The Who‘s Pete Townshend produced a classic rock song that became one of the most influential one-hit wonders ever. Subsequently, The Who covered the hit themselves. Townshend revealed what he thought of the cover in retrospect.
The Who’s Pete Townshend produced a song for a shock-rocker whom he called ‘incredible’
Arthur Brown is most known as the lead singer of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. He became known for his over-the-top performance style which inspired many shock rockers and art rockers who came after him. One of his trademarks was a pyrotechnic helmet.
During a 1968 interview with Rolling Stone, Townshend was asked which group he enjoyed the most. “Arthur Brown I think is an incredible show,” he said. “What I dig in a performance, in an event, is essentially to be communicated to, to feel part of an audience. I always feel like an audience because I...
The Who’s Pete Townshend produced a song for a shock-rocker whom he called ‘incredible’
Arthur Brown is most known as the lead singer of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. He became known for his over-the-top performance style which inspired many shock rockers and art rockers who came after him. One of his trademarks was a pyrotechnic helmet.
During a 1968 interview with Rolling Stone, Townshend was asked which group he enjoyed the most. “Arthur Brown I think is an incredible show,” he said. “What I dig in a performance, in an event, is essentially to be communicated to, to feel part of an audience. I always feel like an audience because I...
- 7/20/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
No plans this weekend? Let us fix that for you. Welcome to The Independent’s Arts Agenda, our brand new guide to the very best culture to catch up with across your Saturday and Sunday.
Carefully curated by our critics and editors, this round-up will bring you our hot tips across art, film, TV, theatre, dance, comedy, opera, books and music. Whether it’s a must-see newly opened show, or a gem you might have missed, we hope our recommendations mean you’re never stuck for something to see or do.
This week, if you haven’t watched The Last of Us yet, our TV Editor Ellie Harrison says you’re in store for a treat, while our Arts Editor Jessie Thompson is very curious about Melanie C’s Sadler’s Wells dance show. Elsewhere, our Film Editor Adam White says you can now watch Damien Chazelle’s Babylon at...
Carefully curated by our critics and editors, this round-up will bring you our hot tips across art, film, TV, theatre, dance, comedy, opera, books and music. Whether it’s a must-see newly opened show, or a gem you might have missed, we hope our recommendations mean you’re never stuck for something to see or do.
This week, if you haven’t watched The Last of Us yet, our TV Editor Ellie Harrison says you’re in store for a treat, while our Arts Editor Jessie Thompson is very curious about Melanie C’s Sadler’s Wells dance show. Elsewhere, our Film Editor Adam White says you can now watch Damien Chazelle’s Babylon at...
- 1/20/2023
- by Culture Staff
- The Independent - TV
Adaptations, by their very nature, are divisive. Fans and critics alike have debated whether or not a film surpassed the source material it's based on, or if audiences are better off with the original text. "The Hunger Games," "Harry Potter," and "Twilight" all took pop culture by storm; on the other, the "Divergent" franchise came and went without much fanfare. It's rather surprising that "The Iron Giant" has never entered the conversation, as it technically is based on a book; that book, in turn, inspired an entire musical.
"The Iron Giant" draws from "The Iron Man," a short story by Ted Hughes...
The post The Rock 'N' Roll Version of the Iron Giant We Never Got to See appeared first on /Film.
"The Iron Giant" draws from "The Iron Man," a short story by Ted Hughes...
The post The Rock 'N' Roll Version of the Iron Giant We Never Got to See appeared first on /Film.
- 3/16/2022
- by Collier Jennings
- Slash Film
Even before he was James Bond, Daniel Craig was making a name for himself as a talented actor on the rise. He’d already been in an action blockbuster (“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”) and an acclaimed period piece (“Elizabeth”) years before 007 came calling. And while he’s best known for his work in two franchises — Bond and “Knives Out,” which just wrapped the second of three planned films — here are some of his other roles that are worth checking out.
Road to Perdition (2002)
If Craig were to make this film today, he would be heralded for being cast against type — as Connor Rooney, the weak and sniveling son of a mob boss (Paul Newman) whose unpredictable nature sets the entire plot in motion. First, he botches a simple meeting by killing an associate. Then, out of jealousy and spite, he tries to kill his father’s beloved enforcer Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) and his family.
Road to Perdition (2002)
If Craig were to make this film today, he would be heralded for being cast against type — as Connor Rooney, the weak and sniveling son of a mob boss (Paul Newman) whose unpredictable nature sets the entire plot in motion. First, he botches a simple meeting by killing an associate. Then, out of jealousy and spite, he tries to kill his father’s beloved enforcer Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) and his family.
- 10/6/2021
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
Real-Life Mothers Who Starred in Films With Their Kids, From Meryl Streep to Angelina Jolie (Photos)
Meryl Streep and Mamie Gummer, “Ricki and the Flash”
The mother-daughter duo starred in this 2015 film directed by Jonathan Demme.
Demi Moore and Rumer Willis, “Striptease
Actually, this mother-daughter team is a frequent on-screen collaborator. They first appeared together in 1995’s “Now and Then, as well as 1996’s “Striptease.”
Carrie Fisher and Billie Lourd, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
Billie Lourd starred alongside her late mother Carrie Fisher in “The Last Jedi,” Fisher’s last role before she died. Of course, Fisher reprised her famous role of Princess Leia.
Maureen O’Sullivan and Mia Farrow, “Hannah and Her Sisters”
O’Sullivan and Farrow starred together in the 1986 film, written and directed by Woody Allen, with whom Farrow was in a relationship.
Susan Sarandon and Eva Amurri Martino, “That’s My Boy” and “The Banger Sisters”
Another mother-daughter pair that’s in more than one film together, Susan Sarandon and her daughter Eva...
The mother-daughter duo starred in this 2015 film directed by Jonathan Demme.
Demi Moore and Rumer Willis, “Striptease
Actually, this mother-daughter team is a frequent on-screen collaborator. They first appeared together in 1995’s “Now and Then, as well as 1996’s “Striptease.”
Carrie Fisher and Billie Lourd, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
Billie Lourd starred alongside her late mother Carrie Fisher in “The Last Jedi,” Fisher’s last role before she died. Of course, Fisher reprised her famous role of Princess Leia.
Maureen O’Sullivan and Mia Farrow, “Hannah and Her Sisters”
O’Sullivan and Farrow starred together in the 1986 film, written and directed by Woody Allen, with whom Farrow was in a relationship.
Susan Sarandon and Eva Amurri Martino, “That’s My Boy” and “The Banger Sisters”
Another mother-daughter pair that’s in more than one film together, Susan Sarandon and her daughter Eva...
- 5/9/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Prolific producer also discusses new Rose Glass feature, a documentary and TV projects.
One of the few UK titles selected for this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival is Rose Glass’ psychological horror Saint Maud.
Programmed in the Kinoscope Surreal sidebar, the film was feted in Toronto but has been stuck in limbo due to the Covid-19 crisis, which saw cinemas close around the world.
“Just to see the brakes going on it, of course, it is frustrating,” said Saint Maud producer Andrea Cornwell. “We were days away from getting on a plane and doing a Q&a tour around the States when lockdown happened.
One of the few UK titles selected for this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival is Rose Glass’ psychological horror Saint Maud.
Programmed in the Kinoscope Surreal sidebar, the film was feted in Toronto but has been stuck in limbo due to the Covid-19 crisis, which saw cinemas close around the world.
“Just to see the brakes going on it, of course, it is frustrating,” said Saint Maud producer Andrea Cornwell. “We were days away from getting on a plane and doing a Q&a tour around the States when lockdown happened.
- 8/14/2020
- by 57¦Geoffrey Macnab¦41¦
- ScreenDaily
Brad Bird’s “The Iron Giant,” the box-office failure that became Hollywood’s last great 2D-animated movie, celebrates its 20th anniversary today. Warner Bros. premiered it at the Tcl Chinese Theater, where it will screen the cult classic tonight, and Bird still marvels at the unlikely success of his directorial debut, a 1957 Cold War fable about a giant alien robot (Vin Diesel).
“It became a success, in spite of serious obstacles,” said Bird, who went on to win Oscars at Pixar for “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille.” “It has survived by great word of mouth. That’s incredibly gratifying because it’s not tied to hype or products. It’s just about people discovering the story and being moved by it. It’s a testament to the efforts of an underdog team that made the film.”
