Chicago – “With Love, Mommie Dearest” is a new book by A. Ashley Hoff, chronicling the making of the camp classic. Chicago’s Music Box Theatre will screen “Mommie Dearest” and Hoff will sign his new book on June 4, 2024. Click Crawford for tickets/details.
The 1981 film “Mommie Dearest” has a place in cultural history, and author A. Ashley Hoff decided to do a deep dive into the history of the film in his new book (the subtitle is “The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic”). The story of this only-in-show-business happening starts with its production history, culminating in the film’s release – anticipated with studio backing and awards consideration prestige – only to devolve quickly after early screenings.
‘With Love, Mommie Dearest: The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic’ by A. Ashley Hoff
Photo credit: Chicago Review Press
When Paramount Studios understood that audiences were reacting with laughter to the extreme nature...
The 1981 film “Mommie Dearest” has a place in cultural history, and author A. Ashley Hoff decided to do a deep dive into the history of the film in his new book (the subtitle is “The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic”). The story of this only-in-show-business happening starts with its production history, culminating in the film’s release – anticipated with studio backing and awards consideration prestige – only to devolve quickly after early screenings.
‘With Love, Mommie Dearest: The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic’ by A. Ashley Hoff
Photo credit: Chicago Review Press
When Paramount Studios understood that audiences were reacting with laughter to the extreme nature...
- 6/2/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Cinephiles romanticize the New Hollywood era of the late 1960s and most of the 1970s as a time of artistic rebellion during which a batch of young directors and experienced helmers saved Hollywood by connecting with Baby Boomer moviegoers bored with formula Westerns, backlot musicals, and all the other fusty stuff their parents dragged them to throughout their childhood. These artists toyed with genre conventions and film technique to reignite a jaded generation's excitement for the medium at a time when television was becoming an increasingly appealing entertainment option.
It was an incredibly exciting time for movies, but audiences of all ages still had an appetite for good ol' cinematic spectacle. They might've tired of sword-and-sandal epics and widescreen adaptations of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, but there was nothing wrong with studios spending loads of money to fill the big screen with eye-popping imagery.
And for most of the 1970s,...
It was an incredibly exciting time for movies, but audiences of all ages still had an appetite for good ol' cinematic spectacle. They might've tired of sword-and-sandal epics and widescreen adaptations of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, but there was nothing wrong with studios spending loads of money to fill the big screen with eye-popping imagery.
And for most of the 1970s,...
- 5/26/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
One of the most adapted authors in history, Stephen King yet has a significant experience with movies proving that he has developed his critical eye over the years of dealing with filmmakers.
Though he’s mostly known as a cinephile who doesn’t follow the mainstream preferring to crash the movies that everyone adores, King still left everyone bewildered when admitted he hadn’t enjoyed Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, but nonetheless gave it a credit saying there are some worse movies out there.
Several years ago King revealed that he’s not into “narcissistic stuff like Kill Bill” calling the film’s opening part a “blah movie”, but then proceeded with some kind of weird compliment for Tarantino’s hit saying that “isn’t a benchmark of awfulness” comparing it to Mars Attacks! or Mommie Dearest.
While it’s still unclear what common features the proclaimed author found in...
Though he’s mostly known as a cinephile who doesn’t follow the mainstream preferring to crash the movies that everyone adores, King still left everyone bewildered when admitted he hadn’t enjoyed Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, but nonetheless gave it a credit saying there are some worse movies out there.
Several years ago King revealed that he’s not into “narcissistic stuff like Kill Bill” calling the film’s opening part a “blah movie”, but then proceeded with some kind of weird compliment for Tarantino’s hit saying that “isn’t a benchmark of awfulness” comparing it to Mars Attacks! or Mommie Dearest.
While it’s still unclear what common features the proclaimed author found in...
- 5/19/2024
- by benjamin-patel@startefacts.com (Benjamin Patel)
- STartefacts.com
Late in the highly entertaining and enlightening new HBO Documentary Films movie on the life and career of Faye Dunaway we learn how much this iconic star just loves coming to the Cannes Film Festival. “Just about every year,” she says — not only for the world’s best films but also to immerse herself in all aspects of filmmaking. I have seen her many times just soaking it all up cinematically both here in Cannes and Telluride, to name two fests.
So it seems appropriate that the Cannes Classics section would be the place for the World Premiere Wednesday night — in the presence of Dunaway as the French like to call it — of this terrific new docu in which Dunaway pretty much tells it all straight about her life, loves, desires, ambitions, movies, co-stars, depression, controversies, family and hopes for the future in a profession she says she can’t imagine not working in.
So it seems appropriate that the Cannes Classics section would be the place for the World Premiere Wednesday night — in the presence of Dunaway as the French like to call it — of this terrific new docu in which Dunaway pretty much tells it all straight about her life, loves, desires, ambitions, movies, co-stars, depression, controversies, family and hopes for the future in a profession she says she can’t imagine not working in.
- 5/16/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Mother’s Day means a lot of things — and for many, it means a chance to grab some wire hangers and rekindle a love for the 1981 camp extravaganza “Mommie Dearest.” Starring Oscar winner Faye Dunaway as Oscar winner Joan Crawford, the movie adaptation of a memory by Crawford’s adopted daughter, Christina, was intended to be a serious drama. An awards-bait biopic. Anne Bancroft was attached, initially!
But things went awry, as they always do in the making of a camp classic. And while we wait for Dunaway to address the movie anew in the upcoming “Faye” documentary about her life and career premiering at Cannes, we have A. Ashley Hoff’s making-of book “With Love, Mommie Dearest: The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic” to tide us over.
One of the most remarkable things Hoff uncovered in his voluminous research is just how enthralled everyone was by Dunaway’s...
But things went awry, as they always do in the making of a camp classic. And while we wait for Dunaway to address the movie anew in the upcoming “Faye” documentary about her life and career premiering at Cannes, we have A. Ashley Hoff’s making-of book “With Love, Mommie Dearest: The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic” to tide us over.
One of the most remarkable things Hoff uncovered in his voluminous research is just how enthralled everyone was by Dunaway’s...
- 5/8/2024
- by Mark Peikert
- Indiewire
Andrew McCarthy, Faye Dunaway and Harvey Keitel have been tapped to lead the cast of Jonathan Baker’s supernatural love story “Fate,” which begins shooting later this month for Baker Entertainment in Vancouver.
Baker’s previous credits include Gina Gershon and Nicolas Cage starrer “Inconceivable” as director and “Survive the Night,” “Force of Nature” and “American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally” as producer.
Dunaway recently announced that her documentary “Faye” will premiere during the Classics section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. “Faye” chronicles her life and features candid discussions about her triumphs and challenges throughout her career. A best actress Oscar winner for “Network,” Dunaway was Oscar-nominated for “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Chinatown” in addition to memorable roles in dozens of films including “The Towering Inferno,” “Three Days of the Condor” and “Mommie Dearest.”
Keitel has starred in “Reservoir Dogs,” “Taxi Driver,” “Mean Streets,” “Pulp Fiction” and “Thelma and Louise.
Baker’s previous credits include Gina Gershon and Nicolas Cage starrer “Inconceivable” as director and “Survive the Night,” “Force of Nature” and “American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally” as producer.
Dunaway recently announced that her documentary “Faye” will premiere during the Classics section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. “Faye” chronicles her life and features candid discussions about her triumphs and challenges throughout her career. A best actress Oscar winner for “Network,” Dunaway was Oscar-nominated for “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Chinatown” in addition to memorable roles in dozens of films including “The Towering Inferno,” “Three Days of the Condor” and “Mommie Dearest.”
Keitel has starred in “Reservoir Dogs,” “Taxi Driver,” “Mean Streets,” “Pulp Fiction” and “Thelma and Louise.
