The days are getting longer everywhere, except Palm Springs, where darkness is on the ascent each May. That’s when the city plays host to the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary May 9-12 with a program of a dozen classic films from the 1940s and ’50s. Great directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Rossen, Andre de Toth and Anthony Mann and stars like Humphrey Bogart, John Garfield, Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan will have desert dwellers and visitors alike eager to blot out the sun for four days, culminating in the festival’s customary Mother’s Day crime spree.
As always, the festival is curated and hosted by a face familiar to any serious modern-day noir aficionado, Alan K. Rode, one of the principals of the Film Noir Foundation and a co-host of the Noir City festival every April in Hollywood. Rode’s Noir City cohort,...
As always, the festival is curated and hosted by a face familiar to any serious modern-day noir aficionado, Alan K. Rode, one of the principals of the Film Noir Foundation and a co-host of the Noir City festival every April in Hollywood. Rode’s Noir City cohort,...
- 5/6/2024
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
If Criterion24/7 hasn’t completely colonized your attention every time you open the Channel––this is to say: if you’re stronger than me––their May lineup may be of interest. First and foremost I’m happy to see a Michael Roemer triple-feature: his superlative Nothing But a Man, arriving in a Criterion Edition, and the recently rediscovered The Plot Against Harry and Vengeance is Mine, three distinct features that suggest a long-lost voice of American movies. Meanwhile, Nobuhiko Obayashi’s Antiwar Trilogy four by Sara Driver, and a wide collection from Ayoka Chenzira fill out the auteurist sets.
Series-wise, a highlight of 1999 goes beyond the well-established canon with films like Trick and Bye Bye Africa, while of course including Sofia Coppola, Michael Mann, Scorsese, and Claire Denis. Films starring Shirley Maclaine, a study of 1960s paranoia, and Columbia’s “golden era” (read: 1950-1961) are curated; meanwhile, The Breaking Ice,...
Series-wise, a highlight of 1999 goes beyond the well-established canon with films like Trick and Bye Bye Africa, while of course including Sofia Coppola, Michael Mann, Scorsese, and Claire Denis. Films starring Shirley Maclaine, a study of 1960s paranoia, and Columbia’s “golden era” (read: 1950-1961) are curated; meanwhile, The Breaking Ice,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
In the "Twilight Zone" episode "A Game of Pool", Jack Klugman plays a would-be pool champion named Jesse who feels that he would be more widely recognized for his billiard skills, were he not living in the shadow of the late pool champion James Howard "Fats" Brown. Jesse posits that if he had had the opportunity to play against Fats, he would definitely win. In a supernatural twist, Fats (Jonathan Winters) arrives from the afterlife to accept the challenge. The ensuing game, however, comes with a stipulation: if Jesse wins, he will indeed be granted the lifelong reputation as the greatest pool player of all time. If he loses, he'll die in obscurity. Jesse accepts.
Throughout their game, Fats points out that living well and happily is more important than the hard-edged fame of being a great pool player. Jesse doesn't listen. He wants fame.
Jesse, perhaps shockingly, wins the game.
Throughout their game, Fats points out that living well and happily is more important than the hard-edged fame of being a great pool player. Jesse doesn't listen. He wants fame.
Jesse, perhaps shockingly, wins the game.
- 1/27/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The moment Elvis Presley stepped in front of the camera for his second appearance on "The Milton Berle Show" in 1956, there was no doubt that this young man was destined for more than pop music superstardom. Much more.
Conversationally, he was downright adorable with his boyish good looks and aw-shucks Southern shyness, but once the music kicked in he was transformed into a hunk of burning lust. That gyrating pelvis and run-riot voice spurred sexual awakenings in living rooms across the country (in full view of outraged parents). To teenagers, Elvis belted out a call to rebellion. To parents, he was a pompadoured incubus. To Hollywood, he was singing, swaggering box-office gold.
Between 1956 and 1972, Elvis starred in 31 features and two concert films. There were lulls (particularly when his popularity faded prior to his 1968 comeback special), but for the most part Elvis reliably packed 'em in. According to producer Hal B. Wallis...
Conversationally, he was downright adorable with his boyish good looks and aw-shucks Southern shyness, but once the music kicked in he was transformed into a hunk of burning lust. That gyrating pelvis and run-riot voice spurred sexual awakenings in living rooms across the country (in full view of outraged parents). To teenagers, Elvis belted out a call to rebellion. To parents, he was a pompadoured incubus. To Hollywood, he was singing, swaggering box-office gold.
Between 1956 and 1972, Elvis starred in 31 features and two concert films. There were lulls (particularly when his popularity faded prior to his 1968 comeback special), but for the most part Elvis reliably packed 'em in. According to producer Hal B. Wallis...
- 1/20/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Martin Scorsese (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images), Avengers: Endgame (Disney)Graphic: AVClub
There’s a new Martin Scorsese movie coming out, so of course it’s time for another round of the esteemed filmmaker’s King Lear-like rants against Marvel Entertainment and superhero movies as an existential threat to the art of cinema,...
There’s a new Martin Scorsese movie coming out, so of course it’s time for another round of the esteemed filmmaker’s King Lear-like rants against Marvel Entertainment and superhero movies as an existential threat to the art of cinema,...
- 10/16/2023
- by Ray Greene
- avclub.com
American actor best known for her roles in the classic films The Hustler, Carrie and Children of a Lesser God
For those who remembered Piper Laurie from her days as a contract player in a series of formulaic escapist pictures made by Universal Studios in the 1950s, it was hard to believe that the lonely young woman in Robert Rossen’s The Hustler (1961), who takes her own life when she is rejected by the pool shark Paul Newman, was one and the same. This Oscar-nominated performance was a surprise, and nothing Laurie did before or after touched it.
Having proved that she could act, Laurie, who has died aged 91, immediately retired from the cinema. She returned 15 years later, in another guise, this time specialising in playing harridans, principally in horror movies. The most celebrated was Brian De Palma’s repulsive and compulsive Carrie (1976), for which she was also Oscar-nominated, this...
For those who remembered Piper Laurie from her days as a contract player in a series of formulaic escapist pictures made by Universal Studios in the 1950s, it was hard to believe that the lonely young woman in Robert Rossen’s The Hustler (1961), who takes her own life when she is rejected by the pool shark Paul Newman, was one and the same. This Oscar-nominated performance was a surprise, and nothing Laurie did before or after touched it.
Having proved that she could act, Laurie, who has died aged 91, immediately retired from the cinema. She returned 15 years later, in another guise, this time specialising in playing harridans, principally in horror movies. The most celebrated was Brian De Palma’s repulsive and compulsive Carrie (1976), for which she was also Oscar-nominated, this...
- 10/15/2023
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
Piper Laurie, the three-time Oscar-nominated actress known for her performances in The Hustler and Carrie and for her outlandish two-character, two-gender turn on the original Twin Peaks, died Saturday morning in Los Angeles. She was 91.
Laurie had not been well for some time, her rep, Marion Rosenberg, told The Hollywood Reporter.
An Emmy winner who was nominated nine times during her career, Laurie spent three years as a child in a sanatorium, broke free from her original contract at Universal Pictures, once went 15 years without making a movie and starred in the original production — for live television — of Days of Wine and Roses.
In Learning to Live Out Loud, her frank 2011 memoir, she revealed that she lost her virginity to Ronald Reagan and that she had slept with Mel Gibson when she was twice his age. Laurie wrote the book because “my life had many secrets, and it was wearing,...
Laurie had not been well for some time, her rep, Marion Rosenberg, told The Hollywood Reporter.
An Emmy winner who was nominated nine times during her career, Laurie spent three years as a child in a sanatorium, broke free from her original contract at Universal Pictures, once went 15 years without making a movie and starred in the original production — for live television — of Days of Wine and Roses.
