Have opened new Odds and Ends topic as commanded ;-) Judy/Sadie: Think I may have another option for your discussions. email me for details.

Good morning everyone! (it is 11am Boston time and just woke up...) Have been reading all the responses, got confused there for a while. Feel like I've been away for a very long time. Karen, did your sister get married yet???? Evelyn, How are you doing???? Arami, miss the sarcastic wit;) Sadie, you crack me up every time I read something your wrote. Mari, I came thisclose to seeing the Invention of Love in Phila. Went to NYC instead. (what was I thinking???) Am still trying to drag mother to NYC, but my aunt is dying so it's difficult. (Mom's younger sister, breast cancer metastisized. Bad situation all around.) I WILL see The Real Thing before it closes in two short weeks *sigh*. Donna, interested in going with a complete stranger if I drive up for day???? (Um, I will try to find a cheap hotel:)) Anyway, I've missed you guys. The BJD board has been quiet (with news). Karen, your BJD board on the Bucket is awesome!!!!! Keep up the GREAT Work. Oh and on a private note, am dating!!!! Dating a man named Bill who is not 52;) He's 33. Lives in same state as me and is an incredible human being. (My daughter, Rebecca likes him a lot, and his 5 year old son likes me a lot!!! and that is a good!) I survived the *N'sync concert a week ago at Foxboro Stadium with daughter and 16 year old. (I'm glutton for punishment???) My 9 yo. screamed bloody murder, thought CF was around:))))) Well this is a long enough ramble. Really missed you guys!!!!

Judy/Sadie: Think I may have another option for your discussions. email me for details. Which discussion? I've enjoyed reading it all and would hate to miss a minute of something. Laura, glad you found yourself a new feller.

From London Theatre Newsletter: "Hinds to star in ITV Hardy drama Ciaran Hinds is to star in a new ITV two-part adaptation of Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge. He will play Michael Henchard, the central character, and his daughter Elizabeth-Jane will be played by Jhodi May. Filming starts in August and it is hoped that the drama will be broadcast over the Christmas period." [Another Christmas special with Jhodi May....how lucky can you get??] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "My editor has suggested that I create some pages devoted to classic British actors, people like Olivier, Richardson, Redgrave, Gielgud. So I'm doing so. It never ceases to amaze me how few sites there are devoted to these greats of British theatre. There's Mary Murphy's superb Olivier page (see http://britishtheatre.about.com/msub11o.htm ), of course, but otherwise there's nothing to write home about, so I'm happy to follow his editorness's suggestion" [We're proud of you Murph!!!]

(LauraMM) Donna, interested in going with a complete stranger if I drive up for day???? (Um, I will try to find a cheap hotel:)) Sure, but I have to warn you. I don't kiss on the first date :-)

Welcome back Laura! Glad to hear you've met someone! Karen, I didn't even notice that message board had reached the end! That's great news about Ciaran Hinds, Evelyn. Wasn't he fantastic in Hostages and Persuasion!... not to mention handsome, which an actor ought to likewise be if he can help it. And Olivier remains my original fave great actor. (Although, may I be so bold as to suggest that ODB made a better Darcy. Of course, Olivier didn't have much script to work with. Still there's no Hamlet like Larry.) Way to go, Murph!

(Donna) Sure, but I have to warn you. I don't kiss on the first date :-) Don't think the new beau would go for the lesbianism thing, even though it is en vogue;) I really HAVE to see The Real Thing!!! I mean, I HAVE to;)

BTW Karen I did e-mail as requested. Sadie I have to agree about CF making a better Darcy than LO but I would love an opportunity to compare them as Hamlet,but CF did Hamlet at drama school didn't he? (Donna) I don't kiss on first date.LOL. Laura you'll have to tell us if thats true.I think this on line romance is sweet.BTW Laura I've not said hello I'm a new addition to drool.

(Judy) Sadie I have to agree about CF making a better Darcy than LO but I would love an opportunity to compare them as Hamlet,but CF did Hamlet at drama school didn't he? Yes he did! And that would have been amazing to see. Hamlet is my fave. Fell madly in love with Olivier during time was studying the play in school. And wasn't he sensational as Maxim de Winter? He was also adorable in The Divorce of Lady X and fantastic as Heathcliff. And I thought his performance in Carrie made a so-so film into something compelling. Was v. disappointed with P&P; I did think his technique showed through too much (which he's acknowledged about his performances in his bio)and he played Darcy as overly fastidious. Imagine if Vivien Leigh had played Elizabeth Bennet? Ooh dear, I fear this has been discussed already? CF is first performer that doesn't go all wimpy after Darcy is rejected.

I was never really struck with his performance as D & never really understood the fuss made about it and because of this why CF was worried about comparisons being made(Obviously CF was worried he thought everyone loved LO as D-he didn't know that I didn't LOL at own joke)They changed too much in the LO version to ever really consider it as good interpretation of the book but it was still enjoyable and I know & love the book too well to be able not to nit-pick.I would never get rid of my copy though and I always love to see D&E kiss !

Yes, I think LO's D remains one of those "if onlys". If only the script had been better, if only LO wanted to be in that film, and would quit sulking because VL wasn't Elizabeth, if only we Americans hadn't turned it into English Accents meet Little Women! Well, I better get back to work! Boss just gave me a look. Am not searching for new boyfriend, but sure would like new job! See ya later, Judy. It's been a lot of fun. Hope you others out there are not confused. It really is not the Sadie & Judy show. It's just that no one else was posting.

