OMG [Time to move on E...] LOL! Can you believe we've known each other that long? I plan to rent Road to Perdition in the future, but those who have seen it, would you say Jude will be nominated as BSActor? I think he's great.

Jude is good as usual in Road To Perdition, but the role is very small. Also, there are 2 others in this who would more deserve a supporting actor nom: Paul Newman, who is *wonderful* and the kid who plays the 12-year-old son, Tyler Hoechlin. This boy is simply amazing in the role. Good film--dark, beautifully written, acted and filmed.

Great article, Karen, thanks. I hadn't realized how many actors have "gone ugly" to get respect. I remember Gibson's "Man Without a Face." I recall noticing that, not only did he not have his good looks to fall back on, he also suppressed his little "cute tricks" and charming grins that he used in a lot of his movies. Changing his face changed his acting. Some actors make it on looks alone. The handsome ones who are also talented can get lumped in with the himbos. Doing an "ugly" part is way for them to show that they can get the job done without relying on looks. Colin has often said he thought he'd be a character actor because he never thought of himself as handsome enough for leads (must have been raised by vampires, in a house without mirrors). It's rare for the less-than-gorgeous character actor to become a star and be in People's Most Beautiful, etc. But they often get the most interesting parts, and are often the most interesting people. I think Colin has the soul of a character actor and the face of a lead. I thought the comments about Michelle Pfeiffer in Frankie and Johnny were interesting. I didn't know anything about the reviews she got, but I remember thinking how beautiful she is, even without a lot of makeup enhancing her looks. Beauty also tends to work against realism on screen. I hate to admit to being so shallow, but was struck by how unattractive the woman in DQ was. When Colin kissed her, I remember thinking, NOOO, let him kiss someone pretty. But her unattractive looks reinforced Donovan's idealism. It's easy to say "looks don't matter" when you're dealing with someone handsome or pretty. But to make a point or make a part work, you have to hide the good looks. No one wants to see one of Britain's best stage actresses give a straightforwardly excellent performance: they want to see their It-girl Kidman wearing a rubberised stunt-face Unfortunately, the tendency of stars to do "look at me, I can act when I'm not pretty" does take roles away from other actors who are more suitable--but less bankable. On a related note, did anyone hear about Jamie Lee Curtis doing a photo shoot with no makeup and special hair-do, then more photos after THREE HOURS of work, just to show the difference, that what you see is not really what they are? I forget what magazine it was.

(Kate) On a related note, did anyone hear about Jamie Lee Curtis doing a photo shoot with no makeup and special hair-do, then more photos after THREE HOURS of work, just to show the difference, that what you see is not really what they are? I forget what magazine it was. More Magazine is using pics of the "unglam" Jamie. Doesn't mention about comparison pics. On sale tomorrow it says.

Karen, you can't get ALL the Hornby movies made in Chicago!!!!!!! C'mon, you already had High Fidelity (and Chicago was ALL wrong:)) Just because the sox have made it to the World Series, we still haven't won one since we lost Babe Ruth. How many times did Arsenal make it, so close, yet so far. same story. it's all about the history and Boston has more history than the cubs. besides, having the yankee/sox relationship developed (as long as they leave that icky Jeter out of it) should be interesting.

Someone down in Delaware must have REALLY liked Minority Report.... Delaware Police Compile Future Suspects List Database Contains Names of People Likely to Break Law .c The Associated Press WILMINGTON, Del. (Aug. 26) - Police in Delaware are trying to get a head-start on cracking crimes before they happen by setting up a database that contains a list of people who officers believe are likely to break the law. Defense attorneys and the American Civil Liberties Union oppose the database, which lists names, addresses and photographs of the potential suspects - many of whom have clean slates. The precise grounds for putting a person on the list aren't clear. But since the system was introduced in Wilmington in June, most of the 200 people included in the file have been minorities from poor, high-crime neighborhoods. State and federal prosecutors say the tactic is legal, but defense lawyers object to the practice. ``We should enforce the existing laws, but not violate them, to catch the bad guys,'' said Theo Gregory, City Councilman and public defender. ``We've become the bad guys, and that's not right.'' Mayor James Baker called the criticism ``asinine and intellectually bankrupt.'' ``I don't care what anyone but a court of law thinks,'' he said. ``Until a court says otherwise, if I say it's constitutional, it's constitutional.'' The pictures are being taken by two Wilmington police squads created in June to arrest drug dealers. The units are known in some neighborhoods as ``jump-out squads'' because they jump out of cars and make quick arrests. Many of the people whose photos have been taken for the file were stopped briefly for loitering and let go.

"Until a court says otherwise, if I say it's constitutional, it's constitutional." Can't argue with that logic. ;-) However, they won't.

The Jude Law article reminded me of a section in a 1978 book called Flesh and Fantasy. (No explicit photos, just a cynical book about Hollywood.) Here are some of their tips, and the examples are from the book: How to Win an Oscar Be deserving the year before. . . Be Hollywood's answer to Jackie Robinson . . . (e.g. Sidney Poitier) If you're a tough guy, dust off your tap shoes (e.g. James Cagney) If you're a funnyman, play it straight . . . If you're a glamour girl: Show your age (e.g. Vivian Leigh in Streetcar) Muss your hair and let it all hang out(e.g. Elizabeth Taylor-Virginia Woolf) Let your eyebrows grow in . . . Tear your dress . . . Trade your Diors for Sears catalogue chic . . . If you're a good girl, play a bad girl . . . Washed up? Make a comeback . . . Be an underdog . . . Hang around long enough . . . Expire. I'm sure we can all think of a few Oscar winners who fall into these categories! Liz p.s. apologizing in advance if I messed up the HTML. Here goes . . .

In other words, play against type. ;-)

(Liz) How to Win an Oscar Good stuff. Thank you. (Karen) In other words, play against type. ;-) Absolutely correct.

Delaware Police Compile Future Suspects List Database Contains Names of People Likely to Break Law i used to live in delaware....there was nothing going on there (except tax free shopping!). this must've been how they occupied their time. :P

FYI for those who live or are going to be visiting in the NYC area at the end of Sept, The New Yorker Festival will be going on with a variety of panel discussions from writers (book,film), directors, and other artists. NLB and Sam Shepard are doing one, Martin Scorcese w/ David Denby another, for example. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster starting Thurs, Aug 29 at 9am. This link will take you to the page where you can browse the schedule. Each panel has a fee. The main festival page may have a direct link to Ticketmaster for the events. New Yorker Festival

(Karen) In other words, play against type. ;-) (Pam),Absolutely correct. You mean a deaf-mute? ;-)

(Karen) In other words, play against type. ;-) (Pam),Absolutely correct (Moon)You mean a deaf-mute? ;-) LOL!!! So was Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God playing against type or stereotyped?

*Nothing* is going right for me today...closing tags, I hope

(Doreen) So was Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God playing against type or stereotyped? Stereotyped, I suppose. But the "How to Win An Oscar" list left off another way -- do a great job in what the Academy might see as a one-shot chance (for whatever reason). Of course, MM has remained impressive throughout her career, but they probably couldn't envision that many roles being available to her.

Some of you have sent me Birthday List information, and you haven't heard back from me. I apologize - I've been buried up to my eyeballs getting ready for the new semester that started yesterday and got behind on e-mail. But I've got your messages and I'll definitely be adding you to the list. You should hear back from me over the weekend. And speaking of birthdays, Karen, weren't you saying something not long ago about discussing a theme for the BIG birthday party when Moon Dreams came back? Time's a-wasting - just two weeks to go....

Whoever wants to start discussing this year's birthday bash, go right ahead on topic 110.

(KathyF): But the "How to Win An Oscar" list left off another way -- do a great job in what the Academy might see as a one-shot chance (for whatever reason). Actually, the book included a few more categories in the "How to Win an Oscar" list, one of which deals with the "one shot chance": "Give your right arm for your country." It referred to the Oscar won by Harold Russell for "The Best Years of Our Lives." Russell was a WWII vet who lost both hands in the war, as did the character he played.

(Rika), Karen, weren't you saying something not long ago about discussing a theme for the BIG birthday party when I kind of like "The Turning of the Ocean Liner" as a theme. ;-) It's time to hop on board on 110. Will we be able to start "The Turning of the Firth?" ;-)

(Moon) You mean a deaf-mute? ;-) No, definitely not. How about a good R and a great roll in the hay?

