Reverend’s Report: A Gay Day at Disney's D23 Expo

Though many GLBT locals may have been unable to attend the D23 Expo on Saturday, August 10th due to the conflicting Orange County Pride celebration, it didn’t stop other GLBT Disney fans from turning out and helping to make it a sell-out day.

The third D23 Expo in four years (it is currently a bi-annual event) actually saw tickets sell out on Friday as well. With Disney’s recent acquisition of the Star Wars universe, the 2013 event also resembled Comic-Con International more than ever before. While a relatively small number of attendees were dressed as iconic characters from Disney films and attractions — the best I saw was a woman attired and coiffed as the voluptuous red-headed “wench” being auctioned off during the Pirates of the Caribbean ride — many more stormtroopers, Boba Fetts and Princess Leias were on display.

A gaggle of gays, myself included, were to be found in the Expo’s now-traditional Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibition. This year’s display wasn’t as extensive as in years past, but it featured a rare collection of items detailing the Disney Studios’ efforts over seven decades to bring L. Frank Baum’s Oz books to the screen. These included costumes and props from an aborted 1950’s TV production, the underrated 1985 flop Return to Oz and this year’s smash hit Oz The Great and Powerful. The remainder of the archives exhibit was dedicated to next year’s 50th anniversary of Disney’s musical masterpiece, Mary Poppins. Julie Andrews’ carpet bag, two of the actual carousel horses used during the standout live action-animation sequence, and some of the written correspondence between Walt Disney and Poppins author P.L. Travers were just a few of the displayed gems. Finally, costumes worn by Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson in the upcoming Saving Mr. Banks, about Walt’s battle to secure the movie rights to Mary Poppins from Travers, could be viewed.

Saving Mr. Banks was also trumpeted during Saturday’s preview of upcoming live-action films from Disney and its related entities, chiefly Marvel Studios. Actors Jason Schwartzmann and B.J. Novak, who play Poppins’ brother-composers Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman respectively in Saving Mr. Banks, were joined by Richard M. himself for a climactic rendition of the classic song, “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” (Robert B. passed away, sadly, just last year). It truly was a magical moment at the end of a lengthy presentation that also featured appearances by Angelina Jolie, star of next year’s Sleeping Beauty-inspired Maleficent; Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins from this fall’s Thor sequel, Thor: The Dark World; hunky Chris Evans repping next spring’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier; and Ty Burrell of TV’s Modern Family, arriving onstage in a tiny European auto, who co-stars in the upcoming Muppets Most Wanted. Also, some additional casting was announced for Disney’s 2014 adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods, which will be helmed by gay director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Nine). Joining previously confirmed Meryl Streep (as the Witch) and Johnny Depp (as the Wolf) will be Star Trek’s Chris Pine as one of the Princes, Emily Blunt as the Baker’s Wife, Anna Kendrick as Cinderella and Tracey Ullman as Jack’s mother. Attendees were rewarded as they left the preview with their own pair of strap-on Maleficent horns!

The expo’s centerpiece pavilion was “Journey Into Imagineering,” a terrific, in-depth but overcrowded exhibit spotlighting the work of Disney’s famous Imagineers when it comes to designing theme park attractions. They are striving to make not only future rides but the typically lengthy queues in which riders wait as immersive and interactive as possible. One of the first major achievements in this is the newly-opened Mystic Manor attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland. It’s time to save up for a trip to China.

Despite the larger crowds and longer wait times for presentations and exhibits since its last incarnation, the 2013 D23 Expo was a typically well-organized, supercalifragilistic experience. Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that it will return in 2015. Start getting your costume — whether inspired by Disney, Marvel or Star Wars — together.

Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend’s Preview: D23 Expo Returns Just in Time

The global Disney conglomerate could use a boost right about now. Sure, Cars Land at Disney California Adventure and the movie prequel Monsters University are big hits. The company is reeling, however, from the box office failure of this summer’s The Lone Ranger (Disney execs are predicting a loss of nearly $200 million) as well as less-than-spectacular ratings for its various non-ESPN television shows.

Fortunately, the third bi-annual D23 Expo arrives in Anaheim this weekend to celebrate all things Disney and reassure fans that all will be well in the Magic Kingdom. Tickets are completely sold out for this Saturday’s Expo events, which will feature previews and panels in support of Disney’s animated holiday film Frozen as well as an all-star sneak peek at upcoming live action movies including the Angelina Jolie-headed Maleficent, Saving Mr. Banks (starring Tom Hanks as none other than Walt Disney himself), next year’s sequel Muppets Most Wanted and Brad Bird’s shrouded-in-secrecy Tomorrowland. The various Marvel superhero adventures in the works will also be spotlighted, and there could well be casting or other news announced in regard to the upcoming Star Wars VII-IX trilogy. For better or worse, Johnny Depp will not be making an appearance as Tonto.

