British actor Laurence Fox has lost a libel case with two men he called pedophiles on social media after they had called the My Son Hunter star a racist.
On Monday, the High Court in the U.K. deemed that Fox had defamed Simon Blake, a former LGBT charity trustee, and Crystal, a drag artist and former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant, on Twitter/X in October 2020, when he called them pedophiles over an escalating row over Black History Month.
The Guardian reports that the spat on X started, when Fox said he would boycott U.K. grocery store Sainsbury’s for supporting “racial segregation and discrimination” after the company said it would establish safe spaces for Black employees during Black History Month in October 2020. Blake and Crystal, whose real name is Colin Seymour, responded to Fox’s call for a boycott by calling him racist. Fox, in turn, replied...
On Monday, the High Court in the U.K. deemed that Fox had defamed Simon Blake, a former LGBT charity trustee, and Crystal, a drag artist and former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant, on Twitter/X in October 2020, when he called them pedophiles over an escalating row over Black History Month.
The Guardian reports that the spat on X started, when Fox said he would boycott U.K. grocery store Sainsbury’s for supporting “racial segregation and discrimination” after the company said it would establish safe spaces for Black employees during Black History Month in October 2020. Blake and Crystal, whose real name is Colin Seymour, responded to Fox’s call for a boycott by calling him racist. Fox, in turn, replied...
- 1/30/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Eddie Redmayne is hard at work on his new TV show.
The 41-year-old Fantastic Beasts actor is currently on location in Labin, Croatia, where he is filming his show Day of the Jackal.
Wearing all black, Eddie shot the project in the city’s main square on Monday (November 6). Additional photos give fans an idea of what to expect from the set.
Read more about Day of the Jackal…
Variety announced that he joined the cast of the Peacock and Sky series back in March. The project is a new spin on the novel from Frederick Forsyth.
This isn’t the first time that the thriller has been adapted for the screen. A movie based on the book was released in 1973 and starred Edward Fox.
Eddie is set to play the same role, bring the Jackal to life again 40 years later. He will also act as an executive producer on the project.
The 41-year-old Fantastic Beasts actor is currently on location in Labin, Croatia, where he is filming his show Day of the Jackal.
Wearing all black, Eddie shot the project in the city’s main square on Monday (November 6). Additional photos give fans an idea of what to expect from the set.
Read more about Day of the Jackal…
Variety announced that he joined the cast of the Peacock and Sky series back in March. The project is a new spin on the novel from Frederick Forsyth.
This isn’t the first time that the thriller has been adapted for the screen. A movie based on the book was released in 1973 and starred Edward Fox.
Eddie is set to play the same role, bring the Jackal to life again 40 years later. He will also act as an executive producer on the project.
- 11/7/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Biography films are a fascinating genre that depict the lives of real people, often with dramatic and artistic flair. They can inspire us, educate us, entertain us, and challenge us to think about the world in new ways. Some of the most acclaimed and influential films of all time belong to this genre, and they span across different eras, cultures, and themes.
In this article, we will rank the 10 best biography films of all time, after the release of Oppenheimer in 2023. Oppenheimer is a biographical film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. The film has been praised for its stunning cinematography, complex narrative, and powerful performances. It is widely considered to be one of the best films of 2023, and a masterpiece of biographical cinema.
But what are the other films...
In this article, we will rank the 10 best biography films of all time, after the release of Oppenheimer in 2023. Oppenheimer is a biographical film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. The film has been praised for its stunning cinematography, complex narrative, and powerful performances. It is widely considered to be one of the best films of 2023, and a masterpiece of biographical cinema.
But what are the other films...
- 7/28/2023
- by amalprasadappu
- https://thecinemanews.online/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4649
After giving everyone a case of the chills because of his performance as Charlie Cullen in The Good Nurse, Eddie Redmayne is ready to kill again. Redmayne will star in The Day of the Jackal series, a new project destined for Peacock and Sky. The concept is a reimagining of the 1973 film adaptation from Universal Pictures. In The Day of the Jackal, Redmayne plays the Jackal, a professional assassin hired by a French paramilitary dissident to kill French President Charles de Gaulle in 1962.
Inspired by Frederick Forsyth’s novel of the same name (and Universal’s film adaptation), the new version brings the character and story to a contemporary setting, letting our corrupt geo-political landscape loose in a world of deception, lies, cover-ups, and death. In addition to telling an intriguing tale of careful murder, The Day of the Jackal series will meditate on the concept of an anti-hero.
Ronan Bennett...
Inspired by Frederick Forsyth’s novel of the same name (and Universal’s film adaptation), the new version brings the character and story to a contemporary setting, letting our corrupt geo-political landscape loose in a world of deception, lies, cover-ups, and death. In addition to telling an intriguing tale of careful murder, The Day of the Jackal series will meditate on the concept of an anti-hero.
Ronan Bennett...
- 3/21/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
The 1970s were a special time in American cinema. After the box office woes of the 1960s, bewildered studio executives were unsure of how to connect with audiences, whose tastes and impulses were shifting in the hectic milieu of that decade. The change began at the tail end of the previous decade with "The Graduate," "Bonnie and Clyde," and "Midnight Cowboy," all of which pushed boundaries regarding sex, sexuality, and violence. It was Dennis Hopper's "Easy Rider" that would set the mold of "New Hollywood," a period in which studios afforded even the most difficult directors unprecedented creative freedom.
From the summer of 1969 until some time in the early 1980s (the exact timeframe is disputed), "New Hollywood" birthed scores of classics from a generation of new talent, the most famous of which included William Friedkin, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg, to name just a few. Anyone...
From the summer of 1969 until some time in the early 1980s (the exact timeframe is disputed), "New Hollywood" birthed scores of classics from a generation of new talent, the most famous of which included William Friedkin, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg, to name just a few. Anyone...
- 12/10/2022
- by Jack Hawkins
- Slash Film
Frederick Forsyth’s classic spy novel The Day of the Jackal is set to receive a TV series adaptation from Sky and Peacock.
The Day of the Jackal follows “a professional assassin who is contracted by a French paramilitary dissident to kill French President Charles de Gaulle.” The TV series will be a “contemporary reimagining of the beloved and respected novel,” with Ronan Bennett (Top Boy) set to serve as writer and showrunner and Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones) directing. The novel was previously adapted as a feature film directed by Fred Zinnemann in 1973, which starred Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale. The film received rave reviews and went on to win Best Film Editing at the 1974 BAFTA Awards, where it was also nominated for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Soundtrack.
Carnival Films executive Gareth Neame teased that the Day of the...
The Day of the Jackal follows “a professional assassin who is contracted by a French paramilitary dissident to kill French President Charles de Gaulle.” The TV series will be a “contemporary reimagining of the beloved and respected novel,” with Ronan Bennett (Top Boy) set to serve as writer and showrunner and Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones) directing. The novel was previously adapted as a feature film directed by Fred Zinnemann in 1973, which starred Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale. The film received rave reviews and went on to win Best Film Editing at the 1974 BAFTA Awards, where it was also nominated for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Soundtrack.
Carnival Films executive Gareth Neame teased that the Day of the...
- 11/3/2022
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
After acquiring the streaming rights to the recent "Halloween" movies, the ongoing "Chucky" franchise, and even a "Friday the 13th" prequel series (yes, which means you can start placing your bets on when exactly we'll receive a crossover extravaganza), Peacock continues to make some pretty significant moves.
Variety reports that UK broadcaster Sky Studios and the Peacock streaming service have joined forces to create a series based on the 1971 political thriller novel "The Day of the Jackal," written by author Frederick Forsyth, and its classic 1973 big-screen adaptation of the same name, directed by Fred Zinnemann. Set in 1963 during the pivotal moment in history when French president Charles de Gaulle granted neighboring Algeria its independence, the fictional story follows a ruthless assassin who goes by the codename of "Jackal" who is recruited by the far-right Organisation de L'Armée Secrète (Oas) to take out de Gaulle in retaliation. The novel went on...
