In a galaxy far, far away, where apes reign supreme, director Wes Ball appears to be planning on revolutionizing the Planet of the Apes franchise by transforming it into a sprawling sci-fi saga akin to Star Wars. Going bigger and better with each film, shooting for the stars seems to be the only possibility awaiting the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel.
A still from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) | 20th Century Studios
Although the plan hasn’t been officially confirmed, it seems the only possible outcome, considering how the concept of space and extraterrestrial happenings has been a recurring part of the Planet of the Apes franchise. Further, considering Wes Ball’s desire to steer the franchise towards the 1968 original movie, a route through the cosmos seems the only way.
While this might be a far-fetched dream, a closer look at the franchise’s trajectory...
A still from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) | 20th Century Studios
Although the plan hasn’t been officially confirmed, it seems the only possible outcome, considering how the concept of space and extraterrestrial happenings has been a recurring part of the Planet of the Apes franchise. Further, considering Wes Ball’s desire to steer the franchise towards the 1968 original movie, a route through the cosmos seems the only way.
While this might be a far-fetched dream, a closer look at the franchise’s trajectory...
- 6/2/2024
- by Krittika Mukherjee
- FandomWire
I love me some damn dirty apes, and I’m not alone. Ever since the first Planet of the Apes movie in 1968, it’s been one of Hollywood’s most consistent (on a quality level) franchises. Think about it. Has there ever really been a lousy Planet of the Apes movie? Not really. Yet, it’s often unheralded when we talk about the great franchises. So, let’s look at the series as a whole, with this Planet of the Apes movies ranked list (from worst to best). And don’t worry – you’ll get to have your say tomorrow with a poll I’ll be publishing, so check back for that.
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Tim Burton’s remake of the original 1968 classic is a mixed bag. Mark Wahlberg was a little too green at this point in his career to make a captivating action hero, with him paling...
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Tim Burton’s remake of the original 1968 classic is a mixed bag. Mark Wahlberg was a little too green at this point in his career to make a captivating action hero, with him paling...
- 5/11/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Disney’s Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes leads the new titles at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, with the ape adventure starting in over 650 sites.
Directed by Wes Ball, Kingdom is the fourth film since the Planet Of The Apes series reboot in 2011; and 10thPlanet Of The Apes film overall since the series began with Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 classic starring Charlton Heston.
Set 300 years after the events of 2017’s War For The Planet Of The Apes, Kingdom sees a young chimpanzee hunter embark on a journey with a human woman, to a dangerous holdout ruled by an ambitious bonobo monarch.
Directed by Wes Ball, Kingdom is the fourth film since the Planet Of The Apes series reboot in 2011; and 10thPlanet Of The Apes film overall since the series began with Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 classic starring Charlton Heston.
Set 300 years after the events of 2017’s War For The Planet Of The Apes, Kingdom sees a young chimpanzee hunter embark on a journey with a human woman, to a dangerous holdout ruled by an ambitious bonobo monarch.
- 5/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
Franklin J. Schaffner's 1968 sci-fi classic "Planet of the Apes" introduces its titular primates in a gloriously nightmarish fashion. The film's central astronaut trio, lost on a distant planet (wink), finds panicked, mute humans running through a field of tall grass, fleeing attackers on horseback. The camera then zooms dizzily into the face of one of said attackers, revealing that he is, in fact, a gorilla. This world, we see, is topsy-turvy. It is a place where humans and apes are transposed, with the former treated like animals by the latter. Schaffner, and screenwriters Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, present this tilted universe as a conduit for satire, a means to dissect and examine the foibles of humanity via the absurd -- even whimsical -- image of talking ape men. The film may end on a bleak note, but there's some levity mixed into the very batter.
In contrast, the...
In contrast, the...
- 5/8/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Picking up three centuries after War for the Planet of the Apes, the 2017 conclusion of Matt Reeves’s trilogy, Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes at long last brings the setting of the reboot franchise in line with Franklin J. Schaffner’s original Planet of the Apes. Here, the descendants of the first hyper-intelligent primates now rule the world and have established solid civilizations, while the nearly extinct human species has turned feral.
With humans reduced to a ragtag population of wild animals, conflict is now mostly evident between rival groups of apes. One such collision occurs at the start of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, with one clan overrun and pressed into servitude by Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), an ambitious bonobo styling himself as the first king of apes. Only one member of the smaller group, the young chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague), eludes death or capture,...
With humans reduced to a ragtag population of wild animals, conflict is now mostly evident between rival groups of apes. One such collision occurs at the start of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, with one clan overrun and pressed into servitude by Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), an ambitious bonobo styling himself as the first king of apes. Only one member of the smaller group, the young chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague), eludes death or capture,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jake Cole
- Slant Magazine
Grossing over $2 billion worldwide since its inception in 1968, the Planet of the Apes franchise has turned out to be one of the most successful ones in Hollywood. Based on French author Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel La Planète des singes, the title has released a total of nine movies, expanding its lore, with a tenth one, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes starring The Witcher actress Freya Allan in a leading role and set some 300 years after the events of the last outing.
A rough outline of all the movies involves humans, intelligent apes, and some sort of conflict. However, the dystopian setting where mankind comes down on its knees to face a brutal twist of fate sets the narrative in different orders for the different iterations. Someone who has just embarked on watching, or one who wishes to refresh their memory of the events of the films, need not watch all nine of them.
A rough outline of all the movies involves humans, intelligent apes, and some sort of conflict. However, the dystopian setting where mankind comes down on its knees to face a brutal twist of fate sets the narrative in different orders for the different iterations. Someone who has just embarked on watching, or one who wishes to refresh their memory of the events of the films, need not watch all nine of them.
- 5/6/2024
- by Imteshal Karim
- FandomWire
Can you believe that amidst the groundbreaking visual effects and gripping storytelling, the Planet of the Apes franchise has not yet won that coveted golden statuette? Wes Ball, the visionary director slated to helm the upcoming fourth installment in this iconic sci-fi franchise (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), has recently voiced a sentiment that many of us would agree with.
He called it “criminal” that no Planet of the Apes movies has yet won an Oscar—and he is not wrong. With our own eyes, we have seen the evolution of this series from its groundbreaking start in 1968 to the recent masterpieces, where the transformative effects and poignant narratives have consistently raised the bar for filmmaking.
Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes [Credit: 20th Century Studios]Besides, it’s backed by a legion of fans and critics alike, with a chorus of astonishment over the lack...
He called it “criminal” that no Planet of the Apes movies has yet won an Oscar—and he is not wrong. With our own eyes, we have seen the evolution of this series from its groundbreaking start in 1968 to the recent masterpieces, where the transformative effects and poignant narratives have consistently raised the bar for filmmaking.
Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes [Credit: 20th Century Studios]Besides, it’s backed by a legion of fans and critics alike, with a chorus of astonishment over the lack...
- 5/6/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
“I think it was Andy Warhol who said, “Make art and let others decide whether it is good or bad. But while they are deciding, make some more”.
That was the line with which Nicole Kidman ended her 15-minute acceptance speech after Meryl Streep had presented her with the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award.
That is something that seems entirely appropriate for Kidman, who doesn’t seem to stop “making art,” taking risks at every turn, telling stories through her power not just as an actor, but also a producer dedicated to bringing those stories to screens big and small. At 56, she is on the younger side of the previous 48 recipients of this very high honor, the first Australian to receive it. And someone very much in the middle of creating those life achievements that led to last night’s honor at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a large...
