“Let’s face it, I had a bad script,” director Michael Bay said on the commentary track of his debut feature film, Bad Boys. Bay isn’t wrong. Bad Boys relies on buddy comedy tropes already established in 1974’s Freebie and the Bean and 1982’s 48 Hrs., complete with nonsense plot points. “But I had real comic talent in my two stars.” Bay of course means Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. Drawn from the popular sitcoms Martin and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Lawrence and Smith saved the movie from the clunky script with their easy chemistry and comic timing.
At one point, however, Bad Boys had two very different stars in mind with a comic chemistry unlike that of Lawrence and Smith.
Live From Miami, It’s Saturday Night!
In the 1980s, there were no greater kingmakers than Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. Not only did the super producers turn...
At one point, however, Bad Boys had two very different stars in mind with a comic chemistry unlike that of Lawrence and Smith.
Live From Miami, It’s Saturday Night!
In the 1980s, there were no greater kingmakers than Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. Not only did the super producers turn...
- 6/10/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
A decade before Monica Geller came into our living rooms, Courteney Cox was just Bruce Springsteen’s biggest fan.
The Friends alum threw it back to her appearance in Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 music video for ‘Dancing in the Dark’ as she jumped on a TikTok trend that asks parents how they danced during the decade.
“1980’s dancing…in the dark,” Cox captioned the video.
In the clip, she begins dancing to the 1984 synth-pop hit ‘Smalltown Boy’ by Bronski Beat, which is commonly used with the social trend.
Looking uncomfortable during her dance, Cox then strips off her hoodie to reveal the same Springsteen t-shirt she wore in the “Dancing in the Dark” video as the track changes and she recreates her dance.
@courteneycoxofficial
1980’s dancing… in the dark
♬ original sound – Courteney Cox
Cox was 20 years old when she was selected by director Brian De Palma from a casting call for the video,...
The Friends alum threw it back to her appearance in Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 music video for ‘Dancing in the Dark’ as she jumped on a TikTok trend that asks parents how they danced during the decade.
“1980’s dancing…in the dark,” Cox captioned the video.
In the clip, she begins dancing to the 1984 synth-pop hit ‘Smalltown Boy’ by Bronski Beat, which is commonly used with the social trend.
Looking uncomfortable during her dance, Cox then strips off her hoodie to reveal the same Springsteen t-shirt she wore in the “Dancing in the Dark” video as the track changes and she recreates her dance.
@courteneycoxofficial
1980’s dancing… in the dark
♬ original sound – Courteney Cox
Cox was 20 years old when she was selected by director Brian De Palma from a casting call for the video,...
- 6/10/2024
- by Glenn Garner
- Deadline Film + TV
In 1960, Kirk Douglas had helped to break the Hollywood Blacklist with "Spartacus" by publicly crediting then-blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo as the screenwriter. But in 1969, he found himself working with a director who had been anything but helpful to his Hollywood colleagues during the height of McCarthyism. Sadly, this team-up between Douglas and director Elia Kazan also had the unfortunate distinction of being one of the Greek-American filmmaker's most derided films.
"The Arrangement" currently has a 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which should tell you pretty much all you need to know about how this ill-fated drama was received upon release. The film is an adaptation of Kazan's own 1967 novel of the same name and follows LA advertising executive Evangelos Topouzoglou/Eddie Anderson (Douglas) as he endures a protracted nervous breakdown (which is what watching this incredible trailer feels like). Critics at the time were merciless with their condemnation of Kazan's film,...
"The Arrangement" currently has a 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which should tell you pretty much all you need to know about how this ill-fated drama was received upon release. The film is an adaptation of Kazan's own 1967 novel of the same name and follows LA advertising executive Evangelos Topouzoglou/Eddie Anderson (Douglas) as he endures a protracted nervous breakdown (which is what watching this incredible trailer feels like). Critics at the time were merciless with their condemnation of Kazan's film,...
- 6/9/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
In the summer of 1990, screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin became an overnight success with the release of “Ghost,” a romantic thriller that would go on to become the top-grossing film of the year and earn Rubin an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. At least that’s how it seemed from the outside; the truth is that the 47-year-old filmmaker had been kicking around the industry for decades, working as a TV news editor, film museum curator, and writer-for-hire before “Ghost” (and then “Jacob’s Ladder” a few months later) established him as one of the most original voices in Hollywood cinema.
Rubin tells the story of everything that led up to “Ghost” — and everything that came after — in “It’s Only a Movie,” a book that’s half-show business memoir, half spiritual inquiry detailing his lifelong quest for enlightenment. That quest informs Rubin’s best films — “Brainstorm,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Ghost,” “My...
Rubin tells the story of everything that led up to “Ghost” — and everything that came after — in “It’s Only a Movie,” a book that’s half-show business memoir, half spiritual inquiry detailing his lifelong quest for enlightenment. That quest informs Rubin’s best films — “Brainstorm,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Ghost,” “My...
- 6/6/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
While it might be hard for many to believe, Kevin Costner was not always so confident about his acting. Having made his feature film debut with Malibu Hot Summer, it would still take him some time to grow into showbiz. After all, his first project was not one he would like to write home about. His real break would come 4 years later with Silverado, but he still harbored doubts about his caliber at the time. And it came back to haunt him while he was working with Sean Connery.
Kevin Costner was grateful for being a part of The Untouchables
Kevin Costner was elated to have been a part of The Untouchables l Author: Joel Kowsky Credits: Wikimedia Commons
The chance to work on The Untouchables was an opportunity that Kevin Costner would forever cherish. Directed by Brian De Palma and based on the true story of Eliot Ness, the...
Kevin Costner was grateful for being a part of The Untouchables
Kevin Costner was elated to have been a part of The Untouchables l Author: Joel Kowsky Credits: Wikimedia Commons
The chance to work on The Untouchables was an opportunity that Kevin Costner would forever cherish. Directed by Brian De Palma and based on the true story of Eliot Ness, the...
- 6/5/2024
- by Smriti Sneh
- FandomWire
The term wizard can be thrown around a lot. Wizards make magic, can create life from the ether, and conjure things that are beautiful and sometimes monstrous. There aren’t many wizards out in the world these days, but I know of one by name and that name is Rick Baker. Baker is a master of the monsters and a wizard of special effects. He’s an artist and a visionary who made some of the most memorable creatures and effects to grace movie and TV screens of the last few decades. He’s also an unabashed Monster Kid who has never lost his love and fascination for the classics. On todays episode of What Happened To This Horror Celebrity we’re meeting a wizard of the wicked and magician of monsters as we reveal what happened to Rick Baker.
Rick Baker was born in 1950 to Doris and Ralph Baker in New York.
Rick Baker was born in 1950 to Doris and Ralph Baker in New York.
- 6/5/2024
- by Jessica Dwyer
- JoBlo.com
From leading the most acclaimed Star Wars release, The Empire Strikes Back to starring in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Blade Runner, the ’80s saw Harrison Ford at his peak. Moreover, apart from taking leading roles in major sci-fi and fantasy releases, he also made sure to star in several acclaimed dramas, including Witness, which earned him an Oscar nod for Best Actor.
But while Ford took on many iconic gigs, especially in the 80s, the actor also chose to turn down a plethora of them, including Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables.
