BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Veteran horror actor Lee knighted

Sir Dracula! Bloody marvelous!

I also love that the article mentions that 87-year-old Sir Christopher "was unavailable for comment because he was filming in New Mexico." Excellent!

From World Entertainment News Network:

* CARRADINE FOUND DEAD AT HOTEL

Actor DAVID CARRADINE has been found dead at a hotel in Thailand.

The Kill Bill star, 72, was staying in Bangkok while shooting his new movie Stretch.

Local media in Thailand initially reported Carradine had committed suicide by hanging himself in his hotel suite, but the star's agent has told a U.S. TV channel he believes the actor died of natural causes.

Carradine was born John Arthur Carradine in Hollywood, but changed his name to David after launching his acting career following a course in drama at San Francisco State University.

He appeared in dozens of films and TV dramas but was best known for his roles as Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s series Kung Fu and as the title character from Quentin Tarantino's martial arts movies Kill Bill Vols. 1 & 2.

Carradine leaves behind a wife, Annie.

FRIGHT NIGHT' REMAKE IN WORKS

By JAY A. FERNANDEZ
The Hollywood Reporter

Vampires continue their winning streak as DreamWorks is in the process of picking up a remake of Fright Night.

Michael Gaeta and Alison Rosenzweig are producing along with Michael De Luca.

DreamWorks co-president of production Mark Sourian is overseeing for the studio, which has rarely foraged in the horror genre for material. Its most recent two outings - The Uninvited and The Ruins - grossed just $29 million and $17 million, respectively. But its remake of The Ring and its sequel grossed $390 million worldwide.

The original Fright Night, written and directed by Tom Holland in 1985, was a horror comedy about a teenager who discovers that his neighbors are vampires.

No writer has been hired, but the updated version will keep the comedy-horror tone while modernizing the effects.

How are they possibly going to improve on the original? They had Roddy McDowall, in an absolutely wonderful performance. And they had Chris Sarandon, at his peak of hawtness.

They'll have to change the Peter Vincent character, because there aren't any Saturday afternoon horror movie hosts anymore! Pffffft.

Wwwwwwow!

Comments will be screened in case of spoilage, but have at it!

Got a tip from Fangoria's website that last night's 9pm movie might not totally suck. And they were actually right! Mercy mercy, a Sci-Fi movie that doesn't suck? Miraculous!

Well, it's not one of their own productions, so that certainly helps. Heh. Splinter is a great scary movie with a strong basic no-frills story, good acting, good characters we care about, and just enough grossness. It's on Sci-Fi again tonight at 7:00. Charity Froggenhall says check it out!

The best column in the world -- the AV Club's Random Roles -- finally gets around to the man, the myth, the legend: Bruce Campbell!

AVC: What is your understanding of what a cult film is?

BC: There’s various degrees of cultishness. You’ve got your Rocky Horror Picture Show,which is the A-number-one kind of cult movie. Then you’ve got your American Pie kind of deal, which is a giant in DVD and all that. I liken it this way: In a mainstream movie, 100,000 people will see it once. One person will see a cult movie 100,000 times. Sometimes, like with Evil Dead 2, people have seen it a hundred times. If they’re feeling bad, they pop it in. It becomes their personal opiate.

AVC: What makes a movie a cult classic? Sometimes it seems like a backhanded compliment, because the film tanked.

BC: I disagree. A cult classic is one that has been fully embraced by an alternative audience, not the popular audience. There are two different audiences. One is a very specific sci-fi lover or a horror lover. The difference between my fans and Tom Cruise’s fans is that no one is tattooing Risky Business on their back. Yet I’ve seen the poster for Army Of Darkness on a guy’s back—his whole back. It was beautiful.

Is it me or were the dresses at the SAG awards much much cooler than the Golden Globes? More color, more awesome designs, everyone just looked prettier!

The 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Red Carpet Photo Galley

Watching some awful Werewolf movie from the '50s on FearNet. Phew, I am not drunk enough to put up with this! 

From World Entertainment News Network:

* ROSEMARY'S BABY REMAKE SCRAPPED
The movie producers behind a planned remake of 1968 horror classic Rosemary's Baby have dropped plans for a new film.

Brad Fuller and Andrew Form have been working on a way to bring the tale, based on the 1967 novel by Ira Levin, back to the big screen.

But the pair has been forced to admit they haven't been able to conceive a fresh angle which would make a new version credible.

Form tells Collider.com, "We went down that road and we even talked to the best writers in town and it feels like it might not be do-able. We couldn't come up with something where it felt like it was relevant and we could add something to it other than what it was, so we're now not going to be doing that film."

Well, good for you guys! I agree that Rosemary's Baby is very dated -- my favorite aspect is that the wife of a struggling actor in New York can live in that enormous apartment on his salary alone and she doesn't have to work -- but it's still very effective. It's one of the best things Mia Farrow has ever done.

Here's a thought: quit remaking movies and come up with your own damn ideas.

I can't believe I'm saying this about a Roger Corman movie, but House of Usher could have actually been shorter and more trimmed up. Some good creepy stuff though!

Now I'm watching The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945). Kind of odd that everyone is exclaiming over how handsome Dorian Gray is, and I think he's just weird looking.

Happy Halloween! Or if you prefer, blessed Samhain!

