In December of 1973, two movies that would change the face of horror and the ways it dealt with religion and spirituality were released. One was an instant hit, immediately changing the landscape of the genre forever. The other was severely cut by executives who simply did not understand it and unceremoniously slapped into the B-picture slot on double bills with Don’t Look Now, where it seemed to die a quick death. Over time, it grew from an underground cult discovery to a genre-defining masterpiece. The former is, of course, William Friedkin and William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist, which remains a terrifying and inimitable masterpiece. The latter is Robin Hardy and Anthony Schaffer’s The Wicker Man, a truly remarkable film that became a flashpoint for an emerging subgenre—Folk Horror. Though both films deal in religion, The Exorcist and The Wicker Man could not be more divided in their approach to the subject.
- 5/9/2024
- by Brian Keiper
- bloody-disgusting.com
It is impossible for us to stop talking about Al Pacino, the method actor, who has delivered a number of masterpieces, including Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. The Oscar-winning actor, 83, has had an illustrious career spanning five decades and counting, earning him millions of dollars and making him one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars.
Well, any actor would eventually encounter some level of controversy in the course of their career, and Pacino is by no means an exception. Even though the acclaimed actor has starred in some challenging roles in the past, nothing compares to the 1980 flick Cruising, since the entire movie was controversial.
Al Pacino in The Godfather II [Credit: Paramount Pictures]Famous for his work on The Exorcist, William Friedkin directed Cruising, which was loosely based on Gerald Walker’s novel of the same name. Despite working on the film, Pacino left such a negative impression on...
Well, any actor would eventually encounter some level of controversy in the course of their career, and Pacino is by no means an exception. Even though the acclaimed actor has starred in some challenging roles in the past, nothing compares to the 1980 flick Cruising, since the entire movie was controversial.
Al Pacino in The Godfather II [Credit: Paramount Pictures]Famous for his work on The Exorcist, William Friedkin directed Cruising, which was loosely based on Gerald Walker’s novel of the same name. Despite working on the film, Pacino left such a negative impression on...
- 4/24/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Exclusive: Comedian and writer Julian Clary (Julian Clary: Live – Lord of the Mince) will play the title role in this festive season’s London Palladium pantomime Robin Hood, with singer and travel show presenter Jane McDonald (Cruising with Jane McDonald) topping the bill as Maid Marion.
The annual Palladium show, now in its ninth consecutive season, has become an eagerly awaited staple in the West End’s calendar. It runs from December 7 through January 12, 2025. Priority booking opens 10 Am (GMT) April 25.
Last year’s production, Peter Pan, with comedy legend Jennifer Saunders making her pantomime debut as Captain Hook, and with Clary playing Seaman Smee, was a sold-out success, playing 56 performances -often two a day – to an audience of more than 123,000 at the 2,200 capacity variety house.
When tickets went on sale, there was a moment when 90,000 people were in the queue, waiting their turn to book seats.
The annual Palladium show, now in its ninth consecutive season, has become an eagerly awaited staple in the West End’s calendar. It runs from December 7 through January 12, 2025. Priority booking opens 10 Am (GMT) April 25.
Last year’s production, Peter Pan, with comedy legend Jennifer Saunders making her pantomime debut as Captain Hook, and with Clary playing Seaman Smee, was a sold-out success, playing 56 performances -often two a day – to an audience of more than 123,000 at the 2,200 capacity variety house.
When tickets went on sale, there was a moment when 90,000 people were in the queue, waiting their turn to book seats.
- 4/21/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
April’s an uncommonly strong auteurist month for the Criterion Channel, who will highlight a number of directors––many of whom aren’t often grouped together. Just after we screened House of Tolerance at the Roxy Cinema, Criterion are showing it and Nocturama for a two-film Bertrand Bonello retrospective, starting just four days before The Beast opens. Larger and rarer (but just as French) is the complete Jean Eustache series Janus toured last year. Meanwhile, five William Friedkin films and work from Makoto Shinkai, Lizzie Borden, and Rosine Mbakam are given a highlight.
One of my very favorite films, Comrades: Almost a Love Story plays in a series I’ve been trying to program for years: “Hong Kong in New York,” boasting the magnificent Full Moon in New York, Farewell China, and An Autumn’s Tale. Wim Wenders gets his “Adventures in Moviegoing”; After Hours, Personal Shopper, and Werckmeister Harmonies fill...
One of my very favorite films, Comrades: Almost a Love Story plays in a series I’ve been trying to program for years: “Hong Kong in New York,” boasting the magnificent Full Moon in New York, Farewell China, and An Autumn’s Tale. Wim Wenders gets his “Adventures in Moviegoing”; After Hours, Personal Shopper, and Werckmeister Harmonies fill...
- 3/18/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The Criterion Collection is known for their dedication to championing classic and contemporary movies we should all be seeing, showcasing them with exquisite transfers and film school-level special features. But when it comes to their streaming service The Criterion Channel, the catalog is a bit looser. And it got weird and worse(?) this month, as they added a 14-title retrospective of the Golden Raspberry Awards. Titled “And the Razzie Goes To…”, Criterion’s grouping compiles 14 movies that come complete with bees, turkey time and whatever the hell Tom Green was doing for the duration of Freddy Got Fingered.
Here is the full list of Razzie flicks now available on The Criterion Channel: Cruising (1980), Heaven’s Gate (1980), Xanadu (1980), Querelle (1982), Under the Cherry Moon (1986), Ishtar (1987), Cocktail (1988), Showgirls (1995), Barb Wire (1996), The Blair Witch Project (1999), Freddy Got Fingered (2001), Swept Away (2002), Gigli (2003), and The Wicker Man (2006). That’s more than 80 Razzie nominations, ranging from Showgirls’s...
Here is the full list of Razzie flicks now available on The Criterion Channel: Cruising (1980), Heaven’s Gate (1980), Xanadu (1980), Querelle (1982), Under the Cherry Moon (1986), Ishtar (1987), Cocktail (1988), Showgirls (1995), Barb Wire (1996), The Blair Witch Project (1999), Freddy Got Fingered (2001), Swept Away (2002), Gigli (2003), and The Wicker Man (2006). That’s more than 80 Razzie nominations, ranging from Showgirls’s...
- 3/2/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
And the Razzie Goes to . . .
As much as we hate to give Razzies any sort of promotion, The Criterion Channel has a new series to show just how wrong the execrable organization has been over the past decades. Launching today, they are spotlighting comedic gems like Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered, Elaine May’s Ishtar, and Neil Labute’s The Wicker Man, alongside Cruising, Heaven’s Gate, Xanadu, Querelle, Under the Cherry Moon, Cocktail, Showgirls, Barb Wire, The Blair Witch Project, Swept Away and Gigli.
Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel
BlackBerry (Matt Johnson)
In BlackBerry, the rise of a blue-chip tech company sets the stage for the dissolution of a longstanding friendship. Sound familiar? Just wait ‘til you hear the score.
And the Razzie Goes to . . .
As much as we hate to give Razzies any sort of promotion, The Criterion Channel has a new series to show just how wrong the execrable organization has been over the past decades. Launching today, they are spotlighting comedic gems like Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered, Elaine May’s Ishtar, and Neil Labute’s The Wicker Man, alongside Cruising, Heaven’s Gate, Xanadu, Querelle, Under the Cherry Moon, Cocktail, Showgirls, Barb Wire, The Blair Witch Project, Swept Away and Gigli.
Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel
BlackBerry (Matt Johnson)
In BlackBerry, the rise of a blue-chip tech company sets the stage for the dissolution of a longstanding friendship. Sound familiar? Just wait ‘til you hear the score.
- 3/1/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
There is, a critic will argue, a great deal of value in finding and discussing the worst films of the year. All the films released in a given epoch are a reflection of the trends and ideas that produced them, and scoring the bottom of the barrel for the worst filmmaking, the worst ideas, and the most misguided thinking will provide a valuable analysis of where we are as a society. Worst-of lists are important and vital and should be written with enthusiasm. They also let critics blow off steam a little bit; we don't have the luxury to skip bad movies or avoid talking about the ones we hate. It's our job.
