Posted Nov 5th 2009 12:35AM by TMZ Staff
James Cameron's new film "Avatar" may have one of the biggest budgets of all time ... but it also has one big problem -- a group of Hindus are up in arms because they claim the title disgraces their religion.
The Universal Society of Hinduism and its president Rajan Zed are demanding Cameron put a disclaimer before and after the new 3-D flick saying it has diddly squat to do with the Hindu religion and its concepts ... and the title is just a coincidence.
The concept of "avatar" -- commonly known as incarnation -- is a central theme in Hinduism and prominent Hindus are worried the movie will completely botch it if Cameron doesn't bother to explain himself.
Ironically Cameron's film will reportedly be the biggest ever Hollywood release in India.
Filed under: Movies
Tags: avatar, james cameron, JamesCameron, rajan zed, RajanZed, universal society of hinduism, UniversalSocietyOfHinduism
Posted Nov 5th 2009 12:20AM by TMZ Staff
Sybil Danning became famous for starring in campy '80s B-movies like "Chained Heat," "Howling II: Stirba - Werewolf Bitch" and "Reform School Girls." Guess what she looks like now!
Filed under: Movies, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Tags: Sybil Danning, SybilDanning
Posted Oct 31st 2009 2:02AM by TMZ Staff
Alex Vincent is best known for playing the kid opposite Chucky in the 1988 film "Child's Play" and the 1990 sequel "Child's Play 2." Guess what he looks like now!
Filed under: Movies, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Tags: Alex Vincent, AlexVincent, Childs Play, ChildsPlay
Posted Oct 30th 2009 4:55AM by TMZ Staff
Heather Donahue became famous for whining in the 1999 horror film "The Blair Witch Project." Guess what she looks like now!
Filed under: Movies, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Tags: Blair Witch, BlairWitch, Heather Donahue, HeatherDonahue
Posted Oct 29th 2009 8:42PM by TMZ Staff
Dr. Arnold Klein claims his medical treatments during the last three months of Michael Jackson's life were partly responsible for "This Is It."
Dr. Klein's rep is responding to the story we broke -- that he's filed a creditor's claim for services he performed on Jackson during the last 3 months of his life. Klein wants $48,522.89 for his services -- 179 procedures.
Dr. Klein's rep says the bills were all "valid medical treatment." The statement goes on ... "As anyone can see from viewing "This Is It," Michael Jackson looked great, and this was due, in part, to Dr. Klein's skill, hard work and dedication."
The statement addresses the weekend charge for medical services, claiming Klein needed to rent a helicopter to get to Jackson.
As we reported, on one Saturday Jackson went to Klein's office and got 4 I.M. Injections for a minor Restylane treatment -- we're told an I.M. Injection is typically a Demerol injection.
In the statement, Klein says he'll donate any money he receives from the estate to a charity that provides assistance to inner city kids with HIV.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Movies, Michael Jackson
Tags: arnold klein, ArnoldKlein, michael jackson, MichaelJackson
Posted Oct 29th 2009 12:16AM by TMZ Staff
Warwick Davis played the gold coin craving Leprechaun in the the 1993 fright film "Leprechaun." Guess what he looks like now!
Filed under: Movies, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Tags: celebrity, gossip, halloween, leprechaun, memba, now and then, NowAndThen, scary, scary movie, ScaryMovie
Posted Oct 28th 2009 1:12AM by TMZ Staff
After one of their minions sent an email requesting outfits from various fashion companies, this is what Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Marlon Jackson wore to last night's "This Is It" premiere.
While Tito, Jackie and Marlon kept it simple in basic suits and jackets, Jermaine opted for the latest from Liberace Big & Tall.
Filed under: Movies, Fashion, Michael Jackson
Tags: Jackie, Jackson, Jermaine, Marlon, outfits, This Is It, ThisIsIt, Tito
Posted Oct 27th 2009 4:51PM by TMZ Staff
Tonight's the big "This Is It" premiere and the Jackson brothers haven't got a thing to wear.
