“Jersey Boys.” the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is still a big big hit on Broadway. But come October 19th, the fake Jersey Boys played by actors will have to compete with the real thing. Frankie and his current crop of Four Seasons are going to do a run of shows at the Broadway Theater to commemorate their 50th anniversary. Valli never had a great deal with the “Jersey Boys” producers, but he’s kept going, and capitalizing on the musical’s popularity. It will be great, though, to hear his unique falsetto on “Walk Like a Man,” “Sherry,” and “Can’t Take My Eyes off of You.” Tickets go on sale August 23rd for the seven performances. This is a big 50th anniversary period–Barbra Streisand is celebrating hers at the Barclay Center at the same time while the Rolling Stones are trying not to miss theirs.
Janet Jackson and Mother Not Talking, Janet Charging Mom for Use of Vegas Condo
Janet Jackson continues her descent into post-career madness: she’s charging her mother for use of her Las Vegas condo. Katherine Jackson has asked the Michael Jackson estate to increase her cost of living expenses so she can travel to Las Vegas and stay in Janet’s condo, which the “What Have You Done For Me Lately?” singer doesn’t live in or use. TMZ incorrectly reported–then removed–a story that Mrs. Jackson asked the estate to pay Janet’s mortgage. Untrue. Mrs. Jackson travels to Gary, Indiana, where she still maintains a home. And she likes to stay in Vegas. The estate will tell the probate court in its next report that they’re giving Mrs. Jackson funds to use for these stays. Janet — since the battles this summer over Michael’s estate–refuses to be generous enough to her mother, sources say, and just provide for her at the condo. “There’s no way the estate would ever pay Janet’s mortgage,” laughed an insider. But my question is: what is Janet Jackson’s financial situation that she’s become so publicly unglued over money?
David Chase’s Musical Film “Not Fade Away” Set for Oscar Release, New York Film Festival
UPDATE As I predicted, “Not Fade Away” chosen for NYFF.
Earlier: A little lost in the pre-Oscar buzz but back now: “Not Fade Away,” David Chase’s musical film from Paramount. I’m told there will be an announcement on Thursday of a release date–late October, early November. Also, there’s buzz that “Not Fade Away” will make the New York Film Festival. It will miss Toronto, however. “Not Fade Away” stars James Gandolfini, famously and memorably from Chase’s “Sopranos” as well as Brad Garrett and Jack Huston (the up and coming actor nephew of Angelica and Danny Huston). Steve van Zandt, also of “Sopranos” fame and the E Street Band, produced the soundtrack, which features songs by the Rolling Stones, the Kinks and other 60s classics. In the movie, set in the 60s, Huston and his pals have a rock band that covers British Invasion music. van Zandt also wrote and produced a new track for the fictional band. For some reason, I’m very enthused about this film. It sounds like Chase’s “Almost Famous.” It’s also his feature film directing debut.
Whitney Houston Brings Audience to Tears in Final Screen Performance
The remake of “Sparkle” is a meandering mixed bag. But one thing will bring audiences into theaters this Friday: the final screen appearance of Whitney Houston. She looks and sounds great as the mother of three grown daughters (hard to believe but possible). While some elements of “Sparkle” are preposterous, Whitney as the mother–a church singer who failed in the pop world–works. And when she sings “His Eye is on the Sparrow” she is so sensational that people in our screening room Tuesday night were weeping and clapping. It’s a short, remarkable tour de force that saves the movie and makes you miss Whitney even more.
I will try to be positive about “Sparkle” because it’s a worthy endeavor. All the actors are very good, starting with Jordin Sparks in a tough role. For the first three quarters of the film, Sparkle is subjugated to the background as everyone else around her fights and carries on. She’s Cinderella, and has to wait her turn as her two sisters–played well by Tika Sumpter and Carmen Ejogo–get their turns with love, drugs, and relationship issues. Very good are Derek Luke, Mike Epps and Omari Hardwick as the men in their lives. This could be Derek Luke’s breakout movie. Next up is “Baggage Claim”with Paula Patton. He’s on a roll.
When Jordin Sparks gets to sing, she is terrific. Unfortunately, you have to wait until the very end of the movie for her to shine. Her final number, sung over the early end credits, is a showstopper. But she keeps the audience in their seats, that’s for sure. And she plays Sparkle finally out on her own as a performer as cross between Valerie Simpson and Alicia Keys. It doesn’t make much sense, but “Sparkle” never did. You just have to go with it.