Based on a Ted Hughes novel and initially developed by The Who’s Pete Townshend as an animated musical,...
“It became a success, in spite of serious obstacles,” said Bird, who went on to win Oscars at Pixar for “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille.” “It has survived by great word of mouth. That’s incredibly gratifying because it’s not tied to hype or products. It’s just about people discovering the story and being moved by it. It’s a testament to the efforts of an underdog team that made the film.”
Based on a Ted Hughes novel and initially developed by The Who’s Pete Townshend as an animated musical,...
- 8/6/2019
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Spoiler Alert: This story contains details of tonight’s second episode of Game Of Thrones Season 8. Btw – we’ll be reviewing and recapping every episode of the final season of the HBO series right up to and including the May 19 finale.
If there truly is honor among thieves, then the “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” second episode of the final season of Game of Thrones made it clear that dishonorable and desperate men and women will make any and every alliance they have to when decimation is truly coming from an Army of the Dead.
Or in the words of a suddenly contrite Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau): “This goes beyond loyalty. This about survival.”
Opening with the interrogation teased last week, Lannister faces Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) to quickly admit that Cersei (Lena Headey) lied when she promised in Season 7 to send troops to assist in the defense...
If there truly is honor among thieves, then the “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” second episode of the final season of Game of Thrones made it clear that dishonorable and desperate men and women will make any and every alliance they have to when decimation is truly coming from an Army of the Dead.
Or in the words of a suddenly contrite Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau): “This goes beyond loyalty. This about survival.”
Opening with the interrogation teased last week, Lannister faces Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) to quickly admit that Cersei (Lena Headey) lied when she promised in Season 7 to send troops to assist in the defense...
- 4/22/2019
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s foreign-language Oscar race has no precedent. For the first time, everybody in Los Angeles who participated in phase one was also invited to winnow down the shortlist of nine nominees to five. That greatly increased the number of voters, as did international members being allowed to stream the shortlist.
Over the last three years, the Academy has made it easier to participate in the phase-one foreign-language Oscar nominating committee, which had a noticeable impact on the overall nominations. Foreign-language films appear in the Best Picture, Director, and acting races as well as Production Design, Cinematography, and Hair and Makeup.
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
New foreign committee chairs, screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and documentarian Diane Weyermann, pushed for inclusion. “Reaching out to other Academy members worked,” said Karaszewski, “with the profile of many of these films on a level that hasn’t been seen in the foreign language category in a while.
Over the last three years, the Academy has made it easier to participate in the phase-one foreign-language Oscar nominating committee, which had a noticeable impact on the overall nominations. Foreign-language films appear in the Best Picture, Director, and acting races as well as Production Design, Cinematography, and Hair and Makeup.
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
New foreign committee chairs, screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and documentarian Diane Weyermann, pushed for inclusion. “Reaching out to other Academy members worked,” said Karaszewski, “with the profile of many of these films on a level that hasn’t been seen in the foreign language category in a while.
- 2/15/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
This year’s foreign-language Oscar race has no precedent. For the first time, everybody in Los Angeles who participated in phase one was also invited to winnow down the shortlist of nine nominees to five. That greatly increased the number of voters, as did international members being allowed to stream the shortlist.
Over the last three years, the Academy has made it easier to participate in the phase-one foreign-language Oscar nominating committee, which had a noticeable impact on the overall nominations. Foreign-language films appear in the Best Picture, Director, and acting races as well as Production Design, Cinematography, and Hair and Makeup.
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
New foreign committee chairs, screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and documentarian Diane Weyermann, pushed for inclusion. “Reaching out to other Academy members worked,” said Karaszewski, “with the profile of many of these films on a level that hasn’t been seen in the foreign language category in a while.
Over the last three years, the Academy has made it easier to participate in the phase-one foreign-language Oscar nominating committee, which had a noticeable impact on the overall nominations. Foreign-language films appear in the Best Picture, Director, and acting races as well as Production Design, Cinematography, and Hair and Makeup.
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
New foreign committee chairs, screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and documentarian Diane Weyermann, pushed for inclusion. “Reaching out to other Academy members worked,” said Karaszewski, “with the profile of many of these films on a level that hasn’t been seen in the foreign language category in a while.
- 2/15/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Jonas Mekas' As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty(2000) is showing April 3 - May 3, 2018 in the United Kingdom.“Dear Mrs. S.: Life is going on. Nothing new, but we are very busy. Factories and our film obsessions. We have joined a couple of experimental film clubs, just to find out more about what’s going on and to meet people. We even screened some of our footage for them.”—Jonas Mekas, I Had Nowhere to GoFrom those inauspicious beginnings, Jonas Mekas became the man regularly referred to as the godfather of the American avant-garde. His films were landmarks of the independent film scene, essayistic diaries that bristled against the prescriptions of commercial cinema but more importantly brimmed with vitality. Like kaleidoscopic patchworks of New York life they shared intimate moments and gave—indeed continue to give—an evocative glimpse into a teeming cultural epoch.
- 4/29/2018
- MUBI
Neeson voices a monster who helps a bullied boy cope with his mother’s terminal illness in a dramatic, affecting tale
Ja Bayona, director of The Orphanage, shows how a child’s fantasy can make sense of the world and our feelings about it: we create our own monsters to exorcise anger and grief. This sweet, sad movie reminded me at various stages of Let the Right One In, Pan’s Labyrinth and Ted Hughes’s The Iron Man; there’s also a briefly visible model of Frankenstein’s monster, maybe alluding to Victor Erice’s The Spirit of the Beehive. It is based on an idea by children’s author Siobhan Dowd, who poignantly conceived of the story as she was dying of cancer; Patrick Ness wrote the book and the screenplay adaptation.
Newcomer Lewis MacDougall plays Conor, a lonely kid whose mum (Felicity Jones) is dying; he is...
Ja Bayona, director of The Orphanage, shows how a child’s fantasy can make sense of the world and our feelings about it: we create our own monsters to exorcise anger and grief. This sweet, sad movie reminded me at various stages of Let the Right One In, Pan’s Labyrinth and Ted Hughes’s The Iron Man; there’s also a briefly visible model of Frankenstein’s monster, maybe alluding to Victor Erice’s The Spirit of the Beehive. It is based on an idea by children’s author Siobhan Dowd, who poignantly conceived of the story as she was dying of cancer; Patrick Ness wrote the book and the screenplay adaptation.
Newcomer Lewis MacDougall plays Conor, a lonely kid whose mum (Felicity Jones) is dying; he is...
- 12/29/2016
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
It used to be, movies surprised us when we took our seats. We didn’t have so many sources for news and trailers a decade or so back. On Tuesdays, Warner Bros screened new films after hours and one night, the DC Comics crew filed in to see an animated feature called The Iron Giant. We didn’t know much about it or Brad Bird, the man behind it.
We were utterly charmed. None of us knew Ted Hughes’ The Iron Man book it was based on but found the 1950s setting perfect, and the old style animation well-done. Best, it had heart and soul and humor and a robot who wants to be Superman. What’s not to love?
Warner moved the release date so late in the process that tie-ins missed the opening and the marketing wasn’t what it should have been. As a result, this modern day classic withered and vanished.
We were utterly charmed. None of us knew Ted Hughes’ The Iron Man book it was based on but found the 1950s setting perfect, and the old style animation well-done. Best, it had heart and soul and humor and a robot who wants to be Superman. What’s not to love?
Warner moved the release date so late in the process that tie-ins missed the opening and the marketing wasn’t what it should have been. As a result, this modern day classic withered and vanished.
- 9/9/2016
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Here’s some fitting news for the “queer, sultry summer” we’re currently in the midst of: Kirsten Dunst is stepping behind the camera for the first time to direct “The Bell Jar.” Dakota Fanning will star in the actress-turned-filmmaker’s adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s melancholy classic, which Dunst co-wrote with Nellie Kim. Deadline first broke the news.
Read More: Report: Sofia Coppola Directing ‘The Beguiled’ With Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning
Long a favorite among forlorn teens and undergrads the world over, Plath’s only novel (originally published under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas) remains her best-known work, though her two poetry collections, “Ariel” and “The Colossus and Other Poems,” are revered as well. Plath, who famously struggled with depression throughout her life, committed suicide in 1963 at the age of 30; “The Bell Jar” wasn’t released in the United States until eight years later, owing to the wishes of her mother and husband,...
