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15 items from 2012
Fast Girls: how the Olympics dream inspired 'the new Chariots of Fire'
26 May 2012 4:13 PM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Fast Girls, a film about a British women's sprint relay team, might just repeat the success of the 1981 Oscar winner
When the film director Hugh Hudson and producer David Puttnam sought the perfect cast to play the athletes in Chariots of Fire, they wanted relative unknowns in the lead roles. Their strategy worked: the film went on to win four Oscars in 1981, earning the status of a British classic.
The director and producer of Fast Girls, a new British film about the UK athletics team, started from the same principle and with hope for the same outcome. Regan Hall, a New Zealander directing his first feature film, was determined to find young actresses who could be credible as elite athletes.
After holding racing auditions in Regent's Park, London, he and his producer, Damian Jones, selected those who would become the stars of their Gb sprint relay team, training for six »
- Vanessa Thorpe
'Ishtar': Seven Myths Regarding The Legendary Flop
21 May 2012 10:49 AM, PDT | Moviefone | See recent Moviefone news »
"If all of the people who hate 'Ishtar' had seen it, I would be a rich woman today." So said Elaine May in 2006, two decades after the Warren Beatty-Dustin Hoffman comedy she wrote and directed had become synonymous with "extravagant flop." (The film grossed $14.4 million on a $55 million budget.) Up until May 22, 1987 (the day it opened in theaters, 25 years ago), advance buzz on "Ishtar" was contentious; it was either a brilliant comic masterpiece or a textbook case of overreach on the part of two giant Hollywood egos to whom no one could say, "No." After the film's release... same thing. To this day, the movie is roundly mocked for its alleged awfulness (often by people who've never seen it), while a passionate cult of fans insists it's a lost work of misunderstood genius that never got its proper due from critics or moviegoers. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. »
- Gary Susman
As 'Battleship' Flops: Ten Other Memorable Box-Office Bombs
21 May 2012 10:43 AM, PDT | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
To have one giant money-losing tentpole is unfortunate. To have two starts to look careless, and that's what's happened to Taylor Kitsch. The actor, who broke out on TV's "Friday Night Lights," was seen as Hollywood's next great hope, picked out to star in two great big blockbusters with a combined cost of half-a-billion dollars. But when "John Carter" arrived in March, the film wildly underperformed, with Disney taking a hit of at least $100 million on the project. And after this weekend, it looks that his other film, "Battleship," is going to lose similar amounts.
The film, Universal & Hasbro's adaptation of the board game, directed by "Hancock" helmer Peter Berg, had taken the unusual step of opening everywhere else in the world six weeks ahead of the U.S, in the hope of bagging lucrative foreign coin and building buzz for the U.S. release. But while the film did ok abroad, »
- Oliver Lyttelton
Hugh Jackman and Tony Blair launch global film competition
11 May 2012 10:43 AM, PDT | Hollywoodnews.com | See recent Hollywoodnews.com news »
HollywoodNews.com: Today, Faith Shorts 2012, the Tony Blair Faith Foundation’s global short film competition, opens calls for entries from around the world. Any young person aged between 14 – 27 is invited to submit a short film showing how faith impacts their life and the lives of those around them.
These films will be judged by a high profile panel including: Tony Blair, Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Jet Li, Bollywood star Anil Kapoor, Oscar- winning producer David Puttnam, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia and British actress Dawn French. The winning filmmakers will be flown to London to have their films premiered at 195 Piccadilly, the home of BAFTA.
The Foundation is accepting film submissions from 29th March 2012, with the competition closes on 9th July. Faith Shorts is designed to be as accessible as possible. Those who don’t have access to film making equipment can apply to win a portable video camera, »
- Josh Abraham
Clip And Trailer For Chariots Of Fire Re-Release; In UK Theaters July 13 And On Blu-ray July 10
19 April 2012 3:20 PM, PDT | WeAreMovieGeeks.com | See recent WeAreMovieGeeks.com news »
With the Olympics set to kickoff in less than 100 days, take a look at the new trailer for the forthcoming re-release of Chariots Of Fire – in UK cinemas July 13th. For the first time in a generation, audiences across the UK will have the opportunity to enjoy the Great British movie classic, Chariots Of Fire on the big screen as Twentieth Century Fox, in association with The Sun and BT and with the support of the BFI, release the internationally acclaimed, multi Oscar®-winning Olympic drama in a stunning digitally restored version.
An official part of the London 2012 Festival, Chariots Of Fire will help get this summer.s Olympic celebrations off to a flying start on July 10th, with the British Premiere for the film taking place simultaneously in London.s Leicester Square, at Edinburgh.s iconic Festival Theatre, and at selected locations across the country. The events will be »
- Michelle McCue
Blu-ray Release: Chariots of Fire
30 March 2012 12:49 PM, PDT | Disc Dish | See recent Disc Dish news »
Blu-ray: July 10, 2012
Price: Blu-ray $35.99
Studio: Warner
The 1981 film drama Chariots of Fire, the 1982 winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture that tells the true story of two very different men competing in the 1924 Olympics, comes to Blu-ray for the first time in July, 2012 with its release coinciding with the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Directed by Hugh Hudson (I Dreamed of Africa), the 1981 film tells the tale of British sprinters Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross, Star Trek) and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson, (Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes) and the reasons that they run: Eric, a devout Scottish missionary runs because he knows it must please God, while Harold, the son of a newly wealthy Jew runs to prove his place in Cambridge society.
