Film production company in United States of America
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60 episodes with Orion Pictures
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9 episodes with Orion Pictures
3 episodes with Orion Pictures
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6 episodes with Orion Pictures
3 episodes with Orion Pictures
2 episodes with Orion Pictures
Born and raised in Santa Barbara, CA, Native American (his grandfather on his father's side was full Cherokee and his grandmother on his mother's side was Mexican Indigenous) actor and stuntman, Skyler Bible, has become a familiar face whose loveable and distressed characters have been seen around the world at international festivals, streaming, and on the big screen. Best known for his role as 'Fixer' in Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett, Bible is full of creativity and passion for his craft and has dipped his toes in a variety of roles. Whether it's a begrudging officer starring with actor/director Jim Cummings' in the 2020 Orion Pictures' horror comedy The Wolf of Snow Hollow, or portraying Astronaut Richard Gordon (Apollo 12) next to Ryan Gosling in Damien Chazelle's First Man, he is no stranger to the spotlight. His characters range from goofy demons to a heart wrenched boyfriend trying connect with his love again, to a vampire hunter, to a loving husband supporting his wife through the most difficult of circumstances. In 2022, Skyler played diverse characters on TV shows including: Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett as Luke Skywalker's best friend, who stands up for what he believes in. In Fox's 911: Lonestar, a college "athlete" that thinks it's the right thing to ski on a highway, not weighing the potential life altering risks, and Ryan Murphy's Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, portraying a real-life victim Richard Guerrero, in a story that opened the world's eyes to the evils that people are capable of. You can watch on YouTube at Meisterkhan.com (Please Subscribe)
Don't Kill the Messenger with movie research expert Kevin Goetz
Send Kevin a Text MessageIn this episode of Don't Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz welcomes an industry titan-- film producer and studio executive Mike Medavoy. With a career spanning over five decades, Medavoy has been closely involved with over 300 feature films, with seven winning Best Picture Oscars. From agent to studio chief to producer, his remarkable journey from Shanghai to Hollywood has shaped some of cinema's most important films, including Rocky, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Apocalypse Now, Platoon, and Silence of the Lambs. With characteristic humility and wisdom, Medavoy shares fascinating stories from his illustrious career.Early Life and Global Upbringing (03:12)Born in Shanghai in 1941 to Russian-Ukrainian Jewish parents, Medavoy moved to Chile in 1947 before settling in California, speaking Shanghai-nese, Russian, Spanish, and English.Breaking into Hollywood (07:40)After UCLA and the US Army Reserve, Medavoy started in Universal's mailroom in 1964, making industry friendships that became the foundation of his career.From Agent to Studio Executive (11:15)Medavoy recounts transitioning from talent agent to Senior VP of Production at United Artists, where his first major film was One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.United Artists and an Unprecedented Oscar Run (16:26)At UA, Medavoy helped shepherd three consecutive Best Picture winners: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Rocky, and Annie Hall.Formation of Orion Pictures (19:43)Medavoy discusses co-founding Orion Pictures, which produced classics like Amadeus, Platoon, and The Silence of the Lambs.Stories Behind the Classics (24:26)Fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about iconic films including Platoon, Terminator, and Apocalypse Now.Advice for the Next Generation (38:56) For emerging filmmakers, Medavoy recommends "The Story of Film" as essential viewing.Throughout this conversation, Medavoy reveals himself as not just an industry treasure but a thoughtful observer of both cinema and life. His journey from immigrant roots to Hollywood exemplifies the dream many pursue but few achieve. With remarkable candor, he discusses both triumphs and regrets, offering listeners a rare glimpse into the mind of someone who has truly shaped modern cinema while remaining, as Kevin notes, "a very charming and decent human being."If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or connect on social media. We look forward to bringing you more revelations from behind the scenes next time on Don't Kill the Messenger!Host: Kevin GoetzGuest: Mike MedavoyProducer: Kari CampanoWriters: Kevin Goetz, Darlene Hayman, Nick Nunez, and Kari CampanoAudio Engineer: Gary Forbes (DG Entertainment)For more information about Mike Medavoy:Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_MedavoyIMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005219/Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Only-Good-Your-Next/dp/0743400550For more information about Kevin Goetz:Website: www.KevinGoetz360.comAudienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram: @KevinGoetz360Linked In @Kevin GoetzScreen Engine/ASI Website: www.ScreenEngineASI.com
Editors - Brett W. Bachman, ACE and Josh Ethier, ACE Long time friends, but first time co-editors, Brett and Josh are no strangers to working in the horror/thriller genre. The same can't be said for COMPANION director Drew Hancock. Not only was this film Hancock's first feature as a director, but it was also his first real foray into genre filmmaking. But that didn't stop either Brett or Josh from seeing how good this film was going to be right from the script. What they couldn't predict, was how great a working experience the whole thing would be. Written and directed by Drew Hancock, COMPANION stars Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid as a couple on a weekend getaway with friends at a remote cabin that unravels into violence amid revelations that one of the guests is what's known as a companion robot. BRETT W. BACHMAN, ACE Brett W. Bachman, ACE, is an editor of film & television with acclaimed titles such as Mandy, Pig, & The Fall of the House of Usher. He has worked with leading voices in genre film, such as Panos Cosmatos, Mike Flanagan, Josh Ruben, and Elijah Wood. Several of his feature films have premiered at renowned international festivals, including Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, and Cannes. He's also brought his talents to the small screen with numerous television and commercial projects. Recent & upcoming titles include: Companion, a thriller from writer/director Drew Hancock and New Line Cinema, Rabbit Trap starring Dev Patel, and Heart Eyes, a romcom-slasher hybrid from director Josh Ruben. Additional titles include Werewolves Within, Color Out of Space, The Toxic Avenger, The Vigil, Cooties, and many more. Bachman found his love of editing in his formative years, developing a passion for storytelling through three self-produced documentaries when he was just 19. At 22 years old, he was one of the youngest members of his AFI Conservatory editing program. Since then, he's nurtured his love of filmmaking with an array of eclectic projects as an Editor, Associate Producer, and Executive Producer JOSH ETHIER, ACE Josh Ethier is a renowned Los Angeles based film editor who has left a lasting mark on the horror, thriller and action genres; he literally wears his passion for the genres on his sleeve. His works have premiered at esteemed film festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, Tribeca Film Festival, Beyond Fest and Fantastic Fest. Ethier is most well known for his frequent collaborations with director Joe Begos, with whom he has crafted a unique, LOUD and impactful cinematic style. Their partnership has resulted in several acclaimed films, including "Bliss," a psychedelic horror film that explores the descent of an artist into madness; "VFW," a gritty, action-packed thriller about war veterans defending their local VFW post from a drug-addled gang; and most recently, "Christmas Bloody Christmas," a festive yet terrifying holiday horror film that's streaming on Shudder. These collaborations have resonated with audiences and critics alike, showcasing Ethier's ability to enhance Begos' visionary storytelling through his editing. Ethier's impressive filmography includes notable titles such as Oz Perkins' "Gretel & Hansel" for Orion Pictures and MGM, a dark reimagining of the classic fairy tale; William Brent Bell's "Orphan: First Kill," the prequel to the cult horror favorite for Paramount Pictures; Henry Dunham's "The Standoff at Sparrow Creek," a tense, dialogue-driven thriller about a mass shooting at a police funeral; and "Mayhem," a high-octane action horror film starring Steven Yeun that highlights his versatility as an editor of action and comedy. In 2021, Ethier's contributions to film editing were formally recognized when he was invited to join American Cinema Editors (ACE), an honor that signifies his standing in the industry amongst his peers. His career is marked by a commitment to excellence and a passion for storytelling, making him one of the most respected and sought-after editors in independent genre cinema. The Credits Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star in an ad asking Texas legislators to create incentives for productions to shoot in their home state. What’s behind the decision to drop the video, which pulls no punches against Hollywood, as Los Angeles seeks to rebuild after the devastating fires? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate. Plus, Masters speaks to producer Marc Platt about his Oscar nominated film, Wicked. Platt shares how his career as an entertainment lawyer led to running studios like Orion Pictures, Tristar, and Universal Pictures. He also talks about producing the original broadway production of Wicked, and the long journey that led to him hiring Jon M. Chu to direct the show’s film adaptation.
Orion Pictures wanted a 'red, white, and blue-collar Bond' in Remo Williams, but budget cuts didn't allow the movie to truly bloom. It's still a rollicking good time, even if you don't think it's as good as it was when you first saw it. Starring Fred Ward, Joel Grey, Wilford Brimley, J. A. Preston, and Kate Mulgrew.
On episode 269 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello discuss the winners of the 2025 Golden Globes and how they will impact the Oscar race. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast is brought to you by Orion Pictures' Nickel Boys, from director RaMell Ross. Nominated for five Critics Choice Awards; Best Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor for Supporting Actress, Best Director and Best Picture. Named “The best film of the year” by The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Indiewire, Boston Globe, and The New York Times. For Your Consideration in all categories including Best Picture. This podcast runs 1h45m. We will be back next week to announce our final Oscar nomination predictions. Music: “Modern Fashion” from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
Linnea Quigley returns for another interview, this time with Beverly Randolph to discuss the confusion between Steve Wolsh and Livind Dead Media's Return of the Living Dead movie that is supposed to come out next Christmas and the DragonFlix film Trash's Revenge featuring original cast members from The Return of the Living Dead including Linnea Quigley, Beverly Randolph, Thom Mathews, John Philbin, Miguel Nunez, Drew Deighan, Don Calfa, James Karen, and more! TRASH'S REVENGE: https://cinebacker.com/pre-launch/trashs-revenge-rotld-universe/ BUY MERCH FROM THE ORIGINALS: https://rotldoriginals.com/ FRUMESS is POWERED by www.riotstickers.com/frumess JOIN THE PATREON FOR LESS THAN A $2 CUP OF COFFEE!! https://www.patreon.com/Frumess
On CinemAddicts Episode 271, we review movies that are coming out December 13, 2024. New films covered include "The Man in the White Van," "Young Werther," "Nickel Boys," and "Endless Summer Syndrome." Cinema-Attic inhabitant Bruce Purkey also delivers a couple of recommends with "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," "Smile 2," and "Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branching Out." (0:00) - Intro (15:45) - The Man in the White Van arrives in theaters December 13. Photo/poster: Relativity Media. (22:18) - Young Werther hits Theaters, Digital, and On Demand 12/13. Photo/poster: Lionsgate. (32:12) - Nickel Boys hits NY December 13 and Los Angeles December 20th. More cities in subsequent weeks. Photos/poster courtesy of Orion Pictures (42:44) - Bruce Purkey is stuck in the Cinem-Attic!! (44:12) - Endless Summer Syndrome - in theaters and VOD 12/13. Photo/poster: Altered Innocence. (53:28) - The Man in the White Van (61:54) - Smile 2 (68:03) - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (72:12) - Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branching Out ***Support CinemAddicts by purchasing/renting movies using our Amazon affiliate links or our SiteStripe. ***CinemAddicts Movie Picks (worth Renting/Purchasing) include: Seven Cemeteries Dominique The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Red Rooms Take Cover For Ad-Free CinemAddicts episodes, subscribe to our CinemAddicts YouTube Channel. Like Our CinemAddicts Facebook Page Join our CinemAddicts Facebook Group for daily movie recommendations. Questions/comments on CinemAddicts email Greg Srisavasdi at info@findyourfilms.com. Our website is Find Your Film. Shop our CinemAddicts Merch store (shirts, hoodies, mugs). Interested in what book Eric Holmes is adapting into a screenplay? Check out Patera. CinemAddicts hosts: Bruce Purkey, Eric Holmes, Greg Srisavasdi Thanks to our Patreon Community 1. Ryan Smith 2. Stephen Schrock 3. Susan 4. Charles Peterson 5. Nelson B. McClintock 6. Diana Van De Kamp 7. Pete Abeyta 8. Tyler Andula 9. Stephen Mand 10. Edmund Mendez 11. Abbie Schmidt 12. Jeff Tait 13. Superfan Giovanni 14. Robert Prakash 15. Kristen 16. Chris M 17. Jeremy Chappell 18. Lewis Longshadow 19. Iver 20. Alex Clayton 21. Daniel Hulbert 22. Andrew Martin 23. Angela Clark 24. Myron Freeman 25. Kayn Kalmbach 26. Aaron Fordham 27. Tracy Peters 28. Grant Boston 29. Ken Cunningham
El 26 de octubre de 1984 se estrenó en los Estados Unidos “The Terminator”. Una película de ciencia ficción “infantil y barata” según los propios ejecutivos de Orion Pictures, pero que terminaría transformándose en una cinta de culto. Dirigida por un desconocido James Cameron, una mujer sería clave en el éxito del film: la productora Gale Ann Hurd.
This episode is sponsored by AlixPartners The Disruption Matters special podcast miniseries is back for a third season, and this year, leading industry experts discuss how private markets can best use today's technologies to create value. In this third episode, we will discuss life after the 100-day plan and that tricky middle period where effective portfolio management is paramount, especially if the company isn't growing in line with expectations. Here we'll investigate how tech and AI can be used to diagnose problems, even propose solutions, and how much the human element still matters in managing a crisis. For example, no workforce wants management relying on AI bots to sell them on a new strategic direction. Guests include Arvindh Kumar, partner and co-head of technology, private equity at EQT; Antony Edwards, managing director at PSG Equity; Neil Kalvelage, co-lead of portfolio operations team efforts at Centerbridge; and Dan Boland, partner and managing director at AlixPartners. Clips: - Magnum Force. John Milius, Robert Daily, Warner Bros, The Malpaso Company. - RoboCop. Edward Neumeier, Michael Miner, Arne Schmidt, Orion Pictures.
Scream queen Linnea Quigley gets Trash's Revenge in this Return of the Living Dead Interview where she discusses a new sort of Return of the Living Dead film that also involves Beverly Rudolph, Miguel A. Nuñez, Thom Mathews, John Philbin, Tony Gardner, and Francis Haines. CONTRIBUTE HERE to the campaign - https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/trash-s-revenge-return-of-the-living-dead-universe/coming_soon Linnea's official site - https://linnea-quigley.com/ FRUMESS is POWERED by www.riotstickers.com/frumess JOIN THE PATREON FOR LESS THAN A $2 CUP OF COFFEE!! https://www.patreon.com/Frumess
fWotD Episode 2621: RoboCop Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Monday, 8 July 2024 is RoboCop.RoboCop is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, and Miguel Ferrer. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit in the near future, RoboCop centers on police officer Alex Murphy (Weller) who is murdered by a gang of criminals and revived by the megacorporation Omni Consumer Products as the cyborg law enforcer RoboCop. Unaware of his former life, RoboCop executes a campaign against crime while coming to terms with the lingering fragments of his humanity.The film was conceived by Neumeier while working on the set of Blade Runner (1982), and he developed the idea with Miner. Their script was purchased in early 1985 by producer Jon Davison on behalf of Orion Pictures. Finding a director proved difficult; Verhoeven dismissed the script twice because he did not understand its satirical content, until he was convinced of its value by his wife. Filming took place between August and October 1986, mainly in Dallas, Texas. Rob Bottin led the special-effects team in creating practical effects, violent gore and the RoboCop costume.Verhoeven emphasized violence throughout the film, making it so outlandish that it became comical. Censorship boards believed that it was too extreme, however, and several scenes were shortened or modified to receive an acceptable theatrical rating. RoboCop was a financial success upon its release in July 1987, earning $53.4 million. Reviewers praised it as a clever action film with deeper philosophical messages and satire, but were conflicted about its extreme violence. The film was nominated for several awards, and won an Academy Award and a number of Saturn Awards.RoboCop has been critically reevaluated since its release, and it has been hailed as one of the best films of the 1980s and one of the greatest science fiction and action films ever made. The film has been praised for its depiction of a robot affected by the loss of humanity, in contrast to the stoic and emotionless robotic characters of that era. RoboCop has continued to be analyzed for its themes such as the nature of humanity, personal identity, corporate greed and corruption, and is seen as a rebuke of the era's Reaganomics policies. Its success created a franchise: the sequels RoboCop 2 (1990) and RoboCop 3 (1993), children's animated series, live-action television shows, video games, comic books, toys, clothing and other merchandise. A remake was released in 2014.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:28 UTC on Monday, 8 July 2024.For the full current version of the article, see RoboCop on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Russell.
Two movies from 1993 and the stories behind them here: both of which had their fair share of off-set drama. RoboCop 3 was supposed to be quickly followed by RoboCop 4, yet financial problems with parent company Orion Pictures led to a change of plan - not least when Orion went bankrupt. In the midst of this was an idea to make a RoboCop film with a PG-13 rating too. Boxing Helena originally attracted Madonna to the title role, but this micro-budget independent movie gained infamy not for the film itself, but for the court case that ensued when potential star Kim Basinger then dropped the project. Stories of both are told in this episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Uncommon Ambience: At the Movies, Caddyshack. Country club early morning ambience. You are amongst the well-kept grounds, and here is the sun peaking over the area flora. Water is hurling spastically. The birds are turbo-charged. Off in the distance, someone is tending to the greens of Hole 6. This week's episode focuses on the first forty-five seconds of Caddyshack. Before the mayhem and the gopher. Before Kenny Loggin's guitar. Caddyshack opens with a brief moment of intoxicating calm. A sea of stars suddenly swirl with ethereal voices. The voices aren't speaking language; they are just calling out, chanting, as the stars become a logo for Orion Pictures. And then we open to our own star rising above the Bushwood County Club. Water spurtting all about. And now a maraca is accompanying the chants. It's a lovely forty-five seconds. And the focus of this episode. Eight hours of blissful morning grounds upkeep (don't sweat the continuity issues). And no worries about being bullied out by rich people. Or threatened by a scary groundskeeper. This is pre-golf bliss. Can I go back for a second? Watch the star animation for Orion Pictures. The stars so fluidly decouple their constellation and form a circle. Yet the anchor point placement for the circling stars winds up clumsily rotating like a wagon wheel. I recognize how hard the effect must have been to accomplish in the eighties. But y'all nailed the rest of the animation, why botch it on the finale? Finally, the chanting voices. You won't find them in this weeks episode because copyrights and whatever — but if you would like to experience them in a different context, J Dilla gives the chants a starring role in “Milk Money.” Photo used in this week's movie poster graphic by Thomas Ward (Pexels).
