The Irish accent is consistently voted one of the most attractive in the world, yet even some of the world’s finest actors have trouble with it. Leonardo DiCaprio tried, as did Julia Roberts (twice), and dare we even mention Brad Pitt?
Today (17 March) marks St Patrick’s Day, and if you have no pub and/or beer plans, why not experience the next best thing: reminiscing about the wonkiest Irish accents in film history.
Relatively new to this great lineage of bad accents is Wild Mountain Thyme, a romantic drama released in the UK in early 2021 and so inexplicable that even literal Irish actors seemed to speak with fake Irish accents in it.
Such is the evil power of this particular bit of fakery, though – Hollywood’s bastardised visions of Ireland so all-encompassing and destructive that few can survive it.
To celebrate this most Irish of days, we’ve...
Today (17 March) marks St Patrick’s Day, and if you have no pub and/or beer plans, why not experience the next best thing: reminiscing about the wonkiest Irish accents in film history.
Relatively new to this great lineage of bad accents is Wild Mountain Thyme, a romantic drama released in the UK in early 2021 and so inexplicable that even literal Irish actors seemed to speak with fake Irish accents in it.
Such is the evil power of this particular bit of fakery, though – Hollywood’s bastardised visions of Ireland so all-encompassing and destructive that few can survive it.
To celebrate this most Irish of days, we’ve...
- 3/17/2023
- by Adam White
- The Independent - Film
Despite amassing more than 70 credits, this year’s recipient of the Camerimage Lifetime Achievement Award, Philippe Rousselot, shows no signs of stopping. As he tells Variety from his house in Brittany, he just can’t.
“Once you have piled up enough films, the decision is made. They needed to give this award to someone and I am very glad to accommodate,” he jokes. “Other people want us to retire, but it’s never a personal decision among DPs. We never stop working. We can’t get enough of it!”
Counting a BAFTA and two Césars among his many accolades, Rousselot was also nominated for an Academy Award three times, winning for Robert Redford’s “A River Runs Through It” in 1992.
“I was at the Oscar ceremony when ‘Hope and Glory’ was nominated. Of course we didn’t win. I asked John Boorman: ‘What is the importance of this award?...
“Once you have piled up enough films, the decision is made. They needed to give this award to someone and I am very glad to accommodate,” he jokes. “Other people want us to retire, but it’s never a personal decision among DPs. We never stop working. We can’t get enough of it!”
Counting a BAFTA and two Césars among his many accolades, Rousselot was also nominated for an Academy Award three times, winning for Robert Redford’s “A River Runs Through It” in 1992.
“I was at the Oscar ceremony when ‘Hope and Glory’ was nominated. Of course we didn’t win. I asked John Boorman: ‘What is the importance of this award?...
- 11/13/2020
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Ahead of Hulu’s adaptation starring Elisabeth Moss and Joseph Fiennes, Audible has released a special edition of Margaret Atwood’s modern classic, The Handmaid’s Tale.
The audio version -- out today -- of the dystopian tale about the lives of oppressed women living in a totalitarian theocracy in a near-future version of New England is read by Emmy-winning actress Claire Danes. In addition to actress’ steady narration, the Audible exclusive edition of The Handmaid’s Tale extends the novel beyond the original final line, “Are there any questions?,” with a new afterword from Atwood as well as an essay written by author Valerie Martin (Mary Reilly).
More: Eddie Redmayne Narrates 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' -- Listen Now!
Indeed, there are many questions that readers have and that are often asked of Atwood: Is The Handmaid’s Tale a feminist novel? Is it anti-religious? And, is it...
The audio version -- out today -- of the dystopian tale about the lives of oppressed women living in a totalitarian theocracy in a near-future version of New England is read by Emmy-winning actress Claire Danes. In addition to actress’ steady narration, the Audible exclusive edition of The Handmaid’s Tale extends the novel beyond the original final line, “Are there any questions?,” with a new afterword from Atwood as well as an essay written by author Valerie Martin (Mary Reilly).
More: Eddie Redmayne Narrates 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' -- Listen Now!
Indeed, there are many questions that readers have and that are often asked of Atwood: Is The Handmaid’s Tale a feminist novel? Is it anti-religious? And, is it...
- 4/4/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Here at Et, we love an anniversary -- whether it’s the 20th anniversary of Scream or Clueless, 10 years in the life of The Hills or the magical time making No Doubt’s Magic Kingdom 20 years later. And as we settle in 2017, it’s time to look ahead at all those upcoming moments that will have you saying, “I remember when…”
Here’s a brief look at our favorite TV and film milestones of 2017:
Jan. 25, 2002: A Walk to Remember (15 Years)
While fans are crying over Mandy Moore’s Golden Globe-nominated performance on NBC’s hit new series This Is Us, it was just 15 years ago that they cried over her performance in the weepy adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ book about a girl with cancer who falls in love with a rebellious classmate.
Let’s not also forget that 2002 gave us Naomie Harris in 28 Days Later, Barbershop, Ryan Gosling in Murder by Numbers, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, [link...
Here’s a brief look at our favorite TV and film milestones of 2017:
Jan. 25, 2002: A Walk to Remember (15 Years)
While fans are crying over Mandy Moore’s Golden Globe-nominated performance on NBC’s hit new series This Is Us, it was just 15 years ago that they cried over her performance in the weepy adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ book about a girl with cancer who falls in love with a rebellious classmate.
Let’s not also forget that 2002 gave us Naomie Harris in 28 Days Later, Barbershop, Ryan Gosling in Murder by Numbers, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, [link...
