Chronicler of the making of her husband’s Apocalypse Now whose footage and recordings were the basis for a documentary and book
In March 1976, Eleanor Coppola arrived in the Philippines, her three young children in tow, to film behind-the-scenes footage on the set of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s new movie Apocalypse Now, which transposed the plot of Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness to late-1960s Vietnam.
No one could have known then that production on this war epic would stretch on for more than a year, delayed by catastrophic weather, medical emergencies, military conflict, an incomplete script and plain old creative differences, making it one of the most infamously turbulent shoots in cinema history. As it rumbled on, newspaper headlines plaintively asked: “Apocalypse When?”...
In March 1976, Eleanor Coppola arrived in the Philippines, her three young children in tow, to film behind-the-scenes footage on the set of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s new movie Apocalypse Now, which transposed the plot of Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness to late-1960s Vietnam.
No one could have known then that production on this war epic would stretch on for more than a year, delayed by catastrophic weather, medical emergencies, military conflict, an incomplete script and plain old creative differences, making it one of the most infamously turbulent shoots in cinema history. As it rumbled on, newspaper headlines plaintively asked: “Apocalypse When?”...
- 4/18/2024
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
“Exterminate all the brutes!” With these words, borrowed from Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Hunter S. Thompson concluded his violent, macabre 1967 book Hell’s Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga. Thompson had spent months with the outlaw biker gang and ultimately paid for his persistence when members gave him a brutal beatdown (which, Thompson being Thompson, he seemed to enjoy just a little). The king of Gonzo had gotten closer to the Angels’ inner sanctum than just about anyone else had, a feat that the new A&e docuseries Secrets of the Hells Angels...
- 4/14/2024
- by Chris Vognar
- Rollingstone.com
Making a strong antagonist in monster features is always a tough task, especially when human association isn’t involved. Aside from the risk of writing becoming pretty generic and turning the characters into one-toned, motiveless evils, connecting with the audience remains a challenge. In Legendary’s Monsterverse, aside from the iconic King Ghidorah, no other adversary had managed to make that much of an impact in viewers’ minds, which is why Godzilla X Kong needed a well-written opponent to justify the team-up of the eponymous behemoths.
Spoilers Ahead
During the early production stage, the first mentions of Skar King as an evil, degraded version of Kong didn’t go down well with the fans, who considered it lazy to not come up with a new Kaiju and just use established characters as templates to create a new one. However, after Godzilla X Kong hit theaters, the reasons for making Skar...
Spoilers Ahead
During the early production stage, the first mentions of Skar King as an evil, degraded version of Kong didn’t go down well with the fans, who considered it lazy to not come up with a new Kaiju and just use established characters as templates to create a new one. However, after Godzilla X Kong hit theaters, the reasons for making Skar...
- 3/31/2024
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
Benedict Fitzgerald, the co-writer of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, has died. He was 74.
Fitzgerald died Jan. 17 after a long illness at his home in Marsala, Sicily, his cousin Nancy Morgan Ritter told The Hollywood Reporter.
Best known for his work on Gibson’s 2004 Biblical epic, the highest-grossing Christian film, as well as the highest-grossing independent film of all time, Fitzgerald’s other credits include co-writing the screenplay for John Huston’s Wise Blood (1979), the adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel.
Born on March 9, 1949, in New York, Fitzgerald was born into a literary household. His deeply Catholic mother, Sally, was a writer and editor and his father, Robert, was a poet, United States Poet Laureate (1984-1985), critic, and famed translator of classic ancient Greek and Latin texts, who was responsible for perhaps the most well-known translation of Homer’s The Odyssey.
In the late 1950s, Fitzgerald’s family...
Fitzgerald died Jan. 17 after a long illness at his home in Marsala, Sicily, his cousin Nancy Morgan Ritter told The Hollywood Reporter.
Best known for his work on Gibson’s 2004 Biblical epic, the highest-grossing Christian film, as well as the highest-grossing independent film of all time, Fitzgerald’s other credits include co-writing the screenplay for John Huston’s Wise Blood (1979), the adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel.
Born on March 9, 1949, in New York, Fitzgerald was born into a literary household. His deeply Catholic mother, Sally, was a writer and editor and his father, Robert, was a poet, United States Poet Laureate (1984-1985), critic, and famed translator of classic ancient Greek and Latin texts, who was responsible for perhaps the most well-known translation of Homer’s The Odyssey.
In the late 1950s, Fitzgerald’s family...
- 1/22/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Benedict Fitzgerald, best known as the screenwriter of The Passion of the Christ, died at home in Marsala, Sicily after a long illness on January 17, 2024. He was 74 and no cause of death was given by his family.
He first won acclaim for his screenplay adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel Wise Blood, cowritten with his brother, Michael. The film, produced in 1979 by Michael and Kathy Fitzgerald and directed by John Huston, starred Brad Dourif, Harry Dean Stanton, and Ned Beatty.
Fitzgerald specialized in literary adaptions, among them Zelda, (starring Natasha Richardson and Timothy Hutton) in 1993; Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in 1993 (starring John Malkovich); a television mini-series of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood in 1996 and Moby Dick in 1998 (starring Patrick Stewart as Ahab and nominated for 5 primetime Emmy awards).
The Passion Of The Christ (2004), the...
He first won acclaim for his screenplay adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel Wise Blood, cowritten with his brother, Michael. The film, produced in 1979 by Michael and Kathy Fitzgerald and directed by John Huston, starred Brad Dourif, Harry Dean Stanton, and Ned Beatty.
Fitzgerald specialized in literary adaptions, among them Zelda, (starring Natasha Richardson and Timothy Hutton) in 1993; Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in 1993 (starring John Malkovich); a television mini-series of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood in 1996 and Moby Dick in 1998 (starring Patrick Stewart as Ahab and nominated for 5 primetime Emmy awards).
The Passion Of The Christ (2004), the...
- 1/21/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Benedict Fitzgerald, co-screenwriter of “The Passion of the Christ,” died Jan. 17 in Marsala, Sicily, after a long illness, his cousin Nancy Ritter told Variety. He was 74.
Fitzgerald co-wrote 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ” with director and producer Mel Gibson. The biblical epic remains the highest-grossing independent film of all time.
Fitzgerald first received acclaim for his screenplay adaptation of the Flannery O’Connor novel “Wise Blood,” which he co-wrote with his brother Michael. Michael and Kathy Fitzgerald produced the John Huston-directed film, which starred Brad Dourif, Harry Dean Stanton and Ned Beatty.
“Wise Blood” marked the beginning of Fitzgerald’s many literary adaptations, including 1993’s “Zelda” with Natasha Richardson and Timothy Hutton, and Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” (1993), starring John Malkovich. He wrote the miniseries adaptations of Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” (1996) and Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” (1998), starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab. Both series were nominated for several Emmy Awards.
Fitzgerald co-wrote 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ” with director and producer Mel Gibson. The biblical epic remains the highest-grossing independent film of all time.
Fitzgerald first received acclaim for his screenplay adaptation of the Flannery O’Connor novel “Wise Blood,” which he co-wrote with his brother Michael. Michael and Kathy Fitzgerald produced the John Huston-directed film, which starred Brad Dourif, Harry Dean Stanton and Ned Beatty.
“Wise Blood” marked the beginning of Fitzgerald’s many literary adaptations, including 1993’s “Zelda” with Natasha Richardson and Timothy Hutton, and Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” (1993), starring John Malkovich. He wrote the miniseries adaptations of Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” (1996) and Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” (1998), starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab. Both series were nominated for several Emmy Awards.
