Pick Hits

Off The Record

Pearl Jam - Live On Two Legs

Used to be that a new Pearl Jam release was a guaranteed number one seller, able to move millions of units in only a matter of weeks. With the heat on from multiplatinum newcomers outselling them (Matchbox 20, Third Eye Blind) Eddie Vedder and co. resort to what they do best. This is Pearl Jam at their finest, taking the energy from the enthusiastic crowd and spitting back with pure rock n’ roll fury. Platinum or not, that’s why PJ can sell 30,000 tickets to a show, while most other bands are still playing theatres.

At The Movies

The Prince of Egypt

An animated feature that draws it's plot from the bible, The Prince of  Egypt faces up to this daunting task quite nicely. With voices supplied by Sandra Bullock, Val Kilmer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jeff Goldblum and Ralph Fiennes, this film follows the life of Moses, who is placed in a basket by his mother and sent floating down the Nile in an effort to save him from certain death. A little deeper than some of the animated fare, but a wonderful effort without any sign of Disney. 

On Video

Blade

Wesley Snipes plays Blade, a half-breed immortal with big muscles and even bigger guns whose mission in life is to exterminate the increasing number of vampires haunting the earth. Born of a vampire mother, Blade is able to chemically overcome his bloodlust, hunting down blood-suckers wherever they may be. Exciting action, impressive effects and lots of blood. Not for the squeamish.

The Buzz...

Linda Hamilton, who played Sarah Connor in both Terminator movies, has filed for divorce from James Cameron, director of Titanic and Terminator. It may be one of the biggest settlements in history, as Hamilton may be entitled to half of Cameron's share of profits from the billion dollar box office leader. 

ABC has cancelled Fantasy Island, a remake of the 1978-84 series starring Ricardo Montalban. The new series was darker and more stylish, with Malcom McDowall as Mr. Roarke and Madchen Amick as his shapeshifting ally, Ariel.

HBO has bought the rights to do an Austin Powers animated series, with Mike Myers as exec producer. Myers will supply the voices of Austin and Dr. Evil as well; the prime-time series is not expected to debut until 2000.

Movement on the Fantastic Four movie may pick up steam early next year. The latest script by Sam Hamm (Batman) incorporates much of the Michael France (Goldeneye) and Chris Columbus script, but completely discards Philip Morton's (Fire Down Below) take on the super-team.

Steven Tyler couldn't attend daughter Mia's 20th-birthday party at a New York club, so the Aerosmith frontman sent a male stripper to perform. Actor Nicolas Cage dropped in to wish Mia a happy birthday.

Rupert Murdoch, owner of the Fox network which the Simpsons have mocked regularly since debuting, will finally appear as a character voice on the hit animated show. Homer and his friends sneak into Murdoch's luxury skybox during the Super Bowl.

New Year's Eve 1998 isn't even upon us yet, and already there's speculation as to who will play where Dec. 31, 1999. Although the dates aren't confirmed, it looks like the Rolling Stones will usher in 2000 in New York, while Bruce Springsteen will perform in Rutherford, N.J.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the Teletubbies have some really kinky fans. An X-rated spoof of the kiddie show recently aired over BNN, a Dutch television station, which broadcast images of Teletubby lookalikes engaging in lewd acts, drinking alcohol and kicking the fluffy rabbits that live in Teletubbyland.

Jenny McCarthy nearly died recently on the Reno set of the Miramax movie Diamonds. McCarthy was overcome by a carbon monoxide leak in her trailer. The tongue-waggling star collapsed but was able to get to the door and tumble to safety before passing out.

Toho Company, owners of the original Godzilla, have decided to bring back the Big G in a film to be released by December 1999. Nostalgia for the original, Japanese-created rubber monster blossomed in the fan world after the disappointing debut of the Sony computer-animated Godzilla.

It looks like John Byrne will be spinning Spider-Man yarns for some time to come. The Spider-Man re-launch, which includes his Spider-Man: Chapter One and Amazing Spider-Man, which he draws, is selling quite well for Marvel Comics.