-- Author William F. Nolan recently commented on the upcoming Warner Brothers remake of the film version of his novel, "Logan's Run." "On the Logan front, Warner Brothers is in pre-production on their huge, upcoming remake of LOGAN'S RUN. I recently talked to Skip Woods, the writer/director of the remake, and he's now well into the screenplay for the producer Joel Silver. Hopefully, the film will go into production next year, with release sometime in 2003." The story concerns the escape of two people from an authoritarian state in which everyone is scheduled to die at thirty.

-- An anti-smoking group, "ASH, Action on Smoking and Health" is now calling for age restrictions on films in which leading stars smoke.

-- The 1950 James Stewart film "Harvey," about an eccentric man who believes he has a giant invisible rabbit friend, is being remade. Craig Mazin (director of The Specials) has been hired to write the remake of Harvey for Dimension Films. This wonderful comedy has a touching social tolerance theme.

-- The upcoming "Lord of the Rings" film was screened earlier this week to exhibitors. Says Ronald Epstein, one of those few who viewed the film, "'Lord Of The Rings' will make its mark in film history. Fans will embrace this film and newcomers will be in complete awe of one of the most visually entertaining films ever made....and this is only the beginning!" "Lord of the Rings" is due for initial release in theaters on 12/19. You can read Epstein's full review here.

-- Tom Hanks' next HBO series will cover the American Revolution. The actor's Playtone Productions has teamed with HBO to option the rights to "John Adams," the best-selling Simon & Schuster biography of the second U.S. president by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough. The miniseries is planned to span between 10 and 13 episodes.

-- DIC Entertainment and PBS announced the debut of a new children's animated series, "Liberty's Kids." The series will launch on Memorial Day, 2002 on PBS. This program, told through the eyes of two young teenagers working in Benjamin Franklin's print shop, will dramatize inspirational stories of the American Revolution.

-- David L. Cunningham (To End All Wars) has agreed to direct "Rebels" for Walden Media. The film will be a true account of Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen. When the British begin to commandeer farms to resell at exorbitant prices, Allen leads a rebellious group of men known as the Green Mountain Boys to take action. The film will go into production in the spring.

-- Director Steven Spielberg will release a new digitally "revamped" version of "E.T." next year. In the original version, scary government agents carrying shotguns pursue Elliot and E.T., who, along with a group of friends, use their bikes to outmaneuver the agents. In the revamped version, the guns will be digitally erased and replaced with walkie-talkies. No, we wouldn't want kids to get the impression that government agents carry guns.

-- The Atlas Society web site now offers a listing and commentary on currently airing "films and programs that have some relationship to Ayn Rand -- including her favorite movies, actors, authors, etc." More on this here.

-- Teachers, be sure to check out the newly revamped John Stossel in the Classroom web site. It now has a state-by-state listing of schools using Stossel in the Classroom, product information, pics, video streams, text guide samples, an online order form and more. The site is here.

-- According to "The Hollywood Reporter," Universal Pictures is optioning the film rights for Alan Moore's comic book "The Watchmen," and for David Hayter (X-Men) to write the screenplay and possibly direct the film. "The Watchmen," and Moore's other book, "V for Vendetta," have long been popular among libertarians. Per the premise: "It's the 1980's and it's a different world. Superheroes have been outlawed. The only ones still in operation are under direct control of the United States government. Suddenly, those heroes, both still in action and retired, find themselves targets by an unseen enemy, who wants to kill them one by one." More on this here

-- "Megalopolis," the upcoming Francis Ford Coppola film that Coppola himself described as "a little bit like an Ayn Rand novel," is being rewritten in light of the WTC attack. The film is about the conflict between a NYC mayor who is trying to preserve the city's architectural past, and a controversial, forward-looking architect. Associates say the events of Sept. 11th have convinced Coppola that his movie is all the more relevant to the times. "I feel as though history has come to my doorstep," Coppola has told friends. More on this here.

-- Rep. Ron Paul has introduced "The September 11 Marque and Reprisal Act of 2001," which would authorize the White House to allow the capture or killing of bin Laden by private individuals and groups. The measure effectively revives privateering, which was once used to wage naval warfare and to battle piracy. An excellent film about Britain's early privateers, who defended the country against the Spanish Armada, is "The Seahawk." This 1940 film stars Errol Flynn, in arguably the best performance of his career. More on the Ron Paul story here.

-- Production of Ayn Rand's "The Husband I Bought," is still underway. Reports the 10/4/01 edition of Variety: "Hit & Run Productions partners Hilary Shor and Tony Smith, who produced 'Eye of the Beholder,' are prepping the Stephan Elliot-directed adaptation of the Ayn Rand novella 'The Husband I Bought.'"

