Miramax reaches music publishing deal with Warner Music

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Warner Music Group has acquired the rights to all film music owned by Miramax, the companies announced Tuesday. The agreement expands an existing deal in which Warner administers the studio's film music publishing across most of Europe and South America. Warner will license performance rights from Miramax's catalog in screenings and broadcasts of the films and will develop new usages of the music on television, film, advertising, games and online. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

'This deal is a good example of Warner/Chappell's focus on developing extraordinary repertoire, through both organic growth and acquisition,' Cameron Strang, the chairman and CEO of Warner's global publishing arm Warner/Chappell Music, said in a statement. 'The Miramax library of music is filled with gems from decades of renowned films, and our expertise in creating new opportunities for great music makes Warner/Chappell the perfect home for this incredible collection.' The Miramax music library includes music from films like 'Chicago,' 'Gangs of New York' and 'Good Will Hunting.' The catalog of music includes scores written by Academy Award-winning composers, such as Howard Leslie, Jan A. P. Kaczmarek and Rachel Portman. 'We are very pleased with this agreement, which ensures the music from the iconic Miramax film library is further nurtured by the outstanding and innovative music industry experts at Warner/Chappell, and enables us to continue to focus on our studio and our films, our core creative product,' Mitzi Reaugh, Miramax's senior vice president of business development and strategy, said in a statement.

(Reporting By Andrea Burzynski)



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Court revives suit involving Elvis memorabilia

(Reuters) - The heirs of a longtime friend of Elvis Presley can proceed with a lawsuit over a chunk of the King's hair and other memorabilia they say were stolen and sold at auction, an appeals court ruled on Tuesday.

At stake is $218,000 in proceeds from the sale of a trove of collectors' items that allegedly belonged to Elvis's personal friend and fan club president, Sterling Gary Pepper.

Pepper's heirs, John Tate and Norma Deeble, filed the suit in 2009 on behalf of their late cousin. They accused Pepper's former caretaker, Nancy Pease Whitehead, of stealing the collection when Pepper was transferred into a home for the disabled.

An Iowa district court refused to block the auction, which ultimately reaped $28,000 for an Elvis-worn red suede shirt, $15,000 for a clump of hair cut off when he went into the Army, and $1,400 for two dried white roses from his funeral. The lower court found that Pepper's relatives had waited too long to file the lawsuit and ruled for Whitehead before a trial.

Deeble appealed to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of Pepper's estate, arguing that the family members had no knowledge that the collection existed and were not able to file the suit earlier.

That argument was enough to convince a three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit to revive the suit, which on Tuesday sent the case back to the lower court for a trial.

The $218,000 in sale proceeds is in escrow while the case is still pending, said Matthew Sease, a lawyer for Pepper's estate. Also in escrow are a pastel painting of Elvis and his wife Priscilla Presley.

Brant Leonard, a lawyer for Whitehead, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case is Estate of Nell G. Pepper et al v. Nancy Whitehead et al, 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 11-2764.

(Reporting By Terry Baynes)



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Madonna blames boos at Paris show on "a few thugs"

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pop star Madonna on Monday downplayed media reports of boos and calls for refunds from the audience of her recent concert at Paris' famed Olympia theatre, saying they were caused by 'a few thugs' in the audience.

'Unfortunately at the end of the show - after I left the stage - a few thugs who were not my fans rushed the stage and started throwing plastic bottles pretending to be angry fans,' Madonna said on her website.

Tickets for the surprise show held last Thursday - a last-minute addition to Madonna's 'MDNA' tour - had been offered first to members of her fan club and sold out within minutes. Some people began gathering outside the Olympia as early as Wednesday for the show, and anticipation was running high.

The show, which included both classics and songs from her latest album 'MDNA,' cost ticket holders 80 euros ($98) to start.

After it ended, some in the audience voiced disappointment at the show's length, a mere 45 minutes. A few booed and others called for refunds as they left the 2,700-seat theatre, Paris' oldest surviving music hall which has welcomed iconic stars from Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel to the Rolling Stones.

'The press reports have focused on this and not the joyous aspect of the evening,' Madonna said in the statement. 'But nothing can take away or ruin this very special evening for me and my fans. When I looked out in the audience, everyone I saw had a smile on their face. I look forward to having this wonderful experience again.'

It's not the first time her current tour in France has attracted controversy.

At the 80,000-seat Stade de France on July 14, she angered France's far right party leader Marine Le Pen by showing a picture of her with a swastika superimposed on her face.

This past Thursday, Madonna made a only a glancing reference to Le Pen and her political party's anti-immigration stance, and paid homage to a French past that, Madonna said, 'opened its arms to minorities.'

(Reporting By Christine Kearney; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Marguerita Choy)



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Judge orders report on welfare of Jackson kids

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A judge on Friday ordered a probe into the care of Michael Jackson's three children as the late singer's brother accused executors of dirty tricks in a power struggle over the pop star's multi-million dollar estate.

