entertainmentdissected

Jamie Lee Curtis battles her brother in the original Halloween classic. (image courtesy of Compass International Pictures) 

Another Halloween has passed, and for the first time on the occasion, I got to dress- and act in all silent, scary as my ultimate horror movie icon, Michael Myers.

Horror probably is my favorite film genre, with the Halloween series easily being my top franchise. I even find enjoyment in the admittedly crappy sequels, of which there have been many.

Nothing tops the original Halloween in terms of sheer spook- director John Carpenter didn’t need to rely on blood and gore in crafting an effective classic. Rather, camera angles, atmosphere and suspense did the work. Fifteen years after stabbing his older sister to death on Halloween, Michael Myers escapes from a mental institution- and collecting candy from his old neighborhood isn’t on his agenda. Ultra-sharp knife in hand, Myers- with his masked brooding persona and heavy breathing- stalks his long-lost sister Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and other babysitters on All Hallow’s Eve. The first film’s body count was just four, with nary an ounce of blood dropped on screen.

Rob Zombie updated John Carpenter’s classic Halloween for 2007 audiences, with Tyler Mane cast as the adult masked madman. (image courtesy of MGM/Dimension Films) 

Following Halloween’s success (it at one time was the highest-grossing and most profitable independent film ever made), along came other slasher flicks like Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street. Like Halloween, those films spawned loads of sequels- and upped the blood and gore to the utmost power with each successive release.  

With Halloween, Curtis earned her title as the undisputed Scream Queen- a crown that remains unchallenged to this day. Roles in other horror films like The Fog and Prom Night helped her retain the title, as well as followup appearances as Strode in Halloween II, Halloween: H2O and Halloween: Resurrection. Carpenter didn’t return as director for II, and had no role in the five other Myers-related films in the series. 

Last year, Rob Zombie directed a remake/reimagining of Carpenter’s classic, attempting to delve into the psyche of a young Myers. While an intriguing premise and containing some creepy material, it didn’t stand a chance of topping the original. In this day and age of over-the-top gore, he took the opposite route and delivered bloodthirsty audiences enough gore and violence to satisfy their quenches. 

No news on the next Halloween installment, or whether it will be a remake of II or a sequel to the most recent in the continuation series, Resurrection. Whatever movie is made, one thing is for sure- Carpenter’s classic has nothing to worry about.

One of the biggest-selling female artists of all time issued another compilation this week- and it further illustrates how some of the most popular music isn’t necessarily the greatest, most acclaimed or important.

My Love: Essential Collectionrepresents the biggest hits of Celine Dion’s career. The release is available as a 17-track single disc (containing 10 top 10 hits), or a 26-track ultimate double album. The latter may be of interest to Dion’s megafans, but the single disc probably is the only audio casual listeners will need- if that.

Dion’s French-language career dates back to the 1980s, but her English-language debut came in late 1990, with the ballad “Where Does My Heart Beat Now.” The pleasant-enough track set the tone for the big-voiced diva’s U.S. career, reaching the top five on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, but its parent album Unison didn’t enjoy the same chart success, failing to crack the top 40 on the Billboard 200. However, it eventually reached platinum status, shipping 1 million units in the USA.

Another album followed in 1992, but it wasn’t until 1994’s The Colour of My Love that the Canadian-born Dion reached superstar sales levels. The album sold more than 6 million in the USA, and spawned the No. 1 smash, “The Power of Love.” The next two albums- 1995’s Falling into You and 1997’s Let’s Talk About Love- were global sensations, each selling more than 30 million copies (10 million-plus each in the USA). 

Dion’s albums continued selling (though at levels nowhere near her peak), but what has remained consistent through her career is the lack of critical respect. What often happens with big-voiced, technically great female vocalists is that the music itself often takes a backseat to the voice- and Dion is no exception. Her latest album is titled Taking Chances- but the fact is that for the duration of her career, she’s done anything but that. 

If you’ve heard one Celine Dion album, you’ve pretty much heard them all. A formula firmly is in place, and it’s hardly varied from her first U.S. release. The latest album my boast an extra guitar or two in spots than usually are present on one of her albums, but at the core, the music is little different than the Dion’s usual fare- safe, light and digestable, but little in the way of hip, innovative or chance-taking music.

