On Dec. 18, 1987, MGM unveiled Norman Jewison’s romantic comedy Moonstruck in theaters, where it would go on to gross $80 million. The film nabbed six Oscar nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, winning best actress for Cher’s performance, best supporting actress for Olympia Dukakis’ role and screenplay for John Patrick Shanley’s script. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:
Deck the halls and crack open the eggnog. The already impressive yuletide movie season has hit new heights with the arrival of Norman Jewison’s Moonstruck.
A romantic comedy that doesn’t skimp in either department, Jewison’s celebration of The Family, as captured by the pen of screenwriter John Patrick Shanley, expertly weaves the spell of a Capra or a Lubitsch. With its universal appeal, expect MGM to reap the lion’s share of box-office cheer.
Cher, in her most confident performance to date, is a delight as Loretta Castorini,...
Deck the halls and crack open the eggnog. The already impressive yuletide movie season has hit new heights with the arrival of Norman Jewison’s Moonstruck.
A romantic comedy that doesn’t skimp in either department, Jewison’s celebration of The Family, as captured by the pen of screenwriter John Patrick Shanley, expertly weaves the spell of a Capra or a Lubitsch. With its universal appeal, expect MGM to reap the lion’s share of box-office cheer.
Cher, in her most confident performance to date, is a delight as Loretta Castorini,...
- 12/17/2023
- by Michael Rechtshaffen
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The list of Oscar-winning directors for short films who have gone on to major careers in the feature-length realm is shorter than you might imagine. Andrea Arnold, Martin McDonagh and Claude Berri achieved arthouse success; David Frankel made multiplex hits like “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Marley & Me.” But perhaps only Taylor Hackford, a winner in 1979 for an affecting little mockumentary titled “Teenage Father,” became a full-scale Hollywood brand — a name associated with a certain temperature of sleek studio gloss and versatile genre smarts.
In an industry increasingly given over to auteur reverence, Hackford has instead consistently proven the essential value of the distinguished craftsman — the kind that keeps the industry running, even if the status doesn’t earn you as many glittering prizes or prestigious festival berths. Consider the Festival Lumière’s tribute to Hackford a welcome exception. The four films selected by the festival to represent the...
In an industry increasingly given over to auteur reverence, Hackford has instead consistently proven the essential value of the distinguished craftsman — the kind that keeps the industry running, even if the status doesn’t earn you as many glittering prizes or prestigious festival berths. Consider the Festival Lumière’s tribute to Hackford a welcome exception. The four films selected by the festival to represent the...
- 10/15/2023
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
James Cameron’s juggernaut Avatar: The Way of Water swept the awards in the feature competition at the 21st annual Visual Effects Society Awards on Wednesday night at the Beverly Hilton.
Its nine wins included one for the top category of outstanding VFX in a photoreal feature. The movie also collected trophies for animated character (for Kiri, played by Sigourney Weaver), practical effects (for the current machine and wave pool), compositing and lighting (water integration), effects simulations (water), model (the sea dragon), environments (the reef) and virtual cinematography. Additionally, its water toolset won the new Ves award for emerging technology. The movie entered the evening with a record 14 noms (it earned multiple nominations in some of the categories that it won).
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio was a big winner in the feature animation field, winning a trio of prizes including one for outstanding VFX in an animated feature. Meanwhile...
Its nine wins included one for the top category of outstanding VFX in a photoreal feature. The movie also collected trophies for animated character (for Kiri, played by Sigourney Weaver), practical effects (for the current machine and wave pool), compositing and lighting (water integration), effects simulations (water), model (the sea dragon), environments (the reef) and virtual cinematography. Additionally, its water toolset won the new Ves award for emerging technology. The movie entered the evening with a record 14 noms (it earned multiple nominations in some of the categories that it won).
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio was a big winner in the feature animation field, winning a trio of prizes including one for outstanding VFX in an animated feature. Meanwhile...
- 2/16/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To the surprise of no one, James Cameron’s dazzling Avatar: The Way of Water dominated the 21st annual Visual Effects Society Award nominations, which were announced on Tuesday. The juggernaut earned 14 Ves noms, a record number for a feature film or any single project in the society’s awards history.
That includes a nomination in the top category for outstanding VFX in a photoreal feature. Alongside The Way of Water, the category nominees are Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Jurassic World: Dominion, The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick. Nominees in the category for supporting VFX are Death on the Nile, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, The Fabelmans, The Gray Man, The Pale Blue Eye and Thirteen Lives.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio leads the animated contenders, with six nominations including one for outstanding VFX in an animated feature. Meanwhile The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power...
That includes a nomination in the top category for outstanding VFX in a photoreal feature. Alongside The Way of Water, the category nominees are Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Jurassic World: Dominion, The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick. Nominees in the category for supporting VFX are Death on the Nile, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, The Fabelmans, The Gray Man, The Pale Blue Eye and Thirteen Lives.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio leads the animated contenders, with six nominations including one for outstanding VFX in an animated feature. Meanwhile The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power...
- 1/17/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Avatar: The Way of Water” has made history once more.
As James Cameron’s long-gestating sequel continues its climb up the all-time box-office charts, “The Way of Water” set a new record for the most nominations for a single project from the Visual Effects Society Awards, announced this morning. The film’s 14 nods highlight achievements that range from VFX to character animation to emerging technology, where it accounts for three of the category’s five nominees. This tally surpasses the previous records set by the 11 nominations for the original “Avatar” in 2010 and the 13 nominations for “The Mandalorian” in 2021.
Joining “The Way of Water” on the Ves leaderboard are “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which respectively top the animation and TV fields with six and seven nominations. The 21st annual Visual Effects Society Awards will take place February 15 at the Beverly Hilton,...
