Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network, Gone Girl. There's hardly anyone who hasn't seen, let alone heard, all of these movies and the name of the man behind them, David Fincher. From Alien 3 to The Killer with Michael Fassbender, from House of Cards to Love, Death & Robots, Fincher's career is now in its fourth decade and his films have collectively grossed over $2.1 billion. But of course, no matter how original his work, even a director as innovative as Fincher is inspired by the achievements of filmmakers who came before him. Here is a list of 26 films that David Fincher has cited as his favorites.
26 Must-See Movies David Fincher Loves
26. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
25. Chinatown
24. Dr. Strangelove
23. The Godfather Part II
22. Taxi Driver
21. Being There
20. Alien
19. Rear Window
18. Jaws
17. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Zelig
15. Cabaret
14. All That Jazz
13. Paper Moon
12. All the President's Men
11. Citizen Kane
10. 8½
9. The Graduate...
26 Must-See Movies David Fincher Loves
26. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
25. Chinatown
24. Dr. Strangelove
23. The Godfather Part II
22. Taxi Driver
21. Being There
20. Alien
19. Rear Window
18. Jaws
17. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Zelig
15. Cabaret
14. All That Jazz
13. Paper Moon
12. All the President's Men
11. Citizen Kane
10. 8½
9. The Graduate...
- 5/16/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenaceImage: Disney
The propulsion that gives many of the Star Wars films their power comes from its filmmaker’s healthy fear of speed.
Consider the perilousness of the cosmic dogfights in 1977's Star Wars, the way the Rebellion’s X-wings and Empire’s Tie...
The propulsion that gives many of the Star Wars films their power comes from its filmmaker’s healthy fear of speed.
Consider the perilousness of the cosmic dogfights in 1977's Star Wars, the way the Rebellion’s X-wings and Empire’s Tie...
- 5/13/2024
- by Jarrod Jones
- avclub.com
I recently wrote about the surprise Best Supporting Actress Oscar win by Anna Paquin for 1993’s “The Piano.” At 11 years of age, she became the second youngest competitive Academy Award recipient in history. She remains the last child Oscar champ, though several have since been nominated.
The record for the youngest competitive Oscar victory by a child (someone age 17 or younger) was actually set two decades before the practically hyperventilating Paquin accepted her statuette. And it was in the same category — Best Supporting Actress. Ten-year-old Tatum O’Neal, daughter of the late Ryan O’Neal (a Best Actor nominee for 1970’s “Love Story”), delivered a performance in “Paper Moon” that was loved enough by the academy to bring her the coveted award. The younger O’Neal played Addie Loggins, a child turned con artist who teams up with a man posing as her father during The Great Depression. She was nominated alongside...
The record for the youngest competitive Oscar victory by a child (someone age 17 or younger) was actually set two decades before the practically hyperventilating Paquin accepted her statuette. And it was in the same category — Best Supporting Actress. Ten-year-old Tatum O’Neal, daughter of the late Ryan O’Neal (a Best Actor nominee for 1970’s “Love Story”), delivered a performance in “Paper Moon” that was loved enough by the academy to bring her the coveted award. The younger O’Neal played Addie Loggins, a child turned con artist who teams up with a man posing as her father during The Great Depression. She was nominated alongside...
- 5/8/2024
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
Ron Howard has been part of our collective consciousness for as long as I can remember. Or at least he looms large in mine. Born in 1954, he was on many of the TV series I grew up watching and had his own starring role on “The Andy Griffith Show” by 1960. And his father had the idea that little “Ronny Howard” should play a good kid, not the wise-guy type popular in those “Dennis the Menace” years. He’d be nice. It stuck. He’s been known as “nice” ever since.
That made him much too easy to dismiss. However prominent he was — as a principal star of “American Graffiti” in 1973, top-billed “Happy Days” actor the next year and then as a director debuting with “Night Shift” in 1977 — we could take him lightly. By then I was reviewing films, and I overlooked him to a fault. I didn’t even give...
That made him much too easy to dismiss. However prominent he was — as a principal star of “American Graffiti” in 1973, top-billed “Happy Days” actor the next year and then as a director debuting with “Night Shift” in 1977 — we could take him lightly. By then I was reviewing films, and I overlooked him to a fault. I didn’t even give...
- 5/7/2024
- by Janet Maslin
- Variety Film + TV
With six decades of acting under his belt, Harrison Ford has made works that have run the gamut of critical responses. On Rotten Tomatoes, his most critically acclaimed role is listed as the "Apocalypse Now" making-of documentary "Hearts of Darkness," a film in which he ironically doesn't actually speak or appear but which nonetheless earned universal acclaim from the review-tabulating site. His lowest-rated film? An already-forgotten 2013 thriller called "Paranoia," which just 7% of critics included on the aggregation site wrote positively about.
Many of Ford's most entertaining films lie somewhere in the middle of that wide range; they're crowd-pleasing blockbusters and cult favorites with some endearing -- and in the best cases, now legendary -- imperfections. Ask fans what their favorite Ford-starring films are and you'll get a smorgasbord of answers that fit in this category, from "Star Wars" to "Indiana Jones" to "Blade Runner" to "The Fugitive." When it...
Many of Ford's most entertaining films lie somewhere in the middle of that wide range; they're crowd-pleasing blockbusters and cult favorites with some endearing -- and in the best cases, now legendary -- imperfections. Ask fans what their favorite Ford-starring films are and you'll get a smorgasbord of answers that fit in this category, from "Star Wars" to "Indiana Jones" to "Blade Runner" to "The Fugitive." When it...
- 5/5/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Until recently, if one were asked to name some of the best films of preeminent 1970s filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, it would be easy to pick the big hits. “The Godfather” (1972), “The Godfather II” (1974) and “Apocalypse Now” (1979) are definitely his most iconic and respected films. You’d also be hard-pressed to find a person aged 25-50 who isn’t keenly aware of his adaption of S.E. Hinton’s mandatory high school assigned “The Outsiders” (1983) or his classics “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986) and maybe even “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” (1988). Yet lately, Coppola’s “The Conversation” (1974) has entered the chat as a somewhat under the radar, low-key masterpiece from the filmmaker, and this year the film celebrates its 50th birthday.
After honing his directorial chops on films like the Roger Corman-produced horror film “Dementia 13” (1963) and fledgling films like “You’re a Big Boy Now” (1966), “Finian’s Rainbow” (1968) and “The Rain People...
After honing his directorial chops on films like the Roger Corman-produced horror film “Dementia 13” (1963) and fledgling films like “You’re a Big Boy Now” (1966), “Finian’s Rainbow” (1968) and “The Rain People...
- 4/8/2024
- by Don Lewis
- Indiewire
A car crash interview with a delusional prince, a new series adaptation featuring Patricia Highsmith’s most infamous creation, the second part of Zack Snyder’s pricey space opera and a paranormal detective show set within Neil Gaiman’s celebrated Sandman universe are among the big titles hitting Netflix in April.
