will be built at the Six Flags locations in Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey.

Links via Imdb.com, UltimateRollerCoaster.com and WhySoSerious.com.

How to "Bee" Homophobic

Leading up to the release next month of DreamWorks Animation's Bee Movie, the film's star, Jerry Seinfeld (he voices the title insect) has returned to NBC for a series of ads promoting the animated comedy. In a spot that aired this week (and that can be seen here), Seinfeld is seen discussing the script with co-star Matthew Broderick. Seems Broderick is concerned about the relationship their characters share, complaining about "wrestling naked in a barn" with Seinfeld's character, who also seems to like "touching" and "landing on" Broderick's character. And, as if that isn't enough to tip you off to where this is going, Broderick asks, "Why are we on a cruise with Rosie O'Donnell?", and, to add insult to injury, at one point says, "I was going to take my kids to this thing, Jerry!" To end this whole fiasco, as Seinfeld storms off, Broderick wails, "Why am I in a bra and panties?"

Oy, where to begin. Did somebody actually think this would get people to want to see the movie? And what were Seinfeld and, especially, Broderick thinking? Matthew, Matthew, Matthew ... didn't co-starring with Harvey Fierstein and Nathan Lane for all those years teach you anything?

At the beginning of this little skit, Seinfeld states, "If a comedy isn't funny, that's serious". Good point, Jer, and this lame attempt at humor was not only not funny, but homophobic. So you got some serious explaining to do. Doesn't "not that there's anything wrong with that" ring a bell?

Links via Imdb.com, EW.com and NBC.com.

Out in Magic: Albus Dumbledore

WARNING: This article reveals plot details concerning the Harry Potter books that may be considered spoilers for the future film adaptations. Proceed accordingly.

J.K. Rowling, best-selling author of the Harry Potter book series, has revealed that Hogwarts' headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is indeed gay. Fans of the books have long speculated about the private life of the wizard character (currently portrayed on film by Michael Gambon), but this news (straight from the horse's mouth, as it were) is the first time Rowling has publicly addressed the rumors.

Gee, thanks, J.K. Better late then never, I guess, considering the book series is over and, in The Half-Blood Prince (the next book to be filmed), Dumbledore is killed off. So I guess we can add him to the long list of gay men outed after their deaths. Well, there's always the slash fiction.

Links via AP.google.com, Imdb.com and Squidge.org.

MD Poll: Norman, Is That You?

Movie Dearest readers went a little mad for their pick for the creepiest movie quote, "We all go a little mad sometimes" from Psycho. I almost went a little mad myself earlier this week when a Blogger glitch erased half the votes, but thankfully, the problem was fixed and the votes eventually reappeared.

Out of 83 votes total, the skin-crawling words spoken by Anthony Perkins' Norman Bates netted 16, for 19% of the vote. Tied for second (with 14 votes/16%) were the chill-inducing quotes uttered by Dr. Lecter and little Cole Sear, with the line about Rosemary's Baby's familiar resemblance placing fourth (10/12%). Coming in with a tie for the fifth spot are the little girls of Poltergeist and Aliens, with 7 votes (8%) each. Note that half of the top six quotes were spoken by children, so I guess that's why we get so many creepy kids in horror movies. See the comments section below for the complete rundown.

For a change of pace from all the spookiness this month, this week's new MD Poll question is a simple one: "What November movie are you most looking forward to seeing?" Can't wait to be Enchanted? Will you be there for I'm Not There? Looking for Love in the Time of Cholera, or just want to see a movie Before the Devil Knows You're Dead? Eager for a visit from Fred Claus? Want to see Russell and Denzel, together again, in American Gangster? How about Nicole as Margot at the Wedding or Redford, Streep and Cruise in Lions for Lambs? Do you want to "bee" first in line for Bee Movie? And don't forget No Country for Old Men or The Mist, not to mention getting a gander at the computer-enhanced genitals of Beowulf.

This poll will run for two weeks, so head over to the sidebar at right to place your vote.

UPDATE: This poll is now closed, click here for the results, and click here to vote in the latest MD Poll.

Click here to buy Psychoon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com and EW.com.

Out in Film: Reichen Lehmkuhl

Out and proud: Reichen Lehmkuhl, actor/model/ reality show star.
- Where we first saw him: Running The Amazing Race with then-husband Chip Arndt and watching them cross the finish line to become the show's first gay winning team.
- Other TV appearances: More reality with Fear Factor, soaps The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives, sitcoms The Drew Carey Show and Frasier (playing "Impossibly Handsome Man" - amen to that).
- At the movies: Co-starred in Partner(s) and The Scorned; had a cameo in The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green as "Dream Date" (the scene didn't make the final cut, but you can see it here).
- Also known for: Standing by his man, supporting N'Syncer/then boyfriend Lance Bass when he publicly came out. He's currently dating hot model Ryan Berry.
- What else has he done: Wrote his autobiography, Here's What We'll Say: Growing Up, Coming Out, and the U.S. Air Force Academy,detailing his days as a closeted Air Force Captain. Fly Naked with Reichen with his line of titanium, flight-themed jewelry (hot video preview here). Annual beefcake calendars.
- Bet you didn't know: Hosted his own talk shows on the now defunct Q Television network and internet radio site The Fish Bowl.
- Latest project: Just joined the cast of the sexy gothic soap Dante's Cove, which has its third season premiere tonight on here! TV.
- Where you can learn more: His official website.

Links via Imdb.com, YouTube.com, Amazon.com, LoveAndPride.com, AfterElton.com, hereTV.com and Reichen.us.

Poster Post: This is Alaska!

A little poster mash-up of that gladiator movie with that vampire flick, created by yours truly (click on image for a larger view).

Click here to buy 300and 30 Days of Nightposters from Amazon.com.

Links via Imdb.com.

Lust in Space

We all knew that James T. Kirk was a hunk back in the day, but who knew that young Doc McCoy was such a hottie? Maybe they should subtitle this next Star Trek movie The Sexy Generation.

Paramount not only has confirmed the rumors that Chris Pine will sit in the captain's chair once occupied by William Shatner, they have also announced that Karl Urban will don the tricorder of ol' "Bones", the role originated by the late DeForest Kelley. Urban is no stranger to sprawling fantasy epics, having appeared as Eomer in two of the Lord of the Rings films.

The two join the two Spocks (Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy) and the rest of the new crew, plus Eric Bana as the resident bad guy, in J.J. Abrams' reboot of the long-running franchise, due next year at Christmastime.

Links via Imdb.com, SmokinJoeCarnahan.com and HollywoodReporter.com.

Desperately Seeking Madonna

That's what you'll be doing if you go into the stage version of the movie Desperately Seeking Susan hoping to hear any of the songs by the Material Girl. The new musical (which had its world premiere in London this week) actually uses the tunes of another blondie, Blondie. So instead of gettin' into the groove, you'll be groovin' to such classic hits as "Heart of Glass", "One Way or Another" and "The Tide is High". (Never mind that none of these songs were actually in the movie.)

In related news, Blondie front woman Debbie Harry will be the subject of an upcoming biopic starring ... Kirsten Dunst? Reportedly, Harry was against the casting at first, but now she's OK with it. Talk about one way or another ...

And finally: can you believe that this blog has been in existence for over three months and this is the first time a picture of Madonna has been featured? Whew, almost lost my gay card for that one ...

UPDATE: David over at David's Daily Dramas caught a recent performance of Desperately Seeking Susan and had this to say about it: "If you can get a ticket free or half price, then I would go and see the show before it posts its early closing notice, but it’s not worth a £60 ticket price. If you don’t get to see it, don’t worry there’s always the DVD and the Blondie albums to play."

But my favorite part of his review was this unrelated yet laugh-out-loud bit: "We started the day by hitting the Abecrombie store where Jason spent a small fortune. I couldn’t find anything suitable to my age group and the only things that would have fitted me where the staff." Amen to that.

UPDATE 2: After only a month of official performances, Desperately Seeking Susan will close December 15.

Click here to purchase Desperately Seeking Susanon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, SeekingSusan.co.uk, Playbill.com, Web.nme.com and DavMcngh.blogspot.com.

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Gay Bombs and Lupine Lesbians

In the realm of horror movies, there isn't a lot of queer content. Oh sure, there's the nelly mad scientist in James Whales' Bride of Frankenstein, the lesbian vampires in Dracula's Daughter and The Hunger, not too mention the inimitable Dr. Frank-N-Furter. However, lately gay indies have finally turned to the genre for new ideas, with results both traditional (HellBent) and campy (The Creature from the Pink Lagoon), and two recently announced projects will apparently add to the trend.

The first, titled Horror in the Wind, sounds like it will fall squarely in the camp category. The plot centers around some kind of airborne biogenetic formula that, when inhaled, changes a person's sexual orientation; my goodness, that does sound horrible (and an awful lot like that "gay bomb" we heard so much about earlier this year). I have a bad feeling about this one; it seems like yet another excuse to trot out a parade of cheap gay stereotypes, the likes of which we haven't seen since, well, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.

On the other hand, Jack and Diane sounds a lot more compelling. "It" girl of the moment Ellen Page is attached, and she and her Juno co-star Olivia Thirlby will play the title characters. They're teenage lesbians in love, and it turns out that all that sexual energy transforms one of them into a werewolf. Or not, it may actually just be some art film metaphor thing, which would make it not really a horror movie after all, I guess. Still, which of these would you rather see? I thought so; teenaged lesbian werewolves (even metaphorical ones) win every time.

Links via Cinematical and Towleroad.com.

