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Star Trek Is A Big Gamble In Las Vegas
2 January 1998
Analysts are expressing skepticism about whether the Las Vegas Hilton's Star Trek exhibit and ride film, which officially opens Sunday, will pull in additional gamblers at the hotel's new, hi-tech Space Quest casino. Today's (Friday) Los Angeles Times quoted Shannon Bybee, executive director of the UNLV International Gaming Institute, as saying that the new Star Trek: The Experience (1998) is "interesting, but I don't know how much impact it will have. ... People weren't coming out of the casino and saying that it was really out of sight."
On Video, Men In Black Earns The Most Green
2 January 1998
Even though it was not released until Nov. 25, Sony's Men in Black (1997) was the top video earner of 1997, according to VideoScan, which tracks industry sales. In second place was Buena Vista Home Video's re-release of Disney's animated Bambi. Overall, despite numerous "sell through" releases, video sales were down more than 5 percent below 1996.
Box-Office Returns Up, Admissions Flat
2 January 1998
Although the domestic box office took in a record $6.2 billion last year, an 8 percent leap above 1996, actual numbers of admissions remained flat, the Associated Press reported Thursday, citing industry analysts. The rise was attributed mostly to increased ticket prices. And while 20th Century Fox may be breathing easier as a result of the apparent bonanza from Titanic (1997), analysts are concerned that it may overturn the industry's announced plans for cost-cutting. Titanic's success "makes it more difficult for the mid-level studio executive to say no to the Jim Cameron du jour, " PaineWebber analyst Christopher Dixon told AP.
Titanic Hauls Toward The Pacific
2 January 1998
Overseas grosses thus far for Titanic (1997) have proved to be second only to Independence Day (1996) for 20th Century Fox, which is distributing the film internationally, the studio said Thursday. It noted that because of Titanic's length, it is getting fewer screenings than ID4 did. "It's basically standing-room only, " Jim Gianopulos, president of 20th Century Fox International, told today's (Friday) Los Angeles Times. "It's virtually sold out in every market." Since Dec. 18, the film has grossed $25.8 million in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan and Thailand, the studio said.
Cubans Socking It To U.S. Networks
2 January 1998
Cuban officials are seeking as much as $100, 00 from each of the U.S. television networks seeking to use Cuban television footage of papal masses that will be conducted by Pope John Paul II during his upcoming visit, the Associated Press reported Thursday. Moreover, the wire service noted, the networks are attempting to get waivers to the Helms-Burton law that bars U.S. companies from paying an employee more than $100 a day in living expenses. They note that Havana hotel rates alone are being increased to nearly $200 a night during the pope's visit.
New Yorkers To Be Hit With Big Boost In Cable Charges
2 January 1998
Consumers Union co-director Gene Kimmelman has described as "outrageous" plans by Time Warner Cable to boost rates in the New York City area nearly 10 percent next month. The rate hike follows a 4.6-percent boost in 1996 and a 5 percent hike in 1995. In an interview with today's (Friday) New York Daily News, Kimmedlman criticized the FCC for being lax in policing the pricing policies of the cable industry.
Report: U.S. Preparing New Charges Against Milken
2 January 1998
The SEC has obtained a court order to extend Michael Milken's probation by one month as government attorneys prepare to file new charges against the former junk bond king that could land him back in prison again, the London Times reported today (Friday). According to the newspaper, the government is likely to claim that Milken violated the terms of his probabtion when he acted as an adviser in the Time Warner-Turner merger and in other financial transactions involving MCI and investor Ron Perelman. Milken's lawyers reportedly contend that his role was purely advisory and therefore in compliance with the probation agreement.
Baylon Producer Vows To End Series This Year
2 January 1998
As he embarks on a fifth season of Babylon 5 -- it moves from syndication to Time Warner's TNT channel this week -- creator/producer J. Michael Straczynski has vowed that this season will be the series's last. "My nightmare is TNT coming back to us and saying, 'We want a sixth year, '" he told today's (Friday) New York Post. "In that case, I might be the first producer to cancel his own series!" Straczynski said that a feature version of the series has been "mentioned" by Warner Bros. Nevertheless, he insisted, "I'm not here to create a franchise or create a sales and merchandising machine. ... From day one I announced this show was being planned as a five-year storyline, and everyone on the show knows that."
Homicide To Air Gay Episode Tonight
2 January 1998
NBC may be bracing for a new round of attack by religious fundamentalists and political conservatives as its long-running Homicide: Life on the Street drama introduces a subplot tonight (Friday) involving a same-sex romance between the police detective ("Bayliss") portrayed by Kyle Secor and another man, played by Peter Gallagher "It was very difficult to do this episode, " Secor told today's USA Today. "We had Standards and Practices network censors breathing down our necks." Secor added that there have been several indications of the character's bisexual proclivities in past episodes. "So since we don't know if this will be our last year or not, here's a way to strike by exploring the notion that there's a little bit of feminine in all of us and how this all affects Bayliss' relations with his fellow cops."
There Oughtta Be A Law -- So, WHY Isn't There?
