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In 1964, director Michael Apted interviewed a group of seven-year-old British schoolchildren for a BBC television documentary called “7 Up.” Apted, now known for directing such features as “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and “Gorillas in the Mist,” has since returned to film these subjects every seven years. They are now 49. Roger Ebert, who lists the “Up” series among his ten greatest films of all time, interviewed Apted in London for the release of the latest installment, “49 Up,” which will be seen in American theaters beginning in October.

Film director Baz Luhrmann says he is searching for almost 1,000 cattle for his upcoming period epic to be shot in Western Australia’s far north.

“Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” is a uniter, not a divider. Critics, at least, are strongly united in liking Borat very much (with RottenTomatoes.com ratings in the 90s the week of its release). But those few dissenters who’ve hated it have hated, hated, HATED it. But do they understand it? Who is the butt of Borat’s humor? Is he just a contemptible bigot? A naive ignoramus? A Kazakh Roberto Benigni with a fat moustache? If he’s offensive (in a scatological, un-PC, “South Park”-ish way), what exactly is the nature of his offense? Does he undermine stereotypes or just exploit them? Does he offend everyone equally, or is he more discerning about choosing his targets and how he approaches and portrays them? Is he anti-American? Anti-Kazakhstan? Anti-Semitic? Anti-bigotry? Does he get enough potassium? Or does he cramp your style?

Milo Ventimiglia, who plays Peter Petrelli in NBC’s hit SF drama Heroes, told SCI FI Wire that viewers have only begun to see the extent of his character’s ability to take on the powers of other superheroes.

Margaret Cho, who co-stars in the upcoming SCI FI Channel original miniseries The Lost Room, told SCI FI Wire that she’s really not much of an SF fan, with one major exception.

Original Star Trek star William Shatner revealed to TV Guide that he had “a long talk” with Lost co-creator J.J. Abrams about his upcoming proposed 11th Star Trek movie, confirming earlier reports on TrekMovie.com and elsewhere.

Lost executive producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof told TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello that this week’s death of a major character was planned all along. (Spoilers ahead!) In the Nov. 1 episode, Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) met his demise in the clutches of the mysterious smoke monster.

Hong Kong-based helmer Tsui Hark will direct Eye 3, third installment of the Chinese-language horror franchise, which has already given rise to two English-language remakes, Variety reported.

Director George Miller told InFocus magazine that the long-gestating fourth Mad Max film is still a possibility. “Mad Max 4 is so prepared, there seems to be a lot of momentum for it to get done,” Miller told the magazine.

Bret Easton Ellis’ Lunar Park won the International Horror Guild Award for best novel in ceremonies Nov. 2 in Austin, Texas, the guild announced. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro was presented this year’s Living Legend award.

Electronic Arts unveiled plans for another Lord of the Rings video game, a new SimCity game and a next-generation version of Black, the GameSpot Web site reported.

IFC and the Weinstein Co. have teamed to pick up Black Sheep, a horror comedy about good sheep gone bad, for North American distribution, Variety reported.