Variety reports that UK broadcaster Sky Studios and the Peacock streaming service have joined forces to create a series based on the 1971 political thriller novel "The Day of the Jackal," written by author Frederick Forsyth, and its classic 1973 big-screen adaptation of the same name, directed by Fred Zinnemann. Set in 1963 during the pivotal moment in history when French president Charles de Gaulle granted neighboring Algeria its independence, the fictional story follows a ruthless assassin who goes by the codename of "Jackal" who is recruited by the far-right Organisation de L'Armée Secrète (Oas) to take out de Gaulle in retaliation. The novel went on...
- 11/3/2022
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
A TV series adaptation of Frederick Forsyth’s thriller novel “The Day of the Jackal” has been ordered by Peacock and Sky, it was announced Thursday.
First published in 1971, the original “The Day of the Jackal” novel is set in 1963, the year the president of France, Charles de Gaulle, granted Algeria its independence. The move resulted in several assassination attempts on his life, mostly from the far-right Organisation de L’Armée Secrète (Oas). The novel focuses on a fictional Oas plot to kill de Gaulle via a mysterious foreign assassin with the codename “The Jackal.” Meanwhile, the French government gets wind of the plot and hires Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel to find and capture the assassin. The novel was well received upon publication, and Forsyth received an Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America in 1972.
Sky and Peacock’s adaptation is described as a “contemporary reimagining” of the novel,...
First published in 1971, the original “The Day of the Jackal” novel is set in 1963, the year the president of France, Charles de Gaulle, granted Algeria its independence. The move resulted in several assassination attempts on his life, mostly from the far-right Organisation de L’Armée Secrète (Oas). The novel focuses on a fictional Oas plot to kill de Gaulle via a mysterious foreign assassin with the codename “The Jackal.” Meanwhile, the French government gets wind of the plot and hires Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel to find and capture the assassin. The novel was well received upon publication, and Forsyth received an Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America in 1972.
Sky and Peacock’s adaptation is described as a “contemporary reimagining” of the novel,...
- 11/3/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Dominic West Tells Us There Are “Tumultuous” Times Ahead For ‘The Crown’ During London Poetry Soiree
Exclusive: Dominic West, who portrays British monarch in-waiting Prince Charles in the upcoming fifth season of The Crown, has told us that season six, which shoots from August, “will be as tumultuous as it gets”, because it will explore the tragic death of Princess Diana.
Season five is already in the can and will stream on Netflix later this year.
West, star of TV hits The Wire and The Affair, and recent movie Downton Abbey: A New Era, spoke to Deadline on Sunday night during a poetry reading at London’s Delaunay restaurant.
The soiree, which included the recital of three T.S. Eliot poems, was held for The Josephine Hart Poetry Hour, an event established thirty years ago by Hart, the novelist, poet and a leading light of London’s literary and theater set until her death in 2011. Hart’s 1991 novel Damage was adapted for the screen by David Hare...
Season five is already in the can and will stream on Netflix later this year.
West, star of TV hits The Wire and The Affair, and recent movie Downton Abbey: A New Era, spoke to Deadline on Sunday night during a poetry reading at London’s Delaunay restaurant.
The soiree, which included the recital of three T.S. Eliot poems, was held for The Josephine Hart Poetry Hour, an event established thirty years ago by Hart, the novelist, poet and a leading light of London’s literary and theater set until her death in 2011. Hart’s 1991 novel Damage was adapted for the screen by David Hare...
- 6/27/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael Lonsdale, the actor who played an iconic villain in 1979’s James Bond movie “Moonraker” and starred in 1973’s “The Day of the Jackal,” has died. The British-French actor was 89 at the time of his passing.
“I must unfortunately confirm the passing of Michael Lonsdale, our dear talent for so many years,” Lonsdale’s agent, Olivier Loiseau, said in a statement to TheWrap Monday.
In “Moonraker,” which starred Roger Moore as 007, Lonsdale had the role of bad guy Hugo Drax, an industrialist with plans to poison all of humanity and then repopulate Earth from his space station.
For “Day of the Jackal,” the British-French political thriller directed by Fred Zinnemann, Lonsdale played Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel, starring opposite Edward Fox as “the Jackal.” Lonsdale’s performance in the film earned him a supporting actor BAFTA nomination.
Though “Moonraker” and “The Day of the Jackal” are the parts American audiences probably best remember Lonsdale for,...
“I must unfortunately confirm the passing of Michael Lonsdale, our dear talent for so many years,” Lonsdale’s agent, Olivier Loiseau, said in a statement to TheWrap Monday.
In “Moonraker,” which starred Roger Moore as 007, Lonsdale had the role of bad guy Hugo Drax, an industrialist with plans to poison all of humanity and then repopulate Earth from his space station.
For “Day of the Jackal,” the British-French political thriller directed by Fred Zinnemann, Lonsdale played Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel, starring opposite Edward Fox as “the Jackal.” Lonsdale’s performance in the film earned him a supporting actor BAFTA nomination.
Though “Moonraker” and “The Day of the Jackal” are the parts American audiences probably best remember Lonsdale for,...
- 9/21/2020
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Secret agent Michael Caine must take on both the kidnappers of his son and his own suspect Army Intelligence colleagues in Don Siegel’s efficiently filmed, curiously tame suspense thriller. Delphine Seyrig is enticing and Donald Pleasance an unlikeable security bureaucrat, while the capable Janet Suzman and John Vernon fill out a top-flight cast that performs well in thriller surprisingly lacking in dramatic impact.
The Black Windmill
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1974 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date December 4, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Donald Pleasence, Janet Suzman, Delphine Seyrig, John Vernon, Clive Revill, Joss Ackland, Catherine Schell, Joseph O’Conor, Hermoine Baddeley, John Rhys-Davies
Cinematography: Ousama Rawi
Film Editor: Antony Gibbs
Original Music: Roy Budd
Written by Leigh Vance, from the novel Five Days to a Killing by Clive Egleton
Produced and Directed by Don Siegel
Something seems wrong from the first with The Black Windmill: the...
The Black Windmill
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1974 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date December 4, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Donald Pleasence, Janet Suzman, Delphine Seyrig, John Vernon, Clive Revill, Joss Ackland, Catherine Schell, Joseph O’Conor, Hermoine Baddeley, John Rhys-Davies
Cinematography: Ousama Rawi
Film Editor: Antony Gibbs
Original Music: Roy Budd
Written by Leigh Vance, from the novel Five Days to a Killing by Clive Egleton
Produced and Directed by Don Siegel
Something seems wrong from the first with The Black Windmill: the...
- 1/5/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Stars: Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, Olga Kurylenko, Emma Thompson, Kevin Eldon, Adam James, Noah Spiers, Kendra Mei, Alfie Kennedy, Michael Gambon, Adam Greaves-Neal, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Charles Dance, Edward Fox, Miranda Hennessy | Written by William Davies | Directed by David Kerr
Rowan Atkinson returns as the titular character of now-retired Johnny English in Johnny English Strikes Again, the latest and hopefully final installment as the quirky, farcical British spy in what has bizarrely become a trilogy of films. Johnny English Strikes Again is the typical venture we’ve all come to know and suspect. The pinnacle of juvenile comedy. An exact carbon copy of each installment before it. Atkinson’s latest does so little to entertain or excite, yet ironically and poetically, does equally as much in terms of effort to stop it becoming a definitive disaster.
To suggest that Johnny English Strikes Again is “funny” would be to fall into a...
