Known for starring in multiple movies like Star Wars to Taken, Hollywood star Liam Neeson came under fire after he defended high-profile men who have been accused of inappropriate behavior. One of the names he commented on also included the actor-filmmaker Dustin Hoffman, who infamously slapped his Kramer vs. Kramer co-star Meryl Streep and has also been accused of s*xual misconduct by many women.
Liam Neeson in Star Wars Episode I- The Phantom Menace
Neeson, who suggested that there seems to be a “bit of a witch-hunt happening,” drew criticism from many who believe he is downplaying the seriousness of the allegations and failing to acknowledge the prevalence of such misconduct in various industries.
Liam Neeson’s Controversial Remarks on Allegations Against Dustin Hoffman
During an appearance on the Irish talk show The Late Late Show, actor Liam Neeson shared his views on the s*xual misconduct allegations against several prominent figures,...
Liam Neeson in Star Wars Episode I- The Phantom Menace
Neeson, who suggested that there seems to be a “bit of a witch-hunt happening,” drew criticism from many who believe he is downplaying the seriousness of the allegations and failing to acknowledge the prevalence of such misconduct in various industries.
Liam Neeson’s Controversial Remarks on Allegations Against Dustin Hoffman
During an appearance on the Irish talk show The Late Late Show, actor Liam Neeson shared his views on the s*xual misconduct allegations against several prominent figures,...
- 4/1/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
M. Emmet Walsh, the wily character actor who became an audience favorite for his deliciously despicable performances in such films as Blood Simple, Blade Runner, Brubaker and The Jerk, has died. He was 88.
Walsh died Tuesday in St. Albans, Vermont, his longtime manager, Sandy Joseph, told The Hollywood Reporter. The cause was cardiac arrest.
With his distinctive lumbering form and droll delivery, Walsh was an ideal supporting player. A master of off-kilter comic delivery and dogged edginess, he excelled at roles that dwelled in the darker corners of humanity. No matter whom he played, he made a colorful impact.
“A consummate old pro of the second-banana business, Walsh has left his mark on 109 movies and counting, with the grin of that big bastard who stands between you and something else — and knows it,” Nicolas Rapold wrote in a 2011 profile of the actor for L.A. Weekly.
In the same piece, Walsh...
Walsh died Tuesday in St. Albans, Vermont, his longtime manager, Sandy Joseph, told The Hollywood Reporter. The cause was cardiac arrest.
With his distinctive lumbering form and droll delivery, Walsh was an ideal supporting player. A master of off-kilter comic delivery and dogged edginess, he excelled at roles that dwelled in the darker corners of humanity. No matter whom he played, he made a colorful impact.
“A consummate old pro of the second-banana business, Walsh has left his mark on 109 movies and counting, with the grin of that big bastard who stands between you and something else — and knows it,” Nicolas Rapold wrote in a 2011 profile of the actor for L.A. Weekly.
In the same piece, Walsh...
- 3/20/2024
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here – today – we talk about movie Editors! Not the movies they edited that were legendary but the less legendary ones in between.
Today we speak with the great editor Darrin Navarro about the lauded editor Sam O’Steen, who worked on such masterpieces as The Graduate, Rosemary’s Baby, and Chinatown. The O’Steen-edited films we cover today are: The Day of the Dolphin, Straight Time, Nadine, and A Dry White Season.
Navarro talks about the editing process with William Friedkin (and how it changed a bit with The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial), how knowing when not to cut is as important as knowing when to cut when editing a film, O’Steen’s essential book Cut to the Chase: Forty-Five Years of Editing America’s Favourite Movies (written with his wife Bobbie O’Steen), and what a gem of a film Nadine is.
Highlights include...
Today we speak with the great editor Darrin Navarro about the lauded editor Sam O’Steen, who worked on such masterpieces as The Graduate, Rosemary’s Baby, and Chinatown. The O’Steen-edited films we cover today are: The Day of the Dolphin, Straight Time, Nadine, and A Dry White Season.
Navarro talks about the editing process with William Friedkin (and how it changed a bit with The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial), how knowing when not to cut is as important as knowing when to cut when editing a film, O’Steen’s essential book Cut to the Chase: Forty-Five Years of Editing America’s Favourite Movies (written with his wife Bobbie O’Steen), and what a gem of a film Nadine is.
Highlights include...
- 12/28/2023
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
Recently I was speaking to a friend, who's a few years younger than me, about our favorite movies. And to my dismay, it transpired that he'd never heard of "Heat." Not just hadn't seen it, but never heard of it. And honestly, I felt like I had to sit him down and have a little Al Pacino and Robert De Niro-style heart-to-heart after he dropped that bombshell.
Unfortunately, this was one of those moments when I realized that I am, in fact, incredibly old and that 1995 actually wasn't just a few years ago. To be specific, it was almost 30 years ago — more than enough time for the film to be obscured beneath several layers of cinematic sediment.
This is why it's so great to see Michael Mann's excellent crime epic (though the director doesn't consider it a crime movie) in the Netflix top 10 these days. It seems "Heat...
Unfortunately, this was one of those moments when I realized that I am, in fact, incredibly old and that 1995 actually wasn't just a few years ago. To be specific, it was almost 30 years ago — more than enough time for the film to be obscured beneath several layers of cinematic sediment.
This is why it's so great to see Michael Mann's excellent crime epic (though the director doesn't consider it a crime movie) in the Netflix top 10 these days. It seems "Heat...
- 5/20/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
"Jackie Brown" remains Quentin Tarantino's only departure from writing and directing his own films and, as such, it continues to stand just outside of the explosive, hyper-real universe he's created with all of his other features. Adapted from Elmore Leonard's 1992 novel "Rum Punch," Tarantino's follow-up after the unprecedented success of "Pulp Fiction" was intentionally crafted to fly right under the radar of the mainstream. The chances of duplicating the cultural phenomenon of "Pulp" just wasn't a possibility and whatever Tarantino was going to do next would be unfairly compared to what many still consider his masterpiece.
Until "Jackie Brown," Tarantino had essentially created his own cinematic universe (the Qtcu?) populated by characters dreamt up by his own imagination. "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction," "True Romance," and "Natural Born Killers" all have the same voice that remained intact even when other directors such as Tony Scott and Oliver Stone inserted their own established,...
Until "Jackie Brown," Tarantino had essentially created his own cinematic universe (the Qtcu?) populated by characters dreamt up by his own imagination. "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction," "True Romance," and "Natural Born Killers" all have the same voice that remained intact even when other directors such as Tony Scott and Oliver Stone inserted their own established,...
- 3/5/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
Of all the filmmakers of the modern era, few have such a recognizable style as Quentin Tarantino. Of course, Qt is known to switch things up from time to time, based on the period he wants to emulate in his films. But whether he's paying homage to the martial arts films of the Shaw Brothers, or delivering his own spin on the spaghetti Westerns of the '60s, Tarantino rarely strays from his heightened, highly-stylized look. That's not to say that Tarantino can't apply restraint, or even nuance if he feels so inclined. Compared to the pulpy energy of "Django Unchained" or the "Kill Bill" duology, "Jackie Brown" is uncharacteristically chill. It was only his third feature — directly following "Pulp Fiction" — but even then it was considered pretty understated for ol' Tarantino.
"Jackie Brown" follows the exploits of the titular flight attendant (the legendary Pam Grier) as she attempts to...
"Jackie Brown" follows the exploits of the titular flight attendant (the legendary Pam Grier) as she attempts to...
- 8/25/2022
- by Lyvie Scott
- Slash Film
"Emily the Criminal" isn't about a glamorous life of crime. It's not about the rocking highs, the one last job, or the score to end all scores. It's a crime story about survival, with its characters just trying to make it through another crummy week. As Chris Evangelista wrote in his review, "Coupled with the prevailing sense of economic hopelessness, 'Emily the Criminal' often feels like a crime saga for the gig economy; a 'Scarface' for people who work at DoorDash, with capitalism as the film's Big Bad."
