Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II-iv, Spiral) is back with brand new horror movie The Cello, which will release here in North America on December 8. While you wait, Bloody Disgusting has been provided with an exclusive clip today, previewing three full minutes of the film.
Jeremy Irons is featured in this extended clip from Bousman’s The Cello, which gives us a bloody sneak peek at the terrifying power of the titular Cello. Watch it down below.
The Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.
After the recent premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so...
Jeremy Irons is featured in this extended clip from Bousman’s The Cello, which gives us a bloody sneak peek at the terrifying power of the titular Cello. Watch it down below.
The Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.
After the recent premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so...
- 12/5/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Santa Isn't Real: "After suffering a brutal attack on Christmas eve, a young woman, Nikki, struggles to convince her friends that the assailant was none other than Ol' Kris Kringle. When Santa returns to terrorize the group in their remote cabin the next Christmas, Nikki and her friends must overcome disbelief as they fight to stay alive."
Written and Directed by: Zac Locke (The Voyeurs, Black Christmas) Country of Origin: USA Language: English Genre: Horror Distributor: XYZ Films Run Time: 76 minutes Cast: Scarlett Sperduto, Dana Millican, Kaya Coleman
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The Cello: "Like many musicians, accomplished Saudi cellist Nasser (Samer Ismail) has aspirations for greatness, though he feels like he’s held back by the old, dilapidated instrument he’s forced to play. When Nasser is offered the chance to take possession of a gorgeous red cello by a mysterious shop owner (Tobin Bell), he finds new inspiration both for his playing and for his composing.
Written and Directed by: Zac Locke (The Voyeurs, Black Christmas) Country of Origin: USA Language: English Genre: Horror Distributor: XYZ Films Run Time: 76 minutes Cast: Scarlett Sperduto, Dana Millican, Kaya Coleman
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The Cello: "Like many musicians, accomplished Saudi cellist Nasser (Samer Ismail) has aspirations for greatness, though he feels like he’s held back by the old, dilapidated instrument he’s forced to play. When Nasser is offered the chance to take possession of a gorgeous red cello by a mysterious shop owner (Tobin Bell), he finds new inspiration both for his playing and for his composing.
- 12/4/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II-iv, Spiral) is back with brand new horror movie The Cello, which had its World Premiere on September 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Muvi Cinemas on famed Riyadh Boulevard. The film will release in North America on December 8.
While you wait, check out a fresh teaser trailer for The Cello below.
The Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.
After the premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so lucky in my career to shoot all over the world and Cello took me to Saudi Arabia, Prague & Ireland. It was...
While you wait, check out a fresh teaser trailer for The Cello below.
The Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.
After the premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so lucky in my career to shoot all over the world and Cello took me to Saudi Arabia, Prague & Ireland. It was...
- 11/21/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: "AMC Networks announced tonight that The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, the highly anticipated next series in the Walking Dead Universe, will premiere Sunday, February 25, 2024 on AMC and AMC+. A new teaser for the series, which stars Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira as beloved Twd characters Rick Grimes and Michonne, was also released during tonight’s series finale of Fear the Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead... And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they've ever known before? Are they enemies?...
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead... And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they've ever known before? Are they enemies?...
- 11/21/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
The consensus thus far on Ridley Scott's "Napoleon," including from /Film's own Chris Evangelista, is that it feels like the shadow of a greater film — namely, the four-hour cut that Scott has confirmed will premiere on Apple TV+ at a later time. This wouldn't be the first time that such a fate befell one of Sir Scott's historical epics. Let's go back to 2005 when his opus "Kingdom of Heaven" met a muted response.
Set in the late 12th century, the film follows French blacksmith Balian (Orlando Bloom), who joins his long-lost father Baron Godfrey (Liam Neeson) on a quest to Jerusalem. Balian is seeking redemption; his wife died by suicide after the death of their child, denying herself entrance to Heaven, and he then killed the village priest (Michael Sheen) after the man mutilated her corpse. Balian is caught in the middle of power struggles; power-hungry knight Guy de...
Set in the late 12th century, the film follows French blacksmith Balian (Orlando Bloom), who joins his long-lost father Baron Godfrey (Liam Neeson) on a quest to Jerusalem. Balian is seeking redemption; his wife died by suicide after the death of their child, denying herself entrance to Heaven, and he then killed the village priest (Michael Sheen) after the man mutilated her corpse. Balian is caught in the middle of power struggles; power-hungry knight Guy de...
- 11/21/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Hammer Films Annoucnes October Release for Doctor Jekyll: "Hammer Films is thrilled to announce the theatrical release of B Good Picture Company’s Doctor Jekyll exclusively in UK cinemas from 27 October 2023.
Directed by Joe Stephenson featuring an impressive cast including Eddie Izzard, Scott Chambers, Lindsay Duncan and Simon Callow, Doctor Jekyll’s UK-wide release marks the first release for the recently resurrected Hammer, following its acquisition by theatre and entertainment mogul John Gore.
Bringing a modern twist to the critically adored tale, Doctor Jekyll will receive its red-carpet premiere at London’s iconic Odeon Leicester Square on 11 October. The film was also selected to play at FrightFest London 2023 where an initial cut of the film was screened as part of the festival’s line-up.