I didn't realise that you were at work I'm sat at homefeet up,coffee in one hand,chocolate in other and typing with nose! Don't work too hard bye

NEW YORK (Variety) - ``American Beauty'' director Sam Mendes has set Dougray Scott, who played the villain in ``Mission: Impossible 2,'' to star in ``To the Green Fields and Beyond,'' a play to run this fall at Donmar Warehouse in London. While Hollywood has been wondering what Mendes will do for his second film since his first won five Oscars, Mendes decided early on that he would first do a play at the Donmar Warehouse, where he's the artistic director. In his last project there, he directed ``The Blue Room'' with Nicole Kidman. Mendes had been expected to mount a production of Shakespeare's ``Twelfth Night,'' but changed his mind when he came across Nick Whitby's ``Green Fields'' play, which revolves around a British tank corps fighting in France during WWI. Scott has signed on to play the role of Lt. Child, with Ray Winstone (``Nil by Mouth'') also expected to star in the production. Rehearsals begin Wednesday, and the play will open in late September and run through Nov. 25. While ``The Blue Room'' was hatched at Donmar and played Broadway, it's unclear whether this one would cross the pond as well. Scott, who, like Mendes, is looking at several possibilities for his next film, recently completed starring with Kate Winslet and Saffron Burrows in ``Enigma,'' the Michael Apted-directed drama produced by Mick Jagger. His last stint on the London stage came in 1993 in ``Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love.'' Mendes has not committed to his next film project, though he has been working closely with ``Get Shorty'' scribe Scott Frank in developing ``The Lookout,'' an original thriller by Frank, at DreamWorks. ****** I read yesterday that Robert Carlyle turned down a role in this play.

Read that too, but which part. Had read about Winstone *starring* in this play weeks ago.

Was just thinking, if the Donmar thought it had a mob scene in the lobby for Colin or even Nicole Kidman, wait till it sees what Dougray Scott brings in!!

Wasn't exactly "Darcy Drool" material... ;-) The Independent: Walks on the Wild Side, No. 6, Ilam Park Derbyshire July 29, 2000 In a series of walks with literary associations, Christina Hardyment ventures out in Mr Darcy's Pemberley IF YOU want to see the lake into which Colin Firth hurled himself in his BBC TV role as Pride and Prejudice's Mr Darcy, you will have to go to Lyme Park in Cheshire, the house used in the filming. However, if you want to find the place that in all probability inspired Jane Austen's description of Pemberley, go to Ilam Park (just north of Ashbourne), for it was in Derbyshire that Elizabeth first laid eyes on Pemberley. She had been touring in search of the picturesque with her aunt and uncle when she saw the house, built "on rising ground and backed with a ridge of high woods". Jane Austen endowed Pemberley with a 10-mile "circuit walk", and described its views, hanging woods and glen-like qualities in detail (chapter 43). In Jane Austen and The English Landscape, Mavis Batey points out that just such a walk exists along the river Manifold at Ilam. Jane Austen could well have visited it in 1806, when she stayed for five weeks with her cousins, the Coopers, at Hamstall Ridware, eight miles south of Ilam and Dovedale. To enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Manifold Valley yourself, park in the National Trust car park at Ilam and cross the terraced garden to a gate, which gives access to a path through the trees and down to the river. Turn right along the river on "Paradise Walk" and continue along the river until you get to River Lodge, where a penny toll is charged to cross a private garden. Mr Gardiner dawdled in this spot to admire the trout before he turned back, but you could do what Elizabeth longed to do and continue exploring. Turn left on the road, then right up a track, keeping left of Castern Hall, and then turning left again on a footpath that follows the contour line high above steep hanging woods and has fine views in both directions. Where the path joins Larkstone Lane, turn left down to the river, cross it at Weag's Bridge and follow it upstream along the Manifold Way, which was once a Light Railway line. Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler, much enjoyed fishing in the Manifold, as well as the nearby (and now very crowded) Dovedale. Cross the river again to climb steps to the dramatic yawning mouth of Thor's Cave. At this point much of the river disappears through swallow holes, reappearing close to Ilam Park. In 1779 Dr Johnson and Boswell visited Ilam to see the egress of the river after its then much-famed underground passage through Thor's Cave. However, despite the gardener's use of corks in order to demonstrate the wonder, Johnson declared himself unimpressed. Follow the footpath up hill to the attractive little village of Wetton. Turn right after the church and go straight on along Ashbourne Lane until it turns into a track called Stable Lane. There are several well-signed footpath options back to Castern Hall and Ilam, where the National Trust has a restaurant.

Karen I can highly recommend this area, Manifold & Dovedale are indeed very beauiful plus have the added bonus of being near the other Pemberley- Sudbury.

Thanks for article on Sam Mendes, Mari. I loved American Beauty. Wish I could see "Green Fields" at the Donmar. Wonder who else will be in it? And thank you, Karen. I've often wondered what place may have inspired Austen's descriptions of Pemberley's grounds. Another place to visit added to my list! So you know this area well Judy, lucky woman. If I ever get back across the Atlantic, I want to tour around there.

Don't remember if the previous posting had this information about who was playing opposite Dudley Doright in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof but it's Rachel Weisz. Am really gagging now (although Fraser does have the bod to play Brick a former jock type)

Captain Corelli damned as racist by novel model July 30, 2000 4:18 PM EDT LONDON (Reuters) - An Italian war veteran, regarded as the model for the hero in the bestselling novel ``Captain Corelli's Mandolin,'' Saturday condemned the book as a racist smear on the Greek resistance. ``To speak of the Greeks as barbarians, who killed for the sake of killing, is not only wrong and unjust, it is pandering to racism,'' Captain Amos Pampaloni, 89, told Britain's Guardian newspaper. Louis de Bernieres' novel, set on the Greek island of Cephalonia in World War Two, has sold 1.5 million copies worldwide and is now being made into a film with Nicolas Cage as Captain Corelli. The Italian war veteran bears many similarities to the book's hero -- he was a captain in the artillery regiment, had an affair with a local girl, played a leading role in the decision to attack the Germans and was shot and left for dead. Pampaloni, who now lives in Florence, told the paper: ``The picture painted of the Greek partisans is unacceptable and completely wrong.'' In an e-mail sent to The Guardian, Louis de Bernieres denied -- despite the similarities -- that Corelli the fictional hero was inspired by Pampaloni.

(Karen) Don't remember if the previous posting had this information about who was playing opposite Dudley Doright in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof but it's Rachel Weisz. No way! A 3rd pairing for these 2? What are they calling it, Mummy On A Hot Tin Roof?;-);-)

Oops, I may have misread this then: Fraser's 'Mummy' co-star, Rachel Weisz, has already appeared in a Williams play in the West End, starring in 'Suddenly Last Summer'last year. ******** I guess they were pointing out the coincidence. Otherwise, no relevance. Forget I wrote that. ********* That Corelli thing just won't go away. Wonder if Greek-Americans will boycott or picket the movie here!

