We all know that Westerns are the most American of movie genres, one that many U.S.-born actors view as a proving ground of sorts. Strapping yourself with a couple of six-shooters and hopping astride a horse presents the opportunity to measure yourself against some of the greatest to ever do it: James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and John Wayne, to name just a legendary few. Oh, to stride down a dusty street at high noon, rope cattle at the ranch, or wallop someone you probably don't know over the back with a wooden chair in the midst of a saloon brawl -- this is why we make and love movies.
For a guy who professes a deep and abiding love for classic films, Tom Cruise must've been champing at the bit to go into the West with Ron Howard in 1992's "Far and Away." Getting to make a Western...
For a guy who professes a deep and abiding love for classic films, Tom Cruise must've been champing at the bit to go into the West with Ron Howard in 1992's "Far and Away." Getting to make a Western...
- 10/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In Jack and Jill, Adam Sandler hilariously embraced the challenge of playing both twins who can’t stand each other. The comedy follows their chaotic antics as Jack desperately tries to convince Al Pacino, yes, the legendary actor himself is in the movie, (quite possibly the wirdiest detour he ever took) to star in an ad for him. The catch? Jack has to tolerate his sister Jill, because, surprise! Pacino has a crush on her!
Adam Sandler in Jack & Jill (2011) | image: Columbia Pictures
Despite the film being one of the most roasted in his career, Sandler threw himself into both roles like a champ, especially when it came to the fabulously over-the-top Jill.
How Adam Sandler Prepared for Playing Jill
In his comedy career, Adam Sandler has truly done it all, even donning a dress and playing a woman, and let’s be honest, he did it with his whole heart and soul!
Adam Sandler in Jack & Jill (2011) | image: Columbia Pictures
Despite the film being one of the most roasted in his career, Sandler threw himself into both roles like a champ, especially when it came to the fabulously over-the-top Jill.
How Adam Sandler Prepared for Playing Jill
In his comedy career, Adam Sandler has truly done it all, even donning a dress and playing a woman, and let’s be honest, he did it with his whole heart and soul!
- 10/25/2024
- by Sampurna Banerjee
- FandomWire
At the time of his arrest, John Wayne Gacy had raped, tortured, and killed at least 33 young men around the Chicago area. Known as the “Killer Clown” because he worked as a children’s clown at the time, he remains one of the most notorious serial killers in American history.
In a recent interview, an actor who has appeared on shows like Law & Order has admitted that he was one of Gacy’s sexual assault victims but made it out of the experience alive. Here is what you need to know.
Jack Merrill Says John Wayne Gacy Raped Him At Gunpoint
Actor Jack Merrill said in a recent interview that John Wayne Gazy sexually assaulted him at gunpoint in 1978. He said that this happened just seven months before Gacy was arrested and charged with 33 murders. Merrill also said that he had no idea he was a serial killer during the assault.
In a recent interview, an actor who has appeared on shows like Law & Order has admitted that he was one of Gacy’s sexual assault victims but made it out of the experience alive. Here is what you need to know.
Jack Merrill Says John Wayne Gacy Raped Him At Gunpoint
Actor Jack Merrill said in a recent interview that John Wayne Gazy sexually assaulted him at gunpoint in 1978. He said that this happened just seven months before Gacy was arrested and charged with 33 murders. Merrill also said that he had no idea he was a serial killer during the assault.
- 10/24/2024
- by Shawn Lealos
- TV Shows Ace
For much of the first half of this year, crazy Aunt Jordan terrorized the Newman family on The Young and the Restless. That is until Victor Newman turned the tables and held her prisoner in his private jail. The only thing Jordan and Victor had in common was their thirst for revenge. In real life, it turns out their portrayers—Colleen Zenk and Eric Braeden—actually have something fun in common other than being CBS Daytime legends.
Talented TV Sons
The thread connecting the actors started on X, formerly Twitter, where Braeden praised the work of an actor who once played his TV son, Adam Newman, on Y&r. In the post, he wrote, “Watched Justin Hartley on Tracker tonight! Loved the show! No wonder the show is so damn successful! I couldn’t stop watching! Justin is a very good actor, very convincing, very strong!!he has what all American Stars from Jimmy Stewart,...
Talented TV Sons
The thread connecting the actors started on X, formerly Twitter, where Braeden praised the work of an actor who once played his TV son, Adam Newman, on Y&r. In the post, he wrote, “Watched Justin Hartley on Tracker tonight! Loved the show! No wonder the show is so damn successful! I couldn’t stop watching! Justin is a very good actor, very convincing, very strong!!he has what all American Stars from Jimmy Stewart,...
- 10/24/2024
- by Tina Charles
- Soap Hub
With a career spanning 70 years and with 11 Oscar nominations (of which he won 4) to his name, Clint Eastwood has transcended from his role as the Man With No Name to a man of many talents. Immortalized by his work in Hollywood as an actor-director-producer, Eastwood remains one of the few artists hailing from the black & white era of cinema who are still relevant to the industry today.
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) [Credit: Warner Bros.]
As the oldest recipient of a Best Director Oscar at age 74, Eastwood has a full-circle career to reflect on with a lot of overdue leisure time to cash in. However, along with visionaries like Scorsese, Spielberg, and Coppola, the legend of the Spaghetti Westerns shows no sign of stopping now, despite being 94 years old.
Clint Eastwood Brings the Iwo Jima Portrait to Life Flags of Our Fathers recreates the iconic Iwo Jima photograph [Credit: Warner Bros.]
A picture that can...
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) [Credit: Warner Bros.]
As the oldest recipient of a Best Director Oscar at age 74, Eastwood has a full-circle career to reflect on with a lot of overdue leisure time to cash in. However, along with visionaries like Scorsese, Spielberg, and Coppola, the legend of the Spaghetti Westerns shows no sign of stopping now, despite being 94 years old.
Clint Eastwood Brings the Iwo Jima Portrait to Life Flags of Our Fathers recreates the iconic Iwo Jima photograph [Credit: Warner Bros.]
A picture that can...
- 10/22/2024
- by Diya Majumdar
- FandomWire
Hollywood, like the rest of the world, wasn't feeling so hot about the United States in the 1970s. Faced with the relentless cruelty of the Vietnam War and the overt racism of President Richard M. Nixon's "law and order" dictates (plus his wanton abuse of power via the cover-up of the Watergate scandal), the most excitingly talented filmmakers of that era offered up "The Godfather," "Serpico," and "Nashville." Even a rollicking mainstream comedy like "The Bad News Bears" carried an anti-establishment charge.
All of this was juxtaposed against the realization that John Wayne was dying. The quintessential American movie star who, alongside his frequent collaborator John Ford, transformed the Western into manifest-destiny mythmaking, was grasping for relevance in hoary oaters and toothless cop flicks while losing his second battle with cancer. Moviegoers were alternately hostile to and unsettled by this; the man they either dearly wanted or steadfastly did...
All of this was juxtaposed against the realization that John Wayne was dying. The quintessential American movie star who, alongside his frequent collaborator John Ford, transformed the Western into manifest-destiny mythmaking, was grasping for relevance in hoary oaters and toothless cop flicks while losing his second battle with cancer. Moviegoers were alternately hostile to and unsettled by this; the man they either dearly wanted or steadfastly did...
