It was announced today that controversial actor Robert Blake has died at the age of 89. His niece, Noreen Austin, confirmed that he died at his Los Angeles home after a longtime battle with heart disease. Blake was best known for his roles in Richard Brooks’ adaptation of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, David Lynch’s Lost Highway, and for starring in the 1970s detective series Baretta.
Robert Blake got his start as a child actor, appearing as Mickey in forty installments of MGM’s Our Gang short films. He also played Little Beaver in twenty-three installments of the Red Ryder film series. He also appeared in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre as a young Mexican boy who sells a lottery ticket to Humphrey Bogart. Although many child actors can’t transition to adult roles, Blake managed to pull it off. His biggest break came with In Cold Blood,...
Robert Blake got his start as a child actor, appearing as Mickey in forty installments of MGM’s Our Gang short films. He also played Little Beaver in twenty-three installments of the Red Ryder film series. He also appeared in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre as a young Mexican boy who sells a lottery ticket to Humphrey Bogart. Although many child actors can’t transition to adult roles, Blake managed to pull it off. His biggest break came with In Cold Blood,...
- 3/10/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
After a hiatus as theaters in New York City and beyond closed their doors during the pandemic, we’re delighted to announce the return of NYC Weekend Watch, our weekly round-up of repertory offerings. While many theaters are still focused on a selection of new releases, there’s a handful of worthwhile repertory screenings taking place.
IFC Center
The films of Catherine Breillat are highlighted in an extensive retrospective, while Solaris screens for its 50th anniversary.
Film Forum
A massive Toshiro Mifune retrospective has begun, while the new 35mm print of The Conversation continues its run and Girl Shy plays Sunday.
Roxy Cinema
The truly, absolutely inimitable Vincent Gallo is paid tribute with 35mm screenings of Buffalo ’66, The Brown Bunny, and Trouble Every Day.
Anthology Film Archives
“Homecoming Films” offers work by Lang, Welles, Buñuel, Mekas and more.
Metrograph
Films by Minelli, Lubitsch, Renoir, and Powell & Pressburger screen in “Technicolor Romance.
IFC Center
The films of Catherine Breillat are highlighted in an extensive retrospective, while Solaris screens for its 50th anniversary.
Film Forum
A massive Toshiro Mifune retrospective has begun, while the new 35mm print of The Conversation continues its run and Girl Shy plays Sunday.
Roxy Cinema
The truly, absolutely inimitable Vincent Gallo is paid tribute with 35mm screenings of Buffalo ’66, The Brown Bunny, and Trouble Every Day.
Anthology Film Archives
“Homecoming Films” offers work by Lang, Welles, Buñuel, Mekas and more.
Metrograph
Films by Minelli, Lubitsch, Renoir, and Powell & Pressburger screen in “Technicolor Romance.
- 2/11/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Woody Strode as Jake in "The Professionals" (1966). (Photo: Cinema Retro Archive.)
This is too good to be true for retro movie fans. The great Woody Strode will be commemorated with a film festival at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York. Strode, a former professional athlete, was one of the first African-American actors to break the glass ceiling, appearing in supporting roles in many major films. The festival, titled "The Legend of Woody Strode", will offer a rare opportunity to see many of his films on the big screen. Here is the official press release.
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
The Legend of Woody Strode
February 11–March 6, 2022
Despite the lack of opportunities for actors of color in his era, Woody Strode left a legacy worth revisiting. Strode, the six-foot-four pioneering athlete turned movie star, was born in 1914, in South Central Los Angeles, to Black and Native American parents.
This is too good to be true for retro movie fans. The great Woody Strode will be commemorated with a film festival at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York. Strode, a former professional athlete, was one of the first African-American actors to break the glass ceiling, appearing in supporting roles in many major films. The festival, titled "The Legend of Woody Strode", will offer a rare opportunity to see many of his films on the big screen. Here is the official press release.
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
The Legend of Woody Strode
February 11–March 6, 2022
Despite the lack of opportunities for actors of color in his era, Woody Strode left a legacy worth revisiting. Strode, the six-foot-four pioneering athlete turned movie star, was born in 1914, in South Central Los Angeles, to Black and Native American parents.