In addition to winning Best Picture, Chariots –which also features John Gielgud (Arthur) and Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings trilogy)–picked up Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, »
- Laurence
London 2012: Chariots of Fire wins Olympics re-release
26 March 2012 7:02 AM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Oscar-winning drama about two British sprinters competing in the 1924 Paris Olympics is to be re-released on 13 July to celebrate London 2012
The Oscar-winning 1981 British film Chariots of Fire is to return to cinemas more than three decades on to celebrate the London Olympics.
Starring Ben Cross and Ian Charleson as British sprinters competing in the Paris Olympics of 1924, Hugh Hudson's drama won four Oscars at the 1981 Academy Awards, including best picture, best original screenplay, best costume design and best original music for Vangelis's stirring synth-fuelled score. Its victory is famous for screenwriter Colin Welland's speech while collecting his Oscar, in which he declared: "The British are coming".
The digitally restored Chariots of Fire will be re-released in more than 100 UK cinemas from 13 July with £150,000 in funding from the British Film Institute. It opens two weeks ahead of the London 2012 Olympics' opening ceremony. A previously mooted stage adaptation, Hudson's own idea, »
- Ben Child
TV highlights 26/03/2012
25 March 2012 4:05 PM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news »
Just A Minute | Scott & Bailey | My Murder | Storyville: Tabloid – Sex In Chains | Ad Men | One Night
6pm, BBC2
To celebrate its 45th anniversary, the Radio 4 panel show returns to TV for the first time since the 1990s. The hiatus is not surprising: the format of four competitors getting 60 seconds to speak on a subject "without repetition, hesitation or deviation" is hardly visual. Or so you might imagine. The first episode, which finds host Nicholas Parsons overseeing Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Graham Norton and Phill Jupitus, reveals much about the panellists you might otherwise miss, notably Jupitus's genuine frustration at his own inability to avoid repetition. Jonathan Wright
Scott & Bailey
9pm, ITV1
Very little Scott in tonight's episode as Rachel copes with keeping her brother Dom out of jail. Meanwhile, she and her boss are called in to assist on a copycat rape case. The infamous perpetrator of »
- Jonathan Wright, David Stubbs, Julia Raeside, Andrew Mueller, Martin Skegg, John Robinson
Best Picture Chariots Of Fire Returns To Big Screen For London 2012 Festival
23 March 2012 9:12 AM, PDT | WeAreMovieGeeks.com | See recent WeAreMovieGeeks.com news »
This comes from what could be the voice of one (okay, maybe a few) - Chariots Of Fire deserved the statue when it won Best Picture in 1981. It’s upset at the 54th Academy Awards is still one of the most debated in the history of the Oscars. To all our lucky readers in the UK who haven’t had enough of the upcoming summer games yet and need a film to get them ready, here’s an opportunity that can’t be missed. For the first time since its theatrical release you will have the chance to enjoy Hugh Hudson and Lord Puttnam.s internationally acclaimed, multi Oscar®-winning Olympic drama Chariots of Fire on the big screen as part of the London 2012 Festival celebrations.
Twentieth Century Fox is working closely with the filmmakers and the BFI to bring Chariots of Fire back to 100 cinema screens up and down the country. »
- Michelle McCue
Search engines must delete links to pirate film sites, says Lord Puttnam
20 March 2012 7:32 AM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
The president of the UK Fda calls for the prioritisation of legal download sites and a campaign to show the fallout of film piracy
The head of the body which represents film distributors in the UK has demanded that internet search engines remove access to pirate sites which cost the industry hundred of millions of pounds each year, and prioritise links to legal downloads in its results.
The president of the UK Film Distributors' Association, Lord Puttnam, also called for a public information campaign to educate filmgoers on the potential fallout for the industry if people continue to download pirated films in high numbers.
