The Cannes Film Festival has a storied history of infamous moments. We think of Brigitte Bardot in her bikini, Spike Lee threatening Wim Wenders with a baseball bat after losing the Palme d’Or, pretty much everything Lars Von Trier has said or done…But one that really caught the media’s attention was when Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren went at it on the red carpet, with people under the impression that the Universal Soldier co-stars and European macho men were really at each other’s throats. Turns out, it was all just a gag for the press.
It’s one thing that Universal Soldier was even being represented at the Cannes Film Festival but another entirely that it wasn’t even screened! As it was, despite a minor presence on the Palais des Festivals, Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi action flick wasn’t part of any screenings because it wasn’t complete.
It’s one thing that Universal Soldier was even being represented at the Cannes Film Festival but another entirely that it wasn’t even screened! As it was, despite a minor presence on the Palais des Festivals, Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi action flick wasn’t part of any screenings because it wasn’t complete.
- 5/27/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
When Bernard Hill died recently, I wrote about the unique feeling accompanying the real-life death of an actor when that actor has been especially associated with a dramatic death scene onscreen. That feeling is only magnified when it’s been a very long time since the actor performed the demise in question. Juanita Moore, with her character’s funeral in 1959’s “Imitation of Life” being the grandest of any in the movies, only dying in real life in 2013 is an example.
One of the most extreme of these has just occurred, a death that also represents the severing of another critical link to Old Hollywood. Darryl Hickman died this past Wednesday, May 22, at the age of 92. He was a child actor in “The Prisoner of Zenda” and John Ford’s “The Grapes of Wrath” who, upon exiting his teenage years, decided he wanted to become a monk. He entered a...
One of the most extreme of these has just occurred, a death that also represents the severing of another critical link to Old Hollywood. Darryl Hickman died this past Wednesday, May 22, at the age of 92. He was a child actor in “The Prisoner of Zenda” and John Ford’s “The Grapes of Wrath” who, upon exiting his teenage years, decided he wanted to become a monk. He entered a...
- 5/27/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Richard Foronjy, who spent more than eight years in prison before he turned to acting and appeared in such films as Serpico, Midnight Run, Repo Man and Carlito’s Way, died Sunday, his family announced. He was 86.
Foronjy said he was arrested more than 20 times for “forgery, bank robbery, credit card rip-offs, assorted crimes and skullduggery … [guilty of] almost everything except drugs and homicide,” he said in a 1987 interview with Upi’s Vernon Scott.
The Brooklyn native was convicted only once, but that got him an 8½-year stretch in the New York prisons Sing Sing and Attica before he was released when he was 32.
In Hollywood, not surprisingly, Foronjy specialized in portraying cops and crooks.
He was a cop killer in his screen debut, Serpico (1973), and cops in The Morning After (1986) and Prince of the City (1981), all for Sidney Lumet. “I was especially good at playing cops, no doubt because I got to...
Foronjy said he was arrested more than 20 times for “forgery, bank robbery, credit card rip-offs, assorted crimes and skullduggery … [guilty of] almost everything except drugs and homicide,” he said in a 1987 interview with Upi’s Vernon Scott.
The Brooklyn native was convicted only once, but that got him an 8½-year stretch in the New York prisons Sing Sing and Attica before he was released when he was 32.
In Hollywood, not surprisingly, Foronjy specialized in portraying cops and crooks.
He was a cop killer in his screen debut, Serpico (1973), and cops in The Morning After (1986) and Prince of the City (1981), all for Sidney Lumet. “I was especially good at playing cops, no doubt because I got to...
- 5/21/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Colm Meaney and Aidan Gillen have joined Vicky Krieps in the cast of six-time Oscar nominee Jim Sheridan’s upcoming true crime drama “Re-creation.”
Meaney has appeared in dozens of high-profile films and series over the past forty-plus years but is best known as Star Trek’s Chief Miles O’Brien in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Gillen boasts a similarly impressive resume, with his most memorable turns coming in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and “The Wire.”
Sheridan said of the newly-announced castings, “I am delighted to have two icons of Irish cinema join the cast.”
“Re-creation” co-writer and co-director David Merriman added, “Colm and Aidan both have starred in some of my favorite films and shows. As artists, they both elevate any project, and we are so grateful to have them onboard.”
“Re-creation” looks back at one of the most famous murders in Irish history.
Meaney has appeared in dozens of high-profile films and series over the past forty-plus years but is best known as Star Trek’s Chief Miles O’Brien in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Gillen boasts a similarly impressive resume, with his most memorable turns coming in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and “The Wire.”
Sheridan said of the newly-announced castings, “I am delighted to have two icons of Irish cinema join the cast.”
“Re-creation” co-writer and co-director David Merriman added, “Colm and Aidan both have starred in some of my favorite films and shows. As artists, they both elevate any project, and we are so grateful to have them onboard.”
“Re-creation” looks back at one of the most famous murders in Irish history.
- 5/21/2024
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Paul Schrader hit Cannes this weekend with Competition title Oh, Canada, reuniting him with American Gigolo star Richard Gere in the role of a terminally ill documentarian who reveals secrets as his life nears its end.
Lead producer David Gonzales says the fact that the film was ready for a Cannes splash was a miracle on a number of fronts.
Development began just 18 months ago after Schrader learned that his good friend, writer Russell Banks, was suffering from cancer.
Schrader, who previously adapted Banks’ novel Affliction to the big screen, felt compelled to make a new film based on Banks’ penultimate 2021 book Foregone, which the writer had originally wanted to title ‘Oh, Canada.’
“He said, ‘This is my next film, I can see the film in my head.’ We’re going back to the end of 2022,” says Gonzales, who secured the rights.
Banks died in January 2023 as Schrader was mid-screenplay.
Lead producer David Gonzales says the fact that the film was ready for a Cannes splash was a miracle on a number of fronts.
Development began just 18 months ago after Schrader learned that his good friend, writer Russell Banks, was suffering from cancer.
Schrader, who previously adapted Banks’ novel Affliction to the big screen, felt compelled to make a new film based on Banks’ penultimate 2021 book Foregone, which the writer had originally wanted to title ‘Oh, Canada.’
“He said, ‘This is my next film, I can see the film in my head.’ We’re going back to the end of 2022,” says Gonzales, who secured the rights.
Banks died in January 2023 as Schrader was mid-screenplay.
- 5/18/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
“Mad Max” mastermind George Miller considered using de-aging technology so that Charlize Theron could star in his “Fury Road” prequel “Furiosa,” but says “it would have been difficult” to pull off. Instead, he opted to cast someone new in the role of Imperator Furiosa: Anya Taylor-Joy.
In a Variety cover story on Taylor-Joy and “Furiosa,” which premieres on Wednesday night at Cannes Film Festival, Miller said he had observed de-aging used in movies like Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and Ang Lee’s “Gemini Man” starring Will Smith.
“Both of them were masterful directors, but it was never persuasive,” Miller said of the technology. “I thought all people would be watching is Charlize looking young and knowing it’s an effect. And as time went on and we got into litigation with Warner Bros, we had to find someone younger.”
The 79-year-old director added that one of the things that...
In a Variety cover story on Taylor-Joy and “Furiosa,” which premieres on Wednesday night at Cannes Film Festival, Miller said he had observed de-aging used in movies like Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and Ang Lee’s “Gemini Man” starring Will Smith.
“Both of them were masterful directors, but it was never persuasive,” Miller said of the technology. “I thought all people would be watching is Charlize looking young and knowing it’s an effect. And as time went on and we got into litigation with Warner Bros, we had to find someone younger.”
The 79-year-old director added that one of the things that...
- 5/15/2024
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
When you think of Sean Connery, you probably think of either James Bond or Indiana Jones' dad. If you grew up in the '90s you might even think of that movie where he was on a submarine, or vaguely recall the marketing for a film where he played opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones. But there's no doubt that long before Connery was advising the "Hunt for Red October" director to rewrite the film's script, or complaining about "Entrapment" having too many special effects, he was best known as either England's greatest spy or as Dr. Henry Jones, Sr.
