Darryl Hickman, who appeared in such films as The Grapes of Wrath and Leave Her to Heaven as a youngster before becoming a CBS executive in charge of daytime drama and an actor once more, has died. He was 92.
Hickman, who lived in Montecito, died Wednesday, his family announced.
He was the older brother (by three years) of the late Dwayne Hickman, who starred on the 1959-63 CBS comedy The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Darryl appeared with his brother in Captain Eddie (1945) — he played famed fighter pilot Eddie Rickenbacker as a boy — and on three first-season episodes of Dobie as older brother Davey, who came home from college.
In 1951, after appearances in more than 40 movies, Hickman — who had been a contract player at Paramount and MGM — became disillusioned with the business and entered a monastery, though he was back in show business before long.
Hickman had made his first...
Hickman, who lived in Montecito, died Wednesday, his family announced.
He was the older brother (by three years) of the late Dwayne Hickman, who starred on the 1959-63 CBS comedy The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Darryl appeared with his brother in Captain Eddie (1945) — he played famed fighter pilot Eddie Rickenbacker as a boy — and on three first-season episodes of Dobie as older brother Davey, who came home from college.
In 1951, after appearances in more than 40 movies, Hickman — who had been a contract player at Paramount and MGM — became disillusioned with the business and entered a monastery, though he was back in show business before long.
Hickman had made his first...
- 5/24/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Premiering out of Critics’ Week in Cannes, Alexis Langlois’ debut feature “Queens of Drama” is a musical blast of queer culture euphoria, telling a decades-spanning, impossible love story between a pair of pop idols who begin as fans and then become lovers, who climb the charts and permeate the culture as enemies, and who end up forgotten, as time moves forward and a new generation of teenage fans claim new idols for themselves.
The film’s familiar rise-and-fall rhythms struck a chord with filmmaker Alexis Langlois, who cites Vincente Minnelli and George Cukor as inspiration. “I wanted to offer a great, romantic story,” says Langlois. “Really, to give all these queer characters – and the queer actors who play them — a sense of grand romance by mixing the codes and memories of classic cinema with something much more modern.”
“And I like idea of the wheel of fortune,” they continue. “As...
The film’s familiar rise-and-fall rhythms struck a chord with filmmaker Alexis Langlois, who cites Vincente Minnelli and George Cukor as inspiration. “I wanted to offer a great, romantic story,” says Langlois. “Really, to give all these queer characters – and the queer actors who play them — a sense of grand romance by mixing the codes and memories of classic cinema with something much more modern.”
“And I like idea of the wheel of fortune,” they continue. “As...
- 5/18/2024
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Oh, Canada debuting this week on the Croisette is high time to see lesser-seen Schrader on the Criterion Channel, who’ll debut an 11-title series including the likes of Touch, The Canyons, and Patty Hearst, while Old Boyfriends (written with his brother Leonard) and his own “Adventures in Moviegoing” are also programmed. Five films by Jean Grémillon, a rather underappreciated figure of French cinema, will be showing
Series-wise, there’s an appreciation of the synth soundtrack stretching all the way back to 1956’s Forbidden Planet while, naturally, finding its glut of titles in the ’70s and ’80s––Argento and Carpenter, obviously, but also Tarkovsky and Peter Weir. A Prince and restorations of films by Bob Odenkirk, Obayashi, John Greyson, and Jacques Rivette (whose Duelle is a masterpiece of the highest order) make streaming debuts. I Am Cuba, Girlfight, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Dazed and Confused are June’s Criterion Editions.
Series-wise, there’s an appreciation of the synth soundtrack stretching all the way back to 1956’s Forbidden Planet while, naturally, finding its glut of titles in the ’70s and ’80s––Argento and Carpenter, obviously, but also Tarkovsky and Peter Weir. A Prince and restorations of films by Bob Odenkirk, Obayashi, John Greyson, and Jacques Rivette (whose Duelle is a masterpiece of the highest order) make streaming debuts. I Am Cuba, Girlfight, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Dazed and Confused are June’s Criterion Editions.
- 5/14/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
World War II was still raging in May 1944. The allied invasion of Normandy — aka D-Day — was just around the corner on June 6th. Americans kept the home fires burning and escaped from the global conflict by going to the movies. Two of the biggest films of the year, Leo McCarey’s “Going My Way” and George Cukor’s “Gaslight,” recently celebrated their 80th anniversaries.
Actually, “Going My Way” had a special “Fighting Front” premiere on April 27th: 65 prints were shipped to battle fronts and shown “from Alaska to Italy, and from England to the jungles of Burma.” The sentimental comedy-drama-musical arrived in New York on May 3rd.
And it was just the uplifting film audiences needed. Bing Crosby starred as Father O’Malley, a laid-back young priest who arrives at a debt-ridden New York City church that is run by the older, set-in-his ways Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald). The elder...
Actually, “Going My Way” had a special “Fighting Front” premiere on April 27th: 65 prints were shipped to battle fronts and shown “from Alaska to Italy, and from England to the jungles of Burma.” The sentimental comedy-drama-musical arrived in New York on May 3rd.
And it was just the uplifting film audiences needed. Bing Crosby starred as Father O’Malley, a laid-back young priest who arrives at a debt-ridden New York City church that is run by the older, set-in-his ways Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald). The elder...
- 5/9/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman in GaslightScreenshot: Fandango/YouTube
1944 signaled a high-water mark for film noir with the release of Double Indemnity. The film codified elements that we now think of as genre tropes: the detective delivering backstory via voiceover, the shadows of Venetian blinds on the wall. But, really,...
1944 signaled a high-water mark for film noir with the release of Double Indemnity. The film codified elements that we now think of as genre tropes: the detective delivering backstory via voiceover, the shadows of Venetian blinds on the wall. But, really,...
- 5/4/2024
- by Drew Gillis
- avclub.com
“An Officer and a Gentleman” star Louis Gossett Jr.’s cause of death was Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Copd), per Friday’s report from the coroner.
The report, which was first obtained by TMZ, lists Copd as his main cause of death, with heart failure and atrial fibrillation as contributing conditions. The actor, who made Hollywood history as the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar, died on March 29 in Santa Monica, Calif.
Gossett Jr. got his start on the stage with roles in plays in the 1950s and ’60s before breaking big with his Emmy-winning role as Fiddler in the 1977 miniseries “Roots.”
In 2022, on the 45th anniversary of the landmark miniseries, Gossett Jr. told TheWrap he never expected that “Roots” would be made.
“The story about [slavery] was we knew it, we heard it from our parents and our aunts and uncles and stuff, but we knew it...
The report, which was first obtained by TMZ, lists Copd as his main cause of death, with heart failure and atrial fibrillation as contributing conditions. The actor, who made Hollywood history as the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar, died on March 29 in Santa Monica, Calif.
Gossett Jr. got his start on the stage with roles in plays in the 1950s and ’60s before breaking big with his Emmy-winning role as Fiddler in the 1977 miniseries “Roots.”
