Ghost have announced a feature film titled Rite Here Rite Now, which is set for a worldwide theatrical release on June 20th and 22nd.
The Swedish band teased the film earlier this month, but with no details at the time. A new press release describes the movie as a pseudo narrative-concert film that “fully immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of the vaunted live ritual” that is Ghost. Directed by Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) and Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge, it culls footage from the band’s two sold-out shows at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles in 2023 and follows plot threads from Ghost’s long-running Chapters series.
“Over a decade ago when Ghost got signed to Loma Vista, Tom Whalley [owner and CEO] asked what the story of the band was,” revealed Forge in a press release. “He felt telling a story was vital in order to get new fans engaged. I...
The Swedish band teased the film earlier this month, but with no details at the time. A new press release describes the movie as a pseudo narrative-concert film that “fully immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of the vaunted live ritual” that is Ghost. Directed by Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) and Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge, it culls footage from the band’s two sold-out shows at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles in 2023 and follows plot threads from Ghost’s long-running Chapters series.
“Over a decade ago when Ghost got signed to Loma Vista, Tom Whalley [owner and CEO] asked what the story of the band was,” revealed Forge in a press release. “He felt telling a story was vital in order to get new fans engaged. I...
- 5/1/2024
- by Jon Hadusek
- Consequence - Film News
Ghost have announced a feature film titled Rite Here Rite Now, which is set for a worldwide theatrical release on June 20th and 22nd.
The Swedish band teased the film earlier this month, but with no details at the time. A new press release describes the movie as a pseudo narrative-concert film that “fully immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of the vaunted live ritual” that is Ghost. Directed by Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) and Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge, it culls footage from the band’s two sold-out shows at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles in 2023 and follows plot threads from Ghost’s long-running Chapters series.
“Over a decade ago when Ghost got signed to Loma Vista, Tom Whalley [owner and CEO] asked what the story of the band was,” revealed Forge in a press release. “He felt telling a story was vital in order to get new fans engaged. I...
The Swedish band teased the film earlier this month, but with no details at the time. A new press release describes the movie as a pseudo narrative-concert film that “fully immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of the vaunted live ritual” that is Ghost. Directed by Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) and Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge, it culls footage from the band’s two sold-out shows at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles in 2023 and follows plot threads from Ghost’s long-running Chapters series.
“Over a decade ago when Ghost got signed to Loma Vista, Tom Whalley [owner and CEO] asked what the story of the band was,” revealed Forge in a press release. “He felt telling a story was vital in order to get new fans engaged. I...
- 5/1/2024
- by Jon Hadusek
- Consequence - Music
Ron Thompson, the unheralded actor who starred on Broadway for Charles Gordone in the Pulitzer Prize-winning No Place to Be Somebody and played father and son musicians for Ralph Bakshi in the animated cult classic American Pop, has died. He was 83.
Filmmaker Joe Black told The Hollywood Reporter that he found Thompson in his Van Nuys apartment on Saturday afternoon. The two had worked together in eight features, including Hate Horses (2017), Chicks, Man (2018) and Suffrage (2023), and Black visited him a couple times a week to help him out.
“For a man of his age, he was so full of life, he had such a presence,” Black said. He called Thompson “the Sam Jackson to my Tarantino.”
In 1969, Thompson originated off-Broadway the role of Shanty Mulligan in the Joseph Papp-produced No Place to Be Somebody, starring Ron O’Neal, then accompanied the drama to Broadway and on a tour around the country.
Filmmaker Joe Black told The Hollywood Reporter that he found Thompson in his Van Nuys apartment on Saturday afternoon. The two had worked together in eight features, including Hate Horses (2017), Chicks, Man (2018) and Suffrage (2023), and Black visited him a couple times a week to help him out.
“For a man of his age, he was so full of life, he had such a presence,” Black said. He called Thompson “the Sam Jackson to my Tarantino.”
In 1969, Thompson originated off-Broadway the role of Shanty Mulligan in the Joseph Papp-produced No Place to Be Somebody, starring Ron O’Neal, then accompanied the drama to Broadway and on a tour around the country.
- 4/16/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ron Thompson, a veteran character actor best known for his role in Ralph Bakshi’s rotoscope film American Pop and his 1970s TV series portrayal of Detective Nopke in Baretta, died Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 83. No cause was given by his friend Professor Rel Dowdell of Hampton University, who confirmed the death.
Thompson had a brief career as a rock singer in the 1960s and wrote and recorded a number of singles as Ronnie Thompson.
He also originated the role of Shanty Mulligan in the Pulitzer Prize winning play No Place to Be Somebody by Charles Gordone. He also won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his 1973 lead performance in the play Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1941, Ron, his older brother, and parents moved to Miami, Florida in ’45. Ron began to show talents as a singer/performer at an early age,...
Thompson had a brief career as a rock singer in the 1960s and wrote and recorded a number of singles as Ronnie Thompson.
He also originated the role of Shanty Mulligan in the Pulitzer Prize winning play No Place to Be Somebody by Charles Gordone. He also won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his 1973 lead performance in the play Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1941, Ron, his older brother, and parents moved to Miami, Florida in ’45. Ron began to show talents as a singer/performer at an early age,...
- 4/14/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Then again, nobody needs to have the foresight of Galadriel to have caught wind of the latest round of rumors and speculation running rampant among "The Lord of the Rings" fans in recent weeks. While the obsessive fandom waits for more movies to arrive down the line, we at least have Prime Video's "The Rings of Power" series to keep us occupied in the meantime. But no matter how far removed we are from a first season that attracted all sorts of discourse in late 2022, from theories about the mysterious Stranger's identity to the guessing game surrounding the reveal of the Dark Lord Sauron, that hasn't stopped many from attempting to read the pipeweed anyway and make their best guess about which major figures from author J.R.R. Tolkien's lore might appear next.
- 2/23/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Let’s get this out of the way right away. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is not on this list. Despite what was initially planned, the sequel to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will not be coming to theaters in March, or any time in the upcoming year.
However, the loss of one exciting film does not mean 2024 will be short of great animated movies. In its place will be cartoons to meet the needs of every type of moviegoer, from franchise continuations to adaptations of beloved works to new entries. Given the complex nature of animated films, many of these don’t yet have firm release dates.
Still, animations enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to this next year. Here are the big movies you need to watch out for…
Orion and The Dark (February 2)
If you’re just looking at the promotional material for Orion and the Dark, you...
However, the loss of one exciting film does not mean 2024 will be short of great animated movies. In its place will be cartoons to meet the needs of every type of moviegoer, from franchise continuations to adaptations of beloved works to new entries. Given the complex nature of animated films, many of these don’t yet have firm release dates.
Still, animations enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to this next year. Here are the big movies you need to watch out for…
Orion and The Dark (February 2)
If you’re just looking at the promotional material for Orion and the Dark, you...
- 1/22/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
The Beatles weren’t civil rights activists, but a soul singer said the group’s success was “a civil rights breakthrough.” He wasn’t the only one to say something like that. Here’s a look at how Black singers inspired the Fab Four.
