While both fans and detractors speak of superhero cinema like it began yesterday—or about a decade ago when the Marvel Cinematic Universe came into being—the truth is masked do-gooders are virtually as old as the movies themselves. One of the silver screen’s first great adventurers, Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro (1924), was a major influence on Bob Kane and Bill Finger when they created Batman.
As long as there’s been source material with heroes doing daring deeds, there have been producers willing to take a gamble on putting them on the screen. For better or worse that process found its peak synthesis (or corporatized formula) in the 21st century. Yet there was a period just before then—ahead of folks figuring out they should adapt currently popular ‘90s comic book characters like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Hulk—where the studios went all in on resurrecting something older and,...
As long as there’s been source material with heroes doing daring deeds, there have been producers willing to take a gamble on putting them on the screen. For better or worse that process found its peak synthesis (or corporatized formula) in the 21st century. Yet there was a period just before then—ahead of folks figuring out they should adapt currently popular ‘90s comic book characters like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Hulk—where the studios went all in on resurrecting something older and,...
- 6/12/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
For over 25 years, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival called the Castro Theatre home. With the iconic theater now closed for a year-plus-long renovation, Sfsff has relocated to the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, located in a beautiful park created for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition at the north edge of the Presidio. The auditorium, primarily a performance space, seats nearly a thousand and features a spacious foyer where passholders could visit and relax between shows (particularly useful on chilly weekends).
Sfsff prides itself on mixing landmark productions and audience favorites with rediscoveries, revelations, and rarities, often recently uncovered and restored. And for its 27th edition this year, the festival presented 20 features and six short films over five days, all with live musical scores by some of the finest silent film accompanists in the world.
The opening night film, Albert Parker’s 1926 swashbuckler The Black Pirate, certainly qualifies as both landmark and favorite.
Sfsff prides itself on mixing landmark productions and audience favorites with rediscoveries, revelations, and rarities, often recently uncovered and restored. And for its 27th edition this year, the festival presented 20 features and six short films over five days, all with live musical scores by some of the finest silent film accompanists in the world.
The opening night film, Albert Parker’s 1926 swashbuckler The Black Pirate, certainly qualifies as both landmark and favorite.
- 4/20/2024
- by Sean Axmaker
- Slant Magazine
The beloved Hollywood star Pedro Pascal has once again won over the hearts of millions with his appearance at the 30th Annual SAG Awards. The 48-year-old actor, who secured his SAG for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for The Last of Us, has also sparked considerable attention for his red carpet look, which has now fans rallying for the actor to embody the iconic masked hero, Zorro.
Pedro Pascal
Created by writer Johnston McCulley, the character has been the subject of several adaptations, including Antonio Banderas’ 1998 film The Mask of Zorro and its sequel. And fans are now re-imagining Pascal in the role as they share their reaction to his red carpet looks.
Pedro Pascal Shined at the 2024 SAG Award Red Carpet
Pedro Pascal, who has created a buzz with his performance in the post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us, made waves on the 2024 SAG Awards red carpet as well.
Pedro Pascal
Created by writer Johnston McCulley, the character has been the subject of several adaptations, including Antonio Banderas’ 1998 film The Mask of Zorro and its sequel. And fans are now re-imagining Pascal in the role as they share their reaction to his red carpet looks.
Pedro Pascal Shined at the 2024 SAG Award Red Carpet
Pedro Pascal, who has created a buzz with his performance in the post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us, made waves on the 2024 SAG Awards red carpet as well.
- 2/26/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
In the US and Europe, a combination of figurehead film-makers allied with community partners really seems to work
One of LA’s loveliest cinemas – the huge, sentinel Village Theater in Westwood - has been bought by Jason Reitman, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Lulu Wang, Chloé Zhao, Guillermo del Toro, Alexander Payne, Alfonso Cuarón, Ryan Coogler, Bradley Cooper, Gina Prince-Bythewood and lots of other film-makers.
The news has a hint of early Hollywood about it when, in 1919, four very different film-makers – Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Dw Griffith – threw their hats into the industrial ring to found the United Artists Corporation movie studio.
One of LA’s loveliest cinemas – the huge, sentinel Village Theater in Westwood - has been bought by Jason Reitman, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Lulu Wang, Chloé Zhao, Guillermo del Toro, Alexander Payne, Alfonso Cuarón, Ryan Coogler, Bradley Cooper, Gina Prince-Bythewood and lots of other film-makers.
The news has a hint of early Hollywood about it when, in 1919, four very different film-makers – Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Dw Griffith – threw their hats into the industrial ring to found the United Artists Corporation movie studio.
- 2/22/2024
- by Mark Cousins
- The Guardian - Film News
The last American movie star. The savior of cinema. Maverick. There are plenty of superlatives thrown around Tom Cruise these days—including by us—and for good reason. In an era where audiences increasingly only venture to the theater for familiar intellectual property (if at all), Tom Cruise remains one of the last old school marquee names people turn out for in order to watch the actor.
And more often than not, they’re justified in that trust, because Cruise has spent his middle-age proving that like his most popular alter-ego—Navy pilot Pete Mitchell—he has no intention of turning in his wings. It’s a common observation to even note that the Mission: Impossible movies Cruise made in his 50s were better than the ones he made in his 30s, and his dedication to in-camera stunts in those films, as well as Top Gun: Maverick, have increasingly resembled...
And more often than not, they’re justified in that trust, because Cruise has spent his middle-age proving that like his most popular alter-ego—Navy pilot Pete Mitchell—he has no intention of turning in his wings. It’s a common observation to even note that the Mission: Impossible movies Cruise made in his 50s were better than the ones he made in his 30s, and his dedication to in-camera stunts in those films, as well as Top Gun: Maverick, have increasingly resembled...
- 2/22/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
With The Mask of Zorro, Antonio Banderas truly marked himself as a genuine star and sex symbol across the globe. While he earned acclaim for his collaborations with Pedro Almodóvar in Spain and made his presence known in the States with Philadelphia and Interview with the Vampire, The Mask of Zorro was his first leading role to near $100 million at the domestic box office. But the iconic swordsman almost had another man behind the mask: Tom Cruise.
According to The Mask of Zorro‘s original director Mikael Salomon, executive producer Steven Spielberg wanted Tom Cruise to star. “Who else was [in the mix]? Some big — oh yeah, Tom Cruise. Early on, [Spielberg] wanted to offer it to him. Have you heard that? He wanted to offer it to Tom Cruise. And my friend and countryman Bille August had done The House of the Spirits with all non-Latinos, and he got in so much hot water because of that,...
According to The Mask of Zorro‘s original director Mikael Salomon, executive producer Steven Spielberg wanted Tom Cruise to star. “Who else was [in the mix]? Some big — oh yeah, Tom Cruise. Early on, [Spielberg] wanted to offer it to him. Have you heard that? He wanted to offer it to Tom Cruise. And my friend and countryman Bille August had done The House of the Spirits with all non-Latinos, and he got in so much hot water because of that,...
- 12/15/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
His predictive sci-fi action film "Minority Report" was still several years away, but in 1997, Steven Spielberg could already see the future.
At that time, Spielberg was an executive producer of "The Mask of Zorro," and during production, he sensed something in the air. In an interview earlier this year, "Zorro" star Antonio Banderas recounted what the famed filmmaker told him:
"Steven Spielberg said to me once when we were shooting, 'This is probably going to be one of the last Westerns shot in the way the Westerns were shot in the old days, with real scenes and real horses, where everything is real, real sword fighting, no CGI.' Everything was practical. And he said, 'But things are going to change. They're going to change and they're gonna change fast. And so you should be proud of this movie.' And I am, probably even more now than at the...