In this episode of the TILT Parenting Podcast, I'm excited to share with you a conversation I recently had with filmmaker Tom Ropelewski. Tom is the director of the highly acclaimed documentary 2e: Twice Exceptional, which came out in 2015, and he's currently wrapping up post-production on a follow-up film, called 2e2: Teaching the Twice Exceptional. Tom's films center around Bridges Academy, a school for twice-exceptional kids in Studio City, CA that seems to have figured out the best way to meet the educational needs of these unique learners. In our conversation, Tom shares his story and personal why behind making these films, talks about the educational model at Bridges, describes how his films are helping to bring awareness of 2e kids' into the mainstream, and gives us a sneak peek at his new film coming out later this year. About Tom: Thomas Ropelewski has written and directed for both film and television. He wrote and made his feature directorial debut with the Orion Pictures comedy MADHOUSE, starring John Larroquette and Kirstie Alley. Other film credits include LOVERBOY, THE KISS, LOOK WHO'S TALKING NOW and THE NEXT BEST THING. His television work includes serving as writer/executive producer for three seasons of Paramount TV's action/sci-‐fi series SEVEN DAYS. Recently, Ropelewski produced and directed the documentary, CHILD OF GIANTS: My Journey with Maynard Dixon and Dorothea Lange. The film has been screened at film festivals, colleges and museums around the world. It has also aired on KCET/San Francisco's “Truly CA” documentary series. He currently resides in Berkeley, CA and is married to screenwriter Leslie Dixon (MRS. DOUBTFIRE, HAIRSPRAY, THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, LIMITLESS). Things You'll Learn From This Episode: Tom's personal why for creating documentaries How Bridges Academy successfully supports 2e kids The story behind Tom's film, 2e: Twice Exceptional The focus of Tom's follow-up documentary, coming in 2018: 2e2: Teaching the Twice Exceptional How Tom's documentary helped to expand general awareness of 2e / twice-exceptional Why it's critical to use a strengths-based approach when educating 2e kids Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here → https://nordvpn.com/tilt - It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hallie, Sarah, and John discuss Kirsten Dunst's 1999 filmography. Sources for this episode: True Heart Pod Me If You Can. “True Heart (1997) (PMIYC TV#179). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adASberWSiU Goss, Michael. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ActorMichaelGross/photos/ a.729466040429468/3614650078577702/?type=3 “True Heart.” TCM Database. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/522226/true-heart#overview “Orion Pictures.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_Pictures True Heart Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXN0XTRrDjDwwvZOQhavQCFIBxWj5fBRF The Devil's Arithmetic King, Susan. “Re-Creating the Scene of the Crimes.” Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar.1999. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-mar-28-tv-21700-story.html Drop Dead Gorgeous Jacobs, Matthew. “We Spent Half An Hour Talking To Allison Janney About 'Drop Dead Gorgeous': A Deep Dive On 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' With Allison Janney.” HuffPost, 24 July 2014. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/allison-janney-drop-dead-gorgeous_n_5611277 “Drop Dead Gorgeous.” Wikipedia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_Dead_Gorgeous_(film) The Virgin Suicides Coppola, Sofia. “Sofia Coppola on Making the Virgin Suicides: “When I Saw the Rough Cut I Thought: Oh No, What Have I Done?”” The Guardian, 25 Jan. 2018, www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jan/25/sofia-coppola-on-the-virgin-suicides-director-debut Cline, Emma. ““The Virgin Suicides” Still Holds the Mysteries of Adolescence.” The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2018, www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/the-virgin-suicides-still-holds-the-mysteries-of-adolescence Our theme music is "Rue Severine" by Blue Dot Sessions
When Francis Ford Coppola hired German auteur Wim Wenders to direct his first American film, little did he suspect the difficulty that film would have getting to screens. The movie was Hammett, a fictionalized account of the mystery writer Dasheill Hammett's second career as a private investigator. In real life, Hammett stuck to penning noirs but in Wenders' film he's enlisted to solve the disappearance of a San Francisco woman. The film was entirely reshot on sound stages after Orion Pictures expressed dissatisfaction with Wenders expansive shot-on-location first edit. It stars Frederic Forrest, Peter Boyle, Marilu Henner, Lydia Lei and Elisha Cook Jr. Dan and Vicky discuss the much maligned film along with plenty of recently seen including El Conde, Madam Web, The Color Purple, Nyad, Rustin, The Zone of Interest, Imaginary, and the Dune films. Check us out on all our socials: hotdatepod.com FB: Hot Date Podcast Twitter: @HotDate726 Insta: hotdatepod
You're not mistaken, @EchoChamberFP https://www.instagram.com/echochamberfp/ is back this week, and we have a 'TWO Parter' for you!!! In 'Part ONE' we have a couple of films that have just hit Prime Video. A recent Oscar winner from MRC & Orion Pictures, and a new comedy from MGM Studios, VicScreen. We also have two from Signature Entertainment, one's a book adaptation from Vertical Entertainment & Thomasville Pictures and the other is an Australian spiritual tale from Dirty Films & Screen Australia. Netflix also has a new fantasy yarn from Roth/Kirschenbaum Films, & PCMA Management and Productions. In 'Part One' we have: American Fiction Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/K-EpzGyhtNc 48th annual Toronto International Film Festival: 8th September 2023 US Theatrical Release Date: 15th December 2023 UK Theatrical Release Date: 2nd February 2024 US Digital Release Date: 6th February 2024 UK Digital Release Date: 8th March 2024 Director: Cord Jefferson Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Sterling K. Brown, Leslie Uggams, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Issa Rae, Adam Brody, Keith David, Okieriete Onaodowan, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Raymond Anthony Thomas, Miriam Shor, Michael Cyril Creighton, J. C. MacKenzie, Patrick Fischler, Ryan Richard Doyle, Skyler Wright Running Time: 117 min Cert: 15 Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/5_4RlHpqVWM?si=s7dMRi2OvcaX0yWV Website: Here. https://www.mgm.com/movies/american-fiction ------------ Ricky Stanicky Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/UUUYH2w6wG0 Digital Release Date: 7th March 2024 Director: Peter Farrelly Cast: Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino, Lex Scott Davis, Anja Savcic, John Cena, Jeff Ross, William H. Macy, Jane Badler, Nathan Jones, Debra Lawrance, Heather Mitchell, Daniel Monks, Marta Kaczmarek, Ryan Shelton, Jim Knobeloch, Zen Gesner, Marc Rebillet Running Time: 114 min Cert: 15 Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/WXpBN_31-Cw?si=_Pkn7wx7EA9PWL4m Website: Here. https://press.amazonstudios.com/us/en/original-movies/ricky-stanicky -------------- Damsel Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/WcwYc8R_pTo Digital Release Date: 8th March 2024 Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett, Brooke Carter, Nick Robinson, Robin Wright, Milo Twomey, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Patrice Naiambana, Nicole Joseph, Tasha Lim, Brogan Mcfarlane, Sonya Nisa, Esther Odumade, Margarita Ren, Eloise Shephard Taylor, Szofia Sallia, Matt Slack Running Time: 110 min Cert: 12a Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/iM150ZWovZM?si=xYTL4kLj7jv0gRbf Website: Here. https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/damsel-release-date-photos ------------ Fast Charlie Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/EEn5g4ScFeU Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF): 7th October 2023 Theatrical Release Date: 8th December 2023 US Digital Release Date: 8th December 2023 UK Digital Release Date: 15th March 2024 Director: Phillip Noyce Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin, James Caan, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Christopher Matthew Cook, David Chattam, Toby Huss, Fredric Lehne, Sharon Gless, Brennan Keel Cook, Susan Gallagher, Lindsey G. Smith, David Kallaway, Stephen Louis Grush Running Time: 90 min Cert: 15 Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/QxbCWJhdSB8 Watch via Apple TV+: Here. https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/fast-charlie/umc.cmc.5tn9hphmcpb3r90p3cpxidag6 ---------------- The New Boy Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/ZG3A9NsbW54 76th Cannes Film Festival: 19th May 2023 OZ Theatrical Release Date: 6th July 2023 UK Theatrical Release Date: 15th March 2024 Director: Warwick Thornton Cast: Aswan Reid, Cate Blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, Shane McKenzie-Brady, Tyrique Brady, Laiken Beau Woolmington, Kailem Miller, Kyle Miller, Tyzailin Roderick, Tyler Rockman Spencer, Andrew Upton, Tyson Pawley Running Time: 116 min Cert: 15 Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/iocVR6vqv4w Website: Here. https://thenewboy.info/ ---------------- *(Music) 'Da Joint' (Instrumental) by EPMD - 2020 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eftv/message
In this episode of TruVue Podcast, we review American Fiction and uncover hidden gems within the film. Join us as we delve into the story, characters, and themes of this captivating movie. If you're a fan of dark comedy, you won't want to miss this review! Cord Jefferson's hilarious directorial debut confronts our culture's obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who's fed up with the establishment profiting from "Black" entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write his own outlandish "Black" book--that propels him into the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.—MGM / Orion Pictures Join us on TruVue Podcast as we dive into the world of American Fiction and uncover hidden gems that you may have missed. We'll be discussing our thoughts and reviews of this movie, so come join in on the conversation and discover some new favorites with us! Thanks for watching! Subscribe to “TruVue Podcast” wherever you listen to podcasts and follow along on social media. We bring the barbershop to the box office. https://www.truvuepodcast.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/truvuepodcastofficial?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg== Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068470732382&mibextid=LQQJ4d Twitter: https://twitter.com/truvue_ TruVueSocial@gmail.com #americanfiction #jeffreywright #keithdavid #issarae #traceeellisross #ErikaAlexander #adambrody #JohnOrtiz #author #killers #outlaws #outlaw #western #blaxploitation #action #adventure #scifi #drama #thriller #romantic #romance #netflix #netflixrecommendation #netflixkorea #netflixreview #netflixmovies #netflixrecommendations #netflixreviews #youtubechannelgrow2023 #youtubechannelpromotion #youtubechannels #youtubechannel #youtubechannelgrow #youtubechannelgrowth #youtube #moviereview #seriesreview #truvuepodcast #blackpodcast #podcast #subscribe #subscribers #subscribetomychannel #subscriber #subscrib #podcastshow #podcasting #moviereview #truvuepodcast #blackpodcast #podcast #movie #truvue #blackpodcasters #youtube #subscribe #subscribers #subscribetomychannel #sub #subscriber #follow #followers #followme #like #likes #moviecritic #movie #movies #filmreview #film #filmcriticisms #critic #critics #channelgrow #channel #graphicnovel #graphicnovels #anime #comicbooks #thebreakfastclub #brilliantidiots #flagrant #flagrant2 #flagrantpodcast #85south #wgci #hoodcomedy #hood #hbomax #hbo #amazon #amazonprime #showtime #boxoffice #theatre #theater #hulu #hulumovies #huluoriginal #hbomax #hbo #disney #disneyplus #amazonmovies #tubi #quibi #paramount #paramountplus #max #redbox #vudu #bet #betplus #blackfilmmakers #blackhistory #mgm
We interrupt our regular programming for the first of several periodic check-ins with the X-Men's exploits on the silver screen! This "show within a show" begins with 2000's X-MEN - the movie that put comic book adaptations back on the map. Apropos of the concept itself, X-MEN's path to a theatrical debut was long and hard-fought. Plans to translate the series to film can be traced back to the early '80s, with comics creators Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas collaborating on a prospective screenplay for Orion Pictures. After Orion folded, subsequent efforts would invite interest from the likes of Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron for Carolco Pictures. Carolco's bankruptcy saw the rights revert to Marvel, and development stalled for years with the company unable to make the case for their successful comics franchise. However, impressed with the X-Men's unexpected Saturday morning dominance for Fox's children's television division, producer Lauren Shuler Donner thought it only made sense to option the property for 20th Century Fox's live action slate in 1994. The next two years brought drafts and treatments by 'SEVEN' screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, author Michael Chabon, and filmmaker Ed Solomon. The studio considered Brett Ratner, Robert Rodriguez, and Paul W.S. Anderson, but it was Bryan Singer in whom Fox believed they had found their perfect fit for director. Following Singer's hiring, a finalized script was eventually hammered out, with David Hayter receiving sole screenwriter credit (despite contributions from Solomon, Christopher McQuarrie, and Joss Whedon ending up in the onscreen product). Still, Fox was hedging their bets due to a string of critical and commercial failures by superhero adaptations in recent years, capping X-MEN's budget at $75 million (a paltry sum by today's standards). Despite some shake-ups along the way (Exit Original Wolverine and Cyclops actors Dougray Scott and Jim Caviezel, respectively), what materialized was a lean and efficient picture, brought to life by an incredibly talented - if not entirely star-studded - ensemble cast. X-MEN would overperform to the tune of $300 million worldwide, establishing itself right out of the gate as a blockbuster franchise that would carry Fox to huge box office receipts for years to come. It would likewise serve as a career-defining film series for many of its performers, themselves household names today. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe poised to make a go at recreating the magic, X-Position takes a look back at where it all began! Join Jenny, Tim, and unofficial third co-host Keithie as we break it all down. From the creative choices, the good, the bad, and the ugly one-liners, to the cast that could have been (Glenn Danzig's Wolverine? Bob Hoskins??), and even Magneto's Mutant Cave Rave, no thought shall remain unread (or unsaid).
We're here with a new @EchoChamberFP https://www.instagram.com/echochamberfp/ episode!!! Five films for you this week, starting with Paramount Pictures, Skydance, di Bonaventura Pictures revisiting everyone's favourite robots in disguise, then a couple from MGM Studios. The first is a teen coming of age comedy with Orion Pictures, and the second a sports comedy with Panoramic Media Co & SMAC Entertainment. We have an award nominated short from Neon Films, Yoruba Saxon Productions riding high on Netflix. Also on the platform is Mikros Animation, DreamWorks Animation animated story. Today we have: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/xWsolU3SHCI Marina Bay Sands: 27th May 2023 Theatrical Release Date: 9th June 2023 Digital Release Date: 26th January 2024 Director: Steven Caple Jr Cast: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Dean Scott Vazquez, Luna Lauren Vélez, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Colman Domingo, Cristo Fernández, Tongayi Chirisa, Peter Cullen, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Tobe Nwigwe, Sarah Stiles, Michael Kelly, Lucas Huarancca, Lesley Stahl, Aidan Devine, Leni Parker Running Time: 127 min Cert: 12a Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/itnqEauWQZM?si=J9U9MGfAbjnj2LfO Digital Platforms: Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube, Google, Vudu, Vubiquity, Cox, and Comcast -------------- Bottoms Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/okuBbUB4n8I South by Southwest: 11th March 2023 US Theatrical Release Date: 25th August 2023 UK Theatrical Release Date: 3rd November 2023 Digital Release Date: 28th January 2024 Director: Emma Seligman Cast: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Miles Fowler, Dagmara Domińczyk, Marshawn Lynch, Running Time: 91 min Cert: 18 Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/vH5NAahf76s?si=jnRNZEbCU3l6ax6c Digital Platforms: Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube, Google, Vudu, Vubiquity, Cox, and Comcast ------------ The Underdoggs Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/wfmSpx7a034 Digital Release Date: 29th January 2024 Director: Charles Stone III Cast: Snoop Dogg, Elias Ferguson, Tika Sumpter, Jonigan Booth, Caleb Dixon, Adan James Carrillo, Alexander Michael Gordon, Kylah Davila, Mike Epps, George Lopez, Shamori Washington, Schelle Purcell, Andrew Schulz, Kal Penn, Kandi Burruss Running Time: 96 min Cert: 15 Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/MmfiqSJAou8?si=8yHh_nVEXjoXqvTV ------------ The After Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/35Aea0Wf9NQ HollyShorts Film Festival: 10th August 2023 Digital Release Date: 25th October 2023 Director: Misan Harriman Cast: David Oyelowo, Jessica Plummer, Amelie Dokubo, Sule Rimi, Ellen Francis, Tara-Binta Collins, Izuka Hoyle, Dominique Tipper, Nikesh Patel, Ravi Singh, Ruth Sheen, Alan Williams, Dan Griffiths Running Time: 18 min Cert: 15 Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/fV8kGLfv_nc?si=57h1F-6LRGKzavBJ Watch via Netflix: Here. https://www.netflix.com/title/81460836 ---------------- Orion and the Dark Watch Review: Here. https://youtu.be/J5upeR2IvGk Digital Release Date: 2nd February 2024 Director: Sean Charmatz Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Colin Hanks, Paul Walter Hauser, Angela Bassett, Ike Barinholtz, Natasia Demetriou, Golda Rosheuvel, Nat Faxon, Aparna Nancherla, Carla Gugino, Matt Dellapina, Jack Fisher, Werner Herzog, Running Time: 91 min Cert: PG Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/cScAQ2O26Y4?si=RtVVvQYmIRNH8Ggk Watch via Netflix: Here. https://www.netflix.com/watch/81476885?trackId=200256543&tctx=0%2C0%2C8d4ae375-72d4-4922-a8a8-0b14de7d0bf7-164265866%2Cunknown%2Cunknown%2C%2C%2C%2C81476885%2CVideo%3A81476885%2CminiDpPlayButton Website: Here. https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/orion-and-the-dark-photos-release-date ---------------- *(Music) 'Da Joint' (Instrumental) by EPMD - 2020 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eftv/message
“Dead or alive, you are coming with me.”In 1987, screenwriters Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner developed an original story idea while working on the set of Blade Runner. They envisioned a dystopian future where privatized police forces maintained law and order. After pitching the concept to studios, Orion Pictures greenlit the production of RoboCop, directed by Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue the 1988 Academy Awards Best Visual Effects Nominees series with a conversation about RoboCop.Here's a hint at what we talk about:We dive into the amazing practical effects created by Rob Bottin and Phil Tippett, including RoboCop himself, ED-209, the toxic waste scenes, and more. We discuss Paul Verhoeven's unique directorial vision and how he used over-the-top violence to achieve a satirical tone. The film's sharp and funny social satire provides critical commentary on privatized policing and corporate greed that still resonates today.Here are a few other points in our discussion:Great performance from Peter Weller as Murphy/RoboCop, plus the rest of the castThe love/hate relationship with the corporate charactersHow the 2014 remake compared to the originalRoboCop is a classic sci-fi action film that struck a delicate balance between intense action and dark comedy. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!Film SundriesWatch this on Apple or Amazon, or find other places at JustWatchScript OptionsTheatrical trailerLetterboxd Visit our ORIGINALS PAGE to find source material that movies we've talked about on the shows that are part of The Next Reel's family of podcasts were based on. Books, plays, video games, even other movies and TV series! By doing so, you can find a great read or something to watch, and help us out in the process as a portion comes back our way. Enjoy!Start your own podcast journey with the best host in the business. Try TRANSISTOR today!Want to upgrade your LETTERBOXD account? Use our PROMO CODE to get a DISCOUNT and help us out in the process!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel's DISCORD channel!Here's where you can find us around the internet:The WebLetterboxdFacebookInstagramXYouTubeFlickchartCheck out poster artwork for movies we've discussed on our Pinterest pagePete AndyWe spend hours every week putting this show together for you, our dear listener, and it would sure mean a lot to us if you considered becoming a member. When you do, you get early access to shows, ad-free episodes, and a TON of bonus content. To those who already support the show, thank you. To those who don't yet: what are you waiting for?Become a Member here: $5 monthly or $55 annuallyWhat are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!You can buy TNR apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.Or buy or rent movies we've discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.Or sign up for AUDIBLE.