- 1/1/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
From comical to quizzical to outright offensive, these 12 film and TV actors could’ve really used a dialect coach! Dick Van Dyke, “Mary Poppins”Widely acknowledged as one of the worst accents in film history—even by the actor himself—this cockney imitation strikes the only foul note in the Disney classic. But Van Dyke performs Bert with such charm, it’s easy to forgive the bloke. Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”Yes, Bates is one of our most talented actors, but even performers of her caliber fall victim to muddled dialects. Her bearded lady from Baltimore in Season 4 of “Ahs” wandered, accent-wise, somewhere between the South and possibly Canada. Don Cheadle, “Ocean’s Eleven”Although Cheadle says he worked hard to master a cockney accent for his role as munitions expert Basher Tarr in this classic heist remake, we can’t help feeling it’s a...
- 9/10/2015
- backstage.com
When Johnny Depp‘s mustache comedy “Mortdecai” brought in less than $5 million on opening weekend, it marked the A-list actor’s fifth straight box office bomb. But he’s far from the only top billed actor to endure a tanker or two.
The 51-year-old film star and his co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor and Olivia Munn are in fact in very good company.
Also Read: 19 Biggest Box-Office Bombs and Bummers in 2014: From ‘The Giver’ to ‘Winter’s Tale’ (Photos)
From Brad Pitt (“Fight Club”) to Cameron Diaz (“The Box”) to Jamie Foxx (“Stealth”), nearly every high-profile actor has suffered...
The 51-year-old film star and his co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor and Olivia Munn are in fact in very good company.
Also Read: 19 Biggest Box-Office Bombs and Bummers in 2014: From ‘The Giver’ to ‘Winter’s Tale’ (Photos)
From Brad Pitt (“Fight Club”) to Cameron Diaz (“The Box”) to Jamie Foxx (“Stealth”), nearly every high-profile actor has suffered...
- 1/28/2015
- by Travis Reilly and Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Eric Cantona to head the 24th Dinard British Film Festival jury, which will also include actress Star Trek Into Darkness actress Alice Eve, actor Toby Jones and Oscar-winning producer David Parfitt
The Dinard British Film Festival has announced its full line-up of British films and the jury who will judge this year’s competition section.
As well as more than 30 British films being screened from Oct 2-6, programmed by festival director Hussam Hindi for festival president Sylvie Mallet, the festival will celebrate the work of director of photography Phillippe Rousselot and the films of acclaimed actor Toby Jones.
As previously announced, professional footballer-turned-actor Eric Cantona will be the jury president. Jury members from France and the UK include:
Actress Alice EveActor Toby JonesOscar-winning producer David ParfittActor Michael SmileyScreenwriter Natalie CarterDirector Fred CavayéActor Hippolyte Girardot Director/screenwriter Amanda Sthers
The films in competition for the Golden Hitchcock Award, which the jury will consider, include:
Everyone...
The Dinard British Film Festival has announced its full line-up of British films and the jury who will judge this year’s competition section.
As well as more than 30 British films being screened from Oct 2-6, programmed by festival director Hussam Hindi for festival president Sylvie Mallet, the festival will celebrate the work of director of photography Phillippe Rousselot and the films of acclaimed actor Toby Jones.
As previously announced, professional footballer-turned-actor Eric Cantona will be the jury president. Jury members from France and the UK include:
Actress Alice EveActor Toby JonesOscar-winning producer David ParfittActor Michael SmileyScreenwriter Natalie CarterDirector Fred CavayéActor Hippolyte Girardot Director/screenwriter Amanda Sthers
The films in competition for the Golden Hitchcock Award, which the jury will consider, include:
Everyone...
- 9/6/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
So many actors have tried, and so many actors have failed. Accents have long proven to be one of the hardest things to hone when it comes to a film role. While Irish seems to be the most challenging of dialects to lock down, there are also other accents — even American — that have yet to be mastered in cinema.
Playing a Serbian posing as a Bosnian in the upcoming "Killing Season," John Travolta is going a rare route. It's debatable whether he can pull it off, but he doesn't have to worry about sounding all sorts of wrong if he's in the company of these actors with the worst movie accents.
15. Gabourey Sidibe, 'Tower Heist' (2011)
Playing a maid with a knack for cracking safes, Sidibe didn't initially plan on her character having a Jamaican accent. But "Tower Heist" director Brett Ratner requested it, and even with the use of a dialect coach,...
Playing a Serbian posing as a Bosnian in the upcoming "Killing Season," John Travolta is going a rare route. It's debatable whether he can pull it off, but he doesn't have to worry about sounding all sorts of wrong if he's in the company of these actors with the worst movie accents.
15. Gabourey Sidibe, 'Tower Heist' (2011)
Playing a maid with a knack for cracking safes, Sidibe didn't initially plan on her character having a Jamaican accent. But "Tower Heist" director Brett Ratner requested it, and even with the use of a dialect coach,...
- 7/8/2013
- by Joanna Varikos
- NextMovie
Feature Simon Brew 28 Jun 2013 - 07:11
Ever watched a big movie, and stopped with a jolt when a star of a British sitcom pops up? Us too...
This feature is all the fault of the late Richard Marner. As the incompetent Colonel in 'Allo 'Allo, he built a performance that was indelible in our eyes. Thus, when he turned up in a big Hollywood thriller as the President of Russia, we unsuccessfully stifled a guffaw. A big guffaw.
And it got us thinking: what other times has a British sitcom star appeared out of the blue in a big movie, causing a sedentary double take from the comfort of our local Odeon? Glad you asked.