At that time, Spielberg was an executive producer of "The Mask of Zorro," and during production, he sensed something in the air. In an interview earlier this year, "Zorro" star Antonio Banderas recounted what the famed filmmaker told him:
"Steven Spielberg said to me once when we were shooting, 'This is probably going to be one of the last Westerns shot in the way the Westerns were shot in the old days, with real scenes and real horses, where everything is real, real sword fighting, no CGI.' Everything was practical. And he said, 'But things are going to change. They're going to change and they're gonna change fast. And so you should be proud of this movie.' And I am, probably even more now than at the...
- 12/11/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
The first Oscar ceremony in 1928 took place at the famous Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with tickets going for five dollars (about $70 in today’s money). The ceremony lasted only about 15 minutes, and was hosted by director William C. deMille and actor Douglas Fairbanks, who was also the first president of the motion picture academy. Winners in 12 categories were announced weeks prior to the event, which was the only Oscar ceremony in history to not be broadcast on radio.
Actor and comedian Bob Hope holds the record for the most frequent Oscar host with 19 appearances either solo or as co-host. For most of the 1990s and early 2000s, Billy Crystal was synonymous with the Oscars, hosting on nine occasions, always bringing out his now-classic medley of songs that interpolated the titles of the Best Picture nominees for that year. Crystal’s fellow “Comic Relief” host Whoopi Goldberg made history twice when she...
Actor and comedian Bob Hope holds the record for the most frequent Oscar host with 19 appearances either solo or as co-host. For most of the 1990s and early 2000s, Billy Crystal was synonymous with the Oscars, hosting on nine occasions, always bringing out his now-classic medley of songs that interpolated the titles of the Best Picture nominees for that year. Crystal’s fellow “Comic Relief” host Whoopi Goldberg made history twice when she...
- 11/15/2023
- by Tony Ruiz, Chris Beachum and Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
‘Maestro’ among initial programming schedule.
Netflix and The American Cinematheque said the restored Egyptian Theatre will reopen after three years on November 9 with a screening of David Fincher’s The Killer.
The venue is one of the city’s most venerable Hollywood locations and was built during the silent film era. It opened 101 years ago and hosted Hollywood’s first premiere for Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks. The Egyptian is also said to be the birthplace of the red carpet.
Netflix will release the documentary short Temple Of Film: 100 Years Of The Egyptian Theatres on November 9. Angus Wall’s tribute...
Netflix and The American Cinematheque said the restored Egyptian Theatre will reopen after three years on November 9 with a screening of David Fincher’s The Killer.
The venue is one of the city’s most venerable Hollywood locations and was built during the silent film era. It opened 101 years ago and hosted Hollywood’s first premiere for Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks. The Egyptian is also said to be the birthplace of the red carpet.
Netflix will release the documentary short Temple Of Film: 100 Years Of The Egyptian Theatres on November 9. Angus Wall’s tribute...
- 10/18/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Wednesday marks the 101st anniversary of the opening of the iconic Egyptian Theatre. To celebrate the occasion, Netflix and the American Cinematheque announced they will reopen the theater on Nov. 9 with a screening of “The Killer” followed by a Q&a with director David Fincher.
The Egyptian Theatre is a classic and esteemed movie palace originally built in 1922 during the silent film era. A fixture in Hollywood’s Golden Age, the Egyptian was the site of the first Hollywood movie premiere, of “Robin Hood,” starring Douglas Fairbanks.
The long-awaited grand reopening comes three years after Netflix and the American Cinematheque partnered to restore the Egyptian Theatre. This one-of-a-kind venue is now ready to return as a must-visit landmark for local film lovers and visitors from around the world.
To mark the grand opening, Netflix is set to premiere a documentary short, “Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre,” on Nov.
The Egyptian Theatre is a classic and esteemed movie palace originally built in 1922 during the silent film era. A fixture in Hollywood’s Golden Age, the Egyptian was the site of the first Hollywood movie premiere, of “Robin Hood,” starring Douglas Fairbanks.
The long-awaited grand reopening comes three years after Netflix and the American Cinematheque partnered to restore the Egyptian Theatre. This one-of-a-kind venue is now ready to return as a must-visit landmark for local film lovers and visitors from around the world.
To mark the grand opening, Netflix is set to premiere a documentary short, “Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre,” on Nov.
- 10/18/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
It’s been over three years since Netflix announced it bought LA’s iconic Egyptian Theatre, the Hollywood Boulevard landmark that opened in 1922 and hosted the first-ever Hollywood premiere for Allan Dwan’s “Robin Hood” starring Douglas Fairbanks.
Now, after an extensive renovation, the Egyptian’s reopening date is set: November 9 is when Netflix, in partnership with the American Cinematheque, will open the doors of this landmark once more. It’ll do so with quite the event: a screening of David Fincher’s “The Killer,” one of the streamer’s top Oscar contending titles this fall, followed by a Q&a with the filmmaker himself.
That day, Netflix will also stream a short documentary titled “Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre” in celebration of the event. The film features interviews with Rian Johnson, Guillermo del Toro, Lynette Howell Taylor, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, and the theater’s restoration architect Peyton Hall.
Now, after an extensive renovation, the Egyptian’s reopening date is set: November 9 is when Netflix, in partnership with the American Cinematheque, will open the doors of this landmark once more. It’ll do so with quite the event: a screening of David Fincher’s “The Killer,” one of the streamer’s top Oscar contending titles this fall, followed by a Q&a with the filmmaker himself.
That day, Netflix will also stream a short documentary titled “Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre” in celebration of the event. The film features interviews with Rian Johnson, Guillermo del Toro, Lynette Howell Taylor, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, and the theater’s restoration architect Peyton Hall.
- 10/18/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSGasoline Rainbow.London Film Festival have announced the films in their competitive sections, with new work by Zhang Mengqi, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and Bill and Turner Ross included in the Official Competition, plus films by Ehsan Khoshbakht, Cyril Aris, and Chloe Abrahams up for the Documentary award.Meanwhile, the Alliance of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently returned to the bargaining table with the Writers Guild of America, with CEOs like Bob Iger, David Zaslav, and Ted Sarandos in tow. "On the 113th day of the strike—and while SAG-AFTRA is walking the picket lines by our side—we were met with a lecture about how good their single and only counteroffer was,” wrote the WGA in a statement circulated to members, followed two days later by a thorough explanation of why this proposal was inadequate.
- 9/11/2023
- MUBI
There are few pulpy visualizations of revenge that play as satisfyingly as the climax of Martin Campbell’s The Mask of Zorro. Released 25 years ago, the still surprisingly lithe and surefooted swashbuckler culminates with a multigenerational crescendo of vengeance, which is served bloody and fierce. On one level of a crumbling Californian gold mine, the original Zorro is a now aged and dying Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins), and he grapples in his last breath with the man who stole his life and imprisoned him in hell for 20 years. Yet a literal platform below this Count of Monte Cristo passion play is something even bleaker and more vicious: the storm of swords unleashed by a younger Zorro (Antonio Banderas) and his own object of disdain: Capt. Harrison Love (Matt Letscher).
When Zorro carves an “M” across Capt. Love’s face, there is no wink or playful banter one...
When Zorro carves an “M” across Capt. Love’s face, there is no wink or playful banter one...
- 8/30/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The Season 2 premiere of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” has officially dropped, and some of the events that took place might have viewers wondering if they actually happened or not.
In the second season of “Winning Time,” greater risks are taken, big games are played and Paul Westhead (Jason Segel) rocks a new hairstyle. But did the show change up some of the real-life events they depicted in the show? These types of shows always take some creative liberties. But don’t worry, we made sure to lay out all the facts so you don’t have to. Don’t even think about opening up a Google search, it’s all here.
