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Soundtrack to New Richard Linklater Film An 80s Greatest Hits of Pop Gems

Roger Friedman
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Soundtrack to New Richard Linklater Film An 80s Greatest Hits of Pop Gems

Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood” follow up sounds like it will be a Wonder Years for the 80s. The soundtrack is full of AM radio pop gems from groups including The Knack, Blondie, and Van Halen. “Everybody Wants Some” opens April 1st with a cast that includes mostly unknowns: Will Brittain, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, J. Quinton Johnson, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell. Linklater calls it a “spiritual sequel” to his early hit “Dazed and Confused.” That movie also had a bunch of unknowns. One of them became Ben Affleck. And here’s a little trivia: Viola Davis’s real life husband, Julius Tennon, played a teacher in “Dazed and Confused.” Also, Renee Zellweger pre-Jerry Maguire had an uncredited spot.

Soundtrack list”

“My Sharona” – The Knack
“Heart Of Glass” – Blondie
“Take Your Time (Do It Right)” – SOS Band
“Heartbreaker” – Pat Benatar
“Alternative Ulster” – Stiff Little Fingers
“Every 1’s A Winner” – Hot Chocolate
“Everybody Wants Some!!” – Van Halen
“Let’s Get Serious” – Jermaine Jackson
“Pop Muzik” – M
“Because The Night” – Patti Smith Group
“I Want You To Want Me (Live)” – Cheap Trick
“Hand In Hand” – Dire Straits
“Whip It” – Devo
“Romeo’s Tune” – Steve Forbert
“Good Times Roll” – The Cars
“Rapper’s Delight” – The Sugar Hill Gang

Don Henley: Before Glenn Frey’s Illness, Eagles Had Been Planning “Hotel California” Summer Tour

Roger Friedman
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Don Henley: Before Glenn Frey’s Illness, Eagles Had Been Planning “Hotel California” Summer Tour

In an interview with the BBC, Don Henley revealed something interesting yesterday. Before Glenn Frey fell ill last fall, the Eagles had been planning a “Hotel California” tour for this summer. “Obviously,” Henley says, “that’s not happening now.”

Henley intimates that the Eagles will not fly again as a touring act or anything else. But Frey’s death is fresh, and he may change his mind in time. The Who, Led Zeppelin, and other groups have gone on working after a founder’s death. After all, there are other people involved.

Henley is getting ready to do solo shows with Carole King in London. My guess is they’ll tour the U.S. next. I have a couple of guilty pleasure Don Henley solo songs actually– “Heart of the Matter” and “Taking You Home.” It would be swell to hear them live.

Here’s the interview:

 

Flood of A List Stars Including Robert Downey Jr, Directors, Producers, Writers Follow Their Publicists to Five Star PMK BNC

Roger Friedman
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Flood of A List Stars Including Robert Downey Jr, Directors, Producers, Writers Follow Their Publicists to Five Star PMK BNC

A huge number of stars, producer, directors, and writers have come with their publicists to five star agency PMK-BNC. Joy Fehily and Michael Donkis are joining PMK•BNC as Executive Vice Presidents, shutting their Prime Public Relations. Fehily is actually returning to PMK after nine years away.

PMK was always the movie behemoth, run by a superstar triumvirate of Pat Kingsley, Leslee Dart, and the late great Lois Smith. But several years ago Dart left to start 42 West, Smith retired, and Kingsley soldiered on attached to PMK. (The initials stood for Pickwick Maslansky and Koenigsberg. No one living could tell you who they were now, but the letters stuck.)

PMK-bred star maven Cindi Berger (she handles Barbara Walters, Rosie O’Donnell, Robert Redford, Sharon Stone, and Lena Dunham– that’s all–not bad) took over and merged with Michael Nyman, former partner of Brad Cafarelli and Howard Bragman. The combined PMK-BNC (Nyman kept his letters and Cafarelli) is bigger than ever. They represent half of Hollywood and do the press for things like the Emmy Awards and Samsung mobile electronics. (Their biggest competitors are 42 West, Slate PR, and Rogers and Cowan.)

