Google chief to TV execs: Mind digital gap

GervaisSchmidt EDINBURGH -- An impressive lineup of stars, including Ricky Gervais, mingled with producers and suits at the 36th Edinburgh Television Festival, which wrapped Aug. 28, but with Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt on hand to deliver the keynote MacTaggart lecture, the elephant in the room was how the second digital revolution that connects TV to the Web is certain to change the medium.Schmidt, the event's first MacTaggart lecturer in nearly 40 years not to hail from the world of TV or conventional media, told delegates that Google was a friend, not a foe."We're not your enemy and we want to help. We don't have all the answers, but we do have some insights into where things are headed," Schmidt said. "We want to work together and support you in the transition."The Google topper confirmed that Google TV would bow in Europe next year, with Blighty a top priority.To date, Google TV has made little impression in the U.S., but once it becomes commonplace for TV sets to be connected to the internet, industryites believe that another wave of disruption to traditional networks is inevitable.Following a question-and-answer session, the Google topper cautioned that TV networks needed a digital revenue plan; if not, tech companies would take the spoils.With the U.K.'s connected TV service, YouView, backed by all the main networks, already way behind schedule and not due to bow until next year, Schmidt's words need to act as a wake-up call to Edinburgh delegates, accord to one Edinburgh attendee."Make no mistake, Google isn't their friend, it's a huge competitor," observed Jurgen Heyn, a German regulator and one of the few non-Brits who made the trek to the Scottish capital.Others took up the refrain."There are already clues to what a connected future might look like," said David Graham, who runs U.K. consultancy Attentional. "Netflix is starting to commission original content, while YouTube (owned by Google) gets stronger by the day. Another sign of the future is the scale of piracy among young people."Graham predicted that Google TV will evolve into a serious competitor to conventional networks by offering a cornucopia of consumer choices available globally.During the lecture, Schmidt was full of praise for the high quality of U.K. broadcasting, but attacked the British education system for failing to invest in science and engineering. During the question-and-answer session, Schmidt noted a similar failure to teach technological pursuits in the U.S., and added, "Unless the U.S. and U.K. fix their education systems Asia will beat us." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Rock Version of Silent Film Classic 'Metropolis' to Hit Theatres This Fall

While Fritz Lang's Metropolis is an undisputed silent film classic, a generation of moviegoers that came of age in the 1980s fondly remember the 1984 version of the movie that under the shepherding of Oscar-winning composer Giorgio Moroder included a rock soundtrack with performances from Pat Benatar, Freddie Mercury, Bonnie Tyler and others. Kino Lorber has closed a deal to not only bring that version, which its titling Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis, to Blu-ray and DVD, but is also giving it a roughly 20-city theatrical run ahead of the November 15 store date. The rock version had been out of print due to complex music rights issues but Kino believes there's a demand for the edition; VHS and laser disc copies sell for hundreds of dollars on Ebay and the recent theatrical release of the recently restored Metropolis grossed over $1.2 million. In addition to Benatar, Mercury, and Tyler, Moroder's version includes songs performed by Billy Squier, Adam Ant, Jon Anderson and others. The version infuriated film purists at the time, who cried foul not only over the music but the incarnations' shortened running time (82-minute versus the original's almost 2-hours). Among the cities which Moroder's Metropolis will hit are Anchorage, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami Beach, Chicago, Albany, Charleston, Dallas, Houston, Olympia, Seattle, and Washington DC., The only Canadian stop so far is Vancouver. The DVD and Blu-ray editions will come with a documentary looking at Moroder's restoration of Metropolis titles The Fading Image, as well as the movie's trailer.

