September 23, 2011
Travolta visits Gotti widow to research new movie
NEW YORK (AP) – John Travolta visited the widow of mob boss John Gotti to do research for his upcoming movie role as the mafia kingpin.
The New York Post reports that Travolta arrived Thursday at the Gotti home in New York City to meet with widow Victoria Gotti, her son John “Junior” Gotti and other key players.
The Post said the “Pulp Fiction” star was greeted with handshakes and hugs. He brought a gift bag for Victoria Gotti and stayed inside for more than two hours.
All he would say when he emerged was that he was doing research for the movie.
John Gotti died in prison in 2002.
The movie “Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father” is set to start shooting in January. Barry Levinson is directing.
Music, media firms pin hopes on new Facebook ties
Ryan Nakashima, Business Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Music and media companies are pinning fresh hopes for reviving their businesses on a small ribbon that Facebook has begun putting on user profiles called the “ticker.”
The new, slim stream of updates automatically lists users’ activity on a range of apps made for listening to music, watching movies, reading news and playing games after users consent to the continuous sharing just once.
Clicking on your friends’ items in the ticker can lead to automatically being signed up for free trials on services such as music plans Spotify and Rhapsody, many of which may eventually ask for a monthly fee.
While the new feature is billed as a way of fencing off a huge volume of information on what you’re doing, for the businesses involved, this passive way of sharing is a giant viral marketing machine.
Axel Dauchez, the chief executive of music subscription service Deezer, which has 1.4 million paying customers in France and the U.K., said the integration with Facebook is key to its plan to roll out in more than 130 countries other than the U.S. over the next several weeks.
Facebook users who click on links of songs that friends are playing on Deezer are automatically signed up for a two-week trial with accounts that use their Facebook preferences. Then they are able to listen to their friends’ picks in real time or later at their convenience.
Dauchez said he hopes the system spawns “revolution” in how people listen to music, although it remains to be seen if more people end up paying for 5-euro- and 10-euro-per-month subscriptions.
“Reality will tell me if I’m right or wrong,” he said.
In introducing the new system at a developers conference in San Francisco that was viewable online, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the sharing as being part of a new product called the “timeline,” saying “apps help tell the story of your life.” The new system will result in “an order of magnitude more” posts than before, he said. Apps will come with their own set of privacy controls and previous posts can be manually deleted.
Several companies said the new sharing system would help users discover music, news stories and movies.
Netflix Inc. CEO Reed Hastings, said knowing that a Facebook friend has watched something is more compelling than his company’s own recommendation technology, which is based on one’s own past viewing behavior. He said because a friend of his watched AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” he finally got around to seeing it.
“Watching content because my friend did really trumped the algorithm,” Hastings told the audience.
Netflix’s integration will only be available for online streaming members in Canada and Latin America because an obscure law impedes a U.S. launch for now.
Daniel Ek, founder of music subscription service Spotify, told Facebook developers at the unveiling that the deeper integration will help the world “light up with music.” Since its launch in the U.S. in July, the Swedish company has boosted the number of paying customers to more than 2 million globally from 1.6 million previously.
Spotify charges $10 a month for unlimited access to tracks on mobile devices, but a PC-based version is free in the U.S. with no caps on usage for now. Clicking on friends’ passive posts puts a program on one’s computer that plays back the song.
Freeing people from the hassle of actively sharing songs they like will help keep people engaged in their friends’ listening habits without effort, said Spotify’s chief content officer, Ken Parks. “Anything that brings the friction out of that is great for everybody,” he said.
Rhapsody, a competing $10-a-month unlimited mobile music service, announced it would allow Facebook users 30 days to try out their service, even on mobile devices. Competitor Rdio is giving users a free 7-day trial on computers only.
“The more you help people discover music, the more social it is, the more they will be engaged,” said Rhapsody president Jon Irwin. “If they’re more engaged, then they’re more likely to subscribe.”
Lars von Trier retracts apology for Hitler remarks
NEW YORK (AP) – Lars von Trier is taking back his apology for saying at the Cannes Film Festival he sympathizes with Adolf Hitler.
Earlier this year at Cannes, the Danish filmmaker said he had believed he was Jewish until his mother told him on her deathbed that he wasn’t. He said his German ancestry made him “sympathize with (Hitler) a little bit.” He added that he supports Jews.
Von Trier, who was showcasing his film “Melancholia,” apologized, but was banned for the rest of the festival and declared “persona non grata.”
But in the October issue of GQ magazine, von Trier says he’s not sorry, only that he wishes he had made clear he was joking. He says, “I can’t be sorry for what I said. It’s against my nature.”