- 10/22/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
A Genre Too Big to Fail (So They Say) In 2022 alone so far, we’ve gotten Matt Reeves’s ‘The Batman,’ Sam Raimi’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’ and of course (who can forget?) ‘Morbius.’ We’re not quite halfway into the year and we have three big-name superhero movies on our plate — and that’s actually a low number, compared to some past years. I remember, as clearly as if it were yesterday, that in 2017, we got ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,’ ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming,’ ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ ‘Justice League,’ ‘Logan,’ and ‘The Lego Batman Movie.’ There was at least one superhero movie for every season, and you simply couldn’t get away from them for long. I’m not saying this is entirely a bad thing, of course; after all, I do like most of the movies mentioned. I don’t think there’s much room for debate,...
- 10/20/2024
- by Brian Collins
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
In the early 1960s, an Italian auteur, inspired by a Japanese legend, cast an American star in what would become one of the greatest Westerns of all time. As Clint Eastwood put it, the film about a Mexican gang war was “an Italian-German-Spanish co-production of a remake of a Japanese film in the plains of Spain.”
Clint Eastwood on the set of Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy [Credit: United Artists]
Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars was a layered narrative in terms of production and behind-the-scenes development. As a story, it was quite simply a Western that redefined Westerns for generations to come. However, for Clint Eastwood, the Dollars trilogy was the stepping stone to a 70-year-long career in Hollywood that was more illustrious and enduring than any other actor originating from the Golden Era of the film industry.
The Legacy of Clint Eastwood’s Dollars Trilogy Clint Eastwood as...
Clint Eastwood on the set of Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy [Credit: United Artists]
Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars was a layered narrative in terms of production and behind-the-scenes development. As a story, it was quite simply a Western that redefined Westerns for generations to come. However, for Clint Eastwood, the Dollars trilogy was the stepping stone to a 70-year-long career in Hollywood that was more illustrious and enduring than any other actor originating from the Golden Era of the film industry.
The Legacy of Clint Eastwood’s Dollars Trilogy Clint Eastwood as...
- 10/16/2024
- by Diya Majumdar
- FandomWire
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
The year was 1963, and Clint Eastwood was tired of playing a Western hero. As Rowdy Yates on CBS' "Rawhide," he was stuck in a flavorless rut of white-hat derring-do, herding cattle and being an altogether swell guy while contending with stock genre villains. There was a future in this, yes, but it would require Eastwood to play the same note over and over until he became a lasso-wielding self-parody.
So, when he wrapped his fifth season of "Rawhide," he accepted an offer to make a big screen Western with a promising Italian director in Spain. That film was "A Fistful of Dollars," and all it did was launch the "Spaghetti Western" trend, which, along with the revisionist American works of Sam Peckinpah, extended the popularity of the genre for a solid decade.
"A Fistful of Dollars" was not, on the surface,...
The year was 1963, and Clint Eastwood was tired of playing a Western hero. As Rowdy Yates on CBS' "Rawhide," he was stuck in a flavorless rut of white-hat derring-do, herding cattle and being an altogether swell guy while contending with stock genre villains. There was a future in this, yes, but it would require Eastwood to play the same note over and over until he became a lasso-wielding self-parody.
So, when he wrapped his fifth season of "Rawhide," he accepted an offer to make a big screen Western with a promising Italian director in Spain. That film was "A Fistful of Dollars," and all it did was launch the "Spaghetti Western" trend, which, along with the revisionist American works of Sam Peckinpah, extended the popularity of the genre for a solid decade.
"A Fistful of Dollars" was not, on the surface,...
- 10/15/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
John Wayne is an American institution, and that's kind of a pity. The films he made from the 1930s through the 1970s all presented what many consider the most persistent cinematic archetypes of old-world machismo. Wayne was a symbol of stalwart, unbending manliness, a testament to the power of being gruff and insoluble. It is, however, hard to accept him as a positive role model when one recalls how bigoted he was in life. Every few years, his 1971 interview with Playboy Magazine resurfaces and a new crowd discovers Wayne vaunting the values of white supremacy and flippantly excoriating minorities.
He also, in that interview, talked about the moral righteousness of his old Westerns, saying that Europeans were in the right for stealing American land from the First Nation people. He was pretty despicable.
But he was also one of the biggest movie stars of all time, and cinema lovers have...
He also, in that interview, talked about the moral righteousness of his old Westerns, saying that Europeans were in the right for stealing American land from the First Nation people. He was pretty despicable.
But he was also one of the biggest movie stars of all time, and cinema lovers have...
- 10/15/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Dan Da Dan is one of the most anticipated series of the fall anime 2024 season ! Based on the Shonen Jump+ manga by Yukinobu Tatsu, Dan Da Dan introduces us to high school students Momo and Okarun just as their entire worlds turn upside down. The extraterrestrial and the supernatural crash into each other head-on in this mind-bending, action-packed series. Related: Dan Da Dan Episode 1 Recap Let’s talk about everything that happened in the second episode of Dan Da Dan! Warning: Full spoilers for Dan Da Dan Season 1 Episode 2 follow. Seriously, major spoilers ahead! No Way Momo refuses to believe that her new friend has the same name as her legendary actor crush. He insists his name really is Ken Takakura – similar to Clint Eastwood or John Wayne in the West – whether she believes it or not. Momo says she won’t call him by his name and gives him a new one instead.
- 10/14/2024
- by Kelly Knox
- Crunchyroll
It hardly needs repeating, but director John Carpenter is known for making multiple horror classics, including "Halloween," "The Fog," "Christine," "The Thing," "Prince of Darkness," "In the Mouth of Madness" and "Vampires." Although Carpenter doesn't have a notable, recognizable style or motif in his filmography (apart from recurring actors) he does seem to possess a subtle, natural mastery of filmmaking craft that makes all his films, even the bad ones, imminently watchable.
Carpenter loves horror, of course, but oddly, he's not a horror guy at heart. He possesses an old-world workman's attitude when it comes to filmmaking, just sort of sussing out, by instinct, how to shoot a scene, regardless of genre. Carpenter has given multiple interviews where he's talked about monster movies and sci-fi flicks that inspired him, but moreso, Carpenter talks about the films of John Ford and Howard Hawks, two American filmmakers best known for their high-profile Westerns.
Carpenter loves horror, of course, but oddly, he's not a horror guy at heart. He possesses an old-world workman's attitude when it comes to filmmaking, just sort of sussing out, by instinct, how to shoot a scene, regardless of genre. Carpenter has given multiple interviews where he's talked about monster movies and sci-fi flicks that inspired him, but moreso, Carpenter talks about the films of John Ford and Howard Hawks, two American filmmakers best known for their high-profile Westerns.
- 10/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Masked Singer is back!
A new episode of the mystery celebrity singing competition aired on Wednesday night (Oct. 9) on Fox.
The show, which began in South Korea, features celebrities singing songs while wearing costumes and face masks concealing their identities until they’re eliminated. Throughout the season, the contestants provide clues to try and help the judges and fans figure out who is under the mask.
This season also features Ambassadors, who are all alums of the series, that have a special connection to each singer and will be providing major new clues about their friends’ identities.
During the episode, Buffaloes, Woodpecker, and Ship hit the stage for their third performances of the season.
While on stage, Ship performed “Because the Night” by Patti Smith.
Click inside to check out all of the clues and guesses for Ship…Keep scrolling to check out the clues and guesses…
Masked Ambassador:...
