Warning: Seeing as some readers are sensitive to this point, this post will discuss dogs that are killed in movies.
In John Carpenter's 1978 slasher film "Halloween," the masked serial killer Michael Myers -- in addition to murdering five people -- kills two dogs. The first kill is not shown, and is only alluded to in a grisly dialogue exchange. When Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) and Sheriff Leigh Brackett (Charles Cyphers) investigate Michael Myers' childhood home, they see a dead dog left on the floor, kept tastefully off-camera. "He must have gotten hungry," Dr. Loomis notes. Yes, Michael Myers ate a dog.
Later in the film, a more shocking scene of animal violence occurs. At the home of Linsday Wallace (Kyle Richards), the family dog barks at Michael who approaches the home from the shadows, targeting Linsday's babysitter Annie (Nancy Loomis). The dog, Lester, does not meet a pleasant fate,...
In John Carpenter's 1978 slasher film "Halloween," the masked serial killer Michael Myers -- in addition to murdering five people -- kills two dogs. The first kill is not shown, and is only alluded to in a grisly dialogue exchange. When Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) and Sheriff Leigh Brackett (Charles Cyphers) investigate Michael Myers' childhood home, they see a dead dog left on the floor, kept tastefully off-camera. "He must have gotten hungry," Dr. Loomis notes. Yes, Michael Myers ate a dog.
Later in the film, a more shocking scene of animal violence occurs. At the home of Linsday Wallace (Kyle Richards), the family dog barks at Michael who approaches the home from the shadows, targeting Linsday's babysitter Annie (Nancy Loomis). The dog, Lester, does not meet a pleasant fate,...
- 12/17/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Halloween Kills" might be one of the weaker installments in the long-running "Halloween" franchise, but one of its stars is anything but. The new book "Halloween: The Official Making of Halloween, Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends" includes a whole bunch of great behind-the-scenes stories about the new trilogy's production, including one about "Halloween Kills" actor Kyle Richards. Richards, a former child actress who is perhaps now best known as a castmate on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," played Michael Myers survivor Lindsey in the recent David Gordon Green movie (a role she originated in the 1978 classic), and apparently went above and beyond when it came to the film's stunt scenes.
In one scene, according to Abbie Bernstein's book, Richards was tasked with smacking the seemingly invincible killer known as The Shape with a sack of foam meant to be a stand-in for a bag of bricks. The foam...
In one scene, according to Abbie Bernstein's book, Richards was tasked with smacking the seemingly invincible killer known as The Shape with a sack of foam meant to be a stand-in for a bag of bricks. The foam...
- 11/24/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
It was revealed at the end of Irvin Kershner's 1980 sci-fi/fantasy film "The Empire Strikes Back" that the masked fascist warlock Darth Vader was secretly the father of the young hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). This information was shocking enough to echo through multiple generations, and the "villain is secretly related to the hero" twist has been repeated throughout much of popular media for decades. The revelation also famously contradicts dialogue from 1977's "Star Wars." Luke was previously told, by the reliable Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), that Darth Vader had killed Luke's father. The reason for Obi-Wan's deception has never been satisfactorily explained.
In the broader context of the "Star Wars" saga, the relationship between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker has become a vital narrative fulcrum, but in the contained 1980-only context of just "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back," the twist doesn't make a lot of sense.
In the broader context of the "Star Wars" saga, the relationship between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker has become a vital narrative fulcrum, but in the contained 1980-only context of just "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back," the twist doesn't make a lot of sense.
- 11/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Halloween franchise is a multiverse of madness. The third film, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, has always stood off to the side by itself. The seventh, Halloween H20, came along and ignored the events of all of the previous sequels except Halloween II. The follow-up to that film, Halloween: Resurrection, was so poorly received that the entire original timeline was abandoned so Rob Zombie would direct a Halloween remake. And after the sequel to the remake, we got a trilogy of sequels to the original film. But before the decision was made to move forward with a remake, a sequel to Halloween: Resurrection was in development – and one idea for a sequel would have featured the return of Josh Harnett’s character John Tate from H20, Busta Rhymes’ character Freddie Harris from Resurrection, and Charles Cyphers’ Leigh Brackett from the first two movies. This one would have been titled Halloween: Retribution…...
- 10/19/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
With the insane games that the various streaming platforms are pulling in terms of removing content from their services (sometimes projects that were made specifically for those platforms), an added emphasis has been placed on home video. And with good reason. The only way you can insure that the movies you love will be around is by owning them on Blu-ray. Thankfully the home video labels have been stepping up their game, with deluxe packages overflowing with extras and feature films presented in their best possible format.
Here are the biggest and best releases on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K in August 2023.
Marvel Studios
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
Ready for one last ride? Writer/director James Gunn, who is now overseeing DC Studios at Warner Bros., returned for the third part of his “Guardians of the Galaxy” saga. This time around, the Guardians, led by Star Lord (Chris Pratt...
Here are the biggest and best releases on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K in August 2023.
Marvel Studios
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
Ready for one last ride? Writer/director James Gunn, who is now overseeing DC Studios at Warner Bros., returned for the third part of his “Guardians of the Galaxy” saga. This time around, the Guardians, led by Star Lord (Chris Pratt...
- 8/31/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
The finer details of George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy were anything but set in stone when the Maker first outlined his grand space fantasy saga back in the ’70s. Take the shifting relationship between Luke and Leia in across all three installments, for example, or the differences between the Emperor in the movies and his backstory in the novelization of A New Hope. In the rough draft of The Empire Strikes Back by Leigh Brackett, Lando was a clone, a veteran of the mythical Clone Wars, instead of Han’s smooth-talking counterpart. Then there all the ways Return of the Jedi changed during the writing process, and in the pivotal story meetings between Lucas and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan that would decide the fate of the galaxy.
Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays by film historian Laurent Bouzereau chronicles many of the discussion points from those meetings, and those transcripts paint...
Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays by film historian Laurent Bouzereau chronicles many of the discussion points from those meetings, and those transcripts paint...
- 8/16/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
The Will Rogers Picture Pioneers Foundation is holding a screening of Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back on Aug. 30, 7Pm at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to raise funds for its charity.
The non-profit provides support to a multitude of national health and social service programs, as well as financial assistance to members of the motion picture community in times of need. A special appearance will be made by the 501st Legion, an international costuming organization comprised of and operated by Star Wars fans that are committed to supporting communities, moviegoers and charitable causes nationwide.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre for their generosity in supporting Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation to raise much-needed funds for members of our community during a time of increasing need,” said Christina Blumer, Executive Director of Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. “We’re also thrilled to collaborate with...
The non-profit provides support to a multitude of national health and social service programs, as well as financial assistance to members of the motion picture community in times of need. A special appearance will be made by the 501st Legion, an international costuming organization comprised of and operated by Star Wars fans that are committed to supporting communities, moviegoers and charitable causes nationwide.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre for their generosity in supporting Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation to raise much-needed funds for members of our community during a time of increasing need,” said Christina Blumer, Executive Director of Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. “We’re also thrilled to collaborate with...
- 8/9/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
In 1980, when The Empire Strikes Back was released, Star Wars: A New Hope had already established itself as the most popular movie ever made. Beloved by practically every person who saw it, firmly ensconced in the pop culture conversation forever, the film lit up the imaginations of children and adults alike. That’s what made it so special. Very quickly, it went from modestly-budgeted gamble… to an industry game changer, with everything from highly-coveted toys to a rather bizarre Christmas special capitalizing off the goodwill generated by George Lucas’ terrific film. The actors were now stars, and their characters were celebrities – Star Wars was the feel- good story of the business, helping to usher in a newfound appreciation – and soon enough, a reliance – on high-concept summer blockbusters.
