Kati Marton shares her 'Love Story,' flaws and all

Kati Marton, 63, has had quite the life. NPR and ABC News correspondent, author and mother, she was married to late newsman Peter Jennings and then to diplomat Richard Holbrooke, who died in 2010. And now she's out with a memoir, Paris: A Love Story (Simon & Schuster, $24), dropping names and more than a few bombshells along the way. USA TODAY caught up with her by phone in New York. Right by Billy Bustamante
Author and newswoman Kati Marton shares her love for Paris in her new book.
Right by Billy Bustamante
Author and newswoman Kati Marton shares her love for Paris in her new book.
Q: You touch on everything here. Affairs, abortions, temper tantrums. Why did you write this book now?A: First of all, this is an honest account, primarily a romantic story, a coming-of-age story, a journalist's story. There's no point in writing a memoir if you're not going to be honest. This is not, however, a tell-all. I treat both of these men with respect and love.We are all human beings with all the flaws and quirks and contradictions. I would hope that neither you nor anyone else will pull out only the tabloid details, because they are not what my life is about. My life has not been perfect. I want people to see the full story.Q: You say you flew too close to the sun sometimes. Is that necessarily a bad thing? You came out alive. A: No, it's not. I don't regret the 15 years I was married to Peter (they divorced in 1995). I have the most wonderful children. We had a good run.Q: I had no idea that Jennings could be so moody and difficult. Why did you put up with it for so long?A: People need to know that public figures — Peter and Richard included — are not paragons of perfection. They're made of the same human stuff as everyone else. Just because Peter Jennings (who died in 2005) was the great TV journalist he was didn't mean that he didn't have tremendous insecurities.So, folks, let's get real here. This is a human account of a life in the stream of history, full of pain and full of struggle. Photos from 'Paris: A Love Story' by Kati MartonThe loves she lost: Above, Marton lounges at a Paris cafe with her first husband, ABC newsman Peter Jennings. Below, the Parisian tradition continues with second husband Richard Holbrooke, who died in December 2010.Q: You paint the picture that you and Holbrooke were soul mates, yet you went off and had an affair once in Budapest, Hungary. What gives?A: Again, I would hope that any misstep on my part would not swamp the story. My life is more than about a misstep. After eight books and raising two good children and working hard and owning up to my mistakes, I keep going. I suffered the greatest loss of a great partner, and I did not go into the fetal position.The reason I write about this misstep is because it reflects so well on Richard. It shows him to be so human and understanding. He knew that this was not about who we were and what held us together. We worked our way back.Q: You drop little tidbits here and there — that Barbara Walters wasn't all that nice to you in the beginning at ABC and that Nancy Reagan came across as controlling. Did you end up actually liking either of them?A: Nancy got the director of the CIA to vet me! (When Marton asked for a interview for a book on first ladies.) That's so Nancy Reagan.But Barbara became a good friend. She was a fixture at our table. That's just how it was back then, women in the early days of TV.Q: And famed photographer Henri Cartier Bresson, who was 95 at the time, jumped you during an interview, too. Ambassador Holbrooke thought that amusing for a man his age.A: Yes! Richard loved the fact he pushed his walker aside and jumped me!Q: Nelson Mandela told you once that he didn't understand what all the hoopla was over President Clinton's dalliance with Monica Lewinsky. That leaders should have a certain macho. Were your surprised?A: In answer to all those people who are so ready to judge, here's Nelson Mandela, probably the greatest man of our times, saying this is a human being, Bill Clinton. How can the knives be out like this over a human failure? Man, oh, man, it's ugly out there. Q: You say that Paris is always a new beginning for you, that you appreciate the French need for privacy, yet you take some friendly swipes at the French. What is it that amuses you most about them?A: Well, what doesn't? You know, their certainty, their attitude that it's a privilege to be French and the rest of us are not quite up to snuff. And I like the way they take their work seriously, be they waiters or pharmacists. There's a high degree of pride in what they do and in their city.It's the most romantic backdrop. I've felt comfort there, surrounded by beauty and the memories of my former lives there. Everything comes together for me in that city.Q: But don't you wish more Americans would care about how they looked, like the French do when they step out the door just to buy bread?A: Well, in New York they do. Obviously the obesity thing is huge here, if huge is the word. I support Michelle Obama and her efforts 100%.Q: You say your life now has less tension and excitement, yet I sense you're OK with that.A: Grief takes a lot of energy, so I don't have quite as much energy these days. But I had the energy to write a book and to pack up 25 years of belongings and move to a new place (a smaller apartment in Manhattan).I have fewer ghosts now. I'm very fortunate in having interesting work. And I'm fortunate to have my two children (Elizabeth and Chris). In terms of the kind of electricity that Richard brought into my life, no, that has subsided. But I cannot complain.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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New voices: Amanda Coplin's debut novel, 'The Orchardist'

