'The Happening' - SciFi Weekly: Interview with Cast & Crew

From the SciFi Channel's SciFi Weekly:

http://www.scifi.com/sfw/interviews/sfw18997.html

(Please follow the link for the complete SciFi Weekly interview. Photos from the movie at the site.)



INTERVIEWS


June 11, 2008

The cast and crew of The Happening encounter mass suicide and strong faith in M. Night Shyamalan's latest B movie


By Ian Spelling


M. Night Shyamalan describes his latest film, The Happening, as a "great B movie." His goal, simply put, is to scare the hell out of audiences. This time around, the writer-director of The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village and the much-maligned Lady in the Water spins an intense, R-rated tale about everyday people—among them a good-guy science teacher, Elliot (Mark Wahlberg), his emotionally detached wife, Alma (Zooey Deschanel), and the teacher's best pal and math-teacher colleague, Julian (John Leguizamo)—on the run during a mysterious event in which men and women become disoriented and then kill themselves. Is it an organized terror attack? Have we pissed off Mother Nature, and now she's teaching us a lesson? Has an experiment run awry?

SCI FI Weekly was on hand recently when Shyamalan, Wahlberg, Deschanel and Leguizamo sat down for a half-hour press conference at a Manhattan hotel. Here's some of what they had to say about the June 13 release. Warning: major spoilers ahead.

**snippage**

And the cast's thought on the spiritual aspects of this film?

Wahlberg: Well, I think Night cast me because of my strong faith. But then we'd do a take, and he'd be like, "That was great. What were you thinking about?" I was like, "Jesus." He was like, "Oh, we got to do it again!" Literally.

Shyamalan: We had this conversation. "What were you thinking about?" "Jesus." "What?!"

Wahlberg: He said, "Oh, my God. I really liked that! What were you thinking about?" I said, "Jesus, baby." "We got to do it again." But obviously, you know, yeah, I think he cast me because of my faith. Somebody asked me why Elliot survived, and it's because he had so much faith and hope.

Deschanel: I mean, I think as much it can be interpreted as a philosophical message as much as a spiritual message, in that faith can be spiritual or it can also be a philosophy. So I think the movie raises questions, and any time you're raising questions you're inspiring people to think about things. And I think that's really good, because I definitely came outof seeing the film feeling like I wanted to question my own beliefs.

Leguizamo: I haven't seen the movie. I didn't see the flick. I don't know why. Probably because I'm a pagan, and people who have no faith weren't allowed to see it. [Laughs.]

**snippage**

M. Night Shyamalan - Total SciFi: Interview - 'The Happening'

From Total SciFi:


http://www.dwscifi.com/interviews/2084-m-night-shyamalan-it-happened-here

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)

Posted on Tuesday 10 June 2008

M. Night Shyamalan: It happened here


M. Night Shyamalan scored monster hits with his films The Sixth Sense and Signs, but his most recent ventures, The Village and Lady in the Water, were relative critical and box office disappointments. The moviemaker is hoping to rebound with his latest effort, the top secret fright film The Happening, which finds Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel and John Leguizamo running for their lives after a deadly incident occurs on the East Coast of the United States. Shyamalan talks to Jonas Nelson about The Happening, assesses Lady in the Water and previews his next film - a live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

We’ve heard there’s a nature-biting-mankind-in-the-butt theme to The Happening. What can you say about that, especially since the film’s working title was The Green Effect?

Well, I have heard that theory, too. That is a possible theory that’s in there, maybe. There are a lot of theories bandied about in the movie…You know what’s so hard about making movies in this day and age? It’s like someone rifling through your shelves as you’re trying to develop an idea. The Sixth Sense was a ‘serial killer movie’ way before it was a ghost movie. So these things always morph. They evolve. Things happen en route. But there are a lot of theories thrown around in the movie.

This is your first film to receive an R rating…

I was thinking in terms of The Exorcist and how intense that experience was - of going from zero to 60 every time Ellen Burstyn opened the door to her daughter’s room, and not being prepared for what I was seeing. It’d be dialogue, dialogue, dialogue, open the door and “Oh, my God, I can’t believe what I’m seeing!” That kind of feeling is throughout this movie.