That was the line with which Nicole Kidman ended her 15-minute acceptance speech after Meryl Streep had presented her with the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award.
That is something that seems entirely appropriate for Kidman, who doesn’t seem to stop “making art,” taking risks at every turn, telling stories through her power not just as an actor, but also a producer dedicated to bringing those stories to screens big and small. At 56, she is on the younger side of the previous 48 recipients of this very high honor, the first Australian to receive it. And someone very much in the middle of creating those life achievements that led to last night’s honor at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a large...
- 4/28/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Tom Ripley is back and in a big way. First introduced in Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 psychological thriller novel, Ripley is a sociopath, murderer, and con artist. He’s also the character Highsmith identified with-no wonder she wrote four more novels featuring Ripley. A 2023 New York Times article stated, “her concepts are daring, her portrayals of men in the throes of personality disorder and psychopathic leanings are equally repulsive and propulsive…she was a lesbian who identified more with men; an ardent pursuer of pleasure, especially in her youth…a raging antisemite…she could never hold on to happiness.”
Andrew Scott, the “hot priest” of “Fleabag,” is the latest actor to play the character described as having “an elusive sexuality,” in Netflix’s “Ripley,” a handsome, black-and-white limited series from Oscar-winning screenwriter/director Steve Zaillian (“Schindler’s List”).
Ripley’s a small-time con man living in a seedy room in New York...
Andrew Scott, the “hot priest” of “Fleabag,” is the latest actor to play the character described as having “an elusive sexuality,” in Netflix’s “Ripley,” a handsome, black-and-white limited series from Oscar-winning screenwriter/director Steve Zaillian (“Schindler’s List”).
Ripley’s a small-time con man living in a seedy room in New York...
- 4/12/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
As a brief prologue, we must remind ourselves how Rotten Tomatoes works. When a critic submits a written review to the Rt aggregate, they are asked to deem that review either "fresh" or "rotten." The critic typically gets to make the distinction, meaning a 2.5-star review can be either positive or negative, based on who is submitting it. It's based on pass/fail grades. Rotten Tomatoes will then create a percentage of "positive" reviews. If 60% or more of the submitted reviews are positive, the film is deemed "fresh." If 59% or fewer are positive, it's "rotten."
If a film has, say, a 73% approval rating, it doesn't mean that every critic gave it a 73 out of 100. It only means that 73% of the submitted reviews are positive.
All that said, some films receive such low approval ratings that one might be able to draw some logical conclusions about the film being rated. A...
If a film has, say, a 73% approval rating, it doesn't mean that every critic gave it a 73 out of 100. It only means that 73% of the submitted reviews are positive.
All that said, some films receive such low approval ratings that one might be able to draw some logical conclusions about the film being rated. A...
- 3/31/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Planet of the Apes is one of the most successful and durable science fiction franchises in Hollywood history. Starting in 1968 with the original film, the Apes series has generated more than $2.1 billion in box office grosses over the course of just nine movies, with a highly-anticipated 10th entry, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, due for release this May. The property has also spawned both a live-action and animated TV series, books, comics, video games, and toys – the latter produced in the wake of the first film’s success and arguably the template for future movie merchandising campaigns.
And yet, as we’ve seen over and over again with blockbuster pop culture milestones like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and numerous others, Hollywood at the beginning was loathe to touch the property. After publicist-turned-producer Arthur P. Jacobs secured the rights to the novel upon which the original film was based,...
And yet, as we’ve seen over and over again with blockbuster pop culture milestones like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and numerous others, Hollywood at the beginning was loathe to touch the property. After publicist-turned-producer Arthur P. Jacobs secured the rights to the novel upon which the original film was based,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Franklin J. Schaffner's 1968 sci-fi classic "Planet of the Apes," written by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, is a perfectly wicked political satire set in a distant, distant future on a distant, distant planet wherein human-like beings live as mute brutes and apes have evolved into the dominant rulers of the planet. The planet is discovered by a group of Earth astronauts who flew through some sort of time vortex while in the outer cosmos, and their leader, the stalwart Taylor (Charlton Heston), finds himself having to prove to the planet's own apes that humans are indeed capable of speech and thought.
In one of the best-known twist endings in cinema history, the film ultimately reveals that the planet of the apes was Earth all along. Taylor discovers a millennia-old Statue of Liberty on a distant beach, realizing that humans destroyed themselves in a nuclear conflagration and that apes evolved in their place.
In one of the best-known twist endings in cinema history, the film ultimately reveals that the planet of the apes was Earth all along. Taylor discovers a millennia-old Statue of Liberty on a distant beach, realizing that humans destroyed themselves in a nuclear conflagration and that apes evolved in their place.
- 2/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
For most of us, the Planet of the Apes movies have always been around. Spanning five decades and ten movies – and counting – it’s hard to imagine a world without that race of hyper-intelligent monkeys and their everlasting war against man. We take this extended universe for granted, but it wasn’t always this way. It’s probably not hard to believe that at one time, the concept of a world populated by talking apes wasn’t thought of as a box office draw, and if it hadn’t been for the determination of a handful of true believers in the material, we may never have gotten one movie, let alone an entire franchise. So let’s go back in time a bit to a world without Dr. Zaius and the gang and find out Wtf Happened to Planet of the Apes?
We’re going back as far as 1963, when...
We’re going back as far as 1963, when...
- 1/31/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Matthew Libatique, the Academy Award-nominated cinematographer most recently lending his talents to Bradley Cooper’s Netflix pic Maestro, has been set to receive the American Film Institute’s Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal at the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Nicole Kidman, taking place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 27th.
The Schaffner Alumni Medal recognizes the extraordinary creative talents of AFI Conservatory Alumni who embody the qualities of filmmaker Franklin J. Schaffner: talent, taste, dedication and commitment to quality storytelling in film and television. Past recipients include Libatique’s frequent collaborator (and one-time classmate) Darren Aronofsky, Lesli Linka Glatter, Siân Heder, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Mimi Leder, David Lynch, Terrence Malick, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison.
While this year will be the ninth that the AFI Life Achievement Award special airs on TNT, air dates for the Kidman tribute special on TNT and...
The Schaffner Alumni Medal recognizes the extraordinary creative talents of AFI Conservatory Alumni who embody the qualities of filmmaker Franklin J. Schaffner: talent, taste, dedication and commitment to quality storytelling in film and television. Past recipients include Libatique’s frequent collaborator (and one-time classmate) Darren Aronofsky, Lesli Linka Glatter, Siân Heder, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Mimi Leder, David Lynch, Terrence Malick, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison.
While this year will be the ninth that the AFI Life Achievement Award special airs on TNT, air dates for the Kidman tribute special on TNT and...
- 1/9/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
One can't say much to defend the clunky script or the bad casting decisions for Tim Burton's 2001 film adaptation of Pierre Boulle's "Planet of the Apes." Not only did Burton's film alter the story of the original novel into something far less poignant, but Mark Wahlberg didn't project the "square-jawed space hero" archetype that his character was clearly written as. Estella Warren and Kris Kristofferson also didn't fare well as put-upon wilderness dwellers, coming across as dainty weekend warriors who had never been camping before.
