Martin Starger, the first president of ABC Entertainment who went on to produce such films as “Sophie’s Choice” and Robert Altman’s “Nashville,” has died. He was 92.
Starger died of natural causes Saturday in his Los Angeles home, his niece, casting director Ilene Starger, announced.
Starger was born May 8, 1932, in the Bronx, N.Y. He attended the City College of New York, where he received a degree in motion picture techniques. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and was assigned to the Signal Corps Motion Picture Location. He served as a motion picture photographer at the U.S. Army’s film production studio. He was sent to U.S. Army Headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, and worked there in all phases of motion picture production. He wrote, directed, photographed and edited documentary and feature films for television, the Department of Defense and newsreels.
After his service, Starger spent several...
Starger died of natural causes Saturday in his Los Angeles home, his niece, casting director Ilene Starger, announced.
Starger was born May 8, 1932, in the Bronx, N.Y. He attended the City College of New York, where he received a degree in motion picture techniques. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and was assigned to the Signal Corps Motion Picture Location. He served as a motion picture photographer at the U.S. Army’s film production studio. He was sent to U.S. Army Headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, and worked there in all phases of motion picture production. He wrote, directed, photographed and edited documentary and feature films for television, the Department of Defense and newsreels.
After his service, Starger spent several...
- 6/1/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety Film + TV
Martin Starger, a producer for such films as Robert Altman’s Nashville and Peter Bogdanovich’s Mask, died Friday at 92 in his Los Angeles home of natural causes. His death was confirmed by his niece, casting director Ilene Starger.
“He was a brilliant, elegant, remarkable man,” Starger said. “He had wonderful taste in projects, and, on a highly personal level, he was like a father to me, given that his older brother, my father, died very suddenly when I was a teenager.”
As the first president of ABC Entertainment, he helped bring such projects as Roots, Happy Days and Rich Man, Poor Man to television.
As an executive producer, Starger worked on films including Stanley Donen’s Movie Movie (1978), Ingmar Bergman’s Autumn Sonata, The Muppet Movie (1979) and The Great Muppet Caper (1981), Mark Rydell’s On Golden Pond (1981), The Last Unicorn (1982) and Alan J. Pakula’s Sophie’s Choice (1982).
Martin...
“He was a brilliant, elegant, remarkable man,” Starger said. “He had wonderful taste in projects, and, on a highly personal level, he was like a father to me, given that his older brother, my father, died very suddenly when I was a teenager.”
As the first president of ABC Entertainment, he helped bring such projects as Roots, Happy Days and Rich Man, Poor Man to television.
As an executive producer, Starger worked on films including Stanley Donen’s Movie Movie (1978), Ingmar Bergman’s Autumn Sonata, The Muppet Movie (1979) and The Great Muppet Caper (1981), Mark Rydell’s On Golden Pond (1981), The Last Unicorn (1982) and Alan J. Pakula’s Sophie’s Choice (1982).
Martin...
- 6/1/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Martin Starger, who shepherded Roots, Happy Days and Rich Man, Poor Man as the first president of ABC Entertainment before producing such films as Robert Altman’s Nashville and Peter Bogdanovich’s Mask, has died. He was 92.
Starger died Friday at his home in Los Angeles, his niece, New York-based casting director Ilene Starger, announced. “He was a brilliant, elegant, remarkable man and had wonderful taste in projects,” she noted.
As an executive producer, Starger worked on films including Stanley Donen’s Movie Movie (1978), Ingmar Bergman’s Autumn Sonata, The Muppet Movie (1979) and The Great Muppet Caper (1981), Mark Rydell’s On Golden Pond (1981), The Last Unicorn (1982) and Alan J. Pakula’s Sophie’s Choice (1982)
He received Tony nominations in 1987 and 1989 for producing the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Starlight Express and the comedy Lend Me a Tenor, respectively,
Starger was born on May 8, 1932, in the Bronx, New York. After graduating from City College,...
Starger died Friday at his home in Los Angeles, his niece, New York-based casting director Ilene Starger, announced. “He was a brilliant, elegant, remarkable man and had wonderful taste in projects,” she noted.
As an executive producer, Starger worked on films including Stanley Donen’s Movie Movie (1978), Ingmar Bergman’s Autumn Sonata, The Muppet Movie (1979) and The Great Muppet Caper (1981), Mark Rydell’s On Golden Pond (1981), The Last Unicorn (1982) and Alan J. Pakula’s Sophie’s Choice (1982)
He received Tony nominations in 1987 and 1989 for producing the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Starlight Express and the comedy Lend Me a Tenor, respectively,
Starger was born on May 8, 1932, in the Bronx, New York. After graduating from City College,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To celebrate the physical release of Cabrini out now on Blu-Ray, DVD & Digital Download platforms, we have 2 Blu-ray copies to give away to some lucky winners!
From the studio (Angel Studios) and director (Alejandro Monteverde) behind last summer’s box office sensation Sound of Freedom, this stunning biographical epic stars Cristiana Dell’Anna, two-time Oscar nominee John Lithgow, two-time Emmy nominee David Morse and Oscar nominee Giancarlo Giannini. Cabrini was produced by Academy Award-winning Jonathan Sanger (The Elephant Man) and features an original song performed by the world renowned tenor, Andrea Bocelli.
In 1889, Italian immigrant Francesca Cabrini arrives in New York City, greeted only by disease, crime, and impoverished children. Witnessing the vast inequality of the city, Cabrini sets off on a daring mission to help society’s most vulnerable, but must first overcome the prejudices and indifference of those in power. However, despite these momentous setbacks, her broken English, and poor health,...
From the studio (Angel Studios) and director (Alejandro Monteverde) behind last summer’s box office sensation Sound of Freedom, this stunning biographical epic stars Cristiana Dell’Anna, two-time Oscar nominee John Lithgow, two-time Emmy nominee David Morse and Oscar nominee Giancarlo Giannini. Cabrini was produced by Academy Award-winning Jonathan Sanger (The Elephant Man) and features an original song performed by the world renowned tenor, Andrea Bocelli.
In 1889, Italian immigrant Francesca Cabrini arrives in New York City, greeted only by disease, crime, and impoverished children. Witnessing the vast inequality of the city, Cabrini sets off on a daring mission to help society’s most vulnerable, but must first overcome the prejudices and indifference of those in power. However, despite these momentous setbacks, her broken English, and poor health,...
- 5/30/2024
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
David Lynch is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s biggest visionaries and an author who will forever be remembered in history among the names that have changed movies for the better. The filmmaker has left us with numerous memorable works such as Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, and Mulholland Drive, but his arguably best and most famous work is the Twin Peaks television series, which became a cult classic of the mystery genre. He is known for his unique and surreal, sometimes quirky and weird, approach to his stories, and that is something that his fans love about him.
Lynch has been an uncompromising figure in the world of cinema and it’s been a while now that we’ve seen a new project of his come to light, although a recent interview we reported on indicated that Lynch had not given up on cinema. Today, in his unique way,...
Lynch has been an uncompromising figure in the world of cinema and it’s been a while now that we’ve seen a new project of his come to light, although a recent interview we reported on indicated that Lynch had not given up on cinema. Today, in his unique way,...