“Dead or alive, you are coming with me.”In 1987, screenwriters Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner developed an original story idea while working on the set of Blade Runner. They envisioned a dystopian future where privatized police forces maintained law and order. After pitching the concept to studios, Orion Pictures greenlit the production of RoboCop, directed by Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue the 1988 Academy Awards Best Visual Effects Nominees series with a conversation about RoboCop.Here's a hint at what we talk about:We dive into the amazing practical effects created by Rob Bottin and Phil Tippett, including RoboCop himself, ED-209, the toxic waste scenes, and more. We discuss Paul Verhoeven's unique directorial vision and how he used over-the-top violence to achieve a satirical tone. The film's sharp and funny social satire provides critical commentary on privatized policing and corporate greed that still resonates today.Here are a few other points in our discussion:Great performance from Peter Weller as Murphy/RoboCop, plus the rest of the castThe love/hate relationship with the corporate charactersHow the 2014 remake compared to the originalRoboCop is a classic sci-fi action film that struck a delicate balance between intense action and dark comedy. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!Film SundriesWatch this on Apple or Amazon, or find other places at JustWatchScript OptionsTheatrical trailerLetterboxd Visit our ORIGINALS PAGE to find source material that movies we've talked about on the shows that are part of The Next Reel's family of podcasts were based on. Books, plays, video games, even other movies and TV series! By doing so, you can find a great read or something to watch, and help us out in the process as a portion comes back our way. Enjoy!Start your own podcast journey with the best host in the business. Try TRANSISTOR today!Want to upgrade your LETTERBOXD account? Use our PROMO CODE to get a DISCOUNT and help us out in the process!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel's DISCORD channel!Here's where you can find us around the internet:The WebLetterboxdFacebookInstagramXYouTubeFlickchartCheck out poster artwork for movies we've discussed on our Pinterest pagePete AndyWe spend hours every week putting this show together for you, our dear listener, and it would sure mean a lot to us if you considered becoming a member. When you do, you get early access to shows, ad-free episodes, and a TON of bonus content. To those who already support the show, thank you. To those who don't yet: what are you waiting for?Become a Member here: $5 monthly or $55 annuallyWhat are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!You can buy TNR apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.Or buy or rent movies we've discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.Or sign up for AUDIBLE.
For our thirty-fifth episode, friend of the show Michael Marquis Albright (Down in Front) joins us for a discussion of “Weird Al” Yankovic's feature starring debut, 1989's “UHF”! We discuss currently problematic co-stars, deleted homages to the Special Edition of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, mockingly singing along to the Orion Pictures logo, comparisons to “SCTV”, spending the closing credits reading negative reviews, and so much more.Ryan's Recommendations: “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp” (1943), “A Matter of Life and Death” (1946), “Black Narcissus” (1947), “The Red Shoes” (1948), and “The Tales of Hoffmann” (1951)For exclusive bonus content and early releases of every episode, join our Patreon and become an Official Minder: http://www.patreon.com/onetrackmindpodcastTheme Music by: Bildschirm (bildschirm.bandcamp.com). Artwork by: Lacie Barker. Support the show
Jeff Schimmel began his Writing/Producing career in the 1980s while attending law school in Los Angeles. When not studying for the bar exam, Jeff wrote and sold his original Cold War spy thriller, Archangel, to Phoenix Entertainment Group. Soon after, Jeff was chosen by comedy legend Rodney Dangerfield and award-winning Writer/Director Harold Ramis to co-write the full-length Warner Brothers animated film, Rover Dangerfield. This led to a sports comedy screenplay assignment from Orion Pictures and 20th Century Fox, and Jeff's first TV writing job as Story Editor on ABC's top ten sitcoms, Full House.Next, Jeff co-wrote and produced The Schimmel Papers, a series of several short films for Fox TV's Sunday Comics, then went on to write for the groundbreaking, Emmy Award-winning sketch comedy series, In Living Color, worked as Story Editor on the WB network's first-ever sitcom, then served as Writer and Producer on Laughing With The Presidents, NBC TV's final comedy special starring Bob Hope, with appearances by Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, actors Tom Selleck, Don Johnson, Tony Danza, Ann-Margret, Naomi Judd, and many more.In 2016, Jeff took over as Executive Producer of Fuse network's music intensive Skee TV series, working with hip hop artists like Snoop Dogg, Tyler the Creator, Post Malone, and T.I. Also in the rap world, Jeff was credited as a producer on three multi-platinum selling CDs by Busta Rhymes. In 2017, Jeff's book, “Maximum Screenwriting,” was released and has earned Amazon's five-star rating. Jeff has appeared as a guest lecturer at L.A.'s famed Screenwriting Expo, is a popular speaker at prestigious universities and film schools, and has worked closely with the Writers Guild of America to protect the best interests of writers.25 COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND STRAIGHT ANSWERSThe entertainment industry is the toughest business around. To achieve success as a professional screenwriter, you will need every advantage you can get. A writer who faces readers, agents, producers, and creative executives are no different than a soldier going into combat. To have the best chance of survival, both would be wise to bring every weapon they can carry into the fight.This book is ammunition for the battles every screenwriter will face as it teaches: How to create a bulletproof outline, How to build and breathe life into compelling characters, How to defeat crippling procrastination, How to avoid being ripped off, and How to deal with a myriad of situations other books never mention.The one thing this book will not do is tell you what the proper margins are for a screenplay, where to place a parenthetical in dialogue or what is supposed to happen on page 30. There are dozens of books and free online lectures for that. Maximum Screenwriting was written for one reason only: to teach you what other books don't and to tell you what other writers won't.Enjoy my conversation with Jeff Schimmel.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2664729/advertisement
It's a Kevin Costner double bill in the latest episode of Film Stories - and whilst the films are very different, there is a link between them.1987's No Way Out is actually a remake, something its director - Roger Donaldson - wasn't actually aware of. One of the very best thrillers of the 1980s - especially if you don't know its twists and turns - its release actually ended up being held back to see if another Costner-headlined movie would prove more successful first.Yet it was the ultimate success of No Way Out that finally led to Bull Durham getting off the ground, after a hell of a challenge to raise the money for the movie. Not the only challenge, either: an executive at Orion Pictures was causing problems, and there was a casting demand that wasn't going away...Both films are covered in this episode. Both films are also making their UK Blu-ray debut this month, and you can find details on the releases at store.filmstories.co.uk---Film Stories print magazines can be found at store.filmstories.co.uk---Find Simon on Twitter and Bluesky at @simonbrew, and the podcast can be found at @filmstories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"Something is wrong with my daughter" -- After years of searching for her daughter Annette, Mary discovers a disturbing secret in the husband's past – Annette isn't the only one gone. One wife drowned, two others missing: what is this man hiding? What happened to the girls? Mary decides to lead her investigation, and find out the truth about Felix Vail. External footage from: "The Real Story with Maria Elena Selinas: A Mother's Quest" (ID - Lucky 8), "People Magazine Investigates: Gone Girls" (Discovery - Radley Studios), "20/20: The Last One to See Them" (ABC News), "Tim Howey's Podcast: Bill Vail Interview" (Grace Church), "Mississippi Burning" (1988, Orion Pictures), "Gone: Rose's Letters" (Jerry Mitchell, Clarion-Ledger), "Houston Aerial 4K - Drone Footage" (Barf Media).
Scandal beset baseball's biggest contest on 9th October, 1919, when members of the Chicago White Sox conspired to lose the World Series to underdogs the Cincinnati Reds, in return for a slice of gambling profits. There had been numerous attempts to fix high-profile games before, but the ‘Black Sox' affair was the first time America at large became aware of dodgy dealings behind-the-scenes - and the outrage rocked the country. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider the role of notorious gangster Arnold Rothstein; question whether White Sox players were in fact underpaid in the era; and explain why the lines between truth and fiction were deliberately blurred in ‘Eight Men Out', Eliot Asinof's 1963 book about the case... Further Reading: • ‘The 1919 Black Sox Baseball Scandal Was Just One of Many' (Smithsonian Magazine, 2017): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/1919-black-sox-baseball-scandal-wasnt-first-180964673/ • ‘Arnold Rothstein: The Drug Kingpin Who Fixed The 1919 World Series' (All Thats Interesting, 2022): https://allthatsinteresting.com/arnold-rothstein • ‘Eight Men Out: Banned From Baseball' (Orion Pictures, 1988): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7ME7WkPyC8 This episode first premiered in 2022, for members of
“I had a 200% chance of dying, and 5% chance of getting away” On November 9th, 1986, 17 year old model Kate Moir accepts a ride from a seemingly nice couple, not knowing they're actually the country's most dangerous serial killers. Having murdered 4 girls already, Kate knows her time is running out, but she has a plan to escape captivity, that would result in her even being arrested herself by Australian officers. More about Kate here: https://www.change.org/p/the-attorney-general-s-reformation-of-parole-laws-in-australia Read her book: https://books.google.ca/books/about/Dead_Girl_Walking.html?id=LZtEvgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y External footage from: Murder Uncovered: David & Catherine Birnie (7News Seven Network), Catherine Birnie: Freedom Bid (9News Nine Network), Crime Investigation Australia: Moorhouse Horrors (GMN Productions, FOXTEL), Most Infamous: The Birnies (GMN Productions, CIN), Perth & Fremantle 1986 (Robert Peter, Peter Hale), Rocky 1976 (Chartoff-Winkler, United Artists), First Blood 1982 (Cinema 84, Orion Pictures).
School is back and so is the high school comedy! This week Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk BOTTOMS. As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review. PLOT SUMMARY: BOTTOMS, a refreshingly unique raunchy comedy, focuses on two girls, PJ and Josie, who start a fight club as a way to lose their virginities to cheerleaders. Their bizarre plan works. The fight club gains traction and soon the most popular girls in school are beating each other up in the name of self-defense. But PJ and Josie find themselves in over their heads and in need of a way out before their plan is exposed. Directed by: Emma Seligman Written by: Emma Seligman & Rachel Sennott Starring: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, with Dagmara Dominczyk and Marshawn Lynch *Clip from BOTTOMS courtesy of Orion Pictures. @TheWatchAndTalk (Twitter/Instagram) www.TheWatchAndTalk.com TheWatchAndTalk@gmail.com Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
It's been far too long since we've seen a movie like Bottoms — and in some respects, we've never seen anything quite like it. Sure, we've seen some recent high school comedies that venture into ranch territory, but Bottoms jumps feet first into that zone without even an ounce of hesitation, and once there, delivers non-stop hilarity while also deconstructing the high school comedy classic and highlighting what the formula's been missing (and often getting wrong) all these years.Emma Seligman's sophomore feature reunites her with Shiva Baby's Rachel Sennott who stars in Bottoms and also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Seligman. Sennott headlines Bottoms with The Bear breakout Ayo Edebiri playing PJ and Josie respectively, the “ugly, untalented gays” of Rockbridge Falls High School. Eager to get with the girls of their dreams, PJ and Josie start a new school club — a fight club. What begins as an extremely bold move to get cheerleaders to notice them turns into a community that gives school outcasts a sense of belonging and ignites a ferocious fire to stand up for themselves.Bottoms is an Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott movie. There's no other creative duo who could have brought this concept to screen quite this way, and the folks at Brownstone Productions and Orion Pictures knew it. With Bottoms now playing in theater nationwide, Seligman joined me for a Collider Ladies Night interview to recap her journey in the industry thus far and to discuss how she found the perfect creative partners for the film, ones who believed in her vision and her ability to execute it her way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Emma Seligman is a Canadian writer/director and winner of the 2022 Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award. Her debut feature SHIVA BABY was selected to screen at SXSW and TIFF in 2020 and was named a New York Times Critics Pick. In 2020, Emma was named one of Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch and one of Filmmaker Mag's ‘25 New Faces of Independent Film. Her second feature, BOTTOMS, made with Orion Pictures, will premiere at SXSW 2023. Show Notes Emma Seligman BOTTOMS - Info / Trailer Emma's Instagram @emmaseligman BOTTOMS on Instagram @bottomsmovie Other inspiration mentioned in the interview: NO HARD FEELINGS - Trailer JOY RIDE - Trailer BARBIE - Trailer Emma's creative partner Rachel Sennott - actress and comedien Emma's Short Film Shiva Baby Katheryn Bigelow Marielle Heller ( The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015), Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018), and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) - nominated for an Oscar) Greta Gerwig In Her Voice is a Woman and Hollywood Podcast, hosted by Melissa Silverstein (Founder of Women and Hollywood and Co-Founder of the Athena Film Festival) and produced by Leonie Marsh. Subscribe to this podcast on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Join Substack for Melissa's weekly curated list of content made by women. Twitter @melsil and @womenahollywood Instagram @womenandhollywood
"Bottoms" had its world premiere at the South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival earlier this year and received positive reviews for its outrageous premise, raunchy humor, unpredictability, and chemistry between the film's stars, Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri. Following the success of "Shiva Baby," Emma Seligman's second directed feature film expands upon her first in nearly every conceivable way while retaining her unique voice and giving rise to women's stories in unexpected genres and situations. Seligman was kind enough to spend some time talking with Ema Sasic, while Stunt Coordinator Devon McNair and Cinematographer Maria Rusche spoke with Dan Bayer about their involvement in making the film. Please take a moment to listen to the interviews and check out the film, which is opening in limited release this weekend from Orion Pictures before expanding next weekend. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com For more about Regal Unlimited - https://regmovies.onelink.me/4207629222/937isfrg New subscribers can use code BACK2REG23 for 10% off of Regal Unlimited for the first 3 months Please subscribe on... SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/nextbestpicturepodcast Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture
This week on On Story, writer Edward Neumeier discusses his creative process behind the sci-fi cult classics RoboCop and Starship Troopers. Neumeier explores the particulars of writing for the genre, as well as his knack for disguising deep issues within expansive and captivating stories. Clips of RoboCop courtesy of Orion Pictures. Clips of Starship Troopers courtesy of TriStar Pictures.
