Dance with 'O-Town'
By Sanath Weerasuriya
The up coming boy band 'O- Town' is the centre of attraction of this week's
'Original Music Competition', which is promoted by TV Times and M- Entertainment.
Boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync have fought hard to be
perceived as an authentic musicians rather than manufactured puppets assembled
by record executives. O-Town doesn't have to worry about that, after having
the formation of their boy band chronicled in the ABC reality TV series
'Making the Band', O-Town wears their pre-packaged label with pride.
'Making the Band' was the brainchild of Lou Pearlman, the former manager
of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync. Equal parts the Monkees and MTV's The
Real World, the show offered viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the creation
of a boy band, from their first audition to the signing of their first
record deal. The show was a modest hit for ABC. More importantly for Pearlman,
the show created legions of fans for O-Town before they even released their
first album. The programme started with a cattle call of over 1,800 applicants.
With television cameras rolling, the group was pared down to 25 contestants,
then down to eight, then down to the final five members. After months of
auditions, Pearlman and his cronies selected Ashley Parker Angel, Erik-Michael
Estrada, Trevor Penick, Jacob Underwood, and Ikaika Kahoano. Shortly after
being selected for the group, Kahoano left the band for personal reasons
and was replaced by Dan Miller.
In 2000, the group was signed to a record deal by former Arista kingpin
Clive Davis and in 2001, the group released their debut album, Liquid Dreams,
with a second season of Making the Band in the works.
As a TV programme, Making the Band stands as something of a guilty pleasure.
In the grand tradition of reality programmes such as Survivor and The Real
World, the show was often cheesy but undeniably watchable. Making the Band
could be appreciated on several levels; young fans enjoyed watching a young
group come together while more astute music fans enjoyed watching a group
of relatively untalented group of telegenic teenagers get prodded and manipulated
by music industry heavyweights into becoming a manufactured pop confection.
Look for this smashing album Liquid Dreams at all M Entertainment preferred
music outlets.
To enter this contest, all you have to do is to answer the question
on the coupon and send it to the address given below.
The address is "Listen to Original Music Contest, No. 61, C/o Maharaja
Entertainments (Pvt.) Ltd., 330, T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10.
Tel: + 941672425-8, Fax + 941699070. E Mail: me@lgo.lk
All the entries must be originals from the TV Times and no photocopies
or faxes will be entertained. All correct entries will be drawn by a panel
of judges.
The entries should reach the above address by December 26 , the latest.
The decision of the judges will be final and the names of the winners
will be announced in The Sunday TV Times accordingly.
Here are the winners of contestant no. 57. Winners of two Sony originalCDs
are Sheyoni Bernadine of Kandana and Mst D. Perera of Colombo 02.
The two audio cassette winners are Dilesh S Perera of Badulla and Mithila
N. Lambert of Kurunegala.
The 10%off gift vouchers go to C.L. Rathnasuriya of Kadawatha, Arjuna
Athapathu of Kandy, Dilhara Tilakaratne of Piliyandala, Janaie Thilakarathna
of Kaduga-nnawa, Sudara Ranawee-rasinghe of Maharagama and Shaariz Zabith
of Dehiwela.
The Posters winners are Jeremy Jayawardena of Mount Lavinia, Devashi
Perera of Moratuwa, F. Shafnaz Hashim of Kolonnawa, Royden Beckmeyer of
Negombo and Jaliya Kasum Hewagamage of Boralesgamuwa.
New Year bash at Galadari with Nalin's Combination
'Nalin and the Star Combination' continues their successful run in the
season and will be in action at Galadari Hotel for New Year eve Dance 2001.
The quartet with its wide repertoire have worked a tight schedule playing
for weddings, dances and get-togethers.
'The secret behind the success of the star combination is the type of
music they play', Nalin said.
Presently they perform regularly at the Galadari Hotel on Sunday and
Monday at Ceylon Continental Hotel on Thursdays.
They will come alive at the 'Lobby Dinner Dance' with Cool Tempo DJ.
