Comb through the Oscar nominations this year and you’ll find that there records being broken left, right, and center while more records could be matched or broken at the ceremony this coming Sunday on March 10.
One of those such records concerns the Best Original Screenplay category, in which the nominees are “Anatomy of a Fall” (Justine Triet and Arthur Harari), “The Holdovers” (David Hemingson), “Maestro” (Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer), “May December” (Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik), and “Past Lives” (Celine Song).
It’s “Maestro” co-scribe Singer we’re looking at here for his work in penning the Netflix biopic. This is his second nomination. His first bid came in 2016, when he won this very category, Best Original Screenplay, alongside director Tom McCarthy for “Spotlight.” It’s interesting that Singer now has two nominations in the same category, both of which came for co-writing a script based on a...
One of those such records concerns the Best Original Screenplay category, in which the nominees are “Anatomy of a Fall” (Justine Triet and Arthur Harari), “The Holdovers” (David Hemingson), “Maestro” (Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer), “May December” (Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik), and “Past Lives” (Celine Song).
It’s “Maestro” co-scribe Singer we’re looking at here for his work in penning the Netflix biopic. This is his second nomination. His first bid came in 2016, when he won this very category, Best Original Screenplay, alongside director Tom McCarthy for “Spotlight.” It’s interesting that Singer now has two nominations in the same category, both of which came for co-writing a script based on a...
- 3/6/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Hank Bradford, the clever stand-up comic who performed a half-dozen times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson before serving a five-year stint as head writer on the program, has died. He was 88.
Bradford died Jan. 18 in Los Angeles, his family announced.
Bradford did uncredited dialogue rewrites on the Burt Reynolds-starring Smokey and the Bandit (1977) — when he got the script, “it wasn’t a comedy,” he revealed to host Mark Malkoff on a 2017 episode of The Carson Podcast — and wrote for such TV shows as M*A*S*H, Private Benjamin and Three’s Company.
The Brooklyn native made his first appearance on the Tonight Show in September 1966 when it was based in New York. He got a spot inside the writers room in 1969, succeeded Marshall Brickman as head writer in 1970 and moved with the show to Burbank in 1972.
Bradford’s role on the fabled NBC late-night program was...
Bradford died Jan. 18 in Los Angeles, his family announced.
Bradford did uncredited dialogue rewrites on the Burt Reynolds-starring Smokey and the Bandit (1977) — when he got the script, “it wasn’t a comedy,” he revealed to host Mark Malkoff on a 2017 episode of The Carson Podcast — and wrote for such TV shows as M*A*S*H, Private Benjamin and Three’s Company.
The Brooklyn native made his first appearance on the Tonight Show in September 1966 when it was based in New York. He got a spot inside the writers room in 1969, succeeded Marshall Brickman as head writer in 1970 and moved with the show to Burbank in 1972.
Bradford’s role on the fabled NBC late-night program was...
- 2/9/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Woody Allen is a four-time Academy Award winner who has proved incredibly prolific in his decades-long career, writing, directing, and oftentimes starring in nearly a film a year for over 50 years. But how many of those are classics? Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).
The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to a string of critically acclaimed absurdist comedies, including “Bananas” (1971) and “Sleeper” (1973).
He established himself as an important filmmaker with the romantic...
After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).
The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to a string of critically acclaimed absurdist comedies, including “Bananas” (1971) and “Sleeper” (1973).
He established himself as an important filmmaker with the romantic...
- 11/25/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
To celebrate the release of Manhattan coming to DVD and Blu-Ray on August 28th, we have 2 Blu-Rays to give away!
Forty-two-year-old Manhattan native Isaac Davis (Woody Allen) has a job he hates, a seventeen-year-old girlfriend, Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), whom he doesn’t love, and a lesbian ex-wife, Jill (Meryl Streep), who’s writing a tell-all book about their marriage…and whom he’d like to strangle. But when he meets his best friend’s sexy intellectual mistress, Mary (Diane Keaton), Isaac falls head over heels in lust! Leaving Tracy, bedding Mary and quitting his job are just the beginnings of Isaac’s quest for romance and fulfilment. In a city where sex is as intimate as a handshake – and the gateway to true love…is a revolving door.
Released in 1979. Manhattan won Best Film and Best Screenplay at the BAFTAs. Mariel Hemingway aged 16 years old earned a nomination for Best...
Forty-two-year-old Manhattan native Isaac Davis (Woody Allen) has a job he hates, a seventeen-year-old girlfriend, Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), whom he doesn’t love, and a lesbian ex-wife, Jill (Meryl Streep), who’s writing a tell-all book about their marriage…and whom he’d like to strangle. But when he meets his best friend’s sexy intellectual mistress, Mary (Diane Keaton), Isaac falls head over heels in lust! Leaving Tracy, bedding Mary and quitting his job are just the beginnings of Isaac’s quest for romance and fulfilment. In a city where sex is as intimate as a handshake – and the gateway to true love…is a revolving door.
Released in 1979. Manhattan won Best Film and Best Screenplay at the BAFTAs. Mariel Hemingway aged 16 years old earned a nomination for Best...
- 8/15/2023
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
“Star Wars” is one of the biggest franchises of all time and has welcomed multiple generations to a galaxy far, far away for 45 years. George Lucas’ groundbreaking vision, which began all the way back in 1977 with “A New Hope,” changed the movie industry forever and, with that, made a mark on the Academy Awards that year with a Best Picture nomination. However, the relationship between “Star Wars” and the Oscars hasn’t always been as lovable as Han Solo and Chewie. In fact, there’s often been a touch of Vader-Luke in the conflicted dynamic between the two institutions. Here’s a breakdown of the history of every “Star Wars” movie at the Academy Awards, ranked in terms of Oscars success.
“A New Hope” (1977)
Dir: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
“Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and...
“A New Hope” (1977)
Dir: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
“Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and...
- 7/28/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The reaction was always the same. During my high school days, I must have seen “Wait Until Dark” five times during its theatrical release. Audrey Hepburn was appealing, of course, but the main attraction for me was Alan Arkin’s chilling portrayal of a psycho sadist who, in the course of reclaiming a misdirected heroin shipment, terrorizes a blind woman in her apartment. Late in the 1967 thriller, the distressed damsel temporarily gets the upper hand by stabbing her tormentor. But as she walks away, the psycho leaps back into her kitchen and grabs her ankle.
And every time he did this, every time I saw “Wait Until Dark,” people in the audience screamed. Really, really loudly. Like, louder than the folks around me in a theater seven years later during the first jump-scare in “Jaws.”
While reading the online obituaries and social media tributes as the sad news of Arkin’s death spread,...