But a showstopper of this magnitude needs an encore. For all the merchandise and souvenirs offered in the wake of “A New Hope’s” footprint,...
But a showstopper of this magnitude needs an encore. For all the merchandise and souvenirs offered in the wake of “A New Hope’s” footprint,...
- 6/5/2023
- by Eric Walkuski
- JoBlo.com
This post contains spoilers for "The Empire Strikes Back."
In 1980, "The Empire Strikes Back" had already screened in about a hundred theaters when executive producer and "Star Wars" creator George Lucas decided that the ending was confusing and needed some last-minute changes. According to StarWars.com, before the movie expanded its theatrical rollout any further, Lucas had the team at Industrial Light & Magic add shots to give clarity to the geography of the Millennium Falcon in relation to the medical frigate where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the droids C-3Po (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) stand looking out the window.
It wouldn't be the last time Lucas tinkered with "The Empire Strikes Back," as the version that's now streaming on Disney+ incorporates further changes he made for its 1997 Special Edition re-release. In 2022, Hamill revealed that the medical frigate scene was itself a late...
In 1980, "The Empire Strikes Back" had already screened in about a hundred theaters when executive producer and "Star Wars" creator George Lucas decided that the ending was confusing and needed some last-minute changes. According to StarWars.com, before the movie expanded its theatrical rollout any further, Lucas had the team at Industrial Light & Magic add shots to give clarity to the geography of the Millennium Falcon in relation to the medical frigate where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the droids C-3Po (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) stand looking out the window.
It wouldn't be the last time Lucas tinkered with "The Empire Strikes Back," as the version that's now streaming on Disney+ incorporates further changes he made for its 1997 Special Edition re-release. In 2022, Hamill revealed that the medical frigate scene was itself a late...
- 4/29/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
“Fair to middling” is how Angie Dickinson is feeling this morning as she talks about “Rio Bravo,” the 1959 film that made her a star. “Somebody who says they’re great at 90, you can figure out that they lie a lot.” It’s a line that could have come straight from Jules Furthman and Leigh Brackett’s script for the film — and a reminder that Dickinson’s gift for delivery isn’t dependent on working with a brilliant director, though she has many times in her seven-decade career.
Dickinson has more then 350 screen credits — an enormous body of work that includes “Ocean’s Eleven” (the 1960 original), “Point Blank” and “Dressed to Kill.” She’s set to appear April 13 at the TCM Film Festival to introduce a 4K restoration of Howard Hawks’ classic Western, whose boys’ club cast of John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan she breaks up with that same brisk humor.
Dickinson has more then 350 screen credits — an enormous body of work that includes “Ocean’s Eleven” (the 1960 original), “Point Blank” and “Dressed to Kill.” She’s set to appear April 13 at the TCM Film Festival to introduce a 4K restoration of Howard Hawks’ classic Western, whose boys’ club cast of John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan she breaks up with that same brisk humor.
- 4/12/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
No filmmaker loved ripping off their own work more than Howard Hawks. And if your oeuvre is riddled with all-timers like "Bringing Up Baby," "Only Angels Have Wings," "His Girl Friday" and "Ball of Fire," you might copy yourself, too.
Hawks' most egregious act of self-theft has its roots in "Rio Bravo," which is widely and correctly considered one of the finest Westerns ever made. The film that Quentin Tarantino calls the greatest "hangout" movie stars John Wayne as Sheriff John T. Chance, who teams up with his alcoholic former colleague (Dean Martin), a hotshot young gunfighter (Ricky Nelson), and Stumpy (Walter Brennan) to keep the outlaw brother of a wealthy local rancher in stir until the federal authorities can ride into town and take him into custody.
In an interview in the 1997 book, "Backstory 2: Interviews with Screenwriters of the 1940s and 1950s," scriptwriter Leigh Brackett shared that Hawks'...
Hawks' most egregious act of self-theft has its roots in "Rio Bravo," which is widely and correctly considered one of the finest Westerns ever made. The film that Quentin Tarantino calls the greatest "hangout" movie stars John Wayne as Sheriff John T. Chance, who teams up with his alcoholic former colleague (Dean Martin), a hotshot young gunfighter (Ricky Nelson), and Stumpy (Walter Brennan) to keep the outlaw brother of a wealthy local rancher in stir until the federal authorities can ride into town and take him into custody.
In an interview in the 1997 book, "Backstory 2: Interviews with Screenwriters of the 1940s and 1950s," scriptwriter Leigh Brackett shared that Hawks'...
- 2/15/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
One of the more common misconceptions about "Star Wars" is the idea that creator George Lucas directed and wrote the entire original trilogy. That idea leads people to wonder how the guy who created something as good as "The Empire Strikes Back" could later go on to make something so terrible with the prequels. How could Lucas' films have fallen so far in quality so quickly?
The answer, of course, is that it was Irvin Kershner who directed "Empire," and the screenplay was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. ("Return of the Jedi," meanwhile, was directed by Richard Marquand.) Lucas oversaw the production and provided the stories for 5 and 6, but as a whole, the "Star Wars" original trilogy seemed to work as well as it did because of Lucas' limited involvement. Even with the first film, which Lucas did write and direct, he was dealing with a lot of...
The answer, of course, is that it was Irvin Kershner who directed "Empire," and the screenplay was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. ("Return of the Jedi," meanwhile, was directed by Richard Marquand.) Lucas oversaw the production and provided the stories for 5 and 6, but as a whole, the "Star Wars" original trilogy seemed to work as well as it did because of Lucas' limited involvement. Even with the first film, which Lucas did write and direct, he was dealing with a lot of...
- 2/9/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
This Star Wars article contains spoilers for The Bad Batch.
Believe it or not, clones and the concept of clone armies have existed in the Star Wars universe since the very beginning, going all the way back to when old Ben Kenobi made a reference to the legendary Clone Wars in 1977. Back then, this line delivered by Sir Alec Guinness was just a bit of classic George Lucas worldbuilding, an insinuation that the galaxy far, far away was much bigger and had way more history than what you were watching on screen. There was so much more happening out there beyond the deserts of Tatooine.
It wouldn’t be until 2002 that Lucas finally brought in the clones in question (although Leigh Brackett’s original draft of the script for “Star Wars II” introduced Lando as one of the last of these mysterious clones back in the late ’70s). The suitably titled Attack of the Clones,...
Believe it or not, clones and the concept of clone armies have existed in the Star Wars universe since the very beginning, going all the way back to when old Ben Kenobi made a reference to the legendary Clone Wars in 1977. Back then, this line delivered by Sir Alec Guinness was just a bit of classic George Lucas worldbuilding, an insinuation that the galaxy far, far away was much bigger and had way more history than what you were watching on screen. There was so much more happening out there beyond the deserts of Tatooine.
It wouldn’t be until 2002 that Lucas finally brought in the clones in question (although Leigh Brackett’s original draft of the script for “Star Wars II” introduced Lando as one of the last of these mysterious clones back in the late ’70s). The suitably titled Attack of the Clones,...
- 2/8/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Robert Altman is an undisputed cinematic legend, but even he was afraid to tackle another Hollywood icon's cinematic universe.
Perhaps the director's most fondly remembered film is his dreamy adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "The Long Goodbye." The 1973 film tells the continuing story of Philip Marlowe, who first appeared onscreen in the 1946 noir "The Big Sleep," memorably played by Humphrey Bogart. Bogart gave the definitive performance of Marlowe before "The Long Goodbye," although there were some lesser-known adaptations of Chandler's stories about the Los Angeles private eye. Altman knew that he had big shoes to fill when he agreed to take his own stab at the beloved character — and it almost made him turn the project down.