Two things. Firstly, this isn't designed to be a complete list, and also, we've covered films made after the actor or actress confirmed rose to prominence in a sitcom. Oh, and another thing: none of...
Ever watched a big movie, and stopped with a jolt when a star of a British sitcom pops up? Us too...
This feature is all the fault of the late Richard Marner. As the incompetent Colonel in 'Allo 'Allo, he built a performance that was indelible in our eyes. Thus, when he turned up in a big Hollywood thriller as the President of Russia, we unsuccessfully stifled a guffaw. A big guffaw.
And it got us thinking: what other times has a British sitcom star appeared out of the blue in a big movie, causing a sedentary double take from the comfort of our local Odeon? Glad you asked.
Two things. Firstly, this isn't designed to be a complete list, and also, we've covered films made after the actor or actress confirmed rose to prominence in a sitcom. Oh, and another thing: none of...
- 6/27/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Cameron Diaz's much ridiculed bid to sound Texan rodeo star is the latest in a resonant cinematic tradition of feeble phonemes
Gambit has attracted plenty of brickbats, but one complaint might have surprised yesteryear's filmgoers. Cameron Diaz plays an over-the-top rodeo queen, so she weighs in with a wacky Texan accent. What's wrong with that? Well, it isn't quite the way that Texans actually speak. Her effort is "insufferable" according to Guanabee.com; it had BuzzSugar "cringing".
Sadly, California–born Diaz has form when it comes to mangling the speech of the southern states. The moral dilemma film The Box was set in Richmond, Virginia. For this, Diaz laid on what a Brit might have thought an unobjectionable southern accent. The city guide Black Book heard things differently. "It's that generic cornpone drawl that Hollywood would usually have us believe everyone below the Mason-Dixon line speaks," the magazine fumed.
Gambit has attracted plenty of brickbats, but one complaint might have surprised yesteryear's filmgoers. Cameron Diaz plays an over-the-top rodeo queen, so she weighs in with a wacky Texan accent. What's wrong with that? Well, it isn't quite the way that Texans actually speak. Her effort is "insufferable" according to Guanabee.com; it had BuzzSugar "cringing".
Sadly, California–born Diaz has form when it comes to mangling the speech of the southern states. The moral dilemma film The Box was set in Richmond, Virginia. For this, Diaz laid on what a Brit might have thought an unobjectionable southern accent. The city guide Black Book heard things differently. "It's that generic cornpone drawl that Hollywood would usually have us believe everyone below the Mason-Dixon line speaks," the magazine fumed.
- 11/27/2012
- by David Cox
- The Guardian - Film News
The nominees for this year’s Möet British Independent Film Awards were announced earlier this month, celebrating the best and most promising talents in the British film industry over the past year.
The ceremony itself is to be held on 9th December, and the joint directors of the awards, Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, have announced that the recipients of The Richard Harris Award and The Variety Award will be Sir Michael Gambon and Jude Law, respectively.
The Richard Harris Award is held in recognition of an outstanding contribution to British film by an actor, and very much deservedly earned by Gambon, who took over from the late Richard Harris, himself, as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series. He will soon be seen in Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut, Quartet, starring alongside the likes of Dame Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, and Sheridan Smith, which...
The ceremony itself is to be held on 9th December, and the joint directors of the awards, Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, have announced that the recipients of The Richard Harris Award and The Variety Award will be Sir Michael Gambon and Jude Law, respectively.
The Richard Harris Award is held in recognition of an outstanding contribution to British film by an actor, and very much deservedly earned by Gambon, who took over from the late Richard Harris, himself, as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series. He will soon be seen in Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut, Quartet, starring alongside the likes of Dame Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, and Sheridan Smith, which...
- 11/22/2012
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
For many a young rising star, there comes the time to prove their worth at the ever-enigmatic box office all on their own. Any young gun can co-star in a successful feature with a proven star by his or her side (see potential stars Chris Pine and Ryan Reynolds ride Denzel’s coattails in Unstoppable and Safe House, respectively). To prove your name is valuable above a film’s title, you must lead it, meaning you are both the film’s star and the film’s marketing campaign. At some point (usually early on), these ambitious pseudo-celebs must go for it, headlining a somewhat small, but significant, studio picture in the hopes of finding an audience they’ve been told by their agents and managers they have already built.
Sometimes its works. Other times, it does not. In honor of the currently-in-theaters Premium Rush, led by the potentially-bankable star Joseph Gordon-Levitt,...
Sometimes its works. Other times, it does not. In honor of the currently-in-theaters Premium Rush, led by the potentially-bankable star Joseph Gordon-Levitt,...
- 8/28/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
It's curious that a director as idiosyncratic and...well, just plain weird as Tim Burton has become one of Hollywood's A-listers. But from 1989's "Batman" to 2010's billion-dollar-grossing "Alice in Wonderland," the helmer has managed to turn his dark, gothic imagination into something that genuinely captures the hearts and minds of the general public. Indeed, even films like "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and the upcoming "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," which are produced by Burton, show that he, like Alfred Hitchcock before him, has become one of the few directors who's a true brand name, with audiences knowing what they can expect when they purchase a ticket.
But despite his success, Burton, like every filmmaker, isn't necessarily able to get everything he wants made. The path of his career has been littered with a number of projects that either didn't get made at all, or got made with radically different interpretations and visions to them.
But despite his success, Burton, like every filmmaker, isn't necessarily able to get everything he wants made. The path of his career has been littered with a number of projects that either didn't get made at all, or got made with radically different interpretations and visions to them.
