**August 31**

From Lily De Smedt (Tanks):
I would like to call your attention to the latest blog entry by Scott Hettrick, veteran Hollywood journalist, on Hollywood in Hi-Def.   Hollywood in Hi-Def  is a Web site developed by Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and Walt Disney Studios dedicated to providing an open platform for the discussion of the leading high-definition format, Blu-ray Disc. In  Blu Crowe's Nest: Master and Commander,  Scott provides more details on the Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Blu-ray release (Oct. 2), listing the exclusive BD-Java features along with the Blu-ray box art.

**August 27**

Rabbitohs 37 defeat Tigers 12
(souths.com)
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have moved into seventh position on the NRL ladder with a resounding 37-12 victory over the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval today (Sunday) in front of 20,232 fans.



Video exclusive interview to Crowe and Bale on  ISBNET.net
(Tanks Ivani)

**August 24**

CROWE TO STAR IN BATMAN MOVIE
8contactmusic.com)
RUSSELL CROWE will make a surprise appearance in the next BATMAN movie, Caped Crusader star CHRISTIAN BALE has revealed. Bale let the secret slip during an interview to promote 3:10 To Yuma, in which both actors star. He told iF Magazine, "Russell's going to actually be in the new Batman movie, which is a big surprise and I want to reveal it to everybody right now." Bale refused to reveal if Crowe will play a villain in The Dark Knight - which is due for release next year (08).

**August 23**

Russell Crowe: Two Boys are a Handful!
(extratv.warnerbros.com)
Posted by ExtraTV Staff on August 22, 2007
Russell Crowe is revealing to "Extra" that his two young boys keep him plenty busy. "It is a handful. But it's a heck of a lot of fun, too," says the gushing dad. "But people warn you that two isn't double. It's much more than that. And that's definitely been more than our experience!" Russell, 43, has two young sons with wife Danielle Spencer, Charlie and Tennyson. As for rumors that Russell will be starring in the new "Star Trek" movie, Russell said, "Apparently. But I haven't read anything. I can't make a decision about anything until I read it so we'll see what happens."
THE VIDEO  HERE

**August 22**

Russell Crowe in Hollywood
(etonline.com)
RUSSELL CROWE returns to the big screen on September 7 with the highly anticipated Western '3:10 to Yuma,' and the Oscar winner graced the red carpet Tuesday night at the star-studded premiere! ET spoke with Russell on the red carpet, where he told us that he dressed his son up as a cowboy to get in the spirit of the flick. But the proud papa added that he doesn't let his son watch any of his films because of their adult content.
"I don't think there's any of daddy's films that he can watch," he said.
"There's a film of mine I put on the other day, 'Mystery, Alaska,' and I totally forgot about all the swearing, not to mention that in the movie I have three kids," he added. "My son was like, 'What's going on here?' so we took it off." The drama, helmed by 'Walk the Line' director JAMES MANGOLD, tells the story of a family man and rancher, played by CHRISTIAN BALE, who's in desperate need for money and agrees to take the assignment to transport a notorious criminal, played by Crowe, to prison in Yuma. But along the way, the criminal tries to tempt the rancher into letting him go by offering him more money than he was offered to do the job. The movie also stars PETER FONDA, GRETCHEN MOL and BEN FOSTER.



Russell Crowe Catches "3:10 to Yuma" Premiere
(justjared)
Russell Crowe arrives on the red carpet hand-in-hand with wife Danielle Spencer for the Los Angeles premiere of his upcoming Western remake 3:10 to Yuma.



**August 20**

Rabbitohs 24 def. Sea Eagles 18
(souths.com)
South Sydney moved a step closer to their first finals appearance since 1989 tonight with a gutsy come-from-behind 24-18 win over Manly at Telstra Stadium.



