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Author Charles Webb, whose first novel The Graduate inspired the 1967 film, died June 16 in Eastbourne, England of a blood condition, according to his friend, journalist Jack Malvern.

The Graduate was published in 1963, and was adapted into the Mike Nichols film starring Dustin Hoffman just four years later. The book and the film follow Benjamin Braddock, a young man who embarks on an affair with Mrs. Robinson (played by Anne Bancroft), the wife of his father’s business partner.

Webb claimed the story is based on his own experiences growing up in Los Angeles after graduating from an East Coast college. He said that the book is not autobiographical.

The film version was faithful to the book and won an Oscar. But Webb, an eccentric, did not bask in its glory, and earned just $20,000 from the film rights.

His later works included the novels The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker and New Cardiff,...

Charles Webb, the author of the book “The Graduate” that was adapted into the iconic Mike Nichols comedy, has died. He was 81.

Webb died June 16 in Eastborne, England, of a blood condition, according to reporter Jack Malvern, who spoke with The Associated Press. Malvern was close friends with Webb, and Webb dedicated his final novel to the journalist.

“The Graduate” was Webb’s debut novel published in 1963, and the deadpan writing was a satire of his wealthy upbringing in Pasadena, California, and college education from Williams College in Massachusetts. In the book, his protagonist, Benjamin Braddock, scorns his parents and his schooling and starts an affair with an older woman, Mrs. Robinson, who is the mother of the young woman with whom he’d eventually fall in love and run away with.

Also Read: Buck Henry Appreciation: 'He Took You on a Ride You Never Wanted to Get Off' (Guest...

Netflix released a brand new trailer for the upcoming season of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror. The two-minute trailer consists of a mix of clips from the new episodes as well as the launch date for the new season.

If you happened to blink for a really long time towards the end of the trailer and didn’t catch the launch date, it is December 29, 2017. Just in time to binge watch on your holiday break.

IMDb has the episode count at six for season 4. Below is some episode information.

“Arkangel”

Cast: Rosemarie Dewitt (La La Land, Mad Men), Brenna Harding (A Place to Call Home), Owen Teague (Bloodline)

Director: Jodie Foster

Written by: Charlie Brooker

“USS Callister”

Cast: Jesse Plemons (Black Mass, Fargo), Cristin Milioti (The Wolf of Wall Street, Fargo), Jimmi Simpson (Westworld, House of Cards), Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum, Monsters: Dark Continent)

Director: Toby Haynes (Dr Who, Sherlock...

Rebecca Lea Sep 25, 2017

Our lookbacks at the screen adaptations of Stephen King arrive at the hugely popular The Shawshank Redemption...

The film: Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is accused of murdering his wife and her lover. Despite protesting his innocence, the jury is unconvinced and he is given two life sentences, the duration of which will be endured at Shawshank Prison. There, he meets Red (Morgan Freeman) who narrates their story. The two men form a close friendship as Andy gets used to prison life, dealing with aggressive fellow inmates, corrupt prison officials, and eventually running the Shawshank library.

See related American Horror Story - Cult episode 3 review: Neighbors From Hell American Horror Story - Cult episode 2 review: Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark American Horror Story - Cult episode 1 review: Election Night

Frank Darabont is listed as one of the few directors who really manages to capture the work of Stephen King on screen.

Two new photos have been released for the fourth season of Netflix's Black Mirror. The first image teases the Star Trek-inspired episode "USS Callister" and the second on is for the episode titled "Arkangel". This is such an amazing series and I can't wait to see what crazy twisted stories we'll be getting in this next season. To watch the previously released teaser trailer for the series, click here.

Below the photo, you'll find the details that have been released for each of the six episodes that Season 4 will consist of:

“Crocodile,” directed by John Hillcoat (The Road, Lawless) and starring Andrea Riseborough (Birdman, Bloodline), Andrew Gower (Outlander), Kiran Sonia Sawar (Murdered By My Father).

