'Pulse 2' to be released on DVD Tuesday

The movie “Pulse 2: Afterlife” will be released on DVD Tuesday (Sept. 30). The sequel to the 2006 horror movie was shot in Shreveport in late 2007. (Expect "Pulse 3: Invasion" to come out in December.)

“Pulse 2: Afterlife” is a post-apocalyptic story about ghosts who’ve invaded the earth through wireless signals. To escape their havoc, surviving humans try to avoid everything electrical.

As a Dimension Extreme release, expect lots of gore, lots of horror and a bouquet of flowers.

Here's the official blurbage:

"Jamie Bamber ('Battlestar Galactica') stars in this terrifying sequel that picks up where the original Pulse left off. The dead have found a way back to our world - through cell phones and WiFi - and the human survivors have taken to remote areas to escape. When a young girl goes missing, both her father and mother must cross a city of the dead to learn the terrifying truth. Intense, suspenseful, and terrifying, 'Pulse 2' will frighten you straight through to its shocking ending."

The movie also stars Georgina Rylance, Boti Bliss and Karley Scott Collins, who played Oprah on "The Class."

‘Salt Dreams’ documentary to screen Wednesday

The group minicine? will host a screening of “Salt Dreams” Wednesday (Oct. 1) at the Actors Café. “Salt Dreams” was made by Shreveport native J.T. Nesbitt. The documentary follows a New Orleans group determined to drive a Katrina-flooded car to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and set a land speed record.

Nesbitt and the race team will be present at the screening, which begins at 8 p.m. Cost is $5. The movie will be followed by a performance from the band My Graveyard Jaw. The Actors Café is located at 1401 Fairfield Ave. in Shreveport.

Scene Screened: 'Under the Sycamore Tree' attracts good crowd

Pictured (L to R): Alexandyr Kent, Chris Shields
and Shane Dean. Originally uploaded by
Robinson Film Center

If you got a chance to drop by last night's screening of "Under the Sycamore Tree," thanks! We had a good house. About 90 showed, and many were happy to welcome back actor/screenwriter Chris Shields to Louisiana. (He's from Natchitoches but lives in Vancouver, where the movie was shot.)

My Aqua Net hairdo hosted a post-screening Q&A with Shields and Shane Dean (director). They made the film for $60,000, which is a good indication for any local indie filmmakers. The more vendors, talent and infrastructure Shreveport attracts, the more likely Shreveport will be able support low-budget and microbudget filmmaking.

RFC's Chris Jay snapped a picture of the audience during the Q&A for "Under the Sycamore Tree." (Chris Jay/Robinson Film Center.)

In case you missed it, here's a shot of Treat Williams and RFC's Chris Jay during a post-screening Q&A for Tuesday night's screening of "Hair." (Alexandyr Kent/The Times)

Local director's festival circuit heats up

Jeffrey Goodman's "The Last Lullaby" was one of five dramatic feature films to take home a special jury prize from the Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival over the weekend. (Temecula is about 60 miles north of San Diego.)

Goodman directed "The Last Lullaby" (Tom Sizemore, Sasha Alexander) in Shreveport in early 2007. The movie debuted at the AFI Dallas festival in March.

From the following note, Goodman makes the Temecula fest sound like cinephile heaven: "It was a great festival. There were some nice yelps from the audience in the right moments and some very cool people in attendance.

"The closing night ceremony included Gena Rowlands (one of my heroes), Lalo Schifrin (one of the most famous composers in the history of film, also one of my heroes), Charles Burnett (definitely one of my heroes, director of "Killer of Sheep"), Bob Rosen (one of my heroes), and Taryn Manning (probably not one of my heroes but a darn good actress) performing two songs with her band Boomkat. I had good conversations with both Charles and Bob and left somewhere between clouds ten and eleven."

The fall festival/screening schedule for "The Last Lullaby" is busy:

• San Diego Film Festival (screens Sept. 27)
• Boucheron in Baltimore (book festival runs Oct. 9-12)
• New Orleans International Film Festival (screens Oct. 12)
• Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (screens Oct. 26-27)
• St. Louis International Film Festival (festival runs Nov. 13-23)

Expect to see Goodman make a decision about distribution in early 2009.

PHOTO: Jeffrey Goodman, director of "The Last Lullaby," poses for a portrait on March 12, 2008. (Greg Pearson/The Times)

Meet Natchitoches success story at Thursday screening

If you go
WHAT: screening of “Under the Sycamore Tree,” an independent movie starring and written by Chris Shields.
WHEN: screening begins 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 25). It will be followed by a Scene Screened Q&A with Shields and me.
WHERE: Robinson Film Center, 617 Texas St., Shreveport.
COST: free.