Get 20% off Manscaped and enjoy free shipping with our exclusive code: BWPOD. Make a splash this summer with our friends at MANSCAPED™! Simply visit https://bit.ly/MANSCAPEDBWPOD20 and use code BWPOD at checkout.Get 15% off your Sneak Energy Starter Pack with code BWPSNEAK15 at https://bit.ly/SneakStarterPackBWExperience the world of Lovehoney and explore a variety of exciting offerings. Click the link in the description to unlock exclusive opportunities and discover more with Lovehoney. Don't miss out—start your journey today! https://bit.ly/LOVEHONEYBWHey, isn't it strange how simple things like disruptions can sometimes lead to the most hilarious unscripted moments? That's what happened tonight. One moment we're deep-diving into Phil Knight's Shoe Dog and Jordan's Air Jordan experience, the next we're laughing out loud over missing jokes because of a weather-related Wi-Fi hiccup. And believe me, you'll want to hear our unique perspective on the fantasy film Excalibur.Ever wondered about social grooming, men's fashion, and people-scaping? Well, we've got your back. We're exploring these topics and more, including some juicy home video headlines. We're spilling the beans on Don Granger's interview on 50 Miles per Hour, the Beverly Hills Cop series, and our take on the Sandra Bullock's iconic movie, Speed. Oh, and we're even touching upon the rumor mill surrounding Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck, and the much-anticipated Deadpool 3. Stay with us as we dig into the legacy of Orion Pictures and the trials they faced while making Excalibur. From an amusing anecdote about American tourists mistaking a movie set for Stonehenge to dissecting Helen Mirren's representation of Morgana LaFayne. We're going deep into film exploration, comparing characters and analyzing performances. Wrapping up with our favorite staff picks and a heartwarming listener comment, this episode has more twists and turns than a Sherlock Holmes novel. And to top it all, we'll bring you into a lively conversation where we create our own movie and discuss Jordan's idea of a female Phantom of the Opera. It's fun, it's insightful - you won't want to miss it!Support the show
This week Victoria is joined by Sara Brown @saraisnotfamous to discuss female gaze, self-actualization, and why bleached hair makes a man instantly creepy. It's Susan Seidelman's downtown comedy DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN. Follow the Show @freshmoviepod Follow Sara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saraisnotfamous/Follow Victoria on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/vicrohar/Email the Show abreathoffreshmovie@gmail.comShow Art by Cecily Brown Theme Music "A Movie I'd Like to See"Arranged & Performed by Katrina EresmanWritten by Al HarleyYouTube Channel Shop the Store: http://tee.pub/lic/bvHvK3HNFhk
On this episode, we're going to start a miniseries that I've been dreading doing, not because of the films this company produced and/or released during the 1980s, but because it means shining any kind of light on a serial sexual assaulter and his enabling brother. But one cannot do a show like this, talking about the movies of the 1980s, and completely ignore Miramax Films. ----more---- TRANSCRIPT From Los Angeles, California. The Entertainment Capital of the World. It's the 80s Movie Podcast. I am your host, Edward Havens/ Thank you for listening today. On this episode, we're going to start a miniseries that I've been dreading doing, not because of the films this company produced and/or released during the 1980s, but because it means shining any kind of light on a serial sexual assaulter and his enabling brother. But one cannot do a show like this, talking about the movies of the 1980s, and completely ignore Miramax Films. But I am not here to defend Harvey Weinstein. I am not here to make him look good. My focus for this series, however many they end up being, will focus on the films and the filmmakers. Because it's important to note that the Weinsteins did not have a hand in the production of any of the movies Miramax released in the 1980s, and the two that they did have a hand in making, one a horror film, the other a comedy that would be the only film the Weinsteins would ever direct themselves, were distributed by companies other than Miramax. But before I do begin, I want to disclose my own personal history with the Weinsteins. As you may know, I was a movie theatre manager for Landmark Theatres in the mid 1990s, running their NuWilshire Theatre in Santa Monica. The theatre was acquired by Landmark from Mann Theatres in 1992, and quickly became a hot destination for arthouse films for those who didn't want to deal with the hassle of trying to get to the Laemmle Monica 4 about a mile away, situated in a very busy area right off the beach, full of tourists who don't know how to park properly and making a general nuisance of themselves to the locals. One of the first movies to play at the NuWilshire after Landmark acquired it was Quentin Tarantino's debut film, Reservoir Dogs, which was released by Miramax in the fall of 1992. The NuWilshire quickly became a sort of lucky charm to Harvey Weinstein, which I would learn when I left the Cineplex Beverly Center in June 1993 to take over the NuWilshire from my friend Will, the great-grandson of William Fox, the founder of Fox Films, who was being promoted to district manager and personally recommended me to replace him. During my two plus years at the NuWilshire, I fielded a number of calls from Harvey Weinstein. Not his secretary. Not his marketing people. Harvey himself. Harvey took a great interest in the theatre, and regularly wanted feedback about how his films were performing at my theatre. I don't know if he had heard the stories about Stanley Kubrick doing the same thing years before, but I probably spoke to him at least once a month. I never met the man, and I didn't really enjoy speaking with him, because a phone call from him meant I wasn't doing the work I actually needed to do, but keeping Harvey would mean keeping to get his best films for my theatre, so I indulged him a bit more than I probably should have. And that indulgence did occasionally have its perks. Although I was not the manager of the NuWilshire when Reservoir Dogs played there, Quentin Tarantino personally hand-delivered one of the first teaser posters for his second movie, Pulp Fiction, to me, asking me if I would put it up in our poster frame, even though we both knew we were never going to play the film with the cast he assembled and the reviews coming out of Cannes. He, like Harvey Weinstein, considered the theatre his lucky charm. I put the poster up, even though we never did play the film, and you probably know how well the film did. Maybe we were his lucky charm. I also got to meet Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier weeks before their first film, Clerks, opened. We hosted a special screening sponsored by the Independent Feature Project, now known as Film Independent, whose work to help promote independent film goes far deeper than just handing out the Spirit Awards each year. Smith and Mosier were cool cats, and I was able to gift Smith something the following year when he screened Mallrats a few weeks before it opened. And, thanks to Miramax, I was gifted something that ended up being one of the best nights of my life. An invitation to the Spirit Awards and after-party in 1995, the year Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender won a number of awards for Pulp Fiction. At the after-party, my then-girlfriend and I ended up drinking tequila with Toni Collette, who was just making her mark on American movie screens that very weekend, thanks to Miramax's release of Muriel's Wedding, and then playing pool against Collette and Tarantino, while his Spirit Awards sat on a nearby table. Twenty feet from stardom, indeed. I left that job at the end of the summer in 1995, and I would not be involved with the Weinstein Brothers for a number of years, until after I had moved to New York City, started FilmJerk, and had become an established film critic. As a critic, I had been invited to an advance screening of Bad Santa at the AMC Empire 25, and on the way out, Bob Weinstein randomly stopped me in the lobby to ask me a few questions about my reaction to the film. Which was the one and only time I ever interacted with either brother face to face, and would be the last time I ever interacted with either of them in any capacity. As a journalist, I felt it was necessary to disclose these things, although I don't believe these things have clouded my judgment about them. They were smart enough to acquire some good films early in their careers, built a successful distribution company with some very smart people who most likely knew about their boss's disgusting proclivities and neither said nor did anything about it, and would eventually succumb to the reckoning that was always going to come to them, one way or another. I'm saddened that so many women were hurt by these men, physically and emotionally, and I will not be satisfied that they got what was coming to them until they've answered for everything they did. Okay, enough with the proselytizing. I will only briefly go into the history of the Weinstein Brothers, and how they came to found Miramax, and I'm going to get that out of the way right now. Harvey Weinstein and his younger brother Bob, were born in Queens, New York, and after Harvey went to college in Buffalo, the brothers would start up a rock concert promotion company in the area. After several successful years in the concert business, they would take their profits and start up an independent film distribution company which they named Miramax, after their parents, Miriam and Max. They would symbolically start the company up on December 31st, 1979. Like the old joke goes, they may have been concert promoters, but they really wanted to be filmmakers. But they would need to build up the company first, and they would use their connections in the music industry to pick up the American distribution rights to Rockshow, the first concert movie featuring Paul McCartney and his post-Beatles band Wings, which had been filmed during their 1976 Wings Over the World tour. And even from the start, Harvey Weinstein would earn the derisive nickname many people would give him over the years, Harvey Scissorhands, as he would cut down what was originally a 125min movie down to 102mins. Miramax would open Rockshow on nine screens in the New York City area on Wednesday, November 26th, 1980, including the prestigious Ziegfeld Theatre, for what was billed as a one-week only run. But the film would end up exceeding their wildest expectations, grossing $113k from those nine screens, including nearly $46k just from the Ziegfeld. The film would get its run extended a second week, the absolute final week, threatened the ads, but the film would continue to play, at least at the Ziegfeld, until Saturday December 13th, when the theatre was closed for five days to prepare for what the theatre expected to be their big hit of the Christmas season, Neil Diamond's first movie, The Jazz Singer. It would be a sad coincidence that Rockstar's run at the Ziegfeld had been extended, and was still playing the night McCartney's friend and former bandmate John Lennon was assassinated barely a mile away from the theatre. But, strangely, instead of exploiting the death of Lennon and capitalize on the sudden, unexpected, tragic reemergence of Beatlemania, Miramax seems to have let the picture go. I cannot find any playdates for the film in any other city outside of The Big Apple after December 1980, and the film would be unseen in any form outside a brief home video release in 1982 until June 2013, when the restored 125min cut was released on DVD and Blu-Ray, after a one-night theatrical showing in cinemas worldwide. As the Brothers Weinstein were in the process of gearing up Miramax, they would try their hand at writing and producing a movie themselves. Seeing that movies like Halloween and Friday the 13th were becoming hits, Harvey would write up a five-page treatment for a horror movie, based on an upstate New York boogeyman called Cropsey, which Harvey had first heard about during his school days at camp. Bob Weinstein would write the script for The Burning with steampunk author Peter Lawrence in six weeks, hire a British music documentary filmmaker, Tony Maylam, the brothers knew through their concert promoting days, and they would have the film in production in Buffalo, New York, in the summer of 1980, with makeup effects by Tom Savini. Once the film was complete, they accepted a purchase deal from Filmways Pictures, covering most of the cost of the $1.5m production, which they would funnel right back into their fledgling distribution company. But when The Burning opened in and around the Florida area on May 15th, 1981, the market was already overloaded with horror films, from Oliver Stone's The Hand and Edward Bianchi's The Fan, to Lewis Teague's Alligator and J. Lee Thompson's Happy Birthday to Me, to Joe Dante's The Howling and the second installment of the Friday the 13th series. Outside of Buffalo, where the movie was shot, the film did not perform well, no matter how many times Filmways tried to sell it. After several months, The Burning would only gross about $300k, which would help drive Filmways into bankruptcy. As we talked about a couple years ago on our series about Orion Pictures, Orion would buy all the assets from Filmways, including The Burning, which they would re-release into theatres with new artwork, into the New York City metropolitan region on November 5th, 1982, to help promote the upcoming home video release of the film. In just seven days in 78 theatres, the film would gross $401k, more than it had earned over its entire run during the previous year. But the film would be gone from theatres the following week, as many exhibitors do not like playing movies that were also playing on cable and/or available on videotape. It is estimated the film's final gross was about $750k in the US, but the film would become a minor success on home video and repeated cable screenings. Now, some sources on the inter webs will tell you the first movie Miramax released was Goodbye, Emmanuelle, based in part on a profile of the brothers and their company in a March 2000 issue of Fortune Magazine, in which writer Tim Carvell makes this claim. Whether this info nugget came from bad research, or a bad memory on the part of one or both of the brothers, it simply is not true. Goodbye, Emmanuelle, as released by Miramax in an edited and dubbed version, would be released more than a year after Rockshow, on December 5th, 1981. It would gross a cool $241k in 50 theatres in New York City, but lose 80% of its screens in its second week, mostly for Miramax's next film, a low budget, British-made sci-fi sex comedy called Spaced Out. Or, at least, that's what the brothers thought would be a better title for a movie called Outer Touch in the UK. Which I can't necessarily argue. Outer Touch is a pretty dumb title for a movie. Even the film's director, Normal Warren, agreed. But that's all he would agree with the brothers on. He hated everything else they did to his film to prepare it for American release. Harvey would edit the film down to just 77mins in length, had a new dub created to de-emphasize the British accents of the original actors, and changed the music score and the ending. And for his efforts, Weinstein would see some success when the film was released into 41 theatres in New York on December 11th, 1981. But whether or not it was because of the film itself, which was very poorly reviewed, or because it was paired with the first re-issue of The Groove Tube since Chevy Chase, one of the actors in that film, became a star, remains to be seen. Miramax would only release one movie for all of 1982, but it would end up being their first relative hit film. Between 1976 and 1981, there were four live shows of music and comedy in the United Kingdom for the benefit of Amnesty International. Inspired by former Monty Python star John Cleese, these shows would raise millions for the international non-governmental organization focused on human rights issues around the world. The third show, in 1979, was called The Secret Policeman's Ball, and would not only feature Cleese, who also directed the live show, performing with his fellow Pythons Terry Jones and Michael Palin, but would also be a major launching pad for two of the most iconic comedians of the 1980s, English comedian Rowan Atkinson and Scottish comedian Billy Connelly. But unlike the first two Amnesty benefit shows, Cleese decided to add some musical acts to the bill, including Pete Townshend of The Who. The shows would be a big success in the United Kingdom, and the Weinsteins, once again using their connections in the music scene, would buy the American film rights to the show before they actually incorporated Miramax Films. That purchase would be the impetus for creating the company. One slight problem, though. The show was, naturally, very British. One bit from the show, featuring the legendary British comedian and actor Peter Cook, was a nine-minute bit summing up a recent bit of British history, the leader of the British Labour Party being tried on charges of conspiracy and incitement to murder his ex-boyfriend, would not make any sense to anyone who wasn't following the trial. All in all, even with the musical segments featuring Townshend, the Weinsteins felt there was only about forty minutes worth of material that could be used for a movie. It also didn't help that the show was shot with 16mm film, which would be extremely grainy when blown up to 35mm. But while they hemmed and hawed through trying to shape the film. Cleese and his show partners at Amnesty decided to do another set of benefit shows in 1981, this time called The Secret Policeman's Other Ball. Knowing that there might be interest in a film version of this show, the team would decide to shoot this show in 35mm. Cleese would co-direct the live show, while music video director Julien Temple would be in charge of filming. And judging from the success of an EP released in 1980 featuring Townshend's performance at the previous show, Cleese would arrange for more musical artists to perform, including Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Donovan, Bob Geldof, Sting, and Midge Ure of Ultraviolet. In fact, it would be because of their participation in these shows that would lead Geldof and Ure to form Band Aid in 1984, which would raise $24m for famine relief in Ethiopia in just three months, and the subsequent Live Aid shows in July 1985 would raise another $126m worldwide. The 1981 Amnesty benefit shows were a success, especially the one-time-only performance of a supergroup called The Secret Police, comprising of Beck, Clapton, Geldof and Sting performing Bob Dylan's I Shall Be Released at the show's closing, and the Weinsteins would make another deal to buy the American movie rights to these shows. While Temple's version of the 1981 shows would show as intended for UK audiences in 1982, the co-creator of the series, British producer Martin Lewis, would spend three months in New York City with Harvey Weinstein at the end of 1981 and start of 1982, working to turn the 1979 and 1981 shows into one cohesive movie geared towards American audiences. After premiering at the Los Angeles International Film Exposition in March 1982, The Secret Policeman's Other Ball would open on nine screens in the greater New York City metropolitan area on May 21st, but only on one screen in all of Manhattan. And in its first three days, the movie would gross an amazing $116k, including $36,750 at the Sutton theatre in the Midtown East part of New York City. Even more astounding is that, in its second weekend at the same nine theaters, the film would actually increase its gross to $121k, when most movies in their second week were seeing their grosses drop 30-50% because of the opening of Rocky III. And after just four weeks in just New York City, on just nine or ten screens each week, The Secret Policeman's Other Ball would gross more than $400k. The film would already be profitable for Miramax. But the Weinsteins were still cautious. It wouldn't be until July 16th when they'd start to send the film out to other markets like Los Angeles, where they could only get five theatres to show the film, including the brand new Cineplex Beverly Center, itself opening the same day, which, as the first Cineplex in America, was as desperate to show any movie it could as Miramax was to show the movie at any theatre it could. When all was said and done, The Secret Policeman's Other Ball would gross nearly $4m in American theatres. So, you'd think now they had a hit film under their belts, Miramax would gear up and start acquiring more films and establishing themselves as a true up and coming independent distributor. Right? You'd think. Now, I already said The Secret Policeman's Other Ball was their only release in 1982. So, naturally, you'd think their first of like ten or twelve releases for 1983 would come in January. Right? You'd think. In fact, Miramax's next theatrical release, the first theatrical release of D.A. Pennebaker's Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars concert film from the legendary final Ziggy show at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on July 3, 1973, would not come until December 23rd, 1983. And, for the third time in three years, it would be their music connections that would help the Weinsteins acquire a film. Although the Ziggy Stardust movie had been kicking around for years, mostly one-night-only 16mm screenings on college campuses and a heavily edited 44min version that aired once on American television network ABC in October 1974, this would be the first time a full-length 90min version of the movie would be seen. And the timing for it couldn't have come at a better time. 1983 had been a banner year for the musician and occasional actor. His album Let's Dance had sold more than five million copies worldwide and spawned three hit singles. His Serious Moonlight tour, his first concert tour in five years, was the biggest tour of the year. And he won critical praise for his role as a British prisoner of war in Nagisa Ōshima's powerful Japanese World War II film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. The Weinsteins would enlist the help of 20th Century Fox to get the film into theatres during a very competitive Christmas moviegoing season. But despite their best efforts, Fox and Miramax could only nab one theatre in all of New York City, the 8th Street Playhouse in lower Manhattan, and five in Los Angeles, including two screens at the Cineplex Beverly Center. And for the weekend, its $58,500 gross would be quite decent, with a per screen average above such films as Scarface, Sudden Impact and Yentl. But in its second weekend, the all-important Christmas week, the gross would fall nearly 50% when the vast majority of movies improve their grosses with kids out of school and wage earners getting time off for the holidays. Fox and Miramax would stay committed to the film through the early part of 1984, but they'd keep costs down by rotating the six prints made for New York and Los Angeles to other cities as those playdates wound down, and only buying eighth-page display ads in local newspapers' entertainment section when it arrived in a new city. The final gross would fall short of half a million dollars, but the film would find its audience on home video later in the year. And while the Weinsteins are no longer involved with the handling of the film, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars will be getting a theatrical release across the planet the first week of July 2023, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the concert. So, here were are, four years into the formation of Miramax Films, and they only released five films into theatres, plus wrote and produced another released by Filmways. One minor hit, four disappointments, and we're still four years away from them becoming the distributor they'd become. But we're going to stop here today because I like to keep these episodes short. Thank you for joining us. We'll talk again next week, when we continue with story of Miramax Films, from 1984 to 1987. Remember to visit this episode's page on our website, The80sMoviePodcast.com, for extra materials about the movies we covered this episode. The 80s Movies Podcast has been researched, written, narrated and edited by Edward Havens for Idiosyncratic Entertainment. Thank you again. Good night.
