People.com had a little feature called Becoming… Tom Cruise with 13 pictures of Tom from past to present. Tom at the Atlanta Grand Prix in ’87 was new to me… (pic no. 5), everything else nice to see again.
More on how TLS could have gotten on the internet is reported by Fox News: Another Oscar Screener Movie Found Online and Cinema.com: Oscar preview films end up online.
The Last Samurai is nominated for a Producer of the Year award (film) by the Producers Guilt of America, read PGA Saves “Samurai,” Loses “Lost”.
Hello! Magazine has in it’s monthly poll Tom Cruise as one of the nominees for Most Attractive Man. You can vote ones a day so add this link Hello!Magazine to your ‘favorites’ and vote for Tom this month! At the end of the year we can choose the most attractive man out of the monthly winners. And maybe they will produce more stories and pics on Tom!
Penélope is up for Most Elegant Woman, if you like you can vote for her here.
Tom & Pen were spotted by the fashion police of E! Online, see a picture here.
In contrary to the international success of TLS (see posting by Fanny) the LOTR 3 is still the number one in the UK and Ireland, according to the BBC; Rings resists Samurai offensive. Well, I can live with that, after all the LOTR is one out of three movies and has a famous ‘history’ with Tolkien’s books. Considering that a no. 2 positions is great!
news.com.au reports what Tom and the other crew members did in their spare time while shooting in New Zealand: Cruise in love again
TLS explodes at international box office
Tom Cruise has ended the domination of Frodo & Co. in foreign markets, as “The Last Samurai” may have dethroned “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” with an estimated $30.6 million over the weekend.
The arrival of a Tom Cruise starrer appeared particularly timely during the frame as Warner’s “Samurai” battled its way to $23.7 million from openings in nine European markets. It also took $4.85 million from its sixth weekend in Japan, where it has cumed an impressive $73.4 million, and $2.1 million from Korea, India and Indonesia.
“Samurai” finished a close second in the U.K., with $4.9 million at 430 playdates, and in Germany with $4.7 million at 829 engagements, both on par with openings for “Saving Private Ryan.” One distrib estimated “King” had grossed $6.4 million in Blighty, a 41% decline.
“Samurai” scored its biggest take in Italy, where “King” won’t open until Jan. 23, taking $5.7 million at 600 sites to lead that market. The figure repped the fourth largest Italian opening for a Warner pic after “Harry Potter (news – web sites) and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “The Matrix Reloaded” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.”
“Samurai” easily won in Spain over “King” with $5.2 million at 425 playdates, including previews, marking Warner’s fifth biggest debut in that territory with results 14% higher than “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” “Samurai” also was No. 1 in Austria, German-speaking Switzerland, Israel and Portugal.
In an illustration of the variance in offshore estimates, Warner said “Samurai” was contending for first in Japan with $4.85 million, while BVI reported the sixth frame of “Finding Nemo” had won the territory with $7 million in its sixth weekend for a cume of $77.4 million. “Return of the King” won’t open in Japan until mid-February
GORGEOUS MAGAZINE COVERS!!(thanks to Architect)
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The British Film Academy announces the nominees for nominations, so nothing is certain yet! Apparently Tom will be nominated for Best Actor but TLS is not up for a Best Picture nomination. People.com comes with the story British Tease with Movie Nominations; they name 15 movies out of which 5 finalist will be chosen for the Best Picture nominations. More: Bafta longlist snubs Last Samurai. More background stories about the BAFTA’s: Bafta pulls award voting website and Bafta warns of ‘awards catastrophe’ from october 2003.
Tom’s production company Cruise/Wagner Productions has contracted Don Granger, with whom they worked on M:I-2, to assist in the producing business. “We have known and worked with Don a long time at Paramount, and he is smart and has very strong relationships in the film community, both in business and talent,” Paula Wagner said. “He’s got experience and a grasp and understanding of the filmmaking process from the vantage point of an executive and an indie producer. We’re looking forward to bringing his skills, talent and relationships to C/W as we expand our company and think he will be instrumental in helping us with that expansion.” To know more about this, read the article Mutual chief takes Cruise from Variety.
