When Steven Spielberg set out to helm "1941" (a film John Wayne tried to stop him from making), he was seemingly unbeatable. Here was the man who invented the summer blockbuster with "Jaws," then followed it up with the big hit "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." He was on top of the world, and it felt like anything he put his name on was going to be a success. Then "1941" crashed and burned.
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
- 5/5/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Obviously it wasn’t by design, but the early-1950s renewal of the western genre, aided in large part by the success of Winchester ’73, which heralded a career second act for both its director, Anthony Mann, and its star, James Stewart, was answered in other quarters of the industry by multiple endeavors to take the once disreputable genre, previously dismissed as Roy Rogers/Saturday-matinee bunkum, all the way into the hallowed halls of state-sanctioned, capital-a art. And, as it happened, the two westerns that made a big runner-up showing at the 1952 and 1953 Oscars, High Noon and Shane, respectively, also served, by virtue of holding what wide swaths of the future cinephile demographic would come to view as Vichy letters of transit, as high-value targets for skeptics of the official cultural narrative.
These auteurist critics and film buffs, whose philosophy acquired definite contours some 10-odd years later, observed a different watershed moment: Rio Bravo.
These auteurist critics and film buffs, whose philosophy acquired definite contours some 10-odd years later, observed a different watershed moment: Rio Bravo.
- 5/3/2024
- by Jaime N. Christley
- Slant Magazine
10. James Arness (1923–2011)
James Arness is primarily recognized for his iconic portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running prime-time Western TV show Gunsmoke.
From 1955 to 1975, Arness entertained the audience by keeping the peace in Dodge City, but he also starred in legendary movies like Them!, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter, and others.
9. Lee Marvin (1924–1987)
Famous for his tough and brutal character, Lee Marvin was just as masculine off-screen as he was in his movies. He blew up after portraying Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou and went on to star in other iconic Western movies, including The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, and many others.
8. Sam Elliott (1944–Now)
Sharp and rugged, Sam Elliot was born to portray gruffly cowboys with a no-bs attitude. His iconic mustache broke many hearts, and the actor didn’t become less popular after Westerns died off: since his famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
James Arness is primarily recognized for his iconic portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running prime-time Western TV show Gunsmoke.
From 1955 to 1975, Arness entertained the audience by keeping the peace in Dodge City, but he also starred in legendary movies like Them!, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter, and others.
9. Lee Marvin (1924–1987)
Famous for his tough and brutal character, Lee Marvin was just as masculine off-screen as he was in his movies. He blew up after portraying Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou and went on to star in other iconic Western movies, including The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, and many others.
8. Sam Elliott (1944–Now)
Sharp and rugged, Sam Elliot was born to portray gruffly cowboys with a no-bs attitude. His iconic mustache broke many hearts, and the actor didn’t become less popular after Westerns died off: since his famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
- 5/1/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
During the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, Western movies were at their peak, with legendary actors like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood dominating the genre and capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide. However, as the traditional Western genre began to wane in popularity, a new sub-genre emerged known as the Neo-Western. The term “Neo” technically means “new,” and these Neo-Western films offer the same themes and motifs of classic Westerns but in a contemporary setting. Often referred to as Urban Westerns or Contemporary Westerns, these films take the rugged individualism, moral dilemmas, and iconic landscapes of traditional Westerns and bring them
The post 6 Best Neo-Western Movies to Add to Your Watchlist first appeared on TVovermind.
The post 6 Best Neo-Western Movies to Add to Your Watchlist first appeared on TVovermind.
- 5/1/2024
- by Matthew C. F
- TVovermind.com
Projects about the Vietnam War and its aftermath are so plentiful as to be practically their own genre, and they’ve starred a who’s who of Hollywood icons, including John Wayne, Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando, Robin Williams, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson and Christian Bale.
Notably missing from the casts — at least among the substantive speaking parts — have been performers of actual Vietnamese descent. That’s finally changed with The Sympathizer, HBO and A24’s limited series adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel. Robert Downey Jr. (who also executive produces) and Sandra Oh are the big names involved, but they are led by relative newcomer Hoa Xuande and joined by Vietnamese costars to tell a story about spycraft and personal and collective identity immediately following the conflict, centering the people whose lives and country were torn apart as a result.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke with eight of...
Notably missing from the casts — at least among the substantive speaking parts — have been performers of actual Vietnamese descent. That’s finally changed with The Sympathizer, HBO and A24’s limited series adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel. Robert Downey Jr. (who also executive produces) and Sandra Oh are the big names involved, but they are led by relative newcomer Hoa Xuande and joined by Vietnamese costars to tell a story about spycraft and personal and collective identity immediately following the conflict, centering the people whose lives and country were torn apart as a result.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke with eight of...
- 4/30/2024
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If you were around in 1980, you can, sadly, imagine the confusion that might be caused if a woman drove up to the 20th Century Fox gate on Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles and claimed to be the new head of the studio. This simply didn't happen. Women didn't run Hollywood studios.
Someone had to shatter that glass ceiling, and Sherry Lansing was as qualified as anyone to do it. She started out as an actor (appearing opposite John Wayne in Howard Hawks' swan song "Rio Lobo"), but quickly grew dissatisfied with that area of the industry. She was far more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking, and quickly proved she possessed the savvy and good taste to succeed as an executive. At Columbia Pictures, she was one of the driving forces behind such critical/commercial successes as "The China Syndrome" and "Kramer vs. Kramer".
This made Lansing a hot Hollywood commodity,...
Someone had to shatter that glass ceiling, and Sherry Lansing was as qualified as anyone to do it. She started out as an actor (appearing opposite John Wayne in Howard Hawks' swan song "Rio Lobo"), but quickly grew dissatisfied with that area of the industry. She was far more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking, and quickly proved she possessed the savvy and good taste to succeed as an executive. At Columbia Pictures, she was one of the driving forces behind such critical/commercial successes as "The China Syndrome" and "Kramer vs. Kramer".
This made Lansing a hot Hollywood commodity,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Clint Eastwood was already 30 years old when he landed his breakout role in the CBS Western "Rawhide." The actor had spent much of the 1950s getting by on bit parts in B movies (most notably the Jack Arnold monster duo of "Revenge of the Creature" and "Tarantula"), and guest roles on TV series like "Maverick" and "Death Valley Days," so you'd think he would've been thrilled. But Eastwood was displeased with his character Rowdy Yates, who, early on in the series' run, was a wet-behind-the-ears ramrod. At his age, he was eager to play a grown, capable man with enough years behind him to allow for a bit of mystery.