Harrison Ford Rejected the Offer to Headline Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables Harrison Ford | Credit: Star Wars (Lucasfilm and Disney)
By the time Harrison Ford was done with the original Star Wars trilogy, the actor was one of the most in-demand actors in the world and was reasonably the favorite pick for many directors. Brian De Palma,...
But while Ford took on many iconic gigs, especially in the 80s, the actor also chose to turn down a plethora of them, including Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables.
Harrison Ford Rejected the Offer to Headline Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables Harrison Ford | Credit: Star Wars (Lucasfilm and Disney)
By the time Harrison Ford was done with the original Star Wars trilogy, the actor was one of the most in-demand actors in the world and was reasonably the favorite pick for many directors. Brian De Palma,...
- 6/3/2024
- by Santanu Roy
- FandomWire
On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: Peering Eyes and Multiple Endings
Sliver really should be mandatory viewing for any “Basic Instinct” fan — or any lover of Sharon Stone noirs, for that matter. Stone reunites with “Basic Instinct” screenwriter Joe Eszterhas for this 1993 erotic thriller that feels more like a Brian De Palma-esque satire on the genre itself. Mixed with the paranoia of surveillance technology, the voyeurism of “Body Double,” and the dual campy performances from Billy Baldwin and Tom Berenger as part of a twisted love triangle, “Sliver” is the ‘90s film you’ve never heard of but will adore.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: Peering Eyes and Multiple Endings
Sliver really should be mandatory viewing for any “Basic Instinct” fan — or any lover of Sharon Stone noirs, for that matter. Stone reunites with “Basic Instinct” screenwriter Joe Eszterhas for this 1993 erotic thriller that feels more like a Brian De Palma-esque satire on the genre itself. Mixed with the paranoia of surveillance technology, the voyeurism of “Body Double,” and the dual campy performances from Billy Baldwin and Tom Berenger as part of a twisted love triangle, “Sliver” is the ‘90s film you’ve never heard of but will adore.
- 6/1/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Even the best filmmakers in history take big, ambitious swings and completely miss the mark at times. In the case of Brian De Palma – the supremely talented New Hollywood director behind such all-time great classics as Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface, The Untouchables, Carlito’s Way, and more – many consider his most glaring cinematic blemish to be tone deaf adaptation of The Bonfire of the Vanities in 1990. However, if general moviegoers and De Palma fans knew about the crushing production woes relating to the ending of his uneven 1998 crime thriller Snake Eyes, perhaps they’d reassess their opinion.
Indeed, the original ending of Snake Eyes is so drastically different than what transpires at the end of the theatrical cut that it’s nearly impossible to judge the movie’s intentional merits versus the final product. Of course, the grand irony about the brutally botched ending of Snake Eyes is...
Indeed, the original ending of Snake Eyes is so drastically different than what transpires at the end of the theatrical cut that it’s nearly impossible to judge the movie’s intentional merits versus the final product. Of course, the grand irony about the brutally botched ending of Snake Eyes is...
- 5/28/2024
- by Jake Dee
- JoBlo.com
While war movies are always hard to watch, especially when you know they are based on real events that took place decades ago and there are families that have never recovered from their losses, it is an extremely important genre that shows its viewers the horrors and devastation that any military conflict brings.
What makes these films so interesting from an industry perspective is the technical detail, costume and set design, CGI and editing that takes the picture to another level and makes it feel realistic. When amazing storytelling meets great execution, you get masterpieces like Casualties of War.
What Is Casualties of War About?
Directed by Brian De Palma, Casualties of War chronicles the events of the 1966 Hill 192 incident during the Vietnam War, one of many crimes committed by the U.S. Army against Vietnamese civilians. Starring Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn, the film tells the story through the eyes of a veteran.
What makes these films so interesting from an industry perspective is the technical detail, costume and set design, CGI and editing that takes the picture to another level and makes it feel realistic. When amazing storytelling meets great execution, you get masterpieces like Casualties of War.
What Is Casualties of War About?
Directed by Brian De Palma, Casualties of War chronicles the events of the 1966 Hill 192 incident during the Vietnam War, one of many crimes committed by the U.S. Army against Vietnamese civilians. Starring Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn, the film tells the story through the eyes of a veteran.
- 5/27/2024
- by virginia-singh@startefacts.com (Virginia Singh)
- STartefacts.com
With new chapters in the worlds of Mad Max and Planet of the Apes out now, Guardian writers have picked their favourite big screen franchises to date
When a blockbuster franchise is seven movies in (and counting), and the consensus choice for worst entry was directed by John Woo, arguably the most influential action film-maker of his time, you’re looking at an uncommonly consistent series. Though the Mission: Impossible movies have cycled through many directors – one apiece for Brian De Palma, Woo, JJ Abrams and Brad Bird, before settling on Christopher McQuarrie – the first film, particularly the astounding Langley break-in sequence, established the franchise as a showcase for impeccable crafted set pieces. The plots may be an enjoyably hokey tangle of global threats and clever unmaskings, but the series’ determination to keep topping itself, leaning on the physicality of stunt work and practical effects, has provided reliable thrills for approaching three decades.
When a blockbuster franchise is seven movies in (and counting), and the consensus choice for worst entry was directed by John Woo, arguably the most influential action film-maker of his time, you’re looking at an uncommonly consistent series. Though the Mission: Impossible movies have cycled through many directors – one apiece for Brian De Palma, Woo, JJ Abrams and Brad Bird, before settling on Christopher McQuarrie – the first film, particularly the astounding Langley break-in sequence, established the franchise as a showcase for impeccable crafted set pieces. The plots may be an enjoyably hokey tangle of global threats and clever unmaskings, but the series’ determination to keep topping itself, leaning on the physicality of stunt work and practical effects, has provided reliable thrills for approaching three decades.
- 5/27/2024
- by Scott Tobias, Catherine Shoard, Charles Bramesco, Adrian Horton, Andrew Lawrence, Benjamin Lee, Radheyan Simonpillai, Veronica Esposito, Jesse Hassenger, J Oliver Conroy and Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
When it comes to the horror genre, few films have been as iconic and chilling as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, it has become one of the best horror films of all time, since its initial release in 1980.
A still from The Shining | Credit: Warner Bros.
However, long before his visionary adaptation of King’s novel graced the silver screen, his audacious and bold advertising plans in his quest to make the world’s scariest movie, almost cost him the iconic psychological horror film.
Stanley Kubrick’s Risky Pitch For Making World’s Scariest Film
After exploring several genres in the early stages of his career, Stanley Kubrick became intrigued by the idea of delving into horror with an ambition to make the ultimate spine-chilling experience for audiences, a film so terrifying it would send them fleeing from theaters in fear.
A still from The Shining | Credit: Warner Bros.
However, long before his visionary adaptation of King’s novel graced the silver screen, his audacious and bold advertising plans in his quest to make the world’s scariest movie, almost cost him the iconic psychological horror film.
Stanley Kubrick’s Risky Pitch For Making World’s Scariest Film
After exploring several genres in the early stages of his career, Stanley Kubrick became intrigued by the idea of delving into horror with an ambition to make the ultimate spine-chilling experience for audiences, a film so terrifying it would send them fleeing from theaters in fear.
