Putin gets some direction

MOSCOW -- Politics and film are never far apart in Russia. And while, unlike the U.S., the country has not yet had a former actor as president, prime minister Vladimir Putin is putting a film director at the center of his third presidential bid.Stanislav Govorukhin, a 75-year-old film veteran, has been named head of Putin's presidential campaign.The Putin loyalist -- whose career highlights include making the 1979 TV detective series "Mesto vstrechi izmenit nelzya" (The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed) starring anti-establishment singer-songwriter-actor Vladimir Vysotsky -- turned to politics after the collapse of the Soviet Union.Although the involvement of an elderly filmmaker in a re-election campaign may appear strange to Western eyes, Govorukhin's credentials in Russia are well established.The self-declared democrat, who flirted with nationalist Communism in the 1990s, lost a son in the first Chechen war, and once opposed Putin, is a member of Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, for Putin's United Russia party.Govorukhin isn't the only director to take to politics. Nikita Mikhalkov, another well-known Russian director (1995's Stalin-era fable "Burnt by the Sun") stumped for Boris Yeltsin in the 1996 presidential race, appearing in a TV commercial as an astronaut for the candidate. He, like Govorukhin, has since shifted to the right-wing nationalists.As a director, Govorukhin had a populist touch with detective or adventure films championing strong male characters who seek to right wrongs while operating outside social norms. His support of Putin seems to be consistent with his earlier artistic inclinations.But there's now a question as to whether he's also consistent with today's Russian zeitgeist. Fifty thousand people in Moscow took to the streets Dec. 10 to demand a re-vote of recent parliamentary elections denounced as rigged by independent observers. More demonstrations occurred Christmas eve, when as many as an estimated 120,000 people braved sub-zero temperatures in Moscow to demand that he step down -- an occurrence that has clearly shaken the Kremlin.Putin -- who plans to run for his third term as president in March -- said Dec. 27 that measures needed to be taken to make that election free, fair and transparent. That is unlikely to satisfy protesters, although their influence is largely confined to Moscow and other large cities.Nevertheless, even a filmmaker as experienced as Govorukhin clearly has his work cut out for him. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Netflix inks U.K. deal with BBC

LONDON -- Netflix has concluded a deal with BBC Worldwide to license such high-profile fare as "Doctor Who," "Top Gear," "Fawlty Towers" and "Little Britain" for its new U.K. and Ireland service, due to bow early next year. Around 1,000 hours of BBC shows are covered by the arrangement, which will allow Netflix subscribers to watch the programs six months after their first U.K. transmission. Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said: "BBC programs are a big favorite of our over 20 million streaming members in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. Members love watching back-to-back episodes of BBC series where and when they want, at the click of a button." Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Netflix announced in October that it would launch its service in the U.K. and Ireland early in 2012, but will face competition from such companies as Lovefilm, which have been operating in the market for several years. However, the Amazon-owned Lovefilm, which also operates in Germany and Scandinavia, does not have a deal with BBC Worldwide, which increasingly is looking to expand its business by concluding digital deals with global operators like Netflix. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Harcourt's eclectic vibe infuses new endeavors

