Zombie master Romero's film targets discrimination

VENICE (Reuters) – Zombie master George A. Romero had no particular conflict in mind when making "Survival of the Dead," the sixth installment in his long-running horror franchise, but rather discrimination in general.

More than 40 years after "Night of the Living Dead" launched Romero's career in 1968, the 69-year-old American is back to his independent movie making roots with a picture in competition at the Venice film festival.

The self-financed Survival of the Dead tells the story of a band of soldiers lured to an island that promises to be the one place on earth where they can escape from the living dead, who feed on human flesh and appear as if from nowhere.

But they become embroiled in a generations-old dispute between two families who have radically different ideas on how to contain the zombies.

Patrick O'Flynn wants to put a bullet through the head of every zombie he can find, while his arch rival, Shamus Muldoon, wants to keep the "dead" alive in the hope of finding a cure.

"I wasn't looking at Iraq and saying, well, lets make a movie about Iraq," Romero told reporters on Wednesday.

"It's much more about man's underlying inability to forget enmity, forget their enemies even long after they've forgotten what started the conflict in the first place.

"I think that part of the problem is that nobody looks at both sides of any issue, it's automatically: I'm on this side or I'm on that side."

RETURN TO INDEPENDENT ROOTS

According to production notes for the film, Survival of the Dead is the second movie in Romero's new cycle of independent pictures made outside the studio system.

"We've made a couple of studio films and it's just a very different process," Romero said.

"These last two films, it's really like going back to the very original films that I made where it was really private financing and real guerrilla-style film making."

Night of the Living Dead was reportedly made on a shoestring budget yet came to redefine the horror genre with its violence and satirical view of American society.

"I've had the flexibility in these films to do whatever I wanted to do. At least there's no policeman looking over your shoulder ... There's no committee. That's a wonderful freedom to be able to have."

Romero credited the zombie's lasting cultural impact more to video games, like the Resident Evil series, than to his movies. "It's really not the zombie films. I think ... it's much more video games that have kept them alive."

Variety's review on the movie from Venice was largely negative, saying it was "steeped in fan-pleasing gore but woefully thin on ideas, originality ... or directorial flair. This is easily the least frightening of all the Dead movies."

Veteran Australian actor Ray Barrett dies aged 82

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Veteran Australian actor Ray Barrett, who became a familiar figure on British television in the 1960s and most recently appeared in the big-budget movie "Australia," has died at the age of 82.

Barrett died in a hospital on the Gold Coast in the state of Queensland after falling at his home and suffering a brain hemorrhage, his agent Jane Cameron told Australian media.

Barrett studied music, elocution and acting before moving to England, where the craggy-faced actor became a popular television star in the 1960s, appearing in a long list of shows.

He was the voice of some characters in the popular children's puppet series "Thunderbirds" and "Stingray," starred in the long-running BBC show "The Troubleshooters" and appeared in "Dr Who," "The Saint" and "Dixon of Dock Green," among others.

He moved back to Australia in the mid-1970s, appearing in various TV shows over the years as well as the screen adaptation of John Williamson's play "Don's Party" and the movie "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith."

His last major role was as the character Ramsden in Baz Luhrmann's epic "Australia," released last year.

"Ray Barrett was one of Australia's great leading men ... Few Australian actors were as capable of delivering understatement and highly crafted meaning," wrote actor/director Graeme Blundell, who appeared with Barrett in "Don's Party," in an obituary.

Barrett was awarded the Australian Film Institute's Longford Life Achievement Award in 2005 for his long and distinguished acting career.

Rapper Santana accused of threatening girlfriend

TEANECK, N.J. – Rapper Juelz Santana is accused of threatening his girlfriend with a knife in his New Jersey home.

Teaneck police charged Santana, whose real name is LaRon James, with making terroristic threats and possessing a weapon. He's free on $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Municipal Court on Sept. 9.

Capt. Dean Kazinci says Santana's girlfriend told police a verbal dispute became physical Tuesday.

