Hollywood Post Alliance gives two awards

The Hollywood Post Alliance has announced that its HPA Judges Award for creativity and innovation in post-production will go to Teststronic Labs and Steven J. Scott of EFILM. Testronic Labs is a leader in quality-control technologies that run the gamut from mastering to consumer deliverables. The company recently opened a new file-based lab in Burbank that offers an automated workflow for QC of the entire post production workflow. Scott, a senior colorist and creative director at EFILM, was instrumental to post-production on Terrence Malik's "Tree of Life." He worked with the helmer, d.p. Emmanuel Lubezki and visual effects supervisor Dan Glass so that the film's unique look could be brought to screens. In the process he created proprietary Look Up Tables (LUTs), which allow for the greatest range of information latitude possible. Award honors companies or individuals who have shown excellence in post production. The HPA Awards take place Nov. 10 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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Dwts: Nancy Sophistication Is "A Psychological Wreck"

Nancy Sophistication It is sometimes complicated jeopardizing personal humiliation on national television. Just request Nancy Sophistication, the dog-like former district attorney who's battling to get involved with her Dwts groove. "I had been a psychological wreck now, attempting to dance," Sophistication stated moments after her performance from the quick step. She seemed to be still spinning in the low score (a 16) provided to her first dance a week ago, for that cha cha. "I labored my fingers towards the bone. We'd practiced the cha cha a lot, however I did not deliver around the party area."Sophistication is the first one to admit that they has trouble accepting the idea of not doing your best at something when she's working hard and was very disturbed when she was towards the bottom three on last Tuesday's results show. "You need to pay attention to what Tom [Bergeron] states," recommends professional Karina Smirnoff. "Being towards the bottom three does not always imply that you have minimal quantity of votes."But that did not stop Sophistication from getting bad dreams all week about winding up there again. "Yes, it was wrong," she stated, "but when i was walking to the level tonight, I appreciated what it really was enjoy being in risk a week ago. It's tough to venture out in to the public eye and risk an individual failure. I have been worried all week." And that's why she'd a meltdown in rehearsals together with her understanding professional, Tristan McManus. "When you are practicing hrs and hrs every single day, in a single room, and everything doesn't go well? I am talking about, sometimes, it explodes," states Sophistication. "However I don't believe i was ever in risk of not a team."Lucking, Sophistication ended last night's show steadily in the center of those, scoring an extremely respectable 21. "It had been a much better evening," she stated, finally smiling.Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Broadway 'Follies' growing

"Relatively Speaking," from Woodsy Allen, Elaine May and Ethan Coen, averaged 98% of capacity throughout its first eight previews. Broadway box office ongoing to obtain a week ago, with "Follies" becoming one of the rare Stephen Sondheim tuners to break into the $millions of mark then one-act play anthology "Relatively Speaking" bowing strong within the first frame of previews.Rising inside the wake of passionate reviews, "Follies" ($1,122,778) rose an impressive $245,000 to participate the riches club, an activity handful of of Sondheim's cerebral musicals be capable of accomplish. Really the only other one to get this done was "Slightly Evening Music" a couple of seasons ago, fueled by topliners Catherine Zeta-Manley and Angela Lansbury."Follies" grew to become an associate of the six-member riches club each week that saw "It of Mormon" ($1,293,272) again outshine "Spider-Guy: Turn Off the Dark" ($1,269,403) in the venue that's substantially smaller sized in comparison to Foxwoods, where "Spider-Guy" plays."Relatively" ($716,252) -- the triple-bill of comedies by Woodsy Allen, Elaine May and Ethan Coen -- averaged houses filled to 98% over its first eight previews. This can be a solid showing for just about any play whose scribes are apparently well-known enough make use of a jolt of marquee appeal.Another addition, "The Mountaintop" ($411,044 for five previews), also grew to become an associate from the fray and added gold gold coin for the Rialto pot. The Two-hander, that could make heads turn with stars Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, reported auds that averaged about 87% of capacity.Just about any show round the boards upticked the other day, some substantially so: "The Phantom in the Opera" ($833,171), "Mamma Mia!" ($825,127) and "Memphis" ($775,877) each rose by $125,000 or maybe more. Two shows early in the year that never completed additionally to expected inside the summer season, "Priscilla Full in the Desert" ($798,122) and "Sister Act" ($721,976), also walked as each ongoing to discover a foothold with ticketbuyers.Broadway cume rose a amazing $2.5 million to $18.5 million for 22 shows running, while overall attendance rose by greater than 25,000 to 206,595, striking 88% of capacity. That attendance is about on componen with last season at this time around around, although with 28 shows running in those days, it found only 81% in the sesh's capacity.Inside the coming frames, box office looks vulnerable to climb as further additions are produced towards the slate, although Rosh Hashanah is poised to siphon off some sales inside a couple of days. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Exclusive: The Bold and The Beautiful's Bradley Bell Dishes on Jacob Young, Usher and More

