We can’t get enough of John Mulaney these days.
After winning his third Emmy last year for writing his Netflix stand-up special “Baby J,” where he spoke candidly (and hilariously) about his stint in rehab for addiction, the former “Saturday Night Live” writer has risen from the ashes like a comically witty Phoenix.
In the Emmy race once again this year in multiple categories, most notably for guest comedy actor for his performance in the brilliant episode “Fishes” from FX’s second season of “The Bear” and outstanding talk series for the Netflix live smash “Everybody’s in L.A.”
On this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Mulaney discusses his experience and perspectives on Los Angeles’ identity, his creative processes, and whether he’ll host the Oscars. Listen below!
Mulaney surprised everyone as the host of the 14th annual Governors Awards, where he killed in the...
After winning his third Emmy last year for writing his Netflix stand-up special “Baby J,” where he spoke candidly (and hilariously) about his stint in rehab for addiction, the former “Saturday Night Live” writer has risen from the ashes like a comically witty Phoenix.
In the Emmy race once again this year in multiple categories, most notably for guest comedy actor for his performance in the brilliant episode “Fishes” from FX’s second season of “The Bear” and outstanding talk series for the Netflix live smash “Everybody’s in L.A.”
On this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Mulaney discusses his experience and perspectives on Los Angeles’ identity, his creative processes, and whether he’ll host the Oscars. Listen below!
Mulaney surprised everyone as the host of the 14th annual Governors Awards, where he killed in the...
- 6/6/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
There’s a story Alfred Hitchcock always liked to tell about how, when he was five years old, his father dropped him off at the local police station near his home in East London. William Hitchcock left a note for the coppers explaining that his son had been misbehaving. A policeman locked young Alfred in a cell for a few minutes and explained, “This is what we do to naughty boys.”
When Hitchcock recounted that story to Dick Cavett he was in his 70s, but the incident continued to leave a profound mark on the director. He said he was still “terrified of the police” because of that and drew a connection from that to the feelings of guilt and wrong-men-on-the-run paranoia that seeps into so many of his films.
The funny thing is, though, father characters are almost entirely absent from Hitchcock’s work. There are a few: Cedric Hardwicke...
When Hitchcock recounted that story to Dick Cavett he was in his 70s, but the incident continued to leave a profound mark on the director. He said he was still “terrified of the police” because of that and drew a connection from that to the feelings of guilt and wrong-men-on-the-run paranoia that seeps into so many of his films.
The funny thing is, though, father characters are almost entirely absent from Hitchcock’s work. There are a few: Cedric Hardwicke...
- 5/12/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Los Angeles is not the first city fans would associate with comedian John Mulaney. That would be Chicago, his hometown and the backdrop to innumerable childhood anecdotes in his stand-up act, or New York, where he broke out as a writer on “Saturday Night Live” and shot a special at Radio City Music Hall. But L.A. is where Mulaney now lives; it’s also currently home to the second iteration of Netflix Is a Joke, a massive, weeklong comedy festival organized by the streaming service as a show of genre dominance. (Netflix stand-up head Robbie Praw used to run programming at Montreal’s vaunted Just for Laughs event and has essentially created a West Coast version.) And so we have “John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA,” a weeklong special event combining studio segments, pre-taped sketches and man-on-the-street interviews into a sort of pop-up talk show.
“We’re only doing six episodes,...
“We’re only doing six episodes,...
- 5/4/2024
- by Alison Herman
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been more than 30 years since the first Beetlejuice terrified and tickled audiences. Now, Michael Keaton is back as the iconic bio-exorcist in the much-anticipated sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are coming back to play Lydia and Delia Deetz again. Plus, fans will get to see some new faces in the movie. Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci are joining the cast to play brand new characters.
A still from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
But fans will notice the void of two main characters: Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, who played the Maitlands (Barbara and Adam) in the original movie. However, Davis has an explanation for her and her co-star’s absence.
The Reason Behind Geena Davis’ Absence from the Beetlejuice Sequel Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin in a still from Beetlejuice
Geena Davis explained to Et Online why she’s not in the Beetlejuice sequel.
Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are coming back to play Lydia and Delia Deetz again. Plus, fans will get to see some new faces in the movie. Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci are joining the cast to play brand new characters.
A still from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
But fans will notice the void of two main characters: Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, who played the Maitlands (Barbara and Adam) in the original movie. However, Davis has an explanation for her and her co-star’s absence.
The Reason Behind Geena Davis’ Absence from the Beetlejuice Sequel Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin in a still from Beetlejuice
Geena Davis explained to Et Online why she’s not in the Beetlejuice sequel.
- 4/13/2024
- by Shreya Jha
- FandomWire
Directed by Cameron and Colin Cairnes, Late Night with the Devil is a supernatural horror film that stars David Dastmalchian in the lead role. In the film, Dastmalchian plays the role of a late-night talk show host and watched several talk shows to prepare for the role, including one that inspired Heath Ledger’s Joker.
David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil
In a recent interview, Dastmalchian spoke about his preparation for the role of a talk show host. The actor revealed that he was recommended an old talk show by the directors, which co-incidentally also inspired Heath Ledger’s turn as Joker. At the same time, Dastmalchian revealed being skeptical about playing a talk show host. Here is everything Dastmalchian has said about his preparation for Late Night with the Devil.
Late Night with the Devil‘s David Dastmalchian Reveals Watching the Talk Show That Inspired Heath Ledger...
David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil
In a recent interview, Dastmalchian spoke about his preparation for the role of a talk show host. The actor revealed that he was recommended an old talk show by the directors, which co-incidentally also inspired Heath Ledger’s turn as Joker. At the same time, Dastmalchian revealed being skeptical about playing a talk show host. Here is everything Dastmalchian has said about his preparation for Late Night with the Devil.
Late Night with the Devil‘s David Dastmalchian Reveals Watching the Talk Show That Inspired Heath Ledger...
- 4/4/2024
- by Pratik Handore
- FandomWire
David Dastmalchian in Late Night With The DevilImage: Shudder/IFC Films
There’s a certain quality that select horror movies can conjure, something with a high degree of difficulty that gets even higher when said horror movie is trying to evoke a very specific time and place. We’ve seen...
There’s a certain quality that select horror movies can conjure, something with a high degree of difficulty that gets even higher when said horror movie is trying to evoke a very specific time and place. We’ve seen...
- 3/21/2024
- by Matthew Jackson
- avclub.com
David Letterman visited Manhattan’s Ed Sullivan Theater last night for the first time since he retired from CBS’ The Late Show eight years ago, chatting comfortably with his successor Stephen Colbert as if he’d never left.
Fittingly, the two late-night heavyweights discussed, among other things, other late-night heavyweights. When Colbert mentioned that he’d become friends with Dick Cavett and occasionally sought his advice, he asked if Letterman ever contacted his own champion, Johnny Carson, in a similar capacity.
After a brief pause, Letterman shook his head no. “Johnny is, was, the Mount Olympus,” he said, “so you didn’t just call Johnny and say, ‘Hey, Johnny, what do you think? Should I do this? What about the color of the socks, are they going to be alright, Johnny? So, no, I was pretty much alone. I was orphaned in the talk show world.”
When the audience responded...
Fittingly, the two late-night heavyweights discussed, among other things, other late-night heavyweights. When Colbert mentioned that he’d become friends with Dick Cavett and occasionally sought his advice, he asked if Letterman ever contacted his own champion, Johnny Carson, in a similar capacity.