Brad and Russell in gunfight
(Sydney Morning Herald)
Russell Crowe is in a cowboy showdown with Brad Pitt, as Hollywood's major movie studios unleash their pre-Oscar hopefuls in the US. Crowe, whose movie 3:10 To Yuma is out on September 7, is expected to head to the States in the next fortnight for an intensive red-carpet promotional tour. While westerns have all but disappeared from cinemas over the past two decades, Crowe is leading a gun-slinging resurgence with his cowboy role opposite Christian Bale. Director James Mangold has already been talking up Crowe's performance, saying: "There's only a handful of guys who could pull off this combination of savage rage and brilliant charm." "Russell's got that in spades," Mangold told reporters in Los Angeles. Only two weeks after Crowe rides back into big-screen prominence, Brad Pitt's film, The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, will be released in the States on September 21. Pitt's film will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival (which runs from August 29 to September 8) at about the same time Crowe's film is due out in the US. Just who will win the Hollywood cowboy stand-off is anybody's guess, but Crowe's 3:10 To Yuma already has "Oscars buzz" stamped all over it in LA circles. Crowe, who has spent much of the year in Sydney, made his most recent appearance on Australian television in South Side Story. He'll be back in the Hollywood swing of things very soon, with his wife, Danielle Spencer, and sons, Charles and Tennyson, likely to accompany him to the US.

**August 18**

New poster for Yuma
(canmag.com)
Lionsgate released another new poster for 3:10 to Yuma and instead of focusing on Ben Foster's character, like they have been doing, Christian Bale and Russell Crowe finally get center stage.





**August 16**

Russell Crowe Beamed Up For Star Trek Movie
(justjared)
Russell Crowe takes his son Charlie, 3 1/2, to pick up a dress for mommy Danielle Spencer during a shopping trip at "Harry Who" in the Double Bay area of Sydney on Thursday. Russell, 43, has reportedly been approached by director J.J. Abrams to play a villain in the new Star Trek movie. "Russell is definitely considering J.J. Abrams's offer," said a source. "Russell was always a Star Trek fan as a kid, which is a big bonus. A baddie would seem more likely for Russell. He could play a part in the historic movie without having to compete with any of the original cast's performances." The new Star Trek movie is due out December 2008.
PICS  HERE



Exclusive Interview : James Mangold on moviehole.net

**August 15**

Leonardo DiCaprio And Russell Crowe Will Be A Good 'Fit' In CIA Flick, Ridley Scott Hopes
Director plans to start shooting yet-untitled flick in Morocco soon.
(mtv.com)
Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the hottest stars on the planet. Russell Crowe is arguably one of the most talented actors of his generation. Ridley Scott is the legendary mastermind behind such films as "Blade Runner" and "Gladiator." And "Body of Lies" is an intense CIA novel adapted by William Monahan, the Oscar-winning screenwriter behind "The Departed."
If you aren't intrigued at this point, perhaps we could recommend DailyKitten.com as a more appropriate choice for your Web-surfing pleasure.
MTV News recently caught up with DiCaprio and Scott for separate interviews, and we eagerly prodded them for details on their "Body" adaptation, which begins filming next month. Sure enough, what they had to say makes the flick already sound like a 2008 Oscar heavyweight.
"I'm going to go work with Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe in Morocco on an untitled film," DiCaprio revealed.
"I start with Russell and Leonardo in five weeks," Scott said. "It's based on [Washington Post columnist] David Ignatius' book, which originally was called 'Penetration,' and then it was called 'Body of Lies.' So we're still wrestling with the title. There's another interesting, [possible] title called 'Chatter.'
"So send in which one you like," he joked, suggesting an online poll. "[It's between] 'Chatter,' 'Penetration' or 'Body of Lies.' It's not about sex; it's about politics in the Middle East, and it's really good."
(Watch Ridley Scott promise that his new flick isn't about sex — it's about politics.)
Ignatius' novel is a post-9/11 spy tale of an idealistic CIA agent stationed in Jordan after being wounded in Iraq. Using an old British plan that helped take down the Nazis, the agent turns the terrorists against each other by planting suspicion — but when people begin to uncover his efforts, he finds himself as a target.
"It's a throwback to the political films that I enjoyed in the '70s," DiCaprio said of why he decided to take part in the project. "Certainly [it's reminiscent] of films like 'The Parallax View' and 'Three Days of the Condor,' and I'd love to be a part of more films like that." "If I tell you about the plot, it sounds usual, suspect," Scott teased, insisting that there's a lot more to Monahan's script than any one-sentence pitch could capture ("Schindler's List" screenwriter Steven Zaillian is currently giving the script a final polish). "But take my word for it; it's a great book ... it takes place in Dubai, Washington and Morocco. I'm going back to Morocco for the fourth time."
"I love when it's a good-enough story and it has a great narrative in it, and it's gonna be a good film first and foremost — I'm a huge advocate for making those types of movies," DiCaprio said. Then, comparing that aspect of the flick to another Oscar-nominated drama he released last year, he added: "That's why 'Blood Diamond' was huge on my radar, why I jumped at that opportunity — and certainly this film with Ridley."
Going head-to-head with DiCaprio, Russell Crowe has signed on to play a right-wing suit in the CIA who clashes with the young agent. "You'll see something different," Scott promised, referring to Crowe's knack for transforming himself. "We're still circling and deciding. I'll leave a lot to him and say, 'What do you want to do? Do you want to go thin? Glamorous? Fat? [Do you want to] eat too much or eat very little?'
"We have that kind of conversation," Scott said of the star, who has previously been his leading man in "Gladiator," "A Good Year" and November's "American Gangster." "You give the audience a long list that's absolutely definitive as to who this character must be but, for the most part, that's bullsh--. What I think makes [Crowe] most engaging is that he can fit into anything. It's the same with Leo."
And as DiCaprio has become more concerned with world affairs, his choices of films like "Diamond" and the global-warming documentary "The 11th Hour" have allowed the young star to speak his mind - a trend he hopes to continue by using the untitled CIA flick to explore thorny Iraq war issues close to his heart.
"This is the way that people are educated about issues nowadays. This is the main avenue for learning in today's world," he said of the movies. "I would just hope that enough people go to see them, so the studios will be encouraged to make more films like that in the future and that there is an audience for them and they are profitable."
Scott adds that the combination of the source material and his two stars will make him pretty confident when he strolls onto the set in a few short weeks. "I never say it's a home run," the director grinned. "But I'm keeping my fingers crossed."