Whitney did “Sparkle” because she was waiting for the sequel to “Waiting to Exhale” to be ready. We all know what happened. The tragedy is that Whitney still had the charisma, and could still act. Her voice has changed considerably, but even what’s left is better than most singers around. The studio will be smart not to let any clips out of Whitney singing–she’s worth the price of admission.
My mistake. Here’s the audio: http://soundcloud.com/sparklemovie/his-eye-is-on-the-sparrow
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Frank Sinatra Hits Number 3 on Charts, As Amazon Gives Away His Hits
Frank Sinatra hit number 3 this week on the charts. Really? Yes, really. A Warner/Reprise collection from 2008 called “Nothing But the Best” sold over 41,000 copies last week and finished just behind a pop hits collection and rapper Rick Ross. Why? Amazon.com sold the CD for 99 cents, that’s why. They basically gave away the Chairman’s music for free. I don’t know if Warner/Reprise approved of this. There’s a school of thought now that giving away music is good because it will stimulate concert ticket sales. But that’s certainly not going to happen in this case. Since the boost, “Nothing But the Best” is back at $10.99. It contains 22 Sinatra hits from the Reprise catalog, all remastered. I have the original Reprise hits package and still sounds fine to me.
Marvin Hamlisch Funeral and Death Details, Plus He Was Going to Run the Philadelphia Pops
Marvin Hamlisch’s funeral at Temple Emanuel on Fifth Avenue was packed, and I mean jammed. Every seat was taken, people were standing. Candice Bergen. Tony Roberts, Tony Danza, Maria Cooper Janis (daughter of Gary Cooper), soap star Ilene Kristen, Kelly Bishop and Priscilla Lopez of the original “A Chorus Line” sat behind me. Liza Minnelli–who sat through all four “visitations” with Marvin’s family–was in the front row. She came with pal Billy Stritch.
Actor Lawrence Luckinbill sat with daughter Kate while her mother and his wife, Lucie Arnaz, sang and mingled with the 300 strong chorus that lined each side of the auditorium. Bill Clinton spoke, so did Leonard Lauder, Sir Howard Stringer, and a few close friends. The most moving part of the service: a speech by Terre, Marvin’s wife. She started strong, but was struggling not to break down at the end.
Exclusive: No one knows for sure exactly what happened to Hamlisch except this: he had had a kidney transplant. According to sources, he’d been ill for two years. He was working, and with his best friend, staying at a hotel in Los Angeles, on a project. The Hamlisches had actually quietly moved to Bedford, New York in the last couple of years, since he’d become ill. The friend heard a terrifying thud from the bathroom. Marvin had keeled over. He was hospitalized but really he was tragically gone. Friends surmise he had had cancer. On stage recently with Lucie Arnaz and Robert Klein, Hamlisch was described as “frail.” What a shame. Terre said he that this week there would have been an announcement that Marvin was taking over the Philadelphia Pops Orchestra.
More stars: Alan Alda. Regis and Joy Philbin came with Kathie Lee and Frank Gifford. Chris Matthews. Idina Menzel sang “At the Ballet” from “A Chorus Line.” It was terribly moving; she was like buttah. The chorus opened the funeral with a beautifully arranged version of “The Way We Were” and ended the service with “What I Did For Love.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
The organ player on stage played lots of Marvin’s hits at the start and end of the funeral. It was the only chance to hear an instrumental version of “Nobody Does It Better” on an organ in a synagogue.
MIA: Barbra Streisand, the Bergmans, Carole Bayer Sager, Carly Simon–due to travel schedules, etc. There should be real memorial services in New York and L.A. Also, Marvin’s mahogany casket was covered with golden Freesia. Very elegant. Some of the flowers sent by the well meaning –lots and lots of huge arrangements, which are not part of any Jewish custom–were given away. Quincy Jones was one of the many who sent, and sent big.
After the funeral, Alan Alda and Richard Gere at separate tables at an Italian bistro on Madison Avenue. Gere brought his whole team from his Foundation. Turns out Marvin had been a heavy supporter of the Dalai Lama. Who knew?