'Metropolis' redux to theaters, DVD

Kino Lorber has acquired U.S. privileges to Giorgio Moroder's 1984 version of "Metropolis," which added a brand new score from 80s pop functions including Pat Benatar, Freddie Mercury and Bonnie Tyler. Moroder, a composer who's won Academy awards for tune contributions to photos including "Top Gun" and "Flashdance," not just gave Fritz Lang's 1927 pic a contempo soundtrack but additionally oversaw the inclusion of footage which had formerly been missing. The quiet film's intertitles were changed with subtitles, and seem effects and color tinting film were added. The retooling from the film stirred up some debate from purists at that time. Other composers who composed music for that score include Jon Anderson from the band Yes, Adam Ant and Billy Squier. Kino Lorber's release was produced from an HD transfer of among the suriving prints. Distributor plans a restricted theatrical tour of "Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis" in certain 20 metropolitan areas this fall, just before a DVD and Blu-ray release November. 15. The homevid version includes short doc "The Diminishing Image," which follows Moroder's focus on the film. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Rio Rattler

A dying Marshal gives his identification papers to Tom. After Tom arrives in town, the papers drop and are found during a fight so Tom decides to assume the Marshal's identity. Mason, the chief, now sends Rattler, the killer of the Marshal, to also kill Tom. But when he overhears Tom is a fake, they change their plans and now go to arrest Tom for the murder of the Marshal.

Filmunio carrys on during shake-up

MOSCOW -- Hungary's international film promotion body Filmunio is still working despite reports that it had fallen victim to country's shake-up of publicly funded cultural bodies.Csaba Bereczki, head of international relations Hungary's Motion Picture Public Foundation, said Friday that Katalin Vajda, a long-serving official at Filmunio had been appointed as managing director.The announcement comes just weeks after former Filmunio head Eva Vezer stood down after her contract expired. Vezer sent a dignified private letter by email to film industry contacts worldwide at the time thanking them for their friendship and support over many years.It is understood that Vezer's contract was not renewed as Budapest-born Hollywood producer Andrew Vajna, who has been put in charge of the reorganisation of state film funding in Hungary, made a series of staffing decisions.Bereczki said: "Contrary to some false information" Magyar Filmunio is existing and operating continuously."The management and financing of Hungarian film production is being renewed alongside a concept which meets international experience."He added: "Based on Katalin's experience for decades, I am convinced that she will manage Magyar Filmunio successfully and this will contribute to the successful integration of this activity into the new structure, the recently established Hungarian Film Fund." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

E.T.s Can Phone Earth Again, Thanks to Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster played a scientist trying to communicate with aliens in 'Contact' -- turns out it's a cause that's dear to the actress's heart in real life. Foster, along with 2,000 other private donors, has helped raise $200,000 to keep the nonprofit Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute running after its program to listen for alien signals fell victim to budget cuts. "Just like Ellie Arroway, the ATA is 'good to go' and we need to return it to the task of searching newly discovered planetary worlds for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence," Foster wrote in a note accompanying her donation. "The Allen Telescope Array could turn science fiction into science fact, but only if it is actively searching the skies." The Allen Telescope Array -- named for Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who funded its creation -- is a collection of 42 massive radio dishes that work together to scan the universe for non-random signals that could be an indicator of intelligent life beyond the stars. See Foster listening for signs of alien life in the trailer for 'Contact,' after the jump. Trailer #1 Contact at MOVIECLIPS.com SETI's been listening for aliens since 2007, but SETI was forced to shut down the operation in April 2011 for lack of funds. Now, thanks to its SETIStars program, the institute has enough money to get the array up and running again within a couple months. Other contributors to the fund include science fiction writer Larry Niven and Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, who wrote: "It is absolutely irresponsible of the human race not to be searching for evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence." [via Space.com] Do you believe there's intelligent life out there?

Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard Of Ozz And Diary Of A Madman 30 Anniversary

With the release of Blizzard Of Ozz in 1981, Ozzy Osbourne managed to pull off one of the most remarkable comebacks in rock history. It would not have been possible without the discovery of a young guitar prodigy named Randy Rhoads. The late guitarist only made two albums with Ozzy, Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman - yet his influence on metal remains huge to this day. In honor of these two landmark recordings, Sony Legacy has issued the commemorative Blizzard Of Ozz/Diary Of A Madman 30th Anniversary

Q&A With UK Journalist Who Uncovered News Corp Scandal: Rupert Murdoch Likely To Outlast James Who's In "A Tight Corner", The Guardian's Nick Davies Says