- 1/21/2024
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Jonathan Frakes' 1998 film "Star Trek: Insurrection" is hardly the most celebrated of the 13 extant "Star Trek" movies. The film wasn't terribly well-reviewed when it was released, and a general fan consensus seems to dictate that it may be the least of the four films based on "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
Notably, "Insurrection" looks cheap. The bulk of the film's action takes place on the Ba'ku homeworld, but the filmmakers were unable to do anything to make it look appropriately alien. The exteriors were filmed in Thousand Oaks, California, as well as the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and, well, it looks like they just shot the film in California. Additionally, the Ba'ku were given no alien makeup, leaving them looking like regular old people. Worst of all, the Ba'ku costume designs were unbearably boring, as everyone was draped in loose-fitting, off-white hippie-wear that even mannequins would be embarrassed by.
The...
Notably, "Insurrection" looks cheap. The bulk of the film's action takes place on the Ba'ku homeworld, but the filmmakers were unable to do anything to make it look appropriately alien. The exteriors were filmed in Thousand Oaks, California, as well as the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and, well, it looks like they just shot the film in California. Additionally, the Ba'ku were given no alien makeup, leaving them looking like regular old people. Worst of all, the Ba'ku costume designs were unbearably boring, as everyone was draped in loose-fitting, off-white hippie-wear that even mannequins would be embarrassed by.
The...
- 12/26/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Francis Ford Coppola's bleak Vietnam War picture "Apocalypse Now" is not only one of the best films of 1979, but is handily one of the finest, most important films of its decade. Using Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella "Heart of Darkness" as a template, Copolla transposed the book's action from the late 1800s Congo to the jungles of Cambodia, and, in so doing, exposed the madness and horror of the Vietnam War in harrowing, soul-hollowing terms. As Captain Willars (Martin Sheen) treks deeper and deeper into the chaos of the natural world -- drifting ever closer to the insane, cult-founding rogue Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) -- reality begins to dissipate. Eventually, madness and violence are all that remain, and war is reduced to its base function: brazen, meaningless destruction and cruelty. "Apocalypse Now" is a great, great film.
Curiously, a lot of war enthusiasts love "Apocalypse Now," seemingly ignoring the film's...
Curiously, a lot of war enthusiasts love "Apocalypse Now," seemingly ignoring the film's...
- 12/18/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Napoleon is an epic war drama film directed by the legendary director Ridley Scott, from a screenplay by David Scarpa. The biographical film follows the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, as he rises from the status of a young army officer to becoming an emperor. The film also focuses on his volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine. Napoleon stars Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role of Napoleon Bonaparte with Vanessa Kirby, Edouard Philipponnat, Youssef Kerkour, Matthew Needham, Cormac Hyde-Corrin, and Anna Mawn starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the war drama film here are some similar movies you could watch next.
The King (Netflix) Credit – Netflix
Synopsis: Hal (Timothée Chalamet), wayward prince and reluctant heir to the English throne, has turned his back on royal life and is living among the people. But when his tyrannical father dies, Hal is crowned King Henry V and is forced to embrace...
The King (Netflix) Credit – Netflix
Synopsis: Hal (Timothée Chalamet), wayward prince and reluctant heir to the English throne, has turned his back on royal life and is living among the people. But when his tyrannical father dies, Hal is crowned King Henry V and is forced to embrace...
- 11/27/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Ridley Scott‘s wildly ambitious “Napoleon” might be the director’s last word on its subject, but it’s not the first time he tackled both the glory and the absurdity of the Napoleonic era. One could say that “Napoleon” has been 46 years in the making, since Scott first began thinking about and researching the French emperor during the making of his debut feature, “The Duellists,” in 1977. That film tells the story of two officers (Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel) in Napoleon’s army who engage in an obsessive ritual of duels that goes on for so long that they ultimately forget what even started the grievance; in its setting, visual style, and themes, it’s an exceptionally well-realized template for most of the Ridley Scott epics that would follow — and he shot this historical extravaganza on a budget of around $800,000.
By the time Scott made “The Duellists,” he had...
By the time Scott made “The Duellists,” he had...
- 11/22/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Argentina ‘s Pampa Films and Lungo Films are teaming up with U.S.-based Bravura Media to produce a series based on the novel “Fordlandia, a Dark Paradise” by Argentine scribe, Eduardo Sguiglia.
The series project, titled “Fordlandia,” is among the 10 series pitches to be presented at this week’s Iberseries & Platino Industria’s Co-Production and Financing Forum in Madrid.
The series is based on a little-known event that began in 1928 when automobile tycoon Henry Ford who, fed up with the rubber supply shortage for tires, opted to start producing them in the Amazon, launching a messianic project dubbed “Fordlandia.”
After a year, the company failed to take off as it faced a critical shortage of local labor for its plantations. Buarque, a Brazilian adventurer, was hired to address the various issues. But the jungle, which Ford hoped to tame and colonize became a hotbed of recurring conflicts that only invited madness and violence.
The series project, titled “Fordlandia,” is among the 10 series pitches to be presented at this week’s Iberseries & Platino Industria’s Co-Production and Financing Forum in Madrid.
The series is based on a little-known event that began in 1928 when automobile tycoon Henry Ford who, fed up with the rubber supply shortage for tires, opted to start producing them in the Amazon, launching a messianic project dubbed “Fordlandia.”
After a year, the company failed to take off as it faced a critical shortage of local labor for its plantations. Buarque, a Brazilian adventurer, was hired to address the various issues. But the jungle, which Ford hoped to tame and colonize became a hotbed of recurring conflicts that only invited madness and violence.
- 10/2/2023
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Clockwise from upper left: Superman II (Warner Bros.), Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (Paramount), Gremlins (Warner Bros.), The Last Airbender (Paramount), Twister (Warner Bros.), Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time (Disney)Graphic: AVClub
What we think of today as summer blockbuster movies arguably began in 1975 with Jaws.
What we think of today as summer blockbuster movies arguably began in 1975 with Jaws.
- 8/21/2023
- by Luke Y. Thompson
- avclub.com
The 57th Karlovy Vary Film Festival has unveiled its competition lineup for its 57th edition, set to run in the bucolic Czech spa town from June 30 to July 8.
Among this year’s competition highlights are Fremont, from Iranian-born, London-based director Babak Jalali, a dramedy based around Donya, a former Afghan translator for U.S. troops who now works in a fortune cookie factory in Fremont, USA. Empty Nets, from Iranian filmmaker Behrooz Karamizade, a love story set in a small fishing village in contemporary Iran, is also in the running for the festival’s Crystal Globe honor for best competition film.
Outside the competition, Karlovy Vary this year has put a focus on independent Iranian cinema, with a selection of recent works by directors working outside the Tehran regime.
Other 2023 competition highlights include Red Rooms, a Canadian darknet thriller from director Pascal Plante, Itsaso Arana’s Spanish drama The Girls Are Alright...
Among this year’s competition highlights are Fremont, from Iranian-born, London-based director Babak Jalali, a dramedy based around Donya, a former Afghan translator for U.S. troops who now works in a fortune cookie factory in Fremont, USA. Empty Nets, from Iranian filmmaker Behrooz Karamizade, a love story set in a small fishing village in contemporary Iran, is also in the running for the festival’s Crystal Globe honor for best competition film.
Outside the competition, Karlovy Vary this year has put a focus on independent Iranian cinema, with a selection of recent works by directors working outside the Tehran regime.
Other 2023 competition highlights include Red Rooms, a Canadian darknet thriller from director Pascal Plante, Itsaso Arana’s Spanish drama The Girls Are Alright...
- 5/30/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
While appearing on Tuesday’s episode of “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” actor Emilio Estevez revealed that when he was 14 years old, Laurence Fishburne saved him from drowning.