‘American Chopper’ star sued by upstate NY town
NEWBURGH, N.Y. (AP) – Reality TV star Paul Teutul (TUHT’-ihl) Sr. and his business Orange County Choppers are being sued over a tax dispute with the upstate New York town where they’re headquartered.
The Town of Newburgh is seeking about $18,000 of an unpaid “payment in lieu of taxes” on Orange County Choppers’ $12.5 million headquarters. The town accuses the star of “American Chopper” of a “long-standing pattern and practice of defrauding creditors.”
A lawyer for Teutel tells the Times Herald-Record of Middletown (http://bit.ly/qM23Xg ) that the accusation is baseless. He says they intend to pay the town.
Orange County Choppers Realty received a tax break on the building to pay a set annual sum for public services. The suit says the corporation failed to pay the fee due Jan. 1.
AMPAS puts new limits on pre-Oscar campaigning
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) – Oscar is clamping down on awards campaigning.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced new regulations Wednesday to curtail campaigning for the 84th annual Academy Awards. The new rules eliminate star-studded receptions for films and individual nominees after the Oscar nominations have been announced on Jan. 24, 2012.
There are no restrictions on screenings, receptions or filmmaker panel discussions prior to the nominations announcement, but once the nominees are known, receptions will not be allowed and no individual from any film can participate in more than two panel discussions.
Academy members and Oscar nominees are also prohibited from attending any non-screening events that promote or honor a nominated film or individual after the nominations announcement, but they’ll still be allowed to attend academy-sanctioned events and those held by various guilds and critics groups.
The run-up to the Academy Awards is typically crowded with countless parties and events aimed at courting awards voters. Earlier this year, parties for “The Social Network” and “The King’s Speech” each featured the casts of those films.
The new rules also extend the organization’s ban on negative campaigning to social media, and sets new penalties for violations. Members who break the rules will be subject to a one-year-suspension for their first infraction and possible expulsion for subsequent violations.
The regulations also allow for digital distribution of films to academy members, though academy president Tom Sherak says, “above all, we want academy members to see movies as they were meant to be seen, in a theatrical setting.”
The 84th annual Academy Awards will be presented Feb. 26, 2012.
Rome Film Festival to honor Richard Gere
ROME (AP) – Richard Gere will collect an honorary acting award at the Rome Film Festival opening next month.
Festival organizers on Wednesday cited the Hollywood actor’s work with such great directors as Robert Altman, Akira Kurosawa and Sidney Lumet, as well as his humanitarian work.
During the festival, the actor of “American Gigolo” and “Pretty Woman” will hold a meeting with movie buffs to discuss his decades-long career. The festival will also screen a restored version of “Days of Heaven,” a movie directed by Terrence Malick in 1978 that starred a young Gere.
The Rome event, a recent addition to the international festival circuit, runs from Oct. 27 through Nov. 4.
Paramount plans $700M revamp of Hollywood lotLOS ANGELES (AP) – Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures movie studio plans to apply to the city of Los Angeles this week for approval of a 25-year, $700 million plan to refurbish the lot in Hollywood it has occupied since 1926.
The approval process could take about two years.
“For nearly 100 years, Paramount Pictures has made movies that are loved around the world,” CEO Brad Grey said in a statement. “To continue to do that successfully, it is critical that we give our talent and staff the tools and technology they need to remain innovative in our approach to filmmaking.”
Paramount is the last major studio still located in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles – others are scattered throughout the area from Culver City to Burbank.
It plans to gradually revamp its 62-acre lot by tearing down some buildings and constructing new ones, turning surface parking lots into structures and expanding sound stage space to 383,100 square feet from 362,100 square feet.
The aim is to make the cramped lot more efficient, create better traffic flows, allow production offices to be closer to sound stages and make it easier for wardrobe trucks and dressing room trailers to get in and out.
Part of the problem with the current lot was that Paramount never fully integrated the former RKO Studios’ Gower lot in the western portion after buying that studio in 1967. So trailers are jammed into small spaces and sometimes must be parked far from the set where their occupants are working.
Paramount said the project will create 7,300 jobs and generate $1.1 billion in economic output during construction.
Polanski, Penn the stars of Zurich Film FestivalFrank Jordans
GENEVA (AP) – Roman Polanski returns to the Zurich Film Festival to accept a lifestime achievement award he was unable to pick up two years ago after being arrested for a decades-old sex-crime case.
The Polish-French director of “Rosemary’s Baby” was detained on arrival at Zurich airport in 2009 and subsequently spent months in prison and later house arrest before avoiding extradition to the United States on charges of having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.
Now able to travel unhindered to Switzerland, Polanski, 78, will be presented with the award at a Sept. 27 ceremony that will also feature the world premier of an unnamed documentary, the festival’s artistic director said Wednesday.
