Articles by James Shenton on ArticleSnatch.com

Snakes On A Plane - Viral Marketing At Its Best

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Every so often a movie will come along that is destined for greatness -- be it through powerful imagery, an engaging plot or a stellar cast. Occasionally, though, just occasionally, comes a movie whose success is based not on cast or plot (whose plot, in fact, is purely incidental to its popularity) but on simple viral marketing. Snakes on a Plane is such a movie. For those of you who have yet to come across this particular title, Snakes on a Plane is an R-rated action/horror vehicle starring Samuel L Jackson. The plot, as we have come to expect from action movies, is basic and untaxing. Jackson's FBI agent is escorting a witness on a flight from Hawaii to California to testify in a high-profile court case. Meanwhile, an assassin smuggles a crate filled with over 500 snakes onto the flight. Terror ensues. Simple. Now, in the greatest traditions of Hollywood a movie such as Snakes on a Plane should probably have vanished with little comment somewhere in the middle of the usual pile of mindless late summer action flicks. **End Summary** Topics: Snakes on a Plane]]> Viral Marketing]]> action movie]]> Samuel L Jackson]]> Hollywood]]> blockbuster]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> James Shenton often ponders the use of clever marketing over genuine acting talent . For articles & info on how to download DVD movies , go to http://www.EliteMovieDownloads.com .

Spiderman 3 - Your Friendly Neighborhood Blockbuster

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

In 1962 a young cartoonist, Stan Lee, came up with an idea for a new comic superhero. During an era in which most of our superheroes were muscle-bound adults, young Peter Parker struck an unlikely figure. An adolescent -- a pimply, gangly short-sighted teen you would expect to be the last kid picked for sports -- Peter Parker was no typical hero. However, his shortcomings struck a chord with a comic-book audience living through those same difficult times; victims of bullies who dreamed of waking up one morning with the power to stop them, to make a difference, to be someone -- anyone -- other than the nerdy kid they saw in the mirror. Despite being rejected by Marvel Comics, Stan Lee persisted in selling the idea of Spiderman and was picked up by the struggling title "Amazing Fantasy" -- and the rest is history. Within a few years "The Amazing Spiderman" was a mainstream comic book. Flash forward forty years to the release of Spiderman the movie. Following the success in 2000 of another superhero adaptation, the first X-Men movie, expectations were high for Spidey's first big screen outing. **End Summary** Topics: Spiderman 3]]> Spiderman]]> blockbuster]]> Stan Lee]]> superhero]]> Peter Parker]]> Amazing Fantasy]]> Sam Raimi]]> Marvel]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> From the early days of cinema to the latest CGI - James Shenton writes at http://www.EliteMovieDownloads.com where you"'ll find articles, entertainment & movie downloads

Doctor Who Is Back! The Time Lord Returns

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

There was always something a little risky in attempting to continue that venerable British sci-fi franchise, Doctor Who. Reviving a show that has run since the early sixties and gathered millions upon millions of loyal followers can be a dangerous business. Done correctly, though, it can be very profitable. So, when BBC Wales announced in 2003 that they intended to revive Doctor Who, fans met the news with concern and excitement in equal measures. The Doctor had enjoyed only one full-length screen outing since the show was cancelled in 1989 - the Fox Network's TV movie starring Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor - and poor ratings left little doubt that the franchise was truly dead and buried. So, it was with a sense of trepidation that the BBC aired the premiere of the first new TV series in 16 years. Salford-born actor Christopher Eccleston (Gone in Sixty Seconds, 28 Days Later) was the unlikely choice for the part of the ninth Doctor, along with the even more unlikely choice of 90s songstress Billie Piper to play his spunky sidekick, Rose Tyler. **End Summary** Topics: Doctor Who]]> Time Lord]]> TARDIS]]> British]]> cult]]> sci-fi]]> BBC]]> Christopher Eccleston]]> David Tennant]]> ]]> About the Author: ]]> For more by James Shenton on Doctor Who and other paranormal TV shows visit http://www.EliteTvDownloads.com, the best resource to download television shows on the Internet.

