News

The Spider Woman Strikes Back

Blu ray

Kino Lorber

1946/ B&w / 1.33:1 / 59 Minutes

Starring Gale Sondergaard, Brenda Joyce, Kirby Grant

Directed by Arthur Lubin

People are measured by the company they keep—in a superhero’s case, that company is usually the supervillain. Villains, besides giving the hero a reason to exist in the first place, can liven up the joint; a dam burst here, a toppled bridge there, chaos and special effects ensue, and the popcorn munchers are happy. Sherlock Holmes was one of the few heroes who was fun all by himself (due respect to Dr. Watson)—the detective’s obsessive-compulsive brilliance, his monkish lifestyle, and his fondness for beekeeping and cocaine were just some of his more endearing quirks.

The filmed versions of Conan Doyle’s most famous character—not a superhero but seemingly immortal—were not so concerned with Holmes’s idiosyncrasies. This was especially true...

Rapper's sports bar may end up in as many as 20 airports.

By James Dinh

Jay-z

Photo: Neil Mockford/ Getty Images

If you've never visited New York City, Las Vegas or Atlantic City, then you have yet to visit Jay-z's 40/40 Club. But fear not! On Tuesday, it was announced that Hova has inked a deal that will bring the celebrity hot spot to select airports throughout the U.S.

Alongside his business partners, Juan and Desiree Perez, the hip-hop heavyweight united with Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services for the deal, which may put the club in as many as 20 major U.S. airports.

"We are thrilled to partner with the 40/40 Club, to bring a stylish sports bar and lounge to airports across the country," Robert Stanton, vice president of business development of Delaware North Companies, said in a statement. "From the personalized, one-of-a-kind jerseys on the wall, to every sports...

Announcing the Off-Broadway transfer of the madcap comedy, Love Child, written and performed by Daniel Jenkins and Robert Stanton with direction by Carl Forsman and choreography by Tracy Bersley. The zany comedy received its New York premiere at Primary Stages last fall where it garnered rave reviews. Performances begin Friday, October 23, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 3, 2010 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Opening night is set for Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.

"We had so much fun writing Love Child," says Robert Stanton. "We had a blast. But I'd be disingenuous if I said I didn't think of it as an acting showcase." Performing in the play was neither his nor co-writer Daniel Jenkins' initial ambition, but as the project progressed, playing 20 characters in a work about theatre seemed the natural thing to do. Now running in repertory Off-Broadway with Lee Blessing's A Body of Water, the comic two-hander depicts an Off-Off-Broadway troupe mounting the Greek tragedy Ion by Euripides. Beleaguered actor-manager Joel is "struggling to figure out who his family is and where he fits in," says Jenkins, who plays him and other characters. "One of the themes is family. This is about a theatre family, and as we know, it frequently becomes a dysfunctional family. What we look at here is, how does it work? How is it a blessing?...