Blue plaques for film stars' seats

Blue plaques for film stars' seats

Blue plaques are being placed on seats at a London cinema which have accommodated some of the world's most famous film stars.

They commemorate actors who have appeared at premières or awards ceremonies at the Odeon, Leicester Square.

The first to be recognised are Bafta winners Sir Michael Caine, Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Day-Lewis, Catherine Zeta Jones and Jim Broadbent.

Stars must have won either and Oscar or Bafta to qualify.

---

Sheen steps up peace campaign

West Wing actor Martin Sheen has led an anti-war vigil wearing a duct-tape gag bearing the word "peace".

Sheen, who plays the US president in the Channel 4 TV drama, also wrote a statement which was read out by a fellow protester.

It stated: "By some demented form of logic, the men, women and children of Iraq are relegated to 'collateral damage' as the dogs of war slouch toward Baghdad."

Sheen has been one of the most active celebrities protesting against war in Iraq.

---

Clooney and Soderbergh's crime project

Film production partners George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh are to work together on the crime thriller Tishomingo Blues.

Adapted from an Elmore Leonard book, it is named after a Tishomingo hotel guest in Mississippi in the US who witnesses a Mafia murder.

The film's screenplay is by Nurse Betty writer John Richards, and will mark the directing debut of actor Don Cheadle.

Clooney and Cheadle appeared in 1998's Out of Sight - also based on an Elmore Leonard novel - which was directed by Soderbergh.

---

DVDs overtake video rentals

More DVDs are being rented from shops than video tapes in both the UK and US, according to the latest industry figures.

Research body MRIB says DVD took 51.6% of the US rental market last week - which is being largely attributed to the success of action thriller XXX, trade website Screen Daily reported.

In the US, the country's Video Software Dealers Association said that in the week ending 16 March, rental from DVDs generated $80m (£50.8m) of income, compared with $78m for VHS.

This is the first time this has happened in either country.