LA fixture Charles Phoenix, a humorist who regularly provides retro explorations of kitschy pop culture icons lost to history, will make his D23 Expo debut on Saturday with a time-travel tour of Disneyland that is guaranteed to be hilarious. The traditional Disney Legends Awards Ceremony will be held Saturday afternoon and honors such big names as Billy Crystal and John Goodman in addition to the late Dick Clark, Steve Jobs and actor Ed Wynn, among others. Saturday’s noteworthy closing event is a rare concert performed by two generations of Oscar-winning Disney songwriters: Richard M. Sherman (Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Jungle Book, et al) and Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc.).

A full day of events is planned for both Friday and Sunday, and numerous Disney-related exhibitors will be displaying their wares and giving away goodies all weekend long. An advance screening of ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot, inspired by Marvel’s The Avengers and directed by the movies’ shepherd Joss Whedon, will also occur on Sunday. For the full D23 Expo schedule and to purchase tickets for Friday and/or Sunday, visit the D23 website.

Preview by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Report: A Harry Situation

After nine months of coordinating schedules, five hours of coast-to-coast flying time, and several hundred dollars in ticket, hotel and rental car fees, my mother, cousin and I finally found ourselves last week on the steps of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But the year-old attraction inspired by the Harry Potter book and movie series -- built to awe-inspiring scale as part of Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida -- initially disappointed more than it delighted.

Upon our early morning arrival at the park's centerpiece ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, we were informed that it was shut down after having been operating only intermittently the two days prior and might not be functioning at all that day. The best we could do, we were told, was to continue checking back. To be greeted with such news following our lengthy personal journey to get there was discouraging. As a slight consolation, everyone was invited to tour the imposing Hogwarts Castle. The 30-minute walkthrough included glimpses of the edifice's famed living portraits as well as very realistic virtual appearances by headmaster Albus Dumbledore (played as in the more recent films by Michael Gambon) and the movies' starring trifecta of Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Emma Watson (Hermione) and Rupert Grint (Ron). Alas, the tour ended just short of the still-closed Forbidden Journey boarding area.

We entertained ourselves while waiting hopefully for the ride to open by exploring the rest of Hogsmeade, the magical town ordinarily inaccessible to us "Muggles." The entire Wizarding World of Harry Potter (as the attraction is officially called) was meticulously re-created by a team led by the film series' Oscar-winning production designer, Stuart Craig. It is visually amazing, and the various shops and eateries within Hogsmeade contain as many fine details within as they do on the outside. These include audio-animatronic owls in the Owl Post Office, moving shadow figures that play on the tavern's walls, and a disturbingly vocal plant/baby being pulled from its pot.

To slake our thirst in the humid Florida heat, we drank signature drinks Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice. The former tastes like cream soda with a dollop of butterscotch, and is a bit tastier as well as creamier in its frozen incarnation. We also rode the tame, family-friendly roller coaster Flight of the Hippogriff, which features a very cool robotic rendition of the title creature. Every 20-30 minutes, I checked back to see if any progress had been made on reopening the Forbidden Journey ride. By the time I discovered it was indeed running, the line was 75 minutes long. Not to be dissuaded after already having waited approximately two hours, we joined the crowd.

My cousin and I are happy to report that the thrilling adventure was indeed worth the wait. My mother found the ride quite intense, as younger children are also likely to do, and barely opened her eyes once our enchanted bench began to fly. Those who do keep their eyes open will experience a mix of film footage; oversized, actual figures of a fire-breathing dragon, giant spiders and the evil Dementors; and an assortment of other dazzling special effects. The four-seat benches soar, swoop, and threaten at times to turn over backwards (a truly unsettling feeling) in synch with the visuals.

While Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey has been acclaimed by many since its debut as the most advanced and thrilling theme park ride in the world, I'm still partial to another pioneering attraction at Universal's Islands of Adventure, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, which features the added benefit of being in 3D. It is absolutely not to be missed when visiting the park and we were able to walk right onto it, which was a massive relief after our morning ordeal in Hogwarts. Three other attractions were either suffering momentary disruptions in their operation (Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls, Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges) or were closed for refurbishment (Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat), leading me to question the overall efficiency of Islands of Adventure's tech and maintenance departments. By the end of the day, however, a good time was had by all.