Read More: Report: Sofia Coppola Directing ‘The Beguiled’ With Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning
Long a favorite among forlorn teens and undergrads the world over, Plath’s only novel (originally published under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas) remains her best-known work, though her two poetry collections, “Ariel” and “The Colossus and Other Poems,” are revered as well. Plath, who famously struggled with depression throughout her life, committed suicide in 1963 at the age of 30; “The Bell Jar” wasn’t released in the United States until eight years later, owing to the wishes of her mother and husband,...
- 7/20/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
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We're celebrating 50 brilliant UK independent bookshops. If your favourite is missing, please add it to the list below...
In Neil Gaiman’s preface to Shelf Life: Fantastic Stories Celebrating Bookstores, he describes four bookshops from his childhood. One was a travelling school shop, one a local store staffed by a helpful hippy where he’d pick up 25p Tom Disch novels, another was a bus ride away and owned by a Grinch who’d glower at schoolchildren customers, and the last was a now-defunct Soho sci-fi and fantasy treasure trove. Four individual shops run by booksellers with distinct personalities and idiosyncratic tastes. All of which made Gaiman what he is.
That’s the joy of independent bookshops. Their personalities shape those of the people who visit them. They’re not homogenous. Their stock tends to reflect their passions rather than the year's best-performing unit-shifters. And their...
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We're celebrating 50 brilliant UK independent bookshops. If your favourite is missing, please add it to the list below...
In Neil Gaiman’s preface to Shelf Life: Fantastic Stories Celebrating Bookstores, he describes four bookshops from his childhood. One was a travelling school shop, one a local store staffed by a helpful hippy where he’d pick up 25p Tom Disch novels, another was a bus ride away and owned by a Grinch who’d glower at schoolchildren customers, and the last was a now-defunct Soho sci-fi and fantasy treasure trove. Four individual shops run by booksellers with distinct personalities and idiosyncratic tastes. All of which made Gaiman what he is.
That’s the joy of independent bookshops. Their personalities shape those of the people who visit them. They’re not homogenous. Their stock tends to reflect their passions rather than the year's best-performing unit-shifters. And their...
- 6/10/2016
- Den of Geek
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From Flushed Away and Hunchback to Titan A.E. and Sky High - the family movies that don't get the love they deserve...
When I sit through a film such as Zootropolis, Rango, Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Eddie The Eagle or Coraline, I can’t help but be thankful somebody has bothered. As a parent as well as a movie lover, I’ve grown to really dislike family movies that just turn up to act as a surrogate babysitter for 90 minutes, with no intention of becoming anybody’s favourite film. The films I'm going to talk about are the family movies therefore that I think both try and do something a bit more, yet continue to fly under many people's radar.
A bonus mention before we get going, and number 26 in the list, much to my surprise: Alvin & The Chipmunks 4. I was expecting next to zero from it, courtesy...
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From Flushed Away and Hunchback to Titan A.E. and Sky High - the family movies that don't get the love they deserve...
When I sit through a film such as Zootropolis, Rango, Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Eddie The Eagle or Coraline, I can’t help but be thankful somebody has bothered. As a parent as well as a movie lover, I’ve grown to really dislike family movies that just turn up to act as a surrogate babysitter for 90 minutes, with no intention of becoming anybody’s favourite film. The films I'm going to talk about are the family movies therefore that I think both try and do something a bit more, yet continue to fly under many people's radar.
A bonus mention before we get going, and number 26 in the list, much to my surprise: Alvin & The Chipmunks 4. I was expecting next to zero from it, courtesy...
- 5/26/2016
- Den of Geek
Burbank, CA, March 29, 2016 – The classic beloved animated tale The Iron Giant returns to home screens when The Iron Giant: Signature Edition is released for the first time on Blu-ray on September 6. Also available on September 6 will be an Ultimate Collectors Edition. The 1999 film directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Tomorrowland) has been fully remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes.
When The Iron Giant arrived in theaters, it was hailed as an “instant classic” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal). “Imagine E.T.as a towering metal man, that’s the appeal of this enchanting animated feature” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). And the world soon learned another “giant” had arrived as well: filmmaker Brad Bird, who made his stunning directorial debut with this film and has gone on to win two Oscars®, as well as worldwide acclaim for his work on both animated and live-action features.
When The Iron Giant arrived in theaters, it was hailed as an “instant classic” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal). “Imagine E.T.as a towering metal man, that’s the appeal of this enchanting animated feature” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). And the world soon learned another “giant” had arrived as well: filmmaker Brad Bird, who made his stunning directorial debut with this film and has gone on to win two Oscars®, as well as worldwide acclaim for his work on both animated and live-action features.
- 3/30/2016
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Brad Bird's much beloved (and rightfully so) The iron Giant is finally making it's way to the high definition format, along with some brand new bonus features for fans to delve into. Come inside for all the info!
In the year 2016 it seems inexplicable that such an iconic and amazing movie like The Iron Giant hasn't made its way to blu-ray. Well, here we are, and somehow it's happened. Thankfully, Warner Bros. is now remedying this, and bringing the film out on September 6, 2016. Best of all, it comes with an all new bonus documentary!
The classic beloved animated tale “The Iron Giant” returns to home screens when “The Iron Giant: Signature Edition” is released for the first time on Blu-ray on September 6. Also available on September 6 will be an “Ultimate Collectors Edition.” The 1999 film directed by Brad Bird (“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” “Tomorrowland”) has been...
In the year 2016 it seems inexplicable that such an iconic and amazing movie like The Iron Giant hasn't made its way to blu-ray. Well, here we are, and somehow it's happened. Thankfully, Warner Bros. is now remedying this, and bringing the film out on September 6, 2016. Best of all, it comes with an all new bonus documentary!
The classic beloved animated tale “The Iron Giant” returns to home screens when “The Iron Giant: Signature Edition” is released for the first time on Blu-ray on September 6. Also available on September 6 will be an “Ultimate Collectors Edition.” The 1999 film directed by Brad Bird (“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” “Tomorrowland”) has been...
- 3/29/2016
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Jordan Maison)
- Cinelinx
Brad Bird’s non-digital animation of the 1968 children’s story has an irresistible simplicity and charm
A warm welcome back for Brad Bird’s sweet-natured animation from 1999, an adaptation of Ted Hughes’s 1968 children’s story The Iron Man. Bird transplanted the story from England to 1950s smalltown America: a metal-eating iron giant from outer-space crashlands in rural Maine, biting lumps out of automobiles and power stations; he looks like every red-scare Twilight Zone fantasy come true. But the Iron Giant is scared and lonely and a little kid called Hogarth becomes his only friend. Watching this again 17 years after its original release, I savoured again the resemblances to Spielberg, Wilde and Brian Forbes’s Whistle Down the Wind. The Iron Giant predates Bird’s 2003 gem The Incredibles and its non-digital animated style has simplicity and charm; in 2016, it looks closer to the Japanese tradition. A lovely film to revisit.
A warm welcome back for Brad Bird’s sweet-natured animation from 1999, an adaptation of Ted Hughes’s 1968 children’s story The Iron Man. Bird transplanted the story from England to 1950s smalltown America: a metal-eating iron giant from outer-space crashlands in rural Maine, biting lumps out of automobiles and power stations; he looks like every red-scare Twilight Zone fantasy come true. But the Iron Giant is scared and lonely and a little kid called Hogarth becomes his only friend. Watching this again 17 years after its original release, I savoured again the resemblances to Spielberg, Wilde and Brian Forbes’s Whistle Down the Wind. The Iron Giant predates Bird’s 2003 gem The Incredibles and its non-digital animated style has simplicity and charm; in 2016, it looks closer to the Japanese tradition. A lovely film to revisit.
