Franco Zeffirelli apprenticed to Luchino Visconti, stage directed operas and directed several movie hits, the biggest of which was this exuberant, attractive Shakespeare adaptation, filmed like an opera with sumptuous sets and sunswept Italian locations. The novelty for 1968 was casting the Bard’s star-crossed young lovers with actual teenagers. Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting are attractive kids directed to give spirited performances; the critics may have had mixed reactions but the public received the film well. If memory serves, Criterion’s new remaster looks better than Paramount’s original release prints.
Romeo and Juliet
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1171
1968 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 138 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date February 14, 2023 / 39.95
Starring: Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, John McEnery, Milo O’Shea, Pat Heywood, Robert Stephens, Michael York, Bruce Robinson, Paul Hardwick, Natasha Parry, Antonio Pierfederici, Esmeralda Ruspoli, Roberto Bisacco, Roy Holder, Keith Skinner, Dyson Lovell, Richard Warwick, Laurence Olivier.
Cinematography: Pasquelino De...
Romeo and Juliet
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1171
1968 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 138 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date February 14, 2023 / 39.95
Starring: Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, John McEnery, Milo O’Shea, Pat Heywood, Robert Stephens, Michael York, Bruce Robinson, Paul Hardwick, Natasha Parry, Antonio Pierfederici, Esmeralda Ruspoli, Roberto Bisacco, Roy Holder, Keith Skinner, Dyson Lovell, Richard Warwick, Laurence Olivier.
Cinematography: Pasquelino De...
- 2/21/2023
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Rooftop Films announced Stefani Saintonge and Yvonne Michelle Shirley will receive a $15,000 grant to support the production of “Point 5,” a film inspired by the edicts of the Black Panthers that will explore radical liberation and the function of systemic oppression.
The duo’s past works include “Flowers,” “F*cked Like a Star,” “Black Girl Magic” and “Frame by Frame.” They, along with an anonymous Rooftop Films alum, are among the top recipients of the Water Tower Feature Film cash grants, which are supported by the Laurence W. Levine Foundation. In total, 18 cash and service grants are awarded to independent filmmakers to support their next short or feature film.
“This year’s grantees are bold storytellers who are pushing the boundaries of film and serial forms and changing the relationship between maker and audience as they create new art in response to the important issues of the day,” Laurence W. Levine...
The duo’s past works include “Flowers,” “F*cked Like a Star,” “Black Girl Magic” and “Frame by Frame.” They, along with an anonymous Rooftop Films alum, are among the top recipients of the Water Tower Feature Film cash grants, which are supported by the Laurence W. Levine Foundation. In total, 18 cash and service grants are awarded to independent filmmakers to support their next short or feature film.
“This year’s grantees are bold storytellers who are pushing the boundaries of film and serial forms and changing the relationship between maker and audience as they create new art in response to the important issues of the day,” Laurence W. Levine...
- 6/25/2021
- by Haley Bosselman
- Variety Film + TV
Chicago – The Chicago International Film Festival (Ciff) is competitive, and the 56th edition presented its awards on October 23rd, 2020, as a live virtual and online event on the Ciff YouTube page. The winner of the Gold Hugo as Best International Film was “Sweat” (France), directed by Magnus von Horn.
The 56th Chicago International Film Festival Celebrates Day Ten of the movie extravaganza, with films available for 2020 virtually and online. Click here for a complete how-to guide on navigating the 2020 Ciff. Go to Page Two for the schedule of October 23rd, 2020.
The awards were presented by the various jury members in each film category, and were hosted by Artistic Director Mimi Plauché, Managing Director Vivian Teng, as well as programmers Anthony Kaufman and Sam Flancher. The Festival’s highest honor is the Gold Hugo, named for the mythical God of Discovery.
International Feature Film Competition
‘Sweat’
Photo credit: Chicago International Film...
The 56th Chicago International Film Festival Celebrates Day Ten of the movie extravaganza, with films available for 2020 virtually and online. Click here for a complete how-to guide on navigating the 2020 Ciff. Go to Page Two for the schedule of October 23rd, 2020.
The awards were presented by the various jury members in each film category, and were hosted by Artistic Director Mimi Plauché, Managing Director Vivian Teng, as well as programmers Anthony Kaufman and Sam Flancher. The Festival’s highest honor is the Gold Hugo, named for the mythical God of Discovery.
