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2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
1-20 of 376 items from 2013 « Prev | Next »
'Zero Dark Thirty' script rewritten at CIA request, says memo
8 May 2013 7:46 AM, PDT | Digital Spy | See recent Digital Spy - Movie News news »
A newly-released memo has revealed the extent of the CIA's involvement in Kathryn Bigelow's Osama bin Laden manhunt movie Zero Dark Thirty.
In 2012 documents declassified under the Freedom of Information Act, it is said that Zero Dark Thirty screenwriter Mark Boal consulted with the CIA's Office of Public Affairs (Opa) in late 2011 over the content of his script.
Gawker reports that Boal "verbally shared" his and Bigelow's screenplay plans over five conference calls. Their objections resulted in several changes, including reworkings of the film's controversial interrogation scenes.
"The purpose for these discussions was for Opa officers to help promote an appropriate portrayal of the Agency and the Bin Ladin operation," the memo said.
In the original screenplay draft for the opening sequence, Jessica Chastain's CIA operative Maya was portrayed as an active participant in black site torture.
The CIA claimed that this was not an accurate representation because »
'Zero Dark Thirty' Controversy: CIA Reveals Role They Played in Osama bin Laden Movie
7 May 2013 1:23 PM, PDT | Moviefone | See recent Moviefone news »
While most of the controversy over “Zero Dark Thirty” -- Kathryn Bigelow's account of America's hunt for, and ultimate assassination of, Osama bin Laden -- centered around the film's graphic depiction of torture, much speculation swirled around just how big a role the Central Intelligence Agency played in shaping the script. Now, in a newly released declassified document, the CIA details several specific instances in which they requested screenwriter Mark Boal change or eliminate scenes because the agency claimed they were not true to life. In a series of conference calls, Boal “verbally shared the screenplay,” the memo said. “The purpose for these discussions,” the memo continued, “was for Opa [Office of Public Affairs] officers to help promote an appropriate portrayal of the Agency and the Bin Ladin operation.” In the original draft of the film, main character Maya (played by Jessica Chastain) participates in a torture scene where a prisoner is waterboarded »
- Katie Roberts
CIA Memo Shows Mark Boal Changed 'Zero Dark Thirty' at Agency's Request
7 May 2013 9:42 AM, PDT | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
"Zero Dark Thirty" screenwriter Mark Boal acquiesced to CIA requests to change material in the film that would have reflected poorly on the agency, according to a newly declassified memo. The drama's depiction of the role torture played in the hunt for Osama bin Laden set off fierce debate when it theaters last year, although much of the furor surrounding the film died down after it lost the Oscar for Best Picture to "Argo." Those issues may bubble up again now that the memo from an unnamed public affairs officer has been »
- Brent Lang
CIA requested Zero Dark Thirty rewrites, memo reveals
7 May 2013 8:47 AM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Document shows agency requested removal of interrogation scene with dog, and shots of operatives partying with AK47
A newly declassified CIA document suggests members of the Us agency did help to shape the narrative of Zero Dark Thirty, Kathryn Bigelow's recent film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
In January the Us Senate intelligence committee launched an investigation into whether Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal were granted "inappropriate access" to classified CIA material following concern from high-profile members over the film's depiction of torture in the search for the al-Qaida chief. The probe was dropped in February after Zero Dark Thirty, which had initially been tipped as an Oscars frontrunner, left the world's most famous film ceremony with just a single award for sound editing.