From THR: State of the art house: hot By Jon Matsumoto In terms of boxoffice breakthroughs and mainstream exposure, it's been a banner year for art house exhibitors. Riding high on the success of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," "Monsoon Wedding" and "Y tu mama tambien," the specialty arm of the cinema world is benefiting from a cultural explosion that has made independent, edgy and foreign fare big business in Middle America. Although art house boxoffice grosses are down compared with previous years' tallies, exhibition executives say the figures are still strong when seen against the increasingly competitive theatrical landscape -- especially considering that many potential indie Oscar contenders have yet to be released. So, while production and distribution entit ies in the art house arena face their own set of financial problems, exhibitors are taking measures to ensure that new art house enthusiasts remain enamored of the product and that even more converts will enter the fold and continue to drive business. At this point in 2002, art house titles are estimated to account for just 3.4% of the total boxoffice -- though year-end titles should drive that figure higher. Last year, films like "Gosford Park" pushed art house ticket sales to 5.25% of the total boxoffice. In 2000, Oscar nominees "Traffic" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and other art house films represented 8.42% of the total boxoffice, according to Exhibitor Relations president Paul Degarabedian. That kind of success is predicated largely on the expansion of the art house market in the Midwest. Ray Price, vp marketing at Los Angeles-based Landmark Theatres, the nation's largest art house circuit, says that when he first entered the theater business in the early 1970s, the audience for specialized films could be found primarily on the two coasts. Now, Landmark operates 175 screens at 54 theaters in cities as culturally diverse as Berkeley, Calif., Los Angeles, Dallas, St. Louis, New York and Milwaukee. "The middle of the country constitutes more of our business for art films than the coasts just because there are millions and millions of people all over the country and these markets have suddenly grown up," Price says. [Ed note: Bicoastal condescension mentality at work; can't go to these films if they're not playing anywhere or if you have to travel one hour into the city to an urban theater without parking facilities. Grrrr!] In May, Landmark launched a new eight-screen theater in Bethesda, Md., and in the complex's first eight weeks of operation, it became the chain's best-performing theater. "We're seeing art films doing extremely well in the suburbs of Chicago, where 10 years ago there weren't enough screens out there for art house product," Paramount Classics co-president David Dinerstein adds. "You can take it a step further and go into places like St. Louis, Phoenix and Cleveland, where (art films) are doing very well." Experts say one of the factors driving business -- apart from the quality of the latest wave of independent films -- is the reduction in the number of mainstream cinemas nationwide. When bankrupt exhibitors shuttered underperforming operations during the late '90s and the past two years, they helped level the playing field in favor of art houses. "Business is good, and it will continue to be good for art theaters," says Greg Laemmle, vp at Southern California art house chain Laemmle Theatres. "As the major chains lower screen counts around the country, we hope and anticipate that many of these theaters will be acquired by independent operators and small chains and will reopen as art houses. In most cases, we're not competing with these theaters." In the Los Angeles area, Laemmle has converted two commercial movie theaters into art houses. The feeling among many exhibitors is that the growth of art houses and art films as a whole helps everyone involved in this end of the business. "Anything that increases the ability of the small distributors to grab and hold screens (across the country) is going to be good for the art house business overall and in the long run," Laemmle says. Ironically, what has been an embarrassment of riches for art house exhibs hasn't always translated to money in the bank for independent filmmakers and distributors, who find themselves duking it out in an increasingly competitive battle for screens. Underperforming titles prompted IFC Entertainment to recently shutter its film-finishing division Next Wave Films and led to the unraveling of Lot 47 Films with the sudden departure of its president and co-founder, indie stalwart Jeff Lipsky. (Even with one of this year's indie success stories in "Atanarjuat" (The Fast Runner), the cash-strapped Lot 47 has been struggling to pay vendors and keep its doors open.) Despite the proliferation of more expensively made independent films -- generally coming from such studio-based indies as Sony Pictures Classics, Fox Searchlight, Fine Line and Paramount Classics -- only about 40 of the roughly 1,000 independent narrative films made in the United States each year receive theatrical distribution in markets other than Los Angeles and New York, according to R.J. Millard, vp publicity and marketing at New York-based Independent Distribution Partners, a joint distribution partnership involving Samuel Goldwyn Films, Fireworks Pictures and Stratosphere Entertainment. Still, even those few titles often must struggle to distinguish themselves amid a sea of blockbuster franchise movies or high-profile awards season hopefuls, and major studios have a huge financial advantage when it comes to getting films noticed. "With any particular (major studio film), audiences are simply inundated with (advertisements) in over six or seven different types of media," Millard says. "We have a much smaller budget to help get these films seen and noticed." The fact that the definition of what constitutes an art house movie is somewhat subjective makes it difficult to pin down exact production and marketing budgets, but Robert Bucksbaum, president of independent boxoffice analysis firm Reel Source, put a roughly $5 million price tag on the average budget and marketing costs for an art house film. Bucksbaum last year polled an array of art house distributors, including Miramax, Artisan, Lions Gate and smaller companies like IFC films, to arrive at that figure. To augment publicity and advertising campaigns, Landmark Theatres recently launched its own publication called FLM (Film at Landmark). The free quarterly magazine contains descriptions and short articles on current and upcoming art films. Landmark also focuses on grass-roots marketing; if an Italian film is playing at a Landmark theater, for example, the company tries to alert local Italian restaurants, businesses and community organizations to its arrival. "One of the best marketing tools for any independent film is the yellow pages," Landmark executive vp and film buyer Bert Manzari notes. Those efforts might be paying off. Price says business at Landmark was up 30% during this year's first quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. Taking heed of that kind of success, a number of art houses have begun marketing films directly to the increasingly diverse ethnic communities within the United States. Much has been written about how "Y tu mama tambien" played into the current mainstream obsession with Latin fare, but the Filipino-American indie "The Debut," as one example, also proved profitable last year largely by appealing to sizable Filipino communities in such areas as San Francisco and Los Angeles. "You go to that constituency that's really interested in the film and get them as excited as possible," Price says. "But you're also working with the more general audience and telling them that there are reasons why they need to see it, too. There are those people who want to see the film quickly, and then there are those people who take six weeks to get there. (With art films) somebody has to hold the fort until that second group gets there." That second group is one of the key reasons IFC Films' "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (produced for Gold Circle Films by Playtone, the company co-founded by actor Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman) has become such a success story. Although the movie has achieved a crossover popularity, when it was released in April it targeted Greek audiences in eight U.S. cities. To date, the $5 million indie film has grossed about $65 million, expanding to 1,329 theaters across the country. "Playtone had preview screenings for 300 Greeks in every community where the film initially opened (in both art and commercial theaters)," notes Nia Vardalos, the star and screenwriter of the semiautobiographical comedy reflecting Greek-American culture. "When the film did open to the public, these same Greeks liked the film so much they went again and brought their two non-Greek neighbors." Although Greg Laemmle calls it a "great time" for foreign-language cinema, many in the art house world, Laemmle included, have witnessed a strong push toward English-language art films, driven largely by economics. Simply put, producers are likely to fetch more money for movies in English from foreign, pay cable, broadcast and other markets. One industry insider believes "Y tu mama tambien" ultimately will have less value than "Greek Wedding" in that subtitled films are at a particularly heavy disadvantage when it comes to ancillary revenue. That said, Manzari says the single biggest test facing Landmark Theatres is finding and cultivating a young adult audience that will help sustain the art house business in the coming decades. Reaching that new demographic is more difficult, he says, because those moviegoers are accustomed to elaborate and expensive marketing campaigns that span several types of media. "The younger audience presents a challenge we've never faced before," Manzari notes. "We're trying to come up with all sorts of things (to attract them)." The benefits of reaching across demographic boundaries was underscored in 2000 by Sony Pictures Classics' Oscar-winning Chinese-language martial arts film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." The movie, which opened in art houses and then expanded into suburban multiplexes, grossed $128 million and stands as the benchmark of what an art house film can achieve. Still, there are drawbacks to that kind of success. When art house titles break into the multiplex, they drain important revenue from the coffers of smaller chains or independent cinemas. "The art house world, if anything, has been victimized by the success of quality independent film," Laemmle states. "The best thing that can happen for the art houses is for Hollywood to continue to make more great and popular Hollywood movies. That will leave the art house cinemas to play quality art house films."

I can tell you that there are so many foreign films that never reach the US. I think the US would rather concentrate on showing "Independents" than foreign films. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (produced for Gold Circle Films by Playtone, the company co-founded by actor Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman), was screened in many cineplexes that other indies and foreign films never reach. That is not a good example to use. In Miami,I am lucky to have many film fest throughout the year. The Hispanic FF, Th Brazilian FF, The Spanish FF, The Jewish FF, he Gay and Lesbian FF, The Black FF... we even managed an Italian FF. Plus we have the Miami FF and the Ft Lauderdale FF, and... we still don't manage to get a good percentage of quality foreign films from Russia, Hungary, Poland etc. BTW, thanks to Mari for recommending "Ghostworld" I liked very much!

