Daily Variety articles from April 2012, page 6

Daily Variety archives from April 2012

Ghost Brothers of Darkland County.(Theater review)
April 17, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Alliance Theater, Atlanta; 750 seats; $85 top) An Alliance Theater presentation of a musical in two acts by Stephen King. Music by John Mellencamp. Directed by Susan V. Booth. Music direction, T Bone Burnett; sets,...

Piracy hurts amid China boom.
April 17, 2012... While the biz is booming in China, content theft is still translating into a major loss in revenues for Chinese films, leading biz figures said, and the market is primed for massive growth in coming years. In China, box office receipts...

Video viewers pick tablets over PCs.
April 17, 2012... The tablet is supplanting other devices as a go-to option for video viewing, but the good ol' TV has nothing to worry about, according to a new Viacom survey. The national online survey of 2,500 persons between the ages of 8 and 54 found that...

'Girls' debut on low side.(Brief article)
April 17, 2012... HBO's new laffer "Girls" drew a combined 1.1 million across two telecasts in its premiere Sunday night. In the initial 10:30 p.m. airing, the episode garnered 872,000 viewers, with 246,000 coming aboard for another showing two hours later. ...

Life in the box.(V)(exhibition entitled 'Television: Out of the Box')(Brief article)
April 17, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hollywood set its TiVo Thursday night and headed to the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills for the opening of the Warner Bros.' "Television: Out of the Box." The museum exhibit chronicles decades of TV and indulges...

Pan's labyrinth.(V)('Peter and the Starcatcher' after-party)(Brief article)
April 17, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The after-party for "Peter and the Starcatcher," the Peter Pan prequel that opened Thursday on Broadway, was surreal. For one thing, it was held in the Hitchcock-noir labyrinth of the...

No Roman holiday for Woody.(V)(world premiere of Woody Allen's movie entitled 'To Rome with Love')(Brief article)
April 17, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The world preem of Medusa Cinema's "To Rome With Love" was not a total love fest, though Woody Allen paid plenty of homage to the Eternal City. "Your Italy is superficial, full of call girls; a country where Italians...

O'seas ship shape; domestic B.O. sinks.(box office)(Statistical data)
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As domestic box office suffered from the usual post-Easter slump, a pair of international flagships--"Titanic" 3D and "Battleship"--helped raise the global tide. "Titanic," which is being released overseas by Fox...

Rupe pic is a sign of times.(Rupert Murdoch)(What's It All About? Prods. to work on a movie adaptation of 'Good Times, Bad Times')
April 16, 2012... Rupert Murdoch's fierce battles with one of his British editors are to be turned into a feature film that will also reference the phone-hacking scandal at the News of the World. U.K. shingle What's It All About? Prods. has acquired film and...

Cannes-ideration: H'wood's young guns look to be well represented on the Croisette as slate decisions for the 65th annual fest go down to the wire.
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's shaping up to be a strong year for U.S. fare at the Cannes Film Festival, with Andrew Dominik's "Killing Them Softly," John Hillcoat's "Lawless," Jeff Nichols' "Mud," Lee Daniels' "The Paperboy" and Derek...

Tune biz in digital duel.(V Plus: Music for Screens: Spring 2012)(legacy artists' lawsuits against major recording labels over digital royalties)
April 16, 2012... In the turbulent waters of digital music royalties, there's uncertainty... and there s opportunity. With artists, labels and new platforms fighting to establish a broad precedent for what rights-holders should be paid for their tunes in the...

Duo roll dice for Regency.(Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake to star in New Regency's movie entitled 'Runner, Runner')(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... New Regency has tapped Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake to star in newly acquired project "Runner, Runner." Dramatic thriller, penned by "Rounders" writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien, is a set in the world of illegal online gambling. ...

H'wood serving up more comfort food.(THE BACKLOT)('recycled' Hollywood movies)
April 16, 2012... Bill Castle was a colorful producer of a previous generation who had a simple philosophy about filmgoers. "Keep surprising 'em," he used to tell me. "Give 'em something they've never seen before." Castle would himself be surprised were he...