John Patton Ford is the writer and director behind the throwback crime film, which focuses more on the mundane than the highly stylized. There's no artifice -- just Emily (Aubrey Plaza) working and hustling. It's a character-driven film with Plaza making every moment feel believable and vital. It's a great performance When we caught up with Ford recently to discuss the movie,...
John Patton Ford is the writer and director behind the throwback crime film, which focuses more on the mundane than the highly stylized. There's no artifice -- just Emily (Aubrey Plaza) working and hustling. It's a character-driven film with Plaza making every moment feel believable and vital. It's a great performance When we caught up with Ford recently to discuss the movie,...
- 8/11/2022
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
Small thief and parolee Max Dembo is pinned in a parole system that all but guarantees he’ll go back to robbing banks and jewelry stores. Dustin Hoffman has one of his best and most unusual roles, taken from the story of a real bank robber. Directed by Ulu Grosbard, the docu-drama look at the seedy side of Los Angeles is graced with a perfect cast: Theresa Russell, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton, M. Emmet Walsh, and Kathy Bates. Sure, the rotten parole officer drives Dembo back to crime, but pulling jobs is in his blood. It’s one of the best portraits of a criminal ever.
Straight Time
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1978 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 114 min. / Available at Amazon.com / Street Date September 29, 2021 / 21.99
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton, M. Emmet Walsh, Rita Taggart, Kathy Bates, Sandy Baron, Jake Busey.
Cinematography: Owen Roizman
Art Director: Dick Lawrence
Film Editors: Sam O’Steen,...
Straight Time
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1978 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 114 min. / Available at Amazon.com / Street Date September 29, 2021 / 21.99
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton, M. Emmet Walsh, Rita Taggart, Kathy Bates, Sandy Baron, Jake Busey.
Cinematography: Owen Roizman
Art Director: Dick Lawrence
Film Editors: Sam O’Steen,...
- 1/15/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The shortened in-person Berlin Film Festival (Feb. 10-16) has revealed a raft of high profile shows that will participate in keenly anticipated annual fixture Berlinale Series.
The strand opens with Amazon Prime Video Argentinian spy series “Yosi, the Regretful Spy” and also includes HBO Max Swedish friendship comedy series “Lust”; Lone Scherfig’s TV2 Danish maternity ward-set “The Shift”; Czech Television, Arte drama “Suspicion” from Czech Republic and France; British Sky supernatural thriller “The Rising”; Channel 2 Iceland police drama “Black Sand”; and from France’s Club illico, comedy-drama “Last Summers of the Raspberries.”
Films selected for the youth-focused Generation Kplus strand include “The Hill of Secrets” (South Korea); “Waters of Pastaza” (Portugal); “Moja Vesna” (Slovenia/Australia); “My Small Land” (Japan); “The Realm of God” (Mexico); “The Apple Day” (Iran); “Shabu” (Netherlands) and “Boney Piles” (Ukraine).
Films selected for the Generation 14plus strand include “Alis” (Colombia/Chile/Romania); “Bubble” (Japan...
The strand opens with Amazon Prime Video Argentinian spy series “Yosi, the Regretful Spy” and also includes HBO Max Swedish friendship comedy series “Lust”; Lone Scherfig’s TV2 Danish maternity ward-set “The Shift”; Czech Television, Arte drama “Suspicion” from Czech Republic and France; British Sky supernatural thriller “The Rising”; Channel 2 Iceland police drama “Black Sand”; and from France’s Club illico, comedy-drama “Last Summers of the Raspberries.”
Films selected for the youth-focused Generation Kplus strand include “The Hill of Secrets” (South Korea); “Waters of Pastaza” (Portugal); “Moja Vesna” (Slovenia/Australia); “My Small Land” (Japan); “The Realm of God” (Mexico); “The Apple Day” (Iran); “Shabu” (Netherlands) and “Boney Piles” (Ukraine).
Films selected for the Generation 14plus strand include “Alis” (Colombia/Chile/Romania); “Bubble” (Japan...
- 1/14/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
By Todd Garbarini
Dustin Hoffman has played a tremendous variety of roles throughout his 50-plus year career: an underconfident graduate in love with his fiancé’s mother; a terminally ill hustler; a mathematician forced to defend his home; real-lifers Lenny Bruce and Carl Bernstein; a marathon runner out to avenge his father’s and brother’s deaths; and most notably as a divorced father and a mentally challenged genius (for which he scored two Academy Awards for Best Actor), among many other memorable performances. However, there is one film that he made during all his great work in the 1970s that, despite receiving a sizeable theatrical release and decent reviews, is virtually unknown to anyone outside of his most ardent admirers. His young fans today who know him primarily from the “Fockers” films are probably oblivious to his interpretation of ex-convict Max Dembo...
By Todd Garbarini
Dustin Hoffman has played a tremendous variety of roles throughout his 50-plus year career: an underconfident graduate in love with his fiancé’s mother; a terminally ill hustler; a mathematician forced to defend his home; real-lifers Lenny Bruce and Carl Bernstein; a marathon runner out to avenge his father’s and brother’s deaths; and most notably as a divorced father and a mentally challenged genius (for which he scored two Academy Awards for Best Actor), among many other memorable performances. However, there is one film that he made during all his great work in the 1970s that, despite receiving a sizeable theatrical release and decent reviews, is virtually unknown to anyone outside of his most ardent admirers. His young fans today who know him primarily from the “Fockers” films are probably oblivious to his interpretation of ex-convict Max Dembo...
- 12/5/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
With the Emmy-decorated, too-many-people’s-favorite-show-to-count triumph of his role on “Ted Lasso,” Jason Sudeikis has joined the rarefied club of all-stops-out comedians who make the transition to becoming full-on dramatic actors. That said, “Ted Lasso” is a drama streaked with comedy. So you could say that Sudeikis, for all the adoration and acclaim he’s earned, still hasn’t quite entered the fabled upper echelon of the “All comedians want to play Hamlet — but only a few get to do it” stratosphere.
That may explain why he signed on to play the lead role in “South of Heaven,” a seedy indie romantic crackpot noir, set in Texas, that casts him as a convict doing all he can to stay out of trouble. At first, the movie seems like a variation on “Straight Time,” the 1978 Dustin Hoffman drama that’s still one of the most authentic films of its era about...
That may explain why he signed on to play the lead role in “South of Heaven,” a seedy indie romantic crackpot noir, set in Texas, that casts him as a convict doing all he can to stay out of trouble. At first, the movie seems like a variation on “Straight Time,” the 1978 Dustin Hoffman drama that’s still one of the most authentic films of its era about...
- 10/7/2021
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Dustin Hoffman, Teresa Russell, Harry Dean Stanton and Gary Busey in Straight Time (1978) will be available on Blu-ray September 28th from Warner Archive
After many juvenile detentions and six years in prison, the small time thief and burglar Max Dembo is released on parole. Max has an initial friction with his nasty parole officer Earl Frank, but the officer agrees to let him live in a hotel room if he gets a job within a week. Max goes to an employment agency and the attendant Jenny Mercer helps him to get a job in a can industry. Max decides to go straight and visits his old friend Willy Darin and his family. When Willy brings Max home, he injects heroin and leaves his spoon under Max’s bed. Max dates Jenny, and on the next day after hours, he finds Frank waiting for him snooping around his room. Frank finds...
After many juvenile detentions and six years in prison, the small time thief and burglar Max Dembo is released on parole. Max has an initial friction with his nasty parole officer Earl Frank, but the officer agrees to let him live in a hotel room if he gets a job within a week. Max goes to an employment agency and the attendant Jenny Mercer helps him to get a job in a can industry. Max decides to go straight and visits his old friend Willy Darin and his family. When Willy brings Max home, he injects heroin and leaves his spoon under Max’s bed. Max dates Jenny, and on the next day after hours, he finds Frank waiting for him snooping around his room. Frank finds...