Ms. Moon... I only have one thing to say to you.. "Mirror.. Father...Mirror" LOL!!!! My daughter is still leaving voice mail containing that little phrase. I also liked "Doug"... wasn't he frightening? I'm pretty sure I've seen him, or someone remarkably like him, down at the Circle K. =D

Thanks for very interesting article, Karen.

I wonder if this might have some possibilities. From ScreenDaily: Bright Young Things finds new home at Civilian Content, Icon Adam Minns in London 29 August 2002 Stephen Fry�s Evelyn Waugh adaptation Bright Young Things is expected to be one of the first projects to re-surface after the closure of the UK�s FilmFour. The 1930s-set satire with Judi Dench and Peter O'Toole is finalising a deal with Civilian Content, parent of UK National Lottery franchise The Film Consortium, and the UK arm of Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey�s Icon Entertainment. Tax financier Vision View is also on board. The deal is understood to be still pending approval from the Film Council, the UK body which administers lottery funding. The production fell foul of FilmFour parent Channel 4�s shift in strategy to focus on low budget UK films made primarily for TV. The broadcaster folded stand alone film division FilmFour back into the main channel as part of the move. Shooting is scheduled for the autumn through Revolution Films, the production company of producer Andrew Eaton and director Michael Winterbottom. Fry is to make his directing debut on the film, a self-penned adaptation of the book Vile Bodies. A Gosford Park-style ensemble cast of UK and US actors is still being firmed up. �It�s essentially a story about night clubbing, drugs and drink and therefore has nothing inconnection whatsoever to the modern age� Fry said when FilmFour unveiled the project at Cannes.

A Gosford Park-style ensemble cast of UK and US actors is still being firmed up. Hmm, sounds promising. I wonder how close to Islington the location(s) will be? �It�s essentially a story about night clubbing, drugs and drink and therefore has nothing inconnection whatsoever to the modern age� Fry said Fry always makes me laugh. Thanks for the article, Karen. 1930's, Evelyn Waugh, night clubs. I'm thinking Colin in evening clothes, martini glass in hand. I'm thinking Cole Porter music in the background. It would look good. Fry can write and he seems to have a delightful sense of the absurd. Wonder how he'll be as a director? Is it too soon to make ANOTHER trip to the store for candles? Hey Evelyn, if I buy the book, want me to send it on to you?

(kate)Hey Evelyn, if I buy the book, want me to send it on to you LOL. Pl. no. Looked at GWAPE today at Border's. Boss said not to dare buy it...I'm a born jinx. My nightstand is overflowing with Colin-rejects now;-)

(Kate) Fry always makes me laugh. Thanks for the article, Karen. 1930's, Evelyn Waugh, night clubs. I'm thinking Colin in evening clothes, martini glass in hand. I'm thinking Cole Porter music in the background. It would look good. Fry can write and he seems to have a delightful sense of the absurd. Wonder how he'll be as a director? He makes me laugh, too. I think he's very talented. I like what you're thinking here, definitely evening attire and martini glass for Colin.

(Kate) I'm thinking Colin in evening clothes, martini glass in hand. I'm thinking Cole Porter music in the background. I like the way you think!

