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Madonna Film: God Save the Queen for Real

Roger Friedman
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My colleague Baz Bamgiboye reported from London in Friday’s UK Daily Mail:

“Madonna’s film “W.E.,” a fantasy based on the Abdication Crisis and what became of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, will be full of what one could term pure ‘Madge’ touches.

Madonna, who has become an expert on the constitutional matters of our country through her research for the film, which begins shooting soon, has included some surreal moments in her screenplay.

She has the Sex Pistols song, “Anarchy,” blasting away during a scene set in 1935. In another segment, she has the Duchess, now 70, twisting away to the Sex Pistols’  “God Save The Queen” as her pugs nip at her heels, while her husband, the former King Edward VIII, lies dying on the other side of the room.”

All I can say is, I cannot wait for this movie! Madonna: Action!

Julianne Moore’s World Turns This Afternoon

Roger Friedman
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Julianne Moore has been nominated for the Oscar four times.

But she has one win for the Daytime Emmy. She played Frannie Hughes and her lookalike cousin Sabrina back in 1985 on CBS’s “As the World Turns.”

Today, Moore–unlike so many famous soap graduates–returns to “World Turns” at 2pm EST for a one day visit. The occasion is the 25th anniversary of her soap parents, Bob and Kim Hughes, played by show vets Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays.

If only more actors acknowledged their beginnings, soaps might have lasted longer. But that’s Julianne Moore–she’s a mensch.

Last night she came to the premiere of “Lend Me A Tenor” with the casting director who first found her and hired for “World Turns.” That’s loyalty.

Moore is on a break before she starts another batch of films. She’s currently in “Chloe” and has Spike Lee’s new one on her schedule. Still, she called up and offered to do a bit on “World Turns”before CBS and Procter & Gamble stupidly end the 54 year old show in September. They’ll replace it with something cheap and useless, like another game show, talk show, or reality thing.

Moore reportedly got a kick out of the reunion, but limited her involvement. “They wanted to write her a whole episode where she was going to fix a lot of the characters’ problems,” a source says. “But in the end she just wanted to come in and say hi.”

One funny thing: Moore got advice from 92 year old show matriarch Helen Wagner, who plays a warm grandmother on the show. “She told Julianne how to lean in on a scene so Helen’s light wasn’t blocked,” an observer said. “Helen knows her stuff!”

“World Turns” has about 60 more episodes to film. Maybe Moore’s appearance will inspire some other famous grads, like Meg Ryan, Marisa Tomei, to pop in and say goodbye, too. Fans are also hoping for a cameo from Broadway star Larry Bryggman, who played Dr. John  Dixon for 30 years before vanishing into soap ether.

PS Les Moonves, who’s said such mean things about the soaps, should send Moore a dozen roses, don’tcha think?

Renee Zellweger & Bradley Cooper Hit Broadway Opening

Roger Friedman
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Justin Bartha is part of the “Hangover” gang, so his buds had to show up and support him last night at his Broadway debut in “Lend Me a Tenor.”

Indeed, Bradley Cooper came and brought girlfriend Renee Zellweger, and Zach Galiafinakis was there with a date. They are loyal pals. And since Bartha is said to be dating one of the Olsen twins, both of them took center orchestra seats. Zack told me he was shocked — “I had no idea Justin could sing,” he said. Renee told me: “It’s a chance to be out with my guy,” meaning Cooper.

And so, the opening night of “Lend Me a Tenor” was star stuck from the cast including Bartha, Tony Shalhoub, Anthony LaPaglia, Jan Maxwell, and Brooke Adams (Mrs. Shalhoub). They drew the likes of Tony Roberts, Patricia Clarkson, Polly Draper and musician husband Michael Wolff and their two musician kids (aka the Naked Brothers), plus Alfred Molina, Julianne Moore, Sam Rockwell, Janet McTeer, Viola Davis, Lorraine Bracco, her sister Elizabeth with husband Aidan Quinn, John Turturro, Lili Taylor, Andrea Martin, Carol Kane, Frances Sternhagen, Kenneth Cole and Maria Cuomo Cole, Jesse Eisenberg, and original cast members Tovah Feldshuh and Victor Garber. And, of course Steve Buscemi, who has a production company with “Lend Me” director Stanley Tucci.