- 5/11/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
Our columnist defends Tim Burton's comedic re-imagining of the vampire soap.
By John Mitchell
Johnny Depp in "Dark Shadows"
Photo: Warner Bros
The first trailer for Tim Burton's big-screen adaptation of the late-'60s/ early-'70s vampire soap opera "Dark Shadows" dropped Thursday, and it has sharply divided fans.
In one corner are "Shadows" purists, who seem none too pleased with the director's decision to re-imagine the campy but deadly serious soap as a gonzo comedy. In the other corner are more casual fans and Burton enthusiasts, who are seeing shades of "Beetlejuice" and "Edward Scissorhands" and loving it.
I'm on the record as falling in the latter category. I grew up on reruns of the original soap (yeah, I was a weird kid) and also loved NBC's short-lived prime-time reboot in the early '90s. If the original series was a true-to-genre soap opera (just, you know,...
By John Mitchell
Johnny Depp in "Dark Shadows"
Photo: Warner Bros
The first trailer for Tim Burton's big-screen adaptation of the late-'60s/ early-'70s vampire soap opera "Dark Shadows" dropped Thursday, and it has sharply divided fans.
In one corner are "Shadows" purists, who seem none too pleased with the director's decision to re-imagine the campy but deadly serious soap as a gonzo comedy. In the other corner are more casual fans and Burton enthusiasts, who are seeing shades of "Beetlejuice" and "Edward Scissorhands" and loving it.
I'm on the record as falling in the latter category. I grew up on reruns of the original soap (yeah, I was a weird kid) and also loved NBC's short-lived prime-time reboot in the early '90s. If the original series was a true-to-genre soap opera (just, you know,...
- 3/16/2012
- MTV Movie News
Our columnist defends Tim Burton's comedic re-imagining of the vampire soap.
By John Mitchell
Johnny Depp in "Dark Shadows"
Photo: Warner Bros
The first trailer for Tim Burton's big-screen adaptation of the late-'60s/ early-'70s vampire soap opera "Dark Shadows" dropped Thursday, and it has sharply divided fans.
In one corner are "Shadows" purists, who seem none too pleased with the director's decision to re-imagine the campy but deadly serious soap as a gonzo comedy. In the other corner are more casual fans and Burton enthusiasts, who are seeing shades of "Beetlejuice" and "Edward Scissorhands" and loving it.
I'm on the record as falling in the latter category. I grew up on reruns of the original soap (yeah, I was a weird kid) and also loved NBC's short-lived prime-time reboot in the early '90s. If the original series was a true-to-genre soap opera (just, you know,...
By John Mitchell
Johnny Depp in "Dark Shadows"
Photo: Warner Bros
The first trailer for Tim Burton's big-screen adaptation of the late-'60s/ early-'70s vampire soap opera "Dark Shadows" dropped Thursday, and it has sharply divided fans.
In one corner are "Shadows" purists, who seem none too pleased with the director's decision to re-imagine the campy but deadly serious soap as a gonzo comedy. In the other corner are more casual fans and Burton enthusiasts, who are seeing shades of "Beetlejuice" and "Edward Scissorhands" and loving it.
I'm on the record as falling in the latter category. I grew up on reruns of the original soap (yeah, I was a weird kid) and also loved NBC's short-lived prime-time reboot in the early '90s. If the original series was a true-to-genre soap opera (just, you know,...
- 3/16/2012
- MTV Music News
David Cronenberg analyses the pioneering work of Jung and Freud in this engrossing and thought-provoking drama
David Cronenberg has long been recognised as a prime exponent of the psychological thrillers known as body horror movies, stories of terror involving parasites, metamorphoses, diseases, decomposition and physical wounds, such as Shivers, Videodrome, Naked Lunch and his version of The Fly. Now, as he approaches 70, an enfant terrible turned cinematic elder statesman operating from the Canadian fringe of the cultural mainstream, he has stood back from the visceral fray.
His engrossing, admirably acted new film, A Dangerous Method, takes an objective, historical look at the early days of psychoanalysis and the people, notably Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, who provided us with the conceptual framework and language for discussing the phenomena and experiences he has been dramatising over the past 40 years.
Helping him in this enterprise is the British playwright and screenwriter Christopher Hampton,...
David Cronenberg has long been recognised as a prime exponent of the psychological thrillers known as body horror movies, stories of terror involving parasites, metamorphoses, diseases, decomposition and physical wounds, such as Shivers, Videodrome, Naked Lunch and his version of The Fly. Now, as he approaches 70, an enfant terrible turned cinematic elder statesman operating from the Canadian fringe of the cultural mainstream, he has stood back from the visceral fray.
His engrossing, admirably acted new film, A Dangerous Method, takes an objective, historical look at the early days of psychoanalysis and the people, notably Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, who provided us with the conceptual framework and language for discussing the phenomena and experiences he has been dramatising over the past 40 years.
Helping him in this enterprise is the British playwright and screenwriter Christopher Hampton,...
- 2/12/2012
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
Telluride 2011, Day 3
After being a no-show yesterday, Wim Wenders graciously made up for his trespass by coming in at 7am for the regularly scheduled student meetup in order to give the Q&A he was originally on the books for. I had a question about Pina‘s ediitng which was to open with an admission that I strongly disliked the film at first thanks to its unusual juxtaposition of performance footage with testimonials – but I never got the chance; after an initial question about the creation of Pina, Wenders went on to describe the film’s origins and conceptual shifts in painstaking detail – taking up virtually all of his time with us. Still, there was something deeply inspiring about Wenders and Pina Bausch’s decades-long friendship, and his moment of revelation when he realized that 3D technology would allow him to do her work justice – though bringing about that vision...
