Controversial director Ken Russell passed away in his sleep over the weekend at the age of 84. Born 3 July 1927 in Southampton, England, filmmaking was not his first profession. Having served in her majesty's army, trying his hand as a dancer, and a photographer, he eventually began to dabble in short films before getting into television in the early 1960s. His BBC series Monitor and Omnibus garnered a great deal of attention and acclaim, but it's films like Oscar-nominated Women in Love (1969), the Cannes favorite Mahler (1974), The Who's rock opera Tommy (1975), and cult classics Altered States (1980) and Lair of the White Worm (1988) for which he will be most remembered. He is survived by his fourth wife Lisi Tribble, five children by his first wife, costume designer Shirley Russell, and one unreleased film still in post-production -- Invasion of the Not Quite Dead, in which he stars and executive produced.

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Succeeding the late Desmond Llewellyn and the great John Cleese in the role of James Bond's go-to gadget guy is 31 year old Ben Whishaw (The Hour, Layer Cake). While not much is known about how director Sam Mendes, and writers John Logan, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade will utilize their version of "Q," the pressure is on, as Whishaw inherits the mantle of a beloved 007 character.

James Bond returns in Skyfall on November 9, 2012.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPS) has just announced they are parting ways with producer Brett Ratner for their next Oscars telecast. Despite a vote of confidence in him and his position yesterday, an official press release was released this afternoon contradicting their previous statements...

This morning, Brett Ratner submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak. Ratner then issued an open letter to the entertainment industry in which he explained his decision.

"He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself," Sherak said. "Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent."

Ratner's troubles began late last week with an appearance on G4's Attack of the Show in which he made derogatory remarks about the show's former co-host Olivia Munn. Then, following a dismal showing of his new film, Tower Heist at the box office, a press screening Q&A went south when his response to a question about rehearsing his actors came out as "Rehearsal is for fags."

Ratner himself is accepting full responsibility for the media storm. "Having love in your heart doesn’t count for much if what comes out of your mouth is ugly and bigoted. Being asked to help put on the Oscar show was the proudest moment of my career. But as painful as this may be for me, it would be worse if my association with the show were to be a distraction from the Academy and the high ideals it represents. I deeply regret my actions and I am determined to learn from this experience."

J. EDGAR reviewed by Michael Stailey
Opening: 11/09/2011
Studio: Warner Bros.
Accomplices: Trailer, Official Site

The most powerful man in the world. The most boring biopic in history.

As a lifelong political junkie, dramatized biopics -- from the ridiculous (JFK) to the sublime (Frost/Nixon) -- play right into my wheelhouse. Talented filmmakers feast on the bones of these high profile figures and deconstruct their careers for enlightenment and entertainment. So how do you go about tactfully criticizing Clint Eastwood? The man is a bona fide Hollywood legend who has crafted some incredible films. Sadly, J. Edgar isn't one of them.

A diligent young government agent, John Edgar Hoover, rises through the ranks of corruption and political turmoil to become the most powerful man in U.S. Government. Consumed by ambition and high ideals, his innovation and tenacity revolutionized crime fighting while opening the door to civil rights violations we continue to struggle with today. Hoover is the poster child for what can happen when unparalleled authority and a warped sense of right and wrong go unchecked. This is his story... or at least one version of it.

Dustin Lance Black's screenplay uses the dictation of Hoover's memoir in 1972 as the backbone for the film, allowing us to float in an out of key events in the man's career. At times poignant and other times annoying, Eastwood attempts to leverage its non-linear style to build a slow boil which culminates in Hoover's death. I say "attempts" because it's difficult to invest yourself in the life of man who is both unlikable and unsympathetic. In fact, the only real emotion we feel is pity, for people like his longtime secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger) and lifelong partner Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer, The Social Network) who are sucked into Edgar's raging whirlpool of ambition and are never able to escape. It's hard to imagine how this man engendered such loyalty when he treated everyone but his mother (Judi Dench, Quantum of Solace) with arrogant disdain.

The performances here seem to be the tipping point. DiCaprio has become a highly intense actor on the order of DeNiro, Pacino, and Sean Penn. But to craft a living breathing character, one has to go beyond the surface intensity and discover a light to balance the dark. And that's where this performance and the film itself falters. Eastwood has made a career of finding humor in even the darkest of circumstances and there's very little humor here, which makes everything seem so self-important. There are far too many moments that read as "Look at me, I'm acting!" which is the last thing you want an audience to think.

The subtle devious manipulations of Dame Judi Dench as Edgar's mother and the simple detached reactions of Naomi Watts as Ms. Gandy are in stark contrast to DiCaprio and Hammer who force their interactions in all but the most quiet of moments. One scene in particular -- which both men admit had very little rehearsal and very few takes -- finds Tolson and Hoover's relationship reach its boiling point. What should be a moment of profound realization is undermined by over-the-top bad acting choices. Armie was shooting for Liz Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virigina Woolf? and wound up with Susan Lucci in All My Children. The same can be said for DiCaprio in Edgar's inability to deal with his mother's passing. The scene nods to Hoover's rumored crossdressing, but screams of Norman Bates in Psycho.