In Learning to Live Out Loud, her frank 2011 memoir, she revealed that she lost her virginity to Ronald Reagan and that she had slept with Mel Gibson when she was twice his age. Laurie wrote the book because “my life had many secrets, and it was wearing,...
- 10/14/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Piper Laurie, who blossomed as an actress only after extricating herself from the studio system and went on to rack up three Oscar nominations, has died. She was 91.
Laurie’s manager Marion Rosenberg confirmed the news to Variety, writing, “A beautiful human being and one of the great talents of our time.”
Laurie scored her first Oscar nomination for her work opposite Paul Newman in 1961’s classic poolhall drama “The Hustler,” in which she played an alcoholic who memorably tells Newman’s character, “Look, I’ve got troubles and I think maybe you’ve got troubles. Maybe it’d be better if we just leave each other alone.”
Though she informally retired to raise a family for more than a decade, she returned to film and television in the mid-’70s and racked up an impressive roster of characterizations, including Oscar-nominated turns in “Carrie” and in “Children of a Lesser God,...
Laurie’s manager Marion Rosenberg confirmed the news to Variety, writing, “A beautiful human being and one of the great talents of our time.”
Laurie scored her first Oscar nomination for her work opposite Paul Newman in 1961’s classic poolhall drama “The Hustler,” in which she played an alcoholic who memorably tells Newman’s character, “Look, I’ve got troubles and I think maybe you’ve got troubles. Maybe it’d be better if we just leave each other alone.”
Though she informally retired to raise a family for more than a decade, she returned to film and television in the mid-’70s and racked up an impressive roster of characterizations, including Oscar-nominated turns in “Carrie” and in “Children of a Lesser God,...
- 10/14/2023
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
There’s something about gambling that makes us want to see it on the big screen. Whether it’s a comedy, crime drama, or romance, there’s something special about watching our favourite actors and actresses play around with cards and dice. In honour of this topic being quite popular lately (and because we just love movies and casino royale film locations), we’ve compiled a list of popular casino film titles in New Zealand. If you need a recommendation for your next movie night, take a look!
Nr 1 Casino Movie: The Hangover
Playing at casinos has always been a popular form of entertainment for many, and The Hangover is a classic comedy film that captures the fun and excitement of a trip to Las Vegas. Whether you’re a fan of online casinos or prefer the real-life experience of playing at a brick-and-mortar establishment, this movie is sure to resonate with you.
Nr 1 Casino Movie: The Hangover
Playing at casinos has always been a popular form of entertainment for many, and The Hangover is a classic comedy film that captures the fun and excitement of a trip to Las Vegas. Whether you’re a fan of online casinos or prefer the real-life experience of playing at a brick-and-mortar establishment, this movie is sure to resonate with you.
- 5/11/2023
- by Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI, and sign up for our weekly email newsletter by clicking here.REMEMBRANCEIsland in the Sun.The singer, actor, and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte has died, aged 96. Christina Newland wrote a piece on Belafonte for Notebook in 2020, praising his politics, his style, his music, and his work ss stage and screen. "His impact on American mid-century life has been so significant that it’s difficult to define him as any single thing, or to see him occupying only one role."NEWSNo Bears.Jafar Panahi has left Iran for the first time in fourteen years, it is being reported. Posting from an airport, his wife Tahereh Saeedi tweeted that, “after 14 years, Jafar’s ban was cancelled" and, that finally, the pair are "going to travel together for a few days…”The Cannes Film Festival have...
- 5/2/2023
- MUBI
The ‘King of Calypso’ starred in ‘Kansas City’ and ‘BlacKkKlansman’.
US actor, singer, and activist Harry Belafonte, known for his role in Island In The Sun, has died at the age of 96.
Known as the ‘King of Calypso’, Belafonte made history with his third studio album Calypso (1956) which was said to be the first album by a solo artist to sell more than a million copies in the US and featured the beloved song ‘Day-o’ (The Banana Boat Song).
He earned his acclaim on the screen after he starred alongside James Mason, Joan Fontaine and Joan Collins in Robert Rossen...
US actor, singer, and activist Harry Belafonte, known for his role in Island In The Sun, has died at the age of 96.
Known as the ‘King of Calypso’, Belafonte made history with his third studio album Calypso (1956) which was said to be the first album by a solo artist to sell more than a million copies in the US and featured the beloved song ‘Day-o’ (The Banana Boat Song).
He earned his acclaim on the screen after he starred alongside James Mason, Joan Fontaine and Joan Collins in Robert Rossen...
- 4/25/2023
- by Ella Gauci
- ScreenDaily
Harry Belafonte in Spike Lee's BlackKklansman
He was one of the first generation of black leading men in Hollywood, carving out a path for others to follow. He was also a wildly successful musician with an unforgettable style, and an important figure in the US Civil Rights movement. Now Harry Belafonte has passed away from congestive heart failure at the age of 96.
Born in Harlem to Jamaican immigrant parents, and moving between New York and Jamaica during his early years, he developed a passion for music and, having fallen in love with cinema, realised that he could use his talent as a singer to pay for acting lessons. Music took over as he enjoyed unexpected success, but he took on film roles where good opportunities presented themselves, working with Otto Preminger on Carmen Jones and Robert Rossen in Island In The Sun, where he caught the eye of co-star...
He was one of the first generation of black leading men in Hollywood, carving out a path for others to follow. He was also a wildly successful musician with an unforgettable style, and an important figure in the US Civil Rights movement. Now Harry Belafonte has passed away from congestive heart failure at the age of 96.
Born in Harlem to Jamaican immigrant parents, and moving between New York and Jamaica during his early years, he developed a passion for music and, having fallen in love with cinema, realised that he could use his talent as a singer to pay for acting lessons. Music took over as he enjoyed unexpected success, but he took on film roles where good opportunities presented themselves, working with Otto Preminger on Carmen Jones and Robert Rossen in Island In The Sun, where he caught the eye of co-star...
- 4/25/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
We took Gene Hackman for granted, and he's making us pay for it.
Between 1964 and 2004, there wasn't a more reliably excellent film actor in the industry. He'd knock out two or three (or more!) movies a year, and even when they were dire propositions — like the Kryptonite-ridden "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" or Bob Clark's laugh-free buddy-cop comedy "Loose Cannons" — you knew Hackman would be present and compelling. He also never went too long between watchable films, so the charge that he was phoning it in (which was also leveled at his prolific contemporary Michael Caine) never made sense.
Hackman was — and, oh, how I hate to refer to this still-very-alive master's career in the past tense — a true working actor. He was grateful for the gigs and took them eagerly. He knew what it was to not only struggle but to be told there is no future...
Between 1964 and 2004, there wasn't a more reliably excellent film actor in the industry. He'd knock out two or three (or more!) movies a year, and even when they were dire propositions — like the Kryptonite-ridden "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" or Bob Clark's laugh-free buddy-cop comedy "Loose Cannons" — you knew Hackman would be present and compelling. He also never went too long between watchable films, so the charge that he was phoning it in (which was also leveled at his prolific contemporary Michael Caine) never made sense.
Hackman was — and, oh, how I hate to refer to this still-very-alive master's career in the past tense — a true working actor. He was grateful for the gigs and took them eagerly. He knew what it was to not only struggle but to be told there is no future...
- 4/14/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Movie star John Wayne took his career very seriously. He starred in a wide assortment of Western and war movies, but they weren’t all winners. Wayne wasn’t afraid to admit when a movie role wasn’t the right one for him. However, he always took it personally when a bad one came across his desk. It once went so far that he threatened to fire his agent when he read a script that he found offensive. Nevertheless, it went on to win big at the Academy Awards.
John Wayne wanted to play strong movie roles John Wayne | Rdb/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Wayne made his first box-office disaster with 1930’s The Big Trail, which was directed by Raoul Walsh. He didn’t get the opportunity to explode into stardom until 1939’s Stagecoach, which was his first leading collaboration with his mentor, John Ford. The movie star had...