- 5/6/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Quentin Tarantino did not go to film school, he did not even graduate from high school – his only real teachers were the movies themselves.
In 1988, he wrote Reservoir Dogs, a crime thriller about criminals who gather in an abandoned warehouse after a botched robbery. Reservoir Dogs was released in 1992 and immediately put Tarantino's name in the history of cinema. Reservoir Dogs was followed by other hits – Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill – each of which became cult in its own way.
Stephen King Says Kill Bill is Dull
However, Stephen King disagrees with the cult status of one of these movies, speaking rather harshly about Kill Bill:
“The blah movie was Kill Bill. […] Kill Bill isn't a benchmark of awfulness like Mars Attacks! or Mommie Dearest, it's just dully full of itself.”
In an Entertainment Weekly article, the writer discussed movies that matter and movies that don't. According to King,...
In 1988, he wrote Reservoir Dogs, a crime thriller about criminals who gather in an abandoned warehouse after a botched robbery. Reservoir Dogs was released in 1992 and immediately put Tarantino's name in the history of cinema. Reservoir Dogs was followed by other hits – Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill – each of which became cult in its own way.
Stephen King Says Kill Bill is Dull
However, Stephen King disagrees with the cult status of one of these movies, speaking rather harshly about Kill Bill:
“The blah movie was Kill Bill. […] Kill Bill isn't a benchmark of awfulness like Mars Attacks! or Mommie Dearest, it's just dully full of itself.”
In an Entertainment Weekly article, the writer discussed movies that matter and movies that don't. According to King,...
- 5/1/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
Cinephiles will have plenty to celebrate this April with the next slate of additions to the Criterion Channel. The boutique distributor, which recently announced its June 2024 Blu-ray releases, has unveiled its new streaming lineup highlighted by an eclectic mix of classic films and modern arthouse hits.
Students of Hollywood history will be treated to the “Peak Noir: 1950” collection, which features 17 noir films from the landmark film year from directors including Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Huston.
New Hollywood maverick William Friedkin will also be celebrated when five of his most beloved movies, including “Sorcerer” and “The Exorcist,” come to the channel in April.
Criterion will offer the streaming premiere of Wim Wenders’ 3D art documentary “Anselm,” which will be accompanied by the “Wim Wenders’ Adventures in Moviegoing” collection, which sees the director curating a selection of films from around the world that have influenced his careers.
Contemporary cinema is also well represented,...
Students of Hollywood history will be treated to the “Peak Noir: 1950” collection, which features 17 noir films from the landmark film year from directors including Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Huston.
New Hollywood maverick William Friedkin will also be celebrated when five of his most beloved movies, including “Sorcerer” and “The Exorcist,” come to the channel in April.
Criterion will offer the streaming premiere of Wim Wenders’ 3D art documentary “Anselm,” which will be accompanied by the “Wim Wenders’ Adventures in Moviegoing” collection, which sees the director curating a selection of films from around the world that have influenced his careers.
Contemporary cinema is also well represented,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
April’s an uncommonly strong auteurist month for the Criterion Channel, who will highlight a number of directors––many of whom aren’t often grouped together. Just after we screened House of Tolerance at the Roxy Cinema, Criterion are showing it and Nocturama for a two-film Bertrand Bonello retrospective, starting just four days before The Beast opens. Larger and rarer (but just as French) is the complete Jean Eustache series Janus toured last year. Meanwhile, five William Friedkin films and work from Makoto Shinkai, Lizzie Borden, and Rosine Mbakam are given a highlight.
One of my very favorite films, Comrades: Almost a Love Story plays in a series I’ve been trying to program for years: “Hong Kong in New York,” boasting the magnificent Full Moon in New York, Farewell China, and An Autumn’s Tale. Wim Wenders gets his “Adventures in Moviegoing”; After Hours, Personal Shopper, and Werckmeister Harmonies fill...
One of my very favorite films, Comrades: Almost a Love Story plays in a series I’ve been trying to program for years: “Hong Kong in New York,” boasting the magnificent Full Moon in New York, Farewell China, and An Autumn’s Tale. Wim Wenders gets his “Adventures in Moviegoing”; After Hours, Personal Shopper, and Werckmeister Harmonies fill...
- 3/18/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Patrick Swayze in 1989's Road House (United Artists) and Jake Gyllenhaal in 2024's Road House (Amazon MGM Studios)Image: The A.V. Club
Got Road House? This month Amazon’s Prime Video has two versions of the action movie: the 1989 original starring Patrick Swayze at peak Swayze-ness and the 2024 Doug Liman...
Got Road House? This month Amazon’s Prime Video has two versions of the action movie: the 1989 original starring Patrick Swayze at peak Swayze-ness and the 2024 Doug Liman...
- 2/28/2024
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
"Three Days of the Condor" is one of the most suspenseful crime thrillers that came out of '70s cinema. The New Hollywood movement was in full effect with audiences turning to gritty, low-budget films for thrills outside of the failing studio system. Sydney Pollack was one of the foremost leaders of the cinematic era, and "Three Days of the Condor" was one of the final entries into its canon. The filmmaker's 1970 film "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" earned him his first Academy Award nomination, so "Three Days" was a highly anticipated follow-up.
Robert Redford stars as Joe Turner, a code-breaker for the CIA who shows up to work one morning and finds his entire department has been killed. When he tries to find solace in his superiors, he quickly learns that the agency is in on the job. Joe is left to discover why the CIA wants him and his colleagues dead,...
Robert Redford stars as Joe Turner, a code-breaker for the CIA who shows up to work one morning and finds his entire department has been killed. When he tries to find solace in his superiors, he quickly learns that the agency is in on the job. Joe is left to discover why the CIA wants him and his colleagues dead,...
- 2/4/2024
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Get ready for your next marathon with Max! This February, the streamer is saying goodbye to major award winners, camp classics, and more. Most of the platform’s exits will take place on the final day of the month, including the genre and history-changing “The Exorcist,” the recent Oscar winner “Drive My Car,” and more, but Max will remove several other major TV and film titles throughout the month.
We at The Streamable have assembled our top picks for what’s leaving Max this month— continue below to find your next thing to watch and see the full list below to plan your next movie night before they’re gone!
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Max in February 2024? “Drive My Car” | Thursday, Feb. 29
A recent Oscar winner for Best International Feature Film, the Japanese drama stars Hidetoshi Nishijima as Yūsuke Kafuku,...
We at The Streamable have assembled our top picks for what’s leaving Max this month— continue below to find your next thing to watch and see the full list below to plan your next movie night before they’re gone!
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Max in February 2024? “Drive My Car” | Thursday, Feb. 29
A recent Oscar winner for Best International Feature Film, the Japanese drama stars Hidetoshi Nishijima as Yūsuke Kafuku,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
"Chinatown" is one of the great masterpieces of American cinema. As a period piece, it cries out with nostalgia for a bygone past while commenting on the aimlessness of this very pursuit. Like the other accomplished neo-noirs of the New Hollywood movement (namely Robert Altman's "The Long Goodbye"), its detective story is disjointed and dreamlike. It is not a neat and satisfying narrative like a classic noir. Instead, it meanders fearlessly and aimlessly into the uneasy unknown.
Although it earned its only Oscar for its screenplay, it's hard to imagine "Chinatown" being half as good as it was without the unforgettable performances of its main cast. Sadly, as the 1974 film ages into legendary status, so too do the actors that made it so legendary.
Not every actor who made the 1974 mystery movie so great has lived to see it reach its 50-year anniversary in 2024. However, some of the greatest...
Although it earned its only Oscar for its screenplay, it's hard to imagine "Chinatown" being half as good as it was without the unforgettable performances of its main cast. Sadly, as the 1974 film ages into legendary status, so too do the actors that made it so legendary.