Yes–Stanley Tucci directed “Lend Me A Tenor” fresh from his Oscar nomination in “Lovely Bones” and his excellent work in “Julie and Julia.” Forget totally today’s New York Times review– this 20th anniversary edition of “Lend Me a Tenor” is a hoot and a half, full of laughs, beautifully orchestrated and directed by Tucci. It’s a door slamming comedy, a farce set back stage at a Cleveland opera in 1934. Shalhoub and co. are hilarious. The fact that the New York Times didn’t find the production funny says a lot, frankly.

Shalhoub, LaPaglia, Adams and Maxwell are well enough known that their work precedes them. Shalhoub does so much physical business in this production that he’s already lost 16 pounds, he told me last night. “This is no work for a 56 year old,” he laughs. LaPaglia is thrilled to be free of his TV series, and back working on Broadway.

But the revelation of this “Tenor” is Justin Bartha. He’s in “The Hangover.” I remembered him, with much sadness, as Jennifer Lopez’s brother in the godawful “Gigli.” Nothing prepares you for how good he is in “Tenor.” As Max, a wannabe opera performer who suffers as Shalhoub’s opera manager’s lackey, Bartha is a one man dynamo. He’s never been on Broadway before, but he sure seems like a veteran. He’s the Broadway breakthrough performer of the season.

Maybe this is the season of audience pleasing shows–ones that the Times won’t necessarily dictate futures and so on. “Lend Me A Tenor” seemed like a hit last night, all systems go, totally fun and silly. And no one can say it isn’t packed with stars. Not only are the men terrific, but don’t miss Jan Maxwell as Maria, the shopping mad wife LaPaglia’s tenor, and Mary Catherine Garrison as Shalhoub’s ingenue daughter.

Beatles (Not) For Sale: Group’s Contract Sucker Punched EMI

Roger Friedman
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Much has been made of the precarious situation with EMI Music.

Earlier this week, EMI thought it had a deal with Universal Music Group to license its music in Canada, Mexico, and the US. If the deal had gone through, EMI would have been $400 million richer. EMI’s parent, Terra Firma, owes Citigroup $190 million by June 12th such a deal with UMG would have been a lifesaver.

But the deal fell apart in the middle of the night right before it was signed. What happened, we wondered?

It turns out someone had the presence of mind to check the contracts held by EMI’s biggest acts, starting with the Beatles. And the contracts forbid EMI to license their records to another company. Cue up “You Can’t Do That.”

It wasn’t just the Beatles. I’m told such provisions exist with Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Norah Jones, and a few other EMI acts.

But certainly the Beatles are EMI’s crown jewels. Without them, a license deal would be valueless.

Sources say that when the UMG folks realized this, they pulled out at the last minute. EMI then went to Sony, almost made a deal there until that gang asked the essential questions.

“Another reason, too,” says a source, “is that there was no guarantee that Citigroup wouldn’t wind up with EMI anyway, and that there would be no EMI in a year. A multiyear license would be meaningless.”

Both  EMI and Terra Firma have until June 12th to come up with that $190 million. If they don’t, Citigroup will take over. At that point, one top insider surmises, the Beatles and others may try to leave. It could get interesting.

Of course, the irony is that EMI/Capitol is having a great run right now. If they weren’t under the mound of millions in debt, they’d be ok with Lady Antebellum selling like hotcakes.

Broadway Premiere of “Red”: Scorsese, Kathryn Bigelow at Hot A List Opening

Roger Friedman
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The John Golden Theater on West 45th St. is small and unpleasant. That didn’t stop a ton of celebrities and well wishers from coming to see Alfred Molina and Eddie Redmayne in the Donmar Warehouse production of “Red.” The John Logan play about artist Mark Rothko is a smash and a cinch for all the main Tony Award nominations.

