Just a few links to new news stories and old blog posts.
1. Gladiator (2000; my review) and Ben-Hur (1959; my review) are getting spiffed-up DVD re-releases later this year, reports the Hollywood Reporter. The former, originally released as a 2-disc set and now only available as a single disc, will be re-issued as a 3-disc set featuring an extended version of the film and Russell Crowe’s first-ever commentary track; while the latter, originally released as a 2-sided single disc, will be re-issued as a 4-disc set including both the 1959 and 1925 film versions of the story (yes! yes! yes!). Alas, it doesn’t look like the package will include the 1907 version of Ben-Hur, but I’ll take what I can get.
2. The producers of Deadly, a film based on the crimes of Karla Homolka, say they have delayed the release of the film, originally set for late June, so as not to contribute to the hubbub over her release from prison July 5, reports the Canadian Press.
3. The Vancouver Sun‘s website is for subscribers only, but I can’t find any other reference to this Canadian Press story on the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming premiere of the Star Wars “concert saga” narrated by Anthony Daniels and conducted by Erich Kunzel. The only reason I’m linking to this is because it mistakenly calls the theme song from Episode I ‘Duel of the Faiths’, which I think is cute. (It’s supposed to be ‘Duel of the Fates’.)
4. The editor of Scandalizing Jesus? sent out a revised version of the cover today, so I have modified my post on that accordingly. (Basically, apart from fixing a couple of typographical errors, it now says “Featuring essays by” instead of “Essays by”, which might have given the impression that Scorsese, Bien and I were the only contributors, when in fact there are something like 18 of us.)
5. Madagascar opens today, so I’m linking back to my earlier blog post on it.
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