- 2/11/2016
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Yesterday was Sylvia Plath’s 86th birthday, and over in London, the drama surrounding her life and death is still swirling. Fifty-two years on from her suicide, things have reached a rather unpoetic stage. At issue is a new biography of her widower, the poet Ted Hughes, by the scholar Jonathan Bate.The earliest questions didn’t have to do with Plath. The Hughes estate withdrew its cooperation from the project last year, and earlier this month sent its publisher, HarperCollins, a cease-and-desist letter, citing “18 factual errors or unsupported assertions in just 16 pages of the book.” These at first seemed not a matter of much significance, as first among them was the question of whether on the day of his death, along the way to Devon with Hughes’s body in a hearse, the procession stopped, “as Ted the gastronome would have wanted, for a good lunch.” Carol Hughes, his...
- 10/28/2015
- by Christian Lorentzen
- Vulture
UK TV ratings round-up - data supplied by Barb
Strictly Come Dancing enjoyed a series high of nearly 9 million viewers last night (October 10), according to overnight figures.
The BBC One dance competition averaged 8.91 million (43.5%) from 6.20pm and a peak of 9.92 million (47.5%) at 7.30pm.
Afterwards, Doctor Who rose to 4.38 million (21.%) with 'Before the Flood'. Casualty treated 4.42 million (22.6%), and The National Lottery Live earned 3.43 million (20.1%).
On BBC Two, a Dad's Army repeat entertained 1.71 million (8.4%), before Ted Hughes: Stronger Than Death was watched by 404k (2.2%).
ITV's Rugby World Cup coverage of England's match against Uruguay appealed to 3.49 million (17.3%) from 7.15pm.
Over on Channel 4, Celebrity Benchmark managed 362k (1.8%) from 7pm. Britain's Best Loved Sitcoms was seen by 851k (4.1%), and At Home with Steph and Dom logged 1.2 million (6.1%).
Channel 5's Now That's Funny! averaged 655k (3.1%), while Football League Tonight had an audience of 224k (1.1%).
Strictly Come Dancing enjoyed a series high of nearly 9 million viewers last night (October 10), according to overnight figures.
The BBC One dance competition averaged 8.91 million (43.5%) from 6.20pm and a peak of 9.92 million (47.5%) at 7.30pm.
Afterwards, Doctor Who rose to 4.38 million (21.%) with 'Before the Flood'. Casualty treated 4.42 million (22.6%), and The National Lottery Live earned 3.43 million (20.1%).
On BBC Two, a Dad's Army repeat entertained 1.71 million (8.4%), before Ted Hughes: Stronger Than Death was watched by 404k (2.2%).
ITV's Rugby World Cup coverage of England's match against Uruguay appealed to 3.49 million (17.3%) from 7.15pm.
Over on Channel 4, Celebrity Benchmark managed 362k (1.8%) from 7pm. Britain's Best Loved Sitcoms was seen by 851k (4.1%), and At Home with Steph and Dom logged 1.2 million (6.1%).
Channel 5's Now That's Funny! averaged 655k (3.1%), while Football League Tonight had an audience of 224k (1.1%).
- 10/11/2015
- Digital Spy
Wamg has your free tickets to see The Iron Giant on the big screen!
Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events have announced that tickets are now on sale for the animated action adventure “The Iron Giant,” being re-released in theaters for a limited engagement this fall, remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes as The Iron Giant: Signature Edition.
This special screening comes to U.S. movie theaters on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with an encore event in select markets on Sunday, October 4 at 12:00 p.m. local time.
When The Iron Giant arrived in theaters, it was hailed as an “instant classic” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal). “Imagine E.T. as a towering metal man, that’s the appeal of this enchanting animated feature” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). And the world soon learned another “giant” had arrived as well: filmmaker Brad Bird, who made...
Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events have announced that tickets are now on sale for the animated action adventure “The Iron Giant,” being re-released in theaters for a limited engagement this fall, remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes as The Iron Giant: Signature Edition.
This special screening comes to U.S. movie theaters on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with an encore event in select markets on Sunday, October 4 at 12:00 p.m. local time.
When The Iron Giant arrived in theaters, it was hailed as an “instant classic” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal). “Imagine E.T. as a towering metal man, that’s the appeal of this enchanting animated feature” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). And the world soon learned another “giant” had arrived as well: filmmaker Brad Bird, who made...
- 9/23/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
As you may have heard, The Iron Giant is getting a re-release on Blu-ray a little later this year (you can check out the trailer below). The film, which is based on Ted Hughes’ 1968 novel The Iron Man, tells the story of a young boy who finds a giant robot that fell to earth from space
The post Vin Diesel Teases Plans for a Sequel to The Iron Giant appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Vin Diesel Teases Plans for a Sequel to The Iron Giant appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 9/1/2015
- by Josh Wilding
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Vin Diesel may have hinted at The Iron Giant 2 - but director Brad Bird says it's not going to happen...
Vin Diesel is a busy man with sequels right now, given that he's planning to shoot xXx 3 starting this December, before moving onto Fast & Furious 8. On his Facebook page over the weekend, he seemed to tease another one too.
He wrote that "I have been very lucky to have played so many interesting characters ... one of the first and one of my favorites is... the Iron Giant". So far, few people would be disagreeing with his choice. If you've not had the pleasure of watching The Iron Giant movie, then that's something well worth remedying.
Diesel then added "P.S. Don't be surprised when you hear WB announce the sequel".
Surprised? We'd be flat-out shocked. Appreciating that author Ted Hughes also penned a follow-up book, The Iron Woman, it...
Vin Diesel is a busy man with sequels right now, given that he's planning to shoot xXx 3 starting this December, before moving onto Fast & Furious 8. On his Facebook page over the weekend, he seemed to tease another one too.
He wrote that "I have been very lucky to have played so many interesting characters ... one of the first and one of my favorites is... the Iron Giant". So far, few people would be disagreeing with his choice. If you've not had the pleasure of watching The Iron Giant movie, then that's something well worth remedying.
Diesel then added "P.S. Don't be surprised when you hear WB announce the sequel".
Surprised? We'd be flat-out shocked. Appreciating that author Ted Hughes also penned a follow-up book, The Iron Woman, it...
- 9/1/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Vin Diesel may be taking a break from Fast & Furious sequels and making a return to animation if his Facebook page is anything to go by.
Posting a trailer for the 1999 film The Iron Giant last night, the actor also teased that a possible sequel to the film could be announced very soon.
I have been very lucky to have played so many interesting characters... one of the first and one of my favourites is... the Iron Giant.P.s. Don't be surprised when you hear WB announce the sequel.
Posted by Vin Diesel on Friday, 28 August 2015
"I have been very lucky to have played so many interesting characters," the actor shared alongside the video. "One of the first and one of my favourites is... the Iron Giant.
"P.s. Don't be surprised when you hear WB announce the sequel."
The tease comes after it was confirmed a remastered version...
Posting a trailer for the 1999 film The Iron Giant last night, the actor also teased that a possible sequel to the film could be announced very soon.
I have been very lucky to have played so many interesting characters... one of the first and one of my favourites is... the Iron Giant.P.s. Don't be surprised when you hear WB announce the sequel.
Posted by Vin Diesel on Friday, 28 August 2015
"I have been very lucky to have played so many interesting characters," the actor shared alongside the video. "One of the first and one of my favourites is... the Iron Giant.
"P.s. Don't be surprised when you hear WB announce the sequel."
The tease comes after it was confirmed a remastered version...
- 8/29/2015
- Digital Spy
Watch the trailer for what many consider to be one of the best animated films in cinema history, The Iron Giant.
Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events have announced that tickets are now on sale for the movie, being re-released in theaters for a limited engagement this fall, remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes as The Iron Giant: Signature Edition.
This special screening comes to U.S. movie theaters on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with an encore event in select markets on Sunday, October 4 at 12:00 p.m. local time. See this one on the big screen!
Tickets for The Iron Giant: Signature Edition can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.com, or by visiting participating cinema box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 500 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For...
Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events have announced that tickets are now on sale for the movie, being re-released in theaters for a limited engagement this fall, remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes as The Iron Giant: Signature Edition.
This special screening comes to U.S. movie theaters on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with an encore event in select markets on Sunday, October 4 at 12:00 p.m. local time. See this one on the big screen!
Tickets for The Iron Giant: Signature Edition can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.com, or by visiting participating cinema box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 500 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For...
- 8/27/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events are proud to announce that Brad Bird’s animated action adventure The Iron Giant will be re-released in theaters for a limited engagement this fall, remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes as “The Iron Giant: Signature Edition.” This special screening comes to U.S. movie theaters on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with an encore event in select markets on Sunday, October 4 at 12:00 p.m. local time.
