UNITED STATES: WORLD PREMIER FOR DARK COMEDY "TEACHING MRS TINGLE" HELD IN LOS ANGELES

Record ID: 388583

  • Title: UNITED STATES: WORLD PREMIER FOR DARK COMEDY "TEACHING MRS TINGLE" HELD IN LOS ANGELES
  • Date: 11th August 1999
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 11) (RTV-ACCESS ALL) ( * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) EXTERIOR OF PREMIERE THEATRE MOVIE POSTER TELEVISION CAMERAS STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS HELEN MIRREN AND HER CO-STARS GETTING OFF THE SCHOOL BUS KATIE HOLMES AND HER CO-STARS POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS HELEN MIRREN SPEAKING WITH REPORTERS MOLLY RINGWALD ARRIVING TELEVISION CA
  • Embargoed: 26th August 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVACCEVOMMSHQH95SPG1BUX8XPP
  • Story Text: Helen Mirren and her young co-stars in the new dark comedy "Teaching Mrs.Tingle" gave up the traditional limousine in favour of a big yellow school bus at the August World Premiere of the film in Los Angeles.
    After almost single-handedly bringing back the horror genre by mixing it with dark teenage-oriented stories, "Scream" screenwriter Kevin Williamson has now turned his hand to directing with his first project behind the camera, "Teaching Mrs.Tingle."
    It's the story of straight-A student Leigh Ann Watson, played by the star of television's hit series "Dawoson's Creek" Katie Holmes.Her only ticket out of the small town she lives in is an "A" grade in history class.But there's one big obstacle stopping her: Mrs.Tingle, the history teacher who for 20 years has terrorized the students of Grandsboro High.
    In an unusual bit of casting, Williamson chose Emmy winning and Oscar nominated English actress Helen Mirren to play the wicked teacher.This is Mirren's first time working with a group of almost exclusively young American actors, and she says she found the opportunity refreshing and educational.
    Also in the cast are newcomer Marisa Coughlan and Holmes' fellow television heartthrob Barry Watson as Leigh Ann's two friends.Together, the three teens launch a complicated plot to get back at Mrs.Tingle, which unfortunately goes horribly awry with darkly comedic results.
    "Teaching Mrs.Tingle" also marks a return to the big screen for Molly Ringwald, who was a teen sensation of her own back in the 80's with such movies as "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink." In this film, she takes on the role of a replacement history teacher who fills in for Tingle while she's detained dealing with the three lead students.
    The film is derived from yet another trademark Kevin Williamson script, known for combining young, hip actors with teenage stories and dark, offbeat humor.His other scripts include the "Scream" film series as well as "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "The Faculty" and the "Dawson's Creek"
    televison series.In fact, Williamson is quite familiar with Katie Holmes' work, as she made her name in Hollywood for her role in that hit series.
    "Teaching Mrs.Tingle" was originally titled "Killing Mrs.Tingle" but the name was changed earlier this year, shortly after the shooting rampage by two students at Columbine High School in Colorado.Neither Williamson nor anyone at Miramax Films, the company releasing the film through its Dimension specialty banner, would admit to any connection between the two events.
    "Teaching Mrs.Tingle" opens in theatres throughout the United States today on Friday, August 20.
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