John Frankenheimer’s 52 Pick-Up is one of the better of the willfully decadent American thrillers from the 1980s that are preoccupied with drugs, guns, strippers, prostitutes, money, and the men who kill each other attempting to obtain them. Though this film isn’t generally mentioned in discussions of the adaptations of Elmore Leonard’s work, the crime master’s imprint is felt on the scenes that routinely threaten to elevate 52 Pick-Up from a sleazy, well-paced time-killer to an authentically good movie. Leonard’s sense of humor is under-emphasized, but his satirical notion of crime as a business beholden to the same petty political trivialities as more “legitimate” enterprises is explicitly accounted for.
When self-made industrialist Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) is blackmailed by a couple of vicious hoods, he remains unflappable while amusingly entering into negotiations with them over the terms of his exploitation. Though this is never fully acknowledged in Frankenheimer’s film,...
When self-made industrialist Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) is blackmailed by a couple of vicious hoods, he remains unflappable while amusingly entering into negotiations with them over the terms of his exploitation. Though this is never fully acknowledged in Frankenheimer’s film,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Chuck Bowen
- Slant Magazine
Home video label Vinegar Syndrome just launched their Flash Pre-Order for Halfway to Black Friday 2023, and included in the mix are several brand new horror releases.
The Flash Pre-Order runs now until 11:59 Pm, Est on Sunday and it includes Six new releases, including horror films A Blade in the Dark (1983) and The Boogeyman (1980).
Here’s the full rundown, straight from Vinegar Syndrome…
“We couldn’t be more excited to kick off this Pre-Order with the reveal of our next Vsu, Paul Verhoeven’s incredible Showgirls (1995), which makes its US 4K Uhd debut, exclusively restored by Vinegar Syndrome, with no digital tinkering or smoothing plaguing cinematographer Jost Vacano’s stunning visuals.
“On the “regular” Vs side, we’re elated to at long last offer Lamberto Bava’s giallo masterpiece, A Blade In The Dark (1983), newly and exclusively restored by Vs, in 4K from its Super 16mm original negative, and available...
The Flash Pre-Order runs now until 11:59 Pm, Est on Sunday and it includes Six new releases, including horror films A Blade in the Dark (1983) and The Boogeyman (1980).
Here’s the full rundown, straight from Vinegar Syndrome…
“We couldn’t be more excited to kick off this Pre-Order with the reveal of our next Vsu, Paul Verhoeven’s incredible Showgirls (1995), which makes its US 4K Uhd debut, exclusively restored by Vinegar Syndrome, with no digital tinkering or smoothing plaguing cinematographer Jost Vacano’s stunning visuals.
“On the “regular” Vs side, we’re elated to at long last offer Lamberto Bava’s giallo masterpiece, A Blade In The Dark (1983), newly and exclusively restored by Vs, in 4K from its Super 16mm original negative, and available...
- 3/24/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Paul Verhoeven's 1997 war satire "Starship Troopers" was initially greeted with skepticism from audiences and critics alike. Set in a distant future where humanity is engaged in a seemingly permanent war with outsize intelligent insects, Verhoeven made extensive use of clear-throated, pro-military propaganda and clothed his all-too-attractive cast in Nazi-like regalia. With its glorified violence and deliberately idiotic bluster, "Starship Troopers" was very clearly meant to read as a parody of actual fascist filmmaking as seen in Nazi films like Leni Riefenstahl's 1935 film "The Triumph of the Will" and her 1938 film "Olympia." Despite its satirical tone, some critics described "Troopers" as being aggressively pro-fascist, and accused Verhoeven of selling the very military mindset he worked so hard to eschew.
Although the film would go on to make over 120 million at the box office, "Starship Troopers" was considered something of a "lesser" film in 1997, and wasn't held in very high regard.
Although the film would go on to make over 120 million at the box office, "Starship Troopers" was considered something of a "lesser" film in 1997, and wasn't held in very high regard.
- 12/3/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Submarine films were a cliché-ridden subgenre when Wolfgang Petersen's "Das Boot" surfaced in 1981 and shattered our conventional notions of what it's like to serve during wartime in a tin can beneath the surface of the ocean. It is, in short, a sweaty, stinky hell. Films like "On the Beach," "The Enemy Below" and "Run Silent, Run Deep" envisaged a spacious, camera-accommodating environment where the characters had to give voice to their characters' cooped-up anxiety. In general, life on a submarine seemed like a rare adventure. The post-apocalyptic bleakness of "On the Beach" aside, these might as well have been recruiting films.
"Das Boot" plunges us into a cramped, frantic environment where the crew scramble through tight quarters like the occupants of an ant farm. Every sailor serves a purpose, and they observe an absurd, yet necessary chain of command as they bustle past one another. Even though this is World War II,...
