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1-20 of 21 items from 2012 « Prev | Next »
Cinema Retro's Jonathan Melville Reports On The Turner Classic Movies Film Festival In Hollywood
18 May 2012 8:50 AM, PDT | Cinemaretro.com | See recent CinemaRetro news »
By Jonathan Melville
Is there something about classic movie fans that makes us more obsessive than your average cinemagoer? Does the fact that we often have to search for years for that obscure Western or noir on DVD mean we're more appreciative when we finally see it? Would most of us rather watch a 1960s Bond movie at the multiplex than a modern CGI-fest?
Those are some of the questions I asked myself as I left my home (and DVD collection) in the UK to fly 5,000 miles to the third annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood over the weekend of 12-15 April 2012. A gathering of thousands of movie aficionados from around the globe, this spin-off from the Us cable TV channel promises attendees that they'll see some of the best films ever made, often in the company of the people who made them, in the way they were meant to be seen. »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
Jack @ 75
24 April 2012 5:43 AM, PDT | MUBI | See recent MUBI news »
Whoever nolrich is, s/he's done a pretty fine job putting together this compilation entitled, appropriately enough, "Jack Nicholson on Fire." Granted, any one of us might well choose different scenes and different films, but as a sampler of Nicholson at his most explosive, it works. And, many would argue, exploding is what Nicholson, who turns 75 today, does best.
Others would disagree, finding him just as effective, if not more, when he threatens quietly, even politely, as he does in this scene with Robert De Niro in Elia Kazan's The Last Tycoon (1976):
Back in 2007, in a modest "Jack @ 70" roundup at GreenCine Daily, I pointed to a collection of tributes introduced by the Observer's Philip French. It's still there, and you can still read brief (and not-so-brief) appreciations by Dennis Hopper, Kathy Bates, Rob Reiner, Susan Sarandon, Robert Towne, James L Brooks, Danny DeVito and Tim Burton.
Life presents »
Forget It Jake, It’s a Robert Towne-Autographed ‘Chinatown’ Blu-ray Giveaway
17 April 2012 3:00 PM, PDT | FilmSchoolRejects.com | See recent FilmSchoolRejects news »
Robert Towne won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, but what most don’t realize is that the original script for Chinatown was over 300 pages long. That would have made quite the shooting schedule. Roman Polanski‘s enduring noir classic is headed to Blu-ray soon which means seeing J.J. Gittes getting his nose cut in high definition. Plus, we’re giving a copy away, and the one we have has Robert Towne’s signature on it (thanks to the intrepid team at Dolby Labs who secured it legally). If you’re into that sort of thing. So how do you get your hands on it? Glad I made it seem like you asked. One (1) winner chosen at random will get the autographed Blu-ray, and all you have to do to enter is let us know your favorite moment from the film (or why you’d love to see if if you haven’t yet) in »
- Cole Abaius
Ryan O’Neal, A Crime Retrospective: Fighting The Law And Cancer
17 April 2012 11:41 AM, PDT | Boomtron | See recent Boomtron news »
Ryan O’Neal is back in the headlines. He’s kicking cancer in its face. Again. O’Neal was diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer yesterday. It took the man less than 24 hours to beat that shit down to a “stage 2″ with a “sunny” prognosis.
We shall see. Ryan O’Neal is, despite his boyish Irish looks, a bit of a bad ass. After all, he had the stones to taunt Mr. Toole in Barry Lyndon, something 7 out of 10 sane men would not do. That’s a scientific fact right there.
He’s also got a pretty solid rap sheet when it comes to beating the law, too. In honor of O’Neal winning over prostate cancer, here’s a retrospective on his short but outstanding career in crime film.
First came The Thief Who Came To Dinner. 1973 was to Ryan O’Neal what ’99 was for Jude Law: His »
- Matthew C. Funk
'Psych' finale 'SantaBarbaratown': 6 things to look forward to
10 April 2012 12:40 PM, PDT | Zap2It - From Inside the Box | See recent Zap2It - From Inside the Box news »
"Psych" is wrapping up its sixth season with "SantaBarbaratown," the show's send-up of film noir, specifically the 1974 Jack Nicholson-Faye Dunaway mystery "Chinatown." We've seen it and it's awesome, so here are five teases to tide you over until Wednesday night.