A modern interpretation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Doctor Jekyll, is a reimagining of the...
Directed by Joe Stephenson featuring an impressive cast including Eddie Izzard, Scott Chambers, Lindsay Duncan and Simon Callow, Doctor Jekyll’s UK-wide release marks the first release for the recently resurrected Hammer, following its acquisition by theatre and entertainment mogul John Gore.
Bringing a modern twist to the critically adored tale, Doctor Jekyll will receive its red-carpet premiere at London’s iconic Odeon Leicester Square on 11 October. The film was also selected to play at FrightFest London 2023 where an initial cut of the film was screened as part of the festival’s line-up.
A modern interpretation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Doctor Jekyll, is a reimagining of the...
- 9/17/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Cello, the under-the-radar English and Arabic-language horror movie shot in Saudi Arabia by Saw filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman received its world premiere this week at the Muvi Cinema in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Oscar winner Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) and Saw star Tobin Bell lead the cast alongside Syrian actor Samer Ismail (The Day I Lost My Shadow) and Saudi actress Elham Ali (Ashman) in the story of an aspiring cellist who learns that the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought.
The film was written by Turki Alalshikh, the current Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment of Saudi Arabia. The film was produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts. Producers report the film has pre-sold over 15,000 tickets for the upcoming opening weekend in the Arab region. The pic will debut stateside on December 8.
The Saudi premiere was attended by Bousman and producer Lee Nelson (The Ice Road). Others in attendance included stars Elham Ali, Samer Ismail, Suad Abdullah, Ibrahim Samman, Muhanad Al-Hamdi, Fahad Alqahtani, Baraa Alem, and Ghassan Massoud as well as co-producer Raul Talwar and executive producer Niko Ruokosuo.
“Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so lucky in my career to shoot all over the world, and Cello took me to Saudi Arabia, Prague & Ireland,” Bousman said following the debut screening.
“It was such a fantastical adventure getting to work and play in such different and unique areas. We had the great fortune to work with superstars of the Arab region. Then, add Jeremy Irons and Tobin Bell into the mix it & was a once in a lifetime experience.”
Nelson added: “The production was comprised of an international team of artists from all over the world. Our 250-person crew came from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Canada, Italy, Egypt, Africa, India, Ireland, Tunisia, Jordan, Dubai, and the UK. It was such a humbling experience to be at the center of so many talented people at the top of their trade. It was a truly global collaboration.”...
Oscar winner Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) and Saw star Tobin Bell lead the cast alongside Syrian actor Samer Ismail (The Day I Lost My Shadow) and Saudi actress Elham Ali (Ashman) in the story of an aspiring cellist who learns that the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought.
The film was written by Turki Alalshikh, the current Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment of Saudi Arabia. The film was produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts. Producers report the film has pre-sold over 15,000 tickets for the upcoming opening weekend in the Arab region. The pic will debut stateside on December 8.
The Saudi premiere was attended by Bousman and producer Lee Nelson (The Ice Road). Others in attendance included stars Elham Ali, Samer Ismail, Suad Abdullah, Ibrahim Samman, Muhanad Al-Hamdi, Fahad Alqahtani, Baraa Alem, and Ghassan Massoud as well as co-producer Raul Talwar and executive producer Niko Ruokosuo.
“Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so lucky in my career to shoot all over the world, and Cello took me to Saudi Arabia, Prague & Ireland,” Bousman said following the debut screening.
“It was such a fantastical adventure getting to work and play in such different and unique areas. We had the great fortune to work with superstars of the Arab region. Then, add Jeremy Irons and Tobin Bell into the mix it & was a once in a lifetime experience.”
Nelson added: “The production was comprised of an international team of artists from all over the world. Our 250-person crew came from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Canada, Italy, Egypt, Africa, India, Ireland, Tunisia, Jordan, Dubai, and the UK. It was such a humbling experience to be at the center of so many talented people at the top of their trade. It was a truly global collaboration.”...
- 9/15/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II-iv, Spiral) is back with brand new horror movie Cello, which just had its World Premiere on September 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Muvi Cinemas on famed Riyadh Boulevard. The film has already pre-sold well over 15,000 tickets for the upcoming opening weekend in the Arab region and will release in North America December 8.
While you wait, check out some first-look images from Cello below. The first two are being exclusively shared by Bloody Disgusting, while the others were sent out to press today.
Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.
After the premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh...
While you wait, check out some first-look images from Cello below. The first two are being exclusively shared by Bloody Disgusting, while the others were sent out to press today.
Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.
After the premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh...
- 9/13/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
British director director Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”) is shooting Saudi Arabia-set actioner “Desert Warrior” featuring a top notch international cast led by “Captain America” star Anthony Mackie and Aiysha Hart.
Mbc Studios, the production arm of prominent Middle East broadcaster Mbc Group, has teamed up with U.S. producer Jeremy Bolt (“Resident Evil”) and Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios on the big-budget period epic set in 7th century Arabia.
Pic, which started filming in September in Neom, a futuristic city being built in the Tabuk province of northwestern Saudi Arabia, is being touted as the kingdom’s first tentpole movie and Saudi-owned Mbc’s biggest production to date. The shoot is expected to continue for three more months, a statement said.