Not that Dion cares too much about being a critically acclaimed, exciting, innovative artist- she has sold more than 150 million albums worldwide and plays to sold-out crowds on a global scale. With her worldwide soundtrack smash “My Heart Will Go On,” Dion rode the cultural and global wave that was Titanic- much like how Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” helped send sales of The Bodyguard soundtrack into the stratosphere.

While pop radio may no longer give Dion much attention, her songs remain ever-present at adult contemporary radio- whether it’s “Beauty and the Beast,” “Because You Loved Me,” ”It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,”  ”That’s the Way It Is” or “A New Day Has Come,” among others, you’d be hard-pressed to turn on an AC station and not hear its most prominent act from the last two decades.

My Love stands as Dion’s first true greatest hits album in the USA; All the Way- A Decade of Song, issued in late 1999, actually wasn’t a full-fledged hits album, containing just nine hits and seven then-new recordings. Nonetheless, it’s sold more than 7 million units domestically, and thereafter came a second compilation, The Collector’s Edition, which contained random recording and few hits, and sold less than 1 million.

So, if you’ve been waiting for a comprehensive Celine Dion compilation, My Love is the closest you’ll get. It may not contain some of music history’s greatest or most important work, but it undoubtedly showcases one of its biggest and grandest voices. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, only the listener can determine.

P!nk- seen performing on NBC’s Today show- may have hit No. 1 on the singles chart recently, but she won’t be achieving that feat on the albums chart.  (picture courtesy of Associated Press/Richard Drew) 

Even a No. 1 single can’t put P!nk into contention for No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

The pop star’s fifth album Funhouse hit stores yesterday, and based on first-day sales reports, the title is projected to sell in the neighborhood of 160,000-170,000 units by week’s end. While P!nk isn’t expected to challenge AC/DC or High School Musical 3 for the top two slots, it should be good enough to give the Pennsylvania native her highest-charting album yet (none of her previous releases have peaked in the top five).

But why isn’t P!nk selling enough to get to No. 1? Her current hit, “So What,” topped the Billboard Hot 100, and is a top five airplay hit. Shouldn’t that be a catalyst to send her album to the top of the charts? Not necessarily. None of P!nk’s albums have had huge opening numbers; 2001’s M!ssundaztood- which remains her biggest seller, at 5.2 million units to date- yielded her biggest opening, at 220,175 in debut sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Her last effort- 2006’s I’m Not Dead- scanned 126,000 in its first week, but went on to sell nearly 1.3 million units, on the strength of radio staples like “U + Ur Hand” and “Who Knew.”

However, unlike Funhouse, I’m Not Dead didn’t have the luxury of having a big radio hit out of the gate. And that may not bode well for the new album’s long-term potential. If a bonafide radio smash can’t propel Funhouse to big debut numbers, then what can help keep it going for the long term? I’m Not Dead- which followed the commercially disappointing Try This- fizzled fast when lead single “Stupid Girls” failed to make much impact on the airplay charts; the album then made an impressive chart comeback when follow-up singles became top 10 airplay hits.

Maybe P!nk isn’t all that concerned with how the new album performs compared to her last effort. It would be in line with her no-nonsense, who-gives-a-damn attitude. Unlike some others who throw a party to celebrate chart achievements and No. 1 hits, it wouldn’t be surprising if when told that she hit No. 1 on the Hot 100, P!nk shrugged and replied, “so what?”

On a side note, AC/DC’s debut numbers for its Wal-Mart exclusive Black Ice ended up being sightly less than the projected 800,000-plus some had anticipated. But, it’s unlikely the Aussie rockers will complain abut 784,000 copies sold in seven days. That total ranks second to Lil’ Wayne’s 1 million as the second-largest debut numbers this year. So much for rock being dead. 

The spotlight on irreverent behavior is over on Dancing With the Stars- hosts Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris take to the floor with the ejected Cloris Leachman and Corky Ballas. (picture courtesy of ABC-TV/Associated Press)

Cloris Leachman may have received the expected heave-ho from ABC’s Dancing With the Stars this week, but that doesn’t mean we’ve heard the last of the award-winning, zany entertainer.