``To speak of the Greeks as barbarians, who killed for the sake of killing, is not only wrong and unjust, it is pandering to racism,'' Captain Amos Pampaloni, 89, told Britain's Guardian newspaper. Louis de Bernieres' novel, set on the Greek island of Cephalonia in World War Two, has sold 1.5 million copies worldwide and is now being made into a film with Nicolas Cage as Captain Corelli. Am surprised Mel Gibson didn't leap at chance to play him! But guess he was too busy slamming the English in "The Patriot".

Karen, muchos gracias for that Derbyshire info it'll come in v. handy in a week or so's time as I am heading up there (thanks to you Judy, I found a place to stay in Monyash) and a visit to Lyme is definitely on the cards as is a wander on the Peaks!

Great news Tracy you'll love it.I'll try & stay around to talk but I keep getting an internal server error message & I can't get back in!

Judy - Sorry to hear that, I'll be online for a little while yet. Yes, it was good to get things organised, wasn't sure whether we'd left it a little late to get into anywhere with character but this place fits the bill, a lovely stone cottage with "spectacular views" so am really looking forward to it. It's taken our minds off things as you can imagine - tomorrow afternoon we say the final goodbye - and I think the break will do us good (I've persuaded Mum & Dad to join me). May have missed something on the boards recently but did you get to see Jerry maguire? What did you think to La Zellweger (or however you spell it)?

Tracy I'm glad to hear you're going away with your mum & dad I think its what you need at such a sad time and you'll be in my thoughts tomorrow. Yes I saw JM,I posted on 131.I really enjoyed her performance even though I couldn't get into the film. I've no qualms about her playing BJ.Sadie & Mari have recommended another of her films which I'm going to try & find.

Thanks for those kind words. I also found JM a bit slow and probably wouldn't have bothered to watch but for the RZ curiosity factor as I have absolutely no interst in sports and sports related things....(except for a fleeting dalliance with rugby..which strangely coincided with Will Carling being England's captain *sigh, swoon*..this was PC (pre Colin) I hasten to add and I have of course renounced this fancy having seen the error of my ways:-D

Will Carling oh how could you he's a naughty boy!My dalliance was with Stefan Edberg strictly PC as well.

Do you think the others will forgive our trespasses?? We were young, we were crayzee and we didn't know any better! Completely different topic going back to Derbyshire and P&P locations, do you (or anyone esle for that matter) recall the scene where Lizzy was climbing 'in the Peaks' and was standing admiring the view standing next to a rock that looked to me like a top hat....where is that?

I think it was around the Mam Tor area but on the two occasions we tried to climb it we were turned back by bad weather.When it was first shown I rackedmy brains over that and that was the only place I could think of.D/shire is divided into the Dark Peak (Lyme is on the outskirts of this & Mam Tor is in it) and the White Peak which has gentler more picturesque scenery & that scene reminded me of the Dark Peak.I am prepared to be disagreed with on this matter though.

FEATURE-Hollywood hits strike zone By Dave McNary and Dan Cox HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - They may not admit it publicly, but studio chiefs all over Hollywood have become terrified in recent weeks that the Screen Actors Guild or the Writers Guild of America -- or both -- will be on strike next June 30 when the SAG contract lapses. As a result, they're stockpiling films and scripts to make sure they won't be left without any product for 2001 and beyond. Hollywood has become even more of a workaholics' paradise. Calls are returned promptly, meetings start on time and projects that had been abandoned to development hell for years have been dusted off for serious reconsideration. The industry has rarely seen a two-pronged union convergence like this. And with a 2002 contract expiration for the Directors Guild of America -- regarded by many as the industry's most powerful union -- showbiz could be hit with a crippling one-two punch that means no stars, no scripts and most importantly, no new films or TV shows for a long time. It could slam-dunk the entire industry: Certainly agents would be hard hit, but the trickle-down effect would KO income for everyone from below-the-line workers to caterers. A strike would have global implications as well, considering the amount of product for film and TV that the U.S. sends overseas. Adding further worry is what many perceive as growing disunity among the corporate owners of studios as shown in Walt Disney Co.'s persistent sniping at the AOL-Time Warner merger. In the meantime, some see the strike concern as a great opportunity. Aware that the studios are sweating, agents and managers are stepping up the pressure to sign deals soon and salaries are being ratcheted up accordingly. Many union leaders are suspicious that the alarm is merely a negotiating ploy since the studios have made few announcements about shifts in production dates. However, senior execs throughout the biz say that with contracts of three key unions expiring, they firmly believe a shutdown is inevitable. The double whammy of labor unrest has created two unofficial new deadlines: Features must be greenlit by Jan. 1 and into production by March 15. Disney and its studio-based producer Spyglass Entertainment have accelerated production on ``Ring of Fire'' so it can make a 2002 release. ``We're assuming (the strike) is happening,'' said Joe Roth, one-time Disney studio chairman who is now heading up his own production house, Revolution Studios. ``So we're accelerating whatever plans we have. One thing's for sure: It's going to be hard to find a good director of photography in March.'' Newly named Fox Filmed Entertainment chairman Tom Rothman also admitted as much, saying, ``We are working our schedules back from the (supposed) strike date. You have to be sure that you can finish by June 2001. We hope for the best and plan for the worst.'' Sony Pictures chief Amy Pascal agreed. ``We're doing all we can to prepare, and we wouldn't start anything we couldn't finish by June,'' she said. On the TV side, speculation has emerged that high-profile shows may forgo the usual late-spring hiatus after taping 22 episodes and get another six to 10 shows ready for the start of the 2001-02 season, which could leave cast and crew exhausted and angry. ``You'd see a lot of talent being burnt up very quickly,'' said SAG president William Daniels, the driving force behind actors' current strike against advertisers. ``You really need the hiatus,'' added Daniels, who's chalked up years as a regular on such TV series as ``St. Elsewhere'' and ``Boy Meets World.'' ``It's hard enough to do 22 weeks -- so if you do more, you might see a real lowering of artistic standards.'' Daniels and others offered a cocked eye at execs' nolo contendere claims that they're speeding up production. ``Perhaps the studios are just posturing now when they talk about speeding up, or perhaps they know that they're dealing with more determined unions,'' said Daniels. ``We all sincerely hope there won't be a strike next year, because it really would shut down the town and be a tremendous blow to the economy.'' In agreement is John McLean, chief exec of the Writers Guild of America West. His union, which will see its contract expire May 1, has not received financial data on residuals that it needs to formulate its contract proposal. ``I see some gamesmanship in talking about accelerated production,'' added McLean, who formerly negotiated for CBS. ``So it's a little premature for us to be talking about a strike beyond telling members to be prudent about their finances. We have not said there is going to be a strike.'' Already, major and middle-size talent and writer agencies in town are discussing the force majeure clauses in their contracts that would allow them to lay off contracted agents wholesale if necessary. The fast-emerging consensus is that SAG and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (AFTRA) will not only go on strike when their joint film-TV contract expires, they'll stay out for several months -- if not years. The prospect of a shutdown has been on the radar since the spring, when SAG and AFTRA began their strike against advertisers and called it a precursor for next year's contract battles. But nobody was taking it that seriously. Now, the unions have become increasingly angry, not just over the ad industry's hardball tactics but also over what they see as years of being shortchanged in cable and foreign revenues. ``Perhaps what the studios are sensing is a certain determination to address issues that have been given a free ride for a long time,'' Daniels said. ``Cable and foreign residuals are areas that are just booming.'' As it became evident that the unions would not cave in, studios and producers realized that the 12-year period of labor peace -- launched after the 22-week writers strike of 1988 -- is over. The recent collapse of ad negotiations, with no date set for resumption, has underscored the need to prepare for next year. ``It's started to dawn on people what next year might be like,'' said attorney Gary Barkin of Sidekick Entertainment. ``There's a scramble to lock in jobs now because if you're not working next January, you might not be working until January 2002. We're telling our clients to line up as much work as they can.'' Barkin expected better-than-average markets for sellers at the Toronto and Sundance festivals as distributors look to stock up at relatively low cost. And, as has happened in the past as strike preparations were under way, the creative community may see a temporary upward bump in salaries.