- 5/28/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
David Lynch hasn’t directed a feature film since Inland Empire in 2006, but he has directed many shorts since then, as well as all 18 episodes of Twin Peaks: The Return. Last month, we heard that he’s hoping to make an animated film called Snootworld, which was rejected by the Netflix streaming service… but while we wait to find out whether or not Snootworld is going to find a home, Lynch has taken to social media to tease that something is coming from him in June. On June 5th, to be exact.
In a video posted to X, Lynch said, “Ladies and gentlemen, something is coming along for you to see and hear. And it will be coming along on June 5.“
pic.twitter.com/7wH9m1ADi4
— David Lynch (@DAVID_LYNCH) May 27, 2024
Lynch didn’t provide any hints as to what this something may be. A short film? A music video?...
In a video posted to X, Lynch said, “Ladies and gentlemen, something is coming along for you to see and hear. And it will be coming along on June 5.“
pic.twitter.com/7wH9m1ADi4
— David Lynch (@DAVID_LYNCH) May 27, 2024
Lynch didn’t provide any hints as to what this something may be. A short film? A music video?...
- 5/28/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Val Kilmer was almost a lead in one of the cult classics of David Lynch. The Top Gun actor could be a massive name early in his career if he accepted Lynch’s 1986 mystery-thriller Blue Velvet.
Val Kilmer has been cast in several commercially and critically successful films throughout his career. He has also garnered attention from pop culture enthusiasts for his role as the Dark Knight in Batman Forever. However, the Iceman fame has also lost some iconic roles that could have elevated his career.
Val Kilmer in Top Gun | Paramount Pictures
It is not new for stars to miss out on some great films due to tough decisions. Val Kilmer admitted that he had to reject Blue Velvet as he was uncomfortable doing such an explicit film.
Why did Val Kilmer say no to David Lynch’s Blue Velvet?
David Lynch is known for his distinct style of surrealistic filmmaking.
Val Kilmer has been cast in several commercially and critically successful films throughout his career. He has also garnered attention from pop culture enthusiasts for his role as the Dark Knight in Batman Forever. However, the Iceman fame has also lost some iconic roles that could have elevated his career.
Val Kilmer in Top Gun | Paramount Pictures
It is not new for stars to miss out on some great films due to tough decisions. Val Kilmer admitted that he had to reject Blue Velvet as he was uncomfortable doing such an explicit film.
Why did Val Kilmer say no to David Lynch’s Blue Velvet?
David Lynch is known for his distinct style of surrealistic filmmaking.
- 5/26/2024
- by Subham Mandal
- FandomWire
George Lucas vetted several options before roping in Richard Marquand to helm Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. Some directors were not interested in directing Lucas’s epic space film, while the creator rejected a few others. One of the directors whom Lucas didn’t want for the film was the Basic Instinct director Paul Verhoeven.
Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in a still from George Lucas’s Return of the Jedi | Lucasfilm Ltd.
While he was a director with a vision, Verhoeven was known for including graphic scenes depicting violence and s*xual content in his films. Lucas wasn’t impressed by these scenes in one of the director’s films and decided to look for another director.
George Lucas Didn’t Want Paul Verhoeven To Direct Return Of The Jedi
Paul Verhoeven on the sets of Elle | Sbs Productions
Paul Verhoeven worked in the Dutch...
Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in a still from George Lucas’s Return of the Jedi | Lucasfilm Ltd.
While he was a director with a vision, Verhoeven was known for including graphic scenes depicting violence and s*xual content in his films. Lucas wasn’t impressed by these scenes in one of the director’s films and decided to look for another director.
George Lucas Didn’t Want Paul Verhoeven To Direct Return Of The Jedi
Paul Verhoeven on the sets of Elle | Sbs Productions
Paul Verhoeven worked in the Dutch...
- 5/22/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
The Fantastic FourPhoto: Uncork’d Entertainment
“It’s like a miracle… One million dollars cash to us if we star in a movie,” Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, says with a no-nonsense look on his stretchable rubber face.
His three blue-costumed team members are enthusiastic upon hearing this news.
“It’s like a miracle… One million dollars cash to us if we star in a movie,” Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, says with a no-nonsense look on his stretchable rubber face.
His three blue-costumed team members are enthusiastic upon hearing this news.
- 5/22/2024
- by Shaurya Thapa
- avclub.com
The Star Wars franchise is one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time and has spawned multiple films, shows, animated series, and comic books. The Galaxies created by George Lucas changed pop culture as well as blockbuster filmmaking since the first film was released in 1977. The film earned $775 million against a budget of $11 million.
While Lucas directed the first film in the original trilogy, he wanted to take more of a creative producer role in subsequent films of the original trilogy. The Empire Strikes Back was helmed by Irvin Kershner while Return of the Jedi was directed by Richard Marquand. However, Lucas reportedly first had David Lynch in mind for the latter.
David Lynch Rejected The Opportunity To Direct A Star Wars Movie George Lucas | Credits: YouTube/Full Bodied Productions
George Lucas’ Star Wars was and still is one of the hottest properties in Hollywood and many filmmakers would give...
While Lucas directed the first film in the original trilogy, he wanted to take more of a creative producer role in subsequent films of the original trilogy. The Empire Strikes Back was helmed by Irvin Kershner while Return of the Jedi was directed by Richard Marquand. However, Lucas reportedly first had David Lynch in mind for the latter.
David Lynch Rejected The Opportunity To Direct A Star Wars Movie George Lucas | Credits: YouTube/Full Bodied Productions
George Lucas’ Star Wars was and still is one of the hottest properties in Hollywood and many filmmakers would give...
- 5/20/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
After 27 years, Demi Moore returned to the Cannes red carpet following the world premiere of her body horror The Substance, starring Margaret Qualley. Directed by French director Coralie Fargeat, the horror thriller has made waves, with critics deeming it Moore’s best big-screen role in decades.
The plot revolves around a new product, The Substance, which promises people to transform into the best version of themselves. However, it comes with a twist and the new horror is definitely not for the faint-hearted, as critics deemed it among the best films the genre has to offer.
The Substance Doesn’t Disappoint in the Body Horror Front Per Critics Demi Moore | Credit: Indecent Proposal ( Paramount Pictures)
Demi Moore‘s new film is a complete departure from her Industry image, which has earned her and the crew a 13-minute standing ovation at Cannes. Revolving around self-hatred, The Substance doesn’t shy away from...
The plot revolves around a new product, The Substance, which promises people to transform into the best version of themselves. However, it comes with a twist and the new horror is definitely not for the faint-hearted, as critics deemed it among the best films the genre has to offer.
The Substance Doesn’t Disappoint in the Body Horror Front Per Critics Demi Moore | Credit: Indecent Proposal ( Paramount Pictures)
Demi Moore‘s new film is a complete departure from her Industry image, which has earned her and the crew a 13-minute standing ovation at Cannes. Revolving around self-hatred, The Substance doesn’t shy away from...
- 5/20/2024
- by Santanu Roy
- FandomWire
Lydia Deetz, her stepmother Delia and her daughter Astrid stand over a casket, the burial services in progress. We can barely make out who the funeral is for but there he is on the headstone: Charles Deetz. While Charles was once part of the Beetlejuice sequel when the ghost with the most was to “go Hawaiian”, he was written entirely out of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice…for reasons that will soon be obvious.