A new episode of the mystery celebrity singing competition aired on Wednesday night (Oct. 9) on Fox.
The show, which began in South Korea, features celebrities singing songs while wearing costumes and face masks concealing their identities until they’re eliminated. Throughout the season, the contestants provide clues to try and help the judges and fans figure out who is under the mask.
This season also features Ambassadors, who are all alums of the series, that have a special connection to each singer and will be providing major new clues about their friends’ identities.
During the episode, Buffaloes, Woodpecker, and Ship hit the stage for their third performances of the season.
While on stage, Ship performed “Because the Night” by Patti Smith.
Click inside to check out all of the clues and guesses for Ship…Keep scrolling to check out the clues and guesses…
Masked Ambassador:...
- 10/10/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
It's hard to think of a sitcom that typecast its actors more severely than "Gilligan's Island." Even though it only aired for three seasons, the slapstick comedy series about seven castaways marooned on a desert island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean proved inescapable professionally for its entire ensemble.
This was partly due to the albatross of syndication. After its cancellation, "Gilligan's Island" quickly became a favorite with undiscriminating couch potatoes, who got off on the show's laughably simple formula, inane gags, and colorful locale. They loved watching Bob Denver's blundering Gilligan repeatedly sabotage every single effort to get off the island, Ginger doing just about anything, and the Howells somehow living in the lap of bamboo luxury.
The show's enduring popularity was understandably bad news for the future endeavors of its younger performers, particularly Denver, Tina Louise, and Dawn Wells, all three of whom lacked a strong enough pre-...
This was partly due to the albatross of syndication. After its cancellation, "Gilligan's Island" quickly became a favorite with undiscriminating couch potatoes, who got off on the show's laughably simple formula, inane gags, and colorful locale. They loved watching Bob Denver's blundering Gilligan repeatedly sabotage every single effort to get off the island, Ginger doing just about anything, and the Howells somehow living in the lap of bamboo luxury.
The show's enduring popularity was understandably bad news for the future endeavors of its younger performers, particularly Denver, Tina Louise, and Dawn Wells, all three of whom lacked a strong enough pre-...
- 10/4/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Outside of established IP, there are few sure things in Hollywood filmmaking. There was a time when John Wayne astride a horse was a license to print money, ditto Clint Eastwood (who also packed 'em in whilst brandishing a shield and a hand cannon). And there was that remarkable decade-long run where Rob Reiner standing behind the camera meant guaranteed critical, if not full-on commercial success.
Hot streaks don't just happen like this, so when it looks like a shooter is heating up, studios line up to place the heaviest of bets on their next roll. Such was the case with the team of star Will Smith and director Barry Sonnenfeld after the blockbuster breakthrough of 1997's "Men in Black." This was Smith's first smash outside of an ensemble (one he almost turned down), and Sonnenfeld's fourth box office hit after "The Addams Family,...
Outside of established IP, there are few sure things in Hollywood filmmaking. There was a time when John Wayne astride a horse was a license to print money, ditto Clint Eastwood (who also packed 'em in whilst brandishing a shield and a hand cannon). And there was that remarkable decade-long run where Rob Reiner standing behind the camera meant guaranteed critical, if not full-on commercial success.
Hot streaks don't just happen like this, so when it looks like a shooter is heating up, studios line up to place the heaviest of bets on their next roll. Such was the case with the team of star Will Smith and director Barry Sonnenfeld after the blockbuster breakthrough of 1997's "Men in Black." This was Smith's first smash outside of an ensemble (one he almost turned down), and Sonnenfeld's fourth box office hit after "The Addams Family,...
- 10/2/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
For Kevin Costner, the price of success always came at a great cost. He was a man out of time – or more accurately, of a bygone era – who still felt like he spiritually belonged to the days of the Old West. His glory days essentially consisted of being a cowboy, a gunslinger, or a hero of the American West.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 [Credit: New Line Cinema]
Costner, in that sense, was not solely an extension of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. He was an entirely new breed of Western actor who had to adapt to the emerging generation of sci-fi thrillers and action adventures to fund his passion for the outdated genre. In the end, his dream won out when Dances With Wolves gave him proof that Westerns were far from done with reigning over the Hollywood box office scene.
Kevin Costner Lost His Magic Touch in 1990 Kevin Costner...
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 [Credit: New Line Cinema]
Costner, in that sense, was not solely an extension of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. He was an entirely new breed of Western actor who had to adapt to the emerging generation of sci-fi thrillers and action adventures to fund his passion for the outdated genre. In the end, his dream won out when Dances With Wolves gave him proof that Westerns were far from done with reigning over the Hollywood box office scene.
Kevin Costner Lost His Magic Touch in 1990 Kevin Costner...
- 10/2/2024
- by Diya Majumdar
- FandomWire
After coming up short on his first two Best Actor Oscar bids for “Walk the Line” and “The Master,” Joaquin Phoenix took the gold in 2020 for “Joker.” The film reaped a whopping 11 Oscar nominations and cracked the billion dollar mark at the box office. The sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which hits theaters October 4, makes Phoenix the 11th Best Actor victor to reprise his winning role in a feature film.
Only one of the first 10 fellows to pull off this double feature earned another Oscar nomination: Bing Crosby (he won for “Going My Way” in 1945 and was nominated for “The Bells of St. Mary’s” in 1946).
Those who preceded Crosby in reprising their winning roles without academy recognition are Warner Baxter, who went on to appear in both “The Cisco Kid” (1931) and “Return of the Cisco Kid” (1939), and Spencer Tracy, who starred in “Men of Boys Town” (1941).
Edward Flanagan portrayer Tracy...
Only one of the first 10 fellows to pull off this double feature earned another Oscar nomination: Bing Crosby (he won for “Going My Way” in 1945 and was nominated for “The Bells of St. Mary’s” in 1946).
Those who preceded Crosby in reprising their winning roles without academy recognition are Warner Baxter, who went on to appear in both “The Cisco Kid” (1931) and “Return of the Cisco Kid” (1939), and Spencer Tracy, who starred in “Men of Boys Town” (1941).
Edward Flanagan portrayer Tracy...
- 10/1/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Writer and director Quentin Tarantino is a well-known true-blue cinephile, a deeply devoted fan of films from a variety of genres and eras. He's a fan of everything from sleazy grindhouse exploitation films to classic westerns like the films of Howard Hawks, and he wears his influences loudly and proudly in his own films. So when asked about his favorite films of all time, he has different answers depending on how he feels. There is one movie that he claims to always include in his favorites, however, and he's been pretty effusive about his love for it on more than one occasion.
In an interview with The Talks, Tarantino shared his favorite three films (at that particular moment) and explained that even though two of his top three might shuffle around, he will always feel the need to share his love for the Sergio Leone spaghetti western "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
In an interview with The Talks, Tarantino shared his favorite three films (at that particular moment) and explained that even though two of his top three might shuffle around, he will always feel the need to share his love for the Sergio Leone spaghetti western "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
- 10/1/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Under the best of conditions, Michael Cimino's "Heaven's Gate" was never going to be an easy sell to a studio, nor to moviegoers. Written in 1971, seven years before the writer-director's "The Deer Hunter" won five Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Best Director), the film was to be an epic account of the Johnson County, Wyoming range wars waged by cattlemens' associations versus alleged rustlers (many of whom were simply small farmers and ranchers). This might all sound terribly exciting, fraught with action even, but even on a commercial success like "The Deer Hunter," Cimino evinced an unconventional method of storytelling. He liked to soak the audience in the distinct lives of his characters so that the small and/or massive tragedies of their lives -- and just about everyone meets a tragic terminus in Cimino's prime work -- resonate with a sense of the personal. He wants us to know these people.
