Pop music fans will want to pick up a copy of “Longshot,” due March 26 on DVD from Spartan Home Entertainment. The film features cameo appearances by some of the biggest names in teen pop, including Britney Spears, ‘N Sync, O-Town, and LFO, among others.
The film was produced by Trans Continental Pictures, a company owned by Louis Pearlman, the man who launched the careers of the Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync, among others. He’s also the creator of the ABC/MTV series “Making the Band,” which spawned the act O-Town.
Pearlman co-wrote and co-produced the feature, which was released last year on the big screen only in Germany. The teen drama about “overcoming adversity and staying true to love” stars Hunter Tylo (“The Bold and the Beautiful”), Paul Sorvino (“Goodfellas”), model/actor Antonio Sabato Jr., Danielle Fishel (“Boy Meets World”), comedian/actor Gilbert Godfried, and Zachery Ty Bryan (“Home Improvement”).
But the big draw will be in cameo spotting, as a host of music and entertainment stars pop up at various points in the film. Look for Spears as a flight attendant and ‘N Sync’s Lance Bass as a flight engineer on a plane co-piloted by country music legend Kenny Rogers and K.C. & The Sunshine Band’s Harry “KC” Wayne Casey. The other members of ‘N Sync also appear, with Justin Timberlake playing a parking valet, Joey Fatone and JC Chasez showing up as pizza chefs, and Chris Kirkpatrick appearing as a customer in their pizza parlor. O-Town is featured in the film’s opening and closing sequences.
Other celebrity faces to be seen in “Longshot” include the members of LFO, Natural, Innosense, C-Note, professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jermaine Jackson, Art Garfunkel, “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” bandleader Kevin Eubanks, “Baywatch” actress Traci Bingham, Kool & The Gang’s Robert “Kool” Bell, and boxer Mark Breland.
Appropriately, the “Longshot” soundtrack – due March 5 from Trinity Home Entertainment – is made up of teen pop tracks fresh from Pearlman’s vaults. Among the songs are previously unreleased cuts from ‘N Sync (“Feel the Love”), LFO (“Me (Boom Shelak, Lak, Boom)”), and O-Town (“See You Again”). Also featured on the set are tracks by Innosense, Take 5, Natural, and Ali Dee.
A preview of the movie and the soundtrack can be accessed on the official “Longshot” Web site.
Next month, Spears will be seen in a film with a much higher profile, as she makes her feature starring debut in “Crossroads.” As previously reported, that film co-stars Zoe Saldana (“Get Over It”) and Taryn Manning (“crazy/beautiful”), as well as Dan Aykroyd (“Blues Brothers”) and Kim Cattrall (“Sex in the City”) as the parents of Spears’ character. “Crossroads” is due to open Feb. 15 in U.S. theaters.
‘N Sync’s Fatone, Kirkpatrick, and Chasez (and Fatone’s brother Joey) may also pop up on the big screen in 2002. The group filmed a scene as extras for the upcoming “Star Wars” feature “Episode II – Attack of the Clones.” According to published reports, the scene is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it brief, and there’s no guarantee it will survive the editing process. “Clones” is due May 16 in North American theaters.
Here Is The Full “Longshot” Track Listing:
- “Feel the Love,” ‘N Sync
- “Me – Boom Shelak, Lak, Boom,” LFO
- “See You Again,” O-Town
- “Put Your Arms Around Me,” Natural
- “Let’s Get This Party Started,” Take 5
- “Wishing on Every Star,” Innosense
- “So Often,” C-Note
- “It Don’t Bother Me,” Brizz
- “She’s a Mystery,” Becker
- “In & Out,” Ali Dee
- “I Just Wanna – Be With You,” Bon Voyage
- “Happy,” Keli Michaels
- “Fall In Love,” Nichole Carter
- “A Reason to Love,” Joey Sculthorpe
- “Longshot Theme,” Lalo Schifrin
- “Longshot Theme” – remix, Lalo Schifrin