A sad day for the industry as Hollywood loses one of its most influential figures. Roger Corman, the King of B-Movies, has sadly passed away at the age of 98 on May 9th, 2024.
The following statement was issued by his family:
“His films were revolutionary and iconoclastic, and captured the spirit of an age. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said, ‘I was a filmmaker, just that,.’“
Born in Detroit, Michigan, his career in film began at the 20th Century Fox mailroom, where he eventually became a story reader. Through his connections, he began producing and directing films such as The Fast and the Furious and Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet. Over the years, he worked with multiple industry veterans, such as Vincent Price and Boris Karloff.
His biggest period was when he launched New World Pictures with his brother Gene. Under the ownership of 20th Century Fox,...
The following statement was issued by his family:
“His films were revolutionary and iconoclastic, and captured the spirit of an age. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said, ‘I was a filmmaker, just that,.’“
Born in Detroit, Michigan, his career in film began at the 20th Century Fox mailroom, where he eventually became a story reader. Through his connections, he began producing and directing films such as The Fast and the Furious and Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet. Over the years, he worked with multiple industry veterans, such as Vincent Price and Boris Karloff.
His biggest period was when he launched New World Pictures with his brother Gene. Under the ownership of 20th Century Fox,...
- 5/12/2024
- by Mr. Milo
- Pirates & Princesses
"Houston, we have a problem." This is easily one of my all-time favorite space movies. Ron Howard's docu-drama thriller Apollo 13 first opened in theaters in the summer of 1995, celebrating its 29th anniversary this year. The old 35mm trailer scanner YouTube recently posted a crisp 2160p scan of the original Apollo 13 trailer. Though this actually plays more like a teaser, setting up the story and stakes and characters without showing too much (the full trailer is also available right below it). In this movie based on a true story, NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 (which launched in April 1970) to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy. Starring Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell, Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert, Bill Paxton Fred Haise, and Ed Harris on the ground as Flight Director Gene Kranz.
- 4/29/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Oscars are almost upon us, and according to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users, Billie Eilish will claim her second trophy for Best Original Song. She and her brother Finneas previously won for penning the title song from “No Time to Die,” and now they’re expected to prevail again for their ballad “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie.” If they do, it would be the first time this century that a composition wins both Song of the Year at the Grammys and Best Original Song at the Oscars.
It’s less common than it used to be for soundtrack songs to cross over to the Grammys. The last time a song won both of these awards was actually Celine Dion‘s “My Heart Will Go On” from “Titanic.” Written by James Horner and Will Jennings, the classic love theme from the blockbuster film won Best Original...
It’s less common than it used to be for soundtrack songs to cross over to the Grammys. The last time a song won both of these awards was actually Celine Dion‘s “My Heart Will Go On” from “Titanic.” Written by James Horner and Will Jennings, the classic love theme from the blockbuster film won Best Original...
- 3/8/2024
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
We’re on an express elevator to hell, going down!
Join co-hosts Justin Gerber, McKenzie Gerber, Dan Caffrey, and Rachel Reeves as they continue their coverage of James Cameron‘s Aliens. In the second and final episode dedicated to the 1986 all-timer of a sequel, the crew heads deeper into Lv-426 as they synch up with James Horner’s breakneck score, take tags off the marines, celebrate Sigourney Weaver, debate the scariest scene, and marvel once again at all those stellar special effects.
Stream both episodes below and stay tuned for Alien3 later this month. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Evil Dead, and Chucky! This year? They’re looking to the stars with the Alien franchise.
Join co-hosts Justin Gerber, McKenzie Gerber, Dan Caffrey, and Rachel Reeves as they continue their coverage of James Cameron‘s Aliens. In the second and final episode dedicated to the 1986 all-timer of a sequel, the crew heads deeper into Lv-426 as they synch up with James Horner’s breakneck score, take tags off the marines, celebrate Sigourney Weaver, debate the scariest scene, and marvel once again at all those stellar special effects.
Stream both episodes below and stay tuned for Alien3 later this month. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Evil Dead, and Chucky! This year? They’re looking to the stars with the Alien franchise.
- 3/4/2024
- by Michael Roffman
- bloody-disgusting.com
The nineties were the golden age of the thriller. Every other week, a star-driven thriller seemed to open in theaters, to the point that everyone took them for granted after a little while, and the genre dried up. Many of the best examples of the genre, like Basic Instinct, Single White Female, Jennifer 8, and others, hold up quite well in retrospect. One of my favourites has always been Jonathan Kaplan’s Unlawful Entry, which I did a Best Movie You Never Saw video about not long ago.
In it, Kurt Russell and Madeleine Stowe play a likeable yuppie couple rocked by a home invasion. A friendly cop, played by the late, great Ray Liotta, helps them out, and soon, he becomes a trusted friend and part of their lives. However, in classic Liotta fashion, he turns out to be a raving psychopath with designs on Stowe, leading to the white-collar...
In it, Kurt Russell and Madeleine Stowe play a likeable yuppie couple rocked by a home invasion. A friendly cop, played by the late, great Ray Liotta, helps them out, and soon, he becomes a trusted friend and part of their lives. However, in classic Liotta fashion, he turns out to be a raving psychopath with designs on Stowe, leading to the white-collar...
- 1/14/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Images of the 2023 National Film Registry selections
Home Alone, Love & Basketball, Apollo 13, 12 Years a Slave, and The Nightmare Before Christmas are among the 25 films chosen to be preserved by the Library of Congress National Film Registry. 2023’s selection also includes Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Lady and the Tramp, Desperately Seeking Susan, and Fame.
“Films are an integral piece of America’s cultural heritage, reflecting stories of our nation for more than 125 years. We are proud to add 25 diverse films to the National Film Registry as we preserve our history through film,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “We’re grateful to the film community for collaborating with the Library of Congress in our goal to preserve the heritage of cinema for generations to come.”
The new additions date back to 1921 and bring the total number of films included in the registry to 875. According to the Library of Congress,...
Home Alone, Love & Basketball, Apollo 13, 12 Years a Slave, and The Nightmare Before Christmas are among the 25 films chosen to be preserved by the Library of Congress National Film Registry. 2023’s selection also includes Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Lady and the Tramp, Desperately Seeking Susan, and Fame.
“Films are an integral piece of America’s cultural heritage, reflecting stories of our nation for more than 125 years. We are proud to add 25 diverse films to the National Film Registry as we preserve our history through film,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “We’re grateful to the film community for collaborating with the Library of Congress in our goal to preserve the heritage of cinema for generations to come.”
The new additions date back to 1921 and bring the total number of films included in the registry to 875. According to the Library of Congress,...
- 12/13/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Just in time for the holidays, Chris Columbus’ Home Alone and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas have been unwrapped with 23 other cinematic sparklers for entry into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, it was announced Wednesday.
Among those also voted in: Dinner at Eight (1933), the seventh film from director George Cukor to be selected for preservation; Susan Seidelman’s Desperately Seeking Susan (1985); John Sayles’ Matewan (1987); James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet (1993); Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 (1995); Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Love & Basketball (2000) and Spike Lee’s Bamboozled (2000).