The guest stars are excellent - Rob Estes is a suspect, Lolita Davidovich is a spurned waitress and Amanda Schull is outstanding as a blonde femme fatale who seems to be hiding an awful lot.Keep your eye out for the "Chinatown" references - Robert Towne was the screenwriter, Ida Sessions was a character, oh, and ... there's a pretty key plot point that is creatively used.We find out what Shawn carries around in his wallet - it's a picture of a blonde woman, but it's not Jules.Speaking of Jules, she and Shawn take (for Shawn) a giant leap forward in their relationship this episode. Squeal!And »
- editorial@zap2it.com
Blu-ray Review: Fantastic Release for Timeless Classic ‘Chinatown’
9 April 2012 12:34 PM, PDT | HollywoodChicago.com | See recent HollywoodChicago.com news »
Chicago – There are a few movies that I absolutely adore — the ones that come to mind when people ask me what I think are the best films ever made. More often than not, they are the films that first shaped the way I look at cinema when I first moved past the New Releases section at the video store to the classics of the medium. One such film is Roman Polanski’s stunning “Chinatown,” a film that has lost absolutely none of its timeless power in its recently-released Blu-ray restoration complete with new special features and interviews. It may sound cliched, but “Chinatown,” especially in HD, really looks like it could have come out last year. And it would have been the year’s best movie.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
The Blu-ray arrival of “Chinatown” is not just ushered in with the quality of the film itself or a spectacular HD transfer but »
- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
Chinatown Blu-ray Review
7 April 2012 9:08 AM, PDT | TheHDRoom | See recent TheHDRoom news »
Chinatown, Roman Polanski's 1974 film Noir classic, is a seminal film for a number of reasons.
It wasn't the movie that introduced the world to Jack Nicholson by any means, but it was the movie where we all learned that he was one of the greatest actors ever to grace the screen. It single-handedly redefined the private-eye mystery. It provided profound depth and grit to the genre and left it irrevocably changed.
It is, in short, an absolute masterpiece.
The standard way to describe it would be to say that there has been no movie like it before or since, but I can think of two very unlikely films to which to compare Chinatown. In much the same way that Christopher Nolan's Batman films have a way of convincing an audience that the goings-on in the film are realistic despite being nothing remotely resembling reality, Chinatown pulls the same cinematic magic trick. »
Robert Towne Fiddled With 'Chinatown' While Roman Was Away (Exclusive)
5 April 2012 5:31 PM, PDT | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
"Chinatown," the 1974 film classic released this week on Blu-ray, was forged by a grand design and a series of fortunate accidents. That's one of the takeaways from Paramount’s feature-laden Blu-ray version, for which its Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Towne oversaw the color timing work. The Blu-ray version does full justice to every artful detail, right down to the rich tapestry of browns that was the original. Also read: Robert Towne to Write 'Battle of Britain' for Gk Films Even more importantly, along with a nice array of extra features, this Blu-ray boasts a tandem »
- Fred Schruers
Turning 100 in Hollywood: The Beverly Hills Hotel, Clive Davis' Home Away From Home
4 April 2012 8:27 PM, PDT | The Hollywood Reporter | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news »
This story originally appeared in the April 13 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. Paramount, Universal, the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Los Angeles Aqueduct are among the town's icons celebrating centennials, as legends from Clive Davis to Robert Towne share with THR their personal memories. In part one, Davis discusses his second home in La. ♦♦♦♦♦ Clive Davis on the Beverly Hills Hotel The template for Hollywood's off-hours glamour was set with the opening of The Beverly Hills Hotel on May 12, 1912. Countless stars and moguls have camped out at the hotel's famous bungalows over the years, among
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- THR Staff
5 April DVD Titles You Should Know About, Including 'Chinatown,' 'A Trip To The Moon' & 'Girl On A Motorcycle'
4 April 2012 11:05 AM, PDT | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
While the future of home entertainment may be rapidly moving towards a digital streaming-led future, we can't be the only movie nerds who still love owning a physical copy of something. Sure, BluRay and DVD might be scratchable, easily lost and adorned by terrible box art, but there's something about the feeling of finding an undiscovered gem in the depths of a store, or getting a rarity in the post, that doesn't quite compare to clicking and watching something on Netflix.
As such, starting with this column, every month we're going to pick out five BluRays or DVDs new to the market that no self-respecting cinephile's shelves could do without. Some are shiny new versions of stone-cold classics, some are obscurities, some might even be brand new releases (although less often: those are covered pretty well elsewhere). Read on for more.
"Chinatown" (1974)
Why You Should Care: Simply put, it's one »
- Drew Taylor
'Chinatown,' 'War Horse': This Week On Video
3 April 2012 2:01 PM, PDT | MTV Movies Blog | See recent MTV Movies Blog news »
The Video Score is your guide to everything you need to know about what's out this week, all in one place. What's available? Which formats? Is it streaming? How much will it set you back? We'll break down the week's biggest new releases and some smaller ones that deserve your attention. Check back each Tuesday to find out what's hot that week and where you can catch it all!