- 1/27/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Harder They Fall, the Black Western in theaters now and on Netflix on Nov. 3, owes a tip of the Stetson to Woody Strode, one of the NFL’s first Black players (he signed briefly with the Los Angeles Rams in 1946), who later found a niche playing strong, silent types in Westerns.
Part African American and part Native American, Strode’s first big break was in 1960’s Spartacus, as the Ethiopian gladiator whose death sparks a rebellion. It was on the set of 1959’s Pork Chop Hill, a Korean War film, that Strode met John Ford (though Ford was ...
Part African American and part Native American, Strode’s first big break was in 1960’s Spartacus, as the Ethiopian gladiator whose death sparks a rebellion. It was on the set of 1959’s Pork Chop Hill, a Korean War film, that Strode met John Ford (though Ford was ...
- 11/6/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The Harder They Fall, the Black Western in theaters now and on Netflix on Nov. 3, owes a tip of the Stetson to Woody Strode, one of the NFL’s first Black players (he signed briefly with the Los Angeles Rams in 1946), who later found a niche playing strong, silent types in Westerns.
Part African American and part Native American, Strode’s first big break was in 1960’s Spartacus, as the Ethiopian gladiator whose death sparks a rebellion. It was on the set of 1959’s Pork Chop Hill, a Korean War film, that Strode met John Ford (though Ford was ...
Part African American and part Native American, Strode’s first big break was in 1960’s Spartacus, as the Ethiopian gladiator whose death sparks a rebellion. It was on the set of 1959’s Pork Chop Hill, a Korean War film, that Strode met John Ford (though Ford was ...
- 11/6/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actor Gavin MacLeod has passed away at age 90 following a lengthy illness. MacLeod entered the acting profession in the 1950s with small roles in films such as "I Want to Live!", "Pork Chop Hill" and "Operation Petticoat". He also appeared in many hit TV series of the era before landing a regular part as a member of "McHale's Navy". In 1971, he graduated to stardom with a key role in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", which showcased his superb talents as a comedic actor. Major stardom followed later when he had the lead role in the long-running hit TV series "The Love Boat". His other feature films include "Kelly's Heroes" and "The Sand Pebbles". For more about his life and career, click here.
- 5/29/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Gavin MacLeod, a sitcom veteran who played seaman “Happy” Haines on “McHale’s Navy,” Murray on “Mary Tyler Moore” and the very different, vaguely patrician Captain Stubing on “The Love Boat,” has died. He was 90.
MacLeod’s nephew, Mark See, confirmed his death to Variety. MacLeod died in the early morning on May 29. No cause of death was given, but MacLeod’s health had declined in recent months.
MacLeod played a relatively minor character on ABC hit “McHale’s Navy,” starring Ernest Borgnine, but as newswriter Murray Slaughter, he was certainly one of the stars of “Mary Tyler Moore,” appearing in every one of the classic comedy’s 168 episodes during its 1970-77 run on CBS. Murray was married to Marie (Joyce Bulifant) but was in love with Moore’s Mary Richards. His desk was right next to Mary’s in the Wjm newsroom, so MacLeod was frequently in the shot during the sitcom,...
MacLeod’s nephew, Mark See, confirmed his death to Variety. MacLeod died in the early morning on May 29. No cause of death was given, but MacLeod’s health had declined in recent months.
MacLeod played a relatively minor character on ABC hit “McHale’s Navy,” starring Ernest Borgnine, but as newswriter Murray Slaughter, he was certainly one of the stars of “Mary Tyler Moore,” appearing in every one of the classic comedy’s 168 episodes during its 1970-77 run on CBS. Murray was married to Marie (Joyce Bulifant) but was in love with Moore’s Mary Richards. His desk was right next to Mary’s in the Wjm newsroom, so MacLeod was frequently in the shot during the sitcom,...
- 5/29/2021
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Tony Sokol Jul 10, 2019
Rip Torn, who played characters from Judas Iscariot to the producer on The Larry Sanders Show, dies at 88.
Respected and versatile character actor Rip Torn died Tuesday in Lakeville, Conn., according to Variety. Publicist Rick Miramontez did not release a cause of death, but said Torn was with his wife, Amy Wright, and two daughters, Katie and Angelica. He was 88.