Despite the original’s and sequel’s dalliances with the afterlife, Jeffrey Jones will not be in the Beetlejuice sequel– or pretty much any other legitimate movie – following his disgraceful tumble from his small but reliable spotlight. Perfectly fitting into prestigious period pieces and goofball funny flicks. Jones is a Golden Globe nominee with consistent work – a mix of villain, comedic and at times patriarchal roles, Jeffrey Jones went from Ferris Bueller baddie to Who’s Your Caddy?
So...
Despite the original’s and sequel’s dalliances with the afterlife, Jeffrey Jones will not be in the Beetlejuice sequel– or pretty much any other legitimate movie – following his disgraceful tumble from his small but reliable spotlight. Perfectly fitting into prestigious period pieces and goofball funny flicks. Jones is a Golden Globe nominee with consistent work – a mix of villain, comedic and at times patriarchal roles, Jeffrey Jones went from Ferris Bueller baddie to Who’s Your Caddy?
So...
- 5/14/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Recording artist Dua Lipa just released her latest album this past week, so there's no better time for the pop star to pull double duty as the host and musical guest of "Saturday Night Live." Of course, her first time taking on the honor unfortunately comes after Ryan Gosling hosted a banger of an episode, packed with viral gems like the Beavis and Butt-Head sketch. But if your expectations were firmly in check, then you probably enjoyed this lukewarm, fairly amusing but not raucously hilarious episode of "SNL."
Thankfully, Dua Lipa turned out to be a solid host alongside her musical guest duties. She was game to jump into a variety of characters, didn't severely derail any sketches with subpar performances, and she was even willing to make jokes at her own expense during the monologue. However, the sketches were not exactly of the highest quality, and though Dua Lipa did her best,...
Thankfully, Dua Lipa turned out to be a solid host alongside her musical guest duties. She was game to jump into a variety of characters, didn't severely derail any sketches with subpar performances, and she was even willing to make jokes at her own expense during the monologue. However, the sketches were not exactly of the highest quality, and though Dua Lipa did her best,...
- 5/5/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
David Lynch is one of the biggest creative geniuses of our time. The filmmaker has left us with numerous memorable works such as Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, and Mulholland Drive, but his arguably best and most famous work is the Twin Peaks television series, which became a cult classic of the mystery genre. Some years ago, the series returned with an epic third season which, in Lynch’s usual manner, ended on a cliffhanger. And while the director has said that there are some “calls” for another season, no work has been done.
But, producer Sabrina Sutherland recently had a talk with the guys at Tulpa Forums and has agreed to answer fan questions about Twin Peaks, as well as her other collaborations with Lynch, as she has worked with him on several projects. In this article, we are going to bring you the most interesting details from this exciting Q&a,...
But, producer Sabrina Sutherland recently had a talk with the guys at Tulpa Forums and has agreed to answer fan questions about Twin Peaks, as well as her other collaborations with Lynch, as she has worked with him on several projects. In this article, we are going to bring you the most interesting details from this exciting Q&a,...
- 5/5/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
From the sweeping vistas of The Searchers to the towering Transformers of Age of Extinction, the mesas and monuments of Utah’s southern half have been a regular presence in film since the earliest days of the medium. In fact, throughout 2024 the “Beehive State” has been celebrating its considerable cinematic heritage with the retrospective exhibition “100 Years of Utah Film and Television” on display now at the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City.
But balancing responsible land use with tourism and commercial exploitation is forever a hot topic in Utah—a regular theme in Western states—and there are few exceptions made for the arts. Which is why collaboration with the steady guiding hand of local film commissions is so critical; someone to steer visiting filmmakers in the correct direction (both legally and creatively) and keep the reciprocal ecosystem of commerce between film crews and local businesses on the good foot.
But balancing responsible land use with tourism and commercial exploitation is forever a hot topic in Utah—a regular theme in Western states—and there are few exceptions made for the arts. Which is why collaboration with the steady guiding hand of local film commissions is so critical; someone to steer visiting filmmakers in the correct direction (both legally and creatively) and keep the reciprocal ecosystem of commerce between film crews and local businesses on the good foot.
- 4/26/2024
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
David Lynch is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s biggest visionaries and an author who will forever be remembered in history among the names that have changed movies for the better. Best known as the author of Twin Peaks, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and the surreal, experimental movie Eraserhead, Lynch has recently revealed to Deadline that he has an idea for an animated movie Snootworld which he hopes to release in the future despite, as he reveals, the rejection he got from Netflix.
Lynch’s unique vision could be seen in many of his live-action movies or series, and while fans are hoping for a continuation of Twin Peaks, after the enigmatic conclusion of the third season, it seems that Lynch has other priorities at the time and that he desperately wants to make an animated movie.
Snootworld, as the movie is set to be titled, has been...
Lynch’s unique vision could be seen in many of his live-action movies or series, and while fans are hoping for a continuation of Twin Peaks, after the enigmatic conclusion of the third season, it seems that Lynch has other priorities at the time and that he desperately wants to make an animated movie.
Snootworld, as the movie is set to be titled, has been...
- 4/9/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
A couple decades ago, legendary filmmaker David Lynch – who we have to thank for Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, the 1984 version of Dune, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Wild at Heart, Lost Highway, The Straight Story, and Mulholland Drive, among other things – started working with The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, The Addams Family, and Welcome to Marwen writer Caroline Thompson on the screenplay for an animated movie called Snootworld… and even though the Netflix streaming service recently turned down the chance to bring Snootworld into our world, Lynch told Deadline that he’s not giving up on getting the movie made.
Lynch said, “I don’t know when I started thinking about Snoots but I’d do these drawings of Snoots and then a story started to emerge. I got together with Caroline and we worked on a script. Just recently I thought someone might be interested in getting behind this...
Lynch said, “I don’t know when I started thinking about Snoots but I’d do these drawings of Snoots and then a story started to emerge. I got together with Caroline and we worked on a script. Just recently I thought someone might be interested in getting behind this...
- 4/8/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Way back in 2011, Sony Pictures acquired a spec script titled The Big Stone Grid, which was written by S. Craig Zahler – who is best known these days for writing and directing the films Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and Dragged Across Concrete. As of early 2012, Michael Mann was in talks to work on script revisions with Zahler and to direct the film. The Mann take on the material didn’t come to fruition, and four years later the project moved over to Lotus Entertainment, with Pierre Morel on board to direct. Morel couldn’t get it into production, either. Eight more years down the line, World of Reel reports that Zahler is now set to direct the film himself.
Part of the reason why Zahler has gone six years without directing a new film is the fact that the project he was pursuing, Hug Chickenpenny (an adaptation of...
Part of the reason why Zahler has gone six years without directing a new film is the fact that the project he was pursuing, Hug Chickenpenny (an adaptation of...
- 4/5/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Christopher Nolan, Spike Lee, Chantal Akerman, Theo Angelopoulos, Lynne Ramsay, Tsai Ming-liang, Michael Haneke, Lee Chang-dong, Terence Davies, Shōhei Imamura, Bi Gan, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Jia Zhangke, Wong Kar-wai, Yorgos Lanthimos, Denis Villleneuve, Céline Sciamma, Guillermo del Toro, Kelly Reichardt. Those are just a few of the filmmakers introduced to New York audiences at New Directors/New Films over the last half-century across over 1,100 premieres.
Now returning for its 53rd edition at Film at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art from April 3-14, this year’s lineup features 35 new films, presenting prizewinners from Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, Sarajevo, and Sundance film festivals. Ahead of the festival kicking off next week, we’ve gathered fourteen films to see, and one can explore the full lineup and schedule here.