Besides the two leads, the “Desert Warrior” cast also comprises Ben Kingsley, Sharlto Copley (“District 9”) and Ghassan Massoud (“Kingdom of Heaven”).
Zeinab Abu Alsamh,...
Mbc Studios, the production arm of prominent Middle East broadcaster Mbc Group, has teamed up with U.S. producer Jeremy Bolt (“Resident Evil”) and Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios on the big-budget period epic set in 7th century Arabia.
Pic, which started filming in September in Neom, a futuristic city being built in the Tabuk province of northwestern Saudi Arabia, is being touted as the kingdom’s first tentpole movie and Saudi-owned Mbc’s biggest production to date. The shoot is expected to continue for three more months, a statement said.
Besides the two leads, the “Desert Warrior” cast also comprises Ben Kingsley, Sharlto Copley (“District 9”) and Ghassan Massoud (“Kingdom of Heaven”).
Zeinab Abu Alsamh,...
- 11/15/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Production is underway on Desert Warrior, an action packed epic feature set in 7th Century Arabia. Anthony Mackie stars with Aiysha Hart, Sharlto Copley, Ghassan Massoud, Sami Bouajila, Lamis Ammar, Géza Röhrig, and Sir Ben Kingsley. The film is shooting in Neom and Tabuk in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The script is by Wyatt, Erica Beeney, David Self, and Gary Ross.
Mbc Studios, Jb Pictures and AGC Studios are teamed on the film, the first tentpole-sized picture to be shot at Neom.
It’s 7th century, when Arabia is made up of rival, feuding tribes, disunited and forever at each other’s throats. Emperor Kisra (Kingsley) has a fearsome reputation for being utterly ruthless. But when the Arabian Princess Hind (Hart) refuses to become the emperor’s concubine, the stage is set for an epic confrontation. It is a battle that, by its conclusion, will have changed the...
Mbc Studios, Jb Pictures and AGC Studios are teamed on the film, the first tentpole-sized picture to be shot at Neom.
It’s 7th century, when Arabia is made up of rival, feuding tribes, disunited and forever at each other’s throats. Emperor Kisra (Kingsley) has a fearsome reputation for being utterly ruthless. But when the Arabian Princess Hind (Hart) refuses to become the emperor’s concubine, the stage is set for an epic confrontation. It is a battle that, by its conclusion, will have changed the...
- 11/15/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Saudi Arabia is stretching its filmmaking arms into Hollywood once more.
Having already come aboard to finance the Gerard Butler action-thriller Kandahar, Mbc Studios, the production arm of the Saudi government-controlled regional broadcasting giant Mbc, is now set to produce the historical epic Desert Warrior from Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Mosquito Coast), marking its biggest production to date.
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Avengers: Endgame) and Aiysha Hart (Mogul Mowgli, Colette) are leading the picture, which sees Mbc Studios partner with fellow producers U.S.-based Jb Pictures and AGC Studios. Joining them are Sharlto Copley (District 9), Ghassan Massoud (Kingdom ...
Having already come aboard to finance the Gerard Butler action-thriller Kandahar, Mbc Studios, the production arm of the Saudi government-controlled regional broadcasting giant Mbc, is now set to produce the historical epic Desert Warrior from Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Mosquito Coast), marking its biggest production to date.
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Avengers: Endgame) and Aiysha Hart (Mogul Mowgli, Colette) are leading the picture, which sees Mbc Studios partner with fellow producers U.S.-based Jb Pictures and AGC Studios. Joining them are Sharlto Copley (District 9), Ghassan Massoud (Kingdom ...
- 11/15/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Saudi Arabia is stretching its filmmaking arms into Hollywood once more.
Having already come aboard to finance the Gerard Butler action-thriller Kandahar, Mbc Studios, the production arm of the Saudi government-controlled regional broadcasting giant Mbc, is now set to produce the historical epic Desert Warrior from Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Mosquito Coast), marking its biggest production to date.
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Avengers: Endgame) and Aiysha Hart (Mogul Mowgli, Colette) are leading the picture, which sees Mbc Studios partner with fellow producers U.S.-based Jb Pictures and AGC Studios. Joining them are Sharlto Copley (District 9), Ghassan Massoud (Kingdom ...
Having already come aboard to finance the Gerard Butler action-thriller Kandahar, Mbc Studios, the production arm of the Saudi government-controlled regional broadcasting giant Mbc, is now set to produce the historical epic Desert Warrior from Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Mosquito Coast), marking its biggest production to date.
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Avengers: Endgame) and Aiysha Hart (Mogul Mowgli, Colette) are leading the picture, which sees Mbc Studios partner with fellow producers U.S.-based Jb Pictures and AGC Studios. Joining them are Sharlto Copley (District 9), Ghassan Massoud (Kingdom ...
- 11/15/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When people tend to think of Central Asian cinema, regardless of genre, many would immediately conjure up images of the region’s vast steppes, striking awe in the eyes of many thanks to gifted cinematographers bringing the landscape to life, rendering its characters insignificant and enveloped by the expansive beauty. Many would tend to think of vivid colourisation or striking monochromes, with every pigment popping onto the screen in a dazzling display ripe for High Definition or even 4K. As far as the length and breadth of the region’s historical dramas and epics are concerned, these elements are translated into the costume and production design too, replicated with a historical accuracy usually akin to more famous Chinese epics. Given the magnitude of legends surrounding such a figure as Tomiris, a warrior queen who, depending on which account you believe, defeated King Cyrus II at a battle near the Syr...
