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June 29, 2006 - July 10, 2006
News for Jul. 10, 2006
Old Disney magic in new animated logo
7/10/06, 9:00 pm EST - Xoanon
Moviegoers who saw Walt Disney Pictures' "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" over the weekend also discovered an unexpected bit of treasure. Buried beneath the usual movie trailers, just as "Dead Man's Chest" started, Disney unveiled a new, computer-animated logo that the Burbank-based studio spent a year designing...The execs tapped Disney producer Baker Bloodworth and director Mike Gabriel, both Oscar nominated in 2004 for the animated short film "Lorenzo." Gabriel devised three different treatments, created animatic storyboards, showed Aviv and Cook the frames and re-worked the designs until everyone was on board. Academy Award-winning studio Weta Digital in New Zealand was chosen to animate the story and add visual effects. "We chose to go to the world's best (visual effects) studio, where they specialize in live action/real-life simulation," Aviv said. [
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Don't Forget Our Online Chat Today!
7/10/06, 1:35 pm EST - Xoanon
We are very pleased to announce a chat with Jeffrey Steefel, executive producer of the Lord of the Rings Online game. Join us in #TheHallofFire Monday, July 10th at 5:30pm to find out more about this exciting game! [More]
King Kong Extended Edition Presentation at Comic-Con!
7/10/06, 1:29 pm EST - Xoanon
Gnomeo as well as many others sent this in from the Comic-Con 2006 Official Programming for Friday, July 21.
4:00-4:15 Universal Home Video: King Kong Deluxe Extended DVD— A sneak peek from the upcoming King Kong Deluxe Extended Edition DVD will be introduced by a message from director Peter Jackson. Hall H [
Comic-Con.org]
DVD Tuesday: Marilyn Hotchkiss, Blackbeard, Negadon & More!
7/10/06, 10:36 am EST - Xoanon
A ton of interesting new films are out on DVD this week. Take an early look on our 'DVD Tuesday' feature...every Monday! Check out Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School, National Geographic: Blackbeard - Terror at Sea, Negadon - The Monster From Mars and The HD DVD version of Pitch Black. [
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News for Jul. 07, 2006
Calendar girl Watts
7/07/06, 10:19 pm EST - Xoanon
Naomi Watts joins a galaxy of female stars posing nude for the 2007 cult Pirelli calendar. Next year's calendar also features veteran sex symbol Sofia Loren, who first featured on magazine covers half a century ago, dressed up only in diamond earrings. Other stars include Spain's Penelope Cruz, US star Hilary Swank and France's Lou Doillon, the daughter of singer-actress Jane Birkin. [
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LOTR Online Developer Chat Monday July 10
7/07/06, 12:18 pm EST - Xoanon
We are very pleased to announce a chat with Jeffrey Steefel, executive producer of the Lord of the Rings Online game. Join us in #TheHallofFire Monday, July 10th at 5:30pm to find out more about this exciting game!
Jeffrey Steefel joined Turbine, Inc in early 2004 and is currently the Executive Producer in charge of the upcoming MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online. LOTRO will be the first and only online persistent world based directly on the literary works of J.R.R Tolkien and will host a world-wide community of fans and gamers.
Jeffrey has been a professional in the Entertainment and Technology industries for almost 20 years, serving as Executive, Director, Head of Production, Principal Designer and Business Strategist for multiple new-media, entertainment and technology organizations ranging from young start-ups to media and technology giant, Sony. [More]
News for Jul. 05, 2006
Where My Kong At on MTV2?
7/05/06, 7:20 pm EST - Xoanon
Sparxfan writes: On a recent episode of MTV2's new animated series "Where My Dogs At?" lead canines Buddy and Woof go to the MTV Movie Awards. King Kong is chained to the stage, a la the movie, and remains onstage during the entire show, his feet being visible behind the presenters. He gets more screen time throughout the show, though, as he nods his head along to 50 Cent, kills presenter Jimmy Fallon by breaking free of his chains and smashing Jimmy to a bloody pulp with his fist, and then dons sunglasses and a Kangol hat when the show is over and he gets up to leave.