However according to Gawker it has now emerged that the CIA did successfully pressure Boal to remove certain scenes from the Zero Dark Thirty script, »
- Ben Child
Declassified Documents Reveal Extent of CIA Influence on Zero Dark Thirty Script
7 May 2013 7:51 AM, PDT | Collider.com | See recent Collider.com news »
Despite the lack of awards from the Academy (it only received one for Sound Editing), Zero Dark Thirty will go down as one of the definitive films of the 2010s (and missing out on Best Picture is almost a confirmation of this; see also: The Social Network). The film's awards season momentum was slowed by a nonsense controversy over torture (people who didn't understand movies thought the film was promoting it), and one could think that screenwriter Mark Boal's conversations with the CIA may have "softened" the depiction of movie's harsher scenes. Recently revealed documents reveal that this is only marginally true. Hit the jump for details on the CIA's comments on the script for Zero Dark Thirty, and changes that were made in response to those comments. In documents released under the Freedom of Information Act [via Gawker], Boal acquiesced to some of the disputes the CIA had with the script. »
- Matt Goldberg
Declassified Documents Reveal How The CIA Influenced The Script & Story Of 'Zero Dark Thirty'
7 May 2013 6:39 AM, PDT | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Just when Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal might have thought it appropriate to move on from “Zero Dark Thirty” to whatever tense nail-biter comes next, the acclaimed actioner-drama's much-publicized production has resurfaced yet again - this time going back to the film's beginnings, as Boal was in conversation with the CIA over crucial details. It's well known that the filmmakers' exchanges with CIA officials were mostly cordial -- even somewhat star-struck - and to do with specifics for the film's timeline, such as floor schematics accurate to Osama Bin Laden's hideout. But a new series of declassified memos (via Gawker) have revealed some sway on Boal's part, as he bowed to CIA requests to remove objectionable portions of the screenplay. Revealed in a bundle of information just released under a Freedom of Information Act request, the 2012 memo summarizes five conference calls between Boal and the CIA's Office of Public Affairs at the tail end of. »
- Charlie Schmidlin
Report: CIA Dictated 'Zero Dark Thirty' Changes
6 May 2013 4:22 PM, PDT | Huffington Post | See recent Huffington Post news »
Kathryn Bigelow's Osama bin Laden revenge-porn flick Zero Dark Thirty was the biggest publicity coup for the CIA this century outside of the actual killing of Osama bin Laden. But the extent to which the CIA shaped the film has remained unclear. Now, a memo obtained by Gawker shows that the CIA actively, and apparently successfully, pressured Mark Boal to remove scenes that made them look bad from the Zero Dark Thirty script. »
- Gawker
Memo Suggests CIA Shaped 'Zero Dark Thirty' Narrative
6 May 2013 4:15 PM, PDT | The Hollywood Reporter | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news »
Months after the intense debate surrounding Zero Dark Thirty has died down, a newly declassified CIA document suggests the agency played a direct hand in shaping the film's narrative. Calling it "the biggest publicity coup for the CIA this century outside of the actual killing of Osama bin Laden," Gawker reports that the memo, prepared by the CIA's public affairs department after consulting with Zero Dark Thirty screenwriter Mark Boal during the film's early development stages, contains multiple passages detailing requests that scenes in the screenplay be altered or removed entirely. Boal agreed to several of them. Most notably, the original version
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- Seth Abramovitch
DVD Review: Kathryn Bigelow’s Incredible ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Deserves More
30 March 2013 5:41 PM, PDT | HollywoodChicago.com | See recent HollywoodChicago.com news »
Chicago – At one point in awards season, right after it won five Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, including Best Picture, Actress, Screenplay, and Director, it really looked like Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” was going to be the most award-winning film of 2012. When all was said and done, it only won a single Oscar for Sound Editing and Bigelow wasn’t even nominated. Was it due to the torture controversy? Perceived similarities to the recent winner “The Hurt Locker”? We’ll never know. But I know two things. 1.) “Zero Dark Thirty” is a fantastic film and history will recognize it as such. 2.) The DVD release is nearly horrendous.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
The transfer is mediocre (I can’t speak to the HD quality on the Blu-ray since Sony would only send the standard) and unfitting of a film this technically accomplished. Even worse, the special features are ridiculously slight. There are »
- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
Writers Guild Awards Set For February 1, 2014
28 March 2013 10:39 AM, PDT | Thompson on Hollywood | See recent Thompson on Hollywood news »
The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) have announced the date for the 2014 Writers Guild Awards' simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York: Saturday, February 1, 2014. The Wgaw ceremony will once again be held at the Jw Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live, while the Wgae ceremony will be held at the Edison Ballroom. The awards honor outstanding writing in film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio and promotional writing and graphic animation.Last year's winners included Mark Boal (original, "Zero Dark Thirty") and eventual Oscar-winners Chris Terrio ("Argo"), and Malik Bendjelloul ("Searching for Sugar Man"). »
- Beth Hanna
We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks Trailer & Poster
22 March 2013 5:04 AM, PDT | Filmofilia | See recent Filmofilia news »
Focus World has debuted the first official trailer and poster for the prolific Oscar-winner Alex Gibney‘s new documentary We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks, focusing in on the 2010 leak of the Baghdad airstrike footage. There is, of course, another Assange movie coming this year – Bill Condon‘s The Fifth Estate, with Benedict Cumberbatch stepping into the shoes of the WikiLeaks founder who has already denounced the movie as a ‘massive propaganda attack. As for the upcoming documentary, Gibney’s focus looks to expand beyond Assange/WikiLeaks to examine what the ordeal reveals about the way our world’s governments function in the 21st century. Gibney (Taxi...