The Latest in Theaters: Renditions and Reservations

The fall movie season is in full swing this weekend, so brace yourself for a lot of Oscar-baiting seriousness ... and a vampire or two:

- Rendition: Hooking up with three Oscar-winning co-stars (Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Alan Arkin) and the director of the Oscar-winning Tsotsi (Gavin Hood), Jake Gyllenhaal plays a CIA analyst involved in an interrogation gone bad ... real bad.
- 30 Days of Night: Vampires come out to play when the sun goes down for a month in a small Alaskan town. Based on Steve Niles' bloody graphic novel, this fright flick is already garnering sequel buzz, so pay attention to who makes it to the final reel. Josh Hartnett and the new go-to guy for quirky roles, Ben Foster, star. And speaking of quirky ...
- Wristcutters: A Love Story: Already hailed as the next great cult film, Patrick Fugit commits suicide and finds himself in a strange, Purgatory-like world. Oh, and it's a romantic comedy.
- Reservation Road: A fatal hit-and-run accident throws Mark Ruffalo's life into a downward spiral. Joaquin Phoenix and Jennifer Connelly are the traumatized parents of the dead boy. Hard-hitting drama or big downer? You decide.
- Things We Lost in the Fire: Oscar winners Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro headline another drama about coping with loss. Also stars Alison Lohman and David Duchovny.
- Gone Baby Gone: Ben Affleck makes his feature film directorial debut with this story of two detectives (Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris) trying to find a missing little girl. Depressed yet?
- Weirdsville: Hunky Scott Speedman is a drugged-out small time criminal on the lamb from a vicious drug dealer. Also stars Wes Bentley and Taryn Manning.
- Jimmy Carter Man from Plains: Jonathan Demme's acclaimed documentary follows the ex-president on his recent national tour for his controversial book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. Still with me?
- And finally: on a lighter (much lighter) note, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is re-released in Disney Digital 3-D, just in time for Halloween, for a three week engagement.

Visit Fandango - Search movie showtimes and buy tickets!
Links via Imdb.com, EW.com, ReelzChannel.com, Out.com, VH1.com, AfterEllen.com, Men.Style.com and Towleroad.com.

Deborah Kerr: 1921-2007

We are deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of Deborah Kerr, the award-winning actress who was the epitome of onscreen elegance and British charm.

Beloved star of some of the most romantic movies ever filmed (From Here to Eternity, The King and I, An Affair to Remember), the red-headed, luminous beauty also starred in such classics as Black Narcissus; King Solomon's Mines; Quo Vadis; Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison; Separate Tables; The Sundowners and Tea and Sympathy, a role she originated on Broadway.

Kerr, who was nominated for the Academy Award six times, received an Honorary Oscar in 1994. Upon accepting the honor, the shy actress known as "The English Rose" said, "I have never been so terrified in my life, but I feel better now because I know that I am among friends. Thank you for giving me a happy life." And thank you, Deborah Kerr, for sharing it with us.

Links via NYTimes.com and Imdb.com.

Extreme Makeover: Disney Edition

Since its opening in 2001, Disney's California Adventure has paled in comparison to its next-door neighbor, the original Disneyland. But all that is going to change over the next couple of years, as the Burbank suits have green lit a multi-million dollar do-over for the struggling Anaheim theme park.

The biggest news (and one that just entered the rumor mill within the past week) is a new dark ride based on The Little Mermaid. This particular project has been on the drawing boards for years, creating so much interest amongst fans that a "virtual" mock-up of this "ride that never was" (and now will be) was included on the movie's Platinum Edition DVD last year. The attraction will be located in Paradise Pier, where the new Toy Story ride is currently under construction. More Pixar-based amusements will be featured in a new 12-acre area dubbed "Cars Land", which will be the home of a new "E-ticket" thrill ride and more.

Also announced is a Fantasmic!-like nighttime spectacular called "Disney's World of Color" (concept art above, click to enlarge) and a total revamping of the entry plaza. This is where the main focus of this "re-branding" of the park as Walt Disney's California Adventure will be found. Sort of another Main Street, depicting old Hollywood (circa the 1920's) as it was at the time that Walt himself first arrived to live out his silver screen dreams, the primary icon of this area will be a recreation of the historic Carthay Circle Theatre. Longtime Disneyphiles know this is the Los Angeles cinema where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had its world premiere almost 70 years ago. Showing within will be an all-new version of The Walt Disney Story.

And that's just phase one of this extreme makeover. Phase two is in the works as we speak.

UPDATE: Here's the video of the virtual Little Mermaid ride mentioned above.

Click here to purchase The Little MermaidPlatinum Edition DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Wikipedia.org, LaughingPlace.com, CinemaTreasures.org, BlueSkyDisney.blogspot.com and YouTube.com.

A Vampire Stole My Pen

If you ever find yourself, you know, needing to sign a blood pact or something, then this is the product for you: an official 30 Days of Night Syringe Pen.

Inspired by the new horror movie 30 Days of Night (opening tomorrow), this handy-dandy writing implement also doubles as an effective distraction for vampires.

If one of those nasty bloodsuckers comes after you while you're making a grocery list or composing a journal entry or writing a nasty letter to Mutts and Moms, simply toss it at him. While the undead demon from hell tries vainly to pry open the plastic casing to get to the (fake) blood inside, you can safely make your escape ... or impale him with a ruler, your call.

Links via EntertainmentEarth.com, Imdb.com and Towleroad.com.

Viva Hugh Jackman

As far as narrative musicals on television go, there have been three kinds in the past: Broadway-based TV movies (Peter Pan, Gypsy), the odd "musical episode" within an established series (Buffy, Scrubs) and Cop Rock. The new CBS series Viva Laughlin (debuting tomorrow night prior to moving to Sundays) follows in the footsteps of that last option, which does not bode well for its future.

Based on the British series Viva Blackpool, Laughlin is set in Nevada's other, smaller sin city and uses pre-existing pop songs (like "Sympathy for the Devil") to help tell its story of murder and intrigue in a struggling casino. Produced by Hugh Jackman (who also has a recurring role), the series also features Melanie Griffith and Brothers & Sisters' Eric Winter. While I intend to at least check out the first episode, I kind of hope it doesn't last long, if only to hasten Winters' return to the arms of one Kevin Walker.

Here is a preview of the show, and it appears to at least have one thing going for it: it's not the worst project this year to bastardize the King's ode to the glitz and glamour of Sin City.

UPDATE: After only two airings, Viva Laughlin has been cancelled by CBS. Wonder how long it will take Jason McCallister to get back from Malaysia?

Links via CBS.com, Imdb.com, YouTube.com and Playbill.com.

Pink is the New Out

Let's face it: we talk about a lot of gay celebrities here at Movie Dearest, from Ian and Ellen to Rosie and Cheyenne, we love 'em all. We love them for their talents, and love them some more for being out and proud in this crazy world we live in today.

But, to be honest with you, it's tiring and gets redundant having to write and read "openly gay" next to so many names, not that I do it all that much anyway. See, I know my MD readers are smart and well read, and they know their gay celebs.

However, what about the ones that you may not be aware of? Through the course of writing this blog, I have come across a couple names that even I did not know were "one of the family", and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

So, as a service to my readers, and also as a means in furthering gay visibility here in cyberspaceland, I have come up with what I believe is a subtle yet effective way to distinguish all the famous GLBT people mentioned on this site. You may have noticed already that some names in recent posts are colored in a light shade of pink. Well, as you can surmise, pink is the new "out", at least here at MD. From here on out, every out GLBT celebrity named herein will be hued in pink. Furthermore, I am currently working my way back through all the past (350-plus!) posts to update those as well.

Now, some may think that pink is a stereotypical "gay color", but I say think of it along the lines of the "pink triangle", a symbol created to victimize us, but reclaimed by us to symbolize our pride. Besides, it would be really tedious to do everyone's name in rainbow colors.

In conclusion, here's where you come in. If a name happens to slip past me, let me know by shooting me an email (address in the sidebar to your right, below my profile) or just post a comment in the handy-dandy comment section at the bottom of each post. If possible, provide a link to a valid source (it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: MD does not traffic in unwanted outings or rumor mongering, and any such posts will be deleted). On the other hand, if I accidentally "pink" someone who is not an out GLBT person, let me know ASAP as well.

Link via Wikipedia.org.

Women We Love: Jamie Lee Curtis

Part three of a month long "Women We Love" salute to our favorite "Scream Queens" of the silver screen:

Object of our affection: Jamie Lee Curtis, actress/
author/diaper inventor.
- Why we love her: She is the epitome of the strong-willed, yet still feminine, independent woman.
- Family ties: Daughter of the Psycho shower woman and The Boston Strangler, Jamie Lee was born to be a "scream queen".
- Signature role: Laurie Strode, the ultimate baby-sitter/survivor, in Halloween (her film debut) and three sequels.
- Other "scream queen" roles: The Fog, Prom Night, Terror Train, Perfect.
- Choice roles: A hooker with a heart of gold in Trading Places (BAFTA Award), a frisky grifter in A Fish Called Wanda, a sexy housewife drawn into her spy husband's secret life in True Lies (Golden Globe Award).
- She was robbed: Should have been Oscar nominated for her hilarious teenager-stuck-in-her-mom's-body performance in Freaky Friday.
- Eww: Claims that Dan Aykroyd gave her her best onscreen kiss.
- Yes, it's true: Is a real baroness, thanks to her husband, actor/mockumentarian Christopher Guest.
- Bet you didn't know: Is Jake Gyllenhaal's godmother.
- Nickname: "The Body" (and how).
- Can we quote you on that?: Regarding onscreen nudity: "I thought, while they're up and firm, why not shoot them once or twice."
- Where we can see her next: In the now in the works Disney live action/animated movie South of the Border.

Links via Imdb.com and PATFT.uspto.gov.