After being a no-show yesterday, Wim Wenders graciously made up for his trespass by coming in at 7am for the regularly scheduled student meetup in order to give the Q&A he was originally on the books for. I had a question about Pina‘s ediitng which was to open with an admission that I strongly disliked the film at first thanks to its unusual juxtaposition of performance footage with testimonials – but I never got the chance; after an initial question about the creation of Pina, Wenders went on to describe the film’s origins and conceptual shifts in painstaking detail – taking up virtually all of his time with us. Still, there was something deeply inspiring about Wenders and Pina Bausch’s decades-long friendship, and his moment of revelation when he realized that 3D technology would allow him to do her work justice – though bringing about that vision...
- 9/5/2011
- by Simon Howell
- SoundOnSight
It's been a while since we've heard from director David Cronenberg. But he's back, with Viggo Mortensen in tow, with a new film called A Dangerous Method.
A Dangerous Method is a somewhat-speculative historical drama concerning the relationship of famed psychiatrists Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. While this seems like an unusual topic for Cronenberg, as you'll see in the trailer embedded below this flick seems to contain some of Cronenberg's favorite themes: complex human relationships and outré sexuality.
The flick was written by Christopher Hampton and is based on his play The Talking Cure, which was based on John Kerr's book A Most Dangerous Method. Academy Award winner Hampton is well versed in historical dramas, having written Dangerous Liaisons, Mary Reilly, Total Eclipse and Atonement, among others.
This is Mortenson's third film in a row with Cronenberg. Other cast members include Keira Knightly, as the woman who complicates the shrinks' relationship,...
A Dangerous Method is a somewhat-speculative historical drama concerning the relationship of famed psychiatrists Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. While this seems like an unusual topic for Cronenberg, as you'll see in the trailer embedded below this flick seems to contain some of Cronenberg's favorite themes: complex human relationships and outré sexuality.
The flick was written by Christopher Hampton and is based on his play The Talking Cure, which was based on John Kerr's book A Most Dangerous Method. Academy Award winner Hampton is well versed in historical dramas, having written Dangerous Liaisons, Mary Reilly, Total Eclipse and Atonement, among others.
This is Mortenson's third film in a row with Cronenberg. Other cast members include Keira Knightly, as the woman who complicates the shrinks' relationship,...
- 6/23/2011
- by Theron
- Planet Fury
Sometimes the what-could-have-been films that we dream up in our head far exceed what we're presented with on screen. As studios see it necessary to insert predictable subplots of romance, or try to push a blank slate protagonist on us, we let the better parts of a film become obscured. Perhaps there isn't enough time to explore the secondary characters and stories, and perhaps their limited time on screen makes them all the more memorable, but we still want more.
Attempting to ignore poor acting performances, the following movies provoke us to wonder what they'd be like without the main character moreso than without the headline actor. While this character certainly changes the context and events within the film, I'd like to believe these movies could still exist without too much alteration.
1. Mary Reilly -- Julia Roberts
Gambon. Malkovich. Michael Sheen. Directed by Stephen Frears (High Fidelity, The Queen). An...
Attempting to ignore poor acting performances, the following movies provoke us to wonder what they'd be like without the main character moreso than without the headline actor. While this character certainly changes the context and events within the film, I'd like to believe these movies could still exist without too much alteration.
1. Mary Reilly -- Julia Roberts
Gambon. Malkovich. Michael Sheen. Directed by Stephen Frears (High Fidelity, The Queen). An...
- 3/25/2011
- by Dustin Rowles
It is that time of year again when Dread Central pays its respects to those who have worked in our beloved genre and made it to the red carpet on Oscar night 2011. The genre was in rare form when it came to the nominations. Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan was up for the gold in multiple categories (best picture, best actress, cinematography, and direction); even The Wolfman was on the short-list for best make-up. And win we did.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves because therein lie the gems of VHS past for a large share of both the winners and folks who were nominated. Highlights include a win for Melissa Leo (nominated two years ago for Frozen River), whom we remember best as Judith 'MaMa' Baer in Deadtime Stories. And who could forget Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho? My fellow fright fiends, he brought home the gold last night.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves because therein lie the gems of VHS past for a large share of both the winners and folks who were nominated. Highlights include a win for Melissa Leo (nominated two years ago for Frozen River), whom we remember best as Judith 'MaMa' Baer in Deadtime Stories. And who could forget Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho? My fellow fright fiends, he brought home the gold last night.
- 3/1/2011
- by Heather Buckley
- DreadCentral.com
Stephen Frears has been doing the directing thing (jobs are things) for quite some time. Looking at the man’s resume, you see plenty of genres and sub-genres; historical drama (The Queen), seedy thriller (Dirty Pretty Things) and break-up comedy (High Fidelity). And just so you definitely get the point, he also has a dash of horror (Mary Reilly) and a con-story (The Grifters) on his resume, and hey, there is more – but you get the idea He’s not scared of wide genre-jumping, and I’m not afraid of talking very informally in my interview write ups (Oh, and I’m not afraid of getting self-aware in my writing).
Read more on Video Interview: Tamara Drewe director Stephen Frears…...
Read more on Video Interview: Tamara Drewe director Stephen Frears…...