Here are all the facts and the fiction from Episode 1 of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” Season 2.
Boston Celtics fans actually rocked the Lakers bus?
Yes, but it wasn’t after Game one.
In the second season of “Winning Time,” greater risks are taken, big games are played and Paul Westhead (Jason Segel) rocks a new hairstyle. But did the show change up some of the real-life events they depicted in the show? These types of shows always take some creative liberties. But don’t worry, we made sure to lay out all the facts so you don’t have to. Don’t even think about opening up a Google search, it’s all here.
Here are all the facts and the fiction from Episode 1 of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” Season 2.
Boston Celtics fans actually rocked the Lakers bus?
Yes, but it wasn’t after Game one.
- 8/7/2023
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
In early 2020, we heard mention of an Alien vs. Predator anime series that had been made before the 20th Century Fox / Disney merger and never released. A few months ago, Joshua Izzo, who made Alien Day an official event while working at Fox, confirmed that an Alien vs. Predator anime series was produced, all ten episodes were completed, and now they’re just sitting in the Disney vault. Now the anime’s writers/consultants Dave Baker and Eric Calderon have revealed more details about the shelved series during an interview on the Best TV Never Made podcast!
The interview takes up two episodes, both of which can be found on the Best TV Never Made website. The show is hosted by Peter Holmstrom and Ryan Matsunaga.
Like Izzo said, the anime was originally envisioned as an adaptation of the Dark Horse Comics that followed the character Machiko Noguchi, and the...
The interview takes up two episodes, both of which can be found on the Best TV Never Made website. The show is hosted by Peter Holmstrom and Ryan Matsunaga.
Like Izzo said, the anime was originally envisioned as an adaptation of the Dark Horse Comics that followed the character Machiko Noguchi, and the...
- 8/7/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The 26th San Francisco Silent Film Festival was another joyous gathering of silent cinema fans, historians, scholars, and all stripes of movie buffs. Launched in 1995, the festival has grown from a single-day event to—excluding two years of Covid shutdowns—an annual, five-day celebration. It’s about the movies, of course, and this year Sfsff presented 20 features and seven shorts. But it’s also about the silent movie experience. All shows were accompanied by live music, from solo piano to small combos to a 10-piece mini-orchestra for the closing-night event, playing both archival music and original scores, many composed for the screenings.
Allan Dwan’s The Iron Mask, from 1929, opened the festival with a bittersweet farewell to the silents. The film, the swashbuckling final silent feature to star Douglas Fairbanks, has added resonance for Sfsff audiences because of the legacy of the Castro Theatre, the festival’s home for its entire 26 years.
Allan Dwan’s The Iron Mask, from 1929, opened the festival with a bittersweet farewell to the silents. The film, the swashbuckling final silent feature to star Douglas Fairbanks, has added resonance for Sfsff audiences because of the legacy of the Castro Theatre, the festival’s home for its entire 26 years.
- 7/24/2023
- by Sean Axmaker
- Slant Magazine
He was one of the biggest screen icons and one of the most colorful real-life characters in Hollywood history. Still considered the king of swashbucklers more than 60 years after his death, Errol Flynn’s success was a combination of happenstance, luck and his ability to charm.
Errol Leslie Flynn was born on June 20, 1909, in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia to an affluent family. A natural born rascal, he was thrown out of several private schools, and eventually wandered, working odd jobs. He fell into acting quite by chance when he won the role of Fletcher Christian in the Australian film “In the Wake of the Bounty” (1933). There are conflicting stories of how he landed this part, but it is the film that piqued his interest in acting, and eventually caught the attention of Warner Bros. executives.
In Hollywood, a combination of luck and Flynn’s athleticism and charm landed him the lead...
Errol Leslie Flynn was born on June 20, 1909, in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia to an affluent family. A natural born rascal, he was thrown out of several private schools, and eventually wandered, working odd jobs. He fell into acting quite by chance when he won the role of Fletcher Christian in the Australian film “In the Wake of the Bounty” (1933). There are conflicting stories of how he landed this part, but it is the film that piqued his interest in acting, and eventually caught the attention of Warner Bros. executives.
In Hollywood, a combination of luck and Flynn’s athleticism and charm landed him the lead...
- 6/17/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Misty Holland and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
A case can be made that Batman is the quintessential cinematic superhero. He’s certainly been the most adapted to the big screen, with the Caped Crusader starring in 12 theatrically released films when you count animation and William Dozier’s Batman: The Movie tie-in from 1966. There’s good reason for that ubiquitousness too.
The visceral mystique of a dark cowl and cape; the shadowy world of an urban landscape crying out for a hero; even the universally relatable origin of an orphan who seeks to fill the void left by his parents’ deaths. Much of the iconography Batman would come to define in superhero comics was on the silver screen first. After all, Batman co-creator Bob Kane once described the character as “half-Zorro,” and for most folks of his generation, Zorro was synonymous with Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro (1920), the movie which made the story of a daring...
The visceral mystique of a dark cowl and cape; the shadowy world of an urban landscape crying out for a hero; even the universally relatable origin of an orphan who seeks to fill the void left by his parents’ deaths. Much of the iconography Batman would come to define in superhero comics was on the silver screen first. After all, Batman co-creator Bob Kane once described the character as “half-Zorro,” and for most folks of his generation, Zorro was synonymous with Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro (1920), the movie which made the story of a daring...
- 4/28/2023
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
The guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, which is posting the day before the 95th Oscars takes place in Hollywood and airs on ABC, is Janet Yang, the first-term president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Yang, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, is only the 36th person — and just the fourth female, second person of color and first person of Asian descent — to lead Hollywood’s most powerful organization, following in the footsteps of luminaries like Douglas Fairbanks, Frank Capra, Bette Davis, George Stevens, Gregory Peck, Robert Wise and Karl Malden.
Over the course of a conversation at the Loews Hollywood Hotel, where Yang has been staying this week in order to oversee preparations for the Oscars at the adjacent Dolby Theatre, the 66-year-old reflected on a life and career that has defied the odds at every turn.
Yang speaks...
Over the course of a conversation at the Loews Hollywood Hotel, where Yang has been staying this week in order to oversee preparations for the Oscars at the adjacent Dolby Theatre, the 66-year-old reflected on a life and career that has defied the odds at every turn.
Yang speaks...
- 3/11/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Matt Reeves is swapping Batman for Buster Keaton.
The “Batman” director is set to helm a limited series based on the life of actor Buster Keaton, with Rami Malek transforming into the silent film star. Reeves will also produce the series through his 6th and Idaho Productions production banner under an overall deal at Warner Bros. TV.
Malek and David Weddle are confirmed to also produce; Ted Cohen is in talks to serve as executive producer and writer. The upcoming series is expected to use James Curtis’ biography “Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life” as source material as Warner Bros. is negotiating the rights for the 2022 book.
Vaudeville actor Keaton made his onscreen debut in silent comedy “The Butcher Boy” and went on to collaborate with Douglas Fairbanks, Joseph M. Schenck, and Edward F. Cline, among others. Keaton eventually formed an eponymous production company and began directing films like “Sherlock Jr.
The “Batman” director is set to helm a limited series based on the life of actor Buster Keaton, with Rami Malek transforming into the silent film star. Reeves will also produce the series through his 6th and Idaho Productions production banner under an overall deal at Warner Bros. TV.
Malek and David Weddle are confirmed to also produce; Ted Cohen is in talks to serve as executive producer and writer. The upcoming series is expected to use James Curtis’ biography “Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life” as source material as Warner Bros. is negotiating the rights for the 2022 book.