Still, when it comes to an actor as talented as Connery, not everyone thinks of these roles as his best. If you ask Christopher Nolan, for instance, he'll tell you that the Scottish star's finest performance came in Sidney Lumet's 1973 crime drama "The Offence," with Nolan recently celebrating the film for containing...
Still, when it comes to an actor as talented as Connery, not everyone thinks of these roles as his best. If you ask Christopher Nolan, for instance, he'll tell you that the Scottish star's finest performance came in Sidney Lumet's 1973 crime drama "The Offence," with Nolan recently celebrating the film for containing...
- 5/13/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
The terror in "The Twilight Zone" always comes from "What if?" What if there was a little boy with way too much power for anyone to tell him "no"? What if what you thought of as Heaven turned out to be more like Hell? What if man-eating aliens arrived and made humans as docile as lambs to the slaughter?
These questions may be outrageous fantasy, but the terror of them is timeless. We still watch "The Twilight Zone" decades later, and the best episodes can still leave you chilled -- all thanks to the imagination of series creator Rod Serling.
Serling is synonymous with "The Twilight Zone" even for casual viewers; one could call him TV's first auteur. His reputation was as much thanks to his on-camera work as his writing. Serling was the narrator of "The Twilight Zone," introducing and closing out each episode. (He got the job after...
These questions may be outrageous fantasy, but the terror of them is timeless. We still watch "The Twilight Zone" decades later, and the best episodes can still leave you chilled -- all thanks to the imagination of series creator Rod Serling.
Serling is synonymous with "The Twilight Zone" even for casual viewers; one could call him TV's first auteur. His reputation was as much thanks to his on-camera work as his writing. Serling was the narrator of "The Twilight Zone," introducing and closing out each episode. (He got the job after...
- 5/12/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
When a movie is called the best of all times, it clearly puts a lot of responsibility on it, as every viewer will have to end up with the same conclusion after watching it. Well, it’s good that in the case with this legendary movie there’s no doubt someone is not going to like it.
The movie we are talking about is the legal drama created in 1957 by Sidney Lumet named 12 Angry Men and we are sure you have heard about it at least once.
12 Angry Men is a courtroom drama that follows 12 members of a jury as they try to make a decision about the future of a teenager accused of murdering his father. The cast of the movie is brilliant, including Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, and Jack Warden as the leads.
Fonda plays the role of the one skeptical juror who tries to convince...
The movie we are talking about is the legal drama created in 1957 by Sidney Lumet named 12 Angry Men and we are sure you have heard about it at least once.
12 Angry Men is a courtroom drama that follows 12 members of a jury as they try to make a decision about the future of a teenager accused of murdering his father. The cast of the movie is brilliant, including Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, and Jack Warden as the leads.
Fonda plays the role of the one skeptical juror who tries to convince...
- 4/29/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Rachel Bailey)
- STartefacts.com
American actress Faye Dunaway sits by the pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, the morning after the Academy Awards ceremony, where she won the Oscar for ‘Best Actress in a Leading Role’ for her part in Sidney Lumet’s satirical film “Network” on March 29, 1977.
Photo Credit: Photograph by Terry O’Neill/Iconic Images/Courtesy of HBO Ready for a raw, honest look at a Hollywood legend? Want to know what it’s really like? The new HBO documentary Faye dives into the life of Oscar-winner Faye Dunaway. It premieres at the Cannes Film Festival, then debuts on HBO and Max later this year… Faye gets unfiltered about her incredible career – the iconic roles, the missteps, the whole journey. She honestly opens up about her mental health struggles and how her family history impacted her. The film also includes interviews with her son, and stars like Sharon Stone and Mickey Rourke.
Photo Credit: Photograph by Terry O’Neill/Iconic Images/Courtesy of HBO Ready for a raw, honest look at a Hollywood legend? Want to know what it’s really like? The new HBO documentary Faye dives into the life of Oscar-winner Faye Dunaway. It premieres at the Cannes Film Festival, then debuts on HBO and Max later this year… Faye gets unfiltered about her incredible career – the iconic roles, the missteps, the whole journey. She honestly opens up about her mental health struggles and how her family history impacted her. The film also includes interviews with her son, and stars like Sharon Stone and Mickey Rourke.
- 4/29/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
If you were around in 1980, you can, sadly, imagine the confusion that might be caused if a woman drove up to the 20th Century Fox gate on Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles and claimed to be the new head of the studio. This simply didn't happen. Women didn't run Hollywood studios.
Someone had to shatter that glass ceiling, and Sherry Lansing was as qualified as anyone to do it. She started out as an actor (appearing opposite John Wayne in Howard Hawks' swan song "Rio Lobo"), but quickly grew dissatisfied with that area of the industry. She was far more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking, and quickly proved she possessed the savvy and good taste to succeed as an executive. At Columbia Pictures, she was one of the driving forces behind such critical/commercial successes as "The China Syndrome" and "Kramer vs. Kramer".
This made Lansing a hot Hollywood commodity,...
Someone had to shatter that glass ceiling, and Sherry Lansing was as qualified as anyone to do it. She started out as an actor (appearing opposite John Wayne in Howard Hawks' swan song "Rio Lobo"), but quickly grew dissatisfied with that area of the industry. She was far more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking, and quickly proved she possessed the savvy and good taste to succeed as an executive. At Columbia Pictures, she was one of the driving forces behind such critical/commercial successes as "The China Syndrome" and "Kramer vs. Kramer".
This made Lansing a hot Hollywood commodity,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Before Dorothy’s mother passed away, she had a favorite saying, as Aunt Em reminds her grieving niece in the opening scene of The Wiz: “The hard stuff is there to let you know just how good you got it.” And while that’s a curious mantra to undergird a production of a Broadway musical, there’s something to it in the latest revival.
The first musical by a Black composer to win Tony Awards for best musical and best score, this well-loved show turns 50 next year. If Schele Williams’s simplistic and sometimes bewildering staging doesn’t itself demonstrate how the show has held up across those decades, she wisely steers all attention toward the main event: the stunning vocal performances from her cast. And since the show’s underwhelming visuals feel like less of a distraction than an afterthought, it’s easy enough to put the “hard...
The first musical by a Black composer to win Tony Awards for best musical and best score, this well-loved show turns 50 next year. If Schele Williams’s simplistic and sometimes bewildering staging doesn’t itself demonstrate how the show has held up across those decades, she wisely steers all attention toward the main event: the stunning vocal performances from her cast. And since the show’s underwhelming visuals feel like less of a distraction than an afterthought, it’s easy enough to put the “hard...
- 4/18/2024
- by Dan Rubins
- Slant Magazine
William Holden was an Oscar-winning performer who starred in dozens of movies, remaining active until his untimely death in 1981. But how many of his titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born on April 17, 1918, Holden made his film debut with a starring role in the boxing drama “Golden Boy” (1939) when he was just 21 years old. Though his career lagged for the next decade, he came roaring back with Billy Wilder‘s Hollywood noir “Sunset Boulevard” (1950), playing a struggling screenwriter who becomes involved with a fading, delusional silent film star (Gloria Swanson). The role brought him his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor.
He joined the winner’s circle just three years later with a Best Actor victory for Wilder’s “Stalag 17” (1953), which cast him as a cynical American Pow who’s suspected of being a German informant during WWII.
Born on April 17, 1918, Holden made his film debut with a starring role in the boxing drama “Golden Boy” (1939) when he was just 21 years old. Though his career lagged for the next decade, he came roaring back with Billy Wilder‘s Hollywood noir “Sunset Boulevard” (1950), playing a struggling screenwriter who becomes involved with a fading, delusional silent film star (Gloria Swanson). The role brought him his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor.
