50 years after its release, Bob Clark's "Black Christmas" remains one of the most chilling scary stories put to celluloid. The 1974 proto-slasher pits a group of sorority members against "Billy," an almost preternatural stranger who sputters incoherent yet disturbing sentiments at them over phone calls before hunting them down, all the while discreetly stowed away in their attic. Yet, the real horror of the film is as much the entitled men and patriarchy these young women have to deal with as the mysterious individual actively trying to murder them.
"Black Christmas" may have been released decades before "Acab" came back into the vernacular, but it embraces the same idea. The police are enragingly slow to respond to these women and their harassment complaints, with John Saxon's Lieutenant Fuller the rare competent officer who actually listens to them and soon realizes just how much immediate danger they're in. Saxon himself...
"Black Christmas" may have been released decades before "Acab" came back into the vernacular, but it embraces the same idea. The police are enragingly slow to respond to these women and their harassment complaints, with John Saxon's Lieutenant Fuller the rare competent officer who actually listens to them and soon realizes just how much immediate danger they're in. Saxon himself...
- 1/18/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Burt Lancaster was an Oscar-winning actor who appeared in dozens of movies until his death in 1994. But which titles are among his finest? Let’s take a look back at 20 of Lancaster’s greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1913, Lancaster got into acting after performing as an acrobat in the circus. He made his movie debut in 1946 with a leading role in the quintessential noir thriller “The Killers” (1946). He earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for Fred Zinnemann‘s wartime drama “From Here to Eternity” (1953), winning the prize just seven years later for playing a fast-talking preacher in “Elmer Gantry” (1960). Lancaster would compete twice more in the category (“Birdman of Alcatraz” in 1962 and “Atlantic City” in 1981).
In the 1950s, the actor decided to chart his own career by forming the production company Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, which churned out a number of successful titles including the Best Picture-winning “Marty...
Born in 1913, Lancaster got into acting after performing as an acrobat in the circus. He made his movie debut in 1946 with a leading role in the quintessential noir thriller “The Killers” (1946). He earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for Fred Zinnemann‘s wartime drama “From Here to Eternity” (1953), winning the prize just seven years later for playing a fast-talking preacher in “Elmer Gantry” (1960). Lancaster would compete twice more in the category (“Birdman of Alcatraz” in 1962 and “Atlantic City” in 1981).
In the 1950s, the actor decided to chart his own career by forming the production company Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, which churned out a number of successful titles including the Best Picture-winning “Marty...
- 10/28/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The bread and butter of film festivals is the unveiling of new movies. And in the case of the major festivals taking place in the late summer and early fall — Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York — the selections offer a preview of potential Oscar nominees and winners. Remember the eight-minute standing ovation Brendan Fraser received last year at Venice for “The Whale”? It kicked off his comeback and journey to a best Oscar win this year.
And with the 50th annual Telluride Film Festival kicking off August 31 at in the picturesque Colorado mountain burg, let’s take the cinematic time machine back 1993 when the fest was a mere 20 years old. John Boorman of “Deliverance” and “Hope and Glory” fame was the guest director of the festival. Jennifer Jason Leigh, then just 31 and whose latest film was Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts,” was honored with a tribute as was socialist British director Ken Loach,...
And with the 50th annual Telluride Film Festival kicking off August 31 at in the picturesque Colorado mountain burg, let’s take the cinematic time machine back 1993 when the fest was a mere 20 years old. John Boorman of “Deliverance” and “Hope and Glory” fame was the guest director of the festival. Jennifer Jason Leigh, then just 31 and whose latest film was Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts,” was honored with a tribute as was socialist British director Ken Loach,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
With its list of new releases for July 2023, Prime Video is going to help you stay safe from the oppressive July sun.
Highlighting the Amazon Originals on the TV side this month are two heavy hitters. The first is The Horror of Dolores Roach on July 7. Based on a podcast of the same name, this series could best be described as a modern day Sweeney Todd? Why, you ask? Well you know why. Think about it. Then season 2 of Neil Gaiman adaptation Good Omens premieres on July 28. This season will follow angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tenant) as they seek to keep the Archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) away from both heaven and hell.
There aren’t any Amazon Original movies of note this month and that’s alright as the influx of library titles is more than enough. July 1 sees the arrival of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, No Country for Old Men,...
Highlighting the Amazon Originals on the TV side this month are two heavy hitters. The first is The Horror of Dolores Roach on July 7. Based on a podcast of the same name, this series could best be described as a modern day Sweeney Todd? Why, you ask? Well you know why. Think about it. Then season 2 of Neil Gaiman adaptation Good Omens premieres on July 28. This season will follow angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tenant) as they seek to keep the Archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) away from both heaven and hell.
There aren’t any Amazon Original movies of note this month and that’s alright as the influx of library titles is more than enough. July 1 sees the arrival of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, No Country for Old Men,...
- 7/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
While summer starts in June, things truly heat up in July, and that includes all the hot new drops on streamers. Amazon’s Prime Video has refreshed its slate of content with over 60 new movies, like Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” and the 1973 animated adaption of the children’s book “Charlotte’s Web.”
Prime Video kicks off the start of the month with Doug McHenry’s “Jason’s Lyric,” “Father of the Bride,” and “Little Nicky.”
Plus, if you’re a Reese Witherspoon fan, Prime Video sets you up with her very first film and her breakout role as Dani in “Man in the Moon.” And the entire “Legally Blonde” trilogy is also available, for those who bend and snap.
Prime Video is also giving watchers some ultimate film classics like “Free Willy,” ”Gladiator,” and “Dances With Wolves.”
Last but absolutely not least, Season 2 of “Good Omens” will land on...
Prime Video kicks off the start of the month with Doug McHenry’s “Jason’s Lyric,” “Father of the Bride,” and “Little Nicky.”
Plus, if you’re a Reese Witherspoon fan, Prime Video sets you up with her very first film and her breakout role as Dani in “Man in the Moon.” And the entire “Legally Blonde” trilogy is also available, for those who bend and snap.
Prime Video is also giving watchers some ultimate film classics like “Free Willy,” ”Gladiator,” and “Dances With Wolves.”
Last but absolutely not least, Season 2 of “Good Omens” will land on...
- 6/30/2023
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
Amazon originals like season two of The Summer I Turned Pretty and Good Omens, as well as The Horror of Dolores Roach, are just some of the titles hitting Prime Video this July.
Blockbusters like Fast X, 80 for Brady, Till, Knock at the Cabin, Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Men in Black 1-3, Saving Private Ryan, Scarface and more will also be coming to the streamer this month.
The fourth and final season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan sees the titular character, played by John Krasinski, on his most dangerous mission yet, against a foreign and domestic enemy. Two new episodes of the thriller drop on the streamer every Friday until July 14.
Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty returns with its second season on July 14 and picks up where season one left off at Cousins Beach. When an unexpected visitor threatens the future...
Blockbusters like Fast X, 80 for Brady, Till, Knock at the Cabin, Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Men in Black 1-3, Saving Private Ryan, Scarface and more will also be coming to the streamer this month.