American Idle

In news that is only surprising in that it took this long to happen, Clay Aiken is heading to the Great White Way.

The American Idol runner-up will soon be starring in Monty Python's Spamalot, the Mike Nichols directed/Eric Idle penned/Tony Award-winning extravaganza based on (of course) the cult movie classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Aiken will take over (in January) the role of brave Sir Robin, the part originally created on stage by David Hyde Pierce and played in the movie by Idle himself.

Aiken follows other such Idols to Broadway as Fantasia Barrino (The Color Purple), Frenchie Davis (Rent) and Constantine Maroulis (The Wedding Singer). Could Justin Guarini as Pippin be far behind?

Links via Playbill.com and Imdb.com.

Awards Watch: The Disney Legends

Say what you will about the Disney Company today, but one thing they have always embraced is their own history, and those who have helped to shape it. Each year for the past two decades, Disney has bestowed the Disney Legend award, a lifetime achievement honor, to a select group of individual artists and others whose work through the years has contributed to the continuing legacy we know as "Disney magic".

Most of the names of this year's recipients may be unfamiliar to you, but no doubt you'll recognize the varied projects they helped to create:

• Roone Arledge: Former President of ABC News and ABC Sports, creator of 20/20, Wide World of Sports and many other programs (posthumous).
• Art Babbitt: A controversial choice: Animator (Snow White, Pinocchio) who led the infamous 1941 strike against the Disney Studio (posthumous).
• Carl Bongirno: Former President of Disney Imagineering, oversaw the construction of Epcot.
• Marge Champion: The famed dancer was the live action reference model for Snow White, the Blue Fairy and others.
• Dick Huemer: Animator, writer and director on shorts and such features as Fantasia, Dumbo and Alice in Wonderland (posthumous).
• Ron Logan: Tony Award-nominated producer of Beauty and the Beast on Broadway; also produced many live shows for the theme parks worldwide.
• Lucille Martin: Walt Disney’s personal secretary for many years.
• Thomas Murphy: CEO of ABC prior to Disney's acquisition of the network.
• Randy Newman: Oscar winning composer of such films as Toy Story, James and the Giant Peach, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc. and Cars.
• Floyd Norman: Animator and story artist on such films as The Jungle Book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan and Toy Story 2.
• Bob Schiffer: Legendary Hollywood make-up artist; his Disney work included pretty much every live action movie from 1969 to 1986 (posthumous).
• Dave Smith: Longtime Disney archivist and author; his Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopediais a must-have for any Disney fan.

Congratulations to all of this year's honorees.

Links via Disney.go.com, O-meon.com, Imdb.com, WDWInfo.com, Wikipedia.org and Museum.tv.

Movie Music: SuperCam

Dancing With the Stars is a guilty pleasure of mine (thanks to Big Edie), but not exactly within the realm of Movie Dearest. However, occasionally the music choices for the dances do dip into the realm of "Movie Music", such as Joey Fatone's Star Wars tango last season.

Another John Williams score showed up this week when soap stud Cameron Mathison (who was likened to Clark Kent by judge Bruno Tonioli a few weeks back) and his professional partner Edyta Sliwinska Paso Doble'd to the Superman theme. Cameron even wore a sparkly "C" emblem on his chest.

Not to be out done, Beverly Hills 90210 alum Jennie Garth and her cutie-patootie partner Derek Hough whipped up a frenzy to the tune of Fatboy Slim's "Because We Can" from Moulin Rouge! Both celebrity couples impressed the judges and viewers enough to carry them over to next week's show.

Click here to shop the official Dancing with the Stars store.
Links via Imdb.com and YouTube.com.

Lost in Translation

There is nothing worse then having a cherished childhood memory trampled upon by Hollywood. Such is the case with the upcoming feature film adaptation of Land of the Lost, the cheesy Saturday morning sci fi show from the cheese-meisters extraordinaire Sid and Marty Croft.

The live action series, which ran on NBC from 1974 to 1977, followed the adventures of a park ranger and his two children who have been transported to a prehistoric land via a subterranean waterfall. Befriended by a primitive ape boy named Cha-Ka, they must fight to survive hungry rubber dinosaurs and a lizard-like tribe of creatures called "Sleestaks" (by the looks of them, maybe a better descriptive term would be "phallic"). The show also had a bizarrely bluegrass, plot exposition-heavy theme song which instantly burns its way into your brain, never to escape.

As I said, pure cheese, but it was our cheese. Everyone I know who watched this when they were kids recall it fondly. Thus, imagine my dismay upon hearing that they are not only turning it into a movie, but into a comedy (an intentional one this time) starring ... Will Ferrell.

Why-oh-why is this one-note comedian so popular, and why does he continue to ruin beloved TV shows by turning them into crappy movies? You would think he would have learned with that bomb known as Bewitched. There is one bright spot though in this impending desecration: considering that the movie will likely be aimed at the younger set, at least we won't be subjected to Ferrell gettin' naked yet again. Or, at least I hope so.

Click here to purchase the original Land of the Loston DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via HollywoodReporter.com, Imdb.com, Albany.net, YouTube.com and Cinematical.com.

Poster Post: Jack is Back ... in 3-D!

The Tim Burton-produced, Henry Selick directed stop-motion animated musical masterpiece The Nightmare Before Christmas returns to select theaters this Friday in Disney Digital 3-D for a limited three-week engagement.

And what could be even more fun then a three-dimensional pumpkin king? How about a sing along! At Disney's El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, the 11:30 PM screening will feature onscreen lyrics for all of you who don't know the words to "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" by heart.

Visit Fandango - Search movie showtimes and buy tickets!
Click here to buy Nightmare Before Christmasposters from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com and Disney.go.com.

Plugging 'Daisies'

There are some TV series, like The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lost, that play like weekly mini-movies. At their best, these shows rivaled what was playing in theaters at the time, with an overall quality level often surpassing their cinematic brethren. The new ABC show Pushing Daisies is just such a series. Like those three modern classics, Daisies is a fantasy and so much more: funny, romantic, thrilling, melancholy and, most of all, entirely original and utterly imaginative.

Brought to us by stylish cinematographer (Raising Arizona) turned film director (The Addams Family) Barry Sonnenfeld and Bryan Fuller, creator of cult TV faves Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me, the story centers on Ned (Lee Pace, who you'll remember from playing Calpernia Addams in Soldier's Girl), a timid pie maker with a secret: he can bring dead people back to life. He uses this power for good ... sort of; along with his partner, hard-nosed gumshoe Emerson Cod (Chi McBride), Ned revives the recently deceased just long enough to find out who murdered them, and then collects the reward. Complications to this sweet set up arise when Charlotte "Chuck" Charles (Anna Friel), Ned's dead childhood sweetheart who he has brought back to life for good, enters the picture. See, Ned and Chuck can never touch, or she would die again ... for good.

As you can tell, this is not the type of program one can sum up easily (this extended preview helps flesh out some of the details), but the outlandish premise is half its quirky charm. It is also insanely cinematic, with brightly colored art direction and the patented Sonnenfeld brand of sweeping camerawork. Not to mention an enormously talented cast who clicked from the get go. In addition to Jim Dale as the droll narrator, three stage faves round out the ensemble: Swoosie Kurtz and Ellen Greene as Chuck's eccentric aunts, and Kristin Chenoweth as the lovesick Olive Snook, who memorably belted out "Hopelessly Devoted to You" in last week's installment.

The series' third episode airs tomorrow night, but if you missed them, you can get caught up on the first two episodes over at ABC.com. Trust me; you'll be glad you did.

UPDATE: Another Broadway favorite, Raúl Esparza, will join the show in a recurring role starting with this week's episode. And TV Guide has all the scoop on how Pushing Daisies came to be, such has how those Amélie-esque sets are not a coincidence.

Links via Imdb.com, YouTube.com, ABC.go.com, Playbill.com and TVGuide.com.

Bad Boys: What Are You Going To Do?

What is it about bad boys that make them so appealing? We know we shouldn't, but we're still drawn to them. Is it the surly demeanor, the anti-social behavior, their raw ... naughtiness? Well, my friends, you know the answer to that one as well as I do: all of the above.

Shiznet's list of the "Top 20 Crazy Bastards" has plenty of, well, crazy bastards you wouldn't look twice at (Jack Nicholson -- who bookends the countdown as Frank Costello and Jack Torrance -- any one?). However, there are at least five who you wouldn't kick out of bed for eating crackers ... or shooting your cat:

• Ben Kinglsey as Don Logan in Sexy Beast: Yeah, I know, there's the whole Gandhi thing. But check out those pecs!
• Michael Madsen as Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs: Wouldn't you like to be stuck in the middle with him?
• Skeet Ulrich as Billy Loomis in Scream: All your psycho ex-boyfriends rolled into one jailbait package.
• Bruce Wayne in the Batman movies: Pick a flavor: Kilmer, Clooney, Bale. Which brings us to ...
• Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho: Sure, he has questionable taste in music and is unnervingly adept with a chainsaw, but he dresses nice. And, as you can see above, undresses real nice too.

And for even more nasty boys then you can shake your stick at, here's a "toxic" video montage of sexy villains, rogues and bad boys just for you.

Links via TheShiznet.co.uk and YouTube.com.