Galadari Ballroom will be the place with oriental style music and dinner
to welcome the New Year.
Sohan & X'periments with Pearl at Silver Ball
Sohan and X'-periments' with band Pearl will be inaction at the Silver
Ball at Serendib ballroom of the Hilton to usher the new year in style.
Then a sensational gourmet delight at the Gables will be the key essence
for the New Year. The Thorana Lounge is where a whole lot of swinging will
be on when Karl Katz and his combo will perform in their unique way.
The perfect cheer for the New Year can also be at the II Ponte Ristorante
which will come alive with band 'Heat' gracing the occasion. Then if it's
a family dinner you wish to enjoy Spices has the ideal New Year's eve spread.
Curry Leaf is the only location to dine under the stars, where one can
and thereafter ring in 2002. A lavish Chinese spread at the Emperor's Wok
is also down on the cards for New Year's eve.
'Tea Ball' in Deniyaya
Centenary celebration of Morawak Korale Planters Club in Deniyaya will
be held on December 22 at Club premises with the band Super Pink n' Purple.
The Club was started by European planters of the South in 1901, and
it is the only planters' club functioning in the South.
The celebration dance is named as 'Tea Ball' and the music for 'Ball'
will be provided by Super Pink n' Purple and D.J. Kapila. `Ronnie Leitch
will be the guest star at 'Tea Ball'and the Master of Ceremonies will be
Bevil Palihawadana
CT Films to prop up cinema industry
By Susitha R. Fernando
The popular place for English movie goers, Majestic Cinema is to be
taken over by the CT Film (Pvt.) Ltd., a member of the Ceylon Theatres
Group from the beginning of next year.
Aiming to develop Sri Lankan cinema industry to be on par with the best
in the world, CT Films, a newly formed company, is planning to bring the
latest international films and American releases here.
The Cinema at the Majestic City shopping complex is owned by the C T
Land Development Limited and it was hired to EAP Films in 1995.
"The first film imported by the EAP group to the Majestic was "Speed"
and the contrct period will be over with the film "Planet of the Apes"
which is running at the moment", Thusitha De Alwis, the Publicity officer
to Ceylon Theatres told the TV Times.
"The cinema is undergoing refurbishment to include the very latest sound
and projection equipment with Dolby Digital Sound system in addition to
the total interior decor of the auditorium among others", Mr. De Alwis
added.
"The cinema will also fully exploit the marketing potential of the Majestic
City complex with the installation of TV walls, access to ticketing outlets
within the complex," he said.
The first film to be released under new management from January 15 next
year is "Dungeons and the Dragon" which will be followed by "Jurassic Park
III".
Meanwhile the line up of English films to be released to the Cinema
Entertainment (Pvt.) Limited (CEL) circuit film halls will include some
of the latest foreign movies. These will be released to Majestic, Liberty,
Empire, New Olympia and Central, the main English theatres in Colombo from
next January.
In this line up the movies scheduled to be released from the beginning
of next year at Liberty cinema are "You can do a lot with seven women"
and followed by recently released Indian film "Ashoka" Hindi and Tamil
version with English subtitle from February 14.
The other movies are "Bicentennial Man", "Tomb Raider", "The Mexican",
"Mercury Rising", "Liar Liar", "Gungala the black panther girl", "Keoma",
"My Teacher's Wife", "Operation Delta Force II and III", "Halloween V",
"Love of the Demon", "Dangerous Sex date", "Pornographer", "Red Blooded-2",
"She" , "Indecent Behaviour", "Young Emmanuele", "Black Sands" and "Dead
End of Ocean".
'Purahanda' earns a record gate
Internationally acclaimed film Purahanda Kaluwara (Death on a full moon
day) had set a box office record by earning the highest gate collection
at the Colombo Regal cinema.
The film directed by talented film maker Prasanna Vithanage had earned
Rs. 2,420,284.00 within 61 days which broke the record set by "Saroja"
which earned Rs. 2,414,000.00 after running for 126 days.
In addition the film had earned Rs. 7,621,643.34 showing in thirteen
theatres around the country within the last 50 days.