Megabucks mindblowers.(acquisitions and salaries and wages in the entertainment and internet industry)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... I'm beginning to think that numbers are the new narcotic. Staring at them leaves me disoriented, if not downright giddy. Facebook tosses $1 billion at photo startup Instagram. The Dodgers sell for $2 billion. The new boss of Apple frets...

Stox, hits mean Moonves moolah.(CBS Corp.'s stock growth and Leslie Moonves's pay package)
April 16, 2012... Leslie Moonves earned his $69.9 million 2011 pay package for diversifying the company's revenue base, for stock growth that outperformed CBS' media peers and for his leadership in developing hits for the Eye network. So said the Eye's corporate...

Blockbuster on DVD mission.
April 16, 2012... Blockbuster is bringing back its "Guaranteed Availability" program for the first time since declaring bankruptcy in 2010, with Tuesday's homevideo release of Paramount's "Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol." Now that the company has...

Mad about 'Matilda': musical cops record seven Oliviers.(LEGIT)
April 16, 2012... "Matilda--the Musical" won seven Olivier Awards including the top musical laurel, breaking the record for the most wins in the history of London's annual legit kudofest. Nommed in 10 categories, the Royal Shakespeare Company production's haul...

Astaire lifetime nod to Minnelli.(LEGIT)(Astaire Awards 2012 for Liza Minnelli)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... Liza Minnelli will take home the lifetime achievement kudo at this year's Astaire Awards. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 30-year-old laurels honor dance and choreography both on Broadway and in film. This year the June ceremony also will...

Peter and the Starcatcher.(Theater review)
April 16, 2012... Peter and the Starcatcher (Brooks Atkinson; 1064 seats; $104) Play "Peter and the Starcatcher" opened Sunday at the Brooks Atkinson Theater in a Broadway staging that is a commercial transfer of a 2011 production at Off Broadway's New York...

Margulies, Nottage plays set for Geffen.(LEGIT)(Geffen Playhouse to stage Donald Margulies' 'Coney Island Christmas' and Lynn Nottage's American Buffalo')(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... The Geffen Playhouse will stage eight productions for its 2012-13 season, including works from Pulitzer Prize winners Donald Margulies and Lynn Nottage. Margulies' "Coney Island Christmas," based on the short story "The Loudest Voice," is a...

Mouse net will log 'Dog With a Blog'.
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Disney Channel has ordered live-action comedy series "Dog With a Blog," a family sitcom from the pet's point of view. The cast includes G Hannelius, Blake Michael, Francesca Capaldi, Beth Littleford, Regan Burns and,...

Antipiracy tech push: panel: some wins vs. camcording.
April 16, 2012... Saturday's panel on piracy prevention and countermeasures at the SMPTE Technology Summit on Cinema drew a picture of a movie industry settling into a grim cold war it can win only with a diminished definition of victory. Introducing the...

DWA toons to Walmart.(DreamWorks Animation)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... DreamWorks Animation has become the sixth major studio to offer up its films to Walmart's new disc-to-digital service that launches today. The retail giant will enable consumers to create digital versions of DVDs and Blu-rays they own at more...

Cabler sneaks 'Franchise'.
April 16, 2012... In the wake of the controversy surrounding Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen, Showtime will sneak preview the second season of baseball reality series "The Franchise" April 21 before its official season premiere July 11. Guillen was...

China Lion raises coin.(China Lion Media partners with Serenity Media Group)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... In its first major American venture since landing a hefty investment last year, new distrib China Lion Media has partnered with U.S.-based Serenity Media Group to launch a film fund aimed at raising $150 million. Serenity topper Christie...

Upcoming events.(Insiders)(Calendar)
April 16, 2012... THURSDAY: Martin Scorsese, Alec Baldwin and others take part in a gala benefit for NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Support.tisch.nyu.edu Sheryl Crow is among the honorees at the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research...

Biz outpouring for autism efforts.(Do Good)
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Showbizzers know how to network, and they know how to raise big bucks for worthy causes. Those skills have coalesced during the past decade around the alarming rise in the number of children on the autism spectrum. ...

Party for a purpose.(Insiders)(City Year Los Angeles' Spring Break fundraising event 2012)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... It's hard to say no to an org that is as committed to the goal of keeping kids in school as City Year. That's what DreamWorks' Stacey Snider has discovered in her role as a board member of the org's Los Angeles wing. Exec director Allison...