Debuting April 4 is Ripley, Netflix’s glossy new take on Highsmith’s 1955 crime novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. Fresh from the critical acclaim he received for All of Us Strangers, Irish actor Andrew Scott will be inhabiting the role of Tom Ripley in an adaptation that will be screened in black-and-white. The eight-episode series also stars Johnny Flynn as Dickie Greenleaf, Dakota Fanning as Marge Sherwood, and acting newcomer Eliot Sumner (son of Sting and Trudie Styler) as Freddie Miles. Written and directed by Oscar winner Steven Zaillian, Ripley was originally set for release on Showtime before it found a new home on Netflix.
Debuting April 4 is Ripley, Netflix’s glossy new take on Highsmith’s 1955 crime novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. Fresh from the critical acclaim he received for All of Us Strangers, Irish actor Andrew Scott will be inhabiting the role of Tom Ripley in an adaptation that will be screened in black-and-white. The eight-episode series also stars Johnny Flynn as Dickie Greenleaf, Dakota Fanning as Marge Sherwood, and acting newcomer Eliot Sumner (son of Sting and Trudie Styler) as Freddie Miles. Written and directed by Oscar winner Steven Zaillian, Ripley was originally set for release on Showtime before it found a new home on Netflix.
- 4/1/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Writer/director/producer/composer and vintner Francis Ford Coppola has spent over five decades making movies, becoming a cultural force that few else have proven to be in our lifetimes. His film career has been filled with peaks and valleys, and from making several of the greatest films ever made to flops that have bankrupted him (“One From the Heart”), Coppola has never been hesitant about swinging for the fences in his film projects.
Along the way, Coppola has received 14 Academy Award nominations, winning five Oscars. He is only one of six individuals who have won Oscars for producing, directing and screenplay. Coppola has also been nominated for 16 Golden Globe Awards, winning three. Quite a haul.
His next film, “Megalopolis,” focuses on an architect who has been asked to rebuild New York City after a colossal disaster nearly destroys it, and Coppola plans it to be a film set on an epic scale.
Along the way, Coppola has received 14 Academy Award nominations, winning five Oscars. He is only one of six individuals who have won Oscars for producing, directing and screenplay. Coppola has also been nominated for 16 Golden Globe Awards, winning three. Quite a haul.
His next film, “Megalopolis,” focuses on an architect who has been asked to rebuild New York City after a colossal disaster nearly destroys it, and Coppola plans it to be a film set on an epic scale.
- 3/30/2024
- by Tom O'Brien, Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
George Lucas' "Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope" is a structurally immaculate screenplay. You simply can't tell a sweeping intergalactic adventure -- or, really, any kind of story -- more thrillingly or efficiently. Beat for beat, it's considered the blockbuster narrative gold standard for a reason.
If, however, you're looking for a fantasy epic with dialogue that bounds off the page, might I recommend "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back"?
There is a certain genius to the specificity of Lucas' dialogue in the first movie. Characters drop references to Tosche Station, the Kessel Run, and the binary language of moisture vaporators like they're a part of everyday speech -- and fans have seen this movie so many times that these references are now a part of their everyday speech.
Still, years before "Star Wars" changed the film industry, these were treacherously awkward words and phrases that,...
If, however, you're looking for a fantasy epic with dialogue that bounds off the page, might I recommend "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back"?
There is a certain genius to the specificity of Lucas' dialogue in the first movie. Characters drop references to Tosche Station, the Kessel Run, and the binary language of moisture vaporators like they're a part of everyday speech -- and fans have seen this movie so many times that these references are now a part of their everyday speech.
Still, years before "Star Wars" changed the film industry, these were treacherously awkward words and phrases that,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
McKenna Grace reprises her lead role as Phoebe in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” which led the weekend box office with $45 million. At 17 she is not yet a household name, but she laid some groundwork early: At age six she had a supporting role on the Disney Channel sitcom “Crash & Bernstein.” Later she received an Emmy nomination for her work in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and portrayed the younger selves for the leads in movies like “I, Tonya” and “Captain Marvel.”
Her “Ghostbusters” co-star is Finn Wolfhard, who made his debut at 13 in CW’s “Supernatural” before starring in “Stranger Things” and “It.” Zendaya, star of “Dune: Part Two,” got her start as a Disney Channel regular. Her co-star, Oscar-nominated Austin Butler, cut his teeth at Nickelodeon.
It’s a strange juxtaposition: Child actors are currently at the forefront of the uncomfortable but necessary conversation centered in Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz...
Her “Ghostbusters” co-star is Finn Wolfhard, who made his debut at 13 in CW’s “Supernatural” before starring in “Stranger Things” and “It.” Zendaya, star of “Dune: Part Two,” got her start as a Disney Channel regular. Her co-star, Oscar-nominated Austin Butler, cut his teeth at Nickelodeon.
It’s a strange juxtaposition: Child actors are currently at the forefront of the uncomfortable but necessary conversation centered in Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz...
- 3/25/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann and Dana Harris-Bridson
- Indiewire
Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" is his masterpiece in between masterpieces. The legendary filmmaker wrapped principal photography in late February 1973, just one month before he would win the Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars for "The Godfather" (Albert Ruddy took home the Best Picture Oscar as the mafia classic's producer). Had Paramount released the film that year, it almost certainly would've received nominations for Best Picture and Director (over the wholly forgotten "A Touch of Class"), giving Coppola three consecutive nods in the latter category, a feat only accomplished once in Academy Awards history (by William Wyler). Instead, he wound up competing against himself a year later, when he added three more Oscars to his trophy case with "The Godfather Part II."
While "The Godfather" movies placed him atop Hollywood's director A-list for the rest of the decade, some cinephiles believe "The Conversation" is the superior film. The...
While "The Godfather" movies placed him atop Hollywood's director A-list for the rest of the decade, some cinephiles believe "The Conversation" is the superior film. The...
- 3/24/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
For those of us who religiously watch “Sex and the City” on whatever platform it is currently streaming on (hi), April 1 is an exciting day. That’s the day the popular HBO series starring Sarah Jessica Parker is coming to Netflix — for the very first time. And TBS reruns this is not: This is the full, unedited, groundbreaking show, now just waiting for viewers new and old to do a Netflix binge. (Paging Gen Z!)
Of course, there are plenty of other exciting TV shows and movies hitting Netflix in April 2024. Movie thrills include Jessica Chastain-starring “Molly’s Game” making its way back to the streamer, as well as perennial rom-com fave “You’ve Got Mail.” On the TV side, there’s new series “Dead Boy Detectives,” from showrunner Steve Yockey, and from the same universe as “The Sandman,” based on the beloved comic series from Neil Gaiman.