Vaudeville actor Keaton made his onscreen debut in silent comedy “The Butcher Boy” and went on to collaborate with Douglas Fairbanks, Joseph M. Schenck, and Edward F. Cline, among others. Keaton eventually formed an eponymous production company and began directing films like “Sherlock Jr.
- 1/20/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Legendary silent film star Buster Keaton is getting a biographical limited series made on him and if everything goes well, Rami Malek will be seen essaying the role of Keaton, who revolutionised the use of real time stunts in filmmaking.
Warner Bros. Television is in talks to develop a limited series and ‘The Batman’ director Matt Reeves would direct the limited series and produce via his 6th and Idaho Productions banner, reports ‘Variety’.
Malek and David Weddle also produce, with Ted Cohen in talks to serve as executive producer and writer. James Curtis’ 2022 biography ‘Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life’ may serve as source material for the series, as the studio is negotiating the rights for the book.
As per ‘Variety’, Keaton, who lived from 1895 to 1966, is thought of as one of the most prominent stars of the silent film era aside from Charlie Chaplin. He got his start as...
Warner Bros. Television is in talks to develop a limited series and ‘The Batman’ director Matt Reeves would direct the limited series and produce via his 6th and Idaho Productions banner, reports ‘Variety’.
Malek and David Weddle also produce, with Ted Cohen in talks to serve as executive producer and writer. James Curtis’ 2022 biography ‘Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life’ may serve as source material for the series, as the studio is negotiating the rights for the book.
As per ‘Variety’, Keaton, who lived from 1895 to 1966, is thought of as one of the most prominent stars of the silent film era aside from Charlie Chaplin. He got his start as...
- 1/20/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Warner Bros. Television is in talks to develop a limited series based on the life of silent film star Buster Keaton. The project would star Rami Malek as Keaton.
“The Batman” director Matt Reeves would direct the limited series and produce via his 6th and Idaho Productions banner, which is under an overall deal at Warner Bros. TV. Malek and David Weddle also produce, with Ted Cohen in talks to serve as executive producer and writer. James Curtis’ 2022 biography “Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life” may serve as source material for the series, as the studio is negotiating the rights for the book.
Keaton, who lived from 1895 to 1966, is thought of as one of the most prominent stars of the silent film era aside from Charlie Chaplin. He got his start as a child in vaudevile acts alongside his parents, who were traveling performers, before transitioning into film in the late 1910s.
“The Batman” director Matt Reeves would direct the limited series and produce via his 6th and Idaho Productions banner, which is under an overall deal at Warner Bros. TV. Malek and David Weddle also produce, with Ted Cohen in talks to serve as executive producer and writer. James Curtis’ 2022 biography “Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life” may serve as source material for the series, as the studio is negotiating the rights for the book.
Keaton, who lived from 1895 to 1966, is thought of as one of the most prominent stars of the silent film era aside from Charlie Chaplin. He got his start as a child in vaudevile acts alongside his parents, who were traveling performers, before transitioning into film in the late 1910s.
- 1/20/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land” was just the warm up for “Babylon,” his epic comedy-drama about Hollywood during the seismic shift from silents to talkies in the late 1920s — think “La Dolce Vita” meets “Nashville” by way of “The Wolf of Wall Street.” This allowed the Oscar-winning director to step out of his comfort zone with a wild, orgiastic ride through hedonistic excess and extreme living before the sound revolution transformed the movies into a cultural phenomenon.
Judging from the mixed response to Monday’s Academy screening, however, “Babylon” might have a bumpier Best Picture ride than its singing and dancing predecessor. It should be a major crafts player, though. That means likely nominations for some or all of Chazelle’s collaborators: cinematographer Linus Sandgren (Oscar winner for “La La Land”); production designer Florencia Martin; costume designer Mary Zophres; composer Justin Hurwitz (Oscar winner for “La La Land” score...
Judging from the mixed response to Monday’s Academy screening, however, “Babylon” might have a bumpier Best Picture ride than its singing and dancing predecessor. It should be a major crafts player, though. That means likely nominations for some or all of Chazelle’s collaborators: cinematographer Linus Sandgren (Oscar winner for “La La Land”); production designer Florencia Martin; costume designer Mary Zophres; composer Justin Hurwitz (Oscar winner for “La La Land” score...
- 11/16/2022
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Damien Chazelle’s manic vision of a wild, wild west Hollywood heyday, “Babylon,” screened for the very first time November 14 in Los Angeles for Academy members and select press. The collective reaction in a packed, mostly enthusiastic house was, “That was a lot of movie.” Responses on Twitter (social reactions were encouraged while reviews remain under embargo ahead of the film’s wide Christmas Day release) from the press corps ranged from marveling over the film’s druggy over-the-topness to bewilderment over its wildly swinging tones. See them rounded up below.
Indeed, set in a debaucherous mid-1920s when Los Angeles was still a half-formed desert town, “Babylon” is essentially a three-hour-plus bender of a movie that pummels the audience with Boschian-level set pieces of Jazz Era decadence — mountains of cocaine, graphic overdoses, scatological humor, projectile vomiting, horror-movie-style sex dungeons, murder, suicide, and rattlesnake wrestling. Other than breakout Diego Calva,...
Indeed, set in a debaucherous mid-1920s when Los Angeles was still a half-formed desert town, “Babylon” is essentially a three-hour-plus bender of a movie that pummels the audience with Boschian-level set pieces of Jazz Era decadence — mountains of cocaine, graphic overdoses, scatological humor, projectile vomiting, horror-movie-style sex dungeons, murder, suicide, and rattlesnake wrestling. Other than breakout Diego Calva,...
- 11/15/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle screened “Babylon,” his epic love letter to Hollywood, for the first time on Monday (Nov. 14) in advance of its Christmas Day release. His 3-hour plus picture from Paramount chronicles the turbulent transition from the silent era to the talkies.
Chazelle has crafted a story that blends fact with fiction as it follows the journeys of two newcomers to Tinseltown: would-be starlet Nellie Laroy (Margot Robbie) and filmmaker Manny Torres (Diego Calva). The supporting cast is led by Oscar champ Brad Pitt as matinee idol Jack Conrad and Emmy darling Jean Smart as the tart-tongued Elinor St. John.
In the post-screening Q&a, Pitt spoke about collaborating with Chazelle on creating his larger-than-life character, who is in the vein of screen legends Douglas Fairbanks and John Gilbert. Pitt readily conceded that he had been dismissive of their style of acting for being too over-the-top and admitted, “it...
Chazelle has crafted a story that blends fact with fiction as it follows the journeys of two newcomers to Tinseltown: would-be starlet Nellie Laroy (Margot Robbie) and filmmaker Manny Torres (Diego Calva). The supporting cast is led by Oscar champ Brad Pitt as matinee idol Jack Conrad and Emmy darling Jean Smart as the tart-tongued Elinor St. John.
In the post-screening Q&a, Pitt spoke about collaborating with Chazelle on creating his larger-than-life character, who is in the vein of screen legends Douglas Fairbanks and John Gilbert. Pitt readily conceded that he had been dismissive of their style of acting for being too over-the-top and admitted, “it...
- 11/15/2022
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
A few decades after the first experiments with the new technology of film, cinema in the 1920s was beginning to come of age. Filmmakers mastered the essentials and embarked on ambitious storytelling projects with increased flair and sophistication, turning movies from novelty to art in just a few short years. The film industry began operating at full capacity in the 1920s, churning out feature-length productions on a scale and frequency that would have been unthinkable a decade earlier.
Filmmakers of the 1920s start to diversify, some becoming experts in the large-scale epics that were the earliest versions of blockbusters, while others honed a unique style as auteurs that would define the period as part of a larger artistic movement. Our first movie stars come from this era, both silent comedians whose death-defying pratfalls rival any stunts performed today as well as romantic matinee idols who had audiences eating out of the palm of their hands.