Eastwood's restlessness coincided with a shift in filmmakers' approach to the Western genre. Though maestros like John Ford, Howard Hawks, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher had allowed for moral ambiguity in their movies, the vast majority of Westerns were white...
Eastwood's restlessness coincided with a shift in filmmakers' approach to the Western genre. Though maestros like John Ford, Howard Hawks, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher had allowed for moral ambiguity in their movies, the vast majority of Westerns were white...
- 4/28/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
With the back-to-back blockbuster combo of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg had firmly established himself as a sui generis Hollywood visionary when, in 1978, he chose to make "1941." Most people consider this a near-disaster of a decision. The anarchic World War II comedy, set in panicked Southern California in the immediate wake of the assault on Pearl Harbor, was a 180-degree turn from the spirited adventure and childlike yearning of his previous two films. It was silly, vulgar and more than a little mean. And, most audaciously, it was making light of the country's understandably crazed reaction to an attack that killed thousands of U.S. military personnel.
Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...
Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...
- 4/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Famous for his brutal roles in The Quiet Man (1952), Rio Bravo (1959) and True Grit (1969), John Wayne got much recognition as the king of Westerns alongside Clint Eastwood. His movies became not only the best examples of the genre, but also one of the biggest sources of inspiration of the 20th century’s filmmakers.
In particular, Steven Spielberg, the giant of the industry, once confessed he revisits one of Wayne’s movies every time before he makes a new film of his own, as it’s much of a great value for the director. Indeed, the 1956 Western feature is quite unmissable.
The plot of the movie seems typical of the genre - it follows a Civil War veteran looking for his abducted relative. However, it’s not as simple as it may seem, as Ethan Edwards, the main character played by Wayne, has his niece Debbie stolen by the Comanches, whom he can’t bear,...
In particular, Steven Spielberg, the giant of the industry, once confessed he revisits one of Wayne’s movies every time before he makes a new film of his own, as it’s much of a great value for the director. Indeed, the 1956 Western feature is quite unmissable.
The plot of the movie seems typical of the genre - it follows a Civil War veteran looking for his abducted relative. However, it’s not as simple as it may seem, as Ethan Edwards, the main character played by Wayne, has his niece Debbie stolen by the Comanches, whom he can’t bear,...
- 4/27/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
Editors note: This is one of those moments when the flow of news seems like an assault on the senses. The Donald trump trial, the student protests, Gaza, the election campaigning — will our trust in the media survive these traumas? Can our pop culture assimilate them? Peter Bart, based on the West Coast, and Ted Johnson, Deadline’s political and media editor in Washington DC, lend their perspectives to these questions.
Ted Johnson: The Trump trial augurs badly for the public paying attention to balanced, in-depth coverage. This is, after all, the first time that a former President has faced a criminal trial and I fear the takeaway will be — well, exhaustion.
With cameras barred, the TV networks are trying to achieve a sort of blanket coverage, with scrolls delivering legal analyses occasionally interrupted by Trump’s bursts of hallway rhetoric. Saturday’s White House Correspondents Dinner will be...
Ted Johnson: The Trump trial augurs badly for the public paying attention to balanced, in-depth coverage. This is, after all, the first time that a former President has faced a criminal trial and I fear the takeaway will be — well, exhaustion.
With cameras barred, the TV networks are trying to achieve a sort of blanket coverage, with scrolls delivering legal analyses occasionally interrupted by Trump’s bursts of hallway rhetoric. Saturday’s White House Correspondents Dinner will be...
- 4/26/2024
- by Peter Bart and Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
From the sweeping vistas of The Searchers to the towering Transformers of Age of Extinction, the mesas and monuments of Utah’s southern half have been a regular presence in film since the earliest days of the medium. In fact, throughout 2024 the “Beehive State” has been celebrating its considerable cinematic heritage with the retrospective exhibition “100 Years of Utah Film and Television” on display now at the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City.
But balancing responsible land use with tourism and commercial exploitation is forever a hot topic in Utah—a regular theme in Western states—and there are few exceptions made for the arts. Which is why collaboration with the steady guiding hand of local film commissions is so critical; someone to steer visiting filmmakers in the correct direction (both legally and creatively) and keep the reciprocal ecosystem of commerce between film crews and local businesses on the good foot.
But balancing responsible land use with tourism and commercial exploitation is forever a hot topic in Utah—a regular theme in Western states—and there are few exceptions made for the arts. Which is why collaboration with the steady guiding hand of local film commissions is so critical; someone to steer visiting filmmakers in the correct direction (both legally and creatively) and keep the reciprocal ecosystem of commerce between film crews and local businesses on the good foot.
- 4/26/2024
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
For more than two decades now, Activision’s Call of Duty franchise has continued to be regarded as one of the best and longest-running game franchises out there. The series is known to release a new installment every year. Some even consider the Call of Duty series to be a pillar of the first-person shooter genre.
Call of Duty Vietnam leaked image
While the series has some great games under its banner, the Call of Duty franchise also has a decent number of games that never saw the light of the day. Among them is a third-person shooter Call of Duty: Vietnam. For those clueless, Sledgehammer Games wanted to produce a new experience under Activision’s first-person action franchise around 2011. However, it was later canceled.
Images of canceled Call of Duty: Vietnam leaked online
More than a decade later, the images of this canceled Call of Duty game recently surfaced on the internet.
Call of Duty Vietnam leaked image
While the series has some great games under its banner, the Call of Duty franchise also has a decent number of games that never saw the light of the day. Among them is a third-person shooter Call of Duty: Vietnam. For those clueless, Sledgehammer Games wanted to produce a new experience under Activision’s first-person action franchise around 2011. However, it was later canceled.
Images of canceled Call of Duty: Vietnam leaked online
More than a decade later, the images of this canceled Call of Duty game recently surfaced on the internet.
- 4/25/2024
- by Amarylisa Gonsalves
- FandomWire
For his forthcoming one from the heart, Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola has once again violated the cardinal rule of the entertainment business: Never invest your own money in the show. Reports are that to bankroll the $120 million epic he has literally mortgaged the farm, or vineyard. The investment is slated to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14.
We — and he — have all been here before. Coppola last went into hock for another long-aborning and cost-overrunning project, which 45 years ago, almost to the day, also premiered at Cannes: the now legendary Apocalypse Now (1979).
At the time, Coppola was bathing in the afterglow of one of the most astonishing back-to-back double, or triple, plays in the industry’s history: The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974), the operatic two-part saga of mob family business in which organized crime serves less as a metaphor for American capitalism than its purest expression (“Michael,...
We — and he — have all been here before. Coppola last went into hock for another long-aborning and cost-overrunning project, which 45 years ago, almost to the day, also premiered at Cannes: the now legendary Apocalypse Now (1979).
