Well, as the new, ever-growing information highway seems to be saying, there's no such thing as stuffing your brain with too much knowledge.
So, as a public service, here are still more things I learned by going to (and reading about) the movies:- According to the latest edition of Star magazine, here are the top moneymaking movie stars and their asking prices for specific films, some of which are upcoming:
Taking home $15 million each are Michael Keaton for "Batman 3," Eddie Murphy for "Beverly Hills Cop III," Arnold Schwarzenegger for "True Lies," Bruce Willis for "Die Hard 3" and Tom Cruise for "Interview With a Vampire."
Kevin Costner will gets $14 million for "Water World" and Michael Douglas is pulling down $12 million for "Disclosure." And at $10 million each are Harrison Ford for "Clear and Present Danger" and Al Pacino for "Noriega," the same price received by Mel Gibson for "Lethal Weapon 3," Bill Murray for "Groundhog Day" and Jack Nicholson for "Hoffa."
You will notice there are no women on this list. That's because the highest female salary to date is $81/2 million, which is going to Julia Roberts for "Mary Reilly." Whoopi Goldberg got $8 million for "Sister Act 2," and earning $6 million each are Jodie Foster for "Nell" and Michelle Pfeiffer for "My Posse Don't Do Homework."
If our female stars aren't insulted enough by this, let's add a little salt to the wound - Macaulay Culkin received $8 million for "Getting Even With Dad."
And Hollywood wonders why movie budgets keep soaring. . . .
- It's only halfway through the year and we've already had two movies that show brief scenes on TV sets from the old "The Partridge Family" series ("My Girl 2" and "Crooklyn"). Can a big-screen version of the Shirley Jones-David Cassidy musical sitcom be far away?
- Jay Leno had a shot at movie stardom some years ago (did anyone see "Collision Course?"). But these days he seems content to do mini-cinematic versions of his "Tonight Show" persona. Already this year he has appeared in both "Major League II" and "The Flintstones." (Last year he had cameos in "Dave" and "Wayne's World 2.")
- David Letterman, meanwhile, has made only one film appearance in his entire career - a character cameo in the recent failed comedy "Cabin Boy." (However, Letterman's "Late Show" marquee in Manhattan makes an appearance in an early scene of "City Slickers II.")
- "Aladdin" was the first Walt Disney movie to allow friendly potshots aimed at the Disney corporation itself, a couple of little in-jokes. But it apparently began a trend. In both the straight-to-video "The Return of Jafar" and the upcoming theatrical film "The Lion King," there are jokes aimed at Disney. In fact, both films have similar gags. (Hint: They have to do with the song, "It's a Small World.")
- "The Lion King" also establishes a dubious first in Disney animation - a form of vulgarity that will probably tickle children but may cause parents to wince. One character, a comic warthog, is extremely flatulent.
- Did you spot all the former television Western stars (besides James Garner, of course) who showed up for surprise cameos "Maverick" - during the big riverboat poker game sequence toward the end of the film?
In the crowd and at the tables were Clint Walker ("Cheyenne"), Will Hutchins ("Sugarfoot"), Robert Fuller ("Laramie"), Doug McClure ("The Virginian"), Henry Darrow ("High Chaparral") and Denver Pyle ("Wyatt Earp").
- We've all heard about how horrible movie popcorn is for us - equal to a double cheeseburger with fries and a shake! But what about other movie snacks?
Entertainment Weekly recently came up with these findings:
A box of Goobers is equal to three cheese enchiladas, with refried beans, nachos and onion-bean dip.
Milk Duds - a frozen 12-inch double-cheese pizza.
M&M's Peanuts - four slices of white bread with butter.
Raisinets - a plate of spaghetti and white clam sauce, with two double-fudge brownies for dessert.
Junior Mints - an all-beef hot dog, on a roll with mustard.
Twizzlers - Three rice cakes.
- Recently Howard Ruff - yes, that Howard Ruff - wrote a letter to the editor that was printed in the Deseret News, in which he decried the free showings of "Schindler's List" for teenagers, because the movie is rated R.
Specifically, he wrote at one point, "my only clear guideline is to follow my church leaders - no R-rated movies."
I guess Ruff won't be able to see his own film debut when it goes to video in mid-July. He plays the part of a corrupt judge in the locally filmed "Rockwell," which is being released with an R rating.
Ruff was at the premiere screening of the movie, by the way. But the film had not yet been rated at that time.
- QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Rosie O'Donnell, about the day Elizabeth Taylor arrived on the set of "The Flintstones" to portray Wilma's mother:
"Everyone was in an uproar. They had extra security. They painted her trailer steps violet. All the grips had to wear ties that day. It was really hysterical. But she was very down-to-earth, sort of normal, very loving and funny."