Columbia Pictures' and Phoenix Pictures' ``Urban Legends — The Final Cut'' To Feature Live Daily Web Casts From Set, Dec. 13-15

Business Wire, Dec 6, 1999

CULVER CITY, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Dec. 6, 1999--

AOL MovieFone and POPcast.com Join in Unprecedented

Internet Promotion

Columbia Pictures and Phoenix Pictures are joining forces with AOL MovieFone and POPcast.com to present live, daily Web casts from the set of the thriller, "Urban Legends -- The Final Cut," starring Jennifer Morrison ("Stir of Echoes") and Joseph Lawrence ("Tequila Body Shots").

The live broadcasts will take place for one hour each day (6-7 p.m. EST; 3-4 p.m. PST) beginning Dec. 13 on MovieFone's "Urban Legends -- The Final Cut" Web site, located at http://www.moviefone.com.

The event will culminate on Dec. 15, when visitors to the site will be treated to an unprecedented, uncensored, live broadcast of an actual scene -- the chilling and climatic "Bell Tower" sequence -- from the film being shot.

These candid, spontaneous glimpses of the behind-the-scenes action on the set will include rarely seen peaks at actors preparing for scenes, as well as costume, lighting and other technical changes, special effects secrets, outtakes and a look at what it's really like to be an extra in Hollywood. The Web casts will also feature these highlights:

-- Dec. 13: The attractive, young cast of "Urban Legends -- The Final
   Cut" -- which also includes Anson Mount (TV's "Ally McBeal"), Eva
   Mendes ("A Night at the Roxbury"), Jessica Cauffiel ("The
   Out-of-Towners"), Anthony Anderson ("Liberty Heights"), Loretta
   Devine ("Waiting to Exhale"), Hart Bochner ("Anywhere But Here")
   and newcomer Matt Davis -- will participate in a revealing, live
   chat hosted by Mr. MovieFone.

-- Dec. 14: Mr. MovieFone will host a "man on the set" segment that
   will include interviews and humorous and informative insights into
   the role of each crew member in the production of the film.

-- Web site Sweepstakes: Visitors to MovieFone's "Urban Legends -- The
   Final Cut" Web site (http://www.moviefone.com) will be invited to
   submit brief descriptions of their favorite urban legends. A random
   drawing of the entries will be held to award lucky winners tickets
   to a screening of "Urban Legends -- The Final Cut" on the Sony lot.

POPcast.com will provide all live Web casting services for the event, and AOL MovieFone will compose the content of the Web cast.

"Urban Legends -- The Final Cut" follows Amy Mayfield (Morrison), a student at Alpine University, who struggles to complete her thesis film on urban legends -- only to have her crew members fall prey to fatal "accidents." Suspicious, Amy investigates and discovers a much more sinister hand at work. Now she must unmask the killer before she, too, becomes an urban legend.

"Urban Legends -- The Final Cut" is a Phoenix Pictures presentation distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film is directed by John Ottman from an original script by Paul Harris Boardman and Scott Derrickson, and is produced by Neal H. Moritz ("Blue Streak," "I Know What You Did Last Summer") and Gina Matthews ("Urban Legend," TV's "Popular"). Richard Rothschild, Nick Osborn and Brad Luff executive produce. The creative team includes director of photography Brian Pearson ("Tail Lights Fade") and production designer Mark Zuelzke ("Message in a Bottle," "George of the Jungle").

Shooting began on Oct. 25 and will continue in Toronto through Dec. 16. The film is slated for a 2000 release.

Making his feature film directorial debut, Ottman served in the dual role as editor and composer on the Academy Award(R)-winning film, "The Usual Suspects" and "Apt Pupil." Ottman has also composed the music for the films "Lake Placid," "Halloween:H2O," "Incognito," "The Cable Guy," and the forthcoming "X-Men."

Columbia Pictures is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures' global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home video acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities, development of new entertainment products, services and technologies, and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.spe.sony.com.

Phoenix Pictures was launched by Mike Medavoy, chairman and chief executive officer, and Arnie Messer, president, in November 1995. Released under the Phoenix banner in 1996 were the Golden Globe Award-winning, Academy Award(R)-nominated "The Mirror Has Two Faces," directed by Barbra Streisand, and "The People Vs. Larry Flynt," directed by Milos Forman.

In 1998, Phoenix released the box office hit, "Urban Legend," directed by Jamie Blanks, "Apt Pupil," directed by Bryan Singer, and the critically hailed "The Thin Red Line," directed by Terrence Malick, which received seven Academy Award(R) nominations, including Best Picture.

The company's 1999 releases included the action adventure "Lake Placid," a 20th Century Fox release starring Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda and Oliver Platt, written and produced by David E. Kelley and directed by Steve Minor, and the comedy, "Dick." Phoenix is presently in production on "The Sixth Day," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by Roger Spottiswoode, and the romantic comedy, "Whatever It Takes."