July 31

BOL Official Site is up - Just the preview - Thanks, Ivani

Screen Rant: Why Nottingham Really Fell Apart (MAJOR SPOILER) [If true, what a wild concept] - Thanks, Avril [ed note: This site freezes on me, so be careful]

An "everyone is entitled to his own opinion" story -- The Austin American Statesman: A film career paved with 'Black-Top' -- Famed [??] for 'Two-Lane Blacktop,' filmmaker Monte Hellman talks candidly about his career, his next film and Hollywood today -- "I won't see anything with Russell Crowe in it. I think he's really inflated. I would like him better if he wouldn't try to do all these different accents that he can't do very well. Crowe is always slipping between accents and trying to do everything. It drives me nuts. I don't think he can act at all. I hated 'A Beautiful Mind.' I liked him in 'The Insider' up to a point, but I never believed him. The make-up was bad. I'm always aware that he's acting." - Thanks, Avril, Laurie

July 30

NOTE: I have a limited time fund raising button in the right column. I have need to hold an extra fundraising effort this year. Thanks for your support.

RealFooty: No running or hiding, Cousins faces demons -- "..Butler is a Brisbane documentary maker whom Cousins met through Anthony Mundine and who is also part-way through another documentary about actor Russell Crowe. He appears passionate about the project and its subject. Cousins has invested $100,000 in the project to keep himself and the product honest."

From Fredspicks: It's been a long time coming, but on September 23, 2008, Warner Brothers Home Entertainment will release a new 2-disc Special Edition of the Oscar-winning, L.A. Confidential. Retailing at $20.97, this Widescreen only release will include:
Audio Commentary by Critic Andrew Sarris
Music Only Track
"Whatever You Desire: Making L.A. Confidential" Featurette
"Sunlight and Shadow: The Visual Style of L.A. Confidential" Featurette
"A True Ensemble: The Cast of L.A. Confidential" Featurette
"L.A. Confidential: From Book to Screen" Featurette
"Off the Record" Feature
"Photo Pitch" Feature
"L.A. Confidential" 2000 TV-Series Pilot
Deleted Scenes
Trailers and TV Spots
And More!
It will also be available on Blu-ray Disc (in 1-disc form) for $28.99. Features remain the same.

Wired: Nottingham Not in Cards for Ridley Scott, Russell Crowe -- Scott told The Hollywood Reporter [ed note: the link below leads to the older Hollywood Reporter story that has no direct quotes from Scott, only from Universal] that the labor trouble is only one of the reasons the movie is on long-term hold, but it's hard to schedule a big period production under the constant threat of an actors strike or a studio lock-out. - Thanks, Bejay

The West au: Polson set to mentor young filmmaker -- "Polson, whose film Tenderness, starring Russell Crowe, will be released later this year, says he's looking for original voices." - Thanks, Allison

LA Times: Tom O'Neil on possible Nottingham delay reasons. Lots of conjecture.

July 29

Total Film Magazine: Interview with Mark Strong for RocknRolla -- "You've recently worked with Russell Crowe, Leonardo De Caprio and Ridley Scott on Body of Lies. How was that? I really enjoyed it I mean what's interesting is to get to that level, knocking around with those guys and realising that they're all just working. They're human beings just like us. Its just they happen to be people you tend to read about in papers rather than meet. Of course when you do meet them they're just normal guys with their own particular likes and dislikes and.... needs. Stuff like that. -- What was it like to work with Ridley Scott? I found him really friendly and he was fascinating to watch at work because we were shooting with four cameras on one occasion, watching it on four monitors. And as the playback was happening he was kind of tapping the monitors. I realised he was editing it as we went along! In his head he was watching these four monitors and working out which bits he was gonna use later. That's someone who knows exactly what they are doing. -- Presumably Leo and Russell were both very different? Leo was very friendly; really a kind of consummate actor in that, my character was supposed to be superior to him, and ... I don't know... another person who might not play the game might decide in scenes between the two of us, that he needed to be the head honcho, but his character gave my character the power. There's that saying that when you're the king you don't play the king, everyone around you plays the king. So he gave me the power of my character, which it needed and it was brilliant. And as for Russell I had one scene with Russell and I thought, " wow you really know what you are doing"." - Thanks, Cindy

Cricinfo Magazine: Most tons on one ground, and Senator Crowe -- "Did Martin Crowe make an uncredited appearance in his cousin Russell Crowe's Oscar-winning movie, Gladiator? asked Shailendra Rao from India This rang a very faint bell, but I couldn't find any trace of it, so asked Martin Crowe himself. He's now an executive producer for Sky TV in New Zealand, and here's what he said: "Yes, along with father Dave, brother Jeff, uncle Alex and cousin Terry, we all got dressed up as senators and featured during a day's shooting in the Coliseum, although we were never to be seen in the final edit. This was while we were visiting Russell while shooting in Malta. This was done in between cricket matches between the Crowe XI (made up of five Crowes and other actors) and the Maltese national team. We lost both close-fought games, even despite my fighting century and five-wicket haul in the first game! I failed miserably in the second match due to poor preparation the night before. All good fun." - Thank, Steph

