Thanks to Baz Luhrmann's electrifying 2022 biopic "Elvis," fans new and old (some very old at this point) have enthusiastically delved into the cultural icon's past to get a more nuanced understanding of how this Tennessee-born mama's career took so many unexpected turns before he collapsed in a pharmaceutically-induced heap at the age of 42.
Every chapter of Presley's life is packed with decisions both brilliant and personally/professionally self-destructive. Indeed, his tragic arc might just be the definitive showbiz cautionary tale. His was an incandescent (if highly derivative) talent that attracted opportunists and admirers; he was treated as a product, and, thus, had an awful tendency to treat those who genuinely loved him with the respect and tenderness they deserved.
Speaking of tenderness, Presley's value as an entertainment commodity was, at its early peak, so dizzyingly high that he could work around his newly signed contract with Paramount Pictures...
Every chapter of Presley's life is packed with decisions both brilliant and personally/professionally self-destructive. Indeed, his tragic arc might just be the definitive showbiz cautionary tale. His was an incandescent (if highly derivative) talent that attracted opportunists and admirers; he was treated as a product, and, thus, had an awful tendency to treat those who genuinely loved him with the respect and tenderness they deserved.
Speaking of tenderness, Presley's value as an entertainment commodity was, at its early peak, so dizzyingly high that he could work around his newly signed contract with Paramount Pictures...
- 5/25/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Roberto Rossellini’s 1945 neorealist drama is unsparing in its depiction of the heavy price of both resistance and collaboration with the Nazi occupation
Roberto Rossellini’s 1945 film is a blazingly urgent and painful bulletin from the frontline of Italy’s historical agony: the Axis power that had belatedly turned against the Mussolini fascists only to be humiliatingly occupied by Nazi Germany on whose orders the dictator was reinstalled in the northern Salò puppet state, resplendent in contemptible impotence and pathos, with Rome at its defeated and compromised centre. It was a film that used the so-recently-devastated real streets and people of Rome on location for a project on which Rossellini started script work well before the end of the war, building on ideas by screenwriter Sergio Amidei with dialogue contribution by the young Federico Fellini.
Rome, Open City is revived as part of the BFI Southbank’s Chasing the Real season of Italian neorealism,...
Roberto Rossellini’s 1945 film is a blazingly urgent and painful bulletin from the frontline of Italy’s historical agony: the Axis power that had belatedly turned against the Mussolini fascists only to be humiliatingly occupied by Nazi Germany on whose orders the dictator was reinstalled in the northern Salò puppet state, resplendent in contemptible impotence and pathos, with Rome at its defeated and compromised centre. It was a film that used the so-recently-devastated real streets and people of Rome on location for a project on which Rossellini started script work well before the end of the war, building on ideas by screenwriter Sergio Amidei with dialogue contribution by the young Federico Fellini.
Rome, Open City is revived as part of the BFI Southbank’s Chasing the Real season of Italian neorealism,...
- 5/15/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The character of Tom Ripley first appeared in Patricia Highsmith's 1955 novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley," a salacious story about a con man who is hired to locate an old school chum named Dickie Greenleaf but who ends up becoming obsessed with him, killing him, and supplanting him. Ripley is not a charming con man, but he is staggeringly clever and possesses a talent for subterfuge. He's also driven by his baser desires, unable to resist pursuing the women and men he lusts after (Ripley is likely bisexual) or stealing the money he so desperately wants. Each time, Ripley gets away with it, as evidenced by the fact that he starred in five novels published through to 1991.
A critic once pointed out that Tom Ripley's character arc is a direct inversion of traditional storytelling. A typical crime novel protagonist will learn new things as the story progresses and then use...
A critic once pointed out that Tom Ripley's character arc is a direct inversion of traditional storytelling. A typical crime novel protagonist will learn new things as the story progresses and then use...
- 4/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Cinephiles will have plenty to celebrate this April with the next slate of additions to the Criterion Channel. The boutique distributor, which recently announced its June 2024 Blu-ray releases, has unveiled its new streaming lineup highlighted by an eclectic mix of classic films and modern arthouse hits.
Students of Hollywood history will be treated to the “Peak Noir: 1950” collection, which features 17 noir films from the landmark film year from directors including Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Huston.
New Hollywood maverick William Friedkin will also be celebrated when five of his most beloved movies, including “Sorcerer” and “The Exorcist,” come to the channel in April.
Criterion will offer the streaming premiere of Wim Wenders’ 3D art documentary “Anselm,” which will be accompanied by the “Wim Wenders’ Adventures in Moviegoing” collection, which sees the director curating a selection of films from around the world that have influenced his careers.
Contemporary cinema is also well represented,...
Students of Hollywood history will be treated to the “Peak Noir: 1950” collection, which features 17 noir films from the landmark film year from directors including Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Huston.
New Hollywood maverick William Friedkin will also be celebrated when five of his most beloved movies, including “Sorcerer” and “The Exorcist,” come to the channel in April.
Criterion will offer the streaming premiere of Wim Wenders’ 3D art documentary “Anselm,” which will be accompanied by the “Wim Wenders’ Adventures in Moviegoing” collection, which sees the director curating a selection of films from around the world that have influenced his careers.
Contemporary cinema is also well represented,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
April’s an uncommonly strong auteurist month for the Criterion Channel, who will highlight a number of directors––many of whom aren’t often grouped together. Just after we screened House of Tolerance at the Roxy Cinema, Criterion are showing it and Nocturama for a two-film Bertrand Bonello retrospective, starting just four days before The Beast opens. Larger and rarer (but just as French) is the complete Jean Eustache series Janus toured last year. Meanwhile, five William Friedkin films and work from Makoto Shinkai, Lizzie Borden, and Rosine Mbakam are given a highlight.
One of my very favorite films, Comrades: Almost a Love Story plays in a series I’ve been trying to program for years: “Hong Kong in New York,” boasting the magnificent Full Moon in New York, Farewell China, and An Autumn’s Tale. Wim Wenders gets his “Adventures in Moviegoing”; After Hours, Personal Shopper, and Werckmeister Harmonies fill...
One of my very favorite films, Comrades: Almost a Love Story plays in a series I’ve been trying to program for years: “Hong Kong in New York,” boasting the magnificent Full Moon in New York, Farewell China, and An Autumn’s Tale. Wim Wenders gets his “Adventures in Moviegoing”; After Hours, Personal Shopper, and Werckmeister Harmonies fill...
- 3/18/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The Greek provocateur seemed to be smiling throughout Oscar night. In the past he’d delivered films with titles like Dogtooth and The Lobster, and his newest, Poor Things, was now stockpiling the statuary even as Hollywood’s filmmaking elite looked on, perplexed.
Yorgos Lanthimos’ code-busting Poor Things was winning not only successive awards (four in all) Sunday but also the exuberant applause from an audience that seemed to welcome change. Even chaotic change.
