In 1991, the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise signed off – literally – with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country earning critical acclaim and the biggest box office for the franchise since The Wrath of Khan. With Star Trek – The Next Generation ending its successful seven-season run, the time was right to give the new crew the reigns to their big-screen franchise. But, all involved were wary of making what would be seen as just an extended episode. Thus the bold move was made to work in none other than James T. Kirk, who – gasp – would die in the movie’s climax, passing the torch to Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard. That’s right; it’s time to tackle Star Trek Generations!
To shepherd the Next Generation’s move to the big screen, Paramount Pictures decided to give the reigns to the feature film over to Next Generation producer Rick Berman,...
To shepherd the Next Generation’s move to the big screen, Paramount Pictures decided to give the reigns to the feature film over to Next Generation producer Rick Berman,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Nothing beats a good car chase in a movie. These wacky stunts are a hallmark of modern Hollywood blockbusters, but they've been around since silent films. Nowadays, car-centric flicks conjure images of "The Fast & Furious" and "Mad Max" franchises. However, action doesn't always have to be the focus.
Cars playing an integral part in developing a main character always hold more weight for me than a gonzo chase scene. We see a sense of isolation from society in movies like "Taxi Driver" and "Drive." Meanwhile, in John Carpenter's 1983 horror, "Christine," the auto becomes a ruthless death machine. The Stephen King adaptation makes for a clever metaphor about bullying, acceptance, and toxic masculinity in teens.
It would be unfair to say that a car movie can't be enjoyed without the profound social commentary of a Martin Scorsese film or the brooding touches of Nicolas Winding Refn. Sometimes, we crave high-octane...
Cars playing an integral part in developing a main character always hold more weight for me than a gonzo chase scene. We see a sense of isolation from society in movies like "Taxi Driver" and "Drive." Meanwhile, in John Carpenter's 1983 horror, "Christine," the auto becomes a ruthless death machine. The Stephen King adaptation makes for a clever metaphor about bullying, acceptance, and toxic masculinity in teens.
It would be unfair to say that a car movie can't be enjoyed without the profound social commentary of a Martin Scorsese film or the brooding touches of Nicolas Winding Refn. Sometimes, we crave high-octane...
- 4/15/2023
- by Marta Djordjevic
- Slash Film
John Frankenheimer’s biggest production since Grand Prix turns the touchy subject of international terrorism into a frightening, outlandish story of a plot to kill thousands of spectators during one of America’s defining rituals, the Super Bowl. Black September operative Marthe Keller seduces disturbed Viet vet Bruce Dern into perpetrating the crime; Israeli agent Robert Shaw races to stop them. The super-crime is both outrageous and credible — making the show seem very modern, even prophetic. True to form, Frankenheimer filmed much of the movie’s final 40-minute suspense sequence during a real Super Bowl game.
Black Sunday
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 34
1977 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date February 23, 2021 / Available from Viavision / 34.95 au
Starring: Robert Shaw, Bruce Dern, Marthe Keller, Bekim Fehmiu, Fritz Weaver, Steven Keats, Michael V. Gazzo, William Daniels, Walter Gotell.
Cinematography: John A. Alonzo
Film Editor: Tom Rolf
Original Music: John Williams
Written by Ernest Lehman, Kenneth Ross, Ivan Moffat...
Black Sunday
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 34
1977 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date February 23, 2021 / Available from Viavision / 34.95 au
Starring: Robert Shaw, Bruce Dern, Marthe Keller, Bekim Fehmiu, Fritz Weaver, Steven Keats, Michael V. Gazzo, William Daniels, Walter Gotell.
Cinematography: John A. Alonzo
Film Editor: Tom Rolf
Original Music: John Williams
Written by Ernest Lehman, Kenneth Ross, Ivan Moffat...
- 4/10/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Brian De Palma’s 1983 saga of hoodlum Tony Montana is an exceptional remake that’s become a classic almost by default — it’s too strikingly original to ignore. De Palma did the Latin male stereotype no favors, while bringing attention to the outrageous drug trafficking aided by law enforcement and criminal banks in a shameful decade of excess. Al Pacino added a page to his catalog of great performances, and the careers of Michelle Pfeiffer and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio were duly launched. De Palma gives this one ‘classical’ direction: he skips his former film school cinema games and homages to Hitch the Master.