Where Burton's film excels, however, is the ape design. The makeup effects by Rick Baker are some of the best in cinema history, looking eerily natural on the faces of previously recognizable actors. Additionally, the ape cast went through extensive movement training and their chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan body movements are impressive and convincing.
The ape cast also did its job with aplomb.
Where Burton's film excels, however, is the ape design. The makeup effects by Rick Baker are some of the best in cinema history, looking eerily natural on the faces of previously recognizable actors. Additionally, the ape cast went through extensive movement training and their chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan body movements are impressive and convincing.
The ape cast also did its job with aplomb.
- 12/24/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
1968's "Planet of the Apes" is one of the most legendary sci-fi movies in cinematic history. Co-written by Rod Serling of "The Twilight Zone" fame and directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, it spawned a franchise that is still going strong to this day.
It all started, however, with the story of astronauts landing on a mysterious planet filled with intelligent apes, only to discover that they were actually on Earth in the distant future. Led by Charlton Heston, the film boasted an incredible cast — not to mention some legendary practical makeup effects that helped bring the apes to life. Unfortunately, when a film is more than 50 years old, not many people from the cast are going to be around any longer. Luckily, a couple of key cast members are indeed still here to help keep the legacy alive.
Read more: Critically-Panned Sci-Fi Movies That Are Actually Worth Your Time
Linda Harrison (Nova)
Linda Harrison,...
It all started, however, with the story of astronauts landing on a mysterious planet filled with intelligent apes, only to discover that they were actually on Earth in the distant future. Led by Charlton Heston, the film boasted an incredible cast — not to mention some legendary practical makeup effects that helped bring the apes to life. Unfortunately, when a film is more than 50 years old, not many people from the cast are going to be around any longer. Luckily, a couple of key cast members are indeed still here to help keep the legacy alive.
Read more: Critically-Panned Sci-Fi Movies That Are Actually Worth Your Time
Linda Harrison (Nova)
Linda Harrison,...
- 11/25/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
This Veterans Day, we’re celebrating the importance of Veterans as storytellers. Film Independent is inviting 100 U.S. Military Veteran (working or aspiring) filmmakers or actors in the entertainment industry to receive a Film Independent Membership, for a contribution of just $1.00!
Veterans Day is a federal public holiday that always falls on the 11th of November – but why is that? The day’s origins date back to World War I. At 11:00 am Paris local time on November 11, 1918, the Armistice of Compiègne was signed to officially end WWI. In honor of this special day, we’ve curated 10 films (and one limited series!) that embody the values and spirit of the service members across all five branches: the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy.
Patton (1970)
Branch: U.S. Army
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Cast: George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Stephen Young, Michael Strong, Carey Loftin
Where to Watch: VOD rental,...
Veterans Day is a federal public holiday that always falls on the 11th of November – but why is that? The day’s origins date back to World War I. At 11:00 am Paris local time on November 11, 1918, the Armistice of Compiègne was signed to officially end WWI. In honor of this special day, we’ve curated 10 films (and one limited series!) that embody the values and spirit of the service members across all five branches: the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy.
Patton (1970)
Branch: U.S. Army
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Cast: George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Stephen Young, Michael Strong, Carey Loftin
Where to Watch: VOD rental,...
- 11/10/2023
- by Su Fang Tham
- Film Independent News & More
When I was a kid, no movie ending scared me more than "Planet of the Apes." Granted, I was exposed to Tim Burton's poorly received update on the film before I ever saw the stunning ending of Franklin J. Schaffner's original, but the effect was the same both times: total shock, awe, and primal fear over the idea that our world may one day become wholly unrecognizable.
I was far from alone. A young Roger Ebert, just one year into his career as a critic, praised the film for its "thoroughly satisfactory surprise ending," while Pauline Kael commended the movie's ability to pull off its revelations, noting that its "construction is really extraordinary." The final scene of the film, in which an abstract monument in the sand is revealed to be none other than the Statue of Liberty, is both thrilling and existentially horrifying. Who could have ever...
I was far from alone. A young Roger Ebert, just one year into his career as a critic, praised the film for its "thoroughly satisfactory surprise ending," while Pauline Kael commended the movie's ability to pull off its revelations, noting that its "construction is really extraordinary." The final scene of the film, in which an abstract monument in the sand is revealed to be none other than the Statue of Liberty, is both thrilling and existentially horrifying. Who could have ever...
- 9/9/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
The nearly 60-year long "Planet of the Apes" film series runs the gamut in terms of quality. You have a masterpiece like the original 1968 film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, an utter catastrophe in the 2001 remake by Tim Burton, and everything in between. That being said, there's one thing that basically every film succeeds in, and that is the look of the apes themselves. Whether it's through revolutionary makeup techniques or extremely impressive performance capture technology, the rendering of these characters is distinctive and believable. Even the aforementioned 2001 catastrophe sports truly mind-blowing prosthetic work by Rick Baker that was rudely dismissed by the Academy.
As someone who is always going to prefer tactility in filmmaking, I gravitate more towards the makeup work than the performance capture, and it all comes from my admiration for the designs by John Chambers, who won an honorary Oscar for his work on "Planet of...
As someone who is always going to prefer tactility in filmmaking, I gravitate more towards the makeup work than the performance capture, and it all comes from my admiration for the designs by John Chambers, who won an honorary Oscar for his work on "Planet of...
- 8/27/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
It’s a spring afternoon, high up in the mountains of Moab, Utah, and Kevin Costner looks up at the sky. Rough weather is starting to roll in and he needs to get back to work and bank some more scenes. After all, it’s coming out of his pocket. The project is called Horizon, the first of four films set in the pre- and post-Civil War expansion of the American West. It is his most sprawling epic since Dances With Wolves, which he also part-funded, and which brought him seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Investing in himself isn’t just frivolous affectation for Costner. It’s in his DNA. “I’ve mortgaged 10 acres on the water in Santa Barbara where I was going to build my last house,” he says. “But I did it without a thought. It has thrown my accountant into a f*cking conniption fit.
Investing in himself isn’t just frivolous affectation for Costner. It’s in his DNA. “I’ve mortgaged 10 acres on the water in Santa Barbara where I was going to build my last house,” he says. “But I did it without a thought. It has thrown my accountant into a f*cking conniption fit.
- 5/18/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) offers a wide assortment of movies from the past that strikes nostalgia. However, there are also plenty of gems that allow audiences to discover other oldies to fill in their cinematic blindspots. Looking for something to watch this weekend between March 24-26? Here’s a look at the upcoming programming.
Friday, March 24 Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel | John Springer Collection/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Starting just after midnight Eastern Standard Time, the TCM movies officially kick off the ending of the week in a big way. Ranging from the Oscar-nominated Mutiny on the Bounty from 1962 to the four-time Oscar-winning Network, there’s a little something for all viewers.
The notable standouts here are The 400 Blows, Diner, Dr. Strangelove, and Network.
The 400 Blows (1959) – 12:30 a.m. Est Diner (1982) – 2:30 a.m. Est Metropolitan (1990) – 4:30 a.m. Est The Sea Wolf (1941) – 6:15 a.m.
Friday, March 24 Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel | John Springer Collection/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Starting just after midnight Eastern Standard Time, the TCM movies officially kick off the ending of the week in a big way. Ranging from the Oscar-nominated Mutiny on the Bounty from 1962 to the four-time Oscar-winning Network, there’s a little something for all viewers.