-- The 10/11/01 edition of Variety reports: "Speaking at a Mipcom presentation hosted by the state-run web, Zhao Shi, representing China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, said the industry would continue 'embracing the outside world with open arms. China's reform and opening-up policy is not made up of empty words. We will take concrete actions to learn and communicate with our overseas counterparts to achieve mutual benefit.' China has 350 million TV sets, the largest number in the world." Meanwhile, state control over Russia's media appears to have been tightened, with the court ordered liquidation of independent broadcaster TV-6. The liquidation was widely seen as a way to silence the station, which had criticized Vladimir Putin.

-- Court TV is producing its first original made-for-TV movie, "Guilt by Association," starring Mercedes Ruehl. The film is inspired by the Court documentary "Prisoners of Love," about mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines. Ruehl will portray a woman unjustly caught in the web of the sentencing rules. "Guilt by Association" is scheduled to air in winter 2002.

-- I have added a review of the film "Before Night Falls" to my web site. This Academy Award nominated film is about Cuban novelist/poet Manuel Arenas, who suffered relentless state persecution in Cuba but who overcame it to become one of the country's greatest writers. This film is available major video rental chains on VHS video and DVD. The review is here

-- The New Line Cinema film adaptation of Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" is expected to be released on 12/19/01. The story concerns a ring that conveys total power to anyone who wears it, but power, as we know, has the potential to corrupt. You can learn more about this upcoming film at its official web site, here.

-- No doubt many readers have been looking forward to the airing of C-SPAN's segment on Ayn Rand, originally scheduled for 10/22. Unfortunately, due to the recent attack on the U.S., airing of the remainder of the American Writers series including the Ayn Rand segment have been postponed until Spring 2002. "Events in the past two weeks have made it clear that for the foreseeable future, C-SPAN needs to dedicate our complete editorial attention to providing long-form coverage of the national response to this situation." More on this here.

-- Update on the "Atlas Shrugged" movie: A spokesperson for Ruddy Morgan Productions said that the "Atlas Shrugged" movie is still in development despite delays. In response to an inquiry as to the nature of the holdup, the spokesperson said "Delays?! Delays are not unusual. That's Hollywood." Any chance that the movie is being cancelled? "No. 'Atlas Shrugged' will be definitely be made."

-- In addition to its listing at Laissez-Faire Books (800-326-0996), "Miss Liberty's Guide to Film and Video" is now available at Amazon.com. Sales at Amazon depend very much on reader reviews. If there are any Amazon customers out there who have read the book and would be willing to write a few sentences in its favor, it would be tremendously appreciated. The link to send a reader review is on the same page as the ad for the book.

-- An independent imagery expert has confirmed the findings contained in the latest Mike McNulty video on the Waco Massacre, entitled "The FLIR Project." "Michael A. Weatherford, a Colorado-based analyst and former Air Force master sergeant with extensive imagery intelligence experience, found that 'the conclusions of the producers of 'The F.L.I.R. Project,' a documentary charging that flashes of light contained in FBI infrared footage shot during the raid were gunfire from federal agents, 'appear to be well-justified by both their methodology and their results.'" You can read the full article on this here. The "FLIR Project" is available on VHS video from Laissez-Faire Books ($19.95, 800-326-0996).

-- As mentioned previously, Francis Ford Coppola is reportedly directing a new film entitled "Megalopolis." Per Coppola's own description: "The setting is modern New York. It deals... with the idea that the future world we're going to live in is being negotiated today... It's a little bit like an Ayn Rand novel." Apparently, it's the story of an architect who dreams of building the city of the future out of a low-cost (probably controversial) plastic compound. Variety reports that "filming is expected to now start in early 2002. Other actors [in addition to Warren Beatty and Parker Posey] Coppola is hoping for include Russell Crowe, Liam Neeson, and George Clooney." More on this here.

-- The much-lauded film "Chocolat" will be released on home video on Tuesday (8/7). This is a light, upbeat film with an anti-authoritarian message. You can read my review of it here.

-- The HBO film "For Love Or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story," about a Cuban musician who resisted Castro's attempts to control his work, has been nominated for three Emmys (Cinematography, Music, and Lead Actor).

-- "Miss Liberty's Guide to Film and Video" received another reader review at Laissez-Faire Books. Reader jessbowen writes "I just received your book, and think it is wonderful... I think the greatest benefit of a reference like this is that film is an easy and soft way to spread libertarian ideas. When I invite my friends and family over, I don't want to hit them over the head with lectures and heavy political discussion... But I can easily show a movie and then we can talk about it. I think it's a great tool to help undo the brainwashing of the 'government is the solution' mentality. Thanks!" If you don't yet have a copy of this guide to libertarian film, you can order it here.