HarcourtWhen Nic Harcourt, among the last remaining large-title tastemakers left on terrestrial radio, ankled as musical director of L.A.'s KCRW and host of their "Morning Becomes Eclectic" enter in 2008, it came towards the finish of the era -- ten years by which he grew to become perhaps probably the most influential DJ in the united states. Using the KCRW show still thriving underneath the auspices of recent host Jason Bentley, Harcourt has nevertheless stored plenty busy, helming an invisible show on KCSN while running his SamLuna Media company. But it's with two new endeavors the music curator is starting on which he calls the "next phase" of his career. Last spring, Harcourt became a member of MTV because the network's first music supervisor in residence. He'll function as song selector for approaching scripted shows for example "Among The Finest My Pants Back," in addition to talking to for that MTV-Extreme Music joint project Hype Production Music, which seeks to put unsigned artists' music in MTV Systems programming. Meanwhile, he's becoming host for DirecTV's "Guitar Center Periods," which broadcasts from the music chain's Hollywood store, mixing musical performances from the kind of Peter Gabriel, Blondie and Bad Religion alongside frequently-revealing interviews between Harcourt and also the music artists. "I am in a roundabout way active in the booking. What I've been able to perform is make suggestions," Harcourt stated of his "Guitar Center" role, observing with particular pride the part he performed in ushering SoCal indie bands Delta Spirit and Saint Motel to the platform. For the time being, Harcourt appears to savor his more laidback role using the program, that has seen him branch into music far outdoors what could have been his safe place throughout his "Morning Becomes Eclectic" tenure. "It's exciting to sit down lower with Peter Frampton, who I'd never performed during my entire career in radio," Harcourt stated. "I'd not have imagined myself meeting with (Social Distortion's) Mike Ness, but which was this type of good interview. It is the unpredicted stuff that result in the show, like when Darlene Harry begins speaking about smoking weed in mattress, and you just need to be ready for this." For his position with MTV, Harcourt noted that his overall role continues to be entering shape. Although the network has endured some withering critique previously over its surrender of the music-based format in support of reality skeins, MTV's recent endeavors in to the worldwide music sphere using its Iggy platform, along with the Hype Production venture, appear to mirror a concerted effort to create more eclectic music back to its programming -- a trend Harcourt hopes to take part in. "I am sure they'll continue dragging 'Jersey Shore' in to the ground, but they are really attempting to bring a diploma of music back with these scripted shows," he stated. "This is an chance to place unsigned indie bands available in to the world." Music bites Despite some under passionate responses to the trailer, Relativity Media's Tarsem Singh-directed "Mirror Mirror" arrived a coup using its employing of composer Alan Menken to attain. The pic would be the eight-time Oscar winner's first film-scoring assignment since penning Disney's "Twisted" this past year. Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood continues to be drawn on to attain Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Actual.Inch Greenwood gained kudos for his feature film-scoring debut with Anderson's previous feature, "You Will See Bloodstream," that was controversially ruled ineligible for Oscar consideration within the music category. On the web radio front, Obvious Funnel introduced the appointment of Bob Stohrer to chief marketing officer of their Obvious Funnel Digital branch, in which the former Sprint Nextel professional will build up marketing efforts for that broadcaster's iHeartRadio online platform. Meanwhile, The planet pandora hired on former Bebo professional Michael Chuthakieo as executive director for national entertainment sales. Zynga, whose social-media videogames "FarmVille" and "FrontiervilleInch have formerly solicited mix-marketing endeavors from Rhianna and Dr. Dre, correspondingly, has introduced another, pairing Michael Buble with "CityVille." The neo-crooner, whose "Christmas" compilation presently sits atop the album chart, will debut exclusive material and lend his avatar to the overall game in a few days. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Madrid, 1987