Scarface
“The World is Yours” Limited Edition
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
1983 / Color / 2:39 widescreen / 170 min. / Street Date October 15, 2019 / 57.22
Starring: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Miriam Colon, F. Murray Abraham, Paul Shenar, Harris Yulin, Pepe Serna, Victor Campos,...
Scarface
“The World is Yours” Limited Edition
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
1983 / Color / 2:39 widescreen / 170 min. / Street Date October 15, 2019 / 57.22
Starring: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Miriam Colon, F. Murray Abraham, Paul Shenar, Harris Yulin, Pepe Serna, Victor Campos,...
- 10/26/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
FM (1978) will be available on Blu-ray July 2nd from Arrow Video
The airwaves crackle with the delectable sound of smooth rock in FM, a riotous comedy about the heady world of late-70s Us radio.
Michael Brandon (Four Flies on Grey Velvet) stars as Jeff Dugan, the ultra-cool program director at Q-sky Radio, La’s number one rock station. Dugan encourages a free-wheeling culture at work, employing an array of eccentric DJ personalities: Mother, a husky, world-weary ex-hippie; Eric Swan, a mad-cap romantic looking for love, and The Prince of Darkness, a cool cat who keeps the night-time airwaves alive. But when the station’s future is thrown in to jeopardy by corporate bosses looking to cash-in, the Q-sky troupe are forced to batten down the hatches and turn up the volume – will a fully-fledged rock ‘n’ roll rebellion save the day?
Legendary cinematographer John A. Alonzo directs this slickly-produced rock film,...
The airwaves crackle with the delectable sound of smooth rock in FM, a riotous comedy about the heady world of late-70s Us radio.
Michael Brandon (Four Flies on Grey Velvet) stars as Jeff Dugan, the ultra-cool program director at Q-sky Radio, La’s number one rock station. Dugan encourages a free-wheeling culture at work, employing an array of eccentric DJ personalities: Mother, a husky, world-weary ex-hippie; Eric Swan, a mad-cap romantic looking for love, and The Prince of Darkness, a cool cat who keeps the night-time airwaves alive. But when the station’s future is thrown in to jeopardy by corporate bosses looking to cash-in, the Q-sky troupe are forced to batten down the hatches and turn up the volume – will a fully-fledged rock ‘n’ roll rebellion save the day?
Legendary cinematographer John A. Alonzo directs this slickly-produced rock film,...
- 6/11/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
A new week brings three new episodes.
This week is maybe the best yet over at One Perfect Pod, our podcasting channel, and features a pair of reviews of the hottest film in the land, a look back at one of the most beloved films of the 21st century, and an exploration of the success of Beauty and the Beast (the new one).
First up, the latest episode of Matthew Monagle’s After the Credits, podcasting’s only before-and-after review show. This week the film up for discussion is — what else? — The Fate of the Furious, and Matthew’s guest is film critic Erin Whitney. Find out where they land on what many are already calling the most polarizing film yet from the eight-film franchise.
Then there’s this week’s Shot by Shot podcast, the official cinematography podcast of One Perfect Shot and Film School Rejects. This go-around Geoff Todd, Ops...
This week is maybe the best yet over at One Perfect Pod, our podcasting channel, and features a pair of reviews of the hottest film in the land, a look back at one of the most beloved films of the 21st century, and an exploration of the success of Beauty and the Beast (the new one).
First up, the latest episode of Matthew Monagle’s After the Credits, podcasting’s only before-and-after review show. This week the film up for discussion is — what else? — The Fate of the Furious, and Matthew’s guest is film critic Erin Whitney. Find out where they land on what many are already calling the most polarizing film yet from the eight-film franchise.
Then there’s this week’s Shot by Shot podcast, the official cinematography podcast of One Perfect Shot and Film School Rejects. This go-around Geoff Todd, Ops...
- 4/17/2017
- by H. Perry Horton
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Plus: Netflix gets some new talent, a post roundup and five perfect shots.
It’s been three years since director Jennifer Kent released The Babadook, and in all that time I still haven’t gotten a good night sleep, either because I was terrified said titular entity might be lurking in the shadows, or because I was wondering when and what Kent’s next project would be. A year or so ago she started dropping some hints, but as of a press release issued yesterday, we now have all the gory and glorious details.
