Epic Records & Sony Pictures Animation Announce The Star Official Soundtrack Album Available October 27

The Star Official Soundtrack Album

In anticipation of the worldwide release of Sony Pictures Animation's animated motion picture The Star, in theaters November 17, 2017, Epic Records and Sony Pictures Animation will release The Star: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack in stores and online October 27, 2017. 

• The album, featuring new music from Mariah Carey, is available for pre-order here

The soundtrack assembles new music from a bevy of powerhouse superstars befitting of the cast's blockbuster pedigree. Leading the tracklisting, Mariah Carey performs the film's theme song "The Star."

• The first track for instant grat is "Life is Good" by A Great Big World. 
• Following that, on October 17th, Fifth Harmony will release "Can You See".

In addition, Kirk Franklin, Kelsea Ballerini, Zara Larsson, and more serve up new tracks recorded specifically for The Star. Each artist got into the spirit with show-stopping and standout performances.

Spring Aspers, Head of Music for Sony Pictures, commented, "The filmmakers of The Star have delivered a funny but faithful turn on the nativity story, and Mariah Carey's soulful performance of the film's theme song adds a layer of depth and emotion that will have audiences feeling the spirit. This compilation is full of covers of Christmas classics old and new that not only perfectly fit the film, but make the perfect soundtrack for the season."

• Check out the full tracklisting below.
• Get ready for The Star to shine on stereos and big screens everywhere this year.

Tracklisting:

• Mariah Carey – "The Star"
• Kelsea Ballerini – "Children Go Where I Send You"
• Kirk Franklin – "We Three Kings"
• Fifth Harmony – "Can You See"
• A Great Big World – "Life Is Good"
• Zara Larsson – "Mary, Did You Know"
• Yolanda Adams – "O Holy Night"
• Saving Forever – "What Christmas Means to Me"
• Jessie James Decker – "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)"
• Casting Crowns – "His Eye Is on the Sparrow"
• Jake Owen – "What Child Is This?"
• Pentatonix – "Carol of the Bells"*

*digital-only bonus track

The Star - Poster

In Sony Pictures Animation's The Star, a small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a loveable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become unlikely heroes in the greatest story ever told – the first Christmas. 

The film stars the voices of Steven Yeun, Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Clarkson, Anthony Anderson, Aidy Bryant, Ving Rhames, Gabriel Iglesias, Patricia Heaton, Kristin Chenoweth, Christopher Plummer, and Tracy Morgan and Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. Directed by Timothy Reckart, the screenplay is by Carlos Kotkin, with a story by Simon Moore and Carlos Kotkin. The film is executive produced by DeVon Franklin, Brian Henson, and Lisa Henson, and produced by Jennifer Magee-Cook.

SOURCE: Epic Records

Bonus Video:

The Music from The Star by Various on VEVO.

Tears For Fears Still Rule The World With Their Greatest Hits Album Out November 10

Tears For Fears Still Rule The World

Everybody still wants to rule the world…

Following a sold-out summer arena tour highlighted by their triumphant UK return in front of 65,000-plus fans as special guests of The Killers during British Summer Time Festival at Hyde Park, Tears For Fears – Roland Orzabal [vocals, guitar, keyboards] and Curt Smith [vocals, bass, keyboards] – close out 2017 with the release of their first career-spanning Greatest Hits album, Rule The World. The collection arrives everywhere November 10, 2017 on UMe. It's available for pre-order at the band's official site now. 

• Check out the full tracklisting below.

Not only does Rule The World feature classics such as "Everybody Wants To Rule The World," "Shout," "Mad World," "Head Over Heels," "Woman In Chains," and more, but it also boasts the first original music from the duo since 2004. This year, they recorded two new tracks—"I Love You But I'm Lost" and "Stay"—for inclusion on the collection. 

The single "I Love You But I'm Lost" bristles with the enigmatic energy of classic Tears For Fears, while the subtle acoustic "Stay" ranks among their most emotional fare. Both fit comfortably alongside the anthems that have defined three generations.

• For a glimpse of what to expect, listen to "I Love You But I'm Lost", click here.

It's just the beginning though. The new music hints at very big plans for Tears For Fears in 2018 and beyond!

