When filmmaker Lauren Greenfield set out to make her documentary The Queen of Versailles, her goal was to capture the incredibly luxurious lifestyle of David and Jaqueline Siegel, who were preparing to build the largest single family private home in America, modeled after the French palace of Versailles. But then the housing crisis hit, and Mr. Siegel, whose fortune had been built on his expansive time-share operation, was hit hard. In light of economic crisis, the Siegel family was forced to radically change their lifestyle and sell their $75 million American palace, which was still under construction. For her part, Greenfield found herself capturing every moment, from Jaqueline's attempts to buy her kids Christmas gifts at Wal-Mart, to the couple's mounting marital tension, and the growing business concerns of David and his company, Westgate Resorts. Watching the film, you clearly see David struggling to keep his company afloat, and personally I...
- 1/18/2013
- cinemablend.com
There was something ironic about the worrying that occupied the back of my head as I went up the elevator in midtown Manhattan to Magnolia Pictures’s offices to interview Lauren Greenfield. Already an accomplished still photographer, she has been steadily moving towards motion pictures with a series of short films. Her debut documentary feature, The Queen of Versailles, opened this year’s Us Documentary section at the Sundance Film Festival and netted the first time helmer the fest’s Director Award. One assumes that is because “Best Interrogator” does not exist.
The Queen of Versailles shares the story of one of America’s wealthiest couples, billionaire real estate mogul David Siegel of Westgate Resorts and his wife Jackie as they build the nation’s largest home, cheekily named Versailles. Like the titular ship in Prometheus, hubris clouds the naming process, something evident in the extremely candid interviews that Greenfield is able to capture,...
The Queen of Versailles shares the story of one of America’s wealthiest couples, billionaire real estate mogul David Siegel of Westgate Resorts and his wife Jackie as they build the nation’s largest home, cheekily named Versailles. Like the titular ship in Prometheus, hubris clouds the naming process, something evident in the extremely candid interviews that Greenfield is able to capture,...
- 7/18/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Lon Chaney on TCM: He Who Gets Slapped, The Unknown, Mr. Wu Get ready for more extreme perversity in West of Zanzibar (1928), as Chaney abuses both Warner Baxter and Mary Nolan, while the great-looking Mr. Wu (1927) offers Chaney as a Chinese creep about to destroy the life of lovely Renée Adorée — one of the best and prettiest actresses of the 1920s. Adorée — who was just as effective in her few early talkies — died of tuberculosis in 1933. Also worth mentioning, the great John Arnold was Mr. Wu's cinematographer. I'm no fan of Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), or The Phantom of the Opera (1925), but Chaney's work in them — especially in Hunchback — is quite remarkable. I mean, his performances aren't necessarily great, but they're certainly unforgettable. Chaney's leading ladies — all of whom are in love with younger, better-looking men — are Loretta Young (Laugh, Clown, Laugh), Patsy Ruth Miller...
- 8/15/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The other day we told you about Vaughn Meader, a film that is being developed as a star vehicle [1] for Bill Hader. It isn't a big broad studio comedy, however. The actor would play real-life comedian and impersonator Vaughn Meader, who built a career out of a JFK impression that was enjoyed by huge audiences -- the President even loved it -- and then saw that career disappear virtually overnight when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Rob Siegel was said to be involved, and the script sounds as if it has some of the key elements of sweetness and darkness that characterized his last two big scripts, The Wrestler and Big Fan. Now we know that he will also direct Vaughn Meader, which makes the movie even more promising. Big Fan was Mr. Siegel's directorial debut and the first film to feature comedian Patton Oswalt in a leading dramatic role.
- 3/10/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
As I said in my earlier blog, Michael Jackson's 2002 will was a relatively standard will. Perhaps the most controversial issue is Jackson's decision regarding who he chose to administer his estate. While Jackson clearly appointed his mother, Katherine Jackson to be the guardian for his children, he chose to appoint John Branca, John McClain and Barry Siegel to be the executors of his estate. Mr. Branca was Jackson's attorney and Mr. McClain, is a music executive. Mr. Siegel, an accountant appears to have renounced as an executor. Jackson's family has applied to have the formal hearing on the executorship delayed. There certainly appears to be, at a minimum, surprise, disappointment and suspicion on the family's behalf that the will does not appoint family members to administer the estate. An AP Report...
- 7/6/2009
- by Jordan M. Atin
- Huffington Post
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