Kazinci says the rapper told officers the woman was the aggressor and she had the knife.

Police say the girlfriend, whose name was not released, had minor injuries that did not require medical treatment.

Santana records for Def Jam Recordings. His song "There it Go" was a top ten single in 2005.

Completely Cool at the "Inglourious Basterds" Premiere

Los Angeles – They were the cool couple in black, he in a linen suit and she in a fabulous, form-fitting strapless leather dress. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stopped traffic on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles on Monday, Aug. 10, as they joined Quentin Tarantino at the premiere of "Inglourious Basterds."

That's Tarantino's quirky film foray into World War II, with Pitt in the starring role. As Tarantino told reporters earlier at a press day for the film, "we've been wanting to work with each other for a little while now, and when I was writing this script with Aldo as the main character, Brad has been in my mind for a long time and he's always just been Aldo. It was Brad Pitt and then there was nobody else. I'm usually happy about having a second and a third choice, but not this time."

Tarantino got Pitt to play "this hillbilly, part Indian, who would know a lot about war history and Geronimo's battle plan, who would take a bunch of Jewish American soldiers, go behind enemy lines and do an Apache resistance against the Nazis," which should tell audiences that this is a slightly wacky, very R-rated war film.

No one seemed to worry much about the graphic violence as the movie unspooled at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, especially not Brad's German-born co-star Diane Kruger, who wore a minidress made with black glass fringe and a daringly low-cut open back.

"People are always asking me, 'Well, how is it going to go down in Germany?' People were cheering when we screened it there, because the truth is they've wanted to get rid of Hitler if they could, for years, get it over with for years," she said.

Joining in the cheering at the premiere were Tarantino fans Bridget Fonda, Sarah Silverman, Carla Gugino, Samuel L. Jackson, Tia Carrere, Tony Hawk, Christina Ricci, Jeremy Renner, Cloris Leachman, Maria Menounos, and the other stars of "Basterds" - Eli Roth, Melanie Laurent, B. J. Novak, Christoph Waltz, and Michael Fassbender.

Second Yves Saint Laurent art sale set for November

PARIS (Reuters) – A second auction of art works once belonging to Yves Saint Laurent will be held in November after the main part of the late designer's huge collection was sold earlier this year, auctioneers Christie's said on Monday.

As well as modern art and Old Master pictures and drawings by artists including Picasso, Fernand Leger and Miro, the sale in Paris will include furniture and various Art Deco objects that decorated the sumptuous rooms of Saint Laurent's chateau.

The first sale of treasures belonging to Saint Laurent and his companion and business partner, Pierre Berge, raised more than 370 million euros ($525 million) in February in the biggest private auction seen in Paris in many years.

The second sale, to be held on November 17-19, will include almost 1,200 works housed in Chateau Gabriel, a 19th-century Normandy country house bought by the couple in the 1980s, as well as their two Paris residences.

As in the first sale, which included masterpieces by artists ranging from Picasso and Matisse to ancient Roman sculptures, 17th-century German silverware and art deco furniture, proceeds will be donated to AIDS research.

Berge and Saint Laurent built up one of the world's biggest and most important private art collections over some five decades but Berge decided to sell it all after Saint Laurent died in June 2008 at the age of 71.

Christie's said that after the auction of the main pieces of the collection in February, the second would present objects "of a more understated charm."

The two men decorated their country residence in a style inspired by the rarified atmosphere of Marcel Proust's novel cycle "A la recherche du temps perdu" ("In Search of Lost Time"), a great favorite of the late designer.

Among the items on sale is a large Ming Dynasty basin.

The first auction was hit by a dispute over two bronze sculptures looted from China in the 19th century.

China said the two Qing dynasty bronzes, seized from Beijing in 1860 during the Opium Wars, should be handed back because they had been taken illegally.

Berge rejected the claim but said he would give them back if China guaranteed human rights and allowed the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama to return home.

'Harry Potter' actor admits growing marijuana

LONDON – A teenage cast member of the "Harry Potter" movies has appeared in a London court and admitted to growing marijuana.