He joined the winner’s circle just three years later with a Best Actor victory for Wilder’s “Stalag 17” (1953), which cast him as a cynical American Pow who’s suspected of being a German informant during WWII.
- 4/13/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
In 2014, Glenn Howerton took part in an Ask Me Anything (Ama) session on Reddit, mostly answering questions about "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." One of the questions from user cujoman2004 was, "If you could have anyone make a guest appearance on 'Always Sunny,' who would it be and for what purpose would you want this person to do?" Howerton responded:
"Al Pacino. Just to have him like, scream at me for five straight minutes. And then wander out of the bar after realizing he was screaming at the wrong person."
While there have been many fabulous guest stars on "Always Sunny," including Bryan Cranston, Guillermo del Toro, and Josh Groban, having an actor of Al Pacino's stature would be truly unforgettable, especially in a show that is so off-the-wall. But Pacino is not afraid to go wild and weird. He's flourished in many comedies, from the lighthearted, family-friendly affair "Author!
"Al Pacino. Just to have him like, scream at me for five straight minutes. And then wander out of the bar after realizing he was screaming at the wrong person."
While there have been many fabulous guest stars on "Always Sunny," including Bryan Cranston, Guillermo del Toro, and Josh Groban, having an actor of Al Pacino's stature would be truly unforgettable, especially in a show that is so off-the-wall. But Pacino is not afraid to go wild and weird. He's flourished in many comedies, from the lighthearted, family-friendly affair "Author!
- 4/6/2024
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
Bob Slutske, an expert on the efficiency and effectiveness of media issues throughout the film production process, has died. He was 81.
Slutske died Tuesday in Los Angeles following a long illness, The Hollywood Reporter learned Wednesday.
Throughout his 60-year career, Slutske worked in the theater and entertainment space, serving as one of the initial developers of nonlinear editing technology. He also helped pave the way for computerized lighting and automated mix-down in the industry with “first of a kind” systems.
He started working in theater, focused on lighting, stage management and direction, including in the productions Amen Corner with James Baldwin and The Loudest Sound in the World with Frank Silvera. He transitioned to Ampex and LucasFilm, where he worked with Stanley Kubrick, Sidney Lumet, Alan Alda and George Lucas to bring nonlinear editing systems to market.
Slutske served 17 years as the vice president of National TeleConsultants, where he provided...
Slutske died Tuesday in Los Angeles following a long illness, The Hollywood Reporter learned Wednesday.
Throughout his 60-year career, Slutske worked in the theater and entertainment space, serving as one of the initial developers of nonlinear editing technology. He also helped pave the way for computerized lighting and automated mix-down in the industry with “first of a kind” systems.
He started working in theater, focused on lighting, stage management and direction, including in the productions Amen Corner with James Baldwin and The Loudest Sound in the World with Frank Silvera. He transitioned to Ampex and LucasFilm, where he worked with Stanley Kubrick, Sidney Lumet, Alan Alda and George Lucas to bring nonlinear editing systems to market.
Slutske served 17 years as the vice president of National TeleConsultants, where he provided...
- 4/4/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When you think of the great directors in cinema history – Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, etc. – chances are the first films that come to mind are Goodfellas, Jaws and Vertigo. But every brilliant filmmaker has their duds. Now, Rolling Stone – you know, the publication that doesn’t think Roseanne and Bill Cosby had historic shows just because of their wrongdoings – has put out a list of the 50 worst movies by some of the most renowned directors…And yes, they have missed the mark considerably.
In the list, titled “50 Terrible Movies by Great Directors”, there are plenty of bottom-barrel films, those that are absolutely anomalies in otherwise remarkable careers. We wouldn’t argue that man-child family comedy Jack (#1) isn’t Francis Ford Coppola’s worst movie or that Rob Reiner’s North (#2) wasn’t worthy of Roger Ebert’s famed “hated, hated, hated, hated, hated” review. Those guys didn’t...
In the list, titled “50 Terrible Movies by Great Directors”, there are plenty of bottom-barrel films, those that are absolutely anomalies in otherwise remarkable careers. We wouldn’t argue that man-child family comedy Jack (#1) isn’t Francis Ford Coppola’s worst movie or that Rob Reiner’s North (#2) wasn’t worthy of Roger Ebert’s famed “hated, hated, hated, hated, hated” review. Those guys didn’t...
- 3/27/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Ron Nyswaner, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter behind films including Philadelphia and The Painted Veil and most recently the Matt Bomer-starring Showtime miniseries Fellow Travelers, is receiving this year’s Walter Bernstein Award from the Writers Guild of America East.
The honor will be bestowed April 14 at the WGA Awards’ East Coast ceremony in New York, which takes place concurrently with the WGA’s West Coast ceremony in Los Angeles.
The Bernstein award goes to writers “who have demonstrated with creativity, grace and bravery a willingness to confront social injustice in the face of adversity.” Nyswaner becomes the second person to win the award, after Jelani Cobb won in 2017 for his Frontline documentary Policing the Police.
Nyswaner penned the original screenplay for Philadelphia, which was groundbreaking when the Jonathan Demme-directed film starring Tom Hanks debuted in 1993; it was the first major motion picture to focus on the discrimination suffered by people with AIDS,...
The honor will be bestowed April 14 at the WGA Awards’ East Coast ceremony in New York, which takes place concurrently with the WGA’s West Coast ceremony in Los Angeles.
The Bernstein award goes to writers “who have demonstrated with creativity, grace and bravery a willingness to confront social injustice in the face of adversity.” Nyswaner becomes the second person to win the award, after Jelani Cobb won in 2017 for his Frontline documentary Policing the Police.
Nyswaner penned the original screenplay for Philadelphia, which was groundbreaking when the Jonathan Demme-directed film starring Tom Hanks debuted in 1993; it was the first major motion picture to focus on the discrimination suffered by people with AIDS,...
- 3/14/2024
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The official jury for the New York International Children’s Film Festival (Nyicff) has been unveiled, with “Passages” director Ira Sachs, “Broad City” co-creator Ilana Glazer, “Into the Spider-Verse” producer Peter Ramsey, and actress Uma Thurman among the A-listers presiding over the 2024 festival.
IndieWire exclusively reveals the full jury lineup, as well as the jurors’ personal favorite films from growing up. The 2024 installment of Nyicff boasts Cannes-premiered animated film “Chicken for Linda!” and buzzy Neon release “Robot Dreams” among its program, as well as anime film “The Concierge” and sequel “Dounia – The Great White North.” The Oscar-qualifying festival will take place March 2 through 17. See the full lineup here.
The full jury committee includes Ilana Glazer, Uma Thurman, Sony Pictures Animation head of story Guillermo Martinez, Matthew Modine, “Doc McStuffins” creator Chris Nee, “Migration” director Benjamin Renner, filmmaker Ira Sachs, Phillipa Soo, head of artistic recruiting at Titmouse Animation Ellen Su,...
IndieWire exclusively reveals the full jury lineup, as well as the jurors’ personal favorite films from growing up. The 2024 installment of Nyicff boasts Cannes-premiered animated film “Chicken for Linda!” and buzzy Neon release “Robot Dreams” among its program, as well as anime film “The Concierge” and sequel “Dounia – The Great White North.” The Oscar-qualifying festival will take place March 2 through 17. See the full lineup here.
The full jury committee includes Ilana Glazer, Uma Thurman, Sony Pictures Animation head of story Guillermo Martinez, Matthew Modine, “Doc McStuffins” creator Chris Nee, “Migration” director Benjamin Renner, filmmaker Ira Sachs, Phillipa Soo, head of artistic recruiting at Titmouse Animation Ellen Su,...
- 3/4/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Italy’s Torino Film Festival will celebrate the centennial of Marlon Brando’s birth with a 24-title retrospective of films featuring the groundbreaking two-time Oscar winner, known for his naturalistic acting style and rebellious streak.
