Rachel Maddow’s next project will take her to Russia — in a sense.
The journalist’s Surprise Inside production company will team up with Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries to work on the Rakontur documentary project “From Russia With Lev.” All three production entities are clients of WME.
The feature boasts exclusive interviews with Lev Parnas, the Ukranian-born operative whose association with former President Donald Trump and one of his attorneys, Rudolph Giuliani, took him on a strange journey that ended in a stealth campaign to produce dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden and a role in Trump’s first impeachment.
Maddow and McKay will serve as executive producers on the political farce, which is directed by Billy Corben and produced by Alfred Spellman, The duo have more than 30 hours of interview footage with Parnas and exclusive access to his personal archive that includes hundreds of gigabytes of photos, videos, documents,...
The journalist’s Surprise Inside production company will team up with Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries to work on the Rakontur documentary project “From Russia With Lev.” All three production entities are clients of WME.
The feature boasts exclusive interviews with Lev Parnas, the Ukranian-born operative whose association with former President Donald Trump and one of his attorneys, Rudolph Giuliani, took him on a strange journey that ended in a stealth campaign to produce dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden and a role in Trump’s first impeachment.
Maddow and McKay will serve as executive producers on the political farce, which is directed by Billy Corben and produced by Alfred Spellman, The duo have more than 30 hours of interview footage with Parnas and exclusive access to his personal archive that includes hundreds of gigabytes of photos, videos, documents,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu’s “God Forbid” and Netflix’s “Cocaine Cowboys” producers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman have set their sights on their next subject: one of the members of Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani’s former inner circle, Florida businessman Lev Parnas.
Corben and Spellman’s Miami-based production company Rakontur is currently in production on “From Russia With Lev,” following Parnas (interviewed for the first time in this project) who, per Rakontur, “shares his story about how he and Rudy Guiliani worked behind the scenes to damage the Biden presidential campaign, conspired with Russian officials to sabotage efforts in the Ukraine and many more alleged crimes.”
A frequent collaborator of Adam McKay’s Hyper Object, Rakontur does not yet have a platform attached to the Parnas doc, but is taking it out to market soon.
“Our genre is Florida fuckery, so we have a rolling Google Docs spreadsheet of extraordinary Miami characters,...
Corben and Spellman’s Miami-based production company Rakontur is currently in production on “From Russia With Lev,” following Parnas (interviewed for the first time in this project) who, per Rakontur, “shares his story about how he and Rudy Guiliani worked behind the scenes to damage the Biden presidential campaign, conspired with Russian officials to sabotage efforts in the Ukraine and many more alleged crimes.”
A frequent collaborator of Adam McKay’s Hyper Object, Rakontur does not yet have a platform attached to the Parnas doc, but is taking it out to market soon.
“Our genre is Florida fuckery, so we have a rolling Google Docs spreadsheet of extraordinary Miami characters,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Miami, home to the two leading U.S. Hispanic networks — TelevisaUnivision and Telemundo — as well as a host of smaller television companies, studio outposts, recording artists and independent entertainment companies, has long been the cultural epicenter of both Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic population.
“It is not just the geographic location that makes Miami a hub: In so many ways, the city is also representative of the cultural diversity across Latin America and among all U.S. Hispanics,” says Karen Barroeta, executive VP, production and development, Telemundo Global Studios, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises.
“On top of its rich cultural diversity, Miami is a world-class city in which to make television, with the highest quality production studios and a skillful workforce including incredible talent, from production teams to writers and actors,” she says.
“Telemundo built roots in Miami because we believe in the growth and power of the Hispanic community...
“It is not just the geographic location that makes Miami a hub: In so many ways, the city is also representative of the cultural diversity across Latin America and among all U.S. Hispanics,” says Karen Barroeta, executive VP, production and development, Telemundo Global Studios, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises.
“On top of its rich cultural diversity, Miami is a world-class city in which to make television, with the highest quality production studios and a skillful workforce including incredible talent, from production teams to writers and actors,” she says.
“Telemundo built roots in Miami because we believe in the growth and power of the Hispanic community...
- 4/11/2023
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu has set its next big true-crime doc project, a series following the notorious Sarah Lawrence College sex cult, just as its latest addition to the genre, Adam McKay’s “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty,” has achieved the title of Hulu’s most-watched documentary film to date.
The Disney-owned streamer, which does not release specific viewership figures for its content, confirmed to Variety that the new record set by “God Forbid,” and previously held by 2019’s “Fyre Fest,” counts all original and non-original docs and is based on hours streamed within the first three weeks.
Produced by Alfred Spellman’s Rakontur and McKay’s Hyperobject and directed by Billy Corben, “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty” centers on Giancarlo Granda, former pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Hotel, as he recounts the alleged events of his relationship with Becki Falwell and her husband,...
The Disney-owned streamer, which does not release specific viewership figures for its content, confirmed to Variety that the new record set by “God Forbid,” and previously held by 2019’s “Fyre Fest,” counts all original and non-original docs and is based on hours streamed within the first three weeks.
Produced by Alfred Spellman’s Rakontur and McKay’s Hyperobject and directed by Billy Corben, “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty” centers on Giancarlo Granda, former pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Hotel, as he recounts the alleged events of his relationship with Becki Falwell and her husband,...
- 11/28/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
When Miami-based documentary director Billy Corben and his producing partner Alfred Spellman received a June 2020 email with a subject line invoking Giancarlo Granda, Jerry Falwell Jr. and Donald Trump, they knew they had the next film for their Rakontur nonfiction banner.
Granda, a local pool boy who began having an affair with Falwell’s wife Becki in 2012, had sent the email. After telling his story to Reuters, Granda was ready to go on camera about his past relations with the evangelical couple. The result is the new Hulu documentary feature “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty,” released Nov. 1. In the doc, Granda claims that Falwell Jr., a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, was aware of and involved in the relationship he was having with Becki Falwell. After the Reuters article was published in 2020, Falwell Jr, stepped down as president of the evangelical college Liberty University in Lynchburg,...
