Lehane puts 'Mystic' on pause; a Charmed act
ONE THUMB UP The DVD of "Mystic River" is out, but Dennis Lehane hasn't seen it. "I watched a few minutes, but then said, `This is too geeky, sitting in a room watching the DVD of my book,' " said the Dorchester author whose best-selling book is the basis of the Oscar-nominated movie. "I'll get around to it." (Intended for geeks, the DVD includes Charlie Rose's interviews with Clint Eastwood, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon.) So if not "Mystic River," what's Lehane watching? "Oh, the usual guy stuff: `Heat,' the `Godfather' movies, `Die Hard,' `Patton,' " he said. "And a few `sensitive' movies, including Terrence Malick's `Days of Heaven,' which is beautiful."
ENGLISHMAN IN NEWPORT He's an actor, director, screenwriter, and novelist. But Stephen Fry is definitely not an action hero. "I'm not offered those roles, nor would I take them," said Fry, who's in Newport this week to screen his new movie, "Bright Young Things," at the film festival. (The movie, which Fry directed, opens later this year.) "My body's the least of my accomplishments. It doesn't obey any commands, and I'm not the kind of person who can dive into foxholes." (Luckily, Fry had to perform very few stunts in his best-known film, "Wilde," in which he played English author Oscar Wilde.) "I'm one of those shivery goosebump kind of creatures," he said, "more comfortable with a slim leather-bound volume of Mallarme."
A CHARMED SCREENING The Boston-based band the Charms (lead singer Ellie Vee, guitarist Joe Wizda, keyboardist Kat Kina, drummer Frederick Arciniegas, and bassist Stu Yaffe) will premiere a new music video for "The Wish Song" at Mantra in the Ladder District on Monday. The video was directed by Mark Constance, who has a slew of credits as an assistant director of feature films such as "Being John Malkovich," "Charlie's Angels," and "Bad Boys II." Monday's premiere is being sponsored by the Massachusetts Film Bureau and the band's management company. "The Wish Song" is one of several singles on the band's second CD, "So Pretty."
BACK AND FORTH Having flacked for Tom Reilly for the past five years, Ann Donlan is leaving the AG's office to become the Boston Herald's State House bureau chief. Donlan said yesterday it's been an honor to work for Reilly, but she's thrilled to be going back to the Herald and to a profession she loves. (She was a reporter at the Herald from 1993 to 1999.) So, what happens in the likely event Reilly runs for governor? Donlan can't cover her former boss, can she? Yes, apparently she can. "I'll cover the campaign," Donlan vowed. "I'll be professional, fair, and objective."
HAPPY TO BE CROSS Famous pen-maker Cross celebrated its first OS store opening last night with champagne at its Harvard Square location. Cross Retail Ventures President Lilli Gordon -- also a partner in the company that now owns the Boston-based Fresh -- hosted architect David Hacin and Fresh cofounders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg.
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