Not every actor who made the 1974 mystery movie so great has lived to see it reach its 50-year anniversary in 2024. However, some of the greatest...
- 1/21/2024
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Selma Archerd, an actress who was well known in Hollywood as the vivacious wife of longtime Variety columnist Army Archerd, has died. She was 98.
Selma Archerd died Dec. 14 in Los Angeles, according to a Legacy.com posting on the Los Angeles Times’ website.
Selma Archerd was seen as a hostage in 1988’s “Die Hard” and had a recurring role as Nurse Amy in Fox’s 1990s soap “Melrose Place.” She logged numerous cameos and bit parts from the 1970s through the 1990s on movies and TV shows ranging from “The Brady Bunch” to “Serpico” to “Lethal Weapon” and “Lethal Weapon 3.” Other notable films in which she appeared include: “Fun with Dick and Jane,” “Americathon,” “Can’t Stop the Music,” “Mommie Dearest” and “Scrooged.” TV appearances also include: “Charmed,” “Roseanne,” “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill,” “The Love Boat,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “Knot’s Landing,” “Hotel” and “Marcus Welby, M.D.”
Selma...
Selma Archerd died Dec. 14 in Los Angeles, according to a Legacy.com posting on the Los Angeles Times’ website.
Selma Archerd was seen as a hostage in 1988’s “Die Hard” and had a recurring role as Nurse Amy in Fox’s 1990s soap “Melrose Place.” She logged numerous cameos and bit parts from the 1970s through the 1990s on movies and TV shows ranging from “The Brady Bunch” to “Serpico” to “Lethal Weapon” and “Lethal Weapon 3.” Other notable films in which she appeared include: “Fun with Dick and Jane,” “Americathon,” “Can’t Stop the Music,” “Mommie Dearest” and “Scrooged.” TV appearances also include: “Charmed,” “Roseanne,” “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill,” “The Love Boat,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “Knot’s Landing,” “Hotel” and “Marcus Welby, M.D.”
Selma...
- 12/23/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Selma Archerd, the widow of longtime Variety columnist Army Archerd who recurred as a nurse on Melrose Place and appeared in the first Die Hard and in two Lethal Weapon movies, died Dec. 14, her family announced. She was 98.
Archerd played Mrs. Claus in Richard Donner’s Scrooged (1988), and she also showed up on the big screen in Arthur Hiller’s W.C. Fields and Me (1975), Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976), Fun With Dick and Jane (1977), Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York (1977), Mommie Dearest (1981) and Indecent Proposal (1993).
She has 51 credits listed on IMDb. The first one was for a 1973 episode of The Brady Bunch, and she would also work on the 1988 reunion telefilm A Very Brady Christmas and in The Brady Bunch Movie (1995).
Archerd, who lived in Westwood, portrayed Nurse Amy on 25 episodes of Fox’s Melrose Place from 1995-99 and was on other series produced by Aaron Spelling,...
Archerd played Mrs. Claus in Richard Donner’s Scrooged (1988), and she also showed up on the big screen in Arthur Hiller’s W.C. Fields and Me (1975), Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976), Fun With Dick and Jane (1977), Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York (1977), Mommie Dearest (1981) and Indecent Proposal (1993).
She has 51 credits listed on IMDb. The first one was for a 1973 episode of The Brady Bunch, and she would also work on the 1988 reunion telefilm A Very Brady Christmas and in The Brady Bunch Movie (1995).
Archerd, who lived in Westwood, portrayed Nurse Amy on 25 episodes of Fox’s Melrose Place from 1995-99 and was on other series produced by Aaron Spelling,...
- 12/23/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
They Wait in the Dark is a horror film directed by Patrick Rea that has been woven in a manner to send chills down our spines. The plot of They Wait in the Dark revolves around Amy and her adopted son, Adrian, who are on the run from someone. When Amy finally lands at her father’s old house, she and Adrian have ghastly encounters. We are yet to see if they both manage to survive the dreadful situation! A lot of questions arise about the real identity of Adrian and the history of Amy while watching the film, and they are all to be answered, which will change our perceptions about the characters. There is nothing more dangerous than a woman whose child has been snatched away from her. We’ve seen similar horror concepts in films like Mama, Goodnight Mommy, Mommie Dearest, and others. Let’s find out...
- 10/17/2023
- by Debjyoti Dey
- Film Fugitives
“Carrie,” the 1976 Cinderella-goes-to-the-bloodbath horror film that gave Piper Laurie, who died Oct. 14 at 91, the role for which she’ll probably be best remembered, is the movie that changed my life. I was 17, home for the Thanksgiving weekend of my freshman year at college. “Carrie” had opened earlier that month, and I went to see it on Friday at our local mall. I knew nothing about it. I was just a naïve budding film geek who saw everything that played in town. But “Carrie,” for me, was the film-geek equivalent of watching the Beatles on “Ed Sullivan.” By the time the movie was over, I was a different person.
During the big shock sequence at the end, when Carrie’s hand pokes up through the earth in front of her grave, I literally stood up out of my seat in terror. That’s how real it all was to me.
During the big shock sequence at the end, when Carrie’s hand pokes up through the earth in front of her grave, I literally stood up out of my seat in terror. That’s how real it all was to me.
- 10/15/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Spooky season is upon us and Max is getting in on the action.
New to the streamer in September are “Annabelle” (2014), “Annabelle: Creation” (2017) and “Annabelle Comes Home” (2019), as well as “The Curse of La Llorona” (2019) — all spin-offs from “The Conjuring” universe.
Other horror entries include “It” (2017), “It: Chapter Two” (2019), eight “Friday the 13th” films (from the 1980 cult classic to 1989’s “Jason Takes Manhattan”) and six “Children of the Corn” sequels.
As previously reported, over 200 episodes of AMC Networks’ television series are coming to Max in September at no additional cost to subscribers, spreading their availability beyond AMC+. Shows that are part of the partnership include “Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire” Season 1; ”Dark Winds” Season 1; “Gangs of London” Seasons 1 and 2; “Fear the Walking Dead” Seasons 1-7; “Killing Eve” Seasons 1-4; “A Discovery of Witches” Seasons 1-3; and “Ride with Norman Reedus” Seasons 1-5.
If fright flicks aren’t your thing,...
New to the streamer in September are “Annabelle” (2014), “Annabelle: Creation” (2017) and “Annabelle Comes Home” (2019), as well as “The Curse of La Llorona” (2019) — all spin-offs from “The Conjuring” universe.
Other horror entries include “It” (2017), “It: Chapter Two” (2019), eight “Friday the 13th” films (from the 1980 cult classic to 1989’s “Jason Takes Manhattan”) and six “Children of the Corn” sequels.
As previously reported, over 200 episodes of AMC Networks’ television series are coming to Max in September at no additional cost to subscribers, spreading their availability beyond AMC+. Shows that are part of the partnership include “Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire” Season 1; ”Dark Winds” Season 1; “Gangs of London” Seasons 1 and 2; “Fear the Walking Dead” Seasons 1-7; “Killing Eve” Seasons 1-4; “A Discovery of Witches” Seasons 1-3; and “Ride with Norman Reedus” Seasons 1-5.
If fright flicks aren’t your thing,...
- 9/1/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
There’s an interesting experiment going on over at Max in September, as from the first of the month you’ll be able to find seven AMC+ series streaming for 60 days on the service. If you’ve been dying to check out some of their best shows but just haven’t had access to them, now’s your chance! Max will be streaming Fear the Walking Dead seasons 1-7, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire season one, Dark Winds season one, Gangs of London seasons 1-2, Ride with Norman Reedus seasons 1-5, A Discovery of Witches seasons 1-3, and Killing Eve seasons 1-4.