As part of our ongoing Scene Screened dialogue series, I'll be hosting a screening of "Under the Sycamore Tree" Thursday at the Robinson Film Center. Our special guest is Chris Shields, an actor originally from Natchitoches who wrote and starred in the indie drama.

During the post-screening Q&A, we'll talk about the movie, his background and his success in putting together a Hollywood career.

This is a really good opportunity to meet a working actor. Shields is best known, perhaps, for playing Corporal Venner on "Battlestar Galactica." He just wrapped a movie called "Christmas Crash" with Michael Madsen. You can find Shields' full resume here.

Chris Jay, RFC's director of programming and marketing, has wanted to screen this movie for some time, in part because it's proof-positive that actors come from Everywhere, USA.

"For a lot of people it’s an educational experience about what you have to go through to break into this industry," Jay said. "Chris Shields isn’t a household name but he’s been in a ton of TV and movies. He’s making it."

Come on down and enjoy the one-time-only, free screening. And bring your questions!

NOTE: This screening is also part of the Southern Black Theatre Festival, which runs locally through Saturday.

‘Skateland’ added to The Shreve’s fall calendar

Here's the state office's latest. One more for Shreveport: "Skateland."

Welcome to (225) 342-FILM, the official hotline of Louisiana Entertainment. Here's what's happening for the third week of September 2008:

SHREVEPORT

The independent feature film "Skateland" is in pre-production in Shreveport with shooting scheduled from October 20 through December 3. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail skatelandproductions@gmail.com.

The Signature Pictures feature film "Three Stories about Joan" starring Bruce Willis, Owen Wilson and Kieran Culkin, is in pre-production in Shreveport with shooting scheduled from October 2 through November 10. Resumes and inquiries are currently being accepted by mail only at 400 Clyde Fant Parkway, Second Floor, Shreveport, LA 71101.

The Millennium feature film "Leaves of Grass" starring Edward Norton, Susan Sarandon and directed by Tim Blake Nelson is shooting in Shreveport through November 13. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at Leavesproductions@gmail.com.

The Hallmark movie of the week "Front of the Class" is shooting in Shreveport through October 8. Resumes and inquires are being accepted by fax at (318) 682-5671. For casting information, please visit www.Gloriosocasting.com.

NEW ORLEANS

The independent feature film "My Own Love Song" starring Renee Zellweger and Forest Whitaker is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled from October 20 – December 13. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at myownlovesong08@gmail.com.

The Scott Free Productions feature film "Welcome to the Rileys" starring James Gandolfini is in pre-production in Metairie with shooting scheduled to begin October 6 for six weeks. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at welcometotherileys@mac.com.

The Nora Roberts Lifetime Network television movie of the week "Midnight Bayou" is in preproduction in New Orleans with shooting scheduled for October 13 for four weeks. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by fax at Gary@imagepictures.com.

A Horizon Entertainment football documentary television series is shooting in New Orleans with production scheduled into December. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@horizonent.tv.

The Seven Arts feature film "Night of the Demons" is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled from September 22 through late October. Resumes and inquiries can be emailed to Liz@voodoopicturesllc.com or faxed to (504) 582-5152.

The Faulkner McLain Entertainment feature film "Alabama Moon" is in pre-production in Covington with shooting scheduled for November and December. Resumes and inquiries are currently being accepted by email at info@faulknerproductions.com.

The LA Film Axis feature film "Ménage a trios" is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled from mid-September through mid-October. Cast and crew resumes are being accepted by e-mail at mikeappletango@gmail.com

LAFAYETTE

The Bullet Films feature film "House of Bones" is in pre-production in Lafayette with shooting scheduled from October 27 through late November. Resumes and inquiries are currently being accepted by fax at (337) 706-8971. For casting, please e-mail casting@bulletfilms.net.

The Bullet Films feature film "Gator" is shooting in Lafayette through October 13. Inquiries are currently being accepted by fax at (337) 706-8971. For casting, please e-mail casting@bulletfilms.net.

BATON ROUGE

The Greenwich Creations Inc and LA Film Axis feature film "The Blue Dress" is in pre-production in Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled for October 15 for four weeks. Resumes for cast and crew are being accepted by e-mail at bluedressthemovie@gmail.com.

The Films in Motion feature film "Burning Palms" is in pre-production in Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled to begin October 15. Resumes and inquiries are currently being accepted by e-mail at info@filmsinmotion.com.

And for more information about the film and television industry in Louisiana please visit us online at www.louisianaentertainment.gov and at www.lafilm.org.

Every state has a bit of Hollywood

As a sidebar to a piece about "mini-Hollywoods," which also appeared in USA Today, I compiled a sidebar that briefly profiles each state's industry (here). Might be interesting to you, so I've included it below.

What's shot where?

The following outlines what projects have been shot partially or most in each state. Years in parentheses indicate year of release, according to IMDb.com.

