REEL LIFE : Spielberg Company Remakes Multiethnic ‘Little Rascals’ Film : Newbury Park girl, who will play Alfalfa’s girlfriend, will appear on ‘The Tonight Show’ this evening to promote the new movie.
A remake of “Little Rascals” comes to theaters early next month with the Darla redux provided by Brittany Ashton Holmes of Newbury Park.
The remake will remain true to Hal Roach’s original premise of a multiethnic group of pranksters. Brittany plays Alfalfa’s girlfriend.
The new film was produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and directed by Penelope Spheeris of “Wayne’s World” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.”
Brittany is scheduled to promote the movie this evening on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno.
Roach produced 122 episodes of the comedy shorts originally titled “Our Gang.” They got the title “Little Rascals” when they were repackaged for television in the 1950s.
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The cinematographer for the movie “Free Willie” is going to present a benefit screening of his project “Dolphins and Orca,” Wednesday at Eric Ericsson’s restaurant in Ventura.
The program of music and videos will benefit the Blue Dolphin Co., a local environmental education group.
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The animal trainers for “Free Willie” are both from the Ventura-based Active Environments Inc.
“We trained all the live animal work,” said Tim Desmond. “All the interaction between the boy and the whale was under our supervision. All the shots in the tank were done by us, too.”
The story of a captive killer whale and a young boy’s attempts to win his release did well at the box office, but benefits have not been as forthcoming for the film’s star, an orca whale named Keiko.
The 5,000-pound orca lives in the Reina Avenpura aquatic park in Mexico City.
Tickets for the “Dolphins and Orca” video are $5 in advance, $7.50 at the door. For more information call 643-1862.