“Arkangel,” directed by Jodie Foster (Money Monster, The Silence of the Lambs) and starring Rosemarie Dewitt (La La Land, Mad Men), Brenna Harding (A Place to Call Home), Owen Teague (Bloodline).

“Hang the DJ,...

‘Black Mirror‘ is a show that I absolutely love. In what is the closest thing to a modern day ‘Twilight Zone‘, creator/show runner Charlie Booker‘s hypnotic series has managed to captivate audiences in it’s first three seasons. The show – which was originally aired on BBC – was expanded to a six episode format after Netflix picked up the show for it’s third, and now fourth season, and is highly anticipated to say the least.

Season 3 was backed by some incredible talent, and based on the trailer for season 4, this trend seems to be continuing. In particular, this upcoming season provides a hefty dose of talent in the director’s chair that includes: Jodie Foster, John Hillcoat (The Road, Lawless), David Slade (Hannibal), Colm McCarthy(Peaky Blinders) and Toby Haynes (Dr Who), Tim Van Patten(The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire).

Here’s the full trailer for...

If you're a fan of Black Mirror drop what you're doing and watch the first teaser trailer for Season 4 now! Hell, it looks like there's a Star Trek inspired episode! The promo basically gives us the titles of the episodes in Season 4 and offers a little snippet of footage from each one. I'm definitely intrigued by what I'm seeing! It looks like we've got a great new season of greatness ahead of us.

Black Mirror taps into the collective unease of the modern world, with each standalone episode delivering a sharp, suspenseful tale of the myriad of ways technology has transformed all aspects of human life — in every home, on every desk, in every palm; on a plasma screen, monitor or Smartphone.

Here is a list of the titles and the cast involved thanks to THR:

The previously announced Jodie Foster-directed episode now has a title, "Arkangel," and along...

Six new realities await.

Netflix has today unveiled the freaky first teaser for Black Mirror season 4, along with the stellar cast list and official episode titles. In keeping with the show’s knack for puzzles and confounding, reality-altering mystery, the trailer above is a super-sleek and fairly ominous peek at those “six new stories,” all of which come from the mind of series creator and showrunner, Charlie Brooker.

Remaining behind the scenes for the time being, today also brings confirmation that Jodie Foster directed season 4’s pilot episode, “Arkangel,” with Toby Haynes (Sherlock), John Hillcoat (Triple 9) and David Slade (Hannibal) also receiving credits. Casting-wise, Black Mirror has added the likes of Jesse Plemons (Fargo), Jimmi Simpson (Westworld) and Rosemarie Dewitt (La La Land) to its ranks, and the first-look teaser shows Netflix’s dark, prescient anthology series venturing into full-blown sci-fi territory. One would assume that Star Trek-esque...

What’s in a title? In the case of Netflix’s Emmy-nominated anthology series “Black Mirror,” sometimes quite a lot, as revealed in the teaser trailer released that offers not just a glimpse at first footage, but the full list of episode names we can expect from the upcoming fourth season.

Read More:From ‘Black Mirror’ to ‘Westworld,’ Here Are the Cameras That Shot The Year’s Best TV Shows

The six episode titles, along with accompanying images:

“Crocodile” (featuring two women, one in a hat and the other in a headscarf) “Arkangel” (with footage including a little girl and some unique tablet technology) “Hang the DJ” (involving a young couple and some sort of mobile game) “USS Callister” (a “Star Trek”-esque spaceship appears to be in danger) “Metalhead” (monochromatic footage including a robot of some kind?) “Black Museum” (fancy headgear and booby traps, amongst other images)

Update: Netflix has...

Can it possibly have been a whole year since we last shacked up in Litchfield Penitentiary, with its mattress-less bunks, garden shed full of secrets and Piper's panties-making empire? If you're like us, there's a good chance that you gulped down Season Three of Orange Is the New Black faster than you can say "Admiral Rodcocker." To say that Jenji Kohan's addictive prison comedy/drama is highly bingeable is a huge understatement; but the downside is that 12 months down the line, we're left with a hooch hangover and a...