- 9/30/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
For an industry often referred to as a "dream factory," it makes sense that what constitutes a success or a failure in the film business is based largely on perception. This is because the necessary facts in judging a film's financial performance are rarely available for outsiders to peruse. As detailed in the showbiz nonfiction classic "Fatal Subtraction: How Hollywood Really Does Business" by Pierce O'Donnell and Dennis McDougal, studios go to great lengths to conceal their "creative" accounting practices — which, in this case, allowed Paramount to use the profits from the Eddie Murphy blockbuster "Coming to America" to cover the company's overall losses.
Still, some movies are such obvious flops there's no way they're actually, despite their lousy box office performance, secret hits, right?
Ask anyone with a general sense of film history to name a film that epitomizes...
For an industry often referred to as a "dream factory," it makes sense that what constitutes a success or a failure in the film business is based largely on perception. This is because the necessary facts in judging a film's financial performance are rarely available for outsiders to peruse. As detailed in the showbiz nonfiction classic "Fatal Subtraction: How Hollywood Really Does Business" by Pierce O'Donnell and Dennis McDougal, studios go to great lengths to conceal their "creative" accounting practices — which, in this case, allowed Paramount to use the profits from the Eddie Murphy blockbuster "Coming to America" to cover the company's overall losses.
Still, some movies are such obvious flops there's no way they're actually, despite their lousy box office performance, secret hits, right?
Ask anyone with a general sense of film history to name a film that epitomizes...
- 9/30/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The actor was the real deal, whether as a cherubic psychopath in Peckinpah’s Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, or playing second fiddle to Barbra Streisand in the smash hit A Star Is Born
If Kris Kristofferson had never sung a single note, he would still have been remembered as a terrific screen actor in the Hollywood tradition of tough frontier masculinity, a movie star who worked with Scorsese, Peckinpah, Cimino and Sayles. He had a natural, unforced charisma in the rugged, take-it-or-leave-it tradition of Robert Ryan or John Wayne, or the newer style of Jeff Bridges and Sam Elliott.
Actually, without his recording career, he might have made it higher in the pantheon of screen legends, and his movie work was perhaps one of the casualties of Michael Cimino’s colossal folie de grandeur epic Heaven’s Gate from 1980, which damaged the prestige of everyone involved – Kristofferson was cast, or even miscast,...
If Kris Kristofferson had never sung a single note, he would still have been remembered as a terrific screen actor in the Hollywood tradition of tough frontier masculinity, a movie star who worked with Scorsese, Peckinpah, Cimino and Sayles. He had a natural, unforced charisma in the rugged, take-it-or-leave-it tradition of Robert Ryan or John Wayne, or the newer style of Jeff Bridges and Sam Elliott.
Actually, without his recording career, he might have made it higher in the pantheon of screen legends, and his movie work was perhaps one of the casualties of Michael Cimino’s colossal folie de grandeur epic Heaven’s Gate from 1980, which damaged the prestige of everyone involved – Kristofferson was cast, or even miscast,...
- 9/30/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
John Wayne was a humbled man early in the 1960s. His passion project, "The Alamo," had fallen well short of box office expectations in 1961. An epic Western about the siege of the basement-less San Antonio mission, Wayne directed the film and took its failure personally. He didn't need a hit; even at his lowest point in the 1970s, a Wayne picture at a certain budget level was an automatic greenlight. Still, Wayne was a prideful man who actively tended to his legacy; he was mindful of his fan base, and sought their approval. So Wayne came charging out of his corner in 1962, and knocked out every last naysayer with Howard Hawks' "Hatari!," "How the West Was Won," "The Longest Day" and John Ford's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."
The Ford movie could've been Wayne's Western swan song, but a rifle-toting Wayne astride a horse still held commercial appeal,...
The Ford movie could've been Wayne's Western swan song, but a rifle-toting Wayne astride a horse still held commercial appeal,...
- 9/22/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Filmmaker George Lucas is primarily known for making blockbuster movies like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. However, he has also produced several projects outside the two main franchises. One of these projects was the 2012 war drama film Red Tails, based on the experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.
George Lucas conceived the story for Red Tails (Credit: Lucasfilm).
The film was produced and financed by Lucas independently, with the filmmaker drawing inspiration from John Wayne’s war movies. However, despite Lucas’ passion for the project, it failed to impress critics and emerged as a box-office disappointment. Here is what Lucas had to say about the inspiration behind Red Tails and why it failed commercially.
George Lucas Revealed John Wayne Movies That Inspired Red Tails
George Lucas directed 1977’s Star Wars, with the filmmaker taking inspiration from the Vietnam War. After completing work on the original trilogy, Lucas...
George Lucas conceived the story for Red Tails (Credit: Lucasfilm).
The film was produced and financed by Lucas independently, with the filmmaker drawing inspiration from John Wayne’s war movies. However, despite Lucas’ passion for the project, it failed to impress critics and emerged as a box-office disappointment. Here is what Lucas had to say about the inspiration behind Red Tails and why it failed commercially.
George Lucas Revealed John Wayne Movies That Inspired Red Tails
George Lucas directed 1977’s Star Wars, with the filmmaker taking inspiration from the Vietnam War. After completing work on the original trilogy, Lucas...
- 9/21/2024
- by Pratik Handore
- FandomWire
Spoilers for "Transformers One" to follow.
Peter Cullen is Optimus Prime, the best cartoon hero performance next to Kevin Conroy as Batman. But while Cullen's many performances as the Autobot leader make him inseparable from the character, he's not the only one who's played the part. Some Prime voice actors, like Jon Bailey and Jake Fushee, do Cullen impressions. Others offer more distinctive takes, like Garry Chalk as Optimus Primal in "Beast Wars" or David Kaye in "Transformers Animated." Now, there's a new member of this pantheon: Chris Hemsworth, who voices a young Optimus Prime (then known as "Orion Pax") in the new animated film "Transformers One."
Reactions to the casting in "Transformers One" was mixed. Using celebrity performers instead of seasoned voice actors? Ugh. Does Hemsworth shake off the skepticism and fill these big shoes? He can obviously play a superhero; he's been acting as Thor for 13+ years now.
Peter Cullen is Optimus Prime, the best cartoon hero performance next to Kevin Conroy as Batman. But while Cullen's many performances as the Autobot leader make him inseparable from the character, he's not the only one who's played the part. Some Prime voice actors, like Jon Bailey and Jake Fushee, do Cullen impressions. Others offer more distinctive takes, like Garry Chalk as Optimus Primal in "Beast Wars" or David Kaye in "Transformers Animated." Now, there's a new member of this pantheon: Chris Hemsworth, who voices a young Optimus Prime (then known as "Orion Pax") in the new animated film "Transformers One."
Reactions to the casting in "Transformers One" was mixed. Using celebrity performers instead of seasoned voice actors? Ugh. Does Hemsworth shake off the skepticism and fill these big shoes? He can obviously play a superhero; he's been acting as Thor for 13+ years now.
