Kevin Spacey to teach at Oxford University

LONDON —

Kevin Spacey already has two Academy Awards and heads London's Old Vic theater. Now he can add a new title - Oxford University professor.

The Hollywood star has been named Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theater at Oxford's St. Catherine's College, officials there announced Friday.

Spacey will succeed Shakespearean actor and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" star Patrick Stewart when the new academic year starts in October. Previous holders of the post, endowed by theater impresario Mackintosh, include composer Stephen Sondheim, playwright Alan Ayckbourn and actress Diana Rigg.

In a statement, Spacey said he was delighted to be appointed to the one-year post, which requires him to give lectures, workshops and seminars at the 800-year-old university.

"It really is an honor for me to have been invited to follow such illustrious names and take up this role at Oxford," Spacey said. "The university is steeped in tradition and has a great heritage in the arts, and I look forward to working with the students and staff."

The college's master, Roger Ainsworth, said Spacey was "a truly international star and will bring an enormous wealth of talent and experience in both film and theater to bear on the role."

"He will be a huge draw for the student population of Oxford and to the wider public, too," Ainsworth said.

Spacey, 48, has been artistic director of the Old Vic since 2003 and spends most of his time in London. Despite some early misfires, he has given the Old Vic a string of hits including a recent production of David Mamet's comedy "Speed-the-Plow" starring Spacey and Jeff Goldblum.

He won acting Oscars for his roles in "American Beauty" and "The Usual Suspects."

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Calum Best to get his own TV show

Calum Best is set to star in his own reality TV show, which will be broadcast next month.
'Totally Calum Best: The Best Is Yet To Come', has been commissioned by MTV and will follow the formula of their recent fly-on-the-wall shows 'Totally Jodie Marsh' and 'Kerry Katona: Crazy In Love'.
The series will follow the son of George Best around the world and his challenge during the show will be to remain celibate for 50 days.
'Totally Calum Best: The Best Is Yet To Come' will be broadcast from 27 July on MTV at 10pm.

"Che" more informative than inspiring

CANNES (Hollywood Reporter) - The irrepressibly multitasking Steven Soderbergh has now set his roving sights on Latin American revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, with mostly positive results.


If this earnest, two-part biopic with a total running time of 268 minutes sometimes lacks cinematic flair, the straight-ahead, chronologically-driven film will inform and, to a somewhat lesser extent, excite viewers everywhere.


It's hard to imagine how the two-parter idea is going to strike distributors and exhibitors, however, and, because the film lacked any opening or closing credits at its Cannes premiere, it may very well be that it is destined for such a venue as HBO or Showtime. In any case, ancillary sales should be excellent in all markets.


The two parts are radically different in subject matter and, a bit less so, in form. It's clear that the overriding structural idea is that of a mirror image: Part 1, much more humorous, centers on the victory over Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista and is all up, up, up, while Part 2 is about Guevara's participation in the failed uprising in Bolivia and is all down, down, down.


In Cuba, Fidel and Che are loved by the peasantry and become god-like figures; in Bolivia, Che, forced to use an assumed name, is frustratingly unable to rally the people to his side and is hunted like an animal by the Bolivian army. In the most powerful segment of the entire film, he is finally murdered after being betrayed by one of his beloved campesinos.


The heart of the film is the robust yet subtle portrayal of the asthma-stricken revolutionary by Benicio del Toro. He is an idealist who obviously really believes in the possibility of equality between human beings, but Soderbergh is mostly content to show repeated examples of his benevolence rather than develop its potentially complex contradictions.


Both parts are organized in a flattening, strictly chronological manner, with dozens upon dozens of intertitles that fix time and place, though Part 1 also is interspersed with a post-revolution, black and white interview with a North American journalist which adds Che's political perspectives. Scenes set in the United Nations, where Che delivers a firebrand speech, are among the best in this part.


Part 2 seems to go on forever, with tiny, doomed, most indistinguishable skirmishes following one after the other (this part could use some serious trimming). Yet it's inherently more interesting than its counterpart because it is, first of all, played in a tragic rather than triumphant key, and second, because the story it documents is much less well known. 

