Exclusive: The legendary 1972 Toronto production of the musical Godspell – a staging that launched the careers of Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer, Andrea Martin and Dave Thomas, among others – will be the subject of a feature length documentary exec produced by Judd Apatow.
“As a bona fide comedy nerd,” said Apatow in a statement, “I’ve long wondered what exactly brought that amazing group of people together to produce not just a fantastic theatrical event, but what came after: Second City Toronto, Sctv, and of course Saturday Night Live – not to mention a host of movies and TV from Splash to The Three Amigos to Schitt’s Creek and Only Murders in the Building. None of that would have happened in the way that it did without the Toronto Godspell.”
The film will be produced, directed and co-written (with Jane Mendelsohn) by Nick Davis, whose most recent film,...
“As a bona fide comedy nerd,” said Apatow in a statement, “I’ve long wondered what exactly brought that amazing group of people together to produce not just a fantastic theatrical event, but what came after: Second City Toronto, Sctv, and of course Saturday Night Live – not to mention a host of movies and TV from Splash to The Three Amigos to Schitt’s Creek and Only Murders in the Building. None of that would have happened in the way that it did without the Toronto Godspell.”
The film will be produced, directed and co-written (with Jane Mendelsohn) by Nick Davis, whose most recent film,...
- 3/14/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
If Valentine cards are too lame and saccharine for your taste, then maybe you need something a little more hard-boiled for this lovers’ holiday. Perhaps, “What do I call you besides stupid?” or “We go together like guns and ammunition” are more in line with the romantic sentiments you’d like to express to your gumshoe or femme fatale. If that’s the case, then here are some lethally attractive film noir romances with the cynical bite your cold heart craves.
Marriage vows state, “till death do us part.” But in noir, that death is very rarely of natural causes. I mean, there’s a reason women in noir are referred to as femme fatales – they can be deadly.
Here’s a list of the 10 best classic American films noir to celebrate with on Valentine’s Day.
Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t already figured it out, I will be...
Marriage vows state, “till death do us part.” But in noir, that death is very rarely of natural causes. I mean, there’s a reason women in noir are referred to as femme fatales – they can be deadly.
Here’s a list of the 10 best classic American films noir to celebrate with on Valentine’s Day.
Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t already figured it out, I will be...
- 2/14/2024
- by Beth Accomando
- Showbiz Junkies
Back in June, when this series covered Wild Things, I introduced neo-noirs as a response in the 70s and 80s to the noirs of the 40s and 50s. Historical film buffs will know that the Hays Code, which censored Hollywood films based on moral grounds, dictated edits to plot and character until it was abolished in 1968. This is one of the main reasons why films of the 70s began to lean into more gory, salacious and, yes, sexy material.
The 70s and 80s were ripe with remakes of film noirs because the coded violence and sexuality could finally be brought to the fore instead of hiding it in metaphor and innuendo. We’ll talk about several of these films in later entries of this column, but since it is Noirvember, why not use this opportunity to explore a text that cemented several erotic thriller conventions and tropes?
The Noir film...
The 70s and 80s were ripe with remakes of film noirs because the coded violence and sexuality could finally be brought to the fore instead of hiding it in metaphor and innuendo. We’ll talk about several of these films in later entries of this column, but since it is Noirvember, why not use this opportunity to explore a text that cemented several erotic thriller conventions and tropes?
The Noir film...
- 11/29/2022
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer hit the big screen early in the 3-D craze, in a much tamed-down adaptation. The camera legend John Alton handled the lighting and likely called the shots on the camera setups as well. As a detective noir it’s definitely flat-footed, with a bum script, weak direction and a miscast Biff Elliot as the vengeful tough-guy hero. But compensating are the seductive Dran Hamilton, Margaret Sheridan and especially Peggie Castle — the key ‘dame’ in the pulp fiction finale. The United Artists release has been mostly Mia for decades,and this release presents it three ways: flat in both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, plus a beautiful restored 3-D Blu-ray encoding.
I, the Jury
4K Ultra HD + 3-D Blu-ray + Blu-ray
ClassicFlix
1953 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 88 min. / Special Limited Edition / Street Date November 8, 2022 / Available from ClassicFlix / 34.99
Starring: Biff Elliot, Preston Foster, Peggie Castle, Margaret Sheridan, Alan Reed,...
I, the Jury
4K Ultra HD + 3-D Blu-ray + Blu-ray
ClassicFlix
1953 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 88 min. / Special Limited Edition / Street Date November 8, 2022 / Available from ClassicFlix / 34.99
Starring: Biff Elliot, Preston Foster, Peggie Castle, Margaret Sheridan, Alan Reed,...
- 10/29/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
It’s back and Criterion’s got it, so be prepared for sharp-talking insights on Billy Wilder’s nearly flawless, cinema-changing ode to cold-blooded murder, Los Angeles style. Edward G. Robinson wants Fred MacMurray but Barbara Stanwyck has him wrapped around her trigger finger. James M. Cain tapped into our city’s domestic malaise — who doesn’t know somebody they’d like to trade in for some extra cash? What about the extras? The Big C has Noah Isenberg, Imogen Sara Smith, Eddie Muller, Angelica Jade Bastién. Plus, we get the legendary Wilder interviews with Volker Schlöndorff, uncut and völlig ungeklärt. Revolver under the sofa cushion, anyone?