Granda, a local pool boy who began having an affair with Falwell’s wife Becki in 2012, had sent the email. After telling his story to Reuters, Granda was ready to go on camera about his past relations with the evangelical couple. The result is the new Hulu documentary feature “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty,” released Nov. 1. In the doc, Granda claims that Falwell Jr., a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, was aware of and involved in the relationship he was having with Becki Falwell. After the Reuters article was published in 2020, Falwell Jr, stepped down as president of the evangelical college Liberty University in Lynchburg,...
- 11/1/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu is exploring the private life of Evangelical Christian leader Jerry Falwell Jr. The streamer has dropped a trailer for “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty,” an upcoming documentary exploring the scandal that lead to Falwell’s fall from grace in his community.
The documentary is built around interviews with Giancarlo Granda, who met Fallwell’s wife Becki as a pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach and engaged in a years-long affair with her. Granda alleged that the affair occurred with the knowledge and approval of Jerry Falwell, and that he occasionally watched the two have sex, which he has denied.
News of the affair became public in 2020, when Reuters published a story based on Granda’s account. The resulting controversy forced Falwell to resign from his position as president of Liberty University, the Evangelical University established by his father. Since then, it...
The documentary is built around interviews with Giancarlo Granda, who met Fallwell’s wife Becki as a pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach and engaged in a years-long affair with her. Granda alleged that the affair occurred with the knowledge and approval of Jerry Falwell, and that he occasionally watched the two have sex, which he has denied.
News of the affair became public in 2020, when Reuters published a story based on Granda’s account. The resulting controversy forced Falwell to resign from his position as president of Liberty University, the Evangelical University established by his father. Since then, it...
- 10/12/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Rakontur has wrapped production on The Last of the Cocaine Cowboys, a four-part documentary miniseries on Medellín Cartel co-founder Carlos Lehder.
Described by the U.S. Department of Justice as “the Henry Ford of the cocaine industry,” Lehder co-founded Colombia’s infamous drug cartel alongside Pablo Escobar, Jorge Ochoa and Jose Rodriguez Gacha in the 1970s. He conspired with heads of state to corrupt entire nations and open cocaine smuggling routes in the Bahamas, Cuba, Panama, Nicaragua and Mexico, also buying his own Bahamian island, Norman’s Cay, and transforming it into an air and sea cocaine shipping hub. Lehder simultaneously rose to political power in Colombia as head of the National Latin Movement and helped elect Pablo Escobar to Parliament, with the cartel at its peak smuggling 300 kilos of cocaine per day, and generating 20 billion a year.
Lehder in 1987 became the first Medellín Cartel leader to be captured and extradited to the United States,...
Described by the U.S. Department of Justice as “the Henry Ford of the cocaine industry,” Lehder co-founded Colombia’s infamous drug cartel alongside Pablo Escobar, Jorge Ochoa and Jose Rodriguez Gacha in the 1970s. He conspired with heads of state to corrupt entire nations and open cocaine smuggling routes in the Bahamas, Cuba, Panama, Nicaragua and Mexico, also buying his own Bahamian island, Norman’s Cay, and transforming it into an air and sea cocaine shipping hub. Lehder simultaneously rose to political power in Colombia as head of the National Latin Movement and helped elect Pablo Escobar to Parliament, with the cartel at its peak smuggling 300 kilos of cocaine per day, and generating 20 billion a year.
Lehder in 1987 became the first Medellín Cartel leader to be captured and extradited to the United States,...
- 9/7/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Amid record-breaking viewership performance for “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons,” Hulu has set the premiere date for its next big doc: the Adam McKay and Billy Corben-produced Jerry Falwell Jr. project, “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty,” Variety has learned exclusively.
Hailing from McKay’s HyperObject and Corben’s Rakontur banner, “God Forbid” tells the sensational story of evangelical leader and former Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr., his wife Becki Falwell and Giancarlo Granda, the Miami pool boy who had an affair with Becki and claims that Jerry was aware of and involved in the relationship. The streamer says Granda is closely involved with the doc and his point of view is largely the focus of the movie.
Per Hulu’s official description for the movie, which will launch Nov. 1 on the Disney-owned streamer, “A Miami pool boy finds himself trapped in a seven-year...
Hailing from McKay’s HyperObject and Corben’s Rakontur banner, “God Forbid” tells the sensational story of evangelical leader and former Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr., his wife Becki Falwell and Giancarlo Granda, the Miami pool boy who had an affair with Becki and claims that Jerry was aware of and involved in the relationship. The streamer says Granda is closely involved with the doc and his point of view is largely the focus of the movie.
Per Hulu’s official description for the movie, which will launch Nov. 1 on the Disney-owned streamer, “A Miami pool boy finds himself trapped in a seven-year...
- 8/26/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
The Hulu original unscripted series “Captive Audience” has lived up to its name, earning record-breaking viewership for the streamer.
Hulu documentary chief Belisa Balaban told Variety exclusively that the show — which explores the harrowing kidnapping of 7-year-old Steven Stayner and its resulting media frenzy — has set a record for most-viewed nonfiction TV program in its first month of release.
Launched on April 21, “Captive Audience” is also the second-most watched unscripted series in Hulu’s history. Directed by Jessica Dimmock and produced by Wonderburst, High Five Content and Joe and Anthony Russo’s Agbo, the program is second only to “The Kardashians” in total viewership for its category.
“This is really a huge credit to that team, whose bold creative choices and empathy brought it to life. This project is a great example of what a Hulu true crime story is — not just the story of a family and what they’ve endured over the years,...
Hulu documentary chief Belisa Balaban told Variety exclusively that the show — which explores the harrowing kidnapping of 7-year-old Steven Stayner and its resulting media frenzy — has set a record for most-viewed nonfiction TV program in its first month of release.
Launched on April 21, “Captive Audience” is also the second-most watched unscripted series in Hulu’s history. Directed by Jessica Dimmock and produced by Wonderburst, High Five Content and Joe and Anthony Russo’s Agbo, the program is second only to “The Kardashians” in total viewership for its category.
“This is really a huge credit to that team, whose bold creative choices and empathy brought it to life. This project is a great example of what a Hulu true crime story is — not just the story of a family and what they’ve endured over the years,...
- 7/6/2022
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
You’ve undoubtedly seen countless documentaries on outrageous drug cases. But have you seen any that span two decades? “Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami” is about to change that. The follow-up to director Billy Corben’s “Cocaine Cowboys” centers on two unlikely drug kingpins Augusto “Willy” Falcon and Salvador “Sal” Magluta thriving during Miami’s drug war and the rise of cocaine usage.
