“Mobile’s Downtown (Haunted) Historical Walking Tour”
-Take a guided stroll through the “haunted” downtown historical district.

-Visit the actual sites of grizzly murders, hauntings, and ghostly sightings, told by your very own personal electronic “Ghost Guide”.

-Look for the mysterious “Orbs” of the Admiral Raphael Semmes Effigy.

-Stroll up famous Dauphin Street and visit the mysterious St. Andrews Cross in historic Bienville Square.

-Look for the “Ghost Children” in the windows of the Richards-DAR House.

-Visit a location where 300 ghosts are reported to reside.

-All under the watchful eyes of the Mobile Police Department and its downtown surveillance camera system.

-$20 per person. If you make your reservations in advance, you get the discounted price of $17… be sure to mention that you are a MAYPA member!

-The tour begins at the Mobile Carnival Museum, 355 Govt St, at the corner of Government and Claiborne Streets. Free on street parking.

This Halloween Night, Two tours are currently offered: 7:00 and 8:30pm. Each tour lasts 60 minutes.

Space is limited, so you are encouraged to call 251.602.4505 for reservations. Leave your name and number and you will receive a call back to setup your tour time.  (From Tim Parker of MAYPA)

Seward Farm and its Cornfield Maze is owned and operated by Bud & Steve Seward, Kyles McDuffie and Bill Kelley Families.

It is located on Tanner Williams Road at the Alabama/Mississippi State Line.

It is open Saturdays 10am - 9pm until October 31.

http://www.sewardfarms.com/

We have wanted for some time to profile Fighting Owl Films, a Mobile-based film company.  We were able to converse recently with Erin Lilley Smith, actress and producer, and wife of director Thomas Smith.

CA.TV: How did you and Thomas start making movies?
ELS: Thomas toyed around with short films under the name Fighting Owl Films while he was in college at USA, but post-graduation, filming fell a bit to the wayside to allow him to focus more on writing. He was determined, though, to one day make a feature film. In 2007, Thomas decided to brush-up his film production skills, which led to the new Fighting Owl Films’ “Camp Hill”. He and I were engaged at the time, so while I’m an actor by profession and was cast in a large role, I also found myself roped into some of the production aspects of the film. Now, I’m officially a producer, and we work very much as a team.

CA.TV: How many movies have you made?
ELS: We have filmed six movies in all. “Camp Hill” is a simple homage to the B-movie slashers of the 80s, and we learned a lot making that one. It also introduced us to some of the wonderfully talented people we collaborate with today. “Till Death” was next, and the script was a finalist in the ‘07 Birmingham Sidewrite Short Screenplay Competition. It’s a melodrama set in a haunted house, and sadly rushed through production due to some unexplainable occurrences during filming. You could say we got creeped out, and one should never film a ghost story in their own house. “Shadows” was the direct result of “Till Death”. The script was written based on the aforementioned unexplainable occurrences, and placed second in the first round of Project Breakout’s Master of the Macabre short film contest in ‘08. It was a throwback to the silent film era, with very little dialogue and a focus on atmosphere. Next came “The Night Shift”, which was probably the most fun to shoot. It’s a supernatural adventure-comedy, and features our most popular character to date, Herb, the talking skeleton. The film was an online success, and was featured on Fangoria’s website, and has been screened at Mobicon, Arts Alive, and the Lancaster Area Film Festival in Pennsylvania. We are currently working to produce a feature length version of “The Night Shift”. “The Strange Experiment of Doctor Purefoy” was next, and is a slow-burning mystery that was released online as a series of webisodes. Our latest film, “Not-So SuperFriends”, is currently in post-production, and we hope to have it online shortly. It’s a superhero satire, and completely different from anything we’ve done in the past. It’s a risk for us, and we hope people like it.

CA.TV: Which was your favorite to make?
ELS:  I think they’ve all been a little bit interesting to shoot in their own way. “Till Death” definitely became more interesting as the shooting progressed, and we scared ourselves silly with the ghost story. The most fun was “The Night Shift” because it encompassed a variety of genres and included special effects, which really kept everyone on their toes and excited about the project.

CA.TV: What are Fighting Owl’s plans for the future?
ELS: We’re currently deep into pre-production on “The Night Shift” feature film. We’re in the process of securing locations and crew, and auditions will be held in October. Principle photography should commence Summer 2010. A DVD of all the shorts is planned for release later this year, and the shorts “The Night Shift” and “The Strange Experiment of Doctor Purefoy” are already available through our website, www.fightingowlfilms.com. We also hope to film another short before “The Night Shift”.

CA.TV: What can Mobilians do to help?

ELS: Mobilians can best support Fighting Owl Films by watching the films, and spreading the word. All films are available to watch for free on our website. Also, anyone interested in participating in “The Night Shift” or any of our upcoming projects should feel free to contact us through the website.

CA.TV: Thank you for your time.