Double Indemnity
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1126
1944 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 108 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date May 31, 2022 / 39.95
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Tom Powers, Jean Heather, Byron Barr, Richard Gaines, Fortunio Bonanova, Mona Freeman,...
Double Indemnity
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1126
1944 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 108 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date May 31, 2022 / 39.95
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Tom Powers, Jean Heather, Byron Barr, Richard Gaines, Fortunio Bonanova, Mona Freeman,...
- 5/17/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Sometimes fact is so much stranger than fiction, fiction has no choice but to copy fact. "Double Indemnity," a 1943 novel by James M. Cain, was adapted into a film the following year by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler. A classic noir, "Double Indemnity" stars Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff, an insurance salesman who conspires with his paramour Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) to murder her husband (Tom Powers) and collect on a double indemnity policy in his name. However, the film's underlying inspiration is not Cain's novel, but a 1927 murder that dominated news coverage.
In 1925 Queens, homemaker Ruth Snyder began an affair with married corset salesman Henry Judd...
The post The Real-Life Murder That Inspired Double Indemnity appeared first on /Film.
In 1925 Queens, homemaker Ruth Snyder began an affair with married corset salesman Henry Judd...
The post The Real-Life Murder That Inspired Double Indemnity appeared first on /Film.
- 2/25/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Still the fiercest and most cinematic of the first wave of gangster classics, Howards Hughes and Hawks’s pre-Code rule-breaker was the one that brought down the ban on ‘glamorous’ gangster movies. In this case classic hardly means dated: the cars and clothes are vintage but the sex and violence are sizzling hot. Paul Muni is the primitive killer who falls in love with submachine guns and George Raft is his loyal trigger man. Karen Morley and especially Ann Dvorak are indeed the hottest pre-Code seducers in film. Plus, Boris Karloff contributes a mobster snarl as a lightly-disguised Bugs Moran. It’s a bullet-ridden city, that’s for sure, and the filmmakers frequently use expressionist effects: like X Marks The Spot!
Scarface
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 37
1932 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 93 min. 33 sec. + 95 min. 34 sec. / Scarface, Shame of a Nation / Street Date April 28, 2021 / Available from / 34.95 (au)
Starring: Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley,...
Scarface
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 37
1932 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 93 min. 33 sec. + 95 min. 34 sec. / Scarface, Shame of a Nation / Street Date April 28, 2021 / Available from / 34.95 (au)
Starring: Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley,...
- 6/5/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Vintage high-end Film Noir from the classic year 1947! Low Mileage too — this long cut hasn’t been seen since the early laserdisc days. I didn’t know it needed restoring until George Feltenstein talked about it a couple of years ago. It’s a domestic noir crossed with Double Indemnity with a little An American Tragedy thrown in for good measure. Normally squeaky-clean Robert Young throws his hat into the ring with the lowest of noir hero-villains: in this one he double-crosses three terrific noir leading ladies. We can now spell ‘Unspeakable Cad’ with the initial Ry. The most amazing thing about The Warner Film Archive’s new disc is that it restores a full fifteen minutes — Eddie Muller screened They Won’t on his Noir City show not long ago, with no mention that it was the short, edited version.
They Won’t Believe Me
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1947 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 95 min.
They Won’t Believe Me
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1947 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 95 min.
- 5/8/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
“A Likable Cad”
By Raymond Benson
Robert Young had a career of playing mostly trustworthy nice guys—after all, one could say he was born to play Marcus Welby, M.D. on television. But in 1947, he took the chance of portraying an all-around heel, a no-good philanderer who married for money and looks for every opportunity to score with someone new. And yet, Young’s admirable qualities are still there, making his character of Larry Ballentine in the film noir drama, They Won’t Believe Me, a likable cad. He pulls it off, too.
Audiences didn’t take to the change, though, and the picture was a box office dud. However, the lack of profits when a movie is released is never a true indication of its quality. They Won’t Believe Me is an artfully crafted, well-acted, twisty tale about lies, fate, and luck.
“A Likable Cad”
By Raymond Benson
Robert Young had a career of playing mostly trustworthy nice guys—after all, one could say he was born to play Marcus Welby, M.D. on television. But in 1947, he took the chance of portraying an all-around heel, a no-good philanderer who married for money and looks for every opportunity to score with someone new. And yet, Young’s admirable qualities are still there, making his character of Larry Ballentine in the film noir drama, They Won’t Believe Me, a likable cad. He pulls it off, too.
Audiences didn’t take to the change, though, and the picture was a box office dud. However, the lack of profits when a movie is released is never a true indication of its quality. They Won’t Believe Me is an artfully crafted, well-acted, twisty tale about lies, fate, and luck.