The Golden Raspberries, or the Razzies for short, however, lost sight of that value a while back. The annual Razzies announcement is usually a snarky affair that only serves to pick on the year's least popular blockbusters,...
The Golden Raspberries, or the Razzies for short, however, lost sight of that value a while back. The annual Razzies announcement is usually a snarky affair that only serves to pick on the year's least popular blockbusters,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Some apotheosis of film culture has been reached with Freddy Got Fingered‘s addition to the Criterion Channel. Three years after we interviewed Tom Green about his consummate film maudit, it’s appearing on the service’s Razzie-centered program that also includes the now-admired likes of Cruising, Heaven’s Gate, Querelle, and Ishtar; the still-due likes of Under the Cherry Moon; and the more-contested Gigli, Swept Away, and Nicolas Cage-led Wicker Man. In all cases it’s an opportunity to reconsider one of the lamest, thin-gruel entities in modern culture.
A Jane Russell retro features von Sternberg’s Macao, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Raoul Walsh’s The Tall Men and The Revolt of Mamie Stover; streaming premieres will be held for Yuen Woo-ping’s Dreadnaught, Claire Simon’s Our Body, Ellie Foumbi’s Our Father, the Devil, the recently restored Sepa: Our Lord of Miracles, and The Passion of Rememberance.
A Jane Russell retro features von Sternberg’s Macao, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Raoul Walsh’s The Tall Men and The Revolt of Mamie Stover; streaming premieres will be held for Yuen Woo-ping’s Dreadnaught, Claire Simon’s Our Body, Ellie Foumbi’s Our Father, the Devil, the recently restored Sepa: Our Lord of Miracles, and The Passion of Rememberance.
- 2/14/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
16 years after the faux trailer debuted as part of Grindhouse, Eli Roth finally delivered the feature version of Thanksgiving. There were no leftovers, but among the special features on the slasher’s home video release is an audio commentary by Roth and producer-writer Jeff Rendell.
Here are 10 things I learned from the Thanksgiving commentary…
1. The concept dates back to the filmmakers’ childhoods.
Thanksgiving is based on Roth’s faux trailer from Grindhouse, but its origins date back even further than 2007. Best friends since kindergarten, Roth and Rendell grew up in Newton, Massachusetts (about an hour from Plymouth) watching horror movies together.
Inspired by a pivotal theatrical viewing of Silent Night, Deadly Night circa 1984, they longed for a definitive Thanksgiving slasher in the vein of the other holiday horrors.
“We just started thinking of like, ‘What if there was a Thanksgiving slasher movie? You could put someone in an oven, and there was a killer pilgrim,...
Here are 10 things I learned from the Thanksgiving commentary…
1. The concept dates back to the filmmakers’ childhoods.
Thanksgiving is based on Roth’s faux trailer from Grindhouse, but its origins date back even further than 2007. Best friends since kindergarten, Roth and Rendell grew up in Newton, Massachusetts (about an hour from Plymouth) watching horror movies together.
Inspired by a pivotal theatrical viewing of Silent Night, Deadly Night circa 1984, they longed for a definitive Thanksgiving slasher in the vein of the other holiday horrors.
“We just started thinking of like, ‘What if there was a Thanksgiving slasher movie? You could put someone in an oven, and there was a killer pilgrim,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
The erotic thriller is back, and you'd have to be a prudish killjoy to lament its return.
The subgenre has its roots in the pre-code movies of the 1920s, and '30s, and films noir of the '40s and '50s, but the formula as it exists today was codified in 1980 with Paul Schrader's "American Gigolo" and, most vitally, Brian De Palma's "Dressed to Kill". And thanks to Karina Longworth's deep dive into best and worst of the subgenre via her indispensable podcast "You Must Remember This," younger viewers who weren't there for the '80s and '90s heyday are now revisiting the stylish highs and Skinemax lows of films in which people occasionally take a break from screwing to commit a string of murders (or investigate said murders with alarming aloofness).
As movies (especially studio productions) got progressively less sexy throughout the 2000s, the...
The subgenre has its roots in the pre-code movies of the 1920s, and '30s, and films noir of the '40s and '50s, but the formula as it exists today was codified in 1980 with Paul Schrader's "American Gigolo" and, most vitally, Brian De Palma's "Dressed to Kill". And thanks to Karina Longworth's deep dive into best and worst of the subgenre via her indispensable podcast "You Must Remember This," younger viewers who weren't there for the '80s and '90s heyday are now revisiting the stylish highs and Skinemax lows of films in which people occasionally take a break from screwing to commit a string of murders (or investigate said murders with alarming aloofness).
As movies (especially studio productions) got progressively less sexy throughout the 2000s, the...
- 12/2/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
While looking for a project to follow the success of his films The French Connection and The Exorcist, director William Friedkin came across a book he found to be fascinating: Cruising by Gerald Walker, about “a series of murders in the gay bars of New York, and a detective assigned to go undercover to find the killer”. But Friedkin had already made a movie that centered on gay characters, The Boys in the Band, so he let the Cruising adaptation go by. For a while, Steven Spielberg was attached to direct the film, but wasn’t able to get it into production. In his memoir The Friedkin Connection, Friedkin revealed that it wasn’t until someone he worked with on The Exorcist turned out to be a real-life serial killer that he thought of the way to approach Cruising.
Friedkin wrote in The Friedkin Connection that in 1979 he started seeing...
Friedkin wrote in The Friedkin Connection that in 1979 he started seeing...
- 10/23/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Stars: Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Richard Cox, Richard Cox, Don Scardino, Joe Spinelli, Jay Acovone, Randy Jurgensen, Barton Heyman, Gene Davis | Written by William Friedkin, Gerald Walker | Directed by William Friedkin
Within the filmography of the late William Friedkin, one of the most controversial works he delivered was Cruising. Set during a hot summer in New York City, the story sees a serial killer murdering and dismembering several gay men within the world of S&m and leather bars. Assigned to this case is Steve Burns (Al Pacino), an officer whose physical similarities to the victims makes him perfect to go undercover, with the prospect of rapidly advancing his career by doing so.
Poorly received upon release, this film was protested by New York’s gay community under the belief that it stigmatised them. This reviewer admittedly may not be the best judge as an outsider, although I...
Within the filmography of the late William Friedkin, one of the most controversial works he delivered was Cruising. Set during a hot summer in New York City, the story sees a serial killer murdering and dismembering several gay men within the world of S&m and leather bars. Assigned to this case is Steve Burns (Al Pacino), an officer whose physical similarities to the victims makes him perfect to go undercover, with the prospect of rapidly advancing his career by doing so.
Poorly received upon release, this film was protested by New York’s gay community under the belief that it stigmatised them. This reviewer admittedly may not be the best judge as an outsider, although I...
- 10/4/2023
- by James Rodrigues
- Nerdly
Spooky season has arrived, and Alamo Drafthouse is celebrating Halloween in a big way this year. First up, their “Spread Fear” series embraces horror all month long, delivering a witches brew made up of some of the best, bloodiest, downright maniacal horror films out there.
“Our Spread Fear series embraces all the chilling fun of the holiday season with a full slate of some of the greatest horror movies ever put to film,” Alamo Drafthouse previews. “We’re talking The Thing, Ghostbusters (1984), The Lost Boys Movie Party, The Mummy + The Wolf Man Double Feature, a Champagne Cinema screening of The Craft, and so much more.
“But Halloween isn’t all about killers and tortured monsters, it’s also about the candy. The whole family can get in on the spooky fun with Trick or Treat Cinema, a series dedicated to maximum value and maximum fun with discount tickets and candy for everyone.
“Our Spread Fear series embraces all the chilling fun of the holiday season with a full slate of some of the greatest horror movies ever put to film,” Alamo Drafthouse previews. “We’re talking The Thing, Ghostbusters (1984), The Lost Boys Movie Party, The Mummy + The Wolf Man Double Feature, a Champagne Cinema screening of The Craft, and so much more.