The notable standouts here are The 400 Blows, Diner, Dr. Strangelove, and Network.
The 400 Blows (1959) – 12:30 a.m. Est Diner (1982) – 2:30 a.m. Est Metropolitan (1990) – 4:30 a.m. Est The Sea Wolf (1941) – 6:15 a.m.
- 3/23/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It's well known to "Star Wars" buffs that director George Lucas, when negotiating his contract with 20th Century Fox, insisted on keeping the "garbage rights" to the movie. In the mid-1970s, "garbage rights" referred to merchandising tie-ins like toys and lunchboxes. Although some movies had been successful with such merchandising in the past, no studio had ever made a notably substantial amount of money from them, hence the nickname. This move proved to be short-sighted for Fox and prescient for Lucas, as "Star Wars" kicked open the doors to a movie marketing bonanza that we are still experiencing to this day. "Star Wars" toys sold so quickly, that toy manufacturers had to sell empty boxes to fans while they produced more three-inch Luke Skywalkers. Once the toys were made available again, the boxes would be filled.
And while "Star Wars" might have kicked the door open in terms of marketing and toy manufacturing,...
And while "Star Wars" might have kicked the door open in terms of marketing and toy manufacturing,...
- 3/19/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The world of "Planet of the Apes" continues to grow, and the latest film has just cast Dichen Lachman in an undisclosed role, per The Hollywood Reporter. These days Lachman is most recognizable for her turn as the mysterious corporate counselor Ms. Casey on the excellent Apple TV+ series "Severance," but she's been a stand-out in sci-fi projects in particular for years now, with memorable turns in "The 100," "Dollhouse," "Altered Carbon," and more. She also appeared in last year's blockbuster "Jurassic World Dominion."
While Lachman's part in the story is still under wraps, THR's report also includes some plot details for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," and the story frankly sounds pretty wild. The follow-up to 2017's "War For The Planet of the Apes" will take place years after the third film in the new franchise and bring viewers to a version of the world that sounds...
While Lachman's part in the story is still under wraps, THR's report also includes some plot details for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," and the story frankly sounds pretty wild. The follow-up to 2017's "War For The Planet of the Apes" will take place years after the third film in the new franchise and bring viewers to a version of the world that sounds...
- 2/6/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Sometimes we hear negative stories about famous actors on set. Egos get in the way of common courtesy, political leanings can color conversations, and working conditions can bring out the worst in people. Here's an actually lovely one instead. Prosthetic makeup is a tricky thing, and I say this as someone who has worn them in productions and been a makeup artist who applied them. They are not comfortable and can be very hot, itchy, and claustrophobic. Effects makeup has come a long way since the late 1960s when "Planet of the Apes" was shooting, and even now, it's not easy to wear. Back then, it must have been awful.
Add in the fact that, when shooting some of the scenes in the classic sci-fi film, the cast was out in the desert in 100-degree heat. The people playing the apes had major prosthetics on their faces, extra hair on their arms,...
Add in the fact that, when shooting some of the scenes in the classic sci-fi film, the cast was out in the desert in 100-degree heat. The people playing the apes had major prosthetics on their faces, extra hair on their arms,...
- 1/2/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
J. Lee Thompson's 1972 sci-fi film "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" was the fourth in the "Apes" series, although it would come to be the fulcrum point on which all future sequels would pivot. In Franklin J. Schaffner's 1968 original "Planet of the Apes," a team of astronauts would crash land on an unknown planet after accidentally traveling into the distant, distant future. There, they would find that human beings are now mute and unintelligent and that apes -- chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans -- have become the walking, talking masters of the planet. The film's famous twist ending established exactly how a planet of apes came to be, and it shall remain hidden here on the off chance a reader is unfamiliar with it.
Although the mystery of an ape planet was solved, future "Apes" sequels would lay things out more explicitly. "Beneath the Planet of the Apes,...
Although the mystery of an ape planet was solved, future "Apes" sequels would lay things out more explicitly. "Beneath the Planet of the Apes,...
- 12/25/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Travis Jeffery (Unbroken), Neil Sandilands (Sweet Tooth), Sara Wiseman (One Of Us Is Lying), Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi (The Clearing) and Lydia Peckham (Cowboy Bebop) have signed on for roles in 20th Century’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The actors join an ensemble which also includes Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Peter Macon, Kevin Durand and Eka Darville, as previously announced.
While specifics as to the film’s plot are under wraps, it’s a continuation of the storied Planet of the Apes sci-fi franchise which goes all the way back to Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 same-name film. We understand that it will pick up many years after the conclusion of the most recent entry in the franchise, 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.
Specifics as to the new actor’s roles haven’t been disclosed. But Wes Ball (Maze Runner franchise) is directing from a script by Josh Friedman,...
While specifics as to the film’s plot are under wraps, it’s a continuation of the storied Planet of the Apes sci-fi franchise which goes all the way back to Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 same-name film. We understand that it will pick up many years after the conclusion of the most recent entry in the franchise, 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.
Specifics as to the new actor’s roles haven’t been disclosed. But Wes Ball (Maze Runner franchise) is directing from a script by Josh Friedman,...
- 10/25/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
How do you fit all the complexities of a person's life into the space of a feature film? The short answer is you don't, which is why I've always found the biopic the most unsatisfying of genres. "Patton" avoids many of the usual pitfalls by limiting its scope to the three-year period during World War II which are central to General George S. Patton's enigmatic legend as a vainglorious, troublesome figure who also happened to be a tactical genius on the battlefield. The result is a three-hour character study that really feels like we get inside his head; while there are several huge battle scenes, all the real action is in George C. Scott's magnificent performance, who embodies the General so naturally that it hardly seems like he's acting at all. If director Franklin J. Schaffner wanted to save some money, he could have scrapped the battles altogether...
- 9/6/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
The “made for television movie” began in the 1960s. In fact, one of the most famous TV movies Don Siegel’s 1964 version of “The Killers” featuring Ronald Reagan in his last film role as a ruthless villain, ended up being released theatrically because it was considered too violent for television.
But the genre came of age in the 1970s.
Some of these movies that aired on the three broadcast networks were sheer shlock and others were pilots for prospective TV series. But it was also an embarrassment of riches. Who could forget the beloved 1971 ABC biopic “Brian’s Song,” starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams, which was nominated for 11 Emmys and won five including outstanding single program (drama or comedy). The four-hankie weepie was so popular it was released theatrically.
Also briefly released theatrically was Steven Spielberg’s pulsating 1971 classic “Duel” starring Dennis Weaver which aired on ABC. Considered one...
But the genre came of age in the 1970s.
Some of these movies that aired on the three broadcast networks were sheer shlock and others were pilots for prospective TV series. But it was also an embarrassment of riches. Who could forget the beloved 1971 ABC biopic “Brian’s Song,” starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams, which was nominated for 11 Emmys and won five including outstanding single program (drama or comedy). The four-hankie weepie was so popular it was released theatrically.
Also briefly released theatrically was Steven Spielberg’s pulsating 1971 classic “Duel” starring Dennis Weaver which aired on ABC. Considered one...
- 8/15/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
A growing number of consumers are defying the media maze by paying a visit to their neighborhood movie theaters. It’s simpler to buy a ticket than re-subscribing to Netflix or Disney+.