At the time, Coppola was bathing in the afterglow of one of the most astonishing back-to-back double, or triple, plays in the industry’s history: The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974), the operatic two-part saga of mob family business in which organized crime serves less as a metaphor for American capitalism than its purest expression (“Michael,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Thomas Doherty
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Roman Gabriel, who still holds the Los Angeles Rams team record with 154 touchdown passes, died Saturday at his home in Little River, South Carolina, at 83. His death came from natural causes, according to his son, Roman Gabriel III.
Gabriel was the No. 2 draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1962 out of North Carolina State. He was the first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league Mvp in 1969.
He played in four Pro Bowl games, three with the Rams in the late 1960s and another with the Eagles in 1973. But he reached the postseason only twice, and his Rams were eliminated in the first round both times.
“We mourn the loss of Rams legend and football pioneer, Roman Gabriel,” the Rams said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Gabriel was a two-time player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference for North Carolina State. He was inducted into...
Gabriel was the No. 2 draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1962 out of North Carolina State. He was the first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league Mvp in 1969.
He played in four Pro Bowl games, three with the Rams in the late 1960s and another with the Eagles in 1973. But he reached the postseason only twice, and his Rams were eliminated in the first round both times.
“We mourn the loss of Rams legend and football pioneer, Roman Gabriel,” the Rams said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Gabriel was a two-time player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference for North Carolina State. He was inducted into...
- 4/21/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
“You look like Clara Bow in this light,” Taylor Swift sings on the final track of “The Tortured Poets Department,” titled after the 1920s sex symbol. She goes on to name-check two more immediately recognizable women — Stevie Nicks and one Taylor Swift — but what attracted Swift to reference a silent movie star on an album that also includes a throwaway Charlie Puth reference?
A movie star by the age of 20, Bow’s career was over at 28. Now Swift might have positioned her to win over a new generation of fans.
Known as the “It Girl” for both her starring role in the silent comedy “It” and her place as one of the pre-eminent sex symbols of ’20s Hollywood, Bow wasn’t washed up because her box office slipped. She was washed up because her scandal-plagued life made her a liability, both for the studios and for her own mental health.
A movie star by the age of 20, Bow’s career was over at 28. Now Swift might have positioned her to win over a new generation of fans.
Known as the “It Girl” for both her starring role in the silent comedy “It” and her place as one of the pre-eminent sex symbols of ’20s Hollywood, Bow wasn’t washed up because her box office slipped. She was washed up because her scandal-plagued life made her a liability, both for the studios and for her own mental health.
- 4/19/2024
- by Mark Peikert
- Indiewire
Fans love Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone as it exhibits the real-life stories of cowboys and ranchers, which makes the show even more appealing to the masses. In fact, the cast members went under rigorous training at cowboy camps to test their survival skills.
Luke Grimes in Yellowstone
What viewers saw on the screen – riding horses and all the fancy stuff – is just the tip of the iceberg. In order to fully embrace the cowboy lifestyle, one has to deal with the not-so-comfortable parts as well.
Luke Grimes Shared Experiences On Yellowstone’s Cowboy Camp
Luke Grimes in Yellowstone
During his interview with Entertainment Tonight, actor Luke Grimes shared the grueling experience he had while training at a cowboy camp. He revealed that a lot of things did not happen the way they anticipated.
“Taylor has to hire a bunch of kind of LA city slickers to play these cowboys so...
Luke Grimes in Yellowstone
What viewers saw on the screen – riding horses and all the fancy stuff – is just the tip of the iceberg. In order to fully embrace the cowboy lifestyle, one has to deal with the not-so-comfortable parts as well.
Luke Grimes Shared Experiences On Yellowstone’s Cowboy Camp
Luke Grimes in Yellowstone
During his interview with Entertainment Tonight, actor Luke Grimes shared the grueling experience he had while training at a cowboy camp. He revealed that a lot of things did not happen the way they anticipated.
“Taylor has to hire a bunch of kind of LA city slickers to play these cowboys so...
- 4/18/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
John Ford, the iconic director known for such films as Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, The Searchers and much more, will be the subject of the next edition of the TCM podcast The Plot Thickens, it was announced Wednesday.
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
- 4/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The award-winning Turner Classic Movies podcast “The Plot Thickens” is ready to take on the Manifest Destiny of filmmaker John Ford.
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
- 4/18/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Western revival is underway. After a decade of bro-country sounds and style, where 808s and baseball caps outnumbered steel guitars and Stetsons, country is looking west for a refresh. Record labels are signing artists like Ian Munsick, Catie Offerman, and Tyler Halverson, who grew up around horses and cattle. Festivals are being held on actual ranches. And stars are stepping out, hats to boots, in fresh-off-the-runway Western wear. Even songwriters who play cowboys on TV, like Yellowstone’s Luke Grimes, are dropping country albums.
The pop world is saddling up,...
The pop world is saddling up,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Elise Brisco
- Rollingstone.com
It’s the rare actor has an opportunity to portray a real-life World War II hero and a notorious villain of American history in the space of just a few months, but the Irish-born Anthony Boyle is that guy. He’s king of the prestigious limited series in 2024 in a pair of big-ticket Apple TV+ projects. He was starring as Lieut. Harry Crosby of the Air Force’s famed Bloody Hundredth bomber group in the nine-part, $250 million epic “Masters of the Air” from the team that made “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific,” Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman. And a few months after completing filming on that in England, Boyle started work on the seven-part historical drama “Manhunt” portraying no less than John Wilkes Booth, the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. “I wanted to do kind of the opposite of what I’d just done,” Boyle says.
- 4/12/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Don Siegel’s 1976 western The Shootist stars John Wayne in his final film appearance, though it’s perhaps just as notable for the muted nature of its regard for the pathology of violence. After all, Siegel is the same filmmaker who half a decade prior made Dirty Harry, in which Clint Eastwood’s renegade cop relishes squeezing the trigger of his 44-magnum revolver whenever the opportunity presents itself.
There’s a propulsive mania to Siegel’s direction of Dirty Harry, tapping as it does into the curious overlap between Harry’s police tactics and a psycho sniper’s bloodlust. Wayne’s J.B. Books in The Shootist has no such compelling correlate. He’s a former sheriff turned gunslinger, now an old man easing the pain of his terminal cancer with swigs of laudanum, and he’s aiming to die in peace. It’s 1901, and the fact that he can’t...
There’s a propulsive mania to Siegel’s direction of Dirty Harry, tapping as it does into the curious overlap between Harry’s police tactics and a psycho sniper’s bloodlust. Wayne’s J.B. Books in The Shootist has no such compelling correlate. He’s a former sheriff turned gunslinger, now an old man easing the pain of his terminal cancer with swigs of laudanum, and he’s aiming to die in peace. It’s 1901, and the fact that he can’t...
