The Exorcist is my choice for the best horror movie of all time. Some may say Rosemary’s Baby or The Shining or Night of the Living Dead, but as a good Catholic boy, nothing has ever gotten under my skin the way William Friedkin’s original did. But, with great success comes the desire for Hollywood to make a hit into a franchise, but Friedkin was not a franchise director. He famously turned down French Connection II, but the studio, perhaps noticing how the second French Connection turned out decently, decided to go ahead and turn it into a franchise. Still, the results, with one notable exception were a disaster. So without any further adieu, here’s our list of Exorcist movies ranked – from worst to best.
Exorcist II: The Heretic
So, worst is a degree here rather than a black-and-white fact. All of the Exorcist sequels – with that one...
Exorcist II: The Heretic
So, worst is a degree here rather than a black-and-white fact. All of the Exorcist sequels – with that one...
- 10/8/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Fandoms everywhere can now rejoice, for in October Our Flag Means Death finally returns to our screens for its second season. Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi will be romancing the high seas once more thanks to an enormous outpouring of love and support from the show’s fans. The safety of the cult favorite is not yet known beyond season two, but if this one is as good as the first, it certainly won’t be for lack of trying.
Talking of little shows that could, Doom Patrol is back for its last ever block of episodes, having long outlasted the many of the other ill-fated DC streaming series. Season two of The Gilded Age is also streaming this month, with Bertha challenging both Mrs. Astor and the old system in this new run.
And if none of that is up your street, there’s always Jason Statham punching sharks in the face,...
Talking of little shows that could, Doom Patrol is back for its last ever block of episodes, having long outlasted the many of the other ill-fated DC streaming series. Season two of The Gilded Age is also streaming this month, with Bertha challenging both Mrs. Astor and the old system in this new run.
And if none of that is up your street, there’s always Jason Statham punching sharks in the face,...
- 10/1/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
With its combined catalog of HBO originals as well as titles from Food Network, Cartoon Network, the CW, Discovery, HGTV, and more, Max is starting another month with an embarrassment of riches, be it Gilded Age fortunes or pirate booty.
The Warner Bros. streamer will pull from its multiple brands for dozens of new titles, classic movies, special-interest series, and more, from 1963’s classic horror film The Haunting to the all-new highly anticipated second season of the romantic dramedy “Our Flag Means Death.”
Get ready for the new month and check out The Streamable’s picks for the best titles coming to Max this month!
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What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Max in October 2023? “Our Flag Means Death” Season 2 | Thursday, Oct. 5
Season 2 of the hit Taikia Waititi and Rhys Darby...
The Warner Bros. streamer will pull from its multiple brands for dozens of new titles, classic movies, special-interest series, and more, from 1963’s classic horror film The Haunting to the all-new highly anticipated second season of the romantic dramedy “Our Flag Means Death.”
Get ready for the new month and check out The Streamable’s picks for the best titles coming to Max this month!
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually
What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Max in October 2023? “Our Flag Means Death” Season 2 | Thursday, Oct. 5
Season 2 of the hit Taikia Waititi and Rhys Darby...
- 9/29/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Rhys Darby in ‘Our Flag Means Death’ season 2 (Photograph by Nicola Dove/Max)
Max’s 2023 October lineup of series includes new seasons of Our Flag Means Death, The Gilded Age, and 30 Coins, as well as the second half of Doom Patrol season four (the final season). A documentary focusing on the notorious Bling Ring premieres on October 1st, along with all five Final Destination films.
In addition to a batch of horror films joining the network’s lineup, Max is celebrating Halloween with new seasons of Ghost Adventures and The Haunted Museum.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In October 2023:
October 1
3 Godfathers (1948)
The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996)
All About the Benjamins (2002)
The Amazing Panda Adventure (1995)
Angels in the Outfield (1951)
The Answer Man (2009)
Anthropoid (2016)
Appaloosa (2008)
The Apparition (2012)
The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Badlands (1973)
Be Cool (2005)
Bee Season (2005)
Beetlejuice (1988)
The Benchwarmers (2006)
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blindspotting (2018)
Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012)
Cesar Chavez (2014)
Charlie Wilson’s War...
Max’s 2023 October lineup of series includes new seasons of Our Flag Means Death, The Gilded Age, and 30 Coins, as well as the second half of Doom Patrol season four (the final season). A documentary focusing on the notorious Bling Ring premieres on October 1st, along with all five Final Destination films.