In 2022, on the 45th anniversary of the landmark miniseries, Gossett Jr. told TheWrap he never expected that “Roots” would be made.
“The story about [slavery] was we knew it, we heard it from our parents and our aunts and uncles and stuff, but we knew it...
- 4/20/2024
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
If Criterion24/7 hasn’t completely colonized your attention every time you open the Channel––this is to say: if you’re stronger than me––their May lineup may be of interest. First and foremost I’m happy to see a Michael Roemer triple-feature: his superlative Nothing But a Man, arriving in a Criterion Edition, and the recently rediscovered The Plot Against Harry and Vengeance is Mine, three distinct features that suggest a long-lost voice of American movies. Meanwhile, Nobuhiko Obayashi’s Antiwar Trilogy four by Sara Driver, and a wide collection from Ayoka Chenzira fill out the auteurist sets.
Series-wise, a highlight of 1999 goes beyond the well-established canon with films like Trick and Bye Bye Africa, while of course including Sofia Coppola, Michael Mann, Scorsese, and Claire Denis. Films starring Shirley Maclaine, a study of 1960s paranoia, and Columbia’s “golden era” (read: 1950-1961) are curated; meanwhile, The Breaking Ice,...
Series-wise, a highlight of 1999 goes beyond the well-established canon with films like Trick and Bye Bye Africa, while of course including Sofia Coppola, Michael Mann, Scorsese, and Claire Denis. Films starring Shirley Maclaine, a study of 1960s paranoia, and Columbia’s “golden era” (read: 1950-1961) are curated; meanwhile, The Breaking Ice,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
If there was any doubt at all about whether Anthony Quinn was a true star, just take a look look at his track record. A film career that lasted 66 (!) years. Appearances in 151 films. Winner of two Academy Awards (for “Viva Zapata!’ and ‘Lust for Life’). Nominated for two more. Two BAFTA nominations. Five Golden Globe nominations. Nominated for a Primetime Emmy. And even a 382-performance run on Broadway as the star of the stage musical “Zorba,” based on his own hit film. That, my friend, is a star.
Born in Mexico but raised in Texas, Quinn began his career as a professional boxer but soon segued to acting. Blessed with looks that defied pigeonholing, Quinn played characters who were Latino, Greek, Italian, Arab and Native American (among many others), allowing him to explore a range of characterizations that few actors would be able to pull off so skillfully. Quinn’s talent,...
Born in Mexico but raised in Texas, Quinn began his career as a professional boxer but soon segued to acting. Blessed with looks that defied pigeonholing, Quinn played characters who were Latino, Greek, Italian, Arab and Native American (among many others), allowing him to explore a range of characterizations that few actors would be able to pull off so skillfully. Quinn’s talent,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
It's well known to fans of "The Wizard of Oz" that actor Ray Bolger was originally cast to play the Tin Man and famed comedian Buddy Ebsen was cast as the Scarecrow. They swapped roles at Bolger's insistence, as Bolger had a personal attachment to the role; he was inspired to become an actor after seeing Vaudevillian Fred Stone play the part on stage when Bolger was a child. Ebsen was fine with changing roles, although he had to drop out of production due to makeup problems. The silvery Tin Man makeup contained powered aluminum and Ebsen breathed in big clouds of it, making him sick. At the time, many merely assumed Ebsen had an allergy. Ebsen was replaced with Jack Haley, and the makeup was altered to be a paste instead of a powder.
With the possible exception of "Star Wars," no film's production has been more meticulously recorded...
With the possible exception of "Star Wars," no film's production has been more meticulously recorded...
- 3/10/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Although he has personally competed for the Best Picture Oscar as a qualifying producer of just four films, Martin Scorsese is responsible for directing 10 of the top Academy Award category’s nominees, including 2024 contender “Killers of the Flower Moon.” This recent improvement upon his total makes him only the third filmmaker in Oscars history to helm a double-digit amount of Best Picture nominees. Including him, six people who were already credited with directing at least one nominee rose higher in the ranks this year.
The previous Scorsese films that vied for Best Picture are 2007 winner “The Departed” (for which he earned his sole directing trophy) and nominees “Taxi Driver” (1977), “Raging Bull” (1981), “Goodfellas” (1991), “Gangs of New York” (2003), “The Aviator” (2005), “Hugo” (2012), “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2014), and “The Irishman” (2020). Of the 10, he received producing notices for the most recent four and directing bids for all but “Taxi Driver.” The only ones who...
The previous Scorsese films that vied for Best Picture are 2007 winner “The Departed” (for which he earned his sole directing trophy) and nominees “Taxi Driver” (1977), “Raging Bull” (1981), “Goodfellas” (1991), “Gangs of New York” (2003), “The Aviator” (2005), “Hugo” (2012), “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2014), and “The Irishman” (2020). Of the 10, he received producing notices for the most recent four and directing bids for all but “Taxi Driver.” The only ones who...
- 2/9/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
The Academy Awards have a chance to do something that has only been done three previous times in their entire history. With Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) nabbing surprising wins at the Critics Choice Awards, it’s the first time ever that both of their lead acting winners matched with the Golden Globe Musical/Comedy champions. If they both repeat at the Oscars on March 10, it would only be the fourth time that the winners of Best Actor and Best Actress paired with the Globe comedy winners.
The first time we had this match since the Golden Globe category creation in 1950 was for the year 1964 when musical films dominated the awards with Rex Harrison winning for “My Fair Lady” as Professor Henry Higgins and Julie Andrews for “Mary Poppins” as the title character. Those movies went on to be the top two nominated films at the...
The first time we had this match since the Golden Globe category creation in 1950 was for the year 1964 when musical films dominated the awards with Rex Harrison winning for “My Fair Lady” as Professor Henry Higgins and Julie Andrews for “Mary Poppins” as the title character. Those movies went on to be the top two nominated films at the...
- 1/22/2024
- by Christopher Tsang
- Gold Derby
From the will-they-won’t-they romance of When Harry Met Sally to the acid-burn comedy of Festen, organised jollity is a gift for film-makers
It’s New Year’s Eve, the one night a year when otherwise commonplace parties take on a slightly desperate significance, a need to succeed. You have to set the tone for the year ahead, and warm prosecco on an emptying dancefloor doesn’t bode well for anyone. This degree of pressure sets up almost any celebration to fail – though a bad party can launch as many formative memories as a good one. Look at the movies where parties pave the way for swooning romantic connection, social catastrophe or the end of the world: with the help of a few drinks, any drama speeds up.
It’s a New Year’s Eve party, specifically, that finally brings closure to the will-they-won’t-they relationship dance that keeps Rob Reiner...
It’s New Year’s Eve, the one night a year when otherwise commonplace parties take on a slightly desperate significance, a need to succeed. You have to set the tone for the year ahead, and warm prosecco on an emptying dancefloor doesn’t bode well for anyone. This degree of pressure sets up almost any celebration to fail – though a bad party can launch as many formative memories as a good one. Look at the movies where parties pave the way for swooning romantic connection, social catastrophe or the end of the world: with the help of a few drinks, any drama speeds up.