The incident happened in the Philippines, where Estevez had accompanied his father, Martin Sheen, for the filming of “Apocalypse Now.” Fishburne, who like Estevez was only 14 at the time, also appeared in the film; he had lied about his age to get the part of Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Tyrone “Mr. Clean” Miller.
“We’d only known each other a couple of days,” Estevez explained. “And this was in the Philippines. And he says, ‘Hey there’s this little boat. Let’s go out on it.’ I said, ‘Sure,’ and we were both 14 at the time. So we were out on this boat together, and we started getting too close to the shore, and I said, ‘Well, let me jump out, I’ll push us offshore.
The incident happened in the Philippines, where Estevez had accompanied his father, Martin Sheen, for the filming of “Apocalypse Now.” Fishburne, who like Estevez was only 14 at the time, also appeared in the film; he had lied about his age to get the part of Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Tyrone “Mr. Clean” Miller.
“We’d only known each other a couple of days,” Estevez explained. “And this was in the Philippines. And he says, ‘Hey there’s this little boat. Let’s go out on it.’ I said, ‘Sure,’ and we were both 14 at the time. So we were out on this boat together, and we started getting too close to the shore, and I said, ‘Well, let me jump out, I’ll push us offshore.
- 5/4/2023
- by Joshua Vinson
- The Wrap
The short stories of Haruki Murakami are becoming an increasing fixture on the big screen––it may have taken considerably more time since their initial publications, but not since Stephen King’s earliest collections has an author’s back catalog found itself getting adapted so rapidly. After Lee Chang-dong and Ryusuke Hamaguchi managed to weave epic tales of obsession and grief from two comparatively conversational works (in their respective masterpieces Burning and Drive My Car), a handful of other tales are adapted far more faithfully for the screen in Pierre Földes’ animated anthology.
Named after Murakami’s 2006 collection of the same name, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman recontextualizes several of his more fantastical short stories, relocating them to a Tokyo still reeling from the devastating earthquakes of March 2011. In doing so, Földes creates something of an unofficial MCU (Murakami Cinematic Universe), tying together several narratives unrelated in their source materials via...
Named after Murakami’s 2006 collection of the same name, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman recontextualizes several of his more fantastical short stories, relocating them to a Tokyo still reeling from the devastating earthquakes of March 2011. In doing so, Földes creates something of an unofficial MCU (Murakami Cinematic Universe), tying together several narratives unrelated in their source materials via...
- 4/13/2023
- by Alistair Ryder
- The Film Stage
Toward the end of the Lucasfilm Showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration, Kathleen Kennedy talked about how George Lucas's vision for "Star Wars" going forward was to explore the past, present, and future of the timeline and the universe. To that end, the television projects that were announced only mostly fit that bill. "The Acolyte" will take us deeper into the past of "Star Wars" than we've ever seen in live-action to the era of "The High Republic."
The Second Season of "Andor" will show us a growing Empire in the time before the battle of Yavin. The continuing adventures of "The Mandalorian," "Ahsoka," and "Skeleton Crew" will show us a galaxy in the midst of resurgence after the end of the Empire. These are all really safe periods of time. But when they made announcements for the films, Lucasfilm swung for the fences with movies set in three...
The Second Season of "Andor" will show us a growing Empire in the time before the battle of Yavin. The continuing adventures of "The Mandalorian," "Ahsoka," and "Skeleton Crew" will show us a galaxy in the midst of resurgence after the end of the Empire. These are all really safe periods of time. But when they made announcements for the films, Lucasfilm swung for the fences with movies set in three...
- 4/7/2023
- by Bryan Young
- Slash Film
In 2005, Hollywood did the unthinkable—it launched a remake of the 1933 cinematic masterpiece, King Kong. This was not the first attempt to do so, although if anything the previous attempts were cautionary tales about why you should never attempt to remake King Kong.
The first, in 1976, replaced the original’s groundbreaking stop-motion effects with a guy in a gorilla suit and a hugely expensive, life-sized mechanical gorilla that provided a total of 15 seconds of usable footage. The second was an attempt in the late ‘90s to remake the film with an up-and-coming indie horror director better known for what the press at the time called “video nasties” than big, family-friendly blockbusters. However, with a Godzilla remake in the works, alongside the rival big gorilla movie remake of Mighty Joe Young, the project was canned and the director moved on to adapt a series of fantasy novels.
Nonetheless, in 2005 King Kong...
The first, in 1976, replaced the original’s groundbreaking stop-motion effects with a guy in a gorilla suit and a hugely expensive, life-sized mechanical gorilla that provided a total of 15 seconds of usable footage. The second was an attempt in the late ‘90s to remake the film with an up-and-coming indie horror director better known for what the press at the time called “video nasties” than big, family-friendly blockbusters. However, with a Godzilla remake in the works, alongside the rival big gorilla movie remake of Mighty Joe Young, the project was canned and the director moved on to adapt a series of fantasy novels.
Nonetheless, in 2005 King Kong...
- 1/19/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Spoiler Alert: After an explosive Season Two finale of The Mosquito Coast, a decision looms imminently on whether Apple TV+ reups. It so, the third season heads right into the territory of Paul Theroux’s 1981 novel that Peter Weir turned into a cult classic movie with Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren and River Phoenix. The one where Ford’s brilliant counterculture inventor Allie Fox becomes so obsessed with imposing a vision of utopia that he nearly takes down his family. Here, the author discusses seeing his famed novel pre-quelized by Neil Cross (Luther), the improvements over his book, his nephew Justin starring, and why he’s so rooting for one more season.
Deadline: How do you feel about the Fox family possibly heading down the same rabbit hole they did in the Peter Weir film, in search of utopia.
Paul Theroux: I was delighted when Fremantle and Apple first picked it up at,...
Deadline: How do you feel about the Fox family possibly heading down the same rabbit hole they did in the Peter Weir film, in search of utopia.
Paul Theroux: I was delighted when Fremantle and Apple first picked it up at,...
- 1/12/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
In the early days of filming “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” nonfiction filmmaker Laura Poitras didn’t have a clear grasp on what the shape of her latest documentary would be, but she was clear what her portrait of famed artist and activist Nan Goldin wouldn’t be.
“We weren’t gonna make a biography,” Poitras told IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “One thing I try to do as a filmmaker is to not hear the story that people repeat about their life over and over. We all do that. We all tell a story and we go into a kind of a mode of repeating, but how could it feel in the present in a really meaningful way.”
While Poitras filmed Goldin risking her career by challenging global art institutions to cut ties with the Sackler family — major philanthropic donors who fueled the opioid epidemic through the manufacturing...
“We weren’t gonna make a biography,” Poitras told IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “One thing I try to do as a filmmaker is to not hear the story that people repeat about their life over and over. We all do that. We all tell a story and we go into a kind of a mode of repeating, but how could it feel in the present in a really meaningful way.”
While Poitras filmed Goldin risking her career by challenging global art institutions to cut ties with the Sackler family — major philanthropic donors who fueled the opioid epidemic through the manufacturing...
- 12/16/2022
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Frank Miller ("Sin City") will develop a new TV series adaptation of Hugo Pratt’s 1967 "Corto Maltese" graphic novels, as a six-episode live action-adventure series in partnership with StudioCanal and Canal+:
"...'Corto Maltese', an adventurer from Valetta, Malta, was born in 1887 to a British sailor and an Andalusian gypsy prostitute/witch.
"Seeking excitement and wealth, Corto traveled the world, befriending people from all walks of life, while participating in many hair-raising historical events, including the 'Russian Civil War', 'World War I' and the 'Russo-Japanese War', with the likes of Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Jack London, Herman Hesse and Joseph Conrad..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"...'Corto Maltese', an adventurer from Valetta, Malta, was born in 1887 to a British sailor and an Andalusian gypsy prostitute/witch.