In addition to a batch of horror films joining the network’s lineup, Max is celebrating Halloween with new seasons of Ghost Adventures and The Haunted Museum.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In October 2023:
October 1
3 Godfathers (1948)
The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996)
All About the Benjamins (2002)
The Amazing Panda Adventure (1995)
Angels in the Outfield (1951)
The Answer Man (2009)
Anthropoid (2016)
Appaloosa (2008)
The Apparition (2012)
The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Badlands (1973)
Be Cool (2005)
Bee Season (2005)
Beetlejuice (1988)
The Benchwarmers (2006)
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blindspotting (2018)
Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012)
Cesar Chavez (2014)
Charlie Wilson’s War...
- 9/25/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
The tough guys in Yves Boisset’s crime drama answer revenge with revenge, and Michel Bouquet’s rogue cop commits outrageous acts of lawlessness to nail his partner’s killer. The French censors were up at arms over Boisset’s slight to police honor, yet the subject isn’t corruption — everything is ‘honor and decency.’ A fine gallery of Gallic thugs fills out the cast; both they and the attitude toward law and order are a step beyond Jean-Pierre Melville, but not an improvement. With standout work from Michel Constantin, Théo Sarapo, Henri Garcin and Bernard Fresson.
The Cop aka Un condé
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1970 / B&w / 1:66 widescreen / 98 min. / Street Date September 6, 2022 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Michel Bouquet, Françoise Fabian, Gianni Garko, Michel Constantin, Théo Sarapo, Henri Garcin, Anne Carrère, Bernard Fresson, Pierre Massimi, Roger Lumont.
Cinematography: Jean-Marc Ripert
Film Editor: Albert Jurgenson, Vincenzo Tomassi
Original Music:...
The Cop aka Un condé
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1970 / B&w / 1:66 widescreen / 98 min. / Street Date September 6, 2022 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Michel Bouquet, Françoise Fabian, Gianni Garko, Michel Constantin, Théo Sarapo, Henri Garcin, Anne Carrère, Bernard Fresson, Pierre Massimi, Roger Lumont.
Cinematography: Jean-Marc Ripert
Film Editor: Albert Jurgenson, Vincenzo Tomassi
Original Music:...
- 9/13/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
One of the best international thrillers ever has almost become an obscurity, for reasons unknown – this Blu-ray comes from Australia. Edward Fox’s wily assassin for hire goes up against the combined police and security establishments of three nations as he sets up the killing of a head of state – France’s president Charles de Gaulle. The terrific cast features Michel Lonsdale, Delphine Seyrig and Cyril Cusack; director Fred Zinnemann’s excellent direction reaches a high pitch of tension – even though the outcome is known from the start.
The Day of the Jackal
Region B+A Blu-ray
Shock Entertainment / Universal
1973 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date ? / Available from Amazon UK / Pounds 19.99
Starring: Edward Fox, Michel Lonsdale, Delphine Seyrig, Cyril Cusack, Eric Porter, Tony Britton, Alan Badel, Michel Auclair, Tony Britton, Maurice Denham, Vernon Dobtcheff, Olga Georges-Picot, Timothy West, Derek Jacobi, Jean Martin, Ronald Pickup, Jean Sorel, Philippe Léotard, Jean Champion,...
The Day of the Jackal
Region B+A Blu-ray
Shock Entertainment / Universal
1973 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date ? / Available from Amazon UK / Pounds 19.99
Starring: Edward Fox, Michel Lonsdale, Delphine Seyrig, Cyril Cusack, Eric Porter, Tony Britton, Alan Badel, Michel Auclair, Tony Britton, Maurice Denham, Vernon Dobtcheff, Olga Georges-Picot, Timothy West, Derek Jacobi, Jean Martin, Ronald Pickup, Jean Sorel, Philippe Léotard, Jean Champion,...
- 4/29/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Undisputed Fact: Roger Corman is the greatest B picture producer of all time. His ability to find (and exploit, if we’re being honest) amazing talent and pull together movie miracles on miniscule budgets is nothing short of astonishing. However, it’s often downplayed what a smart, succinct director he was on many a project. X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) is a stellar example of his talent behind the lens.
