Roman Polanski is issuing directives to his associates to ensure that his latest film -The Ghost - will be readied according to his wishes in time for the Berlin Film Festival in February. Polanski is currently in jail in France as he fights extradition to the USA for trial in a sex scandal with a minor that dates back over thirty years ago. His new film stars Pierce Brosnan as a British prime minister involved in a scandal of his own. For more click here

Variety's Peter Bart, a former studio executive, ponders why cash-strapped MGM is remaking the anemic Cold War thriller Red Dawn. He also provides some fascinating info on why the original 1984 film went off course. It started as a Lord of the Flies-type story and ended up being a blood-and-guts war movie, thanks to being taken over by director John Milius and-believe it or not- former Nixon chief-of-staff General Alexander Haig, who was on the MGM board of directors and envisioned a career producing movies. For more click here