--"Miss Liberty's Guide to Film and Video" continues to rise in Laissez-Faire Books' bestseller list. It is now the #4 bestseller, up from #6 two weeks ago and #8 a month ago. Many thanks to the purchasers out there! If you don't yet have a copy, you can order this guide to libertarian film by calling Laissez-Faire Books at 800-326-0996.

-- Francis Ford Coppola is reportedly directing a new film entitled "Megalopolis." Per Coppola's own description: "The setting is modern New York. It deals... with the idea that the future world we're going to live in is being negotiated today... It's a little bit like an Ayn Rand novel." Apparently, it's the story of an architect who dreams of building the city of the future out of a low-cost (probably controversial) plastic compound. Film production is scheduled to start in the fall of 2001 (or January, 2002 at the latest). Among the stars reportedly reading for roles are Nicolas Cage, Russell Crowe, Robert De Niro, Paul Newman, Parker Posey, and Kevin Spacey. More on this here.

-- A film takeoff on the 1960's British TV series "The Prisoner" (which addressed such themes as the individual and society and the philosophical nature of freedom) is still in the works. At the moment, it's in the script writing stage. As reported in Coming Attractions, "Director Simon West shot down recent rumors that actor Clive Owen was locked to play the new Number Six and also stated he would love to get the original Prisoner, Patrick MacGoohan in the movie 'if he's at all interested.' The director also said he would like to shoot part of the movie in the small North Wales town of Portmeirion where the original mini-series was filmed, but that he would also be bringing more international locations to the big-screen Prisoner." More on this here.

-- Expect increased attempts by the FCC to ban "indecency" on the airwaves. Bush's new appointee, Michael Copps, apparently wants station managers to begin storing their broadcasts so that he can review them for objectionable content. More on this here.

-- Laissez-Faire Books has created a discussion forum for readers (and potential readers) of "Miss Liberty's Guide to Film and Video." I am scheduled to participate 7/24-8/1. You can participate in this discussion here.

-- If you missed ABC journalist John Stossel's latest special, entitled "Tampering With Nature" and which concerned environmental doomsaying, you can order a VHS copy from Laissez-Faire Books here.

-- As mentioned previously, the "Atlas Shrugged" movie project has been on hold for months due to the threatened actors strike. Happily, negotiators for Hollywood's actors and producers recently announced they have reached a tentative three-year deal. The new deal must be approved by a majority of the 135,000 members of the two acting unions, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists; it is expected to be ratified.

-- Some local PBS stations are now re-airing "Traffik," the original British miniseries on which the recent Academy Award-winning film "Traffic" was based. This series has considerable anti- War on Drugs content. To find out if your local PBS station is airing this program, check here.

-- "Miss Liberty's Guide to Film and Video" received another reader review at the Laissez-Faire Books web site. C.Rasch writes "As a result of Osborne's reviews, I've discovered a number of difficult to find, but wonderful gems. Osborne writes well--dip into the book at random, and you will find insightful, witty commentary. I've already given copies [of the book] to several of my libertarian/objectivist friends. Highly recommended!" You can order this guide to libertarian film or find out more about it here.

-- ABC television correspondent John Stossel scored yet another triumph with his latest documentary, "Tampering with Nature." The special did very well in terms of viewership, ranking second in its time slot, and it even did better than ABC's popular "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" show, which aired an hour earlier. If you missed this special, Laissez-Faire Books will soon have it in stock on video, and when that occurs I will announce it. Also of possible interest is an article concerning some of the controversy around the show. If you want to help John Stossel, you can also send a note thanking ABC for airing the program (it only takes a minute using the onscreen form provided) here.

-- I have added a review of the film "Dirty Pictures" to my web site. This Golden Globe winning film is about the attempted banning of Robert Maplethorpe pictures in Cincinnati, and the heroic defense of first amendment rights by the museum curator who showed the Maplethorpe pictures. This film is available on VHS video and DVD. The review is here.

-- Laissez-Faire Books is now carrying the most recently released episodes of "The Prisoner" (the 1960s television series) on VHS video and DVD: SET 3: The Schizoid Man / Many Happy Returns / It's Your Funeral FN8468, VHS Video, 156 min $29.95 , DVD video, 156 min $39.95 SET 4: A Change of Mind / Hammer Into Anvil / Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling / Living in Harmony FN8470, VHS video, 208 min $29.95 FN8471, DVD video, 208 min $39.95.