Rowan Atkinson returns as the titular character of now-retired Johnny English in Johnny English Strikes Again, the latest and hopefully final installment as the quirky, farcical British spy in what has bizarrely become a trilogy of films. Johnny English Strikes Again is the typical venture we’ve all come to know and suspect. The pinnacle of juvenile comedy. An exact carbon copy of each installment before it. Atkinson’s latest does so little to entertain or excite, yet ironically and poetically, does equally as much in terms of effort to stop it becoming a definitive disaster.
To suggest that Johnny English Strikes Again is “funny” would be to fall into a...
- 1/4/2019
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
With politics on our minds for Election Day, we've created this list of the best politically-motivated films. We promise they will cause less anxiety and be more fun than actual politics.
Although ultimately important, politics can lead to conflict and stress. Also, bureaucracy in action can be just plain boring. Thankfully, when Hollywood makes films about politics, they tend to be exciting, thought-provoking, and empowering. Full of juicy conspiracy theories, shedding light on real life events, and empowering the viewer to make a difference in the world around them, political thrillers are an important and entertaining sub-genre.
To help get your mind off of the turmoil that is election day, I put together this list of the best political thrillers. To be considered for this list, I tried to only consider films where the politics are the main motivation for the films’ plot. Here, I define politics as a struggle...
Although ultimately important, politics can lead to conflict and stress. Also, bureaucracy in action can be just plain boring. Thankfully, when Hollywood makes films about politics, they tend to be exciting, thought-provoking, and empowering. Full of juicy conspiracy theories, shedding light on real life events, and empowering the viewer to make a difference in the world around them, political thrillers are an important and entertaining sub-genre.
To help get your mind off of the turmoil that is election day, I put together this list of the best political thrillers. To be considered for this list, I tried to only consider films where the politics are the main motivation for the films’ plot. Here, I define politics as a struggle...
- 11/5/2018
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (G.S. Perno)
- Cinelinx
The actor on poems, postmortems and her favourite podcast
Born in London, the daughter of actors Edward Fox and Joanna David, Emilia Fox, 44, studied at Oxford. Since 2004, she has starred in the BBC drama Silent Witness. She is currently appearing in ITV’s Strangers. She is divorced, has one daughter and lives in London.
When were you happiest?
In my childhood, when I didn’t think about whether it was happy. It just was.
Born in London, the daughter of actors Edward Fox and Joanna David, Emilia Fox, 44, studied at Oxford. Since 2004, she has starred in the BBC drama Silent Witness. She is currently appearing in ITV’s Strangers. She is divorced, has one daughter and lives in London.
When were you happiest?
In my childhood, when I didn’t think about whether it was happy. It just was.
- 10/6/2018
- by Rosanna Greenstreet
- The Guardian - Film News
Fred Zinnemann’s counter-assassination thriller remains topflight filmmaking, torn from reality and shot through with an unsentimental dose of political realism. Edward Fox’s implacable killer outwits the combined resources of an entire nation as he stalks his prey, and when bad luck forces him to improvise, he racks up more victims on his kill list. Step aside Bond, Bourne and Marvel — the original Jackal is the man to beat.
The Day of the Jackal
Blu-ray
Arrow Video USA
1973 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date September 25, 2018 / Available from Arrow Video / 39.95
Starring: Edward Fox, Michel Lonsdale, Delphine Seyrig, Cyril Cusack, Eric Porter, Tony Britton, Alan Badel, Michel Auclair, Tony Britton, Maurice Denham, Vernon Dobtcheff, Olga Georges-Picot, Timothy West, Derek Jacobi, Jean Martin, Ronald Pickup, Jean Sorel, Philippe Léotard, Jean Champion, Michel Subor, Howard Vernon.
Cinematography: Jean Tournier
Film Editor: Ralph Kemplen
Second Unit Director: Andrew Marton
Original Music: Georges Delerue
Written...
The Day of the Jackal
Blu-ray
Arrow Video USA
1973 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date September 25, 2018 / Available from Arrow Video / 39.95
Starring: Edward Fox, Michel Lonsdale, Delphine Seyrig, Cyril Cusack, Eric Porter, Tony Britton, Alan Badel, Michel Auclair, Tony Britton, Maurice Denham, Vernon Dobtcheff, Olga Georges-Picot, Timothy West, Derek Jacobi, Jean Martin, Ronald Pickup, Jean Sorel, Philippe Léotard, Jean Champion, Michel Subor, Howard Vernon.
Cinematography: Jean Tournier
Film Editor: Ralph Kemplen
Second Unit Director: Andrew Marton
Original Music: Georges Delerue
Written...
- 9/18/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Day Of The Jackal will be available on Blu-ray September 25th from Arrow Video
In 1971, Frederick Forsyth shot to bestseller status with his debut novel, The Day of the Jackal taut, utterly plausible, almost documentarian in its realism and attention to detail. Two years later, director Fred Zinnemann (High Noon) turned a gripping novel into a nail-biting cinematic experience.
August 1962: the latest attempt on the life of French President Charles de Gaulle by the far right paramilitary organization, the Oas, ends in chaos, with its architect-in-chief dead at the hands of a firing squad. Demoralized and on the verge of bankruptcy, the Oas leaders meet in secret to plan their next move. In a last desperate attempt to eliminate de Gaulle, they opt to employ the services of a hired assassin from outside the fold. Enter the Jackal: charismatic, calculating, cold as ice. As the Jackal closes in on his target,...
In 1971, Frederick Forsyth shot to bestseller status with his debut novel, The Day of the Jackal taut, utterly plausible, almost documentarian in its realism and attention to detail. Two years later, director Fred Zinnemann (High Noon) turned a gripping novel into a nail-biting cinematic experience.
August 1962: the latest attempt on the life of French President Charles de Gaulle by the far right paramilitary organization, the Oas, ends in chaos, with its architect-in-chief dead at the hands of a firing squad. Demoralized and on the verge of bankruptcy, the Oas leaders meet in secret to plan their next move. In a last desperate attempt to eliminate de Gaulle, they opt to employ the services of a hired assassin from outside the fold. Enter the Jackal: charismatic, calculating, cold as ice. As the Jackal closes in on his target,...
- 8/20/2018
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Author: Jon Lyus
Welcome to the annual HeyUGuys alternative movie awards – The Truffles 2017!
As is tradition we asked our writers to give their own bespoke awards of the year, and the are collected here as a choice selection of celebrations and condemnations. The very best of the year lining up against the critical wall with the very worst. These are the films we loved and the ones we hated, the performances that flew under the radar and those which were off the charts awful. We are shining our spotlight on the good, the bad and the emoji movie.
In every year there is much to enjoy, and we firmly hope that some of these choices will prompt you to catch up with the hidden gems of the year. We also hope to steer you away from some of the poorest offerings in the annual basket.
We also wanted to take...
Welcome to the annual HeyUGuys alternative movie awards – The Truffles 2017!
As is tradition we asked our writers to give their own bespoke awards of the year, and the are collected here as a choice selection of celebrations and condemnations. The very best of the year lining up against the critical wall with the very worst. These are the films we loved and the ones we hated, the performances that flew under the radar and those which were off the charts awful. We are shining our spotlight on the good, the bad and the emoji movie.
In every year there is much to enjoy, and we firmly hope that some of these choices will prompt you to catch up with the hidden gems of the year. We also hope to steer you away from some of the poorest offerings in the annual basket.
We also wanted to take...
- 12/21/2017
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
By Tim Greaves
The year is 1962. Aggrieved when Algeria is granted independence by President Charles de Gaulle, the militant underground alliance known as the Organisation Armée Secrète botches an attempt to assassinate him. Within months many of the conspirators, including their top man, have been captured and executed. The remaining Oas leaders, bereft of funds, take refuge in Austria and warily decide to contract an outside professional to do the job for them. They settle on a British assassin (Edward Fox), who chooses to be identified as Jackal. The Oas orchestrate several bank robberies to cover his exorbitant fee of half a million dollars whilst the mechanics of the plotting are left entirely to Jackal's discretion. After capturing and interrogating another alliance member, the French authorities learn of Jackal's existence and, suspecting another attempt on de Gaulle's life may be imminent, they set their best man – Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel (Michel Lonsdale) – on his tail.
