Entertainment News
Entries from January 2010
In a breakthrough moment in the entertainment industry, a female director has won the coveted Directors Guild of America award. Kathryn Bigelow was honored for her work on the Iraq War film The Hurt Locker. The award makes her a favorite to win the Best Director Oscar, which- in -turn- generally means her film will win Best Picture. There have only been six occasions since 1948 when the DGA winner didn't get the Oscar for directing. Adding drama to the decision was the fact that Bigelow was competing against ex-husband James Cameron, whose Avatar is now the top-grossing film of all time. Cameron is also considered to be a shoo-in for a Best Director Oscar nomination. For more click here
There are indications that James Cameron's next film project may be based on survivor's accounts of the destruction of Hiroshima in WWII. Cameron recently met with the only verified survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki blasts (talk about bad luck!) prior to the man passing away last week at age 93. For more click here
Although James Cameron's Avatar might bring up to $1 billion in pre-tax profits to Fox, the New York Times reports that major studios are not rushing to jump on the bandwagon to emulate the film's technical aspects. The reason is the risk of making such a huge investment. Fox gambled a staggering $400 million+ on the project and if Cameron had come up with a clunker, the studio would have faced some serious problems in terms of finances and credibility. The realization that the second film to take such a plunge would not have nearly the clout of Avatar is making Hollywood cautious. (The Times points out that no one remembers Tenderloin, the film marketed as the second movie to feature full sound following the release of The Jazz Singer in 1927). There are rumors that the next Star Trek film might employ some of the 3-D technologies, but Paramount isn't talking. For more click here
Warner Brothers will become the only Hollywood movie company to have their own major studio in the UK when it buys Leavesden Studios on the outskirts of London. The company will spend up to $100 million to purchase and revamp the former Rolls Royce factory which became an unlikely movie studio in 1995 when Eon Productions shot most of the James Bond movie GoldenEye. Bond production designer Peter Lamont and his team performed a Herculean task in making the conversion to a working studio. Since then, many major feature films have been shot there. Warner Brothers, which will be a major competitor to Pinewood Studios, intends to make the public welcome by offering tours and other events. For more click here
Miramax, the independent production studio that was founded in 1979 by the mercurial Bob and Harvey Weinstein, has officially gone out of business. Under their guidance, the company enjoyed financial and critical success, having backed off-beat films that most major studios would have ignored. The brothers sold the company to Disney in 1993 but they continued to exert an astonishing amount of autonomy in running Miramax. However, after clashing with Michael Eisner, the Weinsteins left Miramax and Disney to form The Weinstein Company in 2005. Miramax died a slow death in the ensuing years and Disney finally officially closed the company today. For full details click here
Cinema Retro contributor Matthew Bradley has started his own film blog to occasionally opine on classic films. Matthew is an expert on all things relating to Richard Matheson and has a penchant for Matt Helm movies. (Who can blame him?)Â Click here to read his new blog, Bradley on Film. Click here to read his archived blog on the literary and cinematic Matt Helm.Â
KING OF THE WORLD!
The bad news for James Cameron is that Titanic has lost the title of #1 Boxoffice Champion of All Time. The good news: he's displaced himself, as Avatar took that honor with an incredible worldwide gross to date of $1.859 billion compared to Titanic's gross of $1.843 billion. Cameron looks set to blow away the record by a wide margin, as Avatar has plenty of mojo left: it was still #1 according to last week's boxoffice grosses. For a list of the top-grossing films of all time click here
The assembly-line quality of contemporary action films is illustrated through their trailers, which all use the the exact same chorus singing ominously. It's somewhat similar to Jerry Goldsmith's score for The Omen. CNN reveals that the track is actually called Carmina Burana by Carl Orff and it is used by virtually every company in the business of making trailers. Forget the fact that for years, one man (now deceased) had a monopoly on voice-over work for trailers. Now, even the music doesn't have a specific identity. Ever notice how trailers are also cut the exact same way? Just when you think it's over and the title splash comes on screen, it always cuts back to one last line of dialogue, usually a wisecrack uttered by the star. Click here for the story.Â
Will Smith has purchased the rights to the 1974 hit crime comedy caper Uptown Saturday Night which starred Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. The project, which has been languishing for quite some time, seems to be picking up steam and Denzel Washington may be coming aboard. For details click here
By Lee Pfeiffer
We know you are probably among the legions of movie-goers who hate Tim Burton's misguided "re-imagining" of the classic 1968 sci-fi film Planet of the Apes. Yet, it still made a boat load of money and where Hollywood smells profits, you can't count out studios revisiting a bad idea. Now rumor has it that a remake may be in the works of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth entry in the original series and perhaps the most controversial. The film depicted how the oppressed ape population turned on their masters and took control of earth. Here's an idea: instead of attempting another Ape remake, why not just reissue the original? For more click here
Jeff Bridges, who recently won the Best Actor Golden Globe for the little-seen film Crazy Heart, continued to build momentum for an Oscar win when he was awarded the Best Actor Screen Actor's Guild award. Sandra Bullock won Best Actress for The Blind Side. The ensemble cast award went to Inglourious Basterds. For more click here
The state of current movie posters may be in free-fall, with most marketing campaigns uninspired and boring. However, creativity is alive and well on the fan circuit, as evidenced by this "poster" making the rounds on the web that blends two icons of pop culture - Seinfeld and Star Wars- in a hilarious one sheet design. Why aren't the people who created this in charge of designing real movie posters?