International Feature Film Competition
‘Sweat’
Photo credit: Chicago International Film...
- 10/23/2020
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Locarno Film Festival’s decision this year to pull its traditional completed feature film sections — with its top Golden Leopard prizes — has thrust into the limelight its short film lineup, Pardi di Domani (Leopards of Tomorrow). This year’s contest certainly lives up to its name — with many filmmakers already delivering titles that feel like short feature films.
“Several themes stand out, such as issues of family ties, friendships, while some films underpin more political and topical issues,” says Charlotte Corchète, head of the selection committee.
Selected from the 43-title lineup, here are some of the films worth catching.
“Black Hole”
The most buzzed of Swiss shorts, capturing Vincent and his teen friends during a long summer in his home Swiss valley, skateboarding, lazing by the lake, driving around in Vitara convertible or sharing a joint. For Vincent, however, this summer will be his last: He’ll soon leave to study abroad.
“Several themes stand out, such as issues of family ties, friendships, while some films underpin more political and topical issues,” says Charlotte Corchète, head of the selection committee.
Selected from the 43-title lineup, here are some of the films worth catching.
“Black Hole”
The most buzzed of Swiss shorts, capturing Vincent and his teen friends during a long summer in his home Swiss valley, skateboarding, lazing by the lake, driving around in Vitara convertible or sharing a joint. For Vincent, however, this summer will be his last: He’ll soon leave to study abroad.
- 8/10/2020
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Epics — everybody wants to make them but the studios are naturally wary. Richard Attenborough’s ode to the youthful ambitions of Sir Winston Churchill was a big hit in England but didn’t make a dent here. Although a dead ringer for the young Winston, Simon Ward didn’t take off as a star either, leaving Anne Bancroft and Robert Shaw in a sidebar drama that will mostly be remembered for an Std. Correspondent-soldier Churchill sees action in India, The Sudan and South Africa, thanks to the intervention of his socially adept mother. It’s a beautiful, ‘safe’ production with plenty of national pride. Its American premiere served as the Grand opening screening for the second Filmex film festival.
Young Winston
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1972 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 154 min. / Street Date October 28, 2019 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Simon Ward, Robert Shaw, Anne Bancroft, Jack Hawkins, Patrick Magee, Edward Woodward, John Mills,...
Young Winston
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1972 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 154 min. / Street Date October 28, 2019 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Simon Ward, Robert Shaw, Anne Bancroft, Jack Hawkins, Patrick Magee, Edward Woodward, John Mills,...
- 1/11/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
By Joe Elliott
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet. The movie was a sensation when it came out in 1968, spurring ticket sales in the millions and becoming one of the top-grossing features of the decade. One reason the film made so much money was due to the number of people who returned for a second or even fifth viewing. It seemed audiences just couldn’t get enough of the story about those two star-crossed adolescent lovers from old Verona. The movie’s memorable music score, composed by Nino Rota, also became a best seller. The album quickly went gold and was later repackaged in a beautiful deluxe box set that included the entire movie soundtrack, along with two handsomely produced companion booklets.
There was something about the film, for all its shortcomings, that many found almost hypnotic. I’ll fess...
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet. The movie was a sensation when it came out in 1968, spurring ticket sales in the millions and becoming one of the top-grossing features of the decade. One reason the film made so much money was due to the number of people who returned for a second or even fifth viewing. It seemed audiences just couldn’t get enough of the story about those two star-crossed adolescent lovers from old Verona. The movie’s memorable music score, composed by Nino Rota, also became a best seller. The album quickly went gold and was later repackaged in a beautiful deluxe box set that included the entire movie soundtrack, along with two handsomely produced companion booklets.
There was something about the film, for all its shortcomings, that many found almost hypnotic. I’ll fess...
- 8/14/2018
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Dysfunctional families have long been a cornerstone of the movies; conflict is key, and the closer to home the harder it hits. Horror has capitalized on this for several decades; Spider Baby (1967), The Baby (1973), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (’74), and The Hills Have Eyes (’77) are just a few examples of familial ties more than a little twisted and frayed. But hey, that’s hospitality North American style; let’s hop across the pond and check in with the clan in Girly (1970), Freddie Francis’ veddy British and very dark comedy of manners, games, and psychotic role playing.