Then, there are the films with music central to their core: Lady and the Tramp (1955), Cruisin’ J-Town (1975), Passing Through (1977), Fame (1980) and the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom (2013).
This year’s picks span the years 1921 (the Kodak educational film A Movie Trip Through Filmland) to 2013 (20 Feet From Stardom and the lone Oscar...
Among those also voted in: Dinner at Eight (1933), the seventh film from director George Cukor to be selected for preservation; Susan Seidelman’s Desperately Seeking Susan (1985); John Sayles’ Matewan (1987); James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet (1993); Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 (1995); Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Love & Basketball (2000) and Spike Lee’s Bamboozled (2000).
Then, there are the films with music central to their core: Lady and the Tramp (1955), Cruisin’ J-Town (1975), Passing Through (1977), Fame (1980) and the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom (2013).
This year’s picks span the years 1921 (the Kodak educational film A Movie Trip Through Filmland) to 2013 (20 Feet From Stardom and the lone Oscar...
- 12/13/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Award-winning House of Sand & Fog filmmaker Vadim Perelman has been attached to direct the movie Marinus, we hear, about the heroic rescue of 14K Korean evacuees by sea toward the end of the Korean War.
Adapted by J. Craig Stiles (Miranda’s Victim) off the book Ship of Miracles, Marinus follows a merchant marine captain, who along with a Korean doctor, commanded a ship that was rated to carry 65 passengers and ended up saving thousands – all while being pursued by enemy subs, fighter planes and contending with a Communist spy on board.
Despite the odds, not one soul perished. In fact, five babies were born during the journey, and they arrived safely at a South Korean harbor on Christmas Day. The captain was so touched by the experience that he later became a Benedictine monk. He has passed on, but is currently up for sainthood with the Catholic Church.
Adapted by J. Craig Stiles (Miranda’s Victim) off the book Ship of Miracles, Marinus follows a merchant marine captain, who along with a Korean doctor, commanded a ship that was rated to carry 65 passengers and ended up saving thousands – all while being pursued by enemy subs, fighter planes and contending with a Communist spy on board.
Despite the odds, not one soul perished. In fact, five babies were born during the journey, and they arrived safely at a South Korean harbor on Christmas Day. The captain was so touched by the experience that he later became a Benedictine monk. He has passed on, but is currently up for sainthood with the Catholic Church.
- 10/23/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
“Sylvie’s Love” filmmaker Eugene Ashe has been tapped to write “The Rocketeer” reboot at Disney+, The Wrap has exclusively learned.
David Oyelowo is attached to star and produce the project. The project is part of his and his wife’s two-year first-look deal with Disney.
Released in 1991, Disney’s “The Rocketeer” is a period superhero film that starred Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton and the late Paul Sorvino. The film was directed by Joe Johnston (“Captain America: The First Avenger”), with breathtaking visual effects from Johnston’s alma mater Industrial Light & Magic and an unforgettable score by the late, great James Horner, that you can still hear in the background of some Disney theme parks.
“The Rockeeter” is based on the comic book character of the same name created by comic book artist and writer Dave Stevens, who first appeared as a back-up story in the pages...
David Oyelowo is attached to star and produce the project. The project is part of his and his wife’s two-year first-look deal with Disney.
Released in 1991, Disney’s “The Rocketeer” is a period superhero film that starred Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton and the late Paul Sorvino. The film was directed by Joe Johnston (“Captain America: The First Avenger”), with breathtaking visual effects from Johnston’s alma mater Industrial Light & Magic and an unforgettable score by the late, great James Horner, that you can still hear in the background of some Disney theme parks.
“The Rockeeter” is based on the comic book character of the same name created by comic book artist and writer Dave Stevens, who first appeared as a back-up story in the pages...
- 10/11/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Nominees in the categories of discovery of the year, public choice award and the new game music award have been revealed.
Film Fest Gent and The World Soundtrack Academy has unveiled the second and final wave of nominations for the 2023 World Soundtrack Awards, which will take place on October 21 at the Film Fest Gent in Belgium, with Golda, Avatar: The Way Of Water and The Menu among the additional titles represented.
Nominations for discovery of the year, public choice award, Wsa game music award, best original score for a Belgian production and the Sabam Award for best original composition by...
Film Fest Gent and The World Soundtrack Academy has unveiled the second and final wave of nominations for the 2023 World Soundtrack Awards, which will take place on October 21 at the Film Fest Gent in Belgium, with Golda, Avatar: The Way Of Water and The Menu among the additional titles represented.
Nominations for discovery of the year, public choice award, Wsa game music award, best original score for a Belgian production and the Sabam Award for best original composition by...
- 9/5/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
It’s a case of one score to rule them all, as Howard Shore’s stirring epic soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings trilogy was voted the U.K.’s favorite movie music.
Shore’s score for the Rings film, which has won three Academy Awards, three Golden Globes and four Grammys, came out ahead of some of the greatest and most recognizable soundtracks of all time, including John Williams’ music for Schindler’s List and Star Wars, which came second and third respectively.
The list of the top 100 film scores was compiled by popular U.K. radio station Classic FM, as part of their annual Movie Music Hall of Fame. More than 10,000 people voted for this year’s edition and the winner was revealed on Sunday by Jonathan Ross, the former presenter of the BBC’s Film program.
“Many thanks to all the Classic FM listeners,” Shore told...
Shore’s score for the Rings film, which has won three Academy Awards, three Golden Globes and four Grammys, came out ahead of some of the greatest and most recognizable soundtracks of all time, including John Williams’ music for Schindler’s List and Star Wars, which came second and third respectively.
The list of the top 100 film scores was compiled by popular U.K. radio station Classic FM, as part of their annual Movie Music Hall of Fame. More than 10,000 people voted for this year’s edition and the winner was revealed on Sunday by Jonathan Ross, the former presenter of the BBC’s Film program.
“Many thanks to all the Classic FM listeners,” Shore told...
- 8/29/2023
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When Martin Scorsese set to work making "Hugo," a film based on Brian Selznick's children's book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," it immediately got tongues wagging. What on Earth was the director behind films like "Taxi Driver," "Goodfellas," and "The Departed" doing helming a whimsical kids' adventure? At the time, his youngest daughter, Francesca (who's now internet famous for the Tiktok videos she makes with her old man), was only a preteen "We always joke around, my wife saying, 'Make a film your kid can see for once,'" Scorsese told THR. He added that it wasn't the only reason he made the film, "but it did help."
The point is, sometimes filmmakers just want to make a film their kids can watch. Such was the case for Stuart Gordon back in the late 1980s. The late multi-hyphenate had burst onto the horror scene earlier that decade thanks to...
The point is, sometimes filmmakers just want to make a film their kids can watch. Such was the case for Stuart Gordon back in the late 1980s. The late multi-hyphenate had burst onto the horror scene earlier that decade thanks to...
- 7/30/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
As Emmy voting comes to a close, score mixer Phil McGowan could find himself with multiple nominations, having worked on the sound of Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Picard,” Netflix’s “Cobra Kai” and “Ozark,” and Roku’s “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.”
He spoke with Variety about his approach to each project and what needed to be taken into consideration to preserve the sonic integrity in his mixes.