- 9/12/2020
- by James Cansdale-Cook
- AsianMoviePulse
From Well Go USA: With the likes of Charlize Theron kicking butt in The Old Guard, 2020 is turning into the year of the strong female action hero, and joining “Wonder Woman”, “Mulan” and “Black Widow” is “The Legend Of Tomiris”, the epic drama on one of the world’s first female warlords, debuting on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD September 29 from Well Go USA Entertainment.
Directed by award-winning director Akan Satayev (“The Liquidator”), this is the story of the life of the great queen of the steppe – the legendary Tomiris, a woman destined to become a skillful warrior and strategist, unite the Scythian/Saka tribes under her authority, and slay the founder and first king of the Persian empire. The Legend Of Tomiris, the highest-grossing action film in Kazakhstan, stars Almira Tursyn, Adil Akhmetov, Yerkebulan Daiyrov, Berik Aitzhanov, Azamat Satybaldy, Aizhan Lighg and Ghassan Massoud (“Kingdom of Heaven...
Directed by award-winning director Akan Satayev (“The Liquidator”), this is the story of the life of the great queen of the steppe – the legendary Tomiris, a woman destined to become a skillful warrior and strategist, unite the Scythian/Saka tribes under her authority, and slay the founder and first king of the Persian empire. The Legend Of Tomiris, the highest-grossing action film in Kazakhstan, stars Almira Tursyn, Adil Akhmetov, Yerkebulan Daiyrov, Berik Aitzhanov, Azamat Satybaldy, Aizhan Lighg and Ghassan Massoud (“Kingdom of Heaven...
- 8/24/2020
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
"I swear... I shall take back everything you left for me!" Kick his ass! Well Go USA has released an official trailer for a historical epic titled The Legend of Tomiris, an extension of the original title Tomiris. As the title indicates, the film tells the story of the life of the great queen of of the steppe - legendary Tomiris. She is destined to become a skillful warrior, survive the loss of close people and unite the Scythian/Saka tribes under her authority. She is an iconic individual in Asian history, and is the namesake of the modern name Tomris. The Kazakh film stars Almira Tursyn as the iconic Tomiris, with Adil Akhmetov, Erkebulan Dairov, Berik Aytzhanov, Satybaldy Azamat, Aizhan Lighg, and Ghassan Massoud. This actually looks great! Some solid action footage and authentic storytelling, might be worth a watch after all. That final shot where she stares down...
- 7/16/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
David Crow May 6, 2019
The Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut is one of Ridley Scott's finest films and every bit as good as Gladiator.
When one thinks back to Ridley Scott’s many great films, it can be tricky to simply cull them down to a top-tier: Alien; Blade Runner; The Duellists; Thelma & Louise; Gladiator; The Martian. There are just so many. Yet one that almost never gets its due is the criminally overlooked Kingdom of Heaven, a masterclass of grandiose epic storytelling that is every bit as layered and emotionally complex as all of the above pictures. Perhaps even more so.
Trust us, if you’ve only seen the theatrical cut of Kingdom of Heaven, you basically haven’t seen it at all.
Indeed, 20th Century Fox made the calculated choice in 2005 to have their thrice Oscar nominated director cut his sprawling meditation on Crusades, codes of honor,...
The Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut is one of Ridley Scott's finest films and every bit as good as Gladiator.
When one thinks back to Ridley Scott’s many great films, it can be tricky to simply cull them down to a top-tier: Alien; Blade Runner; The Duellists; Thelma & Louise; Gladiator; The Martian. There are just so many. Yet one that almost never gets its due is the criminally overlooked Kingdom of Heaven, a masterclass of grandiose epic storytelling that is every bit as layered and emotionally complex as all of the above pictures. Perhaps even more so.
Trust us, if you’ve only seen the theatrical cut of Kingdom of Heaven, you basically haven’t seen it at all.
Indeed, 20th Century Fox made the calculated choice in 2005 to have their thrice Oscar nominated director cut his sprawling meditation on Crusades, codes of honor,...
- 5/3/2017
- Den of Geek
We at Lr had a chance to check out about 40 minutes of director Ridley Scott’s new historical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings last night. Here’s what we thought.
The series of clips shown went from massive battles to small, intimate character moments that really tried to give you a sense of the grand scale the film is trying to work on as well as the personal story it’s trying to tell beneath it. Bible stories seem to be the new avenue for filmmakers to go down these days, and though Darren Aronofsky’s Noah left a little to be desired it looks like Ridley Scott is embracing his usual overblown sword and sandals method to tell this timeless biblical tale of Moses and Ramses.
The first clip began with both Moses (Christian Bale) and Ramses (Joel Edgerton) preparing to go off to war. We’ll get to...
The series of clips shown went from massive battles to small, intimate character moments that really tried to give you a sense of the grand scale the film is trying to work on as well as the personal story it’s trying to tell beneath it. Bible stories seem to be the new avenue for filmmakers to go down these days, and though Darren Aronofsky’s Noah left a little to be desired it looks like Ridley Scott is embracing his usual overblown sword and sandals method to tell this timeless biblical tale of Moses and Ramses.