"Das Boot" plunges us into a cramped, frantic environment where the crew scramble through tight quarters like the occupants of an ant farm. Every sailor serves a purpose, and they observe an absurd, yet necessary chain of command as they bustle past one another. Even though this is World War II,...
- 8/16/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
Wolfgang Petersen, the German writer-director who surfaced in Hollywood following the triumph of his submarine masterpiece Das Boot to make the action blockbusters In the Line of Fire, Air Force One and The Perfect Storm, has died. He was 81.
Petersen died Friday at his Brentwood home of pancreatic cancer, publicist Michelle Bega of Rogers & Cowan Pmk told The Hollywood Reporter.
Petersen will be remembered as one of cinema’s great craftsmen, a director who was able to handle big-budget pieces while deploying a human touch.
The Dustin Hoffman-starring Outbreak, his 1995 thriller about a pandemic, saw renewed relevance amid the real-world coronavirus outbreak.
Petersen spent 18.5 million — then the biggest movie budget in German history — to make the antiwar classic Das Boot (1981). Several submarines of different sizes, including one that mimicked the claustrophobic innards of a real U-96, were constructed, and filming took a year,...
Wolfgang Petersen, the German writer-director who surfaced in Hollywood following the triumph of his submarine masterpiece Das Boot to make the action blockbusters In the Line of Fire, Air Force One and The Perfect Storm, has died. He was 81.
Petersen died Friday at his Brentwood home of pancreatic cancer, publicist Michelle Bega of Rogers & Cowan Pmk told The Hollywood Reporter.
Petersen will be remembered as one of cinema’s great craftsmen, a director who was able to handle big-budget pieces while deploying a human touch.
The Dustin Hoffman-starring Outbreak, his 1995 thriller about a pandemic, saw renewed relevance amid the real-world coronavirus outbreak.
Petersen spent 18.5 million — then the biggest movie budget in German history — to make the antiwar classic Das Boot (1981). Several submarines of different sizes, including one that mimicked the claustrophobic innards of a real U-96, were constructed, and filming took a year,...
- 8/16/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
On July 17, 1987, director Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop hit theaters. The Orion Pictures sci-fi actioner went on to gross 53 million that summer and launched a franchise. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:
It’s 1991 and Detroit needs a new sheriff. Even a Magnum-shooting muscleman won’t do. Motown’s taken its murder capital reputation seriously, and things are now way out of control. Normal cops can’t handle it. The new gun brought to town is large, metal, computerized and impregnable … It’s part man/part machine and Robocop can wipe out all in its path.
Similarly, this well-crafted, science-fiction actioner should wipe up massive body counts at the box office for Orion. While those whose tastes don’t include the spectacle of large machines noisily blasting at each other are not likely to be enticed by Robocop, this shocked look at...
On July 17, 1987, director Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop hit theaters. The Orion Pictures sci-fi actioner went on to gross 53 million that summer and launched a franchise. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:
It’s 1991 and Detroit needs a new sheriff. Even a Magnum-shooting muscleman won’t do. Motown’s taken its murder capital reputation seriously, and things are now way out of control. Normal cops can’t handle it. The new gun brought to town is large, metal, computerized and impregnable … It’s part man/part machine and Robocop can wipe out all in its path.
Similarly, this well-crafted, science-fiction actioner should wipe up massive body counts at the box office for Orion. While those whose tastes don’t include the spectacle of large machines noisily blasting at each other are not likely to be enticed by Robocop, this shocked look at...
- 7/17/2022
- by Duane Byrge
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Arrow Video bumps yet another of its top special edition titles up to 4K Ultra HD, just for home theater enthusiasts after the best and brightest of big screen experiences. The movie looks better than ever, and although the unrated version still packs too much gore overkill for average viewers, we respect the Horror-Comic vibe it was meant to conjure. As sci-fi satire Robo still carries a big stick: Edward Neumeier’s anti-corporate, anti-privatization message comes through loud, clear, and profane.
RoboCop 4K
4K Ultra HD Steelbook
Arrow Video
1987 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date April 12, 2022 / Available from / 49.95
Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O’Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Robert DoQui, Ray Wise, Felton Perry, Paul McCrane.
Cinematography: Sol Negrin, Jost Vacano
Production Design: William Sandell
Special Effecs and Makeup: Rob Bottin, Peter Kuran, Rocco Gioffre, Phil Tippett, Harry Walton, Tom St. Amand, Robert Blalack
Film Editor: Frank J. Urioste...