A Buenavida Producciones production. (International sales: 6 Sales, Madrid.) Produced by Jessica Huppert Berman. Directed, written by David Trueba.With: Jose Sacristan, Maria Valverde, Ramon Fontsere."The passing of time is the only theme," declares the hard-bitten protag of "Madrid, 1987," and considering that the film consists almost entirely of a monologue in a grimy bathroom, the time passes remarkably quickly. A perceptive, ultra-wordy stab at catching the zeitgeist at a time of change in Spain, David Trueba's two-hander nonetheless feels like a working-out of social and personal themes that hasn't quite achieved the full leap from page to film. Result teems with ideas that will make most sense to Spanish arthouse auds, suggesting that offshore interest beyond fests will be limited. Per title, the pic is set at a time when Spain was still in the hands of the political class who saw through the transition to democracy following the death of Franco. Chain-smoking, whiskey-drinking lecher Miguel (Jose Sacristan), deeply in love with the sound of his own voice, is an aging political journo who's agreed to meet university student Angela (Maria Valverde) to offer advice. But it quickly becomes clear what he really wants, and they head for the apartment of Miguel's artist friend Luis (Ramon Fontsere). No sooner has the unfailingly pretentious Miguel expressed the wish that he'd like to have "smelled" Velazquez's painting "Las Meninas" than he's daubing Angela's back with blue paint. Disgusted, Angela heads to the bathroom with Miguel in pursuit, and his stated wish to spend two hours alone with her comes unexpectedly true when the door jams shut, trapping them. It is in this absurd situation, naked in the summer heat (at a time that predates cell phones in Spain), that they spend the rest of the film. The locked-bathroom setting suggests that this is a study of two generations that would never communicate with one another unless absolutely forced to, while giving Trueba the chance, metaphorically as well as physically, to strip them bare. The stage is set for a power struggle that will leave the old man feeling more vulnerable than he's used to. At 74, Sacristan delivers one of his finest performances and is singlehandedly responsible for making the pic watchable. The frankly tiresome Miguel is, to use the Spanish phrase, very pleased to have met himself: Reflections on youth, age, life, death and art pour from him almost incessantly, delivered so as to suggest that Miguel is quoting from stuff he's written, in a mixture of wit -- "the photograph on an ID card is there to remind us what idiots we are" -- and cliche. Instantly recognizable as a type within Spain, and tragically unaware of his increasing irrelevance, Miguel reps an old-soldier generation that lived through the turbulent post-Franco years and mistakenly feels there's nothing the younger generation can teach him. Mostly silent, Valverde is a superb foil, supplying a range of reactions as the torrent of Miguel's words washes over her, and nicely limning the struggle of a youngster trying to free herself from the authority Miguel believes he has by right, playing up the pic's metaphor of Spain's struggle to free itself from the turmoil of its 20th-century past. The crew uses mostly female talent. Leonor Rodriguez's camera does what it can to make the cramped conditions of the green-hued bathroom interesting. The only music is an attractive piece from singer-songwriter Irene Temblay over the final scene.Camera (color), Leonor Rodriguez; editor, Marta Velasco; music, Irene Temblay; production designer, costume designer, Laura Renau; sound (Dolby Digital), Alvaro Silva, Eduardo G. Castro, Nacho Royo-Villanueva. Reviewed online, Madrid, Nov. 23, 2011. (In 2012 Sundance Film Festival -- World Cinema, competing; San Sebastian Film Festival.) Running time: 104 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

ROLL CALL: Pregnant Jessica Simpson: An Excellent Souffl Makes Me Cry!