And every time he did this, every time I saw “Wait Until Dark,” people in the audience screamed. Really, really loudly. Like, louder than the folks around me in a theater seven years later during the first jump-scare in “Jaws.”
While reading the online obituaries and social media tributes as the sad news of Arkin’s death spread,...
- 7/1/2023
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
George Riddle, who portrayed the crusty gold prospector turned presidential candidate Joad Cressbeckler on the 2011 IFC comedy The Onion News Network and enjoyed a long run on the stage in The Fantasticks, has died. He was 86.
Riddle died Friday of duodenal cancer in North Plainfield, New Jersey, his longtime friend Christie Wagner told The Hollywood Reporter.
During his 65-year career, the colorful Riddle showed up in such films as Arthur (1981), The Innkeepers (2011) and The Kitchen (2019) and on episodes of shows including The Sopranos and Inside Amy Schumer.
The former circus performer also played Civil War General George Crook in the 1988 telefilm The Trial of Standing Bear, narrated by William Shatner.
On The Onion News Network, Riddle gained a legion of fans with his turn as the irascible, wildly opinionated Cressbeckler, whose predictions and political analysis were peppered with malapropisms and nonsequiturs.
Riddle logged more than 5,000 performances as The Old Actor in The Fantasticks,...
Riddle died Friday of duodenal cancer in North Plainfield, New Jersey, his longtime friend Christie Wagner told The Hollywood Reporter.
During his 65-year career, the colorful Riddle showed up in such films as Arthur (1981), The Innkeepers (2011) and The Kitchen (2019) and on episodes of shows including The Sopranos and Inside Amy Schumer.
The former circus performer also played Civil War General George Crook in the 1988 telefilm The Trial of Standing Bear, narrated by William Shatner.
On The Onion News Network, Riddle gained a legion of fans with his turn as the irascible, wildly opinionated Cressbeckler, whose predictions and political analysis were peppered with malapropisms and nonsequiturs.
Riddle logged more than 5,000 performances as The Old Actor in The Fantasticks,...
- 6/4/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences believed that Diane Keaton deserved an Oscar win for her starring role in Annie Hall. However, her long-time fans still don’t agree with the decision. They absolutely adore the actor, but they thought that another performance in the same year was more deserving of the golden statuette.
Diane Keaton played the titular character in ‘Annie Hall’ Diane Keaton | Getty Images
A comedian named Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) recalls the ups and downs with a nightclub singer named Annie Hall (Keaton), who is going through a difficult time in her career. He speaks directly to the audience, chronicling his life reaching as far back as his childhood to explain the situation that he’s in. Singer later gets to the point where he discusses how he met Annie and the struggles of modern romance.
In addition to starring in the leading role,...
Diane Keaton played the titular character in ‘Annie Hall’ Diane Keaton | Getty Images
A comedian named Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) recalls the ups and downs with a nightclub singer named Annie Hall (Keaton), who is going through a difficult time in her career. He speaks directly to the audience, chronicling his life reaching as far back as his childhood to explain the situation that he’s in. Singer later gets to the point where he discusses how he met Annie and the struggles of modern romance.
In addition to starring in the leading role,...
- 4/3/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Exclusive: A five-part video and podcast series celebrating the life and career of Broadway composer Lucy Simon – one of the final projects the sister of Carly Simon worked on prior to her death last week – launches today on YouTube and the Broadway Podcast Network.
Celebrating Lucy Simon was announced and released today by Broadway Podcast Network Co-Founders Dori Berinstein and Alan Seales. The series will feature never-before-heard stories from The Secret Garden composer Simon herself, as well as from such collaborators as Judy Collins, Marshall Brickman, Marsha Norman, Victoria Clark, and others.
The series will also include new performances by Broadway stars Sierra Boggess, Funny Girl‘s Ramin Karimloo, The Secret Garden original stars Daisy Eagan and John Cameron Mitchell, and others. Eagan, Boggess and Karimloo performed in two New York concert versions of The Secret Garden in 2016. Songs to be performed on the new series will include the musical’s “Wick,...
Celebrating Lucy Simon was announced and released today by Broadway Podcast Network Co-Founders Dori Berinstein and Alan Seales. The series will feature never-before-heard stories from The Secret Garden composer Simon herself, as well as from such collaborators as Judy Collins, Marshall Brickman, Marsha Norman, Victoria Clark, and others.
The series will also include new performances by Broadway stars Sierra Boggess, Funny Girl‘s Ramin Karimloo, The Secret Garden original stars Daisy Eagan and John Cameron Mitchell, and others. Eagan, Boggess and Karimloo performed in two New York concert versions of The Secret Garden in 2016. Songs to be performed on the new series will include the musical’s “Wick,...
- 10/25/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
At Sunday’s WGA Awards, late-night host, comedian and writer Dick Cavett received the Evelyn F. Burkey Award, speaking in his acceptance speech about what writing means to him.
“Writing is one of the great bastions of civilizations. It’s a branch of the art that needs preserving,” he said in the pre-taped segment, “and I thought I’d try to get through this without using the word ‘honor,’ but this is an honor.”
The honoree, who hosted multiple iterations of The Dick Cavett Show over the course of almost two decades, also fondly recalled time spent with the innumerable literary icons that graced his show. “I have been lucky to spend time with some of the most colorful, wonderful people in this county and the world, and they were writers. Ms. Burkey, whose name is on this award, was a real character. She’s done millions of good things for writers,...
“Writing is one of the great bastions of civilizations. It’s a branch of the art that needs preserving,” he said in the pre-taped segment, “and I thought I’d try to get through this without using the word ‘honor,’ but this is an honor.”
The honoree, who hosted multiple iterations of The Dick Cavett Show over the course of almost two decades, also fondly recalled time spent with the innumerable literary icons that graced his show. “I have been lucky to spend time with some of the most colorful, wonderful people in this county and the world, and they were writers. Ms. Burkey, whose name is on this award, was a real character. She’s done millions of good things for writers,...
- 3/21/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Dick Cavett has been named as the recipient of Writers Guild of America, East’s Evelyn F. Burkey Award for 2022. Late Night’s Seth Meyers will present the late night host, comedian and writer with the honor at the virtual WGA Awards ceremony taking place on March 20.
The award, recognizing someone who has brought honor and dignity to writers, was established in 1978 to honor Burkey, who dedicated her professional life to supporting writers, helping to create the Writers Guild of America, East in 1954, and serving as its executive director until her retirement in 1972. Past recipients include James Schamus, Edward Albee, Walter Bernstein, Joan Didion, Claire Labine, Walter Cronkite, Arthur Miller, Sidney Lumet and Martin Scorsese.