Nicholas Cage claims he is under new management and has taken drastic steps to get his troubled financial house in order. In recent years, Cage and his former business manager have traded charges over whose negligence resulted in Cage's financial meltdown. Despite making mega millions over the years, Cage has had to liquidate assets and endure embarrassing press coverage of his tax problems. Cage says he is now current on his tax bill and has paid an additional $14 million to the IRS. For more click here
A feud has broken out between Federico Fellini's niece and the Fellini Foundation, which carries out high profile events in the memory of the legendary director, as well as dedicates itself to preserving his heritage. The niece has resigned from the board of the foundation and removed Fellini's massive library as well as his five Oscars. This all comes with some irony: the movie musical Nine, which is based on Fellini's 8 1/2 is about to open in Italy. For more click here
Jackie Collins has finally come clean on the affair with Marlon Brando that she always hinted at. Collins says she met Brando at a party in the 1950s when he was 29 and she was about to turn 16. The top Hollywood swordsman was mesmerized by young Jackie's 39 inch bust and quickly made a successful pass at her. This resulted in a sexual affair that went on for some time, despite the fact that she was legally under the age of consent. Complicating matters was the fact that her sister Joan Collins eventually bedded Brando as well. Talk about bosom buddies...For more click here
Dick Cavett, one of the wittiest social commentators around, takes a look at how fame often is a double-edged sword for those who benefit from it. Cavett uses the recent Tiger Woods scandal to frame how other famous individuals he has known, from Johnny Carson to Jack Benny, coped with the complete lack of personal privacy. To read click here
Sir Christopher Lee continues to pursue new career challenges, even at age 87. He is now collaborating on a high profile musical biography of the emperor Charlemagne, to whom he can trace his family ancestry. The album, which combines metal rock music with biographical insights, will be released in March. According to London's Guardian web site, Lee feels the album will be "sensational". For the story along with a link to the album's official web site, click here
There is some context being given to Dennis Hopper's deathbed decision to file for divorce from his wife of 14 years, Victoria. Apparently, Hopper's adult daughter Marin is instigating the divisive action, according to The Huffington Post which quotes family sources and friends as saying its all about excluding Victoria from receiving her share of the will. Hopper is battling terminal cancer and is said to have filed for divorce during a period when he may have been mentally unable to comprehend what he was doing. Click here for more on the real life soap opera.Â
China is pulling all standard prints of Avatar, ostensibly to open the market to more films made within the country. Activists say the real reason is that the plot of the film, which is about government oppressing the masses, is the real reason Chinese officials are eager to reduce the blockbuster's exposure within the nation. Only 20 foreign films a year are allowed to be shown in China. 3-D and Imax runs of the films will still be allowed to be shown. For more click here
L.A. is the place to be between January 20-31 when American Cinematheque will present a mind-boggling number of great classic movie events at both the Egyptian and Aero Theaters. Among the highlight: - A rare January 20 big screen showing of the Clint Eastwood/Jeff Bridges flick Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
- A John Ford film festival showcasing new prints
- A Sergio Leone film festival
- Digital presentations of films such as Raging Bull, The Godfather and the first two Superman movies.