A singer said The Beatles and Elvis Presley moved helped the civil rights movement
Maxwell is a neo-soul singer known for tunes such as “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder),” “Sumthin’ Sumthin,” and “Lake by the Ocean.” His music doesn’t sound much like The Beatles’. However, Maxwell works in a musical idiom that paved the way for the Fab Four.
During a 2017 interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, Maxwell discussed the issue of The Beatles and cultural appropriation. “It’s a very touchy subject,” he said. “Because it’s like it was appropriation, but there was a certain window that was opened that never would have...
A singer said The Beatles and Elvis Presley moved helped the civil rights movement
Maxwell is a neo-soul singer known for tunes such as “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder),” “Sumthin’ Sumthin,” and “Lake by the Ocean.” His music doesn’t sound much like The Beatles’. However, Maxwell works in a musical idiom that paved the way for the Fab Four.
During a 2017 interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, Maxwell discussed the issue of The Beatles and cultural appropriation. “It’s a very touchy subject,” he said. “Because it’s like it was appropriation, but there was a certain window that was opened that never would have...
- 1/9/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Animation and fantasy go hand in hand. In the 80s, there was a boom of fantasy epics in the land of cartoons that had nothing to do with the House of Mouse and everything to do with adult content. This was helped along from the previous decade by creator Ralph Bakshi, who had started things off with Fritz the Cat and would be the first to do a feature-length version of Lord of The Rings with his animated film and the trippy flick Wizards (and later – the cult film Cool World).
During our fave decade, Anime would find a welcoming home in the US with several classics that would be released during that time. Canada would also get into the mix with Heavy Metal (which we’ll get to.) But Ralph Bakshi decided to join forces with one of the biggest names in fantasy art for a new entry into...
During our fave decade, Anime would find a welcoming home in the US with several classics that would be released during that time. Canada would also get into the mix with Heavy Metal (which we’ll get to.) But Ralph Bakshi decided to join forces with one of the biggest names in fantasy art for a new entry into...
- 1/6/2024
- by Jessica Dwyer
- JoBlo.com
It’s sad to say, but death seems to be working overtime as we close out 2023. Following the news that beloved character actor Tom Wilkinson has passed away, come the passing of two more well-loved supporting players in TV and film. Richard Romanus, who played the role of loan shark Michael Longo in Mean Streets, passed away at the age of 80 on December 23rd. Meanwhile, Maurice Hines, the brother of Gregory Hines, has also passed away, also at 80.
Although Richard Romanus had a lengthy career that went back to the early ‘70s, it was his turn in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets that remained his most memorable performance. It was his character who, after a run-in with Robert De Niro’s Johnny Boy (who owed Michael money), manned the car that drove up alongside Johnny Boy and Harvey Keitel’s Charlie, leading to the shooting of the loose cannon.
Richard...
Although Richard Romanus had a lengthy career that went back to the early ‘70s, it was his turn in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets that remained his most memorable performance. It was his character who, after a run-in with Robert De Niro’s Johnny Boy (who owed Michael money), manned the car that drove up alongside Johnny Boy and Harvey Keitel’s Charlie, leading to the shooting of the loose cannon.
Richard...
- 12/30/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Richard Romanus, the tough-guy character actor best known for his turn as Michael Longo, the Little Italy loan shark who gets into it with Robert De Niro’s Johnny Civello in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets, has died. He was 80.
Romanus died Dec. 23 in a private hospital in Volos, Greece, his son, Robert Romanus, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Romanus handled prominent voice roles for Ralph Bakshi in 1977’s Wizards (as the elf warrior Weehawk) and 1982’s Hey Good Lookin’ (as the leader of a 1950s greaser gang), and in between, he played the cab driver Harry Canyon in another animated film, Heavy Metal (1981).
He also appeared on four episodes of The Sopranos as Richard Lapenna, the on-again, off-again husband of Lorraine Bracco’s Jennifer Melfi, from 1999-2002.
In Mean Streets (1973), Romanus’ character is famously disrespected by Johnny when he leans on him for his money.
“You know, Michael, you make me laugh,...
Romanus died Dec. 23 in a private hospital in Volos, Greece, his son, Robert Romanus, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Romanus handled prominent voice roles for Ralph Bakshi in 1977’s Wizards (as the elf warrior Weehawk) and 1982’s Hey Good Lookin’ (as the leader of a 1950s greaser gang), and in between, he played the cab driver Harry Canyon in another animated film, Heavy Metal (1981).
He also appeared on four episodes of The Sopranos as Richard Lapenna, the on-again, off-again husband of Lorraine Bracco’s Jennifer Melfi, from 1999-2002.
In Mean Streets (1973), Romanus’ character is famously disrespected by Johnny when he leans on him for his money.
“You know, Michael, you make me laugh,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It is not uncommon to happen upon subversive art in the mainstream. You can find the provocative work of R. Crumb, Andres Serrano and Robert Mapplethorpe smuggled into the background of films, or, in many cases, outright adapted as a feature (à la Ralph Bakshi's take on Crumb's "Fritz the Cat"). What you don't expect is to throw on a network evening soap opera and notice that a character's pillowcase is adorned with a design pattern of unrolled condoms -- especially in the 1990s.
MacArthur "genius grant"-winning artist Mel Chin thought the same thing 30 years ago while teaching art simultaneously at CalTech and the University of Georgia. Inspired by the notion of product placement exploding across movie and television screens all over the world, Chin wondered what would happen if he could sneak a conceptually contentious piece of art into the background of an otherwise apolitical show.
MacArthur "genius grant"-winning artist Mel Chin thought the same thing 30 years ago while teaching art simultaneously at CalTech and the University of Georgia. Inspired by the notion of product placement exploding across movie and television screens all over the world, Chin wondered what would happen if he could sneak a conceptually contentious piece of art into the background of an otherwise apolitical show.
- 12/16/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
It is well known that The Lord of the Rings is a very long book, so long that the original publishers insisted on dividing it into three volumes. And so it is hardly surprising that not every character in the book made it into the major screen adaptations directed and produced by Peter Jackson, and often with good reason. Many of them do not need any special mention; there’s no need to list every Orc that did not get individually named or every minor Hobbit character at Bilbo’s birthday party.
However, some of the characters who did not quite make the cut could have made great additions to the screen versions, if only time had allowed. Here are characters who did not make it into the films, but who we’d love to see have their day on the big screen, or if anyone ever makes a long-running...
However, some of the characters who did not quite make the cut could have made great additions to the screen versions, if only time had allowed. Here are characters who did not make it into the films, but who we’d love to see have their day on the big screen, or if anyone ever makes a long-running...
- 10/30/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
A prolific TV character actor, voiceover artist, and one of the tallest performers in Hollywood has passed away. As confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, Richard Moll, known by most as the tall, bald bailiff Aristotle Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon on "Night Court" and the voice of Harvey Dent/Two-Face on "Batman: The Animated Series," died at his home in Big Bear Lake, California. He was 80.