The Brando retro will be “the backbone” of the fest, according to its new artistic director, Italian actor/director Giulio Base. Accordingly, an image of Brando – photographed when he was shooting Bernardo Bertolucci’s “Last Tango in Paris” – is featured on the poster for the fest’s upcoming 42nd edition, which will run Nov. 22-30.
Torino is Italy’s preeminent event for young directors and indie cinema, and is where Matteo Garrone and Paolo Sorrentino screened their first works. The festival’s lineup will be announced at a later date.
“As an actor, Brando has always been my guiding star and I had been wondering for a while – since way before being appointed at Torino...
The Brando retro will be “the backbone” of the fest, according to its new artistic director, Italian actor/director Giulio Base. Accordingly, an image of Brando – photographed when he was shooting Bernardo Bertolucci’s “Last Tango in Paris” – is featured on the poster for the fest’s upcoming 42nd edition, which will run Nov. 22-30.
Torino is Italy’s preeminent event for young directors and indie cinema, and is where Matteo Garrone and Paolo Sorrentino screened their first works. The festival’s lineup will be announced at a later date.
“As an actor, Brando has always been my guiding star and I had been wondering for a while – since way before being appointed at Torino...
- 2/27/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Charles Dierkop, the busy character actor who played tough guys in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and the 1970s Angie Dickinson series Police Woman, has died. He was 87.
Dierkop died Sunday at Sherman Oaks Hospital after a recent heart attack and bout with pneumonia, his daughter, Lynn, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wisconsin native also appeared alongside Rod Steiger in Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker (1964), played the mobster Salvanti in Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) and was a murderous Santa Claus in the cult horror movie Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984).
After portraying an uncredited pool-hall hood in the Paul Newman-starring The Hustler (1961), Dierkop got to work with Newman again in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) when he was hired to play Hole in the Wall Gang outlaw George “Flat Nose” Curry.
Dierkop had broken his nose in fights several times as a kid,...
Dierkop died Sunday at Sherman Oaks Hospital after a recent heart attack and bout with pneumonia, his daughter, Lynn, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wisconsin native also appeared alongside Rod Steiger in Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker (1964), played the mobster Salvanti in Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) and was a murderous Santa Claus in the cult horror movie Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984).
After portraying an uncredited pool-hall hood in the Paul Newman-starring The Hustler (1961), Dierkop got to work with Newman again in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) when he was hired to play Hole in the Wall Gang outlaw George “Flat Nose” Curry.
Dierkop had broken his nose in fights several times as a kid,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Akira Kurosawa's last epic was probably the most notorious entry in his vast filmography, since it was the most expensive Japanese film ever produced up to that point, with a budget of $11 million. It was also almost dropped for lack of funding, and the 75-year-old master lost his wife during the shoot, in an event that only stopped him for a day. Eventually, and after many ‘skirmishes' with the Japanese film industry, it received Oscar nominations for art direction, cinematography, costume design (which it won), and Kurosawa's direction, after a campaign started by Sidney Lumet. It is currently considered one of the greatest films ever made.
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In feudal Japan, Lord Ichimonji decides to divide his realm among his three sons. Taro, the eldest, will receive the prestigious First Castle and become leader of the Ichimonji clan, while Jiro...
Buy This Title
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In feudal Japan, Lord Ichimonji decides to divide his realm among his three sons. Taro, the eldest, will receive the prestigious First Castle and become leader of the Ichimonji clan, while Jiro...
- 2/26/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Jeffrey Wright is finally an Oscar nominee. The actor’s storied career had already brought him under the direction of masters such as Sidney Lumet, Ang Lee, and most recently, newcomer Cord Jefferson in the satirical dramedy “American Fiction.” But with his Oscar nom, Wright says he feels more supported than ever by the Hollywood community and studios.
“I’ve never had this level of support behind a project that I was central to from the powers that be, the business side of our industry,” he tells Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast. “I’ve never had it until now. I’m really grateful for that. We’re here now, and I’m so pleased the film has been recognized across the board. With a small movie and 26 days of filming, our budget was probably the catering budget for the last Bond movie I did.”
In this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,...
“I’ve never had this level of support behind a project that I was central to from the powers that be, the business side of our industry,” he tells Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast. “I’ve never had it until now. I’m really grateful for that. We’re here now, and I’m so pleased the film has been recognized across the board. With a small movie and 26 days of filming, our budget was probably the catering budget for the last Bond movie I did.”
In this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The ever-articulate and principled Peter Weller has told us a lot about ourselves in his roles as an actor and director. Learning more about this gifted storyteller and true Renaissance man can tell us even more. But Weller hasn’t been seen in a major motion picture since 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, which ended a long silver screen hiatus. Is the man’s relative absence from the silver screen a product of demand, or might it be more down to his preference? Should his career be brought back into the mainstream spotlight like he was Murphy returning from the afterlife? Or is he busy doing different, more interesting things than being a badass in front of a camera? Let’s find out as we ask ourselves, Wtf happened to Peter Weller?
But first, let’s get a better feel for why the man has been so missed by starting at the beginning.
But first, let’s get a better feel for why the man has been so missed by starting at the beginning.
- 2/17/2024
- by Derek Mitchell
- JoBlo.com
A former senior executive at Def Jam Recordings is suing the label’s co-founder Russell Simmons, alleging he raped her in 1997 and that was sexually harassed, assaulted and battered during their time working together.
The plaintiff identified only as Jane Doe claims her “career in the music industry was disrupted and derailed by a devastating experience at the hands of Mr. Simmons.” The lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (read it here) labels the mogul “a rich and powerful celebrity whose wealth and influence allowed his abusive behavior to go unchallenged for decades.”
“While at first Mr. Simmons and Ms. Doe had a professional working relationship, Mr. Simmons revealed his true colors and, through his assaultive behavior, disabled Ms. Doe’s career at Def Jam, a job she loved, at the height of her success and financial viability,” reads the 18-page complaint.
The plaintiff identified only as Jane Doe claims her “career in the music industry was disrupted and derailed by a devastating experience at the hands of Mr. Simmons.” The lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (read it here) labels the mogul “a rich and powerful celebrity whose wealth and influence allowed his abusive behavior to go unchallenged for decades.”
“While at first Mr. Simmons and Ms. Doe had a professional working relationship, Mr. Simmons revealed his true colors and, through his assaultive behavior, disabled Ms. Doe’s career at Def Jam, a job she loved, at the height of her success and financial viability,” reads the 18-page complaint.
- 2/13/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Casting superhero characters is important, but at the same time, it's not important. During the '80s and '90s, audiences felt a certain thrill knowing that certain outsize movie stars would be playing Batman villains. Indeed, Jack Nicholson received top billing on Tim Burton's "Batman," and audiences were more keen to see an actor of such stature hamming it up as a murderous gangster clown. The same could be said of Danny DeVito as the Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, Jim Carrey as the Riddler, or Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze. Casting, in those cases, was more important than the character.
In the era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, that changed. The characters became more important than the casting. Audiences were drawn to MCU movies because they wanted to see Captain America, not because they were dying to see Chris Evans' interpretation of Captain America. Any number...
In the era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, that changed. The characters became more important than the casting. Audiences were drawn to MCU movies because they wanted to see Captain America, not because they were dying to see Chris Evans' interpretation of Captain America. Any number...
- 2/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Here are two words for those who believe Christopher Nolan can’t possibly lose the Best Director race at this year’s Academy Awards for “Oppenheimer”: Bob Fosse. And here are three more: Francis Ford Coppola.
When you think about how many consider Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece “The Godfather” to be perhaps the greatest American film ever made, it might shock them to learn that while the film won Oscars in ’73 for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Marlon Brando, Coppola lost the director race to Fosse for “Cabaret.” Nothing against Fosse or his iconic musical, but his win over Coppola was shocking even if deserved. The lesson is that you simply never know what might happen on Oscar night. “Oppenheimer” could clean up, as is being widely predicted, and Nolan could still somehow miss out even though all indicators tell us it’s a done deal.
SEEOscar...