Also on Max this September is the original animated series Young Love, a Matthew A. Cherry project which seeks to expand on the critically acclaimed short film, Hair Love. Sam Jay has a new stand-up special on HBO, too. Sam Jay: Salute or Shoot Me will...
Also on Max this September is the original animated series Young Love, a Matthew A. Cherry project which seeks to expand on the critically acclaimed short film, Hair Love. Sam Jay has a new stand-up special on HBO, too. Sam Jay: Salute or Shoot Me will...
- 9/1/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
If “Barbie” tells us anything, it’s that a movie doesn’t have to be gay to be, well, gay. So what makes a movie gay if it isn’t explicitly? Cast a few top-shelf gay icons in there — your Bette Middlers, your Joan Crawfords, your Faye Dunaways playing Joan Crawford — and especially have them reparteeing bitchy lines tearing each other to pieces, and have an aesthetic that’s outre and unironically camp, and you’ve got the winning-formula starter-pack for something deliciously fabulous and queer, even if not by intentional design.
Some films have gotten swept up into the queer canon by virtue of their unintentional awfulness or arguable quality while others actually push forward the cinematic medium to create something that stands the tests of time and the weathers of queer folks and their mercurial tastes. Robert Zemeckis’ Oscar-winning “Death Becomes Her” boasts the double whammy of Meryl Streep...
Some films have gotten swept up into the queer canon by virtue of their unintentional awfulness or arguable quality while others actually push forward the cinematic medium to create something that stands the tests of time and the weathers of queer folks and their mercurial tastes. Robert Zemeckis’ Oscar-winning “Death Becomes Her” boasts the double whammy of Meryl Streep...
- 7/24/2023
- by Alison Foreman, Ryan Lattanzio and Jude Dry
- Indiewire
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season 8 continued on June 9 with the sixth episode streaming on Paramount+. For the first time ever, RuPaul Charles announced a “second way to win” in addition to earning the coveted crown and $200,000 prize given to the traditional winner. One of the eliminated queens will also be named Queen of the Fame Games and earn a $50,000 cash prize.
The queens still in the running at the start of episode 6 were: Alexis Michelle, Jaymes Mansfield, Jessica Wild, Jimbo, Kahanna Montrese, Kandy Muse, and Lala Ri.
Check out our full recap of episode 6 below to find out what happened when the queens got rid of all the wire hangers in “Joan: The Unauthorized Rusical”:
Relieved that Ru saved Kahanna Montrese and Jessica Wild from possible elimination, the queens returned to the Werk Room in high spirits to congratulate the two bottom queens on having another chance to prove themselves.
The queens still in the running at the start of episode 6 were: Alexis Michelle, Jaymes Mansfield, Jessica Wild, Jimbo, Kahanna Montrese, Kandy Muse, and Lala Ri.
Check out our full recap of episode 6 below to find out what happened when the queens got rid of all the wire hangers in “Joan: The Unauthorized Rusical”:
Relieved that Ru saved Kahanna Montrese and Jessica Wild from possible elimination, the queens returned to the Werk Room in high spirits to congratulate the two bottom queens on having another chance to prove themselves.
- 6/9/2023
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
George Riddle, who portrayed the crusty gold prospector turned presidential candidate Joad Cressbeckler on the 2011 IFC comedy The Onion News Network and enjoyed a long run on the stage in The Fantasticks, has died. He was 86.
Riddle died Friday of duodenal cancer in North Plainfield, New Jersey, his longtime friend Christie Wagner told The Hollywood Reporter.
During his 65-year career, the colorful Riddle showed up in such films as Arthur (1981), The Innkeepers (2011) and The Kitchen (2019) and on episodes of shows including The Sopranos and Inside Amy Schumer.
The former circus performer also played Civil War General George Crook in the 1988 telefilm The Trial of Standing Bear, narrated by William Shatner.
On The Onion News Network, Riddle gained a legion of fans with his turn as the irascible, wildly opinionated Cressbeckler, whose predictions and political analysis were peppered with malapropisms and nonsequiturs.
Riddle logged more than 5,000 performances as The Old Actor in The Fantasticks,...
Riddle died Friday of duodenal cancer in North Plainfield, New Jersey, his longtime friend Christie Wagner told The Hollywood Reporter.
During his 65-year career, the colorful Riddle showed up in such films as Arthur (1981), The Innkeepers (2011) and The Kitchen (2019) and on episodes of shows including The Sopranos and Inside Amy Schumer.
The former circus performer also played Civil War General George Crook in the 1988 telefilm The Trial of Standing Bear, narrated by William Shatner.
On The Onion News Network, Riddle gained a legion of fans with his turn as the irascible, wildly opinionated Cressbeckler, whose predictions and political analysis were peppered with malapropisms and nonsequiturs.
Riddle logged more than 5,000 performances as The Old Actor in The Fantasticks,...
- 6/4/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Few names in Hollywood's illustrious history get people talking quite like Joan Crawford. The legendary actress began her career in silent films before transitioning to sound, and worked for decades, appearing in more than 80 films and television shows. However, the images conjured up of Crawford these days are rarely of her -- instead, they're of Faye Dunaway, who played a diabolical and utterly maniacal version of the actress in "Mommie Dearest," That 1981 film -- based on a shocking book from Crawford's daughter Christina -- changed Crawford's reputation forever and all-too-often erases her stature as one of cinemas greatest stars.
That is nothing short of a tragedy. Few actors could match Crawford's talent, determination, and tenacity. Indeed, even after she retired and then passed away in 1977, very few have matched her prodigious abilities. It can be difficult to look past her domineering facade (especially in a post-"Mommie Dearest" world), but...
That is nothing short of a tragedy. Few actors could match Crawford's talent, determination, and tenacity. Indeed, even after she retired and then passed away in 1977, very few have matched her prodigious abilities. It can be difficult to look past her domineering facade (especially in a post-"Mommie Dearest" world), but...
- 4/2/2023
- by Barry Levitt
- Slash Film
Streaming services like HBO Max are under fire for mistreating animation studios and creators, but Disney's been a quiet canary in that coal mine. "The Owl House" is a spectacular series about a world of wild magic, and it's never afraid to deal with tough topics like betrayal and emotional abuse. Its story treats its diverse and Lgtbq+ cast with refreshing acceptance. Unfortunately, it's also slated to end with a third season consisting of only three 40-minute episodes. This doesn't stop Disney from trotting out the series for promotion during Pride Month. Creator Dana Terrace is quick to point out the cancellation is likely due to the show's darkness and plot complexity, not any bigotry on the Mouse's part.
That rings hollow for fans desperate for more Eda and Luz, and if you're not a fan yet, you should be. It's a terrific show for anyone, and dark enough to delight older kids.
That rings hollow for fans desperate for more Eda and Luz, and if you're not a fan yet, you should be. It's a terrific show for anyone, and dark enough to delight older kids.
- 9/13/2022
- by Margaret David
- Slash Film
While he may not be as well-known today as Alfred Hitchcock or Billy Wilder, director Nicholas Ray had a fantastic run during the '50s working across a range of genres from film noir ("In a Lonely Place") to war saga ("Flying Leathernecks"), coming-of-age teen angst ("Rebel Without a Cause") to westerns, the strangest of which is undoubtedly "Johnny Guitar." Shot in gaudy Trucolor, it stands apart from other studio westerns of the day, maybe because it isn't really a western at all -- It's more like a twisted gothic psychodrama that just happens to be set in the Old West.
Although the title refers to Sterling Hayden's nonchalant protagonist, Mr. Guitar takes a back seat for much of the movie, just one of many of Ray's subversive twists to the standard western formula. Instead, the main focus is the bitter rivalry between Vienna (Joan Crawford), a steely saloon keeper,...
