TGIF -- More TV info, Carmen Electra and More

BBC America in November: NEW ON BBC AMERICA - November 2004 PRIMETIME HIGHLIGHTS ON BBC AMERICA

THE YOUNG VISITERS [sic] (U.S. premiere original) Academy Award-winner Jim Broadbent (Iris, Moulin Rouge) and Hugh Laurie (Stuart Little, Maybe Baby) star in a colorful, enchanting and eccentric view of adult life and love in Victorian London as seen through the eyes of a nine-year-old girl in BBC AMERICA's original comic moviepremiere, The Young Visiters [sic]. Based on the much-loved Victorian novel, written in 1890 by Daisy Ashford, who wrote (and famously misspelled) the tale when she was just nine-years-old, the comic drama centers on two gentlemen - Alfred Salteena (Jim Broadbent) and Lord Bernard Clark (Hugh Laurie) - as they compete for the favors of a young lady, Ethel Monticue (Lyndsey Marshal, The Hours, The Gathering Storm). Alfred Salteena, "an elderly man of 42," has his heart set a-flutter by his young charge, Ethel, whom he has promised to introduce to the aristocracy. Alfred is only acquainted with one aristocrat - Lord Bernard Clark - and duly arranges to visit him in his rambling Rickamere Hall. Alfred asks Bernard's advice on how to, "gain a place on the right side of the blanket" in order to be in a position to propose to Ethel. Bernard advises him to travel to Crystal Palace to seek tuition from his old chum, the Earl of Clincham played by Bill Nighy (Love Actually, State of Play). This he must do at once. Alfred sets off to see the Earl of Clincham who agrees to help him. And, after being relieved of his life savings, Alfred is sent on a rigorous training course of learning social etiquette, such as how to doff one's hat and the proper use of cutlery. Meanwhile, back at Rickamere Hall, Ethel's head has been turned by the size of Bernard's estate, his butler and his propensity for first class travel. Likewise, Bernard, fighting his conscience, finds himself head-over-heels in love with Ethel, and proposes a wild trip to London. Shortly after their arrival in the metropolis, Bernard can hold himself back no longer. He proposes to Ethel who immediately accepts. Clincham decides to throw a party to celebrate Alfred's progress and invites the highest of society to attend. Bernard is reluctant to go but Ethel, faced with the opportunity of meeting even more lords and ladies, insists on accepting the invitation, which inevitably leads them coming face-to-face with Alfred...The Young Visiters [sic] premieres Wednesday, November 3, 2004 at 8 p.m.

MURDER IN SUBURBIA (U.S. premiere original) A sassy, female crime-busting duo with an irresistible knack for uncovering the truth bring their exceptional investigative skills to BBC AMERICA in an all-new murder mystery series, Murder in Suburbia. The meticulous and often stubborn Detective Inspector Kate Ashurst (Caroline Catz, The Vice) teams up with instinctive, chaotic and street-smart Detective Sergeant Emma Scribbins (Lisa Faulkner, MI5) to create suburbia's hottest new detective partnership.
Murder in Suburbia premieres Mondays from November 22, 2004 at 8 p.m.

MINE ALL MINE (U.S. premiere original) What would happen if you discovered that you own not only your house but also the whole town in which you live? The Vivaldi family, of Swansea in Wales, is just about to make such adiscovery in BBC AMERICA's latest U.S. premiere original drama from writer Russell T. Davies (Queer as Folk, The Second Coming), Mine All Mine.
Mine All Mine premieres Sundays from November 28, 2004 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

WAKING THE DEAD (U.S. premiere season) Digging up the past can be a dangerous business - especially for members of the Cold Case Unit. Chief Inspector Boyd (Trevor Eve, David Copperfield, In The Name Of The Father) is back to reopen the files of more unsolved crimes in a U.S. premiere season of BBC AMERICA's Waking the Dead.
Waking the Dead premieres Mondays from November 22, 2004 at 9 p.m.