"Originally I didn't want to do it," the director confessed (via Cinephilia & Beyond). "I liked those 1940s movies, but I just didn't want to play around with them. I was sent the script...
Perhaps the director's most fondly remembered film is his dreamy adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "The Long Goodbye." The 1973 film tells the continuing story of Philip Marlowe, who first appeared onscreen in the 1946 noir "The Big Sleep," memorably played by Humphrey Bogart. Bogart gave the definitive performance of Marlowe before "The Long Goodbye," although there were some lesser-known adaptations of Chandler's stories about the Los Angeles private eye. Altman knew that he had big shoes to fill when he agreed to take his own stab at the beloved character — and it almost made him turn the project down.
"Originally I didn't want to do it," the director confessed (via Cinephilia & Beyond). "I liked those 1940s movies, but I just didn't want to play around with them. I was sent the script...
- 1/15/2023
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Is this show a hatchet job on Raymond Chandler’s confidential agent, or do Robert Altman and Leigh Brackett honestly find a place for Philip Marlowe in the laid-back 1970s? Vilmos Zsigmond’s even more laid-back ‘pushed and pre-flashed’ cinematography made industry news by shooting in places that normally needed three times more artificial light. The characters are vivid, as portrayed by Nina Van Pallandt, Sterling Hayden, and Mark Rydell. It’s also a terrific Los Angeles film, from Marlowe’s Hollywood apartment to the Malibu Colony, and a dangster’s Sunset Blvd. tower office suite. Elliott Gould’s mellow Marlowe may be unfocused and sloppy, but he still subscribes to the old ethics, particularly where friendship and betrayal are concerned. And darn it, he cares about his pet cat.
The Long Goodbye
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1973 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 112 min. / Street Date December 14, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Elliott Gould,...
The Long Goodbye
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1973 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 112 min. / Street Date December 14, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Elliott Gould,...
- 12/14/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
Rip Van Marlowe
By Raymond Benson
(Note: Portions of this review appeared on Cinema Retro in 2014 for an earlier Kino Lorber edition.)
Robert Altman was a very quirky director, sometimes missing the mark, but oftentimes brilliant. His 1973 take on Raymond Chandler’s 1953 novel The Long Goodbye is a case in point. It might take a second viewing to appreciate what’s really going on in the film. Updating what is essentially a 1940s film noir character to the swinging 70s was a risky and challenging prospect—and Altman and his star, Elliott Gould as Philip Marlowe (!), pull it off.
It’s one of those pictures that critics hated when it was first released; and yet, by the end of the year, it was being named on several Top Ten lists. I admit that when I first saw it in 1973, I didn’t much care for it.
Rip Van Marlowe
By Raymond Benson
(Note: Portions of this review appeared on Cinema Retro in 2014 for an earlier Kino Lorber edition.)
Robert Altman was a very quirky director, sometimes missing the mark, but oftentimes brilliant. His 1973 take on Raymond Chandler’s 1953 novel The Long Goodbye is a case in point. It might take a second viewing to appreciate what’s really going on in the film. Updating what is essentially a 1940s film noir character to the swinging 70s was a risky and challenging prospect—and Altman and his star, Elliott Gould as Philip Marlowe (!), pull it off.
It’s one of those pictures that critics hated when it was first released; and yet, by the end of the year, it was being named on several Top Ten lists. I admit that when I first saw it in 1973, I didn’t much care for it.
- 12/14/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Arguably just as interesting as the movies themselves are the behind-the-scenes stories about how the films we love were made. Then there are tales about the scripts that were never produced at all, which provide their own kind of delight for cinephiles. Just have a look at Leigh Brackett’s original script for a little movie called “Star Wars II” or the Roger Corman Fantastic Four movie that could have been or the George Miller-directed Justice League film that was just weeks away from shooting, but for every mythical script that makes the rounds on the internet, there are many more we’ve never heard about at all.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a famous director who doesn’t have a few old screenplays collecting dust in a filing drawer somewhere. Even legendary director Stanley Kubrick still has a Napoleon movie waiting to be made. And let’s...
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a famous director who doesn’t have a few old screenplays collecting dust in a filing drawer somewhere. Even legendary director Stanley Kubrick still has a Napoleon movie waiting to be made. And let’s...
- 9/21/2021
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Jamie Lee Curtis is picking up the torch to play Laurie Strode once again, and she’s forming a mob to take down Michael Myers once and for all.
Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for “Halloween Kills,” which serves as the direct sequel to David Gordon Green’s “Halloween” and the 12th installment in the larger franchise. His film left off with Laurie sitting in a pick-up truck with her daughter and granddaughter after her house burned down amid a thrilling encounter with Michael Myers.
Green, the comedic director best known for “Pineapple Express” who transitioned to the horror genre, is directing and co-writing the entire trilogy of new “Halloween” films. The third and illusive final installment, “Halloween Ends,” will be released in theaters on Oct. 14, 2022.
Nick Castle, who played Michael Myers in the original 1978 “Halloween,” has returned to play the slasher icon alongside stunt double James Jude Courtney.
Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for “Halloween Kills,” which serves as the direct sequel to David Gordon Green’s “Halloween” and the 12th installment in the larger franchise. His film left off with Laurie sitting in a pick-up truck with her daughter and granddaughter after her house burned down amid a thrilling encounter with Michael Myers.
Green, the comedic director best known for “Pineapple Express” who transitioned to the horror genre, is directing and co-writing the entire trilogy of new “Halloween” films. The third and illusive final installment, “Halloween Ends,” will be released in theaters on Oct. 14, 2022.
Nick Castle, who played Michael Myers in the original 1978 “Halloween,” has returned to play the slasher icon alongside stunt double James Jude Courtney.
- 6/25/2021
- by Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
The Empire Strikes Back is a masterpiece of blockbuster cinema and the standard by which we measure all other big-screen space adventures. But before it became the magnum opus of the original Star Wars trilogy, the spark that would become The Empire Strikes Back floated in the nothingness of space, waiting for its big bang.
When Star Wars premiered in May 1977, the saga’s sequel could have gone either the low-budget or blockbuster route. Although we got the latter, there was already a plan in case the film wasn’t a huge hit. George Lucas hired Alan Dean Foster, who ghost-wrote the novelization of the first film, to write a relatively subdued sequel. That story eventually became the first Expanded Universe novel in the franchise’s history, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, which sees Luke and Leia crash on a jungle planet and face off with Darth Vader in...
When Star Wars premiered in May 1977, the saga’s sequel could have gone either the low-budget or blockbuster route. Although we got the latter, there was already a plan in case the film wasn’t a huge hit. George Lucas hired Alan Dean Foster, who ghost-wrote the novelization of the first film, to write a relatively subdued sequel. That story eventually became the first Expanded Universe novel in the franchise’s history, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, which sees Luke and Leia crash on a jungle planet and face off with Darth Vader in...
- 5/21/2021
- by jbindeck2015
- Den of Geek
Paul Greengrass’ western drama “New of the World” starring Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel is gaining traction during this pandemic awards season despite the fact that sagebrush sagas often get short shrift at the Oscars. Only three traditional Westerns — 1931’s “Cimarron,” 1990’s “Dances with Wolves” and 1992’s “Unforgiven” — and one contemporary Western (2007’s “No Country for Old Men”) have won the Best Picture Oscar.