Fonseca sits down with actress Irene Bedard (voice Pocahontas)American actress, who has played mostly lead Native Americanroles in a variety of films. She is perhaps best known for the role of Suzy Song in the 1998 film Smoke Signals, an adaptation of a Sherman Alexie collection of short stories, as well as for providing the speaking voice for the titular character in the 1995 animated film Pocahontas.[2] Bedard reprised her role as Pocahontas in the film's direct-to-video follow-up, Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998) and for a cameo in Ralph Breaks the InternetCollider magazine says work on the second Super Mario Bros movie has been halted because of the Hollywood Writers Strike TParamount+ is developing a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV show. The series would take place after the upcoming Mutant Mayhem movie and may launch as soon as 2024.Arnold Schwarzenegger says he beat out OJ Simpson for the role of The Terminator because no one at Orion Pictures was convinced Simpson was a killer. The Daily Mail quotes Arnold as saying, ''During our conversation, it became clear no one was hooked to OJ Simpson playing Terminator because he could not be sold as a killing machine.''Chris Hemsworth tells GQ magazine that his three children aren't fans of his Thor movies.“It's a bunch of eight-year-olds critiquing my film. ‘We thought this one had too much humour, the action was cool but the VFX weren't as good'. I cringe and laugh equally at it. It's always hard being in the center of it and having any real perspective… I love the process, it's always a ride. But you just don't know how people are going to respond.” The JoBlo movie website says filming on ''Deadpool 3'' has begun. Ryan Reynolds is not allowed to improvise on the set because of the writer's strike. He can't use new lines for the film because he is officially credited as a writer on it. The Writer's Union has guidelines that do not allow lines to be changed when a movie is filming during a strike. Media Entertainment Arts says there is a growing number of people, who want Chris Pratt to replace Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones.The Internet reacts ...“We shouldn't have to raise Harrison Ford from the dead to enjoy another #IndianaJones adventure. After seeing Chris Pratt in both GotG & Jurassic World, he became my new candidate for a recast. It's not hard.''“I may get heat for this but Chris Pratt as Indiana Jones would rock.”“I hope they continue the Indiana Jones franchise and cast Chris Pratt as Indy.”“If they ever decided to make a rebooted version of Indiana Jones in the near future? The only two individuals I could see playing Indy? Are Chris Pratt or Bradley Cooper? Both of which have worked for Disney before and look like Harrison Ford.” Entertainment Tonight says Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd are reuniting for a new horror comedy called ''Zombie Town''. The movie is about a film that turns an entire town into zombies before two teenagers save everyone. Chevy and Dan haven't worked together since the 1991 movie "Nothing, But Trouble".Robert Englund tells Variety magazine that he is too old to play Freddy Krueger again. “I'm too old and thick to play Freddy now. I just can't do fight scenes for more than one take anymore, I've got a bad neck and bad back and arthritis in my right wrist. So I have to hang it up, but I would love to cameo.”
Today on the show we have writer/director Chloe Okuno.Chloe is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a masters degree from the American Film Institute Conservatory. There she received the Franklin J. Shaffner Fellow Award, and directed the award-winning horror short film SLUT.Her recent work includes writing a remake of “Audrey Rose” for Orion Pictures and writing and directing a segment of the anthology series V/H/S/94. She's the director of this year's Sundance feature film Watcher.Julia joins her husband when he relocates to his family's native Romania for a new job. Having recently abandoned her acting career, she finds herself frequently alone and unoccupied. One night, people-watching from her picture window, she spots a vague figure in an adjacent building, who seems to be looking back at her. Soon after, while alone at a local movie theater, Julia's sense of being watched intensifies, and she becomes certain she's being followed — could it be the same unknown neighbor? Meanwhile, a serial killer known as The Spider stalks the city.Below is the story of making The Watcher from Chloe's POV.In making “Watcher,” I wanted to capture a kind of constant, uncomfortable dread that accompanies many women throughout their lives- one that is expressed through the character of Julia. Julia moves into this apartment building with her husband and quickly begins to believe she is being watched. She recognizes that the Watcher is a threat. She feels it very clearly- even if it's difficult to articulate the extent of that threat to the people around her. It's a situation that's probably quite familiar to most women. We experience the world in a different way than men and then when we try to express that experience, we're often doubted- written off as paranoid, irrational, or overly sensitive… which in turn can make us begin to doubt ourselves. This has always been at the core of a story that in other ways has evolved greatly since I was first hired to direct it in 2017. Initially, the script was set in New York City, but when it became clear that we would be shooting the movie in Romania, I decided to rewrite it to take place in Bucharest.There are times as a filmmaker where practical limitations end up being creatively very freeing- unlocking something great when you're willing to embrace the unexpected. This was one of those times.Suddenly, Julia's experience as a foreigner in this new city heightens all her other feelings of unease and uncertainty. She finds herself increasingly isolated- largely unable to speak the language and therefore alienated from everyone around her. There were of course natural (sometimes uncomfortable) parallels shooting the movie on location in Romania: unable to speak the language, oftentimes sequestered in a hotel room amidst the raging pandemic, and occasionally fighting against the doubt that surrounds you as a woman working in a male dominated profession. Fortunately, life didn't fully imitate art. I finished the movie without any nightmarish descent into Watcher-style darkness, content with the hope that all of the tension found its way on screen. The filmmakers I admire are the ones who are able to create a language for emotion through their craft, translating what they feel into a form that other people can see and experience for themselves.For Watcher I was inspired by the work of David Fincher, Sofia Coppola, Satoshi Kon, Roman Polanski, Krzysztof Kieslowski, and Mary Harron- filmmakers who have excelled at translating fear, loneliness, and alienation. The hope is always that there will be someone else who can empathize- telling stories so that we can take comfort in the recognition of ourselves in others. As a person filled with seemingly endless anxieties, making films is the best- and possibly the only- way I've found to confront them. I've done my best to portray them honestly in this film, and I can only hope that those who have experienced similar fears and anxieties will find solace in the knowledge that they are not alone. Enjoy my conversation with Chloe Okuno.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2881148/advertisement
Michelle Zauner on how to begin healing our mother wounds, using her sensitivity to deepen her relationships and be a rockstar, why she's obsessed with sheetcake and winnebagos, and why she is still “afraid of her mental health.” About Michelle: MICHELLE ZAUNER is best known as a singer and guitarist who creates dreamy, shoegaze-inspired indie pop under the name Japanese Breakfast. She has won acclaim from major music outlets around the world for releases like Psychopomp and Soft Sounds from Another Planet. Her most recent album, Jubilee, earned two GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album. Her first book, Crying in H Mart, is a New York Times Best Seller. She's currently adapting the memoir for the screen for MGM's Orion Pictures. TW: @jbrekkie IG: @jbrekkie To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Kelsey Edwards is a professional singer-songwriter and actress based in Utah and Los Angeles. She is best known for her original song “Life in a Box” and her role as Liz Fairchild in Orion Pictures' latest film The Wolf of... The post Kelsey Edwards Ep. 689 The Cultural Hall appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.
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We continue our look back at the movies released by independent distributor Vestron Pictures, focusing on their 1988 releases. ----more---- The movies discussed on this episode, all released by Vestron Pictures in 1988 unless otherwise noted, include: Amsterdamned (Dick Maas) And God Created Woman (Roger Vadim) The Beat (Paul Mones) Burning Secret (Andrew Birkin) Call Me (Sollace Mitchell) The Family (Ettore Scola) Gothic (Ken Russell, 1987) The Lair of the White Worm (Ken Russell) Midnight Crossing (Roger Holzberg) Paramedics (Stuart Margolin) The Pointsman (Jos Stelling) Salome's Last Dance (Ken Russell) Promised Land (Michael Hoffman) The Unholy (Camilo Vila) Waxwork (Anthony Hickox) TRANSCRIPT From Los Angeles, California, the Entertainment Capital of the World, it's The 80s Movies Podcast. I am your host, Edward Havens. Thank you for listening today. At the end of the previous episode, Vestron Pictures was celebrating the best year of its two year history. Dirty Dancing had become one of the most beloved movies of the year, and Anna was becoming a major awards contender, thanks to a powerhouse performance by veteran actress Sally Kirkland. And at the 60th Academy Awards ceremony, honoring the films of 1987, Dirty Dancing would win the Oscar for Best Original Song, while Anna would be nominated for Best Actress, and The Dead for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Costumes. Surely, things could only go up from there, right? Welcome to Part Two of our miniseries. But before we get started, I'm issuing a rare mea culpa. I need to add another Vestron movie which I completely missed on the previous episode, because it factors in to today's episode. Which, of course, starts before our story begins. In the 1970s, there were very few filmmakers like the flamboyant Ken Russell. So unique a visual storyteller was Russell, it's nigh impossible to accurately describe him in a verbal or textual manner. Those who have seen The Devils, Tommy or Altered States know just how special Russell was as a filmmaker. By the late 1980s, the hits had dried up, and Russell was in a different kind of artistic stage, wanting to make somewhat faithful adaptations of late 19th and early 20th century UK authors. Vestron was looking to work with some prestigious filmmakers, to help build their cache in the filmmaking community, and Russell saw the opportunity to hopefully find a new home with this new distributor not unlike the one he had with Warner Brothers in the early 70s that brought forth several of his strongest movies. In June 1986, Russell began production on a gothic horror film entitled, appropriately enough, Gothic, which depicted a fictionalized version of a real life meeting between Mary Godwin, Percy Shelley, John William Polidori and Claire Clairemont at the Villa Diodati in Geneva, hosted by Lord Byron, from which historians believe both Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and John William Polidori's The Vampyre were inspired. And you want to talk about a movie with a great cast. Gabriel Byrne plays Lord Byron, Julian Sands as Percy Shelley, Natasha Richardson, in her first ever movie, as Mary Shelley, Timothy Spall as John William Polidori, and Dexter Fletcher. Although the film was produced through MGM, and distributed by the company in Europe, they would not release the film in America, fearing American audiences wouldn't get it. So Vestron would swoop in and acquire the American theatrical rights. Incidentally, the film did not do very well in American theatres. Opening at the Cinema 1 in midtown Manhattan on April 10th, 1987, the film would sell $45,000 worth of tickets in its first three days, one of the best grosses of any single screen in the city. But the film would end up grossing only $916k after three months in theatres. BUT… The movie would do quite well for Vestron on home video, enough so that Vestron would sign on to produce Russell's next three movies. The first of those will be coming up very soon. Vestron's 1988 release schedule began on January 22nd with the release of two films. The first was Michael Hoffman's Promised Land. In 1982, Hoffman's first film, Privileged, was the first film to made through the Oxford Film Foundation, and was notable for being the first screen appearances for Hugh Grant and Imogen Stubbs, the first film scored by future Oscar winning composer Rachel Portman, and was shepherded into production by none other than John Schlesinger, the Oscar winning director of 1969 Best Picture winner Midnight Cowboy. Hoffman's second film, the Scottish comedy Restless Natives, was part of the 1980s Scottish New Wave film movement that also included Bill Forsyth's Gregory's Girl and Local Hero, and was the only film to be scored by the Scottish rock band Big Country. Promised Land was one of the first films to be developed by the Sundance Institute, in 1984, and when it was finally produced in 1986, would include Robert Redford as one of its executive producers. The film would follow two recent local high school graduates, Hancock and Danny, whose lives would intersect again with disastrous results several years after graduation. The cast features two young actors destined to become stars, in Keifer Sutherland and Meg Ryan, as well as Jason Gedrick, Tracy Pollan, and Jay Underwood. Shot in Reno and around the Sundance Institute outside Park City, Utah during the early winter months of 1987, Promised Land would make its world premiere at the prestigious Deauville Film Festival in September 1987, but would lose its original distributor, New World Pictures around the same time. Vestron would swoop in to grab the distribution rights, and set it for a January 22nd, 1988 release, just after its American debut at the then U.S. Film Festival, which is now known as the Sundance Film Festival. Convenient, eh? Opening on six screens in , the film would gross $31k in its first three days. The film would continue to slowly roll out into more major markets, but with a lack of stellar reviews, and a cast that wouldn't be more famous for at least another year and a half, Vestron would never push the film out to more than 67 theaters, and it would quickly disappear with only $316k worth of tickets sold. The other movie Vestron opened on January 22nd was Ettore Scale's The Family, which was Italy's submission to that year's Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. The great Vittorio Gassman stars as a retired college professor who reminisces about his life and his family over the course of the twentieth century. Featuring a cast of great international actors including Fanny Ardant, Philip Noiret, Stefania Sandrelli and Ricky Tognazzi, The Family would win every major film award in Italy, and it would indeed be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, but in America, it would only play in a handful of theatres for about two months, unable to gross even $350k. When is a remake not a remake? When French filmmaker Roger Vadim, who shot to international fame in 1956 with his movie And God Created Woman, decided to give a generational and international spin on his most famous work. And a completely different story, as to not resemble his original work in any form outside of the general brushstrokes of both being about a young, pretty, sexually liberated young woman. Instead of Bridget Bardot, we get Rebecca De Mornay, who was never able to parlay her starring role in Risky Business to any kind of stardom the way one-time boyfriend Tom Cruise had. And if there was any American woman in the United States in 1988 who could bring in a certain demographic to see her traipse around New Mexico au natural, it would be Rebecca De Mornay. But as we saw with Kathleen Turner in Ken Russell's Crimes of Passion in 1984 and Ellen Barkin in Mary Lambert's Siesta in 1987, American audiences were still rather prudish when it came to seeing a certain kind of female empowered sexuality on screen, and when the film opened at 385 theatres on March 4th, it would open to barely a $1,000 per screen average. And God Created Woman would be gone from theatres after only three weeks and $717k in ticket sales. Vestron would next release a Dutch film called The Pointsman, about a French woman who accidentally gets off at the wrong train station in a remote Dutch village, and a local railwayman who, unable to speak the other person's language, develop a strange relationship while she waits for another train that never arrives. Opening at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas on New York's Upper West Side on April 8th, the film would gross $7,000 in its first week, which in and of itself isn't all that bad for a mostly silent Dutch film. Except there was another Dutch film in the marketplace already, one that was getting much better reviews, and was the official Dutch entry into that year's Best Foreign Language Film race. That film, Babette's Feast, was becoming something more than just a movie. Restaurants across the country were creating menus based on the meals served in the film, and in its sixth week of release in New York City that weekend, had grossed four times as much as The Pointsman, despite the fact that the theatre playing Babette's Feast, the Cinema Studio 1, sat only 65 more people than the Lincoln Plaza 1. The following week, The Pointsman would drop to $6k in ticket sales, while Babette's Feast's audience grew another $6k over the previous week. After a third lackluster week, The Pointsman was gone from the Lincoln Plaza, and would never play in another theatre in America. In the mid-80s, British actor Ben Cross was still trying to capitalize on his having been one of the leads in the 1981 Best Picture winner Chariots of Fire, and was sharing a home with his wife and children, as well as Camilo Vila, a filmmaker looking for his first big break in features after two well-received short films made in his native Cuba before he defected in the early 1980s. When Vila was offered the chance to direct The Unholy, about a Roman Catholic priest in New Orleans who finds himself battling a demonic force after being appointed to a new parish, he would walk down the hall of his shared home and offered his roomie the lead role. Along with Ned Beatty, William Russ, Hal Holbrook and British actor Trevor Howard in his final film, The Unholy would begin two weeks of exterior filming in New Orleans on October 27th, 1986, before moving to a studio in Miami for seven more weeks. The film would open in 1189 theatres, Vestron's widest opening to date, on April 22nd, and would open in seventh place with $2.35m in ticket sales. By its second week in theatres, it would fall to eleventh place with a $1.24m gross. But with the Summer Movie Season quickly creeping up on the calendar, The Unholy would suffer the same fate as most horror films, making the drop to dollar houses after two weeks, as to make room for such dreck as Sunset, Blake Edwards' lamentable Bruce Willis/James Garner riff on Hollywood and cowboys in the late 1920s, and the pointless sequel to Critters before screens got gobbled up by Rambo III on Memorial Day weekend. It would earn a bit more than $6m at the box office. When Gothic didn't perform well in American theatres, Ken Russell thought his career was over. As we mentioned earlier, the American home video store saved his career, as least for the time being. The first film Russell would make for Vestron proper was Salome's Last Dance, based on an 1891 play by Oscar Wilde, which itself was based on a story from the New Testament. Russell's script would add a framing device as a way for movie audiences to get into this most theatrical of stories. On Guy Fawkes Day in London in 1892, Oscar Wilde and his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, arrive late at a friend's brothel, where the author is treated to a surprise performance of his play Salome, which has recently been banned from being performed at all in England by Lord Chamberlain. All of the actors in his special performance are played by the prostitutes of the brothel and their clients, and the scenes of the play are intertwined with Wilde's escapades at the brothel that night. We didn't know it at the time, but Salome's Last Dance would be the penultimate film performance for Academy Award winning actress Glenda Jackson, who would retire to go into politics in England a couple years later, after working with Russell on another film, which we'll get to in a moment. About the only other actor you might recognize in the film is David Doyle, of all people, the American actor best known for playing Bosley on Charlie's Angels. Like Gothic, Salome's Last Dance would not do very well in theatres, grossing less than half a million dollars after three months, but would find an appreciative audience on home video. The most interesting thing about Roger Holzberg's Midnight Crossing is the writer and director himself. Holzberg started in the entertainment industry as a playwright, then designed the props and weapons for Albert Pyun's 1982 film The Sword and the Sorcerer, before moving on to direct the second unit team on Pyun's 1985 film Radioactive Dreams. After making this film, Holzberg would have a cancer scare, and pivot to health care, creating a number of technological advancements to help evolve patient treatment, including the Infusionarium, a media setup which helps children with cancer cope with treatment by asking them questions designed to determine what setting