Torn believed actors should “play drama as comedy and comedy as drama,” according to the statement, and the actor was equally at home both. He starred in comedies like Albert Brooks' Defending Your Life and the Men in Black films, as well as TV comedies 30 Rock, playing General Electric CEO Don Geiss, mentor to Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Torn won an Emmy for his part in HBO's The Larry Sanders Show, and was nominated for a Tony award in...
Rip Torn, who played characters from Judas Iscariot to the producer on The Larry Sanders Show, dies at 88.
Respected and versatile character actor Rip Torn died Tuesday in Lakeville, Conn., according to Variety. Publicist Rick Miramontez did not release a cause of death, but said Torn was with his wife, Amy Wright, and two daughters, Katie and Angelica. He was 88.
Torn believed actors should “play drama as comedy and comedy as drama,” according to the statement, and the actor was equally at home both. He starred in comedies like Albert Brooks' Defending Your Life and the Men in Black films, as well as TV comedies 30 Rock, playing General Electric CEO Don Geiss, mentor to Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Torn won an Emmy for his part in HBO's The Larry Sanders Show, and was nominated for a Tony award in...
- 7/10/2019
- Den of Geek
By Lee Pfeiffer
Actor Rip Torn has died at age 88. He was a volatile figure in the entertainment industry, known for his sometimes bizarre behavior as well as his brilliant performances. A native Texan, he gravitated to New York City in the 1950s where he studied under Lee Strasberg at the legendary Actors Studio. He was championed by director Elia Kazan, who gave Torn high profile roles in his stage and film productions. Torn gained major acclaim with a Tony-nominated performance on Broadway in "Sweet Bird of Youth", a role he would reprise in the 1963 film version. Torn's film career occasionally saw him attain leading man status but he remained a highly acclaimed supporting actor throughout his career. His feature films include "A Face in the Crowd", "Baby Doll", "The Cincinnati Kid", "Pork Chop Hill", "King of Kings", "Beach Red", "Coming Apart", "Tropic of Cancer", "Crazy Joe", "The Man Who Fell to Earth...
Actor Rip Torn has died at age 88. He was a volatile figure in the entertainment industry, known for his sometimes bizarre behavior as well as his brilliant performances. A native Texan, he gravitated to New York City in the 1950s where he studied under Lee Strasberg at the legendary Actors Studio. He was championed by director Elia Kazan, who gave Torn high profile roles in his stage and film productions. Torn gained major acclaim with a Tony-nominated performance on Broadway in "Sweet Bird of Youth", a role he would reprise in the 1963 film version. Torn's film career occasionally saw him attain leading man status but he remained a highly acclaimed supporting actor throughout his career. His feature films include "A Face in the Crowd", "Baby Doll", "The Cincinnati Kid", "Pork Chop Hill", "King of Kings", "Beach Red", "Coming Apart", "Tropic of Cancer", "Crazy Joe", "The Man Who Fell to Earth...
- 7/10/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Legendary actor Rip Torn has died. He was 88.
Torn died “peacefully” at his Lakeville, Connecticut home, a rep for the star confirmed to People.
His wife Amy Wright and his daughters Katie Torn and Angelica Page were by his side, according to the Associated Press.
Born Elmore Rual Torn Jr. in Temple, Texas, Torn made his film debut in the 1956 film Baby Doll.
He then studied at the Actors Studio in New York under Lee Strasberg, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Torn went on to star in the play Sweet Bird of Youth and the film Pork Chop Hill in 1959, according to his IMDb.
Torn died “peacefully” at his Lakeville, Connecticut home, a rep for the star confirmed to People.
His wife Amy Wright and his daughters Katie Torn and Angelica Page were by his side, according to the Associated Press.
Born Elmore Rual Torn Jr. in Temple, Texas, Torn made his film debut in the 1956 film Baby Doll.
He then studied at the Actors Studio in New York under Lee Strasberg, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Torn went on to star in the play Sweet Bird of Youth and the film Pork Chop Hill in 1959, according to his IMDb.
- 7/10/2019
- by Robyn Merrett
- PEOPLE.com
Actor Rip Torn, who earned Oscar and Tony nominations as well as an Emmy Award and two Obies, has died Tuesday in Lakeville Conn., his representative confirmed. He was 88.