A spokesman of the Ceylon Theatres said over 1,93,492 patrons had come
for the film which was based on an old father in a poverty stricken village
who is waiting for the return of his son who had gone to the front.
Playing the main role of old blind man, "Wannihamy", veteran actor Joe
Abeywickrema was voted the Best Actor at 12th Singapore International Film
Festival.
'Purahanda Kaluwara' grabbed a number of international awards including
Grand Prix, Jury award and NETPAC at 19th Amiens International Film Festival
in 1999 and International Film Critic's award at Fribourg International
Film Festival and was represented at other international film festivals
like Montreal, Pusan, IFFI (India), London, Istanbul, and Dhaka.
'Aswesuma' grabs international award
Internationally acclaimed film "Aswesuma" (the Compensation) directed by
Benette Ratnayake won another international award at the Mumbai International
film festival recently.
The maiden directorial attempt of Ratnayake won the critics award organised
by the Federation of International Cinema Critics Association.
The film was adjudged the first out of forty films representing different
countries some of which are big names in the world film arena.
The Chinese film "Postman in the mountain" was placed second while "the
Warrior", UK -India co-production won the third place at the festival held
during last week of November in India. The festival was held under the
patronage of internationally famed film stars and film makers like Meera
Nair.
Earlier the same film won the Platinum award, given for the maiden directorial
effort of a film maker at the 34th Houston International Film Festival
with which a Sri Lankan film director was honoured for the first time.
'Aswesuma' is to be shown at some of the most prestigious international
film festivals including Moscow IFF, Singapore IFF, Delhi, Fukoka and Kerala
IFF.
The story of the film revolves around elderly 'Guneris' played by experienced
actor Joe Abeywickrema, flash backing to the 1940s, his youthful years.
The young Guneris is played by award winning actor Jackson Anthony who
starts a fresh life with his young wife played by Sangeetha Weeraratne.
"Aswesuma" depicts an old man's struggle to overcome his own guilt and
his longing to correct some of the happenings for which he was responsible
during the youth.
The others in the cast are German actor, Dr. Hans Nowak and British
actress Helen Kelly with local players Sangeetha Weeraratne, Mahendra Perera,
Hemasiri Liyanage, Indrajith Navinna, Saumaya Liyanage and Gamini Hettiarachchi.
With "Aswessuma" the line up of Sinhala films scheduled to be released
in the year 2002 in the theatres under CEL circuit including Regal Colombo
will begin. It will be followed with Daya Wimalaweera's "Seethala Gini
Kandu" and the others in the list are Linton Semage's "Mage Vam Atha",
Nimal Tennakoon's "Yakshawshaya", Mohan Niyaz's Kalu Sudu Mal, Christie
Shelton Fernando's "Thahanam Gaha" and Chandraratne Mapitigama's "Sathkampa".
"Kalu Sudu Mal" awaits release
With the work on "Kalu Sudu Mal" being completed its director Mohan Niyaz
said the film is scheduled to be released next year.
This being the sixth direction of Niyaz is woven around a story of love,
murder and suspense. It portrays two young suicide killers, a girl and
a boy who are led away from their dangerous mission subjected to natural
human feelings of young hearts.
The couple attached to a terrorist organisation while on their way to
assassinate a powerful politician falls in love and are forced to decide
whether to continue with their mission or let their emotions to decide
their fate. The director said the script was written based on a true incident
that had taken place in India where a suicide killer meets with a similar
situation while they were put on duty to kill an internationally famed
politician.
The stellar cast in Kalu Sudu Mal include Kamal Addarara-chchi, Dilhani
Ekanayake, Linton Semage, Yashodha Wimaladarma, Veena Jayakody and Senaka
Wijesinghe.
The filming was done in the locations around Colombo, Kandy, Nawalapitiya
and Kirinda.
The film is edited by M. S. Aliman, Andrew Jayamanne and K. D. Dayananda
and screen play written and directed by Mohan Niyaz. The playback singing
was done by Samitha Mudunkotuwa and Priya Suriyasena to the lyrics written
by Dr. Sunil Ariyaratne and music score by Sarath Wickrema. The film was
produced under the loan scheme given by the National Film Corporation.