Although the title refers to Sterling Hayden's nonchalant protagonist, Mr. Guitar takes a back seat for much of the movie, just one of many of Ray's subversive twists to the standard western formula. Instead, the main focus is the bitter rivalry between Vienna (Joan Crawford), a steely saloon keeper,...
- 9/5/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
This Riverdale review contains spoilers.
Riverdale Season 6 Episode 8
“Thus began the battle for Riverdale’s soul…”
With Hiram Lodge well and truly dead (for now at least), Riverdale‘s search for a new Big Bad has yielded the arrival of Percival Pickens (Chris O’Shea), a mysterious stranger who has family ties to one of the town’s darkest periods. After initially showing up two weeks ago looking to buy the Andrews house — an offer which Archie refused with a stern “no way, bro” — Percival has been sniffing around town, trying to figure out the interpersonal relationships of the townspeople and pretty much figuring out right away all the shady shit that goes on in this supposedly ideal community.
He pens an anonymous essay for the Riverdale Choice in which he accurately calls the town out on its rampant gang and violence problem, intolerance, lack of culture and general Riverdaleness. This...
Riverdale Season 6 Episode 8
“Thus began the battle for Riverdale’s soul…”
With Hiram Lodge well and truly dead (for now at least), Riverdale‘s search for a new Big Bad has yielded the arrival of Percival Pickens (Chris O’Shea), a mysterious stranger who has family ties to one of the town’s darkest periods. After initially showing up two weeks ago looking to buy the Andrews house — an offer which Archie refused with a stern “no way, bro” — Percival has been sniffing around town, trying to figure out the interpersonal relationships of the townspeople and pretty much figuring out right away all the shady shit that goes on in this supposedly ideal community.
He pens an anonymous essay for the Riverdale Choice in which he accurately calls the town out on its rampant gang and violence problem, intolerance, lack of culture and general Riverdaleness. This...
- 4/4/2022
- by Chris Cummins
- Den of Geek
Since 1980, UCLA film grads and industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy have honored the very worst in cinema with the Razzie Awards. Here’s a look back to the worst pictures of the last four decades.
“Can’t Stop the Music” (1980)
The Golden Raspberry Awards got their start by recognizing this musical comedy, a justly mocked quasi-biopic of the Village People.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 8%
“Mommie Dearest” (1981)
Faye Dunaway goes full camp as Joan Crawford in a docudrama whose comedy was often unintentional.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%
“Inchon” (1982)
This bloated, over-budget Korean war film starring Laurence Olivier as Gen. Douglas MacArthur was an epic turkey.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%
“The Lonely Lady” (1983)
Pia Zadora followed her mysterious (and widely mocked in retrospect) Golden Globe win for “Butterfly” with this adaptation of a trashy Harold Robbins novel about a schoolgirl/wannabe screenwriter.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%
“Bolero” (1984)
Bo Derek ditches her “10” cornrows to...
“Can’t Stop the Music” (1980)
The Golden Raspberry Awards got their start by recognizing this musical comedy, a justly mocked quasi-biopic of the Village People.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 8%
“Mommie Dearest” (1981)
Faye Dunaway goes full camp as Joan Crawford in a docudrama whose comedy was often unintentional.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%
“Inchon” (1982)
This bloated, over-budget Korean war film starring Laurence Olivier as Gen. Douglas MacArthur was an epic turkey.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%
“The Lonely Lady” (1983)
Pia Zadora followed her mysterious (and widely mocked in retrospect) Golden Globe win for “Butterfly” with this adaptation of a trashy Harold Robbins novel about a schoolgirl/wannabe screenwriter.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%
“Bolero” (1984)
Bo Derek ditches her “10” cornrows to...
- 3/26/2022
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
Cinema Retro has received the following press release:
First 4K Ultra HD in the Paramount Presents Line Debuts May 17, 2022
with New and Legacy Bonus Content
One of the greatest Westerns in cinematic history arrives for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range (Hdr) as part of the Paramount Presents line when The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance debuts May 17, 2022 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
Four-time Academy Award®-winning* director John Ford brought together an all-star cast for what is considered by many critics to be a quintessential—and yet pioneering—Western late in his storied career. Starring James Stewart and John Wayne (together for the first time), alongside Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, John Carradine and Lee Van Cleef, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance tells the engrossing story of a senator (Stewart), his old friend (Wayne), and a despicable outlaw called Liberty Valance (Marvin).
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance...
First 4K Ultra HD in the Paramount Presents Line Debuts May 17, 2022
with New and Legacy Bonus Content
One of the greatest Westerns in cinematic history arrives for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range (Hdr) as part of the Paramount Presents line when The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance debuts May 17, 2022 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
Four-time Academy Award®-winning* director John Ford brought together an all-star cast for what is considered by many critics to be a quintessential—and yet pioneering—Western late in his storied career. Starring James Stewart and John Wayne (together for the first time), alongside Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, John Carradine and Lee Van Cleef, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance tells the engrossing story of a senator (Stewart), his old friend (Wayne), and a despicable outlaw called Liberty Valance (Marvin).
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance...
- 3/22/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Mothers and motherhood have a rich history in cinema within the horror genre. Think “Psycho,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Carrie,” “Mommie Dearest,” or even more modern versions like Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” and Bong Joon-Ho’s “Mother.” There have always been international versions of this story too. Still, the upcoming horror “Umma” is a slightly different angle on this well-trodden tale of the horrors and difficulties of motherhood.
Continue reading ‘Umma’ Trailer: Sandra Oh Stars In A Sam Raimi-Produced Horror About A Mother’s Undying Love at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Umma’ Trailer: Sandra Oh Stars In A Sam Raimi-Produced Horror About A Mother’s Undying Love at The Playlist.
- 3/1/2022
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Is it possible that every best picture nominee this year will be about families? Among the 2021 Oscar contenders are “Belfast,” “Coda,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Mass,” “Parallel Mothers” and “The Power of the Dog” and there are plenty of other serious contenders with a similar focus.
It’s not unusual for drama to center on families; that’s been going on since the 5th century B.C., when Aeschylus wrote his “Oresteia.”
However, it Is unusual for one subject to dominate the Oscar roster.
Usually the Academy Awards offer a mix of topics, as last year when the eight Bp contenders included two family-centric pieces, “The Father” and “Minari.” That modest percentage has been pretty consistent since the Oscars expanded the category with the 2009 films.
Many of the 2021 movies were planned long before Covid, so it’s interesting that they arrive at such a timely moment.
Sian Heder, the writer-director of “Coda,...
It’s not unusual for drama to center on families; that’s been going on since the 5th century B.C., when Aeschylus wrote his “Oresteia.”
However, it Is unusual for one subject to dominate the Oscar roster.
Usually the Academy Awards offer a mix of topics, as last year when the eight Bp contenders included two family-centric pieces, “The Father” and “Minari.” That modest percentage has been pretty consistent since the Oscars expanded the category with the 2009 films.
Many of the 2021 movies were planned long before Covid, so it’s interesting that they arrive at such a timely moment.
Sian Heder, the writer-director of “Coda,...
- 1/11/2022
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
One of the most familiar faces on daytime TV has died.
Jerry Douglas, best known for his role as John Abbott, has died.
He was 88.
According to People, Douglas passed away Tuesday after a short illness.
Douglas first appeared on the show in 1982 and remained a part of the cast for over 30 years.
His expansive TV credits include Mannix, Police Woman, Mission Impossible, The Rockford Files, Cold Case, Melrose Place, Crash, and Arrested Development.
On the movie front, he has appeared in Mommie Dearest, Avalanche, and Oliver Stone’s JFK.