Here is a list of the films that will be coming our way. Posted on Sun, Sep. 01, 2002 Fall film frenzy BY RENE RODRIGUEZ, Miami Herald Movie Critic The most anticipated film of the 2002 fall movie season won't arrive until Christmas -- which, if you want to get all Farmer's Almanac about it, technically belongs to winter. No matter. Yes, there will be more than 60 movies before then, all clamoring for Oscar gold, 10-best lists and most importantly, box-office glory. But the big story of this year's fall movie season comes down to Gangs of New York, Martin Scorsese's budget-busting epic about Italian and Irish immigrants butting heads -- and clubs, bats, machetes and knives -- in New York's Lower East Side in the late 19th century. Not since Titanic has a movie attracted so much speculation and curiosity before anyone has seen a single frame. Production on the film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and Daniel Day-Lewis, began in August 2000 at Rome's legendary Cinecitta Studios, with an intended budget of $90 million and a planned release date of Christmas 2001. But shooting delays, spiraling costs and creative tugs-of-war between Scorsese and Miramax Films chief Harvey Weinstein (who tussled over everything from the film's running time to its graphic violence) kept Gangs at the gate for an entire year. During last May's Cannes Film Festival, Miramax unveiled a 20-minute reel, hoping to convince a skeptical press that the movie would be worth waiting for. Those who caught the preview came away appeased: We'll know for sure in December, when the R-rated, 164-minute film finally opens -- ironically, on the same day as another DiCaprio vehicle, Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. Its box-office fate aside, Gangs could bring Scorsese, the premier filmmaker of his generation, his first Oscar. That alone will have been worth the battle. In the meantime, we'll have to settle for new films by the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson, Spike Lee, Pedro Almodovar, Brian De Palma, Steven Soderbergh, Jonathan Demme, Alexander Payne and Spike Jonze. There will be a new Harry Potter to line up, as well as another chapter of the Lord of the Rings saga. There will also be a new Steven Seagal movie. In other words, something for everyone. Here is a schedule of the movies heading our way between now and year's end. All dates are subject to change: SEPT. 6 City by the Sea: Strong performances and a thoughtful screenplay elevate this drama, loosely based on a 1997 Esquire article, about a New York homicide detective (Robert De Niro) who discovers his junkie son (James Franco) is wanted for murder. Co-starring Frances McDormand and Eliza Dushku. SEPT. 13 Barbershop: Ice Cube, Sean Patrick Thomas and Cedric the Entertainer are among the guys who hang out at a south side Chicago barbershop in this ensemble comedy. The Transporter: Jason Statham (Snatch) takes a stab at the action-hero stuff in this thriller about a mercenary hired to kidnap the daughter of a Chinese crime lord. Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) co-wrote the script. SEPT. 20 Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever: The hands-down winner for weirdest title of the fall, this action extravaganza stars Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu as two secret agents intent on killing each other -- until they realize they're fighting for the same cause. Doh! The Banger Sisters: Two former groupies (Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon) get together to reminisce about their hell-raising adventures in the '60s. The Four Feathers: The fifth film adaptation of A.E.W. Mason's novel flubs the romantic elements, but makes up for them with its stunning desert battle scenes. Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley and Kate Hudson form the late 19th century romantic triangle affected by the British colonization effort in North Africa. Directed by Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth). Spirited Away: Animated Japanese import about a 10-year-old girl who discovers a secret world comes to the United States in a newly dubbed, subtitle-free version. Directed by anime legend Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke). Trapped: Thriller about a married couple (Stuart Townsend and Charlize Theron) whose daughter is abducted. Kevin Bacon and Courtney Love play the kidnappers. Like the Mel Gibson vehicle Ransom, only kinkier. SEPT. 27 8 Women: A who's-who of French actresses (Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Beart, Fanny Ardant, Viriginie Ledoyen) lend star power to this musical murder-mystery from the always fascinating writer-director Francois Ozon (Under the Sand, Criminal Lovers, Sitcom). Invincible: The mad-genius German filmmaker Werner Herzog (Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo) returns with this drama about '30s circus strongman turned anti-Nazi activist Zishe Breithart (played by Jouko Ahola, two-time winner of the World's Strongest Man competition). Tim Roth co-stars as the hulk's Stromboli figure. Sweet Home Alabama: Reese Witherspoon is a famous fashion designer engaged to New York's most eligible bachelor (Patrick Dempsey). Then her past comes knocking in the form of the hick (Josh Lucas) she married in high school. The Tuxedo: Jackie Chan tries on the titular suit and is mistaken for a secret agent. Jennifer Love Hewitt is his partner. We miss Chris Tucker already. OCT. 4 Moonlight Mile: Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon are the grieving parents of a young woman who is killed weeks before her wedding. Jake Gyllenhaal is the intended groom left in an awkward relationship with his would-be in-laws. Semi-autobiographical drama from writer-director Brad Silberling continues the theme of love and death he explored in City of Angels. Red Dragon: The first installment in the Thomas Harris trilogy of novels about Hannibal ''The Cannibal'' Lecter was filmed once before, by Michael Mann, as Manhunter. But that was before Anthony Hopkins turned the bad doctor into a pop culture icon, and Mann also took great liberties with Harris' novel. Director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, Family Man) tapped Silence of the Lambs screenwriter Ted Tally to whip up a more faithful adaptation while beefing up Lecter's minor part enough to lure Hopkins to reprise the role. Edward Norton is the ex-FBI agent on the hunt of a killer (Ralph Fiennes) known as the ''Tooth Fairy.'' Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson and Philip Seymour Hoffman co-star. OCT. 11 Bowling For Columbine: Michael Moore (Roger & Me) examines America's gun culture in this comic documentary that won a special prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Brown Sugar: Love blooms between a music industry executive (Taye Diggs) and a music critic (Sanaa Lathan). Mos Def and Queen Latifah co-star for director Rich Famuyiwa (The Wood). Pokemon 4ever: In the words of Roberto Duran: No mas! The Rules of Attraction: Roger Avary, co-writer of Pulp Fiction, adapts Bret Easton Ellis' 1987 novel, about the sleazy goings-on at an affluent liberal arts college. Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight's Tale), Thomas Ian Nicholas (American Pie), Kip Pardue (Remember the Titans) and James Van Der Beek (far, far away from Dawson's Creek) are among the libidinous, drug-loving students. Oh, those crazy kids! Swept Away: Writer-director Guy Ritchie (Snatch) tries to wring a worthwhile performance from his famous wife Madonna in this remake of the 1975 Lena Wertmuller classic about a bickering couple stranded on a desert island. Early buzz pegs this one as a train wreck of Showgirls proportions -- not that we mean to sound negative or anything. Tuck Everlasting: Jay Russell (My Dog Skip) directs this adaptation of Natalie Babbitt's award-winning book about a teenage girl (Alexis Bledel) who befriends a mysterious boy (Jonathan Jackson) and his kind, but odd, family (William Hurt and Sissy Spacek). Sounds sweet, right? But check this: Ben Kingsley is the mysterious Man in the Yellow Suit who might bring about the end of the world as we know it! White Oleander: Oscar-baiting adaptation of Janet Fitch's 1999 monster bestseller, about a 14-year-old girl (Alison Lohman) shipped off to foster care after her mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) is sent to prison for murder. Ren�e Zellweger and Robin Wright Penn co-star for director Peter Kosminsky. OCT. 18 Abandon: Katie Holmes is a college student still reeling from the disappearance of her boyfriend (Charlie Hunnam) two years earlier when a detective (Benjamin Bratt) reopens the case and comes nosing around. Marks the directorial debut of Oscar-winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (Traffic). All or Nothing: An unexpected tragedy forces a working-class couple to work out their differences in the latest drama from writer-director Mike Leigh (Secrets & Lies, Topsy Turvy). Formula 51: Rush Hour-style action comedy about a drug dealer (Samuel L. Jackson) who travels to England and pairs up with a local criminal (Robert Carlyle) to unload a powerful new designer drug. Directed by Hong Kong action film king Ronny Yu. The Grey Zone: Tim Blake Nelson (O) wrote and directed this Holocaust drama about a group of concentration camp inmates forced to work in the crematoriums. David Arquette, Natasha Lyonne, Mira Sorvino and Steve Buscemi are among the prisoners; Harvey Keitel plays a Nazi officer. Punch-Drunk Love: Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Magnolia) attempts the impossible -- turn Adam Sandler into a real actor -- with this romantic comedy about a pudding-loving loner (Sandler) and the woman of his dreams (Emily Watson). The Ring: The profoundly creepy Japanese horror film, about a mysterious videotape that dooms anyone who watches it to die within seven days, gets the Hollywood treatment in this big-budget remake by director Gore Verbinski (The Mexican). A perfectly cast Naomi Watts (Mulholland Drive) is the skeptical reporter investigating the story. Judging by the trailer, this one will be extremely faithful to the terrifying original, which is a good thing. Beware the VCR. Welcome to Collinwood: George Clooney, Luis Guzman, Sam Rockwell and Michael Jeter are among the hapless crooks plotting to rob a Cleveland pawn shop in this remake of the 1958 Italian classic Big Deal on Madonna Street. OCT. 25 Auto Focus: Director Paul Schrader (Affliction) delves into the sleazy private life of Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane (Greg Kinnear), whose 1978 murder was never solved. Willem Dafoe co-stars as John Carpenter, Crane's partner in sexual addiction (and the prime suspect in his death). Frida: A unibrowed Salma Hayek gives a sensational performance as the late Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in this vibrant biopic that focuses on her rocky marriage to Diego Rivera (an unrecognizable Alfred Molina). Director Julie Taymor (Titus) sprinkles the film with surreal visuals that draw us into Kahlo's creative process while celebrating her unique style of art. Ghost Ship: Gabriel Byrne, Julianna Margulies and Ron Eldard are members of a salvage crew that discover a deserted passenger ship floating in a remote sea. It'll shiver your timbers! Naqoyqatsi: Filmmaker Godfrey Reggio and composer Philip Glass present the third installment in their trippy trilogy of dialogue-free documentaries (after Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi). The title of this one is translated as ``war as a way of life.'' Roger Dodger: A teenager (Jesse Eisenberg) from the Midwest hopes to lose his virginity during the course of a Friday night in New York City. Campbell Scott is the uncle who tries to help the horny kid succeed. Isabella Rossellini, Elizabeth Berkley and Jennifer Beals are among their targets. The Truth About Charlie: Jonathan Demme remakes Stanley Donen's 1963 classic thriller Charade, with Thandie Newton taking over for Audrey Hepburn as the woman on the run from killers, and Mark Wahlberg replacing Cary Grant as the stranger who may or may not have her best interests in mind. NOV. 1 The Core: A band of ''terranauts'' (including Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Delroy Lindo and Stanley Tucci) must travel deep into the Earth's core to prevent the planet from going kablam. I Spy: The inspired pairing of Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson takes over for Bill Cosby and Robert Culp in this adaptation of the beloved 1960s TV classic. The twist? It's Murphy who plays the Culp role and vice-versa. The Santa Clause 2: Tim Allen once swore he'd never make a sequel to the 1994 hit comedy about a suburban dad who must take on the duties of jolly St. Nick. A few flops later and Allen changed his mind. And you thought the Christmas rush didn't start until Thanksgiving. NOV. 8 8 Mile: The first time we heard Eminem was going to star in a movie loosely based on his own childhood, we flashed back to Vanilla Ice in Cool as Ice and had a good laugh. Then we found out Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, Wonder Boys) would be directing the $50 million drama, and that Kim Basinger would co-star. Then we started hearing rumors that Eminem's performance was so good, he was likely to receive an Oscar nomination. Now we are properly humbled and must admit we can't wait to see it. Far From Heaven: Writer-director Todd Haynes' first film since Velvet Goldmine is a Technicolor ode to the '50s melodramas of Douglas Sirk. Julianne Moore is the housewife who discovers a troubling fact about her husband (Dennis Quaid), then seeks solace in the arms of her gardener (Dennis Haysbert). Pass the tissue. Femme Fatale: Brian De Palma returns to his thriller roots with this tale about a jewel thief (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) playing havoc in the life of a paparazzi (Antonio Banderas). Some terrific setpieces, including a bravura 15-minute opening sequence shot at the Cannes Film Festival, make the wildly uneven screenplay more bearable. NOV. 15 Blue Car: In this Sundance Film Festival hit, an 18- year-old girl (Agnes Bruckner) is abandoned by her father and develops a relationship with her English teacher (David Strathairn). Half Past Dead: Steven Seagal (remember him?) is an FBI agent who goes undercover in a newly reopened Alcatraz to fend off an assassination attempt. Ja Rule and Morris Chestnut co-star. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) the boy wizard and his merry gang of pimply magicians return for the second installment in the blockbuster series. We would tell you what it's about, but you've probably read the book. Kenneth Branagh joins the fray as the school's new teacher. Phone Booth: Director Joel Schumacher (Bad Company, Batman & Robin) tries to salvage his reputation with this high-concept thriller about a man (Colin Farrell) who answers a ringing pay phone in Times Square, only to be told by the voice on the other end that he'll be shot by a sniper if he dares to hang up. Standing in the Shadows of Motown: This exhilarating, music-heavy documentary centers on the Funk Brothers, the no-name band that played on countless Motown hits but never got its turn in the spotlight. NOV. 22 Die Another Day: The latest installment in the venerable 007 franchise pits secret agent James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) against a megalomaniac (Toby Stephens) who wants to rule the world. How's that for a change of pace? Halle Berry is this year's Bond babe, bringing some Oscar-clout to the proceedings. Madonna provides the theme song, as well as a cameo. Expect a heavier-than-usual emphasis on action, to lure in the XXX crowd. The Emperor's Club: Kevin Kline is a prep school teacher struggling to break through to a troubled new student (Emile Hirsch). Sounds very Dead Poets Society-ish. The Friday After Next: Ice Cube and Mike Epps return for more stoned-out fun, this time working as security guards at the local mall during the Christmas rush. Personal Velocity: Three women (Parker Posey, Kyra Sedgwick and Fairuza Balk) struggle to make sense of their lives in director Rebecca Miller's adaptation of her own short stories. Solaris: Steven Soderbergh remakes the Andrei Tarkovsky 1972 Russian classic about the weird goings-on aboard a space station. George Clooney is the psychologist assigned to find out what is troubling the station's crew. Think 2001, not Attack of the Clones. Talk to Her (Hable con ella): Pedro Almodovar's follow-up to his Oscar-winning All About My Mother is a touching, surprising drama about the friendship that develops between two men (Javier Camara and Dario Grandinetti) who meet at a hospital while tending to comatose women. NOV. 27 Adam Sandler's 8 Crazy Nights: The comedian produced, co-wrote and voiced the three lead characters in this animated musical comedy about a hooligan sentenced to referee a youth basketball league as community service. Fellow ex-SNL guys Kevin Nealon, Rob Schneider and Jon Lovitz round out the voice cast. Treasure Planet: Disney's $100 million fantasy mixes traditional pen-and-ink drawings with computer animation to transplant Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island into outer space. The last time Disney tried to make a straight-up adventure 'toon (Atlantis: The Lost Empire), no one showed up. This time, they're going to make sure you pay attention by releasing the film in IMAX theaters as well as regular multiplexes. DEC. 6 Adaptation: The Being John Malkovich team of writer Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze with this comic mind-bender about a screenwriter (Nicolas Cage) assigned to adapt a bestseller by a popular author (Meryl Streep). Cage co-stars as his freeloading twin brother. Analyze That: Robert De Niro in a sequel? Say it ain't so! Even the raging bull himself couldn't resist the fat paycheck that lured him to reprise the role of a sensitive mafioso under the care of a psychiatrist (Billy Crystal). The premise has De Niro serving as a consultant for a Sopranos-type TV series about the mob. Harold Ramis, who directed the first film, returns as well. Evelyn: Bruce Beresford directs this fact-based drama about a man (Pierce Brosnan) who took on the Irish Supreme Court in 1953 to wrest custody of his children from his ex-wife. Aidan Quinn, Julianna Margulies and Stephen Rea co-star. DEC. 13 Maid in Manhattan: The commitment-challenged Jennifer Lopez plays a maid who falls for a politician (Ralph Fiennes) who is staying at her hotel. The punny title makes us worry. So does the strange pairing of Fiennes and Lopez. Star Trek: Nemesis: The 10th big-screen voyage of the venerable franchise (and the fourth for the Next Generation crew) finds Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew fending off another threat to our planet. Rumored to be the Enterprise's final excursion. Directed by Stuart Baird (U.S. Marshals), who reportedly didn't get along very well with his actors. DEC. 18 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: The second installment in Peter Jackson's film trilogy of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic has a lot to live up to (including 13 Oscar nominations and an $850 million worldwide gross). Epic-sized battles and a computer-generated Gollum will help lure audiences back to the further adventures of Bilbo, Gandalf and that peculiar piece of jewelry. DEC. 20 Antwone Fisher: Denzel Washington makes his directorial debut with this real-life story about a violence-prone sailor (Derek Luke) who must overcome his troubled past. Washington co-stars as the psychiatrist who shows him the way. Two Weeks Notice: Sandra Bullock returns to the date-flick arena playing a neurotic attorney who falls for her billionaire client (Hugh Grant). Screenwriter Marc Lawrence (Forces of Nature, Life With Mikey) makes his directorial debut. DEC. 25 About Schmidt: Jack Nicholson is guaranteed another Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a widower struggling to find some meaning in his humdrum life in the latest comedy by Alexander Payne (Election). Catch Me If You Can: Steven Spielberg takes a break from the gloomy sci-fi stuff to direct this fact-based comic adventure about a master con artist (Leonardo DiCaprio) and the FBI agent (Tom Hanks) on his trail. Call us crazy, but this one sounds like a guaranteed hit. Gangs of New York: See beginning of story. Pinocchio: Italian whirlwind Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful) wrote, directed and stars in this $50 million live-action adaptation of the fable about the wooden boy who longs to be human. Could be insufferably precious, but we're willing to bet on Benigni. The 25th Hour: In his last 24 hours before heading to prison to serve a seven-year sentence, a drug dealer (Edward Norton) tries to patch things up with his estranged father (Brian Cox), hang out with his buddies (Barry Pepper and Philip Seymour Hoffman), and discover once and for all whether it was his girlfriend (Rosario Dawson) who ratted him out to the cops. Directed by Spike Lee. DEC. 27 A Few Good Years: Nepotism gone wild! The father-son team of Kirk and Michael Douglas appear together for the first time in this drama about a dysfunctional family. Co-starring Michael's son, Cameron, as his son. Chicago: Bob Fosse's 1975 Broadway smash finally makes it to the big screen, with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Ren�e Zellweger as the two chorus-girl jailbirds competing for freedom and fame. Richard Gere, Taye Diggs, Christine Baranski and Queen Latifah co-star for first-time director Rob Marshall. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: George Clooney directs and co-stars in this comedy about Gong Show creator Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) and his double-life as an assassin for the CIA. Yes, it's fictional. Written by Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich), so you know it'll be weird. The Hours: Nicole Kidman is Virginia Woolf, Julianne Moore is a 1940s housewife obsessed with Mrs. Dalloway, and Meryl Streep is a contemporary New Yorker whose friends have nicknamed her Mrs. Dalloway in director Stephen (Billy Elliot) Daldry's adaptation of Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Max: John Cusack is a one-armed gallery owner in 1918 Munich who befriends a gifted young painter (Noah Taylor). The artist's name? Adolf Hitler. Um. Screenwriter Menno Meyjes (The Color Purple) makes his directorial debut, tactfully, we're sure. Nicholas Nickleby: Writer-director Douglas McGrath (Emma) tries his hand at Dickens, with the help of an impressive cast that includes Jim Broadbent, Alan Cumming, Christopher Plummer, Nathan Lane and Jamie Bell. DECEMBER T.B.A. The Life of David Gale: After a bizarre series of events, a college professor and diehard death penalty opponent (Kevin Spacey) finds himself on Death Row. Kate Winslet is the reporter who lands an exclusive interview three days before the scheduled execution and discovers the truth. Directed by Alan Parker (Evita, Angel Heart). The Pianist: Roman Polanski's acclaimed drama about the travails of a Polish Jew (Adrien Brody) during World War II. Based on the life of composer Wladyslaw Szpilman. Winner of the grand prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