Among the oaters to be nominated for the top prize at the Academy Awards: John Ford’s 1939 “Stagecoach,” William A. Wellman’s 1943 “The Ox-Bow Incident,” Fred Zinnemann’s 1952’s “High Noon” (Gary Cooper won the Oscar for Best Actor), George Stevens’ 1953 “Shane”; 1960’s “The Alamo;” 1962’s “How the West Was Won”; and George Roy Hill’s 1969’s “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”
But some of the most acclaimed, treasure and influential Westerns have been all but ignored. Here’s a look at some of the...
Among the oaters to be nominated for the top prize at the Academy Awards: John Ford’s 1939 “Stagecoach,” William A. Wellman’s 1943 “The Ox-Bow Incident,” Fred Zinnemann’s 1952’s “High Noon” (Gary Cooper won the Oscar for Best Actor), George Stevens’ 1953 “Shane”; 1960’s “The Alamo;” 1962’s “How the West Was Won”; and George Roy Hill’s 1969’s “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”
But some of the most acclaimed, treasure and influential Westerns have been all but ignored. Here’s a look at some of the...
- 1/12/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The first footage from Halloween Kills was unveiled today during Blumfest, a one-day online event focused on new and upcoming movie and TV projects from the Blumhouse production company.
The sequel to 2018’s Halloween, the successful, acclaimed reboot and follow-up to John Carpenter’s original 1978 classic, is bringing back several legacy characters from that movie, with the teaser giving us our first quick glimpses of three of them. Take a look and see if you can spot them!
At approximately :20 in the 36-second trailer, that is Nancy Stephens as Nurse Marion Chambers, who was Dr. Sam Loomis’ assistant in the original Carpenter film and played the role in Halloween II (1981) and Halloween H20 (1998). Although the character died in the latter film, the current Halloween movies pretty much ignore or retcon everything that happened in the sequels, so Marion is back!
Next up at :23 is Kyle Richards, best known...
The sequel to 2018’s Halloween, the successful, acclaimed reboot and follow-up to John Carpenter’s original 1978 classic, is bringing back several legacy characters from that movie, with the teaser giving us our first quick glimpses of three of them. Take a look and see if you can spot them!
At approximately :20 in the 36-second trailer, that is Nancy Stephens as Nurse Marion Chambers, who was Dr. Sam Loomis’ assistant in the original Carpenter film and played the role in Halloween II (1981) and Halloween H20 (1998). Although the character died in the latter film, the current Halloween movies pretty much ignore or retcon everything that happened in the sequels, so Marion is back!
Next up at :23 is Kyle Richards, best known...
- 10/29/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Jacques Rivette's Out 1, Noli Me Tangere (1971) is showing on Mubi in the United States.There’s a lot of confusion about what improvisation in movies consists of—when it is or isn’t used, and sometimes what it means when it is used. Those who think that the dialogue in Orson Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind is improvised don’t realize that the screenplay by Welles and Oja Kodar with that dialogue was published years ago, long before the film’s posthumous completion. It’s worth adding, however, that the film’s mise en scène was improvised by Welles on a daily basis. Similarly, those misled by director Robert Altman’s dreamy pans and seemingly random zooms in The Long Goodbye into concluding that the actors must be inventing their own lines are ignoring the careful work done by screenwriter Leigh Brackett, not to mention Raymond Chandler.
- 6/21/2020
- MUBI
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes back underwent a lot of changes in the development and production process. Check out these five ideas the movie abandoned.
“By December 1977, not even a year after the original Star Wars hit theaters and became the all-time domestic box office champ, a science-fiction writer named Leigh Brackett was already at her typewriter, clacking away at the script for the next chapter in creator George Lucas’s nascent blockbuster franchise.”
Read more at Mental Floss.
TV commercials have taken a turn for the weirder with everyone stuck indoors thanks to the coronavirus.
“I’ve been watching more live sports, more TV shows on Hulu that don’t filter out commercials even with a paid plan, and, especially recently, cable news. Just an obscene amount of MSNBC plays in my home at all times. And let me tell you, as weird as the news itself has gotten lately,...
“By December 1977, not even a year after the original Star Wars hit theaters and became the all-time domestic box office champ, a science-fiction writer named Leigh Brackett was already at her typewriter, clacking away at the script for the next chapter in creator George Lucas’s nascent blockbuster franchise.”
Read more at Mental Floss.
TV commercials have taken a turn for the weirder with everyone stuck indoors thanks to the coronavirus.
“I’ve been watching more live sports, more TV shows on Hulu that don’t filter out commercials even with a paid plan, and, especially recently, cable news. Just an obscene amount of MSNBC plays in my home at all times. And let me tell you, as weird as the news itself has gotten lately,...
- 4/30/2020
- by Ivan Huang
- Den of Geek
This Star Wars: The Clone Wars article contains spoilers.
Ever since Obi-Wan Kenobi evoked its name in A New Hope as a shorthand for Anakin Skywalker’s far-off and long-ago heroic adventures, Star Wars fans have been obsessed with the Clone Wars. Clone characters appeared in various drafts for the Original Trilogy, such as in Leigh Brackett’s first draft of The Empire Strikes Back, which featured a clone named Lando, before they finally made their canon debut in Attack of the Clones.
The Prequel era brought the Clone Wars conflict to life and the TV show has meticulously detailed the various campaigns and the major players on both sides of the war. The noble heroes of the Republic and the greedy Confederacy of Independent Systems (Cis) fought for the fate of the galaxy, but neither side knew that the war was actually being manipulated by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.
Ever since Obi-Wan Kenobi evoked its name in A New Hope as a shorthand for Anakin Skywalker’s far-off and long-ago heroic adventures, Star Wars fans have been obsessed with the Clone Wars. Clone characters appeared in various drafts for the Original Trilogy, such as in Leigh Brackett’s first draft of The Empire Strikes Back, which featured a clone named Lando, before they finally made their canon debut in Attack of the Clones.
The Prequel era brought the Clone Wars conflict to life and the TV show has meticulously detailed the various campaigns and the major players on both sides of the war. The noble heroes of the Republic and the greedy Confederacy of Independent Systems (Cis) fought for the fate of the galaxy, but neither side knew that the war was actually being manipulated by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.
- 4/24/2020
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
It used to be that ‘remake’ was something of a dirty word in horror after audiences were bombarded with substandard do-overs at the start of the 2000s
But despite early cynicism David Gordon Green’s new take on John Carpenter’s seminal stalk ‘n slash was well received by fans and critics alike and did great box office. So when it was announced that Halloween 2018 would form part of a trilogy with Halloween Kills coming in 2020 and Halloween Ends to follow in 2021 we were basically ok with that. More than ok – it came as exciting news.
David Gordon Green returns to direct the send part of the reboot trilogy. Gordon Green is best know as the director of comedies Your Highness and The Pineapple Express as well as dramas Stronger and Nicolas Cage movie Joe. He’ll also be back to helm part three, Halloween Ends.
Now as we’re...
But despite early cynicism David Gordon Green’s new take on John Carpenter’s seminal stalk ‘n slash was well received by fans and critics alike and did great box office. So when it was announced that Halloween 2018 would form part of a trilogy with Halloween Kills coming in 2020 and Halloween Ends to follow in 2021 we were basically ok with that. More than ok – it came as exciting news.
David Gordon Green returns to direct the send part of the reboot trilogy. Gordon Green is best know as the director of comedies Your Highness and The Pineapple Express as well as dramas Stronger and Nicolas Cage movie Joe. He’ll also be back to helm part three, Halloween Ends.
Now as we’re...
