“On my 78th birthday, I found about 60 rough drawings I had started to make as a teenager,” Schopplein said. “I originally planned to use them someday as a basis for more finished art to illustrate a book about my experiences of growing up in Nazi Germany. Instead, I decided to use them just as they are, and simply wrap some text around each drawing. To make sure my memories would not be adapted to anyone else’s ideas.”

In 2003 Schopplein retired to Lake County. He is now a member of the Konocti Plein Air Painters.

Wild About Books is located at 14290 Olympic Drive in Clearlake, next door to Lisa's clothing store.

For an updated list of times and dates for upcoming events, stop by the store, call 994-WILD (9453) or visit the store's Web site at www.wildaboutbooks.net.

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In a full-blown assault on the narcissistic world of Hollywood filmmaking, it’s fitting that “Tropic Thunder” takes no prisoners. Possessed of a fertile comic mind and talent, Ben Stiller, the director, co-star and co-writer, is the kind of guy who can get away with pricking the outsize ego of the industry. He’s joined in this effort by some of the biggest names in the business, a few of them content to deliver fantastic cameos despite their superstar status. “Tropic Thunder” unites a diverse pool of talent into arguably the best, and probably most daring, comedy of the summer.

The film opens brilliantly with a series of fake trailers that precede the main event of an epic action picture set during the Vietnam War era, something in the vein of “Apocalypse Now.” Considering that “Tropic Thunder” is a movie-within-a-movie, the trailers offer a glimpse at the stars of the main event.

Ben Stiller’s preening Tugg Speedman is a pampered action superstar on the wane. His “Scorcher” series of post-apocalyptic action epics have played out. Jack Black’s Jeff Portnoy needs a new outlet beyond his gross-out comedy franchise “The Fatties,” where comedy is derived from nonstop flatulence.

An intense method actor, Australian Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) seeks for new challenges and ways to transform his artistic endeavors. Platinum hip-hop star Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) wants to be a serious actor, but he’s consumed by merchandising products like the “Booty Sweat” energy drink.

The self-absorbed prima donnas come together to film an epic war movie in Southeast Asia and unwittingly wind up in a real battle. Things are going so badly on the set that frazzled British director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) faces being shut down by his studio bosses.

In one of several hilarious cameo scenes, a nearly unrecognizable Tom Cruise appears as the fat, balding, foul-mouthed producer Les Grossman, who manages to terrorize everyone within reach of his cell phone. Several scenes have Grossman exploding in hilarious rage, spewing venomous profanity at anyone crossing his path. We’ve never seen Tom Cruise this funny before, even when he was jumping on sofas.

Threatened with the loss of his picture, director Cockburn leads his unsuspecting cast deep into the jungle, where cameras are hidden in the trees, and turns them loose for guerilla-style filmmaking. With no entourage of fawning assistants to shield them, the cast soon encounters a very real and dangerous band of drug runners who mistake the actors for American DEA agents.

Tugg Speedman’s role of John “Four Leaf” Tayback is based on the memoirs of a courageous real-life war hero whose memoirs form the basis for this Vietnam picture. When faced with real danger, Tugg doesn’t know what to do, and he can’t get any creature comforts delivered by his agent (Matthew McConaughey, delivering a funny cameo) back in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Kirk Lazarus is going so deep in his character that he had his skin surgically altered so that he could become African American sergeant Lincoln Osiris. This, of course, offends his fellow cast member Alpa Chino who is increasingly annoyed by Lazarus’ refusal to drop out of character even when the cameras aren’t rolling. Being stuck out in the middle of the jungle is also a bad time to find out that Jeff Portnoy has a serious substance abuse problem, particularly when the enemy is manufacturing heroin in its hidden camp.

Rounding out the cast of main characters is Jay Baruchel’s Kevin Sandusky, an earnest young actor getting his first big break playing newbie soldier Brooklyn. As the rookie actor, Kevin is really eager and psyched to be working with an elite group of thespians. Yet he’s the only one who bothered to read the book written by John “Four Leaf” Tayback (Nick Nolte, serving as the film’s technical advisor). When things start to go bad for the cast, Kevin, who also attended a military boot camp, becomes the group’s main hope to extricate itself from a harrowing situation.

