Buoyed by the success of last year’s one-to-one networking sessions, Madrid’s 2nd Iberseries & Platino Industria market is launching a new TV forum aimed at fostering co-production and financing pacts between selected producers and potential partners or investors.
“We are functioning as an accelerator in a way as the selected projects have at least 40 of their financing in place and just need that final push to see the light,” said Iberseries director Samuel Castro, who adds that these series have budgets ranging from €5 million-€30 million ( million-30 million) .
The 10 companies, selected out of some 25 submissions, include some heavy hitters led by Spain’s Zebra Prods (Grupo Izen), Gato Grande-MGM, Argentina’s Storylab and El Estudio, founded by former Canana producing partner Pablo Cruz, producer Enrique López Lavigne and former Sony Pictures Intl. Prods. head, Diego Suárez Chialvo.
Projects include animated features, thrillers, romantic comedies and dramas.
Forum coordinator Rodrigo Ros has been playing matchmaker,...
“We are functioning as an accelerator in a way as the selected projects have at least 40 of their financing in place and just need that final push to see the light,” said Iberseries director Samuel Castro, who adds that these series have budgets ranging from €5 million-€30 million ( million-30 million) .
The 10 companies, selected out of some 25 submissions, include some heavy hitters led by Spain’s Zebra Prods (Grupo Izen), Gato Grande-MGM, Argentina’s Storylab and El Estudio, founded by former Canana producing partner Pablo Cruz, producer Enrique López Lavigne and former Sony Pictures Intl. Prods. head, Diego Suárez Chialvo.
Projects include animated features, thrillers, romantic comedies and dramas.
Forum coordinator Rodrigo Ros has been playing matchmaker,...
- 9/28/2022
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Remember the filmmaking brothers Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz? Their career together started strong with a box office smash American Pie (1999) and a well-loved modest hit About a Boy (2002). The brothers soon went solo as directors though they kept working together, producing and what not. Their subsequent work didn't capture the zeitgeist in the same way though there were sure-fire sequel hits a troubled attempted franchise (The Golden Compass) a few well received smaller pictures and an award winning TV series (Mozart in the Jungle). Their next project, their first co-directing gig in ages will be a biopic of their Mexican film star grandmother Lupita Tovar (pictured left) and it sounds just great...
Because of our long running "200 oldest living film stars" list we already knew that the brothers were descended from actresses...
Because of our long running "200 oldest living film stars" list we already knew that the brothers were descended from actresses...
- 2/16/2022
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Exclusive: Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz will co-write and co-direct Spanish Dracula, the true story about how silent film star and Mexican actress Lupita Tovar found a second wind starring in Spanish-language versions of Hollywood films like the Universal classic Dracula. The Weitz brothers are her grandsons, and they will produce with their Depth of Field cohort Andrew Miano, along with Pancho Kohner. He is their uncle and author of The Sweetheart of Mexico, a memoir he helped his mother write about her most fascinating life.
Tovar, who moved from Mexico to Hollywood, would go on to become a wildly successful actress back home where she was known as The Mexican Rose. Their grandfather is Paul Kohner, Universal Pictures chief Carl Laemmle’s right-hand man who ran the studio’s international film production business.
Falling head over heels in love with Tovar — as did many others including John Huston and a Mexican general,...
Tovar, who moved from Mexico to Hollywood, would go on to become a wildly successful actress back home where she was known as The Mexican Rose. Their grandfather is Paul Kohner, Universal Pictures chief Carl Laemmle’s right-hand man who ran the studio’s international film production business.
Falling head over heels in love with Tovar — as did many others including John Huston and a Mexican general,...
- 2/15/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Racial passing occurs when a member of one racial group is either believed to be or accepted as a member of another. In the U.S., it generally means someone who is Black or of multi-racial heritage, “passing” as a White person. It’s the subject of Rebecca Hall’s well-received directorial debut “Passing,” currently streaming on Netflix. Hall, who is the daughter of the late director Peter Hall and opera singer Maria Ewing is of Dutch, Native American, African American and Scottish heritage. She adapted Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel about two African American friends: one (Tessa Thompson) is married to a prominent doctor and the other (Ruth Negga) has passed for white for years and is married to a wealthy racist (Alexander Skarsgard). Hall was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize dramatic at Sundance; “Passing” currently is nominated for five Gotham Awards including Best Picture and Breakthrough Director.
Racial...
Racial...
- 11/24/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The grimacing Count, the inspired Dr. Frankenstein, the megalomanic Dr. Griffin and the unlucky Larry Talbot make the jump to 4K courtesy of Universal. We’ve seen what 4k Ultra-hd can do for new movies, and selected older features that can benefit from the quality boost if they’re remastered well. Uni monster fans are presently scrutinizing the web for expert opinions on this disc; CineSavant tries to explain what he sees as simply as possible: are the format versions different? Is the new one an improvement? We certainly have no doubts about the movies, which if anything look better than ever. Each Universal classic comes with acres of accumulated fine-quality extras.
Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray + Digital
Dracula, Drácula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
1931-1941 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 4 complete films / Street Date October 5, 2021 /
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler,...
Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray + Digital
Dracula, Drácula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
1931-1941 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 4 complete films / Street Date October 5, 2021 /
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler,...
- 10/12/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Exclusive: The inaugural Latinx TV List has been revealed! On Monday, during the Nalip Media Summit, Nalip executive director Ben Lopez joined Franklin Leonard and Kate Hagen of The Black List alongside Gloria Calderon-Kellett (One Day at a Time) and Tanya Saracho (Vida) of the Untitled Latinx Project to announce the 10 original television pilots selected.
The Black List teamed with the Latin Tracking Board, Nalip, Remezcla and The Untitled Latinx Project for the list which opened submissions in February. Here were the requirements:
Writers should be Latinos residing currently in the Us – any country of origin or other status is fine Any kind of story is eligible and will be considered All scripts must have one Latinx character in a prominent, lead role Scripts can be bilingual as long as they are written primarily in English Half-hours and one-hours considered. No webseries. All levels of experience considered for submitting writers...
The Black List teamed with the Latin Tracking Board, Nalip, Remezcla and The Untitled Latinx Project for the list which opened submissions in February. Here were the requirements:
Writers should be Latinos residing currently in the Us – any country of origin or other status is fine Any kind of story is eligible and will be considered All scripts must have one Latinx character in a prominent, lead role Scripts can be bilingual as long as they are written primarily in English Half-hours and one-hours considered. No webseries. All levels of experience considered for submitting writers...
- 6/29/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
This week’s episode of our podcast We Are Movie Geeks The Show is up! Hear Wamg’s Jim Batts and Tom Stockman talk movies. Our guest in the studio this week is Lynn Venhaus, film critic for The Belleville News Democrat and the Kirkwood/Webster Times. We’ll discuss the weekend box office and review Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, Billy Lynn’S Long Halftime Walk and Loving. We’ll also recap the St. Louis International Film Festival and pay tribute to the late Robert Vaughn and Lupita Tovar.
Here’s this week’s show. Have a listen:
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/wamg-11-21-54.mp3
The post This Week’s Wamg Podcast – Fantastic Beasts, Loving, and More! appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.
Here’s this week’s show. Have a listen:
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/wamg-11-21-54.mp3
The post This Week’s Wamg Podcast – Fantastic Beasts, Loving, and More! appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.
- 11/21/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Didn't mean to let these two farewells slip by.
After the death of Luise Rainer, Lupita Tovar held the title of 'The Oldest Living Screen Star of Note' for a few years. She died Sunday at the 106 years of age so here's to enduring genes. The Mexican actress's original claim to fame was starring in the Spanish version of the famous horror picture Dracula (1931). Though her last movie was in 1945 she continued to affect the movies via her gene pool...
After the death of Luise Rainer, Lupita Tovar held the title of 'The Oldest Living Screen Star of Note' for a few years. She died Sunday at the 106 years of age so here's to enduring genes. The Mexican actress's original claim to fame was starring in the Spanish version of the famous horror picture Dracula (1931). Though her last movie was in 1945 she continued to affect the movies via her gene pool...
- 11/14/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Lupita Tovar, the 1930s film actress who starred in the acclaimed Spanish-language version of Dracula and the first Mexican talkie, Santa, has died. She was 106.
Born the oldest of nine in a poor and very religious household in a small town in the southernmost part of Mexico, Tovar moved with her family to Mexico City in the later years of the Mexican Revolution. It was there, as a teenager studying dance and gymnastics, that she was discovered by Robert Flaherty, the docu-fiction film pioneer who directed Nanook Of The North and Man Of Aran. At the time, Flaherty was preparing his collaboration with F.W. Murnau, Tabu: A Story of the South Seas, and he wanted Tovar for the lead role. However, after coming to Hollywood, she ended up signing a contract with Fox; Tovar would later claim that this was an attempt by the studio to get back ...
Born the oldest of nine in a poor and very religious household in a small town in the southernmost part of Mexico, Tovar moved with her family to Mexico City in the later years of the Mexican Revolution. It was there, as a teenager studying dance and gymnastics, that she was discovered by Robert Flaherty, the docu-fiction film pioneer who directed Nanook Of The North and Man Of Aran. At the time, Flaherty was preparing his collaboration with F.W. Murnau, Tabu: A Story of the South Seas, and he wanted Tovar for the lead role. However, after coming to Hollywood, she ended up signing a contract with Fox; Tovar would later claim that this was an attempt by the studio to get back ...
- 11/14/2016
- by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
- avclub.com
Lupita Tovar, a groundbreaking Mexican-American actress who starred in the 1931 Spanish-language Dracula and in 1932’s Santa, one of Mexico’s first narrative sound films, died Friday in Los Angeles. The 106-year-old former actress was a matriarch to an enduring Hollywood dynasty that includes grandsons Chris and Paul Weitz, the film directors and writers, and entertainment attorney Alex Kohner of Morris Yorn in La. Granddaughter Melissa Kohner is a clinical psychologist…...