“It’s a very nice conclusion to this difficult time,” Karl Spoerri told The Associated Press ahead of Thursday’s opening night. “For us it’s a sign that he doesn’t feel any grudge against the festival. On the contrary, he’s looking forward to it and will be coming with a big surprise.”
Sean Penn is the festival’s other big name guest. The two-time Academy Award winner will receive Zurich’s Golden Icon Award on Sept. 28 followed by a screening of a retrospective in honor of the 51-year-old actor, director and producer.
“Sean Penn is one of the great actors of the last ten or twenty years, and he’s had a big impact on the new generation,” said Spoerri.
The festival in Switzerland’s biggest city started in 2005 with a budget of about $500,000. That has now grown tenfold, and over 45,000 visitors are expected to attend the seventh installment that includes ten world premieres and runs through Oct. 2.
NJ gov considers ‘Jersey Shore’ tax vetoTRENTON, N.J. (AP) – It’s not a “shore” thing yet.
Gov. Chris Christie is considering whether to stand in the way of a $420,000 tax credit for MTV’s “Jersey Shore.”
The state Economic Development Authority approved the film credit last week. It covers production costs for the hit reality series’ inaugural 2009 season.
Christie suspended the film tax credit program in 2010 to close a budget deficit. But the 2009 season still qualified.
The governor’s spokesman suggested last week that Christie couldn’t stop the tax credit. But Christie now says a veto is possible and that he’s reviewing it.
The show centers on the cast living and partying along the beach and boardwalk in Seaside Heights.
Sony’s ‘Smurfs,’ ‘Friends’ to be UltraViolet-readyLOS ANGELES (AP) – Sony Corp.’s movie studio said Tuesday that “The Smurfs” and “Friends With Benefits” will be the first movies it releases on home video that will be compatible with the UltraViolet view-anywhere system.
The movies will arrive in stores Dec. 2. The high-definition Blu-ray versions will be UltraViolet compatible.
Under the UltraViolet system, home movie purchases are recorded on an online account. Users will then be able to access those movies on other computers, Web-connected TVs, tablet computers and smartphones.
Studios hope the system will encourage purchase of digital copies of movies because it removes the hassle of transferring copies between devices or maintaining a library of discs. They are trying to offset the steady decline of DVD sales.
UltraViolet is backed by major studios including Sony, Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Bros., Comcast Corp.’s Universal, Viacom Inc.’s Paramount, and News Corp.’s 20th Century Fox.
The Walt Disney Co. has been developing a similar system which it calls KeyChest and is not participating in the UltraViolet system.
Film ‘Diner’ turned into a Broadway-bound musicalNEW YORK (AP) – Barry Levinson is returning to the diner.
The writer and director has revisited his 1982 movie, “Diner,” and turned it into a stage musical with the hope of putting it on Broadway next year. Sheryl Crow is supplying music and lyrics.
Set in Baltimore on Christmas 1959, the story explores the lives of a circle of friends in their early 20s, all set to vintage rock ‘n’ roll and doo-wop.
The film, which was Levinson’s screen directing debut, starred Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Paul Reiser, Tim Daly, Daniel Stern and Ellen Barkin.
Before it arrives on Broadway, the musical version will be mounted over the summer at a location still to be announced. It will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall.
50 Cent signs on to Alaska serial murderer film
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Rap star 50 Cent has signed on to play a pimp in a movie detailing Alaska’s infamous serial killer, Robert Hansen.
The Anchorage Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/pLfb7T) Curtis Jackson, the performer’s real name, has been cast for “Frozen Ground.”
Academy Award-winning actor Nicolas Cage will star in the movie detailing the police investigation of Hansen, who preyed on prostitutes and strippers in the 1970s and early ’80s in Anchorage. Hansen confessed to killing 17 women; some he let loose in the Alaska wilderness and hunted.
Cage will play an Alaska State Trooper who investigated the murders. John Cusack will play Hansen, and Vanessa Hudgens, of “High School Musical” fame, will play a victim who escaped.
Filming is scheduled to start in Anchorage in October.
The top iPhone and iPad apps on Apple’s App Store
App Store Official Charts for the week ending Sept. 19, 2011: (copyright) 2011 Apple, Inc.
