“Slow Horses” star Gary Oldman is the frontrunner to win Best Drama Actor at the upcoming Emmys. Oldman earned his first and only Oscar six years ago for his portrayal of World War II-era British prime minister Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour.” That win was sandwiched between two other lead bids for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” (2012) and “Mank” (2021). His sole Emmy nomination to date came in 2001 for his guest appearance in the two-part seventh season finale of “Friends”; he lost to Derek Jacobi (“Frasier”).
On Apple TV+’s “Slow Horses,” which is based on a series of novels by Mick Herron, Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, a particularly uncouth MI5 officer saddled with the responsibility of supervising a group of service rejects. This constitutes his very first regular role on a continuing series and his first live action TV performance at all in over two decades.
Oldman would be the 12th...
On Apple TV+’s “Slow Horses,” which is based on a series of novels by Mick Herron, Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, a particularly uncouth MI5 officer saddled with the responsibility of supervising a group of service rejects. This constitutes his very first regular role on a continuing series and his first live action TV performance at all in over two decades.
Oldman would be the 12th...
- 5/8/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
The BBC and Masterpiece PBS have revealed a first look at ‘Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light’, based on the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s multi-award-winning trilogy, as filming comes to a close.
The new pictures show Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII, Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour, Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary, Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey, Harriet Walter as Lady Margaret Pole, Harry Melling as Thomas Wriothesley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Rafe Sadler, Timothy Spall as the Duke of Norfolk, Alex Jennings as Stephen Gardiner and Charlie Rowe as Gregory Cromwell.
Eagerly awaited and years in the making, the series will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from a self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time. Cromwell is as complex as he is unforgettable: a politician and a fixer, a diplomat and a father,...
The new pictures show Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII, Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour, Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary, Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey, Harriet Walter as Lady Margaret Pole, Harry Melling as Thomas Wriothesley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Rafe Sadler, Timothy Spall as the Duke of Norfolk, Alex Jennings as Stephen Gardiner and Charlie Rowe as Gregory Cromwell.
Eagerly awaited and years in the making, the series will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from a self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time. Cromwell is as complex as he is unforgettable: a politician and a fixer, a diplomat and a father,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Masterpiece PBS and the BBC have released first-look photos from Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, an adaptation of the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s award-winning trilogy.
Mark Rylance is reprising his role as Thomas Cromwell, while Damian Lewis is back as King Henry VIII. Also returning are Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey, Kate Phillips as Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour and Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary, the daughter of Henry and his first wife Catherine of Aragon.
The drama also stars Harry Melling as Thomas Wriothesley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Rafe Sadler, Timothy Spall as the Duke of Norfolk, Alex Jennings as Stephen Gardiner and Charlie Rowe as Gregory Cromwell.
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time.
Mantel died in 2022 at...
Mark Rylance is reprising his role as Thomas Cromwell, while Damian Lewis is back as King Henry VIII. Also returning are Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey, Kate Phillips as Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour and Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary, the daughter of Henry and his first wife Catherine of Aragon.
The drama also stars Harry Melling as Thomas Wriothesley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Rafe Sadler, Timothy Spall as the Duke of Norfolk, Alex Jennings as Stephen Gardiner and Charlie Rowe as Gregory Cromwell.
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time.
Mantel died in 2022 at...
- 4/3/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
The long-awaited adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s novel “The Mirror and the Light” has wrapped.
In the first images from the production, released by the BBC and Masterpiece PBS, Kate Phillips can be seen reprising her role as King Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour, while Mark Rylance returns as the king’s chief advisor Thomas Cromwell and Damien Lewis as the king himself.
Based on the final novel in Mantel’s award-winning “Wolf Hall” trilogy, which follows the rise and fall of Cromwell, the new images come some 18 months after Mantel’s sudden death at the age of 70.
Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour in ‘Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light’
“Cromwell, a man with only his wits to rely on, has no great family to back him, and no private army,” reads the logline. “Navigating the moral complexities that accompany the exercise of power in this brutal and bloody time,...
In the first images from the production, released by the BBC and Masterpiece PBS, Kate Phillips can be seen reprising her role as King Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour, while Mark Rylance returns as the king’s chief advisor Thomas Cromwell and Damien Lewis as the king himself.
Based on the final novel in Mantel’s award-winning “Wolf Hall” trilogy, which follows the rise and fall of Cromwell, the new images come some 18 months after Mantel’s sudden death at the age of 70.
Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour in ‘Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light’
“Cromwell, a man with only his wits to rely on, has no great family to back him, and no private army,” reads the logline. “Navigating the moral complexities that accompany the exercise of power in this brutal and bloody time,...
- 4/3/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman will star in Searchlight Pictures’ The Roses, a reimagining of the 1989 dark comedy The War Of The Roses to be directed by Jay Roach.
Tony McNamara, whose credits include Poor Things and The Great, wrote the screenplay based on the novel by Warren Adler.
The Roses centres on the seemingly perfect family life of Theo and Ivy, whose private competition and resentments are exposed when Theo’s professional dreams come crashing down.
Cumberbatch is producing through his SunnyMarch with Leah Clarke and Adam Ackland, who have been in development on the project since 2017. Colman is...
Tony McNamara, whose credits include Poor Things and The Great, wrote the screenplay based on the novel by Warren Adler.
The Roses centres on the seemingly perfect family life of Theo and Ivy, whose private competition and resentments are exposed when Theo’s professional dreams come crashing down.
Cumberbatch is producing through his SunnyMarch with Leah Clarke and Adam Ackland, who have been in development on the project since 2017. Colman is...
- 4/1/2024
- ScreenDaily
Set dressers organized the scene by setting props in a field for a TV drama about the aftermath of the bombing in Lockerbie starring Colin Firth in Bathgate, Scotland, last week.
The miniseries Lockerbie examines the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The bombing took 270 lives: 259 of them were on the flight and 11 lives were lost as the wreckage damaged their homes.
Props were set up to look like the aftermath of the bombing. The crew is carrying the parts of the plane parts including seats and parts of a wing.
In 2016, Firth sat down with uInterview to talk about relating to his character, Bill Haydon, in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
When asked about his connection to the character, Firth exclusively told uInterview that, “[Haydon] handles things with great authority and great aplomb, and I’m not saying I am capable of doing that, but I do find those things attractive.
The miniseries Lockerbie examines the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The bombing took 270 lives: 259 of them were on the flight and 11 lives were lost as the wreckage damaged their homes.
Props were set up to look like the aftermath of the bombing. The crew is carrying the parts of the plane parts including seats and parts of a wing.
In 2016, Firth sat down with uInterview to talk about relating to his character, Bill Haydon, in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
When asked about his connection to the character, Firth exclusively told uInterview that, “[Haydon] handles things with great authority and great aplomb, and I’m not saying I am capable of doing that, but I do find those things attractive.
- 3/26/2024
- by Gianna Stephens
- Uinterview
Actor Michael Weatherly made the transition from NCIS agent to psychologist in the hit series Bull. And although his character was based on a real person, Weatherly looked towards Gary Oldman for inspiration.
How a Gary Oldman movie helped Michael Weatherly’s ‘Bull’ performance Michael Weatherly | CBS via Getty Images
Weatherly’s Jason Bull couldn’t have been more different than his NCIS character. He played Jason Bull in the titular CBS series, a character loosely based on celebrity doctor Dr. Phil McGraw. Weatherly spoke to the Dr. Phil host personally, who he thought might’ve been underappreciated by certain audiences.