- 5/25/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
The Hollywood Blacklist ruined dozens of lives. United States-based artists who were sympathetic to, or even curious about, communism were demonized as traitors to their country and, due to hysterical pressure from The House Committee on Un-American Activities (aka Huac), banned from working in the industry. Disgraced and unemployed, blacklisted individuals were forced to leave the country if they wanted to continue working or, if they could not afford to relocate, find a line of work where being an alleged communist wasn't frowned upon. This latter option was, of course, dismally unlikely. The mental and financial burden of being completely shunned from one's industry was so unbearable that it led actor Philip Loeb to die by suicide.
This put Hollywood at war against itself. Anyone suspected of having communist ties was pressured to come clean and, if they wanted to continue working, name names (a cowardly practice savaged by films...
This put Hollywood at war against itself. Anyone suspected of having communist ties was pressured to come clean and, if they wanted to continue working, name names (a cowardly practice savaged by films...
- 5/25/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Those look for a libido-juicing kick at this year’s Cannes Film Festival surely found it in “Motel Destino,” the sexually explicit erotic thriller from Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz.
Competing in the main competition once again after “Invisible Life” and “Firebrand,” Aïnouz returned to his native Brazil to shoot this perverse psychosexual triangle about the owners of a sex motel along the country’s northeastern Atlantic coast, and the criminal drifter who disrupts their lives. The wild-haired Dayana (Nataly Rocha) operates the Motel Destino with her abusive husband Elias (Fábio Assunção), where she takes up an unhinged affair with Heraldo (Iago Xavier), and amid nonstop sucking and fucking, plot to kill Elias in the grand tradition of the great noirs. Except it’s a noir with a post-Hays Code, liberated twist that has rocked Cannes with its strong, pervasive sexual content, to use the language of the American Motion Picture Association’s ratings board.
Competing in the main competition once again after “Invisible Life” and “Firebrand,” Aïnouz returned to his native Brazil to shoot this perverse psychosexual triangle about the owners of a sex motel along the country’s northeastern Atlantic coast, and the criminal drifter who disrupts their lives. The wild-haired Dayana (Nataly Rocha) operates the Motel Destino with her abusive husband Elias (Fábio Assunção), where she takes up an unhinged affair with Heraldo (Iago Xavier), and amid nonstop sucking and fucking, plot to kill Elias in the grand tradition of the great noirs. Except it’s a noir with a post-Hays Code, liberated twist that has rocked Cannes with its strong, pervasive sexual content, to use the language of the American Motion Picture Association’s ratings board.
- 5/23/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
In 1988, Bruce Willis committed a most grievous offense against entertainment journalists: he proved them wrong. Really wrong. Laughably wrong.
The newly minted star of ABC's "Moonlighting" drew the ire of just about everyone in Hollywood when 20th Century Fox paid him a whopping $5 million to star in the action film "Die Hard." This rankled rival studio executives, who only shelled out that kind of cash for long-established leading men like Warren Beatty and Robert Redford. While Willis might've been a minor media sensation due to "Moonlighting," with his surprise Billboard smash "The Return of Bruno" and his omnipresent Bartles and Jaymes wine cooler commercials, he had yet to prove himself worthy of a $5 million big-screen payday.
Before "Die Hard," Willis had scored a solid theatrical hit with Blake Edwards' dismally unfunny "Blind Date." This was the extent of his motion picture oeuvre when Fox declared him a massive marquee name.
The newly minted star of ABC's "Moonlighting" drew the ire of just about everyone in Hollywood when 20th Century Fox paid him a whopping $5 million to star in the action film "Die Hard." This rankled rival studio executives, who only shelled out that kind of cash for long-established leading men like Warren Beatty and Robert Redford. While Willis might've been a minor media sensation due to "Moonlighting," with his surprise Billboard smash "The Return of Bruno" and his omnipresent Bartles and Jaymes wine cooler commercials, he had yet to prove himself worthy of a $5 million big-screen payday.
Before "Die Hard," Willis had scored a solid theatrical hit with Blake Edwards' dismally unfunny "Blind Date." This was the extent of his motion picture oeuvre when Fox declared him a massive marquee name.
- 5/22/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The devil was in the detail when it came to 1987’s superb The Untouchables – and that included the suite where Robert De Niro’s Al Capone lived.
With a price tag of $25m in an era when that felt like a reasonable amount of money for a major Hollywood studio to spend, Paramount Pictures’ 1987 hit The Untouchables was really something of a gamble.
>Granted, it was a gamble mitigated by the presence of some star wattage. Still, Robert De Niro in the role of Al Capone was a man more known for attracting strong critical notices than packing the house out. Sean Connery meanwhile was far from at the height of his commercial pulling powers.
Throw in the fact that director Brian De Palma was desperately needing a hit after a run of box office disappointments and that the picture’s star – Kevin Costner – was pretty much an unknown at this stage,...
With a price tag of $25m in an era when that felt like a reasonable amount of money for a major Hollywood studio to spend, Paramount Pictures’ 1987 hit The Untouchables was really something of a gamble.
>Granted, it was a gamble mitigated by the presence of some star wattage. Still, Robert De Niro in the role of Al Capone was a man more known for attracting strong critical notices than packing the house out. Sean Connery meanwhile was far from at the height of his commercial pulling powers.
Throw in the fact that director Brian De Palma was desperately needing a hit after a run of box office disappointments and that the picture’s star – Kevin Costner – was pretty much an unknown at this stage,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Richard Foronjy, who spent more than eight years in prison before he turned to acting and appeared in such films as Serpico, Midnight Run, Repo Man and Carlito’s Way, died Sunday, his family announced. He was 86.
Foronjy said he was arrested more than 20 times for “forgery, bank robbery, credit card rip-offs, assorted crimes and skullduggery … [guilty of] almost everything except drugs and homicide,” he said in a 1987 interview with Upi’s Vernon Scott.
The Brooklyn native was convicted only once, but that got him an 8½-year stretch in the New York prisons Sing Sing and Attica before he was released when he was 32.
In Hollywood, not surprisingly, Foronjy specialized in portraying cops and crooks.
He was a cop killer in his screen debut, Serpico (1973), and cops in The Morning After (1986) and Prince of the City (1981), all for Sidney Lumet. “I was especially good at playing cops, no doubt because I got to...
Foronjy said he was arrested more than 20 times for “forgery, bank robbery, credit card rip-offs, assorted crimes and skullduggery … [guilty of] almost everything except drugs and homicide,” he said in a 1987 interview with Upi’s Vernon Scott.
The Brooklyn native was convicted only once, but that got him an 8½-year stretch in the New York prisons Sing Sing and Attica before he was released when he was 32.
In Hollywood, not surprisingly, Foronjy specialized in portraying cops and crooks.
He was a cop killer in his screen debut, Serpico (1973), and cops in The Morning After (1986) and Prince of the City (1981), all for Sidney Lumet. “I was especially good at playing cops, no doubt because I got to...
- 5/21/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hollywood gentleman Steven Spielberg’s prowess as a director is well known to the world. The director is now one of the richest celebrities of all time, but he once went through a phase where he could not even think of dating anyone. Thanks to his endurance, the world is blessed with a legendary filmmaker who has several astonishing titles to his credit.