Top Pick for...
Of course, there are plenty of other exciting TV shows and movies hitting Netflix in April 2024. Movie thrills include Jessica Chastain-starring “Molly’s Game” making its way back to the streamer, as well as perennial rom-com fave “You’ve Got Mail.” On the TV side, there’s new series “Dead Boy Detectives,” from showrunner Steve Yockey, and from the same universe as “The Sandman,” based on the beloved comic series from Neil Gaiman.
Top Pick for...
- 3/21/2024
- by Erin Strecker
- Indiewire
As the social and political turmoil of 1960s America spilled into the 1970s, network television executives and producers knew they could no longer ignore the thorny issues being argued over kitchen tables and at work/school. The Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Equal Rights Amendment, etc. were driving a wedge between families and neighbors. So when Norman Lear trotted out the unrepentant bigot Archie Bunker on "All in the Family" in 1971, many people in the country felt seen. And while they might not agree on the hot-button topics explored on this show, they could at least laugh through their many disagreements.
There came a point, however (somewhere between President Richard M. Nixon's resignation and the end of the Vietnam War), where television viewers grew weary of all these socially conscious sitcoms. Yes, they were still watching them in huge numbers, but they needed a break from the nonstop tumult of their lives.
There came a point, however (somewhere between President Richard M. Nixon's resignation and the end of the Vietnam War), where television viewers grew weary of all these socially conscious sitcoms. Yes, they were still watching them in huge numbers, but they needed a break from the nonstop tumult of their lives.
- 3/17/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In what could almost be a weird pop-cultural physics phenomenon, people keep making youth nostalgia movies that highlight a particular moment, an iconic time period that everyone who grew up in it remembers with transcendent fondness — yet the distance between the moment and the movie commemorating it keeps getting longer and longer. “American Graffiti,” the movie that invented the genre, was set in 1962 and came out 11 years later, in 1973. “Dazed and Confused” was set in 1976 and came out 17 years later, in 1993. “Adventureland” was set in 1987 and came out 22 years later, in 2009. And now we have “Y2K,” an end-of-the-millennium high-school party movie that premiered last night at SXSW. It’s set on the last day (and the day after) of 1999, and it’s coming out 25 years later. When somebody ultimately makes a youth nostalgia movie set in 2024, it probably won’t come out until 2054.
I think the reason the time between...
I think the reason the time between...
- 3/10/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
"Star Wars" was only the third feature film that George Lucas ever directed and it was easily more ambitious and expensive than "Thx 1138" and "American Graffiti" — the $11 million budget for "Star Wars" is equal to about $65 million today. Handling that kind of money, and spending it on a film whose absurdity invited dozens of ways to fail, strained Lucas' mental wellbeing.
It didn't help that the film suffered from a production that was anything but smooth, with constant effects problems and trailing behind schedule. Not all the actors (Harrison Ford included) had faith in Lucas' vision while they were shooting it. It's a matter of filmmaking legend now how "Star Wars" didn't come together until Marcia Lucas (one of the film's three credited editors and George's then-wife) cut it into shape in her editing bay; before that, Lucas was concerned he'd bitten off more than he could chew.
In...
It didn't help that the film suffered from a production that was anything but smooth, with constant effects problems and trailing behind schedule. Not all the actors (Harrison Ford included) had faith in Lucas' vision while they were shooting it. It's a matter of filmmaking legend now how "Star Wars" didn't come together until Marcia Lucas (one of the film's three credited editors and George's then-wife) cut it into shape in her editing bay; before that, Lucas was concerned he'd bitten off more than he could chew.
In...
- 2/18/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
What began as a single segment titled “Love and the Television Set” on the anthology series “Love, American Style,” grew to become a top ten sitcom that lasted 11 seasons and defined “cool” for a generation. Set in 1950s Milwaukee, “Happy Days” debuted on January 15, 1974, and, although it was only a moderate success initially, became one of the most iconic TV series of its time.
Ron Howard was already a well-known TV star from his days as Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show,” so it’s not surprising this series centered around his all-American teenage character Richie Cunningham and his middle-class family. In fact, Howard’s appearance in the “Love, American Style” episode led to his casting by George Lucas in the equally nostalgic “American Graffiti” in 1973 — the success of which prompted ABC to pick up “Happy Days.” But it was the character of greaser Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler...
Ron Howard was already a well-known TV star from his days as Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show,” so it’s not surprising this series centered around his all-American teenage character Richie Cunningham and his middle-class family. In fact, Howard’s appearance in the “Love, American Style” episode led to his casting by George Lucas in the equally nostalgic “American Graffiti” in 1973 — the success of which prompted ABC to pick up “Happy Days.” But it was the character of greaser Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler...
- 1/15/2024
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
There's a billion bits of "Star Wars" trivia out there, but one of my favorites is actually from before a single foot of film ran through the camera. You have to remember that, though "Star Wars" is a multi-billion dollar IP now, the original film barely got made. George Lucas had success with "American Graffiti," but this was a script that nobody in Hollywood understood, even Alan Ladd Jr., the Fox exec who gave the film a greenlight.
Lucas's world-building impressed most people, but they just didn't understand the technobabble jargon in a genre that was predominantly either super serious like "2001" or extra campy like "Barbarella." "Star Wars" existed somewhere between the two and that threw everybody, from studio execs to the actors auditioning for the movie, for a loop.
This was also an era pre-internet, so when Hamill went in to his first meeting for the role of Luke Skywalker...
Lucas's world-building impressed most people, but they just didn't understand the technobabble jargon in a genre that was predominantly either super serious like "2001" or extra campy like "Barbarella." "Star Wars" existed somewhere between the two and that threw everybody, from studio execs to the actors auditioning for the movie, for a loop.
This was also an era pre-internet, so when Hamill went in to his first meeting for the role of Luke Skywalker...
- 1/15/2024
- by Eric Vespe
- Slash Film
Hollywood star Harrison Ford gave one of the most memorable speeches of the recently held Critics Choice Awards.
A visibly emotional Ford took the stage midway through the ceremony to accept the career achievement award, honouring his body of work, which includes some of the biggest blockbusters in history, like playing Han Solo in ‘Star Wars’ and archaeologist Indiana Jones, reports Variety.
Critics Choice Awards host Chelsea Handler had already called out Ford in her monologue for being one of her celebrity crushes, but it was ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ director James Mangold who presented Ford with the prize.
“The largest stars in the known universe are called variable hypergiants. Of course, Harrison Ford is a star. However, I submit tonight that he is a variable hypergiant,” Mangold said, quoted by Variety.
“A star so big he contains multitudes. A star so unique he attracts other stars.
A visibly emotional Ford took the stage midway through the ceremony to accept the career achievement award, honouring his body of work, which includes some of the biggest blockbusters in history, like playing Han Solo in ‘Star Wars’ and archaeologist Indiana Jones, reports Variety.
