Corman in London, photographed by Cinema Retro's Mark Mawston.

Entertainment Weekly columnist Chris Nashawaty has done yeoman work in soliciting comments from some top-name directors, actors and writers who recall their memories of working for producer Roger Corman. The B movie king is finally being shown the respect he deserves, culminating with a special Oscar being bestowed on him for his remarkable achievements in film. Corman gave crucial first breaks to many directors and actors who went on to have great careers. In this article, homage is paid to Corman by Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Joe Dante, Jonathan Demme, Sylvester Stallone, Dennis Hopper, William Shatner, Richard Matheson and others. Click here to read 

As our regular readers know, Cinema Retro likes to help publicize innovative independent films relating to those glorious by-gone years of the 60s and 70s. Thus, when we were contacted by Darrett Sanders, one of the producers of the new 60s spy spoof Scream of the Bikini, we were immediately hooked. The film has been winning accolades on the festival circuits and is playing limited engagements in theaters. The official web site is worthy of a visit, as it is chock-full of sexy production stills and retro posters like the one above that perfectly emulates those wonderful old door panels that used to grace movie theater lobby doors. Good luck, guys - we're looking forward to seeing the film. Click here for the official web site

Even by the shameless spending habits of Hollywood stars, Nicholas Cage crossed the line. The Oscar winner is in major financial problems, owing the IRS $6 million. He has blamed the bulk of his dilemma on the alleged inefficiencies of his business manager. However, in a scathing report on the Daily Beast site, reporter Jacob Bernstein unveils plenty of evidence that Cage is responsible for his own dilemma. Bernstein outlines a mind-bending history of personal excess on Cage's part, as evidenced by the kind of spending that made Michael Jackson look like a miser. Cage's child-like spending habits saw him by the world's most expensive sports cars on a whim, throw parties that would embarrass the emperor Nero for their tastelessness, and indulge himself in every luxury in the belief the good times would roll forever. Cage also gave generously to charities, even as his own clout at the box-office began to seriously wane. He is now desperately trying to sell off his assets for far less than he paid for them. Click here to read the eye-opening report. 

Producer and Cinema Retro contributor Steven J. Rubin has partnered with Beyond the Sea producer Arthur E. Friedman to bring the life story of Audie Murphy to the big screen. Murphy, one of the nation's most decorated soldiers, gained international fame for his daring exploits in WWII. He eventually had a successful acting career that was cut short when he perished in a plane crash in 1971. Murphy played himself in the hit 1955 WWII pic To Hell and Back. Rubin and Friedman plan to adapt the Don Graham biography of Murphy, No Name on the Bullet, for the screen. Murphy's son Terry is participating in the project. For more click here.

(For Steven J. Rubin's article on the making of The Great Escape, see Cinema Retro issue #1)

Disney has temporarily shelved plans for a much-vaunted remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, although the studio is committed to ultimately making it. Apparently the director, McG, has withdrawn from the project, which was slated to begin shooting in February, even though no casting has been announced. By the way, what's with the name of the director? We don't mind great historical figures being referred to by one name, but McG hardly qualifies for the honor alongside Picasso and Rembrandt. In fact, his qualifications seem somewhat less impressive than those that earned Liberace a one-name monicker. For more click here

Almost twenty years since he played Dick Tracy, Warren Beatty is embroiled in a court battle over who owns the rights to the legendary comic strip character. The Tribune Company claims rights to Tracy reverted to the company because Beatty never launched another film project based on the character. In court documents, however, Beatty indicated he is working on a TV special with Turner Classic Movies. For the full story click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

The critically-lambasted Roland Emmerich disaster flick 2012 defied expectations and has amassed a gigantic opening gross of $225 million from international play dates. The film benefited from a strong marketing campaign that persuaded plenty of dimwits in the audience that the world really is expected to end in 2012, based on some hooey in an ancient Mayan calendar. So many people bombarded NASA with their concerns that, for the first time, the space agency had to go viral in their own marketing campaign to assure these folks that the world isn't really scheduled to be destroyed in 2012. (If that were the case, you could at least be assured that Cinema Retro wouldn't send you any more of those annual letters cajoling you to renew your subscription.) Disney's A Christmas Carol held strong and looks to build into a sizable holiday hit. The rock-oriented Pirate Radio opened weak but the studio hopes word-of-mouth will help build the grosses. For more click here 