Pick of the Week
"Chinatown" (1974)
Director: Roman Polanski
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
Story:
J.J. Gittes is a private investigator who gets roped in a conspiracy in 1930s Los Angeles that involves the wife of an engineer, her tycoon father and the resource the town needs most of all, water. "Chinatown" played a key role in a golden age of filmmaking and remains a classic to this day.
On the Disc:
The audio commentary by writer Robert Towne »
- Kevin P. Sullivan
TCM Film Festival, Hollywood, April 12-15
2 April 2012 8:45 AM, PDT | Cinemaretro.com | See recent CinemaRetro news »
TCM host Robert Osborne.
It's that time of year: the annual Turner Classic Movies Film Festival is about to take over Hollywood for four great days: April 12-15. An incredible number of classic movies will be screened, with TCM host Robert Osborne interviewing legendary actors and filmmmakers. It's a non-stop retro movie lover's dream and nobody does it better than TCM. Among the guests expected this year: Kirk Douglas, Stanley Donen, Eunice Gayson (the first James Bond girl), Rhonda Fleming, Angie Dickinson, John Landis, Norman Jewison, Liza Minnelli, Kim Novak, Debbie Reynolds, Robert Towne, Rhonda Fleming, Mel Brooks, John Carpenter and many, many more. There are different levels of festival membership, so click here for info.
Film critic Jonathan Melville will be covering the festival for Cinema Retro, so look for his updates.
Click here to read Cinema Retro's 2008 exclusive interview with Robert Osborne.
While in Hollywood, make sure you »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
TCM Classic Film Festival Continues To Expand In Final Weeks Before April 12 Opening
28 March 2012 1:28 PM, PDT | WeAreMovieGeeks.com | See recent WeAreMovieGeeks.com news »
Latest Additions Include Star-Studded Appearances, Noted Film Historians,
An Opening-Night Poolside Screening of High Society (1956)
And a Vanity Fair Showcase of Architecture in Film
Complete Schedule for 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival
Now Available at http://www.tcm.com/festival
With just over two weeks left before opening day, the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival continues to expand its already-packed slate with new events and live appearances:
On opening night of the festival, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will be the site of a poolside screening of the lavish Cole Porter musical High Society (1956), starring Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. Actresses Maud Adams and Eunice Gayson will attend a 50th Anniversary screening of the James Bond classic Dr. No (1962) and participate in a conversation about being “Bond Girls.” Filmmaker Mel Brooks will be on hand to introduce his brilliant parody Young Frankenstein (1974). Filmmaker John Carpenter will introduce his favorite film, the »
- Michelle McCue
I Happen to Like My Nose... I Like Breathing Through It!
26 March 2012 12:44 PM, PDT | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news »
I must have watched Roman Polanski's Chinatown about three times over the last week or so as Paramount's new Blu-ray (out on April 3) recently arrived and I began digging through its contents. I never received the 2009 Centenial Edition for review, which added an all new audio commentary with David Fincher and writer Robert Towne. That, along with seven additional featurettes and a high-definition transfer and Dolby TrueHD audio track, are included here and make it well worth a purchase. Of course, as far as I'm concerned, this is a movie that continues to grow on me tot he point that, back in 2009, it was one of the five films I listed I would want if I was trapped on a desert island. Watching it again only confirms that choice. Moody and atmospheric, ripe with director Roman Polanski's talent for tension, loaded with spectacularly iconic performances and some of the best screenwriting around, »
- Brad Brevet
Did You Know 'Mission: Impossible 2' is a Remake of Hitchcock's 'Notorious'? Here, Have a Look...
13 February 2012 11:02 AM, PST | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news »
Photo: Paramount Home Entertainment Fox recently released three Alfred Hitchcock classics on Blu-ray and I've already covered Rebecca in my dissection of Hitchcock's use of flashbacks and then I explored Spellbound and my three favorite aspects of that film. Now I turn to Notorious, and while Rebecca may be the only film from Hitchcock to ever win Oscar's Best Picture, Notorious may be one of the helmer's most beloved features. Curiously enough, did you know it is actually the unofficial source material for the most loathed installment in Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible franchise? Not that you would know by the film's credits... When I popped the Notorious Blu-ray into the player, I first noticed it features a strong improvement when it comes to image quality when compared to the previously released DVD edition, but it wasn't too far into the film that I began to realize it held a »
- Brad Brevet
Mark Cousins's "The Story of Film"
1 February 2012 9:14 AM, PST | MUBI | See recent MUBI news »
"There have been lots of books that tell the history of the movies, but so far almost no films," Mark Cousins told indieWIRE's Peter Knegt last September. We should qualify that statement, of course. As Nick Pinkerton notes in the Voice, there have been documentaries on the history of cinema, though some might filter that history "through the director's particular prejudices or national heritage (Godard's Histoire(s) du Cinéma, finally released on DVD last December; Oshima's 100 Years of Japanese Cinema; A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies). Or it might mean sticking to one facet of the timeline, as in historian Kevin Brownlow's extraordinary work on the medium's adolescence, Hollywood."