Read More: ‘Clickbait’ Teaser: Zoe Kazan & Betty Gabriel Investigate A Disappearance That Has Gone Viral
The docuseries is executive produced by Corben, Alfred Spellman (“Raw Deal: A Question of Consent“), Adam Bardach (“Living With Lew“), David Cypkin (“Screwball“), Marie Therese Guirgis (“On Her Shoulders“).
Continue reading ‘Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings Of Miami’ Trailer: New Doc Series Revisits Miami’s Drug War at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Clickbait’ Teaser: Zoe Kazan & Betty Gabriel Investigate A Disappearance That Has Gone Viral
The docuseries is executive produced by Corben, Alfred Spellman (“Raw Deal: A Question of Consent“), Adam Bardach (“Living With Lew“), David Cypkin (“Screwball“), Marie Therese Guirgis (“On Her Shoulders“).
Continue reading ‘Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings Of Miami’ Trailer: New Doc Series Revisits Miami’s Drug War at The Playlist.
- 7/22/2021
- by Brynne Ramella
- The Playlist
Netflix dealt the trailer for Billy Corben’s “Cocaine Cowboys” docuseries on Wednesday, and we’re hooked.
“Let the games begin,” as one of Augusto “Willy” Falcon’s defense counsel, Bobby Wells, appropriately puts it in the preview video.
“Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami” will tell the story of South Florida traffickers indicted in one of the largest drug cases in U.S. history. The show will debut on Netflix on Aug. 4, 15 years after Corben’s original “Cocaine Cowboys” film opened in 2006. Corben released the first sequel to the film, “Cocaine Cowboys 2,” in 2008 and a second, “Cocaine Cowboys: Reloaded,” in 2014.
Below is Netflix’s description for the “Kings of Miami” docuseries.
Alleged to be the chief U.S. distributors for two of Colombia’s biggest cartels, Cuban exiles Falcon and Salvador “Sal” Magluta were accused of smuggling over 75 tons of cocaine into the U.S. in the 1980s. The...
“Let the games begin,” as one of Augusto “Willy” Falcon’s defense counsel, Bobby Wells, appropriately puts it in the preview video.
“Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami” will tell the story of South Florida traffickers indicted in one of the largest drug cases in U.S. history. The show will debut on Netflix on Aug. 4, 15 years after Corben’s original “Cocaine Cowboys” film opened in 2006. Corben released the first sequel to the film, “Cocaine Cowboys 2,” in 2008 and a second, “Cocaine Cowboys: Reloaded,” in 2014.
Below is Netflix’s description for the “Kings of Miami” docuseries.
Alleged to be the chief U.S. distributors for two of Colombia’s biggest cartels, Cuban exiles Falcon and Salvador “Sal” Magluta were accused of smuggling over 75 tons of cocaine into the U.S. in the 1980s. The...
- 7/21/2021
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
“30 for 30: The U” director Billy Corben has set a new installment in his “Cocaine Cowboys” documentary saga, this one a docuseries at Netflix, the streaming service said Wednesday.
“Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami” will tell the story of South Florida traffickers indicted in one of the largest drug cases in U.S. history. The show will debut on Netflix on Aug. 4, 15 years after Corben’s original “Cocaine Cowboys” film debuted in 2006. Corben released the first sequel to the film, “Cocaine Cowboys 2,” in 2008 and a second, “Cocaine Cowboys: Reloaded,” in 2014.
Here’s Netflix’s description for the “Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami” docuseries: “Alleged to be the chief U.S. distributors for two of Colombia’s biggest cartels, Cuban exiles Augusto ‘Willy’ Falcon and Salvador ‘Sal’ Magluta were accused of smuggling over 75 tons of cocaine into the U.S. in the 1980s. The high school friends built a...
“Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami” will tell the story of South Florida traffickers indicted in one of the largest drug cases in U.S. history. The show will debut on Netflix on Aug. 4, 15 years after Corben’s original “Cocaine Cowboys” film debuted in 2006. Corben released the first sequel to the film, “Cocaine Cowboys 2,” in 2008 and a second, “Cocaine Cowboys: Reloaded,” in 2014.
Here’s Netflix’s description for the “Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami” docuseries: “Alleged to be the chief U.S. distributors for two of Colombia’s biggest cartels, Cuban exiles Augusto ‘Willy’ Falcon and Salvador ‘Sal’ Magluta were accused of smuggling over 75 tons of cocaine into the U.S. in the 1980s. The high school friends built a...
- 7/14/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
In today’s TV news roundup, ABC and the Television Academy announce additional special guest appearances during the 72nd Emmy Awards, and HBO Max debuts a trailer for “The Murders at White House Farm.”
Dates
HBO Documentary Films will release “537 Votes,” a film chronicling the journey toward the contested outcome of the 2000 presidential election, on Oct. 21. From director Billy Corben, producer Alfred Spellman and executive producers Todd Schulman at Hyperobject Industries and Adam McKay, the documentary traces the history of how an international custody battle in Miami-Dade County, Fla. swayed the election’s outcome, resulting in a win for George W. Bush by a mere 537 votes. “537 Votes” will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max.
Bravo will premiere its new late-night series, “Bravo’s Chat Room,” featuring hosts Hannah Berner (“Summer House”), Gizelle Bryant (“The Real Housewives of Potomac”), Kate Chastain (“Below Deck”) and Porsha Williams (“The Real Housewives of Atlanta...
Dates
HBO Documentary Films will release “537 Votes,” a film chronicling the journey toward the contested outcome of the 2000 presidential election, on Oct. 21. From director Billy Corben, producer Alfred Spellman and executive producers Todd Schulman at Hyperobject Industries and Adam McKay, the documentary traces the history of how an international custody battle in Miami-Dade County, Fla. swayed the election’s outcome, resulting in a win for George W. Bush by a mere 537 votes. “537 Votes” will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max.
Bravo will premiere its new late-night series, “Bravo’s Chat Room,” featuring hosts Hannah Berner (“Summer House”), Gizelle Bryant (“The Real Housewives of Potomac”), Kate Chastain (“Below Deck”) and Porsha Williams (“The Real Housewives of Atlanta...