"Seeking excitement and wealth, Corto traveled the world, befriending people from all walks of life, while participating in many hair-raising historical events, including the 'Russian Civil War', 'World War I' and the 'Russo-Japanese War', with the likes of Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Jack London, Herman Hesse and Joseph Conrad..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 11/29/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Ahoy! Who’s ready to embark on an adventure with some of literature’s most influential figures? Studiocanal and legendary comic book creator Frank Miller will join forces for a live-action adaptation of Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese. Miller created the project, which he will write and executive produce. Studiocanal and Canal+ are developing the series, which is comprised of six hour-long episodes.
Launched in 1967, Corto Maltese revolves around an intrepid sea captain whose thirst for adventure landed him in plenty of trouble in the early 20th century. Corto Maltese combines fantasy with reality as the captain partners with world-famous literary characters, including Ernest Hemingway, Rasputin, Joseph Conrad, the voodoo priestess Gold Mouth, and more.
“I first discovered Corto Maltese reading the books at Forbidden Planet in New York as a young man,” Miller explained to Deadline. “Then on my travels, I studied and discovered an edition at a newsstand in Rome.
Launched in 1967, Corto Maltese revolves around an intrepid sea captain whose thirst for adventure landed him in plenty of trouble in the early 20th century. Corto Maltese combines fantasy with reality as the captain partners with world-famous literary characters, including Ernest Hemingway, Rasputin, Joseph Conrad, the voodoo priestess Gold Mouth, and more.
“I first discovered Corto Maltese reading the books at Forbidden Planet in New York as a young man,” Miller explained to Deadline. “Then on my travels, I studied and discovered an edition at a newsstand in Rome.
- 11/28/2022
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Talent involved includes Joshua Oppenheimer, Tilda Swinton and Odessa Young.
Fourteen film and TV projects have received a combined £2.2m in funding through the latest round of international co-production funding from the UK Global Screen Fund (Gsf).
The biggest award of £250,000 has been given to Iceland-Ireland-uk-Belgium feature The Damned, which will shoot early next year. Protagonist Pictures is selling and executive producing the film.
Individual awards range between £250,000 to £95,000,
Scroll down for the full list.
Set on a remote fishing outpost in the 19th century, the psychological horror is written by Jamie Hannigan, will be directed by Icelandic-uk director Thordur Palsson,...
Fourteen film and TV projects have received a combined £2.2m in funding through the latest round of international co-production funding from the UK Global Screen Fund (Gsf).
The biggest award of £250,000 has been given to Iceland-Ireland-uk-Belgium feature The Damned, which will shoot early next year. Protagonist Pictures is selling and executive producing the film.
Individual awards range between £250,000 to £95,000,
Scroll down for the full list.
Set on a remote fishing outpost in the 19th century, the psychological horror is written by Jamie Hannigan, will be directed by Icelandic-uk director Thordur Palsson,...
- 11/21/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Downton Abbey star Jessica Brown Findlay is leading a podcast based on Joseph Conrad’s 1911 spy thriller Under Western Eyes.
The Razumov Files, from True Spies producers Spyscape and Cup & Nuzzle, will approach events leading to the 1917 Russian Revolution from the perspective of a contemporary investigative podcast, with Brown Findlay playing Jess, a journalist whose family appears to be implicated in a multiple murder case by an unknown assailant.
Under Western Eyes takes place in St. Petersburg and follows Razumov, a young student preparing for a career in the Tsarist bureaucracy who unwittingly becomes embroiled in the assassination of a public official. Asked to spy on the family of the assassin ― his close friend ― he must come to terms with timeless questions of accountability and human integrity. The novel is seen as a response to the themes explored in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and is one of...
The Razumov Files, from True Spies producers Spyscape and Cup & Nuzzle, will approach events leading to the 1917 Russian Revolution from the perspective of a contemporary investigative podcast, with Brown Findlay playing Jess, a journalist whose family appears to be implicated in a multiple murder case by an unknown assailant.
Under Western Eyes takes place in St. Petersburg and follows Razumov, a young student preparing for a career in the Tsarist bureaucracy who unwittingly becomes embroiled in the assassination of a public official. Asked to spy on the family of the assassin ― his close friend ― he must come to terms with timeless questions of accountability and human integrity. The novel is seen as a response to the themes explored in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and is one of...
- 10/27/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
After Ridley Scott's "Alien" hit theaters in 1979, the film changed the face of sci-fi space horror. The Nostromo became the site of fresh terror, with a rapidly-evolving xenomorph taking out the competent crew one after the other. Several unspoken rules about horror were shattered at once, especially with Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley, who paved the way for strong, level-headed female survivors in the genre. The film also boasted brilliant practical effects, epitomized in the notorious "chest-burster" scene which even left the actors stunned. While the success of "Alien" and its lasting legacy can be attributed to several elements, the man responsible for bringing everything together was Ridley Scott, who helped boost the odds in the film's favor.
During an interview commemorating the 40th anniversary of "Alien" in 2019, Tom Skerritt, who played Captain Dallas in the film, spoke to RogerEbert.com about Scott's role in upgrading the film's prospects.
During an interview commemorating the 40th anniversary of "Alien" in 2019, Tom Skerritt, who played Captain Dallas in the film, spoke to RogerEbert.com about Scott's role in upgrading the film's prospects.
- 10/21/2022
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
It’s been a memorable few years for Nicolas Cage, or at least it looks that way to his sizable fan base.
A noted period of extremely prolific yet mostly uncelebrated work in the low-budget world of filmmaking was punctured by a ferocious performance in Panos Cosmatos’ wild action horror Mandy in 2018, while his uncharacteristically quiet — but equally intense — turn in last year’s Pig would bring him the sort of critical acclaim not seen since he won an Oscar for 1995’s Leaving Las Vegas.
Earlier this year came the ultimate tribute, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, in which he played a fictionalized version of himself. Now, the much-loved cult icon comes to Toronto with another landmark achievement. Incredibly (and Cage thinks so, too), Butcher’s Crossing from director Gabe Polsky marks the star’s first ever Western. Based on the book by John Williams,...
It’s been a memorable few years for Nicolas Cage, or at least it looks that way to his sizable fan base.
A noted period of extremely prolific yet mostly uncelebrated work in the low-budget world of filmmaking was punctured by a ferocious performance in Panos Cosmatos’ wild action horror Mandy in 2018, while his uncharacteristically quiet — but equally intense — turn in last year’s Pig would bring him the sort of critical acclaim not seen since he won an Oscar for 1995’s Leaving Las Vegas.
Earlier this year came the ultimate tribute, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, in which he played a fictionalized version of himself. Now, the much-loved cult icon comes to Toronto with another landmark achievement. Incredibly (and Cage thinks so, too), Butcher’s Crossing from director Gabe Polsky marks the star’s first ever Western. Based on the book by John Williams,...
- 9/9/2022
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
King Kong has the rare honor of being one of few Universal Monsters that weren’t adapted from any existing media, having been created exclusively to terrify filmgoers. While the original 1933 film wasn’t exactly a horror flick, presenting itself as an adventurous trek through dinosaur-infested jungles with some melodramatic romance thrown in for good measure, it still inspired a entire generation of creature features like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and even the original Godzilla, making it a monster movie classic.
That’s why it’s no surprise that popular culture’s favorite giant ape has seen so many different incarnations over the years, from Dino De Laurentis’ ecological parable in 1976 to Legendary’s Vietnam-inspired Kong: Skull Island. While there’s some merit to all of these different versions of the story, my personal favorite will always be Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake. I’m clearly not the only fan of the film,...