- 3/11/2020
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
John Williams’ score for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be his final contribution to the franchise, which is certainly a shame. After all, it’s generally accepted as fact that his score for Star Wars: A New Hope went a long way towards making the film the success it was. Those who saw the 1977 original without his music thought it looked extremely silly, but add John Williams and everything suddenly becomes profound, epic and exciting. His relationship with the franchise has endured throughout the Skywalker Saga, with his themes as iconic as lightsabers, Tie Fighters and the hiss of Darth Vader’s breathing.
Now, in an interview with CBS, Williams revealed his surprise when he discovered George Lucas had written Luke and Leia to be brother and sister, having assumed that the pair would naturally fall for one another over the movies. It’s a mistake he could be forgiven for,...
Now, in an interview with CBS, Williams revealed his surprise when he discovered George Lucas had written Luke and Leia to be brother and sister, having assumed that the pair would naturally fall for one another over the movies. It’s a mistake he could be forgiven for,...
- 9/25/2019
- by David James
- We Got This Covered
Diehard Halloween fans have been hoping that the character of Tommy Doyle would be returning for one or both of the franchise’s upcoming sequels and now, it’s official. Prominent ’80s star Anthony Michael Hall will be portraying a grown-up version of one of the kids that Laurie Strode babysat on that unfortunate holiday when Michael Myers first escaped custody in the upcoming follow-up Halloween Ends.
The 51-year-old actor rose to stardom as a teenager, popping up in coming-of-age classics like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science. To avoid being typecast as a geek, he began to branch out in his adolescence by accepting parts in Out of Bounds, Johnny Be Good, Edward Scissorhands and Six Degrees of Separation. Now, he’s taking the plunge into horror by joining one of the genre’s biggest franchises.
Tommy Doyle was first played by Brian Andrews way back in the day.
The 51-year-old actor rose to stardom as a teenager, popping up in coming-of-age classics like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science. To avoid being typecast as a geek, he began to branch out in his adolescence by accepting parts in Out of Bounds, Johnny Be Good, Edward Scissorhands and Six Degrees of Separation. Now, he’s taking the plunge into horror by joining one of the genre’s biggest franchises.
Tommy Doyle was first played by Brian Andrews way back in the day.
- 8/26/2019
- by Evan Lewis
- We Got This Covered
One of the many great things that the Halloween franchise does right is the way the series constantly brings back actors to reprise their roles. This allows audiences to steadily build a connection with these characters, making their grisly deaths even more impactful if/when they occur. For example, Danielle Harris has popped up in four installments, while the late Donald Pleasance is credited in five. Plenty of former Halloween performers, including Harris, have made it clear that they’d love to reappear in the upcoming sequels as well and according to Tom Atkins, Charles Cyphers may be the next to get that opportunity.
Atkins starred in Halloween III: Season of the Witch, which is most known for being the only entry that didn’t feature Michael Myers, and has already expressed his desire to return to the series in some way, shape or form. According to Atkins though, fellow...
Atkins starred in Halloween III: Season of the Witch, which is most known for being the only entry that didn’t feature Michael Myers, and has already expressed his desire to return to the series in some way, shape or form. According to Atkins though, fellow...
- 8/20/2019
- by Evan Lewis
- We Got This Covered
Lucasfilm has added yet another name to its growing list of female leaders: producer Michelle Rejwan, who Deadline reports has been named Svp of Live Action Development and Production for Lucasfilm. Rejwan is already very much in the Lucasfilm and “Star Wars” fold, as she serves as a producer on the upcoming “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” and was also a co-producer on “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
Lucasfilm boasts an impressive number of women in leadership positions: Kathleen Kennedy has long led the production company as president, and she’s joined by a list of other behind-the-scenes women. And yet Lucasfilm’s marquee property — “Star Wars,” of course — has long struggled to echo that kind of equality in its most visible position: feature film director.
There have been strides made recently, with Bryce Dallas Howard signing on to direct an episode of the upcoming Disney+ series “The Mandalorian...
Lucasfilm boasts an impressive number of women in leadership positions: Kathleen Kennedy has long led the production company as president, and she’s joined by a list of other behind-the-scenes women. And yet Lucasfilm’s marquee property — “Star Wars,” of course — has long struggled to echo that kind of equality in its most visible position: feature film director.
There have been strides made recently, with Bryce Dallas Howard signing on to direct an episode of the upcoming Disney+ series “The Mandalorian...
- 6/18/2019
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
It looks like the “Star Wars” film franchise following the release of “The Rise of Skywalker” later this year is slowly coming into focus. According to a new report from BuzzFeed, Lucasfilm is gearing up for a potential new trilogy based on the video game series “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” that started in 2003. Sources close to the studio say Laeta Kalogridis is finishing the script for the first movie after coming on board the project in spring 2018.
Lucasfilm’s hiring of Kalogridis is a historic one for the “Star Wars” movie franchise as no sole female screenwriter has ever been behind a “Star Wars” script. The only credited female writer in the “Star Wars” movie universe is Leigh Brackett, who shared a credit with Lawrence Kasdan on 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back.” Since then, only men have written “Star Wars” movies and the franchise has come under...
Lucasfilm’s hiring of Kalogridis is a historic one for the “Star Wars” movie franchise as no sole female screenwriter has ever been behind a “Star Wars” script. The only credited female writer in the “Star Wars” movie universe is Leigh Brackett, who shared a credit with Lawrence Kasdan on 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back.” Since then, only men have written “Star Wars” movies and the franchise has come under...
- 5/24/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
In honor of Women's History Month, this March, Syfy Fangrrls is launching a new limited podcast dedicated to women in genre films whose accomplishments have gone unrecognized or have been forgotten. In today's Highlights, we also have details on the California run of Evil Dead The Musical and Popcornflix's first wave of streaming movies with Terror Films.
Syfy Fangrrls Presents Limited Podcast Series Forgotten Women of Genre: "Syfy Wire Fangrrls present: Forgotten Women of Genre.
March is Women's History Month and while Syfy Fangrrls celebrates women's achievements throughout the year, they’re going above and beyond for the upcoming month with a limited podcast series called Forgotten Women of Genre.
Science fiction, fantasy, and all associated genres have finally evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream staple. But the women who have been instrumental in creating and shaping the nerdverse have largely gone unrecognized. Until today. Forgotten Women...
Syfy Fangrrls Presents Limited Podcast Series Forgotten Women of Genre: "Syfy Wire Fangrrls present: Forgotten Women of Genre.
March is Women's History Month and while Syfy Fangrrls celebrates women's achievements throughout the year, they’re going above and beyond for the upcoming month with a limited podcast series called Forgotten Women of Genre.
Science fiction, fantasy, and all associated genres have finally evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream staple. But the women who have been instrumental in creating and shaping the nerdverse have largely gone unrecognized. Until today. Forgotten Women...
- 3/18/2019
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story offered the first big screen representation of Darth Vader’s castle on Mustafar – officially known as Fortress Vader – but as anyone well-versed in their Expanded Universe and behind-the-scenes Star Wars material could tell you, Anakin Skywalker’s gothic home had already experienced many lives in various forms over the decades. And in a new piece from Screen Rant, this lengthy history is broken down.
The notion of Vader residing in a castle dates back to 1978, before the first draft for Empire Strikes Back had even been written. George Lucas and screenwriter Leigh Brackett explored the idea of Vader living on a castle built on a lava-based environment in early story plans, with the structure even being depicted in some concept art from Ralph McQuarrie, viewable below. Needless to say, the idea was ultimately scrapped for Empire, which ultimately saw Vader based on a Super Star Destroyer.
