Kids + Films—Is your child interested in filmmaking? The Continuing Education Department at UNM is offering a chance for kids to make their own digital video movies with a junior filmmaking class this summer. “Film Fantasy Camp” will take place July 11-15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kids will learn camera operation, lighting, sound and grip techniques. They'll choose scenes, schedule, shoot and edit their projects. The class will conclude with a screening for family and friends. Cost is $295, but the kids should learn a lot and they will be out of your hair for an entire week. The classes will take place at Rio Grande Studios. For more information, call 277-6036 or visit their Web site at dce.unm.edu.
Reel World
Pink Panther Stolen?—Having seen the trailers for MGM's remake/prequel to Blake Edwards' 1963 classic The Pink Panther, many of you have maybe been wondering where the film is. Seems that MGM is “so confident” in the film that they have moved it out of the crowded summer movie season and shoehorned it into a February 10, 2006, release date. Since February is, traditionally, the worst moviegoing time of the year, casual observers could be forgiven for thinking that MGM is embarassed by the film and trying to dump it. I, for one, am supremely confident that the film–starring Steve Martin and Beyoncé–is a laugh riot, far surpassing the original. Although Martin's comic career has produced such recent films as A Simple Twist of Fate, Mixed Nuts, Sgt. Bilko, Father of the Bride 2, Bowfinger and The Out-of-Towners, I'm sure this will rekindle his box office career and make all of us forget about that weird British guy named Peter Sellers.
In case you can't tell–to paraphrase Homer Simpson—I'm being sarcastic. Seriously, who–aside from a couple idiotic Hollywood executives–thought this was a good idea? Hiring Steve Martin to imitate Peter Sellers? That's stupider than hiring Roberto Benigni to impersonate Peter Sellers. (Son of the Pink Panther anyone? Anyone?) If a few more of these ill-advised remakes tank this bad, perhaps Hollywood will just have to face down the possibility of making some original movies.
Reel World
Movie Death—In other odd movie news, 35-year-old model-turned-bounty hunter Domino Harvey (daughter of British actor Laurence Harvey) was found dead in the bathtub of her West Hollywood home last week. Initial reports say she died of “undetermined causes.” She is the inspiration for the Tony (Top Gun) Scott-directed action pic Domino. New Line Cinema says there are no plans to delay Domino from its sceduled August 19 release date. The company has said additional scenes might be shot to add an epilogue to the film. British actress Kiera Knightley (Pirates of the Cribbean) stars as Domino.