John Wayne wanted to play strong movie roles John Wayne | Rdb/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Wayne made his first box-office disaster with 1930’s The Big Trail, which was directed by Raoul Walsh. He didn’t get the opportunity to explode into stardom until 1939’s Stagecoach, which was his first leading collaboration with his mentor, John Ford. The movie star had...
- 3/9/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Movie star John Wayne developed a strong understanding of what audiences wanted to see from him in the roles that he chose. However, he also kept a finger on the pulse of the type of films that his peers starred in, and he certainly wasn’t afraid to speak his mind about them. Wayne didn’t care for a Gary Cooper movie that he called a “mockery of America’s highest award for valor.”
John Wayne prioritized movie morals John Wayne | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Wayne held the belief that the movie industry should be a “family business” of sorts. He detested the notion of a ratings system that allowed adult feature films with extreme violence and sexuality to hit silver screens to rely on human curiosity to make money.
The Oscar-winning actor refused to accept notable roles in movies such as High Noon and Blazing Saddles because of their morals.
John Wayne prioritized movie morals John Wayne | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Wayne held the belief that the movie industry should be a “family business” of sorts. He detested the notion of a ratings system that allowed adult feature films with extreme violence and sexuality to hit silver screens to rely on human curiosity to make money.
The Oscar-winning actor refused to accept notable roles in movies such as High Noon and Blazing Saddles because of their morals.
- 3/3/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
This year, all the Oscar-contending directors are nominated for original screenplay: the Daniels, Todd Field, Martin McDonagh, Ruben Östlund and Steven Spielberg (writing with Tony Kushner).
This is the first time it’s happened in AMPAS history.
The only year that came close was 2017, when all five helmers had written or co-written their scripts, though they didn’t all get writing noms.
So here’s Film History 101.
In Hollywood lore, Preston Sturges is often credited as the first scribe to become a hyphenate, as writer-director of the 1940 “The Great McGinty.” But as with all Hollywood “facts,” there is only an element of truth here.
In the next few years, he was joined by some heavyweights: Orson Welles (“Citizen Kane”) and John Huston (“The Maltese Falcon”) in 1941; Leo McCarey (co-writer of “Going My Way”); Billy Wilder (writing with Raymond Chandler) for “Double Indemnity” in 1944; and Joseph L. Mankiewicz (“Dragonwyck”), 1946.
However, a writer-director wasn’t an innovation.
This is the first time it’s happened in AMPAS history.
The only year that came close was 2017, when all five helmers had written or co-written their scripts, though they didn’t all get writing noms.
So here’s Film History 101.
In Hollywood lore, Preston Sturges is often credited as the first scribe to become a hyphenate, as writer-director of the 1940 “The Great McGinty.” But as with all Hollywood “facts,” there is only an element of truth here.
In the next few years, he was joined by some heavyweights: Orson Welles (“Citizen Kane”) and John Huston (“The Maltese Falcon”) in 1941; Leo McCarey (co-writer of “Going My Way”); Billy Wilder (writing with Raymond Chandler) for “Double Indemnity” in 1944; and Joseph L. Mankiewicz (“Dragonwyck”), 1946.
However, a writer-director wasn’t an innovation.
- 3/3/2023
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
In 1986, Tom Cruise was on top of the world. Top Gun had come out and become the biggest movie of the year, minting him as a bonafide superstar. However, Cruise had bigger ambitions beyond being an action hero or heartthrob. He wanted to be a legitimate, respected actor; so before Top Gun ever hit theaters, he had already wrapped a role where he’d play opposite one of the biggest movies stars of all time – Paul Newman – whose career Cruise would likely want to emulate as the older actor was able to find the perfect balance between art and commerce, while never sacrificing his brand as a star. Their movie together – The Color of Money – would go on to be a highlight of both’s filmographies, and a notable gritty effort that paired them both, for the only time, with the great Martin Scorsese.
Flashback to 1961. Paul Newman was one...
Flashback to 1961. Paul Newman was one...
- 1/31/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
The Hustler is a movie made in 1961 directed by Robert Rossen and starring Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason and Piper Laurie.
The Hustler is a legendary movie about pool with the marvelous atmosphere and rhythms of the movies of the Sixties, when films were beginning to change. Curiously, this film was done in black and white, which underscores its tone which was rather melancholic and it is an older world in which the characters seem to live in a past that is about to crumble.
It all starts with a match between Fast Eddie (Newman) and Minnesota Fats (Gleason). By the way, the real name of Minnesota Fats was George Hegerman, and the character is based on a real person who looked very much like Gleason. Newman loses and meets a girl in a bus station who is a bit of a drunkard, and since there is a “moral”, this doesn...
The Hustler is a legendary movie about pool with the marvelous atmosphere and rhythms of the movies of the Sixties, when films were beginning to change. Curiously, this film was done in black and white, which underscores its tone which was rather melancholic and it is an older world in which the characters seem to live in a past that is about to crumble.
It all starts with a match between Fast Eddie (Newman) and Minnesota Fats (Gleason). By the way, the real name of Minnesota Fats was George Hegerman, and the character is based on a real person who looked very much like Gleason. Newman loses and meets a girl in a bus station who is a bit of a drunkard, and since there is a “moral”, this doesn...
- 1/8/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
The Color of Money is a movie of 1986 directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a continuation of The Hustler (1961), by Robert Rossen. Starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise.
When Mr. Scorsese was not as acclaimed (yet), he did this movie which was a bit of a “filler”, which has become one of the reference movies about American pool.
Story line of The Color of Money The Color of Money (1986)
Eddie Felson, an old pool player, reappears as a whiskey merchant when he meets Vince, an outstanding pool player. Together they embark on a father-son type of voyage of discovery.
The Movie. Review
This is not Scorsese´s best movie, it is not even a somewhat personal movie, it is just another movie in his filmography that rests on some video-clip moments (cool music and lots of changes of shots in a very “Eighties” style). The movie resorts to all sorts of commercial formulas,...
When Mr. Scorsese was not as acclaimed (yet), he did this movie which was a bit of a “filler”, which has become one of the reference movies about American pool.
Story line of The Color of Money The Color of Money (1986)
Eddie Felson, an old pool player, reappears as a whiskey merchant when he meets Vince, an outstanding pool player. Together they embark on a father-son type of voyage of discovery.
The Movie. Review
This is not Scorsese´s best movie, it is not even a somewhat personal movie, it is just another movie in his filmography that rests on some video-clip moments (cool music and lots of changes of shots in a very “Eighties” style). The movie resorts to all sorts of commercial formulas,...
- 1/8/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
This article was originally published as "Life Is Nothing But Glances" in the Spring 2021 issue of Trafic. It is being presented here through the generosity of the author, newly retitled at his request, and in a new translation by Ted Fendt. It is preceded by a short note shared by Moullet after the death of Jean-Luc Godard:Godard represents, first of all, a search for novelty, one defined by risk and an openness to the possibility of making mistakes over the course of many experiments (over 100 films). For him, a failed film was not a serious matter.Godard made films against: against the milieu from which he came, against dominant rules, and also against himself and his previous films.Godard’s thinking can only be defined by seeing his films, and not through his statements which are often not worthwhile for what they say but for his desire to provoke.
- 12/2/2022
- MUBI
If it’s Tuesday, this must be Election Day in a year when democracy itself is on the ballot. It’s a moment that Jefferson Smith – the naive but idealistic young senator played by Jimmy Stewart – could have appreciated in the Oscar-winning 1939 classic “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” from director Frank Capra. It tops the list of 25 movies that this Gold Derby editor singles out as exemplary staples of the political genre over the past 80-plus years. Most originated on the big screen, but a few were made-for-tv.
Why bring this to you today? Think of it as a distraction tactic at a time when so many of us are overloaded with anxiety over an especially consequential election that will determine control of Congress. The list features biopics, satires, historical dramas and journalism hybrid thrillers as well as fictitious allegories.