TRACKLISTING:

• Everybody Wants To Rule The World
• Shout
• I Love You But I'm Lost*
• Mad World
• Sowing The Seeds Of Love
• Advice For The Young At Heart
• Head Over Heels
• Woman In Chains
• Change
• Stay*
• Pale Shelter
• Mothers Talk
• Break It Down Again
• I Believe
• Raoul And The Kings Of Spain
• Closest Thing To Heaven

*/new for 2017

About Tears for Fears
Beyond selling 30 million albums worldwide, performing to countless sold out audiences, and winning various awards, the DNA of Tears For Fears — Roland Orzabal [vocals, guitar, keyboards] and Curt Smith[vocals, bass, keyboards] — remains embedded within three generations of artists. Quietly casting a shadow over rock, hip-hop, electronic dance music, indie, and beyond, their music has been sampled by Kanye West, The Weeknd, David Guetta, Drake, and more, while getting covered by Lorde, Adam Lambert, Ally Brooke Hernandez, Gary Jules, and Disturbed, to name a few. Meanwhile, classic songs figure prominently everywhere from The Wire and Donnie Darko to Straight Outta Compton and Mr. Robot.

Representing an inimitable intersection of pop palatability, clever and cognizant lyricism, guitar bombast, and new wave innovation, their catalog spans a string of classic album, namely the gold-certified debut The Hurting [1983], quintuple-platinum BRIT Award-winning Songs from the Big Chair[1985], and Seeds of Love [1989]. The latter proved to be Roland and Curt's last collaboration together until Everybody Loves A Happy Ending in 2004, which rekindled the creative fire between them. Breaking another quiet spell, the boys engaged in a three-year touring whirlwind across North America, Japan, South Korea, Manila, and South America beginning in 2010. 

 2013 saw them return with their first recorded music in a decade: a cover of Arcade Fire's "Ready to Start." It proved to be a welcome addition to their three-decade discography of immortal hits ranging from "Mad World," "Change," and "Pale Shelter" to "Everybody Wants To Rule The World," "Shout," "Sowing The Seeds of Love," and "Everybody Loves A Happy Ending." 

Following a sold-out 2017 co-headline tour with Hall & Oates and standout sets at Rock In Rio and "British Summer Time" in Hyde Park, they release their first official career-spanning Greatest Hits collection, Rule The World. It features the first new original compositions between Roland and Curt together since 2004: "I Love You But I'm Lost" and "Stay."

TearsForFears.com | Facebook.com/TearsForFears | Instagram: @TearsForFearsMusic | Twitter: @TearsForFears

SOURCE: UMe

Bonus Video:

Hologrin Studios Teams Up with Marie Curie and George Washington Carver to Change the Game

STEM: Epic Heroes

Hologrin Studios, a squad of artists, software developers, designers, and game players, has developed a silver bullet in the fight against modern-day educational boredom. It's called STEM: Epic Heroes and it features superheroes of science, champions of chemistry, exemplars of engineering and many more in an artistically brilliant strategy game that can be played virtually endlessly to teach, engage and inspire.

The Origin Story
STEM: Epic Heroes' creation begins in a world where superheroes wear capes and jerseys and are worshipped for strength of muscle over strength of mind. That may be acceptable to some, but the creators of STEM: Epic Heroes set out to uncover and celebrate an entirely different breed of hero; those pillars of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (or STEM). They did this by creating a game, but not just any game. STEM: Epic Heroes is a genius card game with incomparable illustrations, vivid educational worth and engaging gameplay.

STEM: Epic Heroes features superheroes of science, champions of chemistry, exemplars of engineering and many more in an artistically brilliant strategy game that can be played virtually endlessly to teach, engage and inspire.

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet
In a matter of hours – 12 to be exact – STEM: Epic Heroes was fully funded on Kickstarter. That's a quick $10,000 worth of backer support for a game sure to ignite young minds and make learning both addictive and fun. Now at almost seven times that amount pledged with a few days left in the campaign, it's clear that this game has struck a chord with many who are anxious to see what's next, and willing to put their money where their computer mouses are.

A Hero in Our Time
Speaking of money, top secret intel on the latest hero card still in development has just been released by Hologrin Studios. We can now share that the newest card is modern-day technology hero Satoshi Nakamoto, creator of the cryptocurrency bitcoin. Learn all about his epic journey, and that of fellow heroes like Isaac Newton, Ada Lovelace, Thomas Edison and many more.

SOURCE: Hologrin Studios

Bonus Video-Clip:

From Chaucer To Trump, Sexist Banter Has Been Defended As Entertainment For 600 Years

US President Donald Trump. (Mark Reinstein/Shutterstock)

By Natalie Hanna, University of Liverpool

As we approach the end of 2017, one might expect language and attitudes to be very different to those of the Middle Ages. And yet, there are some very prominent figures who seem to be stuck in the past.