As James Cameron’s long-gestating sequel continues its climb up the all-time box-office charts, “The Way of Water” set a new record for the most nominations for a single project from the Visual Effects Society Awards, announced this morning. The film’s 14 nods highlight achievements that range from VFX to character animation to emerging technology, where it accounts for three of the category’s five nominees. This tally surpasses the previous records set by the 11 nominations for the original “Avatar” in 2010 and the 13 nominations for “The Mandalorian” in 2021.
Joining “The Way of Water” on the Ves leaderboard are “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which respectively top the animation and TV fields with six and seven nominations. The 21st annual Visual Effects Society Awards will take place February 15 at the Beverly Hilton,...
- 1/17/2023
- by Erik Adams
- Indiewire
James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” leads the feature competition at the 21st Annual Ves Awards.
The film earned a total of 14 Ves Awards nominations, setting a new record for record nominations for a feature film. The original “Avatar” was the previous record holder when it received 11 nominations at the 8th Annual Ves Awards held in 2010.
“Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio” received six nominations in the animation category making it the top animated contender.
Ves members selected nominees in 25 categories at 27 in-person and virtual nomination events conducted worldwide. The winners will be announced on Feb. 15 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
This year marks the presentation of the first Ves Emerging Technology Award, which celebrates the creators of the technology behind the visuals and honors the inventors of a novel and uniquely innovative tool, device, software or methodology of outstanding value to the art and science of visual effects,...
The film earned a total of 14 Ves Awards nominations, setting a new record for record nominations for a feature film. The original “Avatar” was the previous record holder when it received 11 nominations at the 8th Annual Ves Awards held in 2010.
“Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio” received six nominations in the animation category making it the top animated contender.
Ves members selected nominees in 25 categories at 27 in-person and virtual nomination events conducted worldwide. The winners will be announced on Feb. 15 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
This year marks the presentation of the first Ves Emerging Technology Award, which celebrates the creators of the technology behind the visuals and honors the inventors of a novel and uniquely innovative tool, device, software or methodology of outstanding value to the art and science of visual effects,...
- 1/17/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Suffice it to say that Avatar: The Way of Water commanded the Visual Effects Society’s attention. James Cameron box office-smash sequel scored a record 14 nominations for the 2023 Ves Awards, which were announced today.
Helped by three noms in the Emerging Technology category, Disney’s The Way of Water topped the single-year noms haul by Disney+’s The Mandalorian in 2021. It also shattered the old high-water mark for films, set by — no big surprise here — the original Avatar, which amassed 11 noms in 2010.
Related Story 2022-23 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For The Oscars, Grammys, Guilds & More Related Story Moviegoing Happens Over MLK: 'Avatar 2' Soars With 40M 4-day, 'M3GAN' Moves 21M+, 'Puss In Boots 2' Hits 112M, 'Otto' Bright At 15M+ – Update Related Story C'mon Voters: The Oscars Could Use A Little Sequel-itis
The hardware will be doled out at the 21st annual Ves Awards on Wednesday,...
Helped by three noms in the Emerging Technology category, Disney’s The Way of Water topped the single-year noms haul by Disney+’s The Mandalorian in 2021. It also shattered the old high-water mark for films, set by — no big surprise here — the original Avatar, which amassed 11 noms in 2010.
Related Story 2022-23 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For The Oscars, Grammys, Guilds & More Related Story Moviegoing Happens Over MLK: 'Avatar 2' Soars With 40M 4-day, 'M3GAN' Moves 21M+, 'Puss In Boots 2' Hits 112M, 'Otto' Bright At 15M+ – Update Related Story C'mon Voters: The Oscars Could Use A Little Sequel-itis
The hardware will be doled out at the 21st annual Ves Awards on Wednesday,...
- 1/17/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Ken Russell’s historical horror film sparked plenty of outrage and spilled soft drinks in 1971—and continues to do so; Warner Bros. remains steadfast in refusing a legitimate stateside home video release. More’s the pity—beautifully photographed by David Watkin, the movie features a remarkably tender performance from Oliver Reed as a rebellious priest, and a shockingly grotesque turn from Vanessa Redgrave as a sociopathic nun. Though the real terror lies in the repressive political environment of 17th century France, it isn’t hyperbole to warn, “Not for the faint of heart.”
The post The Devils appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post The Devils appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 1/24/2022
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Criterion refreshes a bona fide classic with a new remaster and makes their release especially attractive with some well-chosen extras that give us first-person input from writer John Patrick Shanley and star Cher. The show isn’t technically a holiday movie but it plays really well at family gatherings. Heck, even Cher says ‘she can watch this movie’ which from her is a high compliment. The answer to ‘who needs to see this? is that a lot of people have been born since 1987.
Moonstruck
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1056
1987 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date November 17, 2020 / 39.95
Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello, Julie Bovasso, John Mahoney, Louis Guss, Feodor Chaliapin Jr.
Cinematography: David Watkin
Film Editor: Lou Lombardo
Original Music: Dick Hyman
Written by John Patrick Shanley
Produced by Norman Jewison, Patrick Palmer
Directed by Norman Jewison
John Patrick Shanley has a...
Moonstruck
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1056
1987 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date November 17, 2020 / 39.95
Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello, Julie Bovasso, John Mahoney, Louis Guss, Feodor Chaliapin Jr.
Cinematography: David Watkin
Film Editor: Lou Lombardo
Original Music: Dick Hyman
Written by John Patrick Shanley
Produced by Norman Jewison, Patrick Palmer
Directed by Norman Jewison
John Patrick Shanley has a...
- 12/19/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
It’s hard to think of a musical that would benefit more from a Blu-ray boost than Ken Russell’s kaleidoscopic all dancing, all singing send-up of theatrical clichés on the music hall stage, circa 1925. We’re just happy that the adorable Twiggy got to be put in a film like this, to be enjoyed forever. The Russell crowd is all aboard, led by Glenda Jackson and Murray Melvin. Gosh!