After a brief pause, Letterman shook his head no. “Johnny is, was, the Mount Olympus,” he said, “so you didn’t just call Johnny and say, ‘Hey, Johnny, what do you think? Should I do this? What about the color of the socks, are they going to be alright, Johnny? So, no, I was pretty much alone. I was orphaned in the talk show world.”
When the audience responded...
- 11/21/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
David Fincher is glad his ‘World War Z’ sequel never got off the ground. The ‘Fight Club’ filmmaker, 61, was set to do a follow up to director Marc Foster’s 2013 apocalyptic zombie movie starring Brad Pitt, 59, but said he was relieved it never happened as the plot was too similar to HBO’s hugely popular dystopian thriller ‘The Last of Us’. David told GQ: “Well, it was a little like ‘The Last of Us’. I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because ‘The Last of Us’ has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff. “In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite… they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.” The original ‘World War Z’ movie was inspired by Max Brooks’ 2006 book of the...
- 10/26/2023
- by BANG Showbiz Reporter
- Bang Showbiz
David Fincher, who was set to direct a World War Z sequel before it was canceled by Paramount, is revealing some of the plans he had for the follow-up film.
In an interview with GQ UK, published online Wednesday, the Fight Club filmmaker said the zombie movie would have been a “little like The Last of Us,” the hit HBO series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey that premiered earlier this year
“I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because The Last of Us has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff,” he explained. “In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite … they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.”
The 2013 hit film starring Brad Pitt and directed by Marc Forster was an adaptation of...
In an interview with GQ UK, published online Wednesday, the Fight Club filmmaker said the zombie movie would have been a “little like The Last of Us,” the hit HBO series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey that premiered earlier this year
“I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because The Last of Us has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff,” he explained. “In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite … they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.”
The 2013 hit film starring Brad Pitt and directed by Marc Forster was an adaptation of...
- 10/25/2023
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After "The Last of Us" video game became one of the most acclaimed games of the past decade and was lauded as a game-changer, this year saw its live-action TV adaptation heralded as one of the best video game adaptations, ever. Both are not only fantastic horror stories but gripping dramas with a focus on characters.
The "Last of Us" franchise has become such a game-changing addition to the zombie genre that instead of spawning cheap competitors that cash in on its success, it is actually scaring the competition away. At least one big zombie movie is reportedly no longer happening, in part due to "The Last of Us." Speaking with GQ for the release of "The Killer," David Fincher addressed his long-awaited sequel to "World War Z."
"It was a little like 'The Last of Us,'" Fincher said about his ideas for the canned sequel. "I'm glad...
The "Last of Us" franchise has become such a game-changing addition to the zombie genre that instead of spawning cheap competitors that cash in on its success, it is actually scaring the competition away. At least one big zombie movie is reportedly no longer happening, in part due to "The Last of Us." Speaking with GQ for the release of "The Killer," David Fincher addressed his long-awaited sequel to "World War Z."
"It was a little like 'The Last of Us,'" Fincher said about his ideas for the canned sequel. "I'm glad...
- 10/25/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
David Fincher is “glad” the long-gestating “World War Z” sequel was ultimately scrapped.
The “Killer” director told GQ UK that the slated “World War Z” sequel would have explored similar themes to hit HBO series “The Last of Us,” which was based off of the video game franchise of the same name.
“Well, it was a little like ‘The Last of Us,'” Fincher said of the follow-up he planned to Marc Forster’s 2013 zombie apocalypse movie. “I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because ‘The Last of Us’ has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff.”
Fincher continued, “In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite…they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.”
“World War Z” starred Brad Pitt as a U.N.
The “Killer” director told GQ UK that the slated “World War Z” sequel would have explored similar themes to hit HBO series “The Last of Us,” which was based off of the video game franchise of the same name.
“Well, it was a little like ‘The Last of Us,'” Fincher said of the follow-up he planned to Marc Forster’s 2013 zombie apocalypse movie. “I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because ‘The Last of Us’ has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff.”
Fincher continued, “In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite…they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.”
“World War Z” starred Brad Pitt as a U.N.
- 10/25/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The 2013 film World War Z isn’t very popular, but it made a lot of money at the box office, pulling in over $540 million worldwide. So of course a sequel was put into development. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom director J.A. Bayona worked on the project for a year before stepping away because they couldn’t quite figure out the story, despite having great set pieces in mind. Then the sequel very nearly went into production in 2019 with Fight Club director David Fincher at the helm – but the studio decided it to scrap it over budgetary issues. Now, during an interview with GQ Magazine UK, Fincher revealed that he’s glad his World War Z sequel didn’t get made because it would have been similar to HBO’s TV series adaptation of the video game The Last of Us – and the TV series format allows The Last of Us to...
- 10/25/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
There was a time when David Fincher was attached to direct a sequel to the zombie epic World War Z, you may recall, but we learned back in 2019 that it was no longer happening. So what happened? And what would Fincher’s take on the material have been like?
Chatting with GQ UK this week, Fincher opens up about the unmade sequel.
“Well, it was a little like The Last of Us,” Fincher explains. “I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because The Last of Us has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff.
“In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite. They used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.”
When asked by GQ UK if his World War Z sequel was going to stick...
Chatting with GQ UK this week, Fincher opens up about the unmade sequel.
“Well, it was a little like The Last of Us,” Fincher explains. “I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because The Last of Us has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff.
“In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite. They used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.”
When asked by GQ UK if his World War Z sequel was going to stick...
- 10/25/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
David Fincher is opening up about the scrapped World War Z sequel and revealing that it was going to be like HBO’s The Last of Us.
“It was a little like The Last of Us. I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because The Last of Us has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff,” Fincher told GQ in an interview. “In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite… they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.:
World War Z is a 2013 film directed by Marc Forster with a screenplay from Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard and Damon Lindelof based on the 2006 novel by Max Brooks. The film starred Brad Pitt as a former United Nations investigator looking to find a solution to the zombie apocalypse.
“It was a little like The Last of Us. I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because The Last of Us has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff,” Fincher told GQ in an interview. “In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite… they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.:
World War Z is a 2013 film directed by Marc Forster with a screenplay from Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard and Damon Lindelof based on the 2006 novel by Max Brooks. The film starred Brad Pitt as a former United Nations investigator looking to find a solution to the zombie apocalypse.
- 10/25/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
In a new interview with GQ Magazine UK ahead of the release of his latest directorial effort “The Killer,” David Fincher expressed a bit of relief over his “World War Z” sequel never getting off the ground. Why? He revealed the sequel’s storyline was a bit too similar to HBO’s wildly popular, apocalyptic video game adaptation.
“Well, it was a little like ‘The Last of Us,'” Fincher said when the “World War Z” sequel was mentioned. “I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because ‘The Last of Us’ has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff. In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite … they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.”
The original “World War Z” movie was inspired by Max...
“Well, it was a little like ‘The Last of Us,'” Fincher said when the “World War Z” sequel was mentioned. “I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing, because ‘The Last of Us’ has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff. In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite … they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show.”
The original “World War Z” movie was inspired by Max...
- 10/25/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Lauded filmmaker David Fincher nearly made the leap to blockbuster sequel territory with a follow-up to Brad Pitt’s 2013 zombie action thriller “World War Z,” but the director now says he’s glad the project didn’t come together because his take was similar to HBO’s “The Last of Us.”