**snippage**


The Happening is released in the US & UK on 13 June 2008.

Battlestar Galactica - Sackhoff/Helfer: Video - Rev Up Their Motorcycles

From the Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA):

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-cycle11-2008jun11,0,5661485.story

(Five minute video interview embedded at the site. Please follow the link for the video and for the complete article.)



Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff of 'Battlestar Galactica' will ride their motorcycles in other shows this summer.

By Susan Carpenter, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

June 11, 2008

Some of this summer's biggest movies feature motorcycles in supporting roles. There's a Harley-Davidson in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," an MV Agusta in "The Dark Knight," and multiple customs in the late-summer biker flick "Hell Ride," presented by Quentin Tarantino. While the two-wheel vehicles are all different, the riders are mostly the same. They're men.

One in 10 motorcyclists is a woman, but that statistic is rarely reflected on screens big or small. If an actress does "ride," it tends to be only for the camera and it's usually rigged, as it was for Renée Zellweger in "Leatherheads," whose Indian was operated by remote.

Enter Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff -- stars of SciFi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica." Helfer, who plays the part of sexy cylon Number Six, and Sackhoff, a.k.a. combat pilot Starbuck, are both avid motorcyclists who will be taking their off-screen passion to guest roles on other TV shows when Season 4 of the space-age series ends.

**snippage**

Stargate SG-1 - Judge/Shanks/Wright - Monte Carlo Film Festival '08

From TV Fest '08:

http://www.tvfestival.mc/2008/modules/PHOTOS_NEW/DailyN_3.pdf



And this text in French:

Série Club souffle 15 bougies !

Comme se plaisent ?* le rappeler Vincent Broussard et Thomas Crosson qui président ?* la destinée de Série Club, « la chaîne des séries a traversé les années en affirmant un positionnement simple et unique : une chaîne dédiée aux séries, ?* toutes les séries, mais les meilleures !

Créée par le groupe M6 en 1993, Série Club débute avec les grandes séries cultes du moment ; c’est l’époque d’ «Amicalement vôtre », « Mission : Impossible », mais aussi des séries «patrimoines» comme « Les Saintes chéries » ou « Belphégor ». En 1997, Série Club évolue une première fois ?* travers un nouvel habillage et s’affirme résolument moderne. C’est l’arrivée de la version originale sous-titrée (« Twin Peaks ») et de nombreuses nouveautés qui feront date : « Oz », « Homicide », « Buffy contre les vampires »…

2000 marque l’arrivée au sein de la chaîne d’un actionnaire de premier ordre: TF1. En fait, la création de TF6 en décembre 2000 par les deux Groupes amène ces derniers ?* créer une société commune regroupant TF6 et Série Club et dont les deux groupes sont actionnaires ?* 50 %. C’est aussi l’époque d’une concurrence de plus en plus vive, de la multiplication des moyens de diffusion, de l’essor des séries sur les chaînes nationales. Série Club reste plus que jamais fidèle ?* sa promesse en proposant des séries grand public (« X-Files »…) en découvrant des séries inédites (« Into the West »…) et en diffusant des séries exigeantes (« Queer as Folk »…).

Après une arrivée remarquée sur CanalSat en avril 2007, Série Clubentame sa 15e saison, avec une nouvelle identité visuelle, l’arrivée de la version multilingue et une grille renforcée (« Eureka », « Stargate SG-1 », « The West Wing »…) Série Club, créé également régulièrement des évènements autour des séries en diffusant Les Emmy Awards ou avec des émissions telles que Les Screenings de Série Club, Le Hit des Séries, Tous Fans de Séries…

« Forte d’accords avec les principales majors, de la confiance des annonceurs et des distributeurs et de deux actionnaires puissants, Série Club est prête ?* relever tous les défis pour les 15 ans qui viennent » concluent avec sourire les dirigeants de la chaîne.

Which translated out as this using Google translator tool:

Series Club breath 15 candles!