For as much time as these men spend together on screen, you'd think our investment in their relationship would be significant. And yet once these characters reach their twilight years, you can't help but feel we're watching a college theatre production of Waiting for Godot with twenty-somethings in heavy elderly makeup "acting" like senior citizens.

Shot in only 39 days, J. Edgar is a period piece of the highest technical order, one which perhaps overwhelms its narrative. The hair, makeup, costuming, sets, and lighting are meticulous for the near 50 year span in which the story operates. And yet the post-production team seems to have taken it all a bit too far with a past history color correction scheme that leaches life from the frame, leaving us a whitewashed history that flies in the face of a tale that attempts to lay bare the history of a man who no one really knew beyond what he wanted them to. To make matters worse, Eastwood's mastery of music and passion for quiet understated Jazz sabotages the film. The sleepy piano driven underscore only amplifies the lifeless visuals to drag everything down.

Of the industry people I viewed the film with, I have no doubt there will be some who will fall all over themselves praising the film. I just can't share that enthusiasm. In fact, my disappointment with the experience seems to grow with time and distance. Save for Judi Dench, Naomi Watts, and an impressive production team, there's just not much to relish about J. Edgar. Those expecting a late season Oscar juggernaut will be sorely disappointed.

Guilty of criminal ambivalence.

Hollywood played host to the cast and crew of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Wednesday night. The Cinerama Dome was full but not overflowing with fans and media types awaiting the arrival of co-creators David Eick, Ron Moore, and actors Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Jamie Bamber, and Katee Sackhoff. Planting myself in the first row, in front of the AICN boys, I knew I was out of my element. While the gathered mass wasn't all decked out in BSG attire ala a Trek convention, most if not all of the assembled were huge fans of the show. Until that morning, I hadn't seen a single episode. Yes, I admit I'm late to the party of this one, but I had seen the broadcast run of the original series and owned the full line of action figures and ships, so I wasn't completely in the dark. And yet I couldn't help but feel like I slept through most of the semester. Playing catchup I downloaded several episodes off iTunes including "The Story So Far" and the two-part Season Three finale, both of which were enough to give me a baseline knowledge and whet my appetite for more. Combined with Judge Eric Profancik's reviews of the mini-series and the first two seasons, I was ready for anything.

With trusty journalistic digital recorder in hand, the festivities opened with a montage of the first four years on the big screen (quite impressive) and the introduction of host Lucy Lawless (Number Three). At this point, they put the kibosh on any recording devices and the vigilant eyes of the dome's security team made sure people complied. So I covered the event old school with writers cramp and seven pages of barely discernible notes. Lucky for you I can read my own half-baked writing.

The first question to Ron and David was the recent announcement that the show would be ending with Season Four -- a thought that was on the minds of everyone in the room. David admitted this plan started taking shape during Season Two and was cemented with the discovery of The Temple of Five in Season Three's "The Eye of Jupiter." At this point Edward James Olmos (Admiral Adama), referred to the rest of the evening as Eddie, jumped in to say when he was originally approached about the project back in 2001, Ron and David said this would be a finite run. What cemented that plan were several issues including the flawed Neilsen ratings system (which does not calibrate for minorities) and that most of the fans download the show rather than watch it broadcast on SciFi Channel. Lucy then went around the group and asked for their thought's on the series final season...

Jamie Bamber (Apollo) jokingly said he could care less about the show ending, as he was "tired of being David and Ron's bitch."

Mary McDonnell (President Laura Roslin) commented "it's hard to contemplate giving it up," but each scene they film from here on out takes on a much greater emotional significance.

Eddie made the point of saying "the powers-that-be won't understand what the show means until 20 years from now," and that he's blessed to have been part of a series whose mirror of modern society has been so profound. "You will never see another program like this in your lifetime."

Moving on to favorite moments, Lucy -- who is just as big a geek about the show as anyone in the room -- said hers was seeing how Jamie's penis can hold up a towel all on its own. Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck) had two: the day she learned of Kara's death and one of her favorite nude scenes when she took off the pasties only to have paint slathered on her breasts to hide the nipples. Hey, I didn't say this was going to be a family friendly report.

The conversation then turned to Ron and David regarding the origins and development of the series, rebooting Glen Larson's original vision. David reiterated the strong support of the network in "wanting it different from all other space shows." Interestingly enough, Battlestar is the only '70s adventure series David has not seen. Ron underscored the point by saying "it's still the same franchise." In fact, he went back to the three-hour pilot of the original series for inspiration, making it about the truth of the today's world while not turning it into a political soapbox. They were simply "fearless" in their approach to the storytelling and the fans picked up on it. Now, with "two chapters left to go," they are headed to Earth -- "whatever that may be." For this final season, it's about "having a plan, but making it flexible." David and Ron are providing "the big picture" and letting the writing team run with the ball to fill in the blanks. There may be more stories to tell in the Galactica universe (Ron has written the pilot for a Caprica series), but this story -- the one that started in the mini-series -- is coming to it's natural close.

Other interesting responses to Lucy's questioning of the team...

* Eddie gave copies of Deva Premal's "Gayatri Mantra" to the entire cast and crew during the mini-series and Mary believes it gave the series its soul.