Steven Spielberg. Credit: CBS News/YouTube
Spielberg’s movies inherently possess the crux of unique storytelling, and the director has provided several astonishing blockbusters, including his highest-grossing movies Jurassic Park, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But before crafting his legacy and a whopping $8 billion fortune, the filmmaker was financially struggling.
Steven Spielberg Didn’t Have Enough Money To Go On A Date
Steven Spielberg. Credit: Elena Ternovaja/Wikimedia Commons.
Steven Spielberg is one of the two billionaire directors with...
Steven Spielberg. Credit: CBS News/YouTube
Spielberg’s movies inherently possess the crux of unique storytelling, and the director has provided several astonishing blockbusters, including his highest-grossing movies Jurassic Park, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But before crafting his legacy and a whopping $8 billion fortune, the filmmaker was financially struggling.
Steven Spielberg Didn’t Have Enough Money To Go On A Date
Steven Spielberg. Credit: Elena Ternovaja/Wikimedia Commons.
Steven Spielberg is one of the two billionaire directors with...
- 5/21/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
Oliver Stone has always had one eye pointed south of the U.S. border.
It began with his phenomenal script for Brian De Palma’s Scarface, which transformed the famous Chicago gangster into a hardened Cuban refugee. After that, Stone directed the photojournalist saga Salvador, about the deadly civil war that gripped El Salvador in the 1980s. And later on he made a handful of documentaries about Latin American leaders, two of them featuring Fidel Castro and another one including such leftist figureheads as Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales.
Stone’s fascination with the dirty politics and violent class struggles of the southern hemisphere seems to perfectly align with the dramatic twists and nonstop conspiracies present in much of his other fictional work, from J.F.K. to Nixon to W to Snowden. In the director’s world, which he argues is ours as well, leaders are either corruptible or taken down by the corrupt,...
It began with his phenomenal script for Brian De Palma’s Scarface, which transformed the famous Chicago gangster into a hardened Cuban refugee. After that, Stone directed the photojournalist saga Salvador, about the deadly civil war that gripped El Salvador in the 1980s. And later on he made a handful of documentaries about Latin American leaders, two of them featuring Fidel Castro and another one including such leftist figureheads as Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales.
Stone’s fascination with the dirty politics and violent class struggles of the southern hemisphere seems to perfectly align with the dramatic twists and nonstop conspiracies present in much of his other fictional work, from J.F.K. to Nixon to W to Snowden. In the director’s world, which he argues is ours as well, leaders are either corruptible or taken down by the corrupt,...
- 5/21/2024
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Believe it or not, there was a time when studio executives were worried that John Travolta didn't have enough of the "it factor" to make it as a Hollywood leading man. He had a background in theater and was doing well on television, but in the 1970s, television and cinema were two entirely different worlds and actors didn't often jump between the mediums the way they do now. There were TV stars and there were movie stars, and never the twain shall meet. Well, maybe not never but it certainly wasn't common. And yet it was his TV star status that helped him land one of his breakout film roles.
During an interview with Journey To The Center Of The Cinema, casting director Harriet B. Helberg found it hilarious that Travolta arrived for his audition during his lunch break working on the TV comedy "Welcome Back, Kotter," still in his...
During an interview with Journey To The Center Of The Cinema, casting director Harriet B. Helberg found it hilarious that Travolta arrived for his audition during his lunch break working on the TV comedy "Welcome Back, Kotter," still in his...
- 5/20/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Shocking and resonant, disarmingly grotesque and weirdly fun, “The Substance” is a feminist body-horror film that should be shown in movie theaters all over the land. By that, I don’t mean that it’s some elegant exercise in egghead darkness like the films of David Cronenberg, or a patchy postmodern punk curio like “Titane.” Coralie Fargeat, the writer-director of “The Substance,” has a voice that’s italicized, in-your-face, garishly accessible and thrillingly extreme. She draws on much of the hyperbolic flamboyance that’s come to define megaplex horror. But unlike 90 percent of those movies, “The Substance” is the work of a filmmaker with a vision. She’s got something primal to say to us.
“The Substance” tells the story of an aging Hollywood actress-turned-aerobics-workout-host, named Elisabeth Sparkle and played by Demi Moore, who gets fired from a TV network because she is now deemed too old. In a rage of desperation,...
“The Substance” tells the story of an aging Hollywood actress-turned-aerobics-workout-host, named Elisabeth Sparkle and played by Demi Moore, who gets fired from a TV network because she is now deemed too old. In a rage of desperation,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
As one of the most acclaimed movie directors of our time, Quentin Tarantino has the right for opinions, including strong opinions, about his colleagues’ works. Tarantino has always been blunt and direct in his assessments, and Alfred Hitchcock became the target of the Pulp Fiction director’s cinephilic ire on more than one occasion.
This particular thriller has high scores across all platforms and is regarded as a Hitchcock classic, but Tarantino still didn’t find it deserving of his attention.
What’s with Tarantino’s Anti-Hitchcock Frenzy?
Interestingly enough, many Alfred Hitchcock’s movies have been completely disregarded by Quentin Tarantino throughout the years. From 1958’s Vertigo that he dubbed “stinking of the ‘50s” (which makes sense since the movie was made in the ‘50s) to 1959’s North by Northwest which he called “very mediocre,” Tarantino sure had his way with the celebrated thriller master’s works on many occasions.
This particular thriller has high scores across all platforms and is regarded as a Hitchcock classic, but Tarantino still didn’t find it deserving of his attention.
What’s with Tarantino’s Anti-Hitchcock Frenzy?
Interestingly enough, many Alfred Hitchcock’s movies have been completely disregarded by Quentin Tarantino throughout the years. From 1958’s Vertigo that he dubbed “stinking of the ‘50s” (which makes sense since the movie was made in the ‘50s) to 1959’s North by Northwest which he called “very mediocre,” Tarantino sure had his way with the celebrated thriller master’s works on many occasions.
- 5/18/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
Oscar-nominated actor John C. Reilly is also known for his prolific stage work, but broke into film with a small role in Brian DePalma‘s “Casualties of War” and carved out a successful career as a young character actor for years after that. He finally came to the public’s attention in a big way as a lovable porn star in Paul Thomas Anderson‘s “Boogie Nights” (1997). Since then, Reilly has proceeded to steal films in supporting roles and has even headlined more than a few movies himself.
Reilly received an Oscar nomination in Rob Marshall‘s 2002 Best Picture winner “Chicago” for his performance as the schnook of a husband to Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger). In the course of his career, Reilly has earned four Golden Globe nominations and won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble of “Chicago,” as well as three additional SAG nominations. Reilly...
Reilly received an Oscar nomination in Rob Marshall‘s 2002 Best Picture winner “Chicago” for his performance as the schnook of a husband to Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger). In the course of his career, Reilly has earned four Golden Globe nominations and won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble of “Chicago,” as well as three additional SAG nominations. Reilly...
- 5/18/2024
- by Tom O'Brien, Misty Holland and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Famke Janssen will return for the sequel of The Postcard Killings, a crime thriller film that followed NYPD detective Jacob Kanon as he investigates the death of his murdered daughter who was on her honeymoon in Europe.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan in The Postcard Killings
The upcoming film is said to follow Morgan’s Kanon as he tries to rescue his ex-wife after she has been abducted by a new killer who goes on a killing spree in the same continent.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Returns For Netflix’s The Postcard Killer
The film production for Renny Harlin’s The Postcard Killer starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Famke Janssen is set to commence this fall in various locations, namely London, Madrid, Florence, and Latvia. The movie is based on James Patterson and Liza Marklund’s novel.
