Weekend Newsreel - September 23, 2005

Compiled by the FilmBuffOnLine Staff

 

Bruce Lee Unites Bosnia, Gets Statues- Martial arts legend Bruce Lee is set to be honored with a statue in the Bosnian city of Mostar after city officials realized that all factions of the ethnically divided city looked to the late movie star as a hero. The city in the former Yugoslavia had been devastated during the mid-90s by ethnic fighting between the Croats, Bosnians and Serbs. The life-size, bronze statue is expected to be finished next month and erected in a city center park. Meanwhile, in Lee’s adopted home of Hong Kong, the members of the Bruce Lee Club have asked the Hong Kong government for help in paying for an eight-foot, two-inch statue of Lee to commemorate the actor’s 65th birthday this coming November. The club has already raised half of the project’s $155,000.00 cost and has appealed to government officials to donate the remainder needed. The statue is set to be placed on the Avenue of Stars, which honors Hong Kong’s movie stars.  

 

Indian Film Stars To Perform This Weekend- Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, the two reigning leading men of the Hindi film industry, and Rani Mukherjee, one of Bollywood's leading actresses, are set to perform this Saturday, September 24 at an awards ceremony honoring the music of the Indian film industry in Oakland, California.

 

 

Fox To Donate Portion Of Roll Bounce Box Office- Fox Searchlight has announced that they will donate 10% of this weekend’s box office receipts for the new film Roll Bounce to Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. In a studio press release, Director Malcolm D. Lee and Producers Robert Teitel and George Tillman, Jr. stated: "We are so proud that the love, laughter and creative force that was poured into making this heart-warming family film will be channeled toward the support of those families in need." Roll Bounce is scheduled to open on 1,625 screens.

 

 

Toronto Film Fest Results- The Toronto Film Fest wrapped up last week, announcing their awards at a star-studded gala this past Saturday. Taking the coveted People’s Choice award this year was Tsotsi, a British/South African co-production that traces six days in the life of a young, ruthless gang leader. A total of 335 films from 52 countries screened over 10 days at this year’s festival and included 109 world and 78 North American premiers. The complete list of winners can be found at the festivals website.

 

 

Johnny Concretehands- In a ceremony timed to coincide with the release of his new film Corpse Bride, Johnny Depp joined numerous other Hollywood luminaries by having his hand and footprints immortalized in concrete in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard this past Friday. “to say that this is overwhelming is probably the understatement of the millennium,” Depp said to the hundreds of fans and onlookers assembled. The animated Corpse Bride, Depp’s fifth collaboration with director Tim Burton, opens wider this weekend.

 

 

IN REMEMBRANCE-

Sid Luft- Producer, 89.

Guy Green- Cinematographer/director, 91.

 

 

Opening In Theaters This Weekend-

 

September 23

  • Daltry Calhoun (NY, LA)

  • Dear Wendy (NY, LA)

  • Dirty Love (limited)

  • Dorian Blues

  • Flightplan

  • A History Of Violence (Top 10 markets)

  • Into The Fire (NY)

  • Magnificent Desolution: Walking On The Moon 3D (IMAX)

  • Occupation: Dreamland (limited)

  • Oliver Twist (limited)

  • Proof (top 20 markets)

  • Roll Bounce

  • Steal Me (LA)

  • Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride (wider)

 

September 28

  • Forty Shades Of Blue (NY)

  • The Prize Winner Of Defiance, Ohio (NY, LA)