- 9/18/2020
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- Variety Film + TV
There is plenty of reason to worry about what may happen on election night, what with an expected uptick in mail-in voting, concerns over suppression in key swing states and President Donald Trump already declaring that the results will be rigged if he doesn’t win.
HBO is giving a reminder of what a disputed election looks like, as it debuts the documentary 537 Votes on Oct. 21.
The project, directed by Billy Corben, will look at how the custody battle over Elian Gonzalez helped trigger what happened in Florida, where George W. Bush led by just 537 votes, triggering a recount. The documentary will focus on Miami-Dade County, with interviews with operatives like Roger Stone, Joe Geller and Al Cardenas.
Adam McKay and Todd Schulman are executive producers, and Corben and Alfred Spellman are producers.
Corben said in a statement that the “Miami of today is the America of tomorrow,” while McKay...
HBO is giving a reminder of what a disputed election looks like, as it debuts the documentary 537 Votes on Oct. 21.
The project, directed by Billy Corben, will look at how the custody battle over Elian Gonzalez helped trigger what happened in Florida, where George W. Bush led by just 537 votes, triggering a recount. The documentary will focus on Miami-Dade County, with interviews with operatives like Roger Stone, Joe Geller and Al Cardenas.
Adam McKay and Todd Schulman are executive producers, and Corben and Alfred Spellman are producers.
Corben said in a statement that the “Miami of today is the America of tomorrow,” while McKay...
- 9/18/2020
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO Documentary Films on Friday said it will debut “537 Votes,” a new feature documentary chronicling the political machinations that lead to the unprecedented, contested outcome of the 2000 presidential election, on October 21.
The 2000 presidential election led to a chaotic voter recount in Florida that ended with George W. Bush winning by a razor-thin margin.
The documentary, from director Billy Corben and his producing partner Alfred Spellman with Adam McKay and Todd Schulman at Hyperobject Industries executive producing, will be debut on HBO and HBO Max.
“Usually, important movies that people need to see can feel like medicine, but Billy and Alfred are simply incapable of being anything but entertaining and funny,” McKay said in a statement. “When we heard they were making a film with a uniquely Miami perspective on the 2000 recount, we really wanted to support it in any way possible.”
“537 Votes” details how the international custody battle over 6-year...
The 2000 presidential election led to a chaotic voter recount in Florida that ended with George W. Bush winning by a razor-thin margin.
The documentary, from director Billy Corben and his producing partner Alfred Spellman with Adam McKay and Todd Schulman at Hyperobject Industries executive producing, will be debut on HBO and HBO Max.
“Usually, important movies that people need to see can feel like medicine, but Billy and Alfred are simply incapable of being anything but entertaining and funny,” McKay said in a statement. “When we heard they were making a film with a uniquely Miami perspective on the 2000 recount, we really wanted to support it in any way possible.”
“537 Votes” details how the international custody battle over 6-year...
- 9/18/2020
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
Two weeks before the 2020 election, HBO will air a documentary about the Florida recount in the 2000 presidential contest that tipped the outcome to George W. Bush.
The film, 537 Votes, comes from director Billy Corben (The U, Cocaine Cowboys) and his producing partner, Alfred Spellman, is executive produced by Adam McKay, who has an overall deal with HBO. The documentary, which premieres Oct. 21, offers a Miami-centric take on the controversy, which HBO has previously dramatized in its Emmy-winning 2008 movie Recount.
“Usually, important movies that people need to see can feel like medicine, but Billy and Alfred are ...
The film, 537 Votes, comes from director Billy Corben (The U, Cocaine Cowboys) and his producing partner, Alfred Spellman, is executive produced by Adam McKay, who has an overall deal with HBO. The documentary, which premieres Oct. 21, offers a Miami-centric take on the controversy, which HBO has previously dramatized in its Emmy-winning 2008 movie Recount.
“Usually, important movies that people need to see can feel like medicine, but Billy and Alfred are ...
- 9/18/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Two weeks before the 2020 election, HBO will air a documentary about the Florida recount in the 2000 presidential contest that tipped the outcome to George W. Bush.
The film, 537 Votes, comes from director Billy Corben (The U, Cocaine Cowboys) and his producing partner, Alfred Spellman, and is executive produced by Adam McKay, who has an overall deal with HBO. The documentary, which premieres Oct. 21, offers a Miami-centric take on the controversy, which HBO has previously dramatized in its Emmy-winning 2008 movie Recount.
“Usually, important movies that people need to see can feel like medicine, but Billy and Alfred ...
The film, 537 Votes, comes from director Billy Corben (The U, Cocaine Cowboys) and his producing partner, Alfred Spellman, and is executive produced by Adam McKay, who has an overall deal with HBO. The documentary, which premieres Oct. 21, offers a Miami-centric take on the controversy, which HBO has previously dramatized in its Emmy-winning 2008 movie Recount.
“Usually, important movies that people need to see can feel like medicine, but Billy and Alfred ...
- 9/18/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Screwball is a true-crime story documentary about the Biogenesis scandal that shook Major League Baseball to its core. But there’s one unique twist: child actors are used in all of the re-enactments, transforming the whole story into a deranged comedy. Miami-based filmmakers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman are Florida-centric in their filmography, so it would […]
The post ‘Screwball’ Filmmakers Explain Why They Used Child Actors in Their Hilarious True-Crime Doc [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Screwball’ Filmmakers Explain Why They Used Child Actors in Their Hilarious True-Crime Doc [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 3/28/2019
- by Danielle Solzman
- Slash Film
In baseball and comedy, the term “screwball” has roughly the same meaning — something that breaks in a wildly unexpected direction. Or a series of them, in the case of director Billy Corben’s new documentary Screwball, which shines a light on the comedy of errors that led to the 2013 Biogenesis scandal, arguably the biggest in Major League Baseball history. Named for the Miami-area clinic where an unlicensed doctor dispensed performance-enhancing drugs to a variety of athletes, the affair blew up after a whistleblower walked off with boxes of medical records...
- 3/27/2019
- by Alex Bhattacharji
- Rollingstone.com
Greenwich Entertainment announced on Friday, along with rakontur, that Greenwich has acquired U.S. rights to Billy Corben’s “Screwball.”