The NY Post: It once appeared that Paramount, with back-to-back-to-back $200M grossing movies, would easily be the No. 1 studio in 2008, but The Dark Knight's outrageous success has made it a real horse-race. Paramount has sure-fire hits Tropic Thunder (8/15) and Madagascar 2 (11/7) still to come, while Warner Bros counters with Star Wars: The Clone Wars (8/15) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (11/21). The race could come down to which studio can come up with another breakout hit. Maybe DJ Caruso's re-teaming with Shia LaBeouf on Eagle Eye (Dreamworks/Paramount) performs like Disturbia. Or Ridley Scott's House of Lies, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, can breakout like last year's American Gangster (Universal). - Thanks, Allison

July 28

Nottingham via CHUD: UPDATE! POSSIBLE MAJOR SPOILER! -- "...So what are the reasons behind the delay? I've heard nothing but good things from people behind the scenes - they were very excited about how things were shaping up. Other rumors have also reached my ears and I have begun to wonder if it isn't 'script concerns' that are slowing things down but rather 'script changes.' I can't print what I've been told (yet), but there may be some changes to the concept that will set the whole film on its ear... in a very interesting way. This new take on the story would require a very large rewrite on the script, and thus the delay. If this rumor is true, expect to be quite surprised by the Robin Hood casting announcement....I'll tease you no more, as I've gotten another source to spill on the casting of Robin Hood: he's Russell Crowe. And so is the Sherriff.[sic]" - Thanks, Cindy  

E! online on the Nottingham situation : ...According to Universal, the script by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris was being reworked by veteran scribe Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential) and "is not yet where the studio and the filmmakers want it to be in terms of realizing the full value of the story." Crowe was set to play a sympathetic sheriff who ends up in a love triangle with Miller's character and the notorious bandit Robin Hood. Hood and his Merry Men steal from the rich, give to the poor and generally create all kinds of anarchy. With the production currently scotched, it's unlikely cameras would roll until next spring at the earliest. And that means chances are Nottingham, which was originally supposed to hit theaters Nov. 6, 2009, will not unspool until at least 2010. - Thanks, Kric C

Story at the Guardian on diagramming posters, focusing on Gone With The Wind - might be fun to compare to some of Russell's

Related: James Brolin and James Cromwell - Trailer for "W", Oliver Stone's film on the Bushes

July 27

Screen Rant on Nottingham - Not happening, at least for now - Thanks, Allison

Courant.com: As He Ages, Kevin Costner Seeks Variety In Movie Roles -- "There are places where one of history's top leading men fears to tread, such as when he was approached about the John Nash part eventually portrayed by Russell Crowe in "A Beautiful Mind." "I remember thinking I don't come off as a genius," Costner says. "I think I could play that but I think my essence — whatever that essence is — might come swinging through." - Thanks, Allison

The Edmonton Sun: On the BOL Trailer -- "Leonardo DiCaprio looks ragged and jittery as a spy left out in the cold by grey, pudgy Russell Crowe. Apparently aware that films about the Middle East don't sell, the movie's marketers skirt around politics by emphasizing - quite effectively - the dynamic between the two stars. GRADE: B+" - Thanks, Allison

If you like that kind of thing --- there are 192 fan fiction stories on Gladiator at fanfiction.net -- and one on 3:10 to Yuma

From Darrin: The Round 19 pix and "Russell Reels" are up at the Souths' page in The Gallery at Constant Crowe

Coming Soon.net on the Nottingham delay - Thanks, Allison

Knights 39 Rabbitohs 12 - Thanks, CGee

Variety: SAG says no to majors' final offer -- SAG's national board has unanimously backed its negotiating committee's stance that the majors' final offer is unacceptable because it allows non-union work in new-media productions. The vote, taken at an all-day meeting Saturday, probably means the month-long stalemate between SAG and the congloms will persist for the foreseeable future.

July 26

ed note: I made the Guardian! - Waiter Rant on the waiter blog - (Scroll to "We're not impressed by celebrities ..." I did have some e mail correspondence with the author and restaurant owner around the time of Tenderness) - Thanks, Laurie

The Hollywood Reporter on the Nottingham delay -"Ridley Scott's revisionist take on the Robin Hood story, with Russell Crowe playing a sympathetic Sheriff of Nottingham, which had been heading for a mid-August start date in London, has been put on hold. While plans for the production have moved into a holding pattern, it could not be immediately determined if the changes foreshadow a postponement or a cancellation." - [A shame] Thanks, Mike

The SMH: Who I'd like to play my parents -- Probably just wishful thinking, but Abe Saffron would be a great role for Russell - Thanks, Steph