At a towering 6-foot-8-inches tall, Moll often played intimidating figures, like his first television role of "Big Thug" on "Welcome Back, Kotter," Harold the Monster on "Here's Boomer," the abominable snowman in the film "Caveman," the gigantic zombie soldier in "House," Hoagie in "The Flintstones," Mestema in "The Dungeon Master," Hugh Kane in "Scary Movie 2," and even one of the Dementors in "Jingle All the Way."
Born in Pasadena, California as Charles Richard Moll, he attended the University of California at Berkeley where he...
At a towering 6-foot-8-inches tall, Moll often played intimidating figures, like his first television role of "Big Thug" on "Welcome Back, Kotter," Harold the Monster on "Here's Boomer," the abominable snowman in the film "Caveman," the gigantic zombie soldier in "House," Hoagie in "The Flintstones," Mestema in "The Dungeon Master," Hugh Kane in "Scary Movie 2," and even one of the Dementors in "Jingle All the Way."
Born in Pasadena, California as Charles Richard Moll, he attended the University of California at Berkeley where he...
- 10/27/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Richard Moll, the fun-loving actor who portrayed the towering and tenderhearted bailiff Aristotle Nostradamus “Bull” Shannon on all nine seasons of the popular NBC sitcom Night Court during its original run, has died. He was 80.
Moll died peacefully Thursday at his home in Big Bear Lake, California, his publicist announced.
Suitable for his 6-foot-8 frame, Moll played an abominable snowman alongside Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach in the comedy feature Caveman (1981), and he was a scary, decomposing Vietnam veteran in the horror film House (1986).
Moll also did lots of voiceover work, with a regular gig as the immortal bodyguard Norman on the syndicated series Mighty Max and turns as Harvey Dent/Two-Face for three Batman cartoons.
Moll had a shaved head — he did that to play the warrior Hurok in the sci-fi film Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) — when he auditioned for the role of Shannon on Night Court, created by Reinhold Weege.
Moll died peacefully Thursday at his home in Big Bear Lake, California, his publicist announced.
Suitable for his 6-foot-8 frame, Moll played an abominable snowman alongside Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach in the comedy feature Caveman (1981), and he was a scary, decomposing Vietnam veteran in the horror film House (1986).
Moll also did lots of voiceover work, with a regular gig as the immortal bodyguard Norman on the syndicated series Mighty Max and turns as Harvey Dent/Two-Face for three Batman cartoons.
Moll had a shaved head — he did that to play the warrior Hurok in the sci-fi film Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) — when he auditioned for the role of Shannon on Night Court, created by Reinhold Weege.
- 10/27/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Before author J.K. Rowling — on whose book series the films are based — said some awful, unforgivable, transphobic things, the "Harry Potter" franchise hooked audiences around the world. As someone who used to stand outside bookstores for the midnight launches of "Harry Potter" books, I can tell you that I was totally hooked.
For those who weren't into the books, the craze must have seemed bananas. People wandering around Universal Studios Hollywood's Wizarding World in the hot California summers, dressed in polyester wizard robes, waving their wands at walls ... well, we all looked nuts. If you didn't love the series the way fans did, the budget alone for these films would make a person cringe.
British actor Sir John Hurt, who played wand shop owner Garrick Ollivander, had some rather disparaging things to say about how much money was spent on these films, though put in context, it makes sense.
For those who weren't into the books, the craze must have seemed bananas. People wandering around Universal Studios Hollywood's Wizarding World in the hot California summers, dressed in polyester wizard robes, waving their wands at walls ... well, we all looked nuts. If you didn't love the series the way fans did, the budget alone for these films would make a person cringe.
British actor Sir John Hurt, who played wand shop owner Garrick Ollivander, had some rather disparaging things to say about how much money was spent on these films, though put in context, it makes sense.
- 9/5/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
Director Hugh Mulhern, who Dn last featured as part of our coverage of the Nfts graduate showcase last year, returns today with a new Riff Raff Films produced music video for artist Hak Baker. Mulhern’s video is a chaotic blaze of live action and animation, showcasing the pure chaos of a night on the town through a blend of forms and styles. The seedy, twisted imagery of the animation in particular feels like it could be lifted from a Robert Crumb comic or Ralph Bakshi’s controversial Fritz the Cat and the frenetic camerawork perfectly reflects the descending feeling of losing your inhibitions. With the video’s recent online release, Dn discussed the process of making it with Mulhern, talking through the challenge of blending animation and live action footage, the equipment necessary to pull it off, and the freeing creativity afforded to filmmakers through making music videos.
How...
How...
- 6/29/2023
- by James Maitre
- Directors Notes
On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: Brad Pitt Wants to Fuck a Cartoon in “Cool World”
If Robert Zemeckis’ “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” is one of the wonders of the cinematic world, then Ralph Bakshi’s “Cool World” is its under-trafficked, overly adult gift shop. The 1992 flop is worth walking through at least once — though I wouldn’t pick up anything from its metaphorical floor.
Embraced by lovers of animated baddies and so-wrong-it’s-right gems everywhere, this dark medium-blending fantasy film was intended to be Bakshi’s big comeback after a ten-year movie hiatus, arriving...
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: Brad Pitt Wants to Fuck a Cartoon in “Cool World”
If Robert Zemeckis’ “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” is one of the wonders of the cinematic world, then Ralph Bakshi’s “Cool World” is its under-trafficked, overly adult gift shop. The 1992 flop is worth walking through at least once — though I wouldn’t pick up anything from its metaphorical floor.
Embraced by lovers of animated baddies and so-wrong-it’s-right gems everywhere, this dark medium-blending fantasy film was intended to be Bakshi’s big comeback after a ten-year movie hiatus, arriving...
- 6/24/2023
- by Alison Foreman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
This post contains spoilers for "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."
Spider-Man has almost as long a history in animation as he does in the comic pages where he originated. That's why the "Spider-Verse" films' conceit — placing different Spider-People together and representing them with different styles of animation — is so clever. While the original "Into the Spider-Verse" featured only six Spider-People teaming up, the sequel "Across the Spider-Verse" takes things into overdrive with hundreds of them. This fulfills the promise of a Spider-Verse.
Most of these Spider-People are simple cameos or easter eggs -- they're all going about their day in Miguel O'Hara's (Oscar Isaac) citadel on Earth-928 and the film rarely lingers on them. However, knowledgeable Spider-Fans will spot some stars among the crowd. "Across the Spider-Verse" treats all Spider-Man audiovisual media as part of one big web. So, like how "Spider-Man: No Way Home" united the live-action Spider-Man actors,...
Spider-Man has almost as long a history in animation as he does in the comic pages where he originated. That's why the "Spider-Verse" films' conceit — placing different Spider-People together and representing them with different styles of animation — is so clever. While the original "Into the Spider-Verse" featured only six Spider-People teaming up, the sequel "Across the Spider-Verse" takes things into overdrive with hundreds of them. This fulfills the promise of a Spider-Verse.