When you think about how many consider Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece “The Godfather” to be perhaps the greatest American film ever made, it might shock them to learn that while the film won Oscars in ’73 for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Marlon Brando, Coppola lost the director race to Fosse for “Cabaret.” Nothing against Fosse or his iconic musical, but his win over Coppola was shocking even if deserved. The lesson is that you simply never know what might happen on Oscar night. “Oppenheimer” could clean up, as is being widely predicted, and Nolan could still somehow miss out even though all indicators tell us it’s a done deal.
SEEOscar...
- 2/8/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
This week started on a high for director Jonathan Glazer, after his Cannes Grand Prix-winner The Zone of Interest took Best Film and Best Director at the 44th London Film Critics’ Awards on Sunday. Glazer has been sparing in his appearances since the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, presumably keeping his powder dry for the BAFTAs and the Oscars, where his film is seen as a dark horse in the International Feature Film category (being a rare submission from the UK).
Last week, he broke that silence at great length, in an extensive interview conducted at London’s BFI Southbank by four-time Oscar winner — and 11-time nominee — Alfonso Cuarón.
During the chat, which preceded a last-minute UK preview screening of Zone of Interest on Thursday, Cuarón frequently praised the film, describing it as “probably the most important film in this century, both from the standpoint of his cinematic...
Last week, he broke that silence at great length, in an extensive interview conducted at London’s BFI Southbank by four-time Oscar winner — and 11-time nominee — Alfonso Cuarón.
During the chat, which preceded a last-minute UK preview screening of Zone of Interest on Thursday, Cuarón frequently praised the film, describing it as “probably the most important film in this century, both from the standpoint of his cinematic...
- 2/5/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
"Three Days of the Condor" is one of the most suspenseful crime thrillers that came out of '70s cinema. The New Hollywood movement was in full effect with audiences turning to gritty, low-budget films for thrills outside of the failing studio system. Sydney Pollack was one of the foremost leaders of the cinematic era, and "Three Days of the Condor" was one of the final entries into its canon. The filmmaker's 1970 film "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" earned him his first Academy Award nomination, so "Three Days" was a highly anticipated follow-up.
Robert Redford stars as Joe Turner, a code-breaker for the CIA who shows up to work one morning and finds his entire department has been killed. When he tries to find solace in his superiors, he quickly learns that the agency is in on the job. Joe is left to discover why the CIA wants him and his colleagues dead,...
Robert Redford stars as Joe Turner, a code-breaker for the CIA who shows up to work one morning and finds his entire department has been killed. When he tries to find solace in his superiors, he quickly learns that the agency is in on the job. Joe is left to discover why the CIA wants him and his colleagues dead,...
- 2/4/2024
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
I remember exactly where I was when I discovered Philip Seymour Hoffman had died. I was at a revival screening of the 1979 version of Battlestar: Galactica at a Montreal theatre, waiting for the film to start when my email blew up. Here at JoBlo, whenever an icon dies, it tends to become a thread that allows us all to vent a little, and Hoffman’s death destroyed many of us.
It shook me up in a lot of ways, as I had just seen him at the Sundance Film Festival a few weeks earlier, where he had two films, A Most Wanted Man and God’s Pocket. In hindsight, it’s easy to say he didn’t look quite right, but honestly, I had no clue anything was wrong with him. Of course, in the days following his death, we learned that addiction had taken its toll on perhaps the most outstanding actor of his generation,...
It shook me up in a lot of ways, as I had just seen him at the Sundance Film Festival a few weeks earlier, where he had two films, A Most Wanted Man and God’s Pocket. In hindsight, it’s easy to say he didn’t look quite right, but honestly, I had no clue anything was wrong with him. Of course, in the days following his death, we learned that addiction had taken its toll on perhaps the most outstanding actor of his generation,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
On Jan. 29, 1964, a triple premiere — in New York, London and Toronto — launched one of Stanley Kubrick’s signature masterpieces into the chilly Cold War atmosphere: Dr. Strangelove, with the marquee-challenging subtitle Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Kubrick described it as a “nightmare comedy.” Sixty years later, the comedy still works, but the immediacy of the nightmare may be missed.
Shot in Shepperton Studios outside of London from February through November 1963, Dr. Strangelove was conceived and realized in the shadow of a real-life nightmare scenario that no one laughed at: the Cuban Missile Crisis, which unfolded over 13 terrifying days in October 1962.
On Oct. 14, 1962, a U-2 spy plane detected facilities for the launching of nuclear ballistic missiles from Cuba, a Soviet client state since 1959. President John F. Kennedy convened an executive committee of the National Security Council to consider options. The consensus from the Joint Chiefs...
Shot in Shepperton Studios outside of London from February through November 1963, Dr. Strangelove was conceived and realized in the shadow of a real-life nightmare scenario that no one laughed at: the Cuban Missile Crisis, which unfolded over 13 terrifying days in October 1962.
On Oct. 14, 1962, a U-2 spy plane detected facilities for the launching of nuclear ballistic missiles from Cuba, a Soviet client state since 1959. President John F. Kennedy convened an executive committee of the National Security Council to consider options. The consensus from the Joint Chiefs...
- 1/29/2024
- by Thomas Doherty
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Stanley Kubrick’s sharp and persuasive comedy about nuclear war remains a hilarious act of provocation
Sixty years ago, Columbia Pictures released the first of two black-and-white movies with the exact same premise: what if American planes with hydrogen bombs were inadvertently ordered to drop their payload on targets in the Soviet Union, potentially triggering an all-out nuclear war that wipe out humanity? The Cuban missile crisis had pushed the superpowers to the brink of conflict less than two years earlier, and film-makers were unusually eager to face their cold war nightmares head on.
The release dates were like a reversal of Karl Marx’s famous line about how history repeats itself, “first as a tragedy, second as a farce”. The farce, Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove, came first. Then the tragedy, Sidney Lumet’s Fail Safe, arrived in October. There was a lot of messy legal fallout over the...
Sixty years ago, Columbia Pictures released the first of two black-and-white movies with the exact same premise: what if American planes with hydrogen bombs were inadvertently ordered to drop their payload on targets in the Soviet Union, potentially triggering an all-out nuclear war that wipe out humanity? The Cuban missile crisis had pushed the superpowers to the brink of conflict less than two years earlier, and film-makers were unusually eager to face their cold war nightmares head on.
The release dates were like a reversal of Karl Marx’s famous line about how history repeats itself, “first as a tragedy, second as a farce”. The farce, Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove, came first. Then the tragedy, Sidney Lumet’s Fail Safe, arrived in October. There was a lot of messy legal fallout over the...
- 1/29/2024
- by Scott Tobias
- The Guardian - Film News
In the "Twilight Zone" episode "A Game of Pool", Jack Klugman plays a would-be pool champion named Jesse who feels that he would be more widely recognized for his billiard skills, were he not living in the shadow of the late pool champion James Howard "Fats" Brown. Jesse posits that if he had had the opportunity to play against Fats, he would definitely win. In a supernatural twist, Fats (Jonathan Winters) arrives from the afterlife to accept the challenge. The ensuing game, however, comes with a stipulation: if Jesse wins, he will indeed be granted the lifelong reputation as the greatest pool player of all time. If he loses, he'll die in obscurity. Jesse accepts.
Throughout their game, Fats points out that living well and happily is more important than the hard-edged fame of being a great pool player. Jesse doesn't listen. He wants fame.
Jesse, perhaps shockingly, wins the game.
Throughout their game, Fats points out that living well and happily is more important than the hard-edged fame of being a great pool player. Jesse doesn't listen. He wants fame.
Jesse, perhaps shockingly, wins the game.
- 1/27/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Norman Jewison made movies that mattered.
“Timing is everything,” the director told me the one time we met. I’d been enlisted to host a long Q&a with Jewison at the American Cinematheque — and I was more than a little intimidated.
