This is the news for August 26 from Nan Dibble and Helpers' Network Hotline for fans of Beauty and the Beast. To contact me by e-mail, post to ndibble@fuse.net. To stop (or to begin) receiving updates as e-mail, notify me at the above e-mail address. To reach me by phone (evenings/weekends), call (513) 961-4813.The Helpers’ Network website is at http://home.fuse.net/helpnet.

From Deb Smith of the 2003 ConCom, helping with the 2001 ConCom's sales of B&B merchandise:

ANNOUNCEMENT
Sale number 2 of 5 from the 2001 BATB Convention Committee (All sales scheduled to end by the end of September)

STILL GOING: Sale number 1 (2001 NYC Con Merchandise) is already in progress. It will continue through all the other sales and close on 30 September, 2001. Don't miss your chance for a con zine or t-shirt!

Check http://www.i-star.com/users/sshelton/stuff/merchandise for details. Quantities remaining to be updated later today, 26 August. We're down to just six con zines left!!

NEW: Sale number 2 begins on Sunday, 26 Aug on eBay. Going up at auction are 30 COSTUMES from the BATB television series. Most of these are tunnel clothes - a few adult sizes and many children's sizes.

Costumes will officially go on the auction boards at midnight on Sunday, 26 August. So start out your week on Monday - looking under seller name "miniath" at ebay - and get yourself your very own tunnel clothes!! 

WHAT'S NEXT? Stay tuned for details on:
Sale 3 -- BATB Zines
Sale 4 -- Memorabilia from other Fandoms
Sale 5 -- BATB Memorabilia

Happy hunting to all from the 2001 Con Com!

Helper Sandy Chandler Shelton kindly provided more detailed information about how her 2002 B&B calendar can be purchased:

Here's the link to follow to see samples from the calendar:

http://www.i-star.com/users/sshelton/stuff/2002/2002cal.html

The calendars are $15 US and $20 overseas [includes postage].

Send to:

Sandy Chandler Shelton

411 Ottawa

Oscoda MI 48750  USA

From Gwen Lord, as relayed by Kathy Bayne:

Stop Press News On Roy Dotrice, from Gwen Lord, Roy's Fan Club President:
Sunday, August 26, 2001

Roy will be appearing in an upcoming episode of "Touched By An Angel," directed by Bethany Rooney.  Roy plays MICAH the angel guarding "The Ark of the Covenant," and he lives in a cave.
Filming starts this week. Keep an eye out and don't miss this episode.

I'd appreciate a video copy for the club archives.

Sincerely,
Gwen

I thank Simon Huggins, of the Helpers Network UK website, for also relaying this information.

Thought you all might be interested in this--Reanimator, starring Bruce Abbott (Devin) and featuring Jeffrey Combs (Python, "No Way Down") as well, has come out as a DVD. It was reviewed in Sci-Fi Weekly in the Monday, August 20 issue. There was also a picture from the film, which I've included in the update on the Helpers' Network website.

Re-Animator Special Widescreen Edition DVD Review from Science Fiction Weekly 8/20/01

A horror flick that stands head and shoulders above the rest is exhumed and lovingly reexamined

Re-Animator Special Widescreen Edition DVD
Starring Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton, David Gale, Robert Sampson and Jeffrey Combs
Directed by Stuart Gordon
Based on H.P. Lovecraft's "Herbert West: The Reanimator"
Screenplay by Dennis Paoli, William J. Norris and Stuart Gordon
Elite Entertainment
Approx. 86 minutes
MSRP $29.95

         By Jeff Berkwits
         Since the early 1960s, the stories of horror author H.P. Lovecraft have served as the basis for more than a dozen movies, including such essentially forgotten fare as Die, Monster, Die!, Curse of the Crimson Altar and The Dunwich Horror. Along with these little-known gems is the popular Re-Animator, a 1985 film which has achieved cult status due in large part to its engaging mixture of gore, ghouls and gallows humor. In 1995, Elite Entertainment created a special "10th Anniversary" laserdisc edition of the picture. The package was subsequently released on DVD and, after a brief absence from the market, has recently been reissued "due to popular demand."

This letterboxed, digitally remastered production includes two separate full-length audio commentaries plus the standard soundtrack. In the option devoted to his remarks, director Stuart Gordon provides a fairly straightforward accounting of the project's history, indicating both the filmmakers that influenced his style (Stanley Kubrick, Roman Polanski, etc.) and his firm belief that, despite the copious quantities of blood used in the adventure, "acting [remains] the best special effect there is." The second track consists of a boisterous and often quite funny dialogue between producer Brian Yuzna and four of the film's key cast members: Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton, Robert Sampson and Jeffrey Combs.