Under this deal, PMK adds Seth MacFarlane, Aaron Sorkin, Robert Downey, Jr., Olivia Wilde, Dave Navarro, Anthony McCarten (“The Theory of Everything”), Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (“The People v. O.J. Simpson”), Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”), Lucinda Coxon (“The Danish Girl”), Christopher McQuarrie (“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”), Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (“The Lego Movie,” “21 Jump Street”), Brad Peyton (“San Andreas”), James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy”), Joel Silver (“The Matrix” trilogy, “Sherlock Holmes” franchise), Graham King (“The Departed”), Carnival Films (“Downton Abbey”), Howard Gordon (“Homeland,” “24,” “Tyrant”), Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (“Gossip Girl,” “The OC”), Marti Noxon (“UnREAL,” “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce”), Nahnatchka Khan (“Fresh Off the Boat”), Sarah Treem (“The Affair”), Terence Winter (“Vinyl,” “The Wolf of Wall Street”), producer/author/motivational speaker DeVon Franklin and IMDb.com and its founder Col Needham.

Whew! Congrats to everyone.

Don McLean’s Wife Files for Divorce Citing “adultery, cruel and abusive treatment, and irreconcilable differences”

Roger Friedman
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Don McLean’s Wife Files for Divorce Citing “adultery, cruel and abusive treatment, and irreconcilable differences”

Bye Bye Mrs. American Pie. Patrisha McLean, wife of famed singer songwriter Don McLean, has filed for divorce after 28 years and two kids. She cited “adultery, cruel and abusive treatment, and irreconcilable differences.”

In January, Pat called the police and filed a domestic assault charge against the famed singer songwriter of “American Pie” and “Vincent (Starry Starry Night).” In her complaint, Patrisha wrote that Don has access to firearms, has a gun, knives, and a baseball bat in his car. She said he told her “If I have a stroke (over my leaving) I will get my gun and kill you.” She also said that she is Jewish, and that he called her a “Hebe.” She said on January 17, he terrorized her four hours until she called 911.

Later Patrisha assured me Don was not anti-Semitic. But I have my doubts after reading that statement.

McLean has never been a mixer, or someone from the Seventies– like Billy Joel, let’s say, or even Al Green– who wanted to be part of the pop world. He told the Irish Times last year: “I like to be left alone.” Now he’s getting his wish.

Elsewhere in that interview he answered this question– If I wasn’t a singer I’d be . . .An alcoholic.

Pat McLean is neither Don’s first wife nor the woman he was with when he took off like a rocket in 1972. That was Carol Sauvion, to whom he was married from 1969 to 1972. That was when “American Pie” became a million seller and a radio staple. McLean’s prior album, “Tapestry,” was revived with it. (Yes, he had a “Tapestry” album before Carole King.)

Sauvion has never said why she left, but she’s gone on to quite a nice career. She owns the very successful Freehand Gallery in Los Angeles, and hosts Craft in America for PBS. She remarried, and has a son and stepdaughter. Some upscale galleries like Freehand sell artist Gary Rosenthal’s ceramic dreidels. Savion’s does not. (McLean had a hit in 1973 called “Dreidel.”)

In that Irish Times interview, McLean also answered this question– Who do you need to apologise to? Answer: I don’t need to apologise to anyone.

But that doesn’t seem to be true. What a terrible sign off for his career, and for his fans (I was certainly one a long time ago.) I think there’s a chance we’ll one day hear Pat McLean’s full story, and it’s going to be very disappointing.

Janet Jackson Cancels European Tour, Makes Statement with Scarves

Roger Friedman
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Janet Jackson Cancels European Tour, Makes Statement with Scarves

Janet Jackson is obviously unwell. She’s sending messages by wearing thick scarves around her neck in all photos and videos. Why aren’t we getting it?

This week, Janet cancelled her entire European tour. Just two weeks ago she was posting videos, all smiles, very excited to appear in cities like Glasgow, etc. She certainly thought she was doing the tour.


Whatever’s wrong with her throat is unclear, and she has said she doesn’t have cancer. But there are plenty of other things that could be affecting her singing. And the scarves are clearly not just there for warmth.

Will she make the Las Vegas start date of her U.S. tour on May 14th? It’s still two months away, so we’ll send positive thoughts. But the strain of a tour may be too much for her. We’ll wait and see.

 

Cancelled: Carlyle Group-Kennedy Center Chief David Rubenstein Pulls Book at Last Minute

Roger Friedman
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Cancelled: Carlyle Group-Kennedy Center Chief David Rubenstein Pulls Book at Last Minute

EXCLUSIVE A lot of people have decided to pull their memoirs from publication at the last minute. Oprah did it years ago, Billy Joel more recently.

Now we can add to that list David Rubenstein, the very wealthy head of the secretive billionaire boys club called the Carlyle Group and self-styled philanthropist who took over the Kennedy Center a few years ago. You may recall it was Rubenstein who ousted founding “Kennedy Center Honors” producer George Stevens, Jr. He’s so rich one of his passions is to restore the public monuments in Washington, DC.