“Screwball” is a surreal documentary detailing the Alex Rodriguez/Biogenesis Major League Baseball doping scandal.
The film made its world premiere to rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival and recently played at DocNYC.
Also Read: 'Rbg' and 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' Among 166 Documentaries Submitted for Oscars
“Billy Corben’s wildly entertaining doc is his latest look at a perverse pursuit of the American Dream,” Greenwich’s Andy Bohn said in a statement.
Penned by Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys”) and David Cypkin, Screwball is a true-crime dramedy investigating Mlb’s infamous doping scandal involving a nefarious clinician and his most famous client: Former New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez.
Corben and Alfred Spellman produced under their rakontur banner. Greenwich is planning a theatrical release in the spring...
“Screwball” is a surreal documentary detailing the Alex Rodriguez/Biogenesis Major League Baseball doping scandal.
The film made its world premiere to rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival and recently played at DocNYC.
Also Read: 'Rbg' and 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' Among 166 Documentaries Submitted for Oscars
“Billy Corben’s wildly entertaining doc is his latest look at a perverse pursuit of the American Dream,” Greenwich’s Andy Bohn said in a statement.
Penned by Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys”) and David Cypkin, Screwball is a true-crime dramedy investigating Mlb’s infamous doping scandal involving a nefarious clinician and his most famous client: Former New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez.
Corben and Alfred Spellman produced under their rakontur banner. Greenwich is planning a theatrical release in the spring...
- 11/17/2018
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
In today’s film news roundup, “Screwball” is getting a domestic release in the spring, Brian Goldsmith re-ups at Lionsgate, horror novel “Snowblind” is in the works as a film, and “Room 13” has been cast.
Acquisition
Greenwich Entertainment has acquired U.S. rights to baseball doping documentary “Screwball” and plans a theatrical release to coincide with the start of the Major League Baseball season in April.
The film, directed by Billy Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys”), centers on the Alex Rodriguez/Biogenesis doping scandal, which broke in 2013 when several Mlb players were accused of obtaining performance-enhancing drugs such as human growth hormone from the now-defunct rejuvenation clinic Biogenesis of America.
“Screwball” premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival and recently played at DocNYC. Corben and Alfred Spellman produced under their Rakontur banner.
“Billy Corben’s wildly entertaining doc is his latest look at a perverse pursuit of the American Dream,...
Acquisition
Greenwich Entertainment has acquired U.S. rights to baseball doping documentary “Screwball” and plans a theatrical release to coincide with the start of the Major League Baseball season in April.
The film, directed by Billy Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys”), centers on the Alex Rodriguez/Biogenesis doping scandal, which broke in 2013 when several Mlb players were accused of obtaining performance-enhancing drugs such as human growth hormone from the now-defunct rejuvenation clinic Biogenesis of America.
“Screwball” premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival and recently played at DocNYC. Corben and Alfred Spellman produced under their Rakontur banner.
“Billy Corben’s wildly entertaining doc is his latest look at a perverse pursuit of the American Dream,...
- 11/17/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Greenwich Entertainment has secured U.S. distribution rights to the Billy Corben-helmed documentary Screwball, which explored the 2013 Alex Rodriguez doping scandal. The docu had its world premiere at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, and Greenwich is aiming for a theatrical release in the spring of 2019 to coincide with the start of the new Mlb season.
The film, written by Corben and David Cypkin, followed Major League Baseball’s infamous doping scandal involving a nefarious clinician and his most famous client: the New York Yankees’ Rodriguez.
Corben and Alfred Spellman produced the pic via their rakontur banner.
30West, whose projects currently include the awards-season pics Colette, Destroyer and Ben Is Back, negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers with Greenwich. The distributor most recently released the climbing docu Free Solo.
The film, written by Corben and David Cypkin, followed Major League Baseball’s infamous doping scandal involving a nefarious clinician and his most famous client: the New York Yankees’ Rodriguez.
Corben and Alfred Spellman produced the pic via their rakontur banner.
30West, whose projects currently include the awards-season pics Colette, Destroyer and Ben Is Back, negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers with Greenwich. The distributor most recently released the climbing docu Free Solo.
- 11/16/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael Stahl-David‘s career is going to pot! (That’s funny ’cause the show’s about weed.)
The Person of Interest and My Generation actor has landed a starring role in TNT’s Jerry Bruckheimer-produced untitled drama pilot about the Florida drug trade in the 1970s.
Stahl-David, who recently guest-starred on New Girl as a love interest for Zooey Deschanel’s Jess, will play Bobby Nickel, a charismatic, brilliant and driven man who came from nothing and quickly learned to make his own rules. Now a husband, father and successful pot runner working for a local Cuban drug lord,...
The Person of Interest and My Generation actor has landed a starring role in TNT’s Jerry Bruckheimer-produced untitled drama pilot about the Florida drug trade in the 1970s.
Stahl-David, who recently guest-starred on New Girl as a love interest for Zooey Deschanel’s Jess, will play Bobby Nickel, a charismatic, brilliant and driven man who came from nothing and quickly learned to make his own rules. Now a husband, father and successful pot runner working for a local Cuban drug lord,...
- 11/24/2014
- TVLine.com
Game of Thrones
Production on the fifth season of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" continues in Croatia with the town of Sibenik appearing to be turned into scenes from the city of Braavos. Actors Maisie Williams, Mark Gatiss, Roger Ashton-Griffiths and Ian Beattie have been spotted in costume filming their scenes, head to Jutarnji for more photos.
Season 4 Spoilers Ahead.... In other 'Thrones' news, actor Charles Dance has revealed to MTV that Tywin Lannister will appear on the show in some capacity next year - likely a flashback: "I'm not completely missing out on the new series. More than that I'm not going to say."
Tyrant
FX has officially renewed its Middle Eastern dynasty drama "Tyrant" for a thirteen-episode, second season. Filming will begin in the spring ahead of a premiere next summer.
"Tyrant" averaged 5.1 million total viewers in its first season, but critically remained steady throughout its run, and pulled...