THE PERSUADERS (Channel premiere) Fast money, fast cars and fast women... this is the life of dashing do-gooders Tony Curtis and Roger Moore in the 1971 adventure series The Persuaders. The action-packed classic joins The Avengers and The Saint on BBC AMERICA's Friday night line-up of cool retro favorites.
The Persuaders airs Friday nights beginning November 5, 2004 at 10 p.m.

COLD FEET (Channel premiere) The complex emotional lives of three 30-something couples are the focus of BBC AMERICA's stylish, award-winning drama, Cold Feet. Stars Stephen Mapes, Helen Baxendale, James Nesbitt, Hermione Norris.
Cold Feet airs Sundays from November 28, 2004 at 9 p.m.

THIS LIFE Five friends. One household. No rules. It's back. BBC AMERICA presents an encore presentation of the UK's hottest drama of the 1990s - the cult show, This Life.
Winner of five major awards - including the Royal Television Society's award for Best Drama - This Life revolves around uncompromising story lines of sexy, young twenty-somethings who are rival lawyers by day and hard-partying friends by night.
This Life airs Sundays from November 28, 2004 at 8 p.m.

Who's Wearing What: Carmen Electra will hit the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards in a dress by Sunny Choi. The vibrant green plunging v-neck satin cocktail dress is the just the beginning. She will change into another Sunny Choi dress for the VMA after-party. Carmen will host the Ocean Drive VMA after-party in a white satin off-the-shoulder cocktail dress, with bow accent at the shoulder.

TNT Original: Two-time Golden Globe nominee Kyra Sedgwick (The Woodsman, Loverboy, Cavedweller) has been cast to play the lead Turner Network Television (TNT)'s THE CLOSER, an original dramatic pilot about an elite division of the LAPD, announced Michael Wright, senior vice president of original programming for TNT. THE CLOSER comes to TNT from The Shephard/Robin Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. James Duff (The D.A., The Agency) wrote the pilot, which is being executive produced by Duff, Greer Shephard (Nip/Tuck, The D.A.) and Michael Robin (Nip/Tuck, The D.A., NYPD Blue). Robin will also direct. THE CLOSER is a gripping police drama that tells the story of Deputy Police Chief Brenda Jean Johnson (Sedgwick), an Atlanta police detective who has come to LA to head up a special unit of the LAPD that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases. Johnson's quirky personality and hard-nosed approach often rubs her colleagues the wrong way, but her reputation as the world's best interrogator eventually wins over even her toughest critics.

Sedgwick, who co-starred in the Emmy-winning TNT Original Door to Door, will soon be seen in The Woodsman, co-starring Kevin Bacon, which will be released on December 24. The film premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and was showcased as part of the Cannes Film Festival. She will also be seen in Showtime's Cavedweller, which she developed and produced and which will premiere on October 17.

Sedgwick was last seen in HBO's Emmy-nominated Something the Lord Made and has just wrapped production on Kevin Bacon's Loverboy, which she co-produced. In addition to Personal Velocity, which earned her a 2002 Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, her credits include Born on the Fourth of July, Mr. & Mrs. Bridge, Singles, Phenomenon, Behind the Red Door, Just a Kiss and Secondhand Lions, as well as Something to Talk About and Miss Rose White, both of which earned her Golden Globe nominations.