SEE15 Best American Political Films
Watch any of these tonight...
Why bring this to you today? Think of it as a distraction tactic at a time when so many of us are overloaded with anxiety over an especially consequential election that will determine control of Congress. The list features biopics, satires, historical dramas and journalism hybrid thrillers as well as fictitious allegories.
SEE15 Best American Political Films
Watch any of these tonight...
- 11/8/2022
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Spoilers for "The Departed" follow, so beware.
Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" features a star-studded cast and an action-packed story, so it's no surprise that there was some talk of a sequel. Mark Wahlberg gave an Oscar-nominated performance as Sergeant Dignam, a significant supporting role. The actor spearheaded a follow-up to "The Departed" along with the film's screenwriter, William Monahan. Sadly, the idea was turned down, and Monahan has a pretty good idea why.
The stacked bill of the original "Departed" included Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson, all of whom were killed off by the end of the film. Wahlberg was the only actor with a surviving character, and he wanted to bring in a new crop of Hollywood legends for a follow-up. "Like [Robert] De Niro and Brad Pitt, and you know, that sort of thing," the actor explained to KFC Radio.
Monahan had his own idea of...
Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" features a star-studded cast and an action-packed story, so it's no surprise that there was some talk of a sequel. Mark Wahlberg gave an Oscar-nominated performance as Sergeant Dignam, a significant supporting role. The actor spearheaded a follow-up to "The Departed" along with the film's screenwriter, William Monahan. Sadly, the idea was turned down, and Monahan has a pretty good idea why.
The stacked bill of the original "Departed" included Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson, all of whom were killed off by the end of the film. Wahlberg was the only actor with a surviving character, and he wanted to bring in a new crop of Hollywood legends for a follow-up. "Like [Robert] De Niro and Brad Pitt, and you know, that sort of thing," the actor explained to KFC Radio.
Monahan had his own idea of...
- 9/30/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
The third ‘Essential’ noir collection is easily [Imprint]’s best, with two genuine classics of the style plus two excellent and equally entertaining thrillers. The directors are first-rank: Lewis Milestone, Mitchell Leisen, William Dieterle and William Wyler. Top stars are present too: Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lisabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas, William Holden, Alexis Smith, Edmond O’Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Fredric March. The high-quality suspense and jeopardy are uniquely noir: The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, No Man Of Her Own, The Turning Point and The Desperate Hours. [Imprint] taps bona fide experts for the xtras.
Essential Film Noir Collection 3
Blu-ray (Region-Free)
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, No Man Of Her Own, The Turning Point, The Desperate Hours
Viavision [Imprint] 148, 149, 150, 151
1946 – 1955 / B&w / 1:37 Academy (3), 1:78 widescreen (1) / 411 min. / Street Date August 31, 2022 / Available from Viavision [Imprint] / au 139.95 , Amazon / 136.64
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lisabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas; Barbara Stanwyck, John Lund, Lyle Bettger; William Holden, Alexis Smith,...
Essential Film Noir Collection 3
Blu-ray (Region-Free)
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, No Man Of Her Own, The Turning Point, The Desperate Hours
Viavision [Imprint] 148, 149, 150, 151
1946 – 1955 / B&w / 1:37 Academy (3), 1:78 widescreen (1) / 411 min. / Street Date August 31, 2022 / Available from Viavision [Imprint] / au 139.95 , Amazon / 136.64
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lisabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas; Barbara Stanwyck, John Lund, Lyle Bettger; William Holden, Alexis Smith,...
- 9/10/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Righteous propaganda fuels the patriotic fire: Lewis Milestone and Robert Rossen’s blood-soaked ode to Norwegian resistance goes way over the top. These Norsemen and Norsewomen take up arms to fight their Nazi occupiers tooth and nail. Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan star; some of Hollywood’s best partake of the rah-rah celebration of suicidal vengeance: Walter Huston, Nancy Coleman, Helmut Dantine, Judith Anderson, Ruth Gordon, John Beal, Morris Carnovsky, Charles Dingle, Roman Bohnen, Richard Fraser, Art Smith, and a very young Virginia Christine. We’re all anti-Fascist freedom fighters on this bus!
Edge of Darkness
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1943 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 119 min. / Available at Amazon.com / Street Date January 18, 2022 / 21.99
Starring: Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Walter Huston, Nancy Coleman, Helmut Dantine, Judith Anderson, Ruth Gordon, John Beal, Morris Carnovsky, Charles Dingle, Roman Bohnen, Richard Fraser, Art Smith, Monte Blue, Henry Brandon, Virginia Christine, Tom Fadden, Kurt Katch, Kurt Kreuger,...
Edge of Darkness
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1943 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 119 min. / Available at Amazon.com / Street Date January 18, 2022 / 21.99
Starring: Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Walter Huston, Nancy Coleman, Helmut Dantine, Judith Anderson, Ruth Gordon, John Beal, Morris Carnovsky, Charles Dingle, Roman Bohnen, Richard Fraser, Art Smith, Monte Blue, Henry Brandon, Virginia Christine, Tom Fadden, Kurt Katch, Kurt Kreuger,...
- 2/15/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Lewis Milestone directed this poetic, optimistic ode to the American infantryman, a ‘lone patrol’ saga that emphasizes its soldiers’ hopes and fears. The lineup of fresh, eager acting talent is remarkable: Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, George Tyne, John Ireland, Lloyd Bridges, Sterling Holloway, Norman Lloyd, Herbert Rudley, Richard Benedict, Huntz Hall, James Cardwell, Steve Brodie. Voiceovers and ‘ballads’ give a six-mile beachhead incursion the tone of a spiritual rumination. A beautiful full film restoration brings the image back to prime quality. The controversial filmmakers and the unusual production circumstances are covered in Alan K. Rode’s commentary.
A Walk in the Sun
Blu-ray + DVD
Kit Parker Films / Mvd Visual
1945 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 117 min. / Street Date January 18, 2022 / The Definitive Restoration / Available from Amazon / 29.95
Starring: Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, George Tyne, John Ireland, Lloyd Bridges, Sterling Holloway, Norman Lloyd, Herbert Rudley, Richard Benedict, Huntz Hall, James Cardwell, Steve Brodie, Matt Willis,...
A Walk in the Sun
Blu-ray + DVD
Kit Parker Films / Mvd Visual
1945 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 117 min. / Street Date January 18, 2022 / The Definitive Restoration / Available from Amazon / 29.95
Starring: Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, George Tyne, John Ireland, Lloyd Bridges, Sterling Holloway, Norman Lloyd, Herbert Rudley, Richard Benedict, Huntz Hall, James Cardwell, Steve Brodie, Matt Willis,...
- 1/4/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Video Version of this Article Photo: Boxing Movies/Hollywood Insider YouTube Channel Since Robert Rossen’s ‘Body and Soul’ premiered in 1947, boxing has been the one sport that film directors always return to - every decade has its own iconic boxing film. The vicarious thrill, motivation, and resilience that is part of almost every pugilist’s journey is the raw stuff that makes cinema interesting to people as normally, boxers come from humble origins, making their rise an ideal rags-to-riches tale. Also, unlike most sports, boxing has a degree of popularity everywhere and is based on the most primal instincts, therefore it can be understood instantly without needing to refer to a rulebook. Related article: A Tribute to Cannes Film Festival: A Celebration of Cinema, Glamour, and Humanity | Statement From Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase Related article: Examining the 10 Best American Films From the AFI’s “100 Years…100 Movies” List...
- 6/10/2021
- by David Tsintsadze
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Witness six noir heroes, doing what noir heroes do: one crooked gambler, one psycho, another psycho with access to a gun, a dope railroaded into a prison sentence, and an even bigger dope who doesn’t realize he’s poisoning himself. That’s only five, but the sixth is a cop, and not a particularly compromised one, the way we like ’em in noir. This third Columbia Noir Collection can boast big stars and some name directors, beautiful HD transfers and some fascinating short subjects as extras.