The film is called The Nightingale — I’ve already got chills — and it sounds like we’re in for another dark thriller, albeit a little more grounded in reality. Dig the synopsis:
Set in Tasmania in 1825, The Nightingale follows a beautiful 21-year-old Irish female convict who witnesses the brutal murder of her husband and baby by her soldier master and his cronies. Unable...
It’s been three years since director Jennifer Kent released The Babadook, and in all that time I still haven’t gotten a good night sleep, either because I was terrified said titular entity might be lurking in the shadows, or because I was wondering when and what Kent’s next project would be. A year or so ago she started dropping some hints, but as of a press release issued yesterday, we now have all the gory and glorious details.
The film is called The Nightingale — I’ve already got chills — and it sounds like we’re in for another dark thriller, albeit a little more grounded in reality. Dig the synopsis:
Set in Tasmania in 1825, The Nightingale follows a beautiful 21-year-old Irish female convict who witnesses the brutal murder of her husband and baby by her soldier master and his cronies. Unable...
- 3/16/2017
- by H. Perry Horton
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
There’s an alternate version of Brian De Palma’s career where 1972’s Get to Know Your Rabbit stands as one of the most seminal entries. The last of De Palma’s early-70s comedies, the film is most readily recognized as a prelude to his directorial turning point. Just a year later, he began a string of legacy defining films: Sisters, Obsession, and Carrie.
But this early-period black sheep is more than a mere historical footnote. It’s the transitional fiasco that De Palma needed. Coming after the modest hits of Greetings and Hi, Mom!, this was the big leagues, a chance for the nascent but rising director to work with Hollywood and establish himself as a conjunction of artistic and financial impulses.
It’s only inevitable that even De Palma’s crowd-pleasing comedy scans as commentary about the prison of working with studios. In an impish reversal of the artist’s own circumstances,...
But this early-period black sheep is more than a mere historical footnote. It’s the transitional fiasco that De Palma needed. Coming after the modest hits of Greetings and Hi, Mom!, this was the big leagues, a chance for the nascent but rising director to work with Hollywood and establish himself as a conjunction of artistic and financial impulses.
It’s only inevitable that even De Palma’s crowd-pleasing comedy scans as commentary about the prison of working with studios. In an impish reversal of the artist’s own circumstances,...
- 9/20/2016
- by Michael Snydel
- The Film Stage
From a pop culture perspective, private detectives stand for all that’s memorable about film noir. The indifference, the wittiness, and the moral ambiguity that define each urban knight has since become the stuff of parodied legend. We’re talking about the mediators between the crooks and the cops, the embodiment of back alley grayness that’s so tough to pin down. P.I.’s could cooperate with the law if needed, but they could just as soon do business with the bad guys for the right price. To a certain extent, that is – shamus work has always attracted the ignored and the ethical. The Wild West has mythical men with no name, The Asphalt Jungle has names with investigating licenses attached to them. Instead of a poncho and a ten gallon hat, they’re provided a fedora and trench coat.
The archetype has undergone many faces throughout Hollywood’s history,...
The archetype has undergone many faces throughout Hollywood’s history,...
- 2/16/2016
- by Danilo Castro
- CinemaNerdz
Years after making an indelible mark on the horror genre with The Exorcist, William Friedkin returned to the scarier side of cinema with The Guardian. Ahead of the 1990 film's January 19th Blu-ray debut from Scream Factory, we have the release's extensive list of bonus features and a look at the cover art:
Press Release: William Friedkin, the Academy Award® winning director of The Exorcist, delivers a new kind of fairy tale for adults. A handsome young couple finds the perfect live-in babysitter to look after their newborn child. It seems like a fairy tale, until ancient, supernatural forces turn the couples dream into a nightmare. On January 19, 2016, Scream Factory™ is proud to present The Guardian, arriving for the first time on Blu-ray™. A film by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The Hunted), the supernatural thriller stars Jenny Seagrove (Local Hero), Dwier Broan (Red Dragon) and Carey Lowell (License to Kill).
A must-have for loyal fans,...