So we had three Oscar directors in the house: Martin Scorsese, Paul Haggis, and new winner Kathryn Bigelow. The latter was with Oscar winning “Hurt Locker” screenwriter Mark Boal.

Next, throw in Debra Winger and actor husband Arliss Howard; plus Martha Plimpton, Tobey Maguire, Alan Alda, Zach Braff, Alan Cumming, Victor Garber, Josh Hamilton, Linda Lavin, Alicia Silverstone, Rosie Perez, Matthew Settle, Jessica Walter, George C. Wolfe, Sarah Paulson, and “Sex and the City” star Cynthia Nixon.

For some it was to see Alfred Molina, whose friends call him Fred, totally bald, set the tone for a Best Actor award as the outspoken, egotistical Rothko. Both he and Redmayne are just dynamite, and Logan’s play is full of wonderful monologues and memorable lines.

Whew!That list doesn’t include the group that showed up later at the swell party at the Gotham from the “Behanding in Spokane”: Anthony Mackie, Sam Rockwell, and Christopher Walken.

everyone wanted to meet the truly legendary artist Frank Stella, who is talked about in the play and was a contemporary of Rothko. How did it feel being in the audience? “I work in an artists’ studio that looked like the one on stage,” Stella told me. “But I could never imagine what it would be like to watch that on stage. It was very unusual.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Stella

I did joke with Stella about the two upscale men’s clothing stores in Manhattan that bear his name. People always think he owns them. He does not. “I once asked them and the man said his name was Frank and his wife’s was Stella.” The artist shrugged. “A couple of years ago some one called my house and tried to order an over coat,” he said. He did not take the order.

Meanwhile:

Rosie Perez is wearing a neck brace. How did she get it? “I was on a shoot, and a day player got too excited in a fight scene.” It’s not easy being a famous actress!

Paul Haggis is taking a new group of actors to Haiti in the next couple of weeks. Among his new contingent: Ben Stiller and Susan Sarandon. Haggis has been going down there twice a month to remind people around the world that things are still quite dire — Haitians are homeless, sick and dying. There’s no speedy cure to their monstrous problems.

Anthony Mackie met famed casting director Amanda Mackey. Their names sound exactly alike. “Are we related?” she jokingly asked. “I think you were my half-sister,” Anthony cracked wise. “We were a very open minded family!”

New Spike Lee Joint: “Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson”

Roger Friedman
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Spike Lee is right now finishing up shooting “Inside Man 2″ with Denzel Washington and Clive Owen.

But come this summer, residents of Brooklyn may find Lee’s crew setting up shop in their neighborhoods.

The word is that Spike will roll into one of his own films, tentatively titled “Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson.”

I’m told he’s already lined up Samuel L. Jackson, John Turturro, Julianne Moore, and Rosie Perez.

“It’s a huge cast,” says a source, “and it’s all about the gentrification of Brooklyn.”

More names are soon to be announced, with more Lee regulars expected to be included. Some of them could be Anthony Mackie and Kerry Washington, who were in a lesser Lee film called “She Hate Me.” They deserve a second chance!

About that title: Spike did put on a Michael Jackson birthday extravaganza last summer in Prospect Park called “Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson.” He may be using this title temporarily. We’ll see how it all plays out.

If this film is anything like “Crooklyn,” a Lee favorite of mine, that means a lot of good music. Maybe Spike should call it “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough.”

MeatLoaf New CD: American Idol, Hugh Laurie, Jack Black, and… Roger Ebert

Roger Friedman
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Meat Loaf was big in the late 70s with the hoary “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” the album “Bat out of Hell,” and an appearance in the cult classic “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

And then he wouldn’t go away.