Oppenheimer won the big prize on Oscar night, of course, but Oscar voters once again demonstrated their support for the product of the filmmaking underclass. The Scorsese-Spielberg-Ridley Scott fraternity looked on while dark horses like Lanthimos, or, a year earlier, the Daniels (Kwan and Scheinert) from Everything Everywhere All at Once, stole the action. Coda from Sian Heder was the surprise of 2022.
Does all this reflect a restive mood? “The power of Poor Things stems...
Yorgos Lanthimos’ code-busting Poor Things was winning not only successive awards (four in all) Sunday but also the exuberant applause from an audience that seemed to welcome change. Even chaotic change.
Oppenheimer won the big prize on Oscar night, of course, but Oscar voters once again demonstrated their support for the product of the filmmaking underclass. The Scorsese-Spielberg-Ridley Scott fraternity looked on while dark horses like Lanthimos, or, a year earlier, the Daniels (Kwan and Scheinert) from Everything Everywhere All at Once, stole the action. Coda from Sian Heder was the surprise of 2022.
Does all this reflect a restive mood? “The power of Poor Things stems...
- 3/14/2024
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Anne Whitfield, who appeared at age 15 in the 1954 Hollywood Christmas chestnut White Christmas and went on to a prolific career in episodic TV throughout the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, died February 15 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington. She was 85.
The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.
“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.
Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...
The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.
“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.
Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...
- 2/29/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Anne Whitfield, who appeared in the beloved holiday classic White Christmas and on dozens of TV shows, from Father Knows Best, 77 Sunset Strip and Perry Mason to That Girl, Ironside and Emergency!, has died. She was 85.
Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.
“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.
Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...
Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.
“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.
Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...
- 2/29/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For so many reasons, George Lucas' 1977 "Star Wars" is a revolutionary film. Like any game-changer, some of the ways in which "Star Wars" re-shaped the cinematic landscape couldn't have been predicted; its ushering in a huge wave of big budget sci-fi/fantasy films, its one-two punch with "Jaws" establishing the summer blockbuster, its use of Joseph Campbell-inspired myth making shaping the way so many screenplays would be written for the next few decades, and so on.
However, some of the innovations created by "Star Wars" were very visible while it was being made, none more so than by Lucas himself. In addition to gathering together a cadre of visual-effects pioneers and wizards who could make his vision a reality on screen (a coterie later dubbed Industrial Light & Magic), Lucas faced the problem of making sure their work could be seen in its best light, literally. As Paul Hirsch, one of...
However, some of the innovations created by "Star Wars" were very visible while it was being made, none more so than by Lucas himself. In addition to gathering together a cadre of visual-effects pioneers and wizards who could make his vision a reality on screen (a coterie later dubbed Industrial Light & Magic), Lucas faced the problem of making sure their work could be seen in its best light, literally. As Paul Hirsch, one of...
- 2/18/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
The Academy Awards grew up at the 16th annual ceremony March 2, 1944. Since the first Oscar ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt’s Blossom Room in 1929, the Academy Awards were small banquet ceremonies for La La Land movers and shakers. But that all changed 80 years ago. World War II was in its third year and movies meant more than ever to war-weary audiences.
So, the Oscars moved to the then-Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and bleachers were introduced giving fans a chance to see their favorites walk the red carpet. And instead of a select industry audience, attendees included members of all branches of the armed services many of whom sat in bleachers on the stage at the Chinese. The ceremony was heard locally on Kfwb; Jack Benny hosted the international broadcast for the troops on CBS Radio via shortwave. And for the first time, supporting performers finally received a full-size Academy Award.
So, the Oscars moved to the then-Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and bleachers were introduced giving fans a chance to see their favorites walk the red carpet. And instead of a select industry audience, attendees included members of all branches of the armed services many of whom sat in bleachers on the stage at the Chinese. The ceremony was heard locally on Kfwb; Jack Benny hosted the international broadcast for the troops on CBS Radio via shortwave. And for the first time, supporting performers finally received a full-size Academy Award.
- 1/23/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The moment Elvis Presley stepped in front of the camera for his second appearance on "The Milton Berle Show" in 1956, there was no doubt that this young man was destined for more than pop music superstardom. Much more.
Conversationally, he was downright adorable with his boyish good looks and aw-shucks Southern shyness, but once the music kicked in he was transformed into a hunk of burning lust. That gyrating pelvis and run-riot voice spurred sexual awakenings in living rooms across the country (in full view of outraged parents). To teenagers, Elvis belted out a call to rebellion. To parents, he was a pompadoured incubus. To Hollywood, he was singing, swaggering box-office gold.
Between 1956 and 1972, Elvis starred in 31 features and two concert films. There were lulls (particularly when his popularity faded prior to his 1968 comeback special), but for the most part Elvis reliably packed 'em in. According to producer Hal B. Wallis...
Conversationally, he was downright adorable with his boyish good looks and aw-shucks Southern shyness, but once the music kicked in he was transformed into a hunk of burning lust. That gyrating pelvis and run-riot voice spurred sexual awakenings in living rooms across the country (in full view of outraged parents). To teenagers, Elvis belted out a call to rebellion. To parents, he was a pompadoured incubus. To Hollywood, he was singing, swaggering box-office gold.
Between 1956 and 1972, Elvis starred in 31 features and two concert films. There were lulls (particularly when his popularity faded prior to his 1968 comeback special), but for the most part Elvis reliably packed 'em in. According to producer Hal B. Wallis...
- 1/20/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Movies and television have been competing for the same audience's time and money since TV was invented, but they've also formed a strange symbiosis. There have been a heck of a lot of movies based on TV shows, and a heck of a lot of TV shows based on movies.
Some of those shows based on movies have been major pop culture milestones, like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "The Karate Kid," and "Friday Night Lights." And of course a whole lot of been almost completely forgotten, like the sitcoms based on "Dirty Dancing," "Working Girl," and "Animal House."
But one thing these TV shows usually have in common is that they're almost always based on a hit movie. It's not surprising when a blockbuster like "M*A*S*H" or "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" gets turned into a television series. It's even common for smaller, but critically acclaimed films...
Some of those shows based on movies have been major pop culture milestones, like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "The Karate Kid," and "Friday Night Lights." And of course a whole lot of been almost completely forgotten, like the sitcoms based on "Dirty Dancing," "Working Girl," and "Animal House."
But one thing these TV shows usually have in common is that they're almost always based on a hit movie. It's not surprising when a blockbuster like "M*A*S*H" or "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" gets turned into a television series. It's even common for smaller, but critically acclaimed films...
- 12/18/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Martin Scorsese is famous for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, and the first feature-length film with all three, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” has become a critical and commercial success. It’s not unusual for a director to find a “favorite” actor and form a successful relationship. In fact, this practice goes back to the beginning of the industry.
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
SEEMartin Scorsese movies: All 26 films ranked worst to best
During the Golden Age of Hollywood,...