From “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” in 1966 to “Other People’s Money” in 1991, Jewison had an astonishing quarter-century run behind the camera, directing movies that impacted the culture when they came out (none more than “In the Heat of the Night”), a great many of which are still watched today. Turns out, this legendary talent couldn’t have been sweeter.
Jewison liked to tell the story of how he met Bobby Kennedy before making the landmark Sidney Poitier picture. He and Kennedy crossed paths while on vacation skiing, where both of their kids wound up in the hospital.
Still developing “In the Heat of the Night” at the time,...
“Timing is everything,” the director told me the one time we met. I’d been enlisted to host a long Q&a with Jewison at the American Cinematheque — and I was more than a little intimidated.
From “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” in 1966 to “Other People’s Money” in 1991, Jewison had an astonishing quarter-century run behind the camera, directing movies that impacted the culture when they came out (none more than “In the Heat of the Night”), a great many of which are still watched today. Turns out, this legendary talent couldn’t have been sweeter.
Jewison liked to tell the story of how he met Bobby Kennedy before making the landmark Sidney Poitier picture. He and Kennedy crossed paths while on vacation skiing, where both of their kids wound up in the hospital.
Still developing “In the Heat of the Night” at the time,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
"Chinatown" is one of the great masterpieces of American cinema. As a period piece, it cries out with nostalgia for a bygone past while commenting on the aimlessness of this very pursuit. Like the other accomplished neo-noirs of the New Hollywood movement (namely Robert Altman's "The Long Goodbye"), its detective story is disjointed and dreamlike. It is not a neat and satisfying narrative like a classic noir. Instead, it meanders fearlessly and aimlessly into the uneasy unknown.
Although it earned its only Oscar for its screenplay, it's hard to imagine "Chinatown" being half as good as it was without the unforgettable performances of its main cast. Sadly, as the 1974 film ages into legendary status, so too do the actors that made it so legendary.
Not every actor who made the 1974 mystery movie so great has lived to see it reach its 50-year anniversary in 2024. However, some of the greatest...
Although it earned its only Oscar for its screenplay, it's hard to imagine "Chinatown" being half as good as it was without the unforgettable performances of its main cast. Sadly, as the 1974 film ages into legendary status, so too do the actors that made it so legendary.
Not every actor who made the 1974 mystery movie so great has lived to see it reach its 50-year anniversary in 2024. However, some of the greatest...
- 1/21/2024
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
When Nathan Silver’s mother was in her mid-60s, she decided to have a bat mitzvah. As the indie filmmaker started telling people that his mother was embarking on a rite of passage usually reserved for teenagers, a friend urged him to turn her story into a movie. Now, “Between the Temples,” a screwball comedy inspired by mom’s coming-of-age ceremony, will premiere at Sundance, with Carol Kane and Jason Schwartzman playing an elderly bat mitzvah student and a depressed cantor who forge an unlikely bond.
“It’s one from the heart,” says Silver. “It’s a story that touches on many aspects of my life.”
It also gives Kane and Schwartzman, who so often steal scenes in supporting roles, a chance to shine as leads. Signing on required a leap of faith for Kane because Silver’s scripts, which he calls “scriptments” and likens to novellas, aren’t traditional.
“It’s one from the heart,” says Silver. “It’s a story that touches on many aspects of my life.”
It also gives Kane and Schwartzman, who so often steal scenes in supporting roles, a chance to shine as leads. Signing on required a leap of faith for Kane because Silver’s scripts, which he calls “scriptments” and likens to novellas, aren’t traditional.
- 1/12/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The real Bonnie and Clyde may have died in 1933, but the legend of the couple's crime spree lives on in the form of songs, stories, and one groundbreaking movie. Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde" took Hollywood by storm when it hit theaters in 1967, generating controversy for its on-screen violence and sensuality -- and kick-starting nationwide conversations about who deserves to be the subject of a movie. While film fans still talk about these topics today, the movie's brutal final shootout feels mild compared to modern blood-soaked movie scenes.
Still, "Bonnie and Clyde" is a fantastic film, thanks in large part to its great cast. Warren Beatty plays cocky Clyde Barrow to Faye Dunaway's initially innocent Bonnie Parker, while actors Michael J. Pollard, Gene Hackman, and Estelle Parsons round out the Barrow gang. A young Gene Wilder made his big screen debut as one of Clyde's hostages, while Denver...
Still, "Bonnie and Clyde" is a fantastic film, thanks in large part to its great cast. Warren Beatty plays cocky Clyde Barrow to Faye Dunaway's initially innocent Bonnie Parker, while actors Michael J. Pollard, Gene Hackman, and Estelle Parsons round out the Barrow gang. A young Gene Wilder made his big screen debut as one of Clyde's hostages, while Denver...
- 1/8/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Josh Kramer, who worked as a film producer and financier and Amazon executive, died Nov. 27 in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 67.
Kramer started his career in entertainment in foreign sales for the Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis. By pre-selling foreign movie rights, he became an integral member of the company, financing films such as “Manhunter” and “Blue Velvet.” He led the acquisition of the film rights for Madonna’s first concert film “Madonna: Truth or Dare” and later sold the film overseas.
Rachael Horovitz, who worked with him at De Laurentiis, remembered Kramer on his memorial site. “A concert pianist who helped right the Beastie Boys tourbus one night in Paris when rabid fans were tipping it over; a patient negotiator who cried reading J.D. Salinger. His contradictions made him.”
He joined forces with Thom Mount to form the Mount/Kramer Company in the early ’90s, producing Roman Polanski’s...
Kramer started his career in entertainment in foreign sales for the Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis. By pre-selling foreign movie rights, he became an integral member of the company, financing films such as “Manhunter” and “Blue Velvet.” He led the acquisition of the film rights for Madonna’s first concert film “Madonna: Truth or Dare” and later sold the film overseas.
Rachael Horovitz, who worked with him at De Laurentiis, remembered Kramer on his memorial site. “A concert pianist who helped right the Beastie Boys tourbus one night in Paris when rabid fans were tipping it over; a patient negotiator who cried reading J.D. Salinger. His contradictions made him.”
He joined forces with Thom Mount to form the Mount/Kramer Company in the early ’90s, producing Roman Polanski’s...
- 12/19/2023
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Josh Kramer, who produced Roman Polanski’s Death and the Maiden and Sidney Lumet’s Night Falls on Manhattan and later led sales for Capitol Films before becoming Head of Motion Picture Business Operations at Amazon Studios, has died. He was 67.
Kramer died November 27 in Santa Monica.
Born on May 17, 1956, he began his showbiz career working for the Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, pre-selling foreign movie rights that would help finance films including Manhunter, Blue Velvet and others. Kramer was instrumental in the success of the 1991 concert pic Madonna: Truth or Dare, leading the acquisition of the film rights and then selling the film overseas.
In the early 1990s, he teamed with Thom Mount to form the Mount/Kramer Company, which produced Death and the Maiden (1994) and Night Falls on Manhattan (1996).
He went on to become the head of sales for Capitol Films, later joining international acquisitions at MGM. In...
Kramer died November 27 in Santa Monica.
Born on May 17, 1956, he began his showbiz career working for the Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, pre-selling foreign movie rights that would help finance films including Manhunter, Blue Velvet and others. Kramer was instrumental in the success of the 1991 concert pic Madonna: Truth or Dare, leading the acquisition of the film rights and then selling the film overseas.
In the early 1990s, he teamed with Thom Mount to form the Mount/Kramer Company, which produced Death and the Maiden (1994) and Night Falls on Manhattan (1996).
He went on to become the head of sales for Capitol Films, later joining international acquisitions at MGM. In...