In an exclusive report by Screen Daily, the director confirmed the sequel...
Jeffrey Dean Morgan in The Postcard Killings
The upcoming film is said to follow Morgan’s Kanon as he tries to rescue his ex-wife after she has been abducted by a new killer who goes on a killing spree in the same continent.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Returns For Netflix’s The Postcard Killer
The film production for Renny Harlin’s The Postcard Killer starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Famke Janssen is set to commence this fall in various locations, namely London, Madrid, Florence, and Latvia. The movie is based on James Patterson and Liza Marklund’s novel.
In an exclusive report by Screen Daily, the director confirmed the sequel...
- 5/15/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Famke Janssen will star in Renny Harlin’s crime thriller The Postcard Killer for Highland Film Group, which is financing and handling sales.
The project marks the sequel to 2020’s The Postcard Killings, which featured the same leads, and brings a new adventure for Morgan’s NYPD detective Jacob Kanon as he attempts to rescue his ex-wife after she is kidnapped by a new killer on a brutal spree across Europe. The cast also includes Naomi Battrick.
Production is scheduled to start this autumn on location in London, Madrid, Florence and Latvia.
Luke Garrett adapted the...
The project marks the sequel to 2020’s The Postcard Killings, which featured the same leads, and brings a new adventure for Morgan’s NYPD detective Jacob Kanon as he attempts to rescue his ex-wife after she is kidnapped by a new killer on a brutal spree across Europe. The cast also includes Naomi Battrick.
Production is scheduled to start this autumn on location in London, Madrid, Florence and Latvia.
Luke Garrett adapted the...
- 5/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
The arrival of George Lucas’ Star Wars in theaters was a major turning point in Hollywood cinema as it not only changed the game in pop culture, but also created a whole jargon of concepts that would later become synonymous with the franchise.
George Lucas’ Star Wars
Take, for example, the word “force” – an ordinary term that has changed its meaning since the release of the Star Wars movies. Lucas thought this was a cool term to incorporate into the films; however, one of his colleagues thought otherwise.
Brian De Palma Mocked ‘The Force’ In George Lucas’ Star Wars
During a podcast interview via Light the Fuse, filmmaker Brian de Palma revealed he used to mock George Lucas for concocting the term “force” to denote the spiritual power in the Star Wars saga.
“I just thought the idea of The Force, you know – ‘The Force’, I would say, and I kept repeating it,...
George Lucas’ Star Wars
Take, for example, the word “force” – an ordinary term that has changed its meaning since the release of the Star Wars movies. Lucas thought this was a cool term to incorporate into the films; however, one of his colleagues thought otherwise.
Brian De Palma Mocked ‘The Force’ In George Lucas’ Star Wars
During a podcast interview via Light the Fuse, filmmaker Brian de Palma revealed he used to mock George Lucas for concocting the term “force” to denote the spiritual power in the Star Wars saga.
“I just thought the idea of The Force, you know – ‘The Force’, I would say, and I kept repeating it,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
George Lucas’ Star Wars became a cultural phenomenon in no time. There might only be a handful who do know something or the other about the franchise. Star Wars has a vast and loyal fanbase that somehow remembers all the minute details shown in the films and the television series. This is how much the fans love Star Wars and why wouldn’t they? After all, George Lucas poured his heart and soul into it.
George Lucas’ Star Wars (1977)
However, before Star Wars (1977) made waves in the film industry, the director met a roadblock on his way when he decided to screen the film for some of the most renowned personalities in Hollywood. This included Brian De Palma, Alan Ladd, and Steven Spielberg. Unfortunately, his film was not met with applause but luckily, his friends were there to help him out of the mess.
George Lucas’ Initial Screening Was Met...
George Lucas’ Star Wars (1977)
However, before Star Wars (1977) made waves in the film industry, the director met a roadblock on his way when he decided to screen the film for some of the most renowned personalities in Hollywood. This included Brian De Palma, Alan Ladd, and Steven Spielberg. Unfortunately, his film was not met with applause but luckily, his friends were there to help him out of the mess.
George Lucas’ Initial Screening Was Met...
- 5/14/2024
- by Mishkaat Khan
- FandomWire
Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom MenaceImage: Lucasfilm
In 1999, when Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace was first released in theaters, it had been 22 years since the release of just plain old Star Wars in 1977. Now, in 2024, the number of extant Star Wars features has more than doubled, and it...
In 1999, when Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace was first released in theaters, it had been 22 years since the release of just plain old Star Wars in 1977. Now, in 2024, the number of extant Star Wars features has more than doubled, and it...
- 5/14/2024
- by Jesse Hassenger
- avclub.com
If you’re a fan of the Mission: Impossible franchise, you owe a debt of gratitude to none other than Steven Spielberg. That’s right, the legendary filmmaker, 77, not only inspired Tom Cruise to offer the directing gig to Brian De Palma for the first film in the series, but he also played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of Cruise’s career.
Mission: Impossible, which was released in 1996, is one of Cruise’s most notable films. This marked not only his first work as a producer, but also his first serious attempt at a major franchise. But above all, it is an exceptional flick that set the standard for the greatest franchise that continues to this day.
Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible (1996) Image via Paramount Pictures
Back in 2021, during a chat with Collider, Cruise revealed that his close relationship with Spielberg had a profound impact on his decision...
Mission: Impossible, which was released in 1996, is one of Cruise’s most notable films. This marked not only his first work as a producer, but also his first serious attempt at a major franchise. But above all, it is an exceptional flick that set the standard for the greatest franchise that continues to this day.
Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible (1996) Image via Paramount Pictures
Back in 2021, during a chat with Collider, Cruise revealed that his close relationship with Spielberg had a profound impact on his decision...
- 5/14/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Our latest look at new and recent books about (or connected to) cinema includes looks at a couple beloved classics (Scarface and The Blues Brothers), a unique photography book by Dune dudes Josh Brolin and Greig Fraser, and a deeply involving account of the life of iconic Warhol superstar Candy Darling. Plus, we’ll run through some noteworthy novels that belong on your summer reading list. The world is yours, friends.
The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface by Glenn Kenny (Hanover Square Press)
If you are a film fan who has read Glenn Kenny’s Made Men, the blood-drenched dive into the making of Goodfellas, there is a good chance it is one of your favorite books. Kenny’s follow-up is a look into the creation and legacy of another ultra-violent classic, Brian De Palma’s Scarface. Unsurprisingly, The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface is damn...
The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface by Glenn Kenny (Hanover Square Press)
If you are a film fan who has read Glenn Kenny’s Made Men, the blood-drenched dive into the making of Goodfellas, there is a good chance it is one of your favorite books. Kenny’s follow-up is a look into the creation and legacy of another ultra-violent classic, Brian De Palma’s Scarface. Unsurprisingly, The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface is damn...
- 5/14/2024
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Samm-Art Williams, whose Tony-nominated 1979 play Home is being revived on Broadway this year and whose TV producing credits include Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, died peacefully today in Burgaw, North Carolina. He was 78.