**August 11**

Rabbitohs 24 defeat Dragons 14
(souths.com)

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have secured their first victory in Wollongong in 18 years by defeating the St George Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium tonight (Saturday) by 24 points to 14 in front of 18,382 fans.

**August 10**

From Washington Post today  (scroll down):
Lights! Camera! Capital! A Starry Season in D.C.
It's the attack of the A-listers! At least three super-high-profile Hollywood productions will be stopping traffic and turning heads here in the busy weeks after Labor Day. First up: director Ridley Scott with "Body of Lies," a spy thriller based on the novel by our own colleague David Ignatius and starring Leo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. No word yet on whether the stars will be here -- but with D.C. filming expected to take most of September, we're feelin' hopeful. Eastern Market neighbors recently got a notice alerting them to the filming of a car-bomb scene -- just a movie, folks, don't call 911.(Tanks Ivani)



Return to Freedom:
August 21st, 2007: "3:10 to Yuma"  Premiere to Support Return to Freedom  (scroll down)
(Tanks Ivani)



Maryam has a new blog on Russell in farsi language  HERE



"3:10 to Yuma" to Premiere in Sedona: Peter Fonda to Attend
(notes from Hollywood)
The article  HERE
(Tanks Ivani)

**August 7**

Crowe doesn't fly at the box office
(The Age)
Bad-boy actor Russell Crowe rates at the bottom of the list of box office returns. Hollywood actors regularly earn millions of dollars per movie, but a new survey looks at whether they are worth it. The Forbes magazine survey shows Matt Damon offers the best box-office return on his salary, more than twice that of Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise, while Crowe languishes at the bottom of the list along with funnymen Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell and Jim Carrey. For every dollar The Bourne Ultimatum star was paid for his last three roles, the films returned $US29 in gross income. Jennifer Aniston was the top-ranked actress, making No.5 on the list with a gross income return of $US17.

Aniston's ex-husband, Brad Pitt, came in at No.2, earning $US24 for every dollar of his salary, while Aniston's former boyfriend, Vince Vaughn, grabbed third spot with $US21, tying with Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp. Crowe's past three movies - A Good Year, Cinderella Man and Master and Commander - all disappointed at the box office and earned an average gross income of only $US5 for each $US1 of his salary.



