Jul 18, 1997

Issue #388

Cover Story

Making ''Contact''

by Benjamin Svetkey | Jul 18, 1997
How Carl Sagan's novel about intelligent extraterrestrial life became a movie with two lawsuits, two directors, and billions of rewrites Read Article
Magazine Cover (Jul 18, 1997)

Cybertalk

Celebrity cybertalk

Jul 18, 1997
Quotes found online this week from John Woo, Will Smith, and Sarah MacLachlan Read Article

Encore

The moon landing

by Caren Weiner | Jul 18, 1997
The 1969 event, broadcast on TV and radio to millions, was a giant step for mass media Read Article

Book Commentary

Book News

The inside scoop on the book world

by Matthew Flamm | Jul 18, 1997
A tell-all Disney expose, Tupac Shakur's penpal, and ''Cold Mountain'' made news the week of July 18, 1997 Read Article

Book Review

Prejudicial Error

by Tom De Haven | Jul 18, 1997

Blind Justice

by Tom De Haven | Jul 18, 1997

Final Appeal

by Tom De Haven | Jul 18, 1997

Grand Jury

by Tom De Haven | Jul 18, 1997

Corruption of Blood

by Tom De Haven | Jul 18, 1997

The Final Judgment

by Tom De Haven | Jul 18, 1997

Impersonating Elvis

by Alex Abramovich | Jul 18, 1997

Straight Man

by Gene Lyons | Jul 18, 1997

Rebuilding Coventry

by Rhonda Johnson | Jul 18, 1997

The Puttermesser Papers

by Megan Harlan | Jul 18, 1997

Deception on His Mind

by Mark Harris | Jul 18, 1997

The Tenth Justice

by Tom De Haven | Jul 18, 1997

Cover Story

Making ''Contact''

by Benjamin Svetkey | Jul 18, 1997
How Carl Sagan's novel about intelligent extraterrestrial life became a movie with two lawsuits, two directors, and billions of rewrites Read Article

Digital News

Jenny McCarthy's CD-ROM

Jul 18, 1997
The MTV star goes interactive with the ''Playmate Portfolio'' series Read Article

A new look for discs

by Kipp Cheng | Jul 18, 1997
Novelty company Shape CD rethinks the familiar circular shape into burgers, Levi's pockets, and more Read Article

Digital Review

Disney's Hercules Action Game

by Gary Eng Walk | Jul 18, 1997

Disney's Animated Storybook, Hercules

by Gary Eng Walk | Jul 18, 1997

Internet Capsule Review

Internet News

Internet pornography

by Ty Burr | Jul 18, 1997
Now Supreme Court-protected, the task of protecting kids from online smut falls to parents Read Article

Web jargon clip & save

by Ty Burr | Jul 18, 1997
Our guide to what applet, java, and plug-in mean Read Article

Mail Page

Mail from our readers

Jul 18, 1997
Check out letters from those who agreed with us, and those who didn't Read Article

Movie Commentary

Remembering Jimmy Stewart

by Ty Burr | Jul 18, 1997
An aw-shucks star who was the American ideal, he left a legacy of films, from ''Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' to ''Vertigo'' Read Article

The essential Jimmy Stewart

by Ty Burr | Jul 18, 1997
A critical look at the actor's most memorable films, like ''The Philadelphia Story,'' and ''It's a Wonderful Life'' Read Article

Movie News

Entertainment news for July 18, 1997

by Dave Karger | Jul 18, 1997
''Jerry Maguire'' on American Airlines flights made headlines this week Read Article

Behind the scenes of ''Men in Black''

by Steve Daly | Jul 18, 1997
After winning an Oscar for ''The Nutty Professor,'' effects whiz Rick Baker is back Read Article

Celebrity aliens in ''Men in Black''

by Dave Karger | Jul 18, 1997
The story behind naming Sylvester Stallone, Isaac Mizrahi, and more as extraterrestrials in the film Read Article

Jimmy Stewart: Anatomy of an icon

by David Hochman | Jul 18, 1997
Breaking down the facts about the late screen legend Read Article

''My Best Friend's Wedding'' blues

by Lisa Schwarzbaum | Jul 18, 1997
The film has a retro anti-woman message at its core with the fighting of the two heroines over a man Read Article

This week in Hollywood

by Chris Nashawaty | Jul 18, 1997
''Face/Off,'' product placement, and ''Runaway Jury'' made movie news the week of July 18, 1997 Read Article

Movie Review

Contact

by Lisa Schwarzbaum | Jul 18, 1997

When the Cat's Away

by Lisa Schwarzbaum | Jul 18, 1997

Wild America

by Owen Gleiberman | Jul 18, 1997

Shall We Dance?

