There is no doubt that the genre of Western movies is often associated with cowboys riding their horses through the deserts of the Wild West. A person who is not into this type of films can even be unaware of the fact that they don’t necessarily have cowboys as the leading characters, and that sometimes a Western hero is not a hero at all.
There are still various discussions regarding the limits of the genre and what kind of movies can be definitely considered as Westerns, as some of the most conservative veterans of the genre are sure you can’t make a Western film without horses.
However, those doubts can be resolved with a classic Western that breaks the canon while appearing to be a good old Western in terms of its hidden meanings. Its plot revolves around John J. Macreedy, a one-armed war veteran, who is unwelcomed...
There are still various discussions regarding the limits of the genre and what kind of movies can be definitely considered as Westerns, as some of the most conservative veterans of the genre are sure you can’t make a Western film without horses.
However, those doubts can be resolved with a classic Western that breaks the canon while appearing to be a good old Western in terms of its hidden meanings. Its plot revolves around John J. Macreedy, a one-armed war veteran, who is unwelcomed...
- 5/22/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
There wasn't a more capable director of massive, widescreen Westerns working in Hollywood during the 1950s and '60s than John Sturges. Whether classical ("Gunfight at the O.K. Corral") or somewhat unconventional ("Bad Day at Black Rock"), Sturges could frame a mountainous expanse or stage a gunfight with the best of them. He thrived when working with big casts and specialized in discovering stirring nuances in characters that would've been walking cliches in more typical genre flicks.
Sturges was also efficient, which came in handy when managing expensive studio productions populated with big egos. His biggest challenge in this department might've been "The Magnificent Seven," the 1960 remake of Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece "Seven Samurai." Yul Brynner, then a hugely popular movie star (largely on the strength of his Academy Award-winning performance in "The King and I" and his portrayal of Ramses in Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments"), controlled...
Sturges was also efficient, which came in handy when managing expensive studio productions populated with big egos. His biggest challenge in this department might've been "The Magnificent Seven," the 1960 remake of Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece "Seven Samurai." Yul Brynner, then a hugely popular movie star (largely on the strength of his Academy Award-winning performance in "The King and I" and his portrayal of Ramses in Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments"), controlled...
- 4/28/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Spencer Tracy was the two-time Oscar winner starred in a variety of classics before his death in 1967, including nine films opposite fellow legend Katharine Hepburn. Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Tracy pulled off the rare hat-trick of winning back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, first for his performance as a Portuguese sailor in “Captains Courageous” (1937), then for playing a dedicated priest helping wayward youths in “Boys Town” (1938). It’s a feat that would only be repeated once more in this category by Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia” in 1993 and “Forrest Gump” in 1994).
Tracy would compete seven more times in the category: “San Francisco” (1936), “Father of the Bride” (1950), “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955), “The Old Man and the Sea” (1958), “Inherit the Wind” (1960), “Judgment at Nuremberg” (1961), and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” (1967), which was recognized posthumously.
He’s perhaps best remembered for starring in nine films with Hepburn,...
Tracy pulled off the rare hat-trick of winning back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, first for his performance as a Portuguese sailor in “Captains Courageous” (1937), then for playing a dedicated priest helping wayward youths in “Boys Town” (1938). It’s a feat that would only be repeated once more in this category by Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia” in 1993 and “Forrest Gump” in 1994).
Tracy would compete seven more times in the category: “San Francisco” (1936), “Father of the Bride” (1950), “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955), “The Old Man and the Sea” (1958), “Inherit the Wind” (1960), “Judgment at Nuremberg” (1961), and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” (1967), which was recognized posthumously.
He’s perhaps best remembered for starring in nine films with Hepburn,...
- 3/30/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
At its core, John Sturges’s Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is another retelling of the exploits of Wyatt Earp (Burt Lancaster) and Doc Holliday (Kirk Douglas) where the facts are buried under layers of myth. Doc is introduced as a surly card sharp and drunk, and he’s ultimately steered out of trouble by Wyatt. This is a different approach from John Ford’s My Darling Clementine, in which Doc doesn’t appear until well into the film and is a public nuisance to Wyatt and others. By initially focusing on Doc, who’s more receptive to Wyatt’s council here, the film winds up giving the men equal footing as protagonists, making this something closer to a buddy picture.
After a prologue set in Fort Griffin, Texas, the film’s story is neatly mapped out in a two-act structure, with the characters travelling from Dodge City to Tombstone,...
After a prologue set in Fort Griffin, Texas, the film’s story is neatly mapped out in a two-act structure, with the characters travelling from Dodge City to Tombstone,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Clayton Dillard
- Slant Magazine
It can’t be denied that as far as martial arts movies go, the best ones come from Asia, particularly Hong Kong during their action heyday, which was arguably the 70s, 80s and first half of the ’90s. That said, martial arts movies were also making a foothold in the States at the time, thanks mainly to Bruce Lee-mania following the release of Enter the Dragon. Before that movie, very few actors in Hollywood seemed like they were credible martial artists, except maybe James Coburn, a student of Lee’s, who pulled off some pretty good-looking moves in the otherwise silly Our Man Flint movies. Steve McQueen also had training but didn’t use martial arts on screen.
Up to then, though, the most notable uses of martial arts in movies usually revolved around Judo, with James Cagney showing off some good moves in the film Blood on the Sun,...
Up to then, though, the most notable uses of martial arts in movies usually revolved around Judo, with James Cagney showing off some good moves in the film Blood on the Sun,...
- 2/4/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
The characters in "The Sopranos" might be the invention of series creator David Chase, but that doesn't mean that he and the cast didn't draw inspiration from real life. Several of the best characters in the show are loosely based on real mobsters and tough guys from the old neighborhood. Michael Imperioli's character Christopher Moltisanti was not written with a notable real-life counterpart in mind, but the actor did draw on someone he knew growing up to help him better understand and perform the role.
Tony Soprano and his cohorts were obviously inspired by the real-life mafiosos of New York and New Jersey. While series creator David Chase hasn't named any names — he's no snitch — some actual criminals have parallels to the "Sopranos" characters. For instance, Anthony "Tony Boy" Boiardo of the New Jersey crime family also attended therapy sessions to manage anxiety, per The New York Post. While Chase hasn't gone into specifics,...
Tony Soprano and his cohorts were obviously inspired by the real-life mafiosos of New York and New Jersey. While series creator David Chase hasn't named any names — he's no snitch — some actual criminals have parallels to the "Sopranos" characters. For instance, Anthony "Tony Boy" Boiardo of the New Jersey crime family also attended therapy sessions to manage anxiety, per The New York Post. While Chase hasn't gone into specifics,...
- 7/23/2023
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
If the eponymous mid-’50s southwestern town in Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City” resembles the iconic “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955), it’s no coincidence. Oscar-winning production designer Adam Stockhausen (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”) found John Sturges’ neo-Western, shot in CinemaScope on the edge of Death Valley, a valuable reference for planning the landscape for this Pirandello-like play-within-a-tv-show-within-a-movie conceit.
“Absolutely, that was an influence,” Stockhausen (“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”) told IndieWire. “We started right with the credits introduction with the moving train and then, of course, crossing with the little white sign. Generally, we were looking at ‘Black Rock’ for overall how the town’s [located] in the landscape. But also we’d go in and look at tiny details, too. How the tar paper was nailed to the roof of the gas station, and we ended up using it for the way we wrapped the tar paper around the motel cabins.