- 4/11/2024
- by Clayton Dillard
- Slant Magazine
You know that famous quote commonly attributed to Alexander the Great about how he wept when there were no more worlds to conquer? We're starting to think that Zack Snyder feels much the same way, except that his version of conquering the world is more about finding ways to re-release his movies with extra footage attached at all costs.
To be fair, this isn't exactly a new phenomenon for Snyder. His 2004 "Dawn of the Dead" reboot eventually led to an unrated cut down the line and his comic book movie "Watchmen" ended up with several different versions post-release. He pulled the same trick once again with both "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and, most infamously, his "Zack Snyder's Justice League" experiment that resulted in a completely different movie altogether compared to the theatrical cut. He's planning on returning to the exact same well with his two-part "Rebel Moon" epic...
To be fair, this isn't exactly a new phenomenon for Snyder. His 2004 "Dawn of the Dead" reboot eventually led to an unrated cut down the line and his comic book movie "Watchmen" ended up with several different versions post-release. He pulled the same trick once again with both "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and, most infamously, his "Zack Snyder's Justice League" experiment that resulted in a completely different movie altogether compared to the theatrical cut. He's planning on returning to the exact same well with his two-part "Rebel Moon" epic...
- 4/9/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
In the realm of classic Hollywood cinema, few names shine as brightly as that of John Ford. Known for his remarkable storytelling prowess and unparalleled directorial vision, Ford’s impact on the film industry is undeniable. Join us on a journey through the life, works, and enduring legacy of this legendary director as we delve into the cinematic masterpieces that have solidified his place in movie history.
Early Life
John Ford was born John Martin Feeney on February 1, 1894 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. He was the youngest of 13 children born to Irish immigrants John Augustine Feeney and Barbara Curran. The Feeney family were devout Roman Catholics, and Ford’s childhood was steeped in Irish traditions and values.
At a young age, Ford developed a love of the sea. He worked as a deckhand and boatman during his teen years, gaining experience that would later influence his filmmaking. Though his beginnings were humble,...
Early Life
John Ford was born John Martin Feeney on February 1, 1894 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. He was the youngest of 13 children born to Irish immigrants John Augustine Feeney and Barbara Curran. The Feeney family were devout Roman Catholics, and Ford’s childhood was steeped in Irish traditions and values.
At a young age, Ford developed a love of the sea. He worked as a deckhand and boatman during his teen years, gaining experience that would later influence his filmmaking. Though his beginnings were humble,...
- 4/6/2024
- by Penelope H. Fritz
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
American actor best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman
The actor Lou Gossett Jr, who has died aged 87, is best known for his performance in An Officer and A Gentleman (1982) as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, whose tough training transforms recruit Richard Gere into the man of the film’s title. He was the first black winner of an Academy Award for best supporting actor, and only the third black actor (after Hattie McDaniel and Sidney Poitier) to take home any Oscar.
The director, Taylor Hackford, said he cast Gossett in a role written for a white actor, following a familiar Hollywood trope played by John Wayne, Burt Lancaster, Victor McLaglen or R Lee Ermey, because while researching he realised the tension of “black enlisted men having make-or-break control over whether white college graduates would become officers”. Gossett had already...
The actor Lou Gossett Jr, who has died aged 87, is best known for his performance in An Officer and A Gentleman (1982) as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, whose tough training transforms recruit Richard Gere into the man of the film’s title. He was the first black winner of an Academy Award for best supporting actor, and only the third black actor (after Hattie McDaniel and Sidney Poitier) to take home any Oscar.
The director, Taylor Hackford, said he cast Gossett in a role written for a white actor, following a familiar Hollywood trope played by John Wayne, Burt Lancaster, Victor McLaglen or R Lee Ermey, because while researching he realised the tension of “black enlisted men having make-or-break control over whether white college graduates would become officers”. Gossett had already...
- 4/1/2024
- by Michael Carlson
- The Guardian - Film News
From the start of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé makes it clear this ain’t your typical country album. Opening epic “Ameriican Requiem” is part gospel, part-Queen, part-Buffalo Springfield as the artist lays out both her intentions and lineage. “Used to say I spoke ‘Too country’/And the rejection came, said I wasn’t ‘country ‘nough’/Said I wouldn’t saddle up/But if that ain’t country, tell me what is?” she sings from the gut, after listing off her bona fide country credentials.
Like everything Beyoncé has done, specifically in...
Like everything Beyoncé has done, specifically in...
- 3/30/2024
- by Brittany Spanos
- Rollingstone.com
Possibly the greatest collection of films for a modern classic showcase is about to take place at the TCM Classic Film Festival. The Wrap has revealed that the channel Turner Classic Movies, which is dedicated to unaltered, unedited film broadcasts of renowned movies in the history of cinema, has revealed the list of titles and guest appearances that will be featured at this year’s festival. The festival this year will be commemorating the 30th anniversary of the network. The TCM Classic Festival will be taking place in Los Angeles on April 18-21.
The event will screen the world premiere of a brand-new restoration of the 1995 film Se7en, the dark crime thriller starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. Director David Fincher will be there personally to unveil the film in IMAX. Another big screening will be the director’s cut of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which will play...
The event will screen the world premiere of a brand-new restoration of the 1995 film Se7en, the dark crime thriller starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. Director David Fincher will be there personally to unveil the film in IMAX. Another big screening will be the director’s cut of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which will play...
- 3/22/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Mel Brooks’s Young Frankenstein, co-written with Gene Wilder (seen here with Marty Feldman and Teri Garr) inspired Tony McNamara’s screenplay adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s novel for Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things (Oscar wins for Emma Stone and costume designer Holly Waddington).
By using well-chosen excerpts from the audiobook of Gene Wilder’s autobiography, Kiss Me Like A Stranger, Ron Frank lets Wilder himself guide us through the documentary, by positioning him in dialogue with many friends and colleagues assembled here, most prominently Mel Brooks, who directed Wilder in a number of groundbreaking movies. We find out how the two met, because Anne Bancroft, starring at the time on stage in Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage (with Wilder as the Chaplain), was dating Brooks, who was looking for an actor to play Leo Bloom in what was to become The Producers. The two men clicked, as they both recall,...
