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Reel-Important People is a monthly column that highlights those individuals in or related to the movies that have left us in recent weeks. Below you'll find names big and small and from all areas of the industry, though each was significant to the movies in his or her own way. John G. Avildsen (1935-2017) - Director, Cinematographer and Editor. He won an Oscar for directing Rocky (see below) and was nominated for his short documentary film Traveling Hopefully. His other movies include The Karate Kid and its first two sequels, all of which he also edited, Rocky V, Lean on Me, The Power of One, Joe, 8 Seconds, For Keeps? and Neighbors. He also worked on Black Like Me as an assistant to Carl Lerner. He...

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Director John G. Avildsen has passed away from pancreatic cancer. He had an eclectic body of work that began in earnest with his work as a cinematographer on several high profile films of the 1960s including "Hurry Sundown" and "Mickey One". Avildsen graduated to the director's chair with the surprise indie hit "Joe" in 1970 a serio-comic look at an ultra conservative working man (Peter Boyle) whose rage boils over from what he believes are anti-American protest movements against the Vietnam War. Three years later Avildsen directed the acclaimed drama "Save the Tiger" which won Jack Lemmon the Best Actor Oscar. In 1976 he directed the most unlikely of blockbusters, "Rocky", which won the Best Picture Oscar. Avildsen took home the Best Director award. He also scored with the "Karate Kid" franchise and also directed the zany comedy "Neighbors" with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as well as "The Formula" with Marlon Brando...

John G. Avildsen, who won an Oscar for directing the iconic Rocky and also helmed all three Karate Kid movies, has passed away at 81. While no cause of death was revealed, the director's representative confirmed his death in Los Angeles today. The filmmaker leaves behind a lasting legacy of telling some of the best underdog stories ever put on film.

Variety confirmed the director's death with his rep earlier today, although no further details were given. It hasn't been revealed yet if there will be any sort of public memorial service for the filmmaker. The man was born December 21 1935, in Oak Park, Illinois, USA, graduating from the prestigious Hotchkiss School and Nyu. He got his start in the movie business by serving as assistant director on movies helmed by Arthur Penn and Otto Preminger.

The late filmmaker made his feature directorial debut in 1969 with Turn To Love, which he also served as the cinematographer on.

John G. Avildsen, the Oscar-winning director of Rocky and The Karate Kid, died Friday in Los Angeles following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 81.

Avildsen’s son Anthony confirmed the filmmaker's death to the Los Angeles Times, adding that Avildsen died at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Avildsen won the Academy Award for Best Picture for his work on 1976's Rocky. Like the titular boxer played by Sylvester Stallone, the film was an underdog itself: Despite a minuscule million-dollar budget, Rocky became the highest-grossing film of 1976, winning three Oscars...

How’d that beloved tune from the “pre-fab four” go? “Another Pleasant Valley Sunday, here in status-symbol land”. Well, they might’ve been crooning about the locale of this new comedy. Everybody’s lawn is perfect, right out of American Beauty. Maybe even “picture perfect”, but more than a bit dull. Some of the residents perhaps secretly hope that things will get shaken up a tad. Ah, be careful what you wish for, so goes the old saying. That’s what happened in the final John Belushi/Dan Aykroyd team-up in 1981, Neighbors. But instead of that off-kilter, way-too friendly couple, the new arrivals bore more than a passing resemblance to Mr. & Mrs. Smith (not the Hitchcock comedy, but the first pairing of Pitt and Jolie). That’s the premise, as two “normals” risk life and limb when they’re Keeping Up With The Joneses.

The Gaffneys, Karen (Isla Fisher) and...

A new teaser trailer for Paul Feig's Ghostbusters reboot has arrived. The full trailer will be released on March 3rd. Also: details on The Night King figure from Dark Horse Deluxe, The Hollow first details, an excerpt from Sam Joyce's Tongues, and A Haunting in Cawdor release details.