Torn was equally at home in the comedy of the “Men in Black” film series or TV’s “The Larry Sanders Show” (for which he won his Emmy) and in the drama of “Sweet Bird of Youth” or “Anna Christie,” to name two of the numerous classic works of theater in which he appeared.
The actor was nominated for a supporting-actor Oscar in 1984 for his work as a father who confronts tragedy in Martin Ritt’s “Cross Creek,” one of many rural dramas in which he appeared during his career.
He drew a Tony nomination in 1960 for his first performance on Broadway, as the sadistic son of the town boss in Elia Kazan’s original production of Tennessee Williams’ “Sweet Bird of Youth.
Torn was equally at home in the comedy of the “Men in Black” film series or TV’s “The Larry Sanders Show” (for which he won his Emmy) and in the drama of “Sweet Bird of Youth” or “Anna Christie,” to name two of the numerous classic works of theater in which he appeared.
The actor was nominated for a supporting-actor Oscar in 1984 for his work as a father who confronts tragedy in Martin Ritt’s “Cross Creek,” one of many rural dramas in which he appeared during his career.
He drew a Tony nomination in 1960 for his first performance on Broadway, as the sadistic son of the town boss in Elia Kazan’s original production of Tennessee Williams’ “Sweet Bird of Youth.
- 7/10/2019
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Tony Curtis grew up idolizing the suave and funny Cary Grant, emulated his romantic moves as an actor and then performed a brilliant impersonation of Grant for Billy Wilder. The next step had to be co-starring with the great man himself. Blake Edwards’ amiable, relaxed submarine movie allows Grant to play with ladies’ under-things, while Curtis wrestles with a pig.
Operation Petticoat
Blu-ray
Olive Signature Edition
1959 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 120 min. / Street Date July 1, 2014 / available through the Olive Films website / 39.95
Starring: Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Joan O’Brien, Dina Merrill, Gene Evans, Dick Sargent, Virginia Gregg, Gavin MacLeod, Madlyn Rhue, Marion Ross, Arthur O’Connell.
Cinematography: Russell Harlan
Original Music: David Rose
Written by Paul King, Joseph Stone, Stanley Shapiro, Maurice Richlin
Produced by Robert Arthur
Directed by Blake Edwards
The latest in Olive Films’ Signature Selection special editions is Operation Petticoat, a light comedy war movie noted for teaming Cary Grant with Tony Curtis.
Operation Petticoat
Blu-ray
Olive Signature Edition
1959 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 120 min. / Street Date July 1, 2014 / available through the Olive Films website / 39.95
Starring: Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Joan O’Brien, Dina Merrill, Gene Evans, Dick Sargent, Virginia Gregg, Gavin MacLeod, Madlyn Rhue, Marion Ross, Arthur O’Connell.
Cinematography: Russell Harlan
Original Music: David Rose
Written by Paul King, Joseph Stone, Stanley Shapiro, Maurice Richlin
Produced by Robert Arthur
Directed by Blake Edwards
The latest in Olive Films’ Signature Selection special editions is Operation Petticoat, a light comedy war movie noted for teaming Cary Grant with Tony Curtis.
- 12/2/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Tony Sokol Sep 18, 2017
Harry Dean Stanton has died at the age of 91, it was confirmed over the weekend.
Actor Harry Dean Stanton died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Friday September 15th, his agent John Kelly announced. He was 91.
Stanton, who made his breakthrough in Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas, submerged himself in over 250 movies since he began acting in the 1950s. That didn’t make him any less unforgettable, putting his subtle stamp on such films as Cool Hand Luke (1967), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), Godfather II (1974), Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) and John Carpenter’s Escape From New York (1981). Plus he taught Emilio Estevez how to boost cars in the cult classic Repo Man.
Stanton hit the mainstream in John Hughes’ Pretty In Pink (1986), he played Molly Ringwald’s unemployed father.
He played against Jack Nicholson, a lifelong friend, in The Missouri Breaks and Bob Rafelson’s Man Trouble. He also appeared in The Mighty,...
Harry Dean Stanton has died at the age of 91, it was confirmed over the weekend.
Actor Harry Dean Stanton died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Friday September 15th, his agent John Kelly announced. He was 91.
