Free Republic

Director William Friedkin couldn't have been on more of a hot streak: "The French Connection," released in 1971, won five Oscars, and "The Exorcist," released in 1973, won two Oscars. In 1977, he released a movie he would later call the best of his career: "Sorcerer." But "Sorcerer" was a bomb, grossing only $6 million worldwide — short of its $21 million budget — and receiving tepid initial reviews. The existential thriller follows four criminals from around the globe as they accept a lucrative but deadly contract to transport gallons of explosive nitroglycerin across a South American jungle. The film...

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.(Acts 8:9-11) Phillip the deacon, had been driven out of Jerusalem along with many other of his fellow believers, in the persecution instigated by Saul. But they preached the Word wherever they went for...

Sources at rival studios tell me that Disney's Sorcerer's Apprentice made about $3.7 million today from 3,385 theaters in the U.S. and Canada. That makes for a 5-day projection of less than $30M, and one studio predicted only $20+M, which is extremely disappointing for the costly Jerry Bruckheimer tentpole starring Nic Cage, and much less than even the low-ball $35M which Hollywood thought it could make. But I'd been following the pic's tracking, which at no point hinted at a blockbuster.

Saudi 'sorcerer' who raped 100 sentenced to death A Saudi man who reportedly raped more than 100 women after posing as a spell-caster to lure them into his clutches has been sentenced to death, Saudi media reported on Wednesday. Published: 4:16PM GMT 20 Jan 2010 The "Qatif sorcerer" was originally sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes, but after more victims came forth the sentence was changed to execution, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported. The man, whose name was not given, terrified women around the eastern city of Qatif for several years. He first drew them in by saying he...

<p>HEET, Iraq — The wrinkled old man sprays perfume around the sparse, dingy room, then holds out his hands and feet and instructs one of his visitors to tie him up, knot the cloth three times and blow on it.</p>