“Cobra Kai”
“This season was bigger and more maximal than previous seasons, but there wasn’t a big sonic shift. However, each episode is like a movie. Composers Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson approach it like it’s another ‘Karate Kid’ film. There are guitars, a drum kit, drum machines and lots of percussion. They use a lot of samples that are reminiscent of the 1980s and ’90s. So, I have fun applying mixing techniques with reverb that blends ’80s hair metal...
He spoke with Variety about his approach to each project and what needed to be taken into consideration to preserve the sonic integrity in his mixes.
“Cobra Kai”
“This season was bigger and more maximal than previous seasons, but there wasn’t a big sonic shift. However, each episode is like a movie. Composers Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson approach it like it’s another ‘Karate Kid’ film. There are guitars, a drum kit, drum machines and lots of percussion. They use a lot of samples that are reminiscent of the 1980s and ’90s. So, I have fun applying mixing techniques with reverb that blends ’80s hair metal...
- 6/26/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Summer’s here, and if you’re looking for new movies to watch this June, we’ve got you covered. Newly streaming titles this month include the third (and final?) “Magic Mike” movie, Chris Hemsworth’s highly anticipated “Extraction” sequel on Netflix, the “Nicolas Cage as Dracula” new release “Renfield” and at long last, “Avatar: The Way of Water” makes its streaming debut on multiple streaming services. As always, we’ve also rounded up a number of library titles newly streaming on Netflix, Prime Video, Max, Paramount+, Hulu, Peacock and Disney+ throughout the month of June, so not only is there a little something for everyone, there’s enough to get you through those days when it’s just to hot to step outside.
Check out our list of some of the best new movies to stream in June 2023 below.
Also Read:
What’s New on Amazon Prime Video in...
Check out our list of some of the best new movies to stream in June 2023 below.
Also Read:
What’s New on Amazon Prime Video in...
- 6/23/2023
- by Drew Taylor and Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
June 2023 – Akira Kosemura, the renowned composer/pianist & one of the most streamed Asian classical artists, has released his new single “Vega”, out now on Decca Records/Universal Music Canada.
The new single is the fifth track of his upcoming solo piano album Seasons, set for release on June 30. Inspired by Japan’s four seasons, Kosemura dedicates 12 songs (3 songs for each season) and expresses the beauty of various moments in the country of rich nature – cherry blossoms, rainy season, fallen leaves and snowy landscape.
With this album, Kosemura elaborates his musical identity as a Japanese in his highly acclaimed solo piano format.
Akira Kosemura – Photo credit: Yusuke Abe
“This album began in the early summer of 2020, when I was contacted by Decca Records,” says Kosemura. “The seeds of ideas that emerged from our conversations about each other and our future projects gradually grew within me. This is a sort of the island music,...
The new single is the fifth track of his upcoming solo piano album Seasons, set for release on June 30. Inspired by Japan’s four seasons, Kosemura dedicates 12 songs (3 songs for each season) and expresses the beauty of various moments in the country of rich nature – cherry blossoms, rainy season, fallen leaves and snowy landscape.
With this album, Kosemura elaborates his musical identity as a Japanese in his highly acclaimed solo piano format.
Akira Kosemura – Photo credit: Yusuke Abe
“This album began in the early summer of 2020, when I was contacted by Decca Records,” says Kosemura. “The seeds of ideas that emerged from our conversations about each other and our future projects gradually grew within me. This is a sort of the island music,...
- 6/21/2023
- by Music Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
‘Japan is known for having very beautiful seasons. Every day, as we live, we are influenced so much by them – the change of the season, the air, the temperature, the wind, or the smell of the wind. Those are things that inspires us.’
It’s clear that nature is something that is very much at the heart of Akira Kosemura, both the man and the music that he makes. His is a natural talent, born of a fascination with film music, storytelling and a curiosity about the sounds of the world around us. That all shines through in Seasons, but the seeds have been sewn by the musician and composer over the last 15 years and a blossoming career that seemingly grew out of nowhere. Or should that be somewhere?
Tokyo is home for Kosemura, it’s where he was born, and it continues to play an important role in shaping his identity as a composer.
It’s clear that nature is something that is very much at the heart of Akira Kosemura, both the man and the music that he makes. His is a natural talent, born of a fascination with film music, storytelling and a curiosity about the sounds of the world around us. That all shines through in Seasons, but the seeds have been sewn by the musician and composer over the last 15 years and a blossoming career that seemingly grew out of nowhere. Or should that be somewhere?
Tokyo is home for Kosemura, it’s where he was born, and it continues to play an important role in shaping his identity as a composer.
- 6/18/2023
- by Music Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
Cynthia Weil, a Grammy-winning lyricist of notable range and endurance who enjoyed a decades-long partnership with husband Barry Mann and helped write “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”, “On Broadway”, “Walking in the Rain” and dozens of other hits, has died at age 82.
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said that the songwriter died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, California, “surrounded by her family.” Mann, the couple’s only child, declined to cite a specific cause of death.
Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, married in 1961, were one of popular music’s most successful teams, part of a remarkable ensemble recruited by impresarios Don Kirshner and Al Nevins and based in Manhattan’s Brill Building neighborhood, a few blocks from Times Square. With such hit-making combinations as Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the Brill Building song factory turned out many of the biggest...
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said that the songwriter died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, California, “surrounded by her family.” Mann, the couple’s only child, declined to cite a specific cause of death.
Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, married in 1961, were one of popular music’s most successful teams, part of a remarkable ensemble recruited by impresarios Don Kirshner and Al Nevins and based in Manhattan’s Brill Building neighborhood, a few blocks from Times Square. With such hit-making combinations as Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the Brill Building song factory turned out many of the biggest...
- 6/3/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Cynthia Weil, the celebrated songwriter who helped craft timeless hits like the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” the Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” and Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire,” died Thursday, June 1. She was 82.
Weil’s daughter, Jenn Mann, confirmed her death, though no cause was given. “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for,” Mann said. “She was my best friend, confidant, and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.
Weil’s daughter, Jenn Mann, confirmed her death, though no cause was given. “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for,” Mann said. “She was my best friend, confidant, and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.
- 6/2/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard not only reunited all of the Next Generation crew, but also gave them a fitting sendoff for which fans have been waiting since the 2002 film Star Trek: Nemesis. It wasn’t easy for anyone, including composer Stephen Barton.
Barton admits, however, that he painted himself, or composed himself rather, into a corner.
“We decided we were going to try to score all of it which meant writing seven hours of music,” Barton said during a panel for the CBS/Paramount+ series at Deadline’s Sound & Screen event. “I think about four hours in I was literally dead, absolutely. I was doing seven days weeks, 16-hour days, I hadn’t seen my family. It was absolutely brutal.”
Normally TV shows can reuse pre-existing tracks. Barton’s goal to compose an all-new score for Season 3 wore him down. He credits showrunner Terry Malalas with suggesting they...
Barton admits, however, that he painted himself, or composed himself rather, into a corner.
“We decided we were going to try to score all of it which meant writing seven hours of music,” Barton said during a panel for the CBS/Paramount+ series at Deadline’s Sound & Screen event. “I think about four hours in I was literally dead, absolutely. I was doing seven days weeks, 16-hour days, I hadn’t seen my family. It was absolutely brutal.”