Most of these Spider-People are simple cameos or easter eggs -- they're all going about their day in Miguel O'Hara's (Oscar Isaac) citadel on Earth-928 and the film rarely lingers on them. However, knowledgeable Spider-Fans will spot some stars among the crowd. "Across the Spider-Verse" treats all Spider-Man audiovisual media as part of one big web. So, like how "Spider-Man: No Way Home" united the live-action Spider-Man actors,...
- 6/5/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
In most cases, for most actors, typecasting can be a curse, a trap to be avoided. This is understandable, especially for actors who have either been trained on stage or have a natural affinity for character parts and don't wish to keep playing the same type of role over and over again.
Yet typecasting can also be a boon for an actor in many ways. For one thing, it can be a sort of job security, particularly within television or franchise filmmaking, as the "sell" of the actor in a role is more or less already done for them by their successful past work. For another, it allows the actor a sort of safety net, a proven track record that they can fall back on. Thus, they can feel free to take risks, knowing they already have an established screen persona.
Mark Hamill discovered the latter scenario when he auditioned...
Yet typecasting can also be a boon for an actor in many ways. For one thing, it can be a sort of job security, particularly within television or franchise filmmaking, as the "sell" of the actor in a role is more or less already done for them by their successful past work. For another, it allows the actor a sort of safety net, a proven track record that they can fall back on. Thus, they can feel free to take risks, knowing they already have an established screen persona.
Mark Hamill discovered the latter scenario when he auditioned...
- 6/4/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
In Guillermo del Toro's acceptance speech for his adaptation of "Pinnochio" winning the Best Animated Film Award at the 2023 Oscars, he brought up a talking point that animation fans have been preaching for years: animation is a medium, not a genre. This is why there is such a rich, diverse landscape of entertainment provided by animation, and why it's wrong to simply write off the medium as "kid's stuff." Sure, animation has been the medium from which countless children's entertainment classics came to life, but it's also a place where complex, adult stories featuring characters that are seldom shown in live-action can be told. It's likewise a medium that thrives in varying lengths of time.
It's no surprise when a big-budget action blockbuster crosses the two-hour mark for its runtime, and it's almost expected if a film is coming from an "auteur" director. But considering the majority of Western...
It's no surprise when a big-budget action blockbuster crosses the two-hour mark for its runtime, and it's almost expected if a film is coming from an "auteur" director. But considering the majority of Western...
- 5/31/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
After the success of Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino had his choice of pretty much any project he wanted…and he almost blew it by remaking a cheapo Roger Corman movie for Showtime.
Speaking on his Video Archives podcast, which he co-hosts with Roger Avary, Tarantino said he was approached by Showtime to take part in Rebel Highway, a 10-part tribute to B movies from the Aip catalog, all with a budget just over $1 million. “They wanted me to do one. Now, the thing is, every single person who did one–nobody did a remake, they just took the punchy title and then kind of did their own thing. I really liked Rock All Night…and so I would have done this remake.” For those unfamiliar with Rock All Night, it’s about two killers who take over a teen hangout spot and take them hostage.
Notably, Tarantino would have made...
Speaking on his Video Archives podcast, which he co-hosts with Roger Avary, Tarantino said he was approached by Showtime to take part in Rebel Highway, a 10-part tribute to B movies from the Aip catalog, all with a budget just over $1 million. “They wanted me to do one. Now, the thing is, every single person who did one–nobody did a remake, they just took the punchy title and then kind of did their own thing. I really liked Rock All Night…and so I would have done this remake.” For those unfamiliar with Rock All Night, it’s about two killers who take over a teen hangout spot and take them hostage.
Notably, Tarantino would have made...
- 5/19/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
They say “sex sells” in Hollywood, right? But what about drugs? After all, once the production code was lifted, successful counterculture drug movies like Easy Rider gave way to the indie auteur movement in American cinema in the 1960s and 70s, where Hollywood renegades like Brian De Palma and Martin Scorsese picked up the mantle and went on to make all-time classics like Scarface and Goodfellas decades later. In the interim, there has been no shortage of critical and commercial drug movie successes, be they Blow, Sicario, Traffic, The Wolf of Wall Street, you name it.
So then, Wtf Happened to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Seriously. How does such an authentic movie from the altered mindstate of Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, one directed by the venerated filmmaker Terry Gilliam and featuring unforgettable performances by Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro… how does a movie like that stumble...
So then, Wtf Happened to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Seriously. How does such an authentic movie from the altered mindstate of Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, one directed by the venerated filmmaker Terry Gilliam and featuring unforgettable performances by Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro… how does a movie like that stumble...
- 4/27/2023
- by Jake Dee
- JoBlo.com
Norwegian animation “Pesta,” directed by Hanne Berkaak, will head to the Frontières Platform in May. Directed at genre film professionals, the event is organized by the Fantasia International Film Festival with the Cannes’ Marché du Film.
The film, set in 1349 during the outbreak of the Black Plague, will see two teenagers, Astrid and Eilev, fighting for their forbidden love among the apocalypse as Astrid, a nobleman’s daughter, struggles with her growing desire for “the outcast heathen.”
Granted development funding from the Norwegian Film Institute, “Pesta” is produced by Mikrofilm’s Tonje Skar Reiersen and Lise Fearnley. It’s also named after a shadowy figure from Norwegian folklore, a personification of the plague itself.
“She was depicted as an old woman travelling from farm to farm, carrying a rake and a broom. Where she used her rake, some would survive. Where she swept her broom, everyone would die. Dark stuff,...
The film, set in 1349 during the outbreak of the Black Plague, will see two teenagers, Astrid and Eilev, fighting for their forbidden love among the apocalypse as Astrid, a nobleman’s daughter, struggles with her growing desire for “the outcast heathen.”
Granted development funding from the Norwegian Film Institute, “Pesta” is produced by Mikrofilm’s Tonje Skar Reiersen and Lise Fearnley. It’s also named after a shadowy figure from Norwegian folklore, a personification of the plague itself.
“She was depicted as an old woman travelling from farm to farm, carrying a rake and a broom. Where she used her rake, some would survive. Where she swept her broom, everyone would die. Dark stuff,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Music has always played an important role in Tolkien adaptations. J.A. Bayona, producer and director on Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, told Den of Geek last year that he played music on set for the actors to help them get “the right tone” for their characters, and that “there’s an… obvious sense of musicality when you read the books” which is “all about language and the beauty of language.” The show’s season one finale even featured a new musical setting for Tolkien’s “Rhyme of the Rings,” written by Bear McCreary and performed by Fiona Apple, which was generally well-received by fans.
Anyone who has read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings knows that the books are full of songs. Aragorn sings old Elvish ballads, Bilbo is quite the composer, the Dwarves have songs about their ancient mines, the Rohirrim love melancholic battle epics,...
Anyone who has read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings knows that the books are full of songs. Aragorn sings old Elvish ballads, Bilbo is quite the composer, the Dwarves have songs about their ancient mines, the Rohirrim love melancholic battle epics,...