Jason O'Mara, Stephen Lang After what seems like 85 million years of anticipation, Fox's dinosaur adventure Terra Nova finally premieres tonight. To mark the occasion, Fox has given TV Guide Magazine this exclusive piece of promotional art. The shot mixes a live-action photo of series stars Jason O'Mara and Stephen Lang (taken on location in the Australian forest) with a computer-generated image of a rampaging carnosaur - one of the first dinosaurs to be seen tonight.The special effects team knows that its dinosaurs could make or break the show. "Once audiences see the best [of CGI], they expect to keep on seeing it," says Lang, who plays Nathaniel Taylor, commander of the Terra Nova settlement, 85 million years in the past. "It makes our job very tricky, but we take that mandate seriously."They'll show off their work again in the October 3 episode, which features a pack of killer pterosaurs that dive-bomb the colonists; Taylor and ex-cop Jim Shannon (O'Mara) must fight to save their paradise from utter destruction. "We're all dying to see how the episode turns out," says Lang, who spends many a day battling creatures that aren't really there. "I just shot a scene that took three full nights - a face-off between my character and a pair of mating dinosaurs. It's painstaking stuff but always a thrill and a gift when we see the finished product."The two-hour series premiere of Terra Nova airs tonight at 8/7c on Fox.Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

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Industry Vet Michael Bravin Pleads Guilty To Hacking Rival Band Professional While With ARRI

Industry vet Michael Bravin recognized today that although utilized by German film and TV camera giant ARRI he jeopardized into the files of la-based rival Band Professional Film and Digital, to whom he'd labored for 15 years. Bravin, who found ARRI as v . p . of market increase in 2010, plead guiltyto while using the title and password of Boss and leader Amnon Band to accessfiles found in interstate commerce. Emails from the 3 major industry firms were utilized through the hacking, which happened between December 2009 and June 2010.Bravin has elevated the biz for several years, and contains labored forAbekas Video Systems,California Communications and NBC Sports. Beneath the plea agreement, Bravin assists two several days in jail and pay $5K in restitution additionally to legal costs.

The X Factor

Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell are probably the hosts of Fox's singing talent competition 'The X Factor.'Produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia The United States. Executive producers, Take advantage of Wade, Siobhan Greene, Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Richard Holloway, Andrew Llinares. 120 MIN. Host: Steve Johnson. Idol judges: Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger. With: Cheryl ColeCritically speaking, the variations between "The X Factor" -- Simon Cowell's go-it-alone talent showcase -- and "The American Idol ShowInch are minor, but nonetheless significant. Contrary, a preview reflects a set much more psychologically tricky and also over-created than its predecessor -- starting with the very fact the only real limit is age 12 and older. Even among a glut of talent competitions, Fox's marketing machinery should make mtss is a formidable placeholder with the fall, otherwise -- with apologies to "Idol" sponsor Coke -- as large because the real factor. It's possible to certainly realise why "Idol's" producers feel greater than a little inflammed concerning the commonalities, leading to lawsuit dating back its premiere within the U.K. Beyond that, getting another singing show risks watering down a franchise that Fox has otherwise carefully handled. Yet there is no denying Cowell brings something extra towards the knowing process -- less because of his trademark bitchiness than his capability to succinctly articulate critique as relatively couple of on television can. Wanting to illustrate the show's breath, in early stages the auditions present a 13-year-old girl and a few seniors (the second sequence appears as though Stanley Kubrick directed it), among a mixture of figures as looking forward to fleeting exposure because the $5-million prize. In a single situation, which includes actual exposure, which does not stop the producers from rewarding the stunt by including it, with merely a carefully placed "X" to obscure the nudity. That Cowell made a decision to reunite with Paula Abdul -- his frequent foil on "Idol" -- only underscores his determination to win and resolve for as being a showman. Furthermore, live training between Cowell and music professional L.A. Reid reflects more back-and-forth than anything he involved in with Abdul and Randy Jackson on "Idol." If perhaps the producers did not go ahead and take skirmish a pointless step further by setting the montage to "Eye from the Tiger" to pound the purpose home. So it goes. Exactly the same mixture of sob tales, as anxious relatives searching on in the wings. And when there's less than a Susan Boyle or Paul Potts moment (though one particularly comes reasonably close), the tears flow freely, and a couple of truly stirring performances emerge. Once more the host, Steve Johnson -- apparently the British pronunciation of "Ryan Seacrest" -- is of interest but a bland non-factor, with the exception that Johnson appears to understand his place, for the time being. Even though Nicole Scherzinger would be a late alternative for Cheryl Cole -- who's incorporated within the premiere -- apart from pretty faces neither adds much towards the proceedings. Not too it matters. Fox's film studio has certainly made lots of money off a particular team of mutants, and today the television unit could be grateful because of its own "X" guy.The X Factor Contact John Lowry at john.lowry@variety.com

NCIS: Will Tony's Mole Hunt Force Him to Grow Up?