Normally TV shows can reuse pre-existing tracks. Barton’s goal to compose an all-new score for Season 3 wore him down. He credits showrunner Terry Malalas with suggesting they...
- 5/11/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s fair to think that movie music is usually at its best when you don’t notice it playing in the background. The better composers know they shouldn’t overpower a scene; they enhance it. Yet there are times when the music should catch enough of our notice that it gives us hints about what’s going on, or what’s to come, mixing with the movie to turn a big moment into something even more memorable. This often overlaps with the use of leitmotif, a signature theme that associates itself with an individual or a recurrent situation, like the way John Williams’ “Imperial March” tells us Darth Vader is here, or that the Empire is up to something dreadful.
Music is too important a tool for filmmakers to ignore, even if the audience can. The right score can make a movie iconic, and the right leitmotif will make a character immortal.
Music is too important a tool for filmmakers to ignore, even if the audience can. The right score can make a movie iconic, and the right leitmotif will make a character immortal.
- 3/24/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Forrest Gump is Andrew Scott Bell’s origin story, in a manner of speaking. When his parents bought the two-disc soundtrack, packed with cuts from Bob Dylan and Creedence Clearwater Revival, he gravitated most to the final track, “Forrest Gump Suite,” by composer Alan Silvestri, who is also known for What Lies Beneath, Castaway, and Avengers: Infinity War, among countless other works.
“I remember hearing the track and lightning sparks going off in my brain,” he tells Bloody Disgusting. So, he listened to it over and over again until he learned how to play it on piano. “I’ll never forget how to play it,” he adds.
From upstate New York, Bell grew up in a very religious home. Being a “weird queer kid,” he found himself taking dance, ballet, and piano lessons. “When I was very young, I landed on art and drawing, and I was really into that.
“I remember hearing the track and lightning sparks going off in my brain,” he tells Bloody Disgusting. So, he listened to it over and over again until he learned how to play it on piano. “I’ll never forget how to play it,” he adds.
From upstate New York, Bell grew up in a very religious home. Being a “weird queer kid,” he found himself taking dance, ballet, and piano lessons. “When I was very young, I landed on art and drawing, and I was really into that.
- 2/16/2023
- by Bee Delores
- bloody-disgusting.com
What is it about the game of golf that makes good cinema? We can barely keep our eyes open during the PGA Tour. Its tranquil vibes are more relaxing than a glass of warm milk. And we can't name but a handful of players: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, er... Is there a famous "Dave" in there? Still, we could pop in and enjoy at least a dozen films about the sport at a moment's notice on a lazy Saturday afternoon. There's something majestic about the luscious greens, the stillness of the crowd, the whispered play-by-play, and the distant thwack of a ball that translates to the big screen.
Or maybe it's the class struggle, as golf is seen as a gentleman's sport designed for the wealthy. A round of golf at Pebble Beach will set you back nearly 600! Or perhaps we're intoxicated by the psychology of the game,...
Or maybe it's the class struggle, as golf is seen as a gentleman's sport designed for the wealthy. A round of golf at Pebble Beach will set you back nearly 600! Or perhaps we're intoxicated by the psychology of the game,...
- 2/14/2023
- by Jeff Ames
- Slash Film
In the event you need a good cry, director James Cameron invites you to relive the heartbreaking spectacle of "Titanic" on the big screen. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Academy Award-winning disaster drama has become so synonymous with the greatest movies ever made, and for good reason. It was a towering achievement, not unlike the Titanic itself. When you think of what Cameron was able to accomplish, it's an even more rewarding watch. There's plenty to praise, such as James Horner's emotional score, but the film's heartbreaking legacy can largely be attributed to Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.
"Titanic" was just as much a love story as it was a historical disaster epic, and the plight of its two young leads turned the film into a global phenomenon. It didn't matter how many times folks parodied the "I'm Flying" or "draw me like one of your French...
"Titanic" was just as much a love story as it was a historical disaster epic, and the plight of its two young leads turned the film into a global phenomenon. It didn't matter how many times folks parodied the "I'm Flying" or "draw me like one of your French...
- 2/10/2023
- by Matthew Bilodeau
- Slash Film
Avatar: The Way of Water — which this week crossed the 2 billion mark at the worldwide box office and is now the sixth highest-grossing movie in history — earned a best picture Oscar nomination this morning, as well as noms for its production design, sound and visual effects.
But James Cameron, who has now directed three of the six highest-grossing movies ever — his 2009 Avatar sits at the top of that chart — was passed over in the directing competition for his groundbreaking film for the 2023 Oscar nominations. (The movie also missed an editing nomination; Cameron edited the movie, along with Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, and the late David Brenner, who died in early 2022).
In this year’s best picture race, Cameron and producer Jon Landau (who together won best picture for Titanic, for which Cameron also claimed the directing trophy) are nominated alongside the producers of All Quiet on the Western Front, The Banshees of Inisherin,...
But James Cameron, who has now directed three of the six highest-grossing movies ever — his 2009 Avatar sits at the top of that chart — was passed over in the directing competition for his groundbreaking film for the 2023 Oscar nominations. (The movie also missed an editing nomination; Cameron edited the movie, along with Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, and the late David Brenner, who died in early 2022).
In this year’s best picture race, Cameron and producer Jon Landau (who together won best picture for Titanic, for which Cameron also claimed the directing trophy) are nominated alongside the producers of All Quiet on the Western Front, The Banshees of Inisherin,...
- 1/24/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“First of all, I’m astonished,” Simon Franglen reveals about the mega-success of Disney’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” at the box office and with awards groups, where it’s one of the 15 films on the Oscar shortlist for Best Score. The composer and co-writer of “Nothing is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” adds, “I’ve been working on this for five years, so there’s a sense of relief as well. There were 3,800 people working on this film. For my team, I had a 105-piece orchestra, which we recorded in Los Angeles. There’s three hours of finished score in this film and close to five hours that I actually finished because of editing and revisions. I’m so just relieved that people are liking the film. It’s hugely satisfying. I’m astonished by the millions of people that are listening to the soundtrack — it really just flabbergasts me.
- 1/13/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Lizzo is one with the Way of Water.
On her TikTok account, the singer showed her love for the “Avatar” franchise and the world of Pandora by turning herself blue with a Na’vi filter.
Read More: James Cameron Announces ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Will ‘Easily’ Break Even And He’s ‘Gonna Have To Do These Other Sequels’
In the video, Lizzo is seen all blue, hanging out in the water, while pitching the director on a sequel appearance with the caption, “Tell James Cameron I’m ready…”
@lizzo
Replying to @g6brie1 tell James Cameron I’m ready…
♬ Becoming one of “The People” Becoming one with Neytiri – James Horner
In another video, Lizzo used the filter side-by-side with footage of one of the Na’vi in “Avatar: The Way of Water”.
@lizzo
#duet with @lizzo yes i saved this video.. uploaded it private…then duetted myself…
♬ original sound...
On her TikTok account, the singer showed her love for the “Avatar” franchise and the world of Pandora by turning herself blue with a Na’vi filter.
