The ‘Hostel’ writer-director costars in his friend’s WWII action picture.

The scene takes place toward the end of Quentin Tarantino’s rollicking World War II action-drama “Inglourious Basterds.” As fire engulfs a Parisian movie theater packed with German military commanders, pandemonium ensues, diverting attention from the real action: a heart-pounding confrontation between a crack team of Nazi-terrorizing Jewish covert operatives (the so-called “Basterds”) and the Third Reich’s top brass.

To appreciate the director’s World War II flick starring Brad Pitt, a knowledge of Sergio Leone, Ernst Lubitsch, Leni Riefenstahl and G.W. Pabst doesn’t hurt.

Quentin Tarantino has long considered the original “Inglorious Bastards” to be his “own private little movie.” So when he bought the rights to Enzo Castellari’s little-seen 1978 Italian World War II flick — later retitled “G.I. Bro” to capitalize on football-star-turned-actor Fred Williamson’s presence — the assumption was that Tarantino aimed to create another cinematic collage, similar to what he did with his two “Kill Bill” movies, martial-arts mash-ups that wore their references on their kimono sleeves.

There is more to the illusionist than meets the eye.

Criss Angel’s “Mindfreak” is back on A&E for its fifth season. He may be an expert illusionist, but he admits he is a one-fingered typist. We spoke by phone; he was in his dressing room at the Luxor in Las Vegas, home of “Believe,” at the end of his pre-show massage.

Whether we’re watching ‘Mad Men’ or ‘American Idol,’ it’s clear that television has moved into film territory, offering variety and depth that’s more likely to entertain than rot your brain.

First it was the Oscars. Following a broadcast in which the host and presenters openly mocked the low box office numbers of best picture nominees, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that the number of those up for the award this year would be doubled. If 10 films were nominated, presumably one or two of them would have a fan base that extended past, say, La Brea Avenue. ¶ A few weeks later, in a similar effort to draw more viewers to their show, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences decided that certain Emmy winners should receive their awards and make their (edited) speeches off-stage. That way precious broadcast minutes that might be wasted watching writers and producers struggle to the stage could be used to acknowledge popular shows that weren’t nominated. ¶ Call it the “Mad Men” Effect. Yeah, sure the AMC period drama with its gazillion nominations is good, but what about ” CSI?” What about “The Bachelor”? According to the folks at CBS, which will carry the Emmys this year, their many fans deserve to feel part of the telecast too. ¶ In the end, the television academy and the network recanted; pressured by outraged members, and the Writers Guild, last week they reversed their decision to “time-shift” certain awards. Even so, let us pause for a moment and consider what this sort of conversation implies — the medium that was once considered low-brow by definition now has to cope with criticism that it’s gotten too snooty. ¶ Forget red states and blue, the battle shaping America right now is the one between quantity and quality, between popularity and worth. (Which, of course, are not always mutually exclusive.) Newspapers scurry to compete with TMZ and news breaks on Twitter, bestsellers lists are sub-divided into Fiction and Mass Market Fiction, but nowhere is the tension more visible than on our personal and public screens.

The crowds went wild for Jolie at the “Inglourious Basterds” premiere.

The crowds went wild for Jolie at the “Inglourious Basterds” premiere.

With HBO’s ‘Hung’ and the Ashton Kutcher film ‘Spread,’ the 40-year-old actress sinks her teeth into crafting edgy women on the verge.

Her real speaking voice falls somewhere between the hard Midwestern of her Jessica on HBO’s “Hung” and the cool sophisticate, Samantha, she plays in the new film “Spread.” Which only makes sense; Anne Heche is from Ohio but has navigated the palms of Hollywood for more than 20 years now since playing good and evil twins on “Another World.” Now, at 40, her two current roles are akin to playing two sides of the same woman again.