Filmmakers of the 1920s start to diversify, some becoming experts in the large-scale epics that were the earliest versions of blockbusters, while others honed a unique style as auteurs that would define the period as part of a larger artistic movement. Our first movie stars come from this era, both silent comedians whose death-defying pratfalls rival any stunts performed today as well as romantic matinee idols who had audiences eating out of the palm of their hands.
- 11/8/2022
- by Audrey Fox
- Slash Film
Do you know when the first movie premiere in Hollywood history was held?
On Oct. 18. 1922 Sid Grauman opened his movie palace the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. with superstar Douglas Fairbank’s latest swashbuckler “Robin Hood.” The red carpet was rolled out for Fairbanks, his wife Mary Pickford and their good friend (and partner in United Artists) Charlie Chaplin. It cost 5 to attend the premiere. And the movie, which was the top box office draw, played there exclusively for several months. The Egyptian cost 800,000 to build and took 18 months to complete for Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman. It is currently being renovated by Netflix in cooperation with the American Cinematheque.
“Robin Hood,” directed by Allan Dwan, was one of the most expensive movies of the silent era, costing just under 1 million. The castle was the biggest set ever made for a silent movie. Some scenes feature over 1,200 extras.
On Oct. 18. 1922 Sid Grauman opened his movie palace the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. with superstar Douglas Fairbank’s latest swashbuckler “Robin Hood.” The red carpet was rolled out for Fairbanks, his wife Mary Pickford and their good friend (and partner in United Artists) Charlie Chaplin. It cost 5 to attend the premiere. And the movie, which was the top box office draw, played there exclusively for several months. The Egyptian cost 800,000 to build and took 18 months to complete for Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman. It is currently being renovated by Netflix in cooperation with the American Cinematheque.
“Robin Hood,” directed by Allan Dwan, was one of the most expensive movies of the silent era, costing just under 1 million. The castle was the biggest set ever made for a silent movie. Some scenes feature over 1,200 extras.
- 10/25/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Six years after winning an Oscar for “La La Land,” writer-director Damien Chazelle is gearing up for a return to Tinseltown with his next feature film “Babylon.” This time, he’s taking it back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, when silent films transitioned to talkies.
In a recent interview, Chazelle said he first came up with the idea for “a big, epic, multicharacter movie, set in these early days of Los Angeles and Hollywood, when both of these things were coming into what we now think of them as,” about 15 years ago. It was only after completing 2018’s “First Man” that he got to work on the script for the “massive” movie.
Like any Hollywood movie about Hollywood, the cast of “Babylon” is as star-studded as they come, playing a mixture of fictional and historical characters. Among them: Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt; Olivia Wilde, Samara Weaving, Tobey Maguire,...
In a recent interview, Chazelle said he first came up with the idea for “a big, epic, multicharacter movie, set in these early days of Los Angeles and Hollywood, when both of these things were coming into what we now think of them as,” about 15 years ago. It was only after completing 2018’s “First Man” that he got to work on the script for the “massive” movie.
Like any Hollywood movie about Hollywood, the cast of “Babylon” is as star-studded as they come, playing a mixture of fictional and historical characters. Among them: Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt; Olivia Wilde, Samara Weaving, Tobey Maguire,...
- 9/13/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
One day after Damien Chazelle teased his forthcoming Hollywood-set epic “Babylon” at a special event during the Toronto International Film Festival, Paramount released the frenetic first trailer for the presumed Oscar contender.
“It’s written in the stars, I am a star,” says Nellie Laroy (Margot Robbie) during a cocaine-fueled conversation with a fellow striver named Manny Torres (newcomer Diego Calva) at the start of the “Babylon” trailer. What follows are images of excess – sex, drugs, parties, shocking violence – during the nascent days of Hollywood. Brad Pitt, Jean Smart, Tobey Maguire, and Jovan Adepo lead the film’s all-star cast, with each playing characters inspired by real-life Hollywood figures.
“It was really a wild West period for these people, this gallery of characters, as they rise and fall, rise, fall, rise again, fall again,” Chazelle told Vanity Fair. “The thing that they’re building is springing back on them and chewing them up.
“It’s written in the stars, I am a star,” says Nellie Laroy (Margot Robbie) during a cocaine-fueled conversation with a fellow striver named Manny Torres (newcomer Diego Calva) at the start of the “Babylon” trailer. What follows are images of excess – sex, drugs, parties, shocking violence – during the nascent days of Hollywood. Brad Pitt, Jean Smart, Tobey Maguire, and Jovan Adepo lead the film’s all-star cast, with each playing characters inspired by real-life Hollywood figures.
“It was really a wild West period for these people, this gallery of characters, as they rise and fall, rise, fall, rise again, fall again,” Chazelle told Vanity Fair. “The thing that they’re building is springing back on them and chewing them up.
- 9/13/2022
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
There is another fairytale afoot in Hollywood, thanks to Oscar winner Damien Chazelle’s sweeping ode to the rise of talkies.
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” co-stars Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt reunite onscreen for “Babylon,” Chazelle’s star-studded take on the pitfalls of fame and the slow-moving tide of change in the film industry. Set during the transitional period in Hollywood when silent movies gave way to talkies, Robbie stars as aspiring actress Nellie Laroy, who is an amalgam of early “talkies” stars Clara Bow, Jeanne Eagels, John Crawford, and Alma Rubens. With dreams of reaching stardom, Nellie crosses paths with aging icon Jack Conrad (Pitt), inspired by John Gilbert, Clark Gable, and Douglas Fairbanks.
“Babylon” premieres December 25 with a limited release, followed by a wide release January 6, 2023, making the feature a buzzed-about Oscars contender.
The official synopsis reads: “From Damien Chazelle, ‘Babylon’ is an original epic set...
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” co-stars Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt reunite onscreen for “Babylon,” Chazelle’s star-studded take on the pitfalls of fame and the slow-moving tide of change in the film industry. Set during the transitional period in Hollywood when silent movies gave way to talkies, Robbie stars as aspiring actress Nellie Laroy, who is an amalgam of early “talkies” stars Clara Bow, Jeanne Eagels, John Crawford, and Alma Rubens. With dreams of reaching stardom, Nellie crosses paths with aging icon Jack Conrad (Pitt), inspired by John Gilbert, Clark Gable, and Douglas Fairbanks.
“Babylon” premieres December 25 with a limited release, followed by a wide release January 6, 2023, making the feature a buzzed-about Oscars contender.
The official synopsis reads: “From Damien Chazelle, ‘Babylon’ is an original epic set...
- 9/13/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Click here to read the full article.
Long before Netflix’s Blonde landed a controversial Nc-17 rating, the Motion Picture Association gave films like Baby Doll (1956) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) “adults only” designations as a way to placate concerned parents and reformers.
Now, when news surfaces of Hollywood allegedly kowtowing to everything from domestic social crusaders to foreign governments, debate lights up headlines and social media conversations. But, historically speaking, industry moguls have most often erred on the side of not ruffling feathers, home or abroad, in order to court consumers — as evidenced in the birth of the MPA 100 years ago.
The lobbying group, which is marking its centennial in 2022, was born as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association in 1922. Mppda counsel C.C. Pettijohn once told a 1929 Public Relations Conference that the film industry was first understood as a three-legged stool that included production, distribution, and exhibition.
Long before Netflix’s Blonde landed a controversial Nc-17 rating, the Motion Picture Association gave films like Baby Doll (1956) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) “adults only” designations as a way to placate concerned parents and reformers.