* David said musical plays an integral part in the series, getting to the "primal guts for the birth of a civilization."

* Eddie and Mary are seen the role models for everyone involved in the show, each "owning" the worlds they inhabit.

* Eddie was originally drawn to the project by Ron's three-page prologue (aka The Bible) which was nothing more than a sales document to cut against potential knee-jerk reactions of the title of the pilot script.

With four standing mics in the audience (two on the main floor and two in the upper level), Lucy opened the floor to questions...

Q: Is there anything you'd like to see happen before the show ends?
A: Mary - "I'd like to stay alive."
A: Jamie - "I don't care. I've surrendered the character and whatever happens can't help but be riveting."

Q: What was the significance of using Bob Dylan's "Along the Watch Tower" to underscore the big reveal in Season Three?
A: Ron - "Jason Katims gave me the Dylan disease on Roswell." He'd been trying to work the tune into the series since the mini-series but it had never found an appropriate home until now.

Q: What's the deal with Jamie's weight?
A: Jamie - "Lots of binging and purging."

Q: I'd like to congratulate Mr. Olmos on his ALMA award.
A: Jamie - "What did you win?"
A: Mary - "What's an ALMA?"

Q: Is there a reason we didn't see much in the way of Baltar/Head Six mind games in Season Three?
A: Ron - "David wound up cutting most of it out because the writers weren't doing anything new with it. You'll see new riffs in Season Four."

Q: Were there any tough acting moments you encountered?
A: Mary - "Taking a stand for genocide. I didn't want to put that into the world, even if it was fictional."

Q: Did you base your characters on people in real life?
A: Katee - "Starbuck is my brother, through and through."
A: Jamie - "I just got a chance to fly with the Blue Angels. Wish I could have done that before the series started."

Q: Can you talk a little about the unique production design of the show?
A: David - "The asethic is a combination of cinema verite and documentary. The human drama comes first and the SciFi second. We actually drew on three films as inspiration -- Alien, BlackHawk Down, and Blade Runner -- which is why I feel I should write Ridley Scott a check every time the show airs. Also credit Michael Rymer, who established the 'you are there' visceral look and feel in the mini-series."

Q: Will you resolve all the loose ends, like "Where are Boxey and Bulldog?"
A: Ron - "The technical term in the writers room is 'mistakes.' Some things just don't fly."

Q: What are your literary influences?
A: Ron - "David and I are both poli-sci majors. In fact, all of the writers are history buffs."

Q: Will Adama ever get laid?
A: Eddie - "Ask Laura."
A: Mary - "Who says he didn't?" (pot smoking incident)
A: Katee - "Doesn't that just make you want Taco Bell?"
A: Mary - "It never made me want Taco Bell!"

Q: Will you introduce any queer sexuality before the series ends?
A: David - "There's a bit in 'Razor.'"
A: Ron - "That's right! But it's a general failure of the series."

Q: Can you tell us about 'Razor'?
A: Ron - "It takes place during the events of Season Two, working backwards in time. Most of the regular series cast is involved, even if they make only brief appearances. It's one of the bonus episodes that will premiere in the fall and on DVD about the same time."

Q: Do you believe in happy endings?
A: Ron - "It's all about the yearning. It's the lack of satisfaction in these characters that keeps you invested."

Q: Was it a difficult decision to end the series now?
A: David - "It really sucks to end something. You don't want to say goodbye, but you have to."

Q: How much production time remains?
A: David - "We just started filming three weeks ago. We'll be shooting until March."
A: Ron - "This is like Senior Year."
A: Katee - "I never showed up Senior Year."

Q: What will you miss?
A: Mary - "I never had a fan experience like this. I will miss it a lot. It's been very rewarding."
A: Jamie - "I've learned so much from the fan's insights. It's been an utter revelation to me. You complete the creative process."
A: Katee - "I got hate mail in the beginning and then it shifted. The fans follow you to other projects and support you even if it sucks. I've never had this before. Thank you for accepting me without a package (penis)."

Q: What is the legacy of Battlestar?
A: Ron - "Leaving behind a body of work that means something. I'm proud of the people, the memories, and the show."
A: David - "“I just know that Season Four is going to kick some almighty ass."

And with that, the gang said their thank you's to the audience, requested applause for the writers and production folks seated in the audience -- including director Bob Young -- said their goodbyes, and we all saw a quick preview of "Razor" which features the Pegasus and one of its commanding officers played by Michelle Forbes who many will remember as Ensign Ro from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Unfortunately, I missed out on pre-event showing of the Season Three finale and the VIP reception that followed, only because our contacts at NBC/Universal didn't tell me they would be taking place. However, I am heading up to Vancouver at the end of June for SciFi Channel's press tour and will bring you even more Galactica info direct from the set.

This past Tuesday (5 June 2007), Buena Vista Home Entertainment hosted a unique new experience for the digital press -- a live screening of the film PRIMEVAL and real-time Q&A session with director Michael Katleman, who was watching the film right along with us. The result was a fascinating opportunity that enabled us to pose thoughtful and insightful questions as they arose. The image you see is a screengrab of the junket dashboard (no, that isn't what the croc looks like in the film -- it's the bonus material breakdown of the CG development process). We didn't have to fight traffic and travel across town to one of the studio screening rooms. We didn't have to jockey for limited time with cast and crew. And we didn't have to make notes in the dark to remind us of questions we'd like to ask later. It was a casual, engaging approach to press junkets I hope to see more of in the future.