The notion of Vader residing in a castle dates back to 1978, before the first draft for Empire Strikes Back had even been written. George Lucas and screenwriter Leigh Brackett explored the idea of Vader living on a castle built on a lava-based environment in early story plans, with the structure even being depicted in some concept art from Ralph McQuarrie, viewable below. Needless to say, the idea was ultimately scrapped for Empire, which ultimately saw Vader based on a Super Star Destroyer.
- 2/22/2019
- by David Pountain
- We Got This Covered
The reveal that Darth Vader is really Luke Skywalker’s father is not only one of the most famous movie twists of all time but a development that shaped the rest of the unfolding saga, to this very day. It’s hard to imagine Star Wars without the Vader/Luke connection, but this unearthed first draft of The Empire Strikes Back reveals that, unthinkable as it is, the twist wasn’t always included.
ScreenRant took a look at the initial draft of the famed second movie in the Original Trilogy by late writer Leigh Brackett and found that there’s not a mention of the revelation that Vader’s Luke’s corrupted father. In fact, the Force Ghost of Anakin, depicted as a heroic fallen Jedi Knight (as per Obi-Wan’s hints in A New Hope), mentors his son on Dagobah – referred to by Brackett as “Bog-World.”
Here’s a snippet of the Skywalkers’ conversation,...
ScreenRant took a look at the initial draft of the famed second movie in the Original Trilogy by late writer Leigh Brackett and found that there’s not a mention of the revelation that Vader’s Luke’s corrupted father. In fact, the Force Ghost of Anakin, depicted as a heroic fallen Jedi Knight (as per Obi-Wan’s hints in A New Hope), mentors his son on Dagobah – referred to by Brackett as “Bog-World.”
Here’s a snippet of the Skywalkers’ conversation,...
- 1/31/2019
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Ryan Lambie Oct 10, 2018
We look at 10 horror-themed videogames from the 1980s, and their varied attempts to provoke fear with low-res graphics...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
As Sheriff Leigh Brackett correctly stated in John Carpenter's slasher classic, "It's Halloween - everyone's entitled to one good scare!" And scare us Halloween did, along with any number of horror movies before and since. But, with the day of pumpkins, trick-or-treaters, and apple bobbing almost upon us, this got us wondering: at what point did video games become scary?
These days, we fully expect modern video games to have us cowering behind our sofas, with present-day computers and consoles able to render all sorts of things you need for a properly scary story: rain, blood, that sort of thing. But way back in the mists of time, at the dawn of the video game medium, that kind of realism simply wasn't possible.
We look at 10 horror-themed videogames from the 1980s, and their varied attempts to provoke fear with low-res graphics...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
As Sheriff Leigh Brackett correctly stated in John Carpenter's slasher classic, "It's Halloween - everyone's entitled to one good scare!" And scare us Halloween did, along with any number of horror movies before and since. But, with the day of pumpkins, trick-or-treaters, and apple bobbing almost upon us, this got us wondering: at what point did video games become scary?
These days, we fully expect modern video games to have us cowering behind our sofas, with present-day computers and consoles able to render all sorts of things you need for a properly scary story: rain, blood, that sort of thing. But way back in the mists of time, at the dawn of the video game medium, that kind of realism simply wasn't possible.
- 10/10/2018
- Den of Geek
On March 7, 1973, Robert Altman unveiled his two-hour, R-rated noir adaptation of The Long Goodbye in theaters. The Hollywood Reporter's original review of the United Artists film is below.
Robert Altman's film of Raymond Chandler's novel The Long Goodbye, produced by Jerry Bick from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett, is as witty as any movie ever made. Its scenes are so resourceful and so emotionally appealing that they nearly succeed in overcoming some careless plotting.
The eccentric casting of Elliott Gould is altogether successful and allows the filmmakers to embrace the detective genre affectionately, transforming it into ...
Robert Altman's film of Raymond Chandler's novel The Long Goodbye, produced by Jerry Bick from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett, is as witty as any movie ever made. Its scenes are so resourceful and so emotionally appealing that they nearly succeed in overcoming some careless plotting.
The eccentric casting of Elliott Gould is altogether successful and allows the filmmakers to embrace the detective genre affectionately, transforming it into ...
On March 7, 1973, Robert Altman unveiled his two-hour, R-rated noir adaptation of The Long Goodbye in theaters. The Hollywood Reporter's original review of the United Artists film is below.
Robert Altman's film of Raymond Chandler's novel The Long Goodbye, produced by Jerry Bick from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett, is as witty as any movie ever made. Its scenes are so resourceful and so emotionally appealing that they nearly succeed in overcoming some careless plotting.
The eccentric casting of Elliott Gould is altogether successful and allows the filmmakers to embrace the detective genre affectionately, transforming it into ...
Robert Altman's film of Raymond Chandler's novel The Long Goodbye, produced by Jerry Bick from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett, is as witty as any movie ever made. Its scenes are so resourceful and so emotionally appealing that they nearly succeed in overcoming some careless plotting.
The eccentric casting of Elliott Gould is altogether successful and allows the filmmakers to embrace the detective genre affectionately, transforming it into ...
Is it a classic? Well, not exactly, but it’s also not a typical disappointing ’40s Z-picture. Screenwriter Leigh Brackett pens a nice twist on the Dracula motif, and actor John Abbott is genuinely impressive as what is surely the most low-key vampire on the books. Plus a sexy dance from Adele Mara!
The Vampire’s Ghost
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1945 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 59 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring: John Abbott, Charles Gordon, Peggy Stewart, Grant Withers, Emmett Vogan, Adele Mara, Roy Barcroft, Martin Wilkins, Zack Williams.
Cinematography: Robert Pittack, Ellis Thackery
Special Effects: Howard and Theodore Lydecker
Written by John K. Butler, Leigh Brackett, story by Brackett
Associate Producer: Rudolph E. Abel
Directed by Lesley Selander
When Republic dabbled in genre work away from their serials and westerns, the result was often embarrassing. One horror title due for an upward bump in...
The Vampire’s Ghost
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1945 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 59 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring: John Abbott, Charles Gordon, Peggy Stewart, Grant Withers, Emmett Vogan, Adele Mara, Roy Barcroft, Martin Wilkins, Zack Williams.
Cinematography: Robert Pittack, Ellis Thackery
Special Effects: Howard and Theodore Lydecker
Written by John K. Butler, Leigh Brackett, story by Brackett
Associate Producer: Rudolph E. Abel
Directed by Lesley Selander
When Republic dabbled in genre work away from their serials and westerns, the result was often embarrassing. One horror title due for an upward bump in...
- 10/31/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Folio Society has released a very handsome double edition of two Philip K. Dick novels, but what does the pairing add?
When I first found out that the Folio Society were making a tête-bêche, or head-to-toe, version of Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? and A Scanner Darkly, I wasn’t blown away by the idea.
See related How The Princess Bride gets under your skin Cary Elwes interview: The Princess Bride, As You Wish The Princess Bride: looking back at an 80s fantasy classic
Tête-bêche binding - two novels head to tail in one book, with a front cover at either end - is often associated with cheap genre paperbacks from the 1950s to the 1970s: the very collectible Ace Doubles, for instance. A number of titles by Philip K Dick were produced in this manner, often with a title by a different author on the flipside,...
When I first found out that the Folio Society were making a tête-bêche, or head-to-toe, version of Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? and A Scanner Darkly, I wasn’t blown away by the idea.