Now, when news surfaces of Hollywood allegedly kowtowing to everything from domestic social crusaders to foreign governments, debate lights up headlines and social media conversations. But, historically speaking, industry moguls have most often erred on the side of not ruffling feathers, home or abroad, in order to court consumers — as evidenced in the birth of the MPA 100 years ago.
The lobbying group, which is marking its centennial in 2022, was born as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association in 1922. Mppda counsel C.C. Pettijohn once told a 1929 Public Relations Conference that the film industry was first understood as a three-legged stool that included production, distribution, and exhibition.
- 9/2/2022
- by Chris Yogerst
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The origin of United Artists is well-known to any passingly devoted Hollywood history buff, and it can be found Tin Balio's book "United Artists, Volume 1, 1919 - 1950: The Company Built by the Stars." In 1918, Mary Pickford, Carlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith — four of the biggest celebrities of their time — felt something fishy was happening with each of their respective studio contracts. Each of their tenures was due to end soon, and none of them had yet received any offer of renewal. In order to find out what was happening, the quartet hired a private investigator (!) to look into what was going on. The P.I. found that the separate companies that each of them worked for planned on a giant merger, which would lock in standard five-year contracts.
The stars were not interested in such shenanigans and elected, instead, to simply form their own production company. As it was founded by artists,...
The stars were not interested in such shenanigans and elected, instead, to simply form their own production company. As it was founded by artists,...
- 8/30/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
By the time she was 21, actress Lupe Velez had worked with nearly all the top directors of the silent era, including D.W. Griffith (“Lady of the Pavements”), Lon Chaney (“Where East Is East”), and Cecil B. DeMille (“The Squaw Man”). Her first big break came from the King of Hollywood himself, Douglas Fairbanks, in 1927’s “The Gaucho.” She was star of an eight-film series at Rko Studios.
And yet, for most, the image they have of the classic screen star is a fake one, one not at all in line with her prodigious talents and incredible filmography.
In 1965, when “Hollywood Babylon” was published, author Kenneth Anger claimed that his tell-all would unpack the sleazy and sordid lives of numerous stars of the silent and early sound film era, with many of his tawdry tales involving sex, drugs, and death. In several instances, Anger included photos of dead celebrities, like infamous...
And yet, for most, the image they have of the classic screen star is a fake one, one not at all in line with her prodigious talents and incredible filmography.
In 1965, when “Hollywood Babylon” was published, author Kenneth Anger claimed that his tell-all would unpack the sleazy and sordid lives of numerous stars of the silent and early sound film era, with many of his tawdry tales involving sex, drugs, and death. In several instances, Anger included photos of dead celebrities, like infamous...
- 7/18/2022
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
It feels like every year, there’s another Luca Guadagnino joint around the corner. Whether his upcoming cannibal love story “Bones and All” or his tennis-world love triangle “Challengers,” the Oscar-nominated Italian filmmaker is never for want of a new gig. But what’s more, he has another completed film that’s been sitting on the shelf since its Venice Film Festival premiere in September 2020: “Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams.”
Guadagnino’s latest documentary feature (because he makes those too) is a loving salute to fashion icon Salvatore Ferragamo. In tribute, he’s rounded up a terrific group of luminaries: Martin Scorsese, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, and Grace Coddington among them. Exclusively on IndieWire, watch the trailer for the film below.
Eagle-eared Guadagnino fans will note the film’s narrator as heard in the trailer: one Michael Stuhlbarg, otherwise known as Elio’s father Mr. Perlman in “Call Me by Your Name.
Guadagnino’s latest documentary feature (because he makes those too) is a loving salute to fashion icon Salvatore Ferragamo. In tribute, he’s rounded up a terrific group of luminaries: Martin Scorsese, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, and Grace Coddington among them. Exclusively on IndieWire, watch the trailer for the film below.
Eagle-eared Guadagnino fans will note the film’s narrator as heard in the trailer: one Michael Stuhlbarg, otherwise known as Elio’s father Mr. Perlman in “Call Me by Your Name.
- 7/14/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
It took forever — well, 122 years — but Hollywood Forever Cemetery was designated a historic-cultural monument by the Los Angeles City Council today following a unanimous recommendation from the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission.
The cemetery, which was founded in 1899, was included in the National Register of Historic Places on its 100th anniversary, but equivalent local recognition took another quarter century or so.
On June 25, 2021, Councilman Mitch O’Farrell began the city’s effort to include the cemetery on its own list of historic-cultural monuments. Following O’Farrell’s actions, the Cultural Heritage Commission considered the property on Oct. 21 and recommended the City Council add it to the list.
“I was surprised that this wasn’t already on our list,” Commissioner Richard Barron said during the meeting. “It’s always interesting when something comes before us that you think, ‘That’s not a monument yet?’ ”
Among the boldfaced names buried at Hollywood Forever are Judy Garland,...
The cemetery, which was founded in 1899, was included in the National Register of Historic Places on its 100th anniversary, but equivalent local recognition took another quarter century or so.
On June 25, 2021, Councilman Mitch O’Farrell began the city’s effort to include the cemetery on its own list of historic-cultural monuments. Following O’Farrell’s actions, the Cultural Heritage Commission considered the property on Oct. 21 and recommended the City Council add it to the list.
“I was surprised that this wasn’t already on our list,” Commissioner Richard Barron said during the meeting. “It’s always interesting when something comes before us that you think, ‘That’s not a monument yet?’ ”
Among the boldfaced names buried at Hollywood Forever are Judy Garland,...
- 3/22/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Something wicked this way comes to theaters on Christmas Day: Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”. The latest interpretation of Shakespeare’s 1606 Scottish play stars Oscar-winners Denzel Washington as Macbeth, a brave general who hears a prophecy from a trio of witches that he will become king, and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth, the general’s ambitious wife, who goads him into killing the King.
It’s the first film the Oscar-winning Coen has done without his brother Ethan. Coen directed his wife McDormand (they married in 1984) to the first of her three Oscars with 1996’s “Fargo.’ Could this film bag her a 4th?
Even though the play is considered “cursed” that hasn’t stopped directors and actors from tackling the powerful tragedy. The last screen version starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard and directed by Justin Kurzel was released in 2015. Reviews were generally good; the box office wasn’t.
It’s the first film the Oscar-winning Coen has done without his brother Ethan. Coen directed his wife McDormand (they married in 1984) to the first of her three Oscars with 1996’s “Fargo.’ Could this film bag her a 4th?
Even though the play is considered “cursed” that hasn’t stopped directors and actors from tackling the powerful tragedy. The last screen version starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard and directed by Justin Kurzel was released in 2015. Reviews were generally good; the box office wasn’t.
- 12/5/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Alex Rivera, a recipient of a 2021 MacArthur Genius grant, is set to write and direct Zorro 2.0 for Sobini Films.
The film reimagines the iconic character as Oscar de la Vega, a young, undocumented hacker known as ‘z0rr0.’ While fighting back against a secret government unit that attacked his mother, he discovers a high-tech conspiracy that threatens not only his family but the world.
“I’ve always been interested in films that address real-world issues through genre,” Rivera said in a statement to Deadline. “This project is an opportunity to connect Zorro—the original masked avenger—to today’s border wars, a conflict in which immigrant families are pitted against regimes of hi-tech surveillance and government control. ‘Zorro 2.0′ will be visually elevated, socially grounded, sci-fi cinema, and I’m thrilled to be working with Sobini to get this vision on the screen.”
Sobini Films’ Mark Amin, Cami Winikoff and Tyler Boehm will produce.
The film reimagines the iconic character as Oscar de la Vega, a young, undocumented hacker known as ‘z0rr0.’ While fighting back against a secret government unit that attacked his mother, he discovers a high-tech conspiracy that threatens not only his family but the world.