I also read that screenwriter Robert Towne has completed the script for Mission: Impossible 3; the shooting will start later this year (source: Hollywood Inside).
The Critic’s Choice Awards are given; unfortunately TLS didn’t win the Best Picture award nor did Ken Watanabe win the award for Best Supporting Actor. We hope for more awards at the Golden Globes (Tom nominated Best Actor) and Oscars!
Tom is on more magazine covers:
On the one hand, you get a relaxed if occasionally wary Cruise — who is both a good actor and a big star — talking mainly about acting as a craft.
In a little under 90 minutes not counting commercials, he talks about aspects of 16 movies, from Taps to The Last Samurai. You hear his thoughts about working with people like Paul Newman and Gene Hackman, what he wants from a director and how he researches his roles.
He also does impressions of Donald Duck and Jack Nicholson, and talks very seriously about his parents’ divorce and his father’s death. There’s even a little chat about his childhood experiences with kissing.
Empire Online made a special feature about The Last Samurai. You will find three pages with the premiere report, a photo gallery with pics of the premiere in London, reviews and you can buy the music, the book and TLS posters.
Enjoy! 😉
Lots of stories again since TLS had its premiere in London! A quote from Tom during one of his celebrated red-carpet strolls before the British premiere of his blockbuster ‘The Last Samurai’:
“You never get used to this, it’s incredible.” We think so, too!! Read all the stories:
– Sky.com: Tom is on Cruise Control; pictures you’ll find on the main page of the site
– Variety: Story about the fact that Tom Cruise has never made an epic before
– Associated Press: Cruise Attends London ‘Samurai’ Premiere
– Reuters: Cruise Greets Crowds at UK ‘Samurai’ Premiere
– Empire Online: The biggest moviestar in the world (yeah!)
– Entertainment Online: Scribe sues over ‘Samurai’ (a writer who thinks he deserves a screen credit)
– Teen Hollywood: Fans Swamp Cruise at Premiere
– Hello! Magazine: Tom Cruise’s epic London walkabout (always nice, and you can watch pictures there!)
– Australian News.com.au: Cruise courts London fans
– smh.com.au also finally found out about Cruise’s brush with death and they also have pictures of the London premiere
– The British BBC has a number of stories: Cruise indulges autograph frenzy, 6th Jan.; In pictures: Cruise and Cruz charm London; Cruise indulges autograph frenzy, 7th Jan. and Shrewd moves of charmer Cruise
– Cinema Confidential: Cruise delights thousands of fans
– Variety: Cruise makes his mark in London
Also some other news:
– According to Star Magazine Penelope is Rating Tom Cruise
– People Magazine has a picture we all know of The Young Mr. Cruise
– Cinema Confidential: Cruise still interested in “Iron Man”?
Pfew, suddenly I can’t keep up reading it all! But I felt I couldn’t postpone posting it so enjoy it!
Cruise and Cruz were on hand for the London Premiere of The Last Samurai (looking oh-so lovely)
Cruise appeared to keep his promise to provide his signature to everyone who wanted it in the crowd of 5,000 delighted fans in Leicester Square.
He arrived with Spanish girlfriend Penelope Cruz.
On Monday, the Oscar-nominated actor had said of the forthcoming premier: “Hey, if anyone shows up and wants my autograph, they can have it.”
It is now customary for the 41-year-old star to work overtime with his fans in Leicester Square during such premiers.
For “Minority Report” in 2002, he spent 90 minutes with the crowd. The year before he courted his fans for an hour to promote the movie “Vanilla Sky.”
+ Overseas Grpss: $61,138,000 / Japan. It’s not doing too bad in Japan 😉