Critics Choice Awards host Chelsea Handler had already called out Ford in her monologue for being one of her celebrity crushes, but it was ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ director James Mangold who presented Ford with the prize.
“The largest stars in the known universe are called variable hypergiants. Of course, Harrison Ford is a star. However, I submit tonight that he is a variable hypergiant,” Mangold said, quoted by Variety.
“A star so big he contains multitudes. A star so unique he attracts other stars.
- 1/15/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Harrison Ford Chokes Up Accepting Critics Choice Career Achievement Award: ‘I Feel Enormously Lucky’
Harrison Ford didn’t even need a full three minutes to give one of the most memorable speeches of Sunday night’s Critics Choice Awards.
A visibly emotional Ford took the stage midway through the ceremony to accept the career achievement award, honoring his body of work, which includes some of the biggest blockbusters in history, like playing Han Solo in “Star Wars” and archaeologist Indiana Jones.
Critics Choice Awards host Chelsea Handler had already called out Ford in her monologue for being one of her celebrity crushes, but it was “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” director James Mangold who presented Ford with the prize.
“The largest stars in the known universe are called variable hypergiants … Of course Harrison Ford is a star. However, I submit tonight that he is a variable hypergiant,” Mangold said. “A star so big he contains multitudes. A star so unique he attracts other stars.
A visibly emotional Ford took the stage midway through the ceremony to accept the career achievement award, honoring his body of work, which includes some of the biggest blockbusters in history, like playing Han Solo in “Star Wars” and archaeologist Indiana Jones.
Critics Choice Awards host Chelsea Handler had already called out Ford in her monologue for being one of her celebrity crushes, but it was “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” director James Mangold who presented Ford with the prize.
“The largest stars in the known universe are called variable hypergiants … Of course Harrison Ford is a star. However, I submit tonight that he is a variable hypergiant,” Mangold said. “A star so big he contains multitudes. A star so unique he attracts other stars.
- 1/15/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
What began as a single segment titled “Love and the Television Set” on the anthology series “Love, American Style,” grew to become a top ten sitcom that lasted 11 seasons and defined “cool” for a generation. Set in 1950s Milwaukee, “Happy Days” debuted on January 15, 1974, and, although it was only a moderate success initially, became one of the most iconic TV series of its time.
Ron Howard was already a well-known TV star from his days as Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show,” so it’s not surprising this series centered around his all-American teenage character Richie Cunningham and his middle-class family. In fact, Howard’s appearance in the “Love, American Style” episode led to his casting by George Lucas in the equally nostalgic “American Graffiti” in 1973 — the success of which prompted ABC to pick up “Happy Days.” But it was the character of greaser Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler...
Ron Howard was already a well-known TV star from his days as Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show,” so it’s not surprising this series centered around his all-American teenage character Richie Cunningham and his middle-class family. In fact, Howard’s appearance in the “Love, American Style” episode led to his casting by George Lucas in the equally nostalgic “American Graffiti” in 1973 — the success of which prompted ABC to pick up “Happy Days.” But it was the character of greaser Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler...
- 1/14/2024
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
George Lucas' "Star Wars" is easily the most underestimated movie ever made.
When Lucas closed a deal with 20th Century Fox chief Alan Ladd Jr. in June 1973 to write and direct the space opera, he was two months away from hitting the box-office jackpot with his nostalgia-fueled classic "American Graffiti." And while Lucas was a part of the New Hollywood revolution on the strength of "Thx 1138" alone, he wasn't interested in making thematically/stylistically provocative films like William Friedkin, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese. He just wanted to tell stories, one of which happened to be an intergalactic saga inspired by the escapist adventures of his youth.
No one got it. So when "Star Wars" turned into the biggest cinematic phenomenon since "Gone with the Wind," just about everyone who made money off the motion picture industry was caught flat-footed. In many cases, the demand for anything related...
When Lucas closed a deal with 20th Century Fox chief Alan Ladd Jr. in June 1973 to write and direct the space opera, he was two months away from hitting the box-office jackpot with his nostalgia-fueled classic "American Graffiti." And while Lucas was a part of the New Hollywood revolution on the strength of "Thx 1138" alone, he wasn't interested in making thematically/stylistically provocative films like William Friedkin, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese. He just wanted to tell stories, one of which happened to be an intergalactic saga inspired by the escapist adventures of his youth.
No one got it. So when "Star Wars" turned into the biggest cinematic phenomenon since "Gone with the Wind," just about everyone who made money off the motion picture industry was caught flat-footed. In many cases, the demand for anything related...
- 12/28/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Francis Ford Coppola's bleak Vietnam War picture "Apocalypse Now" is not only one of the best films of 1979, but is handily one of the finest, most important films of its decade. Using Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella "Heart of Darkness" as a template, Copolla transposed the book's action from the late 1800s Congo to the jungles of Cambodia, and, in so doing, exposed the madness and horror of the Vietnam War in harrowing, soul-hollowing terms. As Captain Willars (Martin Sheen) treks deeper and deeper into the chaos of the natural world -- drifting ever closer to the insane, cult-founding rogue Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) -- reality begins to dissipate. Eventually, madness and violence are all that remain, and war is reduced to its base function: brazen, meaningless destruction and cruelty. "Apocalypse Now" is a great, great film.
Curiously, a lot of war enthusiasts love "Apocalypse Now," seemingly ignoring the film's...
Curiously, a lot of war enthusiasts love "Apocalypse Now," seemingly ignoring the film's...
- 12/18/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the most shockingly funny moment of Alexander Payne’s “Sideways,” Miles Raymond, the desperate English teacher and wine aficionado played by Paul Giamatti, has just learned that his book was turned down by the publisher he had his hopes pinned on. It’s more than a rejection; it’s the death of his dream. Miles is in the middle a chi-chi Napa Valley wine tasting, and suddenly he’s in dire need of a drink. He asks the bartender for a glass of red, but all the man will pour him is a “taste.” Miles offers to pay for a full glass, but no go: That would be breaking the rules. It’s like the side-order-of-toast scene in “Five Easy Pieces,” only what happens here is three times as explosive. Miles grabs the bottle on the bar and pours himself a drink, and he and the bartender wind up wrestling over it.
- 11/12/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
One of the things that gets lost when you look back on the incredible history of "Star Wars" as a franchise was just how precarious the whole Lucasfilm empire (no pun intended) was between the release of the original 1977 classic and its first sequel "The Empire Strikes Back." George Lucas is a genius for about a billion different reasons, but how he navigated Lucasfilm through this time period and somehow ended up not only controlling the rights to his creation but also producing the (arguably) best installment of the entire franchise is about the height of his business acumen.