“Thank you to the Writers Guild of America, East for honoring me with the Evelyn F. Burkey Award,” said Cavett. “I am very grateful to receive this distinguished award from my union and want to thank all the people,...
The award, recognizing someone who has brought honor and dignity to writers, was established in 1978 to honor Burkey, who dedicated her professional life to supporting writers, helping to create the Writers Guild of America, East in 1954, and serving as its executive director until her retirement in 1972. Past recipients include James Schamus, Edward Albee, Walter Bernstein, Joan Didion, Claire Labine, Walter Cronkite, Arthur Miller, Sidney Lumet and Martin Scorsese.
“Thank you to the Writers Guild of America, East for honoring me with the Evelyn F. Burkey Award,” said Cavett. “I am very grateful to receive this distinguished award from my union and want to thank all the people,...
- 3/14/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
I wish all these unhinged movies would quit coming true. Escape From New York. Escape From L.A. Being There. I Am Legend. You name it. Somebody shoots a whacko/dystopian/dysfunctional fantasy. Eventually, we all end up living it.
At the moment, I’m living Brazil—bureaucratic dysfunction. My wife and I bought out a lease car. The leasing company sent documents: It says so right there on the envelope, which you could see on Thursday’s download from Informed Delivery. That’s a digital platform on which the Postal Service provides an image of the day’s mail. Very handy. Or it would be if they actually delivered the mail, which, when it’s really important, they often don’t.
Of 12 pieces due on Thursday and Friday, only the one marked “Important Documents Vehicle Related Materials Enclosed” didn’t arrive. Instead, I got a lot of junk mail,...
At the moment, I’m living Brazil—bureaucratic dysfunction. My wife and I bought out a lease car. The leasing company sent documents: It says so right there on the envelope, which you could see on Thursday’s download from Informed Delivery. That’s a digital platform on which the Postal Service provides an image of the day’s mail. Very handy. Or it would be if they actually delivered the mail, which, when it’s really important, they often don’t.
Of 12 pieces due on Thursday and Friday, only the one marked “Important Documents Vehicle Related Materials Enclosed” didn’t arrive. Instead, I got a lot of junk mail,...
- 1/23/2022
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
He wrote gags for The Tonight Show, won an Oscar for Annie Hall – and had a near-miss with the Manson family. As his musical Jersey Boys returns, the writer looks back on 82 years of sex, drugs and jokes
“When you describe it like that,” says Marshall Brickman, “it sounds like I’ve never been able to stick with anything I like!” I had given Brickman a quick run-through of his career highs, from scoring hits with folk band the Tarriers in the 60s, moving into comedy to become head writer on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, then winning an Oscar as co-writer of Annie Hall in the 70s, followed by a Tony in 2006 for co-writing the musical Jersey Boys. “My life,” he says, “is no example of how to plan a creative life whatsoever. My only philosophy is that I pick projects where I don’t mind having lunch with the people.
“When you describe it like that,” says Marshall Brickman, “it sounds like I’ve never been able to stick with anything I like!” I had given Brickman a quick run-through of his career highs, from scoring hits with folk band the Tarriers in the 60s, moving into comedy to become head writer on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, then winning an Oscar as co-writer of Annie Hall in the 70s, followed by a Tony in 2006 for co-writing the musical Jersey Boys. “My life,” he says, “is no example of how to plan a creative life whatsoever. My only philosophy is that I pick projects where I don’t mind having lunch with the people.
- 7/28/2021
- by Sarfraz Manzoor
- The Guardian - Film News
Jersey Boys, the Four Seasons jukebox musical that moved to Off Broadway shortly after the show’s popular Broadway run came to a close, will reopen at New York City’s New World Stages on November 15, producers announced today.
Written by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, directed by Des McAnuff and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, Jersey Boys opened on Broadway in 2005 and closed in 2017, reopening at Off Broadway’s New World Stages later that year.
The production was suspended, along with the rest of the city’s theater venues, on March 12, 2020, due to the Covid pandemic.
Jersey Boys, produced at New World Stages by Dodger Theatricals, Joseph J. Grano, Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, Latitude Link and Tommy Mottola, tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, the hit-making vocal group that charted such ’60s and ’70s classics as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,...
Written by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, directed by Des McAnuff and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, Jersey Boys opened on Broadway in 2005 and closed in 2017, reopening at Off Broadway’s New World Stages later that year.
The production was suspended, along with the rest of the city’s theater venues, on March 12, 2020, due to the Covid pandemic.
Jersey Boys, produced at New World Stages by Dodger Theatricals, Joseph J. Grano, Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, Latitude Link and Tommy Mottola, tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, the hit-making vocal group that charted such ’60s and ’70s classics as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,...
- 5/11/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Two of the country’s major theatrical venues announced reopening plans today, with the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. set to house Broadway productions beginning in November and October, respectively.
In Los Angeles, the Ahmanson’s 2021-22 season will start later than previously announced – instead of an August opening with Daniel Fish’s Tony Award-winning reimagining of Oklahoma!, the venue will now reopen on Nov. 30 with the Jack Thorne-Matthew Warchus staging of A Christmas Carol. (Oklahoma! is now scheduled for September 2022).
Other productions planned for the Ahmanson’s upcoming season are Hadestown, The Lehman Trilogy, and The Prom, among others.
In D.C., the Kennedy Center announced that its new season will kick off on Oct. 13 with Hadestown in the Opera House, followed in December by Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations. At the Center’s Einsenhower Theater,...
In Los Angeles, the Ahmanson’s 2021-22 season will start later than previously announced – instead of an August opening with Daniel Fish’s Tony Award-winning reimagining of Oklahoma!, the venue will now reopen on Nov. 30 with the Jack Thorne-Matthew Warchus staging of A Christmas Carol. (Oklahoma! is now scheduled for September 2022).
Other productions planned for the Ahmanson’s upcoming season are Hadestown, The Lehman Trilogy, and The Prom, among others.
In D.C., the Kennedy Center announced that its new season will kick off on Oct. 13 with Hadestown in the Opera House, followed in December by Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations. At the Center’s Einsenhower Theater,...
- 4/13/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Auteur! Auteur! Four of this year’s Best Director Oscar nominees — Chloe Zhao (“Nomadland”), Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”), Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”) and Thomas Vinterberg (“Another Round”) — have a writing credit on their films. Zhao, Fennell and Chung reaped bids for their scripting efforts.
Over the past decade, the majority of the Oscar-winning directors were also nominated for their screenplays. Last year, Boon Joon-Ho won Best Director and shared in the Original Screenplay award with Han Jan for their work on the Best Picture champ “Parasite.”