Well, not necessarily. Half way into a new movie this week I realized that I’d mistakenly bought a ticket to a podcast, not a film. At least, the podcast seemed to be the principal protagonist. Had I misread the promotion for Vengeance, or had the filmmakers switched mediums mid-production?
In an earlier era, prospective filmgoers could study reviews and festival coverage or scan magazines before buying tickets. Filmmakers themselves were schooled in aiming their films (and budgets) at specific demos. There was strategy amid the chaos.
Filmmakers today often have no idea whether their work may be headed for theaters or streamerville, or what windows may await them.
In some cases, therefore, they apparently change their minds...
Well, not necessarily. Half way into a new movie this week I realized that I’d mistakenly bought a ticket to a podcast, not a film. At least, the podcast seemed to be the principal protagonist. Had I misread the promotion for Vengeance, or had the filmmakers switched mediums mid-production?
In an earlier era, prospective filmgoers could study reviews and festival coverage or scan magazines before buying tickets. Filmmakers themselves were schooled in aiming their films (and budgets) at specific demos. There was strategy amid the chaos.
Filmmakers today often have no idea whether their work may be headed for theaters or streamerville, or what windows may await them.
In some cases, therefore, they apparently change their minds...
- 8/4/2022
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Sundance winner “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” the sophomore project from indie writer-director Cooper Raiff, has unveiled its official trailer. The film stars Raiff and Dakota Johnson in an unconventional love story between a college graduate and a single mom.
The movie follows 22-year-old Andrew (played by Raiff), who’s fresh out of college and stuck at home with his family in New Jersey, with no clear life path. Andrew has no ambition and no real skills, except for one: he knows how to get a party started. This skill lands him the perfect job of motivational dancing at the bar and bat mitzvahs for his younger brother’s classmates. Things change for Andrew when he meets a local mother named Domino, played by Johnson. He befriends the mom and her daughter, Lola, and finally discovers a future he wants.
The cast is rounded out by Brad Garrett, Leslie Mann, Raúl Castillo,...
The movie follows 22-year-old Andrew (played by Raiff), who’s fresh out of college and stuck at home with his family in New Jersey, with no clear life path. Andrew has no ambition and no real skills, except for one: he knows how to get a party started. This skill lands him the perfect job of motivational dancing at the bar and bat mitzvahs for his younger brother’s classmates. Things change for Andrew when he meets a local mother named Domino, played by Johnson. He befriends the mom and her daughter, Lola, and finally discovers a future he wants.
The cast is rounded out by Brad Garrett, Leslie Mann, Raúl Castillo,...
- 5/12/2022
- by Angelique Jackson, Wilson Chapman and Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
Television drama matured in the early 1960s with gritty often controversial series shot on location including “The Naked City” and most notably “The Defenders,” which aired on CBS from 1961-65, winning 13 Emmys during its run including three consecutive Best Drama Series awards.
The legal drama starring E.G. Marshall and Robert Reed as father-and-son attorneys picked up its first four prizes at the 14th Primetime Emmy Awards on May 22, 1962. It also won for Marshall; helmer Franklin J. Schaffner (who went to pick up an Oscar for directing 1970 Best Picture Oscar champ “Patton); and Reginald Rose for writing.
Rose of “12 Angry Men” fame based the series on his two-part 1957 “Studio One” drama “The Defender” with Ralph Bellamy and William Shatner as the father-son attorneys and Steve McQueen as the defendant. For Rose, “The law is the subject of our programs, not crime, not mystery, not the courtroom for its own sake.
The legal drama starring E.G. Marshall and Robert Reed as father-and-son attorneys picked up its first four prizes at the 14th Primetime Emmy Awards on May 22, 1962. It also won for Marshall; helmer Franklin J. Schaffner (who went to pick up an Oscar for directing 1970 Best Picture Oscar champ “Patton); and Reginald Rose for writing.
Rose of “12 Angry Men” fame based the series on his two-part 1957 “Studio One” drama “The Defender” with Ralph Bellamy and William Shatner as the father-son attorneys and Steve McQueen as the defendant. For Rose, “The law is the subject of our programs, not crime, not mystery, not the courtroom for its own sake.
- 5/4/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
On March 24, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the premiere of The Godfather. It was nominated for 11 Oscars, won three, and changed cinema forever. The film, which never uses the word “mafia” or the phrase “cosa nostra,” is renowned as the premiere gangster film of all time, and is more than occasionally called the greatest movie of all time. Yet its follow-up, The Godfather, Part II, is often ranked higher. This has more to do with filmmaking than with crime.
Paramount Pictures released a 4K Ultra HD edition of The Godfather Trilogy on March 22. The scope of the Corleone family saga is the story of 20th Century America. Over the course of the three films, Francis Ford Coppola delivers a multigenerational tale of corruption, vengeance, and family duty. The Godfather elevated mob movies to high art, paving the way for the street-level gangsters of Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and Goodfellas,...
Paramount Pictures released a 4K Ultra HD edition of The Godfather Trilogy on March 22. The scope of the Corleone family saga is the story of 20th Century America. Over the course of the three films, Francis Ford Coppola delivers a multigenerational tale of corruption, vengeance, and family duty. The Godfather elevated mob movies to high art, paving the way for the street-level gangsters of Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and Goodfellas,...
- 3/24/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Rarely one finds a friend on the Criterion Channel—discounting the parasitic relationship we form with filmmakers, I mean—but it’s great seeing their March lineup give light to Sophy Romvari, the <bias>exceptionally talented</bias> filmmaker and curator whose work has perhaps earned comparisons to Agnès Varda and Chantal Akerman but charts its own path of history and reflection. It’s a good way to lead into an exceptionally strong month, featuring as it does numerous films by Pier Paolo Pasolini, the great Japanese documentarian Kazuo Hara, newfound cult classic Arrebato, and a number of Criterion editions.
On the last front we have The Age of Innocence, Bull Durham, A Raisin in the Sun, The Celebration, Merrily We Go to Hell, and Design for Living. There’s always something lingering on the watchlist, but it might have to wait a second longer—March is an opened floodgate.
See the full...
On the last front we have The Age of Innocence, Bull Durham, A Raisin in the Sun, The Celebration, Merrily We Go to Hell, and Design for Living. There’s always something lingering on the watchlist, but it might have to wait a second longer—March is an opened floodgate.
See the full...
- 2/21/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Richard Evans, who tussled with Ryan O’Neal’s character on the ABC primetime soap Peyton Place and appeared in Dirty Little Billy, the final film from producer Jack L. Warner, has died. He was 86.
Evans died Oct. 2 of cancer on Whidbey Island in Washington state, a family spokesman announced.
Evans also co-starred in the Robert Mulligan-directed neo-noir crime drama The Nickel Ride (1974) and played the sidekick of George C. Scott’s artist character in Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream (1977), helmed by Franklin J. Schaffner.
During his 40-year acting career, Evans showed up as a guest star on ...
Evans died Oct. 2 of cancer on Whidbey Island in Washington state, a family spokesman announced.
Evans also co-starred in the Robert Mulligan-directed neo-noir crime drama The Nickel Ride (1974) and played the sidekick of George C. Scott’s artist character in Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream (1977), helmed by Franklin J. Schaffner.
During his 40-year acting career, Evans showed up as a guest star on ...