Donald Trump, the US president, has once again dismissed his own infamous “grab them by the pussy” comments, one year after the 2005 Access Hollywood tape that revealed them came to light.

When his words first came to public attention, Trump then brushed them off as “locker room banter”, insisting that the public should focus instead on war and terrorism that were making the world “like medieval times”.

Numerous athletes came forward at the time to say that these are not the type of conversations that take place in their locker rooms. The debate continues to this day, with some supporting Trump’s comments, while women’s rights campaign groups refuse to let him brush it “under the rug”.

Though Trump tried to deflect attention onto historical horrors of war, this dispute has far more in common with medieval times than he might think. This very dispute mirrors the quarrel of the Roman de la Rose, which happened in the 15th Century – in which a female writer fought vehemently against depictions of sexual assault and “loose” women in entertainment.

Medieval attitudes

A hermit lewdly embraces a miller’s wife. (British Library)

In medieval literature, women were commonly depicted as “easy”, particularly in the context of bawdy satire. Take, for example, Geoffrey Chaucer’s poems The Miller’s Tale and The Reeve’s Tale. In both of these texts women are depicted as enjoying, or easily recovering from sexual assault.

In The Miller’s Tale, when a clerk, Nicholas, decides he wants to have sex with his host’s wife Alison he grabs her “by the queynte [crotch]” and holds her hard “by the haunchebones [thighs]”. Although Alison initially tells Nicholas to get his hands off her, within three lines she has been won round and begins to conspire with her new lover against her husband.
In The Reeve’s Tale, two clerks take revenge upon a miller, who has duped them out of their money’s worth of flour, by raping his daughter and his wife. But by the end of the poem it is the miller who is battered and humiliated, while the women are not depicted as particularly bothered at being raped.

A jealous husband beats his wife in a manuscript of Le Roman de la Rose.(British Library)

One of the most popular poems of the medieval period was Jean de Meun’s satirical, Le Roman de la Rose, which took a cynical view of the pursuit of love. In one scene a “jealous husband” gives an in-depth account of the vices of loose women: “Toutes estes, serés, ou futes, / De fait ou de volenté putes!” (All you women are, will be, and have been whores in deed or desire!). The poem was championed by many influential men of the period, and writers such as Chaucer drew upon it time and again in their own works.

However, just as Trump’s comments have prompted protest today, back then it was down to Christine de Pizan – possibly the first European woman to make a living from writing, composing poetry and prose works in the late 1300s/early 1400s – to fight the patriarchy.

Fighting back

Christine de Pizan in her study. (British Library)

Born in Italy, De Pizan moved to France as a child when her father Thomas took up an appointment as the astrologer of King Charles V. De Pizan made use of the library available to her at the court, teaching herself to read and write in many languages. When she was suddenly widowed at the age of 24 she turned to writing as a way to make money to support her family. This was exceptional for a medieval woman, but the court paid her because they enjoyed her writing and the novelty of a woman’s works.

De Pizan’s writings were unique in providing a public voice for women at a time when they were not allowed to have one. She argued against the established tradition of women as “frail, unserious, and easily influenced” in medieval texts. She was a force to be reckoned with, and took particular objection to Le Roman de la Rose and its presentation of women.
In her campaign against the poem, De Pizan wrote letters to Jean de Montreuil (Provost of Lille) and Gontier Col (secretary to King Charles V), who publicly supported the poem. Detailing her concerns, she told them “I cannot remain silent”. They, however, dismissed her as a “femme passionée” – an emotional woman – who didn’t understand satire. De Pizan had a point, though. Even if words are not meant to be taken seriously, perpetuating negative stereotypes and normalising them as entertainment is harmful.

De Pizan did not remain silent. Her response was to compose literature that countered the male tradition, defending women and their place in society. In The Book of the City of Ladies, she wrote that she is “troubled and grieved” with men’s depictions of women as enjoying rape or not being bothered by rape even when they verbally object. And she makes further references to the visibility of domestic violence in her own neighbourhood.

In doing so, De Pizan brought to light the problem of trivialising abuse that was, and still is, prevalent in our society, and she encouraged early discussions of gender equality.

Six hundred years on, however, and women are still striving against the likes of Trump to leave sexist banter in the past. Until it is, it won’t be brushed under the rug.