After this week’s elimination, Leachman insisted she wouldn’t be leaving. Rather than  break into a rendition of “And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going,” she announced plans to be present as a spectator next week. So for those looking for their Crazy Cloris fix, it could be a blink-and-miss-it moment amidst the proceedings.

Leachman’s long-delayed ax from the competition probably left partner Corky Ballas with a much-needed sigh of relief. During the course of seven competitions over the last six weeks, the twosome landed at the bottom of the judges’ scoring on all but one occasion. While Ballas has shown remarkable patience and understanding with Leachman (somewhat parodying his frustration in a segment preceding their final routine), he’s no doubt hoping his next partner has a few less years under her belt.

Nonetheless, no other partner likely will match Leachman’s entertainment value. Whether flanking the judges’ table and showing off random body parts, speaking like someone’s horny grandma or looking plain ridiculous out on the dance floor, Leachman goes unrivaled as the goofiest Dancing contestant yet.

Relying on humor, outrageous, off-the-wall behavior rather than style and technique, Leachman managed to finish seventh out of 13 celebrities. Some contestants who actually showed dancing promise couldn’t even compete with her crazy antics- just ask Toni Braxton.

 Rehearsals are a thing of the past for Cloris Leachman and Corky Ballas. (picture courtesy of ABC-TV)

The series now will carry on without its resident clown, but remaining contenders may want to channel some of Cloris’ silliness if their dancing doesn’t carry them through. Hanna Montana star Cody Linley faces next week without usual partner Julianne Hough (who this week had her appendix removed following an endometriosis diagnosis). Will Linley have the same kind of chemistry with fill-in partner Edyta Śliwińska? And the Brooke Burke/Derek Hough duo best step things up after relinquishing their score-topping ways to Bass and Lacey Schwimmer

On the elimination horizon, All My Children’s Susan Lucci looks like she could be the next one out- to avoid getting zapped by judges and viewers, she may want to dip more into Erica Kane’s bag of mischief and bring it to the dance floor. She needs to stop thinking about her movements so intensely when she’s out there, and carry herself like a confident, non-hesitant contender. Maybe Lance Bass can help her get in sync with her steps?

Corky Ballas attempts to teach an “old dog” like Cloris Leachman some new tricks for a dance routine on ABC’S Dancing With the Stars. The pair’s footwork on the show may be done following Monday’s performance. (picture courtesy of ABC-TV)

After a whirlwind and prosperous reign as the class clown of season seven’s Dancing With the Stars, Crazy Cloris finally may be turning in her comedy club card.

Leachman and partner Corky Ballas had a semi-streak going there, scoring two consecutive 20-plus scores over the last couple of weeks on ABC’s popular dancing series. However, it was back to the basement for the twosome, as all they could muster from the judges this evening was a miserable 15. Weeks of colorful pro-Cloris-the-entertainer commentary came to a halt, as Carrie Ann Inaba (while still stressing that she loved Leachman) pointed out that a talented dancer like Toni Braxton was sent home, while we were subjected to more of Leachman’s via her Cha-Cha-Cha routine.

Bruno Tonioli kept it slighty more positive, adding that Leachman’s the only person in the world who successfully could sell such nonsense to the public. Leachman’s reversal of fortune wasn’t the only one of the evening, however. For the first time, perennial favorites Brooke Burke and Derek Hough didnt net the night’s highest score- that honor went to Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer, whose invigorating Jive smoked last week’s lackluser West Coast Swing routine.

Some other couples dropped back to so-so levels after scoring season-high bests last week. Cody Linley and Julianne Hough wowed judges and viewers with their prior Jitterbug dance, but were less effective with this week’s Samba.   In addition, Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke followed up their Salsa with the Viennese Waltz, but in the process tied Leachman for the week’s biggest drop (six points).

