Paddington Bear

lifestyle TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Music & Movies

In this March 2, 2014 file photo, singer Bette Midler arrives to the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in West Hollywood, California.—AFP Bette Midler plans first tour in decade ette Midler is planning her first tour the harmonies. “They say behind every in a decade as the stage legend great man, there’s a great woman. Well, I releases a new album of covers of think that behind every great woman, B Paddington Bear statues, each with a different celebrity-designed paint job, are pictured in front of Tower Bridge during a photo call ahead of her favorite girl groups from the 1950s there should be at least two other women the release of ‘The Paddington Trail’ film in London yesterday.—AFP photos and 1960s. Midler yesterday announced singing and dancing in perfect unison,” 22 concerts at arenas across North Midler wrote on her website. America starting on May 8 in Hollywood, Midler said she sang some of the har- Florida. Promoters said she would also monies herself but also brought in back- perform in Britain with dates to be deter- ing vocalists, whose work she praised as Film sparks Paddington Bear mined. vital. “A great album is like a fine wine, it’s The 68-year-old, known for top-chart- not half as good unless you’re sharing it ing, tear-jerking ballads such as “The with good friends,” she said of the backup Rose” and “Wind Beneath my Wings,” singers. revival in London unveiled the tour a day before she releas- Midler said that she struggled to pick es her 25th album, “It’s the Girls!”, a tribute just 17 songs for the album and initially he movie “Paddington” has sparked a to girl group music to which she listened had chosen nearly 50 tunes she wanted resurgence of interest in the bear from as a child. The album features versions of to cover. The tour is her first since her “Kiss Tdarkest Peru, with exhibitions, statues and some of the era’s most recognizable-and My Brass” concerts around North America a new book of his adventures coming out before frequently covered-hits, including The in 2003 and 2004 and Australia in 2005, in the New Year. Paddington Bear’s journey to the Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love,” The which Midler-often known by her stage silver screen has been a long one, but Michael Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and The name The Divine Miss M-performed both Bond’s much-loved children’s book character has Chordettes’ “Mr Sandman.” her hits and Broadway mainstays. She been popular ever since he first appeared in Midler said that during the 1950s and also did a residency in Las Vegas from 1958. The impeccably polite stowaway turned 1960s girl groups were “putting their 2008 to 2010.—AFP up at London Paddington railway terminal with stamp on pop music,” citing the lasting a battered suitcase containing a nearly-finished influence of backup singers who provided jar of marmalade, and a label on his blue duffel coat reading: “Please look after this bear. Thank you.” The film premieres in Britain on November 28, but the Paddington Bear fest is already well under way. The House of Illustration gallery in London got the ball rolling on October 18 with its “Paddington: Illustrated and Animated” exhi- bition on how artists through the decades have interpreted the diminutive bear. “Paddington is one of the most enduring and recognizable characters in British children’s literature,” said Olivia Ahmad, the exhibition’s curator. However, British actor Hugh Bonneville poses for a photograph with his ‘Journey of Marmalade’ “the visual interpretations of Paddington have Paddington Bear statue displayed in front of Tower Bridge. changed dramatically over the years”, she told AFP. from being 86 minutes of good fun, I suppose if version of him standing three feet, six inches there are some delicate emotional themes (1.07 meters) tall. And Bond himself has said he Lonely-looking bear underneath, it’s about an evacuee, a refugee wants the trail to end when he passes away, The inspiration for the character came on coming to a foreign country and having been telling The Times in an interview that he was tak- Christmas Eve 1956 when Bond, a writer and told certain things about that culture to expect,” ing legal action to prevent sequels after his BBC cameraman, saw a lonely-looking teddy the actor told AFP. “Of course, the reality is very death. He said he would “hate” further works, bear in a shop near his home close to different.” adding: “I have just made a will and gone to a Paddington station, and bought it for his wife. A Paddington finds a home, but has a “spectac- lawyer in the City who specializes in that very second exhibition, due to open at the Museum ularly sticky journey to get there,” Bonneville thing of stopping people doing it.” He said the This Jan 13, 2013 file photo shows Jay Leno, left, and Jimmy Fallon backstage at the of London on November 14, traces Paddington’s added, involving a car chase through London, practice was “wrong”, adding that characters like 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif.—AP history over the decades through objects drawn and a taxidermist on his tail played by Kidman. Paddington Bear were “sacred”.—AFP from private collections. It includes the first edi- “It’s a glorious journey to go on for a small bear tion of the first book, which is signed by Bond from Peru,” or at least for a computer-generated and belongs to his daughter Karen Jankel, origi- Jay Leno to return to nal drawings and stuffed toys, and props from the “Paddington” film. It also contains one of 50 statues of the bear ‘Tonight Show’ - as guest which will be dotted out around London-each ay Leno will make his first appearance ously making a contribution to a skit. The with a different celebrity-designed paint job. The as a full-fledged guest on NBC’s vener- “Tonight” appearance suggests Leno is feel- one at the museum was designed by the actor able “Tonight Show,” marking his return ing more comfortable appearing in the Benedict Cumberbatch. The statues will start to J appear around the city from Tuesday in places to the late night talker after he left his host public eye since his retirement as host of duties behind in February of last year. Leno the program, which he led between 1992 such as Heathrow Airport and Trafalgar Square, is slated to appear on “Tonight,” now host- and 2009 and 2010 to 2014. The interrup- with bear-hunters able to follow a Paddington ed by Jimmy Fallon, this Friday, along with tion came when Leno stepped aside to let Trail map around London landmarks. They have actress Lucy Liu of CBS’ “Elementary” and Conan O’Brien take over the program, but been customized by actresses Nicole Kidman Kevin Delaney, director of visitor experi- then returned after NBC botched the and Emma Watson, football icon David ence at the Museum of Discovery in Little process by retaining Leno’s services for an Beckham, London Mayor Boris Johnson, the Rock, AK. A spokeswoman for “Tonight” ill-fated primetime program that raised England rugby union team and Chelsea Football confirmed Leno’s appearance, which was hackles among affiliates and saw NBC’s Club. They will be auctioned for charity in reported previously by the Associated primetime and late night ratings swoon. December. Press. These days, life is calmer for the veteran This will not, however, mark Leno’s first comedian, who is also set to launch a series Refugee on sticky journey time on the program since Fallon took the about his love of cars on CNBC.—Reuters Bond has also designed his own statue of the reins and moved the TV institution to New bear. At 88, the author is bringing out a new sto- York. Leno was spotted on the show previ- ry, “Love from Paddington”, on December 23. The book is in the form of letters written to Paddington’s aunt Lucy, back in Peru, telling her about his new life in London. Hugh Bonneville, who in the film plays Mr Brown-the hapless but A picture shows a Paddington Bear statue A picture shows a Paddington Bear statue New classical award friendly father who adopts Paddington-said the named ‘Golden Paws’, customised by foot- named ‘Blush’, customized by Australian movie contained very simple themes. “Apart baller David Beckham. actress Nicole Kidman. to honor young musicians