Released by Aip in September, X turned a tidy profit on top of its $250,000 budget. Critics were generally kind, but dismissive, calling X well made hokum, essentially. And due to its meager fundage X certainly shows its pedigree through petty set design. But…there’s a kinetic buzz that permeates every frame of X, a swirling colorgasm that bleeds through with Corman’s gift for storytelling. X rises from pulp to a lucid perfection.
Dr. Xavier (Ray Milland...
Released by Aip in September, X turned a tidy profit on top of its $250,000 budget. Critics were generally kind, but dismissive, calling X well made hokum, essentially. And due to its meager fundage X certainly shows its pedigree through petty set design. But…there’s a kinetic buzz that permeates every frame of X, a swirling colorgasm that bleeds through with Corman’s gift for storytelling. X rises from pulp to a lucid perfection.
Dr. Xavier (Ray Milland...
- 6/4/2016
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
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More Best Picture Oscar winners have had sequels than you may think. This lot, in fact...
There’s still an element of snobbery where sequels to certain films is concerned. Whereas it’s now almost compulsory to greenlight a blockbuster with a view of a franchise in mind, it’s hard to think of most Best Picture Oscar winners being made with a follow-up in mind. Yet in perhaps a surprising number of cases, a sequel – or in the case of Rocky, lots of sequels – have followed.
These cases, in fact…
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)
Followed by: The Road Back
Don’t be fooled into thinking sequels for prestigious movies are a relatively new phenomenon. Lewis Milestone’s 1930 war epic All Quiet On The Western Front, and its brutal account of World War I, is still regarded as something of a classic. A solid box office success,...
google+
More Best Picture Oscar winners have had sequels than you may think. This lot, in fact...
There’s still an element of snobbery where sequels to certain films is concerned. Whereas it’s now almost compulsory to greenlight a blockbuster with a view of a franchise in mind, it’s hard to think of most Best Picture Oscar winners being made with a follow-up in mind. Yet in perhaps a surprising number of cases, a sequel – or in the case of Rocky, lots of sequels – have followed.
These cases, in fact…
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)
Followed by: The Road Back
Don’t be fooled into thinking sequels for prestigious movies are a relatively new phenomenon. Lewis Milestone’s 1930 war epic All Quiet On The Western Front, and its brutal account of World War I, is still regarded as something of a classic. A solid box office success,...
- 2/25/2016
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Well, this is lousy timing. Several horror movies, including "The Exorcist," "Night of the Living Dead," and "Interview with the Vampire" are leaving Netflix on October 1, right before Halloween.
Also leaving October 1, some spooky TV titles, including "The Dead Files."
More than 150 titles are leaving Netflix in October; here's the entire list of movies and TV shows that will disappear from Netflix streaming in October.
Leaving Oct. 1, 2015
"Aces High" (1976)
"A Fond Kiss" (2004)
"Agata And The Storm" (2004)
"A Good Day to Die" (2013)
"Alakazam The Great" (1960)
"All Is Lost" (2013)
"An Affair to Remember" (1957)
"Agora" (2009)
"A Liar's Autobiography" (2012)
"America Declassified" (2013)
"Analyze This" (1999)
"Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues " (2013)
"Angela's Ashes" (1999)
"Annie Hall" (1977)
"Another Woman" (1988)
"Apocalypse Now" (1979)
"Apocalypse Now Redux" (2001)
"Axed" (2012)
"Baby's Day Out" (1994)
"Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession" (1980)
"Baron Blood" (1972)
"Beaufort" (2007)
"Belle of the Yukon" (1944)
"Big Night" (1996)
"Blue Velvet" (1986)
"Brewster's Millions" (1945)
"Buying & Selling" (2013)
"Caesar and Cleopatra" (1945)
"Caprica" (2009)
"Carve Her Name With Pride" (1958)
"Casanova...
Also leaving October 1, some spooky TV titles, including "The Dead Files."
More than 150 titles are leaving Netflix in October; here's the entire list of movies and TV shows that will disappear from Netflix streaming in October.
