Weekend Newsreel - September 16, 2005

Compiled by the FilmBuffOnLine Staff

 

Shirley Temple SAG Award- The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced earlier this week that Shirley Temple Black, the child star who fascinated many generations as the curly-haired girl who could act, sing and dance all by age five, will receive its prestigious Life Achievement Award. "She has lived the most remarkable life, as the brilliant performer the world came to know when she was just a child, to the dedicated public servant who has served her country both at home and abroad for 30 years," SAG president Melissa Gilbert said in a statement on the SAG website. After signing a lucrative contract with Fox Studios, the young Shirley Temple starred in an astounding 10 films in 1934, including such memorable fare as Baby Take a Bow and Bright Eyes–-the film which introduced her signature song “On the Good Ship Lollipop” - and was given an honorary Oscar Award for her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment in 1935. Temple was previously awarded a Kennedy Center honor in 1998 for her lifetime contribution to the arts and American culture. Black will be presented the award during the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 29, 2006.

 

 

Jackie Chan Announces Retirement- Hong Kong action icon Jackie Chan has stated that he expects to stop acting within five years, hoping to limit his future film work to directing and producing. He did say that at age 51 he still findshis physically demanding martial arts roles relatively easy, adding that actors like Clint Eastwood have continued to take leads in action-thrillers despite their age.  Chan had already stated he was taking a break from making films in Hollywood, after his last picture, an adaptation of Jules Verne’s Around The World In 80 Days, failed at the box office in the summer of 2004.  In addition to producing action films, Chan stated that he would also like to make smaller-budgeted films and nature documentaries as well as train young directors and stunt actors. Chan made the announcement this past Monday, September 12, while in Malaysia doing promotional interviews for his upcoming film The Myth, which is set to open in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia next Friday, September 23. No U.S. release date has been scheduled for The Myth at press time.

 

 

Shaolin Monks Go Hollywood- After having watched their martial arts they developed used in films from both Hollywood and Hong Kong, the monks of China’s Shaolin Temple have decided to get into the motion picture business for themselves. Temple Abbot Shi Yongxin will serve as the executive producer of the first of three feature films to be produced by the Shaolin Culture Broadcast Company, a subsidiary of the Temple’s commercialized business. Titled The Legend Of The Monk Warriors of Shaolin Temple, the film will tell the true story of 30 warrior monks who fought 16th century pirates. The Temple will have full control of the film’s script, hoping to ensure an accurate representation of Buddhism and the spiritual elements that underlie kung fu. Budgeted at approximately $33 million, the film has a projected 2008 release.

 

 

Hooters releases Betty Boop Pin- Hooters Restaurants, the restaurant chain known more for its tightly t-shirted waitresses than for its buffalo wings, has announced that they will be featuring classic animation character Betty Boop in a new series of the franchise’s line of collectable lapel pins. "It's a great match," said Tim Frazier, executive vice president of Super Sports Merchandisers in Atlanta, manufacturers of the pins and other promotional merchandise for Hooters. "Betty is perfect. She's sassy and has a long history of sassiness." Although this is the first series of pins to feature a licensed character, this is not the first set of label pins with a Hollywood connection that Hooters has released. The chain has previously released a set of pins based on the Marilyn Monroe film The Seven Year Itch. 

 

 

Technical  Oscar Contenders Announced- Although it is just under six months until the March 5, 2006 presentation of the 78th Annual Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have already announced their list of the 17 preliminary contenders for the Science and Technical Oscars. You can read more of FilmBuffOnLine’s coverage, including a list of all the nominees, here.

 

 

IN REMEMBRANCE-

 

Robert Wise- Director, 91.

 

Opening In Theaters This Weekend-

  • Cry Wolf

  • Everything Is Illuminated

  • G (limited)

  • Green Street Hooligans (wider)

  • Hard Goodbyes: My Father (NY)

  • Hellbent (limited)

  • Human Error (NY)

  • Just Like Heaven

  • Lord Of War

  • One Bright Shining Moment (NY)

  • Proof (NY, LA)

  • Separate Lives (NY)

  • The Thing About My Folks

  • Three Dancing Slaves (LA)

  • Thumbsucker (NY, LA)

  • Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride (NY, LA, Toronto)

  • Venom

  • The Weeping Meadow (NY)

 

 

DVD Best Bets- A couple of nice special edition DVDs are being released this coming Tuesday. . . If it lives up to the quality of his Clerks: 10th Anniversary Edition released last year, director Kevin Smith’s Mallrats: 10th Anniversary Edition should be a treat for his fans. . . The Outsiders: The Complete Novel Special Edition contains a new edit of the 1983 Francis Ford Coppola classic film with 22 minutes of footage added. . . A pair of talked about documentaries from last year, Born Into Brothels and Inside Deep Throat, also hit the shelves. You can find a complete list of this week's DVD releases here.