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
SEEMartin Scorsese movies: All 26 films ranked worst to best
During the Golden Age of Hollywood,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Martin Scorsese is famous for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, and the first feature-length film with all three, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” has become a critical and commercial success. It’s not unusual for a director to find a “favorite” actor and form a successful relationship. In fact, this practice goes back to the beginning of the industry.
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, there were quite a few famous collaborations,...
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, there were quite a few famous collaborations,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
The end of the Hollywood studio system in the late 1950s is an oft-mourned loss by anyone who spends an inordinate amount of time watching Turner Classic Movies or browsing the tiles on the Criterion Channel. Hollywood still makes great movies all the time, of course, but what has been lost is the volume of modest and unassuming but expertly crafted mid-range genre films. What made the classical era unique wasn’t the groundbreaking art of an Alfred Hitchcock or a John Ford; every age has its titans, and one could argue that in just the past few months we’ve had several Hollywood movies as bold and distinctive as any in the industry’s past.
What the now-defunct studio system gave us was a robust slate of movies from directors whose names were not known to the general public — directors like Michael Curtiz, Mitchell Leisen, Budd Boetticher, and several...
What the now-defunct studio system gave us was a robust slate of movies from directors whose names were not known to the general public — directors like Michael Curtiz, Mitchell Leisen, Budd Boetticher, and several...
- 11/11/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Filmmaker Alexander Payne doesn’t exactly have the corner on curmudgeonly Paul Giamatti performances, or unexpected road trip movies that result in deeply emotional bonds, or stories about found families, or even tales about high school teachers who really, really need to get their lives in order. Still, those do tend to be his most recognizable hallmarks.
They’re all on display in his latest, the Christmastime dramedy “The Holdovers,” which stars Paul Giamatti as, yes, a curmudgeonly high school teacher who needs to get his life in order, and ends up (sort of) doing that by way of an unexpected road trip and the forging of a found family (including Da’Vine Joy Randolph and newbie Dominic Sessa).
“The Holdovers” sounds like pure Payne, right? It is, but it’s also a David Hemingson effort, with the longtime television writer picking up his first film credit with the script, which...
They’re all on display in his latest, the Christmastime dramedy “The Holdovers,” which stars Paul Giamatti as, yes, a curmudgeonly high school teacher who needs to get his life in order, and ends up (sort of) doing that by way of an unexpected road trip and the forging of a found family (including Da’Vine Joy Randolph and newbie Dominic Sessa).
“The Holdovers” sounds like pure Payne, right? It is, but it’s also a David Hemingson effort, with the longtime television writer picking up his first film credit with the script, which...
- 11/8/2023
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)
Making a movie is hard. A shocking statement, I know. When you direct a film, you are utilizing a tremendous amount of your time and energy to devote to a project that more often than not takes years of your life. So, when a director releases two films in the same year, I'm always impressed that they had the bandwidth to turn these films around so quickly. The rarest of the rare, though, is when the director gets nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Director for multiple films within the same year.
The first was at the 2nd ceremony, when Frank Lloyd received three of the seven nominations for "Drag," "Weary River," and "The Divine Lady," for which he won. The...
Making a movie is hard. A shocking statement, I know. When you direct a film, you are utilizing a tremendous amount of your time and energy to devote to a project that more often than not takes years of your life. So, when a director releases two films in the same year, I'm always impressed that they had the bandwidth to turn these films around so quickly. The rarest of the rare, though, is when the director gets nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Director for multiple films within the same year.
The first was at the 2nd ceremony, when Frank Lloyd received three of the seven nominations for "Drag," "Weary River," and "The Divine Lady," for which he won. The...
- 10/29/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
These last few years the Criterion Channel have made October viewing much easier to prioritize, and in the spirit of their ’70s and ’80s horror series we’ve graduated to––you guessed it––”’90s Horror.” A couple of obvious classics stand with cult favorites and more unknown entities (When a Stranger Calls Back and Def By Temptation are new to me). Three more series continue the trend: “Technothrillers” does what it says on the tin, courtesy the likes of eXistenZ and Demonlover; “Art-House Horror” is precisely the kind of place to host Cure, Suspiria, Onibaba; and “Pre-Code Horror” is a black-and-white dream. Phantom of the Paradise, Unfriended, and John Brahm’s The Lodger are added elsewhere.
James Gray is the latest with an “Adventures in Moviegoing” series populated by deep cuts and straight classics. Stonewalling and restorations of Trouble Every Day and The Devil, Probably make streaming debuts, while Flesh for Frankenstein,...
James Gray is the latest with an “Adventures in Moviegoing” series populated by deep cuts and straight classics. Stonewalling and restorations of Trouble Every Day and The Devil, Probably make streaming debuts, while Flesh for Frankenstein,...
- 9/28/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Tyrannical and brilliant, director Michael Curtiz created film legends out of mere stars, and turned movies into myth. Here are some of his greatest films.
When movie enthusiasts think of legendary director Michael Curtiz, the first thing that pops into their mind is Casablanca (1942), consistently named to, and occasionally topping, lists of the greatest films of all time. Although if we’re being honest, most people think of it as a Humphrey Bogart movie. The same could be said of Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). These are known for their stars, James Cagney, and Errol Flynn, the latter of whom Curtiz put on the map with Captain Blood (1935). In the director’s hands, actors and characters merged into a mythology which exceeded mere signature roles, becoming universal symbols.
Curtiz worked in the motion picture business from its infancy, but began in the theater, graduating Budapest’s...
When movie enthusiasts think of legendary director Michael Curtiz, the first thing that pops into their mind is Casablanca (1942), consistently named to, and occasionally topping, lists of the greatest films of all time. Although if we’re being honest, most people think of it as a Humphrey Bogart movie. The same could be said of Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). These are known for their stars, James Cagney, and Errol Flynn, the latter of whom Curtiz put on the map with Captain Blood (1935). In the director’s hands, actors and characters merged into a mythology which exceeded mere signature roles, becoming universal symbols.
Curtiz worked in the motion picture business from its infancy, but began in the theater, graduating Budapest’s...
- 9/27/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Some movies are so iconic it’s hard to imagine that they were originally going to be radically different. Elvis Presley‘s movie Jailhouse Rock once had a completely different title. One of Elvis’ regular songwriters revealed why the film’s initial name was abandoned. In addition, he discussed what he thought about Jailhouse Rock.
Elvis Presley’s movie ‘Jailhouse Rock’ could have been called ‘Ghost of a Chance’
Mike Stoller co-wrote several Elvis tunes, including “Hound Dog,” “Bossa Nova Baby,” “Little Egypt,” and “Jailhouse Rock.” During a 2022 interview with Variety, Stoller revealed the first title of the movie Jailhouse Rock was abandoned in favor of the title of his song.
“I think [the original title] was Ghost of a Chance,” he said. “That changed, I think, as soon as they heard the initial recording. Which is not the one in the film, because the one in the film was blown out and had a bigger orchestra.