The book: By Corina Bernstein
'The Orchardist' is Amanda Coplin's debut novel.
By Corina Bernstein
'The Orchardist' is Amanda Coplin's debut novel.
The Orchardistby Amanda CoplinHarper, 448 pp., $25.99On sale Aug. 21What it's about: A debut novel set at the beginning of the 20th century in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, where a solitary orchard owner takes in two teenage sisters who are very scared and very pregnant. Why it's notable: Listed in Publishers Weekly's "Top 10 Literary Fiction" of the season and O magazine's "10 Titles to Pick Up."Memorable line: "One hundred dollars a piece, the poster said, for the captureof two girls called Jane and Della. To be returned to James Michaelson of Okanogan, Washington."The author:Quick bio: Coplin, 31, grew up in Wenatchee, Wash., "the Apple Capital of the World," and has degrees from the University of Oregon and the University of Minnesota. She lives in Portland, Ore., with her partner, Ted Salk, a forestry ecologist, who "helped with all the trees in the book."Her inspiration: Her grandfather, Dwayne Sanders, an orchardist and "gentle man," who died in 1994.Literary influences: Cormac McCarthy and William Faulkner for their "strange way of being spare and lush at the same time."For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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'Talent' sends four acts to semifinals

On the America's Got Talent
results show Wednesday, 12 YouTube acts from Tuesday night were narrowed down to four.
Moments after the show opened, Nick Cannon introduced special guest Gabby Douglas, who appeared in shiny tight pants, heels, gold medals around her neck and her (famous) hair not in a ponytail! It was parted in the middle and flowing long, down below her shoulders.
Chatter on Twitter included one person who said Gabby was "all glammed up." Another said she "looks so pretty tonight." Shesomajor.com reports that Gabby and her mom Natalie Hawkins visited celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson in New York City on Tuesday and had her ponytail blown out straight.
The Talent
crowd chanted, "U-S-A!" and Gabby flashed her big smile, as judges Howard Stern, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel stood and cheered her with the rest of the crowd.
She wound up helping Nick host the show, standing by him on stage to introduce acts and clip segments.
More:  'Talent' returns with Sharon, Howard, Howie and 12 YouTube acts
The first group brought on stage for results included Cast in Bronze, Academy of Villains and Reverse Order. Advancing act: Academy of Villains.
Pop duo Karmin performed a mashup of their hit Brokenhearted
and new single Hello. Gabby did a good job of chatting with them a little after they performed.
Second group brought on stage: 7 in Unison, Bria Kelly and Rudy Coby. Advancing: Bria Kelly.
Third group brought on stage: The Magic of Puck, Eric Buss and Melinda Hill. Advancing: The Magic of Puck.
Before the final act was announced, YouTube comedian Randall "the Honeybadger Whisperer" did a little of his shtick, which is to narrate clips of animals, but instead he narrated clips of the Talent
judges.
And then we saw footage of "A Day in the Life of Howard Stern," starting with his SiriusXM radio show (he interviewed David Arquette). And then following him as he took a car from Manhattan to New Jersey for America's Got Talent
. "That couple of miles can take you an hour and a half sometimes," explained Stern. "Going out West in a covered wagon would be easier than getting to Newark."
A police escort helped him out once he got into Jersey. We then saw him in his dressing room, eating a plate of food, and then he said he takes a nap on his couch for an hour before doing the show. Afterward, he heads home.
"I don't get a police escort every day," Howard told Nick after the segment ended. "I'm not Mariah Carey."
Final group brought on stage: Romeo Dance Cheetah, Drew Erwin and Clint Carvalho and his Extreme Parrots. Romeo Dance Cheetah was sent home.
It was left to the judges to pick whether Drew or Clint would advance. It was pretty obvious that they all loved Clint's act. Advancing: Clint Carvalho and his Extreme Parrots.
Next week: 12 Wild Card acts perform