- 3/20/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
"The Little Mermaid" saved Walt Disney Feature Animation in 1989. It earned rave reviews from critics like Roger Ebert, who wrote that "the magic of animation has been restored to us." It won an Academy Award and a Grammy for the hit song "Under the Sea." Best of all, the film popularized animated musicals; not just animated films with songs, but films with songs that expressed motivation and character as aptly as the animation did. Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken, responsible for the off-Broadway legend "Little Shop of Horrors," brought their hard-won expertise to a project that was floundering on the rocks. The results didn't just set the standard for the Disney Renaissance; they set the standard for its competition. For the first time in many years, Disney took the lead as opposed to ceding ground to challengers like Don Bluth. Not every film in the coming years would be successful,...
- 2/25/2023
- by Adam Wescott
- Slash Film
(To celebrate "Titanic" and its impending 25th-anniversary re-release, we've put together a week of explorations, inquires, and deep dives into James Cameron's box office-smashing disaster epic.)
"Titanic" is a truly monumental film, an epic the likes of which we rarely get anymore. James Cameron lead a team that crafted a touching and emotional romance for the ages, and a thrilling disaster movie with incredible effects both practical and digital. Few movies can give us the romantic splendor of Jack and Rose's first kiss, while simultaneously giving us the visual splendor and absolute terror of the shipwreck. This may have started as an excuse for Cameron to be able to see the shipwreck in person, but it is hard to argue against the sheer cinematic joy of the final film.
Despite a skyrocketing budget and a very skeptical studio, "Titanic" ended up becoming one of the biggest movies ever made,...
"Titanic" is a truly monumental film, an epic the likes of which we rarely get anymore. James Cameron lead a team that crafted a touching and emotional romance for the ages, and a thrilling disaster movie with incredible effects both practical and digital. Few movies can give us the romantic splendor of Jack and Rose's first kiss, while simultaneously giving us the visual splendor and absolute terror of the shipwreck. This may have started as an excuse for Cameron to be able to see the shipwreck in person, but it is hard to argue against the sheer cinematic joy of the final film.
Despite a skyrocketing budget and a very skeptical studio, "Titanic" ended up becoming one of the biggest movies ever made,...
- 2/6/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Writer/Director Joe Cornish discusses a few of his favorite movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Attack The Block (2011)
Rocks (2019)
Poltergeist (1982)
Gremlins (1984)
Avanti! (1972)
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975)
The Last Wave (1977)
Witness (1985)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Fearless (1993)
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World (2003)
Gallipoli (1981)
The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982)
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)
The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai (1984)
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
The Rescuers (1977)
Bedknobs And Broomsticks (1971)
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Moonraker (1979)
The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)
Bambi (1942)
Dumbo (1941)
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
This Island Earth (1955)
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (1956)
The Thing From Another World (1951)
Matinee (1993)
The Lord Of The Rings (1978)
The Omen (1976)
Damien: Omen II (1978)
Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981)
Battleship Potemkin (1925)
The Exorcist (1973)
The Exterminator (1980)
Friday The 13th...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Attack The Block (2011)
Rocks (2019)
Poltergeist (1982)
Gremlins (1984)
Avanti! (1972)
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975)
The Last Wave (1977)
Witness (1985)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Fearless (1993)
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World (2003)
Gallipoli (1981)
The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982)
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)
The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai (1984)
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
The Rescuers (1977)
Bedknobs And Broomsticks (1971)
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Moonraker (1979)
The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)
Bambi (1942)
Dumbo (1941)
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
This Island Earth (1955)
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (1956)
The Thing From Another World (1951)
Matinee (1993)
The Lord Of The Rings (1978)
The Omen (1976)
Damien: Omen II (1978)
Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981)
Battleship Potemkin (1925)
The Exorcist (1973)
The Exterminator (1980)
Friday The 13th...
- 1/24/2023
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
By the late 1970s, there were two major animated adaptations of The Lord of the Rings in development. Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, known for their holiday season specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, had directed an animated dramatization of The Hobbit for television, broadcast in 1977 and they were planning a sequel, also for television, based on The Lord of the Rings. But filmmaker and animator Ralph Bakshi beat them to it in 1978 when he directed an animated feature film, The Lord of the Rings, which he intended to be Part 1 of 2. The studio (United Artists) refused to put Part 1 on the title though, and never greenlit Part 2. Instead, Rankin and Bass released a made-for-television sequel to their Hobbit film under the title The Return of the King, which finished off J.R.R. Tolkien‘s epic story.
The Rankin/Bass Hobbit film is seriously underrated these days,...
The Rankin/Bass Hobbit film is seriously underrated these days,...
- 1/17/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
(Welcome to Animation Celebration, a recurring feature where we explore the limitless possibilities of animation as a medium. In this edition: "I Married a Strange Person!")
In the 1990s, MTV ran an animated showcase called "Liquid Television," which was a groundbreaking collection of early computer-animated shorts, highly-influential hand-drawn shorts, and was the launchpad for several high-profile originals, like Mike Judge's "Beavis and Butt-Head" and "Æon Flux." MTV snagged some of the most adventurous and experimental shorts from seasoned animators and designers of the era, including Charles Burns, Richard Sala, David Daniels, and Bill Plympton.
The latter was behind the 1987 Academy Awards-nominated short, "Your Face," which featured a man singing about the face of his love, as his own face begins to distort into increasingly unusual positions. He would go on to direct the animated musical feature, "The Tune," which was self-funded and incorporated footage from his shorts "The Wiseman,...
In the 1990s, MTV ran an animated showcase called "Liquid Television," which was a groundbreaking collection of early computer-animated shorts, highly-influential hand-drawn shorts, and was the launchpad for several high-profile originals, like Mike Judge's "Beavis and Butt-Head" and "Æon Flux." MTV snagged some of the most adventurous and experimental shorts from seasoned animators and designers of the era, including Charles Burns, Richard Sala, David Daniels, and Bill Plympton.
The latter was behind the 1987 Academy Awards-nominated short, "Your Face," which featured a man singing about the face of his love, as his own face begins to distort into increasingly unusual positions. He would go on to direct the animated musical feature, "The Tune," which was self-funded and incorporated footage from his shorts "The Wiseman,...
- 1/10/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
I’m not gonna lie, there’s been a lot of debate around here about what the best Christmas specials are and why. In fact, sometimes it’s gotten downright nasty around the office – and by “office,” of course I mean each of our homes, because that’s just how we roll. You can understand how heated discussion like this can get, because even a Jew like me has his favorites. See, even though I was Jewish, my family had Christmas trees and discussion about Santa Claus coming down the chimney and chestnuts roasting and the singing of carols off-key, because we basically secretly (or not so secretly) wanted to be Christian so we wouldn’t have to pretend to be just as happy celebrating Hanukkah and getting socks and coloring books as gifts while all the goyum seemed to be having the greatest time of their lives and so...
- 12/22/2022
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Epic fantasy has been a popular genre in the movies for nearly a century. Classics like "The Wizard of Oz," "Jason and the Argonauts," and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" attracted hordes of moviegoers; they also won awards and drew rave reviews from critics. But not every fantasy film gets two thumbs up. For every "The Lord of the Rings," there's a "Hobbit"; for every "Labyrinth," an "Eragon."