Elvis Presley’s movie ‘Jailhouse Rock’ could have been called ‘Ghost of a Chance’
Mike Stoller co-wrote several Elvis tunes, including “Hound Dog,” “Bossa Nova Baby,” “Little Egypt,” and “Jailhouse Rock.” During a 2022 interview with Variety, Stoller revealed the first title of the movie Jailhouse Rock was abandoned in favor of the title of his song.
“I think [the original title] was Ghost of a Chance,” he said. “That changed, I think, as soon as they heard the initial recording. Which is not the one in the film, because the one in the film was blown out and had a bigger orchestra.
- 9/14/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1957, Elvis Presley began working with Michael Curtiz, the esteemed director of Casablanca. At this point, Curtiz was an Academy Award-winning director, and Elvis was primarily a musician with only three films on his acting resume. Curtiz fully expected to dislike him. When they began working together, though, the director found that he liked Elvis far more than he had anticipated.
Elvis Presley impressed a director who had expected to dislike him
Elvis dove headfirst into preparing for King Creole, believing that the role could be majorly beneficial to his acting career. While Elvis was optimistic about the part, Curtiz wasn’t happy that he had to direct a relatively inexperienced actor. Elvis worked to prove himself to the director, though.
“You just didn’t have a lot of fooling around with Curtiz — I mean, he would embarrass the hell out of you,” Elvis’ co-star Jan Shepard said in the...
Elvis Presley impressed a director who had expected to dislike him
Elvis dove headfirst into preparing for King Creole, believing that the role could be majorly beneficial to his acting career. While Elvis was optimistic about the part, Curtiz wasn’t happy that he had to direct a relatively inexperienced actor. Elvis worked to prove himself to the director, though.
“You just didn’t have a lot of fooling around with Curtiz — I mean, he would embarrass the hell out of you,” Elvis’ co-star Jan Shepard said in the...
- 8/3/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
HQ7 Studios will initially have two fully soundproofed stages.
Construction is underway on a €10m production complex on the outskirts of Vienna that will launch in the first quarter of 2024.
The HQ7 Studios will initially consist of two fully soundproofed stages with an area of 2,000 and 1,000m2 respectively.
There are plans to build another two stages between 2,000 and 2,500m2, while a third phase of construction may also see space later being made available for outside sets at the studio lot.
In addition, HQ7 will have 2,000m2 available as ancillary office and workshop space.
Speaking to Screen, HQ7’s managing director...
Construction is underway on a €10m production complex on the outskirts of Vienna that will launch in the first quarter of 2024.
The HQ7 Studios will initially consist of two fully soundproofed stages with an area of 2,000 and 1,000m2 respectively.
There are plans to build another two stages between 2,000 and 2,500m2, while a third phase of construction may also see space later being made available for outside sets at the studio lot.
In addition, HQ7 will have 2,000m2 available as ancillary office and workshop space.
Speaking to Screen, HQ7’s managing director...
- 8/2/2023
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Everyone loves a good cinematic love story. But for those of us who aren’t living our happily ever afters with the loves of our lives, it can be hard to watch a swoon-worthy romance on Netflix without feeling a bit wistful and sad. That’s particularly true if you’re dealing with a case of the break-up blues.
Thankfully, no one is truly alone alone in front of a TV screen. As long as there have been romance films, there have been break-up films; movies that capture the pain and anguish of a relationship dying, leaving those involved picking up the pieces.
One of the most acclaimed American classics of all time, Michael Curtiz’s “Casablanca,” is at its core a story about having to say goodbye to the person you love. The destruction of relationships or marriages has proven fertile ground for modern directors as well, from Noah Baumbach...
Thankfully, no one is truly alone alone in front of a TV screen. As long as there have been romance films, there have been break-up films; movies that capture the pain and anguish of a relationship dying, leaving those involved picking up the pieces.
One of the most acclaimed American classics of all time, Michael Curtiz’s “Casablanca,” is at its core a story about having to say goodbye to the person you love. The destruction of relationships or marriages has proven fertile ground for modern directors as well, from Noah Baumbach...
- 7/28/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson and Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
It was more than a little heartening to see Roger Corman paid tribute by Quentin Tarantino at Cannes’ closing night. By now the director-producer-mogul’s imprint on cinema is understood to eclipse, rough estimate, 99.5% of anybody who’s touched the medium, but on a night for celebrating what’s new, trend-following, and manicured it could’ve hardly been more necessary. Thus I’m further heartened seeing the Criterion Channel will host a retrospective of Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations running eight films and aptly titled “Grindhouse Gothic,” though I might save the selections for October.
Centerpiece, though, is a hip hop series including Bill Duke’s superb Deep Cover, Ghost Dog, and numerous documentaries––among them Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, making Michael Rapaport a Criterion-approved auteur. Ten films starring Kay Francis and 21 Eurothrillers round out series; streaming premieres include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori and Lokita,...
Centerpiece, though, is a hip hop series including Bill Duke’s superb Deep Cover, Ghost Dog, and numerous documentaries––among them Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, making Michael Rapaport a Criterion-approved auteur. Ten films starring Kay Francis and 21 Eurothrillers round out series; streaming premieres include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori and Lokita,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
I honestly never expected Steven Spielberg in a Criterion Channel series––certainly not one that pairs him with Kogonada, anime, and Johnny Mnemonic––but so’s the power of artificial intelligence. Perhaps his greatest film (at this point I don’t need to tell you the title) plays with After Yang, Ghost in the Shell, and pre-Matrix Keanu in July’s aptly titled “AI” boasting also Spike Jonze’s Her, Carpenter’s Dark Star, and Computer Chess. Much more analog is a British Noir collection obviously carrying the likes of Odd Man Out, Night and the City, and The Small Back Room, further filled by Joseph Losey’s Time Without Pity and Basil Dearden’s It Always Rains on Sunday. (No two ways about it: these movies have great titles.) An Elvis retrospective brings six features, and the consensus best (Don Siegel’s Flaming Star) comes September 1.
While Isabella Rossellini...
While Isabella Rossellini...
- 6/22/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
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
Director Taika Waititi has been on the scene for over 20 years, making a splash with an Academy Award-nominated short film before heading off to Sundance with 2007’s quirky indie Eagle vs Shark. From there, he helmed one of the funniest mockumentaries ever in What We Do in the Shadows before landing one of the most prestigious jobs in Hollywood, directing for Marvel. Oh, and there’s an Oscar in there somewhere, too…But what will it all amount to? In a new profile, that’s just what he’s worried about.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, director Taika Waititi said, “I’m 47. My God, take the pressure off. People are so obsessed with likes or leaving behind a legacy, being remembered. Here’s the thing: No one’s going to remember us. What’s the name of the director of Casablanca? Arguably one of the greatest films of all time.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, director Taika Waititi said, “I’m 47. My God, take the pressure off. People are so obsessed with likes or leaving behind a legacy, being remembered. Here’s the thing: No one’s going to remember us. What’s the name of the director of Casablanca? Arguably one of the greatest films of all time.