“But Halloween isn’t all about killers and tortured monsters, it’s also about the candy. The whole family can get in on the spooky fun with Trick or Treat Cinema, a series dedicated to maximum value and maximum fun with discount tickets and candy for everyone.
- 9/28/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" isn't just the best Indiana Jones movie, it also looks the best of all the films. 1981's inaugural Indy outing is visually stunning thanks to cinematographer Douglas Slocombe's shot composition and lighting. It's even more impressive how good "Raiders" looks when you consider that director Steven Spielberg was in a bit of a hurry to get his shots in the can.
Writing in American Cinematographer, the esteemed filmmaker revealed how the $20 million budget provided by Paramount Pictures would "pay for 87 days of shooting," but that he had a whole other, 73-day schedule worked out. It was all so that Spielberg could, in his words, "make 'Raiders' economically and make it look like $40 million and, in fact, spend only $20 million."
As a result, "Raiders" had Spielberg doing things he swore he'd never do again, like having Harrison Ford race a 300-pound boulder for the film's famous opening sequence — multiple times.
Writing in American Cinematographer, the esteemed filmmaker revealed how the $20 million budget provided by Paramount Pictures would "pay for 87 days of shooting," but that he had a whole other, 73-day schedule worked out. It was all so that Spielberg could, in his words, "make 'Raiders' economically and make it look like $40 million and, in fact, spend only $20 million."
As a result, "Raiders" had Spielberg doing things he swore he'd never do again, like having Harrison Ford race a 300-pound boulder for the film's famous opening sequence — multiple times.
- 9/19/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Damien Chazelle paid a moving tribute to the late William Friedkin at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday (03.09.23).The 'Exorcist' filmmaker passed away last month at the age of 87 but was able to complete his final movie, 'The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial', before he died and it premiered at the event over the weekend.And Damien praised the legendary director for his passion for cinema and his visionary way of working.The 'Babylon' filmmaker, who is presiding over this year's Venice jury, said: “When I first became aware of the name Billy Friedkin I was a child, and the name itself filled me with fear.“I probably had ‘The Exorcist’ in my mind. I hadn’t see the film yet, but I’d seen the letters written in that typeface, and the sound of the word “Fried-kin” seemed to suggest to me the darkest, most forbidden recesses of the imagination.
- 9/4/2023
- by Viki Waters
- Bang Showbiz
Damien Chazelle paid tribute to late great director William Friedkin on Sunday in a moving speech at the Venice Film Festival where Friedkin’s last film “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” premiered out-of-competition to warm applause.
Friedkin, who died on Aug. 7 in Los Angeles at age 87, completed the film – which stars Kiefer Sutherland as Lt. Commander Queeg who stands trial for mutiny for taking command from a ship captain he feels is acting in a mentally unstable way that is endangering both the ship and its crew – shortly before passing,
“When I first became aware of the name Billy Friedkin I was a child, and the name itself filled me with fear,” said Chazelle, who is presiding over this year’s Venice jury.
“I probably had ‘The Exorcist’ in my mind. I hadn’t see the film yet, but I’d seen the letters written in that typeface, and the sound...
Friedkin, who died on Aug. 7 in Los Angeles at age 87, completed the film – which stars Kiefer Sutherland as Lt. Commander Queeg who stands trial for mutiny for taking command from a ship captain he feels is acting in a mentally unstable way that is endangering both the ship and its crew – shortly before passing,
“When I first became aware of the name Billy Friedkin I was a child, and the name itself filled me with fear,” said Chazelle, who is presiding over this year’s Venice jury.
“I probably had ‘The Exorcist’ in my mind. I hadn’t see the film yet, but I’d seen the letters written in that typeface, and the sound...
- 9/3/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Most directors would be more than happy to make a single touchstone genre film at some point in their careers. William Friedkin? He made two in just as many years. His 1971 crime thriller "The French Connection" established the template for car chase scenes that's still being used today. Then, in 1973, he made "The Exorcist," the film that got the world to start taking horror seriously as a high art form.
As if that wasn't enough, Friedkin also made not one but two quintessential pieces of queer cinema with "The Boys in the Band" and the controversial but undeniably important "Cruising." Even in his twilight years as a filmmaker, Friedkin was tackling provocative material in the forms of the stage play adaptations "Bug" and especially the twisted "Killer Joe" (a film that played a less-acknowledged yet key role in the McConaissance era of Matthew McConaughey's run as an actor).
With...
As if that wasn't enough, Friedkin also made not one but two quintessential pieces of queer cinema with "The Boys in the Band" and the controversial but undeniably important "Cruising." Even in his twilight years as a filmmaker, Friedkin was tackling provocative material in the forms of the stage play adaptations "Bug" and especially the twisted "Killer Joe" (a film that played a less-acknowledged yet key role in the McConaissance era of Matthew McConaughey's run as an actor).
With...
- 8/14/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
William Friedkin, one of the great directors of the New Hollywood movement, died August 7 at the age of 87. The news launched an outpouring of love for the director, whose ’70s and ’80s film work proved some of the most enduring and beloved of that cinema-redefining period.
The son of Jewish Ukrainian immigrants, Friedkin was born in 1935 and got his start as a director making documentaries for Chicago public television. In 1965 he moved out to Hollywood to advance his career and made his narrative feature debut with “Good Times,” a vehicle for Cher and Sonny Bono. Friedkin put out several generally well-received films, including the groundbreaking “The Boys in the Band” and “The Birthday Party,” but truly broke out with 1971’s “The French Connection.” Starring Gene Hackman and featuring one of the greatest car chase scenes in cinematic history, the movie earned Friedkin a Best Director Oscar and gave him the clout to pursue passion projects.
The son of Jewish Ukrainian immigrants, Friedkin was born in 1935 and got his start as a director making documentaries for Chicago public television. In 1965 he moved out to Hollywood to advance his career and made his narrative feature debut with “Good Times,” a vehicle for Cher and Sonny Bono. Friedkin put out several generally well-received films, including the groundbreaking “The Boys in the Band” and “The Birthday Party,” but truly broke out with 1971’s “The French Connection.” Starring Gene Hackman and featuring one of the greatest car chase scenes in cinematic history, the movie earned Friedkin a Best Director Oscar and gave him the clout to pursue passion projects.
- 8/8/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
The death at 87 of the great director William Friedkin on Monday reminded me of one of the two most intense movie viewing experiences I’ve ever had in a theater. One came last year when I saw “Rrr,” which due to its massive audience participation at the Chinese Theatre was a spectacular happening.
The other one happened in 1973 when I was a wee lad of 16, when I saw “The Exorcist.”
Friedkin was a master of his craft who made several other memorable films, chiefly “The French Connection” (for which he won his Academy Award), “Cruising,” “The Boys in the Band” and “To Live and Die in L.A.” But for my money, nothing he did could ever equal the phenomenon he helmed into being with “The Exorcist,” which would earn Oscars for sound and William Peter Blatty’s adapted screenplay as well as a directing nomination for Friedkin.
But forget all...
The other one happened in 1973 when I was a wee lad of 16, when I saw “The Exorcist.”
Friedkin was a master of his craft who made several other memorable films, chiefly “The French Connection” (for which he won his Academy Award), “Cruising,” “The Boys in the Band” and “To Live and Die in L.A.” But for my money, nothing he did could ever equal the phenomenon he helmed into being with “The Exorcist,” which would earn Oscars for sound and William Peter Blatty’s adapted screenplay as well as a directing nomination for Friedkin.
But forget all...
- 8/8/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Yesterday, we had to share the sad news that director William Friedkin has passed away at the age of 87. While Friedkin made numerous popular films – The French Connection, Sorcerer, Cruising, and To Live and Die in L.A., among others – his most popular is probably the one that’s celebrating its 50th anniversary this year: The Exorcist (watch it Here). And The Exorcist star Linda Blair has taken to social media to share a tribute to Friedkin.
Blair wrote, “Like Sidney Poitier‘s famous movie To Sir with Love, how do you put into words appreciation to the person that changed your life forever, along with the world? Billy Friedken was a game changer, thought outside the box, was a genius with an incredibly bold personality and extraordinary imagery that electrified colleagues and moviegoers alike and remained a true maverick throughout his career in the film industry.