By using well-chosen excerpts from the audiobook of Gene Wilder’s autobiography, Kiss Me Like A Stranger, Ron Frank lets Wilder himself guide us through the documentary, by positioning him in dialogue with many friends and colleagues assembled here, most prominently Mel Brooks, who directed Wilder in a number of groundbreaking movies. We find out how the two met, because Anne Bancroft, starring at the time on stage in Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage (with Wilder as the Chaplain), was dating Brooks, who was looking for an actor to play Leo Bloom in what was to become The Producers. The two men clicked, as they both recall,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Top to bottom: Lawrence Of Arabia (Columbia Pictures), Avatar (20th Century Fox), Blade Runner 2049 (Warner Bros.)Graphic: The A.V. Club
There are artists who work on such a large scale that seeing their art in person for the first time can completely change your impression of a piece, no...
There are artists who work on such a large scale that seeing their art in person for the first time can completely change your impression of a piece, no...
- 3/21/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
At the inaugural Academy Awards in 1929, native Pennsylvanian Janet Gaynor made history as the first American-born performer to win an Oscar by taking the Best Actress prize for her body of work in “7th Heaven,” “Street Angel,” and “Sunrise.” Over the subsequent 95 years, 215 more thespians originating from the United States won the academy’s favor, meaning the country has now produced 68.1% of all individual acting Oscar recipients. Considering the last decade alone, the rate of such winners is even higher, at 70.3%.
At this point, 96.8% of American-born acting Oscar victors have hailed from one of 34 actual states. Of those constituting the remainder, three originated from the federal District of Columbia, while four were born in the territory of Puerto Rico. New York (home to 49 winners) is the most common birth state among the entire group, followed by California (34), Illinois (13), Massachusetts (11), and Pennsylvania (11).
Bearing in mind our specific birthplace focus, the 16 states...
At this point, 96.8% of American-born acting Oscar victors have hailed from one of 34 actual states. Of those constituting the remainder, three originated from the federal District of Columbia, while four were born in the territory of Puerto Rico. New York (home to 49 winners) is the most common birth state among the entire group, followed by California (34), Illinois (13), Massachusetts (11), and Pennsylvania (11).
Bearing in mind our specific birthplace focus, the 16 states...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Long before he won the 2024 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “Oppenheimer,” Robert Downey Jr. made his screen debut at age five in the experimental 1970 film “Pound,” which was directed by his father and co-starred his mother and sister. Upon clinching said prize, he emulated only three other men who were first honored by the academy at least half a century into their acting careers. Considering both male categories (and only counting credited roles in feature films), his waiting period of 54 years far exceeds the all-time average, which now stands at 19.5 years.
Although nearly two full decades separate their time-of-win ages (58 and 77), Downey came within five years of breaking John Gielgud’s general record for longest acting career preceding an Oscar victory. The English performer has held that distinction since 1982, when he was lauded for his supporting turn in “Arthur” 58 years after debuting in “Who Is the Man?” (1924). While no male...
Although nearly two full decades separate their time-of-win ages (58 and 77), Downey came within five years of breaking John Gielgud’s general record for longest acting career preceding an Oscar victory. The English performer has held that distinction since 1982, when he was lauded for his supporting turn in “Arthur” 58 years after debuting in “Who Is the Man?” (1924). While no male...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
It's been several days now since this year's Oscars ceremony, and yet I'm still scratching my head as to why the Academy had Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt present a montage honoring stunts and stunt performers without mentioning why they had selected these two specific actors to do so. Then there's the bitter irony of the Academy celebrating stunt performers while stubbornly refusing to give them an Oscar of their own, but that's a whole other rabbit hole.
While it's true the pair starred in dual halves of Barbenheimer last year, they've also got a new film coming out in "The Fall Guy." Loosely adapted from Glen A. Larson's '80s action-adventure TV series of the same name, the movie casts Gosling as a stuntman who's rapidly aging out of his occupation from years of risking permanent bodily harm, only to find himself unraveling a mystery on the set...
While it's true the pair starred in dual halves of Barbenheimer last year, they've also got a new film coming out in "The Fall Guy." Loosely adapted from Glen A. Larson's '80s action-adventure TV series of the same name, the movie casts Gosling as a stuntman who's rapidly aging out of his occupation from years of risking permanent bodily harm, only to find himself unraveling a mystery on the set...
- 3/14/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
After winning hearts with his performance as Ken in last year’s Barbie, Ryan Gosling will be seen in the upcoming action comedy The Fall Guy. Based on the TV series of the same name, the film is directed by David Leitch, who previously helmed Bullet Train and Deadpool 2. The film also stars Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Winston Duke.
Gosling plays the role of an aging stunt performer in the film. It reportedly has multiple action sequences that have pushed the limit in terms of practical stunts performed. Gosling was reportedly shocked by one of the sequences and expressed his regret about the stunt community not getting their due recognition in Hollywood.
Ryan Gosling Was Unhappy With A Stunt Scene In The Fall Guy Ryan Gosling in The Fall Guy
Ryan Gosling will be playing an aging stuntman in the upcoming David Leitch directorial The Fall Guy. While...
Gosling plays the role of an aging stunt performer in the film. It reportedly has multiple action sequences that have pushed the limit in terms of practical stunts performed. Gosling was reportedly shocked by one of the sequences and expressed his regret about the stunt community not getting their due recognition in Hollywood.
Ryan Gosling Was Unhappy With A Stunt Scene In The Fall Guy Ryan Gosling in The Fall Guy
Ryan Gosling will be playing an aging stuntman in the upcoming David Leitch directorial The Fall Guy. While...
- 3/13/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Bruce Willis is one of the most loved actors of all time. The American actor is an absolute legend of the industry and is very famous for his action roles in franchises like Die Hard. However, the legendary actor was forced to take a break from acting almost 2 years ago after he was diagnosed with aphasia.
Bruce Willis | Source: Live Free or Die Hard
Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia
Back in 2022, Bruce Willis started making a lot of headlines after it was announced that the actor was diagnosed with aphasia. As a result, the actor had to retire from acting indefinitely because aphasia directly affects the communication abilities of a person.
SUGGESTEDBruce Willis Nearly Starred in John Wayne’s Best Western Remake That Inspired Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver
In February 2023, Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Hemming Willis took to Instagram on behalf of her family and gave the...
Bruce Willis | Source: Live Free or Die Hard
Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia
Back in 2022, Bruce Willis started making a lot of headlines after it was announced that the actor was diagnosed with aphasia. As a result, the actor had to retire from acting indefinitely because aphasia directly affects the communication abilities of a person.
SUGGESTEDBruce Willis Nearly Starred in John Wayne’s Best Western Remake That Inspired Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver
In February 2023, Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Hemming Willis took to Instagram on behalf of her family and gave the...
- 3/4/2024
- by Shikhar Tiwari
- FandomWire
There’s nothing IndieWire loves more than directors talking about their favorite movies. So, of course, we took notice when, in late 2023, Turner Classic Movies started looping in directors to share their favorites from TCM’s lineup each month: Steven Spielberg’s TCM picks kicked things off, then Martin Scorsese waxed rhapsodic about “Madonna of the Seven Moons,” and Guillermo del Toro gushed about the greatness of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Suspicion.”