- 9/1/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Actor David Morse joins Josh and Joe to talk about his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Slaughter Rule (2002)
Dancer In The Dark (2000)
A History Of Violence (2005)
The Indian Runner (1991)
Inside Moves (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Death Wish (1974) – Darren Bousman’s trailer commentary
The Virtuoso (2021)
The Crossing Guard (1995)
Prototype (1983)
Cry in the Wild: The Taking of Peggy Ann (1991)
Seven Beauties (1975)
Swept Away (1974)
Mimic (1997)
Hannibal (2001)
Mean Streets (1973)
Taxi Driver (1976) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary
The Godfather Part II (1974) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
Being There (1979) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary
The Ghost of Peter Sellers (2018)
A Shot In The Dark (1964) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Midnight Cowboy (1969) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Papillon (1973)
Straight Time (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Straw Dogs (1971) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Wait Until Dark (1967) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Catch 22 (1970) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Desperate Hours (1990)
The Bounty...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Slaughter Rule (2002)
Dancer In The Dark (2000)
A History Of Violence (2005)
The Indian Runner (1991)
Inside Moves (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Death Wish (1974) – Darren Bousman’s trailer commentary
The Virtuoso (2021)
The Crossing Guard (1995)
Prototype (1983)
Cry in the Wild: The Taking of Peggy Ann (1991)
Seven Beauties (1975)
Swept Away (1974)
Mimic (1997)
Hannibal (2001)
Mean Streets (1973)
Taxi Driver (1976) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary
The Godfather Part II (1974) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
Being There (1979) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary
The Ghost of Peter Sellers (2018)
A Shot In The Dark (1964) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Midnight Cowboy (1969) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Papillon (1973)
Straight Time (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Straw Dogs (1971) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Wait Until Dark (1967) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Catch 22 (1970) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Desperate Hours (1990)
The Bounty...
- 5/18/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
The newest release from Bruce Springsteen’s official live album series is a show he played in Nice, France on May 18th, 1997. This was the tail end of the Ghost of Tom Joad tour and features a mixture of new songs like “Straight Time” and “Highway 29” with classics like “The Promised Land and “Atlantic City” and deep cuts like “Red Headed Woman’ and “Highway Patrolman.” To mark the release, the Springsteen archives shared a preview from the concert, “Murder Incorporated.”
“In the States we got a part of our population...
“In the States we got a part of our population...
- 2/6/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
‘I’m Your Woman’ Cast & Creators On Flipping The ’70s Female Crime Drama Archetype – Contenders Film
For all the praise of how great ’70s cinema was, when you come to think about it, many of the great crime classics like Straight Time, The Godfather and Thief were all testosterone-driven, with female characters resigned to second- or third-class status. Unfortunate, considering an era known for its sense of revolution.
Such was the jumping off point for Julia Hart’s Amazon Studios movie I’m Your Woman. which she co-wrote with her Oscar-nominated La La Land producer husband Jordan Horowitz. The movie stars Rachel Brosnahan as the wife of a gangster who, after his disappearance, is forced to go on the lam with their baby, who is stolen, and the Black bodyguard (Arinzé Kene) who is protecting her.
“We were watching a bunch of ’70s and early ’80s crime drama around the time we also became parents,'” Hart says during the movie’s panel at Deadline’s Contenders Film awards-season event,...
Such was the jumping off point for Julia Hart’s Amazon Studios movie I’m Your Woman. which she co-wrote with her Oscar-nominated La La Land producer husband Jordan Horowitz. The movie stars Rachel Brosnahan as the wife of a gangster who, after his disappearance, is forced to go on the lam with their baby, who is stolen, and the Black bodyguard (Arinzé Kene) who is protecting her.
“We were watching a bunch of ’70s and early ’80s crime drama around the time we also became parents,'” Hart says during the movie’s panel at Deadline’s Contenders Film awards-season event,...
- 1/24/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Athens-born Fokion Bogris is among the generation of Greeks who have spent most of their adult lives in the shadow of austerity measures and a seemingly never-ending economic crisis. Like many of his country’s filmmakers, the self-taught director, who turned 40 last year, continues to persevere, even as the coronavirus pandemic has compounded the challenges for an already cash-strapped film industry. “In these extreme conditions there is a great drive for cinema, but there is also great pessimism,” he told Variety.
Bogris nevertheless returns with his first feature film in over a decade, “Amercement,” which he directed off a script he co-wrote with Panos Tragos. The film world premieres in the Meet the Neighbors competition of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, where it will be available on the fest’s VOD platform on Nov. 8. “Amercement” is produced by Chase the Cut, in collaboration with Authorwave. Chase the Cut is handling world sales.
Bogris nevertheless returns with his first feature film in over a decade, “Amercement,” which he directed off a script he co-wrote with Panos Tragos. The film world premieres in the Meet the Neighbors competition of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, where it will be available on the fest’s VOD platform on Nov. 8. “Amercement” is produced by Chase the Cut, in collaboration with Authorwave. Chase the Cut is handling world sales.
- 11/4/2020
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The director of Over The Edge and The Accused takes us on a journey through some of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Student Teachers (1973)
Night Call Nurses (1972)
White Line Fever (1975)
Truck Turner (1974)
Heart Like A Wheel (1983)
The Accused (1988)
Over The Edge (1979)
Modern Times (1936)
City Lights (1931)
Manhattan (1979)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Apartment (1960)
North By Northwest (1959)
Moon Pilot (1962)
Mr. Billion (1977)
White Heat (1949)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers (1974)
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Shane (1953)
The 400 Blows (1959)
8 ½ (1963)
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
Richard (1972)
Millhouse (1971)
The Projectionist (1970)
El Dorado (1966)
The Shootist (1976)
Woodstock (1970)
Payback (1999)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
Billy Liar (1963)
Ford Vs Ferrari (2019)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
Bad Girls (1994)
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Giant (1956)
The More The Merrier (1943)
The Graduate (1967)
The Victors (1963)
…And Justice For All (1979)
Citizen Kane (1941)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Student Teachers (1973)
Night Call Nurses (1972)
White Line Fever (1975)
Truck Turner (1974)
Heart Like A Wheel (1983)
The Accused (1988)
Over The Edge (1979)
Modern Times (1936)
City Lights (1931)
Manhattan (1979)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Apartment (1960)
North By Northwest (1959)
Moon Pilot (1962)
Mr. Billion (1977)
White Heat (1949)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers (1974)
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Shane (1953)
The 400 Blows (1959)
8 ½ (1963)
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
Richard (1972)
Millhouse (1971)
The Projectionist (1970)
El Dorado (1966)
The Shootist (1976)
Woodstock (1970)
Payback (1999)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
Billy Liar (1963)
Ford Vs Ferrari (2019)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
Bad Girls (1994)
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Giant (1956)
The More The Merrier (1943)
The Graduate (1967)
The Victors (1963)
…And Justice For All (1979)
Citizen Kane (1941)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn...
- 7/7/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
A contemporary British movie version is to be made of Little Boy Blue, one of the novels by cult American writer and convicted criminal Edward Bunker, who died in 2005.
A contemporary British movie version is to be made of Little Boy Blue, one of the novels by cult American writer and convicted criminal Edward Bunker, who died in 2005.
Bunker was the co-star of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs (as Mr Blue). His books have sold over 3 million copies and have spawned such films as Straight Time (1978), Animal Factory (2000) and Dog Eat Dog (2016).
Bridge Way Films and Ipso Facto Productions are...
A contemporary British movie version is to be made of Little Boy Blue, one of the novels by cult American writer and convicted criminal Edward Bunker, who died in 2005.
Bunker was the co-star of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs (as Mr Blue). His books have sold over 3 million copies and have spawned such films as Straight Time (1978), Animal Factory (2000) and Dog Eat Dog (2016).
Bridge Way Films and Ipso Facto Productions are...