The fourth and final season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan sees the titular character, played by John Krasinski, on his most dangerous mission yet, against a foreign and domestic enemy. Two new episodes of the thriller drop on the streamer every Friday until July 14.
Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty returns with its second season on July 14 and picks up where season one left off at Cousins Beach. When an unexpected visitor threatens the future...
- 6/30/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Prime Video has adapted the one-woman podcast “Empanada Loca” into a new series. “The Horror of Dolores Roach” will begin streaming on the service on July 7. Buckle up, because this one is gruesome. Roach (Justina Machado) returns to a gentrified Washington Heights after a long prison sentence and works as a masseuse in the basement of a friend’s empanada shop. But when her security is threatened, Roach is driven to extremes to survive.
Watch “The Horror of Dolores Roach” trailer:
Season 2 of “Good Omens” also will premiere on Prime Video in July. Arriving July 28, the series focuses on the friendship between Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), a fussy angel and rare-book dealer, and the snarky demon Crowley (David Tennant). While the Apocalypse has been averted, the pair are back living their lives in London, until the archangel Gabriel shows up. The series is based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
Watch “The Horror of Dolores Roach” trailer:
Season 2 of “Good Omens” also will premiere on Prime Video in July. Arriving July 28, the series focuses on the friendship between Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), a fussy angel and rare-book dealer, and the snarky demon Crowley (David Tennant). While the Apocalypse has been averted, the pair are back living their lives in London, until the archangel Gabriel shows up. The series is based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
- 6/26/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
It was an epic night for the Academy, with now-classic films and performances in competition, an anomaly between Best Picture and Best Director nominations, a young actress redefining the acting categories and the culmination of a decades-long feud. Let’s flashback to when first-time host Frank Sinatra guided the 35th Academy Awards ceremony on April 8, 1963.
In the years of the Best Picture category being limited to five films, the Best Director category typically fell in line with those productions, with maybe one variation. In 1963, only two directors from Best Picture nominees received bids; unsurprisingly, those two films also had the most nominations and the most wins. David Lean‘s sprawling epic biopic “Lawrence of Arabia” led the pack, coming into the night with ten bids and leaving with seven statues, including Best Picture and Lean’s second career win for Best Director. It has the unusual distinction of being the...
In the years of the Best Picture category being limited to five films, the Best Director category typically fell in line with those productions, with maybe one variation. In 1963, only two directors from Best Picture nominees received bids; unsurprisingly, those two films also had the most nominations and the most wins. David Lean‘s sprawling epic biopic “Lawrence of Arabia” led the pack, coming into the night with ten bids and leaving with seven statues, including Best Picture and Lean’s second career win for Best Director. It has the unusual distinction of being the...
- 2/21/2023
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
"The Shawshank Redemption" isn't just known for turning Morgan Freeman narration into a meme. If you didn't grow up in the age when Frank Darabont's inspirational prison drama was replayed endlessly on TV, you might not be aware of just how beloved his 1994 effort is. Though it struggled to make back its 25 million budget, the movie went on to gain seven Academy Award nominations and see massive home video sales. When it wasn't being shown repeatedly on TNT, it was topping lists of the best movies of the '90s and generally came to represent the casual movie fan's idea of what a "good film" was.
In hindsight, it's easy to see why "The Shawshank Redemption" resonated so profoundly. Alongside Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman's memorable performances, the project had some pretty powerful inspirations propelling it. Based on the 1982 Stephen King novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption," Darabont's first...
In hindsight, it's easy to see why "The Shawshank Redemption" resonated so profoundly. Alongside Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman's memorable performances, the project had some pretty powerful inspirations propelling it. Based on the 1982 Stephen King novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption," Darabont's first...
- 1/27/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Steven Spielberg is a pure visual storyteller. You can watch most of his movies on mute, and figure out the plot via the meticulous composition of each shot and how it flows into the next. Since the advent of sound, the number of directors capable of or interested in crafting a film in this manner has gradually dwindled. Movies nowadays are generally dialogue delivery systems. So we must savor our Spielbergs, and, if this style of filmmaking interests you, learn from them.
Framing and mise-en-scène are critical elements, but guiding your audience from shot to shot is every bit as important. Cutting from the master to a close up or whatever angle most clearly conveys the story is an art in itself. So while Spielberg will always cite David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" as "the film that set me on my journey," he feels equally indebted to a filmmaker from roughly the same era,...
Framing and mise-en-scène are critical elements, but guiding your audience from shot to shot is every bit as important. Cutting from the master to a close up or whatever angle most clearly conveys the story is an art in itself. So while Spielberg will always cite David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" as "the film that set me on my journey," he feels equally indebted to a filmmaker from roughly the same era,...
- 8/14/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The great director discusses some of his favorite movies with host Josh Olson.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Alzheimer Case a.k.a. Memory of a Killer (2003)
Memory (Tbd)
The Protégé (2021)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991)
The Mask Of Zorro (1998)
GoldenEye (1995)
Casino Royale (2006)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Slap Shot (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Salt (2010)
Atomic Blonde (2017) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Oliver Twist (1948)
Dr. No (1962) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary
The Guns Of Navarone (1962)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s 70mm reissue review
The Spy Who Loved Me...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Alzheimer Case a.k.a. Memory of a Killer (2003)
Memory (Tbd)
The Protégé (2021)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991)
The Mask Of Zorro (1998)
GoldenEye (1995)
Casino Royale (2006)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Slap Shot (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Salt (2010)
Atomic Blonde (2017) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Oliver Twist (1948)
Dr. No (1962) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary
The Guns Of Navarone (1962)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s 70mm reissue review
The Spy Who Loved Me...
- 8/27/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
So says every warden on today’s podcast, Alcatraz was the most secure prison ever constructed. Film directors, of course, took that as a challenge and gave us movies about prisoners with dreams too big for the famous San Francisco jail. This week, Be Reel breaks out with “Birdman of Alcatraz” (1962), “Escape From Alcatraz” (1979), and “The Rock” (1996).
Continue reading ‘The Rock’ At 25 & The Legacy Of Alcatraz Movies at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Rock’ At 25 & The Legacy Of Alcatraz Movies at The Playlist.
- 6/28/2021
- by Chance Solem-Pfeifer
- The Playlist
Exclusive: One week after we brought you news of his app Erupt, today we can reveal that film and Broadway producer Edward Walson (Blue Jasmine) is launching Curia, a curated film streaming SVOD platform.
The idea behind the platform — which is initially only available in the U.S. — is to offer rotating monthly programming organized into niche sub-genres. Organizers say the service will be a fixture on the film festival circuit — including the upcoming Cannes Film Festival and market — with an appetite for new, exclusive acquisitions, including shorts.
The lineup will include auteur-driven cinema, movie classics and some commercially-minded fare. The first month’s programming in June will include sections such as Lol (comedies), Growing Pains (coming-of-age), Les Provocateurs and LGBTQ Pride.
Movies at launch will include Some Like It Hot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, In The Loop, Capote, Birdman Of Alcatraz, Paths Of Glory, A Ciambra, Boyhood, The Selfish Giant,...
The idea behind the platform — which is initially only available in the U.S. — is to offer rotating monthly programming organized into niche sub-genres. Organizers say the service will be a fixture on the film festival circuit — including the upcoming Cannes Film Festival and market — with an appetite for new, exclusive acquisitions, including shorts.
