Shlep D-O Double Gizzle's Web Pizzle

Did you know...?

...that Mark Cuban owns Landmark theatres ? That's right, the local theater chain that shows all the latest and greatest in independent cinema (including Dobie for all you Horns out there) is owned by none other than everyone's favorite loopy Internet-billionaire turned Dallas Mavericks team owner. I found this out one day while surfing the Net at work and wondering if Cuban had gotten into any new beefs lately. So I went over to his blog and saw that yes! he did have a mini-tiff with the NY Times. The actual situation wasn't as interesting as discovering that through 2929 Entertainment Mark Cuban, with partner Todd Wagner, runs both HDNet , HDFilms , as well as the Landmark Theatre chain.

Even though I admit he can be annoying at times, I've always been a big fan of Mark Cuban. He's the perfect example of a super-fan who all of a sudden gets to own his favorite team. But beyond that, he's a really smart super-fan. He's come up with innovative ideas about the way a pro-sports team can be operated and marketed, and that's affected franchises across the nation. He's made supporting the Mavericks (something which was not easy at all in Cowboy-crazy Dallas) cool and fun. The thing I really like is that he's never afraid to try anything new, and even when he's wrong, he's sincere and genuine about everything. I love that he's bringing that same energy and attitude to the film industry. 2929 helped produce Good Night, and Good Luck and recently signed a six-picture deal with none other than Steven Soderbergh. You can read more about Cuban's ideas about digital film and digital projection in the "mini-tiff" link above, but another idea he brought up in the blog that I really like is the "Collapsing Window". Basically, it does away with the idea that a movie premiers in the theaters, then after a few months goes to DVD, then after a few more goes to TV (unless it's a crappy movie and it goes "straight-to-video"). The past few years, theater box offices have slumped badly while DVD sales have gone through the roof. But what if a movie came out on DVD and on the big screen at the same time? People who relish the theater experience can still go, while people who would rather stay at home don't have to wait the few months anymore (Soderbergh's Bubble is the first to be simulataneously released). I think there are plenty of cross-promotions and incentives available to make it work financially and I'm really excited to see how Cuban runs with it.

*****

...that Korn has a new album out? That's right, the standard bearers of the very late 90's rap-rock movement (movement? not really, more like a blip) have released a new album. Not that I particularly care I was never a huge fan, but their video for the first single Twisted Transistor is HIE-LARIOUS. Rappers Lil' Jon, Snoop Dogg, David Banner and Xzibit play the four band members (the fifth member, Head, left to pursue Christianity) as they go through the motions of making a video and promoting a record. Not only is it interesting and a little surreal to watch these rappers, whose hip-hop images are pretty cemented, run around with instruments, it's ridiculously funny to watch as they go through Almost Famous-ish rock band adventures. The band gets jealous as David Banner's modeling career takes off, and Snoop gets overly artistic and refuses to be shoot a video because it will compromise the song. The best moment is when the "band" meets with the label execs (played the real band) and they ask what the song is about, to which Snoop, totally in brooding-guitarist character says, "Naw man, it's about....transistors, yah feel me?" High comedy.

****

In last week's edition of Sports Illustrated there was a feature on Alonzo Mourning entitled PlayStrong about how he aspires to have a Lance Armstrong-like affect on transplant survivors. Brilliant!

Lastly...Kobe sucks. That's all.

Posted by sheelpi at December 21, 2005 09:08 PM