- 5/6/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
William Wellman’s The Public Enemy (1931) turns 90 this weekend. When the film first came out, a theater in Times Square showed it nonstop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The movie marks the true beginning of gangster movies as a genre. Mervyn LeRoy’s Little Caesar may have hit theaters first, but The Public Enemy set the pattern, and James Cagney nailed the patter. Not just the street talk either; he also understood its machine gun delivery. His Tommy Powers is just a hoodlum, never a boss. He is a button man at best, even if he insisted his suits have six buttons.
The Public Enemy character wasn’t even as high up the ladder as Paul Sorvino’s caporegime Paul Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. But Cagney secured the turf Edward G. Robinson’s Rico Bandello took a bullet to claim in Little Caesar, and for the...
The Public Enemy character wasn’t even as high up the ladder as Paul Sorvino’s caporegime Paul Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. But Cagney secured the turf Edward G. Robinson’s Rico Bandello took a bullet to claim in Little Caesar, and for the...
- 4/23/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
A solid mainstream hit for 1947, Loretta Young and Joseph Cotten’s political fairy tale maintains its charm despite the usual populist dodges — a spirited young woman finds both romance and The American Dream when she runs for Congress. But will the political system accept her?
The Farmer’s Daughter
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1947 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 97 min. / Street Date September 25, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore, Charles Bickford, Rhys Williams, Harry Davenport, Tom Powers, William Harrigan, Keith Andes, Harry Shannon, Lex Barker, Thurston Hall, Art Baker, Don Beddoe, James Arness, Anna Q. Nilsson, Charles McGraw, John Gallaudet, William B. Davidson, Cy Kendall, Frank Ferguson, William Bakewell, Charles Lane Forrest J. Ackerman, Robert Clarke.
Film Editor: Harry Marker
Original Music: Leigh Harline
Written by Allen Rivkin, Laura Kerr, from a play by Juhani Tervapää
Produced by Dore Schary
Directed by H.C. Potter
This year...
The Farmer’s Daughter
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1947 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 97 min. / Street Date September 25, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore, Charles Bickford, Rhys Williams, Harry Davenport, Tom Powers, William Harrigan, Keith Andes, Harry Shannon, Lex Barker, Thurston Hall, Art Baker, Don Beddoe, James Arness, Anna Q. Nilsson, Charles McGraw, John Gallaudet, William B. Davidson, Cy Kendall, Frank Ferguson, William Bakewell, Charles Lane Forrest J. Ackerman, Robert Clarke.
Film Editor: Harry Marker
Original Music: Leigh Harline
Written by Allen Rivkin, Laura Kerr, from a play by Juhani Tervapää
Produced by Dore Schary
Directed by H.C. Potter
This year...
- 9/11/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
There’s nothing more fun than getting to watch classic movies the way they were intended–on the big screen!
Now, I understand plenty of people don’t want to go to a theater, spend a fortune on tickets, popcorn, and a drink just to see the glow of cell phones and hear people rudely talking while someone kicks your seat from behind, but that’s not the experience you’ll get at Landmark theaters affordable ‘Crime & Noir’ film series. St. Louis movie buffs are in for a treat as Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater will return with it’s ‘Classics on the Loop’ every Wednesday beginning April 5th at 7pm. This season, the Tivoli will screen, on their big screen (which seats 320 btw), eight crime and noir masterpiece that need to be seen in a theater with an audience. Admission is only $7.
One benefits of the big screen is...
Now, I understand plenty of people don’t want to go to a theater, spend a fortune on tickets, popcorn, and a drink just to see the glow of cell phones and hear people rudely talking while someone kicks your seat from behind, but that’s not the experience you’ll get at Landmark theaters affordable ‘Crime & Noir’ film series. St. Louis movie buffs are in for a treat as Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater will return with it’s ‘Classics on the Loop’ every Wednesday beginning April 5th at 7pm. This season, the Tivoli will screen, on their big screen (which seats 320 btw), eight crime and noir masterpiece that need to be seen in a theater with an audience. Admission is only $7.
One benefits of the big screen is...
- 3/22/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Mad Magician
3-D Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1954 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 72 min. / Street Date January 10, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95
Starring: Vincent Price, Mary Murphy, Eva Gabor, John Emery, Donald Randolph, Lenita Lane, Patrick O’Neal, Jay Novello, Corey Allen, Conrad Brooks, Tom Powers, Lyle Talbot.
Cinematography: Bert Glennon
Editor: Grant Whytock
Original Music: Arthur Lange, Emil Newman
Written by: Crane Wilbur
Produced by: Bryan Foy
Directed by John Brahm
Twilight Time, bless ’em, hands us another treat to go with their 3-D discs of Man in the Dark, Miss Sadie Thompson and Harlock Space Pirate 3-D — and this time it’s a fun bit of 1950s horror — with a hot pair of short subject extras.
There have been plenty of theories as to why horror films became scarce after WW2; it’s as if the U.S. film industry took a ten-year break from the supernatural, and partly...