- 10/26/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Richard Evans, who tussled with Ryan O’Neal’s character on the ABC primetime soap Peyton Place and appeared in Dirty Little Billy, the final film from producer Jack L. Warner, has died. He was 86.
Evans died Oct. 2 of cancer on Whidbey Island in Washington state, a family spokesman announced.
Evans also co-starred in the Robert Mulligan-directed neo-noir crime drama The Nickel Ride (1974) and played the sidekick of George C. Scott’s artist character in Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream (1977), helmed by Franklin J. Schaffner.
During his 40-year acting career, Evans showed up as a guest star on ...
Evans died Oct. 2 of cancer on Whidbey Island in Washington state, a family spokesman announced.
Evans also co-starred in the Robert Mulligan-directed neo-noir crime drama The Nickel Ride (1974) and played the sidekick of George C. Scott’s artist character in Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream (1977), helmed by Franklin J. Schaffner.
During his 40-year acting career, Evans showed up as a guest star on ...
- 10/26/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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
Nobody director Ilya Naishuller joins Josh and Joe to talk about his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Nobody (2021)
Hardcore Henry (2016)
Billy Jack (1971)
My Winnipeg (2007)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Top Gun (1986)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Seven (1995)
Bill Hicks: Revelations (1993)
The Mission (1986)
The Killing Fields (1984)
Captivity (2007)
The Killing (1956)
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
Once Upon A Time In America (1984)
You And I (2008)
Infested (2002)
No Country For Old Men (2007)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Goodfellas (1990)
Goldfinger (1964)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Papillon (1973)
Papillon (2017)
Midnight Run (1988)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Oldboy (2003)
Parasite (2019)
Assassins (1995)
Ladder 49 (2004)
Waterworld (1995)
Heathers (1989)
Mad Max (1979)
A History Of Violence (2005)
The ’Burbs (1989)
Punishment Park (1971)
The War Game (1966)
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Uncut Gems (2019)
Culloden (1964)
Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Fail Safe (1964)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Let The Right One In (2008)
Patton (1970)
Hardcore (1979)
Mr. Nobody (2009)
District 9 (2009)
Paths of Glory (1957)
A Clockwork Orange...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Nobody (2021)
Hardcore Henry (2016)
Billy Jack (1971)
My Winnipeg (2007)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Top Gun (1986)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Seven (1995)
Bill Hicks: Revelations (1993)
The Mission (1986)
The Killing Fields (1984)
Captivity (2007)
The Killing (1956)
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
Once Upon A Time In America (1984)
You And I (2008)
Infested (2002)
No Country For Old Men (2007)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Goodfellas (1990)
Goldfinger (1964)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Papillon (1973)
Papillon (2017)
Midnight Run (1988)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Oldboy (2003)
Parasite (2019)
Assassins (1995)
Ladder 49 (2004)
Waterworld (1995)
Heathers (1989)
Mad Max (1979)
A History Of Violence (2005)
The ’Burbs (1989)
Punishment Park (1971)
The War Game (1966)
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Uncut Gems (2019)
Culloden (1964)
Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Fail Safe (1964)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Let The Right One In (2008)
Patton (1970)
Hardcore (1979)
Mr. Nobody (2009)
District 9 (2009)
Paths of Glory (1957)
A Clockwork Orange...
- 3/30/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
With another winter melting away, Scream Factory will have plenty of scares in store for home media collectors this summer with new June Blu-ray releases of Hunter Hunter, Battle Beyond the Stars (including a Sybil Danning action figure), Kindred, The Awakening, and Sphinx:
Kindred Blu-ray: "Kindred (Street date: June 15th) –After the death of her boyfriend, vulnerable mother-to-be Charlotte (Tamara Lawrance) is taken in by her deceased partner's mother, Margaret (Fiona Shaw), and stepbrother, Thomas (Jack Lawson). But Charlotte's source of comfort soon turns to terror as her benefactors begin to appear increasingly obsessed with her every move. Plagued by mysterious hallucinations, Charlotte finds her suspicions raging with questions about Margaret and Thomas's intentions for her unborn child.
Pre-order now @ https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/kindred?product_id=7592
Check out the trailer @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzsGT31egS4"
Hunter Hunter Blu-ray: "Hunter Hunter (Street date: June 22nd) – In the remote wilderness,...
Kindred Blu-ray: "Kindred (Street date: June 15th) –After the death of her boyfriend, vulnerable mother-to-be Charlotte (Tamara Lawrance) is taken in by her deceased partner's mother, Margaret (Fiona Shaw), and stepbrother, Thomas (Jack Lawson). But Charlotte's source of comfort soon turns to terror as her benefactors begin to appear increasingly obsessed with her every move. Plagued by mysterious hallucinations, Charlotte finds her suspicions raging with questions about Margaret and Thomas's intentions for her unborn child.
Pre-order now @ https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/kindred?product_id=7592
Check out the trailer @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzsGT31egS4"
Hunter Hunter Blu-ray: "Hunter Hunter (Street date: June 22nd) – In the remote wilderness,...
- 3/9/2021
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Apocalypse Now in 4K? After The Wild Bunch this is one title likely to get me to invest in a new format. Francis Coppola & John Milius’ Vietnam War epic may not be perfect, but it’s one of the most exciting movie experiences ever and one of the top achievements of the first film school generation of moviemakers. The release is agreeably all-inclusive: the original Road Show cut and the two revised versions are here along with the excellent making-of feature Hearts of Darkness. Re-tooled and polished up for picture and audio, this qualifies as a prime audio show-off disc too.
Apocalypse Now Final Cut
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray + Digital
Lionsgate
1979, 2001, 2019 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 147, 196, 183 min. / 40th Anniversary Edition / 1979 70mm Road Show cut, 2001 Redux cut, 2019 Final Cut versions / Street Date August 27, 2019 /
Starring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne, Albert Hall, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, G.D. Spradlin,...
Apocalypse Now Final Cut
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray + Digital
Lionsgate
1979, 2001, 2019 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 147, 196, 183 min. / 40th Anniversary Edition / 1979 70mm Road Show cut, 2001 Redux cut, 2019 Final Cut versions / Street Date August 27, 2019 /
Starring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne, Albert Hall, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, G.D. Spradlin,...
- 3/6/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The verdict is in. If you want to have success in awards’ season go to court. Over the decades, a caseload of legal movies have been judged to be Oscar worthy. And for good reason. The genre is rich with emotions, betrayals, manipulations, love, hate, violence and redemption. Who doesn’t remember Humphrey Bogart’s brilliant Oscar-nominated turn as Captain Queeg slowly losing his mind on the stand as he recounts his obsession with missing strawberries in 1954’s “The Caine Mutiny”?
“A Free Soul” (1931)
Lionel Barrymore won his only Academy Award for for his delicious over-the-top turn as a wily alcoholic attorney who gets a ruthless gangster (Clark Gable) off for murder in this juicy pre-code melodrama. Though his free-spirited daughter (Norma Shearer), who wears the slinkiest of gowns, has a boyfriend (a staid Leslie Howard), she soon realizes she loves bad boys and leaves Howard for Gable. It’s a big mistake.
“A Free Soul” (1931)
Lionel Barrymore won his only Academy Award for for his delicious over-the-top turn as a wily alcoholic attorney who gets a ruthless gangster (Clark Gable) off for murder in this juicy pre-code melodrama. Though his free-spirited daughter (Norma Shearer), who wears the slinkiest of gowns, has a boyfriend (a staid Leslie Howard), she soon realizes she loves bad boys and leaves Howard for Gable. It’s a big mistake.