RoboCop 4K
4K Ultra HD Steelbook
Arrow Video
1987 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date April 12, 2022 / Available from / 49.95
Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O’Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Robert DoQui, Ray Wise, Felton Perry, Paul McCrane.
Cinematography: Sol Negrin, Jost Vacano
Production Design: William Sandell
Special Effecs and Makeup: Rob Bottin, Peter Kuran, Rocco Gioffre, Phil Tippett, Harry Walton, Tom St. Amand, Robert Blalack
Film Editor: Frank J. Urioste...
- 3/22/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Life on the road and fantasy worlds held sway at the 29th edition of the EnergaCamerimage International Film Festival on Saturday, winning big after a week of scaled down but enthusiastic industry events, seminars and screenings celebrating cinematography.
“C’mon C’mon,” shot by Robbie Ryan and directed by Mike Mills, won this year’s Golden Frog. The film, which tells the story of a radio journalist driving between American cities with his nine-year-old nephew Jesse, enchanted jurors with its black-and-white imagery, one of several top contenders in monochrome.
Ryan, praised for his “precise and humble eye” and “cinema that touches the soul,” accepted via video from a film set in Hungary, calling “C’mon C’mon” a “small film,” made just prior to the Covid pandemic by a crew “traveling around like a circus.”
Buzz built early on during the fest for Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” shot by Bruno Delbonnel,...
“C’mon C’mon,” shot by Robbie Ryan and directed by Mike Mills, won this year’s Golden Frog. The film, which tells the story of a radio journalist driving between American cities with his nine-year-old nephew Jesse, enchanted jurors with its black-and-white imagery, one of several top contenders in monochrome.
Ryan, praised for his “precise and humble eye” and “cinema that touches the soul,” accepted via video from a film set in Hungary, calling “C’mon C’mon” a “small film,” made just prior to the Covid pandemic by a crew “traveling around like a circus.”
Buzz built early on during the fest for Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” shot by Bruno Delbonnel,...
- 11/20/2021
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
Jost Vacano, honored with a lifetime achievement award this year at the EnergaCamerimage cinematography fest, had his career breakthrough working with director Wolfgang Petersen on the 1981 hit film “Das Boot,” which signified a major success for German cinema. International critics praised the extraordinary innovations of Vacano’s filming, which faithfully recreated the claustrophobic confines of U-boat combat in World War II. To film in the tight, restricted spaces of a submarine, he developed a gyro-stabilized hand-held camera system, which allowed for high mobility – an innovation widely used today. For his “dynamic, disturbing cinematography” in “Das Boot” he was nominated for an Oscar in 1981, then worked with Petersen again on the cult fantasy “The Neverending Story” in 1984.
How do you feel about the directions filming has taken in recent years in terms of such lightweight 4K digital cameras? Is there still some magic to the analog film process that you can detect and prefer?...
How do you feel about the directions filming has taken in recent years in terms of such lightweight 4K digital cameras? Is there still some magic to the analog film process that you can detect and prefer?...
- 10/26/2021
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
One Shot is a series that seeks to find an essence of cinema history in one single image of a movie. Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has just discovered his uncanny ability to kill. After a series of efficient executions composed in canted close-ups, Paul Verhoeven cuts to a level, wide shot to survey the result of his protagonist’s killer instincts. Bodies lay, according to the rule of thirds, on a tile floor grid, and blood deliberately paints what would have been negative space on the canvas wall. Quaid fires the final round of a handgun, which conveniently finishes off his final assailant, and then finally comes to. This is the first action scene in Total Recall (1990), which either reveals that Quaid is a renegade secret agent who had his memory wiped by “the Agency,” which colonized Mars and commodified the oxygen supply of its original settlers, or a construction...
- 7/13/2021
- MUBI
German cinematographer Jost Vacano, who lensed Wolfgang Petersen’s 1981 film Das Boot, is set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s EnergaCamerimage cinematography film festival, which is currently slated to be held Nov. 13-20 in Toruń, Poland.
Vacano was Oscar nominated for Das Boot, for which he developed a gyro-stabilized camera system to capture the claustrophobic space in a submarine. He reteamed with Petersen on 1984’s Neverending Story.
The Dp also enjoyed a two-decade collaboration with Paul Verhoeven, which included creating a futuristic colony on Mars in Total Recall, dystopian Detroit in RoboCop, as well as Soldier of Orange, Starship Troopers, Spetters, Hollow Man and Showgirls.
Camerimage notes that Vacano ...
Vacano was Oscar nominated for Das Boot, for which he developed a gyro-stabilized camera system to capture the claustrophobic space in a submarine. He reteamed with Petersen on 1984’s Neverending Story.