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Vocalist Lonette McKee: 'Sparkle' Sister No. 1

A star was born in 1976, when vocalist Lonette McKee, at 22, made her film debut by slinking into the spotlight as sexy Sister in Sparkle, a cult classic about three inner-city siblings who form a Supremes-style girl group. A remake starring Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston opens Friday, but nothing can replace McKee's sultry rendition of the Curtis Mayfield staple Something He Can Feel.
"It's an honor that a movie in which I was prominently featured is regarded highly enough that filmmakers think it's worthy of being remade," says Lonette McKee, who starred in 1976 film 'Sparkle.'
"It's an honor that a movie in which I was prominently featured is regarded highly enough that filmmakers think it's worthy of being remade," says Lonette McKee, who starred in 1976 film 'Sparkle.'
McKee would go on to co-star with Richard Pryor in Which Way Is Up and Brewster's Millions, appear in Francis Ford Coppola's The Cotton Club and do four films with filmmaker Spike Lee, including Malcolm X. McKee, now 58, is preparing for a concert Aug. 24 at Harlem's Aaron Davis Hall that will feature a tribute to the old and new Sparkle. She took time out to share her thoughts about both films and Carmen Ejogo, who inherits the role of Sister.Q: Were you aware this remake was being made and that Houston, who also is an executive producer, was playing the mother?"I had no knowledge of Whitney trying to get it made — didn't even know Whitney was involved, only street-word that it might happen."Q: How do you feel that this new version of Sparkle is finally coming out?"I feel it's an honor that a movie in which I was prominently featured is regarded highly enough that filmmakers think it's worthy of being remade. I'm a longtime Whitney Houston fan and love Jordin Sparks' work, as well. I was so smitten with Carmen Ejogo's performances that I actually wrote a starring role for her in one of my screenplays. So I'm thrilled about them doing a remake."Q: The 1976 Sparkle offered an alternative point of view of black womanhood in an era known for such blaxpoitation babes as Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones. Why is it such a cherished film among African-Americans, including Houston, who saw it repeatedly in theaters when it first came out? Warner Bros./The Kobal CollectionLonette McKee, left, Irene Cara and Dawn Smith starred as singing sisters in 1976 film 'Sparkle.'"Curtis Mayfield's soundtrack was awesome, and certainly was largely responsible for the film's vivacity. But I would venture to say that all of the intricacies of filmmaking fell into place to produce that elusive and indefinable thing called 'screen magic.' When it all came together at the end of the day, Sparkle was indeed a very special film. It hit a chord in the hearts of moviegoers, and they embraced it and kept it alive."Q: How did the original Sparkle affect your career?"Sparkle was my very first movie. Prior to that, I thought my big career break would come by way of the music business. I was a songwriter/singer/keyboard girl and had just written and recorded my first solo album in L.A. I never expected to find myself cast in such a dynamic movie, playing a tragic character who also happened to sing. Sparkle was an extremely lucky break for me and a fantastic experience all around.Q: The remake will likely be the last time fans will get to see and hear Houston perform. This Sparkle will stand as a final testament to her talent. What are your thoughts?"Of course, this is a bittersweet reality. I loved and respected Whitney's work so much. The fact that this is her swan song doesn't make her untimely demise any more palatable for me, and I'm sure everybody else will feel the same."For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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AP: Michael J. Fox returning to series TV