About Today's Contributor:
Natalie Hanna, Lecturer in English, University of Liverpool

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

25th Anniversary of The Bodyguard to be Celebrated With Release of Soundtrack Featuring Previously Unreleased Material & Film With Special Features

Whitney Houston - I Wish You Love: More From The Bodyguard (Album Artwork)

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the iconic film The Bodyguard, Legacy Recordings, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Fontainebleau Miami Beach are respectively celebrating its legacy with the release of a brand new collection of Whitney Houston live and studio recordings, special features and special events & activations at the hotel.

Legacy Recordings (in cooperation with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album with the release of Whitney Houston - I Wish You Love: More From The Bodyguard on November 17, 2017. An essential new Whitney Houston collection bringing together a variety of live and studio recordings--many previously unreleased or unavailable--chronicling the artist's peak achievements. 

I Wish You Love: More From The Bodyguard includes: 

• Never-before-released live recordings from Whitney's historic The Bodyguard Tour (1993-1995) 
• Alternate versions of the audio recordings from the "The Bodyguard" film 
• An alternate version of a remix of "I'm Every Woman"
• Additional artwork and more. 

Whitney Houston - I Wish You Love: More From The Bodyguard will be available on CD and digital configurations as well as a limited edition 2LP 12" purple vinyl edition (to be released at a later date.) 

The CD and digital configuration are available for pre-order here.

Some highlights from the album include: 

• An alternate mix of "I Will Always Love You," which features a spoken word intro of Whitney as Rachel Marron 
• An A Capella version of "Jesus Loves Me," which has never been heard before and a live recording from The Bodyguard World Tour 1993-1995 of "Run To You," which Whitney rarely performed 
• Also included are film and live versions of "I Will Always Love You," "I Have Nothing," "Queen of The Night" and more. 

For the complete track list check here.

Originally released on November 17, 1992, The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album--co-executive produced by Whitney Houston and Clive Davis--was the first album verified by SoundScan to sell more than one million copies in a single week, won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, has sold more than 45 million copies worldwide (and is certified 17x Platinum in the US by the RIAA) and is the top-selling soundtrack album of all-time. 

"The Bodyguard" marked Whitney's debut as a movie star while the soundtrack--driven in part by Whitney's monumental interpretation of "I Will Always Love You"--became of one of the best-selling albums of any genre in history.

The Bodyguard - Movie Poster

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Bodyguard with the addition of previously released special features for select digital retailers on 10/31. 

The film marked the acting debut of multi-Grammy award winning singer/actress Whitney Houston (The Preacher's Wife, Waiting to Exhale, Cinderella) Whitney Houston and also stars Academy Award winner Kevin Costner(Dances With Wolves, Field of Dreams, Tin Cup, JFK). 

Written by Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill, Silverado, The Accidental Tourist, The Empire Strikes Back), and directed by Mick Jackson (L.A. Story, Volcano) The Bodyguard stars Costner as a former Secret Service Agent-turned-bodyguard who is hired to protect Houston's character, a music star, from an unknown stalker. The bodyguard ruffles the singer's feathers and most of her entourage by tightening security more than they feel is necessary. Eventually the bodyguard and the singer start an affair, and she begins to believe his precautions are necessary when the stalker strikes close to home. 

The film is also available on Blu-ray and DVD.

"The Bodyguard (Music from the Original Soundtrack Album)" (1993) - Book Cover

• Fontainebleau Miami Beach is celebrating 25 years of the critically-acclaimed film "The Bodyguard" with an invite only listening party/movie screening on Saturday November 4, 2017, as well as announcing special activations throughout the resort in honor of the 25th anniversary. Fans will have the opportunity to RSVP to the invite only listening party/movie screening starting on Friday, October 13 via Whitney Houston's website. Fontainebleau served as a backdrop for much of the film where Houston, as Rachel, performed live on camera two of the film's hit songs in the resort's Fontaine Ballroom. The first, "I Have Nothing," is one of two Oscar nominated songs from the movie and the other, "I Will Always Love You" is one of the best-selling singles of all time. 

SOURCE: Legacy Recordings

Bonus Video-Clips:

Your Movies, Together at Last: Announcing the launch of MOVIES ANYWHERE

Available on an array of platforms

Movie lovers now have a new home for their favorite digital movies as Movies Anywhere launches in the U.S. today with an unprecedented five Hollywood studios and four major digital retailers on board. 

Featuring films from Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Studios (encompassing Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), Twentieth Century Fox Film, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Entertainment purchased or redeemed through digital retailers Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu, Movies Anywhere brings the movies people love together to create a simple, seamless digital entertainment experience across platforms.

Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts. Movies Anywhere syncs users' libraries across their connected accounts, so consumers can watch their purchased and redeemed digital movies on an array of platforms including Amazon Fire devices; Android devices and Android TV; Apple TV; Chromecast; iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; Roku devices and popular browsers, with more platforms and retailers to come.

"Movies Anywhere is a massive step forward for the consumer digital media experience, bringing the incredible film libraries of five studios together in a virtual one-stop movie-watching shop," said Karin Gilford, General Manager, Movies Anywhere, who leads an independent, dedicated cross-functional team of product, technology, marketing and other professionals. "Movies Anywhere means that consumers never have to remember where they purchased a film or which device they can watch it on, because all of their eligible movies will be centralized within their Movies Anywhere library and available across platforms through the Movies Anywhere app and website and also available at their connected digital retailers. And as Movies Anywhere continues to add more studios, retailers and platforms, the entertainment possibilities are endless." 

Movies Anywhere initially features access to a library of over 7,300 digital movies, along with fresh previews and film extras from the studios responsible for such 2017 global blockbusters as Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," Warner Bros.' "Wonder Woman," Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man: Homecoming," Universal's "The Fate of the Furious" and Twentieth Century Fox's "War for the Planet of the Apes."

In celebration of this exciting new digital entertainment destination, Movies Anywhere is welcoming new users with a limited-time offer to receive up to five digital movies. Activate and connect your account with one of these participating digital retailers— Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes or Vudu —and you'll receive a digital copy of both Sony Pictures' "Ghostbusters" (2016) and Twentieth Century Fox's "Ice Age." Connect with a second participating digital retailer and Disney's "Big Hero 6," Universal's "Jason Bourne" and Warner Bros.' "The LEGO Movie" will be added to your digital movie collection.

Movies Anywhere (Image via Facebook Page)

Studios

• Sony Pictures 
• The Walt Disney Studios 
• Twentieth Century Fox Film 
• Universal Pictures 
• Warner Bros.

Retailers

• Amazon Video 
• Google Play 
• iTunes 
• Vudu

Platforms

• Amazon's Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV 
• Android mobile and tablet devices and Android TV 
• Chromecast 
• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV 
• Roku

SOURCE: Movies Anywhere

Related Link:

• Disney's new Movies Anywhere brings all your movies together—not just Disney ones

Universal Studios Hollywood Adds NBC's "Will & Grace" Set Visits to its Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes VIP Experience

Universal Studios Hollywood Adds NBC’s “Will & Grace” Set Visits to its Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes VIP Experience

As the fab four make their primetime return to NBC in the highly-anticipated return of "Will & Grace," Universal Studios Hollywood guests visiting the theme park as part of its exclusive VIP Experience will have the unique opportunity to step onto Soundstage 22 on the Universal backlot to see first-hand where the sitcom revival is making history for a second time.

Universal Studios Hollywood—renowned for putting the illustrious world of movie-making magic within arm's reach of guests visiting from across the globe—elevates the behind-the-scenes access with its coveted VIP Experience by exposing guests to areas of the production lot typically reserved for working professionals.

"The 'Will & Grace' set visits are an exciting addition to the VIP Experience and speaks to exactly the one-of-a-kind opportunities that offer our guests an insider's peek at Hollywood in action," said Karen Irwin, President and COO, Universal Studios Hollywood.

• "Will & Grace," starring Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally, is one of television's landmark comedies with 16 Emmy Awards and 83 nominations. NBC has ordered 16 episodes for its first season and 13 episodes for season two.

In addition to such set visits, the VIP Experience also features an expert Studio Tour Guide, trolley, unlimited front-of-line privileges to all theme park rides and attractions, entry to a reserved VIP Lounge, and a VIP gourmet lunch prepared by the theme park's award-winning executive chef. Complimentary continental breakfast in a private VIP Lounge and valet parking is also included. The tour is specifically designed to accommodate smaller groups of up to 24 for a more personal experience.

The VIP Experience invites guests to disembark the trolley and walk through working soundstages used in current productions. The tour also takes guests, both on foot and via trolley, through the Studio's historic backlot sets made famous in over 8,000 movies and television shows.

Along the backlot's realistic New York Street, guests will be able to stand at the site where such blockbusters as "Transformers" and "The Sting" were filmed. At the famed Courthouse Square, time might stand still as guests take in the locale made famous in "Back to the Future" and "To Kill A Mockingbird." 