The Dp also enjoyed a two-decade collaboration with Paul Verhoeven, which included creating a futuristic colony on Mars in Total Recall, dystopian Detroit in RoboCop, as well as Soldier of Orange, Starship Troopers, Spetters, Hollow Man and Showgirls.
Camerimage notes that Vacano ...
German cinematographer Jost Vacano, who lensed Wolfgang Petersen’s 1981 film Das Boot, is set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s EnergaCamerimage cinematography film festival, which is currently slated to be held Nov. 13-20 in Toruń, Poland.
Vacano was Oscar nominated for Das Boot, for which he developed a gyro-stabilized camera system to capture the claustrophobic space in a submarine. He reteamed with Petersen on 1984’s Neverending Story.
The Dp also enjoyed a two-decade collaboration with Paul Verhoeven, which included creating a futuristic colony on Mars in Total Recall, dystopian Detroit in RoboCop, as well as Soldier of Orange, Starship Troopers, Spetters, Hollow Man and Showgirls.
Camerimage notes that Vacano ...
Vacano was Oscar nominated for Das Boot, for which he developed a gyro-stabilized camera system to capture the claustrophobic space in a submarine. He reteamed with Petersen on 1984’s Neverending Story.
The Dp also enjoyed a two-decade collaboration with Paul Verhoeven, which included creating a futuristic colony on Mars in Total Recall, dystopian Detroit in RoboCop, as well as Soldier of Orange, Starship Troopers, Spetters, Hollow Man and Showgirls.
Camerimage notes that Vacano ...
As I dug into the brand new 4K release of Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall, it struck me that it had been nearly 15 years since I last sat down and watched it. And once it was over, I realized just how much of a mistake that was, because Total Recall is still a brutally fun and somewhat trippy experience that definitely ushered in a new era of heady sci-fi action films throughout the 1990s and also proved that, heading into a new decade, Arnold Schwarzenegger was still the tops when it came to headlining ambitious cinematic projects that went against the grain.
If you’re reading this, chances are you probably have a good idea of what Total Recall is all about, so I’ll keep this overview brief. Based on the Philip K. Dick short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale,” Total Recall transports us to the...
If you’re reading this, chances are you probably have a good idea of what Total Recall is all about, so I’ll keep this overview brief. Based on the Philip K. Dick short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale,” Total Recall transports us to the...
- 12/9/2020
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Extra-special extras adorn this stunning reissue of a modern sci-fi action classic. Paul Verhoeven’s sledgehammer of graphic-novel brutality and wicked political satire (courtesy of a Michael Miner-Ed Neumeier screenplay that should have won awards) hasn’t diminished one iota. We still feel like we’re being subjected to a shockingly ultra-violent entertainment from the future. Both versions are present, along with enough interview extras to make one feel personally involved in the production. Although later entries in the Robo franchise were marketed to children (we have the toys to prove it) this hard-action show expresses an adult-oriented rage against Reagan’s America. The filmmakers could have earned a lot more money making Robo un-political and kid-safe but instead chose to stay true to their radical concept.
Robocop
Blu-ray
Arrow Video Limited Edition Collector’s Set
1987 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date November 26, 2019 / Available from Arrow Academy
Starring: Peter Weller,...
Robocop
Blu-ray
Arrow Video Limited Edition Collector’s Set
1987 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date November 26, 2019 / Available from Arrow Academy
Starring: Peter Weller,...
- 11/19/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Munich high court this week has upheld an earlier decision to award Oscar-nominated cameraman Jost Vacano compensation for his work on Wolfgang Petersen's anti-war classic Das Boot.
The court said Vacano, 83, should be paid nearly $700,000 in additional compensation for his share of revenues earned by the movie during the period from 2002-2014. In addition, Vacano will receive a 2.25 percent share of all future Das Boot earnings.
Vacano, who enjoyed Hollywood success with director Paul Verhoeven, lensing films such as Robocop, Showgirls and Total Recall, was initially paid a flat fee of around €100,000 for his work...
The court said Vacano, 83, should be paid nearly $700,000 in additional compensation for his share of revenues earned by the movie during the period from 2002-2014. In addition, Vacano will receive a 2.25 percent share of all future Das Boot earnings.
Vacano, who enjoyed Hollywood success with director Paul Verhoeven, lensing films such as Robocop, Showgirls and Total Recall, was initially paid a flat fee of around €100,000 for his work...
- 12/22/2017
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Here’s how studios say they see it: Sure, we really want to hire women directors. But there’s almost no studio movie that isn’t big budget, and we can’t find women who have the experience necessary to handle the really big movies. (Never mind Colin Trevorrow. Or Marc Webb. Or Gareth Edwards. Or Jon Watts.)