All, or Nothing at All (Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang)
In All, or Nothing at all, director Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang employs an experimental...
Now returning for its 53rd edition at Film at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art from April 3-14, this year’s lineup features 35 new films, presenting prizewinners from Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, Sarajevo, and Sundance film festivals. Ahead of the festival kicking off next week, we’ve gathered fourteen films to see, and one can explore the full lineup and schedule here.
All, or Nothing at All (Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang)
In All, or Nothing at all, director Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang employs an experimental...
- 4/1/2024
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
In Roger Ebert’s one-star review of David Lynch‘s “Blue Velvet” in 1986, the film critic had strong words for the director he never softened through the rest of his career, even as Ebert came to appreciate some of Lynch’s later films. Ebert wrote that Isabella Rossellini “is asked to do things in this film that require real nerve… She is degraded, slapped around, humiliated and undressed in front of the camera. And when you ask an actress to endure those experiences, you should keep your side of the bargain by putting her in an important film.”
But Rossellini, who at the time of the controversial landmark’s release was in a relationship with director Lynch, today doesn’t necessarily agree with Ebert’s takedown of the movie. The daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini had by then gathered some modeling and film credits, but “Blue Velvet” proved to be her big breakout.
But Rossellini, who at the time of the controversial landmark’s release was in a relationship with director Lynch, today doesn’t necessarily agree with Ebert’s takedown of the movie. The daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini had by then gathered some modeling and film credits, but “Blue Velvet” proved to be her big breakout.
- 3/27/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The Criterion Collection has announced its slate of releases for June 2024, which is headlined by 4K restorations of two of the boutique label’s most popular Blu-rays and four new high profile additions to the collection.
David Lynch’s landmark 1986 neo-noir horror film, which marked his first collaboration with Laura Dern alongside her future “Twin Peaks: The Return” co-star Kyle McLachlan, will be re-released by Criterion with a new 4K transfer. It joins Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” “Mulholland Drive,” “Lost Highway,” “Inland Empire,” “The Elephant Man,” and “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” in the Criterion 4K library.
Also getting the 4K treatment is Terry Gilliam’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” which sees Johnny Depp playing Hunter S. Thompson stand-in Raoul Duke in a psychedelic adaptation of the landmark countercultural novel.
New additions to the collection include Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s “Bound,” Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s “Querelle,” Emilio Fernández’s “Victims of Sin,...
David Lynch’s landmark 1986 neo-noir horror film, which marked his first collaboration with Laura Dern alongside her future “Twin Peaks: The Return” co-star Kyle McLachlan, will be re-released by Criterion with a new 4K transfer. It joins Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” “Mulholland Drive,” “Lost Highway,” “Inland Empire,” “The Elephant Man,” and “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” in the Criterion 4K library.
Also getting the 4K treatment is Terry Gilliam’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” which sees Johnny Depp playing Hunter S. Thompson stand-in Raoul Duke in a psychedelic adaptation of the landmark countercultural novel.
New additions to the collection include Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s “Bound,” Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s “Querelle,” Emilio Fernández’s “Victims of Sin,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Everyone remembers that David Lynch commercial for the PlayStation 2 in all its Lynchian weirdness. And now it’s come full circle (sort of), thanks to a user by the name of DrJones20, who has recreated Lynch’s surreal masterpiece Eraserhead in Media Molecule’s Dreams for the PlayStation 5.
It’s obviously not the full length film, but this compressed version still includes many of the film’s iconic characters and scenes, and uses the audio from the film and a grainy 4:3 filter to complete the tribute. DrJones20 had apparently been working on this for quite some time, having teased the infamous baby a while back on Reddit.
This isn’t the first time that Dreams has been giving creators a chance to flex their muscles. We’ve had recreations of games like the original Dead Space and Resident Evil, as well as scenes from films like Stanley Kubrick‘s...
It’s obviously not the full length film, but this compressed version still includes many of the film’s iconic characters and scenes, and uses the audio from the film and a grainy 4:3 filter to complete the tribute. DrJones20 had apparently been working on this for quite some time, having teased the infamous baby a while back on Reddit.
This isn’t the first time that Dreams has been giving creators a chance to flex their muscles. We’ve had recreations of games like the original Dead Space and Resident Evil, as well as scenes from films like Stanley Kubrick‘s...
- 3/14/2024
- by Mike Wilson
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Producer Kate Cohen (Jane Got a Gun) has tapped Oscar nominee Lesley Paterson (All Quiet on the Western Front) and Simon Marshall to script a feature adaptation of Viktor Frankl’s classic treatise, Man’s Search for Meaning. For Paterson’s husband and writing partner, Marshall, the project has taken on particular resonance of late, having just been diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer.
Translated into 50 languages, with over 16 million copies sold, Frankl’s riveting account of his time in the Nazi concentration camps, and his exploration of the human will to find meaning in spite of unspeakable adversity, has offered solace and guidance to generations of readers since it was first published in 1946. At the heart of his work is the conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but rather the pursuit of meaning.
Producer Kate Cohen
Set to produce under her Straight Up...
Translated into 50 languages, with over 16 million copies sold, Frankl’s riveting account of his time in the Nazi concentration camps, and his exploration of the human will to find meaning in spite of unspeakable adversity, has offered solace and guidance to generations of readers since it was first published in 1946. At the heart of his work is the conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but rather the pursuit of meaning.
Producer Kate Cohen
Set to produce under her Straight Up...
- 2/27/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
If you could sit down with Francis Ford Coppola – one of the greatest titans and entrepreneurs in movie history – what would you ask him? His best advice for a young filmmaker? His favorite movies? Perhaps his go-to ice cream flavor? Well, the director had all that and more to share during a recent Instagram Ama session; yes, Coppola has Instagram, and yes, you can ask him anything.
First and foremost, during the Ama, Coppola was asked what his favorite movies of his daughter Sofia’s were, in which he rattled off her debut, 1999’s Virgin Suicides, 2003’s Lost in Translation, 2006’s Marie Antoinette, and 2010’s Somewhere. That’s half of her filmography – Francis is such a dad! As for his own pictures, Coppola didn’t cite The Godfather or Apocalypse Now or Jack but rather 1983’s Rumble Fish, his second S.E. Hinton movie after The Outsiders (also out in ‘83). As for other directors’ works,...
First and foremost, during the Ama, Coppola was asked what his favorite movies of his daughter Sofia’s were, in which he rattled off her debut, 1999’s Virgin Suicides, 2003’s Lost in Translation, 2006’s Marie Antoinette, and 2010’s Somewhere. That’s half of her filmography – Francis is such a dad! As for his own pictures, Coppola didn’t cite The Godfather or Apocalypse Now or Jack but rather 1983’s Rumble Fish, his second S.E. Hinton movie after The Outsiders (also out in ‘83). As for other directors’ works,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Paradigm has hired Kyle Jensen as a Literary Content Agent and Jamie Kaye-Phillips as a Theatre Literary Content Agent, upping Matthew Nutty from Coordinator to Agent in the Talent department.
Additionally, Napoli Management Group, a division of Paradigm Media Entertainment, has tapped Brian Neal as an agent. A 23-year veteran of the television news industry, he’ll in his new role rep all levels of on-air talent in the national broadcast news space.