-- A major libertarian special will air this week that I highly recommend. "Tampering With Nature," an ABC John Stossel documentary, promises to be a well-reasoned televisual response to anti-science political advocates, challenging standard eco-Left positions on genetic engineering, human cloning, and global warming. The full press release for this follows:

ABC Press Release: June 21, 2001

John Stossel Challenges the Doomsayers Warnings on Genetic Engineering, Human Cloning and Global Warming, in a One-Hour Special, "Tampering with Nature with John Stossel," Airing Friday, June 29

In a one-hour special, ABC News Correspondent John Stossel investigates the outcry over genetic engineering and human cloning and challenges the dire warnings surrounding global warming and bovine growth hormone. Why have recent advances in science been met with fear, protests, even acts of terrorism? Why is the industrial society that helped make our comfortable lives possible treated with suspicion and contempt? Stossel challenges the activists who say we're destroying the earth's ecosystem with everything from genetic engineering to greenhouse gases. Tampering with Nature airs FRIDAY, June 29, 10-11 p.m. ET on the ABC Television Network.

Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore, who has quit Greenpeace, says the environmental movement has been hijacked by political activists. "They're using environmental rhetoric to cloak agendas like class warfare and anti-corporatism that, in fact, have almost nothing to do with ecology," Moore tells Stossel.

Lately, the greenhouse effect and global warming have been all over the news. But Stossel interviews climatologists who say there is no consensus that global warming is harming the planet. They point to the often-overlooked fact that huge piles of federal funding are at stake. Says Pat Michaels of the University of Virginia: "Let's imagine there's a senate hearing, and the senator who disburses the funds goes to the administrator of NASA and says, ÔI've heard global warming is the most serious problem confronting mankind. Can your agency use another $2 billion a year to study this thing?' What's he gonna say? No?" Moreover, Stossel points out that even if greenhouse gases were restricted, at a cost of trillions of dollars to U.S. taxpayers, it is estimated that this would prevent a rise in temperature of only a fraction of a degree.

Despite great improvements in the U.S. environment, schoolkids are often given one-sided presentations about the horrors of industrial society. Some educators and activists are enlisting students to protest the Bush White House as part of their school curriculum, and are delivering presentations that leave some kids fearful about the fate of humanity. "If we don't stop [global warming]," says one student, "we could all die."

Stossel then turns to cloning and interviews Dr. Panos Zavos, who hopes to clone human beings soon with new technology. "It's a marvelous thing," says Zavos, a reproductive specialist who wants to help infertile couples have babies. "We have more than 1,000 couples that want to be cloned," he says. Anti-cloning activist Rev. Patrick Mahoney disagrees, asking what will become of deformed children created by this new technique. "Who takes care of that child?"

Stossel reports that genetic engineering is already saving lives through cutting-edge medical treatments, despite activists' fears. Biotech is also helping to make food more plentiful, as with bovine growth hormone that increases milk production. But as Stossel finds out, even though the World Health Organization, the FDA and the AMA all say milk from cows given bovine growth hormone is perfectly safe, activists condemn it, one New York protester even likening it to "crack for cows."

Many of us romanticize the simple life of groups like the Pilgrims, but life without modern technology is toughÑoften fatal. Half the Pilgrims died. That's something to keep in mind when people insist that we should never "tamper with nature." Stossel concludes that we alter our environment not to destroy but "to make our lives better in a hundred ways."

ABCNEWS.com, the 24-hour news service of ABC News and part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, will provide companion programming to the broadcast.

Victor Neufeld is the senior executive producer of Tampering with Nature, Martin Phillips the executive producer, and Deborah Colloton and Mark Golden the producers.

-- On Tuesday (6/26) the original British miniseries "Traffik" (on which the recent Academy Award-winning film "Traffic" was based) will be released on VHS video. "From the fields of Pakistan through the docks of Hamburg to the halls of London's power elite, this epic drama crosses continents and cultures to portray the dark and dangerous world of international drug smuggling. Intersecting stories of a British minister with a drug-addicted daughter, the wife of a German businessman whose husband is arrested for drug trafficking, and a Pakistani farmer struggling to live off his land." The series has considerable anti- War on Drugs content.

-- "Miss Liberty's Guide to Film and Video" is currently the #7 bestseller at Laissez-Faire Books. You can order this guide to libertarian film or find out more about it here.

-- Actor Russell Means has announced that he will seek the Libertarian Party nomination in 2002 as candidate for governor of New Mexico. Means's latest film is "29 Palms," a comedy in which he plays a Native American chief who runs a casino and hires (hit man) Chris O'Donnell to track down a stolen bag of money.

