Archive for October, 2006

Paramount Pictures announced on Monday that filmmaker Oliver Stone plans to direct a movie about the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan. The film will be partially based on, “Jawbreaker,” a recent book detailing the U.S.-led assault on the al Qaeda stronghold in Afghanistan and the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

This is a follow-up to his recent film, “World Trade Center”, which was also released by Paramount in August. Stone optioned the rights to “Jawbreaker” months ago, confirming a report in the Hollywood trade paper Daily Variety.

Jawbreaker was written by Gary Bernstein, a CIA officer who led the so-called “Jawbreaker” paramilitary unit that helped topple the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

No production date for the film has been set, and there was no word on casting decisions.

Holloween early-goers were take by fright with the release of The Grudge 2 which debuted at No. 1, bringing in $22 million USD for it’s first running weekend. Even though the film was not released to critics before hand, the die hard (no pun intended) horror movie buffs would not miss this one regardless of the ratings, or lack there of. Most early reviews of the release did not mark The Grudge 2 with very high rankings.

The Departed, which was #1 the previous weekend was bumped by The Grudge 2, and is now in the #2 spot. This makes twelve #1 spots for Sony this year, which breaks their own record for #1 movie positions in a single year.

Estimated ticket sales for next weekend will be released tomorrow.

Freddy Fender died Saturday at his home in Corpus Christi, Texas according to a family spokesman.

Freddy Fender is famous for a number of acheivemnents, but one of the most popular is probably his #1 hit “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” which was done in a crossover into country music from his usual Tex-Mex style. Freddy also teamed up with Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven which contributed to his super stardome.

Freddy Fender began his career in the 1950’s as the “Bebop Kid” singing Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent covers translated into Spanish. Some of the more popular songs were “Don’t Be Cruel” and Harry Belafonte’s “Jamaica Farewell.” These along with Fender ’s other early bilingual rock ‘n’ roll songs from the 50’s era are included in the compilation “Canciones de Mi Barrio,” released in the early 1990’s.

Fender was at the top of his game in the 1970’s whith a significant release of the “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” album. In March of 1975 “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” in English and Spanish hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 and the Top Country Singles, making it the most successful bilingual song by a Tex-Mex artist to date. Later that same year, the title track also hit No. 1 on Top Country Singles.

Fender had many more accomplishments from that point on including a few small film rolls, playing at the inaugural balls for Bush and Clinton, and winning his 3rd grammy in 2002.

Fender is survived by his wife Evangelina and several children, Freddy Fender died at the age of 69.

Source [MySA.com]