Bird went on Twitter and posted these two posters:
Good to be working with an old friend. See #TheIronGiant at #Sdcc & learn more about the #SignatureEdition #rerelease pic.twitter.com/AMrSeeJQVY
— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) July 7, 2015
A cool new poster for an old friend. See #TheIronGiant at #Sdcc & learn more about the #SignatureEdition #rerelease pic.twitter.com/iPmXQZ3Fyn
— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) July 8, 2015
The ticket on-sale date and theater locations for The Iron Giant...
Bird went on Twitter and posted these two posters:
Good to be working with an old friend. See #TheIronGiant at #Sdcc & learn more about the #SignatureEdition #rerelease pic.twitter.com/AMrSeeJQVY
— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) July 7, 2015
A cool new poster for an old friend. See #TheIronGiant at #Sdcc & learn more about the #SignatureEdition #rerelease pic.twitter.com/iPmXQZ3Fyn
— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) July 8, 2015
The ticket on-sale date and theater locations for The Iron Giant...
- 7/8/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Ever wondered where Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn got the gumption to voice-cast Vin Diesel as a space-beast whose body contains surprise weapons, an unexpectedly potent soul, and a propensity to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his friends?
Then look no further than Diesel's emotional titular performance in The Iron Giant - an animated spectacular that, if it didn't set the template for tender tree Groot, we'll eat our machine-gunning raccoon. And, with helmer Brad Bird's science-fiction epic Tomorrowland firing into cinemas on May 22, there's no better time to search it out.
But, frankly, you shouldn't need an excuse. The Iron Giant is the greatest Pixar movie the studio never made, a vivid combination of genuinely funny comedy, wonderfully observed characters, and rich attention to detail. Oh, and it's got so much heart it'd make a Terminator cry.
Released in 1999 by Warner Brothers, it's rarely mentioned...
Then look no further than Diesel's emotional titular performance in The Iron Giant - an animated spectacular that, if it didn't set the template for tender tree Groot, we'll eat our machine-gunning raccoon. And, with helmer Brad Bird's science-fiction epic Tomorrowland firing into cinemas on May 22, there's no better time to search it out.
But, frankly, you shouldn't need an excuse. The Iron Giant is the greatest Pixar movie the studio never made, a vivid combination of genuinely funny comedy, wonderfully observed characters, and rich attention to detail. Oh, and it's got so much heart it'd make a Terminator cry.
Released in 1999 by Warner Brothers, it's rarely mentioned...
- 5/17/2015
- Digital Spy
The Blu-ray of The Iron Giant might finally be edging closer. But there may also be a cinema re-release too...
Regular readers of this site will know that we have a habit of banging on about Brad Bird's 1999 animated movie, The Iron Giant. Based on Ted Hughes' book, the film is a genuinely exceptional family movie, that packs more into under 80 minutes that the vast majority of animated movies can dream of. We looked back at The Iron Giant in more detail, here.
While on the promotional tour for his new film, Tomorrowland, Brad Bird has been asked about the status of The Iron Giant's Blu-ray release for a start, and Bird confirmed that all sorts of talks had taken place over the years. "There was going to be a five year thing, there was talking about it being in 3D at one point. Then there was...
Regular readers of this site will know that we have a habit of banging on about Brad Bird's 1999 animated movie, The Iron Giant. Based on Ted Hughes' book, the film is a genuinely exceptional family movie, that packs more into under 80 minutes that the vast majority of animated movies can dream of. We looked back at The Iron Giant in more detail, here.
While on the promotional tour for his new film, Tomorrowland, Brad Bird has been asked about the status of The Iron Giant's Blu-ray release for a start, and Bird confirmed that all sorts of talks had taken place over the years. "There was going to be a five year thing, there was talking about it being in 3D at one point. Then there was...
- 5/12/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
The Muppets - 1.15pm, BBC One
Featuring original songs written by Flight of the Conchords star Bret McKenzie, The Muppets sees Gary (Jason Segel), his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) and his brother Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) attempt to save the Muppet theatre by getting Kermit and the gang back together for one final performance.
Et: The Extra-Terrestrial - 3.15pm, ITV2
In this classic family adventure from Steven Spielberg, 10-year-old Elliott (Henry Thomas) bonds with a being from another planet, which sets the scene for a thrilling and emotional finale.
Clueless - 3.10pm, Film4
Jane Austen's Emma is given a makeover as a pulpy teen rom-com starring Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd. Zippy one-liners and a great cast make this one of the all-time great high school movies.
The Iron Giant - 5.05pm, Film4
One of the few animated classics that doesn't originate from the Disney powerhouse, The Iron Giant...
Featuring original songs written by Flight of the Conchords star Bret McKenzie, The Muppets sees Gary (Jason Segel), his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) and his brother Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) attempt to save the Muppet theatre by getting Kermit and the gang back together for one final performance.
Et: The Extra-Terrestrial - 3.15pm, ITV2
In this classic family adventure from Steven Spielberg, 10-year-old Elliott (Henry Thomas) bonds with a being from another planet, which sets the scene for a thrilling and emotional finale.
Clueless - 3.10pm, Film4
Jane Austen's Emma is given a makeover as a pulpy teen rom-com starring Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd. Zippy one-liners and a great cast make this one of the all-time great high school movies.
The Iron Giant - 5.05pm, Film4
One of the few animated classics that doesn't originate from the Disney powerhouse, The Iron Giant...
- 4/5/2015
- Digital Spy
The Muppets - 1.15pm, BBC One
Featuring original songs written by Flight of the Conchords star Bret McKenzie, The Muppets sees Gary (Jason Segel), his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) and his brother Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) attempt to save the Muppet theatre by getting Kermit and the gang back together for one final performance.
Et: The Extra-Terrestrial - 3.15pm, ITV2
In this classic family adventure from Steven Spielberg, 10-year-old Elliott (Henry Thomas) bonds with a being from another planet, which sets the scene for a thrilling and emotional finale.
Clueless - 3.10pm, Film4
Jane Austen's Emma is given a makeover as a pulpy teen rom-com starring Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd. Zippy one-liners and a great cast make this one of the all-time great high school movies.
The Iron Giant - 5.05pm, Film4
One of the few animated classics that doesn't originate from the Disney powerhouse, The Iron Giant...
Featuring original songs written by Flight of the Conchords star Bret McKenzie, The Muppets sees Gary (Jason Segel), his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) and his brother Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) attempt to save the Muppet theatre by getting Kermit and the gang back together for one final performance.
Et: The Extra-Terrestrial - 3.15pm, ITV2
In this classic family adventure from Steven Spielberg, 10-year-old Elliott (Henry Thomas) bonds with a being from another planet, which sets the scene for a thrilling and emotional finale.
Clueless - 3.10pm, Film4
Jane Austen's Emma is given a makeover as a pulpy teen rom-com starring Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd. Zippy one-liners and a great cast make this one of the all-time great high school movies.
The Iron Giant - 5.05pm, Film4
One of the few animated classics that doesn't originate from the Disney powerhouse, The Iron Giant...
- 4/5/2015
- Digital Spy
[Press Release] Los Angeles -- February 25th sees the digital release of 11 of Pete Townshend’s solo albums digitally as part of a new deal with Umc / Universal Music. An extensive reissue program for Townshend’s solo material that will see the catalog remastered and reworked is planned to start later this year and will run into 2016. The 11 digital album releases cover Who Came First, his collaboration with The Faces’ Ronnie Lane Rough Mix, his musical version of Ted Hughes’s The Iron Man, his collections of demos Scoop, Another Scoop and Scoop 3, as well as the albums Empty Glass, All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, White City, Psychoderelict and the live album Deep End Live! featuring David Gilmour. Who Came First This 1972 release was the first release by Pete Townshend outside...
- 2/26/2015
- by Pietro Filipponi
- The Daily BLAM!