Jensen and Nutty will be based out of the agency’s Los Angeles office, with Kaye-Phillips working out of New York. Where Neal will be based is not yet clear.
The hirings follow December’s announcement that Todd Eisner, a 30-year veteran talent agent, had joined Paradigm from the now-folded A3. Over the past year, Paradigm has been staffing up with the hires of Chris Till and Neil A. Cohen, as well as internal promotions, having elevated 14 agents to Partner.
Additionally, Napoli Management Group, a division of Paradigm Media Entertainment, has tapped Brian Neal as an agent. A 23-year veteran of the television news industry, he’ll in his new role rep all levels of on-air talent in the national broadcast news space.
Jensen and Nutty will be based out of the agency’s Los Angeles office, with Kaye-Phillips working out of New York. Where Neal will be based is not yet clear.
The hirings follow December’s announcement that Todd Eisner, a 30-year veteran talent agent, had joined Paradigm from the now-folded A3. Over the past year, Paradigm has been staffing up with the hires of Chris Till and Neil A. Cohen, as well as internal promotions, having elevated 14 agents to Partner.
- 2/22/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“Shit, I’ve been around, dude,” cracked Bradley Cooper on Thursday night after he watched a montage of his 25 years of screen work with a capacity crowd inside Santa Barbara’s historic 2000-seat Arlington Theatre en route to collecting the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Outstanding Performer of the Year Award.
The 49-year-old — who is currently Oscar-nominated for producing, co-writing and acting in Maestro, a film that he also directed for Netflix about the complicated marriage of Leonard Bernstein, played by Cooper, and Felicia Montealegre Bernstein, played by Carey Mulligan — was feted by Mulligan and, in a surprise appearance, by his friend Brad Pitt. Pitt declared, “For me, Maestro is a masterwork,” adding, “Yes, it takes great actors, but it also takes great construction. And I’m telling you, not since [Robert] Redford have I seen anyone do it so well.”
Cooper has accumulated 12 Oscar noms over the course of...
The 49-year-old — who is currently Oscar-nominated for producing, co-writing and acting in Maestro, a film that he also directed for Netflix about the complicated marriage of Leonard Bernstein, played by Cooper, and Felicia Montealegre Bernstein, played by Carey Mulligan — was feted by Mulligan and, in a surprise appearance, by his friend Brad Pitt. Pitt declared, “For me, Maestro is a masterwork,” adding, “Yes, it takes great actors, but it also takes great construction. And I’m telling you, not since [Robert] Redford have I seen anyone do it so well.”
Cooper has accumulated 12 Oscar noms over the course of...
- 2/9/2024
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In Aaron Schimberg’s latest film, A Different Man, Edward (Sebastian Stan), a man euphemistically described as “facially different,” finds himself unmoored from the life he once had and rejected and the life he thought he wanted and accepted. A surreal character study that initially turns on psychological realism before making the unearned leap into psychological fantasy, A Different Man’s initially enthralling, wholly original take eventually devolves into frustrating wish-fulfillment-as-horror, one part Elephant Man, one part Face/Off, and one part The Double (Dostoevsky). Practically unrecognizable under multiple layers of latex and makeup, Stan essays Edward, a not-quite-middle-aged man who qualifies as “facially different.” Over an extraordinarily ordinary day, Edward is met with a mix of repulsion, ignorance, or outright...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 2/7/2024
- Screen Anarchy
What’s new on Amazon’s Prime Video in February 2024?
In light of Valentine’s Day, Prime Video nailed it. This February, the platform is bringing a variety of new shows and movies for you and yours. There is something for everyone — from the latest releases to classic romantic comedies to thrillers and more.
Rom-com “Upgraded,” starring Camila Mendes and Archie Renaux, hits the streamer on Friday, while a series adaptation of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s steamy spy thriller “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” is already taking the world by storm since its Feb. 2 debut with stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine.
The platform will also debut 2015’s “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” with Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson, last year’s animated “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” and the well-liked 2014 indie “St.Vincent” with Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts and Chris O’Dowd.
And don’t forget about...
In light of Valentine’s Day, Prime Video nailed it. This February, the platform is bringing a variety of new shows and movies for you and yours. There is something for everyone — from the latest releases to classic romantic comedies to thrillers and more.
Rom-com “Upgraded,” starring Camila Mendes and Archie Renaux, hits the streamer on Friday, while a series adaptation of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s steamy spy thriller “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” is already taking the world by storm since its Feb. 2 debut with stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine.
The platform will also debut 2015’s “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” with Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson, last year’s animated “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” and the well-liked 2014 indie “St.Vincent” with Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts and Chris O’Dowd.
And don’t forget about...
- 2/5/2024
- by Francie Ebert
- The Wrap
Prepare for a riveting journey into the unexplained and enigmatic with “Mysteries of the Unknown” as it returns with Season 3, Episode 116, titled “The Elephant Man, Haunted Handprint, and Chaplin Exile.” This captivating episode is scheduled to air on Monday, February 12, 2024, at 8:00 Pm on Travel.
In this installment of “Mysteries of the Unknown,” viewers can expect an exploration of extraordinary artifacts and a quest for answers to some of history’s most perplexing mysteries. Hosted by the inquisitive Don Wildman, the show promises to unravel tales that defy explanation and leave audiences intrigued.
Among the enigmas to be examined, viewers will delve into the story of “The Elephant Man,” a historical figure shrouded in mystery and compassion. Additionally, the episode will feature a chilling account of a haunted handprint, offering a glimpse into the supernatural realm that continues to baffle experts.
Adding to the intrigue, “Mysteries of the Unknown” will...
In this installment of “Mysteries of the Unknown,” viewers can expect an exploration of extraordinary artifacts and a quest for answers to some of history’s most perplexing mysteries. Hosted by the inquisitive Don Wildman, the show promises to unravel tales that defy explanation and leave audiences intrigued.
Among the enigmas to be examined, viewers will delve into the story of “The Elephant Man,” a historical figure shrouded in mystery and compassion. Additionally, the episode will feature a chilling account of a haunted handprint, offering a glimpse into the supernatural realm that continues to baffle experts.
Adding to the intrigue, “Mysteries of the Unknown” will...
- 2/5/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Clockwise from top left: This Is Me... Now: A Love Story (Prime Video), Red Rocket (A24), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount)Image: The A.V. Club
Amazon’s Prime Video kicks off February with a summer blockbuster, a new “narrative-driven cinematic odyssey” from Jennifer Lopez, and a bunch of...
Amazon’s Prime Video kicks off February with a summer blockbuster, a new “narrative-driven cinematic odyssey” from Jennifer Lopez, and a bunch of...
- 2/3/2024
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
Prime Video’s big February drop is Mr. & Mrs. Smith! No, not the 2005 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie action movie, but a new TV series kinda based on it starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine. The set up for the show version? Glover and Erskine are two strangers who both get jobs at a shady spy agency and are asked to get married so that they can pretend to be a couple undercover, but things get more complicated when they start falling in love for real. Uh oh!
If you’re in the mood for a movie or two this month, you can also check out the Prime debuts of Strays, Bottoms, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. In the meantime, here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month. Amazon Originals are accompanied by an asterisk!
New on Amazon Prime Video – February 2024
February 1
12 Angry Men...
If you’re in the mood for a movie or two this month, you can also check out the Prime debuts of Strays, Bottoms, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. In the meantime, here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month. Amazon Originals are accompanied by an asterisk!