PRIMEVAL is based on the real life story of a killer croc named Gustave who has taken the lives of more than 300 Burundi's over the past 100 years. While many have seen and attacked him, no one has been able to kill or capture the beast. The story focuses on a reluctantly ambitious American news crew (Dominic Purcell, Orlando Jones, Brooke Langton), a Steve Irwin-esque reknowned crocodile hunter (Gideon Emery), and their exasperated Captain Ahab guide (Jurgen Prochnow) who has long been hunting this Moby Dick. While the croc would seem to be the main event, he's actually on the second card, behind local warlord Little Gustave and his complete, unmerciful control of the region.

Erroneously marketed as a serial killer horror film, PRIMEVAL plays more like JAWS in Africa's river region. Yet while Bruce the shark was a problematic animatronic, this beastie is 100% CGI and capable of vivisecting humans in ways you've yet to conceive. This is a human drama, layered with socio-political commentary and the real-life horrors of living in a country where anarchy reigns supreme. But by the end, it may just be that Gustave is Mother Nature's way of balancing the scales.

Listed below are the highlights of the questions asked and answered during both the 9:00a screening (which I took part in) and the 6:00p screening...

Q: is this a monster movie? a human drama? i know it's all of the above, but as a director, what was the essential nugget of the narrative that guided you through production?
A: I think the nugget that was going through my head and guiding me was, "everything is not as it seems." I think that notion speaks to both the monster element, and the human drama.

Q: Michael, how did you first hear about Gustave?
A: I first heard about Gustave when I read the script. I was immediately intrigued that this kind of predator could exist in the everyday lives of the people of Burundi.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about the real Gustave?
A: As the myth goes, Gustave has been stalking people for up to 100 years and has killed over 300 people. Obviously, in our film, he is a supercroc, but in reality, once he got the taste of human blood and realized that humans move a lot slower than other animals, I think he simply realized that it would take a lot less effort to snack on humans at will. He has been shot at, stabbed, but it just seems there is no way to take him down. Who knows, maybe he has been dead for a long time, but I for one think it's cool to imagine he's still out there.

Q: Since this was based on a true story, what kind of research did you do to help make the film?
A: First, I watched the National Geographic documentary. And, thank god for the internet, because there's a wealth of information out there.

Q: In your research, did you ever have a Gustave sighting?
A: No, I actually wasn't in Burundi. We shot the film in South Africa, in Cape Town and Durban, but I did see many a crocodile, not even close to the size of Gustave. They scared the hell out of me.

Q: Typically, movies about real-life killers are made after the killer has been caught or passed away. Did you have any qualms about making a movie about a killer that is still at large?
A: No. It actually made it more exciting for me knowing that this animal is still out there, and real. But, obviously, we took a tremendous amount of creative license.

Q: Was JAWS a big inspiration for how you showed the audience Gustave?
A: JAWS was a huge influence and inspiration. I still remember the first time I saw that film, and I basically grew up in the water surfing all my life, and even I have to admit that I was afraid to get back in the ocean after that film. If I could come close to putting that kind of fear into people, I would consider this a huge success

Q: What was the ratio of CG to practical effects?
A: 100 percent CG. 0 percent practical effects. We started out with an animatronic croc, in hopes of shooting as much with it as possible. But, once we got the animatronic in the water in Africa, it just didn't look that scary or believable, so we made a last minute change to not use it at all. We went 100 percent CG instead, which not only posed some CG challenges, but really affected the film financially.

Q: Was there a debate about CGI versus animatronics when it came to the design of Gustave?
A: We went down both roads, and CGI won out. It was far more flexible, and gave me a lot more latitude in editing to manipulate the crocodile, and make it scarier and more aggressive.

Q: How difficult was it to create an entirely CGI character for daylight shots? You don't see that a whole lot.
A; It was definitely challenging. The nighttime is much more forgiving. What added to the level of difficulty was putting the creature in water during the day. It just requires a lot more time, and a lot more patience.

Q: What sound was used to make the croc's jaw snapping?
A: We used a series of sounds. There is some wood snapping, elephant sounds, snake sounds, croc sounds, and anything else that was cool. We looked at the dinosaurs from JURASSIC PARK as a template. They managed to make the sound frightening, and give it personality all at once.

Q: Is the design of the creature based on actual footage of the croc?
A: Yes. The jumping off point was Gustave. From that point, I set out to create a leaner, meaner croc. When you look at the real Gustave, he is sort of big and fat. I tried to make a scarier version of this killing machine.

Q: How much creative leeway / artistic license did you allow yourselves in terms of the croc's movements etc?
A: We started out trying to stick to the actual movements that crocodiles make. But, at the end of the day, I just wanted it to be cool, so if it didn't look cool, we changed it.

Q: JAWS triggered a massive shark industry that's now endangering several species. Are you worried about villifying the crocodile?
A: I hope this film is taken purely at an entertainment level.