Fincher boarded and started developing “World War Z 2” in 2017 after the Paramount Pictures film lost director J.A. Bayona, marking a reunion with his “Fight Club” and “Curious Case of Benjamin Button” star Pitt. But in 2019, Paramount canceled the project over budgetary concerns and Fincher moved on to his Netflix film “Mank.”
Speaking with GQ UK, Fincher teased a bit of what he had planned for the zombie sequel, comparing it to HBO’s acclaimed video game adaptation “The Last of Us.”
“It was a little like ‘The Last of Us.’ I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing,...
Fincher boarded and started developing “World War Z 2” in 2017 after the Paramount Pictures film lost director J.A. Bayona, marking a reunion with his “Fight Club” and “Curious Case of Benjamin Button” star Pitt. But in 2019, Paramount canceled the project over budgetary concerns and Fincher moved on to his Netflix film “Mank.”
Speaking with GQ UK, Fincher teased a bit of what he had planned for the zombie sequel, comparing it to HBO’s acclaimed video game adaptation “The Last of Us.”
“It was a little like ‘The Last of Us.’ I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
The Notebook Primer introduces readers to some of the most important figures, films, genres, and movements in film history.Artists and Models.By rights, Martin and Lewis should have the kind of cultural footprint renders them permanent household names: the status that turns artists into Halloween costumes, as archetypal as cartoon characters and ancient gods. For ten years, from 1946 to 1956, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were a double act, and accurately describing how popular they were sounds like gross exaggeration. They were so big that the only fitting comparisons are to rock stars—and not just any rock stars, but Elvis Presley, or The Beatles. “For ten years after World War II, Dean and I were not only the most successful show-business act in history,” Jerry Lewis wrote with his trademark humility in Dean and Me: A Love Story (1984), “—we were history.” Their live shows were pandemonium. They reportedly made eleven million dollars in 1951 alone.
- 10/23/2023
- MUBI
The Marx Brothers – mustachioed, stogie-smoking ring-leader Groucho, chatty, Italian-accented con man Chico, silent skirt-chaser Harpo and, early on, relatively “normal” matinee idol Zeppo – first got their start as a vaudeville comedy act at the turn of the 20th century. They would go on to conquer the Broadway stage before landing in films when “talkies” took off.
Zeppo would drop out of the act after five films, becoming an engineer and a talent agent. But his older siblings would continue their frenzied verbal and visual hilarity on the big screen until 1949, when the medium of television beckoned and competed for eyeballs. Groucho would host a TV version of his radio game show, “You Bet Your Life,” for 11 seasons on NBC and appeared on Dick Cavett’s TV talk show in the late ‘60s. That is when their Marx Brothers’ anarchistic approach to humor and word-play takedowns of hypocrites and stuffy high-society...
Zeppo would drop out of the act after five films, becoming an engineer and a talent agent. But his older siblings would continue their frenzied verbal and visual hilarity on the big screen until 1949, when the medium of television beckoned and competed for eyeballs. Groucho would host a TV version of his radio game show, “You Bet Your Life,” for 11 seasons on NBC and appeared on Dick Cavett’s TV talk show in the late ‘60s. That is when their Marx Brothers’ anarchistic approach to humor and word-play takedowns of hypocrites and stuffy high-society...
- 9/30/2023
- by Susan Wloszczyna, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
The first thing to say about Alex Gibney’s “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon” is that it’s three-and-a-half hours long. Normally I wouldn’t lead with that daunting fact, especially since the film is mostly marvelous: a documentary that every Paul Simon fan on earth should want to see and experience. But will they?
I raise the issue only because “In Restless Dreams” has come into the Toronto Film Festival without a distributor, and let’s just be honest: The 209-minute running time, when you hear about it, doesn’t exactly sound…user-friendly. Gibney, of course, is one of the renaissance masters of contemporary documentary, a filmmaker of staggering skill and eclecticism. On occasion, he sprinkles in a music doc, which is clearly a labor of love for him. If you’ve never seen “Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown,” it’s sensational. And Gibney...
I raise the issue only because “In Restless Dreams” has come into the Toronto Film Festival without a distributor, and let’s just be honest: The 209-minute running time, when you hear about it, doesn’t exactly sound…user-friendly. Gibney, of course, is one of the renaissance masters of contemporary documentary, a filmmaker of staggering skill and eclecticism. On occasion, he sprinkles in a music doc, which is clearly a labor of love for him. If you’ve never seen “Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown,” it’s sensational. And Gibney...
- 9/13/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" remains the best Indiana Jones film partly due to its very real sense of danger. According to John Rhys-Davies, who played Indy's sidekick Sallah, director Steven Spielberg "was making it up as he goes along. The script was endless pages of action description. A lot of the dialogue was (improvised) by Steven; Steven and Harrison [Ford]; or Steven, Harrison and myself." Indeed, one of the most famous scenes in "Raiders" was improvised by Ford, wherein he shoots stuntman Terry Richards' swordsman during the Cairo marketplace scene.
But while the spontaneous nature of filming "Raiders" lent the film an air of excitement and danger, it also made for a literally dangerous shoot, to the extent that Spielberg was amazed Ford's stunt team made it through the production alive. The director has written about his remorse over allowing Ford to perform many of the stunts himself and...
But while the spontaneous nature of filming "Raiders" lent the film an air of excitement and danger, it also made for a literally dangerous shoot, to the extent that Spielberg was amazed Ford's stunt team made it through the production alive. The director has written about his remorse over allowing Ford to perform many of the stunts himself and...
- 8/21/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
When writing a 97th birthday salute to the great Mel Brooks on Wednesday, I neglected to include my favorite story surrounding Brooks. It involved his most embarrassing moment, which happened in 1966. He recalled the cringeworthy moment in a special with talk show host Dick Cavett in 2011, and it involved the affable game show host Bill Cullen.
“About a hundred years ago, I was on a show called, ‘Eye Guess’,” Brooks recalled, “with a lady named Julia Meade and the host, Bill Cullen. I was doing my usual thing, ad-libbing, having a good time. So, the show is over, and I turned and noticed that Cullen is starting to walk out from behind his podium.”
SEERay Richmond: Happy Birthday, Melvin James Kaminsky! Mel Brooks turns 97
Interrupting the story here, Cullen walked in an exaggerated and jerky fashion as a result of a childhood bout with polio that left him disabled with...
“About a hundred years ago, I was on a show called, ‘Eye Guess’,” Brooks recalled, “with a lady named Julia Meade and the host, Bill Cullen. I was doing my usual thing, ad-libbing, having a good time. So, the show is over, and I turned and noticed that Cullen is starting to walk out from behind his podium.”
SEERay Richmond: Happy Birthday, Melvin James Kaminsky! Mel Brooks turns 97
Interrupting the story here, Cullen walked in an exaggerated and jerky fashion as a result of a childhood bout with polio that left him disabled with...
- 6/29/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Godard speaks! Again. Quite rightly there’s a lot of hoopla about the world premiere of a 20-minute trailer the late cinema legend Jean-Luc Godard made for a feature film that will never exist: Phoney Wars.
Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux explained Sunday at a special screening of the work that Godard extensively researched trailers as well as films.
The Phoney Wars trailer footage is a series of collages on what appears to be photographic paper, and the topic explored is Charles Plisnier, a Belgian surrealist and poet who was expelled from the Communist party in 1937 for, as Godard puts it, “Trotskyist deviancy.”