The Boy Friend
Blu-ray
The Warner Archive Collection
1971 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 136 min. / Street Date February 21, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Twiggy, Christopher Gable, Max Adrian, Bryan Pringle, Murray Melvin, Moyra Fraser, Georgina Hale, Sally Bryant, Vladek Sheybal, Tommy Tune, Brian Murphy, Graham Armitage, Antonia Ellis, Caryl Little, Glenda Jackson.
Cinematography: David Watkin
Film Editor: Michael Bradsell
Production Design: Tony Walton
Costumes: Shirley Russell
Written by: Ken Russell from the musical by Sandy Wilson
Produced and Directed by: Ken Russell
Some...
The Boy Friend
Blu-ray
The Warner Archive Collection
1971 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 136 min. / Street Date February 21, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Twiggy, Christopher Gable, Max Adrian, Bryan Pringle, Murray Melvin, Moyra Fraser, Georgina Hale, Sally Bryant, Vladek Sheybal, Tommy Tune, Brian Murphy, Graham Armitage, Antonia Ellis, Caryl Little, Glenda Jackson.
Cinematography: David Watkin
Film Editor: Michael Bradsell
Production Design: Tony Walton
Costumes: Shirley Russell
Written by: Ken Russell from the musical by Sandy Wilson
Produced and Directed by: Ken Russell
Some...
- 2/18/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
This past weekend, the American Society of Cinematographers awarded Greig Fraser for his contribution to Lion as last year’s greatest accomplishment in the field. Of course, his achievement was just a small sampling of the fantastic work from directors of photography, but it did give us a stronger hint at what may be the winner on Oscar night. Ahead of the ceremony, we have a new video compilation that honors all the past winners in the category at the Academy Awards
Created by Burger Fiction, it spans the stunning silent landmark Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans all the way up to the end of Emmanuel Lubezki‘s three-peat win for The Revenant. Aside from the advancements in color and aspect ration, it’s a thrill to see some of cinema’s most iconic shots side-by-side. However, the best way to experience the evolution of the craft is by...
Created by Burger Fiction, it spans the stunning silent landmark Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans all the way up to the end of Emmanuel Lubezki‘s three-peat win for The Revenant. Aside from the advancements in color and aspect ration, it’s a thrill to see some of cinema’s most iconic shots side-by-side. However, the best way to experience the evolution of the craft is by...
- 2/6/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Meet Rita Tushingham, the cutest comic (and dramatic) actress of swinging London. This '60s masterpiece applies director Richard Lester's talent for comedy to a new kind of quirky, youthful sex farce. Shy boy Michael Crawford takes lessons on how to dominate women from Ray Brooks, when all he has to do to win cute Rita Tushingham is be himself. With a glorious music score by John Barry. The style is everything; the movie was extremely influential. The Knack... and how to get it Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1965 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 84 min. / Street Date January 12, 2015 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks, Michael Crawford, Donal Donnelly, Jane Birkin, Jacqueline Bisset, Charlotte Rampling. Cinematography David Watkin Production Designer Assheton Gorton Film Editor Antony Gibbs Original Music John Barry Written by Charles Wood from the play by Ann Jellicoe Produced by Oscar Lewenstein Directed by Richard Lester
Reviewed...
Reviewed...
- 12/22/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Sympathy for The Devils: The Suppression of Ken Russell’s Delirious, Incomparable Masterpiece
Despite the pronounced pedigree of its origins, Ken Russell’s glorious 1971 film The Devils is still mysteriously unavailable in the United States. An infamously plagued reception continues to usurp deserved attention away from its subversive content, though a growing legion of champions within the critical arena which had once sacrilegiously abandoned it has resulted in its growing recuperation.
Based, very loosely on a 1952 novel by literary giant Aldous Huxley depicting the downfall of 17th century French priest Urbain Grandier, it relates an incidence of hysteria and mob mentality run amok in the totalitarian paradigm of the Catholic Church. Russell, his project backed by none other than Warner Bros. studio itself, crafted an off-putting extravaganza of a film (shall we say, making Huxley’s text more Grandier) depicting events decried as pure blasphemy.
Wit unabashedly blunt sexual...
Despite the pronounced pedigree of its origins, Ken Russell’s glorious 1971 film The Devils is still mysteriously unavailable in the United States. An infamously plagued reception continues to usurp deserved attention away from its subversive content, though a growing legion of champions within the critical arena which had once sacrilegiously abandoned it has resulted in its growing recuperation.
Based, very loosely on a 1952 novel by literary giant Aldous Huxley depicting the downfall of 17th century French priest Urbain Grandier, it relates an incidence of hysteria and mob mentality run amok in the totalitarian paradigm of the Catholic Church. Russell, his project backed by none other than Warner Bros. studio itself, crafted an off-putting extravaganza of a film (shall we say, making Huxley’s text more Grandier) depicting events decried as pure blasphemy.
Wit unabashedly blunt sexual...
- 10/10/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Robert Redford: 'The Great Gatsby' and 'The Way We Were' tonight on Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies' Star of the Month Robert Redford returns this evening with three more films: two Sydney Pollack-directed efforts, Out of Africa and The Way We Were, and Jack Clayton's film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel The Great Gatsby. (See TCM's Robert Redford film schedule below. See also: "On TCM: Robert Redford Movies.") 'The Great Gatsby': Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby Released by Paramount Pictures, the 1974 film version of The Great Gatsby had prestige oozing from just about every cinematic pore. The film was based on what some consider the greatest American novel ever written. Francis Ford Coppola, whose directing credits included the blockbuster The Godfather, and who, that same year, was responsible for both The Godfather Part II and The Conversation, penned the adaptation. Multiple Tony winner David Merrick (Becket,...