3-D Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1954 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 72 min. / Street Date January 10, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95
Starring: Vincent Price, Mary Murphy, Eva Gabor, John Emery, Donald Randolph, Lenita Lane, Patrick O’Neal, Jay Novello, Corey Allen, Conrad Brooks, Tom Powers, Lyle Talbot.
Cinematography: Bert Glennon
Editor: Grant Whytock
Original Music: Arthur Lange, Emil Newman
Written by: Crane Wilbur
Produced by: Bryan Foy
Directed by John Brahm
Twilight Time, bless ’em, hands us another treat to go with their 3-D discs of Man in the Dark, Miss Sadie Thompson and Harlock Space Pirate 3-D — and this time it’s a fun bit of 1950s horror — with a hot pair of short subject extras.
There have been plenty of theories as to why horror films became scarce after WW2; it’s as if the U.S. film industry took a ten-year break from the supernatural, and partly...
- 1/13/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Richard Brooks' exciting Humphrey Bogart picture is one of the best newspaper sagas ever. An editor deals with a gangster threat and a domestic crisis even as greedy heirs are selling his paper out from under him. Commentator Eddie Muller drives home the film's essential civics lesson about what we've lost -- a functioning free press. Deadline - U.S.A. Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1952 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 87 min. / Street Date July 26, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ethel Barrymore, Kim Hunter, Ed Begley, Warren Stevens, Paul Stewart, Martin Gabel, Joe De Santis, Audrey Christie, Jim Backus, Willis Bouchey, Joseph Crehan, Lawrence Dobkin, John Doucette, Paul Dubov, William Forrest, Dabbs Greer, Thomas Browne Henry, Paul Maxey, Ann McCrea, Kasia Orzazewski, Tom Powers, Joe Sawyer, William Self, Phillip Terry, Carleton Young. Cinematography Milton Krasner Film Editor William B.Murphy Original Music Cyril J. Mockridge Produced by Sol C. Siegel...
- 9/2/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Blinded by science! And no, it's not a sequel to Donovan's Reef. Lew Ayres yanks the living brain out of a dying millionaire, plugs it into his mad lab gizmos, and is soon obeying the know-it-all noggin's telepathic commands to scheme and murder. Gene Evans and Nancy Reagan assist in Curt Siodmak's creative, compelling tale of possession by mental remote control. Donovan's Brain Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1953 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 83 min. / Street Date March 22, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring Lew Ayres, Gene Evans, Nancy Reagan, Steve Brodie, Tom Powers, Lisa K. Howard, James Anderson, Victor Sutherland, Harlan Warde, John Hamilton. Cinematography Joseph H. Biroc Film Editor Herbert L. Strock Production Design Boris Leven Original Music Eddie Dunstedter Written by Felix Feist, Hugh Brooke from the novel by Curt Siodmak Produced by Allan Dowling, Tom Gries Directed by Felix E. Feist
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Sci-fi and horror...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Sci-fi and horror...
- 3/1/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Army investigator John Haven is out to catch some crooks using stealth, his wits and a limitless supply of marvelous hardboiled dialogue. Dick Powell trades a trench coat for a cowboy hat, while luscious Jane Greer swaps a .38 snubnose for a dance hall dress. A great cast, a witty script and Burl Ives' singing voice make this a delightfully different noir-inflected oater. Station West DVD-r The Warner Archive Collection 1948 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 80 min. / Street Date January 12, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Starring Dick Powell, Jane Greer, Agnes Moorehead, Burl Ives,Tom Powers, Gordon Oliver, Steve Brodie, Guinn Williams, Raymond Burr, Regis Toomey, Olin Howlin, John Kellogg, Charles Middleton, John Doucette . Cinematography Harry J. Wild Film Editor Frederic Knudtson Original Music Heinz Roemheld Written by Frank Fenton, Winston Miller Produced by Robert Sparks Directed by Sidney Lanfield
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Want to discover a 'different,' fun '40s western with clever plotting?...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Want to discover a 'different,' fun '40s western with clever plotting?...
- 2/6/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Susan Hayward. Susan Hayward movies: TCM Star of the Month Fiery redhead Susan Hayward it Turner Classic Movies' Star of the Month in Sept. 2015. The five-time Best Actress Oscar nominee – like Ida Lupino, a would-be Bette Davis that only sporadically landed roles to match the verve of her thespian prowess – was initially a minor Warner Bros. contract player who went on to become a Paramount second lead in the early '40s, a Universal leading lady in the late '40s, and a 20th Century Fox star in the early '50s. TCM will be presenting only three Susan Hayward premieres, all from her Fox era. Unfortunately, her Paramount and Universal work – e.g., Among the Living, Sis Hopkins, And Now Tomorrow, The Saxon Charm – which remains mostly unavailable (in quality prints), will remain unavailable this month. Highlights of the evening include: Adam Had Four Sons (1941), a sentimental but surprisingly...