In a speech to mark the publication of the association's 2012 yearbook, Puttnam also highlighted the successes of the past year for British film-makers. Much of his focus was, however, on concerns over the ongoing proliferation of illegal film sites. "A vital step for the technology sector »
- Ben Child
David Puttnam Says Links to Illegal Download Sites Should Be Deleted
20 March 2012 6:45 AM, PDT | backstage.com | See recent Backstage news »
London – U.K. Film Distributors' Association (Fda) president David Puttnam advocated a muscular approach to website enforcement against online piracy to help protect distributors and rights owners alike.Puttnam, a former Columbia Pictures chief and movie producer with “Chariots of Fire” and “The Killing Fields” on his resume who sits in the House of Lords as a voting lawmaker, said signposting "legitimate search options far more clearly" would be a step forward."A vital step for the technology sector is to signpost legitimate search options far more clearly and to delete links to sites that promote illegally sourced content," Puttnam said in a speech scheduled to be delivered Tuesday in the British capital to a gathered audience of movie industry reps.He also said the continued support and public investment in British film distribution during London Olympic year is essential so the sector doesn’t falter in the coming months.He »
- help@backstage.com (Stuart Kemp)
Rising Tide – DVD Review
28 February 2012 3:00 AM, PST | HeyUGuys.co.uk | See recent HeyUGuys news »
It is A-Level results day for a group of friends living in the North East of England. Some of them get the results they wanted, some not. With the group soon to be split up as they head off to different universities, they decide to catch an overnight coach to a nearby festival, but are thrown off in the middle of nowhere after making too much noise. They find themselves somehow stranded on a tidal island and so have to pitch their tents and light a fire, until the tide will allow them to walk back to the mainland. But Izzy, the most recent addition to the group, has been followed by someone from her past and suddenly, members of the group start to go missing.
*****
Rising Tide is an ultra-low budget independent film, the product of work-shopping and improvisation with a cast of young actors, under the supervision of »
- Dave Roper
BSkyB and ITV respond to UK film investment criticism
16 January 2012 9:32 AM, PST | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Statements follow government-backed report saying broadcasters should do more to invest in British film
Both BSkyB and ITV have moved to flag up the amount of money they put into the UK's creative industries after a government-backed report said they should do more to invest in British film.
Lord Smith, chairman of the Film Policy Review Panel, singled out the two broadcasters for failing to do enough to support British films, and suggested the government could legislate to guarantee they spend more money on big-screen output.
A spokesman for ITV said: "ITV invests almost £1bn annually in programming on its channels, with the majority focussed on original UK-produced content from a broad range of suppliers.
"This significant investment in the British production sector helps support the UK's broader creative economy, with last night's Golden Globes win for Downton Abbey just one example of the vital role ITV1 plays in creating »
- John Plunkett
British film industry report's bark proves worse than its bite
16 January 2012 9:13 AM, PST | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Fears of unalloyed commercialism were allayed as the review panel sought to incentivise success without stifling creativity
When David Cameron suggested last week that the British film industry should become more "dynamic and entrepreneurial", he set alarm bells ringing in cinema arthouses across the land. Commentators inferred the government's report into the British film industry would recommend that only sure-fire hits received funding.
So when it was unveiled on Monday, Chris Smith, chair of the independent film policy review panel, which produced the report, insisted it "advocated support for the widest possible type of films, from the commercial to the arty". He added that it would be impossible only to fund hits, since box-office success cannot be reliably predicted.
Nevertheless, the report, The Future of British Film, does aim to reduce what it calls the British film industry's "overall dependence on public funding" and incentivise commercial success.
There will be »
- Alex Needham
Laurence Olivier, Elizabeth Taylor, Charles Chaplin, Jennifer Saunders: BAFTA Fellowship Recipients
4 January 2012 12:43 PM, PST | Alt Film Guide | See recent Alt Film Guide news »
BAFTA Fellowship: Few Women, Few Outside UK/Hollywood, Steven Spielberg Before Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, Billy Wilder [Photo: Laurence Olivier] 1971 Alfred Hitchcock 1972 Freddie Young 1973 Grace Wyndham Goldie 1974 David Lean 1975 Jacques Cousteau 1976 Charles Chaplin, Laurence Olivier 1977 Denis Forman 1978 Fred Zinnemann 1979 Lew Grade, Huw Wheldon 1980 David Attenborough, John Huston 1981 Abel Gance, Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger 1982 Andrzej Wajda 1983 Richard Attenborough 1984 Hugh Greene, Sam Spiegel 1985 Jeremy Isaacs 1986 Steven Spielberg 1987 Federico Fellini 1988 Ingmar Bergman 1989 Alec Guinness 1990 Paul Fox 1991 Louis Malle 1992 John Gielgud, David Plowright 1993 Sydney Samuelson, Colin Young 1994 Michael Grade 1995 Billy Wilder 1996 Jeanne Moreau, Ronald Neame, John Schlesinger, Maggie Smith 1997 Woody Allen, Steven Bochco, Julie Christie, Oswald Morris, Harold Pinter, David Rose 1998 Sean Connery, Bill Cotton 1999 Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise, Elizabeth Taylor 2000 Michael Caine, Stanley Kubrick, Peter Bazalgette 2001 Albert Finney, John Thaw, Judi Dench 2002 Warren Beatty, Merchant Ivory Productions (James Ivory, Ismail Merchant) 2002 Andrew Davies, John Mills 2003 Saul Zaentz, David Jason 2004 John Boorman, Roger Graef 2005 John Barry, David Frost 2006 David Puttnam, »
- Andre Soares
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1992
15 items from 2012
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