The lineup will include auteur-driven cinema, movie classics and some commercially-minded fare. The first month’s programming in June will include sections such as Lol (comedies), Growing Pains (coming-of-age), Les Provocateurs and LGBTQ Pride.
Movies at launch will include Some Like It Hot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, In The Loop, Capote, Birdman Of Alcatraz, Paths Of Glory, A Ciambra, Boyhood, The Selfish Giant,...
- 5/26/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Male hierarchies inside prison walls are well-trod ground, from “Brute Force” and “Birdman of Alcatraz,” to “Papillon,” “Midnight Express,” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” But rarely is an entry as visually rapturous as West African filmmaker Philippe Lacôte’s “Night of the Kings,” which takes place inside the bowels of the infamous La MacA prison in Abidjan, a city on the south side of the Ivory Coast. While the film, both written and directed by Lacôte, is grounded in oral traditions that may seem exotic to certain viewers, the movie is really about the universal power of storytelling regardless of tongue — and how it can be used as a way to survive. Though hampered by some shaky third-act visual effects, “Night of the Kings” is through and through .
When a young man is introduced into La MacA, he’s thrust into a dangerous and complicated world where the existentially and otherwise...
When a young man is introduced into La MacA, he’s thrust into a dangerous and complicated world where the existentially and otherwise...
- 9/11/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Looking for some good movies to keep you occupied while self-quarantining at home these days? How about watching some certified classics like Lawrence Of Arabia, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Miracle Worker, The Manchurian Candidate, Sweet Bird Of Youth, The Longest Day, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? , The Music Man, Birdman Of Alcatraz, Dr. No (the first James Bond film), Days Of Wine And Roses, Jules And Jim, Divorce Italian Style, Lolita? I could go on and on with these films and several others which all have one thing in common. They were all released in 1962.
And now with so much time on your hands you can see for yourself why film critic Stephen Farber and veteran exhibition executive Michael McClellan are out to prove that 1962 is in hindsight – 58 years later – unquestionably the best year ever in the history of cinema. And with the publication of their new book “Cinema...
And now with so much time on your hands you can see for yourself why film critic Stephen Farber and veteran exhibition executive Michael McClellan are out to prove that 1962 is in hindsight – 58 years later – unquestionably the best year ever in the history of cinema. And with the publication of their new book “Cinema...
- 3/27/2020
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Christmas week may seem an unusual time to release a pair of movies that largely take place on death row. But the folks behind “Just Mercy” and “Clemency” hope the holiday spirit will be open-hearted, and that the timing is, in fact, appropriate.
Two feature films round out a year where various media shed light on the plight of prisoners, especially those wrongfully convicted or harshly sentenced.
“Clemency,” which opens Friday, stars Alfre Woodard as a warden who witnesses two executions, leading to a personal crisis of conscience.
In “Just Mercy,” opening Christmas Day,” Michael B. Jordan stars in the true story of Harvard graduate Bryan Stevenson, who has spent decades fighting for the exoneration of erroneously charged prisoners. This film, in particular, will surely be noted come Oscar time, with newly-minted SAG Award nominee Jamie Foxx — who portrays the key defendant in a Stevenson case — a likely candidate for Best Supporting Actor.
Two feature films round out a year where various media shed light on the plight of prisoners, especially those wrongfully convicted or harshly sentenced.
“Clemency,” which opens Friday, stars Alfre Woodard as a warden who witnesses two executions, leading to a personal crisis of conscience.
In “Just Mercy,” opening Christmas Day,” Michael B. Jordan stars in the true story of Harvard graduate Bryan Stevenson, who has spent decades fighting for the exoneration of erroneously charged prisoners. This film, in particular, will surely be noted come Oscar time, with newly-minted SAG Award nominee Jamie Foxx — who portrays the key defendant in a Stevenson case — a likely candidate for Best Supporting Actor.
- 12/23/2019
- by Mary Murphy and Michele Willens
- The Wrap
Burt Lancaster in Frank and Eleanor Perry's The Swimmer (1968), based upon the John Cheever short story. Courtesy of Film Forum.For decades, film critics and academics interested in the classical Hollywood cinema have been dutifully studying the canonized big stars—Cary Grant, Garbo, the Hepburns, Bogart and Bacall, Dietrich and Crawford and Monroe—while downplaying one of the most highly varied and fascinating careers of any studio actor: Burt Lancaster. Now, New York’s Film Forum is giving us a great excuse to revisit this actor’s towering body of work—emphasis on “body.” From big-name classics like Louis Malle’s Atlantic City (1980) and John Frankenheimer’s Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) to little-known masterpieces like Carol Reed’s Trapeze (1956) and Luchino Visconti’s late decadent chamber drama Conversation Piece (1974), a meaty, healthy range of Burt is on display for the next four weeks, between July 19 to August 15.Serious film talk...
- 7/23/2019
- MUBI
It’s the Oscar record no one wants on their resume. With Amy Adams‘ loss at the 91st Academy Awards for “Vice,” she now ties Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter as the three actresses with six Oscar nominations and no wins. Unfortunately, Glenn Close tops them all with seven Oscar misfires; she lost on Sunday to Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”). Among male actors, Richard Burton (seven noms) and Peter O’Toole (eight bids) are the record-holders. Click through our photo gallery above for a closer look at Adams’ six Oscar nominations.
See 2019 Oscars: Full list of winners (and losers) at the 91st Academy Awards [Updating Live]
For her role as Lynne Cheney, devoted wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, Adams earned her latest bid for Best Supporting Actress. Her co-nominees this time around were Marina de Tavira (“Roma”), Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), Emma Stone (“The Favourite”) and Rachel Weisz...
See 2019 Oscars: Full list of winners (and losers) at the 91st Academy Awards [Updating Live]
For her role as Lynne Cheney, devoted wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, Adams earned her latest bid for Best Supporting Actress. Her co-nominees this time around were Marina de Tavira (“Roma”), Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), Emma Stone (“The Favourite”) and Rachel Weisz...
- 2/25/2019
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Burt Lancaster would’ve celebrated his 105th birthday on November 2, 2018. The Oscar-winning actor appeared in dozens of movies until his death in 1994. But which titles are among his finest? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 20 of Lancaster’s greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1913, Lancaster got into acting after performing as an acrobat in the circus. He made his movie debut in 1946 with a leading role in the quintessential noir thriller “The Killers” (1946). He earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for Fred Zinnemann‘s wartime drama “From Here to Eternity” (1953), winning the prize just seven years later for playing a fast-talking preacher in “Elmer Gantry” (1960). Lancaster would compete twice more in the category (“Birdman of Alcatraz” in 1962 and “Atlantic City” in 1981).
In the 1950s, the actor decided to chart his own career by forming the production company Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, which churned...
Born in 1913, Lancaster got into acting after performing as an acrobat in the circus. He made his movie debut in 1946 with a leading role in the quintessential noir thriller “The Killers” (1946). He earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for Fred Zinnemann‘s wartime drama “From Here to Eternity” (1953), winning the prize just seven years later for playing a fast-talking preacher in “Elmer Gantry” (1960). Lancaster would compete twice more in the category (“Birdman of Alcatraz” in 1962 and “Atlantic City” in 1981).