CSI: NY - Back To The Big Apple

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Easily the darkest, most hard-bitten member of the CSI family, CSI:NY returns this fall for a third season: a season that opens following the violent murder of a former CSI, with another recovering from a coma. We left the second season of CSI in turmoil. In the penultimate episode of the season, "Heroes", the charred remains of former CSI Aiden Burn were discovered in a stolen car. While the identity of the murderer seemed obvious to Detective Mac Taylor and his team, they had to find to establish enough evidence to bring in JD Pratt, the unconvicted rapist whose case cost Aiden her job six months earlier. Since leaving the department, Aiden had devoted herself to gathering evidence to finally put Pratt behind bars, and her final act did just that. Realising she would be killed, Aiden left enough evidence to pin the murder on Pratt, knowing that the CSIs would be able to use it to finish the job she promised to do. The final episode finished the season with a bang. While surveying a murder scene in a multi-storey office building with Mac Taylor, Detective Flack finds a duffel bag containing a bomb. **End Summary** Topics: CSI]]> CSI NY]]> CSI New York]]> Crime Scene Investigation]]> CBS]]> Aiden Burn]]> Mac Taylor]]> Clare Forlani]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> For more by James Shenton, including CSI show with murders based on pop culture messages in T-shirts, visit http://www.EliteTvDownloads.com , the hottest TV downloads site on the web.

Indiana Jones Returns - Too Little, Too Late?

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

For those who came of age in the 1980s during a time of sleek consumerism and homogenous globalization, Indiana Jones was something of an idol. Harking back to a time when the jungles of South America and the Pyramids of Egypt were truly a world away, the Indiana Jones trilogy excited in us a feeling of adventure that has been rarely seen before or since. The popularity of the Indiana Jones movies stems not just from the fact that they were directed and acted by some of the greatest Hollywood talent of the day, but also from the fact that the movies were classic adventures. They were swashbuckling epics that found an ideal mix of adventure, intrigue and mystery, steeped in myth and mysticism. This formula was clearly successful. The first Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was the highest grossing movie of 1981 and was nominated for eight Academy Awards (of which it won four). The following two instalments, Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade, fared almost as well, each winning an Academy Award and grossing hundreds of millions of dollars. Since 1989, though, all has been quiet on the Indy front. **End Summary** Topics: Indiana Jones]]> Raiders of the Lost Ark]]> Temple of Doom]]> The Last Crusade]]> Harrison Ford]]> George Lucas]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> James Shenton often writes about movie trilogies such as Indiana Jones and Star Wars. For more articles and film downloads , go to http://www.EliteMovieDownloads.com .

CSI: Miami - Caine's Revenge

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

One of the most successful spin-off series in the history of television, CSI: Miami returns for a fifth series this fall. The show, reported by Reuters this year as the most watched television show in the world, returns this season with the continuation of an explosive story line that threatens to destroy Lieutenant Horatio Caine - and has already cost the life of someone close to him. If you've fallen behind in the fourth season of CSI: Miami, here's a short primer to bring you up to date with the world of Horatio Caine and his crack team of crime scene investigators. 424: Rampage After marrying CSI Delko's cancer stricken sister, Marisol, things are going swimmingly for Lieutenant Horatio Caine. While she may have little time left, the couple are enjoying the time they have together to the fullest. That is, until Horatio gets caught up in the criminal trial of a leader of the sinister crime gang Mala Noche. When gang leader Raphael Sifuentes escapes from his trial Lt. Caine shoots his accomplice Jose Truillo dead, incurring the wrath of the Mala Noche. In retribution for the killing the gang put out a hit on Caine's new wife, Marisol. **End Summary** Topics: CSI]]> Miami]]> CSI: Miami]]> Horatio Caine]]> crime scene investigation]]> Delko]]> Ryan Wolfe]]> Mala Noche]]> Riaz]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Find more of James Shenton's work, from celebrity gossip to pitching a TV show idea at http://www.EliteTvDownloads.com , the best spot for TV show episode downloads on the web.

Box Office Flops - More Than Meets The Eye?

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

There's something oddly satisfying about seeing a big-budget movie flop. Whenever we hear about these ambitious, special effects-laden extravaganzas going down in flames we get an odd feeling of schadenfreude. But why is this? Does it stem from the fact that we feel manipulated, almost exploited, by the movie industry? Perhaps. After all, movie studios make a lot of coin from tweaking our emotions, be it through adrenaline-filled action films or mawkishly tear-jerking weepies. Perhaps the best reason for our guilty pleasure at seeing a big-budget movie flop is the fact that we feel like we won a battle. We caught Hollywood trying to pull a fast one by releasing a bad movie and trying to hype it anyway -- and we weren't fooled. Gotcha. Better luck next time. That's all well and good, but there have been many excellent movies throughout the years that, for whatever reason, failed to make it big at the box office. Hey, just because a movie didn't make a lot of money on its release doesn't make it bad -- after all, Citizen Kane barely made enough to cover the cost of a wooden sled on its original release. **End Summary** Topics: box office flops]]> movie flops]]> hollywood]]> Citizen Kane]]> Fight Club]]> Shawshank Redemption]]> Forrest Gump]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> From box office flops to blockbuster films , find more articles from James Shenton, and learn how to download movie blockbusters at http://www.EliteMovieDownloads.com .