-- A new Christian Bale film, due for release some time this year and entitled "Equilibrium," posits a future totalitarian world in which the population has been drugged. Emotions, it seems, were determined to be the root evil of various human problems, so government has forcibly administered drugs that erase emotional sensation. Enter one of the enforcers of this regime, played by Bale, who begins to see how pointless life is in this new state of things. After some reawakening of his own emotions, he determines to free the world from this oppressive regime. It sounds like a terrific story and early reports are favorable. More on this film here and here.

-- Two interesting essays regarding portrayals of businessmen in the movies, both by Edward Younkins, are available online. These include some good film suggestions. You can read these essays here and here.

-- A new documentary video has been released on the Flight 800 disaster. Entitled "Silenced: Flight 800 and the Subversion of Justice," the film focuses on the discrepancy between eyewitness accounts and the NTSB explanation for the explosion. More on this video here.

-- LF Books is now carrying "The FLIR Project," the recently released film by Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist Michael McNulty. "This powerful film demonstrates beyond a reasonable doubt that federal agents fired into Mt. Carmel as men, women and children were burning to death inside the building. It is an unflinching indictment of the government and its continuing cover-up [at Waco]." You can learn more about or order this film here.

-- "Traffic" will be released on video on Tuesday (5/29). This four-time Academy Award-winning film is a terrific indictment of the War on Drugs. You can see my full review of it here.

-- Entertainment columnist Jeannie Williams reports in USA Today: "[The Atlas Shrugged miniseries] was to have begun shooting this spring. Producer Al Ruddy's office says the actors' strike has precluded that. Ruddy is fine-tuning the budget and locations but doesn't want to be forced into production without the actors he thinks are best. No new shooting schedule is set." Negotiators for the Screen Actors Guild and producers resumed talking yesterday, after a two-day break from the bargaining table.

-- My new book, "Miss Liberty's Guide to Film and Video: Movies for the Libertarian Millennium," has received its first review. Laissez-Faire Books customer h-hansen writes: "This book is a surprising find. Insightful and entertaining film reviews (I sat down to skim through it and found myself reading each review with great interest) combined with an analysis of libertarian themes as they appear in movies. Osborne's style is absorbing and lively. His knowledge of libertarian philosophy is combined with inside Hollywood detail for an unusually thought provoking read. There seems to be something inherently interesting about movies, maybe because they are so accessible. Osborne appears to have written this with a libertarian audience in mind. However, it occurs to me that this might be an unusually good book for introducing libertarianism to non-libertarians. A way to absorb libertarian ideas through a prism of the interesting, comfortable and familiar." Order before May 31 and Laissez-Faire Books will take 15% off at checkout. You can find out more about this book here.

-- Harry Browne's "American Liberty Foundation" is already cranking out educational TV ads sympathetic to libertarian positions. The first three ads, about gun control, are available for viewing on the web. You can learn more about Browne's media organization and see these commercials in RealVideo or MediaPlayer here.

-- "Before Night Falls" will be released on video on Tuesday (5/22). This film tells the story of Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas, who endured persecution by Castro and escaped to the U.S. Javier Bardem won several "Best Actor" awards for his performance as Arenas.

-- Production of "The Fellowship of the Ring," the upcoming film based on Tolkien's classic "The Lord of the Rings," continues apace. The story, which concerns a ring that gives supreme power to the bearer, dramatizes the potential of power to corrupt and the danger of centralized power generally. So far, this film looks like a first-rate production. This could be the next "Star Wars" in terms of popularity. You can learn everything you want to know about this film, due to be released on 12/19/01, here. You can see the QuickTime version of the trailer here.

-- Meanwhile, the Scott Rudin production of "Stranger in a Strange Land" is still being scripted. Rumors that it was being made into a Western (about a cowboy being chased by outlaws) turned out to be false. More on this here.

-- As mentioned previously, Warner Brothers is making a film based on Alan Moore's comic book "The Watchmen," which is (along with his other book, "V for Vendetta") popular among libertarians. Per the premise: "It's the 1980's and it's a different world. Superheroes have been outlawed. The only ones still in operation are under direct control of the United States government. Suddenly, those heroes both still in action and retired find themselves targets by an unseen enemy, who wants to kill them one by one."

-- The Ludiwg von Mises Institute has published a review of the film "Enemy at the Gates." It's here.

-- Rearden Steel made its official debut this week with $67 million in venture capital funding. Founded by WebTV co-founder Steve Perlman, Rearden Steel actually has nothing to do with steel (apparently Perlman is a Rand fan and just likes the name) but instead is a high-tech digital equipment company that promises to radically change home entertainment. Those in the know speculate that Mr. Perlman is "creating a platform where television, the Internet and video games come together in a single system."