Births.(Insiders)
April 16, 2012... Shea Scanlon and Jonathan Lomma, a girl; Elizabeth Valentine Lomma, March 31, New York. Mother's a non-pro; father's a legit agent at WME. Hayley and Jeff Kleeman, a boy; Samuel Thomas Kleeman, March 30, Los Angeles. Mother's a director;...

Variety teams to aid adults.(Insiders)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... Variety has teamed with Pasadena-based Foothill Vocational Opportunities and other partners for an internship program designed to create job opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. Coinciding with Autism Awareness Month, six...

Building into a 'Smash?': NBC, Sony say their biz plan differs dramatically from the 'Glee' model.(V PLUS: MUSIC FOR SCREENS: SPRING 2012)(National Broadcasting Company Inc. NBC Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Inc.)
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Smash," NBC's Broadway" themed Monday-night drama, has won raves for its songs by theater vets Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. But will critical success also translate into album sales when the "Smash" soundtrack...

Proscenium flash for acts that push electronic envelope.(V PLUS: MUSIC FOR SCREENS: SPRING 2012)
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There's no denying that electronic dance music is having its day in the sun with artists like Skrillex winning three Grammys this year and electronic music festivals drawing hundreds of thousands. But watching live...

Savvy booker masters preemptive strike.(V PLUS: MUSIC FOR SCREENS: SPRING 2012)(Windish Agency's Tom Windish)
April 16, 2012... When organizers of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival announced the Indio, Calif., event would expand to two weekends this year with the same acts playing both weekends, some booking agencies foresaw routing issues. But the...

Simon says ASCAP honor is her newest 'beginning'.(V PLUS: MUSIC FOR SCREENS: SPRING 2012)
April 16, 2012... Carly Simon, who will receive ASCAP's Founders Award on Wednesday, is a bit of an anomaly in the pop realm. Unlike her singer-songwriter contemporaries Carole King and Joni Mitchell--who, along with Simon, were the subjects of Sheila Weller's...

Maintaining the pipes: rising tour pressure calls for preventative measures.(V PLUS: MUSIC FOR SCREENS: SPRING 2012)
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Adele took the stage at the 54th annual Grammy Awards in February, signaling a remarkable recovery from vocal surgery, she sparked worldwide interest in what has become an epidemic in the music industry: the...

Stewart's Weapons aim at multiple platforms.(V PLUS: MUSIC FOR SCREENS: SPRING 2012)
April 16, 2012... "What happens to me for some odd reason is I wake up in the morning or I'll be halfway through a vodka martini, and something will just pop into my head," says Dave Stewart. We're at his Weapons of Mass Entertainment headquarters on Hollywood...

Confab offers convivial atmosphere for shop talk.(ASCAP I Create Music Expo)(American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
April 16, 2012... "I don't know what it feels like to everyone else, but you know what the high school experience was supposed to feel like when you're walking around tile quad, you're popular, and everyone's in the same boat with all that school spirit? I had...

Hip-hop horror route to helmer.(V PLUS: MUSIC FOR SCREENS: SPRING 2012)
April 16, 2012... Most people think of RZA as a hip-hop pioneer who made his name as a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan two decades ago. But the Grammy-winning producer, born Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, also enjoys a thriving career in Hollywood--scoring several...

Indie label views big picture.(V PLUS: MUSIC FOR SCREENS: SPRING 2012)
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Darius Van Arman, co-owner of indie record label Jagjaguwar, always viewed the imprint's recent adventures in the screen trade as a kind of experiment, which might explain his attitude about branching out as less...

Highlights.(V PLUS: NAB SHOW 2012)(Brief article)(Calendar)
April 16, 2012... TODAY [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SHOW OPENING 9 a.m. Address by Gordon Smith of Natl. Assn. of Broadcasters; Keynote by "Freakonomics" author Stephen Dubner CAMERON-PACE GROUP ON 3D [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 10:30 a.m. Hyphenate James...

Blue? Red? Think green: $2.6 billion in election TV ad spending spells stimulus for broadcasters.(V PLUS: NAB SHOW 2012)
April 16, 2012... Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of CBS Corp., perhaps spoke for many a station owner in December when he summed up his take on a bonanza of 2012 political ad spending: I'm not saying that s the best thing for America, but it's not a bad thing...