Leaving Oct. 1, 2015
"Aces High" (1976)
"A Fond Kiss" (2004)
"Agata And The Storm" (2004)
"A Good Day to Die" (2013)
"Alakazam The Great" (1960)
"All Is Lost" (2013)
"An Affair to Remember" (1957)
"Agora" (2009)
"A Liar's Autobiography" (2012)
"America Declassified" (2013)
"Analyze This" (1999)
"Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues " (2013)
"Angela's Ashes" (1999)
"Annie Hall" (1977)
"Another Woman" (1988)
"Apocalypse Now" (1979)
"Apocalypse Now Redux" (2001)
"Axed" (2012)
"Baby's Day Out" (1994)
"Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession" (1980)
"Baron Blood" (1972)
"Beaufort" (2007)
"Belle of the Yukon" (1944)
"Big Night" (1996)
"Blue Velvet" (1986)
"Brewster's Millions" (1945)
"Buying & Selling" (2013)
"Caesar and Cleopatra" (1945)
"Caprica" (2009)
"Carve Her Name With Pride" (1958)
"Casanova...
- 9/28/2015
- by Sharon Knolle
- Moviefone
Director John Frankenheimer.
I'm often asked which, out of the over 600 interviews I've logged with Hollywood's finest, is my favorite. It's not a tough answer: John Frankenheimer.
We instantly clicked the day we met at his home in Benedict Canyon, and spent most of the afternoon talking in his den. A friendship of sorts developed over the years, with visits to his office for screenings of the old Kinescopes he directed for shows like "Playhouse 90" during his salad days in live television during the 1950s.
We hadn't spoken for nearly a year in mid-2002 when the phone rang. It was John, who spoke in what can only be described as a "stentorian bark," like a general. "Alex!" he exclaimed. "John Frankenheimer." He could sense something was amiss with me. It was. My screenwriting career had stalled. My marriage was progressing to divorce. I had hit bottom. John knew that...
I'm often asked which, out of the over 600 interviews I've logged with Hollywood's finest, is my favorite. It's not a tough answer: John Frankenheimer.
We instantly clicked the day we met at his home in Benedict Canyon, and spent most of the afternoon talking in his den. A friendship of sorts developed over the years, with visits to his office for screenings of the old Kinescopes he directed for shows like "Playhouse 90" during his salad days in live television during the 1950s.
We hadn't spoken for nearly a year in mid-2002 when the phone rang. It was John, who spoke in what can only be described as a "stentorian bark," like a general. "Alex!" he exclaimed. "John Frankenheimer." He could sense something was amiss with me. It was. My screenwriting career had stalled. My marriage was progressing to divorce. I had hit bottom. John knew that...
- 7/6/2015
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
The Connection is an old-school Gallic policier that taps the true-life story of a major 1970s heroin smuggling ring, encompassing both the criminals that ran it and the lawmen who fought to bring them down. There will be cops cutting into bags and tasting suspicious white powder (do you have to try it? Really?), pistols, car chases and, judging by this new clip, some moody face-offs between the white and black hats at the nucleus of the story. brightcove.createExperiences();While we’re figuring out the French for “we’re not so very different, you and I”, consider this: director Cédric Jimenez is clearly been confident enough to reference some classics of the genre in his stylish-looking crime drama. There are shades of Melville and Frankenheimer in the story – in fact, Frankenheimer’s French Connection II charts the same episode from a Popeye-view of Marseille's docks – and a conscious homage...
- 5/12/2015
- EmpireOnline
For a while now, many have deemed RoboCop to be popular culture’s most recognisable crime-fighting characters of all time. In line with its Limited Edition Blu-ray Steelbook, Blu-ray and DVD release on 9th June 2014 from StudioCanal, we count down – not only the 10 most recognisable crime-fighters – but best ten the entertainment world has had to offer…
Dirty Harry
Appearances: Dirty Harry (1971), Magnum Force (1973), The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983), The Dead Pool (1988)
Played by: Clint Eastwood
It’s quite impressive that Clint Eastwood has played Harry Callahan, his defining cop not afraid to cross ethical boundaries to serve justice, a total of five times over his illustrious career. An Inspector with the San Francisco police department, his primary concern is to protect and avenge the victims of violent crime by any means necessary.
Popeye Doyle
Appearances: The French Connection (1971), French Connection II (1975)
Played by:Gene Hackman
Based on real-life New York City police detective Eddie Egan,...
Dirty Harry
Appearances: Dirty Harry (1971), Magnum Force (1973), The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983), The Dead Pool (1988)
Played by: Clint Eastwood
It’s quite impressive that Clint Eastwood has played Harry Callahan, his defining cop not afraid to cross ethical boundaries to serve justice, a total of five times over his illustrious career. An Inspector with the San Francisco police department, his primary concern is to protect and avenge the victims of violent crime by any means necessary.