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Michael J. Fox is planning a return to series TV, more than a decade after he left to concentrate on fighting Parkinson's disease. AP
Sources tell AP that Michael J. Fox will star in a comedy that's in development for 2013.
AP
Sources tell AP that Michael J. Fox will star in a comedy that's in development for 2013.
The actor, who first gained fame in the 1980s sitcom Family Ties and later headlined Spin City, will star in a comedy that's in development at Sony Pictures Television for 2013, according to people with knowledge of the project.The people spoke to the Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they lacked authority to publicly discuss the matter.The project has drawn strong interest from the major networks, they said.The actor's publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sony declined comment.Fox, 51, who starred in the hit Back to the Future movie franchise, is working with Will Gluck, director of the film Easy A, and writer Sam Laybourne, whose credits include Cougar Town and Arrested Development, the people said.The actor, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, left Spin City in 2000 and said he intended to focus on helping find a cure for the disease. He started a foundation, which bears his name, to fund research toward that goal.Although he reduced his workload because of Parkinson's, Fox has made guest appearances on TV series including Rescue Me, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Good Wife.In May, Fox told ABC News that a new drug regimen has helped him control the tics that are a result of the disease and allowed him to take on more acting roles.The new Sony project was first reported by the entertainment website Vulture.Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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Robert Downey Jr. injured on 'Iron Man 3' set

It happened on the Iron Man 3
set today in North Carolina. Robert Downey Jr. was injured, causing the filming to halt.
Marvel Studio issued a statement that said, "Robert Downey Jr. sustained an ankle injury on the set of Iron Man 3
in Wilmington, North Carolina while performing a stunt."
The studio adds, "There will be a short delay in the production schedule while he recuperates."

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Michael Jackson's dad drops wrongful death lawsuit

AP
Michael Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, won't pursue his wrongful death lawsuit against Conrad Murray, who was his son's former physician.

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Big ideas fail to sprout in well-meaning 'Timothy Green'

Maybe those who believe in sticky-sweet miracles will have an easy time sitting through The Odd Life of Timothy Green. By Phil Bray, Disney
'The Odd Life of Timothy Green,' starring Jennifer Garner, left, CJ Adams and Joel Edgerton, gives a good effort but can't overcome sappy sentimentality and gaping plot holes.
By Phil Bray, Disney
'The Odd Life of Timothy Green,' starring Jennifer Garner, left, CJ Adams and Joel Edgerton, gives a good effort but can't overcome sappy sentimentality and gaping plot holes.
But for many it will be hard to overlook the unfortunate combination of mawkish sentimentality and gaping plot holes that characterizes this well-intentioned film.There's certainly a place for suspending disbelief in films steeped in magical realism. Drama/comedy fables such as Big and 13 Going on 30 effectively transported viewers to their whimsical alternate reality. But Timothy Green (**½ out of four; rated PG; opens today nationwide) feels more predictable than other-worldly.Devoted married couple Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim (Joel Edgerton) have been unable to conceive, despite a host of procedures. To honor their efforts, they write a list of wishes for the child they dreamed of having. The traits they cite include bravery, big-heartedness, honesty to a fault and being musically "rocking." They bury this list ritualistically in a box in their garden in the scenic small town of Stanleyville, USA.Later that night, in the midst of a freak storm, a sweet-natured, mud-slathered 10-year-old boy knocks at their door. He acts a little odd and has leaves growing out of his legs, but otherwise he's like a regular kid. He does seem particularly fond of the garden and raises his arms to bask in the sun at unlikely moments. It's no coincidence that the couple's last name is Green.Flummoxed only briefly, Cindy and Jim embrace this wide-eyed boy and alternately celebrate and smother him. Strangely, no one in their town questions the sudden appearance of a new child. He's clearly there to impart his earthy wisdom and teach adults important life lessons.The Odd Life of Timothy Green
**1/2 out of four
Stars: Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, CJ Adams, Dianne Wiest, Rosemarie DeWitt, David Morse, Common, Shohreh Aghdashloo
Director: Peter Hedges
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Rating: PG for mild thematic elements and brief language
Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Opens today nationwide
There's a calculated quality here that is off-putting and surprising, given that it was directed and co-written by Peter Hedges, who wrote the masterful What's Eating Gilbert Grape and nimbly adapted About a Boy from Nick Hornby's novel. CJ Adams as the sprout-turned-boy is winning in a role that couldn't have been easy for an 11-year old to play. Garner is convincing as a warm-hearted, if tense, mom and Edgerton is also likeable. But naysayers like David Morse as Jim's dad, Ron Livingston as Jim's boss and Rosemarie DeWitt as Cindy's sister are little more than caricatures.The film touches on bigger issues such as helicopter parenting and coping with an emotionally distant father. Subplots are packed in, including the economic woes of a town powered by a pencil factory that is struggling with layoffs. What Timothy Green does best is capture the sadness of infertility, celebrate the eccentricities of an endearing child and probe the longings, fears and worries of parents.Still, this fable about a magical child undoubtedly worked better on paper, allowing for more introspection and emotional exploration. Mostly, The Odd Life of Timothy Green feels contrived , if undeniably sweet.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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Critic's Corner Thursday: 'Time Machine Chefs,' 'The Next'

