While both fans and detractors speak of superhero cinema like it began yesterday—or about a decade ago when the Marvel Cinematic Universe came into being—the truth is masked do-gooders are virtually as old as the movies themselves. One of the silver screen’s first great adventurers, Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro (1924), was a major influence on Bob Kane and Bill Finger when they created Batman.
As long as there’s been source material with heroes doing daring deeds, there have been producers willing to take a gamble on putting them on the screen. For better or worse that process found its peak synthesis (or corporatized formula) in the 21st century. Yet there was a period just before then—ahead of folks figuring out they should adapt currently popular ‘90s comic book characters like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Hulk—where the studios went all in on resurrecting something older and,...
As long as there’s been source material with heroes doing daring deeds, there have been producers willing to take a gamble on putting them on the screen. For better or worse that process found its peak synthesis (or corporatized formula) in the 21st century. Yet there was a period just before then—ahead of folks figuring out they should adapt currently popular ‘90s comic book characters like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Hulk—where the studios went all in on resurrecting something older and,...
- 6/12/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Sometimes, when actors find themselves the focus of a particularly passionate fandom, they reject it. Look at Harrison Ford constantly playing down the importance of "Star Wars" or Robert Pattinson and his open disdain for the "Twilight" series. Which is why it's nice when an actor shares in fans' joy for a particularly beloved performance. Case in point: Danny DeVito and his role as Penguin in "Batman Returns."
Tim Burton's 1992 expressionist masterpiece remains the best Batman movie ever made, and DeVito is a big part of that legacy. The "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star delivered a stunningly committed performance as Oswald Cobblepot aka the Penguin, managing to make the deformed "penguin man of the sewers" so wretchedly evil and yet, at times, sympathetic. The abandoned son of a well-to-do couple commits some truly heinous acts throughout "Returns" and yet you still feel a pang of sadness for the old boy.
Tim Burton's 1992 expressionist masterpiece remains the best Batman movie ever made, and DeVito is a big part of that legacy. The "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star delivered a stunningly committed performance as Oswald Cobblepot aka the Penguin, managing to make the deformed "penguin man of the sewers" so wretchedly evil and yet, at times, sympathetic. The abandoned son of a well-to-do couple commits some truly heinous acts throughout "Returns" and yet you still feel a pang of sadness for the old boy.
- 3/18/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Jenner Furst, the Peabody-winning Emmy nominated director and exec producer of numerous hot button documentaries, has teamed with Arnold Rifkin and former Cj Entertainment exec Justin Lee to form Incite. Rifkin is the Hollywood vet who ran Wma for years and was producing partner with Bruce Willis after that, and who will move Incite into scripted fare next year.
Incite’s aim is to finance and produce premium non-fiction fare, and they have started out with a bang. Furst just sat with George Santos, the former Queens pol who became only the sixth person in history to be expelled from US Congress. Santos has left a trail of lies and fabrications that started being exposed before he became the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be voted in on the Republican ticket.
When Deadline spoke to Furst on Thursday, he was tired after completing 8 hours worth of interviews with Santos...
Incite’s aim is to finance and produce premium non-fiction fare, and they have started out with a bang. Furst just sat with George Santos, the former Queens pol who became only the sixth person in history to be expelled from US Congress. Santos has left a trail of lies and fabrications that started being exposed before he became the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be voted in on the Republican ticket.
When Deadline spoke to Furst on Thursday, he was tired after completing 8 hours worth of interviews with Santos...
- 12/22/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The scammy, salacious saga of George Santos’ fraudulent life and short-lived congressional career will soon get the documentary treatment.
According to The New York Times the project, which is already in the works, will be directed by self-proclaimed “scammer whisperer” and Fyre Fraud documentarian Jenner Furst — who has also already secured Santos’ participation in the film and plans to pay him an “archival materials fee.”
Furst is the award-winning director behind projects including Time: The Kalief Browder Story, LuLaRich, and the smash hit Hulu documentary Fyre Fraud, which chronicled the disastrous,...
According to The New York Times the project, which is already in the works, will be directed by self-proclaimed “scammer whisperer” and Fyre Fraud documentarian Jenner Furst — who has also already secured Santos’ participation in the film and plans to pay him an “archival materials fee.”
Furst is the award-winning director behind projects including Time: The Kalief Browder Story, LuLaRich, and the smash hit Hulu documentary Fyre Fraud, which chronicled the disastrous,...
- 12/21/2023
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
"Jaws" might have been the first blockbuster in 1975, but nearly 15 years later, 1989's "Batman" changed the definition of the term. Tim Burton's third studio movie not only proved a financial success, bringing in $411 million worldwide on a $35 million budget, it kicked off a summer of so-called "Bat-mania," becoming a bonafide phenomenon as Warner Bros. bombarded every facet of popular culture with Bat-themed merchandise. The "Batman" breakfast cereal commercial remains a personal favorite for the grandiose introduction of the product as "Batman, the cereal."
