The murky world of illegal file sharing continues to generate bewildering headlines.
Earlier this week it transpired that The Pirate Bay, one of the more notorious file-sharing sites, was back in service after its former internet service provider was forced to take it down. Representatives from the film and music industry had generated a court order banning the Swedish-based site, but, within a few hours of its disappearance, it was back in action on another ISP.
"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the baywords.org. We shall never surrender," said a spokesperson from Pirate Bay. (Dad, ask your kids if you don't know what baywords.orgis. Kids, ask your dad if you've never heard of Winston Churchill.)
While the furore continues, a legitimate Swedish company continues to threaten a paradigm-shift by purchasing the infamous company.
“You are not supposed to buy an illegal site,” Hans Pandeya of the Global Gaming Factoty said. “This is out-of-the-box thinking. Because it is unconventional it is viewed with uncertainty by Swedish culture, even if I don’t view it that way.”
Quite so. Global Gaming Factory suggests that it wants to utilise Pirate Bay's technological nousto share films and music legitimately. Fair enough. This is, however, a little like hearing that a major pharmaceutical company is to invest in the crack cocaine business.
Shuttershuttled back to 2010
"What does he mean by that?" von Metternich famously quipped when he heard that fellow diplomat Talleyrand had died. Industry analysts were asking a similar question when it emerged that the release date of Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island, hitherto regarded as a player in awards season, had been shifted from October 2nd to February 19th, 2010.
Is Paramount worried about the film’s quality? Probably not. The trailer – which sells the film as a broad, pulpy thriller – has gone down a bomb with viewers, and advance word is still positive. It seems more likely that the studio needs a mainstream release to prop up a quiet period in its schedule.
Sheridan tapped for Peck kudo
The good people at The Dingle Film Festival have announced that Jim Sheridan is to be presented with the second Gregory Peck Award for “excellence in the art of film” at this year’s event.
“Our entire family is extremely pleased that Jim Sheridan will be so deservedly honoured with the Gregory Peck Award,” said Veronique Peck, the actor’s widow. “Gregory greatly admired Jim’s films and his dedication to his craft.”
Last year's award went to Gabriel Byrne. The Dingle Film Festival runs from September 10th until September 13th. www.dingle filmfestival.com
Lying with a love goddess
Now, this is disturbing. It seems that the late Richard Poncher is resting in considerably less peace than he once expected. For the past 23 years Mr Poncher’s corpse has been decaying in the vault immediately above that occupied by Marilyn Monroe’s famous remains. Now, the poor chap’s wife has sold the slot for $4.6 million (€3.2 million) and he is to be unceremoniously disinterred.
“If I croak, if you don’t put me upside down over Marilyn, I’ll haunt you for the rest of my life,” Poncher allegedly told his wife. Sounds like she didn’t appreciate the gag.
Withnail‘shack’ off the market
Following up on a long-running Reel News obsession, we must sadly report that the plans to turn Uncle Monty's cottage from Withnail and Iinto a shrine to the picture have definitely fallen through. An architect named Tim Elllis has bought the "horrible little shack" in the English Lake District and plans to make his home there. He's not from London, you know. (He's from Canterbury).