People magazine has an interesting article that provides insights into the bad press attached to actor Randy Quaid. He and his wife Evi have recently been accused of defrauding creditors and skipping court hearings. The result was their arrest and extradition to California where their increasingly strange behavior seems to have tarnished Quaid's reputation as a lovable, funny character actor. The common theme through the People story is the insinuation that Evi has led Quaid down the path of self-destruction by alienating friends and engaging in antics that saw Quaid's career harmed. Judge for yourself by clicking here to read

Optimum Releasing, which controls the rights to the British Film Archive, has teamed with Pinewood Studios for increased efforts to preserve classic British films that are currently stored at the legendary studio. New archival facilities will be built to provide cold storage for 1400 titles. Some specific titles such as Peeping Tom and The Dam Busters will be re-issued to theaters and then released on Blu-ray DVD. We will wish Hollywood studios would show the same interest in preserving and reissuing classic American titles. The UK film industry deserves praise for their efforts. For more click here

The Samuel Goldwyn Company has acquired the rights to the British crime thriller Harry Brown,which debuts this weekend in the UK. The Michael Caine-starrer has been generating major buzz with some comparing it to his landmark 1971 crime classic Get Carter. The film will be released in the US next year, but no firm date has been announced. For more click here

The honors continue to roll in for Clint Eastwood, who is filming his supernatural thriller Hereafter in Europe. Eastwood was inducted as a commander in the French Legion of Honor. The recognition was awarded to Eastwood by French president Nicholas Sarkozy, who joked with the 79 year-old Oscar winner that he resented the fact that he was in better physical condition than the 54 year-old Sarkozy is. Eastwood expressed his respect for France and the French people, saying, "It is just a great pleasure for me. I really love France. I love movies, and I love the appreciation that the French people have for movies." For more click here

Director Martin Scorsese will receive the coveted Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award at the next Golden Globes ceremony on January 17. Scorsese previously received competitive Golden Globes for his direction of Gangs of New York and The Departed. For more click here

It's always a pleasure to receive the latest issue of Little Shoppe of Horrors, the publication dedicated entirely to the history and legacy of the classic Hammer horror films. Over the years, publisher Dick Klemensen and his writers have provided a priceless history of these movies, incorporating insightful writing with interviews pertaining to the people who made them. The latest issue, #23, continues these high standards of quality. Contents include:

• Archival interviews with Hammer legends Michael Ripper, John Gilling, Michael Carreras and Michael Gough
• Bruce Hallenbeck's tributes to the unsung Hammer gem Plague of the Zombies and The Reptile
• rare photos of the last days of Hammer film productions at Bray Studios
• a tribute to character actor Andre Morell
• interview with actors John Carson and Jacqueline Pearce
• the latest Hammer news and reviews of genre books, CDs and videos you might not otherwise be aware of.

There are also dozens of the usual eye-popping, rare photos and poster designs peppered throughout this creatively-designed magazine. Put this issue on your "must have" list. (Note: like many other niche publications, Little Shoppe of Horrors has been impacted by recent changes in the magazine distribution business. You may not be able to find this issue at your local store, so the best way to support the magazine is by ordering it through their web site by clicking here.)

MGM is taking on the persona of the sexy girl every guy wants to date, but no one wants to take home to meet mom. The legendary studio is facing a major financial crisis and has $3.7 billion in outstanding loans that it can't repay. The lenders refused an offer to turn the funds into equity and MGM now faces the possibility of declaring bankruptcy. There have been attempts to sell the studio but the offers are nowhere near the cash required to repay the outstanding loans. Plenty of studios are interested in acquiring MGM, but not to run it as a studio. They are after the jewels in the MGM crown, namely the rights to the lucrative film archive that includes the James Bond series. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

With creativity in Hollywood at rock bottom, studios are now bottom-feeding on the toy shelves in order to find the next great franchise. Believe it or not, the board game Battleship is being made into a major movie. Now, Sony has picked up the rights to the classic war game Risk and will be bringing it to the big screen. These franchises are obviously aimed at audiences who felt that Transformers was too intellectually challenging. Can it be long before Nicholas Cage is announced as the star of Chutes and Ladders - The Movie? For more click here  