In the 1950s, the actor decided to chart his own career by forming the production company Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, which churned...
- 11/2/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
A military coup in the U.S.? General Burt Lancaster’s scheme would be flawless if not for true blue Marine Kirk Douglas, who snitches to the White House. Now Burt’s whole expensive clandestine army might go to waste – Sad! John Frankenheimer and Rod Serling are behind this nifty paranoid conspiracy thriller.
Seven Days in May
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1964 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 118 min. / Street Date May 8, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Fredric March, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, Martin Balsam, Andrew Duggan, John Houseman, Hugh Marlowe, Whit Bissell, George Macready, Richard Anderson, Malcolm Atterbury, William Challee, Colette Jackson, John Larkin, Kent McCord, Tyler McVey, Jack Mullaney, Fredd Wayne, Ferris Webster.
Cinematography: Ellsworth Fredericks
Film Editor: Ferris Webster
Original Music: Jerry Goldsmith
Written by Rod Serling from the book by Fletcher Knebel, Charles W. Bailey II
Produced by Edward Lewis
Directed by John Frankenheimer...
Seven Days in May
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1964 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 118 min. / Street Date May 8, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Fredric March, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, Martin Balsam, Andrew Duggan, John Houseman, Hugh Marlowe, Whit Bissell, George Macready, Richard Anderson, Malcolm Atterbury, William Challee, Colette Jackson, John Larkin, Kent McCord, Tyler McVey, Jack Mullaney, Fredd Wayne, Ferris Webster.
Cinematography: Ellsworth Fredericks
Film Editor: Ferris Webster
Original Music: Jerry Goldsmith
Written by Rod Serling from the book by Fletcher Knebel, Charles W. Bailey II
Produced by Edward Lewis
Directed by John Frankenheimer...
- 5/5/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The last surviving cast member of Citizen Kane, Kathryn Trosper Popper, has died at 100. Trosper, a longtime assistant to the film's director, Orson Welles, died Sunday at her home in New York City, her son, Joe Popper, told The Hollywood Reporter. In the classic 1941 film, Trosper played the photographer who asks, "What's Rosebud?" following Kane's famous last words. Recalling her dual roles as actor and assistant, she said in an interview last year, "I would just drop my notebook and run on the set." Years later, Trosper defended her old boss after Pauline Kael's essay "Raising Kane" asserted that...
- 3/8/2016
- by Michael Miller, @write_miller
- PEOPLE.com
The last surviving cast member of Citizen Kane, Kathryn Trosper Popper, has died at 100. Trosper, a longtime assistant to the film's director, Orson Welles, died Sunday at her home in New York City, her son, Joe Popper, told The Hollywood Reporter. In the classic 1941 film, Trosper played the photographer who asks, "What's Rosebud?" following Kane's famous last words. Recalling her dual roles as actor and assistant, she said in an interview last year, "I would just drop my notebook and run on the set." Years later, Trosper defended her old boss after Pauline Kael's essay "Raising Kane" asserted that...
- 3/8/2016
- by Michael Miller, @write_miller
- PEOPLE.com
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The sensational, overlooked film scores from the years 1990 to 1999 that really are well worth digging out...
The movies went through tumultuous and exciting changes in the nineties. Quentin Tarantino exploded onto the scene with Reservoir Dogs, Generation X gave rise to slacker marvels like Clerks, and blockbusters like The Matrix put the awe back into special effects.
However, the 90s was also a sensational decade for film music, gifting us classics including the likes of Jurassic Park, Titanic, Total Recall, Braveheart and countless others. But the sheer quality of these soundtrack treasures shouldn’t overshadow those undervalued hidden gems that demonstrate the extraordinary range and versatility of our finest film composers, ones that may have passed you by. So here’s our selection of those incredible works: ranging from the earworming to the unsettling, the melodic to the chaotic, these are the scores that simply demand your attention.
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The sensational, overlooked film scores from the years 1990 to 1999 that really are well worth digging out...
The movies went through tumultuous and exciting changes in the nineties. Quentin Tarantino exploded onto the scene with Reservoir Dogs, Generation X gave rise to slacker marvels like Clerks, and blockbusters like The Matrix put the awe back into special effects.
However, the 90s was also a sensational decade for film music, gifting us classics including the likes of Jurassic Park, Titanic, Total Recall, Braveheart and countless others. But the sheer quality of these soundtrack treasures shouldn’t overshadow those undervalued hidden gems that demonstrate the extraordinary range and versatility of our finest film composers, ones that may have passed you by. So here’s our selection of those incredible works: ranging from the earworming to the unsettling, the melodic to the chaotic, these are the scores that simply demand your attention.
- 1/20/2016
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Director John Frankenheimer.
I'm often asked which, out of the over 600 interviews I've logged with Hollywood's finest, is my favorite. It's not a tough answer: John Frankenheimer.
We instantly clicked the day we met at his home in Benedict Canyon, and spent most of the afternoon talking in his den. A friendship of sorts developed over the years, with visits to his office for screenings of the old Kinescopes he directed for shows like "Playhouse 90" during his salad days in live television during the 1950s.
We hadn't spoken for nearly a year in mid-2002 when the phone rang. It was John, who spoke in what can only be described as a "stentorian bark," like a general. "Alex!" he exclaimed. "John Frankenheimer." He could sense something was amiss with me. It was. My screenwriting career had stalled. My marriage was progressing to divorce. I had hit bottom. John knew that...
I'm often asked which, out of the over 600 interviews I've logged with Hollywood's finest, is my favorite. It's not a tough answer: John Frankenheimer.
We instantly clicked the day we met at his home in Benedict Canyon, and spent most of the afternoon talking in his den. A friendship of sorts developed over the years, with visits to his office for screenings of the old Kinescopes he directed for shows like "Playhouse 90" during his salad days in live television during the 1950s.
We hadn't spoken for nearly a year in mid-2002 when the phone rang. It was John, who spoke in what can only be described as a "stentorian bark," like a general. "Alex!" he exclaimed. "John Frankenheimer." He could sense something was amiss with me. It was. My screenwriting career had stalled. My marriage was progressing to divorce. I had hit bottom. John knew that...
- 7/6/2015
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Twilight Time is celebrating its 4th anniversary with a major promotion that sees some of their limited edition titles reduced in price through April 3. These are the titles on sale.
Group 1
Retail price point: $24.95
Picnic
Pal Joey
Bite The Bullet
Bell, Book, And Candle
Bye Bye Birdie
In Like Flint
Major Dundee
The Blue Max
Crimes And Misdemeanors
Used Cars
Thunderbirds Are Go / Thunderbird 6
Group 2
Retail price point: $19.95
Rapture
Roots Of Heaven
Swamp Water
Demetrius And The Gladiators
Desiree
The Wayward Bus
Cover Girl
High Time
The Sound And The Fury
The Rains Of Ranchipur
Bonjour Tristesse
Beloved Infidel
Lost Horizon
The Blue Lagoon
Experiment In Terror
Nicholas And Alexandra
Pony Soldier
The Song Of Bernadette
Philadelphia
The Only Game In Town
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
Sleepless In Seattle
The Disappearance
Sexy Beast
Drums Along The Mohawk
Alamo Bay
The Other
Mindwarp
Jane Eyre
Oliver
The Way We Were...
