Film

Film critic John Powers reviews the new film "EDtv." It opens in theaters nationally today.

Screenwriter Stephen Schiff talks about writing the scripts for "True Crime" and "Deep End of the Ocean."He first established his reputation as a film critic for Vanity Fair and Fresh Air. He also wrote film essays and profiles for The New Yorker. He served an unprecedented three terms as chairman of the National Society of Film Critics. His first screenplay was for the most recent film adaptation of Lolita.

Composer John Barry. He's best known for his 11 James Bond scores, including "Goldfinger," and "Thunderball." Barry has won five Oscars: for the song and score of "Born Free," and for scores for "Lion in Winter," "Out of Africa," and "Dances with Wolves." He has a new CD compilation of his work, "John Barry: The Hits & The Misses" (Play it Again label).

Fresh Air film critic John Powers gives us his thoughts on the Oscar awards and the Oscar ceremony.

Film critic John Powers reviews the new Clint Eastwood film, "True Crime."

Film critic John Powers comments on the plan to award Elia Kazan an honorary Academy Award. Kazan is best known for his films "On The Waterfront," and "A Streetcar Named Desire." The award is controversial because Kazan turned over names of suspected communist members during the 1950s.

Crime novelist Evan Hunter talks about writing the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock's classic film "The Birds". In 1997, he wrote "Me and Hitch" detailing his working relationship with Hitchcock. He is the author of "The Blackboard Jungle," and "Privileged Conversation." Under the pseudonym Ed McBain, he is the author of a series of mystery novels for which he won the British Crime Writers Association's highest award, the Diamond Dagger, and the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award.

Actress Janet Leigh talks about working in Alfred Hitchcock's most infamous film "Psycho". She starred as Marion Crane who was Norman Bates kills in the infamous shower scene. Leigh wrote about the film in the 1995 book "Psycho: Janet Leigh Behind the Scenes of The Classic Thriller" Also The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) next month will feature the exhibit "Alfred Hitchcock: Behind the Silhouette".

Writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jon Macks. He has a new book that spoofs books about spiritualism. It's called "Heaven Talks Back" (Simon & Schuster).

Host Terry Gross pays tribute to Stanley Kubrick, who recently died.

Tuvan throat singer Ondar and producer Ralph Leighton. Tuvan throat singing is a biphonic sound in which the performer produces two or three distinct tones at the same time. It originates from Tuva. Leighton co-produced Ondar's debut CD, "Back Tuva Future" (Warner Bros/Reprise)

Screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard. The two wrote the screenplay for "Shakespeare in Love" which has been nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay. Norman's other screenwriting credits include "The Aviator" and "Waterworld." Stoppard is also the playwright of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead," and "Travesties." His screenwriting credits include: "Brazil," "The Empire of the Son," and "Billy Bathgate."

Film critic John Powers reviews "8 MM" the new film starring Nicholas Cage.

Playwright, novelist, and screenwriter Paul Rudnick. His new play "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told" looks at God and Creation from a gay perspective. (It's playing at the Minetta Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village in New York City). Rudnick also wrote the plays as "I Hate Hamlet," "The Naked Eye," and "Jeffrey." And he wrote the screenplays for "Addams Family Values" and "In & Out."

Novelist Elmore Leonard. "Be Cool" (Delacorte Press) is his newest book. It continues the story of Chili Palmer, the small time Brooklyn crook in "Get Shorty" who became a Hollywood movie producer. John Travolta played Chili in the movie version. "Be Cool" has Palmer dabbling in the music industry. It's also soon to be a new film.

Film director and writer Wes Anderson. The 29 year old director has a short but impressive list of films to his credit: "Bottle Rocket" and this year's "Rushmore." Both are offbeat films, with a love of character and idiosyncrasies. Both films were written by ANDERSON and his writing partner Owen Wilson. "Rushmore" stars Bill Murray.

We remember film critic Gene Siskel who was half of the Siskel and Ebert movie-review team. Two weeks ago he left their TV show to recuperate from brain tumor surgery he received last year. He died on Saturday. The duo began their TV collaboration in 1975 on Chicago Public Television .The program later became a national PBS show and then moved on to a successful commercial television run. Gene Siskel was film columnist for the Chicago Tribune. (ORIGINAL BROADCAST 3/21/96)

Film critic John Powers reviews British director Ken Loach's new film, "My Name is Joe."

Editor in Chief of Variety magazine Peter Bart. He's written a new book about what the summer blockbuster means to the film industry, and the resources that go into making them. His new book "The Gross: The Hits, The Flops-The Summer That Ate Hollywood" (St. Martin's Press) takes a look at the 1998 summer season. Bart is a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. He's also a former Paramount studio executive.

Film critic John Powers reviews "Rushmore." The new film starring Bill Murray.