The Movie Page

 By Arees Zafar

- Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix Trilogy) will star and direct the movie adaptation of Paulo Coelho's novel 'The Alchemist'. First published in Brazil in 1988, the best-selling novel tells the story of a shepherd boy, who, while travelling the world in search of treasure, meets an alchemist who teaches him about life. Fishburne will play the alchemist. (A must-must read of a book!)

- United Artists is developing an Americanised remake of the Spanish film 'Time Crimes' (Los Cronocrimenes). The original film follows the adventures of a man who travels back in time by one hour to stop a crime but complicates everything up as he goes back one hour again and again. (Sounds good!)

Movie to watch out in July

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER

OF THE EARTH

In this update of Jules Verne's 'Journey to the Center of the Earth', Brendan Fraser plays a geologist who, with his teenage son, discovers a message hidden in an ancient artifact, leading them into a previously unseen world.

Movie Facts!

Batman Forever

- Val Kilmer learned he was the new Batman while he was literally in a bat cave in Africa, doing research for another project. He accepted the role without reading the script. 

- Mel Gibson was offered the role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face, but was forced to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts with 'Braveheart'. 

- Christian Bale, Corey Feldman, Corey Haim, and Matt Damon all auditioned for the role of Dick Grayson/Robin. Bale later went on to play Bruce Wayne/Batman in 'Batman Begins'.  

- Leonardo DiCaprio screen tested for the role of Robin. 

- Robin Williams had been cast as The Riddler when Tim Burton was still attached to direct. 

- When left at Wayne Manor, Grayson informs Wayne that he is leaving. To this, Bruce replies that the circus would be halfway to Metropolis, which is the city of Superman. 

- While learning to twirl a cane, Jim Carrey reportedly broke around a dozen prop canes. 

- In the movie, there is a scene where Two-Face keeps flipping his coin until he gets a result he wants. In the comics, a key element of his split personality is that he unquestioningly accepts the result of a single coin toss concerning any decision he makes.