“People sometimes are very dismissive of Phil McGraw, and I think that’s a sort of narrow take on someone who has a talk show that you’ve watched and think you understand,” Weatherly said in a 2020 interview on Backstage. “I think Phil McGraw is a person worth having a conversation with.
How a Gary Oldman movie helped Michael Weatherly’s ‘Bull’ performance Michael Weatherly | CBS via Getty Images
Weatherly’s Jason Bull couldn’t have been more different than his NCIS character. He played Jason Bull in the titular CBS series, a character loosely based on celebrity doctor Dr. Phil McGraw. Weatherly spoke to the Dr. Phil host personally, who he thought might’ve been underappreciated by certain audiences.
“People sometimes are very dismissive of Phil McGraw, and I think that’s a sort of narrow take on someone who has a talk show that you’ve watched and think you understand,” Weatherly said in a 2020 interview on Backstage. “I think Phil McGraw is a person worth having a conversation with.
- 3/26/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It is a testament to his acting ability that it was years before I realized that Gary Oldman is British. With an ability to nail accents, the dedication to drastically change his appearance and the talent to convey the full spectrum of emotions, Oldman is one of the most eclectic and underrated actors of our time.
Born March 21, 1958, in London, Oldman began his acting career on the British stage in 1979, and made his film debut in “Remembrance” in 1982. In 1984, he reluctantly accepted the role of punk rocker Sid Vicious in “Sid and Nancy,” a performance which garnered him critical acclaim and launched a diverse and successful career that has spanned almost four decades, and includes everything from small indie films to blockbuster franchises.
Oldman is well-known for his portrayal of some of the most memorable villains in the history of the cinema, from the campy Zorg in “The Fifth Element...
Born March 21, 1958, in London, Oldman began his acting career on the British stage in 1979, and made his film debut in “Remembrance” in 1982. In 1984, he reluctantly accepted the role of punk rocker Sid Vicious in “Sid and Nancy,” a performance which garnered him critical acclaim and launched a diverse and successful career that has spanned almost four decades, and includes everything from small indie films to blockbuster franchises.
Oldman is well-known for his portrayal of some of the most memorable villains in the history of the cinema, from the campy Zorg in “The Fifth Element...
- 3/15/2024
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Beware Frankenstein Legacy as director Paul Dudbridge (Fear the Invisible Man) reanimates the legend with a brand-new fear-filled period feature, that stars a stellar cast of acting talent and is brought to life on Digital thanks to 101 Films.
England, 1875. A century after Victor Frankenstein’s doomed experiment, his journals have traded hands for decades. Stolen at knifepoint, traded in shadowy back alleys and chased by a shadowy cabal who want them destroyed. Now, in the hands of gifted scientist Millicent Browning (Juliet Aubrey), what darkness is set the befall her?
Millicent’s beloved husband (Philip Martin Brown) is desperately ill with a degenerative disease and she will stop at nothing in her determination to find a cure before it’s too late. Their son William (Matt Barber), a doctor in the local asylum, voices his concerns but she pays no heed.
When her husband kills himself, she finally snaps, disappearing...
England, 1875. A century after Victor Frankenstein’s doomed experiment, his journals have traded hands for decades. Stolen at knifepoint, traded in shadowy back alleys and chased by a shadowy cabal who want them destroyed. Now, in the hands of gifted scientist Millicent Browning (Juliet Aubrey), what darkness is set the befall her?
Millicent’s beloved husband (Philip Martin Brown) is desperately ill with a degenerative disease and she will stop at nothing in her determination to find a cure before it’s too late. Their son William (Matt Barber), a doctor in the local asylum, voices his concerns but she pays no heed.
When her husband kills himself, she finally snaps, disappearing...
- 3/5/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Oppenheimer continued its dominant awards season form on Sunday night at the American Society of Cinematographers’ ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards, with Hoyte van Hoytema taking the prize for theatrical feature film.
The win was Van Hoytema’s first ASC award, after previously being nominated for Dunkirk (2018) and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2012).
On the TV side, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s M. David Mullen won the ASC prize for an episode of one hour of television, Barry‘s Carl Herse won for an episode of a half-hour series and Boston Strangler‘s Ben Kutchins won for limited or anthology series or motion picture made for TV.
Also on the night, Spike Lee was awarded the ASC Board of Governors Award and Don Burgess, whose work includes Academy Award-winning best picture Forrest Gump, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, Steven Fierberg accepted the ASC Career Achievement in Television Award, and Amy Vincent...
The win was Van Hoytema’s first ASC award, after previously being nominated for Dunkirk (2018) and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2012).
On the TV side, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s M. David Mullen won the ASC prize for an episode of one hour of television, Barry‘s Carl Herse won for an episode of a half-hour series and Boston Strangler‘s Ben Kutchins won for limited or anthology series or motion picture made for TV.
Also on the night, Spike Lee was awarded the ASC Board of Governors Award and Don Burgess, whose work includes Academy Award-winning best picture Forrest Gump, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, Steven Fierberg accepted the ASC Career Achievement in Television Award, and Amy Vincent...
- 3/4/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Oppenheimer” cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema won Feature Film at the 38th ASC Awards, March 3 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The Oscar favorite beat the other four Oscar nominees: “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” Poor Things,” and “El Conde”.
This marked van Hoytema’s first ASC win after three nominations (including “Dunkirk” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) and positions the Dutch-Swedish cinematographer for his first Oscar win. Significantly, “Oppenheimer” represents the culmination of his experimental IMAX collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. The duo achieved a new kind of intimate spectacle with this psychological thriller about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Best Actor nominee Cillian Murphy), the “father of the atomic bomb.” Van Hoytema used the large-format IMAX camera to explore the landscape of faces; namely, Oppenheimer’s in color from his perspective and Salieri-like adversary Admiral Lewis Strauss’ (Best Supporting Actor nominee Robert Downey Jr.) in black-and-white from his.
What a...
This marked van Hoytema’s first ASC win after three nominations (including “Dunkirk” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) and positions the Dutch-Swedish cinematographer for his first Oscar win. Significantly, “Oppenheimer” represents the culmination of his experimental IMAX collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. The duo achieved a new kind of intimate spectacle with this psychological thriller about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Best Actor nominee Cillian Murphy), the “father of the atomic bomb.” Van Hoytema used the large-format IMAX camera to explore the landscape of faces; namely, Oppenheimer’s in color from his perspective and Salieri-like adversary Admiral Lewis Strauss’ (Best Supporting Actor nominee Robert Downey Jr.) in black-and-white from his.
What a...
- 3/4/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Swedish filmmaker Tomas Alfredson, now best known as the director behind beautiful, taut features like Let the Right One In and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, wrote to Swedish screen legend Ingmar Bergman sometime in the early 2000s with an idea. Bergman’s response was characteristically colorful.
“What the hell is this? What do you mean?” Bergman told Alfredson.
Alfredson had told the Persona filmmaker that he wanted to remake Faithless, the 2000 feature Bergman had written about an imaginary woman who recollects her painful experience of adultery to an aging filmmaker. The pic played in competition that year in Cannes and was directed by Bergman’s ex-wife, actress Liv Ullmann.
“This was long before everyone was producing remakes, so it was a very unusual question, especially for Bergman,” Alfredson said.
Fast forward to February 2024 and Alfredson is deep into an edit of a contemporary TV adaptation of Faithless he has...