Of course, that logic is a vicious cycle at best, but here’s a chance to break it. Director Reed Morano’s dazzling execution of the first three episodes of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” suggests another excellent source for future women directors: top cinematographers.
Read More: 7 Female Genre Filmmakers You Should Get to Know Right Now
Women cinematographers work harder, longer, and have to be gifted and tough in order to keep landing jobs. As a cinematographer, make one mistake and you’re through. Any working cinematographer has more than...
Of course, that logic is a vicious cycle at best, but here’s a chance to break it. Director Reed Morano’s dazzling execution of the first three episodes of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” suggests another excellent source for future women directors: top cinematographers.
Read More: 7 Female Genre Filmmakers You Should Get to Know Right Now
Women cinematographers work harder, longer, and have to be gifted and tough in order to keep landing jobs. As a cinematographer, make one mistake and you’re through. Any working cinematographer has more than...
- 5/10/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Here’s how studios say they see it: Sure, we really want to hire women directors. But there’s almost no studio movie that isn’t big budget, and we can’t find women who have the experience necessary to handle the really big movies. (Never mind Colin Trevorrow. Or Marc Webb. Or Gareth Edwards. Or Jon Watts.)
Of course, that logic is a vicious cycle at best, but here’s a chance to break it. Director Reed Morano’s dazzling execution of the first three episodes of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” suggests another excellent source for future women directors: top cinematographers.
Read More: 7 Female Genre Filmmakers You Should Get to Know Right Now
Women cinematographers work harder, longer, and have to be gifted and tough in order to keep landing jobs. As a cinematographer, make one mistake and you’re through. Any working cinematographer has more than...
Of course, that logic is a vicious cycle at best, but here’s a chance to break it. Director Reed Morano’s dazzling execution of the first three episodes of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” suggests another excellent source for future women directors: top cinematographers.
Read More: 7 Female Genre Filmmakers You Should Get to Know Right Now
Women cinematographers work harder, longer, and have to be gifted and tough in order to keep landing jobs. As a cinematographer, make one mistake and you’re through. Any working cinematographer has more than...
- 5/10/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Ryan Lambie Mar 22, 2017
Fearsome monsters, grasping hands, and a suggestive tree. Here are 10 fantasy movie moments that scarred us as kids...
Sooner or later, you're going to see a scary movie. Whether you sneak down and watch a horror film on late night television, watch a Nightmare On Elm Street sequel round a friend's house or watch clips of slasher movies on YouTube, horror movies are always out there, waiting in the wings for the young and curious.
See related The Last Kingdom series 2 episode 1 review The Last Kingdom series 2: politics, battles and arselings What can we expect from new BBC drama, The Last Kingdom?
But long before most of us graduate to the stage of our lives where we start seeking out 18-rated movies of gore and terror, we reliably encounter scary moments in what might initially seem to be harmless family adventure films.
The 1980s was an...
Fearsome monsters, grasping hands, and a suggestive tree. Here are 10 fantasy movie moments that scarred us as kids...
Sooner or later, you're going to see a scary movie. Whether you sneak down and watch a horror film on late night television, watch a Nightmare On Elm Street sequel round a friend's house or watch clips of slasher movies on YouTube, horror movies are always out there, waiting in the wings for the young and curious.
See related The Last Kingdom series 2 episode 1 review The Last Kingdom series 2: politics, battles and arselings What can we expect from new BBC drama, The Last Kingdom?
But long before most of us graduate to the stage of our lives where we start seeking out 18-rated movies of gore and terror, we reliably encounter scary moments in what might initially seem to be harmless family adventure films.
The 1980s was an...
- 3/21/2017
- Den of Geek
Ryan Lambie Mar 9, 2017
In RoboCop, we see death and resurrection through Murphy's eyes. Here's how its Pov sequences create such a timeless movie...
"Well, he signed a release form when he joined the force. He's legally dead. We can do pretty much what we want to him."
Articles probably ought to begin with a punchy, attention-grabbing argument, so here's one: RoboCop's an underrated film. As financially successful as it was, as oft-quoted it is by its legion fans, and despite all the sequels, the TV spin-off and the 2014 reboot, the brilliance of its filmmaking is still easily overlooked. Why? Because RoboCop's writing, direction, acting and design all slip together so seamlessly that singling out exactly why the film works so well.
See related James Cameron's Avatar: five years on Avatar review
RoboCop's often described in terms of its spectacularly bloody violence or its satirical humour -...
In RoboCop, we see death and resurrection through Murphy's eyes. Here's how its Pov sequences create such a timeless movie...
"Well, he signed a release form when he joined the force. He's legally dead. We can do pretty much what we want to him."