- 2/22/2020
- by 57¦Geoffrey Macnab¦41¦
- ScreenDaily
The current Marvel Cinematic Universe of superhero blockbusters, sequels and spin-offs might not exist if not for screenwriter Alvin Sargent, who is dead from natural causes at age 92 on May 9.
The two-time Oscar winner for his scripts for 1977’s “Julia” and 1980’s “Ordinary People” was involved in the screenplays for the original “Spider-Man” trilogy that began in 2002 starring Tobey Maguire as Spidey the web-slinger that would redefine and elevate the modern superhero genre and set the standard for all the spandex-wearing crusaders who followed. I recall Oscar talk for the possibility that Sargent’s much-praised script for 2004’s “Spider-Man 2” could be nominated — an unheard-of notion back then for a film based on a comic-book.
See Celebrity Deaths 2019: In Memoriam Gallery
Sargent would also contribute to 2012’s “The Amazing Spider-Man,” the reboot of the series starring Andrew Garfield. It would be his final script, which the scribe completed when...
The two-time Oscar winner for his scripts for 1977’s “Julia” and 1980’s “Ordinary People” was involved in the screenplays for the original “Spider-Man” trilogy that began in 2002 starring Tobey Maguire as Spidey the web-slinger that would redefine and elevate the modern superhero genre and set the standard for all the spandex-wearing crusaders who followed. I recall Oscar talk for the possibility that Sargent’s much-praised script for 2004’s “Spider-Man 2” could be nominated — an unheard-of notion back then for a film based on a comic-book.
See Celebrity Deaths 2019: In Memoriam Gallery
Sargent would also contribute to 2012’s “The Amazing Spider-Man,” the reboot of the series starring Andrew Garfield. It would be his final script, which the scribe completed when...
- 5/11/2019
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Alvin Sargent, who won Oscars for writing Ordinary People and Julia and was nominated for Paper Moon, has died of natural causes in Seattle. He was 92. Sargent also won WGA Awards for all three of those films and received the guild’s career honor, the Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement, in 1991.
Sargent penned more than two dozen feature screenplays from the 1960s into the 2010s, most recently The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Spider-Man 3 (2007) and Spider-Man 2 (2004). His feature credits also include What About Bob? (1991), Other People’s Money (1991) and Unfaithful (2002).
He began his screenwriting career in television, penning episodes of such 1960s drama series Ben Casey, Route 66, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Run for Your Life. He also wrote episodes of ABC’s short-lived Paper Moon spinoff series in which Jodie Foster played the role that won Tatum O’Neal a Supporting Actress Oscar.
Born on April 12, 1927, in Philadelphia, Sargent had...
Sargent penned more than two dozen feature screenplays from the 1960s into the 2010s, most recently The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Spider-Man 3 (2007) and Spider-Man 2 (2004). His feature credits also include What About Bob? (1991), Other People’s Money (1991) and Unfaithful (2002).
He began his screenwriting career in television, penning episodes of such 1960s drama series Ben Casey, Route 66, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Run for Your Life. He also wrote episodes of ABC’s short-lived Paper Moon spinoff series in which Jodie Foster played the role that won Tatum O’Neal a Supporting Actress Oscar.
Born on April 12, 1927, in Philadelphia, Sargent had...
- 5/11/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Academy Award winner Alvin Sargent, who penned an extraordinary number of popular and critically successful films, from “Paper Moon” and “Ordinary People” to the “Spider-Man” sequels of the 2000s, died Thursday, his talent agency Gersh confirmed to Variety. He was 92.
Sargent won adapted screenplay Oscars for “Julia” in 1978 and “Ordinary People” in 1981 and was also nominated in the category in 1974 for “Paper Moon.” (He also received Writers Guild awards for all three films.) The writer worked with many of Hollywood’s top directors over the course of his career, including Alan J. Pakula, John Frankenheimer. Paul Newman, Peter Bogdanovich, Sydney Pollack, Fred Zinnemann, Robert Redford, Martin Ritt, Norman Jewison, Stephen Frears and Wayne Wang, though not always when those helmers were doing their best work.
Sargent started as a writer for television but broke into features with his screenplay for 1966’s “Gambit,” a Ronald Neame-directed comedy thriller starring Michael Caine,...
Sargent won adapted screenplay Oscars for “Julia” in 1978 and “Ordinary People” in 1981 and was also nominated in the category in 1974 for “Paper Moon.” (He also received Writers Guild awards for all three films.) The writer worked with many of Hollywood’s top directors over the course of his career, including Alan J. Pakula, John Frankenheimer. Paul Newman, Peter Bogdanovich, Sydney Pollack, Fred Zinnemann, Robert Redford, Martin Ritt, Norman Jewison, Stephen Frears and Wayne Wang, though not always when those helmers were doing their best work.
Sargent started as a writer for television but broke into features with his screenplay for 1966’s “Gambit,” a Ronald Neame-directed comedy thriller starring Michael Caine,...
- 5/11/2019
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Cannes — Showtime’s limited series “Escape at Dannemora” marks a departure for Ben Stiller as a director, by design as he tackled eight hours of the stranger-than-fiction story of the 2015 prison break in upstate New York that led to a three-week manhunt.
During a Q&A after Monday’s world premiere screening of “Dannemora” at Mipcom, Stiller said he sought to evoke the gritty tension of some of his favorite 1970s crime dramas a la “Dog Day Afternoon,” “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” and “Straight Time.” The drama starring Benicio Del Toro, Patricia Arquette and Paul Dano, revolves around two inmates who hacked their way of a prison in Dannemora, N.Y., with help from a female prison official who had a sexual relationship with both men.
“I was taken by the combination of elements in it,” Stiller said of the series that bows Nov. 18. “It wasn’t just a genre piece.
During a Q&A after Monday’s world premiere screening of “Dannemora” at Mipcom, Stiller said he sought to evoke the gritty tension of some of his favorite 1970s crime dramas a la “Dog Day Afternoon,” “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” and “Straight Time.” The drama starring Benicio Del Toro, Patricia Arquette and Paul Dano, revolves around two inmates who hacked their way of a prison in Dannemora, N.Y., with help from a female prison official who had a sexual relationship with both men.
“I was taken by the combination of elements in it,” Stiller said of the series that bows Nov. 18. “It wasn’t just a genre piece.
- 10/15/2018
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Warning: This post contains major spoilers for the series finale of The Mindy Project.
So The Mindy Project‘s titular heroine got her man, her business and her happy ending, after all.
RelatedPerformer of the Week: Mindy Project‘s Chris Messina and More
In the series finale, released Tuesday on Hulu, Mindy Kaling’s Dr. Lahiri reunited with former fiancé/baby daddy Danny, who also fronted the money that allowed her to keep her fertility clinic open. The financial backing was a surprise, but it was nowhere near as shocking as Dr. Castellano’s earnest admission that he’d been wrong seasons before,...
So The Mindy Project‘s titular heroine got her man, her business and her happy ending, after all.
RelatedPerformer of the Week: Mindy Project‘s Chris Messina and More
In the series finale, released Tuesday on Hulu, Mindy Kaling’s Dr. Lahiri reunited with former fiancé/baby daddy Danny, who also fronted the money that allowed her to keep her fertility clinic open. The financial backing was a surprise, but it was nowhere near as shocking as Dr. Castellano’s earnest admission that he’d been wrong seasons before,...
- 11/14/2017
- TVLine.com
Tributes have been pouring in for Harry Dean Stanton, who died yesterday at 91 after a six-decade career that saw him steal scenes in movies as varied as “Pretty in Pink,” “Repo Man,” and “The Godfather Part II.” Stanton left behind a huge number of friends and colleagues, many of whom have taken to social media to honor the late performer.
