The US online DVD rental company Netflix is launching the 2006 Netflix Rolling Roadshow, a tour that will present 10 classic Hollywood movies at the locations they helped make famous. The Roadshow gives both Netflix customers and non-customers an opportunity to see popular movies in their true settings. For example, on August 26th, you can see Escape From Alcatraz on Alcatraz Island or on August 16th, you can see The Shining in the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO.

Click here to see the other movie and locations at the Roadshow

Posted by Michael Seidelman at 6:02 PM | Permalink

Conservative Christians have long been the loudest critics of Hollywood for profiting from violent or sexually graphic films that 'corrupt the young.' But Hollywood is starting to see that there is a market for films catering to those critics.

In a panel discussion on "What would Jesus direct?" at the Tribeca Film Festival this week, Jonathan Bock, head of a movie marketing company that specializes in religious audiences, said "On Sunday, 43 percent of America was in church." He added, "For studios to not recognize that's an audience is like them saying, 'We're not marketing movies to men.'"

He and the other panelists, which included a 20th Century Fox executive, said the turning point was "The Passion of the Christ." Two months before it's release, it was known as the least marketable film in Hollywood. But it went on to gross more than $370 million in the US.

While "The Passion" is credited with knocking down the door for religious-themed films in Hollywood, Bock said the growing interest was clearly linked to politics. He noted President George W. Bush, a born-again Christian, was elected twice with solid backing from conservative Christians.

On The Web:
More Detailed Story at Reuters

Tribeca Film Festival

Posted by Mike Laverdiere at 12:30 PM | Permalink

For his new film "Down in the Valley" veteran star actor Ed Norton felt he had to ride more miles than his cowboy character in trying to get even independent theatres interested in the small film about an illicit love affair between a modern romantic and a teenage girl. In the New York Times, Norton and director David Jacobsen lament the initial lack of success they had in getting a distributor. Since being premiered at the last Cannes, "Down in the Valley" was passed on by virtually every distributor. The article explains that now small distributors from the true indies to the specialty studios have now become specialized in certain niches, none of which "Down in the Valley" fit.

Read more in the NY Times (free registration required) >>

Posted by Keith Loh at 3:46 PM | Permalink