Articles probably ought to begin with a punchy, attention-grabbing argument, so here's one: RoboCop's an underrated film. As financially successful as it was, as oft-quoted it is by its legion fans, and despite all the sequels, the TV spin-off and the 2014 reboot, the brilliance of its filmmaking is still easily overlooked. Why? Because RoboCop's writing, direction, acting and design all slip together so seamlessly that singling out exactly why the film works so well.
See related James Cameron's Avatar: five years on Avatar review
RoboCop's often described in terms of its spectacularly bloody violence or its satirical humour -...
- 3/7/2017
- Den of Geek
Dailies is a round-up of essential film writing, news bits, videos, and other highlights from across the Internet. If you’d like to submit a piece for consideration, get in touch with us in the comments below or on Twitter at @TheFilmStage.
John Waters‘ restored Multiple Maniacs is coming to theaters this August, followed by a likely release on The Criterion Collection, Criterion Cast reports.
Martin Scorsese responds to a fan who made a montage of his films with those of Stanley Kubrick:
35 years after Das Boot, cinematographer Jost Vacano will receive over $500,000 for his work in a new court ruling, THR reports.
Jonathan Rosenbaum has re-published his piece on Alain Resnais‘ Last Year at Marienbad:
It’s too bad Last Year at Marienbad was the most fashionable art-house movie of 1961-’62, because as a result it’s been maligned and misunderstood ever since. The chic allure of...
John Waters‘ restored Multiple Maniacs is coming to theaters this August, followed by a likely release on The Criterion Collection, Criterion Cast reports.
Martin Scorsese responds to a fan who made a montage of his films with those of Stanley Kubrick:
35 years after Das Boot, cinematographer Jost Vacano will receive over $500,000 for his work in a new court ruling, THR reports.
Jonathan Rosenbaum has re-published his piece on Alain Resnais‘ Last Year at Marienbad:
It’s too bad Last Year at Marienbad was the most fashionable art-house movie of 1961-’62, because as a result it’s been maligned and misunderstood ever since. The chic allure of...
- 6/9/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
If there is a reliable truism that can coexist alongside the American film industry’s dance of death with economically insane budgets that now routinely soar north of $200 million, it is that (most) critics and potential ticket-buyers can be counted on to review bad buzz and publicized woes of dollars and production instead of the actual movie once it finally finds its way to a screen. And it may in fact be true that the drama behind the scenes often outstrips the quality of the wide-screen finished product, though certainly this is not always the case. The reception of big-budget box-office flops like John Carter, The Lone Ranger, Jupiter Ascending and Oliver Stone’s Alexander are but some late examples of our number-crunching obsession with pop culture minutiae and the fascination of a behemoth’s preordained fall. Most who trudged out to see any of these films during their theatrical...
- 5/28/2016
- by Dennis Cozzalio
- Trailers from Hell
The Paul Verhoeven filmography screens at the Tiff Bell Lightbox through April 4th, culminating in a screening of his new “crowdsourced” film, Tricked.
Common wisdom dictates that cynicism and sentimentality are carefully linked, if not outright synonymous. In filmic terms, the most comfortable formulation of that argument is to align, for instance, romantic comedies with socially-acceptable (and, often, utterly noxious) notions of gender politics. Through the deployment of relationships and character profiles that support popular notions of how women and men behave, these movies are able to exploit comfortable mores in order to mainline easy pathos. What’s less common is to consider how that relationship between affect and effect can be subverted, perhaps because it’s relatively rare for truly subversive artists to be handed the proverbial keys to the kingdom.
Enter Paul Verhoeven. From his early Dutch features, including Turks Fruit (Turkish Delight) and Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier of Orange...
Common wisdom dictates that cynicism and sentimentality are carefully linked, if not outright synonymous. In filmic terms, the most comfortable formulation of that argument is to align, for instance, romantic comedies with socially-acceptable (and, often, utterly noxious) notions of gender politics. Through the deployment of relationships and character profiles that support popular notions of how women and men behave, these movies are able to exploit comfortable mores in order to mainline easy pathos. What’s less common is to consider how that relationship between affect and effect can be subverted, perhaps because it’s relatively rare for truly subversive artists to be handed the proverbial keys to the kingdom.
Enter Paul Verhoeven. From his early Dutch features, including Turks Fruit (Turkish Delight) and Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier of Orange...
- 3/2/2014
- by Simon Howell
- SoundOnSight
Hunger Games DoP Tom Stern and 12 Years a Slave cinematographer Sean Bobbitt among those chosen for jury duty.