Catch Me Daddy
Written and directed by Daniel and Matthew Wolfe
UK, 2014
Set in the once pristine West Yorkshire Moors, Catch Me Daddy is a nightmarish thriller about cultural tension, depravation and violence in modern day Britain. It takes as its starting point the Ted Hughes poem ‘Heptonstall Old Church’, in which creation myth gives way to apocalyptic vision. The great bird which brings life to the region dies and afterwards: ‘Its giant bones / Blackened and became a mystery / The crystal in men’s heads / Blackened and fell to pieces / The valleys went out / The moorland broke loose.’ Recited coarsely in a young man’s voice, over bleak, contemporary landscapes, the poem is a discomforting prelude for what is to come.
On the run from her strict and dangerous family, Pakistani teenager, Laila (Sameena Jabeen Ahmed), and her boyfriend, Aaron (Conor McCarron), are living on a dilapidated caravan site. They seem happy enough,...
Written and directed by Daniel and Matthew Wolfe
UK, 2014
Set in the once pristine West Yorkshire Moors, Catch Me Daddy is a nightmarish thriller about cultural tension, depravation and violence in modern day Britain. It takes as its starting point the Ted Hughes poem ‘Heptonstall Old Church’, in which creation myth gives way to apocalyptic vision. The great bird which brings life to the region dies and afterwards: ‘Its giant bones / Blackened and became a mystery / The crystal in men’s heads / Blackened and fell to pieces / The valleys went out / The moorland broke loose.’ Recited coarsely in a young man’s voice, over bleak, contemporary landscapes, the poem is a discomforting prelude for what is to come.
On the run from her strict and dangerous family, Pakistani teenager, Laila (Sameena Jabeen Ahmed), and her boyfriend, Aaron (Conor McCarron), are living on a dilapidated caravan site. They seem happy enough,...
- 2/21/2015
- by Rob Dickie
- SoundOnSight
Review Caroline Moran 3 Apr 2014 - 07:32
Forces from outer space bring metal to life in Metal Shifters. And you know what? It's not bad...
Welcome back to Mystery DVD Club. The idea behind this is simple: we went and bought a whole host of films that we hadn't heard of before, none of which cost us more than a few pounds. Then, we sent them to a bunch of our writers, without telling them what 'film' they were going to receive. Could we unearth a hidden gem? Actually, we might have done...
It's a tale as old as time. A junk-yard owner builds a 20-foot fully-articulated human-like statue from scrap metal and car parts in a small Idaho town. Meanwhile, some bacteria falls to earth on a crashed satellite and turns out to have a physics-defying ability to move metal. Bacteria 'possesses' statue. Chaos ensues.
At first, Metal Shifters looks...
Forces from outer space bring metal to life in Metal Shifters. And you know what? It's not bad...
Welcome back to Mystery DVD Club. The idea behind this is simple: we went and bought a whole host of films that we hadn't heard of before, none of which cost us more than a few pounds. Then, we sent them to a bunch of our writers, without telling them what 'film' they were going to receive. Could we unearth a hidden gem? Actually, we might have done...
It's a tale as old as time. A junk-yard owner builds a 20-foot fully-articulated human-like statue from scrap metal and car parts in a small Idaho town. Meanwhile, some bacteria falls to earth on a crashed satellite and turns out to have a physics-defying ability to move metal. Bacteria 'possesses' statue. Chaos ensues.
At first, Metal Shifters looks...
- 4/1/2014
- by sarahd
- Den of Geek
They conquered panel shows with Shooting Stars and now they're hoping to have the same success with their very first sitcom.
Vic and Bob's House of Fools is an early contender for the silliest show of 2014, but it could well also be one of the funniest.
Digital Spy caught up with the comedy legends to try to make some sense of their surreal series.
Have you ever actually lived together?
Bob: "I'd be too messy for Jim. I s**t in cups. And I wee in cans. I drink a can and then I have a wee into the can. It's exactly the same amount of liquid when you wee it back into the can. It's beautiful."
Vic: "Does it have the same amount of froth?"
Bob: "No, it's more watery."
Vic: "What do you do with it then?"
Bob: "I just feel a bit sad when I see it the next morning.
Vic and Bob's House of Fools is an early contender for the silliest show of 2014, but it could well also be one of the funniest.
Digital Spy caught up with the comedy legends to try to make some sense of their surreal series.
Have you ever actually lived together?
Bob: "I'd be too messy for Jim. I s**t in cups. And I wee in cans. I drink a can and then I have a wee into the can. It's exactly the same amount of liquid when you wee it back into the can. It's beautiful."
Vic: "Does it have the same amount of froth?"
Bob: "No, it's more watery."
Vic: "What do you do with it then?"
Bob: "I just feel a bit sad when I see it the next morning.
- 1/14/2014
- Digital Spy
Odd List Ryan Lambie Simon Brew 21 Nov 2013 - 05:51
The underappreciated films of 1999 are the focus in our last list of 90s overlooked greats...
The year 1999 was a significant year for film in many ways. Apart from being the year that George Lucas began his Star Wars prequels with The Phantom Menace, it also saw the release of The Blair Witch Project, a horror film which became one of the first to use the internet as a marketing tool, resulting in a massive hit. The Matrix ushered in a new age of special effects filmmaking, arguably paving the way for the superhero blockbusters crowding into multiplexes today.
Mainly, though, 1999 was simply a brilliant year for film. Justly lauded movies like Fight Club, The Green Mile and Eyes Wide Shut aside, there were a huge number of films that didn't get the critical or financial success they deserved - so many,...
The underappreciated films of 1999 are the focus in our last list of 90s overlooked greats...
The year 1999 was a significant year for film in many ways. Apart from being the year that George Lucas began his Star Wars prequels with The Phantom Menace, it also saw the release of The Blair Witch Project, a horror film which became one of the first to use the internet as a marketing tool, resulting in a massive hit. The Matrix ushered in a new age of special effects filmmaking, arguably paving the way for the superhero blockbusters crowding into multiplexes today.
Mainly, though, 1999 was simply a brilliant year for film. Justly lauded movies like Fight Club, The Green Mile and Eyes Wide Shut aside, there were a huge number of films that didn't get the critical or financial success they deserved - so many,...
- 11/20/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Moving bits of paper around (the old way) or painting with billions of pixels (the new) has conjured up some of the greatest films of all time. From The Iron Giant to Persepolis, Guardian and Observer critics pick the 10 best
• Top 10 war movies
• Top 10 teen movies
• Top 10 superhero movies
• Top 10 westerns
• Top 10 documentaries
• Top 10 movie adaptations
• More Guardian and Observer critics' top 10s
10. The Tale of the Fox
A sneaky fox plays a series of underhand tricks on his neighbours in the animal kingdom, among them a timorous hare and a gullible wolf. The king of the beasts, a lion, summons him to face charges but the fox proceeds to outwit everyone, including the king himself. When Ladislas Starevich told this tale in the 1930s it was by no means new – versions of the Reynard story had been circulating around Europe for the best part of a millennium – but the...
• Top 10 war movies
• Top 10 teen movies
• Top 10 superhero movies
• Top 10 westerns
• Top 10 documentaries
• Top 10 movie adaptations
• More Guardian and Observer critics' top 10s
10. The Tale of the Fox
A sneaky fox plays a series of underhand tricks on his neighbours in the animal kingdom, among them a timorous hare and a gullible wolf. The king of the beasts, a lion, summons him to face charges but the fox proceeds to outwit everyone, including the king himself. When Ladislas Starevich told this tale in the 1930s it was by no means new – versions of the Reynard story had been circulating around Europe for the best part of a millennium – but the...
- 11/20/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
Producer Alison Owen says it is “crazy to say the internet is going to kill off movies”.Scroll down for full speech
Alison Owen, managing director of Ruby Film and Television, has used her keynote speech at the BFI London Film Festival to defend the art of movie storytelling and play down the threat of the internet.
Speaking at the Curzon Soho this afternoon, Owen said: “There’s many a Cassandra touting the death of the movie industry. But is that true?
“It is crazy to say the internet is going to kill off movies… The problem is not technology per se but the management of that technology – and the lack of a pervasive business model.”
Using YouTube clips such as “Charlie bit my finger”, Owen said such content was “incredibly simple” and that “people still want good stories”.
“As digital comes of age, there’s going to be more and more demand for content,” she said.
“If...
Alison Owen, managing director of Ruby Film and Television, has used her keynote speech at the BFI London Film Festival to defend the art of movie storytelling and play down the threat of the internet.
Speaking at the Curzon Soho this afternoon, Owen said: “There’s many a Cassandra touting the death of the movie industry. But is that true?