Production on the fifth season of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" continues in Croatia with the town of Sibenik appearing to be turned into scenes from the city of Braavos. Actors Maisie Williams, Mark Gatiss, Roger Ashton-Griffiths and Ian Beattie have been spotted in costume filming their scenes, head to Jutarnji for more photos.
Season 4 Spoilers Ahead.... In other 'Thrones' news, actor Charles Dance has revealed to MTV that Tywin Lannister will appear on the show in some capacity next year - likely a flashback: "I'm not completely missing out on the new series. More than that I'm not going to say."
Tyrant
FX has officially renewed its Middle Eastern dynasty drama "Tyrant" for a thirteen-episode, second season. Filming will begin in the spring ahead of a premiere next summer.
"Tyrant" averaged 5.1 million total viewers in its first season, but critically remained steady throughout its run, and pulled...
- 9/19/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
In what might be the most colorful official temporary title in recent memory, TNT has given a pilot order to “Untitled Cocaine Project.” Bonus: It’s from mega-producers Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer, along with Jonathan Littman, Billy Corben, and Alfred Spellman.
The pitch: “A serialized character drama that brings the audience into the captivating, wild and unpredictable world of the Florida drug trade in the 1970s.” The pilot was written by Michelle Ashford (Masters of Sex).
The project was originally set up at HBO and is based on Corben and Spellman’s 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys (which was also the...
The pitch: “A serialized character drama that brings the audience into the captivating, wild and unpredictable world of the Florida drug trade in the 1970s.” The pilot was written by Michelle Ashford (Masters of Sex).
The project was originally set up at HBO and is based on Corben and Spellman’s 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys (which was also the...
- 9/18/2014
- by James Hibberd
- EW - Inside TV
Continuing to reinforce its classification as the black TV network that isn't referred to as a black TV network, VH1 teamed up with filmmakers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman and author, advertising executive, and record executive Steve Stoute for a 4-part documentary series based on Stoute's best-selling book, The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy. Titled The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop, the 4-parter gives audiences a thorough examination of hip-hop as a cultural movement, whose profound influence in music, film, television, fashion, business, race relations and politics eventually paved the way for the...
- 2/28/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Trailer For VH1's 4-Part Doc Series 'The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop' (Coming 2/24)
Continuing to reinforce its classification as the black TV network that isn't referred to as a black TV network, VH1 has teamed up with filmmakers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman and author, advertising executive, and record executive Steve Stoute for a 4-part documentary series based on Stoute's best-selling book, The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy. To be titled The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop, the 4-parter will give audiences what the press release describes as a thorough examination of hip-hop as a cultural movement, whose profound influence in music, film, television, fashion, business, race...
- 2/11/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
VH1 has marked a February 2014 premiere for its latest “rock doc,” although it’s rap and not rock music that’s at the center of this 4-part documentary. The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop, based on Steve Stoute’s bestseller The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created A Culture That Rewrote The Rules Of The New Economy, takes a trip down memory lane to examine how hip-hop culture influenced music, film, television, fashion, business, race relations and the politics that opened the door for Obama’s America. “Tanning” in this case is a phrase coined by Stoute for the deep-rooted influence traditionally African-American hip-hop has had on pop culture from The Jeffersons to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, to Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing to Eminem’s 8 Mile. Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys, 30 for 30‘s Broke and The U) directed the docu with Alfred Spellman producing,...
- 10/30/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Continuing to reinforce its classification as the black TV network that isn't referred to as a black TV network, VH1 is teaming up with filmmakers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman and author, advertising executive, and record executive Steve Stoute for a 4-part documentary series based on Stoute's best-selling book, The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy. To be titled The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop, the 4-parter will give audiences what the press release describes as a thorough examination of hip-hop as a cultural movement, whose profound influence in music, film, television, fashion, business, race relations...
- 10/30/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Investigators are still interviewing witnesses over allegations singer Chris Brown stole a fan's iPhone in South Beach February 29, according to Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
"B****, you ain’t going to put that on no website," the volatile star reportedly said after 24-year-old Miami resident Christal Shanae Spann took a photo of Brown sitting in his black Bentley outside the nightclub Cameo. Spann told police Brown then snatched her iPhone and drove off, prompting police to submit evidence to the state on one count of "robbery by sudden snatching."
But more than five weeks have passed with no arrest warrant issued, and Rundle said Thursday in a statement that interviews of witnesses provided by Brown's attorney have yet to take place:
"In our investigation of the Chris Brown incident, we have taken the statements of our local witnesses and have just finished discussing with the lead Miami Beach Detective...
"B****, you ain’t going to put that on no website," the volatile star reportedly said after 24-year-old Miami resident Christal Shanae Spann took a photo of Brown sitting in his black Bentley outside the nightclub Cameo. Spann told police Brown then snatched her iPhone and drove off, prompting police to submit evidence to the state on one count of "robbery by sudden snatching."
But more than five weeks have passed with no arrest warrant issued, and Rundle said Thursday in a statement that interviews of witnesses provided by Brown's attorney have yet to take place:
"In our investigation of the Chris Brown incident, we have taken the statements of our local witnesses and have just finished discussing with the lead Miami Beach Detective...
- 3/29/2012
- by Janie Campbell
- Huffington Post
Just days after Magnolia Pictures inked a deal to release Jiro Dreams Of Sushi, which is also making its world premier at the Tribeca Film Fest this week, they have also picked up Limelight, a new documentary by Billy Corben that tells the story of the former New York City club kingpin, Peter Gatien. Magnolia purchased the world wide release rights from rakontur, a small media studio owned by Corben and his partner, Alfred Spellman. They aim to have the film out in theaters by August. Gist: Peter Gatien started in the early 1970s as a jean retail store entrepreneur in his hometown of Cornwall, Ontario, and grew into one of the most prominent nightclub moguls in the Us, owning not only The Limelight, but Club USA, Tunnel and Palladium as well, all of which were home to countless illegal activities. Gatien was eventually shut down and deported back to Canada for tax evasion,...
- 4/25/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
"Limelight" director Billy Corben and producers Jen Gaiten and Alfred Spellman celebrate the world premiere of their new documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival. The trio had more of a reason to celebrate after Magnolia announced that morning that it would be releasing the film theatrically in August. This is the Rakontur filmmakers' second world premiere in two months, an occasion marked by an after-party at New York City's Bowery Hotel. [Photo and caption by Daniel Loria]...