- 1/21/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Robert Redford: 'The Great Gatsby' and 'The Way We Were' tonight on Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies' Star of the Month Robert Redford returns this evening with three more films: two Sydney Pollack-directed efforts, Out of Africa and The Way We Were, and Jack Clayton's film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel The Great Gatsby. (See TCM's Robert Redford film schedule below. See also: "On TCM: Robert Redford Movies.") 'Out of Africa' Out of Africa (1985) is an unusual Robert Redford star vehicle in that the film's actual lead isn't Redford, but Meryl Streep -- at the time seen as sort of a Bette Davis-Alec Guinness mix: like Davis, Streep received a whole bunch of Academy Award nominations within the span of a few years: from 1978-1985, she was shortlisted for no less than six movies.* Like Guinness, Streep could transform...
- 1/21/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Calling all Beatles fans… the group’s second feature film, 1965’s Help!, will be released on Blu-ray on Tuesday, June 25 and Wamg is giving away copies to 2 lucky readers.
Directed by Richard Lester, who also directed the band’s debut feature film, 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night, Help! follows The Beatles as they become passive recipients of an outside plot that revolves around Ringo’s possession of a sacrificial ring, which he cannot remove from his finger. As a result, he and his bandmates John, Paul and George are chased from London to the Austrian Alps and the Bahamas by religious cult members, a mad scientist and the London police.
In addition to starring The Beatles, Help! boasts a witty script, a great cast of British character actors, and classic Beatles songs “Help!,” “You’re Going To Lose That Girl,” “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away,” “Ticket To Ride,...
Directed by Richard Lester, who also directed the band’s debut feature film, 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night, Help! follows The Beatles as they become passive recipients of an outside plot that revolves around Ringo’s possession of a sacrificial ring, which he cannot remove from his finger. As a result, he and his bandmates John, Paul and George are chased from London to the Austrian Alps and the Bahamas by religious cult members, a mad scientist and the London police.
In addition to starring The Beatles, Help! boasts a witty script, a great cast of British character actors, and classic Beatles songs “Help!,” “You’re Going To Lose That Girl,” “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away,” “Ticket To Ride,...
- 6/24/2013
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Beatles’ second feature film, 1965’s Help!, is on the way on Blu-ray. On June 24 (June 25 in North America), Help! makes its eagerly awaited Blu-ray debut in a single-disc package pairing the digitally restored film and 5.1 soundtrack with an hour of extra features, including a 30-minute documentary about the making of the film, memories of the cast and crew, an in-depth look at the restoration process, an outtake scene, and original theatrical trailers and radio spots. An introduction by the film’s director, Richard Lester, and an appreciation by Martin Scorsese are included in the Blu-ray’s booklet.
Help!’s Blu-ray edition follows the 2012 release of The Beatles’ digitally restored Yellow Submarine and Magical Mystery Tour feature films on Blu-ray, DVD and iTunes with extensive extras. Help!’s restoration for its 2007 DVD debut wowed viewers, earning five-times platinum sales in the U.S. and praise from a broad range of...
Help!’s Blu-ray edition follows the 2012 release of The Beatles’ digitally restored Yellow Submarine and Magical Mystery Tour feature films on Blu-ray, DVD and iTunes with extensive extras. Help!’s restoration for its 2007 DVD debut wowed viewers, earning five-times platinum sales in the U.S. and praise from a broad range of...
- 6/12/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
'We had to do a running audition. One poor chap bent over and brought up his breakfast'
Hugh Hudson, director
I think David Puttnam [the producer] chose me because he sensed I'd relate to the themes of class and racial prejudice. I'd been sent to Eton because my family had gone there for generations, but I hated all the prejudice. The scriptwriter, Colin Welland, a working-class boy from Merseyside, understood it perfectly, too. So it was a personal story for us.
We cast relative newcomers as we wanted the audience to be with them all equally right from the start, to run with them. Everybody remembers the opening jogging scene along the beach. It was key to establishing character: Harold Abrahams, gaunt and determined; Eric Liddell, Scottish, blond, open and free; Aubrey Montague, the amiable, faithful old dog; Lord Andrew Lindsay, the aristocrat, running for the fun of it.
We'd been filming...
Hugh Hudson, director
I think David Puttnam [the producer] chose me because he sensed I'd relate to the themes of class and racial prejudice. I'd been sent to Eton because my family had gone there for generations, but I hated all the prejudice. The scriptwriter, Colin Welland, a working-class boy from Merseyside, understood it perfectly, too. So it was a personal story for us.
We cast relative newcomers as we wanted the audience to be with them all equally right from the start, to run with them. Everybody remembers the opening jogging scene along the beach. It was key to establishing character: Harold Abrahams, gaunt and determined; Eric Liddell, Scottish, blond, open and free; Aubrey Montague, the amiable, faithful old dog; Lord Andrew Lindsay, the aristocrat, running for the fun of it.
We'd been filming...
- 7/10/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
(Ken Russell, 1971, BFI, 18)
Ken Russell's best work was done by the early 1970s. First his poetic TV essays on Elgar and Delius. Then, for the big screen, his bravely flamboyant adaptation of Lawrence's Women in Love and this sensational adaptation of John Whiting's 1961 RSC play, based on The Devils of Loudun, Aldous Huxley's remarkable 1952 study of how the church and state conspired to exploit an apparent case of demonic possession in 17th-century France in order to destroy Father Urbain Grandier, a charismatic libertine who challenged their authority. The censors, the film's Hollywood producers and the tabloid press reacted to the film much the way the French authorities did to Grandier in 1634, and this excellent double-disc box contains the longest version yet released of this much cut movie, accompanied by a commentary (by Mark Kermode, Russell and others) and a documentary by Kermode and Paul Joyce that sets...