See related How The Princess Bride gets under your skin Cary Elwes interview: The Princess Bride, As You Wish The Princess Bride: looking back at an 80s fantasy classic
Tête-bêche binding - two novels head to tail in one book, with a front cover at either end - is often associated with cheap genre paperbacks from the 1950s to the 1970s: the very collectible Ace Doubles, for instance. A number of titles by Philip K Dick were produced in this manner, often with a title by a different author on the flipside,...
- 9/27/2017
- Den of Geek
A look at 5 movies that you might not have known were written by famous authors. Sometimes they worked out, sometimes they did not.
Writing a movie can be a lot different from writing a book. Unlike a movie script, a novel is freeform. The author can take any style or format they would like to convey their ideas. A script, on the other hand, has to be able to be interpreted by the actors, filmmakers, and the audience. Therefore, it is typically structured in a certain way to help people working on the movie do their job and people watching the movie comprehend what is happening. Furthermore, a major difference between writing novels and movies is that movies are (mostly) restricted to the visual realm. It’s not easy to show audiences what characters are thinking, which severely limits plot and character development techniques. Overall, there are unique challenges to...
Writing a movie can be a lot different from writing a book. Unlike a movie script, a novel is freeform. The author can take any style or format they would like to convey their ideas. A script, on the other hand, has to be able to be interpreted by the actors, filmmakers, and the audience. Therefore, it is typically structured in a certain way to help people working on the movie do their job and people watching the movie comprehend what is happening. Furthermore, a major difference between writing novels and movies is that movies are (mostly) restricted to the visual realm. It’s not easy to show audiences what characters are thinking, which severely limits plot and character development techniques. Overall, there are unique challenges to...
- 8/30/2017
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (G.S. Perno)
- Cinelinx
It takes a lot to stand out when you’re standing between Robert Mitchum and John Wayne. And it surely isn’t easy when you’re also standing in front of the venerable Howard Hawks. But this was the position 25-year-old James Caan found himself in when he took on the role of Alan Bourdillon Traherne, otherwise known as Mississippi, in Hawks’ 1967 Western, El Dorado. Though Hawks was nearing the end of his filmmaking career (this would be his penultimate movie) and Caan was just at the start of his (following two features and about five years of extensive television work), they were each entering the project under similar circumstances. Indeed, it was their shared experience on the disappointing Red Line 7000 (1965) that left them both wanting. It may have been a personal letdown for Caan, but that film’s poor reception wasn’t a deal-breaker as far as his prospects were likely to continue.
- 5/15/2017
- MUBI
David Crow Aug 23, 2019
We still don't know what happened in Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall's noir masterpiece The Big Sleep!
When The Big Sleep premiered exactly 73 years ago today, it marked the newest silver screen adventure of Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler’s beloved private dick. In this context, Howard Hawks was delivering a hard-hitting crime story to audiences and dealing with seedy subjects so obscured by polite society that they can barely even be seen in the finished film: blackmail, pornography, murder, and the amoral decadence of the one-percent. All of these deliciously morbid ingredients were baked into what became one of the greatest noirs of the post-war era.
Yet, they are not alone what makes The Big Sleep a timeless classic of deep cynicism and even deeper debauchery. From the very first frame, even Raymond Chandler’s then very impressive name was cast in the shadow of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
We still don't know what happened in Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall's noir masterpiece The Big Sleep!
When The Big Sleep premiered exactly 73 years ago today, it marked the newest silver screen adventure of Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler’s beloved private dick. In this context, Howard Hawks was delivering a hard-hitting crime story to audiences and dealing with seedy subjects so obscured by polite society that they can barely even be seen in the finished film: blackmail, pornography, murder, and the amoral decadence of the one-percent. All of these deliciously morbid ingredients were baked into what became one of the greatest noirs of the post-war era.
Yet, they are not alone what makes The Big Sleep a timeless classic of deep cynicism and even deeper debauchery. From the very first frame, even Raymond Chandler’s then very impressive name was cast in the shadow of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
- 8/22/2016
- Den of Geek
We've waited long enough: Bogart's take on Raymond Chandler's tough guy Philip Marlowe is finally on Blu-ray, with Lauren Bacall hyped as his provocative leading lady. The fascinating 1945 pre-release version is also present, with an uncut copy of Bob Gitt's versions comparison docu. Somebody tell Elisha Cook Jr. not to drink that stuff. The Big Sleep Blu-ray Warner Archive Collection 1946 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 114 min. / Street Date February 23, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Starring Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers, Dorothy Malone, Peggy Knudsen, Regis Toomey, Charles Waldron, Charles D. Brown, Bob Steele, Elisha Cook Jr., Louis Jean Heydt, Sonja Darrin, Tommy Rafferty, Theodore von Eltz. Cinematography Sidney Hickox Film Editor Christian Nyby Original Music Max Steiner Written by Leigh Brackett, Jules Furthman, William Faulkner from the novel by Raymond Chandler Directed by Howard Hawks
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Howard Hawks' The Big Sleep became...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Howard Hawks' The Big Sleep became...
- 2/13/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Vilmos Zsigmond won the National Society of Film Critics' award for best cinematography on this, his third pairing with director Robert Altman. Altman and Leigh Brackett, cowriter of the screenplay for The Big Sleep, turn Raymond Chandler’s La gumshoe into a figure of ’70s angst in what many consider the director’s masterpiece and Elliott Gould’s finest hour. Bonanza star Dan Blocker was to have played Sterling Hayden’s role, but passed away before filming began. John Williams’ witty score is almost entirely variations on one theme.
- 1/8/2016
- by TFH Team
- Trailers from Hell
Hans Solo: C’mon, baby, don’t let me down. • Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Five days and counting down.
Unless you live in France, where all new movies must open on Wednesdays. Or unless you live in the United Kingdom, where it premieres on Thursday, December 17. Or unless you live in Bayonne, NJ, where my local theater, Franks Cinema, is starting showings also on Thursday at 7 P.M. Which is weird because I haven’t seen anything, either on television or on the web, about the U.S. release date being moved up by one day.
Not that I’m complaining.
Of course I’m talking about Star Wars: The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams’ newest baby, which he “adopted” from George Lucas when Disney bought Lucasfilm. To tell you the truth, I’m very nervous about the film, the saga having been tainted by the prequel trilogy – although Return...
Five days and counting down.
Unless you live in France, where all new movies must open on Wednesdays. Or unless you live in the United Kingdom, where it premieres on Thursday, December 17. Or unless you live in Bayonne, NJ, where my local theater, Franks Cinema, is starting showings also on Thursday at 7 P.M. Which is weird because I haven’t seen anything, either on television or on the web, about the U.S. release date being moved up by one day.
Not that I’m complaining.
Of course I’m talking about Star Wars: The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams’ newest baby, which he “adopted” from George Lucas when Disney bought Lucasfilm. To tell you the truth, I’m very nervous about the film, the saga having been tainted by the prequel trilogy – although Return...
- 12/14/2015
- by Mindy Newell
- Comicmix.com
The subject of women being essentially locked out of the biggest feature film franchises has become a very hot topic of late, and not before time. It is 2015, after all. Thanks to advances made in all other areas of industry, politics and socio-economics, it is frankly embarrassing that Hollywood studios still routinely hire white men to write and direct their giant tentpoles. We live in an age where women have the opportunity to run countries, achieve dizzying heights in scientific exploration and invention, and orbit the Earth in a space station. Even Saudi Arabia has just begun to let women run for public office – and yet, Hollywood would rather place its most valuable assets in the hands of an experienced male, than a qualified woman. Of those offending franchises, Star Wars was, until recently, one of the most high profile.