First Released: December 8, 2011 2:52 PM EST Credit: WireImage La, Calif. -- Caption Jessica Simpson showcases her baby bump in the 25th Annual Shoes News Achievement Honours in the Museum of contemporary Art in NY City on November 29, 2011Your Daily Dispatch of Celebrity Shenanigans Keep Your Souffls From Jessica!: Mother-to-be Jessica Simpson is going through an entire selection of feelings throughout being pregnant, which includes lots of tears! The 31-year-old Fashion Star mentor revealed with an approaching episode of Rachael Ray that transporting her first child had made her a lot more emotional. Ill cry in the drop of the hat, a great souffl will make me cry, Jessica stated within the episode airing December 12. For pregnancy urges, Jessica is taking pleasure in a classic classic with a little of the twist. Now its peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, toasted, she stated. After which, Ill put some salt on my small hands like Im going for a tequila shot after which have a bite from the sandwich. Kris Constitutes A Cave: Since Kim Kardashian has run out of his existence, Kris Humphries is making room for his macho side. The National basketball association star got the aid of ex-Baltimore Ravens player Tony Siragusa within an approaching episode from the DIY network show, Guy Caves. Based on TMZ, the star is developing a chill lounge at his Minnesota home, including multiple bars along with a 120-inch screen. Take a look at his guy cave, HERE! Which Senior High School Musical Star Gets Naked In 3-D?: No, it is not Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens as well as Ashley Tisdale! Based on former HSM star Corbin Bleu, hes revealing his assets within the coming movie, Nurse and it is not really just any type of naked! [I]is going to be naked in three dimensional, the actor told Us Weekly. The thing is my rear finish its stylish. Its done well. Courtney Stodden Declines A Real Possibility Show: In news from your favorite teen bride, Courtney Stodden, it seems the 17-year-old and her 51-year-old husband actor husband Doug Hutchison will not be visiting the field of reality TV at this time. Based on Radar Online, the happy couple was offered a just right the approaching Relationship Rehab. Though Doug and Courtney considered the sale, ultimately they believed this wasnt an ideal fit for that type of show they desired to do, a resource told Radar. There's been lots of speculation regarding their marriage and lots of individuals are just awaiting the inevitable train wreck to occur, but Doug and Courtney come with an incredibly strong relationship and appear happy together. So carrying out a show about starting rehab just does not seem sensible on their behalf. Maybe Style Rehab can come knocking on Courtneys door!? -By Jesse Spero Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Charlize Theron Discusses the Fear of Playing Adolf Hitler

Sharon Stone and Juno Temple ('The Three Musketeers,' 'The Dark Knight Rises') have just joined 'Lovelace,' the new biopic about porn star Linda Lovelace. They'll play the mother and best friend, respectively, of Amanda Seyfried's main character. Wes Bentley has also just been cast as Lovelace's second husband, Larry Marchiano. Lovelace, whose real name was Linda Boreman, became famous as the star of the '70s porn film 'Deep Throat'; she claimed that her first husband, Chuck Traynor (to be played by Peter Sarsgaard), forced her into the adult film industry. Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman ('HOWL,' 'The Celluloid Closet') will direct. The production will shoot on location in Los Angeles beginning later this month. A rival production about Lovelace, called 'Inferno,' will star 'Watchmen's Malin Akerman, who replaced Lindsay Lohan. [Photos: AP/Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

EA sets loose pressure

'Star Wars: The Old Republic'As Ea starts producing more earnings from digital sales, the videogame author thinks "Alien: The Old Republic" assists because the kind of title that will put more gold gold coin within the coffers afterwards.InchAged Republic," which bows 12 ,. 20, marks an abnormally large expenditure for that organization. "It's the finest investment EA's available in the title," mentioned EA chief financial officer Eric Brown while leading a candid sesh at UBS' Global Media and Communications confab Monday.Because they wouldn't cite a specific figure, Brown clarified nudging within the aud by proclaiming that a preliminary-tier game's budget might achieve $25 million, which "Republic" exceeded that number.Brown also stressed very good in the beta test for "Republic," for the reason that 2 million clients signed onto help EA test the sport totally free. Over Thanksgiving weekend alone, "Republic" attracted 750,000 unique clients for typically four several hours every day over 72 hrs -- stats that bode well for your subscription-based game. Brown suggested that EA hopes "Republic" will unseat reigning massively-multiplayer online champion "Wow,Inch which first demonstrated in November 2004 -- the very first Cretaceous period, in vidgame terms. "We're feeling industry is ready for just about any new MMO," he mentioned.Though EA's profits carry on growing, its mobile sector needed a substantial nosedive this season, while using company's mobile gaming revenue falling from $234 million to $113 million this year. Brown blamed consumers' rapid adoption of cell phones for your shortfall mobile gaming is carried out almost exclusively on iOS and Android phones, departing little space left for games on other phones.Aiding to amortize that dip will be a marked uptick in downloadable content sales, through which players buy extra levels, virtual items for use in-game, and playable figures -- "microtransactions" worth hundreds of vast amounts in aggregate for that organization. EA's "Battleground" franchise, that's stored competing while using "CodInch series at rival Activision, drives many of the biz.Brown also eliminate digital sales for "Battleground: Bad Company 2" as well as the company's latest installment within the "FIFA" franchise (popular worldwide). Including forecasted sales for December, the prior attracted in $82 million, the 2nd $64 million, in digital sales alone. "Battleground 3" was released in November, selling greater than 5 million copies within the first week.Brown also spoken concerning the growing stability of download sales, proclaiming that the margins on that sector in the business were spectacular. "We view probably 90% gross profit before advertising," he mentioned. Overall, their digital revenue for 2011 involves $904 million so far. Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