Now Chris Columbus is sharing his own TCM picks, along with some especially insightful anecdotes. Watch the video above.
Columbus starts off sharing his love of “Singin’ in the Rain”: “An amazing, almost flawless movie. You can say that about very few movies. I showed ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ to my 16-month-old granddaughter who was absolutely absorbed in the musical numbers. Moreso than any Disney animated films. I go back to it once or twice a year.
Particularly...
Now Chris Columbus is sharing his own TCM picks, along with some especially insightful anecdotes. Watch the video above.
Columbus starts off sharing his love of “Singin’ in the Rain”: “An amazing, almost flawless movie. You can say that about very few movies. I showed ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ to my 16-month-old granddaughter who was absolutely absorbed in the musical numbers. Moreso than any Disney animated films. I go back to it once or twice a year.
Particularly...
- 3/1/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
In honour of Empire's new Star Wars prequels issue, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the trilogy's launch, we're asking – which of the prequel movies is the best? Read the case for Episode II – Attack Of The Clones below, and find the issue on newsstands now.
When the camera pans up from the opening crawl in Attack Of The Clones — the only film in the Skywalker saga to buck the tradition of the pan down — George Lucas promises us a different kind of Star Wars movie, and he delivers from the very first frame. Every time Lucas set out to make a Star Wars film, he worked to make it different from the others in the most unexpected ways — and Attack Of The Clones is somehow more unique and brilliant amongst the entire Skywalker saga.
As the first film shot entirely digitally, George Lucas didn’t just set out to change...
When the camera pans up from the opening crawl in Attack Of The Clones — the only film in the Skywalker saga to buck the tradition of the pan down — George Lucas promises us a different kind of Star Wars movie, and he delivers from the very first frame. Every time Lucas set out to make a Star Wars film, he worked to make it different from the others in the most unexpected ways — and Attack Of The Clones is somehow more unique and brilliant amongst the entire Skywalker saga.
As the first film shot entirely digitally, George Lucas didn’t just set out to change...
- 2/21/2024
- by Bryan Young
- Empire - Movies
There’s a particularly intense scene early on in the new war movie Land of Bad. A young soldier is faced with a difficult choice when it comes to breakfast: Fruit Loops or Frosted Flakes. He stares at the two boxes intently, turning them over to compare their nutritional content (or lack thereof). It’s practically a metaphor for the choices facing moviegoers at their local multiplex these days.
A prime example would be William Eubank’s action-thriller, which feels like a Michael Bay film if he faced budgetary restraints. But for all its familiar aspects, Land of Bad does have a few things going for it, namely the presence of not one but two Hemsworth brothers (sadly, though, Chris isn’t one of them) and Russell Crowe, who spends most of the movie sitting in a chair staring at a screen and manages to completely steal it anyway.
The...
A prime example would be William Eubank’s action-thriller, which feels like a Michael Bay film if he faced budgetary restraints. But for all its familiar aspects, Land of Bad does have a few things going for it, namely the presence of not one but two Hemsworth brothers (sadly, though, Chris isn’t one of them) and Russell Crowe, who spends most of the movie sitting in a chair staring at a screen and manages to completely steal it anyway.
The...
- 2/14/2024
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s Oscar night 1987, Jeff Bridges and Sigourney Weaver are dressed up all fancy, ready to tear open that majestic envelope and read the name of the best supporting actor of the year. The competition was tough but when but the victor of the night was that of Sir Michael Caine for his wonderful performance in the Woody Allen flick Hannah and Her Sisters. The audiences erupted with applause as they celebrated Mr. Caine’s triumphant Oscar glory. But then silence nothing… the actor is nowhere to be found. Where could he be? What event could drag him away from this ceremony? Unfortunately, it would turn out the Michael Caine was stuck in the furious jaws of Universal and was out battling stupid sharks instead. That’s right, Michael Caine missed this Oscars because of Jaws: The Revenge. Was it worth it? Of the universally panned sharkie fourquel, Michael Caine said,...
- 2/9/2024
- by Derek Mitchell
- JoBlo.com
With its scathing social satire, raunchy humor and frequent use of the controversial N-word, “Blazing Saddles” got mixed reviews upon its release February 7, 1974. Nonetheless, it galloped to the top of the box office and earned three Oscar nominations, and set new standards for comedy films with its irreverence, spoofs and just plain silliness. Some reviewers did get the joke from the beginning, including Roger Ebert, who awarded it four out of four stars, saying it’s “a crazed grab bag of a movie that does everything to keep us laughing except hit us over the head with a rubber chicken.” On its 50th anniversary, we look back at how “Blazing Saddles” has endured as one of the greatest and most beloved comedies of all time.
It all started when Mel Brooks bought the film rights to a story titled “Tex-x” (changed so it wouldn’t be mistaken for an X-rated...
It all started when Mel Brooks bought the film rights to a story titled “Tex-x” (changed so it wouldn’t be mistaken for an X-rated...
- 2/7/2024
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley manage to inspire celebrities to this day. For several different reasons, some fans see Lana Del Rey as Priscilla’s modern equivalent. Here’s why that’s the case — and why Del Rey didn’t write a tune for the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla.
Lana Del Rey wasn’t able to pen a song for ‘Priscilla’
Del Rey’s haircuts and outfits from her early career are very reminiscent of Priscilla’s style from the 1960s. On top of that, Del Rey has referenced the “Blue Suede Shoes” singer throughout her career. For example, her songs “Million Dollar Man,” “American,” and “Body Electric” all allude to Elvis or his songs, while Elvis is a character in Del Rey’s Tropico alongside Adam, Eve, Jesus Christ, and the Virgin Mary. Del Rey’s “The Greatest” also has some instrumental similarities with “Can’t Help Falling in Love.
Lana Del Rey wasn’t able to pen a song for ‘Priscilla’
Del Rey’s haircuts and outfits from her early career are very reminiscent of Priscilla’s style from the 1960s. On top of that, Del Rey has referenced the “Blue Suede Shoes” singer throughout her career. For example, her songs “Million Dollar Man,” “American,” and “Body Electric” all allude to Elvis or his songs, while Elvis is a character in Del Rey’s Tropico alongside Adam, Eve, Jesus Christ, and the Virgin Mary. Del Rey’s “The Greatest” also has some instrumental similarities with “Can’t Help Falling in Love.
- 2/4/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Ford is the four-time Oscar-winning director who made over 140 films in his long career, spanning the silent era through the 1960s. Yet how many of those titles are classics? Let’s take a look back at 20 of Ford’s greatest movies, ranked worst to best.