My cousin, visiting Florida for the first time, was anxious to compare Walt Disney World to the more familiar Disneyland, so day two of our trip found us in the Magic Kingdom. It provided us a great opportunity to compare and contrast not only Disney's most famed attractions but the operational differences between the Universal and Disney parks. Unlike Islands of Adventure, no attractions were closed nor seemed to suffer the slightest delay. In addition, the longest line we had to brave for a ride was less than 30 minutes, although Disney's Fastpass system further simplified the wait for a few major attractions.

If in the end the Magic Kingdom proved to be a bit more magical than the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, both parks and their assortment of impressive attractions (even more impressive when they are all working) deserve to be visited often.

Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Blade California.

Reverend's Preview: Seeing Red at Gay Days Anaheim 2011

It’s once again time for GLBT fun-seekers to get out those red T-shirts and head to the Disneyland Resort. Gay Days Anaheim will be held this weekend, September 30-October 2.

Gay Days was established in 1997 by a small group of gay fans of all things Disney. A similar "unofficial" event is held each spring at Walt Disney World in Florida. The California event has grown to attract more than 30,000 GLBT people annually from throughout the state and the US. Attendees traditionally wear red shirts to identify themselves as GLBT, since Disneyland and its neighboring theme park — Disney’s California Adventure — will remain open to the general public during the weekend.

Besides all the fun the parks have to offer, two major dance parties are held during the weekend. "Wonderland" will be held the night of September 30 at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney, with all proceeds from the event benefitting the Trevor Project. Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk and the upcoming J.Edgar) will preside over the VIP room. On Saturday night, DJ Kimberly S and The Voice's Frenchie Davis will headline "Kingdom", Gay Days’ signature dance party at Downtown Disney’s House of Blues.

Recognizing the growing participation by lesbian women in Gay Days events, a Saturday ladies' night starring comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer will be held for the very first time. The weekend will also feature a first-ever lesbian lounge at the Anabella Hotel across the street from Disneyland.

Other special events planned include "An Intimate Conversation with Carol Channing", in which the 90-year-old Broadway legend will talk about her life and career at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel on Sunday. Glee star and 2011 Emmy-nominee Dot Marie Jones (Coach Beiste) will also be on hand, hosting the VIP cocktail party on Saturday with Gay Days regular Bruce Vilanch. Plus, both days in the parks will feature gatherings only available over Gay Days weekend, including a group photo, a PFLAG luncheon, group meet ups at varying attractions, and many more events targeted to youth, bears, couples and Mouseketeers of every ilk.

Gays Days Anaheim are fun for all ages, and many GLBT couples with children attend. The weekend is filled with ice cream socials, scavenger hunts and other family-friendly events, not to mention the rides, parades and shows for which the Disney parks are famous. A new Little Mermaid ride at California Adventure will no doubt be a popular draw, as will the recently-revamped Star Tours attraction in Disneyland. Other highlights of the weekend include free gift bags at the Gay Days Welcome Center (located inside the Trillium Room of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel), and a Gay Days Pin Trading event on Sunday.

A complete schedule of Gay Days events as well as tickets, discounted park passes and hotel rooms and, yes, official red T-shirts can all be accessed through Gay Days Anaheim website.

Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Blade California.

Reverend's Report: D23 2011

Upon my arrival at the Anaheim Convention Center on the first morning of the D23 Expo, I could tell it was going to have a much larger turnout than the first such event in 2009. I ended up having to park on the top floor of the parking structure, and negotiated large crowds of Disney fanatics once inside the center. The second day of the expo sold out the afternoon before, a significant testament to the increased attention being paid to it.

My first stop was the traditional Disney Legends ceremony. A dozen people who have helped build the Disney empire since its founding in 1923 were honored, including five women who have voiced princesses in the more contemporary Disney animated features The Little Mermaid (Jodi Benson), Beauty and the Beast (Paige O'Hara), Aladdin (Lea Salonga, Princess Jasmine's singing voice, and Linda Larkin, Jasmine's speaking voice), Mulan (Salonga again) and The Princess and the Frog (Anika Noni Rose). Host Tom Bergeron, who was nicely casual and provided very funny commentary throughout, noted that Noni Rose is the youngest honoree to be named a Disney Legend.

All five actresses performed to montages of scenes from their respective films, with Benson bringing down the nearly full, 4,000 seat arena both through her audience-participation version of "Part of Your World" and her utterly heartfelt, unapologetic faith sharing. "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," she said upon reaching the podium, quoting a traditional Christian hymn. "This is my ministry," Benson remarked of her continuing voice performance as Ariel in video games, television and the new ride inspired by The Little Mermaid at Disney's California Adventure park.