Alabama
John Sayles' recent blues indie "Honeydripper" (2008) shot in Butler County. Mobile International Speedway hosted scenes for the upcoming "Final Destination 4." History includes "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" (1968) and Tim Burton's "Big Fish" (2003).

Alaska
The state hosted key scenes "Into the Wild" (2007). Historical highlights include Steven Seagal's "On Deadly Ground" (1994), "White Fang" (1991) with Ethan Hawke, and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" (1991). Not shot in Alaska? The TV series "Northern Exposure" or "Men in Trees."

Arizona
The state is rich with western tradition, which includes "Rio Bravo" (1959) and "Tombstone" (1993), but recent projects include "The Kingdom" (2007), which shot extensively in Mesa and Phoenix. CW's short-lived series "Hidden Palms" (2007) was made at Hollywood Phoenix Studios.

Arkansas
The popular TV series "The Blue and the Gray" (1982) was shot in Arkansas. The state doubled for Mississippi in "Biloxi Blues" (1988). Billy Bob Thornton shot his Oscar-winner "Sling Blade" (1996) in Benton and other projects in the state.

California
Hello? Even its governor is an action hero. The film and TV industry spends approximately $38 billion in the state annually, according to the California Film Commission.

Colorado
Though trailing in the incentives game, the state boasts a big-name production history. Highlights include major parts of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969), "True Grit" (1969) and even "Dumb and Dumber" (1994). Paramount recently spent 12 days in the state shooting "NowhereLand" (2009) with Eddie Murphy.

Connecticut
Can you say busy? The state's attracted more than 50 projects since its incentives passed in 2006. Upcoming releases include "Righteous Kill" (Sept. 12) with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino and "Revolutionary Road" (Dec. 26) with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. History includes "Amistad" (1997) and the "The Stepford Wives" (2004 and 1975).

Delaware
It's not a busy state for major film production "" no incentives "" but "Failure to Launch" (2006) shot surf scenes at Cape Henlopen State Park. "Dead Poets Society" (1989) was shot at St. Andrew's School in Middleton and entirely within the state.

Florida
USA Network's series "Burn Notice" shoots in Miami. Disney went to Florida for "Old Dogs" (2009) with John Travolta and Robin Williams, 20th Century Fox for "Marley & Me" (Dec. 25) with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, and Touchstone Pictures for part of "Confessions of a Shopaholic" (2009). To catch up on Jacksonville's status as early 20th century filmmaking boomtown, pick up Shawn Bean's book "The First Hollywood."

Georgia
For 2007, the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office estimated the entertainment industry had $413 million impact on the state. The prolific Atlanta-based producer Tyler Perry sits at the center of the state's industry, and his next is "The Family That Preys" (opened Sept. 12). The state's rich feature history includes "ATL" (2006) "The Gift" (2000) "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002) and "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" (1997).

Hawaii
While the state is famous for TV series like "Hawaii Five-O" and "Magnum P.I.," its "Lost", now shooting its fifth season, reshaping its production possibility. When the ABC series plot drifts to Iraq, New York or the London Underground, it's still being shot in Hawaii. Recent major projects include "Tropic Thunder" (in theaters), "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008) and pieces of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008) and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (2007).

Idaho
Gosh! "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004) was filmed in and around Preston. Other projects include "Smoke Signals" (1998) and "Dante's Peak" (1997).

Illinois
While in Chicago, "The Dark Knight" injected nearly $40 million into the state's economy. Overall 2007, and with the help of other productions like "Wanted" (2008) and "Fred Claus" (2007) the state reached $155 million in film industry revenues. Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" (2009) with Johnny Depp recently shot there, too.

Indiana
The Hoosier State is of course famous for "Hoosiers" (1986). Much of "A League of Their Own" (1992) and "Rudy" (1993) were shot there too. The documentary "American Teen" (in theaters) was shot in Warsaw, and Crown Point recently hosted part of Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" (2009).

Iowa
The state holds bragging rights with "Field of Dreams" (1989) and "Bridges of Madison County" (1995) and has produced a number of indie features during recent years.

Kansas
Famously, the state produced "Picnic" (1955) with William Holden and "In Cold Blood" (1967). The satirical "CSA: The Confederate States of America" (2006) was made by Lawrence filmmaker Kevin Willmott.

Kentucky
With an eclectic production history, the state hosted "Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story" (2005), "Stripes" (1981), "Elizabethtown" (2005) and lots of exterior work for "Seabiscuit" (2003).

Louisiana
The state has lured more than 50 movie and TV projects inside its borders in 2008. Big-named features include "Year One" (2009) with Jack Black and "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" (2009) with Nicolas Cage. This year's national releases include "The Longshots" (Aug. 22), "Disaster Movie" (Aug. 29), "W." (Oct. 17),"Soul Men" (Nov. 14) and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Dec. 25).