I'm looking forward to anything written by Charlie Kaufman, esecially the one starring and directed by George Clooney. Also LOTR, Potter and interesting to note that Gangs of NY and Spielberg's new one also with De Caprio opens on the same day as well as Pinocchio with Roberto Benigni. Who will win out that weekend?

Maid in Manhattan: The commitment-challenged Jennifer Lopez plays a maid who falls for a politician (Ralph Fiennes) who is staying at her hotel. The punny title makes us worry. So does the strange pairing of Fiennes and Lopez. Interesting. I would have given this one a low score on the RF-o-meter.

(Rika) Interesting. I would have given this one a low score on the RF-o-meter. $$$$$$ so he can do two heavies at the National in December and Feb. "The Talking Cure" opens Dec 12 and plays for a month. In Feb he's doing a Chekov. I'm looking forward to Four Feathers (remember when we had this one pegged for YKW;-))) Gangs of NY & Frida .

Thanks Moon. KB in Harry Potter should be interesting. Gangs of NY & Frieda, too. Can someone tell me how they can have movies, books, recordings with the same names? Other than remakes that is. I've always wondered about that. See Femme Fatale is coming out. Different plot of course. I thought there was some sort of protection against that, but obviously not as it happens quite regularly. Just curious as I don't know the rules and regulations. Watched RF in "End of the Affair" last night. Thought it was very good. However thought CF would have done better job.

(Pam) Can someone tell me how they can have movies, books, recordings with the same names? I don't think they can copyright names, which seems totally strange. There was, by the way, a previous Fever Pitch (1985), which starred Ryan O'Neal had nothing to do with Nick Hornby's FP. There are other examples, but that one interests me because of the talk of the new FP to be made about baseball, and some people commenting that the title will have to be changed.

Maid in Manhattan: The punny title makes us worry Actually it's now changed to The Chambermaid. Gets better and better all the time!