Ghostbusters Reboot: "Thirty years after the original film took the world by storm, Ghostbusters is back and fully rebooted for a new generation. Director Paul Feig combines all the paranormal fighting elements that made the original franchise so beloved with a cast of new characters, played by the funniest actors working today. Get ready to watch them save the world this summer!"

Directed and co-written (with Katie Dippold) by Paul Feig, the Ghostbusters reboot stars Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth.

Original Ghostbusters stars Ernie Hudson, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver are...

For years, Lee Ving, the vocalist and leader of impish punk bruisers Fear, has been teasing the release of a song the group recorded with John Belushi in 1981. He's finally putting out the tune — the appropriately snotty-sounding "Neighbors," which was supposed to accompany the Belushi movie of the same name — digitally on Halloween and as a special seven-inch in November. But even before the decades-long wait for its release, the origins of the recording were steeped in strife.

The SNL actor became a fan of Fear after catching them on the L.

This week’s new entry in the Summer movie schedule has the distinction of pulling off the seasonal cinema trifecta. So, what’s this multiplex “hat-trick”? Well, number one, it’s a big studio action comedy. Number two, it’s a feature film remake of a decades old classic TV show. And the topper, number three, it’s a sequel. Usually TV adaptations are done in one, like The A-team and Bewitched. 22 Jump Street is the follow-up to 2012′s surprise smash 21 Jump Street, based on the late 1980′s Fox TV crime drama (created by The A-team’s Stephen J. Cannell with Patrick Hasburgh) that propelled Johnny Depp to stardom. But the flick from two years ago wasn’t a straight-faced, literal movie expansion. Taking a cue from 1987′s Dan Aykroyd/Tom Hanks starrer Dragnet, 21 was a loving parody of the earlier cop show. Can Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum possibly...

Arkansas ceases marriages, Oregon to rule on equality Monday, Tyler Glenn happy being gay and Mormon

Lea Michele has become the latest Glee cast member to slam reports of fighting on the set of the show. “It’s really unbelievable the amount of things that can just be completely made up.” She notes tabloids love pitting women against each other, and besides, if there was going to be a catfight on set, she says “If there were ever really a catfight on the show, you’d know about it, because I’d get a ring, and I’d put jello in it, and I’d make it fun for everyone, and it would be super hot.” I’ll just pause here while the lesbian readers imagine Lea and Naya Jello wrestling.

Where are all the queer superheros?

Colorado has become the first state to pass what’s been dubbed the Dallas Buyers Club bill,...

Making his debut as a director, Ben Falcone will soon be making his presence felt with this summer’s female-led R-rated comedy, Tammy.

It will follow on from the likes of Neighbors (‘Bad Neighbours’ here in the UK), A Million Ways to Die in the West, and Walk of Shame, and with Melissa McCarthy leading the cast, it looks set to be a hit.

Warner Bros. launched the first teaser trailer a few months back, and with its July release date fast approaching, the studio has released the second trailer.

Tammy (McCarthy) is having a bad day. She’s totaled her clunker car, gotten fired from her thankless job at a greasy burger joint, and instead of finding comfort at home, finds her husband getting comfortable with the neighbor in her own house.

It’s time to take her boom box and book it. The bad news is she’s broke and without wheels.

Fat, drunk, and stupid may not be the best way to go through life, but it sure does create one memorable film character!

Movies have often been set in and around college campuses, but none quite like Animal House. From toga parties to food fights, the film not only introduced us to many collegiate cinematic clichés, but pretty much reinvented the entire genre. When you think of a college movie, you think of Animal House.

John Belushi made a huge leap from TV onto the big screen as Bluto, the exact opposite of what you think a fraternity boy would...

On behalf of Universal Pictures, we're excited to announce that an all-new trailer and never-before-seen photo for Neighbors starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne, have just debuted. Directed by Nick Stoller (The Five-Year Engagement), this raunchy comedy is about a young couple suffering from arrested development who are forced to live next to a fraternity house after the birth of their newborn baby. Get ready for the new neighbors to move in on May 9!

