

Dretzka By Gary DretzkaDretzka@moviecitynews.com
Showest Serves Up Newsworthy-Lite Fare

LAS VEGAS — Exhibitor or journalist, one no longer attends ShoWest for its newsworthiness. Celebrity sightings are duly noted, as are the latest improvements in cookie-dough confections and sneak previews of tent-pole movies. The absence of any real news went out with the administration of the late, ever-quotable Jack Valenti. When Valenti was ringleader of the…
Read the full article »Showest, cont’d

When ShoWest members couldn’t be found at a screening, seminar, buffet or banquet, they likely were strolling among the booths at the concurrent trade show, noshing on popcorn, hot dogs and soda pop. It’s here that exhibitors traditionally have been introduced to the latest in concessions, projection and other technical equipment, ticketing devices, lighting fixtures,…
Read the full article »A Tale of Two Subtitled Mysteries

Although it’s difficult to argue raw numbers, statistics are only as good as the person interpreting them. Homicides and murders are especially tricky. For example, the rates at which such crimes occur can be slanted to reflect something quite different than whole numbers. In 2008, more than 14,000 “unjustified” homicides were reported to the FBI…
Read the full article »Precious Reigns at Revamped Spirits

The annual Independent Spirit Awards have been slouching toward mainstream for most of the last 10 years, or, roughly, since television fell in love with any awards show that could coax a celebrity to leave his or her Malibu cocoon for the price of a swag bag. Before that, hardly anyone walking down the red…
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