His death was announced by family.
Born Samuel Arthur Williams on January 20, 1946, in Philadelphia, Williams was a prolific playwright, screenwriter, actor, and producer.
Performing as Samm Williams, he got his start on the New York stage in the early 1970s, appearing in notable plays such as Black Jesus and, with the New York’s Negro Ensemble Company, Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide and Liberty Calland. By the mid-’70s he began performing in other Off Broadway shows under the name Samm-Art Williams.
By the end of the decade, Williams had made his mark as a stage writer, and is today best known for Home, a drama originally staged by the Negro...
His death was announced by family.
Born Samuel Arthur Williams on January 20, 1946, in Philadelphia, Williams was a prolific playwright, screenwriter, actor, and producer.
Performing as Samm Williams, he got his start on the New York stage in the early 1970s, appearing in notable plays such as Black Jesus and, with the New York’s Negro Ensemble Company, Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide and Liberty Calland. By the mid-’70s he began performing in other Off Broadway shows under the name Samm-Art Williams.
By the end of the decade, Williams had made his mark as a stage writer, and is today best known for Home, a drama originally staged by the Negro...
- 5/14/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The world works on capitalism in today’s day and age. To get paid for what one works on is only fair. Actors are no exception to this rule, regardless of whether it is The Untouchables’ Robert De Niro or Kevin Costner. Actors take on big roles and get paid heftily for the same. To put in the work and then getting paid for it, or as the world now knows it to be equivalent exchange.
Robert De Niro in The Untouchables | Credit: Paramount Pictures
What may be rare to hear, however, is for someone to get paid for not doing something. When a big project comes into play, many actors get eager to take the role, while at the same time, others may not see things in the same direction. Such was the case with Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables.
Robert De Niro was Always Brian De Palma...
Robert De Niro in The Untouchables | Credit: Paramount Pictures
What may be rare to hear, however, is for someone to get paid for not doing something. When a big project comes into play, many actors get eager to take the role, while at the same time, others may not see things in the same direction. Such was the case with Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables.
Robert De Niro was Always Brian De Palma...
- 5/13/2024
- by Adya Godboley
- FandomWire
"Carrie" is the book that put Stephen King on the map. When King wrote it, he was struggling financially, eking out a living selling short stories and teaching high school. Then he sat down to write what was first a short story that turned into a novella that turned into a novel. The novel was "Carrie," the story of a bullied teenage girl with telekinesis. The book wasn't a blockbuster when it was published in hardcover, but by the time it hit paperback, it flew off the shelves and King was on his way to becoming one of the best-selling novelists of all time. Sure enough, Hollywood came calling. The book was published in 1974, and by 1976, Brian De Palma's dreamy film adaptation arrived in theaters, starring Sissy Spacek as poor, doomed Carrie White, a girl who is tormented by pretty much everyone, including her Bible-loving mother (played by Piper Laurie) and her classmates.
- 5/12/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Kevin Costner was a rising young actor featuring in minor roles in the early 80s. The future superstar was on the verge of stardom by the mid-80s and was cast in two films that would become his breakout hits. First, he was cast in Roger Donaldson’s action thriller No Way Out. After finishing that film, he was approached by director Brian De Palma for the crime drama The Untouchables.
Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman in No Way Out
Costner was not a big name at the time but Paramount and De Palma seem to know the potential that he had. No Way Out had also not come out yet and the studio led with a generous $800,000 offer for the role of Eliot Ness in The Untouchables. Costner, knowing the responsibility of playing a real-life American hero bargained his way to increase his pay to $1 million.
Kevin Costner Stood...
Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman in No Way Out
Costner was not a big name at the time but Paramount and De Palma seem to know the potential that he had. No Way Out had also not come out yet and the studio led with a generous $800,000 offer for the role of Eliot Ness in The Untouchables. Costner, knowing the responsibility of playing a real-life American hero bargained his way to increase his pay to $1 million.
Kevin Costner Stood...
- 5/11/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
Veteran filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has been vocal about his preferences when it comes to movies and he’s not afraid to criticize or slam those that did not hit the mark for him. One of his filmmaking idols is Steven Spielberg, and while he loves some of the director’s projects, there’s one he hates the most.
Harrison Ford and Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
It became controversial because the movie in question is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The film has been celebrated by many fans, so it’s a huge mystery why Tarantino did not like it.
Quentin Tarantino Isn’t A Huge Fan Of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Quentin Tarantino on the set of Pulp Fiction
During an interview via ReelBlend podcast, Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino shared that he is not a fan of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,...
Harrison Ford and Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
It became controversial because the movie in question is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The film has been celebrated by many fans, so it’s a huge mystery why Tarantino did not like it.
Quentin Tarantino Isn’t A Huge Fan Of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Quentin Tarantino on the set of Pulp Fiction
During an interview via ReelBlend podcast, Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino shared that he is not a fan of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,...
- 5/10/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
French-Senegalese actor and producer Seydina Baldé has worn many hats across his career including World Karate Champion and stuntman on films such as Brian de Palma’s Femme Fatale and Bond movie Casino Royale, but his dream since childhood has been to be an actor.
After a dozen small parts, Baldé engineered his first starring role with the self-produced, English-language action thriller Covert Operation (aka The Borderland). The North Korean-set movie, about a bounty hunter on a mission to break prisoners out of high-security military compound, sold to Lionsgate for the U.S. and won praise from action movie fans.
A decade later, Baldé is appearing in the most ambitious production of his career, six-part show Lex Africana, which is being billed as the first martial arts-based action thriller to come out of West Africa.
Baldé plays brilliant architect and martial arts expert Gabriel Aliou Thiam who returns after a...
After a dozen small parts, Baldé engineered his first starring role with the self-produced, English-language action thriller Covert Operation (aka The Borderland). The North Korean-set movie, about a bounty hunter on a mission to break prisoners out of high-security military compound, sold to Lionsgate for the U.S. and won praise from action movie fans.
A decade later, Baldé is appearing in the most ambitious production of his career, six-part show Lex Africana, which is being billed as the first martial arts-based action thriller to come out of West Africa.
Baldé plays brilliant architect and martial arts expert Gabriel Aliou Thiam who returns after a...
- 5/7/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
By the time Kirsten Dunst appeared in Interview with the Vampire, she had already worked with the likes of Woody Allen and Brian De Palma. But her performance as Claudia in Neil Jordan’s Interview with the Vampire was her true breakout, marking her as one of the most promising newcomers in Hollywood. And between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, she pretty much had any pre-teen girl’s idea of dreamboat co-stars. Thirty years on, however, Kirsten Dunst doesn’t just see the men as hunks but rather truly giving and protective souls.
Tom Cruise may have already been a superstar and Brad Pitt right on the cusp of being Brad f*ckin’ Pitt, but Kirsten Dunst remembered that they were as down to earth as any vampires could be. “I was very protected on set. I don’t think I even watched the whole movie. I sat there and...
Tom Cruise may have already been a superstar and Brad Pitt right on the cusp of being Brad f*ckin’ Pitt, but Kirsten Dunst remembered that they were as down to earth as any vampires could be. “I was very protected on set. I don’t think I even watched the whole movie. I sat there and...