As like to remind Broussard and Vincent Thomas Crosson who President's destiny Series Club, "Channel series has crossed the years by saying positioning simple and unique: a string dedicated to the series, all series, but the best! Created by the M6 in 1993, Club Series starts with the big series cults of the time, so the time of "Sincerely Yours", "Mission: Impossible ", but also sets" heritage "as" Les Saintes cherished 'Or' Belphégor ". In 1997, Series Club changing for the first time through a new dressing itself and resolutely modern. It is the advent of version original subtitles ( "Twin Peaks") and many new features that will date: "Oz," "Homicide," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer against"…

2000 marks the arrival within the chain of a shareholder of the first order:
TF1. In fact, the creation of TF6 in December 2000 by two groups leads them to create a joint company grouping and TF6 Series Club and whose shareholders are two groups at 50%. It is also the time a competition increasingly fierce, the multiplication of media dissemination, the growth series on national television. Series Club remains more than ever faithful to his promise by proposing a series general public ("X-Files"…) discovering new series ( "Into the West"…) and disseminating demanding series ( "Queer as Folk"…).

After arriving on CanalSat noticed in April 2007, Series Clubentame his 15th season with a new visual identity, the arrival of the multilingual and a grid reinforced ( "Eureka", "Stargate SG-1", "The West Wing "…) Series Club, also established regular events series around spreading the Emmy Awards or with such emissions The Screenings that Series Club, The Hit Series, All Fans Series…

"With agreements with the major majors, the confidence of advertisers and distributors and two powerful shareholders, Series Club is ready to challenges for the coming 15 years "conclude with a smile Leaders of the chain.


AND

Faites-nous un peu de teasing sur l’émission spéciale

du vendredi 13

«C’est Natacha Amal qui sera notre fil rouge…

Elle aura ?* ses côtés un super plateau made in USA : Lisa Edelstein (Dr House), Christopher Judge (Stargate), Mark Harmon (NCIS), Georges Eads (Les Experts) et le cast d’ «October Road», la nouvelle série de la chaîne»


Translation:

Give us a little teasing about the TV special

Friday, 13

"It Natacha Amal who will be our red wire…

It will be at his side made a great plateau in USA: Lisa Edelstein (Dr. House), Christopher Judge (Stargate), Mark Harmon (NCIS), George Eads (CSI) and the cast of "October Road", the new series of chain "

And from this page:

http://www.tvfestival.mc/2008/en/talent/

PROGRAMS

Stargate
Brad WRIGHT (Producer)
Christopher JUDGE (Actor) USA

Stargate: Continuum - MGM Stargate: NEW Video - The Frozen Set

From MGM Stargate:

http://stargate.mgm.com/sg1/

The Frozen Set



Director Martin Wood, Writer/Executive Producer Brad Wright, and actress Amanda Tapping discuss working on the frozen set in Stargate: Continuum. There are a few brief clips from the movie in the video, and some behind-the-scenes clips.

Some screen prints for those fans who may not be able to view the video:



The third frozen set in Stargate SG-1 history (the other two were "Solitudes" and "Frozen") with Director Martin Wood in the background



Martin Wood and Ben Browder (Cameron Mitchell)



Icy set



Icy set on a gymbol (so that the set would move and shake)





Set was COLD so you could see the actor's breath - Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson) and Ben















Frozen life jackets (SG1 is aboard an ocean going vessel trapped in the Arctic ice...)



Daniel Jackson and the frozen life jackets





Cold Ben



Cold Amanda and Martin



Sam and Daniel



Daniel (lower left corner)



Cam



Sam

Battlestar Galactica - Video: Sneek Peak of 'Revelations'

Courtesy of the SciFi Channel and HULU, a sneak peak of the summer finale episode Battlestar Galactica, 'Revelation.'

Battlestar Galactica Ep. RevelationsBattlestar Galactica

Sneak Peek |01:13 |

Watch this clip of this week's episode of Battlestar Galactica and tune in to Battlestar Galactica every Friday at 10/9C on SCI FI.

Stargate: Continuum - MGM Stargate: Ask Brad Wright about Continuum

From MGM Stargate:

http://stargate.mgm.com/promotions/wright-qa.php

Got a question for the mastermind behind Stargate Continuum?

Now's your chance...

Enter your Continuum questions (at the link above) now and on July 1st we'll post Executive Producer/Writer Brad Wright's answers to the 10 best submissions.