Los Angeles Superior Court judge Mitchell Beckloff appointed a probate investigator to interview Prince Michael, 15, Paris, 14, and Blanket, 10, 'on an unannounced basis' and report back to him about the children's welfare which has come under scrutiny in recent days.

Beckloff made the order as a family attorney proposed that the 'Thriller' singer's mother Katherine, 82, share guardianship of the children with her nephew Tito Jackson Jr.

Tito, 34, was awarded temporary guardianship on Wednesday after Katherine took a prolonged and rumor-filled absence from the Jackson family's compound outside Los Angeles.

The Jackson matriarch returned home from Arizona on Thursday, after going on national television to deny speculation that she had been kidnapped by some of her adult children.

Katherine Jackson's attorney on Friday said the new arrangement for the care of the children would be formally presented to Beckloff next week.

Although the dispute over guardianship apparently neared a resolution, the dead pop singer's brother Randy continued his attack on the executors of Michael Jackson's lucrative estate.

Randy Jackson, who along with four other siblings last week claimed Jackson's signature on a will benefiting his mother and his children had been forged, accused the Jackson estate of trying to kill Katherine Jackson.

'The Estate is trying to isolate my Mother from her family JUST LIKE THEY DID TO MICHAEL, in order to propagate their lies, financial agendas and to protect a fraudulent will,' Randy Jackson tweeted on Friday.

'It is my fear and belief, that they are trying to take my mother's life,' he added.

Jackson, 50, died in June 2009 of an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol and his physician was convicted and jailed last year for giving Jackson the drug as a sleep aid.

Some members of the Jackson clan of eight remaining siblings have long maintained that their brother was killed by unknown persons wanting to get their hands on his musical fortune.

The two non-family executors of the estate, entertainment lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClaine, insist the will is valid. They declined to comment on Randy Jackson's latest claims.

Since Jackson's death, the estate has approved numerous projects including a posthumous concert rehearsal film 'This Is It', and a Cirque du Soleil show. According to recent court documents, the estate has earned $475 million in gross profits since Jackson's death, and much of the singer's estimated $500 million debt has been paid off.

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte; Desking by Andrew Hay)



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Lady Gaga makes acting debut in "Machete Kills"

(Editor's note: Following story contains language that some readers may find offensive)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pop star Lady Gaga will make her film acting debut in the second installment of the 'Machete' film franchise in a casting choice alongside the likes of Mel Gibson and Charlie Sheen, Gaga and the film's director Robert Rodriguez said on Twitter.

Rodriguez announced the casting on Thursday on Twitter, saying, 'I just finished working with @LadyGaga on @MacheteKills, she kicked SO MUCH ASS! Holy Smokes. Blown away!' and posted a link to a poster featuring the singer.

Gaga, 26, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta and whose concerts and music videos are littered with various flamboyant theatrics, confirmed on Twitter, 'Yes it's true, I will be making my debut as an actress in the amazing MACHETE KILLS BY @RODRIGUEZ IM SO EXCITED!!! AH! Filming was insane.'

Little is known about the role, which is likely to be a cameo or smaller film appearance. The character poster featured the pop star dressed in a scantily clad outfit and a wolf wrap with smoke pouring out of a gun alongside the caption, 'Lady Gaga as La Chameleon.'

Rodriguez, who posted a tweet in June he had also cast Charlie Sheen playing a fictional U.S. president in the film, directed the first 'Machete' film that was released in 2010 with the 'Machete' character derived from his 'Spy Kids' 2001 film.

'Machete Kills' sees the character of Machete battling his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer, said film website imdb.com. Rodriguez has previously directed 'Sin City' and 'Desperado.'

(Reporting By Christine Kearney, Editing by Jill Serjeant and Marguerita Choy)



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Madonna voices love for tolerant France in Paris show

PARIS (Reuters) - Pop star Madonna treated fans to an intimate show at Paris' famed Olympia theatre on Thursday, voicing her love for a France that is open to minorities and artists and reinterpreting 'Je t'aime moi non plus,' a song laced with sexual innuendo.

Tickets for the surprise show - a last-minute addition to Madonna's 'MDNA' tour - were offered first to members of her fan club and sold out within minutes. Some people began gathering outside the Olympia as early as Wednesday for the show, and anticipation was running high.

In the end, reaction was mixed and some in the audience voiced disappointment at the show's length, a mere 45 minutes. A few called for refunds as they left the 2,700-seat theatre, Paris' oldest surviving music hall which has welcomed iconic stars from Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel to the Rolling Stones.

The concert was expected to have a political overtone to it, and Madonna started off on a rebellious note.

'I have a special affinity with France, and I have for many years,' the pop star shouted at the start. 'It could go all the way to Napoleon because I think of myself as a revolutionary.'

Yet there was no repeat of the performance she gave at the 80,000-seat Stade de France on July 14, which angered France's far right party leader Marine Le Pen by showing a picture of her with a swastika superimposed on her face.