It’s a New Year’s Eve party, specifically, that finally brings closure to the will-they-won’t-they relationship dance that keeps Rob Reiner...
- 12/30/2023
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
Emma Stone and filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos are on a roll, so much so they could be one of the next great actor/director partnerships like Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio or perhaps a more appropriate analogy, George Cukor and Katharine Hepburn (who did eight films between 1932 and 1952).
Read More: Yorgos Lanthimos Retitles His Upcoming Film ‘And’ To ‘Kinds Of Kindness’
The duo, who are currently promoting their third film together, the fabulous demented Frankenstein-esque tale of self-actualization, “Poor Things,” have actually made three films together.
Continue reading Yorgos Lanthimos Says He & Emma Stone Are Already Talking About Another Project After ‘Kind Of Kindness’ at The Playlist.
Read More: Yorgos Lanthimos Retitles His Upcoming Film ‘And’ To ‘Kinds Of Kindness’
The duo, who are currently promoting their third film together, the fabulous demented Frankenstein-esque tale of self-actualization, “Poor Things,” have actually made three films together.
Continue reading Yorgos Lanthimos Says He & Emma Stone Are Already Talking About Another Project After ‘Kind Of Kindness’ at The Playlist.
- 12/21/2023
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Just in time for the holidays, Chris Columbus’ Home Alone and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas have been unwrapped with 23 other cinematic sparklers for entry into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, it was announced Wednesday.
Among those also voted in: Dinner at Eight (1933), the seventh film from director George Cukor to be selected for preservation; Susan Seidelman’s Desperately Seeking Susan (1985); John Sayles’ Matewan (1987); James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet (1993); Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 (1995); Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Love & Basketball (2000) and Spike Lee’s Bamboozled (2000).
Then, there are the films with music central to their core: Lady and the Tramp (1955), Cruisin’ J-Town (1975), Passing Through (1977), Fame (1980) and the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom (2013).
This year’s picks span the years 1921 (the Kodak educational film A Movie Trip Through Filmland) to 2013 (20 Feet From Stardom and the lone Oscar...
Among those also voted in: Dinner at Eight (1933), the seventh film from director George Cukor to be selected for preservation; Susan Seidelman’s Desperately Seeking Susan (1985); John Sayles’ Matewan (1987); James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet (1993); Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 (1995); Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Love & Basketball (2000) and Spike Lee’s Bamboozled (2000).
Then, there are the films with music central to their core: Lady and the Tramp (1955), Cruisin’ J-Town (1975), Passing Through (1977), Fame (1980) and the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom (2013).
This year’s picks span the years 1921 (the Kodak educational film A Movie Trip Through Filmland) to 2013 (20 Feet From Stardom and the lone Oscar...
- 12/13/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Adapted from Nathanael West’s scabrously funny 1939 novel, The Day of the Locust reunites the creative triumvirate of producer Jerome Hellman, director John Schlesinger, and screenwriter Waldo Salt, who had previously teamed up for Midnight Cowboy. Superficially, the two films would seem to be quite different. One is a contemporary tale shot documentary-style on the mean streets of late-’60s New York. The other is an exquisitely detailed period piece filmed largely on Paramount soundstages in L.A. Midnight Cowboy favors gritty realism, while The Day of the Locust descends into a kind of deranged surrealism. But the films are linked since they both focus on loners and outcasts, salaciously prod the seedy underbelly of their milieus, and expose the unforgiving flipside of the American Dream.
The biggest difference between the two films is that Midnight Cowboy mitigates its ultimately tragic denouement with a certain tenderness between its damaged protagonists.
The biggest difference between the two films is that Midnight Cowboy mitigates its ultimately tragic denouement with a certain tenderness between its damaged protagonists.
- 12/12/2023
- by Budd Wilkins
- Slant Magazine
Martin Scorsese is famous for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, and the first feature-length film with all three, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” has become a critical and commercial success. It’s not unusual for a director to find a “favorite” actor and form a successful relationship. In fact, this practice goes back to the beginning of the industry.
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
SEEMartin Scorsese movies: All 26 films ranked worst to best
During the Golden Age of Hollywood,...
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
SEEMartin Scorsese movies: All 26 films ranked worst to best
During the Golden Age of Hollywood,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Martin Scorsese is famous for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, and the first feature-length film with all three, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” has become a critical and commercial success. It’s not unusual for a director to find a “favorite” actor and form a successful relationship. In fact, this practice goes back to the beginning of the industry.
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, there were quite a few famous collaborations,...
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, there were quite a few famous collaborations,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
With her quirky personality and perky smile, Meg Ryan reigned as queen of romantic comedies for over two decades after stumbling onto an acting career during her college years. Over the past 30 years, the blond-haired, blue-eyed actress has carved out a diverse and successful career, making her one of the most popular actresses of her time.
Ryan was born November 19, 1961, in Fairfield, Connecticut. After graduating high school, she majored in journalism at New York University, and began acting to earn extra money, adopting the name Meg Ryan (taken from her grandmother’s maiden name). Following appearances in TV commercials and her film debut in George Cukor‘s final film “Rich and Famous,” Ryan gained fame as half of one of the most popular soap opera super couples with her portrayal of Betsy Stewart Montgomery on “As the World Turns” from 1982-1984. Her successes led her to drop out of college...
Ryan was born November 19, 1961, in Fairfield, Connecticut. After graduating high school, she majored in journalism at New York University, and began acting to earn extra money, adopting the name Meg Ryan (taken from her grandmother’s maiden name). Following appearances in TV commercials and her film debut in George Cukor‘s final film “Rich and Famous,” Ryan gained fame as half of one of the most popular soap opera super couples with her portrayal of Betsy Stewart Montgomery on “As the World Turns” from 1982-1984. Her successes led her to drop out of college...
- 11/11/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
James Sanders in Celluloid Skyline: New York And The Movies quotes Deborah Kerr with Cary Grant in Leo McCarey’s An Affair To Remember: “It’s the nearest thing to heaven we have in New York.”
In the first instalment with architect, author, and filmmaker James Sanders, we discuss his timeless and profound book, Celluloid Skyline: New York And The Movies, in which he explores how deeply one informs the other. From Joan Didion’s wisdom to Cedric Gibbons’s dream sets in the sky, we touch on George Stevens’s Swing Time (starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) and Robert Z Leonard’s Susan Lenox (with Greta Garbo and Clark Gable); East River running with Jill Clayburgh and Michael Murphy in Paul Mazursky’s An Unmarried Woman.
James Sanders with Anne-Katrin Titze: “One of the aspects of a mythic city is that it can go anywhere ”
The mansion...