Maid in Manhattan: The punny title makes us worry Actually it's now changed to The Chambermaid. Gets better and better all the time! Other way around. It started out as The Chambermaid and was changed to Maid in Manhattan. The posters are on the Internet.

Oh, then they changed after the Premiere Magazine (Sept 2002) Fall Preview I'm reading went to press. I know they do the mock-up quite a bit in advance.

Okay, I didn't know where to announce this, so I thought Odds and Ends. Though it makes me sad to be without Drool for an extended period of time, I don't think that with studying abroad for the year I will be able to really keep good contact with my fellow Firthettes. I will return in June very excited to read all the past posts (I'll probably lock myself in my room for a week and just devour all the comments!), but for the time being I think that I'll be as present as I was when I was a lurker. Have a good time, and if there are any Firthettes in France, feel free to look me up! *maybe we can even stalk him on the filming of LA...

Last night I went to see The Piano Teacher, which won the Palme D'Or, plus actor and actress last year. I consider it a sociological experiment to see the films that win Cannes. It once again confirmed my theory that the French are very sick. Sick, sick, sick! Only two films carry the distinction of winning three awards at the Cannes Film Festival. The first was the Coen brothers' Barton Fink, and the second � Michael Haneke's The Piano Teacher. Historically, juries at Cannes tend to choose films that are dark and disturbing (which might explain why the lighthearted Am�lie wasn't even accepted to last year's event), and Teacher is probably the darkest, most disturbing offering yet. At minimum, it just might be the all-time worst First Date Film. When a brilliant film like Am�lie is not accepted what can we say of Cannes?

(Moon) It once again confirmed my theory that the French are very sick. Sick, sick, sick! ....Teacher is probably the darkest, most disturbing offering yet. There are a lot of sick people who will go to see that film and try to talk us into thinking that it's great art and the rest of us are idiots for not appreciating it. I have my own standards on what I consider a good film....Like I've said before, vomiting in toilets /druggies are not on my agenda.

Megs, have a great year abroad! Stop by if you get a chance.

(Kathy) I don't think they can copyright names, which seems totally strange. Thanks for the info Kathy. I just wondered. It does seem odd that they don't copywrite titles as it can get very confusing. (Evelyn) I have my own standards on what I consider a good film....Like I've said before, vomiting in toilets /druggies are not on my agenda. Not on my agenda, either. Have a good year Megs. What an exciting experience.

I hope I'm not tempting fate by mentioning this, but while I was flipping channels tonight trying to find USA Network (the U.S. Open having finally resumed from its lengthy rain delay), I stumbled onto the tail end of Orson Welles' "The Lady From Shanghai," starring Welles and Rita Hayworth. I did a bit of research, and it looks like this might have been the last movie Welles made before the portion of his life we've heard will be covered in "Fade to Black" (hence my concern about tempting fate). It's going to be on TCM again this Friday morning (Sept. 6), starting at 10:30 am Eastern time. Even in the bit I saw, it was interesting to think about physical resemblance, mannerisms, etc. Of course Welles is playing a character, not being himself, but it was interesting all the same.

From THR: Roberts assails H'wood 'ageism' Sep. 05, 2002 By Brooks Boliek WASHINGTON -- Hollywood's treatment and portrayal of seniors is nothing short of bigotry and verges on the criminal, Emmy award-winning actress Doris Roberts told a congressional panel Wednesday. "When my grandchildren say I rock, they're not talking about a rocking chair," she told the Senate Special Committee on Aging. "Yet society considers me discardable, my opinions irrelevant, my needs comical and my tastes not worth attention in the marketplace. My peers and I are portrayed as dependent, helpless, unproductive and demanding rather than deserving. In reality, the majority of seniors are self-sufficient, middle-class consumers with more assets than most young couples and substantial time and talent to offer society. This is not just a sad situation, Mr. Chairman. This is a crime." The entertainment industry is especially guilty, said Roberts, 71, who plays the mother of the title character on CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond." "My profession, the entertainment business, is one of the worst perpetrators of this bigotry, particularly when it comes to women," she testified. The state of play in the entertainment business now forces many actresses who may have been able to get parts to go on the dole, she told the panel, which is investigating the way the media portrays aging. "It can't be that executives are at a loss to find capable actresses," she said. "Many of my friends, talented actresses in the forty- to sixty-year-old range, are forced to live on unemployment or welfare because of the scarcity of roles for women in that age bracket." While Roberts said the problem was particularly acute for older actresses, she laid the blame on the industry's ever-younger leaders, who are refusing to face the fact that older doesn't mean decrepit. "Hollywood clearly is clueless when it comes to understanding today's seniors; blind to the advances in medicine and self-care and increases in personal income that have made us a force to be reckoned with and a market to be exploited," she said. "Twenty years ago, it was accurate to show a senior coming in for his checkup dragging his oxygen tank. Today, it would be more appropriate to depict him carrying his tennis racket, but the youthful gatekeepers of the entertainment industry haven't caught up with these changes -- partially because they refuse to hire older writers who could craft story lines that reflect the reality of today's seniors." It was unclear where panel's examination of the issue would lead, but the committee's chairman, Sen. John Breaux, D-La., was sympathetic to Roberts' concerns. "Just as it is wrong to stereotype and discriminate against people because of their race, religion or gender, so, too, is it wrong to stereotype and discriminate against people simply because they are old," he said. "Only through raising awareness of the problem of ageism in the media can we begin to address the greater societal implications of an aging population."

(Doris Roberts)"My profession, the entertainment business, is one of the worst perpetrators of this bigotry, particularly when it comes to women," she testified. Sadly, this is not new. A man can be a romantic lead or an action star far longer than a woman can, which leads to a lot of May-December pairings in films.

Here! Here! Ms. Roberts. Very informative and appropriate article. Thanks Karen. Saw an oldie but goodie the other day. Christie's "Death on the Nile". Messrs. Ustinov and Niven and the Mdms. Davis, Smith and Lansbury certainly back up Roberts comments by running circles around their younger counterparts.

I certainly support what Ms. Roberts says, but what impact can Congress seriously expect to have on the situation?

(Rika) but what impact can Congress seriously expect to have on the situation? As Breaux said, "it is wrong to stereotype and discriminate against people because of their race, religion or gender, so, too, is it wrong to stereotype and discriminate against people simply because they are old..." Congress legislated against all those others and can do the same for age discrimination. Are you too young to have not heard of quotas, Affirmative Action-type programs? All within the realm of possibility.

It's apples and honey time again..... TO KAREN, LORA AND ALL OUR FRIENDS WHO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY...

And if anybody is making apple kugel, save me some. *slurp, slurp*

Happy New Year! And don't eat too much of that kugel--gotta save room for party food on the 10th.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

(Karen) Are you too young to have not heard of quotas, Affirmative Action-type programs? All within the realm of possibility. No, I'm not. In fact, I'm old enough to be theoretically protected by age-discrimination laws myself. My father was once the plaintiff in an ageism lawsuit, and I know from his experience how hard it is to prove even when it's fairly blatant. I think it would be even harder in to prove in the film industry because there are plenty of ways to write roles that genuinely require a person of a specific age bracket. That's one reason why racial discrimination in film casting has been hard to address too. And the courts seem less and less inclined to support strong affirmative action programs or quota systems these days. So, within the realm of possibility - I suppose, but only very remotely. Ah, well - at the very least, Congressional hearings offer a chance to shed light on an issue, and sometimes good things come from that. I certainly agree that the negative images of the elderly in the media reinforce some unfortunate attitudes and beliefs. I think the only real solution is for mature people to vote with their wallets, so that the film industry (and advertisers, when it comes to TV) would recognize that the 12-17 and 18-34 demographics aren't the only ones worth pursuing.

I knew I should've put a winkie next to that comment. ;-) I know from his experience how hard it is to prove even when it's fairly blatant As far as lawsuits go, any good company worth its salt knows how to set it up so that it will be v. hard or impossible to prove. the courts seem less and less inclined to support strong affirmative action programs or quota systems these days. That's probably due to two factors: considered less of a need now as opposed to 20 to 30 years ago and have their successes, and the political climate of conservativism. However, the baby boomers are in pre-retirement mode and can and have effected change due to their sheer numbers. the only real solution is for mature people to vote with their wallets, so that the film industry (and advertisers, when it comes to TV) would recognize that the 12-17 and 18-34 demographics aren't the only ones worth pursuing. The only problem with this is that the mature ones are handing over their wallets to the 12-17 y.o's. Those kids aren't spending their own money. ;-)

Happy New Year!!!! gotta save room for party food on the 10th. ] You know what is so weird about that sentence, is the very next day people will be reflecting back to one year ago. I know that on that very day a co-worker gave birth and didn't know a thing of what was going on in the world as they kept it from her. I wonder how Colin Firth and Hugh Grant feel about celebrating their bdays so close to a day that will live in infamy? (okay, am too deep today)

Happy New Year, Karen and Lora!