Though writer/directors getting Oscar love is the norm these days, that wasn’t always the case. When nominations were announced for the first Academy Awards, Charlie Chaplin was cited for both Best Actor and Comedy Direction for his 1928 masterpiece “The Circus,” which he also wrote and produced. But the academy decided to withdraw his name from the competitive classes and decided “that...
Over the past decade, the majority of the Oscar-winning directors were also nominated for their screenplays. Last year, Boon Joon-Ho won Best Director and shared in the Original Screenplay award with Han Jan for their work on the Best Picture champ “Parasite.”
Though writer/directors getting Oscar love is the norm these days, that wasn’t always the case. When nominations were announced for the first Academy Awards, Charlie Chaplin was cited for both Best Actor and Comedy Direction for his 1928 masterpiece “The Circus,” which he also wrote and produced. But the academy decided to withdraw his name from the competitive classes and decided “that...
- 3/28/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Tommy DeVito, a founding member and lead guitarist of chart-topping 1960s vocal group the Four Seasons and the inspiration for a key character in the 2005 jukebox musical Jersey Boys and its 2014 movie adaptation, died Monday nioght from complications related to Covid-19 in Las Vegas. He was 92.
His death was announced by his friend, the actor Alfred Nittoli, in a Facebook post Tuesday. Four Seasons frontman Frankie Valli and keyboardist-songwriter Bob Gaudio tweeted a joint statement: “It is with great sadness that we report that Tommy DeVito, a founding member of the Four Seasons, has passed. We send our love to his family during this most difficult time. He will be missed by all who loved him.”
Formed from previous New Jersey doo-wop group the Four Lovers — which featured both baritone singer DeVito and, with his instantly recognizable falsetto, Valli — the Four Seasons took their new name in 1960. The founding, classic lineup included DeVito,...
His death was announced by his friend, the actor Alfred Nittoli, in a Facebook post Tuesday. Four Seasons frontman Frankie Valli and keyboardist-songwriter Bob Gaudio tweeted a joint statement: “It is with great sadness that we report that Tommy DeVito, a founding member of the Four Seasons, has passed. We send our love to his family during this most difficult time. He will be missed by all who loved him.”
Formed from previous New Jersey doo-wop group the Four Lovers — which featured both baritone singer DeVito and, with his instantly recognizable falsetto, Valli — the Four Seasons took their new name in 1960. The founding, classic lineup included DeVito,...
- 9/22/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Alan Zweibel clearly knows funny. He’s accrued multiple Emmy wins and nominations for his time on the comedy writing teams of “Saturday Night Live” and “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” the latter of which he co-created, plus writing credits on several hit films, books, theater works and comedy/variety specials for mega-talents such as Paul Simon, Gilda Radner, Billy Crystal and Steve Martin.
In his book “Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier” (Abrams Press), which was published April 14, Zweibel’s life lessons, tricks of the trade and insights on how to chart the path from your brain to someone’s laugh center are all revealed. Don’t be deceived: Zweibel makes it sound easy, but that’s after nearly 50 years toiling at funny bone tickling. He was first in the pages of Variety in 1973, when one of his jokes for Borscht Belt comic Freddie Roman got quoted in a review.
In his book “Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier” (Abrams Press), which was published April 14, Zweibel’s life lessons, tricks of the trade and insights on how to chart the path from your brain to someone’s laugh center are all revealed. Don’t be deceived: Zweibel makes it sound easy, but that’s after nearly 50 years toiling at funny bone tickling. He was first in the pages of Variety in 1973, when one of his jokes for Borscht Belt comic Freddie Roman got quoted in a review.
- 5/28/2020
- by Steven Gaydos
- Variety Film + TV
Eric Weissberg, half of the duo that recorded “Dueling Banjos” for the film “Deliverance” in 1973, resulting in an unlikely smash hit single and album, has died at 80. Family members and friends said Weissberg had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for years.
Weissberg was a fixture on the New York folk scene before being enlisted to bring his banjo cover the traditional but largely unfamiliar instrumental with Steve Mandell for John Boorman’s adventure-thriller in 1972. When it was released as a single, it rose to No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart and stayed there for four weeks in 1973, blocked from the top spot only by Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” An album of Weissberg’s roots music that was rush-released as a soundtrack to “Deliverance” ran into no such hindrance — it topped the album sales chart for three weeks.
In a 2011 conversation with Chris Willman for the Los Angeles Times,...
Weissberg was a fixture on the New York folk scene before being enlisted to bring his banjo cover the traditional but largely unfamiliar instrumental with Steve Mandell for John Boorman’s adventure-thriller in 1972. When it was released as a single, it rose to No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart and stayed there for four weeks in 1973, blocked from the top spot only by Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” An album of Weissberg’s roots music that was rush-released as a soundtrack to “Deliverance” ran into no such hindrance — it topped the album sales chart for three weeks.
In a 2011 conversation with Chris Willman for the Los Angeles Times,...
- 3/24/2020
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Woody Allen celebrates his 83rd birthday on December 1, 2018. The four-time Academy Award winner has proved incredibly prolific in his decades-long career, writing, directing, and oftentimes starring in nearly a film a year for almost 50 years. But how many of those are classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).
SEEOscar Best Picture Gallery: History of Every Academy Award-Winning Movie
The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to...
After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).
SEEOscar Best Picture Gallery: History of Every Academy Award-Winning Movie
The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to...
- 12/1/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
This article marks Part 5 of the Gold Derby series reflecting on films that contended for the Big Five Oscars – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted). With “A Star Is Born” this year on the cusp of joining this exclusive group of Oscar favorites, join us as we look back at the 43 extraordinary pictures that earned Academy Awards nominations in each of the Big Five categories, including the following four films that scored a quartet of trophies among the top races.
At the 12th Academy Awards ceremony, this was no stopping Victor Fleming’s blockbuster epic “Gone with the Wind” (1939). With a total of 13 nominations, the most of any film that year, it was the overwhelming favorite for Oscar glory and indeed, on the big night, the picture took home eight prizes, including Best Picture. Fleming, in his lone career Oscar bid, prevailed in Best Director,...
At the 12th Academy Awards ceremony, this was no stopping Victor Fleming’s blockbuster epic “Gone with the Wind” (1939). With a total of 13 nominations, the most of any film that year, it was the overwhelming favorite for Oscar glory and indeed, on the big night, the picture took home eight prizes, including Best Picture. Fleming, in his lone career Oscar bid, prevailed in Best Director,...