- 11/13/2016
- Deadline
Rock singer and songwriter Leon Russell died in Nashville on Sunday at the age of 74. His wife stated on his website that he died in his sleep. Russell had a heart attack in July. The musician worked with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse, Joe Cocker, George Harrison, Bob Dylan and The Temptations. Also Read: 'Dracula' Actress Lupita Tovar Dies at 106 Russell’s career spanned more than five decades. As a teenager he began playing in Tulsa, Oklahoma clubs with his group the Starlighters, which also included guitarist J.J. Cale. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1950s and.
- 11/13/2016
- by Meriah Doty
- The Wrap
Mexican screen siren Lupita Tovar has died at the age of 106. The actress starred in the 1931 Spanish-language version of “Dracula,” which was filmed simultaneously with the popular English-speaking version with Bela Lugosi. Tovar died in her Los Angeles home on Saturday, according to a Facebook post by actress Lucy Tovar, her niece. Tovar was the mother of Oscar-nominated “Imitation of Life” actress Susan Kohner and the grandmother to Hollywood film writers, brothers Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz. Both were nominated for an Oscar for writing 2002’s “About a Boy.” More to come…...
- 11/13/2016
- by Meriah Doty
- The Wrap
Banished by Josef Goebbels and threatened by the Reich, the creative core of the German film industry found itself in sunny Los Angeles, many not speaking English but determined to carry on as writers, directors and actors. More than simply surviving, they made a profound impact on Hollywood moviemaking. Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood DVD-r The Warner Archive Collection 2009 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 117 min. / Street Date April 12, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Cinematography Joan Churchill, Emil Fischhaber Film Editor Anny Lowery Meza Original Music Peter Melnick Written, Produced and Directed by Karen Thomas
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood is the perfect docu to introduce people to the way film and world history are intertwined... and also to generate interest in older movies and classic cinema. Instead of a story about the making of movies, it's about a fascinating group of filmmakers forced to abandon...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood is the perfect docu to introduce people to the way film and world history are intertwined... and also to generate interest in older movies and classic cinema. Instead of a story about the making of movies, it's about a fascinating group of filmmakers forced to abandon...
- 5/10/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Lupita Tovar, the Mexican actress who starred in the 1931 Spanish-language version of Dracula that was shot concurrently with the famed Bela Lugosi version, has died. She was 106. Tovar died Saturday, her niece, actress Lucy Tovar, said on Facebook. Several Mexican news outlets reported that she died in Los Angeles. Lupita Tovar’s daughter is Susan Kohner, who earned an Oscar nomination for portraying the young woman who rejects her black mother (Juanita Moore) and tries to pass herself off as white in the 1959 Douglas Sirk melodrama Imitation of Life. Other survivors include her grandchildren Chris Weitz and
read more...
read more...
- 12/22/2015
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nooooo. I almost forgot to share the National Film Registries new titles. Each year they add 25 pictures that are deemed historically, culturally or aesthetically important. Each year I suggest that we should watch all the titles together. Well, the ones we can find at least. Perhaps we'll actually do that for 2016 -- you never know! Getting a spot on the National Film Registry is more symbolic than active. It does not guarantee preservation or restorations but it does suggest that these films should all be preserved and/or restored.
The 2015 additions are:
Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze (1894) - watch it now. it's six seconds long... the earliest surviving copyrighted film Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (1906) -watch it now. (7 minutes) from a short Winsor McCay comic strip A Fool There Was (1915) -watch it now. (66 minutes) Theda Bara tempts a married man! It's always the woman's fault, don't you know Humoresque...
The 2015 additions are:
Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze (1894) - watch it now. it's six seconds long... the earliest surviving copyrighted film Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (1906) -watch it now. (7 minutes) from a short Winsor McCay comic strip A Fool There Was (1915) -watch it now. (66 minutes) Theda Bara tempts a married man! It's always the woman's fault, don't you know Humoresque...
- 12/21/2015
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Since 1989, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has been accomplishing the important task of preserving films that “represent important cultural, artistic and historic achievements in filmmaking.” From films way back in 1897 all the way up to 2004, they’ve now reached 675 films that celebrate our heritage and encapsulate our film history.
Today they’ve unveiled their 2015 list, which includes classics such as Douglas Sirk‘s melodrama Imitation of Life, Hal Ashby‘s Being There, and John Frankenheimer‘s Seconds. Perhaps the most popular picks, The Shawshank Redemption, Ghostbusters, Top Gun, and L.A. Confidential were also added. Check out the full list below.
Being There (1979)
Chance, a simple-minded gardener (Peter Sellers) whose only contact with the outside world is through television, becomes the toast of the town following a series of misunderstandings. Forced outside his protected environment by the death of his wealthy boss, Chance subsumes his late employer’s persona,...
