A reminder that the new moviemaking reality show On The Lot starts on SABC2 tonight (19 July 2007) in place of Strictly Come Dancing at 19h30.
You're never gonna believe it but they've timed the broadcast exactly the same way they timed SCD, with an hour between the first episode and the second results show.
In case you haven't heard anything about the show yet - it's created by Mark Burnett (of Survivor, Apprentice, Rock Star etc fame) and Steven Spielberg and it's a reality search for the best film-director.
There are two episodes a week that work the same way as SCD - so the first is called "Film Premiere" - which is where the contestants make their movies, we get to watch them and then the Americans vote - and the second epsiode is the results show.
Every week the director of the losing movie gets whacked and we have to sit through an hour of the Americans voting - even though they're not actually voting 'cos they voted eight weeks ago. Ha - does it freak your brain as much as it does mine?
So that's the ridiculous situation with the time. Just in case you were wondering.
As for all the info about the show - you'll find everything you need to know about it here:
On The Lot - each of the contestants have Q&A's about both themselves and movies.
I really found their movie answers addictive to go through - they say a lot about the person and what sort of movies they might make. It also helps you spot the ones who already need a slap.
There are a couple who go on about Betrocelli - what's his name? The Italian arty type who's always going about how "deep" he is with lingering fifteen minute shots of the same thing. I don't know if that's how he is all the time but it's the impression I have when I hear his name which immediately rolled my eyes when I saw contestants saying him.
As I looked through their questions I also found myself answering a couple of them so I thought I'd share my answers with you and if you're in the mood you can share too.
First movie you ever saw?I can't remember the name. All I know is that I saw it the night before my sixth or seventh birthday and I was too busy thinking about what I'd get up to the next day to concentrate properly. The only visual thing in my memory is a scene with some bearded guy in a purple old fashioned cloak holding an eyeball - does this ring any bells?
The one I do remember properly as being my first is Grease. This is the reason for my next answer.
Favourite line from a movie?"This
is a tasty burger,"
- by Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction just before he quotes from the bible and pops those guys who have the suitcase.
I can watch and listen to that scene over and over again and always get more thrilled by it. It's obviously all because John Travolta was in Grease, then he ended up being as cool as he's always been in Pulp Fiction plus he got joined by another ultimate in cool Samuel L.. and together they delivered a whammy of cool through that one single line.
(My only trouble is that John Travolta's a Scientologist which I don't understand. Surely surely he wouldn't buy into the brainwashing? It doesn't spoil him completely though - there's something about him that makes me forget in ways Tom Cruise never has. I've put this in brackets so I don't remember.)
Favourite Movies:The line makes Pulp Fiction one of my favourite movies ever followed by these four to make up my Top Five:
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
Head Of State
Shawshank Redemption
Conair
(Bonus extra: The Man Who Knew Too Little)
Movie that best encapsulates who you are?How crazy is this question? It seems so final.
I dunno - Rocky maybe. You have no idea how much I want to box and pull killer action moves.
Your theme song?I have to have two.
1. Nothing Else Matters By Metallica
2. Daddy Cool by Boney M
Must-Know On The Lot Trivia
The show premiered in the US two months ago so we're eight episodes behind.
There's a South African born contestant in the show who goes by the name of
Shira-Lee Shalit. She only quotes Italian directors though so I predict she's gonna be a problem.
The movies they make range from between two to three minutes each.
There are two hosts for the show because the first host left after getting her own show on E! Entertainment.
If you've caught E! you'll know
Chelsea Handler from the comedy inserts she does for different countdown shows. She just recently got her own late-night talk show on E! called Chelsea Lately and someone called
Adrianna Costa took over from her On The Lot.
She's some entertainent reporter for CNN who I've never seen before - she's had loads of criticism directed at her in the US so we can see if she's bad or if they're being iffy.
The first episode's on between 19h30 and 20h30 and the second's on between 21h30 and 22h00.
Once On The Lot finishes it's going to replaced with Mark Burnett's other new reality show
Pirate Master.