Christmas Production: A new holiday musical/dance theater production coming to New York City's Beacon Theater in December.... SANTA MEETS THE ICE DRAGON
WHO: Bob McGrath, known as"Bob from Sesame Street," is cast in the main role as Narrator.Beloved by kids everywhere for his role as the music teacher on Sesame Street for the past 34 years, Bob sings and narrates and portrays all of the voices in this unique production, which also features the renowned American Symphony Orchestra (28-piece orchestra), and an 11-member dance troupe as Santa, the elves in Santaland, the little boy and girl, Max and Sara, and the other characters (still to be cast). Oh, and a 21-foot-high Ice Dragon will take kids' breath away!
WHAT: SANTA MEETS THE ICE DRAGON, a brand-new musical holiday adventure combines theater, dance and music. This captivating production is a new and original Christmas tale, but has the kind of wonderfully old-fashioned, timeless storyline and themes and enchanting symphonic score that will appeal to children and adults alike. The magical costumes, sets and special effects make it destined to become an instant annual classic. (Think of a production situated somewhere between Hans Christian Andersen and Disney.) Produced and directed by Anne Geenen of In the Wings Productions (which also brought the performance troupe Mummenschanz and The Flying Karamazov Brothers to Lincoln Center for special holiday runs in recent years) . Composed and conducted by award-winning composer Erik Van der Wurff. Choreographed by Gilles Monnart. Costumes designed by Tony-nominated Yan Tax. (See synopsis below.)

WHERE:
The Beacon Theater (2800 seats)
Broadway
New York City

WHEN: DECEMBER 10 - DECEMBER 28
Evening performances at 7:30 pm, with two performances on Wednesdays & Sundays, at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. Specially discounted school matinee for Group Sales and open to the public on Tues., December 14, at 12 pm.

TICKETS GO ON SALE IN SEPTEMBER AFTER LABOR DAY
Ticketmaster: 212-307-7171

Box Office: 212-496-7070
Groups: 212-398-8383 or 800-223-7565
www.santameetstheicedragon.com

War, What it's Good For, Absolutely Nothing: On October 5, 2004, Universal Studios Home Video will release on DVD the critically acclaimed landmark documentary feature THE WAR ROOM, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, and produced by R.J. Cutler, Wendy Ettinger and Frazer Pennebaker. Nominated for an Academy Award® and the winner of Best Documentary from the National Board of Review, THE WAR ROOM peers behind the closed curtain of modern day politics, reveals the inner sanctum of the 1992 Clinton-for-President Campaign and vividly details how the two political masterminds, James Carville and George Stephanopoulos, changed the way presidential campaigns are run.

Timed to coincide with the 2004 Presidential campaign, the THE WAR ROOM is a timely look at the political campaign process, offering insights into what the John Kerry and George W. Bush campaigns must be like in the last days to win the presidency. An additional bonus feature includes newly recorded remarks from the filmmakers specifically added for this release, wherein they share some of the most memorable stories from their ringside access to the Clinton campaign and the making of this film. The DVD has a suggested retail price of $14.98. The pre-order date is August 31, 2004.

From a cold Primary in New Hampshire to the victory party in Little Rock almost ten months later, THE WAR ROOM takes viewers on a revealing, behind-the-scenes journey to the White House. This insightful look into one of the shrewdest, funniest, most sophisticated political machines ever, takes on new meaning in light of subsequent revelations concerning President Bill Clinton.

At the center of THE WAR ROOM are the two men who guide Clinton’s presidential bid through all of its turmoil: James Carville, the fiery, charismatic, expletive-spewing Cajun who manages the campaign with a mixture of Southern charm and unrelenting passion; and George Stephanopoulos, the brilliant, handsome Rhodes Scholar who, as communications director, calmly but surely mobilizes Clinton’s staff to take the presidency.

Filmmakers Chris Hegedus and DA Pennebaker’s camera follow these two masterminds as they ingeniously maneuver the campaign past the controversy of Gennifer Flowers and the draft-dodging issue through such events as the Democratic National Convention, the debates with George Bush and H. Ross Perot and the final, nail-biting days leading up to the election itself. This is a compelling and enlightening adventure story about two remarkable men, and about the monumental effort, determination and chutzpah that is required to conduct – and win – a political campaign in the modern age.

BASICS

DVD - $14.98 SRP

Street Date: October 5, 2004

Orders due August 31, 2004

Running time: 1 hour 36 minutes

Language: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1

DTS: Dolby

DVD Catalog # 26128