|
CELEBRITIES & NEWSMAKERS Lennon letter sells for $22,000
The letter was handwritten on American Airlines notepaper. A letter written by John Lennon to a journalist who accused The Beatles of ripping off black music has sold at auction for £12,000 ($22,000). Lennon's angry, handwritten message reads: "Many kids were turned on to black music by us. It wasn't a rip off, it was a love-in". The letter was one of 12 items of Lennon memorabilia under the hammer at the Bonhams auction house in London. A copy of the Sergeant Pepper album signed by The Beatles sold for $34,000. However, a black felt hat which Lennon wore in the last official Beatles photoshoot failed to sell. There have been several auctions of Lennon-related items in recent months. A schoolbook featuring the singer's drawing of Lewis Carroll's poem The Walrus and the Carpenter sold for $326,000 in April.
Studio banks on Da Vinci prequel
Dan Brown has been promoting the movie version of his book. Author Dan Brown's precursor to The Da Vinci Code novel is to be transformed into a film. The Da Vinci Code movie took $224m around the world in its first weekend, despite poor reviews and controversy over its religious subject. Columbia Pictures, the studio behind the film, has now ordered an adaptation of Angels and Demons. The novel again features Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks in the film, and is set around the Vatican. Akiva Goldsman has been drafted in to write the script, having penned the screenplay for The Da Vinci Code. His previous work includes A Beautiful Mind, for which he won an Oscar, Cinderella Man and the much-maligned Batman and Robin, which starred George Clooney.
A spokesman for Columbia said The Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard had not yet signed on for another film but both he and Hanks would be given first option to work on Angels and Demons. Although it was author Brown's third book, it was not until the success of The Da Vinci Code that his back catalogue became best-sellers. Columbia also owns the rights to Brown's other novels - Digital Fortress and Deception Point.
|
X-Men's Berry brings Cannes crowd
Hugh Jackman's character Wolverine could get a spin-off film. Catwoman: Speaking to reporters at the premiere, Berry defended her previous superhero role in the flop movie Catwoman. She said making the film was a "wonderful experience" and "one of the highlights" of her career. "I pushed myself and grew as an artist in ways that will never be realized by anyone but me," she said. X-Men: The Last Stand opens in theatres around the world this week. In other news from Cannes: Oliver Stone has denied claims by Venezuela's President, Hugo Chavez, that he was to direct a film based on the 2002 coup which removed the president from power for less than two days. Twentieth Century Fox, which released The Passion of the Christ, has acquired the rights to independent film Color of the Cross, which looks at the last 48 hours of Jesus's life. Bruce Willis was joined by Nick Nolte and Avril Lavigne to promote animated film Over The Hedge. Nolte appeared to be falling asleep at the press conference until he produced a harmonica and started to play.
Avril Lavigne
. |
Dan
Brown with actor Tom Hanks.
Actress Halle Berry
drew large crowds in Cannes when she attended the premiere of her new
X-Men film. X-Men III, subtitled The Last Stand, will be the
finale of the series, said Director Brett Ratner. "That doesn't
mean there won't be a spin-off," he said, suggesting future films would
focus on solitary characters from the X-Men comic books. The latest film
is showing out of competition at Cannes and opens around the world this
week.
Featuring a large ensemble cast, the X-Men series follows
the story of a group of mutants with extraordinary powers. In the
lastest installment humans, who consider the mutants to be diseased,
develop a "cure", causing a rift in the mutant community. Sir Ian
McKellen, whose character Magneto leads a rebellion against the
humans, said he felt drawn to the film as a "gay man who some people
think ought to be cured". The 66-year-old actor kept fans entertained at
the premiere by performing a small dance on the red carpet. Patrick
Stewart, who plays Professor X in the film, joked that he was
jealous of his co-star's success. "I am still smarting from the fact
that Sir Ian McKellen starred in Lord of the Rings and apparently there
was nothing for me," he said. 