The Latest on DVD: Oh Mammy

This week's recommended new DVD releases offer something for everyone:

- For the Cantor in All of Us: The Jazz Singer- The world's first talkie, in its DVD debut -- a three-disc deluxe edition, no less.
- For the Drunk and Disorderly: Absolutely Fabulous: White Box- Patsy and Edina are back.
- For the Gore-Hound: Grindhouse Presents Planet Terror: Extended and Unrated 2-Disc Special Edition- Robert Rodriguez's half of Grindhouse.
- For Those Looking for a Good Cry: A Mighty Heart- Angelina Jolie's award-winning performance is at the heart of this tragic true story.
- For All the Liars in Your Life: The Hoax- Richard Gere pulls a fast one with a fake Howard Hughes biography.
- For the Show Queens: Show Business: The Road to Broadway- Wicked, Avenue Q, Taboo ... need I saw more?
- For the Completists Out There: Treasures III: Social Issues in American Film, 1900-1934- A collection of rare short films from the dawn of cinema.
- And for All You "Women in Prison" Movie Fans (You Know Who You Are): Caged Fury- Lingerie-clad prisoners, a lesbian warden and Erik Estrada ... who could ask for anything more?

All titles can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking on the above links.

Do You Think Michael Beck Will Paint the Album Cover?

Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson (check out the thighs on that man!), Tony Roberts, Mary Testa, Jackie Hoffman and the rest of the talented cast of the Broadway sensation Xanadu will head into the recording studio later this month to record the eagerly-anticipated original cast album.

The new CD will be available January 8, but if you can't wait to hear Kerry channeling Olivia on "Have You Never Been Mellow?", it will be available the first week of December at the PS Classics website, the show's official website, or at the Helen Hayes Theatre, where the show is currently playing to sold-out houses. (Or check back here to pre-orderfrom Amazon.com.)

In related news, Xanadu director Christopher Ashley will premiere the show on the west coast at the La Jolla Playhouse next season; from there, Xanadu will hit the road on its first national tour. Also scheduled is Charles Busch's newest play, The Third Story, which he will star in as well.

Links via Playbill.com, PSClassics.com and XanaduOnBroadway.com.

Torch Song Ideology

Yes, that is Miss Joan Crawford in black face (or "tribal make-up", as Debbie Reynolds called it in That's Entertainment III). And I don't need to tell the hard core Crawfordites out there that this shot is from the camptastic musical number "Two-Faced Woman" from Torch Song (you can see a bit of it near the end of the film's trailer). And don't ask me to theorize who thought that was a good idea in 1953 ... especially in Technicolor!

Torch Song was actually Joan's first Technicolor picture, and it will finally make its long-awaited DVD debut, along with four more of her classics, in the just announced "Joan Crawford Collection, Volume 2" from Warner Home Video. Each of the five films comes packed with bonus features like shorts and trailers, but Torch Song gets such extra-special goodies as a brand new featurette titled (get this) Tough Baby: Joan Crawford and Torch Song, an audio recording of Joan singing the songs (she was dubbed in the actual movie) and something that makes my head spin with the possibilities: a vintage PSA called At Home with Joan Crawford.

The other films included are Sadie McKee (co-starring her then-future husband Franchot Tone), Strange Cargo (Joan's eighth and final pairing with Clark Gable), A Woman's Face (playing a "horribly disfigured woman whose inner pain motivates her to life a life of evil" under the direction of George Cukor) and Flamingo Road (directed by Joan's Mildred Pierce helmer Michael Curtiz).

The box set will be released February 12. Click here to pre-orderfrom Amazon.com.

Links via Imdb.com, YouTube.com and DVDTimes.co.uk.

Iconography, Seriously.

In a recent article on AfterElton.com, Steven Frank asks the intriguing question, "What does it take to be a gay icon today?" As an example of a contemporary contender to that revered status, Steven mentions Katherine Heigl, the Emmy winning actress from Grey's Anatomy and burgeoning movie star thanks to Knocked Up. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my Izzie Stevens, but as far as she being a gay icon, I have to say, "Uh, seriously?"

You see, to me, the term "gay icon" (like the equally misused "diva") is one that is bandied about way too cavalierly these days. In my opinion, that exalted title is one somebody (male or female, but -- let's face it -- usually the latter) has to earn. I mean really earn. "Blood, sweat and tears and all that" earned.

To be even remotely considered a gay icon, one needs to work long and hard, emphasis on the long. All due respect to Miss Heigl, but three-plus seasons on television, one hit movie and a gay BFF just doesn't cut it in my book. Get married and divorced a couple times, develop a barbiturates addiction, be unfairly snubbed at the Oscars ... then we'll talk.

I propose that we should consider gay iconography akin to sainthood ... you don't get it until you die. No, not literally die, just symbolically. Take a look at the careers of such certified gay icons as Cher, Madonna and Liza and you'll see that they have all "died" and come back, more fabulous then ever ... sometimes more then once. After all, if you want us to worship you, you got to pay the price. A little resurrection every now and then is all we're asking.

So if not an actual gay icon, what should we call the likes of Katherine and others like her? Well, since I've laid on the religious metaphors pretty thickly already, how about this: a novice gay icon. As those of you who paid attention in Catholic school all know, a "novice" is sort of a "nun in training" (earning her habit, if you will). And if Sister Nancy Katherine is a novice, you know what that makes Judy Garland: The Mother Superior. Hail, Marys!

Links via AfterElton.com and Imdb.com.

On the Scene at AFI's 40th

I posted last month about the multi-movie celebration the American Film Institute threw for themselves earlier this month in recognition of their 40th anniversary, a night of a thousand stars both on and off screen.

The event sold out quickly, and other then the cancellation of The Shawshank Redemption (due to a conflict in Morgan Freeman's schedule), by all reports, the evening was a resounding success.

Congratulations to AFI for forty years of celebrating excellence in the art of film. Here's to the next forty!

Links via AFI.com.

Disney Goes Hawaiian

The magic of Disney will soon be found in the magic of Hawaii.

Recently announced, a new stand-alone resort will be built on the western shores of the island of Oahu. The as-yet unnamed resort, which will feature 800 hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas, is scheduled to open in 2011.

Details are sparse at this stage, but you know our pals Lilo and Stitch will be on hand with a friendly "aloha" or two.

Links via LaughingPlace.com and DVC.Disney.go.com.

Q Tube

With their hard-boiled dialogue, rapid-fire editing and the director's oft-imitated signature style, the films of Quentin Tarantino are ripe for parody (some would say they ask for it), as evidenced by this quartet of "Q"-inspired spoofs:

- Reservoir Dads: Note the spot on Steve Buscemi impersonation near the beginning.
- Pulp Muppets: How'd they do that?
- Quentin Tarantino's Star Wars: Love the old school Kenner action figures.
- The 30-Second Bunnies Present: Kill Bill, Volumes 1 and 2: The whole bunny affair.

And speaking of Kill Bill, the 4-disc extended edition will hit DVD on December 25 (Merry effin' Christmas), and is now available for pre-orderfrom Amazon.com.

Links via Imdb.com, YouTube.com and Starz.com.

Cinematic Crush: Ryan Reynolds

Crush Object: Ryan Reynolds, actor/hottie.
- Why we like him: Uh, you can see that picture, right?
- What he's known for: A devilish sense of humor, rakish charm and, you know ... those killer abs.
- When did we first notice him: On the TV sitcom Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, or, as we called it, One Guy.
- Choice roles: An anarchic college guy in National Lampoon's Van Wilder, a buff vampire slayer in Blade: Trinity, a possessed daddy in pajama bottoms in The Amityville Horror.
- Gay for pay: One of the three characters he played in The Nines (written and directed by John August).
- What we'd like to see him in next: The skintight, scarlet red suit of super speedster The Flash in the upcoming Justice League of America movie.
- Bet you didn't know: Gained 25 pounds of pure muscle for his role in Blade: Trinity.
- Can we quote you on that: "I have the worst gaydar of all time. Unless I see two men full-on French-kissing, I have no definitive answer one way or another."
- Where can I see more of him right now: In this hot video montage.

Links via Imdb.com and YouTube.com.

Trivial Pursuits: Scary Clown Edition

Has there ever been anything creepier then this seemingly innocuous clown doll from Poltergeist? I wonder how many nightmares that scene has caused and how few clown toys have been sold since the movie came out 25 years ago.

Well, I don't have an answer for that, so you'll just have to be satisfied with this collection of trivia about arguably the best haunted house movie ever made:

• The word poltergeist comes from the German polter, meaning to make noise, and geist, meaning ghost.
• Drew Barrymore originally auditioned for the part of Carol Anne in this movie, but was cast as Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial instead.
• Shirley MacLaine was offered a role in this movie, but took another one instead. That movie was Terms of Endearment.
• At one point, horrormeister Stephen King was asked to write the script.
• In an early scene, the movie A Guy Named Joe is playing on the television. Producer Steven Spielberg would later direct a remake of that movie, titled Always.
• Spielberg had a "hand" in filming the scene where Marty pulls the skin off his face in the bathroom -- those are his hands doing the pulling.
• The skeletons in the pool were actual skeletons, unbeknownst to JoBeth Williams until after the scene was filmed.
• A lot of ghosts, skeletons and other scary stuff appear in this movie, but there are actually no deaths at all.
• The film was nominated for three Academy Awards: Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects and Original Score. It lost all three to E.T.
• Heather O'Rourke and Zelda Rubinstein are the only cast members to appear in all three Poltergeist movies.

For more Poltergeist secrets, watch The E! True Hollywood Story: The Curse of Poltergeist this Tuesday. Check E! Online for the showtime in your area.

A new print of Poltergeist will be screened as part of the Academy's "Prime Tech" series Thursday, October 25 at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. A 25th anniversary panel discussion will follow.

Click here to purchase the Poltergeist: 25th Anniversary EditionDVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, EOnline.com and Oscars.org.

It Ain't Easy Being Green

Today is "Blog Action Day", a day for bloggers from all over the world to unite to support one cause. And that cause this year is the environment, specifically what we humans are doing to protect and preserve it.