Today they’ve unveiled their 2015 list, which includes classics such as Douglas Sirk‘s melodrama Imitation of Life, Hal Ashby‘s Being There, and John Frankenheimer‘s Seconds. Perhaps the most popular picks, The Shawshank Redemption, Ghostbusters, Top Gun, and L.A. Confidential were also added. Check out the full list below.
Being There (1979)
Chance, a simple-minded gardener (Peter Sellers) whose only contact with the outside world is through television, becomes the toast of the town following a series of misunderstandings. Forced outside his protected environment by the death of his wealthy boss, Chance subsumes his late employer’s persona,...
- 12/16/2015
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Chicago – Actor Sam Eliott will make you smile. The distinctive voice, his famous mustache and his character presence in a film or TV show increases any potential in the production. He recently was in Chicago with director Paul Weitz, as they teamed up in the film “Grandma,” starring the incomparable Lily Tomlin.
“Grandma” has a very unique premise. Tomlin is the title character of Elle, who is visited by her granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner). The girl is seeking an abortion, and her feminist poet grandmother seems like the right fellow traveler on her way to the procedure. Sam Elliott portrays Karl, Elle’s ex-husband – she left him for a same sex partner – who harbors a resentment toward circumstances in their relationship. The two meet along the way to the clinic, and the resentment boils to the surface.
Lily Tomlin and Sam Elliott in ‘Grandma’
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics
Sam Elliott...
“Grandma” has a very unique premise. Tomlin is the title character of Elle, who is visited by her granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner). The girl is seeking an abortion, and her feminist poet grandmother seems like the right fellow traveler on her way to the procedure. Sam Elliott portrays Karl, Elle’s ex-husband – she left him for a same sex partner – who harbors a resentment toward circumstances in their relationship. The two meet along the way to the clinic, and the resentment boils to the surface.
Lily Tomlin and Sam Elliott in ‘Grandma’
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics
Sam Elliott...
- 8/26/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Oldest person in movies? (Photo: Manoel de Oliveira) Following the recent passing of 1931 Dracula actress Carla Laemmle at age 104, there is one less movie centenarian still around. So, in mid-June 2014, who is the oldest person in movies? Manoel de Oliveira Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira will turn 106 next December 11; he’s surely the oldest person — at least the oldest well-known person — in movies today. De Oliveira’s film credits include the autobiographical docudrama Memories and Confessions / Visita ou Memórias e Confissões (1982), with de Oliveira as himself, and reportedly to be screened publicly only after his death; The Cannibals / Os Canibais (1988); The Convent / O Convento (1995); Porto of My Childhood / Porto da Minha Infância (2001); The Fifth Empire / O Quinto Império - Ontem Como Hoje (2004); and, currently in production, O Velho do Restelo ("The Old Man of Restelo"). Among the international stars who have been directed by de Oliveira are Catherine Deneuve, Pilar López de Ayala,...
- 6/17/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The Los Angeles Times reports that one of the last remaining silent era actors has passed away. The actress in question, Carla Laemmle, had an easy in to the movies: her uncle Carl Laemmle founded Universal Studios and invited her family to live in a bungalow on the lot. Carla only had a small part in the horror classic Dracula (1931) but a key one: she uttered the first line of dialogue. She didn't appear in many pictures in her long life, dying at 104 years of age, but she apparently just recently filmed a role in a new horror film Mansion of Blood (2014) starring Gary Busey.
In happier news - this is not a double Rip - Lupita Tovar, a Mexican beauty who starred in the Spanish language version of Dracula that same year (in those early days of sound they made simultaneous alternative versions for other markets with the same...
In happier news - this is not a double Rip - Lupita Tovar, a Mexican beauty who starred in the Spanish language version of Dracula that same year (in those early days of sound they made simultaneous alternative versions for other markets with the same...
- 6/14/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Oscar-nominated ‘Imitation of Life’ actress Juanita Moore has died Juanita Moore, Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nominee for the 1959 blockbuster Imitation of Life, died on New Year’s Day 2014 at her home in Los Angeles. According to various online sources, Juanita Moore (born on October 19, 1922) was 91; her step-grandson, actor Kirk Kahn, said she was 99. (Photo: Juanita Moore in the late ’50s. See also: Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner photos at the 50th anniversary screening of Imitation of Life at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.) Juanita Moore movies The Los Angeles-born Juanita Moore began her show business career as a chorus girl at New York City’s Cotton Club. According to the IMDb, Moore was an extra/bit player in a trio of films of the ’40s, including Vincente Minnelli’s all-black musical Cabin in the Sky (1942) and Elia Kazan’s socially conscious melodrama Pinky (1949), in which Jeanne Crain plays a (very,...
- 1/2/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Taking on a classic is a gutsy move, even for an award-winning filmmaker. And when director Kimberly Peirce signed on to re-imagine Stephen King's horror classic "Carrie," about a teenage girl with telekinetic powers hellbent on revenge, she knew she had some sky-high expectations to meet.