Read More:Harry Dean Stanton’s Best Performances: An IndieWire Tribute to ‘Paris, Texas,’ ‘Pretty in Pink,’ ‘Twin Peaks,’ and More
Harry Dean Stanton had the best line in Christine: "I'm selling' this shithole and buyin' a condo." Rest in peace, HD. You were great.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 15, 2017
But also 'Wild At Heart', 'Straight Time', 'Escape From New York', 'Two Lane Blacktop', 'Wise Blood', 'Christine' and many others still. pic.twitter.com/4eEVgOR2e8
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) September 15, 2017
Harry Dean Stanton...
Read More:Harry Dean Stanton’s Best Performances: An IndieWire Tribute to ‘Paris, Texas,’ ‘Pretty in Pink,’ ‘Twin Peaks,’ and More
Harry Dean Stanton had the best line in Christine: "I'm selling' this shithole and buyin' a condo." Rest in peace, HD. You were great.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 15, 2017
But also 'Wild At Heart', 'Straight Time', 'Escape From New York', 'Two Lane Blacktop', 'Wise Blood', 'Christine' and many others still. pic.twitter.com/4eEVgOR2e8
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) September 15, 2017
Harry Dean Stanton...
- 9/16/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Adaptation (Spike Jonze)
It’s almost depressing to rewatch Adaptation in 2016, because it’s a reminder of how strong an actor Nicolas Cage is when he actually invests himself in good projects. It was soon after this that his career went off the rails, but he’s remarkably impressive here, playing the dual roles of Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother, Donald. As much a mind-fuck as any other Kaufman screenplay,...
Adaptation (Spike Jonze)
It’s almost depressing to rewatch Adaptation in 2016, because it’s a reminder of how strong an actor Nicolas Cage is when he actually invests himself in good projects. It was soon after this that his career went off the rails, but he’s remarkably impressive here, playing the dual roles of Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother, Donald. As much a mind-fuck as any other Kaufman screenplay,...
- 8/4/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Each month, the fine folks at FilmStruck and the Criterion Collection spend countless hours crafting their channels to highlight the many different types of films that they have in their streaming library. This August will feature an exciting assortment of films, as noted below.
To sign up for a free two-week trial here.
Tuesday, August 1
Tuesday’s Short + Feature: These Boots and Mystery Train
Music is at the heart of this program, which pairs a zany music video by Finnish master Aki Kaurismäki with a tune-filled career highlight from American independent-film pioneer Jim Jarmusch. In the 1993 These Boots, Kaurismäki’s band of pompadoured “Finnish Elvis” rockers, the Leningrad Cowboys, cover a Nancy Sinatra classic in their signature deadpan style. It’s the perfect prelude to Jarmusch’s 1989 Mystery Train, a homage to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the musical legacy of Memphis, featuring appearances by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Joe Strummer.
To sign up for a free two-week trial here.
Tuesday, August 1
Tuesday’s Short + Feature: These Boots and Mystery Train
Music is at the heart of this program, which pairs a zany music video by Finnish master Aki Kaurismäki with a tune-filled career highlight from American independent-film pioneer Jim Jarmusch. In the 1993 These Boots, Kaurismäki’s band of pompadoured “Finnish Elvis” rockers, the Leningrad Cowboys, cover a Nancy Sinatra classic in their signature deadpan style. It’s the perfect prelude to Jarmusch’s 1989 Mystery Train, a homage to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the musical legacy of Memphis, featuring appearances by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Joe Strummer.
- 7/24/2017
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
We recommend titles that influenced Ben Wheatley and more.
With his sixth feature, Ben Wheatley finally has a wide release in America. Free Fire might be his most accessible movie yet, consisting a single location and pretty much just one long action sequence. It’s basically a 90-minute third act without the first two acts getting in the way. Also it features Oscar winner Brie Larson, and who doesn’t like watching her act?
If you like what you see, then you’ll want to discover Wheatley’s other work, starting with the small crime film Down Terrace, which kicked off his career. I also recommend the following dozen movies, some of which are direct influences on Wheatley, others being similar kinds of films, and then just whatever else I had determined worthy.
The Truce Hurts (1948)
Ben Wheatley loves Tom and Jerry cartoons and has cited them as an influence on his latest movie. I...
With his sixth feature, Ben Wheatley finally has a wide release in America. Free Fire might be his most accessible movie yet, consisting a single location and pretty much just one long action sequence. It’s basically a 90-minute third act without the first two acts getting in the way. Also it features Oscar winner Brie Larson, and who doesn’t like watching her act?
If you like what you see, then you’ll want to discover Wheatley’s other work, starting with the small crime film Down Terrace, which kicked off his career. I also recommend the following dozen movies, some of which are direct influences on Wheatley, others being similar kinds of films, and then just whatever else I had determined worthy.
The Truce Hurts (1948)
Ben Wheatley loves Tom and Jerry cartoons and has cited them as an influence on his latest movie. I...
- 4/21/2017
- by Christopher Campbell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Cannon Films knocks one out of the park: Jon Voight and Eric Roberts escape from prison only to end up on a huge, speeding, out of control juggernaut of a freight train plowing through the Alaskan wilderness. It's both an action bruise-fest and an existential statement, and it's still a wild thrill ride. Runaway Train Blu-ray Twilight Time 1985 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date October 11, 2016 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95 Starring Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay, Kyle T. Heffner, John P. Ryan T.K. Carter, Kenneth McMillan, Edward Bunker, Hank Worden, Danny Trejo, Tommy Lister, Don MacLaughlin, Loren James, Dick Durock, Dennis Franz. Cinematography Alan Hume Original Music Trevor Jones Written by Djordje Milecevic, Paul Zindel, Edward Bunker based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa. Produced by Yoram Globus, Menachem Golan Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
When I stumbled into The Cannon Group on...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
When I stumbled into The Cannon Group on...
- 11/15/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Cinemax's '70s action drama Quarry was among the best-looking TV shows to air in 2016, and tonight's first season finale was its most visually impressive, highlighted by a nine-plus minute Vietnam battle that looked like a "oner," showbiz parlance for a long scene filmed in a single take. There were actually a few hidden edits in there, but the great bulk of it really was shot in one take, which required an absurd amount of preparation on behalf of director Greg Yaitanes and the rest of the cast and crew. Yaitanes, a TV veteran who most recently was the producing director on Cinemax's Banshee, joined some elite company when he directed all 8 hours of this season — a feat that's placed him in impressive company with Steven Soderbergh (The Knick), Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective season 1), Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot season 2), and David Lynch (the upcoming Twin Peaks revival), who have...
- 10/29/2016
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
Dog Eat DogI collapsed on my bed in the Hotel Cristal in Cannes, the curtains blowing in the breeze, just like in Roy Scheider’s room before he gets the piano wire in Marathon Man, and somehow managed to dimly fall asleep until the text function on my phone started quacking. It was the girl I love, in Los Angeles, texting to say, I missed my flight. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry. What? Sorry? How can you even be sorry for missing a flight to Cannes—especially after I had added on a leg from Istanbul to Nice so she wouldn’t miss the opening-night parties? I was crushed. Heartbroken. We talked, but I knew it portended something bad. And I was especially pissed because this came a mere three and a half hours before my movie, Dog Eat Dog, was going to have its...
- 6/27/2016
- MUBI
You can’t really do crime without landing somewhere near Eddie Bunker. The former convict turned author and movie consultant has his finger prints all over some of the best crime films. He wrote the screenplays for the underrated Dustin Hoffman-starring “Straight Time” (1978), “Runaway Train” (1985) and “Animal Factory” (2000). He consulted with Michael Mann […]
The post Watch: Teaser Trailer For Paul Schrader’s ‘Dog Eat Dog’ With Willem Dafoe and Nicolas Cage appeared first on The Playlist.
The post Watch: Teaser Trailer For Paul Schrader’s ‘Dog Eat Dog’ With Willem Dafoe and Nicolas Cage appeared first on The Playlist.
- 5/20/2016
- by The Playlist
- The Playlist
Failure is the name of the game here. This is an in-depth look at some of the most common reasons that heists in films go wrong.