Maine
The HBO two-part miniseries "Empire Falls" (2005) was filmed primarily in Skowhegan, while portions of "Jumanji" (1995) were filmed in Kennebunk and North Berwick. The state also hosted "In the Bedroom" (2001) in the Rockland area and "Message in a Bottle" (1999) in New Harbor. "Carousel" (1956) and "Peyton Place" (1957) and Stephen King projects are among the big names.

Maryland
Recognized for HBO's "The Wire" and the work of John Waters and Barry Levinson, this year Baltimore has hosted the movies of "My One and Only" (2009) with Renée Zellweger and part of "He's Just Not that Into You" (2009)with Jennifer Aniston and Scarlett Johansson. Ridley Scott's "Body of Lies" (Oct. 10) was shot partly in Maryland, too.

Massachusetts
Business is boffo in Boston. Eight pictures shot there in 2007. Highlights from 2008 "The Surrogates" with Bruce Willis and "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock. Since the state enacted tax credits in 2006 and strengthened them in 2007, Massachusetts has gotten $545 million in new film industry revenue.

Michigan
Recently having entered the incentives race with a lucrative rebate, Motor City is attracting big interest. Weinstein Co. recently wrapped "Youth in Revolt," while "Whip It" with Drew Barrymore started shooting in July. ABC just shot a pilot for "Prince of Motor City." 47 projects have been approved and could yield $288.4 million for the state, according to Daily Variety.

Minnesota
Joel and Ethan Coen begin "A Serious Man" in the Twin Cities this month, their first return to Minnesota since "Fargo" (1996). Recent projects are "Prairie Home Companion" (2006) and "North Country" (2005).

Mississippi
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000) chose the state, while the Mississippi Delta drama "Ballast" (Oct. 1, limited) picked up awards at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. "Walk the Line" (2005) did some work there. Modern notables include "Ghosts of Mississippi" (1996) and "A Time to Kill" (1996).

Missouri
The recent CW reality series "Farmer Wants a Wife" was filmed here. "The Lucky Ones" (Sept. 26) with Tim Robbins and Rachel McAdams was in St. Louis for two weeks in June 2007. Recent indie projects include"Meet Bill" (2008) with Aaron Eckhart and "Lie to Me."

Nebraska
"Terms of Endearment" (1983) shot in Lincoln, while Alexander Payne's "Citizen Ruth" (1996), "Election" (1999) and "About Schmidt" (2002) came out of Omaha. Recently, the indie "Lovely, Still," starring Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn, wrapped production in Omaha too.

Nevada
Between 2000 and 2007, the state yielded more than $917 million from the entertainment industry. This year, productions have included Taylor Hackford's "Love Ranch" (2009) and Disney's "Race to Witch Mountain" (2009). The state also cultures a veritable Vegas genre. Do "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995), "Casino" (1995) "What Happens in Vegas" (2008) "21" (2008) and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1998) ring a bell?

New Hampshire
Tourists still visit Squam Lake to conjure up memories of "On Golden Pond" (1981). The animal stampede of "Jumanji" (1995) was shot in Keene. The Granite State recently hosted "Live Free or Die" (2007) and "The Sensation of Sight" (2007).

New Jersey
New Jersey in two words? Busy, busy. The state attracted all or part of 95 features, 181 TV series and specials, and 403 commercials in 2007. "Law & Order: S.V.U." is based there, and director Kevin Smith loves his home state. In theaters, look for "Burn After Reading" (Sept. 12) and "Choke" (Sept. 26).

New Mexico
This has been a busy year, with blockbusters "Terminator Salvation" (2009) and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (2009) on the calendar. Count "3:10 to Yuma" and "No Country for Old Men" among its big 2007 releases. Gov. Bill Richardson's office boasts that since his election in 2002, the state has attracted more than 100 major film and TV projects.

New York
The state counts 250 feature films per year, with stars, studios, Woody Allen, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese to boot. A recent list of features: "Sex and the City" (2008),"Definitely, Maybe" (2008), "I Am Legend" (2007), "American Gangster" (2007) "Michael Clayton" (2007) and "We Own the Night" (2007). More? "Across the Universe" (2007), "The Brave One" (2007) and "Ghost Town" (Sept. 19).

North Carolina
In 2007, Wilmington attracted more than $100 million in local expenditures. HBO's American version of the "Little Britain" series (Sept. 28) was filmed there. TV hits include "Dawson's Creek" and the current "One Tree Hill." In theaters Oct. 17 is "The Secret Life of Bees."

North Dakota
With Minnesota, the state shared "Wooly Boys" (2001) with Kris Kristofferson and the Coen brothers' "Fargo" (1996).