The ceremony climaxed with the induction of late Muppets creator, Jim Henson. While Henson didn't work for Disney while he was alive, his company was bought by Disney after his death and the Muppets have been a welcome, appropriate addition to the studio's holdings. Henson's children, Lisa and Brian, were on hand and reminisced about their father, moving audience members to both tears and laughter. But it was a masterstroke on the part of the event planners to bring Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the Dog out at the end to sing "The Rainbow Connection." Attendees were utterly mesmerized.

Kermit was on hand again Saturday morning at the Walt Disney Studios' presentation of upcoming movies. The amphibian was joined by Miss Piggy (who arrived in a motorcycle sidecar) as well as actor Jason Segel, their co-star in November's big-screen reunion, The Muppets. New studio head Rich Ross and animation executive John Lasseter were fairly giddy as they hyped next spring's John Carter; next summer's Brave; the direct-to-DVD Planes, an airborne knockoff of Cars; The Odd Life of Timothy Green, which does indeed look odd; and their more recently-acquired Marvel epic, The Avengers.

John Carter in particular, based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' "John Carter of Mars" series, looks really cool. The crowd went predictably wild when cast members from the last came out, including Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johanssen and Jeremy Renner. Other big stars on hand to plug their respective Disney projects were Billy Crystal (the Monsters, Inc. prequel Monsters University), Willem Dafoe (John Carter), Jennifer Garner (Odd Life...) and Jon Cryer (Planes).

A special showroom exhibit entitled "Carousel of Projects" and a Friday afternoon presentation revealed a plethora of developments regarding Disney theme parks around the world. In the Carousel of Projects, visitors could check out a detailed model of the massive Fantasyland expansion currently underway in the Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World in Florida. When completed in the fall of 2012, it will nearly double Fantasyland's current size and will feature a "Seven Dwarfs Mine Train" roller coaster (which looks like a milder, kid-friendly version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad but with individually swinging cars) as well as an east coast version of The Little Mermaid ride, among other new attractions. I can't wait to visit and check it out once finished.

Details were also shared at the Theme Parks presentation about Disney's new park in Shanghai, China; the company's beautiful new Hawaiian resort, Aulani, which opens next week; the "Cars Land" addition and overall makeover of California Adventure; and magnificent new ships under construction for Disney Cruise Line. A pending expansion of California's Fantasyland was also announced, which will take over the current Carnation Gardens concert area at the end of Disneyland's Main Street USA. The expo also hosted a 45th-anniversary celebration of "It's a Small World" with special souvenirs and a panel of artists, including songwriter Richard Sherman, who helped create the mostly beloved but sometimes hated attraction.

The presentations and pavilions throughout this year's D23 Expo were very satisfying all in all, despite the larger crowds and long lines for everything, including food and restrooms. The only truly disappointing aspect of this year's D23 Expo was the "Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives" exhibition. Most of the noteworthy artifacts featured were repeats from the first expo's display, and the new additions from less well-regarded Disney films such as Hocus Pocus, Father of the Bride and The Rocketeer were decidedly underwhelming. One newly-included treasure well worth checking out was Walt Disney's personal limousine, but it was on display in the main showroom.

It will be interesting to see what Disney does next with the D23 Expo, now that it is well on its way to becoming a Comic Con-esque success. Will they offer it annually? Will it be moved beyond Anaheim as it increasingly outgrows the convention center there? All it will take is a little time... and some continued pixie dust.

Report by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Blade California.

Reverend’s Preview: Gay Days 2010

As a regular visitor to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim since I was a toddler growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, the self-proclaimed “Happiest Place on Earth” has long held a special place in my heart. It certainly helped to inspire my childhood creativity, no less so than when I attempted to re-create the park’s fabled Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion attractions in my unassuming neighbor’s house while I was in the 3rd grade.

My more frequent visits as an adult — now that I reside in Southern California and have an annual pass — continue to provide me, my friends and visiting family members with good times and fond memories. One doesn’t have to be gay or lesbian to enjoy Disneyland, of course, but it can heighten our experience as park visitors in some ways. The music, colors, fantasy and theatricality of the Disneyland Resort hold special appeal for many GLBT people.

In recognition of this, Gay Days at the Disneyland Resort was established in 1997 by a small group of gay fans of all things Disney. The event has since grown to attract more than 30,000 GLBT people annually from throughout California and the US. Gay Days 2010 will be held October 1-3. Attendees traditionally wear red shirts to identify themselves as GLBT, since Disneyland and its neighboring theme park, Disney’s California Adventure, remain open to the general public during the weekend.

Disneyland marked its 55th anniversary this summer, having opened in June 1955. Countless GLBT designers, performers, managers and other “cast members” have helped Walt Disney’s original dream of a park where families could spend quality time together and forget their everyday cares continue to grow. Gay Days can be seen as an annual tribute to them as well as a celebration of our community’s growth.