“Absolutely, that was an influence,” Stockhausen (“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”) told IndieWire. “We started right with the credits introduction with the moving train and then, of course, crossing with the little white sign. Generally, we were looking at ‘Black Rock’ for overall how the town’s [located] in the landscape. But also we’d go in and look at tiny details, too. How the tar paper was nailed to the roof of the gas station, and we ended up using it for the way we wrapped the tar paper around the motel cabins.
- 6/23/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
In Wes Anderson‘s “Asteroid City,” a group of scientists, military personnel, and “Junior Stargazer” science students gather at a giant meteor crater for a ceremony honoring the kids’ inventions, only to see the celebration take an unexpected turn when an alien arrives. Although the story takes place in 1955 and deals with science fiction elements and then-futuristic technology, the methods used to bring Anderson’s world to life are drawn from even farther back in cinema history. “It was kind of going back to what the early pioneers of film did,” cinematographer Robert Yeoman told IndieWire. “They built sets [out in the sunlight] and just put diffusion cloth on top.”
For “Asteroid City,” this approach derived from the fact that Anderson wanted to use all natural light for the scenes in the desert town after which the movie is named. “I knew that inside locations like the diner would need light, so I just...
For “Asteroid City,” this approach derived from the fact that Anderson wanted to use all natural light for the scenes in the desert town after which the movie is named. “I knew that inside locations like the diner would need light, so I just...
- 6/21/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
When it comes to prisoner of war stories, few are as remarkable as "The Great Escape." During World War II, the inmates of Stalag Luft III in modern-day Poland embarked on a grand plan to dig not just one but three tunnels out of the camp. The goal was to bust out over 200 men and cause disruption to the Nazi war effort by tying up as many resources as possible trying to recapture them. It was no easy task, however, as the camp was specially designed to be escape-proof: the huts were raised above the ground to deter digging and built on sandy earth to make any efforts to disperse hundred tons of soil excavated from the tunnels obvious to the guards.
Nevertheless, the team, overseen by "Big X" Roger Bushell and his escape committee, largely made up of British servicemen and others from around the Commonwealth, displayed remarkable ingenuity...
Nevertheless, the team, overseen by "Big X" Roger Bushell and his escape committee, largely made up of British servicemen and others from around the Commonwealth, displayed remarkable ingenuity...
- 2/26/2023
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
On the April 5, 2022 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor Ben Pearson is joined by /Film editor Hoai-Tran Bui to talk about what they've been up to at the virtual water cooler.
Opening Banter:
At The Water Cooler:
What we've been Doing:
Ben saw his favorite band in Orlando.
Ht in Par-ee!
What we've been Reading:
Ben read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.
Hoai-Tran read The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
What we've been Watching:
Ben watched the first five episodes of Tokyo Vice, Our Flag Means Death, and Bad Day at Black Rock.
The post Daily Podcast: Mini-Water Cooler: Paris, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Bad Day at Black Rock, and More appeared first on /Film.
Opening Banter:
At The Water Cooler:
What we've been Doing:
Ben saw his favorite band in Orlando.
Ht in Par-ee!
What we've been Reading:
Ben read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.
Hoai-Tran read The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
What we've been Watching:
Ben watched the first five episodes of Tokyo Vice, Our Flag Means Death, and Bad Day at Black Rock.
The post Daily Podcast: Mini-Water Cooler: Paris, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Bad Day at Black Rock, and More appeared first on /Film.
- 4/5/2022
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
While the summer movie season will kick off shortly––and we’ll be sharing a comprehensive preview on the arthouse, foreign, indie, and (few) studio films worth checking out––on the streaming side, The Criterion Channel and Mubi have unveiled their May 2021 lineups and there’s a treasure trove of highlights to dive into.
Timed with Satyajit Ray’s centenary, The Criterion Channel will have a retrospective of the Indian master, along with series on Gena Rowlands, Robert Ryan, Mitchell Leisen, Michael Almereyda, Josephine Decker, and more. In terms of recent releases, they’ll also feature Fire Will Come, The Booksellers, and the new restoration of Tom Noonan’s directorial debut What Happened Was….
On Mubi, in anticipation of Undine, they’ll feature two essential early features by Christian Petzold, Jerichow and The State That I Am In, along with his 1990 short documentary Süden. Also amongst the lineup is Sophy Romvari’s Still Processing,...
Timed with Satyajit Ray’s centenary, The Criterion Channel will have a retrospective of the Indian master, along with series on Gena Rowlands, Robert Ryan, Mitchell Leisen, Michael Almereyda, Josephine Decker, and more. In terms of recent releases, they’ll also feature Fire Will Come, The Booksellers, and the new restoration of Tom Noonan’s directorial debut What Happened Was….
On Mubi, in anticipation of Undine, they’ll feature two essential early features by Christian Petzold, Jerichow and The State That I Am In, along with his 1990 short documentary Süden. Also amongst the lineup is Sophy Romvari’s Still Processing,...
- 4/26/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Closing out a year in which we’ve needed The Criterion Channel more than ever, they’ve now announced their impressive December lineup. Topping the highlights is a trio of Terrence Malick films––Badlands, Days of Heaven, and The New World––along with interviews featuring actors Richard Gere, Sissy Spacek, and Martin Sheen; production designer Jack Fisk; costume designer Jacqueline West; cinematographers Haskell Wexler and John Bailey; and more.
Also in the lineup is an Afrofuturism series, featuring an introduction by programmer Ashley Clark, with work by Lizzie Borden, Shirley Clarke, Souleymane Cissé, John Akomfrah, Terence Nance, and more. There’s also Mariano Llinás’s 14-hour epic La flor, Bill Morrison’s Dawson City: Frozen Time, Ken Loach’s Sorry We Missed You, Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning, plus retrospectives dedicated to Mae West, Cary Grant, Barbra Streisand, and more.
Check out the lineup below and return every Friday for our weekly streaming picks.
Also in the lineup is an Afrofuturism series, featuring an introduction by programmer Ashley Clark, with work by Lizzie Borden, Shirley Clarke, Souleymane Cissé, John Akomfrah, Terence Nance, and more. There’s also Mariano Llinás’s 14-hour epic La flor, Bill Morrison’s Dawson City: Frozen Time, Ken Loach’s Sorry We Missed You, Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning, plus retrospectives dedicated to Mae West, Cary Grant, Barbra Streisand, and more.
Check out the lineup below and return every Friday for our weekly streaming picks.