And yet, some of these films might make you sit up and cheer anyway. It's not just the swords and sorcery that make them fun; it's the diverse and complex characters, the bizarre and creative creatures, and the wild and innovative settings. Many fantasy films were lambasted by reviewers when they were released, but if you sit down to watch them today, you'll have a fantastic time.
Don't believe me? These 14 epic fantasy movies were panned by professional commentators, but they're still a blast to watch.
And yet, some of these films might make you sit up and cheer anyway. It's not just the swords and sorcery that make them fun; it's the diverse and complex characters, the bizarre and creative creatures, and the wild and innovative settings. Many fantasy films were lambasted by reviewers when they were released, but if you sit down to watch them today, you'll have a fantastic time.
Don't believe me? These 14 epic fantasy movies were panned by professional commentators, but they're still a blast to watch.
- 12/14/2022
- by Brendan Knapp
- Slash Film
"The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" is a lovely little bit of holiday cheer, following Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) as they try to find and retrieve the perfect Christmas present for their friend Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). The light-hearted, fluffy special comes from the mind of James Gunn, who also wrote and directed the "Guardians" films, and it serves as a nice epilogue to Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The special is mostly live-action, but some quick flashbacks from Peter's first Christmas with the Ravagers appear, and they're animated. Gunn wanted to use animation to riff on the animated segments in "The Star Wars Holiday Special," while also paying homage to the work of animation titan Ralph Bakshi.
The animation for the special was done by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, best known for their work on "Robot Chicken," though they have been working in 2D and...
The animation for the special was done by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, best known for their work on "Robot Chicken," though they have been working in 2D and...
- 12/9/2022
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
HBO created the first adult animated series in 1997, but Spicy City, a dark cyberpunk anthology from Ralph Bakshi, has become a lost relic.
Animation is one of the most versatile mediums of storytelling and over the past decade it’s been able to shake the restricting baggage that animated content is purely for younger audiences. Animated series for adults are among some of the best dramas and comedies on television, especially those that lean into the limitlessness of the medium. Animated series like Primal, Castlevania, and Love, Death + Robots have been groundbreaking horror series that show what’s truly possible in animation. The abundance of streaming services means that ancient programs have been unearthed to “complete” certain streaming libraries and it’s always exciting when new audiences can experience older content, even those that are products of their time.
HBO Max has the majority of HBO’s original series since the cable network’s inception,...
Animation is one of the most versatile mediums of storytelling and over the past decade it’s been able to shake the restricting baggage that animated content is purely for younger audiences. Animated series for adults are among some of the best dramas and comedies on television, especially those that lean into the limitlessness of the medium. Animated series like Primal, Castlevania, and Love, Death + Robots have been groundbreaking horror series that show what’s truly possible in animation. The abundance of streaming services means that ancient programs have been unearthed to “complete” certain streaming libraries and it’s always exciting when new audiences can experience older content, even those that are products of their time.
HBO Max has the majority of HBO’s original series since the cable network’s inception,...
- 12/8/2022
- by Daniel Kurland
- bloody-disgusting.com
Depending on whom you ask, Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is either a many-splendored era or a rancid trash fire. Both feel just a touch overdramatic, and probably say more about the critic than the art, but these opposing parties seem to agree on at least one thing — Phase 4 is the most varied arbitrary segment in Marvel's history. This variation comes from a desire to tell a wider diversity of stories in the wake of "Avengers: Endgame," which saw most of the familiar mainstays finalize their respective storylines. That's, uh, a really gentle way of saying a lot of people died.
The ever-expanding universe of heroes now includes quasi-immortal robot deities, an assassin suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder who also happens to have an Egyptian god using his head like free real estate, a young mutant whose crystalline powers apparently defy the laws of both time and space, and...
The ever-expanding universe of heroes now includes quasi-immortal robot deities, an assassin suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder who also happens to have an Egyptian god using his head like free real estate, a young mutant whose crystalline powers apparently defy the laws of both time and space, and...
- 11/27/2022
- by Cameron Roy Hall
- Slash Film
"The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" is a fun, fluffy tribute to the joys of the holiday season that follows Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) as they try to give Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) the best Christmas possible. Poor Peter hasn't been able to have a real Christmas since he was a child, and his first Christmas with his (sort of) adoptive father Yondu (Michael Rooker) wasn't exactly the kind of holiday happiness he needed. In order to show Kraglin's (Sean Gunn) story about Peter's first Christmas with the Ravagers as well as Peter's own flashbacks, director James Gunn used a classic Hollywood staple: rotoscope!
Rotoscoping is an animation technique where artists trace over photographs, creating a fluid kind of realism that's a bit uncanny to watch. The technique was popular in the 1980s, the time Peter would have nostalgia for because that's when he was a kid.
Rotoscoping is an animation technique where artists trace over photographs, creating a fluid kind of realism that's a bit uncanny to watch. The technique was popular in the 1980s, the time Peter would have nostalgia for because that's when he was a kid.
- 11/26/2022
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
If the “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” were a graphic novel, it would be an “annual,” a long-form comic book featuring a self-contained story that often exists outside of canon with a set of characters with which most fans are already familiar. In this case, it’s a slapstick comedy full of physical humor, musical numbers and the geekiest tribute to Kevin Bacon this side of the Bifrost.
James Gunn wrote and directed the 42-minute special and not only wrapped filming “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (the special was shot during “Vol. 3” production) for Marvel but is now co-head of the Warner Bros. new DC Films. Adept at taking B-level comic book characters and turning them into franchise hits, Gunn does a lot with a little here with Marvel’s first-ever holiday special.
The story takes place after the events of “Thor: Love and Thunder” but before “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3...
James Gunn wrote and directed the 42-minute special and not only wrapped filming “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (the special was shot during “Vol. 3” production) for Marvel but is now co-head of the Warner Bros. new DC Films. Adept at taking B-level comic book characters and turning them into franchise hits, Gunn does a lot with a little here with Marvel’s first-ever holiday special.
The story takes place after the events of “Thor: Love and Thunder” but before “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3...
- 11/25/2022
- by Karama Horne
- The Wrap
Since the feast is finished and the shopping (in person and online) has begun, the fine folks at Marvel Studios hope that you’ll take a break for a tasty little seasonal treat. And it’s the most unusual of setting for such an offering as much of it takes place in the most distant reaches of the MCU. Another universe, really. You see, the Earth-born leader of our favorite group of planet-hopping (I’m using a line from the first flick) “A-holes” is not quite feeling the yuletide spirit. Oh, as mentioned earlier, little is the operative word as this is yet another Marvel Studios Special Presentation, following October’s Werewolf By Night. It’s not really feature-length and it’s too long to be considered a short subject (maybe a “super deluxe” home video extra). So fire up the egg nog and join the ragtag space crew for...
- 11/25/2022
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
This Lord of the Rings article contains spoilers for The Rings of Power.
At the end of episode 7 of The Rings of Power, we saw an image that will be chilling to fans of either Peter Jackson’s movies or Tolkien’s legendarium: a Balrog stirring under the Dwarf mines of Khazad-dûm. But what exactly is this fiery monster and how does it relate to the rest of Tolkien’s world?