In the first instalment with architect, author, and filmmaker James Sanders, we discuss his timeless and profound book, Celluloid Skyline: New York And The Movies, in which he explores how deeply one informs the other. From Joan Didion’s wisdom to Cedric Gibbons’s dream sets in the sky, we touch on George Stevens’s Swing Time (starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) and Robert Z Leonard’s Susan Lenox (with Greta Garbo and Clark Gable); East River running with Jill Clayburgh and Michael Murphy in Paul Mazursky’s An Unmarried Woman.
James Sanders with Anne-Katrin Titze: “One of the aspects of a mythic city is that it can go anywhere ”
The mansion...
- 11/2/2023
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Martin Scorsese’s engrossing 1920s-set historical thriller Killers of the Flower Moon opens with a lament. Elders of the Oklahoma Osage tribe gather to grieve for the younger kin who have been seduced by the decadence of their white neighbors. In many cases, these “deaths” are spiritual, but plenty will become actual—the dreadful end game of an elaborate ruse to bilk the Natives of wealth attained through the area’s plentiful oil reserves.
Author David Grann chronicled this horrific real-life plot, and the scrutiny of it by the then-nascent Federal Bureau of Investigation, in his 2017 nonfiction book of the same name as the film. Scorsese, who co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth, initially followed Grann’s procedural template with the F.B.I. as the primary focus. But during pre-production he and Roth changed tack, inverting the narrative so that the Osage and their slaughterers take center stage, with...
Author David Grann chronicled this horrific real-life plot, and the scrutiny of it by the then-nascent Federal Bureau of Investigation, in his 2017 nonfiction book of the same name as the film. Scorsese, who co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth, initially followed Grann’s procedural template with the F.B.I. as the primary focus. But during pre-production he and Roth changed tack, inverting the narrative so that the Osage and their slaughterers take center stage, with...
- 10/13/2023
- by Keith Uhlich
- Slant Magazine
Has any young actress ever had a year Katharine Hepburn experienced in 1933? After making her film debut in 1932’s “Bill of Divorcement” with John Barrymore, the 26-year-old with the preternatural cheekbones demonstrated her versatility in three exceptional motion pictures 90 years ago. The great Kate soared high as famed aviatrix who has a tragic affair with a married member of Parliament in Dorothy Arzner’s daring pre-code romantic drama “Christopher Strong.” Next up was “Morning Glory,” for which she won her first of four best actress Oscars-and of course was a no-show at the ceremony- as an eager young actress. And Hepburn ended the year with “Little Women,” the acclaimed box office hit which made $100,000 during its first week at Radio City Music Hall, based on Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel.
Most “little women” have read Alcott’s autobiographical coming-of-age novel that was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. Set...
Most “little women” have read Alcott’s autobiographical coming-of-age novel that was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. Set...
- 10/2/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)
Few directors hold as large a place in the hearts of cinephiles as Stanley Kubrick. The mythology of the director as this reclusive, micromanaging perfectionist who would drive people insane by doing 100 takes of a scene has become the stuff of legend. Some people stand in awe of what he was able to accomplish throughout his career on such a grand scale, and some, naturally, want to take him down a peg because of his godlike status amongst a certain sector of film fans. I don't hold Kubrick up as god. He wouldn't be on my Mt. Rushmore of directors. But the man did direct some of the best films ever made. That's a little difficult to deny.
Because of this revered status,...
Few directors hold as large a place in the hearts of cinephiles as Stanley Kubrick. The mythology of the director as this reclusive, micromanaging perfectionist who would drive people insane by doing 100 takes of a scene has become the stuff of legend. Some people stand in awe of what he was able to accomplish throughout his career on such a grand scale, and some, naturally, want to take him down a peg because of his godlike status amongst a certain sector of film fans. I don't hold Kubrick up as god. He wouldn't be on my Mt. Rushmore of directors. But the man did direct some of the best films ever made. That's a little difficult to deny.
Because of this revered status,...
- 8/20/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Francis Ford Coppola is remembering one of his closest friends. On Monday, following news of the death of William Friedkin, Coppola shared a tribute in honor of the Exorcist director on Instagram.
“William Friedkin was my first friend among the filmmakers of my generation and I grieve for the loss of a much-loved companion,” he wrote, sharing photos of Friedkin, later adding, “His lovable, irascible personality was cover for a beautiful, brilliant, deep-feeling giant of a man. It’s very hard to grasp that I will never enjoy his company again,...
“William Friedkin was my first friend among the filmmakers of my generation and I grieve for the loss of a much-loved companion,” he wrote, sharing photos of Friedkin, later adding, “His lovable, irascible personality was cover for a beautiful, brilliant, deep-feeling giant of a man. It’s very hard to grasp that I will never enjoy his company again,...
- 8/8/2023
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
William Friedkin, one of the great directors of the New Hollywood era who helmed classics like The Exorcist and Oscar-winner The French Connection, died Monday, The New York Times reports. He was 87.
Sherry Lansing, a former head of Paramount Pictures, and Friedkin’s wife, confirmed his death. She said the cause was heart failure and pneumonia.
Rising to prominence in the Seventies, Friedkin came to specialize in gritty, white-knuckle thrillers, often shot through with a healthy dose of practically documentary-style realism. The French Connection, his breakthrough film, won five Academy Awards,...
Sherry Lansing, a former head of Paramount Pictures, and Friedkin’s wife, confirmed his death. She said the cause was heart failure and pneumonia.
Rising to prominence in the Seventies, Friedkin came to specialize in gritty, white-knuckle thrillers, often shot through with a healthy dose of practically documentary-style realism. The French Connection, his breakthrough film, won five Academy Awards,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” is destined to be a classic in its own right, already garnering nearly half a billion dollars at the box office in under a week. The film, about a stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) in the grips of an existential crisis that sees her going to the Real World, is all manner of fun and wacky, with a number of Old Hollywood influences.
Gerwig herself has cited a number of features that either directly or indirectly inspired “Barbie,” starting with the 1939 Technicolor classic, “The Wizard of Oz.” That film, with its now iconic transition between Kansas and the land of Oz, no doubt factored into how the feature approaches color. The idea of a character transitioning from one world to another draws comparisons to “The Truman Show” and “Heaven Can Wait.”
Among the more nuanced, less obvious films, Gerwig took inspiration from “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,...
Gerwig herself has cited a number of features that either directly or indirectly inspired “Barbie,” starting with the 1939 Technicolor classic, “The Wizard of Oz.” That film, with its now iconic transition between Kansas and the land of Oz, no doubt factored into how the feature approaches color. The idea of a character transitioning from one world to another draws comparisons to “The Truman Show” and “Heaven Can Wait.”
Among the more nuanced, less obvious films, Gerwig took inspiration from “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,...
- 7/28/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
It was more than a little heartening to see Roger Corman paid tribute by Quentin Tarantino at Cannes’ closing night. By now the director-producer-mogul’s imprint on cinema is understood to eclipse, rough estimate, 99.5% of anybody who’s touched the medium, but on a night for celebrating what’s new, trend-following, and manicured it could’ve hardly been more necessary. Thus I’m further heartened seeing the Criterion Channel will host a retrospective of Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations running eight films and aptly titled “Grindhouse Gothic,” though I might save the selections for October.