Every actor wanted to...
Blair wrote, “Like Sidney Poitier‘s famous movie To Sir with Love, how do you put into words appreciation to the person that changed your life forever, along with the world? Billy Friedken was a game changer, thought outside the box, was a genius with an incredibly bold personality and extraordinary imagery that electrified colleagues and moviegoers alike and remained a true maverick throughout his career in the film industry.
Every actor wanted to...
- 8/8/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The recently departed William Friedkin has a fascinating relationship with the gay community, not only as the infamous director of "Cruising," but also as the director of the film adaption of "The Boys in the Band" a decade prior, a monumental work of mainstream American queer cinema (and the first Hollywood-made film to use the word "c***" on screen). It's nothing short of a miracle that a director of Friedkin's caliber is responsible for two of the most impactful queer films in history, both continually debated. But "Cruising" is on another level. Depending on who you ask, the film is either a remarkable feat or irredeemable trash, and the controversy started before Friedkin ever called "action."
Loosely based on the novel of the same name by New York Times reporter Gerald Walker about a serial killer targeting gay men in the 1970s, predominantly those in the leather scene, "Cruising" stars...
Loosely based on the novel of the same name by New York Times reporter Gerald Walker about a serial killer targeting gay men in the 1970s, predominantly those in the leather scene, "Cruising" stars...
- 8/8/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
One of cinema history’s most iconic car chases: “The French Connection” (1971). A nightmarishly possessed teen in a menacing horror classic: “The Exorcist” (1973). A killer drama in the so-called Matthew McConaughey rejuvenation era known as the McConaissance: “Killer Joe” (2011).
William Friedkin, the grittily virtuosic, famously tough straight-shooter passed away at age 87 Monday, leaving behind a legacy and wide-ranging career as unique, complex and tough as nails as the filmmaker himself was known to be. Both a crafty auteur of nonfiction fare where he got his earnest start and a popular household name thanks to “The Exorcist” — who among us have not spent many a sleepless night traumatized by visions of Linda Blair’s evil grin and weightlessly spinning head? — Friedkin did it all for the moving image, with over 40 credits across film, TV and music videos to his name.
Documentaries and TV are where Friedkin started his storied career, on...
William Friedkin, the grittily virtuosic, famously tough straight-shooter passed away at age 87 Monday, leaving behind a legacy and wide-ranging career as unique, complex and tough as nails as the filmmaker himself was known to be. Both a crafty auteur of nonfiction fare where he got his earnest start and a popular household name thanks to “The Exorcist” — who among us have not spent many a sleepless night traumatized by visions of Linda Blair’s evil grin and weightlessly spinning head? — Friedkin did it all for the moving image, with over 40 credits across film, TV and music videos to his name.
Documentaries and TV are where Friedkin started his storied career, on...
- 8/7/2023
- by Tomris Laffly
- The Wrap
The director’s latest film is set to premiere at the Venice festival.
William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning American director of The French Connection and The Exorcist, has died aged 87.
According to the New York Times, Friedkin’s wife Sherry Lansing, the former head of Paramount Pictures, said the filmmaker died of heart failure and pneumonia at his home in Bel Air.
Born in Chicago in 1935, Friedkin moved to Hollywood in 1965 and began directing television shows, including an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
His early features included The Night They Raided Minsky’s and The Boys In The Band, but Friedkin...
William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning American director of The French Connection and The Exorcist, has died aged 87.
According to the New York Times, Friedkin’s wife Sherry Lansing, the former head of Paramount Pictures, said the filmmaker died of heart failure and pneumonia at his home in Bel Air.
Born in Chicago in 1935, Friedkin moved to Hollywood in 1965 and began directing television shows, including an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
His early features included The Night They Raided Minsky’s and The Boys In The Band, but Friedkin...
- 8/7/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
William Friedkin was an acclaimed American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He gained recognition for directing notable films such as “The French Connection” (1971) and “The Exorcist” (1973), the former of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Director. Friedkin’s filmography also includes “The Boys in the Band” (1970), “Sorcerer” (1977), “Cruising” (1980), “To Live and Die in L. . (1985), “Blue Chips” (1994), “Jade” (1995), “Rules of Engagement” (2000), “The Hunted” (2003), “Bug” (2006), and “Killer Joe” (2011).
In 1965, Friedkin relocated to Hollywood and released his debut feature film, “Good Times,” featuring Sonny and Cher. He continued to make artistic films, such as the adaptation of Mart Crowley’s “The Boys in the Band,” as well as “The Birthday Party,” based on an unpublished screenplay by Harold Pinter, which he adapted from his own play. However, Friedkin aimed to establish himself as a director of action and serious drama, exploring themes of crime, hypocrisy, the occult, and amorality within the...
In 1965, Friedkin relocated to Hollywood and released his debut feature film, “Good Times,” featuring Sonny and Cher. He continued to make artistic films, such as the adaptation of Mart Crowley’s “The Boys in the Band,” as well as “The Birthday Party,” based on an unpublished screenplay by Harold Pinter, which he adapted from his own play. However, Friedkin aimed to establish himself as a director of action and serious drama, exploring themes of crime, hypocrisy, the occult, and amorality within the...
- 8/7/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
The 87-year-old director leaves behind a thrilling, high-wire career mastering different genres in films such as The Exorcist, The French Connection and Cruising
William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist and The French Connection, dies at 87
William Friedkin was a director who created so many visceral, unforgettable experiences for moviegoers; he was a film-maker who could offer films with the thrillingly intravenous excitement of hard drugs. For some reason, the one that stands out for me is his neo-noir corrupt-cop drama To Live and Die in LA (1985) and, the first time I saw it, almost rising from my seat during the airport car chase and a particularly gasp-inducing high-fall stunt.
Friedkin gave us a number of classics in the early 1970s, but his queasy and diabolically inspired masterpiece was surely The Exorcist from 1973, adapted by William Peter Blatty from his original novel. This was the quintessential horror-pleasure of that period, the...
William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist and The French Connection, dies at 87
William Friedkin was a director who created so many visceral, unforgettable experiences for moviegoers; he was a film-maker who could offer films with the thrillingly intravenous excitement of hard drugs. For some reason, the one that stands out for me is his neo-noir corrupt-cop drama To Live and Die in LA (1985) and, the first time I saw it, almost rising from my seat during the airport car chase and a particularly gasp-inducing high-fall stunt.
Friedkin gave us a number of classics in the early 1970s, but his queasy and diabolically inspired masterpiece was surely The Exorcist from 1973, adapted by William Peter Blatty from his original novel. This was the quintessential horror-pleasure of that period, the...
- 8/7/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
For the director who gave cinema the ultimate car chase in “The French Connection,” William Friedkin was remarkably at ease with films set in a single room, bringing several plays to the screen over the course of his career. The director — who died August 7 at age 87 — will have his final film screened out of competition in the Venice Film Festival next month, fittingly an adaptation of Herman Wouk’s play “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.”
Friedkin made his name (and won an Oscar) for “The French Connection,” followed immediately by the instantly iconic “The Exorcist,” but he never lost an abiding interest in live performance, even directing operas off and on for the last 25 years.
In fact, Friedkin was so taken with the 2004 Off-Broadway premiere of Tracy Letts’ play “Bug” that he phoned Letts directly to say he’d like to adapt it into a film — with star Michael Shannon. In one fell swoop,...
Friedkin made his name (and won an Oscar) for “The French Connection,” followed immediately by the instantly iconic “The Exorcist,” but he never lost an abiding interest in live performance, even directing operas off and on for the last 25 years.
In fact, Friedkin was so taken with the 2004 Off-Broadway premiere of Tracy Letts’ play “Bug” that he phoned Letts directly to say he’d like to adapt it into a film — with star Michael Shannon. In one fell swoop,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Mark Peikert
- Indiewire
Oscar-winning director William Friedkin, legendary filmmaker behind the 1971 crime thriller The French Connection, and 1973’s The Exorcist, among many others, died Monday in Los Angeles at the age of 87.