'The Cabin in the Woods' Trailer: Joss Whedon's Non-Superhero Movie

The moment 'Avengers' Joss Whedon fans have been waiting for. For quite some time. The first trailer for 'The Cabin in the Woods' has arrived! Starring Chris Hemsworth, Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford, 'Cabin' was written and produced by geek god Whedon in 2009 and set for release in 2010 -- long before Hemsworth even appeared in 'Thor.' Unfortunately, studio finance issues caused the film to sit on the shelf for two years. Here's what you've been missing. 'The Cabin in the Woods' features a group of college students, who spend a weekend at a cabin in the middle of nowhere. However, at first glance this film appears to be far from your typical kids-in-distress slasher flick. Apparently, the cabin is inside some type of forcefield, where unsavory characters attempt to capture and terrorize the group. 'The Cabin in the Woods' is slated to hit theaters April 13, 2012 -- one month before the Whedon-directed 'Avengers' drops. [via Yahoo!] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

David Guetta Becomes First DJ to be Handprinted at Graumans Chinese Theatre

DJ and producer David Guetta became the first music industry artist to have his handprints put into cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood over the weekend, but don't look for his imprint in the famous courtyard in front of the iconic theater.our editor recommendsAMAs 2011: Nicki Minaj Gives Electric Performance with David GuettaHow Electronic Music Moved the Masses in 2011 A native of France, Guetta is the first to be tapped for Handprints Homage, a new program in which music stars, and some DJ's, are immortalized in cement. The resulting imprint is then mounted on the wall of the renovated Grauman's Ballroom, which is the new name of the completely renovated lobby of the Chinese 6 theater complex on the third floor of the theater adjacent to Hollywood-Highland. PHOTOS: 54th Annual Grammy Nominees That lobby, which leads to the six multi-plex theaters, is now a venue for events and parties, complete with a new kitchen. Over the weekend the Chinese Theater kicked off a new program of events in the space with Guetta performing in front of about 800 people who paid to party and dance to his music. The theater plans to do various events about once a month going forward. Guetta, according to a source, is one of the rare DJ's to be so honored. Most of the artists the Chinese will immortalize in cement will be music stars who perform there, or are chosen to be honored there. PHOTOS: The Best (and Worst) Moments of AMAs 2011 Guetta is a hot artist right now with his single "Without You," which has been number one on the top 40-airplay chart for two weeks. He also was nominated for two Grammy awards last week. One is for Best Dance/Electronica Album for Nothing But The Beat, his fifth studio album. The other nomination is for Best Dance Recording for the electronic track "Sunshine," produced with Swedish DJ Avicii. Guetta won Grammys in 2010 and 2011 for Best Remixed Recording. Guetta has also recently partnered with the website Vevo for a sweepstakes that runs through Dec. 26. The prizes include a trip to the Grammys, a trip to Disneyworld and equipment including an Ipad 2 and headphones. Guetta recently was the opening act on the American Music Awards as part of a performance by Nicki Minaj. There are also screenings this month of Guetta's documentary film Nothing But The Beat, about his career and rise from underground house DJ to being a star in his own right. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery The Best (and Worst) Moments of AMAs 2011 Related Topics David Guetta Nicki Minaj