The first clip began with both Moses (Christian Bale) and Ramses (Joel Edgerton) preparing to go off to war. We’ll get to...
- 10/17/2014
- by Sean Hutchinson
- LRMonline.com
Exodus
Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: Bill Collage, Adam Cooper, Steve Zaillian
Producers: Peter Chernin, Mark Huffam, Michael Schaefer, Ridley Scott
U.S. Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Cast: Aaron Paul, Christian Bale, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, Joel Edgerton, John Turturro, Indira Varma, Ben Mendelsohn, María Valverde, Emun Elliott, Golshifteh Farahani, Dar Salim, Ghassan Massoud, Hiam Abbass
Sure, people are bound to be bent out of shape about the very non-Egyptian casting of its leads, but since we’re talking about mythology and Scott is a vocal agnostic, it seems rather fitting. Beyond what we assume will be yet another memorably committed performance from Bale, and a big budget role for Aaron Paul, Scott reunites with his Alien star Sigourney Weaver for the third outing, this time as the Egyptian Queen, Tuya (let’s hope it’s a better union than 1492: Conquest of Paradise in which she starred as Queen Isabella...
Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: Bill Collage, Adam Cooper, Steve Zaillian
Producers: Peter Chernin, Mark Huffam, Michael Schaefer, Ridley Scott
U.S. Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Cast: Aaron Paul, Christian Bale, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, Joel Edgerton, John Turturro, Indira Varma, Ben Mendelsohn, María Valverde, Emun Elliott, Golshifteh Farahani, Dar Salim, Ghassan Massoud, Hiam Abbass
Sure, people are bound to be bent out of shape about the very non-Egyptian casting of its leads, but since we’re talking about mythology and Scott is a vocal agnostic, it seems rather fitting. Beyond what we assume will be yet another memorably committed performance from Bale, and a big budget role for Aaron Paul, Scott reunites with his Alien star Sigourney Weaver for the third outing, this time as the Egyptian Queen, Tuya (let’s hope it’s a better union than 1492: Conquest of Paradise in which she starred as Queen Isabella...
- 3/6/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Kingdom of Heaven: The Director’s Cut
Directed by Ridley Scott
Written by William Monaghan
UK/Us 2005
Various directors take very differing stances when it comes to the ongoing threat of executive meddling. This, of course, is when the studio moneymen stop what you’re doing and tell you that what you’ve made will simply not cut it at the box office, that key demographics that their marketing department has been stringently working on (usually in the form of charts) will dislike your movie. If you’re Terry Gilliam, you’ll go to war with said studio and prove that you have the significant integrity (read massive cojones) to work yourself into the ground to make sure nobody interferes with your baby. If you’re David Fincher, you’ll probably go home as loudly and publicly as you can manage.
But if you’re Ridley Scott, one of...
Directed by Ridley Scott
Written by William Monaghan
UK/Us 2005
Various directors take very differing stances when it comes to the ongoing threat of executive meddling. This, of course, is when the studio moneymen stop what you’re doing and tell you that what you’ve made will simply not cut it at the box office, that key demographics that their marketing department has been stringently working on (usually in the form of charts) will dislike your movie. If you’re Terry Gilliam, you’ll go to war with said studio and prove that you have the significant integrity (read massive cojones) to work yourself into the ground to make sure nobody interferes with your baby. If you’re David Fincher, you’ll probably go home as loudly and publicly as you can manage.
But if you’re Ridley Scott, one of...
- 6/2/2013
- by Scott Patterson
- SoundOnSight
Ever since the birth of the concept in the early eighties, the prospect of a ‘Director’s Cut’ has become one of the most mouth watering morsels for film fanatics, a chance to glimpse an expanded version or in some cases a radically altered vision to their favorite movies. Whether it be the lengthening of an already acclaimed feature (Apocalypse Now Redux), or a total overhaul on the original (Superman II: The Donner Cut), the opportunity to claim even more entertainment, and insight, from a released film is too good to pass up.
However, for every second look that breathes new life or realizes unfulfilled potential for a film, there is the ill-judged revisit of pointless, self indulgent or apparently maliciously motivated proportions. Sometimes, a feature film pleads to be seen in its full light. Other times, it’s better left well alone.
Here is a look at six notable re-cuts,...
However, for every second look that breathes new life or realizes unfulfilled potential for a film, there is the ill-judged revisit of pointless, self indulgent or apparently maliciously motivated proportions. Sometimes, a feature film pleads to be seen in its full light. Other times, it’s better left well alone.
Here is a look at six notable re-cuts,...
- 8/28/2012
- by Scott Patterson
- SoundOnSight
Imagine if the studio’s wishes had been fulfilled, and Robert Redford had been cast as Michael Corleone in The Godfather. Or imagine if Raiders of the Lost Ark had been scored by Randy Newman. What would it be like if Apocalypse Now ended with a musical number, complete with Montagnard cabaret dancers and Marlon Brando doing the cancan? As a point of clarification, that last one isn’t wishful thinking.
There have been a number of films over the years that have been 9/10 jobs, movies that manage to build themselves into potential masterpieces or classics, but put a foot wrong with tragic consequences; a film that may have been a great, but fell just short all by its own doing.