- 10/25/2018
- by Andrew Carden
- Gold Derby
Thad Mumford, an Emmy-winning TV writer and producer on such ’70s and ’80s hits as “The Electric Company,” “M*A*S*H,” “Alf” and “A Different World,” has died at age 67.
Mumford died on Sept. 6 in Silver Spring, Maryland, his sister-in-law Donna Coleman told TheWrap.
Mumford, who shared an Emmy Award in 1973 for his writing work on the children’s show “The Electric Company,” had a remarkable career in television at a time when few African-Americans were given opportunities in the industry.
Also Read: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2018 (Photos)
Together with his longtime writing partner Dan Wilcox, Mumford worked on some of the biggest hit sitcoms of the 1970s and ’80s, including the final three seasons of “M*A*S*H,” as well as “Alf,” “Good Times,” “Maude” and “The Cosby Show.”
He also served as a writer and producer on four seasons of the Cosby spinoff “A Different World.”
He continued working well into the ’90s,...
Mumford died on Sept. 6 in Silver Spring, Maryland, his sister-in-law Donna Coleman told TheWrap.
Mumford, who shared an Emmy Award in 1973 for his writing work on the children’s show “The Electric Company,” had a remarkable career in television at a time when few African-Americans were given opportunities in the industry.
Also Read: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2018 (Photos)
Together with his longtime writing partner Dan Wilcox, Mumford worked on some of the biggest hit sitcoms of the 1970s and ’80s, including the final three seasons of “M*A*S*H,” as well as “Alf,” “Good Times,” “Maude” and “The Cosby Show.”
He also served as a writer and producer on four seasons of the Cosby spinoff “A Different World.”
He continued working well into the ’90s,...
- 9/15/2018
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
The characters from the popular television series and hit 90s movies “The Addams Family” are set to return to the stage. A new musical, first produced in 2010 and based on the beloved fictional family, is coming to the Candlelight Pavilion in Claremont, California, just east of Los Angeles. The production is currently casting all parts. The musical adaptation draws inspiration from the Addams family’s origin in single-panel gag cartoons drawn by creator Charles Addams. The musical, with songs by Andrew Lippa (“Big Fish”) and a book by Marshall Brickman (“Annie Hall”) and Rick Elise (“Jersey Boys”), opened on Broadway in 2010. It has won numerous awards and completed a national tour. The production is currently auditioning talent for the cast, including the entire family. The Addams family is an eccentric, ghoulish clan of misfits with deep familial ties. This includes the reclining patriarch Gomez and stern matriarch Morticia. Their children...
- 8/15/2018
- backstage.com
State Theatre New Jersey has an exciting schedule of Broadway shows this season on the New Brunswick stage. Kicking off the line-up is the New Jersey Premiere of 'Jersey Boys' from October 13 to October 15. Broadwayworld.com had the fascinating opportunity to interview Rick Elice, who co-wrote the book for 'Jersey Boys' along with Marshall Brickman.
- 9/11/2017
- by Marina Kennedy
- BroadwayWorld.com
Nearly four decades on, Allen’s lustrously shot comedy is as compelling as ever, its big-hitting scenes and performances sitting alongside numerous low-key gems
Woody Allen’s middle-period masterpiece from 1979, co-written with Marshall Brickman and shot in lustrous black and white by cinematographer Gordon Willis, now gets a cinema rerelease.
It’s the film that, apart from everything else, invented the romcom cliche of the last-minute rush to the airport. Dismayed by a lack of cabs in the dense traffic – casually superb location shooting – Allen’s unemployed TV producer Isaac runs desperately to his ex-girlfriend’s apartment to tell her how he feels, finding her in the lobby with her bags packed, ready to head out to JFK for a trip to London. This is Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), who wryly tells him she just turned 18 and that she is now “legal” – though she was “legal” at 17. However we feel about this scene now,...
Woody Allen’s middle-period masterpiece from 1979, co-written with Marshall Brickman and shot in lustrous black and white by cinematographer Gordon Willis, now gets a cinema rerelease.
It’s the film that, apart from everything else, invented the romcom cliche of the last-minute rush to the airport. Dismayed by a lack of cabs in the dense traffic – casually superb location shooting – Allen’s unemployed TV producer Isaac runs desperately to his ex-girlfriend’s apartment to tell her how he feels, finding her in the lobby with her bags packed, ready to head out to JFK for a trip to London. This is Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), who wryly tells him she just turned 18 and that she is now “legal” – though she was “legal” at 17. However we feel about this scene now,...
- 5/11/2017
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
On March 10, New York’s Film Forum will premiere a new 4K digital print of Woody Allen’s iconic 1979’s romantic comedy “Manhattan.” The director’s black-and-white masterpiece is the first of his films to be made available digitally by Park Circus and MGM, and we have the exclusive new trailer and one-sheet for the film.
Read More: ‘Shadow of Truth’ Exclusive Trailer: Netflix’s Israeli True Crime Docuseries Could Be the Next ‘Making a Murderer’ — Watch
The director’s magnum opus follows the story of Isaac (Allen), a television writer who’s had two failed marriages. Things get complicated for the 42-year-old when he starts dating a teenage girl named Tracy (Mariel Hemingway) and then falls in love with his friend’s lover (played by Diane Keaton).
The all-star main cast also includes Meryl Streep, Michael Murphy and Anne Byrne. The screenplay was written by Allen and Marshall Brickman.
Read More: ‘Shadow of Truth’ Exclusive Trailer: Netflix’s Israeli True Crime Docuseries Could Be the Next ‘Making a Murderer’ — Watch
The director’s magnum opus follows the story of Isaac (Allen), a television writer who’s had two failed marriages. Things get complicated for the 42-year-old when he starts dating a teenage girl named Tracy (Mariel Hemingway) and then falls in love with his friend’s lover (played by Diane Keaton).
The all-star main cast also includes Meryl Streep, Michael Murphy and Anne Byrne. The screenplay was written by Allen and Marshall Brickman.
- 2/22/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
Nearly 500 film and TV writers have sent letters to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo calling for a new tax incentive for television producers who hire women and minority writers and directors. Writers who sent letters include Tina Fey and Oscar winners Tom McCarthy, Paul Haggis, Marshall Brickman and Michael Arndt. Legislation to amend the tax incentives program, which has bipartisan support in the New York State Legislature, would allocate $5 million from the state's existing…...
- 5/9/2016
- Deadline TV
Nearly 500 film and TV writers have sent letters to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo calling for a new tax incentive for television producers who hire women and minority writers and directors. Writers who sent letters include Tina Fey and Oscar winners Tom McCarthy, Paul Haggis, Marshall Brickman and Michael Arndt. Legislation to amend the tax incentives program, which has bipartisan support in the New York State Legislature, would allocate $5 million from the state's existing…...
