LINKS
news, magazines, webzines

SF in film and TV

Grammy Nods

This year's Grammy Awards nominees for best recordings of the past year (technically, October 1, 1998 through September 30, 1999) include a nomination for the audiobook of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, read by Jim Dale* (Listening Library), in the category ''Best Spoken Word Album for Children'' (Category 67 out of a total 98). The audio version of Rowling's popular fantasy novel is competing against Bill Harley's The Battle of the Mad Scientists and Other Tales of Survival (Round River Records), A Bug's Life Read-Along (Walt Disney Records), and two others.

The soundtrack categories are dominated by nominations of SF/F/H films. Category 71, ''Best Soundtrack Album'', pits Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Matrix, The Prince of Egypt, and Tarzan against American Beauty. Category 72, ''Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media'' includes nominations for John Williams' score for Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace and Randy Newman's score for A Bug's Life. And Category 73, ''Best Song Written for a Motion Picture [etc.]'', includes song nominations from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Prince of Egypt, A Bug's Life, and Tarzan.

Nominees were announced Tuesday, January 4. Winners will be announced February 23 in a televised ceremony from Los Angeles.

* Not to be confused with the Stephen Fry reading of the UK version, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

§ Chicago Sun-Times, December 30, 1999
Roger Ebert's most influential films of the 1900s (not, he cautions, to be confused with a selection of the century's best) include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Star Wars, Toy Story, and The Blair Witch Project.

§ Slate, December 28, 1999
A Plot Holes feature by Stephen Harrigan identifies lapses in End of Days and other millennial movies.