That’s why it’s no surprise that popular culture’s favorite giant ape has seen so many different incarnations over the years, from Dino De Laurentis’ ecological parable in 1976 to Legendary’s Vietnam-inspired Kong: Skull Island. While there’s some merit to all of these different versions of the story, my personal favorite will always be Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake. I’m clearly not the only fan of the film,...
- 9/1/2022
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Oscars don’t always get it right. There have been many notable injustices since the first ceremony took place in 1929, but surely none more surprising than the absence of Alfred Hitchcock’s name from the list of winners.
The man responsible for some of the greatest films ever made, and who committed many of cinema’s most deathless images to celluloid, never won an Academy Award despite being nominated for best director on five occasions: Rebecca in 1940, Lifeboat in 1944, Spellbound in 1945, Rear Window in 1954 and Psycho in 1960.
However, these five movies represent just a small percentage of Hitchcock’s magnificent oeuvre of 52 films. To counteract this injustice, here is my selection of his 20 greatest.
20. Blackmail (1929)
A young woman kills a man who tries to rape her and then finds herself caught between the investigating policeman, who happens to be her fiance, and a blackmailer. Generally considered to be the first British talkie,...
The man responsible for some of the greatest films ever made, and who committed many of cinema’s most deathless images to celluloid, never won an Academy Award despite being nominated for best director on five occasions: Rebecca in 1940, Lifeboat in 1944, Spellbound in 1945, Rear Window in 1954 and Psycho in 1960.
However, these five movies represent just a small percentage of Hitchcock’s magnificent oeuvre of 52 films. To counteract this injustice, here is my selection of his 20 greatest.
20. Blackmail (1929)
A young woman kills a man who tries to rape her and then finds herself caught between the investigating policeman, who happens to be her fiance, and a blackmailer. Generally considered to be the first British talkie,...
- 8/26/2022
- by Graeme Ross
- The Independent - Film
The Oscars don’t always get it right. There have been many notable injustices since the first ceremony took place in 1929, but surely none more surprising than the absence of Alfred Hitchcock’s name from the list of winners.
The man responsible for some of the greatest films ever made, and who committed many of cinema’s most deathless images to celluloid, never won an Academy Award despite being nominated for best director on five occasions: Rebecca in 1940, Lifeboat in 1944, Spellbound in 1945, Rear Window in 1954 and Psycho in 1960.
However, these five movies represent just a small percentage of Hitchcock’s magnificent oeuvre of 52 films. To counteract this injustice, here is my selection of his 20 greatest.
20. Blackmail (1929)
A young woman kills a man who tries to rape her and then finds herself caught between the investigating policeman, who happens to be her fiance, and a blackmailer. Generally considered to be the first British talkie,...
The man responsible for some of the greatest films ever made, and who committed many of cinema’s most deathless images to celluloid, never won an Academy Award despite being nominated for best director on five occasions: Rebecca in 1940, Lifeboat in 1944, Spellbound in 1945, Rear Window in 1954 and Psycho in 1960.
However, these five movies represent just a small percentage of Hitchcock’s magnificent oeuvre of 52 films. To counteract this injustice, here is my selection of his 20 greatest.
20. Blackmail (1929)
A young woman kills a man who tries to rape her and then finds herself caught between the investigating policeman, who happens to be her fiance, and a blackmailer. Generally considered to be the first British talkie,...
- 8/26/2022
- by Graeme Ross
- The Independent - Film
The Oscars don’t always get it right. There have been many notable injustices since the first ceremony took place in 1929, but surely none more surprising than the absence of Alfred Hitchcock’s name from the list of winners.
The man responsible for some of the greatest films ever made, and who committed many of cinema’s most deathless images to celluloid, never won an Academy Award despite being nominated for best director on five occasions: Rebecca in 1940, Lifeboat in 1944, Spellbound in 1945, Rear Window in 1954 and Psycho in 1960.
However, these five movies represent just a small percentage of Hitchcock’s magnificent oeuvre of 52 films. To counteract this injustice, here is my selection of his 20 greatest.
20. Blackmail (1929)
A young woman kills a man who tries to rape her and then finds herself caught between the investigating policeman, who happens to be her fiance, and a blackmailer. Generally considered to be the first British talkie,...
The man responsible for some of the greatest films ever made, and who committed many of cinema’s most deathless images to celluloid, never won an Academy Award despite being nominated for best director on five occasions: Rebecca in 1940, Lifeboat in 1944, Spellbound in 1945, Rear Window in 1954 and Psycho in 1960.
However, these five movies represent just a small percentage of Hitchcock’s magnificent oeuvre of 52 films. To counteract this injustice, here is my selection of his 20 greatest.
20. Blackmail (1929)
A young woman kills a man who tries to rape her and then finds herself caught between the investigating policeman, who happens to be her fiance, and a blackmailer. Generally considered to be the first British talkie,...
- 8/26/2022
- by Graeme Ross
- The Independent - Film
"Citizen Kane" director Orson Welles was a highly prolific and influential filmmaker, to say the least. His obsession with exploring power through unconventional means has resulted in some of the most acclaimed films in the American movie canon. While some of his movies were not fully appreciated in their time, it's hard to overstate the influence Welles has had on filmmaking and filmmakers to this day.
However, for as many movies as he was able to make, there were just as many that he didn't couldn't to life. For a variety of reasons, many of Welles' projects wound up never seeing the light of day. These films have long been the subject of speculation and confusion, as there often isn't a lot of available details about them. However, that just makes these unfinished films that much more interesting to learn about. And you're looking for a guide to some of...
However, for as many movies as he was able to make, there were just as many that he didn't couldn't to life. For a variety of reasons, many of Welles' projects wound up never seeing the light of day. These films have long been the subject of speculation and confusion, as there often isn't a lot of available details about them. However, that just makes these unfinished films that much more interesting to learn about. And you're looking for a guide to some of...
- 8/15/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
On August 15, 1979, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now arrived in theaters. The film went on to earn eight nominations at the 52nd Academy Awards, including a nod in the best picture category, and claimed wins for cinematography and sound. After multiple rereleases over the years, the film ultimately grossed more than 100 million globally. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:
Francis Coppola’s long-awaited Apocalypse Now has finally arrived after production delays that included hurricanes, heart attacks and script problems that sent the costs soaring to 31 million. Although some critics, presumably based on a version screened earlier in the year (which I didn’t see), have already expressed some reservations about the film, particularly in its final confrontation with a shadowy Marlon Brando, I can only report that I was held by every minute of its more than two and a half hour playing time,...
On August 15, 1979, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now arrived in theaters. The film went on to earn eight nominations at the 52nd Academy Awards, including a nod in the best picture category, and claimed wins for cinematography and sound. After multiple rereleases over the years, the film ultimately grossed more than 100 million globally. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:
Francis Coppola’s long-awaited Apocalypse Now has finally arrived after production delays that included hurricanes, heart attacks and script problems that sent the costs soaring to 31 million. Although some critics, presumably based on a version screened earlier in the year (which I didn’t see), have already expressed some reservations about the film, particularly in its final confrontation with a shadowy Marlon Brando, I can only report that I was held by every minute of its more than two and a half hour playing time,...
- 8/14/2022
- by Arthur Knight
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
What makes a story a “classic?” It’s a vague yet glorious distinction applied to books, films, art, and even models of vintage cars whose value is passed down from one generation to the next. But is it just the length of time a text or work survives that qualifies it as a “classic” or is there something more?