France's National Front has since announced it will sue her.

On Thursday, Madonna offered only veiled criticism of the party's anti-immigrant stance, paying homage to a France which she said once 'opened its arms to minorities.'

'I know that I have made a certain Marine Le Pen very angry with me,' she said, adding that her intention was not to make enemies. 'We are entering some very scary times in the world. People are afraid, and what happens when people are afraid? They say 'get out! You're the reason. You're the problem. You're to blame,'' she told the audience.

LONG WAIT, SHORT SHOW

Tickets for the show, which included both classics and songs from her latest album 'MDNA,' started at 80 euros ($98) and were offered first to members of Madonna's fan club. They sold out in less than 5 minutes, organizers said, and the Olympia's website crashed several times due to heavy traffic.

Fans started gathering at noon on Wednesday to attend the show, with many pitching tents on the sidewalk to make sure they got as close as possible to the Material Girl.

Die-hard fan, 25-year-old Ally Gloser from Cologne, Germany, said she had bought tickets for 11 of Madonna's shows over the summer, at a cost of 2,500 euros.

'Normally, I'm a student. Now I'm a poor student,' she said.

True to form, the 53-year-old offered up an array of sexy outfits and age-defying moves, at one point adding a French touch for Parisian fans with a black leather pencil skirt, red lipstick, and a French beret. She paid tribute to several French artists, including actor Alain Delon and singer Piaf.

'I walk in her footsteps, actually I crawl in her footsteps', she said of the 'La Vie en rose' singer while kneeling on stage.

Under red lights and on an entirely empty stage, Madonna sang the famous French song, 'Je t'aime moi non plus' ('I love you, neither do I') written by Serge Gainsbourg in the late 1960s. She tied a dance partner down on a chair and pretended to shoot him in the mouth.

Audience reaction to the show was mixed.

'The show itself was pretty good, but she didn't even sing for an hour', complained 33-year-old Guillaume Delaval. 'She spoke for 15 minutes about tolerance, it's not the U.N. here.'

Pierce Brosnan, the Irish actor who played in four James Bond movies, attended the show with his wife.

'We're fans. My wife wanted to come, so we bought tickets,' he told Reuters, explaining he was in Paris to shoot a movie with Emma Thompson called 'Love Punch.'

Madonna will perform in Nice, France on August 21. After shows in the Middle East and Europe, the singer will give concerts in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

(Reporting by Chine Labbe; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Stacey Joyce)



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Punk "godmother" Patti Smith pays homage to St Francis in Assisi

ROME (Reuters) - Singer-songwriter Patti Smith, whose latest album 'Banga' was in part inspired by the life of St Francis, meditated before his tomb in the Umbrian hill town of Assisi on Wednesday and even helped restore a fresco by Giotto.

Smith, sometimes called the 'Godmother of Punk,' spent several hours at the large basilica and convent complex, which is also the burial place of the saint who for centuries has been an inspiration for pacifists and environmentalists.

'When I think of St Francis I don't think of religion, I don't think of any rules and regulations,' she told an interviewer for the basilica's website www.sanfrancescopatronoditalia.it/.

'I think of nature. I think of his love of nature. I think of his absolute love of life and I think any human being can relate to that,' she said in the interview, an advance tape of which was provided to Reuters.

'I think that St Francis does not exclude anyone. Just like Jesus Christ. If you approach St Francis with love, you receive love in return.'

Smith, 65, who is most famous for her 1978 song 'Because the Night,' meditated before the stone tomb of the saint and then joined the brown-robed monks for a frugal lunch in the refectory.

St Francis, who died in 1226, inspired 'Constantine's Dream', one track of her latest album Banga.

The rocker and writer, who was an early denizen of the legendary punk club CBGB in New York and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, said she has been influenced by different saints over the years.

'As a young child I was very drawn to saints, whether it be Joan of Arc or St John or St Matthew. I (like) the feeling of different saints that watch over you,' she said. 'Saints take us through different stages of our life. St Bernadette helped me at a time when I was young.'

Smith, an environmental activist, said the saint of Assisi, who legend says spoke to animals and called the sun 'brother' and the moon 'sister,' was now her guide.

'In this period of my life his idea of simplicity and of being close to nature is what I wish to aspire to. It's simply his example. It's that simple. He is a holistic example of how to conduct oneself in the world,' she said.

Asked what song she would sing to St Francis if she met him, she said it would be 'Blackbird' by Paul McCartney, adding that she was particularly moved by the lyric 'Take these broken wings and learn to fly'.

While touring the convent complex, she spoke to restorers cleaning a Giotto fresco in the lower basilica and, donning a yellow hard hat, she was allowed to add a touch of watercolor to the painting by the master who lived in the 13th and 14th centuries.

'Excuse me, Giotto,' she said. 'I did it with love.'

(Reporting By Philip Pullella, editing by Paul Casciato)



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