From Defamer, so I don't know about the accuracy - Nottingham Deathwatch - Trouble in 'Nottingham': Is Ridley Scott's Robin Hood on the Rocks? A note slipped over the Defamer transom this afternoon hints that all is not well in Nottingham, Ridley Scott's reimagining of the Robin Hood legend which was set to begin shooting with Russell Crowe and a really, really, really excited Sienna Miller sometime next month. But we're hearing now that the film — which twists Crowe's Sheriff of Nottingham as the hero against Robin Hood's ruthless thief — is postponed indefinitely. SAG strike fears, as Miller alluded to in June? Unavailable historical background on Maid Marian's merkin? Inquiries to Universal (which last year paid seven figures for the script) and Scott's pals at Imagine Entertainment weren't immediately returned, leaving us in the lurch for a long weekend to come. Alas, we'll always have Costner. - Thanks, Cindy

July 25

From the ACMF: ACMF 2008 BALL PHOTOS! -- We have some cracking good shots that we will be posting these on our site next week for purchase….please check back mid next week

The Sheffield Telegraph: Raising a toast to Robin (Lots of historical utensil detail) -- "He has been turning replicas of medieval wooden bowls for 15 years on a foot-powered lathe. The last practitioner of the craft died in 1958 so, Wood had to copy his lathe and tools from old ones in museums and learn the skills by trial and error. "I have done stuff for the Globe Theatre and the RSC, also the Tower of London and Hampton Court, but this is the first film I have been involved on," he says. He is naturally looking forward to seeing his work on the big screen, probably brandished by Russell Crowe. "The mazes were very high class and the top of society drank from them, so the Sheriff of Nottingham will undoubtedly be seen using one," says the craftsmen who admits he tends to watch period movies with an eye on the utensils." - Thanks, Anne S

The SMH: Koby on wave of delusion -- Scroll - Last Sunday Koby was back in the news bragging about the Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg playing him in a feature film to be shot next year about his mind-numbingly well-documented troubled life as a Bra Boy and big-wave surfer. Not quite. Intrigued by the report, PS was prompted to do some checking and called Wahlberg's camp in LA. The actor's closest "people" explained the report was "definitely not correct" and Wahlberg had "never been contacted by anyone regarding this project". Interesting. So what about Abberton's other claims that Russell Crowe, who narrated the Bra Boys documentary last year, was going to direct the film and play Anthony Hines? Equally untrue, said Crowe's spokesman, who told PS "there is about as much chance of him being in the film as there is you will be". I'm ready for my close-up, Mr Abberton. - Thanks, Steph

411Mania.com: The Top5 Best Recasting -- "Russell Crowe as Ben Wade in 3:10 To Yuma (2007)- This is to take nothing away from Glenn Ford's original Wade in the 1957 film, but Crowe's portrayal of the criminal being brought to justice was a deft, charismatic performance that reminded audiences that the original anti-heroes of the silver screen came from Westerns.  Crowe was at the top of his game, and helped make Yuma an instant classic." - Thanks, Layne

From Nora: "Laurence Fishburne, early on in his interview on TCM's (Turner Classic Movies) new show "Under the Influence: Elvis Mitchell", cites great actors who he feels changed and re-defined movie acting styles. He starts with Clark Gable, then to Brando, then to "the Brits" Richard Burton (and another), then to DeNiro/Pacino and then to "the Australians" Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce.  While the show gets repeated during the week, I think additional clips will be on the web site shortly"

From Linda K: "Today, on CNBC show SquawkBox they asked this trivia question: "What do Russell Crowe, Matthew Broderick and Henry Paulson all have in common?"  Answer"  "Game theory, which is becoming a big topic for Mr. Paulson on Capitol Hill."  They showed about 10 seconds of Russell explaining game theory in the bar in A Beautiful Mind, and I think I heard commentator Becky Quick giggle like a schoolgirl...another Crowe fan?"

July 24

Gladiator and Rome related (A bit earlier historically) -- The Times UK: Hadrian: Empire and Conflict at the British Museum -- The BM’s Hadrian show couldn’t be more timely. His political problems were just like ours

The Guardian UK: Gladiator: nice patricide but where are all the pinecones? - Thanks, Allison, Layne

Early Russell related -- Variety: Let’s do the time warp again -- Taking a step to the left, MTV is doing the time warp on a remake of 1975 cult classic "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Variety reports that Lou Adler, executive producer of the original film, is partnering with BermanBraun and Fox Television Studios on the new rendition.

July 23

To buy: South Side Story - THE BOOK - Thanks, Oz Fan

The NY Times: ‘Dark Knight’ Star Denies Assault

For EW's 1000th issue, we asked guest writers associated with a variety of the New Classics to contribute their own top 10 lists. Here are Jodie Foster's favorite 10 New Classic Near-Death Experiences, starting with... See #10 [Russel?] - Thanks, Allison

July 22

Tom O'Neil at The LA Times Gold Derby -- If Batman's truly gone bad, has Christian Bale doomed his Oscar hopes? -- (More negative old stuff about Russell than about Bale)

NY Daily News: A-Rod and William Morris form a grand-slam team -- In another sign of the Yankee slugger's clout, Alex Rodriguez signed a deal with the William Morris Agency, the influential talent agency that reps stars such as Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington.