Q: Do you think having PRIMEVAL out there will inspire more crews to head out and try to capture Gustave?
A: No, I think if anything, if they saw the documentary, they might want to go capture Gustave, but I think people realize that this is a Hollywood film, loosely based on facts.

Q: So we've seen giant sharks, giant crocs, giant spiders and ants. Which of the giant monster movies, made or yet-to-be-made, do you think deserves to be seen?
A: All of them. Give me a giant anything and I'll be happy. One of my favorite toys as a kid was a magnifying glass. Seriously, if you can make it scary, I think it's cool.

Q: How did the opportunity to direct this film come about for you?
A: The producer, whom I had worked with in the past, brought the script to me, and offered it to me. I read it, and having been a huge fan of Brancato and Ferris, having enjoyed THE GAME, I jumped at the chance.

Q: Is it hard to direct from someone else's screenplay? Have you ever considered writing?
A: It's actually quite fun to direct from somebody else's screenplay. As soon as you read it, your imagination takes over, the visuals come to you, it formulates inside your mind, and it becomes your own. You are constantly re-writing the script during the process, so by the time you start filming, it pretty much becomes your own.

Q: You have directed some big TV-shows, but nothing close to horror or thriller. Was it a conscious choice to do a horror/thriller as your first big feature film?
A: No, but when I read the script, there was something about it that intrigued me. In a sick way, I began to become excited about figuring out all the different ways that a crocodile can kill a human. This was a new experience for me from what I had done on TV, and it definitely excited me to be doing something different.

Q: Even with flicks like *Anaconda* around, this isn't traditional fodder for a horror film -- and I like how you treat it more like a science documentary than the usual horror flick. What inspired you to tell this particular story in this particular way?
A: I really like the fact that if you go to the water, there's a crocodile. If you go to the land, there are warlords. There really is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. It gave me a great opportunity to not only shoot a horror film, but to shoot a horror/action film.

Q: How much did the script evolve during the shoot? I’m sure it was strong to begin with (Ferris and Brancato are no slouches, I think they wrote The Game) but did it change much?
A: The script went through quite a few re-writes, with Brancato and Ferris involved at every step of the way. A lot of the re-writes were motivated by our financial constraints, because a film like this can easily spin out of control. On set, there were quite a few changes made, just from working with the actors.

Q: Why "Primeval" and not "Gustave" for the title - what does the name "Primeval" dictate or require?
A: To be honest, it was titled "Gustave" for a very long time, but nobody really knew what that was or what it meant.

Q: How long did you shoot in Africa for? Was the entire film shot there or was some of this type of stuff (on the boat) shot elsewhere?
A: We shot for about 7 weeks in Africa. Everything was shot in Africa.

Q: How many cameras did you use to shoot the most intense action scenes?
A: I generally had 4 cameras to shoot the action. If it was a situation, for instance, where the hut was going down, I had roughly 8 cameras for those sequences. For the most part, I used about 4.

Q: You mentioned in the commentary utilizing the camera to make daylight look like night shots, did that help you along a great deal?
A: The day to night was more in post production. Once I looked at the film as a whole, it gave me a tremendous amount of control in creating passage of time, creepiness, as well as selling the beauty of Africa. So, while I was filming, I didn't really rely on it, but in post, as I was finishing the film, it became an incredible asset.

Q: Some of the scenery shots are amazing - I wonder how much of that was down to the cinematographer, and how much to Africa's natural beauty?
A: My cinematographer, Ed Pei, is incredible. He is very talented. In conjunction with the natural beauty of Africa, it was hard not to capture it on film.

Q: Were any locations problematic to film in?
A: They all had their challenges. Working in water is always difficult. When we were on land, we had to deal with snakes, rhinos, etc. And, doing stunts outside in the jungle, has its own set of challenges as well.

Q: Was there a wildlife expert on-set throughout the shoot?
A: There wasn't a wildlife expert per se, but there was a ranger there to protect us in case we were attacked by the animals that were around us during the shoot.

Q: As a director, what is more preferable: a set where everything is comfortable, but fake, or a real location that is full of life but possibly with uncomfortable shooting conditions?
A: It depends on what kind of film you are making. For Primeval, no question, a real environment, despite the potential for unfavorable conditions. It forces the actors to deal with nature. It makes it all more real. For photographic reasons, it is far more advantageous as well. Having said that, if I were shooting a film that took place all in interiors, I would prefer to build the set - making it much more accessible for camera, lighting, etc.

Q: How'd you do that helicopter shot?
A: I'm glad you pointed that out. It's one of my favorite shots in the entire film. Actually, Steve Boyum, my second unit director shot that shot, so props go out to him. It was done with mounts on a helicopter and an extremely wide-angle lens, and we just followed the cage procession going through the field.

Q: How difficult is it to put together a big action scene and make sure you've got all the shots you need, especially as they so important to the finished film?
A: It's actually not difficult. It's a lot of fun. You basically just imagine in your mind what you'd like to see, what makes it more exciting, what would make people jump - what YOU would want to see as a viewer.