by Owen Gleiberman | Jul 18, 1997

Music Commentary

Music News

Entertainment news for July 18, 1997

by Suna Chang | Jul 18, 1997
Jon Bon Jovi's movie roles made headlines this week Read Article

Kiss toys

by Kristen Baldwin | Jul 18, 1997
A look at action figures for the band Read Article

Radio favorites

by Rob Brunner | Jul 18, 1997
Music directors at three stations chat about their top tunes and pick hits to come, like ''All Cried Out'' by Allure and ''Walkin' on the Sun'' by Smash Mouth Read Article

The songs of ''My Best Friend's Wedding''

by Joe Neumaier | Jul 18, 1997
The flick is almost a movie musical with characters bursting into song Read Article

Music Review

Some Other Sucker's

by Wook Kim | Jul 18, 1997

Elvis Presley Platinum: A Life in Music

by Jeff Gordinier | Jul 18, 1997

Arkology

by Rob Brunner | Jul 18, 1997

Tragic Magic

by Wook Kim | Jul 18, 1997

Tellin' Stories

by Tom Lanham | Jul 18, 1997

Those Were Different Times

by Tom Sinclair | Jul 18, 1997

Love You to Tears

by Jeremy Helligar | Jul 18, 1997

Wild as Springtime

by Steve Futterman | Jul 18, 1997

End of the Summer

by Jim Farber | Jul 18, 1997

The Three Americas

by Josef Woodard | Jul 18, 1997

Glow

by Tom Sinclair | Jul 18, 1997

''Never, Never Gonna Give You Up''

by William Stevenson | Jul 18, 1997

The Carnival

by Jonathan Bernstein | Jul 18, 1997

Curtains

by Rob Brunner | Jul 18, 1997

On the Air

The latest news from the TV beat

by Joe Flint | Jul 18, 1997
New TV ratings and casting changes on ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' made news the week of July 18, 1997 Read Article

Pop Culture News

Entertainment news for July 18, 1997

by Kristen Baldwin | Jul 18, 1997
Brad Pitt, the newest member of Madame Tussaud's, made headlines this week Read Article

Jim Mullen's Hot Sheet

by Jim Mullen | Jul 18, 1997
The 15 hottest topics the week of July 18, 1997 Read Article

Fast food film tie-ins

by Sharon Waxman | Jul 18, 1997
To beef up lukewarm sales, restaurants are bringing in the movies like ''Batman & Robin'' Read Article

Monitor

by Anna Holmes | Jul 18, 1997
Celebrity news for the week of July 18, 1997 Read Article

Sound Bites

Sound Bites: The week's best TV quotes

Jul 18, 1997
TV's funniest lines from July 10 to July 17, 1997 Read Article

Stupid Questions

7 stupid questions for Dyan Cannon

by David Hochman | Jul 18, 1997
We ask the ''Out to Sea'' actress if Walter Matthau or Warren Beatty is a better kisser, who is her favorite Hanson brother, and more Read Article

TV Review

The New Adventures of Robin Hood

by Ken Tucker | Jul 18, 1997

Roar

by Ken Tucker | Jul 18, 1997

Television News

CNN in the movies

by David Hochman, Carrie Bell | Jul 18, 1997
The news network has shown up in ''The Lost World,'' ''Face/Off,'' ''Air Force One,'' and more Read Article

David Lynch's commercial break

by A.J. Jacobs | Jul 18, 1997
The ''Twin Peaks'' director is doing an ad for a home pregnancy test Read Article

Choice reruns

by Bruce Fretts | Jul 18, 1997
A look back at the early TV work of Sandra Bullock, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Jodie Foster, and Jennifer Aniston Read Article

Video Commentary

Video News

Master P: Master video promoter

by Tom Sinclair | Jul 18, 1997
The story behind the success of ''I'm Bout It'' Read Article

John Woo's video rentals

by Donald Liebenson | Jul 18, 1997
What the director watches for inspiration for ''Face/Off'' and more Read Article

Video Review

Ghosts of Mississippi

by Mike D'Angelo | Jul 18, 1997

The Substance of Fire

by Denise Lanctot | Jul 18, 1997

The Summer of Ben Tyler

by Mike D'Angelo | Jul 18, 1997

The Relic

by Tim Purtell | Jul 18, 1997

The Eighth Day

by Tim Purtell | Jul 18, 1997

Metro

by Denise Lanctot | Jul 18, 1997

Area 51

by Denise Lanctot | Jul 18, 1997

Fools Rush In

by Jason Cochran | Jul 18, 1997

A Couch in New York

by Mike D'Angelo | Jul 18, 1997

Ernest Borgnine: On the Bus

by Erin Richter | Jul 18, 1997

The Trial

by Tim Purtell | Jul 18, 1997