Centerpiece, though, is a hip hop series including Bill Duke’s superb Deep Cover, Ghost Dog, and numerous documentaries––among them Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, making Michael Rapaport a Criterion-approved auteur. Ten films starring Kay Francis and 21 Eurothrillers round out series; streaming premieres include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori and Lokita,...
Centerpiece, though, is a hip hop series including Bill Duke’s superb Deep Cover, Ghost Dog, and numerous documentaries––among them Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, making Michael Rapaport a Criterion-approved auteur. Ten films starring Kay Francis and 21 Eurothrillers round out series; streaming premieres include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori and Lokita,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Just in time for Succession‘s end, let’s look at method acting. The Criterion Channel are highlighting the controversial practice in a 27-film series centered on Brando, Newman, Nicholson, and many other’s embodiment of “an intensely personal, internalized, and naturalistic approach to performance.” That series makes mention of Marilyn Monroe, who gets her own, 11-title highlight––the iconic commingling with deeper cuts.
Pride Month offers “Masc,” a consideration of “trans men, butch lesbians, and gender-nonconforming heroes” onscreen; the Michael Koresky-curated Queersighted returning with a study of the gay best friend; and the 20-film “LGBTQ+ Favorites.” Louis Garrel’s delightful The Innocent (about which I talked to him here), the director’s cut of Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation, and Stanley Kwan’s hugely underseen Lan Yu make streaming premieres, while Araki’s Totally F***ed Up and Mysterious Skin also get a run. Criterion Editions include Five Easy Pieces,...
Pride Month offers “Masc,” a consideration of “trans men, butch lesbians, and gender-nonconforming heroes” onscreen; the Michael Koresky-curated Queersighted returning with a study of the gay best friend; and the 20-film “LGBTQ+ Favorites.” Louis Garrel’s delightful The Innocent (about which I talked to him here), the director’s cut of Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation, and Stanley Kwan’s hugely underseen Lan Yu make streaming premieres, while Araki’s Totally F***ed Up and Mysterious Skin also get a run. Criterion Editions include Five Easy Pieces,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Todd Haynes has a way with female stars. I would even call him the new-age George Cukor in that regard. Whether in Carol with Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, or his HBO limited series Mildred Pierce with Kate Winslet, or his homage to the director of so many so-called “women’s pictures” of the ’50s Douglas Sirk in Far From Heaven with Julianne Moore, he seems to be in his comfort zone with women. That has never been more apparent than his latest, May December, a deliciously entertaining showcase for Natalie Portman and Moore (her and Haynes’ fourth film together), which just had its world premiere Saturday in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
The title is fine, but watching the film I kept thinking a really great title for it from Hollywood’s past would have been Imitation of Life from the aforementioned Sirk, not that this movie has...
The title is fine, but watching the film I kept thinking a really great title for it from Hollywood’s past would have been Imitation of Life from the aforementioned Sirk, not that this movie has...
- 5/20/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Meg Ryan is an American actress who made her debut in 1981. Named Margaret Mary Emily Hyra at birth, the actress spent her early years in Fairfield, Connecticut, before her career took her to different places in the country and beyond. She began acting in 1981, in the George Cukor-directed comedy-drama, Rich and Famous and subsequently established herself as a force to reckon with, both nationally and internationally. Ryan was one of the most successful actresses during the 1990s and early 2000s. She was specifically an icon in the romantic comedy genre with roles in movies like When Harry Met...
- 4/15/2023
- by Banks Onuoha
- TVovermind.com
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we take a look at an Oscars category from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winner stands the test of time.)
In any given year, you're lucky to have even one performance by an actor that is genuinely considered to be iconic. I know that is a word that gets thrown around enough nowadays that it means almost nothing, but every so often, that is really the only word you can use. These are the performances that you would show to an alien as the benchmarks of cinema. I'm talking about Marlon Brando in "The Godfather" or Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz"-level stuff. Well, 1950 produced three. All of them are women, all three played actors, and they all competed against each other in the Best Actress category at the Academy Awards. You have Bette Davis and Anne Baxter...
In any given year, you're lucky to have even one performance by an actor that is genuinely considered to be iconic. I know that is a word that gets thrown around enough nowadays that it means almost nothing, but every so often, that is really the only word you can use. These are the performances that you would show to an alien as the benchmarks of cinema. I'm talking about Marlon Brando in "The Godfather" or Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz"-level stuff. Well, 1950 produced three. All of them are women, all three played actors, and they all competed against each other in the Best Actress category at the Academy Awards. You have Bette Davis and Anne Baxter...
- 4/2/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
When Katharine Hepburn made her final big-screen appearance in Warren Beatty's 1994 romantic drama, "Love Affair," it marked the first time in her 62-year film career that she played a supporting role (aside from a cameo in 1943's "Stage Door Canteen") -- and this is all the more amazing when you consider how much she struggled at various junctures to maintain her leading lady status.
Hepburn's options were plentiful at birth. The Connecticut-born daughter of a wealthy urologist and a suffragette campaigner, Hepburn was raised in a permissive environment where societal limitations existed to be disregarded. She cut her hair short, excelled at sports like tennis and golf, wore pants, and smoked cigarettes. She pursued social justice causes at an early age, and received a liberal arts education at Bryn Mawr College (graduating with decidedly unladylike degrees in history and philosophy).
There was nothing performative about Hepburn's interests. She was appreciative of her good fortune,...
Hepburn's options were plentiful at birth. The Connecticut-born daughter of a wealthy urologist and a suffragette campaigner, Hepburn was raised in a permissive environment where societal limitations existed to be disregarded. She cut her hair short, excelled at sports like tennis and golf, wore pants, and smoked cigarettes. She pursued social justice causes at an early age, and received a liberal arts education at Bryn Mawr College (graduating with decidedly unladylike degrees in history and philosophy).
There was nothing performative about Hepburn's interests. She was appreciative of her good fortune,...
- 3/11/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
It’s easy to get caught up in awards season excitement as the Oscars approach – the glitz and glamour of the red carpet generating global talking points, memes and pub chatter for weeks on end.
But when it’s really broken down, the Oscars are essentially just a microcosm of Hollywood. It’s a depressing fact that films directed by previous winners have more chance of being nominated than those directed by newcomers.
Because of this, the best film in any given year almost never wins the evening’s most coveted prize – in fact, it’s sometimes not even nominated in the first place. The ceremony in 2021, which saw Parasite take home the top prize, was a rare exception.
Over the decades, there have been countless glaring omissions – films that were nominated but were beaten by far inferior films and classic films that failed to secure a single nomination.
As the 2023 Oscars approach,...