To this day, Ford holds the all-time Oscar record for Best Director victories with four: “The Informer” (1935), “The Grapes of Wrath” (1940), “How Green Was My Valley” (1941), and “The Quiet Man” (1952). Of those, only “How Green Was My Valley” also won Best Picture (Ford also competed as a producer on “The Quiet Man.”).
Interestingly enough, the one Best Director nomination he lost was for the film that had perhaps the most profound impact on his career: “Stagecoach” (1939). The first of many westerns Ford shot in his beloved Monument Valley, it was also the beginning of a long and iconic career with leading man John Wayne,...
To this day, Ford holds the all-time Oscar record for Best Director victories with four: “The Informer” (1935), “The Grapes of Wrath” (1940), “How Green Was My Valley” (1941), and “The Quiet Man” (1952). Of those, only “How Green Was My Valley” also won Best Picture (Ford also competed as a producer on “The Quiet Man.”).
Interestingly enough, the one Best Director nomination he lost was for the film that had perhaps the most profound impact on his career: “Stagecoach” (1939). The first of many westerns Ford shot in his beloved Monument Valley, it was also the beginning of a long and iconic career with leading man John Wayne,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The moment Elvis Presley stepped in front of the camera for his second appearance on "The Milton Berle Show" in 1956, there was no doubt that this young man was destined for more than pop music superstardom. Much more.
Conversationally, he was downright adorable with his boyish good looks and aw-shucks Southern shyness, but once the music kicked in he was transformed into a hunk of burning lust. That gyrating pelvis and run-riot voice spurred sexual awakenings in living rooms across the country (in full view of outraged parents). To teenagers, Elvis belted out a call to rebellion. To parents, he was a pompadoured incubus. To Hollywood, he was singing, swaggering box-office gold.
Between 1956 and 1972, Elvis starred in 31 features and two concert films. There were lulls (particularly when his popularity faded prior to his 1968 comeback special), but for the most part Elvis reliably packed 'em in. According to producer Hal B. Wallis...
Conversationally, he was downright adorable with his boyish good looks and aw-shucks Southern shyness, but once the music kicked in he was transformed into a hunk of burning lust. That gyrating pelvis and run-riot voice spurred sexual awakenings in living rooms across the country (in full view of outraged parents). To teenagers, Elvis belted out a call to rebellion. To parents, he was a pompadoured incubus. To Hollywood, he was singing, swaggering box-office gold.
Between 1956 and 1972, Elvis starred in 31 features and two concert films. There were lulls (particularly when his popularity faded prior to his 1968 comeback special), but for the most part Elvis reliably packed 'em in. According to producer Hal B. Wallis...
- 1/20/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Is Jamie Dutton capable of murder? More to the point, is he capable of murdering his sister? That's a question on the minds of "Yellowstone" fans given what happened in the first half of the show's fifth season. While we await an official answer to the question, the actor behind Jamie Dutton has weighed in with his thoughts on the matter. In short, he does, indeed, believe Jamie has no choice but to kill.
Wes Bentley spoke with Entertainment Weekly while the first half of "Yellowstone" season 5 was airing. After the mid-season finale, it became clear that Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) was on a deadly collision course with her brother Jamie. When asked if he believes Jamie is capable of murder, Bentley had this to say about it:
"I think he has to. There's an element of: This has to happen now because the play that's been made only allows for that.
Wes Bentley spoke with Entertainment Weekly while the first half of "Yellowstone" season 5 was airing. After the mid-season finale, it became clear that Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) was on a deadly collision course with her brother Jamie. When asked if he believes Jamie is capable of murder, Bentley had this to say about it:
"I think he has to. There's an element of: This has to happen now because the play that's been made only allows for that.
- 1/13/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Robert Aldrich's "The Dirty Dozen" is the daddiest of dad movies. A box office smash upon its theatrical release in 1967, it was the proto-"men-on-a-mission" movie. Lee Marvin stars as a World War II U.S. Army major ordered to lead a pack of disposable military prisoners on a suicide mission to slaughter numerous high-ranking Nazi officers. The film brought together some of the most macho men on the planet to play the (not entirely) doomed soldiers: Charles Bronson, George Kennedy, Telly Savalas, and, of course, recently retired Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown. It was a testosterone-fueled must-see that inspired three made-for-tv sequels and a load of imitators (including Enzo G. Castellari's "The Inglorious Bastards" and Quentin Tarantino's endearingly misspelled "Inglourious Basterds").
It's been homaged and ripped off so many times over the last 57 years that a straight-up remake would hardly be sacrilege. In fact, given...
It's been homaged and ripped off so many times over the last 57 years that a straight-up remake would hardly be sacrilege. In fact, given...
- 1/10/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Jeymes Samuel, aka The Bullitts, directed a Western in 2021 called "The Harder They Fall," which took the names of real post-Civil War cowboys and gunslingers and put them into a highly stylized, highly fictionalized adventure story that was exhilarating to watch and refreshingly complex. What Samuel seemed to be doing was reclaiming the Western genre from the hands of boors like John Wayne and his associated "white savior" stories that, for many Hollywood generations, deliberately ignored the Black experience.
Samuel now takes a similar approach to the Hollywood Biblical epic with "The Book of Clarence," an exciting, ambitious, sloppy, but somewhat excellent New Testament remix, replete with a mishmash of tones, anachronisms, and interesting ideas. "Clarence" sees Jerusalem in Ad 33 as the setting of a modern crime drama, wherein the title character (Lakeith Stanfield) interacts with a slap-happy John the Baptist (David Oyelowo), his own bitter twin brother Thomas the...
Samuel now takes a similar approach to the Hollywood Biblical epic with "The Book of Clarence," an exciting, ambitious, sloppy, but somewhat excellent New Testament remix, replete with a mishmash of tones, anachronisms, and interesting ideas. "Clarence" sees Jerusalem in Ad 33 as the setting of a modern crime drama, wherein the title character (Lakeith Stanfield) interacts with a slap-happy John the Baptist (David Oyelowo), his own bitter twin brother Thomas the...
- 1/9/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Sometimes, modern music has fascinating parallels with classic rock. Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful” helped catapult her into the mainstream. Elvis Presley released a song with the same name decades beforehand. While the two songs are both ballads, they have major differences.
‘Young and Beautiful’ singer Lana Del Rey has paid homage to Elvis Presley many times
Del Rey has repeatedly referenced Elvis in her work. The “All Shook Up” singer is a character in her short film Tropico alongside fellow 1950s icons John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe. Del Rey also quoted the lyrics of “Blue Suede Shoes” in her single “Million Dollar Man.” She even put out a song called “Elvis!”