- 6/4/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Taika Waititi isn’t trying to build a legacy despite already having one.
The “Next Goal Wins” writer-director reflected on his career in a Hollywood Reporter cover story, pointing out that even Michael Curtiz, the filmmaker behind “Casablanca,” has been forgotten by many more than a half-century after helming one of the greatest films of all time. To Waititi, nothing is forever.
“I’m 47. My God, take the pressure off,” Waititi said. “People are so obsessed with likes or leaving behind a legacy, being remembered. Here’s the thing: No one’s going to remember us. What’s the name of the director of ‘Casablanca’? Arguably one of the greatest films of all time. No one knows his name. How the fuck do I expect to be remembered? So who cares?”
Waititi won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar in 2020 for “Jojo Rabbit” and is tapped to direct a “Star Wars...
The “Next Goal Wins” writer-director reflected on his career in a Hollywood Reporter cover story, pointing out that even Michael Curtiz, the filmmaker behind “Casablanca,” has been forgotten by many more than a half-century after helming one of the greatest films of all time. To Waititi, nothing is forever.
“I’m 47. My God, take the pressure off,” Waititi said. “People are so obsessed with likes or leaving behind a legacy, being remembered. Here’s the thing: No one’s going to remember us. What’s the name of the director of ‘Casablanca’? Arguably one of the greatest films of all time. No one knows his name. How the fuck do I expect to be remembered? So who cares?”
Waititi won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar in 2020 for “Jojo Rabbit” and is tapped to direct a “Star Wars...
- 5/31/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Distribution
Anthony Lapaglia‘s upcoming factual series “The Black Hand” is set to be distributed internationally by eOne.
The three-part series will explore Australia’s Italian community, looking at the difficulties they face, their politics, the threat of war and the mafia. According to the series synopsis, The Black Hand is the name for a gang of Italian criminals in Australia.
Alan Erson, Lapaglia, Michael Tear exec produce. Adam Grossetti and Kate Pappas produce. “The Black Hand” is directed by Kriv Stenders and written by Grossetti, Stenders and Anya Beyersdorf.
The series was produced by Wildbear Entertainment for ABC in Australia. The deal with eOne excludes Australia and Scandinavia.
“The Black Hand is truly the definition of premium factual,” said Kate Cundall, eOne’s VP for acquisitions. “We’re very excited about the opportunity to take to market a hugely popular genre like true crime with some amazing auspicious.”
***
Meanwhile,...
Anthony Lapaglia‘s upcoming factual series “The Black Hand” is set to be distributed internationally by eOne.
The three-part series will explore Australia’s Italian community, looking at the difficulties they face, their politics, the threat of war and the mafia. According to the series synopsis, The Black Hand is the name for a gang of Italian criminals in Australia.
Alan Erson, Lapaglia, Michael Tear exec produce. Adam Grossetti and Kate Pappas produce. “The Black Hand” is directed by Kriv Stenders and written by Grossetti, Stenders and Anya Beyersdorf.
The series was produced by Wildbear Entertainment for ABC in Australia. The deal with eOne excludes Australia and Scandinavia.
“The Black Hand is truly the definition of premium factual,” said Kate Cundall, eOne’s VP for acquisitions. “We’re very excited about the opportunity to take to market a hugely popular genre like true crime with some amazing auspicious.”
***
Meanwhile,...
- 5/31/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Here’s looking at Warner Bros. which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Earlier this year, Turner Classic Movies, which is a member of the Warner Bros. Discovery family, celebrated the centennial with a monthlong tribute to the studio that gave the world such landmark films as 1927’s “The Jazz Singer,” the first feature with synchronized recorded singing and some dialogue; the ultimate gangster flick 1931’s “Public Enemy,: the glorious 1938 swashbuckler “The Adventures of Robin Hood”; and the beloved 1942 “Casablanca.
And during its Golden Age, its roster of stars included such legends as Rin-Tin-Tin, John Barrymore, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Kay Francis, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Paul Muni, John Garfield and Sydney Greenstreet.
Max is currently streaming the four-part documentary series “100 Years of Warner Bros.” (the first two episodes premiered at Cannes). And also arriving this week is the lavish coffee table book “Warner Bros.
And during its Golden Age, its roster of stars included such legends as Rin-Tin-Tin, John Barrymore, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Kay Francis, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Paul Muni, John Garfield and Sydney Greenstreet.
Max is currently streaming the four-part documentary series “100 Years of Warner Bros.” (the first two episodes premiered at Cannes). And also arriving this week is the lavish coffee table book “Warner Bros.
- 5/30/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Gisèle Galante recalls a recent evening in which she and her husband first watched Dodge City, the 1939 Michael Curtiz-directed western starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. As de Havilland’s daughter, born 17 years after that film’s premiere, Galante was struck equally by her mother’s beauty and her performance: “I had never seen it before, but she was so, so pretty,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And even though it wasn’t what you would call a meaty role, she was excellent. There’s still so much for me to discover, more of my mother’s films that I have not seen.”
For many classic-film fans, de Havilland’s death in July 2020 at the age of 104 signified the end of an era, the passing of perhaps the last great star of Hollywood’s golden years. Galante notes that she’s had those fans in mind while planning...
For many classic-film fans, de Havilland’s death in July 2020 at the age of 104 signified the end of an era, the passing of perhaps the last great star of Hollywood’s golden years. Galante notes that she’s had those fans in mind while planning...
- 5/11/2023
- by Laurie Brookins
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warner Bros. has already celebrated its centennial with a segment during the Academy Awards, the publication of a studio-supported book (Warner Bros.: 100 Years of Storytelling) and, most recently, a barrage of festivities emanating from Turner Classic Movies. TCM’s programming for all of April is being devoted to Warners films, and at the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, running April 13-16, many studio masterpieces, some recently restored and remastered, will be shown on big screens around town. Here are 10 that this THR Hollywood history buff highly recommends.
Footlight Parade (1933)
Ninety years ago, during the depths of the Great Depression, Americans sought escape from their troubles with light movies like this backstage musical. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler and highlighted by some of choreographer Busby Berkeley’s most kaleidoscopic dance numbers, it was a giant hit at the box office.
Footlight Parade (1933)
Ninety years ago, during the depths of the Great Depression, Americans sought escape from their troubles with light movies like this backstage musical. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler and highlighted by some of choreographer Busby Berkeley’s most kaleidoscopic dance numbers, it was a giant hit at the box office.
- 4/12/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
You probably know more about Ronald Reagan from U.S. History than Film Studies. Make no mistake. Before Reagan ever ran for office, he was an actor. The 40th U.S. president started his entertainment career as "Dutch" Reagan, a radio sports announcer in Des Moines, Iowa. Reagan honed his storytelling chops by recreating Chicago Cubs games with nothing but a slip sent to him by telegraph. The 26-year-old dreamed of big-screen stardom, so he joined the Cubs for spring training in Southern California — to snag a screen test with Warner Brothers. The WB studio suits liked what they saw, and film actor Ronald Reagan was born.