By Lee Pfeiffer

Disney's A Christmas Carol starring the quasi-animated Jim Carrey topped the weekend box-office, but there are concerns about the longevity of the pic. The $31 million gross was largely based on attendance at IMAX 3-D engagements. Bad word-of-mouth and the dark rendering of the tale might alienate general audiences. The gross was lighter than expected. However, the similarly-themed Polar Express also opened weak years ago but built into a major hit over the holidays. The zany George Clooney flick The Men Who Stare at Goats bombed, with audiences apparently also more enthused about staring at livestock than this poorly-reviewed comedy. Similarly, the Cameron Diaz thriller The Box laid a major egg as well. On the up side, the $15,000 production of Paranormal Activity is nearing a $100 million North American gross. So much for the value of today's "stars". For more click here

You've probably never heard of star/director Tommy Wiseau or his $7 million movie The Room. However, in hip movie fan circles, you're nobody if you haven't seen the film. The Room is considered to be a movie so bad that Variety reports patrons are demanding their money back. This spurred interest among younger movie goers who became eager to see if the film lived up to (or down to) its reputation. The result is that The Room is playing to sold out audiences in America and England. Wiseau seems to think that its because movie goers are enamored of his work  and he immodestly compares himself to Tennessee Williams!  In fact, it appears audiences are finding the film unintentionally funny and see Wiseau as an heir to Ed Wood. Click here for more 

Chris Pine, who won acclaim for his performance as Kirk in the latest Star Trek film, is in negotiations with Paramount to play the role of spy Jack Ryan in the studio's reboot of the franchise that previously starred Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford. For more click here

The trailer has been released for Clint Eastwood's Invictus, and it indicates the Oscar-winning director may have another great film. The brief glimpses of Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon's performances bode well for Oscar consideration. To watch click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Regular readers of Cinema Retro know that legendary actor Christopher Lee has been among our most ardent supporters since the inception of the magazine. Christopher wrote a wonderful article on the making of The Three Musketeers for issue #2 and in the latest issue (#15), he recalls filming the Fu Manchu series. Additionally, he has been supportive in many other ways as well. We are very proud of the fact that he can now be referred to as Sir Christopher Lee, having been bestowed a knighthood by Prince Charles last Friday.He's truly one of the last living legends in the film industry - and a genuinely nice man, as well. For a full report on the MI6 web site click here

An Australian beer company has employed images of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in campaign to promote it's latest brew. The problem is that the legendary fairy tale icon is seen in post-coital bliss in bed with her seven pals. Her name has also been changed to Ho White. Among those not laughing: Disney executives who point out that the company owns the copyright to the popular image of Snow White. While there is no word of a lawsuit, the beer company has admitted they have been contacted by Disney and it appears the ad campaign is slated for a fast fade. For more click here

Remember that scene in The Shootist where John Wayne's barber collects the hair clumps of the terminally ill gunman so he can sell them after his demise? Well, once again art reflects reality as a clump of hair reportedly belonging to Elvis just sold for $15,000 (Brylcreem presumably included).  Call it the ultimate Presley hairloom. For the bizarre story, click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

The New Jersey governor's race is already one of the dirtiest and most bizarre campaigns imaginable. Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine should be coasting to  re-election in a state that is largely liberal and largely Democratic. However, Corzine is fighting for his political life despite having virtually unlimited funds from his personal fortune to throw into his campaign. He has also had the benefit of several high profile campaign appearances by President Obama, who is extremely popular in this state. His main rival, Republican Chris Christie, a former US Attorney, can't take much comfort, either. Despite running against a very unpopular incumbent, the best he has been able to do is draw even in the polls . (The election is Tuesday). Both men have run increasingly vitriolic campaigns, with Christie accusing Corzine of capitalizing on his obesity by mocking him in campaign ads. Now Monty Python's Flying Circus has entered the governor's race...we're not kidding, either. Christie has appropriated clips from the famed TV series and used them to mock Corzine in campaign ads. Incredibly, he never sought or received permission to use the footage. Now the Pythons are boiling mad and threatening a lawsuit, saying that Christie must have been confused and was seeking the endorsement of Sarah Palin, not Michael Palin. For more click here