- In person appearances by actors Clu Gulager and Damon Packard
- Shirley Jones hosting a 50th anniversary screening of Elmer Gantry
- In person appearance of screenwriter Frank Pierson at a screening of Dog Day Afternoon
- A werewolf film triple feature
For info click here and click on the respective theater's web site
If James Bond, Batman and Superman earn our respect as long-time screen heroes, they have nothing on Sherlock Holmes, who has appeared in films relatively consistently since since the silent era. The New York Times takes a look at how the image of Holmes has changed over the years and speculates as to how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would treat the latest screen incarnation. Click here to read
Tom Hanks will co-star with Julia Roberts in the comedy Larry Crowne, a film he has written and will also direct. The two stars previously collaborated on Charlie Wilson's War. Although that film was a critical success, it under-performed at the box-office, possibly because it was too "inside baseball" in terms of American politics. The new film is said to have broader audience appeal. Hanks previously directed the acclaimed 1996 retro rock movie That Thing That You Do. Click here for more
By Lee Pfeiffer
Well, the 2010 Golden Globes are history and although I couldn't bring myself to sit through the three hour back-slapping fest, I did listen in from the other room while I worked on my computer. Occasionally, I'd force myself in front of the TV just to catch a glimpse of what someone looked like. I discovered that Sophia Loren, Paul McCartney, Harrison Ford and Pierce Brosnan appear to be aging very well indeed, but I couldn't be enticed to stick around for much more. The acceptance speeches were the usual cringe-inducing embarrassments, proving that many actors can barely manage to improvise "hello" without a script in front of them. There were several of the standard "I didn't think I'd win, so I didn't prepare a speech!" yarns that must have seemed stale and insincere when Mary Pickford was still box-office queen. Ricky Gervais was fairly amusing as host, making a few memorable one-liners. ("I like a drink as much as the next man - unless the next man is Mel Gibson", he said while swigging beer and introducing the scandal-plagued Gibson). There were also plenty of jokes at the expense of NBC, which telecast the event, and most of them related to the on-going Jay Leno-Conan O'Brien debacle. Network execs must have smiling on the outside but hitting the bottle as soon as the ceremonies were over. One highlight was the DeMille award to Martin Scorsese, though I could have sworn Scorsese was given this honor about five times already. Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio presented the honor. The legendary director made a gracious and classy speech about the importance of preserving film and made references to cinematic legends that half that the airheads in the audience probably never even heard of. Scorsese was refreshing because he managed to get through his speech without having to use obscene jokes or references to the toilet in order to prove how "edgy" he can be, as virtually every other person on stage seemed compelled to do. He also informed us that the Hollywood Foreign Press, the farcical "news" organization that sponsors the Globes, actually does help in preserving films. So there's your proof they do something other than throw lavish parties for themselves. James Cameron won best director and Avatar copped best drama, the two big awards of the night. Cameron may be a genius behind the camera but the first line of his acceptance speech informed the worldwide audience that he really had to pee. Nice. Can you imagine Hitchcock or Ford using an awards show to make such a poignant observation? Rather than drone on, click here to read Nikke Finke's no-holds-barred coverage of the snoozefest. With the Globes finally over (they did end right on time, to the producer's credit), I can now turn my attention to something far more entertaining like a Lorne Green Film Festival.
Traditionally, the Golden Globe Awards (which are to be telecast this weekend) were seen as Oscar's idiot brother...a cheap excuse to throw a lavish party and for sometimes less-than-deserving artists to buy their way into a nomination through influence peddling. In recent years, however, the Globes have been given a degree of respect as the ceremonies became more lavish and reaped bigger ratings. However, writer Robert J. Elisberg offers a poignant reminder as to why audiences might take the nominations with a grain of salt. Click here to read
Dennis Hopper is said to be in the last stages of his life as he battles terminal cancer. In a move that shocked his intimates, he filed for divorce from his wife of 14 years from his deathbed. Friends say the decision comes as Hopper is under the influence of many drugs and painkillers. However, it appears as though he is cognizant of what he is doing. One friend says,""It's truly a tragedy, and sadly its all about the money and who
inherits what. This is about getting Victoria out of the will, nothing
more, nothing less." For more click here