New on Amazon Prime Video – February 2024
February 1
12 Angry Men...
- 2/1/2024
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Love is in the air this February at Prime Video! From the long-awaited espionage comedy series “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” to Jennifer Lopez’s new album companion film “This Is Me…Now: A Love Story,” the streamer is days away from adding dozens of classic and fresh titles to its seemingly endless catalog, including the premieres of many more Amazon Originals like “The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy,” “Five Blind Dates,” and “The Silent Service.”
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for February on Prime Video, and find out everything coming to the platform this coming month!
30-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Prime Video in February 2024? “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” | Friday, Feb. 2
Donald Glover and Maya Erskine star in the long-awaited spy comedy series about two lonely strangers who land a job working for a mysterious spy agency...
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for February on Prime Video, and find out everything coming to the platform this coming month!
30-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Prime Video in February 2024? “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” | Friday, Feb. 2
Donald Glover and Maya Erskine star in the long-awaited spy comedy series about two lonely strangers who land a job working for a mysterious spy agency...
- 1/30/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
There are a lot of ways A Different Man could go and a lot of things it could be. Aaron Schimberg’s uniquely uncomfortable, uncomfortably unique feature sometimes plays as a reverse-Frankenstein medical horror, a tragic life-imitates-art satire, and a spiraling relationship drama. To its ambitious and distinct credit, it attempts packaging them all into ominous-sounding harmony, as if Charlie Kauffman’s surrealist Escher concoctions became a Twilight Zone episode modeled after David Lynch’s Elephant Man or Beauty and the Beast. It’s a dark, hilarious, and deeply unsettling portrait of a disfigured man that’s also an unflinching mirror of a looks-focused industry.
If this sounds like a meta contraption about representation and authenticity that’s too complicated to grasp, Schimberg eases you into the idea with a purposefully cliché setup for his facially disfigured protagonist. Rendered unrecognizable by the character’s neurofibromatosis (a condition in which...
If this sounds like a meta contraption about representation and authenticity that’s too complicated to grasp, Schimberg eases you into the idea with a purposefully cliché setup for his facially disfigured protagonist. Rendered unrecognizable by the character’s neurofibromatosis (a condition in which...
- 1/26/2024
- by Jake Kring-Schreifels
- The Film Stage
Oscar and BAFTA nominee Bradley Cooper shared insight into his work on Maestro and other movies, his next film and his career in London on Wednesday evening during a British Film Institute (BFI) event. Answering questions from filmmaker Stephen Daldry (The Crown, The Hours), he also lauded the talents of such co-stars as Carey Mulligan, Lady Gaga, Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence, and described Clint Eastwood and Robert De Niro as idols.
In a wide-ranging chat, Cooper also entertained the audience with stories about attending the Glastonbury music festival with Michael Fassbender and why he loves the voice of Sam Elliott.
Given Cooper’s directing and acting work on the music-themed Maestro and A Star Is Born and his love for music, Daldry asked if his next film as an actor-director, believed to be Is This Thing On? with friend Will Arnett, would again have musical overtones. “Our next movie...
In a wide-ranging chat, Cooper also entertained the audience with stories about attending the Glastonbury music festival with Michael Fassbender and why he loves the voice of Sam Elliott.
Given Cooper’s directing and acting work on the music-themed Maestro and A Star Is Born and his love for music, Daldry asked if his next film as an actor-director, believed to be Is This Thing On? with friend Will Arnett, would again have musical overtones. “Our next movie...
- 1/24/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 2024 Oscar nominations have been announced, and while there were plenty of snubs and surprises, some entries were unanimously expected to dominate across categories. Among them is Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," which received 10 nominations in total, including Best Picture, Directing, Cinematography, Film Editing, and more. The outpouring of love for Scorsese's latest work is deserved, especially with Lily Gladstone earning a historic nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role, making her the first Native American woman to earn a nomination in that category (and the first Indigenous woman to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture).
Scorsese's brilliance as a filmmaker cannot be overstated for obvious reasons, and his Oscar nomination for Best Director was an inevitability, given how layered and scathing his depiction of the Reign of Terror was in a film that demands depth and nuance. This is...
Scorsese's brilliance as a filmmaker cannot be overstated for obvious reasons, and his Oscar nomination for Best Director was an inevitability, given how layered and scathing his depiction of the Reign of Terror was in a film that demands depth and nuance. This is...
- 1/23/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Anthony Hopkins is getting ready to release a biogrpahy!
The 86-year-old actor has had quite the distinguished career. Best known for his performance as Hannibal Lecter in 1991′s The Silence of the Lambs, Anthony has also starred in notable projects such as Westworld, Nixon, and The Elephant Man.
In a recent interview with People, Anthony revealed that he’s writing a biography, and offered details on how it’s going thus far.
Keep reading to find out more…
“It’s a weird process,” the two-time Oscar winner said. “I realized how I’m blessed with one thing. Maybe it’s my actor’s brain. I do have quite a memory. I remember days of months in the years.”
Anthony also spoke about his wife Stella Arroyave, who is currently working on a documentary about his career.
Regarding the film’s progress, Anthony admitted that he isn’t in the know.
The 86-year-old actor has had quite the distinguished career. Best known for his performance as Hannibal Lecter in 1991′s The Silence of the Lambs, Anthony has also starred in notable projects such as Westworld, Nixon, and The Elephant Man.
In a recent interview with People, Anthony revealed that he’s writing a biography, and offered details on how it’s going thus far.
Keep reading to find out more…
“It’s a weird process,” the two-time Oscar winner said. “I realized how I’m blessed with one thing. Maybe it’s my actor’s brain. I do have quite a memory. I remember days of months in the years.”
Anthony also spoke about his wife Stella Arroyave, who is currently working on a documentary about his career.
Regarding the film’s progress, Anthony admitted that he isn’t in the know.
- 1/23/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Looks can be deceiving in A Different Man, writer-director Aaron Schimberg’s endearingly twisted take on actors, playwrights, egos and the plight of the profoundly disfigured.
Like the famous “Eye of the Beholder” episode of The Twilight Zone, in which humans turn out to be society’s freakish outcasts, this dark comedy suggests what happens when an aspiring thespian afflicted with neurofibromatosis manages to find a miracle cure, only to long for the life he had when he was still deformed.
The thesp in question — a nebbishy New York actor named Edward, or Ed — is played with tongue-in-cheek gravitas by Sebastian Stan, who dons several layers of prosthetics (courtesy of ace makeup designer Mike Marino) until peeling them away to reveal his true face. But that hardly gives Ed the life he bargained for, in a film that piquantly questions how others look at us and, more importantly, how we look at ourselves.
Like the famous “Eye of the Beholder” episode of The Twilight Zone, in which humans turn out to be society’s freakish outcasts, this dark comedy suggests what happens when an aspiring thespian afflicted with neurofibromatosis manages to find a miracle cure, only to long for the life he had when he was still deformed.
The thesp in question — a nebbishy New York actor named Edward, or Ed — is played with tongue-in-cheek gravitas by Sebastian Stan, who dons several layers of prosthetics (courtesy of ace makeup designer Mike Marino) until peeling them away to reveal his true face. But that hardly gives Ed the life he bargained for, in a film that piquantly questions how others look at us and, more importantly, how we look at ourselves.