Dennis Hopper, the 73-year old star and director of the classic Easy Rider, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, causing him to cancel appearances. His spokesman refused to say what stage the cancer is in, stating only that they are "hoping for the best". For more click here

Writer Nick Carr of the Huffington Post site lists his choices for the best horror films set in New York City. We only take issue with the inclusion of Wait Until Dark, which is more a thriller than a horror film. On the other hand, Carr is canny enough to include the original Planet of the Apes, although, again, this is a sci-fi film rather than a horror movie. Check out the list and see if you concur with Carr's opinion. 

Thirty years after the release of the original Mad Max, the film's director has announced he is planning to film a $100 million entry in the series on location in Australia. No studio funding was announced, but Miller is talking as though the project is definite. It isn't known if the original star, Mel Gibson, will be involved. For more click here

Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of such films as Crash, Flags of Our Fathers, and Million Dollar Baby has committed the ultimate no-no: he's split with the Church of Scientology and the story has gone viral. Scientology is considered a legitimate religion by some and a bizarre cult by others and the organization does not like or tolerate bad publicity. Just last week, Church spokesman Tommy Davis walked out on a Nightline interview rather than comment on questions pertaining to the church's top-secret beliefs that earth was founded by a race of ancient aliens. (Click here to view) In another development, senior church officials in France were convicted of committing organized fraud against members and fined $600,000. Haggis and his wife were die-hard Scientologists until Haggis saw Davis laughinghingly dismiss a church edict known as disconnecting which prohibits church members from ever talking to or associating with those that are considered enemies of Scientology. Haggis sent a scathing letter to Davis saying that the practice does indeed exist in the church and that his own wife had been ordered to disown her own parents. Haggis was also shocked and dismayed by the church's recent support for a ban on gay marriage in California. For more click here

Oscar winners Joel and Ethan Coen are remaking the 1969 Western classic True Grit. John Wayne won an Oscar for playing the drunken, rascally Marshall Rooster Cogburn, who reluctantly assists a young girl in tracking down her father's murderer. The Coens are in talks with Jeff Bridges for the Cogburn role, Matt Damon for the part of a young Texas ranger originally played by Glen Campbell and Josh Brolin, to play the villain (Jeff Corey played the role in the original). While we are always enthused about seeing a Western go into production, the Coens are taking the risk of remaking one of the most beloved films of the genre. The original, directed by Henry Hathaway, featured a magnificent Elmer Bernstein score (as well as an Oscar-nominated song warbled by Campbell.) Still, if anyone can bring a quirky twist to the tale, it would be the Coens. No star has publicly committed to the project as of yet. For more click here

Producer Jon Landau, who has worked for almost five years with director James Cameron on the forthcoming sci-fi epic Avatar, claims the duo is not nervous about the film's December opening - despite having run up a budget of $300 million. Cameron proved nay-sayers wrong when he turned his $200 million film Titanic the top-grossing movie of all time. Landau says the new film will break so much new ground in the cinematic sense that he compares it to what JFK accomplished with the space race. (Modesty is never in ample supply in the film business.) For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Black Dynamite, an independent film that opened in limited release last week, has benefited from a creative and aggressive web-based publicity program. (I received a Black Dynamite T shirt even before filming began.) Director Scott Sanders says the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s may have burned briefly, but they did allow black audiences to relish leading men who were handsome, tough and able to kick ass. The film is getting good buzz and has been picked up for distribution by Sony. Click here for more. 