That point made, back to Cousins: "You can sit in a room to write a book about movies, but to tell the story of how a flickering Victorian novelty became a global art form on film, you have to travel the world, »
Patton Oswalt, J.K. Simmons and Lena Dunham Steal the Show at Jason Reitman's 'Shampoo' Reading
21 January 2012 10:37 AM, PST | The Hollywood Reporter | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news »
Despite the cold, a sold-out crowd stood in line all the way around the Bing Theater at Lacma Jan. 19 for Film Independent's reading of the script for Robert Towne's and Warren Beatty's 1975 sex satire Shampoo by big names like Kate Hudson and Bradley Cooper. Jason Reitman, the inventor of Lacma's monthly, always sold-out "Live Read" program, told the audience, "You are the only people who will ever see this!" Video was forbidden, freeing the stars to let their hair down unrehearsed. It felt like a party game. It was worth seeing, even though Shampoo is trickier
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- Tim Appelo
Films To Watch Before You Die #44 - Chinatown (1974)
12 January 2012 12:20 PM, PST | Flickeringmyth | See recent Flickeringmyth news »
D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die...
Chinatown, 1974.
Directed by Roman Polanski.
Starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston.
Chinatown is Roman Polanski’s classic neo-noir film set in Los Angeles during the California Water Wars of 1937. The multi-layered story full of twists and turns crosses mystery and psychological drama as it unravels itself and it’s lead character.
The story follows Jake (Nicholson), a private investigator hired to perform surveillance on the chief engineer of the La Department of Water and Power, Hollis Mulwray, by his supposed wife, Evelyn. When Jake catches him with a young woman and the photos hit the front page of the newspaper the next day Jake finds himself confronted by the real Evelyn (Dunaway). Realising he has been duped Jake attempts to figure out the mystery behind the fake Evelyn and his hiring »
- flickeringmyth
Polanski’s ‘Chinatown’ gets a 2012 Blu-Ray Release
11 January 2012 7:40 AM, PST | Destroy the Brain | See recent Destroy the Brain news »
My interest in Roman Polanski’s Chinatown originally stemmed from John Carpenter mentioning it as an influence in the lighting of his classic, Halloween. I remember being infatuated for a year or more with Chinatown. Something about that film is haunting yet seductive. I can’t wait to see it in high-definition and Paramount is looking to fulfill my wish.
From the Press Release:
Hollywood, Calif. — Teeming with murder, corruption, greed and sex, director Roman Polanski’s unforgettable classic Chinatown arrives for the first time ever on Blu-ray April 3, 2012 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. Starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston, the film follows an intricate web of deception as private investigator Jake Gittes (Nicholson) unravels a mystery involving water rights that are critical to the development of Los Angeles, as well as unspeakable family secrets. Written by Academy Award® winner Robert Towne, Chinatown was nominated for 11 Oscars® and »
- Andy Triefenbach
Movie News After Dark: Bond on Blu, Brigitte Bardot, Downton Abbey, Kick-Ass 2 and Jon Benjamin in Archer
10 January 2012 7:36 PM, PST | FilmSchoolRejects.com | See recent FilmSchoolRejects news »
What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly movie news column that, tonight, is focused on a cornacopia of new Blu-ray release information. From James Bond to Jake Gittes, it’s going to be a beautiful year of high definition goodness. There is also non-Blu-ray news, for those who like variety. We begin tonight with a look at the box for Bond 50, the upcoming release of the Golden Anniversary Blu-ray edition of all 22 James Bond films on Blu-ray for the first time as one complete offering. MGM and Fox laid out plans at CES today, which included making it available for pre-order right now. Put simply, it’s beautiful. They even delivered a trailer, which I’ve included after the jump. We’ve also received word today that Paramount Home Video intends to release Chinatown on Blu-ray on April 3, 2012. As you can see to the right, the cover art is gorgeous. Beyond »
- Neil Miller
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 1998
1-20 of 21 items from 2012 « Prev | Next »
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