Heists in films rarely go right. In fact, the heist gone bad is a plot device that has been used over and over for decades. It adds drama. It adds tension. It adds excitement as the crooks run from the law. Often times, that’s what makes a heist movie so fun to watch, seeing how the characters get themselves out of a tight situation. A perfect heist can be interesting to watch, but doesn’t really enhance or create much conflict between characters by itself. That’s why heists gone wrong are much more frequent in film than heists which go off without a flaw.
There are many ways a heist can go wrong. This is an overview of some of the most common reasons,...
Heists in films rarely go right. In fact, the heist gone bad is a plot device that has been used over and over for decades. It adds drama. It adds tension. It adds excitement as the crooks run from the law. Often times, that’s what makes a heist movie so fun to watch, seeing how the characters get themselves out of a tight situation. A perfect heist can be interesting to watch, but doesn’t really enhance or create much conflict between characters by itself. That’s why heists gone wrong are much more frequent in film than heists which go off without a flaw.
There are many ways a heist can go wrong. This is an overview of some of the most common reasons,...
- 8/9/2015
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (G.S. Perno)
- Cinelinx
It's one thing to be a part of a huge franchise, spanning several films and carrying the weight of untold box office expectations, but it's an entirely separate thing to be involved in two huge franchises. And that's the position that Miles Teller has found himself in, with the second chapter in the "Divergent" series, "Insurgent," opening this week, and a brand new reboot of Marvel's "Fantastic Four" hitting theaters later this summer. But if he's feeling the pressure, he's certainly not showing it.
I sat down with Teller in Austin, Texas, during the South by Southwest Film Festival, a weeklong celebration of mostly independent films, to talk about "Insurgent," a towering behemoth of a movie whose production budget is probably equal to most of the independents screening at South by Southwest combined. (We also talked about Teller's "Whiplash," the indie movie that seduced Sundance last year and went on...
I sat down with Teller in Austin, Texas, during the South by Southwest Film Festival, a weeklong celebration of mostly independent films, to talk about "Insurgent," a towering behemoth of a movie whose production budget is probably equal to most of the independents screening at South by Southwest combined. (We also talked about Teller's "Whiplash," the indie movie that seduced Sundance last year and went on...
- 3/20/2015
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
The From Dusk Till Dawn TV series continues to bolster its cast and we’ve learned that Adrianne Palicki, Jake Busey, and Lane Garrison are the latest additions:
“New York and Austin, TX – December 16, 2013 – Additional cast members have joined the Austin-based production of the highly-anticipated, “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series,”premiering in Q1 2014 on El Rey Network, the new 24-hour English-language cable network. Produced in association with FactoryMade Ventures and created and executive produced by network founder and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, the supernatural crime saga (based on the cult classic film of the same name) will feature Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights, G.I. Joe: Retaliation) in the newly-created role of Vanessa Styles; Jake Busey (Starship Troopers, Enemy of the State, Identity) as Professor Aiden Tanner; and Lane Garrison (Bonnie & Clyde, Prison Break) as Pete, a character portrayed by John Hawkes in the original film. The 10-episode series will serve...
“New York and Austin, TX – December 16, 2013 – Additional cast members have joined the Austin-based production of the highly-anticipated, “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series,”premiering in Q1 2014 on El Rey Network, the new 24-hour English-language cable network. Produced in association with FactoryMade Ventures and created and executive produced by network founder and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, the supernatural crime saga (based on the cult classic film of the same name) will feature Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights, G.I. Joe: Retaliation) in the newly-created role of Vanessa Styles; Jake Busey (Starship Troopers, Enemy of the State, Identity) as Professor Aiden Tanner; and Lane Garrison (Bonnie & Clyde, Prison Break) as Pete, a character portrayed by John Hawkes in the original film. The 10-episode series will serve...
- 12/16/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
As all lovers of crime, suspense thriller, war, western, horror and science fiction films know, creating a truly great cinematic villain is no easy task. When it happens, it’s virtually impossible to forget that character.
We’ll now take a look at the greatest film villains of the 1980’s.
The criteria for this article is the same as my previous article Cinema’s Greatest Villains: The 1970’s: the villains must be from live-action films-no animated features-and must pose some type of direct or indirect lethal threat. The villains can be either individuals or small groups that act as one unit.
The villains must be human or human in appearance, so no shape-shifting alien from John Carpenter’s amazing 1982 The Thing, no Aliens from James Cameron’s classic 1986 sequel and no Predator from John McTiernan’s beloved 1987 film of the same name.
Also, individuals that are the central protagonists/antiheroes...
We’ll now take a look at the greatest film villains of the 1980’s.
The criteria for this article is the same as my previous article Cinema’s Greatest Villains: The 1970’s: the villains must be from live-action films-no animated features-and must pose some type of direct or indirect lethal threat. The villains can be either individuals or small groups that act as one unit.
The villains must be human or human in appearance, so no shape-shifting alien from John Carpenter’s amazing 1982 The Thing, no Aliens from James Cameron’s classic 1986 sequel and no Predator from John McTiernan’s beloved 1987 film of the same name.
Also, individuals that are the central protagonists/antiheroes...
- 6/12/2013
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
When film directors stage a scene from the mid-1970s, we all know how it’s done: They’ll clear everything out of a shot — commercial signage, etc. — that violates the period, and then they’ll plunk down a bunch of 1970s parked cars. Yet what they end up with still doesn’t usually look like the period — it looks prefab — and watching Blood Ties, a rivetingly scuzzy and authentic New York cops-and-crime drama (it’s set in 1974), starring Clive Owen as a hard case who has just gotten out of prison and Billy Crudup as his straight-arrow policeman brother,...
- 5/20/2013
- by Owen Gleiberman
- EW - Inside Movies
Toronto -- At least Dustin Hoffman is honest when asked why it took him so long to make his directing debut.
"I don't know," Hoffman said.
The 75-year-old Hoffman went behind the camera for "Quartet," starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins as aging British opera divas at a retirement home for musicians who put aside past differences for a reunion concert.
"Quartet," which premiered at last September's Toronto International Film Festival, opened in a handful of theaters Jan. 11 and expands to wider release Friday.
Hoffman always wanted to direct, optioning stories, working on scripts, developing projects. He even started out to direct the 1978 ex-convict drama "Straight Time," in which he also was starring. Hoffman cast the film, worked on the script with several writers and said he "even got myself secreted into San Quentin – which is another story – in a convict's outfit for about five hours before I got found out.
"I don't know," Hoffman said.
The 75-year-old Hoffman went behind the camera for "Quartet," starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins as aging British opera divas at a retirement home for musicians who put aside past differences for a reunion concert.
"Quartet," which premiered at last September's Toronto International Film Festival, opened in a handful of theaters Jan. 11 and expands to wider release Friday.
Hoffman always wanted to direct, optioning stories, working on scripts, developing projects. He even started out to direct the 1978 ex-convict drama "Straight Time," in which he also was starring. Hoffman cast the film, worked on the script with several writers and said he "even got myself secreted into San Quentin – which is another story – in a convict's outfit for about five hours before I got found out.
- 1/24/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
New Year's Potpourri week concludes at Trailers from Hell with screenwriter Josh Olson introducing "Straight Time," which star Dustin Hoffman directed for the first few days of production, and features a screenplay with uncredited contributions by Michael Mann. Quartet, Dustin Hoffman's well-received 2012 directing debut, wasn't his first time behind the camera. In 1978 he began helming this gritty street drama but handed over the reins after a few days because, lacking video assist, he felt he couldn't fairly judge his performance as an incorrigible ex-con on parole. Screen debuts of Gary Busey, Theresa Russell and Kathy Bates.