Ken Russell's best work was done by the early 1970s. First his poetic TV essays on Elgar and Delius. Then, for the big screen, his bravely flamboyant adaptation of Lawrence's Women in Love and this sensational adaptation of John Whiting's 1961 RSC play, based on The Devils of Loudun, Aldous Huxley's remarkable 1952 study of how the church and state conspired to exploit an apparent case of demonic possession in 17th-century France in order to destroy Father Urbain Grandier, a charismatic libertine who challenged their authority. The censors, the film's Hollywood producers and the tabloid press reacted to the film much the way the French authorities did to Grandier in 1634, and this excellent double-disc box contains the longest version yet released of this much cut movie, accompanied by a commentary (by Mark Kermode, Russell and others) and a documentary by Kermode and Paul Joyce that sets...
- 3/25/2012
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
DVD Playhouse—February 2012
By Allen Gardner
To Kill A Mockingbird 50th Anniversary Edition (Universal) Robert Mulligan’s film of Harper Lee’s landmark novel pits a liberal-minded lawyer (Gregory Peck) against a small Southern town’s racism when defending a black man (Brock Peters) on trumped-up rape charges. One of the 1960s’ first landmark films, a truly stirring human drama that hits all the right notes and isn’t dated a bit. Robert Duvall makes his screen debut (sans dialogue) as the enigmatic Boo Radley. DVD and Blu-ray double edition. Bonuses: Two feature-length documentaries: Fearful Symmetry and A Conversation with Gregory Peck; Featurettes; Excerpts and film clips from Gregory Peck’s Oscar acceptance speech and AFI Lifetime Achievement Award; Commentary by Mulligan and producer Alan J. Pakula; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 2.0 mono.
Outrage: Way Of The Yakuza (Magnolia) After a brief hiatus from his signature oeuvre of Japanese gangster flicks,...
By Allen Gardner
To Kill A Mockingbird 50th Anniversary Edition (Universal) Robert Mulligan’s film of Harper Lee’s landmark novel pits a liberal-minded lawyer (Gregory Peck) against a small Southern town’s racism when defending a black man (Brock Peters) on trumped-up rape charges. One of the 1960s’ first landmark films, a truly stirring human drama that hits all the right notes and isn’t dated a bit. Robert Duvall makes his screen debut (sans dialogue) as the enigmatic Boo Radley. DVD and Blu-ray double edition. Bonuses: Two feature-length documentaries: Fearful Symmetry and A Conversation with Gregory Peck; Featurettes; Excerpts and film clips from Gregory Peck’s Oscar acceptance speech and AFI Lifetime Achievement Award; Commentary by Mulligan and producer Alan J. Pakula; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 2.0 mono.
Outrage: Way Of The Yakuza (Magnolia) After a brief hiatus from his signature oeuvre of Japanese gangster flicks,...
- 2/26/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Peter Hall, 1973, 12, Fremantle
A combination of the original 1965 RSC casts at the Aldwych and on Broadway (Paul Rogers, Ian Holm, Cyril Cusack, Vivien Merchant, Michael Jayston, Terence Rigby), of what many regard as Harold Pinter's finest play, are reunited with Peter Hall under the auspices of the American Film Theatre. This is the definitive record of Pinter's tragicomedy of territorial imperatives. The dark family secrets of a menacing, all-male, north London household are revealed when the academic white sheep of a working-class, crime-related family brings his seductive wife from the States to meet his misogynistic father, uncle and brothers. John Bury's stage sets are beautifully lit by ace cinematographer David Watkin and it's Hall's finest work for the cinema. Also in the double-disc set is an informative, unpretentious documentary assembled by Philip Saville, in which a variety of friends and fellow actors, including Steven Berkoff, Henry Goodman, Sheila Hancock and Michael Caine,...
A combination of the original 1965 RSC casts at the Aldwych and on Broadway (Paul Rogers, Ian Holm, Cyril Cusack, Vivien Merchant, Michael Jayston, Terence Rigby), of what many regard as Harold Pinter's finest play, are reunited with Peter Hall under the auspices of the American Film Theatre. This is the definitive record of Pinter's tragicomedy of territorial imperatives. The dark family secrets of a menacing, all-male, north London household are revealed when the academic white sheep of a working-class, crime-related family brings his seductive wife from the States to meet his misogynistic father, uncle and brothers. John Bury's stage sets are beautifully lit by ace cinematographer David Watkin and it's Hall's finest work for the cinema. Also in the double-disc set is an informative, unpretentious documentary assembled by Philip Saville, in which a variety of friends and fellow actors, including Steven Berkoff, Henry Goodman, Sheila Hancock and Michael Caine,...
- 1/9/2011
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
While the idea of ceasing the overall usage of adapting stories, classic or otherwise, into feature films is laughable, there are those stories that just should not be touched again. Whether they have been done so many times that it seems trivial to adapt onto the silver screen or an adaptation has come along that so definitely captures the essence of the story, there are those classic stories that should simply be left alone. Certainly, there are those stories that we will have left off this list, and some of you may think some of these classic stories deserve another go in the feature film realm. For now, and in honor of Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of A Christmas Carol, we give you our 10 classic stories that should Not be adapted ever again.
10. Macbeth
Adapted Roughly 35 Times
MacBeth is perhaps one of the best Shakespeare stories and also one of the most difficult to adapt successfully,...
10. Macbeth
Adapted Roughly 35 Times
MacBeth is perhaps one of the best Shakespeare stories and also one of the most difficult to adapt successfully,...
- 11/3/2009
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Disclaimer: This article may contain sarcasm; irony and “LOLs” proceed with caution.
The Final Chapter (read Part 2 here)! We have Howard the Duck, Freejack and Shyamalan flicks on the list; these are never good signs. Nonetheless we are bringing it all to you in full-color and in 3-D. (Ed. Note: Due to the economy, 3-D has been dropped and will be replaced by Smell-o-vision — check for your scratch and sniff cards in about 4-6 weeks.) Best Sound went to rage-zombie veterans Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke, leaving Mark Weingarten who worked on Rejuvenatrix in the dust. The Sound Editing section contains one too many references to Ron Silver, and at least two references to a Roger Corman film.