The festival noted that the work “will remain as the ultimate gesture of cinema.”
Related: Cannes Film Festival 2023 In Photos
A curiosity, if you will, that will be wheeled out at film seminars in Paris, London and New York, for all of us to wonder what might...
Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux explained Sunday at a special screening of the work that Godard extensively researched trailers as well as films.
The Phoney Wars trailer footage is a series of collages on what appears to be photographic paper, and the topic explored is Charles Plisnier, a Belgian surrealist and poet who was expelled from the Communist party in 1937 for, as Godard puts it, “Trotskyist deviancy.”
The festival noted that the work “will remain as the ultimate gesture of cinema.”
Related: Cannes Film Festival 2023 In Photos
A curiosity, if you will, that will be wheeled out at film seminars in Paris, London and New York, for all of us to wonder what might...
- 5/21/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Cannes Film Festival attendees are cordially invited to a free special event — presented by The Hollywood Reporter and Campari — on Saturday, May 20, at 1:30pm Cannes time, in the Campari Lounge of the Palais: a live hourlong recording of THR’s Awards Chatter podcast, followed by a cocktail reception, with the Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander.
There is limited space at this event. Anyone wishing to attend must RSVP via this link by 11am on Friday, May 19.
During the podcast recording, the 34-year-old Swede will be interviewed by yours truly about her life, career and the film that brings her to the Croisette this year: Karim Aïnouz’s Firebrand, in which she portrays Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII (Jude Law).
Vikander is best known for her performances on film in 2010’s Pure, 2012’s Anna Karenina and A Royal Affair; 2013’s The Fifth Estate, 2014’s Testament of Youth...
There is limited space at this event. Anyone wishing to attend must RSVP via this link by 11am on Friday, May 19.
During the podcast recording, the 34-year-old Swede will be interviewed by yours truly about her life, career and the film that brings her to the Croisette this year: Karim Aïnouz’s Firebrand, in which she portrays Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII (Jude Law).
Vikander is best known for her performances on film in 2010’s Pure, 2012’s Anna Karenina and A Royal Affair; 2013’s The Fifth Estate, 2014’s Testament of Youth...
- 5/16/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Bee–ah, that was a close one! A massive success upon release, Beetlejuice went through a strange and unusual production that saw multiple rewrites and firings, not to mention the dodging of some seriously questionable casting choices. But through the terrific performances by its cast and creative skirting around a small budget, the movie became one of the best horror-comedies ever, worthy of a sequel that has been in development hell for over three decades.
So let’s open up the handbook for the recently deceased and shake, shake, shake senora because it’s showtime! Let’s to find out…Wtf Happened to this movie?!
Following the massive success of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which pulled in $40 million on a $7 million budget, Tim Burton had his pick of what his next project would be. One thing he knew, it wouldn’t be talking horse movie Hot to Trot.
So let’s open up the handbook for the recently deceased and shake, shake, shake senora because it’s showtime! Let’s to find out…Wtf Happened to this movie?!
Following the massive success of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which pulled in $40 million on a $7 million budget, Tim Burton had his pick of what his next project would be. One thing he knew, it wouldn’t be talking horse movie Hot to Trot.
- 5/10/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
John Lennon’s imagine has a big place in popular culture. for example, the song appears in the movie Forrest gump. the songs appearance in the film simply isn’t funny.
The John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ joke in ‘Forrest Gump’ explained
in a sequence from the film Forrest Gump, forest makes an appearance on the Dick Cavett show. During his appearance, he tell John about China, He remarks that the people have very few possessions and don’t go to church. John says that the people in that country have “no possessions” and “no religion.” Cavett says he can’t imagine a world like that. John says “it’s easy if you try.”
Why the gag doesn’t work
Puns aside, the gag is insulting, it denies Yoko Ono’s place in the song’s history. Yoko inspired John to use the word “imagine” and later received a writing credit for the track.
The John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ joke in ‘Forrest Gump’ explained
in a sequence from the film Forrest Gump, forest makes an appearance on the Dick Cavett show. During his appearance, he tell John about China, He remarks that the people have very few possessions and don’t go to church. John says that the people in that country have “no possessions” and “no religion.” Cavett says he can’t imagine a world like that. John says “it’s easy if you try.”
Why the gag doesn’t work
Puns aside, the gag is insulting, it denies Yoko Ono’s place in the song’s history. Yoko inspired John to use the word “imagine” and later received a writing credit for the track.
- 5/8/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Photo: 'The Last of Us'
To say that HBO’s newest primetime series ‘The Last of Us’ had a particularly high bar to clear would be an understatement. For starters, the show is a direct adaptation of one of the most critically lauded video games in history. The original 2013 ‘The Last of Us’ game was universally heralded as an unparalleled masterpiece in both game design and writing, and a watershed moment for the potential of mature cinematic storytelling in the medium of video games. The emotional journey that the game’s lead characters Joel and Ellie go on (and thus the gamer alongside them), touched audiences in such a profound and singular way that it is difficult to imagine their story ever being improved by a retelling. Read Next: ‘The Last of Us’: One of the Best Video Games With LGBTQ+ Characters It's also no secret that the history of video game adaptations,...
To say that HBO’s newest primetime series ‘The Last of Us’ had a particularly high bar to clear would be an understatement. For starters, the show is a direct adaptation of one of the most critically lauded video games in history. The original 2013 ‘The Last of Us’ game was universally heralded as an unparalleled masterpiece in both game design and writing, and a watershed moment for the potential of mature cinematic storytelling in the medium of video games. The emotional journey that the game’s lead characters Joel and Ellie go on (and thus the gamer alongside them), touched audiences in such a profound and singular way that it is difficult to imagine their story ever being improved by a retelling. Read Next: ‘The Last of Us’: One of the Best Video Games With LGBTQ+ Characters It's also no secret that the history of video game adaptations,...
- 4/10/2023
- by Dillon Goss-Carpenter
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
When something is clearly working, sometimes it’s best to stick with the formula.
Twenty-year-old sensation Jenna Ortega is said to be securing a deal to star in director Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice 2.” The film is being written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the showrunners of the hit Netflix series “Wednesday”—on which Burton is also an executive producer and is one of the key directors. “Wednesday,” a spin-off/sequel to “The Addams Family,” can also be said to share so much Burton DNA that I bet if you poll most people on the street and ask who directed the 1991 version in which Christina Ricci played Wednesday Addams, they’d probably cite him over the actual answer, Barry Sonnenfeld (no diss to Barry!)
Should the deal continue as it is expected to, Ortega will play the daughter to Winona Ryder’s ur-goth girl character Lydia Deetz. It’s...
Twenty-year-old sensation Jenna Ortega is said to be securing a deal to star in director Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice 2.” The film is being written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the showrunners of the hit Netflix series “Wednesday”—on which Burton is also an executive producer and is one of the key directors. “Wednesday,” a spin-off/sequel to “The Addams Family,” can also be said to share so much Burton DNA that I bet if you poll most people on the street and ask who directed the 1991 version in which Christina Ricci played Wednesday Addams, they’d probably cite him over the actual answer, Barry Sonnenfeld (no diss to Barry!)
Should the deal continue as it is expected to, Ortega will play the daughter to Winona Ryder’s ur-goth girl character Lydia Deetz. It’s...