Manly CEO sledges billionaire Souths owner
(daily telegraph)
HOLLYWOOD star Russell Crowe and his South Sydney co-owner Peter Holmes a Court were last night accused of being attention seekers by rivals Manly.
The inflammatory comments from Sea Eagles chief executive Grant Mayer come with tonight's airing of ABC television documentary South Side Story about Crowe and Holmes a Court's take-over of Souths.
Mayer claimed Crowe and Holmes a Court continue to hog the "limelight" - with Holmes a Court firing back last night by suggesting Manly do not want Souths in the NRL premiership.
The drama sets up a fiery round-23 match between the two clubs at Telstra Stadium.
Mayer claimed Manly's two owners Scott Penn and Max Delmege work "behind the scenes", unlike the Rabbitohs owners.
"Our owners do work behind the scenes, they love the club and have a passion for the club," Mayer told The Daily Telegraph.
"They haven't attempted to seek the limelight.
"It would be very difficult for Souths to perform with their owners constantly over the front and back pages of newspapers and now releasing a six-part documentary on TV.
"It would also be distracting for the players.
"The approach from Delmege and Penn is proving much more successful than the alternative at Souths.
"Our owners are great businessmen and very astute but, unlike the Souths owners, do not get swept up in the emotion of running a rugby league club.
"Privatisation is no doubt the future of the game - having been involved with Manly for 12 months, I note how 'under-the-radar' our owners have been. The main focus should be on the players, not the owners."
Holmes a Court last night was angry at Mayer's comments, claiming Manly were "death-riding" Souths.
"Manly would no doubt prefer us out of the competition but the reality is we're in and the competition is better for it," Holmes a Court said.
"Some clubs obviously liked rugby league more when we weren't in it.
"I can't help it if some people are against us, some members of the old guard.
"His job as Manly CEO it seems is to death-ride us. We are only trying to improve South Sydney.
"I'm not sure what he's talking about. Everything we have done is to promote Souths and promote league."
Holmes a Court suggested Mayer should keenly observe this evening's documentary.
"I just hope he watches the documentary and maybe it could help his club," he said.
"Does he really think that a 30-minute documentary about rugby league during prime time on the ABC is a bad thing?
"Is presenting our players in a good light and dressed well bad for rugby league?
"We believe the game has a huge amount of potential. If he (Mayer) feels that way, I suppose he has a right to his opinion."
But Holmes a Court praised the input of Penn - the pair being friends.
"Manly are the model for us," Holmes a Court said.
"They are premiership contenders and are doing everything right on the field."

**August 6**

3:10 to Yuma  official site is on line.



South Side Story followed by live video webcast
(souths.com)
(Tanks Ivani)
The first episode of the six part ABC-TV documentary series "South Side Story" goes to air on the national broadcaster tomorrow night Tuesday August 7 at 8pm, followed by a live video webcast at www.souths.com.au The documentary details one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of rugby league's most successful club. From the extraordinary general meeting which handed ownership of the famous club to Academy Award winning actor Russell Crowe and renowned businessman Peter Holmes à Court, to secret bonding camps to the season itself, "South Side Story" will be one of the most talked about television programs of 2007. One of Australia's leading independent television companies Beyond Productions was given unprecedented access to the entire South Sydney organisation and collected over 400 hours of footage on one of the most important periods in the 99 year history of the Rabbitohs. David Alrich, Executive Producer of Beyond Productions and "South Side Story", said the documentary is an open and honest inside look at the South Sydney Football Club. "This is not just a documentary for football fans it has something to offer viewers from all sorts of backgrounds and all walks of life," he said. "The documentary opens a window into a world few are privy to. The players and Russell and Peter were so open and honest. "South Side Story" is a fantastic insight into the inner workings of a rugby league club which has never been seen before. "There is a universal quality to the show about a sporting club down on its luck for a long time. It's much more than just a sporting story, and it is a story that can be understood by everyone not just here in Australia but overseas as well." Tomorrow evening Peter Holmes à Court, Nathan Merritt and Yileen Gordon will attend a special screening of the first episode "Pride of the League" with community members at the Redfern Community Centre, 29 - 53 Hugo St Redfern. Following the episode a live webcast interview with Peter Holmes à Court will be broadcast on www.souths.com.au. In an Australian sporting first, using cutting edge technology from one of the country’s leading internet broadcast companies Viocorp, Peter will answer viewers questions submitted via the internet. Viocorp is one of Australia's leading internet broadcasting companies, specialising in the production and distribution of video and audio content directly to end users. "Once again South Sydney are leading the way in using the new media avenues available and we are glad to be a part of that,"Viocorp Managing Director Ian Gardiner said. "Viewers can now participate in programs like this as never before. Everyone loves interactivity, and Souths and Viocorp have added the live video element to that. It is another step in the broadcasting evolution." A live interactive video interview will be conducted with a leading character from each episode of "South Side Story" on www.souths.com.au every week of the six part series. So starting tomorrow log onto www.souths.com.au after the documentary ends to submit your questions and watch the broadcast.