The 21st Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 16-23), has revealed the competition jurors who will judge entries at this year’s event in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Jury members of the main competition jury are:
Tom Stern, cinematographer (Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, The Hunger Games);Ed Lachman, cinematographer (Erin Brockovich, The Virgin Suicides, I’m Not There);Todd McCarthy, journalist and film critic;Denis Lenoir, cinematographer (Paris, je t’aime, Righteous Kill, 88 Minutes);Adam Holender, cinematographer (Midnight Cowboy, Smoke, Fresh);Timo Salminen, cinematographer (The Man Without a Past, La Havre, The Match Factory Girl);Franz Lustig, cinematographer (Don’t Come Knocking, Land of Plenty, Palermo Shooting);Jeffrey Kimball, cinematographer (Top Gun, Mission: Impossible II, The Expendables).Polish Films Competition
Jost Vacano, the cinematographer behind several Paul Verhoeven films including Total Recall, RoboCop and [link...
The 21st Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 16-23), has revealed the competition jurors who will judge entries at this year’s event in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Jury members of the main competition jury are:
Tom Stern, cinematographer (Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, The Hunger Games);Ed Lachman, cinematographer (Erin Brockovich, The Virgin Suicides, I’m Not There);Todd McCarthy, journalist and film critic;Denis Lenoir, cinematographer (Paris, je t’aime, Righteous Kill, 88 Minutes);Adam Holender, cinematographer (Midnight Cowboy, Smoke, Fresh);Timo Salminen, cinematographer (The Man Without a Past, La Havre, The Match Factory Girl);Franz Lustig, cinematographer (Don’t Come Knocking, Land of Plenty, Palermo Shooting);Jeffrey Kimball, cinematographer (Top Gun, Mission: Impossible II, The Expendables).Polish Films Competition
Jost Vacano, the cinematographer behind several Paul Verhoeven films including Total Recall, RoboCop and [link...
- 11/8/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, has announced today its full jury roster for the upcoming festival, running November 16 to 23 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The names include directors Jos Stelling and Albert Hughes, Oscar-nominated cinematographers Caleb Deschanel, Ed Lachman, Tom Stern, Stuart Dryburgh and Jost Vacano and many more. Jury members of the main competition jury are Oscar nominee Tom Stern, cinematographer ( Million Dollar Baby , Gran Torino , The Hunger Games ); Oscar nominee Ed Lachman, cinematographer ( Erin Brockovich , The Virgin Suicides , I.m Not There ); Todd McCarthy, journalist and film critic ( Visions of Light , Corman.s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel ); Primetime Emmy nominee Denis Lenoir, cinematographer (...
- 11/8/2013
- Comingsoon.net
A must-see for any cinephile this year is Christopher Kenneally‘s documentary on digital vs. film, Side by Side. Led by Keanu Reeves, in our review we called it extraordinary, in that its not only required viewing for those interested in film, but also wonderfully entertaining. The documentary sees Reeves interview top Hollywood pioneers including James Cameron, George Lucas, Danny Boyle, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan and as per usual in the genre, there was lots of left-over footage.
In a daily video series, Tribeca Films is releasing some extra clips from the films which featuring conversations that didn’t make the cut. There’s David Lynch discussing digital theatrical delivery, the Wachowskis on actors performances and editing, Martin Scorsese on celluloid, Wally Pfister on story, Steven Soderbergh on doing things different and much more. It’s great to hear the opinions of these tastemakers in Hollywood, including both sides of the coin.
In a daily video series, Tribeca Films is releasing some extra clips from the films which featuring conversations that didn’t make the cut. There’s David Lynch discussing digital theatrical delivery, the Wachowskis on actors performances and editing, Martin Scorsese on celluloid, Wally Pfister on story, Steven Soderbergh on doing things different and much more. It’s great to hear the opinions of these tastemakers in Hollywood, including both sides of the coin.
- 8/8/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
From the 70s to the present, we look back through the sterling work of Rutger Hauer to bring you the actor’s 10 finest films that aren't Blade Runner...
For some, Dutch actor Rutger Hauer will forever be associated with a certain rooftop speech about tears in rain. But although his turn as doomed replicant Roy Batty in Blade Runner was a classic one, Hauer’s output before and since has been stunningly prolific. This list, therefore, is designed to highlight 10 of Hauer’s finest non-Blade Runner movies, with a particular emphasis on those that are lesser known – which is why we've gone for some older pictures rather than the more recent and mainstream, such as Batman Begins. And since this is Den of Geek, expect to find lots of action movies, horror, and low-budget sci-fi in the entries below.
One thing they all have in common, though, irrespective of...