As an added treat, we thought we'd show you the poster that launched last night set beside its inspiration, the poster for the 1981 cult oddity and namesake Neighbors, starring that era's own Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

Neighbors comes to theaters May 9th, 2014 and stars Zac Efron, Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Dave Franco, Jake Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chasty Ballesteros, Lisa Kudrow. The film is directed by Nick Stoller.

As the kidnapping of three Cleveland women who were missing for 10 years is investigated by authorities, grim details about the conditions in suspect Ariel Castro's Seymour Avenue home are being released. While police would not say how the women were taken captive or whether they were sexually assaulted, Police Chief Michael McGrath told NBC's Today show on Wednesday that investigators found ropes and chains in the house. He added the women were restrained and "released out in the backyard once in a while." McGrath said he was "absolutely" sure police did everything they could to find the women over the years.

Langford's Picks And Pans

Please Like Me (Australia)

There were several moments I really enjoyed here. I loved where Josh talked to his father about him paying for Josh to visit him in Thailand — the only problem being Josh would have to see his father there. Josh’s quiet comment of ‘That’s a shame’ was hilarious as was the bit with the dog in a dress. I also liked Tom talking about having a child, only to find out that you didn’t like it very much and would have to pretend to love it. It had an odd ring of truth. But, my favorite was the gag about the erotic gif that Tom made. This show is full of lines that are rich with wit and warmth. And Claire and Tom’s kiss in the rain was really sweet. But I still think that Tom’s ex isn’t pregnant.

Langford's Picks And Pans

River City

What year am I in? That’s what I kept thinking when watching these clips. I felt like I was seeing a storyline from 1999, not 2012. I realize that gays are still being bashed today all over the world, but it was just the mood and the way the story was told that seemed like a throwback. Or maybe it was more that River City has been telling the stories of gay characters for many years – some of them quite progressive – so this story seemed antiquated and out of place.

To be fair, the story wasn’t badly told and there were some nice touches, especially the older woman who told Robbie about her gay friend. It said there have always been gays around and there have always been those who love and support them. And it was nice how Robbie’s friends rallied around him.

Sony Pictures is opening up its vaults and throwing its hat into the Manufacturing on Demand initiative in which obscure classics get long overdue made-to-order home video releases, and one of the first titles out is the classic strange comedy Neighbors!

From the Press Release

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Sphe) debuts the newly remastered Neighbors (1981) on DVD as part of its “Columbia Classics” lineup. The comedy reteamed Dan Aykroyd (Ghostbusters) and John Belushi (Animal House) after their triumphs on “Saturday Night Live” and the hit film The Blues Brothers. A quiet man’s peaceful suburban lifestyle is threatened by the new, obnoxious couple that moves in next door. Consumers can purchase the authentic, high-quality DVD on Amazon, Warner Archive or Critics’ Choice Video. Neighbors will retail for $20.95 Slp, plus shipping.

Synopsis

Earl Keese (John Belushi, Animal House) is a slightly overweight, fairly average guy who is approaching middle age. He...

Release Date: Sept. 6, 2011

Price: DVD $20.95

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

John Belushi kvetches to wife Kathryn Walker in Neighbors.

The dark comedy Neighbors starring John Belushi (National Lampoon’s Animal House) and Dan Aykroyd (Ghostbusters) is part of Sony’s “Columbia Classics” lineup of manufacture-on-demand DVDs.

The 1981 movie, a cult favorite, reteamed Aykroyd and Belushi following their triumphs on TV’s Saturday Night Live and in the hit film The Blues Brothers.

The two comic actors play against type in the story of a quiet suburban man’s (Belushi) peaceful lifestyle being uprooted by the new, obnoxious couple (Aykroyd and Raging Bull’s Cathy Moriarty) that moves in next door.