In Tolkien’s mythology, Balrogs are corrupted Maiar. The Maiar are spirits created by Ilúvatar (God) to help the Valar to shape the world. The Maiar are less powerful than the Valar and they more or less work for them. When one of the Valar, Morgoth, rebelled and turned to the Dark Side, he corrupted some of the Maiar and turned them into Balrogs.
Since Morgoth has some broad similarities with the Christian figure of Lucifer, the fallen angel who rebelled against God,...
At the end of episode 7 of The Rings of Power, we saw an image that will be chilling to fans of either Peter Jackson’s movies or Tolkien’s legendarium: a Balrog stirring under the Dwarf mines of Khazad-dûm. But what exactly is this fiery monster and how does it relate to the rest of Tolkien’s world?
In Tolkien’s mythology, Balrogs are corrupted Maiar. The Maiar are spirits created by Ilúvatar (God) to help the Valar to shape the world. The Maiar are less powerful than the Valar and they more or less work for them. When one of the Valar, Morgoth, rebelled and turned to the Dark Side, he corrupted some of the Maiar and turned them into Balrogs.
Since Morgoth has some broad similarities with the Christian figure of Lucifer, the fallen angel who rebelled against God,...
- 10/8/2022
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Say what you will about Rob Zombie, but you can’t pretend he isn’t consistent. As a musician, a stage performer and a filmmaker, Zombie has made a lucrative and (mostly) artistically intriguing career out of his boundless affection for schlock. Whether it’s ultraviolent horror movies, low-budget luchador adventures or goofy monster sitcoms, his love of B-movie media always jumps out at the audience. And at his best, he convinces us to love his weird obsessions too. At his worst… well, we’ll get to that.
Honorable Mention: “Grindhouse”: “Werewolf Women of the SS” (2007)
Rob Zombie’s fake trailer from the 2007 double-feature “Grindhouse” stands out, but not necessarily in a good way. His teaser is a rather obvious riff on exploitation sleaze like “Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS,” but making her an actual wolf, with tasteless Nazi imagery and an also tasteless cameo from Nicolas Cage as the racist caricature Fu Manchu.
Honorable Mention: “Grindhouse”: “Werewolf Women of the SS” (2007)
Rob Zombie’s fake trailer from the 2007 double-feature “Grindhouse” stands out, but not necessarily in a good way. His teaser is a rather obvious riff on exploitation sleaze like “Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS,” but making her an actual wolf, with tasteless Nazi imagery and an also tasteless cameo from Nicolas Cage as the racist caricature Fu Manchu.
- 9/28/2022
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "Watership Down" (1978)
Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max
The Pitch: A young rabbit named Fiver (voiced by Richard Briers) has a vision of impending doom for the rabbit-warren where he resides, the forest near their home running red with blood. Aware his sibling's visions have come true in the past, Fiver's brother Hazel (John Hurt) chooses to defy the orders of his chief, who forbids anyone from leaving their burrow. Leading a group that includes Fiver and several other rabbits, Hazel and his peers brave hawks, cars, human traps, dogs, cats, and tyrannical rabbits known as Efrafans in the hopes of finding a new safe haven at the hill Fiver sees in his mind: Watership Down.
As...
The Movie: "Watership Down" (1978)
Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max
The Pitch: A young rabbit named Fiver (voiced by Richard Briers) has a vision of impending doom for the rabbit-warren where he resides, the forest near their home running red with blood. Aware his sibling's visions have come true in the past, Fiver's brother Hazel (John Hurt) chooses to defy the orders of his chief, who forbids anyone from leaving their burrow. Leading a group that includes Fiver and several other rabbits, Hazel and his peers brave hawks, cars, human traps, dogs, cats, and tyrannical rabbits known as Efrafans in the hopes of finding a new safe haven at the hill Fiver sees in his mind: Watership Down.
As...
- 9/6/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
For a time, it seemed as though a great shadow had passed over the world, and then faded — still present, though not quite as ominous. There were those who could confidently believe they were seeing progress. A fantasy? Perhaps. But not one without value. Yet, there were those who sought the cover of that shadow to hide from their own insecurities, failings, uselessness. They could not conceive of the endless potential of progress. Miserable little trolls left stewing in their own ugly ignorance and hatred, who sought regression, but proved too incompetent to succeed, even when emboldened by the lies from their weakened leader.
I could very easily be discussing Middle-earth, but I’m not. What I’m discussing is our very real world, and social media as an extension of that world. For the past week, I’ve been bombarded with messages of hate,...
For a time, it seemed as though a great shadow had passed over the world, and then faded — still present, though not quite as ominous. There were those who could confidently believe they were seeing progress. A fantasy? Perhaps. But not one without value. Yet, there were those who sought the cover of that shadow to hide from their own insecurities, failings, uselessness. They could not conceive of the endless potential of progress. Miserable little trolls left stewing in their own ugly ignorance and hatred, who sought regression, but proved too incompetent to succeed, even when emboldened by the lies from their weakened leader.
I could very easily be discussing Middle-earth, but I’m not. What I’m discussing is our very real world, and social media as an extension of that world. For the past week, I’ve been bombarded with messages of hate,...
- 9/2/2022
- by Richard Newby
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After two decades, the "Lord of the Rings" movies remain as magical as when they first premiered. Beyond the massive amount of money they made, beyond the Academy Award wins, beyond the behind-the-scenes drama, they still remain impressive today. Before Peter Jackson came along, J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" book was long considered unadaptable, even if Ralph Bakshi did make a great animated movie out of it. The trilogy ended up not just doing a great job of bringing Tolkien's legendarium to life in a concise and endearing way, but it also invited you into this fantastical new world and made it feel real and lived in. From the grandeur of the big cities like Rivendell and Minas Tirith, to the vastness of the Forest of Fangorn, to the depths of Moria where the Balrog awaits.
On top of the stunning visuals, intricate miniatures and bigatures,...
On top of the stunning visuals, intricate miniatures and bigatures,...
- 8/19/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
The IP rights for “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien are moving. On Thursday, Swedish gaming company Embracer announced they have entered a deal to acquire the legendary fantasy series.
“I am truly excited to have ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit,’ one of the world’s most epic fantasy franchises, join the Embracer family, opening up more transmedia opportunities including synergies across our global group,” Lars Wingefors, Founder and Group CEO Embracer Group, said in a statement. “I am thrilled to see what lies in the future for this IP with Freemode and Asmodee as a start within the group.”
The rights to the titles were previously owned by The Saul Zaentz Company, after acquiring them from the heirs and estate of J.R.R. Tolkien and HarperCollins Publishers in 1976. (The latter of whom still maintains the print publication rights to both...
“I am truly excited to have ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit,’ one of the world’s most epic fantasy franchises, join the Embracer family, opening up more transmedia opportunities including synergies across our global group,” Lars Wingefors, Founder and Group CEO Embracer Group, said in a statement. “I am thrilled to see what lies in the future for this IP with Freemode and Asmodee as a start within the group.”