Jamie Waylett pleaded guilty to growing the drug during a hearing Thursday at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.

The 19-year-old Waylett plays school bully Vincent Crabbe in all six installments of the film franchise.

Police found eight bags of cannabis and a knife during a search of a car Waylett was riding in. They then searched his mother's house and found 10 marijuana plants.

Waylett pleaded guilty to producing cannabis, which carries a maximum 14-year sentence. His friend John Innis pleaded guilty to drug possession.

Judge Timothy Workman said the pair would be sentenced Tuesday.

Celebrity birthdays for the week of July 19-25

Celebrity birthdays for the week of July 19-25:

July 19: Country singer Sue Thompson is 83. Country singer George Hamilton IV is 72. Actor Dennis Cole is 69. Singer Vikki Carr is 69. Musician Commander Cody is 65. Actor George Dzundza is 64. Singer-bassist Alan Gorrie of Average White Band is 63. Guitarist Brian May of Queen is 62. Guitarist Bernie Leadon (Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 62. Actress Beverly Archer ("Major Dad, "Mama's Family") is 61. Actor Peter Barton ("Sunset Boulevard," "Burke's Law") is 53. Drummer Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) is 49. Actor Campbell Scott is 48. Actor Anthony Edwards ("ER") is 47. Singer Country singer Kelly Shiver (Thrasher Shiver) is 46. Actress Clea Lewis ("Ellen") is 44. Singer Urs Buhler of Il Divo is 38. Drummer Jason McGerr of Death Cab For Cutie is 35. Actor Jared Padalecki ("Supernatural," "Gilmore Girls") is 27.

July 20: Rockabilly singer Sleepy LaBeef is 74. Actress Diana Rigg ("The Avengers") is 71. Bassist John Lodge of the Moody Blues is 66. Country singer T.G. Sheppard is 65. Singer Kim Carnes is 64. Guitarist Carlos Santana is 62. Drummer Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols is 53. Actress Donna Dixon ("Bosom Buddies") is 52. Keyboardist Mick McNeil of Simple Minds is 51. Country singer Radney Foster is 50. Singer Chris Cornell (of Audioslave and of Soundgarden) is 45. Guitarist Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam is 43. Actor Reed Diamond ("Judging Amy," "Homicide: Life on the Street") is 42. Actor Josh Holloway ("Lost") is 40. Singer Vitamin C is 40. Actor Simon Rex is 35. Actor Charlie Korsmo ("Can't Hardly Wait," "Hook") is 31. Singer Elliott Yamin ("American Idol") is 31. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen is 29. Guitarist Mike Kennerty of All-American Rejects is 29. Actor John Francis Daley ("Freaks and Geeks") is 24. Dancer-country singer Julianne Hough ("Dancing with the Stars") is 21. Actress Billi Bruno ("According to Jim") is 13.

July 21: Singer Kay Starr is 87. Actor Paul Burke ("Dynasty," "Naked City") is 83. Movie director Norman Jewison is 83. Actress Patricia Elliott ("One Life To Live") is 67. Actor Edward Herrmann ("Gilmore Girls") is 66. Actor Leigh Lawson ("Tess") is 64. Singer Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) is 61. Cartoonist Garry Trudeau ("Doonesbury") is 61. Comedian-actor Robin Williams is 58. Singer-guitarist Eric Bazilian of The Hooters is 56. Comedian Jon Lovitz is 52. Actor Lance Guest ("Lou Grant") is 49. Singer Emerson Hart of Tonic is 40. Country singer Paul Brandt is 37. Actor Josh Hartnett is 31. Reggae singer Damian Marley is 31. "American Idol" runner-up Blake Lewis is 28. Keyboardist Johan Carlsson of Carolina Liar is 25. Actress Vanessa Lengies ("Stick It," "American Dreams") is 24.