Columbia Noir #3
Region B Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1947-57 / B&w / 1:37 Academy, 1:85 widescreen / Street Date May 17, 2021 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £49.99
Starring: Dick Powell, Lee J Cobb, Nina Foch, William Holden, Edmond O’Brien, Dorothy Malone, Glenn Ford, Broderick Crawford, Marie Windsor, and Vince Edwards.
Directed by Robert Rossen, Rudolph Maté, Henry Levin, Gordon Douglas, Edward Dmytryk, Irving Lerner
Powerhouse Indicator’s...
Columbia Noir #3
Region B Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1947-57 / B&w / 1:37 Academy, 1:85 widescreen / Street Date May 17, 2021 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £49.99
Starring: Dick Powell, Lee J Cobb, Nina Foch, William Holden, Edmond O’Brien, Dorothy Malone, Glenn Ford, Broderick Crawford, Marie Windsor, and Vince Edwards.
Directed by Robert Rossen, Rudolph Maté, Henry Levin, Gordon Douglas, Edward Dmytryk, Irving Lerner
Powerhouse Indicator’s...
- 5/4/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
While the summer movie season will kick off shortly––and we’ll be sharing a comprehensive preview on the arthouse, foreign, indie, and (few) studio films worth checking out––on the streaming side, The Criterion Channel and Mubi have unveiled their May 2021 lineups and there’s a treasure trove of highlights to dive into.
Timed with Satyajit Ray’s centenary, The Criterion Channel will have a retrospective of the Indian master, along with series on Gena Rowlands, Robert Ryan, Mitchell Leisen, Michael Almereyda, Josephine Decker, and more. In terms of recent releases, they’ll also feature Fire Will Come, The Booksellers, and the new restoration of Tom Noonan’s directorial debut What Happened Was….
On Mubi, in anticipation of Undine, they’ll feature two essential early features by Christian Petzold, Jerichow and The State That I Am In, along with his 1990 short documentary Süden. Also amongst the lineup is Sophy Romvari’s Still Processing,...
Timed with Satyajit Ray’s centenary, The Criterion Channel will have a retrospective of the Indian master, along with series on Gena Rowlands, Robert Ryan, Mitchell Leisen, Michael Almereyda, Josephine Decker, and more. In terms of recent releases, they’ll also feature Fire Will Come, The Booksellers, and the new restoration of Tom Noonan’s directorial debut What Happened Was….
On Mubi, in anticipation of Undine, they’ll feature two essential early features by Christian Petzold, Jerichow and The State That I Am In, along with his 1990 short documentary Süden. Also amongst the lineup is Sophy Romvari’s Still Processing,...
- 4/26/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Oscar-nominated screenwriter and producer Walter Bernstein, who survived the blacklist era by writing pseudonymous scripts for television and later wrote films including “Fail-Safe,” “The Front” and “Semi-Tough,” died on Jan. 22. He was 101.
Bernstein’s longtime friend and former WGA West president Howard Rodman shared the news of his death on Twitter Saturday. “Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein – legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans – died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.”
Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein — legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans — died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.
Here's Walter from 10 years ago, when he was a young man of 91. pic.twitter.com/yLGvTb3mJY
— Howard A. Rodman (@howardrodman) January 23, 2021
Bernstein’s promising writing career was...
Bernstein’s longtime friend and former WGA West president Howard Rodman shared the news of his death on Twitter Saturday. “Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein – legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans – died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.”
Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein — legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans — died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.
Here's Walter from 10 years ago, when he was a young man of 91. pic.twitter.com/yLGvTb3mJY
— Howard A. Rodman (@howardrodman) January 23, 2021
Bernstein’s promising writing career was...
- 1/23/2021
- by Richard Natale
- Variety Film + TV
Region B Blu-ray-capable noir fans have a formidable six-pack of noir crime pictures on tap: a WW2 espionage thriller, two caper pix and the show that launched the notion of a hit man who’s both charismatic and psychopathic. The list of leading actors is stellar as well: Glenn Ford, Kim Novak, Eli Wallach, Brian Keith, James Whitmore and Nina Foch. Do you like extras? Like to read about the movies you see? No video extra has been left behind, and Pi’s big yellow box contains a 120-page book. Plus — several newly remastered Three Stooges shorts. Don’t forget, Noir and Stooges go together like sanity and American politics!
Columbia Noir #1
Region B Blu-ray
Escape in the Fog, The Undercover Man, Drive a Crooked Road, 5 Against the House, The Garment Jungle, The Lineup
Powerhouse Indicator
1945-1958 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen, 1:37 Academy / 8 hours, 11 min. / Street Date November 30, 2020 / available...
Columbia Noir #1
Region B Blu-ray
Escape in the Fog, The Undercover Man, Drive a Crooked Road, 5 Against the House, The Garment Jungle, The Lineup
Powerhouse Indicator
1945-1958 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen, 1:37 Academy / 8 hours, 11 min. / Street Date November 30, 2020 / available...
- 11/7/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and an archive of past round-ups here.
Braguino (Clément Cogitore)
Le Cinéma Club excels in presentation—opening their clean website every Friday reveals a free, new, conveniently sized film playing alongside original written content—but more important is their reach: time and again they’re screening unavailable, underseen, sometimes thought-missing work by auteurs established and upcoming alike. Their current program concerns recent documentaries—starting today is French filmmaker Clément Cogitore’s Braguino, which surveys two rival families in images merging you-are-there immediacy with stunning high-definition clarity. At 49 minutes the experience is ideal for your dense quarantine lineup. – Nick N.
Where to Stream: Le Cinéma Club
Columbia Noir
To celebrate their one-year anniversary, The...
Braguino (Clément Cogitore)
Le Cinéma Club excels in presentation—opening their clean website every Friday reveals a free, new, conveniently sized film playing alongside original written content—but more important is their reach: time and again they’re screening unavailable, underseen, sometimes thought-missing work by auteurs established and upcoming alike. Their current program concerns recent documentaries—starting today is French filmmaker Clément Cogitore’s Braguino, which surveys two rival families in images merging you-are-there immediacy with stunning high-definition clarity. At 49 minutes the experience is ideal for your dense quarantine lineup. – Nick N.
Where to Stream: Le Cinéma Club
Columbia Noir
To celebrate their one-year anniversary, The...
- 4/10/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Fifty years after the release of low-budget rebel odyssey “Easy Rider,” which pushed Hollywood into the ’70s and shook the foundations of Hollywood, writer-director-actor Peter Fonda has died of respiratory failure from lung cancer. The son of Hollywood star Henry Fonda and New York socialite Frances Seymour Brokaw was born 79 years ago in New York City. He is survived by his older sister, actress Jane Fonda, and his daughter, actress Bridget Fonda.
In a statement to People magazine, the family said Fonda “passed away peacefully on Friday morning, August 16 at 11:05am at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family …In honor of Peter, please raise a glass to freedom.”
Said Jane Fonda: “I am very sad. He was my sweet-hearted baby brother. The talker of the family. I have had beautiful alone time with him these last days. He went out laughing.”
Fonda made a splash with his...
In a statement to People magazine, the family said Fonda “passed away peacefully on Friday morning, August 16 at 11:05am at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family …In honor of Peter, please raise a glass to freedom.”
Said Jane Fonda: “I am very sad. He was my sweet-hearted baby brother. The talker of the family. I have had beautiful alone time with him these last days. He went out laughing.”
Fonda made a splash with his...
- 8/17/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Fifty years after the release of low-budget rebel odyssey “Easy Rider,” which pushed Hollywood into the ’70s and shook the foundations of Hollywood, writer-director-actor Peter Fonda has died of respiratory failure from lung cancer. The son of Hollywood star Henry Fonda and New York socialite Frances Seymour Brokaw was born 79 years ago in New York City. He is survived by his older sister, actress Jane Fonda, and his daughter, actress Bridget Fonda.