"I'd make a joke and say, 'I didn't give a f*ck,' but of course I felt pressure!" she told us recently while doing press for "Carrie." "But I think pressure is good."
All that pressure had Peirce thinking long and hard about what it would mean to sign on to a project of this scale, with its history and existing fan base. Having made just one film, 2008's "Stop-Loss," since her 1999 directorial debut, "Boys Don't Cry," it's clear, as a filmmaker, she doesn't make decisions lightly.
"I walked into this feeling a huge responsibility, much like I did with 'Boys Don't Cry...
"I'd make a joke and say, 'I didn't give a f*ck,' but of course I felt pressure!" she told us recently while doing press for "Carrie." "But I think pressure is good."
All that pressure had Peirce thinking long and hard about what it would mean to sign on to a project of this scale, with its history and existing fan base. Having made just one film, 2008's "Stop-Loss," since her 1999 directorial debut, "Boys Don't Cry," it's clear, as a filmmaker, she doesn't make decisions lightly.
"I walked into this feeling a huge responsibility, much like I did with 'Boys Don't Cry...
- 10/15/2013
- by Tim Hayne
- Moviefone
Lana Turner movies: Scandal and more scandal Lana Turner is Turner Classic Movies’ "Summer Under the Stars" star today, Saturday, August 10, 2013. I’m a little — or rather, a lot — late in the game posting this article, but there are still three Lana Turner movies left. You can see Turner get herself embroiled in scandal right now, in Douglas Sirk’s Imitation of Life (1959), both the director and the star’s biggest box-office hit. More scandal follows in Mark Robson’s Peyton Place (1957), the movie that earned Lana Turner her one and only Academy Award nomination. And wrapping things up is George Sidney’s lively The Three Musketeers (1948), with Turner as the ruthless, heartless, remorseless — but quite elegant — Lady de Winter. Based on Fannie Hurst’s novel and a remake of John M. Stahl’s 1934 melodrama about mother love, class disparities, racism, and good cooking, Imitation of Life was shown on...
- 8/11/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Douglas Sirk movies: ‘Imitation of Life,’ ‘Written on the Wind’ (photo: Lana Turner, Juanita Moore, Karin Dicker in ‘Imitation of Life’) Douglas Sirk is Turner Classic Movies’ Director of the Evening. The German-born (April 26, 1897, in Hamburg) filmmaker has developed a cult following in recent decades after his "women’s pictures" were reappraised by some critics as works of profound social criticism filled with auteuristic touches. Why it would take years (or decades) for people to realize the obvious is a little mind-boggling, until you remember that movies about women and their issues have been, for the most part, relegated to the sidelines. A stupid prejudice that continues to this very day. My statement, by the way, has nothing to do with yikesy political correctness; if you don’t believe me, just check out the Best Picture Academy Award winners or Palme d’Or winners or Golden Lion winners or Golden...
- 8/1/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Lupita Tovar turns 103: Actress starred in Spanish-language ‘Dracula’ and in the first Mexican talkie, ‘Santa’ (photo: Lupita Tovar in ‘Santa’) Mexican actress Lupita Tovar, best remembered for the Spanish-language version of Dracula and for starring in the first Mexican talkie, Santa, turned 103 years old on Sunday, July 27, 2013. Tovar was born in 1910 in the city of Oaxaca, the capital of the Mexican state of the same name. In an interview with author Michael G. Ankerich (Mae Murray: The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips) published on Ankerich’s site Close-ups and Long Shots, Tovar recalled her brief foray as a silent film actress at Fox (several years before it became 20th Century Fox): "Silent films were wonderful because you didn’t have to worry about your dialogue. You could say whatever you felt. We had music on the set all the time. It was absolutely wonderful." Unfortunately for Tovar, whose English was quite poor,...
- 7/29/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Oscar winners Olivia de Havilland and Luise Rainer among movie stars of the 1930s still alive With the passing of Deanna Durbin this past April, only a handful of movie stars of the 1930s remain on Planet Earth. Below is a (I believe) full list of surviving Hollywood "movie stars of the 1930s," in addition to a handful of secondary players, chiefly those who achieved stardom in the ensuing decade. Note: There’s only one male performer on the list — and curiously, four of the five child actresses listed below were born in April. (Please scroll down to check out the list of Oscar winners at the 75th Academy Awards, held on March 23, 2003, as seen in the picture above. Click on the photo to enlarge it. © A.M.P.A.S.) Two-time Oscar winner and London resident Luise Rainer (The Great Ziegfeld, The Good Earth, The Great Waltz), 103 last January...
- 5/7/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
One thing we always make time for here at Dread Central is honoring the masters, and we wanted to take a moment to point out our recent review of Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection on Blu-ray along with the overflowing image gallery Universal provided to us as a supplement.
Click Here to read our review of Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection (as you can imagine, it earned pretty high marks), and enjoy perusing the exclusive photos below.
From the Prior Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters,...