This year’s Gay Days will feature a spectacular new event: PLUNGE! The first-ever Gay Days pool party, PLUNGE will take place on Sunday, October 3 at the Anabella Hotel in Anaheim. Gay Days event tickets, discounted park passes and hotel rooms, and official red T-shirts can all be purchased through Gay Days Anaheim's official website, where you can also find the complete schedule of Gay Days events.

Gay Day at Disney’s California Adventure (Sunday, October 3) will also include the new, rainbow-rific spectacle World of Color. I saw this amazing combination of special water and light effects, footage from classic Disney films and soaring music during the summer. It is absolutely dazzling and not to be missed. “World of Color” will be performed at least once after dark; check the park schedule for exact show times.

As fun as Gay Days is each year, it isn’t necessary to attend to have a gay old time at Disneyland. One of the best times I ever had there was in the summer of 1995, when six of my best gay friends from various points across the country joined me on my “honeymoon” at Disneyland following my ordination as a priest. We shrieked together on Space Mountain, laughed at Fantasmic’s camp value (thoroughly confusing a young, scared child seated next to us) and posed for a group picture in which we are each wearing a different Disney Princess headpiece.

Yes, a gay man can crack jokes at the expense of Woody, Buzz or “It’s a Small World” (and let’s not even mention Winnie the Pooh) any time of year. However, Gay Days at the Disneyland Resort does offer a unique opportunity to join with thousands of other members of our tribe once a year and find acceptance as a princess, a pirate, a bear or simply a kid at heart.

Preview by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.

MD News Desk: Halloween Edition

Today we present a special edition of the MD News Desk, a goody bag filled with various tricks and treats from Movie Dearest:

And the List Goes On:
- This collection of 20 Movie Villain Pumpkin Carvings gets extra cool points for including ... Large Marge!

Women We Love:
- It's Jamie Lee Curtis’ Follicle Funhouse! How many can you name?

On Location:
- O.T.I.S. pays a special visit to the real Elm Street.
- Zombies invade the Monroeville Mall ... again.


Videodrone:
- A retro Halloween treat from Disney. (By the by, note Donald's nephew on the right — in drag as a witch!)
- Anne Ramsey's head explodes while watching The Bad Seed.
- Scream, Brenda Vacarro, scream!
- "Wocka Wocka Wocka": The Bear Wit Project.
- The one, the only: Sorority Girls from Hell!!!
- Forget Paranormal Activity, it's sexy time.
- Hey kids! It's Shaun (the Sheep) of the Dead!
- Trailer Trash: Beware the One-Eyed Monster (NSFW).

Ride the Movies:
- Now playing at Universal Studios Hollywood: Creature from the Black Lagoon: The Musical! Lots of pics and videos here.

Movie Music:
- Scary bunnies: Watership Down to the tune of "Ave Satani".
- "The Love Theme from The Shining".

Poster Post:
- From the frightfully funny comic geniuses at Kindertrauma: Kramer vs. Krueger, Get Out of Africa and On Crystal Lake.


Out in Film:
- Varla Jean Merman hawks the Occult Snuggie and stars in Shut Up, Sweet Charlotte!
- Alan Ball spills his guts on True Blood's third season.
- The Big Gay Sketch Show's Julie Goldman has a mop problem.
- Really scary: Anne Heche gets work.


Hands Off the Merchandise:
- Blasts from All Hallows' Eves past courtesy of The Haunted Closet.
- "So soft and cuddly": Dark Shadows Horror Heads!

"I Am the Night", oil on canvas by Brandon Bird
Film Art:
- Just what every trick or treater wants: a Philip Seymour Hoffman in Magnolia costume. (Hey, at least it's not a Philip Seymour Hoffman in Happiness costume.)

Tune in to Movie Dearest later today for more Halloween fun, including the results of our "Ultimate Vamp Champ" MD Poll and a very "Bewitching" edition of The Actor Factor!

MD News Desk: Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Keep up to date with all the latest from the entertainment world with the MD News Desk:

Hands Off the Merchandise:
- Meet the Barbie "Ladies of the 80's": Debbie Harry, Cyndi Lauper and Joan Jett (available this December from EntertainmentEarth.com.)

And the List Goes On:
- The 50 Most Powerful People on Broadway includes such out theater vets as Nathan Lane, Cameron Mackintosh, Joe Mantello, Jack O'Brien, Thomas Schumacher and Stephen Sondheim.
- A Different View: A Straight Person's Top 10 Guide to Movies About the Gay People.