Thanks again to CGee - a newspaper scan of Russell, Dani and Don Spencer at the Australian Children's Music Foundation Dinner

From CGee: "The Tour De France was running live on Versus. Right after the coverage was over, much to my surprise I hear Jack Thompson’s voice narrating the first episode of South Side Story!" What great exposure, as I’m sure many are following the Tour on Versus. I guess they will be repeating the series, but I’m not sure what the schedule will be.

Sad news -- Variety: Christian Bale arrested in London -- Actor accused of assaulting his mother, sister

Peter Coyote's Open Letter To Lead Actors - SAG and actor related - From Nikki Finke's Deadline Holywood Daily

July 21

gfxartist.com: "The Russell Crowe model was created for a hardcore modeling challenge. I've worked in my limited free time (mostly during the nights) and finaly i was able to finish the model on time .. around 1 month. Software: 3ds max, mental ray, photoshop, zbrush (just to create some fine displacement details)" - Thanks, Steph

Above: Thanks to babzee - at the last game - from newstext.com.au

QuickFlix Blog au: Who Should Play Robin Hood in Ridley Scott's "Nottingham"? -- Over the last couple of months there has been a lot of speculation over who is going to play Robin Hood in Ridley Scott's film Nottingham. -- Russell Crowe is signed on to play the Sherriff of Nottingham, who this time will be the hero, while Robin Hood will be the villain. Since Scott can't decide, we put it up to our readers to choose the best Robin from a list of likely candidates. And...it looks like we can't choose either! - Thanks, Steph

The Daily Telegraph au: Batman is a Souths supporter - Thanks, Oz Fan

The Age au: It's the pictures that got small -- They're still big, but Hollywood's stars are shifting to the small screen in first-rate productions -- "...But the person we really want to see come home and do the right thing by the industry is Russell Crowe. He's the quintessential Aussie leading man, and any number of genres would suit him. The crime drama, certainly; an outback number; something based on boxing, perhaps? Or how about footy? In fact, why aren't we producing a long-form drama/comedy about Aussie rules? Surely that's a series just begging to be made." - Thanks, Allison

The Times Co ZA: Band of Buskers -- Although they don’t have their faces on a hundred-dollar note, many music stars started out as buskers — Carlos Santana, Rod Stewart, The Violent Femmes, Eric Clapton. Even Pierce Brosnan did his bit as a busking fire- eater in London during the early ’70s, and Russell Crowe played electric guitar at Sydney’s King’s Cross under the stage name Russ Le Roq, scoring a hit single with his song, I Wanna Be Marlon Brando. - Thanks, Allison

July 20

The SMH: Gallop put under whip -- " Hollywood actor Russell Crowe wasn't entirely impressed to read in the Herald that he and NRL chief executive David Gallop had "smoked the peace pipe" over their public stink earlier this month. When Gallop issued a press release telling Crowe - who had criticised the game's broadcast deal - to stick to acting, one very irate South Sydney co-owner unleashed hell on his own command and reminded Gallop in no uncertain terms that he was tipping vast amounts of money into the game and was entitled to his opinion. That's the word around the Rabbitohs, anyway. Meanwhile, the club is keen to upgrade the contract of centre Beau Champion with Gold Coast still maintaining interest in the 21-year-old despite him having another season to run on his current deal. We were told there was drama over a third-party agreement. Souths and Champion's agent, Sam Ayoub, say it's not so."

Just Jared: Christian Bale and daughter. He in a South Sydney Hoodie -- Thanks, Penny

Newstext: Rus ditches trakkie for family date -- BEFORE his beloved Rabbitohs were blitzed by the rampant Wests Tigers at ANZ Stadium yesterday, Russell Crowe had something to smile about during the weekend. Swapping his favoured South Sydney trakkie for a freshly-pressed Armani dinner suit, Crowe was dressed to impress at the annual Australian Children's Music Foundation Ball on Saturday night. An annual fundraising event for disadvantaged kids across the country, Crowe attended the black-tie event at the Four Seasons in support of his father-in-law Don Spencer. While Crowe was the undisputed Hollywood hero of the night, it was The Whitlams frontman Tim Freedman who topped the entertainment stakes -- raising more then $55,000 by auctioning off two private performances. - Thanks, Chats

Rabbitohs.com: Tigers 36 Defeat Rabbitohs 12

From CGee: "In the Sun-Herald, not yet on line -- It's in "The Diary" by Shelly Horton and it quotes Koby Abberton on the Bra Boys. I don't have time to transcribe it but the pertinent parts are that Koby is quoted/reported to have said - Mark Wahlberg is signed to play him, Russell will direct AND play stand-over man Anthony Hines and filming will start next year."