While Reagan had a better Hollywood career than most, he never became a bonafide movie star. Throughout Reagan's political career, opponents and detractors slandered him as a "B-movie actor." However, Reagan was a B-movie actor. No, he wasn't starring in the 1940s equivalent...
While Reagan had a better Hollywood career than most, he never became a bonafide movie star. Throughout Reagan's political career, opponents and detractors slandered him as a "B-movie actor." However, Reagan was a B-movie actor. No, he wasn't starring in the 1940s equivalent...
- 3/26/2023
- by Hunter Cates
- Slash Film
One of the most time-consuming aspects of being a cinephile is worrying about the health and longevity of TCM. The venerable broadcast television channel dedicated to classic Hollywood cinema has grown since its 1994 launch into a kind of preservationist and enthusiast's empire that includes an annual film festival, an original film distribution arm, a releasing imprint, and a slew of diverse programming initiatives (not to mention a wine club). TCM certainly seems to be in better health than most entities dedicated segments of the film ecosystem that are -- by virtue of not being focused on the biggest, brightest, latest thing -- not exactly profit drivers. It has survived both a massive merger between AT&T and its parent company, Time Warner, and a subsequent divestment of AT&T and acquisition by Discovery in all but five years, after all.
But the brand's new overlord, Warner Bros. Discovery, shelving completed films...
But the brand's new overlord, Warner Bros. Discovery, shelving completed films...
- 3/23/2023
- by Ryan Coleman
- Slash Film
Movie star John Wayne stepped behind the camera for The Alamo, but not quite for the reasons that one would expect. Similar to many other actors, he pretended not to care about what the critics thought, although their words hurt more than he let on. Wayne directed The Alamo because he didn’t think he was attractive enough to continue his career as an actor into his older years.
John Wayne made ‘The Alamo’ his directorial debut John Wayne | United Artists/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
Wayne originally started in Hollywood as a prop man for Fox, where he met legendary filmmaker John Ford. Next, he had the opportunity to work on productions, ultimately landing in front of the camera as an actor. There, he managed to capture the hearts of moviegoing audiences across the country.
The iconic Western actor made some of the greatest films the genre has to offer,...
John Wayne made ‘The Alamo’ his directorial debut John Wayne | United Artists/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
Wayne originally started in Hollywood as a prop man for Fox, where he met legendary filmmaker John Ford. Next, he had the opportunity to work on productions, ultimately landing in front of the camera as an actor. There, he managed to capture the hearts of moviegoing audiences across the country.
The iconic Western actor made some of the greatest films the genre has to offer,...
- 2/23/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Since the days of silent pictures, the American film industry has grappled with on-set accidents and tragedies. Among the earliest was in 1914, when director Owen Carter and actress Grace McHugh drowned while shooting a sequence of a bandit’s daughter crossing the Rio Grande for the silent feature “Across the Border.” On-set deaths have shadowed the movies ever since, from the accidental shooting of Brandon Lee on “The Crow” set in 1993 to the 2014 death of “Midnight Rider” assistant camerawoman Sarah Jones on a Georgia train trestle.
But those are just the ones we know about: Media attention around on-set tragedies and mishaps, especially the manslaughter charges against “Rust” actor and producer Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, formally filed on Tuesday, is a modern phenomenon. In the early days, the lack of a 24/7 news cycle allowed many accidents and deaths to go unreported.
“The coverage was less in those days [silents and beyond],” Jonathan Kuntz,...
But those are just the ones we know about: Media attention around on-set tragedies and mishaps, especially the manslaughter charges against “Rust” actor and producer Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, formally filed on Tuesday, is a modern phenomenon. In the early days, the lack of a 24/7 news cycle allowed many accidents and deaths to go unreported.
“The coverage was less in those days [silents and beyond],” Jonathan Kuntz,...
- 2/1/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
What will be your first movie of 2023? If you’re reading this it’s likely you put some (let’s be honest: too much) thought into what commences the cinematic year. The Criterion Channel’s January lineup will put some good things front and center: they’re launching a 20-film cinema verité series that highlights all major figures of the form; an eight-film Mike Leigh retrospective that focuses on his little-seen, lesser-discussed BBC features produced between 1973 and 1984; a series on Abbas Kiarostami’s studies of childhood; and because you’ve either seen Eo or have it marked to watch, Jerzy Skolimowski’s three most-acclaimed films should be of equal note.
Another 2022 favorite, Il Buco, will have its streaming premiere alongside Kamikaze Hearts, the Depardieu-led Cyrano de Bergerac, and the recent restoration of Lodge Kerrigan’s Keane. The sole Criterion Edition for this month is 3 Women, while some notable recent documentaries—The American Sector,...
Another 2022 favorite, Il Buco, will have its streaming premiere alongside Kamikaze Hearts, the Depardieu-led Cyrano de Bergerac, and the recent restoration of Lodge Kerrigan’s Keane. The sole Criterion Edition for this month is 3 Women, while some notable recent documentaries—The American Sector,...
- 12/20/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Slow weekend for new titles as cinemas await ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’.
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Dec 9-11)Total gross to date Week 1. Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical (Sony) £2.1m £10.8m 3 2. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney) £802,106 £30.8m 5 3. Violent Night (Universal) £567,351 £1.9m 2 4. Strange World (Disney) £305,802 £1.8m 3 5. The Menu (Disney) £192,742 £3m 4
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.23
Sony’s Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical held first place at the UK-Ireland box office for a third consecutive weekend, as cinemas await the arrival of Avatar: The Way Of Water.
On its third weekend in cinemas, Matilda dropped just 16 on its previous session...
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Dec 9-11)Total gross to date Week 1. Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical (Sony) £2.1m £10.8m 3 2. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney) £802,106 £30.8m 5 3. Violent Night (Universal) £567,351 £1.9m 2 4. Strange World (Disney) £305,802 £1.8m 3 5. The Menu (Disney) £192,742 £3m 4
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.23
Sony’s Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical held first place at the UK-Ireland box office for a third consecutive weekend, as cinemas await the arrival of Avatar: The Way Of Water.
On its third weekend in cinemas, Matilda dropped just 16 on its previous session...
- 12/12/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
We all have our go-to holiday movie classics. "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Home Alone" quickly come to mind, but another holiday staple for me is "White Christmas." Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kay, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, the film follows singers Bob Wallace (Crosby) and Phil Davis (Kaye), who have been pounding the pavement as successful producers post-World War II. Lured in to do a favor for a fellow soldier, they are introduced to sisters Betty (Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) when invited to attend the sister act show they put on.