Press Release: William Friedkin, the Academy Award® winning director of The Exorcist, delivers a new kind of fairy tale for adults. A handsome young couple finds the perfect live-in babysitter to look after their newborn child. It seems like a fairy tale, until ancient, supernatural forces turn the couples dream into a nightmare. On January 19, 2016, Scream Factory™ is proud to present The Guardian, arriving for the first time on Blu-ray™. A film by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The Hunted), the supernatural thriller stars Jenny Seagrove (Local Hero), Dwier Broan (Red Dragon) and Carey Lowell (License to Kill).
A must-have for loyal fans,...
- 12/3/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
All week long our writers will debate: Which was the greatest film year of the past half century. Click here for a complete list of our essays. I was one of the first to select years for this particular exercise, which probably allowed me to select the correct year. The answer is, of course, 1974 and all other answers are wrong. No matter what your criteria happens to be, 1974 is going to come out on top. Again, this is not ambiguous or open to debate. We have to start, of course, with the best of the best. "Chinatown" is one of the greatest movies ever made. You can't structure a thriller better than Robert Towne and Roman Polanski do, nor shoot a Los Angeles movie better than John Alonzo has done. Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway give the best performances of their careers, which is no small achievement. If you ask...
- 4/29/2015
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
Chris Cummins Nov 18, 2019
The first cinematic adventure for the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew might be better than you remember.
This article contains spoilers for a movie that is over 20 years old.
It seems difficult to believe, but Captain Kirk has been dead for over 20 years. Bummer. As you are doubtlessly aware, the good Cap’n met his fate in the closing moments of Star Trek: Generations, a divisive film that finally paired Kirk and Captain Picard together (a move that still leaves Trekkies debating whether or not it could have been handled better).
When Star Trek: Generations initially hit theaters, the Star Trek franchise was at the arguable peak of its success. Star Trek: The Next Generation had finished its wildly successful run the previous spring, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine really began to find itself by introducing the Dominion threat into its mythos and the upstart Upn...
The first cinematic adventure for the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew might be better than you remember.
This article contains spoilers for a movie that is over 20 years old.
It seems difficult to believe, but Captain Kirk has been dead for over 20 years. Bummer. As you are doubtlessly aware, the good Cap’n met his fate in the closing moments of Star Trek: Generations, a divisive film that finally paired Kirk and Captain Picard together (a move that still leaves Trekkies debating whether or not it could have been handled better).
When Star Trek: Generations initially hit theaters, the Star Trek franchise was at the arguable peak of its success. Star Trek: The Next Generation had finished its wildly successful run the previous spring, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine really began to find itself by introducing the Dominion threat into its mythos and the upstart Upn...
- 1/7/2015
- Den of Geek
Filmmaker Geoff Todd's Twitter account, @OnePerfectShot, is our new No.1 destination for a daily fix of movie geekiness.
The account's mission is to "honour cinema's past and (hopefully) inspire a new generation of perfect shots" and features stunning stills from classic movies. And Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.
Here are our personal 14 favourite shots:
1. North by Northwest
Perfect shot from North By Northwest (1959) DoP: Robert Burks | Dir: Alfred Hitchcock pic.twitter.com/q67FGcM6m9
— Perfect Shots (@OnePerfectShot) May 5, 2014
2. Badlands
Perfect shot from Badlands (1973) Cinematography:Tak Fujimoto (et al) | Dir:Terrence Malick pic.twitter.com/ufNKGp9EU4
— Perfect Shots (@OnePerfectShot) May 4, 2014
3. Reservoir Dogs
Perfect shot from Reservoir Dogs (1992) DoP: Andrzej Sekula - Dir: Quentin Tarantino pic.twitter.com/Zhrq1QjMK4
— Perfect Shots (@OnePerfectShot) May 4, 2014
4. Psycho
Perfect shot from Psycho (1960) DoP: John L. Russell - Dir: Alfred Hitchcock pic.twitter.com/3XEtsmadki
— Perfect Shots (@OnePerfectShot) May 2, 2014
5. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom...
The account's mission is to "honour cinema's past and (hopefully) inspire a new generation of perfect shots" and features stunning stills from classic movies. And Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.