For some, Dutch actor Rutger Hauer will forever be associated with a certain rooftop speech about tears in rain. But although his turn as doomed replicant Roy Batty in Blade Runner was a classic one, Hauer’s output before and since has been stunningly prolific. This list, therefore, is designed to highlight 10 of Hauer’s finest non-Blade Runner movies, with a particular emphasis on those that are lesser known – which is why we've gone for some older pictures rather than the more recent and mainstream, such as Batman Begins. And since this is Den of Geek, expect to find lots of action movies, horror, and low-budget sci-fi in the entries below.
One thing they all have in common, though, irrespective of...
- 2/22/2012
- Den of Geek
Director Paul Verhoeven.
This is the first of two conversations I've had with director Paul Verhoeven, the second being for his Ww II drama "Black Book." When I met Verhoeven in the Sony Pictures commissary for lunch in October of 1997, I had been a fan of his work since seeing the classic "Soldier of Orange" in 1979. The manic energy that Verhoeven is renowned for was evident throughout our chat, and was infectious. By the time our all-too-brief lunch was over, I found myself waving my hands while I spoke in rapid clips, and using more bounce than usual in my stride, to the point where a few friends suggested I switch to decaf.
The other memory that remains vivid is the passion and high hopes that Verhoeven had for "Starship Troopers." Like the director himself, I thought this would be a groundbreaking movie event and that the world would embrace...
This is the first of two conversations I've had with director Paul Verhoeven, the second being for his Ww II drama "Black Book." When I met Verhoeven in the Sony Pictures commissary for lunch in October of 1997, I had been a fan of his work since seeing the classic "Soldier of Orange" in 1979. The manic energy that Verhoeven is renowned for was evident throughout our chat, and was infectious. By the time our all-too-brief lunch was over, I found myself waving my hands while I spoke in rapid clips, and using more bounce than usual in my stride, to the point where a few friends suggested I switch to decaf.
The other memory that remains vivid is the passion and high hopes that Verhoeven had for "Starship Troopers." Like the director himself, I thought this would be a groundbreaking movie event and that the world would embrace...
- 9/24/2010
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
The concept of this series is such: I choose a movie. We all choose our favorite shot(s) from said movie. I link up to everyone's choices each Wednesday. It's an eye candy free for all celebrating those single images in movies that we just can't live without. They're either the prettiest, the most telling, personally resonant, quite unexpected or just plain delightful.
Today's episode: Paul Verhoeven's gaudy masterwork Showgirls (1995). It's loud. It's trashy. It's colorful. It's spectacularly itself. Something all movies should strive to be. So, very briefly, I considered this shot from the opening sequence.
Because the "Huge" graphic makes me giggle. It can't have been an accident that that's the word that flashes in neon just as Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) pulls into Las Vegas. "I'm gonna win."
I almost went with anything from Nomi's first performance like these.
I love how distorted and fleshy the...
Today's episode: Paul Verhoeven's gaudy masterwork Showgirls (1995). It's loud. It's trashy. It's colorful. It's spectacularly itself. Something all movies should strive to be. So, very briefly, I considered this shot from the opening sequence.
Because the "Huge" graphic makes me giggle. It can't have been an accident that that's the word that flashes in neon just as Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) pulls into Las Vegas. "I'm gonna win."
I almost went with anything from Nomi's first performance like these.
I love how distorted and fleshy the...
- 8/6/2010
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Cologne, Germany -- Cinematographer Jost Vacano ("Starship Troopers") has won a key legal victory in his legal battle to secure residuals for his work on Wolfgang Petersen's 1981 boxoffice hit "Das Boot."
Vacano was paid DM180,000 (around $114,000) for his lensing of the anti-war classic. The film won an Oscar for best foreign language film and Vacano's camerawork picked up an Academy Award nomination. "Das Boot" has earned an estimated $100 million at the boxoffice world-wide and substantially more on home video and DVD.
A German court of appeals has upheld a lower court ruling supporting Vacano in his efforts to find out how much producers Bavaria and public network Wdr have made from "Das Boot" since 2002. The court ruled the producers have to open their books. Only then can Vacano try and prove he is owed further compensation.
The court, however, said Vacano does not have a right to information about...
Vacano was paid DM180,000 (around $114,000) for his lensing of the anti-war classic. The film won an Oscar for best foreign language film and Vacano's camerawork picked up an Academy Award nomination. "Das Boot" has earned an estimated $100 million at the boxoffice world-wide and substantially more on home video and DVD.
A German court of appeals has upheld a lower court ruling supporting Vacano in his efforts to find out how much producers Bavaria and public network Wdr have made from "Das Boot" since 2002. The court ruled the producers have to open their books. Only then can Vacano try and prove he is owed further compensation.
The court, however, said Vacano does not have a right to information about...
- 6/21/2010
- by By Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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