Ohio
This year's Oscar hopeful "The Soloist" starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. made a visit to Cleveland. "Spider-Man 3" (2007) fans can see the city's Euclid Avenue during an armored truck stunt scene. The state's past projects include "American Splendor" (2003)," "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994) and "A Christmas Story" (1983).

Oklahoma
Film adaptations of S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" (1983) and "Rumble Fish" (1983) were shot in Tulsa. Big productions include "Twister" (1996) and "Dillinger" (1973). The indie "Four Sheets to the Wind" won a special jury prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Oregon
In 2007, the industry spent $41.3 million in Oregon. The teenage vampire phenomenon "Twilight" (Nov. 21) spent 50 shoot days there, and portions of "The Road" (Nov. 26) starring Viggo Mortensen were filmed in the Portland area. The state also lured "Management" with Jennifer Aniston and "The Burning Plain" with Charlize Theron.

Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh has attracted at least a dozen projects during the last year, including "The Road" (Nov. 26) with Viggo Mortensen, Kevin Smith's "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (Oct. 31) and "Adventureland" (2009) with Ryan Reynolds and Kristen Stewart. Philadelphia's filmography is no slouch, either: recent projects include Peter Jackson's "The Lovely Bones" (2009) and works by director M. Night Shyamalan, including "The Happening" (2008) and "The Sixth Sense" (1999).

Rhode Island
Providence is home base for the Showtime series "Brotherhood." Recent Hollywood projects include "27 Dresses"(2008), "Underdog" (2007), "Evening" (2007) and "Dan in Real Life" (2007). History is highlighted by "Meet Joe Black" (1998) with Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins and "The Great Gatsby" (1974) with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.

South Carolina
The Lifetime series "Army Wives" shoots in Charleston. George Clooney's "The Leatherheads" (2008) was shot in Greenville. Big projects include "The Abyss" (1989), "Forrest Gump" (1994) "The Notebook" (2004).

South Dakota
"Dances with Wolves" (1990) remains the state's biggest, but "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" (2007) and, famously, "North by Northwest" (1959) did some work at Mt. Rushmore.

Tennessee
Director and writer Craig Brewer has kept Memphis on the map with "Hustle & Flow" (2005) and "Black Snake Moan" (2007). You'll also see bits of the city in "Soul Men" (Nov. 7). "Hannah Montana: The Movie" (2009) was shot in middle Tennessee. Nashville is home to NBC's "Nashville Star." The state's history boasts "The Green Mile" (1999) and "Walk the Line" (2005).

Texas
Marfa, Texas, lured parts of the recent Oscar contenders "There Will Be Blood" (2007) and "No Country for Old Men" (2007). Austin is home to auteurs Richard Linklater and Robert Rodriguez and the South by Southwest music, film and interactive media festival. Recent production history includes "Fireflies in the Garden" with Julia Roberts and the latest "Friday the 13th" project.

Utah
The Sundance Film Festival may make the state hip, but Salt Lake City has upped its teen-cool factor as the base for the "High School Musical" productions.

Vermont
"What Lies Beneath" (2000) and "Me, Myself & Irene" (2000) are the big names, while parts of "The Cider House Rules" (1999) and "Beetle Juice" (1988) landed here. Recently wrapped is the CBS/Hallmark movie "Moonlight and Mistletoe" (December 2008).

Virginia
The HBO miniseries "John Adams" was made in Colonial Williamsburg. Crozet and Charlottesville lured "Evan Almighty" (2007). The indie "Lake City" with Sissy Spacek eyes a November release. Virginia got a piece of "Body of Lies" (Oct. 10) and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (2009), too.

Washington
Seattle recently lured "World's Greatest Dad" (2009) with Robin Williams and "Traveling" with Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart, and the indie feature "Dear Lemon Lima." Iconic hits are "Sleepless in Seattle"(1993) and "Officer and a Gentleman" (1982) plus the Seattle-set TV shows "Grey's Anatomy" and "Frasier."

West Virginia
"We Are Marshall" (2006) shot for three weeks at Marshall College in Huntington, and the state also hosted a portion of "Gods and Generals" (2003). Three films, including "Feast of the Seven Fishes," will be shot in the northern panhandle before the end of the year.

Wisconsin
"Public Enemies," starring Johnny Depp, spent the first half of 2008 in Wisconsin, according to Film Wisconsin. Other 2008 shoots include "Nephilum," "Motel-Gas Station" and "Fort McCoy." Historically, "American Movie" (1999) and "Back to School" (1986) shot in Wisconsin.

Wyoming
"Starship Troopers" (1997) and "Flicka" (2006) shot there, while big names include "Shane" (1953), "Rocky IV" (1985), and key scenes of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977).

Episode 3: 'True Blood' gets better

“True Blood” found its beat tonight. As the subject matter got dirtier and darker, the humor got lighter. It seems like shows like this only work when the script and actors go for broke.