TV Watch: Black on 'Leno' Repeat
7/05/06, 9:15 am EST - Xoanon
A repeat airing of
Jack Black on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' is set to air tonight on NBC. If you haven't seen it, it's new to you! You can catch him on TV tonight at 11:30, or you can watch the clip right here! [
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News for Jul. 04, 2006
Kiwis fight for equal rights on the set
7/04/06, 9:25 pm EST - Xoanon
The Box Office triumphs of movies like The Lord of the Rings, King Kong and The Chronicles of Narnia have helped New Zealand develop an international reputation for filmmaking. But it seems these highly bankable blockbusters, and a host of more modest but critically acclaimed films, came at a price. Kiwi actors and technicians have been paid less than the Australians working on the same productions, and that pay disparity has angered union members on both sides of the Tasman, as New Zealand Correspondent Peter Lewis reports. [
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News for Jul. 03, 2006
DVD Tuesday: The Libertine & The Matador!
7/03/06, 10:11 am EST - Xoanon
It is a very slow holiday weekend in North America, with Canada Day & the Fourth of July only days apart. The studios are reluctant to release anything this time of year, let alone anything that may potentially be a big seller. This week we are thrown two box office bombs in the form of Johnny Depp's 'The Libertine' and former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan's 'The Matador'. [
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News for Jul. 02, 2006
Who's getting a call from Peter Jackson?
7/02/06, 10:45 am EST - Xoanon
While
Peter Jackson remains tight-lipped about who he is casting in upcoming movies, there's a lot of people willing to spill the beans. Sightings of Hollywood star Denzel Washington in Wellington this week are a reminder of how much the city has changed. There was a time when the closest we got to big name movie stars was by going to the movies. But not now, when Wellington is home to
Peter Jackson. One of the best rumours during the early days of Jackson's The Lord of the Rings were sightings of former James Bond Sean Connery, whom many people were convinced would play the good wizard
Gandalf – a role later taken by Sir
Ian McKellen. Everyone knew someone who knew someone who had seen Connery in the capital. People claimed to have spotted the Scottish actor eating at the humble Chocolate Fish Cafe in Wellington's Scorching Bay – not far from Jackson's home. [
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Locations see tourism surge after movies
7/02/06, 10:25 am EST - Xoanon
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- New York City's best pitchman these days might be King Kong. In posters and billboards around Britain -- and soon in Japan -- the super-sized gorilla is shown looming above the Empire State Building with a slogan that beckons potential tourists: "You've seen the film, now visit the set." More than ever, tourism promoters are realizing the power of cinema to attract visitors -- as are dozens of tour operators, authors and hoteliers who are capitalizing on the public's fascination with celebrity. [
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News for Jun. 29, 2006
Denzel talks with Jackson
6/29/06, 9:55 pm EST - Xoanon
Oscar-winner Denzel Washington has confirmed he visited Wellington to see director
Peter Jackson and the Hollywood heavyweights will collaborate on a new film project. A relaxed and casually dressed Washington turned heads at Wellington airport yesterday as he flew out at the end of a four-day work trip. He told The Dominion Post he had been in town to explore a film project that would require fellow Oscar-winner Jackson's help. Speaking at the check-in counter, Washington said he would direct the movie, which he hoped would be released in two years. Jackson would provide the special effects. However, he was reluctant to divulge further details – or say whether any filming would be done in the capital. When asked whether he had met Jackson during his visit, Washington replied: "Of course." [
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TV Watch: Black on 'Leno' Clip
6/29/06, 4:20 pm EST - Xoanon
Jack Black was a guest on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' not too long ago, they spoke about Jack's new baby boy, and how he proposed to his wife. There is a funny clip from Nacho Libre as well. Take a look!
(61MB MOV)[
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