A few years ago Rubenstein signed a contract with HarperCollins for a book called “Beyond Wall Street: Inside The Rise Of Private Equity.” It was listed in all the HarperCollins catalogs and due for publication in 2009. Well, calendar pages flew by, and the most recent date scheduled was for December 2015. But that date came and went. Now I’m told that Rubenstein has pulled the book, even though it was written, edited, and ready to be sold.

I asked, Did he give back the big advance? My spy laughed. Rubenstein could probably buy HarperCollins and have it pulped if he wanted.

So what happened? “He realized it would do more harm and than good to his dealings.”

You could see glimmers of Rubenstein emerging as a personality this year. There was a piece on him from “CBS Sunday Morning.” And there’s a terrific piece about him in The New Yorker this week concerning billionaires and tax breaks.

But it may finally be dawning on Rubenstein that his baby steps into the spotlight are making it harder to do his kind of business. A book would be the tipping point, particularly with a p.r. tour on places like Charlie Rose and NPR.

“Eye in the Sky” Star Helen Mirren Has “Been Deeply In Love with Stephen Colbert for 15 Years”

Roger Friedman
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“Eye in the Sky” Star Helen Mirren Has “Been Deeply In Love with Stephen Colbert for 15 Years”

Gavin Hood’s edge of your seat thriller “Eye in the Sky” is making headlines as much as it’s ripped from the headlines.

At a press conference yesterday, star Helen Mirren– never at a loss for sharp, newsy proclamations– explained the big kiss she planted on talk show host Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night.

“The thing is I’ve been deeply in love with Stephen Colbert for 15 years. For real,” Mirren insisted, “For real, no, no, for real. Absolutely, and as I was walking out last night I looked out, and I thought, ‘You know what? If I don’t take my opportunity now I’ll never have it again,’” she laughed. “I kissed him.”

Mirren is never boring, which is why we love her. The other shock is that she’s come to identify with the character she plays in “Eye in the Sky,” an Air Force colonel who orders drone strikes in the middle east from the safety of a bunker in Nevada. The whole premise of “Eye in the Sky” hangs on the chilling decision whether or not to blow up a party of terrorists — observed by a state of the art drone — even if it means killing innocents nearby.

If you thought the escape in “Argo” was tension-filled, “Eye in the Sky” goes several steps beyond. You could hear a pin drop last night at the New York premiere with an audience that included Mirren’s co-stars Barkhad Abdi, Aaron Paul, and director Gavin Hood, as well as Dick Cavett, Gay Talese, Tony winner Lena Hall, Michael Pena, Caroline Rhea, Julie Taymor, Elliot Goldenthal, Chuck Scarborough, and “Finding Neverland” star Laura Michelle Kelly.

“Eye in the Sky” has the kind of exceptional filmmaking that I think will keep it in mind all the way til next fall and awards season. It also happens to feature the final film performance of the great Alan Rickman, who died earlier this winter.

Mirren said of Rickman yesterday: “I think Alan would be incredibly proud of this movie. And I think he is very proud of this movie. Let’s put it that way. I think if you looked at his canon of work, and it’s been great work his whole life, I think if he had the choice to say I want that to be my last movie, I’m convinced he would point to this movie.  He was a brilliant first mate and bringing (that) to all these character roles he often played, but that is Alan, the elegance, the wit, the formidable nature of him, the humanity of him, and we have Alan up on the screen and I think that’s such a great thing for his last movie.”

I’m also happy to report that “Eye in the Sky” brings the return of Barkhad Abdi, the Minnesota-raised, Somali born Oscar nominee from “Captain Phillips.” This performance is quite different than the chilling pirate he played with Tom Hanks. It’s comic and intuitive.

For a while after “Captain Phillips” there was a worry that Abdi would get lost in Hollywood. But fear not– Abdi is working all the time including new films with Al Pacino and with Melissa Leo. He’s even opened a hot East African restaurant in Los Angeles called Madinah.

But Barkhad has not yet seen the other movie he opens in tomorrow– Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Brothers Grimsby.” When I asked him if he’d seen the raunchy comedy spoof of spies and football hooligans yet, he just shook his head with a big grin. He seems way too elegant to be in such a film. Luckily, his role is confined to the parts you can watch without hands shielding eyes!

 

Kathryn Reed Altman, Widow of Director Robert Altman, Has Passed Away at Age 91

Roger Friedman
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Kathryn Reed Altman, Widow of Director Robert Altman, Has Passed Away at Age 91

This is very sad news: Kathryn Altman, widow of famed movie director Robert Altman, and one of the truly most extraordinary people I’ve known, has passed away at age 91. She was in California, and what I’ve heard is that she probably had a heart attack. It’s hard to imagine that great, funny heart giving out.