1 January 1998
SAG president Richard Masur has defended the union's Washington lobbyist, Bob Brandon against charges of incompetently handling a pet bill of the union that would close a loophole in the law that denies unemployment benefits to some members. Masur told today's (Wednesday) Hollywood Reporter: "The misperception is that if the bill has not yet been passed, the only reason is that someone is incompetent or is doing something wrong. That is not the case. Given the circumstances, Bob has done an excellent job."
Iwerks, Showscan Revise Deal
1 January 1998
Iwerks Entertainment, whose stock has plunged recently partly because of analysts' views that it was paying too much to acquire rival "ride film" producer Showscan, announced Tuesday that it had amended the merger agreement. The revised agreement with Showscan is now valued at $16 million compared with $24 million for the previous deal.
Analysts Rate Viacom A "Buy"
1 January 1998
Shares in Viacom continued to rise sharply Tuesday amid persistent positive news about the performance of Titanic and speculation that the company is about to sell all or part of its Simon & Schuster publishing division and may also be preparing to sell its Blockbuster video rental chain. (A Blockbuster sale, today's London Financial Times observed, is unlikely until stability has been restored at the company, which is expected to report earnings of $236 million this year compared with $773 million in 1996.) Viacom shares were up 13/16 to 40 11/16. Shares in the company have risen 18 percent during the last three weeks.
Bond Flick Likely To Set Record
1 January 1998
Tomorrow Never Dies has earned $140 million worldwide -- $62.2 million domestically and $77.8 million internationally -- since it opened on Dec. 19, MGM said Tuesday. The studio noted that domestic receipts are up 9 percent from 1995's GoldenEye and worldwide receipts are up 19 percent. GoldenEye went on to earn $106 million on the domestic market and $244 million overseas, making it the most successful Bond movie in history. Meanwhile, Daily Variety reported today (Wednesday) that Titanic passed the $100 million mark at the domestic box office Tuesday, after only 12 days in release. The trade paper observed that the $200-million film now seems to have an excellent shot at reaching the $425 million needed to break even.
Dharma's Secret Gag
1 January 1998
Watching the Dharma & Greg credits, a TV Guide writer recently observed an unusual flash. The following week he taped the credits and checked the flash when he it occurred again by using the freeze-frame button on his VCR. The message read: "Once again, thanks for videotaping Dharma & Greg and freeze-framing on my video card."
Controversial Japanese Cartoon Series Heading For U.S.
1 January 1998
The Japanese animated series Pocket Monsters, which is believed to be responsible for sending more than 700 viewers -- mostly school children -- to the hospital following seizures, convulsions and other symptoms, is heading for the U.S., where it may begin airing next fall, USA Today reported today (Wednesday). The flashing scenes that presumably triggered the adverse reactions have been edited, according to Al Kahn CEO of 4 Kids Entertainment, which is preparing the U.S. version. to be released under the title Pokeman. "We're comfortable it won't be a health problem, " Kahn told the newspaper. "We've taken the problem seriously and fixed it."
New Lucy Series To Be Filmed In Spanish
1 January 1998
All American/Fremantle and Spain's Antena 3 are producing a Spanish version of I Love Lucy, with Brazilian TV star Xuxa in the Lucille Ball role, the Hollywood Reporter reported today (Wednesday). The trade paper said that original Lucy scripts have been translated for the series, which is aimed at Spanish-speaking territories.
Who Broke Agreement On Seinfeld Story?
1 January 1998
The breaking of a "gentleman's agreement" led to the New York Times' Christmas-Day report that Jerry Seinfeld had decided not to continue doing his show after this season, Daily Variety reported today (Wednesday). The trade paper did not describe the nature of the agreement -- or who it was with -- but indicated that NBC and producer Castle Rock had agreed earlier to allow Time magazine to break the story with a cover issue next month. Time said that it is planning to go ahead with the story anyway.
Rodman Will Offer Comments During Biopic
1 January 1998
Dennis Rodman will host the Feb. 1 telecast on ABC of the movie version of his book, Bad as I Wanna Be: The Dennis Rodman Story, in which newcomer Dwayne Adway will appear as Rodman, the Los Angeles Times reported today. The newspaper said that Rodman will appear on camera throughout the autobiographical film, commenting on "key events" in his life.
Saban Exiting Kids Syndication
1 January 1998
Saban Entertainment, one of the most successful syndicators of kids TV shows, announced Tuesday that it will cease domestic syndication of the shows, including X-Men, Marvel Superheroes and DragonballZ at the end of the current season. The company said that it plans to syndicate movies and other long-form programming.
Pirates Counter Directv Security Moves
1 January 1998
Less than one month after DirecTV, in an effort to block satellite pirates, spent more than $40 million to provide new decoder cards for its subscribers last June, the pirates announced that they had broken the new code and had begun selling cards that allow customers to receive "every channel including all PPV (pay-per-view), " according to a CNBC report. The primary source of the pirate cards is a hacker on Grand Cayman, according to CNBC, which cited a Canadian distributor of the cards who calls himself HoLo.
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