Now, I could go into what you as movie fans can do to "go green", such as recycling your popcorn boxes, but I don't have to. See, Al Gore has already told you all that.

As die-hard cinephiles, I am sure you have all seen the Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, "hosted" by recent Noble Prize and Emmy Award-winner Gore (who, despite what many news organizations who should no better have reported, did not actually win an Oscar himself).

Plus, I know you all do your part in conservation. After all, doesn't our hobby mainly consist of sitting in a darkened room for hours at a time? All that electricity we're saving on lighting has to account for something ...

Click here to purchase An Inconvenient Truthon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via BlogActionDay.org, Imdb.com, LATimes.com and AwardsDaily.com.

Omigod, Omigod You Guys!

If you watched the MTV presentation this weekend of the bubbly musical comedy Legally Blonde - The Musical, then you probably have that perky opening number percolating through your brain as much as I do.

This perfectly endearing, pink-tinged stage adaptation of the popular Reese Witherspoon movie was a lot of fun, filled with peppy songs and energetic dances (courtesy director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell). I hope this risky endeavor (airing a full-length, complete musical production for free on television while the show is still running on Broadway) pays off at the box office, as this is definitely something I would like to see happen again in the future (Xanadu, perhaps? Or maybe Wicked?). I know when this Blonde goes on tour, I will be more likely now to go and see it, and the cast album has jumped to the top of my must have list for sure. (And you can buy it right here, right nowfrom Amazon.com.)

One thing is certain: Laura Bell Bundy is a terrific performer. Tony Award-nominated for her performance as "Woods-comma-Elle", she is a star bursting to shine on the silver screen. Hey Hollywood, get this girl a movie musical, fast!

Links via MTV.com, LegallyBlondeTheMusical.com and Imdb.com.

Great Performances: Dylan Fergus as Eddie

When it comes to slasher movies, every one needs to have the "Jamie Lee Curtis" character. That is, the plucky smart one who suspects something is going on while her more superficial, less intelligent girlfriends are knocked off one by one by the resident homicidal maniac.

In the case of the gay horror movie HellBent (directed by Paul Etheredge-Ouzts), "Jamie Lee" is played by actor Dylan Fergus. A hunky police department assistant trying to prove himself, Fergus' Eddie is just as resilient as Curtis' Halloween hero Laurie Strode in this effective throwback to the early days of John Carpenter and his ilk.

However, unlike the virginal Laurie, Eddie manages a little heavy petting action with a swarthy stranger, and you all know what happens when someone in a scary movie has sex. But Eddie has a secret of his own that just may save both their lives when the devilish killer comes calling ... for their heads!

Watch the HellBent trailer here.

Click here to purchase HellBenton DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com and YouTube.com.

The Latest on TV: Freak Shows

Notable movies and other programs on TV for Monday October 15 to Sunday October 21:

Turner Classic Movies continues their October-long look at "Classic Horror Directors" this Friday with Tod Browning, the man who unleashed Freaks into the world. The rare silent film London After Midnight, starring Lon Chaney, will also air.

The TCM original documentary, The Dawn of Sound, will premiere on Tuesday, along with several early sound shorts, Al Jolson's The Jazz Singer and Don Juan, the silent version starring John Barrymore, Myrna Loy, Mary Astor and ... Hedda Hopper!

The "not-on-DVD" file for the week includes Jean Simmons in Young Bess (TCM, Monday), Oscar-winner George Arliss in Disraeli and Wallace Beery in Viva Villa! (both TCM, Tuesday), Greer Garson in Blossoms in the Dust and Lena Horne in Panama Hattie (both TCM, Wednesday), Mariel Hemingway in Personal Best (LOGO, Wednesday), Gene Tierney in Belle Star (Fox Movie Channel, Thursday), Betty Grable in Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe (FMC, Friday) and Joan Crawford in Berserk! (TCM, Friday).

E! True Hollywood Story takes a look at Reese Witherspoon (Hollywood's Golden Girl) on Monday and Friday, Rosie O'Donnell on Thursday and Kathy Griffin on Saturday. Tuesday on the channel brings you five hours of "curses" with THS dedicated to the Little Rascals, The Exorcist and Poltergeist.

On Tuesday, the Food Network show Ace of Cakes will show how they made a groovy cake (seen here) for the Hairspray movie premiere.

Burt Reynolds tries to relive a little of his Smokey and the Bandit days with DIY's Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit, premiering Friday.

AMC shakes things up Saturday with a Movies That Shook the World look at The Exorcist, while Bravo airs an Inside the Actor's Studio marathon focusing on their favorite funny people, including Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and the cast of The Simpsons.

Click on the network links to find the show times in your area. All programming is subject to change.

And check back later this week for more "Latest on TV" updates.

Click here to buy Freaksposters from Amazon.com.
Links via TCM.com, LOGOOnline.com, Fox MovieChannel.com, EOnline.com, FoodNetwork.com, HairsprayMovie.com, DIYNetwork.com, AMCTV.com and BravoTV.com.

Tracy Turnblad Wants You!

To vote for Hairspray!

Like Amber Von Tussle vying for the title of "Miss Teenage Hairspray", our favorite movie musical of the year needs your vote!

The American Music Awards has nominated the Hairspray soundtrack as "Favorite Album: Soundtrack" opposite Dreamgirls and that other Zac Efron movie, High School Musical 2 (gotta say it: that is one gay group of nominees). For the first time ever, the AMAs have opened up the voting to the general public, so head over to the show's official site to place your vote now! Votes will be collected until November 1, and the winners will be announced during the live broadcast Sunday, November 18 on ABC.

And you can also vote for Hairspray as the "Hollywood Movie of the Year" in this year's Hollywood Movie Awards! You can vote at Yahoo Movies, but hurry -- voting ends Monday (sorry about that, just heard about it). The awards will be handed out October 22 in beautiful Beverly Hills.

Click here to pre-order Hairsprayon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via ABC.go.com and Movies.Yahoo.com.

Dear Departed

If you were as under-whelmed by Martin Scorsese's The Departed as I was, you'll find this spoof trailer hilarious. If you loved it as much as the Academy did, you'll still find it hilarious.

An entrant in this year's MTV Movie Awards, the good fellas at First Hour Movies sure now how to bring on the Boston-baked funny. From the exaggerated accents to the cheesy Celtic music to Marky Mark, they get it all down perfectly ... ah, pahfectly.

Forget that gold guy; The Depahted should have won one of those gold popcorn thingies!

Click here to purchase The Departedon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, YouTube.com and FirstHourMovies.com.

Naked Boys in NYC and More

As often happens with smaller independent films, their limited release can sometimes slip through the cracks. Such is the case with three recent gay-themed indies, now playing in select cities prior to their eventual release on DVD (when most of us will actually be able to see them).

The movie version of the long-running Off-Broadway musical Naked Boys Singing opened this weekend in Manhattan. Since the show itself has been playing in New York for almost ten years now, it's odd that they would chose to only play the movie there. If you had a choice, which would you choose: live naked boys singing or filmed naked boys singing? Yeah, me too.

There was an opening night party after the premiere at Splash, and Broadway World has the pictures to prove it. Members of the cast were there, fully clothed and "Saint Joan"-less, unlike the shots here. To see the uncensored versions, visit the movie's official website.

If you can't make it to Manhattan (or one of the few other cities that will get it), the unrated Naked Boys Singing DVD is already set for release on December 4, and you can pre-order it right here, right nowfrom Amazon.com.

On the other side of the country, gay film fest fave Itty Bitty Titty Committee is now playing in Los Angeles. As if you couldn't tell from that hilarious title, the film is a lesbian comedy about radical feminism, directed by Jamie Babbit of But I'm a Cheerleader fame and starring Melanie Mayron and Guinevere Turner. For more information on the movie, visit its My Space page, where you can also watch the trailer.

Another film that made its way through the festival circuit this summer is For the Bible Tells Me So. Directed by Daniel Karslake, the documentary takes a look at what the good book really says about homosexuality. Now showing in select theaters, visit the official site for dates and locations in your area. The trailer is also available.

Visit Fandango - Search movie showtimes and buy tickets!
Links via Imbd.com, Playbill.com, BroadwayWorld.com, NakedBoysSingingMovie.com, TheaterMania.com, MySpace.com, YouTube.com, Cinematical.com, NYBlade.com and FirstRunFeatures.com.

Film Art: Don't They Ever Stop Migrating?

Pen and ink storyboard for Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds by Academy Award-nominated art director Harold Michelson. Now on display at the Academy's Grand Lobby Gallery as part of "The Art of the Motion Picture Illustrator" exhibit (through December 16).

Click here to purchase The Birdson DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com and Oscars.org.

Bring On the Divas

The above three characters have more in common then fabulous outfits and world-class portrayers. Googie Gomez, Ursula and Angela Arden all want stardom (on the stage, on the throne, on film). So that makes them more "wannabe divas" then actual divas, but I wouldn't tell them that. Another thing in common they all share is they're all featured in this week's From Screen to Stage:

- The Ritz is now open for business! Check out all the opening night party pix and video, plus some more backstage shots of all the actors in towels (Ryan Idol rocks a pair of cowboy boots with his). Over at Playbill.com, they chat with Googie herself, Rosie Perez, and Seth Rudetsky tells you all about his prop mishaps, plus playwright Terrence McNally takes a look back at the original 1975 production. And while AfterElton.com gave the revival a positive review, the notices from the trades are decidedly mixed.

- Playbill offers a couple new pictures of The Little Mermaid, including Sherie Rene Scott in full Ursula drag. Head over to the show's official site for more of the cast in costume (King Triton is ripped!). In related news, Disney Theatrical's Thomas Schumacher has written a new book, aimed at kids, on how to put on a Broadway show. Also: the Waldorf-Astoria is now hosting a Mary Poppins "Practically Perfect" afternoon tea.