- 11/24/2020
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Our 100th Guest! Comedy icon Martin Short joins us to discuss a few of the movies that made him.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Innerspace (1987)
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
On The Waterfront (1954)
To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
Terms Of Endearment (1983)
Moby Dick (1956)
The Exorcist (1973)
King Kong (1933)
A History Of Violence (2005)
A Song To Remember (1945)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Annie Hall (1977)
The Oscar (1966)
Sleeper (1973)
Bananas (1971)
City Lights (1931)
September (1987)
The Harder They Fall (1956)
Bad Day At Black Rock (1955)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Schindler’s List (1993)
Kiss Me Stupid (1964)
The Ox-Bow Incident (1942)
The Bad And The Beautiful (1953)
Ben-Hur (1959)
Spartacus (1960)
The Ten Commandments (1956)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
The Graduate (1967)
Klute (1971)
Blow-Up (1966)
Blow Out (1981)
The Godfather (1972)
The Godfather Part II (1974)
The Godfather Part III (1990)
Burn! (1970)
Reflections In A Golden Eye (1967)
Grease 2 (1982)
The Conversation (1974)
Back To The Future (1985)
Other Notable Items
Saturday Night Live TV...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Innerspace (1987)
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
On The Waterfront (1954)
To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
Terms Of Endearment (1983)
Moby Dick (1956)
The Exorcist (1973)
King Kong (1933)
A History Of Violence (2005)
A Song To Remember (1945)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Annie Hall (1977)
The Oscar (1966)
Sleeper (1973)
Bananas (1971)
City Lights (1931)
September (1987)
The Harder They Fall (1956)
Bad Day At Black Rock (1955)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Schindler’s List (1993)
Kiss Me Stupid (1964)
The Ox-Bow Incident (1942)
The Bad And The Beautiful (1953)
Ben-Hur (1959)
Spartacus (1960)
The Ten Commandments (1956)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
The Graduate (1967)
Klute (1971)
Blow-Up (1966)
Blow Out (1981)
The Godfather (1972)
The Godfather Part II (1974)
The Godfather Part III (1990)
Burn! (1970)
Reflections In A Golden Eye (1967)
Grease 2 (1982)
The Conversation (1974)
Back To The Future (1985)
Other Notable Items
Saturday Night Live TV...
- 8/25/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Master of Horror Greg Nicotero takes us on a stroll through some of his favorite movies, as well as a trip through every home video format you’ve ever heard of… and some you haven’t.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Outbreak (1995)
Creepshow (1982)
The Howling (1981)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Horror of Dracula (1958)
The Time Machine (1960)
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
From Russia With Love (1963)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Wolf Man (1941)
Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)
The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
The Towering Inferno (1974)
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
Thunderball (1965)
Broadcast News (1987)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Star Wars (1977)
Jaws (1975)
Bad Day At Black Rock (1955)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)
What’s Up Doc? (1972)
Logan’s Run (1976)
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
Dragonslayer (1981)
Aliens (1986)
1917 (2019)
Gravity (2013)
Alien (1979)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Outbreak (1995)
Creepshow (1982)
The Howling (1981)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Horror of Dracula (1958)
The Time Machine (1960)
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
From Russia With Love (1963)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Wolf Man (1941)
Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)
The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
The Towering Inferno (1974)
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
Thunderball (1965)
Broadcast News (1987)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Star Wars (1977)
Jaws (1975)
Bad Day At Black Rock (1955)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)
What’s Up Doc? (1972)
Logan’s Run (1976)
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
Dragonslayer (1981)
Aliens (1986)
1917 (2019)
Gravity (2013)
Alien (1979)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein...
- 6/3/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
John Ericson, a star of Hollywood’s Golden Age who appeared in multiple MGM films and in the 1960s TV show “Honey West,” died in Santa Fe, New Mexico, of pneumonia on Sunday. He was 93.
Born Joseph Meibes in Dusseldorf, Germany, Ericson emigrated with his family to the United States to escape the Nazis as they rose to power. Ericson trained in acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and soon appeared in the original production of “Stalag 17” in 1951.
Shortly after that, Ericson signed a contract with MGM and made his cinematic debut alongside Pier Angeli in “Teresa,” playing a World War II veteran struggling to cope with post-war life after marrying a woman he met in Italy. He continued to take on supporting roles in MGM films through the ’50s, starring alongside stars like Elizabeth Taylor in “Rhapsody,” Spencer Tracy in “Bad Day at Black Rock,...
Born Joseph Meibes in Dusseldorf, Germany, Ericson emigrated with his family to the United States to escape the Nazis as they rose to power. Ericson trained in acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and soon appeared in the original production of “Stalag 17” in 1951.
Shortly after that, Ericson signed a contract with MGM and made his cinematic debut alongside Pier Angeli in “Teresa,” playing a World War II veteran struggling to cope with post-war life after marrying a woman he met in Italy. He continued to take on supporting roles in MGM films through the ’50s, starring alongside stars like Elizabeth Taylor in “Rhapsody,” Spencer Tracy in “Bad Day at Black Rock,...
- 5/4/2020
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
John Ericson, who starred alongside Anne Francis on TV's Honey West and with Spencer Tracy in Bad Day at Black Rock and with Angela Lansbury in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, has died. He was 93.
Ericson died Sunday of pneumonia in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he had been living since the mid-1990s, a family spokesman said.
Ericson appeared on Broadway in the original production 1951 of Stalag 17, directed by José Ferrer, and he made his film debut in Teresa (1951), directed by Fred Zinnemann. Three years later, he starred with Elizabeth Taylor in Rhapsody (1954).
Ericson played "Man Friday" Sam ...
Ericson died Sunday of pneumonia in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he had been living since the mid-1990s, a family spokesman said.
Ericson appeared on Broadway in the original production 1951 of Stalag 17, directed by José Ferrer, and he made his film debut in Teresa (1951), directed by Fred Zinnemann. Three years later, he starred with Elizabeth Taylor in Rhapsody (1954).
Ericson played "Man Friday" Sam ...
John Ericson, who starred alongside Anne Francis on TV's Honey West and with Spencer Tracy in Bad Day at Black Rock and with Angela Lansbury in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, has died. He was 93.
Ericson died Sunday of pneumonia in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he had been living since the mid-1990s, a family spokesman said.
Ericson appeared on Broadway in the original production 1951 of Stalag 17, directed by José Ferrer, and he made his film debut in Teresa (1951), directed by Fred Zinnemann. Three years later, he starred with Elizabeth Taylor in Rhapsody (1954).
Ericson played "Man Friday" Sam ...
Ericson died Sunday of pneumonia in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he had been living since the mid-1990s, a family spokesman said.
Ericson appeared on Broadway in the original production 1951 of Stalag 17, directed by José Ferrer, and he made his film debut in Teresa (1951), directed by Fred Zinnemann. Three years later, he starred with Elizabeth Taylor in Rhapsody (1954).
Ericson played "Man Friday" Sam ...
“Pipe Dreams”
By Raymond Benson
Back in 1973, producer Ely Landau and his wife Edie launched a daring and unprecedented cinema series that played in the U.S. for two “seasons,” with a total of fourteen titles (but only thirteen were shown), all renowned works—classic and modern—originally produced on the stage. It was called the American Film Theatre. (A review of a DVD box set of the entire series appeared on Cinema Retro previously. Click here to read.)
The concept tried something different. The directive was to take a great stage play, not change a word, and in most cases, use the actual play script as the screenplay. The next step was to hire an accomplished film director to interpret the text for the film medium but stay faithful to the play. Sometimes the director was the same person who helmed the original stage production. A further step was...
By Raymond Benson
Back in 1973, producer Ely Landau and his wife Edie launched a daring and unprecedented cinema series that played in the U.S. for two “seasons,” with a total of fourteen titles (but only thirteen were shown), all renowned works—classic and modern—originally produced on the stage. It was called the American Film Theatre. (A review of a DVD box set of the entire series appeared on Cinema Retro previously. Click here to read.)
The concept tried something different. The directive was to take a great stage play, not change a word, and in most cases, use the actual play script as the screenplay. The next step was to hire an accomplished film director to interpret the text for the film medium but stay faithful to the play. Sometimes the director was the same person who helmed the original stage production. A further step was...
- 4/22/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Now that we’re almost halfway through the month of October, I’m reasonably certain that most of us here have been celebrating the Halloween season in style. In my opinion, there’s nothing quite like this time of year, as I, too, love seeing the leaves changing color and indulging in donuts and cider from time to time.