Click Here to read our review of Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection (as you can imagine, it earned pretty high marks), and enjoy perusing the exclusive photos below.
From the Prior Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters,...
- 11/6/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
You know that the classic Universal monster movies are some of the most important and influential horror films ever made. But you also are not keen on spending $150+ for the newly released, fully remastered special edition box set. Let’s take a look at the set, the remaster, the bonus features. Then you can make an informed decision.
All of the films come with its own featurettes that discuss the historical and cultural significance of each film. These have clearly been made at least a decade ago (probably for an earlier special edition) but really, how much info can change about films that were made nearly 100 years ago? The films also include plenty of the expected archival goodies: posters, artwork, trailers, and the like. A collectible booklet inside the set includes a little bit of history and background on each film and their stars and directors.
Dracula
Released on Valentine’s Day,...
All of the films come with its own featurettes that discuss the historical and cultural significance of each film. These have clearly been made at least a decade ago (probably for an earlier special edition) but really, how much info can change about films that were made nearly 100 years ago? The films also include plenty of the expected archival goodies: posters, artwork, trailers, and the like. A collectible booklet inside the set includes a little bit of history and background on each film and their stars and directors.
Dracula
Released on Valentine’s Day,...
- 11/3/2012
- by Alyse Wax
- FEARnet
By now the word is out and the monsters have exited their graves in search of your Blu Ray player. Have you seen the new Universal Classic Monsters Essenstial Collection and bright shiny new Blu Ray in the ultra cool box set with the handy collector’s edition book? While it doesn’t necessarily come cheap, retailing just over $100, it contains eight movies, bonus features out the wazzooo (and I’ll even include the press release below so you know what those are) and, as previously stated, some literature that will be perfect for the monster maniac on your Halloween chopping list. Never forget that this would make the ideal Christmas present for the holiday horror fiend in your home. Also don’t forget that I, as a horror fiend, am telling you that it’s on my wish list. When I pick it up, you’ll get a review,...
- 10/5/2012
- by Jimmy Terror
- The Liberal Dead
Today's the day that Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on Blu-ray, and in honor of the occasion, Universal has released a trailer for the collection. See Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr., Claude Rains, and Elsa Lanchester in the roles that made them famous!
From the Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters, correspondence, and much more.
Each iconic film is accompanied by an array of bonus features that tell the fascinating story of its creation and history, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, storyboards,...
From the Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters, correspondence, and much more.
Each iconic film is accompanied by an array of bonus features that tell the fascinating story of its creation and history, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, storyboards,...
- 10/2/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
One of the biggest Blu-ray releases of the year is now available and Universal has shared a new trailer that shows off their updated classics. For those that missed our previous story, we’ve included details on the Universal Classic Monsters Blu-ray collection and another video that shows the restoration work done on Dracula:
For the first time ever, eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre are available together on Blu-ray as Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on October 2, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a...
For the first time ever, eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre are available together on Blu-ray as Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on October 2, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a...
- 10/2/2012
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
In celebration of the October 2nd Blu-ray release of the Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, veteran horror historian Scott Essman has prepared a truly monstrous trip back through time for you classic horror fans!
It’s a quiet dusty morning in the summer of 1916 and all but a small eastern region of the San Fernando Valley is largely undeveloped, to say nothing of unpopulated. For the past year, inside of an unassuming front gate just over the hill from Los Angeles proper, two men are trying to forge their path in the fledgling motion picture business: Lon Chaney and Jack Pierce. Nascent actors Chaney, 33, and Pierce, 27, were completely unknown, but each had an angle; they could both work magic out of a simple makeup case, fully transforming their faces and even parts of their bodies to put themselves into a better position to be cast in a role.
It’s a quiet dusty morning in the summer of 1916 and all but a small eastern region of the San Fernando Valley is largely undeveloped, to say nothing of unpopulated. For the past year, inside of an unassuming front gate just over the hill from Los Angeles proper, two men are trying to forge their path in the fledgling motion picture business: Lon Chaney and Jack Pierce. Nascent actors Chaney, 33, and Pierce, 27, were completely unknown, but each had an angle; they could both work magic out of a simple makeup case, fully transforming their faces and even parts of their bodies to put themselves into a better position to be cast in a role.
- 9/25/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
By Michael Juvinall, MoreHorror.com
Universal classic monster fans can now officially rejoice as the studio announced today they will be bringing their highly regarded classic monsters to blu-ray in a massive Essential collection on October 2nd.
As part of their 100th anniversary celebration, Universal Studios will release eight chilling classics from the studio that pioneered the horror genre, digitally restored and released on Blu-ray™ for the first time ever.
The ultimate box set includes 8 classic films from the Universal vault of spine-tingling terror with over 12 hours of bonus features just in time for Halloween.
From the Press Release:
For the first time ever, eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre are available together on Blu-rayTM as Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on October 2, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever,...
Universal classic monster fans can now officially rejoice as the studio announced today they will be bringing their highly regarded classic monsters to blu-ray in a massive Essential collection on October 2nd.