"On behalf of the entire company of The Young and the Restless, we send our deepest sympathies to the Douglas family on the passing of Jerry Douglas," Anthony Morina, executive producer of The Young and the Restless, wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
"Jerry came to Y&r in 1982 with an impressive resume of credits."
"Our show was lucky to have...
Jerry Douglas, best known for his role as John Abbott, has died.
He was 88.
According to People, Douglas passed away Tuesday after a short illness.
Douglas first appeared on the show in 1982 and remained a part of the cast for over 30 years.
His expansive TV credits include Mannix, Police Woman, Mission Impossible, The Rockford Files, Cold Case, Melrose Place, Crash, and Arrested Development.
On the movie front, he has appeared in Mommie Dearest, Avalanche, and Oliver Stone’s JFK.
"On behalf of the entire company of The Young and the Restless, we send our deepest sympathies to the Douglas family on the passing of Jerry Douglas," Anthony Morina, executive producer of The Young and the Restless, wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
"Jerry came to Y&r in 1982 with an impressive resume of credits."
"Our show was lucky to have...
- 11/11/2021
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Jerry Douglas, the actor best known for playing patriarch John Abbott on the long-running soap opera “The Young and the Restless,” died Nov. 9 in Los Angeles after a brief illness. He was 88.
Douglas was a mainstay of CBS’ top-rated daytime serial for more than 30 years in the role of the square-jawed cosmetics magnate and pillar of “Y&r’s” fictional Genoa City. He also racked up dozens of TV guests shots and supporting roles in movies over his long career, ranging from “The Bionic Woman,” “Barnaby Jones” and “The Streets of San Francisco” to “Arrested Development,” “Cold Case” and “Melrose Place.”
Douglas was a regular on “Y&r” from 1982 to 2006. Even after his character died, Abbott appeared in flashbacks from time to time, most recently in 2006 when he returned as a ghost to guide his children from the afterlife.. “Y&r” has been a mainstay of CBS’ daytime lineup since 1973. The serial topped the 20,000-episode mark last year.
Douglas was a mainstay of CBS’ top-rated daytime serial for more than 30 years in the role of the square-jawed cosmetics magnate and pillar of “Y&r’s” fictional Genoa City. He also racked up dozens of TV guests shots and supporting roles in movies over his long career, ranging from “The Bionic Woman,” “Barnaby Jones” and “The Streets of San Francisco” to “Arrested Development,” “Cold Case” and “Melrose Place.”
Douglas was a regular on “Y&r” from 1982 to 2006. Even after his character died, Abbott appeared in flashbacks from time to time, most recently in 2006 when he returned as a ghost to guide his children from the afterlife.. “Y&r” has been a mainstay of CBS’ daytime lineup since 1973. The serial topped the 20,000-episode mark last year.
- 11/11/2021
- by Katie Song
- Variety Film + TV
Jerry Douglas, who played The Young & the Restless patriarch John Abbott for more than three decades, has died, TVLine has confirmed.
Douglas passed away Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 88.
More from TVLineWWE Wrestler Bray Wyatt Dead at 36 - Cause of Death RevealedLittle House on the Prairie's Hersha Parady Dead at 78Wwe Hall of Famer Terry Funk Dead at 79 - Ric Flair and Mick Foley Pay Tribute
Douglas started playing the Jabot Cosmetics chairman in 1982 and stayed in the role for more than 30 years. He even continued on in the role after John Sr.’s death, appearing as...
Douglas passed away Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 88.
More from TVLineWWE Wrestler Bray Wyatt Dead at 36 - Cause of Death RevealedLittle House on the Prairie's Hersha Parady Dead at 78Wwe Hall of Famer Terry Funk Dead at 79 - Ric Flair and Mick Foley Pay Tribute
Douglas started playing the Jabot Cosmetics chairman in 1982 and stayed in the role for more than 30 years. He even continued on in the role after John Sr.’s death, appearing as...
- 11/11/2021
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
Jerry Douglas, who played patriarch John Abbott on CBS’ The Young and the Restless for more than 30 years, died November 9 after a brief illness, his family announced Wednesday. He was 88.
Born Jerry Rubenstein on November 12, 1932, in Chelsea, Ma, Douglas launched his acting career upon graduating from Brandeis University, studying acting with Uta Hagen in New York and Jeff Corey in Los Angeles.
He joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in March 1982 as John Abbott, patriarch of the Abbott family and wealthy chairman of Jabot Cosmetics. When viewers first met him, he was a single father helping children Jack, Ashley and Traci navigate adulthood.
In later years, John Abbott wed Jill Foster and they had a son, Billy. John also had several romantic reunions with estranged ex-wife, Dina Mergeron.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
John Abbott was a mainstay in Genoa City until the...
Born Jerry Rubenstein on November 12, 1932, in Chelsea, Ma, Douglas launched his acting career upon graduating from Brandeis University, studying acting with Uta Hagen in New York and Jeff Corey in Los Angeles.
He joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in March 1982 as John Abbott, patriarch of the Abbott family and wealthy chairman of Jabot Cosmetics. When viewers first met him, he was a single father helping children Jack, Ashley and Traci navigate adulthood.
In later years, John Abbott wed Jill Foster and they had a son, Billy. John also had several romantic reunions with estranged ex-wife, Dina Mergeron.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
John Abbott was a mainstay in Genoa City until the...
- 11/11/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
As 2021 mercifully winds down, the Criterion Channel have a (November) lineup that marks one of their most diverse selections in some time—films by the new masters Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Garrett Bradley, Dan Sallitt’s Fourteen (one of 2020’s best films) couched in a fantastic retrospective, and Criterion editions of old favorites.
Fourteen is featured in “Between Us Girls: Bonds Between Women,” which also includes Céline and Julie, The Virgin Suicides, and Yvonne Rainer’s Privilege. Of equal note are Criterion editions for Ghost World, Night of the Hunter, and (just in time for del Toro’s spin) Nightmare Alley—all stacked releases in their own right.
See the full list of October titles below and more on the Criterion Channel.
300 Nassau, Marina Lameiro, 2015
5 Card Stud, Henry Hathaway, 1968
Alone, Garrett Bradley, 2017
Álvaro, Daniel Wilson, Elizabeth Warren, Alexandra Lazarowich, and Chloe Zimmerman, 2015
America, Garrett Bradley, 2019
Angel Face, Otto Preminger, 1953
Angels Wear White,...
Fourteen is featured in “Between Us Girls: Bonds Between Women,” which also includes Céline and Julie, The Virgin Suicides, and Yvonne Rainer’s Privilege. Of equal note are Criterion editions for Ghost World, Night of the Hunter, and (just in time for del Toro’s spin) Nightmare Alley—all stacked releases in their own right.
See the full list of October titles below and more on the Criterion Channel.
300 Nassau, Marina Lameiro, 2015
5 Card Stud, Henry Hathaway, 1968
Alone, Garrett Bradley, 2017
Álvaro, Daniel Wilson, Elizabeth Warren, Alexandra Lazarowich, and Chloe Zimmerman, 2015
America, Garrett Bradley, 2019
Angel Face, Otto Preminger, 1953
Angels Wear White,...
- 10/25/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Faye Dunaway’s all-guns-blazing performance as Joan Crawford is one of many reasons why the reviled biodrama is not the disaster many have labelled it
The first time I saw Mommie Dearest, it was probably closer to its 20th anniversary than its 40th, and it had already been firmly canonised as a camp classic: at the scruffy repertory screening I attended, with an audience of predominantly gay men, the conspiratorial giggles started as early as the opening credits, and scarcely let up for two hours. In advance of the film’s hysterical high points — Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford, her face greased up with ghostly night cream, beating her daughter with a clothes hanger, or growling for an axe as she drunkenly decimates her rose garden — the giggles escalated to hoots of anticipatory delight, exploding so loudly and gleefully at the climax that I almost couldn’t hear the line everyone was there for: “No!