July 19

Another YouTube - Bale singing in Newsies (1992) - (Kelly wants to take the train to Santa Fe!),

Rare -- a very young Russell in The Rocky Mountain Horror Show at YouTube - Thanks, Susan K

The Independent ie: Hellraisers: the winners of the Alcoholic Oscars -- "...All of this – and the exploits of Oliver Reed, the only non- Celt among the four – is revealed in a new book called Hellraisers: The Life and Inebriated Times of Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Richard Harris and Oliver Reed. In comparison with “four of the greatest hellraisers that ever walked, staggered or fell into a pub”, today's supposed wild men such as Colin Farrell and Russell Crowe are like altar boys." - Thanks, Allison

GBS Related: Exchange Magazine -- The Aud will overflow with Great Big Sea this November -- Canada's Celtic rock sensations Great Big Sea (GBS) will make a memorable splash when they perform at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex on Nov. 20, 2008. Showtime is 8 p.m. - Thanks, Allison

Bra Boys DVD - USA: Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 18 July, 2008 - -  Los Angeles, Ca.- After achieving record breaking status in Australia, attending film festivals around the world and successfully playing to sold out audiences in the United States, Bra Boys, narrated by Russell Crowe, will hit surf retail and surfline.com on July 29th, 2008. The special 2 DVD set includes over an hour of behind the scenes and special bonus content. - Thanks, Allison

Portfolio.com: After The Dark Knight, Film Financing's Own Dark Night? -- Most of the majors well set for their 2009 release slate (thanks to a recent production surge that arose out of fears over the writers' strike this past winter), but now, with a few exceptions--like Angels and Demons, Terminator Salvation, and Ridley Scott's Nottingham staring Russell Crowe... -- the studios are choking off the feature production pipeline. - Thanks, Allison

July 18

Coming Soon.net has links to all the various versions of the BOL Trailer - Thanks, Allison

Just because it's cute (Scroll a bit) -- Russell Crowe reincarnation - Thanks, Madchen

New: Nottingham - The History of the Longbow

Darrin has a new page: Rusty and the Rabbitohs - Snaps and clips

EW: Kicking It, New School: 25 New Classic Movie Death Scenes (LAC) - Thanks, Allison

Related: NY Times review of Batman - The Dark Knight -- He brought a gravitas to the superhero that wiped away the camp and kitsch that had shrouded Batman in cobwebs. It helped that Christian Bale, a reluctant smiler whose sharply planed face looks as if it had been carved with a chisel, slid into Bruce Wayne’s insouciance as easily as he did Batman’s suit.

July 17

The Movie Box has the BOL trailer in High Res

Related -- Emmy Nominations: Paul Giamatti, best actor in a miniseries for John Adams - Thanks, Bea (ed note: Also pleased about Cranford, John Slattery, Tom Wilkinson and John Hamm -- bummed that Saturday Night Lights was ignored)

Independent Weekly au: Taylor says Crowe bond stronger than ever - Thanks, Steph

Cinematical: Ridley Scott's 'Body of Lies' Gets a Trailer (Physically -- Russell in a Wigand-like mode. Where is Hani - Mark Strong?) - It is noted at Amazon's page for the BOL book that the plot of the book and film owes a debt to Ronald Neame's The Man Who Never Was - (1956) Good film, BTW

Variety: TV biz picks up as film slows down -- “Studios have decided to sit out the summer, and the fall, for that matter. There are a few exceptions: Sony just began production on the Roland Emmerich-directed "2012," Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer expect to begin production in Morocco on "Prince of Persia" on July 24, and Universal is set to push the start button Aug. 19 on the Ridley Scott-directed Russell Crowe starrer "Nottingham" in London.” - Thanks, Lyubka

July 16

Jo A's Lovely take on Max

The Australian: Designer fitted for heroism -- "Due to actors such as Clooney, Brad Pitt, Russell Crowe, Clive Owen, Daniel Craig and Matt Damon, the renewed masculinity of contemporary Hollywood has driven a return to the 1960s rat pack-style suits meets '40s old-school movie star glamour. Cinema's new heroes and anti-heroes are wearing their masculinity like suits of armour; consider the alumni of hard-edged men vying for Hollywood's crown. Damon powering through The Bourne Identity, Crowe shooting up 3:10 to Yuma and Denzel Washington's king-pin style in American Gangster. Clooney's Michael Clayton is rivalled in slickness only by Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man."