Here are our personal 14 favourite shots:
1. North by Northwest
Perfect shot from North By Northwest (1959) DoP: Robert Burks | Dir: Alfred Hitchcock pic.twitter.com/q67FGcM6m9
— Perfect Shots (@OnePerfectShot) May 5, 2014
2. Badlands
Perfect shot from Badlands (1973) Cinematography:Tak Fujimoto (et al) | Dir:Terrence Malick pic.twitter.com/ufNKGp9EU4
— Perfect Shots (@OnePerfectShot) May 4, 2014
3. Reservoir Dogs
Perfect shot from Reservoir Dogs (1992) DoP: Andrzej Sekula - Dir: Quentin Tarantino pic.twitter.com/Zhrq1QjMK4
— Perfect Shots (@OnePerfectShot) May 4, 2014
4. Psycho
Perfect shot from Psycho (1960) DoP: John L. Russell - Dir: Alfred Hitchcock pic.twitter.com/3XEtsmadki
— Perfect Shots (@OnePerfectShot) May 2, 2014
5. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom...
- 5/6/2014
- Digital Spy
Ludicrous machismo and the American Dream were never the same once Brian De Palma's “Scarface” landed in 1983, carving shocking setpieces and Tony Montana catchphrases into the surface of pop culture like a reckless chainsaw. But as with any landmark film like De Palma's, it's a worth a look backward; as a series of extended interviews and making-of clips show, the project's roots were hesitant, unknown, and slowly ushered forward into the eventual iconic result. A 36-minute conversation on “Scarface” boasts in-depth interviews with De Palma, Al Pacino, and its screenwriter Oliver Stone, as well as other key collaborators including producer Martin Bregman and cinematographer John A. Alonzo. Together, they describe the project's beginnings as a remake of the 1932 Paul Muni film -- a start leading to Sidney Lumet's brief time at its helm before splitting over creative differences, and then finally De Palma's collaboration with Stone. Stone comes forth.
- 7/8/2013
- by Charlie Schmidlin
- The Playlist
Vanishing Point
Directed by Richard C. Sarafian
Written by Guillermo Cabrera Infante from a story outline by Malcom Hart
1971, USA
Belonging to countless late-sixties, early-Seventies American counterculture road films, Vanishing Point quickly became a cult classic of the car-movie genre. Richard Sarafian directed this minimalist chase film, starring Barry Newman as Kowalski, an ex-marine, ex-race car driver and ex-cop behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger – who must deliver the automobile from Colorado to San Francisco in less than 15 hours. After a run-in with highway patrol, a state-wide chase ensues. Along the way, Kowalski is aided by Super Soul – a blind, radio DJ who guides his journey using a police radio scanner. Much like Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider (1969) and Monte Hellman’s Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), Vanishing Point sought to illustrate the tensions between the counterculture and the establishment, and in this case, across four states
Credit to script writer Guillermo Cain...
Directed by Richard C. Sarafian
Written by Guillermo Cabrera Infante from a story outline by Malcom Hart
1971, USA
Belonging to countless late-sixties, early-Seventies American counterculture road films, Vanishing Point quickly became a cult classic of the car-movie genre. Richard Sarafian directed this minimalist chase film, starring Barry Newman as Kowalski, an ex-marine, ex-race car driver and ex-cop behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger – who must deliver the automobile from Colorado to San Francisco in less than 15 hours. After a run-in with highway patrol, a state-wide chase ensues. Along the way, Kowalski is aided by Super Soul – a blind, radio DJ who guides his journey using a police radio scanner. Much like Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider (1969) and Monte Hellman’s Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), Vanishing Point sought to illustrate the tensions between the counterculture and the establishment, and in this case, across four states
Credit to script writer Guillermo Cain...
- 5/30/2013
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
Overboard (1987)
Starring: Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Edward Hermann
Writer: Leslie Dixon
Director: Garry Marshall
Review By: Eric King
Story:
A super hot/super bitchy heiress dumps workin’ man Dean Proffitt off her boat after he does a job that doesn’t meet her satisfaction. Later that night, she falls off the boat herself and suffers from amnesia. Her husband basically says “Fuck it! Party time!” and leaves her at the hospital. So, Dean develops a plan of revenge by convincing her that she’s his wife.