Another interesting character is the pint-sized leader of the Flaming Dragons drug ring, 12-year-old Tran (Brandon Soo Hoo), a brutal, cigar-chomping thug who captures Tugg Speedman. For some strange reason, the rebels recognize the actor for his biggest flop, “Simple Jack,” in which he played a mentally retarded farmhand, and they insist that he recreate his character for their amusement. This particular characterization has generated some heat, but there are plenty of politically incorrect moments in this over-the-top film.

Flawed at times in its execution, “Tropic Thunder” is still a high energy film with some comic brilliance. A film that pokes fun at pampered, self-absorbed actors who are out of control is obviously good for generating plenty of laughs.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

With the summer Olympics in full swing, this is probably good timing for the release of “Her Best Move,” a family entertainment about a teenage star athlete overcoming life’s challenges.

The press notes have a quote from Brandi Chastain, Olympic and Women’s National Soccer Team star, calling it the “most realistic soccer film ever made.”

Soccer prodigy Sara Davis (Leah Pipes) is on her way to becoming the youngest player selected for the U.S. National Team, but her biggest challenge is balancing the demands of high school, a new boyfriend and her overbearing, sports-obsessed father (Scott Patterson).

“Her Best Move” became a major hit on the film festival circuit, scoring plenty of awards.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

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Konocti Art Gallery/Studio is part of the Harbor Village Artists, an art colony in its beginnings as a part of the Lake County Redevelopment Agencies revitalization of the Highway 20 corridor in Lucerne.

Konocti Art Gallery/Studio features the work of Lake County resident artists, Joan Facca, Ray Farrow, Meredith Gambrel and Richard Seisser.

These artists are exhibiting their works of art created in acrylic, alkyd, oil and pastel, and you are invited to visit them in the gallery/studio Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition to the exhibit of art these artists will be presenting demonstrations of their individual techniques, classes and workshops by resident and visiting artists.

Harbor Village Artists colony complex is part of the larger redevelopment project in the Highway 20 corridor project and can be easily located next to the boat launching facility at Lucerne Harbor Park, just opposite the Lake County Visitors Bureau on Highway 20.

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Instead, we had to endure the drone of TV executives talking incessantly about their wonderful slate of new shows for the fall season. One of the networks presenting its wares at the Beverly Hilton was the CW Network, which is known affectionately in some circles as the “love child” of two former networks, UPN and the WB. I know this union has nothing to do with a former North Carolina senator, but it seems too ironic to ignore altogether.

Before I digress any further, let’s look at where we are now with the CW Network, which having dropped “WWE Smackdown,” seems more firmly in the grip of its target demographic audience, namely younger adult women.

Dawn Ostroff, president of Entertainment at the CW, told the gathering of TV critics that in assessing the appeal of its shows, the network doesn’t look at households, but flatly stated that “what we go after is the 18- to 34 year-old woman.”

You can’t argue with that point, when it’s obvious that the biggest show on the CW is “Gossip Girl,” one that I would not watch under gunpoint, which is about privileged teenage girls at an elite private school in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Even the advertising for this show looks a little risqué, focusing on steamy sex scenes.

Adhering to its target demographic, one of the CW’s new fall series is “Privileged,” the story of one young woman navigating the treacherous waters of high society in Palm Beach. Twenty-three-year-old Megan Smith (JoAnna Garcia) has a Yale education in journalism she’s putting to good use slaving away at a tabloid rag. Then, in one whirlwind day, she gets fired, meets cosmetics mogul Laurel Limoges (Anne Archer), and becomes the live-in tutor for Laurel’s twin teen granddaughters in the swank Florida town.

“Privileged” has the CW Network written all over it, as our young heroine gets caught up in the heady world of wealth and power. The girls under her tutelage aren’t too thrilled, but Megan enjoys the perks of a private suite, nice car and live-in chef. She catches the eye of Will Davis (Brian Hallisay), the super-rich dilettante who lives on the estate next door and just happens to be dating Megan’s estranged sister Lily (Kristina Apgar). The plot is bound to thicken, and if you’re an 18- to 34-year-old female, you may want to tune in to “Privileged.”