But when it’s really broken down, the Oscars are essentially just a microcosm of Hollywood. It’s a depressing fact that films directed by previous winners have more chance of being nominated than those directed by newcomers.
Because of this, the best film in any given year almost never wins the evening’s most coveted prize – in fact, it’s sometimes not even nominated in the first place. The ceremony in 2021, which saw Parasite take home the top prize, was a rare exception.
Over the decades, there have been countless glaring omissions – films that were nominated but were beaten by far inferior films and classic films that failed to secure a single nomination.
As the 2023 Oscars approach,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
For most of Hollywood history, the romantic comedy was a staple of theatrical moviegoing. From the glory days of Ernst Lubitsch (“Trouble in Paradise”) and George Cukor (“Adam’s Rib”) in the classical studio era to the onslaught of Julia Roberts, Matthew McConaughey, and Reese Witherspoon vehicles in the 1990s and early 2000s, pretty people saying funny things while falling in love was a consistent and reliable form of big screen entertainment. In the last few years, however, the genre largely moved to streaming, with studio slates leaning disproportionately toward comic book movies and other preexisting IP while reserving slots devoted to more modestly budgeted fare for horror films.
Yet the theatrically released, well-resourced romantic comedy made a glorious return to the big screen in 2022 with “Ticket to Paradise,” director Ol Parker’s hilarious and sweetly moving George Clooney and Julia Roberts vehicle. The movie has many pleasures, from Clooney and...
Yet the theatrically released, well-resourced romantic comedy made a glorious return to the big screen in 2022 with “Ticket to Paradise,” director Ol Parker’s hilarious and sweetly moving George Clooney and Julia Roberts vehicle. The movie has many pleasures, from Clooney and...
- 2/12/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Cindy Williams, best known for starring opposite Penny Marshall on “Laverne & Shirley” for seven of eight seasons, has died at the age of 75. No cause was given, but an assistant for Williams told the New York Times the actress died “peacefully” after a brief illness.
While Williams appeared in a number of projects, “Laverne & Shirley” was seismic in her career. The series was nominated for just one Emmy during its entire run—for Best Costume Design in 1979—but its hold on pop culture was recognized even if it failed to win prestigious awards. The whole nation, for a time, knew the difference between a schlemiel and a schlimazel.
Williams, born in Los Angeles, began her career in television commercials, landing gigs for Foster Grant sunglasses and Twa. Early film work included a role in the Jack Nicholson-directed “Drive, He Said,” and George Cukor’s “Travels With My Aunt.
While Williams appeared in a number of projects, “Laverne & Shirley” was seismic in her career. The series was nominated for just one Emmy during its entire run—for Best Costume Design in 1979—but its hold on pop culture was recognized even if it failed to win prestigious awards. The whole nation, for a time, knew the difference between a schlemiel and a schlimazel.
Williams, born in Los Angeles, began her career in television commercials, landing gigs for Foster Grant sunglasses and Twa. Early film work included a role in the Jack Nicholson-directed “Drive, He Said,” and George Cukor’s “Travels With My Aunt.
- 1/31/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Cindy Williams, who played the perky, positive Shirley in the hit ’70s sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died, the Associated Press reported Monday. She was 75.
According to the Associated Press, Williams’ children Zak and Emily Hudson confirmed the news through a statement to the publication. Williams reportedly passed away in Los Angeles on Wednesday, following a short illness.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement to the AP reads. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
Williams originally played her most famous character of Shirley Feeney in three episodes of “Happy Days” Season 3, with her and her roommate, the more tomboyish Laverne DeFazio (Penny Marshall), serving as friends and supporting...
According to the Associated Press, Williams’ children Zak and Emily Hudson confirmed the news through a statement to the publication. Williams reportedly passed away in Los Angeles on Wednesday, following a short illness.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement to the AP reads. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
Williams originally played her most famous character of Shirley Feeney in three episodes of “Happy Days” Season 3, with her and her roommate, the more tomboyish Laverne DeFazio (Penny Marshall), serving as friends and supporting...
- 1/31/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Cindy Williams, who starred in the smash Happy Days spinoff Laverne & Shirley after appearing in two Best Picture Oscar nominees — George Lucas’ American Graffiti and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation — has died. She was 75. Her family told the Associated Press today that the actress died Wednesday after a brief illness.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” reads the statement from her children, Emily and Zak Hudson, relayed through a spokesperson. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Laverne Cox & George Wallace Comedy 'Clean Slate' Produced By Norman Lear Gets Amazon Freevee Series Order Related Story Laverne...
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” reads the statement from her children, Emily and Zak Hudson, relayed through a spokesperson. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Laverne Cox & George Wallace Comedy 'Clean Slate' Produced By Norman Lear Gets Amazon Freevee Series Order Related Story Laverne...
- 1/31/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Cindy Williams, the energetic actress who appeared in a pair of Oscar best picture nominees before starring as the idealistic Shirley Feeney on the beloved ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley, has died. She was 75.
Williams died in Los Angeles on Wednesday after a brief illness, her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement released Monday.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement said. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
After popping up as a pot-smoking hippie in the Maggie Smith-starring Travels With My Aunt (1972), one of the last films directed by George Cukor, Williams took her first big turn in the spotlight when she portrayed Laurie,...
Williams died in Los Angeles on Wednesday after a brief illness, her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement released Monday.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement said. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
After popping up as a pot-smoking hippie in the Maggie Smith-starring Travels With My Aunt (1972), one of the last films directed by George Cukor, Williams took her first big turn in the spotlight when she portrayed Laurie,...
- 1/31/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
George Cukor's "The Philadelphia Story" is a terrific film. It is as great a mainstream comedy as Hollywood has ever produced, and the three leads — James Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, and Cary Grant — are humming on every available cylinder. It was worthy of many accolades, but I'll never understand how Academy voters walked out of John Ford's "The Grapes of Wrath," and cast a vote for anyone other than Henry Fonda.
Ford's film was rushed into production by Twentieth Century Fox's Darryl Zanuck, who worried tremendously about the populist, anti-capitalist politics of John Steinbeck's novel. The book is explicitly critical of the banks' cruel treatment of tenant farmers and pulls no punches in its portrayal of Oklahomans desperate to find prosperity in the Western United States. At the center of the book is Tom Joad, an ex-con who joins his evicted family on their arduous trek to California.
Ford's film was rushed into production by Twentieth Century Fox's Darryl Zanuck, who worried tremendously about the populist, anti-capitalist politics of John Steinbeck's novel. The book is explicitly critical of the banks' cruel treatment of tenant farmers and pulls no punches in its portrayal of Oklahomans desperate to find prosperity in the Western United States. At the center of the book is Tom Joad, an ex-con who joins his evicted family on their arduous trek to California.
- 1/27/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
It seems kind of absurd to think about, but back in the late 1930s beloved starlet Katherine Hepburn was considered "box office poison." Yes, arguably the preeminent actress of her generation was dismissed by her industry after starring in a string of box office failures, which these days are considered classics. Back then, audiences were seemingly unimpressed with Hepburn's run at Rko, which ended with 1938's "Bringing Up Baby" — a Howard Hawks-helmed screwball effort that lost around 300,000 on its initial release.