- 3/10/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
When you think of actors like Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, you think of their titanic starring roles that came at the peak of their powers. For Davis, it might well be something like the southern melodrama "Jezebel" or 1950's "All About Eve," the movie that revived her career by letting her embrace her age, her pettiness, and her acid tongue. For Bogart, it would be any of his many roles in film noir, a cinematic movement through the '40s and '50s of which he still registers as the face and the voice.
Digging through their respective careers, one can find early roles that show none of what would make the actors legendary. While technically impressive, these performances lack the vitality, electricity, and movie star charisma that both performers would come to master. And in the early '30s, with the industry in tumult and the Great Depression at its most suffocating,...
Digging through their respective careers, one can find early roles that show none of what would make the actors legendary. While technically impressive, these performances lack the vitality, electricity, and movie star charisma that both performers would come to master. And in the early '30s, with the industry in tumult and the Great Depression at its most suffocating,...
- 3/5/2023
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
Fred Astaire once said The Beatles were “tremendous artists.” The Fab Four thought the same of the singer and dancer. They even pretended to be Astaire in a couple of songs.
Fred Astaire and Dick Cavett | ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images Fred Astaire thought The Beatles were ‘tremendous artists’
During an interview on The Dick Cavett Show, Astaire talked about the contemporary music his grandchildren listened to. His grandson, who was 10 at the time, listened to hard rock.
Cavett asked if Astaire had any Beatles records in his own collection. “Oh, sure,” Astaire said. “I love The Beatles. Tremendous artists.” He said their music alone was great.
He also liked that their music had a distinct sound. For instance, if Astaire heard a song, he would have recognized that it was The Beatles.
Astaire inspired a couple of Beatles songs
In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul McCartney wrote that...
Fred Astaire and Dick Cavett | ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images Fred Astaire thought The Beatles were ‘tremendous artists’
During an interview on The Dick Cavett Show, Astaire talked about the contemporary music his grandchildren listened to. His grandson, who was 10 at the time, listened to hard rock.
Cavett asked if Astaire had any Beatles records in his own collection. “Oh, sure,” Astaire said. “I love The Beatles. Tremendous artists.” He said their music alone was great.
He also liked that their music had a distinct sound. For instance, if Astaire heard a song, he would have recognized that it was The Beatles.
Astaire inspired a couple of Beatles songs
In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul McCartney wrote that...
- 2/17/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Raquel Welch died Thursday at 82 and leaves a legacy of a career that spanned more than 50 years. The actor who is known for starring in Fantastic Voyage, One Million Years B.C. and American Family, among many others, appeared in 30 films, 50 TV series and multiple appearances on late-night shows. Scroll through the videos posted below and remember some of Welch’s most notable performances.
Related Story Raquel Welch Dies: ‘Fantastic Voyage’, ‘One Million Years B.C.’ & ‘Myra Breckinridge’ Star Was 82 Related Story Pulitzer Prize Finalist Kristina Wong Signs With CAA; Solo Show 'Sweatshop Overlord' Playing Kirk Douglas Theatre Related Story 'Flip The Strip': Thunder From Down Under Performers Score HGTV Series
Welch made an appearance alongside Janis Joplin on The Dick Cavett Show in June 1970 where the host points out that people get surprised at how bright she is adding, “Because everyone that is a sex symbol automatically has to be dumb...
Related Story Raquel Welch Dies: ‘Fantastic Voyage’, ‘One Million Years B.C.’ & ‘Myra Breckinridge’ Star Was 82 Related Story Pulitzer Prize Finalist Kristina Wong Signs With CAA; Solo Show 'Sweatshop Overlord' Playing Kirk Douglas Theatre Related Story 'Flip The Strip': Thunder From Down Under Performers Score HGTV Series
Welch made an appearance alongside Janis Joplin on The Dick Cavett Show in June 1970 where the host points out that people get surprised at how bright she is adding, “Because everyone that is a sex symbol automatically has to be dumb...
- 2/15/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO’s The Last of Us is taking the streaming world by storm. The series is based on a video game of the same name. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world when an unlikely pair embark on a journey that could save humanity. The series has already received high praise, and Vince Gilligan inspired its showrunner in more ways than one.
Nick Offerman as Bill in ‘The Last of Us’ | Liane Hentscher/HBO ‘The Last of Us’ features intriguing opening scenes
The first two episodes of The Last of Us feature opening scenes that are quite removed from Joel and Ellie, the show’s main characters. The series premiere opens with two epidemiologists appearing on a talk show (à la Dick Cavett) in 1968. One of the scientists gives a chilling warning — that fungi rather than viruses or bacteria could destroy mankind.
The episode 2 opening explores the origin of the cordyceps infection.
Nick Offerman as Bill in ‘The Last of Us’ | Liane Hentscher/HBO ‘The Last of Us’ features intriguing opening scenes
The first two episodes of The Last of Us feature opening scenes that are quite removed from Joel and Ellie, the show’s main characters. The series premiere opens with two epidemiologists appearing on a talk show (à la Dick Cavett) in 1968. One of the scientists gives a chilling warning — that fungi rather than viruses or bacteria could destroy mankind.
The episode 2 opening explores the origin of the cordyceps infection.
- 2/6/2023
- by Erica Scassellati
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Last of Us features a chilling opening scene. The series, adapted from Naughty Dog’s video game by the same name, opens with two epidemiologists appearing on a talk show in 1968. In the scene, one of the scientists issues a chilling warning about the threat fungus could pose to humans. However, the series’ creative minds considered introducing the show in a very different way.
Craig Mazin, Bella Ramsey, Neil Druckmann, Pedro Pascal, Chairman/CEO of HBO & HBO Max Casey Bloys, and EVP, and Head of Drama, HBO Programming Francesca Orsi | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO ‘The Last of Us’ opening scene features a chilling warning from Dr. Neuman
HBO’s The Last of Us tells its story in a non-linear fashion. The series opens in 1968, with a talk show host interviewing epidemiologists Dr. Neuman and Dr. Schoenheiss. Neuman surprises the audience by stating that there is a bigger potential...
Craig Mazin, Bella Ramsey, Neil Druckmann, Pedro Pascal, Chairman/CEO of HBO & HBO Max Casey Bloys, and EVP, and Head of Drama, HBO Programming Francesca Orsi | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO ‘The Last of Us’ opening scene features a chilling warning from Dr. Neuman
HBO’s The Last of Us tells its story in a non-linear fashion. The series opens in 1968, with a talk show host interviewing epidemiologists Dr. Neuman and Dr. Schoenheiss. Neuman surprises the audience by stating that there is a bigger potential...
- 2/2/2023
- by Erica Scassellati
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Dick Cavett can still picture the exact moment and location in New York City when he first met the man who would become one of his most cherished pals. It was 1961 and Cavett, then a 25-year-old writer for Jack Parr on The Tonight Show, met the legendary Groucho Marx after they both attended the funeral for playwright George S. Kaufman.
“He was walking east up 81st Street toward Fifth Avenue flanked by Art Carney on one side and Abe Burrows on the other,” recalls Cavett to Deadline. “And then when they left him, I moved to the corner of Fifth and 81st. And in one of my great inspired uses of the English language, I said the terribly witty ‘I’m a big fan of yours, Groucho.’ And he said, ‘well, if it’s gets any hotter, I could use a big fan.'”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Marx,...