The funniest moment was when Jason, Sookie’s sexaholic brother, lost his mojo and was forced to dance for his dealer (Lafayette, the cook at Merlotte’s). To pay for Viagra: Vampire Edition (vampire blood in a vial), Jason paraded on camera for a website in his whitey-tighties. (Supposedly, vampire blood enhances the libido. Hope it improves his dance moves. too.)

Tonight’s most interesting revelation was that Sookie’s a virgin, and that her virginity complicates her feelings for Bill Compton (her vampire suitor).

It appears this series is mostly going to be about sex, sex and more sex. Hopefully, it will keep the mood light. We'll see. So far, I think this was the best, most entertaining episode.

What did you think?

'Gonzo' envy

I'll admit it. I've finally fallen for Hunter S. Thompson, and it's because of the new documentary "Gonzo" playing at the Robinson Film Center. In today's review, I wrote:

"Thompson was at the center of the chaos. He sometimes chronicled it, often embellished it and always fed it. Right or wrong, he told his truth and stuck to his guns (politically and literally). Just witnessing him take notes in 'Gonzo' is worth the price of admission."

Recommend the movie. Check out my full review here. Let me know what you think about the treatment.

Treat Williams to headline 'Hair' screening

Members of the Robinson Film Center will get a chance to meet Treat Williams on Tuesday (Sept. 23) at the downtown arthouse. After a 7 p.m. screening of "Hair," he'll field questions from the audience.

Get you info here, and you should contact the film center to make reservations.

While "Hair" may have ignited Williams' film career -- it took him a mere 13 auditions to get the part in the Milos Forman film, according to his IMDb.com bio -- he's cataloged a solid resume. Big titles include Steven Spielberg's "1941" (1979), Sidney Lumet's "Prince of the City" (1981), Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America" (1984), and "Smooth Talk" (1985), which was based on a Joyce Carol Oates story.

Some of my favorites include "Dead Heat" (1988), "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead" (1995), "Deep Rising" (1998, strangely loved it), and the WB's "Everwood" (2002-2006, pictured).

Here's the "Hair" trailer.

Devil Music Ensemble to score 'Red Heroine' live

Centenary College presents the Devil Music Ensemble on Oct. 3, and it promises to be a pretty unique moviegoing experience. They are providing a live score to a 1929 Chinese kung fu film called "Red Heroine." Check out the preview above. Fun stuff.

Here's an excerpt from DME's website: "Episode six of RED HEROINE (a.k.a. RED KNIGHT-ERRANT), the only surviving episode of the 13-part serial, is also one of the few complete and earliest extant silent martial arts films. Made at the height of the martial arts craze in 1920s Shanghai, this lively tale about the rise of a woman warrior features the genre’s then-characteristic blend of pulp and mystical derring-do."

WHAT: "Red Heroine," with a live score by the Devil Music Ensemble.
WHEN: 7 p.m. Oct. 3.
WHERE: Centenary College's Kilpatrick Auditorium, Shreveport.
COST: free, open to the public.

Local illustrator pitching cartoon at festival

Local illustrator Al Bohl heads yonder this week to pitch his cartoon, "Way Out There." He's at the Ottawa International Animation Festival through Sunday.

He writes: "I submitted my half-hour animated television show concept Way Out There! along with other creators from all over the world into the Television Animation Workshop PitchTHIS! Competition. I was one of two shows chosen to present to the entire festival at the PitchTHIS! Program. Over 350 studio executives with be in attendance."

Good luck, Al.

'Front of the Class' needs construction workers

The Hallmark movie "Front of the Class" is currently shooting in The Shreve. Glorioso Casting needs extras to play construction workers Saturday. Call Andrei or Kate if you can work: 318.603.4560.

Updated: On Sunday, the show also needs men and women (ages 21 to 40) for a sports bar scene.

'Righteous Kill' debuts at no. 3

Box office was pretty good for "Righteous Kill." It debuted with $16.5 million, a solid figure for mid-September. The De Niro-Pacino flick did some second unit work in The Shreve.

Here's the top 12, according to Media by Numbers:
1. "Burn After Reading," $19.4 million.
2. "Tyler Perry's The Family that Preys," $18.0 million.
3. "Righteous Kill," $16.5 million.
4. "The Women," $10.1 million.
5. "The House Bunny," $4.3 million.
6. "Tropic Thunder," $4.2 million.
7. "The Dark Knight," $4.0 million.
8. "Bangkok Dangerous," $2.4 million.
9. "Traitor," $2.1 million.
10. "Death Race," $2.0 million.
11. "Babylon A.D.," $1.7 million.
12. "Mamma Mia!," $1.7 million.