Group 1
Retail price point: $24.95
Picnic
Pal Joey
Bite The Bullet
Bell, Book, And Candle
Bye Bye Birdie
In Like Flint
Major Dundee
The Blue Max
Crimes And Misdemeanors
Used Cars
Thunderbirds Are Go / Thunderbird 6
Group 2
Retail price point: $19.95
Rapture
Roots Of Heaven
Swamp Water
Demetrius And The Gladiators
Desiree
The Wayward Bus
Cover Girl
High Time
The Sound And The Fury
The Rains Of Ranchipur
Bonjour Tristesse
Beloved Infidel
Lost Horizon
The Blue Lagoon
Experiment In Terror
Nicholas And Alexandra
Pony Soldier
The Song Of Bernadette
Philadelphia
The Only Game In Town
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
Sleepless In Seattle
The Disappearance
Sexy Beast
Drums Along The Mohawk
Alamo Bay
The Other
Mindwarp
Jane Eyre
Oliver
The Way We Were...
- 3/31/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Will Ferrell is prepping to go behind bars in the new comedy Get Hard.
As millionaire James King, Ferrell stars opposite comedian Kevin Hart as Darnell Lewis, a man he turns to in order to get him in shape for his stay at San Quentin State Prison. There’s only one catch: Darnell hasn’t actually been to prison.
The two kings of comedy unite for what’s sure to be a laugh-out-loud look at prison. But there’s a slew of other famous prison movies where the inmates certainly aren’t having a good time. In this week’s movie quiz, we’re testing your prison know-how on classic movies like The Birdman of Alcatraz, The Shawshank Redemption, and yes, even The Rock.
See how far your behind-the-bars knowledge gets you and take the prison movie quiz now!
As millionaire James King, Ferrell stars opposite comedian Kevin Hart as Darnell Lewis, a man he turns to in order to get him in shape for his stay at San Quentin State Prison. There’s only one catch: Darnell hasn’t actually been to prison.
The two kings of comedy unite for what’s sure to be a laugh-out-loud look at prison. But there’s a slew of other famous prison movies where the inmates certainly aren’t having a good time. In this week’s movie quiz, we’re testing your prison know-how on classic movies like The Birdman of Alcatraz, The Shawshank Redemption, and yes, even The Rock.
See how far your behind-the-bars knowledge gets you and take the prison movie quiz now!
- 3/23/2015
- by Rachel West
- Cineplex
Teresa Wright and Matt Damon in 'The Rainmaker' Teresa Wright: From Marlon Brando to Matt Damon (See preceding post: "Teresa Wright vs. Samuel Goldwyn: Nasty Falling Out.") "I'd rather have luck than brains!" Teresa Wright was quoted as saying in the early 1950s. That's understandable, considering her post-Samuel Goldwyn choice of movie roles, some of which may have seemed promising on paper.[1] Wright was Marlon Brando's first Hollywood leading lady, but that didn't help her to bounce back following the very public spat with her former boss. After all, The Men was released before Elia Kazan's film version of A Streetcar Named Desire turned Brando into a major international star. Chances are that good film offers were scarce. After Wright's brief 1950 comeback, for the third time in less than a decade she would be gone from the big screen for more than a year.
- 3/11/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Oscar 2015 winners (photo: Chris Pratt during Oscar 2015 rehearsals) The complete list of Oscar 2015 winners and nominees can be found below. See also: Oscar 2015 presenters and performers. Now, a little Oscar 2015 trivia. If you know a bit about the history of the Academy Awards, you'll have noticed several little curiosities about this year's nominations. For instance, there are quite a few first-time nominees in the acting and directing categories. In fact, nine of the nominated actors and three of the nominated directors are Oscar newcomers. Here's the list in the acting categories: Eddie Redmayne. Michael Keaton. Steve Carell. Benedict Cumberbatch. Felicity Jones. Rosamund Pike. J.K. Simmons. Emma Stone. Patricia Arquette. The three directors are: Morten Tyldum. Richard Linklater. Wes Anderson. Oscar 2015 comebacks Oscar 2015 also marks the Academy Awards' "comeback" of several performers and directors last nominated years ago. Marion Cotillard and Reese Witherspoon won Best Actress Oscars for, respectively, Olivier Dahan...
- 2/22/2015
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
Despite the crazy events of "Archer: Vice" last year, this week's premiere of the sixth season of FX's animated comedy returns the gang to their regular espionage business. However, creator-writer Adam Reed has revealed that at one point a plan was considered to see the team paying for their crimes - by putting them in prison.
Reed tells EW: "It was an offhand comment by someone. We sat down and talked about it and were laughing about it, and instantly story ideas were spilling out. Then some wet blanket said, 'Well, you know, it's going to seem like we're ripping off Orange Is the New Black.' It just sucked all the air out of the room.”
The idea may have been abandoned, but the team gave the mag an illustration of their idea of what would happen to these incarcerated characters. Prison movie references galore are in the shot,...
Reed tells EW: "It was an offhand comment by someone. We sat down and talked about it and were laughing about it, and instantly story ideas were spilling out. Then some wet blanket said, 'Well, you know, it's going to seem like we're ripping off Orange Is the New Black.' It just sucked all the air out of the room.”
The idea may have been abandoned, but the team gave the mag an illustration of their idea of what would happen to these incarcerated characters. Prison movie references galore are in the shot,...
- 1/7/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
It's a Criterion Christmas! I'll be using Meeting the Criterion as a convenient way of reminding you of many of the Criterion Collections great releases from the last year. Whether your Criterion Collection is organized by spine number, title or director there's a good chance you'll see some releases that are bound to end up on your must remember to get list. First up I'm looking at Riot in Cell Block 11. Made in 1954 this is a treasure trove for classic cinema lovers . You get performances by a large number of highly recognizable character actors. Neville Brand the heavy in countless westerns and film noires like D.O. A. (1950) and great classics like Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and Stalag 17 (1953), just shines here as the leader of...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 11/25/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Blu-ray Release Date: Nov. 11, 2014
Price: Blu-ray $29.95
Studio: Twilight Time
Burt Lancaster is the Birdman of Alcatraz.
The 1962 prison drama Birdman of Alcatraz stars Burt Lancaster (Twilight’s Last Gleaming) and was directed by John Frankenheimer (Seconds, The Train).
The classic film is a largely fictionalized version of the life of Robert Stroud, a surly federal prison inmate convicted of murder who is held in permanent isolation. Stroud adopts an orphaned baby sparrow as a pet…and then another…and then many, many others. He ultimately redeems himself by becoming a renowned bird expert who others refer to as the “Birdman of Alcatraz.”
Interestingly, despite the film’s title, much of the action is set at Leavenworth where Stroud was jailed with his birds.
Adapted by Guy Trosper from the 1955 book by Thomas Gaddis, the film also stars Telly Savalas (The Slender Thread) and Thelma Ritter (Boeing Boeing). Both were nominated...