NCIS Is NCIS' Tony DiNozzo really the best man to carry out the Navy secretary's search for a mole? With all possible respect to DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) as an agent, isn't he a little too goofy for super-secret spy work?Fall Preview: Get scoop on your favorite returning shows"You ask the question that's on everyone's mind," Weatherly tells TVGuide.com with a laugh. "When Tony gets to play James Bond, he takes it very seriously. DiNozzo, despite his goofiness, is the soul of discretion. I believe he possesses a good capacity for secrets. One of the reasons for that is that no one would ever think that he could keep a secret. It's kind of like hiding in plain sight by giving him the mission."But the secret won't stay hidden for long. In fact, in Season 9's premiere (Tuesday, 8/7c, CBS) Tony's investigation will culminate with a fellow NCIS agent being killed. Viewers will retrace Tony's steps through flashbacks, but Weatherly also promises a deeper dive into Tony's mind when NCIS shrink Cranston (Wendy Makkena) returns."There's some sort of a psychological poking around into DiNozzo's brain," Weatherly says. "Ultimately, I guess I learned more about my character, more about his childhood, and that's always helpful and intriguing. ... Tony is a very compartmentalized dude. That's how he protects himself, and it's clearly how he protected himself since he was a kid."And some of those revelations may pay off when DiNozzo's father (Robert Wagner) returns to the show for this season's Christmas episode. "I'm sure there will be all the style, the panache, and glamour that Mr. Wagner always brings with him ... but I have a feeling that there's a good bit of edge that we'll have in this one," Weatherly teases."Check out our list of TV's sexiest crime fighters!However, the mole hunt may have a greater impact on DiNozzo's relationship with his surrogate father, Gibbs (Mark Harmon). "DiNozzo's being tasked by someone outside of the immediate chain of command, meaning Gibbs," Weatherly says. "It's very unnerving. There's some nice drama with Gibbs and I think in a way it pieces together some of the stuff that was happening at the end of last year between DiNozzo and Gibbs."But Gibbs isn't the only one miffed that SECNAV (Matt Craven) is messing with a member of his team. Vance (Rocky Carroll) is also out of the loop for the first time, which executive producer Gary Glasberg says will play out in a number of stories this season."It adds a whole new dynamic to the way that the team functions," Glasberg says. "I wanted to focus on stories that actually pull our team together and have them take on a lot of what they're facing as a unit. As they evolve as co-workers, my goal is to continue for them to have an appreciation for the responsibilities that they each have. I think this is really going to bind a lot of them together."While we can't be certain who the mole is, there's certainly some suspicion surrounding DiNozzo's ex, E.J. Barrett (Sarah Jane Morris) - considering that the last time we saw her, she was pulling a microchip out of her dead teammate's arm. "There's a new wrinkle in their relationship, and I would say it is somewhat troubling," Weatherly teases. "I think Tony questions a lot of things about her and I don't think there's any going back to their initial blinky-blinky, lovey-dovey plot."NCIS scoop: Jamie Lee Curtis books two-episode arcDoes that clear the way for Tony to get cozier with teammate Ziva (Cote de Pablo)? Not so fast. "Due to somewhat traumatic events that kick off the story, he ultimately has to lean on himself," Weatherly says. But he also suggests that Tony's time in therapy may open that possibility down the road."All of the goofiness and the sense of humor and the deflection is clearly covering something nasty eating away at him inside," Weatherly says. "I think that this should take us one step closer to maybe understanding an essential core truth... about what makes Tony tick. I think that you have to do that work alone sometimes. But it might make him more able down the road more able to approach a relationship with Ziva."And similarly, Weatherly says despite being handed a secret mission, DiNozzo knows he's not yet ready to leave Gibbs' nest. "That's far off in his mind," Weatherly says. "He still knows that he needs the guidance. He needs to find that missing link and I think that he knows instinctively that Gibbs is the one who can show him that. It's why he's there."NCIS premieres Tuesday at 8/7c on CBS.

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What Can Creative Arts Emmy Wins Mean for your Systems?

The completely new problem of "The Hollywood Reporter" reduces the count internet-by-internet within the Sept. 10 Creative Arts Emmys event and just what the honours mean for your large show.Cinemax: 15 A respected 7 wins for "Boardwalk Empire" -- in groups including art direction and casting that "Mad Males" won a year ago -- might predict a completely new drama series champion crowned Sept. 18.FOX : 9 "Glee" won only 2 Emmys despite 9 noms in creative arts groups together with an offer that dedicated to the behind-the-moments effort required to drag in the show.CBS: 7 Rob Probst's fourth consecutive win for reality host is a touch surprising considering "Survivor" wasn't even nominated this year inside the reality-competition series category.NBC: 5 "Saturday Evening Live's" 3 wins -- including for host Justin Timberlake as comedy guest actor -- brings its all-time total to 34.History, Discovery: 4 Switching groups paid out off for "Most dangerous Catch," which needed the most effective reality series prize after a period of nominations (but no wins) for nonfiction series.ABC: 3 Loretta Devine ("Grey's Anatomy") scoring the drama guest actress statuette might be the upset in the evening because she beat the type of Alfre Woodard ("True Blood stream"), Julia Stiles ("Dexter") and Mary McDonnell ("The Closer").Cartoon Network, ReelzChannel: 3 Large wins for "The Kennedys" (hair-styling, makeup, appear mixing) certainly are a coup for Reelz, which will televise the ceremony Sept. 17 and could now promote itself becoming an Emmy-winning network.AMC, Comedy Central: 2 inchFuturama's" second win for animated program is its first since the show wasresurrected in 2008 by Comedy Central after being canceled by Fox in 2003.Disney Funnel, Showtime: 2 inchThe Borgias'" dual wins (costumes, primary title music) should relieve numerous Showtime's disappointment within the Jeremy Irons drama being shut in the coveted series and acting groups. The Hollywood Reporter