The year is 1962. Aggrieved when Algeria is granted independence by President Charles de Gaulle, the militant underground alliance known as the Organisation Armée Secrète botches an attempt to assassinate him. Within months many of the conspirators, including their top man, have been captured and executed. The remaining Oas leaders, bereft of funds, take refuge in Austria and warily decide to contract an outside professional to do the job for them. They settle on a British assassin (Edward Fox), who chooses to be identified as Jackal. The Oas orchestrate several bank robberies to cover his exorbitant fee of half a million dollars whilst the mechanics of the plotting are left entirely to Jackal's discretion. After capturing and interrogating another alliance member, the French authorities learn of Jackal's existence and, suspecting another attempt on de Gaulle's life may be imminent, they set their best man – Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel (Michel Lonsdale) – on his tail.
- 8/27/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
One of the best international thrillers ever has almost become an obscurity, for reasons unknown – this Blu-ray comes from Australia. Edward Fox’s wily assassin for hire goes up against the combined police and security establishments of three nations as he sets up the killing of a head of state – France’s president Charles de Gaulle. The terrific cast features Michel Lonsdale, Delphine Seyrig and Cyril Cusack; director Fred Zinnemann’s excellent direction reaches a high pitch of tension – even though the outcome is known from the start.
The Day of the Jackal
Region B+A Blu-ray
Shock Entertainment / Universal
1973 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date ? / Available from Amazon UK / Pounds 19.99
Starring: Edward Fox, Michel Lonsdale, Delphine Seyrig, Cyril Cusack, Eric Porter, Tony Britton, Alan Badel, Michel Auclair, Tony Britton, Maurice Denham, Vernon Dobtcheff, Olga Georges-Picot, Timothy West, Derek Jacobi, Jean Martin, Ronald Pickup, Jean Sorel, Philippe Léotard, Jean Champion,...
The Day of the Jackal
Region B+A Blu-ray
Shock Entertainment / Universal
1973 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date ? / Available from Amazon UK / Pounds 19.99
Starring: Edward Fox, Michel Lonsdale, Delphine Seyrig, Cyril Cusack, Eric Porter, Tony Britton, Alan Badel, Michel Auclair, Tony Britton, Maurice Denham, Vernon Dobtcheff, Olga Georges-Picot, Timothy West, Derek Jacobi, Jean Martin, Ronald Pickup, Jean Sorel, Philippe Léotard, Jean Champion,...
- 4/29/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
By Raymond Benson
“A Dickens Delight”
By Raymond Benson
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby may not immediately come to mind when naming the most well-known of author Charles Dickens’ novels, but it’s arguably one of his best. Besides being a cracking good story in print, the Royal Shakespeare Company famously produced an 8-1/2-hour long Tony Award-winning play (staged in two parts, with a dinner break) in 1980 that was one of this reviewer’s most treasured theatrical experiences.
The motion picture, released in 2002 to positive critical acclaim but little enthusiasm from ticket-buyers, is also a delight. Writer/director Douglas McGrath whittled down Dickens’ massive tome to a mere 132 minutes, and yet one doesn’t miss the extracted bits. The screenplay is an essential lesson in adaptation. Now a gorgeously rendered Blu-ray release from Twilight Time, Nickleby can be re-evaluated and appreciated for the superb achievement it is.
“A Dickens Delight”
By Raymond Benson
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby may not immediately come to mind when naming the most well-known of author Charles Dickens’ novels, but it’s arguably one of his best. Besides being a cracking good story in print, the Royal Shakespeare Company famously produced an 8-1/2-hour long Tony Award-winning play (staged in two parts, with a dinner break) in 1980 that was one of this reviewer’s most treasured theatrical experiences.
The motion picture, released in 2002 to positive critical acclaim but little enthusiasm from ticket-buyers, is also a delight. Writer/director Douglas McGrath whittled down Dickens’ massive tome to a mere 132 minutes, and yet one doesn’t miss the extracted bits. The screenplay is an essential lesson in adaptation. Now a gorgeously rendered Blu-ray release from Twilight Time, Nickleby can be re-evaluated and appreciated for the superb achievement it is.
- 12/31/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
In the superb action sequel Mechanic: Resurrection, assassin Arthur Bishop (played by Jason Statham), proves his reputation as the best in the profession by carrying out a series of killings, including knocking off a murderous warlord and an arms dealer, and making them look like accidents. In a stand-out, nerve-shredding scene from the film, he dangles from underneath a glass swimming pool that juts out from the top of a skyscraper, to kill the villain during his daily swim. It’s just one of the many innovative and extraordinary lengths onscreen hit men will go to, to ensure they get their target. Here, along with Bishop’s pool kill, are some of the screen’s most fantastic assassinations.
The Jackal in Day of the Jackal (1973)
In this classic thriller, Edward Fox plays an assassin called the ‘Jackal’, who plots to kill Charles De Gualle, the President of France, one of...
The Jackal in Day of the Jackal (1973)
In this classic thriller, Edward Fox plays an assassin called the ‘Jackal’, who plots to kill Charles De Gualle, the President of France, one of...
- 12/12/2016
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
The chase is on: a mix of icy ruthlessness and warm romanticism enliven Ken Follett's novel of pre-invasion esponage intrigue. Kate Nelligan heats up the screen with Donald Sutherland, the 'seventies most unlikely sex star. Plus a lush and wondrous music score by Miklos Rozsa. Eye of the Needle Blu-ray Twilight Time 1981 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 112 min. / Street Date September 13, 2016 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store29.95 Starring Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, Christopher Cazenove, Ian Bannen, Philip Martin Brown, Bill Nighy, Stephen MacKenna, Sam Kydd. Cinematography Alan Hume Original Music Miklos Rozsa Written by Stanley Mann based on the novel by Ken Follett Produced by Stephen Friedman Directed by Richard Marquand
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
We're all familiar with this kind of thriller -- over shots of fresh-faced troops moving off to war, a portentous scrolling text tells us about the desperate situation of London -- and the Free World -- as Hitler's Luftwaffe threatens.
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
We're all familiar with this kind of thriller -- over shots of fresh-faced troops moving off to war, a portentous scrolling text tells us about the desperate situation of London -- and the Free World -- as Hitler's Luftwaffe threatens.
- 10/25/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Starz has debuted the first trailer for "The Dresser," its upcoming telemovie adaptation of Ronald Harwood's acclaimed play which will premiere on the cable network on May 30th.
Richard Eyre ("Notes on a Scandal," "Iris") directs and Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen star in the film which is set on one night in a small regional theatre during World War II as a troupe of touring actors stage a production of Shakespeare's "King Lear".
With the curtain call coming and the leading man nowhere to be found, it's up to his dresser to keep the production alive. Emily Watson, Sarah Lancashire, Edward Fox and Vanessa Kirby also star.
Richard Eyre ("Notes on a Scandal," "Iris") directs and Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen star in the film which is set on one night in a small regional theatre during World War II as a troupe of touring actors stage a production of Shakespeare's "King Lear".
With the curtain call coming and the leading man nowhere to be found, it's up to his dresser to keep the production alive. Emily Watson, Sarah Lancashire, Edward Fox and Vanessa Kirby also star.