Q: What are your thoughts on digital filming versus shooting on film?
A: I think digital filming is definitely the wave of the future. I don't think it's quite there yet, but I think it's pretty close. There is a tremendous amount of freedom with digital with being able to shoot as much as you want and having the kind of latitude that you are given with the digital format. But, there is something really sexy about film that I'm not ready to give up. I guess I felt the same way about LPs and CDs.

Q: What was the thinking behind when to use and not to use subtitles?
A: We tried to only use subtitles when it was essential to the story for you to understand what they were saying. If the audience could figure out what was happening without the subtitles, that was my preference.

Q: Was there anything you really wanted to do in the film, but couldn't because of budget or time restrictions?
A: Yeah, lots. As a filmmaker, you are never satisfied. Part of the challenge is trying to make it all fit with the means that you are given. Believe me, if I had been given twice the money, I would have found a way to spend it.

Q: After principal wrapped, did you have to travel back to Africa for reshoots or second unit work?
A: No, because our post schedule was so tight, in order to have the film released just after Christmas, I had to make sure that I shot everything I needed during principal photography. Also, when you are dealing with Visual Effects, and a short turnaround, you really have to lock all those sequences as early as possible. I was filming 6 days a week, and editing on the 7th day, in order to make our tight schedule.

Q: What are your thoughts on the film's sound design, and did you have a lot of discussion with the film's sound engineers in trying to plan out the ideal mix?
A: The sound was very tricky, and in the end, I'm incredibly happy with it. When you are doing a film like this, you have to decide if you are going to creep the audience out with very little sound, making it very tense, or do you hit them with a barrage of sound, and make them jump by the sheer volume. You must create peaks and valleys with the sound, where the audience will experience a bit of sensory overload. There were a couple of tricky things with the sound besides just the mix. One was coming up with the perfect crocodile sound. At the end of the day it was a mix of elephant, crocodile, snake and probably some horn thrown in for fun. The other area that took a tremendous amount of trial and error was the tracking device. It was executed incredibly well in "Aliens," so we kind of used that as our jumping off place. We had to find the right tone that made you aware of the tracking device, that didn't become irritating.

Q: Does it bother you that most viewers (like those of us watching right now on our laptops) won't get to experience the audio as you intended?
A: Absolutely. I really wish that everyone had the opportunity to not only view this on the big screen, but hear it in the theater, as it was intended. We put a tremendous amount of work into the sound design and the music. But, having said this, it is pretty damn cool that we can watch a movie on our computer, don't you think?

Q: And can you please tell a little bit about your ideas on the soundtrack, that is very present in the movie?
A: John Frizzell is the composer on the film. He did an incredible job. He brought a portable studio to Africa, and recorded many of the local musicians. He then brought back all of his samples and orchestrated around them. Our goal was to try and keep a very strong African influence in all of the score, and I'm quite pleased about that.

Q: It sounds like you're pleased with just about everything, which is great, but I'm curious as to what you feel, if anything, could have been tweaked more to your liking?
A: I am pleased, but I'll be honest, I would tweak everything more. I don't think you're ever satisfied that you've spent enough time on everything. The reality is, it's a race against the clock. The one thing I would point to first would be the crocodile. I think Luma did a fantastic job creating this in the short amount of time that they had, but I would have liked to have seen more personality in its eyes, I would have liked to enhance the movement and made it more aggressive, and in the original conception, I had envisioned Gustave-vision, which I just ran out of time and couldn't develop to my satisfaction. So, I ended up cutting it from the film.

Q: How difficult was the casting process?
A: Casting is always difficult. It is really hard to find the right person to fill the role that has been living inside your head.

Q: When casting comedic actors like Orlando Jones, who have some genre film experience with actors associated with dramas mostly, is it hard to keep the comedic actor's wit from overpowering the presence of the other actors?
A: Yes, it is always a balance. You want to make sure that the scene doesn't become about a joke, but that the scene remains about the initial intent.

Q: Did Orlando ad-lib a lot of his lines or was the character written to be sort of a wise guy?
A: The character was written to be sort of a wise-guy, but having said that, Orlando did ad-lib a large majority of his lines. I have to say that was probably one of the most fun parts - turning the camera on, saying action, and seeing what came out of Orlando's mouth. We would get on set and start playing around, and he would come up with some incredible material. He is a truly gifted comic, and I look forward to working with him again.

Q: Between this and Prison Break, I am curious: is Dominic Purcell capable of buttoning his shirt?
A: It was actually in his contract that it had to be unbuttoned, so I'm not sure what comes next for him.

Q: How similar is Dominic to the Tim character? I only ask because he seems so natural in this role?
A: Dominic is an extremely cool person and a very gifted actor. He is a great person to work with, and I think he could just about tackle any role and make it look natural.

Q: Dominic Purcell looks like he could wrestle a croc bare handed! Is that all acting, or is he a bit of a tough guy in real life?
A: Dom is definitely a tough guy in real life. In fact, in the first week of shooting, when he was running from the truck as it was chasing him down in the grass, he dove under a tree and actually separated his shoulder. Without missing a beat, he kept on filming, finished the day out, went to the hospital, had it wrapped, and came back to work the next day, still begging to do his own stunts.

Q: What was it like working with a legend like Jurgen Prochnow? Was Das Boot an influence on your style?
A: Jurgen was a true pro. He brought a lot of experience, and had a strong grasp of his character. I would jump at the chance to work with him again.