•We're nearing the end of the odd days of summer, as the gap season begins to give way to fall — but there are still some strange shows to go through before we get there. By Greg Gayne, FX Network
Charlie Sheen's real-life dad Martin, right, plays his onscreen dad named Martin in 'Anger Management' tonight on FX.
By Greg Gayne, FX Network
Charlie Sheen's real-life dad Martin, right, plays his onscreen dad named Martin in 'Anger Management' tonight on FX.
Such as ABC's Time Machine Chefs (tonight, 9 ET/PT), which deprives four celebrity chefs of all modern conveniences as they compete to see who would have been best suited to cook for the king back in Tudor England.From the portraits we have, it doesn't look like Henry VIII was all that picky an eater, at least not in his later days, but perhaps the Time Machine knows something Holbein didn't.•Another group of singers compete for a recording contract as CW launches The Next (9 ET/PT).The twist is that the mentors —Gloria Estefan, Joe Jonas, Nelly and John Rich— prepare them for the contest by following them to their homes and workplaces.Which, if it were done to them, would be called stalking rather than mentoring.Enter your ZIP code below to see local listings.•Martin Sheen guests on his son Charlie's sadly hackish sitcom Anger Management (FX, 9:30 ET/PT) tonight, which either makes him a very bad judge of material or a very supportive father. Go with the latter.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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'ParaNorman' kicks off scarily fun films for kids