Price: Blu-ray $29.95
Studio: Twilight Time
Burt Lancaster is the Birdman of Alcatraz.
The 1962 prison drama Birdman of Alcatraz stars Burt Lancaster (Twilight’s Last Gleaming) and was directed by John Frankenheimer (Seconds, The Train).
The classic film is a largely fictionalized version of the life of Robert Stroud, a surly federal prison inmate convicted of murder who is held in permanent isolation. Stroud adopts an orphaned baby sparrow as a pet…and then another…and then many, many others. He ultimately redeems himself by becoming a renowned bird expert who others refer to as the “Birdman of Alcatraz.”
Interestingly, despite the film’s title, much of the action is set at Leavenworth where Stroud was jailed with his birds.
Adapted by Guy Trosper from the 1955 book by Thomas Gaddis, the film also stars Telly Savalas (The Slender Thread) and Thelma Ritter (Boeing Boeing). Both were nominated...
- 10/6/2014
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
It can be such a beautiful happening when the natural forces of humanity and the wild kingdom can get together and establish a sense of harmony in motion pictures. Also, it can be a compelling yet regrettable conflict as well when man and beast decide to collide in the interest of big screen entertainment. Whatever the case may be certainly does not matter because the concept of beasts of all species (rather it be of the four-legged or two-legged variety) collectively clashing or cooperating sends a special message about triumph, tragedy and just plain tenderness.
In Beast of Burden: Top 10 Human-Animal Combinations in the Movies we will look at some of the best selections where man and animal co-exist whether it be in calmness or chaos. There is no doubt that one can come up with numerous top ten lists detailing their ideal man-animal themes in cinema. The struggle for...
In Beast of Burden: Top 10 Human-Animal Combinations in the Movies we will look at some of the best selections where man and animal co-exist whether it be in calmness or chaos. There is no doubt that one can come up with numerous top ten lists detailing their ideal man-animal themes in cinema. The struggle for...
- 8/8/2014
- by Frank Ochieng
- SoundOnSight
Joan Lorring, 1945 Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee, dead at 88: One of the earliest surviving Academy Award nominees in the acting categories, Lorring was best known for holding her own against Bette Davis in ‘The Corn Is Green’ (photo: Joan Lorring in ‘Three Strangers’) Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nominee Joan Lorring, who stole the 1945 film version of The Corn Is Green from none other than Warner Bros. reigning queen Bette Davis, died Friday, May 30, 2014, in the New York City suburb of Sleepy Hollow. So far, online obits haven’t mentioned the cause of death. Lorring, one of the earliest surviving Oscar nominees in the acting categories, was 88. Directed by Irving Rapper, who had also handled one of Bette Davis’ biggest hits, the 1942 sudsy soap opera Now, Voyager, Warners’ The Corn Is Green was a decent if uninspired film version of Emlyn Williams’ semi-autobiographical 1938 hit play about an English schoolteacher,...
- 6/1/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
This year’s Best Actor race is shaping up to be one of the greatest of all time. And by greatest, I mean both the most competitive and also the most outstanding, in the sense that each nominee is excellent — hypothetical winners in almost any other year. They also reflect the depth of superb male performances in 2013. Consider: Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Robert Redford (All Is Lost), Joaquin Phoneix (Her), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), and Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station) all missed the cut.
EW’s Owen Gleiberman recently analyzed this year’s Best Actor race, calling it the most “fiercely,...
EW’s Owen Gleiberman recently analyzed this year’s Best Actor race, calling it the most “fiercely,...
- 2/24/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW.com - PopWatch
The Wasteland:
Television is a gold goose that lays scrambled eggs;
and it is futile and probably fatal to beat it for not laying caviar.
Lee Loevinger
When people argue over the quality of television programming, both sides — it’s addictive crap v. underappreciated populist art — seem to forget one of the essentials about commercial TV. By definition, it is not a public service. It is not commercial TV’s job to enlighten, inform, educate, elevate, inspire, or offer insight. Frankly, it’s not even commercial TV’s job to entertain. Bottom line: its purpose is simply to deliver as many sets of eyes to advertisers as possible. As it happens, it tends to do this by offering various forms of entertainment, and occasionally by offering content that does enlighten, inform, etc., but a cynic would make the point that if TV could do the same job televising fish aimlessly swimming around an aquarium,...
Television is a gold goose that lays scrambled eggs;
and it is futile and probably fatal to beat it for not laying caviar.
Lee Loevinger
When people argue over the quality of television programming, both sides — it’s addictive crap v. underappreciated populist art — seem to forget one of the essentials about commercial TV. By definition, it is not a public service. It is not commercial TV’s job to enlighten, inform, educate, elevate, inspire, or offer insight. Frankly, it’s not even commercial TV’s job to entertain. Bottom line: its purpose is simply to deliver as many sets of eyes to advertisers as possible. As it happens, it tends to do this by offering various forms of entertainment, and occasionally by offering content that does enlighten, inform, etc., but a cynic would make the point that if TV could do the same job televising fish aimlessly swimming around an aquarium,...
- 7/22/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Following are some supplemental sections featuring notable director & actor teams that did not meet the criteria for the main body of the article. Some will argue that a number of these should have been included in the primary section but keep in mind that film writing on any level, from the casual to the academic, is a game of knowledge and perception filtered through personal taste.
****
Other Notable Director & Actor Teams
This section is devoted to pairings where the duo worked together at least 3 times with the actor in a major role in each feature film, resulting in 1 must-see film.
Terence Young & Sean Connery
Must-See Collaboration: From Russia with Love (1962).
Other Collaborations: Action of the Tiger (1957), Dr. No (1962), Thunderball (1965).
Director Young and actor Connery teamed up to create one of the very best Connery-era James Bond films with From Russia with Love which features a great villainous performance by Robert Shaw...
****
Other Notable Director & Actor Teams
This section is devoted to pairings where the duo worked together at least 3 times with the actor in a major role in each feature film, resulting in 1 must-see film.
Terence Young & Sean Connery
Must-See Collaboration: From Russia with Love (1962).
Other Collaborations: Action of the Tiger (1957), Dr. No (1962), Thunderball (1965).
Director Young and actor Connery teamed up to create one of the very best Connery-era James Bond films with From Russia with Love which features a great villainous performance by Robert Shaw...
- 7/14/2013
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
A periodic round up of interesting and notable books about film, including biographies, histories, critical assessments, and more.
I have to confess from the off that, apart from Daniel Day-Lewis’ typically spellbinding performance (if that’s even the right word for what he does) and the meticulous detail and cinematography that made the film a joy to look at, Stephen Spielberg’s Lincoln left me rather cold; perhaps if I had read Lincoln: A Cinematic and Historical Companion (Disney Editions, distributed in the UK by Turnaround www.turnarounduk.com) beforehand, my viewing experience would have been richer and more rewarding.
The book opens with earnest forewards by Spielberg and producer Kathleen Kennedy, and is thereafter divided into two sections, each in two parts. Part One, ‘Players on the Stage of History’, features full page colour photos of the film’s main players in the style of 19th century portraiture, which...