“What the hell is this? What do you mean?” Bergman told Alfredson.
Alfredson had told the Persona filmmaker that he wanted to remake Faithless, the 2000 feature Bergman had written about an imaginary woman who recollects her painful experience of adultery to an aging filmmaker. The pic played in competition that year in Cannes and was directed by Bergman’s ex-wife, actress Liv Ullmann.
“This was long before everyone was producing remakes, so it was a very unusual question, especially for Bergman,” Alfredson said.
Fast forward to February 2024 and Alfredson is deep into an edit of a contemporary TV adaptation of Faithless he has...
- 2/29/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Gordon Main’s apartheid-era documentary “London Recruits” has been tapped as the opening film at the sixth Joburg Film Festival, which takes place Feb. 27 – March 3 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The film sheds light on a pivotal moment in South Africa‘s history, when the struggle against the apartheid government in South Africa developed a new secret weapon. Oliver Tambo hatched a plan to infiltrate young British activists into the country, posing as tourists. Their mission, in the face of brutal lockdown by the racist regime, was to help inspire ordinary South Africans to join a liberation movement that would never give up till freedom was won.
The film is produced by Jacintha de Nobrega (“Deep End”), Robyn Slovo, Geoff Arbourne, Colin Charles (“The Surveyor”), James Barrett (“A Change in the Weather”) and Felix Gill (“78/52″). As Variety previously reported, XYZ Films is repping the doc’s North American sales.
Earlier this week,...
The film sheds light on a pivotal moment in South Africa‘s history, when the struggle against the apartheid government in South Africa developed a new secret weapon. Oliver Tambo hatched a plan to infiltrate young British activists into the country, posing as tourists. Their mission, in the face of brutal lockdown by the racist regime, was to help inspire ordinary South Africans to join a liberation movement that would never give up till freedom was won.
The film is produced by Jacintha de Nobrega (“Deep End”), Robyn Slovo, Geoff Arbourne, Colin Charles (“The Surveyor”), James Barrett (“A Change in the Weather”) and Felix Gill (“78/52″). As Variety previously reported, XYZ Films is repping the doc’s North American sales.
Earlier this week,...
- 2/14/2024
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Filming is due to get underway in late spring on Mr Burton, an upcoming biopic about the man who inspired screen legend, Richard Burton.
The film will tell the true story of the relationship between Welsh schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins. Richard dreamed of becoming an actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by a combination of family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr Burton recognised the raw talent in his pupil, and made it his mission to fight for him, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father.
BAFTA winner Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), fresh off his acclaimed performance in momentous UK TV series Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, will star in the title role, with Oscar nominee Lesley Manville playing ‘Ma Smith’, Philip...
The film will tell the true story of the relationship between Welsh schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins. Richard dreamed of becoming an actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by a combination of family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr Burton recognised the raw talent in his pupil, and made it his mission to fight for him, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father.
BAFTA winner Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), fresh off his acclaimed performance in momentous UK TV series Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, will star in the title role, with Oscar nominee Lesley Manville playing ‘Ma Smith’, Philip...
- 2/8/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
As the final work in progress wrapped on Friday, Göteborg ‘s head of TV Drama Vision Cia Edström and head of industry and Nordic Film Market Josef Kullengård could finally relax after a mission well accomplished.
Two of their biggest challenges this year – hosting an industry showcase for 700-plus international delegates in a brand-new venue, the Clarion Hotel Draken, and lifting the Nordic industry’s moral by the crisis in the drama sector – had been successfully met. Variety drills down on how and why:
All-Time Record Attendees
As many as 2,029 accredited delegates registered for the festival and industry showcases at the 47th Göteborg Film Festival, and parallel TV and film markets, the largest in the Nordic region. “We’ve never hit this silver line,” said Kullengård. The 18th TV Drama Vision drew 729 delegates, the Nordic Film Market 556.
Ideal New Göteborg Industry Hub
Literally built around Götoborg’s historic Draken Cinema...
Two of their biggest challenges this year – hosting an industry showcase for 700-plus international delegates in a brand-new venue, the Clarion Hotel Draken, and lifting the Nordic industry’s moral by the crisis in the drama sector – had been successfully met. Variety drills down on how and why:
All-Time Record Attendees
As many as 2,029 accredited delegates registered for the festival and industry showcases at the 47th Göteborg Film Festival, and parallel TV and film markets, the largest in the Nordic region. “We’ve never hit this silver line,” said Kullengård. The 18th TV Drama Vision drew 729 delegates, the Nordic Film Market 556.
Ideal New Göteborg Industry Hub
Literally built around Götoborg’s historic Draken Cinema...
- 2/3/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
In the Land of Saints and Sinners trailer pits Liam Neeson in a cat and mouse game with Kerry Condon
Liam Neeson returns to his native Ireland with an ensemble cast of notable Irish actors in the “Irish-Western,” In the Land of Saints and Sinners. The film comes from director Robert Lorenz. Along with Neeson, the crime thriller also stars Colm Meaney, Oscar® nominee Ciaran Hinds, Oscar® nominee Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin), Jack Gleeson (Game of Thrones), Desmond Eastwood (Normal People) and Sarah Greene (Bad Sisters).
The official synopsis from Samuel-Goldwyn films reads,
“Ireland, 1970s. Eager to leave his dark past behind, Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) leads a quiet life in the remote coastal town of Glencolmcille, far from the political violence that grips the rest of the country. But when a menacing crew of terrorists arrive, led by a ruthless woman named Doirean (Kerry Condon), Finbar is drawn into an increasingly vicious game of cat and mouse, forcing him to choose between exposing his secret identity or defending his friends and neighbors.
The official synopsis from Samuel-Goldwyn films reads,
“Ireland, 1970s. Eager to leave his dark past behind, Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) leads a quiet life in the remote coastal town of Glencolmcille, far from the political violence that grips the rest of the country. But when a menacing crew of terrorists arrive, led by a ruthless woman named Doirean (Kerry Condon), Finbar is drawn into an increasingly vicious game of cat and mouse, forcing him to choose between exposing his secret identity or defending his friends and neighbors.
- 2/1/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Colin Firth (Photo Credit: Mariano Vivanco)
Oscar winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) is attached to star in Lockerbie, a five-episode limited series set up at Sky and Peacock. Filming is expected to get underway soon, with Firth onboard to play a father who lost his daughter in the devastating December 1988 plane crash.
The series is based on multiple sources, including The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search for Justice by Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph. Colin Firth will star as Dr. Swire.
David Harrower (Blackbird) is confirmed as the lead writer, and BAFTA Award winner Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders) is the lead director. Executive producers include Harrower, Liz Trubridge, Jim Sheridan, Kirsten Sheridan, Oskar Slingerland, Sky Studios’ Sam Hoyle, and Carnival Films’ Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant.
“On 21st December 1988, 259 passengers and crew were killed when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie 38 minutes after take-off, with a further 11 residents...
Oscar winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) is attached to star in Lockerbie, a five-episode limited series set up at Sky and Peacock. Filming is expected to get underway soon, with Firth onboard to play a father who lost his daughter in the devastating December 1988 plane crash.
The series is based on multiple sources, including The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search for Justice by Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph. Colin Firth will star as Dr. Swire.
David Harrower (Blackbird) is confirmed as the lead writer, and BAFTA Award winner Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders) is the lead director. Executive producers include Harrower, Liz Trubridge, Jim Sheridan, Kirsten Sheridan, Oskar Slingerland, Sky Studios’ Sam Hoyle, and Carnival Films’ Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant.