On Celebrity Baby Blog  there is a wonderful pic of all Crowe's family.



Bunny boilers
(Sydney Morning Herald, Australia)
The one-time "pride of the league", Souths have bumped around the bottom of the table for the past decade and were even deregistered for two years from 2000. Last year, they won just three games. Financially and athletically bankrupt, the club's days seemed numbered. Until, that is, the appearance of Russell Crowe and millionaire businessman Peter Holmes a Court. "This is an incredible story," says David Alrich, writer and producer of South Side Story, a six-part documentary about the Rabbitohs' revival. "Here's one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and in come a rich bloke and famous actor and buy it." Billed as "two men and a team with everything to lose", South Side Story looks behind the scenes at what it takes to reinvent a moribund but much-loved footy club, focusing on what Alrich calls "the human drama, the passion and the politics". The first episode examines Crowe and Holmes a Court's battle to wrest control of the club in the face of a "Vote No" campaign headed by the likes of former players George Piggins and John Sattler (who captained Souths to a legendary 1970 grand final win with his jaw broken in three places). The series benefits from unfettered access to Crowe and Holmes a Court but is all the richer for roping in some prominent Vote No-ers including broadcaster Alan Jones and former club board member Larry Agius. "They sold the tradition of the team for 30 pieces of silver," Agius tells the camera. "It's not the people's team any more: it's two people's team." Narrated by Jack Thompson, the series provides a potted history of the club, nicknamed the Rabbitohs after the locals' habit in the early 1900s of catching bunnies to sell in the back alleys. It also illustrates its link to the local community, archetypal blue-collar battlers for whom sporting success was the only victory life afforded them. Not surprisingly, passions run high. During the takeover Crowe became the target of vitriolic websites, one of which, the actor claims, "even threatened me with sodomy". It was a stressful time, too, for Holmes a Court, who not only had a very public deal at stake but a film crew on his coat-tails. "Taking part in this film was the scariest thing I've done since buying the club," says Holmes a Court, son of the late billionaire corporate raider Robert Holmes a Court. "Normally as a businessman you have your hand on the tiller but with this I didn't. The ABC's editorial guidelines meant we didn't have any control at all, so it was stressful: you don't know how you're going to come out of it." The result, he says, is "a lifting of the veil, an honest look at the guts of the club". Perhaps the biggest challenge was to change the culture of Souths. "The club used to have to offer double what others were paying to get players even to consider coming over, because Souths was seen as a losing club," new coach Jason Taylor says. "Now that's changed. Last season we only won three games in all; this year we've already won eight and are only two points out of the top eight." The film shows the new owners remaking the Rabbitohs by improving facilities and other less orthodox techniques. At one stage Crowe buys every player an Armani suit and uses theatrical managers to leverage their talents more fully. He even introduces a new bonding concept called "The Love". "The thing that will make a difference is The Love. Accepting the family environment, the brotherhood," Crowe tells the players. He then professes his "love" for Souths lock Dean Widders, "because when I shake your hand I somehow feel that I'm touched by your heart". The series has been sold to the US and Canada, with nibbles from Britain, New Zealand and even Israel. "The story has universal appeal," says Alrich. "But it didn't matter: a good story is a good story, and this one had it all." South Side Story begins on the ABC on Tuesday at 8pm.

