'Burn After Reading' screening kicks off festival
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Complete Venice coverage
'Burn After Reading' review
VENICE -- Venice regulars Brad Pitt and George Clooney helped assure the 65th annual Venice Film Festival got under way with flashbulbs popping Wednesday, taking to the red carpet before long after Russian actress Ksenia Rappoport officially opened the event to an enthusiastic and jammed Sala Grande.
Rappoport -- well known in Italy for her Donatello-nominated theatrical role in Giuseppe Tornatore's "The Unknown" -- was lord of ceremonies at the gala hatchway ceremony that opened the world's oldest film festival.
But it was the world premiere of "Burn After Reading" from Oscar winners Joel and Ethan Coen that attracted well-nigh of the day's aid, including the four-deep crowd that greeted Pitt and Clooney on their trip down Venice's famous red carpet. They were united there by the Coen brothers, along with co-stars Tilda Swinton and Frances McDormand.
Earlier in the day, the Pitt and Clooney show provided some laughs at the "Reading" presser, as the two stars traded gibes around their all-too-public personal lives.
"I am so surprised to try that question. That is honestly the first time I have been asked that," Clooney said when asked when he plans to get back down like his co-star. "I am getting married and having a baby today."
Pitt, whose family has adult to six-spot children with the birth of twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline last month, offered to portion his children with Clooney, deadpanning: "I'll have deuce more by next year."
The day's other major highlight was the afternoon screening of Vittorio De Sica's 1948 classic "The Bicycle Thief," which premiered in its newly refurbished format. The film played to a full 500-seat Sala Perla, within the Venice Casino, which financed the �120,000 ($179,000) restoration. De Sica, who died in 1974 at 72, was a fixture in the long-familiar Casino.
"In a path, I guess, De Sica helped pay for the refurbishment of his have film," Casino president Mauro Pizzigati aforementioned. "It's an important project and we are very proud to be associated with it."
The Venice festival runs through Sept. 6.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Saturday, 23 August 2008
Big Cat Records Releases Gucci Mane's Hood Classics
Atlanta, Georgia-- Monday, August 18, 2008. ATL's "Independently Made and Independently Paid" record label, Big Cat Records is back at it once again with the September twenty-third release of Gucci Mane's fourth release and DVD entitled, "HOOD CLASSICS".
Deemed as one of the viable forces in southern rap to be reckoned with, Big Cat Records has heard the request of Hip Hop Listeners and the orderliness is now being filled. "We want to reward the fans with a classic hood album and DVD that will show window Gucci Mane at his best", states Melvin Breeden, President of Big Cat Records.
"This flow we ar releasing hood classics which will feature of speech hot singles that ne'er made it to mainstream", states Marlon Rowe, CEO of Big Cat Records. The hellenic album is equipped with eighteen (18) tracks. The album will feature songs such as "I'm the Sh*t"; and the never released "2008 So Icy Remix". Artists such as Young Jeezy; Killa Mike; Bun B; Black Magic; and ATL's Maceo as well appear on the album. "This is a moldiness have collectors edition for Gucci's fans".
In addition to the album, fans testament also be able to view a thirty-five (35) minute DVD of spiritual world footage which shows an exclusive road map of Gucci Mane's life from the Trap House to Mainstream. "Born in Alabama and raised in the streets of Atlanta , "HOOD CLASSICS" is a dependable reflection of the life history experiences Gucci Mane has endured and enjoyed", states Breeden.
Gucci Mane's first claim to fame came in 2005 with his smash single, "Icy" featured on his debut album. Gucci's previous albums, TRAP HOUSE; HARD TO KILL; and TRAP -A- THON released on Big Cat Records have all been highly successful.
Big Cat Records is also the home to Artists such as KHIA; Pastor Troy; and DipSet's Freekey Zekey.
For more information on "HOOD CLASSICS", log onto http://www.Rapweekly.com/www.bigcatrecords.net or http://www.Rapweekly.com/www.myspace.com/guccimudercase or http://www.Rapweekly.com/www.myspace.com/bigcatrecords
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Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Producer sues Vanessa Hudgens for $5 million
LOS ANGELES �
A music producer has sued Vanessa Hudgens for $5 million, claiming the actress and her father have repeatedly violated a contract and failed to pay him his share of her earnings.
Hudgens, one of the stars of Disney's successful "High School Musical" series, entered into an agreement with producer Johnny Vieira when she was still a minor, the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, states. Vieira claims Hudgens and her father, Greg, sued to get out of the agreement, but have also failed to stay by settlement terms.
An email message seeking comment from Hudgens' publicizer wasn't now returned Tuesday morning.
Vieira is described in the case as a songwriter and music producer who was "engaged in the stage business of discovering and development artists in the music industry" when he entered into an agreement with Hudgens in 2005.
That agreement, Vieira states, called for him to equally share in advances, royalties and merchandising from Hudgens' career.
That was in front she landed a leading role in "High School Musical," which is scheduled to release its third installment by and by this class. She has also released a match of solo albums.