Q: As a director, what did you do to help get the actors into their scenes. This is a very physical shoot and outdoors.
A: To be honest, I just really talked about who their characters were with them, and how they would react to the situations that presented themselves. Once you thoroughly understand who the character is, it makes it easy to figure out how they would react to a given situation.

Q: When the film was released theatrically, did you go see it with an audience? Did the film have an extensive test screening process?
A: Unfortunately, we didn't have an extensive test screening process because we had a short turnaround. We had two screenings, but very little time to make changes in between.

Q: Did the film have any issues with the ratings board or was the R granted without need for additional edits?
A: Yes, we had a very hard time maintaining the R rating. Many of the kills were much more graphic initially. When you are working on a film with so many visual effects and on such a tight time schedule, you often don't see the finished product until the very last minute. The ratings board was very nervous that once the final touches were put on the film with the effects, it would be far too graphic. In the end, I am pleased with what we were able to accomplish and still maintain the R rating.

Q: During its theatrical release, what did you think of the decision to bill the movie as a "serial killer" theme, rather than a killer croc?
A: I'll be honest, I wasn't crazy about it. In a film like this, the croc is the star, and I think that the fans of films of this genre want to know going into it that they are going to see a killer croc movie. Unfortunately, it caused a lot of frustration with the fans, and at the end of the day, they felt deceived.

Q: Was there ever a feeling that this film and ROGUE (from the "Wolf Creek" guys) would step on the toes of one another, in promotion and in audience?
A: That is actually what influenced our decision on rushing our post schedule, we really wanted to beat that film out of the gate to be the first croc movie, not the other croc movie.

Q: What are you hoping people take away with them when the credits roll?
A: That they had a fun ride, and for the hour and thirty minutes, were able to forget about the outside world.

Q: Would you be interested in making a sequel?
A: Not at this moment. Not that I don't love Gustave, but I think I would like to dabble in other arenas.

Q: What are your thoughts about providing behind-the-scenes material on DVD?
A: I think that behind-the-scenes material is invaluable. It's a great way to see how the film was shot, and hear all the great stories from the shoot. It's a great way to learn how to make films.

Q: At which point of the production did you think about the DVD extras?
A: We actually started thinking about it on our first surveys to Africa. We started filming some behind-the-scenes footage of Africa, of the making of the animatronic, basically the entire process.

Q: What are some of the other extras on the DVD? Will the Blu-Ray version have exclusive extras?
A: I believe they are the same. From what I understand, there is Crocumentary, Deleted Scenes, and Commentary from myself and Paul Linden (our visual effects supervisor).

Q: Now that you're completely finished with Primeval, right through DVD, what do you have planned next?
A: I am working with Jon Feldman on a new show for ABC called "Big Shots," while I am also reading and developing other feature projects.

TEN BEST SUMMER MOVIES, PLUS TWO (in chronological order)

State Fair (1945) - No, this isn't the cheesy Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Ann-Margret version. Nor is it Henry King's original 1933 film starring Wil Rogers, Lew Ayres, and Janet Gaynor. This is first remake -- Walter Lang's Academy Award winning adaptation starring Dana Andrews, Dick Haymes, and Jeanne Crain. The Frake family's many adventures at the week-long Iowa State Fair preserve a simpler way of life that's all but extinct these days. Read Judge Bryan Pope's review

Summer Stock (1950) - This often overlooked MGM musical has talent and energy to spare. Gene Kelly and his merry band of traveling musical thespians pull a Mickey Rooney, co-opting the barn of a down-on-her-luck farm girl (Judy Garland) for their latest play, in exchange for helping with the chores. Co-starring Phil Silvers, Hans Conried, Marjorie Main, and Eddie Bracken. Directed by Charles Walters (Gigi). Read Judge Bryan Pope's toe tapping review

Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) - The fourth and wackiest of the Frankie and Annette beach films. Evil gang leader Eric Von Zipper kidnaps pop star Sugar Kane and Bonehead falls for a mermaid. What, you expected actual plot from these movies? Written and directed by William Asher (ex-husband of Elizabeth Montgomery and co-creator of Bewitched), who did five of the seven Beach pictures for Roger Corman's American International Pictures. Guess what? On July 10, MGM is releasing a box set of these great films, which means we'll have a review for you shortly.

Jaws (1975) - Steven Spielberg's sophomore effort finds terror on Long Island as a wayward overgrown tuna decides New Yorkers are much tastier than the chum he's used to. Based on Peter Benchley's best selling novel, this one kept most of us out of the water (and the bathtub) for quite some time. Starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, and Bruce the mechanical shark who couldn't stay operational to complete a shot. Read Appellate Judge Dave Ryan's depth defying review

Meatballs (1979) - Summer camp with Bill Murray as the head counselor? Sign me up! As touching as it is funny, this screwball comedy became dated far too quickly. Written by Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman. Even if you never went away to camp, this is required Summer viewing. A review of this film is long overdue and Sony is releasing a special edition on June 5. How fortuitous for us!