"Batman" becoming such a mega-hit was somewhat surprising, if only because the production itself had faced its share of challenges. Listing everything that was working against the film would take an entire article in and of itself, suffice it to say that Burton described bringing his vision to life as "torture." But despite the various struggles the director had to overcome, the film did have a lot working in its favor.
"Batman" becoming such a mega-hit was somewhat surprising, if only because the production itself had faced its share of challenges. Listing everything that was working against the film would take an entire article in and of itself, suffice it to say that Burton described bringing his vision to life as "torture." But despite the various struggles the director had to overcome, the film did have a lot working in its favor.
- 9/4/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Netflix has ordered a second season of the documentary series “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.” Season 2 will premiere with all three episodes on September 20.
The series covers the true story of Alex Murdaugh, who was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul in 2021. Season 2 will feature first-hand accounts from those who were there the days leading up to and following the murders, including the family’s former housekeeper Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, Libby Murdaugh’s caregiver Mushelle “Shelly” Smith, Alex Murdaugh’s cousin Curtis Edward Smith and juror Gwen Generette. Returning voices from Season 1 include Paul’s ex-girlfriend Morgan Doughty, Paul’s friend Anthony Cook and Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein.
Season 1 of “Murdaugh Murders” debuted as Murdaugh’s trial was actively unfolding. It premiered on Feb. 22 and Murdaugh was found guilty of both murders on March 2. The attention on the case propelled the series to solid viewership numbers,...
The series covers the true story of Alex Murdaugh, who was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul in 2021. Season 2 will feature first-hand accounts from those who were there the days leading up to and following the murders, including the family’s former housekeeper Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, Libby Murdaugh’s caregiver Mushelle “Shelly” Smith, Alex Murdaugh’s cousin Curtis Edward Smith and juror Gwen Generette. Returning voices from Season 1 include Paul’s ex-girlfriend Morgan Doughty, Paul’s friend Anthony Cook and Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein.
Season 1 of “Murdaugh Murders” debuted as Murdaugh’s trial was actively unfolding. It premiered on Feb. 22 and Murdaugh was found guilty of both murders on March 2. The attention on the case propelled the series to solid viewership numbers,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Although "The Flash" may have been a paltry send-off for Michael Keaton's Batman, nothing can undermine his first two appearances in the cape and cowl. When 1989's "Batman" arrived, not only was it a box office smash, but its dark and subversive tone was unlike anything anyone had seen, especially in the context of a comic book movie.
Often, you'll hear praise heaped on Tim Burton for this magic trick — and rightly so. Without the director's unique artistic vision and offbeat sensibility, "Batman" would not have been the unforgettable expressionist experience it was. You might also hear about the late Anton Furst's production design, which gave vivid life to the nightmare scape of urban decay that was his Gotham City. But there was a lesser-known presence that helped shape the 1989 blockbuster, and without which "Batman" may never have been made.
Michael E. Uslan was an Executive Producer on "Batman,...
Often, you'll hear praise heaped on Tim Burton for this magic trick — and rightly so. Without the director's unique artistic vision and offbeat sensibility, "Batman" would not have been the unforgettable expressionist experience it was. You might also hear about the late Anton Furst's production design, which gave vivid life to the nightmare scape of urban decay that was his Gotham City. But there was a lesser-known presence that helped shape the 1989 blockbuster, and without which "Batman" may never have been made.
Michael E. Uslan was an Executive Producer on "Batman,...
- 7/29/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Since 1989, we've had eight live-action "Batman" movies (not counting the Dceu films) and have yet to see as good an on-screen representation of Gotham as the city from Tim Burton's first movie about the Caped Crusader. At least, that would be true if it wasn't for Bo Welch's elegant expressionist nightmare from "Batman Returns." Still, "Batman" production designer Anton Furst created an indelible version of the Dark Knight's home turf that holds up to this day.
As the designer told Time magazine in a 2001 interview, his "riot of architectural styles," erected at England's Pinewood Studios, led director Tim Burton to refer to his Gotham as a city where "hell erupted through the pavement and kept on going." So effective was this foreboding, oppressive, New York-gone-wrong aesthetic that Furst nabbed the Oscar for Best Art Direction in 1990. It was a well-deserved win for the British artist, who had...
As the designer told Time magazine in a 2001 interview, his "riot of architectural styles," erected at England's Pinewood Studios, led director Tim Burton to refer to his Gotham as a city where "hell erupted through the pavement and kept on going." So effective was this foreboding, oppressive, New York-gone-wrong aesthetic that Furst nabbed the Oscar for Best Art Direction in 1990. It was a well-deserved win for the British artist, who had...
- 12/24/2022
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
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