Variety reports that Jailhouse Rock will be based on the true story of an "American Idol"-like singing contest held in an Arizona jail, first reported in L.A. Weekly by Joshuah Bearman. Brian Robbins (Starship Dave, Coach Carter) has been tapped to direct the film, and he will share production duties with David Klawans (Nacho Libre). "Like Coach Carter, which came from a newspaper article we read, there's nothing better than real-life drama," Robbins says. This is the second Bearman article to be optioned by Klawans, according to Variety -- the first has become Escape From Tehran, a drama Klawans is producing with George Clooney.
The 20-foot-tall fence between the United States and Mexico makes good political theater. Why not a sports venue too? At least that was the bright idea of Brent Hoff, editor of Wholphin, a new DVD magazine from Dave Eggers' McSweeney's combine. Hoff took a film crew to shoot a game of international volleyball played across the border fence at Tijuana. LA Weekly writer Joshuah Bearman tagged along and even got in on the action. In its "Border Lines" column, the Wall Street Journal revisits this "first-ever game of international border volleyball."