Generally speaking, the classics that tend to be celebrated one generation after another, and especially those that are passed down from one century to another, are works that speak of something timeless. The times we live in will change, culture will change, and even our values change. But the experience of living, of loving, of losing (to name just a few such topics)? Those will remain as universal as the human experience is long.
Hence adapting a classic work for a modern audience, whether on film, television, or TikTok, is admirable.
Generally speaking, the classics that tend to be celebrated one generation after another, and especially those that are passed down from one century to another, are works that speak of something timeless. The times we live in will change, culture will change, and even our values change. But the experience of living, of loving, of losing (to name just a few such topics)? Those will remain as universal as the human experience is long.
Hence adapting a classic work for a modern audience, whether on film, television, or TikTok, is admirable.
- 7/16/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Hard to believe, but Cinema Retro is entering its 18th season thanks to the consistent support among classic and cult movie lovers worldwide. The new season will begin with issue #52, which will ship in the UK and Europe during December and to all other sections of the globe in January. Throughout the new season, we have an exciting lineup of in-depth analysis from talented film scholars who will be providing highlights such as these:
"The Sand Pebbles"- director Robert Wise's acclaimed 1966 epic that saw Steve McQueen earn his only Oscar nomination Disney's "Dr. Syn: Alias the Scarecrow", the fascinating journey of the adventure TV episodes starring Patrick McGoohan and the subsequent feature film version. "Somewhere in Time", one of the most beloved and haunting romances ever filmed. Exclusive interview with director Jeannot Szwarc. "Lord Jim", director Richard Brooks' ambitious adaptation of Joseph Conrad's classic novel. The film...
"The Sand Pebbles"- director Robert Wise's acclaimed 1966 epic that saw Steve McQueen earn his only Oscar nomination Disney's "Dr. Syn: Alias the Scarecrow", the fascinating journey of the adventure TV episodes starring Patrick McGoohan and the subsequent feature film version. "Somewhere in Time", one of the most beloved and haunting romances ever filmed. Exclusive interview with director Jeannot Szwarc. "Lord Jim", director Richard Brooks' ambitious adaptation of Joseph Conrad's classic novel. The film...
- 12/1/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
With its winsome narration, frequent cutaways to nature and focus on discovery, “Edge of the World” resembles nothing so much as Terrence Malick’s similarly titled “The New World.” Say this for director Michael Haussman and writer Rob Allyn: They have good taste. Their period drama set in 19th-century Borneo may not rise to the level of its lyrical predecessor — few movies do, after all — but there are worse transgressions than a film’s grasp exceeding its reach.
In yet another similarity to Malick’s retelling of the American creation myth, “Edge of the World” follows an English explorer who finds more than he was expecting upon arriving in a foreign land. Here it’s Sir James Brooke (Johnathan Rhys Meyers), who arrives in Borneo in 1839 and quickly meets two princes vying for power; that they’re cousins only adds to the intrigue — and tension. Much to their surprise,...
In yet another similarity to Malick’s retelling of the American creation myth, “Edge of the World” follows an English explorer who finds more than he was expecting upon arriving in a foreign land. Here it’s Sir James Brooke (Johnathan Rhys Meyers), who arrives in Borneo in 1839 and quickly meets two princes vying for power; that they’re cousins only adds to the intrigue — and tension. Much to their surprise,...
- 6/3/2021
- by Michael Nordine
- Variety Film + TV
Apocalypse Now in 4K? After The Wild Bunch this is one title likely to get me to invest in a new format. Francis Coppola & John Milius’ Vietnam War epic may not be perfect, but it’s one of the most exciting movie experiences ever and one of the top achievements of the first film school generation of moviemakers. The release is agreeably all-inclusive: the original Road Show cut and the two revised versions are here along with the excellent making-of feature Hearts of Darkness. Re-tooled and polished up for picture and audio, this qualifies as a prime audio show-off disc too.
Apocalypse Now Final Cut
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray + Digital
Lionsgate
1979, 2001, 2019 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 147, 196, 183 min. / 40th Anniversary Edition / 1979 70mm Road Show cut, 2001 Redux cut, 2019 Final Cut versions / Street Date August 27, 2019 /
Starring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne, Albert Hall, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, G.D. Spradlin,...
Apocalypse Now Final Cut
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray + Digital
Lionsgate
1979, 2001, 2019 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 147, 196, 183 min. / 40th Anniversary Edition / 1979 70mm Road Show cut, 2001 Redux cut, 2019 Final Cut versions / Street Date August 27, 2019 /
Starring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne, Albert Hall, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, G.D. Spradlin,...
- 3/6/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
David Crow Oct 20, 2019
The Godfather director, Francis Ford Coppola, says Marvel movies are "despicable" and "the same movie over and over again."
It’s fair to say that some in the old guard of Hollywood have complicated thoughts about superhero movies in general and Marvel Studios ones in particular. While the Marvel formula has produced more than 20 box office hits in a row like a well-oiled machine, the steady output of product infamously turned off Martin Scorsese, who recently shared his thoughts about why they’re “not cinema.” Now Academy Award winning legend, Francis Ford Coppola, is backing Scorsese’s claims and taking it a step further by calling Marvel movies outright “despicable.”
Speaking with journalists in Grand Lyon, France, where he was being awarded the lifetime achievement prize by the Lumière Film Festival, Coppola did not mince words when he talked about the state of American cinema.
According to Yahoo News,...
The Godfather director, Francis Ford Coppola, says Marvel movies are "despicable" and "the same movie over and over again."
It’s fair to say that some in the old guard of Hollywood have complicated thoughts about superhero movies in general and Marvel Studios ones in particular. While the Marvel formula has produced more than 20 box office hits in a row like a well-oiled machine, the steady output of product infamously turned off Martin Scorsese, who recently shared his thoughts about why they’re “not cinema.” Now Academy Award winning legend, Francis Ford Coppola, is backing Scorsese’s claims and taking it a step further by calling Marvel movies outright “despicable.”
Speaking with journalists in Grand Lyon, France, where he was being awarded the lifetime achievement prize by the Lumière Film Festival, Coppola did not mince words when he talked about the state of American cinema.
According to Yahoo News,...
- 10/20/2019
- Den of Geek
Spencer Mullen Oct 11, 2019
Crisis On Infinite Earths, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Rick and Morty, and more in today's daily Link Tank!
An episode of Rick and Morty showed Rick at his worst yet inspired Elon Musk's Tesla "Sentry Mode."
"How far can a show take one clever, trippy premise? On a less capable series, episodes like Rick and Morty’s “The Ricks Must Be Crazy” could have been a disaster. But in the hands of Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland, and lead writer Dan Guterman (who also wrote “Interdimensional Cable 2”), the story of Morty and Rick going inside the microverse battery of Rick’s car artfully layers joke upon joke as it dives deeper into a series of concentrically smaller universes, but it’s the episode’s B-plot happening back on Earth that had the biggest impact on popular culture."
Read more at Inverse.
Here's how Sesame Street...
Crisis On Infinite Earths, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Rick and Morty, and more in today's daily Link Tank!
An episode of Rick and Morty showed Rick at his worst yet inspired Elon Musk's Tesla "Sentry Mode."
"How far can a show take one clever, trippy premise? On a less capable series, episodes like Rick and Morty’s “The Ricks Must Be Crazy” could have been a disaster. But in the hands of Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland, and lead writer Dan Guterman (who also wrote “Interdimensional Cable 2”), the story of Morty and Rick going inside the microverse battery of Rick’s car artfully layers joke upon joke as it dives deeper into a series of concentrically smaller universes, but it’s the episode’s B-plot happening back on Earth that had the biggest impact on popular culture."
Read more at Inverse.
Here's how Sesame Street...