Ernest Gordon-Levitts Premium Hurry trailer speeds online

The initial trailer for Premium Hurry has turned up online.Starring Ernest Gordon-Levitt just like a daredevil bike courier, Premium Hurry is directed by David Koepp, who's probably better known to like a blockbuster author (Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Guy) when compared to a director (Stir Of Echoes, Ghost Town).Could Premium Hurry change that though? Considering he's made cycle couriering really look quite awesome, the answer might be yes.JGL might be the delivery boy who eventually eventually ends up wanting he'd not taken responsibility for starters particular parcel when he eventually eventually ends up with Michael Shannon's seedy cop on his tail.There's frenetic action aplenty, neat pictures, and Gordon-Levitt being all awesome and stuff, and this gets the potential to become dark equine in the 2012 multiplex scene.See the trailer here:Premium Hurry opens 3 February 2012.

At 50th Anniversary Screening of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', Julie Andrews States Carol Golightly Wasn't Any 'Heavy Hooker'

The question of whether Carol Golightly -- the irresistibly not possible city girl performed by Katherine Hepburn in 1961's 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' -- would be a mercenary call girl or just a totally free spirit who happened to simply accept a large amount of cash from wealthy males each time she used the powder room has vexed and intrigued audiences for a long time. Based on Mike Wasson's 2010 book 'Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.,' Paramount's P.R. department twisted itself into breakfast crullers attempting to advance the second view, with strange claims like "The star is Katherine Hepburn, not Tawdry Hepburn." Truman Capote, who authored the novella where the film was based, might have offered the subtlest analysis. "Carol Golightly wasn't precisely a callgirl," Capote stated within an interview with 'Playboy' magazine in 1968. "She'd no job, but supported expense-account males towards the best restaurants and evening clubs, using the knowning that her escort was obligated to provide her some kind of gift, possibly jewellery or perhaps a check ... if she felt enjoy it, she usually takes her escort home for that evening." Now Julie Andrews, the legendary actress and widow of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' director Blake Edwards, has added her voice towards the debate. Inside a conversation with Richard Pena, director from the Film Society of Lincoln subsequently Center, at Thursday night's 50th-anniversary screening of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' in NY, Andrews stated that it absolutely was Hepburn's idea to recruit designer Hubert p Givenchy to create all Holly's clothes. "When you have Katherine Hepburn and Hubert p Givenchy," she added, "I do not think anybody for any second thought this would be a heavy hooker, for God's sake." The screening happened at Lincoln subsequently Center's Alice Tully Hall, a couple of steps from the venue where NY Fashion Week is arrived, and also the audience of would-be Carol Golightlys and also the males who love them gazed adoringly in the gorgeous new print, put together to have an anniversary Blu-ray edition that arrives in a few days. As Pena noted, the film includes a timeless quality that causes it to be feel nearly as relevant today because it did in 1961. Particularly in NY, where attractive and sparklingly witty youthful people still come looking for their dreams, but still from time to time explore the daily search for booze, bread, and designer threads. The film's opening scene, where a taxi shorelines up a clear Fifth Avenue and deposits Carol before Tiffany's, where she ruminates within the display home windows while eating a Danish and drinking a coffee, remains among the essential depictions from the city, and Andrews referred to how lucky Edwards felt to capture the scene. He arranged the aim for beginning, wishing to obtain "a relatively empty Fifth Avenue," but ultimately "there is not a bit of traffic around the corner.Inch After one take, Edwards switched towards the crew and stated, "There you have it, fellas. Let us move ahead.Inch Equally representational from the city, for various reasons, may be the party scene, in which a motley crew of bohemian rebels and slumming wealthy men get gleefully drunk inside Holly's sparse walk-up apartment. "He cast all his buddies and relations," stated Andrews. "It's fun to look at the party scene and know who's available online for." Photo: Ray Busacca/Getty Images for Vital

Can Ryan Gosling Win an Oscar for 'Best D-ckish Smirk' in 'Drive'? (and 24 Other Urgent Questions)