As part of their 100th anniversary celebration, Universal Studios will release eight chilling classics from the studio that pioneered the horror genre, digitally restored and released on Blu-ray™ for the first time ever.
The ultimate box set includes 8 classic films from the Universal vault of spine-tingling terror with over 12 hours of bonus features just in time for Halloween.
From the Press Release:
For the first time ever, eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre are available together on Blu-rayTM as Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on October 2, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever,...
- 6/29/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
For the first time ever, eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre are available together on Blu-rayTM as Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on October 2, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal.s legendary monsters.imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-rayM, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters, correspondence and much more. Each iconic film is accompanied by an array of bonus features that tell the fascinating story of its creation and history, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, storyboards, photo galleries, and trailers. Especially appealing for fans are a never-before-seen featurette about the restoration...
- 6/28/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
For the first time ever eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre are available together on Blu-ray as Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on October 2, 2012, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
From the Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters, correspondence, and much more. Each iconic film is accompanied by an array of bonus features that tell the fascinating story of its creation and history, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, storyboards, photo galleries, and trailers. Especially appealing for fans are a never-before-seen...
From the Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters, correspondence, and much more. Each iconic film is accompanied by an array of bonus features that tell the fascinating story of its creation and history, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, storyboards, photo galleries, and trailers. Especially appealing for fans are a never-before-seen...
- 6/28/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
About time! Time to stop working and focus on something that Really matters. After a lot of hemming and hawing, Universal is bringing all of our favorite famous monsters of filmland (hey…) to Blu-Ray in a massive collection featuring eight movies and eight monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, Creature From The Black Lagoon, The Wolf Man, Phantom Of The Opera, The Invisible Man and The Bride Of Frankenstein) jam-packed with awesome special features. The Creature will even be in 3-D, if your TV allows such a wondrous thing. I could go on and on about this, but I think what you really want to read is the press release (complete with titles and special features) from Universal. Give it a read and when it’s available for pre-order (the collection is released October 2nd), we will put up a link immediately.
For the first time ever, eight of the most...
For the first time ever, eight of the most...
- 6/28/2012
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
We knew that Universal was working on a Blu-ray collection containing some of their classic horror films and we now have all the details. Titled Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection, the release includes digitally restored versions of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Phantom of the Opera, and Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Continue reading for the official press release, a list of bonus features for each film, box art, and a video clip showing the restoration of Dracula:
Press Release: Universal City, California, June 28, 2012—For the first time ever, eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre are available together on Blu-ray as Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on October 2, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever,...
Continue reading for the official press release, a list of bonus features for each film, box art, and a video clip showing the restoration of Dracula:
Press Release: Universal City, California, June 28, 2012—For the first time ever, eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre are available together on Blu-ray as Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on October 2, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever,...
- 6/28/2012
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
A million miles away from the romance of Twilight, director Chris Weitz reveals how his own family inspired his new film about illegal immigrants
I was sitting in a square in Montepulciano, a hillside town in Tuscany. It had a pristine, red-brick-tiled, symmetrical main square that offered a lovely setting for my heroine, Bella, to run to her vampire swain, Edward, through a crowd of red-robed celebrants. But the set of The Twilight Saga: New Moon was perhaps the least likely place to get the go-ahead on A Better Life, a story about an illegal immigrant and his son in East Los Angeles. But that's where Patrick Wachsberger, co-chairman of Summit and guardian of the Twilight franchise coffers, told me he wanted to make it. I think I said something like: "Are you sure, patron?" And, whether it was the wine, the sun, or Montelpulciano, he nodded yes.
It would...
I was sitting in a square in Montepulciano, a hillside town in Tuscany. It had a pristine, red-brick-tiled, symmetrical main square that offered a lovely setting for my heroine, Bella, to run to her vampire swain, Edward, through a crowd of red-robed celebrants. But the set of The Twilight Saga: New Moon was perhaps the least likely place to get the go-ahead on A Better Life, a story about an illegal immigrant and his son in East Los Angeles. But that's where Patrick Wachsberger, co-chairman of Summit and guardian of the Twilight franchise coffers, told me he wanted to make it. I think I said something like: "Are you sure, patron?" And, whether it was the wine, the sun, or Montelpulciano, he nodded yes.
It would...
- 7/28/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
"Cars 2, directed (like several great Pixar films of the last two decades) by John Lasseter, finds itself in the unlucky position of the not-so-bright kid in a brilliant family," finds Slate's Dana Stevens. "No matter if his performance in school is comfortably average; he'll always be seen as a disappointment compared to his stellar siblings. There's nothing really objectionable about Cars 2, although parents of young children should be warned that a few evil vehicles meet violently inauspicious ends. It's sweet-spirited, visually delightful (if aurally cacophonous), and it will make for a pleasant enough family afternoon at the movies. But we've come to expect so much more than mere pleasantness from Pixar that Cars 2 feels almost like a betrayal."