- 1/22/2024
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A caustically funny cosmic joke of a film about an insecure actor who finds a miracle cure for his facial disfigurement, only to be upstaged by a stranger who oozes self-confidence despite (still) having the exact same condition the main character had once allowed to hold him back, Aaron Schimberg’s ruthless and Escher-like “A Different Man” might have felt cruel if not for how cleverly it complicates its punchline.
Are we supposed to be laughing at someone — someone who’s been treated like a monster for his entire adult life — just because they couldn’t resist the opportunity to shed their skin? Anyone familiar with Schimberg’s “Chained for Life,” which similarly defenestrated the notion of disabilities as “God’s mistakes,” already knows the answer to that question. Besides, who among us would pass up the chance to look like Sebastian Stan?
In that light, it’s more tempting...
Are we supposed to be laughing at someone — someone who’s been treated like a monster for his entire adult life — just because they couldn’t resist the opportunity to shed their skin? Anyone familiar with Schimberg’s “Chained for Life,” which similarly defenestrated the notion of disabilities as “God’s mistakes,” already knows the answer to that question. Besides, who among us would pass up the chance to look like Sebastian Stan?
In that light, it’s more tempting...
- 1/22/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Love or loathe David Lynch, you have to admit that the former indie filmmaker has had one of the most unusual routes to fame in the history of Hollywood. Once king of the “midnight movies” in the 1970s, Lynch from plucked from that world by the Mel Brooks production company to helm the adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway play “The Elephant Man” in 1980. What prompted Lynch to be chosen may be a question for the ages, but it launched a film career that has been nothing short of remarkable.
Lynch’s particular vision (which some critics have termed “narrow”) has produced some distinctive oddities (“Lost Highway” and “Inland Empire” among them), but when Lynch connects, such as in “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive,” he changes the limited notion of what some filmgoers think of as “the movies.” Both of those films brought him Oscar nominations for directing, while “The Elephant Man...
Lynch’s particular vision (which some critics have termed “narrow”) has produced some distinctive oddities (“Lost Highway” and “Inland Empire” among them), but when Lynch connects, such as in “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive,” he changes the limited notion of what some filmgoers think of as “the movies.” Both of those films brought him Oscar nominations for directing, while “The Elephant Man...
- 1/13/2024
- by Tom O'Brien, Chris Beachum and Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
While the 2020s have been a verifiable graveyard for potential Star Wars films that never made it beyond the development stage, directors passing through without seeing their ideas come to fruition isn’t exactly a new phenomenon over at Lucasfilm.
Even before Disney took the reins of the studio, the galaxy far, far away saw a wide variety of potential directors enter its orbit over the years. From Return of the Jedi to the present day, there are quite a few well-known directors who came close to making their mark on this universe but for one reason or other never actually hit lightspeed.
Here are the many directors who almost made Star Wars movies…
David Lynch – Return of the Jedi
George Lucas offered several directors the opportunity to helm the final film of the Original Trilogy before settling on Richard Marquand. One of Lucas’ top choices at the time was David Lynch,...
Even before Disney took the reins of the studio, the galaxy far, far away saw a wide variety of potential directors enter its orbit over the years. From Return of the Jedi to the present day, there are quite a few well-known directors who came close to making their mark on this universe but for one reason or other never actually hit lightspeed.
Here are the many directors who almost made Star Wars movies…
David Lynch – Return of the Jedi
George Lucas offered several directors the opportunity to helm the final film of the Original Trilogy before settling on Richard Marquand. One of Lucas’ top choices at the time was David Lynch,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Brynnaarens
- Den of Geek
Steven Spielberg famously told his life story with The Fabelmans. In that film, there was a scene where the budding young filmmaker got to meet the famous Hollywood director, John Ford. The scene featured Ford bestowing his knowledge onto the Spielberg avatar through his crotchety and quirky manner. It was a poignant way to punctuate the movie, and Spielberg had cast quirky, artistic filmmaker David Lynch in the role of Ford. The director is no stranger to appearing in front of the camera. Lynch would often appear in cameos in his own projects like The Elephant Man, Dune, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Lost Highway and Inland Empire.
According to Deadline, Lynch would tell Empire magazine that his cameo in Spielberg’s autobiography came about when he had his request for a bag of Cheetos fulfilled. Lynch explained, “Well, Cheetos, number one, I love them. And any chance I can,...
According to Deadline, Lynch would tell Empire magazine that his cameo in Spielberg’s autobiography came about when he had his request for a bag of Cheetos fulfilled. Lynch explained, “Well, Cheetos, number one, I love them. And any chance I can,...
- 12/20/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
David Lynch had some hesitations about acting in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans. However, once he took on the role of John Ford, he had one simple request — a bag of Cheetos.
“Well, Cheetos, number one, I love them,” he told Empire magazine of his requirement for appearing in the film loosely based on Spielberg’s life. “And any chance I can, I get them. But I know that they’re not exactly health food. So when I do leave the house and I get a chance to… But I don’t get them that often, honestly.”
He continued, “If I do get them, I want a big bag. Because once you start… you need to have a lot before you could slow down and actually stop. Otherwise, with a small bag, then you’d be prowling for days to find more […] It’s incredible flavour.”
The director of films like Dune,...
“Well, Cheetos, number one, I love them,” he told Empire magazine of his requirement for appearing in the film loosely based on Spielberg’s life. “And any chance I can, I get them. But I know that they’re not exactly health food. So when I do leave the house and I get a chance to… But I don’t get them that often, honestly.”
He continued, “If I do get them, I want a big bag. Because once you start… you need to have a lot before you could slow down and actually stop. Otherwise, with a small bag, then you’d be prowling for days to find more […] It’s incredible flavour.”
The director of films like Dune,...
- 12/20/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
If you had to name the most original filmmaker of the last half-century, what’s the first name that comes to mind? David Cronenberg? Wes Anderson? Maybe Werner Herzog or the Coen brothers? While all of them are certainly worthy contenders, it’s hard to argue against the lasting merits of David Lynch, the truly unique cinematic surrealist who has been tormenting audiences with nightmarishly vexing material since his feature film debut Eraserhead in 1977. Indeed, few filmmakers have become name brands unto themselves in the way Lynch’s name evokes a particular type of psychological moviegoing experience. And while he’s worked in many different genres in his career with varying results, no one explores the nature of dreams and the human subconscious like Lynch has repeatedly done throughout his filmography. Moreover, as seen in his tour-de-force 1986 neo-noir mystery Blue Velvet, Lynch has an uncanny knack for digging beneath the...
- 11/27/2023
- by Jake Dee
- JoBlo.com
Imagine you’re George Lucas. Imagine that you’ve just watched a weird experimental, black-and-white movie called Eraserhead. It doesn’t make sense, but it perfectly captures the anxieties anyone faces right before becoming a parent. Also, there’s an unbelievable baby monster creature that looks unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Then imagine you watch another movie by the same director, called The Elephant Man. It’s still black and white and has its surrealistic touches, but it tells a deeply humanistic story about a man with debilitating physical deformities asserting his dignity.
What do you do next? If you’re the real Lucas, you say, “I want this guy to make Star Wars!”
As strange as it sounds, Lucas admired David Lynch so much that he tried to get the famously idiosyncratic filmmaker to direct the third entry in the Original Trilogy, Return of the Jedi.
Why George...