Room producer Ed Guiney and Number 9 Films’ Stephen Woolley among those to voice reaction to the appointment of David Kosse’s successor at Film4.

Daniel Battsek’s appointment as director of Film4 has been greeted warmly by leading industry figures.

“I think Daniel will be great. He is a very experienced executive. He knows the UK very well. He knows the Us very well. He knows the international scene very well,” commented Element Pictures’ Ed Guiney, producer of the Oscar-winning Room (which Film4 backed.) “He’s a popular guy, well liked, well connected and I think he will be a real asset.”

Guiney added: “I also think that there is a great team there at Film4 which has been there for a while. That is a constant. They will be a great support to Daniel when he comes in.”

“I’ve known Daniel Battsek for many years on and off. He’s got taste...

No one could have predicted just how successful The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel would prove to be at this point last year. A film about British pensioners retiring to a run-down hotel in India went on to become on of the most profitable films of 2012 and now finds itself in the thick of the awards race as the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Oscars approach.

We caught up with its screenwriter, Ol Parker (who also wrote and directed Now is Good last year), to ask him about the film’s continuing success.

So, how is the awards season treating you so far?

It’s totally surreal to be honest with you. I’m jet-lagged because I just got back yesterday from the place where they keep flying me out to talk to people. So yes it’s surreal but it’s also very pleasant because it’s a complete surprise.

Was...

August: As far as months go, it's a seemingly non-eventful stretch of 31 days. It lacks the back-to-back holiday cheer of fall and winter or the good-to-be-alive weather and foliage we associate with spring and fall. Alright, it's squarely in back-to-school season, but when was the last time you felt truly excited about that?

Yet, dear reader, this August is actually packed with tons of great new releases, events and reasons to not discount the the unofficial last month of summer. While many are streaming to theaters to catch the newest tentpole, money-making franchise, movies like Spike Lee's "Red Hook Summer" and "Hope Springs" promise honest storytelling and solid acting (though taking in one action-packed sequel isn't so bad). The Olympics Closing Ceremony will cap off weeks of stunning athleticism, and we don't mind being one of the less able-bodied and curling up with a book like Teresa Link's debut novel "Denting The Bosch.

With the summer season winding to a close, August brings a few blockbuster offerings, but mostly a healthy dose of promising limited releases, many which we’ve seen on the festival circuit. The Venice Film Festival also kicks off at the end of month, signaling the beginning of a strong fall line-up. So, without further adieu, let’s check out the summer’s best final offerings below.

Matinees: Celeste and Jesse Forever (8/3), Hope Springs (8/8), Red Hook Summer (8/10), The Campaign (8/10), Goats (8/10), The Green Wave (8/10), Side by Side (8/17) The Good Doctor (8/31), For a Good Time, Call… (8/31).

10. The Ambassador (Mads Brügger; Aug. 29th)

Synopsis: A European man heads to Africa for diplomatic purposes.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: What happens when you take Borat to the next level? Mads Brügger asks this question in his Lars von Trier-produced documentary, which sees the director/actor play a European businessman who actually gets...

Highlights from the month that was in case you missed anything...

Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne join the Cock Rocking Kings of Tampa!

Emma ♥ Andrew A Red Carpet Convo with Joanna

Best of the Year Thus Far Halfway Mark Summary, January through June

Burning Questions Michael wants to know what the Best Bonus Features are on a Bluray or DVD?

The Dark Knight Rises... And Falls, Sputters, Limps and Soars

Q&A Working Girls and Generational Comedy

Top Ten "Jane"s A Bit of Name Dropping Silliness

Finding Nemo 2 Pixar Jumps the Shark

Moviegoing Diaries Beau takes a date to Magic Mike. Was this wise?

Most Eyeballs: Before Magic Mike, there was "Ricky the Rocket"

Most Discussed: Cast This! Baby Jane Redux

Coming in August: Reader Appreciation Month, Gene Kelly Centennial Celebration, Hope Springs, ParaNorman, Marilyn Monroe, Michelle Yeoh, Robert Pattinson in Cosmopolis and Bel Ami, Total Recall, Bel Ami,...