Shenanigans ensue and the quartet of characters find themselves heading to rural Vermont. While staying at a local inn, the men realize their former commander owns the establishment and is deeply in the red. Loyalty for their commander prompts the men to rope in the women to try to make a Christmas miracle happen with some musical numbers thrown into the mix.
Shenanigans ensue and the quartet of characters find themselves heading to rural Vermont. While staying at a local inn, the men realize their former commander owns the establishment and is deeply in the red. Loyalty for their commander prompts the men to rope in the women to try to make a Christmas miracle happen with some musical numbers thrown into the mix.
- 12/4/2022
- by Sarah Musnicky
- Slash Film
Just months after the International Olympic Committee finally restored accomplished Indigenous athlete Jim Thorpe's hard-won medals, Thorpe is set to be the subject of a new movie. Thorpe — a member of the Sac & Fox Nation where he was called Wa-Tho-Huk — is most remembered for his impressive multi-sport career. His remarkable story, however, actually began in Oklahoma Indian country in 1887, the year of his birth.
His life is chronicled in Robert Wheeler's book, "Jim Thorpe: World's Greatest Athlete," which is now set to be adapted for the big screen with a director, script, and producing team already attached. Here's everything we know about "Thorpe" so far.
When And Where To Watch Thorpe
It's still too early to tell when audiences should expect to see "Thorpe," but Deadline reports that the film is "on a fast track." The production team behind the movie already has a strong record of making...
His life is chronicled in Robert Wheeler's book, "Jim Thorpe: World's Greatest Athlete," which is now set to be adapted for the big screen with a director, script, and producing team already attached. Here's everything we know about "Thorpe" so far.
When And Where To Watch Thorpe
It's still too early to tell when audiences should expect to see "Thorpe," but Deadline reports that the film is "on a fast track." The production team behind the movie already has a strong record of making...
- 12/2/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Further new releases include ‘Summering’, ‘White Noise’ and ‘The Infernal Machine’.
There are a modest number of openers over the next couple of weekends at the UK-Ireland box office in the build-up to Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water landing on screens on December 16 and as festive fare settles in. This weekend’s widest new release is Violent Night, playing at 588 sites for Universal.
Tommy Wirkola’s alternative Christmas story sees Stranger Things star David Harbour play Kris Kringle during a particular trying Christmas Eve, with John Leguizamo as the leader of a group of dangerous mercenaries who take...
There are a modest number of openers over the next couple of weekends at the UK-Ireland box office in the build-up to Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water landing on screens on December 16 and as festive fare settles in. This weekend’s widest new release is Violent Night, playing at 588 sites for Universal.
Tommy Wirkola’s alternative Christmas story sees Stranger Things star David Harbour play Kris Kringle during a particular trying Christmas Eve, with John Leguizamo as the leader of a group of dangerous mercenaries who take...
- 12/2/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
There is no denying that "White Christmas" is one of the most influential Christmas movies ever made, and no, we're not talking about the "Black Mirror" episode. This isn't just because of its heartwarming message about finding joy in even the darkest moments, but also because of its technical innovations. After all, it was the first film to ever be released in VistaVision. If that term doesn't sound familiar, it eventually influenced several cinematography innovations, such as 70mm IMAX. To argue that "White Christmas" isn't an essential seasonal watch would, frankly, be ridiculous.
However, we also know that there might be some people out there who genuinely have never seen Michael Curtiz's film starring the likes of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney before. We wouldn't blame you if you hadn't, but it definitely isn't too late to check it out. Even if you have seen it before, the ever-changing...
However, we also know that there might be some people out there who genuinely have never seen Michael Curtiz's film starring the likes of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney before. We wouldn't blame you if you hadn't, but it definitely isn't too late to check it out. Even if you have seen it before, the ever-changing...
- 11/28/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Warner Brothers released “Casablanca” in New York on Nov. 26, 1942, which just happened to be Thanksgiving. But the romantic World War II drama starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid was anything but a turkey. To say the New York Times review was effusive is something of an understatement: “Warners here have a picture which makes the spine tingle and the heart take a leap….And they have so combined sentiment, humor and pathos with taut melodrama and bristling intrigue that the result is a highly entertaining and even inspiring film.”
And critical praise and audiences’ adoration continued when it opened in Los Angeles and nationwide in January 1943. It went on to win three Oscars for Best Picture, director for Michael Curtiz and adapted screenplay for Julius J. and Philip Epstein and Howard Koch. Let’s take a look back on the occasion of the 80th anniversary.
As time has gone by,...
And critical praise and audiences’ adoration continued when it opened in Los Angeles and nationwide in January 1943. It went on to win three Oscars for Best Picture, director for Michael Curtiz and adapted screenplay for Julius J. and Philip Epstein and Howard Koch. Let’s take a look back on the occasion of the 80th anniversary.
As time has gone by,...
- 11/28/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Elvis Presley’s handlers found the formula that would keep his stardom solvent through the 1960s in this well-confected, calculatedly vacant star vehicle that Everybody liked and enjoyed in 1961. The coolest celeb in America ended up in some of the squarest, least-hip films of the era. Why do we like it so? Cutting through the fog of nostalgia reveals the appeal. The Hawaiian scenery is a knockout, plus there’s good support from Joan Blackman and especially Angela Lansbury, who humbles herself to play an idiot mother caricature for Mister ‘Rock-a-Hula.’
Blue Hawaii
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Paramount Presents
1961 / Color/ 1:85 widescreen / 101 min. / Street Date November 15, 2022 / Available from / 39.99
Starring: Elvis Presley, Joan Blackman, Angela Lansbury, Nancy Walters, Roland Winters, John Archer, Howard McNear, Steve Brodie, Christian Kay, Iris Adrian, Hilo Hattie, Jenny Maxwell, Pamela Austin (Kirk), Darlene Tompkins, Jose De Vega, Frank Atienza, Ralph Hanalei, Gregory Gaye.
Cinematography: Charles Lang...
Blue Hawaii
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Paramount Presents
1961 / Color/ 1:85 widescreen / 101 min. / Street Date November 15, 2022 / Available from / 39.99
Starring: Elvis Presley, Joan Blackman, Angela Lansbury, Nancy Walters, Roland Winters, John Archer, Howard McNear, Steve Brodie, Christian Kay, Iris Adrian, Hilo Hattie, Jenny Maxwell, Pamela Austin (Kirk), Darlene Tompkins, Jose De Vega, Frank Atienza, Ralph Hanalei, Gregory Gaye.
Cinematography: Charles Lang...
- 11/8/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
It is fair to assume Criterion could plunder the world of licensed film to build an ultimate noir playlist; credit, then, for focusing sharp and nabbing deep cuts. The Criterion Channel’s November / Noirvember program will be headlined by “Fox Noir,” an eight-title program with Otto Preminger deep cut Fallen Angel, three by Henry Hathaway, Siodmak, Dassin, Kazan, and Robert Wise, and while retrospectives of Veronica Lake and John Garfield will bring some canon into the fold, I’m mostly thinking about that potential for discovery.