Popeye Doyle
Appearances: The French Connection (1971), French Connection II (1975)
Played by:Gene Hackman
Based on real-life New York City police detective Eddie Egan,...
- 5/26/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
It wrecks lives – but it has also inspired art from the poetry of Baudelaire to the music of Lou Reed. In Paris and Berlin, Andrew Hussey traces the path of heroin through modern culture
One of the easiest places to find heroin in Paris is in the streets in and around the Gare du Nord, a stone's throw away from the Eurostar terminal. I know about this place partly because I live in Paris and I am a frequent Eurostar traveller, and partly because this is where Google sent me when I typed in the request "Where to find heroin in Paris". Apparently the most popular spot for dealing is the rue Ambroise-Paré which contains a series of entrances to underground car parks where users can shoot up in relative privacy. The place permanently stinks of piss and is under constant police surveillance, as dealers and clients scurry back and forth between their hiding places.
One of the easiest places to find heroin in Paris is in the streets in and around the Gare du Nord, a stone's throw away from the Eurostar terminal. I know about this place partly because I live in Paris and I am a frequent Eurostar traveller, and partly because this is where Google sent me when I typed in the request "Where to find heroin in Paris". Apparently the most popular spot for dealing is the rue Ambroise-Paré which contains a series of entrances to underground car parks where users can shoot up in relative privacy. The place permanently stinks of piss and is under constant police surveillance, as dealers and clients scurry back and forth between their hiding places.
- 12/22/2013
- by Andrew Hussey
- The Guardian - Film News
Needham in 1980.
Stuntman-turned-director Hal Needham has died from unspecified causes at age 82. Needham had a long history as one of the best stuntmen in feature films and television before he moved into directing movies. Needham's films were hardly the stuff of art house theaters. He specialized in testosterone-packed action sequences designed to appeal squarely at male audiences. Along the way, he was also credited with developing methods that reduced the risk for the many stuntmen who populated his films. Needham made his directorial debut in 1977 with Smokey and the Bandit starring his old friend Burt Reynolds. Critics scoffed at the cornball humor and endless car stunts and the film laid an egg in urban play dates. However, it resonated with its intended audiences in rural areas and eventually the grosses brought to blockbuster status. The movie not only cemented Reynolds as a genuine superstar but gave new life to the...
Stuntman-turned-director Hal Needham has died from unspecified causes at age 82. Needham had a long history as one of the best stuntmen in feature films and television before he moved into directing movies. Needham's films were hardly the stuff of art house theaters. He specialized in testosterone-packed action sequences designed to appeal squarely at male audiences. Along the way, he was also credited with developing methods that reduced the risk for the many stuntmen who populated his films. Needham made his directorial debut in 1977 with Smokey and the Bandit starring his old friend Burt Reynolds. Critics scoffed at the cornball humor and endless car stunts and the film laid an egg in urban play dates. However, it resonated with its intended audiences in rural areas and eventually the grosses brought to blockbuster status. The movie not only cemented Reynolds as a genuine superstar but gave new life to the...
- 10/29/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Hollywood stuntman and film director who scored huge successes with Smokey and the Bandit and The Cannonball Run
Upset by the critical response to his work, the stuntman turned film director Hal Needham, who has died aged 82, took out advertisements in Variety and other trade papers. They featured quotes from negative reviews for his movies including Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and The Cannonball Run (1981), alongside a wheelbarrow overflowing with dollar bills.
Needham made a point. His rumbustious 1977 directorial debut had grossed over $100m – an enormous return on its modest budget. He was still milking that particular creation some 20 years later, producing and directing a series of television movies, including Bandit Goes Country and Beauty and the Bandit.
These and other films, many of which starred Burt Reynolds, were seen by an audience of hundreds of millions worldwide, yet few reference books acknowledged his 45-year-long career — an unjustified omission, if only...
Upset by the critical response to his work, the stuntman turned film director Hal Needham, who has died aged 82, took out advertisements in Variety and other trade papers. They featured quotes from negative reviews for his movies including Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and The Cannonball Run (1981), alongside a wheelbarrow overflowing with dollar bills.
Needham made a point. His rumbustious 1977 directorial debut had grossed over $100m – an enormous return on its modest budget. He was still milking that particular creation some 20 years later, producing and directing a series of television movies, including Bandit Goes Country and Beauty and the Bandit.