“On 21st December 1988, 259 passengers and crew were killed when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie 38 minutes after take-off, with a further 11 residents...
- 1/23/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
There are a host of big-name players in this year’s Best Live Action Short Film Oscar race with Wes Anderson‘s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” Pedro Almódovar‘s “Strange Way of Life,” and the John Travolta-produced “The Shepherd” all in the mix. But Tom Stuart‘s quirky British short “Good Boy” has a big name (and a big performance) of its own: Ben Whishaw.
The short follows Whishaw as a down-on-his-luck man who tries to turn his life around with the help of his anarchic mum (Marion Bailey) but figures from his past and a bygone tragedy threaten to consume and derail him. The short film blends multiple genres including comedy, drama, and tragedy and it is Whishaw’s powerhouse performance that is propelling this little indie film that could into a race full of the big boys.
Indeed, Whishaw’s performance is the film’s Mvp.
The short follows Whishaw as a down-on-his-luck man who tries to turn his life around with the help of his anarchic mum (Marion Bailey) but figures from his past and a bygone tragedy threaten to consume and derail him. The short film blends multiple genres including comedy, drama, and tragedy and it is Whishaw’s powerhouse performance that is propelling this little indie film that could into a race full of the big boys.
Indeed, Whishaw’s performance is the film’s Mvp.
- 1/15/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
There is plenty of precedent for performers to still earn Oscar nominations after snubs by the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Last year, Andrea Riseborough became the latest Oscar contender to come out of nowhere when she reaped a Best Actress bid for “To Leslie.”
She joined a roster of 23 other performers who heard their names on Oscar nominations morning despite being repeatedly overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar.
(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids. However, that was in 2001, the year before the Critics Choice introduced nominations. Frances McDormand won with that group for both “Almost Famous” and “Wonder Boys,” Kate Hudson took home the Globe for “Almost Famous” and Judi Dench prevailed at SAG for “Chocolat.
She joined a roster of 23 other performers who heard their names on Oscar nominations morning despite being repeatedly overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar.
(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids. However, that was in 2001, the year before the Critics Choice introduced nominations. Frances McDormand won with that group for both “Almost Famous” and “Wonder Boys,” Kate Hudson took home the Globe for “Almost Famous” and Judi Dench prevailed at SAG for “Chocolat.
- 1/15/2024
- by Paul Sheehan and Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Ever since “The Holdovers” premiered at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival, 21-year-old Dominic Sessa has steadily attracted heaps of praise for his debut performance as one of its central characters. Despite earning recognition from some critics groups, he now unfortunately sits as a BAFTA longlist contender with no other key industry precursor bids. However, there is plenty of precedent for performers to still earn Oscar nominations after snubs by the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and SAG Awards.
Below, we list the 24 performers who pulled off Oscar nominations surprises after being overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar. Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”) is the latest addition to this list for her Best Actress bid last year.
(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids.
Below, we list the 24 performers who pulled off Oscar nominations surprises after being overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar. Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”) is the latest addition to this list for her Best Actress bid last year.
(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids.
- 1/11/2024
- by Paul Sheehan and Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
A new restoration of the 1959 horror film on Blu-ray and DVD, and making its UK digital debut, Horrors Of The Black Museum, starring Michael Gough and directed by Arthur Crabtree (Fiend Without a Face), marked the first film in the “Sadian Trilogy”, followed by the Hammer favourite Circus of Horrors and Michael Powell’s infamous Peeping Tom – introducing cinema audiences to a more shocking and salacious brand of onscreen horror.
A series of grisly, macabre murders sweep London and leave Scotland Yard completely baffled. Bancroft, an evil crime journalist, is hypnotising his assistant to commit murders using items curated in his own personal “Black Museum” – inspired by the infamous real-life collection of weapons and torture instruments used by criminals. Using these murders to fuel his own crime stories, Bancroft delights in the Yard’s embarrassment.
Experience fear beyond belief in this gruesome British horror treat that features a splendid lead...
A series of grisly, macabre murders sweep London and leave Scotland Yard completely baffled. Bancroft, an evil crime journalist, is hypnotising his assistant to commit murders using items curated in his own personal “Black Museum” – inspired by the infamous real-life collection of weapons and torture instruments used by criminals. Using these murders to fuel his own crime stories, Bancroft delights in the Yard’s embarrassment.
Experience fear beyond belief in this gruesome British horror treat that features a splendid lead...
- 1/8/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
A new restoration of the 1954 British black-and-white science fiction film Devil Girl From Mars, directed by David MacDonald and starring Patricia Laffan, Hugh McDermott, Hazel Court, Peter Reynolds and Adrienne Corri.
One winter evening in a lonely Scottish inn, guests become prisoners when Nyah, a pitiless Martian with a robot minion, lands on earth and traps them within an invisible wall. With Martian males extinct after a battle of the sexes, Nyah aims to capture breeding stock on Earth. As escape attempts falter, the helpless humans must decide which one of them will die to save the others and possibly the world!
A famously economical film, Devil Girl From Mars was filmed over three weeks with no retakes in order to use up pre-booked studio time when another project finished ahead of schedule.
With a cast including the magnificent Patricia Laffan (Quo Vadis) as Nyah, and genre favourites Adrienne Corri...
One winter evening in a lonely Scottish inn, guests become prisoners when Nyah, a pitiless Martian with a robot minion, lands on earth and traps them within an invisible wall. With Martian males extinct after a battle of the sexes, Nyah aims to capture breeding stock on Earth. As escape attempts falter, the helpless humans must decide which one of them will die to save the others and possibly the world!
A famously economical film, Devil Girl From Mars was filmed over three weeks with no retakes in order to use up pre-booked studio time when another project finished ahead of schedule.
With a cast including the magnificent Patricia Laffan (Quo Vadis) as Nyah, and genre favourites Adrienne Corri...
- 1/4/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Gary Oldman doesn’t think his work at Hogwarts was all that magical.
In an interview with Josh Horowitz during the latest “Happy Sad Confused” podcast released Thursday (via Entertainment Weekly), Oldman spoke about his stint as an ensemble member of the popular “Harry Potter” blockbuster franchise. Oldman portrayed the title character’s outlaw godfather, Sirius Black. He first appeared in the 2004 third film “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” later reprising the role in 2005’s “Goblet of Fire” and 2007’s “Order of the Phoenix,” after which his character was killed off. He made a final appearance in the series in a cameo for the seventh and final film, “Deathly Hallows — Part 2.”
Although Sirius is by now among Oldman’s most famous roles, the “Darkest Hour” Oscar winner admitted during the interview that he finds his performance in the films lackluster overall. Comparing his work in the movies to...
In an interview with Josh Horowitz during the latest “Happy Sad Confused” podcast released Thursday (via Entertainment Weekly), Oldman spoke about his stint as an ensemble member of the popular “Harry Potter” blockbuster franchise. Oldman portrayed the title character’s outlaw godfather, Sirius Black. He first appeared in the 2004 third film “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” later reprising the role in 2005’s “Goblet of Fire” and 2007’s “Order of the Phoenix,” after which his character was killed off. He made a final appearance in the series in a cameo for the seventh and final film, “Deathly Hallows — Part 2.”
Although Sirius is by now among Oldman’s most famous roles, the “Darkest Hour” Oscar winner admitted during the interview that he finds his performance in the films lackluster overall. Comparing his work in the movies to...