- 12/19/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Steven Spielberg had tackled serious subjects before, but none of his previous work had the power and artistic vision of “Schindler’s List,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Based on the book by Thomas Keneally, “Schindler’s List” relates the true story of Nazi party member and war profiteer Oskar Schindler, who ended up saving 1,000 Jews from the Nazi death camps during World War II. Shot in black-and-white-save for a little girl wearig red coat- ‘Schindler’s List” is often a difficult watch, but it’s message of “Never Forget” is particularly relevant today with the rise of anti-Semitism and the white power movement. The epic stars Liam Neeson as Schindler, Ben Kingsley as the Jewish manager of Schindler’s factor and Ralph Fiennes, terrifying as a ruthless Nazi commandant Amon Goth.
The reviews were laudatory and despite its length — 3 hours 15 minutes — “Schindler’s List” made over $322 million worldwide. Nominated for 12 Oscars...
The reviews were laudatory and despite its length — 3 hours 15 minutes — “Schindler’s List” made over $322 million worldwide. Nominated for 12 Oscars...
- 12/18/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
"Jaws" is an immortal classic, but decades on from its 1975 release, several of the movie's principal players have left us. Peter Benchley, the source novel's author and the film's co-writer turned shark conservationist, passed in 2006. Robert Shaw, who played the shark-hating fisherman Quint, died in 1978, a mere three years after the premiere of "Jaws." Shaw still left his mark on film history thanks to his masterful monologue about Quint's experience during the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis.
Of course, the biggest winner of "Jaws" was director Steven Spielberg, who entered the production of "Jaws" as a scrappy young upstart and turned it into his first rung while climbing the Hollywood lader. Spielberg is the most influential American filmmaker of his generation and the ones that have followed. He's never lost his magic touch either, so we can only hope and pray he stays with us even longer.
In the years since then,...
Of course, the biggest winner of "Jaws" was director Steven Spielberg, who entered the production of "Jaws" as a scrappy young upstart and turned it into his first rung while climbing the Hollywood lader. Spielberg is the most influential American filmmaker of his generation and the ones that have followed. He's never lost his magic touch either, so we can only hope and pray he stays with us even longer.
In the years since then,...
- 12/5/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Anya Taylor-Joy is transforming into a post-apocalyptic warrior for “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel film “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.”
The long-awaited epic, helmed by “Mad Max” creator George Miller, stars Taylor-Joy as the title character, who was originally portrayed by Charlize Theron in 2015’s “Fury Road.” Theron’s Furiosa was a war captain serving tyrant Immortan Joe, who later leads a coup by freeing the ruler’s top female breeders.
Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke also star in “Furiosa,” which begins with Taylor-Joy’s character growing up in the idyllic Green Place and serving the Vuvalini army before becoming the hardened warrior seen in “Fury Road.” The film is being described as a “traditional three-act drama,” as opposed to the action-heavy chase film of “Fury Road.”
“Furiosa” is co-written by Miller, along with “Fury Road” screenwriter Nick Lathouris. The prequel captures the origins of Gas Town and the Bullet Farm in the franchise.
The long-awaited epic, helmed by “Mad Max” creator George Miller, stars Taylor-Joy as the title character, who was originally portrayed by Charlize Theron in 2015’s “Fury Road.” Theron’s Furiosa was a war captain serving tyrant Immortan Joe, who later leads a coup by freeing the ruler’s top female breeders.
Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke also star in “Furiosa,” which begins with Taylor-Joy’s character growing up in the idyllic Green Place and serving the Vuvalini army before becoming the hardened warrior seen in “Fury Road.” The film is being described as a “traditional three-act drama,” as opposed to the action-heavy chase film of “Fury Road.”
“Furiosa” is co-written by Miller, along with “Fury Road” screenwriter Nick Lathouris. The prequel captures the origins of Gas Town and the Bullet Farm in the franchise.
- 11/30/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Victor J. Kemper, the former president of the American Society of Cinematographers whose career spanned four decades and included films as diverse as Dog Day Afternoon and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, has died according to the ASC. He was 96.
Kemper made films with many of the greats of ’70s cinema, including John Cassavetes, Arthur Hiller, Michael Ritchie, Peter Yates, Sidney Lumet, George Roy Hill, Robert Wise, Carl Reiner, Richard Attenborough and Norman Jewison.
His very first film was Cassavetes’ Husbands, and it was an education in itself.
“We shot more than a million-and-a-half feet of film during 10 weeks in New York and 12 weeks in London,” Kemper recalled. “That’s the way Cassavetes worked.”
He went on to make Mikey & Nicky with the director.
Subsequent work included The Candidate, And Justice for All, Audrey Rose, Slap Shot, Oh God!, The Gambler, The Jerk, The Four Seasons, Coma, Mr. Mom, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,...
Kemper made films with many of the greats of ’70s cinema, including John Cassavetes, Arthur Hiller, Michael Ritchie, Peter Yates, Sidney Lumet, George Roy Hill, Robert Wise, Carl Reiner, Richard Attenborough and Norman Jewison.
His very first film was Cassavetes’ Husbands, and it was an education in itself.
“We shot more than a million-and-a-half feet of film during 10 weeks in New York and 12 weeks in London,” Kemper recalled. “That’s the way Cassavetes worked.”
He went on to make Mikey & Nicky with the director.
Subsequent work included The Candidate, And Justice for All, Audrey Rose, Slap Shot, Oh God!, The Gambler, The Jerk, The Four Seasons, Coma, Mr. Mom, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,...
- 11/29/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Victor J. Kemper, the cinematographer behind “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation” and other notable films, has died. He was 96.
American Cinematographer, the international publication of the American Society of Cinematographers, confirmed the news of his passing on social media.
One of Kemper’s most prominent films is the biographical crime drama “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975), directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino. The film, which tells the true story of a 1972 bank robbery and hostage situation in Brooklyn, was nominated for six Academy Awards and was admitted to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Kemper also had an ongoing collaborative relationship with director Arthur Hiller, working together on films like “The Tiger Makes Out” (1969) and “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” (1989). Other prominent directors he worked with include John Cassavetes, Anthony Harvey, Michael Ritchie, Elaine May, J. Lee Thompson and Elia Kazan, among many others.
American Cinematographer, the international publication of the American Society of Cinematographers, confirmed the news of his passing on social media.
One of Kemper’s most prominent films is the biographical crime drama “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975), directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino. The film, which tells the true story of a 1972 bank robbery and hostage situation in Brooklyn, was nominated for six Academy Awards and was admitted to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Kemper also had an ongoing collaborative relationship with director Arthur Hiller, working together on films like “The Tiger Makes Out” (1969) and “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” (1989). Other prominent directors he worked with include John Cassavetes, Anthony Harvey, Michael Ritchie, Elaine May, J. Lee Thompson and Elia Kazan, among many others.
- 11/29/2023
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
Victor J. Kemper, the veteran cinematographer who shot more than 50 features, including Dog Day Afternoon, Eyes of Laura Mars, The Jerk and Slap Shot, has died. He was 96.
Kemper died Monday of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, his son, Steven Kemper, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kemper earned his inaugural D.P. credit on Husbands (1970), written and directed by John Cassavetes, then shot Elia Kazan’s final feature, The Last Tycoon (1976) and Tim Burton’s first, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985).
Kemper also did six films for director Arthur Hiller — The Tiger Makes Out (1967), The Hospital (1971), Author! Author! (1982), The Lonely Guy (1984), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Married to It (1991) — and three in a row for Carl Reiner: Oh God! (1977), The One and Only (1978) and The Jerk (1979).
The New Jersey native said he had to wear ice skates when he photographed the hockey scenes in George Roy Hill’s Slap Shot (1977) and...
Kemper died Monday of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, his son, Steven Kemper, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kemper earned his inaugural D.P. credit on Husbands (1970), written and directed by John Cassavetes, then shot Elia Kazan’s final feature, The Last Tycoon (1976) and Tim Burton’s first, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985).
Kemper also did six films for director Arthur Hiller — The Tiger Makes Out (1967), The Hospital (1971), Author! Author! (1982), The Lonely Guy (1984), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Married to It (1991) — and three in a row for Carl Reiner: Oh God! (1977), The One and Only (1978) and The Jerk (1979).