Review:
I wanna start off here by saying I am greatly appreciative to be given the privilege of bringing the sappiness to The Liberal Dead‘s Kurt Russell Appreciation Week. I jumped on this boat pretty late in the game, and Shawn Savage forewarned me as soon as he handed out the invitation that most of Russell’s iconic roles had already been taken.
Starring: Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Edward Hermann
Writer: Leslie Dixon
Director: Garry Marshall
Review By: Eric King
Story:
A super hot/super bitchy heiress dumps workin’ man Dean Proffitt off her boat after he does a job that doesn’t meet her satisfaction. Later that night, she falls off the boat herself and suffers from amnesia. Her husband basically says “Fuck it! Party time!” and leaves her at the hospital. So, Dean develops a plan of revenge by convincing her that she’s his wife.
Review:
I wanna start off here by saying I am greatly appreciative to be given the privilege of bringing the sappiness to The Liberal Dead‘s Kurt Russell Appreciation Week. I jumped on this boat pretty late in the game, and Shawn Savage forewarned me as soon as he handed out the invitation that most of Russell’s iconic roles had already been taken.
- 9/6/2012
- by Jimmy Terror
- The Liberal Dead
Is there such a thing as a perfect film? Perhaps. You could certainly argue that personal taste plays into the question of perfection too much -- one man's triumph is another's disaster. And even so, there are so many possible things that can go wrong with a film -- one duff performance, one ill-conceived shot, one poorly-written scene -- that it's almost an impossible task. But dammit if we don't consider "Chinatown" to be as close as you can get to being perfect.
Starting with a devilishly complex, yet brilliantly simple script from Robert Towne, still one of the finest ever written, it displays top class at every level, from Roman Polanski directing at his peak (in his last American film), to ace performances from Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and Walter Huston, to Jerry Goldsmith's all-time-great score. It's hard to ask for much more from a film. "Chinatown" was...
Starting with a devilishly complex, yet brilliantly simple script from Robert Towne, still one of the finest ever written, it displays top class at every level, from Roman Polanski directing at his peak (in his last American film), to ace performances from Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and Walter Huston, to Jerry Goldsmith's all-time-great score. It's hard to ask for much more from a film. "Chinatown" was...
- 6/20/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
Andrew Davis Returns To Stony Island
By Alex Simon
Director Andrew Davis made his name with hard-hitting action blockbusters like The Fugitive, Under Siege and The Guardian, but like most filmmakers, his first effort was a small film with a modest budget and a lot of heart. Davis’ directing debut Stony Island was shot in 1977, helmed by the then 30 year-old who had made a name for himself as a cinematographer, and conceived as a love letter to the South Chicago neighborhood where he grew up. Based loosely on the story of Davis’ younger brother Richie (starring as a fictionalized version of himself), who grew up as one of the few white kids in a largely African-American neighborhood, Stony Island follows a group of young musicians who try to form an R&B group in their racially-mixed neighborhood. Featuring the film debuts of now-notable names such as Dennis Franz, Susanna Hoffs,...
By Alex Simon
Director Andrew Davis made his name with hard-hitting action blockbusters like The Fugitive, Under Siege and The Guardian, but like most filmmakers, his first effort was a small film with a modest budget and a lot of heart. Davis’ directing debut Stony Island was shot in 1977, helmed by the then 30 year-old who had made a name for himself as a cinematographer, and conceived as a love letter to the South Chicago neighborhood where he grew up. Based loosely on the story of Davis’ younger brother Richie (starring as a fictionalized version of himself), who grew up as one of the few white kids in a largely African-American neighborhood, Stony Island follows a group of young musicians who try to form an R&B group in their racially-mixed neighborhood. Featuring the film debuts of now-notable names such as Dennis Franz, Susanna Hoffs,...
- 4/24/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: April 17, 2012
Price: DVD $29.95, Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon are Harold and Maude.
With 1971’s idiosyncratic offbeat comedy-romance fable Harold and Maude, countercultural director Hal Ashby (Being There) fashioned a film that would become the cult classic of its era.
Working from a script by Colin Higgins (9 to 5), the movie tells the story of the emotional and romantic bond between a death-obsessed young man (Bud Cort The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou) from a wealthy family and a devil-may-care, bohemian octogenarian (Ruth Gordon, Rosemary’s Baby).