- 5/9/2016
- Deadline
Director’s 1977 comedy about neurotic New York couple tops Writers Guild of America’s list of 101 funniest scripts
“There’s an old joke,” begins Woody Allen, talking straight to camera. “Two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of ’em says, ‘Boy, the food at this place is really terrible.’ The other one says, ‘Yeah, I know; and such small portions.’ Well, that’s essentially how I feel about life – full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness, and it’s all over much too quickly.”
According to the Writers Guild of America, these are the opening lines to the funniest screenplay ever written. In a ballot filled out by thousands of writers, Annie Hall, written by Allen and Marshall Brickman in 1975, was voted the film that made them all laugh the most, beating classics such as Some Like It Hot, Airplane! and The Big Lebowski...
“There’s an old joke,” begins Woody Allen, talking straight to camera. “Two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of ’em says, ‘Boy, the food at this place is really terrible.’ The other one says, ‘Yeah, I know; and such small portions.’ Well, that’s essentially how I feel about life – full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness, and it’s all over much too quickly.”
According to the Writers Guild of America, these are the opening lines to the funniest screenplay ever written. In a ballot filled out by thousands of writers, Annie Hall, written by Allen and Marshall Brickman in 1975, was voted the film that made them all laugh the most, beating classics such as Some Like It Hot, Airplane! and The Big Lebowski...
- 11/12/2015
- by Hannah Ellis-Petersen
- The Guardian - Film News
Film buffs who have argued long into the night over the funniest screenplays in the history of cinema no longer need to quarrel. That.s because the helpful folks over at The Writers Guild Of America have compiled a list of the 10 funniest screenplays ever written. And, as you.d expect, the usual suspects feature prominently. The East and West contingents of The Writers Guild Of America were able to put their differences aside to release their official list, which you can have a gander at below: 1. Annie Hall . 1977 . Written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman 2. Some Like It Hot . 1959 . Written by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond 3. Groundhog Day . 1993 . Written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis 4. Airplane! . 1980 . Written by James Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker 5. Tootsie . 1982 - Written by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal 6. Young Frankenstein . 1974 . Written by Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks 7. Dr Strangelove or: How ...
- 11/12/2015
- cinemablend.com
Murtada here.The Writers Guild of America released their list of the 101 funniest screenplays of all time. The screenplays were voted on by members of both the East and West coast branches of the WGA. The eligible screenplays had to be in English and at least one hour in length.
Woody Allen is by far the most popular name on the list. He has seven titles including the WGA’s top pick Annie Hall (1977) which he co-wrote with Marshall Brickman. Compartively Billy Wilder only has two titles on the list, The Apartment (1960) and Some Like it Hot (1959). Other writers scoring multiple films include Mel Brooks, Preston Sturges, Christopher Guest, Charlie Chaplin, the Coen Brothers and surprisingly Harold Ramis.
Perhaps to ward off criticism about the lack of representation of women and people of color, the WGA acknowledged the list’s heavy “white bro dudeness”:
"Comedy screenwriting has long been...
Woody Allen is by far the most popular name on the list. He has seven titles including the WGA’s top pick Annie Hall (1977) which he co-wrote with Marshall Brickman. Compartively Billy Wilder only has two titles on the list, The Apartment (1960) and Some Like it Hot (1959). Other writers scoring multiple films include Mel Brooks, Preston Sturges, Christopher Guest, Charlie Chaplin, the Coen Brothers and surprisingly Harold Ramis.
Perhaps to ward off criticism about the lack of representation of women and people of color, the WGA acknowledged the list’s heavy “white bro dudeness”:
"Comedy screenwriting has long been...
- 11/12/2015
- by Murtada Elfadl
- FilmExperience
What's the funniest movie you've ever seen? According to the Writers Guild of America, it's Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman's "Annie Hall." That's the top of its just-released ranking of the 101 funniest screenplays, and Woody Allen appears several more times on the list: "Sleeper" (60), "Bananas" (69), "Take the Money and Run" (76), "Love and Death" (78), "Manhattan" (81), and "Broadway Danny Rose" (92). Harold Ramis made five appearances on the list, with "Groundhog Day" (3), "National Lampoon's Animal House" (10), "Ghostbusters" (14), "Caddyshack" (25), and "Stripes" (88). And Mel Brooks had "just" three screenplays on the list but they all ranked highly: "Young Frankenstein" (6), "Blazing Saddles" (8), and "The Producers" (12). He's also credited with "The Big Lebowski" (13), but he didn't write that, so I'm sure the WGA will correct its error shortly. (The Coen Brothers, who did write it, also appear at number 23 with "Raising Arizona" and 86 with "Fargo.") The most recent movie to make the list is 2011's "Bridesmaids...
- 11/12/2015
- by Sara Morrison
- Hitfix
The Writers Guild have named Annie Hall the funniest screenplay of all time. The 1977 Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman screenplay topped the list, Some Like It Hot came in second,...
- 11/12/2015
- by Jazz Tangcay
- AwardsDaily.com
Woody Allen's groundbreaking 1977 comedy Annie Hall triumphed over 100 other films – including a handful of the director's other works – to land at Number One on the Writers Guild of America's list of the 101 Funniest Screenplays. The comedy's Allen- and Marshall Brickman-penned script beat out a Top Five that included 1959's Some Like It Hot (Number Two), 1993's Groundhog Day (Three), 1980's Airplane! (Four) and 1982's Tootsie.
In total, Allen placed seven scripts on the 101 Funniest Screenplays list, with Sleeper, Bananas, Take the Money and Run, Love and Death, Manhattan...
In total, Allen placed seven scripts on the 101 Funniest Screenplays list, with Sleeper, Bananas, Take the Money and Run, Love and Death, Manhattan...
- 11/12/2015
- Rollingstone.com
What's the funniest screenplay ever? If you ask 101 different people you'll get 101 different answers, but the Writers Guild Of America has done that hard work, polled their extensive membership and come up with their own list of the funniest screenplays of all time. And if you want a quick guide to classics in the genre, look no further. Of course, the list features legendary figures like Woody Allen (whose "Annie Hall" tops it all), Mel Brooks, Billy Wilder, and more, but there's also room for the new school. Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig ranked quite high with "Bridesmaids," while "Groundhog Day" cemented its contemporary classic status in third place. I'm a bit surprised to see "The Hangover" make the cut since I'm not sure how well it has aged, though any love for "Wedding Crashers" is fine by me. Thoughts? Take the debate to the comments section. [Deadline] Annie Hall Written...