Yes, this is obviously in response to the Aurora, Colorado shooting. Yes, the conversation has been bludgeoned into the ground. However, the only reason I bring it up now comes as a result of something I overheard this afternoon. As I sat down to watch Hope Springs a couple of hours ago, a woman walked into the theater and I overheard her say to someone, "I saw The Dark Knight Rises at the IMAX this weekend. It's impossible to look at that movie in the same way as other movies... And there really has gotten to be too much violence in movies nowadays." While I don't believe movies, music or any other cultural art form are to blame for the ills of our society, I am more than willing to hear the other side of the argument. But to simply say there is "too much violence" in movies is a...

Welcome to issue 14 of Trailer Trash our series showcasing the latest trailer releases – this issue once again features our all-new “excitement-o-meter” where we rate (in exclamation marks on a scale of 1 to 5) each and every trailer by how excited we are to see the film after watching it. This issue of Trailer Trash includes new trailers for The Campaign, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, The Three Stooges, Hope Springs, The Expendables 2, Rise of the Guardians, The Sweeney, and Interview with a Hitman.

The Campaign

When long-term congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: naive Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), director of the local Tourism Center. At first, Marty appears to be the unlikeliest possible choice but, with the help of his new benefactors’ support,...

Why is it so hard to make a decent creature feature? It doesn’t have to be Alien, but something with a few scares and a cool monster does not seem like it should be extraordinarily difficult.

Apparently it is a tall order. Recent attempts have been disappointing. South Korea’s Sector 7, which harkens back to ‘80s flicks like Leviathan and Deep Star Six, is done in by a weak CG monster and dull story. And Rites of Spring, from writer/director Padraig Reynolds, squanders a promising idea while becoming a silly mess.

Women have been disappearing from a small town called Hope Springs for more than 20 years. No bodies have ever been recovered. The disappearances always occur at the start of Spring. After drowning their sorrows at a local bar, two young women are kidnapped and brought to a remote location by a crazy old man.

Meanwhile, a group...

With 2/3s of the summer movie season left to go, we've already seen the mega-hit Marvel's The Avengers, which took the box office by storm as the first official blockbuster of the year this past May, along with hits like the raunchy Ted, Disney and Pixar's well-received animated adventure Brave, the family favorite Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, and Ridley Scott's long awaited return to sci-fi with the thriller Prometheus.

Take a look at our movie guide right now!

These films are only scratching at the surface of 2012's summer slate, though, with plenty of action yet to come at the box office as July melts into August, thus finally leaving us in the first weeks of September.

In fact, two of the most anticipated films of the year have yet to come, with The Amazing Spider-Man opening this 4th of July weekend, and The Dark Knight Rises arriving later in the month.

For those who follow that sort of thing, this weekend was one of the more interesting in a while at the domestic box office. There were four films that broke the $25 million barrier in the same weekend, a first in history, for instance. There was the unusually precipitious drop for "Brave," a worrying sign for the once-untouchable animation factory Pixar. There was the continually impressive expansion for "Moonrise Kingdom."

But the most interesting tidbit came in the very upper reaches of the chart, with two fairly inexpensive, R-rated films: Seth MacFarlane's "Ted," made for around $50 million, about the same amount as it took across three days in the U.S, and Steven Soderbergh's "Magic Mike," picked up Warner Bros for a mere $7 million in what's looking like the bargain of the year, took just shy of $40 million. Together, they serve as further demonstrations of what we said over...

When Marvel's The Avengers hit theaters in early May, it steamrolled all box office competition, earning the top spot for three weeks in a row. Universal Pictures is expecting The Dark Knight Rises to do the same thing when it hits theaters July 20. The studio responded by moving The Bourne Legacy up one week, from August 3, the third weekend Christopher Nolan's Batman finale will be in theaters, to August 10.

Here is Universal's official statement regarding the release date shift.