**August 4**

Panthers 32 defeat Rabbitohs 16
(souths.com)
The Penrith Panthers have defeated the South Sydney Rabbitohs 32 points to 16 at CUA Stadium in Penrith tonight (Saturday) in front of 10,845 fans.



CROWE'S LOVE-IN UPSETS RUGBY HARD MAN
(contactmusic)
RUSSELL CROWE has come under fire from a rugby rival - for telling players at the team he co-owns that he loves them. Former South Sydney rugby league club players like tough guy John Sattler were stunned when they watched the actor hugging players and "sharing the love" in a new Australian TV documentary. Angry Sattler says, "It's a lot of bulls**t." The retired player admits he was particularly offended when Crowe was seen hugging star Dean Withers in one scene. He tells the Sydney Daily Telegraph, "Imagine me walking up to (teammate) John O'Neill and saying I loved him and giving him a hug. "He'd run. We had coaches like Clive Churchill and Bernie Purcell. They never said they loved us even when we won four premierships."



Dubai rejects Scott's 'Lies'
(variety.com)
After initial approval, DiCaprio film barred
By ALI JAAFAR The United Arab Emirates is giving out less-than-united messages when it comes to its attempts to attract the global film biz. While execs at Abu Dhabi's inaugural Middle East Intl. Film Fest are busy unveiling ambitious plans to provide production coin for budding helmers from around the world, officials from governmental org the National Media Council have nixed plans for Ridley Scott's "Body of Lies" to lens in Dubai because of the politically sensitive nature of the script. Scott's pic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, follows an ex-journalist-turned CIA agent who's sent to Amman to track an Al Qaeda leader rumored to be planning attacks against America. Pic was set to shoot in Dubai toward the end of the year. "After receiving approval, it was later rejected as Dubai does not want to do any scripts that are of a political nature," says Tim Smythe, CEO of Filmworks, the Dubai-based shingle that was repping the production for Warners in the region. Mideast-set portions of the film will likely all be shot in Morocco now. The decision has already meant that two other Dubai-set shoots, a big-budget studio pic as well as a smaller budget East European feature, have subsequently pulled out of filming there. Variety understands that the decision to nix the Scott project was based on U.A.E authorities' reluctance to have Dubai associated with film subjects related to terrorism, Al Qaeda and Islamic fundamentalism. "It's unfortunate and limits the options of films to come to Dubai to help develop the industry as to date 85% of all films we have been approached about have some form of political nature," says Smythe. "Hopefully with time, this policy will become more relaxed and we can continue to build the industry." In Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, preparations are in full swing to make the Middle East Intl. Film Fest a destination for emerging helmers from around the world. Fest, set to unspool Oct. 12-17 in the oil-rich emirate, will award first-time or sophomore filmmakers substantial prizes for best feature, docu and short. The Black Pearl awards will offer substantial coin to helmers from any country to help make their next project. "Whether the next project is $1 million or $10 million or more, we're committing to helping get the project made. It's going to be the biggest prize of its kind that I've ever seen," says fest director Jon Fitzgerald. Helmers will also get the opportunity to pitch for funding at a finance conference, with funding for winning projects.