- 11/6/2010
- by Rusty Gordon
- GordonandtheWhale
The Telluride Film Festival kicked off Friday with a number of films that had already screened at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Two of them were Sony Classics' titles: "Tamara Drewe" and Charles Ferguson's "Inside Job." One of the biggest revelations after watching the incredibly entertaining "Drewe" is just how much Stephen Frears has become one of my favorite directors. After the "Dangerous Liasons" and "The Grifters" helmer had a few unfortunate missteps in the mid-90s ("Hero," "Mary Reilly"), Frears has been on something of a renaissance recently with "The Queen," the incredibly underrated "Cheri" (don't get me started) and, now, "Tamara Drewe." ...
- 9/4/2010
- Hitfix
Stephen Frears is an amused connoisseur. I can't dispute his estimate that the less money he's had at risk on a venture, the better it ends up
Inasmuch as he will be 70 next year, and is a national treasure, I suspect some honours list will notice Stephen Frears soon. Of course, it is possible in his humble, muttering self-effacement that he wouldn't hear of such a distinction (I think there's a republican in there). On the other hand, he did make The Queen (with writer Peter Morgan and pretender Helen Mirren), the most sophisticated public relations boost Hrh has had in 20 years, and all the more affectionate because it was wry and a bit of a tease.
By now, it is taken for granted that Frears – whom I count as a friend – gets away with nearly anything he cares to try, and as he grows older, he is less conventional and obvious.
Inasmuch as he will be 70 next year, and is a national treasure, I suspect some honours list will notice Stephen Frears soon. Of course, it is possible in his humble, muttering self-effacement that he wouldn't hear of such a distinction (I think there's a republican in there). On the other hand, he did make The Queen (with writer Peter Morgan and pretender Helen Mirren), the most sophisticated public relations boost Hrh has had in 20 years, and all the more affectionate because it was wry and a bit of a tease.
By now, it is taken for granted that Frears – whom I count as a friend – gets away with nearly anything he cares to try, and as he grows older, he is less conventional and obvious.
- 9/2/2010
- by David Thomson
- The Guardian - Film News
From My Beautiful Laundrette to The Queen and his latest, the much-praised Tamara Drewe, the director boasts a reputation for impatience as well as one of the most diverse outputs of any British film-maker. Famously interview-shy, he talks here of his dislike of agents, the glory days of the BBC, and why he is no auteur
Not liking to be interviewed probably starts with the reluctance to submit yourself to an alien, unpredictable critical gaze, but in Stephen Frears's case it has flowered into a bizarre art form. He'll answer questions in fits and starts, gnomically, in obscure one-liners or by means of silences punctuated by cigarette puffs or plaintive grunts. Always courteous and welcoming, he would just rather you didn't ask questions. "Have you got enough?" he asks at the end of a session, in the full knowledge that you haven't. So you arrange to meet him again...
Not liking to be interviewed probably starts with the reluctance to submit yourself to an alien, unpredictable critical gaze, but in Stephen Frears's case it has flowered into a bizarre art form. He'll answer questions in fits and starts, gnomically, in obscure one-liners or by means of silences punctuated by cigarette puffs or plaintive grunts. Always courteous and welcoming, he would just rather you didn't ask questions. "Have you got enough?" he asks at the end of a session, in the full knowledge that you haven't. So you arrange to meet him again...
- 8/14/2010
- by Nick Fraser
- The Guardian - Film News
Subject: Julia Fiona Roberts, 42-year old American actress
Date of Assessment: August 13, 2010
Positive Buzzwords: Friends in high places, Oscar, romcom
Negative Buzzwords: Overrated, self-important, romcom
The Case: Let's get this out of the way upfront -- I just don't like Julia Roberts, but I do concede that diplomacy would be better served by supporting one of the few Hollywood actresses who has passed the age of 40 and hasn't been shuffled off towards the nearest assisted-living facility. Yet the simple fact remains that I'm one of the few who still doesn't quite grasp how Roberts' performance in Erin Brockovich resulted in an Academy Award for Best Actress (although it's rather impressive that this award coincided with a $20 million salary). No one has ever heard me head off towards the theater while shouting, "Hey look, it's Julia Roberts!" And when Spielberg cast her as Tinkerbell in Hook? Don't even get me started.
Date of Assessment: August 13, 2010
Positive Buzzwords: Friends in high places, Oscar, romcom
Negative Buzzwords: Overrated, self-important, romcom
The Case: Let's get this out of the way upfront -- I just don't like Julia Roberts, but I do concede that diplomacy would be better served by supporting one of the few Hollywood actresses who has passed the age of 40 and hasn't been shuffled off towards the nearest assisted-living facility. Yet the simple fact remains that I'm one of the few who still doesn't quite grasp how Roberts' performance in Erin Brockovich resulted in an Academy Award for Best Actress (although it's rather impressive that this award coincided with a $20 million salary). No one has ever heard me head off towards the theater while shouting, "Hey look, it's Julia Roberts!" And when Spielberg cast her as Tinkerbell in Hook? Don't even get me started.
- 8/13/2010
- by Agent Bedhead
It looks like Timur Bekmambetov. director of Wanted and Kazahkstan's most valuable film export that isn't actually a British comedian, is attaching himself to The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein, a re-telling of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein tale that was written by Peter Ackroyd and released last October in novel form. To the official description, since I can't be troubled to speed-read novels based on tweets by Production Weekly:Peter Ackroyd’s imagination dazzles in this brilliant novel written in the voice of Victor Frankenstein himself. Mary Shelley and Shelley are characters in the novel. When two nineteenth-century Oxford students–Victor Frankenstein, a serious researcher, and the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley–form an unlikely friendship, the result is a tour de force that could only come from one of the world’s most accomplished and prolific authors. This haunting and atmospheric novel opens with a heated discussion, as Shelley challenges the...