It’s unclear if Del Rey intentionally wrote a ballad called “Young and Beautiful” as an homage to Elvis’ song of the same title. After all, the latter song is one of the more obscure tracks...
‘Young and Beautiful’ singer Lana Del Rey has paid homage to Elvis Presley many times
Del Rey has repeatedly referenced Elvis in her work. The “All Shook Up” singer is a character in her short film Tropico alongside fellow 1950s icons John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe. Del Rey also quoted the lyrics of “Blue Suede Shoes” in her single “Million Dollar Man.” She even put out a song called “Elvis!”
It’s unclear if Del Rey intentionally wrote a ballad called “Young and Beautiful” as an homage to Elvis’ song of the same title. After all, the latter song is one of the more obscure tracks...
- 12/31/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
It's a movie about a mad bomber who puts a bomb on a vehicle, and if that vehicle stops it's going to blow up. So the authorities try to figure out who the bomber is, but he's too clever to be captured, while the people in the vehicle do everything in their power to keep the engine running, find the bomb, and defuse it before it blows up.
That's the plot of the Oscar-winning blockbuster "Speed," directed by Jan De Bont and written by Christopher Yost (with an uncredited but substantial rewrite by Joss Whedon). When "Speed" came out in 1994 the premise seemed pretty novel, taking the already tried-and-true premise of "Die Hard on a [Blank]" and setting it on a bus that can't stop plowing through traffic in the middle of the day in Los Angeles, where there is — take it from...
It's a movie about a mad bomber who puts a bomb on a vehicle, and if that vehicle stops it's going to blow up. So the authorities try to figure out who the bomber is, but he's too clever to be captured, while the people in the vehicle do everything in their power to keep the engine running, find the bomb, and defuse it before it blows up.
That's the plot of the Oscar-winning blockbuster "Speed," directed by Jan De Bont and written by Christopher Yost (with an uncredited but substantial rewrite by Joss Whedon). When "Speed" came out in 1994 the premise seemed pretty novel, taking the already tried-and-true premise of "Die Hard on a [Blank]" and setting it on a bus that can't stop plowing through traffic in the middle of the day in Los Angeles, where there is — take it from...
- 12/23/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Kellie Pickler, the American Idol alum who stole viewers’ hearts in 2006, is ready to sell her home. Pickler’s has owned a mansion in Nashville, Tennesee, for over a decade, and now she’s in the market for brand new digs. The property was listed for sale early this month for $2,890,000. Pickler paid $1.5 million for the property when she moved in back in 2010.
Kellie Pickler lists her Nashville home for sale
Kellie Pickler is ready for a new abode. She is looking to unload the house she called home for over a decade. The home offers potential buyers many interesting features and plenty of space. According to Realtor, the house has over 4,000 square feet of living space, a large pool, an expansive kitchen, and a relaxing screened porch. It features four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. It is located just minutes from Nashville’s bustling downtown.
The Nashville downtown skyline | Brian Spurlock...
Kellie Pickler lists her Nashville home for sale
Kellie Pickler is ready for a new abode. She is looking to unload the house she called home for over a decade. The home offers potential buyers many interesting features and plenty of space. According to Realtor, the house has over 4,000 square feet of living space, a large pool, an expansive kitchen, and a relaxing screened porch. It features four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. It is located just minutes from Nashville’s bustling downtown.
The Nashville downtown skyline | Brian Spurlock...
- 12/23/2023
- by Andrea Francese
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Roku released its list of the top-searched movies, TV series, actors and actresses in 2023 on its devices — compiled from more than 1.2 billion total searches in the U.S.
Boinging into the top spot: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which beat out every other movie and TV series as the No. 1 most-searched title on Roku in America for the year. (See full top 10 lists below.) The Universal movie, featuring Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, banked $1.36 billion worldwide at the box office to become the second-biggest animated movie of all time (after “Frozen II”).
Following “Super Mario Bros.” on Roku’s list of top-searched movies in 2023 were “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “M3GAN” and “The Little Mermaid.” Note that two of the biggest theatrical releases of the year — “Barbie” ($1.44 billion in worldwide box office) and “Oppenheimer” ($952 million) — are...
Boinging into the top spot: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which beat out every other movie and TV series as the No. 1 most-searched title on Roku in America for the year. (See full top 10 lists below.) The Universal movie, featuring Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, banked $1.36 billion worldwide at the box office to become the second-biggest animated movie of all time (after “Frozen II”).
Following “Super Mario Bros.” on Roku’s list of top-searched movies in 2023 were “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “M3GAN” and “The Little Mermaid.” Note that two of the biggest theatrical releases of the year — “Barbie” ($1.44 billion in worldwide box office) and “Oppenheimer” ($952 million) — are...
- 12/20/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Realizing they needed a voice over actor to provide the narration for a new show in development called Arrested Development, producer Ron Howard looked around the empty recording studio, finding no voice over actor in sight. So this Oscar winning former child star stepped in to provide a temporary voice track, you know just as a filler until they could find a better voice, of course. But a better voice never came because Ron Howard’s comforting and gentle tone mixed with a dry yet kinda goofy speech pattern was the perfect fit for the sense of humor of this show. But this was not the only time Ron Howard stepped up and became an unexpected perfect fit, he’s been doing that all his life – from being in front of the camera in classic TV shows and behind the camera for a hefty handful of wonderful motion pictures… and more!
- 12/15/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
In his fascinating book about Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino said Elvis Presley almost appeared in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, one of the most beloved Westerns of the 1960s. Another source says the director’s claim is dubious. Regardless, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid inspired one of the best movie themes of its era.
Warren Beatty and Elvis Presley could have been ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’
In his 2022 book Cinema Speculation, Tarantino discussed the making of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. “After [Steve] McQueen dropped out of the role of the Sundance Kid, before [Robert] Redford, it was offered to Warren Beatty,” he said. “Naturally, if Beatty did it he wanted to play Butch Cassidy (a nonstarter because that role had always been Newman’s). But if they had gone for it, Beatty wanted to do it with Elvis Presley as Sundance.”
The book Elvis Films Faq: All...
Warren Beatty and Elvis Presley could have been ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’
In his 2022 book Cinema Speculation, Tarantino discussed the making of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. “After [Steve] McQueen dropped out of the role of the Sundance Kid, before [Robert] Redford, it was offered to Warren Beatty,” he said. “Naturally, if Beatty did it he wanted to play Butch Cassidy (a nonstarter because that role had always been Newman’s). But if they had gone for it, Beatty wanted to do it with Elvis Presley as Sundance.”
The book Elvis Films Faq: All...
- 12/15/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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