- Charles Busch assays the tour de force role of Angela Arden in his Die Mommie Die!, now playing Off-Broadway. My pal Dean's Charles Busch Page has some great pix from the show, as well as everything you could ever need on all things Busch.

- Young Frankenstein has started previews, but apparently the gay techies working on the show are not happy with it. On a lighter note, Broadway.com has video interviews with stars Sutton Foster and Shuler Hensley. Meanwhile, Sutton's brother Hunter opened the other Frankenstein musical Off-Broadway.

- As Hairspray opens in London, the Broadway Blog ruminates on the hit movie version. Also from London, Chicago's youngest Mama Morton, Kelly Osbourne, meets the press. Speaking of the matron, the Big Apple production will be getting a new one: Aida Turturro. Her Sopranos co-star Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore also joins the cast as Amos Hart, a.k.a. Mr. Cellophane.

- Julie Taymor's Across the Universe stars Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood played Peter Parker and Mary Jane in a recent reading of her in-the-works Spider-Man musical. The Tony Award-winning director also plans to turn her partner Elliot Goldenthal's opera Grendel into a major motion picture.

- In movie star news: George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio are eyeing a movie version of Farragut North, which will hit Broadway with Jake Gyllenhaal next season. The Cyrano de Bergerac revival, with Kevin Kline, Jennifer Garner and humpy Daniel Sunjata, has opened on the Great White Way. And what's this? Javier Bardem says news reports of his starring in the Nine movie are premature.

- On the TV faves front: The Grumpy Old Men musical has a star-studded reading, including Taxi alum Christopher Lloyd and Carol Kane. Barry "Greg Brady" Williams will headline the new disco era review, Growing Up 70s and Peter "Emmett Honeycutt" Paige joins The History Boys in L.A. And Garry Marshall talks up his Happy Days musical and hints at a ... Pretty Woman musical?

- A stage version of Snow Falling on Cedars has fallen on Seattle.

- The eagerly awaited Sweeney Todd movie has been rated R by the MPAA. Slitting people's throats and then cooking their remains in meat pies will do that to you.

- If you missed the don't miss television debut of Legally Blonde - The Musical, MTV will re-air the three-hour event this Sunday night. Broadway World has some more video clips to tide you over until then.

- And finally: congratulations to Harvey Fierstein, Jack O'Brien, John Cullum, Dana Ivey, Lois Smith, Peter Shaffer and Joseph Stein. They are the latest inductees into the Theater Hall of Fame.

Links via Playbill.com, Broadway.com, Advocate.com, AfterElton.com, GoldDerby.LATimes.com, Disney.go.com, CharlesBusch.blogspot.com, BroadwayWorld.com, NewYorkPost.com, BroadwayMouth.blogspot.com, HollywoodReporter.com, MTV.com and SGN.org.

MD Poll: Halloween Rules

John Carpenter's iconic score to his film Halloween easily topped the "scary music" poll this week, scaring up 42% of the vote (33 votes out of 78 total). Bernard Herrmann's classic Psycho shrieks placed second (13 votes/16%) and John Williams' Oscar-winning Jaws theme came in third (9 votes/11%). Check the comments section below for the full run down.

From "Movie Music" to "Potent Quotables", the next MD Poll asks, "What is the creepiest quote?" The following movie lines are all classics, but which one is the most likely to send a shiver up your spine every time you hear it?

• "I never drink ... wine." -- Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), Dracula.
• "It's alive! It's alive!" -- Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive), Frankenstein.
• "Gooble goble, gooble goble. We accept her. One of us ..." -- The circus freaks, Freaks.
• "I'll get you, my pretty ... and your little dog too!" -- The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton), The Wizard of Oz.
• "They're here already! You're next! You're next ..." -- Miles Binnell (Kevin McCarthy), Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
• "Help me! Help meeee!" -- Andre Delambre (David Hedison), The Fly.
• "We all go a little mad sometimes." -- Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), Psycho.
• "He has his father's eyes." -- Roman Castevet (Sidney Blackmer), Rosemary's Baby.
• "They're here." -- Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O'Rourke), Poltergeist.
• "They mostly come at night ... mostly." -- Newt (Carrie Henn), Aliens.
• "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. Fttt-ftt-ftt!" -- Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), The Silence of the Lambs.
• "I see dead people." -- Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), The Sixth Sense.

Submit your vote in the poll located in the sidebar to your right (beneath my profile), and check back next week for the spine-tingling results!

UPDATE: This poll is now closed, click here to see the results, and click here to vote in the latest MD Poll.

Click here to buy Halloweenon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com.

Friday's 13

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that gets a little Halloween obsessed when October rolls around each year, as witnessed by the following 13 scary movie lists that would give even Jason Voorhees a sleepless night:

- Rotten Tomatoes' "50 Best-Reviewed Horror Movies": Surprisingly diverse, running the gamut of movie history from silents to slashers. Welcome inclusions: The Descent, Fright Night, Shadow of the Vampire. Could have done without: The Blair Witch Project. Number 1 with a shower stall: Psycho.

- MatchFlick's "Top 10 Horror Movie Characters": As could be expected, only two heroes (Laurie Strode, Ash) amongst all the villains. A bit top heavy on the Mount Rushmore of modern horror (Freddy, Jason, Leatherface and Michael), all of whom are ranked higher then Norman Bates. What's up with that? Number 1 with a Shatner mask: Michael Myers.

- Cinematical's "Best Horror Movies You Haven't Seen Yet": Frightful film fest faves, coming soon to a theater or video store near you.

- Cinematical's "Cool Horror Films of the 80's": Most of these seven spookathons from the decade of greed are on the mark (Return of the Living Dead, The Lost Boys, even The Blob remake), but dude: The Fog instead of A Nightmare on Elm Street? Totally bogus.

- Screenhead's "The 10 Most Sublimely Scary Scenes in Cinema": As is the norm these days with most movie fansites, this one is heavily waited to more modern films (the oldest is 1973's The Exorcist), but you can't deny the creep factor of, say, the Pale Man from Pan's Labyrinth. Number 1 with a video tape: Ringu.

- Times Online's "The 13 Most Terrifying Movie Scenes Ever": Actually, it only goes to 11 (It and Duel are technically TV movies). Smart enough to recognize the childhood terrors of The Wizard of Oz, yet somehow includes Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, scary in a whole other way. Number 1 with a big axe: The Shining.

- Cinematical's "Movie Tricks and Treats for Kids" and "Scary Movies for the Wimpy": These two are pretty much interchangeable, proven by the fact that Ghostbusters is included on both.

- Cinematical's "Horror Sub-Genres": Convenient list of the best of each, perfect if you're in the mood for a "creepy little kid" movie (i.e.: Village of the Damned) or a lesbian vampire flick (uh, how could you leave off The Hunger?).

- The First Church of Mutterhals' "The Coolest Serial Killers of Film": Exactly what you would expect with a title like that. Props for including some oldies (Peeping Tom, If ...) and Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman (cool and sexy), but isn't it jumping the gun to include Michael Myers circa, oh, a month ago?

- Cinematical's "Great Books About Horror Movies": Best title: Shock! Horror!: Astounding Artwork from the Video Nasty Era.

- Cinematical's "Worst Stephen King Adaptations": OK, I get The Lawnmower Man and Children of the Corn, but what is The Shawshank Redemption doing here? The author seems more put off by the film's ubiquitousness and popularity then the film itself.

- And finally: Boston.com's "Top 50 Scary Movies of All Time": Legitimacy is questionable when they include Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 at all (granted, they left off the original), let alone rank it ahead of Freaks. Still, manages a mix of the classic (The War of the Worlds) to the cult (Erasherhead). Number 1 with a spider-legged, antennae-sprouting decapitated head: The Thing.

Links via RottonTomatoes.com, MatchFlick.com, Cinematical.com, Screenhead.com, Entertainment.TimesOnline.co.uk, TheFirstChurchOfMutterhals.blogspot.com and Boston.com.

Toon Bana Bats for Our Team

Star Trek isn't the only new movie Eric Bana is working on next. He has been cast in Harvie Krumpet Oscar-winner Adam Elliot's first feature-length film, Mary & Max. In the quirky animated adventure, Bana will voice a character described as "the gay love interest of a Kiwi sheep farmer named Desmond". (Fellow Aussies Toni Collette and Barry Humphries have also been cast in the film.)

Now, this is far from the first gay toon (Snagglepuss? Timon and Pumbaa? Big Gay Al???), yet all the reports feel it is necessary to call this Bana's "most unusual role to date". Huh? Don't they remember that this is the guy who has played:

• Australia's most sadistic murderer/best-selling author (Chopper).
• A talking shark who has sworn off eating fish (Finding Nemo).
• A scientist who turns into a very large, very green behemoth when he gets angry (Hulk).
• A skirt-wearing warrior named Hector (Troy).

Compared to these characters, what's so "unusual" about a man-loving hunk of plasticine? (And believe me, with Bana playing it, it will be a hunk.)

Links via Imdb.com and PinkNews.co.uk.

Boldly Going ...

J.J. Abrams' big screen reboot of the Star Trek franchise is getting more cast members ... and more interesting.

It has taken awhile, though. Back at Comic-Con, Zachary Quinto (Heroes) was confirmed as the new Spock, and Leonard Nimoy was also attached to the project. Soon after, Anton Yelchin (Alpha Dog) was cast as Chekov (originally played by Walter Koenig). Then ... nothing. That is, until last month's announcement that Zoe Saldana (Guess Who) would take over the com from Nichelle Nichols as Uhura.