Stanton, who made his breakthrough in Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas, submerged himself in over 250 movies since he began acting in the 1950s. That didn’t make him any less unforgettable, putting his subtle stamp on such films as Cool Hand Luke (1967), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), Godfather II (1974), Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) and John Carpenter’s Escape From New York (1981). Plus he taught Emilio Estevez how to boost cars in the cult classic Repo Man.
Stanton hit the mainstream in John Hughes’ Pretty In Pink (1986), he played Molly Ringwald’s unemployed father.
He played against Jack Nicholson, a lifelong friend, in The Missouri Breaks and Bob Rafelson’s Man Trouble. He also appeared in The Mighty,...
- 9/16/2017
- Den of Geek
Los Angeles – His acting career spanned from working with Alfred Hitchcock to Tim Burton. Along the way, he had significant TV and film roles including a Best Supporting Oscar win for portraying Bela Lugosi in Burton’s “Ed Wood”. Martin Landau died in Los Angeles on July 15, 2017. He was 89.
He was one of the rare actors known both for distinctive parts in both television and film, and had a revival in his career towards the end of his life. Besides working for directors Hitchcock and Burton, he also has roles in films by Woody Allen, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Francis Ford Coppola and Frank Darabont. On television, he had an early role on “Mission: Impossible in the 1960s, and another on the cult series “Space :1999”
Martin Landau in a 2013 Appearance in Chicago
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Martin Landau was born in Brooklyn, New York,...
He was one of the rare actors known both for distinctive parts in both television and film, and had a revival in his career towards the end of his life. Besides working for directors Hitchcock and Burton, he also has roles in films by Woody Allen, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Francis Ford Coppola and Frank Darabont. On television, he had an early role on “Mission: Impossible in the 1960s, and another on the cult series “Space :1999”
Martin Landau in a 2013 Appearance in Chicago
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Martin Landau was born in Brooklyn, New York,...
- 7/17/2017
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Oscar-winning film and television actor Martin Landau died on Saturday at age 89, Et has learned.
"We are overcome with sadness to report the death of iconic actor Martin Landau, on July 15th, 2017 at 1:30pm at UCLA Medical Center, where he succumbed to unexpected complications during a short hospitalization," representatives for the family wrote in a statement.
Photos: Stars We've Lost In Recent Years
Landau made his Hollywood debut in the 1959 Korean war film, Pork Chop Hill, which also starred Gregory Peck. His career spanned film and television, including roles in the Alfred Hitchcock classic, North by Northwest, Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors, and a long-running stint on the original television version of Mission: Impossible as the "man of a million faces," Rollin Hand.
His turn as Bela Lugosi in 1994's Ed Wood earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, as well as Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards, among a number...
"We are overcome with sadness to report the death of iconic actor Martin Landau, on July 15th, 2017 at 1:30pm at UCLA Medical Center, where he succumbed to unexpected complications during a short hospitalization," representatives for the family wrote in a statement.
Photos: Stars We've Lost In Recent Years
Landau made his Hollywood debut in the 1959 Korean war film, Pork Chop Hill, which also starred Gregory Peck. His career spanned film and television, including roles in the Alfred Hitchcock classic, North by Northwest, Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors, and a long-running stint on the original television version of Mission: Impossible as the "man of a million faces," Rollin Hand.
His turn as Bela Lugosi in 1994's Ed Wood earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, as well as Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards, among a number...
- 7/17/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
To read The National Review’s “Politically Incorrect Guide Memorial Day Movies” is one of those moments where you seriously wonder if conservatism in the Trump Era isn’t just one big episode of “Punk’d.” Written by Arthur Herman, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, the list was an attempt to highlight war movies for conservatives to watch on Memorial Day – many of which are fantastic – but are bizarrely packaged and advertised as movies that will piss off liberals.
Read More: ‘Dunkirk’ Trailer: Christopher Nolan Says It’s ‘Not a War Film,’ But It Still Looks Unbearably Intense
“These movies portray serving one’s country in uniform as something to be revered and respected, not dismissed,” boasts the Twitter promo for the piece. Its marketing is a straw-man argument, so it’s first important to establish a few matters of fact.
During the Vietnam War, there was liberal...