Top Paid iPhone Apps:
1. SPY mouse (Electronic Arts)
2. Angry Birds (Clickgamer.com)
3. Angry Birds Seasons (Rovio Mobile Ltd.)
4. Fruit Ninja (Halfbrick Studios)
5. Camera+? (tap tap tap)
6. WhatsApp Messenger (WhatsApp Inc.)
7. Puffle Launch (Disney)
8. Angry Birds Rio (Rovio Mobile Ltd.)
9. Words With Friends (Newtoy Inc.)
10. Jetpack Joyride (Halfbrick Studios)
Top Free iPhone Apps:
1. Asphalt 6: Adrenaline (Gameloft)
2. Six Towers (AlphaWeb Plus LLP)
3. SpinArt (7twenty7 LLC)
4. Tangled (Billy Lavoie)
5. Parking Mania Lite (Clickgamer.com)
6. Early Bird (Booyah, Inc.)
7. Zombie Highway (Renderpaz)
8. Talking Larry the Bird (Outfit7)
9. Stupidness 2 (ORANGENOSE STUDIOS)
10. My Horse (NaturalMotion)
Top Paid iPad Apps:
1. Pages (Apple)
2. Keynote (Apple)
3. BackStab (Gameloft)
4. Puffle Launch (Disney)
5. Numbers (Apple)
6. Race illegal: High Speed 3D (Chillingo Ltd)
7. Jetpack Joyride (Halfbrick Studios)
8. Weather+ (International Travel Weather Calculator)
9. Documents To Go – Office Suite (DataViz, Inc.)
10. Chess (Mastersoft Mobile Solutions)
Top Free iPad Apps:
1. iBooks (Apple)
2. My Horse (NaturalMotion)
3. Zombie Highway (Renderpaz)
4. Netflix (Netflix, Inc.)
5. Tiny Zoo Friends (TinyCo, Inc.)
6. DragonVale (Backflip Studios)
7. Monster Pet Shop (Beeline Interactive, Inc.)
8. WatchESPN (ESPN)
9. Kindle (AMZN Mobile LLC)
10. Crackle – Movies & TV (Crackle, Inc.)
Source: Sheen, Warner nearing deal on lawsuitLynn Elber, Television Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Former “Two and a Half Men” star Charlie Sheen and the studio that fired him are drawing closer to a deal to end their legal dispute.
According to a person familiar with the talks, Sheen and Warner Bros. were near an agreement but still at work on it Monday. The person was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Calls to Sheen’s attorney were not returned. In a statement, the studio said no deal had been reached and declined further comment.
Sheen filed a $100 million lawsuit for wrongful termination against Warner after his firing, which followed bitter public tirades directed at the studio and the show’s executive producer.
A judge ordered arbitration in the case, with a status report set for December.
The Los Angeles Times reported that final touches are being put on a deal that would give Sheen about $25 million to settle out of his contract.
Sheen was the highest-paid actor in television, with a per-episode salary reported to be between $1.2 million to $2 million.
His clash with producers cut short last season for the CBS series that is TV’s highest-rated comedy.
“Two and a Half Men” returned to the air Monday with Ashton Kutcher joining the cast as a new character. He plays an Internet billionaire who decides to buy the house that had been owned by Sheen’s now-deceased character.
In a recent turnaround, Sheen has been making conciliatory gestures toward his former show.
Appearing at Sunday’s Emmy Awards as a presenter, he addressed the “Two and a Half Men” cast and crew, saying, “I wish you nothing but the best for this upcoming season.”
In an interview with Matt Lauer on “Today” last week, the actor known for his hard-partying life said he didn’t know how to “put out the fire” when he was fired and began a manic round of media appearances talking about “tiger blood” and “winning.”
Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.
Nielsen says 12.4 million viewers for Emmys
NEW YORK (AP) – Television networks must hope interest in the Emmy Awards is not a sign of things to come.
Nielsen said Monday that the annual ceremony honoring the best in TV was seen by 12.4 million viewers on Fox Sunday night. That’s about a million fewer viewers than watched each of the last two years. The Emmys’ look backward at memorable work also serves as the kickoff to a new TV season.
Competition was tough, with an NFL game getting 21.5 million viewers.
The digital recorder company TiVo says Charlie Sheen’s presentation of the best comic actor award was the moment most played back and watched on recorders.
Rashida Jones stars in latest Dove Hair campaign
Mae Anderson, Retail Writer
NEW YORK (AP) – Everyone has had a bad hair day – even entertainers.
To promote its new hair care products aimed at fixing dry and damaged hair, Dove has enlisted actress Rashida Jones to star in a new campaign that encourages people to “make friends with your hair.”
In a campaign beginning Monday, Unilever’s Dove is promoting its Dove Nourishing Oil Care Collection of hair products with TV ads that show Jones contending with frizzy hair while meeting friends at a restaurant and in a yoga class. The ads also promote a contest Dove is holding online in which people can submit videos about their bad hair days.
“If your hair has a mind of its own, tell us about it. You could star in the next Dove Hair Commercial,” the ads state.