Here is a run down of four such films, and a look at the easily resolvable flaw in each that dragged them down from potential greatness.
Heat
A crime epic in every sense,...
There have been a number of films over the years that have been 9/10 jobs, movies that manage to build themselves into potential masterpieces or classics, but put a foot wrong with tragic consequences; a film that may have been a great, but fell just short all by its own doing.
Here is a run down of four such films, and a look at the easily resolvable flaw in each that dragged them down from potential greatness.
Heat
A crime epic in every sense,...
- 2/6/2012
- by Scott Patterson
- SoundOnSight
AMC will air a special premiere presentation of director Ridley Scott's 'directors cut' of the 2005 feature, "Kingdom Of Heaven", Sunday, January 22, 2012.
Written by William Monahan, set during the Crusades of the 12th Century, "Kingdom Of Heaven" stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McKidd, Alexander Siddig, Ghassan Massoud, Edward Norton, Jon Finch and Michael Sheen :
"...a French village blacksmith goes to aid the city of Jerusalem in its defense against the kurdish leader 'Saladin', who is battling to reclaim the city from the Christians leading to the 'Battle of Hattin'..."
Location filming included Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou in Morocco, where Scott had also filmed Oscar-winner "Gladiator" and "Black Hawk Down", with a replica of medieval Jerusalem constructed in the desert. Filming also took place in Spain, at the Loarre Castle, Segovia, Ávila, Palma del Río and Casa de Pilatos in Sevilla.
Written by William Monahan, set during the Crusades of the 12th Century, "Kingdom Of Heaven" stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McKidd, Alexander Siddig, Ghassan Massoud, Edward Norton, Jon Finch and Michael Sheen :
"...a French village blacksmith goes to aid the city of Jerusalem in its defense against the kurdish leader 'Saladin', who is battling to reclaim the city from the Christians leading to the 'Battle of Hattin'..."
Location filming included Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou in Morocco, where Scott had also filmed Oscar-winner "Gladiator" and "Black Hawk Down", with a replica of medieval Jerusalem constructed in the desert. Filming also took place in Spain, at the Loarre Castle, Segovia, Ávila, Palma del Río and Casa de Pilatos in Sevilla.
- 1/22/2012
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven is probably about as good a movie as anyone could make about the Crusades. This was a ghastly though vitally important stretch of history when Western civilization, whipped up by religious fervor and bitter poverty, confronted the Muslim world with both the sword and cultural arrogance.
Director Ridley Scott and writer William Monahan have managed to put a positive spin on that tragic swath of history in an epic entertainment that seeks and actually finds honor, romance and spiritual redemption amid the slaughter. Brilliantly cast and produced -- hallmarks of Ridley Scott films -- Kingdom fulfills the requirements of grand-scale moviemaking while serving as a timely reminder that in the conflict between Christianity and Islam it was the Christians who picked the first fight.
Boxoffice response should be solid domestically with even greater ticket sales coming from overseas. The Fox release is unlikely to trigger protests from Islamic groups as the main quarrel is between Christians with widely differing agendas. When they appear at all, the Arabs, then called Saracens by Westerners, are portrayed as honorable and brave. They are also two-dimensional but two out of three isn't bad.
Monahan's screenplay traces the astonishing and improbable ascendance of a French blacksmith, unloved by God -- or so he believes -- who in short order finds himself the sole defender of the Holy City of Jerusalem against a vast Saracen army led by legendary Muslim figure Saladin.
Orlando Bloom plays this hero named Balian, who has just buried a wife, a suicide following the death of their infant son, in France in 1184. Then along comes a Crusader, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), on a recruiting mission back home. Godfrey abruptly declares himself to be Balian's father and wants him to come away with him to the Holy Land to create his life anew.
This promise of rebirth and forgiveness lies at the heart of the story the film wants to tell. Indeed much contemporary thinking has been transposed on the 12th century, but then how else to make the Crusades relevant or even palatable to modern audiences?
Kingdom takes place during the reign in Jerusalem of a Christian king, Baldwin IV, who forged a fragile peace to keep Saladin's army at bay and permit all three monotheistic religions, the Christians, Muslims and Jews, to worship within city walls. Jerusalem, Godfrey declares to his son, is a true kingdom of heaven -- "a kingdom of conscience, a kingdom of peace." Here a peasant can reinvent himself as a knight by swearing allegiance to noble ideals such as "speak the truth," "safeguard the helpless" and "do no wrong." Thus can a peasant wind up with a very nice piece of property along the road to Jerusalem so long as he keeps it safe for all pilgrims.
Initially, the surly and Godless Balian rejects his father's offer. Then the movie indulges in its strangest and most off-putting episode. Balian brutally slays a village priest, whose minor sin is the theft of a crucifix from the corpse of Balian's wife. He then runs to papa and his rag-tag followers for protection. The village police come a-calling, a slash-and-stab battle ensues and nearly everyone winds up dead and dad is mortally wounded. Not a great beginning in the nobility and righteousness business.
Dad lasts as far as Messina, gateway for the Holy Land, where he dubs his son a knight. Balian then falls under the not always watchful care of his dad's Hospitaler (David Thewlis), a kind of knight-confessor. A shipwreck and deadly duel precede Balian's entry into Jerusalem, where his father's knights conveniently recognize his dad's sword and swear fealty to the son.