Read More: ‘Dunkirk’ Trailer: Christopher Nolan Says It’s ‘Not a War Film,’ But It Still Looks Unbearably Intense
“These movies portray serving one’s country in uniform as something to be revered and respected, not dismissed,” boasts the Twitter promo for the piece. Its marketing is a straw-man argument, so it’s first important to establish a few matters of fact.
During the Vietnam War, there was liberal...
- 5/29/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
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
Angelina Jolie had one key goal, I believe, in bringing Unbroken to the screen, and that was to do right by the remarkable life of Louis Zamperini. Simple as that. And that she has accomplished in every way. This was clearly evident as the film got its local sendoff Sunday afternoon with multiple screenings for guild and Oscar voters as well as the pundit crowd, which couldn’t wait to jump on Twitter to give an instant verdict on the film’s Oscar chances.
After all, this one is a big target, as it is the last realistic Best Picture contender to debut and it has been handicapped, virtually since it went into production, as the one to beat. Is it? Who knows?
Some viewers sent off mixed vibes afterward, though most seemed at the very least to admire it. A few cautioned about the realistic scenes of torture that Zamperini,...
After all, this one is a big target, as it is the last realistic Best Picture contender to debut and it has been handicapped, virtually since it went into production, as the one to beat. Is it? Who knows?
Some viewers sent off mixed vibes afterward, though most seemed at the very least to admire it. A few cautioned about the realistic scenes of torture that Zamperini,...
- 12/1/2014
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline
Universal Pictures
The flamethrower has been a staple of the movies for close to 100 years and is easily the most badass weapon ever seen on the big screen.
Invented way back at the dawn of the 20th century, the device – which literally throws fire at a target – came to prominence during World War 2 and was quickly adopted by Hollywood as its weapon of choice. Whether it was used in classic war movies like Pork Chop Hill starring Greg Peck or to battle gigantic, invading Ant-armies like the ones in the early science fiction classic Them!, the image of a man (or more commonly a woman these days) wielding a gun that spits fire has been well and truly etched into the minds of many a generation.
And so in honour of this weapon of mass BBQ style destruction we take a look at 5 of the most iconic flamethrower moments in...
The flamethrower has been a staple of the movies for close to 100 years and is easily the most badass weapon ever seen on the big screen.
Invented way back at the dawn of the 20th century, the device – which literally throws fire at a target – came to prominence during World War 2 and was quickly adopted by Hollywood as its weapon of choice. Whether it was used in classic war movies like Pork Chop Hill starring Greg Peck or to battle gigantic, invading Ant-armies like the ones in the early science fiction classic Them!, the image of a man (or more commonly a woman these days) wielding a gun that spits fire has been well and truly etched into the minds of many a generation.
And so in honour of this weapon of mass BBQ style destruction we take a look at 5 of the most iconic flamethrower moments in...
- 2/16/2014
- by Matt Aspin
- Obsessed with Film
Stuntman-turned-movie director Hal Needham has died, at the age of 82. Needham broke into TV and movies in the late 1950s, doing stunt work in such films as Pork Chop Hill, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, How The West Was Won, Donovan’s Reef, Major Dundee, In Harm’s Way, The War Lord, Hells Angels On Wheels, Little Big Man, and many others. His big break, in terms of steady work, came in 1957, when he was hired as Richard Boone’s stunt double on the Western TV series Have Gun—Will Travel, where he also served as stunt ...
- 10/25/2013
- avclub.com
Gregory Peck from ‘Duel in the Sun’ to ‘How the West Was Won’: TCM schedule (Pt) on August 15 (photo: Gregory Peck in ‘Duel in the Sun’) See previous post: “Gregory Peck Movies: Memorable Miscasting Tonight on Turner Classic Movies.” 3:00 Am Days Of Glory (1944). Director: Jacques Tourneur. Cast: Gregory Peck, Lowell Gilmore, Maria Palmer. Bw-86 mins. 4:30 Am Pork Chop Hill (1959). Director: Lewis Milestone. Cast: Gregory Peck, Harry Guardino, Rip Torn. Bw-98 mins. Letterbox Format. 6:15 Am The Valley Of Decision (1945). Director: Tay Garnett. Cast: Greer Garson, Gregory Peck, Donald Crisp. Bw-119 mins. 8:15 Am Spellbound (1945). Director: Alfred Hitchcock. Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov, Leo G. Carroll, Rhonda Fleming, Bill Goodwin, Norman Lloyd, Steve Geray, John Emery, Donald Curtis, Art Baker, Wallace Ford, Regis Toomey, Paul Harvey, Jean Acker, Irving Bacon, Jacqueline deWit, Edward Fielding, Matt Moore, Addison Richards, Erskine Sanford, Constance Purdy. Bw-111 mins. 10:15 Am Designing Woman (1957). Director: Vincente Minnelli.