By Lee Pfeiffer

Nicholas Cage, who was once a respected actor before becoming the king of bad action movies, is millions in debt. People magazine reports the Oscar winner owes the IRS $6 million for the year 2007 alone, with hundreds of thousands of dollars under lean for prior years. Cage continues to sell off his assets, but he still has plenty of worries, including irate creditors who claim he has defaulted on loans. Cage blames his business manager for deceiving him and is suing him for $20 million in damages.For more click here

Clint Eastwood can add another award to his sagging mantle piece of honors.Eastwood, who is in France to film his latest movie Hereafter, was honored with the Prix Lumiere, an off-shoot of the Cannes Film Festival prizes. The festival honored the work of Eastwood, Sergio Leone and Don Siegel. Eastwood quipped that he wanted to thank the people who edited his film trailers over the decades for inspiring people to see his movies.For more click here

Pinewood Studios, the legendary home of some of the great British films including the James Bond series, had proposed a plan for a massive expansion on their premises. The project would have created permanent recreations of the world's major cities, as well as the construction of 1400 new homes in the serene countryside area where the studios are located. It was the latter aspect of the plan that caused the local council to reject the proposal on the grounds that the construction of so many new residences would have caused irreparable damage to the quality of life of local residents. Pinewood argues that the plan would have created a substantial number of new jobs at a time when the UK is suffering tremendous financial hardship. The studio plans to appeal the ruling. For more click here

By Bruce Marshall

One of the great mysteries of our time is the fate of the three escapees who defied the odds and successfully broke out of the supposedly ‘escape proof’ Alcatraz federal prison in 1962. The famous 1979 Clint Eastwood film Escape From Alcatraz  strongly implied that they were successful. However, since they disappeared without a trace, some people believe that they most certainly must have drowned. One person who is sure they made it is true crime reporter Don DeNevi. His 1992 book “Riddle of the Rock” persuasively makes the case that the Anglin brothers, at a minimum, returned to their roots in the Florida/Georgia section of the southern United States and lived out their lives as free men.

Now, Canadian film producer and writer Graham Clegg wants to turn this story into a feature film. Clegg, a screenwriter for Canadian televison, has optioned Denevi’s book – recently reissued by Bristal Park Books as “Escape from Alcatraz” – with the intent of turning it into “a sprawling mystery” for Hollywood.

They say we don't have glamor girls like we had in the glory days of Hollywood, but every now and then there is an exception to the rule. Our friends at the testosterone-filled web site Planet Z Man  (modestly titled "The Last Great Bastion for Real Men!") have a regular feature called the Cougar Hall of Fame, which pays homage to older women who still have what it takes. This week's inductee is 45 year-old Courtney Cox. To view more cougars, click here

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from the British Film Institute. It's sure to gladden the hearts of classic movie lovers the world over:

• Everyone in Britain to benefit from new centre for film
• Visionary new digital hub you can plug into from home

Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola has a grim prognosis for the movie industry. He claims the studios are under great financial distress and some will cease to exist. Coppola says that the competition for audience from alternate means of entertainment will mean that world cinema may have to morph into completely different forms, combining with live entertainment in order to keep the audience interested. He says movie studios will continue to veer away from edgy movies in favor of producing overblown blockbusters. He also says that, despite his reputation, he had to finance his latest film himself. For more click here

Sir Sean Connery has at least one thing in common with James Bond: he likes the finer things in life, including a passion for good wine. Despite being diagnosed with a heart condition and advised to stop drinking, Connery insists red wine  is good for the health and will continue to indulge. In an unrelated development, there are rumors Connery may appear in the next Indiana Jones film. For more click here

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

By Lee Pfeiffer

Former TV sitcom actor Kirk Cameron has "growing pains" when it comes to intellectual thought. He's gone off the rails in recent years due to his almost fanatical devotion to Christianity. In his latest plot to thwart those horrible atheists who rely on science rather than prayer, Cameron and his fellow travelers are amending editions of Charles Darwin's The Origins of the Species to include a 50 page introduction explaining how the theory of evolution is ridiculous.This from a man who believes that a snake literally offered an apple to Adam and Eve.  He also claims that Adolf Hitler was inspired by Darwin to plot the Holocaust! Those of us who prefer to reside on planet earth might want to suggest to Cameron that he spend a couple of hours watching Inherit the Wind. For more click here

Here's one we can't wait to see...Michael Caine as Harry Brown, a British military veteran who decides to go after the creeps who killed his best mate. Caine still looks very credible in the action scenes and we join all retro movie lovers in giving thanks that this cinematic tough guy is still out there kicking arse. Click here to view

When legendary songwriter and singer Paul Anka heard Michael Jackson's final song, This Is It, he immediately recognized it as a tune he co-wrote with the late pop singer 26 years ago. The Jackson family has now acknowledged as much and the result will be a windfall for Anka, who stands to not only get co-writing credit but also 50% of the royalties. For more click here