Netflix content chief hungry for premium skeins.(V PLUS: NAB SHOW 2012)(Netflix Inc.'s Ted Sarandos)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos addresses the 2012 NAB Show on Tuesday, he'll be representing the company that has emerged as perhaps the single largest buyer of filmed entertainment on the planet. But...

NAB fetes broadcasting's best.(V PLUS: NAB SHOW 2012)(National Association of Broadcasters)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... This year's NAB Show awards recipients range from actors to biz honchos to broadcasters. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Showbiz icons Garry Marshall and Betty White will be inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Marshall, whose...

Chimpanzee.(Movie review)
April 16, 2012... Chimpanzee (Docu) A Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release of a Disneynature production. Produced by Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield, Alex Tidmarsh. Executive producer, Don Hahn. Directed, written by Alastair Fothergill, Mark...

Bizzer set as prexy at GLAAD.(Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's Herndon Graddick)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... Herndon Graddick has been upped to prexy of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Graddick has spent the past two years as veep of programs and communications for the advocacy org. GLAAD's board of directors elected him to the...

Cutting cues pix.
April 16, 2012... Cutting Edge Films has invested in the upcoming features "End of Watch," "Snitch" and "The Chernobyl Diaries" by providing investment in music budgets and music supervision for the films. Four-year-old Cutting Edge has provided advance...

Paris prod'n banner: focus on fiction for 'Bashir' doc group.(World News)(Paris, France-based Les Films d'Ici's production banner named Les Films d'Ici 2)(Waltz With Bashir)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... Les Films d'Ici, the Paris-based docu production shingle behind Ari Folman's "Waltz With Bashir," is launching a production banner dedicated to fiction films, TV series and Web for mats. The outfit, which is called Les Films d'Ici 2, will be...

Fink links with BUF.(World News)(Michael Fink)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... VFX supervisor Michael Fink, who won an Academy Award for "The Golden Compass," has joined BUF, Pierre Buffin' Paris-based visual effects powerhouse. As BUF's senior VFX supervisor, Fink will be based in Los Angeles and will be responsible...

Fuji TV content to YouTube.(World News)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... Fuji TV, one of Japan's five commercial networks, will offer its regular programming free on YouTube starting this week in a first for a Japanese net. Fuji will begin with two hours daily of news, toons and entertainment programming. It will...

China sets alternative to Imax.(World News)(Dmax)(Brief article)
April 16, 2012... China is launching its own version of Imax technology, called Dmax. The domestically produced bigscreen format has already test-opened in Beijing and in Anhui, in rural Hefei province, and will offer a cheaper alternative to the Canadian...

The Woman Who Wasn't There.(Video recording review)
April 16, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Woman Who Wasn't There (Docu) A Laemmle Theaters release of a Meredith Vieira Prods./4235 Prods. production in association with Red Light Films. Produced by Amy Rapp, Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr. Executive...

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival: Day Two.
April 16, 2012... Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival: Day Two (Empire Polo Club, Indio; 75, 000 attendees; $285) Presented by Goldenvoice. Reviewed April 14, 2012. Performers: Radiohead, Bon Iver, Kaskade, Feist, Jeff Mangum, the Shins, St. Vincent,...

Billy Elliot.(Theater review)
April 16, 2012... Billy Elliot (Pantages Theater, Los Angeles; 2,703 seats; $125 top) A Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions and NETworks Presentations and Broadway/ L.A. presentation of a musical in two acts, book...

Sony chief rethinking core vision.
April 13, 2012... As Sony's new president and CEO unveiled his strategy Thursday to return the company to profitability, he had one message for the studio division in Hollywood: You're safe for now. "Sony will change," Kazuo Hirai said during a news conference...

EA puts studios on 'Speed' dial.
April 13, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Electronic Arts is eager to capitalize on studios seeking their own "The Fast and the Furious"-type franchise, with the videogame publisher tapping sibling scribes George and John Gatins ("Real Steel") to adapt "Need...

N'YUK pluck: 'Stooges,' 'Cabin' fight 'Hunger' in tight frame.
April 13, 2012... Bizzers are bracing for what could be one of the domestic B.O.'s slowest weekends this year, but international box office is expected to soar as Universal's "Battleship" adds considerable muscle overseas. None of the three domestic wide...