- 8/16/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The Wasteland:
Television is a gold goose that lays scrambled eggs;
and it is futile and probably fatal to beat it for not laying caviar.
Lee Loevinger
When people argue over the quality of television programming, both sides — it’s addictive crap v. underappreciated populist art — seem to forget one of the essentials about commercial TV. By definition, it is not a public service. It is not commercial TV’s job to enlighten, inform, educate, elevate, inspire, or offer insight. Frankly, it’s not even commercial TV’s job to entertain. Bottom line: its purpose is simply to deliver as many sets of eyes to advertisers as possible. As it happens, it tends to do this by offering various forms of entertainment, and occasionally by offering content that does enlighten, inform, etc., but a cynic would make the point that if TV could do the same job televising fish aimlessly swimming around an aquarium,...
Television is a gold goose that lays scrambled eggs;
and it is futile and probably fatal to beat it for not laying caviar.
Lee Loevinger
When people argue over the quality of television programming, both sides — it’s addictive crap v. underappreciated populist art — seem to forget one of the essentials about commercial TV. By definition, it is not a public service. It is not commercial TV’s job to enlighten, inform, educate, elevate, inspire, or offer insight. Frankly, it’s not even commercial TV’s job to entertain. Bottom line: its purpose is simply to deliver as many sets of eyes to advertisers as possible. As it happens, it tends to do this by offering various forms of entertainment, and occasionally by offering content that does enlighten, inform, etc., but a cynic would make the point that if TV could do the same job televising fish aimlessly swimming around an aquarium,...
- 7/22/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Chicago – One of director Tim Burton’s great actor collaborators is the veteran performer Martin Landau. Landau voices Mr. Rsykruski, a science teacher who inspires young Victor Frankenstein in “Frankenweenie,” released on Blu-Ray on January 8th. This is part of Laudau’s magnificent 60 year career in film, television, stage and acting instruction.
It’s difficult to sum up Landau’s career because of it’s depth and breadth. The 84 year old actor was born in Brooklyn, New York, and had an early interest in cartooning for newspapers. He worked as an illustrator for the New York Daily News for five years, before the acting bug bit him. He was in an exceptional era and place for the craft, as Lee Strasberg’s Actor’s Studio was being formulated, and out of the 2000 applicants for 1955 only two were selected – Martin Landau and Steve McQueen. From there he began a stage career in Manhattan,...
It’s difficult to sum up Landau’s career because of it’s depth and breadth. The 84 year old actor was born in Brooklyn, New York, and had an early interest in cartooning for newspapers. He worked as an illustrator for the New York Daily News for five years, before the acting bug bit him. He was in an exceptional era and place for the craft, as Lee Strasberg’s Actor’s Studio was being formulated, and out of the 2000 applicants for 1955 only two were selected – Martin Landau and Steve McQueen. From there he began a stage career in Manhattan,...
- 1/15/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
I’ve got Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino on my mind these days. It’s a product of the end-of-year hurrahs for Scorsese’s Hugo. The film goes into the Academy Award ceremonies with 11 Oscar nominations – the most of any film this year – including a Best Director nod for Scorsese. Win or lose, Marty’s on a roll having already taken a Golden Globe for his work on the film, and selection as Best Director by the National Board of Review (the Board also named Hugo Best Picture). And that doesn’t include the film’s placing on any number of critic’s Year’s Best lists.
What does all this have to do with Tarantino? It brings to mind a statement the younger filmmaker had made about Scorsese some years ago.
They’ve always been linked, these two. Tarantino had been anointed by more than a few as “the...
What does all this have to do with Tarantino? It brings to mind a statement the younger filmmaker had made about Scorsese some years ago.
