Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, news services and the nation’s press.

ENTERTAINMENT

Let the Skirmishes Begin: In the first of several expected legal blows against CNN and Time magazine over the retracted story that claimed the U.S. military used nerve gas against its own defectors during the Vietnam War, one of the 16 soldiers from the Operation Tailwind ground troops plans to file a multimillion-dollar federal lawsuit today against the media outlets and CNN correspondent Peter Arnett. Attorneys for Keith Plancick, a former Green Beret sergeant, said he will sue for libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Sources said Plancick--who was not interviewed for the story but who was pictured in both the TV and magazine reports--will seek $100 million in punitive damages in his Florida suit.

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All-Star ‘Alice’: Whoopi Goldberg will play the mischievous Cheshire Cat, Martin Short takes on the Mad Hatter role, “Cheers” alum George Wendt and British star Robbie Coltrane team up as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and Christopher Lloyd portrays the White Knight in NBC’s TV movie adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Tina Majorino (“When a Man Loves a Woman”) plays the title role, and additional cast members include Ben Kingsley (Caterpillar), Sir Peter Ustinov (Walrus), Miranda Richardson (the Queen of Hearts) and Gene Wilder (Mock Turtle), plus additional characters from the Jim Henson Creature Shop. Filming is set to begin in London next week. The movie is tentatively set to air in May.

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The Song Remains the Same: The Beastie Boys’ “Hello Nasty” held onto the No. 1 spot on the national album sales chart for the third consecutive week, selling nearly 250,000 copies last week to bring its three-week total to almost 1.25 million. The “Armageddon” soundtrack retained its runner-up position. Meanwhile, Usher’s “My Way” was the nation’s best-selling single for the second week in a row.

QUICK TAKES

NBC will mark the first anniversary of Princess Diana’s death by airing “Diana,” a two-hour “documentary tribute,” on Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. The program is narrated by Lord Richard Attenborough, who was a friend of the princess, and is produced by Attenborough and Emmy-winning producer Robert Halmi Sr. (“Merlin,” “Gulliver’s Travels”). . . . R.E.M.’s first album without drummer Bill Berry, who left the group last year, is titled “Up” and will be released Oct. 27. Percussion duties will be shared by band members and various guests. . . . Hootie & the Blowfish’s third album, “Musical Chairs,” is due Sept. 16. A 14-city tour--including a Sept. 18 performance at West Hollywood’s House of Blues--will follow, with a portion of proceeds to benefit the VH1 Save the Music Foundation.