But if you’re not watching your share of horror movies this month, well, then you’re just doing October wrong. Call me crazy, but I’d rather watch A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors for the millionth time rather than wear a sweater declaring how much I love pumpkin spice lattes.
When it comes to the day of Halloween specifically, plans may vary from person to person. Those of you with kids will likely take them trick-or-treating, whereas the rest may attend a party of some sort. But...
But if you’re not watching your share of horror movies this month, well, then you’re just doing October wrong. Call me crazy, but I’d rather watch A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors for the millionth time rather than wear a sweater declaring how much I love pumpkin spice lattes.
When it comes to the day of Halloween specifically, plans may vary from person to person. Those of you with kids will likely take them trick-or-treating, whereas the rest may attend a party of some sort. But...
- 10/14/2019
- by Eric Joseph
- We Got This Covered
Spencer Tracy would’ve celebrated his 119th birthday on April 5, 2019. The two-time Oscar winner starred in a variety of classics before his death in 1967, including nine films opposite fellow legend Katharine Hepburn. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Tracy pulled off the rare hat-trick of winning back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, first for his performance as a Portuguese sailor in “Captains Courageous” (1937), then for playing a dedicated priest helping wayward youths in “Boys Town” (1938). It’s a feat that would only be repeated once more in this category by Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia” in 1993 and “Forrest Gump” in 1994).
SEEOscar Best Actor Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History
Tracy would compete seven more times in the category: “San Francisco” (1936), “Father of the Bride” (1950), “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955), “The Old Man and the Sea” (1958), “Inherit the Wind” (1960), “Judgment at Nuremberg...
Tracy pulled off the rare hat-trick of winning back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, first for his performance as a Portuguese sailor in “Captains Courageous” (1937), then for playing a dedicated priest helping wayward youths in “Boys Town” (1938). It’s a feat that would only be repeated once more in this category by Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia” in 1993 and “Forrest Gump” in 1994).
SEEOscar Best Actor Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History
Tracy would compete seven more times in the category: “San Francisco” (1936), “Father of the Bride” (1950), “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955), “The Old Man and the Sea” (1958), “Inherit the Wind” (1960), “Judgment at Nuremberg...
- 4/5/2019
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Noir City: Hollywood — The 21st Annual Los Angeles Festival of Film NoirBy Alex Divine DeleonThe Noir City Festival has now come of age and the 21st edition which opened at the venerable Hollywood landmark Egyptian Theatre on Friday, March 29, 2019, will this year display twenty uncut gems on ten consecutive nights running in strict chronological order from ‘Trapped’ (1949) to ‘Cry Tough’ (1959). In essence a cannily selected survey of the Hollywood decade of the fifties from an underbelly angle such as only the Film Noir Foundation has the guts and integrity to reveal. Many of these old pictures have been rescued from oblivion by the cutting edge preservation skills of the UCLA film department.
Think the 1950s were buttoned-down and conservative? Think again.
In the 2019 edition of Noir City: Hollywood you will experience the rush — through a lens, darkly — of a turbulent and transitional time in American history, culture, and cinema. Nothing would ever be the same.
Think the 1950s were buttoned-down and conservative? Think again.
In the 2019 edition of Noir City: Hollywood you will experience the rush — through a lens, darkly — of a turbulent and transitional time in American history, culture, and cinema. Nothing would ever be the same.
- 4/3/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Oscar-winning film composer and symphony orchestra conductor Andre Previn died Thursday at his home in Manhattan, his manager confirmed to the New York Times. He was 89.
The former enfant terrible of motion picture scoring and accomplished jazz pianist was honored with four Academy Awards. He won the first two, for best scoring of a musical picture (a category that has since been retired), for “Gigi” and “Porgy & Bess” in 1958 and 1959, respectively, while still in his 20s. He then won two for best adaptation or treatment (another retired sub-category) in 1963 and 1964 for “Irma la Douce” and “My Fair Lady,” respectively.
He later abandoned films to conduct such esteemed orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Previn’s jazz influence was pianist Art Tatum and, from the age of 12, he developed a proficiency in jazz piano, which led to his first film assignment at age 16, while still a...
The former enfant terrible of motion picture scoring and accomplished jazz pianist was honored with four Academy Awards. He won the first two, for best scoring of a musical picture (a category that has since been retired), for “Gigi” and “Porgy & Bess” in 1958 and 1959, respectively, while still in his 20s. He then won two for best adaptation or treatment (another retired sub-category) in 1963 and 1964 for “Irma la Douce” and “My Fair Lady,” respectively.
He later abandoned films to conduct such esteemed orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Previn’s jazz influence was pianist Art Tatum and, from the age of 12, he developed a proficiency in jazz piano, which led to his first film assignment at age 16, while still a...
- 2/28/2019
- by Richard Natale
- Variety Film + TV
Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain and Disney’s 1950 animated Cinderella are among the 25 motion pictures that have been inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. Wednesday’s additions to the registry, now in its 30th year, boosts the archive’s overall total to 750 movies selected for heir cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage.
The Library’s total moving-image collection is at 1.3 million pieces. Select titles from 30 years of the registry are available online in the National Screening Room.
Also making the cut today (see the full list below) is the Paul Newman-starrer Hud, musicals My Fair Lady and On the Town, James L Brooks’ Broadcast News, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, Kasi Lemmons’ 1997 indie Eve’s Bayou starring Samuel L. Jackson and the documentary Monterey Pop chronicling the seminal 1967 music festival.
In all,...
The Library’s total moving-image collection is at 1.3 million pieces. Select titles from 30 years of the registry are available online in the National Screening Room.
Also making the cut today (see the full list below) is the Paul Newman-starrer Hud, musicals My Fair Lady and On the Town, James L Brooks’ Broadcast News, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, Kasi Lemmons’ 1997 indie Eve’s Bayou starring Samuel L. Jackson and the documentary Monterey Pop chronicling the seminal 1967 music festival.
In all,...
- 12/12/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and D.A. Pennebaker’s concert film Monterey Pop were among the 25 films added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, which recognizes motion pictures that are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant.
“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating and preserving this distinctive medium,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said Thursday. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes and dreams.”
“It was for us a vast undertaking,...
“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating and preserving this distinctive medium,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said Thursday. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes and dreams.”
“It was for us a vast undertaking,...
- 12/12/2018
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
The Library of Congress has announced the 25 films joining the National Film Registry in 2018. The most well-known titles in this year’s group include Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain,” Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca,” Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park,” and James L. Brooks’ “Broadcast News.” Films that make the cut have been deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and will be preserved under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act.
“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating, and preserving this distinctive medium,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes, and dreams.”
With the 25 new additions, the National Film Registry now has a total of 750 titles. “Brokeback Mountain,” released in 2005, is the most recently released film to be added to the Registry this year.
“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating, and preserving this distinctive medium,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes, and dreams.”
With the 25 new additions, the National Film Registry now has a total of 750 titles. “Brokeback Mountain,” released in 2005, is the most recently released film to be added to the Registry this year.
- 12/12/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Since 1989, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has been accomplishing the important task of preserving films that “represent important cultural, artistic and historic achievements in filmmaking.” From films way back in 1897 all the way up to 2005, they’ve now reached 750 films that celebrate our heritage and encapsulate our film history.
Today they’ve unveiled their 2018 list, which includes Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, and Orson Welles’ The Lady From Shanghai. There’s also Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster behemoth Jurassic Park, Samuel Fuller’s stellar noir Pickup on South Street, the riveting, harrowing documentary Hearts and Minds, and much more.