- 9/20/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Alan Hale Jr. was a showbiz veteran before he could speak. The son of Alan Hale, a popular character actor best known for his portrayal of Little John in Michael Curtiz' classic "The Adventures of Robin Hood," Hale Jr. appeared in silent films as a baby and made a few war movies as a young man before serving in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. Once the war was over, Hale Jr. worked steadily in film and television, turning up on episodes of "Gunsmoke," "Mister Ed," and "Lassie" while landing supporting roles in movies starring John Wayne, Gregory Peck, and Randolph Scott.
Hale Jr. would be castigated as a nepobaby today, but while being literally born to the business didn't hurt his cause, he was a natural in front of the camera and a welcome presence in just about everything. So, it's no surprise that, after a difficult casting process,...
Hale Jr. would be castigated as a nepobaby today, but while being literally born to the business didn't hurt his cause, he was a natural in front of the camera and a welcome presence in just about everything. So, it's no surprise that, after a difficult casting process,...
- 9/18/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
As Game of Thrones‘ Tyrion Lannister, Peter Dinklage survived various near-death experiences almost exclusively via his wits — but in his new movie, the enjoyably dark Western The Thicket, he plays Reginald Jones, a bounty hunter who’s a lot less verbal, and a lot more comfortable wielding a knife. Juliette Lewis gives an equally memorable performance as the movie’s villain, a scarred, brutal criminal originally written as a man in Joe Lansdale’s 2013 novel. Metallica‘s James Hetfield also pops up in a smaller role, looking like he was born for the setting.
- 9/12/2024
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
What are the defining traits of a character actor? Why is a shapeshifting virtuoso like Daniel Day-Lewis considered a full-blown movie star, while a chameleon-like genius like Giancarlo Esposito is routinely relegated to supporting player status? As previously discussed here at /Film, there are multiple factors at play: box office, deeply ingrained cultural notions of physical attractiveness, distinctive utility, and the Borgnine Paradox.
It should come as no surprise that my solo endeavor to arrive at a solid-ish definition of "character actor" is not the first in the history of the written word. There have been many, many attempts by whole groups of esteemed journalists to get at some kind of reasonable understanding of this term/concept, and, having read more than a few of them, I can assure you that there is no hard-fast rule. You could call just about everyone outside of Britney Spears a character actor --...
It should come as no surprise that my solo endeavor to arrive at a solid-ish definition of "character actor" is not the first in the history of the written word. There have been many, many attempts by whole groups of esteemed journalists to get at some kind of reasonable understanding of this term/concept, and, having read more than a few of them, I can assure you that there is no hard-fast rule. You could call just about everyone outside of Britney Spears a character actor --...
- 9/10/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In 1956, audiences were treated to one of the biggest films of the year—a swashbuckling biopic portraying the life of the legendary Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan. Starring Hollywood icon John Wayne in the title role, The Conqueror packed theaters thanks to its epic scale and star power. However, beyond the grandeur on screen lurked a tragic story unfolding behind the scenes. Shot near nuclear testing sites in Utah, the production may have exposed cast and crew to radiation, leading to numerous cancer cases in later decades. Through intimate interviews and archival footage, director William Nunez spotlighted the human cost of creating this blockbuster. His documentary The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout not only told of one film’s downfall but revealed how the government kept citizens in the dark about nuclear dangers in their own backyards.
This film traces two intertwined tales. First, it examines the chaotic production plagued by mistakes, from...
This film traces two intertwined tales. First, it examines the chaotic production plagued by mistakes, from...
- 9/10/2024
- by Shahrbanoo Golmohamadi
- Gazettely
Writer and director Quentin Tarantino might not have any love lost for his film "Death Proof," which he has famously claimed is his worst, but we here at /Film believe that it's the Tarantino classic we don't talk about enough. There's a lot to love in this half of "Grindhouse," which follows a kind of slasher named Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) who hunts and kills beautiful women using his tricked-out stunt car. There are the wild car chases and incredibly dangerous stunts. There's the killer soundtrack. There are the amazing actors who play the victims and then the queens who get their revenge on Mike. And then, of course, there's Russell himself, who is arguably one of the coolest performers to ever grace the silver screen.
Tarantino is pretty well-known for his homages and references to the films that inspired his work, but he's not above throwing in a few straight-up Easter eggs either.
Tarantino is pretty well-known for his homages and references to the films that inspired his work, but he's not above throwing in a few straight-up Easter eggs either.
- 9/10/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Clint Eastwood may not hold the youthful charm he once did in the 1950s or be the leading star of Spaghetti Westerns, but the Eastwood name can never be replaced as long as Hollywood stands. The movie star and cowboy actor of the century transitioned perfectly from the old talkies to the 21st-century Oscar-winner Million Dollar Baby without breaking a sweat.
Clint Eastwood in the Dollars Trilogy [Credit: United Artists]
Meanwhile, the industry stepping out of its Western fixation failed to outgrow and catch up to the rapidly transforming world outside. Their inability to adapt to the changing times and customs posed a huge red flag for the industry, marking the end of an era. Gone were the days of simplicity when all that the audience was curious about was if Frank Sinatra really had connections with the mob. The 1970s were all about the neo-noir classics and action thrillers.
Frank...
Clint Eastwood in the Dollars Trilogy [Credit: United Artists]
Meanwhile, the industry stepping out of its Western fixation failed to outgrow and catch up to the rapidly transforming world outside. Their inability to adapt to the changing times and customs posed a huge red flag for the industry, marking the end of an era. Gone were the days of simplicity when all that the audience was curious about was if Frank Sinatra really had connections with the mob. The 1970s were all about the neo-noir classics and action thrillers.
Frank...
- 9/9/2024
- by Diya Majumdar
- FandomWire
Everyone knows that Steven Spielberg's "1941" was a notorious box office flop. And everyone ... is wrong. Despite its reputation over the years, Spielberg's 1979 war comedy was not a box office failure. It just looked that way because, well, it was a Steven Spielberg movie. In '79, in the wake of the record-breaking box office juggernaut that was "Jaws" and its successful follow-up "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg seemed untouchable. It felt like the wunderkind director could not fail — that, like a cinematic King Midas, everything he touched would turn to gold.
"1941" changed that. While the film went on to become a modest box office success, taking in $94.9 million on a $35 million budget, it was not well received. Critics were mixed at best on the film. As Roger Ebert wrote, "The movie finally reduces itself to an assault on our eyes and ears, a nonstop series of climaxes,...
"1941" changed that. While the film went on to become a modest box office success, taking in $94.9 million on a $35 million budget, it was not well received. Critics were mixed at best on the film. As Roger Ebert wrote, "The movie finally reduces itself to an assault on our eyes and ears, a nonstop series of climaxes,...
- 9/8/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Daniel Kraus is no stranger to the work of George A. Romero, having worked with Romero's estate to complete The Living Dead. With the belief that The Living Dead was Romero's last completed work, Kraus was surprised to find the unfinished novel, Pay the Piper. Re-teaming with Sue Romero and George A. Romero's estate, Daniel Kraus completed the novel and it's now available! In our latest Q&a, I caught up with Daniel Kraus to learn more about his discovery, how he approached finishing the story, and why he's so excited for Daily Dead readers to check it out for themselves:
In 2019, you had the opportunity to explore George A. Romero's archival collection and discovered this unfinished story. What was your first reaction when you came across Pay the Piper?