Barkin expected better-than-average markets for sellers at the Toronto and Sundance festivals as distributors look to stock up at relatively low cost. May do some twoferone pricing. So Londinium and other "on the shelf" products may find distributors yet! Ha ha!!! We're telling our clients to line up as much work as they can.'' Do you think this will sink in? ;-)

(Karen) So Londinium and other "on the shelf" products may find distributors yet! Ha ha!!! Am looking into crystal ball. I see actors walking around with signs. I see actors bound together with paper chains--oops, wrong protest. I see FP, SLOW and Londinium playing in cineplexes nationwide. I see MLSF in re-release. I see...I see that I'm getting carried away...

I see Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Richard Gere, Julia Roberts et al. dressed in chic rags, demonstrating against low salaries...:-D

Madame Eileen: Do you see Colin working more than 100 miles from home?

This might be a boon for the British Film industry....and give some of our guys some higher profile projects :-) Thanks Mari.

(Karen) May do some twoferone pricing. So Londinium and other "on the shelf" products may find distributors yet! Ha ha!!! Yes, I'm certain the likes of TNT and Lifetime will have their checkbooks at the ready.;-) As for "thinking ahead" . . . his peers sure are snapping up major projects left and right. The slates for major studio films set to roll before the cameras in the Fall read like a "who's who" of British actors and actresses. Am tempted to say "smell the coffee," but won't.;-) (Eileen) Madame Eileen: Do you see Colin working more than 100 miles from home? PFFT! Therein lies part of the rub . . .

Thought this was fun: Survey reveals recipe for greatest ever movie LONDON (Reuters) - A futuristic mafia drama set on a spaceship and starring celluloid greats Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe would be the greatest movie ever, according to a survey by online retailer Amazon.co.uk. Amazon analysed the genre, plot, stars and film titles in the most popular 100 films in its database in a bid to uncover exactly what makes a great movie. Eight million votes were cast to choose the top 100 movies from the database of almost 240,000 films. Dramas were the most popular genre, with "The Godfather" topping the individual movie poll. The perfect plot was found to combine a battle between good and evil with the romantic simplicity of boy meets girl. Hollywood actors such as Harrison Ford, James Stewart and Robert de Niro were voted the most popular male stars after Bogart, with Marilyn Monroe, Diane Keaton and Jodie Foster topping the poll for leading ladies. Finally, when it comes to the title the key is to keep it simple, with two words being the favoured configuration. Think Star Wars, Schindler's List and American Beauty.

(Evelyn) This might be a boon for the British Film industry....and give some of our guys some higher profile projects :-) Perhaps. It could be. Do you think it will also be a boon for the film industries of other English language speaking countries, as well? Such as Canada (spoken in most provinces) and Australia. Maybe Sam Neill will making films at home in New Zealand. Even the French have started making films in English, to better appeal to the international market.

(Eileen)Am looking into crystal ball. I see actors walking around with signs. I see actors bound together with paper chains--oops, wrong protest. I see FP, SLOW and Londinium playing in cineplexes nationwide. I see MLSF in re-release. I see...I see that I'm getting carried away... LOL! Might as well dream big! (Karen) Madame Eileen: Do you see Colin working more than 100 miles from home? (Mari) PFFT! Therein lies part of the rub . . . But perhaps he won't have to. Film industry will go where it can make films. Surely London would be one of the prime candidates if Hollywood shuts down? Will big studios not find way to pump monies into foreign productions & stars?

(Karen) Judy/Sadie: Think I may have another option for your discussions. email me for details. Karen, up until now, my email has been shared & accessible by boyfriend (that's the reason why I've never been able to list my email address here, as Drool is my secret!)Since we split up, I've still let him login to check his messages. ANd cannot use email at work, as they monitor it! But I am moving and will be setting up new email address soon. And it's about time, as it's been a real drag to not be able to exchange email messages here. Am very curious about discussion options, and will email you as soon as I'm set up --- thanks for suggesting this. I'm moving in a few days so you may not hear from me for a little while. :-)

No need to apologize, Sadie. As regular posters, both you and Judy should be aware of our backup facilities, with their other amenities. Sorry to hear about the breakup. Try looking into any of the free web-based email services. BTW, Judy, I haven't received anything from you.