“He was walking east up 81st Street toward Fifth Avenue flanked by Art Carney on one side and Abe Burrows on the other,” recalls Cavett to Deadline. “And then when they left him, I moved to the corner of Fifth and 81st. And in one of my great inspired uses of the English language, I said the terribly witty ‘I’m a big fan of yours, Groucho.’ And he said, ‘well, if it’s gets any hotter, I could use a big fan.'”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Marx,...
- 12/27/2022
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Brian De Palma has a reputation as a "Hitchcock conversationalist." Depending on who you talk to, the director has either stolen his entire directorial style, borrowed his cinematic language, or evolved his own style based loosely on the teachings of his celebrated predecessor. Either way, Brian De Palma really likes Hitchcock and everyone noticed a long time ago.
The "Mission: Impossible" director hasn't always played down the comparison, either. Back in 1978, he spent a good deal of his time on the Dick Cavett show extolling the virtues of Hitchcock. Asked why he's the "master," De Palma explained: "Hitchcock pioneered a whole type of film grammar. He taught us how to express things as clearly, visually, I think as they can be expressed." Whatever else people say, clearly the two directors at least share a connection. De Palma literally considers Hitchcock the master, going on to tell Cavett that he's "very...
The "Mission: Impossible" director hasn't always played down the comparison, either. Back in 1978, he spent a good deal of his time on the Dick Cavett show extolling the virtues of Hitchcock. Asked why he's the "master," De Palma explained: "Hitchcock pioneered a whole type of film grammar. He taught us how to express things as clearly, visually, I think as they can be expressed." Whatever else people say, clearly the two directors at least share a connection. De Palma literally considers Hitchcock the master, going on to tell Cavett that he's "very...
- 11/21/2022
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Budd Friedman, comedy club pioneer and founder of the original Improv comedy club, has died. He was 90. Friedman died Saturday of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his wife, Alix, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Friedman founded the original Improv in New York City in 1963, giving early career breaks to comedians and acting superstars like Jay Leno, Bette Midler, Richard Pryor and more.
He opened his second location in Hollywood in 1975, just three years after Johnny Carson moved “The Tonight Show” from New York to Los Angeles, marking the brand’s first expansion. Friedman and his partner, Mark Lonow, would go on to open 22 Improvs across 12 states before selling the company in February 2018 to Levity Entertainment Group.
His comedy clubs also helped provide a platform for superstars like Adam Sandler, Richard Lewis, Dick Cavett, David Steinberg, Steve Landesberg, David Brenner, Lily Tomlin, Freddie Prinze, Gabe Kaplan, Chris Rock,...
Friedman founded the original Improv in New York City in 1963, giving early career breaks to comedians and acting superstars like Jay Leno, Bette Midler, Richard Pryor and more.
He opened his second location in Hollywood in 1975, just three years after Johnny Carson moved “The Tonight Show” from New York to Los Angeles, marking the brand’s first expansion. Friedman and his partner, Mark Lonow, would go on to open 22 Improvs across 12 states before selling the company in February 2018 to Levity Entertainment Group.
His comedy clubs also helped provide a platform for superstars like Adam Sandler, Richard Lewis, Dick Cavett, David Steinberg, Steve Landesberg, David Brenner, Lily Tomlin, Freddie Prinze, Gabe Kaplan, Chris Rock,...
- 11/13/2022
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Budd Friedman, the Broadway producer who founded The Improv comedy club franchise and kickstarted the careers of some of Hollywood’s biggest comic voices, died of heart failure Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 90 years old.
“The comedy world lost a giant today,” the Hollywood Improv wrote in a statement Saturday evening. “In 1963 he changed the world of comedy by creating the first comedy club for the masses to come together in laughter. In 1963 he changed the world. He went global. He was a pioneer. He was a gentleman. He was a luminary.”
The comedy world lost a giant today.
In 1963 he changed the world of comedy by creating the first comedy club for the masses to come together in laughter.
In 1963 he changed the world.
He went global.
He was a pioneer.
He was a gentleman.
He was a luminary. pic.twitter.com/l1pA38AGww
— Hollywood Improv (@HollywoodImprov...
“The comedy world lost a giant today,” the Hollywood Improv wrote in a statement Saturday evening. “In 1963 he changed the world of comedy by creating the first comedy club for the masses to come together in laughter. In 1963 he changed the world. He went global. He was a pioneer. He was a gentleman. He was a luminary.”
The comedy world lost a giant today.
In 1963 he changed the world of comedy by creating the first comedy club for the masses to come together in laughter.
In 1963 he changed the world.
He went global.
He was a pioneer.
He was a gentleman.
He was a luminary. pic.twitter.com/l1pA38AGww
— Hollywood Improv (@HollywoodImprov...
- 11/13/2022
- by Katie Reul
- Variety Film + TV
Budd Friedman, the comedy club pioneer who founded the original Improv in New York in 1963 and gave early career breaks to the likes of Jay Leno, Robert Klein, Bette Midler, Richard Pryor and Andy Kaufman, has died. He was 90.
Friedman died Saturday of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his wife, Alix, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Three years after Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show departed Manhattan for Burbank, Friedman opened a Hollywood outpost of the Improv on Melrose Avenue in 1975 in his first expansion of the brand.
There were 22 Improvs across 12 states in February 2018 when Friedman and partner Mark Lonow sold the company to Levity Entertainment Group, whose investors included Irving Azoff.
At his flagship New York hotspot, located at West 44th Street and Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, Friedman also employed Rodney Dangerfield as an Mc, Elayne Boosler...
Friedman died Saturday of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his wife, Alix, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Three years after Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show departed Manhattan for Burbank, Friedman opened a Hollywood outpost of the Improv on Melrose Avenue in 1975 in his first expansion of the brand.
There were 22 Improvs across 12 states in February 2018 when Friedman and partner Mark Lonow sold the company to Levity Entertainment Group, whose investors included Irving Azoff.
At his flagship New York hotspot, located at West 44th Street and Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, Friedman also employed Rodney Dangerfield as an Mc, Elayne Boosler...
- 11/13/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If you've ever had the delight of watching one of Robert Altman's films, you know just how good the director is at creating an immersive world, one that gently holds the viewer's hand as it whisks them along for a ride. Sure, the same could technically be said about any movie, or even any show — to some degree, you'll always need to suspend your disbelief when watching a fictional work — but there's just something different about Altman's work.
Take "The Long Goodbye" — although the movie is personally my favorite Altman (and possibly my favorite movie), it has too many ineffable qualities for a description to do it justice. Sure, it's fun to watch Elliot Gould wander around and mutter to himself (bonus points if you're counting how many times he lights a cigarette — just don't turn it into a drinking game for your own sake), but the movie's real charm is its hazy,...
Take "The Long Goodbye" — although the movie is personally my favorite Altman (and possibly my favorite movie), it has too many ineffable qualities for a description to do it justice. Sure, it's fun to watch Elliot Gould wander around and mutter to himself (bonus points if you're counting how many times he lights a cigarette — just don't turn it into a drinking game for your own sake), but the movie's real charm is its hazy,...
- 11/12/2022
- by Demetra Nikolakakis
- Slash Film
Exclusive: BritBox International has tapped Sanjeev Bhaskar as the lead for its latest original drama series, Inspector Singh Investigates, and has picked up docs about legendary acting mavericks Richard Harris and Peter O’Toole.