Identified closely with the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, Friedkin began his career in documentaries prior to embarking on one of his most well-known works, The French Connection, a film which earned five Academy Awards out of eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Gene Hackman, Best Directed Screenplay and Best Director for Friedkin. Considered one of the greatest films ever made, The French Connection appeared in the American Film Institute’s list of the best American films in 1998 and again in 2007. In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
Related: William Friedkin: Hollywood Remembers A Legend
Friedkin’s 1973 film The Exorcist...
Identified closely with the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, Friedkin began his career in documentaries prior to embarking on one of his most well-known works, The French Connection, a film which earned five Academy Awards out of eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Gene Hackman, Best Directed Screenplay and Best Director for Friedkin. Considered one of the greatest films ever made, The French Connection appeared in the American Film Institute’s list of the best American films in 1998 and again in 2007. In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
Related: William Friedkin: Hollywood Remembers A Legend
Friedkin’s 1973 film The Exorcist...
- 8/7/2023
- by Robert Lang and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
William Friedkin, the legendary director of iconic films including “The Exorcist” and “The French Connection” and a leading figure in the “New Hollywood” movement of the 1970s, has died at the age of 87.
Friedkin is best known as the director of two of the most successful Hollywood blockbusters of the early 1970s, “The French Connection” in 1971 (the first action movie to win Best Picture Oscar) and “The Exorcist” in 1973. Friedkin rose to prominence alongside the likes of Peter Bogdanovich, Francis Ford Coppola and Hal Ashby as a member of a new class of Hollywood auteurs.
His death was confirmed to TheWrap by family friend Stephen Galloway who spoke to Friedkin’s wife, Sherry Lansing, herself an iconic leader of Paramount Pictures for many years. No cause of death was provided.
Friedkin had recently completed “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” starring Keifer Sutherland and Jason Clarke. His now-final film will premiere in...
Friedkin is best known as the director of two of the most successful Hollywood blockbusters of the early 1970s, “The French Connection” in 1971 (the first action movie to win Best Picture Oscar) and “The Exorcist” in 1973. Friedkin rose to prominence alongside the likes of Peter Bogdanovich, Francis Ford Coppola and Hal Ashby as a member of a new class of Hollywood auteurs.
His death was confirmed to TheWrap by family friend Stephen Galloway who spoke to Friedkin’s wife, Sherry Lansing, herself an iconic leader of Paramount Pictures for many years. No cause of death was provided.
Friedkin had recently completed “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” starring Keifer Sutherland and Jason Clarke. His now-final film will premiere in...
- 8/7/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning director behind The Exorcist, The French Connection, To Live and Die in L.A., The Boys in the Band, and more, is dead at 87. Friedkin died in Los Angeles, said his wife, former producer and studio head Sherry Lansing.
Born on August 29, 1935, in Chicago, Friedkin started directing television before disgusting audiences with projectile pea soup and dealings with demons. In the mid-’60s, Friedkin shot an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Hour and helmed various telefilms. Before the era was over, he got behind the camera for features like Good Times (1967), The Birthday Party (1968), and The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968).
He started the ’70s off with a band by directing The Boys in the Band. With his name already on the lips of executives everywhere, he moved on to The French Connection, a show-stopping thriller starring Gene Hackman as Detective Popeye Doyle. The French Connection won multiple Oscars,...
Born on August 29, 1935, in Chicago, Friedkin started directing television before disgusting audiences with projectile pea soup and dealings with demons. In the mid-’60s, Friedkin shot an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Hour and helmed various telefilms. Before the era was over, he got behind the camera for features like Good Times (1967), The Birthday Party (1968), and The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968).
He started the ’70s off with a band by directing The Boys in the Band. With his name already on the lips of executives everywhere, he moved on to The French Connection, a show-stopping thriller starring Gene Hackman as Detective Popeye Doyle. The French Connection won multiple Oscars,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
One of the all-time great filmmakers, Oscar-winner William Friedkin has passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 87, Bloody Disgusting has learned this afternoon.
William Friedkin won “Best Director” at the Academy Awards in 1972 for The French Connection, and he was nominated in the same category just two years later for The Exorcist.
Released in theaters in 1973, The Exorcist has been terrifying audiences across generations ever since, widely considered to be one of the best – and scariest – movies ever made.
William Friedkin got his start directing the documentary The People vs. Paul Crump in 1962, and a few years later he directed an episode of the TV series “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.” From there, Friedkin directed films including The Thin Blue Line, Good Times, The Birthday Party, and The Boys in the Band, before winning an Oscar for The French Connection in 1972.
In the wake of The Exorcist, which ended...
William Friedkin won “Best Director” at the Academy Awards in 1972 for The French Connection, and he was nominated in the same category just two years later for The Exorcist.
Released in theaters in 1973, The Exorcist has been terrifying audiences across generations ever since, widely considered to be one of the best – and scariest – movies ever made.
William Friedkin got his start directing the documentary The People vs. Paul Crump in 1962, and a few years later he directed an episode of the TV series “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.” From there, Friedkin directed films including The Thin Blue Line, Good Times, The Birthday Party, and The Boys in the Band, before winning an Oscar for The French Connection in 1972.
In the wake of The Exorcist, which ended...
- 8/7/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
William Friedkin, who won an Oscar for directing The French Connection, scored a nomination for The Exorcist and also helmed The Boys in the Band, Cruising, To Live and Die in L.A., Rules of Engagement and many others, died today in Los Angeles of heart failure and pneumonia. He was 87.
His death was confirmed by CAA via his wife, Fatal Attraction producer and former studio chief Sherry Lansing.
Friedkin beat out some serious heavyweights to win the Best Director Academy Award for The French Connection at the 1972 ceremony. Also up for the statuette that year were Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange), Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show) and Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof). He would go up against more heavy hitters with The Exorcist two years later. George Roy Hill won that year for The Sting, also besting Bernardo Bertolucci (Last Tango in Paris), Ingmar Bergman (Cries & Whispers...
His death was confirmed by CAA via his wife, Fatal Attraction producer and former studio chief Sherry Lansing.
Friedkin beat out some serious heavyweights to win the Best Director Academy Award for The French Connection at the 1972 ceremony. Also up for the statuette that year were Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange), Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show) and Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof). He would go up against more heavy hitters with The Exorcist two years later. George Roy Hill won that year for The Sting, also besting Bernardo Bertolucci (Last Tango in Paris), Ingmar Bergman (Cries & Whispers...
- 8/7/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning director of “The French Connection” and legend behind “The Exorcist,” has died at age 87. His death in Los Angeles was first reported by Variety, and the news was confirmed by Chapman University dean Stephen Galloway, a friend of Friedkin’s wife, former studio head Sherry Lansing.
Friedkin’s sensational 1971 “The French Connection” earned five Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. Friedkin’s 1973 “The Exorcist” changed the game for horror, earning Best Picture and Director nominations.
Friedkin is regarded as a maverick of the New Hollywood school of filmmakers alongside the likes of Peter Bogdanovich and Francis Ford Coppola. His other features include his breakout “The Birthday Party,” “The Boys in the Band,” “Sorcerer,” “Cruising,” “To Live and Die in L.A,” “Bug,” and most recently “Killer Joe” — all films that garnered controversy in one way or another.
Friedkin’s latest film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,...
Friedkin’s sensational 1971 “The French Connection” earned five Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. Friedkin’s 1973 “The Exorcist” changed the game for horror, earning Best Picture and Director nominations.
Friedkin is regarded as a maverick of the New Hollywood school of filmmakers alongside the likes of Peter Bogdanovich and Francis Ford Coppola. His other features include his breakout “The Birthday Party,” “The Boys in the Band,” “Sorcerer,” “Cruising,” “To Live and Die in L.A,” “Bug,” and most recently “Killer Joe” — all films that garnered controversy in one way or another.
Friedkin’s latest film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Director William Friedkin, best known for his Oscar-winning “The French Connection” and blockbuster “The Exorcist,” died Monday in Los Angeles. He was 87.