TMZ obtained a copy of an email sent yesterday from a staffer working on the Jacksons' upcoming A&E reality show to different fashion companies asking them to please outfit Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito in "dressy attire" for tonight's premiere.
The letter states that the staffer would, "love to put the four brothers in XXXXX or dressy attire as this premiere will be receiving a lot of press and will be featured on the reality show."
No word if the Jackson bros scored a deal with anyone -- but we can't wait to see their costumes.
Filed under: Movies, Fashion, Michael Jackson, Exclusives
Tags: clothes, jackie jackson, JackieJackson, Jacksons, jermain jackson, JermainJackson, marlon jackson, MarlonJackson, Michael, movie, This Is It, ThisIsIt, tito jackson, TitoJackson
Posted Oct 27th 2009 2:12PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned that Michael Jackson's kids will see "This Is It" tonight -- in their own private screening.
Sources close to the family tell TMZ the kids were invited by Sony to see a screening of the movie tonight on the Sony lot in Los Angeles. We're told the kids have been sick with the flu all week, but still plan on making the screening tonight.
Michael's mother, Katherine, will not be in attendance.
Filed under: Movies, Michael Jackson, Exclusives
Tags: blanket, family, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, movie, paris, prince michael, PrinceMichael, screening, this is it, ThisIsIt
Posted Oct 27th 2009 1:12AM by TMZ Staff
Sick of seeing Kate Gosselin? Too bad, she wants to be in the movies!
During last night's "Jon & Kate Plus 8" special, Kate announced her ambition to take over Hollywood -- but just in case that lofty dream doesn't pay off, she said there's already money put aside for the kids' college funds ... and nobody (i.e. Jon) can use it for anything else.
On the bright side: The mother of 8 also said she doesn't plan on getting married again soon.
Filed under: TV, Movies, Jon & Kate
Tags: hollywood, jon gosselin, JonGosselin, kate gosselin, KateGosselin, kids, money, movies
Posted Oct 26th 2009 6:45PM by TMZ Staff
Liz Taylor saw an advanced screening of the Michael Jackson docu-film "This Is It" last night -- and to say she liked it could be the biggest understatement of all time.
Taylor went to Twitter just moments ago where the star of such Hollywood classics like "Cleopatra," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and a ton of other iconic films wrote the following statement about "This Is It":
"It is the single most brilliant piece of filmmaking I have ever seen."
Liz continued, "I wept from pure joy at his God given gift. There will never, ever be the likes of him again."
UPDATE: Taylor is blasting Tweet after Tweet ... she just referred to Michael as a "modern day prophet."
Filed under: Movies, Michael Jackson
Tags: liz taylor, LizTaylor, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, this is it, ThisIsIt, twitter
Posted Oct 26th 2009 1:28PM by TMZ Staff
The people behind "This Is It" are furious over reports that the Michael Jackson featured in the movie is a body double -- claiming those reports are "pure garbage."
The controversy began earlier this month after Joe Jackson claimed the media was going to "tear this movie apart" -- and insisted it was "mostly body doubles."
But a rep from Sony -- co-producers of the flick -- tells TMZ, "This story is pure garbage and there are no body doubles.
Audiences will begin to see the film tomorrow and every time they see The King of Pop they will know that every frame is unquestionably Michael as he rehearses and prepares for the London concerts that were to have begun this past summer."
Filed under: Gossip/Rumors, Movies, Michael Jackson, Exclusives
Tags: body double, BodyDouble, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, movie, sony, this is it, ThisIsIt
Posted Oct 25th 2009 10:29PM by TMZ Staff
Finally a member of the Jackson family is speaking out about the Michael Jackson movie "This Is It" -- up to now the family has either been silent or negative about the flick.
But Jackie Jackson -- who saw the movie on Thursday night -- liked it a lot, telling TMZ:
"My brother's movie 'This Is It' is truly riveting. Michael is electrifying! We get a glimpse of a true genius at work. His passionate message for healing the world, saving the planet and our children's futures is something he was always striving for in his lifetime."
So far Katherine Jackson is unmoved -- we hear she will not see the movie.
Filed under: Movies, Michael Jackson, Exclusives