-- The Libertarian Party News reports that comedian Drew Carey voted for LP Presidential candidate Harry Browne last November. In a January 20 Washington Post article, "Carey said he had voted for Browne for president, and added 'I can't wait for a Libertarian to become president.'" In addition to starring in ABC's "The Drew Carey Show" and "Who's Line Is It Anyway," Carey has also performed as a stand-up comedian, on HBO specials, and in a 2001 pay-per-view special. Carey is also a supporter of the Reason Foundation.

-- Separately, another television luminary, Trey Parker, co-creator of Comedy Central's "South Park," revealed in a Los Angeles Times interview that he's a registered Libertarian. No wonder "South Park" has so many libertarian themes.

-- Emmy Award winning investigative journalist Michael McNulty has released another film on the Waco Massacre. This one, entitled "The F.L.I.R. Project," focuses on evidence that government snipers fired into Mt. Carmel, effectively preventing anyone from escaping. More on this video here.

-- Failed Vice-Presidential candidate, and current Senator, Joseph Lieberman will introduce legislation giving the Federal Trade Commission authority to prosecute media companies for marketing adult fare to children.

-- Two films of interest are being released on video this week: "Billy Elliot" and "For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story." "Billy Elliot" is one of my favorite films of 2000, a touching story of individualism that swept the British Independent Film Awards, winning "Best Film," "Best Screenplay," "Best Director," and "Best Newcomer" (the latter for its 14-year old star Jamie Bell). You can read my full review here. "For Love or Country" tells the story of renowned Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval, who fought the Cuban government for his artistic freedom before finally fleeing to the U.S.

-- A PBS show of probable interest is "Uncommon Knowledge," a program affiliated with Stanford's Hoover Institute. The topics vary, but have at times covered the War on Drugs, government funding of the arts, school choice, and more. Because local affiliates may choose to air different episodes at different times, or not air them at all, it's impossible to include them in the schedule below. To see if and when this program will be broadcast in your area, check out your local PBS schedule here. You can learn more about "Uncommon Knowledge" here. This site also has many of its programs available in RealVideo.

-- I have added a page to the Missliberty.com web site for the film "Traffic." This page has a full review and useful links related to the film. It's here.

-- One of the less well-known genocides of the last century, in which the Turkish government massacred an estimated one million Armenians in 1915, is the subject of a new film in development. The film is entitled "Ararat" and stars Christopher Plummer. More on this film here.

-- Kenny Kramer, the real-life inspiration for the quirky "Seinfeld" character played by Michael Richards, is seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for mayor of New York City. Four years ago, Kramer unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Party nomination.

-- It's tax time again. If you're looking for a movie to put you in the mood, try: 1) HarryÕs War (1986)/#####/***, 2) The F Zone (1998)/#####/**, or The Mating Game (1959)/####/***. You can purchase copies of "Harry's War" and "The F Zone" at No Free Lunch Distributors. "The Mating Game" is commonly available at video rental chains and is also available for purchase at Amazon.com.

-- Want to help Miss Liberty? Why not forward this newsletter to a friend and invite them to sign up here.

-- The anti- War on Drugs film "Traffic" did well at the Academy Awards last Sunday, winning Best Director (Steven Soderbergh), Best Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro), Best Editing (Stephen Mirrione), and Best Writing-Adapted (Stephen Gaghan). It is rumored that PBS may re-air the British miniseries "Traffik," on which "Traffic" is based, some time this year. Want to help make that happen? Write a quick postcard to Masterpiece Theater, WGBH, 125 Western Avenue, Boston, MA 02134 or call 617-300-2000.

-- Since about six months ago, when it was originally announced that Stephan Elliott, the filmmaker behind "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," was directing the Ayn Rand novella "The Husband I Bought," I have seen no news on the production--until now. Buried in a story about another upcoming Elliott production, "Singing Margarida," the Hollywood Reporter writes "[Elliott] is prepping the indie feature 'The Husband I Bought,' based on Ayn Rand's novella ,which Hilary Shor is producing." So I guess it's still in the works.

-- On April 4, the makers of "South Park" will begin airing a new series entitled "That's My Bush," loosely based on the Bush White House. It's not clear what the angle will be, but when asked how he expected the White House to react to the show, cowriter Trey Parker said "We told our actors to get their s--- together because we're all getting audited."