- 1/4/2013
- by Trailers From Hell
- Thompson on Hollywood
Dustin Hoffman has taken 45 years as both one of our most acclaimed actors, and as a major box office draw, to step behind the camera. In fact, that's not strictly true; Hoffman was the original director of his terminally underrated 1978 crime picture "Straight Time," but struck by indecisiveness early in production, made way for Ulu Grosbard instead. But now, nearly 35 years on, the legendary star has finally completed his debut directorial effort, "Quartet," an adaptation of the play by Ronald Harwood ("The Pianist"). A modest little comedy about retired British opera singers, it's not immediately an intuitive choice for Hoffman, the man who starred in "The Graduate," "Midnight Cowboy" and "Straw Dogs," among others. But it's easy enough to see how it happened; the film's a love letter to retired performers of any kind, and particularly the British near-legends he's assembled for his cast, and the...
- 12/28/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
We have a bunch of posters for Quartet, an opera company filled with retired performers reunite once a year to stage a fundraiser for their theater in Dustin Hoffman’s directorial sophomore project.
Contrary to what we said before, this is not Hoffman’s directorial debut as he directed the little seen Straight Time back in 1978.
An all star cast of British luminaries including Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay and Billy Connolly star with a screenplay by celebrated British playwright Ronald Harwood, based on his play.
Quartet, which also stars Sheridan Smith (Hysteria), Luke Newbury (Anna Karenina), Trevor Peacock and Welsh soprano Dame Gwyneth Jones will be released in the Us on December 28th, 2012 before going in the UK on January 1st and wider on January 4th. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Quartet is about Cecily (Pauline Collins), Reggie (Tom Courtenay...
Contrary to what we said before, this is not Hoffman’s directorial debut as he directed the little seen Straight Time back in 1978.
An all star cast of British luminaries including Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay and Billy Connolly star with a screenplay by celebrated British playwright Ronald Harwood, based on his play.
Quartet, which also stars Sheridan Smith (Hysteria), Luke Newbury (Anna Karenina), Trevor Peacock and Welsh soprano Dame Gwyneth Jones will be released in the Us on December 28th, 2012 before going in the UK on January 1st and wider on January 4th. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Quartet is about Cecily (Pauline Collins), Reggie (Tom Courtenay...
- 12/26/2012
- by Nick Martin
- Filmofilia
Dustin Hoffman on being difficult, the movies he didn't make and why he's finally directing
Dustin Hoffman is on the phone to his wife. I know I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I can't help it. It's the voice. "Where's your meeting? Good luck. Bye-bye." So slow and deep and rich, like whipped cream mixed with gravel. Even when he started out 45 years ago in The Graduate, as virginal Benjamin Braddock about to be educated in the ways of love and lust, he had the voice. Hoffman is an extraordinarily convincing actor – when he sweats crazily in Straw Dogs, the sweat's for real; you can almost smell him as crippled hobo Ratso in Midnight Cowboy; and when he steps into a frock and heels for Tootsie, you know he's really learned to walk a lady's walk – but in the end it's down to the voice.
And to the choices he has made.
Dustin Hoffman is on the phone to his wife. I know I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I can't help it. It's the voice. "Where's your meeting? Good luck. Bye-bye." So slow and deep and rich, like whipped cream mixed with gravel. Even when he started out 45 years ago in The Graduate, as virginal Benjamin Braddock about to be educated in the ways of love and lust, he had the voice. Hoffman is an extraordinarily convincing actor – when he sweats crazily in Straw Dogs, the sweat's for real; you can almost smell him as crippled hobo Ratso in Midnight Cowboy; and when he steps into a frock and heels for Tootsie, you know he's really learned to walk a lady's walk – but in the end it's down to the voice.
And to the choices he has made.
- 12/17/2012
- by Simon Hattenstone
- The Guardian - Film News
"This isn't a retirement home. It's a madhouse."
Academy Award–winner Dustin Hoffman (Kramer vs. Kramer, Rain Man) is clearly an actor who has always had a desire to direct. He almost made his debut behind the camera with 1978's Straight Time, but opted instead to just act in the movie. Since then he has directed theater and produced television, and it shouldn't be too surprising that Hoffman is finally making his debut as a movie director with Quartet.
Based on the play of the same name Ronald Harwood (The Dresser, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Quartet stars Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter) and Billy Connolly (Brave) as denizens of a retirement home for musicians, which puts on an annual which is put in question when Jean (Smith) arrives at the home. The movie's first trailer has just arrived online, and reveals a light, comedic tone...
Academy Award–winner Dustin Hoffman (Kramer vs. Kramer, Rain Man) is clearly an actor who has always had a desire to direct. He almost made his debut behind the camera with 1978's Straight Time, but opted instead to just act in the movie. Since then he has directed theater and produced television, and it shouldn't be too surprising that Hoffman is finally making his debut as a movie director with Quartet.
Based on the play of the same name Ronald Harwood (The Dresser, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Quartet stars Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter) and Billy Connolly (Brave) as denizens of a retirement home for musicians, which puts on an annual which is put in question when Jean (Smith) arrives at the home. The movie's first trailer has just arrived online, and reveals a light, comedic tone...
- 10/30/2012
- by Ryan Gowland
- Reelzchannel.com
It's hard to believe in this day and age when actors transition from being in front of the lens to behind it so frequently that Dustin Hoffman is making his directorial debut at the tender age of 75. Granted he received an uncredited mention for 1978's Straight Time, but if we're talking officially credited releases, it's this year's dramedy Quartet starring Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon and Billy Connelly. Yes, those first two actors are reuniting after Harry Potter. Smith played Professor McGonagall and Gambon stepped in to play Dumbledore following the death of Richard Harris. Quartet is set in a home for retired opera singers where the annual concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday is disrupted by the arrival of the ex-wife of one of the residents, who...
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- 10/29/2012
- by affiliates@fandango.com
- Fandango
Two films are dropping near you soon, one with a bit of Oscar potential and other giving us yet another portrait of one of the most famous rock 'n' roll bands of all time. With a career that’s spanned just over five decades now, it would appear as if actor Dustin Hoffman has done it all – that is with the exception of directing a film. There’s long been a story that Hoffman did some uncredited work behind the camera on Ulu Grosbarg’s wildly underrated 1978 burglar tale “Straight Time,” but with the upcoming “Quartet,” Hoffman is taking all the credit. His debut is a musically tinged comedy adapted by Ronald Harwood from his own acclaimed stageplay, featuring a “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”-style round-up of British veterans, including Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay and Michael Gambon, following the dramas that arise at a retirement home...
- 8/30/2012
- by Benjamin Wright
- The Playlist
Nicol Williamson as Merlin in Excalibur (John Boorman, 1981, UK):
Turning in by far the best acting in Boorman’s epic, Williamson sets the bar for all other interpretations of the Merlin character. Best known as an acclaimed stage actor with a history of incredibly unprofessional behavior, this is Williamson’s most memorable film role and will have you chanting the “charm of making” in no time.
Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty in Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982, USA):
As an android seeking to prolong his short life, Hauer’s unique screen presence is perfectly utilized in director Scott’s atmospheric science fiction milestone. Hauer brings a sort of “alien” quality to the character Roy Batty and really makes this role a truly superior piece of casting.
Other notable Rutger Hauer performances: Nighthawks (Bruce Malmuth, 1981, USA), The Hitcher (Robert Harmon, 1986, USA).
Ricardo Montalban as Khan in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (Nicholas Meyer,...
Turning in by far the best acting in Boorman’s epic, Williamson sets the bar for all other interpretations of the Merlin character. Best known as an acclaimed stage actor with a history of incredibly unprofessional behavior, this is Williamson’s most memorable film role and will have you chanting the “charm of making” in no time.
Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty in Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982, USA):
As an android seeking to prolong his short life, Hauer’s unique screen presence is perfectly utilized in director Scott’s atmospheric science fiction milestone. Hauer brings a sort of “alien” quality to the character Roy Batty and really makes this role a truly superior piece of casting.
Other notable Rutger Hauer performances: Nighthawks (Bruce Malmuth, 1981, USA), The Hitcher (Robert Harmon, 1986, USA).