- 10/11/2019
- Den of Geek
How many pages does it take for seven kids to defeat a killer clown? And how many hours does that translate to when adapting the story to screen? For fans of Stephen King, the answer always seems to be “never enough.” The pop pulp shiver-giver inspires in readers a kind of ravenous insatiability that has thwarted his false-alarm retirement and felled more trees than the fires blazing in the Amazon rainforest. That same appetite helped feed the excitement for director Andy Muschietti’s “It” — a monster hit two years ago, earning more than $700 million — and ought to bring audiences back in even greater numbers for “It: Chapter Two,”
From the “Lord of the Rings” saga to the “Avengers” sequels, length confers a kind of false legitimacy on middlebrow entertainment, no matter the medium. When first published in 1986, “It” was by far the longest-winded of King’s prolix books (outgassing “The Stand...
From the “Lord of the Rings” saga to the “Avengers” sequels, length confers a kind of false legitimacy on middlebrow entertainment, no matter the medium. When first published in 1986, “It” was by far the longest-winded of King’s prolix books (outgassing “The Stand...
- 9/3/2019
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Ad Astra is finally here. Lifting off this week at the Venice film festival with enormous ambitions if somewhat limited thrust, James Gray’s long-awaited sci-fi adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (that nicely malleable of texts) expands like a supernova without ever quite inspiring the introspection it needs to thrive. The result is a rarity that should be seen, regardless. It’s a deeply personal film about human nature from a beloved filmmaker who has been given the largest canvas imaginable–with all the trimmings–that ultimately proves a bit of a slog.
Set in the near future, Gray’s seventh film as director (it was co-written with recent collaborator Ethan Gross) follows the story of a man who is sent to the edges of the solar system to find the one person potentially capable of saving Earth from impending doom: his dad. Brad Pitt stars as Major Roy McBride,...
Set in the near future, Gray’s seventh film as director (it was co-written with recent collaborator Ethan Gross) follows the story of a man who is sent to the edges of the solar system to find the one person potentially capable of saving Earth from impending doom: his dad. Brad Pitt stars as Major Roy McBride,...
- 8/29/2019
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
Lionsgate and American Zoetrope are releasing “Apocalypse Now Final Cut,” the third version of Francis Coppola’s 1979 war epic, to commemorate the film’s 40th anniversary. While multiple versions of any mainstream movie are unusual, everything about this movie was unorthodox.
On Oct. 14, 1969, Variety reported that Warner Bros. bought the script by John Milius, with Coppola to produce and George Lucas to direct. They envisioned a scrappy 16mm film for $2 million, to lense in San Francisco, Louisiana and Thailand.
The project remained in limbo until Coppola revived it. He told Variety in February 1976 that filming would begin in a month, on a $12 million budget, with United Artists aiming for an April 7, 1977 release. The movie finally opened Aug. 15, 1979, after endless shooting in the Philippines, on a budget of $30 million-plus.
At the Cannes world premiere in May 1979, Coppola stunned the press conference by comparing the prolonged production to America’s role in...
On Oct. 14, 1969, Variety reported that Warner Bros. bought the script by John Milius, with Coppola to produce and George Lucas to direct. They envisioned a scrappy 16mm film for $2 million, to lense in San Francisco, Louisiana and Thailand.
The project remained in limbo until Coppola revived it. He told Variety in February 1976 that filming would begin in a month, on a $12 million budget, with United Artists aiming for an April 7, 1977 release. The movie finally opened Aug. 15, 1979, after endless shooting in the Philippines, on a budget of $30 million-plus.
At the Cannes world premiere in May 1979, Coppola stunned the press conference by comparing the prolonged production to America’s role in...
- 8/23/2019
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Did you know that Brad Pitt has another Oscar-y movie — besides “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” — that is landing this year on Sept. 20? Well, now you do thanks to this exclusive IMAX trailer for “Ad Astra,” directed by James Gray (“The Lost City of Z”). The actor, who has been lingering on the Academy Award overdue list to be recognized for his thesping abilities for far too long, might have a shot with his lead role as astronaut Roy McBride, who is blasted into space to find his missing father (Tommy Lee Jones), a renegade scientist whose experiments could harm the solar system.
The epic space odyssey, which will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival this month, also stars Liv Tyler as Pitt’s wife as well as Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga and Jamie Kennedy. When Gray first announced his plans to do the film — whose...
The epic space odyssey, which will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival this month, also stars Liv Tyler as Pitt’s wife as well as Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga and Jamie Kennedy. When Gray first announced his plans to do the film — whose...
- 8/21/2019
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Spencer Mullen Aug 16, 2019
Apocalypse Now, David Fincher, Gilmore Girls, and more in today's daily Link Tank!
The discovery of ancient "superdeep" diamonds reveal glimpse of the early days of Earth.
"The primordial Earth’s active volcanoes and shallow seas would be unrecognizable to earthlings of today. But deep underneath the surface, scientists suspect there are traces of the planet’s chaotic past. Thanks to some some “superdeep” diamonds in Brazil, described in Science on Thursday, we now have confirmation that there’s an ancient reservoir holding clues about the early evolution of our planet."
Read more at Inverse.
Here's why Logan Huntzberger was the best boyfriend for Rory Gilmore on Gilmore Girls.
"One of my favorite sports is discussing Gilmore Girls and I consider it a sport because you need quick reflexes, strong breath control, and the ability to take a lot of pain. The most grueling of all discussions:...
Apocalypse Now, David Fincher, Gilmore Girls, and more in today's daily Link Tank!
The discovery of ancient "superdeep" diamonds reveal glimpse of the early days of Earth.
"The primordial Earth’s active volcanoes and shallow seas would be unrecognizable to earthlings of today. But deep underneath the surface, scientists suspect there are traces of the planet’s chaotic past. Thanks to some some “superdeep” diamonds in Brazil, described in Science on Thursday, we now have confirmation that there’s an ancient reservoir holding clues about the early evolution of our planet."
Read more at Inverse.
Here's why Logan Huntzberger was the best boyfriend for Rory Gilmore on Gilmore Girls.
"One of my favorite sports is discussing Gilmore Girls and I consider it a sport because you need quick reflexes, strong breath control, and the ability to take a lot of pain. The most grueling of all discussions:...
- 8/16/2019
- Den of Geek
An animated adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s chilling classic Heart of Darkness has added to its all-star voice cast.
James Norton — star of McMafia, Happy Valley and Greta Gerwig's upcoming adaptation of Little Women — has joined Matthew Rhys, Michael Sheen and Andrew Scott in the project and will voice the main character, Marlow, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Award-winning director Gerald Conn, who won 1998 Welsh BAFTA for animated short The Comet's Tale, is directing via an animation technique he specializes in using sand. Production is taking place across Wales, Ireland and Belgium.
Conrad's original novella, first published ...
James Norton — star of McMafia, Happy Valley and Greta Gerwig's upcoming adaptation of Little Women — has joined Matthew Rhys, Michael Sheen and Andrew Scott in the project and will voice the main character, Marlow, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Award-winning director Gerald Conn, who won 1998 Welsh BAFTA for animated short The Comet's Tale, is directing via an animation technique he specializes in using sand. Production is taking place across Wales, Ireland and Belgium.
Conrad's original novella, first published ...
- 5/17/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
An animated adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s chilling classic Heart of Darkness has added to its all-star voice cast.
James Norton — star of McMafia, Happy Valley and Greta Gerwig's upcoming adaptation of Little Women — has joined Matthew Rhys, Michael Sheen and Andrew Scott in the project and will voice the main character, Marlow, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Award-winning director Gerald Conn, who won 1998 Welsh BAFTA for animated short The Comet's Tale, is directing via an animation technique he specializes in using sand. Production is taking place across Wales, Ireland and Belgium.