The visual effects category pulled on our heartstrings this year due to the loss of Stan Winston, who was noted en memoriam along with other heroes, Vampira, Leonard Rosenman and Charles H. Schneer...
The Final Chapter (read Part 2 here)! We have Howard the Duck, Freejack and Shyamalan flicks on the list; these are never good signs. Nonetheless we are bringing it all to you in full-color and in 3-D. (Ed. Note: Due to the economy, 3-D has been dropped and will be replaced by Smell-o-vision — check for your scratch and sniff cards in about 4-6 weeks.) Best Sound went to rage-zombie veterans Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke, leaving Mark Weingarten who worked on Rejuvenatrix in the dust. The Sound Editing section contains one too many references to Ron Silver, and at least two references to a Roger Corman film.
The visual effects category pulled on our heartstrings this year due to the loss of Stan Winston, who was noted en memoriam along with other heroes, Vampira, Leonard Rosenman and Charles H. Schneer...
- 2/26/2009
- by Heather Buckley
- DreadCentral.com
Make this blog item your home page for the rest of Oscar day. Tom O'Neil and Paul Sheehan are blogging live continuously all day. Keep hitting "refresh" for constant updates about what's happening at the Kodak Theatre.
9:06 p.m. — As with all of the past seven Oscars held at the Kodak Theater, the Governors Ball takes place in the adjoining Grand Ballroom which is 25,090 square feet. The menu for the Governors Ball was created by Wolfgang Puck for the fifteenth consecutive year. He promises the return of old favorites like tuna tartare in sesame miso cones and Maine lobster as well as, of course, caviar. And pastry chef Sherry Yard will once more be creating her gold-dusted chocolate Oscars as consolation prizes for those who didn’t get one of the real ones. Music will be spun by Kcrw radio host Jason Bentley who will alternate with The Impulse...
9:06 p.m. — As with all of the past seven Oscars held at the Kodak Theater, the Governors Ball takes place in the adjoining Grand Ballroom which is 25,090 square feet. The menu for the Governors Ball was created by Wolfgang Puck for the fifteenth consecutive year. He promises the return of old favorites like tuna tartare in sesame miso cones and Maine lobster as well as, of course, caviar. And pastry chef Sherry Yard will once more be creating her gold-dusted chocolate Oscars as consolation prizes for those who didn’t get one of the real ones. Music will be spun by Kcrw radio host Jason Bentley who will alternate with The Impulse...
- 2/22/2009
- by tomoneil
- Gold Derby
An autobiographical film in which his fictional counterpart is absent for long periods, Franco Zeffirelli's "Tea with Mussolini" stirs up one's sympathy for ladies in distress -- not too difficult a task for the movies -- but the episodic, ensemble drama, set in Florence before and during World War II, is more a jolly good time than a satisfyingly told story.
The MGM release does have a shot at popularity with mature and female audiences, who will be drawn to the awesome cast, including Cher, Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright, Judi Dench and Lily Tomlin. If nothing else, the little war between the Brits and the Americans provides a good hour of entertainment, with numerous skirmishes around cultural differences and personal conflicts.
Motherless and cast off by his father, illegitimate Luca (Charlie Lucas) is tutored and raised by Mary Wallace (Plowright), one of a group of expatriate British ladies happily, and somewhat obliviously, settled in pre-war Florence. On track to becoming an English gentleman, Luca, the Zeffirelli character, is a good lad with an artistic side. He's in good company with Lady Hester (Smith), widow of the former ambassador, art lover Arabella (Dench) and former Ziegfeld dancer Elsa (Cher), now an art collector and off-and-on resident.
The rise of fascism in Italy is dismissed by Lady Hester, who is loyal to Mussolini (Claudio Spadaro). But as war between Italy and Britain becomes a possibility, as anti-Semitic and anti-English attitudes disrupt the status quo, she leads a small party to Rome, meets with Il Duce himself, and gets personal assurance of their safety.
Nonetheless, with the entry of Italy in the war, the steadfast women are shipped off to the small, many-towered town of San Gimignano, while Luca is sent to Austria for German schooling . At first miserable, Lady Hester and the others are moved to a more comfortable hotel, and believe that Mussolini has not forgotten them. But in fact it's Elsa who secretly foots the bill, though she must still endure anti-American jibes from Lady H.
The years go by and the war rages, but the "prisoners" don't suffer much. Luca (Baird Wallace) returns to develop a big crush on the Jewish Elsa, whose escape unites all parties. From sandbagging historic frescoes -- the expats love Italy more than the natives -- to the dramatic end of the war when parts of the town are targeted for demolition by retreating soldiers, priority is placed on preserving civilization and culture, giving all the thespian talent plenty of opportunities to probe the emotional depths of the fairly uncomplicated characters.
Rounding out the group is Tomlin, in one of her better roles as an enthusiastically lesbian American. Smith is dominating, but her ideologically cancerous character's mild comeuppance is not much of a payoff. Dench and Plowright are likewise memorable in isolated sequences. Cher has the youthful energy, good looks and comedy background to pull off her breezy part and not let her classy vintage wardrobe grab all of one's attention.
Oscar-winning cinematographer David Watkin ("Out of Africa") goes for a creamy, safe, nostalgic visual scheme and succeeds all too well. The locations are enchanting and the evocative score's a treat.
