Dan Owen reviews

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Movie News
Obituary
US & UK Top cinema listings
In the Pipeline

MOVIE NEWS

ELEKTRA

'USA Today' reports that Terence Stamp (Superman II), right, has joined the Daredevil spin-off movie Elektra, starring Jennifer Garner. '20th Century Fox' hope to release the movie on 18 February 2005.

KILL BILL VOLUME III

Kill Bill Volume II has only just been released in the U.S, but writer-director Quentin Tarantino is already talking about a third chapter to his revenge epic!

Tarantino: "Oh yeah, initially I was thinking this would be my [Fistful Of] Dollars trilogy. I was going to do a new one every 10 years. But I need at least 15 years before I do this again."

"The star will be Vernita Green's [Vivica A. Fox's] daughter, Nikki [Ambrosia Kelley]. I've already got the whole mythology: Sofie Fatale [Julie Dreyfus] will get all of Bill's money. She'll raise Nikki, who'll take on The Bride."

"Nikki deserves her revenge every bit as much as The Bride deserved hers. I might even shoot a couple of scenes for it now so I can get the actresses while they're this age."

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THE FANTASTIC FOUR

'Latino Review' has given a very positive review of the latest Fantastic Four screenplay. Check it out at: Latino Review.com

In related news, 'Variety' talked to director Tim Story, who is now attached to helm Fantastic Four. Story: "What attracted me was that they are a family. They might want to wring each others necks. They might storm out and disappear for three days, but you also know they'll be back. They don't always get along."

'Marvel Enterprises' CEO Avi Arad agreed, noting that because neither the characters' powers nor their identities are concealed, Fantastic Four offers far richer characters than the usual comic-book movies.

Arad: "Many times, you need a star to define the movie. That's not the case here. We can focus on getting the actors that are totally right for the roles."

'Variety' also confirmed 'Fox' are still hoping TV star Michael Chiklis (The Shield) will be available to play Ben Grimm/The Thing.

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THE HITCH-HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

John Malkovich (Con Air), right, has been cast in the movie adaptation of Douglas Adams' novel, says 'The Hollywood Reporter'. The film begins shooting this month in London, with Garth Jennings directing.

Malkovich will play a religious cult leader called Humma Kavula, a character created by the late author especially for the film.

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Screenwriter Mark Friedman has been asked to write an adaptation for 'Disney' of The Wind in the Willows, says 'The Hollywood Reporter'.

The film is based on the classic Kenneth Grahame book about the adventures of Mole, Badger, Ratty and Mr. Toad.

OBITUARY

IN MEMORY OF CARON KEATING : 1962-2004

For anyone old enough to remember, Children's television got a whole lot brighter in 1986. Blue Peter, tea-time staple on BBC1 since the world began, brought in a pretty young Irish girl to replace the worthy-but-dull Sarah Greene.

You could hardly comprehend her thick brogue, but it mattered not; there was a freshness and vivacity to Caron Keating which left its mark on a generation of impressionable boys. Those outlandish outfits, blinding in their brash colour schemes and patterns. Huge bows in her hair, brilliantly stripy tights. The biggest smile on TV. Oh yes, we fell in love with her alright.

Caron hosted a range of entertainment shows after leaving Blue Peter: chat shows (including one with her mother Gloria Hunniford), travel shows, standing in many times for Judy Finnigan on Morning Television; you name it. By the mid-1990s she was a permanent fixture on our screens, and hugely liked and respected by those who worked with her.

Then, she retreated from the workload and glare of publicity to spend time with her family and small children. Only those close to her knew of the breast cancer which she had suffered from since being diagnosed in 1997, and which finally took her life on the evening of April 13th 2004.

Already the tributes are pouring out from some of the biggest names in Showbusiness. For one of those impressionable young boys glued to the screen way back in 1986, this news is both tragic and shocking.

Caron Keating was only 41. This just doesn't happen to pretty young girls in big dresses with polka-dot bows in their hair, so full of life and so willing to live (her passion for daring stunts on Blue Peter is well-documented). She may be gone before her time, but the memories will linger on.