Now, the casting is really shaping up. On the heels of Aussie hunk Eric Bana netting the villain role (name: "Nero" ... does he fiddle?) comes news that Simon Pegg (Shaun of Shaun of the Dead) and John Cho (Harold of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) have landed the roles of chief engineer Scott and helmsman Sulu, respectively, the parts originally played by James Doohan and George Takei, (even more) respectively.

I have to say, Pegg is an inspired choice. He's English (which actually puts him closer to Scottish then Doohan, who was Canadian), but he should be able to pull off the accent or, well, he wouldn't have been cast. And he'll certainly be able to handle the humor the role requires. I'm just trying to imagine him with black hair ...

Of course, that leaves two huge roles left to fill: Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy. Chris Pine is the name currently circling through the rumor mill for the good captain. Recently, Pine has appeared in Smokin' Aces and Just My Luck, but I remember him as Anne Hathaway's dreamy prince in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Considering that Bana is the only real "name" in the cast, I have a feeling that the part of "Bones" will go to a more well known, seasoned actor. Gary Sinese has been mentioned, but that may be wishful thinking by the same people who actually think Reese Witherspoon would play Nurse Chapel.

Links via Imdb.com, Variety.com, MTV.com, UK.Reuters.com and HollywoodReporter.com.

Out in Film: Larry Kramer

"Larry Kramer is one of America's most valuable troublemakers. I hope he never lowers his voice." -- Susan Sontag.

Larry Kramer is predominantly known as an author and playwright, HIV/AIDS advocate, gay rights activist and founder of ACT UP. To call him controversial is putting it mildly. Throughout the early days of the AIDS crisis, he could always be counted on to say what others either would not say or did not want to hear. And he has continued to do so ever since.

Following his graduation from Yale in 1957, Kramer started his writing career while working at Columbia Pictures and then United Artists. His first credit was for the teen sex comedy titled Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. He could only go up from there, and he did, with his Oscar nominated screen adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love, which he also produced. His screenwriting career ended, though, with his next project, the critically reviled musical remake of Lost Horizon, infamous for being one of the biggest flops in movie history. It was "the only thing in my life I'm ashamed of", Kramer would later say, understandably.

Kramer turned to the page, with books like Faggots (one of the best-selling gay novels of all time), and the stage. His play, The Normal Heart, was the first artistic work to tackle the subject of AIDS. Barbra Streisand was to direct a film version that, alas, never happened, but Kramer did pen a sequel to it several years later, the Obie Award-winning The Destiny of Me.

Due to his high profile involvement in the gay rights movement, Kramer has appeared in many documentaries on related subjects, including Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, After Stonewall, When Ocean Meets Sky and Gay Sex in the 70s. Kramer was also name-dropped in the title of David Drake's one-man play, The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me, which was later filmed and released as a feature. Kramer is currently working on his grand opus, The American People, an ambitious historical piece that spans the entire existence of its title subject.

Links via Imdb.com and ActUpNY.org.

Treats? Maybe. Tricks? Definitely ...

Boy, kids back in the day sure had it easy. Nowadays, if a kid wants to dress up like the Leatherman from the Village People for Halloween, he would have to get his mom to drive all over town to track down the whole ensemble, and you have no idea how hard it is to find chaps in children's sizes. Not to mention all that fake hair for an authentic handlebar moustache, sideburns and, of course, chest hair.

But three decades ago, all mom had to do was pick up this officially licensed vinyl costume and plastic mask at your local K-mart. Yep, those were the good old days ...

For more odd and, well, just plain bizarre Halloween costumes from the 1970's, visit RetroCrush.

Link via RetroCrush.buzznet.com.

The Latest in Theaters: Lars and Liz and Mike and More

The stars are out in force this weekend - George and Tilda, Cate and Clive, Michael and Jude, Joaquin and Marky-Mark, and Ryan and Bianca:

- Lars and the Real Girl: If you're not familiar with Bianca's name, she's the inanimate other half of the title along with Ryan Gosling's Lars in this dysfunctional romantic comedy. Also stars Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider and Patricia Clarkson.
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age: Cate Blanchett returns as the Virgin Queen, romanced by Clive Owen's Sir Walter Raleigh and defending a threat to her kingdom from the Spanish armada. Geoffrey Rush and Samantha Morton co-star in this sequel to Elizabeth, also directed by Shekhar Kapur.
- Michael Clayton: Gentleman George Clooney plays a conflicted New York lawyer who squares off with Tilda Swinton in a class action suit gone deadly. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy and also starring Tom Wilkinson and Sydney Pollack.
- Sleuth: Michael Caine switches parts in this remake of the 1972 thriller, with fellow Alfie Jude Law stepping into his former role. Kenneth Branagh directs from a script (based on the Anthony Shaffer play) by Harold Pinter.
- We Own the Night: Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg are brothers on opposite sides of the law in this mob drama, co-starring Robert Duvall as their father.
- Control: Sam Riley is getting some covert Oscar buzz for his performance as Ian Curtis, the enigmatic lead singer of post-punk rock group Joy Division, who committed suicide at age 23.

Visit Fandango - Search movie showtimes and buy tickets!
Links via Imdb.com, InsideSoCal.com, NYMag.com, Premiere.com and AwardsDaily.com.

I'm Coming Out

Today is National Coming Out Day, and what better way to celebrate it then with one of the best coming out movies, Edge of Seventeen.

Chris Stafford plays a sexually confused teenager who has a very eventful summer. He looses his virginity, goes to a gay bar for the first time, has his heart broken, and comes out to his mother. Along the way, he does a lot of growing up, and even manages to find himself a little in the process.

From a semi-autobiographical script by Todd Stephens, director David Moreton handles these events realistically, honestly and with the right amount of humor. For anyone, like myself, who listened to Annie Lennox and Bronski Beat during their formative years, the story is easily relatable. And as a bonus, you also get Lea DeLaria in one of her few film appearances.

Click here to purchase Edge of Seventeenon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via HRC.org and Imdb.com.

West Side Gory

What if, instead of racial tensions, the Sharks and the Jets had to face ... the living dead?

Link via YouTube.com.

Women We Love: Janet Leigh

The second "Woman We Love" in Movie Dearest's Halloween salute to Hollywood scream queens is the woman whose screams were heard 'round the world in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, thereby making her, in fact, the queen of scream queens. I'm talking about, of course, Janet Leigh.

Leigh was discovered by Norma Shearer when the legendary star saw a picture of her at the ski resort Leigh's father worked at; an MGM screen test followed, and Janet was cast in the lead role in her first film, The Romance of Ruby Ridge. At first cast as girl-next-door types in such films as Little Women, Angels in the Outfield and My Sister Eileen, Leigh soon graduated to more adult, sensual roles in Pete Kelly's Blues, Touch of Evil, The Manchurian Candidate and Bye Bye Birdie. But it was Psycho that insured her cinematic immortality.

Playing good girl gone bad Marion Crane, Leigh's famous shower scene still shocks today, but it was even more controversial back in 1960. It was the first time an established star appeared nude onscreen, and her early exit from the story sent audiences reeling. No matter, Leigh was nominated for an Oscar and won the Golden Globe for her performance (although she said she never took a shower again).

Like most actresses of her day, Leigh eventually segued into television work, but she always maintained her connection to her most famous role, co-starring in the horror films The Fog and Halloween H20: 20 Years Later with her daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, who will be profiled in next week's "Women We Love".

Link via Imdb.com.

Out of the Celluloid Closet: The Jungle Book

Oftentimes, a beloved childhood favorite can reveal previously undetected subtext when viewed through adult eyes. Such is the case with The Jungle Book. Disney's classic musical adventure, recently re-released on DVD in a Platinum Edition (click here for my full Toon Talk review).

First of all, there are the two fey villains of the piece: Shere Khan the tiger (a clear predecessor to The Lion King's prissy Scar) and Kaa the (phallic?) python, who even has a lisp. Both of these characters have one thing in mind: to eat the "man cub". Yikes. I'll just leave it at that ...

Then there is Baloo, a freethinking bear obsessed with party beats who, when the occasion calls for it, isn't afraid to throw on a little drag. It doesn't take much to associate this Disney bear with a gay bear, especially when he and the prim and proper panther Bagheera finally get Mowgli to the "man village". Baloo has a hard time letting his "Little Britches" go, and his jealousy is pretty obvious when a flirtatious female lures the kid away; he gets over it pretty quickly, though, when he hauls "Baggy" back into the jungle to the tune of "The Bare Necessities". And that, it seems, is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Click here to purchase The Jungle Bookon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, LaughingPlace.com and YouTube.com.

Poster Post: A Yen for Hairspray

How do you say, "I am now a checkerboard chick!" in Japanese?

Click here to pre-order Hairsprayon DVD from Amazon.com. Click here to buy Hairsprayposters from Amazon.com.

The Latest on DVD: Zombies and Vampires and Ghosts, Oh Sly!

Lots of spooky ... and kooky .. new DVDs this week:

Featured Titles:

• 28 Weeks Later- The blood-soaked horror sequel, also available on Blu-ray.
• The Lair: Complete First Season- Gay vamps camp it up in this here! TV series.
• Poltergeist- "They're here" in a 25th Anniversary edition of the haunted house classic.
• The Italian Stallion (Grindhouse Sexploitation Collection)- Sylvester Stallone's infamous pre-fame blue movie, originally titled Party at Kitty and Stud's.

More Scary Stuff:

• 28 Days Later- The original zombie fest (feast?), now on Blu-ray. Also available in a 2-pack with 28 Weeks Later.
• Twilight Zone: The Movie- The controversial big screen adaptation of the Rod Serling series, on DVD for the first time. Also available on Blu-ray and HD-DVD.
• Black Sheep- Carnivorous sheep (yes, sheep) on a rampage.
• Fox Horror Classics Collection- Three vintage fright flicks: The Lodger, Hangover Square and The Undying Monster.