'True Blood': Episode 2 still keeps it slow

Tonight "True Blood" took us a bit deeper into the life of Sookie (Anna Paquin). She got her first (or presumably first) taste of vampire blood. She's more sensual (she can taste the earth that the herbs grew out of), hornier and more confused, and I'm mostly bored.

I've seen the libido-and-passion-driven Southern gothic social critique stuff before and this treatment looks and sounds pretty conventional. We need some real fireworks.

We're also getting a bigger picture of the world of "True Blood," the injustice of vampire life, the mysterious powers of vampire blood (v-juice), and the manners by which vampires feed themselves. I suppose the show's creators are working to build a layered, enigmatic world where vampires can struggle to define themselves anew.

In many ways, the show is supposed to be a conversation about social inequality and identity politics. The news show pitting the vampire lobbyist (American Vampire League) against the evangelical preacher (Fellowship of the Sun) was pretty fun. I want to see more of that.

Still, I'm not quite sure yet who or what the vampires represent, or what new feelings they are supposed to represent in us. Yes, they are outsiders working to gain the same rights and freedom of mainstream culture. But so what? Are they supposed to be the forces drawing out the mainstream's baser prejudices? What threats do they really represent to the mainstream, and what threats does mainstream represent to them? This show hasn't made it clear or rich enough enough yet.

Adam Sternbergh of New York magazine makes an interesting case about metaphorical fuzziness: "(V)ampires make for extraordinarily elastic metaphors. A werewolf represents our subdued animal instincts. Zombies stand in for mob psychosis. Frankenstein gets trotted out to represent technology versus mortality. And vampires — well, they can represent pretty much everything else." Click here to read more.

I feel there is just too much exposition right now. Beside the fun TV show, we're getting a lot of simplistic explanations of why humans and vampires struggle to coexist. So far, it's based on shallow prejudices, decades of fear and widespread stereotyping. There's not a lot of action besides sex and barroom banter.

We'll see, though. It's still early and this episode ended with Sookie being surrounded by hungry vampires on the nighttime porch of Bill Compton (vampire protagonist played by Stephen Moyer).

Regarding the grotesque accents, it's just part of the party with Southern gothic. These exaggerations make it easier for the show to explore themes of social injustice because we react more strongly to what they say and how they feel. It also makes the show more fun, I think, for the casual viewer. I know it makes the ears sting, but that's just part of the deal.

Enough of me. What did you think?

Bruce Willis shooting ‘Three Stories about Joan’ in Shreveport

Here's the latest update from the state film office. I broke it down by city.

Welcome to (225) 342-FILM, the official hotline of the Louisiana Office of Entertainment Industry Development. Here's what's happening for mid-September 2008:

SHREVEPORT

The Signature Pictures feature film "Three Stories about Joan" starring Bruce Willis, Owen Wilson and Kieran Culkin, is in pre-production in Shreveport with shooting scheduled from October 2 through November 10. Resumes and inquiries are currently being accepted by mail only at 400 Clyde Fant Parkway, Second Floor, Shreveport, LA 71101.

The Hallmark movie of the week "Front of the Class" is shooting in Shreveport through October 8. Resumes and inquires are being accepted by fax at (318) 682-5671. For casting information, please visit http://www.gloriosocasting.com/

The Millennium feature film "Leaves of Grass" starring Edward Norton and directed by Tim Blake Nelson is shooting in Shreveport Sept. 22 through November 13. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at Leavesproductions@gmail.com.

NEW ORLEANS

The independent feature film "My Own Love Song" starring Renee Zellweger and Forest Whitaker is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled from October 20 – December 13. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at myownlovesong08@gmail.com.

The Future Films feature film "Welcome to the Rileys" starring James Gandolfini is in preproduction in Metairie with shooting scheduled to begin October 6 for six weeks. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at welcometotherileys@mac.com.

The Nora Roberts Lifetime Network television movie of the week "Midnight Bayou" is in preproduction in New Orleans with shooting scheduled for October 13 for four weeks. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by fax at Gary@imagepictures.com.

The Horizon Entertainment football documentary television series is shooting in New Orleans with production scheduled into December. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@horizonent.tv.

The Seven Arts feature film "Night of the Demons" is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled from September 22 through late October. Resumes and inquiries can be emailed to Liz@voodoopicturesllc.com or faxed to (504) 582-5152.

The LA Film Axis feature film "Ménage a trios" is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled from mid-September through mid-October. Cast and crew resumes are being accepted by e-mail at mikeappletango@gmail.com.

BATON ROUGE

The Greenwich Creations Inc and LA Film Axis feature film "The Blue Dress" is in pre-production in Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled for October 15 for four weeks. Resumes for cast and crew are being accepted by e-mail at bluedressthemovie@gmail.com.

The Films in Motion feature film "Burning Palms" is in pre-production in Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled to begin October 15. Resumes and inquiries are currently being accepted by e-mail at info@filmsinmotion.com.