Harold and Maude breaks through a lot of barriers with it unique voice, which is equal parts gallows humor and romantic innocence. Most effectively, it dissolves the barriers that separate people by class, gender and age. Along the way, it features a handful of amazing performances and a solid soundtrack by Cat Stevens.
The Criterion Blu-ray and DVD...
Price: DVD $29.95, Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon are Harold and Maude.
With 1971’s idiosyncratic offbeat comedy-romance fable Harold and Maude, countercultural director Hal Ashby (Being There) fashioned a film that would become the cult classic of its era.
Working from a script by Colin Higgins (9 to 5), the movie tells the story of the emotional and romantic bond between a death-obsessed young man (Bud Cort The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou) from a wealthy family and a devil-may-care, bohemian octogenarian (Ruth Gordon, Rosemary’s Baby).
Harold and Maude breaks through a lot of barriers with it unique voice, which is equal parts gallows humor and romantic innocence. Most effectively, it dissolves the barriers that separate people by class, gender and age. Along the way, it features a handful of amazing performances and a solid soundtrack by Cat Stevens.
The Criterion Blu-ray and DVD...
- 1/17/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
With the entire original run of The Twilight Zone available to watch instantly, we’re partnering with Twitch Film to cover all most half of the show’s 156 episodes. Are you brave enough to watch them all with us? The Twilight Zone (Episode #48): “Dust” (airdate 1/6/61) The Plot: A young man sits behind bars in a small town in the Old West, accused, tried, and convicted of killing a child while drunk at the reins of his wagon. It’s the day of his hanging and while the townspeople clamor for vengeance his father puts his faith in a bag full of magic dust. The Goods: Luis (John Alonzo) is set to be hanged and spends his final day staring out the window at the outside world. The townsfolk are building his gallows in plain view, the funeral procession for the young girl passes before his eyes, and an insensitive traveling salesman names Sykes (Thomas Gomez) jokes...
- 8/11/2011
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Part I: Super Chiefs — Calley, Evans, Zanuck and the Passing of the Studio Torches
From the 1960s into the 1980s, one by one, the legendary studios of old – MGM, United Artists, Warner Bros., Paramount, Columbia, 20th Century Fox — were gobbled up by conglomerates, some of which had had almost no previous interests in the entertainment business, such as Paramount’s acquirer, Gulf + Western (a motley collection of properties ranging from Caribbean sugar companies to auto parts), and Kinney National Service (a hodgepodge of funeral homes and parking lots which bought up Warner Bros.). This corporatization of the major studios – the once mighty fiefdoms of the old moguls subjugated by invaders with little or no practical or emotional affinity for movies – is often viewed disparagingly as a sea change signaling the end of the grand Old Hollywood; the Hollywood of Gable and Garland, of Casablanca (1942) and Gone with the Wind (1939).
Factually,...
From the 1960s into the 1980s, one by one, the legendary studios of old – MGM, United Artists, Warner Bros., Paramount, Columbia, 20th Century Fox — were gobbled up by conglomerates, some of which had had almost no previous interests in the entertainment business, such as Paramount’s acquirer, Gulf + Western (a motley collection of properties ranging from Caribbean sugar companies to auto parts), and Kinney National Service (a hodgepodge of funeral homes and parking lots which bought up Warner Bros.). This corporatization of the major studios – the once mighty fiefdoms of the old moguls subjugated by invaders with little or no practical or emotional affinity for movies – is often viewed disparagingly as a sea change signaling the end of the grand Old Hollywood; the Hollywood of Gable and Garland, of Casablanca (1942) and Gone with the Wind (1939).
Factually,...
- 11/18/2010
- by Bill Mesce
- SoundOnSight
Confessions of a Bad News Bear
by Jon Zelazny
The Reverend David Stambaugh is the Pastoral Associate at Hollywood United Methodist Church. He earned his BA from Messiah College, a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary, and a Masters of Sacred Theology from Drew University.
Prior to entering the ministry, he portrayed infielder Toby Whitewood in The Bad News Bears (1976), The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977), and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978).