- 11/12/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
The east and west factions of the Writers Guild of America have published their official list of 101 funniest screenplays, revealing Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman's Annie Hall as their top pick. Members of both guilds voted on the films, which had to have had theatrical releases, English-language scripts, and hour-plus run times (live-action, animated, silent, and doc features were eligible; films without onscreen credits were not), according to the WGA.Seven Allen scripts total found their way into the results; Mel Brooks and Preston Sturges also fared well, popping up amid more contemporary, varied comedy powerhouses, including Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, and Kristen Wiig, among others. As a whole, the results showcase the best from almost a century of hilarious filmmaking (for your debating pleasure, of course), but they also underline more of the industry's historic and still-changing imbalance in behind-the-scenes diversity, which the WGA notes in a prelude...
- 11/12/2015
- by Sean Fitz-Gerald
- Vulture
Woody Allen‘s “Annie Hall” was named the funniest screenplay by the Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) on Wednesday. The 1977 comedy written by Allen and Marshall Brickman starring Diane Keaton tops the list of 101 films spanning over 86 years, ranging from classics to contemporary releases. “Some Like It Hot,” “Groundhog Day,” “Airplane!” and “Tootsie” round out the top five. Also Read: Writers Guild to Hold 2016 WGA Awards on Feb. 13 The most recent film on the list, 2011’s “Bridesmaids” written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig, came in at No. 16, while Judd Apatow and Steve Carell‘s “The 40-Year-Old.
- 11/12/2015
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
Updates with more information below. Broadway and Hollywood greats took the stage at the packed New Amsterdam Theatre today to salute the life and adventures of Roger Rees, the Broadway and television (Cheers, The West Wing) star who died in July at 71. Among those remembering the Welsh-born actor with words, song and, in one spectacular instance, dance, were Chita Rivera, Marshall Brickman, Rees’ husband Rick Elice and Bebe Neuwirth, who appeared with Rees in the musical…...
- 9/21/2015
- Deadline TV
From thrillers to sci-fi to horror, here's our pick of 20 films from 1986 that surely deserve a bit more love...
A fascinating year for film, 1986. It was a time when a glossy, expensive movie about handsome men in planes could dominate the box-office, sure (that would be Top Gun). But it was also a year when Oliver Stone went off with just $6m and came back with Platoon, one of the biggest hits of the year both financially and in terms of accolades. It was also a period when the British movie industry was briefly back on its feet, resulting in a new golden age of great films - one or two of them are even on this list.
As ever, there were certain films that, despite their entertainment value or genuine brilliance in terms of movie making, somehow managed to slip through the net. So to redress the balance a little,...
A fascinating year for film, 1986. It was a time when a glossy, expensive movie about handsome men in planes could dominate the box-office, sure (that would be Top Gun). But it was also a year when Oliver Stone went off with just $6m and came back with Platoon, one of the biggest hits of the year both financially and in terms of accolades. It was also a period when the British movie industry was briefly back on its feet, resulting in a new golden age of great films - one or two of them are even on this list.
As ever, there were certain films that, despite their entertainment value or genuine brilliance in terms of movie making, somehow managed to slip through the net. So to redress the balance a little,...
- 8/26/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Producer Larry G. Spangler and The Spangler Group announced today the creative team for Happy Trails, a new musical based on the life and career of American icons Roy Rogers and his wife Dale Evans. The musical will feature original music by Tony and multiAcademy Award-winner Alan Menken Little Shop of Horrors, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act, lyrics by Tony nominee Glenn Slater Sister Act, Tangled, ABC-tv's Galavant, upcoming School of Rock, a book by Academy Award-winner Marshall Brickman Annie Hall, Manhattan, Jersey Boys, The Addams Family, and direction by two-time Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, Big River, Tommy.
- 1/22/2015
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Alan Menken and Glenn Slater are turning from the medieval knights of Galavant to a Hollywood cowboy. Producers today announced that Menken and Slater are writing the music and lyrics for Happy Trails, a new musical heading to Broadway about Roy Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans. Marshall Brickman, who won an Academy Award for co-writing Annie Hall with Woody Allen, is responsible for the book, and Tony winner Des McAnuff will direct.
- 1/22/2015
- by Esther Zuckerman
- EW.com - PopWatch
You can figure out everything you need to know about the big-screen version of the dazzling, Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys from the opening studio logos alone. A familiar piano cue from The Four Seasons’ catchy classic “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” plays over greying silver studio logos. In other words, you are going to get the electrifying pop staples but over a drab, lifeless execution. Director Clint Eastwood is no stranger to music, as he worked as a composer on many of his most recent films, but Jersey Boys is one musical adaptation that he should have left alone.
Jersey Boys is probably the most beloved of all of the jukebox musicals that blended the lights of Broadway with the biggest pop hits of yesteryear. In the stumble to the big screen, though, the behind-the-music story about how some delinquent boys growing up just outside of Newark became one...
Jersey Boys is probably the most beloved of all of the jukebox musicals that blended the lights of Broadway with the biggest pop hits of yesteryear. In the stumble to the big screen, though, the behind-the-music story about how some delinquent boys growing up just outside of Newark became one...
- 11/12/2014
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys adaptation may not have blown up the box office when it released earlier this Summer, but if you're a fan of the broadway show it's based on, you're more than likely going to want to pick up this title when it releases in November. Warner Bros. has revealed exactly when you'll be able to pick this blu-ray up, and what all is included on the disc. Come inside to learn more!
Based on the Tony Award-winning musical, “Jersey Boys” arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on November 11 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Directed by Oscar® winner Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Unforgiven”), “Jersey Boys” is an inspiring drama featuring The Four Seasons’ songs that influenced a generation.
“Jersey Boys” stars John Lloyd Young, who reprises his Tony Award-winning portrayal of the legendary lead singer of The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli. Erich Bergen stars as Bob Gaudio,...
Based on the Tony Award-winning musical, “Jersey Boys” arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on November 11 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Directed by Oscar® winner Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Unforgiven”), “Jersey Boys” is an inspiring drama featuring The Four Seasons’ songs that influenced a generation.
“Jersey Boys” stars John Lloyd Young, who reprises his Tony Award-winning portrayal of the legendary lead singer of The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli. Erich Bergen stars as Bob Gaudio,...