Vote for Fighting Owl’s “The Night Shift” (it’s a comedy really) in the independent film contest at Bigstar.tv:

http://www.bigstar.tv/film-contest/horror-short-2009/the-night-shift/rated/1

Their website: www.fightingowlfilms.com and their oeuvre: http://www.fightingowlfilms.com/films.html

(We hate to post their profile on a Sunday night – but the contest ends 8/18 so we felt it was necessary.  Let’s keep them in 1st place.)

Dateline: Pattaya Beach

Doc: Thank you for taking time with us. How did you select this role (Let’s Rob the Cheese Shop) out of all your offers?

DH: Being an Best Boy Grip on the film, I had an insider’s edge at the role.

Doc: How did you prepare for your role? Did you do any work as a security officer?
DH: As you well know, preparing for a role like this takes endurance–it’s a
marathon, not a sprint. Many nights at the Kingpin and Bridge Lounge here in New
Orleans, as well as watching Mickey Rourke’s “Barfly”. Disturbing character in a
disturbing film, but he was the king of endurance.

I have never worked as a security officer, cop, narc, or agent. Having spent
many years fighting Da Man, I know these alleged providers of “security” all too
well.

Doc: Was it hard to empathize with such a complex character symbolizing authority and the establishment?
DH: Empathy? no empathy; just Method Acting. That pain on my face was real. 1/4″
thick polyester, 92 degrees, 3 PM, Sunday in New Orleans, and about 12 takes–I
hope everyone who watches feels my pain.

Doc: What is (fellow actor) Brad Pitt like in real life?

DH: Pitt is supposedly a nice guy at my friends kids’ PTA meetings, but I never
see him. Rides his bike alot through the ‘hood. We’re hoping he runs for mayor
and maybe buys the city.
Angelina, however, I see her all the time. She’s real nice. Used to think she
was a hottie until I saw her man hands up close. Yikes. Freakishly huge man
hands. I’m no longer attracted, even if she wants to get back at Brad for his
indiscretions…

Doc: What projects are you working on now? Will you be at Cannes?

DH: I will be collaborating with the Writer/Director of “Let’s Rob the Cheese
Shop” for at least 2 more films as an Associate Producer, Best Boy Grip, and Key
Gaffer. Not sure what acting roles will evolve from this process, but I am excited to
find out.

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ — The Yucatan Express cruise ferry announced its plans to provide a weekly ferry service between Tampa and Cuba. The proposal is offered as an alternative to air transportation for Cuban Americans visiting relatives in Cuba and would be operated in accordance with existing government programs. The service would begin February 25, 2003, pending government approval, and would continue for 10 rotations through April 2003.

“The Tampa-Cuba ferry service is a humanitarian program that would help Cuban Americans connect with their families in Cuba and allow them to provide much more of the humanitarian aid permitted under existing U.S. rules. It is not political, nor would it promote business and trade,” said Matthew Hudson, chairman of Yucatan Express.

At $499 per adult round trip including standard cabin, 4 meals/day, port charges, security charges, and U.S. taxes, the service would be very cost-effective, according to Hudson. Cabin upgrades are available at small additional costs and fees imposed by the Cuban government would also be additional.

The owners of the Yucatan Express have also agreed to palletize, shrink- wrap and carry up to 100 cubic feet of personal cargo per adult passenger at no charge, so long as the cargo meets the humanitarian aid laws of the U.S. government.

“We are offering to carry humanitarian goods, such as food, clothing and medicines free of charge to help families that have been separated,” said Professor Hudson.

The Tampa-Cuba initiative expands the company’s new service between Tampa and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, which has been operating weekly, Friday through Tuesday, since November 22, 2002.

Operated by Scotia Prince Cruises, a Bermuda company which has been operating USA-Canada cruise ferry services since 1970, the company has treated five million passengers to world-class customer service and has securely transported 600,000 vehicles of all shapes and sizes. The current ship, the M/S Scotia Prince, is 485 feet long, fully stabilized with global capability and can accommodate up to 1,000 passengers and 200 vehicles including motorcycles, boats, campers, trailers and RVs. The Cuba proposal would use the car deck for humanitarian aid and would return to Tampa empty.

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CATV editor examines new cruise ship in port of Mobile that began a cruise industry race between Tampa and Mobile to gain routes and passengers after the New Orleans terminal was shut down after Katrina.

Mobile is focused on the Midwest I-65 corridor within an eight hour drive in market of 10 million. Tampa has had cruise ships for years while Mobile is a new comer.

One new target are high speed ferries that reach destinations without the luxury of on board accomodations.

AUSTAL in Mobile built one such ferry for Hawaii.

The mega cruise industry is also looking at smaller boutique ships like the one from Tampa to Cuba, similar in size to smaller European cruise ships like this one.

Mobile has increased the size of its single Carnival Cruise Line ships due to successful solid bookings according to terminal manager Al St. Clair.

This is the new ship moved from New Orleans to Mobile.