I took yesterday afternoon off to go to a iMovie workshop at the Apple Store. So now I'll actually know what I'm doing when I make a movie! I may need to shoot some more footage and make more movies. Watch this space!

Today I used my comp day for working on Saturday the 11th. So I'm at home, in my sweatpants and Nightmare before Christmas sweatshirt, watching horror movies all day! First up, House of Usher (1960). I'll check in later!

This is frickin' BRILLIANT! Like Joker wasn't creepy enough, then they vampirize him!

This is DARK. And AWESOME.

And only $6.49 on Amazon?! *snag*

Died of cancer at age 83.

He was married to Joanne Woodward for 50 years.

Charming interview with the man, the jaw, the legend, BRUCE CAMPBELL, in today's NY Times:

...Besides working on “Burn Notice” in Miami (where, he claims, he’s prone to “projectile sweating”), he’s been out on the hustings, finishing postproduction and greasing the promotional wheels for his next film, an indie horror-comedy called “My Name Is Bruce,” scheduled to open in October. He directed it and stars as a legendary B-movie actor named Bruce Campbell, who turns out to be a liquored-up jerk who ends up battling a nine-foot-tall sword-wielding Chinese god of war (and of bean curd) to save a small town. It is not a true story.

A recent screening of footage from the film, which has been long delayed (“Because,” he explained, “low-budget movies aren’t released, they escape”), at Comic-Con International in San Diego drew roars of approval, with one fan loudly proclaiming Mr. Campbell his favorite actor, ever. After which Mr. Campbell opened his wallet and gave the guy $2.

ETA: Update at 6:15 pm. Phew, it's OK, folks, it was just heartburn and gastroenteritis, not a heart attack.



From the World Entertainment News Network:

* REPORT: RENO HAS HEART ATTACK
LEON star JEAN RENO has been rushed to hospital after suffering a serious heart attack, according to reports.

The 60-year-old was on holiday on the Caribbean island of St Barts with his wife Zofia Borucka when he was taken ill on Thursday (21Aug08).

The couple had been staying at the home of French singer Johnny Hallyday.

Reno was airlifted to Fort-de-France hospital. No further details on his condition were available as WENN went to press. (ZN/AFP/PAW)

I looooooove him. Leon/The Professional is one of my most favorite movies of all time. I'll watch almost anything he's in (except that Meg Ryan movie where Kevin Kline is supposed to be French).

Here's wishing him health and a full recovery.

Enough with the bad news this year, huh? Jeezus.

Morgan Freeman seriously hurt in car accident

Breaking news

MSNBC News Services

updated 24 minutes ago

Academy Award winning actor Morgan Freeman was seriously injured in a car accident in Mississippi on Sunday night according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

Police report that Freeman, 71, was driving eastbound on Highway 32 near the town of Ruleville, Miss., around 11:30 p.m. when his car left the road and flipped several times.

Police say Freeman and a female passenger had to be extracted from the vehicle and the actor was flown to a hospital in Memphis, Tenn., where he was listed in serious condition. There was no word on the condition of the passenger.

TMZ.com is reporting that state troopers say "The Dark Knight" star was talking at the scene of the accident.

Well, awake is good. Better than knocked out.

Mr. Freeman is the absolute coolest. I wish him all the best.

Update, 7:35 pm: "The actor “has a broken arm, broken elbow and minor shoulder damage, but is in good spirits,” according to a statement from Donna Lee, Freeman’s publicist. A hospital spokeswoman said Freeman was in serious condition but would not discuss his injuries.

"“He is having a little bit of surgery this afternoon or tomorrow to help correct the damage,” Lee’s statement said. “He says he’ll be OK and is looking forward to a full recovery.”

Did you know that Dwight from The Office is in House of 1000 Corpses???

Dude, that's effed UP!

Sydney Pollack has succumbed to cancer at age 73.

Damn.

I enjoyed his work in front of the camera as much as his directing! He always seemed like a fairly happy jovial guy.

So okay: Dick Martin on Saturday, Sydney Pollack today. Any guesses as to whom #3 will be?

I'm watching a Sci-Fi movie on Saturday night, and it is not horrible!

Hey, I'm as surprised as you are.

It could have some more vamping for a vampire movie, but it's not bad, and Sean Patrick Flanery is really a doll.

British actor Paul Scofield dead at 86

LONDON, March 20 (UPI) -- British stage and film actor Paul Scofield, who won an Oscar in 1966 for his portrayal of Thomas More in "A Man For All Seasons," has died. He was 86.

Scofield's agent Rosalind Chatto told The Times of London the BAFTA-winning actor had been diagnosed with leukemia and died Wednesday in a hospital near his home in Sussex.

Appointed a commander of the British Empire in 1956, the intensely private Scofield twice rejected a knighthood, explaining he wished to remain "plain Mister," The Times said.

Among Scofield's most memorable stage roles was his portrayal of composer Antonio Salieri in Peter Shaffer's stage drama "Amadeus."

The Hurstpierpoint native also appeared in the films "Quiz Show," "The Crucible" and Mel Gibson's adaptation of "Hamlet." He starred in the BBC version of Charles Dickens' "Martin Chuzzlewit" in 1994, as well.

Scofield met his wife Joy Parker when he was playing Horatio and she was portraying Ophelia in "Hamlet" for Basil C. Langton's touring company in 1942. The couple married in 1943 and had two children, Martin and Sarah, the newspaper said.