Inspector Singh Investigates is a three-part drama that BritBox International has co-commissioned alongside UK distributor Dcd Rights and 108 Media. BritBox International, which operates outside the UK, takes North American and Australian rights, we’ve learned.
108 Media London, the UK production wing of international content firm 108 Media is producing the series, which will be shot in Malaysia. Dcd Rights is selling it internationally (excluding North America and Australia).
The crime drama is based on the novel of the same name from author Shamini Flint, following Bhaskar as the titular Inspector Singh as he investigates complex murders rooted in the cultural DNA of exotic Asian countries.
Diederick Santer and Jonathan Karas are executive producers for BritBox International, the...
Inspector Singh Investigates is a three-part drama that BritBox International has co-commissioned alongside UK distributor Dcd Rights and 108 Media. BritBox International, which operates outside the UK, takes North American and Australian rights, we’ve learned.
108 Media London, the UK production wing of international content firm 108 Media is producing the series, which will be shot in Malaysia. Dcd Rights is selling it internationally (excluding North America and Australia).
The crime drama is based on the novel of the same name from author Shamini Flint, following Bhaskar as the titular Inspector Singh as he investigates complex murders rooted in the cultural DNA of exotic Asian countries.
Diederick Santer and Jonathan Karas are executive producers for BritBox International, the...
- 11/7/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Sean Connery in the role of James Bond is the very definition of a tough act to follow. Most actors who have the good fortune to portray a character on screen for the first time become associated with that character by default, but Connery did more than perfectly portray novelist and creator Ian Fleming's British spy — he defined the character completely, turning Bond into an icon.
Connery was rakishly handsome, effortlessly charming, and devilishly witty while also being able to tap into 007's coldness. His performance did the heavy lifting in explaining how a man with a license to kill is able to operate on a daily basis, and slyly offset the kitschy tone of the films by giving a grounded darkness to the character. When Connery briefly exited the role, Eon Productions recast Bond with George Lazenby, who was only afforded one at-bat in 1969's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Connery was rakishly handsome, effortlessly charming, and devilishly witty while also being able to tap into 007's coldness. His performance did the heavy lifting in explaining how a man with a license to kill is able to operate on a daily basis, and slyly offset the kitschy tone of the films by giving a grounded darkness to the character. When Connery briefly exited the role, Eon Productions recast Bond with George Lazenby, who was only afforded one at-bat in 1969's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
- 10/16/2022
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Roger Moore's turn as James Bond is typically known as one of the more whimsical interpretations of 007. Moore would compare himself in interviews to his predecessor in the role, Sean Connery, saying, "I always say, Sean was a killer; I was a lover."
Whereas Bond has always had a womanizing side and been prone to making quips towards the villains he brutally murders, Connery's Bond took himself a bit more seriously than Moore's. Connery leaned a bit more into the calculated, professional killer aspect of the character, whereas Moore's Bond worked under the assumption that he wouldn't enjoy killing, but would do so "professionally, quickly, and accurately." Moore's gentler Bond would make goofy jokes and pretend his villains had bad breath.
However, behind the scenes, Moore's Bond was just as heroic as any of the agent's other iterations. From the very start of his stint with the character, Moore...
Whereas Bond has always had a womanizing side and been prone to making quips towards the villains he brutally murders, Connery's Bond took himself a bit more seriously than Moore's. Connery leaned a bit more into the calculated, professional killer aspect of the character, whereas Moore's Bond worked under the assumption that he wouldn't enjoy killing, but would do so "professionally, quickly, and accurately." Moore's gentler Bond would make goofy jokes and pretend his villains had bad breath.
However, behind the scenes, Moore's Bond was just as heroic as any of the agent's other iterations. From the very start of his stint with the character, Moore...
- 10/12/2022
- by Matt Rainis
- Slash Film
Sacheen Littlefeather — the Native American actress and activist who declined Marlon Brando’s 1973 Oscar win for The Godfather on his behalf and was blacklisted in Hollywood— died on Sunday at the age of 75, as The Hollywood Reporter reports.
In March 2018, she disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer and that it had metastasized.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — who formally apologized to her in June and held an event in her honor earlier this month — shared the news via social media on Sunday.
In...
In March 2018, she disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer and that it had metastasized.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — who formally apologized to her in June and held an event in her honor earlier this month — shared the news via social media on Sunday.
In...
- 10/3/2022
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
It would be hard to find two more legendary American actors than Kirk Douglas and Marlon Brando. They're some of the most prominent figures in 20th century media, playing iconic roles in some of the greatest films of all time. Surely nobody but Brando could have starred in "The Godfather" or "Apocalypse Now." Surely only Douglas could have made "Champion" and "Detective Story" quite as good as they were.
But the two men, however similar their acting prestige was, projected very different public personas. Kirk Douglas was known for his philanthropy and political activism. He was head of a production company that spawned many successful films he didn't even star in.
Marlon Brando, on the other hand, was considered a bit of a menace to work with. Brando would make wild demands on set, and require exorbitant amounts of money to even appear in a movie.
Despite their very different personalities,...
But the two men, however similar their acting prestige was, projected very different public personas. Kirk Douglas was known for his philanthropy and political activism. He was head of a production company that spawned many successful films he didn't even star in.
Marlon Brando, on the other hand, was considered a bit of a menace to work with. Brando would make wild demands on set, and require exorbitant amounts of money to even appear in a movie.
Despite their very different personalities,...
- 9/27/2022
- by Matt Rainis
- Slash Film
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Breaking (Abi Damaris Corbin)
Following on the heels of his impressive turn in Steve McQueen’s Red, White and Blue, John Boyega does noble work in Breaking, directed by Abi Damaris Corbin. Boyega stars as Brian Brown-Easley, the 33-year-old Marine veteran who held a bank hostage in order to get a disability check from the Department of Veterans Affairs he was owed. The amount was eight-hundred and ninety-two dollars. – Dan M. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Destello Bravío (Ainhoa Rodríguez)
In the arid, lunar landscape of Ainhoa Rodríguez’s Destello Bravío, a whole village waits for things to fall apart. We’re in the rural outskirts of Spain’s Extremadura region, a few miles from the border with Portugal, but the...
Breaking (Abi Damaris Corbin)
Following on the heels of his impressive turn in Steve McQueen’s Red, White and Blue, John Boyega does noble work in Breaking, directed by Abi Damaris Corbin. Boyega stars as Brian Brown-Easley, the 33-year-old Marine veteran who held a bank hostage in order to get a disability check from the Department of Veterans Affairs he was owed. The amount was eight-hundred and ninety-two dollars. – Dan M. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Destello Bravío (Ainhoa Rodríguez)
In the arid, lunar landscape of Ainhoa Rodríguez’s Destello Bravío, a whole village waits for things to fall apart. We’re in the rural outskirts of Spain’s Extremadura region, a few miles from the border with Portugal, but the...
- 9/16/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Director Sacha Jenkins does the most important thing he could do in “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues”: He lets Louis Armstrong be messy.
Armstrong is one of those legends about whom people have had strong, polarized opinions. He’s either the greatest artist of the 20th century, in the esteem of Robert Christgau or Wynton Marsalis. Or he’s an Uncle Tom, someone who sold out and pandered to white audiences, as Sammy Davis Jr. once thought. And of course there’s the third path of corporate America, to sand the edges of someone like Armstrong down until he’s a cuddly teddy bear whose “What a Wonderful World” stands ready to accompany any commercial.