- 12/28/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Marion Bailey and Ben Whishaw in Good Boy. Tom Stuart: 'I'd say one thing to Ben or Marion and they'd run with it. I'll probably never have it that good again, because they're such extraordinary actors' Photo: 130 Elektra Films Tom Stuart’s Oscar-qualifying short Good Boy is a tragicomic tale of a man coming to terms with what life has thrown at him. It stars Ben Whishaw as Danny, who starts his day out in his campervan with plans to rob a bank, at least before his mum (Marion Bailey) intervenes from the back seat. What follows is an increasingly surreal tale that considers love, loss and the potential for moving on.
Stuart, who is better known as an actor in the likes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, says the film presented an opportunity to feel less “boxed in” as an actor.
He adds: “I just felt compelled to...
Stuart, who is better known as an actor in the likes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, says the film presented an opportunity to feel less “boxed in” as an actor.
He adds: “I just felt compelled to...
- 12/20/2023
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
This year saw Marvel try their hand at the spy genre with the pale John le Carré pastiche that was "Secret Invasion." A lot went wrong with the show, to the point that it became yet another nail in what may or may not be the McU's coffin. Meanwhile, Daniel Craig's 007 has completed his transformation from a grounded, layered character to whatever he was during that divisive James Bond film "No Time To Die." "Slow Horses," on the other hand, is spying done right.
The main draw of the Apple TV+ show is undoubtedly Gary Oldman's performance as Jackson Lamb, the slovenly, sarcastic head of Slough House, home to a band of misfit screw-up sleuths banished from MI5 headquarters. Now in its third season, "Slow Horses" has benefitted hugely not just from its excellent source material — Mick Herron's "Slough House" series of novels — but from Oldman's presence.
The main draw of the Apple TV+ show is undoubtedly Gary Oldman's performance as Jackson Lamb, the slovenly, sarcastic head of Slough House, home to a band of misfit screw-up sleuths banished from MI5 headquarters. Now in its third season, "Slow Horses" has benefitted hugely not just from its excellent source material — Mick Herron's "Slough House" series of novels — but from Oldman's presence.
- 12/18/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Gary DeVore, the screenwriter of movies including Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Raw Deal and Back Roads, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field, went missing in June 1997, sparking a major manhunt.
DeVore’s mysterious disappearance has never been truly solved and there have been a number of conspiracy theories surrounding the subject including one that the CIA may have played a role in whatever happened to him.
This story is the subject of Witnessed: Fade to Black, an eight-part podcast from Campside Media and Sony Music Entertainment, in association with Stowaway Entertainment, which premieres its season finale next week. There’s also been an interesting revelation since the show debuted; Gary’s wife Wendy DeVore recently discovered over 50 scripts and treatments, written by DeVore, and Wendy and Stowaway’s Jeff Singer are now working to see if there’s a second life for these scripts.
Titles include Hurricane Chaser, Deadlocked and Hard Rock,...
DeVore’s mysterious disappearance has never been truly solved and there have been a number of conspiracy theories surrounding the subject including one that the CIA may have played a role in whatever happened to him.
This story is the subject of Witnessed: Fade to Black, an eight-part podcast from Campside Media and Sony Music Entertainment, in association with Stowaway Entertainment, which premieres its season finale next week. There’s also been an interesting revelation since the show debuted; Gary’s wife Wendy DeVore recently discovered over 50 scripts and treatments, written by DeVore, and Wendy and Stowaway’s Jeff Singer are now working to see if there’s a second life for these scripts.
Titles include Hurricane Chaser, Deadlocked and Hard Rock,...
- 12/13/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Hamzah Jamjoom’s eco-thriller “Running Dry,” which will start principal photography on Dec. 26, has revealed its leading cast members.
The film will star Baraa Alem, Waleed Zuaiter, Houshang Touzie, Naif Aldaferi and Ali Fardi.
Jamjoom’s credits include “Rupture,” winner of the Best Saudi Film Award at the Red Sea Film Festival in 2021, and “How I Got There,” the Best Saudi Film Award winner at last year’s Red Sea Film Festival.
It is based on a script by Gregory Collins and Jamjoom, from a story by Waleed Al Sanad and is produced by Abubakar Khan.
Inspired by real events, “Running Dry” follows the story of a poor mechanic from rural Saudi Arabia who is lured overseas only to be held captive by a sadistic drug lord.
Jamjoom said: “This film is really about overcoming forces that use and manipulate resources in order to divide people and consolidate power. In that sense,...
The film will star Baraa Alem, Waleed Zuaiter, Houshang Touzie, Naif Aldaferi and Ali Fardi.
Jamjoom’s credits include “Rupture,” winner of the Best Saudi Film Award at the Red Sea Film Festival in 2021, and “How I Got There,” the Best Saudi Film Award winner at last year’s Red Sea Film Festival.
It is based on a script by Gregory Collins and Jamjoom, from a story by Waleed Al Sanad and is produced by Abubakar Khan.
Inspired by real events, “Running Dry” follows the story of a poor mechanic from rural Saudi Arabia who is lured overseas only to be held captive by a sadistic drug lord.
Jamjoom said: “This film is really about overcoming forces that use and manipulate resources in order to divide people and consolidate power. In that sense,...
- 12/7/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Gary Oldman’s Role in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy When Gary Oldman stepped into the shoes of George Smiley in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’, he not only filled the large footprints left by Alec Guinness, but also revitalized a classic spy narrative for a modern audience. We’ve never seen Oldman like this before, and he’s simply stunning: his soliloquy about his only meeting with his counterpart, the Soviet super-spy Karla, is so engrossing you forget to breathe. Alec Guinness immortalised Smiley in the 1970s TV version of this story, yet Oldman is easily his equal, a critic once remarked. This portrayal...
- 12/6/2023
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
When Star Trek returned to television screens after two decades in 1987, it looked very different from its predecessor. Gone were James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Bones, most of whom planned to return in the original sequel series Star Trek: Phase II. In their place stood a bald Shakespearean actor, the breakout star of the television miniseries Roots, and a member of Muppet creator Jim Henson’s team.
From those unlikely beginnings, Star Trek: The Next Generation grew to match and, for some, exceed the original series. Much of that success came from the cast, who had a far easier camaraderie than their predecessors and, some might argue, a more impressive resume. Before and after Trek, these actors became beloved figures in genre cinema and television, proving that they are even more than the crew who boldly went where no one had gone before.
Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier...
From those unlikely beginnings, Star Trek: The Next Generation grew to match and, for some, exceed the original series. Much of that success came from the cast, who had a far easier camaraderie than their predecessors and, some might argue, a more impressive resume. Before and after Trek, these actors became beloved figures in genre cinema and television, proving that they are even more than the crew who boldly went where no one had gone before.
Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier...
- 12/6/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Award recognises outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.
Stephen Graham will be awarded the honorary Richard Harris award at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards.
The actor will receive the award at the ceremony on Sunday, December 3. The award, which has been given since 2003 at the annual ceremony, is given in the name of UK actor Harris, recognising ‘an outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.
Liverpudlian Graham received a Bifa nomination in 2007 for his breakthrough role as neo-Nazi Andrew ‘Combo’ Gascoigne in Shane Meadows’ This Is England; Graham went on to reprise the role in three This Is England TV series.
Stephen Graham will be awarded the honorary Richard Harris award at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards.
