TV / Film News

Trouble in 'Oz': The Munchkins' Dirty Secret

Source: Michael Ricci
December 1, 2008

Snubbed at a Hollywood event, women hold own reunion to share memories of film shoot. If you thought you knew everything there was to know about the iconic film classic The Wizard of Oz, then here's a twister for you.

Everyone knows about the Munchkins, portrayed by 124 pituitary midgets in the 1939 motion picture starring Judy Garland. These days, the word “Munchkin" -- now included in some dictionaries -- is synonymous with small. Credited in the film as the ...

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"High Note" Rare Chuck Jones Cartoon

Source: All About Jazz
December 1, 2008

A rare Warner Bros cartoon, High Note (1960) doesn't include any star characters- the “stars" are a bunch of musical notes who are trying to form the music to the “Blue Danube", but one musical note is causing problems.

The sheet music for Johann Strauss' “The Blue Danube" is constructed by moving musical symbols. A baton-toting conductor note tries to direct his fellow notes in performing this musical piece, but finds that one of the notes has become drunk after ...

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Ex-MTV Exec Named as Myspace Music Chief

Source: PC Magazine
November 28, 2008

Former MTV executive Courtney Holt has been named president of MySpace Music. Holt previously served as executive vice president of digital music for MTV Networks Music and the Logo Group, where he worked to increase consumer interest in the companies' online content. MySpace Music, which combines audio streaming with download functionality powered by Amazon, made its debut in September. It currently features songs from EMI Music, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and indie rock aggregator The Orchard. ...

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Facebook Adds Full-Length TV Shows

Source: PC Magazine
November 26, 2008

Do you long for Facebook when you tear yourself away to watch a little television? Not to worry, the social networking site announced Monday that it is integrating full-length TV episodes into the site. “Full-length television is coming to Facebook, via a new generation of applications. Entire shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, and The Simpsons and more will be available through a wide range of TVLoop 'Addicted to...' applications and Mesmo TV," Josh Elman, a platform program manager at ...

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Gary Calamar Music Man Sets the Mood

Source: Michael Ricci
November 23, 2008

Every intense music fan presumes he or she has what it takes to be a TV or film music supervisor, and they have a box of clattering mix tapes from high school to prove it. Yes, it was clever how you started with “Please Come Home Baby" by Tom Waits and finished with Mel Torm's “Comin' Home Baby," but there's more to the job than making “High Fidelity" lists.

Or is there?

Meet Gary Calamar, a man whose ...

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Terence Blanchard Completes Score for "Cadillac Records"

Source: Muse Media
November 20, 2008

Grammy-winning composer/trumpet player Terence Blanchard completes score for Cadillac Records Film starring Beyonc Knowles and Adrien Brody to be released Dec. 5 by Tristar Pictures World-renowned film composer and trumpet player Terence Blanchard has completed the score for Cadillac Records, the feature film about the story of Chess Records, the label in the 1950s that was home to Chuck Berry, Etta James, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. To be released Dec. 5th by Sony’s Tristar Pictures, the film stars Beyonc ...

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Ben Burtt Sounds off on Wall-E

Source: All About Jazz
November 17, 2008

The voice of Wall-e and M-O and Sound & Character Voice In ancticipation of Tuesday's release of Wall-E on DVD, Disney Home VIdeo has provided us with an interview with Ben Burtt, the legendary sound effects maestro.

QUESTION: You had just finished a stint on Star Wars when you were offered Wall-E and I imagine the last thing you wanted to work on was robots?

BEN BURTT: That is absolutely true. Creating the illusion of voices is the hardest task. ...

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Academy Disqualifies 'Dark' Score

Source: All About Jazz
November 16, 2008

Music cue sheet lists five names as composers The score for “The Dark Knight" has been disqualified by the executive committee of the Academy music branch.

Formal letters to that effect are expected to go out this week to composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, who collaborated on the music. Their previous collaboration, on “Batman Begins," was similarly disqualified in 2005. Sources inside the committee said that the big issue was the fact that five names were ...

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