Check out the full list below and you can watch some films on the registry for free here.
1. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
2. Broadcast News (1987)
3. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
4. Cinderella (1950)
5. Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
6. Dixon-Wanamaker Expedition to Crow Agency
7. Eve...
Today they’ve unveiled their 2018 list, which includes Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, and Orson Welles’ The Lady From Shanghai. There’s also Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster behemoth Jurassic Park, Samuel Fuller’s stellar noir Pickup on South Street, the riveting, harrowing documentary Hearts and Minds, and much more.
Check out the full list below and you can watch some films on the registry for free here.
1. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
2. Broadcast News (1987)
3. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
4. Cinderella (1950)
5. Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
6. Dixon-Wanamaker Expedition to Crow Agency
7. Eve...
- 12/12/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
“Jurassic Park,” “My Fair Lady,” “Brokeback Mountain” and “The Shining” were among the 25 American films inducted into the National Film Registry, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Wednesday.
Selection to the registry will help ensure that these films will be preserved for all time because of their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage.
“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating and preserving this distinctive medium,” Hayden said. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes and dreams.”
Also Read: 'Titanic,' 'The Goonies,' 'Superman' Added to National Film Registry
This year’s films span 107 years, from 1898 to 2005. They include blockbusters, documentaries, silent movies, animation and independent films. The 2018 selections bring the number of films in the registry to 750, a small fraction of the Library’s...
Selection to the registry will help ensure that these films will be preserved for all time because of their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage.
“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating and preserving this distinctive medium,” Hayden said. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes and dreams.”
Also Read: 'Titanic,' 'The Goonies,' 'Superman' Added to National Film Registry
This year’s films span 107 years, from 1898 to 2005. They include blockbusters, documentaries, silent movies, animation and independent films. The 2018 selections bring the number of films in the registry to 750, a small fraction of the Library’s...
- 12/12/2018
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
“Brokeback Mountain,” “Jurassic Park,” “My Fair Lady,” “The Shining,” “Hud” and “Monterey Pop” are among the best known titles among this year’s additions to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
A place on the list — always made up of 25 films — guarantees the film will be preserved under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act. The criteria for selection is that the movies are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant.
“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating and preserving this distinctive medium,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes and dreams.”
The 2018 selections bring the total number of films in the registry to 750. Hayden will discuss the 25 new films with Leonard Maltin on Turner Classic Movies at 8 p.m. E.T. Wednesday.
The new titles...
A place on the list — always made up of 25 films — guarantees the film will be preserved under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act. The criteria for selection is that the movies are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant.
“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating and preserving this distinctive medium,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes and dreams.”
The 2018 selections bring the total number of films in the registry to 750. Hayden will discuss the 25 new films with Leonard Maltin on Turner Classic Movies at 8 p.m. E.T. Wednesday.
The new titles...
- 12/12/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
In the late 1960’s, the Wu Xia Genre was elevated to a new level of sophistication through the release of two very influential movies. The first came in 1966 with King Hu’s seminal work “Come Drink With Me” to be followed swiftly the year later, with “One Armed Swordsman”. Fifty years on the movie, and it still retains a good deal of its power despite the inevitable dating. Voted the 15th Best Chinese Language Film in a Hong Kong movie poll in 2005 and loosely reimagined by Tsui Hark with “The Blade” in 1995, “One-Armed Swordsman” remains one of Hong Kong Cinema’s most ground breaking works.
Master Chi Ju Fung (Tien Feng) comes under attack, only to be rescued by his servant who loses his life in doing so. Chi Ju Fung agrees to look after his son as though he were his own, to repay the debt.
Master Chi Ju Fung (Tien Feng) comes under attack, only to be rescued by his servant who loses his life in doing so. Chi Ju Fung agrees to look after his son as though he were his own, to repay the debt.
- 4/8/2018
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
By 1985 Hollywood had still only dabbled in movies about the ‘shame that cannot speak its name,’ and in every case the verdict for the transgressors was regret and misery, if not death. Donna Deitch’s brilliant drama achieves exactly what she wanted, to do make a movie about a lesbian relationship that doesn’t end in a tragedy.
Desert Hearts
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 902
1985 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 96 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date November 14, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, Audra Lindley, Andra Akers, Gwen Welles, Dean Butler, James Staley, Katie La Bourdette, Alex McArthur, Tyler Tyhurst, Denise Crosby, Antony Ponzini, Brenda Beck, Jeffrey Tambor.
Cinematography: Robert Elswit
Film Editor: Robert Estrin
Production Design: Jeannine Oppewall
Written by Natalie Cooper from the novel by Jane Rule
Produced and Directed by Donna Deitch
Desert Hearts is a fine movie that’s also one of the first features ever about a lesbian romance,...
Desert Hearts
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 902
1985 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 96 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date November 14, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, Audra Lindley, Andra Akers, Gwen Welles, Dean Butler, James Staley, Katie La Bourdette, Alex McArthur, Tyler Tyhurst, Denise Crosby, Antony Ponzini, Brenda Beck, Jeffrey Tambor.
Cinematography: Robert Elswit
Film Editor: Robert Estrin
Production Design: Jeannine Oppewall
Written by Natalie Cooper from the novel by Jane Rule
Produced and Directed by Donna Deitch
Desert Hearts is a fine movie that’s also one of the first features ever about a lesbian romance,...
- 11/7/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Many of MGM’s productions were scraping bottom in 1958, yet the studio found one more acceptable western vehicle for their last big star still on contract. Only-slightly corrupt marshal Robert Taylor edges toward a showdown with the thoroughly corrupt Richard Widmark in an economy item given impressive locations and the sound direction of John Sturges.
The Law and Jake Wade
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 86 min. / Street Date September 12, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Robert Taylor, Richard Widmark, Patricia Owens, Robert Middleton, Henry Silva, DeForest Kelley, Henry Silva, Burt Douglas, Eddie Firestone.
Cinematography: Robert Surtees
Film Editor: Ferris Webster
Written by William Bowers from a novel by Marvin H. Albert
Produced by William B. Hawks
Directed by John Sturges
As the 1950s wore down, MGM was finding it more difficult to properly use its last remaining big-ticket stars on the steady payroll, Cyd Charisse and Robert Taylor. Cyd...
The Law and Jake Wade
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 86 min. / Street Date September 12, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Robert Taylor, Richard Widmark, Patricia Owens, Robert Middleton, Henry Silva, DeForest Kelley, Henry Silva, Burt Douglas, Eddie Firestone.
Cinematography: Robert Surtees
Film Editor: Ferris Webster
Written by William Bowers from a novel by Marvin H. Albert
Produced by William B. Hawks
Directed by John Sturges
As the 1950s wore down, MGM was finding it more difficult to properly use its last remaining big-ticket stars on the steady payroll, Cyd Charisse and Robert Taylor. Cyd...
- 9/2/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“Unwelcoming Committee”
By Raymond Benson
Although the picture takes place a couple of months after the end of World War II in the year 1945, Bad Day at Black Rock is really a western. The setting is a desert town that’s barely a whistle stop for a train that hasn’t halted there in four years; the main street looks as if it’s right out of Dodge City, and the opening credits are designed in big, colorful, bold words that spread across the wide CinemaScope screen. Even director John Sturges is primarily known for his many westerns.