"Just as The Avengers demonstrated marketplace sustainability that well outpaced traditional patterns earlier this summer, the industry expects a similar trajectory for The Dark Knight Rises. Moving one week further from its release will give The Bourne Legacy an even greater opportunity to maximize its opening box office potential. Moving to August 10 will also allow us to extend valuable promotion for the film across all NBCUniversal platforms during the Olympics,...

Here are the latest MPAA ratings from Bulletin #2226. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Rated R For violence throughout and brief sexuality. Release Date: June 22, 2012 The Awakening Rated R For some violence and sexuality/nudity. Release Date: Tba 2012 Babymakers Rated For crude and sexual content, brief graphic nudity, language and some drug use. Cloud Atlas Rated R For violence, language, sexuality/nudity and some drug use. Release Date: December 6, 2012 (rumored) Cosmopolis Rated R For some strong sexual content including graphic nudity, violence and language. Release Date: Tba 2012 Girls Gone Dead Rated R For bloody horror violence, sexuality/nudity and language. The Haunting In Georgia Rated R For some disturbing horror content. Release Date: Tba Hello I Must Be Going Rated R For language and sexual content. Hope Springs Rated PG-13 For mature thematic content involving sexuality. Release Date: August 10, 2012 Mancation Rated R For strong crude and sexual content including dialogue, nudity and pervasive language.

Music Videos - Free Music Videos

As we were psyching ourselves up for our Summer Movie Preview week and the movie season in general, we decided to ask the stars themselves what flicks they’re looking forward to. Some of them, as you can see in the video above, had their answers ready: The Dark Knight Rises, Prometheus and Rock of Ages were popular choices. Others, like Michelle Williams, gave us embarrassed looks as they admitted to not having a ready made movie calendar in their heads. Well, Michelle and the rest of the you can relax now. We’ve got a handy-dandy list here. And before, while and after you print it out, don’t forget to vote for your favorite Heroes, Heroines, Villains and Funny Ladies from this summer’s movies!

May 4

The Avengers – Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston,...

The main reason we enjoy doing what we do here on Tfs is to share our love for great independent films that may not be on your radar. It’s why we focus our efforts on film festivals and it brings no greater joy to recommend these films once they come out in theaters. While other summer countdowns focus on all the films you’ve been hearing about non-stop for the last year, we’ve got a comprehensive list of the worthwhile independent, limited release features to take note of.

While a few, namely one from Focus Features and another from The Weinstein Company are set to go wide initially, they won’t be as hitting as many multiplexes as The Dark Knight Rises or The Avengers, therefore making for a worthy mention. Check out the list below, which also includes what you may want to skip over blockbuster-wise at the theaters that same weekend,...

At first glance, Hope Springs appears to be this summer's Larry Crowne -- that is, a middle-of-the-road dramedy catering to an older audience amidst all of the other blockbusters. The debut trailer, however, seems to hint that it could be a little more risque than you might think. Don't get me wrong, it's not like it's going for a hard R-rating, but it does feel like it could potentially appeal to some younger viewers, especially with Steve Carell's involvement. Too bad it's opening against The Campaign starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. Hope Springs (which is not a remake of the 2003 film of the same title starring Colin Firth and Minnie Driver) finds Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones playing a married couple who have just celebrated their thirty year wedding anniversary. The spark in their relationship has all but fizzled, and so they decide to enlist the help of marriage counselor Dr.

When Sony took the stage at CinemaCon 2012 yesterday afternoon in Las Vegas, they had a short one hour window to show off their various upcoming movies.  As we sat in the darkened theater waiting for the presentation to begin, we debated how could they have the stars and filmmakers talk about their movies and also show off tons of footage.  But rather than follow the typical studio roadmap, Sony decided to just show a non-stop sizzle reel sans movie stars that included the world premiere of Skyfall footage (a teaser trailer) and tons of new footage from all their 2012 films included The Amazing Spider-Man, Total Recall, Looper, Resident Evil: Retribution, Hope Springs, Premium Rush, Hotel Transylvania, Sparkle, That's My Boy, and Men in Black 3.  More after the jump. Skyfall As you might expect, the teaser trailer for Bond looked incredible.  While it had limited dialogue and almost no information about the plot,...

