andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Paramount Pictures has announced a new division of its company which would focus on releasing lower budget films to capture audiences in the independent film area.

The new division will be called Paramount Vintage and plans to release eight to 10 films per year of all genres.

Movie industry experts say it is important for specialty studios to invest in lower budget movies, because if successful (like ?Brokeback Mountain? was) they can reap huge benefits for an industry which is currently seeing the lowest box office receipt numbers in years.

Films to be released by the new Paramount Vantage label in 2007 include Joel and Ethan Coen’s “No Country for Old Men” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood.”

Willie Nelson released a different kind of country love song this Valentine’s.

On the heels of the much talked about gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, Nelson has released a gay cowboy song that was written more than 20 years ago.

“Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly (Fond of Each Other)” will be available exclusively through iTunes and was premiered Tuesday on the Howard Stern Show.

“The song’s been in the closet for 20 years. The timing’s right for it to come out,” said Nelson.

The song features Tex-Mex style guitar runs, says ABC News, over which Nelson sings lines like, “What did you think all them saddles and boots was about?” and “Inside every cowboy there’s a lady who’d love to slip out.”

It was written in 1981 by by Texas-born singer-songwriter Ned Sublette.

Nelson’s own manager, David Anderson, came out of the closet two years ago.

“This song obviously has special meaning to me in more ways than one,” said Anderson.

“I want people to know more than anything – gay, straight, whatever – just how cool Willie is and … his way of thinking, his tolerance, everything about him.”