James Murdoch could lose his job as News Corp's deputy COO or BSkyB's chairman as soon as this fall. That's the informed prediction ofThe Guardian's Nick Daviesin an exclusive interview with me.The journalism muckrakersays there's "every chance" that the Parliamentary committee investigating the News of the World phone-hacking and police-bribery scandal will conclude that James misled them about a key question in the case: Did James pay $1.4M in hush money in 2008 to a hacking victim who could have disclosed that NOTW's violationswere more extensive than the company publicly admitted? James says he didn't. But three former News International executives dispute his testimony. If Parliament decides James iswrong, then "that's a severe development," says Davies. His predictions matter.Because Daviesis the reporter who broke open the Murdoch scandal and has led the coverage at every turn. He's also writing a bookabout the case, due in late 2012, called Hack Attack: How the Truth Caught up with the World's Most Powerful Man. On a visit to the U.S. this week looking for new dimensions to the story, he spoke to me about where things stand -- and where the tale could lead. DEADLINE: How high do you think the scandal will go? DAVIES: In terms of criminal charges at the moment there's no reason to think it will go higher. You've got to the level of RebekahBrooks, the former chief executive of News International -- and it's in relation to her function as an editor [of News Of The World]. You've got Andy Coulson, a former (NOTW) editor and Prime Ministerial right-hand man. So at the moment that's as high as the criminal stuff goes. Ethical questions go higher. Clearly James Murdoch is in a tight corner because there's every chance that the select committee is going to produce a report during September or October which will say that he has misled them. First of all, in reputational terms, that's a severe development if the committee says youve misled Parliament. That matters in British politics. The second thing is in the detail: What they would be saying is that back in May 2008 he was shown evidence of criminal activity by reporters at News Of The World and he didn't do anything about it. Investors have lost a small fortune as the shares have died.I think those shareholders may react to that committee report and say, 'Well, you've got to go'. DEADLINE: Do we basically know the contours of the story? Is it just a matter now of filling in the blanks -- or could this grow much bigger? DAVIES: In theory the story could break out in lots of different directions. There are other private investigators, we could find out about them. There are other newspapers in Britain that are hiring private investigators to do the same illegal things. We could bring in the other papers. There are other illegal techniques: It's mostly focused on hacking voicemail and getting access to confidential databases. But there has been a lot of e-mail hacking, getting inside of computers, and there has been some burglary. There has also, to a smaller extent, been live tapping of phone calls. Then you might overflow into other countries. It is interesting to ask whether anything similar has been happening in the United States or Australia. At the moment I wouldn't claim to know the answer to those questions. That's what I'm looking for. DEADLINE: Have you heard anything to suggest that any of Rupert Murdoch's U.S.-based news organizations the New York Post or Fox News might be pulled into the story? DAVIES: The short answer is no. I hear a lot of bickering. I talk to people who really hate some of Murdochs' news organizations here people who are prepared to believe a lot of bad things. But so far not one of them has come up with a single concrete example of illegal activity by a private investigator acting on their behalf. Although you certainly have private investigators in this country who do illegal things very similar to the British set up the nature of your news organizations is different. You don't have a national newspaper market where a dozen or more national newspapers are fighting each other over 60 million readers. You have city-based newspapers competing with one or two competitors. You don't have the same level of ruthlessness. So I wouldn't claim to know the whole truth about this. But at the moment, at this rather early stage, I'm tempted to conclude that the U.S.-based news organizations are not using the private investigators in the promiscuous way that their British counterparts have been. But that's a temporary conclusion until I can dig deeper. DEADLINE: Have you been able to develop sources inside News Corp? DAVIES: There's always been a very important network of journalists who used to work there, who know exactly where the bodies are buried. They've been extremely helpful in guiding me through the stories. But almost all of them have stayed off the record because they still work in the industry and don't want to make it impossible for themselves to earn a living. Separately there's always been one or two people currently within News International whove been helpful. You get good people working in bad organizations. DEADLINE: Have you had any response to your stories from the Murdochs? DAVIES: No, I've had no direct contact with them at all. I sat in [Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport] select committee room eight feet away while they were giving their evidence [on July 19]. That was the best theater in London. It was absolutely riveting particularly for me because I know the whole story. So when they're giving their answers I know all of the things they're not saying. So I found it completely fascinating watching them. DEADLINE: Does Rupert Murdoch still have the power to help his friends and hurt his enemies? DAVIES: It's a good question because there's a school of thought that says he's damaged forever and will no longer ever have the kind of access that he used to have. Personally, I don't think that's right. As long as he continues to own mass media organizations politicians will always want to compromise with him for fear of what those news organizations could do. Even though temporarily he is not being invited to all the best parties and people don't want to be seen as his allies, I suspect things will move on. It's always possible that in the background the Murdochs role as a family within the news organizations may change. But the power of news organizations to put pressure on politicians to compromise with them, I would think that that remains a part of the landscape.