I have to confess from the off that, apart from Daniel Day-Lewis’ typically spellbinding performance (if that’s even the right word for what he does) and the meticulous detail and cinematography that made the film a joy to look at, Stephen Spielberg’s Lincoln left me rather cold; perhaps if I had read Lincoln: A Cinematic and Historical Companion (Disney Editions, distributed in the UK by Turnaround www.turnarounduk.com) beforehand, my viewing experience would have been richer and more rewarding.
The book opens with earnest forewards by Spielberg and producer Kathleen Kennedy, and is thereafter divided into two sections, each in two parts. Part One, ‘Players on the Stage of History’, features full page colour photos of the film’s main players in the style of 19th century portraiture, which...
- 6/3/2013
- by Ian Gilchrist
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Lancaster in director Robert Aldrich's superb 1972 Western Ulzana's Raid, one of many films to be screened in tribute to the Oscar-winning screen legend.
In-person:
Joanna Lancaster, Susie Lancaster, actor Ed Lauter and author James Naremore (4/5); actress Terry Moore (4/8); author Alan K. Rode (5/4).
Burt Lancaster was an American original. Born in 1913 in the melting pot of East Harlem, he first acted on the stage of the Union Settlement House before his natural athleticism drew him to a successful career as a circus aerialist. The strapping, blue-eyed, blonde with the legendary grin later referred to Hollywood as “nothing more than a big circus” and when fate brought him into the big top, he seized center ring. A chance meeting with a theatrical agent in 1945 (while picking up his future wife, Norma, for lunch) led to an appearance on Broadway and a contract with producer Hal Wallis who planned to introduce him...
In-person:
Joanna Lancaster, Susie Lancaster, actor Ed Lauter and author James Naremore (4/5); actress Terry Moore (4/8); author Alan K. Rode (5/4).
Burt Lancaster was an American original. Born in 1913 in the melting pot of East Harlem, he first acted on the stage of the Union Settlement House before his natural athleticism drew him to a successful career as a circus aerialist. The strapping, blue-eyed, blonde with the legendary grin later referred to Hollywood as “nothing more than a big circus” and when fate brought him into the big top, he seized center ring. A chance meeting with a theatrical agent in 1945 (while picking up his future wife, Norma, for lunch) led to an appearance on Broadway and a contract with producer Hal Wallis who planned to introduce him...
- 4/3/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
This article is dedicated to Andrew Copp: filmmaker, film writer, artist and close friend who passed away on January 19, 2013. You are loved and missed, brother.
****
Looking at the Best Actor Academy Award nominations for the film year 2012, the one miss that clearly cries out for more attention is Liam Neeson’s powerful performance in Joe Carnahan’s excellent survival film The Grey, easily one of the best roles of Neeson’s career.
In Neeson’s case, his lack of a nomination was a case of neglect similar to the Albert Brooks snub in the Best Supporting Actor category for the film year 2011 for Drive(Nicolas Winding Refn, USA).
Along with negligence, other factors commonly prevent outstanding lead acting performances from getting the kind of critical attention they deserve. Sometimes it’s that the performance is in a film not considered “Oscar material” or even worthy of any substantial critical attention.
****
Looking at the Best Actor Academy Award nominations for the film year 2012, the one miss that clearly cries out for more attention is Liam Neeson’s powerful performance in Joe Carnahan’s excellent survival film The Grey, easily one of the best roles of Neeson’s career.
In Neeson’s case, his lack of a nomination was a case of neglect similar to the Albert Brooks snub in the Best Supporting Actor category for the film year 2011 for Drive(Nicolas Winding Refn, USA).
Along with negligence, other factors commonly prevent outstanding lead acting performances from getting the kind of critical attention they deserve. Sometimes it’s that the performance is in a film not considered “Oscar material” or even worthy of any substantial critical attention.
- 2/27/2013
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
Best Supporting Actress nominee Adams on the 85th Academy Awards red carpet Amy Adams, a Best Supporting Actress nominee for Paul Thomas Anderson's well-received psychological drama The Master, is seen arriving at the 85th Academy Awards show. Adams' competitors were the following: Jacki Weaver for David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook, Anne Hathaway for Tom Hooper's Les Misérables, Sally Field for Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, and Helen Hunt for Ben Lewin's The Sessions. Hathaway, as expected, turned out to be the winner. (See below photos of Aaron Tveit and Best Director nominee Benh Zeitlin on the Oscar red carpet.) This was Adams' fourth Oscar nod. Her previous ones, all in the Best Supporting Actress category, were the following: Phil Morrison's comedy-drama Junebug (2005); John Patrick Shanley's drama Doubt (2008), with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman; and David O. Russell's family drama The Fighter (2010), opposite Mark Wahlberg,...
- 2/25/2013
- by Anna Robinson
- Alt Film Guide
Sally Field, Amy Adams, Jacki Weaver, Anne Hathaway, Helen Hunt: 2013 Oscar Nominees Luncheon Sally Field, Amy Adams, Jacki Weaver, Anne Hathaway and Helen Hunt were present at the 2013 Oscar Nominees Luncheon held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Monday, February 4. Field, Adams, Weaver, Hathaway, and Hunt are all Best Supporting Actress nominees. (Photo: Sally Field, Amy Adams, Jacki Weaver, Anne Hathaway and Helen Hunt. Please click on the image to enlarge it.) Sally Field: Oscar veteran Sally Field is the veteran-est among the nominees: Field won the Best Actress Oscar for Martin Ritt’s Norma Rae (1979), repeating the feat five years later for her performance in Robert Benton’s Places in the Heart (1984). This year, Field was nominated for Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, in which she plays Daniel Day-Lewis / Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. Jacki Weaver, Anne Hathaway, Helen Hunt: Two-time nominees...
- 2/5/2013
- by Anna Robinson
- Alt Film Guide
WonderCon moved temporarily to Anaheim in 2012, while its usual home, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, is undergoing a remodel. It is part of the Comic-Con International organization, and although it’s a much smaller-scale event, happily for us they held some great TV panels on Day 3. First up was Alcatraz.
The panel was made up of actors Sarah Jones (Rebecca Madsen), Jorge Garcia (Diego “Doc” Soto), Jonny Coyne (Warden Edwin James), Parminder Nagra (Dr. Lucille Banerjee) and Robert Forster (Ray Archer, Rebecca’s great uncle), executive producers Jennifer Johnson and Daniel Pyne, and co-creators/co-executive producers Bryan Wynbrandt and Steven Lilien.
They started us off with a video montage that we happily share here. Much will look familiar, but the last few scenes are brand new, and will be considered a spoiler by some:
Click here to view the embedded video.
In fact, a lot of what they told us could be considered spoilers,...
The panel was made up of actors Sarah Jones (Rebecca Madsen), Jorge Garcia (Diego “Doc” Soto), Jonny Coyne (Warden Edwin James), Parminder Nagra (Dr. Lucille Banerjee) and Robert Forster (Ray Archer, Rebecca’s great uncle), executive producers Jennifer Johnson and Daniel Pyne, and co-creators/co-executive producers Bryan Wynbrandt and Steven Lilien.