Remember, Fox owned "Star Wars." They bought the pitch from Lucas and funded it, which meant Fox owned "Star Wars," not George Lucas. What Lucas was able to do in those original contracts with the studio was to claim a few key points that most folks ignored in their deal memos,...
Remember, Fox owned "Star Wars." They bought the pitch from Lucas and funded it, which meant Fox owned "Star Wars," not George Lucas. What Lucas was able to do in those original contracts with the studio was to claim a few key points that most folks ignored in their deal memos,...
- 11/5/2023
- by Eric Vespe
- Slash Film
Richard Dreyfuss is the Oscar-winning actor who has been an integral part of so many American films that are now considered classics. His career really took off in the 1970s with “Jaws,” “American Graffiti” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” by being a key collaborator on a number of films directed by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.
Dreyfuss has proven himself adept in his wide range of characters — from a music teacher to a blood-thirsty gangster, and from an aspiring actor to an obnoxious oceanographer. The result has been a Best Actor Academy Award for “The Goodbye Girl” with an additional nomination for “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” plus a Golden Globe victory with three additional Globe nominations.
Take a tour of our photo gallery ranking his 12 greatest films from worst to best..
Dreyfuss has proven himself adept in his wide range of characters — from a music teacher to a blood-thirsty gangster, and from an aspiring actor to an obnoxious oceanographer. The result has been a Best Actor Academy Award for “The Goodbye Girl” with an additional nomination for “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” plus a Golden Globe victory with three additional Globe nominations.
Take a tour of our photo gallery ranking his 12 greatest films from worst to best..
- 10/21/2023
- by Tom O'Brien, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Suzanne Somers, who became a star in the 1970s on the hit ABC comedy “Three’s Company” and later parlayed her fame into significant wealth as a health and fitness fitness guru and author, is dead. She passed away Sunday at 76.
In a statement, Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay said, “Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years. Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce and her immediate family. Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
SEECelebrity Deaths 2023: In Memoriam Gallery
Somers first gained public attention as they hot blonde in the white Thunderbird in George Lucas’ hit “American Graffiti” in 1973. After a series of small roles,...
In a statement, Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay said, “Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years. Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce and her immediate family. Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
SEECelebrity Deaths 2023: In Memoriam Gallery
Somers first gained public attention as they hot blonde in the white Thunderbird in George Lucas’ hit “American Graffiti” in 1973. After a series of small roles,...
- 10/16/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Suzanne Somers, who perfected the bimbo blonde and helped turn a fitness fad into a surefire phenomenon, has died after a battle with cancer. Somers was 76.
A statement issued by Suzanne Somers’ publicity announced the death on Sunday. “Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years…Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family…Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
As noted in the announcement, Suzanne Somers would have celebrated her birthday on Monday. Ahead of this, the actress even told People that she was looking forward to spending the day with family, including her husband of 45+ years,...
A statement issued by Suzanne Somers’ publicity announced the death on Sunday. “Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years…Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family…Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
As noted in the announcement, Suzanne Somers would have celebrated her birthday on Monday. Ahead of this, the actress even told People that she was looking forward to spending the day with family, including her husband of 45+ years,...
- 10/15/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Suzanne Somers, best known for her ditsy comedy turn in the hit television series Three’s Company, has died. She was 76.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement to People shared on behalf of the actress’ family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
Somers first cultural impression was as the blonde beauty in a white Thunderbird in George Lucas’ ‘60s hit comedy-drama, American Graffiti (1973).
Her big break came in 1977, when she was cast as one of the...
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement to People shared on behalf of the actress’ family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
Somers first cultural impression was as the blonde beauty in a white Thunderbird in George Lucas’ ‘60s hit comedy-drama, American Graffiti (1973).
Her big break came in 1977, when she was cast as one of the...
- 10/15/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Suzanne Somers, who parlayed TV stardom in the sitcom hits “Three’s Company” and “Step by Step” into a personal fortune as a health and fitness pitchwoman and author, died Sunday in Palm Springs, Calif. She was 76.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement on behalf of the actress’ family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
The leggy blonde first attracted attention with a small but eye-catching role on the big screen, as the nameless beauty in...
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement on behalf of the actress’ family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
The leggy blonde first attracted attention with a small but eye-catching role on the big screen, as the nameless beauty in...
- 10/15/2023
- by Chris Morris
- Variety Film + TV
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Thanks to the release of "Star Wars" in 1977 — before it had any episode number or subtitle — Harrison Ford was transformed from being a mostly unknown character actor into cinema's ultimate cool guy. He was the roguish hero who could approach everything with a wink and a smirk, putting forth the veneer of someone whose loyalties you question but ultimately know will do the right thing. Not only did it change the trajectory of the actor's career, helping to make him one of the biggest movie stars in the world for the next nearly 50 years, but it redefined a new template for a character that every adventure movie tried to replicate thereafter.
The thing that is important to remember, though, is that Harrison Ford isn't Han Solo. Nor is he Indiana Jones or Richard Kimball. He is Harrison Ford, a regular...
Thanks to the release of "Star Wars" in 1977 — before it had any episode number or subtitle — Harrison Ford was transformed from being a mostly unknown character actor into cinema's ultimate cool guy. He was the roguish hero who could approach everything with a wink and a smirk, putting forth the veneer of someone whose loyalties you question but ultimately know will do the right thing. Not only did it change the trajectory of the actor's career, helping to make him one of the biggest movie stars in the world for the next nearly 50 years, but it redefined a new template for a character that every adventure movie tried to replicate thereafter.
The thing that is important to remember, though, is that Harrison Ford isn't Han Solo. Nor is he Indiana Jones or Richard Kimball. He is Harrison Ford, a regular...
- 10/8/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Perhaps no other film has shaped Hollywood like "Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope" has since 1977, which is not bad for a movie whose crew regarded it as a joke during production. George Lucas' epic saga of space wizards, space fascists, and plucky everyday heroes long ago in a galaxy far, far away was ground-breaking in its VFX, yet its story looked to the past. Drawing from a myriad of sources across different cultures and genres, Lucas wove a fairy tale as elemental as any in its depiction of the eternal war between the forces of darkness and light.
Due to its success, the cast of "Star Wars" would forever be associated first and foremost with their roles in the film, sometimes to the chagrin of the actors who had led long and illustrious careers before that. For the likes of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels,...
Due to its success, the cast of "Star Wars" would forever be associated first and foremost with their roles in the film, sometimes to the chagrin of the actors who had led long and illustrious careers before that. For the likes of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels,...
- 10/4/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
During the making of "Star Wars" back in 1976, writer/director George Lucas hadn't really yet defined what the Force was. In dialogue, Obi-Wan Kenobi eventually described it as "an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together." In J.W. Rinzler's invaluable book "The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film," it was indicated that early drafts of "Star Wars" originally called it the Force of Others, and possessed two parts called Ashla (what would become the light side) and Bogan (what would become the dark side). Lucas mixed in a bunch of Platonic notions as well, saying that "the pure soul is connected to a larger energy field that you would begin to understand if you went all the way back and saw yourself in your purest sense."