Labels go retro to spin up sales: Record Store Day becomes marketing platform for tune biz.
April 13, 2012... Record Store Day, which began as a grassroots stunt to drive traffic for indie music retailers has blossomed into an annual marketing platform for major labels to reach key music-buying demographics: hipsters, collectors and, most importantly,...

Another exit at Lionsgate.(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... Longtime Lionsgate international sales exec Helen Lee Kim will step down at the end of the year, part of a reorg of its overseas arm that puts newly minted studio cochairman Patrick Wachsberger in charge. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lee Kim's...

Showbiz cheers latest YouTube ruling.(WILSHIRE AND WASHINGTON)
April 13, 2012... Viacom and YouTube each spun last week's 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals opinion as a victory in their protracted copyright battle. But could old media have gained the upper hand in the war? The case is about the interpretation of the Digital...

The Three Stooges.(Movie review)
April 13, 2012... The Three Stooges A 20th Century Fox release and presentation of a Conundrum Entertainment/Charles B. Wessler production in association with C3 Entertainment and Dune Entertainment. Produced by Bradley Thomas, Wessler, Bobby Farrelly, Peter...

Massacre (Sing to Your Children).
April 13, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Massacre (Sing to Your Children) (Rattlestick Theater: 97 seats: $55 top) A Rattlestick Playwrights Theater presentation of a play in two acts by Jose Riveto. Directed by Brian Mertes. Set, Andromache Chalfant;...

York prefers 'Blondes'.(Rachel York, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes)(LEGIT)(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... Rachel York has signed on join Megan Hilty in the upcoming Encores! staging of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" next month. Legit regular York ("Victor/Victoria," "The Scarlet Pimpernel") will play the role Jane Russell played in the 1953 movie...

Pair to reveal Tony noms.(Kristin Chenoweth and Jim Parsons)(LEGIT)(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... Kristin Chenoweth and Jim Parsons, two Broadway alums who are well known to TV ands, will reveal the 2012 Tony nominations on May 1. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chenoweth, currently appearing on ABC skein "GCB," is a Rialto regular whose past...

Subias to expand UTA's legit arm.(Mark Subias, United Talent Agency)(LEGIT)(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... Legit manager Mark Subias, who reps a slew of Gotham's younger stage scribes and helmers, has jumped to UTA. where he'll aim to expand the tenpercentery's New York-based theater department while repping clients in film and TV as well. ...

Actors unveil panel: exec group is first post-merger action.
April 13, 2012... In the first official action since the March 30 merger, SAG-AFTRA has established its initial 24-member executive committee. The panel, announced Wednesday night, is composed of a dozen national officers plus 12 additional members--six each...

Monroe reality skein in the works at eOne.
April 13, 2012... The Marilyn Monroe craze has hit cOne. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The production-distribution outfit is working with Monroe's estate to develop and produce a reality series based on the iconic entertainer. Titled "Finding Marilyn," the...

Roth rules Regard.(Tim Roth)(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... Tim Roth will be the president of the Un Certain Regard Jury at the Cannes Film Festival. Roth made his first appearances at Cannes with "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction," which won the Palme d'Or in 1994. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The...

Dimension ignites 'Dame' flame.(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... Robert Rodriguez is moving forward with Dimension's sequel to "Sin City," with production expected to start this summer. Rodriguez will direct "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For" from a script by Frank Miller and William Monahan. Filmmakers based...

Free window for HBO bows.(Girls and Veep epiodes made available to nonsubscribers)(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... HBO is casting a wide net to lure viewers to "Girls" and "Veep," making the premiere episodes of both comedy series available to nonsubscribers. A day after their debuts, "Girls" and "Veep" will go live on HBO.com, YouTube, DailyMotion,...

Scribe set on Hawaiian tale.(Joe Gazzam)(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... Joe Gazzam has been tapped to write an untitled family adventure set in Hawaii for Disney that Ahmet Zappa's Monsterfoot Prods. and Scott Sanders Prods. will shepherd. Details of the project are being kept under wraps. Gazzam is also...