All My Children’s Susan Lucci found herself spared at the expense of Braxton last week, and could find herself in the bottom two yet again. Even though she and partner Tony Dovolani’s Mambo earned them a one-point gain in score, Lucci looks timid, uncomfortable and on occasion, off in her dance floor steps. It’s fortunate for her that judges didn’t score this week’s group hip-hop number- let’s just say that she would have been better served hiding out in the back with Leachman (and Crazy Cloris has 20 years on Ms. Kane).

So, tomorrow night’s results show may see the competition’s elder stateswomen battling for the privilege to dance another week. Can Erica Kane’s fanbase keep her in contention, or viewers decide they want more wackiness from Hip-Hop Granny Cloris? Betting pools probably would favor the former, but we should know by now never to count out America’s favorite non-talent dancer.

The High School Musical gang can celebrate another rousing success- the third entry in the series easily topped the weekend box office. (image courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures)

Zac Efron and his High School Musical cohorts may have sang their way to the top of the weekend box office, but Jigsaw has little to complain about.

The fifth installment of the Saw horror franchise had to settle for the No. 2 spot, but its $30.5 million opening put it in line with the previous four’s openings. Even bloody awful reviews didn’t keep moviegoers away- despite an average of 19 (out of 100) at www.metacritic.com, the film averaged nearly $10,000 per theater. And, fans more than likely will ensure that the forthcoming sixth chapter of the series (already in development) opens to strong business.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year pulled in an estimated $42 million, for a per-theater average of nearly $12,000.  Critical reception has been mixed for the film, which currently has a 55 average at Metacritic. The prior two entries in the series aired on the Disney Channel, both scoring record ratings for the cable network. The phenomenon also has extended into the music world, where the two soundtracks combined have shipped more than seven million units in the USA, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The third soundtrack hit stores last week, and industry projections have it set to debut at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 albums chart, behind AC/DC’s Black Ice.

Disney already has a fourth installment of HSM planned, though it’s unknown whether it will feature fresh-faced high school teens, or transition to College Musical.

Nonetheless, HSM3’s box office success probably will trickle down to the soundtrack. A sure bet like HSM would be undeterred by the  struggling music marketplace, so multiplatinum status may not be so out of reach. However, the prior movies had the benefit of repeat- and free- airings on television, whereas the new flick must depend- at least initially- on repeat paid business to fuel soundtrack sales- that is, until the eventual DVD release.

No word as of yet on HSM4’s release date, but after seeing this weekend’s box office results, the makers of Saw no doubt will be paying close attention. Jigsaw would detest being upstaged by a Mickey Mouse production yet again.

 Whitney Houston- as she appeared in 1992’s The Bodyguard- seemingly has disappeared into the clouds, with nary a musical peep out of  her since 2002. A new album is planned for release in early 2009. (image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures) 

Forget Where’s Waldo- it’s more a matter of “Where’s Whitney?”

Nearly six years since the release of her last album Just Whitney, we’re still waiting for Ms. Houston to deliver a new studio album. The only new material she’s released since was an album of Christmas music titled One Wish- The Holiday Album, which has scanned slightly more than 400,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Just Whitney, meanwhile, stands as Houston’s lowest-selling studio album to date, at less than 740,000 copies- that represented a serious decline from 1998’s four-million-selling My Love is Your Love.

This decade has been particularly rough for Houston, with her acknowledged drug abuse, time in and out of rehab and her broken marriage to Bobby Brown. In terms of her career, the singer’s last top 10 hit (heck, top 40 hit) on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart was “The Star Spangled Banner” in 2001; that career-defining single was re-released following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Thereafter, Just Whitney failed to spawn any top 40 singles; the set’s second single, “One of Those Days,” got as high as No. 72.

Houston reportedly is at work on a new album with mentor Clive Davis; the record originally was due for release this fall, but was pushed back to early next year (a rather mediocre new track was posted on Houston’s MySpace profile a few months back- whether it makes the album remains to be seen). People are waiting to see if she can enjoy a comeback along the lines of Mariah Carey, who rose from the ashes of Glitter and Charmbracelet to score one of her biggest albums yet, 2005’s The Emancipation of Mimi. That album sold some six million units in the USA; with album sales diminishing as they are, there’s little chance a Houston comeback album would sell anywhere near that total. But, if the material strikes a chord and gets some “The-Voice-is-Back” hype behind it, sales of two million would be considered a rousing success.