Additionally, in early drafts of Lucas' script,...
Additionally, in early drafts of Lucas' script,...
- 10/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
For almost 50 years, John Williams' music has been virtually synonymous with the films of Steven Spielberg (and vice versa), and for nearly as long, Williams' compositions have formed the emotional backbone of the Skywalker Saga from "Star Wars." However, 20 years before the cinematic musical maestro become known for either of those things, Williams was merely a whipper-snapper fresh out of Julliard and eager to leave his mark on the worlds of concert and film music.
Williams' pre-Spielberg run would have made for an incredible career all by itself. It was an era that saw the composer collaborating with numerous giants among the old guard of Hollywood directors, including Robert Altman, Don Siegel, William Wyler, Irwin Allen, Frank Sinatra, and Norman Jewison. In 1974, Williams worked with Spielberg for the first time on the filmmaker's theatrical feature debut, "The Sugarland Express." Appearing with Williams at the American Cinematheque event "50 Years of...
Williams' pre-Spielberg run would have made for an incredible career all by itself. It was an era that saw the composer collaborating with numerous giants among the old guard of Hollywood directors, including Robert Altman, Don Siegel, William Wyler, Irwin Allen, Frank Sinatra, and Norman Jewison. In 1974, Williams worked with Spielberg for the first time on the filmmaker's theatrical feature debut, "The Sugarland Express." Appearing with Williams at the American Cinematheque event "50 Years of...
- 9/24/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
George Lucas' original "Star Wars" was, at the time, probably the most technologically complicated undertaking since Stanley Kubrick took a space-crazed populace for a tour of the galaxy in "2001: A Space Odyssey." The motion control camera pioneered by John Dykstra (which he dubbed the "Dykstraflex") allowed Lucas to pull off the Death Star trench run, which ended the film on a rousing note and changed the medium forever.
But before it became a global sensation, 20th Century Fox didn't get "Star Wars." According to Lucas, Alan Ladd Jr., who greenlit the movie, told the up-and-coming director, 'I don't understand this movie, I don't get it at all, but I think you're a talented guy and I want you to make it.'" His gut instinct was based on the box-office success of "American Graffiti," which was a grounded, night-in-the-life tale of teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. It was relatable.
But before it became a global sensation, 20th Century Fox didn't get "Star Wars." According to Lucas, Alan Ladd Jr., who greenlit the movie, told the up-and-coming director, 'I don't understand this movie, I don't get it at all, but I think you're a talented guy and I want you to make it.'" His gut instinct was based on the box-office success of "American Graffiti," which was a grounded, night-in-the-life tale of teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. It was relatable.
- 9/24/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Sasha Jenson, Matthew McConaughey, Jason London, and Wiley Wiggins in Dazed And Confused Image: Universal
To paraphrase David Wooderson, “That’s what I love about these high school movies, man. I get older, they stay the same age.” Indeed, the best high school films remain, and filmmaker Richard Linklater’s Dazed And Confused,...
To paraphrase David Wooderson, “That’s what I love about these high school movies, man. I get older, they stay the same age.” Indeed, the best high school films remain, and filmmaker Richard Linklater’s Dazed And Confused,...
- 9/19/2023
- by Scott Huver
- avclub.com
Sony’s late-summer event pic Gran Turismo may have officially won the weekend box office race with a $17.4 million domestic opening, but Barbie says she’s the true victor.
Directed by Neill Blomkamp, Gran Turismo had been set to launch nationwide Aug. 11 but switched gears because of the actors strike and the resulting prohibition on the cast — led by Orlando Bloom and David Harbour — doing any press. The studio instead hosted two weekends of sneaks and a handful of fan screenings to build buzz before opening the movie everywhere Aug. 25.
The opening number includes a hefty $3.9 million in grosses from those previous sneaks. It’s hardly the first time that a Hollywood studio has added such grosses to an opening weekend number, but the early Gran Turismo screenings were far more robust than is the norm. Gran Turismo‘s weekend number would have otherwise been $13.5 million.
Put another way: Warner Bros....
Directed by Neill Blomkamp, Gran Turismo had been set to launch nationwide Aug. 11 but switched gears because of the actors strike and the resulting prohibition on the cast — led by Orlando Bloom and David Harbour — doing any press. The studio instead hosted two weekends of sneaks and a handful of fan screenings to build buzz before opening the movie everywhere Aug. 25.
The opening number includes a hefty $3.9 million in grosses from those previous sneaks. It’s hardly the first time that a Hollywood studio has added such grosses to an opening weekend number, but the early Gran Turismo screenings were far more robust than is the norm. Gran Turismo‘s weekend number would have otherwise been $13.5 million.
Put another way: Warner Bros....
- 8/28/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
$4 tickets at participating US cinemas cover Barbie, Oppenheimer, new releases Gran Turismo: Based On A True Story, Golda.
The National Cinema Day initiative that launched a year ago in the US is set to return for its second iteration on August 27.
Tickets will cost up to $4 and include films in active release at what is expected to be more than 3,000 participating cinemas and 30,000 screens.
Titles include Barbie, Oppenheimer, Meg 2: The Trench, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Strays.
The offering covers this weekend’s upcoming arrivals Gran Turismo: Based On A True Story, Golda. The Hill, Retribution, and Bottoms,...
The National Cinema Day initiative that launched a year ago in the US is set to return for its second iteration on August 27.
Tickets will cost up to $4 and include films in active release at what is expected to be more than 3,000 participating cinemas and 30,000 screens.
Titles include Barbie, Oppenheimer, Meg 2: The Trench, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Strays.
The offering covers this weekend’s upcoming arrivals Gran Turismo: Based On A True Story, Golda. The Hill, Retribution, and Bottoms,...
- 8/21/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The Cinema Foundation announced on Monday that it is bringing back National Cinema Day, with more than 3,000 theaters offering tickets for all screenings at a price of just $4 on this Sunday, Aug. 27.
Introduced last year, National Cinema Day was created by The Cinema Foundation and its parent organization, the National Association of Theater Owners, as a way to celebrate movie theaters and the experience of moviegoing. When the special discount day was hosted on Sept. 3, NATO reported that 8.1 million tickets were sold through the promotion.
“Following the rousing success of the first annual National Cinema Day, we welcome everyone to join us for the communal experience of one of America’s favorite pastimes – moviegoing,” said Jackie Brenneman, president of The Cinema Foundation. “We look forward to gathering at the movies and celebrating an exciting slate of new releases and classics, from beloved family favorites and outrageous comedies to thought-provoking dramas and thrilling adventures.