-- The "Stossel in the Classroom" program, which promotes ABC journalist John Stossel's libertarian-themed documentaries to teachers, continues to receive rave reviews:

"The videos have been given very high ratings by the teachers who have used them."
- Bobbi Woods, Librarian, Elk Rapids High School, MI

"I use Stossel videos in my college classes in business ethics at U of Alaska Anchorage. Very effective."
- Paul Johnson, Business Professor

"The students are impressed when they can see for themselves the differences between countries. They are especially impressed because you don't shy away from the problems and faults of the US. That gives you great credibility as far as the students are concerned."
- Mary Lou McLaughlin, Soc. Studies Department Chair, Rock Island High School, IL

If you're a teacher and would like to receive "Stossel in the Classroom" material, or if you're a parent who would like to donate such material to your child's school, or if you just want to help "Stossel in the Classroom" keep up its wonderful work, you can find out how to do so here.

-- Overlawyered.com reports that, citing the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech, Louisiana state judge Bob Morrison on Monday "threw out a lawsuit against director Oliver Stone that claimed his movie 'Natural Born Killers' led to a young couple's bloody crime spree." ("Judge Throws Out Movie Lawsuit", AP/FindLaw, March 12). "We've created a new legal hell where everyone is entitled and no one is responsible," said Stone. Live and learn.

-- If it seemed to you that those Libertarian Party Harry Browne ads aired during the last presidential elections were unusually well-made, you're in good company. The Browne ad entitled "Busted" just won a Pollie Award Honorable Mention as the third-best TV spot in the presidential category, according to the LP News. The 60-second ad, produced by Kristin Overn for Polaris Productions, attacked the War on Drugs and memorably showed George W. Bush and Al Gore behind bars. Another Pollie Award Honorable Mention, in the radio ad category, was won by Doug Scribner and Mark Hilgenberg of the Third Wheel Group for their Libertarian Party ad entitled "Tired of Getting F***ed?" Separately, the Harry Browne 30-minute infomercial "The Great Libertarian Offer" won a Telly Award for best infomercial program. "The Great Libertarian Offer" was selected from among 11,000 submissions in 150 categories. Congratulations to the winners and to the donors who paid to produce and air the ads! You can purchase the Harry Browne TV ads and informercial all on one VHS video tape for just $10!

-- The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation has launched an online drug reform campaign at StopTheWar.com that capitalizes on the popularity of the film "Traffic." At this site you can play a "Win the War on Drugs" game and enter to win a free DVD or VHS copy of "Traffic." Check it out and maybe you'll win something.

-- Libertarian-themed films did well this year in Academy Award nominations, echoing their earlier accolades at the Golden Globes. The following libertarian-themed films were nominated for an Academy Award:

Before Night Falls (Best Actor)
Billy Elliot (Best Directing, Best Supporting Actress, Best Writing Original)
Chocolat (Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Music Score, Best Writing Adapted)
The Patriot (Best Cinematography, Best Music Score, Best Sound)
Traffic (Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editing, Best Writing Adapted)

-- C-SPAN is currently working on a program entitled "American Writers," focusing on the contributions of such writers to history or the understanding of history. The series will begin airing in March and includes, among others, Benjamin Franklin, Frederick Douglas, and Ayn Rand. The Ayn Rand segment is scheduled for October. You can learn more about this series here. (The site is still under construction, but it has some useful info.)

-- Many thanks to Advocates for Self-Government for advertising this newsletter to their astoundingly large subscriber base. If you haven't yet checked out the Advocates web site, it's here. One of the more interesting features of the Advocates site is its list of libertarian celebrities, including film and television stars.

-- If you missed "John Stossel Goes to Washington," you can now buy it on VHS video at Laissez-Faire Books. In this documentary, ABC News reporter John Stossel examines a wide variety of government-induced waste, injustice, suffering, and hysteria, and concludes: government doesn't work very well and so should be limited to its few essential functions. This would make a great gift for a libertarian friend, a wonderful outreach film to show at a libertarian meeting, or a good pick to donate to your local library. You can purchase this video here.

-- Last week's John Stossel special, "John Stossel Goes to Washington," was one of the most libertarian broadcasts ever to appear on TV. It's important that we thank ABC for airing it, to encourage them to keep that kind of programming coming. You can send feedback to ABC here. (Be sure to select the option entitled "John Stossel Reporting.") If you want to see a transcript of an interview with Stossel about the special, it's here.

-- Director Frank Darabont (The Green Mile) has now replaced Mel Gibson as director of the Castle Rock Entertainment production of "Fahrenheit 451." Based on the Ray Bradbury novel, it's the story of a future world in which books are banned. More on this production here.

-- Comedy Central will begin airing the new series "That's My Bush!" in April. The series will be focused on the Bush presidency and will be written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the makers of "South Park." As part of the show, Parker and Stone, always known for taking a running leap past the bounds of good taste, had apparently planned to portray the Bush daughters as incestuous lesbian lovers, but that has been nixed by Comedy Central.