Jenkins’ new documentary for Apple TV+ avoids those absolutes. He’s interested in the man who was Armstrong, and that means a more complete, nuanced picture — a portrait of a human not so easy to categorize.
Armstrong is one of those legends about whom people have had strong, polarized opinions. He’s either the greatest artist of the 20th century, in the esteem of Robert Christgau or Wynton Marsalis. Or he’s an Uncle Tom, someone who sold out and pandered to white audiences, as Sammy Davis Jr. once thought. And of course there’s the third path of corporate America, to sand the edges of someone like Armstrong down until he’s a cuddly teddy bear whose “What a Wonderful World” stands ready to accompany any commercial.
Jenkins’ new documentary for Apple TV+ avoids those absolutes. He’s interested in the man who was Armstrong, and that means a more complete, nuanced picture — a portrait of a human not so easy to categorize.
- 9/9/2022
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Plot: The life and art of David Bowie, as depicted through archival interviews, performances and footage.
Review: Moonage Daydream comes from director Brett Morgen. Over his long career, Morgen has tried to elevate the biographical documentary into an art form. He never uses talking head interviews, preferring to allow his subjects to do the talking for him. In The Kid Stays in the Picture, he had producer Robert Evans alive and well, allowing him to record narration for the film, which, as Patton Oswalt memorably described it, was like listening to Lucifer read his memoirs. In his Kurt Cobain doc, Montage of Heck, he had to get creative, creating musical montages and sound collages. His latest, Moonage Daydream, plays like a melding of the two styles. On the one hand, the movie has constant narration by its subject, the late David Bowie, cribbed from the endless amount of interviews he gave over his career,...
Review: Moonage Daydream comes from director Brett Morgen. Over his long career, Morgen has tried to elevate the biographical documentary into an art form. He never uses talking head interviews, preferring to allow his subjects to do the talking for him. In The Kid Stays in the Picture, he had producer Robert Evans alive and well, allowing him to record narration for the film, which, as Patton Oswalt memorably described it, was like listening to Lucifer read his memoirs. In his Kurt Cobain doc, Montage of Heck, he had to get creative, creating musical montages and sound collages. His latest, Moonage Daydream, plays like a melding of the two styles. On the one hand, the movie has constant narration by its subject, the late David Bowie, cribbed from the endless amount of interviews he gave over his career,...
- 9/8/2022
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
A new episode of our Real Slashers video series has just been released through the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel, and in this one we’re looking back at one of the most popular slasher sequels ever made: 1987’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (watch it Here)! To find out what we had to say about this one, check out the video embedded above.
Directed by Chuck Russell from a screenplay that was initially written by Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner – and then given a substantial rewrite by Russell and Frank Darabont – A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors has the following synopsis:
During a hallucinatory incident, young Kristen Parker has her wrists slashed by dream-stalking monster Freddy Krueger. Her mother, mistaking the wounds for a suicide attempt, sends Kristen to a psychiatric ward, where she joins a group of similarly troubled teens. One of the doctors there is Nancy Thompson,...
Directed by Chuck Russell from a screenplay that was initially written by Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner – and then given a substantial rewrite by Russell and Frank Darabont – A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors has the following synopsis:
During a hallucinatory incident, young Kristen Parker has her wrists slashed by dream-stalking monster Freddy Krueger. Her mother, mistaking the wounds for a suicide attempt, sends Kristen to a psychiatric ward, where she joins a group of similarly troubled teens. One of the doctors there is Nancy Thompson,...
- 8/23/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Akira Kurosawa is your favorite director's favorite director, but do you know his favorite directors? The acclaimed Japanese filmmaker is primarily known for his historical epics and samurai films, including "Seven Samurai" and "Rashomon."
Kurosawa was heavily inspired by the cowboys in American Westerns, and in turn, many spaghetti Westerns were heavily inspired by Kurosawa. The director once told Dick Cavett that he "love[s] the movies of John Ford," the acclaimed American director known for Westerns like "The Searchers."
The epic scale and action-heavy narratives in Kurosawa's films are often cited as the director's appeal to international audiences, and they also link them to American Westerns....
The post The One Trait That Ties Together Akira Kurosawa's Favorite Directors appeared first on /Film.
Kurosawa was heavily inspired by the cowboys in American Westerns, and in turn, many spaghetti Westerns were heavily inspired by Kurosawa. The director once told Dick Cavett that he "love[s] the movies of John Ford," the acclaimed American director known for Westerns like "The Searchers."
The epic scale and action-heavy narratives in Kurosawa's films are often cited as the director's appeal to international audiences, and they also link them to American Westerns....
The post The One Trait That Ties Together Akira Kurosawa's Favorite Directors appeared first on /Film.
- 7/6/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
The HBO Max comedy “Minx” is about more than just the creation of a feminist porn magazine in 1970s California. It’s also about oppositional ideologies. Joyce (Ophelia Lovibond), the earnest Minx magazine editor, feels it’s her job to make the world a better place. Meanwhile, Doug (Jake Johnson), the periodical’s cynical publisher, knows better than to even ask so much of society.
“I think that it’s this kind of age-old conflict between the people who become artists to kind of spread their message and the people who are financing them,” creator Ellen Rapoport says about her show in an exclusive video interview . “It happens in all of our lives – we’re always beholden to the person who makes money and your art will no longer exist if it isn’t reaching a broad number of people. So it just felt like this very timely thing to talk about.
“I think that it’s this kind of age-old conflict between the people who become artists to kind of spread their message and the people who are financing them,” creator Ellen Rapoport says about her show in an exclusive video interview . “It happens in all of our lives – we’re always beholden to the person who makes money and your art will no longer exist if it isn’t reaching a broad number of people. So it just felt like this very timely thing to talk about.
- 6/2/2022
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
What do the 25th and 75th Tony Awards have in common? The landmark Stephen Sondheim/George Furth musical “Company,” Angela Lansbury and the beloved tuner “The Music Man.”
The gender-bender revival of “Company” is considered the front-runner for the Tony for Best Musical Revival as well as featured actress for Broadway legend Patti LuPone who brings down the house with “Ladies Who Lunch.” Elaine Stritch originated the LuPone’s character of Joanne; her rendition of “Ladies Who Lunch” is considered one of the indelible show-stopping numbers in Broadway history. Stritch was considered a shoo-in for lead actress but lost to Helen Gallagher for the revival of -the 1920s musical “No, No Nanette.” Go figure. Gallagher was good, but she wasn’t as great as Stritch.
The original “Company” waltzed into the Tony Awards — which took place at the Palace Theatre on March 28, 1971 — with a whopping 14 nominations and won six including Best Musical,...
The gender-bender revival of “Company” is considered the front-runner for the Tony for Best Musical Revival as well as featured actress for Broadway legend Patti LuPone who brings down the house with “Ladies Who Lunch.” Elaine Stritch originated the LuPone’s character of Joanne; her rendition of “Ladies Who Lunch” is considered one of the indelible show-stopping numbers in Broadway history. Stritch was considered a shoo-in for lead actress but lost to Helen Gallagher for the revival of -the 1920s musical “No, No Nanette.” Go figure. Gallagher was good, but she wasn’t as great as Stritch.
The original “Company” waltzed into the Tony Awards — which took place at the Palace Theatre on March 28, 1971 — with a whopping 14 nominations and won six including Best Musical,...
- 6/1/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.