- 11/18/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Actress Alex Essoe walks is through some of her favorite dream sequences.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Starry Eyes (2014)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Beyond The Black Rainbow (2010)
Mandy (2018), as usual
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Death of Me (2020)
Life Dances On (1937)
Tales of Manhattan (1942)
I Love You, Alice B Toklas (1968)
Papillon (1973)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
The Conversation (1974)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
Nashville (1975)
The Ninth Configuration (1980)
The Exorcist (1973)
Shutter Island (2010)
The Exorcist III (1990)
A Shot In The Dark (1964)
Another Woman (1988)
Stardust Memories (1980)
8 ½ (1963)
Interiors (1978)
Dumbo (1941)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
A Woman Under The Influence (1974)
Mulholland Falls (1996)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Fletch (1985)
The ’Burbs (1989)
Dreams (1990)
Ran (1985)
Homewrecker (2019)
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
The Wicker Man (1973)
Other Notable Items
Howard Hughes
Panos Cosmatos
The Haunting of Bly Manor TV series (2020)
Shelley Duvall
Tfh Guru Darren Lynn Bousman
The American Cinematheque
The New Beverly Theatre
Julien Duvivier
Jean Renoir
Jean-Luc Godard
François Truffaut
John Cassavetes...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Starry Eyes (2014)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Beyond The Black Rainbow (2010)
Mandy (2018), as usual
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Death of Me (2020)
Life Dances On (1937)
Tales of Manhattan (1942)
I Love You, Alice B Toklas (1968)
Papillon (1973)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
The Conversation (1974)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
Nashville (1975)
The Ninth Configuration (1980)
The Exorcist (1973)
Shutter Island (2010)
The Exorcist III (1990)
A Shot In The Dark (1964)
Another Woman (1988)
Stardust Memories (1980)
8 ½ (1963)
Interiors (1978)
Dumbo (1941)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
A Woman Under The Influence (1974)
Mulholland Falls (1996)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Fletch (1985)
The ’Burbs (1989)
Dreams (1990)
Ran (1985)
Homewrecker (2019)
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
The Wicker Man (1973)
Other Notable Items
Howard Hughes
Panos Cosmatos
The Haunting of Bly Manor TV series (2020)
Shelley Duvall
Tfh Guru Darren Lynn Bousman
The American Cinematheque
The New Beverly Theatre
Julien Duvivier
Jean Renoir
Jean-Luc Godard
François Truffaut
John Cassavetes...
- 10/20/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
The Criterion Channel’s stellar offerings are continuing next month with a selection of new releases, retrospective, series, and more. Leading the pack is, of course, a horror lineup perfectly timed for Halloween, featuring ’70s classics and underseen gems, including Abel Ferrara’s The Driller Killer (pictured above), Tobe Hopper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, early films by David Cronenberg, Wes Craven, and Brian De Palma, Bill Gunn’s Ganja & Hess, and more.
Also of note is a New Korean Cinema retrospective, featuring a new introduction by critic Grady Hendrix and a conversation between directors Bong Joon Ho and Park Chan-wook, whose Barking Dogs Never Bite, The Host, Mother, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, and Lady Vengeance are part of the lineup, as well as Lee Myung-se’s Nowhere to Hide, and more titles to be announced. Bong’s short Influenza will also arrive, paired with Michael Haneke’s Caché.
Also of note is a New Korean Cinema retrospective, featuring a new introduction by critic Grady Hendrix and a conversation between directors Bong Joon Ho and Park Chan-wook, whose Barking Dogs Never Bite, The Host, Mother, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, and Lady Vengeance are part of the lineup, as well as Lee Myung-se’s Nowhere to Hide, and more titles to be announced. Bong’s short Influenza will also arrive, paired with Michael Haneke’s Caché.
- 9/29/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Republican convention this week delivered cool optics, sharp reality television and an ominous threat to public health, in the opinion of most media critics.
“A political convention is like a movie trailer; if a party messes up, it will likely mess up the election,” according to Franklin J. Schaffner, a politically savvy filmmaker (Patton) who was also a key adviser to the Democratic Party during its self-demolition in 1968.
The Democratic convention that year is, in fact, the setting for a new movie from another filmmaker, Aaron Sorkin, who became fascinated by “The Year the Democrats Lost Their Mind” – a famous Washington Post headline.
Ironically, the Post ran an almost identical headline about the Republicans in 1948 when, after a bungled convention, that party’s smug, overfunded candidate, Thomas Dewey, lost to underdog Harry S. Truman. “Dewey Defeats Truman,” the classic headline, is also the title of a perceptive new book by A.J. Baime.
“A political convention is like a movie trailer; if a party messes up, it will likely mess up the election,” according to Franklin J. Schaffner, a politically savvy filmmaker (Patton) who was also a key adviser to the Democratic Party during its self-demolition in 1968.
The Democratic convention that year is, in fact, the setting for a new movie from another filmmaker, Aaron Sorkin, who became fascinated by “The Year the Democrats Lost Their Mind” – a famous Washington Post headline.
Ironically, the Post ran an almost identical headline about the Republicans in 1948 when, after a bungled convention, that party’s smug, overfunded candidate, Thomas Dewey, lost to underdog Harry S. Truman. “Dewey Defeats Truman,” the classic headline, is also the title of a perceptive new book by A.J. Baime.
- 8/30/2020
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
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By Fred Blosser
Kino Lorber Studio Classics has released “Mary, Queen of Scots” (1971) in a new Blu-ray edition. A Hal B. Wallis production starring Vanessa Redgrave in the title role and Glenda Jackson as Queen Elizabeth I, the picture opened on a limited basis in Los Angeles on December 22, 1971, in order to qualify for the 1972 Academy Awards. General release in the U.S. followed on February 2, 1972. The filmmakers’ hopes were high, since a previous Wallis production about the 16th Century British monarchy, “Anne of the Thousand Days,” had been a critical and commercial success two years earlier, with the same screenwriter (John Hale) and director (Charles Jarrott). As if more cred were needed, a weighty biography by Antonia Fraser, “Mary Queen of Scots” (no comma), had been a best-seller in 1969. Since Mary was a historical figure in the public domain, the filmmakers...
By Fred Blosser
Kino Lorber Studio Classics has released “Mary, Queen of Scots” (1971) in a new Blu-ray edition. A Hal B. Wallis production starring Vanessa Redgrave in the title role and Glenda Jackson as Queen Elizabeth I, the picture opened on a limited basis in Los Angeles on December 22, 1971, in order to qualify for the 1972 Academy Awards. General release in the U.S. followed on February 2, 1972. The filmmakers’ hopes were high, since a previous Wallis production about the 16th Century British monarchy, “Anne of the Thousand Days,” had been a critical and commercial success two years earlier, with the same screenwriter (John Hale) and director (Charles Jarrott). As if more cred were needed, a weighty biography by Antonia Fraser, “Mary Queen of Scots” (no comma), had been a best-seller in 1969. Since Mary was a historical figure in the public domain, the filmmakers...