In a statement to People magazine, the family said Fonda “passed away peacefully on Friday morning, August 16 at 11:05am at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family …In honor of Peter, please raise a glass to freedom.”
Said Jane Fonda: “I am very sad. He was my sweet-hearted baby brother. The talker of the family. I have had beautiful alone time with him these last days. He went out laughing.”
Fonda made a splash with his...
In a statement to People magazine, the family said Fonda “passed away peacefully on Friday morning, August 16 at 11:05am at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family …In honor of Peter, please raise a glass to freedom.”
Said Jane Fonda: “I am very sad. He was my sweet-hearted baby brother. The talker of the family. I have had beautiful alone time with him these last days. He went out laughing.”
Fonda made a splash with his...
- 8/17/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
There’s no movie quite like Robert Rossen’s adaptation of the J.R. Salamanca book: mental illness and disturbance is neither simplified nor jammed into a preconceived pattern. There is a strong mythical element to Jean Seberg’s enigmatic Lilith, who at times seems the breathing incarnation of elemental human forces — I would imagine the Greeks believed certain ‘disturbed’ persons to be inhabited by the Gods. The equal star of the show is the cameraman Eugen Schüfftan, an artist whose near-expressionist images fill the imagination.
Lilith
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1964 / B&W / 1:85 / 114 min. / Street Date April 22, 2019 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Warren Beatty, Jean Seberg, Peter Fonda, Kim Hunter, Anne Meacham, Jessica Walter, Gene Hackman, James Patterson.
Cinematography: Eugen Schüfftan
Film Editor: Aram Avakian
Original Music: Kenyon Hopkins
From a novel by by J.R. Salamanca
Written, Produced and Directed by Robert Rossen
Writer/director Robert Rossen’s Lilith...
Lilith
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1964 / B&W / 1:85 / 114 min. / Street Date April 22, 2019 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Warren Beatty, Jean Seberg, Peter Fonda, Kim Hunter, Anne Meacham, Jessica Walter, Gene Hackman, James Patterson.
Cinematography: Eugen Schüfftan
Film Editor: Aram Avakian
Original Music: Kenyon Hopkins
From a novel by by J.R. Salamanca
Written, Produced and Directed by Robert Rossen
Writer/director Robert Rossen’s Lilith...
- 4/27/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The murky crimes of sordid characters come to the fore in the wide-open Nevada spaces… producer Hal Wallis’ Technicolor noir concentrates on the possessive and perverse competition for Lizabeth Scott’s luscious blonde — the mother that wants to corral her, the gangster who thinks she’s an escape and the local hunk who wears a badge. Robert Rossen’s edgy screenplay depicts its violent action on a psychological level.
Desert Fury
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1947 / Color / 1:37 flat Academy / 96 min. / Street Date Feb 26, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott, John Hodiak, Wendell Corey, Mary Astor, Kristine Miller, William Harrigan, James Flavin, Anna Camargo, Ray Teal.
Cinematography: Edward Cronjager, Charles Lang
Film Editor: Warren Low
Original Music: Miklos Rosza
Written by Robert Rossen from the novel by Ramona Stewart
Produced by Hal B. Wallis
Directed by Lewis Allen
As he was under contract to Hal Wallis, Burt Lancaster...
Desert Fury
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1947 / Color / 1:37 flat Academy / 96 min. / Street Date Feb 26, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott, John Hodiak, Wendell Corey, Mary Astor, Kristine Miller, William Harrigan, James Flavin, Anna Camargo, Ray Teal.
Cinematography: Edward Cronjager, Charles Lang
Film Editor: Warren Low
Original Music: Miklos Rosza
Written by Robert Rossen from the novel by Ramona Stewart
Produced by Hal B. Wallis
Directed by Lewis Allen
As he was under contract to Hal Wallis, Burt Lancaster...
- 1/22/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Anaphora is an on-going series of video essays exploring the neglected films by major directors.It's always stunning to look back on film history and see who was in need of a comeback and why. Martin Scorsese's influence, his style as a filmmaker and his service to film preservation and history, is taken for granted today. In the late 70s and early 80s every stop light was red. New York, New York was a huge comedown after Taxi Driver, Raging Bull was a modest success at best, The King of Comedy bombed, After Hours made its budget back and then vanished, and Last Temptation of Christ was mired in controversy that hurt its box office. In the middle of all this was The Color of Money, probably the last thing anyone expected him to make: A sequel to Robert Rossen's The Hustler starring original lead Paul Newman and...
- 1/21/2019
- MUBI
Viola Davis leads a bereaved crew into the urban underworld in this sardonic and stylishly old-fashioned crime caper, which kicks off the 2018 London film festival
Viola Davis’s contemptuous stare has the force of a double-barrelled shotgun in this blistering thriller from Steve McQueen. Rocking a sleek belted trenchcoat rather than conventional widow’s weeds, Davis leads a blue-chip cast in McQueen’s cracking reboot of Lynda La Plante’s Thatcher-era Brit TV drama about bereaved women taking over a planned robbery from their criminal menfolk killed on an abortive job.
It’s a violent heist movie, a twisty neo-noir and an old-school municipal graft drama with something of Robert Rossen’s 1949 picture All the King’s Men. It has the urban cynicism and male toxicity we saw in McQueen’s sex addiction nightmare Shame but his signature alienated long takes are in evidence just once in Widows, when a...
Viola Davis’s contemptuous stare has the force of a double-barrelled shotgun in this blistering thriller from Steve McQueen. Rocking a sleek belted trenchcoat rather than conventional widow’s weeds, Davis leads a blue-chip cast in McQueen’s cracking reboot of Lynda La Plante’s Thatcher-era Brit TV drama about bereaved women taking over a planned robbery from their criminal menfolk killed on an abortive job.
It’s a violent heist movie, a twisty neo-noir and an old-school municipal graft drama with something of Robert Rossen’s 1949 picture All the King’s Men. It has the urban cynicism and male toxicity we saw in McQueen’s sex addiction nightmare Shame but his signature alienated long takes are in evidence just once in Widows, when a...
- 10/10/2018
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
This article marks Part 1 of the Gold Derby series reflecting on films that contended for the Big Five Oscars – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted). With “A Star Is Born” this year on the cusp of joining this exclusive group of Oscar favorites, join us as we look back at the 43 extraordinary pictures that earned Academy Awards nominations in each of the Big Five categories beginning with the eight that were shut out of these top races.
At the 31st Academy Awards ceremony, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (1958) was well-positioned for Oscar glory. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, the film adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play was up in six categories, including the Big Five, plus Best Cinematography.
Instead of emerging victorious, however, the film found itself steamrolled over. It would lose Best Picture and Best Director (Richard Brooks) to the musical “Gigi” and its filmmaker,...
At the 31st Academy Awards ceremony, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (1958) was well-positioned for Oscar glory. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, the film adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play was up in six categories, including the Big Five, plus Best Cinematography.
Instead of emerging victorious, however, the film found itself steamrolled over. It would lose Best Picture and Best Director (Richard Brooks) to the musical “Gigi” and its filmmaker,...
- 10/4/2018
- by Andrew Carden
- Gold Derby
Growing up among his native Brooklyn’s brick-and-fire-escape facades in the 1930’s, production designer-to-be Albert Brenner often dreamed of the wide open spaces depicted in his favorite Saturday-matinee Westerns. At 16, he landed his first “art job”: dressing windows for a New York City department store.
Two years later, Brenner swapped mannequins for military service and flew in B-24 bombers until World War II ended in 1945. On the G.I. Bill, he attended Yale University, graduating with skills in drafting, and went into summer stock theater under designer Samuel Leve, toiling away on plays like “The Fifth Season” and gaining a union card in the process.