The first time I saw Mommie Dearest, it was probably closer to its 20th anniversary than its 40th, and it had already been firmly canonised as a camp classic: at the scruffy repertory screening I attended, with an audience of predominantly gay men, the conspiratorial giggles started as early as the opening credits, and scarcely let up for two hours. In advance of the film’s hysterical high points — Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford, her face greased up with ghostly night cream, beating her daughter with a clothes hanger, or growling for an axe as she drunkenly decimates her rose garden — the giggles escalated to hoots of anticipatory delight, exploding so loudly and gleefully at the climax that I almost couldn’t hear the line everyone was there for: “No!
- 9/18/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
Due to its persistent on-screen presence, the swimming pool can be taken for granted; but beneath the surface it is cinema’s Jungian friend, representing secrets lying underneath. It exudes glamour and danger, shifting beyond conscious realms. It is a key to transformation, coming of age tales and renewed relationships. It is a status symbol and whether or not the pool is intact says a lot about the mood of the film and the state of its characters. Away from states of intensity, the swimming pool emerges on screen as a signifier of a time to unwind and to forget life past the poolside. The films featured in this mix show how the pool alludes mysterious symbolism and sexual awakening; murder, lust, and love brush shoulders as sun kissed babes in bikinis whisper sweet truths or uncover deadly secrets (such as the strange swimming pool activities in Three Women or...
- 8/23/2021
- MUBI
Cinema Retro has received the following press release:
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Originally released in 1921 at the height of the nation’s appetite for motion pictures, the epic romantic drama The Sheik became a massive sensation, breaking box office records and earning over $1 million during its first year of release. 100 years later, Paramount Pictures celebrates this towering classic of the silent film era with a brand-new Blu-ray release, arriving as part of the Paramount Presents line on October 19, 2021.
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, The Sheik was directed by George Melford and stars the legendary Rudolph Valentino as the title character. The role helped propel Valentino into stardom and sealed his status as a Hollywood heartthrob—and the original “Latin Lover”—at the age of 26.
The Sheik restoration employed modern technology so viewers can experience the original beauty of this monumental silent film. Since...
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Originally released in 1921 at the height of the nation’s appetite for motion pictures, the epic romantic drama The Sheik became a massive sensation, breaking box office records and earning over $1 million during its first year of release. 100 years later, Paramount Pictures celebrates this towering classic of the silent film era with a brand-new Blu-ray release, arriving as part of the Paramount Presents line on October 19, 2021.
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, The Sheik was directed by George Melford and stars the legendary Rudolph Valentino as the title character. The role helped propel Valentino into stardom and sealed his status as a Hollywood heartthrob—and the original “Latin Lover”—at the age of 26.
The Sheik restoration employed modern technology so viewers can experience the original beauty of this monumental silent film. Since...
- 8/19/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Hello everyone! A new month is upon us and we have an eclectic array of films heading to Blu-ray and DVD this week to kick things off. Arrow Video has put together a 4-Disc Limited Edition Collector’s Set celebrating Bill Rebane called Weird Wisconsin, and Code Red is releasing The Love Butcher on Blu-ray as well. Paramount is showing some love to the cult film Mommie Dearest as well with a brand new Blu in 4K, and we also have a few new indie titles arriving on June 1st—Spare Parts and Sorority House.
The Love Butcher
A string of murders in a posh neighborhood has the police department stumped and the local press is breathing down their necks. Strangely, nobody notices that several victims share the same gardener, a bent, elderly man with a crippled arm named Caleb. Even though all of the murder weapons are lawn care tools,...
The Love Butcher
A string of murders in a posh neighborhood has the police department stumped and the local press is breathing down their necks. Strangely, nobody notices that several victims share the same gardener, a bent, elderly man with a crippled arm named Caleb. Even though all of the murder weapons are lawn care tools,...
- 6/2/2021
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
As it’s that time of year to celebrate our moms, we thought it would be fun to look back at some of the most memorable mean moms of the movies. Not those lovable mothers who sang to their kiddos or who heroically sacrificed something great for their kiddos, but those moms who made us shudder at the not-so-great things they were willing to do for their offspring, made us despair that any parent could treat a child in such a way or just made us laugh at their absolute ineptness at parenting. Some might not exactly be mean in the traditional sense but are certainly overly permissive or vastly selfish.
Of course, “Mommie Dearest” herself makes the list. But Joan Crawford (played by Faye Dunaway) isn’t the only real-life mom to make the list. The notorious Tonya Harding has a doozy of a stage mother in Lavona Golden...
Of course, “Mommie Dearest” herself makes the list. But Joan Crawford (played by Faye Dunaway) isn’t the only real-life mom to make the list. The notorious Tonya Harding has a doozy of a stage mother in Lavona Golden...
- 5/5/2021
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Filmmaking-related books released in the last few months cover a head-spinningly vast collection of topics and directors. Our latest swim in the literary waters features looks at filmmakers as diverse as Tobe Hooper and Lav Diaz, not to mention behind-the-scenes explorations at two key films of the late-60s/early-70s, and, to start, interviews with three of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
Captivating interviews with David Cronenberg, Peter Weir, and Kasi Lemmons from University Press of Mississippi
I have made it something of a personal goal to track down as many books about David Cronenberg as I can, and sadly, it’s not too difficult. That means we need more studies of the director of Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers, and Crash. And this is why I am happy to report that the latest of these, David Cronenberg: Interviews, edited by David Schwartz, is a substantial and...
Captivating interviews with David Cronenberg, Peter Weir, and Kasi Lemmons from University Press of Mississippi
I have made it something of a personal goal to track down as many books about David Cronenberg as I can, and sadly, it’s not too difficult. That means we need more studies of the director of Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers, and Crash. And this is why I am happy to report that the latest of these, David Cronenberg: Interviews, edited by David Schwartz, is a substantial and...
- 4/28/2021
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Cinema Retro has received the following press release:
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Latest Addition to the Paramount Presents Line Debuts June 1, 2021 with New Special Features
The endlessly quotable and unforgettable drama Mommie Dearest celebrates its 40th anniversary with a brand-new Blu-ray in the Paramount Presents line, debuting June 1, 2021 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
Newly restored from a 4K film transfer, Mommie Dearest is presented in a limited-edition Blu-ray Disc™ with collectible packaging featuring a foldout image of the film’s theatrical poster and an interior spread with key movie moments. The Blu-ray includes a new Filmmaker Focus with biographer Justin Bozung on the film and its director Frank Perry, a new audio commentary with American drag queen Hedda Lettuce, access to a Digital copy of the film, as well as previously released bonus content. Special features are detailed below:
· Commentary by American drag queen Hedda Lettuce –New!
· Filmmaker...
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Latest Addition to the Paramount Presents Line Debuts June 1, 2021 with New Special Features
The endlessly quotable and unforgettable drama Mommie Dearest celebrates its 40th anniversary with a brand-new Blu-ray in the Paramount Presents line, debuting June 1, 2021 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
Newly restored from a 4K film transfer, Mommie Dearest is presented in a limited-edition Blu-ray Disc™ with collectible packaging featuring a foldout image of the film’s theatrical poster and an interior spread with key movie moments. The Blu-ray includes a new Filmmaker Focus with biographer Justin Bozung on the film and its director Frank Perry, a new audio commentary with American drag queen Hedda Lettuce, access to a Digital copy of the film, as well as previously released bonus content. Special features are detailed below:
· Commentary by American drag queen Hedda Lettuce –New!
· Filmmaker...