would be most comforting to them, and then using virtual reality technology and live events to immerse them in such an environment during treatment. That's pretty darn cool, actually. Midnight Crossing stars Faye Dunaway and Hill Street Blues star Daniel J. Travanti in his first major movie role as a couple who team with another couple, played by Kim Cattrall and John Laughlin, who go hunting for treasure supposedly buried between Florida and Cuba. The film would open in 419 theaters on May 11th, 1988, and gross a paltry $673k in its first three days, putting it 15th on the list of box office grosses for the week, $23k more than Three Men and a Baby, which was playing on 538 screens in its 25th week of release. In its second week, Midnight Crossing would lose more than a third of its theatres, and the weekend gross would fall to just $232k. The third week would be even worse, dropping to just 67 theatres and $43k in ticket sales. After a few weeks at a handful of dollar houses, the film would be history with just $1.3m in the bank. Leonard Klady, then writing for the Los Angeles Times, would note in a January 1989 article about the 1988 box office that Midnight Crossing's box office to budget ratio of 0.26 was the tenth worst ratio for any major or mini-major studio, ahead of And God Created Woman's 8th worst ratio of .155 but behind other stinkers like Caddyshack II. The forgotten erotic thriller Call Me sounds like a twist on the 1984 Alan Rudolph romantic comedy Choose Me, but instead of Genevieve Bujold we get Patricia Charbonneau, and instead of a meet cute involving singles at a bar in Los Angeles, we get a murder mystery involving a New York City journalist who gets involved with a mysterious caller after she witnesses a murder at a bar due to a case of mistaken identity. The film's not very good, but the supporting cast is great, including Steve Buscemi, Patti D'Arbanville, Stephen McHattie and David Straithairn. Opening on 24 screens in major markets on May 20th, Call Me would open to horrible reviews, lead by Siskel and Ebert's thumbs facing downward, and only $58,348 worth of tickets sold in its first three days. After five weeks in theatres, Vestron hung up on Call Me with just $252k in the kitty. Vestron would open two movies on June 3rd, one in a very limited release, and one in a moderate national release. There are a lot of obscure titles in these two episodes, and probably the most obscure is Paul Mones' The Beat. The film followed a young man named Billy Kane, played by William McNamara in his film debut, who moves into a rough neighborhood controlled by several gangs, who tries to help make his new area a better place by teaching them about poetry. John Savage from The Deer Hunter plays a teacher, and future writer and director Reggie Rock Bythewood plays one of the troubled youths whose life is turned around through the written and spoken word. The production team was top notch. Producer Julia Phillips was one of the few women to ever win a Best Picture Oscar when she and her then husband Michael Phillips produced The Sting in 1973. Phillips was assisted on the film by two young men who were making their first movie. Jon Kilik would go on to produce or co-produce every Spike Lee movie from Do the Right Thing to Da 5 Bloods, except for BlackkKlansman, while Nick Weschler would produce sex, lies and videotape, Drugstore Cowboy, The Player and Requiem for a Dream, amongst dozens of major films. And the film's cinematographer, Tom DiCillo, would move into the director's chair in 1991 with Johnny Suede, which gave Brad Pitt his first lead role. The Beat would be shot on location in New York City in the summer of 1986, and it would make its world premiere at the Cannes Film Market in May 1987. But it would be another thirteen months before the film arrived in theatres. Opening on seven screens in Los Angeles and New York City on June 3rd, The Beat would gross just $7,168 in its first three days. There would not be a second week for The Beat. It would make its way onto home video in early 1989, and that's the last time the film was seen for nearly thirty years, until the film was picked up by a number of streaming services. Vestron's streak of bad luck continued with the comedy Paramedics starring George Newbern and Christopher McDonald. The only feature film directed by Stuart Margolin, best known as Angel on the 1970s TV series The Rockford Files, Newbern and McDonald play two… well, paramedics… who are sent by boss, as punishment, from their cushy uptown gig to a troubled district at the edge of the city, where they discover two other paramedics are running a cadavers for dollars scheme, harvesting organs from dead bodies to the black market. Here again we have a great supporting cast who deserve to be in a better movie, including character actor John P. Ryan, James Noble from Benson, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs from Welcome Back Kotter, the great Ray Walston, and one-time Playboy Playmate Karen Witter, who plays a sort of angel of death. Opening on 301 screens nationwide, Paramedics would only gross $149,577 in its first three days, the worst per screen average of any movie playing in at least 100 theatres that weekend. Vestron stopped tracking the film after just three days. Two weeks later, on June 17th, Vestron released a comedy horror film that should have done better. Waxwork was an interesting idea, a group of college students who have some strange encounters with the wax figures at a local museum, but that's not exactly why it should have been more popular. It was the cast that should have brought audiences in. On one side, you had a group of well-known younger actors like Deborah Foreman from Valley Girl, Zack Gailligan from Gremlins, Michelle Johnson from Blame It on Rio, and Miles O'Keeffe from Sword of the Valiant. On the other hand, you had a group of seasoned veterans from popular television shows and movies, such as Patrick Macnee from the popular 1960s British TV show The Avengers, John Rhys-Davies from the Indiana Jones movies, and David Warner, from The Omen and Time after Time and Time Bandits and Tron. But if I want to be completely honest, this was not a movie to release in the early part of summer. While I'm a firm believer that the right movie can find an audience no matter when it's released, Waxwork was absolutely a prime candidate for an early October release. Throughout the 1980s, we saw a number of horror movies, and especially horror comedies, released in the summer season that just did not hit with audiences. So it would be of little surprise when Waxwork grossed less than a million dollars during its theatrical run. And it should be of little surprise that the film would become popular enough on home video to warrant a sequel, which would add more popular sci-fi and horror actors like Marina Sirtis from Star Trek: The Next Generation, David Carradine and even Bruce Campbell. But by 1992, when Waxwork 2 was released, Vestron was long since closed. The second Ken Russell movie made for Vestron was The Lair of the White Worm, based on a 1911 novel by Bram Stoker, the author's final published book before his death the following year. The story follows the residents in and around a rural English manor that are tormented by an ancient priestess after the skull of a serpent she worships is unearthed by an archaeologist. Russell would offer the role of Sylvia Marsh, the enigmatic Lady who is actually an immortal priestess to an ancient snake god, to Tilda Swinton, who at this point of her career had already racked up a substantial resume in film after only two years, but she would decline. Instead, the role would go to Amanda Donohoe, the British actress best known at the time for her appearances in a pair of Adam Ant videos earlier in the decade. And the supporting cast would include Peter Capaldi, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, and the under-appreciated Sammi Davis, who was simply amazing in Mona Lisa, A Prayer for the Dying and John Boorman's Hope and Glory. The $2m would come together fairly quickly. Vestron and Russell would agree on the film in late 1987, the script would be approved by January 1988, filming would begin in England in February, and the completed film would have its world premiere at the Montreal Film Festival before the end of August. When the film arrived in American theatres starting on October 21st, many critics would embrace the director's deliberate camp qualities and anachronisms. But audiences, who maybe weren't used to Russell's style of filmmaking, did not embrace the film quite so much. New Yorkers would buy $31k worth of tickets in its opening weekend at the D. W. Griffith and 8th Street Playhouse, and the film would perform well in its opening weeks in major markets, but the film would never quite break out, earning just $1.2m after ten weeks in theatres. But, again, home video would save the day, as the film would become one of the bigger rental titles in 1989. If you were a teenager in the early 80s, as I was, you may remember a Dutch horror film called The Lift. Or, at the very least, you remember the key art on the VHS box, of a man who has his head stuck in between the doors of an elevator, while the potential viewer is warned to take the stairs, take the stairs, for God's sake, take the stairs. It was an impressive debut film for Dick Maas, but it was one that would place an albatross around the neck of his career. One of his follow ups to The Lift, called Amsterdamned, would follow a police detective who is searching for a serial killer in his home town, who uses the canals of the Dutch capital to keep himself hidden. When the detective gets too close to solving the identity of the murderer, the killer sends a message by killing the detective's girlfriend, which, if the killer had ever seen a movie before, he should have known you never do. You never make it personal for the cop, because he's gonna take you down even worse. When the film's producers brought the film to the American Film Market in early 1988, it would become one of the most talked about films, and Vestron would pick up the American distribution rights for a cool half a million dollars. The film would open on six screens in the US on November 25th, including the Laemmle Music Hall in Beverly Hills but not in New York City, but a $15k first weekend gross would seal its fate almost immediately. The film would play for another four weeks in theatres, playing on 18 screens at its widest, but it would end its run shortly after the start of of the year with only $62,044 in tickets sold. The final Vestron Pictures release of 1988 was Andrew Birkin's Burning Secret. Birkin, the brother of French singer and actress Jane Birkin, would co-write the screenplay for this adaptation of a 1913 short story by Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig, about a about an American diplomat's son who befriends a mysterious baron while staying at an Austrian spa during the 1920s. According to Birkin in a 2021 interview, making the movie was somewhat of a nightmare, as his leading actors, Klaus Maria Brandauer and Faye Dunaway, did not like each other, and their lack of comfort with each other would bleed into their performances, which is fatal for a film about two people who are supposed to passionately burn for each other. Opening on 16 screens in major markets on Thursday, December 22nd, Burning Secret would only gross $27k in its first four days. The film would actually see a post-Christmas bump, as it would lose a screen but see its gross jump to $40k. But after the first of the year, as it was obvious reviews were not going to save the film and awards consideration was non-existent, the film would close after three weeks with only $104k worth of tickets sold. By the end of 1988, Vestron was facing bankruptcy. The major distributors had learned the lessons independents like Vestron had taught them about selling more volumes of tapes by lowering the price, to make movies collectables and have people curate their own video library. Top titles were harder to come by, and studios were no longer giving up home video rights to the movies they acquired from third-party producers. Like many of the distributors we've spoken about before, and will undoubtedly speak of again, Vestron had too much success with one movie too quickly, and learned the wrong lessons about growth. If you look at the independent distribution world of 2023, you'll see companies like A24 that have learned that lesson. Stay lean and mean, don't go too wide too quickly, try not to spend too much money on a movie, no matter who the filmmaker is and how good of a relationship you have with them. A24 worked with Robert Eggers on The Witch and The Lighthouse, but when he wanted to spend $70-90m to make The Northman, A24 tapped out early, and Focus Features ended up losing millions on the film. Focus, the “indie” label for Universal Studios, can weather a huge loss like The Northman because they are a part of a multinational, multimedia conglomerate. This didn't mean Vestron was going to quit quite yet, but, spoiler alert, they'll be gone soon enough. In fact, and in case you are newer to the podcast and haven't listen to many of the previous episodes, none of the independent distribution companies that began and/or saw their best years in the 1980s that we've covered so far or will be covering in the future, exist in the same form they existed in back then. New Line still exists, but it's now a label within Warner Brothers instead of being an independent distributor. Ditto Orion, which is now just a specialty label within MGM/UA. The Samuel Goldwyn Company is still around and still distributes movies, but it was bought by Orion Pictures the year before Orion was bought by MGM/UA, so it too is now just a specialty label, within another specialty label. Miramax today is just a holding company for the movies the company made before they were sold off to Disney, before Disney sold them off to a hedge fund, who sold Miramax off to another hedge fund. Atlantic is gone. New World is gone. Cannon is gone. Hemdale is gone. Cinecom is gone. Island Films is gone. Alive Films is gone. Concorde Films is gone. MCEG is gone. CineTel is gone. Crown International is gone. Lorimar is gone. New Century/Vista is gone. Skouras Films is gone. Cineplex Odeon Films is gone. Not one of them survived. The same can pretty much be said for the independent distributors created in the 1990s, save Lionsgate, but I'll leave that for another podcast to tackle. As for the Vestron story, we'll continue that one next week, because there are still a dozen more movies to talk about, as well as the end of the line for the once high flying company. Thank you for joining us. We'll talk again soon. Remember to visit this episode's page on our website, The80sMoviePodcast.com, for extra materials about the movies we covered this episode. The 80s Movies Podcast has been researched, written, narrated and edited by Edward Havens for Idiosyncratic Entertainment. Thank you again. Good night.
The first of a two-part series on the short-lived 80s American distribution company responsible for Dirty Dancing. ----more---- The movies covered on this episode: Alpine (1987, Fredi M. Murer) Anna (1987, Yurek Bogayevicz) Billy Galvin (1986, John Grey) Blood Diner (1987, Jackie Kong) China Girl (1987, Abel Ferrera) The Dead (1987, John Huston) Dirty Dancing (1987, Emile Ardolino) Malcolm (1986, Nadia Tess) Personal Services (1987, Terry Jones) Slaughter High (1986, Mark Ezra and Peter Litten and George Dugdale) Steel Dawn (1987, Lance Hook) Street Trash (1987, Jim Muro) TRANSCRIPT From Los Angeles, California, the Entertainment Capital of the World, it's The 80s Movies Podcast. I am your host, Edward Havens. Thank you for listening today. Have you ever thought “I should do this thing” but then you never get around to it, until something completely random happens that reminds you that you were going to do this thing a long time ago? For this week's episode, that kick in the keister was a post on Twitter from someone I don't follow being retweeted by the great film critic and essayist Walter Chaw, someone I do follow, that showed a Blu-ray cover of the 1987 Walter Hill film Extreme Prejudice. You see, Walter Chaw has recently released a book about the life and career of Walter Hill, and this other person was showing off their new purchase. That in and of itself wasn't the kick in the butt. That was the logo of the disc's distributor. Vestron Video. A company that went out of business more than thirty years before, that unbeknownst to me had been resurrected by the current owner of the trademark, Lionsgate Films, as a specialty label for a certain kind of film like Ken Russell's Gothic, Beyond Re-Animator, CHUD 2, and, for some reason, Walter Hill's Neo-Western featuring Nick Nolte, Powers Boothe and Rip Torn. For those of you from the 80s, you remember at least one of Vestron Pictures' movies. I guarantee it. But before we get there, we, as always, must go back a little further back in time. The year is 1981. Time Magazine is amongst the most popular magazines in the world, while their sister publication, Life, was renowned for their stunning photographs printed on glossy color paper of a larger size than most magazines. In the late 1970s, Time-Life added a video production and distribution company to ever-growing media empire that also included television stations, cable channels, book clubs, and compilation record box sets. But Time Life Home Video didn't quite take off the way the company had expected, and they decided to concentrate its lucrative cable businesses like HBO. The company would move Austin Furst, an executive from HBO, over to dismantle the assets of Time-Life Films. And while Furst would sell off the production and distribution parts of the company to Fox, and the television department to Columbia Pictures, he couldn't find a party interested in the home video department. Recognizing that home video was an emerging market that would need a visionary like himself willing to take big risks for the chance to have big rewards, Furst purchased the home video rights to the film and video library for himself, starting up his home entertainment company. But what to call the company? It would be his daughter that would come up with Vestron, a portmanteau of combining the name of the Roman goddess of the heart, Vesta, with Tron, the Greek word for instrument. Remember, the movie Tron would not be released for another year at this point. At first, there were only two employees at Vestron: Furst himself, and Jon Pesinger, a fellow executive at Time-Life who, not unlike Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maguire, was the only person who saw Furst's long-term vision for the future. Outside of the titles they brought with them from Time-Life, Vestron's initial release of home video titles comprised of two mid-range movie hits where they were able to snag the home video rights instead of the companies that released the movies in theatres, either because those companies did not have a home video operation yet, or did not negotiate for home video rights when making the movie deal with the producers. Fort Apache, The Bronx, a crime drama with Paul Newman and Ed Asner, and Loving Couples, a Shirley MacLaine/James Coburn romantic comedy that was neither romantic nor comedic, were Time-Life productions, while the Burt Reynolds/Dom DeLuise comedy The Cannonball Run, was a pickup from the Hong Kong production company Golden Harvest, which financed the comedy to help break their local star, Jackie Chan, into the American market. They'd also make a deal with several Canadian production companies to get the American home video rights to titles like the Jack Lemmon drama Tribute and the George C. Scott horror film The Changeling. The advantage that Vestron had over the major studios was their outlook on the mom and pop rental stores that were popping up in every city and town in the United States. The major studios hated the idea that they could sell a videotape for, say, $99.99, and then see someone else make a major profit by renting that tape out fifty or a hundred times at $4 or $5 per night. Of course, they would eventually see the light, but in 1982, they weren't there yet. Now, let me sidetrack for a moment, as I am wont to do, to talk about mom and pop video stores in the early 1980s. If you're younger than, say, forty, you probably only know Blockbuster and/or Hollywood Video as your local video rental store, but in the early 80s, there were no national video store chains yet. The first Blockbuster wouldn't open until October 1985, in Dallas, and your neighborhood likely didn't get one until the late 1980s or early 1990s. The first video store I ever encountered, Telford Home Video in Belmont Shores, Long Beach in 1981, was operated by Bob Telford, an actor best known for playing the Station Master in both the original 1974 version of Where the Red Fern Grows and its 2003 remake. Bob was really cool, and I don't think it was just because the space for the video store was just below my dad's office in the real estate company that had built and operated the building. He genuinely took interest in this weird thirteen year old kid who had an encyclopedic knowledge of films and wanted to learn more. I wanted to watch every movie he had in the store that I hadn't seen yet, but there was one problem: we had a VHS machine, and most of Bob's inventory was RCA SelectaVision, a disc-based playback system using a special stylus and a groove-covered disc much like an LP record. After school each day, I'd hightail it over to Telford Home Video, and Bob and I would watch a movie while we waited for customers to come rent something. It was with Bob that I would watch Ordinary People and The Magnificent Seven, The Elephant Man and The Last Waltz, Bus Stop and Rebel Without a Cause and The French Connection and The Man Who Fell to Earth and a bunch of other movies that weren't yet available on VHS, and it was great. Like many teenagers in the early 1980s, I spent some time working at a mom and pop video store, Seacliff Home Video in Aptos, CA. I worked on the weekends, it