Quick Takes: Kim Novak vs. ‘The Artist’

“Vertigo” leading lady Kim Novak said Monday that she feels violated because music from the Alfred Hitchcock film is used in “The Artist,” the French black-and-white homage to the silent-film era.

The 78-year-old actress said in a statement released by her manager that “The Artist” filmmakers had no reason “to depend on Bernard Herrmann’s score from ‘Vertigo’ to provide more drama.”

Even though Herrmann was given “a small credit at the end,” she believed “this kind of filmmaking trick to be cheating.”

“I love Bernard Herrmann and his music has been used in many different films and I’m very pleased to have it in mine,” “The Artist” writer-director Michael Hazanavicius responded in a statement. “I respect Kim Novak greatly, and I’m sorry to hear she disagrees.”

— Associated Press

Lawrence helps give Oscar nods

Jennifer Lawrence will help announce this year’s Academy Awards nominees early on Jan. 24.

Lawrence will join Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak to announce 10 of Oscar’s 24 categories.

Lawrence was nominated for lead actress last year for “Winter’s Bone.” She stars in “The Hunger Games,” opening in March.

In other Oscars news, seven films made the shortlist in the makeup category.

The films are: “Albert Nobbs,” “Anonymous,” “The Artist,” “Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2,” “Hugo” and “The Iron Lady.”

The academy’s makeup branch will be able to view 10-minute excerpts from the films on Jan. 21. After the screenings, the members will vote for three to be nominated on Jan. 24. The Oscar ceremony takes place Feb. 26 at the Kodak Theatre.

— Associated Press

Stagecoach fest sells out early

The 2012 Stagecoach Country Music Festival has sold out more than three months in advance, a first for the gathering that started in 2007.

Promoter Goldenvoice announced the sellout of the festival, which has been expanded from two days to three this year, for the second time in its history.

This year’s event will be April 27-29 at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio. It features the usual mix of contemporary and classic, mainstream and alternative performers. The lineup includes Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Martina McBride, Alabama, The Band Perry, The Mavericks, Kenny Rogers, Luke Bryan, Sara Evans, Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers and Chris Isaak.

— Randy Lewis

Hamm reveals ‘Mad Men’ date

Jon Hamm got ahead of AMC when he revealed that “Mad Men” would return to the air March 25 for the show’s fifth season, a date confirmed by sources.

Hamm mentioned the date offhandedly while appearing on Doug Benson’s podcast “Doug Loves Movies,” where he competed in a movie trivia tournament.

The next season of “Mad Men” has been long delayed (Season 4 ended in the fall of 2010), at least in part by drawn-out contract negotiations among creator Matt Weiner, AMC and Lionsgate.

— Joy Press

Darabont dips into ‘L.A. Noir’

Frank Darabont, the former executive producer of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” who left the series after one season, is developing a pilot for TNT based on the book “L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City,” by John Buntin. The book looks at the conflict between Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker and gangster Mickey Cohen during the 1940s and ‘50s. Darabont will write and direct the pilot.

— Greg Braxton

Finally

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi is being treated for lymphoma, the band announced.... Elvis Costello will return to the Wiltern April 17 with his Spectacular Spinning Songbook Tour.