Good Guy Spencer Tracy rides into town—on that train—and is met with inexplicable hostility from everyone he meets. All he wants is to find a guy named Komoko—a Japanese farmer who supposedly lives just out of town. Most of the residents seem afraid to help Tracy. The ones who...
By Raymond Benson
Although the picture takes place a couple of months after the end of World War II in the year 1945, Bad Day at Black Rock is really a western. The setting is a desert town that’s barely a whistle stop for a train that hasn’t halted there in four years; the main street looks as if it’s right out of Dodge City, and the opening credits are designed in big, colorful, bold words that spread across the wide CinemaScope screen. Even director John Sturges is primarily known for his many westerns.
Good Guy Spencer Tracy rides into town—on that train—and is met with inexplicable hostility from everyone he meets. All he wants is to find a guy named Komoko—a Japanese farmer who supposedly lives just out of town. Most of the residents seem afraid to help Tracy. The ones who...
- 5/28/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Warner Archive Delivers the Best Way to Enjoy a Bad Day at Black Rock
Welcome to this week in home video! Click the title to buy a Blu-ray/DVD from Amazon and help support Fsr in the process!
Pick of the WeekBad Day at Black Rock [Warner Archive]
What is it? A one-armed man arrives via train in a remote western town, and the populace reacts with suspicion and violence.
Why buy it? Spencer Tracy excels as the polite but mysterious stranger whose presence sets everyone on edge, and the more he probes the harder they push. The film explores threads of America’s deep-seated racism and small-town insulation, and it pairs that commentary with a steadily increasing suspense. The themes and actions here are still sadly relevant, even now, and it makes for an important watch that still manages to entertain. Tracy’s potential adversaries include Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Walter Brennan, and...
Welcome to this week in home video! Click the title to buy a Blu-ray/DVD from Amazon and help support Fsr in the process!
Pick of the WeekBad Day at Black Rock [Warner Archive]
What is it? A one-armed man arrives via train in a remote western town, and the populace reacts with suspicion and violence.
Why buy it? Spencer Tracy excels as the polite but mysterious stranger whose presence sets everyone on edge, and the more he probes the harder they push. The film explores threads of America’s deep-seated racism and small-town insulation, and it pairs that commentary with a steadily increasing suspense. The themes and actions here are still sadly relevant, even now, and it makes for an important watch that still manages to entertain. Tracy’s potential adversaries include Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Walter Brennan, and...
- 1/17/2017
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Don’t mess with the one-armed man — did you know that at 56 years, Spencer Tracy could whup Ernest Borgnine to a frazzle? John Sturges knocked this one out of the ballpark and booted his career into high gear. It’s well remembered… but does anyone remember that the subject is the murder of a Japanese-American? It’s a combo social issue film And a tough guy western.
Bad Day at Black Rock
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1955 / Color / 2:40:1 widescreen / 81 min. / Street Date January 17, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Anne Francis, Dean Jagger, Walter Brennan, John Ericson, Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin, Russell Collins, Walter Sande, Robert Griffin, Harry Harvey.
Cinematography William C. Mellor
Film Editor Newell P. Kimlin
Original Music André Previn
Written by Millard Kaufman, Don McGuire story by Howard Breslin
Produced by Dore Schary
Directed by John Sturges
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Warning to...
Bad Day at Black Rock
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1955 / Color / 2:40:1 widescreen / 81 min. / Street Date January 17, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Anne Francis, Dean Jagger, Walter Brennan, John Ericson, Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin, Russell Collins, Walter Sande, Robert Griffin, Harry Harvey.
Cinematography William C. Mellor
Film Editor Newell P. Kimlin
Original Music André Previn
Written by Millard Kaufman, Don McGuire story by Howard Breslin
Produced by Dore Schary
Directed by John Sturges
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Warning to...
- 12/24/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, and Tom Stockman
Lee Marvin rose through the ranks of movie stardom as a character actor, delivering mostly villainous supporting turns in many films before finally graduating to leading roles. Regardless of which side of the law he was on however, he projected a tough-as-nails intensity and a two-fisted integrity which elevated even the slightest material. Born February 19, 1924, in New York City, Marvin quit high school to enter the Marine Corps and while serving in the South Pacific was badly wounded in battle when a machine gun nest shot off part of his buttocks and severed his sciatic nerve. He spent a year in recovery before returning to the U.S. where he began working as a plumber. The acting bug bit after filling in for an ailing summer-stock actor and he studied the art at the New York-based American Theater Wing. Upon making his debut in summer stock,...
Lee Marvin rose through the ranks of movie stardom as a character actor, delivering mostly villainous supporting turns in many films before finally graduating to leading roles. Regardless of which side of the law he was on however, he projected a tough-as-nails intensity and a two-fisted integrity which elevated even the slightest material. Born February 19, 1924, in New York City, Marvin quit high school to enter the Marine Corps and while serving in the South Pacific was badly wounded in battle when a machine gun nest shot off part of his buttocks and severed his sciatic nerve. He spent a year in recovery before returning to the U.S. where he began working as a plumber. The acting bug bit after filling in for an ailing summer-stock actor and he studied the art at the New York-based American Theater Wing. Upon making his debut in summer stock,...
- 8/30/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Dailies is a round-up of essential film writing, news bits, videos, and other highlights from across the Internet. If you’d like to submit a piece for consideration, get in touch with us in the comments below or on Twitter at @TheFilmStage.
Variety‘s Kris Tapley on the top 10 shots of 2015:
John Seale came out of retirement to shoot George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and he even turned 70 years old during production. Not only that, but he was up on top of those war rigs tearing through the African desert operating camera himself in many instances, grips hanging off of the sturdy sport sailer who got his sea legs long ago. He took to the film’s action-filled spectacle like a duck to water.
Liv Ullmann recommends a Vittorio de Sica film:
Rolling Stone‘s David Ehrlich on why westerns are tragically more relevant than ever:
America...
Variety‘s Kris Tapley on the top 10 shots of 2015:
John Seale came out of retirement to shoot George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and he even turned 70 years old during production. Not only that, but he was up on top of those war rigs tearing through the African desert operating camera himself in many instances, grips hanging off of the sturdy sport sailer who got his sea legs long ago. He took to the film’s action-filled spectacle like a duck to water.
Liv Ullmann recommends a Vittorio de Sica film:
Rolling Stone‘s David Ehrlich on why westerns are tragically more relevant than ever:
America...
- 1/5/2016
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
Where life had no value, death had its price."
So begins Sergio Leone's For a Few Dollars More, the film's opening title card succinctly setting the scene for the carnage to come. And yet, for all of its ominous portent, the preface betrays a certain shortsightedness: Just because the film is set in the past doesn't mean that it should speak in the past tense. More than 40 years have elapsed since that spaghetti Western first hit theaters — and more than 100 since the twilight of the late 19th Century frontier that it depicts.
So begins Sergio Leone's For a Few Dollars More, the film's opening title card succinctly setting the scene for the carnage to come. And yet, for all of its ominous portent, the preface betrays a certain shortsightedness: Just because the film is set in the past doesn't mean that it should speak in the past tense. More than 40 years have elapsed since that spaghetti Western first hit theaters — and more than 100 since the twilight of the late 19th Century frontier that it depicts.