He’s releasing a new album on April 19th called “Hang Cool Teddy Bear.” Apparently it’s a line from another cult classic, called “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls,” also from the early 70s. Guess who wrote the screenplay for the Russ Meyer directed spectacle of badness? None other than Roger Ebert. I’m sure he’ll give the album two thumbs up. Way up.

Otherwise, “Hang Cool” is populated by an odd group of musicians. They include actors Jack Black and Hugh Laurie (the guy from “House”) and Kara Dio Guardi from “American Idol.” Dio Guardi wrote at least one song on the album, too. So I guess we can expect Meat Loaf to mentor the “AI” kids before the season is over.

One name not included in the “Hang Cool” credits: Jim Steinman, who wrote and produced Meat Loaf’s biggest hits as well as “Total Eclipse of the Heart” for Bonnie Tyler. Loaf and Steinman have a long and contentious relationship.

There’s a good adjunct story to the Meat Loaf saga, by the way. Steve Popovich, who ran Columbia Records’ Cleveland warehouse, started his own label, Cleveland Records, in 1977. He signed Meat Loaf, and then licensed “Bat out of Hell” to Columbia. Popovich has been suing them ever since, periodically winning millions from the record label giant for unpaid royalties, etc. Loaf now records for RoadRunner Records.

Kirstie Alley Puts A&E Ratings on Diet

Roger Friedman
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Kirstie Alley’s ratings are putting her network, A&E, on an audience diet.

The ratings for her “Big Life” show on A&E were down this past Sunday from the previous week when the show debuted. Even adding “best friends” John Travolta and Kelly Preston to the mix didn’t help.

Alley had a big lead in, too, from Gene Simmons‘ “Family Jewels” show. A&E aired six half hour installments of that show on Sunday night, from 7 to 10pm. “Family Jewels” audience kept increasing, too, finally scoring 1.9 million viewers. But when “Big Life” came on, the number of viewers slimmed down fast. Alley had a 1.3 average for her two episodes, down from 1.4 the previous week. (Ratings are courtesy of website www.tvbythenumbers.com)

This past Sunday, cable TV was competitive, too. A Lifetime movie called “Amish Grace,” scored a 4.o between 8 and 10pm. That means that people watching cable–nay, dare I say women?–watched “Amish Grace” but had little interest in “Big Life.”

Alley’s show didn’t dent the top 25 cable shows for the week.

A&E just sent out a press release trumpeting that their first quarter were their best ever, and that they’re 5th among non news cable networks. Ok, if they say so. Their current programming is much different than their beloved “Biography” series. (Where’s Bill Kurtis when you need him?)

In its debut a week ago Sunday, “Big Life” also didn’t hold onto its lead from “Family Jewels,” which preceded it at 9pm.  The KISS leader’s personal saga had 300,000 more viewers during its hour before Kirstie.

After all the hullabaloo about Alley’s roller coaster weight, and the controversy about her diet program and Scientology, the publicity didn’t do much.

Consider that on its first Sunday night, the hit cable shows were “Life” on Discovery–6 million viewers; “Sunny with a Chance” on Disney with 5 million; “The Pacific” on HBO with 2.7 million; “Breaking Bad” on AMC–almost 2 million viewers; and then Simmons with 1.74 million. And A&E, unlike HBO, is on basic cable. There’s no subscription fee.

Plus–logging even beat Kirstie’s weight dilemma. “Ax Men” on the History channel had almost a million more pairs of eyes than “Big Life.” I resisted the headline: “Kirstie Alley Beaten By Loggers.”

And PS: what constitutes a hit on basic cable? Well, “Mad Men,” the best show on TV, airing on also free cable AMC, never did lower than a 1.7 last season. Its high was a 2.8. And the third season finale was 2.3. Just FYI.

Precious Writer Fletcher Will Direct Mulligan, Ronan

Roger Friedman
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It does look like Oscar winning screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher of “Precious” will be directing a film from his own original script.