Balian takes one look at his dad's acreage outside town and notices there is no water. So he digs a well and everyone is happy about the new master. You mean nobody thought to dig a well in the desert before this peasant came along?
Balian quickly becomes a political insider within the Christian rulers of the Holy City. Young king Baldwin is dying of leprosy so hideous he hides his face behind a silver mask. His beautiful sister Sibylla (French actress Eva Green) is unhappily married to a thug, Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas), who waits in the wings to assume the throne. Meanwhile, Guy plots with red-headed maniac Reynald of Chatillon (Brendan Gleeson) to stir up trouble among the Saracens to create a pretext for war.
The king's advisor Tiberias (Jeremy Irons) strives unsuccessfully to calm the situation as events spin out of control with Balian's affair with Sibylla, the king's death and, well, you know things never go right in the Middle East.
The crux the matter is Balian's refusal to allow Baldwin to remove Guy from the picture so Balian can marry his sister and peacefully rule the city after the king's passing. This is a kingdom of conscience, remember, and apparently Balian's knightly conscience will not allow the killing of a tyrant but is willing to countenance the deaths of thousands and the fall of Christianity in Jerusalem that results from his decision.
The film wisely avoids showing the slaughter of Guy's army by forces lead by Saladin (Syrian film star and director Ghassan Massoud). The film's focus is the siege of Jerusalem and Balian's defense of the city against impossible odds through strategic guile. This is a truly memorable sequence of military planning and action involving huge, mobile engines that hurl heavy rocks against the walls, a sky filled with deadly arrows, burning pitch and sulfur poured on attackers and vicious hand-to-hand combat. It is, in Balian's words, "a fight for the people's safety and freedom," freedom being a relative term in the 12th century.
There are no false notes among the cast. Bloom makes a worthy hero, neither overplaying his hand nor striving to rob the movie of its ensemble quality. Green is suitably enigmatic and sultry, but the script falls to flesh out her character. Irons and Thewlis are British thespians playing wise counselors in a period drama as only British thespians can. Csokas and Gleeson are glorious punks without a scintilla of moral compunction or religious fervor in their greedy, blood-thirty grabs for power. In fleeting moments, Neeson and Massoud play battle-scared, weary warriors with comforting aplomb.
Harry Gregson-Williams' music contains nice Eastern touches but can be a tad aggressive on occasions. Arthur Max's set designs (abetted by CGI) create a finely detailed Holy City and its environs while John Mathieson's cinematography goes in for an appealingly darker palette than epics usually get. The battle sequences are among the best in recent memory -- which says a lot, not only for their intensity but their restraint from exploitative gore.
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
A Scott Free production
Credits:
Director/producer: Ridley Scott
Writer: William Monahan
Executive producers: Branko Lustig, Lisa Ellzey, Terry Needham
Director of photography: John Mathieson
Production designer: Arthur Max
Music: Harry Gregson-Williams
Costumes: Janty Yates
Editor: Dody Dorn
Cast:
Balian: Orlando Bloom
Sibylla: Eva Green
Tiberias: Jeremy Irons
Hospitaler: David Thewlis
Reynald de Chatillon: Brendan Gleeson
Guy de Lusignan: Marton Csokas
Godfrey of Ibelin: Liam Neeson
Saladin: Ghassan Massoud
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 144 minutes...
Director Ridley Scott and writer William Monahan have managed to put a positive spin on that tragic swath of history in an epic entertainment that seeks and actually finds honor, romance and spiritual redemption amid the slaughter. Brilliantly cast and produced -- hallmarks of Ridley Scott films -- Kingdom fulfills the requirements of grand-scale moviemaking while serving as a timely reminder that in the conflict between Christianity and Islam it was the Christians who picked the first fight.
Boxoffice response should be solid domestically with even greater ticket sales coming from overseas. The Fox release is unlikely to trigger protests from Islamic groups as the main quarrel is between Christians with widely differing agendas. When they appear at all, the Arabs, then called Saracens by Westerners, are portrayed as honorable and brave. They are also two-dimensional but two out of three isn't bad.
Monahan's screenplay traces the astonishing and improbable ascendance of a French blacksmith, unloved by God -- or so he believes -- who in short order finds himself the sole defender of the Holy City of Jerusalem against a vast Saracen army led by legendary Muslim figure Saladin.
Orlando Bloom plays this hero named Balian, who has just buried a wife, a suicide following the death of their infant son, in France in 1184. Then along comes a Crusader, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), on a recruiting mission back home. Godfrey abruptly declares himself to be Balian's father and wants him to come away with him to the Holy Land to create his life anew.
This promise of rebirth and forgiveness lies at the heart of the story the film wants to tell. Indeed much contemporary thinking has been transposed on the 12th century, but then how else to make the Crusades relevant or even palatable to modern audiences?
Kingdom takes place during the reign in Jerusalem of a Christian king, Baldwin IV, who forged a fragile peace to keep Saladin's army at bay and permit all three monotheistic religions, the Christians, Muslims and Jews, to worship within city walls. Jerusalem, Godfrey declares to his son, is a true kingdom of heaven -- "a kingdom of conscience, a kingdom of peace." Here a peasant can reinvent himself as a knight by swearing allegiance to noble ideals such as "speak the truth," "safeguard the helpless" and "do no wrong." Thus can a peasant wind up with a very nice piece of property along the road to Jerusalem so long as he keeps it safe for all pilgrims.