Vieira claims an audit turned up at least two instances where he is owed money, and that Hudgens, 19, has refused to pay him.
He is likewise suing Greg Hudgens for defamation, claiming he sent an electronic mail to others that accused Vieira of being a "predator."
Hudgens was sued
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Famous artists and their equally famous imitators
The history of rock �n� undulate is the history of mainstream stars stealing from smarter, artier outsiders. Elvis made black r & b and Southern barrelhouse palatable for white teenagers; Coldplay�s Chris Martin lifted everything he could from Radiohead�s Thom Yorke.
Because we don�t like singling one guy out for a beating, we�ve compiled a list of some of Martin�s nimble-fingered peers and the artists they got famous imitating.
The Monkees and the Beatles: Um, yeah. We�re guessing you may already be up on this ane. But did you acknowledge that Michael Nesmith started the unharmed �pop stars dating vanguard Japanese artists and alienating their fellow band members� trend? Now you fuck why Nesmith refused to take voice in the 1987 reunion - he wanted his Yoko to sing backup.
KISS and Alice Cooper: You think possibly Paul and Gene were taking notes when Alice Cooper came to town? KISS was founded on Cooper�s formula of dewy-eyed pop metal (�School�s Out,� �No More Mr. Nice Guy�) plus gruesome, theatrical stage antics. All they added was sex appeal (note: not everyone is guaranteed to find Paul Stanley�s thorax hair sexy).
Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen: �Tommy secondhand to work on the docks/Union�s been on strike/He�s down on his luck/It�s tough, so tough.� Sure Jon, we believe you, you don�t even own �Born in the U.S.A.�
Poison and Motley Crue: It�s disgraceful to think the Crue was original enough to rip off. But Poison took it all - from the hairspray and mascara to the one big, corny ballad per album. Oh, and the stage names: Rikki Rocket is only slightly less ridiculous than Nikki Sixx.
The Melvins and Nirvana: Kurt Cobain grew up in the Melvins� hometown, roadied for them occasionally and even auditioned for the band. Thankfully he was rejected and went on to form Nirvana. Cobain dug gobs of bands, from the Pixies to Meat Puppets, but he pilfered his best stuff from the Melvins.
Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam: STP fans - and there ar plenty of them - angrily put forward the band has its own style and isaac Bashevis Singer Scott Weiland can�t avail it if his voice is a carbon copy of Eddie Vedder�s. But c�mon: Have you listened to �Plush� lately? �Nuff said.
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Thursday, 26 June 2008
Justin Timberlake - Timberlake My Acting Career Is Fate
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE is convinced his newfound career as an actor is fate - because he was poised to try out as a TV star before finding fame as a singer.
Timberlake has made a successful crossover from music to film, thanks to well-received roles in movies like Alpha Dog and new release The Love Guru.
And he believes he was always meant to act.
Timberlake tells America's Star magazine, "(Acting is) a huge passion of mine. I was having a conversation with my stepdad the other day, and he said, 'It's funny that you eventually got into film.' He reminded me how I got a phone call when I was 14 saying that there's a record company that's going to sign me. But two weeks before that, the plan was to drive to Los Angeles for TV pilot season. So I guess everything works out the way it's supposed to."
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Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Monday, 9 June 2008
TV series to search for top disabled model
The BBC is to launch a TV talent search for disabled models.
'Britain's Missing Top Model' will see eight women compete before a panel of industry experts.
The five-part series aims "to challenge preconceived notions of beauty". The winner will land a spread in a women's glossy magazine, shot by one of the world's top fashion photographers.
BBC3 controller Danny Cohen said: "This series aims to challenge the artificial boundaries that seem to exist in the beauty and fashion industries.
"It would be great if in the future we began to see more disabled models gracing the covers of the world's magazines."
The competition is open to disabled women aged between 18 and 30.
It has a similar format to 'America's Next Top Model', which was hosted by Tyra Banks. The eight finalists will live together in an apartment and complete a different challenge each week.
Industry experts will train them for photoshoots, location work and the catwalk.
The series will be supported by Ouch, the BBC's disability website, and is being made in consultation with Disability Action in Islington, North London.
'Britain's Missing Top Model' will see eight women compete before a panel of industry experts.
The five-part series aims "to challenge preconceived notions of beauty". The winner will land a spread in a women's glossy magazine, shot by one of the world's top fashion photographers.
BBC3 controller Danny Cohen said: "This series aims to challenge the artificial boundaries that seem to exist in the beauty and fashion industries.
"It would be great if in the future we began to see more disabled models gracing the covers of the world's magazines."
The competition is open to disabled women aged between 18 and 30.
It has a similar format to 'America's Next Top Model', which was hosted by Tyra Banks. The eight finalists will live together in an apartment and complete a different challenge each week.
Industry experts will train them for photoshoots, location work and the catwalk.
The series will be supported by Ouch, the BBC's disability website, and is being made in consultation with Disability Action in Islington, North London.
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