- 3/24/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
A pure-gold Savant favorite, Sir Richard Attenborough's first feature as director is a stylized pacifist epic of the insane tragedy of WW1, told through contemporary songs, with the irreverent lyrics given them by the soldiers themselves. And one will not want to miss a young Maggie Smith's music hall performance -- luring young conscripts to doom in the trenches. It's the strangest pacifist film ever, done in high style. Oh! What a Lovely War DVD The Warner Archive Collection 1969 / Color / 2:35 enhanced widescreen / 144 min. / Street Date September 22, 2015 / available through the WBshop / 16.99 Starring: Too many to name, see below. Cinematography Gerry Turpin Production Design Donald M. Ashton Art Direction Harry White Choreography Eleanor Fazan Film Editor Kevin Connor Original Music Alfred Ralston Written by Len Deighton from the musical play by Joan Littlewood from the radio play by Charles Chilton Produced by Richard Attenborough, Brian Duffy, Len Deighton Directed...
- 2/23/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
'Saint Joan': Constance Cummings as the George Bernard Shaw heroine. Constance Cummings on stage: From sex-change farce and Emma Bovary to Juliet and 'Saint Joan' (See previous post: “Constance Cummings: Frank Capra, Mae West and Columbia Lawsuit.”) In the mid-1930s, Constance Cummings landed the title roles in two of husband Benn W. Levy's stage adaptations: Levy and Hubert Griffith's Young Madame Conti (1936), starring Cummings as a demimondaine who falls in love with a villainous character. She ends up killing him – or does she? Adapted from Bruno Frank's German-language original, Young Madame Conti was presented on both sides of the Atlantic; on Broadway, it had a brief run in spring 1937 at the Music Box Theatre. Based on the Gustave Flaubert novel, the Theatre Guild-produced Madame Bovary (1937) was staged in late fall at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre. Referring to the London production of Young Madame Conti, The...
- 11/10/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Max Williams Oct 7, 2019
Never Say Never Again is Sean Connery's last appearance as James Bond, and the last "unofficial" 007 movie.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
So does this count? Never Say Never Again stirs many arguments by shaking up the official James Bond movie order, splitting fans on the issue of its legitimacy. Ruins pub quiz questions such as "How many actors have played M?" due to the inevitable argument whether Edward Fox should be numbered. Put such issues aside and enjoy what remains: a sly, witty semi-pastiche that doesn’t attempt to recapture past glories but can easily hold its own alongside Diamonds Are Forever and Octopussy. And with much less swimming than Thunderball.
The Villain: Ignore Emilo: Maximillian Largo is his own maniac. Short, tubby, lanky blond hair receding, Largo is Draco Malfoy gone to seed. Easily visualized shuffling around Comic Con, accompanied by Mr.
Never Say Never Again is Sean Connery's last appearance as James Bond, and the last "unofficial" 007 movie.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
So does this count? Never Say Never Again stirs many arguments by shaking up the official James Bond movie order, splitting fans on the issue of its legitimacy. Ruins pub quiz questions such as "How many actors have played M?" due to the inevitable argument whether Edward Fox should be numbered. Put such issues aside and enjoy what remains: a sly, witty semi-pastiche that doesn’t attempt to recapture past glories but can easily hold its own alongside Diamonds Are Forever and Octopussy. And with much less swimming than Thunderball.
The Villain: Ignore Emilo: Maximillian Largo is his own maniac. Short, tubby, lanky blond hair receding, Largo is Draco Malfoy gone to seed. Easily visualized shuffling around Comic Con, accompanied by Mr.
- 5/26/2015
- Den of Geek
Sean Connery's last appearance as James Bond, and the last 'unofficial' 007 movie. We revisit Never Say Never Again...
So does this count? Never Say Never Again stirs many arguments by shaking up the official order, splitting fans on the issue of its legitimacy. Ruins pub quiz questions such as ‘How many actors have played M?’ due to the inevitable argument whether Edward Fox should be numbered. Put such issues aside and enjoy what remains: a sly, witty semi-pastiche that doesn’t attempt to recapture past glories but can easily hold its own alongside Diamonds Are Forever and Octopussy. And with much less swimming than Thunderball.
The Villain: Ignore Emilo: Maximillian Largo is his own maniac. Short, tubby, lanky blond hair receding, Largo is Draco Malfoy gone to seed. Easily visualised shuffling around Comic Con, accompanied by Mr Kidd and the reformed Jaws. Yet Largo is one of the film’s strengths.
So does this count? Never Say Never Again stirs many arguments by shaking up the official order, splitting fans on the issue of its legitimacy. Ruins pub quiz questions such as ‘How many actors have played M?’ due to the inevitable argument whether Edward Fox should be numbered. Put such issues aside and enjoy what remains: a sly, witty semi-pastiche that doesn’t attempt to recapture past glories but can easily hold its own alongside Diamonds Are Forever and Octopussy. And with much less swimming than Thunderball.
The Villain: Ignore Emilo: Maximillian Largo is his own maniac. Short, tubby, lanky blond hair receding, Largo is Draco Malfoy gone to seed. Easily visualised shuffling around Comic Con, accompanied by Mr Kidd and the reformed Jaws. Yet Largo is one of the film’s strengths.
- 5/24/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
The first picture of Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen in the BBC's The Dresser has been released.
The actors are starring in Richard Eyre's TV adaptation of the Ronald Harwood play alongside Emily Watson, Sarah Lancashire and Edward Fox.
The play is set one night during World World Two as a theatre company puts on King Lear, but with main actor Sir missing and no-one with any idea of where he is, it falls to his dresser Norman to keep the production going - with or without Sir.
Both Hopkins and McKellen have played Lear on stage and are both renowned for their Shakespearean roles, but this is the first time the pair have shared a screen together.
Ben Stephenson, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning, said: "To bring such incredible and world class talent together for The Dresser is testament to Ronald's wonderful play which is as current and...
The actors are starring in Richard Eyre's TV adaptation of the Ronald Harwood play alongside Emily Watson, Sarah Lancashire and Edward Fox.
The play is set one night during World World Two as a theatre company puts on King Lear, but with main actor Sir missing and no-one with any idea of where he is, it falls to his dresser Norman to keep the production going - with or without Sir.
Both Hopkins and McKellen have played Lear on stage and are both renowned for their Shakespearean roles, but this is the first time the pair have shared a screen together.
Ben Stephenson, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning, said: "To bring such incredible and world class talent together for The Dresser is testament to Ronald's wonderful play which is as current and...
- 3/3/2015
- Digital Spy
Ian McKellan and Anthony Hopkins have a new effort for Starz and BBC, and The Dresser is now in production.
The made-for-television film based on the famous play is loaded with stars, and is going to be one of the most interesting efforts to come along in quite some time. At least, if the cast itself can be taken as grounds for extremely high hopes. McKellan and Hopkins are perfect for the roles, and the story has proven itself, not only as a great story, but one that holds up over time.
Get all the details below, and make sure you watch out for this one.
Starz, in partnership with the BBC, today announced that production has officially begun on the movie for television “The Dresser,” an adaptation of Ronald Harwood’s play, to be directed by Richard Eyre (Notes on a Scandal, Iris). The production will film in and around London.
The made-for-television film based on the famous play is loaded with stars, and is going to be one of the most interesting efforts to come along in quite some time. At least, if the cast itself can be taken as grounds for extremely high hopes. McKellan and Hopkins are perfect for the roles, and the story has proven itself, not only as a great story, but one that holds up over time.
Get all the details below, and make sure you watch out for this one.
Starz, in partnership with the BBC, today announced that production has officially begun on the movie for television “The Dresser,” an adaptation of Ronald Harwood’s play, to be directed by Richard Eyre (Notes on a Scandal, Iris). The production will film in and around London.