- 5/5/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Ya know that feeling when you watch something dumb, and even though you know it’s stupid, you can’t help but laugh and enjoy yourself? The 1980s are full of comedies like that. Yeah, we know they’re dumb and not especially clever, but whatever, man, every now and then, you’re in a bad mood, and you want to turn your brain off. That’s why they made seven Police Academy movies. No one thought they were good, but we watched them anyway because they were stupid in a pleasing way.
This brings me to this rare comedy-focused episode of The Best Movie You Never Saw, about a movie I loved as a kid that doesn’t super hold up forty years later, but it is still kinda fun – Johnny Dangerously. A gangster comedy in the vein of Airplane, Johnny Dangerously is probably a movie many younger viewers...
This brings me to this rare comedy-focused episode of The Best Movie You Never Saw, about a movie I loved as a kid that doesn’t super hold up forty years later, but it is still kinda fun – Johnny Dangerously. A gangster comedy in the vein of Airplane, Johnny Dangerously is probably a movie many younger viewers...
- 5/5/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Brian De Palma apparently was less than enthused by Pauline Kael’s scathing “Body Double” review. The legendary critic didn’t seem to grasp what De Palma was attempting with his 1984 meta noir send-up of Hollywood.
The auteur’s take on “Rear Window” centered on a struggling actor (Craig Wasson) who seems to witness a murder while housesitting for his friend’s (Gregg Henry) pal. His relationship with a rising young porn actress (Melanie Griffith) leads to him investigating whether or not his voyeurism could solve a crime.
“Body Double,” which is receiving a theatrical re-release as part of Netflix’s Milestone Movies program in honor of its 40th anniversary, was received “harshly” by critics, according to actor Henry, who reunited with writer/director/producer De Palma after having a single yet memorable line in “Scarface.” Henry went on to work with De Palma for six more films.
“You always...
The auteur’s take on “Rear Window” centered on a struggling actor (Craig Wasson) who seems to witness a murder while housesitting for his friend’s (Gregg Henry) pal. His relationship with a rising young porn actress (Melanie Griffith) leads to him investigating whether or not his voyeurism could solve a crime.
“Body Double,” which is receiving a theatrical re-release as part of Netflix’s Milestone Movies program in honor of its 40th anniversary, was received “harshly” by critics, according to actor Henry, who reunited with writer/director/producer De Palma after having a single yet memorable line in “Scarface.” Henry went on to work with De Palma for six more films.
“You always...
- 5/3/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
A Man in Full is highly entertaining, which should be no surprise. The series is an adaptation from David E. Kelley, the brilliant mind behind Ally McBeal, Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer, and HBO’s Big Little Lies. Kelley has been in the thick of television since the days of Doogie Howser, M.D.
Kelley brings his signature brand of strong characters, a blend of genres, and sharp dialogue that you need to figure out just how deep the cut goes. The bench of actors is deep (and the likes of directors Regina King and Thomas Schlamme) with stars Jeff Daniels and Bill Camp, who turn the whip-smart and clever wordplay into instantly memorable lines that stay with the viewer long after the episode is over.
You wish A Man in Full had taken the time to develop the highly ambitious source material into something that better reflects modern societal dilemmas.
Kelley brings his signature brand of strong characters, a blend of genres, and sharp dialogue that you need to figure out just how deep the cut goes. The bench of actors is deep (and the likes of directors Regina King and Thomas Schlamme) with stars Jeff Daniels and Bill Camp, who turn the whip-smart and clever wordplay into instantly memorable lines that stay with the viewer long after the episode is over.
You wish A Man in Full had taken the time to develop the highly ambitious source material into something that better reflects modern societal dilemmas.
- 5/2/2024
- by M.N. Miller
- FandomWire
Stephen King has always been blunt and merciless about his own works. The author is willing to admit his mistakes or pat himself on the back when he’s particularly proud of himself, and fans respect him for his honesty. Even when talking about some of his most iconic books, the King of Horror can freely admit that, despite his own chops, the movie adaptation’s director was ever more proficient with the craft.
Which he did a couple of times when talking about one of his most famous works.
King of Horror Dethroned Himself
Live-action adaptations of Stephen King’s works should honestly be considered a genre of their own. Few authors have enjoyed as many adaptations as the King of Horror, and their quality varies wildly — from instant cult classics to hot garbage that should never have seen the light of the day. Thankfully, the former category is...
Which he did a couple of times when talking about one of his most famous works.
King of Horror Dethroned Himself
Live-action adaptations of Stephen King’s works should honestly be considered a genre of their own. Few authors have enjoyed as many adaptations as the King of Horror, and their quality varies wildly — from instant cult classics to hot garbage that should never have seen the light of the day. Thankfully, the former category is...
- 4/30/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
The episode of Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie? covering Raising Cain was Written and Narrated by Mike Holtz, Edited by Joseph Wilson, Produced by Andrew Hatfield and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
There’s a lot to miss about the ’90s. Video stores. Arcades. Music Television. On and on. One of the many things I miss is the slew of original thrillers that used to grace the big screen. Each one with varying amounts of horror, cheesiness, and sex. Richard Gere and Michael Douglas were involved in more sex and danger in the ’90s than Maureen Prescott’s ghost. But today isn’t about watching the guy from Falling Down rip his expensive and pleated slacks off in a fever of passion. It’s about directing legend Brian De Palma returning to the genre with his very own fever dream Fight Club. A story of split personalities,...
There’s a lot to miss about the ’90s. Video stores. Arcades. Music Television. On and on. One of the many things I miss is the slew of original thrillers that used to grace the big screen. Each one with varying amounts of horror, cheesiness, and sex. Richard Gere and Michael Douglas were involved in more sex and danger in the ’90s than Maureen Prescott’s ghost. But today isn’t about watching the guy from Falling Down rip his expensive and pleated slacks off in a fever of passion. It’s about directing legend Brian De Palma returning to the genre with his very own fever dream Fight Club. A story of split personalities,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Debating the horror genre’s artistic value is tacky. Measuring its success by the box office can be just as boring. But I’d bet you a head-start in a chase sequence that those metrics still steer how Hollywood talks about its longest-surviving obsession at many prestige events.
Not so at The Overlook Film Festival: a community-minded summit that fundamentally reinforced my belief in scary movies and the types of people who make, critique, promote, and protect them.
Co-founded by Landon Zakheim and Michael Lerman in 2013, the annual event started out of Colorado as The Stanley Film Festival, honoring Kubrick before expanding to encompass the horror genre more generally. After a brief stint in Oregon The Overlook Film Festival made its permanent home in New Orleans, Louisiana. That’s “the most haunted city in America” if you ask event organizers, but only the third most haunted if you’re going...
Not so at The Overlook Film Festival: a community-minded summit that fundamentally reinforced my belief in scary movies and the types of people who make, critique, promote, and protect them.
Co-founded by Landon Zakheim and Michael Lerman in 2013, the annual event started out of Colorado as The Stanley Film Festival, honoring Kubrick before expanding to encompass the horror genre more generally. After a brief stint in Oregon The Overlook Film Festival made its permanent home in New Orleans, Louisiana. That’s “the most haunted city in America” if you ask event organizers, but only the third most haunted if you’re going...