These and other films, many of which starred Burt Reynolds, were seen by an audience of hundreds of millions worldwide, yet few reference books acknowledged his 45-year-long career — an unjustified omission, if only...
- 10/28/2013
- by Brian Baxter
- The Guardian - Film News
One of Hollywood’s most famous stuntmen and the writer-director of Smokey And The Bandit died this morning. Hal Needham, who received an Honorary Oscar this year, was 82. The co-founder of Stunts Unlimited performed and/or coordinated stunts for hundreds of films and TV shows during his long career. He also pioneered a number of technical gadgets that furthered the art — and safety — of Hollywood stunt work, including the high-fall air bag, the air ram, the car cannon turnover and Shotmaker Elite camera car and crane, for which he won a Scientific Oscar in 1987 and an engineering Emmy three years later. The Memphis native and Korean War paratrooper was Richard Boone’s stunt double on Have Gun — Will Travel from 1957-63 and also worked on such classic series as Gunsmoke, The Big Valley, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible and Mannix. By the mid-’70s, Needham was focusing mostly on movies, working...
- 10/25/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Ed Lauter, the popular character actor who specialized in playing tough guys, has died at age 74. Lauter was one of those familiar faces who was recognized by audiences even though many viewers did not know his name. For movie buffs, however, Lauter was well known and highly respected. He had dabbled with being a standup comic in the 1960s before trying his hand at acting. Lauter quickly gained a reputation as a reliable character actor and he became in-demand during the 1970s. Among his most memorable roles were a ruthless prison guard in director Robert Aldrich's 1974 hit The Longest Yard and as Ann-Margret's ill-fated husband in Richard Attenborough's 1978 thriller Magic. Other prominent roles included Hitchcock's final film Family Plot, The Magnificent Seven Ride!, Breakheart Pass, French Connection II, Hickey& Boggs, Death Wish 3 and, most recently Trouble With the Curve and the 2011 Best Picture Oscar winner The Artist.
- 10/17/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Few filmmakers these days name John Frankenheimer as an influence. He was never particularly trendy, never embraced by the auteurists or overtly paid homage by those who came after. In part, it's because of some of his later projects; the commercial failure of thriller "Black Sunday" in 1977 drove him to alcoholism that lasted for several years (it was only when he was reduced to drinking on the set of martial arts actioner "The Challenge" in 1981 that he checked himself into rehab), and some of his later projects, including his final film, "Reindeer Games," and the famous disaster "The Island Of Doctor Moreau" (on which the helmer replaced Richard Stanley several weeks into production) meant his critical reputation took a hit. But Frankenheimer was also a master of the American thriller, with an extraordinary run in the 1960s, and many underrated subsequent highlights, from "French Connection II," multiple HBO and TNT.
- 7/6/2012
- by The Playlist Staff
- The Playlist
We delve deep into the mists of time to discover the origins of the sequel, and come up with an unusual prime suspect…
If you want to blame somebody in particular for the rise and lingering popularity of movie sequels, you may want to point an accusatory finger at Johannes Gutenberg. Several hundred years before the first moving image was projected onto a wall somewhere in the late Victorian era, it was with the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg and his contemporaries that the concept of the sequel almost certainly began.
The first book to go into mass publication was the Bible, which was hardly the kind of book you'd dare to attempt to follow up with a sequel (though Jerry Bruckheimer may have tried, had he been a 15th century publisher). It was the modern novel, an invention that properly came into being in the 1700s, that...
If you want to blame somebody in particular for the rise and lingering popularity of movie sequels, you may want to point an accusatory finger at Johannes Gutenberg. Several hundred years before the first moving image was projected onto a wall somewhere in the late Victorian era, it was with the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg and his contemporaries that the concept of the sequel almost certainly began.
The first book to go into mass publication was the Bible, which was hardly the kind of book you'd dare to attempt to follow up with a sequel (though Jerry Bruckheimer may have tried, had he been a 15th century publisher). It was the modern novel, an invention that properly came into being in the 1700s, that...
- 5/22/2011
- Den of Geek
The difference between the two obsessive quests in The Searchers (1956) and French Connection II (1975) is one of quantity: Popeye Doyle’s one goal, revenging himself on the hedonistic narcotics king, Charnier, to hell with everything else! involves more staccato cuts, more bits of cheerful Mediterranean color, more focus changing, and, especially more mobility and paranoia in Hackman’s acting than occurs during the entirety of Ethan Edward’s (John Wayne) endless Monument Valley search for little white Debbie (Natalie Wood) who, unthinkable for a Wayne-Ford adobe epic, has been cohabiting rather sensibly with a Comanche chief named Scar.