- 3/3/2015
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
Production has begun in London on BBC Two/Starz drama The Dresser. Richard Eyre is directing the adaptation of Ronald Harwood's classic portrait of theater life backstage. Teaming for the first time on screen, Ian McKellen and Anthony Hopkins star. The two-hour TV movie has also now added Emily Watson, Happy Valley‘s Sarah Lancashire and Edward Fox — who appeared in the 1983 Oscar-nominated Peter Yates version of The Dresser that starred Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay…...
- 3/3/2015
- Deadline TV
A new year of films may beckon, but there are lots of movies from 2014 you may have missed. Here's a list of 2014's most underappreciated...
There was no shortage of magnificent films in 2014 of every kind, from the expensive and explosive to the low-key and experimental. But it's a sad fact of life that not all movies do as well as they should, either because of poor distribution or simply because they'd been released at the same time as something much bigger and more star-laden.
While the list below is by no means an exhaustive one - there are plenty of great films from 2014 that we're still getting around to seeing - it's our attempt to highlight a few fine pieces of work that didn't get quite as much love as they deserved.
So without further ado - and in no particular order - we'll start with a stunning...
There was no shortage of magnificent films in 2014 of every kind, from the expensive and explosive to the low-key and experimental. But it's a sad fact of life that not all movies do as well as they should, either because of poor distribution or simply because they'd been released at the same time as something much bigger and more star-laden.
While the list below is by no means an exhaustive one - there are plenty of great films from 2014 that we're still getting around to seeing - it's our attempt to highlight a few fine pieces of work that didn't get quite as much love as they deserved.
So without further ado - and in no particular order - we'll start with a stunning...
- 1/6/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Murder mysteries are so commonplace on TV that each week offers seemingly dozens of them on police procedural series and detective shows. But in the movies, whodunits are surprisingly rare, and really good ones rarer still. There's really only a handful of movies that excel in offering the viewer the pleasure of solving the crime along with a charismatic sleuth, often with an all-star cast of suspects hamming it up as they try not to appear guilty.
One of the best was "Murder on the Orient Express," released 40 years ago this week, on November 24, 1974. Like many films adapted from Agatha Christie novels, this one featured an eccentric but meticulous investigator (in this case, Albert Finney as Belgian epicure Hercule Poirot), a glamorous and claustrophobic setting (here, the famous luxury train from Istanbul to Paris), and a tricky murder plot with an outrageous solution. The film won an Oscar for passenger...
One of the best was "Murder on the Orient Express," released 40 years ago this week, on November 24, 1974. Like many films adapted from Agatha Christie novels, this one featured an eccentric but meticulous investigator (in this case, Albert Finney as Belgian epicure Hercule Poirot), a glamorous and claustrophobic setting (here, the famous luxury train from Istanbul to Paris), and a tricky murder plot with an outrageous solution. The film won an Oscar for passenger...
- 11/28/2014
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Washington, Feb. 06: A full-size statue of Charles Dickens is all set to be erected in Portsmouth, the city of the author's birth.
The bronze image of the great writer, seated by a pile of books and shrouded in a theatrical drape is made by Martin Jennings, who is regarded as one of Britain's finest portrait sculptors, the Independent reported.
Despite the fact that the late author ordered that there must never be a statue of him in Britain, one will be unveiled in the Guildhall Square in Portsmouth on 6th Feb.
The statue's unveiling will involve a nine-year-old descendant of the author, Oliver Dickens, along with Esha Abedin, a pupil of the local Charles Dickens Primary School, and actors Edward Fox and Joanna David..
The bronze image of the great writer, seated by a pile of books and shrouded in a theatrical drape is made by Martin Jennings, who is regarded as one of Britain's finest portrait sculptors, the Independent reported.
Despite the fact that the late author ordered that there must never be a statue of him in Britain, one will be unveiled in the Guildhall Square in Portsmouth on 6th Feb.
The statue's unveiling will involve a nine-year-old descendant of the author, Oliver Dickens, along with Esha Abedin, a pupil of the local Charles Dickens Primary School, and actors Edward Fox and Joanna David..
- 2/6/2014
- by Machan Kumar
- RealBollywood.com
The gifted film-maker, winner of the top prize at Cannes in 1973, did not always get the acclaim he deserved in his native Britain
The death of the British director Alan Bridges at the age of 86 is a great sadness. Bridges was a brilliant poet and cinematic satirist – in tones both mordant and melancholy – of the English class system of the early 20th century, and a director with a flair for psychology and interior crisis, as evidenced by movies like The Return of the Soldier (1982) and The Shooting Party (1985).
A film-maker to bear comparison with Joseph Losey and John Schlesinger, he was one of the few British directors to win the top prize at the Cannes film festival. Bridges earned that accolade with his wonderful 1973 movie The Hireling, when the award was called the Grand Prix – jointly, in fact, with Jerry Schatzberg's marvellous Scarecrow, another film only recently being rediscovered.
The death of the British director Alan Bridges at the age of 86 is a great sadness. Bridges was a brilliant poet and cinematic satirist – in tones both mordant and melancholy – of the English class system of the early 20th century, and a director with a flair for psychology and interior crisis, as evidenced by movies like The Return of the Soldier (1982) and The Shooting Party (1985).
A film-maker to bear comparison with Joseph Losey and John Schlesinger, he was one of the few British directors to win the top prize at the Cannes film festival. Bridges earned that accolade with his wonderful 1973 movie The Hireling, when the award was called the Grand Prix – jointly, in fact, with Jerry Schatzberg's marvellous Scarecrow, another film only recently being rediscovered.
- 1/24/2014
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The actor, who is 82, plays a Roman orator in the new film, following the announcement of a break from acting in 2012
• O'Toole interviewed in 2007
Two months ago, Jack Nicholson was reported to have retired from acting, only for Tom Cruise to coax him away from the hearth for a new movie. And now it comes to light that Peter O'Toole, who last year bade "the profession a dry-eyed and profoundly grateful farewell", has thrown off his slippers for swords and sandals drama Katherine of Alexandria.
The film, written and directed by Michael Redwood, chronicles the clash between Katherine and the emperor Constantine the Great. The cast also includes Brit veterans Joss Ackland, Steven Berkoff and Edward Fox.
O'Toole plays Corenlius Gallus, the palace orator, whose verse on the death of Julius Caesar is considered a benchmark of satire. At the time of his retirement, O'Toole was reported to be working...
• O'Toole interviewed in 2007
Two months ago, Jack Nicholson was reported to have retired from acting, only for Tom Cruise to coax him away from the hearth for a new movie. And now it comes to light that Peter O'Toole, who last year bade "the profession a dry-eyed and profoundly grateful farewell", has thrown off his slippers for swords and sandals drama Katherine of Alexandria.
The film, written and directed by Michael Redwood, chronicles the clash between Katherine and the emperor Constantine the Great. The cast also includes Brit veterans Joss Ackland, Steven Berkoff and Edward Fox.
O'Toole plays Corenlius Gallus, the palace orator, whose verse on the death of Julius Caesar is considered a benchmark of satire. At the time of his retirement, O'Toole was reported to be working...
- 11/26/2013
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
Title: The Audience Director: Stephen Daldry Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Elwyn, Haydn Gwynne, Richard McCabe, Nathaniel Parker, Paul Ritter, Rufus Wright, Edward Fox, David Peart, Geoffrey Beevers, Bebe Cave, Maya Gerber, Nell Williams, Charlotte Moore, Harry Feltham, Matt Plumb, Spencer Kitchen, Elaine Solomon, Jonathan Coote, Ian Houghton, Jenny Ogilvie. ‘The Audience’ is an extraordinary experience that welds the noble art of theatre with that of film-making. The story spills out from the quill of Oscar nominated writer Peter Morgan and the direction of three-time Academy Award nominated and Tony award winning Stephen Daldry. The play screened live on June 13 from the Gielgud Theatre and was broadcast to cinemas around [ Read More ]
The post The Audience Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Audience Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 10/27/2013
- by Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi
- ShockYa
Gielgud, London
Peter Morgan struck box-office gold with his movie The Queen. He's likely to do so again with this play based on the private weekly audience given by the monarch to the prime minister. But I'd say that in both cases, Pm owes a great deal to Hm: in other words, Helen Mirren, who once again gives a faultless performance that transcends mere impersonation to endow the monarch with a sense of inner life and a quasi-Shakespearean aura of solitude.