TEA WITH MUSSOLINI
MGM Distribution
G2 Films presents
Medusa Film, Catileya, Cineritmo
Film and General Productions
Director:Franco Zeffirelli
Screenwriters:John Mortimer, Franco Zeffirelli
Producers:Riccardo Tozzi, Giovannella Zannoni, Clive Parsons
Executive producer:Marco Chimenz
Director of photography:David Watkin
Art directors:Carlo Centolavigna, Gioia Fiorella Mariani
Editor:Tario Anwar
Costume designers:Jenny Beavan, Anna Anni, Alberto Spiazzi
Music:Alessio Vlad, Stefano Arnaldi
Color/stereo
Cast:
Elsa:Cher
Hester:Maggie Smith
Mary Wallace:Joan Plowright
Arabella Delancey:Judi Dench
Luca, Age 7:Charlie Lucas
Luca, Age 17:Baird Wallace
Georgie:Lily Tomlin
Mussolini:Claudio Spadaro
Running time --116 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
The MGM release does have a shot at popularity with mature and female audiences, who will be drawn to the awesome cast, including Cher, Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright, Judi Dench and Lily Tomlin. If nothing else, the little war between the Brits and the Americans provides a good hour of entertainment, with numerous skirmishes around cultural differences and personal conflicts.
Motherless and cast off by his father, illegitimate Luca (Charlie Lucas) is tutored and raised by Mary Wallace (Plowright), one of a group of expatriate British ladies happily, and somewhat obliviously, settled in pre-war Florence. On track to becoming an English gentleman, Luca, the Zeffirelli character, is a good lad with an artistic side. He's in good company with Lady Hester (Smith), widow of the former ambassador, art lover Arabella (Dench) and former Ziegfeld dancer Elsa (Cher), now an art collector and off-and-on resident.
The rise of fascism in Italy is dismissed by Lady Hester, who is loyal to Mussolini (Claudio Spadaro). But as war between Italy and Britain becomes a possibility, as anti-Semitic and anti-English attitudes disrupt the status quo, she leads a small party to Rome, meets with Il Duce himself, and gets personal assurance of their safety.
Nonetheless, with the entry of Italy in the war, the steadfast women are shipped off to the small, many-towered town of San Gimignano, while Luca is sent to Austria for German schooling . At first miserable, Lady Hester and the others are moved to a more comfortable hotel, and believe that Mussolini has not forgotten them. But in fact it's Elsa who secretly foots the bill, though she must still endure anti-American jibes from Lady H.
The years go by and the war rages, but the "prisoners" don't suffer much. Luca (Baird Wallace) returns to develop a big crush on the Jewish Elsa, whose escape unites all parties. From sandbagging historic frescoes -- the expats love Italy more than the natives -- to the dramatic end of the war when parts of the town are targeted for demolition by retreating soldiers, priority is placed on preserving civilization and culture, giving all the thespian talent plenty of opportunities to probe the emotional depths of the fairly uncomplicated characters.
Rounding out the group is Tomlin, in one of her better roles as an enthusiastically lesbian American. Smith is dominating, but her ideologically cancerous character's mild comeuppance is not much of a payoff. Dench and Plowright are likewise memorable in isolated sequences. Cher has the youthful energy, good looks and comedy background to pull off her breezy part and not let her classy vintage wardrobe grab all of one's attention.
Oscar-winning cinematographer David Watkin ("Out of Africa") goes for a creamy, safe, nostalgic visual scheme and succeeds all too well. The locations are enchanting and the evocative score's a treat.
TEA WITH MUSSOLINI
MGM Distribution
G2 Films presents
Medusa Film, Catileya, Cineritmo
Film and General Productions
Director:Franco Zeffirelli
Screenwriters:John Mortimer, Franco Zeffirelli
Producers:Riccardo Tozzi, Giovannella Zannoni, Clive Parsons
Executive producer:Marco Chimenz
Director of photography:David Watkin
Art directors:Carlo Centolavigna, Gioia Fiorella Mariani
Editor:Tario Anwar
Costume designers:Jenny Beavan, Anna Anni, Alberto Spiazzi
Music:Alessio Vlad, Stefano Arnaldi
Color/stereo
Cast:
Elsa:Cher
Hester:Maggie Smith
Mary Wallace:Joan Plowright
Arabella Delancey:Judi Dench
Luca, Age 7:Charlie Lucas
Luca, Age 17:Baird Wallace
Georgie:Lily Tomlin
Mussolini:Claudio Spadaro
Running time --116 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
A movie with a mission, Sidney Lumet's somber tale of a New York district attorney's rite of passage into the murky "gray areas" of law enforcement and the criminal justice system finds the veteran filmmaker rebounding after the sensationalistic "Guilty as Sin", but the Paramount Pictures release doesn't win its case even when it bends the rules and creates a tainted hero.
Opening on an off-weekend for big new releases, "Night Falls on Manhattan" has the director's rep and lead Andy Garcia to bolster its counterprogramming pitch.
It needs strong reviews and word-of-mouth to travel far, however, and the gritty reality is that moviegoers are likely to pass it up for less daunting alternatives.
Lumet has not so much adapted Robert Daley's 1993 novel "Tainted Evidence" as thrown it off a roof and picked up the resulting bits and pieces that interested him. Two major differences: The movie is more violent in the initial setup and the main character is no longer a woman.
A brief prologue introduces ex-cop Sean Casey (Garcia) in his new career as an assistant district attorney. It's a tough job and we're expected to bond with honest Casey in preparation for his trials to come.
Sean has no love life and not a lot of motivation beyond his desire to do the right thing.
Meanwhile, his father, Liam (Ian Holm), is a veteran detective with a longtime partner (James Gandolfini). When these two try to apprehend Harlem's biggest dope dealer (Shiek Mahmud-Bey), Liam and three other cops are gunned down in a bloody fiasco which leaves the suspect still on the loose.
The up-for-re-election D.A. (Ron Leibman) raises hell, but he's out-maneuvered by a "Commie shyster" lawyer (Richard Dreyfuss), who convinces the suspect to surrender.
A trial ensues and Sean is made the prosecutor against the wishes of a smarmy rival (Colm Feore) of the incumbent. In post-O.J. fashion, the buttons pushed are blatant stabs at a crumbling system in which the obviously guilty party is portrayed as a victim of a wide conspiracy involving "dirty cops."