arner Music Group yesterday The nominees have all performed at ‘Birdman’ plots expansion after strong box office announced the creation of a new Carnegie Hall, and the winner will perform scar buzz and the return of Michael set to widen its footprint and push to the outer nominations are announced. Keaton is a leading W$100,000 classical award aimed at at the venerable venue on October 27, Keaton from cinematic purgatory is limits of the art house world. best actor contender and the film, co-stars recognizing young musicians at the start of 2015, at a concert that will raise money for pushing “Birdman” to box office heights. Emboldened by the reception, distributor Fox Edward Norton and Emma Stone and director their careers. A jury of classical musicians music-related philanthropic programs. The O The quirky comedy more than quadrupled its Searchlight plans to expand from 56 markets to Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu could also factor and industry figures will select the Warner nominated singers are sopranos Sarah theater count last weekend, picking up $2.5 mil- 100 next week and bolster its theater count from into the race. Music Prize’s inaugural recipient, who will Shafer and Jennifer Zetlan; mezzo-sopra- lion in the process and pushing its total to $5 231 to roughly 450. “We believe we’re seeing the “Birdman” defies easy analysis, but instead of be announced in the first half of 2015. The nos Jamie Barton, Rachel Calloway, Cecelia million. Now the show business satire about a light at the end of the tunnel as far as commer- being off-putting, its esoteric elements are cen- first award will be presented with New Hall, Alisa Kolosova and Peabody fading comicbook movie star (Keaton, in art-imi- cial theaters are concerned,” said Frank tral to its commercial appeal. The film’s long, York’s Carnegie Hall, although Warner Southwell; bass-baritones Aubrey Allicock tates-life form) mounting a play on Broadway is Rodriguez, senior vice president of distribution continuous shots, excoriation of comicbook cul- Music said that it planned eventually to col- and Evan Hughes, and tenor Dominic at Fox Searchlight. “The whole time we started ture and ambiguous ending leave plenty for laborate with other leading music venues Armstrong. out on this journey, we knew we’d grab the art audiences to digest and debate after the final around the world. Instrumentalists who received nomina- house and specialty markets, but now there are credits roll, leading to a spirited back and forth Warner Music Group, one of the three tions were violinists Augustin Hadelich and indications that we can cross over to a lot of the- on Twitter and Facebook. The social media con- big record company conglomerates, said Itamar Zorman, cellist Brook Speltz, double aters.” versation is driving interest in the film, musicians between ages 18 and 35, regard- bassist Roman Patkolo, harpist Sivan Rodriguez said the studio is eyeing college Rodriguez said. “It’s one of those challenging less of their label, will be eligible for the Magen and pianist Behzod Abduraimov. towns and mid-size cities such as Des Moines, films that creates a lot of activity and noise on award, and that recipients will be offered The Gramophone Awards, presented each Syracuse, Dayton and Corpus Christi that have Twitter,” he said. “That’s giving us a younger audi- the chance to record on Warner Classics. year in London, are generally considered to healthy cinephile crowds. If “Birdman” plays well ence that we didn’t know we’d get.”—Reuters “The Warner Music Prize has been created be classical music’s most prestigious com- next week-a big if given that “Interstellar” and to recognize and reward promising musi- petition, with other top prizes including “Big Hero 6” debut-the studio could eventually cians early in their careers, when they need the Grammys for classical music.—AFP have it in 600 theaters or more by the middle of it the most,” Stu Bergen, international presi- November. If the film stalls out, Fox Searchlight dent of Warner Recorded Music, said in a will likely bring it back to theaters when awards statement.