Read More: James Cameron Announces ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Will ‘Easily’ Break Even And He’s ‘Gonna Have To Do These Other Sequels’
In the video, Lizzo is seen all blue, hanging out in the water, while pitching the director on a sequel appearance with the caption, “Tell James Cameron I’m ready…”
@lizzo
Replying to @g6brie1 tell James Cameron I’m ready…
♬ Becoming one of “The People” Becoming one with Neytiri – James Horner
In another video, Lizzo used the filter side-by-side with footage of one of the Na’vi in “Avatar: The Way of Water”.
@lizzo
#duet with @lizzo yes i saved this video.. uploaded it private…then duetted myself…
♬ original sound...
- 1/11/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The TV Series: "The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police"
Where You Can Stream It: Tubi
The Pitch: It all started with "Fish Police." Fans of 1990s cult television may recall "Fish Police" as one of the stranger, failed animated shows of its era. In 1985, comic book artist Steve Moncuse created an unusual sendup of film noir, set underwater and populated entirely by anthropomorphic sea creatures; think "Law & Order: Bikini Bottom." The comic book was enough of an underground hit to eventually warrant a high-profile TV adaptation in 1992, produced by Hanna-Barbera Studios, and starring John Ritter, Tim Curry, Buddy Hackett, Héctor Elizondo, and Ed Asner. The show's theme was written by James Horner, whose work has been attached to countless movies...
The TV Series: "The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police"
Where You Can Stream It: Tubi
The Pitch: It all started with "Fish Police." Fans of 1990s cult television may recall "Fish Police" as one of the stranger, failed animated shows of its era. In 1985, comic book artist Steve Moncuse created an unusual sendup of film noir, set underwater and populated entirely by anthropomorphic sea creatures; think "Law & Order: Bikini Bottom." The comic book was enough of an underground hit to eventually warrant a high-profile TV adaptation in 1992, produced by Hanna-Barbera Studios, and starring John Ritter, Tim Curry, Buddy Hackett, Héctor Elizondo, and Ed Asner. The show's theme was written by James Horner, whose work has been attached to countless movies...
- 1/6/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
James Cameron's "Avatar: The Way of Water" is over three hours long. That's more than 190 minutes of screen time in which every frame of every second demands a high fidelity of CGI. It also requires music because movies are eerie without an underscore to inform the emotional current. For Cameron's first excursion into Pandora, James Horner composed. With prior credits such as "Braveheart" and Cameron's own "Titanic," Horner's involvement was practically guaranteed. Unfortunately, Horner lost his life in a tragic plane crash back in 2015, making any further work on the "Avatar" series impossible.
In his stead, Simon Franglen became the composer of "The Way of Water." Franglen, too, shares a long history of musical employment with Cameron, including "Titanic" and the first "Avatar." Taking over a project from another artist is difficult at the best of times, but few things are trickier to balance than continuing the work of a late,...
In his stead, Simon Franglen became the composer of "The Way of Water." Franglen, too, shares a long history of musical employment with Cameron, including "Titanic" and the first "Avatar." Taking over a project from another artist is difficult at the best of times, but few things are trickier to balance than continuing the work of a late,...
- 12/28/2022
- by Cameron Roy Hall
- Slash Film
Before "Avatar: The Way of Water," composer Simon Franglen was intimately familiar with the "Avatar" universe. Franglen collaborated with the late, great James Horner on the first film and composed music for Walt Disney World's Avatar theme park land. With "Avatar: The Way of Water," the composer expands the musical landscape of Pandora while also honoring the work of Horner, whose scores for "Titanic" and several other films were produced by Franglen.
For James Cameron's sequel, the composer brought in musicians and instruments from all over the world to continue to define Pandora and its characters. It's a sweeping score that's as majestic as the images, both familiar and otherworldly. It's "relentless," as Franglen puts it -- just the way Cameron wanted it. The composer's career outside of "Avatar" is another epic story for another day, but he's worked with the likes of Pink Floyd, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston,...
For James Cameron's sequel, the composer brought in musicians and instruments from all over the world to continue to define Pandora and its characters. It's a sweeping score that's as majestic as the images, both familiar and otherworldly. It's "relentless," as Franglen puts it -- just the way Cameron wanted it. The composer's career outside of "Avatar" is another epic story for another day, but he's worked with the likes of Pink Floyd, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston,...
- 12/27/2022
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
This interview with “Avatar: The Way of Water” composer Simon Franglen first appeared in a special section of the Below-the-Line issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
Composer Simon Franglen had worked on the first “Avatar” on what he called “the non-orchestral side: the glowing textures, the synthetic stuff, the rhythms.” So when his close friend and original “Avatar” composer James Horner died in a plane crash in 2015, Lightstorm asked Franglen to write music for the Disney theme park attraction Pandora—The World of Avatar. He then began work on “The Way of Water” by coming up with a Na’vi-language song to fit a line at the beginning of the script: “Neytiri sings the song cord.”
“The idea is that you have a string of beads and you trace the history of your family almost like a rosary as you sing,” the British composer said. Cameron liked what he heard,...
Composer Simon Franglen had worked on the first “Avatar” on what he called “the non-orchestral side: the glowing textures, the synthetic stuff, the rhythms.” So when his close friend and original “Avatar” composer James Horner died in a plane crash in 2015, Lightstorm asked Franglen to write music for the Disney theme park attraction Pandora—The World of Avatar. He then began work on “The Way of Water” by coming up with a Na’vi-language song to fit a line at the beginning of the script: “Neytiri sings the song cord.”
“The idea is that you have a string of beads and you trace the history of your family almost like a rosary as you sing,” the British composer said. Cameron liked what he heard,...
- 12/26/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
“I hope James is looking down on me and he approves of what I’ve done,” confesses Simon Franglen, referring to the late composer James Horner. The pair collaborated on the first “Avatar” film, but Franglen has assumed scoring duties for “Avatar: The Way of Water” after Horner’s passing in 2015. The opening segment of the sequel beautifully honors Horner’s original themes, but as the movie transitions to its seaside destination, he charts a new path with his music. One steeped in indigenous music and traditions, which bring the new location and Na’vi tribe to life. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
See Deborah L. Scott interview: ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ costume designer
When James Cameron shared the scripts for his intended “Avatar” sequels with Franglen, the composer was struck by a few words on page one: “Neytiri sings The Songchord.” This original song would become a core ingredient for his score.
See Deborah L. Scott interview: ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ costume designer
When James Cameron shared the scripts for his intended “Avatar” sequels with Franglen, the composer was struck by a few words on page one: “Neytiri sings The Songchord.” This original song would become a core ingredient for his score.
- 12/20/2022
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
The recently released James Cameron sci-fi movie ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ has unleashed a storm on the global box-office. Now, Hollywood Records is excited to announce the release of Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) now available on all streaming platforms. Featuring music by Grammy® Award-winning composer Simon Franglen.
The 22-track soundtrack also exclusively includes the original song “Nothing is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” written and performed by The Weeknd and produced by Swedish House Mafia along with Simon Franglen. Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will also be available on vinyl in early 2023.
Additionally, Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Score) will release Tuesday, December 20th and will include 11 additional score cues from the film not available on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Franglen, who worked with composer James Horner on the original “Avatar” film, picked up where Horner left off...