Daniel Kraus: My reaction was shock and excitement. I'm sure my heartbeat sped up a little. A lot of things...
In 2019, you had the opportunity to explore George A. Romero's archival collection and discovered this unfinished story. What was your first reaction when you came across Pay the Piper?
Daniel Kraus: My reaction was shock and excitement. I'm sure my heartbeat sped up a little. A lot of things...
- 9/5/2024
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
In recent years, the rapid advance of A.I. technology has become an urgent concern across multiple industries. It’s helping students plagiarize papers. It’s imitating your loved ones to scam you on the phone. Before last year’s strikes, members of the Writers and Screen Actors Guilds were raising the alarm that stingy studio heads would use it to replace them. Video game performers are currently on strike, in part over fears about A.I.; the Animation Guild could be next. And earlier this spring, one SAG member went public with her concerns about the technology hijacking her likeness.
But as Scarlett Johansson has kept up her feud with OpenAI all summer — as she should! — Futurama fans know Lucy Liu got there first.
Futurama, now a Hulu original series, is set around 1,000 years after its episodes air. Since its first season, when it aired on Fox, it’s...
But as Scarlett Johansson has kept up her feud with OpenAI all summer — as she should! — Futurama fans know Lucy Liu got there first.
Futurama, now a Hulu original series, is set around 1,000 years after its episodes air. Since its first season, when it aired on Fox, it’s...
- 9/3/2024
- Cracked
Joe Dante’s pointedly cynical Gremlins 2: The New Batch contains some of the most ingenious fourth wall breaking ever conceived.
Deadpool & Wolverine may perhaps be the highest-grossing film ever to break the fourth wall – that is, shatter the invisible barrier between the audience and the actors on the screen, who traditionally are supposed to pretend that nobody’s watching. But while Ryan Reynolds’ winks to his viewers and irreverent, self-referential jokes are part-and-parcel of both the Deadpool character and the franchise as a whole, the practice of breaking the fourth wall has been a staple of cinema for over a century.
Yet while numerous movies have brought their stories to give a knowing look to the audience, few have broken the fourth wall as creatively as Joe Dante’s 1990 sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch. A sequel to his own festive horror comedy, 1984’s Gremlins, the movie was...
Deadpool & Wolverine may perhaps be the highest-grossing film ever to break the fourth wall – that is, shatter the invisible barrier between the audience and the actors on the screen, who traditionally are supposed to pretend that nobody’s watching. But while Ryan Reynolds’ winks to his viewers and irreverent, self-referential jokes are part-and-parcel of both the Deadpool character and the franchise as a whole, the practice of breaking the fourth wall has been a staple of cinema for over a century.
Yet while numerous movies have brought their stories to give a knowing look to the audience, few have broken the fourth wall as creatively as Joe Dante’s 1990 sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch. A sequel to his own festive horror comedy, 1984’s Gremlins, the movie was...
- 9/2/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
These days, it seems like Hollywood is turning everyone’s life into a movie. The new movie Reagan brought President Ronald Reagan’s life to the screen, and all it took was a little help from the Freemasons. Here’s a look at how the secret society is influencing your local multiplex.
The new movie ‘Reagan’ used a Freemason Lodge in an unexpected way
Sean McNamara, a veteran of Disney Channel Original Movies like The Even Stevens Movie and The Suite Life Movie, directed Reagan. During a 2024 interview with The Oklahoman, McNamara said that Reagan didn’t use many locations. While the former president’s life took him across the globe, including to Hollywood, McNamara and company mainly stayed in Guthrie, Oklahoma — even using a local Masonic Lodge to recreate one of the most iconic locations in the United States.
“We literally shot 95% of the movie in Guthrie, Oklahoma,” he said.
The new movie ‘Reagan’ used a Freemason Lodge in an unexpected way
Sean McNamara, a veteran of Disney Channel Original Movies like The Even Stevens Movie and The Suite Life Movie, directed Reagan. During a 2024 interview with The Oklahoman, McNamara said that Reagan didn’t use many locations. While the former president’s life took him across the globe, including to Hollywood, McNamara and company mainly stayed in Guthrie, Oklahoma — even using a local Masonic Lodge to recreate one of the most iconic locations in the United States.
“We literally shot 95% of the movie in Guthrie, Oklahoma,” he said.
- 8/31/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ice-t doesn’t have the time or patience for any “political s***” as he shut down a Law & Order: Svu fan who claimed the long-running show has gone “woke.” The rapper and actor, who has played NYPD detective/sergeant Odafin Tutuola on the NBC drama since 2000, hit back at a social media user on Tuesday, August 27, after being asked, “Did they write Svu back to normal yet? It started to go woke.” Ice-t quoted the post on X (formerly Twitter), responding, “What the F is Woke? lol Like I give a F***.” What the F is Woke? lol Like I give a Fuck. https://t.co/qVHbgWnhxD — Ice T (@Finallevel) August 27, 2024 Following his post, a Maga parody account jokingly explained what “woke” meant, writing, “Woke means tearing down my John Wayne statues and forcing me to erect a Spider-Man fountain that sprays gay beer on my lawn that turns it into astroturf.
- 8/30/2024
- TV Insider
Ice T is shutting down a Law & Order: Svu fan who claims the show has gone “woke.”
The rapper and star of the NBC procedural was asked on social media if the new season would go “back to normal” as “it started to go woke.”
In a quoted post on X, the microblogging platform formerly known as Twitter, Ice T said, “What the F is Woke? lol Like I give a F***.”
What the F is Woke? lol Like I give a Fuck. https://t.co/qVHbgWnhxD
— Ice T (@Finallevel) August 27, 2024
Another fan tried to explain what woke meant, saying it was “tearing down my John Wayne statues and forcing me to erect a Spider-Man fountain that sprays gay beer on my lawn that turns it into astroturf.”
The actor quoted the message and added, “That sounds Dope… F John Wayne.”
That sounds Dope… F John Wayne. https://t.co...
The rapper and star of the NBC procedural was asked on social media if the new season would go “back to normal” as “it started to go woke.”
In a quoted post on X, the microblogging platform formerly known as Twitter, Ice T said, “What the F is Woke? lol Like I give a F***.”
What the F is Woke? lol Like I give a Fuck. https://t.co/qVHbgWnhxD
— Ice T (@Finallevel) August 27, 2024
Another fan tried to explain what woke meant, saying it was “tearing down my John Wayne statues and forcing me to erect a Spider-Man fountain that sprays gay beer on my lawn that turns it into astroturf.”
The actor quoted the message and added, “That sounds Dope… F John Wayne.”
That sounds Dope… F John Wayne. https://t.co...
- 8/29/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
How was a new country forged in the crucible of the Civil War? That’s the question asked by “Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1,” the passion project brought to screen by actor and director Kevin Costner which debuts on Max on Friday, Aug. 23. The film is set during the four years of the Civil War, and follows numerous characters as they try to make their way westward to start a new life for themselves. You can stream the movie with a Subscription to Max.
How to Watch ‘Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1’ When: Friday, Aug. 23 TV: Max Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Max Sign Up $9.99+ / month Max.com About ‘Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1’
“Horizon: An American Saga” explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many. The tale is a new way for...