There's a new movie called 'Drive' that drives into theaters this weekend, driven by Ryan Gosling, who headlines the star-studded cast. Will audiences get in their cars and drive to the theater to see 'Drive'? Will I drive you insane with the amount of times that the word "drive" appears in this introduction? Obviously. As a service, Moviefone answers every question that you could possibly have about 'Drive' ahead. Q: Who is the star of 'Drive'? A: The star of 'Drive' is Ryan Gosling. Q: Should I know who Ryan Gosling is? A: Probably, but Gosling's A-list fame does have a "Wait, when did this happen?" feel to it. If nothing else, you should know him from being mentioned in 'Lazy Sunday.' Q: The posters for 'Drive' have, "Some heroes are real" written on them. Is 'Drive' based on a true story? A: No. Q: What is Gosling's character's name in 'Drive?' A: He doesn't have one. He is only listed in the credits as "Driver." Q: From now on will you refer to Gosling's character as "Driveling"? A: Sure. Q: In a commercial for 'Drive,' I saw that Driveling drives a racecar. Is 'Drive' about a racecar driver? A: The scene of Driveling driving a racecar in the commercial for 'Drive' is the extent of his racecar driving in the film. Q: How is the chemistry between Gosling and Sylvester Stallone in 'Drive'? A: You're thinking of 'Driven.' Sylvester Stallone does not appear in 'Drive.' Q: Wait, so if Driveling is not a racecar driver, what is his occupation? A: Driveling is an auto mechanic and a part-time stuntman. Q: Oh, I see, like Colt Seavers in 'The Fall Guy.' A: No, Colt Seavers was a stuntman and a bounty hunter -- auto mechanic was not a part of his repertoire. (Also, Colt Seavers never spent much time in school, but he taught ladies plenty.) Q: OK, seriously, does Driveling even drive a car at all in 'Drive'? A: Yes, he does, but not as often as the title might lead a human being of average intelligence to believe. Q: What's the best scene in 'Drive'? A: The best scene in 'Drive' is in the first 15 minutes -- so don't be late. Q: What happens in that the first scene of 'Drive'? A: Driveling is hired as a getaway driver for a robbery... Q: Wait, I thought you said that Driveling was an auto mechanic and a stuntman? A: Well, he is. But he's also a part-time getaway driver-for-hire. So, he has three jobs -- probably because of the tough economy. The film opens with the getaway from the heist, which is quite riveting. Q: Oh! So 'Drive' opens with a high-speed chase? A: Not really. Driveling actually seems to obey most local ordinances and speed limits during the getaway. Q: Will Ryan Gosling be nominated for an Oscar for his performance in 'Drive'? A: If the only Oscar criterion is for an actor to barely speak, but spend 70 percent of the movie with an all-knowing d-ckish smirk on his face -- d-ckish Ryan Gosling will win an Oscar, unanimously. (I'm not even kidding, no one does a d-ckish smirk better than Ryan Gosling.) Q: If you're going to be blurbed in this weekend's commercials for 'Drive,' what quote do you think will be used? A: "D-ckish Ryan Gosling will win an Oscar, unanimously!" -- Mike Ryan, Moviefone Q: What's the most surprising thing about 'Drive'? A: It's unbelievably violent. Q: Well, I was expecting a certain amount of violence... A: No, really, you weren't. Not this much, especially when you take into account the rather tame and stylized marketing campaign. Also, the extreme and rather gory violence starts pretty much out of the blue about halfway through and doesn't relent for the rest of the film. Q: So what happens after the first 15 minutes of 'Drive'? A: Driveling falls for his next-door neighbor, played by Carey Mulligan. Q: Is Mulligan's name listed as "blond female neighbor" in the credits? A: No, her name is listed as Irene. Irene has a husband named Standard, but that husband is in jail. Q: Oh, I see, the husband is listed as "Standard" in the credits because he acts as a standard plot device. A: No, his name just happens to be Standard. (Though, maybe.) Q: What happens after Standard is released from jail? A: At first, Driveling and Standard do not get along -- Standard becomes the brunt of Gosling's d-ckish smirks. Later, after Standard is assaulted by cronies of some old mob associates wanting money, Driveling agrees to help Standard rob a pawnshop. This does not go well. Q: What's the best thing about 'Drive'? A: Albert Brooks as a mobster. Q: At what point in the film does 'Drive' become very violent? A: Once Driveling, Standard and Joan Holloway (who is with them for reasons I haven't 100 percent yet figured out) arrive at the pawnshop, the film takes a drastic turn. Q: Should I see 'Drive'? A: Yes, you should. I did enjoy 'Drive,' but, seriously: don't go in with any expectations. Put it this way: If someone told me, "Man, I really loved 'Drive'" that would not surprise me. If someone told me, "Man, I really did not care for 'Drive,'" -- that would slightly surprise me, but I can see that, too. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter. Follow Moviefone on Twitter.