Stand By Me (1986) - Arguably the classic coming of age story. Four friends set out on the adventure of their lives to seek out the dead body of a missing local boy. Based on a Stephen King novella. Starring Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, and River Phoenix. This was Rob Reiner's second feature film, the first being the John Cusack summertime, coming of age tale The Sure Thing. Read Retired Judge Harold Gervais' review

Back to the Beach (1987) - Also known as Malibu Beach Girls, Frankie and Annette return to their old stomping grounds, this time as parents trying to prevent their daughter (Lori Laughlin) from making the same mistakes they made at her age. Draws on every cliche of the original series and is chock full of '60s guest stars including Don Adams, Bob Denver, Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow, Jerry Mathers, and rocker Dick Dale, to name just a few. Directed by Lyndall Hobbs, who also never made another feature film. Read Retired Judge Patrick Naugle's gnarly review, dude.

Summer School (1987) - Mark Harmon stars as Mr. Shoop, the fun-loving PE teacher roped into teaching a summer school course on remedial English to the most unmotivated kids in school. Of course, his laid back demeanor and approach to life inspires his students to surpass even their own expectations. Co-starring a svelte Kirsite Alley, Shawnee Smith, and yes... Courtney Thorne-Smith. Directed by comedy legend Carl Reiner. Read Judge Dave Johnson's review

The Great Outdoors (1988) - John Hughes wrote this under-appreciated comedy classic about a suburban Chicago family rediscovering the magic and mayhem of a Wisconsin summer vacation. Starring John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. Directed by Howard Deutch (Pretty in Pink). What? We didn't review this one?! Where's my copy... I've rectify the situation.

Side Out (1990) - A sheltered East Coast law student is supposed to spend the Summer in California interning at his uncle's law firm, but is lured into the world of competitive beach volleyball. Tempers flare and romance ensues in this glorious guilty pleasure cheese-fest. Starring C. Thomas Howell, Peter Horton, and Courtney Thorne-Smith. Directed by Peter Israelson, who never made another feature film. Go figure. Oh, and take Retired Judge Lacey Worrell's review with a grain of sand... she didn't like it... at all.

The Sandlot (1993) - Not to be confused with the two direct to video sequels that followed, this classic gem captures the quintessential experience of summer life in suburban America -- baseball, swimming pools, scary neighbors, high adventure, and friendships that would last a lifetime. Written and directed by David Evans (Radio Flyer). Read Retired Judge Patrick Naugle's review

Wet Hot American Summer (2001) - Retro summer camp zaniness from the boys behind MTV's The State satirizes every summer camp movie ever made. Skylab is crashing to Earth, counselors need to get laid, and personal issues must be resolved. It's just another end of summer at good old Camp Firewood. Written by Michael Showalter and directed David Wain. Starring Janeane Garafalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Ian Black, Paul Rudd, Chris Meloni, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler... what are you waiting for? Go buy or rent this thing for chrissakes! While you do that, I'm going to get busy writing a review. Why we overlooked this one, I'll never know.

Share your thoughts or tell us what we missed

An estimated 15,000 fans began lining up as early as 6:30am on Main Street at Disneyland's Magic Kingdom last Saturday for the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. The park opened and closed early to accomodate the event which duplicated last June's historic Dead Man's Chest red carpet treatment. Invited guests each paid $1500 to attend the screening, with all proceeds going to The Make-A-Wish Foundation.

While Keira Knightley was back in England filming The Edge of Love, her co-stars Johnny Depp, Chow Yun Fat, Orlando Bloom, Jack Davenport, Geoffrey Rush, Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, Tom Hollander, Lee Arenberg, Marty Klebba, and Naomie Harris were all on hand for the festivities. And the surprise guest of the evening was Rolling Stones' legend Keith Richards, who makes his long-anticipated appearance as Captain Jack's father.

As has been the case with the first two films, a massive screen was erected on Tom Sawyer Island -- which is currently undergoing rennovation to incorporate a Pirate-theme -- with the audience seated on risers between Frontierland and New Orleans Square.

While the buzz coming out of press screenings has reported At World's End is 75% talk and 25% action, director Gore Verbinski says we shouldn't go into the film with any expectations, "It's our job to create something the audience hasn't imagined." And producer Jerry Bruckheimer added, "The last 40 minutes of this movie is the most exciting filmmaking I've been involved with." You can decide for itself when Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End opens nationwide Thursday, May 24 starting at 8pm.

In a radical shift from conventional, American network television, ABC execs have signed a deal with Lost showrunners and head writers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse to wrap the hit series after 48 more episodes. The remaining order will be split into three shortened seasons of 16 episodes each that will run without repeats.

"In making this deal, Damon and I had two priorities: defining an end point for the show and keeping the quality bar high," Cuse said. "To do that we are both fully committed to the day-to-day running of the show right up until the very end. It's also why the 16 episodes per year was key for us. Because our show is so mythological, and because, unlike 24, we can't reset each season, we need the extra time fewer episodes affords us to really plan out the specifics of our storytelling. I think for story-based shows like Lost, as opposed to franchise-based shows like ER or CSI, the audience wants to know when the story is going to be over. When J.K. Rowling announced that there would be seven Harry Potter'books, it gave the readers a clear sense of exactly what their investment would be. We want our audience to do the same."

Read the full story at Variety.com