They started us off with a video montage that we happily share here. Much will look familiar, but the last few scenes are brand new, and will be considered a spoiler by some:
Click here to view the embedded video.
In fact, a lot of what they told us could be considered spoilers,...
- 3/19/2012
- by Erin Willard
- ScifiMafia
The year was 1963 and United Artists had bragging rights that two of their stars had just won major BAFTA awards. Burt Lancaster was honored as "Best Foreign Actor" for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz and Ann Bancroft was awarded the Best Foreign Actress for The Miracle Worker. This article is from the United Artists house newsletter, UA World from May 1963. ...
- 3/12/2012
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
With actors delivering lines completely over the top, tons of action, a ridiculous plot, and an extremely hot Charlize Theron, 2000's Reindeer Games could be the best, bad, guilty pleasure action film ever made. Now this gem is on Blu-ray looking great and available in the director's cut - which is about 20 minutes longer! Directed by John Frankenheimer (Ronin, Birdman of Alcatraz, and The Manchurian Candidate) and written by Ehren Kruger (Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and The Ring), the film stars Theron, Ben Affleck, Gary Sinise, James Frain, Isaac Hayes, Clarence Williams III, Donal Logue, Danny Trejo, Dennis Farina. This movie is so great even Ashton Kutcher and Ron Jeremy show up. The film opens to men...
- 3/5/2012
- by Patrick Luce
- Monsters and Critics
Alcatraz opened to strong ratings last night, but as is the case with any supernatural crime procedural with mythology as thick as Jorge Garcia’s curl mane, you’re probably wondering where it all goes from here.
When in Vancouver last year, a group of reporters — including EW — got a chance to tour the set and pick the brains of cast members and Ep-director Jack Bender about what’s coming up on the show. Here are five scooplets from our sit-downs. (To watch our chat with Jorge Garcia, click here.)
Where Are The Prisoners?/Why Are They Here? This piece...
When in Vancouver last year, a group of reporters — including EW — got a chance to tour the set and pick the brains of cast members and Ep-director Jack Bender about what’s coming up on the show. Here are five scooplets from our sit-downs. (To watch our chat with Jorge Garcia, click here.)
Where Are The Prisoners?/Why Are They Here? This piece...
- 1/17/2012
- by Sandra Gonzalez
- EW - Inside TV
When you think Alcatraz it brings to mind the infamous names of Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud “The Birdman of Alcatraz.” It is also a term synonymous with violence, mystery, and the “worst of the worst.” It gives the sense of being unattainable, yet still visible as a majestic island right inside the San Francisco Bay. The lore surrounding Alcatraz has reached such epic proportions, that it has achieved a notoriety of its own. In fact, it still stands today as a reminder that not even an island can truly incarcerate criminals intent on escape.
Building on the infamy and notoriety of the Prison that shares its name, the television series Alcatraz offers a riveting spin on what might have happened in 1963. Was the prison closed due budget cuts as propagandized by the government, or did something more sinister and mysterious happen there that required a cover-story...
Building on the infamy and notoriety of the Prison that shares its name, the television series Alcatraz offers a riveting spin on what might have happened in 1963. Was the prison closed due budget cuts as propagandized by the government, or did something more sinister and mysterious happen there that required a cover-story...
- 1/16/2012
- by Tiffany Vogt
- The TV Addict
The red carpet is typically the focal point of any premiere. But at last night’s party for Alcatraz, the new J.J. Abrams-produced sci-fi show on Fox, the infamous prison itself was the star. Creepy enough during the day, with rows of vacant cell blocks and park rangers telling stories of how prisoners stared longingly at the San Francisco skyline, last night the nearly full moon cast an even eerier chill over the Rock. (The show is now mostly shot in Vancouver, where they’ve re-created the prison.)
From interviews with the cast in the shower room (“It’s creepy!
From interviews with the cast in the shower room (“It’s creepy!
- 1/12/2012
- by Laura Hertzfeld
- EW - Inside TV
The Movie Pool sets its sights on the Cold War thriller from John Frankenheimer, The Fourth War, on DVD!
This DVD is offered as part of MGM's "Limited Edition Collection," which is available from select online retailers and manufactured only when the DVD is ordered. The DVD features a simple menu with no menu for chapters or scenes. Manufacture-On-Demand (Mod) DVDs are made to play in DVD playback units only and may not play in DVD recorders or PC drives. This DVD did not play in our laptop DVD drive but did play in our Toshiba DVD recorder.
DVD Specs
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
Rating: R
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: None
Special Features: Trailer
The Set-up
During the Cold War, a bitter American colonel (Roy Scheider) stationed along the Iron Curtain begins a personal war against a Soviet commander (Jurgen Prochnow) on the other side of the border.
This DVD is offered as part of MGM's "Limited Edition Collection," which is available from select online retailers and manufactured only when the DVD is ordered. The DVD features a simple menu with no menu for chapters or scenes. Manufacture-On-Demand (Mod) DVDs are made to play in DVD playback units only and may not play in DVD recorders or PC drives. This DVD did not play in our laptop DVD drive but did play in our Toshiba DVD recorder.
DVD Specs
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
Rating: R
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: None
Special Features: Trailer
The Set-up
During the Cold War, a bitter American colonel (Roy Scheider) stationed along the Iron Curtain begins a personal war against a Soviet commander (Jurgen Prochnow) on the other side of the border.
- 7/14/2011
- Cinelinx
Brian Trenchard-Smith gets suitable lengthy and (as always) very thorough with The Battle of the Bulge.
The flat plains of Spain make a visually inaccurate backdrop for this sprawling but none too accurate recreation of one of the major operations of World War II, which took place across the forests of Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg. It’s a nearly three hour Roadshow spectacle with the usual all star cast, efficiently showcased by director Ken Annakin.
Click through to watch and the read on to get a little bit of bonus content.
Now here’s a cool movie with a sprawling cast that even has some overlap to films from earlier this week, and Brian hits on a couple of actors in this commentary that we should have hit on Monday, when we weren’t singing the praises of Lee Marvin: Telly Savalas and one of the manliest manly men to ever live,...
The flat plains of Spain make a visually inaccurate backdrop for this sprawling but none too accurate recreation of one of the major operations of World War II, which took place across the forests of Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg. It’s a nearly three hour Roadshow spectacle with the usual all star cast, efficiently showcased by director Ken Annakin.
Click through to watch and the read on to get a little bit of bonus content.
Now here’s a cool movie with a sprawling cast that even has some overlap to films from earlier this week, and Brian hits on a couple of actors in this commentary that we should have hit on Monday, when we weren’t singing the praises of Lee Marvin: Telly Savalas and one of the manliest manly men to ever live,...
- 6/3/2011
- by Danny
- Trailers from Hell
Bill James is a statistical baseball junkie who tossed numbers and charts aside to dive into the most sensational crimes from the 1600s to present day in his book, “Popular Crime.” As his second passion (behind baseball), James is a voracious reader of crime novels (think “The Wrong Man: The Final Verdict on the Dr. Sam Sheppard Murder Case”). This book serves as more an anthology than novel, as James began writing and compiling the stories in the 1980s.
- 5/3/2011
- by Alexandra Cheney
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
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