- 12/29/2015
- Rollingstone.com
More than one feature film looks at the making of this picture, focusing on its author, Truman Capote. Criterion's disc returns the discussion to Richard Brooks, the director that dared adapt an unfilmable novel of lurid, unthinkable crime on the Kansas prairie. It's also a last gasp of artistic B&W cinematography from Hollywood, thanks to the indelible images of Conrad Hall. In Cold Blood Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 781 1967 / B&W / 2:35 widescreen / 134 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date November 20, 2015 / 39.95 Starring Robert Blake, Scott Wilson, John Forsythe, Paul Stewart, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Jeff Corey, John Gallaudet, James Flavin, John Collins, Charles McGraw, Will Geer. Cinematography Conrad L. Hall Production Designer Robert F. Boyle Film Editor Peter Zinner Original Music Quincy Jones Written by Richard Brooks from the novel by Truman Capote Produced and Directed by Richard Brooks
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Some directors just want to work. Others...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Some directors just want to work. Others...
- 11/21/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Edward Dmytryk's big-scale cattle empire saga sees paterfamilias Spencer Tracy drive away his sons and bull his way into a modern civil dispute that can't be resolved with force. Robert Wagner is the loyal son and Richard Widmark the resentful son impatient for Dad to cash in his chips. Fox's early CinemaScope and stereophonic sound western is a transposition of a film noir mystery thriller. Broken Lance Blu-ray Twilight Time Limited Edition 1954 / Color / 2:55 widescreen / 96 min. / Ship Date November 10, 2015 / available through Twilight Time Movies / 29.95 Starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Jean Peters, Richard Widmark, Katy Jurado, Hugh O'Brian, Eduard Franz, Earl Holliman, E.G. Marshall, Carl Benton Reid, Philip Ober. Cinematography Joseph MacDonald Film Editor Dorothy Spencer Original Music Leigh Harline Written by Richard Murphy, Philip Yordan Produced by Sol C. Siegel Directed by Edward Dmytryk Reviewed by Glenn EricksonSome of the early 'big' westerns that aspire to epic status are...
- 11/14/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Teresa Wright-Samuel Goldwyn association comes to a nasty end (See preceding post: "Teresa Wright in 'Shadow of a Doubt': Alfred Hitchcock Heroine in His Favorite Film.") Whether or not because she was aware that Enchantment wasn't going to be the hit she needed – or perhaps some other disagreement with Samuel Goldwyn or personal issue with husband Niven Busch – Teresa Wright, claiming illness, refused to go to New York City to promote the film. (Top image: Teresa Wright in a publicity shot for The Men.) Goldwyn had previously announced that Wright, whose contract still had another four and half years to run, was to star in a film version of J.D. Salinger's 1948 short story "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut." Instead, he unceremoniously – and quite publicly – fired her.[1] The Goldwyn organization issued a statement, explaining that besides refusing the assignment to travel to New York to help generate pre-opening publicity for Enchantment,...
- 3/11/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Been meaning to catch up with Sam and Dean Winchester, but just haven't found the time? Our Supernatural tips for beginners may help...
Maps To TV Shows: Is there a popular show you’d really like to watch but you just don’t have time to wade through years of it all at once? Do you just want to know why that one character keeps turning up on Tumblr? Do the fans all tell you ‘season one is a bit iffy but stick with it, it gets great!’, leaving you with absolutely zero desire ever to watch the boring/silly/just plain weird season one? Then Maps To TV Shows is for you!
In these articles, we’ll outline routes through popular TV shows focusing on particular characters, story arcs or episode types. Are you really into the Klingon episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation? Do you want to...
Maps To TV Shows: Is there a popular show you’d really like to watch but you just don’t have time to wade through years of it all at once? Do you just want to know why that one character keeps turning up on Tumblr? Do the fans all tell you ‘season one is a bit iffy but stick with it, it gets great!’, leaving you with absolutely zero desire ever to watch the boring/silly/just plain weird season one? Then Maps To TV Shows is for you!
In these articles, we’ll outline routes through popular TV shows focusing on particular characters, story arcs or episode types. Are you really into the Klingon episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation? Do you want to...
- 1/13/2015
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
In honor of Supernatural's 200th episode, EW took a quick trip down the road so far. And by quick, we mean that we ranked every episode of Supernatural ever. From Sam and Dean's first battle against the Woman in White to Sam's recent rescue of Demon Dean, we left nothing out, and we're pretty sure it was just as difficult as that one time that Sam and Dean stopped the apocalypse. If you're looking for our Top 40 picks, check out gallery No. 1, and for our Worst 10, head here. For everything in between, scroll down, relive the memories (and...
- 11/7/2014
- by Samantha Highfill and Jonathon Dornbush
- EW.com - PopWatch
What does it mean to be an Oscar nominee?
The answers can be as varied as the nominees themselves. As the annual "31 Days of Oscar" festival continues on Turner Classic Movies, each night is themed to all the candidates in a certain category in a certain year.
The evening of Friday, Feb. 14, showcases all the talents who were nominated for best actor of 1955 for the pictures that are being shown. One of the movies absolutely transformed the career of the actor in question: "Marty," the big-screen version of a television play.
Related: All the 2014 Academy Award nominees
Rod Steiger was sought to reprise his TV portrayal of a lonely, good-hearted Bronx butcher, but he refused to sign a contract that would have obligated him to make several more pictures for the producers, who included Burt Lancaster. They then chose Ernest Borgnine, who mostly had played villains ("From Here to Eternity,...
The answers can be as varied as the nominees themselves. As the annual "31 Days of Oscar" festival continues on Turner Classic Movies, each night is themed to all the candidates in a certain category in a certain year.
The evening of Friday, Feb. 14, showcases all the talents who were nominated for best actor of 1955 for the pictures that are being shown. One of the movies absolutely transformed the career of the actor in question: "Marty," the big-screen version of a television play.
Related: All the 2014 Academy Award nominees
Rod Steiger was sought to reprise his TV portrayal of a lonely, good-hearted Bronx butcher, but he refused to sign a contract that would have obligated him to make several more pictures for the producers, who included Burt Lancaster. They then chose Ernest Borgnine, who mostly had played villains ("From Here to Eternity,...
- 2/14/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
David McCallum with event host Bruce Crawford. (Photo: Steve Gray)
By Jon Heitland
On any list of the best films based on World War II, The Great Escape, directed by John Sturges and based on the novel by Paul Brickhill, will always rank near the top. The compelling story of a group of British and American prisoners of war and how they outwitted their Nazi captors observes its 50th anniversary this year, and actor David McCallum, who plays Ashley-Pitt in the film, travelled to Omaha, Nebraska on November 9, 2013, to help celebrate the classic film. Proceeds went to the Nebraska Kidney Foundation, which was why McCallum took time from his busy television schedule to make an appearance. The evening event centered around a showing of the film at the large, concert-style theater at the prestigious Joslyn Museum, to an enthusiastic, full house crowd of 1000.
The Great Escape 50 year retrospective was another...
By Jon Heitland
On any list of the best films based on World War II, The Great Escape, directed by John Sturges and based on the novel by Paul Brickhill, will always rank near the top. The compelling story of a group of British and American prisoners of war and how they outwitted their Nazi captors observes its 50th anniversary this year, and actor David McCallum, who plays Ashley-Pitt in the film, travelled to Omaha, Nebraska on November 9, 2013, to help celebrate the classic film. Proceeds went to the Nebraska Kidney Foundation, which was why McCallum took time from his busy television schedule to make an appearance. The evening event centered around a showing of the film at the large, concert-style theater at the prestigious Joslyn Museum, to an enthusiastic, full house crowd of 1000.
The Great Escape 50 year retrospective was another...