For a jaunt across the Atlantic Ocean without ever leaving the West Coast, guests can stroll along the cobblestone streets of Little Europe, the filming site of such favorites as "The Pink Panther" and "Pirates of the Caribbean," while a turn on Brownstone Street will place guests at the doorsteps of memorable scenes from the comedy, "Bruce Almighty."

• Equipped with LED monitors, the trolley also features clips from movies and television shows filmed on the lot to add context to corresponding set visits. 

An elaborate gourmet lunch, prepared exclusively for VIP Experience guests by Universal Studios Hollywood's award-winning executive chef adds to a full day of indulgence. Served in a private restaurant with an attentive wait staff in the theme park's picturesque Parisian quarters, the experience features a choice of indoor dining, complete with tables draped in fine linen and cloth napkins, as well as al fresco dining amid a relaxing setting with a spectacular view overlooking the studio backlot and the mountains of San Fernando Valley.

With an ever-changing menu, sample lunch fare includes such items as penne pasta with garlic Alfredo sauce, shrimp scampi, beef sirloin with demi-glace, Portobello mushrooms with barley, soft shell crab with lemon butter and Ahi and yellowtail sashimi. Specialty, gluten-free and healthy, child-friendly menu items are also available. Tempting, freshly prepared desserts and an ornate self-serve coffee and beverage bar round out the dining experience.

• The VIP Experience features unlimited front-of-line privileges and reserved seating at Universal Studios rides and attractions, including "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" at "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter."

• Reservations are available online at UniversalStudiosHollywood.com or by calling 818-622-5120. Private VIP Experience tours and gift certificates are also available.

About Universal Studios Hollywood:

Universal Studios Hollywood is The Entertainment Capital of L.A. and includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour. As a leading global entertainment destination, Universal Studios Hollywood delivers highly themed immersive lands that translate to real-life interpretations of iconic movie and television shows. 

Recent additions include "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" which features a bustling Hogsmeade village and such critically-acclaimed rides as "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" and "Flight of the Hippogriff," Universal Studios Hollywood's first outdoor rollercoaster. 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Other immersive lands include "Despicable Me Minion Mayhem" and "Super Silly Fun Land" as well as "Springfield," hometown of America's favorite TV family, located adjacent to the award-winning "The Simpsons Ride" and the "The Walking Dead" daytime attraction. 

The Walking Dead - A Walk Through Attraction

The world-renowned Studio Tour is Universal Studios Hollywood's signature attraction, inviting guests behind-the-scenes of the world's biggest and busiest movie and television studio where they can also experience such authentic and immersive thrill rides as "Fast & Furious—Supercharged." 

Fast & Furious—Supercharged

The adjacent Universal CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex also includes the all-new multi-million dollar, redesigned Universal CityWalk Cinema, featuring deluxe recliner seating in screening room quality theatres, and the "5 Towers" state-of-the-art outdoor concert stage.

SOURCE: Universal Studios Hollywood

Bonus Video-Clips:

European Fashion House HoodLamb Brings 100% Cruelty-Free Collection to North America

HoodLamb brings 100% cruelty-free outerwear to North America.

HoodLamb, a European fashion house specializing in cruelty-free outerwear and knits, aims to address a serious market void for eco-friendly cold-weather alternatives.

Since 1993, HoodLamb has been pioneering hemp into fashion. As one of earth's strongest natural fibers with an ecological impact lower than cotton production, hemp is perfect for outerwear. 

HoodLamb hemp is sourced directly from family-run farms across Northern China where it is harvested raw and spun into fine hemp thread for sustainable fabrics and technologies. Even the water-resistant coating on the jackets, called Hempulose, comes from the natural cellulose of hemp stalks.

HoodLamb balances conscious design with cold-weather functionality. HoodLamb's proprietary Satifur, an ultra-soft faux-fur lining that is made from recycled PET, provides sheer comfort and protection in almost every piece. 

Nordic Parkas, which are designed for the harshest climates, also incorporate cruelty-free Thermore Ecodown lining technology, which is a duck-less down insulation. Consumers will also discover surprising design elements such as integrated backpack straps for mobility (on heavier parkas), secret document pockets, magnetic zip overlays that auto-seal the jackets, as well as a signature built-in rolling paper dispenser which pays homage to both hemp, and the brand's counterculture roots in Amsterdam.

Image via HoodLamb's Facebook Page

The entire HoodLamb collection is Peta Approved Vegan with annual proceeds from sales supporting both PETA and the environmental NGO Sea Shepherd to further their missions.

Fashionable, functional, and forward-thinking, HoodLamb continues to amass a growing tribe of consumers and celebrity fans. 

