Just got this in that tells how the Travolta name got removed and why. This is factual, after that there is another piece by me, and a spy. What the spy says about Travolta and THE THIN RED LINE is untrue, this is the real story.
John Travolta's name is NOT being dropped because of a re-edit. Late friday we spoke to the Fox NY Publicity Manager and it seems that the reason for dropping his name isn't as simple as a re-edit. When Travolta signed on for the film, his contract stipulated that he NOT be credited in the film, possibly due to his small role in the film (remember Jim Carrey wasn't credited in Simon Birch? That was in his contract). But, someone at Fox (who is no longer employed) approved trailers, ads, posters, ticket shells, etc. WITH his name credited...WITHOUT checking with the legal department. During a recent visit to the theatre, someone in the Travolta camp saw the trailer with his name included and threatened a BIG lawsuit. Therefore, everything is being redone. I hope this clears this issue up and that I was helpful even in some small way. Take care, Justin Kase
Well here's just a whole buncha different stuff. Browse and read, there will be something that catches your eye.... Here's a bit though about RAVENEOUS. It had a TERRIBLE first test screening, though, since it is a gore film.... well mass America just ain't into that sort of thing, so you can't put too much stock into that. So until we get some veteran geeks that love some of the key Gore epics of yore... well....Here ya go...
THE TROUBLESOME TRIBBLE here, third time spy with lots of good stuff.
First, forget about EATERS OF THE DEAD/THIRTEENTH WARRIOR. The great gore epic of the millenium is going to be RAVENOUS, a cannibal western. Think NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD without the zombies. Picture MILLENIUM with flesh really being ripped. I talked with Brian Thomas, the Fox research historian who made sure the 1847 Mexican War battles sequences were picture-perfect, both in preproduction and on set in the desert. This charming begloved fellow is an expert in theatrical combat, weaponary of all periods of history, and the art of DEATH. This is the man that helped stage the kickass ancient battle sequences from ARMY OF DARKNESS. He's also quite a fanatic of STAR WARS. (Did you know all the original lightsaber props were camera flash handle tubes with windshield wiper parts glued onto the handles?)
RAVENOUS, from Fox 2000, currently undergoing the postproduction treatment, was directed by Antonia Bird (perhaps best known for MAD LOVE) from an original screenplay by Ted Griffin (BEST LAID PLANS). Also, nice dark cinematography by Tony Richmond of HEART OF DARKNESS and CANDYMAN fame.
The tone of this film will be serious (thankfully a far cry from some of John Carpenter's recent nonsense) and historically-based (unlike the trippy BLADE).
Now onto A THIN RED LINE: I can confrim that new posters leave John Travolta's name off the credits, despite his brief appearance in trailors everywhere the past few weeks. Why has he been cut from the movie? Pressure. Inside word over at Fox is that the film is foundering in the editing process and things are falling apart on fundamental levels--basic story problems are forcing the film to be recut and, in the process, a lot is being dropped to trim time from the film. Probably a lot of this can be blamed on the critical uproar over the length of Universal's otherwise brilliant film MEET JOE BLACK. Fox doesn't want the running time of their film to drown it in bad reviews. In any case, with all the pressure being put on the editors, less than stellar work is being put on this film, so don't expect the kind of response that SAVING PRIVATE RYAN got earlier this year.
And now, some sad news for you, Harry. News that may break your heart.
As you know, George Lucas is a big fan of his collegiate alma mater, the University of Southern California, currently the #1 rated film school. He's served on the trustee board and has the main instructional building named for him. The Cinema-Television 466 course shows preview films for students and allows the undergraduates to meet and talk with the filmmakers. For example, Ron Underwood recently brought by a print of MIGHTY JOE YOUNG. In any case, the esteemed professors have been feverishly scraping with Lucasfilm reps to get THE PHANTOM MENACE to be the climax preview for the Spring 1999 semester of CNTV 466. If shown, THE PHANTOM MENACE would probably appear only the day before, or the week before, its grand public release on May 21st 1999, since the semester term ends mid-May.
But Lucas refuses to show the film before then--even for the school that brought him his start. His reason? STAR WARS is for the people, and not for academic pedants or college film students. It's not an event solely for us fanboy geeks or the action-figure crazed eight-year-olds that will grow up to be fine fanboy geeks with our proper guidance and lots of Froot Loops. Lucas insists that everyone will get to see TPM on the same weekend.
Thus, it's looking unlikely there will be a premiere showing of EPISODE I at Cannes. What reason has STAR WARS to rake in pretentious festival awards? Cannes is for anorexic models and uppity directors--it's not Lucas's scene at all. We'll all have to take our place in line come next spring.
And one last thing before I take a hike. As a true spy I'll let you in on a fun tidbit that Fox has worked very hard to keep from the press. Remember the X-files film? Remember the bees? Turns out many of them escaped during the shoot last winter and wreaked some major havok on the Fox lot for a few weeks. Grips beware the killer X-files bees!
TROUBLESOME TRIBBLE OUT.