TV biz buys into back burner Globes role

Because the red-colored carpet is folded out for that Golden Globes, it is a rare chance for audiences to determine a common television stars and celebrities rubbing shoulders because they recognition each other peoples achievements over dinner and champagne. But when the who's who of Hollywood gathers in one place, TV requires a supporting role, not really a lead one.Throughout the broadcast itself, film is honored in 15 groups, including script, director and original score, while television only receives 11, all for onscreen talent except drama, comedy and miniseries or film designed for TV."It's like nobody creates or directs television," TV Guide Magazine critic Matt Roush states. "(The Golden Globes) does not go very deep if this involves TV. It will appear in my experience -- from the critical perspective -- that TV may be the poor cousin towards the celebrities. Television's type of lucky to become asked."However the attitude inside the TV galleries and systems is the fact that instead of competing against film, they're running their very own race, and exactly what the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. lacks in praising the craft, it constitute with enthusiasm for that finished product."This group loves television," states Richard Licata, professional veep of communications at NBC Universal. "They're voracious television viewers and like to champion new shows."Just to illustrate: Recently, such shows as "Mad Males," "Glee" and "Boardwalk Empire" all have obtained honours to find the best Television show within their newbie, and frequently Emmys have adopted -- eventually."(The nominations) are predicting the Emmy those who win 3 or 4 years later," states French journalist Herve Tropea, a four-year HFPA member. " 'The Sopranos,' for example, won the Golden Globe for drama the very first year. The Emmys anxiously waited before the sixth season to identify the show. For me personally, that states everything."Despite overlapping wins, Roush states a Golden Globe isn't considered a precursor for that Emmy.Still, the need for a Golden Globe nomination or win shouldn't be reduced."It's considerable exposure for the show to become in the Golden Globes since the (honours) reveal is becoming this type of hit," Roush adds. "And i believe the show is really a hit since it is so not the Academy awards. It isn't stuffy. It's not necessary to view several things about authors and company directors you won't ever heard about, because it truly is by pointing out stars from both movies and tv.InchAnother most noticeable distinction between the 2 types of entertainment may be the TV industry's method of campaigning. Rather than extensive print campaigns, typical for that Emmys, the systems and publicists rather offer use of talent through year-round press conferences and make contact with interviews."The press conferences I have always seen more like a newspaper exercise simply because they need material for that marketplaces they write for," states Licata. "However it serves two reasons: It's for that tales as well as for consideration for that honours."Cristina Mancini, senior veep of worldwide marketing at twentieth century Fox, who works together with the HFPA year-round, laughs in the perception of costly campaigns so frequently learned about around the film side."We do not have individuals kinds of budgets," she states. "I do not believe we lose out by not doing the work. We obtain nominations for which we are monitoring and ultimately wins where we anticipate them. I do not believe basically began tossing the soiree each week, it might tip the dial either in direction."Exactly what a Golden Globe method for a show and it is network ultimately comes lower to exposure -- which hopefully means rankings -- and recognition."I do not think the significance of a nomination could be overstated, specifically for an initial-year show," states "Homeland" professional producer Alex Gansa, that has formerly been nominated for his focus on "Beauty and also the Animal," "The X-Files" and "24." "It states, 'Even though you are the brand new kid on the market, you belong in the organization from the other elite shows on tv.A Which translates quickly right into a bigger audience."So when you are your perceived vacuum, there is no trophy -- especially one passed out while watching world -- that will not function as validation."(The World and also the Emmy) almost are synonymous when it comes to their meaning and value," states creator and professional producer Terence Winter of "Boardwalk Empire," which pocketed last year's drama Globe. "Winning the world was just as thrilling and somewhat much more since it means your show is working, not only here, but it is working everywhere."GOLDEN GLOBE UPDATE Nixing the hijinx jinx Contemporary company directors: Stylists or shape-shifters? Stateside sitcoms mixed overseas Honours aren't goal of HFPA giving TV biz buys into back burner Globes role Memorable moments in the Globes Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com