Click to continue reading We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks Trailer & Poster on | FilmoFilia
Related posts: Alex Gibney to Make WikiLeaks Documentary Mark Boal to Write Julian Assange Movie, Paul Greengrass to Direct Another One First Look: Benedict Cumberbatch As Wikileaks »
- Nick Martin
Why 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'Bachelorette' Top Indiewire's 5 Blu-ray Picks This Week
19 March 2013 8:46 AM, PDT | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
This week on DVD/Blu-ray: Kathryn Bigelow's stunning follow-up to "The Hurt Locker"; one of the lewdest comedies of last year; Jacques Audiard's moving follow-up to his Oscar-nominated 2009 crime drama "A Prophet"; Terrence Malick's first feature; and a film that affords Parker Posey her best role in years. #1. "Zero Dark Thirty" Following “The Hurt Locker,” Kathryn Bigelow is back with her best film yet, a harrowing and ultimately solemn study of one woman’s obsessive mission to hunt down Osama bin Laden. Bigelow, re-teaming with her “Hurt Locker” screenwriter Mark Boal, isn’t out to prove that torture works despite what many want you believe -- they're in it to relay the enormous amount of effort that went into the manhunt, and the toll it took on those involved. Nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress. Extras: The making-of doc "No Small Feat"; a »
- Nigel M. Smith
Zero Dark Thirty Blu-ray Review
16 March 2013 1:58 PM, PDT | TheHDRoom | See recent TheHDRoom news »
Making a movie that deals with the War on Terror is as tricky as walking through a mine field. Lean toward the left and boom! You're branded as a Socialist who hates our troops and way of life. Lean a little to the right and you're labeled a jingoistic baby killer that doubles as a Fox News commentator. Finding common political ground to tell your story is a damn near impossible task.
That is unless you are Kathryn Bigelow. In 2008, the 62-year old filmmaker teamed up with screenwriter Mark Boal to make The Hurt Locker, a powerful drama about a bomb squad unit stationed in Bagdad during the Iraq War. Technically, the movie was as brilliant as any of Bigelow's previous work. But what really made the Best Picture winner unique was how apolitical it was. The type of heavy-handed sermonizing and political grandstanding one would find in say, an Oliver Stone film, »
Giveaway – Win A Zero Dark Thirty Prizepack
4 March 2013 1:03 PM, PST | WeAreMovieGeeks.com | See recent WeAreMovieGeeks.com news »
The Oscar®-winning team of The Hurt Locker – director-producer Kathryn Bigelow (Best Picture and Best Director) and writer-producer Mark Boal (Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay) – reunite for the powerful drama Zero Dark Thirty. The story of an elite team of intelligence operatives who tracked and ultimately located Osama bin Laden, the film earned multiple Oscar® nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay and scored the No. 1 spot on numerous critics’ Top 10 Lists. Boal was also awarded honors for Best Original Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America.
Zero Dark Thirty debuts March 19th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and Digital, taking viewers inside the hubs of power and to the front lines of the historic pursuit and capture of Osama bin Laden, culminating in a special operations assault on a mysterious, suburban Pakistani compound.
Jessica Chastain, who won a Best Actress Golden Globe »
- Movie Geeks
The real voices in 'Zero Dark Thirty': Families upset over usage in film
27 February 2013 4:05 PM, PST | EW - Inside Movies | See recent EW.com - Inside Movies news »
Just when Zero Dark Thirty thought its problems were over — the senate investigation was closed and everyone seemed to have lost interest in writing about whether or not the film was pro-torture — a new controversy has trickled out of the gates.