Few probably would expect a success along those lines at this stage. More importantly, fans just want to hear some new Whitney. With 19 top 10 hits, 12 No.1s and nearly 60 million albums sold in the USA, Houston doesn’t need to prove herself commercially at this point. Furthermore, her legacy is sealed- while she’s never been a big critical favorite, her 1985 debut album arguably set the template for female pop/R&B to come in her wake (much like Madonna’s 1983 debut did so for pop/dance).

With that debut, Houston showcased an angelic voice that could move more than a few mountains, and while the quality of that voice may have diminished during some turbulent years, fans hope she can reclaim that template-setting glory, at least to some degree. The music   world is a fickle one, especially when one’s been gone from the scene as long as Houston has; the fact that she’s also now a woman in her mid-40s is another challenge to overcome, in the ageist U.S. radio climate.

However, if there’s someone worth rooting for in scoring a comeback, it’s Houston. She’s been as down as someone can get, and she’s survived the raw and gritty rock-and-roll lifestyle that has destroyed others, both personally and professionally. She may never live down  “Crack is whack,” but if she can return to at least some of the glorious vocal greatness of her peak, then fans really meant it when they said, “I Will Always Love You.”

Lionsgate Films’ Saw V opens just in time for Halloween- this installment, like the four others,  likely will scare up some strong box office numbers. (image courtesy of Lionsgate Films)

“Game over” undoubtedly will be heard near the end of Saw V, which opens tomorrow in theaters across America. Though, fear not- a sixth installment already is in the works.

The Saw franchise has grossed some $286 million at the U.S. and Canadian box office, leaving horror fans bloodthirsty for more of the tortrous thriller.

What sets Saw apart from others in the genre is that the protagonist (John Kramer, referred to as the “Jigsaw Killer”) never actually commits a murder. Rather, he (and those who carry on his work) traps his subjects/victims in life-threatening scenarios, and instructs them on what they need to do to survive. In most cases, Jigsaw’s games involve subjects inflicting near-insurmountable levels of pain on themselves (or others) in order to ensure their freedom.

Saw also differs from other horror flicks in its usage of backstory. At times, it’s challenging keeping up on whether something’s happening in the present or past. Events that occurred during a prior film (but never were shown in that film) often pop up in the current film, so it’s wise to pay attention to every detail (which often isn’t necessary to do in horror movies).

While it’s the live-or-die scenarios and bloodshed that dominate Saw, it’s Tobin Bell’s cryptic performance as Jigsaw that gives the films its “heart.” Here’s a man so driven by life’s disappointments and tragic events, that he takes it upon himself to select- and test- those who he believes were not worthy of their own lives and/or had negatively intercepted his life or the people around him.

In testing their subjects, Jigsaw and his followers adhere to the principle that people truly wanting to stay alive will allow themselves to suffer excruciating amounts of physical pain to do so. It may be twisted, it may be sadistic - but it’s Saw, and moviegoers wouldn’t have it any other bloody, gory way.

AC/DC lead guitarist Angus Young plays a gig in London.  The band’s new album- exclusive to Wal-Mart- is set to have one of the biggest sales debuts of the year. (picture courtesy of Reuters/Toby Melville)

Yet another Wal-Mart album exclusive is headed towards boffo sales numbers in its debut week.

AC/DC’s Black Ice hit Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club shops Monday, and industry insiders project the album will top 800,000 copies sold in first-week sales. Last fall, the Eagles’ Wal-mart-exclusive Long Road to Edenscanned 711,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The Eagles’ numbers were so huge that Billboard instantly altered its longstanding policy banning exclusive-to-one-retailer albums from appearing on the Billboard 200. The week the Eagles  debuted at No. 1, Britney Spears’ Blackout had to settle for the runner-up slot, with 290,000 sold.

Back in June, Journey also released a Wal-Mart exclusive, Revelation. The set has scanned 501,000 to date and currently is ranked No. 71 on the newest Billboard 200 chart.