Greetings from Las Vegas, Cinema Blend fans! I have arrived in the legendary city of sin for this year's CinemaCon, the annual event where the biggest names and studios in Hollywood travel out to the desert to present footage from their biggest upcoming films. I'll be here all week to report on all of the insanely cool stuff that I get to see, and while the convention doesn't actually start until tomorrow, I already have a lot of awesome things to show you - namely some new posters, standees and banners for some of 2012's most anticipated movies. Walking through Caesar's Palace, where most of the convention will be taking place, I found myself absolutely surrounded by artwork from films like Hope Springs, This is 40, Les Miserables, To Rome With Love, Seven Psychopaths, 47 Ronin, The Words, Ted, and many, many more. Seizing the opportunity, I whipped out my camera and...

Ty Jeffries, son of actor Lionel Jeffries, tells Maureen Paton how he never revealed his sexuality to his father while he was alive. So what would Lionel have thought of his new drag act?

The look is Dusty Springfield with a towering blond beehive and seven pairs of false eyelashes stuck to the upper lids. The music pays witty homage to Noël Coward and other showbusiness greats in the lyrics and the spirit of 70s cabaret in its yearning torch-song melodies. Miss Hope Springs, a 6ft 2in "ex-Las Vegas showgirl", is the retro-glam, vaudevillian alter ego created by the pianist Ty Jeffries in order to sing his own compositions in theatres and clubs around the country. Although he comes from a performing background, with the occasional foray into drag over the last decade, he never did anything quite as flamboyant and fully realised as his ambitious trilogy of Miss Hope Springs...

Tommy Lee Jones may be poised to team up with Meryl Streep in David Frankel’s (The Devil Wears Prada) drama New Hope Springs. We previously reported that Steve Carell was in talks to join the film, and now Deadline reports that Tommy Lee Jones is the frontrunner to play Streep’s husband. The story centers on a couple who, after 31 years of marriage, go into intense couples counseling to decide whether or not they should stay together. Carell would play the therapist. While nothing's been confirmed, Jones seems like a perfect fit opposite Streep. Here's hoping he takes the role. Vanessa Taylor (TV’s Everwood) wrote the script and shooting is set to begin this August.

The King's Speech continues to bask in Oscars glory, with a huge surge of interest in the film and in all previous titles featuring Best Actor award winner Colin Firth.

The historical drama, which won four Oscars, has experienced a 281 per cent increase in rental pre-orders and is predicted to become the biggest rental title of 2011.

There has also been a major boost for Firth's earlier releases, including a rise of more than 1000 per cent in viewers watching 2008's The Accidental Husband via online streaming.

According to subscription service LOVEFiLM, DVD rentals of Relative Values, a film adaption of the 1950s play, have jumped by 400 per cent, and those for romantic comedy Fever Pitch are up 340 per cent.

LOVEFiLM's Watch Online streaming service has also experienced a boost: The Accidental Husband directed by Griffin Dunne is up by a staggering 1145 per cent and A Single Man based on Christopher Isherwood...

A few months ago we reviewed a kick-ass Japanese movie called Death Note (you can Alan’s review right here) and now the Yanks have decided to remake it for a wider market. But wait, before you get all ‘bloody Americans remaking stuff’. Ace writer/director Shane Black has signed up to bring it to our screens! Pretty cool.

Black will be working from a script by Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry. Death Note is a manga series by Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata and centres on a high school student who finds a supernatural notebook (the Death Note), which was dropped on Earth by a death god named Ryuk.

The writer and director told Deadline:

“It’s my favorite manga, I was just struck by its unique and brilliant sensibility. What we want to do is take it back to that manga, and make it closer to...