Conrad's original novella, first published ...
James Norton — star of McMafia, Happy Valley and Greta Gerwig's upcoming adaptation of Little Women — has joined Matthew Rhys, Michael Sheen and Andrew Scott in the project and will voice the main character, Marlow, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Award-winning director Gerald Conn, who won 1998 Welsh BAFTA for animated short The Comet's Tale, is directing via an animation technique he specializes in using sand. Production is taking place across Wales, Ireland and Belgium.
Conrad's original novella, first published ...
- 5/17/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: He was one of the defining voices of the auteur ’70s, having made some of the greatest and most ambitious films ever attempted. The films included The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now and The Conversation. His penchant for risking himself personally to make those films, and the fortunes he won and lost along the way, makes him the quintessential disruptor’s disruptor.
And now, Francis Ford Coppola is at it again. Days before he turned 80 last month—when he would be fêted by family and contemporaries including George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and William Friedkin on the picturesque grounds of the Inglenook winery that finally made him impossibly wealthy—a dramatically slimmed-down Coppola detailed for Deadline his determination to write another chapter, with news that will hit the palate of cinephiles like one of his fine Cabernets. Coppola is ready to make big scale films again. He says he has never been short of energy,...
And now, Francis Ford Coppola is at it again. Days before he turned 80 last month—when he would be fêted by family and contemporaries including George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and William Friedkin on the picturesque grounds of the Inglenook winery that finally made him impossibly wealthy—a dramatically slimmed-down Coppola detailed for Deadline his determination to write another chapter, with news that will hit the palate of cinephiles like one of his fine Cabernets. Coppola is ready to make big scale films again. He says he has never been short of energy,...
- 5/13/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
LevelK has acquired world sales rights to “Lone Wolf,” an Australian thriller starring Hugo Weaving (“The Matrix”) and Tilda Cobham-Hervey (“Hotel Mumbai”) in the run up to Cannes.
Written and directed by Jonathan Ogilvie, “Lone Wolf” is set in contemporary Melbourne and tells the story of Winnie, a young woman who runs a struggling political bookshop with her boyfriend Conrad and takes care of her disabled brother. But Winnie’s efforts to hold everything together get thwarted when Conrad becomes entangled in an act of terrorism. “Lone Wolf” is based on Joseph Conrad’s 1907 novel “The Secret Agent.”
Ogilvie’s previous films include “The Tender Hook,” an AFI award-winning film with Rose Byrne and Weaving; as well as “This Film is a Dog” and “The Despondent Divorcee” — both of which played in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
“‘Lone Wolf’ is an incredibly timely story on two counts,” said Ogilvie.
Written and directed by Jonathan Ogilvie, “Lone Wolf” is set in contemporary Melbourne and tells the story of Winnie, a young woman who runs a struggling political bookshop with her boyfriend Conrad and takes care of her disabled brother. But Winnie’s efforts to hold everything together get thwarted when Conrad becomes entangled in an act of terrorism. “Lone Wolf” is based on Joseph Conrad’s 1907 novel “The Secret Agent.”
Ogilvie’s previous films include “The Tender Hook,” an AFI award-winning film with Rose Byrne and Weaving; as well as “This Film is a Dog” and “The Despondent Divorcee” — both of which played in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
“‘Lone Wolf’ is an incredibly timely story on two counts,” said Ogilvie.
- 5/13/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Sony Crackle is developing a drama series that hails from Evan Hart and Kyle Stephen, Variety has learned exclusively.
Titled “The Transplant,” the series would follow an American surgeon who, after falsifying medical records to get his daughter an organ transplant, finds himself in Hong Kong. There he enters the dark and prosperous organ harvest trade, or the red market, operating under a very different set of procedures.
Hart and Stephen previously wrote for the Sony Crackle drama “The Art of More,” which explored the dark underbelly of New York auction houses. The pair co-wrote the episode “Ride Along” in the show’s first season.
Hart has primarily worked as an actor during his career. He has appeared in projects like the mini-series “The Bronx Is Burning” and the Showtime series “House of Lies.” He also wrote, directed, and produced the 2010 short film “Nice Tie, Italiano!” which starred Simon Kassianides,...
Titled “The Transplant,” the series would follow an American surgeon who, after falsifying medical records to get his daughter an organ transplant, finds himself in Hong Kong. There he enters the dark and prosperous organ harvest trade, or the red market, operating under a very different set of procedures.
Hart and Stephen previously wrote for the Sony Crackle drama “The Art of More,” which explored the dark underbelly of New York auction houses. The pair co-wrote the episode “Ride Along” in the show’s first season.
Hart has primarily worked as an actor during his career. He has appeared in projects like the mini-series “The Bronx Is Burning” and the Showtime series “House of Lies.” He also wrote, directed, and produced the 2010 short film “Nice Tie, Italiano!” which starred Simon Kassianides,...
- 5/31/2018
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Hugo Weaving, who previously starred in technology trend-setting film “The Matrix,” will head the cast of full-length virtual reality feature “Lone Wolf.” He is joined by “Hotel Mumbai” actress Tilda Cobham-Hervey.
The Australian film is to be directed by Jonathan Ogilvie as a modern-day adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s 1907 novel “The Secret Agent.” Exploring themes of fanaticism and terrorism, the story involves a cluster of anarchists, one of whom is also a police informant, who receive a proposal to attack the Sydney Opera House. Weaving plays a police minister involved in the conspiracy, with Cobham-Hervey as one of the cell members.
The film is set to go into production later this year after completing funding of its $2 million budget. Executive producer is Lee Hubber. An Australian theatrical release in 2019 is set through distributor Label. International sales are to be handled by Level K, a Danish sales firm which has previously represented other Australian film titles.
The Australian film is to be directed by Jonathan Ogilvie as a modern-day adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s 1907 novel “The Secret Agent.” Exploring themes of fanaticism and terrorism, the story involves a cluster of anarchists, one of whom is also a police informant, who receive a proposal to attack the Sydney Opera House. Weaving plays a police minister involved in the conspiracy, with Cobham-Hervey as one of the cell members.
The film is set to go into production later this year after completing funding of its $2 million budget. Executive producer is Lee Hubber. An Australian theatrical release in 2019 is set through distributor Label. International sales are to be handled by Level K, a Danish sales firm which has previously represented other Australian film titles.
- 5/31/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Hooray! The Black Hood finally died on Riverdale... we think.
Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Archie (Kj Apa) went chasing down another lead on the Black Hood only to find themselves back at Joseph Conrad -- the only surviving member of the Conrad family massacre that occurred decades ago in Riverdale.
...
Read More >...
Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Archie (Kj Apa) went chasing down another lead on the Black Hood only to find themselves back at Joseph Conrad -- the only surviving member of the Conrad family massacre that occurred decades ago in Riverdale.
...
Read More >...
- 12/14/2017
- by Megan Vick
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Francis Coppola’s Apocalypse Now came out in 1979, but it remains one of the most famous films that can be found out there. Given that it was supposed to be a Vietnam-based update of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, it is perhaps unsurprising that there are numerous stories about what happened behind the scenes throughout its production. Here are some of the most interesting behind-the-scene stories for Apocalypse Now: George Lucas Was Supposed to Direct Originally, George Lucas was supposed to be the one to direct Apocalypse Now. However, Coppola and Lucas were unable to find the funding, with the
Amazing Behind the Scenes Stories from “Apocalypse Now”...
Amazing Behind the Scenes Stories from “Apocalypse Now”...
- 11/17/2017
- by Nat Berman
- TVovermind.com
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