Tweens lust for Twilight's PG-13 vampires and werewolves. Laika Inc.
Neil, left, Mitch, Courtney and Norman react to a zombie breaking into their van in 'ParaNorman.'
Laika Inc.
Neil, left, Mitch, Courtney and Norman react to a zombie breaking into their van in 'ParaNorman.'
Older teens and above who seek R-rated frights can feast on the beings from beyond that populate the Underworld and Resident Evil franchises.Now, thanks to a mini-boom in 'toons that go boo, big-screen scare fare is catering to the PG sensibilities of kids, recruiting such divergent talents as that master of mirthful macabre Tim Burton (Frankenweenie) and the goofy vocal stylings of Adam Sandler (Hotel Transylvania).This round of half-pint hauntings begins Friday as ghosts, zombies and a New England town full of clueless adults inhabit ParaNorman, the sophomore stop-motion effort from Focus Features and Laika — the animation house behind the creepy-crawly goings-on in the 2009 hit Coraline.Horror mixes with humor as a bunch of youngsters are led by an 11-year-old misfit named Norman (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee of the vampire-themed Let Me In). His ability to see and speak to the dead suddenly becomes a welcome asset after he and his pals join forces to halt a witch's 300-year-old curse.The makers of ParaNorman relied on a slew of influences — everything from The Crucible, Night of the Living Dead and TV's Scooby-Doo to the work of teen-angst auteur John Hughes— to achieve the right tone."We didn't want to do gothic, because gothic has been done," says Chris Butler, ParaNorman's screenwriter who shared directing chores with fellow Brit Sam Fell. "We aren't going to beat Tim Burton at his own game. We were very much influenced by '80s movies like The Goonies and the lurid Technicolor of Italian horror by filmmakers like Mario Bava."Unlike most spic-and-span animated depictions of white-picket-fenced suburbia, ParaNorman's Blithe Hollow has a weathered, lived-in look borrowed from actual Colonial-era cities such as Salem and Concord in Massachusetts. The aesthetic is comfortably blue-collar and downscale: "Instead of a home-baked apple pie on a window sill, ours would probably be a pie from a Happy Meal," Butler suggests.Though parents today may have laughed their way through television showings of the 1948 horror-comedy classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, they may think twice about taking a grade-schooler to a movie in which the walking dead loom large.But Butler and Fell assure their emphasis is on fun, not fodder for nightmares. "We aren't just setting out to frighten kids and send them home crying," says Butler, noting that ParaNorman contains a rather edifying anti-bullying message, as well. "It's a fun ride, a roller-coaster ride and not a horror film."Gore was off-limits, but select ick-inducing situations were fair game, such as when the slow-moving zombies drop body parts hither and yon after rising from the ground. As anyone who is regularly exposed to children-aimed entertainment knows, "kids love gross-outs," Fell says. "A 5-year-old could handle it, definitely."Adds Butler, "For every scary moment, we immediately puncture it with a joke." You know subversive minds are at play when a battle-ax teacher shrieks to her class, "You stink of illiteracy," or height-impaired Norman finds himself caught between the dueling potbellies of his bickering parents.Tech tames the terrorThe low-tech, hands-on technique of stop-motion — animators painstakingly manipulate models frame-by-frame on a physical set — in combination with 3-D effects seems uniquely suited to evoke both giggles and goose bumps."There's something you can't get with computer animation that we get free with stop-frame," says Fell, using the British term for stop-motion. "It's real, handmade and not perfect." The result also takes the edge off tense situations. "It's puppets, so the action is somewhat removed from reality."Children are definitely welcome at Hotel Transylvania, Sony's computer-animated sendup with an all-star cast of famous monsters that opens Sept. 28. The premise: Terror strikes Count Dracula (Lugosi-laden intonations courtesy of Sandler), the operator of a creatures-only resort, when a forbidden human male (Andy Samberg) accidentally visits the inn and falls for the vampire's 118-year-old daughter (Selena Gomez).Director Genndy Tartakovsky declares his comedy to be mostly a no-scare zone and likens its laugh-inspiring approach to horror to both the Goosebumps book series and Mad magazine spoofs. Even though there are vampires on the premises, "there is no blood," he says. "We address the lore with humor and play with the mythology. When Dracula says he hates garlic, he explains it's because he's terribly allergic to it and it makes his throat swell."Earning the prime pre-Halloween date of Oct. 5, however, is Disney's black-and-white stop-motion-animated Frankenweenie, which recasts Frankenstein's monster as Sparky, a beloved dog who dies but is brought back to life by child-scientist owner Victor. Comic complications arise when jealous classmates use the technology to bring back their own pets.A sign of changing times: Burton was let go by Disney in 1984 when his same-titled live-action short that is the basis for Frankenweenie was judged too scary for young audiences.Producer Allison Abbate assures that the canine reworking of Mary Shelley's 1818 cautionary tale of innovation gone awry takes a gentler approach. "It tells the story of Frankenstein from the point of view of what if the doctor hadn't rejected his creation but loved and cared for it. Rejection created the monster, not the creation."Universal — the monster central of studios since the '30s — is pairing with Mattel to develop Monster High, a live-action musical based on a popular line of goth fashion dolls who are the offspring of horror celebrities. A straight-to-DVD computer-animated movie will arrive in stores this fall, as well. Craig Zadan, who along with business partner Neil Meron has produced such movie musicals as Chicago as well as TV's Smash, describes Monster High as "Beetlejuice meets Hairspray. It has all the quirkiness and oddness of Beetlejuice or Edward Scissorhands with the vitality and energy of Hairspray and Grease."While there will be laughs to be had, the characters — who are hip and cool — are allowed to retain a certain creepy factor. "We have to take them seriously and not as a joke," Zadan says. In other words, don't expect The Munsters with songs. "They have to be real."Get ready for 'Goblins'Laika looks to continue to explore the darker side of life, with adaptations of such fantasy books as Wildwood, written by Colin Meloy, the lead singer of The Decemberists, and Goblins by Philip Reeve.One bump in the night this week for fans of animated horror: Henry Selik, the stop-motion genius behind Coraline as well as the Burton-produced The Nightmare Before Christmas, had his latest adventure in tyke-aimed terrors — or, as he likes to describe his work, "for brave kids of all ages" — canceled by Disney. No details about the movie-in-progress are known, although a new distributor could snap it up. But another project at the studio, Selik's adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, is still going forth.There have been horror-related films for the younger set before, including 2006's motion-capture Monster House and Burton's 2005 stop-motion effort Corpse Bride. But there seems to be a greater realization that the current re-embrace of classic monsters has mostly left out a sizable portion of the moviegoing public: those 12 and under.Until now. ParaNorman's Smit-McPhee, 16, thinks kids will gobble up these movies like bowls of Count Chocula cereal."They might go into ParaNorman not knowing what to expect," says the horror fan, who counts films such as Friday the 13th and Child's Play, along with Selick's James and the Giant Peach, as favorites. "A zombie movie and a kids' movie don't normally go together. "But there are cool shocks as well as sweet moments."For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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Occupy movement is alive and well on big screen