The actor will receive the award at the ceremony on Sunday, December 3. The award, which has been given since 2003 at the annual ceremony, is given in the name of UK actor Harris, recognising ‘an outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.
Liverpudlian Graham received a Bifa nomination in 2007 for his breakthrough role as neo-Nazi Andrew ‘Combo’ Gascoigne in Shane Meadows’ This Is England; Graham went on to reprise the role in three This Is England TV series.
- 11/24/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Stephen Graham, one of the most acclaimed actors on U.K. TV and a regular in both major studio titles and smaller indie features, is set to receive the highest honor at this year’s British Independent Film Awards.
The Richard Harris Award, named after the late star, recognizes an outstanding contribution by an actor to British film and sees Graham join a list of fellow honorees that includes the likes off Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson, Vanessa Redgrave and Riz Ahmed.
A six-time BAFTA TV nominee, Graham recently landed his first BAFTA film nomination for his lead turn in 2022’s hit, one-shot kitchen drama Boiling Point, which was also the first project from Graham’s own banner Matriarch Productions, set up with his wife and fellow actor Hannah Walters with the aim of providing opportunities for underrepresented talent. The film has since been spun off into a BBC miniseries,...
The Richard Harris Award, named after the late star, recognizes an outstanding contribution by an actor to British film and sees Graham join a list of fellow honorees that includes the likes off Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson, Vanessa Redgrave and Riz Ahmed.
A six-time BAFTA TV nominee, Graham recently landed his first BAFTA film nomination for his lead turn in 2022’s hit, one-shot kitchen drama Boiling Point, which was also the first project from Graham’s own banner Matriarch Productions, set up with his wife and fellow actor Hannah Walters with the aim of providing opportunities for underrepresented talent. The film has since been spun off into a BBC miniseries,...
- 11/24/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
British veteran actor also starred in the Hunt for Red October and the TV version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Joss Ackland: a life in pictures
British actor Joss Ackland has died at the age of 95, his family have said in a statement.
He appeared in films such as White Mischief, on TV playing Cs Lewis in Shadowlands and in many stage productions including as Juan Perón in Evita.
Joss Ackland: a life in pictures
British actor Joss Ackland has died at the age of 95, his family have said in a statement.
He appeared in films such as White Mischief, on TV playing Cs Lewis in Shadowlands and in many stage productions including as Juan Perón in Evita.
- 11/19/2023
- by Tom Ambrose
- The Guardian - Film News
John le Carré’s famous spy character George Smiley hasn’t retired quite yet. Nick Harkaway, le Carré’s son, is writing a new Smiley novel that will publish globally in fall 2024.
Smiley was known for his depiction as the archetypal British secret agent of the 20th century through novels such as The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley’s People. From his debut in 1961 to his most recent outing in 2017, Smiley novels have sold more than 30 million copies across formats.
The book will explore the decade of Smiley’s life in between the final scenes of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and the start of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The polite and self-deprecating character works for the shadowy British intelligence agency ‘The Circus’ and is considered a foil to the showier James Bond.
Penguin Random House’s label Viking will publish the new,...
Smiley was known for his depiction as the archetypal British secret agent of the 20th century through novels such as The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley’s People. From his debut in 1961 to his most recent outing in 2017, Smiley novels have sold more than 30 million copies across formats.
The book will explore the decade of Smiley’s life in between the final scenes of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and the start of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The polite and self-deprecating character works for the shadowy British intelligence agency ‘The Circus’ and is considered a foil to the showier James Bond.
Penguin Random House’s label Viking will publish the new,...
- 11/10/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The first call Stephen Garrett made after acquiring the rights to suspense-fuelled book Culprits: The Heist Was Just the Beginning was to writer and director J Blakeson, who he hailed as “the real deal.”
Blakeson “has seen every crime movie and thriller. You can’t catch him out really,” Garrett pronounced sagely. He was ideal, then, to write and direct the TV adaptation of the multi-layered, heart-stopping anthology, edited by Richard Brewer and Gary Phillips.
The result is Culprits, an eight-part thriller starring Nathan Stewart-Jarrett in a career-changing role, and Gemma Arterton, about the maelstrom that swirls after a gang of ruthless thieves pull off an ingenious heist.
Disney+ streams Culprits in the UK and Ireland on November 8 and in the U.S. on December 8 on Hulu. Garrett is executive producer, as are showrunner, writer and director Blakeson, and Johanna Devereaux. It’s produced by Morenike Williams.
The two men had met 14 years ago,...
Blakeson “has seen every crime movie and thriller. You can’t catch him out really,” Garrett pronounced sagely. He was ideal, then, to write and direct the TV adaptation of the multi-layered, heart-stopping anthology, edited by Richard Brewer and Gary Phillips.
The result is Culprits, an eight-part thriller starring Nathan Stewart-Jarrett in a career-changing role, and Gemma Arterton, about the maelstrom that swirls after a gang of ruthless thieves pull off an ingenious heist.
Disney+ streams Culprits in the UK and Ireland on November 8 and in the U.S. on December 8 on Hulu. Garrett is executive producer, as are showrunner, writer and director Blakeson, and Johanna Devereaux. It’s produced by Morenike Williams.
The two men had met 14 years ago,...
- 11/3/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Under the non de plume John Le Carre, David Cornwall penned a series of best-selling spy novels including “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” ‘The Little Drummer Girl’’ and “The Russia House,” that are cerebral, unadorned, gritty. The antitheist of Ian Fleming’s suave James Bond. In fact, his most popular character George Smiley just blended into the crowd: “Obscurity was his nature, as well as his profession,” Cornwall described him in “A Murder of Quality.” “The byways of espionage are not populated by the brash and colorful adventure of fiction. A man who, like Smiley, had lived and worked for years among his country’s enemies learns only one prayer; that he may never, never be noticed. Assimilation is his highest aim.”
Before his death at the age of 89 in in December, 2020, Cornwall sat down for a rare interview with award-winning documentarian Errol Morris...
Before his death at the age of 89 in in December, 2020, Cornwall sat down for a rare interview with award-winning documentarian Errol Morris...
- 10/23/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
John le Carré (David Cornwell) in “The Pigeon Tunnel,” premiering October 20, 2023 on Apple TV+. Courtesy of Apple+
If it is true that to be a great writer, you need an unusual childhood, then the great spy novelist John LeCarre may be Exhibit A. Or so it seems in this fascinating documentary by Errol Morris, The Pigeon Tunnel.
Errol Morris, one of the most creative, compelling documentarians ever, turns his camera on perhaps the greatest spy novelist ever, John LeCarre, in the documentary The Pigeon Tunnel. The British writer and former spy who uses the pen name John LeCarre, but whose real name was David Cornwell, has turned out a remarkable string of spy novels, nearly all of which became bestsellers. From The Spy Who Came Into The Cold onward, John LeCarre has thrilled readers with spy novels that have the intriguing ring of real spy craft to them, unlike the James Bond adventurer type,...
If it is true that to be a great writer, you need an unusual childhood, then the great spy novelist John LeCarre may be Exhibit A. Or so it seems in this fascinating documentary by Errol Morris, The Pigeon Tunnel.
Errol Morris, one of the most creative, compelling documentarians ever, turns his camera on perhaps the greatest spy novelist ever, John LeCarre, in the documentary The Pigeon Tunnel. The British writer and former spy who uses the pen name John LeCarre, but whose real name was David Cornwell, has turned out a remarkable string of spy novels, nearly all of which became bestsellers. From The Spy Who Came Into The Cold onward, John LeCarre has thrilled readers with spy novels that have the intriguing ring of real spy craft to them, unlike the James Bond adventurer type,...