GLBT Entertainment:
- Watch the trailer and help pick the poster for Do Começo Ao Fim (a.k.a. From Beginning to End), the controversial Brazilian drama about two brothers in love ... with each other.
- Another trailer for you: Oy Vey! My Son is Gay! The new rom com stars Lainie Kazan (naturally), Jai Rodriguez, Bruce Vilanch and (in his film debut) Tony winning Jersey Boy John Lloyd Young.
- ABC's FlashForward has a lesbian FBI agent.

Awards Watch:
- Pixar's John Lasseter to receive the David O. Selznick Achievement Award from the Producers Guild of America.
- Here are the movies to watch in Oscar's expanded Best Picture race.
- Vote now for the People's Choice Awards.


Glee:
- Cover Story: Entertainment Weekly goes for the Glee.
- Is Kristin Chenoweth's April Rhodes returning to New Directions?
- Music Makes the People Come Together: Madonna lends her songs to an upcoming all-Madge episode! Glee's status as the new gayest show on television now officially confirmed.
- Interviews: Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester) and Mark Salling (Noah "Puck" Puckerman).

From Screen to Stage:
- It's Not Easy Being Green: Shrek the Musical to close on Broadway in January.
- Watch This: Rehearsal montage for Nine ... love Judi Dench's wig.
- Around the World: The Lion King in Singapore and Grey Gardens in Japan.
- Ragtime, featuring a Tony Award-winning book by Terrence McNally and Tony-winning score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, is back on Broadway.
- Meanwhile, Mommie Dearest herself, Faye Dunaway, takes on another real life diva, Maria Callas, in the film adaptation of McNally’s Tony-winning 1995 play Master Class. The movie, which the Academy Award winning actress is also directing, is now filming in Detroit.
- London to see a new adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's Oscar-winning film Through a Glass Darkly.
- La Cage aux Folles star John Barrowman dishes on being a 'Big Old Queen' ... onstage and off.
- Ladies and gentlemen, the Mr. Broadway 2009 Beauty Pageant.

Women We Love:
- Stocking Stuffer: Kathy Griffin's new comedy CD Suckin' It for the Holidays, available November 3 (click hereto pre-order from Amazon.com).
- And now for the bad Madonna news of the week: she'll direct again.
- Laurie Metcalf returns to Broadway in Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound.
- Casting About: Angelina Jolie in the thriller The Tourist, Laura Dern in the Meet the Fockers sequel Little Fockers and Vanessa Redgrave in the political drama The Whistleblower.
- Kim Cattrall to take on Noël Coward's Private Lives in the West End.

RIP:
- Beloved comedian and TV host Soupy Sales passed away Thursday at the age of 83.
- Collin Wilcox Paxton, best known for her pivotal role in the classic To Kill a Mockingbird, died October 14. She was 74.

Coming Soon:
- Sex and the City 2 Watch: Miley Cyrus joins the long list of cameos.
- J.J. Abrams hints about his plans for Star Trek 2.
- Daniel Craig reveals that the next James Bond will start shooting late next year.
- Anne Hathaway and Neil Patrick Harris to lend their voices to the animated Rio, from the folks behind the Ice Age movies.

Ride the Movies:
- Princess Tiana and her Prince Naveen, stars of The Princess and the Frog, will have their own "Showboat Jubilee" at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom starting Monday.


Out in Film:
- Paul Reubens' Pee-wee Herman rides again.
- Jane Lynch returns to Party Down and joins the Off-Broadway hit Love, Loss and What I Wore.
- Wicked author Gregory Maguire examines the enduring magic of Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are.
- Mike White talks about Gentlemen Broncos and the possible School of Rock sequel.
- Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky are developing a Showtime comedy based on Craig Chester's memoir Why the Long Face?: The Adventures of a Truly Independent Actor. Don Roos is on board to direct.
- Power Up names their "10 Amazing Gay Women" and "10 Amazing Gay Men in Show Biz".
- Queer as Folk's Peter Paige has signed on to direct the indie drama Sex Crime Panic.
- Alan Cumming joins Christina Aguilera, Cher and Cam Giganget in Burlesque. OK, OK will go see it!

MD News Desk: Thank You for Being a Friend

Keep up to date with all the latest from the entertainment world with the MD News Desk:

Women We Love:
- Broadway remembers Beatrice Arthur.
- Meryl Streep on why Hollywood’s men don’t trust women.
- Get well soon, Mrs. McCluskey!: Desperate Housewives' Emmy winning Kathryn Joosten is battling lung cancer.
- Patti LuPone to strap on Annie Oakley's six-shooters for Annie Get Your Gun.
- This Sunday's episode of Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva features a virtual smorgasbord of gay icons: Delta Burke, Rosie O'Donnell and Liza Minnelli.

Awards Watch:
- Betty White to receive Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Will the Producers Guild of America follow Oscar's lead with 10 Best Picture nominees?
- GLAAD announced the nominees for their inaugural Media Awards for advertising.