As of Fall/Winter 2017, US and Canadian consumers will be able to shop the brand's cruelty-free innovations including parkas, knits and cold-weather accessories at specialty stores across the country and via us.hoodlamb.com

SOURCE: HoodLamb

Bonus Videos:

Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage To Launch October 19 With Global Campaign And 500,000-Copy First Printing In The U.S.

Philip Pullman's THE BOOK OF DUST, On sale 10/19/17!

Random House Children's Books (U.S.), in coordination with Penguin Random House Children's and David Fickling Books in the U.K., announces plans surrounding the launch campaign for the landmark publication of Philip Pullman's long-awaited THE BOOK OF DUST: La Belle Sauvage (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers). 

THE BOOK OF DUST is a work in three parts, like the acclaimed author's His Dark Materials trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass).

Anticipation and excitement for THE BOOK OF DUST skyrocketed instantly upon the book's announcement in February of this year, when the Associated Press exclusively broke the news and hailed: "For readers and booksellers, this is news to rival the discovery of a new Harry Potter story." 

Philip Pullman (image via philip-pullman.com)

Coverage spanned the U.S. across major pop culture and entertainment outlets, including NPR, BuzzFeed, Slate, Hypable, ABC, The Verge, and more. Celebrities including Lin-Manuel Miranda spread the news on Twitter.

Readers will delight on 10/19 when the full book will be available for the first time—up to this point only one excerpt from the highly anticipated novel has been released. Two decades after The Golden Compass—the first book of Pullman's world-famous His Dark Materials trilogy, which has sold more than 17.5 million copies in over 40 languages—The Book of Dust (#BookofDust) will return to the parallel world that has enthralled readers young and old. 

La Belle Sauvage is set ten years before The Golden Compass and centers on the much-beloved Lyra Belacqua. Alethiometers, dæmons, and the Magisterium all return to play a part.

The publication of the book on Thursday, October 19, marks a major global publishing event, supported by an extensive marketing and PR campaign and a unique launch extravaganza.

Oxford, a key setting in the new novel and Pullman's home city, will become a hub of activity around launch. Oxford's historic Bodleian Libraries will host much of the activity on the eve of publication, Wednesday, October 18, with the Weston Library as the venue for an international press conference with the author, and the Divinity School and Convocation House & Chancellor's Court transformed into Jordan College—home of Lyra Belacqua in His Dark Materials—for a magical launch evening. Fans in the U.S. will be able to take part in the action, as the event will be live-streamed across the globe.

A major publicity campaign will kick off, timed with the launch in the U.S., U.K., and internationally. Fans will get to hear Pullman speak for the first time about the full book in interviews with major outlets around the world.

Since early in the summer, a multichannel marketing campaign has been unfolding, reaching the throngs of Pullman fans across the United States, and drawing in new readers to Pullman's extraordinary world. The Golden Compass Summer Worldwide Read-Along and "Crack the Compass" digital campaign encouraged readers to rediscover Pullman's original His Dark Materials trilogy, starting from the very beginning. The campaign garnered over 2.5 million impressions.

Special outreach at consumer festivals included stops at BookCon, San Diego Comic-Con, and New York Comic Con. Extensive prepublication merchandising was created for retailers, and all across the country stores are preparing excitedly for the book's release. At publication, the U.S. will execute a special activation for the top ten library systems in the country, celebrating the first patrons to check out the book. 

Additionally, in NYC, all branches of the public library will be provided with signage and an opportunity for patrons to enter a contest to meet Philip Pullman's U.S. editor and receive a themed prize package.

Internationally, foreign publishers will be joining in the celebrations. Rights have sold in over 33 languages, and late-night openings are planned across the globe, including at Waterstones Brussels, Waterstones Amsterdam, and WHSmith Paris.

The group companies of Penguin Random House Children's U.K. will also mark the occasion. 

• In Ireland, bookshops are planning special events, including Hodges Figgis Booksellers in Dublin, which is holding a special early-morning opening for launch day. 
• South Africa will celebrate with window displays and hand-delivery of books on publication to Exclusive Books and a major launch event planned at Skoobs. 
• In Australia, a major preorder campaign has run with Dymocks, and there are plans for Pullman Parties in six states across the country. 
• Philip Pullman will also participate in a Skype event at the Wheeler Centre to mark publication. 
• In India, radio advertising across Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore will reach more than 10 million listeners. 

Each campaign will be supported by blanket PR coverage with major pieces of international press coverage running in each location.