For her friends this will come as a shock because 91 to Kathryn was 41 to anyone else. An actress, dancer, and beauty, she was indefatigable, had a unique and lovely sense of humor, and made friends everywhere. She married Bob Altman in 1957, merging their families and having children of their own.

Ironically, Bob Altman died ten years ago this coming November. The Altmans had their ups and downs but they remained a steadfast and devoted couple. When Bob died, Kathryn pulled herself together and made sure her famous husband was remembered in an official documentary, book, and showcase at the Museum of Modern Art. Keeping Robert Altman’s legacy alive became her business.

The Altmans were regulars at Elaine’s, and after Bob died Kathryn continued to be a constant customer. We had dinner together often. Sometimes she’d come in well after 10 or 11 pm. We always laughed because she more stamina and more joie de vivre than people half her age. “She outlasted everyone,” our mutual friend, Broadway producer Judy Gordon told me tonight.

Kathryn’s friends were wide ranging. A lot of the actors on Altman films became her close pals, including Michael Murphy and Sally Kellerman. They all loved her. She gave a great interview last year that you can read here.

She says of being a Hollywood couple: “I never really was [one] because he was always fighting the system. All that red carpet stuff is so tough. He didn’t enjoy it, but he sure did his best to be part of it, he knew how important it was to the film.

“If anyone asked which his favourite was, his answer was always, ‘My films are like my children, and my favourite one is always the one that needs me most.'”

You’re reading this and thinking, well she was 91. Yes, but it doesn’t matter. We could have had 10 more years of Kathryn and never have been bored. A real light goes out in the world with her departure.

To her daughter Konni, and to all her kids, and friends around the world, my deepest condolences.

“Divergent: Allegiant” So Far Scares Up a Zero in Reviews, Spells Trouble for Lions Gate

Roger Friedman
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“Divergent: Allegiant” So Far Scares Up a Zero in Reviews, Spells Trouble for Lions Gate

“Divergent: Allegiant” the third and final episode of Lions Gate Films’ last young adult film series, is in trouble. So far the film has scared up a Zero as in “0”– goose egg– among critics. There are 11 negative reviews posted, not one positive.

The movie opens March 18th.

One reviewer called it “More like Redundant.”

Lions Gate stock is selling around $23 right now, which is better than its low on February 5th of $16, but far from its high of $41 in the last year.

It doesn’t help that their current release “Gods of Egypt” is a disaster. That sandals and slinging saga has made $23.4 million in 11 days. How they’ll ever get to $140 million is a mystery.

If “Allegiant” really bottoms out on release, LGF will really be in trouble. Their other two releases so far for 2016– “Norm of the North” and “The Choice”– are better not spoken about.

 

Review: “Zootopia” Hops to Early Oscar Hopes and Big Box Office

Leah Sydney
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Review: “Zootopia” Hops to Early Oscar Hopes and Big Box Office

When Hollywood pundits make an Oscar 2017 predication, most insiders smirk it off. Here’s the exception, “Zootopia” has the lock as the best-animated feature for the year. News flash, Disney has a new box office queen. Sorry Elsa from “Frozen,” you have been dethroned. The new way adorable queen is a bunny and her name is Judy.

“Zootopia,” is the highest grossing Disney film ever, making 73 million dollars in its opening weekend alone and the gross keeps soaring. The film has already grossed over $235 million globally since opening overseas in mid-February.

The intricate and lush visuals, the perfect script, which incorporates the simplistic charm for children and quippy cleverness for adults, which includes numerous references to old feature films, one arc in particular which I will not spoil here, all weave into timely stories. The writers hit these points, including race relations, women’s equality in the work force, self worth issues and more with finesse and sensitivity.

The three credited directors and eight writers have created a spunky bunny from a small town carrot farm with 247 siblings no less, named Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin.) July is way confident in every bone in her flexible rabbit body that she can fulfill her dream by becoming a police officer in the nearby colorful city of ‘Zootopia.’ What follows is her buddying up with a tricky, fast talking fox named Nick Wilde, (Jason Bateman,) and the adventures that ensue.

The cast is perfect, including Idris Elba, JK Simmons, Jenny Slate, Bonnie Hunt and more. Disney insiders tell me that they knew it was a hit, but the fact that it’s now dethroning “Frozen,” as the most successful film of all time for them, was not expected. So filmmakers, get your Oscar speeches ready.

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