As a dramatist, however, Morgan faces two problems. One is that no one ever knows what is said at these weekly tête-à-têtes since they are un-minuted. The other, more serious, is that in a constitutional monarchy, the Queen has no authority to contradict policy: simply, in the words of Walter Bagehot in the 19th century, "to be consulted, to advise and to warn", which would seem to rule out dramatic conflict.
Peter Morgan struck box-office gold with his movie The Queen. He's likely to do so again with this play based on the private weekly audience given by the monarch to the prime minister. But I'd say that in both cases, Pm owes a great deal to Hm: in other words, Helen Mirren, who once again gives a faultless performance that transcends mere impersonation to endow the monarch with a sense of inner life and a quasi-Shakespearean aura of solitude.
As a dramatist, however, Morgan faces two problems. One is that no one ever knows what is said at these weekly tête-à-têtes since they are un-minuted. The other, more serious, is that in a constitutional monarchy, the Queen has no authority to contradict policy: simply, in the words of Walter Bagehot in the 19th century, "to be consulted, to advise and to warn", which would seem to rule out dramatic conflict.
- 3/6/2013
- by Michael Billington
- The Guardian - Film News
Helen Mirren returns to the stage as The Queen in the world premiere of Peter Morgan's The Audience, with Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Richard McCabe as Harold Wilson, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown, Paul Ritter as John Major, Rufus Wright as David Cameron and Edward Fox as Winston Churchill. Mirren recently chatted with BBC News about returning to the role in the new piece and you can watch the full interview Here.
- 3/5/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Joining Helen Mirren who plays The Queen in the world premiere of Peter Morgan's The Audience are Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Richard McCabe as Harold Wilson, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown, Paul Ritter as John Major, Rufus Wright as David Cameron and Edward Fox as Winston Churchill. The Equerry is Geoffrey Beevers and the role of Young Elizabeth is played by Bebe Cave, Maya Gerber and Nell Williams. David Peart plays James Callaghan who is joined by ensemble members Jonathan Coote, Ian Houghton and Charlotte Moore. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.
- 2/28/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Edward Fox steps in to play opposite Helen Mirren in Peter Morgan's play after Robert Hardy stands down due to injury
Bafta-winning actor Robert Hardy has pulled out of The Audience at the Gielgud theatre, London, in which he was playing Winston Churchill opposite Helen Mirren's Elizabeth II, as a result of an injury.
The 87-year-old appeared in all last week's preview performances, despite cracking his ribs in a recent fall, but has since "reluctantly decided to stand down". Churchill will now be played by Edward Fox.
Peter Morgan's play, which will be broadcast to cinemas worldwide in June, shows a series of the Queen's weekly meetings with the prime ministers who have held office during her reign.
Hardy has played Churchill on seven previous occasions, most notably in the television series Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years, for which he won a Bafta. According to The Audience's designer Bob Crowley,...
Bafta-winning actor Robert Hardy has pulled out of The Audience at the Gielgud theatre, London, in which he was playing Winston Churchill opposite Helen Mirren's Elizabeth II, as a result of an injury.
The 87-year-old appeared in all last week's preview performances, despite cracking his ribs in a recent fall, but has since "reluctantly decided to stand down". Churchill will now be played by Edward Fox.
Peter Morgan's play, which will be broadcast to cinemas worldwide in June, shows a series of the Queen's weekly meetings with the prime ministers who have held office during her reign.
Hardy has played Churchill on seven previous occasions, most notably in the television series Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years, for which he won a Bafta. According to The Audience's designer Bob Crowley,...
- 2/26/2013
- by Matt Trueman
- The Guardian - Film News
Lewis is the original spin-off from the original Inspector Morse detective series which first appeared on UK TV sets in 1987 and starred John Thaw as the complicated and often unconventional detective. After a very successful run the series ended in 2000 with the demise of Inspector Morse in “The Remorseful Day” and that was sadly followed by the death of John Thaw who played the opera-loving detective two years later.
Morse’s legacy was too strong to fade entirely though and the pilot for Lewis hit TV screens in 2006 and this latest series is the seventh and quite possibly final one, depending on which news source or interview you choose to believe.
For my part I’m a dedicated Morseophile and as I write this my DVD collection of the entire Morse episodes plus all of the original Colin Dexter books sits comfortingly on the shelf across the room. By my reckoning it would be difficult,...
Morse’s legacy was too strong to fade entirely though and the pilot for Lewis hit TV screens in 2006 and this latest series is the seventh and quite possibly final one, depending on which news source or interview you choose to believe.
For my part I’m a dedicated Morseophile and as I write this my DVD collection of the entire Morse episodes plus all of the original Colin Dexter books sits comfortingly on the shelf across the room. By my reckoning it would be difficult,...
- 2/19/2013
- by Colin Hart
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Midsomer Murders ITV
By Kieran Kinsella
Amazon.com Widgets
Back in the UK, Neil Dudgeon has well and truly established himself as the face of Midsomer Murders. Now fans of the show in the U.S. can get their first look at the man who replaced John Nettles (remember him?) with the release of Acorn Media’s Midsomer Murders set 21. The four stories in this four-disc set were aired in the UK just last year and have never been broadcast on U.S. TV.
Death in the Slow Lane is the first feature length story in Midsomer Murders set 21. The episode begins with John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) arriving in Britain’s most dangerous village as the heir apparent to his cousin Tom. DS Jones (Jason Hughes) isn’t exactly enamored with his new Dci who mocks his attempts to restore an old race car. Their differences are quickly forgotten when...
By Kieran Kinsella
Amazon.com Widgets
Back in the UK, Neil Dudgeon has well and truly established himself as the face of Midsomer Murders. Now fans of the show in the U.S. can get their first look at the man who replaced John Nettles (remember him?) with the release of Acorn Media’s Midsomer Murders set 21. The four stories in this four-disc set were aired in the UK just last year and have never been broadcast on U.S. TV.
Death in the Slow Lane is the first feature length story in Midsomer Murders set 21. The episode begins with John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) arriving in Britain’s most dangerous village as the heir apparent to his cousin Tom. DS Jones (Jason Hughes) isn’t exactly enamored with his new Dci who mocks his attempts to restore an old race car. Their differences are quickly forgotten when...
- 1/10/2013
- by Edited by K Kinsella
As mentioned in part one, the film industry is a good place for ideas but not all those ideas will ultimately reach the big screen. Many projects are announced each year and most of them will reach the pre-production stage but many will go no further than that. Only about half of the films announced will ever be completed. For various reasons, many intended movies will just fade away. Some may die during the script writing stage, while other will actually begin production or even filming before the whims of fortune cause the demise of the project. Here is the second part of a list of 25 tantalizing unmade films that could have been classics.
Kaleidoscope: Legendary director Alfred Hitchcock liked to be innovative. After watching Antonioni’s Blow-Up, Hitchcock felt America was far behind the Italians in film technique. He asked the novelist Howard Fast to create a treatment about a deformed,...
Kaleidoscope: Legendary director Alfred Hitchcock liked to be innovative. After watching Antonioni’s Blow-Up, Hitchcock felt America was far behind the Italians in film technique. He asked the novelist Howard Fast to create a treatment about a deformed,...