- 12/7/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
What do Sam and Dean do when their best witness in a case is a big, fluffy German Shepherd named The Colonel? Well, in the past, they would have been up a creek. But, these days, they’re armed with all sorts of Men of Letters tricks so, naturally, they found a way to talk to the dog.
In this case, it was Dean who took the hit and drank a hairy potion so he could communicate with animals, and the side effects were nothing short of hilarious.
Among them? He barked at the mail man, had this strange urge...
In this case, it was Dean who took the hit and drank a hairy potion so he could communicate with animals, and the side effects were nothing short of hilarious.
Among them? He barked at the mail man, had this strange urge...
- 11/6/2013
- by Sandra Gonzalez
- EW.com - PopWatch
Paul Henreid: Hollow Triumph aka The Scar tonight Turner Classic Movies’ Paul Henreid film series continues this Tuesday evening, July 16, 2013. Of tonight’s movies, the most interesting offering is Hollow Triumph / The Scar, a 1948 B thriller adapted by Daniel Fuchs (Panic in the Streets, Love Me or Leave Me) from Murray Forbes’ novel, and in which the gentlemanly Henreid was cast against type: a crook who, in an attempt to escape from other (and more dangerous) crooks, impersonates a psychiatrist with a scar on his chin. Joan Bennett, mostly wasted in a non-role, is Henreid’s leading lady. (See also: “One Paul Henreid, Two Cigarettes, Four Bette Davis-es.”) The thriller’s director is Hungarian import Steve Sekely, whose Hollywood career consisted chiefly of minor B fare. In fact, though hardly a great effort, Hollow Triumph was probably the apex of Sekely’s cinematic output in terms of prestige...
- 7/17/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Before you read this column today, go watch Spencer Tracy in Father of the Bride or A Guy Named Joe, or Thirty Seconds Over Toyko, or Bad Day At Black Rock, or Adam’s Rib or Judgment At Nuremberg or Inherit The Wind.
Katherine Hepburn said to Spencer Tracy “you were, really, the greatest movie actor. I say this because I believe it and I’ve heard so many people of standing in our business say, it from Olivier to Lee Strasberg, David Lean, you name it. You could do it, and you could do it with that glorious simplicity, that directness.” Elizabeth Taylor said, “His acting seemed almost effortless, it seemed almost as if he wasn’t doing anything, and yet he was doing everything. It came so subtly out of his eyes, every muscle in his face…” Richard Widmark said “”It’s what every actor tries to strive...
Katherine Hepburn said to Spencer Tracy “you were, really, the greatest movie actor. I say this because I believe it and I’ve heard so many people of standing in our business say, it from Olivier to Lee Strasberg, David Lean, you name it. You could do it, and you could do it with that glorious simplicity, that directness.” Elizabeth Taylor said, “His acting seemed almost effortless, it seemed almost as if he wasn’t doing anything, and yet he was doing everything. It came so subtly out of his eyes, every muscle in his face…” Richard Widmark said “”It’s what every actor tries to strive...
- 5/20/2013
- by Mindy Newell
- Comicmix.com
His first column appeared in April 1963 and he would become the doyen of UK film critics. Having announced he will soon file his last column, he talks about meeting Chaplin, and Hollywood's greatest canine actors
Philip French's international reputation as a film critic is unrivalled. As recently as February, after a career with the Observer that began in 1963, an American film journal rated him as Britain's "greatest living movie analyst". But at the end of August he is to file his last column as this newspaper's film critic. After an illustrious half century, French, who was honoured with an OBE in January, has decided to step down following his 80th birthday the same month.
In his first column for the Observer, he bemoaned the lack of British films offering a believable picture of criminathe underworld. He noted "the tired vignettes of sub-Runyon characters" in The Small World of Sammy Lee starring Anthony Newley.
Philip French's international reputation as a film critic is unrivalled. As recently as February, after a career with the Observer that began in 1963, an American film journal rated him as Britain's "greatest living movie analyst". But at the end of August he is to file his last column as this newspaper's film critic. After an illustrious half century, French, who was honoured with an OBE in January, has decided to step down following his 80th birthday the same month.
In his first column for the Observer, he bemoaned the lack of British films offering a believable picture of criminathe underworld. He noted "the tired vignettes of sub-Runyon characters" in The Small World of Sammy Lee starring Anthony Newley.
- 5/4/2013
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
Before you read this column today, go watch Spencer Tracy in Father of the Bride or A Guy Named Joe, or Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, or Bad Day At Black Rock, or Adam’s Rib, or Judgment At Nuremberg, or Inherit The Wind.
Katherine Hepburn said to Spencer Tracy “you were, really, the greatest movie actor. I say this because I believe it and I’ve heard so many people of standing in our business say it – from Olivier to Lee Strasberg, David Lean, name it. You could do it, and you could do it with that glorious simplicity, that directness.” Elizabeth Taylor said, “His acting seemed almost effortless, it seemed almost as if he wasn’t doing anything, and yet he was doing everything. It came so subtly out of his eyes, every muscle in his face…” Richard Widmark said “It’s what every actor tries to strive for – to make it so simple,...
Katherine Hepburn said to Spencer Tracy “you were, really, the greatest movie actor. I say this because I believe it and I’ve heard so many people of standing in our business say it – from Olivier to Lee Strasberg, David Lean, name it. You could do it, and you could do it with that glorious simplicity, that directness.” Elizabeth Taylor said, “His acting seemed almost effortless, it seemed almost as if he wasn’t doing anything, and yet he was doing everything. It came so subtly out of his eyes, every muscle in his face…” Richard Widmark said “It’s what every actor tries to strive for – to make it so simple,...
- 4/29/2013
- by Mindy Newell
- Comicmix.com
The Film That Changed My Life | Argentine Film Festival | Daniel Day-Lewis | Jameson Cult Film Club
The Film That Changed My Life, London
A simple idea to mark the centenary of the Critics' Circle: 14 well-known film critics introduce their favourite movies, and try to change your life. Understandably, most the movies are classics, from Kate Muir's choice (and Martin Scorsese fave) I Know Where I'm Going! to If… and The 400 Blows. From the Guardian/Observer stable, Peter Bradshaw goes for Raging Bull, Philip French Bad Day At Black Rock, and Jason Solomons Annie Hall. For something more alternative, the Evening Standard's Derek Malcolm presents Ship Of Theseus, an acclaimed Mumbai drama made just last year, while Empire's Kim Newman offers an obscure 1960s double bill from Nathan Juran: First Men In The Moon and East Of Sudan.
Barbican, EC2, Fri to 2 May
Argentine Film Festival, London
Cinema won't settle the Falklands/Malvinas dispute,...
The Film That Changed My Life, London
A simple idea to mark the centenary of the Critics' Circle: 14 well-known film critics introduce their favourite movies, and try to change your life. Understandably, most the movies are classics, from Kate Muir's choice (and Martin Scorsese fave) I Know Where I'm Going! to If… and The 400 Blows. From the Guardian/Observer stable, Peter Bradshaw goes for Raging Bull, Philip French Bad Day At Black Rock, and Jason Solomons Annie Hall. For something more alternative, the Evening Standard's Derek Malcolm presents Ship Of Theseus, an acclaimed Mumbai drama made just last year, while Empire's Kim Newman offers an obscure 1960s double bill from Nathan Juran: First Men In The Moon and East Of Sudan.
Barbican, EC2, Fri to 2 May
Argentine Film Festival, London
Cinema won't settle the Falklands/Malvinas dispute,...
- 4/13/2013
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.