Following “Free Jazz,” Bob Hoskins, and Joyce Chopra programs, the other big series is a 30-year survey of Sony Pictures Classics: Sally Potter, Satoshi Kon, Panahi, Errol Morris, Almodóvar, Haneke, Mike Leigh, just a murderer’s row. Streaming premieres include 499 and A Night of Knowing Nothing, two recent epitomes of I Wish I Had Seen That; Criterion Editions comprise Cure, Brazil, Sullivan’s Travels,...
Following “Free Jazz,” Bob Hoskins, and Joyce Chopra programs, the other big series is a 30-year survey of Sony Pictures Classics: Sally Potter, Satoshi Kon, Panahi, Errol Morris, Almodóvar, Haneke, Mike Leigh, just a murderer’s row. Streaming premieres include 499 and A Night of Knowing Nothing, two recent epitomes of I Wish I Had Seen That; Criterion Editions comprise Cure, Brazil, Sullivan’s Travels,...
- 10/26/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
John Wayne only received credit for directing two films throughout his 50-year career, but his fingerprints are all over many of his star vehicles. Having cut his teeth during the silent era under the tutelage of masters like John Ford, King Vidor, and Michael Curtiz, Wayne became an expert in the manufacture of movies. He understood camera placement, framing, how long to hold onto a shot, and when to cut. Though it was Ford who made him a star with 1939's landmark Western "Stagecoach," Wayne is as responsible for burnishing his big-screen image as any of his behind-the-scenes collaborators.
In Scott Eyman's biography "John Wayne: The Life and Legend," the author reveals that The Duke's experience knocking out programmers for Republic Pictures taught him that the difference between a B movie and an A movie was the "difference ... between a quick punch to the jaw and the expression on a face.
In Scott Eyman's biography "John Wayne: The Life and Legend," the author reveals that The Duke's experience knocking out programmers for Republic Pictures taught him that the difference between a B movie and an A movie was the "difference ... between a quick punch to the jaw and the expression on a face.
- 10/15/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
About 43 minutes into the 1933 pre-code horror classic “King Kong,” aspiring actress Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) finds herself on a remote island struggling to free herself from the two stone pillars she’s tied to as an offering for the giant ape its inhabitants worship. The trees rustle, and then we see him. Kong. The camera quickly cuts to Wray, who instantly freezes, holding in her breath as if her life depended on it. The camera zooms in on the ape’s face, his eyes growing wide, then suddenly cuts back to Wray, who lets out the most iconic blood-curdling scream in cinema history.
And thus, the scream queen was born.
“I’d become Hollywood’s scream queen without even realizing it,” Wray told journalist James Bawden in a 1989 interview. After the film wrapped, Wray recorded what she called an “Aria of Agonies” — screams and moans for the editors to use as they pleased.
And thus, the scream queen was born.
“I’d become Hollywood’s scream queen without even realizing it,” Wray told journalist James Bawden in a 1989 interview. After the film wrapped, Wray recorded what she called an “Aria of Agonies” — screams and moans for the editors to use as they pleased.
- 10/13/2022
- by Marya E. Gates
- Indiewire
Two of the greatest and most successful horror films made in the wave that followed the successes of Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1931 were virtually lost for much of the ninety years since their release. It is true that the black and white versions of Doctor X (1932) and Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) remained in circulation in various forms for much of that time, but the original Process 2 Technicolor versions were thought to be gone forever or at least damaged beyond repair.
The films have much more than this in common. Both share much of the same talent both in front of and behind the camera as well as similarities in tone and character. They are the first horror films made in color and examples of early horror-comedies. They are also prime examples of “pre-code” horror with the most subversive moments generally used for comedic effect...
The films have much more than this in common. Both share much of the same talent both in front of and behind the camera as well as similarities in tone and character. They are the first horror films made in color and examples of early horror-comedies. They are also prime examples of “pre-code” horror with the most subversive moments generally used for comedic effect...
- 9/21/2022
- by Brian Keiper
- bloody-disgusting.com
Producer-director Michael Curtiz’s femme fatale noir has a lot going for it — high production values, VistaVision, and new film talent in Tom Tryon, Carol Ohmart, Elaine Stritch & Jody Lawrance. Excellent location shooting and a Nat King Cole song provide authentic Los Angeles atmosphere. But the storyline is ten years out of date. The advertising promoted Ms. Ohmart as a new ’50s sex symbol. She may have caught fire, but the show didn’t.
The Scarlet Hour
Region free Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] #152
1956 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 95 min. / Street Date August 31, 2022 / Available from Amazon Au / 39.95; / Available from Viavision / 39.95
Starring: Carol Ohmart, Tom Tryon, Jody Lawrance, James Gregory, Elaine Stritch, E.G. Marshall, Edward Binns, David Lewis, Billy Gray, Jacques Aubuchon, Scott Marlowe, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Richard Deacon, Benson Fong, Theron Jackson, Almira Sessions.
Cinematography: Lionel Lindon
Costumes: Edith Head
Art Directors: Hal Pereira, Tambi Larsen
Film Editor: Everett Douglas
Original Music: Leith Stevens...
The Scarlet Hour
Region free Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] #152
1956 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 95 min. / Street Date August 31, 2022 / Available from Amazon Au / 39.95; / Available from Viavision / 39.95
Starring: Carol Ohmart, Tom Tryon, Jody Lawrance, James Gregory, Elaine Stritch, E.G. Marshall, Edward Binns, David Lewis, Billy Gray, Jacques Aubuchon, Scott Marlowe, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Richard Deacon, Benson Fong, Theron Jackson, Almira Sessions.
Cinematography: Lionel Lindon
Costumes: Edith Head
Art Directors: Hal Pereira, Tambi Larsen
Film Editor: Everett Douglas
Original Music: Leith Stevens...
- 9/20/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The world was at war 80 years ago. The United States was grieving over the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 by the Japanese military and the defeat of our forces that month at Wake Island. And then the beloved Carole Lombard, her mother, servicemen and the crew perished in a plane crash west of Las Vegas on January 16, 1942. She was returning to Hollywood after raising 2 million in a war bond drive in Indianapolis.
How would Hollywood and audiences respond to World War II? They certainly didn’t shy away from the war. If you look at the top 10 films of the year, there are some escapist films but also movies dealing with the global conflict.
In fact, the No. 1 film of the year William Wyler’s “Mrs. Miniver” broke records at Radio City Music Hall in New York playing 10 weeks. Production began on the stirring, sentimental drama about a British...
How would Hollywood and audiences respond to World War II? They certainly didn’t shy away from the war. If you look at the top 10 films of the year, there are some escapist films but also movies dealing with the global conflict.
In fact, the No. 1 film of the year William Wyler’s “Mrs. Miniver” broke records at Radio City Music Hall in New York playing 10 weeks. Production began on the stirring, sentimental drama about a British...
- 9/18/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
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