Glee:
- Chris Colfer (a.k.a. Kurt) on his audition for series creator Ryan Murphy: "I was thinking, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t sing and dance in front of this man. I idolize him so much’. So I immediately peed a little ... "
- Jane Lynch shares Glee spoilers!
- Photo Call: On the set of our favorite musical comedy.

RIP:
- Paul Burke, who played Lyon Burke in Valley of the Dolls and Neal McVane on Dynasty, passed away Sunday at age 83.
- Crystal Lee Sutton, the woman who inspired Norma Rae, died last Friday. She was 68.

GLBT Entertainment:
- The Weinstein Company picked up Tom Ford's festival fave A Single Man ... and no, not at the expense of Rob Marshall's Nine.
- Let the Right One In director Tomas Alfredson is in and Charlize Theron is out of the Nicole Kidman true-life sex-change drama The Danish Girl.
- The Advocate chats with Victor Webster on playing gay on Melrose Place.
- Matt Damon will play Scott Thorson to Michael Douglas' Liberace in the planned Steven Soderbergh biopic.

Coming Soon:
- Watch This: music video for the new "Fame" from the new Fame.
- Harrison Ford talks Indy V.
- You sunk my Battleship!: Peter Berg to direct actioner based on the classic board game.
- Inglourious Basterd Christoph Waltz will play the bad guy in Michel Gondry's The Green Hornet.
- Brokeback Mountain reunion: Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway will co-star in Ed Zwick's Love and Other Drugs.
- I love it when a cast comes together: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, martial arts champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and District 9's Sharlto Copley are the new A-Team. Patrick Wilson and Jessica Biel will also star.
- Despite Robert Redford's Lincoln project The Conspirator, Steven Spielberg plans to continue on his own Honest Abe pic ... as well as that Harvey remake, which may star Robert Downey Jr. in the James Stewart role (I guess Tom Hanks was unavailable).
- Disney's D23 Expo wrap-up: Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, The Lone Ranger (starring Johnny Depp as Tonto) The Princess and the Frog, Tron Legacy (starring Michael Sheen) and ... Pixar sequels to The Incredibles and Monsters, Inc.? Meanwhile, Mouse House honchos Dick Cook and John Lasseter discuss such future projects as Burton's feature-length version of his Frankenweenie short, Nicolas Cage in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Guillermo del Toro's Trollhunters and Robert Zemeckis' A Christmas Carol and Yellow Submarine remakes. Plus: Toy Story 3 will feature the voices of Whoopi Goldbert, Bonnie Hunt and Michael Keaton (as a Ken doll), and the next Muppet movie will be titled ... The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made?


Out in Film:
- Cover Boy: Neil Patrick Harris does New York Magazine.
- Ed Harris, Emma Roberts and Amy Madigan cast in Dustin Lance Black's first post-Milk directorial effort, What's Wrong With Virginia?.
- Elton John gets a West Hollywood tribute.
- Alan Cumming will bring his one-man cabaret show, I Bought a Blue Car Today, to Los Angeles.
- Comic Liz Feldman talks about her role on The Jay Leno Show.
- Matthew Bourne's award winning Swan Lake to return to its original London home.
- The Archive of American Television interviews Star Trek icon George Takei.
- One Life to Live hunk Nicholas Rodriguez drops by Brandon's Buzz Radio.
- Sandra Bernhard to play NYC's Joe's Pub in December.
- Alan Ball discusses True Blood seasons past and future. Also: Denis O’Hare has been cast as the Vampire King of Mississippi.
- Dan Savage says his proposed HBO series "may end up at a dildo factory every once in awhile".

From Screen to Stage:
- First Look: John Stamos and Gina Gershon in the new Bye Bye Birdie.
- The planned Broadway transfer of the hit London revival of La Cage aux Folles gets a home and an opening date.
- Rosemary Harris, Ana Gasteyer, John Glover and Tony Roberts are all a part of Broadway's new Royal Family.
- The classic Christopher Reeve/Jane Seymour romantic fantasy Somewhere in Time to get the stage musical treatment.
- The West End's Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage to pay tribute to Patrick Swayze.

Ride the Movies:
- More from Disney's D23 Expo: A new Star Tours, a refurbished Magic Kingdom Fantasyland and more.
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open at Universal Orlando in spring 2010.


Potent Quotables:
- True Blood's Mehcad Brooks on nudity: "I don’t have any problem taking my clothes off. I don’t even like clothing ... if I had my way, I’d just walk around the street … with just a pair of socks on."