- 10/23/2023
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Ben Whishaw could propel a charming, British short film to Oscars glory with his star turn in Tom Stuart’s “Good Boy.” The film follows Whishaw — best known for his BAFTA-winning performance in “This is Going to Hurt,” his Emmy-winning turn in “A Very English Scandal,” and his role as Q in multiple James Bond movies — as down-on-his-luck Danny.
Danny attempts to rob a bank with the help of his chaotic mum, played by SAG-winning actress Marion Bailey, but he runs into trouble when memories of a tragic past begin to literally haunt him. As he tries to escape this past, a hopeful future arrives in the form of a potential suitor in a shop.
The film is written and directed by Whishaw’s long-time friend Stuart, who is best known as an actor in a smattering of small roles in big-name productions such as “People Just Do Nothing,...
Danny attempts to rob a bank with the help of his chaotic mum, played by SAG-winning actress Marion Bailey, but he runs into trouble when memories of a tragic past begin to literally haunt him. As he tries to escape this past, a hopeful future arrives in the form of a potential suitor in a shop.
The film is written and directed by Whishaw’s long-time friend Stuart, who is best known as an actor in a smattering of small roles in big-name productions such as “People Just Do Nothing,...
- 10/22/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
In 2016, John le Carré published a memoir called “The Pigeon Tunnel,” which the late spy novelist — who died in late 2020 — claims had been the working title of nearly all his books at some point. For le Carré, the term describes the passage through which naive birds of sport were forced from their nests, only to emerge as targets for marksmen waiting with rifles poised at a hotel in Monte Carlo. That’s just one of several metaphors Le Carré uses to communicate his cynical worldview in a playful portrait from Errol Morris, whose career-long interest in truth and delusion fits his subject so well, the whole film ultimately feels like a bit of a ploy.
For starters, there was no such person as John le Carré, a pseudonym adopted by David Cornwell, an Oxford-educated ex-spy who turned to literature to process the absurdity of England’s so-called “intelligence” industry, which Cornwell slyly dubbed “the Circus.
For starters, there was no such person as John le Carré, a pseudonym adopted by David Cornwell, an Oxford-educated ex-spy who turned to literature to process the absurdity of England’s so-called “intelligence” industry, which Cornwell slyly dubbed “the Circus.
- 10/20/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
From the mind of Academy Award winner Errol Morris comes the mind of John le Carré. “The Pigeon Tunnel,” a six-decade documentary tour of the life and career of the British spy-turned-espionage novel writer, comes to Apple TV+ this Friday, Oct. 20, offering archival footage, dramatized vignettes, and le Carré’s final interview. You can watch The Pigeon Tunnel with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+.
How to Watch ‘The Pigeon Tunnel’ When: Friday, October 20, 2023 Where: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+. 7-Day Free Trial$6.99+ / month apple.com About ‘The Pigeon Tunnel’
Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris (“The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara”) takes a six-decade look into the life, career, and mind of David Cornwell, a.k.a. John le Carré, the former British spy-turned-author best known for his espionage novels including “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,...
How to Watch ‘The Pigeon Tunnel’ When: Friday, October 20, 2023 Where: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+. 7-Day Free Trial$6.99+ / month apple.com About ‘The Pigeon Tunnel’
Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris (“The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara”) takes a six-decade look into the life, career, and mind of David Cornwell, a.k.a. John le Carré, the former British spy-turned-author best known for his espionage novels including “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,...
- 10/20/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Afire (Christian Petzold)
Writing recently about the introduction of video umpires in baseball, of all things, Zach Helfand was skeptical: “accuracy is not the same as enjoyment,” he wrote, “baseball is meant to kill time, not maximize it.” The best films of German director Christian Petzold do both, though you sense his heart might belong to the latter. Petzold’s latest, Afire, unfurls with all the page-turning seduction of a gripping novella. It stars Thomas Schubert as a struggling writer who travels with a friend to a secluded house near the Baltic Sea. Their car breaks down. They encounter a beautiful woman. Somewhere in the distance, a forest fire rages. Soon, inevitably, another burns inside. – Rory O. (full review)
Where to Stream:...
Afire (Christian Petzold)
Writing recently about the introduction of video umpires in baseball, of all things, Zach Helfand was skeptical: “accuracy is not the same as enjoyment,” he wrote, “baseball is meant to kill time, not maximize it.” The best films of German director Christian Petzold do both, though you sense his heart might belong to the latter. Petzold’s latest, Afire, unfurls with all the page-turning seduction of a gripping novella. It stars Thomas Schubert as a struggling writer who travels with a friend to a secluded house near the Baltic Sea. Their car breaks down. They encounter a beautiful woman. Somewhere in the distance, a forest fire rages. Soon, inevitably, another burns inside. – Rory O. (full review)
Where to Stream:...
- 10/20/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A former spy, literary genius, and most importantly, a masterful storyteller, David Cornwell narrated much of his life in polished literary language in his biographical documentary The Pigeon Tunnel directed by Errol Morris. The Apple documentary film is a perfect character study of David Cornwell, a spy who hid his entire past life behind a pen name: John Le Carre. Although Errol Morris’s interview style is somewhat interrogative, in The Pigeon Tunnel, we find Morris in a very friendly mood. Almost entirely behind the camera, Morris becomes an important pillar throughout the film at times. Not only do we get to know more about Cornwell’s life, his ideology, and his writings, but there is a friendly and serene chemistry between him and Morris.
The Pigeon Tunnel is cinematically enriched in every way. Centered on famous espionage novelist David Cornwell, aka John Le Carre, the film has a dark,...
The Pigeon Tunnel is cinematically enriched in every way. Centered on famous espionage novelist David Cornwell, aka John Le Carre, the film has a dark,...
- 10/20/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
When it comes to interviews, there aren’t many as good as conducting them, than venerable documentarian Errol Morris. So needless to say, interviewing him was something of an intimidating task. Though when we spoke to the filmmaker, for the release of his latest film, The Pigeon Tunnel, which looks across the life of the late spy novelist John le Carré – in his own words – we released, we had nothing to worry about.
Morris was in good spirits as he speaks about his subject, and bringing such a wonderful life to screen. He also talks about how tonally, and stylistically, his own cinematic language can be informed by his subjects, while he tells us what he truly believes to make a good interview. Notes have been taken.
Watch the full interview with Errol Morris here:
Synopsis
“The Pigeon Tunnel,” is a riveting portrait of the master of espionage fiction, John...
Morris was in good spirits as he speaks about his subject, and bringing such a wonderful life to screen. He also talks about how tonally, and stylistically, his own cinematic language can be informed by his subjects, while he tells us what he truly believes to make a good interview. Notes have been taken.
Watch the full interview with Errol Morris here:
Synopsis
“The Pigeon Tunnel,” is a riveting portrait of the master of espionage fiction, John...
- 10/20/2023
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
You’ve no doubt heard of John le Carré––at least for the film adaptations of his novels, among them The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, A Most Wanted Man, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Before his death in 2020, the prolific and wildly successful author (real name: David Cornwell) sat down with Errol Morris to discuss his career, his childhood, and the nature of truth. The result is The Pigeon Tunnel, adapted from le Carré’s 2016 memoir of the same name. Revolving entirely around interviews with Cornwell, The Pigeon Tunnel proves a worthy watch for the novelist’s fans. It’s also too shallow to really captivate a layperson.
