SUPER HEROES IN THE MOVIES
With "Daredevil" opening on the 14th and great word of mouth from the "HULK" spot that ran during the Super Bowl, now comes word that director Christopher Nolan, who did "Memento" and "Insomnia," now plans to bring the caped crusader back to the big screen. "All I can say is that I grew up with Batman, I've been fascinated by him, and I'm excited to contribute to the lore surrounding the character," Nolan told Daily Variety. "Requiem for a Dream" director Darren Arinofsky is already set to helm the next "Superman" adventure.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS
Ringo Starr has announced that the first single of his new solo album, "Ringo Rama,"
will be "Never Without You," a tribute to late Beatle George Harrison. Starr enlisted Eric Clapton to play a guitar solo on the song. Starr also announced that he will tour again this summer with an "all-Starr" band. The lineup will be announced in March.
I'M NOT AN ACTOR - I'M A MOVIE STAR!
So proclaimed down-on-his-luck swashbuckler Alan Swann in the film, "My Favorite Year." I'm pleased to announce that the actor who portrayed Swann, Peter O'Toole, will FINALLY receive an honorary Oscar this year. O'Toole has been nominated as Best Actor seven times but has never won. Congratulations!
SO WHO PLAYED SAG?
Congratulations also to the producers of the film "American Splendor," which recently won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The film depicts the life of Harvey Pekar, a man trapped by his fears and doubts who finally expresses his world in a series of adult comics, which were illustrated by R. Crumb. Our very own Apeshot Studios impressario, Scott Gilbert, has illustrated several issues of Pekar's "American Splendor" comic book.
PASSING ON
As Nolan noted last week, Tony and Emmy award-winning actress Nell Carter passed away at the age of 54. Best known for the television show "Gimme a Break," Carter rose to fame with her award winning performance in the 1978 Broadway show "Ain't Misbehavin'." She later won an Emmy award for the television broadcast of the show in 1982. Those of us who flocked to see the film "Hair" on opening day (me, Matt, Scott Gilbert, Rick Sousa) remember her as the lead singer on the song "White Boys." She also portrayed Miss Hannigan in the 20th Anniversary Broadway revival of "Annie."
Bill Mauldin, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist whose characters Willie and Joe brought comfort and joy to thousands of soldiers during World War II died last week at the age of 81 from complications brought on by Alzheimer's disease. Born in New Mexico, Mauldin became a cult hero with his work in the armed forces newspaper "Stars and Stripes." In 1945 he won his first Pulitzer Prize for his work. He was 23 at the time. In 1956 he won his second Pulitzer for his drawing on the Soviet crackdown on author Boris Pasternak. "I won the Nobel Prize for literature," one Siberian prisoner tells another in the caption. "What was your crime?" Mauldin also depicted a grieving President Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial after President Kennedy's assassination.
Well, that's it for now. Have a great week. See ya!
"Mike's Rant" is ©2003 by Michael A. Smith. Webpage design and all graphics herein are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2003 by Nolan B. Canova.