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No Naughty Bits

A Hampstead Theater presentation of a play in two acts by Steve Thompson. Directed by Edward Hall. Michael - Harry Hadden-Paton Terry - Sam Alexander Nancy - Charity Wakefield Osterberg - Clive Rowe Lasker - Matthew Marsh Steve Thompson's new comedy fictionalizes a real-life U.S. federal case brought by the Monty Python troupe against American net ABC in 1975. The Brit comedians were unhappy about cuts to their programs, ostensibly to make room for ads but clearly intended to clean up the sexual and scatological references. After a creaky start, Thompson ("Sherlock," "Doctor Who") works things into an enjoyable comic froth, and lands some strong points about artistic freedom and Yank/Brit cultural differences. Tightened up, this could have U.K. commercial legs, though whether American auds would be as amused is an open question. Francis O'Connor's set aims to create a knowing, in-jokey context: Action is framed is if in a vintage TV set, and there are multiple visual references to Python iconography. But this self-consciousness doesn't justify the lumbering old-fashionedness of early expositional scenes setting up Michael Palin (Harry Hadden-Paton), Terry Gilliam (Sam Alexander) and their descent on ABC with publicist Nancy (Charity Wakefield) and slick lawyer Osterberg (Clive Rowe) in tow. One would have hoped that a play that so celebrates edginess could have found a snappier way to convey this information. But once Edward Hall's production gets wound up, it starts to fly. Alexander and particularly Hadden-Paton manage the playing of well-known personalities remarkably well. Thompson has found funny, smart ways to illustrate their very different temperaments: Alexander's Gilliam arrives at the first meeting with ABC absurdly dressed as a costume-party British patriot, while Hadden-Paton is superb at conveying Palin's cringing Englishness, which finally cracks in a hilarious extended exchange in which he and Giliam vainly try to explain what's funny about dancing Queen Victorias and naked Indian slave boys to utterly po-faced studio exec Franklin (Issy Von Randwyck). The comic high point comes at the top of the second act, thanks to Matthew Marsh's bone-dry portrayal of federal judge Lasker. ("I got to say it's unusual, fellas," he deadpans to Palin and Gilliam, "trying to get your show taken off the biggest network in America.") The writing is also at its cleverest here. Python fans will be satisfied that we finally get a long stretch of a famous sketch (the one about "very expensive gaiters"), but the meta-joke is that Palin and Gilliam are being asked to re-enact it under conditions that virtually strip it of humor. While Thompson's sympathies obviously and unapologetically lie with the Pythons here, he has devoted some energy to understanding the other position. The cuts are clearly presented as prudish censorship that presages the high moral ground claimed by today's far right. But ABC exec Myers (Joseph May) argues Britain is crippled by its own liberalism: "You've made dissent into the national language. Anyone can say what they want in front of millions of viewers... America has values that we're willing to defend. You pawned yours." The point sure to hit hardest with the Hampstead's chattering-class demographic is the play's nostalgic investment in the 1970s-era BBC as a haven for play and creativity that has in the meantime (it's implied) been overtaken by an American corporate mentality. Production values are generally strong, though there's some unevenness in casting and acting. Wakefield overplays the melodrama when the situation gets fraught, and while Clive Rowe is never less than a charismatic onstage force, his performance seems always about to burst the seams of his straitlaced character. Great yuks, some smart ideas, and a reminder of a fascinating moment in the globalization of comedy: This is a few nips and tucks away from being a smart commercial package.Sets and costumes, Francis O'Connor; lighting, Rick Fisher; music, Simon Slater; sound, Matt McKenzie; production manager, Andrew Quick. Opened, reviewed September 13, 2011. Running time: 2 HOURS, 15 MINUTES.With: Joseph May, Issy Van Randwyck, John Guerrasio. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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Diverse Web Series Develops Through Social Networking