- 9/4/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Love can be a many splendid thing…both in triumph and sometimes in tragedy. The emphasis of this sentiment is mainly on the latter as tragedy can be defined in various degrees of despair. Consequently, we have endured all sorts of conflict between lovers in cinema throughout the history of frequenting the movies.
In You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling: Top Ten Tragic Lovers in the Movies we will look at a selection of films where the tragic circumstances have shaped the foundation of film lovers convincingly. The tragic overtones come in all varieties: marital discourse, criminal activity, fraud, addiction, etc. Granted that there are probably bigger and better choices for lovey-dovey antagonism that could be cited in You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling but hey…the outcome remains the same: hampered relationships that are creatively rooted in turmoil.
The spotlight of “lovers” are open to discussion in the realm of combative married couples,...
In You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling: Top Ten Tragic Lovers in the Movies we will look at a selection of films where the tragic circumstances have shaped the foundation of film lovers convincingly. The tragic overtones come in all varieties: marital discourse, criminal activity, fraud, addiction, etc. Granted that there are probably bigger and better choices for lovey-dovey antagonism that could be cited in You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling but hey…the outcome remains the same: hampered relationships that are creatively rooted in turmoil.
The spotlight of “lovers” are open to discussion in the realm of combative married couples,...
- 1/27/2015
- by Frank Ochieng
- SoundOnSight
I must have been about 12 years old when I first saw Tarzan and His Mate. I loved the Tarzan movies. Tarzan was the undisputed King of the Jungle and was the greatest, Cheetah was man’s best friend, Boy was annoying, and Jane was the Queen of the Jungle and a young male’s introduction to the allure of the female. The uncensored version, with a naked Jane silhouetted while changing clothes in a backlit tent and the spectacular underwater ballet scene would have been a revelation to me; Tarzan and Jane are frolicking in their favorite swimming hole, Tarzan in his usual loincloth and Jane naked – not naked from the waste up, or presumed naked as they hid her behind some lake flora or rocks – Jane was naked.
Madam Satan
Most film fans knowledge of Pre-Code Hollywood movies doesn’t go much further than King Kong, Frankenstein, and a few other titles.
Madam Satan
Most film fans knowledge of Pre-Code Hollywood movies doesn’t go much further than King Kong, Frankenstein, and a few other titles.
- 1/31/2014
- by Gregory Small
- CinemaNerdz
Mickey Rooney movie schedule (Pt): TCM on August 13 See previous post: “Mickey Rooney Movies: Music and Murder.” Photo: Mickey Rooney ca. 1940. 3:00 Am Death On The Diamond (1934). Director: Edward Sedgwick. Cast: Robert Young, Madge Evans, Nat Pendleton, Mickey Rooney. Bw-71 mins. 4:15 Am A Midsummer Night’S Dream (1935). Director: Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle. Cast: James Cagney, Dick Powell, Olivia de Havilland, Ross Alexander, Anita Louise, Mickey Rooney, Joe E. Brown, Victor Jory, Ian Hunter, Verree Teasdale, Jean Muir, Frank McHugh, Grant Mitchell, Hobart Cavanaugh, Dewey Robinson, Hugh Herbert, Arthur Treacher, Otis Harlan, Helen Westcott, Fred Sale, Billy Barty, Rags Ragland. Bw-143 mins. 6:45 Am A Family Affair (1936). Director: George B. Seitz. Cast: Mickey Rooney, Lionel Barrymore, Cecilia Parker, Eric Linden. Bw-69 mins. 8:00 Am Boys Town (1938). Director: Norman Taurog. Cast: Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, Henry Hull, Leslie Fenton, Gene Reynolds, Edward Norris, Addison Richards, Minor Watson, Jonathan Hale,...
- 8/13/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
White Heat
Written by Ivan Goff and Robert Evans
Directed by Raoul Walsh
U.S.A., 1949
Where would people be without their mothers? Whether by birth, adoption or simply maternal figures, these great dames have, since time immemorial, commanded love, admiration, respect and devotion from their children. Codes of conduct, signs of affection, life lessons, mothers are so often considered the obvious heart and soul of one’s family, the father more commonly seen as the backbone. Appreciation for one’s own mother and, at the very least, respect for another’s mother are understood as basic concepts that, if challenged, speak gravely ill of the offending party. Sometimes the devotion stretches too far, venturing into eerie symbiosis, as was the case with poor Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchock’s Psycho (1960). While James Cagney’s Arthur ‘Cody’ Jarrett in White Heat does not belong in quite the same category as Bates,...
Written by Ivan Goff and Robert Evans
Directed by Raoul Walsh
U.S.A., 1949
Where would people be without their mothers? Whether by birth, adoption or simply maternal figures, these great dames have, since time immemorial, commanded love, admiration, respect and devotion from their children. Codes of conduct, signs of affection, life lessons, mothers are so often considered the obvious heart and soul of one’s family, the father more commonly seen as the backbone. Appreciation for one’s own mother and, at the very least, respect for another’s mother are understood as basic concepts that, if challenged, speak gravely ill of the offending party. Sometimes the devotion stretches too far, venturing into eerie symbiosis, as was the case with poor Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchock’s Psycho (1960). While James Cagney’s Arthur ‘Cody’ Jarrett in White Heat does not belong in quite the same category as Bates,...