Directed by John Avildsen (The Karate Kid) and written by the legendary Larry Gelbart (Tootsie) based upon Thomas Berger’s novel, Neighbors also stars Kathryn Walker (D.A.R.Y.L.), Tino Insana (For Keeps?) and SNL’s Tim Kazurinsky.

Consumers can also purchase...

Zombies are the best of the horror movie monsters….. It’s irrefutable.

Some might argue that it’s vampires or werewolves, or even slasher villains like Jason or Freddy. But there’s something intrinsically frightening about Zombies. Perhaps it’s because they represent death, or the way in which they can often be used metaphorically to reflect real-life concerns. Honestly though, it’s probably just the idea of being slowly eaten alive – especially if its by your best friend or even your gran.

With the long awaited Dead Island finally released today, it’s as good a time as any to take a look at 10 of the best zombie games ever made.

House Of The Dead 2 / The Typing Of The Dead (1998/2000)

Sega

Arcade/Dreamcast

The best entry in Sega’s light gun arcade series, House of the Dead 2 is so good that the worst voice acting in the...

Murdered Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen and the man who killed himself lived in separate worlds that are now linked. But the real killer may be on the loose.

Their worlds could not be further apart: She lived in a quiet, leafy and affluent corner of Westwood; he appeared to have been squatting in a transient building, in a seedy, rundown neighborhood on the east side of town.

Related story on The Daily Beast: Police Chief Speaks Out on Hollywood Murder

How-if at all-their deaths were connected is the question that occupies people in Los Angeles in the wake of the man's suicide Wednesday night.

Described as a "person of interest" in the killing of Ronni Chasen-the Hollywood publicist who was mysteriously gunned down in her car last month-the man known by his neighbors as "Harold" remains an enigma more than a day after he turned his gun on himself...

New details are emerging about the man who killed himself in connection with Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen's murder-including that he was "agitated" for days about police.

In a rundown apartment house, located in a bleak part of Hollywood, the mystery of Ronni Chasen's murder deepened Wednesday night when a man police say they believe was connected to the publicist's killing shot himself around 5:30 p.m., as officers got ready to serve a search warrant. Neighbors said the man's first name was Harold.

Related story on The Daily Beast: The Chasen Murder's Mystery Man

A few hours after the shooting, Kevin McClure from the Los Angeles Police robbery homicide division appeared before reporters. He said that at 5:30 p.m., the Hollywood division had received a call from the Beverly Hills Police Department, saying they were going to attempt to talk to someone at the Harvey Apartments. When they went to his residence,...

Beverly Hills Police Chief, who has not before commented on the mysterious murder of star publicist Ronni Chasen, denies sharing details of his department's investigation.

In the baffling case of who shot veteran Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen, the Beverly Hills Police Chief, who until now hasn't spoken publicly about the case, shot down a report that he had told a city official that his department believes Chasen's death was planned in advance.

Related story on The Daily Beast: David Kenney and Alaska's Bizarre Murder Case

"I never told anyone that," says Police Chief David Snowden. "What they don't know, they make up. And that seems to be the case now. Take that as somebody trying to make a hit with the newspaper. I never talked to anyone about that."

Snowden pushed back against a story in the Hollywood Reporter that suggested detectives had a theory that Chasen was not gunned...

Director Todd Phillips ("The Hangover") is developing a biopic about the late John Belushi.s life. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. recently acquired the rights from Belushi's estate. Steven Conrad ("The Pursuit of Happyness") will write the script and Phillips will produce, although he has not committed to directing the film. Alexandra Milchan and Bonnie Timmerman are producing along with Phillips. Belushi was an original "Saturday Night Live" cast member from 1975 to 1979 and film star who died of a drug overdose in 1982 at age 33. His film credits include "National Lampoon's Animal House" (1978), "1941" (1979), "The Blues Brothers" (1980), "Continental Divide" (1981) and "Neighbors" (1981).His life was infamously detailed in Bob Woodward's 1985 biography, "Wired:...