Lesley Ann Warren is Still in 'Plain Sight'

LOS ANGELES (AP) Cinderella has worked happily ever after.Forty-five years after making a splash with millions of TV viewers as the princess-to-be in "Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Cinderella,'" Lesley Ann Warren has found renewed success in two TV shows and a recent art-house comedy.The 64-year-old actress plays an intrusive mom in the movie "A Little Help," she returned in the spring to "Desperate Housewives" as Teri Hatcher's mother and on Sunday, her character helps a wedding go awry on the season finale of USA's "In Plain Sight."Warren portrays Jinx, the newly sober, sometimes problematic, always unconventional mother of Witness Protection Program marshal Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack) and bride-to-be Brandi (Nichole Hiltz). Sunday's finale spins around Brandi's wedding and Mary being trapped while trying to protect a witness.Television has been key to Warren's success almost from the start. She made her Broadway debut in 1963's "110 in the Shade" and won a Theatre World Award for the 1965 stage flop "Drat! The Cat!" but it was "Cinderella" in 1965 that made her a star. The special was rebroadcast by CBS eight times through February 1974Remembering "Cinderella" makes Warren's eyes well with tears. "It was momentous for me to get that role," she said.The role's affect is still evident, she said, and she still gets letters from school children. "To see that it has had an incredible impact on people has moved me beyond expression."After "Cinderella," she quickly made the leap to film, co-starring in Disney's "The Happiest Millionaire" (1967). She returned to TV for "Mission: Impossible" (1970-71) and a Golden Globe-winning role as a prostitute in the 1977 telefilm "Harold Robbins' '79 Park Avenue." Five years later, she played the moll to James Garner's mobster in Blake Edwards' 1982 movie "Victor/Victoria," which earned Warren an Oscar nomination."The story about how I got that movie is so crazy, because I was out doing marketing and I had my hair in braids, and I think I had a baseball cap on," Warren recalled. "My agent ... said, 'You have to go and meet Blake right now.' I said, 'I can't.' He said, 'You have to, because he is leaving for London tomorrow.'"At her meeting with Edwards, the two laughed about Warren playing Cinderella, a role Edwards' wife, Julie Andrews, had originated. Warren got the part."Two weeks later when we were shooting, I said to him, 'Why did you cast me in this role?" ... And he said, 'It was the way you laughed at the meeting.'"Warren said the key to her longevity was embracing character parts early on."You have to be really willing to embrace life and life's turns, and play that for your audience, because there is value in every moment of that journey," she said.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By Mike Cidoni Lennox August 5, 2011 Lesley Ann Warren PHOTO CREDIT AP Photo/Matt Sayles LOS ANGELES (AP) Cinderella has worked happily ever after.Forty-five years after making a splash with millions of TV viewers as the princess-to-be in "Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Cinderella,'" Lesley Ann Warren has found renewed success in two TV shows and a recent art-house comedy.The 64-year-old actress plays an intrusive mom in the movie "A Little Help," she returned in the spring to "Desperate Housewives" as Teri Hatcher's mother and on Sunday, her character helps a wedding go awry on the season finale of USA's "In Plain Sight."Warren portrays Jinx, the newly sober, sometimes problematic, always unconventional mother of Witness Protection Program marshal Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack) and bride-to-be Brandi (Nichole Hiltz). Sunday's finale spins around Brandi's wedding and Mary being trapped while trying to protect a witness.Television has been key to Warren's success almost from the start. She made her Broadway debut in 1963's "110 in the Shade" and won a Theatre World Award for the 1965 stage flop "Drat! The Cat!" but it was "Cinderella" in 1965 that made her a star. The special was rebroadcast by CBS eight times through February 1974Remembering "Cinderella" makes Warren's eyes well with tears. "It was momentous for me to get that role," she said.The role's affect is still evident, she said, and she still gets letters from school children. "To see that it has had an incredible impact on people has moved me beyond expression."After "Cinderella," she quickly made the leap to film, co-starring in Disney's "The Happiest Millionaire" (1967). She returned to TV for "Mission: Impossible" (1970-71) and a Golden Globe-winning role as a prostitute in the 1977 telefilm "Harold Robbins' '79 Park Avenue." Five years later, she played the moll to James Garner's mobster in Blake Edwards' 1982 movie "Victor/Victoria," which earned Warren an Oscar nomination."The story about how I got that movie is so crazy, because I was out doing marketing and I had my hair in braids, and I think I had a baseball cap on," Warren recalled. "My agent ... said, 'You have to go and meet Blake right now.' I said, 'I can't.' He said, 'You have to, because he is leaving for London tomorrow.'"At her meeting with Edwards, the two laughed about Warren playing Cinderella, a role Edwards' wife, Julie Andrews, had originated. Warren got the part."Two weeks later when we were shooting, I said to him, 'Why did you cast me in this role?" ... And he said, 'It was the way you laughed at the meeting.'"Warren said the key to her longevity was embracing character parts early on."You have to be really willing to embrace life and life's turns, and play that for your audience, because there is value in every moment of that journey," she said.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Movies Obama Should Watch to Celebrate His 50th Birthday