Sean wins the case nonetheless, but its ramifications result in an Internal Affairs investigation that eventually zeroes in on Liam and his partner.
Upping the stakes and leaving believability behind, Sean is endorsed by Leibman's ailing character in the election -- and wins. He also collects a girlfriend in the person of Peggy (Lena Olin), a classy opponent in the camp of Dreyfuss' crusading realist.
But dark clouds of moral ambiguity and familial conflict loom. Our "pure" hero has a blood-soaked technical error to deal with and the choices he must make complete his education.
Ambitious but unconvincing, "Night Falls" does boast strong performances from all the principals except Olin, whose character is a sustained objection with no real depth.
Leibman and Holm play strongly realized characters, and the best scenes include these actors with Garcia in intimate, closed-door conferences.
Harking back to Lumet's best works -- "Serpico", "Dog Day Afternoon", "The Verdict" -- "Night Falls" is beautifully shot in naturalistic hues and shadows by David Watkin and makes good use of Big Apple locales.
Some expert cutting from Sam O'Steen helps in the many dramatic scenes, but overall the pacing is uneven and viewers not hooked into the story may find their attention wandering and suspension of disbelief wavering.
NIGHT FALLS ON MANHATTAN
Paramount Pictures
Spelling Films presents
a Mount/Kramer production
A Sidney Lumet film
Writer-director Sidney Lumet
Producers Thom Mount, Josh Kramer
Based on a novel by Robert Daley
Co-producer John H. Starke
Director of photography David Watkin
Production designer Philip Rosenberg
Editor Sam O'Steen
Costume designer Joseph G. Aulisi
Music Mark Isham
Casting Billy Hopkins, Suzanne Smith,
Kerry Barden
Color/stereo
Cast:
Sean Casey Andy Garcia
Liam Casey Ian Holm
Joey Allegretto James Gandolfini
Peggy Lindstrom Lena Olin
Jordan Washington Shiek Mahmud-Bey
Elihu Harrison Colm Feore
Morgenstern Ron Leibman
Sam Vigoda Richard Dreyfuss
Running time -- 113 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Opening on an off-weekend for big new releases, "Night Falls on Manhattan" has the director's rep and lead Andy Garcia to bolster its counterprogramming pitch.
It needs strong reviews and word-of-mouth to travel far, however, and the gritty reality is that moviegoers are likely to pass it up for less daunting alternatives.
Lumet has not so much adapted Robert Daley's 1993 novel "Tainted Evidence" as thrown it off a roof and picked up the resulting bits and pieces that interested him. Two major differences: The movie is more violent in the initial setup and the main character is no longer a woman.
A brief prologue introduces ex-cop Sean Casey (Garcia) in his new career as an assistant district attorney. It's a tough job and we're expected to bond with honest Casey in preparation for his trials to come.
Sean has no love life and not a lot of motivation beyond his desire to do the right thing.
Meanwhile, his father, Liam (Ian Holm), is a veteran detective with a longtime partner (James Gandolfini). When these two try to apprehend Harlem's biggest dope dealer (Shiek Mahmud-Bey), Liam and three other cops are gunned down in a bloody fiasco which leaves the suspect still on the loose.
The up-for-re-election D.A. (Ron Leibman) raises hell, but he's out-maneuvered by a "Commie shyster" lawyer (Richard Dreyfuss), who convinces the suspect to surrender.
A trial ensues and Sean is made the prosecutor against the wishes of a smarmy rival (Colm Feore) of the incumbent. In post-O.J. fashion, the buttons pushed are blatant stabs at a crumbling system in which the obviously guilty party is portrayed as a victim of a wide conspiracy involving "dirty cops."
Sean wins the case nonetheless, but its ramifications result in an Internal Affairs investigation that eventually zeroes in on Liam and his partner.
Upping the stakes and leaving believability behind, Sean is endorsed by Leibman's ailing character in the election -- and wins. He also collects a girlfriend in the person of Peggy (Lena Olin), a classy opponent in the camp of Dreyfuss' crusading realist.
But dark clouds of moral ambiguity and familial conflict loom. Our "pure" hero has a blood-soaked technical error to deal with and the choices he must make complete his education.
Ambitious but unconvincing, "Night Falls" does boast strong performances from all the principals except Olin, whose character is a sustained objection with no real depth.
Leibman and Holm play strongly realized characters, and the best scenes include these actors with Garcia in intimate, closed-door conferences.
Harking back to Lumet's best works -- "Serpico", "Dog Day Afternoon", "The Verdict" -- "Night Falls" is beautifully shot in naturalistic hues and shadows by David Watkin and makes good use of Big Apple locales.
Some expert cutting from Sam O'Steen helps in the many dramatic scenes, but overall the pacing is uneven and viewers not hooked into the story may find their attention wandering and suspension of disbelief wavering.
NIGHT FALLS ON MANHATTAN
Paramount Pictures
Spelling Films presents
a Mount/Kramer production
A Sidney Lumet film
Writer-director Sidney Lumet
Producers Thom Mount, Josh Kramer
Based on a novel by Robert Daley
Co-producer John H. Starke
Director of photography David Watkin
Production designer Philip Rosenberg
Editor Sam O'Steen
Costume designer Joseph G. Aulisi
Music Mark Isham
Casting Billy Hopkins, Suzanne Smith,
Kerry Barden
Color/stereo
Cast:
Sean Casey Andy Garcia
Liam Casey Ian Holm
Joey Allegretto James Gandolfini
Peggy Lindstrom Lena Olin
Jordan Washington Shiek Mahmud-Bey
Elihu Harrison Colm Feore
Morgenstern Ron Leibman
Sam Vigoda Richard Dreyfuss
Running time -- 113 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 5/12/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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