Wal-Mart isn’t the only retailer that’s benefited from exclusive music deals- Starbucks, Target and Best Buy often land exclusive deals. In coming weeks, Target will be the sole retailer for Christina Aguilera’s greatest hits album, while the long-awaited GNR album Chinese Democracy will hit Best Buy Nov. 23 as an exclusive.

In the meantime, industry eyes will be on Black Ice, and how high the final number will go. Lil’ Wayne currently has the year’s biggest debut, at 1 million and change. If AC/DC end up selling 800,000-plus, it easily will score the year’s second-highest debut numbers, eclipsing Coldplay’s 721,000. (Metallica’s Death Magnetic sold 800,000-plus in its first 10 days, following an unusual release on a Friday.)

Anticipation was high for Black Ice, AC/DC’s first studio album in eight years. Since brothers Angus and Malcolm formed the band 35 years ago, AC/DC has sold around 70 million albums in the USA, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s last release- 2000’s Stiff Upper Lip- peaked at No. 7 and is certified platinum for 1 million units shipped in the USA. The Australian band’s top seller? That would be 1980’s classic Back in Black, of course, at 22 million units and counting.

Aside from enjoying hefty album sales, AC/DC also has scored loads of critical success, especially with 1979’s Highway to Hell and Back in Black. The title tracks from the aforementioned albums, in addition to “You Shook Me All Night Long,” rank among the most essential classic-rock anthems of all time.

No one’s expecting Black Ice to break any long-term sales records, especially with album sales dwindling as they have been over the last couple of years. But, the debut numbers come as a much-needed boost to an industry- and format- struggling to maintain relevance in a digital-tracks age.

Like the Eagles before, who better to give the album format a commercial shot in the arm than an acclaimed, hugely successful band who also lay claim to one of the top-selling albums of all time? Carry on, blokes.

 Alec Mazo and Toni Braxton couldn’t impress judges and viewers enough to make it to another week on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars.  (picture courtesy of ABC-TV, Associated Press)

Defying all odds yet again- this week  being tied for last place with a judges’ score of 21- Cloris Leachman got enough support from viewers to return next week for another turn on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars.

Leachman and partner Corky Ballas didn’t even end up in the bottom two this week- rather, daytime vixen Susan Lucci and partner Tony Dovolani battled songstress Toni Braxton and partner Alec Mazo. Both couples scored a 22 with the judges the prior night, but, in the end, Erica Kane prevailed, leaving Braxton in the position to serenade judges and viewers with an updated version of “Un-break My Heart.” (Braxton, for the record, actually didn’t do that.)

Next week, Leachman will get her chance to show some modern moves in the group hip-hop number, which should provide at least a few entertaining moments amidst the proceedings.

Susan Lucci and Tony Dovolani will have to work extra hard to stay in the Dancing race;  the twosome ended up with the second-lowest combined judges/viewer-vote score this week. (picture courtesy of ABC-TV, Associated Press)

Lucci best turn it up a few notches next week. After impressing judges last week with an Erica-like tango, she slipped back into her usual hesitancy, and it left her nearly eliminated from the competition.

Lance Bass also best get some magic working- he had a strong performance last week as well, but he and partner Lacey Schwimmer faltered Monday evening, even falling at routine’s end. Barring any major blunders from the formidable four (Derek Hough/Brooke Burke, Julianne Hough/Cody Linley, Kym Johnson/Warren Sapp, Maurice Greene/Cheryl Burke), Bass and Schwimmer probably are in a three-way race with Lucci/Dovolani and Leachman/Ballas for next week’s toss off.

Next week’s outcome- at least in the world of Crazy Cloris- doesn’t matter at this point. She’s reached the top seven- a stunning feat also reached, as you’ll recall, by talent-challenged Sanjaya Malacar on FOX’s American Idol (this will be the last Cloris/Sanjaya analogy in this column- promise). So, Leachman can relish that accomplishment, as the award-winning entertainer arguably contributed more than Malacar in their respective competitions.

For now, just prepare to be wowed next week by some off-the-chain moves from MC Mama Cloris- it may well be her last hurrah as Dancing With the Stars’ resident clown.