The 22-track soundtrack also exclusively includes the original song “Nothing is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” written and performed by The Weeknd and produced by Swedish House Mafia along with Simon Franglen. Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will also be available on vinyl in early 2023.
Additionally, Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Score) will release Tuesday, December 20th and will include 11 additional score cues from the film not available on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Franglen, who worked with composer James Horner on the original “Avatar” film, picked up where Horner left off...
- 12/19/2022
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
December 15, 2022 – Hollywood Records/Universal Music Canada is excited to announce the release of Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) now available on all streaming platforms (Listen Here). Featuring music by Grammy® Award-winning composer Simon Franglen, the 22-track soundtrack also exclusively includes the original song “Nothing is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” written and performed by The Weeknd, and produced by Swedish House Mafia along with Simon Franglen. Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will also be available on vinyl in early 2023, pre-order link Here.
Additionally, Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Score) will release Tuesday, December 20th and will include 11 additional score cues from the film not available on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Franglen, who worked with composer James Horner on the original Avatar film, picked up where Horner left off following his tragic death in 2015, spending a large portion of the last...
Additionally, Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Score) will release Tuesday, December 20th and will include 11 additional score cues from the film not available on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Franglen, who worked with composer James Horner on the original Avatar film, picked up where Horner left off following his tragic death in 2015, spending a large portion of the last...
- 12/15/2022
- by Music Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
Composer Bear McCreary discusses a few of his favorite movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wolf Man (1941) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Wolf Man movie power rankings
Host (2020)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
Robot Monster (1953) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary
Cat-Women Of The Moon (1953)
The Man With The Golden Arm (1955) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
The Ten Commandments (1956) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary
The Swarm (1978) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Batman (1989)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003) – Mike Schlesinger’s trailer commentary
Chinatown (1974) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary
The Professor And The Madman (2019)
Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Do The Right Thing (1989) – Allan Arkush...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wolf Man (1941) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Wolf Man movie power rankings
Host (2020)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
Robot Monster (1953) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary
Cat-Women Of The Moon (1953)
The Man With The Golden Arm (1955) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
The Ten Commandments (1956) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary
The Swarm (1978) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Batman (1989)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003) – Mike Schlesinger’s trailer commentary
Chinatown (1974) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary
The Professor And The Madman (2019)
Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Do The Right Thing (1989) – Allan Arkush...
- 12/6/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Universal’s upcoming “Super Mario Bros” super-jumped to the top of Variety’s Trending Movies chart, presented by Samsung, for the week of Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, earning more than 132,000 engagements on Twitter.
The film hits theaters on April 7 next year, but has been stirring up controversy and excitement online for months, mainly for the nostalgic play but also because Chris Pratt voices the title character — a casting that hasn’t sat well with everyone in the industry.
This past week the film took over Twitter conversations thanks to the second trailer drop on Nov. 29, which introduced Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. The main topic of conversation, though, continued to be whether Pratt was the right choice to voice Mario, a debate only fueled by how few words the character has said over the first two trailer drops to date.
The film hits theaters on April 7 next year, but has been stirring up controversy and excitement online for months, mainly for the nostalgic play but also because Chris Pratt voices the title character — a casting that hasn’t sat well with everyone in the industry.
This past week the film took over Twitter conversations thanks to the second trailer drop on Nov. 29, which introduced Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. The main topic of conversation, though, continued to be whether Pratt was the right choice to voice Mario, a debate only fueled by how few words the character has said over the first two trailer drops to date.
- 12/5/2022
- by Amber Dowling
- Variety Film + TV
Blinding Lights’ hitmaker The Weeknd has teased new music tied to the soundtrack for James Cameron’s much-anticipated sequel ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’.
The Canadian singer recently uploaded a short clip displaying the film’s logo and December 16 release date, reports ‘Variety’.
In the background, a choir can be heard, supported by a booming drum beat — reminiscent of the previous film’s grandiose James Horner score.
In response, the film’s official account retweeted the post and uploaded a clip of the account following the Weeknd on Twitter.
Jon Landau, the film’s producer, followed suit, posting a clip of the two together with the caption: “As the Na’vi (the fictional language of the film) say, ‘Zola’u niprrte’ soaiane Avatar’a Welcome to the Avatar family (sic).”
According to ‘Variety’, it remains unclear what the extent of the Weeknd’s involvement will be in the film or the soundtrack.
The Canadian singer recently uploaded a short clip displaying the film’s logo and December 16 release date, reports ‘Variety’.
In the background, a choir can be heard, supported by a booming drum beat — reminiscent of the previous film’s grandiose James Horner score.
In response, the film’s official account retweeted the post and uploaded a clip of the account following the Weeknd on Twitter.
Jon Landau, the film’s producer, followed suit, posting a clip of the two together with the caption: “As the Na’vi (the fictional language of the film) say, ‘Zola’u niprrte’ soaiane Avatar’a Welcome to the Avatar family (sic).”
According to ‘Variety’, it remains unclear what the extent of the Weeknd’s involvement will be in the film or the soundtrack.
- 12/5/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
The Weeknd has teased new music tied to the soundtrack for James Cameron’s much-anticipated sequel “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
On Sunday morning, the Canadian singer uploaded a short clip displaying the film’s logo and Dec. 16 release date. In the background, a choir can be heard, supported by a booming drum beat — reminiscent of the previous film’s grandiose James Horner score.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by The Weeknd (@theweeknd)
In response, the film’s official account retweeted the post and uploaded a clip of the account following the Weeknd on Twitter. Jon Landau, the film’s producer, followed suit, posting a clip of the two together with the caption: “As the Na’vi [the fictional language of the film] say, ‘Zola’u nìprrte’ soaiane Avatar’… Welcome to the Avatar family.”
As the Na’vi say, “Zola'u nìprrte' soaiane Avatar”… Welcome to the Avatar family. pic.twitter.com/yc9no...
On Sunday morning, the Canadian singer uploaded a short clip displaying the film’s logo and Dec. 16 release date. In the background, a choir can be heard, supported by a booming drum beat — reminiscent of the previous film’s grandiose James Horner score.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by The Weeknd (@theweeknd)
In response, the film’s official account retweeted the post and uploaded a clip of the account following the Weeknd on Twitter. Jon Landau, the film’s producer, followed suit, posting a clip of the two together with the caption: “As the Na’vi [the fictional language of the film] say, ‘Zola’u nìprrte’ soaiane Avatar’… Welcome to the Avatar family.”
As the Na’vi say, “Zola'u nìprrte' soaiane Avatar”… Welcome to the Avatar family. pic.twitter.com/yc9no...
- 12/4/2022
- by Thania Garcia
- Variety Film + TV
Plot: The Nelwyn sorcerer returns, years after rescuing the infant empress Elora Danan, to lead a group of misfit heroes on a harrowing rescue mission through a world beyond imagination.
Review: Of all the sequels and continuations that I have wanted, few ranks as high on my list as Willow. As an eight-year-old, I saw Willow on the big screen based purely on being from the imagination of George Lucas. I was unprepared for the sword and sorcery and dark fantasy about to unfold on a scale I had not seen on the big screen before. Ron Howard’s epic direction, James Horner’s immortal score, and the performances of Warwick Davis, Joanne Whalley, and Val Kilmer had me absolutely blown away. Like Star Wars, for over twenty years I have been stuck with rumors of a possible sequel and only a trilogy of novels to take me back to the story of Willow,...