Effulgence, luxuriance . . . the new Hollywood film multiplies everything, trying to get the mythic aspect as well as a very contemporaneous attitude about candidness, what does candidness mean as a way of life? Old studio works like Double Indemnity (1944) stick to one hard-boiled attitude about the Forties in the L.A. suburbs: the camera-lighting-acting-language is dry,...
Effulgence, luxuriance . . . the new Hollywood film multiplies everything, trying to get the mythic aspect as well as a very contemporaneous attitude about candidness, what does candidness mean as a way of life? Old studio works like Double Indemnity (1944) stick to one hard-boiled attitude about the Forties in the L.A. suburbs: the camera-lighting-acting-language is dry,...
- 12/16/2009
- MUBI
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
By Peter DeMarco
On our second date in my studio apartment, my wife shared her spaghetti dinner with a decaying corpse who had just climbed out of his grave.
This not-for-the-squeamish image was from the 1972 horror anthology Tales from the Crypt, which also featured a skull with cobwebs in its black eye socket. Dirty Harry’s, .44 magnum pointed at her from another wall, while a hand beckoned her into 1973’s The Vault of Horror.
You’re an unusual decorator, she’d said. I told her it was only art. That I wasn’t the Starry Night type.
The rest of my 350 square foot apartment was consumed with over 25 framed pieces of movie memorabilia from the 1970s, horrifying and violent artwork which symbolized, paradoxically, the nostalgia I felt for the innocence of my movie-going youth. Equinox. Race with the Devil. Westworld. Straw Dogs.
By Peter DeMarco
On our second date in my studio apartment, my wife shared her spaghetti dinner with a decaying corpse who had just climbed out of his grave.
This not-for-the-squeamish image was from the 1972 horror anthology Tales from the Crypt, which also featured a skull with cobwebs in its black eye socket. Dirty Harry’s, .44 magnum pointed at her from another wall, while a hand beckoned her into 1973’s The Vault of Horror.
You’re an unusual decorator, she’d said. I told her it was only art. That I wasn’t the Starry Night type.
The rest of my 350 square foot apartment was consumed with over 25 framed pieces of movie memorabilia from the 1970s, horrifying and violent artwork which symbolized, paradoxically, the nostalgia I felt for the innocence of my movie-going youth. Equinox. Race with the Devil. Westworld. Straw Dogs.
- 10/22/2009
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
When referring to a movie that nabbed a second life, typically home video is the savior. There are countless movies that didn’t fare well in their original theatrical runs but have earned a so-called second life thanks to profitable video sales and rentals that make them much stronger than they ever were when they first arrived. Examples of this trend vary greatly, whether you’re referring to genre, era, proliferation (or magnitude of the “second life”) and, of course, how deserving it is. Most that get a boost long after its premiere got where it is now slowly, spread wide by word of mouth and critical re-analysis. Most of them were not well received during the initial run, and many are re-evaluated, and mistakes are mended. Among them: 2001, The Princess Bride, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Big Lebowski, Fight Club, Office Space and Dazed and Confused. These...
- 3/13/2009
- by Matt Medlock
- JustPressPlay.net
DVD Playhouse—March 2009
By
Allen Gardner
Let The Right One In (Magnolia) An awkward 12 year-old boy, ignored by his mother and the target of bullies, finds himself drawn to his new neighbor: a girl his own age who only appears at night, and seems herself to be as lonely an outcast as he. Haunting film from Sweden is best described as The 400 Blows meets Nosferatu, and contains some of the most haunting imagery of any film in recent memory. Truly a unique and memorable work. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurette; Photo and poster gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Paramount Centennial Collection Paramount offers two more classic titles, restored, remastered and loaded with extras. Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief stars Cary Grant as a retired jewel thief trying to enjoy his sunset years on the French Riviera with a minimum of drama, until he catches the eye of a high-maintenance heiress (Grace Kelly,...