Happy New Year! Hope it's a great one for you! :-)

Happy New Year, Karen and Lora!

(Rika) No, I'm not. In fact, I'm old enough to be theoretically protected by age-discrimination laws myself. My father was once the plaintiff in an ageism lawsuit, and I know from his experience how hard it is to prove even when it's fairly blatant. I'm in the same age bracket Rika, a baby boomer, so don't know if that fits into quota but know it is a definite deterrent. Have been unemployed since 9/18 laid off due to 9/11. 75% of staff laid off. No call backs. Have not been able to get another job yet. Told by one prospect he was retiring people younger than me. It is blatant and I know for a fact it is stopping me from getting a job, but they seem to have no fear in rejecting me, and have told me in the majority of cases they are looking for younger personnel. It's scarry. So can identify with those older, as we late middle age are being treated the same.

(FanPam) It is blatant and I know for a fact it is stopping me from getting a job, but they seem to have no fear in rejecting me, and have told me in the majority of cases they are looking for younger personnel. In my profession younger hirees are the norm. Although they have a lot less experience and are often less dependable insofar as attendance, they are usually paid substantially more money than the older people who have already spent 10-15 years with the company. How does the company avoid age-discrimination lawsuits? Give the new hires a slightly different job description for performing essentially the same tasks (in many cases, we "old folks" actually have added duties, for less pay). And yet, we baby boomers often feel trapped in dead-end jobs, because we know that the job market is skewed to youth, and we won't even be given a chance to prove our worth. (Karen) As far as lawsuits go, any good company worth its salt knows how to set it up so that it will be v. hard or impossible to prove. And that's exactly why my company is allowed to pay my 25-year-old co-workers 25-50 percent more than they pay me.

It's amazing how soon it starts, too, in some industries. My stepson is currently looking for a job in high-tech (he's been working for Internet startups for the past few years, and recently exited one when it was acquired). He's only 31 but was commenting that most of the people interviewing him are younger than he is. I said, "Welcome to the rest of your life."

(Kathy) And that's exactly why my company is allowed to pay my 25-year-old co-workers 25-50 percent more than they pay me. I know, it is very discouraging. Experience and reliability don't seem to matter any more, unless they can be used in negative terms or thoughts such as: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." Pay discrimination in any circumstances is abominable. I remember how shocked I was when I was 18 and in my first "career" job to find that MENwere being paid more than women for the same job. I was told by a trustworthy cohort when I inquired why that it was because men were considered the major breadwinners of the family and therefore needed more money. This was back in the mid-'60s. Although some things have improved since then "equal opportunity" is a far stretch of the imagination at best. Believe it or not one of the fairest employers I ever had was a man who owned a diner I worked in. Most places hired "young cuties" whom I always ended up training and left in under two months. Not him. He hired the more mature person. Whenever we got a new girl the cooks would joke with him and ask how old this one was maybe 70? And he told them these women are professionals, they all support families. I don't have to worry about their rapport with customers or their attendance. I know I don't have to be here, they can run the place. Truly a funny place to expect someone to be as astute as that, or just a very appreciative man of his workers and a wise man who knew people and their value. The business world could certainly take lessons. I would return to waitressing in a minute, except I broke my arm in a fall at the diner, no less, have had two surgeries on it and have lost 50% coordination in it. So the doctor won't let me do any kind of work like that any more, and of course lifting is out of the question. So about the only thing I can do is keyboarding type of work and they just don't want to know. Discrimination towards any group is abominable. Not that I have lived in a cocoon, but this is the first time I've really come up against it and it makes me madder than hell. Now I can understand how anyone who is discriminated against for any reason feels. And I'm very sorry they have to feel that way.

Sorry Karen. (Rika) He's only 31 but was commenting that most of the people interviewing him are younger than he is. I said, "Welcome to the rest of your life." My son was fortunate enough to get a new job after his company closed in July and he was interviewed by the CEO whom he estimated to be about mid-30s. May I ask where someone under 30 gains the practical as opposed to book/learning of a degree, experience to know who is qualified or not for a position? Are their instincts sharpened enough to do this? I don't know. I'm speaking in generalities here. I'm sure there are some who are qualified to do it, but I can't imagine that all are. They keep discovering ways of prolonging life. It would be nice if they gave us something to do with it. Sorry for soapbox ladies, but it just angers me that so many highly intellingent and productive people as evidenced here are in the same circumstance.

(FanPam) I was told by a trustworthy cohort when I inquired why that it was because men were considered the major breadwinners of the family and therefore needed more money. In the late 70's I worked for a small graphics company. Two employees worked side-by-side performing exactly the same job. One was a woman in her forties who was the sole support of three people. The other was a 22-year-old single male. When the woman found out the man was making considerably more than she was, she asked the boss why. His answer was that the man needed more money so he could afford to date!! In the 33 years I've been working, I've worked for many men with similar attitudes. In the past, I've heard bosses say things like, "she wanted to make as much as a man!" and "I could get any broad off the street to do her job." Nowadays, they usually keep such comments to themselves, but I bet most of them still think along those lines. Your diner owner sounds like a wonderful employer, and you were indeed lucky to have had that experience. Right now I'm getting ready to leave my current employer. I know he likes me and appreciates my work, but that doesn't erase the fact that I haven't had a raise in four years, and in the 16 years I've worked for him, my pay has increased by only $7.50 per hour. For the past two years I have actually made less money than the year before, due to less overtime pay. Meanwhile, the young computer geeks come in making $2.50 more per hour than I make, and I have to train them! Unbelievably, my boss can't understand why I'm leaving. He actually feels like the injured party.

Thanks, everyone, for your sweet New Year wishes! I actually made 4 Kugels for tonight! But they were raisin - sorry, Evelyn :-) and thanks so much for the apples and honey!

Happy Birthday, Jane Scott As I write Jane is co-celebrating her birthday with YKW this weekend. There's a margarita sleep-over happening complete with a mini CF filmfest at Jane's new home in Sydney. Firthettes in attendance. Too bad I'm in another state doing boring work. Much rather be hiccupping and drooling with the birthday crowd ;-) Hope you are behaving yourselves(not)ladies! Jane hope you have lots of happy years in your new home. Congrats!

Jane!! Sounds like you've got all the entertainment you need, except of course the man himself in the flesh... Maybe when you blow out your candles. ;-)

Birthday greetings Jane! Hope to see on the "Si Cara" on the 10th. ;-)

(Kathy) but I bet most of them still think along those lines. No question of that. And I do consider myself lucky to have worked for one employer who respected your capabilities without any discrimination. I'm so sorry you feel you have to leave a long-time employment. It's difficult, and is this man truly thick, to not realize why? Maybe you just have to tell him point blank. Now is the ideal time. Good Luck! Will be thinking of you. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANE!!!

Happy New Year Karen and Lora. Sorry to be so late. I don't get as much time on my pc lately. Happy Birthday Jane.

(FanPam) It's difficult, and is this man truly thick, to not realize why? Maybe you just have to tell him point blank. He is an intelligent man, but unfortunately he has been thinking with the little head. The Evil Psycho Bitch who has been shagging her way to VP for the four years they have been an item now holds the company pursestrings and is bleeding the company dry. She dislikes me as much as I dislike her, so even if there was any money available for raises, I would not be the one getting it. They also have spent all our profit sharing $$, and I doubt if I'll be able to get any of that, either. I should have left five years ago, and can't see any reason to hang around any longer. I'm sure I'll be happier someplace else, assuming I can get somebody to hire me.

(Kathy) but unfortunately he has been thinking with the little head. Unfortunately, this seems to be the majority and obviously has been since God knows when. You are an extremely intelligent woman and should have no problem getting a job as you've been active in the business world. My problem is that I have very little recent business experience, waitressing for over 20 years, so they obviously feel I'm not qualified. Good Luck. You're in my thoughts. Be positive.

(Pam) My problem is that I have very little recent business experience, waitressing for over 20 years, so they obviously feel I'm not qualified. I was a waitress once for about a year, and really enjoyed it -- meeting people, making sure their dining experience was enjoyable, etc. I've been considering trying it again, and even know the restaurant I'd apply to. The only problem is my old feet and old back. Don't know if they could survive the experience. Maybe you should get creative with your resume. Not by lying, but by playing up the people-skills part of your work experience. Waitressing is a lot more than just throwing food down in front of people.