DVD Playhouse—April 2010

By

Allen Gardner

Ride With The Devil (Criterion) Ang Lee’s revisionist take on the Civil War is awash in moral ambiguity, along with some stunning cinematography, production design, and fine performances. Set during the Kansas-Missouri border war, Tobey Maguire and Skeet Ulrich star as two friends who join up with the Confederate-sympathizing Bushwhackers, finding an odd ally in a former slave (Jeffrey Wright). While it’s fascinating to see America’s bloodiest conflict through the eyes of a foreigner, thereby allowing much of the previously mentioned ambiguity a certain latitude, the film never loses the bad taste it leaves for one simple reason: it asks us, the audience, to side with not just the Confederates, but some of the lowest trash that made up the dregs, and the fringes, of the movement. Big points for audacity, but snake eyes on the story itself. Singer Jewel is impressive in her film debut.

My Friend Michael Jackson: Uri's Story pulled in 2.98m (12.5%) for ITV1 last night, according to the latest viewing figures. The documentary, which followed Jackson as he visited Exeter Football Club and went on a midnight shopping spree at London's Harrods, came third during the 8pm hour. It was beaten by BBC One's Hope Springs, which put in 3.78m (15.9%), and Top Gear, which took a respectable 7.17m (30.2%) for BBC Two. Channel 4's Wife Swap managed 1.48m (1.99%), while Five's film fest kicked off with Charlie's Angels, which attracted 1.06m (4.7%) between 7.15pm and 9pm. Pistol Whipped followed, drawing 1.65m (more)...

Alan Carr's new chatshow had a promising start for Channel 4 last night, according to the latest viewing figures. Th 10pm hour-long show, which featured Bruce Forsyth and Ross Kemp as guests, drew 1.92m (11.5%) after a lead in from Big Brother, which took 1.95m (9.1%) at 9pm. New BBC One series Casualty 1909 put in 3.5m (16.3%) in the 9pm hour, while the second episode of ITV1's Kingdom, starring Stephen Fry, was seen by 4.53m (21.1%). The Incredible Human Journey, the final part of a BBC Two series, attracted 1.86m (8.7%). Earlier, at 8pm, the second episode of BBC One drama Hope Springs pulled in 4.16m (20.3%), and 3.26m (16%) tuned in for Stephen Tompkinson's African Balloon Adventure on (more)...

BBC One has announced it will air a new family drama called Hope Springs. The show follows the fortunes of Ellie, Hannah, Shoo and Josie, four ex-cons who are trying to go straight. When the women's plan to start a new life in Barbados - courtesy of £3 million stolen from Ellie's vengeful husband - goes wrong, they find themselves hiding in a Scottish village called Hope (more)...

Miramax Films' "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is based on the novel by John Byrne and directed by the multi-talented Mark Herman ("Hope Springs"). Herman writes as well as producing the drama set during World War II which has already received much praise from critics with a current 67% positive rating on RottenTomatoes.com. The film stars an incredible cast including Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend, Jim Norton, Sheila Nancock, Richard Johnson and Asa Butterfield. To mark the release of the critically acclaimed film which hits limited location on November 14th, we are proud to offer fans a chance to enter and win a great prize pack from the film which includes the official poster, a book and the film's soundtrack!

We have new images in from Miramax's drama "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" starring Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend, Jim Norton, Sheila Nancock, Richard Johnson and Asa Butterfield. Mark Herman directs as well as adapting the screenplay based on the novel by John Boyne. Herman is known for his work on "Hope Springs" and "Blame It On the Bellboy" and is a BAFTA award nominee for "Little Voice" and "Brassed Off." This can be seen in limited areas on November 7th, 2008. Vera Farmigia, a dramatically powerful actress is up next in Rod Lurie's "Nothing But the Truth" alongside Alan Alda, Kate Beckinsale and David Schwimmer.