The rights to the titles were previously owned by The Saul Zaentz Company, after acquiring them from the heirs and estate of J.R.R. Tolkien and HarperCollins Publishers in 1976. (The latter of whom still maintains the print publication rights to both...
- 8/18/2022
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
What Westerners don’t know about Noh — the classical Japanese theater form in which masked dancers gracefully interpret supernatural tales — could easily fill a 12-hour PBS documentary. But who wants to watch that? Certainly not the audience renegade anime director Masaaki Yuasa is after with “Inu-oh,” a rowdy punk alternative focusing on two social rejects whose defiantly original performance style broke all the rules and elevated them to rock-star status, only to be (all but) forgotten by history.
Among the most unpredictable artists of his medium, Yuasa specializes in trippy, off-the-wall anime features such as “Mind Game” and “Night Is Short, Walk On Girl” that recall the work of psychedelic toonsmith Ralph Bakshi at his anti-establishment extreme. Of all the filmmakers now working in Japan, Yuasa is the last one fans would expect to show an interest in the rigorously rule-based world of Noh — until it clicks that his...
Among the most unpredictable artists of his medium, Yuasa specializes in trippy, off-the-wall anime features such as “Mind Game” and “Night Is Short, Walk On Girl” that recall the work of psychedelic toonsmith Ralph Bakshi at his anti-establishment extreme. Of all the filmmakers now working in Japan, Yuasa is the last one fans would expect to show an interest in the rigorously rule-based world of Noh — until it clicks that his...
- 8/12/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSEnys Men (Mark Jenkin).The New York Film Festival announced its Main Slate. Highlights include new films from Park Chan-wook, Claire Denis, and Kelly Reichardt; a fiction feature from Frederick Wiseman; Mark Jenkin's Bait follow-up Enys Men; and much more.Hong Kong action director John Woo will reimagine his 1989 crime classic The Killer in a new remake due out in 2023. French actor Omar Sy (The Intouchables) will play the lead.Lars Von Trier has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, his production company Zoetrope has confirmed. The director is doing well, and is currently being treated for symptoms whilst continuing to work on The Kingdom Exodus.Artist and El Planeta filmmaker Amalia Ulman's visa is expiring, meaning she may have to leave the United States, where she is currently working on her next feature film.
- 8/9/2022
- MUBI
In 1978, Ralph Bakshi became the first director to bring Middle-earth to the big screen with "The Lord of the Rings," a startling vision that once again reminds us: Animation has always been a medium used for telling stories with great depth and maturity. Running just over two hours and blending elements of J.R.R. Tolkien's first two "Rings" novels, Bakshi used the then-novel technique of rotoscoping to shoot the movie in live-action then trace the footage onto animation cels. Nearly a quarter of a century later, Peter Jackson would adapt Tolkien's fantasy tome into a trilogy of live-action...
The post What's the Biggest Difference Between The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and the Movies? appeared first on /Film.
The post What's the Biggest Difference Between The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and the Movies? appeared first on /Film.
- 7/22/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
"Cool World" director Ralph Bakshi's 6-episode HBO animated science fiction TV series "Spicy City", is hosted by 'Raven' (Michelle Phillips):
In "Love Is a Download", a woman seeking escape from her abusive boyfriend finds true love in a virtual world in the guise of a 'geisha', while a one-armed former boxer tries to save her.
"Mano's Hands" follows a bongo player terrorizing civilians after losing his arms to the underworld.
In "Tears of a Clone" a detective on a search to find a rich man's daughter, returns with her 'clone' instead.
In "An Eye for an Eye" female cop 'Margo', known for her striking blue eyes and penchant for abusing power, plots to blackmail the near-sighted judge of 'Spicy City', while her partner 'Ernie' is determined to stop Margo once and for all.
In "Sex Drive", a female police detective, mistreated by her coworkers, teams up with a 'cyborg'.
In "Love Is a Download", a woman seeking escape from her abusive boyfriend finds true love in a virtual world in the guise of a 'geisha', while a one-armed former boxer tries to save her.
"Mano's Hands" follows a bongo player terrorizing civilians after losing his arms to the underworld.
In "Tears of a Clone" a detective on a search to find a rich man's daughter, returns with her 'clone' instead.
In "An Eye for an Eye" female cop 'Margo', known for her striking blue eyes and penchant for abusing power, plots to blackmail the near-sighted judge of 'Spicy City', while her partner 'Ernie' is determined to stop Margo once and for all.
In "Sex Drive", a female police detective, mistreated by her coworkers, teams up with a 'cyborg'.
- 6/22/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
"The Lord of the Rings" is heading into new territory that fans have never seen before, and at least one familiar face (voice?) will be guiding us there.
Announced almost exactly a year ago, "The War of the Rohirrim" will mark the franchise's first foray into anime -- though not animation in general, as Ralph Bakshi famously adapted "The Lord of the Rings" through rotoscope animation in 1978 -- while delving into events taking place almost 200 years before Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Referred to as Rohirrim collectively, the people of Rohan played an integral role throughout "The...
The post Lord of the Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim Will Bring Back Miranda Otto as Éowyn appeared first on /Film.
Announced almost exactly a year ago, "The War of the Rohirrim" will mark the franchise's first foray into anime -- though not animation in general, as Ralph Bakshi famously adapted "The Lord of the Rings" through rotoscope animation in 1978 -- while delving into events taking place almost 200 years before Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Referred to as Rohirrim collectively, the people of Rohan played an integral role throughout "The...
The post Lord of the Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim Will Bring Back Miranda Otto as Éowyn appeared first on /Film.
- 6/15/2022
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
It's genuinely shocking that "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" exists. Every single frame of the film is littered with industry satire and references to some of animation's most iconic characters -- and we're not just talking about characters owned by the House of Mouse. The film is a hilarious takedown of the way animation has evolved and been exploited, with the hybrid style of filmmaking feeling reminiscent of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" or Ralph Bakshi's "Cool World." When the first teaser for "Chip 'n Dale" dropped, people were flabbergasted with just how many animated characters the filmmakers managed to get the rights...
The post Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Wanted Many More Cameos That Didn't Happen appeared first on /Film.
The post Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Wanted Many More Cameos That Didn't Happen appeared first on /Film.
- 5/20/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
May on the Criterion Channel will be good to the auteurs. In fact they’re giving Richard Linklater better treatment than the distributor of his last film, with a 13-title retrospective mixing usual suspects—the Before trilogy, Boyhood, Slacker—with some truly off the beaten track. There’s a few shorts I haven’t seen but most intriguing is Heads I Win/Tails You Lose, the only available description of which calls it a four-hour (!) piece “edited together by Richard Linklater in 1991 from film countdowns and tail leaders from films submitted to the Austin Film Society in Austin, Texas from 1987 to 1990. It is Linklater’s tribute to the film countdown, used by many projectionists over the years to cue one reel of film after another when switching to another reel on another projector during projection.” Pair that with 2008’s Inning by Inning: A Portrait of a Coach and your completionism will be on-track.
- 4/21/2022
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
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