**August 3**

From Lionsgate Productions Notes of the Movie
(Tanks Ivani)
According to Russell, who is Ben Wade:
For Crowe, accepting the part was an easy decision. "I'd wanted to work with Jim for a while and there was a basic energy to the Ben Wade character that I liked," he explains. Wade is a man of implacable resolve and lightning judgment; a man who does him wrong can expect no mercy. Crowe believes his character's stern perspective is hard-earned and colors his every action. "There's a scene where Wade discusses a time when he read the Bible from cover to cover, and the reasons why he read the Bible from cover to cover. That, to me, is the central core of who Ben is. It wasn't a very pleasant experience for him when he read the Bible cover to cover, and I kind of took the attitude that he doesn't believe in a benevolent God. He got stuck somewhere in the Old Testament, and hasn't come out of there yet."
Screen writer Derek Haas comments:
"Wade is tough and glamorous, the equivalent of a modern rock star. He's the guy that everybody wants to be -- except when you're the guy holding the gun on him." Wade's dangerous appeal is central to the new film's exploration of hero -- and anti-hero -- worship. In fleshing out that theme, the filmmakers chose to expand the role of Will Evans, who was seen in only a handful of scenes in the original film. In the new version, the 14-year-old is enthralled by Wade and sneaks away from home to join the posse escorting the criminal to Contention. Mangold talks about triangle "Ben Wade/Dan Evans/Will Evans" Comments Mangold, "It's almost a love triangle, with Dan Evans and Ben Wade vying for the affection of this kid, who is charmed by this killer and bowled over by the fact he is well-mannered, educated and highly intelligent, perhaps even brilliant. Wade, in many ways, embodies a male fantasy: the superman character that is both lethal and gentle. Having Will become more present throughout the film really allowed us to explore the reality of fatherhood, the reality of providing, the reality of being law-abiding versus the fantasy of the life that Ben Wade lives."
James Mangold says why Russell for Ben Wade:
If Mangold was intent on modernizing the western in terms of action and atmosphere, he was equally focused on casting the film with actors who possessed the authority of classic western heroes and villains. "It was important to convey that sense of masculinity, power and capability, which is intrinsic to the western," the director remarks. With that in mind, Oscar®-winner Russell Crowe (GLADIATOR, A BEAUTIFUL MIND) was a natural choice for the cunning, charismatic Ben Wade. "Russell was who we always thought of for Wade, and he brings a clean, crisp, masculine commitment to the role. It's hard to make that leap into period films and figure out how to be yourself in them and somehow not bring down the scenery and the façade of that world. And Russell truly is himself in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, in GLADIATOR, in 3:10 TO YUMA, yet at the same time he's completely true to the period."

**August 2**
TV SOUTH SIDE STORY
Undated suplied image from South Side Story, the ABC documentary which tells the story of rugby league's South Sydney Rabbitohs and their resurgence since Russell Crowe (front) and Peter Holmes a Court bought the club. The documentary airs in six parts from Tuesday, August 7, 2007 at 8pm on ABC. (AAP Image)



**August 1**

Foster still Fonda co-star at shootin' time
(Boston Herald today)
When the "3:10 to Yuma" script called for Hollywood It Boy Ben Foster to shoot a slug into the stomach of silver screen legend Peter Fonda the Boston-born actor didn't flinch. "It was the easiest part to film of the whole movie," Foster grinned, then laughed as he turned to his co-star during a sit-down at the Ritz-Carlton Boston Common yesterday. "He kept doing this John Wayne impersonation on set and it's pretty easy, when a person is doing a John Wayne impersonation, for you to put a bullet in his gut." Fonda, getting into his "3:10" character, said: "It's true." The Tinseltown twosome breezed in and out of Boston this week to attend the first national screening of their flick, directed by James Mangold, who won as Oscar for "Walk the Line." In "3:10 to Yuma," the two actors play men on the opposite side of the law in the bang, bang, shoot 'em up film. Foster plays the right-hand man to Arizona's most feared outlaw played by Russell Crowe. Fonda plays a rough-and-tumble bounty hunter who teams up with authorities and a down-on-his-luck rancher (Christian Bale) to bring Wade to justice. But in order to do that, they must outshoot Crowe's wrangle-gangle posse and get him on a 3:10 train to Yuma prison. "It was one of the hardest shoots I've ever done," said the 26-year-old "Alpha Dog" star. "The weather was just tremendous. We had the worst snowstorm in 20 years. A lot of cold nights on horses with the wind whipping 'round." But they both agreed the gun-slinging flick was also one of the most rewarding - and fun movies they've filmed. And that was something Fonda felt the Boston audience appreciated. "It was interesting to watch the audience pick up on the humor the other night," Fonda, 61, mused. "Because the humor's not funny, it's not schtick, it's perfectly dropped (in the script) because you need comic relief. It made me think the film is going to be very successful."
"3:10 To Yuma" opens in theaters Sept. 7. (Tanks Ivani)