- 7/30/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Directors Guild Awards Live Blog 2020: ‘1917,’ ‘Watchmen,’ ‘Barry’ among DGA winners [Updating Live]
To the frustration of many awards watchers, the annual Directors Guild of America ceremony doesn’t air live on TV. But worry not — Gold Derby has you covered with our informative play-by-play of the ceremony. Follow along with our updating live blog on Saturday, January 25 as we reveal all of the 2020 DGA Awards winners as they happen. We’ll also let you know the superstar presenters for the three film races and eight television categories plus the honorary awards.
Last year’s ceremony previewed the upcoming Academy Awards when the DGA voters named their Best Director winner as Alfonso Cuaron (“Roma”). In fact, he was the sixth in a row to prevail at both kudos, following Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water” (2017), Damien Chazelle for “La La Land” (2016), Alejandro G. Inarritu for “The Revenant” (2015), Inarritu for “Birdman” (2014) and Cuaron for “Gravity” (2013).
SEE2020 DGA Awards winners: Full list of...
Last year’s ceremony previewed the upcoming Academy Awards when the DGA voters named their Best Director winner as Alfonso Cuaron (“Roma”). In fact, he was the sixth in a row to prevail at both kudos, following Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water” (2017), Damien Chazelle for “La La Land” (2016), Alejandro G. Inarritu for “The Revenant” (2015), Inarritu for “Birdman” (2014) and Cuaron for “Gravity” (2013).
SEE2020 DGA Awards winners: Full list of...
- 1/26/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
One of the more satisfying costume adventures of the ‘sixties is also one of its star’s best vehicles. Charlton Heston was born to play bigger-than-life historical types, and his Norman knight in this film has the benefit of an intelligent screenplay and a terrific supporting ensemble. This hero’s armor doesn’t shine — he’s more than willing to risk everything to possess a pagan woman with whom he’s become infatuated. Many would-be epics want us to think that the charms of unlikely damsels like Virginia Mayo and Claudette Colbert changed the course of history, but this show makes it seem more than possible. Plus, it features great action scenes and a terrific music score by Jerome Moross.
The War Lord
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 123 min. / Special Edition / Street Date January 21, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Charlton Heston, Richard Boone, Rosemary Forsyth, Maurice Evans, Guy Stockwell,...
The War Lord
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 123 min. / Special Edition / Street Date January 21, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Charlton Heston, Richard Boone, Rosemary Forsyth, Maurice Evans, Guy Stockwell,...
- 1/14/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Epics — everybody wants to make them but the studios are naturally wary. Richard Attenborough’s ode to the youthful ambitions of Sir Winston Churchill was a big hit in England but didn’t make a dent here. Although a dead ringer for the young Winston, Simon Ward didn’t take off as a star either, leaving Anne Bancroft and Robert Shaw in a sidebar drama that will mostly be remembered for an Std. Correspondent-soldier Churchill sees action in India, The Sudan and South Africa, thanks to the intervention of his socially adept mother. It’s a beautiful, ‘safe’ production with plenty of national pride. Its American premiere served as the Grand opening screening for the second Filmex film festival.
Young Winston
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1972 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 154 min. / Street Date October 28, 2019 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Simon Ward, Robert Shaw, Anne Bancroft, Jack Hawkins, Patrick Magee, Edward Woodward, John Mills,...
Young Winston
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1972 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 154 min. / Street Date October 28, 2019 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Simon Ward, Robert Shaw, Anne Bancroft, Jack Hawkins, Patrick Magee, Edward Woodward, John Mills,...
- 1/11/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
1968 was a huge year in film, especially for fans of science fiction, with the release of both Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Franklin J. Schaffner's Planet of the Apes.
The two movies couldn't be more different. While Kubrick's film is minimalist and quiet, Schaffner's is crowded, dirty, and loud. The pair capture the gamut of what science fiction could be and over the decades, they have become staples of the genre and key points of reference for film fans. Now a new documentary from William Conlin sets out to take us behind the scenes of one of the most important aspects of Planet of the Apes: the make-up.
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film, includes interviews with the crew from Planet of the Apes, namely Thomas R. Burman,...
The two movies couldn't be more different. While Kubrick's film is minimalist and quiet, Schaffner's is crowded, dirty, and loud. The pair capture the gamut of what science fiction could be and over the decades, they have become staples of the genre and key points of reference for film fans. Now a new documentary from William Conlin sets out to take us behind the scenes of one of the most important aspects of Planet of the Apes: the make-up.
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film, includes interviews with the crew from Planet of the Apes, namely Thomas R. Burman,...
- 1/10/2020
- QuietEarth.us
A column chronicling conversations and events on the awards circuit.
‘Tis the season, and we’re still even two weeks away from Thanksgiving. Usually the holiday parties are held at least until December — but apparently not in Hollywood, where a truncated awards season not only brings mass panic to strategists worrying about scheduling enough Q&As and getting screeners out, but also spreading good cheer and eggnog on a calendar that just only passed Veterans Day. Tonight Netflix’s Ted Sarandos offers a “toast” to “celebrate the season” at his home as he usually does, but considering the invite list of HFPA members, pundits and others to mingle with a guest list that includes Martin Scorsese, Eddie Murphy, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and many more from the streamer’s awards hopefuls in both movies and TV, the “season” in this case takes on whole new meaning.
Actually Netflix is...
‘Tis the season, and we’re still even two weeks away from Thanksgiving. Usually the holiday parties are held at least until December — but apparently not in Hollywood, where a truncated awards season not only brings mass panic to strategists worrying about scheduling enough Q&As and getting screeners out, but also spreading good cheer and eggnog on a calendar that just only passed Veterans Day. Tonight Netflix’s Ted Sarandos offers a “toast” to “celebrate the season” at his home as he usually does, but considering the invite list of HFPA members, pundits and others to mingle with a guest list that includes Martin Scorsese, Eddie Murphy, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and many more from the streamer’s awards hopefuls in both movies and TV, the “season” in this case takes on whole new meaning.
Actually Netflix is...
- 11/15/2019
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
By Lee Pfeiffer
The Warner Archive has released a slew of worthwhile 60s spy movies and TV series. Among the under-rated gems is The Double Man, a 1967 Cold War thriller starring Yul Brynner, who gives a powerful performance as American intelligence agent Dan Slater. His teenage son is killed while skiing in Switzerland and Slater suspects it was actually murder. He finds he's been lured to Alps as part of a complex plot to kill him and replace him with an enemy agent with his identical facial features and characteristics. The plot was covered with moss even at the time since it formed the basis of a two-part Man From U.N.C.L.E. episode, The Double Affair, that was released theatrically the previous year as The Spy With My Face. Still, this is a highly intelligent, gritty film with Brynner as the most hard-ass hero imaginable. Devoid of any humor,...
The Warner Archive has released a slew of worthwhile 60s spy movies and TV series. Among the under-rated gems is The Double Man, a 1967 Cold War thriller starring Yul Brynner, who gives a powerful performance as American intelligence agent Dan Slater. His teenage son is killed while skiing in Switzerland and Slater suspects it was actually murder. He finds he's been lured to Alps as part of a complex plot to kill him and replace him with an enemy agent with his identical facial features and characteristics. The plot was covered with moss even at the time since it formed the basis of a two-part Man From U.N.C.L.E. episode, The Double Affair, that was released theatrically the previous year as The Spy With My Face. Still, this is a highly intelligent, gritty film with Brynner as the most hard-ass hero imaginable. Devoid of any humor,...
- 9/2/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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