was a third of a mile walk from home, and even though I was only 16 years old at the time, my bosses would, every week, solicit my opinion about which upcoming videos we should acquire. Because, like Telford Home Video and Village Home Video, where my friends Dick and Michelle worked about two miles away, and most every video store at the time, space was extremely limited and there was only space for so many titles. Telford Home Video was about 500 square feet and had maybe 500 titles. Seacliff was about 750 square feet and around 800 titles, including about 50 in the tiny, curtained off room created to hold the porn. And the first location for Village Home Video had only 300 square feet of space and only 250 titles. The owner, Leone Keller, confirmed to me that until they moved into a larger location across from the original store, they were able to rent out every movie in the store every night. For many, a store owner had to be very careful about what they ordered and what they replaced. But Vestron Home Video always seemed to have some of the better movies. Because of a spat between Warner Brothers and Orion Pictures, Vestron would end up with most of Orion's 1983 through 1985 theatrical releases, including Rodney Dangerfield's Easy Money, the Nick Nolte political thriller Under Fire, the William Hurt mystery Gorky Park, and Gene Wilder's The Woman in Red. They'd also make a deal with Roger Corman's old American Independent Pictures outfit, which would reap an unexpected bounty when George Miller's second Mad Max movie, The Road Warrior, became a surprise hit in 1982, and Vestron was holding the video rights to the first Mad Max movie. And they'd also find themselves with the laserdisc rights to several Brian DePalma movies including Dressed to Kill and Blow Out. And after Polygram Films decided to leave the movie business in 1984, they would sell the home video rights to An American Werewolf in London and Endless Love to Vestron. They were doing pretty good. And in 1984, Vestron ended up changing the home video industry forever. When Michael Jackson and John Landis had trouble with Jackson's record company, Epic, getting their idea for a 14 minute short film built around the title song to Jackson's monster album Thriller financed, Vestron would put up a good portion of the nearly million dollar budget in order to release the movie on home video, after it played for a few weeks on MTV. In February 1984, Vestron would release a one-hour tape, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, that included the mini-movie and a 45 minute Making of featurette. At $29.99, it would be one of the first sell-through titles released on home video. It would become the second home videotape to sell a million copies, after Star Wars. Suddenly, Vestron was flush with more cash than it knew what to do with. In 1985, they would decide to expand their entertainment footprint by opening Vestron Pictures, which would finance a number of movies that could be exploited across a number of platforms, including theatrical, home video, cable and syndicated TV. In early January 1986, Vestron would announce they were pursuing projects with three producers, Steve Tisch, Larry Turman, and Gene Kirkwood, but no details on any specific titles or even a timeframe when any of those movies would be made. Tisch, the son of Loews Entertainment co-owner Bob Tisch, had started producing films in 1977 with the Peter Fonda music drama Outlaw Blues, and had a big hit in 1983 with Risky Business. Turman, the Oscar-nominated producer of Mike Nichols' The Graduate, and Kirkwood, the producer of The Keep and The Pope of Greenwich Village, had seen better days as producers by 1986 but their names still carried a certain cache in Hollywood, and the announcement would certainly let the industry know Vestron was serious about making quality movies. Well, maybe not all quality movies. They would also launch a sub-label for Vestron Pictures called Lightning Pictures, which would be utilized on B-movies and schlock that maybe wouldn't fit in the Vestron Pictures brand name they were trying to build. But it costs money to build a movie production and theatrical distribution company. Lots of money. Thanks to the ever-growing roster of video titles and the success of releases like Thriller, Vestron would go public in the spring of 1985, selling enough shares on the first day of trading to bring in $440m to the company, $140m than they thought they would sell that day. It would take them a while, but in 1986, they would start production on their first slate of films, as well as acquire several foreign titles for American distribution. Vestron Pictures officially entered the theatrical distribution game on July 18th, 1986, when they released the Australian comedy Malcolm at the Cinema 2 on the Upper East Side of New York City. A modern attempt to create the Aussie version of a Jacques Tati-like absurdist comedy about modern life and our dependance on gadgetry, Malcolm follows, as one character describes him a 100 percent not there individual who is tricked into using some of his remote control inventions to pull of a bank robbery. While the film would be a minor hit in Australia, winning all eight of the Australian Film Institute Awards it was nominated for including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and three acting awards, the film would only play for five weeks in New York, grossing less than $35,000, and would not open in Los Angeles until November 5th, where in its first week at the Cineplex Beverly Center and Samuel Goldwyn Pavilion Cinemas, it would gross a combined $37,000. Go figure. Malcolm would open in a few more major markets, but Vestron would close the film at the end of the year with a gross under $200,000. Their next film, Slaughter High, was a rather odd bird. A co-production between American and British-based production companies, the film followed a group of adults responsible for a prank gone wrong on April Fool's Day who are invited to a reunion at their defunct high school where a masked killer awaits inside. And although the movie takes place in America, the film was shot in London and nearby Virginia Water, Surrey, in late 1984, under the title April Fool's Day. But even with Caroline Munro, the British sex symbol who had become a cult favorite with her appearances in a series of sci-fi and Hammer horror films with Peter Cushing and/or Christopher Lee, as well as her work in the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, April Fool's Day would sit on the proverbial shelf for nearly two years, until Vestron picked it up and changed its title, since Paramount Pictures had released their own horror film called April Fools Day earlier in the year. Vestron would open Slaughter High on nine screens in Detroit on November 14th, 1986, but Vestron would not report grosses. Then they would open it on six screen in St. Louis on February 13th, 1987. At least this time they reported a gross. $12,400. Variety would simply call that number “grim.” They'd give the film one final rush on April 24th, sending it out to 38 screens in in New York City, where it would gross $90,000. There'd be no second week, as practically every theatre would replace it with Creepshow 2. The third and final Vestron Pictures release for 1986 was Billy Galvin, a little remembered family drama featuring Karl Malden and Lenny von Dohlen, originally produced for the PBS anthology series American Playhouse but bumped up to a feature film as part of coordinated effort to promote the show by occasionally releasing feature films bearing the American Playhouse banner. The film would open at the Cineplex Beverly Center on December 31st, not only the last day of the calendar year but the last day a film can be released into theatres in Los Angeles to have been considered for Academy Awards. The film would not get any major awards, from the Academy or anyone else, nor much attention from audiences, grossing just $4,000 in its first five days. They'd give the film a chance in New York on February 20th, at the 23rd Street West Triplex, but a $2,000 opening weekend gross would doom the film from ever opening in another theatre again. In early 1987, Vestron announced eighteen films they would release during the year, and a partnership with AMC Theatres and General Cinema to have their films featured in those two companies' pilot specialized film programs in major markets like Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston and San Francisco. Alpine Fire would be the first of those films, arriving at the Cinema Studio 1 in New York City on February 20th. A Swiss drama about a young deaf and mentally challenged teenager who gets his older sister pregnant, was that country's entry into the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar race. While the film would win the Golden Leopard Award at the 1985 Locarno Film Festival, the Academy would not select the film for a nomination, and the film would quickly disappear from theatres after a $2,000 opening weekend gross. Personal Services, the first film to be directed by Terry Jones outside of his services with Monty Python, would arrive in American theatres on May 15th. The only Jones-directed film to not feature any other Python in the cast, Personal Services was a thinly-disguised telling of a 1970s—era London waitress who was running a brothel in her flat in order to make ends meet, and featured a standout performance by Julie Walters as the waitress turned madame. In England, Personal Services would be the second highest-grossing film of the year, behind The Living Daylights, the first Bond film featuring new 007 Timothy Dalton. In America, the film wouldn't be quite as successful, grossing $1.75m after 33 weeks in theatres, despite never playing on more than 31 screens in any given week. It would be another three months before Vestron would release their second movie of the year, but it would be the one they'd become famous for. Dirty Dancing. Based in large part on screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein's own childhood, the screenplay would be written after the producers of the 1980 Michael Douglas/Jill Clayburgh dramedy It's My Turn asked the writer to remove a scene from the screenplay that involved an erotic dance sequence. She would take that scene and use it as a jumping off point for a new story about a Jewish teenager in the early 1960s who participated in secret “Dirty Dancing” competitions while she vacationed with her doctor father and stay-at-home mother while they vacationed in the Catskill Mountains. Baby, the young woman at the center of the story, would not only resemble the screenwriter as a character but share her childhood nickname. Bergstein would pitch the story to every studio in Hollywood in 1984, and only get a nibble from MGM Pictures, whose name was synonymous with big-budget musicals decades before. They would option the screenplay and assign producer Linda Gottlieb, a veteran television producer making her first major foray into feature films, to the project. With Gottlieb, Bergstein would head back to the Catskills for the first time in two decades, as research for the script. It was while on this trip that the pair would meet Michael Terrace, a former Broadway dancer who had spent summers in the early 1960s teaching tourists how to mambo in the Catskills. Terrace and Bergstein didn't remember each other if they had met way back when, but his stories would help inform the lead male character of Johnny Castle. But, as regularly happens in Hollywood, there was a regime change at MGM in late 1985, and one of the projects the new bosses cut loose was Dirty Dancing. Once again, the script would make the rounds in Hollywood, but nobody was biting… until Vestron Pictures got their chance to read it. They loved it, and were ready to make it their first in-house production… but they would make the movie if the budget could be cut from $10m to $4.5m. That would mean some sacrifices. They wouldn't be able to hire a major director, nor bigger name actors, but that would end up being a blessing in disguise. To direct, Gottlieb and Bergstein looked at a lot of up and coming feature directors, but the one person they had the best feeling about was Emile Ardolino, a former actor off-Broadway in the 1960s who began his filmmaking career as a documentarian for PBS in the 1970s. In 1983, Ardolino's documentary about National Dance Institute founder Jacques d'Amboise, He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin', would win both the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Entertainment Special. Although Ardolino had never directed a movie, he would read the script twice in a week while serving on jury duty, and came back to Gottlieb and Bergstein with a number of ideas to help make the movie shine, even at half the budget. For a movie about dancing, with a lot of dancing in it, they would need a creative choreographer to help train the actors and design the sequences. The filmmakers would chose Kenny Ortega, who in addition to choreographing the dance scenes in Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, had worked with Gene Kelly on the 1980 musical Xanadu. Well, more specifically, was molded by Gene Kelly to become the lead choreographer for the film. That's some good credentials. Unlike movies like Flashdance, where the filmmakers would hire Jennifer Beals to play Alex and Marine Jahan to perform Alex's dance scenes, Emile Ardolino was insistent that the actors playing the dancers were actors who also dance. Having stand-ins would take extra time to set-up, and would suck up a portion of an already tight budget. Yet the first people he would meet for the lead role of Johnny were non-dancers Benecio del Toro, Val Kilmer, and Billy Zane. Zane would go so far as to do a screen test with one of the actresses being considered for the role of Baby, Jennifer Grey, but after screening the test, they realized Grey was right for Baby but Zane was not right for Johnny. Someone suggested Patrick Swayze, a former dancer for the prestigious Joffrey Ballet who was making his way up the ranks of stardom thanks to his roles in The Outsiders and Grandview U.S.A. But Swayze had suffered a knee injury years before that put his dance career on hold, and there were concerns he would re-aggravate his injury, and there were concerns from Jennifer Grey because she and Swayze had not gotten along very well while working on Red Dawn. But that had been three years earlier, and when they screen tested together here, everyone was convinced this was the pairing that would bring magic to the role. Baby's parents would be played by two Broadway veterans: Jerry Orbach, who is best known today as Detective Lenny Briscoe on Law and Order, and Kelly Bishop, who is best known today as Emily Gilmore from Gilmore Girls but had actually started out as a dancer, singer and actor, winning a Tony Award for her role in the original Broadway production of A Chorus Line. Although Bishop had originally been cast in a different role for the movie, another guest at the Catskills resort with the Housemans, but she would be bumped up when the original Mrs. Houseman, Lynne Lipton, would fall ill during the first week of filming. Filming on Dirty Dancing would begin in North Carolina on September 5th, 1986, at a former Boy Scout camp that had been converted to a private residential community. This is where many of the iconic scenes from the film would be shot, including Baby carrying the watermelon and practicing her dance steps on the stairs, all the interior dance scenes, the log scene, and the golf course scene where Baby would ask her father for $250. It's also where Patrick Swayze almost ended his role in the film, when he would indeed re-injure his knee during the balancing scene on the log. He would be rushed to the hospital to have fluid drained from the swelling. Thankfully, there would be no lingering effects once he was released. After filming in North Carolina was completed, the team would move to Virginia for two more weeks of filming, including the water lift scene, exteriors at Kellerman's Hotel and the Houseman family's cabin, before the film wrapped on October 27th. Ardolino's first cut of the film would be completed in February 1987, and Vestron would begin the process of running a series of test screenings. At the first test screening, nearly 40% of the audience didn't realize there was an abortion subplot in the movie, even after completing the movie. A few weeks later, Vestron executives would screen the film for producer Aaron Russo, who had produced such movies as The Rose and Trading Places. His reaction to the film was to tell the executives to burn the negative and collect the insurance. But, to be fair, one important element of the film was still not set. The music. Eleanor Bergstein had written into her script a number of songs that were popular in the early 1960s, when the movie was set, that she felt the final film needed. Except a number of the songs were a bit more expensive to license than Vestron would have preferred. The company was testing the film with different versions of those songs, other artists' renditions. The writer, with the support of her producer and director, fought back. She made a deal with the Vestron executives. They would play her the master tracks to ten of the songs she wanted, as well as the copycat versions. If she could identify six of the masters, she could have all ten songs in the film. Vestron would spend another half a million dollars licensing the original recording. The writer nailed all ten. But even then, there was still one missing piece of the puzzle. The closing song. While Bergstein wanted another song to close the film, the team at Vestron were insistent on a new song that could be used to anchor a soundtrack album. The writer, producer, director and various members of the production team listened to dozens of submissions from songwriters, but none of them were right, until they got to literally the last submission left, written by Franke Previte, who had written another song that would appear on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, “Hungry Eyes.” Everybody loved the song, called “I've Had the Time of My Life,” and it would take some time to convince Previte that Dirty Dancing was not a porno. They showed him the film and he agreed to give them the song, but the production team and Vestron wanted to get a pair of more famous singers to record the final version. The filmmakers originally approached disco queen Donna Summer and Joe Esposito, whose song “You're the Best” appeared on the Karate Kid soundtrack, but Summer would decline, not liking the title of the movie. They would then approach Daryl Hall from Hall and Oates and Kim Carnes, but they'd both decline, citing concerns about the title of the movie. Then they approached Bill Medley, one-half of The Righteous Brothers, who had enjoyed yet another career resurgence when You Lost That Lovin' Feeling became a hit in 1986 thanks to Top Gun, but at first, he would also decline. Not that he had any concerns about the title of the film, although he did have concerns about the title, but that his wife was about to give birth to their daughter, and he had promised he would be there. While trying to figure who to get to sing the male part of the song, the music supervisor for the film approached Jennifer Warnes, who had sung the duet “Up Where We Belong” from the An Officer and a Gentleman soundtrack, which had won the 1983 Academy Award for Best Original Song, and sang the song “It Goes Like It Goes” from the Norma Rae soundtrack, which had won the 1980 Academy Award for Best Original Song. Warnes wasn't thrilled with the song, but she would be persuaded to record the song for the right price… and if Bill Medley would sing the other part. Medley, flattered that Warnes asked specifically to record with him, said he would do so, after his daughter was born, and if the song was recorded in his studio in Los Angeles. A few weeks later, Medley and Warnes would have their portion of the song completed in only one hour, including additional harmonies and flourishes decided on after finishing with the main vocals. With all the songs added to the movie, audience test scores improved considerably. RCA Records, who had been contracted to handle the release of the soundtrack, would set a July 17th release date for the album, to coincide with the release of the movie on the same day, with the lead single, I've Had the Time of My Life, released one week earlier. But then, Vestron moved the movie back from July 17th to August 21st… and forgot to tell RCA Records about the move. No big deal. The song would quickly rise up the charts, eventually hitting #1 on the Billboard charts. When the movie finally did open in 975 theatres in August 21st, the film would open to fourth place with $3.9m in ticket sales, behind Can't Buy Me Love in third place and in its second week of release, the Cheech Marin comedy Born in East L.A., which opened in second place, and Stakeout, which was enjoying its third week atop the charts. The reviews were okay, but not special. Gene Siskel would give the film a begrudging Thumbs Up, citing Jennifer Grey's performance and her character's arc as the thing that tipped the scale into the positive, while Roger Ebert would give the film a Thumbs Down, due to its idiot plot and tired and relentlessly predictable story of love between kids from different backgrounds. But then a funny thing happened… Instead of appealing to the teenagers they thought would see the film, the majority of the audience ended up becoming adults. Not just twenty and thirty somethings, but people who were teenagers themselves during the movie's timeframe. They would be drawn in to the film through the newfound sense of boomer nostalgia that helped make Stand By Me an unexpected hit the year before, both as a movie and as a soundtrack. Its second week in theatre would only see the gross drop 6%, and the film would finish in third place. In week three, the four day Labor Day weekend, it would gross nearly $5m, and move up to second place. And it would continue to play and continue to bring audiences in, only