“I’ve always been interested in films that address real-world issues through genre,” Rivera said in a statement to Deadline. “This project is an opportunity to connect Zorro—the original masked avenger—to today’s border wars, a conflict in which immigrant families are pitted against regimes of hi-tech surveillance and government control. ‘Zorro 2.0′ will be visually elevated, socially grounded, sci-fi cinema, and I’m thrilled to be working with Sobini to get this vision on the screen.”
Sobini Films’ Mark Amin, Cami Winikoff and Tyler Boehm will produce.
- 11/29/2021
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
In 2020, the Covid pandemic caused the motion picture academy to cancel the Governors Awards, which has been a stand-alone event since 2009. Instead, it presented the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to both Tyler Perry and the Motion Picture & Television Fund during the Oscars. This morale booster was a bright spot in the ceremony.
The Governors Awards are set to return on January 15, 2022. Honorary Oscars will be presented to multi-hyphenate Elaine May as well as actors Samuel L. Jackson and Liv Ullmann. Another actor, Danny Glover, will be feted with the Hersholt for his work on behalf of Unicef.
There have been four honorees at the Governors Awards every year but two since 2009. As detailed below, all but one of the academy’s 17 branches — Visual Effects — are represented among the roster of 138 winners of honorary Oscars. In the case of Visual Effects, the academy has presented special achievement awards to a host...
The Governors Awards are set to return on January 15, 2022. Honorary Oscars will be presented to multi-hyphenate Elaine May as well as actors Samuel L. Jackson and Liv Ullmann. Another actor, Danny Glover, will be feted with the Hersholt for his work on behalf of Unicef.
There have been four honorees at the Governors Awards every year but two since 2009. As detailed below, all but one of the academy’s 17 branches — Visual Effects — are represented among the roster of 138 winners of honorary Oscars. In the case of Visual Effects, the academy has presented special achievement awards to a host...
- 11/29/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
7 random things that happened on this day, January 10th, in showbiz history
1927 Fritz Lang's sci-fi classic Metropolis has its world premiere in Berlin. It will become legendary and for good reason... though, truth be told, we tired of it for many years due to overexposure (there are so many great silent films but it seems like Metropolis and Birth of a Nation are the only ones the world knows). Our favourite, of infinite progeny and homages, is still Madonna's "Express Yourself" video from 1989.
1936 Silent film superstars Mary Pickford (44) and Douglas Fairbanks (53), who invented the "Hollywood Power Couple" finalize their divorce after 15 years of marriage (though they'd be separated for three years already)...
1927 Fritz Lang's sci-fi classic Metropolis has its world premiere in Berlin. It will become legendary and for good reason... though, truth be told, we tired of it for many years due to overexposure (there are so many great silent films but it seems like Metropolis and Birth of a Nation are the only ones the world knows). Our favourite, of infinite progeny and homages, is still Madonna's "Express Yourself" video from 1989.
1936 Silent film superstars Mary Pickford (44) and Douglas Fairbanks (53), who invented the "Hollywood Power Couple" finalize their divorce after 15 years of marriage (though they'd be separated for three years already)...
- 1/10/2021
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Netflix officially closed their deal to acquire the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard and will team with the venue’s nonprofit American Cinematheque. Deadline first broke the news last August of the streamer’s interest in the Sid Grauman built venue.
The American Cinematheque organization, established in 1984 will remain a non-profit, with the organization’s curation team intact, and along with Netflix will continue to expand the cinema’s movie and event programming. Netflix will invest in the theatre’s renovation and will use the revitalized space for special events, screenings and premieres during the week. The Cinematheque will continue to program and operate a second historic theater, the Aero in Santa Monica.
“The Egyptian Theatre is an incredible part of Hollywood history and has been treasured by the Los Angeles film community for nearly a century,” said Scott Stuber, head of Netflix Films. “We’re honored to partner with...
The American Cinematheque organization, established in 1984 will remain a non-profit, with the organization’s curation team intact, and along with Netflix will continue to expand the cinema’s movie and event programming. Netflix will invest in the theatre’s renovation and will use the revitalized space for special events, screenings and premieres during the week. The Cinematheque will continue to program and operate a second historic theater, the Aero in Santa Monica.
“The Egyptian Theatre is an incredible part of Hollywood history and has been treasured by the Los Angeles film community for nearly a century,” said Scott Stuber, head of Netflix Films. “We’re honored to partner with...
- 5/29/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix and the American Cinematheque are partnering on a deal to invest in the restoration of the historic, century-old Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, the two groups announced Friday.
TheWrap reported in April 2019 that Netflix was in early talks to buy the Egyptian Theatre from American Cinematheque, and the deal has now closed, though it was reported at the time the deal is part of an effort to restore the cinema and not expand to brick and mortar theater operations.
Netflix will invest in the theater’s renovation and will use the space for events, screenings and premieres during the week, while the non-profit film organization American Cinematheque will continue to curate its movie program on the weekends. The announcement says that the partnership will allow American Cinematheque to expand the scope of its event programming, festivals and educational outreach.
Also Read: Netflix Saves NYC's Historic Paris Theatre From Closure...
TheWrap reported in April 2019 that Netflix was in early talks to buy the Egyptian Theatre from American Cinematheque, and the deal has now closed, though it was reported at the time the deal is part of an effort to restore the cinema and not expand to brick and mortar theater operations.
Netflix will invest in the theater’s renovation and will use the space for events, screenings and premieres during the week, while the non-profit film organization American Cinematheque will continue to curate its movie program on the weekends. The announcement says that the partnership will allow American Cinematheque to expand the scope of its event programming, festivals and educational outreach.
Also Read: Netflix Saves NYC's Historic Paris Theatre From Closure...
- 5/29/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Netflix has finalized a deal to buy Hollywood’s historic Egyptian Theatre for an undisclosed price, closing a transaction that had been in the works for more than a year.
The acquisition represents a major milestone in Netflix’s effort to become part of the Hollywood filmmaking community. Major cinema chains like AMC and Regal had been reluctant to play films from the streaming service, since Netflix wouldn’t adhere to the same exclusive windows, usually consisting of 90 days, that other studios abide by. Now, Netflix has a venue to showcase its own content.
The streaming giant announced Friday that the Egyptian will remain the home of the American Cinematheque and the organization’s curation team will continue to autonomously program content over the weekend. Netflix said it invest in the theatre’s renovation and will use the facility for special events, screenings and premieres during the week.
“The Egyptian...
The acquisition represents a major milestone in Netflix’s effort to become part of the Hollywood filmmaking community. Major cinema chains like AMC and Regal had been reluctant to play films from the streaming service, since Netflix wouldn’t adhere to the same exclusive windows, usually consisting of 90 days, that other studios abide by. Now, Netflix has a venue to showcase its own content.
The streaming giant announced Friday that the Egyptian will remain the home of the American Cinematheque and the organization’s curation team will continue to autonomously program content over the weekend. Netflix said it invest in the theatre’s renovation and will use the facility for special events, screenings and premieres during the week.
“The Egyptian...
- 5/29/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Ron Howard and comedy site Funny or Die have teamed up on a pitch for the Motion Picture Television Fund.
The six-minute video, which dropped online on Wednesday, is titled “Ron Howard Digs Up a Very Strange Voicemail His Agent Left Him in 1983.” The clip delves into the development of Howard’s comedy “Splash” following the success of “Night Shift,” which starred Michael Keaton, Henry Winkler and Shelley Long.
“If you’re there, please pick up because it cannot wait. Shelley Long has passed on ‘Splash,” the agent tells Howard. “Shelley felt that Lowell and Babaloo’s take was too funny. She wanted the mermaid to be more of the sea monster that she was in the origin story.”