SOURCE: Random House Children's Books


Bonus Video:

New Star Wars Trailer Revealed – But Is The Force Still Strong With This One?

They’re back! (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK)

By Keith M. Johnston, University of East Anglia

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy not that far away, the trailer for Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace opened with the promise that “every generation has a legend”. Although it was not ultimately the film many fans were looking for, that trailer was very well received and – after Lucasfilm responded to fan demand and made it available online – it inadvertently ushered in a new era of online trailer viewing and audience commentary.

Almost 20 years later, the new Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi trailer faces a different pressure. While the trailer reveals (and obscures) much about the forthcoming feature, it also needs to steady the nerves of fans who are concerned about the health of the long-running Star Wars franchise.

With directors leaving (or being replaced) on the upcoming Han Solo and Episode IX films, and the release date of Episode IX put back to December 2019, The Last Jedi trailer must steady the (space)ship – and set the stage for Disney to make a lot of money.

So, how did it do?

It’s no surprise that this is a slick piece of modern movie marketing. The trailer will have been put together, taken apart, and tested to within an inch of its audio-visual life before its television and internet debut last night.

Notably, the two-and-a-half minute taster is linked by four pieces of significant dialogue – from Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), Rey (Daisy Ridley), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) – and none of them hint at a happy ending. Visually, we get a fast-paced montage of new (and old) locations, characters, and much-loved Star Wars iconography. This includes glimpses of X-wings, TIE-fighters, AT-ATs, the Millennium Falcon – and a species of birdlike critter that may or may not be the new trilogy’s Ewok. In many ways, it is reminscent of the darker second instalment of the original trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back.

Trailer audiences responded positively to familiar iconography when The Force Awakens trailer was released two years ago. At that time, my trailer audience project found that people responded most positively to nostalgic cues from the classic, original trilogy. “You saw the Millennium Falcon” and “Harrison Ford’s appearance” were key positives.

But while The Force Awakens trailer featured the star return of Han Solo and Chewbacca aboard the Millennium Falcon and spin-off Rogue One the looming presence of the Death Star, The Last Jedi arguably features no such whizzbang moment. Instead, the moody monologues of Luke, Rey, and Ren (who may or may not be trying to kill Princess Leia) suggest a gloomier narrative focus for the film. Newer characters Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), BB-8 and Finn (John Boyega) are only briefly glimpsed, with the latter fighting Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie, badly wasted in The Force Awakens) on what appears to be the rumoured casino planet Canto Blight.

The three most suggestive moments, then, are those that push the story in a new direction. First, Luke’s apparent (we can never be sure how much we are being misdirected) worrying about Rey’s power, echoing Ben Solo turning into the darker Ren and Annakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader, complicates the expected Luke-Rey training narrative. Then there’s the hint that Ren and Rey could work together, leading to further speculation about Rey’s heritage (as the main new lightsaber-wielder without a clear Skywalker or Kenobi connection).

For me, however, the most intriguing moment is when Ren and General Leia (Carrie Fisher) seem to share a telepathic connection in the midst of a major space battle – a connection which possibly prevents him from firing on her ship. As Leia’s Force sensitivity is rarely discussed in the films, this could be leading somewhere important.

Are we being duped?
Of course, the trailer could be a masterpiece of misdirection, editing together elements that may not be directly related in the finished film. After all, the success of the initial teaser for The Phantom Menace still rankles with some trailer viewers – one noted “I’ve been burnt before (see Phantom Menace)” – while others are wary of trailers more generally.

Indeed, some viewers have adopted Yoda-style exile to try and avoid trailers completely, hoping to create “a fresh cinema experience” so that they won’t “get spoiled by it” – an opinion Last Jedi director Rian Johnson seemed to share. On Twitter, he first advised fans NOT to watch this latest trailer.

But then changed his mind, shouting:

Overall, The Last Jedi trailer strives to achieve the same balance as The Force Awakens – harking back to the past while promising a new future. As one of our survey responses noted, The Force Awakens trailer did “a good job of triggering nostalgia while introducing new concepts and characters”.

While The Last Jedi may lack The Force Awakens’ Han Solo moment, its suggestion of Luke’s expanded role, more detail on Rey’s background, narrative complications, and at least three major battle locations, including one which looks startlingly like the AT-AT assault on Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, will calm nerves around the franchise, and ensure a healthy audience come December 15.


Ultimately, it seems the Force remains strong with this one …

About Today's Contributor:
Keith M. Johnston, Reader in Film & Television Studies, University of East Anglia

This article was originally published on The Conversation.