Paramount picked up the theatrical rights to a mini-budgeted reality-based fright film titled Paranormal Activity and has reaped unexpected benefits. Like The Blair Witch Project, this film was made for peanuts ($11,000). It was to have been re-shot with a "name" cast, but Steven Spielberg championed releasing it as is. The limited release into only 200 theaters has thus far resulted in a phenomenal gross of $7 million, thanks to widespread word of mouth among college students. Now there is a campaign afoot to convince the studio to give the movie a much wider release. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Lovers of history, politics and popular culture have long celebrated Wikipedia, the now legendary on-line encyclopedia that boldly strives to create a knowledge base of every possible person and topic - all of it written by members of the public. The fact that anyone can post or re-edit entries on the site has led to Wikipedia being celebrated as the ultimate example of freedom of the press. However, it has also posed serious problems regarding the content. During the last presidential election, for example, activists on both sides amended the entries for the candidates to reflect "facts" that were outright lies. Inaccuracies and urban myths abound in many entries, with only volunteer editors attempting to make corrections. Wikipedia has announced it will have some limited, official oversight in the form of an editorial board that will monitor key entries and limit revision and updates by members of the public. Predictably, the decision has brought outrage from free speech advocates who equate this interference as an assault on democracy itself - even though they don't address the fact that inaccurate information is worse than no information at all. For example, some months ago a posting listed Sen. Ted Kennedy as having passed away, thus setting off a media firestorm as the mainstream news outlets scrambled to verify the story. As we all know, news of his death was premature, as Mark Twain might have said. The iconic American political leader died today.

The decision by Wikipedia to bring some official oversight to their operation brings up the ever-present debate as to whether there is such a thing as too much freedom of speech. Inevitably, a small number of trouble makers generally ruin the concept for all. Take, for example, the on-going debate over health care in America. While the majority of people who are attending town hall meetings to debate the issue are intelligent and rational, the events have largely been dominated by the lunatic fringe who shout down opponents and even bring guns which they brandish with pride. There lies the crux of the problem for Wikipedia...if there are no restrictions, can someone equate their freedom of speech to the old analogy of shouting "Fire!" in a movie theater?

For more click here

Deadline Hollywood Daily's Nikki Finke reports that both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are planning to begin charging readers for accessing their web sites. In essence, the content will be available only to subscribers. Variety tried this tactic once before and abandoned it, but the trade publication is fighting for its life in a climate in which advertising revenue has dropped dramatically. The anemic sales of its print edition cannot support the company and web-based revenues are essential to its future. Variety's arch-rival The Hollywood Reporter is said to be considering a similar tactic, including scrapping its daily print edition. As we've reported previously, the era of completely free web content may be coming to an end. Newspapers and magazines cannot long sustain putting their articles on the web gratis when they still have to pay staffers to produce the work. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

The good news is that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has shown good taste in deciding to grant honorary Oscars to Lauren Bacall, cinematographer Gordon Willis, studio executive John Calley and legendary B movie producer Roger Corman. However, AMPAS has decided not to show these awards as part of the annual Oscar telecast. Instead, the awards will be granted at a banquet in November. (No word on whether the recipients will have to pay for their own meals). This is the latest outrage in "updating" Oscar in order to attract a younger audience. After all, who wants to see someone like Lauren Bacall on stage when it might cut into the time allocated to a true industry giant like Vin Diesel? For critic Laurie Broeder's view click here

Dallas-based Heritage Auctions prides itself on being one of the biggest and most reputable sources for sellers of collectibles, including vintage movie and sports memorabilia. Now Heritage is embroiled in a major scandal- and the consequences can be quite severe. The company is charged under the RICO racketeering laws of using false or "shill" bidders to artificially inflate the selling price of collectibles at auction. The charges have been filed against the company's top executives. This is not the first scandal to hit Heritage, but it is by far the most serious. The investigation came about through the suspicions of dealers who had consigned goods for auction. Heritage is charged with using a false name for a shill bidder in order to prop up prices and make it appear the company can get top dollar for articles consigned.
For more click here