The Star UK: Craftsmen ready to bowl over Hollywood's Russell Crowe (Nottingham) - Thanks, Chats, Steph, Lyubka

From Darrin: Russell Crowe attended the Round 18 clash between the Rabbitohs and Parramatta Eels on Sunday!  First half caps and vids have been posted, links can be found at Constant Crowe

July 15

Russell as a character in the game Wii - Thanks, Penny, Tamara

Synopsis added to SOP main page

Body of Lies web links - Cinematical - First Showing - Cinema Blend - Thanks, Kris C

From Darrin: Jess has made a gorgeous Steve video to Neverending White Lights' "Ending of a Story".  Very poignantly put together!  Also, I have the ET preview of their Wednesday show which will have a sneak peek at "Body of Lies"!  All links can be found at Constant Crowe

July 14

ET TV will have a peek at Body of Lies on Wednesday night's show - Thanks, Penny

The Brolin News is too off topic to keep on site. I have removed the links

Variety: Universal, Grazer give 'Tehran' a try - Imagine picks Richard Regen's script -- "...Imagine is lensing the "Da Vinci Code" followup "Angels & Demons" for Columbia, and is readying the Robin Hood tale "Nottingham" for U."

Rabbitohs: Play this video to see SSTV's exclusive footage of the post-match press conference. - Thanks, Oz Fan

July 13

The India Financial Express: Fragments of a Nightmare -- "In the Indian popular imagination, Australia exists as a space full of adventurous delights whether it is via Hollywood celebrities like Russell Crowe or architectural triumphs like the Sydney Opera House or the exotic geographic landscapes routinely exploited by Bollywood. This is certainly one reason why Indian students’ demand for an education Down Under is reaching record peaks, enrollments having gone up by 51% this year. But an exhibition of Trent Parke’s photos that opened in the capital this week works hard against the established stereotype."

Topix Poll : Who is your favorite Ridley Scott Actor - Thanks, Mike

A new Crowe Site for all those old articles and pictures - Great trip down memory lane! - Thanks to MM, Maxi an Tamara

Kansas.com: Dark Victory -- You want to see the trailers before the film -- Three trailers for some hotly anticipated movies will precede "The Dark Knight": "Watchmen," based on the graphic novel; "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins," which also stars Christian Bale (can we say overworked?) as John Connor; and "Body of Lies," the new Ridley Scott film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. Yeah, no one will go to see that pairing - Thanks, Allison

Russell in today's Parade MAgazine - Thanks, Kris C

Times UK: Daniela Hantuchova steps out of the shadows --Tennis star Daniela Hantuchova on her love of Italian food, the fear of injury and why far too much is made of her looks -- "Watching DVDs in the hotel room is a favourite relaxation of most tennis players. If you had to choose one, what would it be? No questions about this one. I’m a huge Russell Crowe fan and Gladiator is my all-time favourite movie." - Thanks, Allison

CGee's Report on the Eel's Game -- and this on the Rabbitohs: SSFC Member and Supporter Day - Saturday 19 July - Thanks, Oz Fan

July 12

The SMH: Sizzling Sienna -- There's The Edge Of Love, co-starring Keira Knightley, the action movie G.I. Joe, Hippie Hippie Shake, about Richard Neville and Louise Ferrier at Oz magazine in Swinging '60s London, and her latest - big news - casting in the Ridley Scott blockbuster Nottingham "That's a dream project. I'm still in shock," she says of Nottingham, where she will play Maid Marion to Russell Crowe's sheriff. Does she have a thing for Australians? "Yes, all I do is work with the Aussie boys," she enthuses. "Lucky me!"

Souths win again! - 5 in a row -- South Sydney Rabbitohs 32 vs Parramatta Eels 20 -- 3 Points: Roy Asotasi -- 2 Points: Chris Sandow -- 1 Point: Nathan Hindmarsh

Nottingham will be filmed at Pinewood Studios

The Daily Mail UK: The Day I met my Waterloo -- Chick is building a genuine medieval fortified village outside Bannockburn, and he does a lot of film work. He played the Barbarian chief in Gladiator opposite Russell Crowe; when Crowe shouted, 'At my signal, unleash hell!' he meant, 'Get Chick now!' - Thanks, Steph

July 11

Parade Magazine: Q During awards season, Russell Crowe was overlooked for two of last year’s best films, American Gangster and 3:10 to Yuma. How come?—Karen Robberts, Houston, Tex. -- A His roles were overshadowed by other fine performances, including Daniel Day-Lewis’s in There Will Be Blood. Crowe, 44, will get his next shot at Oscar with Body of Lies, a drama due in October. It co-stars Leo DiCaprio, and it’s Crowe’s fourth film with American Gangster director Ridley Scott. In August, they’re set to begin No. 5 together—Nottingham, with Crowe as Robin Hood’s foe, the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Brisbane Times: Projecting a new image -- "...When its permanent home in Woolloomooloo is finished, Screen Australia will bring under one roof various stages of filmmaking - script development, production, marketing. It will finance culturally significant films, television programs, documentaries and shorts. But its biggest role will be overseeing the handsome incentives for production that were announced by the Howard government last year, including a 40 per cent producer offset for films. - And this --- "Also expected to take advantage of the offset are the animations Guardians Of Ga'Hoole and Happy Feet 2. The leading Australian director Phil Noyce plans to use it for the long-awaited film version of Dirt Music and My Brother's Keeper, the Bra Boys film he is to co-produce and which Russell Crowe intends to direct." - Thanks, Steph