“It is crazy to say the internet is going to kill off movies… The problem is not technology per se but the management of that technology – and the lack of a pervasive business model.”
Using YouTube clips such as “Charlie bit my finger”, Owen said such content was “incredibly simple” and that “people still want good stories”.
“As digital comes of age, there’s going to be more and more demand for content,” she said.
“If...
- 10/18/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Producer Alison Owen says it is “crazy to say the internet is going to kill off movies”.Scroll down for full speech
Alison Owen, managing director of Ruby Film and Television, has used her keynote speech at the BFI London Film Festival to defend the art of movie storytelling and play down the threat of the internet.
Speaking at the Curzon Soho this afternoon, Owen said: “There’s many a Cassandra touting the death of the movie industry. But is that true?
“It is crazy to say the internet is going to kill off movies… The problem is not technology per se but the management of that technology – and the lack of a pervasive business model.”
Using YouTube clips such as “Charlie bit my finger”, Owen said such content was “incredibly simple” and that “people still want good stories”.
“As digital comes of age, there’s going to be more and more demand for content,” she said.
“If...
Alison Owen, managing director of Ruby Film and Television, has used her keynote speech at the BFI London Film Festival to defend the art of movie storytelling and play down the threat of the internet.
Speaking at the Curzon Soho this afternoon, Owen said: “There’s many a Cassandra touting the death of the movie industry. But is that true?
“It is crazy to say the internet is going to kill off movies… The problem is not technology per se but the management of that technology – and the lack of a pervasive business model.”
Using YouTube clips such as “Charlie bit my finger”, Owen said such content was “incredibly simple” and that “people still want good stories”.
“As digital comes of age, there’s going to be more and more demand for content,” she said.
“If...
- 10/18/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
London, Oct 9: A new book has revealed the daily routines of the most creative minds that the world has seen.
The book 'Daily Rituals' has been written by author Mason Currey.
According to the book, Ludwig van Beethoven rose at dawn and wasted little time getting down to work. He had coffee in his breakfast with 60 beans per cup, the BBC reported.
Poetess Sylvia Plath has also been featured in the book. The book revealed that she was in a near-constant struggle to find and stick to a productive writing schedule. Only near the end of her life, while separated from her husband, Ted Hughes, and she started taking care of their two small children alone, was she able to find a routine that clicked for her.
The.
The book 'Daily Rituals' has been written by author Mason Currey.
According to the book, Ludwig van Beethoven rose at dawn and wasted little time getting down to work. He had coffee in his breakfast with 60 beans per cup, the BBC reported.
Poetess Sylvia Plath has also been featured in the book. The book revealed that she was in a near-constant struggle to find and stick to a productive writing schedule. Only near the end of her life, while separated from her husband, Ted Hughes, and she started taking care of their two small children alone, was she able to find a routine that clicked for her.
The.
- 10/9/2013
- by Rahul Kapoor
- RealBollywood.com
Benjamin Franklin spent his mornings naked. Patricia Highsmith ate only bacon and eggs. Marcel Proust breakfasted on opium and croissants. The path to greatness is paved with a thousand tiny rituals (and a fair bit of substance abuse) – but six key rules emerge
One morning this summer, I got up at first light – I'd left the blinds open the night before – then drank a strong cup of coffee, sat near-naked by an open window for an hour, worked all morning, then had a martini with lunch. I took a long afternoon walk, and for the rest of the week experimented with never working for more than three hours at a stretch.
This was all in an effort to adopt the rituals of some great artists and thinkers: the rising-at-dawn bit came from Ernest Hemingway, who was up at around 5.30am, even if he'd been drinking the night before; the strong coffee was borrowed from Beethoven,...
One morning this summer, I got up at first light – I'd left the blinds open the night before – then drank a strong cup of coffee, sat near-naked by an open window for an hour, worked all morning, then had a martini with lunch. I took a long afternoon walk, and for the rest of the week experimented with never working for more than three hours at a stretch.
This was all in an effort to adopt the rituals of some great artists and thinkers: the rising-at-dawn bit came from Ernest Hemingway, who was up at around 5.30am, even if he'd been drinking the night before; the strong coffee was borrowed from Beethoven,...
- 10/5/2013
- by Oliver Burkeman
- The Guardian - Film News
The erstwhile star of Cats returns to watch some young successors in Calder Valley where he took summer acting courses as a young man. Josh Elderfield reports
Actor Brian Blessed, who played in the original West End production of Cats, is returning to his acting roots in Yorkshire to see a production of the show featuring children from the Calder Valley Youth Theatre later this month.
Blessed, who played Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 classic, will be at the opening night at the Halifax Playhouse on 14 November. The show, performed by youth theatre members between the ages of eight and 18, will run at the Playhouse for four nights.
Blessed, the son of a miner and strong socialist from Mexborough in South Yorkshire, came to the Calder Valley in the 1950s as a 'summer student' at Calder high school. He was entranced by the drama classes...
Actor Brian Blessed, who played in the original West End production of Cats, is returning to his acting roots in Yorkshire to see a production of the show featuring children from the Calder Valley Youth Theatre later this month.
Blessed, who played Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 classic, will be at the opening night at the Halifax Playhouse on 14 November. The show, performed by youth theatre members between the ages of eight and 18, will run at the Playhouse for four nights.
Blessed, the son of a miner and strong socialist from Mexborough in South Yorkshire, came to the Calder Valley in the 1950s as a 'summer student' at Calder high school. He was entranced by the drama classes...
- 11/1/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
These days, Brad Bird is one of the most sought after directors around. He helmed "The Incredibles" for Pixar, still one of the company's best and biggest hits, and took over troubled project "Ratatouille" at the last minute, helping turn it into another classic and global hit. And last year, he made his live-action debut with the thrilling "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," which became the biggest film of Tom Cruise's career, and will follow it up in the near future with the Damon Lindelof-penned sci-fi "1952." But Bird has not always been so blessed. His first feature film, "The Iron Giant," while glowingly reviewed, was a huge flop on release. Loosely based on Ted Hughes' book, the film was set in the 1950s, and followed Hogarth, a young boy (Eli Marienthal) who discovers a giant alien robot (Vin Diesel) who's fallen from the space. Together with his mother...
- 8/6/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
Danny Boyle's Olympic opening ceremony may turn a little darker after evoking Blake's 'green and pleasant land', but writers have found poetry in progress ever since the industrial revolution
With the contents of the opening ceremony shrouded in mystery for a few hours yet, the signs are that Danny Boyle will follow imagery inspired by William Blake's "green and pleasant Land" with a vision of "dark Satanic Mills" – much to the horror of the Daily Mail.
But from the dawn of the Industrial Revolution some writers have found light in all this darkness, breathlessly hailing the sublime aspects of awe-inspiring infernos and discerning triumphant signs of progress and prosperity.
John Dyer's poem The Fleece (1757) describes in exhaustive detail every aspect of the textile industry over four hopelessly heroic volumes, and the work was one of the earliest literary descriptions of the Industrial Revolution. William Wordsworth later explained...
With the contents of the opening ceremony shrouded in mystery for a few hours yet, the signs are that Danny Boyle will follow imagery inspired by William Blake's "green and pleasant Land" with a vision of "dark Satanic Mills" – much to the horror of the Daily Mail.
But from the dawn of the Industrial Revolution some writers have found light in all this darkness, breathlessly hailing the sublime aspects of awe-inspiring infernos and discerning triumphant signs of progress and prosperity.
John Dyer's poem The Fleece (1757) describes in exhaustive detail every aspect of the textile industry over four hopelessly heroic volumes, and the work was one of the earliest literary descriptions of the Industrial Revolution. William Wordsworth later explained...
- 7/27/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
This study of the day-to-day life of an enigmatic Scottish hermit is intriguing and valuable
What a strange and intriguing film. In grainy, woozy monochrome, and all but wordless, it presents the day-to-day life of an old man who lives utterly alone in remote Scotland in a ramshackle house with a broken-down caravan in the grounds – his background is unexplained. Cutting wood, doing chores, fishing from an inflatable raft, sorting through old photos, he has the look of a hermit or bearded Russian patriarch. The title of this study of extreme solitude reminded me of Ted Hughes's poem Wind: "This house has been far out at sea all night." It is influenced by Andrew Kotting, who is thanked in the credits, and possibly the Argentinian film-maker Lisandro Alonso, although one surreal moment with the caravan reminded me of those weirdo/deadpan Guinness commercials Jonathan Glazer made before moving into feature films.