By Lee Pfeiffer It wasn't that long ago that the film industry was fawning over Mel Gibson. Not only was he a reliable draw at the boxoffice, but his business instincts were the envy of everyone in the business. He produced and directed The Passion of the Christ, and expertly marketed it to true believers. The film grossed a fortune and Gibson seemed poised to expand beyond leading man status. (He had already been awarded the Oscar for directing Braveheart.)Then in 2006, it all came crashing down. Gibson was arrested on a drunk driving charge and exploded in a bizarre, anti-Semitic tirade that became a major scandal. Gibson issued the standard apologies but his brand was damaged. His follow-up film Apocalypto (which he produced and directed but did not star in) performed weakly with critics and the public. He stayed out of the spotlight and has waited until this moment to re-emerge as the star of the action film Edge of Darkness. At first blush, it's the kind of gritty film that Gibson's fans traditionally flocked to- but he hasn't top-lined a major movie since Signs in 2002.The big question is: even if audiences have forgiven Gibson for his behavior, does his name still resonate with young audiences, which represent the prime movie-going public? (Hell, even Harrison Ford is taking second billing to Brendan Frasier in his new movie!) The industry is about to find out when Gibson's Edge of Darkness thriller is released on January 29. Audiences tend to be forgiving - or Charlie Sheen would have been retired twenty years ago. However, Gibson's sin was not only presenting himself as a bigot but also betraying his image as a clean-cut family guy (his wife of many years divorced him shortly after the scandal). Additionally, Gibson always defrayed questions about his father, who was known to believe in extreme and intolerant religious theories that many felt were anti-Semitic. Gibson's crazed denouncement of the Jews as the root of all evil gave credence to those who always felt the acorn didn't fall far from the tree when it came to father and son's religious beliefs. Whether audience hunger for a good action movie will overcome his now controversial reputation remains to be seen. However, the risk won't be a tremendous one, as the film reputedly carries a rather modest budget of $60 million. If Gibson's gamble works, look for Tiger Woods to sign on to co-star with him in his next film. For more click here
Despite the sensational response to Avatar, The New York Times says mainstreaming 3-D for motion pictures may still be a long way off. The Times goes over the history of 3-D and the fading of the fad in the 1950s due to Hollywood producing gimmicky films of little value beyond the technology. The article concludes that the most successful 3-D films will be those with the least spectacular special effects. Click here to read.Â
Paramount has given the go-ahead for sequels to its recent hit films G.I. Joe and Star Trek. The latter film will be produced by J.J. Abrams, but the man behind the recent successful reboot of the franchise has not yet committed to directing it. For more click here
Sony's long-gestating plans for a fourth Spiderman film have been caught up in a web of intrigue. Director Sam Raimi, the man who turned the Marvel Comics legend into a powerhouse screen franchise, withdrew from the project, telling Sony he couldn't meet the release date of summer 2011. Apparently, there were also plenty of the usual "creative issues" that also led to his departure. With Raimi out, Sony decided to boot the cast, including star Tobey Maguire. The plan now calls for restarting the entire franchise from scratch, a ploy that has worked well on the Batman and James Bond films. In the new production, now scheduled for 2012, the character of Peter Parker will go back to his origins: as a high school student. For Deadline Hollywood Daily's detailed reportage on the project, click here
By Lee Pfeiffer For decades, Warren Beatty has been known to be an oddity in Hollywood, not only for his sometimes quirky behavior and often tongue-tied attempts to make coherent statements, but also because of his aversion to formal interviews. Beatty has rarely consented to discussing his personal life, which was considered by many to be an admirable quality. However, all bets are off now that he has authorized author Peter Biskind to write his biography. Biskind-writing from Beatty's personal anecdotes- goes into the most intimate details of the superstar/producer's legendary love life (his female conquests are said to be over 10,000- but just who has been calculating this over the course of Beatty's life remains unclear). As proof that the notion of being a "gentleman" is as outdated in Hollywood as that bouncing ball that movie audiences used to sing along with, Beatty goes beyond the pale in humiliating his former lovers. In the case of Jane Fonda, he even goes so far as to describe her unique oral sex techniques, which involve an ability to dislocate her jaw. Nice. No wonder Beatty never became the successor to Cary Grant. For more click here
Paramount is fast-tracking another screen version of Frank Herbert's 1965 sci-fi classic Dune. Pierre Morel, who directed the hit thriller Taken, is on board as director. The book is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time. It was first brought to the big screen in 1984 by David Lynch and was followed by a TV mini-series version. For more click here
Sylvester Stallone found out why stuntmen can be very valuable. He was filming a fight sequence with Stone Cold Steve Austin for the new movie The Expendables and the two men got carried away. According to Stallone, the scene became so vicious that he suffered a major neck injury and had to undergo major surgery to have a plate inserted into the damaged area. Stallone told FHM magazine, "It was seven guys, kicking each other's ass, one guy tougher than the