Sopranos star for Marvin Gaye film

'The Sopranos' star James Gandolfini has been cast opposite 'Law & Order' star Jesse L Martin in a new film about the last years of soul legend Marvin Gaye.
Variety reports that 'Sexual Healing' will chronicle Gaye's (Martin) self-imposed exile in Belgium and his return to the big time with the help of promoter Freddy Cousaert (Gandolfini).
The Lauren Goodman-directed film will be produced by Gandolfini's company, Attaboy Films, and the actor will work as producer on the project.
Filming of 'Sexual Healing' is due to begin on 15 April, with locations in Ostend, Massachusetts and Los Angeles.

NamNamBulu

   
Artist: NamNamBulu

   Genre(s): 
Pop
   

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Discography:


   
 Expansion EP

   Year: 2004   
Tracks: 11


   
 Distances

   Year: 2004   
Tracks: 11

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Roll Deep

   
Artist: Roll Deep

   Genre(s): 
Other
   

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Discography:


   
 In At The Deep End

   Year: 2005   
Tracks: 15

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Tunstall's birth mum not invited to wedding

KT Tunstall has revealed that she won't be inviting her birth mother to her wedding.
The Scottish star was adopted at 18 days old by Rosemarie and David Tunstall after being given up by Carol-Ann Orr.
She told the Daily Record that her parents and her birth mother have not met, saying: "My birth mum totally understands and she's great about it as are my parents."
She continued: "But I've spent 32 years with my family and I've spent seven years very, very slowly getting to know my biological mother so obviously my family is the priority. It's very difficult but my birth mother completely understands that."
Tunstall will marry Luke Bullen, her band's drummer, in a Highland wedding later this year, after he proposed on Christmas Day.
The couple have pencilled in September or early October but haven't set a date because they don't want to miss playing any festivals.
She said: "Obviously we are very, very excited about getting married. But we don't want to be standing saying 'I do' while we could have been somewhere playing on stage. All the festivals are starting to confirm, so we'll work it out soon."

Maguire Was Ready For Career Hiatus

Actor Tobey Maguire was relieved the birth of his daughter forced him to take a break from the big screen - because he finds the duties of being a father so much more rewarding. The Spider-man star welcomed his daughter Ruby Sweetheart Maguire into the world on 10 November 2006 before marrying longterm partner, jewellery designer Jennifer Meyer last year (03Sept07). And he insists his demanding role as a dad far outweighs those of his most challenging acting feats. He says, "Being a dad is great. When Ruby smiles, it's the most fantastic thing ever. I don't have as much time to do things as I used to, which is okay because I get to spend time with my baby."


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Kooks bassist quits band for good

The Kooks have permanently parted ways with bass player Max Rafferty.
Rafferty had previously spent several periods away from the group because of illness, but he has now left the Brighton rock group for good, according to his bandmates.
He will be replaced by Cat the Dog's bassist Dan Logan on a temporary basis.
No reason for Rafferty's departure has been given by The Kooks.
A statement from the band said: "Max Rafferty has parted company with The Kooks - the band will be continuing with the forthcoming shows. Dan Logan, bassist with local Brighton band Cat the Dog, will be filling in for the short-term."
The Kooks are currently preparing for the release of their second album 'Konk' on 14 April, which is the follow-up to their hugely successful debut 'Inside In/Inside Out'.

Paul Weller: 'I'd Like To Charge People Double For My Records'

Paul Weller has criticised bands who give away their music as a free download.



The former Jam frontman said that, if he could get away with it, he would “like to charge people double the price” for his records.



Weller made the comments in an interview with BBC 6Music, to be broadcast on Sunday (June 1st).



“I’m not having it. It lessens the art, cheapens the art. Why shouldn’t an artist be paid for the work he’s doing? It’s not for free,” he said.

 

A number of bands have chosen to give away their music over recent months. Last month, Coldplay allowed fans to download new single ‘Violet Hill’ for free from their website.



In October last year Radiohead gave fans the chance to name what price they paid for their new album ‘In Rainbows’.



Weller’s comments coincide with the release of his new double album ’22 Dreams’, which is out on Monday (June 2nd).



What do you think of Weller's comments? Should he be allowed to charge double? Let us know by posting a comment below...

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