- 6/14/2013
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
When you’re looking to put together a movie collection, it doesn’t hurt if you happen to be Warner Brothers. If the collection you’re after is classic gangster movies, you’re really in luck.
For fans of the genre, especially those looking to upgrade titles to Blu-Ray, the new Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics is one you’ve got to get your hands on. Not only do you get some of the films that helped create the genre, and have become the foundation upon which countless movies are built, but the extras are worth the price on their own.
The collection here comes at you like a history lesson, not just of the genre, but of film. Little Caesar, with Edward G. Robinson setting the stage for all future gangsters with “short man syndrome,” but struggling mightily against the production theories of the day, is not only a classic treasure,...
For fans of the genre, especially those looking to upgrade titles to Blu-Ray, the new Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics is one you’ve got to get your hands on. Not only do you get some of the films that helped create the genre, and have become the foundation upon which countless movies are built, but the extras are worth the price on their own.
The collection here comes at you like a history lesson, not just of the genre, but of film. Little Caesar, with Edward G. Robinson setting the stage for all future gangsters with “short man syndrome,” but struggling mightily against the production theories of the day, is not only a classic treasure,...
- 6/7/2013
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
Ultimate Gangster Collection — Classics
Little Caesar
The Public Enemy
The Petrified Forest
White Heat
Due Out: May 21, 2013
The “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classics“ and “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary” are available on Blu-ray 5/21
Who’S It For?
This collection is for anyone who gets excited for a gangster flick. The look of each film is fantastic, especially considering the age of these movies. Just being able to own (and compare) Little Caesar and The Public Enemy is worth the price alone. Little Caesar has every single cliché that Hollywood is still using for its gangster films. It doesn’t hold up compared to modern movies, but that’s the point of watching it. With Little Caesar these aren’t exactly clichés, but new attempted techniques. The Public Enemy completely holds up. It’s an amazing character study brought to life by the brilliant Cagney. Seeing the intro, explaining that Hollywood is against...
Little Caesar
The Public Enemy
The Petrified Forest
White Heat
Due Out: May 21, 2013
The “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classics“ and “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary” are available on Blu-ray 5/21
Who’S It For?
This collection is for anyone who gets excited for a gangster flick. The look of each film is fantastic, especially considering the age of these movies. Just being able to own (and compare) Little Caesar and The Public Enemy is worth the price alone. Little Caesar has every single cliché that Hollywood is still using for its gangster films. It doesn’t hold up compared to modern movies, but that’s the point of watching it. With Little Caesar these aren’t exactly clichés, but new attempted techniques. The Public Enemy completely holds up. It’s an amazing character study brought to life by the brilliant Cagney. Seeing the intro, explaining that Hollywood is against...
- 5/21/2013
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
With Father’s Day coming up, it makes perfect sense for Warner Bros. to look to the past, and release two impressive Blu-ray collections. Ultimate Gangster Collection Classic and Ultimate Gangster Collection Contemporary should make plenty of men happy*.
*Women are also allowed to be happy by this news.
Here is the news release…
Burbank, Calif., March 11, 2013 – As part of the studio’s 90th Anniversary celebration, eight of Warner Bros. Pictures’ greatest gangster films – from Edward G. Robinson’s 1931 classic Little Caesar to Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning masterpiece The Departed– will now be available in two Blu-ray sets May 21. Released to coincide with Father’s Day gift-giving, the WB genre greats, along with one of Paramount’s best gangster films, will be offered in the Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classic and Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary.
The four films in the Classic Collection have been remastered for their Blu-ray debuts. They include...
*Women are also allowed to be happy by this news.
Here is the news release…
Burbank, Calif., March 11, 2013 – As part of the studio’s 90th Anniversary celebration, eight of Warner Bros. Pictures’ greatest gangster films – from Edward G. Robinson’s 1931 classic Little Caesar to Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning masterpiece The Departed– will now be available in two Blu-ray sets May 21. Released to coincide with Father’s Day gift-giving, the WB genre greats, along with one of Paramount’s best gangster films, will be offered in the Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classic and Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary.
The four films in the Classic Collection have been remastered for their Blu-ray debuts. They include...
- 3/11/2013
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
There is a fine line between stereo-typing and the honest portrayal of criminals in cinema. Films such as Public Enemy (1931), Goodfellas, and both versions of Scarface (1932 and 1983) are examples of films both under attack and praised for its portrayal of criminals. Brian De Palma’s version of Scarface especially divides audiences and critics as to whether the character of Cuban import Tony Montana is a racial caricature or an honest look at greed and corruption. Blaxploitation cinema’s portrayal of criminals is no different drawing criticism from the African-American community, especially Rev. Jesse Jackson and the NAACP. The pimps and drug pushers in Blaxploitation cinema are considered just the same, walking the line of stereo-type and being socially conscious.