Introduced last year, National Cinema Day was created by The Cinema Foundation and its parent organization, the National Association of Theater Owners, as a way to celebrate movie theaters and the experience of moviegoing. When the special discount day was hosted on Sept. 3, NATO reported that 8.1 million tickets were sold through the promotion.
“Following the rousing success of the first annual National Cinema Day, we welcome everyone to join us for the communal experience of one of America’s favorite pastimes – moviegoing,” said Jackie Brenneman, president of The Cinema Foundation. “We look forward to gathering at the movies and celebrating an exciting slate of new releases and classics, from beloved family favorites and outrageous comedies to thought-provoking dramas and thrilling adventures.
- 8/21/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
For the second year in a row in what could become an annual tradition, National Cinema Day is coming back to movie theaters across the country. For a single day, U.S. cinemas will feature cheap tickets for whatever movie you decide to see for no more than $4.
This coming Sunday on August 27, over 3,000 theaters with over 30,000 screens are offering the discounted tickets, and that discount even applies to Premium Large Format (Plf) screens. So that makes it a great time to finally check out “Oppenheimer” or “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” on a super-sized screen.
The $4 price tag though is a buck increase from the inaugural program last year, when tickets cost as low as $3. Last year’s National Cinema Day fell during a quiet Labor Day Weekend, and it meant most people just went to see “Top Gun Maverick” again (the Tom Cruise blockbuster topped the...
This coming Sunday on August 27, over 3,000 theaters with over 30,000 screens are offering the discounted tickets, and that discount even applies to Premium Large Format (Plf) screens. So that makes it a great time to finally check out “Oppenheimer” or “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” on a super-sized screen.
The $4 price tag though is a buck increase from the inaugural program last year, when tickets cost as low as $3. Last year’s National Cinema Day fell during a quiet Labor Day Weekend, and it meant most people just went to see “Top Gun Maverick” again (the Tom Cruise blockbuster topped the...
- 8/21/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
It's not unusual for artists to have a complicated relationship with their work. Whether it's a piece that fails to land with viewers or a successful passion project that ultimately gets sucked into the commercial machine, it's an especially tight line for filmmakers to walk. For George Lucas, 1977's "Star Wars" (by 1981 it would be retitled "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope") was the latter: an offbeat, mystical science fiction film that he had spent years developing and for which he had the lowest expectations. After all, the story of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill) leaving the comfort of his home planet to learn the ways of the mystical Force and befriend a ragtag rebel group facing off against an evil Empire was no sure thing.
"Star Wars" would go on to cast an awfully long shadow, creating a massive franchise and media phenomenon that would tie Lucas up...
"Star Wars" would go on to cast an awfully long shadow, creating a massive franchise and media phenomenon that would tie Lucas up...
- 8/20/2023
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
The greatest tragedy of Bruce Lee’s all too short life was that he didn’t live to see the premiere of Enter the Dragon. Lee died on July 20, 1973. Enter the Dragon was released six days later.
Four years prior, Lee made a vow to himself that he titled “My Definite Chief Aim.” Handwritten in cursive with his characteristic flair, he wrote “I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor.” Throughout his career in Hollywood, Lee struggled to make his way, fighting against prejudice and exclusion at every step, in hopes of reaching his goal. And yet he never lived to see the breakthrough success of his masterpiece.
Enter the Dragon was the 13th highest grossing film in North America in 1973, but it...
Four years prior, Lee made a vow to himself that he titled “My Definite Chief Aim.” Handwritten in cursive with his characteristic flair, he wrote “I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor.” Throughout his career in Hollywood, Lee struggled to make his way, fighting against prejudice and exclusion at every step, in hopes of reaching his goal. And yet he never lived to see the breakthrough success of his masterpiece.
Enter the Dragon was the 13th highest grossing film in North America in 1973, but it...
- 8/17/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Two personal, stylish, and distinctive films celebrate major birthdays this month: “Risky Business” turned 40 August 5 and August 1 marked the 50th anniversary of the release of “American Graffiti.”
Two other personal, stylish, and distinctive films also celebrate their blockbuster success this August: “Barbie,” which is now $1 billion worldwide and counting, and “Oppenheimer,” which just crossed $600 million.
August is generally known for providing the dog days of summer box office. It’s the end of the road, kids are going back to school. There’s no time for a blockbuster to stretch its legs and no one’s in the mood for anything weighty. The current studio release calendar bears out that logic with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” “Gran Turismo,” “Blue Beetle,” and “Strays.”
“Apocalypse Now”Courtesy Everett Collection
History tells us it doesn’t have to be that way. Among the smarter films...
Two other personal, stylish, and distinctive films also celebrate their blockbuster success this August: “Barbie,” which is now $1 billion worldwide and counting, and “Oppenheimer,” which just crossed $600 million.
August is generally known for providing the dog days of summer box office. It’s the end of the road, kids are going back to school. There’s no time for a blockbuster to stretch its legs and no one’s in the mood for anything weighty. The current studio release calendar bears out that logic with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” “Gran Turismo,” “Blue Beetle,” and “Strays.”
“Apocalypse Now”Courtesy Everett Collection
History tells us it doesn’t have to be that way. Among the smarter films...
- 8/11/2023
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Clockwise from upper left: Star Wars (Disney), Raiders Of The Lost Ark (Disney), The Fugitive (Warner Bros.), Blade Runner (Warner Bros.) American Graffiti (Universal), Hollywood Homicide (Sony)Graphic: AVClub
Harrison Ford is one of our biggest, most iconic movie stars. Much like Gary Cooper and Clint Eastwood, he tends to play tough,...
Harrison Ford is one of our biggest, most iconic movie stars. Much like Gary Cooper and Clint Eastwood, he tends to play tough,...
- 6/30/2023
- by Ian Spelling
- avclub.com
Turner Classic Movies is a mainstay in the viewing lineup of most fans of all-time great cinema. The channel is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, and even though it’s widely beloved, no segment of the company is truly safe from the savings-oriented gaze of CEO David Zaslav, no matter the artistic value.
Reports over the past week indicate a wave of executive layoffs has struck TCM as part of a wider round of firings at the Wbd TV division. General manager of the network Pola Chagnon is leaving after more than 25 years at the company, and a host of other executives including TCM Enterprises VP Genevieve McGillicuddy, president of marketing and creative Dexter Fedor, and more were shown the door.
As layoffs of this level are sometimes accompanied by more drastic moves, fans have been nervous about the future of TCM. Zaslav hasn’t been afraid to make aggressive...
Reports over the past week indicate a wave of executive layoffs has struck TCM as part of a wider round of firings at the Wbd TV division. General manager of the network Pola Chagnon is leaving after more than 25 years at the company, and a host of other executives including TCM Enterprises VP Genevieve McGillicuddy, president of marketing and creative Dexter Fedor, and more were shown the door.
