andPOP » Judy Garland

What’s James Franco’s ‘Oz’ All About?

@coltondaniel — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:30:07 +0000

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Lions and tigers and spoilers. Oh my!

We announced that the Wizard of Oz prequel was in the works about a year ago. Oz The Great and Powerful is a Sam Raimi (Spiderman) directed story of how the wizard ruled the kingdom. But this week, some details about the film finally surfaced thanks to blabbering youngsters Abigail Spencer and Joey King.

“We’re doing the same thing as the first Wizard of Oz, we’re making it black and white in the beginning and then (it gets) colorful when we enter the Land of Oz,” she said in an interview with TeenSpot. “It’s also going to be a 3D movie; I’m so excited about that. It’s going to add a whole new level to the awesomeness of Oz.”

“It’s before the Scarecrow and the Tin Man and Dorothy and all that,” says Spencer who plays the Wizard’s assistant May in an interview with E! ”It really goes deeper into how that story came to be.

Rather than James Franco, Michelle Williams or Mila Kunis belting out ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ like the Judy Garland-starring original it is based more upon the books, according to Spencer.

“This is the real story and I think this is actually what the writer [L. Frank Baum] intended when he wrote them.”

Oz is set for release on March 8 of next year.

Beyonce Considered for A Star is Born Remake

Vanessa Baker — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:11:32 +0000

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Talks about remaking the Barbara Streisand classic A Star is Born continue at Warner Brothers, reports Perez Hilton.

A writer has recently been signed to draft a script, and executives are reportedly looking at Beyonce to resume Streisand’s role as Esther Hoffman. Beyonce would be joining the likes of Janet Gaynor and Judy Garland who have also played the role in earlier versions of the film.

Katie Holmes Gets Criticized

Vanessa Baker — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:27:46 +0000

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Katie Holmes’ performance on So You Think You Can Dance has not received much praise, according to E! Online. The actress performed an homage to Judy Garland choreographed by Tyce Diorio Thursday night on the reality show.

“I am f***ing INSULTED, Katie Holmes how dare you!,” Shanna Moakler wrote on Twitter. “I didn’t just grow up on musicals, I lived and breathed them, Oklahoma, Easter Parade, Family Band, don’t touch my legends! You’re not worthy.”

So You Think You Can Dance judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe is angry about the negative reactions. He took to his Twitter to retaliate: “Why hate on Katie? She’s had no dance training and did this for publicity for the charity. Everyone lip synchs when they’re dancing. I’m going to ban all the Katie haters. You make me sick. Your attitude stops ‘stars’ doing charity work. Understand why she did it CHILDREN. I’m trying to figure out why Katie is being judged as a dancer. When a star throws out the opening pitch, no one says ‘Ooh, crap pitcher!’”

Holmes did the performance to show her support for the Dizzy Feet Foundation, a charity intended to support, improve and increase access to dance education in the United States. The charity was founded this year by Holmes, Lythgoe, director Adam Shankman and Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

Anne Hathaway To Play Judy Garland

Eva Lam — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:40:26 +0000

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Anne Hathaway is set to channel Judy Garland in both a film and a stage production about the Hollywood icon.

Producer Harvey Weinstein announced Monday he has tapped the Oscar-nominated actress to star in the two projects, which will be based on the 2000 biography “Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland.”

“I have worked with Anne on projects in the past and have known her for many years,” Weinstein told WENN. “She will be a true class act in this challenging role.

“Gerald Clarke’s biography is a fascinating and comprehensive look at Garland’s life and is particularly outstanding because of its exclusive details from her own writings,” he added.

Garland got her start in vaudeville as a child but shot to fame with her starring role in 1939′s “Wizard of Oz,” later receiving Oscar nominations for “A Star is Born” and “Judgment at Nuremberg.” She was also a renowned concert performer, winning multiple Grammys in 1962 for “Judy at Cargenie Hall.”

The star battled personal problems throughout her life, including drug addiction and four failed marriages. She died of an accidental drug overdose in 1969 at the age of 47.

The 26-year-old Hathaway showed off her song-and-dance abilities at last month’s Oscars during an opening skit with host Hugh Jackman. She was also a best actress nominee this year for her role as a recovering drug addict in “Rachel Getting Married.”

Her previous movie credits include “The Princess Diaries” and “The Devil Wears Prada.”