That’s not to say Cornwell is a trifling subject. He speaks like a writer, conjuring delightful phrases out of thin air. At the start he describes Morris’s filmmaking style thusly: “Sometimes you’re a spectral figure, sometimes you’re God,...
That’s not to say Cornwell is a trifling subject. He speaks like a writer, conjuring delightful phrases out of thin air. At the start he describes Morris’s filmmaking style thusly: “Sometimes you’re a spectral figure, sometimes you’re God,...
- 10/2/2023
- by Lena Wilson
- The Film Stage
In “The Pigeon Tunnel,” Academy-Award winning documentarian Errol Morris explores the life and career of former British spy David Cornwell — better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and “The Constant Gardener.” Set against the backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, the 94-minute docu spans six decades. Archival footage, dramatized vignettes and Morris’ expert interviewing skills allow viewers to see and hear the late spy and author in a very candid light. (Cornwell died in December 2020.)
“The Pigeon Tunnel,” which draws on Cornwell’s bestselling memoir of the same name, is an Apple Original Films production. The doc will debut at TIFF on Sept. 11.
I read that Cornwell really liked “The Fog of War,” which was part of the reason why he agreed to do this project. Is that accurate?...
“The Pigeon Tunnel,” which draws on Cornwell’s bestselling memoir of the same name, is an Apple Original Films production. The doc will debut at TIFF on Sept. 11.
I read that Cornwell really liked “The Fog of War,” which was part of the reason why he agreed to do this project. Is that accurate?...
- 9/11/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
When it comes to documentary filmmakers, Alex Gibney, Errol Morris and Raoul Peck are at the top of their game. Along with tremendous talent, each helmer possesses what every successful documentarian needs — business savvy — which in turn has allowed them to experience continued success over many years. The trio also has what most documentarians desire — clout and final cut.
But despite their respective success and power, Gibney, Morris and Peck agree that the film festivals where they first found success are still as important to their respective careers as ever before.
This year, Gibney’s “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” Morris’ “The Pigeon Tunnel” and Peck’s “Silver Dollar Road” will all screen at TIFF.
“The celebratory nature of festivals is awesome,” says Gibney. “It’s one of the reasons you make movies.”
Gibney spent three years making “In Restless Dreams,” a 209-minute film about Simon’s...
But despite their respective success and power, Gibney, Morris and Peck agree that the film festivals where they first found success are still as important to their respective careers as ever before.
This year, Gibney’s “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” Morris’ “The Pigeon Tunnel” and Peck’s “Silver Dollar Road” will all screen at TIFF.
“The celebratory nature of festivals is awesome,” says Gibney. “It’s one of the reasons you make movies.”
Gibney spent three years making “In Restless Dreams,” a 209-minute film about Simon’s...
- 9/9/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
At the beginning of “The Pigeon Tunnel,” British author and former intelligence officer David Cornwell – better known to millions of readers by his pen name, John le Carré – sits down in front of Errol Morris’ camera and immediately starts asking questions of the director. Morris is best known for coaxing damning admissions out of his subjects, most notably when former U.S. secretary of defense Robert McNamara admitted U.S. mistakes in Vietnam in “The Fog of War.”
But if the art of the interview is to get the subject to relax and disclose things they might not ordinarily do, forget it: Cornwell was once an interrogator for British intelligence and he never forgets the dance he’s involved in. “This is a performance,” he says, “and you need to know something about the ambitions of the people you’re talking to.”
But make no mistake, Cornwell brought some of...
But if the art of the interview is to get the subject to relax and disclose things they might not ordinarily do, forget it: Cornwell was once an interrogator for British intelligence and he never forgets the dance he’s involved in. “This is a performance,” he says, “and you need to know something about the ambitions of the people you’re talking to.”
But make no mistake, Cornwell brought some of...
- 9/1/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Do enough profiles or conduct enough interviews, and you develop a sixth sense that tingles when your subject utters words you know would make a good lede. Sometimes in that moment it’s hard to resist a tiny fist-pump.
Errol Morris’ new documentary The Pigeon Tunnel begins with such a moment. David Cornwell, known to the world at large as John le Carré, pauses and asks Morris about the role that the filmmaker hopes to play in their conversation.
“You need to know something about the ambitions of the people you’re talking to,” Cornwell observes.
Morris, of course, is a director so invested in the interaction between interviewer and subject that he developed a piece of technology dubbed the Interrotron to facilitate conversations more freely. It’s hard to imagine there’s anything he enjoys more than epistemological chatter of this sort — with the possible exception of finding himself...
Errol Morris’ new documentary The Pigeon Tunnel begins with such a moment. David Cornwell, known to the world at large as John le Carré, pauses and asks Morris about the role that the filmmaker hopes to play in their conversation.
“You need to know something about the ambitions of the people you’re talking to,” Cornwell observes.
Morris, of course, is a director so invested in the interaction between interviewer and subject that he developed a piece of technology dubbed the Interrotron to facilitate conversations more freely. It’s hard to imagine there’s anything he enjoys more than epistemological chatter of this sort — with the possible exception of finding himself...
- 9/1/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Apple Original Films has unveiled the trailer (see above) and key art (see below) for the highly anticipated documentary, The Pigeon Tunnel, a riveting portrait of the master of espionage fiction, John le Carré from Academy Award-winning Errol Morris.
In The Pigeon Tunnel, Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell — better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and The Constant Gardener. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. The Pigeon Tunnel is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré’s extraordinary journey and the paper-thin membrane between fact and fiction.
About...
In The Pigeon Tunnel, Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell — better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and The Constant Gardener. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. The Pigeon Tunnel is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré’s extraordinary journey and the paper-thin membrane between fact and fiction.
About...
- 9/1/2023
- by Editor
- CinemaNerdz
Apple Original Films unveiled the trailer for the highly anticipated documentary, ‘The Pigeon Tunnel,’ a portrait of the master of espionage fiction, John le Carré from Academy Award-winning Errol Morris.
In the doc, Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell—better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as ‘The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,’ ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ and ‘The Constant Gardener.’
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into the present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. The documentary is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré‘s extraordinary journey and the paper-thin membrane between fact and fiction.
Also in trailers – Trailer lands for crime docu-series Who Killed Jill Dando?...
In the doc, Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell—better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as ‘The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,’ ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ and ‘The Constant Gardener.’
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into the present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. The documentary is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré‘s extraordinary journey and the paper-thin membrane between fact and fiction.
Also in trailers – Trailer lands for crime docu-series Who Killed Jill Dando?...
- 8/31/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Few careers are as dangerous and exciting as that of a spy. Agents in charge of going behind enemy lines, uncovering secrets, and toppling empires from the inside hold the keys to stories best-selling authors can only dream of. Now Errol Morris is investigating one of the greats for a new documentary. Today, Apple Original Films unveiled The Pigeon Tunnel trailer, a stirring portrait of the master of espionage fiction, John le Carré.
In The Pigeon Tunnel, “Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell—better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and “The Constant Gardener,” says the documentary’s official press release. “Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into the present day, the film spans six decades as...
In The Pigeon Tunnel, “Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell—better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and “The Constant Gardener,” says the documentary’s official press release. “Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into the present day, the film spans six decades as...
- 8/30/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
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