Writers of Star Wars, historically, have included George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan,...
Writers of Star Wars, historically, have included George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan,...
- 12/7/2015
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
Could the "Star Wars" universe finally be getting a woman behind-the-scenes.
With seven films down and two more on the way, one big surprise about the "Star Wars" films have been the lack of any women as writers or directors beyond an uncredited screenplay polish on "The Phantom Menace" by Carrie Fisher, and a very early (and discarded) "The Empire Strikes Back" draft by Leigh Brackett.
Today, The Los Angeles Times reports that Wme agent Adriana Alberghetti has reportedly managed to procure meetings for four female directors and three female writers for upcoming "Star Wars" film titles.
None of the seven women are named in the article, though Alberghetti represents the likes of "Buffy" writer Marti Noxon, "Jessica Jones" director S.J. Clarkson and "Suffragette" helmer Sarah Gavron.
Whomever is involved would join Gareth Edwards, Rian Johnson, Colin Trevorrow and the team of Phil Lord & Chris Miller at the helm of...
With seven films down and two more on the way, one big surprise about the "Star Wars" films have been the lack of any women as writers or directors beyond an uncredited screenplay polish on "The Phantom Menace" by Carrie Fisher, and a very early (and discarded) "The Empire Strikes Back" draft by Leigh Brackett.
Today, The Los Angeles Times reports that Wme agent Adriana Alberghetti has reportedly managed to procure meetings for four female directors and three female writers for upcoming "Star Wars" film titles.
None of the seven women are named in the article, though Alberghetti represents the likes of "Buffy" writer Marti Noxon, "Jessica Jones" director S.J. Clarkson and "Suffragette" helmer Sarah Gavron.
Whomever is involved would join Gareth Edwards, Rian Johnson, Colin Trevorrow and the team of Phil Lord & Chris Miller at the helm of...
- 12/4/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
John Saavedra May 21, 2019
Leigh Brackett's draft for Star Wars II would have produced a very different The Empire Strikes Back.
If you're a regular Den of Geek reader or even if you're just a casual sci-fi movie fan, I don't have to really tell you that The Empire Strikes Back is a masterpiece of blockbuster cinema. It's already embedded in most of your brains that this much darker 1980 sequel to George Lucas' original blockbuster is the standard by which we measure most other big-screen space adventures. But before it was the magnum opus from Lucas, director Irvin Kershner, and writers Lawrence Kasdan and Leigh Brackett, the spark that would become The Empire Strikes Back floated in the nothingness of space, waiting for its big bang.
The story goes that Lucas didn't really have a plot for "Star Wars II," but only some general ideas. By the time Star...
Leigh Brackett's draft for Star Wars II would have produced a very different The Empire Strikes Back.
If you're a regular Den of Geek reader or even if you're just a casual sci-fi movie fan, I don't have to really tell you that The Empire Strikes Back is a masterpiece of blockbuster cinema. It's already embedded in most of your brains that this much darker 1980 sequel to George Lucas' original blockbuster is the standard by which we measure most other big-screen space adventures. But before it was the magnum opus from Lucas, director Irvin Kershner, and writers Lawrence Kasdan and Leigh Brackett, the spark that would become The Empire Strikes Back floated in the nothingness of space, waiting for its big bang.
The story goes that Lucas didn't really have a plot for "Star Wars II," but only some general ideas. By the time Star...
- 12/2/2015
- Den of Geek
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In 1980, the idea of having a puppet as a supporting actor was still untested. Ryan looks back at The Empire Strikes Back's big gamble...
"You will go to the Dagobah system. There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi master who instructed me..."
George Lucas may have had a wider saga planned out in his head, but he couldn't have predicted just how much hunger there would be for more space adventures in the wake of Star Wars. But as audiences flocked to watch and rewatch the film through the summer of 1977, Lucas was already putting the groundwork in place for a sequel, with its title, The Empire Strikes Back, firmly in place by November that year.
Exhausted by the process of making Star Wars, Lucas decided to step back from the role of writer and director for its follow-up, assigning his old mentor Irvin Kershner...
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In 1980, the idea of having a puppet as a supporting actor was still untested. Ryan looks back at The Empire Strikes Back's big gamble...
"You will go to the Dagobah system. There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi master who instructed me..."
George Lucas may have had a wider saga planned out in his head, but he couldn't have predicted just how much hunger there would be for more space adventures in the wake of Star Wars. But as audiences flocked to watch and rewatch the film through the summer of 1977, Lucas was already putting the groundwork in place for a sequel, with its title, The Empire Strikes Back, firmly in place by November that year.
Exhausted by the process of making Star Wars, Lucas decided to step back from the role of writer and director for its follow-up, assigning his old mentor Irvin Kershner...
- 11/24/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
The co-creator of Saw and Insidious chats to us about homages, mistakes, and the Luke/Leia/Vader relationship...
James Wan's longtime collaborator Leigh Whannell was the co-creator and co-writer of the Saw and Insidious series. For the third chapter of Insidious, Whannell has personally picked up the director's megaphone for the very first time.
We met up last week to speak about his newly-forged processes as a writer-director, his ambitions, the lessons he learned from this film, and lots more besides, from Poltergeist to The Shining and, at three separate talking points, the Star Wars saga.
I think would-be filmmakers and students of the medium will find some of his answers particularly intriguing, but be warned, there are spoilers for The Others, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Going back to the beginning, the first Insidious was regularly compared to Poltergeist. Did it start out as a Poltergeist homage,...
James Wan's longtime collaborator Leigh Whannell was the co-creator and co-writer of the Saw and Insidious series. For the third chapter of Insidious, Whannell has personally picked up the director's megaphone for the very first time.
We met up last week to speak about his newly-forged processes as a writer-director, his ambitions, the lessons he learned from this film, and lots more besides, from Poltergeist to The Shining and, at three separate talking points, the Star Wars saga.
I think would-be filmmakers and students of the medium will find some of his answers particularly intriguing, but be warned, there are spoilers for The Others, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Going back to the beginning, the first Insidious was regularly compared to Poltergeist. Did it start out as a Poltergeist homage,...
- 6/4/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Rip Van Marlowe
By Raymond Benson
Robert Altman was a very quirky director, sometimes missing the mark, but oftentimes brilliant. His 1973 take on Raymond Chandler’s 1953 novel The Long Goodbye is a case in point. It might take a second viewing to appreciate what’s really going on in the film. Updating what is essentially a 1940s film noir character to the swinging 70s was a risky and challenging prospect—and Altman and his star, Elliott Gould as Philip Marlowe (!), pull it off.
It’s one of those pictures that critics hated when it was first released; and yet, by the end of the year, it was being named on several Top Ten lists. I admit that when I first saw it in 1973, I didn’t much care for it. I still wasn’t totally in tune with the kinds of movies Altman made—even after M*A*S*H,...
By Raymond Benson
Robert Altman was a very quirky director, sometimes missing the mark, but oftentimes brilliant. His 1973 take on Raymond Chandler’s 1953 novel The Long Goodbye is a case in point. It might take a second viewing to appreciate what’s really going on in the film. Updating what is essentially a 1940s film noir character to the swinging 70s was a risky and challenging prospect—and Altman and his star, Elliott Gould as Philip Marlowe (!), pull it off.
It’s one of those pictures that critics hated when it was first released; and yet, by the end of the year, it was being named on several Top Ten lists. I admit that when I first saw it in 1973, I didn’t much care for it. I still wasn’t totally in tune with the kinds of movies Altman made—even after M*A*S*H,...
- 2/27/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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