The bold opening sequence of the film is simple, striking, and powerful. It’s a black screen with just the voices of victims involved in the September 11th attacks. One of the voices included is of Bradley Fetchet, who worked on the 89th floor of the South Tower. He’d left a voicemail on his parents machine that day. »
- Lindsey Bahr
Senate Pulls 'Zero Dark Thirty' Probe After Oscars
27 February 2013 5:08 AM, PST | Huffington Post | See recent Huffington Post news »
A day after the Academy Awards failed to recognize Zero Dark Thirty with any major awards — and nearly seven weeks after snubbing director Kathryn Bigelow altogether — the U.S. Senate closed its investigation into “inappropriate” meetings and conversations that Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal may have had with members of the CIA to research their movie, which tells the story of the secret American effort to track and kill Osama bin Laden. »
- EW.com
Senate committee shuts down 'Zero Dark Thirty' probe
26 February 2013 11:59 AM, PST | EW - Inside Movies | See recent EW.com - Inside Movies news »
*This story has been updated to reflect Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s statement.
A day after the Academy Awards failed to recognize Zero Dark Thirty with any major awards — and nearly seven weeks after snubbing director Kathryn Bigelow altogether — the U.S. Senate closed its investigation into “inappropriate” meetings and conversations that Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal may have had with members of the CIA to research their movie, which tells the story of the secret American effort to track and kill Osama bin Laden. Reuters cited an anonymous congressional aide who said the Senate Intelligence Committee, chaired by Sen. Dianne Feinstein »
- Jeff Labrecque
Oscars are Over, Senate Drops 'Zero Dark Thirty' Probe
26 February 2013 11:57 AM, PST | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news »
Whether you thought the Senate Intelligence Committee probe investigating Zero Dark Thirty was legit, or political grab or attempt to slow any kind of momentum the film may have had in terms of awards prospects or otherwise, the just announced decision to close the inquiry into screenwriter Mark Boal's contacts with the CIA reeks of all the above. Well, except that legit part. The Reuters article making the announcement adds: The government cooperated as much, if not more, on Argo, the film about the 1979-81 hostage crisis in Iran that won the best picture Oscar. Actor-director Ben Affleck and his team were allowed to film scenes in the lobby of the CIA building in Langley, Virginia; the Zero Dark Thirty crew did no such filming. Is it a matter of coincidence the film that paints America in the most positive light possible, to such an extent it has been »
- Brad Brevet
50 Cent Takes Down Osama bin Laden in Jimmy Kimmel's 'Zero Dark Fiddy' (Video)
26 February 2013 11:06 AM, PST | The Hollywood Reporter | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news »
The Senate on Monday quietly announced that it was dropping its investigation into the CIA's contact with the writer and director behind Zero Dark Thirty. Maybe they were just relieved that the real story of how Osama bin Laden was caught would finally make it out to the public. Story: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal Fire Back at 'Zero Dark Thirty' Investigation and Torture Debate Following the premiere of his spoof Movie: The Movie 2V on Sunday's post-Oscars show on Sunday, Jimmy Kimmel continued his run of parodying Hollywood's big-budget fare. Next up: a twist on Zero Dark Thirty
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- Jordan Zakarin
Post-Oscar Shocker: The Senate Also Snubs 'Zero Dark Thirty'
26 February 2013 8:12 AM, PST | NextMovie | See recent NextMovie news »
Just one day after "Zero Dark Thirty" was completely shut out at the Academy Awards, another august body of stuffed shirts has also decided to completely ignore the acclaimed Kathryn Bigelow film: Congress.
Yes, according to Reuters, the Senate Intelligence Committee — otherwise known as the Department of Ultimate Oxymorons — has dropped their threatened investigation into whether or not classified information about the hunt for Osama bin Laden was provided to Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal.
Still no word yet on whether their investigation into the death of Adam Sandler's career will continue or not.
For those who haven't been paying attention, the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is chaired by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D, California, as they say inside the Beltway), got their knickers in a twist over "Zero Dark Thirty's" portrayal of torture. Namely, they were cheesed off that the movie suggests that torture was a key component »
- Scott Harris
2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
1-20 of 376 items from 2013 « Prev | Next »
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