- 3/30/2010
- LRMonline.com
It’s that time of year again, kids. Dread Central’s 2010 Horror at the Oscars coverage. Horror was indeed present this year and in black-tie. While Roger Corman and Lauren Bacall were honored a few months back at the Governor’s Award Ceremony, it was an unexpected delight to see Corman, recipient of the lifetime achievement Oscar, enjoy a standing ovation on national television.
I was, however, very disappointed that neither of them were allowed to speak. Roger Corman’s contributions to modern cinema are too vast for him to just stand up and wave. James Cameron was one of many Corman acolytes present, and his nomination speaks to Corman’s tremendous legacy. On the Terminator DVD Cameron mentions, "I trained at the Roger Corman Film School.” Jonathan Demme, Martin Scorsese, and Francis Ford Coppola, among many others, were also former students.
The terror continued with a spoof of Paranormal Activity...
I was, however, very disappointed that neither of them were allowed to speak. Roger Corman’s contributions to modern cinema are too vast for him to just stand up and wave. James Cameron was one of many Corman acolytes present, and his nomination speaks to Corman’s tremendous legacy. On the Terminator DVD Cameron mentions, "I trained at the Roger Corman Film School.” Jonathan Demme, Martin Scorsese, and Francis Ford Coppola, among many others, were also former students.
The terror continued with a spoof of Paranormal Activity...
- 3/8/2010
- by Heather Buckley
- DreadCentral.com
Today's Cinematic Birthdays 11/131312 Edward III (of Windsor), not the gay one who gets more cinematic treatment (including Derek Jarman's fascinating take), but his son. This is the one Shakespeare wrote a play about and the one who Mel Gibson implied to be the bastard son of Braveheart William Wallace, thereby giving the finger to history unless Wallace's sperm could survive years past his death. That Gibson's sperm could magically endure beyond the grave is far more likely. He already has eight children.1833 Edwin Thomas Booth, famous influential thespian and the 19th century's most prominent Hamlet. He's been portrayed onscreen and stage by famous thespians like Richard Burton and Frank Langella, usually in stories connected to his estranged brother's assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Will someone play him in the Spielberg helmed Lincoln film?
Oskar, Steve and Whoopi
1897 Gertrude Omstead, one of many silent film actresses who moved on once sound hit the movies.
Oskar, Steve and Whoopi
1897 Gertrude Omstead, one of many silent film actresses who moved on once sound hit the movies.
- 11/13/2009
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Toronto – Michael Sheen never felt he was playing second fiddle as British leader Tony Blair or TV interviewer David Frost.It was simply inevitable that his characters would take a back seat to the huge personalities they were up against: Elizabeth II in "The Queen" and Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon."Sheen prefers characters who are more of a cipher, the 40-year-old actor said in an interview at September's Toronto International Film Festival, where his soccer drama "The Damned United" played in advance of its theatrical release Friday.Elizabeth and Nixon, "these are characters who don't have as much ability to cover up, so they're more transparent in some ways. So you kind of know where you are with them as an audience," Sheen said. "Whereas with the Blair character, the Frost character, it's harder to know what's really going on for them. That's what I find interesting as an actor.
- 10/9/2009
- backstage.com
Michael Sheen is an excellent interview, not that he hasn't had the practice. Coming off an acclaimed turn as journalist David Frost in last year's "Frost/Nixon," Sheen once again plays a man who sits in judgment as Brian Clough, the brash soccer manager given to tossing out bon mots like "Rome wasn't built in a day, but I wasn't on that particular job" before he's humbled by a disastrous 44-day stint in charge of the revered Leeds United squad in 1974. Although Clough spends much of "The Damned United" in the hot seat, Sheen clearly relishes playing the alternately cocky and vulnerable tactician who struggles in the shadow of his successful predecessor Don Revie (Colm Meaney) and without the help of his trusted assistant Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), who's since moved on to coach another team. Although Sheen was already comfortable on the practice pitch -- he was recruited to...
- 10/8/2009
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
In a poll by Empire magazine, fans voted Sean Connery for having the worst film accent of all time. "Whether he's a Russian sub captain (The Hunt For Red October) or even an English king (First Knight, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), always that baritone Highland burr remains," said the magazine. Coming in second is Dick Van Dyke for his awful Cockney as the chimney sweep in Disney's 1964 "Mary Poppins," starring opposite the properly-accented Julie Andrews. Actors who did not make the list were Tom Cruise for "Far and Away" and Leonardo DiCaprio for "The Blood Diamond." Top 10 list: 1. Sean Connery (Hunt for Red October) 2. Dick Van Dyke (Mary Poppins) 3. Brad Pitt (Seven Years in Tibet) 4. Charlton Heston (Touch of Evil) 5. Heather Graham (From Hell) 6. Keanu Reeves (Bram Stoker's Dracula) 7. Julia Roberts (Mary Reilly) 8. Laurence Olivier (The Jazz Singer) 9. Peter Postlethwaite (The Usual Suspects) 10. Meryl Streep (Out of Africa)...
- 8/31/2009
- WorstPreviews.com
I have a confession to make: I like Julia Roberts.
Boy, it feels good to get that off my chest, even if admitting it makes me the kind of girl that the Guardian's Jeremy Kay sees as lining up for Duplicity to remember being as "touched [as] after watching Pretty Woman for the very first time." I've always found her appealing and rather funny -- enough to even rewatch The Mexican when it was on cable a few weeks ago. (Mary Reilly, however, will forever be a no go.)