Later that year, Hepburn's name showed up in a now-infamous trade magazine ad in which President of the Independent Theatre Owners Association, Harry Brandt, claimed that her and other actresses' "box office draw is nil." The term "box office poison" became synonymous with Hepburn, who a month later would show up in George Cukor's "Holiday," which failed to overcome the financial struggles that had dogged Hepburn's movies in recent years.
Later that year, Hepburn's name showed up in a now-infamous trade magazine ad in which President of the Independent Theatre Owners Association, Harry Brandt, claimed that her and other actresses' "box office draw is nil." The term "box office poison" became synonymous with Hepburn, who a month later would show up in George Cukor's "Holiday," which failed to overcome the financial struggles that had dogged Hepburn's movies in recent years.
- 1/22/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Despite allegedly scaring Alfred Hitchcock with his yelling, James Stewart really did live up to his polite everyman reputation. He's one of the biggest stars in Hollywood history and yet retained humility throughout his decades-long career, even finding time to rise up the ranks of the military and fight in World War II between starring in some of the biggest movies of his day. He passed away in 1997 having built a career full of classic movie moments and never once tarnished his reputation as a class act (Hitchcock probably deserved some dressing down). In fact, beyond being self-effacing, Stewart was known for being quite shy off-screen — a trait that, every now and then, would seemingly trip him up on set.
So it was with 1940's "The Philadelphia Story" — a vehicle for Katherin Hepburn's comeback after the actress found herself on Harry Brandt's infamous "box office poison list." Her turn...
So it was with 1940's "The Philadelphia Story" — a vehicle for Katherin Hepburn's comeback after the actress found herself on Harry Brandt's infamous "box office poison list." Her turn...
- 1/17/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Nearly 80 years after its premier, Gaslight has never felt more relevant. Adapted from Patrick Hamilton’s 1938 play Gas Light, George Cukor’s 1944 film follows a young newlywed named Paula (Ingrid Bergman) as she’s slowly driven to the brink of insanity by her nefarious husband Gregory (Charles Boyer). The film’s title has since been verbified to describe an extended period of psychological manipulation designed to make the victim doubt their sanity and “gaslighting” was recently named the Merriam-Webster word of the year. The dictionary’s official definition is “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage;” a perfect description of the way Gregory abuses his wife in the film. Gaslight hit theaters 78 years ago, but Gregory’s tactics are all too familiar today, an intimate and terrifying version of the large-scale manipulation we see all around us.
Set in 1875 London, Gaslight begins with...
Set in 1875 London, Gaslight begins with...
- 1/16/2023
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
When you're in as many classic films as Jack Lemmon, it should be hard to pick a favorite. Lemmon broke into Hollywood during the last decade of its so-called Golden Age, with his first starring role being in George Cukor's 1954 "It Should Happen To You." He never stopped working, though; his last film was 2000's "The Legend of Bagger Vance," just a year before his death.
In fact, one of Lemmon's favorite movies he acted in was one from his twilight years: 1992's "Glengarry Glen Ross." Lemmon is just one of a cast stacked with stars, from Al Pacino to Ed Harris. For Lemmon, though, what made the movie special was its script written by David Mamet. "Glengarry" was originally created by Mamet as a play, one which won him a Pulitzer. Mamet then scripted his own story for the silver screen (though the directorial duties were James Foley...
In fact, one of Lemmon's favorite movies he acted in was one from his twilight years: 1992's "Glengarry Glen Ross." Lemmon is just one of a cast stacked with stars, from Al Pacino to Ed Harris. For Lemmon, though, what made the movie special was its script written by David Mamet. "Glengarry" was originally created by Mamet as a play, one which won him a Pulitzer. Mamet then scripted his own story for the silver screen (though the directorial duties were James Foley...
- 1/14/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Director George Cukor's "The Philadelphia Story" may have been designed as a comeback vehicle for Katherine Hepburn, but it also served as delightful showcase for her two leading men, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. In "The Philadelphia Story," Hepburn is Tracy Lord, a spit-fire of a socialite that everyone is convinced is a haughty, spoiled brat. She's about to marry her new-money fiancée when her ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (that's Grant), comes back into town. Once a yacht designer, now a correspondent for "Spy" magazine, he's there to help reporter Macaulay "Mike" Connor (that's Stewart) and his photographer Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) cover the nuptials with little to no pushback.
Admittedly, there's a lot going on in the film. But at the end of the day, Hepburn, Grant and Stewart are the stars of the show — and for good reason. The role of Dexter was obviously a great one for Grant,...
Admittedly, there's a lot going on in the film. But at the end of the day, Hepburn, Grant and Stewart are the stars of the show — and for good reason. The role of Dexter was obviously a great one for Grant,...
- 1/12/2023
- by Lyvie Scott
- Slash Film
What will be your first movie of 2023? If you’re reading this it’s likely you put some (let’s be honest: too much) thought into what commences the cinematic year. The Criterion Channel’s January lineup will put some good things front and center: they’re launching a 20-film cinema verité series that highlights all major figures of the form; an eight-film Mike Leigh retrospective that focuses on his little-seen, lesser-discussed BBC features produced between 1973 and 1984; a series on Abbas Kiarostami’s studies of childhood; and because you’ve either seen Eo or have it marked to watch, Jerzy Skolimowski’s three most-acclaimed films should be of equal note.
Another 2022 favorite, Il Buco, will have its streaming premiere alongside Kamikaze Hearts, the Depardieu-led Cyrano de Bergerac, and the recent restoration of Lodge Kerrigan’s Keane. The sole Criterion Edition for this month is 3 Women, while some notable recent documentaries—The American Sector,...
Another 2022 favorite, Il Buco, will have its streaming premiere alongside Kamikaze Hearts, the Depardieu-led Cyrano de Bergerac, and the recent restoration of Lodge Kerrigan’s Keane. The sole Criterion Edition for this month is 3 Women, while some notable recent documentaries—The American Sector,...
- 12/20/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Noah Baumbach with The New York Times culture reporter Reggie Ugwu at Live from Nypl on the final scene in White Noise: “I reached out to James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), a close friend of mine. We worked together on Greenberg …” Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Noah Baumbach’s firm grip on White Noise, Don DeLillo’s masterpiece, starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig with Raffey Cassidy, Sam Nivola and May Nivola (Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola’s children), Don Cheadle, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lars Eidinger, and Barbara Sukowa, with costumes by Oscar-winner (for Anthony Minghella's The English Patient) Ann Roth (Baumbach ’s While We're Young), is vibrantly disturbing and joyously faithful to the source. The uproarious finale, an all-encompassing supermarket dance number, visually part Stepford Wives and Jacques Demy musical, is set to new body rhumba, a new song by LCD Soundsystem, all ready to show the Grim Reaper what we humans are up to.