Whalley returns to UMG.
April 13, 2012... Former Warner Bros. Records chairman-CEO Tom Whalley is returning to Universal Music Group with Seven Four Entertainment, a new joint venture with Universal Republic Records. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Move was announced jointly on Thursday by...

Bet bets on comedy: cabler also set to try latenight.
April 13, 2012... BET Networks on Thursday unveiled a slew of original programming for the BET and Centric cablers, including a laffer toplined by younger members of the Wayans clan and a semi-scripted reality parody, "House Husbands," starring Kevin Hart. ...

Eye sets poochcast.(Dogs in the City)(Brief article)
April 13, 2012... CBS will debut new unscripted series "Dogs in the City" on May 30 in the 8 p.m. Wednesday timeslot. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Julie Weitz, Carol Mendelsohn, Jen O'Connell and Nick Emmerson exec produce the skein centered on Justin Silver, who...

Disney lifts cable guy.
April 13, 2012... Disney Channels Worldwide has promoted Richard Loomis to the newly created position of senior veep and chief marketing officer. Loomis will guide the creative marketing vision for Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior, while also...

Elliott's works fused jazz, classical music.(Music Bits)
April 13, 2012... Composer Jack Elliott was known for his themes for the TV series "Charlie's Angels," "Barney Miller" (both written with his longtime partner, Allyn Ferguson) and "Night Court." But starting in 1979, Elliott, who died in 2001, had another...

Bond pics to pay TV with U.K. BSkyB deal.(World News)
April 13, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] U.K. paybox BSkyB has acquired all U.K. TV rights to the James Bond franchise from MGM. From October, all 22 of the Bond films made by Eon Prods. will be available on the Sky Movies channel in high definition. ...

Vivendi set for VOD: Germany first up in Euro push.(World News)
April 13, 2012... Gallic media conglom Vivendi looks set to launch a VOD service in Germany this year in a move that could see a rapid expansion across Europe. Stefan Schulz, head of Vivendi's newly established Ger man VOD division Multiscreen Entertainment,...

'Justin' jousts for Sony Spain.(World News)
April 13, 2012... Sony Pictures Releasing de Espana has acquired Spanish theatrical and home entertainment rights to Manuel Sicilia's 3D family toon "Justin and the Knights of Valor." Sony is skedding pie for an Aug. 23, 2013, bow. Costing 22 million [euro]...

Giordana, Moretti lead Italo noms.(Marco Tullio Giordana, Nanni Moretti)(World News)
April 13, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Italo auteurs Marco Tullio Oiordana, Nanni Moretti and Paolo Sorrentino lead the race for Italy's David di Donatello Awards, the country's top film nods. Giordana's political drama "Romanzo di una strage," about...

Good People.(Theater review)
April 13, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Good People (GefJen Playhouse. Los Angeles: 522 seats; $75 top) A Geffen Playhouse presentation of a play in two acts by David Lindsay-Abaire. Directed by Matt Shakman. Sets, Craig Siebels; costumes, E.B. Brooks;...

Oedipussy.(Theater review)
April 13, 2012... Oedipussy (Lyric Hammersmith, London; 550 seats; 35 [pounds sterling]($56) top) A Spymonkey in association with the Royal & Derngate Northampton presentation of a play in two acts written by Carl Grose and Spymonkey. Directed and...

The Soul of Bread/Ai de mian bao hun.(Movie review)
April 13, 2012... The Soul of Bread (Ai de mian bao hun) (Taiwan) A 20th Century Fox (in Taiwan)/Golden Scene (in Hong Kong) release of a Double Edge Entertainment, Ming Yi Intl. Media presentation of a Double Edge Entertainment production. (International...

Bay of All Saints.(Movie review)
April 13, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bay of All Saints (Docu) A Crowded Peninsula production in association with the Milkhaus. Produced by Davis Coombe, Diane Markrow. Executive producers, Diane Markrow, Henry Ansbacher. Directed, edited by Annie...

Bye Bye Blondie.(Movie review)
April 13, 2012... Bye Bye Blondie (France-Belgium-Switzerland) A Happiness Distribution (in France)/ Lumiere (in Belgium)/Vega Film (in Switzerland) release of a Red Star Cinema, Frakas Prods., Vega Film production, in association with Master Movies, Wild...