On the Film Front

The Captain Alartiste series by Arturo Perez Reverte is a literary phenomenon in Europe, selling over 5 million copies worldwide. Viggo Mortensen plays the Spanish soldier-turned-mercenary Captain Alatriste, a heroic figure from the country's 17th century imperial wars in the film Alartiste, due to be released in the UK. It is directed by Agustín Díaz Yanes.

Touting Mel Brooks as the creator, the big-screen version of the classic 1960s TV series GET SMART is planned to start shooting in Spring 2007. Ann Hathaway plays Agent 99 and Steve Carrell as Maxwell Smart (and also produces). At the helm is Peter Segal who gave us The Longest Yard, 50 First Dates, Anger Management and Nutty Professor II. Thank God he didn’t inflict Ben Stiller on us in the role of Maxwell. Don Adams himself starred in first "Get Smart" movie, 1980's The Nude Bomb, which was nothing but a bomb at the box office. Adams died on Sept. 25 2005.

And here’s something to look forward to
Rambo IV: Pearl of the Cobra
The plotline: John Rambo has been living a secluded lifestyle in Bangkok and salvaging old boats and tanks for scrap for twelve years. But when a group of volunteer aid workers bringing supplies into Burma disappear, a relative of one of the missing missionaries begs Rambo to find them. He heads off with a small team of aspiring heroes to locate and rescue them. Sly is back as John Rambo and directs, the screenplay is by Art Monterastelli based on David Morrell’s characters.

Boston Teran’s award-winning GOD IS A BULLET is being made into a film. All that is known so far is that Nick (son of John) Cassavetes will direct and has written the screenplay. Previously directed films include Alpha Dog and Unhook the Stars. We won’t mention his foray into porn films, eh?