He developed his designer chops in New York on TV shows like “The Phil Silvers Show,” “Car 54, Where Are You?” “Captain Kangaroo” and “Playhouse 90.” His first day on the Silvers show, where he eventually earned $250 a week, was nearly his last, when he...
Two years later, Brenner swapped mannequins for military service and flew in B-24 bombers until World War II ended in 1945. On the G.I. Bill, he attended Yale University, graduating with skills in drafting, and went into summer stock theater under designer Samuel Leve, toiling away on plays like “The Fifth Season” and gaining a union card in the process.
He developed his designer chops in New York on TV shows like “The Phil Silvers Show,” “Car 54, Where Are You?” “Captain Kangaroo” and “Playhouse 90.” His first day on the Silvers show, where he eventually earned $250 a week, was nearly his last, when he...
- 9/28/2018
- by James C. Udel
- Variety Film + TV
On Sept. 25, 1961, 20th Century Fox premiered Paul Newman's The Hustler in Washington, D.C. The film went on to be nominated for nine Oscars at the 34th Academy Awards, winning in the art direction and cinematography categories. The Hollywood Reporter's original review, headlined "'The Hustler' Provocative, Powerful Offbeat Picture," is below.
Provocative and powerful, The Hustler is an odd and serious picture that will have some fanatical admirers — as it should, because the Robert Rossen production is an important and, in its way, satisfying experience. It is, however, well outside the usual Hollywood ...
Provocative and powerful, The Hustler is an odd and serious picture that will have some fanatical admirers — as it should, because the Robert Rossen production is an important and, in its way, satisfying experience. It is, however, well outside the usual Hollywood ...
- 9/25/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
On Sept. 25, 1961, 20th Century Fox premiered Paul Newman's The Hustler in Washington, D.C. The film went on to be nominated for nine Oscars at the 34th Academy Awards, winning in the art direction and cinematography categories. The Hollywood Reporter's original review, headlined "'The Hustler' Provocative, Powerful Offbeat Picture," is below.
Provocative and powerful, The Hustler is an odd and serious picture that will have some fanatical admirers — as it should, because the Robert Rossen production is an important and, in its way, satisfying experience. It is, however, well outside the usual Hollywood ...
Provocative and powerful, The Hustler is an odd and serious picture that will have some fanatical admirers — as it should, because the Robert Rossen production is an important and, in its way, satisfying experience. It is, however, well outside the usual Hollywood ...
- 9/25/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Now restored to perfection, this genuine classic hasn’t been seen intact for way over sixty years. Michael Curtiz and Robert Rossen adapt Jack London’s suspenseful allegory in high style, with a superb quartet of actors doing some of their best work: Robinson, Garfield, Lupino and newcomer Alexander Knox.
The Sea Wolf
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1941 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 100 min. uncut! / Street Date October 10, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Edward G. Robinson, Alexander Knox, Ida Lupino, John Garfield, Gene Lockhart, Barry Fitzgerald. Stanley Ridges, David Bruce, Francis McDonald, Howard Da Silva, Frank Lackteen, Ralf Harolde
Cinematography: Sol Polito
Film Editor: George Amy
Art Direction: Anton Grot
Special Effects: Byron Haskin, Hans F. Koenekamp
Original Music: Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Written by Robert Rosson, from the novel by Jack London
Produced by Hal B. Wallis, Henry Blanke
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Chopping up films for television was once the...
The Sea Wolf
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1941 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 100 min. uncut! / Street Date October 10, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Edward G. Robinson, Alexander Knox, Ida Lupino, John Garfield, Gene Lockhart, Barry Fitzgerald. Stanley Ridges, David Bruce, Francis McDonald, Howard Da Silva, Frank Lackteen, Ralf Harolde
Cinematography: Sol Polito
Film Editor: George Amy
Art Direction: Anton Grot
Special Effects: Byron Haskin, Hans F. Koenekamp
Original Music: Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Written by Robert Rosson, from the novel by Jack London
Produced by Hal B. Wallis, Henry Blanke
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Chopping up films for television was once the...
- 10/14/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Mubi will be showing the retrospective Philippe Garrel: Fight for Eternity from May 1 - July 5, 2017 in most countries around the world.Les enfants désaccordésQuestion: I must ask you here about one concept you discuss in your book, one that also might be thought of, next to the structural work, as another way to break from the story in the film. The concept is muzan, and I find it quite difficult to think of a proper translation of it into English. How do you employ this concept into your films, and does it, in fact, have anything to do with the way you wish to break away from the story?
Yoshishige Yoshida: I understand the word in itself, as you would understand the literal meaning of the kanji: something which expresses the impossibility of attaining stability or change for the better. Yes, I believe this is the meaning of the concept that I use.
Yoshishige Yoshida: I understand the word in itself, as you would understand the literal meaning of the kanji: something which expresses the impossibility of attaining stability or change for the better. Yes, I believe this is the meaning of the concept that I use.
- 5/30/2017
- MUBI
Lewis Milestone’s poetic character study of an infantry landing in Italy gives us a full dozen non-cliché portraits of men in war, featuring a dramatic dream team of interesting character actors. Dana Andrews was the only big star in the cast, joined by hopefuls Richard Conte, Lloyd Bridges and John Ireland; the standout crew includes Sterling Holloway, Norman Lloyd, Steve Brodie and Huntz Hall.
A Walk in the Sun
DVD
The Sprocket Vault / Kit Parker Films
1945 / B&W / 1:37 Academy / 117 min. / Restored Collector’s Edition / Street Date ?, 2017 / available through The Sprocket Vault / 14.99
Starring: Richard Conte, George Tyne, John Ireland, Lloyd Bridges, Sterling Holloway, Norman Lloyd Dana Andrews, Herbert Rudley, Richard Benedict, Huntz Hall, James Cardwell, Steve Brodie, Matt Willis, Chris Drake, John Kellogg, Robert Horton, Burgess Meredith.
Cinematography: Russell Harlan
Film Editor: Duncan Mansfield
Original Music: Fredric Efrem Rich; ‘The Ballads’ sung by : Kenneth Spencer
Written by: Robert...
A Walk in the Sun
DVD
The Sprocket Vault / Kit Parker Films
1945 / B&W / 1:37 Academy / 117 min. / Restored Collector’s Edition / Street Date ?, 2017 / available through The Sprocket Vault / 14.99
Starring: Richard Conte, George Tyne, John Ireland, Lloyd Bridges, Sterling Holloway, Norman Lloyd Dana Andrews, Herbert Rudley, Richard Benedict, Huntz Hall, James Cardwell, Steve Brodie, Matt Willis, Chris Drake, John Kellogg, Robert Horton, Burgess Meredith.
Cinematography: Russell Harlan
Film Editor: Duncan Mansfield
Original Music: Fredric Efrem Rich; ‘The Ballads’ sung by : Kenneth Spencer
Written by: Robert...
- 2/15/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Something Wild
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 850
1961 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen 1:37 flat Academy / 113 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date January 17, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Carroll Baker, Ralph Meeker, Mildred Dunnock, Jean Stapleton, Martin Kosleck, Charles Watts, Clifton James, Doris Roberts, Anita Cooper, Tanya Lopert.
Cinematography: Eugen Schüfftan
Film Editor: Carl Lerner
Original Music: Aaron Copland
Written by Jack Garfein and Alex Karmel from his novel Mary Ann
Produced by George Justin
Directed by Jack Garfein
After writing up an earlier Mod disc release of the 1961 movie Something Wild, I received a brief but welcome email note from its director:
“Dear Glenn Erickson,
Thank you for your profound appreciation of Something Wild.
If possible, I would appreciate if you could send
me a copy of your review by email.
Sincerely yours, Jack Garfein”
Somewhere back East (or in London), the Actors Studio legend Jack Garfein had found favor with the review. Although...