Keep It Gay:

• Mala Noche- Gus Van Sant's influential debut feature, new to DVD courtesy the Criterion Collection.
• The Sex Movie- Gays, lesbians, straights, bisexuals ... imagine the possibilities.
• Film Crew: Giant of Marathon- The former MST3Kers take on the Steve Reeves sword-and-sandal epic.
• Guys Gone Wild: Freshmen Class Platinum Edition- Schools in, and the ... you know ... are out.

And finally - Just in Time for Hallow ... I mean, Christmas:

• Bing Crosby's White Christmas All Star Show- Bing welcomes such legends as Lena Horne, Dinah Shore and Jane Russell to his holiday extravaganza.
• Captain & Tennille: The Christmas Show- The Muskrat lovers, under the mistletoe.
• Little Women- This 1978 TV movie version of the Louisa May Alcott novel stars such TV faves of the era as a Brady (Eve Plumb) and a Partridge (Susan Dey), Meredith Baxter Birney, Robert Young and William Shatner, plus two great ladies of the silver screen, Greer Garson and Dorothy McGuire.

All titles can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking on the above links.

Trivial Pursuits: An Introduction

The Many Faces of Dracula

Yes, another Movie Dearest section. This one will focus on all the film facts, movie minutiae and cinematic secrets we all crave. In other words: it's trivia time!

Therefore, in recognition of the Internet Movie Database's nifty new "Character Page" feature, this first installment of Trivial Pursuits will focus on movie characters, specifically horror movie characters, in keeping with this month's Halloween theme.

For example, did you know that:

• Count Dracula is the horror movie character most often portrayed onscreen, by such actors as Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Frank Langella, George Hamilton, Gary Oldman and Gerard Butler.
• In addition to the five Psycho feature films, Norman Bates appeared in a TV movie titled Bates Motel.
• Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray has been played by an actress on film at least twice.
• Shuler Hensley, who played the Frankenstein Monster in the movie Van Helsing, will play the character again in the upcoming Broadway musical adaptation of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein.
• Jack Torrance's first name is actually John.
• Ruth Gordon reprised her Academy Award-winning role as Minnie Castevet in the TV movie sequel, Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby. Patty Duke Astin took over for Mia Farrow as Rosemary.
• King Kong was once portrayed by ... Dudley Moore?
• Five years before they battled each other on the big screen in Freddy vs. Jason, Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees "guest-starred" together on an episode of The Simpsons.
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have been played by such actors as John Barrymore, Fredric March (who won the Oscar for his performance), Spencer Tracy, Jack Palance, Kirk Douglas, Anthony Perkins, Michael Cain, John Malkovich and ... David Hasselhoff.

Links via Imdb.com.

Cinematic Crush: Rod Taylor

Rod Taylor was likely my first cinematic crush, although I didn't know it at the time. The charismatic, ruggedly handsome Australian's two most famous films, The Time Machine and The Birds, were must-sees in my childhood home whenever they came on TV. My brothers and I thrilled to Taylor's heroism battling Morlocks and assorted avian antagonists; of course, it wasn't until much later that he thrilled me in other ways.

Taylor was an award-winning radio and stage actor in his homeland when he took a chance and headed to Hollywood in the mid-50's. Supporting roles in The Catered Affair, Giant, Raintree Country and Separate Tables, as well as appearances on such requisite television programs of the day as The Twilight Zone and Playhouse 90, led to his first starring role, as H.G. Wells himself, in The Time Machine.

His radio work came in handy when Walt Disney cast him as the voice of Pongo in 101 Dalmatians, his matinee idol looks netted him the hero role in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, and his authentic Aussie accent was heard in the all-star The V.I.P.'s. Romantic comedies (Sunday in New York, The Glass Bottom Boat) and topical dramas (A Gathering of Eagles, Zabriskie Point) followed, along with a string of war and western pictures.

Television called in the mid-70's, and Taylor starred in several series and TV movies, including a stint on Falcon Crest and supporting roles in the made-for-TV biopics of Jacqueline Kennedy and Princess Diana. But it is two unique feature films, both set in his native Australia, that he'll be remembered for from his later career: The Picture Show Man and Welcome to Woop Woop. Taylor still acts occasionally, and was most recently seen in the Sci Fi Channel original movie Kaw.

The Time Machine airs on Turner Classic Movies this Thursday. If you can't wait until then to check him out, here's a video tribute from the creator of The Complete Rod Taylor Site.

Links via Imdb.com, TCM.com, YouTube.com and RodTaylorSite.com.

Movie Moments: Carrie

WARNING: This article reveals plot points from the movie Carrie. Proceed accordingly.

Brian De Palma's classic film adaptation of the Stephen King bestseller Carrie is filled with many memorable movie moments, from the blood-soaked shower scene at the beginning to the even more blood-soaked prom at the end. Yet De Palma's coup de grâce is the shocking, dreamlike coda, a scene that was not in the original book.

Amy Irving's Sue Snell, the only survivor of the carnage at Bates High, is seen serenely approaching the remains of the White house. A cross-like "For Sale" sign juts out of the dark, freshly plowed soil, with the angry epitaph "Carrie White burns in HELL!" scrawled upon it. Sue kneels down to place a bouquet of flowers, when suddenly an arm thrusts out of the ground and grabs hers, pulling her down towards the makeshift grave. Instantly, Sue snaps out of her nightmare, screaming, to find herself in the fragile comfort of her own bedroom. It was all a dream ... or was it?

Dozens of films since have tried to imitate this ultimate "gotcha" moment, turning it into a horror movie cliché. But none of these pretenders to the throne has been able to replicate the visceral jolt when it was done for the first time.

As part of Monday Nights with Oscar, a new print of Carrie will be screened at the Academy Theater in Manhattan October 15. De Palma will be on hand for a post-screening discussion.

Click here to purchase Carrieon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com and Oscars.org.

The Latest on TV: Joan of Axe

Notable movies and other programs on TV for Monday October 8 to Sunday October 14:

Our patron saint Joan headlines this week's spooky offerings on Turner Classic Movies with her horrific hoot Straight-Jacket, part of a salute to terrormeister William Castle on Friday. The Tingler will also be shown, but you'll have to provide your own vibrating seats.

Also on TCM, two legends get the spotlight: Henry Fonda is the "Star of the Month", and two of his best westerns, The Ox-Bow Incident and Once Upon a Time in the West, will be aired on Thursday. Humphrey Bogart gets a mini-salute to his films of the 50's on Saturday, including the still-not-on-DVD The African Queen and Ben Mankiewicz's pick for the week, The Desperate Hours.

Other movies this week not on DVD include Ginger Rogers in Tom, Dick and Harry, Shirley Temple in That Hagen Girl and Frank Sinatra in The Tender Trap (all on TCM, Monday), Mario Lanza in The Great Caruso (TCM, Tuesday), James Dunn and Peggy Ann Garner in their Oscar-winning performances in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Fox Movie Channel, Tuesday), the Oscar-winning Best Pictures Cavalcade and Sunrise (FMC, Friday), Jennifer Jones in Tender is the Night (FMC, Sunday) and Loretta Young's Oscar-winning performance in The Farmer's Daughter (TCM, Sunday).

Why should you watch South Sydney Story (Versus, Wednesday)? Two reasons: Russell Crowe and a bunch of Australian rugby players.

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is back, but it looks like she needs a little help, thus The Search for the Next Elvira begins Saturday on Fox Reality.

Also on Saturday, MTV brings you Legally Blonde - The Musical, direct from Broadway. The three-hour event will include the entire show, plus behind the scenes peeks. And if you want a sneak peek of the show itself, click here.

Heather Matarazzo moves from The L Word to Exes and Ohs, a new series on LOGO premiering Monday. The Rock Hudson Story will air Tuesday, and since Thursday is National Coming Out Day, the channel will run a Coming Out Stories marathon all day. And take a look at The Best of the GLAAD Media Awards on Saturday.

AMC's Movies That Shook the World takes on Fatal Attraction Sunday, while over on E!, True Hollywood Story investigates the women of Sex and the City Friday.

Click on the network links to find the show times in your area. All programming is subject to change.

Links via TCM.com, Wikipedia.org, FoxMovieChannel.com, Versus.com, OhLaLaParis.com, FoxReality.com, MTV.com, LOGOOnline.com, HRC.org, AMCTV.com and EOnline.com.

Film Art: Scissorhands by Cowan

Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands, as reimagined by artist and self-confessed Johnny Depp man crusher Nic Cowan.

Click here to purchase Edward Scissorhandson DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com and MySpace.com.

Potent Quotables: Hitchcock Edition

Alfred Hitchcock once infamously said "all actors should be treated like cattle". Of course, that was not the end of his words of wisdom:

- On the art of drama: "Drama is life with the dull bits cut out."
- On directorial style: “Self-plagiarism is style.”
- On healthcare: “I have a perfect cure for a sore throat: cut it.”
- On running times: “The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder.”
- On literature: "The paperback is very interesting, but I find it will never replace the hardcover book -- it makes a very poor doorstop."
- On motivating actors: “When an actor comes to me and wants to discuss his character, I say, 'It's in the script.' If he says, 'But what's my motivation?, ' I say, 'Your salary.'”
- On new media: “Television is like the invention of indoor plumbing. It didn't change people's habits. It just kept them inside the house."
- On funeral arrangements: "There is nothing quite so good as burial at sea. It is simple, tidy and not very incriminating."
- On victimization: "Blondes make the best victims. They're like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints."

Links via Imdb.com.