CGee went to a Bunny practice session

Constant Crowe Updates:  I have Russell Crowe caps and vids from the Round 17 Bunnies game against the Bulldogs!  Links at the site. - Thanks, Darrin

Denver Your Hub.com: 100 Great Films for the 100th Post - Gladiator #34, M&C, #58

USA Today: Coming attractions: Bateman engages in political 'Play' [Plot must have changed. In the BBC version, Dominic Foy, Bateman's character, is a spineles, very nervous friend of the girl connected to a murder. He is played by Marc Warren]

NY Times: Leaders of Actors’ Union Call Final Offer Unacceptable --Variety: SAG nixes AMPTP's final offer -- Guild counters but stalemate continues -- SAG's still not ready to close a deal with the majors -- signaling that the thesps' contract stalemate will linger on into the late summer.

July 10

Metro News Canada: Hawksley Workman produces, Russell Crowe pitches in on band's latest album - Thanks, Tamara

July 9

Female First UK: Autumn preview Part 1: "House of Lies, based on the novel Body of Lies, sees Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe team up for the second time after The Quick and the Dead as well as reuniting Crowe with director Ridley Scott...." - Thanks, Allison

The Independent UK World: A miracle pill, a sports team and the most wanted man in Australia - Thanks, JJ, Anne S

The NY Times: Many Movie Theaters Decide to Leave the Bat Signal on Till Dawn [more chances to see the BOL trailer!]

Fox Sports au: Crowe should stick to day job: Gallop - Thanks, Maria

From the past - The Quick and the Dead and Mystery Alaska

The NY Times: Aftra Votes for Deal With Hollywood Producers

July 8

Green Cine: Bra Boys will be available on DVD on July 15 - You can save it at Netflix

Jeff Vaughn's Blog (NBC News) - "The Insider" motivates me - Thanks, Ro

Coming Soon.net: The Trailers with The Dark Knight? (BOL) - Thanks, Maria

CGee's report on the Bulldog Game

Nikki Finke on Hollywood: SAG/AMPTP On Hold Until AFTRA Result-- "I'm told that SAG and the AMPTP are still exchanging info over that new "last best final" offer submitted by the Big Media companies. But let's not be coy: the Screen Actors Guild seems to be understandably playing for time until the results of the AFTRA contract ratification vote are announced. The counting should be done by Tuesday evening, and an announcement could come close behind or by the latest Wednesday morning. So everyone's watching and waiting for the results that could change the entire nature of these actor-employer negotiations. Stay tuned..."

The American Magazine - Opinion piece: Hollywood’s Hero Deficit (Lots on Russell and the two Yumas) - Thanks, Allison

Podcast (Audio) - Russell Crowe exclusively talks to MMM Monday Night Football -- Movie star and South Sydney owner Russell Crowe reveals what's been happening behind-the-scenes at the Rabbitohs and rugby league in general. Also - Rugby League Live -- Russell Crowe opens up after another fairytale - Thanks, Oz Fan

Just for fun -- A new blog on Nottingham - Please comment on the posts there - and UK fans near London, watch out for the film crew to start setting up IF this SAG mess clears up soon.

Variety: Tuesday big day for strike talk -- Rhetoric to heat up after votes revealed

July 7

Related: Nicole and Tenny (Just Jared) -- Nicole Kidman and her country superstar husband, Keith Urban, welcomed a daughter on Monday morning in Nashville, Tenn. “Husband Keith was by Nicole’s side, and mother and baby are very well,” spokesman Paul Freundlich told People. This is the first child together for Nicole, 41, and Keith, 40. Nic has two other children with her ex-husband Tom Cruise: Isabella, 15, and Connor, 13. -- Nicole and Keith named their daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban! She weighed in at 6 lbs, 7 oz. - (Sunday Rose and Tenny share a birthday) - Thanks, Steph, Gilda

Related (Bale): Variety's Review of The Dark Knight (A rave)

News.com.au (The Courier Mail): Resurgent Rabbits in epic comeback - Thanks, Oz Fan

Yippee!! Rabbitohs beat the Bulldogs -- South Sydney Rabbitohs 36 ---- Bulldogs - 30 (Pic of Russell before the game - Getty)

Russell as SID on the cover of the June issue of Photoicon Magazine - Thanks, Ivani

It's already the 7th in Sydney. We all wish Tenny the happiest of second birthday's - and send hugs to Mom and Dad and Charlie too.

July 6

The Sun UK: Crowe to nest in UK - RUSSELL CROWE is set to move to London and live in the lap of luxury for the next six months. (Mayfair)- Thanks, Chats

July 5

The "16th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition" took place at the FIDM Museum & Galleries at the Los Angeles Campus from January 28 through April 12 and displayed Costumes from some of the top films of 2007 were on display....and among those from Yuma. On this page, a little video about the exhibition with a quick glimpse of the Yuma film and costumes. - Thanks, Rose

[ed note]: Some great entries in the comments section on book or magazine suggestions at the News blog. Many I have added to my must read list. Thanks!