- 4/23/2011
- Indiewire
Magnolia Pictures has acquired all world rights to "Limelight," a documentary about notorious nightclub owner Peter Gatien, from Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman's rakontur. "Limelight" makes its world premiere tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival; Magnolia has already targeted an August theatrical release. Directed by Corben and produced by Jen Gatien, Corben and Spellman, "Limelight" profiles Peter Gatien’s rise and fall in the world of NYC nightspot dominance as owner ...
- 4/22/2011
- Indiewire
The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival continued into its opening weekend and another one of its titles landed with a buyer. Magnolia Pictures acquired all world rights to the documentary Limelight, the story of New York nightclub owner and Onatario native Peter Gatien from director Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys) and producer Alfred Spellman. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Corben revealed how Gatien, complete with his trademark eyepatch, dominated New York nightlife in the ‘80s as the owner of Limelight, Tunnel, Palladium and Club USA.
- 4/22/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival continued into its opening weekend and another one of its titles landed with a buyer. Magnolia Pictures acquired all world rights to the documentary Limelight, the story of New York nightclub owner and Onatario native Peter Gatien from director Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys) and producer Alfred Spellman. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Corben revealed how Gatien, complete with his trademark eyepatch, dominated New York nightlife in the ‘80s as the owner of Limelight, Tunnel, Palladium and Club USA.
- 4/22/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival continued into its opening weekend and another one of its titles landed with a buyer. Magnolia Pictures acquired all world rights to the documentary Limelight, the story of New York nightclub owner and Onatario native Peter Gatien from director Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys) and producer Alfred Spellman. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Corben revealed how Gatien, complete with his trademark eyepatch, dominated New York nightlife in the ‘80s as the owner of Limelight, Tunnel, Palladium and Club USA.
- 4/22/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival continued into its opening weekend and another one of its titles landed with a buyer. Magnolia Pictures acquired all world rights to the documentary Limelight, the story of New York nightclub owner and Onatario native Peter Gatien from director Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys) and producer Alfred Spellman. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Corben revealed how Gatien, complete with his trademark eyepatch, dominated New York nightlife in the ‘80s as the owner of Limelight, Tunnel, Palladium and Club USA.
- 4/22/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
A look at what's new on DVD this week:
"Fubar: Balls to the Wall"
Directed by Michael Dowse
Released by Screen Media Films
Following up the 2002 cult comedy about lifelong metalhead pals Terry and Dean, this sequel, which recently premiered to much acclaim at SXSW, finds the duo down on their luck when they decide to head up north to work in the oil industry, but when their best laid plans go awry, Dean attempts to get on worker's comp, leading to the kind of exploits best enjoyed with a cold beer.
"Born to Raise Hell" (2011)
Directed by Darren Shahlavi
Released by Paramount
Steven Seagal not only stars as an Interpol agent named Samuel Axel in this Dtv thriller, but also wrote the script, so you know it has to be good. In it, Axel must bring down a gun trafficking ring in the Balkans where the stakes become personal...
"Fubar: Balls to the Wall"
Directed by Michael Dowse
Released by Screen Media Films
Following up the 2002 cult comedy about lifelong metalhead pals Terry and Dean, this sequel, which recently premiered to much acclaim at SXSW, finds the duo down on their luck when they decide to head up north to work in the oil industry, but when their best laid plans go awry, Dean attempts to get on worker's comp, leading to the kind of exploits best enjoyed with a cold beer.
"Born to Raise Hell" (2011)
Directed by Darren Shahlavi
Released by Paramount
Steven Seagal not only stars as an Interpol agent named Samuel Axel in this Dtv thriller, but also wrote the script, so you know it has to be good. In it, Axel must bring down a gun trafficking ring in the Balkans where the stakes become personal...
- 4/19/2011
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
"We're not one-hit wonders, but we might be one-trick ponies," jokes director Billy Corben during a rainy morning at the New York City offices of Magnolia Pictures. If Corben's aside has any truth in it, it's because that one-trick pony has enough material for an entire career. In 2001, University of Miami alums Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman were invited to Sundance as the youngest filmmakers in the festival's history. ...
- 4/15/2011
- indieWIRE - People
"We're not one-hit wonders, but we might be one-trick ponies," jokes director Billy Corben during a rainy morning at the New York City offices of Magnolia Pictures. If Corben's aside has any truth in it, it's because that one-trick pony has enough material for an entire career. In 2001, University of Miami alums Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman were invited to Sundance as the youngest filmmakers in the festival's history. ...
- 4/15/2011
- Indiewire
"We're not one-hit wonders but we might be one-trick ponies," jokes director Billy Corben during a rainy morning at the New York City offices of Magnolia Pictures. If Corben's aside has any truth in it, it's because that one-trick pony has enough material for an entire career. In 2001, University of Miami alums Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman were invited to Sundance as the youngest filmmakers in the festival's history. ...
- 4/15/2011
- indieWIRE - People
I’ve been a fan of Billy Corben, Alfred Spellman and their Miami-based production company Rakontur since the highly entertaining documentary Cocaine Cowboys premiered in 2005 at the Tribeca Film Festival. Their latest, Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja recently had its world premiere at South By Southwest, and The Film Stage sat down with director Corben, producer Spellman, producer/researcher Lindsay Snell, and a member of the film’s infamous Black Tuna Gang chronicled in the film, straight out of jail – Robert Platshorn.
After a film festival and college tour, the film will be released on DVD (April 19th) and Video on Demand (April 22nd) by Magnolia Pictures. Rakontur’s next film, Limelight will follow in Cocaine Cowboy’s footsteps, premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival next month.
Tfs: Thanks for sitting down with us – your stories from your first film Raw Deal: A Question of Consent to Cocaine Cowboys...
After a film festival and college tour, the film will be released on DVD (April 19th) and Video on Demand (April 22nd) by Magnolia Pictures. Rakontur’s next film, Limelight will follow in Cocaine Cowboy’s footsteps, premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival next month.
Tfs: Thanks for sitting down with us – your stories from your first film Raw Deal: A Question of Consent to Cocaine Cowboys...