His death was confirmed by Chapman University dean Stephen Galloway, a friend of Friedkin’s wife Sherry Lansing.
His final film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” starring Kiefer Sutherland, is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Along with Peter Bogdanovich, Francis Ford Coppola and Hal Ashby, Friedkin rose to A-list status in the 1970s, part of a new generation of vibrant, risk-taking filmmakers. Combining his experience in television, particularly in documentary film, with a cutting-edge style of editing, Friedkin brought a great deal of energy to the horror and police thriller genres in which he specialized.
“The French Connection” was an incredibly fast-paced and morally ambiguous tale, shot in documentary style and containing one of cinema’s most justifiably famous car chase sequences. “Connection” won several Oscars including best picture,...
His death was confirmed by Chapman University dean Stephen Galloway, a friend of Friedkin’s wife Sherry Lansing.
His final film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” starring Kiefer Sutherland, is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Along with Peter Bogdanovich, Francis Ford Coppola and Hal Ashby, Friedkin rose to A-list status in the 1970s, part of a new generation of vibrant, risk-taking filmmakers. Combining his experience in television, particularly in documentary film, with a cutting-edge style of editing, Friedkin brought a great deal of energy to the horror and police thriller genres in which he specialized.
“The French Connection” was an incredibly fast-paced and morally ambiguous tale, shot in documentary style and containing one of cinema’s most justifiably famous car chase sequences. “Connection” won several Oscars including best picture,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Museum of Modern Art
Films by Olivier Assayas, Jacques Rivette, Park Chan-wook, and Bong Joon-ho screen on 35mm as part of “Views from the Vault.”
IFC Center
A series on sex scenes brings Crash, Cruising, Don’t Look Now, Persona and more; Twilight and A Nightmare on Elm Street have late showings, while The Wicker Man plays in a new restoration.
Anthology Film Archives
Films by Nagisa Ōshima, including the David Bowie-led Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, are subject of a retrospective that has its final weekend.
Roxy Cinema
35mm prints of Jackass Number Two, Go, and Tokyo Drift screen, while the restoration of Raging Bull and Juliet Berto’s Neige plays.
Film at Lincoln Center
The Mother and the Whore continues in a 4K restoration.
Film Forum
A massive Billy Wilder retrospective is underway; Godard’s Contempt and Midnight Cowboy play in 4K restorations.
Museum of Modern Art
Films by Olivier Assayas, Jacques Rivette, Park Chan-wook, and Bong Joon-ho screen on 35mm as part of “Views from the Vault.”
IFC Center
A series on sex scenes brings Crash, Cruising, Don’t Look Now, Persona and more; Twilight and A Nightmare on Elm Street have late showings, while The Wicker Man plays in a new restoration.
Anthology Film Archives
Films by Nagisa Ōshima, including the David Bowie-led Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, are subject of a retrospective that has its final weekend.
Roxy Cinema
35mm prints of Jackass Number Two, Go, and Tokyo Drift screen, while the restoration of Raging Bull and Juliet Berto’s Neige plays.
Film at Lincoln Center
The Mother and the Whore continues in a 4K restoration.
Film Forum
A massive Billy Wilder retrospective is underway; Godard’s Contempt and Midnight Cowboy play in 4K restorations.
- 7/21/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
[Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in March 2022 and has been updated since.]
The erotic thriller — the sleaziest and at one point most enduring genres of the 1980s and ’90s — seemed on the cusp of a comeback last year with the return of director Adrian Lyne. The master behind films like “Fatal Attraction” and “9 ½ Weeks” came back to screens (albeit small ones) with “Deep Water,” his first film in two decades since “Unfaithful” earned Diane Lane an Oscar nomination and one that firmly returns him to the erotic stomping grounds of his heyday.
Alas, the turgid drama, based on a Patricia Highsmith potboiler and starring a listless Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas as open lovers who detest each other, is a turkey, a straight-to-streaming dud that evokes better ideas from better movies and fails to be neither erotic nor thrilling.
Still, “Deep Water” can serve as a twofold instruction point: for Hollywood to dig deeper to come up with hopefully...
The erotic thriller — the sleaziest and at one point most enduring genres of the 1980s and ’90s — seemed on the cusp of a comeback last year with the return of director Adrian Lyne. The master behind films like “Fatal Attraction” and “9 ½ Weeks” came back to screens (albeit small ones) with “Deep Water,” his first film in two decades since “Unfaithful” earned Diane Lane an Oscar nomination and one that firmly returns him to the erotic stomping grounds of his heyday.
Alas, the turgid drama, based on a Patricia Highsmith potboiler and starring a listless Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas as open lovers who detest each other, is a turkey, a straight-to-streaming dud that evokes better ideas from better movies and fails to be neither erotic nor thrilling.
Still, “Deep Water” can serve as a twofold instruction point: for Hollywood to dig deeper to come up with hopefully...
- 7/11/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Al Pacino says he doesn’t remember much of the 1970s. So, The Godfather, Serpico, Scarecrow, Dog Day Afternoon, …And Justice For All are some of the greatest movies ever, let alone of the 1970s: all a blur. But unfortunately, he remembers Gigli and 88 Minutes, Revolution, Righteous Kill, and too many more all too well. He is a guy that always goes over the top, and sometimes it results in brilliance and other times, it causes Mr. Pacino to become a parody of himself. But is his legacy strong enough, and is Al in the middle of another comeback?
It’s a diverse career of ups and downs and whatever he was thinking with Jack and Jill. And so let’s find out: Wtf Happened to… Al Pacino?
But to truly understand what happened to Al Pacino, we go back to the beginning. And the beginning began when he was born on April 25th,...
It’s a diverse career of ups and downs and whatever he was thinking with Jack and Jill. And so let’s find out: Wtf Happened to… Al Pacino?
But to truly understand what happened to Al Pacino, we go back to the beginning. And the beginning began when he was born on April 25th,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Film Forum
A celebration of Ozu’s 120th birthday brings a massive series, with many playing on 35mm; a retrospective on New York movies continues with Carpenter, Mel Brooks, Cassavetes, Polanski, Woody Allen, and more; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory plays on 35mm this Sunday.
Film at Lincoln Center
A retrospective of the great, underseen Marco Ferreri begins with a series of imported 35mm prints.
Roxy Cinema
35mm prints of Blade Runner, Cruising, and Control screen this weekend, while Happy Together also plays.
Museum of the Moving Image
An Asteroid City-themed series programmed by Wes Anderson and Jake Perlin includes Close Encounters and three films by the Maysles; Fassbinder’s Querelle plays in a queer cinema series.
Museum of Modern Art
A tribute to casting directors Ellen Lewis and Laura Rosenthal brings prints of Broadway Danny Rose and I’m Not There,...
Film Forum
A celebration of Ozu’s 120th birthday brings a massive series, with many playing on 35mm; a retrospective on New York movies continues with Carpenter, Mel Brooks, Cassavetes, Polanski, Woody Allen, and more; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory plays on 35mm this Sunday.
Film at Lincoln Center
A retrospective of the great, underseen Marco Ferreri begins with a series of imported 35mm prints.
Roxy Cinema
35mm prints of Blade Runner, Cruising, and Control screen this weekend, while Happy Together also plays.
Museum of the Moving Image
An Asteroid City-themed series programmed by Wes Anderson and Jake Perlin includes Close Encounters and three films by the Maysles; Fassbinder’s Querelle plays in a queer cinema series.
Museum of Modern Art
A tribute to casting directors Ellen Lewis and Laura Rosenthal brings prints of Broadway Danny Rose and I’m Not There,...
- 6/9/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
A new feature!
With Now Showing, your Halloweenies and special guests will gather each month for a roundtable review on something new and something old in horror. To kick it off, co-hosts Justin Gerber and Dan Caffrey are joined by Jenn Adams of The Losers’ Club. Together, they discuss M3GAN, Skinamarink, Cocaine Bear, Cruising, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, and Popcorn.
Stream the episode below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, and The Evil Dead. This year? It’s Chucky!
You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for hilariously irreverent commentaries, one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals, and even topical spinoffs like their ensuing Fortune & Glory: An Indiana Jones Podcast.