Another new series to begin in early September is the edgy, contemporary spin-off of the iconic drama “Beverly Hills, 90210.” The new show is titled simply “90210,” because everyone who is hip knows this zip code belongs to that exclusive Southern California city with its pedigree of wealth and prestige.

The new “90210” looks at life through the eyes of Annie Wilson (Shenae Grimes) and her brother Dixon (Tristan Wilds), whose first day at West Beverly Hills High School leaves no doubt they’re not in Kansas anymore.

The Wilson family, including dad Harry (Rob Estes) and mom Debbie (Lori Loughlin), has relocated to this nice zip code to keep an eye on Harry’s mother Tabitha (Jessica Walter), a feisty but faded former television star and a charter member of the Betty Ford Clinic. It’s awkward for the new kids at school when their dad has taken the job of high school principal. Jennie Garth, an original student on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” is now the beautiful guidance counselor Kelly Taylor. Kelly’s former classmate, Donna Martin (Tori Spelling, another original student), owns a local clothing boutique.

At the TV critics press tour, it was announced that Shannen Doherty’s Brenda Walsh will guest star in multiple episodes as a successful theater actress returning to her alma mater as a guest director for the school’s musical production.

Coming to the schedule at the end of October is a new reality show called “Stylista.” Eleven aspiring fashion enthusiasts vie for a much-coveted editorial job with “Elle” magazine. The contestants work as assistants to the magazine’s fashion news director, Anne Slowey, a demanding but well-respected fashion icon. The competitors carry out an assistant task and a fashion editorial assignment in each episode.

Each week, Slowey fires one person, until the last assistant standing gets “promoted” to the coveted real-life job opportunity. The grand prize includes a paid editorial position at “Elle,” a paid lease on a great apartment in Manhattan, and a clothing allowance, all for one year, valued at $100,000. “The Devil Wears Prada” should be considered required viewing for any prospective contestant.

During her remarks to TV critics, Dawn Ostroff announced a reality show called “13 – Fear is Real,” which is described as “The Blair Witch Project” turned into a competition show. The participants get bumped off and are never seen again, at least on the show. To create a spooky climate, the filming takes place in the remote bayous of Louisiana. I believe the contest winner will get to live in a FEMA trailer in Plaquemines Parish.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

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DATES IN THIS STORY HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. 

LAKEPORT – This year there will be a new opportunity for actors and actresses to perform at the Soper-Reese Community Theater.

Mendocino College is offering two new classes for the Lake County area, one in theater acting and performance and the other in theater production and performance.

The classes will both take place at the Soper-Reese Community Theater, 275. S. Main St., on Tuesday and Thursday nights, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Carol Dobusch, a long-time drama teacher and performer in Lake County, will teach the classes. Dobusch was most recently the director for "Zombies from the Beyond" and "Nunsense," both wonderful musical comedies. It is no wonder, then, that she has chosen to present a new and hilarious version of "Cinderella," a musical comedy that will set the old story back on its heels.

This new "Cinderella" has parts for the usual suspects, i.e., Cinderella, Prince Charming, the ugly stepsisters and their mom, and a few other strange characters that you have never heard of -- including sheep with attitude.

The biggest difference between this version of the story and the others, however, is that you can be male or female and try out for any part ... except Cindy, herself. Cinderella needs to be a sweet young thing that can sing like a bird. (All fairy tales need a heroine!)

So, are you interested? Here's what you do. Come to the first class at the Soper-Reese Community Theater at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18. Auditions will be held on that date and Dobusch will be there to explain the particulars and hand out information regarding Mendocino College enrollment.

If you are interested in set design, lighting, makeup, costumes or stage managing rather than acting, you may indicate that at this first meeting.

You may also enroll on line at www.mendocino.edu. You will sign up for "Theater Arts 220” and/or “Theater Arts 225.” Both classes are one-unit classes.

This is a new adventure, a new opportunity to perform and be a part of the theater community in Lake County. How many times have you said, “I think I would like to do that, but I don't know how or where to start"? How many of you have said, "I already know how to do that, but there aren't enough opportunities for me to get a part”? Well, here's your chance. Get started – with Mendocino College!

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