- 3/22/2011
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: After being dormant for the past 2 years, the Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay-produced drama project for HBO Cocaine Cowboys is shifting into high gear with a new writer. Michelle Ashford (The Pacific) has been tapped to write a new pilot script for the potential drama series inspired by Billy Corben's 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys, about the rise of the cocaine trade and the resulting crime epidemic that swept Miami in the 1970s and 1980s. The HBO project, from Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television, will not feature characters from the documentary but will borrow from its portrayal of the events of the illegal drug trade in Miami during that time frame. Corben and Alfred Spellman, partners in rakontur, which produced the documentary, are executive producing the HBO drama with Bruckheimer, Bay and Jonathan Littman. KristieAnne Reed is co-executive producing. Bruckheimer and Bay, who have worked together on...
- 3/10/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Magnolia Pictures announced Tuesday the acquisition of global rights to "Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja," Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman's documentary about South Floridian pot smuggling in the 1970s. Corben and Spellman are best known for the TV docu-series "Cocaine Cowboys," as well as the Espn "30 for 30" installment "The U," which chronicled the Miami Hurricane football dynasty. The film will make its debut at SXSW, then be distributed by Magnolia later this year. Here's the full Magnolia announcement: Magnolia Pictures Acquires World Rights to Marijuana Doc Square Grouper: The Godfathers Of...
- 2/8/2011
- The Wrap
Magnolia Pictured has picked up world rights to the documentary "Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja," from Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman, the filmmakers behind "Cocaine Boys" and Espn's "The U," ahead of its world premiere at SXSW. "Square Grouper" tells three separate stories to present a portrait of South Florida's pot smuggling culture in the 1970s. "Billy and Alfred have struck gold again with 'Square Grooper.' They are consistently ...
- 2/8/2011
- Indiewire
In this day and age, it's difficult for men to agree on much of anything, but we all feel that the Miami Hurricanes are the greatest college football team of all time. Yeah? A new feature-length doc entitled The U about the University of Miami's equal parts legendary and notorious football program more than upholds this notion. As the latest entry in Espn's 30 for 30 showcase, The U joins other sports documentaries made by reputable and well known filmmakers the likes of Peter Berg, Barry Levinson and forthcoming ones by Morgan Freeman and Jeff Tremaine of Jackass. After the jump is a choice clip from The U and an interview with its producer, Alfred Spellman, who has made a name for himself alongside pal and U director, Billy Corben, with their Miami-based production company rakontur. Spellman discusses his doc, and the team itself within a historical and cultural context. He also...
- 12/16/2009
- by Hunter Stephenson
- Slash Film
Magnolia Pictures
As sensational as "Scarface" and a lot livelier than that "Miami Vice" movie, "Cocaine Cowboys" is a documentary by Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman that vividly traces Miami's trajectory from sleepy retirement mecca to Blow Central, USA.
It might share its title with a 1979 Jack Palance-Andy Warhol clunker, but the newer film, with its colorful cast of real-life characters and a deliberately frenetic "coked-up" editing style, has the feel of a narrative feature, complete with a two-hour running time.
Of course, it also doesn't hurt to have Jan Hammer doing your soundtrack, but the end result makes for some very intriguing viewing.
Invaded by Colombia's powerful Medellin Cartel in the late 1970s, Florida's then wide-open shoreline made way for a $20 billion annual cocaine business, triggering a violent turf war responsible for tripling Miami's homicide rate by the early 1980s.
While Miami has since undergone yet another metamorphosis as an ultra-glam celebrity hotspot, Corben and Spellman, who previously helmed 2002's controversial "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent," maintain that its gleaming skyline stands as a lingering monument to all the drug money that snowed down on the city.
Although their story could have been told a bit more concisely, they get a lot of good stuff out of their talking heads, primarily those belonging to Jon Roberts, a transplanted New Yorker who figures he moved more than $2 billion worth of cocaine for the cartel; Mickey Munday, a pilot who smuggled more than 10 tons of coke from Colombia to the U.S.; and Jorge "Rivi" Ayala, a charismatic contract killer still doing time for his numerous hits.
Ironically, the most fascinating figure doesn't even appear on camera, save for a handful of archival photographs. Griselda Blanco, aka "La Madrina" aka "The Godmother" aka "Black Widow", casts a fearsome shadow as the Colombian "queenpin" who was credited with single-handedly sparking Miami's bloody drug wars.
It is a safe bet she would have made mincemeat out of Tony Montana and his little friend. ...
As sensational as "Scarface" and a lot livelier than that "Miami Vice" movie, "Cocaine Cowboys" is a documentary by Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman that vividly traces Miami's trajectory from sleepy retirement mecca to Blow Central, USA.
It might share its title with a 1979 Jack Palance-Andy Warhol clunker, but the newer film, with its colorful cast of real-life characters and a deliberately frenetic "coked-up" editing style, has the feel of a narrative feature, complete with a two-hour running time.
Of course, it also doesn't hurt to have Jan Hammer doing your soundtrack, but the end result makes for some very intriguing viewing.
Invaded by Colombia's powerful Medellin Cartel in the late 1970s, Florida's then wide-open shoreline made way for a $20 billion annual cocaine business, triggering a violent turf war responsible for tripling Miami's homicide rate by the early 1980s.
While Miami has since undergone yet another metamorphosis as an ultra-glam celebrity hotspot, Corben and Spellman, who previously helmed 2002's controversial "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent," maintain that its gleaming skyline stands as a lingering monument to all the drug money that snowed down on the city.
Although their story could have been told a bit more concisely, they get a lot of good stuff out of their talking heads, primarily those belonging to Jon Roberts, a transplanted New Yorker who figures he moved more than $2 billion worth of cocaine for the cartel; Mickey Munday, a pilot who smuggled more than 10 tons of coke from Colombia to the U.S.; and Jorge "Rivi" Ayala, a charismatic contract killer still doing time for his numerous hits.
Ironically, the most fascinating figure doesn't even appear on camera, save for a handful of archival photographs. Griselda Blanco, aka "La Madrina" aka "The Godmother" aka "Black Widow", casts a fearsome shadow as the Colombian "queenpin" who was credited with single-handedly sparking Miami's bloody drug wars.
It is a safe bet she would have made mincemeat out of Tony Montana and his little friend. ...
- 10/27/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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