'Journeying through the Indus'
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
Just mentally run some of the documentaries you have seen on television
lately. There have been plenty of travel and educational documentaries
on India, most of them have focused on the world famous places of religious
worship in the multi-religious, multi-cultural India.
In that sense, "Journeying Through the Indus" is a clear departure from
the routine programme. It is a combination of travel, educational and archeological
information presented artistically. The twelve part series provides a wealth
of information and it is the kind that is beneficial to someone hooked
on travel-like me. So when the first programme centering on Banares was
telecast, I watched it with avid interest, as it contained just what a
traveller needs to know.
" Journeying Through the Indus" was produced in celebration of the 110th
anniversary of the Maha Bodhi Society of Sri Lanka. Besides being a spiritual
journey, shedding light on Anagarika Dharmapala's life and his commitment
to preserving the Buddhist heritage in India, the series also pays attention
to the archaeological and educational aspects of the various places of
worship.
An interesting aspect of the programme series is that the creators also
discuss various conflicts that have arisen in connection with some of these
places of worship subsequent to the Moghul invasion in the 12th Century.
Over the passage of time, some of them have become multi-religious with
worshippers of various faiths flocking together.
Scripted by Saman Athaudahetti and directed by Ashoka Athaudahetti,
you can travel through various parts in India, guided by popular actress
Vasanthi Chathurani. Lenses were provided by D.H. Palihakkara.
Journeying Through the Indus is sponsored by the House of DSI.
'Deanna & Singers' live in Kandy
'Deanna and Singers' a teenage 'choir in Kandy', will have their maiden
performance at Mahaweli Reach Hotel, Kandy on December 22.
This special musical evening comprises some of the seasonal songs and
is organised by Deanna Abeyratne, a talented singer and musician.
This choir will be directed by Deanna herself and will be conducted
by Taraka Jayasinghe.
How old are you, Kumar ?
Popular TV personality Kumar de Silva celebrates his birthday Thursday,
December 20.
Shuttling between diverse television programmes both at ITN and TNL,
this season also saw him compering a lot of dances and corporate functions.
Together with wife Tharindra, he also runs his public relations and
media consultancy outfit 'Adahas' which has handled several successful
launches this season.
'Adahas' has, in a short span of one and half years, become synonymous
with creative work of a very high quality. Kumar attributes this success
to hard work coupled with a personalised service.
'Glen Fall Inn':New place for new season
By Sanath Weerasuriya
With the 'Mini Season' on, Nuwara Eliya, will be the main attraction for
Christmas and New Year this season.
Apart from the star class hotels, few new places have emerged to cater
the holiday needs.
'Glen Fall Inn' is one of the outstanding holiday bungalows in Nuwara
Eliya.
'Glen Fall Inn' is situated in the heart of the town close to the 'Grand'
on halfway up the hill, where the Glen Fall has sprung.
This seven-room hotel with a family suite is run by two brothers Nuwan
and Sunjeewa. The seven-room bungalow comprises five double rooms and two
triple rooms.
Beautifully located overlooking the fall and vegetable plantation, Glen
Fall Inn is a typical old English house with lobby centre fire place.
The garden too can be used for private parties and get togethers, where
30-35 pax can be served.
Sanjeewa said, they will be having DJ music throughout the season and
the party atmosphere will be continued till early January.
'We are planning to have a gala Dinner Dance for the New Year and I
hope the things will be better soon' he said.
Eastern, Western and Chinese cuisine are available on menu and the guests
have the right to have the dish they would prefer.
'The food will be different for the season and we will be geared to
cater anything during the festive season' Sanjeewa said.
Apart from the seasonal activities, Glen Fall Inn is a popular venue
for family receptions.
'Though we are just five months old, we get quite a number of private
parties to cater to. Sometimes we have to turn down these parties specially
in the long weekends, because the guests, specially families from Colombo
show their dissatisfaction while on holiday Nuwan explained. |
