Edmonton Journal du lieu suivant : Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 38

EDMONTON JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1999 ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT Amazon TV set an indoor jungle 'Court jester Benigni doesn't amuse everyone kome When Roberto Benigni dined with the Clintons at a gala dinner in Florence, he goofed around shame AMAZONIA FILE Exotic flora, fauna swallow up the cast in old steel factory Vi iW lessly in front or political leaders, mugging for the cameras and hugging the first couple. Not everyone was amused. The Canadian Prest TORONTO FILE PHOTO Peter Benchley, left, returned to Toronto recently to look in on the new TV series that bears his name, Peter Benchley's Amazon. Benchley plays a leper here; Andrew Talbott and Carol Alt look on. Ever since the Nov.

I 19 dinner, Italian L. Fifth Estate remembers massacre The Canadian Prest TORONTO Francine Pelletier, host of CBC-TVs The 5th Estate, is understandably interested in the 10th armiversary of theMontreal Massacre. Ayear after Marc Lepine killed 14 women inashooting rampage atEcolepolytechniqueonDec 6, 1989, Pelletier learned her name was on a list of potential victims found among his effects. Pelletier hosts Legacy of Pain, an hour-long5mstare special at 8 p.m. tonight that examines the massacre and its aftermath on the victims' families.

Meanwhile, CBC Newsworld plans a day-long remembrance next Monday, inducing coverage of a memorial service at Notre-dame-des-neiges church. Other programming includes coverage of a ceremony to inau-gurateamassaosmmorial, airing of anNFBCK: documentary called TheMontrealMassaat and an interview with Justice Minister Anne McLellan. Benipni cunuueiuaiurs nave been complaining Stars: C. Thomas Howell, Carol Alt, Chris Martin, Fabiana Udenio, Tyler Hynes and Rob Stewart. Producers: Alliance Atlantis, in association with Eyemark Entertainment (CBS), BetaFilm of Germany and WIC Entertainment.

Supervising producer, Malcolm MacRury; executive producers, Seaton McLean, Peter Sussman, Peter Benchley; producer, Jan Peter Meyboom. Developers: MacRury, Benchley. Plot: Six people survive a plane crash in the Amazon and, having been abandoned by search and rescue officials, try to survive in the Brazilian rainforest. Dangers include spiders, snakes, reptiles, big cats and primitive tribes. Actor JohnNeville, dressed as a prioMtive, spear-toting tribal elder, leads his band of white natives out ofthe wilderness and straight to the services truck where lunch awaits.

Visiting the vast indoorset for the TV series Peter Benchlefs Amazon is a study in bizarre contrasts. Outside the former steel factory, the chill winds of November moan. Inside one can feel the steam heat of the rainforest set, 90 per cent of which is fake greenery.Itseems real vegetation on camera looks fake. "There's two acres of standing set at any time and we have about another 1.5 acres put Harold Thrasher, tour guide and production designer for the series about six WhenHarryMetSalfy, says the elaborate set cost a "couple of million'' to assemble. The show is budgeted at $1.2 million per episode.

Thrasher regales visitors with stories about the pig thatwears tusk-dentures to portray a vicious jungle boar and the tiny 'gator that disappeared for two weeks into the man-made river causingno end of consternation to cast member Carol Alt who had to wade into the murky water for one shot. There's also a jaguar, which, when not acting, is boarded at a nearby zoo. Huge portions of the set, in cluding massive tree trunks, vines and other greenery, are on wheels so they can be rolled around the soundstage to vary the background. Thrasher, writer Peter Bench-ley and others involved in the production visited the real Amazon but quickly realized how impractical location shooting would be. As for real outdoor shots, Toronto's Don River was clressed up to look like the Amazon for a few sequences, and some exterior scenes shot in Australia will appear in future episodes.

plane-crash survivors in the Brazilian rainforest Thrasher, who served as art director on such films as Young Guns, Raising Arizona and jpcd 2000 Extra Value Package includes: 'ABS Power Windows Power Remote Mirrors Cruise Control Air Conditioning 'AMFMCD Moulded Spare Tire Cover Tonneau Cover Anti-Theft System Wheel Locks pay fer 2000 RAV4 4WD 4DOOR EXTRA VALUE PACKAGE There isn't any freedom on the freeway. You need a Toyota RAV4 4X4. Our Extra Value Package of 14 great extras even includes an Anti-Theft System and power windows and Lease from 338 mirrors.Turn off that highway! Turn in to your Toyota dealer. mth 48 months Freight P.D.E. included.

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Bullard writers step Mto the limelight Toronto Two writers for Open Mike with Mike the Comedy Network's hit late-night talk show, are about to get their own on-air exposure. Bullard gag writer Rob Ross, formerly of Edmonton, takes the stage with his own 60-minute stand-up special LocalBoy, Sunday, Dec 19. Ross life to reveal the various absurdities of Canadians, things like maple syrup, ice skating and the CFL Meanwhile, Sean Iweedley, who does the audience warm-up for Bullard, gets a weekly half-hour called, appropriately enough, The Warm-Up Show, beginning on Comedy this Saturday and Sunday after- noon. Tweedley, a former member of the LA comedy troupe The Groundlings, riffs with guests and the audience and goes behind the scenes of the Bullard show. "Open Mike's warm-up show was so awkwardly endearing and outrageously funny that we just had to share it with TV viewers," says producercreator Allen Magee.

Live from Friday on Discovery Toronto Discovery Channel will have live coverage of NASA's latest Mars mission on Friday as the space agency's Polar Lander seeks evidence ofwater on the red planet The lander will be transrmtting data from Mars' south pole, including the first sound from the planet, if any. Jay Ingram and Gillian Deacon will anchor the science news channel's live coverage originating from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Pasadena, Calif, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Edmonton time with the first pictures expected about 2 p.m. Ivan Semeniuk, Discovery's resident astronomer, will also be offering his insights. On Saturday evening, Jane Gilbert hosts Mars Connection, a program update.

No backing down for Charlton Heston los angeles Chariton Hestonsays he won't back down from giving a reading at a Jewish centre despite opposition from a group that advocates gun control. peston's appearance Thursday at the Skirball Center is inappropriate in light of a shooting in August at a Los Angeles Jewish community centre, said a group called Women Against Gun Violence. A white supremacist is charged with wounding several people at the centre and later killing a postal worker. Ann Reiss Lane, chair of the group, wrote a letter to the Skirball Center pointing out that Heston is president of the National Rifle Association, which "advocates absolutely no regulations whatsoever on private gun ownership, including assault weapons and other weapons of mass destruction." Heston said Monday the letter was "entirely iirational." Tm doing a series of readings: Shakespeare, Byron, Shelley, Frost," he said. It has nothing to do with what she is talking about" The reading will go on as scheduled Thursday, the centre said.

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