They’ve always been linked, these two. Tarantino had been anointed by more than a few as “the...
- 12/18/2012
- by Bill Mesce
- SoundOnSight
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
One nation shall not raise the sword against another,
neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 2:4
War is a nation’s ultimate commitment of blood and treasure. As such, the stories a people tells about its wars – and don’t tell – and the ways it remembers its wars – or chooses to forget them – tells us much about the kind of people they consider themselves to be at different times in their history, as well as the kind of people they really were…and are.
For most of the 20th century, the war film was a Hollywood staple. From one era to the next, war movies documented the nation’s conflicts, reflected the national consciousness on particular combats as well as on thinking going far beyond any one, particular war. They’ve been propagandistic and revisionist,...
and their spears into pruning hooks;
One nation shall not raise the sword against another,
neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 2:4
War is a nation’s ultimate commitment of blood and treasure. As such, the stories a people tells about its wars – and don’t tell – and the ways it remembers its wars – or chooses to forget them – tells us much about the kind of people they consider themselves to be at different times in their history, as well as the kind of people they really were…and are.
For most of the 20th century, the war film was a Hollywood staple. From one era to the next, war movies documented the nation’s conflicts, reflected the national consciousness on particular combats as well as on thinking going far beyond any one, particular war. They’ve been propagandistic and revisionist,...
- 5/22/2011
- by Bill Mesce
- SoundOnSight
Bob Ellis looks back at this year’s Sydney Film Festival.
We are forbidden urination after a three-hour film and herded bursting out into the rain and pushed in front of speeding traffic by big Tongan guardians of the Red Carpet while inside, in the ever-gorgeous art-deco foyer, barmen and pie vendors gazed on its lovely emptiness planning their bankruptcies and other careers and cursing, like all of us, the Clare Stewart Effect on world cinema.
Audiences entering successive sessions without hellish incident these last 113 years have not educated this woman; clamour, ticketless offices, caffeine deprivation, pissed trousers and lack of a chance to chat between sessions (or even sit on the marble steps) have characterised her Cromwellian rule for years now and several deaths, I calculate, from the pelting rain and it is wrong for her to preen her ghastly dress sense in golden spotlight just because certain films...
We are forbidden urination after a three-hour film and herded bursting out into the rain and pushed in front of speeding traffic by big Tongan guardians of the Red Carpet while inside, in the ever-gorgeous art-deco foyer, barmen and pie vendors gazed on its lovely emptiness planning their bankruptcies and other careers and cursing, like all of us, the Clare Stewart Effect on world cinema.
Audiences entering successive sessions without hellish incident these last 113 years have not educated this woman; clamour, ticketless offices, caffeine deprivation, pissed trousers and lack of a chance to chat between sessions (or even sit on the marble steps) have characterised her Cromwellian rule for years now and several deaths, I calculate, from the pelting rain and it is wrong for her to preen her ghastly dress sense in golden spotlight just because certain films...
- 6/23/2010
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
In honor of the HBO mini series The Pacific, this week’s pick goes out to the “devil dogs” of the United States Marine Corp with the 1967 release Beach Red, directed by and starring Cornel Wilde. Beach Red is a “Vietnam morale booster” which came out at a very critical time during America’s involvement in Vietnam.
The film centers around a company of Marines (commanded by Wilde) who storm a Pacific hell hole of an island to take it back from the Japanese. A majority of the film is told through a series of montages/narration by both American & Japanese who are tired of fighting, and of the war (very similar plot to Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers & Letters From Iwo Jima.) Captain MacDonald (Wilde) and Gunnery Sgt. Ben Honeywell, played ever so convincingly by veteran character actor, and one who confuses his home with a local bank Rip Torn,...
The film centers around a company of Marines (commanded by Wilde) who storm a Pacific hell hole of an island to take it back from the Japanese. A majority of the film is told through a series of montages/narration by both American & Japanese who are tired of fighting, and of the war (very similar plot to Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers & Letters From Iwo Jima.) Captain MacDonald (Wilde) and Gunnery Sgt. Ben Honeywell, played ever so convincingly by veteran character actor, and one who confuses his home with a local bank Rip Torn,...
- 4/26/2010
- by Douglas Barnett
- The Flickcast
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.