Distributed by Cinerama Releasing in February stateside but not until April in its homeland, Girly did much better business in North America than back home (where it was released under its original title Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny, & Girly); this can be attributed to the U.K. buttoning up while exploitation films pulled everyone else’s knickers down around the globe.
Distributed by Cinerama Releasing in February stateside but not until April in its homeland, Girly did much better business in North America than back home (where it was released under its original title Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny, & Girly); this can be attributed to the U.K. buttoning up while exploitation films pulled everyone else’s knickers down around the globe.
- 3/31/2018
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
By Todd Garbarini
Freddie Francis had a long and prosperous career in the cinema, learning many areas of filmmaking by cutting his teeth as a stills photographer, clapper boy, camera loader and focus puller; he also worked on training films while in the army. Garnering enough experience led him to become a camera operator on films as diverse as The Tales of Hoffman (a favorite of George Romero’s and Martin Scorsese’s), Twice Upon a Time, and Beat the Devil. He also worked as a cinematographer on The Innocents, Night Must Fall, The Elephant Man, and Dune, while scoring two Oscars for shooting Sons and Lovers and Glory. In the midst of this, he managed to find time to direct more than his share of thrillers in the 1960’s and 1970’s, chief among them The Brain, Paranoiac, Nightmare, The Evil of Frankenstein, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, The Skull,...
Freddie Francis had a long and prosperous career in the cinema, learning many areas of filmmaking by cutting his teeth as a stills photographer, clapper boy, camera loader and focus puller; he also worked on training films while in the army. Garnering enough experience led him to become a camera operator on films as diverse as The Tales of Hoffman (a favorite of George Romero’s and Martin Scorsese’s), Twice Upon a Time, and Beat the Devil. He also worked as a cinematographer on The Innocents, Night Must Fall, The Elephant Man, and Dune, while scoring two Oscars for shooting Sons and Lovers and Glory. In the midst of this, he managed to find time to direct more than his share of thrillers in the 1960’s and 1970’s, chief among them The Brain, Paranoiac, Nightmare, The Evil of Frankenstein, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, The Skull,...
- 10/4/2010
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov, Williams, Miller—all these playwrights and many more wrote memorable roles that over time have become iconic. For example, when we think of Stanley, we think Brando. Certain lines, too, carry extra weight. You know the ones I mean: "Stelllllaaa!," "To be or not to be," and so on.Actors generally take one of two approaches to such roles. Either they "steal" from others' performances, stage or film, at some point during rehearsals or the run, or else they studiously avoid seeing anyone else in the role and try to erase their memories of others' performances from their mind. For some, though, the course they follow depends on the role itself."It seems everyone who's ever played Dottie Ottley has won a Tony," sighs Deborah Strang, who was in rehearsal for "Noises Off" at Los Angeles' A Noise Within when I called her. Judi Dench is one...
- 11/20/2009
- backstage.com
By David Savage
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Sir Richard Attenborough's directorial career is studded with such achievements as Gandhi, A Bridge Too Far, Magic and Chaplin, among others, but his role as an actor has been no less affecting, if under-appreciated. His performances such films as The Sand Pebbles (1966) and Conduct Unbecoming (1975) have played an integral part in making those classics. Even in supporting roles, such as 1993's Jurassic Park, his presence lends the film an air of gravitas and credibility that few other actors can bring. However, one of his finest lead roles goes rarely seen these days: as infamous British serial killer John Christie in 10 Rillington Place (1970), directed by Richard Fleischer and co-starring a young John Hurt. Currently screening through July 2nd in a newly restored 35mm print at New York's Film Forum, this film version of a true story is a definite don't-miss,...
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Sir Richard Attenborough's directorial career is studded with such achievements as Gandhi, A Bridge Too Far, Magic and Chaplin, among others, but his role as an actor has been no less affecting, if under-appreciated. His performances such films as The Sand Pebbles (1966) and Conduct Unbecoming (1975) have played an integral part in making those classics. Even in supporting roles, such as 1993's Jurassic Park, his presence lends the film an air of gravitas and credibility that few other actors can bring. However, one of his finest lead roles goes rarely seen these days: as infamous British serial killer John Christie in 10 Rillington Place (1970), directed by Richard Fleischer and co-starring a young John Hurt. Currently screening through July 2nd in a newly restored 35mm print at New York's Film Forum, this film version of a true story is a definite don't-miss,...
- 6/27/2009
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.