20th Polo at the Point is one of a variety of events this weekend… from dove hunting and tailigating to Eli Gold’s Tide radio play by play. The Fair opens this Friday and 300,000 may attend the two week carnival. The Black Cowboy association puts on a Rodeo this weekend at Civic Center. The Mobile Symphony plays the Sanger Sat night.The Oliver Stone movie “W” opens Friday. Saturday the Crescent Theater downtown opens for a special event of home movies. Saturday CH 5 CBS has the Alabama vs Ole Miss 2:30p Oxford Miss kickoff on tv, and Sunday Mobile’s Jamarcus Russell QB’s Oakland leads the NFL tv viewing on WKRG. Speckled trout are covering Trader Georges on the Causeway and white marlin and tuna are around the nipple on the curve. Dont forget next week Miami Heat Dwayne Wade and the Heat play the Mitchell Center Thursday and Friday Jackson Brown hits the Beau.

After months of experimenting with long-form video, YouTube said on Friday it would start offering full-length episodes of some television shows on its sprawling Web site.

The staggering growth of YouTube — five billion videos were viewed there in July — has come primarily from short videos that last only a few minutes. But Internet users are gradually becoming more comfortable watching longer videos online, prompting YouTube’s commitment to the format.

Mary Riser’s USA Fairhope Film Series will premiere Margaret Brown’s Order of Myths movie about Mobile the birthplace of Mardi Gras and relations between a black queen descendant from the last slave ship in America the Chlotide and the white king descendant from the Meaher family that owned the ship. Most seem to like the Luce family heirloom movie but many are also troubled by raising issues of race inappropriate to these private parading organizations and showing the disconnected lynching of a boy in the 80’s.

ATMORE, Ala. (AP) - A 17-story casino hotel being built by the
Poarch Band of Creek Indians near Atmore rises out of the rolling
farmlands and pine forests of south Alabama. It’s an eye-catching
tower for the stream of travelers on Interstate 65.
To make sure drivers don’t miss the casino exit, a 65-foot-high
electronic sign will beckon them to the site, which tribal leaders
hope will gain a reputation as a destination resort.
The casino is to be filled with 1,600 electronic bingo games in
halls enlivened by the flashing lights and ringing bells of a Las
Vegas-style gambling palace.

Winston Groom has emerged post Forrest Gump as one of the prominent history and war writers of our time. Since his early Pulitzer nomination for a Vietnam non fiction novel, he has conquered more and more wars with strategic insight, deep research and heavy retrospective, so popular it is rumored he is headed back to popular tv.

If 125 bands and 12 stages are not your thing this perfect weather weekend Dauphin Island Fort Gaines offers a cannon shooting reenactment, Blakeley Historic Park offers Bluegrass and Robertsdale offers a Honeybee Parade Festival.

Since the days of Bellingrath Gardens and the Battleship Alabama few things have captured Mobile’s tourism like the heady String of Pearls days we are living in… a plan that turned Historic Downtown into a convention center destination followed by the RSA hotels and golf course and cruise ships and Imax and the Gulf beaches lure all discovered along with the string of new and planned museum attractions.

A big 20 band 3 stage music festival this weekend at Oysterella’s continues the trend of the Blue Gill Sunday concerts, John Words Jazz, Alabama 5 Rivers state lands tourism attractions as a gateway to the delta, plus great dining at Felix, Eds, R&R, Oyster House makes this strip of land bridge built by the Corp of Engineers as the first Mobile Baldwin bridge connector in the 1950’s… the weekend destination for locals that dont want the drive and traffic at Gulf Shores and dont mind laid back delta sun, marsh, beer, shrimp, small boats and family times.

The Mobile Chamber developed Dauphin Island as a well planned community on par with the vision that built Fairhope. During the 1970’s the Isle Dauphine Club and Golf Course was an architectural beauty and economic success that was the focus of the island community. It inspired growth that made the island prosperous for everyone. When that generation of citizens passed away the next generation of leaders led to a strange group of infighters that set the town against the property owners against the park and beach board. Thier failure has left the club in disgrace, the community and economy in ruin, and the natural environment an embarrassment of failure. Few coastal communities look like Dauphin Island in disrepair. The club, on the list of historic places in America, is a leaking eyesore of failure. And with this disgrace has come the collapse of the entire community existence. This was not an easy task. The leaders have now for 30 years (since the new bridge in 1979) destroyed and kept in ruin the entire community. The pinnacle of stupidity was when the Dauphin Island Property Owners Association turned down David Bronner and the RSA investment fund, the same fund that built the RSA Tower, built Magnolia Grove and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, the Alabama Cruise Terminal and the Carnival Cruise industry, protected the Grand Hotel and has invested in Mobile like no investor in the 300 year history of our county. It is a small story that Dauphin Island was ruined by a small handful of petty indecision makers. But it is a large story that such a crime began and continues for over 3 decades.

Alabama Public TV WEIQ Ch 42 will air the PBS Antique Road Show Monday night at 7pm from Mobile Alabama.