Initially, the surly and Godless Balian rejects his father's offer. Then the movie indulges in its strangest and most off-putting episode. Balian brutally slays a village priest, whose minor sin is the theft of a crucifix from the corpse of Balian's wife. He then runs to papa and his rag-tag followers for protection. The village police come a-calling, a slash-and-stab battle ensues and nearly everyone winds up dead and dad is mortally wounded. Not a great beginning in the nobility and righteousness business.
Dad lasts as far as Messina, gateway for the Holy Land, where he dubs his son a knight. Balian then falls under the not always watchful care of his dad's Hospitaler (David Thewlis), a kind of knight-confessor. A shipwreck and deadly duel precede Balian's entry into Jerusalem, where his father's knights conveniently recognize his dad's sword and swear fealty to the son.
Balian takes one look at his dad's acreage outside town and notices there is no water. So he digs a well and everyone is happy about the new master. You mean nobody thought to dig a well in the desert before this peasant came along?
Balian quickly becomes a political insider within the Christian rulers of the Holy City. Young king Baldwin is dying of leprosy so hideous he hides his face behind a silver mask. His beautiful sister Sibylla (French actress Eva Green) is unhappily married to a thug, Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas), who waits in the wings to assume the throne. Meanwhile, Guy plots with red-headed maniac Reynald of Chatillon (Brendan Gleeson) to stir up trouble among the Saracens to create a pretext for war.
The king's advisor Tiberias (Jeremy Irons) strives unsuccessfully to calm the situation as events spin out of control with Balian's affair with Sibylla, the king's death and, well, you know things never go right in the Middle East.
The crux the matter is Balian's refusal to allow Baldwin to remove Guy from the picture so Balian can marry his sister and peacefully rule the city after the king's passing. This is a kingdom of conscience, remember, and apparently Balian's knightly conscience will not allow the killing of a tyrant but is willing to countenance the deaths of thousands and the fall of Christianity in Jerusalem that results from his decision.
The film wisely avoids showing the slaughter of Guy's army by forces lead by Saladin (Syrian film star and director Ghassan Massoud). The film's focus is the siege of Jerusalem and Balian's defense of the city against impossible odds through strategic guile. This is a truly memorable sequence of military planning and action involving huge, mobile engines that hurl heavy rocks against the walls, a sky filled with deadly arrows, burning pitch and sulfur poured on attackers and vicious hand-to-hand combat. It is, in Balian's words, "a fight for the people's safety and freedom," freedom being a relative term in the 12th century.
There are no false notes among the cast. Bloom makes a worthy hero, neither overplaying his hand nor striving to rob the movie of its ensemble quality. Green is suitably enigmatic and sultry, but the script falls to flesh out her character. Irons and Thewlis are British thespians playing wise counselors in a period drama as only British thespians can. Csokas and Gleeson are glorious punks without a scintilla of moral compunction or religious fervor in their greedy, blood-thirty grabs for power. In fleeting moments, Neeson and Massoud play battle-scared, weary warriors with comforting aplomb.
Harry Gregson-Williams' music contains nice Eastern touches but can be a tad aggressive on occasions. Arthur Max's set designs (abetted by CGI) create a finely detailed Holy City and its environs while John Mathieson's cinematography goes in for an appealingly darker palette than epics usually get. The battle sequences are among the best in recent memory -- which says a lot, not only for their intensity but their restraint from exploitative gore.
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
A Scott Free production
Credits:
Director/producer: Ridley Scott
Writer: William Monahan
Executive producers: Branko Lustig, Lisa Ellzey, Terry Needham
Director of photography: John Mathieson
Production designer: Arthur Max
Music: Harry Gregson-Williams
Costumes: Janty Yates
Editor: Dody Dorn
Cast:
Balian: Orlando Bloom
Sibylla: Eva Green
Tiberias: Jeremy Irons
Hospitaler: David Thewlis
Reynald de Chatillon: Brendan Gleeson
Guy de Lusignan: Marton Csokas
Godfrey of Ibelin: Liam Neeson
Saladin: Ghassan Massoud
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 144 minutes...
- 6/6/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Scott Praised for Accurate Muslim Portrayal
Director Ridley Scott has been praised for challenging the post 9/11 demonization of the Muslim religion and warfare in his latest movie Kingdom Of Heaven. The controversial film depicts a 12th century Muslim-Christian battle for Jerusalem during the Third Crusade - and is set to cast aside stereotypical views of Muslims and show the benefits of diplomacy over war in resolving Middle Eastern crises. Historians have praised the accurate character portrayals - in particular that of Muslim leader Saladin, played by Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud. Muslim scholar Hamid Dabashi says, "There are a few inaccuracies, in that he has probably made Saladin look too heroic. Saladin was always respected more by Christians than Muslims, and would show mercy to those who could afford to pay him. But this is a film that tries to deal as accurately as possible with the difficult issues of religion and warfare of the time. Muslims have nothing to fear." The film, shot in Morocco and Spain, hits screens next month.
- 4/18/2005
- WENN
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