How to Watch ‘Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1’ When: Friday, Aug. 23 TV: Max Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Max Sign Up $9.99+ / month Max.com About ‘Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1’
“Horizon: An American Saga” explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many. The tale is a new way for...
- 8/23/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Of the many honors and recognitions he’s received over his more than 40-year career, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is not one that Tim Burton ever expected. But his reaction to the news perfectly matches the playful, macabre sensibility that has driven his 20 films to almost $4.5 billion in worldwide box office receipts and made a household name out of a filmmaker who has constantly been perceived as an outsider.
“I remember, I first thought they were gravestones before I knew what they were,” Burton tells Variety. “I grew up in California where it’s all flat tombstones, so that’s why I mistook it for those. But I realized fairly early on that Desi Arnaz and John Wayne were not buried underneath [Hollywood Boulevard].”
With films like “Sleepy Hollow,” “Corpse Bride,” Dark Shadows” and “Frankenweenie” under his belt, the director knows a thing or two about the living and the dead.
“I remember, I first thought they were gravestones before I knew what they were,” Burton tells Variety. “I grew up in California where it’s all flat tombstones, so that’s why I mistook it for those. But I realized fairly early on that Desi Arnaz and John Wayne were not buried underneath [Hollywood Boulevard].”
With films like “Sleepy Hollow,” “Corpse Bride,” Dark Shadows” and “Frankenweenie” under his belt, the director knows a thing or two about the living and the dead.
- 8/22/2024
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Phil Donahue, the celebrated King of Daytime Talk who altered the direction of talk television as host of the syndicated “The Phil Donahue Show” and later the redubbed “Donahue” for nearly three decades, died Sunday evening (August 18) following a long and undisclosed illness. He was 88 and surrounded by family, including his wife of 44 years, the actor, producer, author and social activist Marlo Thomas.
From 1969 when his show was picked up for national syndication until leaving the air in 1996, Donahue presided as the unquestioned pioneer of a type of television discussion that for the first time incorporated studio audience interaction as an intrinsic part of the mix. That audience was predominantly packed with women whose opinions were taken seriously. Both “Phil Donahue” and “Donahue” were by design swathed in controversial, issue-driven topics. He was the first to give voice to gay rights activists, feminists and antiwar protestors as well as abortion rights advocates and opponents.
From 1969 when his show was picked up for national syndication until leaving the air in 1996, Donahue presided as the unquestioned pioneer of a type of television discussion that for the first time incorporated studio audience interaction as an intrinsic part of the mix. That audience was predominantly packed with women whose opinions were taken seriously. Both “Phil Donahue” and “Donahue” were by design swathed in controversial, issue-driven topics. He was the first to give voice to gay rights activists, feminists and antiwar protestors as well as abortion rights advocates and opponents.
- 8/19/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
War movies are usually retrospective by nature. Even "Casablanca," the most famous World War 2 movie made during World War 2, was set in the recent past. The movie was released in November 1942, after the U.S. had joined the Allies, but it is set in December 1941, just before America entered the war.
As documented by author Richard Osborne in "Casablanca Companion: The Movie Classic and Its Place in History," the filming of "Casablanca" took place on a Warner Bros. lot across 59 days, from May 25 to August 3, 1942. The cast and crew didn't think they were making anything remarkable, but the hand of fate intervened.
In "Casablanca," the titular city is shown as a waystation for refugees, albeit a dangerous one because it is controlled by the Vichy French government. France had ruled portions of Morocco as a colony since 1912, so when France fell to the Nazis in June 1940, they got Morocco in the package.
As documented by author Richard Osborne in "Casablanca Companion: The Movie Classic and Its Place in History," the filming of "Casablanca" took place on a Warner Bros. lot across 59 days, from May 25 to August 3, 1942. The cast and crew didn't think they were making anything remarkable, but the hand of fate intervened.
In "Casablanca," the titular city is shown as a waystation for refugees, albeit a dangerous one because it is controlled by the Vichy French government. France had ruled portions of Morocco as a colony since 1912, so when France fell to the Nazis in June 1940, they got Morocco in the package.
- 8/18/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Before Deadpool & Wolverine, Hugh Jackman starred in what he thought to be his final appearance as Wolverine in Logan. Among the Fox X-Men films, Logan stood out as a film that subverted the expectations of viewers about a superhero film. It is not surprising considering Jackman cited Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven and Mickey Rourkle’s The Wrestler as inspirations for the film.
Hugh Jackman and Dafne Keen in Logan | 20th Century Fox
Eastwood’s 1992 film was one film from the Western genre that dared to visit themes which remained unexplored in films before that. Unforgiven was the Academy Award winner that year for Best Picture, with a Best Director win for the Dirty Harry actor.
Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven Served as an Inspiration for Hugh Jackman’s Logan Clint Eastwood in a still from Unforgiven | Malpaso Productions
Hugh Jackman did a lot of things right in Logan, thinking that...
Hugh Jackman and Dafne Keen in Logan | 20th Century Fox
Eastwood’s 1992 film was one film from the Western genre that dared to visit themes which remained unexplored in films before that. Unforgiven was the Academy Award winner that year for Best Picture, with a Best Director win for the Dirty Harry actor.
Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven Served as an Inspiration for Hugh Jackman’s Logan Clint Eastwood in a still from Unforgiven | Malpaso Productions
Hugh Jackman did a lot of things right in Logan, thinking that...
- 8/18/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Is there anyone more emblematic of Hollywood than perennial movie star (& director) Clint Eastwood? With screen iconography that practically jumps out of the big screen and into real life, he has kept audiences intrigued through a myriad of genres and eras.
But he might be the quintessential masculine icon, forever etched in memory as the no-nonsense, boundary-pushing Inspector Harry Callahan, better known as Dirty Harry. Interestingly, this now-classic role was turned down by a litany of Hollywood’s who’s who, including the liberal-leaning Paul Newman.
Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry | Credit: Warner Bros.
Then why would Eastwood dive headfirst into such a controversial role that others deemed too hot to handle? Well, he saw gold whereas others saw coal; he recognized the script’s unique flavor!
And by turning conventional wisdom on its head, Eastwood not only took a daring plunge but also set a new cinematic standard, ultimately...
But he might be the quintessential masculine icon, forever etched in memory as the no-nonsense, boundary-pushing Inspector Harry Callahan, better known as Dirty Harry. Interestingly, this now-classic role was turned down by a litany of Hollywood’s who’s who, including the liberal-leaning Paul Newman.
Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry | Credit: Warner Bros.
Then why would Eastwood dive headfirst into such a controversial role that others deemed too hot to handle? Well, he saw gold whereas others saw coal; he recognized the script’s unique flavor!
And by turning conventional wisdom on its head, Eastwood not only took a daring plunge but also set a new cinematic standard, ultimately...
- 8/16/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson created comic book series "The Boys" to satirize how their industry was ruled by corporate greed. The lifeblood of that greed? Superhero funny books (a genre Ennis has never liked). In 2019, "The Boys" leaped to television, with its thesis rejiggered around the oversaturation of superhero movies.
"The Boys" is one of the most popular Prime Video shows streaming (though that won't stop it coming to an end with season 5). Thanks to the TV adaptation, "The Boys" is currently the most talked-about Ennis comic, even if the show does take plenty of liberties with its source material. ("The Boys" TV show creator Eric Kripke told /Film he regularly consults with Ennis and Robertson.)