But liking Roberts seems to be a shameful thing unless you're David Letterman. Every pre-Duplicity review and article I read was prefaced with a gleeful "I've never liked Julia Roberts!" Many seemed to be rooting for her "return" to fail so they wouldn't be faced with having to type her name again. Roberts doesn't even attract pure girl hate, as many...
Boy, it feels good to get that off my chest, even if admitting it makes me the kind of girl that the Guardian's Jeremy Kay sees as lining up for Duplicity to remember being as "touched [as] after watching Pretty Woman for the very first time." I've always found her appealing and rather funny -- enough to even rewatch The Mexican when it was on cable a few weeks ago. (Mary Reilly, however, will forever be a no go.)
But liking Roberts seems to be a shameful thing unless you're David Letterman. Every pre-Duplicity review and article I read was prefaced with a gleeful "I've never liked Julia Roberts!" Many seemed to be rooting for her "return" to fail so they wouldn't be faced with having to type her name again. Roberts doesn't even attract pure girl hate, as many...
- 3/23/2009
- by Elisabeth Rappe
- Cinematical
Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer have hired Tom Hooper to direct and Christopher Hampton to write East of Eden, an adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel, report the trades. First published in 1952, East of Eden is Steinbeck's retelling of the Cain and Abel story, set in California's Salinas Valley. The multigenerational story focuses on the Trask brothers and a woman who comes between the siblings. Elia Kazan (On the Waterfront) helmed a film version of the novel in 1955 with James Dean in the lead role. Universal and Imagine first optioned Steinbeck's book in 2004, when it shot to the top of the bestseller lists right after Oprah Winfrey chose it as the first selection when she revived her book club. Ron Howard was attached to direct it and Paul Attanasio (The Good German, Quiz Show) was hired to write it. Hooper previously directed the HBO mini-series John Adams,...
- 1/14/2009
- by James Cook
- TheMovingPicture.net
Former president of Universal Pictures Ned Tanen has died. He was 77.
The Hollywood producer passed away on Monday from natural causes at his home in Santa Monica, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Tanen took the helm of two of Hollywood's biggest studios and presided over a string of huge box office hits.
In his time at Universal, from 1976 to 1982, Tanen oversaw two record box office years for the studio, with the release of Oscar winners On Golden Pond and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
He left Universal at the height of E.T.'s success, but quickly took on producing roles on a trio of Brat Pack films: The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles and St. Elmo's Fire.
He took on the head role at Paramount in 1984 and continued his stellar box office record, with hits including Top Gun and Ghost being produced by the studio under his watch.
After leaving the studio, he finished his career with producing credits on Guarding Tess, Cops and Robbersons and Mary Reilly.
Tanen started his career as a talent agent and worked with entertainers such as Neil Diamond, Elton John, Bill Cosby and Olivia Newton-John.
He moved into movies, and was propelled up the ladder after spotting the potential of huge successes Jaws and Animal House.
He is survived by his partner, Donna Dubrow, two daughters and three grandchildren.
The Hollywood producer passed away on Monday from natural causes at his home in Santa Monica, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Tanen took the helm of two of Hollywood's biggest studios and presided over a string of huge box office hits.
In his time at Universal, from 1976 to 1982, Tanen oversaw two record box office years for the studio, with the release of Oscar winners On Golden Pond and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
He left Universal at the height of E.T.'s success, but quickly took on producing roles on a trio of Brat Pack films: The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles and St. Elmo's Fire.
He took on the head role at Paramount in 1984 and continued his stellar box office record, with hits including Top Gun and Ghost being produced by the studio under his watch.
After leaving the studio, he finished his career with producing credits on Guarding Tess, Cops and Robbersons and Mary Reilly.
Tanen started his career as a talent agent and worked with entertainers such as Neil Diamond, Elton John, Bill Cosby and Olivia Newton-John.
He moved into movies, and was propelled up the ladder after spotting the potential of huge successes Jaws and Animal House.
He is survived by his partner, Donna Dubrow, two daughters and three grandchildren.
- 1/6/2009
- WENN
Ned Tanen, the former president of Universal Pictures who championed such groundbreaking filmmakers as George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis and John Hughes, died Monday of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica. He was 77.
The exec, who began his career as an agent with McA, first moved into the music business, founding Universal City Records, before joining Uni's motion picture arm. Between subsequent stints as a producer, he also served as president of Paramount's Theatrical Motion Picture Group.
Tanen was president of Universal from 1976-82. He presided over two record boxoffice years: 1980 and 1982, which included "On Golden Pond," "Coal Miner's Daughter," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial."
Born in Los Angeles on Sept. 20, 1931, Tanen graduated from UCLA in 1951 in international relations. He landed a mailroom job at McA and in 1954 was promoted to agent. During the 1960s, Tanen supervised three of McA's record labels. He created Uni Records,...
The exec, who began his career as an agent with McA, first moved into the music business, founding Universal City Records, before joining Uni's motion picture arm. Between subsequent stints as a producer, he also served as president of Paramount's Theatrical Motion Picture Group.
Tanen was president of Universal from 1976-82. He presided over two record boxoffice years: 1980 and 1982, which included "On Golden Pond," "Coal Miner's Daughter," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial."
Born in Los Angeles on Sept. 20, 1931, Tanen graduated from UCLA in 1951 in international relations. He landed a mailroom job at McA and in 1954 was promoted to agent. During the 1960s, Tanen supervised three of McA's record labels. He created Uni Records,...
- 1/5/2009
- by By Duane Byrge
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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