King Kong (2005 film)

King Kong is a 2005 epic monster film co-written, produced, and directed by Peter Jackson. A remake of the 1933 film of the same name, the film stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, and, through motion capture, Andy Serkis as the title character. Set in 1933, King Kong tells the story of an overly ambitious filmmaker who coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to the mysterious Skull Island. There they encounter Kong, a legendary giant gorilla, whom they capture and display in New York City, with tragic results.

The film's budget climbed from an initial US$150 million to a then-record-breaking $207 million. It was released on December 14, 2005 in Germany and on December 16 in the United States, and made an opening of $50.1 million. While it performed lower than expected, King Kong made domestic and worldwide grosses that eventually added up to $550 million, becoming the fourth-highest grossing film in Universal Pictures history. It also generated $100 million in DVD sales upon its home video release. The film garnered generally positive reviews from critics and appeared on several "top ten" lists for 2005, though some reviewers criticized it for its three-hour running time. It won three Academy Awards for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.

Preston (speedway)

Preston were a British speedway team that existed from 1929 to 1932.

Brief history

They first competed in the English Dirt Track League (effectively the Northern League) in 1929 when they were runners-up to Leeds Lions. In the same season they won the English Dirt Track Knockout Cup beating Halifax in the final. They were based at Farringdon Park, New Hall Lane, Preston, Lancashire.

References

External links

Preston (UK Parliament constituency)

Preston is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2000 by Mark Hendrick, a member of the Labour Party and of the Co-operative Party.

History

The seat was created for the Model Parliament and sent members until at least 1331 then the lack of records until a new (possibly confirmatory) grant of two members to Westminster followed. From 1529 unusually extending beyond the 19th century until 1950 the seat had two-member representation. Party divisions have tended to run stronger since 1931 before which two different parties' candidates frequently came first and second at elections under the bloc vote system.

In 1929 recently elected Liberal, Sir William Jowitt decided to join the Labour Party and called for a by-election (which implies a single vacancy) to support this change of party which he won to take up for two years the position of Attorney General of England and Wales as part of the Government. He became the highest judge during the Attlee Ministry, the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Speaker of the House of Lords under a then hereditary-dominated House leading to a Conservative majority. Consequently, he was selected to be elevated to a peerage as 1st Earl Jowitt. With no sons was to be the last Earl and wrote a Dictionary of English Law.

Gigi

Gigi (pronounced: [ʒi.ʒi]) is a 1944 novella by French writer Colette. The plot focuses on a young Parisian girl being groomed for a career as a courtesan and her relationship with the wealthy cultured man named Gaston who falls in love with her and eventually marries her.

The novella was the basis for a 1949 French film starring Danièle Delorme and Gaby Morlay.

In 1951, it was adapted for the stage by Anita Loos. Colette had personally picked the yet unknown Audrey Hepburn on first sight to play the title role. Her Aunt Alicia was played by stage legend Cathleen Nesbitt, who was to become Hepburn's acting mentor from that time on. Opening on 24 November 1951 on Broadway at the Fulton Theatre, the play ran for 219 performances (finishing on 31 May 1952) and Hepburn's debut on Broadway earned her a Theatre World Award.

The novella was translated into English by Roger Senhouse and published (with "The Cat" translated by Antonia White) in 1953.

Seven years later, a musical film version with a screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner and a score by Lerner and Frederick Loewe won the Academy Award for Best Picture. This film version starred Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan. The story of a girl being groomed to be a courtesan by her grandmother made producer Arthur Freed doubt making it as a straight drama would be acceptable to the American censors, so they "cleaned it up" and turned it into a musical.

Gigi (1949 film)

Gigi is a 1949 French comedy film directed by Jacqueline Audry and starring Gaby Morlay, Jean Tissier and Yvonne de Bray. A young lady (Daniélle Delorme) who is coming of age and realises she not only adores the debonair, close family fiend Gaston, who has spoiled her with attention and care for most of her life (played beautifully by Franck Villard), but that she is in love with him. Gaston realises the same thing, and despite efforts of Gigi´s down-to-earth, doting Grandmother and charming, socialite Aunt to bring the couple together by the then socially accepted practice, it is the undeniable and compelling love between Gigi and Gaston that triumphs above all. Beautifully directed by Jacqueline Audry, who accentuates the brilliant humor of this piece without losing the utterly remarkable sensitivity of the young love that takes center stage. The film was based on the novella Gigi written by Colette.

A better-known version of the Gigi story, starring Leslie Caron, was filmed in 1958. The 1949 film is included as an extra on the 2008 2-disc DVD and 2009 Blu-ray Disc versions of the 1958 film.

Gigi (song)

"Gigi" is the title song from the 1958 Academy Award-winning film, directed by Vincente Minnelli. It was written by Frederick Loewe (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (words), sung by Louis Jourdan in the film. It then went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1958.

A cover version by Billy Eckstine peaked at #8 in the UK Singles Chart in 1959. Instrumental version was recorded on March 21, 1962, for the LP There Is Nothing Like a Dame with Pete Candoli and Conte Candoli on trumpets, Shelly Manne on drums, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Howard Roberts on guitar and Gary Peacock on bass. Sergio Franchi recorded the song in England with Wally Stott on his 1964 RCA Victor Red Seal album Women in My Life.

References