Auction benefits UNICEF
Catherine Zeta Jones' stunning costume from "The Mask of Zorro," Harrison Ford's "Indiana Jones" bullwhip and Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" sword are on display at Sotheby's for an auction to benefit African children fighting AIDS.
Several Hollywood celebrities "have donated items they intended to keep forever," said actor Liam Neeson, who started "Movie Action for Children" through the United Nations Children's Fund.
The auction, to be held Tuesday, also offers a personal telephone call from Michael Jackson on the bidder's birthday. Bids also are being accepted online.
Proceeds will go directly to UNICEF's efforts to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast. Sotheby's is waiving its commissions for the sale.
American classic
George Lucas and the cast and crew of "American Graffiti" have been honored by the American Film Institute at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colo.
The 1973 release is considered a groundbreaker because of innovative elements such as multiple, intertwined story lines and prominent music that reinforced the film's dramatic moments.
Those same features nearly kept the film out of theaters. Universal studio officials favored a television release because they thought it was too far outside the Hollywood mainstream to be successful.
The film grossed more than $100 million.
The movie also launched the careers of Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfus, Cindy Williams and others.
True Blues
The original members of the Blue Man Group say they haven't sold out, despite the TV commercials.
Sure, there are the Intel commercials for the Pentium computer chip and a performance at this year's Grammy Awards.
But Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton, and Chris Wink say their artistic vision hasn't changed since starting as a guerrilla theater troupe in New York 13 years ago.
They still cover their heads and faces with shiny blue makeup. Shows can still involve splattering paint, using homemade percussion instruments and tossing food.
Actor Dustin Hoffman described one show to the Los Angeles Times as "like an acid trip in first grade that happens when the teacher leaves the room."
Nowadays Blue Man Group Productions operates on a $28 million annual budget, and 33 Blue Men (one actually is a woman) perform from Boston to Las Vegas.
Still, the company has turned down offers to perform rap music and hawk theme park rides and a slew of blue products.
And despite critical success, Wink says Blue Man doesn't take itself too seriously.
"If, by art, you mean something simple and available to everybody that's not a big deal, then yes, we're art," he said. "But if you mean is it important and elitist, we'd rather be known as comedians."
No comments
Commenting is turned off for this story.