That's a v. good idea, Karen. Do you recommend Yahoo?

Oh and thanks for sympathies. But you know, boyfriend was really scary with his lifelong plans. I was beginning to feel squished in, so its just as well, before I got locked into a mortgage, matching furniture, mutual funds and purchase of a retirement home in Florida by age of 32! (Not that there's anything wrong with that, if being settled is one's thing.) We're still friends (or will be again).

Oh, thought it might have been the camping trip! ;-D Yes, Yahoo is fine.

Karen I've tried sending another e-mail,but have kept it short just in case I need to re-type it, so keep your fingers crossed. Sadie good luck with the move & try not to be too long before you get back to us-you know you bring out the worst in me ;-D

From The Independent. Hollywood goes even further east British studios with their world-class facilities and technical crews used to be the first choice in Europe for big-budget movies. But increasingly US film-makers are choosing to shoot in the Czech Republic. How did Prague become such a rival in just 10 years? By Justin I'Anson-Sparks 3 August 2000 Just 10 years after the fall of communism and the collapse of its subsidised film industry, Prague has become the film capital of Europe, and has succeeded in taking the lead away from Britain in attracting Hollywood producers. "Paramount, Columbia, TriStar Pictures, and Twentieth Century Fox are just some of the big Hollywood names now associated with film-making in the Czech Republic," says Matous Forbelsky, a marketing manager at Prague's biggest film studios, Barrandov. The renaissance in the Czech film industry has meant that an array of big-budget films that would otherwise have been filmed in Britain are now being made in Prague. "The director of Shepperton Studios himself has acknowledged that we're now the biggest competitor to the British film industry in the fight to attract big American productions," says Forbelsky. "If a film comes to Prague, it's very likely to be a film that would otherwise have gone to Britain." The Monkey King, a Hallmark production that is currently being made for the American NBC channel with a budget of almost $30m (�20m), is one such case in point, according to its producer Steven Harding: "Originally we planned to shoot the film in England, like two other films now shooting in Prague, but to get the quality of film we wanted we would have had to seriously overshoot the budget. Hence Robert Halmi, our executive producer, drew up a shortlist of cost-saving alternatives, which included Berlin, Prague, Budapest, and Lithuania. And, it has to be said, Prague clearly stood out above the rest." While Prague is clearly cheaper than Berlin, it also offers a level of expertise and facilities that, according to industry insiders, cannot be matched by countries such as Hungary, Poland and Lithuania. This, ironically, is partly thanks to the Nazi occupation of the city during the Second World War, when a number of well-equipped studios were set up to produce propaganda movies for the German war effort and to school the local Czech population in Nazi ideology. "The history of Barrandov clearly plots the history of our country, both good and bad," says Forbelsky. "It was built during the pre-war democratic republic, by the father and uncle of the current president, Vaclav Havel. After that it fell into the hands of the Nazis, and then the communists. Now that we've returned to capitalism, it's apt that it's so popular with the Americans." According to Forbelsky, Czech studios are at least a third cheaper than Britain's Shepperton and Pinewood studios. In addition, the monthly wage of a Czech camera crew can be as little as a quarter of that of a British crew, at about �200 a week, and highly skilled set workers can be bought for even less, according to one Czech studio manager. "We've had one artist working on set-building for the last two months who's been earning about as much in a week as his British counterparts earn in a day," he explains, "and he just happens to be a famous Czech sculptor. How can the British hope to compete with that?" Most of the six major films currently being made in Prague do include a small contingent of British crew members, as well one British director, the veteran Peter MacDonald, whose name is associated with blockbuster film series such as Batman, Superman and Rambo. "If you walk down the corridor at Prague's film studios you're likely to meet five or more famous film-makers, all working on different films," says MacDonald. "By contrast, I was in pre-production at Pinewood before I came here, and the place was deserted � and there's nothing sadder than an empty film studio." According to MacDonald, it is not only a cheap, highly skilled labour force that makes Prague so attractive, but also the beauty of the city itself and the locations on offer. "If you're working with a big Hollywood star used to the sort of creature comforts of LA, then it may be difficult to put forward somewhere like Bucharest or Warsaw as a serious option. But Prague doesn't have that problem and, what's more, it has some fantastic locations." From Hell, a Twentieth Century Fox production that stars Johnny Depp and is directed by the Hughes brothers, is yet another film with a budget running into the tens of millions that fled British shores to come to Prague, partly on account of the locations on offer. It is based on the graphic novel about Jack the Ripper by Alan Moore. "If you want to create Victorian London, as in the film From Hell, or medieval England as in the big Columbia picture which is also shooting in Prague, then the truth is that you're better off doing it here than in Britain," claims Steven Harding. "Considering what's on offer in terms of studio cost and locations, it really is no surprise that Prague is currently the film capital of Europe." Ironically, it is the four decades of oppression under communist rule which have saved many of the country's prized film locations from modernising restorations, and which has done much to enchant Hollywood producers. Not all Czechs are jubilant about the American invasion of their film industry, however. "For the last 10 years, our TV sets have been pumping out US culture," says Jan Andel, a Czech film-maker. "And now we're even making their films for them. As a result, the price of studio space and equipment has rocketed, meaning that we can no longer afford to make our own movies." In reality however, the Czech Republic still makes an enviable number of its own films every year, and the current Hollywood investment has done much to modernise the Czech film industry and to expand its skill-base. "There are one or two areas where the Czech film industry is lacking," explains Peter MacDonald. "Visual effects is one of them; another is the number of top-notch crews at their disposal. But the fact is that the US films being made here are expanding and improving the skills of Czech crews all the time. Once they have those skills, they can go on to make Czech movies, and whether it's a porn film, an arty B-movie or a blockbuster, the quality is sure to be high." Ultimately, however, it is not beautiful locations and highly-skilled labour that have made Prague so attractive to Hollywood producers, but rather cheap labour and a lack of unionisation, qualities which have similarly convinced other labour-intensive industries to relocate to Central and Eastern Europe. "While I've been here, one Czech worker fell off a ladder painting a set, and broke his back," said one British crew member currently working on a film in Prague. "He's not entitled to any compensation from what we've heard, and so we had a whip-round for him. And if that's the sort of thing that makes the Czechs cheaper, I don't even want to try competing." Prague's film studios, however, are about to be bought by a Canadian company. According to Forbelsky, this will make them attractive not just because of the cost savings, but also on account of the latest equipment and facilities that will then become available. "With the investment that we're expecting, we're planning to build newer, bigger studios, as well as new sound studios and visual effects facilities, that will all be state-of-the-art," says Forbelsky. "While we're currently enjoying a lot of success at the expense of our competitors such as the British, we know that there's still a lot to be done." More worrying for the British film industry is the fact that American production companies such as Hallmark, which makes up to 30 films a year, are now also investing in new studios in Budapest, and there are signs that British productions are now also heading east. "We've also attracted a lot of business from smaller UK productions," says one Czech studio producer, "with films such as Plunkett and Maclean, starring Robert Carlyle, and the BBC's The Scarlet Pimpernel, which has been here again filming a follow-up with Richard E Grant." The current boom in the Czech film industry has been compared to Britain in the 1970s, when the likes of George Lucas, Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg set up shop in London to avoid the high prices in Hollywood, and thereby revitalised the British film industry. The director Peter MacDonald, however, who has experienced the highs and lows of the British film industry over the past several decades, is far from worried by Czech competition. "In film, everything is relative to the cost of Hollywood," he says. "I once worked on a Hollywood film in which the lead actress's make-up artist earned more each week than a four-man British camera crew. "But nobody's cheap forever, and like the British film industry, which is regularly written off and yet always manages to bounce back, it remains to be seen whether the Czechs have the wherewithal to stay in the running once the American trend for making films in this part of the world has passed on."