The Hangover director/producer Todd Phillips is producing a biopic about the extrovert comedian John Belushi, who died of a drug overdose in 1982 at the age of 33. He'll be joined in the project by The Pursuit Of Happyness screenwriter Steven Conrad, who'll be penning the story of Belushi's dramatic life.

Warner Bros. recently acquired the rights from Belushi's estate after his widow, Judith, published a biography entitled Belushi in 2005. She will be an executive producer on the film, as Judith Belushi Pisano (she's since remarried).

Belushi was a member of the Second City comedy troupe before becoming a regular performer on Saturday Night Live in the mid to late 70s alongside colleagues Dan Aykroyd, Lorne Michaels and Chevy Chase. He then went on to pursue a film career, with his highlights including National Lampoon's Animal House, 1941, The Blues Brothers, Continental Divide and Neighbors.

Several names are already being bandied about...

John Belushi may be getting a (second) second life on the big screen.

"The Pursuit of Happyness" screenwriter Steven Conrad and "The Hangover" director-producer Todd Phillips are developing a biographical film about the late comedian's life. Warner Bros. recently acquired the rights from Belushi's estate.

Conrad will script the project and Phillips will produce, though he has not yet committed to directing it. Alexandra Milchan and Bonnie Timmerman are also producing.

In a typically difficult process that saw the rights deal come together, then fall apart, then come back together again, the project would be the latest attempt at a full-scale biopic about the "Saturday Night Live" cast member and film star who died of a drug overdose in 1982 at age 33.

Belushi's life was famously detailed in Bob Woodward's 1985 biography, "Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi." That book is not part of the rights deal,...

In an interview with HitFix (and who knew there were other entertainment websites than Ugo.com? Not I), Bill Lawrence, the producer of Cougar Town talks about how the premise of the show has changed so much, he’d like to change the title. Oh, and who knew that Cougars wouldn’t be a hot topic forever? Not I.

Lawrence jokingly suggests they could call the show, “Friends and Neighbors,” based on Courtney Cox-Arquette’s involvement (and as a shout out to the forgotten John Belushi movie Neighbors, I’m guessing) – but doesn’t offer any other ideas beyond that.

Don’t worry, Bill, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a few suggestions of what Cougar Town could change its title to:

Cougar City

Bieber Town

&* [The Show Formerly Known as Cougar Town]

The Chicago Cubs (Note: This Show Does Not Take Place in Chicago)

Gettin’ Busy (Because Busy Phillipps is on this show, which you...

(Cathy Moriarty-Gentile and Robert De Niro in Raging Bull, above.)

This interview with Cathy Moriarty-Gentile originally appeared in Venice Magazine in 2002. I was speaking with Cathy during the press interviews for Analyze That, the sequel to Analyze This, in which Cathy played a female mob moss. It was also an on-screen reunion for Cathy and Robert De Niro, who had originally starred together in Raging Bull when Cathy played Vickie La Motta, the young wife of De Niro's Jake La Motta. For this reprisal, I've cut out much of the Analyze That questioning and focused on the Bull.

by Terry Keefe

How were you originally cast in Analyze That? Did you read for it or did they have you in mind from the get-go?

Cathy Moriarty-Gentile: I had just had [daughter] Annabella and I was at our old house, we were moving. The phone rang, to ask if I would...

Larry Gelbart, who created the classic TV adaptation of Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H" and whose talented comedy writing stretched from the days of radio to the big screen and cutting-edge cable shows, died of cancer at his Beverly Hills home on Friday. He was 81.

Gelbart, the principal writer on "M*A*S*H" during the first four years of the hit CBS series, was responsible for 97 episodes of the show, one of TV's most literate comedies. He also directed some early episodes.

Beginning as a gag writer in days of radio and honing his comic craft for such talents as Jack Carson and Bob Hope, Gelbart was a versatile stylist who succeeded in a variety of mediums.

Gelbart won an Emmy with co-producer Gene Reynolds for "M*A*S*H" as well as three WGA Awards for the episodes he wrote. He picked up two Tonys for...