The Faulkner McLain Entertainment feature film "Alabama Moon" is in pre-production in Covington with shooting scheduled for November and December. Resumes and inquiries are currently being accepted by email at info@faulknerproductions.com.

And for more information about the film and television industry in Louisiana please visit us online at http://www.louisianaentertainment.gov/ and http://www.lafilm.org/.

PHOTO: Actor Bruce Willis poses for photographers during the red-carpet arrivals for the United States premiere of Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," in New York, in this Thursday, June 23, 2005, file photo. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson)

'Righteous Kill' hits screens today

A showdown between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino hits screens today. Produced by Millennium Films (which does lots of local work) and distributed by Overture Films, "Righteous Kill" was shot primarily in Connecticut but did some second unit work in Shreveport.

It will compete with "Burn After Reading" this weekend at the box office.

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson also stars in the movie. When the rapper-turned-actor was in Shreveport shooting "Streets of Blood" (aka "Microwave Park"), he spoke about the opportunity to work with De Niro. De Niro was originally cast in "Streets of Blood" but was later replaced by Val Kilmer.

Jackson said: "I could hang out with (De Niro) without being on a movie set. ... I could just go lunch, or whatever, for no reason and hang out with him. (With) Val, it’s a similar chemistry."

'Disaster Movie': What did you think?

I'm late to the party, but dare I ask what you thought of "Disaster Movie?" As of Monday, its 11th day of release, it had trapped just $10.7 million in box office and dropped out of the top 10.

Perhaps amazingly, it's getting better business than "The Longshots." In 18 days of release, that had gotten just $9.9 million.

The news gets better: "College," shot in New Orleans, had $4.2 million after 11 days.

Translation: We need a hit. Come on, "Dub-ya!"

Pics from "Disaster Movie" follow:

New Orleans Film Festival runs Oct. 10-16

Last year I attended the New Orleans Film Festival for the first time. It was one of the best fests I've experienced.

I spent three days watching good films and hobnobbing with documentary filmmakers. NOFF lacked all pretense. Filmmakers and fans alike just showed up for screening times and chatted in the lobbies about their projects and interests. At once both casual and engaging.

I also followed Allison Bohl (Bossier City native, right) and Connie Castille (left), who took home the Louisiana Filmmaker Award for "I Always Do My Collars First."

This year, the fest runs Oct. 10-16. Highly recommend you attend.

The full schedule will be released Sept. 18 and I'll post it here. Tickets go on sale Sept. 29. For now, we know it will showcase 130 new films. Categories are Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, Animation and Experimental.

Keep a special eye on schedule for Oct. 12, for it will be I Love Louisiana Day, a showcase of Louisiana films and filmmakers. Perhaps we'll see some local work get a premiere there.

Stay tuned. For more details, log on to http://www.neworleansfilmfest.com/.

'True Blood' debuts on HBO

The series "True Blood" debuted on HBO tonight. It's done a lot of second unit work in northwest Louisiana.

(Sorry for my unplanned two-week absence, folks, but a Gustav-related assignment in New Orleans kept me from blogging. I wish I had had some time to do some vampire research!)

It should go without saying that having a TV series set in northwest Louisiana -- even if it's shot primarily in L.A., as I understand -- is a big deal for the local industry. It keeps the state on an ever-competitive film industry map.

That said, the Southern gothic vampire series started out slow for me. It's full of style and mystery but not much substance yet -- besides the wonderful Anna Paquin as the series' heroine, Sookie Stackhouse. Of course, it's just a series debut and good characters take a lot of time to develop. Hopefully this one will find its hooks in the coming weeks.

What do you think so far? Like or no like? See any of Shreveport or Louisiana in the episode one?

I counted two Shreveport references plus two more to Marthaville and Monroe. (The cast needs to learn how to pronounce the last though: MUN-roe.)

Critics are split so far.

From The New York Times’ Alessandra Stanley: "'True Blood' is based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries, a series of fantasy novels by Charlaine Harris that revolve around Sookie Stackhouse, a cocktail waitress who solves murders while playing hard to bite with a tall, handsome vampire. Mr. Ball has taken what is basically a quirky romance novel and turned it into an R-rated melodrama puffed up with erotic tension and campy gore. It’s creepy, steamy and funny at times, and it’s also a muddle, a comic murder mystery that is a little too enthralled with its own exoticism. 'True Blood' is outré, but it’s not nearly as eccentric and inventive as 'Six Feet Under' or even 'Big Love.'"

From the Orlando Sentinel’s Hal Boedecker: "After watching five episodes, I can say 'True Blood' stands out as one of the strongest new series in an uncertain fall. Alan Ball, creator of 'Six Feet Under,' has adapted Charlaine Harris' novels with wit, verve and passion."