dropping out of the top ten once in early November for one weekend, from August to December. Even with all the new movies entering the marketplace for Christmas, Dirty Dancing would be retained by most of the theatres that were playing it. In the first weekend of 1988, Dirty Dancing was still playing in 855 theaters, only 120 fewer than who opened it five months earlier. Once it did started leaving first run theatres, dollar houses were eager to pick it up, and Dirty Dancing would make another $6m in ticket sales as it continued to play until Christmas 1988 at some theatres, finishing its incredible run with $63.5m in ticket sales. Yet, despite its ubiquitousness in American pop culture, despite the soundtrack selling more than ten million copies in its first year, despite the uptick in attendance at dance schools from coast to coast, Dirty Dancing never once was the #1 film in America on any weekend it was in theatres. There would always be at least one other movie that would do just a bit better. When awards season came around, the movie was practically ignored by critics groups. It would pick up an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, and both the movie and Jennifer Grey would be nominated for Golden Globes, but it would be that song, I've Had the Time of My Life, that would be the driver for awards love. It would win the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, and a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The song would anchor a soundtrack that would also include two other hit songs, Eric Carmen's “Hungry Eyes,” and “She's Like the Wind,” recorded for the movie by Patrick Swayze, making him the proto-Hugh Jackman of the 80s. I've seen Hugh Jackman do his one-man show at the Hollywood Bowl, and now I'm wishing Patrick Swayze could have had something like that thirty years ago. On September 25th, they would release Abel Ferrera's Neo-noir romantic thriller China Girl. A modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet written by regular Ferrera writer Nicholas St. John, the setting would be New York City's Lower East Side, when Tony, a teenager from Little Italy, falls for Tye, a teenager from Chinatown, as their older brothers vie for turf in a vicious gang war. While the stars of the film, Richard Panebianco and Sari Chang, would never become known actors, the supporting cast is as good as you'd expect from a post-Ms. .45 Ferrera film, including James Russo, Russell Wong, David Caruso and James Hong. The $3.5m movie would open on 110 screens, including 70 in New York ti-state region and 18 in Los Angeles, grossing $531k. After a second weekend, where the gross dropped to $225k, Vestron would stop tracking the film, with a final reported gross of just $1.26m coming from a stockholder's report in early 1988. Ironically, China Girl would open against another movie that Vestron had a hand in financing, but would not release in America: Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride. While the film would do okay in America, grossing $30m against its $15m, it wouldn't translate so easily to foreign markets. Anna, from first time Polish filmmaker Yurek Bogayevicz, was an oddball little film from the start. The story, co-written with the legendary Polish writer/director Agnieszka Holland, was based on the real-life friendship of Polish actresses Joanna (Yo-ahn-nuh) Pacuła (Pa-tsu-wa) and Elżbieta (Elz-be-et-ah) Czyżewska (Chuh-zef-ska), and would find Czech supermodel Paulina Porizkova making her feature acting debut as Krystyna, an aspiring actress from Czechoslovakia who goes to New York City to find her idol, Anna, who had been imprisoned and then deported for speaking out against the new regime after the 1968 Communist invasion. Nearly twenty years later, the middle-aged Anna struggles to land any acting parts, in films, on television, or on the stage, who relishes the attention of this beautiful young waif who reminds her of herself back then. Sally Kirkland, an American actress who got her start as part of Andy Warhol's Factory in the early 60s but could never break out of playing supporting roles in movies like The Way We Were, The Sting, A Star is Born, and Private Benjamin, would be cast as the faded Czech star whose life seemed to unintentionally mirror the actress's. Future Snakes on a Plane director David R. Ellis would be featured in a small supporting role, as would the then sixteen year old Sofia Coppola. The $1m movie would shoot on location in New York City during the winter of late 1986 and early 1987, and would make its world premiere at the 1987 New York Film Festival in September, before opening at the 68th Street Playhouse on the Upper East Side on October 30th. Critics such as Bruce Williamson of Playboy, Molly Haskell of Vogue and Jami Bernard of the New York Post would sing the praises of the movie, and of Paulina Porizkova, but it would be Sally Kirkland whom practically every critic would gush over. “A performance of depth and clarity and power, easily one of the strongest female roles of the year,” wrote Mike McGrady of Newsday. Janet Maslim wasn't as impressed with the film as most critics, but she would note Ms. Kirkland's immensely dignified presence in the title role. New York audiences responded well to the critical acclaim, buying more than $22,000 worth of tickets, often playing to sell out crowds for the afternoon and evening shows. In its second week, the film would see its gross increase 12%, and another 3% increase in its third week. Meanwhile, on November 13th, the film would open in Los Angeles at the AMC Century City 14, where it would bring in an additional $10,000, thanks in part to Sheila Benson's rave in the Los Angeles Times, calling the film “the best kind of surprise — a small, frequently funny, fine-boned film set in the worlds of the theater and movies which unexpectedly becomes a consummate study of love, alienation and loss,” while praising Kirkland's performance as a “blazing comet.” Kirkland would make the rounds on the awards circuit, winning Best Actress awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the Golden Globes, and the Independent Spirit Awards, culminating in an Academy Award nomination, although she would lose to Cher in Moonstruck. But despite all these rave reviews and the early support for the film in New York and Los Angeles, the film got little traction outside these two major cities. Despite playing in theatres for nearly six months, Anna could only round up about $1.2m in ticket sales. Vestron's penultimate new film of 1987 would be a movie that when it was shot in Namibia in late 1986 was titled Peacekeeper, then was changed to Desert Warrior when it was acquired by Jerry Weintraub's eponymously named distribution company, then saw it renamed again to Steel Dawn when Vestron overpaid to acquire the film from Weintraub, because they wanted the next film starring Patrick Swayze for themselves. Swayze plays, and stop me if you've heard this one before, a warrior wandering through a post-apocalyptic desert who comes upon a group of settlers who are being menaced by the leader of a murderous gang who's after the water they control. Lisa Niemi, also known as Mrs. Patrick Swayze, would be his romantic interest in the film, which would also star AnthonY Zerbe, Brian James, and, in one of his very first acting roles, future Mummy co-star Arnold Vosloo. The film would open to horrible reviews, and gross just $312k in 290 theatres. For comparison's sake, Dirty Dancing was in its eleventh week of release, was still playing 878 theatres, and would gross $1.7m. In its second week, Steel Dawn had lost nearly two thirds of its theatres, grossing only $60k from 107 theatres. After its third weekend, Vestron stopped reporting grosses. The film had only earned $562k in ticket sales. And their final release for 1987 would be one of the most prestigious titles they'd ever be involved with. The Dead, based on a short story by James Joyce, would be the 37th and final film to be directed by John Huston. His son Tony would adapt the screenplay, while his daughter Anjelica, whom he had directed to a Best Supporting Actress Oscar two years earlier for Prizzi's Honor, would star as the matriarch of an Irish family circa 1904 whose husband discovers memoirs of a deceased lover of his wife's, an affair that preceded their meeting. Originally scheduled to shoot in Dublin, Ireland, The Dead would end up being shot on soundstages in Valencia, CA, just north of Los Angeles, as the eighty year old filmmaker was in ill health. Huston, who was suffering from severe emphysema due to decades of smoking, would use video playback for the first and only time in his career in order to call the action, whirling around from set to set in a motorized wheelchair with an oxygen tank attached to it. In fact, the company insuring the film required the producers to have a backup director on set, just in case Huston was unable to continue to make the film. That stand-in was Czech-born British filmmaker Karel Reisz, who never once had to stand-in during the entire shoot. One Huston who didn't work on the film was Danny Huston, who was supposed to shoot some second unit footage for the film in Dublin for his father, who could not make any trips overseas, as well as a documentary about the making of the film, but for whatever reason, Danny Huston would end up not doing either. John Huston would turn in his final cut of the film to Vestron in July 1987, and would pass away in late August, a good four months before the film's scheduled release. He would live to see some of the best reviews of his entire career when the film was released on December 18th. At six theatres in Los Angeles and New York City, The Dead would earn $69k in its first three days during what was an amazing opening weekend for a number of movies. The Dead would open against exclusive runs of Broadcast News, Ironweed, Moonstruck and the newest Woody Allen film, September, as well as wide releases of Eddie Murphy: Raw, Batteries Not Included, Overboard, and the infamous Bill Cosby stinker Leonard Part 6. The film would win the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Picture of the year, John Huston would win the Spirit Award and the London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director, Anjelica Huston would win a Spirit Award as well, for Best Supporting Actress, and Tony Huston would be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. But the little $3.5m film would only see modest returns at the box office, grossing just $4.4m after a four month run in theatres. Vestron would also release two movies in 1987 through their genre Lightning Pictures label. The first, Blood Diner, from writer/director Jackie Kong, was meant to be both a tribute and an indirect sequel to the infamous 1965 Herschell Gordon Lewis movie Blood Feast, often considered to be the first splatter slasher film. Released on four screens in Baltimore on July 10th, the film would gross just $6,400 in its one tracked week. The film would get a second chance at life when it opened at the 8th Street Playhouse in New York City on September 4th, but after a $5,000 opening week gross there, the film would have to wait until it was released on home video to become a cult film. The other Lightning Pictures release for 1987, Street Trash, would become one of the most infamous horror comedy films of the year. An expansion of a short student film by then nineteen year old Jim Muro, Street Trash told the twin stories of a Greenpoint, Brooklyn shop owner who sell a case of cheap, long-expired hooch to local hobos, who hideously melt away shortly after drinking it, while two homeless brothers try to deal with their situation as best they can while all this weirdness is going on about them. After playing several weeks of midnight shows at the Waverly Theatre near Washington Square, Street Trash would open for a regular run at the 8th Street Playhouse on September 18th, one week after Blood Diner left the same theatre. However, Street Trash would not replace Blood Diner, which was kicked to the curb after one week, but another long forgotten movie, the Christopher Walken-starrer Deadline. Street Trash would do a bit better than Blood Diner, $9,000 in its first three days, enough to get the film a full two week run at the Playhouse. But its second week gross of $5,000 would not be enough to give it a longer playdate, or get another New York theatre to pick it up. The film would get other playdates, including one in my secondary hometown of Santa Cruz starting, ironically, on Thanksgiving Day, but the film would barely make $100k in its theatrical run. While this would be the only film Jim Muro would direct, he would become an in demand cinematographer and Steadicam operator, working on such films as Field of Dreams, Dances with Wolves, Sneakers, L.A. Confidential, the first Fast and Furious movie, and on The Abyss, Terminator 2, True Lies and Titanic for James Cameron. And should you ever watch the film and sit through the credits, yes, it's that Bryan Singer who worked as a grip and production assistant on the film. It would be his very first film credit, which he worked on during a break from going to USC film school. People who know me know I am not the biggest fan of horror films. I may have mentioned it once or twice on this podcast. But I have a soft spot for Troma Films and Troma-like films, and Street Trash is probably the best Troma movie not made or released by Troma. There's a reason why Lloyd Kaufman is not a fan of the movie. A number of people who have seen the movie think it is a Troma movie, not helped by the fact that a number of people who did work on The Toxic Avenger went to work on Street Trash afterwards, and some even tell Lloyd at conventions that Street Trash is their favorite Troma movie. It's looks like a Troma movie. It feels like a Troma movie. And to be honest, at least to me, that's one hell of a compliment. It's one of the reasons I even went to see Street Trash, the favorable comparison to Troma. And while I, for lack of a better word, enjoyed Street Trash when I saw it, as much as one can say they enjoyed a movie where a bunch of bums playing hot potato with a man's severed Johnson is a major set piece, but I've never really felt the need to watch it again over the past thirty-five years. Like several of the movies on this episode, Street Trash is not available for streaming on any service in the United States. And outside of Dirty Dancing, the ones you can stream, China Girl, Personal Services, Slaughter High and Steel Dawn, are mostly available for free with ads on Tubi, which made a huge splash last week with a confounding Super Bowl commercial that sent millions of people to figure what a Tubi was. Now, if you were counting, that was only nine films released in 1987, and not the eighteen they had promised at the start of the year. Despite the fact they had a smash hit in Dirty Dancing, they decided to push most of their planned 1987 movies to 1988. Not necessarily by choice, though. Many of the films just weren't ready in time for a 1987 release, and then the unexpected long term success of Dirty Dancing kept them occupied for most of the rest of the year. But that only meant that 1988 would be a stellar year for them, right? We'll find out next episode, when we continue the Vestron Pictures story. Thank you for joining us. We'll talk again next week. Remember to visit this episode's page on our website, The80sMoviePodcast.com, for extra materials about the movies we covered this episode. The 80s Movies Podcast has been researched, written, narrated and edited by Edward Havens for Idiosyncratic Entertainment. Thank you again. Good night.
Roger Guenveur Smith - Award-winning actor, playwright, director, and educator who has created a prolific body of work on stage and screen who is returning to the stage! He will premiere his new solo performance of “OTTO FRANK” at the Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival, January 12 - January 22, 2023. Smith can currently be seen in MGM's Orion Pictures acclaimed feature film TILL from Chinonye Chukwu where he stars as the unsung Mississippi radical Dr. TRM Howard. He joins Tavis for a conversation about his latest projects
6/10IMDb 77%Rotten Tomatoes 3.8/5Shudder Anna and the Apocalypse got a 3.829 stars review on Shudder. 79% liked this movie Google users A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other. Release date: November 30, 2018 (UK) Director: John McPhail Music by: Roddy Hart; Tommy Reilly Box office: $670,430 Distributed by: Orion Pictures, Vertigo Films Based on: "Zombie Musical" (short film); by Ryan McHenry
Today on the show I get to talk with Erik Tarloff. Erik is the author of the national best-seller Face-Time, The Man Who Wrote the Book, and All Our Yesterdays. His early work was writing primarily for the screen, including an early draft of Disney's animated Aladdin, & Car 54, Where Are You? for Orion Pictures. His TV work includes writing episodes of M*A*S*H, All in the Family, The Bob Newhart Show, The Jeffersons, Alice and many others. He's written pro bono speeches for Al Gore and former President Clinton. That's just some of his work - he's had a very prolific career. I first heard about him in 2019 when his book The Woman in Black came out on Rare Bird Books. It was one of my favorites from that year. His latest novel is called Tell Me the Truth About Love. I highly recommend it. If you live in San Francisco pick up a copy at Books, Inc. or Pegasus if you are in Berkeley. For our LA listeners, as always, check out Book Soup or Skylight. If you're from my hometown in Salt Lake, Wellerworks is great place - located in downtown Salt Lake. Erik was a blast to talk to and I hope we get him back on the show at some point in the future. Thanks for listening. Kyler
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson, Andy Klein and Charles Solomon review this weekend's new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms. FilmWeek: ‘Ticket To Paradise,' ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,' ‘Black Adam,' ‘Wendell & Wild' And More (0:15) “Ticket To Paradise,” Wide Release “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Wide Release “Black Adam,” Wide Release “American Murderer,” Lumiere cinema at the Music Hall [Beverly Hills] “Wendell & Wild,” The Hollywood Theater & Laemmle NoHo [North Hollywood] October 22; Streaming on Netflix October 28 “Hunted,” In Select Theaters; Digital & VOD October 25 “The School for Good and Evil,” Streaming on Netflix “Voodoo Macbeth,” Laemmle Royal [West LA] “V/H/S 99,” Streaming on Shudder “Cat Daddies,” Laemmle Glendale “Slash/Back,” Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA]; VOD & Digital John Horn's Interview about ‘Till' with Director Chinonye Chukwu and head of Orion Pictures, Alana Mayo (32:50) The new film ‘Till' tells the story of Mamie Till, as she brings her 14-year-old son Emmet Till home in a coffin, a victim of a horrific lynching, after a trip to Mississippi from Chicago to visit relatives. Different from other films on the subject, director Chinonye Chukwu makes a point to never show the lynching, but chooses to focus on the aftermath, particularly Mamie's insistence on an open-casket funeral. Mamie wanted the world to see what white hate looked like, even allowing photographers to take pictures of her son's battered face and body. This decision ultimately transformed her into a Civil Rights pioneer. Today on FilmWeek, KPCC's John Horn sits down with the film's director Chinonye Chukwu as well as the head of Orion Pictures, Alana Mayo, to discuss the process of bringing ‘Till' to the screen.
Get more at www.patreon.com/podsematary! Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1574149430466387969 It's an Addams Family Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey gladly feast on those who would subdue them! The "Original": The Addams Family (1991) "Con artists plan to fleece an eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long-lost uncle” (IMDb.com). The 90s Addams Family managed to modernize the famous horror brood without losing their wit and bite, but does it still hold up? The "Remake": The Addams Family (2019) "The eccentrically macabre family moves to a bland suburb where Wednesday Addams' friendship with the daughter of a hostile and conformist local reality show host exacerbates conflict between the families” (IMDb.com). While showing an occasional glimpse of quality, this Addams reboot is ultimately just a lame Illumination wannabe with often-flat humor and tired jokes. Audio Sources: "The Addams Family" (1991) produced by Orion Pictures, et al. "The Addams Family" (2019) produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, et al. "The Addams Family in New York" (The Addams Family [1973 TV Series] S01E01) produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions "Children of the Corn" (1984) produced by Hal Roach Studios, et al. "Frankenstein" (1931) produced by Universal Pictures "Street Fighter" (1994) produced by Capcom Entertainment, et al. "Watchmen" (2009) produced by Warner Bros., et al.
"On The Count Of Three" had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where a lot of people were wondering who would be daring enough to pick up the film, which dealt with a highly sensitive subject matter, blending dark comedy with the heartwarming drama between two best friends who make a pact to kill themselves on the same day. Screenwriters Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch had a difficult tight rope to walk when communicating the themes of their story and the humanity of their characters without rubbing audiences the wrong way. The overall positive critical reception to the film suggests they struck the balance just right. The two were kind enough to spend a few minutes talking with us about their work on the film, which is now playing in select theaters and available on digital from Annapurna & Orion Pictures. Please take a listen down below and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/nextbestpicturepodcast iTunes Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture
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