Thank goodness, they didn't decide to recreate the streets of present-day London in Prague, as you all know what that might have meant! :-o

He might have refused to go!

Thanks for that article Mari. It helps to understand the reality behind the scenes. (Karen) Thank goodness, they didn't decide to recreate the streets of present-day London in Prague, as you all know what that might have meant! :-o Am a bit thick, Karen, and do not catch your meaning. BTW, would not Prague provide excellent opportunities for haunting the margins? :-)

I think we should be grateful that MLSF actually did get a theatrical release as Miramax is now selling its shelved product to cable: "Sweet Revenge," a movie made three years ago, will premiere on Showtime rather than in theaters. Showtime said Thursday that it had acquired the movie from Miramax Films and would air it during primetime Sept. 24. The movie, written and directed by Malcolm Mowbry, stars Helena Bonham Carter, Sam Neill, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rupert Graves, Martin Clunes and Steve Coogan. Showtime Networks executive vp program acquisitions and planning Matthew Duda said his company has an ongoing theatrical output deal with Dimension Films, a subsidiary of Miramax. As part of that deal, Showtime can take a film as a straight-to-Showtime world premiere instead of having it released theatrically, Duda said...

Interesting--that's a high-wattage list of stars. Thought Miramax was in better fino straights since Scary Movie. Maybe they've changed their strategic plan and will focus only on 10-17 year olds instead of the art-house crowd.

Looks like I better subscribe to Showtime if they're gonna show art-house films. Actually, it seems the art-house audience just doesn't go to movies anymore, they wait for it to come on the telly...so why not send it there in the first place.Theatrical releases eat into their profits...or increase their losses whichever way you want to look at it.Not Miramax's fault IMO...but a sign of the times...I'm grateful they make any of them at all.

Not true. Miramax is not lifting a finger these days. Cannot believe they haven't ridden Jude Law's hot coattails with Wisdom of Crocodiles. The other "specialty" distributors are putting them to shame. They've moved on and aren't interested in arthouse films anymore. This is just clearing off the shelf time.

(Karen)[Miramax]. They've moved on and aren't interested in arthouse films anymore. You mean we're left with the likes of Eric Styles and Max Binder? ;-)

Had to laugh, if it weren't so sad. From The Sun: BRITAIN is finally going to have a Wimbledon champ ... sadly, it's Hugh Grant. He's in talks to play the role in movie Two Weeks In Love. Screenwriters have only one concern - that Hugh may not be athletic enough for the role. Surely that is no longer a concern since his ex Liz Hurley told me Hugh's a sexual dynamo ...

Pfft! Maybe the "Love" producers should introduce HG to Mr. Chin.;-) BTW, Sweet Revenge never got a theatrical release in Britain either. Must be a dog.

Well don't expect me to go & see it,he wouln't know what to do with a set of balls! Karen I know you do a lot of research for us all around here but nobody would have expected you to go that far & check The Sun ;-)

BBC Ceefax are also reporting HG's new project saying he'll be a low-ranking player- a misnomer if ever I saw one!