With Now Showing, your Halloweenies and special guests will gather each month for a roundtable review on something new and something old in horror. To kick it off, co-hosts Justin Gerber and Dan Caffrey are joined by Jenn Adams of The Losers’ Club. Together, they discuss M3GAN, Skinamarink, Cocaine Bear, Cruising, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, and Popcorn.
Stream the episode below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, and The Evil Dead. This year? It’s Chucky!
You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for hilariously irreverent commentaries, one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals, and even topical spinoffs like their ensuing Fortune & Glory: An Indiana Jones Podcast.
- 4/3/2023
- by Michael Roffman
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Channel 5 is on the brink of finding a new producer for its next Jane McDonald and Susan Calman shows. This follows owner Paramount Global’s decision to close the Viacom International Studios (Vis) UK unscripted division, revealed by Deadline last month.
Deadline understands that Daisybeck Studios, which makes some of Channel 5’s biggest hits including The Yorkshire Vet and Our Yorkshire Farm, is extremely close to taking on the work with two of the channel’s highest-profile presenters. Based in Leeds, eOne-owned Daisybeck is a trusted Channel 5 supplier that has made hundreds of hours of shows for the channel including many that focus on the outfit’s native Yorkshire.
The move comes as Paramount begins the process of apportioning dozens of hours of Vis’s factual programing to the UK indie sector.
McDonald’s next project is unknown but will likely be within her travelog wheelhouse. She...
Deadline understands that Daisybeck Studios, which makes some of Channel 5’s biggest hits including The Yorkshire Vet and Our Yorkshire Farm, is extremely close to taking on the work with two of the channel’s highest-profile presenters. Based in Leeds, eOne-owned Daisybeck is a trusted Channel 5 supplier that has made hundreds of hours of shows for the channel including many that focus on the outfit’s native Yorkshire.
The move comes as Paramount begins the process of apportioning dozens of hours of Vis’s factual programing to the UK indie sector.
McDonald’s next project is unknown but will likely be within her travelog wheelhouse. She...
- 3/29/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Why not kick off the new year with a new movie? January can be a bit of a slow month for new releases, but a number of noteworthy titles are newly streaming over the next few weeks to keep you plenty occupied. Below, we’ve put together a curated list of some of the best new movies to stream in January 2023, including brand new films like Prime Video’s Jennifer Lopez rom-com “Shotgun Wedding” and Netflix’s Jonah Hill/Eddie Murphy comedy “You People” to excellent library titles worth watching (or rewatching). There’s a little something for everyone, so take a look and dig in below.
Also Read:
The Best Movies on HBO Max Right Now “Minority Report” 20th Century Fox
Netflix – Jan. 1
One of Steven Spielberg’s very best films, 2002’s “Minority Report” offered a more gritty, more dystopian version of a sci-fi future than he had tackled before,...
Also Read:
The Best Movies on HBO Max Right Now “Minority Report” 20th Century Fox
Netflix – Jan. 1
One of Steven Spielberg’s very best films, 2002’s “Minority Report” offered a more gritty, more dystopian version of a sci-fi future than he had tackled before,...
- 1/20/2023
- by Drew Taylor and Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
It’s the end of the world as we know it and HBO Max feels fine. The Warner Bros. Discovery streamer’s list of new releases for January 2023 is highlighted by one long-awaited post-apocalyptic adventure.
HBO’s TV adaptation of beloved video game The Last of Us premieres on Jan. 15. Created by Chernobyl writer Craig Mazin, this story will follow the game storyline of Joel (Pedro Pascal) guiding 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) through a virus-ridden wasteland towards hope. It’s probably gonna be awesome.
The other big original series this month is animated mystery comedy Velma. Brought to life by Mindy Kaling, this show will be all about Scooby-Doo’s bespectacled buddy Velma Dinkley. Jinkies indeed!
There aren’t any major HBO Max original movie releases this January. The first of the month sees the arrival of Ghostbusters (1984), Hereditary, John Wick, and more. Recent theatrical release The Menu premieres on Jan.
HBO’s TV adaptation of beloved video game The Last of Us premieres on Jan. 15. Created by Chernobyl writer Craig Mazin, this story will follow the game storyline of Joel (Pedro Pascal) guiding 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) through a virus-ridden wasteland towards hope. It’s probably gonna be awesome.
The other big original series this month is animated mystery comedy Velma. Brought to life by Mindy Kaling, this show will be all about Scooby-Doo’s bespectacled buddy Velma Dinkley. Jinkies indeed!
There aren’t any major HBO Max original movie releases this January. The first of the month sees the arrival of Ghostbusters (1984), Hereditary, John Wick, and more. Recent theatrical release The Menu premieres on Jan.
- 1/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The new year brings new offerings on HBO and HBO Max. There are a number of fresh titles hitting the streaming service on Jan. 1, perfect for watching with friends or family on the first day of 2023.
HBO is adding an eclectic list of dramas, comedies, action and horror films in January. There’s “Insidious: Chapter 2,” “The Cabin in the Woods” and “Hereditary” for those who prefer Halloween to New Year’s. Award-winning dramas coming to the platform include “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Captain Phillips,” and “The Artist.” Comedy offerings include “White Chicks,” “Horrible Bosses 2,” and “Our Idiot Brother.” And you can also check out the first three films in the John Wick franchise before “John Wick: Chapter 4” hits theaters this spring.
On the original programming side, there’s the Season 29 premiere of “Real Sports With Bryan Gumbel,” as well as the second season of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?...
HBO is adding an eclectic list of dramas, comedies, action and horror films in January. There’s “Insidious: Chapter 2,” “The Cabin in the Woods” and “Hereditary” for those who prefer Halloween to New Year’s. Award-winning dramas coming to the platform include “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Captain Phillips,” and “The Artist.” Comedy offerings include “White Chicks,” “Horrible Bosses 2,” and “Our Idiot Brother.” And you can also check out the first three films in the John Wick franchise before “John Wick: Chapter 4” hits theaters this spring.
On the original programming side, there’s the Season 29 premiere of “Real Sports With Bryan Gumbel,” as well as the second season of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?...
- 1/1/2023
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey star in ‘The Last of Us’ (Photograph by Courtesy of HBO)
The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal and Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey star in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Last of Us, premiering on HBO Max on January 15, 2023. The streaming service’s January lineup also includes the new adult animated series Velma which delves into the backstory of Scooby-Doo’s Velma Dinkley. And Aquaman‘s Jason Momoa hosts the competition series The Climb featuring amateur climbers battling for a 100,000 cash prize.
HBO Max will also be debuting live sports beginning with coverage of the U.S. Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand soccer match on January 17th. In With the Old returns for its third season on January 11th and Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? is back for a second season starring January 6th.
Series & Films Arriving On HBO Max In January 2023:
January 1:
20 Feet From Stardom,...
The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal and Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey star in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Last of Us, premiering on HBO Max on January 15, 2023. The streaming service’s January lineup also includes the new adult animated series Velma which delves into the backstory of Scooby-Doo’s Velma Dinkley. And Aquaman‘s Jason Momoa hosts the competition series The Climb featuring amateur climbers battling for a 100,000 cash prize.
HBO Max will also be debuting live sports beginning with coverage of the U.S. Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand soccer match on January 17th. In With the Old returns for its third season on January 11th and Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? is back for a second season starring January 6th.
Series & Films Arriving On HBO Max In January 2023:
January 1:
20 Feet From Stardom,...
- 12/21/2022
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
FX promised a “season like no other” with American Horror Story: NYC, and it certainly has been. But does that also mean it won’t be connected to any of the previous 10 AHS installments?
Longtime fans certainly hope that isn’t the case, so when the silhouette of a winged woman appeared in the preview for Week 3 (Episodes 5 and 6), they allowed themselves to get excited. After all, who else could it be if not Frances Conroy as Shachath (aka the Angel of Death), last seen way back in American Horror Story: Asylum?
More from TVLineAtlanta Skewers Tyler Perry With Savage Parody -- Plus,...