- 4/23/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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“No, She’S The Sane One”
By Raymond Benson
Frank Perry was a notable director and screenwriter who in the early part of his career made some acclaimed motion pictures—David and Lisa (1962), The Swimmer (1968), Last Summer (1969), and this one, Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970). Unfortunately, his later career was marked by problems (he directed the much-maligned Mommie Dearest in 1981, for example). The earlier films were written by or co-written with his then-wife and talented scribe, Eleanor Perry.
Diary is a picture of its time and yet it can still resonate today with regards to the #MeToo movement. The 1970 vibe is overpowering, for this was when Women’s Liberation was on the rise and very much in the public consciousness. In this case, Eleanor Perry is the sole writer, adapting the script from a 1967 novel by Sue Kaufman. Starring newcomer Carrie Snodgress, who...
“No, She’S The Sane One”
By Raymond Benson
Frank Perry was a notable director and screenwriter who in the early part of his career made some acclaimed motion pictures—David and Lisa (1962), The Swimmer (1968), Last Summer (1969), and this one, Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970). Unfortunately, his later career was marked by problems (he directed the much-maligned Mommie Dearest in 1981, for example). The earlier films were written by or co-written with his then-wife and talented scribe, Eleanor Perry.
Diary is a picture of its time and yet it can still resonate today with regards to the #MeToo movement. The 1970 vibe is overpowering, for this was when Women’s Liberation was on the rise and very much in the public consciousness. In this case, Eleanor Perry is the sole writer, adapting the script from a 1967 novel by Sue Kaufman. Starring newcomer Carrie Snodgress, who...
- 12/5/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
When it came to dreaming up characters of cheeky grandiosity who were put on earth to act out their fear and loathing of children, Roald Dahl didn’t play. In 1961, his first classic novel, “James and the Giant Peach,” featured the loathsome Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, who tormented James like nightmare Victorian spinsters out of Dickens. The title character of “The Enormous Crocodile” wants nothing more than to chomp down on children. In “Matilda,” Miss Trunchbull is a school headmistress so sadistic she’s like a bullying tyrant out of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” And in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” even that rock star of candy Willy Wonka can’t seem to make up his mind about whether he wants to delight children or unsettle them.
But in “The Witches,” Dahl really went all out. The book is a primal fairy tale, part Grimm and part flamboyant kiddie opera,...
But in “The Witches,” Dahl really went all out. The book is a primal fairy tale, part Grimm and part flamboyant kiddie opera,...
- 10/21/2020
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
The first few minutes of Maxxx tell you all you need to know about about its titular lead character: He’s a washed-up former boy band member, he’s in a tailspin from a recent breakup, and he’s working under the false assumption that no one has noticed he’s barely hanging on.
In a moment, we’ll want to know what you thought of the British comedy from/starring The Handmaid’s Tale‘s O-t Fagbenle. First, though, a quick recap of the premiere, “Guess Who’s Back?”:
More from TVLineThe Handmaid's Tale's O-t Fagbenle Hints at Gilead...
In a moment, we’ll want to know what you thought of the British comedy from/starring The Handmaid’s Tale‘s O-t Fagbenle. First, though, a quick recap of the premiere, “Guess Who’s Back?”:
More from TVLineThe Handmaid's Tale's O-t Fagbenle Hints at Gilead...
- 7/28/2020
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
O-t Fagbenle has never been a member of a boy band… despite the mountain of photographic and video evidence that suggests otherwise.
The new British comedy Maxxx — which Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale) wrote, executive-produced and stars in — follows the titular former member of a pop group called Boy Town who is trying to make his solo musical comeback. The show often gives its audience flashes of Maxxx’s Boy Town heyday, which means viewers get a lot of music-video footage, teen-mag photo shoots and the like.
More from TVLineMaxxx on Hulu: Grade the Premiere!Marvel's Helstrom Kids Visit '...
The new British comedy Maxxx — which Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale) wrote, executive-produced and stars in — follows the titular former member of a pop group called Boy Town who is trying to make his solo musical comeback. The show often gives its audience flashes of Maxxx’s Boy Town heyday, which means viewers get a lot of music-video footage, teen-mag photo shoots and the like.
More from TVLineMaxxx on Hulu: Grade the Premiere!Marvel's Helstrom Kids Visit '...
- 7/27/2020
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
When “Showgirls” opened in the fall of 1995, it was mocked and damned with more derision than the usual movie debacle. That’s because, according to the conventional view, it was not just a bad movie but an unspeakably vulgar bad movie. Directed by the talented Euro sensationalist Paul Verhoeven, from a script by the top-dollar pasha of tabloid high concept Joe Eszterhas, it was “All About Eve” remade as a glitzy Vegas trash opera of live flesh, and it was perceived as having committed a kind of double sin. Yes, it was tacky and pulpy, sleazy and over-the-top. But part of what drove the collective nose-thumbing was a kind of lingering American puritanism that said: A movie that dives into a swamp this sordid, drinking in the voyeuristic shallowness of it all, has to be ridiculed. “Showgirls” was its own category of disaster, a Hollywood bomb that exposed itself with full-frontal shamelessness.
- 6/10/2020
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Back in 2016, the Twitter account for French studio Pathé Films released a Nsfw trailer for the DVD and Blu-ray release of Paul Verhoeven’s much-reviled, T&a-fueled camp classic, Showgirls. This trailer itself was a work of pulsating beauty. Never had the story of Nomi Malone looked so pristine. And never had the film itself seemed so progressive. After all, the Nc-17-rated 1995 flop had been brutally pushed down the cultural stairs upon release, and for years afterward. Only in recent years had the tide begun to turn. “APRÈS Les Crucifixion,” the intertitles read, “La RÉSURRECTION.” In essence, those five words tell the story of Showgirls’ unexpected second life.
Those five words are also the theme of You Don’t Nomi, Jeffrey McHale’s wise, entertaining exploration of the life, death, and resurrection of Showgirls. Its subject is near and dear to cinephiles, bad-movie fanatics, drag queens, and pretty much anyone...
Those five words are also the theme of You Don’t Nomi, Jeffrey McHale’s wise, entertaining exploration of the life, death, and resurrection of Showgirls. Its subject is near and dear to cinephiles, bad-movie fanatics, drag queens, and pretty much anyone...
- 6/8/2020
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
What do you say about a documentary that concedes the reputation of director Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 Showgirls as “a piece of shit” and still makes a case for the most explicit, expensive Nc-17 sexcapade this side of Caligula as “a stealth masterpiece”? There must be reasons why the film dubbed “All About Eve in a G-string” rose from the ashes to achieve a commercial afterlife as a cult sensation in revival houses, home video and digital streaming. And McHale is nothing if not determined to dig out those reasons.
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- 6/5/2020
- by Peter Travers
- Rollingstone.com
Among the many cruelties of the coronavirus outbreak has been the way social distancing measures prevent us from visiting our relatives, which should be especially difficult on Mother’s Day for those who are accustomed to spending that time with mom.
That’s where movies can assist: Why not select a film — from the list below or one of your own choosing — and schedule a time for you and mom to watch it “together, apart”? You can both rent the movie (many are included free through streaming subscriptions) or pick an old favorite that’s in both of your home video collections, press play at the same time, then call each other afterward to talk about it.
In theory, every film character ever written has a mother, so it’s nearly impossible to imagine a definitive list of the greatest cinematic homages to the women who raised us (“momages”?). And besides,...
That’s where movies can assist: Why not select a film — from the list below or one of your own choosing — and schedule a time for you and mom to watch it “together, apart”? You can both rent the movie (many are included free through streaming subscriptions) or pick an old favorite that’s in both of your home video collections, press play at the same time, then call each other afterward to talk about it.
In theory, every film character ever written has a mother, so it’s nearly impossible to imagine a definitive list of the greatest cinematic homages to the women who raised us (“momages”?). And besides,...
- 5/8/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
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