#5 The Candy Tangerine Man (1975)
Written by Mikel Angel
Directed by Matt Cimber
“Your cash ain’t nothin’ but trash.”
The Baron is a Sunset Blvd pimp that pushes his women to...
#5 The Candy Tangerine Man (1975)
Written by Mikel Angel
Directed by Matt Cimber
“Your cash ain’t nothin’ but trash.”
The Baron is a Sunset Blvd pimp that pushes his women to...
- 11/4/2012
- by Gregory Day
- SoundOnSight
Tom Powers (James Cagney, "The Public Enemy," 1931): Never has a man treated a grapefruit -- nor the woman whose face receives it -- so roughly.
Rico Bandello (Edward G. Robinson, "Little Caesar," 1931): This snarling mob hopeful was willing to eliminate anyone who stood in his way of accruing ever-greater power.
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow (Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967): "They're young, they're in love, and they kill people." That line in the film's ads pretty much said it all.
Sonny Corleone (James Caan, "The Godfather," 1972): Several family members could have made this list, but we're opting for hotheaded Sonny, whose temper made him fascinating to watch ... and, inevitably, led him to a memorably violent exit.
Tony Montana (Al Pacino, "Scarface," 1983): You can't do this list without including the proudly strutting, relentless power seeker whose ultimate moment came when he raised a...
Rico Bandello (Edward G. Robinson, "Little Caesar," 1931): This snarling mob hopeful was willing to eliminate anyone who stood in his way of accruing ever-greater power.
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow (Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967): "They're young, they're in love, and they kill people." That line in the film's ads pretty much said it all.
Sonny Corleone (James Caan, "The Godfather," 1972): Several family members could have made this list, but we're opting for hotheaded Sonny, whose temper made him fascinating to watch ... and, inevitably, led him to a memorably violent exit.
Tony Montana (Al Pacino, "Scarface," 1983): You can't do this list without including the proudly strutting, relentless power seeker whose ultimate moment came when he raised a...
- 9/16/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Double Indemnity
Directed by Billy Wilder
Written by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler
U.S.A., 1944
There is a perverse sort of delight a film viewer can extract from witnessing the fall of someone too cool for school. How many times have vintage film noirs featured a protagonist which always had the right words to say at the right time, who could juggle aloofness with a total capacity to gauge and react to any imaginable predicament? Those character are typically the ones to end up on top. The Maltese Falcon has the greatest example of them all, with the Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade being the coolest cat around. Seeing that archetype character suddenly stumble, show signs of severe weakness, both of the emotional and psychological variety, makes for a fresh twist. Fred MacMurray, had the behest of director Billy Wilder, suffers that very fate in the highly acclaimed Double Indemnity.
Directed by Billy Wilder
Written by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler
U.S.A., 1944
There is a perverse sort of delight a film viewer can extract from witnessing the fall of someone too cool for school. How many times have vintage film noirs featured a protagonist which always had the right words to say at the right time, who could juggle aloofness with a total capacity to gauge and react to any imaginable predicament? Those character are typically the ones to end up on top. The Maltese Falcon has the greatest example of them all, with the Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade being the coolest cat around. Seeing that archetype character suddenly stumble, show signs of severe weakness, both of the emotional and psychological variety, makes for a fresh twist. Fred MacMurray, had the behest of director Billy Wilder, suffers that very fate in the highly acclaimed Double Indemnity.
- 4/20/2012
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
When most people hear the word "Mafia," it conjures up images of "The Godfather," "Goodfellas" and "The Sopranos." But Italian-Americans are hardly the only ethnic group to establish large organized crime rings.
Irish mobsters regularly challenged the Cosa Nostra for territory throughout American history -- and like their Italian counterparts, their conquests have made for some damn fine movies, dating all the way back to the James Cagney vehicles of the 1930s.
So this St. Patrick's Day, do your part as an educated movie fan and revisit the best Irish Mafia films of all time. We guarantee you'll feel better than your Irish Car Bomb-chugging friends the morning after.
9. 'Gangs of New York' (2002)
New York City was built upon organized crime. With millions of immigrants pouring into the city during 1800s, violence regularly broke out between gangs of different ethnicities. Martin Scorsese's Best Picture nominee begins with...
Irish mobsters regularly challenged the Cosa Nostra for territory throughout American history -- and like their Italian counterparts, their conquests have made for some damn fine movies, dating all the way back to the James Cagney vehicles of the 1930s.
So this St. Patrick's Day, do your part as an educated movie fan and revisit the best Irish Mafia films of all time. We guarantee you'll feel better than your Irish Car Bomb-chugging friends the morning after.
9. 'Gangs of New York' (2002)
New York City was built upon organized crime. With millions of immigrants pouring into the city during 1800s, violence regularly broke out between gangs of different ethnicities. Martin Scorsese's Best Picture nominee begins with...