Longtime fans certainly hope that isn’t the case, so when the silhouette of a winged woman appeared in the preview for Week 3 (Episodes 5 and 6), they allowed themselves to get excited. After all, who else could it be if not Frances Conroy as Shachath (aka the Angel of Death), last seen way back in American Horror Story: Asylum?
More from TVLineAtlanta Skewers Tyler Perry With Savage Parody -- Plus,...
- 11/3/2022
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Easily my favorite movie reference in "Scream" is the line, "What's that werewolf movie with E.T.'s mom in it?" That would be Joe Dante's gloriously seedy "The Howling," one of three lycanthrope flicks that hit theaters in 1981. Unabashedly sticking to its B-movie roots, the film outperformed Albert Finney vs. Real Wolves in "Wolfen," but got left a little in the dust by "An American Werewolf in London." Perhaps that was no surprise because John Landis was on a hot streak after "Animal House" and "The Blues Brothers," and his first foray into horror was slicker, more expensive, and, despite its fair share of shocks, generally more respectable than Dante's low-budget shocker.
More's the pity. Despite the cult appeal of his earlier movies, Landis was more of a commercial crowdpleaser in the '80s and I always got the sense that he was a little ashamed of the...
More's the pity. Despite the cult appeal of his earlier movies, Landis was more of a commercial crowdpleaser in the '80s and I always got the sense that he was a little ashamed of the...
- 10/21/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
Season 11 of “American Horror Story” kicks off with a stylized, sexy, stereotype-laden descent into New York City’s vibrant, violent nightlife.
“Something dark is coming.”
Regardless of one’s opinion on whether American Horror Story is past its prime, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in the different subgenres that inspire each season’s storytelling. After ten seasons, American Horror Story has hit most of the major bases. Now that the broader archetypes have been crossed off the list there’s a certain freedom in going off the beaten path. Season Eleven of American Horror Story turns the major metropolitan city of New York into this year’s horror hub, but it narrows in on a very specific time and subculture.
It feels as if American Horror Story: NYC was tackled back during the show’s infancy than this season would operate more like a...
“Something dark is coming.”
Regardless of one’s opinion on whether American Horror Story is past its prime, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in the different subgenres that inspire each season’s storytelling. After ten seasons, American Horror Story has hit most of the major bases. Now that the broader archetypes have been crossed off the list there’s a certain freedom in going off the beaten path. Season Eleven of American Horror Story turns the major metropolitan city of New York into this year’s horror hub, but it narrows in on a very specific time and subculture.
It feels as if American Horror Story: NYC was tackled back during the show’s infancy than this season would operate more like a...
- 10/20/2022
- by Daniel Kurland
- bloody-disgusting.com
Warning: This story contains spoilers for the first two episodes of American Horror Story: NYC.
American Horror Story: NYC seems a culmination of everything Ryan Murphy has made in the past: It’s like if Pose met Dahmer met the Rubber Man, the mysterious murderous figure that we first met in AHS season one.
Over the first two episodes, which premiered Wednesday on FX and is now streaming on Hulu, we meet a cast of characters trying to survive New York in 1981, specifically a mysterious illness infecting both deer on...
American Horror Story: NYC seems a culmination of everything Ryan Murphy has made in the past: It’s like if Pose met Dahmer met the Rubber Man, the mysterious murderous figure that we first met in AHS season one.
Over the first two episodes, which premiered Wednesday on FX and is now streaming on Hulu, we meet a cast of characters trying to survive New York in 1981, specifically a mysterious illness infecting both deer on...
- 10/20/2022
- by Brenna Ehrlich
- Rollingstone.com
Magna Cum Laude Pussy.
We’re still recovering from the fact that we got to talk to Chucky creator Don Mancini for 90 minutes last week, so between that, The Lure, the Og Hellraiser and Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria remake, this Halloween season has been pretty wild!
So where are the Horror Queers headed next? Just in time for Spooky Season, we’re checking out a quintessential Erotic Thriller of the 90s: Paul Verhoeven and Joe Eszterhas‘ sexy, sultry, sleazy Basic Instinct (1992).
In the film, Detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) – a recovering addict and womanizer – is tasked with investigating a grisly ice pick murder. What he doesn’t realize is that he’s entered into a deadly game of cat and mouse with provocative bisexual crime author Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone in a career defining role).
Despite the warnings of his therapist and on-again, off-again lover Dr. Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and possibly queer partner,...
We’re still recovering from the fact that we got to talk to Chucky creator Don Mancini for 90 minutes last week, so between that, The Lure, the Og Hellraiser and Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria remake, this Halloween season has been pretty wild!
So where are the Horror Queers headed next? Just in time for Spooky Season, we’re checking out a quintessential Erotic Thriller of the 90s: Paul Verhoeven and Joe Eszterhas‘ sexy, sultry, sleazy Basic Instinct (1992).
In the film, Detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) – a recovering addict and womanizer – is tasked with investigating a grisly ice pick murder. What he doesn’t realize is that he’s entered into a deadly game of cat and mouse with provocative bisexual crime author Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone in a career defining role).
Despite the warnings of his therapist and on-again, off-again lover Dr. Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and possibly queer partner,...
- 10/11/2022
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
(Welcome to ...And More, our no-frills, zero B.S. guide to when and where you can watch upcoming movies and shows, and everything else you could possibly stand to know.)
Just when you thought you were safe from anthology horror series, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk are pulling a real Madison Montgomery because surprise b****, "American Horror Story" is back for its 11th season. There had been rumors for a while that a new season was on the horizon, but with the "American Horror Stories" spin-off seasons and Murphy continuing to seemingly crank out new projects for Netflix every few months, there were some that feared the show had reached its end following season 10's "American Horror Story: Double Feature."
New Season. New City. New Fears. FX’s AHS:nyc premieres 10.19 on FX. Stream on Hulu. pic.twitter.com/LBk8P5jPX8
— AmericanHorrorStory (@Ahsfx) September 29, 2022
Not much has been revealed about the new series,...
Just when you thought you were safe from anthology horror series, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk are pulling a real Madison Montgomery because surprise b****, "American Horror Story" is back for its 11th season. There had been rumors for a while that a new season was on the horizon, but with the "American Horror Stories" spin-off seasons and Murphy continuing to seemingly crank out new projects for Netflix every few months, there were some that feared the show had reached its end following season 10's "American Horror Story: Double Feature."
New Season. New City. New Fears. FX’s AHS:nyc premieres 10.19 on FX. Stream on Hulu. pic.twitter.com/LBk8P5jPX8
— AmericanHorrorStory (@Ahsfx) September 29, 2022
Not much has been revealed about the new series,...
- 9/29/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
The world premiere of Halloween Ends will close out the 2022 edition of Beyond Fest, the Los Angeles-based genre film festival that is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism, based on the Grady Hendrix best-seller, Christmas Bloody Christmas, and Nocebo, starring Eva Green and Mark Strong, are other horror movies among the 10 premieres the festival will unveil during its run Sept. 27 to Oct. 11.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, fresh from its debut at the Toronto Film Festival, will have its U.S. premiere at Beyond Fest, with other festival circuit darlings, Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin, Mark Mylod’s The Menu, and Triangle of Sadness also on the bill.
The remake of Hellraiser, starring Jamie Clayton and Goran Visnjic, will receive a special screening with director David Bruckner and the cast on hand for a Q&a, while slasher pic,...
The world premiere of Halloween Ends will close out the 2022 edition of Beyond Fest, the Los Angeles-based genre film festival that is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism, based on the Grady Hendrix best-seller, Christmas Bloody Christmas, and Nocebo, starring Eva Green and Mark Strong, are other horror movies among the 10 premieres the festival will unveil during its run Sept. 27 to Oct. 11.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, fresh from its debut at the Toronto Film Festival, will have its U.S. premiere at Beyond Fest, with other festival circuit darlings, Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin, Mark Mylod’s The Menu, and Triangle of Sadness also on the bill.
The remake of Hellraiser, starring Jamie Clayton and Goran Visnjic, will receive a special screening with director David Bruckner and the cast on hand for a Q&a, while slasher pic,...
- 9/13/2022
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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