21 November

Director Robert Altman dead at 81

Director Robert Altman died at a Los Angeles Hospital at age 81. A five-time Academy Award nominee for best director, most recently for 2001's Gosford Park, he finally won a lifetime achievement Oscar in 2006. Altman work includes such films as M*A*S*H, Nashville, Short Cuts and The Player.

Photos of Viggo Mortensen in London

Viggo-Works posted some fresh photos (by Matrix) of Viggo Mortensen in London. Check it out. (Thanks to Sarah for reporting)

20 November

Cronenberg Shooting in London!

For those of you who live in Farringdon in London, pay a visit to St. John Street. At least 2 people have reported seeing David Cronenberg, Naomi Watts and Vincent Cassel there, less than 3 hours ago. Apparently, they already started shooting Eastern Promises. If any of you live in the area and can take a few photos, to share with the rest of us - mail me and I'll post them on this site.

19 November

Cronenberg Criticizes Tories' Budget Cut

The federal Conservatives - and their resolve to trim fat - are driving director David Cronenberg crazy. So he shot off a letter this week to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, criticizing him for his government's decision to slash the Foreign Affairs public diplomacy budget - a fund that Cronenberg contends supports artists in the international arena. In his letter, he said the budget cut "will affect - even destroy - cultural programming provided in Canada's missions abroad, at its embassies, high commissions and the Canadian cultural centres." Cronenberg says embassies around the world have consistently extended him a helping hand that has been invaluable in spreading the word about his films.

Q&A with Danny Elfman

The Hollywood Reporter has an article about a Q&A with composer Danny Elfman which was conducted last week, in which he talks about the past and his upcoming projects. Elfman has released his new album Serenada Schizophrana last month. This album marks Elfman's first classical concert work, and the composer said it originally was intended to be a "small work" but ended up as an "ambitious, crazy collection of six movements all countering each other. I'm always aware of the fact that there are two composers living inside of me that don't like each other - one wants to be taken more seriously and the other anything but seriously".

17 November

Eastern Promises Begins Production

Eastern Promises, the new thriller from director David Cronenberg, begins production in London next week. The film is written by Steven Knight (Academy Award nominated screenwriter of Dirty Pretty Things). The Canada-UK co-production will be distributed by Focus Features in the US and handle international sales. Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Distribution will distribute in Canada. The producers of Eastern Promises are Toronto-based Robert Lantos of Serendipity Point Films and London-based Paul Webster of Kudos Pictures. Eastern Promises reteams Mr. Cronenberg with his A History of Violence leading man Viggo Mortensen and his Crash and eXistenZ producer Robert Lantos. The film follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Mr. Mortensen), who is tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is jarred when he crosses paths with Anna (Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife trying to right a wrong, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Now Nikolai must put into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution. The supporting cast includes Vincent Cassel, Academy Award nominee Armin Mueller-Stahl, Mina Erian Mina, Sarah Jeanne-LaBrosse and Sinead Cusack. "This marks my third collaboration with David, and it's one that I've been looking forward to with intense anticipation," said producer Robert Lantos. Focus Features CEO James Schamus added, "We're pleased to be partnering on this exciting project. Steven Knight's screenplay resonates strongly for our world today, and it will be well-served by these fine actors." Financiers include Astral Media, Corus Entertainment and Telefilm Canada.

Naomi Watts Takes Motorcycle Lessons

Naomi Watts takes motorcycle lessons in a London, where she is filming David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises. See article and photo here.

13 November

Darren Aronofsky's Projects Update

With his new movie The Fountain opening in the US in less than 2 weeks, director Darren Aronofsky gave CHUD.com, slashfilm.com and Wired an update on his future plans, including the rumored movies: Undisclosed Biblical Project: Aronofsky currently reveals almost nothing about this project, except that it's a biblical epic from a poem that he wrote when he was in the 7th grade (and won an award for it) and that it's going to be huge - even bigger than The Fountain. He actually wanted to do it before Pi. Lone Wolf and Cub: Dead. "Paramount never got the rights. And we developed a script, but now the rights don't exist". Lost (an episode in the hit TV series): Aronofsky was forced to bow out of due to scheduling conflicts.

James Cameron Rumors

According to a recent rumor, actor Joel Moore will be the leading man in James Cameron new film Avatar. According to another rumor, Arnold Schwarzenegger is in talks to star in Cameron's Battle Angel Alita in the role of a Cyborg named Ido. The rumor claims that Cameron wants Arnold for this role and is even willing to stall the film for that purpose. With an estimated budget of $200m, Cameron hopes to shoot the movie in stereoscopic digital 3D with a cast almost entirely composed of animated CG, using an improved "performance capture" technique similar to what was first used by director Robert Zemeckis in The Polar Express.

11 November

Music Recommendation: Tom McRae

I only found out this musician yesterday, after watching the Norwegian movie Uno (2004) and I immediately fell in love with his style. Quiet, Beautiful and extremely relaxing. It reminded me the atmosphere and mood of Vincent Gallo's movies (Buffalo '66 and The Brown Bunny) and Sean Penn's The Indian Runner. You can listen to full songs from his albums on his official site and his official myspace account. I highly recommend you to check them out.

9 November

Composer Basil Poledouris Dead at 61

Composer Basil Poledouris passed away yesterday in LA after a battle with cancer. He was just 61 years old. Poledouris composed the music to such movies as Conan the Barbarian (its theme was rehashed by Jerry Goldsmith in Total Recall), Conan the Destroyer, The Hunt For Red October, Free Willy, The Blue Lagoon, Serial Mom, Red Dawn and the TV Western miniseries Lonesome Dove. He also collaborated with director Paul Verhoeven on 3 movies: Flesh + Blood (1985), RoboCop (1987) and Starship Troopers (1997). Born in Kansas, he studied piano from the age of 9 and played in a high school folk group. Following a stint at USC studying film and music, he got a break working for TV, but then moved to movies thanks to former classmate John Milius, who brought him in to write the music for Big Wednesday. Poledouris has two daughters. One of them is singer/composer Zoe Poledouris (from the band Looner). Basil Poledouris' Official Site and Message Board. Basil Poledouris' CDs at Amazon.