As layoffs of this level are sometimes accompanied by more drastic moves, fans have been nervous about the future of TCM. Zaslav hasn’t been afraid to make aggressive...
- 6/22/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Exclusive: Carrie Fisher’s last movie Wonderwell is finally getting released after a “perilous” seven-year journey to screen.
The Star Wars icon, who passed away in late 2016 just six weeks after wrapping on the fantasy movie, leads cast alongside singer and actress Rita Ora (Fifty Shades of Grey), Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper) and newcomer Kiera Milward.
Vertical has acquired North America and UK/Ire rights to Vlad Marsavin’s under-the-radar directorial debut and is lining up a limited theatrical run via AMC in the U.S. from June 23, 2023, followed by a digital release.
“The journey we have taken as filmmakers with this movie, has been as perilous as that of the movie itself,” explained director Marsavin about the delayed release. “From filming to screen it has taken us seven years. The visual effects on a movie of this magnitude takes time, but we were challenged with Covid...
The Star Wars icon, who passed away in late 2016 just six weeks after wrapping on the fantasy movie, leads cast alongside singer and actress Rita Ora (Fifty Shades of Grey), Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper) and newcomer Kiera Milward.
Vertical has acquired North America and UK/Ire rights to Vlad Marsavin’s under-the-radar directorial debut and is lining up a limited theatrical run via AMC in the U.S. from June 23, 2023, followed by a digital release.
“The journey we have taken as filmmakers with this movie, has been as perilous as that of the movie itself,” explained director Marsavin about the delayed release. “From filming to screen it has taken us seven years. The visual effects on a movie of this magnitude takes time, but we were challenged with Covid...
- 6/14/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
At 80, Harrison Ford has had more than 50 years of work in show business, seeing global acclaim, Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, lifetime achievement recognition, and just under $8 billion worldwide at the box office. But if he had his way, Harrison Ford would have never been a movie star. Maybe he didn’t want to remain a carpenter his entire life, but the marquee attention was far from being on Ford’s radar.
In a new People cover story, Harrison Ford said of his movie star status, “I never thought that I would be a leading man…I really was just hoping I could make a living as an actor and not have to supplement my income with some other side hustle…I thought I would be lucky to have a character part on a regular TV show…No one ever believes this, but I never wanted to be rich and famous,...
In a new People cover story, Harrison Ford said of his movie star status, “I never thought that I would be a leading man…I really was just hoping I could make a living as an actor and not have to supplement my income with some other side hustle…I thought I would be lucky to have a character part on a regular TV show…No one ever believes this, but I never wanted to be rich and famous,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Richard Dreyfuss has criticized the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ new diversity and inclusion requirements, stating that the new standards for Best Picture nominees “make me vomit.”
The four diversity and inclusion guidelines were announced in 2020 and will be applied for the first time to the upcoming 2024 Academy Awards ceremony. Two of the four standards need to be met to receive a nomination for best picture. They include expanding on-screen representation, themes or narrative; increasing representation among creative leadership; providing industry access to underrepresented people and expanding representation in audiences.
The Oscar-winning actor’s remarks came during an interview on the PBS show Firing Line With Margaret Hoover. During the conversation, Dreyfuss talked about civics education in the U.S., politics and the Academy’s diversity policy.
“It’s an art. No one should be telling me as an artist that I have to give in to the latest,...
The four diversity and inclusion guidelines were announced in 2020 and will be applied for the first time to the upcoming 2024 Academy Awards ceremony. Two of the four standards need to be met to receive a nomination for best picture. They include expanding on-screen representation, themes or narrative; increasing representation among creative leadership; providing industry access to underrepresented people and expanding representation in audiences.
The Oscar-winning actor’s remarks came during an interview on the PBS show Firing Line With Margaret Hoover. During the conversation, Dreyfuss talked about civics education in the U.S., politics and the Academy’s diversity policy.
“It’s an art. No one should be telling me as an artist that I have to give in to the latest,...
- 6/5/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
George Lucas' "Star Wars" (which eventually acquired the subtitle "Episode IV — A New Hope") transformed cinema in a myriad of ways when it blasted onto movie screens in the summer of 1977. The richly imagined tale of a young Tatooine farm boy who becomes the unlikely hero of a galactic rebellion sent kids staggering out of theaters with grandiose dreams of saving the universe. A mere two years after the end of the Vietnam War, America was hungry for a return to the righteousness of World War II flicks and John Wayne Westerns. "Star Wars," along with "Jaws" and "Rocky," spun that beautiful, aspirational lie. These characters — particularly the trinity of the naive hero, the strong-willed princess, and the charming rogue — were who we wanted to be.
Every age-appropriate actor in Hollywood wanted to be there, too, and Lucas cast the widest of nets to find the perfect Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia,...
Every age-appropriate actor in Hollywood wanted to be there, too, and Lucas cast the widest of nets to find the perfect Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia,...
- 5/21/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In the 1970s, no one expected the first "Star Wars" movie to be such a runaway hit, least of all theater exhibitors. Writer-director George Lucas famously shopped around his script to studios like United Artists, Universal Pictures, and even future Lucasfilm owner Disney, according to Vanity Fair, but he couldn't secure financing with any of them. Though Lucas had already earned two Academy Award nominations for his pre-"Star Wars" masterpiece, "American Graffiti," his previous foray into science fiction, "Thx 1138," had fared less successful. It was only 20th Century Fox, led by Alan Ladd Jr. at the time, that was willing to take a chance on Lucas and his space opera.
Getting "Star Wars" made was just the first step for Lucas. Fox had to distribute it next, and as Mental Floss notes, it was afraid the movie would flop if released as part of a packed summer schedule.
Getting "Star Wars" made was just the first step for Lucas. Fox had to distribute it next, and as Mental Floss notes, it was afraid the movie would flop if released as part of a packed summer schedule.
- 5/20/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
The fourth day of Cannes took audiences back to their childhoods with the first screening of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” The film’s splashy premiere saw stars Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen walk the red carpet, alongside Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger and director James Mangold.
The first reactions were slow to drop but were filled with enthusiasm. Variety’s Clayton Davis and IndieWire’s Eric Kohn both brought up that it felt like a return to form for the series, in reference to the last time Indy was seen at Cannes, with 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Reviews, though, were far more mixed. The general tone seemed to be a bit let down, though some say it has its moments. People still love Harrison Ford in the title role.
TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote in his review that “’Dial...
The first reactions were slow to drop but were filled with enthusiasm. Variety’s Clayton Davis and IndieWire’s Eric Kohn both brought up that it felt like a return to form for the series, in reference to the last time Indy was seen at Cannes, with 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Reviews, though, were far more mixed. The general tone seemed to be a bit let down, though some say it has its moments. People still love Harrison Ford in the title role.
TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote in his review that “’Dial...
- 5/19/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
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