- 3/17/2012
- by Ryan McKee
- NextMovie
James Cagney, the quintessential movie gangster
Seemingly always en vogue, gangsters have been especially so in recent years. The grand seigneur of American cinema, Martin Scorsese, finally won his long-deserved first Academy Award for Best Achievement in Directing for “The Departed” in 2007. Michael Mann’s 2009 effort “Public Enemies” was a big-budget production with high-dollar stars. The HBO drama “The Sopranos” attracted millions of viewers per week for eight years. “Sopranos” writer Terry Winter teamed up with Scorsese in 2010 for another acclaimed gangster series, “Boardwalk Empire,” which won two Golden Globes earlier this year. Warner Bros., the studio that invented the gangster film, is hoping to get back in the game with a revival of the classic genre.[1] And Scorsese, who made his name with gangster films like “Mean Streets,” “GoodFellas” and “Casino,” will likely return to the genre with mafioso thesps Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino in...
Seemingly always en vogue, gangsters have been especially so in recent years. The grand seigneur of American cinema, Martin Scorsese, finally won his long-deserved first Academy Award for Best Achievement in Directing for “The Departed” in 2007. Michael Mann’s 2009 effort “Public Enemies” was a big-budget production with high-dollar stars. The HBO drama “The Sopranos” attracted millions of viewers per week for eight years. “Sopranos” writer Terry Winter teamed up with Scorsese in 2010 for another acclaimed gangster series, “Boardwalk Empire,” which won two Golden Globes earlier this year. Warner Bros., the studio that invented the gangster film, is hoping to get back in the game with a revival of the classic genre.[1] And Scorsese, who made his name with gangster films like “Mean Streets,” “GoodFellas” and “Casino,” will likely return to the genre with mafioso thesps Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino in...
- 6/1/2011
- by Torsten Reitz
- The Moving Arts Journal
As any solid movie buff knows, there's a certain number of ingredients that go into making a movie about gang life. Whether it be the mob or street gangs, a crucial component in the world of those violent killers and drug-runners is the women that love them. They're usually bad dames, dumb broads, or diabolical femme fatales that navigate the underworld just as deftly as the man (or men) they're screwing (or screwing). And because of their love for the dark side, we love them right back. I bravely delved into the underworld to return with the 10 Sexiest Gangster Girlfriends and a few images that should act as a helpful visual aid. Plus, some of the movies on this list are a few of the best gangland films ever made so it's okay if you start geeking out over the movies instead of the women. Grab your tommy gun and check out these gorgeous molls - now...
- 7/3/2009
- by Dr. Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Complete Dubai fest coverage
Dubai -- Independent international filmmaker? Want to break into the U.S. market? Start small, find your "tribe" and learn to think outside the Hollywood box. Oh, and don't even think about a theatrical deal. Think digital instead.
This was the advice from veteran indie filmmakers and distributors gathered from around the world Monday at the Dubai International Film Festival.
Hal Sadoff, chief of the indie division at Hollywood's Icm talent agency, said that flexibility is key. When he produced "Hotel Rwanda," he had an Italian priest squeezed into the script about genocide in Africa just so that the U.K.-South Africa co-production could tap Italian money.
"We're focused on films of $8 million and above that are mixing art and commerce," Sadoff said. "When you're going that route you have to consider the finances up front."
For those unwilling to compromise, focusing your passions on...
Dubai -- Independent international filmmaker? Want to break into the U.S. market? Start small, find your "tribe" and learn to think outside the Hollywood box. Oh, and don't even think about a theatrical deal. Think digital instead.
This was the advice from veteran indie filmmakers and distributors gathered from around the world Monday at the Dubai International Film Festival.
Hal Sadoff, chief of the indie division at Hollywood's Icm talent agency, said that flexibility is key. When he produced "Hotel Rwanda," he had an Italian priest squeezed into the script about genocide in Africa just so that the U.K.-South Africa co-production could tap Italian money.
"We're focused on films of $8 million and above that are mixing art and commerce," Sadoff said. "When you're going that route you have to consider the finances up front."
For those unwilling to compromise, focusing your passions on...
- 12/15/2008
- by By Jonathan Landreth
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It was another day of red carpets at the Toronto Film Festival, and this time there were a few new stars to add to the mix. Rachel McAdams was a welcome — but sadly date-free — fresh face at the premiere of Che, as was Emmanuelle Chriqui in her cute Lbd. Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody goofed around while Rachel Weisz looked gorgeous in her bandage dress as the trio kept on promoting The Brothers Bloom. Paris and Benji were happy to pose together there as expected to check out a screening of Paris, Not France, the documentary which features both members of the happy couple. To see more photos including Ethan Hawke, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Benicio Del Toro, just read more. Images include: Paris Hilton, Benji Madden, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Sunrise Coigney, Mark Ruffalo, Sophia Bush, Ethan Hawke, Scott Speedman, Rachel Weisz, Sir Ben Kingsley, Adria Petty, Tom Powers, Adrien Brody,...
- 9/10/2008
- by PopSugar
- Popsugar.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.