The picture is presented in its original unrated version, but the DVD also showcases 16 additional segments that were incorporated into the story (replacing some of the movie's more graphic scenes) when the film was later re-edited into an R-rated feature. Additionally, a brief "never-before-seen" dream sequence is highlighted, as well as two television commercials and a pair of theatrical trailers.

Gore, ghouls and gallows humor.

Among his recollections concerning Re-Animator, Gordon mentions that, just prior to working on this film, much of the technical crew had labored on The Terminator. Their skills undoubtedly contributed to the success of this picture, but, as the commentaries on the DVD reveal, a more likely reason for the movie's enduring popularity is the obvious enthusiasm and energy exhibited by the producer, director and cast.

The insights offered by Gordon tend to be rather matter-of-fact, and outline the research he did before filming commenced (such as tracking down crumbling copies of Weird Tales magazine to read Lovecraft's original story) and the reasons behind many of the creative decisions that led to the picture's superbly frightening feel. The actors provide a more comical perspective, pointing out silly discrepancies in the plot and commenting on everything from their outdated wardrobes to the director's seemingly limitless--and invariably messy--use of blood. A few serious observations emerge, such as when Sampson recalls another performer who felt "spiritually bereft" after shooting one of the movie's most famous scenes, yet for the most part their remarks function more as humorous, Mystery Science Theater 3000-type wisecracks than genuinely informative annotations.

Meanwhile, the extra footage helps clarify a discarded subplot concerning one character's hypnotic abilities, but otherwise merely demonstrates why the initial version of the film is far better than the R-rated rendition. Although the disc would benefit from slightly better packaging--for example, it lacks an insert card featuring a scene index--the Re-Animator Special Widescreen Edition DVD remains enlightening, with the various commentaries and extras nicely enhancing the overall understanding and enjoyment of this fondly remembered and rightfully revered motion picture.

An unusual element of this DVD is the fact that the cast commentary track runs through the assorted movie trailers, too. The actors don't really have much to disclose there, but even so, it's fun to hear their reactions to the clips. -- Jeff

Helper JoAnn Baca has a worthy recommendation:

I wanted to call folks' attention to a couple of lovely little digest zines which Inez Paskal has put out.  I bought them at the con and e-mailed Inez after I'd read them to ask if I could post her e-mail address in case fans are interested in purchasing her zines, and she said OK.  There aren't many zines still in print and I know fans are always in search of good ones, so I thought I'd get this information out to a wide audience through you.

Inez has a sweet mini-digest zine (about half the zine of a digest) which is beautiful to look at as well as read. It's an alternate universe story with a nice twist called "Heaven's Gift." I believe Inez is selling it for $5. The story is reprinted from one of her many Chamber Cameo zines, now all out of print. The other is a little-thicker-than-digest-sized zine called "One Small Life" - it made me think of the con charity for the NYC con (NY Foundling Hospital), so it's kind of topical in that respect, plus it's an unusual and interesting story with a plot that provides the opportunity for compelling insights into both Catherine's and Vincent's characters. I think this zine goes for $7 (people should check with Inez to be sure).

These little zines look beautiful (binding, art, etc.), and I found both well worth the money and enchanting reads (although I will warn you that you might cry while reading "One Small Life").  Anyway, if anyone is interested in these zines, please contact Inez at: ringholz@frontiernet.net

Thanks for helping to pass the word along, Nan!
JoAnn Baca

No thanks needed, JoAnn. Inez has always put out well-written and lovingly produced zines. In my youth, I had a complete set of Chamber Cameos and found them delightful reading!

The Sightings are at http://home.fuse.net/helpnet/sight.htm. Of particular note this week:

v Jo Anderson's series, Sisters, begins rerunning on the SOAP cable channel on Friday, 8/31 latenight.
It's shown on weekends at 6 a, then weekdays at 3 p and 3 aone episode repeated each day.
v Ron Perlman's Happy Texas is on STARZ, 4:35 p, Saturday 9/1.

If it's news and has to do with Beauty and the Beast, please think of the Hotline and relay. We're all in this together keeping the dream of Beauty and the Beast alive however we can. Beast wishes, be well, and goodbye.

ndibble@fuse.net
http://home.fuse.net/helpnet