- 9/3/2014
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Jordan Maison)
- Cinelinx
It’s easy to see how Warner Bros. turned to their A-list director-producer Clint Eastwood, known for his calm, economic, unpretentious, methodical filmmaking, for the 60s period musical “Jersey Boys.” After directing 37 movies, he can do period in his sleep, from “Invictus” to “Changeling,”–on a budget. He’s a composer and jazz pianist who knows music (Cannes prize-winner “Bird”). “It’s just a lot of good songs,” he told Vanity Fair. “You go home humming a different one every night.” And he’s great with actors. The Tony-winning musical also had a good chance of being Oscar bait–likely to play well to the seniors in the Academy who have voted Eastwood movies many Oscars over the years, from “Mystic River” to Best Picture-winners “Unforgiven” and “Million Dollar Baby.”
But the movie looks bland and brown: while it may be accurate for the period, it’s not visually compelling.
But the movie looks bland and brown: while it may be accurate for the period, it’s not visually compelling.
- 6/25/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
"Jersey Boys" might have been the Broadway hit of the year in 2005, but Clint Eastwood's film isn't making too many waves at the box office. Most critics haven't been too enthused either, and not without reason. The appeal of Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice's show was that the audience could get swept up in live performances of songs they knew and loved, and that they could sing and dance along. You can't really do that in the movie theater unless "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is playing, and the fun (if slight) jukebox musical is turned into a tired music biopic about a bunch of guys who had personal problems, stopped liking each other, and, oh, by the way, also sang some first-rate tunes. Even if "Jersey Boys" absolutely had to be turned into a movie, Eastwood's style is totally at odds with the material. The film retains...
- 6/25/2014
- by Max O'Connell
- Indiewire
Jersey Boys
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice
USA, 2014
American music history has had its fair share of notable moments. The 1950s and 1960s in particular, were an era in which catchy songs and talented performers reigned supreme. One such group was Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. These gifted young men were responsible for hit after hit including but not limited to “Sherry”, “Walk Like a Man”, and “Big Girls Don’t Cry”. A highly entertaining Tony Award-winning Broadway musical was created to detail the rise of The Four Seasons and it ran and continues to run, selling tickets to this day about a decade after its debut. It was only a matter of time until a big Hollywood film adaption would follow and it did. Helmed by veteran filmmaker Clint Eastwood, Jersey Boys is now in theaters and ready to transport you back to...
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice
USA, 2014
American music history has had its fair share of notable moments. The 1950s and 1960s in particular, were an era in which catchy songs and talented performers reigned supreme. One such group was Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. These gifted young men were responsible for hit after hit including but not limited to “Sherry”, “Walk Like a Man”, and “Big Girls Don’t Cry”. A highly entertaining Tony Award-winning Broadway musical was created to detail the rise of The Four Seasons and it ran and continues to run, selling tickets to this day about a decade after its debut. It was only a matter of time until a big Hollywood film adaption would follow and it did. Helmed by veteran filmmaker Clint Eastwood, Jersey Boys is now in theaters and ready to transport you back to...
- 6/24/2014
- by Randall Unger
- SoundOnSight
A Tony-winning musical about a Hall of Fame rock group by an Oscar-winning director—on paper, it sounds like a sure-fire hit. So why did Clint Eastwood’s Jersey Boys fall flat in theaters this weekend?
Simply because Clint Eastwood should have never directed it in the first place.
When Jersey Boys opened on Broadway back in 2005, it broke the mold of the emerging trend of “jukebox musicals”—that is, musicals that repurposed pre-existing songs and placed them into stories—by using the songs of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons that were already loved and adored by millions to tell their own story.
Simply because Clint Eastwood should have never directed it in the first place.
When Jersey Boys opened on Broadway back in 2005, it broke the mold of the emerging trend of “jukebox musicals”—that is, musicals that repurposed pre-existing songs and placed them into stories—by using the songs of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons that were already loved and adored by millions to tell their own story.
- 6/23/2014
- by Jake Perlman
- EW.com - PopWatch
Title: Jersey Boys Warner Bros Reviewed for Shockya by Harvey Karten. Data-based on Rotten Tomatoes Grade: B+ Director: Clint Eastwood Screenplay: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elise Cast: Christopher Walken, John Lloyd Young, Vincent Piazza, Michael Lomenda, Erich Bergen, Renee Marino, Mike Doyle Screened at: NYC, Opens: June 20, 2014 If you wonder why the 1950s are considered the most boring decade in U.S. history, you need only look for some videos of NBC’s show “Your Hit Parade.” The Saturday night festivities featured the top seven hit tunes, playing number one on the charts last, holding TV viewers in suspense. The trouble is that was nary a hit that was not some [ Read More ]
The post Jersey Boys Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Jersey Boys Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/23/2014
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
‘Jersey Boys’ movie review: Great music fails to save Clint Eastwood-directed film version of the 2005 Broadway musical (photo: John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli of the Four Seasons in ‘Jersey Boys’) Clint Eastwood’s semi-historically accurate biopic of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Jersey Boys, is based on the hit 2005 Broadway musical — and it is a crushing bore. But we shall start with the positive: In Eastwood’s film, the music and the performances of the music (which are not the same thing) are great. That is to be expected, as the Jersey Boys movie cast is mostly composed from cast members of the stage show, including Tony winner John Lloyd Young, who happens to look a lot like Frankie Valli and who has a four-plus octave range. Lucky boy. Lloyd Young is also a serviceable actor with a number of (mostly stage) credits that did not require a piercing falsetto.
- 6/21/2014
- by Tim Cogshell
- Alt Film Guide
Chicago – Director Clint Eastwood’s “Jersey Boys” suffers from the same inherent fundamental flaw in all of these so-called Jukebox Musicals – their stories are mere afterthoughts. You come for the songs, and suffer through the story.
They have the narrative equivalent of chicken wire and chewing gum, patchwork filler to tie the songs together. Although not as insufferable as “Mamma Mia,” “Jersey Boys” story is still pretty thin gruel to make a movie out of – and that’s a shame because it certainly starts out promisingly enough.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
The film begins as a sort of “Goodfellas” lite with mobbed up gofer Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza from “Boardwalk Empire”). He’s from the wrong side of the tracks in Jersey stuck running errands for local mob boss (Christopher Walken) while playing two bit gigs with his musical group. Piazza frequently breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the camera – like...
They have the narrative equivalent of chicken wire and chewing gum, patchwork filler to tie the songs together. Although not as insufferable as “Mamma Mia,” “Jersey Boys” story is still pretty thin gruel to make a movie out of – and that’s a shame because it certainly starts out promisingly enough.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
The film begins as a sort of “Goodfellas” lite with mobbed up gofer Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza from “Boardwalk Empire”). He’s from the wrong side of the tracks in Jersey stuck running errands for local mob boss (Christopher Walken) while playing two bit gigs with his musical group. Piazza frequently breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the camera – like...
- 6/21/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
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