The New Jersey native said he had to wear ice skates when he photographed the hockey scenes in George Roy Hill’s Slap Shot (1977) and...
- 11/29/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Now here’s what you call an old-fashioned ripping good yarn. Sidney Lumet shows in this movie that he was still at the top of his game at the age of eighty-three. HD cameras, a non-linear narrative…he handles it all with élan and delivers an edge of the seat crime thriller with a heart. A crime is just a deed, an action like any other. What matters are the events before and after. The why’s and how’s leading up to the moment and the repercussions afterwards. That’s one thing this movie understands.
Andy Hanson is the older brother. He works in a real- estate firm. He draws a salary in six figures, has a sexy wife, Gina and lives a good life. But he has a drug problem. He’s having troubles in his office with the IRS. And his comfortable, prosperous life is about to fall apart.
Andy Hanson is the older brother. He works in a real- estate firm. He draws a salary in six figures, has a sexy wife, Gina and lives a good life. But he has a drug problem. He’s having troubles in his office with the IRS. And his comfortable, prosperous life is about to fall apart.
- 11/22/2023
- by Prem
- Talking Films
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)
With all the milestones that have occurred throughout the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, there are still plenty of accomplishments that have not transpired. No Black woman has ever been nominated for Best Director, and no Black person has ever won that category. No animated film has ever won Best Picture, and no documentary has ever been nominated. I do believe all of these things will eventually happen in the future. As the diversity of the industry steadily increases and Academy membership gradually expands, these sorts of things must happen as time moves on.
But there is one thing I remain skeptical about when it comes to Oscars milestones. It has nothing to do with representation, nor does it have to...
With all the milestones that have occurred throughout the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, there are still plenty of accomplishments that have not transpired. No Black woman has ever been nominated for Best Director, and no Black person has ever won that category. No animated film has ever won Best Picture, and no documentary has ever been nominated. I do believe all of these things will eventually happen in the future. As the diversity of the industry steadily increases and Academy membership gradually expands, these sorts of things must happen as time moves on.
But there is one thing I remain skeptical about when it comes to Oscars milestones. It has nothing to do with representation, nor does it have to...
- 11/12/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Marina Cicogna, a film producer and one of the first women to establish herself in the traditionally male cinema environment in Italy, died Saturday in Rome. She was 89.
Cicogna produced several important Italian films, including Metti, una Sera a Cena by Giuseppe Patroni Griffi and Indagine su un Cittadino al di Sopra di Ogni Sospetto (Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion) by Elio Petri, with the latter winning the Oscar for best foreign language film in 1971. The New York Times called her “one of the most powerful women in European cinema.”
Her extraordinary experience and career were recounted in 2021 in the documentary film Marina Cicogna. Life and Everything Else by Andrea Bettinetti and in her autobiography, Ancora Spero, released this year by Marsilio Publishing.
Cicogna died with Benedetta Gardona, her companion of more than 30 years, by her side.
Ahead of receiving the 2023 David Award for Lifetime Achievement this year, Cicogna...
Cicogna produced several important Italian films, including Metti, una Sera a Cena by Giuseppe Patroni Griffi and Indagine su un Cittadino al di Sopra di Ogni Sospetto (Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion) by Elio Petri, with the latter winning the Oscar for best foreign language film in 1971. The New York Times called her “one of the most powerful women in European cinema.”
Her extraordinary experience and career were recounted in 2021 in the documentary film Marina Cicogna. Life and Everything Else by Andrea Bettinetti and in her autobiography, Ancora Spero, released this year by Marsilio Publishing.
Cicogna died with Benedetta Gardona, her companion of more than 30 years, by her side.
Ahead of receiving the 2023 David Award for Lifetime Achievement this year, Cicogna...
- 11/6/2023
- by Livia Paccariè
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 1986 legal drama film ‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ is set for a remake and will star an ensemble cast of Atul Kulkarni, Suvinder Vikki, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Neeraj Kabi, Divya Dutta, Vineet Kumar, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Kani Kusruti, Hemant Kher, Samvedna Suwalkar, Luke Kenny, and Manu Rishi Chaddha.
The remake will be helmed by Darshan Ashwin Trivedi, and the principal shooting of the film will commence on December 10, 2023in Mumbai with some parts of the shoot in Gujarat.
‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla;, which was directed by Basu Chatterjee, is considered the most compelling courtroom drama in Indian cinema. The film was a remake of ‘12 Angry Men’ (1957) directed by Sidney Lumet, which was adapted from a 1954 teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose.
Talking about remaking the cult classic, director Dr Darshan Ashwin Trivedi said: “’Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ is an exciting project. The film already has a legacy. The biggest challenge...
The remake will be helmed by Darshan Ashwin Trivedi, and the principal shooting of the film will commence on December 10, 2023in Mumbai with some parts of the shoot in Gujarat.
‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla;, which was directed by Basu Chatterjee, is considered the most compelling courtroom drama in Indian cinema. The film was a remake of ‘12 Angry Men’ (1957) directed by Sidney Lumet, which was adapted from a 1954 teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose.
Talking about remaking the cult classic, director Dr Darshan Ashwin Trivedi said: “’Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ is an exciting project. The film already has a legacy. The biggest challenge...
- 11/6/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The 1986 legal drama film ‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ is set for a remake and will star an ensemble cast of Atul Kulkarni, Suvinder Vikki, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Neeraj Kabi, Divya Dutta, Vineet Kumar, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Kani Kusruti, Hemant Kher, Samvedna Suwalkar, Luke Kenny, and Manu Rishi Chaddha.
The remake will be helmed by Darshan Ashwin Trivedi, and the principal shooting of the film will commence on December 10, 2023in Mumbai with some parts of the shoot in Gujarat.
‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla;, which was directed by Basu Chatterjee, is considered the most compelling courtroom drama in Indian cinema. The film was a remake of ‘12 Angry Men’ (1957) directed by Sidney Lumet, which was adapted from a 1954 teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose.
Talking about remaking the cult classic, director Dr Darshan Ashwin Trivedi said: “’Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ is an exciting project. The film already has a legacy. The biggest challenge...
The remake will be helmed by Darshan Ashwin Trivedi, and the principal shooting of the film will commence on December 10, 2023in Mumbai with some parts of the shoot in Gujarat.
‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla;, which was directed by Basu Chatterjee, is considered the most compelling courtroom drama in Indian cinema. The film was a remake of ‘12 Angry Men’ (1957) directed by Sidney Lumet, which was adapted from a 1954 teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose.
Talking about remaking the cult classic, director Dr Darshan Ashwin Trivedi said: “’Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ is an exciting project. The film already has a legacy. The biggest challenge...
- 11/6/2023
- by Agency News Desk
Andy Garcia is a highly acclaimed and versatile Cuban-American actor, director, and musician. Born as Andrés Arturo García Menéndez on April 12, 1956, in Havana, Cuba, he has made a significant impact in the film industry with his iconic characters and dedication to his craft. Despite his success, Garcia remains a private and guarded individual, focusing on his acting roots and personal projects. Let’s take a closer look at his journey, from his early life to his rise to stardom and his notable contributions to the world of cinema.
Andy Garcia. Depositphotos
Andy Garcia’s parents, Amelie Menéndez and René García Núñez, were both Cuban natives. His mother was an English teacher, while his father worked as an attorney and avocado farmer. Garcia’s family was relatively affluent until Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba. In 1961, when Garcia was just two years old, his family fled to Miami Beach, seeking refuge from the political turmoil.
Andy Garcia. Depositphotos
Andy Garcia’s parents, Amelie Menéndez and René García Núñez, were both Cuban natives. His mother was an English teacher, while his father worked as an attorney and avocado farmer. Garcia’s family was relatively affluent until Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba. In 1961, when Garcia was just two years old, his family fled to Miami Beach, seeking refuge from the political turmoil.
- 10/26/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
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