The agent also tells Howard that Richard Gere and Armand Assante have passed on the male lead and tells him that an actress named Daryl Hannah — “The body of a goddess...
The six-minute video, which dropped online on Wednesday, is titled “Ron Howard Digs Up a Very Strange Voicemail His Agent Left Him in 1983.” The clip delves into the development of Howard’s comedy “Splash” following the success of “Night Shift,” which starred Michael Keaton, Henry Winkler and Shelley Long.
“If you’re there, please pick up because it cannot wait. Shelley Long has passed on ‘Splash,” the agent tells Howard. “Shelley felt that Lowell and Babaloo’s take was too funny. She wanted the mermaid to be more of the sea monster that she was in the origin story.”
The agent also tells Howard that Richard Gere and Armand Assante have passed on the male lead and tells him that an actress named Daryl Hannah — “The body of a goddess...
- 5/6/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
On the last day of February, county officials in suburban Seattle went public with the news that the Life Care Center had become the center of an outbreak of the coronavirus disease.
That disclosure began setting off alarms at America’s elder care facilities, due to residents being at heightened risk because of their age and close living conditions. That included the renowned Motion Picture & Television Fund’s campus in the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills, home to 250 entertainment industry veterans and retirees.
Bob Beitcher, president and CEO of the MPTF for the past decade, announced on March 6 that the nursing facility and retirement community would be quarantined starting on March 9. That meant that gatherings were eliminated, and new policies were put in place to keep contact between staffers and residents to a minimum. In addition, the MPTF instituted daily temperature checks for employees coming on to campus. Staff...
That disclosure began setting off alarms at America’s elder care facilities, due to residents being at heightened risk because of their age and close living conditions. That included the renowned Motion Picture & Television Fund’s campus in the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills, home to 250 entertainment industry veterans and retirees.
Bob Beitcher, president and CEO of the MPTF for the past decade, announced on March 6 that the nursing facility and retirement community would be quarantined starting on March 9. That meant that gatherings were eliminated, and new policies were put in place to keep contact between staffers and residents to a minimum. In addition, the MPTF instituted daily temperature checks for employees coming on to campus. Staff...
- 4/16/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Film festival mulling options after government bans large gatherings until at least mid-July.
The Cannes Film Festival has acknowledged today (April 14) that its plan to reschedule its 73rd edition for end-June, early-July is no longer viable and said it is considering other options. This follows a French government decision to continue a ban on large gatherings until at least mid-July, as part of measures to slow the spread of Covid-19.
“Following the French President’ statement, on Monday, April 13th, we acknowledged that the postponement of the 73rd International Cannes Film Festival, initially considered for the end of June to the beginning of July,...
The Cannes Film Festival has acknowledged today (April 14) that its plan to reschedule its 73rd edition for end-June, early-July is no longer viable and said it is considering other options. This follows a French government decision to continue a ban on large gatherings until at least mid-July, as part of measures to slow the spread of Covid-19.
“Following the French President’ statement, on Monday, April 13th, we acknowledged that the postponement of the 73rd International Cannes Film Festival, initially considered for the end of June to the beginning of July,...
- 4/14/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
When Jennifer Aniston won a SAG Award Jan. 19, the mainstream media seized on one fact: She and her ex Brad Pitt were together in the winner’s circle. Woo-woo, hot stuff!
For gossip rags, that’s fun, but this angle misses the bigger picture. First, her award for “The Morning Show” was a nice validation for Apple TV Plus. Second, this was a project on which she and Reese Witherspoon are exec producers, meaning actor-producers have moved beyond the realm of “vanity productions,” as such deals used to be called for performers.
The 21st century has seen a sharp rise in actors with successful production companies. That list includes Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Eva Longoria and Nicole Kidman.
Though 2019 Oscar nominations inspired protests for lack of gender diversity among directors, the tallies in the best picture rank are better — not 50-50 yet, but getting there. Eight...
For gossip rags, that’s fun, but this angle misses the bigger picture. First, her award for “The Morning Show” was a nice validation for Apple TV Plus. Second, this was a project on which she and Reese Witherspoon are exec producers, meaning actor-producers have moved beyond the realm of “vanity productions,” as such deals used to be called for performers.
The 21st century has seen a sharp rise in actors with successful production companies. That list includes Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Eva Longoria and Nicole Kidman.
Though 2019 Oscar nominations inspired protests for lack of gender diversity among directors, the tallies in the best picture rank are better — not 50-50 yet, but getting there. Eight...
- 1/31/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Of all the iconic memorabilia decorating the hallways of MGM, home of Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, perhaps none is more prescient than a framed piece of 100-year-old paper signed by the stockholders of United Artists — including actress Mary Pickford, whose real name, Gladys Louise Smith, appears on the prized document.
The company, founded in 1919 by Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith and Douglas Fairbanks (Pickford's future husband), was revolutionary in providing a home for creators to distribute their own films. The document also points to the incredible power Pickford wielded as the most popular ...
The company, founded in 1919 by Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith and Douglas Fairbanks (Pickford's future husband), was revolutionary in providing a home for creators to distribute their own films. The document also points to the incredible power Pickford wielded as the most popular ...
Of all the iconic memorabilia decorating the hallways of MGM, home of Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, perhaps none is more prescient than a framed piece of 100-year-old paper signed by the stockholders of United Artists — including actress Mary Pickford, whose real name, Gladys Louise Smith, appears on the prized document.
The company, founded in 1919 by Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith and Douglas Fairbanks (Pickford's future husband), was revolutionary in providing a home for creators to distribute their own films. The document also points to the incredible power Pickford wielded as the most popular ...
The company, founded in 1919 by Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith and Douglas Fairbanks (Pickford's future husband), was revolutionary in providing a home for creators to distribute their own films. The document also points to the incredible power Pickford wielded as the most popular ...
This favorite animal film takes a half-step sideways out of the cute animal subgenre: the delightful Mij is no super-otter, just an ordinary playful garden-variety otter, as an Otter oughta be. (cough) Champion mellow English couple Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers have put together a film guaranteed to lower your blood pressure. But see it first before deciding it’s for your kids, as reality is not sugarcoated in its uplifting, but certainly not sentimentalized, view of our place in a world that still has some animals left alive.
Ring of Bright Water
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1969 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date May 21, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers, Peter Jeffrey, Jameson Clark, Helena Gloag.
Cinematography: Wolfgang Suschitsky
Film Editor: Reginald Mills
Original Music: Frank Cordell
Written by Jack Couffer and Bill Travers from a book by Gavin Maxwell
Produced by Joseph Strick
Directed by Jack...
Ring of Bright Water
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1969 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date May 21, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers, Peter Jeffrey, Jameson Clark, Helena Gloag.
Cinematography: Wolfgang Suschitsky
Film Editor: Reginald Mills
Original Music: Frank Cordell
Written by Jack Couffer and Bill Travers from a book by Gavin Maxwell
Produced by Joseph Strick
Directed by Jack...
- 5/25/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
One hundred years after D.W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks formed the first creator-based movie studio, United Artists lives again. Today, MGM and Annapurna announced they would combine their production, marketing and distribution resources into United Artists Releasing, a new joint venture that will release original films from both entities including MGM’s recently launched Orion Releasing.
The new company will be governed by a board that will be equally represented by MGM, which has not had its own marketing and distribution departments since 2010, and Annapurna which has released its own films since 2017.
Continue reading Annapurna Pictures And MGM Form United Artists Releasing at The Playlist.
The new company will be governed by a board that will be equally represented by MGM, which has not had its own marketing and distribution departments since 2010, and Annapurna which has released its own films since 2017.
Continue reading Annapurna Pictures And MGM Form United Artists Releasing at The Playlist.
- 2/5/2019
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.