I have an interactive exercise for you at the Crowe News Blog: "Let's suppose Russell has asked you to send him a book or magazine article that has the potential to become a film. What would you mail him, and what reason would you give for sending it?" - You can give us your answer in the comments section of the post (Where it says to "post a comment")

Happy Parade and Fireworks day! - Remember to hope for peace all over the world on this day of stars and stripes.

Break Point: Spiritual Quests and the Big Screen (Scroll for Russell): “...I do believe there are more important things than what is in the mind of a man,” Crowe said. “There is something much bigger that drives us all. I’m willing to take that leap of faith.” - Thanks, Ro

GBS's "The Night Pat Murphy Died" is listed on the soundtrack for State of Play at the IMDb - Thanks, Ivani

St John's Telegraph Journal: Great Big Sea back to rock the boat -- There are two traditional tunes on the disc and the rest are all originals, written in different collaborations by Doyle, Hallett, and Sean McCann, along with Workman. There's even a leftover from the sessions Doyle did when he produced an album for his pal, movie star Russell Crowe. "Company Of Fools was an idea for a song I had for a long time," Doyle said. "And at some point when I was writing with Russell, he liked the concept. Russell's big gift as a writer is he can spit out a page and a half of lyrics in about an hour." - Thanks, Lynda

July 3

Variety : Oscar candidates lagging this year - October: Lionsgate's Oliver Stone bio-politico-comedy-drama "W." starring Josh Brolin; WB's Ridley Scott film "Body of Lies," written by William Monahan ("The Departed") and starring Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio; Fox Searchlight's "The Secret Life of Bees" (Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah); Universal-Spyglass' Greg Kinnear film "Flash of Genius," with Marc Abraham making his directing debut; and Sony Pictures Classics' "I've Loved You So Long," with Kristin Scott Thomas, and Jonathan Demme's "Rachel Getting Married," with Anne Hathaway.

Variety: SAG situation stalled -- Guild, AMPTP remain at loggerheads for now

July 2

Two images of Russell at the recent Titans Game - [I've corrected the game information] - Thanks, maryam

Hollywood.com: Studio Report Card: Paramount is No. 1, but Who Will Finish 2nd? -- When you consider that Warner Bros still has Star Wars: The Clone Wars due in August, the re-teaming of Diane Lane and Richard Gere in Night in Rodanthe in September, Ridley Scott’s House of Lies, based on the excellent David Ignatius CIA thriller Body of Lies and starring Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, in October, and the next Harry Potter installment set for Thanksgiving, Warner Bros is probably the betting favorite to be 2008’s #2 studio... Among the 5 studios above, I consider Warner Bros to be the favorite to finish the year with the 2nd-best market share with odds of 5/2. Sony is the next best bet at 7/2 followed by Fox at 6/1, Universal a live underdog at 8/1 and Disney 15/1. - Thanks, Allison

JoBlo: 10 Best Shape Shifting Performances - #6 Russell Crowe - The Insider - Thanks, Allison

Related: The Guardian UK: Geek Expectations - Peter Berg interview (Hancock) -- Berg directed the film's co-star Jason Bateman in The Kingdom, a dramatic performance that surprised many who'd only seen him in the cult sitcom Arrested Development, a working relationship he was keen to build on: "He's the full package. He's smart, he's truthful and you can't bullshit him. You know he's going to deliver. And he's funny as all fuck."

Torontoist: Reel Toronto: Cinderella Man -- Toronto's extensive work on the silver screen reveals that, while we have the chameleonic ability to look like anywhere from New York City to Moscow, the disguise doesn't always hold up to scrutiny. Reel Toronto revels in digging up and displaying the films that attempt to mask, hide, or—in rare cases—proudly display our city. - Thanks, Chris G

BOL Picture at a Dutch blog (I think that's Russell in the background) - Thanks to a poster at the movie's page at IMDB, and Ivani

July 1

Metro Co UK: Australian Film Fest - London -- Our pick --- Bra Boys: Bad-boy Russell Crowe mellows out to narrate this documentary about surfing, which Australians claim to have invented. Bra Boys tells the story of the Abberton brothers, who set out to ride the waves no matter what the cost to their personal lives. Jul 22, GFT; Jul 31, Filmhouse

NY Daily News: Affleck For Weiner -- A Weiner spokesman said the Congressman met Affleck while he was researching his upcoming film, "State of Play" - a crime thriller in which an elected official's mistress is murdered. Affleck plays the lawmaker, Stephen Collins. Russell Crowe plays the lawmaker's reporter friend who tries to exonerate him. - Thanks, Allison

EW on line: Tattoo U.! 22 Memorably Inked Characters - (Romper Stomper) - Thanks, Ellen