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 850
1961 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen 1:37 flat Academy / 113 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date January 17, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Carroll Baker, Ralph Meeker, Mildred Dunnock, Jean Stapleton, Martin Kosleck, Charles Watts, Clifton James, Doris Roberts, Anita Cooper, Tanya Lopert.
Cinematography: Eugen Schüfftan
Film Editor: Carl Lerner
Original Music: Aaron Copland
Written by Jack Garfein and Alex Karmel from his novel Mary Ann
Produced by George Justin
Directed by Jack Garfein
After writing up an earlier Mod disc release of the 1961 movie Something Wild, I received a brief but welcome email note from its director:
“Dear Glenn Erickson,
Thank you for your profound appreciation of Something Wild.
If possible, I would appreciate if you could send
me a copy of your review by email.
Sincerely yours, Jack Garfein”
Somewhere back East (or in London), the Actors Studio legend Jack Garfein had found favor with the review. Although...
- 1/10/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
‘La La Land’ and ‘Moonlight’ (Courtesy: Dale Robinette; David Bornfriend/A24)
By: Carson Blackwelder
Managing Editor
Nothing is certain at the Oscars, and that absolutely applies to the best picture and best director categories. While it is common for films to win both of these trophies in a given year, sometimes they can go to two different works. There’s a chance that La La Land and Moonlight could split these categories at the upcoming ceremony — but how often does that happen?
Both of these films are considered frontrunners in both the best picture and best director category at the upcoming Oscars. This site’s namesake, The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg, lists La La Land — written and directed by Damien Chazelle — and Moonlight — written and directed by Barry Jenkins — as the top two contenders in both categories in his latest check-in on the race. The two films have been...
By: Carson Blackwelder
Managing Editor
Nothing is certain at the Oscars, and that absolutely applies to the best picture and best director categories. While it is common for films to win both of these trophies in a given year, sometimes they can go to two different works. There’s a chance that La La Land and Moonlight could split these categories at the upcoming ceremony — but how often does that happen?
Both of these films are considered frontrunners in both the best picture and best director category at the upcoming Oscars. This site’s namesake, The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg, lists La La Land — written and directed by Damien Chazelle — and Moonlight — written and directed by Barry Jenkins — as the top two contenders in both categories in his latest check-in on the race. The two films have been...
- 12/24/2016
- by Carson Blackwelder
- Scott Feinberg
Piper Laurie Keeps Her Chin Up
By Alex Simon
Few living actors can claim to have experienced the Hollywood machine in all its iterations more than three-time Oscar nominee Piper Laurie. Signed by Universal Pictures at 17, their youngest contract player in years, she was in the last generation that were part of the Hollywood “factory,” pushed into “cheesecake” roles that accented physical attributes, as opposed to talent. It was the beginning of a journey.
She was born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit, Michigan, on January 22, 1932, to immigrant parents of Polish and Russian Jewish descent. When she was still five, the family sent her and her sister to a children’s sanatorium in the mountains to see if her sister’s asthma could be cured. Three years later after being reunited with her family she decided she wanted to become an actress and studied with Benno and Betomi Schneider for several years...
By Alex Simon
Few living actors can claim to have experienced the Hollywood machine in all its iterations more than three-time Oscar nominee Piper Laurie. Signed by Universal Pictures at 17, their youngest contract player in years, she was in the last generation that were part of the Hollywood “factory,” pushed into “cheesecake” roles that accented physical attributes, as opposed to talent. It was the beginning of a journey.
She was born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit, Michigan, on January 22, 1932, to immigrant parents of Polish and Russian Jewish descent. When she was still five, the family sent her and her sister to a children’s sanatorium in the mountains to see if her sister’s asthma could be cured. Three years later after being reunited with her family she decided she wanted to become an actress and studied with Benno and Betomi Schneider for several years...
- 6/9/2016
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Tired of stupid sword 'n' sandal costume pictures? Robert Rossen's all-star bio-epic of the charter founder of the Masons is a superior analysis of political ambition and the ruthless application of power. Yeah, he's wearing a blond wig, but Richard Burton captures the force of Alexander without camping up Asia Minor. Alexander the Great Blu-ray Twilight Time Limited Edition 1956 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 136 min. / Ship Date March 15, 2016 / available through Twilight Time Movies / 29.95 Starring Richard Burton, Fredric March, Claire Bloom, Danielle Darrieux, Barry Jones, Harry Andrews, Stanley Baker, Niall MacGinnis, Peter Cushing. Cinematography Robert Krasker Art Direction Andrej Andrejew Film Editor Ralph Kemplen Original Music Mario Nascimbene Produced by Gordon Griffith, Robert Rossen Written and Directed by Robert Rossen
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Critical opinions aren't supposed to flip-flop with every screening of a film, but I have to admit that my appreciation of Robert Rossen's 1956 epic Alexander the Great...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Critical opinions aren't supposed to flip-flop with every screening of a film, but I have to admit that my appreciation of Robert Rossen's 1956 epic Alexander the Great...
- 4/2/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Royale Laemmle Theater in Los Angeles will be presenting a 55th anniversary screening of Robert Rossen’s The Hustler. The 134-minute film, which stars Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Myron McCormick, Murray Hamilton, and both Jake Lamotta and Vincent Gardenia as bartenders, will be screened on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 7:00 pm.
Actress Piper Laurie, who appears in the film as Sarah Packard, is scheduled to appear at a Q&A session after the film to discuss her role and career.
From the press release:
The Hustler
Part of our Anniversary Classics series. For details, visit: laemmle.com/ac.
The Hustler (1961)
55th Anniversary Screening
Wednesday, March 16, at 7:00 Pm at the Royal Theatre
Three-Time Oscar Nominee Piper Laurie in person for Q&A after the screening
Robert Rossen’s The Hustler, one of the most incisive character dramas of the 1960s, earned nine Academy Award nominations and won two Oscars,...
Actress Piper Laurie, who appears in the film as Sarah Packard, is scheduled to appear at a Q&A session after the film to discuss her role and career.
From the press release:
The Hustler
Part of our Anniversary Classics series. For details, visit: laemmle.com/ac.
The Hustler (1961)
55th Anniversary Screening
Wednesday, March 16, at 7:00 Pm at the Royal Theatre
Three-Time Oscar Nominee Piper Laurie in person for Q&A after the screening
Robert Rossen’s The Hustler, one of the most incisive character dramas of the 1960s, earned nine Academy Award nominations and won two Oscars,...
- 3/9/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Royale Laemmle Theater in Los Angeles will be presenting a 55th anniversary screening of Robert Rossen’s The Hustler. The 134-minute film, which stars Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Myron McCormick, Murray Hamilton, and both Jake Lamotta and Vincent Gardenia as bartenders, will be screened on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 7:00 pm.
Actress Piper Laurie, who appears in the film as Sarah Packard, is scheduled to appear at a Q&A session after the film to discuss her role and career.
From the press release:
The Hustler
Part of our Anniversary Classics series. For details, visit: laemmle.com/ac.
The Hustler (1961)
55th Anniversary Screening
Wednesday, March 16, at 7:00 Pm at the Royal Theatre
Three-Time Oscar Nominee Piper Laurie in person for Q&A after the screening
Robert Rossen’s The Hustler, one of the most incisive character dramas of the 1960s, earned nine Academy Award nominations and won two Oscars,...
Actress Piper Laurie, who appears in the film as Sarah Packard, is scheduled to appear at a Q&A session after the film to discuss her role and career.
From the press release:
The Hustler
Part of our Anniversary Classics series. For details, visit: laemmle.com/ac.
The Hustler (1961)
55th Anniversary Screening
Wednesday, March 16, at 7:00 Pm at the Royal Theatre
Three-Time Oscar Nominee Piper Laurie in person for Q&A after the screening
Robert Rossen’s The Hustler, one of the most incisive character dramas of the 1960s, earned nine Academy Award nominations and won two Oscars,...
- 3/9/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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