Review: Of all the sequels and continuations that I have wanted, few ranks as high on my list as Willow. As an eight-year-old, I saw Willow on the big screen based purely on being from the imagination of George Lucas. I was unprepared for the sword and sorcery and dark fantasy about to unfold on a scale I had not seen on the big screen before. Ron Howard’s epic direction, James Horner’s immortal score, and the performances of Warwick Davis, Joanne Whalley, and Val Kilmer had me absolutely blown away. Like Star Wars, for over twenty years I have been stuck with rumors of a possible sequel and only a trilogy of novels to take me back to the story of Willow,...
- 11/30/2022
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Click here to read the full article.
My new motto when approaching Disney+ originals is, “Look, they don’t all need to be Andor.”
It isn’t that Andor, which recently wrapped its first season, was necessarily the best Disney+ original, but it was the first Disney+ original to give the impression of doing something truly dangerous — or at least truly challenging — within the confines of the please-everybody media behemoth. Most Disney+ originals had tended to fold themselves in neatly with existing properties (even WandaVision was, at its heart, an overture for a big-screen Doctor Strange adventure) or to pander aggressively to fans of beloved titles, however mediocre. But Andor showed up and used its Star Wars framework for a serious-minded exploration of the banality of evil, the corrosive effects of capitalism and the encroachment of authoritarianism. It was off-brand and daring and not the sort of thing I’d...
My new motto when approaching Disney+ originals is, “Look, they don’t all need to be Andor.”
It isn’t that Andor, which recently wrapped its first season, was necessarily the best Disney+ original, but it was the first Disney+ original to give the impression of doing something truly dangerous — or at least truly challenging — within the confines of the please-everybody media behemoth. Most Disney+ originals had tended to fold themselves in neatly with existing properties (even WandaVision was, at its heart, an overture for a big-screen Doctor Strange adventure) or to pander aggressively to fans of beloved titles, however mediocre. But Andor showed up and used its Star Wars framework for a serious-minded exploration of the banality of evil, the corrosive effects of capitalism and the encroachment of authoritarianism. It was off-brand and daring and not the sort of thing I’d...
- 11/30/2022
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To the short list of ‘classic’ nuclear horror on Blu-ray we can now add the one that hits closest to home. Lynne Littman’s harrowing film stays small-scale and Big Emotion, enduring a slow extermination for an innocent family. A little California town loses contact with the rest of the world, and hope fades as the awful reality sinks in. Jane Alexander, Lukas Haas, and William Devane star in a TV movie so affecting that Paramount gave it a theatrical release. The disc has two commentaries and a selection of 20th anniversary features.
Testament
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 170
1983 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 90 min. / Street Date October 26, 2022 / Available from [Imprint] / au 34.95
Starring: Jane Alexander, William Devane, Ross Harris, Roxana Zal, Lukas Haas, Philip Anglim, Lilia Skala, Leon Ames, Lurene Tuttle, Rebecca De Mornay, Kevin Costner, Mako, Lila Kedrova.
Cinematography: Steven Poster
Production Designer: David Nichols
Art Director: Linda Pearl
Costume Design: Julie Weiss
Film...
Testament
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 170
1983 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 90 min. / Street Date October 26, 2022 / Available from [Imprint] / au 34.95
Starring: Jane Alexander, William Devane, Ross Harris, Roxana Zal, Lukas Haas, Philip Anglim, Lilia Skala, Leon Ames, Lurene Tuttle, Rebecca De Mornay, Kevin Costner, Mako, Lila Kedrova.
Cinematography: Steven Poster
Production Designer: David Nichols
Art Director: Linda Pearl
Costume Design: Julie Weiss
Film...
- 11/29/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The 2022 /Film Holiday Gift Guide should have you stocked up on shopping idea for movies, TV shows, and books. But those aren't the only items that pop culture fanatics are hoarding these days.
Vinyl albums have become all the rage again, and that includes bringing the rich sounds of films and TV shows to your ears. Whether they're soundtracks from the latest movies, beloved favorites from yesteryear, or cult classics, we've got a collection of vinyl soundtracks that are ready to spin. And that's not all.
Every cinephile and television lover should have their walls adorned with glorious art paying tribute to their favorite movies and TV shows. We've put together an assortment of cool artwork that is worthy of framing in your house. And it just might make the rest of your friends jealous.
So let's dig into Part 4 of the /Film Holiday Gift Guide, which is filled with vinyl soundtracks and artwork!
Vinyl albums have become all the rage again, and that includes bringing the rich sounds of films and TV shows to your ears. Whether they're soundtracks from the latest movies, beloved favorites from yesteryear, or cult classics, we've got a collection of vinyl soundtracks that are ready to spin. And that's not all.
Every cinephile and television lover should have their walls adorned with glorious art paying tribute to their favorite movies and TV shows. We've put together an assortment of cool artwork that is worthy of framing in your house. And it just might make the rest of your friends jealous.
So let's dig into Part 4 of the /Film Holiday Gift Guide, which is filled with vinyl soundtracks and artwork!
- 11/24/2022
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Henry Jackman would make for a great music professor. During an hour-long Zoom call, when you throw out an idea or question at the composer, he would run with it until sundown. In our recent conversation, no stone was left unturned by Jackman, the composer behind Disney's latest animated film, "Strange World." For this sci-fi family film, he wanted a rousing, old-school adventure sound that calls to mind the work of titans like John Williams and James Horner.
To do that, Jackman had to create a sense of familiarity but also otherworldliness. It's not the first time he's had to pull off that musical balancing act in his work, which includes "Big Hero 6," "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," "Kong: Skull Island," and the "Kingsman" movies, to name a few. Recently, Jackman was kind enough to talk to us about some of his past and present work, as well as...
To do that, Jackman had to create a sense of familiarity but also otherworldliness. It's not the first time he's had to pull off that musical balancing act in his work, which includes "Big Hero 6," "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," "Kong: Skull Island," and the "Kingsman" movies, to name a few. Recently, Jackman was kind enough to talk to us about some of his past and present work, as well as...
- 11/23/2022
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
Thirteen years ago, composer Simon Franglen worked with James Cameron and composer James Horner on “Avatar.”
But Horner’s 2015 death left a big hole for the music team to fill for the upcoming sequel “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
“In the gaping absence that Horner left, we kept the core of his ‘Avatar’ music team together, completing James’ work on Dis- ney’s Pandora — The World of Avatar [themed area Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom] and so, I was more than ready in late 2017 when Jim [Cameron] asked me to read the scripts for the sequels,” Franglen says.
Bringing the composer into the production early allowed the score to evolve with the films. “One of the unexpected delights was being able to design unique Pandoran musical instruments for the film, then having the prop department bring them into reality,” he says.
Family is very much the heart of the movie and the heart of the score. “Avatar: The Way of Water...