Dave Stambaugh: I was actually playing Little League at that time, so it was a world I really knew. I remember one time I couldn’t make it to a callback audition because our team was in the area play-offs. I like to think that helped me get the job: “Hey, that kid can’t come in for our movie today— because he’s playing baseball!”
The first auditions were readings in NYC casting offices,...
by Jon Zelazny
The Reverend David Stambaugh is the Pastoral Associate at Hollywood United Methodist Church. He earned his BA from Messiah College, a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary, and a Masters of Sacred Theology from Drew University.
Prior to entering the ministry, he portrayed infielder Toby Whitewood in The Bad News Bears (1976), The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977), and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978).
Dave Stambaugh: I was actually playing Little League at that time, so it was a world I really knew. I remember one time I couldn’t make it to a callback audition because our team was in the area play-offs. I like to think that helped me get the job: “Hey, that kid can’t come in for our movie today— because he’s playing baseball!”
The first auditions were readings in NYC casting offices,...
- 10/13/2010
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Screenwriter and filmmaker Robert Towne.
Forget It Bob, It’S Chinatown
Robert Towne looks back on Chinatown’s 35th anniversary
By
Alex Simon
The haunting trumpet wailing plaintively over the closing credits. The bandage covering star Jack Nicholson’s nose. The best last line of a movie, ever: “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown"; all elements of a film now regarded by scholars, critics and cinefiles alike as one of the greatest pieces of American celluloid ever made. Chinatown was a collaboration between a who’s-who of ‘70s film icons. Directed by Roman Polanski, produced by Robert Evans, written by Robert Towne, starring Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, shot by John Alonso, and scored by Jerry Goldsmith, Chinatown was nominated for 11 Academy Awards in 1974, but brought home only one: for its writer. Robert Towne was barely 40, and Chinatown his first produced original screenplay, his previous efforts having been literary adaptations, such as 1973’s The Last Detail.
Forget It Bob, It’S Chinatown
Robert Towne looks back on Chinatown’s 35th anniversary
By
Alex Simon
The haunting trumpet wailing plaintively over the closing credits. The bandage covering star Jack Nicholson’s nose. The best last line of a movie, ever: “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown"; all elements of a film now regarded by scholars, critics and cinefiles alike as one of the greatest pieces of American celluloid ever made. Chinatown was a collaboration between a who’s-who of ‘70s film icons. Directed by Roman Polanski, produced by Robert Evans, written by Robert Towne, starring Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, shot by John Alonso, and scored by Jerry Goldsmith, Chinatown was nominated for 11 Academy Awards in 1974, but brought home only one: for its writer. Robert Towne was barely 40, and Chinatown his first produced original screenplay, his previous efforts having been literary adaptations, such as 1973’s The Last Detail.
- 11/4/2009
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
By David Savage
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Among the famed director's hand-picked choices: Hitchcock's 1959 classic North By NorthwestThe New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, one of the last surviving revival cinemas in the United States, is hosting legendary filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich as their next guest in their popular director programming series, beginning January 21st and continuing through the 31st.
The first week of double-feature bills will be devoted to Bogdanovich’s own features from the 70’s and 80’s, starting with his own cut of the Oscar-honored The Last Picture Show (1971) with What’s Up Doc? (1972); then screening a new 35mm print of his own cut of Mask (1985) with Paper Moon (1973). At midnight on the 24th the director will be also screening an archival print of his 1968 directorial debut, Targets, with Boris Karloff, which is rarely screened or broadcast.
The second week will consist of Bogdanovich’s own hand-picked classics,...
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Among the famed director's hand-picked choices: Hitchcock's 1959 classic North By NorthwestThe New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, one of the last surviving revival cinemas in the United States, is hosting legendary filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich as their next guest in their popular director programming series, beginning January 21st and continuing through the 31st.
The first week of double-feature bills will be devoted to Bogdanovich’s own features from the 70’s and 80’s, starting with his own cut of the Oscar-honored The Last Picture Show (1971) with What’s Up Doc? (1972); then screening a new 35mm print of his own cut of Mask (1985) with Paper Moon (1973). At midnight on the 24th the director will be also screening an archival print of his 1968 directorial debut, Targets, with Boris Karloff, which is rarely screened or broadcast.
The second week will consist of Bogdanovich’s own hand-picked classics,...
- 1/16/2009
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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