CSI Continues - The Difficult Seventh Season

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Well, it's that time of year again. For the seventh year running, this fall season we'll see a new season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation hit our screens. Since its debut in the fall season of 2000, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has been a major draw for the CBS Network. It became the most watched program on television in the 2002-2003 season, and has since remained in the top 3 most popular shows ever since. As of the sixth season each episode attracted an average of 30 million viewers, and 90 million people have seen the show in the past year. The sixth season closed with a spectacular two-parter in which Detective Jim Brass was left fighting for life after a hostage negotiation went wrong. When murderer Willie Cutler took a woman hostage in a Vegas hotel room, Brass volunteered to negotiate. However, when things went awry Cutler fired three shots at Brass - and one of the shots breached his bulletproof vest, a bullet lodging in his heart. **End Summary** Topics: CSI]]> Crime Scene Investigation]]> CBS]]> Jim Brass]]> Gil Grissom]]> Sara Sidle]]> Jorja Fox]]> Warwick Brown]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> James Shenton is a New York-based entertainment writer. For more about CSI and other crime drama shows, visit http://www.EliteTvDownloads.com , the hottest TV show downloads site.

The 10 Most Popular Movies Of All Time A Cheat Sheet (Part 2)

Sun, 10 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Are you a movie dunce? Do you not know your Corleone from your Kurosawa? Would you recognise a lightsaber if it hit you in the face? Well, don't panic. To help you catch up on your movie knowledge here's the second instalment in your 2-part crash course in the top 10 movies of all time, as voted by the readers of the Internet Movie Database. Careful, though¦ here be spoilers. 5. Casablanca Hiding out in Casablanca, Morocco during World War II, exiled American and former freedom fighter Rick Blaine passes the time running a popular nightspot. Blaine's tedium is interrupted when Czech Resistance leader Victor Laszlo arrives with his beautiful wife Ilsa -- Blaine's ex-lover. Blaine holds the key to Laszlo's safe passage out of the country, and Ilsa offers herself to him in exchange for her husband's safety. Blaine faces the choice of sacrificing Laszlo to win back Ilsa, but in the end decides to do the honorable thing¦ Quote: If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life. **End Summary** Topics: popular movies]]> best movies]]> Godfather]]> Shawshank Redemption]]> Lord of the Rings]]> Casablanca]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> James Shenton is a writer specializing in the movie business . Find more from him at the top DVD movie download portal, http://www.EliteMovieDownloads.com

The 10 Most Popular Movies Of All Time A Cheat Sheet (Part 1)

Sun, 10 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Are you a movie dunce? Do you not know your Corleone from your Kurosawa? Would you recognise a lightsaber if it hit you in the face? Well, don't panic. To help you catch up on your movie knowledge here's the first instalment in your 2-part crash course in the top 10 movies of all time, as voted by the readers of the Internet Movie Database. Careful, though¦ here be spoilers. 10. Star Wars IV: A New Hope A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away . . . Luke Skywalker, farmhand and son of Darth Vader, is torn from his home when his aunt and uncle are murdered by Imperial Storm Troopers searching for the stolen plans to the Death Star, a space station with weaponry capable of destroying planets. Luke escapes with his two droids, Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi, smuggler Han Solo and first mate Chewbacca. After escaping Tatooine, the ragtag crew stumble upon the Death Star shortly after it has destroyed the planet Alderaan. Caught by its tractor beam, their ship is dragged in. While attempting to escape the Death Star the team rescue Princess Leia, held prisoner in the ships bowels. **End Summary** Topics: popular movies]]> best movies]]> Seven Samurai]]> Schindler"'""s List]]> Good Bad Ugly]]> Pulp Fiction]]> Star Wars]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> James Shenton is a cinema buff and freelance entertainment writer. Find more of his work at the Internet"'s best movie downloads site, http://www.EliteMovieDownloads.com

