Bernie Mac dead at 50

News on the AP that Bernie Mac has died at the age of 50. Here is the story at the Washington Post.

Link to this video showing Bernie Mac in downtown Shreveport filming Soul Men.

The video below is My Sister's Kids.

WARNING: Don't go there if you don't want to hear the language.

Pass the pretzels – it's Bush, the movie

He put Nixon and JFK on screen. Now Oliver Stone has a living President in his sights. As the trailer for 'W' goes viral, Tim Walker says this biopic shouldn't be misunderestimated.
Is it a Saturday Night Live skit? Is it the Dead Ringers Christmas Special? No – it's the teaser trailer for W (pronounced, of course, "Dubya"), Oliver Stone's forthcoming film about the 43rd US President, George W Bush. Stone is an obsessive chronicler of modern American history. In the past, he's given us movies about presidents, including the life of one (Nixon), and the death of another (JFK). He's done movies about US campaigns in El Salvador (Salvador) and Vietnam (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, Heaven & Earth); movies about the rise of unscrupulous capitalists (Wall Street), and the fall of the Twin Towers (World Trade Center). But W is a departure, even for him. A biopic of a sitting President, due for release on the eve of the next election, its producers even intend to advertise right alongside TV broadcasts for John McCain's campaign.
Read the entire article at The Independent (UK)

Oliver Stone's "W" Movie Trailer

Thanks to CenLamar for running this. I didn't know it was out yet. Makes you wonder if the case of Brolin et al being drunk, unruly, pepper-sprayed, tased and arrested is a case of life imitating art imitating life.
I wonder if the Shreveport Police videos of the incident are as interesting as this trailer? They could be better, but if it's up to Mayor Glover and Chief Whitehorn we'll never know.

Taser Used on Wright, Brolin Pepper-Sprayed in Shreveport Arrest

Shreveport Police are not releasing any video or audio in their possession involved in the arrest of "W" actors last weekend.
"It hasn't been authorized for release by (Police Chief Henry Whitehorn) yet," Cpl. Rob Elliott, public information officer for the department, said Thursday, adding that it's an ongoing investigation.
"And I have no idea when the investigation will wrap up."
Police arrested Brolin, Wright and five crew members of the Oliver Stone movie "W." on misdemeanor charges after one member of the group, later identified as Eric Felland, caused a disturbance at the Stray Cat and refused to leave the bar.
At some point during their arrests, a Taser was used on Wright and Wright and Brolin were sprayed with pepper spray after ignoring orders, police said.
From The Times

Actor Josh Brolin arrested in Shreveport bar brawl

excerpt:
Actor Josh Brolin, in Shreveport starring in director-producer Oliver Stone’s “W.,” was arrested early today during a bar fight at a downtown Shreveport nightspot.

(Brolin, shown in the picture as "W", was charged with a misdemeanor for 'interfering with police'. )

According to Shreveport Police patrol report, officers were called to the Stray Cat bar in the 200 block of Travis Street just after 2 a.m. to deal with a rowdy patron.

As more officers arrived, several other patrons at the bar, including Brolin and fellow actor Jeffrey Wright, 42, tried to impede the officers, the report said. In all, the report named 10 officers called to the ruckus.

Brolin, Wright and four other people were charged with interfering with police, a misdemeanor. Brolin was booked into the city jail, and posted $334 cash bond to be released.

From The Times

Oliver Stone's "W" Big Boost to Shreveport's Movie Industry

It's been a busy year for the Shreveport movie industry.

Josh Brolin appears as George W. Bush in "W.," directed by Oliver Stone. It will be filming through July. The production also has found locations to double for Crawford, Texas; Kennebunkport, Maine, and even Colorado. It will erect White House sets inside StageWorks of Louisiana, a large soundstage in downtown Shreveport.

Val Kilmer and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson are starring in "Microwave Park." Jack Black and Harold Ramis made "Year One." Ice Cube played coach for "The Longshots" (aka "Comeback"). And Samuel L. Jackson returned here for "Soul Men."

The productions have tallied more than 1,500 temporary crew jobs, well more than 14,000 nights in local hotel rooms and 379 production days. So far this year the 14 movies have totalled $185 million in production value.

Overall in 2007, there were 24 productions that accounted for $181.5 million in production budgets and 557 production days.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Shreveport

It was built around 1890 by Michael Rosenblath and was a bordello from 1903 to 1917, but now it's going up as a sacrifice to Shreveport's new movie industry.
Josie Cooper must be rolling over in her grave as the building that housed her bordello is being burned for the HBO series True Blood. The house is at the corner of View and Douglas streets just off downtown.
Local Historians Eric Brock & Gary Joiner say the house falls within the boundaries of the St Paul's Bottoms Historic District. It is the last building in the old red light district that is still in decent condition. Brock says the city must have a permit from the state to demolish the structure. Mayor Cedric Glover disagrees. "All the i's were dotted and t's crossed," he said. "This was on the list of homes to be demolished and has been for some time."
Two crews from SFD Station 1 controlled a small blaze yesterday. Another burn is coming later in the week. If you're on Common Street and catch a glimpse of it, don't be alarmed; it's just our past going up in smoke.













Complete article in The Times.