Batman villain Bane (Tom Hardy) brings the fight directly to Wall Street in 'The Dark Knight Rises.'Ron Phillips, Warner Bros. PicturesAs the one-year anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement approaches Sept. 17, the former sites of nationwide protests are mostly silent. Entertainment One via AP
Robert Pattinson plays a financier who must navigate his limousine through mobs of protesters in 'Cosmopolis,' opening Friday.
Entertainment One via AP
Robert Pattinson plays a financier who must navigate his limousine through mobs of protesters in 'Cosmopolis,' opening Friday.
But in movie theaters, the voices of the 99-percenters are just starting to get loud.Last month, the ultimate occupier, Bane, led his forces against the Gotham City elite in The Dark Knight Rises— taking over the stock exchange. On Friday, Cosmopolis hits theaters, with Robert Pattinson as a financier whose limousine navigates through mobs of angry protesters.And on Sept. 14, Arbitrage opens, with Richard Gere playing a crooked billionaire trying to complete the sale of his trading empire with cooked books.The messages may be a little tardy, but filmmakers say the sentiments still resonate. "There's usually a bit of a time lag," says Cosmopolis director David Cronenberg. "But the desire to be topical and press a few buttons is always there. Filmmakers are always looking for a source of energy."Christian Bale, who plays wealthy industrialist Bruce Wayne (and Batman) in The Dark Knight Rises, was amazed that the Christopher and Jonathan Nolan-written script actually had foreseen the protest that exploded a few New York blocks from where they were shooting."By the time we were finished, it was like, 'How did you know?' " Bale said at a news conference in June. "It had become very topical."Likewise, Cosmopolis, adapted from Don DeLillo's prescient 2003 novel of the same name. When protests started on Wall Street eight years later, Cronenberg was shooting remarkably similar scenes at a Canadian sound studio."It was the weirdest coincidence and a bit spooky," Cronenberg says.The crowds in the film vandalize Pattinson's limo, brandish a dead rat and cause mayhem. But like the real occupiers, the Cosmopolis protests fizzle by movie's end."I have no doubt that people are still as outraged about the things as they were a year ago," Cronenberg says. "But there's only so much energy you can generate for something like that."That energy also can be directed at Abitrage's Gere, who represents the 1% poster boy to the dissatisfied."We are all frustrated by what happened to our economy," says director Nicholas Jarecki. "People want to know: Why did everything have to go down the drain? We tried to humanize this story."Even teenage dance movies got the protest bug this summer. The Step Up franchise became Step Up Revolution, and beautiful protesters busted some anti-rich dance moves to stop a greedy Miami developer. Their weapon: a dance flash mob at an investors meeting."People have a sense of helplessness. With the economy, it's a scary time," says producer Jennifer Gibgot, explaining the rad plot. "People want to feel control, like the power is back to the people."For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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'So You Think You Can Dance' sends four home