Folks, if there's anything we've learned from the latest debates on the debt ceiling crisis, it's that being the President ain't an easy gig. Obama's had his ups and downs over the years as Commander in Chief, but now that he's turned the big 5-0 and has the grey hairs to prove it, we thought we'd suggest some movies for him to help take the edge off and let him know that everything's gonna be A-okay. So go ahead and see what we came up with to ring in the big day for The Big Cheese. 'Lean on Me' Say what you will about former New Jersey school principal Joe Clark and the pros and cons of running PTA meetings with a Louisville Slugger in hand, but since Capital Hill is looking awfully similar to Eastside High these days, we think Obama can relate. What we wouldn't give to see him walk into the senate chamber with a megaphone, break John Boehner's gavel/croquet mallet over his knee (at which point Boehner would inevitably start crying), and then kick everyone out who's been giving him crap for almost three years now. 'Observe and Report' Keeping with the theme of taking care of business by just going nuts, there's something to be said for the way mall cop Ronnie Barnhardt wins at life by running train on everything that gets in his way. Not to say that Obama should start doing lines and go beat up some skater punks, but it is good for some dark laughs and it's oddly inspirational to boot. 'Lawrence of Arabia' It's one of Obama's favorite movies of all-time, movies just don't get more inspiring than this, and it's also a great excuse to kick back in the White House movie theater for 216 minutes with a "DO NOT DISTURB" sign on the door. 'Casablanca' Rick's final line to Louie just might be the bipartisan hope that Obama needs to hear. Who knows, maybe that'll be him and Boehner one day. Also happens to be another of Obama's faves. 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Nothing puts things into perspective like the realization that no one's made a full-length documentary (yet) about how much you sucked at your job for four years. 'All the President's Men' While he may be routinely outmaneuvered by a small group of anti-government zealots, things could be worse: he could be forced to resign for pulling dirty tricks on your enemies, and Robert Redford could be really disappointed in him. 'The Lion King' He used the birth scene to hilarious effect earlier this year at the White House Correspondents Dinner, but there's a central lesson elsewhere that he may want to absorb. The economy is toast no matter what he tries to do between now and next November so, like, hakuna matata, man. 'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never' On the other hand, miracles do happen. Hey, if that squirt Bieber can become a heartthrob, surely he can pull a second term out of the hat. So what movies do you think Obama should watch on his 50th birthday? Photo courtesy of The White House.