Adrien Brody Zero To Hero

Sun, 10 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

One of the least typecast actors in Hollywood, Adrien Brody -- star of the new period biopic Hollywoodland -- has defied critics by choosing a wide range of roles on the basis that they look like fun. This approach has taken him from the most serious role imaginable, as a Polish Jew in Roman Polanski's The Pianist, to portraying Jack Driscoll in Peter Jackson's big budget adventure King Kong. Despite Brody's seemingly overnight success in The Pianist -- a role that made him the youngest actor to win the Oscar for Best Actor -- he had actually been struggling to make a name for himself since he appeared in Steven Soderbergh's 1993 movie King of the Hill. He went on to receive praise for his turns in The Thin Red Line and Summer of Sam, but wasn't widely noticed until the success of The Pianist. Since his Oscar success, however, Brody's movies -- with the exception of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village -- have tended to underperform at the box office. His 2005 psychological thriller The Jacket made only $15million at the worldwide box office, barely half of its $28million budget. **End Summary** Topics: Adrien Brody]]> actor]]> hollywood]]> Hollywoodland]]> The Pianist]]> King Kong]]> The Village]]> The Jacket]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> James Shenton has written about all subjects related to Hollywood, from movie star fashion to movie downloads . For more on this subject, visit http://www.EliteMovieDownloads.com

The Fall 2006 Tv Line-Up Hit Or Miss?

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

While it's always a shame to see the end of summer, we can console ourselves about the drawing in of the nights with the great new shows in the fall TV lineup. While brand new shows can often be hit and miss, here's a few time-tested greats that are guaranteed to please. Desperate Housewives In an effort to recapture the magic that first made Housewives popular, Executive Producer Marc Cherry (who wrote the first season's episodes) will return to take control of the show. Hopefully, his scripts will help drag Housewives back from last season's slump. Prison Break Following the enormous success of the first season, Wentworth Miller returns as Michael Schofield, this time pursued by FBI agent Buck Mahone (Invasion's William Fitchner). The question that will be answered this season is whether the show can survive outside the prison walls. Smallville Hot on the heels of Superman Returns, young Clark Kent is back -- and he's bringing new characters along for the ride. The new season will see the introduction of Jimmy Olsen, rumored to be Chloe Sullivan's new love interest. Also appearing is the comic book hero Green Arrow. **End Summary** Topics: fall tv]]> tv shows]]> fall television]]> television shows]]> desperate housewives]]> prison break]]> smallville]]> lost]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> You'll find more of James Shenton"'s work, from the best gossip to the latest celebrity fashions , at http://www.elitetvdownloads.com, the hottest TV show downloads site.

Steve Irwin: Crocodile Hunter An Australian Icon

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Occasionally just occasionally there comes along a TV personality whose enthusiasm and charisma engenders almost universal affection with audiences. Environmentalist, naturalist and documentarist Steve Irwin known the world over as the Crocodile Hunter was one of those rare personalities. Born Steven Robert Irwin on 22 September, 1962 in Melbourne, Australia, Steve Irwin was the owner and manager of the Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland. The zoo, originally called the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, belonged to his parents, Bob and Lyn. As a young man Irwin worked as a crocodile trapper in Queensland, catching and removing crocs from populated areas. While he didn't draw a salary, he worked on the condition that he could keep the crocodiles he captured for his parents' zoo. After taking over management of the zoo in 1991 Irwin met his future wife, American-born veterinarian Terri Raines. Following a whirlwind romance the couple married, and the video footage of their crocodile-trapping honeymoon was aired as the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, the series that made Irwin an international celebrity. **End Summary** Topics: Steve Irwin]]> Crocodile Hunter]]> Australian icon]]> obituary]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Find more by James Shenton from the latest TV shows to articles about other TV role models at http://www.EliteTvDownloads.com, the best resource for TV downloads .

Wentworth Miller Breakout Star

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

If you had asked people five years ago if they'd heard the name Wentworth Miller you'd probably have been met with a parade of blank stares and shrugged shoulders. Today, Miller is known around the world as the star of Fox's hit series Prison Break. Debuting in the fall of 2005, Prison Break catapulted Wentworth Miller into the limelight. However, Miller was by no means an overnight success. In fact, it took him almost a decade to break away from bit parts and pilots to his own hit TV series. Born in the town of Chipping Norton, England in 1972, the son of a Rhodes scholar was transplanted back to the States at an early age. After graduating from Princeton University with a degree in English Literature, Miller moved to Los Angeles to work with a small production company specializing in made-for-TV movies. However, it didn't take long until the urge to get in front of the camera became too great to resist. Miller first hit our screens in 1998 in ˜Go Fish', the 20th episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's second season. **End Summary** Topics: wentworth miller]]> prison break]]> fox tv]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> For more of James Shenton's work, from Hollywood chat to the impact of pop culture on society visit http://www.EliteTvDownloads.com the hottest place to download TV shows .