Then imagine you watch another movie by the same director, called The Elephant Man. It’s still black and white and has its surrealistic touches, but it tells a deeply humanistic story about a man with debilitating physical deformities asserting his dignity.
What do you do next? If you’re the real Lucas, you say, “I want this guy to make Star Wars!”
As strange as it sounds, Lucas admired David Lynch so much that he tried to get the famously idiosyncratic filmmaker to direct the third entry in the Original Trilogy, Return of the Jedi.
Why George...
- 11/8/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
It’s one of the most damning travesties in Academy Awards history that Raging Bull didn’t win Best Picture. Generally considered one of the greatest films ever made, it’s far more in the conscious and more of an essential piece of cinema than the winner that year, Ordinary People, a remarkably safe choice that fits the Academy’s general M.O. Safer, too, was giving Robert Redford the Best Director honor over Martin Scorsese, who had to wait until 2006’s The Departed to take home his long-denied prize. Now, its editor – who did win an Oscar for Raging Bull – is coming out to say that Scorsese wanted a win to come for the 1980 classic.
In a new interview with Thelma Schoonmaker, the legendary editor said, “I think he would have liked to win for Raging Bull…When we were standing there, those of us who did win, I...
In a new interview with Thelma Schoonmaker, the legendary editor said, “I think he would have liked to win for Raging Bull…When we were standing there, those of us who did win, I...
- 11/8/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Much like its protagonist — a ghastly superhero who gains his powers after falling into a vat of chemical waste — “The Toxic Avenger” refuses to die. Made for a paltry $500,000 in 1984, Troma’s cult classic spawned three direct sequels, a rock musical, two video games, a short-lived animated series and now a remake starring Peter Dinklage. Given the eco-friendly, anti-pollution message at the improbable franchise’s core, perhaps its reemergence shouldn’t be surprising. Those problems haven’t exactly been alleviated in the intervening decades, with rising sea levels and melting glaciers acting as a kind of real-world Bat Signal.
In some ways, remakes of this sort have more to live up to than updated versions of massively successful blockbusters do. The self-selecting audience of a cult classic like “Toxic Avenger” may not be large, but it is fiercely devoted. Actor-turned-filmmaker Macon Blair, who earned acclaim for his roles in “Blue Ruin...
In some ways, remakes of this sort have more to live up to than updated versions of massively successful blockbusters do. The self-selecting audience of a cult classic like “Toxic Avenger” may not be large, but it is fiercely devoted. Actor-turned-filmmaker Macon Blair, who earned acclaim for his roles in “Blue Ruin...
- 9/22/2023
- by Michael Nordine
- Variety Film + TV
In Frank Herbert’s original Dune novel, the character Duke Leto Atreides is set up to fail. Awarded the mining rights to the arid planet Arrakis by a powerful emperor, and given a limited number of days to exploit them, Leto is sent to the desert essentially to die. And in the end, he should’ve known forces beyond his control were conspiring against him from the start.
One wonders whether back in 1984 if David Lynch felt he could relate. An already impressive directorial talent behind intriguing films like Eraserhead (1977) and The Elephant Man (1980), Lynch was a 34-year-old wunderkind when he was tapped by producer Dino De Laurentiis to direct, and eventually rewrite, Dune as a sci-fi epic intended to rival Star Wars. Yet through the vicissitudes of fate—as well as budget, location photography, and post-production studio mandates—the film that reached cinema screens was a fraction of his sprawling vision.
One wonders whether back in 1984 if David Lynch felt he could relate. An already impressive directorial talent behind intriguing films like Eraserhead (1977) and The Elephant Man (1980), Lynch was a 34-year-old wunderkind when he was tapped by producer Dino De Laurentiis to direct, and eventually rewrite, Dune as a sci-fi epic intended to rival Star Wars. Yet through the vicissitudes of fate—as well as budget, location photography, and post-production studio mandates—the film that reached cinema screens was a fraction of his sprawling vision.
- 9/18/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
One might see Rod Serling's 1959 sci-fi anthology series "The Twilight Zone" as an ambitious amalgam of all modern genre writers. Prior to production, Serling famously solicited scripts from some of the best-known sci-fi writers of his time, including the likes of Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, George Clayton Johnson, Malcolm Jameson, and several others. Serling typically wrote the scripts for "The Twilight Zone" himself ... which led to some occasional accidental plagiarism. "The Twilight Zone," then, was somewhat of a culmination of an entire generation's sci-fi literature.
Now handily condensed, many of the more striking speculative tales of the day could be easily consumed by a mass public. Serling's show was a huge hit and lasted five seasons before going off the air in 1964. Sering later wrote "Planet of the Apes" in 1968.
Thanks to syndication deals and Thanksgiving marathons, "The Twilight Zone" lingered in the pop consciousness for decades, eventually spawning...
Now handily condensed, many of the more striking speculative tales of the day could be easily consumed by a mass public. Serling's show was a huge hit and lasted five seasons before going off the air in 1964. Sering later wrote "Planet of the Apes" in 1968.
Thanks to syndication deals and Thanksgiving marathons, "The Twilight Zone" lingered in the pop consciousness for decades, eventually spawning...
- 9/10/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Before author J.K. Rowling — on whose book series the films are based — said some awful, unforgivable, transphobic things, the "Harry Potter" franchise hooked audiences around the world. As someone who used to stand outside bookstores for the midnight launches of "Harry Potter" books, I can tell you that I was totally hooked.
For those who weren't into the books, the craze must have seemed bananas. People wandering around Universal Studios Hollywood's Wizarding World in the hot California summers, dressed in polyester wizard robes, waving their wands at walls ... well, we all looked nuts. If you didn't love the series the way fans did, the budget alone for these films would make a person cringe.
British actor Sir John Hurt, who played wand shop owner Garrick Ollivander, had some rather disparaging things to say about how much money was spent on these films, though put in context, it makes sense.
For those who weren't into the books, the craze must have seemed bananas. People wandering around Universal Studios Hollywood's Wizarding World in the hot California summers, dressed in polyester wizard robes, waving their wands at walls ... well, we all looked nuts. If you didn't love the series the way fans did, the budget alone for these films would make a person cringe.
British actor Sir John Hurt, who played wand shop owner Garrick Ollivander, had some rather disparaging things to say about how much money was spent on these films, though put in context, it makes sense.
- 9/5/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
With the notable exception of the beloved Carrie Fisher, many of the iconic lead actors in the "Star Wars" saga are still with us. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, and Natalie Portman are all going strong, and so are the stars of the space opera's most recent episodes. Some of the actors from the original film who were already veterans at the time, like Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing, died some years ago, but both enjoyed long lives beyond the average age.
Sadly, this cannot be said of numerous other actors involved in the big screen franchise and its recent TV spin-offs. Performers have died in their 70s, 60s, and 50s, many of them leaving us wishing we could have seen more years of great performances from them. Whether they had spotlight roles or were hidden behind alien masks, here are the "Star Wars" actors we lost too soon.
Sadly, this cannot be said of numerous other actors involved in the big screen franchise and its recent TV spin-offs. Performers have died in their 70s, 60s, and 50s, many of them leaving us wishing we could have seen more years of great performances from them. Whether they had spotlight roles or were hidden behind alien masks, here are the "Star Wars" actors we lost too soon.
- 9/2/2023
- by Jack Hawkins
- Slash Film
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