Ennis' body of work has running themes: vulgarity and violence; distaste for power whether it be political, corporate or religious; resolute warrior men who destroy themselves etc. Ennis is a leftie but also an edgelord,...
"The Boys" is one of the most popular Prime Video shows streaming (though that won't stop it coming to an end with season 5). Thanks to the TV adaptation, "The Boys" is currently the most talked-about Ennis comic, even if the show does take plenty of liberties with its source material. ("The Boys" TV show creator Eric Kripke told /Film he regularly consults with Ennis and Robertson.)
Ennis' body of work has running themes: vulgarity and violence; distaste for power whether it be political, corporate or religious; resolute warrior men who destroy themselves etc. Ennis is a leftie but also an edgelord,...
- 8/12/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" climaxes with the Marvelous heroes fighting the titular tin man and his army of duplicates in fictional European nation Sokovia. Ultron has built a giant engine beneath a Sokovian city to lift it off the ground, intending to slam it back onto the Earth and cause a mass extinction event. "When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world will be metal."
This scheme is not inspired by a Marvel comic, but rather another film about a robot army and floating city: Hayao Miyazaki's "Castle in the Sky," the first film made by Studio Ghibli. (Though "Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind" brought Ghibli's soon-to-be founders together.) "Castle In The Sky," set in a Wales-like fantasy world, follows orphans Pazu and Sheeta as they search for Laputa, a long-lost advanced civilization.
Laputa is like Atlantis if it soared above the clouds instead of collapsing beneath the waves.
This scheme is not inspired by a Marvel comic, but rather another film about a robot army and floating city: Hayao Miyazaki's "Castle in the Sky," the first film made by Studio Ghibli. (Though "Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind" brought Ghibli's soon-to-be founders together.) "Castle In The Sky," set in a Wales-like fantasy world, follows orphans Pazu and Sheeta as they search for Laputa, a long-lost advanced civilization.
Laputa is like Atlantis if it soared above the clouds instead of collapsing beneath the waves.
- 8/10/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
If you are in the mood for an action comedy film starring the always likable Matt Damon and the always depressing Casey Affleck from the guy who killed Tom Cruise countless times in Edge of Tomorrow, we have just the film for you. We are talking about the latest Apple TV+ heist comedy thriller film The Instigator.
Directed by Doug Liman from a screenplay co-written by Chuck MacLean and Casey Affleck, The Instigators follows the story of a former marine and an ex-convict as they team up to pull off a robbery but their plan goes awry and now they are being chased by the authorities. But before they go on the run they drag one of their therapist with them.
The Instigators – Theatrical & Streaming Release Date (Where & When to Watch It?) Credit – Apple TV+
The Instigators is an Apple TV+ film but it did get a limited theatrical release...
Directed by Doug Liman from a screenplay co-written by Chuck MacLean and Casey Affleck, The Instigators follows the story of a former marine and an ex-convict as they team up to pull off a robbery but their plan goes awry and now they are being chased by the authorities. But before they go on the run they drag one of their therapist with them.
The Instigators – Theatrical & Streaming Release Date (Where & When to Watch It?) Credit – Apple TV+
The Instigators is an Apple TV+ film but it did get a limited theatrical release...
- 8/6/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
As far as genre films go, Westerns are pretty prolific. There are more cinematic stories about the "Old West" than you can shake a stick at, and that means determining which one is the greatest of all time is a pretty daunting task. For some, that "greatest of all time" designation goes to the 1993 movie "Tombstone," which tells the story of Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) as they face off with the villainous cowboys who threaten the town of Tombstone, Arizona. That's an honor that might not sit right with folks who are big fans of the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone or the old-school greatness of John Ford, but "Tombstone" is one seriously memorable movie.
In a video breaking down his most iconic roles for GQ, Russell explained that while he doesn't think "Tombstone" is quite worthy of the Goat label, he does think there's...
In a video breaking down his most iconic roles for GQ, Russell explained that while he doesn't think "Tombstone" is quite worthy of the Goat label, he does think there's...
- 8/4/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
While taking a break from producing the upcoming Spaceballs sequel that somehow exists, this past weekend Mel Brooks presented a special screening of Blazing Saddles in L.A. to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary. Which might be the best possible way to view Blazing Saddles, other than on horseback in 1974.
Brooks was, according to IndieWire, full of great stories about the making of the film, as one would expect. For example, he described how the head of Warner Bros. once had him dragged by the nape of the neck into an office, at which point he was thrown a legal pad and a Sharpie and told, “Write: No hitting an old lady — out. No hitting a horse — out. No farting — out.”
So Brooks promptly “crumpled up his notes” and “threw (them) in the waste basket,” reasoning, “Why listen to anything? I would’ve had an 11-minute movie.”
He also...
Brooks was, according to IndieWire, full of great stories about the making of the film, as one would expect. For example, he described how the head of Warner Bros. once had him dragged by the nape of the neck into an office, at which point he was thrown a legal pad and a Sharpie and told, “Write: No hitting an old lady — out. No hitting a horse — out. No farting — out.”
So Brooks promptly “crumpled up his notes” and “threw (them) in the waste basket,” reasoning, “Why listen to anything? I would’ve had an 11-minute movie.”
He also...
- 8/3/2024
- Cracked
When it was announced that the hit television series "Yellowstone" would be coming to an end following its fifth season, fans at least knew that they'd have the already-announced spin-offs to look forward to. Unfortunately, the end of "Yellowstone" also meant the end of star Kevin Costner's time on the Western show, who instead pivoted to his own "Horizon: An American Saga" series of Western films. Would the "Yellowstone" name and the goodwill generated after five successful seasons be enough to sustain these spin-offs without the star? Well, when one barn door closes, another opens, and in the wake of Costner's exit, Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer, and "Suits" star Patrick J. Adams have answered the call. First reported by TVLine, the "Yellowstone" spin-off known as "2024" is set to be retitled "The Madison," and is allegedly going to follow matriarch Stacy Clyburn and her family after they relocate from New York to Montana.
- 8/1/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Have you ever dared to dream big and shoot for the moon, only to land among the stars? Roll up your sleeves, saddle up your horses, and hold onto your cowboy hats, because we’ve got to embark on the trailblazing journey of Taylor Sheridan, a once under-the-radar actor who played his cards with a high-stakes gamble and rode into success with the blockbuster TV series, Yellowstone.
Well, that’s precisely the riveting tale of Sheridan, who, after his stint as Deputy David Hale on Sons of Anarchy, bid adieu to acting in pursuit of a new frontier—scriptwriting and producing. With no roadmap but a mightier pen, Sheridan galloped into Hollywood’s exclusive circle, armed with nothing but raw talent and a sheer determination that would even make John Wayne tip his hat.
Forrie J. Smith in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone | Paramount Network
His audacious pitch for his acclaimed...
Well, that’s precisely the riveting tale of Sheridan, who, after his stint as Deputy David Hale on Sons of Anarchy, bid adieu to acting in pursuit of a new frontier—scriptwriting and producing. With no roadmap but a mightier pen, Sheridan galloped into Hollywood’s exclusive circle, armed with nothing but raw talent and a sheer determination that would even make John Wayne tip his hat.
Forrie J. Smith in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone | Paramount Network
His audacious pitch for his acclaimed...
- 7/31/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
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