Remains of the Day: Machete, Little Red Riding Hood and Roth’s Nation’s Pride

At the Movies just got re-inserted into my television line-up: the return of A.O. Scott on At the Movies begins September 5th. Here is a mash-up of eight and 1/2 news items that we didn’t have enough time to cover but are worth mentioning here for August 5th…

1. Down with the Bone 
The Lovely Bones trailer is up. Verdict: Could be worse.

2. Filmically Inclined 
2009 MTV Music Video Awards noms worth mentioning: Johan Renck, Ray Tintori, Vern Moen, Chris Milk, Rciahrd Ayoade, Adria Petty, Taylor Cohen & Otto Arsenault, Walter Robot, Humble and Ferry Gouw. Check out coverage by The Playlist.

3. Film within a Film 
I’m not a fan of Inglourious Basterds, but Eli Roth’s “Nation’s Pride” faux trailer is the best thing in the marketing of QT’s film so far.

4. Casting is Sliced Up 
Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal, Lindsay Lohan, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson and Jeff Fahey join Machete. (Via Firstshowing.net)

5. Burton’s Turf 
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way is developing a Gothic reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood with screenwriter David Leslie Johnson (Orphan) on board.

6. The Road to Holly-Woods 
Once known for quirky indie-fair, scribe Mike White sells spec Babe in the Woods to Columbia Pictures. (Variety)

7. Was a Contender 
Oscar winner scribe Budd Schulberg (On the Waterfront / A Face in the Crowd) passes away. (1914-2009)

8. Two Thumbs Up!!! 
Disney’s ABC replaces the two Bens with NYTimes A.O. Scott who should never have left the show and Chicago Tribune’s Michael Phillips who was also a regular on the show. My two cents: Keep Scott and replace “young and dumb” by “young and witty” in film journo Karina Longworth. 

1/2. TIFF Shorts 
Congrats to Toronto-based producer friend of mine Chris Bennett for “Homeland Security” (dir. Isaac Cravit). Same section as Guy Maddin’s latest: Night Mayor. (Via TIFF.net)