Jonathan Rhys-Meyers for Bond?
Liberty dropped me a note about if Jonathan Rhys-Meyers should be the next Bond...What do you think?

Johnathan Meyers is who all the modern younger people want for the new JAMES BOND. Do they not care for selling movies? Johnathan Rhys Meyers for JAmes Bond,...he HOT BRitish actor who played ELVIS Presley up for an EMMy on Sunday...we could have a real fire person in the shoes of Bond. not another elf or a Obi Won. Its like they just want to pick someone FAst.

So what do you think? Would he be a good choice? I agree that they are falling over themselves trying to make a decision, but they aren't making one fast, that's why they have this problem. Could he do a Bond?

Sneak review of The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Ash sent me a few words on this movie ages ago, and I've sat on it...sorry!...until I got enough together for another Readers Lives. Here's what they had to say on the movie:

I just read your post on movieblog about this movie and I got the chance to catch a sneak peek last night. It was INCREDIBLE. It wasn't at all biased towards one opinion or the other. In fact, they did an amazing job of juggling the medical/scientific explanation and the religious/spiritual. If we could keep getting movies like this, the box office would definitely come out of its slump, but the scary part is that I'm afraid that the normal moviegoing public are going to be intimidated by the amount of thinking that this movie requires. Not only thinking, but also questioning of what you went into the movie believing. The final statement made by Laura Linney's character sums up the movie so amazingly well..... I HIGHLY recommend this to everyone. I got to see the sneak peek for free last night, and I have full intentions of going on Friday the 9th to see it again, just to make sure that my $9 will go towards supporting this movie.

Unfortunately I think most of what the movie has to say is going to be lost in the argument of religion. You can see that happening in the main post about the film. Still Ash believes that it has a lot to say, and I have to agree with them that the general audience find it hard to cope with a movie that makes them think. In times like these when there are so many pressures and worries in real life people can just want to be entertained and nothing more. Frankly, I'm entertained when I come out thinking about a movie and not real life, but that's me...and it appears Ash. What about you?

Paul Bettany as an albino and the Phantom's skin condition
Dr Vail has sent me a link to his blog with a medical insight into the look of the character.

...an initial image shows they are not going for a freakish appearance. Unnamed sources claim the character will be portrayed sympathetically...

To their credit, the film's producers appear to have conservatively recreated the appearance of albinism. Bettany's blond hair has been dyed platinum, but unlike some evil albino roles, the makeup artists have retained his normal flesh tone rather dousing him in jarring clown-white paint. In the book, author Dan Brown writes that Silas' "irises were pink with dark red pupils," exploiting the common misconception that people with albinism have red eyes. Though it is not clear from the photo, I hope no Satanic red contact lenses will be employed.

In January 2005, NOAH, an albinism advocacy group, asked the film's producers to consider keeping Silas scary, but to drop the albino aspect...

...2005 looks to be the second year in a row that no major releases feature a villain with albinism.

Interestingly the article contains a link to another site which has a list of albino characters in movies in the past thirty years.

It's interesting that the movie seems to be taking a good slant on the character, and it's also interesting to understand what the real condition is. Check out his post for a couple of photos of Bettany as the monk.

The Doctor also goes on to speak about what the Phantom's real skin condition was in The Phantom of the Opera. He has some close up shots with and without the mask (Butler fans be calm!) and a short discussion about it. Again, interesting stuff.

This is an attempt to re-create Sturge-Weber syndrome. Named after long gone dermatologists presumably unrelated to Sir Andrew Lloyd, the condition includes port wine stain birthmarks, abnormal deeper blood vessels, and often eye problems. It usually affects the top half of one facial side.

So that's all from the mailbag for this month, or two...or even three! The next edition depends on you and your interesting emails. Non abusive and insulting are most welcomed!