-- The film "Titanic," at last reaching Afghanistan in smuggled copies, is apparently causing problems for the country's authoritarian leadership, inspiring haircuts styled after Leonardo DiCaprio. Hair style is proscribed by Taleban religious law, so barbers are now being jailed for giving such haircuts. More on this here.

-- I have added a page to the missliberty.com web site for the film "Chocolat." This page has a brief review and useful links related to the film. It's here.

-- The currently-playing anti- "War on Drugs" film, "Traffic," just earned the best TV rights deal for a movie in history. The USA Network and NBC together offered a shared bid of 17% of the film's gross. Said Scott Sassa, president of NBC West Coast, "We anticipate that the merit and attention paid to this thought-provoking film will only increase in time and thereby enhance its status as a future classic."

-- With so many Golden Globe nominations for libertarian films this year, it seems certain that several of them will win. That's important because such awards can substantially increase a film's ultimate viewership. The Golden Globe awards will be announced on Sunday (1/21). Films in the running with libertarian content are:

~Before Night Falls~ (Best Actor-Drama)
~Billy Elliot~ (Best Picture-Drama, Best Supporting Actress)
~Chocolat~ (Best Picture-Musical or Comedy, Best Actress-Musical or Comedy, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Score)
~Dirty Pictures~ (Best Made for TV Movie, Best Actor in a Made for TV Movie)
~For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story~ (Best Made for TV Movie, Best Actor in a Made for TV Movie)
~Saving Grace~ (Best Actress-Musical or Comedy)
~Traffic~ (Best Picture-Drama, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay)

-- "Billy Elliot," the currently-playing film about a boy who defies all to become a great dancer, is among the five films nominated for the top award given by the Producers Guild of America. This award has traditionally been a key Academy Award predictor. "Billy Elliot" already swept the British Independent Film Awards, winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Newcomer (the latter for its 14-year old star Jamie Bell). For my full review of this film, see here.

-- Another film of likely interest, "Before Night Falls," is now in full release in theaters nationwide. This "powerful and poetic epic portrait of one artist's struggle to survive under Castro's Communist revolution" tells the story of the late Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas, a now-famous poet who was arrested and sent to a Cuban concentration camp. Actor Javier Bardem's performance as Arenas in the film has so far been won him Best Actor awards from the National Board of Review and the National Society of Film Critics, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. You can find many reviews of this film here.

-- As revealed last year, the White House scrutinized scripts and advance footage from more than a hundred episodes of popular TV shows such as "ER," "Beverly Hills, 90210," and "The Practice" under a little known financial arrangement with the major networks. Per this arrangement, to the degree that the networks introduced plotlines the White House approved, particularly anti-drug messages, they got credits that reduced the number of costly public service announcements they were forced by law to air. After investigating this incident, the FCC now says the networks were the ones to blame for not revealing White House influence to viewers. Strangely, the FCC did not comment on the larger issue of whether government should be trying to promote specific viewpoints on television in the first place, or whether perhaps the White House might have been culpable for influencing the networks. More on this story here.

-- "Saving Grace" is now available on video. This light, amusing film, about a widow who defies the ban on pot by growing and selling kilos of the stuff in order to raise money to save her home, won the "Audience Award" at the Sundance Film Festival. "Saving Grace" is commonly available for rent at the major video rental stores. You can read my full review here.

-- The PBS dramatization of "An Enemy of the People" is also now available on video. This is the classic Ibsen individualist one-against-all drama, about a doctor who discovers deadly pollution in the local spring of his small resort town and who must fight his entire town to see to it that the truth about this pollution is known. (Note: This is not the Steve McQueen version made in 1977.) You can learn more about this video and/or purchase it here.

-- A couple of currently playing films of likely interest:

1) "Chocolat." This movie depicts the titanic struggle between moral authoritarianism and -- chocolate. The protagonist is a talented confectionary artist and businesswoman who opens a chocolate shop in a quaint little town. Unfortunately, the town mayor is opposed to indulgence of any kind, including candy. And so the struggle ensues, as the mayor tries to shut her down, and the businesswoman tries to win over the public in spite of the mayor. It's a transparent attack on moral authoritarianism and a fun movie in any case. A must-see for chocoholics.

2) "Traffic." Despite early predictions by studio heads that no one would want to see a truly thoughtful film about the War on Drugs, this movie seems to be a hit. Told from the perspective of the various sides involved in drug trafficking along the U.S./Mexican border, it reveals the tragedy of everyone touched by the War on Drugs. "Traffic" has so far been named "Best Film of 2000" by the "New York Film Critics Circle," "Best Picture," by the Florida Film Critics Circle, and has been nominated for the "Best Picture" Golden Globe Award.