WASHINGTON (AP) After growing fed up with watching stereotypes of individuals of color on screen, Issa Rae produced her very own vision of reality with "The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl."The Net-based show follows J, performed by Rae, and her incidents and achievements in work and love."The Net series came into being because I truly did not see anybody much like me on screen, nobody which i could connect with,Inch stated Rae, the show's producer, author and director. "There's are so many limited archetypes for black women particularly, and merely people of color generally, and it is frustrating to check out the screen and just have the ability to connect with people like Tina Fey or Amy Poehler, individuals who don't seem like me."Because the series first published online in Feb, the debut episode has received a lot more than 240,000 hits. Subsequent episodes have obtained a lot more than 100,000 hits and 1,000 viewer comments. Nearly 17,000 individuals are devoted towards the show's Facebook page. Rae stated she and co-producer Tracy Oliver are packaging "Awkward Black Girl" like a half-hour comedy to market to some cable network, but they are strongly considering keeping it on the internet to construct the crowd and keep more powerful connection with audiences."Social networking is exactly what made the show honestly," Rae stated. "Been with them not been for social networking, this show just wouldn't happen to be what it's today. I could not did this ten years ago."Susan Fales-Hill, who created and authored for that lengthy-running NBC sitcom "Another World," known as Rae's work fresh, incisive, and non-stereotypical."She's showing an informed, African-American lady leading a built-in existence along with a professional lady with buddies of numerous different ethnicities and skills, and merely attempting to make her way," Fales-Hill stated.She stated Rae's guerrilla method of TV making is brilliant as well as an inspiration to veterans in the market like her."Most of us emerged throughout a period when there is a studio system, more jobs and also you emerged with the ranks," Fales-Hill stated. "So for all of us, it is a culture shock. ... I've found it very liberating that they has produced her very own show. She's certainly making most of us consider the way you can perform things and just how a lot more aggressive you should be.InchRae, 26, born Jo-Issa Rae Diop, produced the idea for that show 2 yrs ago during a public theater fellowship in New You are able to. A La native, she did not know anybody in New You are able to, which provided many awkward encounters. After coming back towards the West Coast, Rae collected a couple of buddies to assist her begin shooting the series together with her own cameras in The month of january."I understood basically did not shoot it myself it had been not going to have completed,Inch stated Rae, who attended Stanford College and also the New You are able to Film Academy in La.Rae employed her friend Andrew Allan James to star like a, her annoying co-worker and admirer. The diverse cast now includes J's closest friend CeCe, an Indian-American, performed by Sujata Day, and her love interests Whitened J, performed by Lyman Manley, and Fred, an African-American, performed by Madison T. Shockley III."Diversity is essential towards the series simply because it is available during my existence," Rae stated. "In tangible existence, I actually do happen to possess a Bengali-American closest friend."Because the show's group of followers is continuing to grow, so has its own production. By episode four, Oliver, who plays J's co-worker and rival Nina, became a member of in like a producer and assisted pull together a complete crew for that show. The episodes increased from four minutes to12.After episode six, Rae and Oliver, former Stanford class mates, recognized they might no more manage to fund the series. Rae, on the temp salary, stated she could not cover the 12-hour-day shoots and production costs.The 2 had received a few emails from people offering to give towards the show, so that they made the decision to begin the official campaign for audiences to give with the online fundraiser platform Kickstarter.com. Through the finish of the first day, Rae stated the show had received $4,000."It had been just overwhelming," she stated. "We simply understood that people had something on our hands which people really supported our project which only agreed to be very touching."After in regards to a month, the show had a lot more than $56,000 from nearly 2,000 contributor.Since "Awkward Black Girl" released, Rae has signed with U . s . Talent Agency and three Arts Entertainment. She hopes her success will result in more possibilities for unprivileged to inform their tales."It transmits a note to mainstream media that people do not have to have these whitened men and women leads for everyone to connect with them," Rae stated. "It's kind of unfair to consider that, so Hopefully this show influences future casting choices just based off what we have been able to perform to date. "Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Dark Horse: Venice Film Review