Ricardo Montalban as Khan in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (Nicholas Meyer,...
- 5/25/2012
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
Dustin Hoffman has roped in veteran actors Michael Gambon and Dame Maggie Smith to star in his directorial debut.
The Rain Man actor will step behind the camera to direct Quartet, a comedy set in a home for retired opera singers, which will also include Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and Tom Courtenay in the cast.
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein jokes he "decided to give an up-and-coming first-timer a chance" by hiring Hoffman after snapping up the film rights.
Weinstein adds, "We're excited to be working with Dustin on his directorial debut."
Hoffman will also serve as executive producer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In 1978, Hoffman planned to direct his movie Straight Time but changed his mind several days into the shoot and hired Ulu Grosbard instead.
The Rain Man actor will step behind the camera to direct Quartet, a comedy set in a home for retired opera singers, which will also include Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and Tom Courtenay in the cast.
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein jokes he "decided to give an up-and-coming first-timer a chance" by hiring Hoffman after snapping up the film rights.
Weinstein adds, "We're excited to be working with Dustin on his directorial debut."
Hoffman will also serve as executive producer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In 1978, Hoffman planned to direct his movie Straight Time but changed his mind several days into the shoot and hired Ulu Grosbard instead.
- 5/4/2012
- WENN
It’s about that time, with Sundance and SXSW in the rearview, distributors both big and small are starting to snap up the promising titles that could possibly bring the fall a lot of prestige.
First, The Weinstein Company has acquired actor Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut “Quartet,” the comedy that stars an impressive ensemble of older talent like Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Michael Gambon and Pauline Collins. Apparently the Weinsteins closed the deal to acquire this one for around $3 million, and picked it up before anyone else could get their hands on it. Word has it that a screening for buyers was scrapped following the Weinstein’s acquisition, and it was a title insiders were expecting would be nabbed closer to Cannes. “Quartet” follows Cecily (Collins), Reggie (Tom Courtenay) and Wilfred (Connolly), aging opera singers who reside in a home for those of their profession, and each year they...
First, The Weinstein Company has acquired actor Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut “Quartet,” the comedy that stars an impressive ensemble of older talent like Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Michael Gambon and Pauline Collins. Apparently the Weinsteins closed the deal to acquire this one for around $3 million, and picked it up before anyone else could get their hands on it. Word has it that a screening for buyers was scrapped following the Weinstein’s acquisition, and it was a title insiders were expecting would be nabbed closer to Cannes. “Quartet” follows Cecily (Collins), Reggie (Tom Courtenay) and Wilfred (Connolly), aging opera singers who reside in a home for those of their profession, and each year they...
- 5/3/2012
- by Benjamin Wright
- The Playlist
You may have forgotten this little item from September, but Dustin Hoffman made a late-career shift of sorts, deciding to finally helm a movie. His directorial debut — discounting some uncredited work on the 1978 feature Straight Time — is titled Quartet, and Deadline reports that The Weinstein Company have picked it up for somewhere in the territory of $3 million. Not a bad choice when the film sounds like a fun time and has a good cast, too.
Based on a stage play (and written) by Ronald Harwood (The Pianist), Quartet stars Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, and Tom Courtenay. You can read a plot synopsis below:
“Courtenay, Connolly and Collins play three ex-opera stars who live together in Beecham House, a home for retired opera singers. Every year they throw a party to celebrate the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi. This year, however, their plans are thrown into flux by...
Based on a stage play (and written) by Ronald Harwood (The Pianist), Quartet stars Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, and Tom Courtenay. You can read a plot synopsis below:
“Courtenay, Connolly and Collins play three ex-opera stars who live together in Beecham House, a home for retired opera singers. Every year they throw a party to celebrate the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi. This year, however, their plans are thrown into flux by...
- 5/3/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Stage and film director who helped launch Dustin Hoffman's acting career
It could be argued, with some justification, that the greatest achievement of the film and stage director Ulu Grosbard, who has died aged 83, was to have helped launch the acting careers of Dustin Hoffman, Robert Duvall and Jon Voight. It was Grosbard who had the prescience to see a special talent in them that had escaped others, and who gave them the chance to exploit it.
All three future stars were involved in Grosbard's production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge at the Sheridan Square Playhouse in New York in January 1965, for which both Duvall and Grosbard won Obie awards. Duvall played the lead as longshoreman Eddie Carbone, the part which he described as "the catalyst of my career", while Voight was Rodolpho. Hoffman, then a struggling actor, was stage manager.
One day, during rehearsals,...
It could be argued, with some justification, that the greatest achievement of the film and stage director Ulu Grosbard, who has died aged 83, was to have helped launch the acting careers of Dustin Hoffman, Robert Duvall and Jon Voight. It was Grosbard who had the prescience to see a special talent in them that had escaped others, and who gave them the chance to exploit it.
All three future stars were involved in Grosbard's production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge at the Sheridan Square Playhouse in New York in January 1965, for which both Duvall and Grosbard won Obie awards. Duvall played the lead as longshoreman Eddie Carbone, the part which he described as "the catalyst of my career", while Voight was Rodolpho. Hoffman, then a struggling actor, was stage manager.
One day, during rehearsals,...
- 3/23/2012
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
Director Ulu Grosbard has died at the age of 83.
He passed away at the Langone Medical Center in New York City some time between the hours of Sunday night and Monday morning.
Grosbard directed a slew of Hollywood icons throughout his career, among them Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro in 1984 favourite Falling in Love, and Whoopi Goldberg and Michelle Pfeiffer in his final movie Deep End of the Ocean.
The filmmaker, born Israel Grosbard, grew up in Belgium but then fled from the Nazis with his family to Havana, Cuba where he worked as a diamond cutter.
Upon moving to America, he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degree in English from the University of Chicago in Illinois and then studied at Yale Drama School before enrolling in the Army in the 1950s.
Ultimately pursuing his love of the theatre, Grosbard earned his first credit in 1962 after directing veteran Robert Duvall in off-Broadway play The Days and Nights of Beebee Fenstermaker and two years later he went on to oversee Dustin Hoffman in a revival of A View from the Bridge.
Later setting his sights on the film industry, Grosbard directed Martin Sheen in The Subject Was Roses, Duvall and De Niro in True Confessions and he twice reteamed with Hoffman for Straight Time and Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?
Duvall tells the New York Times, "Ulu was the kind of guy who wanted to see what you brought - and then we'd talk. He was very serious; he had keen perceptions about things. He was a pretty intellectual guy... There was a balance there between us. We hit it off right from the start. I wanted to work more with him. Whatever he brought to me, I did."...
He passed away at the Langone Medical Center in New York City some time between the hours of Sunday night and Monday morning.
Grosbard directed a slew of Hollywood icons throughout his career, among them Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro in 1984 favourite Falling in Love, and Whoopi Goldberg and Michelle Pfeiffer in his final movie Deep End of the Ocean.
The filmmaker, born Israel Grosbard, grew up in Belgium but then fled from the Nazis with his family to Havana, Cuba where he worked as a diamond cutter.
Upon moving to America, he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degree in English from the University of Chicago in Illinois and then studied at Yale Drama School before enrolling in the Army in the 1950s.
Ultimately pursuing his love of the theatre, Grosbard earned his first credit in 1962 after directing veteran Robert Duvall in off-Broadway play The Days and Nights of Beebee Fenstermaker and two years later he went on to oversee Dustin Hoffman in a revival of A View from the Bridge.
Later setting his sights on the film industry, Grosbard directed Martin Sheen in The Subject Was Roses, Duvall and De Niro in True Confessions and he twice reteamed with Hoffman for Straight Time and Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?
Duvall tells the New York Times, "Ulu was the kind of guy who wanted to see what you brought - and then we'd talk. He was very serious; he had keen perceptions about things. He was a pretty intellectual guy... There was a balance there between us. We hit it off right from the start. I wanted to work more with him. Whatever he brought to me, I did."...
- 3/21/2012
- WENN
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