Taylor Swift: Infomercial Touts New Single, “You’re So Vain” for Idiots
Taylor Swift is now the cheesiest performer in current pop music, which is a hard distinction considering what’s out there. Her new single is actually called “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”– the latest chapter in her series of songs about dating a famous actor or singer and then breaking up with him. It’s artless and stupid, a novelty song you’d perform at the end of a drunken bar set.
To make things worse, she’s made a 30 minute professional scripted and lit infomercial to launch the single and its upcoming album, called “Red.” I guess she has zero pretensions about being a serious “artist.” The infomercial is filmed in front a “spontaneously excited” audience of “fans.” who “randomly” have appeared on a set. So, it’s over: giving Taylor Swift Grammy awards at 19 was the worst thing ever.
The funniest part of the infomercial, I think, comes at 18:00 when she points to her head with each index finger to demonstrate the phrase “in my mind.” Someone must have told her where it was, or used to be. Or could be.
She’s ready for the move now into the Martha Stewart world, which will mean billions of dollars. She’s already licensing a few products, but you can tell where management is going to take her. The sad part of course is that it happened so fast. Usually you do the artist thing first, build a reputation and some creds, then clip over into perfume, makeup lines, and home decor. Taylor has just done it very Swiftly. She even has a Kennedy boyfriend, four years younger. The tabloids say Ethel Kennedy saw something in her. What she saw was “money” and a common preference for cynical exploitation. Why else would you pimp out your grandson there months after his mother commits suicide in a public way?
Oh yeah, that song: it’s utter crap. Try to imagine as you watch this video, real female singer songwriters–from Joni Mitchell to Chrissie Hynde to Fiona Apple–describe their songs this way in a commercial. The song is without poetry, imagery, or any real writing. It’s just junk. Doesn’t she have two dozen songs like this? Who cares who she dated? This is “You’re So Vain” for idiots. If only Robert Altman were alive. Taylor Swift would his next movie heroine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6gFma4H7fA&feature=player_profilepage
Marvin Hamlisch: Stars Pay Respects at Pre Funeral Visitation
Composer and friend to all Marvin Hamlisch–triple Oscar winner, Grammy, Tony and Pulitzer winner– was paid respect by scads of celebs at his pre-funeral visitation on Monday night. The second session, from 7 to 9pm, was a dignified, solemn affair at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home on Madison Avenue. Liza Minnelli, dressed in black, came a with a friend, spent some time with Hamlisch’s lovely wife, Terre Blair Hamlisch, then took a seat in the front pew of the receiving room. No one could miss opera legend Jessye Norman, who also took her place in the front row.
Behind her sat MSNBC’s Chris Matthews with members of his family. Waiting patiently on the greeting line to comfort Terre and take a walk past the closed casket were former Yankees manager Joe Torre and playwright John Guare. Leonard Lauder, head of Estee Lauder, flew in from his summer vacation.
Sitting in the frow next to Liza: singer Idina Menzel, who often toured with Hamlisch. Meanwhile, a nice touch: a jazz pianist played standards quietly on a white baby grand piano. Tuesday’s funeral will also be open to the public, but should come off with just as much decorum. By the way: paparazzi must have been so overwhelmed by Robert Pattinson’s movie premiere, that none of them showed outside Campbell’s. The Hamlisches caught a bit of luck.
By the way, when I mentioned to Terre that this column had been flooded with personal stories from the famous and the normal about Marvin’s largesse, big heart, unpublicized gifts, she agreed. “That’s all we’ve heard for days, the great things Marvin did for people and no one knew about.”
Just a PS: In the late Julia Phillips’s famously pointed memoir, “You’ll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again,” Julia recalled all the crazy people with whom she made “The Sting” unsparingly. Hamlisch is the only one she almost failed to mention it all. She had nothing bad to say about him. It’s a badge of honor!
Helen Gurley Brown, Pioneering Editor of “Cosmo,” Dead at 90
Every era must come to an end, and so today a big one has arrived. Helen Gurley Brown, the pioneering editor of Cosmopolitan, has died at age 90. She put women’s magazine’s on the map, became a cultural icon, and a magnificent New York institution. She died after a short illness. Helen was also married to the late David Brown, one of the great great great (three greats) movie producers of all time. They were the nicest, most elegant, fun and surprising couple. It makes me sad to think that their time is finally over. David’s legacy lives in his films. Helen’s lives in Cosmo and all the careers she launched, women she inspired, girls that she educated. There is no one like her now in publishing. Her book “Sex and the Single Girl,” caused a commotion in 1965 that no one ever got over.