July 22: Actor Orson Bean ("Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman") is 81. Actress Louise Fletcher is 75. Singer Chuck Jackson is 72. Actor Terence Stamp is 71. Game show host Alex Trebek is 69. Singer George Clinton is 68. Singer-actor Bobby Sherman is 66. Writer-director Paul Schrader is 63. Singer Don Henley is 62. Actor Danny Glover is 62. Actor-comedian-director Albert Brooks is 62. Composer Alan Menken ("Little Mermaid," "Little Shop of Horrors") is 60. Musician Al Di Meola is 55. Actor Willem Dafoe is 54. Singer Keith Sweat is 48. Singer Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls is 46. Actor-comedian David Spade is 45. Actor John Leguizamo is 45. Bassist Pat Badger of Extreme is 42. Actor Rhys Ifans ("Notting Hill") is 42. Musician Daniel Jones (Savage Garden) is 36. Singer Rufus Wainwright is 36. Actress Franka Potente ("The Bourne Identity") is 35. Actress Selena Gomez ("The Wizards of Waverly Place") is 17.

July 23: Actress Gloria DeHaven is 84. Radio personality Don Imus is 69. Country singer Tony Joe White is 66. Actor Larry Manetti ("Magnum, P.I.") is 62. Singer David Essex is 62. Singer-turned-Congressman John Hall (Orleans) is 61. Guitarist Blair Thornton of Bachman-Turner Overdrive is 59. Actress Belinda Montgomery ("Doogie Howser, MD") is 59. Actor Woody Harrelson is 48. Guitarist Martin Gore of Depeche Mode is 48. Actor Eriq Lasalle ("ER") is 47. Drummer Yuval Gabay (Soul Coughing) is 46. Guitarist Slash of Velvet Revolver (and Guns N' Roses) is 44. Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman is 42. Model Stephanie Seymour is 41. Singer Sam Watters of Color Me Badd is 39. Actress Charisma Carpenter is 39. Singer Dalvin DeGrate of Jodeci is 38. Country singer Alison Krauss is 38. Drummer Chad Gracey of Live is 38. Actor-comedian Marlon Wayans ("The Wayans Brothers") is 37. Country singer Shannon Brown is 36. Actor Omar Epps is 36. Singer Michelle Williams (Destiny's Child) is 29. Actor Daniel Radcliffe ("Harry Potter" movies) is 20.

July 24: Jazz pianist Billy Taylor is 88. Director Peter Yates is 80. Actor John Aniston ("Days of Our Lives") is 76. Comedian Ruth Buzzi is 73. Actor Mark Goddard ("Lost In Space") is 73. Actor Chris Sarandon is 67. Comedian Gallagher is 63. Actor Robert Hays ("Airplane!") is 62. Actor Michael Richards ("Seinfeld") is 60. Actress Lynda Carter is 58. Director Gus Van Sant is 57. Country singer Pam Tillis is 52. Actor Kadeem Hardison is 44. Actress-singer Kristin Chenoweth is 41. Actress Laura Leighton ("Melrose Place") is 41. Actor John P. Navin Jr. is 41. Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez is 40. Basketball player-turned-actor Rick Fox is 40. Actor Eric Szmanda ("CSI") is 34. Actress Rose Byrne is 30. Actress Summer Glau is 28. Actress Elisabeth Moss ("The West Wing") is 27. Actress Anna Paquin is 27. Actress Mara Wilson is 22. TV personality Bindi Irwin ("Bindi: The Jungle Girl") is 11.

July 25: Actress Barbara Harris is 74. Drummer Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds is 66. Bassist Verdine White of Earth, Wind and Fire is 58. Supermodel Iman is 54. Cartoonist Ray Billingsley ("Curtis") is 52. Guitarist Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth is 51. Country singer Marty Brown is 44. Actress Illeana Douglas is 44. Actor Matt LeBlanc ("Joey," "Friends") is 42. Cellist Paavo Lotjonen of Apocalyptica is 40. Actor D.B. Woodside ("24") is 40. Actress Miriam Shor ("Swingtown," "Hedwig and the Angry Inch") is 38. Actor James Lafferty ("One Tree Hill") is 24.