What a strange and intriguing film. In grainy, woozy monochrome, and all but wordless, it presents the day-to-day life of an old man who lives utterly alone in remote Scotland in a ramshackle house with a broken-down caravan in the grounds – his background is unexplained. Cutting wood, doing chores, fishing from an inflatable raft, sorting through old photos, he has the look of a hermit or bearded Russian patriarch. The title of this study of extreme solitude reminded me of Ted Hughes's poem Wind: "This house has been far out at sea all night." It is influenced by Andrew Kotting, who is thanked in the credits, and possibly the Argentinian film-maker Lisandro Alonso, although one surreal moment with the caravan reminded me of those weirdo/deadpan Guinness commercials Jonathan Glazer made before moving into feature films.
- 5/3/2012
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Our critics' picks of this week's openings, plus your last chance to see and what to book now
• Which cultural events are in your diary this week? Tell us in the comments below
Opening this weekTheatre
Enquirer
The Guardian's Deborah Orr is one of a team conducting the interviews with journalists for this timely site-specific verbatim piece about the media. Andrew O'Hagan co-edits a project directed and edited by Vicky Featherstone and John Tiffany. The Hub, Glasgow (0141-429 0022), 19 April to 13 May.
A History of Everything
The controversial Ghent-based company Ontroerend Goed returns to the UK with a show that offers a history of everything, from now back to the Big Bang. No small undertaking from a company that has delighted and challenged spectators with previous shows including the outrageous Audience. Drum, Plymouth (01752 267222), until 28 April.
Film
The Cabin in the Woods (dir. Drew Goddard)
A bunch of great-looking teens take a...
• Which cultural events are in your diary this week? Tell us in the comments below
Opening this weekTheatre
Enquirer
The Guardian's Deborah Orr is one of a team conducting the interviews with journalists for this timely site-specific verbatim piece about the media. Andrew O'Hagan co-edits a project directed and edited by Vicky Featherstone and John Tiffany. The Hub, Glasgow (0141-429 0022), 19 April to 13 May.
A History of Everything
The controversial Ghent-based company Ontroerend Goed returns to the UK with a show that offers a history of everything, from now back to the Big Bang. No small undertaking from a company that has delighted and challenged spectators with previous shows including the outrageous Audience. Drum, Plymouth (01752 267222), until 28 April.
Film
The Cabin in the Woods (dir. Drew Goddard)
A bunch of great-looking teens take a...
- 4/15/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
HuffPost TV sat down with "Doctor Who" stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan at the "Doctor Who" Convention in Cardiff, Wales on March 24 and 25 to talk about all things Whovian.
Smith chatted about his future as the Eleventh Doctor, the timing and manner of Amy and Rory's departure and what he would like to do next. Plus, find out what the cast's nickname is for "Doctor Who" showrunner Steven Moffat.
The stars weighed in on the Doctor's new companion, Jenna-Louise Coleman, and Smith threw down the gauntlet to "Who" wannabe, Helen Mirren. Read on for all of the scoop below.
Karen, do you have anything on a bucket list for Amy? Is there anything you want her to do before she leaves the Tardis?
Gillan: I don't know. I kind of, I know how I want her to go, and I actually know how she goes now ...
Really? Can you tell me?...
Smith chatted about his future as the Eleventh Doctor, the timing and manner of Amy and Rory's departure and what he would like to do next. Plus, find out what the cast's nickname is for "Doctor Who" showrunner Steven Moffat.
The stars weighed in on the Doctor's new companion, Jenna-Louise Coleman, and Smith threw down the gauntlet to "Who" wannabe, Helen Mirren. Read on for all of the scoop below.
Karen, do you have anything on a bucket list for Amy? Is there anything you want her to do before she leaves the Tardis?
Gillan: I don't know. I kind of, I know how I want her to go, and I actually know how she goes now ...
Really? Can you tell me?...
- 3/25/2012
- by Catherine Lawson
- Huffington Post
HuffPost TV sat down with "Doctor Who" stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan at the "Doctor Who" Convention in Cardiff, Wales on March 24 and 25 to talk about all things Whovian.
Smith chatted about his future as the Eleventh Doctor, the timing and manner of Amy and Rory's departure and what he would like to do next. Plus, find out what the cast's nickname is for "Doctor Who" showrunner Steven Moffat.
The stars weighed in on the Doctor's new companion, Jenna-Louise Coleman, and Smith threw down the gauntlet to "Who" wannabe, Helen Mirren. Read on for all of the scoop below.
Karen, do you have anything on a bucket list for Amy? Is there anything you want her to do before she leaves the Tardis?
Gillan: I don't know. I kind of, I know how I want her to go, and I actually know how she goes now ...
Really? Can you tell me?...
Smith chatted about his future as the Eleventh Doctor, the timing and manner of Amy and Rory's departure and what he would like to do next. Plus, find out what the cast's nickname is for "Doctor Who" showrunner Steven Moffat.
The stars weighed in on the Doctor's new companion, Jenna-Louise Coleman, and Smith threw down the gauntlet to "Who" wannabe, Helen Mirren. Read on for all of the scoop below.
Karen, do you have anything on a bucket list for Amy? Is there anything you want her to do before she leaves the Tardis?
Gillan: I don't know. I kind of, I know how I want her to go, and I actually know how she goes now ...
Really? Can you tell me?...
- 3/25/2012
- by Catherine Lawson
- Aol TV.
John Cusack has told how he immersed himself in the life of Edgar Allan Poe for his starring role as the American writer in new movie The Raven.
On screen and in the flesh, Cusack looks much younger than his 45 years, thanks in part to losing 25 pounds to play the drunken, impoverished poet.
"I went on a strict diet to look super-thin for The Raven, because he was underweight," says the actor. "He was world-famous but dirt-poor and he once showed up the White House drunk."
This gritty thriller sees Cusack's character join forces with young detective Emmett Fields, played by Luke Evans (Immortals), to hunt down a serial killer who is using Poe's own works as the basis for a string of brutal murders.
Directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta), the film also stars Alice Eve (Sex and the City 2), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Faster).
Initially a suspect,...
On screen and in the flesh, Cusack looks much younger than his 45 years, thanks in part to losing 25 pounds to play the drunken, impoverished poet.
"I went on a strict diet to look super-thin for The Raven, because he was underweight," says the actor. "He was world-famous but dirt-poor and he once showed up the White House drunk."
This gritty thriller sees Cusack's character join forces with young detective Emmett Fields, played by Luke Evans (Immortals), to hunt down a serial killer who is using Poe's own works as the basis for a string of brutal murders.
Directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta), the film also stars Alice Eve (Sex and the City 2), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Faster).
Initially a suspect,...
- 3/17/2012
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to worthwhile titles currently streaming on Netflix Instant Watch. This week we offer alternatives to The Iron Lady, We Need to Talk About Kevin and Beauty and the Beast 3D.
In theaters this week, one of Disney’s biggest hits faces off against a brutal tale of motherhood’s dark side and a poetic portrait of problematic politician. Simply put, there’s some truly sensational cinema to be had. But if this won’t satisfy your film-seeing thirsts, we’ve got you covered with with a selection of bold biopics, alluring adventures, and dauntless dramas.
Meryl Streep makes her bid for Oscar gold playing one of Britain’s most controversial contemporary political figures: Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Phyllida Lloyd directs. [Full Review]
Biopics need not be a boys’ club.
Check out these daring dramas...
In theaters this week, one of Disney’s biggest hits faces off against a brutal tale of motherhood’s dark side and a poetic portrait of problematic politician. Simply put, there’s some truly sensational cinema to be had. But if this won’t satisfy your film-seeing thirsts, we’ve got you covered with with a selection of bold biopics, alluring adventures, and dauntless dramas.
Meryl Streep makes her bid for Oscar gold playing one of Britain’s most controversial contemporary political figures: Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Phyllida Lloyd directs. [Full Review]
Biopics need not be a boys’ club.
Check out these daring dramas...
- 1/12/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
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