After a two-week Olympics break, So You Think You Can Dance made up for lost time. The show's final 14 dancers returned Wednesday night to pay tribute to choreographer Mia Michaels— and face a double elimination. Adam Rose, Fox
The top 14 perform on 'SYTYCD' after a two-week hiatus.
Adam Rose, Fox
The top 14 perform on 'SYTYCD' after a two-week hiatus.
The remaining dancer pairs took on memorable Michaels routines from previous SYTYCD seasons. Their challenge: to set themselves apart from the dances' original performers, for whom the pieces were choreographed. Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy were joined at the judging table by "Ballet Boyz" Billy Trevitt and Michael Nunn — who apparently have never seen an episode of SYTYCD, judging by their clueless comments.At the end of the night, two guys and two girls were sent home. But first, the Mia Michaels show. The finalists opened the evening with a "Fifty Shades of Grey routine," as Nigel called it, which involved some rope and some serious making out. Then, more Michaels numbers.Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer, 22, and ballerina Eliana Girard, 21, put their own twist on the Emmy-nominated "door routine" from Season 4. The judges tried their best to follow up with puns. "You were really 'twitching,' yourself," Nigel told Cyrus, who added extra isolations to the role originally performed by runner-up Stephen "tWitch" Boss. Michael said to Eliana, "you had me begging for 'mercy,' that's for sure." (Yes, the song was Mercy by Duffy.) Mary tole Eliana she was "so believable" and that Cyrus brought his own "swag" to the dance.Jazz dancer Tiffany Maher, 19, and contemporary dancer George Lawrence II, 19, performed the Hometown Glory routine from Season 4. "They murdered this routine," said Mary, who pointed out George's flawless transitions and impressive lifts. "You actually elevated this role," she said. Mary called Tiffany "soft, elegant, and powerful," but warned her not to overperform.Contemporary dancers Amelia Lowe, 18, and partner Will Thomas, 19, performed the Emmy-winning "butt dance." The judges had a tough time critiquing this dance, which focused on Amelia's derriere, because they couldn't forget about the original performing tush of Randi Evans. "Amelia, you could have afforded to bring more character," said Nigel. Billy, a first-time viewer of the routine, "thought it was musical and endearing."Belly dancer Janelle Isis, 24, and ballet dancer DareianKujawa, 20, did the Season 4 "bed routine," an emotional dance performed on an upright mattress with flower petals. Nigel told Dareian he was great and had "better technique than tWitch," who originated the role of bed dancer. Nigel loved Dareian's spin on a mattress, an update to the dance. Michael worried about Dareian's "line" and his poor feet, a common worry for him. Michael told Janelle, "I found myself looking at your hair rather than the choreography."Jazz dancer Audrey Case, 18, and contemporary dancer Matthew Kazmierczak, 21, did the dance about Mia Michaels seeing her dad in heaven. Though Mary got choked up from the piece, she "didn't feel the real passion and truth in this number," she said. Nigel thought Matthew needed to bring more character to the piece, while Billy complimented Audrey's technique. "You nailed that first pirouette," he said.Ballet dancer Chehon Wespi-Tschopp, 23, and Latin dancer Witney Carson, 18, did the Season 2 routine of unrequited love, set on a bench. "This was one of my favorite routines of all time," said Nigel. The technique and passion "came across," he said. Mary told Chehon his "center is probably the strongest on the show" and was blown away by Witney's "fearless" leap into Chehon's arms. "Chehon, you've always got a job with us," said Michael.Latin dancer Lindsay Arnold, 18, fell victim to "psychotic" Cole Horibe, 26, in Michaels' Season 5 Emmy-winning routine. The judges loved the performance and Cole's character. "For me, this is Mia's best routine," said Mary, and "I loved the two of you best in this." Nigel said to Cole, "there's something psychotically mental about that performance. … You two have come out on top of everyone."After the dances, the bottom six were revealed. The guys in danger were George, who Nigel said looked "tired" in his hip-hop routine; Dareian, who struggled in his Latin dance; and Matthew, who didn't excel in salsa. The girls in jeopardy were Amelia, who had a jazz routine Nigel "didn't feel"; Janelle, who had a tough time with Latin; and Lindsay; whom Mary called "mesmerizing" three weeks ago.Nigel requested last-chance performances from all the dancers before saving a guy and a girl.After assessing this week's routines and solos, Nigel said, "We have decided we're going to save Lindsay." Then, the guys: "It's so tough, this one," said Nigel. "Tonight we're gonna save George."Next Wednesday (8 ET/PT, Fox), the top 10 perform once again for America and the judges.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
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