Jane Eyre

Independent filmmakers thought they went through a box-office revolution in 1994, when "Pulp Fiction" made $107.9 million domestically and "Four Weddings and a Funeral" collected $52.7 million.But this year, the indie spirit is flagging, at least moneywise. According to Variety, only two "specialized" films -- which it defines as never playing in more than 500 theaters at a time -- made more than $8 million between June 28, 1995, and July 7, 1996. The top 10:1. "The Postman": $20.8 million2.

REIGN OVER ME Sony Pictures / $28.95 In Reign Over Me, Adam Sandler delivers a performance of a man turned inward by his grief that is brilliant, corrosive -- and utterly mesmerizing. MASTERPIECE THEATRE: THE BRONTE COLLECTION WGBH Boston / $39.95 There is a rampant sexual energy in the writings of those two unruly Victorian sisters, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, that runs through the made-for-television versions of their two greatest works, respectively Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.

Suzanne Juhasz ignores men in this book.tTC In a sense, the book's purpose justifies this. But sometimes it's hard to see what the book's purpose really is. Is it to bring the reading life alive? Is it to study love stories through a feminist/psychoanalytic perspective? Is it to make the classics politically correct? Is it to bash men?As Ms. Juhasz, professor of English at the University of Colorado, explains the thesis of her critical study, "Reading from the Heart: Women, Literature, And The Search For True Love," several purposes suggest themselves.

Doing the Lord's work. That's the easiest way to sum up the actions of Judas Iscariot conveyed in a new translation of an ancient gospel named for the infamous disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Judas, considered heresy in the early days of the church, is a provocative twist on the traditional Christian narrative. It is, simply put, the other side of the story. Portrayed for centuries as the villain who gave up Jesus to his enemies for money, Judas becomes something else in the 26-page manuscript.

An interview with Liz Tomalis, founder of the Fulton Ladies Book Club. Why did you start this book club? I had been in one in another state and really liked it. So I started asking people that I met socially if they would like to join one. Who are the Fulton Ladies? We are a group of women who mostly have children at Fulton Elementary or who live in the Fulton area. We needed another outlet besides working, carpooling, kids, all that stuff. How long have you been meeting? We started in September.

"The Governess" is a very pretty movie. And Minnie Driver is very good in it. Set in 19th-century Britain, it has a fascinating subtext involving the invention of photography.But with all this going for it, "The Governess" is still nothing more than a stilted costume drama, a classy bodice-heaver listing under the weight of its good taste and even better intentions. Part "Jane Eyre," part "The French Lieutenant's Woman," "The Governess" isn't dramatic or original enough to live up to those progenitors or to be of compelling interest.

The arts come alive in vibrant style in Columbia this week when the seventh annual Columbia Festival of the Arts -- 10 days of music, theater, dance and the visual arts -- gets under way. Scheduled from Friday through June 25, the festival will feature performances at 11 venues, including free concerts, activities and crafts exhibits at the Lakefront in Columbia's Town Center.Among the many performers scheduled are jazz singers Cassandra Wilson and Diane Schuur, the Uptown String Quartet, the imaginative dance-acrobatic-mime group Pilobolus, jazz pianist and composer George Shearing, actress Claire Bloom, folk singer Judi Tal and author Mary Gordon.

The arts come alive in Columbia today when the Seventh Annual Columbia Festival of the Arts -- 10 days of music, theater, dance and the visual arts -- gets under way. The festival, which runs through June 25, will feature performances at 11 venues around town, including free concerts, activities and crafts exhibits at the Lakefront in Columbia's Town Center.Among the many performers scheduled are jazz singers Casscheduled are jazz singers Cassandra Wilson and Diane Schuur, the Uptown String Quartet, the imaginative dance-acrobatic-mime group Pilobolus, jazz pianist and composer George Shearing, actress Claire Bloom, folk singer Judi Tal and author Mary Gordon.

Sharon Khosravian, 30, Pisces LIVES: Canton FROM: Tehran, Iran, and Columbia EDUCATION: University of Maryland, College Park OCCUPATION: Operations manager INTERESTS: Foreign films, politics, arts TURN-ONS: Leadership, masculinity, global awareness TURNOFFS: Gossip, jealousy, selfishness IDEAL DATE: A metropolitan restaurant BEST TRAITS: ...

IT'S GOOD to see Wil Love back at Center Stage.An excellent comedian, Love plays about half the roles in ''The Mystery of Irma Vep,''absolutely the campiest thing the company has ever done.The play was written by Charles Ludlam, a practitioner of camp who died at age 44 in 1987. His ''Irma Vep'' was first produced off Broadway in 1984 and won two Obies. In the Center Stage production, multiple roles are shared by Love and Derek D. Smith, who manages to keep comic pace with Love.The staging is very much a part of the comedy, which takes place in the new Head Theater.