Reverend’s Report: On a Spree Through D23

The D23 Expo, the first officially organized “celebration of all things Disney,” seemed — in classic Disney Company style — to go off without a hitch this past weekend. Sure, I overheard one guy complaining to a Disney exec that the exhibits were great but there weren’t enough of them to fill a four-day experience, and another parent groaned that there wasn’t enough to keep his kids occupied.

For the true, mature Disney fan, though, there were pleasures aplenty to be had at the Anaheim Convention Center. From its Thursday morning opening address by a downright giddy Bob Iger, which was immediately followed by the 2009 Disney Legends ceremony honoring Robin Williams and the Golden Girls actresses (among others) to Sunday afternoon’s celebrations of Disney-Pixar animation’s upcoming (and possible future) releases, there was no end of celebrity encounters (including a surprise appearance by a certain swishy swashbuckler), classic movie screenings and impressive home video demonstrations.

While these may have been the highlights of the expo for many, the following are the D23 moments and opportunities I enjoyed the most:


Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives: This first-time public display of props and costumes from the entire history of Disney film productions was, if not extensive enough for some, an awesome reminder of the studio’s accomplishments. The much-ballyhooed appearance of the Nautilus model from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea didn’t disappoint, and the inclusion of the late Michael Jackson’s Captain EO costume was a nice touch that many attendees seemed to treat as a shrine. Herbie the Love Bug was there, as were Maximilian and V.I.N.CENT from The Black Hole. The oversized, bejeweled storybook used in the opening titles of Sleeping Beauty drew gasps; as one publicist in-the-know remarked to me, “It’s so big, how did it ever open itself?”

It’s a Gay World After All: No, that isn’t the name of a new ride announced for the Disney parks (more on those below), but it certainly applied to the heavy GLBT presence at the D23 Expo. I’ve written plenty on the unique appeal the Disney brand has for GLBT people, but even I was surprised to see and meet so many gay and lesbian expo-goers, presenters, publicists and executives. It left me concluding the only straight Disney employees are the Imagineers but, statistically speaking, even some of them have to be gay. From a human resources perspective if nothing else, good for Disney! And did I mention the gay boys dressed as characters from Tim Burton’s upcoming take on Alice in Wonderland? They were there, and out Disney marketing exec Jeffrey Epstein was working hard to wrangle them!


The Future of Disney Theme Parks: Speaking of those straight Imagineers, one of them gave me a one-on-one virtual tour of Cars Land (based on the Pixar hit Cars), which is under construction at Disney’s California Adventure and is scheduled to open in 2012. While there will be three new attractions within Cars Land, the very cool centerpiece is Radiator Springs Racers. It will combine the timeless appeal of the parks’ Autopia raceway with the high-speed thrills of Epcot’s Test Track.

I was also introduced to a unique future experience, somewhat still in the testing stages, intended for the Disney Cruise Line and vacation spots. Dubbed The Storytellers’ Sandbox, it is a very impressive combination of interactive video technology and good, old-fashioned playing in the sand.

Finally, details of the planned expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland were on full display and will entail Toy Story Land as well as the Grizzly Mountain Coaster, which looks to be a slightly tamer version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad with whimsical scenes of an audio-animatronic grizzly bear family. Best though is Mystic Point, a unique variation on the classic Haunted Mansion. Since many Chinese reverence their deceased ancestors and consider ghosts somewhat distasteful, Mystic Point replaces the other parks’ phantoms with a mysterious force that gets loose in a Victorian museum and brings inanimate objects to life. The planned special effects should be amazing!

Shermania!: I was thrilled to learn the first day of the expo that it was also the first opportunity anyone had to purchase the new CD compilation The Sherman Brothers Songbook (which will be released October 13; click hereto pre-order from Amazon.com). It is a spectacular two-disc collection of many of the tunes penned for Disney films and theme parks by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman during their late-1950’s to early-70’s tenure. Three songs from the non-Disney production Chitty Chitty Bang Bang are also included since, as revealed in the liner notes, producer Albert R. Broccoli (who also produced the James Bond series) asked Walt to co-produce CCBB with him. Walt declined but graciously offered Broccoli the services of the Sherman Brothers. The Oscar-winning musical duo was also honored during the D23 Expo with a special screening of the recent documentary about them, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story, which Richard attended. Sadly, Robert has been in poor health and has had an acrimonious relationship with Richard in recent years. That, in my opinion, makes it especially important to celebrate their musical achievements now.

At press time, it hadn’t been confirmed whether the D23 Expo would be an annual gathering or not. 30,000-40,000 people were expected to attend, and the vast majority of those I saw were thoroughly enjoying themselves. I predict that over time, the D23 Expo will achieve Comic-Con-esque success.

Report by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.