Hanks, Mendes embark on journey to 'Perdition' By Anita M. Busch LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Academy Award winners Tom Hanks and Sam Mendes are walking "The Road to Perdition" together. Hanks will star and "American Beauty" director Mendes will helm a feature film adaptation of the 1930s-era gangster novel of the same name for DreamWorks, sources said. The project will be both Hanks' and Mendes' next. The studio is planning an early 2001 start for the project, which will be produced by Richard D. Zanuck from a script by David Self. Self, who scripted for DreamWorks "The Haunting" and for New Line Cinema/Beacon Communications "Thirteen Days," adapted "Perdition" for the big screen. It is based on writer Max Allan Collins' and illustrator Richard Piers Rayner's serialized mystery comic strip novel for DC Comics. Set in Depression-era Chicago, "Perdition" revolves around hitman Michael O'Sullivan, known to friends and enemies alike as the Angel of Death. Uncompromising in his work, O'Sullivan is just as devoted to his private life as an upstanding husband and father of two young boys. But when those worlds collide, taking the lives of his wife and younger son, O'Sullivan and his surviving son, Michael Jr., leave their sedate home life behind and embark on a startling journey of revenge. Sources said the project was done completely in-house at DreamWorks. When the script was finished, Hanks and Mendes received the script directly from DreamWorks' execs. Hanks and Mendes agreed to come aboard the project late Tuesday afternoon. DreamWorks' feature film chiefs Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are overseeing the project. The project reteams Hanks and Mendes with the studio where they made films that won them Oscars. Hanks starred in DreamWorks/Paramount's "Saving Private Ryan" for director and DreamWorks co-topper Steven Spielberg. The film garnered five Oscars last year, including best director. Hanks recently wrapped a starring in role in the Robert Zemeckis-directed "Castaway" for 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks. Coincidentally, Hanks also recently agreed to team with "American Beauty" scribe Alan Ball to star in and produce an untitled 1960s drama about a Cleveland cop who tries to solve the murder of a loved one (HR 4/6). "American Beauty," which Mendes directed for DreamWorks, took home five Oscars this year, including best picture, director and screenplay. Hanks and Mendes are repped by CAA.

So much for devoting himself to the theater (one play) or doing a movie based on an Elmore Leonard story.... Wonder if they'll shoot on location? ;-)

Found this amusing article on the ITN website (while surfing net for hours and repeatedly checking my email!) *snort* More people hooked to the net: An increasing number of people are becoming addicted to the Internet, a leading psychologist has claimed. Dr Keith Ashcroft said the power of the virtual world was so great that studies in the US found that one-in-ten users spend at least 400 minutes a day on the World Wide Web. Comparing "Netaddicts" to alcoholics, the Edinburgh-based expert warned of the severe psychological problems that face obsessive computer users. He has coined a new term, "Internet Addiction Disorder", to describe the problem, which has got worse in recent years because of the mushrooming growth of the net. Dr Ashcroft, who works at Moray Place Consulting Rooms in the Scottish capital, said: "I estimate that 5 per cent to 10 per cent of students may have some sort of dependency, with excessive usage of 400 minutes per day or more. "The Internet is so readily accessible and it is very anonymous - you can take on a different personality. That's the hold of it on some people - the chance to be somebody else. It takes over people's lives. They say they are just going to surf the net for five minutes and before they know it six hours have passed. It's a very real problem with very real symptoms - quite similar to gamblers. If they can't keep checking their e-mail or surfing the web then they start getting edgy and irritable." Are you an addict? The Symptoms. Is "surfing the net" a hobby or an addiction? You may have a problem if you have these symptoms. Psychological symptoms: -Having a sense of well-being or euphoria while at the computer -Inability to stop the activity Craving more and more time at the computer. -Neglect of family and friends Feeling empty, depressed, irritable when not at the computer. -Lying to employers and family about activities. -Problems with school, college or job. Physical Symptoms: -Carpal tunnel syndrome. -Dry eyes Migraine. -headaches. -Back aches. -Eating irregularities, such as skipping meals -Failure to attend to personal hygiene. -Sleep disturbances, and changes in sleeping patterns. Here is link for anyone who wants to read full article: http://www.itn.co.uk/news/20000809/britain/06internet.shtml

Sadie great article-'failure to attend to personal hygiene.' is that the same as sitting in ones own drool? I'm definitely addicted I think I must match with most of those symptoms. talking of e-mail I did yesterday but I have had problems in the past,it took me 3 attempts to contactKaren!

How many of the above qualifies you as an addict? And more importantly, does the ADA cover this addiction? ;-)

*hee hee* Tripplehorn in development with CBS deal Jeanne Tripplehorn is eyeing the small screen, signing a one-year development deal with CBS. The actress is said to be leaning toward the comedy arena, but details about the pact were sketchy Wednesday. Sources said Tripplehorn has not begun meeting with writers or fielding potential series concepts. Tripplehorn has made her mark in such offbeat features as 1999's "Mickey Blue Eyes" and 1998's "Sliding Doors" and "Very Bad Things." She starred in the 1997 CBS telefilm "Old Man," a well-received Hallmark Hall of Fame production of the William Faulkner story. Tripplehorn's other movie credits include 1992's "Basic Instinct," 1993's "The Firm" and 1997's " 'Til There Was You." She appears in the upcoming Abbie Hoffman biopic "Steal This Movie!" and the indie feature "Relative Values."

LOL Judy. 'failure to attend to personal hygiene.' is that the same as sitting in ones own drool? You've nailed the real feminine hygiene problem! No more bread then, even if it is the staff of life ('cause you know what's in bread)! (Karen) How many of the above qualifies you as an addict? And more importantly, does the ADA cover this addiction? ;-) LOL Karen, am beyond need to count symptoms myself. Triplehorn to do CBS comedy. What a hoot, Karen! BTW, that's FaulkEner, isn't it? V. confusing.

Where did everyone go? It's the Sadie & Judy show again. Ya wanna try chat?

I don't seem to be able to get into chat?maybe they're trying to tell me something!

Hmmm. I didn't try yet. Maybe you should email Karen. Also, you could email me now, and maybe I could help (am not techno wizard though).

give me a few minutes to e-mail you,I do have problems with that as well.

O.K.!

I'm at egroups now. Judy? Anyone?

I'm on my way!

Well it was worth a try, Judy. I emailed the moderator to find out where it all went so terribly, terribly wrong!

Yes at least we tried but failed miserably,but some good came out of it -I learnt to post over there & I know my e-mail is working again!

Will wonders nevah cease? Thought Hugh was all signed up for this one?? And that last big!! From Empire: Clooney Too Good-Looking 11/08/2000 George Clooney has turned down the chance to play the lead role in a film adaptation of Nick Hornby's About A Boy apparently because he believed his leading man looks were such that they would prevent him doing a creditable job. 'George Clooney read the book,' Nick Hornby told cinemagoers at a Q&A session at London's Screen on the Green cinema, 'and said nobody would believe he would need to join a single parents group. You would need someone more average looking.' The novel, whose lead character is a man who joins a single parents group to meet a woman, would be Hornby's third book to be adapted for the big screen.High Fidelity, starring John Cusack, was released this year and Hornby's debut novel Fever Pitch was made in 1997 starring Colin Firth. The success of High Fidelity, which has brought in $27 million in box office in the US may be the reason that filmmakers are looking to remake Fever Pitch with a bigger budget. 'Someone has tried to develop Fever Pitch into being about the Boston Red Sox,' says Hornby. 'They are the great doomed team of the World Series.'