- 1/2/2013
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
Acorn.s top series, Midsomer Murders, debuts Set 21 on January 8. British TV specialist Acorn Media has the newest episodes of Midsomer Murders, Set 21 on DVD/Blu-ray. The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars Neil Dudgeon (Life of Riley) as the capable Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby, with Jason Hughes (This Life) as his young partner, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey), David Warner (Titanic), Edward Fox (Ghandi), Phyllida Law (Love at First Sight), and Pam Ferris (Rosemary & Thyme). Called .Simply the most entertaining...
- 12/31/2012
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Actor known for his roles as clergymen, favourite uncles and tragic-comic characters
There is a great tradition in the rotundity of actors, and Roger Hammond, who has died aged 76 of cancer, stands proudly in a line stretching from Francis L Sullivan and Willoughby Goddard through to Roy Kinnear, Desmond Barrit and Richard Griffiths, though he was probably more malleably benevolent on stage than any of them.
He reeked of kindness, consideration and imperturbability, with a pleasant countenance and a beautiful, soft voice, qualities ideal for unimpeachable clergymen, favourite uncles and tragic-comic characters such as Waffles in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya (whom he played in a 1991 BBC TV film, with David Warner and Ian Holm), a man whose wife left him for another man on his wedding day but who has remained faithful to her and forgiving ever since.
Hammond grew up in Stockport, Lancashire. His chartered accountant father was managing director of his own family firm,...
There is a great tradition in the rotundity of actors, and Roger Hammond, who has died aged 76 of cancer, stands proudly in a line stretching from Francis L Sullivan and Willoughby Goddard through to Roy Kinnear, Desmond Barrit and Richard Griffiths, though he was probably more malleably benevolent on stage than any of them.
He reeked of kindness, consideration and imperturbability, with a pleasant countenance and a beautiful, soft voice, qualities ideal for unimpeachable clergymen, favourite uncles and tragic-comic characters such as Waffles in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya (whom he played in a 1991 BBC TV film, with David Warner and Ian Holm), a man whose wife left him for another man on his wedding day but who has remained faithful to her and forgiving ever since.
Hammond grew up in Stockport, Lancashire. His chartered accountant father was managing director of his own family firm,...
- 11/14/2012
- by Michael Coveney
- The Guardian - Film News
Topol, Tom Conti, Edward Fox and John Gielgud add up to one clever biopic, if you subtract 45 minutes of flagging in the middle
Galileo (1974)
Director: Joseph Losey
Entertainment grade: C+
History grade: A–
Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer and mathematician, and one of the most important historical figures in the development of modern physics.
Casting
It's 1609, and a skint, grumpy Galileo teaches mathematics in Padua. He is played by Topol. Yes, Topol, from Fiddler on the Roof. Critics were sniffy at the time, complaining that he didn't bring intelligence to the role – unlike, they said, the mostly British supporting cast, which includes Tom Conti and Edward Fox. In fact, Topol isn't that bad. He emphasises Galileo's earthiness instead of restrained scientific dignity, but that's a reasonable interpretation. The real Galileo is said to have played theatrically to audiences in Pisa, climbing the famous tower and throwing objects of...
Galileo (1974)
Director: Joseph Losey
Entertainment grade: C+
History grade: A–
Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer and mathematician, and one of the most important historical figures in the development of modern physics.
Casting
It's 1609, and a skint, grumpy Galileo teaches mathematics in Padua. He is played by Topol. Yes, Topol, from Fiddler on the Roof. Critics were sniffy at the time, complaining that he didn't bring intelligence to the role – unlike, they said, the mostly British supporting cast, which includes Tom Conti and Edward Fox. In fact, Topol isn't that bad. He emphasises Galileo's earthiness instead of restrained scientific dignity, but that's a reasonable interpretation. The real Galileo is said to have played theatrically to audiences in Pisa, climbing the famous tower and throwing objects of...
- 9/26/2012
- by Alex von Tunzelmann
- The Guardian - Film News
Emilia Fox has split from Marco Pierre White. The 'Silent Witness' actress had only been dating the TV chef since the beginning of last month but it is believed she called time on the fledgling romance in the last week after losing interest in their relationship. A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: 'They're still friends, but there isn't any romance anymore.' In August, the couple seemed completely in love when Emilia, 38, and Marco, 50, were spotted at Carluccio's restaurant in Chiswick, west London. An onlooker said that they were acting like 'a pair of 18-year-olds', kissing and stroking each others hands in the packed restaurant. Emilia - daughter of actors Joanna David and Edward Fox - was...
- 9/14/2012
- Monsters and Critics
Willem Dafoe is magnificent as a lone hunter in this gripping existential drama set in the wilds of Tasmania
Hunting is a longstanding metaphor in the movies. From the great explorer films of the early years such as The Lost World and King Kong, through to westerns, and later classics such as The Deer Hunter and White Hunter Black Heart, directors have used nature and the chase to depict man confronting his inner self, wrestling with his wild ego and his civilised id.
The latest of these is The Hunter, an Australian film set entirely in one of the last great wildernesses, Tasmania. Not to be confused with Steve McQueen's last film of the same name (although I'm sure echoes are intended), it's based on a book by Julia Leigh, the writer who made her own debut as a film-maker at Cannes in 2011 with the neo-feminist erotic curio Sleeping Beauty.
Hunting is a longstanding metaphor in the movies. From the great explorer films of the early years such as The Lost World and King Kong, through to westerns, and later classics such as The Deer Hunter and White Hunter Black Heart, directors have used nature and the chase to depict man confronting his inner self, wrestling with his wild ego and his civilised id.
The latest of these is The Hunter, an Australian film set entirely in one of the last great wildernesses, Tasmania. Not to be confused with Steve McQueen's last film of the same name (although I'm sure echoes are intended), it's based on a book by Julia Leigh, the writer who made her own debut as a film-maker at Cannes in 2011 with the neo-feminist erotic curio Sleeping Beauty.
- 7/7/2012
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
Ridley Scott is, in some circles anyhow, a god. Practically treated as royalty with laudatory genuflection from certain film enthusiasts -- generally genre fetishists -- he has turned in two unimpeachable cinema touchstones, "Blade Runner" and "Alien," plus a few other arguable modern semi-classics including "Black Hawk Down" (though as you'll see, not all us here agree with that assessment) and "Gladiator." But his track record overall? Scott's batting average isn't exactly amazing across the board, and while he has major peaks, his work can be frustratingly uneven for someone who is clearly and masterfully talented. While a craftsman of technically marvelous and grand spectacle cinema, his films can also be inordinately soulless and have become increasingly so with each film (Sigourney Weaver famously said that Scott paid more attention to the props and extraterrestrials than the actors on "Alien," but somehow that picture still worked).
And while his latest,...
And while his latest,...
- 6/7/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
Colin Firth is set to play famed English playwright Noel Coward, in the Willy Holtzman-penned project, “Mad Dogs And Englishmen,” about Coward’s eventful two week stay at The Desert Inn in Las Vegas in 1955. Although there’s still no director attached, this seems like a great role for the actor to sink his teeth into, as Coward was famous for what Time called “a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise.” So we’ll be definitely be looking forward to this project in the future. [Screen Daily]
Two giants of the Scandinavian cinematic world, Lone Scherfig (“An Education” and “One Day”) and Pernilla August (“Beyond”), are set to join forces together on an adaptation of the classic Hjalmar Söderberg novel, “The Serious Game.” The novel follows a couple who meet early in life, go their separate ways and then meet again when they are married to other people.
Two giants of the Scandinavian cinematic world, Lone Scherfig (“An Education” and “One Day”) and Pernilla August (“Beyond”), are set to join forces together on an adaptation of the classic Hjalmar Söderberg novel, “The Serious Game.” The novel follows a couple who meet early in life, go their separate ways and then meet again when they are married to other people.
- 5/22/2012
- by Cain Rodriguez
- The Playlist
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