Gaaaaawwwwwddd! I just lost my P&P desktop. Can someone help me find it on the internet, PLEASE! It was a wallpaper that (I think) was from the Australian release of P&P. Darcy and Lizzy are on the steps (of Pemberly?) and it's a profile shot of them looking LONGINGLY into each other's eyes. Please...it was beautiful, and most assuredly my favorite picture. Thanks.

I presume it's this one? It's my fav as well:) It's the cover of the region 2 DVD.

*sigh* Thanks Tineke, I've never seen that one.

Evelyn - I don't recall seeing your bday greetings over at SS Si Cara thread.

Double *sigh* I never saw this pic either. Thanks so much Tineke. Made my day. (Minkee) Evelyn - I don't recall seeing your bday greetings over at SS Si Cara thread. Go back and look again. It is one of the best and funniest on there. Don't miss it!

Will you take time today to post something in the Spring's news topic about the meaning and significance of September 11th? It's topic 43 in news which was started a year ago today.

Here we go again! :-( The Guardian: Vatican renews attack on Golden Lion winner Staff and agencies Tuesday September 10, 2002 The director of the controversial movie which picked up the Golden Lion at this year's Venice film festival has defended his film against renewed attacks from the Vatican. Scottish director Peter Mullan's feature The Magdalene Sisters deals with life in an oppressive Irish convent and has already provoked the ire of the Roman Catholic church. Vatican radio said the film, which on Sunday won the award for best picture at the Venice festival, unfairly compared the Catholic church to the Taliban. The movie tells the story of four women living in one of the Magdalene convents in Ireland in the 1960s. The convents often took in unmarried women who had had babies, and Mullan's film suggests these women were imprisoned and tortured by their fanatical overseers. Yesterday Mullan, who admits to being influenced by his own upbringing as a Catholic in the west of Scotland, told BBC Radio Four's Today programme the church should face up to the cruelty dealt out in the asylums. He said: "I'm disappointed at the announcement that they have made, in that it is all lies, that it never happened. "That's something I'm very, very surprised at - I really thought they would have at least the courage to own up to the fact that these things did go on. "I'm not a good enough dramatist to make this stuff up." Vatican radio earlier described the movie as "clearly false" and laid into Venice's seven-member international jury, which was headed by Chinese actor Gong Li, and included Easy Rider cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, and French writer-director Jacques Audiard. It said: "Awarding top honours to Magdalene was the most offensive and pathetic page written by the jury." Meanwhile, the Hollywood Reporter says the film has been picked up for distribution by Miramax for close to $1m following its success in Venice.

To read more on the happenings at the VFF, go here: http://film.guardian.co.uk/festivals/0,11667,649688,00.html

Thank you Moon for the info on Peter Mullan's film. Even as a loyal Catholic, I am not inclined to believe anything that the Vatican has to say about this particular event..just praying that they can get their act together. NOw Peter Mullan...he is one very interesting guy and talented actor. I highly recommend Miss Julie's Dance as I was mesmerized by his performance in that movie. The Claim is also another good one to rent with a standout performance by Mullans as well. While Mullans doesn't have that classic "tall, dark, and good-looking" thing going for him, there is just something about this guy that would turn my head. His screen presence is enormous IMO.

OK, I have to ask. Has anyone else seen, or in the middle of watching the series Edwardian House? I stumbled across this on the night of the first show (I think) and have found it very interesting not only from the standpoint of every little thing being done according to 1906 standards but the fireworks going off between the those who have taken up the roles as the servants. I thought that those playing the owners were dull as doornails but this last week we had an episode that showed more from their perspective and it was also very interesting. (The sister leaves under the stress of it all.)

I caught snatches of it Lisa, very compelling. We had quite a few articles over here about how those taking part adjusted to life back home after the series, wish I could remember more about that to pass on , but it was a while ago. I enjoyed "Frontier House" recently, and that incorporated life back in the 21st century, which was fascinating to see how everyone coped.

(Lisa) Has anyone else seen, or in the middle of watching the series Edwardian House? After reading this, I immmediately Googled to the Edwardian House website and spent the next 45 minutes there. The quiz is too much fun! I hope the series will be shown in the US. I've already enjoyed 1900 House and Frontier House, and this one looks equally fascinating.

Googled? I love it, it's my favorite way to go!

Edwardian House is coming to the PBS fall lineup, say the promos...yeah!

(Barb) Googled? I love it, it's my favorite way to go! That's what my co-worker and I say, if it's a slow day. "Looks like we'll be Googling later today." Or if we suddenly have a question about something, "Time to Google." (Ebeth) Edwardian House is coming to the PBS fall lineup Yippee!! Here in Houston, our PBS station (the original public broadcasting station in the entire US) recently had to quit sending subscribers its monthly Guide, in order to cut back on expenses. I know so many people who watch PBS several times a week, and yet they never donate any money. I'm far from rich, but for the last 16 years I've been a contributing member, and not the bare minimum, either. I can't afford a lot, but I figure that $5-$10 per month is a small price to pay for the enjoyment I get from their programs. I wish it could be more.

The Masterpiece Theatre fall lineup newsletter: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/enewsletter/20020913.html Loved the part about how MT is moving *back* to Sunday nights. ;-) What fools they were to move it.

Thanks for the heads-up about Edwardian House. I thought 1900 House was fascinating so I'm sure this will be too.

(Karen) Loved the part about how MT is moving *back* to Sunday nights. ;-) What fools they were to move it. Why must programmers change successful timeslots? And how can they be surprised at the disastrous results? I would have thought PBS immune to this, as they are supported by grants instead of commercial breaks, but obviously some "brilliant" mind decided that it would be interesting to rock the boat a little. Thank heavens MT will be back on Sundays where it belongs! I checked out the MT link, and was thrilled to read (under "Looking Ahead") of upcoming productions Uncle Silus 2 (because US was so wonderful, and Albert Finney totally amazing) and Andrew Davies' adaption of Dr. Zhivago. Can't wait!! (though obviously I must)

(Kathy) I would have thought PBS immune to this, as they are supported by grants instead of commercial breaks, but obviously some "brilliant" mind decided that it would be interesting to rock the boat a little. I think it is less a case of that than trying to give the new series "American" classics (or whatever) the better slot to gain a following and in the process reduce PBS' dependence on BBC products in favor of home-grown fare. As I recall, they tested the MT move in a number of markets beforehand going national and loyal MT viewers showed they would watch it whenever.

As I recall, they tested the MT move in a number of markets beforehand going national and loyal MT viewers showed they would watch it whenever. I am so happy it will be back on Sundays! I forgot a few times and missed programs, I wanted to see. On a sad note, Bravo is now producing their own TV shows too. It used to be film oriented and now with commercials and TV shows, it wants to become another one in the bunch. AMC shows commercials now too. :-( I saw the "The Cherry Orchard" last night. Excellent! And a great cast too.

Also Sunday nights seems to have evolved into HBO night. At least it is for me. I know thier offerings are shown during the week, but I hate to wait. I prefer MT on Mondays.But I'm one of the loyal ones. Looking forward to Forsyte Saga , Dr. Z., Wives & Daughters.

(Karen)Loved the part about how MT is moving *back* to Sunday nights. ;-) What fools they were to move it. Wonderful news! I don't think I ever missed so many MT's as I have since it was moved to Monday's. I just couldn't get into the groove. I am equally upset that they moved MYSTERY!, too. Thursday's were perfect. I hope they move it back to where it belongs, too. Very much looking forward to Edwardian House! Thanks, ladies, for the PBS updates.

Embarrassment of riches! I live in a market with not one, but two PBS stations, and they stagger their national-feed programming accordingly. (It's also much less expensive for the smaller one, which has significantly weaker funding; that's where I donate.) One of them also repeats the big stuff on Saturday afternoons, so I have plenty of taping opportunities. If that fails, I have a good friend who works for a station in another city. She has all their particular gossip ("Lifestyle extension guru" Gary Null eats meat on the sly, that kind of thing) and can also get me copies of both video and audio programming out of the archives. So I'm set; now if only ODB would appear... I don't watch anything on the HBO Sunday night run except Six Feet Under, but everyone in my office does, so it seems to be a raging success for them.

"THE TALKING CURE" Starring RALPH FIENNES, JAMES HAZELDINE , JODHI MAY. "..deals with the early years of Jung and his decision to experiment, using Freud's controversial new method of psycho-analysis, with a young Russian patient, Sabine Spielrein. " Good casting.She always looks demented. Remember her in Turning of the Screw? *shuddering*

I want to see it! I think Jung is a very interesting character to play. I've read so many of his books. Is it on PBS? Or a major release?