Thanks to Donna: From today's Liz Smith's column JE back on BroadwayRIALTO RAMBLINGS: Let us remind you that this weekend is your last chance to see the Tony-winning performance of Jennifer Ehle and her co-actors in the truly grand production of Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing." But not to worry, Jennifer already has a job lined up for next season. She will join another Tony winner, the delectable Alan Cumming (who reinvented the emcee in the current hit "Cabaret"), in a new production of Noel Coward's 1932 classic, "Design for Living." The production will be directed by Joe Mantello, produced by the Roundabout Theatre Company and will open next February at the gorgeously restored Selwyn, a.k.a. American Airlines Theatre." Article with pic http://www.pagesix.com/lizsmith/lizsmith.htm "

GAAAAHHHHHHH!

Ooh, Evie snuck one by me. Said 'GAAAAHHHHHHH' above is in reference to the last two lines of Karen's post, not JE being back on B'way.

Great to hear the news about Jennifer, Ev, but Alan Cumming... *shivering* about the Boston Red Sox,' says Hornby. 'They are the great doomed team of the World Series.' A lot he knows about loser teams! At least, they get to the World Series. :-(

Great to hear the news about Jennifer, Ev, but Alan Cumming... *shivering* My thoughts indeed. Have call in to ICM for confirmation. Maybe they made a mistake on the *leading man*. They cannot take Paul away from Colin.Period. What's Hornsby doing...passing the FP title around all sorts of different stories. Pure greed.

The success of High Fidelity, which has brought in $27 million in box office in the US may be the reason that filmmakers are looking to remake Fever Pitch with a bigger budget. 'Someone has tried to develop Fever Pitch into being about the Boston Red Sox,' says Hornby. 'They are the great doomed team of the World Series.' Oh my beloved Sox (The Curse of the Bambino, be damned!) However, what a great story!!! Who'd play Paul/Nick???? Could CF do a Bahstin accent???? PS: Sports illustrated picked the Red Sox to break the curse and win the series. However, they jinxed us as well. Yeah, Karen we make it to the series but we always have the umps against us and helping the Yanks win! Call attention to game 5 of last years series at Fenway when Boston fans started throwing trash onto the field!

Thanks for the info. Evelyn and Donna. DFL sounds quite fun, and according to Theatre.com Rupert Everett is tippped to play the 3rd party, is that good or bad. Anyway Jennifer has obviously enjolyed her time in NY and is happy to do so again. Good Luck to her. Maybe have to make another trip to NY!! (any excuse) What next for SD I wonder?

I say again: GGAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

Regarding JE and Alan on stage... I had seen Alan doing an interview a month or so ago. This is when he was promoting the Flintstones II movie. He was already set to do the play and he said his co-star would be Julianne Moore (no rumor). But it is interesting that she dropped out and Jennie stepped in. This is quite interesting news, and probably no limited run engagement too. If Rupert joins them, wow, it will be a box office hit. And I bet the three of them will be a hoot.

Spectacular news about Jen back on Broadway! You may be seeing the next first lady of the Broadway stage here, folks. Am so glad she's sticking to the stage. Ok, now the whining (you knew it had to come): Why oh why couldn't Colin have played one of the male leads??? Rupert Everett--no, say it isn't so, Ann! Actually, I do like Alan Cumming--very talented, versatile guy and well-liked here, though not exactly the first to come to mind when one thinks of leading men. On a happier note, February is a great time for a reunion, folks!

Mari, if only they hadn't put back the BJD release date,m we could have killed two birds with one stone, JE on Broadway and NY BJD Premiere Reunion!

OOh, I could actually see this one! I like Alan Cumming and RE and JE:)

You're right, Ann, we could have had the best of all worlds! (Now who was the idiot on 131 who thought April was such a hot idea for BJD?;-)

(AnnW) we could have killed two birds with one stone Says the play *opens* in February. V. likely will still be there when BJD opens (if the April date is good).

Good thinking, oh wise one, April, will be fine, it will give James a bit more time to save up!!

Good thinking, oh wise one, April, will be fine, it will give James a bit more time to save up!! hee hee

Ok, so maybe am not such an idiot.;-)

I just like to focus my hand-wringing where it does the most good. ;-)

All the B'way theatre websites are buzzing with the story.... Theatre.com gives a synopsis of the play. "Cumming will take on the role that Noel Coward wrote for himself. According to Liz Smith, Ehle has been tapped to play the role of Gilda, which was once rumored to be Julianne Moore's. No word yet on who will be the other male lead in the play. Again, the rumor on the Rialto is that Rupert Everett might play the third party." http://www.theatre.com/news/public/newsbrief.asp?newsid=7806 Sounds like a lotta fun for the cast. I'm glad she's taking advantage of her new Tony -status on- B'way instead of going back to UK to a 'goin-nowhere' Brit indie film.

Cumming will take on the role that Noel Coward wrote for himself. So there won't be any cracks about his "playing against type," huh? ;-) (Evelyn) I'm glad she's taking advantage of her new Tony -status on- B'way instead of going back to UK Why go where you aren't recognized? What WAS the name of that actress and the play for that matter that won the Olivier and all those awards?????????

She's still got time to come back to the UK, do the Queen Mum thing and who knows what else. I guess she won't be doing a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof now, oh well, can't have everything.

What WAS the name of that actress and the play for that matter that won the Olivier and all those awards????????? LMAO, Karen. To say nothing of the musical....something about a duck?...that beat Lion King!"The duck" closed eons ago and Lion King is selling into May '01! The Oliviers are laughable.(Bet Ray Dotrice agrees with me, *hee, hee*)

I guess she won't be doing a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof now, Thankgod.. Brendan"George of the Jungle"Fraser is doing it with his co-star from his latest film...what's her name?