next. No joke, our stunt guys were begging for mercy. My fight with
Stone Cold Steve Austin was so vicious that I ended up getting a
hairline fracture in my neck. I'm not joking. I haven't told anyone
this, but I had to have a very serious operation afterwards. I now have
a metal plate in my neck." For more click here
Okay, we've bitten our tongues and exercised great restraint by not allowing one mention of the Tiger Woods sex scandal on the Cinema Retro web site. Now, however, there is no choice. To no one's surprise, the sexcapades of the "family man" of the year have become a legitimate entertainment story as word comes out that producers are scrambling to bring the story to the screen. Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr has been rumored to be involved in a prospective film version of the de-clawed Tiger's trials and tribulations. We'd pay admission just to see the sequence in which Tiger is awakened by his wife striking him with a golf club after learning of his extracurricular activities, which are taking on the form of a French bedroom farce. Meanwhile, it's getting easier to compile a list of the women who claim they haven't slept with Woods as opposed to those who claim they have- and please, no punch lines involving "a hole in one". For more click here
Having hosted The Queen and the British Royal
family countless times to premieres in his career as General Manager of the UK
flagship cinema, Odeon Leicester Square, Chris Hilton retired in the summer of
2009 and was subsequently named, in the New Year's Honors list, as being awarded
an MBE for services to the film industry.
Â
It's not often the ' cinema back room boys' are
recognized for their work, and the ever-popular Chris Hilton is one of only a
very few cinema managers ever awarded such an honor.(On a personal level, Mr. Hilton was instrumental in helping to arrange for members of our film location tours to attend various events at the Odeon in Leicester Square. We send our heartfelt congratulations to him- Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall)
High-powered Hollywood publicity agencies are generally thought of as a status symbol for the top stars. However, there is a recent trend among the elite to handle their own publicity, spurred on by the shocking decision by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to leave the tony PMK publicity agency. Brangelina even had the audacity to speak for themselves, thus, they did not hire a new publicity team. The advent of new media has given stars the opportunity and ability to get their own messages out to the press and fans without having them filtered through mouthpieces. Now major publicity agencies are quaking in their boots about the prospects of a dim future. Click here for more.Â
Rob Marshall's screen adaptation of the hit musical Nine, which in turn is base on Fellini's classic 1963 film 8 1/2, is a valiant attempt to bring back the major musical - a genre that has been in decline since Fred and Ginger stopped pairing up on screen. As The Guardian of London reports, however, despite having a top-notch cast that includes Daniel Day Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Sophia Loren and Nicole Kidman, many critics are calling the film an embarrassment. Despite nabbing several key Golden Globe nominations, the film has been virtually shut out of major critics awards. For the full analysis click here
The landmark music video for Michael Jackson's Thriller, released in 1983 and directed by John Landis, has been named as one of the influential and important films to be added to the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress. The big-budget video tied in with Jackson's best-selling album of the same name and revolutionized the music industry. Among the other titles chosen for inclusion in the 2009 list: Jezebel, Pillow Talk and Dog Day Afternoon. Click here for more.
When Tennessee Williams died in 1983, his executors found an enormous archive of unpublished work by the esteemed author and playwright. Much of this voluminous material has yet to be cataloged, let alone produced. One exception is a 1957 screenplay he wrote called The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond. Williams had envisioned it being brought to the screen by Elia Kazan and starring Julie Harris, but the project never materialized. Now, more than a half century later, a film version has been produced starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Ellen Burstyn and Ann-Margret. Click here for the fascinating story.Â
CNN has polled critics and tech wizards to compile a list of the 9 worst films of all time - in relation to their connection with contemporary technology. Click here to see the Hall of Shame.
Legendary maverick director Nicholas Ray, who passed away in 1979, will be the focus of a major tribute at the 2011 Venice International Film Festival. Ray's widow is overseeing completion of his unfinished 1976 experimental film We Can't Go Home Again. Among Ray's most notable films is Rebel Without a Cause. For more click here
THANK YOU TO ALL CINEMA RETRO READERS WORLDWIDE FOR MAKING 2009 OUR BEST YEAR YET! SEE YOU AT THE MOVIES IN 2010- AND REMEMBER, IF YOU'RE CELEBRATING NEW YEAR'S EVE ON AN OCEAN LINER, IT MIGHT PAY TO STUDY HOW TO CLIMB AROUND UPSIDE DOWN!
|
|