“Violet and Daisy” is the title of a movie that may get a start this summer with two Oscar nominated actresses in the lead roles. They would be Carey Mulligan, of “An Education,” and Saoirse Ronan of “The Lovely Bones.”

The movie is described as a “Thelma and Louise” meets “Superbad” and “Pulp Fiction.” There’s plenty of action, and lots of girl power. “Forest Gump” Oscar winner Wendy Finerman is set to produce, with lots more to come.

Anyway, this was just some of the talk last night at an elegant congratulatory party for Fletcher hosted by his brother, banker Alfonse “Buddy” Fletcher, and famed singer Roberta Flack at said brother’s digs at the historic Dakota apartment house.

Flack was not the only Dakota resident on hand. There to lend support was newly minted Oscar holder and legend Lauren Bacall, along with Tribeca Film Festival founders Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff.

Bacall did joke, after receiving heaps of praise from the Fletchers, that she’s available for work. Maybe Fletcher has a role for her in “V&D.”

Also there to toast Fletcher: director Doug Liman, who’s working with the screenwriter on “Attica,” actor Steve Buscemi and wife Jo Andres; “Cheers” songwriter Judy Hart Angelo; director Whit Stillman; and former film financer Roland Betts, whose credits include all of Bette Midler’s classic Disney/Touchstone from “Ruthless People” to “Down and Out in Beverly Hills.”

Is Fletcher up to the task of directing his first film? Uh, you betcha. The Fletchers are a family of super-achievers, you know. Geoff’s a Harvard grad and so are his two brothers Buddy and Todd. Mom is Dr. Bettye Fletcher Comer, a PhD and Connecticut educator who’s also a trustee for the Bank Street College of Education. I mean, really. And still the hors d’oeuvres were really good!

With that kind of pedigree, you wouldn’t think Fletcher could have written such a gritty screenplay for “Precious.” You don’t see many movies where the main character’s mother throws a TV set at her from a flight of stairs.

“And that,” said the proud Oscar winner, “wasn’t even in the book!”

PS: I just throw Steve Buscemi’s name in here, but come the fall, the popular actor/director is going to be HUGE when his “Boardwalk Empire” hits HBO as the event of .the new season.

And by the way: Roberta Flack–who’s from Washington DC originally– is a New York Living Landmark. She’s working on an album of Beatles songs that should be out this summer. After she spoke to the crowd about the guest of honor, Buddy Fletcher said, “Let’s not forget, two Grammys do trump one Oscar!” Roberta blushed.

Oscar Winners, Nominees Seek “Salvation”

Roger Friedman
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I’m happy to report that the terrific producers Celine Rattray and Cathy Schulman are helping a bunch of Oscar winners and nominees seek Salvation.

That is, they are getting ready to shoot “Salvation Boulevard” with an all-star cast that includes Oscar winners Jennifer Connelly and Marisa Tomei, and nominees Donald Sutherland, Greg Kinnear, and Ed Harris. If you think that’s a good group, just add former Bond Pierce Brosnan, who’s so good right now in “The Ghost Writer.” (If you haven’t seen the Roman Polanski thriller, you are missing great movie making.)

The indie production is budgeted at $5.5 million. I’m told these intrepid women have raised all but the last $250,000. “Salvation Boulevard” seems like a sound investment. Between the producers and the cast, and director  George Ratliff, they have the combined credentials to make a hit. Ratliff adapted his script from a novel by Larry Beinhart, author of the book that became one of my favorite movies, “Wag the Dog.”

Schulman, meantime, was the driving force behind the Oscar winning “Crash.” She has dozens of credits including one of my guilty pleasure Sundance movies, “Thumbsucker.” Rattray is the founder of Plum Pictures, a plucky indie company with its own set of impressive titles including one of this past Sundance’s best films, :Lisa Cholodenko’s “The Kids Are Alright.” The latter film will get a big Oscar push, I hope, from Focus Features.

So the indie film world lives. I can’t wait to see “Salvation Boulevard” turn out to be one of the happy surprises of 2011.

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