But Horner’s 2015 death left a big hole for the music team to fill for the upcoming sequel “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
“In the gaping absence that Horner left, we kept the core of his ‘Avatar’ music team together, completing James’ work on Dis- ney’s Pandora — The World of Avatar [themed area Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom] and so, I was more than ready in late 2017 when Jim [Cameron] asked me to read the scripts for the sequels,” Franglen says.
Bringing the composer into the production early allowed the score to evolve with the films. “One of the unexpected delights was being able to design unique Pandoran musical instruments for the film, then having the prop department bring them into reality,” he says.
Family is very much the heart of the movie and the heart of the score. “Avatar: The Way of Water...
- 11/9/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
No matter how zoomed-out the view, you can only fit so many mountain ranges, so many massive armies, and so many dirty hobbit fingernails into a single frame. In Middle Earth, it’s the musical score that can always go further, capturing emotion, character turmoil, and the awe and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world in a way that (sometimes literally) echoes far beyond what we can see. The way music works with the image often makes the best scenes out of Tolkien’s stories feel as rousingly epic as they do and why, in both the Peter Jackson film trilogy and Prime Video’s new television series, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” scenes that are just bits of landscape catching on fire (or flooding and catching on fire) pack such a punch.
The Amazon show posed the same challenge to showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne...
The Amazon show posed the same challenge to showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne...
- 10/2/2022
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
Great film scores are inseparable from the movies they were made for. Who can think of "Jaws" without John Williams' famously dread-inducing two-note theme springing to mind? Or imagine "Psycho" absent Bernard Herrmann's screeching violin? And what better way to get yourself hyped up to perform even the most unremarkable of tasks than by listening to Howard Shore's grandiose leitmotifs for the "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy?
Shore's music for Peter Jackson's J.R.R. Tolkien adaptation runs the gamut in terms of tone and emotion; from the cozy, comforting vibes of "Concerning Hobbits" to the bombast and bravado of "The Bridge of Khazad-dûm," the terror of "The Passage of the Marshes" and "Shelob's Lair," and, of course, the gentle heartbreak of "The Grey Havens." Like everything else in Jackson's movies, however, its score could have gone in a very different direction. Indeed, prior to hiring Shore,...
Shore's music for Peter Jackson's J.R.R. Tolkien adaptation runs the gamut in terms of tone and emotion; from the cozy, comforting vibes of "Concerning Hobbits" to the bombast and bravado of "The Bridge of Khazad-dûm," the terror of "The Passage of the Marshes" and "Shelob's Lair," and, of course, the gentle heartbreak of "The Grey Havens." Like everything else in Jackson's movies, however, its score could have gone in a very different direction. Indeed, prior to hiring Shore,...
- 9/2/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Composer Michael Giacchino is one of the hardest working people in Hollywood today. In 2022 alone, he is the credited composer on not only "Lightyear," but "The Batman," "Jurassic World Dominion," and the upcoming "Thor: Love and Thunder." This was after deftly handling the musical juggling act of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which incorporated Danny Elfman's, James Horner's, and Hans Zimmer's "Spider-Man" themes into his own. He has scored myriad other high-profile films besides, including superhero films, more than one "Mission: Impossible," "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" movies, and multiple Pixar projects. Giacchino is masterful at making emotional scores that sink comfortably...
The post Lightyear Composer Michael Giacchino On the Unique Challenges of Making Music During Lockdown [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
The post Lightyear Composer Michael Giacchino On the Unique Challenges of Making Music During Lockdown [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 6/13/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Jennifer Connelly is flying high these days on the big screen, both literally and figuratively. Starring opposite Tom Cruise in one of his signature roles, Connelly is the second lead in Top Gun: Maverick, a film which just shattered the Memorial Day box office record with a 160 million haul. The film also features an astonishing flying sequence in which Cruise takes Connelly up in what appears to be a World War II-era single-engine plane.
When we sat down with the Oscar winner last month, she told us that really was her up there in the clouds with Cruise at the controls. It was an extraordinary moment for Connelly, but not her first in a movie about pilots and their daredevil ways. Indeed, for audience members of a certain age, one of their first memories of Connelly may very well be her starring role in Disney’s cult classic, The Rocketeer.
When we sat down with the Oscar winner last month, she told us that really was her up there in the clouds with Cruise at the controls. It was an extraordinary moment for Connelly, but not her first in a movie about pilots and their daredevil ways. Indeed, for audience members of a certain age, one of their first memories of Connelly may very well be her starring role in Disney’s cult classic, The Rocketeer.
- 6/1/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Lucasfilm and Disney+ unveiled the teaser trailer for the live-action fantasy adventure series, Willow, the followup to Ron Howard's 1988 classic film. Obviously you'd have to be of a certain vintage to appreciate the 1988 film. Not an enormous success at the box office its fans have remained devoted to it over the years, keeping the dream alive on home video until streamers have kept it in rotation. We will have to see more before giving any further reaction to what the teaser shows us today. It was nice to hear that bit of James Horner's original score brought back for it though. Ah, memories. Willow will premiere on Disney+ on November 30th. Disney+ unveiled the teaser trailer for Lucasfilm and...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 5/26/2022
- Screen Anarchy
As the Nelwyns joyously cried 34 years ago, "Willow's back! Willow! Willow!" Disney's Lucasfilm finally did it. They made a sequel to Ron Howard's cult 1988 fantasy film, bringing back Warwick Davis, now 52, as the now-sorcerer Willow Ufgood in a Disney+ series, whose first teaser trailer and images were released May 26 online and at the Lucasfilm studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, Calif. And speaking of shedding all the tears, the video begins with a slowed down version of late composer James Horner's iconic Willow movie theme and shows our hero, now older and known as the savior of royal baby Elora Danan, being recruited for a new...
- 5/26/2022
- E! Online
“Star Trek” has always been known for its progressive casting on screen. But over seven live-action series and 13 movies dating back more than half a century, the science-fiction franchise has never had a woman composer – until now.
Nami Melumad, who has been scoring the animated “Star Trek: Prodigy,” has stepped up a notch and is scoring weekly episodes of “Strange New Worlds,” the new Paramount Plus series that chronicles the voyages of the pre-Captain Kirk Enterprise.
“It’s been a very busy few months,” says the Israeli-born composer, who has been writing an average of 45 minutes of music per episode of “Strange New Worlds” and is now on her 14th episode of “Prodigy” for Nickelodeon.
Melumad’s “Star Trek” adventures actually began on “Short Treks,” the 10-part series of shorts exploring various aspects of the “Trek” universe. She scored “Q&a,” the 2019 episode that featured Anson Mount as Christopher Pike,...
Nami Melumad, who has been scoring the animated “Star Trek: Prodigy,” has stepped up a notch and is scoring weekly episodes of “Strange New Worlds,” the new Paramount Plus series that chronicles the voyages of the pre-Captain Kirk Enterprise.
“It’s been a very busy few months,” says the Israeli-born composer, who has been writing an average of 45 minutes of music per episode of “Strange New Worlds” and is now on her 14th episode of “Prodigy” for Nickelodeon.
Melumad’s “Star Trek” adventures actually began on “Short Treks,” the 10-part series of shorts exploring various aspects of the “Trek” universe. She scored “Q&a,” the 2019 episode that featured Anson Mount as Christopher Pike,...
- 5/17/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
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