- 4/27/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
The Losers’ Club: A Stephen King Podcast closes out April with another trip to prom with Carrie White, only this time there’s no Brian De Palma, no Sissy Spacek, and no Amy Irving. Instead, they dial back to 2002, when NBC aired a new vision of Carrie that may or may not have been the backdoor pilot for a would-be TV series.
Join Jenn Adams, Ashley Casseday, Dan Pfleegor as they jump in the limo to burn through this early aughts nightmare. Together, they discuss Bryan Fuller‘s “vision”, the digital aesthetics, the garish CGI, Angela Bettis and Patricia Clarkson’s performances, how it hews closer to the page, and more. Never seen it? It’s streaming on Tubi.
Stream the discussion below and stay tuned next week for their coverage on Mr. Mercedes. For further adventures, join the Club over long days and pleasant nights via Apple Podcasts, Spotify,...
Join Jenn Adams, Ashley Casseday, Dan Pfleegor as they jump in the limo to burn through this early aughts nightmare. Together, they discuss Bryan Fuller‘s “vision”, the digital aesthetics, the garish CGI, Angela Bettis and Patricia Clarkson’s performances, how it hews closer to the page, and more. Never seen it? It’s streaming on Tubi.
Stream the discussion below and stay tuned next week for their coverage on Mr. Mercedes. For further adventures, join the Club over long days and pleasant nights via Apple Podcasts, Spotify,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Michael Roffman
- bloody-disgusting.com
Brian De Palma has often been called the second incarnation of Alfred Hitchcock in cinema. During his long career in Hollywood, he earned a reputation as one of the most provocative and versatile directors, equally at home directing gory horror films, brutal gangster dramas, and commercial hits.
His works became a reference not only for the creation of other movies and music videos, but also for musical careers; for example, Al Pacino's scream from Carlito's Way opened Jay-Z's second platinum album. And another of De Palma's cult films was the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino to create the best character in one of his most famous flicks, Pulp Fiction.
Tarantino’s Choice for The Role of Vincent Vega Was a Surprise to Many
Tarantino likes to choose actors at his own discretion and gets very upset when one of his chosen stars is not available to participate in his movies.
His works became a reference not only for the creation of other movies and music videos, but also for musical careers; for example, Al Pacino's scream from Carlito's Way opened Jay-Z's second platinum album. And another of De Palma's cult films was the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino to create the best character in one of his most famous flicks, Pulp Fiction.
Tarantino’s Choice for The Role of Vincent Vega Was a Surprise to Many
Tarantino likes to choose actors at his own discretion and gets very upset when one of his chosen stars is not available to participate in his movies.
- 4/19/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
John Ford, the iconic director known for such films as Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, The Searchers and much more, will be the subject of the next edition of the TCM podcast The Plot Thickens, it was announced Wednesday.
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
- 4/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Two years after he leapt to the forefront of the New Hollywood with The Godfather, and just months before he picked up the threads of that operatic crime saga with the magnificent sequel/prequel The Godfather Part II, Francis Ford Coppola released a quiet movie, one in which sound itself — and, more specifically, its surreptitious recording — is the narrative engine. Arriving during a particularly fertile era for American film, The Conversation was not a hit, but it is one of the period’s most subtle and shattering features. Half a century later, it resounds as hauntingly as ever, not merely as a cautionary tale but as a searing portrait of where we are now.
The movie took its New York bow on Coppola’s 35th birthday, April 7, 1974, a few weeks before its Palme d’Or triumph in Cannes. Today the octogenarian writer-director is again preparing to compete on the Croisette,...
The movie took its New York bow on Coppola’s 35th birthday, April 7, 1974, a few weeks before its Palme d’Or triumph in Cannes. Today the octogenarian writer-director is again preparing to compete on the Croisette,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Sheri Linden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Movie Brats of the New Hollywood took Hollywood by storm beginning in the late ‘60s, blasting through the studios and marking their territory in modern cinema. Scorsese, Bogdanovich, Ashby, Friedkin, De Palma, Schrader, on and on, made their names during this time. But you don’t get out of an era like that unscathed and even today, some feuds still simmer, like that between Brian De Palma and Paul Schrader, whose collaboration on 1976’s Obsession caused a rift that put an end to one of the could’ve-been perfect pairings of the New Hollywood.
In a recent Facebook post, Schrader was asked if he could ever reconcile with De Palma, to which Schrader replied, “Re: Bdp. Not my call.” This would indicate that Schrader is ready to patch things up with his former friend but maybe De Palma isn’t interested. Now, to be fair here, Schrader can be...
In a recent Facebook post, Schrader was asked if he could ever reconcile with De Palma, to which Schrader replied, “Re: Bdp. Not my call.” This would indicate that Schrader is ready to patch things up with his former friend but maybe De Palma isn’t interested. Now, to be fair here, Schrader can be...
- 4/16/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Kevin Costner and Francis Ford Coppola have both put their money where their mouth is, to make huge films outside the studio system…
At the time of writing, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola is 85 years old. He owns a thriving vineyard business, and holds enough rights to his films to enjoy the kind of income most of us would happily content ourselves with, without him having to anything else. Contemporaries such as Brian De Palma and Peter Weir, as they’ve headed towards their eighth and ninth decades, have retired from filmmaking. Coppola, meanwhile, has gathered up all his chips and pushed them with some fervour towards the middle of the metaphorical table.
His long-cherished passion project is the gamble in question, a film by the name of Megalopolis that’s finished, and has cost, conservatively, around $100-120m to realise.
With no movie studio willing to back the film at the point of its conception,...
At the time of writing, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola is 85 years old. He owns a thriving vineyard business, and holds enough rights to his films to enjoy the kind of income most of us would happily content ourselves with, without him having to anything else. Contemporaries such as Brian De Palma and Peter Weir, as they’ve headed towards their eighth and ninth decades, have retired from filmmaking. Coppola, meanwhile, has gathered up all his chips and pushed them with some fervour towards the middle of the metaphorical table.
His long-cherished passion project is the gamble in question, a film by the name of Megalopolis that’s finished, and has cost, conservatively, around $100-120m to realise.
With no movie studio willing to back the film at the point of its conception,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Brimming with must-see screenings, immersive experiences, special guests, and a tarantula experience that had to be seen (and felt) to be believed, this year's Overlook Film Festival was the biggest one yet, and if you've been following Daily Dead's Instagram and Twitter accounts, then you know we had yet another unforgettable time at the "summer camp for horror fans."
Be sure to keep an eye on Daily Dead for more coverage of Overlook 2024, and in the meantime, the festival revealed their juried and audience winners for features and short films, including Oddity, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, and The Looming!
Press Release: April 11, 2024 | New Orleans, LA – The Overlook Film Festival announced today the winners of the audience and juried prizes, as well as festival highlights, from the most heavily-attended edition yet of the annual celebration of all things horror.
The feature film Audience Award, voted on by festival attendees,...
Be sure to keep an eye on Daily Dead for more coverage of Overlook 2024, and in the meantime, the festival revealed their juried and audience winners for features and short films, including Oddity, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, and The Looming!
Press Release: April 11, 2024 | New Orleans, LA – The Overlook Film Festival announced today the winners of the audience and juried prizes, as well as festival highlights, from the most heavily-attended edition yet of the annual celebration of all things horror.
The feature film Audience Award, voted on by festival attendees,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
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