By
Allen Gardner
Let The Right One In (Magnolia) An awkward 12 year-old boy, ignored by his mother and the target of bullies, finds himself drawn to his new neighbor: a girl his own age who only appears at night, and seems herself to be as lonely an outcast as he. Haunting film from Sweden is best described as The 400 Blows meets Nosferatu, and contains some of the most haunting imagery of any film in recent memory. Truly a unique and memorable work. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurette; Photo and poster gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Paramount Centennial Collection Paramount offers two more classic titles, restored, remastered and loaded with extras. Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief stars Cary Grant as a retired jewel thief trying to enjoy his sunset years on the French Riviera with a minimum of drama, until he catches the eye of a high-maintenance heiress (Grace Kelly,...
- 3/11/2009
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0 Chicago – “The French Connection” is one of those rare movies that’s always better than I remember it to be. Not that I think poorly of William Friedkin’s masterful procedural, a multiple Oscar winner and game-changer in the world of detective cinema, but that it’s a film that blows me away every time see it. So why did William Friedkin have to mess with the picture?
Maybe I’m too much of a purist, but I’m not alone in responding very negatively to the unusual video tampering done by William Friedkin on his amazing “The French Connection,” the winner for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Director. Both Jeffrey Wells and Glenn Kenny have expressed similar disappointment in Friedkin’s remastering for arguably one of the best films of the ’70s.
The French Connection was released on Blu-Ray on February 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox Essentially,...
Maybe I’m too much of a purist, but I’m not alone in responding very negatively to the unusual video tampering done by William Friedkin on his amazing “The French Connection,” the winner for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Director. Both Jeffrey Wells and Glenn Kenny have expressed similar disappointment in Friedkin’s remastering for arguably one of the best films of the ’70s.
The French Connection was released on Blu-Ray on February 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox Essentially,...
- 2/25/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
It’s hard to follow a movie as acclaimed as The French Connection. If you stick too closely to the first film, you’d only be walking in its shadow. If you try to do something new, you’re not living up to the name. Because of this, The French Connection II is one of the most underrated films of the 1970’s, often dismissed simply because it’s not The French Connection.
The sequel sees our hero Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) arriving in Marseilles, France, to capture the fugitive villain Charnier (Fernando Rey). With an all-French cast, Hackman and Rey are the only two actors returning. John Frankenheimer replaced William Friedkin as director and to his credit, he devised a sequel that is as brilliant of a film as the first, but rocks to a completely different tune. Instead of a hard-nosed investigation where the thrill is in seeing Popeye...
The sequel sees our hero Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) arriving in Marseilles, France, to capture the fugitive villain Charnier (Fernando Rey). With an all-French cast, Hackman and Rey are the only two actors returning. John Frankenheimer replaced William Friedkin as director and to his credit, he devised a sequel that is as brilliant of a film as the first, but rocks to a completely different tune. Instead of a hard-nosed investigation where the thrill is in seeing Popeye...
- 2/24/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
It’s hard to follow a movie as acclaimed as The French Connection. If you stick too closely to the first film, you’d only be walking in its shadow. If you try to do something new, you’re not living up to the name. Because of this, The French Connection II is one of the most underrated films of the 1970’s, often dismissed simply because it’s not The French Connection.
The sequel sees our hero Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) arriving in Marseilles, France, to capture the fugitive villain Charnier (Fernando Rey). With an all-French cast, Hackman and Rey are the only two actors returning. John Frankenheimer replaced William Friedkin as director and to his credit, he devised a sequel that is as brilliant of a film as the first, but rocks to a completely different tune. Instead of a hard-nosed investigation where the thrill is in seeing Popeye...
The sequel sees our hero Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) arriving in Marseilles, France, to capture the fugitive villain Charnier (Fernando Rey). With an all-French cast, Hackman and Rey are the only two actors returning. John Frankenheimer replaced William Friedkin as director and to his credit, he devised a sequel that is as brilliant of a film as the first, but rocks to a completely different tune. Instead of a hard-nosed investigation where the thrill is in seeing Popeye...
- 2/24/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
Hollywood actress Anjelica Huston is a real tiger on-set, as her Royal Tenenbaums co-star Gene Hackman found out - to his peril. In one of the film's scenes, the Grifters actress lashes out and hits Hackman. In rehearsal she merely hit the French Connection lightly on the lapel, but when filming began, Angelica decided to inject some improvisation. She says, "If you rehearse a scene like that a couple of times your co-star knows what's coming next, so I thought when it came to filming it might be better to go for the face. "I got him full on the head and this red welt came up on his cheek, but Gene was the perfect gentleman about it."...
- 3/11/2002
- WENN
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