Liz Smith told me: “The most incredible woman I ever worked for or ever met. I never agreed with her but she gave my career a huge boost. She was a great friend.” More to come…
Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” Will Open New York Film Festival
Ang Lee’s film of the best selling book “Life of Pi” will open the 50th anniversary of the New York Film Festival on September 28th. If the movie’s a hit, the trades will have headlines like: “Ang Lee Has A Tiger by the Tale.” The movie’s in 3D because, heck, why not? Everything else is.
Here’s the press release:
New York, NY, August 13, 2012 – The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today that Ang Lee’s LIFE OF PI will make its World Premiere as the Opening Night Gala presentation for the upcoming 50th New York Film Festival (September 28 – October 14). The screening will mark the Academy Award-winning director’s return to NYFF, 12 years after CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON served as the Closing Night Gala presentation (2000). The selection of LIFE OF PI also allows Lee to join Robert Altman, Pedro Almodóvar and François Truffaut as the only directors to have had more than one film chosen to open NYFF. (THE ICE STORM was the Opening Night Gala selection in 1997.)
A respected presence at the New York Film Festival and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, in 2009 FSLC celebrated Lee’s career with a complete retrospective of the director’s work at the Walter Reade Theater. The LIFE OF PI screening will also mark the first time a film has been presented in 3D for NYFF’s Opening Night Gala.
Among the films that have been selected for the prestigious Opening Night Gala slot over the course of NYFF’s 50-year history include Luis Buñuel’s THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL (1963), Gillo Pontecorvo’s THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (1967), Akira Kurosawa’s RAN (1985), Pedro Almodóvar’s WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN (1988) Quentin Tarantino’s PULP FICTION (1994), Mike Leigh’s SECRETS & LIES (1996), Stephen Frears’s THE QUEEN (2006) and David Fincher’s THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010) (complete list below).
“LIFE OF PI is a perfect combination of technological innovation and a strong artistic vision. Ang Lee has managed to make a deeply moving, engrossing work that will delight audiences as much as it will astonish them. We’re enormously proud to have this film for our Opening Night for the 50th NYFF,” says Richard Peña, Selection Committee Chair & Program Director, The Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Based on the book that has sold more than seven million copies and spent years on the bestseller list, Academy Award winner Lee’s LIFE OF PI takes place over three continents, two oceans, many years, and a wide world of imagination. Lee’s vision, coupled with game-changing technological breakthroughs, has turned a story long thought un-filmable into a totally original cinematic event and the first truly international all-audience motion picture. LIFE OF PI follows a young man who survives a disaster at sea and is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While marooned on a lifeboat, he forms an amazing and unexpected connection with the ship¹s only other survivor…a fearsome Bengal tiger. The Twentieth Century Fox release is due in theaters on November 21, 2012.
Regarding his return to NYFF, Ang Lee said, “I am both delighted and honored to be back at the New York Film Festival with LIFE OF PI. I have the deepest respect for Richard Peña and his team and to be selected by them as the Opening Night Film for the 50th Anniversary is extremely gratifying. I am also excited because this is my hometown, and to be unveiling this film that I am so proud of here is a real pleasure.”
Rose Kuo, Executive Director, The Film Society of Lincoln Center, added, “Ang Lee has shown us his mastery of intimate psychological drama as well as epic action-adventure and we are thrilled to welcome him back to the New York Film Festival with an exciting film that displays of all his talent.”
The 17-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring top films from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent. The selection committee, chaired by Peña also includes: Melissa Anderson, Contributor, Village Voice; Scott Foundas, Associate Program Director, The Film Society of Lincoln Center; Todd McCarthy, Chief Film Critic, The Hollywood Reporter; and Amy Taubin, Contributing Editor, Film Comment and Sight and Sound.
General Public tickets will be available September 9th. There will be an advance ticketing opportunity for Film Society of Lincoln Center Patrons and Members prior to that date. For more information visit www.Filmlinc.com/NYFF or call 212 875 5601.
The New York Film Festival is generously sponsored by Royal Bank of Canada, American Airlines, The New York Times, Stella Artois, HBO, WABC, Trump International Hotel and Tower and the National Endowment for the Arts and New York State Council on the Arts.