We have new images in from Miramax's drama "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" starring Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend, Jim Norton, Sheila Nancock, Richard Johnson and Asa Butterfield. Mark Herman directs as well as adapting the screenplay based on the novel by John Boyne. Herman is known for his work on "Hope Springs" and "Blame It On the Bellboy" and is a BAFTA award nominee for "Little Voice" and "Brassed Off." This can be seen in limited areas on November 7th, 2008. Vera Farmigia, a dramatically powerful actress is up next in Rod Lurie's "Nothing But the Truth" alongside Alan Alda, Kate Beckinsale and David Schwimmer.

We have new images in from Miramax's drama "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" starring Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend, Jim Norton, Sheila Nancock, Richard Johnson and Asa Butterfield.Mark Herman directs as well as adapting the screenplay based on the novel by John Boyne. Herman is known for his work on "Hope Springs" and "Blame It On the Bellboy" and is a BAFTA award nominee for "Little Voice" and "Brassed Off." This can be seen in limited areas on November 7th, 2008. Vera Farmigia, a dramatically powerful actress is up next in Rod Lurie's "Nothing But the Truth" alongside Alan Alda, Kate Beckinsale and David Schwimmer. See the images now! What's this about? The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a fictional story that offers a unique perspective on how prejudice, hatred and violence affect innocent people, particularly children, during wartime.Through the lens of an eight-year-old boy...

We have new images in from Miramax's drama "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" starring Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend, Jim Norton, Sheila Nancock, Richard Johnson and Asa Butterfield. Mark Herman directs as well as adapting the screenplay based on the novel by John Boyne. Herman is known for his work on "Hope Springs" and "Blame It On the Bellboy" and is a BAFTA award nominee for "Little Voice" and "Brassed Off." This can be seen in limited areas on November 7th, 2008. Vera Farmigia, a dramatically powerful actress is up next in Rod Lurie's "Nothing But the Truth" alongside Alan Alda, Kate Beckinsale and David Schwimmer.

Judd Apatow can apparently do no wrong. Despite a luke warm reception to his latest offering, Pineapple Express has gone in at number 1 in its opening weekend, taking just under £1.4m. Whilst this may not sound that great, it’s only a couple of hundred thousand shy of Knocked Up‘s opening, and bearing in mind that film was better reviewed, it seems like the charms of Seth Rogan and his cronies have worn off on UK audiences. Coupled with the relatively conservative budgets comedies demand (and obviously strong takings in the US), this is a good result. However, I suspect that Apatow may have to pick up his game for the next outing if he really wants to keep the party in full swing.

Also opening this week was the afore-reviewed Eden Lake, weighing in with… £192k. OK, so not huge figures and this does put it outside the...

Minnie Driver has landed at the peacock. The Oscar-nominated actress has inked an exclusive series development deal with NBC as the network is looking to develop a comedy or drama project around her for the 2003-04 season. Driver had been meeting with several networks during the past two months as she explored her options for TV work (HR 7/25). "NBC is excited to be in business with Minnie Driver, whose star qualities translate in any medium," NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker said. "Her crossover appeal, marquee value and winning personality make her a natural to star in her own NBC series." Driver got her start in television in Britain before segueing into such films as Circle of Friends, Grosse Point Blank and Good Will Hunting, the latter of which earned her a supporting actress Oscar nomination. Driver stars opposite Colin Firth in her next feature project, the Disney/Touchstone romantic comedy Hope Springs, due to be released next year. Driver is repped by ICM and the Firm.

Minnie Driver has landed at the peacock. The Oscar-nominated actress has inked an exclusive series development deal with NBC as the network is looking to develop a comedy or drama project around her for the 2003-04 season. Driver had been meeting with several networks during the past two months as she explored her options for TV work (HR 7/25). "NBC is excited to be in business with Minnie Driver, whose star qualities translate in any medium," NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker said. "Her crossover appeal, marquee value and winning personality make her a natural to star in her own NBC series." Driver got her start in television in Britain before segueing into such films as Circle of Friends, Grosse Point Blank and Good Will Hunting, the latter of which earned her a supporting actress Oscar nomination. Driver stars opposite Colin Firth in her next feature project, the Disney/Touchstone romantic comedy Hope Springs, due to be released next year. Driver is repped by ICM and the Firm.