Noah Baumbach’s firm grip on White Noise, Don DeLillo’s masterpiece, starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig with Raffey Cassidy, Sam Nivola and May Nivola (Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola’s children), Don Cheadle, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lars Eidinger, and Barbara Sukowa, with costumes by Oscar-winner (for Anthony Minghella's The English Patient) Ann Roth (Baumbach ’s While We're Young), is vibrantly disturbing and joyously faithful to the source. The uproarious finale, an all-encompassing supermarket dance number, visually part Stepford Wives and Jacques Demy musical, is set to new body rhumba, a new song by LCD Soundsystem, all ready to show the Grim Reaper what we humans are up to.
- 12/11/2022
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Holidays loom, but don’t fear TBS marathons of A Christmas Story. If, like me, you once enacted some good and let studio classics stream on Criterion during family Christmas, you know the trip home will be easier with December’s additions. (People at Criterion: please don’t report me for logging into multiple devices.) As family arrives, drinks are downed, and questions about what you’ve been up to are stumbled through it’ll be nice to stream their “Screwball Comedy Classics” series—25 titles meeting some deep cuts (10 via Venmo if you’ve recently watched It Happens Every Spring).
Personally I’m most excited about the 11 movies in “Snow Westerns,” going as far back as The Secret of Convict Lake, as recently as Ravenous, with the likes of Wellman, Peckinpah, and Corbucci in-between. I personally cannot stand soccer but I appreciate the World Cup giving occasion for a series...
Personally I’m most excited about the 11 movies in “Snow Westerns,” going as far back as The Secret of Convict Lake, as recently as Ravenous, with the likes of Wellman, Peckinpah, and Corbucci in-between. I personally cannot stand soccer but I appreciate the World Cup giving occasion for a series...
- 11/22/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Leslie Phillips, Debonair British Actor of ‘Carry On,’ ‘Doctor’ and ‘Harry Potter’ Films, Dies at 98
Click here to read the full article.
Leslie Phillips, the British actor and Casanova of the Carry On movies who turned to serious supporting roles in Out of Africa and Empire of the Sun before voicing The Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter franchise, has died. He was 98.
Phillips died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, agent Jonathan Lloyd told the BBC on Tuesday.
With an eye for the ladies onscreen and off, the sophisticated Phillips appeared in more than 170 roles across screens big and small, portraying policemen, military officials, reverends and judges. But for audiences in the 1950s and ’60s, he was synonymous with the low-budget Carry On and Doctor series (he took over from Dirk Bogarde in the latter).
In the ’80s, he distanced himself from his playboy roles to lend gravitas to Sydney Pollack’s Oscar best picture winner Out of Africa (1985) and to Steven Spielberg’s...
Leslie Phillips, the British actor and Casanova of the Carry On movies who turned to serious supporting roles in Out of Africa and Empire of the Sun before voicing The Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter franchise, has died. He was 98.
Phillips died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, agent Jonathan Lloyd told the BBC on Tuesday.
With an eye for the ladies onscreen and off, the sophisticated Phillips appeared in more than 170 roles across screens big and small, portraying policemen, military officials, reverends and judges. But for audiences in the 1950s and ’60s, he was synonymous with the low-budget Carry On and Doctor series (he took over from Dirk Bogarde in the latter).
In the ’80s, he distanced himself from his playboy roles to lend gravitas to Sydney Pollack’s Oscar best picture winner Out of Africa (1985) and to Steven Spielberg’s...
- 11/8/2022
- by Rhett Bartlett
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Photo: ‘Little Women’ It’s been nearly three years since the release of 2019’s ‘Little Women,’ based on the classic novel of the same name, and directed and adapted by Greta Gerwig (who is also known for her work ‘Ladybird’ and the upcoming ‘Barbie’ movie). This was far from the first adaptation of the story, as it has been manufactured for the screen time and time again. Most notably, we have the 1994 version, directed by Gillian Armstrong, and starring Winona Ryder as Jo March. Looking further back, we also have the 1933 version, directed by George Cukor, and starring Katharine Hepburn as Jo March. The most recent 2019 depiction makes a name for itself through Gerwig’s attentive writing, its two-timeline structure, and its brilliant cast. This ‘Little Women’ has brought the story to a modern audience and has skyrocketed in popularity amongst young girls, as they have been able to find...
- 10/26/2022
- by Rachel Beltowski
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
When news of Angela Lansbury’s death broke on Tuesday, less than a week before her 97th birthday, a major link to the entertainment world of the past was severed. A legend of the stage, television, and cinema, the London-born Lansbury’s career began in 1944 with the George Cukor-directed thriller “Gaslight” starring Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, and Joseph Cotton. Revolutionary theater work followed, including the first Broadway production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” and then, of course, the 264 episodes of “Murder, She Wrote.”
Over the years she had three Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and was presented with an Honorary Oscar in 2013. She won five competitive Tony Awards and received a Lifetime Achievement award in 2020. She was nominated for 18 Primetime Emmys, but never nabbed the statue, and also was nominated for one Grammy, for the “Beauty and the Beast” soundtrack.
Many notables were...
Over the years she had three Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and was presented with an Honorary Oscar in 2013. She won five competitive Tony Awards and received a Lifetime Achievement award in 2020. She was nominated for 18 Primetime Emmys, but never nabbed the statue, and also was nominated for one Grammy, for the “Beauty and the Beast” soundtrack.
Many notables were...
- 10/12/2022
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Click here to read the full article.
Descriptors like “Broadway royalty” tend to get tossed around all too freely. But there’s no disputing the claim to that title of Angela Lansbury, who died Tuesday, just five days before her 97th birthday. She was a grande dame of the theater of a kind that has largely gone the way of the dinosaur. It’s tempting to imagine a reverent hush passing over New York’s most hallowed stages tonight, along with those of London, as they welcome another fabulous ghost.
Lansbury was a class act, the rare public figure whose elegant sophistication was matched by her approachability. When she wasn’t on the actual stage, performing tirelessly in plays and musicals through her eighth decade, I saw her many times at the theater as a regular attendee.
Usually dressed in a chic pantsuit with unflashy gold jewelry, her patrician posture...
Descriptors like “Broadway royalty” tend to get tossed around all too freely. But there’s no disputing the claim to that title of Angela Lansbury, who died Tuesday, just five days before her 97th birthday. She was a grande dame of the theater of a kind that has largely gone the way of the dinosaur. It’s tempting to imagine a reverent hush passing over New York’s most hallowed stages tonight, along with those of London, as they welcome another fabulous ghost.
Lansbury was a class act, the rare public figure whose elegant sophistication was matched by her approachability. When she wasn’t on the actual stage, performing tirelessly in plays and musicals through her eighth decade, I saw her many times at the theater as a regular attendee.
Usually dressed in a chic pantsuit with unflashy gold jewelry, her patrician posture...
- 10/12/2022
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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