After the provocative narrative, stylistic and political gambits of Todd Solondz's last film, Life During Wartime, the far more simple and straightforward tale related in Dark Horse feels like something fished out of the writer-director's desk drawer. Never less than watchable and loaded with trademark negativity so extreme it's sometimes funny, the new film is nonetheless saddled with a protagonist so narrowly and unlikably presented that, in the end, he doesn't seem worth the time devoted to him. His work commercially challenged at the best of times, this relatively minor entry from Solondz faces a greater-than-usual struggle in the theatrical arena.our editor recommendsThe Scene at the Venice Film Festival 2011Venice Film Festival: Where to Stay and Eat in ItalyVenice Film Festival: 10 Movies to KnowRelated Topics•Venice International Film...•Toronto International Fil... PHOTOS: Venice Film Festival: 10 Movies to Know An overweight thirtysomething schlub desperately lacking social skills, Abe (Jordan Gelber) pushes through his little corner of the world, belly pointing the way, as an affront to the virtues of human decency and accomplishment. Although he gets the phone number of a quiet woman, Miranda (Selma Blair) he meets at the Jewish wedding that opens the picture, Abe seems clueless as to his own cluelessness; he lives with his parents (Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow), hates his successful doctor brother (Justin Bartha), maintains an office at his father's business but doesn't do anything, collects children's plastic action figures and burns lots of gas in his yellow Hummer. In a way, he's like Paddy Chayevsky's Marty, a pathetic little big guy who's not getting any younger and needs a woman and a life. But dramatically, he's the other side of the coin: Instead of being portrayed sensitively and sympathetically, he's displayed as a useless slug who has nothing to offer. "You should just face the truth," he exclaims to his concerned mother, who asks, "What is the truth?" "That we're all terrible people!," retorts Abe, and that's the way these bad taste New York-area folks come off. Abe is angry most of the time, except when he speaks with Miranda, who also lives with her parents, seems terminally depressed and morose and is afflicted with hepatitis B in the bargain. PHOTOS: The Scene at Venice Film Festival Miranda's acceptance of Abe's brash marriage proposal cues a forced social gathering of future in-laws so strained it makes Woody Allen's encounter with Diane Keaton's family in Annie Hall (also involving Walken) look like the party of the year; for her part, Miranda beholds her betrothed's bedroom, which is dominated by kids' toys and a World Book set. Miranda does have an ex, Makmoud (Aasif Mondvi), from Dubai, whom she is keen for Abe to meet but, when they do, Abe promptly slugs him. Good old Abe, you can always count on him to do the right thing. Alternating between a naïve solicitude toward Miranda and ferocious hostility toward virtually everyone else, Abe is not very good company to begin with and becomes a tiresome character when it's apparent he's not destined to acquire further insight or self-knowledge. More than most of the director's films, Dark Horse is centered on one character rather than on an ensemble, to diminished returns. But beyond the belligerent Abe, what limits interest here is the directness of the script's presentation of a warped, stunted personality; what you see in the first few minutes is what you get, whereas the twisty narratives and outrageous revelations of Solondz's best films acrue to sometimes astonishingly perverse and bracingly nasty effect. Dark Horse is more of a sketch and the main character might have better served as one of several in a group, rather than being imposed on the audience full-time. One can scarcely fault Gelber, as he fully and forcefully delivers the overbearing qualities called for by his director. It might also be noted that, should the young Harvey Weinstein ever become a character in a film, Gelber, at least physically, could be the guy to play him. The most appealing performance, however, comes from Blair; at first scarcely able to speak, her physically and psychologically impaired Miranda generates growing sympathy and surprise. Walken, Farrow, Mondvi, Bartha and, as a vampy coworker who comes on to Abe (at least in his imagination), Donna Murphy all click effectively in caricature mode. Musical and design aspects are consistently in a mocking register. Venue: Venice Film Festival Production: Double Hope Films Sales: Goldcrest Films Cast: Jordan Gelber, Selma Blair, Justin Bartha, Mia Farrow, Donna Murphy, Christopher Walken, Zachary Booth, Aasif Mondvi Director: Todd Solondz Screenwriter: Todd Solondz Producers: Ted Hope, Derrick Tseng Director of photography: Andrij Parekh Production designer: Alex DiGerlando Editor: Kevin Messman 85 minutes Toronto International Film Festival Venice International Film Festival

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Madonna's 'Material Girl' Trademark Claim Declined by Judge

Ian Gavan/Getty Images Madonna may be residing in a fabric world, but her hang on the saying "Material Girl" is legally dubious. A federal judge in California has declined the pop star's argument that they has built trademark primacy over "Material Girl" for any type of clothing simply because she produced an audio lesson through the same title in 1985. Madonna and her company, Material Girl Brand, are fighting a suit introduced this past year by LA Triumph, an L.A.-based clothing store that states happen to be selling "Material Girl" clothing since 1997 and it has an authorized trademark. In reaction, the singer attempted to find the suit thrown by showing evidence she produced popular song that introduced "Material Girl" to fame a lot more than two-and-a-half decades ago. In the court papers, Madonna stated she's the fabric Girl, and she or he was the very first user beginning in 1985. California Judge S. James Otero isn't impressed. "Accused' argument that Madonna produced the 'Material Girl' mark through her performances fails ought to be law," the judge creates within an order denying summary judgment. "This Court along with other courts have recognized the singing of the song doesn't produce a trademark." The judge also declined arguments that $85 million price of "Material Girl" relatedmerchandise sales within the eighties is sufficient to establish being the "senior trademark user" because concert paraphernalia doesn't strictly associate to clothing sales. But Juse Otero allows the jury to listen to evidence relating to this in a trial, scheduled for October. If the organization lives as much as its title, LA Triumph might pressure Madonna to choose a brand new reputation for her clothing at shops like Macy's, a co-defendant within the situation. E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner Madonna

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'The Help' Wins Third Straight Box Office Weekend

FROM MTV MOVIES: Person to person in regards to a movie in line with the written word demonstrated effective all over again as "The AssistanceInch clung towards the #1 place in the box office for that third consecutive weekend. The 4-day Labor Day weekend is typically slow for cinemas, even though that one wasn't any exception, the ensemble picture according to Kathryn Stockett's debut novel required in another $19 million, based on estimations. "The AssistanceInch first showed at #2 (behind "Rise from the Planet from the Apes") last month but has capped this area office every week since. Having a $123.4 million domestic gross against its modest $25 million budget, "The AssistanceInch movie is really a smash similar to the novel. The final movie to keep to the #1 place for 3 consecutive weekends was filmmaker Christopher Nolan's acclaimed mind bender "Beginning." Among the ensemble castmembers from "The Assistance,Inch relative newcomer Jessica Chastain, switched up included in the ensemble within the weekend's #2 movie too. "Your DebtInch is really a remake of the 2007 Israeli film known as "'-Hov" featuring Chastain in flashbacks like a character performed by Helen Mirren. Browse the full story at MTV Movies!

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