Nick Schager for the Voice: "Pixar's Cars franchise takes a sharp turn from Nascar mayhem and rural red-state-targeted 50s nostalgia to 007 espionage with this upgraded sequel, though in its...
Nick Schager for the Voice: "Pixar's Cars franchise takes a sharp turn from Nascar mayhem and rural red-state-targeted 50s nostalgia to 007 espionage with this upgraded sequel, though in its...
- 6/25/2011
- MUBI
From the director of About a Boy and Twilight: New Moon, comes A Better Life a multi-generational story, about a love between a father and son.
Demian Bichir (Che, Sexo, Pudor, y Lagrimas) is a gardener in East L.A. struggling to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while working for wealthy landowners.
A Better Life is a departure for director Chris Weitz (American Pie, Antz) whose known for his work on many hit Hollywood films with A-List talent. A Better Life may hit closer to home than most know about the prolific filmmaker.
Chris Weitz is the grandson of the famous Mexican silent film star Lupita Tovar who came to
Read more...
Demian Bichir (Che, Sexo, Pudor, y Lagrimas) is a gardener in East L.A. struggling to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while working for wealthy landowners.
A Better Life is a departure for director Chris Weitz (American Pie, Antz) whose known for his work on many hit Hollywood films with A-List talent. A Better Life may hit closer to home than most know about the prolific filmmaker.
Chris Weitz is the grandson of the famous Mexican silent film star Lupita Tovar who came to
Read more...
- 3/15/2011
- CineMovie
Confessions of a Scream Queen by Matt Beckoff
“In Confessions of a Scream Queen, writer Matt Beckoff interviews fifteen legendary ‘Ladies of Horror.’ Spanning over nine decades of cinema, Confessions is filled with entertaining and informative recollections and personal insights about Hollywood’s best-loved horror films. Included are some rare and never before seen pictures. “
Table Of Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Author’s Note
Carla Laemmle
Lupita Tovar
JanetAnn Gallow
Elena Verdugo
Colleen Gray
Kathleen Hughes
Judith O’Dea
Karen Black
Ingrid Pitt
Jessica Harper
Marilyn Burns
Betsy Palmer
Dee Wallace
P.J. Soles
Adrienne Barbeau
Conclusion
About The Author
Scream Queen, any Monster Kid when they hear those two words can immediately be transported back in time to a favorite movie and favorite actress, well at least I can. My childhood was full of monsters and Scream Queens, the memories fresh and exciting.
Matt Beckoff’s new book Confessions of a...
“In Confessions of a Scream Queen, writer Matt Beckoff interviews fifteen legendary ‘Ladies of Horror.’ Spanning over nine decades of cinema, Confessions is filled with entertaining and informative recollections and personal insights about Hollywood’s best-loved horror films. Included are some rare and never before seen pictures. “
Table Of Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Author’s Note
Carla Laemmle
Lupita Tovar
JanetAnn Gallow
Elena Verdugo
Colleen Gray
Kathleen Hughes
Judith O’Dea
Karen Black
Ingrid Pitt
Jessica Harper
Marilyn Burns
Betsy Palmer
Dee Wallace
P.J. Soles
Adrienne Barbeau
Conclusion
About The Author
Scream Queen, any Monster Kid when they hear those two words can immediately be transported back in time to a favorite movie and favorite actress, well at least I can. My childhood was full of monsters and Scream Queens, the memories fresh and exciting.
Matt Beckoff’s new book Confessions of a...
- 7/14/2010
- by Peter Schwotzer
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Chris With His 'Twilight,' Paul With His 'Cirque Du Freak' -- The Weitz Brothers Love Their Vampires
Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz are sibling filmmakers. They earned an Oscar nom for their collaborative writing and directing efforts on "About a Boy." Paul previously directed "American Pie," and he went on to write and direct "In Good Company" and "American Dreamz." Now he's doing a movie about vampires, "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant."
Chris helped his bro out on "American Pie," and then went on after "Boy" to direct "The Golden Compass." He's doing a movie now about vampires too. Perhaps you've heard of it. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." Two brothers, two vampire movies. In an additional connection to the legendary blood-suckers, the sibs' grandmother, Lupita Tovar, starred in the 1930s Spanish-language version of "Dracula." That's a lot of garlic hate for one family.
Of course, just because the brothers Weitz are both busy with their own vampire flicks, that doesn't mean they're in competition. Paul sees the parallels,...
Chris helped his bro out on "American Pie," and then went on after "Boy" to direct "The Golden Compass." He's doing a movie now about vampires too. Perhaps you've heard of it. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." Two brothers, two vampire movies. In an additional connection to the legendary blood-suckers, the sibs' grandmother, Lupita Tovar, starred in the 1930s Spanish-language version of "Dracula." That's a lot of garlic hate for one family.
Of course, just because the brothers Weitz are both busy with their own vampire flicks, that doesn't mean they're in competition. Paul sees the parallels,...
- 8/20/2009
- by Adam Rosenberg
- MTV Movies Blog
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